Chapter Text
「Why are you staring at the clock, Síat?」 Tsu tilted her head.
「Hmm? Oh, I'm about to get to see Uncle Hizashi soon. I have something important to ask him.」 Síat gripped his desk. If anyone is going to know how voices are produced, it's gonna be the guy with the voice quirk...
The PA system crackled. 「Would Síat Rahill please report to the principal's office? I would like a word. I figured this would be an opportune time, since you're a native English speaker and you're about to take an English class for beginners.」
"Oh gods damn it all..." Síat stood up with a sigh and gave the class a 2 fingered salute. 「could someone let him know I wanted to talk to him?」
Mina beamed. 「I'm on it, big guy!」
「Thank you, Mo Fhéileacán Bándearg, just for that, you're getting the good popcorn I definitely wasn't already going to give you.」
Síat headed down the hallway. "What could I be getting called to the principal's office on day one for?"
Ahem... Nana was definitely tapping her foot and folding her arms.
"Oh. Well come on, how was I supposed to know All Might already told him? It's not like I was planning on revealing the Donnybrook Affair this soon, I was saving you lot for the Sports Festival!"
That's... Actually a sound plan. Yoichi sounded impressed.
"So, ma, what do you know about this Nezu?"
I don't. We haven't met. Toshi?
He's clever, he's a talking mouse-bear-dog creature, and anything you're planning, he's ten steps ahead. It isn't worth lying, hence why he's already aware of One for All.
"Eugh. A mouse? Rat's are cleaner, they wash their hands before they eat. And they're statistically smarter." Síat shivered as he opened the door.
「Congratulations, you're the first person who's allowed to call me a rat. And the first who ISN'T allowed to call me a mouse.」 Nezu sat behind his desk, pouring a second cup of tea. 「Please. Sit.」
「Damn... How are you both adorable and unnerving at the same time?」
Nezu laughed. Síat flinched.
「Ahah! Hah! Hahhhhh... Ahem. So! The reason I've pulled you out of class is to discuss your little technique. The... Donnybrook Affair, was it? Such a charming name, named for a street brawl, if my Irish slang is up to date?」 Nezu's beady little eyes glinted as he pushed the second cup across his desk.
Síat took it and sipped. 「You're not far off. Damn, that's good, what is that?」
「Aged Sheng Puerh. It provides a deep, grounding rush of adrenaline, intense mental clarity, and an almost intoxicating focus. I normally like calming teas, but you strike me as the sort that likes to have adrenaline on standby. So, your cover stories. I know that Nana Shimura's cover is that she's your actual mother, and my research actually supports this, given their similar appearances. But your... 'Ghost Might...' would you care to clarify his cover? His is certainly the most important to cover well.」
Hey! He's not wrong, but, hurtful! En pouted.
「Mmm. His cover is vital. It also explains why I started leaving my blood behind. The story is that All Might discovered me, a foreign kid, training for UA and not speaking the language well at all, and decided to help me along. During some of our sparring sessions, I will have gotten a good deal of his blood mixed in with my own, and after pulling that blood back in, it's discovered that it's not just people that die in my arms who are integrated into my quirk.」
Nezu nods. 「Which isn't true at all. But if it were, it would perfectly explain why at that point, you stopped reabsorbing your blood. It's solid. Until a villain decides to attempt to corrupt you with their blood.」
"Aye..." Síat sips his tea again. 「I've thought of that. The logical route would be to thicken my armor. I'm still working on that part. Now... Speaking of my Donnybrook Affair, I need to talk to Present Mic about vocal chords. I want to give them their voices back.」
「Ah, and what, pray tell, do you intend to tell him is the reason you need this lesson?」
「...That it's ready for combat, but a voice would help it reassure civilians during a rescue.」
Nezu sat back with a smile. 「Toshinori was not lying. You truly are clever. I indeed like you. Now, let's talk about the 6 you don't yet have alibis for. You'll need to be consistent with their cover stories.」