NOVEL NEXT Chapter 18 – I’m a father, how’d I forget?
It sounds like the footsteps of a million mice tapping the ground outside the window. The sky has gone black because the storm clouds savagely control the city. Rain pours onto everything in its path without mercy; without consideration or guilt. Opposite to these feelings, one man inside Higure Police Station feels more blame than he has felt in his several decades of life.
"Yonamine, do you plan on moping around all day? You've been like this for a few weeks now." A cavillous voice reaches the right ear of Koji Yonamine, who is consummately garbed in his police uniform. The owner of this voice, Isao Fukase, stands by Koji's side. Isao's arms are folded, ironically working seamlessly with his riling grin. Narrow eyelids reveal the green eyes that watch Koji's every move.
"Fukase... To what do I owe the pleasure of your visit? Has the other side of the station just been too civil for you?" Questioning with an acrimonious tone, Koji looks over his shoulder to see the short, brown-haired officer. Isao's buzzcut assures that his head will kiss any passing gusts of wind while on duty, in this case, it'd be the rain!
Indulging in slight cachinnation, Isao's long nose and ears flap in amusement. On either side of his head, massive ears are visible, complementing the humungous elephant trunk that is his nose. Officer Isao Fukase possesses a mutant-type quirk that gives him the properties of an elephant. These properties bolster his physical proportions, bringing him only a few inches away from Koji, who spins in his chair to face his co-worker.
Isao finishes his laughter and speaks. "My side of the station is in complete fuckin' chaos. You've heard about the Yokai Incident, haven't you? That bastard's been moving again. Chojiro Hata, 42 years old, is one of the worst pains in the ass we've ever had." Koji nods in understanding; he was one of the officers who were a part of the case investigating the catastrophic incident.
"I don't even want to think about that lunatic's case. If it weren't for his connections to that man, we'd have had him in custody and locked away in Tartarus a long time ago. But to each their own, it's a pain in the ass to deal with most of the villains that guy's laid his hands on. Remember the massive fucker from a few years ago? Machia?" Koji shudders just by asking the question.
Isao feels the same fearful feeling as Koji, rubbing his arms as if he were trying to clear away goosebumps. "Guy is a walking calamity. In Kikatosa, I saw him knock an apartment complex over. Hundreds were dead in the first hour of his appearance, and that number would've kept going up if it weren't for him running off somewhere."
"Don't even get me started on that other fucker—Yuuichi Yokota!" Isao's words almost make Koji jolt, but he manages to remain steady. "We're calling it the Zookeeper Incident now. The Executioner happened to be nearby when he attacked the zoo. Not to mention the second attack he did on the city. We'd have lost thousands if it weren't for..." Slowing his speech, Isao has a realization on the words he is about to offer Koji. "Ah, shit. Sorry, Yonamine. I didn't mean to—"
"It's fine. Don't bring it up again, please." The guilt that Koji felt had momentarily been washed away by the conversation he was having with his co-worker. Having worked alongside this man for over a decade, the father of the Yonamine sisters can easily recognize that Isao approached him with the intention of helping distract him from his reality. Right now, his daughter was off in a different city being 'treated' for what he feared was insanity.
Kimiko has been restless over the course of the past few weeks. With her pregnancy, Koji has taken the time to work as many hours as lift the burdens from his wife's shoulders. His eldest, Madoka, returned home shortly after hearing about what'd happened with her younger sister. Madoka was admittedly even more concerned for Rimi than he and Kimiko were combined. The passionate aura that's emitted when sisterly love is involved is uncanny. An outsider might've thought that he didn't love his daughter enough [of course, this isn't the case]!
"Listen," After sharing some silence, Isao speaks again. "Me and some of the guys are planning on going to Naisui City this weekend; call it a company vacation. I know about your wife's pregnancy and all that... But I think you should come with us."
Koji opens his mouth to question but stops himself. His hand lifts to his chin in a thinking expression... "Fukase, are you actually insisting that I abandon my pregnant wife for a weekend so that I can go to a city brimming with neon lights and exotic experiences for any kid from the countryside to feel ascendant? I knew you were bold, but this is a whole different level than any of that."
Isao quickly rebuttals defensively, "I don't mean for you to abandon her, asscap!" A mighty bellow comes from the elephant trump on Isao's face. If their bickering didn't draw the attention of everyone in the office before, this typical occurrence wouldn't even be enough to get a secretary's attention free from their papers. "Chat with the missus, see if she's alright with you going out, and then come and relax man. You've earned that much, I assure you."
Isao Fukase might seem like a pesky fellow, unfortunately, this doesn't even begin to scratch the surface of his characteristics. Nevertheless, he remains someone who everyone can go to in their time of need. Awkward as it may be, he will always offer a subtle hand to those in need of one, including Koji Yonamine - the father of the child whose activities are being concealed due to age alone.
Rimi Yonamine carries more of the monstrous genetics of Kimiko Yonamine than she does from her father. The only similarities they really share are their hair complexions. With all of these things being taken into account, Koji's resolve to remain a suitable father proves just how steadfast he is in his convictions. He, who has failed time and time again, still dares to call himself a father.
"I'll talk with her about it, but don't expect much from her. You know how she is just as well as you know how frightening she can be when I ask stupid questions." There are certain sides to a woman that only a husband can see, yet sometimes, the husband's friends can be the ones greeting the eyes of a demon. Isao wouldn't even dare to think of how frightening that woman could become if she ever decided to use her ability without regulation.
As their chatter persists, Koji and Isao are quickly interrupted by the light trembling of the ground beneath their feet. "Do you feel that?" Isao's question didn't need to be announced as rhetorical for Koji to ignore it. Isao could leave the ground shaking similarly when he walked into a room due to his elephant features, but it was never to this magnitude.
'There are not many men in this country that could leave our station shaking this way. It'd cause an uproar if there was an attack here — it's dead quiet in the halls. No gunshots, no panicking, and more importantly, no alarms... Then, there's only one person who it can be.'
Koji's theory is soon proven correct. The door to the station—fit to accommodate the larger officers of the station—explodes open in the way of two massive hands, too large to belong to a normal human. The dark clouds outside that blocked out the sun did nothing before the existence of the man who looked to intensify the lights in the hallway with his mere presence. "Good afternoon, Gentlemen!"
Marching into the room is none other than Japan's National Treasure; its Number One Hero. Yes, there is no title more fitting for him than The Symbol of Peace. All Might enters the office as a smiling beacon dressed in a fairly soaked business suit. "Huh?" Isao pitches. "Did you run through the rain to get here?"
Clap! "Nonsense!" All Might responds dismissively, brushing off the droplets from his hands. Koji wondered if he took them for serious fools or if he didn't want to seem like a fool himself. Getting caught in the rain can happen to even the most lucky of people who don't pay attention to the weather forecast. You'd have to earn the hatred of the divine to have lightning strike you down, however. Thankfully, there were no burn marks on their Symbol of Peace.
"You're definitely lying." Isao stands firm in his position. Koji is quick to stop Isao before he can persist any further.
"All Might, I'd have never expected you to come to a small station like this. We're understaffed after recent events, so you might want to head over to Musutafu if you're looking for some help." Ever since Yuuichi and Rimi's rampage through the city, the police force of Japan have been working tirelessly on different cases.
Erecting from the shadows of depravity, Yuuichi Yokota made his name known to villains in only a matter of hours. Not just for being an embarrassment, but instead for confirming the existence of a particular man. During his bout against a mere child, Yokota showcased several different quirks that were not his own. Even when reviewing the footage and examining how he utilized the quirk he'd gained at birth, its usage and potency were far different than what'd been briefly recorded by his mother and father in earlier years.
"Please, don't fret over that, Mr. Yonamine!" Koji is briefly stunned, this was unforeseen. All Might, who saved thousands of lives on a daily basis, had referred to him specifically by his surname. "I came here to speak with you specifically! I do hope that you can forgive me if I seem too intrusive. I made sure to clean up every incident I saw before coming here, so I don't think you'll need to go out for a while!"
'...So he's saying that he made time for us to talk...? Wait, so he dealt with every crime he saw on the way here? Having raised Rimi all these years, I can't help but feel a bit amazed and relieved.' Koji was so used to her Rimi and Madoka using their quirks for different miscellaneous, meager tasks. Oftentimes, they'd be in the form of pranks back when the two were younger.
"Well, damn. I can't say no to someone of your stature. What did you want to speak with me about?" Without answering, All Might beckons Koji to follow him with a wave of his hand. 'He must want to speak in private. Then, why did he burst the door open? Theatrics?'
* * * *
Unable to talk on the roof because of the rain, Koji and All Might are seated across from one another in the break room. Contrary to Koji, who only wakes up roughly half of the sofa, All Might's size has comfortably stolen the entire width of his. "Thank you again, Mr. Yonamine. I know that things must be rough after what happened with your daughter."
"Don't sweat it, I wasn't doing much of anything. As for Rimi, things will be fine. I've been told that she's getting the help that she needs, and that's all that matters." Dismissively, Koji brushes the concern of Rimi aside. All Might did not need to know how he was truly feeling about the ordeal. This wasn't a therapy session, but rather, private business.
"If you're alright with it, I'll cut straight to the chase..." All Might hesitates for a beat. Koji doesn't know if he should take this as a sign of weakness or the hero taking consideration for how he'll swallow his next set of words.
"Unlit Torches, does that name sound familiar to you?" Jolting in his seat, lights flash in Koji's eyes. That name belonged to none other than the group responsible for the recent chaos. The attack on the school several years ago, countless crimes in between them, and now the most recent attack on the zoo and city. "It's a group of criminals that were created by none other than your sister-in-law, Katsuko Yoshiyuki."
"Their existence has stood out to me, unlike any other organization I've seen in the shadows. Whereas gangs try to stay secretive in their crimes, and larger groups try to work in the shadows to avoid being caught; Unlit Torches worked with the intention of spreading chaos." Koji agrees with this comment. Over the years, he's helped take down many small-time groups of thugs and villains. Unlit Torches stood out in every way. They might not have been organized, but each member was ridiculously powerful or skilled.
They'd been thought to have been disbanded by All Might, but it seems like that was nothing more than a hoax. They deceived everyone, keeping all of their major figures hidden in the shadows of society. "Begrudgingly, I failed. When I thought I'd defeated Unlit Torches, they were really hiding within the crowds of every parade. More frighteningly, they came in contact with an existence that I also failed to extinguish."
If Koji hadn't been feeling the weight of the dark aura that engulfed the room before, he undoubtedly was now. Just the mention of that existence has caused every fiber of his body to shake. Someone so evil that humanity developed a natural fear towards them...
"I wanted to speak with you alone because I know your connection with this group's leader. Furthermore, I know that you might have some information on the Yoshiyuki Clan, which has expanded its roots all the way from the first generation of quirks."
Koji's answer may have come as a disappointment to All Might. "I'm sorry to say this, but I don't think I know much more than you do. That family has existed for far longer than any other. Whereas other clans have broken off and become distant, the Yoshiyuki Clan survived the test of time. Each generation became stronger and stronger. That eventually brought us to today." This is the surface-level analysis of the Yoshiyuki Clan that anyone who'd been informed about them would know. The inner workings of that massive family could never be known to an outsider.
"What of your wife? Have you noticed anything strange with her recently?" This question stands out in particular.
'He isn't asking me if my wife knows anything... What's with the sudden interest in Kimi's behavior?'
"Kimiko's been upset, but for the baby, she's been keeping her emotions under control. Why do you ask?" Koji's voice carries a subtle irritation. He knows that he should not feel this way while speaking to the man who can save a thousand lives in an hour. He just cannot shake the feeling that there are obvious implications behind each of these questions.
'He doesn't trust us. He doesn't trust Rimi, he doesn't trust Kimiko, but for some reason, he trusts me enough not to flip this table over. Ha... I guess I'm good for something after all.' As the least frightening or monstrous person from the current Yonamine family, most didn't have much hesitation when approaching Koji. He is well-liked and respected throughout his community. The only thing that carried gallons of fear was the last name he'd granted to Kimiko. Now, that name carries a legacy that his children quickly created. It is ever-expanding.
All Might's explanation might've left a few jaws dropping if anyone else were here to hear it. "There are many things that I am cautious about, Mr. Yonamine. Your wife has a very powerful quirk, one that can even work on herself. If she were to be tricked or deceived into using her quirk on herself, or even another person, it could be catastrophic. With just a touch she can render a stable human being clinically insane. I somehow feel like you are the safest person to go to for this concern of mine."
The trust that he had in this man was unexplainable. Koji pondered if he could genuinely be that charismatic.
Lights of determination glimmer in Koji's eyes. "I can't tell you for certain whether my wife's been using her quirk on herself, but I can say this much. There isn't a single person in the world who can make Kimiko someone she doesn't want to be." Koji understood what All Might was concerned about.
All Might is worried that Kimiko might fall victim to some kind of mind control, or perhaps that she'll be coerced by someone. Koji, the faithful husband he is, disagrees wholeheartedly.
"Just have faith in her. I've known her my whole life. You'll find that she's probably the strongest woman you've ever met." All Might doesn't need elaboration on what Koji means. He isn't speaking about her physically — Kimiko was previously renowned as a very headstrong woman. So was feared so much that as time went on, she earned herself a title that echoed through the underworld of Japan's criminal society.
'Times have been bleak lately. Rimi's gone and Kimiko's getting closer to having this baby. Madoka's trying to keep everything together now that she's back from living with her grandmother, but even she started panicking a little when she discovered that she couldn't detect Rimi anywhere in our city. As a man, I've got a duty to remain firm. Even if things turn upside down, I need to keep standing.'
Koji, who'd only been staring off into nothingness depressingly, had been snapped out of his sorrow by the realization of his position.
This is not a man who has time to sulk beneath the weight of something he has zero control over. Instead, he should be there for those whom he can help. He has faith that his daughter, Rimi, will be returned home safely in the end. In a way, he believes that this can be an interaction that she needs. Besides her own family, Rimi never received actual help from an outsider; not enough help that it'd bring out any clear changes in her behavior.
Sharing a moment of silence, Koji and All Might stare at one another. The stare is not intense; there is no animosity to be felt in the room. Koji carries a brilliant confidence in his eyes, and the constant smile on All Might's face proves that he respects the passionate aura around the father.
All Might's energetic laughter floods the room in an instant, leaving Koji jolting as if he'd been shot by a bullet.
"Haaahaaaahaaa!" With every slap to his knee, the room is left trembling—begging for mercy. "You are a fearless man, Mr. Yonamine! I respect that about you!" All Might's thunderous praise surely doesn't fall on deaf ears. There is something about the most powerful man in the world complimenting you that'll give you a boost in confidence. If there was any doubt in Koji before, all of it was sapped away in this moment.
All Might rises to his feet, avoiding the ceiling only because of the station's accommodations for those with more massive forms. "Mr. Yonamine, you are a smart man. Your daughters ought to be proud to have a father like you. I'll be on my way for now. So long as I draw breath, I'll continue bringing justice to all who I can. I have faith that you, the officer you are, will keep helping in shaping a peaceful world!"
With these words of encouragement, All Might marches across the room only to stop in his tracks with a sudden realization. Twisting around with the bead of sweat dripping down his head, but carrying the same unbreakable smile, he chuckles. "I hope you don't mind if I wait for the rain to pass..."
Ha, that's a bit awkward...
