1,193Ta-da! It's me! Happy Halloween to you, my readers!
You know, the drill, read, review, moo, yodelayheehoo. I own nothing but my OCs.
Huge thanks to MentalForge and storybookknight for beta-reading!
Let's go!
Chapter 32: Bazaar
"Still as busy as ever, eh?" I glance at the masses of people wandering the complex. It was exactly like last time; full of people going around and buying whatever they want or need.
"It's a mall during the weekend, Ritsu," my mom replies. She'd gone for a greenish-gray coat over a black top and a thin dress. "What else did you expect?"
I shrug. "Nothing, maybe that's the problem."
She raises an eyebrow before shaking her head. "I swear, one of these days…" she mutters, then claps as her voice turns chipper. "Well, I'll be off to do some errands while you have your fun with Jirou and her friends."
"What kind of errands?"
"I've been working at home for a week Ritsu, there are some things I need to restock."
"Uh-huh…" Why do I sense that most of the restocking will happen at a clothing store? For all that she denies, and I've rarely seen her wear anything other than a suit at work or super-casual at home, Mom loves clothes shopping as much as any other woman. She's got taste, I'll give her that, but I'd be more tolerant about it if she didn't use me as a mannequin for all the male clothes in the stores.
"Oh? Is little Ritsu thinking bad thoughts about his dearest mother, who took such tender care of him as he lay sick and bleeding in the house?" She gasps exaggeratingly with a hand on her breast. "If I wasn't so concerned with your social life, I'd weep in sorrow!"
"And you wonder why we don't go out much," I deadpan, to which she scoffs at me, smiling all the way. I roll my eyes and look around until I land on the big clock beside me.
"Ah, Jirou said she'll be here any minute."
Mom idly nods and gets close to me, before looking me up and down. Her smile fades a little as she fingers the straps on her handbag.
"I know we agreed that you're feeling better, but the instant you start feeling uncomfortable or feel pain, call me. Promise?"
I go silent for a moment, then nod. I need to let this fully heal, which means I can't disobey Mom's orders. "Promise."
She smiles and pats my cheek. "Now, remember to smile, stand up straight and speak clearly. Girls like that. Oh, and send me pictures!"
"If you limit yourself to one shirt, I'll consider it."
She gives me a strange look, like I told her to swallow a cockroach, and shakes her head, "Ever the cheeky one…" she mutters before turning around and waving. "Have fun!"
I wave back until she disappears into the crowd. I lower my hand and pull out my phone, tapping Jirou's contact.
'You there?' I type.
As I wait for a response, my throat dries up and for some reason, I tap my foot. Cool your jets Ritsu, it's just Jirou and her friends…who are all from U.A…the top hero school…who will make it their life's mission to throw you in Tartarus the moment they can.
I shake my head fiercely. This is not the time to spiral into planning! Swallowing, I take a few quick breaths. Why the hell am I on edge? It's just an outing, nothing more. Expect lame jokes about your hair and you'll be right as rain.
My phone dings. 'Yeah. Where are you?'
I hesitate, but only for a second. 'In front of the big clock, next to that fountain.'
Pocketing the phone, I scan the multitude of on-goers for any familiar hairline. A minute later, a hand sticks out and waves at me.
"Oi Ritsu, over here!"
Hooray for super-hearing!
I walk in the call's direction and soon come face-to-face with a familiar face framed by dangling lobes. Jirou takes a few steps before she looks me up and down as her lips creep into a smile. "I've gotta say, you clean up good."
I raise an eyebrow. "What's that supposed to mean?"
"I just thought hoodies were a part of your natural shell."
Oh, ha-ha. "They're useful and comfortable, don't diss them!" Yes, I like hoodies, but I'm not some basement-dwelling hacker! But you could call the hideout a basement - not now!
She mock-surrendered even as she giggled. "Alright, yeesh! Did they spike your meds back in the old folks' home?"
"Nah," I replied, adding a little Kansai drawl to my words. "But them young'uns drive me up the wall with their antics!" I shake my fist as I hiss, making her guffaw.
"Okay, that was good. But seriously, you've got good taste."
"That's more my Mom's taste than mine, but thanks, you too." I'm not lying; that zebra-striped overshirt suits her.
I swear she blushed for a second, but I didn't get a chance to dwell on it. "So, how did that report turn out?" she asks.
"Report?"
"You know, the one you asked me to help you on late at night during the internship?" What was she - oh!
"Uh, I haven't gotten it back yet, but what you gave me was really helpful. Thanks! My teacher really liked it when I mentioned your help, said it made it more 'authentic'." My bullshitting skills are increasing daily if I can spew something like that in a second.
"Happy to help." She looks around and I see her earlobes twitch. Could she hear out of those? "I can't see the others yet, they should be here any second."
"Your classmates? The ones from the Sports Festival, right? They seem like a…" I tried to find the appropriate word, recalling what I had seen on the festival broadcast. "Colorful lot."
She chuckles with a tinge of exasperation. "You don't know the half of it."
I shoot a half-smile at her as silence settles over our little space. We don't break each other's stares, but none of us are willing to say anything else. Wow, I did not expect the flow of conversation to die this quickly.
Please tell me Mom isn't spying on me around the corner.
"So…you still listening to that Stone Age music?"
I blink at the sudden topic change but quickly respond, ignoring the jab. "Oh yeah, I downloaded the songs to my computer and my phone, I play them when I'm doing homework or taking a walk."
Jirou idly nods, though her brow briefly scrunches up. "I'm the last person who should comment on what music people like, but I still don't get why you like that type of music."
Ah, did she hear a sample of it online? "It calms me down. Besides, not all music is summed up in rock, electric guitar and bass."
"On that, I agree with you. Sometimes you can't beat a good Vivaldi or Handel when you're looking to hear some good orchestra." Oh wow, Rocker Girl branches out! She notices my look and sends me a smug little smile. "Yeah, I get that a lot. Sometimes when you're composing rock, a review of the classics doesn't hurt - there are a lot of fast-paced and beat-heavy compositions in old music, and a few tun-ups make them perfect for rock. But that disc you bought? I don't know, it doesn't suit you."
"Yeah, I get that a lot."
She deadpans my use of her phrase before shrugging. "Whatever you say, dude." She then starts to look around, idly twirling her jacks. "What's taking them so-"
"JIROU!"
We both sharply turn to see a group of teenagers approaching us, with a pink-skinned girl at the helm and waving enthusiastically. Behind her are a group of, quite literally, colorful, teenagers, all looking excited to various degrees: a red-haired boy with a striped overshirt and a fanged grin, giving casual 'bro' energy. Next to him are two boys, one tall, bespectacled and looked like rods were jammed so far up his ass they curved and extended to his arms (if the chopping motions he made at the pink girl didn't give it away) and the other with a crow's head and a calm demeanor. Hmm, I think I like this one. To the left of the pink girl are two more girls, the first with mochi-like cheeks, brown hairs whose bangs frame her face and a pink backpack. The second one is almost a head taller than her, with a sleeveless, white sundress, a long ponytail and a rather…ahem, pronounced…front area. Finally, staring at me with round eyes and freckles is a green-haired boy wearing…a shirt that says "T-Shirt". Wow, remind me who said I have bad taste again? Just look at this guy.
I admit, it takes me a few seconds to register all of them. I saw them all in the Sports Festival, though I bailed during the later stages. Hmm, guess I should rewatch the whole thing when I have the time. I guess I'm expecting…more, I think, but look at them like this? They wouldn't seem too out-of-place in my own high school.
Jirou winces at the pink girl's screech. "Lower the volume, Mina, yeesh."
The girl - Mina - stopped and rubbed her hair, an embarrassed smile flashing across her face for a second. "Hehe, sorry. It's just our first time here together as a class!"
Jirou shrugs, her jacks bobbing with the motion even as the rest of the group eyes the mall. Then Mina turns to me, blinks with those big black eyes and smiles impishly. "And who is this Jirou~? Is there someone you've been keeping from us~?"
Before I could shoot that idea down like a duck, the rocker girl interjects. "Get your mind out of the gutter, Ashido. This," she waves at me. "Is Ritsu. You know, the guy you said could join us for today?"
"Nice to meet you," I lightly bow. Mina rubs her chin and looks me up and down.
"Ritsu, Ritsu…" her eyes widen and she smashes her fist upon her palm. "You're that Ritsu! The one Jirou texts on the phone!"
I glance at Jirou who sighs in fond exasperation. "She's kind of…fixated on this stuff, don't worry about it."
Mina steps forward and grabs my hand in a rapid-fire handshake. "I'm Mina Ashido! It's so good to put a face to the name! I'm so happy that I get to meet Jirou's friend." Uh, thanks but could you let me go before my arm tears off!?
"Oi Mina, go easy on him. The nurses at the old folk's home rough him up enough." Now you're dragging your classmates into the joke? Cruelty, thy name is Jirou. Thankfully, it does make her stop, so I cut in.
"She thinks she's funny, don't pay attention." The girl in question deadpans at me, which I ignore.
Mina looks back and forth between us and her smile grows wider. "And he's got a sense of humor! I like him!" She leans forward - personal space, woman! - and points at my white tuft. "Is that dyed?"
"Mina! Please step away from him, you are being very rude!" Glasses-boy comes forward and firmly pushes Mina away. "I apologize for my classmate's behavior, Ritsu-san!" he bows stiffly. "Ashido-san is a very spirited girl, do not let her enthusiasm impair your judgment!"
"Uh, it's fine. I was a little startled, that's all," I reply, waving at him to stand up. "Gotta say, from the way she's been talking about you, I should have expected it, uh…?"
"I am Class Representative Tenya Iida! It is a privilege meeting you!" he bows again and raises his arm for a shake, to which I respond with a firm grip.
"I should be the one honored, Iida-san," I say. "I caught some of your Sports Festival matches; they were damn impressive, all of them."
The group seems to perk up slightly, then they begin to introduce themselves, starting with the red-haired boy. "The name's Eijiro Kirishima! Nice to meet you!"
The crow-headed boy gives me a respectful nod. "Fumikage Tokoyami. A pleasure."
"I'm Denki Kaminari!" says a blond-haired one, peeking from behind Iida and pointing at himself with his thumb. Wow, where was he at?
"Ah, I'm Ochako Uraraka," the bubbly-looking girl greeted, giving a little bow.
The freckled one also bowed, though this time akin to Iida. "Hello, I-I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's a pleasure to meet one of Jirou-san's friends!"
"I agree with Midoriya-kun," the tall girl adds with a gentle smile, her posture looking far more regal than the rest of them. "From what Jirou-san tells us about your conversations, you've left quite a favorable impression on her. I'm Momo Yaoyorozu."
Okay, I need a little time to match the names to the faces. "Uh, my name's Ritsu Ogawa and it's nice to meet you all in person." I give all of them a respectful nod of my own. "Thanks for letting me join you today."
"Not a problem, Ogawa-kun!" replies Ashido. "We wanted to invite the whole class, but some of them couldn't make it, so we were expecting more people. Having you with us won't be a bother at all!"
"Good to hear," I say. As I talk, I hear whispers from a few shoppers mentioning some of their names. Then again, given the Sports Festival, I shouldn't be surprised.
Mina turns around and claps her hands. "So! Why don't we start forward and make our way around? That way we won't miss out on anything we can buy here!" Everyone nods, and so do I. It's not like I have a better plan. "Great! Let's move it, people!"
She practically leaps over to the nearest store on the right - some random clothing store - and zips around it like some super-caffeinated bunny. I catch Jiro's irritated yet fond sigh as we move after her. The others observe the surrounding stores and idly comment about everything they see, especially that Midoriya guy.
"One of the largest shopping complexes in the country, filled with every kind of store available on the market, including big name brands and more obscure ones." Holy shit, that is some fast mumbling. "With so many shops, every possible Quirk can be catered to, including all branches of Mutant-types. Hero sponsorships here guarantee a steady income, and a set rotation is in place to discourage monopoly, so Heroes from every place in the rankings can be represented. There's even a Youtube channel where people go around and try to fish for old merchandise of obscure or foreign heroes. They even found one of the limited edition Endeavor vs. Hoko Action Sets in mint condition-"
"Uh, is this normal?" I whisper. Seriously, he's like a woodpecker with words!
"Yeah, he geeks out about Hero stuff, but you get used to it. Once you get past the initial nerdgasm, you kind of get a sense of the words…" Jirou twists her hand. "Don't let that fool you though, he's one of the smartest in the class."
I look at the boy who pulled out a notebook from…I'm guessing his backpack…and is writing furiously. "For some reason, I have no trouble believing that."
We hit the first couple of shops, which mostly meant standing around and gawking at the items. Some look at the price tags and weep while others just admire from afar. As they do so, I start to observe the class. They all have their own little cliques, judging by the way some of them group, but they possess a…what's the word? Camaraderie…as a whole.
"Civilian appearance is just as important as Hero costume design! Your choice of clothing dictates your character to the public!" cries out Iida, scurrying through the shelves and piling clothes onto his arms. "I have here a selection of suitable clothes that you might find accommodating, Ashido-san! It will convey honesty and trustworthiness while-"
"Ooh, lemme see!" Ashido grabs and unfurls the first piece of clothing on the pile, only to immediately frown upon unfurling it. "Iida, dude, there is no way on Earth I am wearing this. The only way this could scream 'boring' louder was if it was painted in neon colors. Wait, knowing you, why am I letting you decide in the first place!?"
Iida took a step like he was struck. "I'll have you know my fashion sense is-"
"Stuck in rich middle school? Absolutely, which is why I'll be picking out your clothes!" she grabs him by the arm and pulls him away, despite his protests and arm-chopping.
A chaotic camaraderie. Eh, who am I to judge?
"So, Ogawa-san, where did you meet Jirou-san?" asks Yao…Yaoro…hell, Momo it is. "She's been a bit cagey about the details."
"Uh, it's nothing exciting. We met at the music store on the second floor," I reply, pointing in its direction. "Over there. I listened to some of the music they were selling and she asked about it. We swapped numbers and we've kept in touch since then."
"Oh, so you have a talent for music as well?"
I shake my head. "I'm not a musician or much of a singer. I don't think I ever held an instrument once in my life. She called my music old."
Momo shoots a questioning glance at Jirou, who just crosses her arms. "Please, if you would've heard it, you would've thought so too Momo."
"We all have different tastes, Jirou-san. I'm sure he has his reasons for choosing whatever music he listens to," she chides gently. Jirou rolls her eyes at her words but doesn't seem too bothered by them. "You're in a normal high school, correct?"
"Yeah, it's not a hero or support school if that's what you mean."
"Heh, it feels weird when you say it like that, Momo," Mina interjects. "But I get it; I still text some of my old middle school friends, and it's like we're on different planets!"
I snort. "The sports festival alone should tell you that much." If it wasn't for my other occupation, I would've thought exactly what she said…not that I'd be jealous or anything.
Then Midoriya chimes in. "Did you want to be a Hero, Ogawa-kun?"
I freeze for a moment and turn to him, staring into his round green eyes. "Hmm…not really. I don't have the right mentality for it. Maybe I did once - what kid doesn't - but I got interested in other things. Heroes aren't the be-all and end-all."
I'm not too sure what I was expecting: gasps of shock maybe, outrage, a side of self-righteous ranting. But while Midoriya did stare at me in mild paralysis, Momo and Jirou looked more understanding. Mina had zoomed off to gawk at something with the others.
"I get it," Jirou says. "I wasn't sure if I wanted to be a musician or a Hero at first. My parents all wanted me to follow them in music, but I decided to become a Hero, that way I could dedicate my music to others who need it."
"I agree with Jirou-san," Momo adds. "There is nothing wrong with having your own aspirations, uninfluenced by others. Several of my former classmates in middle school stayed away from any discussion about Heroes."
Huh…that's…nice. Non-judgmental. Feels weird.
"Midoriya? Earth to nerd?" Jirou waves a jack in front of the boy's face. "You good?"
He pauses before erupting into a blush and waving his hands. "A-ah, y-yes, s-sorry! It's just that…everyone was obsessed with Heroes in my old school and all my life! I didn't really expect to - er, I mean -"
"Hey, I get it," I interject and try to calm him down. Yeesh, the guy looks like one moment away from bolting. "You don't have to worry about it. Guess that's the big difference between us."
"All the same, you shouldn't feel ashamed for not pursuing Heroics. I admit, it's not the life everyone envisions, if what our training showed us," says Momo. For an instant, I see the Hero students collectively shudder. A few wince or rub their bodies. Ah, so their teacher is as much of a taskmaster as Jirou said? Whoever he is, he can't be as tortu - er, demanding as Mawla.
"Heh, well, good luck, 'cause it sounds like you're gonna need it. Those internships sounded like hell."
"Yeah, Heroes are slave drivers," mutters Jirou. "At least we didn't have to deal with those Nomus."
"Nomus?" I ask.
"We got attacked at school by Villains, and there was this big one they called Nomu. Turns out it's not just one."
Are they talking about the monster I saw in that warehouse? "Sounds terrifying."
"Yeah, it was freaky. Apparently, a few started rampaging in Tokyo late afternoon. Death Arms almost got called in to help but he didn't want to endanger me. I don't blame him; only All Might could beat it."
Okay, take note Ritsu, if one of those things appears, beat it. At least until I find a way to kill them, because there's no way I can fight someone who's strong enough for All Might.
"But it's our dream, and we're all determined to go through it."
That little inspiring statement got her a round of nods and smiles from everyone. Yes, even my lips are twitching.
We pass by one of those military shops and I spot the bird-headed guy - Tokoyami - looking at a sword that wouldn't be out of place in Skyrim. The guard is shaped like a pair of demon wings and the blade bears elaborate engravings that didn't look painted on. It reminds me of a few swords in the World Collection, like the Muslim swords with their calligraphy. My eyes then drift to a pair of combat knives on the sword's right side. They look heavier than what I use, and the handle is straighter. It also reminds me that I need to replenish my knife quota.
"You take an interest in weapons too?" he asks, never once straying his gaze from the sword.
I nod. "Historical weapons, for the most part. I do appreciate good modern designs though."
"A fellow connoisseur? It has been a while since I updated my collection. My studies don't allow for it, I'm afraid. Not to mention most of these weapons are unsuited for my style of Hero work."
"A good knife is always handy," I counter. "Take those ones next to the sword, they're good for close combat or a multipurpose tool. Do they allow weapons in U.A?"
"It's a case-by-case basis, dependant on the person's Quirk and fighting style." He grapes the underside of his beak and hums. "Although, I suppose it wouldn't hurt…I will consider this. If Bakugo can lug around those gauntlets a knife shouldn't be that extreme."
I don't recognize that name. "Who's Bakugo?"
"He's -"
"Hey, what're you all looking at?" a loud voice interjects. I turn to see the red-haired guy staring at the display case and whistling. "Nice! Those are some manly weapons!"
'Manly'? Okaaayyyy…
Tokoyami sighs. "Kirishima, please. We're in a public space and we were conversing."
Kirishima winces and rubs his head. "Sorry. Just saw those and couldn't resist." He then looks at me with that toothy smile and extends his hand. "You're Ritsu, right? Pleased to meet ya! Any friend of Jirou's is a friend of ours!"
Huh. A loudmouth, but has a good head on his shoulders. That's rare. I shake his hand and almost wince at the grip. Yeesh, this guy's strong! "Thanks, it means a lot. You interested in weapons too?"
"Nah," he shakes his head. "I mean I like them if they look cool like that sword, but I'm a more close-combat type of guy. I tried learning kendo once, never got the hang of it."
Yeah, you do seem like the type. I nod and look back at the display when something catches my eye. The lightbulb explodes over my head as I resist the urge to smack myself. "Be right back."
A minute later and I'm out holding a little bag. The two boys look at it with curiosity.
"What'd you get?" Kirishima asks.
I pull out a black-colored contraption wrapped in plastic. "A multi-tool. I have a little project I've been working on and I realized just now that I didn't have one of these." It even came with a little black case that could be attached to a belt. Why didn't I get one of these before?
This time Tokoyami doesn't stay quiet. "What kind of project?"
A lot of things you'd wanna take me to jail for. "I'd like to keep it to myself for now. Don't wanna jinx it." While Kirishima pouts - and that is weird to see for such a guy - Tokoyami accepts my answer with a silent nod.
"A man is entitled to his own secrets. I wish you luck with whatever you're planning."
We join the group to see Momo offering the round-cheeked girl a dress, the latter frantically waving her hands.
"Y-Yaomomo, I can't accept this. It's, it's really pretty but I'm a little tight with money -"
"Nonsense, Uraraka-san!" Momo interjects firmly. "You are my friend and I want to buy this for you! I don't want you to repay me, your friendship is more than enough!"
Uraraka's face turns red and she mumbles incoherently, still keeping away from the dress while Momo holds it before her. Eventually, she reaches out and gently takes the dress, holding it like fine china. Huzzah for rich friends, must be nice.
The mall trek continues and I strike up a conversation with Kaminari, or rather the other way around. Turns out he's a fan of old English literature. I've never read Hemingway myself, I didn't like his genre of works, but he did read The Silk Road. Who would've thought?
"Look, you've got to face the facts; whenever there's a crisis, there's always a boost to the economy soon after. The bigger the crisis, the bigger the boom," I say. "Look at Europe after the Black Plague: the Renaissance came soon after and from it most of the best artworks in history."
"Maybe, but different countries or kingdoms had different ways of coping with disasters. Didn't a lot of wars start right after the population got back up?" Kaminari responds. "That just generates a downward spiral and in some kingdoms, conditions got worse."
"Yes, but that's inevitable. There's more wealth and more people, so rulers want what the others have. You can't change that."
As we talk, I overhear Jirou's words to Momo. "Wow, Jamming-yay's actually being intelligent? Are we in some alternate universe?"
"Jirou!" she chides. "Don't be rude. I admit, I wish Kaminari would apply this sort of enthusiasm to his studies, but people show their intelligence in different ways!"
As we talk and walk, I feel some of the tension floating from my shoulders. Yes, they're an odd bunch to be sure…but they're decent, no, good, people. I'm a total stranger and they're talking to me like I've known them from the start. That's…strange. Good strange or bad strange? Not sure. These guys wouldn't hesitate to take me down if they knew who I really was but…it's nice while it lasts.
Kaminari leaves after waving me goodbye to a retro store. While I'm tempted, I stick with Jirou.
When we go into yet another clothing store, a kid runs into my leg. He apologizes, and I wave him off, but only then do I see why he ran: it's to his Mom, begging her to buy a skull party mask.
That skull has a blue 'x' painted on it.
I shake my head quickly, trying to understand. What the hell?
I turn in the direction where the kid ran and to my utter disbelief, I see a rack with hats and masks, and the entire middle rack is filled with skull masks. All of them were cheap imitations of my mask.
I walk over to the rack and take one. It's cheap plastic and the 'x' is just two lines. Yet I feel like I'm holding some Daedric artifact from Skyrim.
"Oi Ritsu, wanna ditch this place? I'm getting tired of - oh." I look and see Jiro staring at the line of masks, her face cringing. "They're actually selling these?"
I blink. "You've seen these before?"
"Yeah. The small-time toy shop near my house started selling these a while back, didn't think they'd make their way here." She takes a step closer but holds her hands behind her back as if the masks were toxic. "Why don't people get this guy is a killer?"
I bite my lip. I'm going to have to be very careful with what I say. I could just go along with it…but it feels wrong. "People can admire all sorts. It doesn't matter what they do, as long as they think it's for the right reasons."
"Maybe, but this creep is taking it to a completely different level!" she exclaims. "Some of the younger kids in my neighborhood tease each other, saying Shinigami's gonna get them if they stay out too late. He's not some boogeyman from a fairy tale."
I'm not too sure how to feel about that. "Okay," I drawl, "Does he come up in your uh, studies?"
She shakes her head. "Nope, we don't focus on specific Villains unless they're used as an example in takedown or rescue scenarios. We're still first-years, so it wouldn't make sense to focus on one when we'll have to deal with all types of Villains."
"Makes sense. Anyway, it's not too strange if you look back; many outlaws were seen as heroes during their time alive, or even after" I say and begin listing off names. "Billy the Kid, John Dillinger, Song Jian, Robin Hood, Saigo Takamori, the list goes on. One good look at their deeds will say they're nothing but criminals, but the people of their time and today will excuse their actions because they'll say they were helping the poor when no one else would. It doesn't mean that most of it's necessarily true, but there's always a kernel of truth to whatever stories people tell."
The purple-haired girl tilts her head at me with a searching gaze. "I know only two of those names, but I get your point. Still, if even a little bit of the rumors on the internet are true, this guy isn't stopping and no one knows who's he gonna kill next!"
A word from that sentence catches my ear. "What rumors?"
She's about to respond when Midoriya approaches us, holding a plastic bag with one hand and waving nervously with the other. "Did you find anything good? I only found Yoroi Musha hat -" he pauses and notices the masks. "A-are those Sh-Shinigami masks?"
I nod. "Yeah, we were just talking about him. Jirou mentioned rumors on the internet."
"Oh, that. Y-yeah, with his following, I should've known costumes like these would pop up."
Wait.
"What do you mean by 'following'?"
The freckled boy rubs his head as a blush dusts his cheeks. "I-I surf a lot of Hero forums and chatrooms on the internet, and since that video with Domino's d-death was leaked, Sh-Shinigami's become a hot topic there."
Jirou raises an eyebrow. "That doesn't sound too unusual. The internet can get hyped up about the shittiest people."
"Yes, but the buzz is slowly approaching top Pro Hero levels," he replies, his voice growing measured as he grips his chin. "It's something out of a crime series; an untraceable killer with the law running around like headless chickens. He doesn't leave much of a trail and the police are tight-lipped regarding any finds about him, so people post stories and sometimes pictures of dead criminals to see if they can find any clues by themselves."
"Okay, I admit I've heard of TV shows with better premises," Jirou comments before shaking her head. "Aren't they putting themselves in danger poking around in stuff like that?"
"Y-yes, but since when did danger stop people on the internet?"
Good point. Okay, so I pissed off some people, that's a given. "Again, that usually happens with serial killers," I say, hiding my frown at the term. Those are the psychos that I hunt down, I am perfectly sane! "The everyday folk feel the need to pitch in when the cops are failing."
"Again, that's true, but there's another side to this." The pensive frown on Midoriya's face grows bigger. "Many people are saying that Shinigami's doing a service to the community, killing off dangerous criminals the Heroes and the police can't catch. They post their gripes about the system and how killer Villains and corrupt Heroes like Domino exist because of them, and we should be thanking Shinigami for what he's doing."
My mind goes blank for a moment. I haven't paid attention to forums like that since I found Shadow Gear. Interrogating criminals face-to-face yields better results than looking through web pages filled with garbage that I don't know if it's real. But this?
"How popular are those forums?"
"I've seen chatter they're going to make webpages out of them. If that happens, it'll reach millions."
I barely restrain myself from wheezing. Millions!?
Holy fuck, bismillah, whatever form that phrase takes! Am I that popular!? Infamous!? No, should I be worried!? Dabi told me how I scared the underworld straight with my escapades, but the rest of the public? Shit, is everyone and their unborn children gonna start coming after me!?
"Fuck, that's a lot, and I'm an internet casual," says Jirou, her eyes widening. "Well, I still think they're hyping him up for no reason and ignoring the fact he's a serial killer."
"I-I know, I saw a photo of one his s-supposed victims," he says and looks down. "Nobody should die like that. Even if his actions were meant to be heroic, Heroes save people, not kill them."
What about their victims? I almost bite out. What about the children who knew cages and unspeakable misery thanks to those 'people'?
"Hi guys! We're back with goodies!" Mina and Momo decide then and there to cut in. "What's with all the sour faces?" The pink-skinned girl takes a look at the masks before tilting her head. "I've seen those before but I don't know where."
"I have," Momo says and frowns. "I can't believe they sell those here. The public should be condemning this man, not cheering him on."
I feel a tap on my shoulder and see Jirou looking at me, her stare softer than before. "You're gonna break that thing if you're not careful."
I blink and look down. My grip on the plastic mask was starting to dent with how tightly my thumbs pressed. I release my hold and put it back on the shelf. "Sorry."
"Are you okay?" Midoriya asks, his voice dripping with concern. "You looked like you wanted to say something."
Was I that transparent?
The freckled boy startles and waves his hands. "Y-you don't have to say anything if you don't w-want to, but I won't judge you if you d-do."
"I believe he speaks for all of us, Ogawa-san," adds Momo with Mina and Jirou nodding. "We might be strangers, but you're Jirou's friend. Not to mention I've seen how my classmates have taken a liking to you. We want to make you feel welcome among us."
For a moment, an expectant silence falls upon us. I wet my lips as words tumble in my mouth, waiting to be released or swallowed.
I exhale with clenched teeth.
"Then what does that make Domino?"
I look them all in the eye as I speak, my voice tight and reigned in. "What do you tell the kids who he sold as human livestock just so he could rescue them? That it's more important for him to be alive than them? More important than the kids who never made it?"
The Hero students' faces sour at the mention of the fake Hero's name, and I spot Jirou's fist clench.
"Domino was a disgrace to Heroism and everyone who worked with him," Momo softly but firmly intones. "But he deserved to be brought to court so his crimes could be laid out, not executed by some vigilante's whims. I would like to believe that the children would be glad to be spared from such a fate, no matter the condition of their gaoler."
"I agree, but why should the criminals be given a chance after what they've done? No sane person can look you in the eye and say that they're comfortable with people like that being alive, even behind bars. Shouldn't the Heroes focus on stopping the kal - criminals for good," I hastily correct myself, "As much as rescuing their victims?"
"Heroes can't kill, Ogawa-san," Midoriya responds with the same tone. "More than that they should never kill. People trust Heroes because they risk their lives and use their Quirks for the betterment of society, and they follow society's rules. If Heroes started killing Villains, they'd lose the people's trust. They'll start thinking 'How long before they decide to kill us?' and they'll riot against the Heroes. Shinigami's scaring as many people as he is inspiring. I've seen posts from people who're worried about missing relatives, relatives who might have turned to crime, or Villany. They're scared Shinigami's picked them off and they don't even know it." He looks down and rubs his scarred hands. "I'm scared to find out what happens if he isn't caught."
I'm not the only one struck by Midoriya's speech, if the girls' solemn yet wide-eyed stares mean anything. Instead of replying though, I hold my tongue. I feel like I'm close to biting it. He's raising a good point, I won't deny that. But…
They don't understand.
Dirty cages in a sewer-ridden room. A frail body begging for food only to be whipped. Malformed limbs crawl from doors as black eyes stare at me with utter hollowness.
How can animals like that be allowed to live? All because of some moral grandstanding? After the sheer disregard or worse, the delight they show for human misery?
"Did you lose someone?" Mina asks, her voice low. I shake my head.
"Not personally."
To my relief, the implied continuation of that sentence is picked up. He looks ready to continue when Momo gently touches his arm. He pauses at the gesture - I'm willing to bet it's because of the atomic blush on his face - then nods. "W-well, if you want to talk about it, I can give you my number," the freckled boy says, his stutter returning.
"You've already got mine, but the offer's the same. Can't have getting too many gray hairs before they put you in the old folks' home for real," Jirou follows up with a smile.
I shoot a sharp side-glance at the rocker girl before waving at Midoriya. "Thanks, but I think I'll manage. I'll ask Jirou for your numbers if it comes to that. And aren't you a little too eager to help a total stranger?"
"That's what Heroes do," he shoots back, his voice filled with determination. Wow, this kid's an idealist.
At that moment, my phone dings. I check and yep, it's Mom.
"Sorry guys, gotta bounce. Mom's done with her shopping."
"It was great to meet you Ogawa-kun!" Mina excitedly says and shakes my hand. "You should totally come with us next time!"
"I wouldn't mind that," Despite that last talk, I'd enjoyed this little outing. Huh.
"I'll text you when we'll all go again," says Jirou while we fist-bump. "And from the way Mina's bouncing around, that's definitely a when."
"It was likewise a pleasure, Ogawa-san," says Momo, giving me a little bow.
"I hope I d-didn't put you off with what I said, Ogawa-san," Midoriya mumbles as he also bows.
I shake my head. "It's fine. You're not the first. Still, I liked that talk." I turn around and wave. "See you next time!"
We wave to each other until I leave their line of sight. I sigh as I unwrap the multi-tool and place it in its case before shoving it into my pocket. That should take care of any unwanted questions from Mom. Huh, when was the last time I actually hung out with kids my age?
Again, it feels weird. Like someone placed me on a train and I'm grabbing the handrails, but I'm not being swept off…or am I? What's the correct metaphor here?
I soon reach Mom's tailor shop and she greets me with a toothy smile. "So, how was my little man's playdate?"
I don't even try to fight the heat flash. "They were really nice kids. We agreed to do it again in the future."
She clapped her hands together and bounced, her black hair bobbing in place. "I knew that Jirou girl was a good influence on you! Keep it up and you'll be playing hooky in no time if that Shiki girl doesn't grab you first!"
"MOM!" I yell as my poor heart almost stops. "It was an outing with her friends! It wasn't even a one-on-one meeting! That doesn't mean dating!"
"Baby steps, Ritsu," she chides. "Now I can finally thank the gods you won't end up a NEET!"
Oi, now you've gone too far. "I think that shop's unraveled all the brain matter in your skull along with the cloth."
She immediately shoots me a dirty look. "I'm rooting for you, you cheeky brat! Show a little appreciation!"
We bicker for a bit and she concedes, though not before shooting me a smirk that repeats every infuriating thing from before tenfold. As we ride the train home, I finger my new toy. I've got a few things to cover back home, including looking up all those chatrooms. I don't know if this is a good thing or not, but if people are looking to start tracking me, I'll have to watch my step even more.
Though I should finish up the last bit of Mawla's first poison lessons…hmmm, I wonder…
I need to hit new targets. I could scope out more potential Villain sights like Araya, but he called me out first, so that's unlikely. I did say that I'd look into the Nine Rings bar again…
Wait…bar, yakuza, drugs, yakuza…
After ensuring Mom is engrossed in texting, I whip out my work phone and text Dabi.
You there?
A minute later, he replies.
Yeah. What?
This idea is crazy, but if it works…
Wanna help busting up a yakuza drug lab?
Ritsu Ogawa (Assassin - Hassan-i Sabbah)
Stats:
Strength: D++ - C
Agility: C
Endurance: C-
Mana: C++ - B(Only when using Power of the Valley. Otherwise, nonexistent.)
Luck: C+
Skills:
Presence Concealment C-: The ability to hide from others. A semi-decent level for any Assassin. Against ordinary criminals and some intelligent ones it works well.
Throwing (Dagger) B and Throwing (Retrieval) B: The expertise for throwing projectile weapons; in this case, daggers. His daggers have the same destructive power as firearms when thrown, typically spelling certain death for human targets. He can retrieve them to his hand with but a mere gesture
Information Erasure C++: Erases all traces of the user's identity, physical or digital, after leaving a scene of assassination. It does not hide the user's identity in any other situation, and clues can be pieced together to deduce identity. If the user's identity is discovered, then the effects of the skill weaken. Rank increased thanks to multiple exposures outside of Presence Concealment.
Power of the Valley of Death B: A unique connection forged as a result of finding a relic of Alamut. Assassin can draw power from the Valley to perform certain skills he would otherwise be incapable of doing.
Quirk - Super-Hearing B: A power gained as a result of evolution. Allows the user to hear precise details within a certain range, up to an including electrical movements and shifting of earth. Can extend the range in exchange for loss of detail. Also alerts the user of incoming danger provided they can react to it.
Muraqubah C-: A meditative state that enhances Ritsu's connection to the Valley. If used enough times/for long enough, combat specs have a chance of increasing. In addition, it also enables a healing trance that the user can enter if sufficiently injured, at the cost of weakening his Concealment.
Noble Phantasm:
Zabaniya - Delusional Judgment Rank C+
An 'ultimate assassination technique' bearing the same name as the angels of hell, a title which all previous 'Old Men of the Mountain' used for their own techniques. Unlike them however, who were forged by extensive modification of the Hassans' bodies, this technique is a reflection of the Assassin's desire to inflict what he deems true judgment. Calling upon his unique connection to the Valley in the Shadow of Death, Assassin drags his target's soul to the Valley, where the First Hassan awaits them. Their soul is laid bare before the Great Founder and should they be found guilty of whatever sin Assassin finds them to have committed, the flames of Gehenna will burn away their soul and body until naught but ash remains.
Zabaniya: Delusional Echo - Rank C+, Anti-Unit (Self)
A superpower of the modern age infused with the power of the Valley of Death. For a short period, the skill Quirk: Super-Hearing's rank becomes A+, increasing its range and sensitivity. With a method similar to echolocation, a mental see-through map of the user's surroundings is formed in the mind's eye and overlaid with the user's sight, which he can navigate through at the speed of thought. Sound information is taken no matter the barriers stopping it, be it stone, metal, wood, or otherwise.
Not what you expected eh?
First, sorry for the wait, real life hit me hard and I got swept up with another story. It's my first foray into the Worm fanfic circle and you're welcome to check it out: Great Sage Equal to Heaven and Above Brockton. This story will still continue!
I know many of you were expecting Shiggy to appear and Ritsu go wild on him, but after a lot of research (part of the reason this was late), I came to the conclusion this wouldn't work here. Even if we stick to canon time, it's too early. Besides, with Ritsu unknowingly busting up his recruitment efforts even more, he wouldn't have the same reaction as he normally would. Since Stain wasn't around for Iida to taunt, the chain of events is different here. Please don't stone me, I promise action next chapter.
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