Ochimaru pressed his face into the cold glass of the shop window to try and get a better look at the myriad of colourful toys that had been put out on display. His fuchsia eyes glittered with child-like wonder as he marvelled at all the plastic figurines, price-tags dangling off of their muscled arms. He ignored the complicated numbers to look at the newest series of pro hero figurines, his young mind racing to decide which one he should spend his birthday money on. All Might, the Symbol of Peace, stared back at him with a painted, shining smile and a hand outstretched, beckoning to the wallet that was haphazardly sticking out of his pocket. He slowly fumbled with its zipper to make sure that he had enough money for the purchase. He didn't want to upset the number one hero by coming up short.
"O-chan!" his mother called, her tone soft but impatient. "Mummy and Daddy have a few things they need to buy first before we take you in there."
He turned his attention away from the figurines with a pout that puffed out his rosy cheeks, leaving a foggy imprint of his breath upon the window. He stared up at his towering parents with defiance as he planted his small shoes back on the ground, an open wallet still grasped tightly in his tiny hands. His mother placed a hand on her thin waist disapprovingly while his father stared on with tired indifference. It was his birthday, so he shouldn't have to go around and look at all the boring things his parents wanted to buy first.
"We'll come back here at the end," she stated firmly, avoiding her son's infamous gaze.
She held out an expectant hand, and Ochimaru had no choice but to stalk over and grab it with a frown. He was smart enough to know that his patience would eventually be rewarded, but his mother would always spend hours meandering around every shop while he stood around by her side with sore feet. He gave a final, wistful look at the toy shop and its treasures within before dejectedly making his way across the street with his parents.
It took the fourth shop without a break and an argument over which new toaster to buy before Ochimaru's attention finally wavered. While his parents were busy shouting over each other and comparing prices, he crept away unnoticed to find something a little more interesting to do. He dove between aisles and hid behind stacked boxes, turning the home supply shop into a sprawling metropolis infested with villains that had to be brought to justice. He knew better than to use his Quirk in public, but he had a wild enough imagination that it didn't matter. He was fighting alongside All Might, cheering as he sent a group of villains packing with just a single punch.
It wasn't long before he found himself standing outside the shop his parents were in, staring into a crowd of bustling shoppers. He had once been scolded for running out of a shop on his own, so it was better to stay inside the quiet shop until they were finished arguing. Before he could continue his elaborate game elsewhere, a smiling man wearing bright, flashy clothes and a strange headband approached him with confidence. His fancy suit was a garish yellow, making him look a human banana wearing a crisp, black tie. His whole outfit sparkled with an impeccably polished sheen. He reminded Ochimaru of the people who would stop his parents inside the shopping centre and ask them to donate to a charity. He was at a loss for words without either of them by his side.
"Hi there Ochimaru!" he grinned, kneeling down to the young boy's level. His teeth were perfectly straight and white, almost too bright to look at in the afternoon sun.
The man acted like they had met before, but Ochimaru had no idea who he was. His parents would often invite the whole neighbourhood over for parties or summer barbecues, so random adults talking to him wasn't entirely out of the ordinary, but it had never happened in public before. They were at a shopping centre right in the heart of Kagoshima, so it would have been an unbelievable coincidence to meet one of their neighbours here. Too frightened to move a muscle, he gave the man an awkward, stunned smile in return.
"My name's Hayato," he began, searching the young boy's eyes as if he was expecting sudden recognition. "You probably don't remember me all that well, but I'm one of your dad's old friends. You've gotten so big I almost didn't recognise you!"
That name did sound familiar, and his dad worked with loads of important people who would wear suits a lot, although they were usually dull colours like black or grey. It was still strange that this man was talking to him out of the blue, but the mention of his dad quelled his rising unease. He certainly didn't look like a bad person, so Ochimaru relaxed somewhat now that the man had introduced himself.
"It's my seventh birthday today!" he replied proudly, eager to impress one of his dad's friends.
"Wow, old enough to be sneaking away from your parents already?" he laughed, clasping the boy's shoulder with a gentle hand.
"Well, all they do is look at boring stuff," he admitted guiltily, gaze falling to the floor beneath the man's well-polished shoes. "I have to wait until the end before I can get a toy."
"Don't worry, I'm not gonna tell on you," Hayato reassured, swiftly standing back up to his full height. He became a lot more intimidating when he was standing up straight. "In fact, since it's your birthday, how about we go and pick out a present together? I've gotta make up for some of your birthday's I've missed."
"Really?" Ochimaru asked, eyes wide in excitement.
"Yeah, you like those pro hero figurines, right?" he grinned, waving his hefty wallet. "I heard they just brought out a whole new series of them the other day."
Ochimaru's heart leapt at the chance to finally enter the toy shop at the other end of the shopping centre. Getting a toy with Hayato meant that he could spend his own birthday money on something else, and then maybe he could go home with two hero figurines. Plus, he probably wouldn't get in trouble since he was with an adult his parents knew. He gave his new friend a toothy grin while nodding vigorously. Hayato offered one of his neatly-manicured hands and the two set off into the bustling crowd, leaving Ochimaru's parents behind, who were already descending into panic.
They walked through the shopping centre in silence as Ochimaru looked at all the various stalls and bright mascots, Hayato even stopping to buy the young boy an ice cream cone. Licking away at the vanilla swirl, Ochimaru began to think more clearly about what was happening and began to feel incredibly unsettled. His mother had once warned him that there were some strangers who would try to act friendly, even buy him nice things, but would turn out to be bad people. The man had never said his parent's names, so how could he be sure that he wasn't lying? He risked a glance up at the man, who was only looking forwards with a serious, stern expression.
The familiar toy shop finally came into view after a few more minutes, shining like a lighthouse, which calmed the boy's worries. He saw no reason why Hayato would lie about buying him a present, and it didn't make sense that he would somehow know it was his birthday if he was a complete stranger. His excitement began to grow once more as they neared the shop, and he couldn't help but grip Hayato's hand like a vice. He couldn't wait to show his parents the All Might figurine.
Just as his impatience reached its peak, they suddenly stopped a few buildings away from the toy shop. Confused, Ochimaru was about to ask what was wrong before his voice died slowly in his throat, fizzling out into nothing but a weak whimper. Hayato was staring directly at him, his face pale and emotionless, like a corpse. The man's terrifying visage sent a shiver trickling down his spine, and he fully realised the mistake that he had made right at that moment. If he could just call for help, maybe a hero would come and save him!
Without warning, Hayato suddenly slammed one of his hands against Ochimaru's mouth to keep him from screaming. He silently ducked into a deserted alleyway, quickly checking if there had been any witnesses. The young boy struggled and kicked as he was dragged along the black, dirtied pathway, his eyes wide in frantic horror. His muffled cries fell on deaf ears as his teeth scraped against the hand of his abductor. An idling car sat at the end of the alley with one of its back doors open, spewing cloudy fumes from its exhaust high into the air.
Instinctively, he activated his Quirk as it was his last chance to escape. His mother had explained to him over and over again that he should only use it if he was in danger, as he wouldn't get in trouble from the police. He concentrated hard despite the frightening circumstances, and a pink, soapy froth began to ooze its way from the pores in his hands. Producing a slippery liquid wasn't the most impressive Quirk, but he had never been more thankful for it as he managed to wriggle out of his abductor's grasp. The man's grip loosed as they were both covered in the fragrant lather. Hayato swore and grabbed him by the shirt before he could struggle free any further, the soft fabric tearing as he writhed from side to side.
"Good thing I already know everything about your Quirk," Hayato coldly mused, leaning down to stare into Ochimaru's terrified eyes with morbid fascination. "You probably had a chance of escaping from me if I was unprepared."
Tears began to sting at the young boy's eyes as he felt his heart slide up and sit like a stone in his throat. He had never experienced a fear so potent in his short life as he was quickly coming to terms that this man was going to steal him away from his parents. If he had just stayed with them instead of sneaking away by himself, he wouldn't be fighting for his life. Despite his struggling, Hayato could easily carry him towards the car where another man sat behind the wheel, face covered with a black mask.
"Let go of that child!"
Suddenly, before Ochimaru even had a chance to blink, a figure descended from the sky and landed right in front of the two with a practiced flourish. His arms were bare and scarred, and he had wild, ashen black hair that was long enough to obscure his eyes. He was blocking the path towards the vehicle protectively, and Ochimaru didn't have to look any further to recognise that it was Cinder, the Smouldering Ash Hero. His black costume had become iconic to the people of southern Japan, and even though he was nowhere near the level of others like All Might, he was popular enough to have his own fans and merchandise.
"You heroes never make this easy," Hayato growled, wrapping an arm around Ochimaru's neck in an attempt to keep him away from the pro hero. "Always making sudden arrivals."
Not even offering a response, Cinder sped forward with almost superhuman speed and struck Hayato squarely in the jaw before activating his impressive Quirk. One of his arms suddenly lit up with dim orange flames, his skin turning black and flaky as it slowly burned to a crisp. Thick grey smoke emanated from the hero's smouldering arm which swiftly covered the area in a hot blanket of ash, blinding both Ochimaru and his abductor. The young boy knew to hold his breath as the warm smoke caressed his face, leaving trails of glowing ash in its wake. He felt Hayato's grip on his neck loosen, and he was eventually freed by a strong arm, falling to the ground painfully, scuffing his hands and knees.
He opened his eyes and inhaled again as Cinder carried him away from his abductor, prioritising his rescue over capturing the weakened villain right in front of him. Cinder set the young boy down gently and gave him a triumphant, reassuring smile as his ashy smoke billowed away behind him, trapping Hayato inside. Ochimaru could hear pained, laboured coughs as the man tried his best to navigate his way through the burning ash, his lungs no doubt filling with the dangerous, polluting smoke.
"Stay right here," Cinder rasped, his voice hoarse and gravelly. "You're safe for now."
Tears streamed down Ochimaru's reddened face, mixing with the hot ash and creating murky drops at his feet. It had always been a dream of his to see a pro hero in action, but he had never imagined that it would be because he needed saving. The young boy openly wept with gratitude and relief as Cinder checked him over for any injuries, confidently letting his resilient smoke trap and hinder Hayato, who was quickly running out of oxygen. Cinder dabbed a clean rag at the young boy's knees, causing Ochimaru to wince in pain.
"I'm not done yet, hero!" Hayato screamed, his voice strained and muffled through the lingering smoke.
Cinder finally turned around to face the smoke before a loud, harsh boom echoed its way throughout the cramped alleyway, making the young boy's ears ring. Ochimaru recoiled in fear from the ear-splitting sound before witnessing Cinder stumble backwards in a stunned silence. Thick, maroon fluid openly seeped from his left shoulder as he clutched at his arm, wheezing in surprise. The smoke finally began to clear as Hayato came into view, his entire body caked in searing ash, his arm trembling as he held a shaking pistol towards the pro hero. His eyes were wild with a fervent determination to take the hero's life.
"Leave it!" a deep voice called from the vehicle. The man in the black mask was hanging out of the window, coughing violently from the smoke. "It's not worth it anymore!"
Hayato froze, considering his options, looking down upon an incapacitated Cinder with disgust. The hero's Quirk was still activated, spewing fresh blankets of smoke across the ground from his charred, burning arm. His eyes flashed towards Ochimaru with a villainous desire before he turned his back and stomped over to the idle car. The man in the mask rolled his eyes before similarly rolling his window back up, Hayato slamming the back door like a child in a tantrum before the car began to speed off, retreating out of sight.
"Cinder, the villains!" Ochimaru cried, too frightened to move from his huddled pose on the ground, safe from the encroaching smoke for only a few seconds longer.
"Your safety is more important," the pro hero seethed, taking a moment to wallow in the pain of the gunshot wound before standing back up.
"What about you?" Ochimaru asked, concerned about the blood specked across the area.
"Bullet just grazed my shoulder," he replied, trying his best to put on a brave face for the small child. "Should've been more careful… I didn't expect him to have a gun."
Cinder deactivated his Quirk with a stretch of his arm, the blackened texture of his skin slowly fading back to pinkish scar tissue as the smoke dissipated high into the air. The entire alleyway was covered with ash, some patches still glowing orange or white as the last of the embers died out. Ochimaru knew the pro hero's Smoulder Quirk was impressive, but it was an entirely different story up close. Cinder's damaged skin was indicative of just how hot the ashes could burn, but it also showed his weathered experience as a hero despite his relatively young age. Noticing the admiration in the young boy's wide eyes, Cinder laughed and kneeled down, careful to shield the bloody bullet wound from his view.
"I guess I've gotta be the one to take you back to your family, huh?" He smiled, extending a dirtied, scarred hand to the shaken boy. "Do you remember where they last were?"
Ochimaru looked at the damaged hand for a second before cautiously wrapping his small fingers around it and nodding, getting pulled to his feet quickly by Cinder's impressive strength. His knees were weak and the ordeal he had been through left him feeling sick and dizzy, but he was safe. Under the pro hero's protective grasp, the two made their way out of the alley and received countless concerned stares from the crowd of citizens that had gathered. Some were taking pictures, some were phoning the police, and a chorus of cheers erupted as Cinder heroically waved his damaged arm, fist clenched in a display of strength.
"You'll probably make the local news tonight," he smiled, trying to lighten the mood and put a smile on the traumatised child's face.
"My mum and dad will be really angry with me," Ochimaru replied, sullen.
"I think they'll just be glad to see that you're safe," he said, squeezing the boy's hand reassuringly. "I'll explain everything to them, so there's no need to worry about it."
Just a few minutes later, Ochimaru was reunited with his distraught parents. His mother pulled him into a spine-crushing hug as she sobbed, squeezing the air from his lungs. She ruffled at his blonde hair that been dyed a sooty black from Cinder's ashes before planting a loving kiss on his stained cheek. Her elaborate makeup was in ruins and her hair was a mess, and he felt incredibly guilty for making her worry so much. Cinder explained the circumstances to his father, and not long after that, the police cars and ambulances came roaring down the street outside of the shopping centre. What started as a peaceful day of shopping on his seventh birthday ended with him being interviewed about the man in the strange yellow suit who had tried to abduct him in broad daylight.
Just before the shopping centre closed for the day, after a lengthy lecture from his parents, he was finally allowed to pick out a toy for his birthday. He stood at the display cabinet for what seemed like hours, until he eventually decided on a hero figurine that shocked even his parents. Previously, All Might had been his favourite pro hero, much like other boys his age, but it just so happened that one of the heroes included in the newest series of figurines was the one who saved him. Shotaro Kemushiba, more commonly known by his hero alias, Cinder the Smouldering Ash Hero, stood far behind the All Might figurine with a stoic expression. His arms would even glow orange when you pressed a button on his back.
Running up to the counter with his birthday money, it only took a few seconds before he owned what would go on to be his most treasured possession. Cinder left with the ambulances long before Ochimaru purchased the figure, and he was disappointed that he couldn't show his saviour what he had bought. His parents told him they would help him write a letter to the hero that saved his life and that he could include a photo of it, which was enough to take his mind off of the traumatic experience he had endured for a short time.
Years later, he would learn that he was a target of a Quirk trafficking ring, where villains would kidnap children or vulnerable teenagers with potentially powerful Quirks and extract them through currently unknown means. The same Quirk would then often appear on the black market for an insanely high price, purchased by wealthy, untraceable buyers. The victims would then be left in the area they were abducted from with foggy memories, their Quirks removed with no sign of them returning. If Cinder hadn't stepped in and saved him, he would have just been the latest victim of the elusive group. News report after news report would be aired featuring kids who were less lucky than him, cursed to be Quirkless for the rest of their lives. It got to the point where Ochimaru would avoid watching television as it would remind him of that awful seventh birthday.
But, it also sparked his undying admiration for pro heroes far beyond just enjoying reading about them on the internet or collecting their figurines. His experience that day left him wanting to repay Shotaro Kemushiba and to hopefully even save children like him one day. Researching hero schools that would train others to be professional heroes replaced collecting figurines, and he made it his goal to protect Japan with his Quirk, like so many heroes had done before him.
He would just have to convince his overprotective parents first.
Author's Note:
And with that short prologue, I welcome you to Our Little Bubble, which I'll often awkwardly abbreviate to OLB! This is the first fanfic I've published in a long while, and by far the one I've put the most work into. I hope you enjoy this story and the horde of original characters I've created once we actually get to see more of them. Ochimaru might be the protagonist, but that doesn't mean the spotlight will be shining on him for every single chapter. I don't want to go into too much detail because we'll soon reach spoiler territory, but I have a whole ragtag gang of misfits that we'll slowly meet across these first few chapters.
For the record, the characters that appear in the anime and manga will not be featured in this fanfic aside from small references and mentions – like the All Might figurine. I know that some people enjoy that kind of thing, but I feel like sticking too heavily to the source material limits my creativity. The hero school setting is enough of a similarity. Plus, I don't think I'm good enough to write any of Horikoshi's characters properly.
I won't be doing Author's Notes all that often unless I have important announcements. If you take a read through my profile, I have a list of social media that I use like the tumblr account dedicated to this particular story. I'll be posting a whole load of stuff there like answers to submitted questions, character profiles and small updates about the writing process. My profile also explains a bunch of other stuff like my rough chapter posting schedule.
Just so you all know, this fanfic will have some pretty harsh language and mature themes throughout, especially in the much later chapters. Things will get pretty dark in the future.
Thanks for reading the beginning of a story that exceeded my own expectations. It'll be a wild ride!