Genos knew there was someone behind them. Saitama and him had been running errands all morning, but there was somebody following them. Every time that he turned to look behind them the feeling would go away, as if the individual was far away in the short few seconds it took him to turn his head, but if he looked just out of the corner of his eye he could see someone following.
"Sensei," Genos said grabbing Saitama's attention "I believe we are being followed."
"Oh, you think so?" Saitama replied, sounding a little disinterested.
"Yes. I have an idea, pretend like you are having a conversation with me, then look past me. You should be able to see our stalker."
Saitama looked just past him, and he was right. From Behind a building he could see someone, most likely a woman, peeking out. All he could really see was red curly hair and a pair of blue eyes.
"I can see the one." He said calmly.
The woman seemed to notice she'd been seen, but in the time it took to blink she disappeared.
"She's gone." Saitama said, a little surprised.
"Gone?" Genos asked turning "Where was she?"
"Just peaking out from behind that building." Saitama said, pointing.
Genos moved closer for a better look. There was a strong heat signature left, as if there'd been extreme friction on the spot. Genos thought he could follow the trail, but it seemed that it was disappearing too quickly. The he saw something on the ground, it was a sketchbook. Genos picked it up and looked through the pages, inside was a surprisingly detailed collection of sketches, some in ink and some in pencil. The newest sketches were of Saitama and him, they looked like they had been drawn that day, in fact Genos recognized the scenes that were depicted and knew they'd happened just that morning. Starting at their trip to the store and up to the present. Genos showed the book to Saitama.
"Oh, these are really good." Saitama said while flipping through it.
"Yes they are," Genos replied "I theorize this was dropped by the one who was following us, as there are a few drawings in there that seem to be our activities from today."
Saitama shuddered involuntarily. "Yesh," he said "I hate stalkers."
"Whoever dropped that should come back for it."
"So, then we wait here?"
"If we can afford the time, sensei."
Saitama shrugged "I don't see why not."
They found a bench nearby and waited, while they waited they flipped through some of the older pictures. Some of them were people, others were of landscapes. Genos's favorite was of a collection of destroyed buildings from after the sea king had attacked. Everything in it had the same line style, a distinct artist's style. Whoever had done this had a great deal of skill.
"There are quite a few of that guy…" Saitama commented "What was his name again?...Oh! Speed of sound sonic, that was it."
"Hm, wonder why?" Genos asked "Do you suppose she knows him?"
Saitama shrugged.
"Oh where is it?!" A teenage girl mumbled to herself as she walked past. She had a head of curly red hair pulled up into a ponytail and a pair of crystal blue eyes. She was also carrying a messenger bag "I'm sure I dropped it around here."
"Oi!" Saitama said grabbing the girl's attention "You looking for something?"
"Uh, uh, y-yeah I-I am."
"Is this it?" Genos asked holding up the sketchbook for her to see.
"Y-yeah, th-that's it." She said nervously. She uncertainly extended a hand to take it back.
"If you wouldn't mind we'd like to talk to you." Genos replied
The girl had a brief look of complete and indescribable panic on her face, and in a whoosh of wind she tried to run off. She just barely got the sketchbook out of Genos's hand and tried to run off, but Saitama followed her. Granted he was just barely keeping up. The girl looked over her shoulder, and upon seeing that, she got scared and tripped. Pencils and pens spilled out of her bag.
"Oh shit." She said gathering up her pens with a hand that Saitama could barely see. Saitama walked close to her
"We saw what you've been drawing." He said
"I-I've drawn you several times a-and I've seen what your c-c-capable of. S-so if you're gonna hurt me j-just g-get it over with." She replied flinching her eyes shut in anticipation.
"What?" Saitama asked "Why would I wanna hurt you? Judging by your drawings you haven't done anything too bad, granted I'm a little weirded out I guess. Still, we just want to talk."
The girl looked at him nervously and nodded.
She and Saitama ran back to where Genos was, and the three of them found a secluded spot where they could talk. The girl stood dead still clutching her sketchbook in her hands.
"So, who are you?" Genos asked
"I-I- My name is Matty Connor. I-I'm sixteen years old"
"Matty, did you draw these?"
"Y-yeah I-I did. I-I know there not so good but,"
"So have you been stalking us?"
"I-I wouldn't call it stalking…..I-I was just following you b-because I just wanted to draw you, a-a-a-and I would have asked you to model for me, b-but I'm always too nervous to ask." Matty replied nervously
"Calm down, you're not in any serious trouble," Genos told her, Matty eased up a little. "Frankly I'm more interested in your abilities."
"Huh?" Matty asked
"You're really fast."Saitama clarified "It's not a normal human ability."
"Oh, that." Matty said, then shrugged "I dunno, I just sorta woke up one morning and had powers. Don't ask me for anything beyond that because I don't know."
"For now I'll accept that."Genos replied "What do you plan on doing with your abilities?"
"Well, what I've been doing." Matty replied.
"Which is?" Saitama asked
"Drawing. I can draw so fast that I'm practically a human camera. All of my sketches only took me about five seconds to draw. And my mind even works at high speeds, so I can process what's going on before anyone can do anything about it."
"Those are impressive abilities," Genos said "But, do you really think art is the best application for them?"
"Huh?"
"I mean the world is constantly under threats that need every possible hero, the association always needs more help. And you think you can justify using your abilities in such a way?"
"Don't you think I know that?" Matty whispered. Genos continued
"The fact that you fritter away your talents so carelessly is sad, when you could be helping others."
"Don't you think I know that?" Matty said, a little louder this time. Genos went on.
"And still, what gives you the right to say that it isn't your concern to save others?"
"Genos…" Saitama interrupted.
" DON'T YOU THINK I KNOW THAT?!" Matty yelled, it took the two men by surprize, seeing the girl go from so afraid to seething with rage "I realize that I'm being immature, but I'm sixteen! I think I have a right to do so! I don't want to have to worry about the lives of others yet! I don't want to have people rely on me for protection! I DON'T WANT TO BE A HERO! I JUST WANT TO LIVE MY LIFE AND MAKE ART FOR PEOPLE TO ENJOY!" tears were welling in her eyes now, It looked like Genos wanted to say something else. Matty didn't want to hear it. She took off as fast as she could and didn't look back.
"You can't force people to be heros." Saitama said shaking his head.
From the tree she was sitting in Matty could survey the view of the lake and the people around, looking for inspiration. She had calmed down significantly, just being away from them made her feel better. Still, she always loved the landscape of this particular park, there were so many good places to sit and draw people as they went by. She was stumped though, she didn't want to draw anything that was in front of her. So she just sat, flipping through her older sketches.
"Man," She sighed to herself "I wish I had someone interesting to draw. Like a hero or a battle or something. I've been truly spoiled lately haven't I? There's been so many interesting heros and villians around that I've had plenty to draw."
She was flipping through her sketches of speed of sound Sonic now, which even she would admit she had too many of. 'I should really be ashamed of myself,' she thought to herself blushing "I really HAVE been stalking this guy to some degree. His body type is just so unique he's so much fun to draw….and admittedly he's kind of cute.'
"Hey, is that one of me?" She heard someone say. Matty Turned and on a limb not to far to the right of her she saw him, Speed of sound Sonic was in the tree with her. He can't have been there long, but he was there. Matty was so surprised she lost her balance and fell out of the tree with a thud.
"Ow…" she moaned
Sonic dismounted from the tree. "Are you alright?" he asked
"Y-yeah I think so." Matty blushed "My pride is hurt more than anything."
Sonic chuckled a small bit. "So are you attached to that sketch?"
"Huh? Th-the one y-y-you saw?" Matty stammered "I-I-I mean n-not anymore than any of my other sketches. Wh-why do you ask?"
"I was kinda hoping that you'd let me buy it." He replied
"Eh?! Wh-wh-why would you, I-I-I mean i-it's not like, Wh-what I mean is-" she began to stammer, trying to find the right words
"Would you calm down?" he replied in an annoyed voice. "If you want to say something just spit it out."
"O-okay, I guess what I'm trying to say is why would you want one of my crappy sketches?"
"Crappy? I thought it looked pretty great. Why are you beating up on your own art?"
"Wh-what I-I mean is, I could never consider s-selling someone a sketch, they're just little unfinished things I-I draw for fun. I-I wouldn't feel right about it."
"Oh? Would you do a finished work for me?"
"I-I-I guess I could. I-if I had a model i-t'd be easy."
"Okay, I'll model for you."
"Wh-what?!" Matty felt her heart stop, she'd never considered that in a million years anyone would willingly model for her to draw, much less her favorite subject.
"I'm a little busy at the moment so I can't today." Sonic continued "but if you leave me a phone number I can contact you at, I'll call and we can set up a time that works."
"O-okay!" Matty said excitedly and then she wrote her cell number on a gum wrapper she had in her bag.
Sonic thanked her and left.
Matty stood a few moments longer, just absorbing what'd happened. She couldn't believe that he'd offered to model for her. And she felt validated because of it, like she could justify it to others that this is what she wanted to do with her life. She began to smile one of the brightest smiles she ever had, and then she turned to start walking home.