[Kill Your Heroes]
Dismissal of the early alarm five times just brought on ten more. One from the clock, the phone, and the laptop in the living room. Every morning Rinko Hinata did this, awake for an hour before the alarm but there to shut it off. Every day she failed.
Rin walked into her favourite convenience store before heading off to school. It was part of her ritual, since she got up at six. She woke when the sun rose, and unfortunately the summer became her year round habit.
Her routine was just habit, but it was strict. She'd check the mirror to see if she'd gotten any thinner-- dreaming of being the models in the magazines and scowl when nothing had changed. It wasn't like she did any working out, only dieting... when she felt like it. She'd take a shower, cower at her dark circles once the warm steam had woken her, then get dressed. She'd cover it all up with her school uniform, messy sneakers, and a hood to cover her hair and face because letting people see her... well, it was detestable.
To others, that sounded the furthest from a character who wanted to be a hero.
She didn't deny her genes as bad looking, having icy blue eyes and fair skin girls envied. Her lashes were dark and her cheeks a little chubby. And her knotty waves rested in the hood, though it reached her back and was often tied back. But she looked to much like someone she loathed, and she didn't like to be reminded of it. Or remind anyone else. Not to mention, despite the fact that pretty was a way to describe herself, like most people with good looks she couldn't shake the feeling of just not being up to standards everyday.
She took toast and her bag, and she was ready.
The convenience store. Magazines, free cable news by watching the tv above the till. Sometimes free coffee if the right clerk was there. Home was lonely, so she was glad when the men who came to buy cigarettes and their kid a slushie would talk to her. Usually didn't happen so early in the morning, but she didn't mind.
She browsed the magazines and mangas, her eyes brushing over the shounen. She picked up one, clearly being based of All Might, but alternatively named Full Strength. The Symbol of Peace, the number one hero of Rin's time. While she thought he was a little too much, being boisterous and flashy, all muscle and a constant grin, having just a bit of his over-bearing spirit wouldn't be that bad. Not when she wanted to become a hero as well.
The U.A. Shiketsu may be closer but the U.A. was her destination. Because the best of the best popped out of there like golden trophies, the U.A. was regarded with the best heroics course, for the best. Best was a lot, but if she was going to make it to hero at all she would need the best.
"Police report that the criminal attacking Tatooine district this morning has been apprehended," The TV said behind her, "Kamui Woods and Mt. Lady, a new pro-hero, were there but Mt. Lady was the one to turn him in."
"A new hero, eh?" The woman at the cashier grinned at Rin. She was nice, though annoyed that even though she'd told Rin many times to remove her hood in the store, it was the one request always denied. At least she knew exactly who would walk in with a hood every morning. Her name was Rika, a single mom but she managed. She had one little girl named Sakura, who just attended the daycare across the street. That's as much as Rin considered acquaintances. "She's got nice legs. You might grow in yours if you do some running too."
You mean her ass, Inner Rin mentally replied. She sighed, putting the manga back, then headed out. Mt. Lady... her quirk was probably gigantification or something. It wasn't that much extra power, if Rin thought about it. It could be a nuisance, if only she could triple her strength and not her size that would be better.
There was no denying her own quirk was strong, but having it was carrying a burden she shouldn't have ever been involved in. Well, her history didn't matter. She wanted to be a hero-- rather for her history not to matter to anyone else, she needed to be a hero. It was the only thing she believed she could do.
The train station was her next destination, rapping her fingers against the sling of her backpack. She idly scrolled through her phone at the station, waiting for the train to come. Once the lights were making it's way into her vision, she looked up.
And a woman crashed into her.
Rin looked down at the fallen woman, recognizing her as the regular cashier at the convenience store struggling to get up again. She offered a hand with her lips pressed in a thin line, concern showing on her face but no light to reveal it. "Are you alright?" She asked.
"My daughter! Help, the police haven't come yet, she's stuck under ruble from the crash--"
"What crash?" Rin asked. She was only there a few minutes ago, what could have happened?
"A villain broke in, by destroying the building! My daughter fell from the second floor, and she's trapped! I can't get her out!"
Rin glanced at the train coming, people ready to board. No one bothered to listen. so it seemed like Rin was the only one listening, to her dismay. She wasn't good on the helping people out aspect of heroing.
"Guess I'm cutting class," Rin said, running back through the sea of people, to the convenience store.
She saw the two story building in shambles. A reckless theft from an idiot with a quirk, clearly. How'd he even find the till in this attack? And why weren't the police here? Maybe because of the Tatooine attack, but that wasn't so serious but there was probably damage blocked roads.
She ran faster, digging through dirt, "Hey, Sakura-chan! Sakura!"
A hand poked out, waving desperately as she sobbed under the refrigerators that held all the drinks. Definitely not something Rin could lift.
"I'll get you out," Rin said calmly, cracking her knuckles. She could sweep up the refrigerators, or maybe the girl too in the same motion. Whatever, she just needed to get the child out safely. She mingled her fingers in the air for a moment, raised above her head as she got a feel for how heavy the fridges were, calculating just how much wind it would require to be swept up.
She made her choice, swing her arms full circle as a swirling gust of wind lifted the refrigerators. She kept it high above within a small swirl, looking around for a better place to put it and place it behind her. She leaped down into the hole, looking at the toddler in tears. Presenting a thin smile, she wiped Sakura's tears before lifting the girl up and climbing out of the hole.
The police car was just rolling up now, and the Rika arriving in a stumble. Rin noted that Rika had an injury on her leg, clearly bleeding as an officer caught her. Sakura seemed bruised a bit, but not bleeding, only clinging to Rin in fear.
She handed over Sakura to Rika with a smile, before turning to the police, "She says the theft got away."
The officer nodded, "We'll catch hi-- watch out! He's behind you!"
A dark shadow loomed over Rin, blocking the sun as she turned around to come face to face with a man resembling a huge gorilla. He held a sling bag full of money and an angry look as he shook off the rubble. He really was an idiot, going in like that to a store?! He's gotta be kidding...
Rin growled, "We don't usually have crime in this neighbourhood, it's unlucky cause no agencies are here. Do we really have time to wait for heroes, or can we catch him here?"
""We"? No need to get yourself involved, it's not within regulations," the officer said, shaking his head as the man slowly began to approach.
"Well, I'll be needing a car, and you won't be needing to challenge me," the man-gorilla said.
Nothing came from Rin's mouth, not notably afraid-- she was nervous and she wanted to be anywhere but here. Instinctively she shut her eyes, wishing she were somewhere far away, almost wishing she didn't come but that'd would have proved her a coward. A coward was far from her ideals. A hero should come save them, then Rin would back down without being a wuss, right?
But there wasn't a hero. There was only Rin.
Her shoulders relaxed. Opening her eyes she pointed at the bag with a remark, "Well, the money you're carrying belongs to someone else." Her other hand was lifting rubble discreetly with the use of wind.
The man's expression hardened, and he was ready to about stomp her down for the comment. She flung her other hand backwards, using a gust of wind to quickly evade. She leaped over rubble with another swing as she brought him over to the already damaged store, aware of Rika, Sakura, and the one officer. She dropped down the rain of rocks once she was at a safe distance, letting them all hit the man.
He only shook it off. Of course, he survived a two story building falling on his head, a couple rocks wouldn't hurt him.
Rin propelled herself upward using her wind, to avoid another swing and dropped onto the mans shoulders. She was shook off easily, due to her lack of strength and only avoided a face plant by blowing a whoosh of air for her to land upwards. She dodged a swing, ducking and rolling over rubble to avoid attacks as rocks flew through the air. She avoided lifting her feet off the ground, pulling back flying rocks aimed at Rika, Sakura, and the officer, with gusts of wind and sending them back at the villain. She still couldn't get enough frictions for so much as a small zap of static. And rocks were like pebbles to this giant. Annoying, but not trifling.
"Stand back," a man ordered, one she recognized as Death Arms. She did as told, sending herself from the grasp of the next swing. She was glad her hood hid the sweat from her nerves and strong use of her quirk. She grabbed at her chest, taking random ragged breaths, her lungs beginning to be unable to take such fluctuations and control in the air, she wasn't used to enough fighting yet to control her intake, and she began to hiccup. It'd be fine later, but now it was annoying and it hurt. Her endurance was terrible, perhaps exercise would do better for her.
Death Arms punched at the gorilla man, but the villain was completely unfazed, pushing back at Death Arms.
"His quirk! I think it's shock absorption," Rin warned. She looked at Death Arms' gear around his wrists, and was sparked with an idea but he legs refused to move. She wasn't a pro, he could handle himself. Death Arms had ordered her to stay back, and that's not the kind of thing you want to ignore. But the longer she thought about it, the more she thought she could do something the less her body listened.
She ran, ignoring his cries for her to stay back as he was beginning to be backed into a corner. She knew well already that his quirk was nothing useful, however his costume was. She swiped her hand across the metal, feeling the electrons transfer in a short shock. That was enough for her to get going, the rest would gather soon enough.
A punch was coming straight at her, and she failed to notice the preemptive strike. She was only able to look up in time and cover her face as she was knocked down to the ground. She struggled to hold the hand from crushing her, until suddenly she remembered.
"I've got something up my sleeve too!" She declared.
The electrons gathered in her finger tips as she held the villain's hand from crushing her, and there was a crackle and a pop before electricity enveloped them, then began to course through the veins of the villain. She electrified him until he was at a point of unconsciousness.
She stood with the help of Death Arms, placing a hand to her chest as she panted. Her heart was racing as her nerves had taken over, and her legs seemed to now be under her control. She restarted her heartbeat with a short shock, the rest of the electrons grounding. She breathed a sigh of relief, staring at her shaking knees.
"What were you doing? You're a student, you shouldn't have gotten involved!" Death Arms lectured.
"I-- he was going to hurt them, I saw no alternative so I... and then the--my legs were moving on their own... I-I'm sorry, I should have listened to what you said," Rin apologized, bowing. "But no one got hurt, right?"
"Hinata Rinko. You do know without explicit orders that it's considered a crime have used you quirk? There are consequences, but we'll avoid that by saying it was Death Arms take," The officer read out to the young girl. She was stuck in his office now, as soon as he realized she belonged in school. The girl hooded with her legs kicking back and forth and fingers in a nervous knot in her skirt.
"I'm sorry," she mumbled.
The officer paid no mind to her nervous mannerisms, only looking at the paper. "Your quirk is 'Storm'. Explain that to me."
"I can manipulate lightning, wind, and sort of water but in very small, projectile forms. And at that, only if there's a source of water near me. Air is everywhere, I can manipulate it like breathing, or by breathing. Lightning from enough friction motion, electrons, a spark, and I just get going and can keep at it, you know..." She trailed off, looking in the eyes of the officer who had already heard enough with the first few words.
"Your parents must have had some neat quirks to end up with a freak power like that," the officer admitted, starring down through his parental-like rectangle glasses. "You want to be a hero?"
"Yes," Rin replied, sparkling when she'd been caught red handed.
"How about I recommend you to the U.A.?"
Her head flung up, "I would love that, more than anything in the world!"