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Admittedly, I had not planned on being bitten in the abdomen this afternoon.
My agency had gotten a call in the middle of my patrol shift. A mass attack hostage situation was happening in Hamada. The local agency needed all hands on deck.
Arriving on the scene hadn’t taken me too long, I’d been practicing my speed within long distances.
There were volunteers there, setting up medical tents and providing victims with first aid.
I gave one of them a nod, an older woman from America, and she nodded back.
I took off onto the scene and was able to free several hostages, but in a confrontation with one of the villains, a woman with abilities similar to those of a shark, I was wounded.
I managed to defeat the shark-like woman, even while bleeding profusely from my side. I ushered all of the victims out before signaling to another Pro that I was going to the medical tent alongside them.
Arriving at a medical tent as one of the Pros on the scene got you tagged and evaluated swiftly, but one of the hostages had been an expecting mother and had begun exhibiting signs of early labor, I had to make sure she was seen first. It took another five minutes and further delaying of my treatment, on my part of course, before I was finally seen.
The volunteer who came to greet me was the same one I had waved to upon my arrival, the American woman. She introduced herself as Lauren as she pulled on her gloves and gave me some heavy gauze to hold to my steadily bleeding side.
“Hi, honey. I’m sure you know the drill by now. I’m gonna check you for signs of shock. That alright with you?”
“Ribbit- yes ma’am. That’s alright.”
Lauren was visibly frazzled, hair slipping out of her low ponytail and eyes already tired. She began by listening to the hero’s respiratory rate.
“You’re breathing sounds right as rain. I’m gonna check your cap refill next.”
She took hold of my large hands after the removal of my glove. She pressed down on my fingertip and watched as the blood came back. My capillary refill was functioning a little bit slower than she would have liked, but it was cold out, and with my quirk, it would have made sense for me to be chilly even underneath the costume.
“Alright, alright! I’m going to ask you to follow some commands and answer some questions.”
“Sounds great.” I sighed. I had been keeping pressure on my wound, applying more gauze as necessary, but it seemed that the bleeding was slowing.
“Kay, can you touch your nose? How about looking to your left? Point to my mouth. There you are! Wonderful. Alright sweetheart, what's your name?”
“I’m the Rainy Season Hero: Froppy.”
The woman chuckled, her eyes crinkling. “That's great kiddo, but what's your name?”
“It’s Froppy.”
Lauren stopped laughing, her gaze becoming more intense and her face shifting into a frown beneath her mask “No, your civilian name, what is it?”
I sat silent for a minute, my eyes unfocused and still. I gulped. “I… I don’t know.”
I felt myself begin to shake, “Oh god- I know I have one- ribbit-”. My free hand went up into my hair as I bent over.
Lauren looked up at me from where she was kneeling on the floor “Sweetie, it-” she gulped, “It's okay. It’ll be okay.”
I sat in the same pose, shaking more violently. Why can’t I remember my name?
“Do you have someone you can call to get you?”
“Ribbit, no. No- I need to get back on the field.”
“You’re still bleeding. I need you to go home. I’m going to wrap that up for you, but then you need to go home.” She grabbed a roll of gauze, before looking back at me. “Please. Even one of your sidekicks.”
I sighed. “Okay. Can I use your phone?”
— — — — —
I so rarely called Beetle, even during work, that she was surprised to get a call at all. Nevertheless, she had driven me to my flat from the scene.
“Can I help you get settled, Froppy-san?” They asked me upon our arrival.
“No. Ribbit. Thank you, Beetle. But I’ve got it from here.”
“Are you sure? That sounded like a pretty nasty bite. At least let me make you some dinner.”
“No. I don’t need you to. I’m just going to shower and go to sleep. I’ll see you tomorrow.”
They looked at me out of the window of their car. “Okay. Just… call if you need anything.”
“Thank you. Bye.”
They waved at me before driving out of the complex's parking lot. I turned to face the building. The thought of even trying to climb the stairs of this worn-down building sounded hellish, but I needed to be in my flat. I needed to recover so that I could get back on the scene as soon as possible.
I fished my keys out of my purse that Beetle had grabbed from the office on their way out. I was able to get into the complex and make my way up the stairs. I’d like to say this was the most grateful I had ever been that I only lived on the second floor, but I’d had much more exhausting days.
I finally made it into my flat after trudging up the stairs for what felt like an eternity. The ratty couch I had bought at a garage sale last year sat alone in my living room. I first went to change out of my costume. Thankfully it wasn’t waterlogged like usual. I hadn't been able to change at the office like I prefer, since Beetle drove me straight home.
I made the short walk to my room, dropping my purse off on the couch as I went. As appealing as my bed looked, I knew I needed to call my physician. I’m not sure what mattered more, the bite in my gut, or the fact that I couldn't remember my name. To avoid further thought on that topic, I focussed on getting changed.
My bedroom held only four items, my dresser, my bed, a small nightstand, and a lamp. I glanced at my bed one more time before turning to face my dresser. I opened the first drawer and pulled out a thin, long-sleeved, black shirt. It was soft with wear, one of my favorites. I then pulled out a pair of sweatpants, they were a warm gray color.
I changed quickly, not wanting to further delay myself. I walked back out to my couch and pulled my laptop and phone out of my purse. I dialed up my physician on my phone and pulled up my daily report to the commission on my laptop.
“Hello, this is Akane speaking. You’re calling Dr. Vitalis’s office. How may I help you?”
“Hi, Akane. This is Froppy. Ribbit. Can you put me on the phone with Vitalis, please?”
“Oh! Yes. Right away!” There was a beep indicating the switching of a line.
“Froppy? What’s wrong? You never call.”
“I was bitten on the abdomen today.” Xe didn’t get a word out before I kept talking. “That’s not why I’m calling. You and I both know I can handle that myself.”
Xe exhaled audibly. I could imagine xem in xeir office with xeir hand on the bridge of xeir nose. “Alright, Froppy. What else happened?”
“I can’t remember my name.”
“What?”
“My name- not Froppy- the other one. I don’t know what it is.”
“What?”
“I don’t know-”
“No, I heard you. I’m confused. How do you not know your name?”
“I don't know! That’s why I called you! Do you- ribbit- have it on file or something?”
“Yeah, probably!” There were sounds of shuffling as xe stood up. “Jesus, this is insane. You haven't had any blows to the head recently? You don’t always call when you do.”
“Nothing of the sort, not since I moved here. I think I knew it before then.”
“God okay- Oh! Here’s your file! Why was it so far back?”
“Please skip the chatter, can you tell me my name or not?”
“Sorry, this is just so odd.”
“Vitalis.”
“Yep! Your name is Tsuyu Asui, you’re 23 years old, blood type B, sex: M, and your pronouns are she/her.”
“Huh. Tsuyu Asui. Okay. Thank you, Doctor.”
“Wait, don't tell me you’re about to hang up. We need to talk about thi-”
I hung up.
Tsuyu Asui, huh? Maybe it sounded familiar, but that certainly didn't feel like my name. All that other stuff was right, but was that really me?
I shook my head to clear my thoughts as I stared at my blank report sheet. Hopefully, this won’t take too long.
— — — — —
I wasn't too far into my report when the Hero Public Safety Commission called.
Their number changed frequently, but I rarely ever got calls so I knew it was from them. I picked it up, holding it in between my head and my shoulder as I continued typing.
“Hello. This is- ribbit- Froppy, rainy season hero, speaking.”
“Yes, Froppy. We have been informed of today's events regarding your well-being report from a field volunteer.”
“Ribbit. Yes, ma’am. I was bitten on the abdomen today.”
“No. Your name.”
“Oh. Ribbit. Yes.”
“You’ve forgotten it?”
“Yes, ma’am. Although, I called my physician half an hour ago and xe informed me of it. My name is Tsuyu Asui.”
“And how does that name feel?”
“Unfamiliar. Not like it’s mine.”
“That's what I thought.”
The line went quiet for a moment before the woman on the other end spoke once more.
“The Hero Public Safety Commission would like for you to take some time off.”
“Well, I was planning on it. Not much use in the field with a bite wound.”
“No. We’d like you to stay out of the Shimane prefecture. Visit the family.”
I was hit with a realization as she said this. God, when was the last time I even talked to my family? “I- I don’t know where they live.” I spoke.
“That's an easy fix. I’ll pull it up right now. Ah yes, Shizuoka prefecture. I’ll send you their address now.”
“Wait- ribbit- I’m sorry ma’am. I’m still confused. Why am I being removed from the field?”
“Froppy, you have forgotten your name. This is of utmost concern to the HPSC if we want to keep you around long-term. No better people to be with during that time than the ones that gave you the name.”
“I guess so.”
“Perfect. We’ll handle your train ticket. You will have mandated meetings with one of our psychologists every Monday and Wednesday at 3:00 p.m. Please be packed and ready for a two-month stay by 6:00pm tomorrow morning. Does that work for you?”
“Ye- Ribbit- Yes ma’am. Should I inform my agency?”
“You may, but we’ll handle your temporary replacement and logistics.”
The other end of the phone went silent. As I readied myself to finish my report, trusting that the woman had likely hung up, I heard her speak. “You’re a good hero, Froppy. Don’t let this ruin your chance to become even better.”
I felt my eyes well up with tears. I spoke softly. “Thank you.”
The tone dial rang out as she ended our call. I set my phone back down and set to complete my report.