Did not write this chapter, that was Jesselaroux, check her fiverr! Did do the story, that's all me. Enjoy it. There might be more, maybe.
"Mommy, that guy is sleeping outside!"
"Don't point, baby. Come one, let's go home."
A ragged looking man scowled and rolled over onto his side. The grass tickled him where it poked through the holes in his clothing. What was wrong with sleeping outside? Lots of people went out of their way to sleep out under the sky, paying ridiculous amounts of money for something he was doing for free.
A chill wind blew and he curled in around himself, trying in vain to brace against the oncoming cold of night. Bitter resentment rose up inside him as he watched people rush past. They were all so ignorant, trapped in their bubbles of blind trust. They had no idea how easily their fellow humans could betray them. The instant the chance to gain from their suffering arose, they would find themselves abandoned and alone, tossed aside while their so called friends and family continued to live their lives, unmoved by the tragedy unfolding before them.
Humans were all scum. Their whole lives were elaborate plays put on to further their own agendas. Every smile, every handshake, every half hearted offer of condolences for a 'terrible situation'—everything served a secret purpose and the moment someone was no longer useful, they left them behind.
He grit his teeth. The anger boiling inside him did nothing for the cold seeping into his skin. He could only lay there and shiver.
Rolling onto his back, he looked up at the sky. Fluffy clouds floated by, unconcerned with the schemes and machinations of humanity. The setting sun painted them brilliant shades of pink and yellow and he felt his hatred melt away. It was hard to stay angry when confronted with something so lovely. Unlike works of art produced by humans, nature's wonders turned no profit. There was no pretentious hidden meaning behind flowers and birds didn't suddenly change their style to capitalize on a shifting market.
Although humans were a product of nature, they had long ago severed ties with their creator, daring to claim that title for themselves. All he had to do was turn his head ever so slightly and he would see proof of their hubris. Skyscrapers stood in stark relief against the painted sky, their cuboid shapes sickeningly artificial. Even the park he lay in was built around human designs, the flower beds meticulously groomed and maintained, trees trimmed into 'pleasing' shapes, and the grass cut down practically to the root.
No one cared though. They followed the paths that had been laid for them, never pausing to think about the world beyond their little bubble. If his hadn't been forcibly burst…
He sighed.
Once, he was just like them. Blind to the falsehoods of the world, content with the pursuit of the only ambitions he was allowed. His fingers curled into white knuckled fists as he remembered the kind of person he used to be, the lengths he was willing to go to for the sake of climbing the corporate ladder. It was a purely human invention, and just another way his species had perverted the laws of the world.
He'd seen a lot of things since leaving his old world behind. Humans weren't the only ones hurt by the system they created. The city was full of animals, most of them pets abandoned by the people who were supposed to care for them. Though they scrounged through filth and garbage to survive, even they had their pride. Unlike humans.
Unlike him.
He stood with a groan, running a hand through his long greasy hair. The few people still out and about rushed to put distance between them and he laughed humorlessly. He no longer fit the mold of a productive member of human society, his hair and unshaved face marking him as a threat to those who did. Even if he wanted to, he wouldn't be able to establish ties with his fellow man, again. As long as he looked like a reject, they would continue to treat him like one.
He stuffed his hands into his pockets and turned away from the glaring lights of the city, dragging his feet as he walked into the patch of artificial forest that had been his home for the past few months. It was the closest he could get to living in true nature, but he knew it was still just a manicured veneer of natural space, planted and maintained to absolve humans of any guilt they might feel about destroying truly wild spaces. Once, he'd looked upon the greenery in the park and felt it was beyond human influence, but now he knew the trees were just like cats and dogs—wild things trained and fed for human entertainment.
Still, he took some comfort from the way their thick trunks hid most of the city from view. The sound of leaves rustling in the wind and rain was better music than anything he'd ever heard on the radio and bird song the greatest morning alarm. He couldn't understand why his ancestors had left such a life behind.
Suddenly, bright lights blinded him. Shrill beeping sent birds flying from their nests and human voices shouted through the night.
When his vision cleared, he looked on in confusion as a construction team plowed through the trees, uprooting them with powerful machines.
"Hey!" He turned to look at a man dressed in high visibility gear, a flashlight in his hands. "Get out of here! This is an active construction site."
He stood frozen as the reality of the situation hit him.
Of course. Of course, the park was being renovated. Why would humanity care about nature when there was profit to be made?
When he didn't immediately leave the area, the man who yelled at him came marching over. He offered no resistance when he was forcibly removed, his mind still blank after witnessing such a heart wrenching tragedy.
He had no idea how much time passed before he came to his senses. Despair gnawed at his insides and he walked away from his temporary home with leaden footsteps.
Was destruction all humanity was capable of? Was the natural world doomed to die under the heel of its most errant child? Was there really no place left for wild things?
These thoughts plagued him as he wandered, sinking him further into anguish. Blinded by emotions, he tripped over something and landed on his face. Looking at his feet, he took in the brightly colored construction rope that had ensnared him and an idea took hold.
The rope was thick and heavy, but he managed to tie the right knot. Or, at least, it looked right. He'd never seen one in person, after all, and he couldn't exactly look it up. It held when he tugged at it, though.
He approached one of the trees the construction team saw fit to leave standing. It looked strong and sturdy and its bark was rough under his hand.
"I'm sorry." His voice was hoarse from disuse. He never had a reason to speak, anymore. "I know I can't make it up to you. Still, maybe one less human will make a difference."
He threw the rope over a low branch and secured it. The noose at the end swung freely and he stared at it for a long time before taking a decisive step forward.
Tatsumaki looked down on the city from her place in the sky. The wind was stronger up there, and she let it tug at her clothing and hair. Below, the city bustled with life, humans crawling over the ground like ants. Night always brought with it a spike in crime and monster activity, but she was unconcerned. There were plenty of Heroes down there who could handle the simple things. If something big happened, she would see it from above and react swiftly. She didn't need to worry about traffic the way other Heroes did, after all.
She sighed and let the breeze push her along. Honestly, being Hero could be boring at times. Someone at her level couldn't just run off to solve any old problem. As strong as she was, she might end up doing more harm than good if her opponent was especially weak. She was sworn to save lives, not recklessly endanger them. And so, she could only wait for something big enough to come along.
Something bright caught her eye and she glanced down at one of the city's parks. It was under construction, probably to make room for another apartment building. It was a shame. There were few green spaces within city limits as it was. Losing one would only increase the structural monotony. As fancy and expensive as some of the skyscrapers were, they all looked the same from the sky.
She started heading for the other side of town when she abruptly turned around, eyes trained on the trees below. When she confirmed what she thought she saw, she dove down at speeds no other human could manage. Reaching out with her psychokinesis, she pulled the suicidal idiot from the noose, sending him flying into a tree.
"What the hell are you doing, dumbass?" She demanded, coming to a halt in the air above the trees.
The man she'd saved looked at her, dazed. That was a normal reaction, but the sad sigh that escaped him was not.
"Terrible Tornado," he said lowly as he got to his feet with a wince. "Thank you for saving me. You're a good hero."
Why did that not sound like a compliment?
She watched, hands on hips, as he walked back to the noose that had almost taken his life. Despite his words, he didn't look particularly grateful.
"Go home," she said roughly. "Giving up may seem like the answer now, but you might be surprised at the difference a night's sleep can make."
The idiot had the nerve to laugh, turning amused dark eyes on her. "I can't. They're demolishing it."
She followed the finger he raised to point and realized her mistake. This man had no home. His shoulder length hair was dirty and his face unshaven. His clothing was covered in mysterious stains and riddled with holes.
For a moment, the noise from the construction was the only sound between them.
Then, he sighed.
"Thank you," he repeated. "But there's nothing you can do for me. Humanity has gone astray, destroying the very world that created it. I can only lessen the population by one and hope the planet will forgive me."
What?
Was this how someone was supposed to react after being saved? Granted, Tatsumaki rarely got involved in things like this, but she was a Hero. Saving lives was quite literally her job description. She couldn't just stand by and do nothing when she had to power to interfere.
"What's so terrible that death is the only answer," she asked, honestly curious. "I don't think a few trees are enough to warrant this reaction."
He glared at her, the heat behind his gaze surprising her. Then, he told her exactly what had driven him to such an extreme decision. On their own, the elements of his story weren't unique. Lots of people were humiliated by their superiors, even more were evicted, but the way they happened to him certainly explained why he seemed so embittered toward his fellow man.
Was she the first person to reach out to him?
Surely not. Heroics aside, she wasn't the most compassionate person. There had to be at least one person out there who had tried to help him.
"Humanity values profits above all else," he concluded with a sneer. "The moment something no longer benefits them, they toss it aside. Just look at this park if you don't believe me. These trees are probably older than me, but they're being destroyed. For what? Another blocky building in a city full of them?" He shook his head. "These trees are just like me, tossed aside the instant humanity decides it no longer needs us."
The urge to insult him and his defeatist attitude rose within her and she had to physically restrain herself from giving voice to her thoughts. He had already tried to end his life once. If she said something careless, then he would probably take it as a reinforcement of the bullshit he already believed. She was trying to save his life, not expedite his suicide.
She had no idea how to handle this. There was a reason she didn't involve herself in smaller emergencies. They usually required a more delicate touch than she typically employed. When confronted with tears, she was more likely to snap than the wipe them away. Fighting giant monsters, she could do. Talking to a man at the literal end of his rope…
He wasn't even asking for her help, though. He probably thought she was like all the other people who'd rejected him thus far. He was looking at her like he was waiting for her to leave. Like he expected her to just walk away after hearing his story, to leave him to his noose and his end.
"What's your name?"
His dark eyes widened in surprise. "Eikichi."
Tatsumaki let herself sink from the sky, her feet touching the ground. She was much shorter than him, but she was shorter than most people. Looking up at him, she could see the rings under his eyes and the hollows of his cheeks.
She could also smell him.
Wrinkling her nose and crossing her arms over her chest, she raised an eyebrow at him.
"Tell me, Eikichi, if I leave, you're just going to try again, aren't you?"
He didn't even hesitate.
"There's no point in living in a world like this."
Irrational anger swelled up inside her toward this idiot man. She couldn't take it out on him, though, not matter how much she may want to. Her eyes locked on the noose where it hung almost innocently and she sent all her rage toward it. The vibrant cord exploded, the psychokinetic energy she funneled into it bursting out in a brilliant display of her anger.
Eikichi flinched, jumping away from the rain of fluorescent string. Wind gathered around them as Tatsumaki channeled her power and she began to rise into the air. The idiot let out a surprise yelp as he floated along with her and she watched with an amused smirk as he flailed his limbs.
"What are you doing?"
That was a good question. What was she doing? She'd already confirmed his intent to end his life, regardless of her interference. Hero or no Hero, there were some things she couldn't do.
She dismissed that thought with an angry shake of her head. No. She had dedicated her life to saving others' and she wasn't going to give up just because this one was a little more determined to die.
"Stop squirming," she snapped as they rose ever higher into the night sky. "You're getting special treatment."