Crossing Fates : Book 3 - Detain (BakuDeku)

30 - The Man In The Dream

He sent the Elf who had escorted them to the main hall with a message for the others, and soon, Yui, Aki and Daigo joined them in their apartment.

Ochako and Keiki updated the others while Izuku stayed silent, lost in thought.

He felt like he was forgetting something.

What was it?

If only he could chase it down. The feeling was driving him crazy.

Ochako asked him, "What did Nemuri say when you told her about what you sensed?"

"Hm?" Izuku said.

Was it something he had forgotten? Or was it someone?

Ochako studied him with a frown. "You did say that you told Nemuri about what you were sensing, so you must have had a quick exchange telepathically. What did she say?"

Izuku frowned back at the captain. He did know that he had told Nemuri everything, while someone had watched him.

Who was it again?

He had such grey, grey eyes.

Izuku had a feeling of something slipping past him, like a train of thought almost but not quite recovered.

He told the woman, "You heard as much as I did. She said we would talk in the morning."

Ochako's lips tightened. "Fine," said the captain. "Extra vigilance on watches tonight. I'll take a double since Tetsutetsu's gone. Keiki, I want you on the second shift. Maybe you can get a better reading when things quiet down and at least most people are asleep."

She looked at Izuku. "Anything else you want to add?"

It was a relief to turn his mind to other things instead of trying to chase down that maddeningly elusive memory.

Izuku said, "Maybe I should check on things during the second shift as well, to see if I can sense any changes."

"Smart," Keiki said.

"Other than that, we can see if Nemuri can give us more news or clarification," he straightened his back, which had started to ache again. "Depending on how that talk goes, we may be leaving tomorrow. This whole trip may just be a case of poor timing all the way around, but there's no reason to stay if we can't accomplish what we set out to do."

And then because he had been a good, good boy that whole damn day, he looked at Ochako and let himself ask, "I don't suppose Tetsutetsu might still show up this evening with any news?"

Ochako shook her head. "Not unless it's urgent. He won't try to fly into this Wood at night."

Unsurprised but still disappointed, he nodded.

Even though Ochako's gaze remained fixed on him, it was clear the captain was lost in thought.

After a moment, Ochako said, "Everybody pack. There might be a simple explanation for what's going on, but right now, we don't understand what we know, and I want to be able to move at a moment's notice if we need to."

"I'm never going to hear the end of this," Izuku muttered. "Somehow this will all end up being my fault."

Ochako clapped him on the shoulder. "'Course it will, princess. That's 'cause it is."

For the barest moment, Izuku resisted his impulse. He should not stoop to Evil Ochako's level.

But then there it was.

His hand came up without his permission, and he flipped the woman his middle finger.

Ochako and the others laughed. As Izuku went to bed, he consoled himself with the thought that at least the psychos' laughter was friendlier than when they had first started out on the trip.