Chapter 188: Eri's Shichi-Go-San Day (1)
~Third POV~
[Midnight, Heights Alliance (Faculty Dorm), Japan]
In the faculty common area of the teachers' dorm building, having just gotten out of the bath, Midnight was brushing Eri's hair like always as she said surprised, "Do you mean it, Eri? You've never celebrated Shichi-Go-San?"
The two sat on the sofa in the common area. The girl blinked in wide-eyed surprise at Midnight's disbelief as Thirteen, sitting nearby, asked, "Is that so?"
Eri nervously said, fidgeting her fingers, "Y-yes?"
The teachers had asked if she'd ever worn a kimono for the holiday known as Shichi-Go-San, and she wasn't sure why they had been so taken aback when she'd answered no. Midnight and Thirteen turned from Eri to stare at each other as Midnight said, "I guess that makes sense…"
Thirteen nodded her head and said in a saddened tone, "She's been through so much, after all."
The edge of sadness in their voices prompted Eri to ask the all-important question, "Um, what's sheecheegosan?"
The question was just the thing to snap Midnight out of it and put a smile on her face as she explained, "It's a special day when people visit shrines to pray for their children's good health."
Shichi-Go-San, which means "seven-five-three" in Japanese, references the ages at which a child celebrates the holiday. The particulars of the tradition differ from region to region, with some people using the traditional East Asian reckoning of counting ages (where a child is said to be one at birth and gains a year every New Year) and others following the Western style (where a child turns one exactly one year after being born and turns a year older on each successive birthday).
The traditional reckoning is generally preferred when it comes to this holiday, so for Eri—who was born in December—her Shichi-Go-San celebrations would have been when she was only a year old by Western standards, and then again when she was five.
Naturally, Eri had no memory of anything from when she was one, but she knew for a fact that she hadn't donned a kimono at age five. Eri asked curiously, "You mean hatsumode?"
Eri was referring to the traditional first shrine visits during New Year's. However, Midnight said in a confident tone, "Nope, not quite. Shichi-Go-San is, uh… When is it again?"
Midnight, turning to Thirteen. Thirteen, who took out her phone to check, answered in a surprised tone, "Let's see… Oh, it was November 15!"
Midnight, her voice and face full of regret, clenched her fist and said in an annoyed tone but she added, her eyes sparkling, "We've missed it then! What a shame! Unless… we just wanna go ahead and do it anyway."
Thirteen confusedly muttered, "Huh?"
Midnight stood up, raising her clenched fist, and declared in a determined tone, her eyes sparkling, "Who cares if it's not on the right day? It's important to celebrate this little lady as she grows up."
Thirteen, caught up in Midnight's amusement, agreed as she said, "You make a good point. Why not!"
Eri continued to stare at the two women blankly, still unsure why they were making such a fuss.
//////
[Days Later, Heights Alliance (Faculty Dorm), Japan]
Several days later, Eri was busy training her Quirk in one of U.A. High's facilities with Mirio Togata and Aizawa at her side. Hers was a powerful ability that allowed her to effectively [Rewind] any living organism she touched to a past state of being, which meant she could heal existing injuries.
Eri focused up and touched a wilted flower. When the horn on her forehead began to glow, the flower sprung back to life before everyone's eyes as she said, "Phew…"
She moved her hand away quickly and felt the tension leave her body. Togata said with a broad grin, "Wow, wow, wow! You've already got a real knack for working with plants!"
Eri was thrilled by Togata's unabashed compliment. Aizawa, on standby, spoke up. "Good. Now let's try a bug."
He presented her with a small terrarium containing a beetle missing one of its legs. It struggled to maintain its balance as it stumbled around its environment.
Eri's training had started with plants, and Aizawa had had her move on to small animals in the meantime, hoping to tackle larger ones eventually. At this stage, the injured bugs he found in the woods were ideal recipients of the rewinding treatment.
Eri, her smile vanishing and her nerves returning when she looked at the bug, said, "Okay…"
Togata gave Eri words of encouragement as he said cheerfully, "You'll do great. Just keep calm!"
Eri, with a resolute nod, as she focused her mind, said, "Uh-huh …"
The girl tried to reassure herself with this mantra as she reached out and touched the insect and she thought nervously, 'This is fine… I'm gonna do great… Just gotta heal the bug's leg…'
Within an instant, its leg regrew itself, and Eri retracted her hand without a moment's delay as she again released tension. "Phew."
Togata smiled seeing Eri heal the bug's leg as he encouraged says to her, "Hooray! I bet Mr. Bug is loving his new leg!"
Eri nodded as she said happily, exhausted, "I'm glad it worked…"
Aizawa said, his voice as gentle as it had ever been, congratulating Eri's progress, "It seems you've gotten used to working with insects."
So far, Eri's attempts with smallish insects have been resounding successes. Next, Aizawa said, bringing up the next subject, "Next up is a lizard."
Eri's nerves returned with a vengeance, and her whole body stiffened up. Aizawa and Togata noticed this and glanced at each other with concern in their eyes. Eri had practiced rewinding lizards plenty of times already, but something about reptiles made them feel more like real animals, at least compared to insects.
During about half of these attempts, it had been clear that Eri was about to take it too far by accident, at which point Aizawa would direct his [Erasure] Quirk at the girl to stop her power in its tracks as he suggested calmly, "Or we could take a break?"
Eri considered the offer with a furrowed brow before shaking her head and saying, "No. I want to try."
Aizawa presented to her a lizard without a tail. When some lizards sense danger, they can drop their tails as a defense mechanism to raise their odds of escaping the threat.
It's usually no great loss since the tails tend to grow back, and this particular lizard was scampering around its container, seemingly indifferent to its missing appendage. Eri said in a determined tone, "Here I go."
Eri began concentrating hard, though she was no less nervous about this challenge as she thought determined, 'It's fine… I'm okay… I can do this…'
She gently touched the lizard, but her Quirk failed to activate, perhaps due to a lack of focus. Togata, hoping to reassure Eri, said calmly, "Hey, that's okay. Take it nice and slow, Eri."
She gave him a small nod, took a deep breath, and concentrated once more as she thought, 'It'll be okay… I'm okay…'
She reached out her hand again, but this time, the lizard leaped onto Eri's arm and ran straight up it. This made her gasp, grabbing the lizard with her other hand. "Wahh!"
*Shii*
The creature wriggled around, trying to escape, which made Eri tighten her grip reflexively. That's when her Quirk finally activated.
Instantly, the lizard's tail grew back, but the Quirk's momentum couldn't be stopped. As the lizard's entire body shrank down in her hand, Eri's blood ran cold, and a pit opened up in her stomach as she thought, 'Daddy …'
By the time Aizawa stopped the runaway ability with his own Quirk, the once fifteen-centimeter lizard had been reduced to a hatchling capable of sitting atop a fingertip as Eri muttered under her breath, "I'm… I'm sorry…"
Mirio, placing a gentle hand on her head, smiled as he said calmly, "Hey, it happens! That's why you're doing this training, y'know!"
Aizawa, seeing this, suggested it was time to stop as he said, "I think it's time for a break now."
However, Eri refused, shaking her head as she said, nervously stuttering, "N-no. I can… do more…"
Raising an eyebrow, Aizawa asked Eri curiously, "Are you sure?"
Eri, steeling her resolve, replied, "I-I'm okay…"
Aizawa sensed Eri's resolve and agreed to bring forth another bug. He thought that the best way to help Eri control her power was getting her used to the sensation until it came to her as naturally as breathing.
Eri tried to focus again, trying to be determined as she thought, 'I'm okay… It'll be okay…'
She tried to find her focus again, but as Eri stretched out a finger toward the next bug, her blood ran cold again, sending chills down her spine. Her hand stopped and began to tremble as a single thought crossed her mind, 'What if I make the bug disappear just like how I made Daddy disappear?'
In a tragic incident, Eri's father had been holding her when her Quirk had first manifested, and without meaning to, she had rewound him into nonexistence. Her mother had abandoned her after that, so Eri had ended up with her grandfather—the mob boss of the Shie Hassaikai gang.
That was how she'd fallen into the clutches of Overhaul—the gang's would-be usurper—who'd decided to exploit Eri's unique ability for his own profit and schemes. Since being rescued by Ren Yuki, Eri had found the resolve to train her Quirk in the hope of being helpful to others, but there were still moments when those nightmarish memories came rushing back, leaving her too terrified to use her power.
Noticing Eri's expression, Aizawa calmly placed his hand over her head. "Break time, okay?"
Eri cast her gaze down and nodded. Before Togata could offer more words of encouragement, Midnight entered the facility, carrying some sort of bundle, as she asked curiously, "Got a moment?"
Togata blinked as he answered, staying near Eri's side to comfort her, "Yes—we're taking a breather from training."
Midnight smiled, approaching the young girl in an excited tone, showing Eri her gift, her eyes sparkling. "Perfect! Your kimono arrived from my folks, Eri. Take a look!"
All three members of the training team watched as Midnight unfolded the garment. It was a florid thing, decorated with colorful blooms, as Midnight explained excitedly, "I wanted you to be the first to see it, Eri. It's going to look gorgeous on you."
Eri, her eyes sparkling, said in awe, "Wow…"
Midnight grinned eagerly, seeing the delighted expression at Eri's reaction as she explains happily, "I've also got a really pretty obidome sash clip and a hair decoration for you to complete the look."
Togata exclaimed in awe, seeing the kimono, as he asked curiously, "Fantastic! Did you wear that one for your own Shichi-Go-San?"
Midnight nodded her head showing a grin as she explained in a confident tone, "I sure did. Looks as good as new, huh?"
Aizawa then said, looking at the Kimono as he stated curiously, "Your family kept it in great condition. They must really value it."
Hearing his words, Eri gasps. Something of value. Something important. A treasure as a troubling thought crossed her mind, 'Do I really get to wear such a pretty thing?'
Eri's Quirk could only affect living organisms, so there was no inherent danger in her touching the garment, but she still couldn't bring herself to reach out and grab it. Midnight, noticing Eri's sullen expression, asked confused, "Something wrong, Eri?"
Togata, with a smile, offered a drink, extending his hand as he suggested kindly, "Hey, Eri! Why don't we go grab something to drink?"
But the girl didn't reach for his outstretched hand either, as Eri said in a nervous tone, having a hard time getting the words out, "Um, I… I'm gonna go for a walk, alone…"
/////
[Heights Alliance (Faculty Dorm) – Outside, Japan]
Eri exited the facility and pushed through the chilly winter air until she reached the shadow of the building, where she let out a heavy sigh. Everyone treated her with such love and care, so why wouldn't that painful tightness in her chest go away?
She squatted down low—as if to conceal the source of the pain—and buried her head between her knees. This warmed her up a bit as her body heat radiated from her core, but this warmth was no match for the forlorn chill she felt within, alone and crestfallen as she thought depressingly, 'What if I never figure out how to use my Quirk for good?'
So many people had come together to rescue her. Eri's chest grew tight again. She wanted to be helpful. That's why she could grin and bear it and commit to this training. But doubt remained as she thought, 'What if I can't?'
Eri wondered if failing here meant she'd be shipped off somewhere else entirely, just like before. At this thought, another pit opened up in her stomach, and her throat began to hurt. Her vision blurred, and she pursed her quivering lips tightly as she resisted the urge to cry.
That was when Eri heard a meow from nearby as she muttered, "A kitty?"
After rubbing her dewy eyes, Eri decided to follow the source of the sound, only to find an all-white kitten under a bush as she said cutely, "Hello, kitty."
But the kitten arched its back and hissed. Eri noticed some red stains on one of its hind legs and asked, concerned, "Are you hurt kitty? Are you okay?"
Eri reached out but immediately stopped herself. What if she touched the kitten and erased it from existence?
While the girl hesitated, the kitten took the opportunity to dart away, dragging its injured leg behind it. This prompted Eri to chase as she said, "Kitty, wait!"
Eri chased after it instinctively, but she was no match for an agile kitten, injured or not. Determined to evade the human pursuer, the kitten made its way into the nearby forest as Eri shouted, "Kitty? Where are you?"
She searched between the shadows of the trees, but she lost sight of the animal. But then another voice came, "Looking for a cat?"
Hitoshi Shinso had noticed Eri a few moments earlier, but he'd waited to see what she was up to before calling out to her. Shinso and the rest of U.A.'s students had been informed when the school took Eri under its wing, but the girl was still unfamiliar with most of the student body.
Turning around, unsure what to make of this stranger in the woods, she said nervously, "Y-yes…"
Understanding her concern, Shinso asked softly, easing Eri's worry, "What a coincidence—me too. Was it a kitten you saw?"
Eri spotted a can of wet cat food in the boy's hand and nodded. It was when Shinso asked about the cat in a calm tone, "It's still pretty young. Oh, what color was it?"
Eri muttered, recalling the cat, "White. All white…"
Shinso nodded his head as he confirmed that was the one he was looking for. He said calmly, expressing concern, "That's the one. That little scamp's the only one who didn't show up for dinner yesterday."
Something about the tone of concern in Shinso's voice allowed Eri to relax, if only a little, as she thought, 'I guess he likes kitties too.'
Eri suddenly remembered the kitten's injury, and when she mentioned it to Shinso, his concern showed on his face even more as he said, worrying, "It must not be hurt too bad if it's still running around… But it needs to be cared for before that leg gets worse."
Eri agreed, nodding as she said, "Yeah…"
Shinso took another look at Eri, and it finally occurred to him that she was out there all alone. He asked curiously, "Does anyone know you came into the woods?"
She shook her head as she said sadly, "No… I didn't tell them."
Hearing this, Shinso suggested to her in a calm tone, helplessly says, "Then we'd better get you back. I can come with you."
Shinso spun around toward the edge of the forest, but Eri stood in place and muttered, "Umm…"
It was clear she wasn't ready to walk with the older boy as Shinso said, "What's wrong?"
Eri tried her best to explain as she said nervously with a desperate expression, "The kitty could really get lost out here all alone…"
Though she really did want to help the cat, the fact was that Eri wasn't prepared to return to her training just yet. There was desperation in her expression, and Shinso sensed that the girl was struggling with something she couldn't put into words as he said calmly, "Okay, let's search together for a bit? But I really should take you back soon."
Relieved at her delayed sentence, Eri nodded fervently and sighed. With that, the two began their search.