A/N: So thank you all for your support to this story so far, it means the world to me. This boo needs ten reviews to get into the rankings and we're at seven i think. If you can drop a review if you've been enjoying the story so far. Or if you haven't.
CHAPTER THIRTY NINE
'DEAR FAMILY' That was what the letter was titled. With no fanfare, with no preparation, Takeru was gone the only reminder of his presence being the track suit from earlier, and the letter… That damned letter.
'If you're reading this then you'd have realized by now that I'm gone. I do this neither out of resentment nor hatred. Please no my heart holds no such emotion right now I feel—" Rio could tell that Takeru hesitated while writing this as the ink marks trailed noticeably signifying a long pause.
'Hollow should be the right word… my heart feels hollow. To my bleeding heart, gaping from the hole where my dreams once lay I must build something anew. Sorry I was in a poetic mood just now, it fit the ambience." Izumi stifled a small laugh, in spite of the stressful situation Takeru had his way with words that put a small barely noticeable smile on her face.
'Please don't come looking for me. I know what I want. I need to escape for a while maybe travel the world while I'm at it, visiting the world heritage sites, exploring other continents, anything that isn't home.' Rio sighed at this part as he continued the narration of the letter. He could understand his brother's emotional turmoil but he wasn't going to respect it. A 15 year old child should not be traveling around the world.
'I know you may be concerned about me but I'm smart, I'll be safe. If you're worried I have enough money on me to last me a lifetime. Don't try and trace the money though, I got it fro other investments, you won't find anything in the company's records.' That was one avenue shut down Rio thought that was an angle he could explore.
'I'm sorry, truly for causing you guys so much trouble. I'm going on a journey to find myself and until I do I'm not coming back.' Izumi started sobbing softly while Grandma Yukina listened to the news her face impassive.
'Also a happy birthday in advance Rio, I'm sorry I'm going to have to miss it this year.' Rio for the umpteenth time today sighed as he read the last words of the letter "With love Takeru."
He closed the letter and handed it to his grandma who had her hand outstretched. He wondered why she needed to read it when he had already done so but refrained from asking. If she had noticed something he didn't then that would be for the best in missing persons cases like this time was of the essence.
Grandma Yukina as composed as ever with a rare trace of solemnity read through the letter carefully, scrutinizing every word. As if satisfied with what she saw she nodded in approval.
"Sebastian!" with her call Sebastian appeared immediately beside her kneeling on one knee. By this time Rio had already figured out the man's quirk. It was a rare form of teleportation that worked with imprinting on a particular space. The space in question being this house. He hadn't quite gotten down the exact range but he believed it wouldn't exceed the length of the mansion.
"Take this letter and bring it to the inspector of police. I need him to use whatever means necessary to call in a specialist in finding missing people. Cash in the favor I owe him." Sebastian seemed shock by that last announcement but he quickly composed himself and nodded in affirmation. With a muffled swoosh the man was nowhere to be seen.
"Izumi get yourself together and get dressed we'll need to file a report with the police. He left just last night so he couldn't have possibly gone far." Grandma Yukina reprimanded her and started walking down to her room.
"Of course mother, after all you're the expert on running away from family." Izumi spat out as she started down grandma. While this was highly interesting with their conversations laced in the weight of their shared history Rio didn't want to hear any of it. At least not now.
Grandma Yuki's eye's flinched but she swallowed down her frustration and turned to Rio's mother "Izumi I know you still resent me… I wasn't a very good mother. Still get your shit together, your son is missing, be a good mother and start acting like it."
The two held that stare for a moment but tensions rose so high he could have sworn it lasted for hours. "I'm sorry" that was all Izumi said as she headed to her room to get dressed.
At The Inspector's Office
"Ah Mrs.Hayami it's good to see you again! Please have a seat." The police inspector said as he smiled lightly getting up to draw back the seat for Yukina.
She smiled politely in return as she sat down gracefully. The police inspector as if scrutinizing Izumi and Rio watched them intently pondering on what to address them.
"That's my daughter and grandson." Yukina said and the officer greeted us with similar enthusiasm aas he offered them seats.
It was a warm formal space. A shelf stacked with all manner of books, a wall filled with medals and all manner of awards and at a corner a portrait of the man himself his imposing balding figure cutting a sharp cold stare at the camera.
"So what brings you here today, if I understand correctly from the letter your butler gave me it seems it's a missing persons case yes?"
"Indeed, the missing person in question is my grandson, Takeru. He led the mansion last night. I don't even know how he evaded the guards and the security camera's. One moment he was there and suddenly this morning he wasn't." Yukina said in frustration as clenched her knuckles tightly.
"I understand, I'll open up a case immediately. We'll dispatch as many officers as we can to find the boy. We just need to conduct our investigation. I'm sure we'll find him in no time." The inspector said confidently to Yukina. The man may have been confident in his men's ability to sniff out the boy but it seemed Izumi did not mirror that same confidence.
"Please sir my boy is smart, he may have already prepared for the possibility of police intervention. Can you call on a search and rescue hero? Preferably some people like the wild wild pussy cats? I hear they have a member with a quirk that can find anyone."
At that question veins started protruding on the inspectors forehead. 'AH!' Rio thought to himself, the man is pissed. It was understandable after all the police that were once vital instruments geared to protecting the peace had now been relegated to a minor role.
Especially since All Might came on the scene. He solved cases so quickly that all that remained for the police was to pick after the scraps. The glorious police relegated to such an insignificant force that people even doubted that there was a need for their continued existence.
The inspector for his part had remarkable control and managed to squeeze out a reply to Izumi. "While I understand your distress unfortunately the Wild Wild Pussycats do not accept commissions from the general populace. Also I already said my men would be working on it."
Izumi finally out of her anxious state noticed she had touched a sore spot and quieted down. The officer had already agreed to work on the case. There was no need to antagonize him further.
Yukina who had been silent all the while finally got up from her seat. "I trust that your men will get results within the day?"
The inspector smiled as he rose in response offering her a handshake. "Believe in the abilities of the police force. We'll surely get back to you within forty-eight hours.
Forty-eight hours [assed and they still hadn't gotten any news on Takeru. The old inspector's confidence had long since waned and he did his best to avoid coming into contact with Yukina.
Unbeknownst to them Takeru had long since fled the country this had become a wild goose chase destined to have no results.
"Yes I'm the owner of Higher technology solutions. Yes I'm requesting a search commission… What do you mean a backlog? How much do you want! Wait I meant no disrespect don't hang—" With a huff Yukina tossed her phone against the wall. The phone bounced harmlessly against the wall without a scratch as it clattered to the floor.
It had been a week already and they still had gotten no news on Takeru. Yukina had already started exploring other options but the heroes who specialized in doing such tasks were either to useless, too occupied or didn't take private commissions.
In the past week this had been her third rejection. Among the carefully screened candidates she had selected none were available for the task. She could enlist the help of black market services like mercenaries but she was loath to engage in any business dealings with those gutter rats.
Rio sat in the parlor contemplating. He had run a facial recognition search using the software his brother had made with zero results. While he knew his brother was good with computers he didn't expectbyhim to be this thorough.
All traces of his movement had been completely wiped off. He was as elusive as a ghost. The frustration o trying and failing repeatedly was fraying his nerves. He had been so stressed he needed something to unwind with fast.
The ringing of the intercom alerted everyone and broke them out from what they were doing. His mother Izumi had even come down the stairs and was sporting dark circles on her eyes.
Worry had clearly taken it's toll on her as she had visibly sunken cheeks, dark circles under her eyes and seemed very tired.
One of the security personell stepped into the house holding a letter that housed the conspicuous red seal of Shiketsu high.
The man went up to Yukina and whispered something in her ear. Yukina seemed to nod affirmatively to the man and he then proceeded to pull out a knifefrom the breast pocket of his jacket and tore the seal open.
Rio could appreciate the man's professionalism. After al the possibility of encountering a letter with a dangerous substance in it couldn't be fully discounted. While the probability of such an event was small, it wasn't zero.
The man cleared his throat and proceeded to open up the letter. A futile effort however as a holographic display popped up revealing the figure of the pro hero: 'Air Jet'.
"Greetings Takeru-shonen. I do not know what time this letter will reach you so I will be direct… you failed the entrance exam. You do not posess the qualities required to be a hero."
Rio clenched his teeth at that declaration. It was stupid people like this who regurgitated the rules that society had enforced without consideration that he hated the most. The man said so with such certainty as if forgetting the fact that a quirkless person with a gun could defeat half of the people who possessed quirks.
Air jet didn't consider the feelings of this group of people however. He was a recording afterall. "Inspite of your lack of potential however. You do posess a rarerly seen level of intellect. I look forward to seeing what you can achieve in either the Business or General studies division." And with that the recording fizzled out.
Izumi walked towards the letter with brisk steps and in anger tried to tear it apart. The material didn't budge though but she didn't care and like a woman possessed kept trying to tear it into pieces.
Rio went behind her and hugged his mother. He understood she was hurting a lot right now. He could only do his best to comfort her.
She hung her head limply to the side as she stared at that letter with hatred as if blaming it for tearing her family apart.
With a sigh she let it drop to the floor as she looked at Rio with moisture in her eyes. She knelt down till she was facing Rio properly. "Sorry Rio, mummy hasn't been very good at her job. I'm sorry you had to bear with me till now." Izumi said as she patted Rio's head lovingly.
Rio said nothing but just hugged her tightly. Nothing he could say could relay the emotion he was feeling now.
The one thing he knew was…
Izumi Hayami was not a bad mother.
Izumi ruffled Rio's hair as she got up with a faint smile curling on her lips. "I'll be in my room if anyone needs me." She finished with a weary sigh as she trudged away from th livin room.
Grandma Yukina just watched her silently as if judging.
"Hey mum is just overwhelmed. She's trying her best." Rio said as he turned to his grandmother. He didn't quite like the look in her eyes. He didn't know if it was addressed at his mother but he didn'tlike the way her eyes narrowed with deadly focus.
She didn't answer however staring unflinchingly in that direction. Rio tapped her o the shoulder and she was instantly broken from her reverie.
Yukina turned to face Rio. On her face was hesitation, slight guilt but it all settled into cold quiet resolve. "Rio I'll need you to do something for me. Are you up to the task?"
"if it's something that'll help Take… I'm willing." He may have said soething hurtful that day. If he hadn'thesitated and given a straight forward answer that night maybe this whole ordeal wouldn't have happened.
Rio had decided… he would do everything in his power to bring him back.
As if committing to the idea fully his grandothers face settled into one of quiet resignation. "You could get into serious trouble for this. The police and heroes shouldn't be too harsh on you but there's still a risk that you end up running into someone unreasonable."
Taking a deep breath as of gathering up the power to say these words she spat out through gritted teeth. "You're fast aren't you? I'm going to need you to over as much ground as possible the entirety of Japan even.
"Every corner, every alley, every town, every village… Every city, until you find him."
Could he do it? That was a lot to ask from him. No he would do it. He would find his brother and tell him the words he should have said.
That he too could achieve the same things as he could regardless of his quirk.
"I'll do it. I'll find him."
So Rio ran. Combing through every street, every city and every alley, for every location he covered the more he lost hope. For every street combed the ore he understood the futility of his endeavor.
Halfway through he realized that it was a pointless struggle. He had made no progress in nearly a week; his brother had long since vanished.
Rio pushed on regardless. It was the only thing he could do, the only thing he knew to do.
That journey led him to Naruhata, where he was once more reunited with his master.
No longer as O'Clock…
Now he went by the name knuckleduster.
Author's note: I deadass didn't know i hadn't posed a chapter on saturday. I slept for such a long time that day I dreamed I posted the chapter. Also the quality of the writing started dipping towards the end of this chapter. I was gassed out from work and i needed sleep so i was getting irritated and the work came out somewhat rushed. Sorry!