Allusions
Miyoko had refused to bring Kiyomi home, so she’d spent the night in the holding cell. Kiyomi hadn’t been able to sleep, instead trying to listen to Tsukauchi and Eraser try to reason with Miyoko. There was no reasoning with Miyoko. She was immovable once she made a decision.
Nothing had come of the negotiations. No surprise there.
However, it was about four in the morning when Tsukauchi and Eraser were close enough for Kiyomi to make out their conversation.
“You’ve been watching her for how long now?” Tsukauchi was saying with a yawn.
“Three months.” Eraserhead’s voice was quiet and coarse with exhaustion.
“And you never once approached her or even offered to help?” Tsukauchi let out a small noise of surprise. “How unexpected.”
“She had her situations under control.”
“Even that incident last week?” The good detective was referring to the creepy guy.
“I was ready to help, but she worked it out.”
“So she’s talented.” Tsukauchi sounded unconvinced of something. “What does that tell a judge? To keep her in a facility longer?”
“It says that she has hero potential.”
No. No. There was no fucking way Kiyomi was going to become a hero. If it was between becoming a hero and spending the rest of her life in a detention facility, Kiyomi would much rather be locked away. It wasn’t like she had anywhere to go anyway.
There was a pause before Tsukauchi spoke again. “What are you suggesting?”
“I already talked to Nezu. While he’s still resigned, I think putting her into the entrance exam will prove something.” Eraser stayed quiet as Tsukauchi thought it over.
“What about her mother? Ms. Tamatsuki already gave her two cents on what she thinks of her daughter.” He didn’t say what it was, but Kiyomi could guess it was bad. “She would need a legal guardian, especially in her case.”
“Foster system.”
Fuck no. No.
She was never going to see Kyoji again. She was never going to listen to Present Mic’s radio show while she did her homework in her room again. She was never going to play video games while Kyoji struggled to stay awake next to her ever again. She wasn’t going to see Kyoji’s tournament next weekend. She wasn’t going to get to see Kyoji when he brought home his first boyfriend or get to tease him relentlessly for it. Her mother had made a decision.
Kiyomi should’ve known, especially because of what happened with her dad.
“No.” Kiyomi stood in her cell, wrists heavy from the stupid suppressors on her arms. “No. No. No. No. No fucking way in hell, no.”
Both Tsukauchi and Eraser turned the corner just in time to see Kiyomi burst into tears.
She was weak. How could she just start crying? Kiyomi hadn’t even felt the tears as they started down her face. She was proving how weak she was. Who in their right mind would cry so easily? Then again, who in their right mind would have a panic attack in front of their mother?
Kiyomi’s cheek hurt. Eraser had looked her over once, from a distance, but Kiyomi had seen it. She hadn’t broken anything, but it hurt.
It wasn’t just her cheek. It was her heart, too. Her heart ached more than Kiyomi could ever have imagined. She wanted to go home. She wanted to sleep. She wanted to forget this ever happened.
***Maybe she just wanted to die. She wished Eraser hadn’t caught her on that roof, then maybe none of this would’ve happened.***
Sinking to her knees, Kiyomi didn’t care that Tsukauchi just stood there as Eraser looked ready to jump out a window. Why would Eraserhead jump out a window? Kiyomi couldn’t guess, but she didn’t like it.
“You okay, kid?” Tsukauchi finally asked after a few seconds. “Do you want some water?”
Kiyomi didn’t have time to reply, because Eraser spoke instead. “She does.”
She didn’t, but who was she to go against Eraserhead’s orders? The man wasn’t as scary anymore, Kiyomi noticed. Maybe it was because she’d experienced real fear a few hours ago.
Tsukauchi came back with a paper cup filled with water, and the holding cell was opened so it could be given to her. Kiyomi stared at it until Eraser spared her a glare, telling her everything she needed to know, and started to take small sips for the cup.
The detective opened his mouth to talk, but Kiyomi didn’t let him. “No. I’m not becoming a hero. I’m not going to U.A. Send me to the detention facility. Lock me away for the rest of my life.”
The two men exchanged glances.
“Why?” Tsukauchi asked.
“Wouldn’t you like to know?” Kiyomi added “weather boy” in her head, and it made her feel a little better.
Eraser kept Tsukauchi from pressing any further and led him away. Kiyomi was alone again, if you didn’t count the single officer who was trying not to fall asleep at the end of the hallway and the paper cup with water.
As the sun started to become visible from the small window in the holding cell, Eraser left with a small glance at Kiyomi. Had he been here the whole night? Even Kiyomi had managed to get an hour of sleep in her small holding cell, and she’d seen Tsukauchi leave around five. It had to have been just past six in the morning when Eraser left.
A social worker had met Kiyomi in the lobby that day, the quirk suppressors finally were taken off when it was realized that she wasn’t a threat. Well, she still was, but the police officers she’d never met didn’t know that. The social worker was a young man wearing a soft sweater that was probably warm in the weather.
Even though it was late January, it was unnaturally warm in this part of Tokyo. The meteorologists couldn’t explain it, because it should be snowing this time of year, but the weather was around ten degrees celsius, or fifty degrees if you used Fahrenheit. It was like spring had come early, but in a few days, the temperature would drop back down to zero like it should be.
Kiyomi knew exactly what was causing the odd weather that had been plaguing Tokyo for a couple of years, but if she told someone, no one would believe her.
The social worker was kind and quiet, introducing himself as Hayato as he started to tell Kiyomi about what was going to happen. He talked about lawyers and court dates and legal proceedings. He talked about custody and guardianship and foster care. Kiyomi half-listened, thinking back to the threat of going to U.A. and the fact that the police still had her boots.
She really wanted those boots back. They had cost a hundred thousand yen! Kiyomi wasn’t about to throw away all that money.
A plan was beginning to formulate as Kiyomi heard Mr. Hayato talk distantly. Her strongest shield, Defense, could take about ten gunshots before it cracked, and then three more until it shattered. If Kiyomi could just get to the evidence locker, or whatever they had over here, she could take her boots and her carefully sewn costumes and leave. There was a low chance the police would pull their guns on her until after she got out of the evidence locker, and when Kiyomi had her boots on, she was just a little bit faster.
There were windows over on that side of the precinct. Kiyomi could run out of them, and she’d be fine as long as she had Defense up, or even Bubble. She could get half a mile away if she used the roofs, and it was too late in the morning for Eraserhead to be out. She could get away for about a day until she was found again.
But that wouldn’t help her. Kiyomi remembered the fact she had nowhere to go. If she showed up on her doorstep, Miyoko would probably hit her again. A grimace spread at that memory.
“Kiyomi?”
She looked up, expecting to see Mr. Hayato watching her expectantly to explain something she’d missed, but it hadn’t been him who’d spoken. A tall teenage boy stood on the front of the main office, his hair messy and school uniform crumpled. Small diamond studs glinted on the boy’s ears, and Kiyomi didn’t need to think twice.
“Kyoji!” Kiyomi got up and rushed forward, enveloping her brother in a hug. He wasn’t wearing his glasses again, she noted with a small smile. He hated them. “What are you doing over here?”
“Detective Tsukauchi drove me over.” As if on cue, said detective walked in behind them, looking tired as always and holding a new cup of coffee. He nodded at me as he walked past. “Mom told me what happened. She’s pissed and said some shit about you lying to her and ruining her trust. So it’s true.” Kyoji looked up at Kiyomi, pale eyes sparkling. “You’re a vigilante?”
“Was,” Kiyomi corrected, though no for long. She’d find her way back out onto the streets. “You think I’d lie to you, dude? Nah. Where do you think all that spending money has been coming from?”
Kyoji’s eyes widened. “That is so cool! You’re so cool, Kiyomi!” He caught the detective's eye behind Kiyomi. “I mean, not the getting arrested part and doing illegal stuff, but that’s so epic. What was your name?”
Being mindful of all the curious officers around them, Kiyomi fingerspelled in ASL. Kyoji looked like he was going to explode.
“Really? Like the one all over the news and stuff?”
Kiyomi felt her eyebrows furrow. “All over the news?”
“You don’t know?” Kyoji rummaged through his bag for his phone, and Kiyomi glimpsed her own phone in the mix, with its beaten up Present Mic phone case. She didn’t say anything as Kyoji brought up an article that had been published the week before.
‘Vigilante Shard Saves Popular Political Figurehead, Fukuda Himeko’
That woman who’d been trapped in the alley with the creepy guy. She had been wearing a nice suit, but Kiyomi had just assumed she had an office job of some sort. How did they know it was Shard who saved them? And why would they put it in the news? Usually, it was filled with hero stuff, and Kiyomi didn’t look at it.
So the woman had come forward. Good for her. Kiyomi applauded her courage in her head.
Further down the webpage, Kiyomi found a direct quote. “I want to thank Shard for helping me. If not for them, I wouldn’t have known what to do. I hope that I someday get to meet them so that I may thank them in person.”
Huh. So that was probably what elicited that question about her during Mic’s question hour on his radio show. Maybe Kiyomi should pay more attention to the news. Kyoji waited for her to finish glancing over the article with bated breath.
“Can I tell people?” He asked immediately. Kiyomi gave him a look. “Come on! It’ll be cool.”
After a second, Kiyomi relented with a sigh. “Fine. Say you know her or something. But if you reveal the truth, I will fight you.” Kiyomi gave him a serious look and put up her fists in a comical fashion. Kyoji responded by glaring, but with a smile.
“I brought you your phone.” Kyoji started looking through his bag again. “I have your phone, your charger, your idea notebook, and a controller.” As he said each object, Kyoji put the thing in Kiyomi’s hands. “I didn’t have time to grab you a sweatshirt or anything, but text me if you want it. I grabbed some things. I think Mom is going to shove your stuff in trash bags like she did when Dad left.”
Oh joy. Miyoko was ruthless. Kiyomi held her stuff in her arms awkwardly. “Thanks, Kyo. Why did you give me one of your controllers, though? You only have two.” The video game controller stood out. It was the one Kiyomi liked the best, black with blue highlights, with grips on the joysticks and textured buttons.
“In case we can’t see each other for a while.” Kyoji’s face turned sad. Kiyomi hated it. “You remember how quickly she acted after Dad.” He checked his phone and made a face. “I need to go. Stupid half-days.”
“Go ahead. I’ll keep you updated.” I waved him away. Kyoji, not one for lengthy goodbyes anyway, smiled at me.
“Talk to you later.”
“Go already, loser.”
“Takes one to know one.”
Detective Tsukauchi instructed one of the police officers to drive Kyoji to school. Kyoji was definitely going to be the talk of his friend group for a while.
Kiyomi’s earbuds were still attached to her phone, thank God. she wrapped the charger cord around it and went back to Mr. Hayato. “I can keep in contact with him, right?”
Hayato nodded. “For now. It all depends on what type of custody agreement your mom agrees on. Right now, I think we need to figure out where you’re spending the night.”
Another question. “Do I get excused from school for this? Also, why haven’t I been locked away yet? I thought the laws for vigilantism were harsher.”
Nearby, Detective Tsukauchi made a noise, and they both turned to look at him. He shook his head, but Kiyomi could tell from his eyes that there was something he wasn’t telling them. Kiyomi wanted to find out what it was.
“We have to wait for your case to get processed.” Mr. Hayato ignored whatever Tsukauchi was going to say. “Since you’re a minor, the charges will be less and you have someone to vouch for you. From what I heard, someone’s been talking with the lawyer assigned to your case and working out alternative plans. Normally, you’d just be put in a detention facility for however long a judge rules, but if the alternative plans work out, that might not be the case in the slightest.”
Damn. Kiyomi was caught between herself. She’d thought about her options all night. She really did not want to go to fucking U.A. and it’s hero-centric ideals. At the same time, if she went to a facility, she wouldn’t get to see Kyoji.
Kyoji was what kept her going some days. The idea of not being able to see or even talk to him was sickening.
But U.A….
But Kyoji…
Kiyomi had no idea what she was doing, and didn’t mention it to Mr. Hayato. He was already going over some more stuff with Kiyomi that she wasn’t following.
Somewhere, before she and Mr. Hayato left the station, Hayato had gotten up to talk with Tsukauchi. This gave Kiyomi an opportunity to look at the files Hayato hadn’t taken out of his sight since he’d arrived.
They were labeled with names. Family names, most likely, and probably foster homes. There were five. Glancing around, Kiyomi moved them aside so she could read the labels on each one.
Sakimoto, Imari, Yukimori, and Mizusawa. The fifth one wasn’t labeled with a name, but small inky symbols at the top read ‘Last Resort.’
What the hell could that mean?
Reaching out, Kiyomi tried to slide the other four folders off so she could access the fifth one, but Mr. Hayato’s voice could be heard distantly. Hurriedly, Kiyomi reorganized the folders before Hayato and Tsukauchi came back.
Mr. Hayato and Kiyomi left around eleven in the morning, paperwork having been filed and Tsukauchi asking some small questions. Apparently, Kiyomi was being put on probation and given an ankle monitor that looked like a black bangle to the unknowledgeable. Some rules were set in place, but Kiyomi didn’t pay attention. How would she get back out if they were tracking her? She’d need to get to her work phone. She had some contacts that could help. Kiyomi thought of the small black phone with disdain. If she’d just gotten the right job, she wouldn’t be in this mess.
Somewhere along the line after her dad left, Kiyomi had ended up with two phones. One was a prepay and the other was connected to Miyoko’s phone plan. Kiyomi had figured that her mom expected her to throw the old prepaid phone away, so Kiyomi kept it. She paid for it monthly, and used the old number as her vigilante contact information. It was the number quite a few people down at the Black Market had.
“You had everything worked out already?” Kiyomi asked as Hayato showed her to his car and they started down the street.
Mr. Hayato shrugged. “Someone had already done most of the work for me.”
“Who?”
“A coworker.”
Kiyomi wasn’t going to get any answers. How in the world was she let off so easily? Most vigilantes were thrown in prison with villains right away because vigilantism is illegal. But here, they were just treating her like a kid who got kicked out for doing something stupid. This was not what was supposed to happen.
She wanted to know what was going on.
They stopped in front of a bigger house in the suburban area of northern Tokyo. Kids were sitting around on the front lawn, playing a game with a ball. Kiyomi didn’t wonder what it was and didn’t want to know. She was itching to get back out there. She wanted her boots back. She wanted her phone back. She wanted to go back out as Shard.
But Kiyomi was going to have to lay low for a few days. If she went back out right away, it would achieve nothing. It didn’t help that the police could put her name out in the public any day, even though she’s a minor and Kiyomi is pretty sure there are rules against it.
A woman walked out to meet them. She was older, probably in her late forties, with graying hair and glasses. She was smiling. “Mr. Hayato! It’s good to see you.”
“You as well, Mrs. Sakimoto. Thank you for agreeing so quickly.” Mr. Hayato walked behind Kiyomi, urging her forward.
“Of course! I’m happy to help.”
Mrs. Sakimoto didn’t know.
Kiyomi didn’t need to be asked and bowed automatically. “Thank you for your kindness, Mrs. Sakimoto. I’m Tamatsuki Kiyomi. It’s nice to meet you.”
“Oh! So polite!” Sakimoto clapped her hands together. “When you were telling me about her, Hayato, I didn’t expect her to be so nice.”
Maybe she did know. Kiyomi couldn’t tell.
“I’ll be back tomorrow morning so we can talk to your lawyer,” Mr. Hayato told Kiyomi. “Is there anything you need?”
Kiyomi already had the stuff Kyoji had given her, holding it close but casually. “Uh, maybe my school uniform?”
Mr. Hayato nodded and looked back at Mrs. Sakimoto. “She’s all yours. Behave, Tamatsuki. I don't want to find you in another holding cell right away.”
A holding cell was better than sitting around doing nothing.
“Yes, sir,” Kiyomi replied with her usual confidence. With a wave, Hayato left, and Kiyomi stood in front of Mrs. Sakimoto’s house, watching the kids play out of the corner of her eye.