Chapter 61: They Know
I barge through the halls of UA on my way to the principal's office. I feel a bit bad about throwing up in response to whatever it was Midorinya was saying, but I was in the middle of getting the memories from my spy cat. The one I'd sent with that little girl, Eri.
Of course, the mild guilt is vastly overpowered by the unbridled rage and disgust flowing through me. A shudder runs through my body as the fresh memories flash briefly through my head. 'How could anyone do that to a child!?'
I've seen children in all sorts of conditions, and most of them were less than humane. But what that bastard is doing to her? What he'll keep doing to her if he isn't stopped?
It isn't the first time I've seen a child mutilated, unfortunately. But even then the bastards at least have the decency to treat them afterwards. Usually it's about the cost and effort of getting another child, but it still results in the child's suffering being stopped for the moment. Or they'll let the child die because they aren't profitable anymore. Again, at least they aren't suffering anymore.
But what they don't do is-!
I take a deep breath, taking a moment to try and calm down a bit. The rat is a being of logic. Not emotions. A heartfelt plea won't get me any results to getting that nya-hole raided and the entire flufffin population torn limb from fluffin limb!
Ok, perhaps I'll need more than a moment to get myself back together. I frown as the taste in my mouth suddenly hits me, and I'm acutely aware of the traces of vomit that are left at the corners of my mouth and around my nose.
"Rinse, make yourself purrsentable, and…" My lips pull back in a snarl as I head to the nearest restroom. "Message Himiko the details and that she's allowed to make a bloodbath, nya."
`~`
"I'm clawm. I'm clawm. I'll convince Principal Nezu to get a hunt organized. If nyat, I can get the Cult together in a day. She'll be safe before nya next…" I break off my self assurances to take a deep breath in order to focus myself. Squaring my shoulders, I knock on the door, entering at the principal's call to enter.
I see that he's not alone, with Mr. Aizawa leaning against a wall while sending me a death glare. I did leave right before class started, and it did take a while for me to calm down before I came here, so it's understandable that he'd be upset. Though…
My eyes flick to the inactive spy cat he's petting in the crook of his arm and I grimace. By the end of this he's probably going to be much more agitated.
"What can I help you with, Miss Akihiro." Hearing that name once again, I work to hide my distaste for it. I don't bother when All Might calls me it since I'm already working hard on toning down how much of my hatred for him leaks out. At least the two teachers I like call me by my name instead of that fake name.
But it seems that my deception skills aren't enough to fool Principal Nezu when I'm already agitated from the memories I'd gotten. "If you'd prefer, I am able to use your first name." I nod, and he asks again why I'm there before taking a sip of tea.
I take a deep breath. There's really no easy way to ask this, and no way to try and build up to it. It wouldn't work against him anyways, so I'm just going to be direct and hope for the best.
"I'd like a hunt to be organized against the yakuza group knyown as the Shie Hassaikai."
Whatever they were expecting it obviously wasn't that. You wouldn't know by how Nezu reacts, or rather, how he doesn't react. He's sitting the same as before, calmly setting down his tea with a small *clink*. It's Mr. Aizawa's reaction that tells me how they weren't expecting it. But even that is small. Just some surprised blinking and a slight tilt of his head.
"How interesting," Nezu says, his beady eyes peering at me as he folds his hands together. "I am curious as to how you know of this group when a hero agency only recently became aware of them."
I keep my mouth closed. I know that I'll have to tell them about my spy cats by the end of this, but there's still that small bit of hope that I'll somehow avoid that. It's completely ridiculous, of course, but sometimes so is hope.
Principal Nezu hums at my silence before thankfully moving on. "Well, putting that aside for the moment: why do you desire a raid upon them? I hope you realize that organizing such an endeavor is no simple task. And from what little is known so far, the cost in both money and manpower is not currently worth such an undertaking."
It always comes down to money… Though I can't really blame them this time. Not even the Cult thinks of the yakuza as a threat in any capacity, really. They haven't been in power since the rise of All Might, being reduced to petty thugs claiming to be honorable. But I've already seen that lie for what it is…
"They're experimenting on a kitten named Eri." A shudder goes down my spine. "Though it's mrow like torture."
"Oh?" Nezu leans forwards. "Again, I'll need to ask as to how you know this. As I've already stated, they've only recently come to the heroes' attention. In fact, you seem to have more information than us." He takes another sip of tea before leaning back. "Considering we've yet to even obtain the name, something which you have so gratefully provided, it's quite odd how much you know of them."
"We're going to need an explanation. No hiding anything, Problem Cat." Mr. Aizawa's words seem to raise the tension in the room by several notches. It encompasses the room as the two of them wait on my words, and eventually I sigh.
"Spy cats."
All I get in response is confused silence, so I summon an active spy cat that perches itself on Principal Nezu's desk. I ignore how Mr. Aizawa tensed when it first started to form. I'm not dumb enough to try attacking anyone here. Especially since I do want to be a legal hero for my future career.
I turn around, closing my eyes. "Write something down and show it to the cat, nya. I'll dispel it and tell you what you scratched out."
"How intriguing." My ears twitch at the sound of his pen scratching at paper, and after he tells me it's done, I dispel the cat.
As the brief moments of its existence fill my mind, my entire body tenses. My ears go rigid, my tail falls still from the agitated lashing it's been doing since I learned of what's happening. My mind is focused on the single sentence Principal Nezu wrote down on the piece of paper.
We know of your connection to the Cult of Nya.
If before the tension was stifling, now it's positively suffocating as a thousand thoughts rampage through my mind. 'How do they know? The interrogation? Why didn't they do anything then? Do they want to bring down the entire Cult, or just the ones involved in crimes? Am I a hostage? But then why did they let me go out with Purrny? But Nyamuri was watching me… Were they hoping for proof? Are they actually acting off of supposition right now? Oh nya, is me staying silent confirming to them that I'm in charge even if I'm not really!? Nya-it nya-it nya-it!'
My panic continues to build, plans being made and discarded one right after the other. If Mr. Aizawa wasn't here, I'd have a good chance of getting away. But without being able to summon cats to overwhelm him, and with him probably being ready to take me down the moment I make a move, the odds aren't in my favor.
Luckily, before I can make some desperate attempt at escaping UA Nezu speaks and I calm down slightly. Only to tense again as he continues.
"We have no intention of arresting you at this time. However, we will need you to give us certain information. You will be allowed to refuse, but should we believe you to be lying at any point we will request Detective Tsukauchi's presence and work with him to prepare a series of questions that will reveal everything. Rather than what he was allowed to ask at the previous questioning."
'So they knew even before then… Nya.'
I sigh, the fight going out of me, acutely aware of Mr. Aizawa's judging eyes glaring at me. So I avoid looking in his direction. "Fine, but I want the hunt to occur within three days. Otherwise you won't get a single meow out of me!" I glare at him, daring him to argue.
But he doesn't, simply nodding. "Very well. I will make the preparations. But for now, questions!" He claps his paws with a happy smile and I hold back the urge to snarl. My connection with the Cult was never meant to be revealed, but even if it was they were just supposed to be known as a charity organization dedicated to helping children and those with mutations.
'The USJ is the problem…'
If they'd never joined the League of Villains there, they wouldn't have become associated with villains. I wouldn't have been 'kidnapped', and placed in that first interrogation.
But I never would have gotten the chance to attack All Might and injure him. Never would have met someone who shares the same desire, even if our overall goals are different. I can at least thank my lucky claws that they aren't aware of how I agreed to work with them. That's something, at least.
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Welp, they know she's connected. But what will they ask?
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