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There's a little girl, stumbling out of the alleyway.
Izuku's first instinct, of course, is to go to her. To make sure she's alright. She had just fallen, after all, and she looks to be lost. Or perhaps even scared. He crouches in front of her, and finds bandages covering her arms. A small horn on her head. Tears, in her bright red eyes. She's hurt. She's hurt , and she's afraid, and she's crying , and–
Izuku's instinct, of course, is to help . It tells him to help . To do something. He reaches out, with both hands, and the girl practically jumps. She looks up at him, eyes wide and confused and hands hovering just inches from her face, and Izuku gives her the best smile he can manage.
"Hey," He says, quietly, "are you alright?"
She looks confused. She looks scared. And she's quick–
–to latch onto him. She hides her face in his neck, and Izuku's instinct is to wrap his arms around her in turn. The goal, then, is to figure out what's wrong, isn't it? What happened, to scare this girl? Where's the threat? Is there a threat? What's–
"Eri-chan!" Someone's voice calls from the alleyway, and Izuku's head jumps up. Eyes forward, arms holding onto the poor girl's trembling frame, he finds–
Blonde hair. Blue eyes. Casual, black clothes. There's nothing really notable about the guy. There's nothing at all notable about him, if it weren't for–
Our target is the leader of the Hassaikai Group. Chisaki Kai. As well as his three closest, strongest lieutenants. EMP, Oukui, and–
Izuku knows his eyes are widening. He knows his mouth is dropping open. He knows that his fingers are starting to tremble, and–
Ghost.
"Ah, thank goodness." The guy takes a deep breath as he grinds to a halt, a mere few feet away from Izuku and the trembling little girl. "Thank you for stopping her! The boss would have killed me, if I lost her." He runs a hand through the back of his blond hair and laughs. Normally. Like a normal person. Izuku can't be trembling right now. He can't be. He can't–
"N-No problem." Izuku smiles. He forces himself to smile. It's shaky.
"You're a hero, yeah?" The guy tilts his head, furrows his eyebrows. "Haven't seen you before. A new hero?"
"Mhm!" Izuku nods, the little girl's eyes are wide. Scared. Is she scared of him? Ghost? Is it– "I've only just gotten started. I-I'm still a student, actually."
"Oh, really? Good luck, then! I'm sure you'll do great!" Ghost grins, giving a thumb's up. "C'mon Eri-chan. You know we've gotta head back. You've got a doctor's appointment." Ghost holds out a hand. The girl doesn't move, for a long moment.
Izuku doesn't think he should let her go.
He's a hero, he shouldn't–
" Togata ." Izuku sees Ghost tense up. Just a bit. The girl, in his arms, does the same. Her entire body goes rigid, at the sound of the new voice. Deep. Smooth. Casual, almost, and Izuku looks up. Down the alley, and–
There's no way–
"What is taking so long?"
Chisaki.
"Ah, sorry boss!" Ghost – or Togata? Izuku makes sure to memorize that name – "I think Eri-chan got scared! This kind hero was helping her."
"Oh?" Chisaki's eyes shift. Izuku feels his shoulders tensing and his breath catches. He doesn't think he's ever quite felt someone's eyes quite like this. So oppressive and heavy and–
"Thank you for helping my daughter, hero. " Chisaki says, in that same smooth and deep voice. Except, somehow, it feels heavier now. Heavy. Like it's crushing the air right out of Izuku's lungs. He struggles to breathe. The girl – Eri – is trembling in his arms, and-
"It seems she was frightened by something. However, she and Togata are in a hurry." Chisaki looks between Izuku and Ghost for a moment, before looking back down. "Eri, come now. You wouldn't want to inconvenience this kind hero, would you?"
There's a moment. A long, quiet moment, where no one moves.
And then the girl pulls away.
"I'm sorry." She says, with a small smile and a bow of her head. "F-For bothering you."
"N-No, it's no bother!" He smiles, glancing up at the two– two villains. Two . "Be safe, Eri-chan."
She nods, gripping the front of her dress, and then turns back around. She runs right into Chisaki's arms – and he lifts her right up, before quickly handing her off to Ghost, who holds her with gentle care, something Izuku would never expect of such a famous villain – and hides her face in Ghost's shoulder.
Izuku watches, with wide eyes, as they walk away.
He watches, and knows that he needs to do something.
But he knows, he can't do anything on his own.
Izuku grits his teeth, and wishes that he were stronger.