"Why didn't you cancel the date? You should've said you were sick," Hiro's voice blared from the phone as I walked to the Wren Inc building.
"Well, it's a little too late now," I retorted. "I'm already almost at the meetup place."
"I knew I should've come home today! That way, maybe I could've found a way to convince Mom to not let you go. You don't even know who you're meeting up with. What if it's someone dangerous? How am I supposed to-"
"Uh, I think you're overreacting a bit," I interrupted. "It's Mrs. Wren's nephew that we're talking about. I mean, I've never seen him but I'm sure she wouldn't set me up with someone weird."
At least, I think. She's kind of odd but that doesn't necessarily mean her nephew is gonna be like that. Even if he is, I'm used to it. I'm always surrounded by weird people.
This whole ordeal wouldn't have happened if I didn't go to the post office with Dad. Mrs. Wren decided to swing by to visit my humble adobe. When Mom answered the door, Mrs. Wren proposed that I should go on a date with her nephew, and in return, she'll give Mom a $1000 gift card to her favorite sushi restaurant. There was no way she would've known about that, except if Mom was thinking about sushi and she read her mind. Since neither Dad or I were home to object, Mom happily agreed. Not gonna lie, it kind of hurts that my own mother got bribed by a gift card to send her daughter on a blind date.
Hiro was still rambling on about how this date was a bad idea as if I didn't agree with it. Peering at the giant billboard screen on a building, I saw that it was almost time for the date. Seeing that, I told Hiro that I had to go.
"If anything bad happens, call me. Your big brother will come to save-"
I hung up on him before he can get his last word out and turned my phone on silent. Taking only a few steps forward and turning the corner, I saw a tall boy waiting by the entrance of Wren Inc. At a distance, I saw that he had raven-colored hair that almost looked blue. He wore a navy blue button-up shirt with rolled-up sleeves. He wore warm gray pants and casual loafers. He was muttering to himself as his glasses glinted in the sun.
I zipped back behind the corner. Switching to my camera, I inspected myself.
I didn't realize until today when Tsuyu helped me get ready for the date, but my hair had grown longer. The edges of my curled hair were a mid-neck length. I wore a red headband with a bow that I borrowed from Tsuyu. She also helped me put on some makeup too. My lashes were much more noticeable now. My pale cheeks finally had some color to them with a tint of pink blush. Clear lip gloss was applied to my lips.
Checking myself in the camera, I retucked my pastel-pink shirt into my white, chiffon skirt. I puffed the collars of my shirt. Then smoothing out a few strands of hair, I stuffed my phone into the small shoulder bag. Clasping it shut with the sakura clasp, I took a deep breath. I approached my date gripping the leather strap of my bag.
Okay, Rin. It's just for two hours. You can do this. You've been through worse.
Now that he was up close, I realized how mature he looked. Not to mention, that he looked even taller upfront. He must've been in high school already.
"Hello! You must be the girl my aunt was speaking about. Allow me to introduce myself: I am Iida Tenya!" he said, moving his hand around in a rapid motion. Arching his back exactly 90 degrees, he bowed to me. "It's a pleasure to meet your acquaintance! Although I may not have much experience with dates, I will with the best of my abilities to make this outing a success!"
People around us began to stare. I grew a bit hot, so I quickly bowed back to him.
"U-uh, same... It's good to meet you, er, Iida-kun. My name is Onishi Rin."
"I see," he mumbled, rubbing his chin. He inspected my face for a moment. Then gesturing to me with a stiff hand, he said,
"I noticed that you are wearing cosmetics. Particularly, mascara, lip gloss, and rouge. The rouge on your cheeks adds color to your complexion thus maximizing your appearance. A clever and stunning idea!"
"Uh... Thanks..." I weakly replied.
Don't be awkward.
"And, um... Your glasses... Look very cool and square."
I'm being awkward.
However, Iida took my improvised compliment wholeheartedly. Moving his hands around oddly, he thanked me saying, "Yes! My glasses are very squared to help me see clearly". After that, he had some suggestions on what to do. He brainstormed an entire list of possible events and activities to do on the date. He was actually serious about this entire thing. Seeing his enthusiasm made me feel a bit bad for not feeling similarly. In the end, we settled on three activities: Going to the cafe, taking a walk in the park, and going rowing on the lake.
"Here is your table. Your waiter will be with you shortly," the cafe employee said to us, beckoning to our seats.
Iida gave her a keen "thank you", and I sat down. Before I did, he quickly zipped behind me and pulled out the chair. Giving him an awkward "thank you", I sat down. Picking up the menu, I inspected all my options.
The chocolate cake looks good, but I can just get that at any grocery store. Maybe I should get the white chocolate french toast. Or tiramisu. But I also want a sundae.
"What do you think of ordering, Onishi-san?" Iida asked me.
"I'm not sure. I was thinking of getting the white chocolate french toast, but a sundae would be nice. Everything on the menu looks good."
He nodded his head in understanding. "Yes, I agree. Fortunately for me, I have been able to narrow down my choices. Shall I order a pumpkin roll or fluffy pancakes?"
I suggested fluffy pancakes. Heeding my answer, he suggested that I order white chocolate french toast. With that, we both settled on our drinks on our own. It wasn't long until our waiter came by to take our orders.
"Thank you for your service!" Iida proclaimed. "I shall order fluffy pancakes with expresso, please."
"Alrighty!" Static said, jotting in her notepad. "How about you?"
I cleared my throat and began to order when I stopped midway.
Wait a minute. Why's Static the waitress?
Peering back at her, she wore a big grin on her face. She was out of costume and wore a light blue cafe uniform. Her burgundy hair was messily tied into two pigtails, as always. That's when I noticed Mitsumu and Furutani sitting a few seats away from me in the window reflection. Although they tried to disguise themselves with Mitsumu wearing a colorful headband with thick glasses and Furutani having a crudely taped mustache, I knew that it was them.
How the heck did they know about this date? Mitsumu probably stalked me again...
"White chocolate french toast and?" Static innocently said, breaking me from my thoughts.
"Er, and iced coffee."
After repeating our orders aloud to us, she left but not before giving me a mischievous wink. Luckily Iida didn't notice.
"Since we are on a date, I think it is sensible that we get to know each other," Iida suggested. Pulling out a slip of paper from his pockets, he said, "First question: Names. Well, we already know each other names, so let's move onto the next question... Question 2: Age. I am currently 15 years old and a 3rd year in junior high. My birthday is on the 22nd of August."
He answered like...three questions. But it's reassuring to know that he's the same age as me even if he looks like a highschooler.
"I'm 15, and I'm also a 3rd year in junior high. Um, my birthday is on the 3rd of September," I replied.
"We have two things in common! That's great," he remarked, moving his hands rapidly. "Question 3: Siblings. I have one elder brother named Tensei who is my senior by 14 years. He's a hero."
"A hero? What's his hero name?"
A delighted look overcame his face. Folding his arms proudly, he said, "The Turbo Hero: Ingenium."
Didn't he save me during that time I accidentally infiltrated the Crimson Eclipse hideout?
"Oh, Ingenium. I know him. He saved me once. He's really strong. He was able to effortlessly transport me to safety holding me while out running and defending from villains," I said, trying to make my voice sound as sincere as I felt. It turns out it worked because the light in his eyes brightened upon hearing my praise.
"I see! As expected from Tensei. He is strong, after all. I'm glad that my elder brother could be in service," he boasted. He quickly apologized to me saying that he was getting too full of himself. I brushed it off and told him he had the right to be proud; Ingenium was a Pro Hero after all.
"Ahem. But enough about me. Do you have any siblings, Onishi-san?"
"I have an older brother too, though, he's only older by about 6 years," I replied. "His name is Hiro. He's trying to become a hero, too. He's not popular yet. He's only been working on minor cases in Murato City."
"Big cases or not, a hero's work is good work," he remarked.
"Yeah, I guess. It's a lot of effort, though. When I talk to him over the phone, he sounds exhausted lately. Hero work must be hard, even if its minor cases he's dealing with," I said. Gazing out the glass window, I watched a sharkman get out of his red car and began gesturing at a nearby pedestrian.
"He tells me to not worry about him when he's the one always worrying about me. I feel like he forgets to take care of himself, so that's why I make sure to call or text him every so often to make sure he's doing okay."
Iida stared at me for a moment. Then doing another one of his odd hand gestures, he said, "Your brother sounds like a compassionate and good-natured person. I am sure that he'll become a great hero, one day."
"Yeah..."
My features softened and I peered out the window again. I stopped upon seeing the sharkman effortlessly lift up the guy he was arguing with. With the thrust of his hand, he threw the guy directly at us. I don't know how strong this glass is but if that shark dude was able to pick up and throw a full-grown man easily from that distance, I don't think the window is gonna hold.
"Iida-kun-" I warned jumping from my seat.
The random passerby goes crashing through the window. I shut my eyes and covered my face. Customers around us screamed as glass shattered over Iida and me. Our table crashed onto the floor. After a few seconds, I peeked at the guy who was on the ground. There was a purple blob beginning to form near his right eye. His broken glasses were lying a few inches away from his scalp.
"Onishi-san, are you hurt?" Iida asked me, coming to my side in a flash. He began to keenly inspect me from all over for any cuts.
"U-um, I'm fine," I uncomfortably said. Luckily, my instincts kicked in, or else I would've been covered in glass shards.
"I smell a villain!" I heard Static remarked from the left. She was wearing her hero costume now. How fast she was able to change, I don't know. Then gracefully jumping over the unconscious man, the tipped over table, and out the window, she sprinted toward the sharkman who rushed into his car while yelling, "Good luck on your date, Riny!"
The red car skid down the road with Static holding onto the roof of it. They disappeared.
"That's good a hero came. That villain needs to be brought to justice," Iida remarked. "Also, why did she refer to you as "Riny"? Do you know her?"
"Nope. I have no idea who she is."
The guy who got thrown into the cafe was knocked out. He was taken to the hospital. Since the cafe got raided, they had to halt all incoming orders, including ours, to let the police investigate. Since Iida and I had front row seats, they especially questioned us. I let Iida do most of the talking. Iida was pleased to inform them and described everything in detail.
"Our meal took a bit longer than expected. I am sincerely sorry," Iida said as we walked through the park. "Also, why didn't you let me pay for the entire meal? It is typically the duty of the male to pay the check on dates."
"It's fine. We both agreed on going to the cafe, right? It's only fair if we split the check," I simply replied.
Iida's eyes inspected me through his lenses for a moment. Then snapping his hand up oddly, he said, "We have approximately 1 hour and 3 minutes left of the date. Let's try to maximize our enjoyment with everything we got!"
He turned to a familiar blonde, who was the one in charge of the boating. "Excuse me, we would like a boat, please!"
He went to hand him the money but Mitsumu declined. "Aw, no need, my friend! I'll let you guys ride for free!" he chirped. Before Iida could protest, he practically shoved him into the boat. He marched over to me with a cheeky gleam.
"Heya, Rin-chan! I managed to collect some information about your date," he remarked, walking me over to the water.
"Um, why are you here-"
"He's 179 cm and weighs 82.2 kg. He attends Shibako Academy. His quirk is called Engine, which allows him to make incredible high-speed movements with the help of the engines on his calves. Nifty, right? Also, he's part of the famous Iida family who is known to be exceptional heroes! Actually, his big brother is Ingenium. Isn't that spectacular?"
"Uh..." I said, not sure if I should be awed, thankful, or creeped out. "No offense, but I don't really want to know those things."
"Silly me! You want to get straight to the point. I didn't know you were so prurient, Rin-chan. But again, you are a growing adolescent," he said, giggling mischievously. "What I'm about to tell you is based on observations, so they may or may not be true. He's probably around, let's see, 4 inches-"
"Okay, that's enough!" I exclaimed, my cheeks heating up. "I-I'm just gonna go and enjoy my boat ride now."
I quickly escaped from the giggling blonde. Iida noticed my colored face and asked me if I needed any sunscreen, as he would happily oblige to go purchase some. I declined. Then sitting down on the seat, I suggested to my date that we take off immediately. He mistook my desperation to get away from Mitsumu as enthusiasm because he took off in an instant.
I jerked forward as he speedily moved the oars in a blur. Other people in their rowboats rowed out of the way in a panic. We were going so fast that a wave of water was coming from the end of the boat. I had to hold onto dear life while trying not to puke.
"I-Iida-kun..." I groaned.
"Yes? Are you enjoying the pleasant and relaxing ride?" he asked, in a serious yet innocent tone. "I thought that going to a high-pace will make things more exciting."
"I-I think it's a bit...too exciting. Um, can you slow down, a bit?"
"Of course!"
Immediately, we skidded to a stop. The entire boat kept rocking back and forth not helping the bubbling sensation in my stomach one bit. Iida noticed my sick demeanor and asked me if I was okay.
"U-Uh... Y-yeah I'm...fine..." I stammered.
After recollecting my composure, Iida's Get To Know Eachother Questions began again.
"Question 10: Favorite food," he said. "Without a doubt, it's beef stew. A delicious yet simple dish that fills you up!"
"Hm, that sounds good," I agreed. "My favorite food is tacos."
Iida raised an arched eyebrow at me. He rubbed his chin. "Tacos? I have never eaten one before."
"Really? Tacos are pretty good. The ones in America are even better than the ones here in Japan. When my family took a trip to California last year, we went to a Mexican restaurant that had the best tacos. Because of that, tacos have become my favorite dish," I said in content.
Realizing that I rambled, I began to feel a bit silly for enthusing about the Mexican dish. However, Iida didn't seem to mind. In fact, that made him interested in the dish and suggested that he should try one sometime.
"Question 12: What are your goals for the future? That one is easy. I want to become a hero like my brother. I plan on taking the entrance exams for the prestigious U.A. High School next year."
"U.A? That's the hero school, right?" I remarked. "That sounds tough. Isn't it super hard to get into?"
"It's on the higher spectrum of difficulty, but it is not impossible to get into the Department of General Education," he replied, pushing his glasses. "However, I'm aiming for the Hero Course. That tends to be a very competitive field to get into since they are only two classes reserved for those in the Hero Course."
"Yeah, that sounds...tough."
"Perhaps, but I believe that I'm capable of getting in!" he remarked, moving his hands in an array of odd motions. Pointing to me with a hand, he said, "What do you plan on doing in the future?"
I had to think for a moment because I never thought about that. What is my future? What do I want in life? I don't have any goals or passions. Nothing is motivating me to move forward. I'm just here to exist.
I felt like Iida noticed that I was silently having an existential crisis because he told me it was okay if I didn't have an answer. He said that I still had my whole life ahead of me to find a goal.
I know, but... I'm kind of jealous that you have something that drives you, Iida-kun.
"Question 13: What role would you play in a medieval fantasy? Well, I would hope that I am the gallant knight that goes around protecting innocent civilians and battling against evil," he said. "How about you?"
If I'm being honest, I'll probably play the role of the damsel in distress. Telling him that, he rubbed his chin and nodded thoughtfully.
"I understand, Onishi-san. So, you think you'll be the princess trapped in the tower, then?"
"...I guess?"
He gestured to me with a stiff hand. "Why is that?"
Scratching my cheek with a tinge of shame, I said, "Well, you see, I'm always getting attacked by-"
Suddenly, the boat flipped over. Iida and I go falling into the water. It sounded like other people's boats flipped over too because I spotted people plunking under. I swore that I saw something swim by from the corner of my eye too. I ignored it, quickly treading back up.
"Are you okay, Onishi-san?" Iida asked.
Before I could answer, I felt something slimy wrap around my ankle. It jerked me underwater. I didn't get really far because Iida's fingers wrapped around my wrist and yanked me up. The mysterious creature and my spectacled companion played tug-of-war for a bit trying to outlast each other. Meanwhile, people were rushing back onto the docks screaming for the heroes.
"Let go already!" I heard the seaweed villain yell from underwater.
"Never!" Iida stubbornly responded. There was bumbling coming from his left calf. With a strong kick from his leg, he smashes his foot into the villain's face.
"My nose!" she exclaimed, as water splashed onto my face.
Iida quickly pulled me over to his side, angling himself like a shield. Seaweed zips towards his face only to be stopped by a string. In an instant, the seaweed villain gets pulled out of the water, her long hair trapped in a fishing lure. She screamed in pain as she gets dragged across the lake. Following the direction of the line, I was met with the figure of a familiar fisherman standing on a boat. In his hands was his iconic fishing rod.
"You again?" Masterbaiter said in exasperation. Launching his rod up, the villain flies out of the water and lands in his boat. His line expertly wraps around her body rendering her incapacitated.
"The first day back on the job, and the first one I'm saving is you," Masterbaiter sighed, getting back on the docks. The seaweed villain was apprehended by the police. "Kid, you really need to stop going out so much. You're walking magnet of trouble. I'm getting tired of saving your ass all the time."
Mitsumu laughed lightheartedly and told me not to take offense. It was Masterbaiter's way of worrying for me.
"Yes! We are grateful that you saved us! The way you handled that villain was superb!" Iida exclaimed, bowing down to him. "Though, I can't help but wonder, how do you know Onishi-san?"
Masterbaiter scoffed. "Let's just say that your little girlfriend has a habit of getting into trouble."
He walked by the perplexed boy. Stopping beside me, he bonked his fist on the top of my head. "What you did back at the festival, dragging me outta the way, was stupid. But the way you handled yourself wasn't bad. I have to admit, you got guts."
Since Iida and I were both soaking wet, we decided to spend the rest of our date sitting out in the sun. Finding a nice, empty, sunny area on the grass, we stood about trying to dry our clothes.
"Oh yeah. I forgot to thank you for helping me," I said, as I squeezed the remaining water from my skirt. "I'm not exactly sure how you were able to kick the villain so hard in the face, but-"
"Onishi-san," Iida spoke. I turned to him. He wore a discouraged look on his face. Then bowing down to me, he apologized for ruining the date.
"I know that I am not knowledgeable in the dating field, but I should've known that it wasn't going to be easy. I overestimated myself. This was not supposed to happen. Please forgive me, Onishi-san for ruining our date."
"You...don't need to apologize for anything. In fact, I should be the one saying sorry," I sighed. Iida peering at me, I said, "That question you asked me before the boat flipped over... I didn't get to finish what I said. Uh, you see, the reason why I thought that I'll be the damsel in distress is that I'm always getting attacked by villains. That's why I knew the hero who saved us and why he knows me. Actually, I've become a bit of a celebrity among the local heroes and police... If it weren't for my tendency to attract trouble, this date probably would've been very normal."
I tucked a piece of wet hair behind my ear. "So, yeah... I'm sorry that all your hard work went to waste."
The spectacled boy inspected me for a moment. Then, gesturing to me with his hand, he gave me a satisfied expression.
"Alright. How about we both agree that we're at fault?"
My stiff features relaxed. "Sure."
We began to chat as our clothes dried. The previous solemn air grew lighter. Soon enough, we both forgot about the whole ordeal.
"Question 20: What subject in school do you dislike the most?" Iida asked. "I find Painting class to be frustrating. I can never get the brush strokes correct, or the color is always off."
"History," I simply said.
"Hm, really? Why is that?"
I shrugged. "Er, for some reason, my mind goes blank the moment my teacher begins lecturing about anything from the past. I can never remember the correct dates... I'm even worse at remembering the names of places and people. I think I'm barely passing that class."
"I understand. Well, I happen to excel in that subject. I can assist you with your studies."
"Um... Are you sure?" I tensely said. "I'm...pretty bad."
"That is why I am here to help! I shall become your History tutor!"
Then pulling out our phones, we exchange numbers.
"Uh... Thanks."
"Yes! I will try my best to bring your grade up!" he proclaimed. He pointed at me with his hand. "Onishi-san, please answer this question honestly. Did my aunt bribe you to go on this date?"
I stiffened. Glancing away uncomfortably, I said, "Well, kind of. She bribed my mom, not me."
Hearing that, he started moving his hands around wildly.
"I had a feeling that's what happened! She suddenly told me that there was a nice girl who wanted to go on a date with me. I felt it was wrong to decline, so I agreed. My aunt can be a strange woman!" he exclaimed. Then settling down, he apologized on behalf of his relative. He explained to me that she's been curious about his love life lately and kept pestering him about girls.
"But I am simply not interested in that," Iida said, shaking his head. "My main goal is to become a hero like my brother."
I nodded understandably. It was relieving to know that we were both forced into this.
"Oh, it seems like our date has come to an end," Iida remarked, checking the time on his phone. Checking my phone, I saw that it read 2:04 pm.
We both stood up and began to make our way out of the park. Although he was going to head back to Wren inc and get picked up from there, he walked me to the subway station. I told him that I could just go alone, but he insisted.
"I think it will be odd if I didn't walk you there," Iida remarked, pointing at me with his hand.
"Er, I thought you were over this whole "perfect date" thing," I replied dryly. We stopped at the crosswalk.
"I am, Onishi-san. I was referring to the claim that you made about always getting yourself into trouble. If you were to get attacked on your way home, at least I may be there to assist you in some way. Besides, I've heard that there has been a string of related villain attacks occurring in that part of town."
The light turned and we walked across. Peering up at him, I asked what he meant.
"You have not heard, Onishi-san? There are red-clothed villains disturbing the peace lately. They've been making bizarre statements about quirk evolution and how society should cast out those with inferior quirks. It's begun since the Hero Festival incident from two weeks ago," he informed. "They're called-"
"Crimson Eclipse," I finished.
Iida noticed the look on my face and questioned me. I told him that I knew who he was speaking about, maybe a bit too well.
"Onishi-san, were you at the Hero Festival when it happened?"
"...Yeah. I was."
"So does that mean...?" he started, before shaking his head. "I apologize, I didn't mean to bring back bad memories."
We arrived at the subway station. Checking the clock, I saw that it was almost time for the train to arrive. Before leaving, I told him that I genuinely had a good time.
"Honestly, I thought this whole outing was gonna be a disaster. No offense, but I didn't want to come in the first place. But... it didn't turn out too bad."
Iida nodded. "That is understandable. I also enjoyed myself, as well, Onishi-san."
"So... Um... How about it?"
"About what?"
"Er, I mean..." I awkwardly said, scratching my cheek. "...Being friends."
His dark eyes stared at me for a moment. Then gesturing to me with another one of his weird hand gestures, he said, "That is a great idea!"
We both said goodbye to each other and went our separate ways. However, I only got a few steps in when a loud burst erupts from behind. I was nearly blown away from the impact, but I was able to keep myself on my feet. Thick fog filled the area as people around me panicked. A loud cackling came from within the smoke.
"How about we grab some runts, huh?!" a raspy voice said. A female scream followed thereafter, demanding the villain to let her go.
That was my cue to leave. But when I tried to move my legs, they felt like stones. It was so hard to move.
Ring, ring, ring!
The sound of my phone suddenly blares from my bag. Pulling it out, I heard Iida's voice from the other line.
"Onishi-san? Where are you?"
"Uh, I'm not sure. The mist is too thick. It's hard to navigate, and hard to move. It's like the mist is weighing me down," I informed. "Are you okay?"
"That's a relief. Well, don't worry about me. You just go. I'll use my quirk to find and run out of-"
A loud crash erupted from his side of the line. I heard the sounds of another voice yelling along with what it sounded like the phone getting shaken.
"Uh... Iida-kun? Hello?" I asked. Realizing that the phone call ended, I tried calling him again.
Ring, ring, ring...
"Hello, you have reached Iida Tenya's phone! I am not here right now-"
I hung up, and I squeezed my fingers around my phone in frustration. Crap. He's not answering. So that means...
Swallowing dryly, I slowly put my phone away back in my bag. I wrapped my fingers around the leather strap so tightly that my knuckles turned white.
Iida's still inside. He saved me from being drowned by the villain back at the lake. It doesn't feel right to leave him here.
Chills ran up my back when a dark thought crossed my mind. What if... I end up being the last person he speaks to?
I have to go find him.
The next thing I know, I'm dashing through the fog, this time, in the opposite direction. Almost immediately, I felt the heavy atmosphere weigh me down. My knees buckled and I tripped forward. Luckily I was able to catch myself before eating the ground, but even standing upright was hard.
Crap, it's nearly impossible to walk through this mist!
"Iida! Can you hear me?!" I yelled as I staggered forward. Each step I took made me want to collapse, but I couldn't stop now.
There has to be some sort of way to get through this mist. Something needs to blow this away. Like a wind, or something to move it out of the way. But what am I gonna do? I can't do anything. I'm...
I glanced down at my hands which was beginning to feel tingling again.
No. I'm not. I can do this.
"...I think," I mumbled. It was the only choice I had.
I curled my hands into a fist. Doing so, I felt a strain press down on me. My muscles stiffened, and I was locked into place. I began to sweat. I noticed that there was an inch-wide gap between me and the fog. It looked like it was retracting away. I think it's working.
Huffing a breath of air, I clenched my fists tighter. The temperature began to wise. I felt sweat drip off my face as I watched the fog around me clear slowly. Then taking a step forward, I found that I was able to walk normally now.
Okay, that worked out better than expected, but my entire body is killing me. I need to hurry up and find Iida before I give out.
I ran through the fog calling out Iida's name. The strain on my muscles grew by the minute, and I was growing tired already. Not to mention, the annoying ringing in my ear.
Just keep going, Rin. You need to find him first.
Suddenly, a figure crashes into me. I get knocked down to the ground, and the fog surrounds me again.
"I did not see you there! I'm sorry-" my mysterious hitter said, before stopping. "Onishi-san?"
Peering up, I saw a tall boy with glasses standing over me. The relief was written on his sweat-stained face.
"You're...okay," I sighed. "I thought something bad happened to you."
Iida helped me up. He explained to me that he ran into some trouble with a Crimson Eclipse villain during the phone call, and had to hang up. Upon hearing that, I bit my lip in frustration. Them again? I guess he wasn't wrong about Crimson Eclipse attacks happening in this part of town.
We stopped upon hearing a huge blast blow ahead of us. A spiral of yellow energy shoots through the mist, effectively clearing the way.
"Thank you, Nejire Chan!" a male voice echoed.
Soon thereafter, Kamui Woods and Death Arms zip through the open space. Following them were two familiar vigilantes who speedily sprinted to the scene.
"I smell villains!" Static exclaimed. "Let's go, my trusty sidekick!"
"I'm not your sidekick!" her hooded companion retorted, hitting her with his fishing rod.
"Perfect timing! The heroes have arrived," Iida remarked.
"That's right! There's no need to fear because Strawberry Shades is here!"
Bursting through the fog was a hero wearing a strawberry mask. His tacky cape flowed behind him. His cat-eyed sunglasses glinted and a grin was plastered on his lips. Behind him was a tired-looking man with long, messy, black hair. He wore a long scarf.
Seeing the dorky strawberry hero make his appearance, I couldn't help but crack a smile.
"This girl again...?" Eraserhead muttered. He ordered Strawberry Shades to rescue us before running off. Strawberry Shades heeded his orders and jogged over to us.
"Oh, look! We meet once more!" Strawberry Shades happily exclaimed. Noticing my spectacled companion, he let out a gasp. "Could this be?!" he dramatically said. "Rin-chan, is this your new boyfriend Static was talking about?!"
The fog had cleared enough to fully see each other now. Because of that, I was able to see the tint of pink appear on Iida's cheeks. Waving his arms oddly, he explained to him that we were just friends.
"Yes, yes. Of course..." he replied. "Well, I think it's time to get you two outta here! Follow me!"
»»—- —-««
"Mitsumu, reporting for duty!" a happy blonde chirped. Pressing his earpiece, he informed Corvade that he was able to find the Crimson Eclipse villain who created the fog. By telling the Blackbird members, they were able to erase the fog with Eraserhead's help and arrest the villains.
An exasperated sigh was heard from Corvade. Then telling him to inform the others to come back to the hideout, she hung up.
Although there have been attacks carried out by the villain group, it didn't seem like there was a specific short-term goal they were trying to achieve. Sure, they wanted to create a society with strong quirks, but that wasn't going to happen immediately. Mitsumu couldn't help but wonder what they were trying to do. He was going to have to do more digging to find out.
"Ah... Maybe I should join..." Mitsumu thought aloud, tapping his chin.
"Huh? What was that?" a voice said. A young man with long, feathered, red wings fluttered down next to the blonde.
"Eh? You're not gonna even look at me?" Hawks asked, kneeling down next to him.
"Ahaha! I can see you perfectly fine, though!" Mitsumu nonchalantly replied. Turning to him, Mitsumu pointed at his pink sleeping mask that was over his eyes.
"Not anymore," he remarked smugly, removing his visors and blocking the reflective glass. "How'd you get up here, anyway? The last time I remembered, you can't fly."
"Nyhehe! That's top-secret!" Mitsumu replied, pressing his finger against his lips. Then pointing at him, he said, "And don't worry about me! I was talkin' about going undercover as a bad guy to get some information! I'm not turning bad here, Hawks-chan!"
"Oh, really now?"
"Yep! 100% telling the truth!"
"Well, I trust ya. I feel if you were to change sides now, that'll make things way too complicated for yourself. You seem like the type of guy to take things easy."
With the sway of his strong wings, he flew up leaving the blonde behind.
"Hmm... Joining Crimson Eclipse and becoming a bad guy does sound kinda fun..." Mitsumu pondered. "Heh! But being a part of Blackbird is even better!"