Chapter 37
Title: Current Status Quo
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Third Person POV. -- 28th of December -- 2415
[ Fujikawaguchiko Town -- Ryokan ]
Yesterday's problems got resolved on their own, there being no technical problems regarding the incident and the authorities having put together a believable narrative for the public to stay calm.
The base of the narrative was that the incident was the work of a group of villains, who with the help of the number 3 pro hero Redvein who was on the scene, got resolved with no casualties whatsoever.
The defeated villain group got into the custody of the police, who would be investigating their motives and reasons for having taken the cruise ship unknowingly under hostage.
Basically, the narrative was half lies woven into half truths that would make it believable to the public, and the presence of Japan's number 3 made them unconsciously calm down and lose the little tension that was build up during the scuffle on the ship's deck.
The modern society has mostly romanticized heroes and villains, seeing them more as an ongoing soupe opera rather than something dangerous.
In their mindset, even if the hero side were to lose they wouldn't worry, because at the end of the day, they had an undefeatable champion, a being put on the highest pedestal of the modern society.
They had All Might backing them, so there is no worry in their minds, the people wholeheartedly believing that the hero of heroes will rescue the day if the problem became too big.
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'Last night was pleasant, and I didn't have any unusual dreams either, which is a bonus I will take any day of the week. It was truly starting to become tedious, being awake all day and even in sleep, ghosts of the past not leaving me be. ' this is the thought process that goes through the early morning awakening Retsu.
Benihana Retsu had a pleasant last night, yesterday after her discharge from the local hospital, she and her friends and family had come back to the Ryokan they had rented for their stay during their vacation, and they did nothing else except relaxing and spending quality time with one another.
Last night they had gone and dipped into the onsen of their rooms, and the warm waters of the onsen was truly relaxing, healing Retsu's slightly fatigued mind back to full health, and letting her paranoia regarding the unpleasant consciousnesses within her be temporarily washed away.
'That doesn't mean I've let go of the problem though. After this vacation, and after I get back my license, I plan on traveling around the world and hopefully find something or someone who will be able to help with this predicament.
Maybe a mind reader? Those types of quirk users do exist around the world, but what if exposing myself to them would result in them learning of my forbidden knowledge? ' Retsu's darker sky blue irises gains another tint of shading to them, her eyes narrowing slightly as a thought, a solution occurs to her.
'What if I kill them after they're able to fix the root of my problem, assuming there even is someone who can fix it, assuming a mind reader even is the solution.
What about New Order?
In the show, Star and Stripe was able to impose a rule where new order would reject and fight against all other quirk types.
That by itself is something that's on the level of quirk factor manipulation, like All For One or Scervino Anna's quirk over-modification ability.
Maybe I should give the strongest woman a visit, and see if I can find the solution to my predicament with her. I am sure my capabilities can compensate for her help in one way or another. I know my 'true healing' is a world wide sought after power.
But I will also have to be discreet about it, there is no need for the whole world to learn that the greatest healer in the world has some sort of multiple personality disorder or something of similar kind. ' an involuntary smirk dons Retsu's face, thinking that if she's truly lost it or not, and the people within her mind could truly be her, but with different personalities or something.
She had given it some thought in the past too, but considering the laws of this reality, a world that is far removed in concept from both her first and second life, and is a world where 80% of the human population has genetically mutated and gained superpowers,
Yeah the odds of her truly having consiousnesses within her from a bygone era is more believable to her than her having gone mad.
'Whatever the case, it seems body swapping with me didn't just take a tole on me only. I'm pretty sure the consiousnesses within me has also taken a blow from the unusual process, otherwise there is no way they wouldn't be within my dream last night. Though I'll have to wait on this theory for a few days and see if they've truly backed away, or this is some kind of other rousing strategy they are building, in order to take over my body once more. '
After she's done concluding things within her mind, the tallest girl within the room gets up from under her bedsheets, the room being quite warm and pleasant due to the air conditioner, and there being decorative lightings that make the room glow slightly even when the curtain over the window is drawn.
To Retsu's right, is the first best friend she's made in this life, Himiko who is sleeping soundly like a cat, holding onto a body sized pillow from under her futon sheets.
To Retsu's left on the other hand, is the local pink girl of the trio of friends, Mina who's futon is slightly nearer to Retsu's, having had the tall girl's left hand in her grip while she was snoozing.
Seeing her friends are pleasantly asleep, and seeing the timer on the counter to the side reading 06:30 am, Retsu quietly gets up from her sleeping arrangements and exits the bedroom, before entering the common room where she sees the low table in the middle, and some miscellaneous items her friends had bought the other day being spread on it.
She goes to a side of the common room, and passes a little elevated tatami mad floor before turning and opening the refrigerator that's seperated by a decorative chicken island like counter, the decorative wall working as the seperating point between the common area and the tiny little kitchen of this place. From the open refrigerator she grabs a bottle of water before closing its door and turning around.
She pops its hatch and takes a swig, before bringing the bottle down and gazing out and towards the open balcony behind the sliding doors.
After a moment, Retsu with the water bottle in hand, goes and exits to the balcony of their room, before taking a seat on the table and seats arrangements on the side of the balcony, gazing out and over the bamboo trees that's encompassing the walls of the onsen.
She gazes out, and over the wall, looking to the slowly brightening skies, though she has to really concentrate in order to see the miniscule changes in the lighting the rise of the sun makes.
No more than a minute had she been sitting that she already got a visitor.
"Care to have a little private father daughter moment, Retsu? " Retsu hears his voice and, having been feeling him through her sensory ability for a while now, the man having just casually jumped over the wooden wall separating their rooms and come closer to talk with his daughter.
"Not at all, father. I was waiting actually, for when we'd be having our talk. I didn't want to bring it up myself out of courtesy. "
"Heh, that's kind of you to think. " Tetsuya let's out a little amused snort, before he moves closer and sits by his daughter.
He crosses his arms while leaning back, his head and eyes facing ahead instead of his daughter who's smaller frame is sitting beside him, making it quite an unusual sight.
"That person who was speaking through you, they said some unpleasant things that just won't sit well with me, but also words that were quite unusual for a body possessor to say. " He doesn't beat around the bush, and just directly got to the source of his unease regarding the incident.
"Now I know you have your reasons for not telling me, and I know that you are a big girl despite your physical age, but Retsu, " He finally turns his head, his crossed arms falling on the wooden table as his crimson irises look to Retsu's sky blue ones for confirmation.
"Are you sure you are okay? " He asks,
He wanted to ask about the incident, actually. He wanted to know the things he is sure his daughter knows of, but is keeping them from him for some reason. But he didn't push the idea out, not at all.
Because he knows who his daughter is. And he knows that, if she doesn't want to speak about it, then there is nothing he can do that can convince her otherwise.
'She is like her mother in that regard, ' Tetsuya quietly muses, a side thought his mind let's go of, in order to get to the main reason of why he's here.
"... " Retsu stays quiet for a moment, her over a millenium years old mind thinking of what to say, before she quietly assesses her answers and gives her father the only safe answer she can.
"I'm fine, don't worry father. "
"... I see. " Tetsuya quietly says, before his gaze breaks from his daughter's eyes, and he looks ahead instead.
'Her eyes... Were trembling. ' Tetsuya quietly thinks, his chest tightening in quiet hurt in regards to his daughter's thought preservation decision.
'I know her. I know my own daughter like I know the patterns in the palm of my hands.
She is a girl who says whatever fancies her situation, and she may have been untruthful with me and Kie in the past, but she's never been untruthful to herself.
She's always known what she wanted, and she's gotten it one way or another. Heck I don't even know what goes through her mind most of the time.
But as a father, I know when my own daughter is uneasy about something. And her usually unwavering demeanor that wavered just now, tells me more than her words can ever do.
My daughter is uneased about something, and there is nothing I can do if she doesn't let me get close.
Which hurts me in the process too, because as her father it is my duty to protect her.
But I can't even do my own damn job, because she's already closed her doors on my face. ' Tetsuya's head slumps in quiet resignation.
'A true hero's duty is to get in between a problem, and solve it on both sides at the same time. It's their duty to meddle.
But I am no true hero, I'm only a man who followed his family's tradition, and became a pro hero out of obligation to my family and lineage, rather than a desire to help those I know nothing about. '
While the Benihana Patriarch was mulling over his own thoughts, his daughter was in a world of her own too.
'I've said it before and I'll say it again, my father is truly a very intuitive man. He's already made a scenario in his mind I'm sure, that if not accurate, isn't that much further from the real narrative of what happened.
Just like how he can sometimes glimps past my facade, so too can I read him like an open book.
He knows something is wrong, and as a man who follows his instincts, I'm sure he'll be able to get to the bottom of this if given time.
But time is something I'm not planning on giving, I'm sorry father.
I will solve this problem myself, and once I do, there will be nothing that will be between us, I promise you and mother that. ' Retsu quietly vows, before she looks ahead, a quiet fire litting under her irises, as she looks to the slowly rising star in front of them.
Light slowly pours on the sandy and rocky open yard of the ryokan's room, as the father and daughter sit quietly right beside each other, gazing out and towards the slowly rising brilliant star.
Moments after, and Tetsuya quietly stands up. Though before he begins walking away, he tells Retsu something, "Retsu, promise me something. A request from your father and mother. "
"What is it? " Retsu's attention falls on her father, who's standing near the exit of the balcony, the light of the morning sun hitting his form and highlighting his features.
"Promise that you will stay safe, and always come back to us, no matter what. " He says.
Tetsuya as well as Kie both know very well that their daughter, their only precious treasure from this world is a girl who follows after her wants and desires.
They know the path Retsu has chosen will always lead her to danger. And as her parents, they can only be beside her for so long, until they can't anymore.
They will worry, they will eat at themselves in quiet worry, as their precious treasure takes steps towards that chaotic future.
They will worry, as is their right and burden as her parents, but they have planned on letting her follow her dream, her desire. And they have planned on not getting in her way.
The only thing their selfish hearts want, is for their daughter to always come back to them, always come and be beside them.
Always,
"Always. I promise. " Retsu says, making her stoic and tall father nod, before the man turns and walks back to his own room, leaving behind the over a millenium old soul to her self.
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"Based on your expression, I know how the talk went. " Kie says, a loose kimono around her form with nothing under it, having been awake and sat down under the sheets of her shared futon ever since Tetsuya quietly exited the room.
"You were awake too, huh. " Tetsuya states in a mundane tone, as if he expected it, rather than surprise.
"Of course I was. My daughter just went through another unpleasant situation. How can I sleep soundly at night, while knowing there is something that is bothering my baby girl? " Kie quietly says, leading to Tetsuya moving closer and getting under the sheets, before he takes hold of his wife and brings her form close to his chest.
"I talked with her, and like you said she didn't budge. Her resolve is strong, she wants to take up her own burdens, and doesn't want to share her burden with anyone, not even us.
I know she is a big girl, someone who doesn't need her parents pampering her, and taking her in their embrace after any little scuffle that passes.
But dear, her eyes slightly trembled. " Tetsuya explains, leading his wife's grip over Tetsuya's form tightening slightly.
"... " She is quiet for a moment, before voicing out her thoughts.
"... Are we being good parents to her, Honey?" Kie quietly asks, making the Benihana patriarch close his eyes in quiet surrender.
"It's not us who is at fault, nor is it Retsu.
She is just fundamentally different, and up until now we only saw the benefits that her difference gave.
Now we know the unpleasant side too, the side that doesn't let her be expressive, and lean on us when she needs to.
I have faith that she knows what she is doing. And as her parents, it is our duty to worry for her while she finds her path. " Tetsuya says,
"Hm... Hehe~" Kie quietly laughs in her husband's embrace, leading to the man giving her a confused look, making the Benihana Matriarch smile in remembrance.
"I just got reminded of our beach episode all those years ago, the one where we got into a debate about her not knowing what she'll do with her life and such?
I'm just reminded of that, and it made me involuntarily laugh is remembrance.
Ahhh how serious her cute and chubby face was back then, as she talked like a philosopher about the meaning of life, and her purpose for living.
Hm~ haha, hahahaha~" Kie laughs as her body quietly shakes, making Tetsuya's lips twitch as he remembers that too.
"Yeah she was a real piece of work. Hehe, " Tetsuya too gives out a quiet laugh as he remembers those days,
"Sigh, it's like it was yesterday, when she was asking such human abiding questions. And now here she is, already a big girl who's following after her goals and desires.
Children do truly age fast, huh. " Kie's melancholic voice says, her mood all but soared to newer heights, same as her husband.
"Ah mooo~ thinking of such thoughts is making my tummy hurt in hunger, " Kie pouts, before her beautiful sky blue eyes fall to her husband's red ones, and a mischievous smirk dons them,
"What say you and I wake up a little late today, huh honey? ~" Kie says, before quietly crimbing on her man's chest, sitting on his lower torso with her hands on his toned abbs, her long and silky raven hair falling in messes from her skull, and her eyes hungry for something other than food, her smirk daring him to act~
"... "
In response, Tetsuya doesn't leave her hanging, pulling her close and giving her a chaste kiss.
"I love you, "
"I love you too. "
They convery their love, completely putting aside their worries for their daughter at the moment, and thinking only of themselves.
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Author's Note/ SEGS!?!?
A-anyways! Ahem!
A little more slice of life, and some more info regarding the current situation and where everyone's mindset regarding the events is.
We will be continuing on the next chapter with the story itself, and see what this great autho- I-I mean I'll be cooking next!
Anyways! Stay safe peeps and I'll see ya in the next one!
Thank you for reading my story, have a great day/night. Bye!