Moral Quandary

After a short greeting, the visitors left me alone with Himiko.

As an uncomfortable silence dwelled upon the room, I broke it with an inquisition.

"Where are the kids? How are they doing?"

"They're back at home. Haruto ported them out." Himiko said.

"Now how about you answer a question of mine. Who were those two?" She asked.

I gestured at the surroundings, as she got the hint.

She grabbed my hand as I answered telepathically.

"So?"

"Those two were people I was hired to help do a certain job elsewhere in the city. A small heist, so to speak. And since I owed someone a favor I had to help them get in and out.

Don't worry about it. It's nothing of consequence." I said, reinforcing the theory of me owing an underworld dealer a favor for healing Iida's brother.

This would make Himiko another witness in the case if I ever got called out on it.

"Now back to what we were doing earlier, until we were rudely interrupted." I said, manipulating the ECG to keep my heart rate steady, I pulled Himiko closer.

"Uhuhu! Aren't you a naughty patient?" Himiko said.

"Oh is that what we're doing, Mrs. Nurse?" I asked mischievously.

"Dangit! Play along will you?" Himiko replied with a smack to my hands.

"Ehehehe, didn't you just call me a naughty patient? Do naughty patients play along?" I teased.

"That's the spirit!" Himiko cheered, pulling my hands down her skirt when all of a sudden, I felt a familair presence in the corridor.

"Himiko, get off." I said, getting serious, pointing at the door.

She immediately got off and sat in her seat.

The door opened to reveal the usual suspect.

Fucking Deku! Cockblocking me twice in a day.

Almost like he has a vendetta against me!

"What's up, Deku?" I asked, calming my anger, as a nerve twitched on my forehead.

"Um...Haru-chan, can we talk?" He asked.

"Yeah sure. Not like you're gonna let me do anything else, you bastard!" I muttered.

"What?" He cried.

"What?" I replied.

"Nothing. I just hoped we could talk...uh... alone." He said, looking at Himiko.

"Oh don't worry about her. She's a good listener." I said, holding her hands.

"It's not her ears I'm worried about." Deku said, looking at her hands.

"Did something happen?" I asked Himiko telepathically.

"Not particularly?" Himiko replied.

"Did you threaten to do something to him or what?" I pushed.

Himiko thought for a bit, before replying.

"I did say some stuff about gutting thise responsible for putting you in the hospital, but why would Dek- oh. Oh! This rat bastard!" Himiko cried, shaking in rage.

"Himiko, baby! Calm the calamity that is your mammaries. Deep breaths. C'mon, do it with me, deep breaths!" I said, to no avail, as she reached for her handy dandy box cutter in her skirt pocket.

"Choose your next words wisely, Deku!" Himiko said, with a creepily chilling voice.

A shiver ran down Deku's spine, as he turned around to leave.

"N-no. It's okay, I can come back later. I'll leave you two to, uh...your devices for now. I'm sure you're tired. You should get some sleep. It's good for you-"

"Sit your ass down right now!" Himiko ordered.

"Yes ma'am!" He said, almost jumping onto the couch by the bed.

"Now, speak!" She said.

"What?" He asked.

"Himiko, baby, you don't need to-"

"You shut up! Deku, is this your fault?!" She asked, with murderous rage, leveling the boxcutter against his neck.

Deku looked like his spirit was about to leave his body as he answered.

"Y-yes. And I'm sorry! I should have kept watch. If I didn'tmiss the villain coming over, this would've never happened. And just, ...before you kill me, I just want to say, once more, that I regret it more than anything." He cried, tears pooling in his eyes.

"After all Haru-chan did for me, training me, helping me, supporting me. Even getting me a quirk!

And I couldn't even protect him. With all the power in the world at my disposal, I still failed! I-i....I don't know Haru-chan, I just.....if I can't even protect my best friend, right in front of my eyes; am I even worthy of being a hero?" He sobbed.

Himiko's expression softened, as she gave Deku a hug.

She realized that one blaming themselves the most in this case was Deku.

Outside the door, I could sense Melissa, Iida and Momo, leaning against the wall, eavesdropping on Deku's sobs.

"Hush! Deku. It's...okay." Himiko said, holding back her anger with great restraint.

It made me so proud!

"I won't say it's not your fault, Deku. But, that doesn't mean you aren't worthy of being a hero, okay?" She said, rubbing his back like a mother to her child.

"As long as you learn from this, and improve, I'm sure you'll become a great hero, okay?"

Deku nodded, still choking on sobs.

That was when I realized it.

Wasn't this the low point in his self esteem that I was looking to create?

Wasn't this the chance I had to get OFA from him?

Fuck!

Why did I let this go to waste?

No! It's not too late still.

Maybe if I heap blame onto him now, maybe a little wordplay, and he'll shatter into a million pieces.

Yes! That's what I have to do!

I looked at Deku and Himiko, trying to find an opportune moment to butt in.

And then I saw it, the sniffling Deku, and Himiko, patting his back kindly, gently.

The two people who I called friends.

Something in me, deep in my heart, called to me.

I was going to hurt him, my best friend, basically a dog in human form, with his puppy like affection and devotion for me.

I had spent years reforging him into a new man, a better man. All that hard work and effort.

This was a major asset, that I had poured my blood and sweat into.

And now I was going to undo it?

No. That would be too illogical!

Was it really right for me to break him, just for a bigger battery?

Couldn't I find another way? Surely there are other stockpiling quirks that can be transferred with blood.

I'd hate to lose my investments due to personal stupidity.

Even more so, after I gave in to my emotions and rescued Eri before the time was right.

I don't need to lose such a useful and loyal pawn for this.

Especially not now, before I can handle it.

I just have to wait until I get my hands on AFO and it's assorted quirk duplication side effect.

And once I get AFO, I can just combine it with Monoma's quirk to get a perfect duplicate copy of OFA!

That way, I get to keep Deku in my court and get OFA all at once!

Like two birds with one stone.

Yes. That's it!

I'll leave Deku sane and once I get AFO and duplicate OFA, I'll stick Deku with the duplicate and take the real one for myself.

That's what I'll do. A way to not hinder my plans, but still get OFA safely, without arousing suspicion.

I nodded, satisfied at my logic, as Himiko looked at me, concerned at my unexpected animation.