03; Video; UN: Wildflower

[madcuriosity]

[Alice presses her lips together and is surrounded by many trees. Her eyes are a bit red and she swallows and takes a deep breath. She's clearly trying to have a "stiff upper lip" as it were.]

I... don't mean to worry anyone...

But I do believe I'm lost.

If I show someone everything around me, might you please point the way back, perhaps?

Comments

[madcuriosity]

Well, I had never met an elf before.

Not near, they left me AT, sir. They said it would be fast to get back to Camelot from the beach.

But... I'm so terribly turned around.

[fullgauntlet]

They might not have been wrong when they said that, you might be able to see the city from the shore or at least the docks or ...

[He furrows his brows. He wishes he knew this place a little better. But he's still new.]

Is there anyone else looking for you?

[madcuriosity]

I'm much further from the shore now. [She's NOT, actually, tiny legs don't allow for long strides, but she's a bit turned around and more than a little upset to think about going BACK to the beach.]

My- [What does she call him, what did Nero consider her?] My guardian, Mr. Nero is coming to find me. Ken too, I think. He's also Mr. Nero's ward.

[fullgauntlet]

Ah, it sounds like a whole search party is out looking for you.

[That makes him feel much better and less prone to jumping the gun and getting himself lost trying to find a little girl.]

If you stay where you are, I'm sure your guardian is on his way right now.

[madcuriosity]

[Alice and Deku are going to have to discuss what he apparently thinks is a "party" but she won't argue that Nero is coming and if Nero is coming, then she will be perfectly safe.

Because her guardian is coming.

He's going to be ANGRY but he is coming nonetheless.]

I know he is... I didn't... I didn't mean to get lost. I was hoping to be back before nightfall.

[fullgauntlet]

I know, it's easy to get lost. It's not your fault. As long as you're safe that's all that matters.

[Izuku would be a bit amused if she argued with him about parties. Hero search parties are just important too!]

[madcuriosity]

Will... will you stay with me, sir? Please?

[fullgauntlet]

[Ohh....]

Yeah, I can stay here and talk with you. You can call me Deku if you like. That's my hero name.

[madcuriosity]

It's very nice to meet you, Mr. Deku. My name is Alice Liddell.

What- what do you mean by hero name? What is your actual name, then?

[fullgauntlet]

It's nice to meet you too, Alice Liddell-san.

Back home I'm studying to be a hero so my codename is Deku...! My real name is Izuku Midoriya. You can call me that too if you want to. I dont mind...!

[madcuriosity]

Does Deku mean something then?

[fullgauntlet]

[Oh, welp.]

Ahha... It- Well... [How to word this.] It actually means useless...

[One sheepish laugh later,]

There's a reason I picked that name, though...!

[madcuriosity]

You... named yourself useless? But why?

[fullgauntlet]

[A small sheepish laugh.]

Ah... A childhood friend gave me that nickname when we were young. It was supposed to be a mean nickname... But after a while, and when I started to go to school to become a hero- A friend told me that the name Deku could mean that as a hero, I can do it. That no matter what, anyone like me can do anything if we work hard. That I could be a hero and save people too.

[madcuriosity]

I beg your pardon? .... You should get better friends, sir.

I think it's wonderful you wish to make it mean something more positive, but I don't think I shall call you Mr. Deku ever if it means I'm constantly calling you Useless.

I simply shan't.

[fullgauntlet]

[Oh................

.... Roasted by a small child. Kacchan, Ochako- He's so sorry.]

Eh? Wait- Wait-! My hero name means a lot to me! It really means that someone like me can make a difference!

[Someone powerless like him?? Becoming the number one hero?? It's SYMBOLIC.]

... Midoriya is fine too, though...

[madcuriosity]

But you're being called useless, Mr. Mido-riya. [Forgive her, Izuku, she's not used to Japanese names or pronunciation.] Besides, if you're supposed to be a hero, why would anyone call on someone who is useless?

If I were trapped somewhere, I wouldn't go: "I wish someone useless would save me!" [Alice does not mean to be rude, quite the contrary, but she is also a child and thus has a child's habit for bluntness.]

Unless that is what you wish, for no one to call on you? Which is fair enough, I suppose.

1/2

[fullgauntlet]

N-no... That's not... Wait, wait...

[What is this logic? It totally clashes with his hero story!]

2/2

[fullgauntlet]

It's the meaning behind it all. That anyone can be a hero-

[It might be a lost cause to try to tell a little girl the meaning of it all. It's also very sentimental in terms of where he's from so... Different strokes for sure.]

I want people to call on me. I want to be the kind of hero that can save anyone with a smile. That's what I want people to remember me for too.

[But he doesn't want to change his hero name, the meaning is still important to him. He hangs his head a bit. Just for her-]

If you need saving just remember Midoriya-san...

[madcuriosity]

[Alice agrees, anyone can be a hero. But she still doesn't understand why ANY hero would want to be called useless. She's not sure why HE wants to continue being called that either even if he put a much more positive spin on the word. Putting a positive spin on the word "idiot" doesn't magically make it stop meaning what it means.

Alice somewhat feels this is exactly the case here.

And he still needs better friends, even if she can somewhat see why they might have called him what they did.]

If I called you now, would you come?

[fullgauntlet]

[Positive optimism is one thing. Another is Izuku's drive to prove that he isn't useless. That he can do anything that another hero can. Which is the point of making it his name in the first place because of that ironic spin. But he really doesn't want to argue another fair point that the little girl makes.

Just wait until Izuku still to this day gushes on about how great Katsuki is after all that bullying that Izuku got as a kid from him...]

I- I would! I would come to and find you, because you shouldn't be left alone! A hero always answer. Do you need help?

[madcuriosity]

[Enjoyed being called Useless unironically most of the time then, Izuku.

Also, get better friends, Izuku (not that she's one to talk considering half the things the denizens of Wonderland and the Looking Glass say to her).]

Um... well... do you consider being lost in the woods needing help? [Honestly, Izuku.]

[fullgauntlet]

[He'll enjoy being called useless for his entire hero career while also being the number one hero!!!

She did say that her guardian was on the way, so Izuku had only assumed that she was getting picked up?]

That is- I'll come find you! Make sure you stay where you are and keep telling me which landmarks you see. Stay on the line with me too, is that alright?

[madcuriosity]

[He is coming to get her, but she doesn't really know how long anything or anyone is going to take. She'd like to NOT be alone in the woods at night with nothing but a cloak on.]

Yes, that is alright. And the only landmark about is the rock that looks like a mushroom. Though, I suppose I could make something.

[fullgauntlet]

That's alright- I think I can work with that. If you can stick to where you are I'll come to find you too.

[Izuku is already rustling around with some maps he's gotten and is out the door as fast as he can. Best to do than think.]

Do you remember which part of the city you left? It'll help me know which direction I should start with.