Chapter 57: A Confusing Man(Ant Maybe?)
__________ POV All Might__________
I am quite... Confused?
It is hard to describe. Before meeting Beru, I felt guilty, ashamed that I had failed to save him. And even injured him.
I thought that I wouldn't even be able to look him in the eyes when I met him. But I find this child, no this young man's presence to be extremely calming.
Beru is always relaxed, regardless of the circumstance, he is always cheering the people around him, he had even managed to change the life of a young villain, a teen much like him.
Yet another young girl that our society had vilified for no good reason.
Nezu managed to get rid of the few crimes she had committed in her short career, and with Beru vouching and taking care of her, there was nothing to worry about.
We knew that she is in safe hands.
But a few things about her stand out, at least to me. She has this strange obsession with blood that many would find odd, even I found it slightly disturbing.
Beru is just acting as if that is an everyday occurrence. He completely accepts her for who she is, and it's quite relaxing to watch.
That wasn't the only instance of Beru doing his best to make things better for the people around him.
There was also Thirteen, that he shamelessly flirted with(usually unreciprocated) and complimented all the time.
It was a good way of raising her somewhat low self-esteem. As a hero, she had no confidence problems, but her personal life was a different issue altogether.
Beru seemed to be aware of it too, even if his looks weren't considered quite desirable, it was still a good feeling to have someone notice you in that way.
Beru hasn't even ever seen her outside of her suit, yet he always finds something about her to compliment.
I have concluded that he knows a lot more about women than I do...
Well, he has many quirks about him. And his strength is certainly one. Or rather, his ability to ignore any sense of superiority that his power might give him.
He is always humble, always caring, but never too confident to be called arrogant. Even if he has all the right to be.
It's quite obvious that he's a lot more mature than most people his age from everything I've said before...
At least at times...
He has a strange sense of 'adult immaturity', he seems to be able to turn the most serious of situations into a joke, but also can act serious and composed when needed.
After sparring with him twice, I reached a conclusion... Beru is a monster. Not in a mean way, of course, I am merely referring to power and talent.
He seems to never get tired, I can no longer match his stamina. Even the more powerful punches that I threw his way were shrugged off easily.
Sure, I didn't go as far as last time(I'm not even able to), but these same punches could, in the past, at least stagger him... Now, it's as if I was a normal human, trying to punch a steel wall.
He also seemed to be quite talented in copying fighting styles. He sparred with Snipe and seemed to match his shooting accuracy using a finger gun of all things.
Beru has already informed us of how many quirks All for One has stuffed into him, so we knew what to expect.
But this is to the point where I doubt All for One in his prime could match up to him. And he is still so young...
It's only been a week that I've spent with him, but he's proven to be extremely great company.
I am quite anxious about him dealing with negotiations by himself. But Nezu told me not to worry so much. And, I can see his point, Beru has proven to be an extremely charismatic individual.
I wonder how it went, he came back at some point. But he's probably spending his time inside his room as to not attract too much attention.
I am currently sitting in Nezu's office, as we are thinking of ways to announce his stay at UA to the world.
"Do you think people would respond positively?" This is something that has been on my mind for a bit. Beru may be a great person, but even he has his flaws...
The most recent one was that his fight with All for One caused many casualties. It's regrettable, but I can't hold it against Beru.
I don't know how many chances we would've gotten to take All for One out otherwise. It seems Beru waited a lot to even gain that opportunity. Patience that wouldn't be expected from a teen...
But, I've yet to see him show much remorse for those killings. I've also not asked him about it... Why? Well, I fear his answers.
Does he not see human life as something important? Did he pin all of the blame on All for One in his mind? Both were possibilities...
"I think some backlash will be present. I think it's better to wait and consult with the president of the Public Safety Commission about this..." Nezu seems to be quite certain of this.
I know to trust his judgement after this many years.
"On another note... Should we talk about what happened yesterday?" Going out drinking into what is clearly a den of villains was not something I thought I'd do with my Sunday night...
But I did it anyway. And I even had fun.
The unsavoury sorts all seemed to avoid us like the plague when they saw Beru. Well, there was that one guy, but Snipe sorted him out(a bit aggressively).
"There isn't much to talk about... Beru wouldn't have brought us there if it was filled with hardened criminals. It was just filled with harmless thugs. Well, at least for us." He took a sip of his small coffee mug.
"Still... It's a bit sad to see him so friendly with villains. It keeps reminding me of what he's been through, and making me wonder if he's truly a safe individual..." This is a concern I've had ever since...
I just can't help thinking about it. I'm sure Nezu will be able to calm me down.
"I think you don't really trust our new friend and colleague... At least not in the same way you trust every other hero in this school. You think of him as if he was a ticking time bomb." His words make me feel shame... But he is right.
For some reason, some of his characteristics are strange to me.
His relaxed and uncaring nature seems to extend to taking lives too.
His charisma may easily turn into manipulation at a flip of a coin.
His power could easily be used to start a new crime empire, much like All for One's, and rule over Japan from the shadows...
Maybe it's because of all of these factors, that I find things concerning.
I didn't think I'd see things this way when I met him. I was just happy at seeing him healthy...
"Listen to me, Toshinori!" Nezu snapped me out of my thoughts. He glared at me.
"Beru is far from perfect. But he seems to truly wish for a 'normal' life. That much is obvious, we wouldn't be going through this much if it wasn't true." His words made me look at the ground for a bit.
"You can see for yourself. How positive the effect that he has on the people around him is. So, why are you suddenly suspicious of him?" Why can't I find an answer to his questions?
"Do you think he will become the next All for One? Take these thoughts out of your head. You aren't the only person that hated All for One. Beru's hatred for that man ran much deeper than yours." That statement made me raise my head a bit.
Is that truly the case? Beru has never outwardly shown any hatred towards All for One... Maybe Nezu knows something I don't?
"I know far too well how it is to be kept as an experiment. I know the hatred he must've felt towards the one that captured him. Beru would likely kill himself if he ever became like him, out of pure spite."
It seems I truly angered Nezu this time. He's taken Beru's situation very personally.
I can't blame him, I know how irrational my paranoia is...
But, I guess I can just stick around and watch him for a while, just to lessen my worries.
We will likely be working together anyway.
"I understand..." I muttered, looking out the window a bit.
The future has a lot in store for us...
__________ POV Beru__________
It's already been a day since I met with Oyama.
And, she already got back to me. And told me her plan.
Well, she basically got me up to speed about me being a special spy for the Public Safety Committee. That's pretty neat. I always thought it would be fun to become a spy.
Maybe I'll be the next Jhonny English or something.
I'm kinda hungry right now. I might hit the canteen. Problem is that the students might see me.
The good thing is that I don't care about hiding anymore(so there's no actual problem)(sike).
I mean, the story is already prepared, and has likely already been 'leaked'. So, I can just go around freely.
Sure, not everyone will know about me not being a villain.
But the police can't arrest me either. I'm kinda like that young master from a big clan, I know the Committee will 'shelter' me. So I don't need to worry.
"Beru~Please... Just one more? I really want it..." She clung to me like a desert dweller asking for water.
"Fine fine~Damn, you're persistent~Alright I'll give it to you~," I said as I slowly got up and picked her up.
She just smiled and locked her hands on my neck. "Thanks!" This little minx. Her wide smile says it all.
She's been bugging me to fight her again all day. She is having a bit too much fun dropping innuendos around. I shouldn't let her spend so much time with Nemuri.
Oh well, tome to head for the dome where I like to fight people. Guess who's getting scolded by Recovery Granny today!
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