City Z…City Z…so pathetic! A wide grin crossed Tsuyu's face as she stood on the sidewalk, staring at her surroundings. The people were ordinary. The buildings were ordinary. If anything, they seemed more boring than any other city she had ever worked in. She had heard that there were monsters in City Z, but so far she had only seen mundane office workers and housewives.

Scoffing at a woman pushing a stroller, she shook her head. So, so, so boring! And I bet you like your life like that, don't you?! Stupid cow! I could kill you! You know that?! I could…kill…what…? Tsuyu paused in her steps, blinking down at the pavement beneath her feet. "I-I don't…understand…what to kill…?"

"Hey, are you okay, kid? Shouldn't you be in school?" A hand lightly rested on her shoulder, but the man soon recoiled as spikes of ice burst through the top of his hand. Blood splattered his face and he fell back onto the sidewalk with a cry of pain. "What the hell?! It's a monster!"

"…monster…heh…monster…?" Setting her golden eyes on the man's dark ones, she felt a tugging at the corner of her lips. "You want to see a monster?! Huh? Well do you? I'll show you a monster! I'll show a vicious, rampaging monster then! How about it, huh? You think you're brave enough to face a monster? Think you can take me on?!"

He stammered a swear and saw ice race along her arms and encase her fingers like claws. She lunged toward him and he crawled backwards to try to escape. All around them, people were beginning to run from the area and scream about a monster. "N-no! Please, no!"

"Wallet. Now." She caught it in one hand and stepped back. The stranger sprinted off down the street and she grinned, flipping through his money. A sigh escaped her as she tucked the money into her pocket. That was exciting, but this is less than a third of what I make on an assassination.

"Stop right there! Wait…you're not a monster….? Where's the monster?" A man a little older than her pulled up on a bicycle and looked around. "I heard screaming and-"

"This…right?" Tsuyu held up her ice-covered hand and tilted her head, flashing a grin. "Oh, cute! You're a hero…huh? A cute hero! You want to fight me?"

He stared at the sparkling ice crystals that covered her skin and frowned. Grabbing her wrist, he looked off in a different direction. "You're hurt! We have to get you to a hospital!"

"What?! Heheheh! Are you…really that dense?! Really? This…is all me! My ice! My claws! I'm a monster, get it?" She yanked her arm free and took a fighting stance. "Come on! Fight me! I've got to get stronger if I want to beat that ninja!"

Clearly confused, the hero gave her a frown. "I don't understand."

"What don't you understand?"

"If there isn't a monster-!"

"I'm the monster! Why is that so hard to grasp?! Tch! Fine!" Ice raced up his legs to the thigh, freezing him in place so he was unable to escape. She stalked toward him, watching him try to break free. "I…I really…I'm sorry. I don't want to hurt…someone so cute…so pure, but…you made me mad…I don't have a choice…" Giggling erupted from her as she thrust her ice claws forward, aiming for his head. Her body should have slammed into his and knocked him over, her claws buried in his head or at least his chest. Instead, she fell forward and crashed into the bike.

"Whoa. That was pretty close. You okay, Mumen Rider?"

Tsuyu turned to look at the man speaking and found a bald man steadying the cyclist a few feet to her right. Her honey-golden eyes met his dark ones and she scowled. "So…what are you supposed to be? A real hero?" she demanded, seeing his cape. Bald. And he's got dead eyes. And what's with that look on his face?

"You could've hurt Mumen Rider," he replied in a flat tone.

She bristled and pointed a clawed hand in his direction. "What's it to you, Mister Big Bad Hero Guy? This doesn't concern you!"

"It kind of does if you're trying to terrorize the city."

Color rushed to her cheeks, but she stood her ground. I'm fading…fading…damn. I thought I could keep it up for longer. Biting her lip, she saw him take a step forward. "Y-you…I mean…um…do you…want to f-fight me?"

He raised an eyebrow and the other man looked even more confused than before. "I'm not going to fight a kid."

"I-I'm not a kid…I'm nineteen; an adult. So…fight me…?"

"I'm not fighting a kid. I have stuff to do today so-" He dodged a massive ice spike being launched at his head and frowned slightly. "Hey, now."

"I said to fight me! Or…heheheh…is that stupid cape just part of a cheap Halloween costume?! Come on! Are you going to just stand there like a bitch or-?!"

"Look, I don't know what's going on with you, but you don't want to do this."

"Oh, but I do! Heh! I know…exactly…how to make Mister Big Shot Hero Guy fight me!" Tsuyu turned her attention to the fleeing civilians and unleashed a massive wave of ice shards in their direction. Some were stabbed through their limbs while others received minor cuts. Everyone was screaming now as they tried to avoid being hit with more ice.

"Hey! Leave them out of this!"

"Th-then fight me…please…" When she turned her gaze back to him, with the ice still flying from her open hand, there were tears trickling down her cheeks. He's going to die today! I'm not letting any of these people leave alive! I'll fucking kill this guy right in front of the people that he's supposed to protect with his stupid hero job! Her adrenaline spiked as he suddenly appeared in front of her. She leapt back to try to put distance between them and found him following. Gritting her teeth, she began to swipe with claws as she continued to try to out maneuver him. He dodged effortlessly. I can't hit him! Why?!

The bald hero kept his eyes trained on her, his expression still blank. "You've got pretty good stamina," he said after a while. "Most people would've given up by now."

"Saitama, be careful of her ice!" Mumen Rider warned.

"Huh?"

That's right! My ice! Smirking, Tsuyu sent ice rushing up his legs from the ground. It spread up to his waist and froze his lower half in place. She rushed forward, drawing back a hand with the intent to take off his head with her claws. Instead, she found him stepping out of the ice. The young woman had to hurriedly step back and away from the man when he stepped toward her, her heart hammering in her chest. Such power! Such speed! And that deadpan face! What is he?!

Saitama brushed remnants of the ice crystals off of his costume and tilted his head. "What was that?"

"I'm…a monster. Obviously, heheheh! I-I mean…I'm…not…normal so…PREPARE TO DIE, YOU BALD PIECE OF TRASH!" She wrapped her arms around herself, trembling and giggling, tears still running down her cheeks. "H…H-HELP ME! NO! PLEASE! HELP ME! I DON'T NEED YOUR HELP! NO! NO, NO, NO! JUST DIE ALREADY!"

He dodged as she swiped at his head again and again, watching the tears run down her face. There was clearly something wrong with her, but he was unable to tell what it was. It was almost as if she thought she was fighting herself. It had sounded like she was talking to herself or someone that he was unable to see. It was incredibly confusing, but the tears made him want to hold back.

Mumen Rider watched the fight and saw chunks of ice falling away from her arms. She was breaking apart before his eyes. Well, the ice was. He took a step toward the two fighters, but glanced down the street toward the fleeing citizens. "I'm going to help evacuate!"

"Where do you think you're going?!" Tsuyu raced after his bicycle as he tried to pedal away, but found a hand catching the back of her shirt. She twisted to thrust her claws in the bald hero's direction.

Saitama blocked her hand and stared down at her, his expression growing serious. "Calm down."

"I c-can't calm down! Don't you…get it? Don't you understand anything?! You bald…blank-faced idiot! You look like a fool! Do you know that? Do you know how unbelievably stupid you look when you try to make that serious face? I'm going to carve off that face and-! Gyaaaah!" Pain exploded at the back of her head as he smacked her and she stumbled forward, falling to her knees when he released her shirt. The ice dissipated and she held the bruised area with both hands, sobbing.

"I said to calm down," he stated, curling his hand into a fist. "Okay? Are you done?"

The energy was draining from her and she frowned, nodding. "F-fine. I'm…sorry. I actually…I don't…like this. I don't…like feeling this way, but…"

Saitama crouched down in front of her. "Okay, so why let it happen?"

"Th-that man…called me a monster…"

"He probably saw you sprouting those ice claws or something, right?" Again, she nodded. "I mean, you're obviously not a monster; you're just a kid." He paused and stood upright. "You should probably get out of here before the cops show up."

Shift P.O.V

Why isn't she moving? He looked more closely and saw that she was trembling. I don't know what her problem is, but she doesn't look so good. Something isn't right. She really is just a kid. Why is she acting like that?

The girl kneeling on the sidewalk was no older than Genos. She was wearing simple clothes; jeans and a long-sleeved shirt. Her hair was a little strange though. It was a brilliant, fiery red with thick streaks of pure white. She looked up at him with watery eyes the warm shade of honey. Everything about her contrasted with the ice that was accumulating at her fingertips.

A siren alerted him to the presence of the authorities and he once again tried to get her to leave. She stood shakily and turned on the officers, flinging large pieces of ice in their direction. A few of them were severely injured. The cars closest to the girl had their windshields broken by the ice. She screamed and ran at them, slashing with her cold claws.

He knew what he had to do. Yes, she was a kid compared to him, but she was old enough to know that what she was doing was wrong. Besides, if he let her continue, he was sure she would kill someone. Saitama moved behind her, carefully avoiding her line of sight, and delivered a flick to the back of her head.

Her body collapsed forward and he caught her, carefully lowering her to the ground. Probably should've run when you had the chance, huh? Too bad. You probably won't last long in prison. Not being this crazy.