NeonHorizon: I've got stories where they mostly revolve around Genos so I wanted to make a Speed o' Sound Sonic one, too. Just for fun.

City Z. There are supposed to be a lot of monster sightings here, but I haven't seen any yet. She checked her phone again, scrolling through a blog dedicated specifically to monster sightings. Her eyes narrowed and she pushed up her glasses. I guess maybe the ghost town? I don't think I'm ready for that yet.

Ayano felt a chill run down her spine and looked over her shoulder. She was in a crowded shopping area, having just arrived in City Z earlier that day. Her plan was to train and hopefully get strong enough to start taking on monsters alone. Ultimately, she wanted to raise herself up from her current hero class so she could get closer to her goal.

The shopping area was full of a wide variety of people. Mothers shopping for groceries, young adults getting snacks or perusing the book store, children hanging around after school. The crowded area was a good place for someone to try to blend in, but at the same time it had her on edge.

As she turned to resume checking her phone, she felt eyes on her. The girl's experience as a hero was a little limited, but she could still feel that whoever was watching her was strong. This was not the casual glance of a passing shopper or the stare of an admirer; this was someone sizing her up.

Is it a monster? Ayano turned again, but this time she turned in a circle to try to spot who it was. Could a monster blend in with this crowd? Maybe if it was small enough. Or a shapeshifting monster? I think I've heard of those. She decided to test whatever it was and began to walk away from the crowded area.

Making her way down the sidewalk, she could feel that she was still being watched, but less intensely. Soon, the sensation faded entirely. She gave a small sigh of relief and smiled to herself. Hopefully, the threat was gone. Hopefully, it had not turned its attention to one of the innocent shoppers around her.

With her coat on, Ayano could almost pass for a normal citizen. It was a long, black coat that concealed her weapons so anyone might mistake her for an ordinary nineteen-year-old walking down the street. An easy target for kidnapping or assault. She had managed to catch a number of criminals by tricking them this way.

"You're pretty bad at blending in. Why do you have so many knives? Are you a villain?"

She turned swiftly, nearly tripping over her own feet as she reacted to the voice so close to her ear. Ayano's training took over and her right hand moved to the sword hanging at her hip. She shifted her footing, lowering herself to a fighting stance and lifting her eyes to the man's face. What she saw made her more than a little confused.

This man had spoken to her like he might be a thug or some sort of delinquent. Like he intended to harass her or maybe even rob her. When she looked at him, though, he looked nothing like that. This man had a shaved head, but he was wearing a pair jeans and a sweatshirt that read "Oppai". His face had a dim, vacant look to it that made her question if he had even been the one to speak.

"I-I'm a hero," she muttered, irritated. Seeing that this person was less than threatening, she relaxed her muscles and changed stances. Crossing her arms, she frowned. "And you shouldn't sneak up on people."

"Oh? You're a hero? What class are you? Are you pretty strong?" He tilted his head, raising an eyebrow.

She pushed up her glasses and looked him up and down again. "I…don't have to tell you anything. I'm here to train."

"Hey, that's kind of rude. I just wanted to know if you were strong. You don't have to take an attitude like that." His eyes went to the sword at her hip and his lips moved into a dopey smile. "Can I see that?"

Ayano took a step back, putting up her guard again. "No."

"It looks cool, though. I just want to see it. It looks like a sword from a fantasy game."

"I…uh…no. You can't see it." She took another step back when he stepped toward her. The look on his face was starting to make her a little uneasy. What she had originally thought was weakness was now disturbing her. It's not a dumb face. It's like…creepy. It's giving me goose bumps and not in a good way.

Looking left and right, she hoped that someone would say something or that he would become distracted. Those wide, blank eyes were locked on the sword at her hip and she started to silently curse herself for picking such a fancy grip for it. He looked so dumb, I didn't think he was a threat. What do I do if he grabs for my sword? He looks like a civilian. I can't fight him.

The man tilted his head again, clearly disappointed that she was not being compliant. "Come on. Just let me see it. I'm not going to-"

"There you are, Saitama!"

Ayano saw a flash of something dark overhead seconds before the bald stranger pushed her. The girl's body collided with the hard cement and she twisted up into a crouched position. Her hand went to a smaller blade on reflex and unsheathed the dagger from her boot.

The man was now talking, but this newcomer looked more intelligent. He had his back to Ayano as he spoke to the one he called "Saitama", but his voice held far more emotion than the bald man's. Amusement. Excitement. "I didn't expect to find you harassing a girl on the street."

"Do we really have to do this right now?" Saitama's tone was one of mild annoyance as he looked around the newcomer at Ayano.

The girl's eyes widened when she saw her rescuer reach behind his back. The sheath hanging on the back of his belt clicked and he drew a short blade from it. She lifted her gaze from the blade to the man in question and heat bloomed in her pale face.

He was older than her, appearing to be in his mid-twenties. Dressed casually in long black shorts and a loose-fitting black shirt with long sleeves. His hair was shining obsidian and secured up in a loose topknot. When he spoke again, he sounded like he was barely able to contain his excitement and it left Ayano blushing even more. "I can't wait to tear you apart!"

As he disappeared from view, the young hero felt a flicker of disappointment, but it was soon overshadowed with amazement. He reappeared right above Saitama with his blade poised to split the man in half. Saitama dodged, but the dark-haired man pursued him relentlessly, striking again and again.

Ayano stood and the corners of her mouth drew back into a rather unfortunate smile. She knew how it looked. Pairing it with the scar at the right corner of her mouth, it made her appear absolutely sinister. Nonetheless, she could not keep it from creeping onto her features now as she watched her rescuer fight Saitama. He's…amazing! That speed! I wish I could do that!

Deciding that she wanted to help, the girl unsheathed a second dagger and sprinted forward. She was careful to try to avoid the bald man's arms as she slashed with both blades. A hit to her midsection sent her skidding back after managing to slice open his sweatshirt. She gritted her teeth and rushed in again, drawing back one blade with the intent to stab.

At the same time, the dark-haired man was coming down on him again with his own blade. Saitama's expression changed from dopey to serious in a matter of seconds and he acted fast. He grabbed the sleeve of Ayano's coat and at the same time grasped the newcomer's wrist. The girl was sent hurtling across the street and smacked into the base of a building. The dark-haired man was slammed into the ground with great force.

As she was pushing herself to stand again, ignoring the pain in her body, Ayano saw the man rise to try to attack once more. This time, Saitama grabbed him by the arm and, seeing that Ayano was now standing, threw him at the girl. Her head struck the hard surface of the building again, forcing a cry of pain from her before she crumbled to the ground.

Shift P.O.V

By the time he looked over, Saitama was gone. Cursing quietly, Sonic started to rise and realized that he was on something kind of soft. He turned his head to look behind him and saw the girl. There was some blood running from the corner of her mouth and she appeared unconscious.

He got off of her and noticed the plethora of blades that she was carrying. She had a sword sheathed at both hips, dagger sheaths strapped to her forearms, knives strapped to her boots and calves, and he saw that she even had a small blade's sheath hanging around her neck like a pendant. A pair of sword grips protruded from the top of her coat, indicating that there were more on her back.

She's obviously not a hero, he thought as he remembered the way she went after Saitama. What is she? An assassin? Sonic took a step back when her fingers twitched and he heard a quiet groan leave her bloody, scarred lips. The girl's glasses were sliding down her face.

He turned away, intending to leave. If Saitama was still in the area, he would demand a rematch. It had only been a few minutes so he was probably still close. Sonic paused when he heard muttering behind him. A look over his shoulder showed her shakily standing now, but leaning heavily against the building for support. "Did you say something?"

The girl coughed, bowing her head so the blood droplets would not hit him. Long, tangled hair the color of milk chocolate fell forward over her face when she did this. "Are you…okay?" she repeated, her voice weak.

She's kind of tough. He turned back to her, pushing aside thoughts of Saitama. "I don't have a scratch on me. It would take more than that to take me out. You don't even look like you can stand up. Sit down, little girl."

The corner of her lips lifted and she shook her head. "I'm…stronger than that," she argued. Wincing, she pressed a hand to her side and staggered forward a step. "You're…pretty amazing. What you did. How you fought."

Sonic knew he was starting to grin, but it was hard not to. "You don't even know who I am."

"I don't have to." She licked her bloody lips and grinned back at him. "You're really fast. And really cool. And…you rescued me. So I owe you now."

"You want to repay me for "saving" you?" He saw her nod. "Fine. But don't think that it's going to be that easy to repay me. I don't need help. You'll have a hard time finding some way to pay me back." Seeing that she was about to collapse, he moved forward and lifted her over his shoulder. This will be fun.