IMPORTANT: WEBCOMIC SPOILERS IN THIS CHAPTER
Sorry y'all, I've been working on the finale for this story and others. Idk, I haven't been feeling as positive for this story. I even scrapped a whole chapter. At least it's nearly over, I guess. I hope you enjoy this chap and the upcoming ones.
She could hear the yelling again. It was even worse than the previous nights.
She heard a few furious cries of 'YOU CAN'T' and 'I'LL KILL YOU!'. The entire week, her brother had been bickering with their grandparents. He refused to explain the details of their arguments, and simply told Zenko not to worry about it.
But he sounded so upset… how could she not worry?
She whimpered, climbing out of bed. She crept to her doorway, peeking out into the dark hallway. She saw her brother's silhouette. His movements were harsh, from the looks of things. Cold, tight, and angry.
"Damn you," she heard him growl. "You'll never split us apart."
He then began to storm down the hall, figure slouched. He had never looked so… defeated. Like someone had sucked out his fighting spirit.
"Bro," Zenko reached out.
Her brother stared down at her, and his expression softened.
"Yer a sight for sore eyes, sis," he told her, kneeling down to her height. "But what are ya doin' up? You should be in bed."
"What were you fighting about?" Zenko demanded. "Don't give me that 'it's not important' crap. I want to know - for real this time!"
Badd scowled, looking away.
"Badd," Zenko glared at him. "Tell me!"
He turned back to her, tears in his eyes.
"Bro…?" Zenko asked.
"Sorry," he apologised, bringing her in for a hug. "Just… let's go to bed, and I'll tell you everything tomorrow. I promise."
Zenko clung onto his neck. "Okay, bro."
He lied.
When Zenko woke up, her brother wasn't there. She assumed he had already gotten up; it happened frequently, especially when he had hero duties.
So everything was fine, right?
She got up herself, and headed to the kitchen. There was a deliciously familiar scent coming from it. Her grandmother was making pancakes. Funny, since her grandmother usually only made pancakes on birthdays and special occasions.
"Hello, dear," her grandmother said, kindly.
Zenko sat down at the kotatsu, giving her grandmother a stare. Her grandmother handed her a stack of pancakes doused in golden syrup and fruit.
"Grandma…" Zenko stared at her grandmother. "I'm happy to see them, but… why are you making pancakes today? Is it someone's birthday?"
Her grandmother's smile faltered. "Can't we do something special today, dear?"
Zenko got an awful feeling. She suddenly realised how empty her brother's room had been, how his family photos had been taken down from the wall..
"Where's my brother?" she asked.
Her grandmother looked away.
"Grandma?" Zenko asked.
"Eat your pancakes, dear," her grandmother responded cheerfully, "or they'll get cold!"
"You're avoiding the question," Zenko said, giving her the stink-eye. "Where's my brother, Grandma?"
Her grandmother sighed, deeply.
"Dear, we decided that… it might be better if your brother lived by himself for a while," she said, trying to keep her tone gentle. "You see, as a hero, he gets involved in a lot of dangerous situations, that not only put himself at risk, but you as well."
"What are you saying…?" Zenko asked, her eyes tearing up.
"Your brother doesn't live with us anymore," her grandmother said.
The next few days were Hell on Earth.
Zenko spent them pleading with her grandparents, demanding why they split her and her brother apart. They always said the same thing: it was for her sake. It was to protect her. And yet, they wouldn't even let her speak to him on the phone.
She glared down at her dinner. It was so quiet, so empty, so lonely. Food tasted bland and meaningless. She refused to eat, even when her grandparents pleadingly stared at her.
"Dear, you're going to get hungry," her grandmother told her.
"Don't care," Zenko huffed, crossing her arms.
"No need for that attitude, young lady," her grandfather scolded. "Be more polite."
"I'm not doing anything until you let me talk to my brother!" Zenko yelled.
Her grandparents sighed. They should have expected this.
"Zenko, you're constantly getting kidnapped by criminal organisations or attacked by monsters, because of your brother," her grandmother explained. "Now that he is in City A, they will turn their attention over there! And plus… you need to grow independent from him and make some new friends. That Poppy girl isn't really the best choice."
"So you're not even going to let me be friends with Poppy?!" Zenko demanded, teary-eyed.
Her grandmother held out a hand. "Zenko…"
"I HATE YOU!" she screamed, running away. She raced into her room, slamming the door shut. She sobbed into her pillow.
Big bro… she thought, crying harder than ever before. You promised they wouldn't split us apart…
Tama mewed at her, curiously, her kittens following behind. Zenko gave her a pat, before turning to her kittens. Zenko picked up Lil' Badd, nuzzling her fur.
"You miss him too, huh, Lil' Badd…" she sighed. "I'm so sorry…"
"Zenko… are you okay?"
Zenko ignored Poppy's question, staring off into the distance. Zenko had been refusing to speak to Poppy for the entirety of the school day. Even as they were walking home, Zenko still wouldn't open up.
"Did something happen?" Poppy asked, gently. "Did I do something wrong? I'm sorry if I did…"
Zenko shook her head, looking away. Tears burned behind her eyes.
"Poppy…" Lily appeared, grabbing her sister's shoulder. She gazed at Zenko with concern. "Maybe we should leave her alone."
Poppy sighed, and followed her sister.
"It's my brother," Zenko whimpered. "My grandparents split us apart."
Lily and Poppy gasped.
"They did what?!" Poppy demanded.
"Oh, Zenko…" Lily kneeled down, holding out a hand.
Zenko began to cry.
"Oh, Zenko…" Lily cooed, giving Zenko a hug. "It's okay. Shhh."
"No, it's not okay!" Poppy yelled, splitting them apart. "Screw your grandparents, Zenko! They can't keep you and your brother apart!" She pointed at her. "You've gotta go out there and bring him back!"
"Poppy, no!" Lily said, standing up. "That's an awful idea!"
"Oh shut up, Miss Boring," Poppy said, crossing her arms. "Zenko, you know I'm right, right?"
Zenko stared at her eyes. Then she looked back up, fighting spirit in her eyes.
"Yeah!" she cheered, pumping a fist. "I'm going to bring him back!"
It was late at night. Zenko crept down the hallway, double checking that her grandparents were asleep. She took a deep breath. She pulled out her phone, bringing it to her face.
"They're asleep," she whispered.
"Okay, good," Poppy replied, on the other end. "Now leave your house."
Zenko obeyed. She grabbed the house keys, and put Tama and the kittens in her backpack. Surprisingly, she was able to handle the weight. She shut the door, standing out in the dark. It was empty, cold, and seemed to go on forever.
"Where now?" she asked, still whispering into the phone. The dark was rather ominous, after all. Tama mewed, impatiently. Her kittens squealed.
"You're going to the train station, right?" Poppy asked.
"Yeah," Zenko said.
Poppy cleared her throat. "Okay, just take a left from your street…"
Zenko listened to Poppy's instructions, eventually reaching the almost deserted train station. She sighed, hoping she wouldn't have to wait long for the train to arrive. It was a chilly night, but it would be worth it. She hugged herself, standing underneath a lamppost. She cooed, trying to comfort Tama and her kittens.
"Hey, I'm kinda curious…" Poppy spoke up, "... why did your grandparents want to split you and your brother up?"
Zenko frowned. "They think… they think he's dangerous."
Poppy laughed. "Well, of course he's dangerous. He's a Class S hero. Blizzard's pretty dangerous, and she's only in Class B!"
Zenko stared at her shoes.
"I guess…" she said. "But… my brother said that they never got over my parents dying…"
She perked up, as the train suddenly pulled into the station. Wind rushed through her hair.
"Train's here," she told Poppy. "I'd better-"
"Zenko!"
She jumped at the voice. She turned, and saw two familiar figures running towards her. They were her grandparents!
"Crap," she cursed.
"What's wrong?" Poppy asked.
"Zenko, please, wait!" her grandmother called out.
Zenko inched over to the train, reaching for the door.
"Don't go!" her grandmother yelled, panting heavily. "We're so sorry about your brother… but it had to be done!"
"Because of him, our daughter and son-in-law were killed," her grandfather added, his whole form shaking. "Their house was destroyed. Everything they had… it's all that accursed boy's fault. And the same is going to happen to you!"
Her grandmother held out her hand. "We want you to be safe, Zenko! So please… stay with us! We'll protect you. We'll give you a happy life!"
Zenko glanced back at her grandparents, tears in her eyes.
"You're wrong!" she shouted. "My brother didn't kill my parents. It was a monster! You're just blaming him because you're… you're cowards! And I hate you! The only one who can give me a happy life is my brother!"
And without another word, she jumped on the train.
"No!" her grandmother screamed, reaching out. "Zenko, no! Come back!"
"I don't want to live with cowards," Zenko spat, as the door closed. And the train began to move.
Her grandmother fell to her knees, tears slipping down her cheeks.
"She's just like her mother…" she laughed, painfully.
Her husband gave her a gentle hug as she continued to cry.
Poppy and Zenko were silent during the entire train ride. The only noises were the kitties in the bag. Zenko kept to herself, staring out the window. It was dark, but she could see the outlines of buildings, and the moon high in the sky.
She thought about her brother. Once she saw him, she was going to smack him hard for breaking his promise. And then she'd hug him and never let go.
She felt herself falling asleep. Her grandmother's tearful face appeared in her mind.
No, she did this to herself, she thought. She did this to us!
She wasn't going to live with her grandparents anymore. She would live with her brother and the cats, in City A. She didn't want to live with those cowards.
Her eyes began to close as she leaned against the window.
Big bro… she thought. I'm coming.
Badd was not having a great time.
He currently lived in a private apartment, courtesy of the Hero Association. It was lonely, all by himself. He missed his sister more than words could tell. And the guilt for breaking his promise to her was immense.
And of course, the Hero Association was making him work to the brim. It was driving him bonkers. So, they thought they could give him twice as much work just because they gave him his own place?
During his time in City A, he was contacted by a new hero organisation known as the 'Neo Heroes'. They were upcoming, and proclaimed to treat heroes much better than the Hero Association did. He decided to give them a chance.
"Ah, Badd, also known as Metal Bat," one of the workers greeted him, as he strolled into the Neo Heroes' modern building. "Thank you for coming. We are honoured to have you here."
It was nice and large, offering private suites for any hero that stayed there. They also offered gyms, lunchrooms, and much more. Much more like an apartment complex than the Hero Association was.
"What's the deal with this place?" Badd asked.
"We are here to replace the Hero Association," the worker explained. "The Hero Association is incredibly flawed. They won't listen to their lower-ranked heroes, and they care more about wealth than people. We aim to make a fair and just system, that treats every hero with respect. We desire to treat you as people, not money-making schemes."
"Fair and just, eh?" Badd asked.
The worker nodded. "Yes! We also have a multitude of technology available, and-"
"If I join you guys, ya won't make me work every five seconds, right?" Badd asked.
The worker nodded again. "Of course. We understand you heroes have a life outside being heroes. So we would be very happy to-"
"Sign me up," Badd said, shaking his hand. "I'm in."
Zenko found it at last: the Hero Association HQ. It towered above her, piercing the sky. She approached the building, fists by her side. She saw where the apartments were held, in the upper district. She stood outside, eyeing them.
"Okay," she said, calling Poppy again. "Where's my brother's apartment?"
"That's weird," Poppy said. "He's not on here."
"What?" Zenko asked, frowning.
"He's not on the Hero Association's website anymore," Poppy explained. "What's with that? A glitch?"
Zenko felt tears building up behind her eyes.
"Zenko?" Poppy asked. "Are you okay?"
"I came all this way…" Zenko whimpered, "... and he's not here?"
She fell to her knees, and began to cry once again. She hugged her bag full of cats, tears streaming down her face.
"Zenko, hey…" Poppy tried to comfort her.
"I want my big bro…" Zenko sobbed.
Poppy made a noise. "Um… wait a second. Hold on."
She hung up, causing Zenko to cry more. She reached into her bag, petting Tama, who was frightened out of her mind.
"I'm so sorry," she sobbed. "I'm so sorry, Tama… I'm so sorry!"
Tama mewed, rubbing against Zenko's hand. It seemed she was sad too.
Badd could not sleep. He had an awful feeling brewing inside of him. Something he would refer to his 'brotherly instincts'.
And with that, he got a phone call. He picked up the phone. It was from an unknown number. He breathed in, hoping it wasn't another IRIS situation.
"Who the Hell are you?" he demanded.
"Hi," Poppy replied.
"Is that you, Poppy?" he asked, scrunching up his nose.
"Yep," Poppy said, calmly. "I should tell you… your sister's in town."
"What?!" Badd stood up. "Where?!"
"Hero Association building," Poppy told him. "You-"
He hung up on her, practically jumping out of the window to find his sister.
"We should go…" Zenko said, standing up. "We have to find him…"
She walked ahead, keeping her head low. She clutched her bag like a lifeline. Tama mewed, staring up at her owner.
"Why wasn't he on the Hero Association's website?" she asked, staring at her cat. "Was it really a glitch?"
She saw something ahead. It was a figure, approaching her.
"What's that…?" she asked, trembling. "Is it…?"
She gasped, moving faster. Tears streamed down her cheeks.
"Big bro!" she shouted.
She reached the figure… but it wasn't her brother. It was a monster.
"No!" she screamed, taking a few steps backwards. "Leave me alone!"
The monster roared, lunging towards her. She closed her eyes, turning away. And then it exploded.
"Don't you dare try to interrupt our reunion, bastard," a familiar voice growled.
Zenko gasped, looking up. It was her brother. He was a bedside mess, but it was still him. He smiled at her, expression softening as it always did in her presence. They walked towards each other, focusing on nothing else.
"YOU BLOCKHEAD!" Zenko yelled, jumping up and slapping Badd across the face. "YOU PROMISED NO ONE WOULD SPLIT US UP!"
Badd looked at his shoes, whimpering. "I'm so sorry 'bout that, sis… it'll never happen again, okay?"
"It better not!" Zenko huffed, crossing her arms. "Now, take me home! We're all living in this new apartment of yours!"
"We're 'all'?" Badd asked, picking his sister up.
Tama mewed from Zenko's bag.
"You brought Tama?!" Badd gasped.
"And her kittens!" Zenko said, poking him in the eye. "They're all part of our family!"
"Ow..." Badd moaned, covering his eye. "Okay, I deserved that..."
Zenko snorted. She smiled at Poppy's image on her phone. She reminded herself to thank her later.
"The cats are our family, sis," Badd agreed, kissing Zenko's forehead. "... Hey, uh, so, I should tell ya I quit the Hero Association."
"Really?!"
