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ua-monoma · 4 years

Text

.01.13.

Before the Interrogation: @ua-hawks

[Hawks had known that this was the day that Monoma's questioning was scheduled. He asked, specifically, when it'd be and if he'd be allowed to visit beforehand. Not to question him about anything, he assured, just to see him. He hasn't since the rescue, after all, and it felt cruel to keep away for that long.

So he comes in early, hoping to catch Monoma before they've started. The officers there don't exactly ask as much as confirm what he's there for and then lead him to the room Monoma's in, waiting ever so patiently.

He waves them off when they're there, rapping his knuckles against the door a few times before slipping in, giving him a lazy half-smile.

Monoma looks up the second he hears the knock on the door, a sheepish smile on his face as Hawks comes in. He can't help but make himself smaller at the sight of him, a thousand different instincts fighting to mold him at once, and he ducks his head a little under his hair, biting his lip from nerves before he glances towards him again.]

MONOMA: ... Hi...

[Hawks notices the change in his demeanor. It's hard not to, with it always being so drastic. He knows how much Monoma's always trying to fit into a mold, a vision that he thinks is right, that should be given to the person he's around.

He walks to the side of the table Monoma's at, turning to lean against it rather than sit on the other side and feel so far away. It doesn't suit them.]

HAWKS: Hey, kid... how're you doin'? Excited for how thrilling this is gonna be? [His arms cross while he chuckles.]

MONOMA: I mean, a little bit...

[He tries to fight the smile that tugs at his lips but he can't help but beam a little just watching him. Hawks always seems so at ease, it's contagious.]

MONOMA: It'll be a bit more entertaining than the last few times, is what I'm hoping...

HAWKS: Yeah, that's always a good hope...

[Hawks hums. He sits on that for a moment, thinking. About Monoma. What he did. Why he's here. He's not careless. He knows what this means.]

HAWKS: ...

MONOMA: ... I've been trying to practice that lately...

[Monoma mutters after a few seconds of silence, sheepish again as he admits what sounds incredibly childish coming out of his mouth.]

MONOMA: This... being hopeful thing... I tend to be more of a pessimist about these sort of matters, but I'm trying to look at the bright side for once...

HAWKS: Yeah..?

[Hawks smiles, tilting his head, admiring what Monoma's saying.]

HAWKS: That's good. It's important. I don't think you can get anywhere being a hero if you're not hopeful, y'know... plus it's good after stuff like this, trying to work on that shit.. even if it was a tragedy you still learned a lot and grew, might as well take advantage of it, right...

[Monoma nods slowly, feeling a little more solemn as the topic continues on.]

MONOMA: Well... I am adept at taking advantage of a situation... or, at least, I like to think I am...

[Another nod as he reaches for a lock of his hair, fiddling with it.]

MONOMA: I hope you know, I appreciate everything you've said and done for me... To think I can still be a hero after all this... [He laughs weakly, a dry little chuckle at his own expense.] Another exercise in optimism right there... It's just so hard to believe, mm...

HAWKS: Mm..

[Hawks reaches out to ruffle the hair Monoma's so nervously toying with, interrupting the nervous tic.]

HAWKS: Anybody worth anything thinks so too, I promise... all your teachers and friends... no matter what went on while you were there, you're still a hero.

MONOMA: Ah...

[Monoma flushes pink with surprise as Hawks so easily reaches out to him, then closes his eyes as his hair is ruffled, leaning into the feeling. Even with his visits with Shouto, he still feels absolutely ravenous for physical attention, and it feels nice...]

MONOMA: ... Thank you... [he murmurs.] Hopefully I don't disappoint, then...

HAWKS: I know you won't.

[Hawks sighs, letting the hand on his head drop to cradle his face for a moment, reassuring him, before it falls away.]

HAWKS: Even if you don't become a Hero I know you'll always be doing something good for the world..

MONOMA: ...

[The blush doesn't fade. If anything, it deepens into red as he opens his eyes again, meeting his gaze before he watches his hand drop away from his cheek. He doesn't know what to say.]

MONOMA: ... Thank you...

[Hawks shrugs.]

HAWKS: I'm just tellin' the truth. You're a good kid, and we all know it. Good kids do bad things sometimes. I did some wild shit, you should ask Shichirou... probably has countless stories about what a trainwreck I was.

[Monoma pouts a little, though he keeps his usual protests about being referred to as a child at bay.]

MONOMA: You shouldn't tempt me, I'll actually ask... And who knows what I'd do with that kind of information, heheh...

[Hawks laughs, bracing himself against the table while he thinks about what his guardian would say.]

HAWKS: Please do, I'd love to hear about what he tells you..

[Monoma gigges a little, warm and happy at the thought of drawing a laugh from him.]

MONOMA: Then I will... Soon as we're done here... It'll be the first thing I do! Hehe...

HAWKS: Yeah? [He grins,] have fun with that... make sure he tells you somethin' good, too.

MONOMA: I will...

[He trails off, looking away, a hand clutched to his stomach as his solemn mood returns.]

MONOMA: I... I hope, um... [He frowns to himself.] ... I really don't think I can apologize enough for... what happened... and what I tried to do to... I wasn't... okay...

[He shrugs a little, struggling to speak even as his voice tightens and his chest aches at the thought.]

MONOMA: ... And I'm still not... but I really want to try to be... and I plan to cooperate all I can, really... And I just... um... I hope we can still talk. Like this. Because... this is really nice...

[He makes a weak attempt to look his way again, a pained smile on his lips.]

MONOMA: I hate that I tried to ruin this...

[Hawks stops him from saying anymore once he can tell he's finished, putting his hand into his hair again.]

HAWKS: You don't have to apologize. I know you were in a rough spot.

[He pulls him into a hug, mostly holding onto his head because of the position they're in, massaging his scalp through his soft hair.]

HAWKS: You can talk to me anytime you want...

MONOMA: ...

[Monoma clutches to him tightly, burying his face against him. He's still on suppressants that stop him from automatically tugging his quirk into him, making the embrace feel a little more hollow than it should, but it's still enough to make him shudder and fight tears. He's missed this...]

MONOMA: Thank you...

HAWKS: Of course...

[He sighs, wings slowly wrapping around the boy in his arms.]

HAWKS: You need someone to be there for you.

[Monoma nuzzles against him, clinging hard.]

MONOMA: Yeah... thank you...

HAWKS: Mhm...

[He keeps him there like that as long as he can before he has to pull away, knowing they'll want to be starting soon.]

HAWKS: ... I should probably go... [He chuckles.] Didn't even mean to stay this long...

[Monoma just barely keeps himself from digging his nails in, wanting to keep clinging forever. There's a pout on his face as they seperate and he starts to fidget, staring down at his hands as he keeps them on his lap.]

MONOMA: Okay... are you going to be watching for what happens...?

[He’s quiet, glancing towards one of the cameras he knows is in the room.]

MONOMA: They didn't really tell me much about what this is supposed to be...

[Hawks frowns at the question, glancing at the time and then following Monoma's glance to the camera.]

HAWKS:... Maybe for a while. I still have to work, but I can try to stay for a bit...

MONOMA: ...

[He nods slowly.]

MONOMA: I don't want to get in the way of your work...

[He fidgets a little more.]

MONOMA: I'm just a little nervous...

HAWKS: It's fine, I can stay a little while longer...

[He smiles for him.]

HAWKS: Plus I know that you'll still be in good hands.

[Monoma tries to muster up a small smile back.]

MONOMA: I hope so...

HAWKS: You will. It might be a little rough, not everyone trusts you, but as long as you tell the truth it'll be okay.

MONOMA: ...

[Monoma stares down at his hands. That's the hardest part... He's still not even sure he can do it.]

MONOMA: ... I'm scared... I don't want to be treated like a criminal anymore...

HAWKS: ... At this point, most of us have to operate assuming you were one.

[He shrugs.]

HAWKS: ... We don't know the full story. We don't know what happened, to you or because of you. That's why you're here.

[Monoma nods slowly, grimacing to himself. It's obvious that's not quite what he wanted to hear.]

MONOMA: ...

[Hawks sighs, giving his hair one last pet before he stands up straight.]

HAWKS: I'll see you later.

[He nods again, tensing in an instant the second he starts to rise.]

MONOMA: ...

HAWKS: It'll be alright.

[He offers one last small smile before he leaves, closing the door gently behind him.]

MONOMA: ...

[The only thing that moves for a moment are his eyes, flitting towards the camera before returning to the door. Easily, he's terrified, a small sound of distress leaving him as he craves Hawks' return.]

MONOMA: ...

#monoma.log #obscurity.arc #[[ that's his niisan... ]]

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ua-monoma · 4 years

Text

.01.30.

@ua-null

[Another questioning.

Left alone again, Monoma sits patiently in his chair, looking almost a little bored as he waits. Occasionally, he glances up at the cameras in the room, but otherwise stays rather still, really only moving to twist at his hair every now and then.]

[And he'll be left alone for a few more minutes before the door finally creaks open and the hero, Null, steps into the room. Her gaze instantly locks onto Monoma as she enters and doesn't leave him as she closes the door behind her and steps further into the room, her heels clicking sharply as she walks.]

NULL: Hello, it's nice to meet you, Monoma Neito-san, I am Rokku Koharu, otherwise known as Null and I'm here today to ask you a few questions.

[She smiles kindly at him, lifting a gloved hand to push a strand of hair behind her ear. The hero isn't dressed in her usual uniform but her hair is done up in a neat crown braid and she wears a pair of clean white gloves that are similar to the ones she wears in her uniform.]

NULL: Do you have a preference for what you're called, Monoma Neito-san?

[Monoma doesn't react much when she enters. His gaze moves along her uniform and then fix onto her hand when it comes into view. He notes the gloves, a vague annoyance tinging his observation. Best Jeanist had been successful in removing the need for quirk suppressants from his recovery regime, so he can't help but wonder the gloves are a personal choice or an attempt to protect herself.]

MONOMA: ...

[He offers a small bow in the form of a gentle nod of his head.]

MONOMA: Monoma is fine. It's nice to meet you, Null-san.

[She nods her head softly in acknowledgment.]

NULL: Monoma-san it is, then.

[She shifts in her chair, crossing her legs neatly and smoothing out her skirt, eyes still on Monoma the entire time.]

NULL: How are you today, Monoma-san?

[His head tilts slightly but he meets her eyes, keeping her gaze a little curiously.]

MONOMA: I'm fine. A little tired. And you...?

NULL: I'm doing wonderful, thank you for asking.

[Her hands finally settle in her lap, one over the other, the perfect picture of elegance as her face smoothes out into a more neutral expression.]

NULL: Your quirk allows for you to copy the quirks of others, correct? It's quite an interesting quirk, very useful. [Another kind smile is flashed at him.] Do you have a favorite type of quirk? Or specific quirks that you like?

[Monoma hums thoughtfully. It's not a question he really expects, since it's so basic, but they must really be making an attempt to be thorough today...]

MONOMA: Yes, I can. And yes, I suppose I do. The flashy ones are dreadfully fun, especially elemental ones. The power they come with.

[He nods vaguely. He's been answering this kind of question his whole life, having been asked from family to friends to strangers alike. It's an easy sort of small talk.

There's more to his answer too, usually. Usually he goes on with a speech about the power of misunderstood quirks, and how fascinating that destructive, dark power is. He thinks of Shinsou's quirk, for the moment, and all the other he's tried like it.

... Probably not the best thing to say, at the moment.]

MONOMA: I will say... psychic types, those definitely reign supreme. Brain over brawn, those more... supernatural abilities. They just feel vastly more rewarding than just being able to move water around, in my opinion...

[She nods along as he talks, paying attention to everything he tells her and storing it away for later, just in case it could ever be useful information to her.]

NULL: Yes, it can be amazing to experience such quirks and to be able to use quirks like that.

[She pauses, uncrossing her legs and then crossing them again and leaning forward, resting her head in her gloved palm and smiling at him again.]

NULL: You likely don't recognize me for my hero name, since I'm not particularly popular and I am usually not fit for many of the bigger battles that my comrades participate in, but my quirk allows for me to have a very special type of control over the emotions of those around me.

[Her smile widens, for just a moment before her face is wiped clean of any emotion.]

NULL: My quirk is called Emotional Nullification and I can completely cancel out someone's emotions.

[Monoma... nods slowly.]

MONOMA: I can see how that can be useful in an interview... [he murmurs, clearly distracted now as he thinks.]

[She nods in agreement.]

NULL: Yes, and in many other things like hostage situations too, of course.

[She takes a moment to look at him, surveying the boy for a moment.]

NULL: If you want, I could let you try it for a little.

MONOMA: ... Try? Meaning what... exactly...?

[She lifts her free hand into view, holding it up and flexing her delicate looking, gloved fingers.]

NULL: I would not mind letting you copy it for a few minutes if you would be interested in that, Monoma-san.

MONOMA: ...

[He sits back, twirling a lock of hair between his fingers slowly. When he speaks again, it's hesitant, carefully and deliberately worded.]

MONOMA: ... I would be, yes... Though, that doesn't exactly sound like a standard procedure you're suggesting right now...

[She smiles at her and moves her hand back down, resting it delicately on her knee.]

NULL: You cannot do any harm to me with my quirk, nor can you cause yourself any harm.

[He watches her hand go down, chewing on his lip now.]

MONOMA: ... No, I suppose I can't...

NULL: Exactly. [She nods her head briefly.] Now, why don't we move onto some other questions? After that, we may come back to this topic.

MONOMA: Alright...

[She sits back, placing her hands in her lap delicately like she had earlier, smiling reassuringly at him.]

NULL: Monoma-san, you were with the league for a while, weren't you? Did the members ever slip up around you and mention anything? Did you ever catch a glimpse of any of their recruitment methods?

MONOMA: Mm... Recruitment was a strict process, I don't think they allowed any member to just bring people. I know... the one called Dabi, he had a great hand on it. But, no, usually they didn't speak too much about what they were working on with me in the room, unless I was the subject. A lot of their plans did... revolve around me, in some way or another. So.

[She nods along as she listens, not even a glimmer of an emotion on her face as Monoma talks.]

NULL: The league of Villain's Dabi was the one in charge of the recruitment of new members then?

MONOMA: I'm pretty sure. I could be wrong about that, though, but that's how it seemed.

NULL: That's good to know, thank you, Monoma-san. Now, I know you don't know of their recruitment methods but have the League ever kidnapped anyone or forced someone into their ranks? Did they ever put someone else through something similar to your experience with them?

MONOMA: Well, yes, of course- Is this... Are you specifically asking about when I was there...?

[He frowns distantly.]

MONOMA: Really, it's hard to say... I was pretty isolated where I was kept. Kidnapping is... a bit of their forte, is it not? I'm sure there were others, but I didn't interact with them much...

[He pauses to think.]

MONOMA: I mentioned that they were trying to tear down what was left of the Yakuza. They had a member held captive... and then there was that one hero...? The #3... But that all was... seperate from me, I found out about all that through other means.

NULL: Do you happen to know the name of the Yakuza member that the league has in their possession?

MONOMA: ... Chisaki Kai, I think... I never really was able to tell if he were the original or some sort of alternate, however...

[She nods her head, a bit slower this time.]

NULL: Either way, it's good for us to know, thank you.

[She shifts, moving her hands so that they're resting over her knee, fingers folded together.]

NULL: Speaking of alternates though, were there any alternates that were tangled up with the league against their will? Or alternates that got pulled into their ranks without really knowing what they were getting? Any alternates that could perhaps use our help? Any that were... perhaps tangled up with the wrong sort of crowd or fooled into going down the wrong path.

MONOMA: Mm... I don't really know. It wasn't really...

MONOMA: ...

[He sighs.]

MONOMA: Of all the alternates I've named, Midoriya's is the one I interacted with the most. He's the only one who's motive for being there is something I could come close to guessing about. The others... I don't really know. I don't think so, but I could be wrong.

NULL: Even if you're wrong about their motives for being with the league, it's still better to tell us just in case you're right, and others could need a helping hand from us heroes before whatever situation they may be in spirals out of control.

[He nods slowly, taking that in.]

MONOMA: ... Of course...

[She mimics his slow nod, watching him carefully.]

NULL: Can you remember anyone, Monoma-san?

MONOMA: ...

[He grimaces, shoulders drawing up just so.]

MONOMA: ... Not really...

[She nods her head again, slowly. There's not a single emotion on her face.]

NULL: We can come back to that later. Now, would you mind telling me about your time with the league, both before you were taken and during the time you were with them? Or would that be too much for you right now?

MONOMA: It's not too much, um... Before I was taken...?

[It takes him a disjointed little moment to even process the question, it seems, like he's trying to find a place in his mind for what he's being asked.]

MONOMA: Um... it's easier to talk about it when I'm asked something specific about it... I don't know...

NULL: ...

[She looks down at the table for a moment before looking back up at him, her quirk taking hold of his emotions and canceling everything out.]

NULL: Would you like a moment, Monoma-san?

[Monoma's brows furrow and he blinks a few times. It's hard to even find words for what just- happened?

Hm.]

MONOMA: ... No, I think I'm okay. What was the question again...?

NULL: Would you mind telling me about your experience with the league? What was it like before you were taken a few months ago? Did they ever contact you and if so, how did they do it? How would you describe your interactions with each member?

[He kind of laughs at that, a tiny little scoff under his breath.]

MONOMA: Each member... that might take a while. My relationship with the members of the League changed every few months depending on who was the most eager to manipulate me, I suppose. I would be contacted online mostly, through private accounts or anonymous messages. And I'd be pulled into meetings with them, usually after being cornered in public or private or teleported into a different location.

[He leans forward almost lazily, propping an elbow to the table as he leans into his hand, the other hand coming up to draw little designs on the table's surface.]

MONOMA: Pretty standard grooming, in all honesty. Any conversations were very focused on me. Comforting me, sympathizing with me, providing me with gifts, showering me with praise, et cetera, et cetera... Though, again, it depended on the member. [He smiles a little vaguely.] Very curious... Aren't you supposed to warn me at the very least before using your quirk on me...?

NULL: You knew about it.

[She tilts her head at him, observing the sudden shift in the way he acts and how big that shift is. It's quite interesting, honestly.]

NULL: What about after you were taken? How'd your relationships with the members shift then? What changed and what stayed relatively the same? What was it like and what did you experience at their hands?

[He smirks humorlessly at that.]

MONOMA: You're not going to get very good answers when you bunch them all up like that...

[He draws a little heart absentmindedly.]

MONOMA: After was the worst of it. Many of the members had growing dependencies on me throughout the year, but me being there made it all that much worse. Caused a lot of fights, and I was always being bounced back and forth, one after the other after the other and then back to the first and then to someone else. I wouldn't know how to describe it to you. Something about the sensation of just being passed along and along...

[He waves a hand dismissively through the air.]

MONOMA: Again, different with every member. But generally, they were an insanely violent group, though that varied from member to member. Largely, it was just a lot of torture disguised as loving gestures. Things like that.

[She nods in acknowledgment.]

NULL: What about their relationships with each other?

MONOMA: Suffered, while I was there. They're very easily violent with each other. Territorial. Possessive. Protective, at times. Lots of bickering over small things...

[Another little nod.]

NULL: Do you mean that they were protective over each other, or do you mean something else?

MONOMA: Over each other. It didn't matter how much they fought each other, outside threats made them band together again in an instant. They valued loyalty as well, so when one started to disobey or stray from them, they would violently go against them, too, as if they were enemies from the start.

NULL: Were there any traitors in their midst that you knew of? Anyone that has completely turned against them?

MONOMA: [Another humorless smirk.] Besides myself you mean? Well...

[He tilts his head as he pretends to think.]

MONOMA: I don't know much about it but I'm pretty sure the one, Spinner, he wasn't welcome within the League anymore, last I checked. I only saw the aftermath of that, but I'm pretty sure he's gone.

NULL: That's interesting to know, thank you, Monoma-san... [She trails off and pauses for a moment, gaze threatening to wander too far from Monoma's face before her attention is entirely on him again, her quirk still activated.] Now, speaking of that... Have you remembered the names of any more alternates that were perhaps around the League or even in their ranks?

MONOMA: Mm, no, but I'm sure if you keep asking my memory will be jogged eventually.

[He keeps smiling vaguely, returning to the little designs he was drawing, making a small circle against the table.]

MONOMA: A lot was always happening, so I apologize for the more foggy details, aha...

NULL: It's more than alright, Monoma-san. Why don't we move onto a new subject instead, hmm?

[She pauses for a moment, shifting in her seat and uncrossing and crossing her legs again.]

NULL: What do you remember about All for One?

[He makes a reluctant sound at that, mimicking her slightly by crossing and uncrossing his ankles, and then crossing them again.]

MONOMA: A little hard to forget. He kidnapped me and held me in a... a location. Reinforced through some sort of quirk, I could never enter or exit it without his say. And he was...

[He frowns, almost pouts.]

MONOMA: ... a disgusting person to be around, really. Honestly, I don't know what you want to hear here that will be helpful...

[She watches him mimic her with a blank sort of look on her face, taking note of all the little reactions he gives even when she knows that he likely isn't feeling a single emotion.]

NULL: Did you happen to overhear any plans of his?

MONOMA: He didn't have plans. Or, no... [He's frowning some more, thinking to himself.] His plans just didn't involve the League. They involved me and him. Sometimes Mystery. He wanted us to be powerful together. The same old recruitment routine, but different...

[He leans back again, a troubled look on his face, though it didn't quite reflect what he was feeling since he was still so completely numb from it all. There was just something... odd about talking about this in this way, and it distracts him, forcing his concentration elsewhere.]

MONOMA: He just wanted an heir. Another heir, like Shigaraki is.

[She nods her head slowly, careful to commit each word each reaction to memory.]

NULL: And how did he go about this? Making you into his heir.

MONOMA: ... I think he wanted to overwhelm me. It wasn't as much about torture as it was trying to raise me into something. Treating me like family, taking care of me like I was one of his own, like we were blood. He would... take my quirk as well, or he would force me to use his, or...

[He shakes his head.]

MONOMA: ...

NULL: ... Do you need a moment, Monoma-san?

MONOMA: No, I'm fine. The memories aren't really all that pleasant but I don't mind continuing. It's more that I just keep expecting...

[He gestures a hand vaguely.]

MONOMA: I don't know. I'm not upset by it all, but that's strange, isn't it? It's a very curious quirk...

NULL: Yes, I'm sure that my quirk feels very strange, especially in this moment. Now, you said that he forced you to use his quirk... I'm guessing that you meant that he would force you to copy his quirk...

[She pauses for a moment, shifting and somehow managing to sit up even straighter.]

NULL: Did you copy all of the quirks that All for One has? If so, can you remember any specific ones of his?

MONOMA: Oh. Mm...

[Another frown as he thinks.]

MONOMA: ... May I have a pad of paper or something, actually...

[She doesn't say anything at first before she suddenly standing up from her chair, carefully walking to the mirror behind them all while keeping her gaze still on Monoma, knocking her knuckles delicately against the mirror twice before returning to her seat.]

NULL: I apologize, I guess I didn't plan well enough for this.

[A detective comes walking in a moment later, Null inclining her head in a slight nod as the officer comes closer and quickly sets down a pad of paper as well as a pen on the table before leaving just as quickly as they had come in.]

NULL: Take your time, each and every detail about his quirks that you can remember is very helpful to us and greatly appreciated.

[Monoma nods, first frowning at the mirror like he's only just noticed its been there before frowning at the paper, lifting the pen and tapping it a few times.]

MONOMA: ... This might take me a while. It's not as easy as just making a list. I wasn't a proper vessel, I could never safely use his quirk. And it was never as straightforward as just...

[He trails off, drawing a large circle over the entirety of the page.]

MONOMA: It was always excruciating, and it would be all at once, all these quirks, all these different versions of quirks...

[Slowly, he starts drawing a spiral from the far line of the circle, swirling over and over, smaller and smaller as he carefully approaches the center of the page.]

MONOMA: Generations' worth... [He sounds distant, talking more to himself than to her now.] It wasn't most recent to oldest, it was... what suited him most in that moment and onward... But I suppose that's always how it is... It's so much like mine, really, I think that's why...

[She stays silent as Monoma talks to himself, allowing him some time to just... sort everything out in his own mind. She's never been very interesting in how her quirks feels to the people she uses it on, but she's been told and seen with her own eyes how helpful it is both in high emotion situations and in helping victims of trauma have a moment to sort out their memories that had been clouded by other things.]

NULL: Again, take all of the time you need, Monoma-san... I'll stay in the room with you so that I can keep using my quirk, but I won't ask you any more questions until you're ready to move on.

MONOMA: I'm fine to move on. I can do both.

[He's still drawing, pen wearing down on the center of the spiral over and over as he applies more and more pressure.]

MONOMA: Honestly, I'd rather move on, I know this will be long but I don't want to keep you all night. I'd rather not be here all night, either...

[He only stops when his pen tears a hole in the paper, which is when he absentmindedly rips the page away and places it besides the pad, glancing at it before slowly starting to jot something down in small, neat characters. Every now and then, he glances at the spiral as if searching for a reference.]

MONOMA: What else did you want to ask?

[She nods slowly, almost hesitantly, but doesn't argue with him.]

NULL: If you do end up needing a moment, just tell me and we can pause for a few minutes.

[She shifts, clearing her throat quietly and taking a moment to smooth out a few wrinkles in her shirt before settling down again.]

NULL: Now, you said that all of All for One's plans didn't have anything to do with the League, correct? But his plans did involve... Mystery?

MONOMA: They might've. That's a very new factor and I didn't get to learn very much about it. But I'm sure it goes against the League. Shigaraki hates Mystery. I don't think Shigaraki even knows about the meeting, All for One seems to be acting independently, in a way.

[He pauses to jot something new down.]

MONOMA: Or not independently, rather. He's just very clearly not in a role of leadership anymore... Shigaraki is in charge, and All for One is in the sidelines with his own pet projects...

NULL: Alright, you said that he wanted for you to be powerful together... Would you know how he planned to achieve that goal?

MONOMA: Not really. More of the same, I suppose, until I was fully capable.

[She nods briefly.]

NULL: Alright, thank you. Now, you said that All for One's plans are mostly separate from the League, yes? Were you ever able to overhear any of the League's plans?

MONOMA: I don't think there were any plans to overhear, honestly.

[She quirks an eyebrow at that, thinking about it for a moment before huffing softly. It's the biggest reaction she's given to anything.]

NULL: Interesting. You don't think they had any plans of their own? Any... targets? Nothing?

MONOMA: Oh, I think they had targets. And they have goals, of course. But a plan? A strategy? An idea of how to get from A to B? Quite nonexistent.

[He sneers a little to himself.]

MONOMA: They're approaching the brink of a collapse, in my opinion. Of course, I don't know everything, I only know what was shared of me. But I was the plan for a very long time. There wasn't much else.

[She nods slowly, watching the way he reacts as the conversation shifts.]

NULL: Would you know who or what some of the League's targets were?

MONOMA: Not really. It's hard to even claim it as a target of the League when it's all so personal. Shigaraki wanted to fell Mystery, Dabi wanted revenge on Spinner, so on and so forth. But if there were even plans to go about this rather than just scorned feelings being discussed, I wasn't told them.

[A quiet hum.]

NULL: Alright, thank you, Monoma-san. Now, can you tell me a bit more about how they kept in contact with you before you were taken? How they might've known where you were?

MONOMA: You repeat questions a lot, I'm noticing... Like I said, through the internet mostly. Private or anonymous messages sent to various social media accounts. I also have to assume I was stalked for when a meeting would happen in public. I never exactly asked, but I have to assume it isn't too hard when you have someone who teleports and someone who shapeshifts under your disposal.

[She doesn't show a reaction to Monoma pointing out her repetition of certain questions.]

NULL: Would you happen to still have any of the messages that you were sent?

MONOMA: Probably not. I'm sure the more anonymous ones are available somewhere, if you're up for slogging through all the online harassment I've ever received. But I didn't think to keep many.

NULL: ... Monoma-san, can you please tell me why and how you ended up with the League of Villain?

MONOMA: How and why...?

[He stops writing, staring up at her with an eyebrow raised.]

MONOMA: I was taken against my will because they wanted to use me, did I not explain that already...?

NULL: I'm more so asking why and how you originally got tangled up with them, not why and how you were taken from your hospital bed that night.

MONOMA: ...

[He huffs.]

MONOMA: An anonymous number messaged me. This was during a period where I was being harassed online anyway, as I mentioned, so it wasn't all that alarming considering everything else I'd been receiving at the time. When I expressed reluctance to follow through to the meeting, my relationship with someone that had largely been a secret at the time was brought up, and then that person - Iida Tenya, to be specific - was threatened. So I went to the meeting.

NULL: And was it those threats that kept you from coming forward about this?

MONOMA: Partially.

NULL: There was something else?

MONOMA: Of course there was. I just didn't want to.

[He shrugs vaguely.]

MONOMA: Being saved seemed an impossibility at the time. And even if I could reach out and be taken seriously and even helped somehow, I couldn't let myself. I just don't think I wanted to be saved. I wanted to die there.

[She nods slowly, deliberately and smiles kindly at him like she had earlier.]

NULL: Thank you for answering that, I know it must've been difficult to admit something like that.

[She pauses, beginning to toy with her gloves under the table but not pulling them off.]

NULL: Now, I'd like to ask you about the therapy you were set to receive the Orientation Event... You didn't attend any of the appointment... would you mind telling me why?

[Monoma just give her an incredulous look at that.]

MONOMA: I don't like therapy.

[She's still for a moment, almost looking vaguely surprised before she nods and once again, there's nothing.]

NULL: Thank you for your honesty, Monoma-san.

[She pauses for a moment, not saying anything or moving at all before she suddenly takes a deep breath and closes her eyes for a moment, finally letting go of her grasp on Monoma's emotions and deactivating her quirk before opening her eyes again and smiling at him as she pulls off one of her gloves and reaches out to Monoma, offering her hand for him to shake. There's a few small scars on her palm that he and the camera can now see with her glove off.]

NULL: I think that'll be all today, Monoma-san, thank you for your cooperation and I do apologize if I upset you at all during this session, I just like to be thorough with these things to prevent people from having to come back in.

[Another blink, and then a few more as a vague sense of disorientation hits him. It's still not what he expects, on or off. Such a... strange quirk...

Eyeing her now, he spots her ungloved hand. His expression doesn't hint a bit of the confusion or interest he feels as he reaches out to shake her hand. He's the first to pull away, taking the notepad with him but leaving that ripped off page on the table.]

MONOMA: I'll have to come back anyway. There's no way I can get this list finished in time. May I take this with me and turn it in when I'm done...

[She takes a moment to slip her glove back on, making sure that it's neat before she stands up and begins smoothing her clothes out until finally, she finishes and looks at him, still smiling softly.]

NULL: Of course, take your time with it, Monoma-san, every detail is greatly appreciated.

MONOMA: Thank you...

[He bows slowly, lingering in the position for a moment, his face shadowed by his dangling hair.]

MONOMA: ... I'll show myself out, if you don't mind...

[He doesn't wait for an answer, breezing past her to leave without even shutting the door behind him.]

[She sighs softly as the boy leaves, only looking up at the camera that had been recording them the whole time before the video feed cuts off and the recording finally ends.]

[Transcript end.]

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