Viridian: The Green Guide

Chapter 28: Damage Control

Shouta really wished he could just crawl into his sleeping bag and pass out, but unfortunately he had paperwork. Maybe Tsukauchi would let him finish it another day? No, he'd pulled that yesterday, so if he skipped out again that would just mean more work later, which was illogical. None of that meant he had to be happy about having to listen to Amplifier's incessant rambling next to him, though.

"Yeah, so I still totally miss that bartender. I wonder what happened to him?" She said as she finished whatever story Shouta had been ignoring, "He had the most awesome quirk, too. I think it was called Remote Vision or something. Basically, as long as he knew where something was, he could see it. No one could get up to anything in that club."

"How's your redemption group going these ways?" Tsukauchi asked and Shouta sent him a half-hearted glare. The woman had just finished a story and now he was encouraging her to start a new one? Couldn't they just do their paperwork in peaceful silence?

"Pretty good, there's some real characters this time around." Amplifier said cheerfully. "We've also got this kid that volunteered to help out, which has been interesting."

"Oh?" Tsukauchi even sounded interested, the traitor. "What're they like?"

"He's a...," Amplifier sighed, "well, I can't really say he's a good kid, considering that I'm half-convinced the reason he wanted to volunteer was because he's trying to be less of an asshole. At least he wants to change, but I just wish I knew how to help him more."

"If he's actually trying to improve, then at least he's got some potential." Shouta couldn't help saying. "Half the kids I expel get kicked out because they're not willing to put in that kind of effort."

"Yeah, but he's a problem child." Amplifier whined. "It's been weeks, and I just barely got him to stop just standing by the wall the whole time and actually talk to people."

"Speaking of problem children, how's yours doing, Eraser?" Tsuakuchi asked. "I don't think anyone heard from Viridian last night. Do you think he's going awol again?"

Shouta groaned loudly and dropped his head onto the desk in exhaustion and frustration, "Not unless he breaks his arm again."

"Wait, the kid broke his arm?" Amplifier screeched so loud that Shouta had to sit up and cancel her quirk. "When did that happen?"

"Apparently, about five weeks ago." Shouta sighed. "Kid didn't tell me how it happened, but that's why he's been keeping off the streets. Well, until last night, when he apparently got bored and decided it was a good idea to go gallivanting on the rooftops in a cast."

Amplifier snorted, "Yeah, that sounds like Viridian, alright. Reckless as ever."

"Still, it's good he didn't go missing because of what we originally thought." Tsukauchi pointed out. "Do you think you were overreacting about him being suicidal now that you've seen him again, Eraser?"

Shouta shook his head, "He was acting a little happier, but then..." He trailed off with a grimace. Yeah, yelling at a suicidal kid to stay alive hadn't been his proudest moment. There had to have been better ways to get his point across without ruining what little trust the kid had in him, but there wasn't anything he could do about that now except hope that he hadn't ruined everything.

"Then what?" Amplifier asked. "What's wrong."

Shouta sighed, "We got in a fight."

"You're a hero, Eraser, getting into fights is what you do." Tsukauchi deadpanned.

"Not with a villain."

"Hold up." Amplifier looked at him incredulously. "Are you saying you got into a fight with Viridian? What were you trying to do, arrest him?"