MHA: A Cat's Way

Ch 73 Serious Toga

(Toga)

"Um, Big Sis? Didn't you say we were going to see the cat lady?" Eri asks as we wait at the park, sitting on the swings. Not the best place to be when heroes are probably looking for us, at least so long as the raid didn't go off the rails. Too much, I mean. Obviously it's going to go off the rails somewhat since I took Eri and left the clones Twice made for me.

"We will, but first we need to meet up with some of my allies so that we can make sure bad people can't get to you." I pat her head gently, and her flinch is way less pronounced than it was the first time I tried it.

As long as she stays at UA, Catia can keep an eye on her. Not to mention that Catia's teacher can help Eri train her quirk so she's not so scared of it anymore.

Nobody should have to be afraid of who they are.

She tilts her head questioningly, and I squeal at how cute it is, holding back the urge to glomp her. She's not good with sudden movements. "Aren't you coming with me?"

I shake my head slowly, a wry smile on my lips. "I'm not welcome there. Even if I did try to go with you, they'd just separate us."

She pouts and crosses her arms. "But why? You helped me, and you told me that they'll help me too. So that should make you friends!"

I chuckle at the logic only a child can have. "Yeah, you would think so, huh?" I sigh, pushing off the ground and letting myself sway. "But people like to make things complicated. So to them, the things I like are 'wrong' and 'villainous'. So they don't like that I can walk around and do what I like."

"But don't you like sweets?" She tries to copy me and start her own swing, but she's too short to reach the ground, her legs kicking at the air ineffectually. "What's wrong with sweets?"

I laugh, loud and sudden, startling her. Toning it down to a chuckle, I get up and get behind her, gently pushing the chains so that she can swing. I explain as she starts to move.

"I do like sweet things. But remember how I needed to have some of your blood for us to get out?" People tend to think I'm wild, which I am. But that doesn't mean I'm not clever. Especially after partnering up with Catia for a few years. I just don't see why I need to be the one to come up with plans and stuff. I don't want to be in charge of anything, I don't want responsibilities.

I just want to live freely.

After Eri nods I continue. "Well, to me blood tastes sweet. My quirk made it that way so that I could use it. But people don't like that I need blood to use it. So, to them, what I like is villainous. Like how Overhaul is a villain."

She shudders, her small hands tightening around the chains. So I reassure her. "Don't worry, no matter what happens back there, you'll never have to deal with him again."

She looks over her shoulder at me, hope brimming in her eyes. "Promise?"

I grin, grabbing hold of the swing and bringing it to a stop. I crouch down so I'm eye-level with the kid and stick out my pinky. "I'll do you one better. A pinky promise."

She blinks blankly at me for a moment before hesitatingly sticking up her own pinky. "A pinky promise?"

I latch onto her extended finger with my own, grabbing it tight and giving a happy nod. Though I have to ignore a pang of sadness that shoots through me at her not knowing what a pinky promise is. "Yep! A pinky promise is something that you can never, ever break. So make sure you never make one you can't keep." I wink at her.

We let each other go but I don't get up yet, letting her stare at me as she asks a question. "But what happens if you break it by accident?"

I straighten my legs, twirling on one foot as I lean against one of the supports and cross my arms behind my head. I look up, seeing not a cloud in the bright blue sky. "Well, I've never broken one before, so I can't tell you much. All I can say is that something bad will happen if you break it. Very bad."