This is the next chapter! Enjoy!
Musutafu, Soba Noodle House, Saturday...
Alright, being a janitor is boring. BORING. Not to mention the rude ass customers. Toshinori has to bear with this because he didn't want to burden his mom even more, he didn't want her to keep sending money his way every damn time. It's Toshinori's turn to keep his shit together and make for a living.
Every weekend, Toshinori has to work as a janitor to fill up his empty time. Of course, it's boring as all hell, but he didn't need to complain about it.
He suddenly bumped into someone he didn't expect to see.
"Watch it, asshole." A voice belonged to a teen called out. "Hey, c'mon, it was an acci-" Toshinori was shocked to see Masashi, with his dad and Mezo behind him.
Yep, he wanted to die already. "Ooooh, it's you! The quirkless runt!" Masashi ridiculed him.
Toshinori rolled his eyes, and continued to clean the table in front of him. "Oi, don't ignore me!" Masashi gripped his shirt, "You tryna start some shit?!"
Mezo shouted, "Masashi! Stop messing around and come- oh.." He stopped his rant when he spotted Toshinori, "So the quirkless runt works as a janitor."
Toshinori sighed, before taking a sanitizer, spreading it to the table, before wiping it with a towel.
"Got nothing to say? Hey, dad, look, it's the quirkless runt!" Mezo called out to his dad. His dad glanced at Toshinori, "Oh? Oh. Yagi Toshinori, the kid my son are so eager to pick on." Smirking, he said, "I'm surprised people still accept freaks like you to work in their place. After all, maybe the quirkless deserves our pity."
Toshinori glared at him, before deciding to keep his anger to himself, not wanting to cause trouble.
"I heard that you want to be a hero, brat. Drop it. You don't have a quirk, just get lost and die along with the rest of you quirkless spaw-" He was cut off when Toshinori replied, "Oh, shut up, will you?" earning a glare from both Masashi and Mezo.
"What was that?" The older man said, his tone threatening. Toshinori sighed, "Quirk this. Quirk that. Guy like you puts so much of their attention into a single genetic mutation." He said before turning his gaze to Masashi and Mezo's dad, "People nowadays forget the true definition of a hero. You associate heroes with quirks, but I assure you, the two aren't connected."
"Do I hear denial?" The older man said in mockery.
"Oh, no, no, I'm not in denial. You see, old man, heroes back then were hailed as heroes because of their contribution to community service, while 'heroes' these days do some flashy stuff and beat the crap out of bad guys, advertising their product and demanding compensation for their work, it's really pathetic." Toshinori replied, while putting an air quote at mentioning "heroes".
He continued, "Ever heard of Desmond Doss? The american soldier that were hailed as a hero back before quirks emerged?
He was ridiculed, everyone called him weak due to his unwillingness to kill people in the battlefield. Compared to his fellow soldiers, he was the weakest to everyone else in terms of physical prowess. Yet he single-handedly saved SEVENTY FIVE wounded soldiers out of the battlefield due to his will alone. He was hailed as a hero, not because of his quirk, not because of his physical strength, but because of his actions."
Toshinori then continued, "You see, being a hero isn't about quirks. They're only tools, but what matters the most of being a hero," Toshinori then pointed his finger to the older man's heart, "Is your heart, your desire to save people, your courage, to overcome your greatest fears and give comfort to those who needed it the most. That's what a hero is about, not beating the living shit out of lowlife villains for the hell of it, while causing destruction and chaos in the streets, posing in front of the television like a crazed maniac. Heroes are all about fame these days, it's fucking stupid."
Toshinori finished his rant, before taking his sanitizer and broom, walking away from the old man.
"Hey! Who the hell do you think you are, saying bullshit like that, ungrateful brat?! Pro-heroes risk their lives everyday for everyone's safety! You dare?!" The older man yelled, while both of his son growled too.
"I've said the stuff I wanted to say, since you pissed me off, but I guess I wasted my time, my bad. Just go away, order your damn food, whatever." Toshinori rudely replied, walking away from the family.
"Why do you want to become a hero, anyway?!" Mezo interjected, "You'll just be a liability with your quirklessness, baka!"
Toshinori stopped for a moment, before walking away, replying, "None of your business. Get your nose off of my life, both in school and outside of school. We never know each other, get lost." He waved them away, feeling a surge of anger that he never felt before.
Toshinori couldn't help it. He was very mad that the old man judged all quirkless people as powerless, helpless, worthless trash. They aren't!
While Toshinori wasn't so sure if he himself was a true hero, he felt the need to defend the quirkless.
After receiving the paycheck from the manager, he exited the restaurant, feeling relief.
His shift ended, and he went back home after hours of working. Ah, finally, freedom... he smiled, before looking at the bargain sale poster in his hands, and grinned, "Looks like this day isn't so bad after a-"
A crying girl was heading to his way. Nevermind.
The girl launched herself into the direction of Toshinori, holding onto his chest.
A man emerged out of the shadows, revealed to be the number 10 hero,
BICYCLIST, THE FUEL HERO
QUIRK: FUEL. CAN PRODUCE FUEL AT A FAST RATE, WHICH IS USEFUL SINCE HIS SUIT CAN PRODUCE FIRE. HIS FUEL CAN ALSO BE USED FOR HIS INSANELY FAST MOTOCYCLE, NAMELY, THE CYCLE OF JUSTICE!
Toshinori looked down to the girl, before looking to the pro-hero. He sighed, before speaking, "Is something wrong with the girl?"
"A- ah, it's...nothing, I... she's my daughter, she just..err..." The bicycle hero find himself stuttering between his words, "Just give the girl back, I promise, it's just a phase."
Toshinori shook his head, "I don't think so. What kind of phase?" he asked one more time, his tone lower. Bicyclist sighed, before saying, "Look, kid, you're young, and I really, REALLY don't want to hurt you. I'm a pro-hero, and you kids should put your trust-"
"Heh, trust? Not a chance in hell. The girl is crying like crazy, that doesn't seem fine at all, and you still haven't explained why she cried. Go on, the mic is yours, mister pro-hero." He added a bit of a venom in his last words.
The pro-hero growled, before responding, "I promise it isn't what-"
"What. Kind. Of. Phase?!" Toshinori implied.
The pro-hero laughed, "You think you're some kind of hero here, kid? Don't waste my time here playing pretend like I'm the villain and the girl is the victim!"
"Well, now that you mention it, it kinda looks that way." Toshinori retorted with a smirk, before turning to the girl, "Nevermind, I'll just ask the girl herself."
"DON'T YOU DARE!" The bicyclist rushed, preparing to strike the teen. Toshinori reacted quickly and caught his hand, smirking, "Oh, come on, you would try to harm poor ol' me? A helpless, quirkless citizen? Now that's very unheroic."
"What do you know about heroes, you brat!" The bicyclist threw a kick, but Toshinori flicked his head, causing him to fly away from them, "Jerk."
He then turned his head to the whimpering girl, crying to him, "Get me away from him, mister, please!"
"What did he do to you?" Toshinori asked in a soft voice.
The girl began crying as she spoke, "I was with my mom and dad...when they had to go...then he came.. I thought he was a cool hero...so I followed him...but then... there's these bad men...bicyclist gave me away to them...for money...!" She began crying hysterically.
Toshinori's face were that of a terrified, angered beast. WHAT THE FUCK?!
"The bad men..were doing funny things to me..." The girl spoke cluelessly. Funny things? It took a second before Toshinori realised what it was and almost puked.
"They played with me..aggressively...they made me..do hard stuff..that makes me tired.." She cried hysterically, "Then I decided to run, and bicyclist came again to catch me! Help, mister! I don't wanna go back! I want to go back to mom and dad! Mister, please!" The girl cried to Toshinori's chest again.
Pure, ever-growing, intense anger. That's what Toshinori felt. The guy has the gal to call himself a hero? After what he did to the child?
Toshinori stood up, his anger building, "Don't worry, kid, stay close to me, and watch as I put this asshole in his place..." he grabbed the girl's hand, leading him to the alley, where the bicyclist was knocked out unconscious.
He flicked the guy's head again, causing the ground to break and his skull cracked. Bicyclist woke up in intense pain, before saying weakly, "Ugh..what just-"
Toshinori grabbed the 'hero' by the neck, gripping him hard but not hard enough to kill him. "So, 'hero', do you realise how much of a 'hero' you are now?"
"W- what the hell are you talking about, brat?! Where's the.. where's the girl?!" The man asked in panic. "Oh, she's safe and sound, under my protection. You're not going near her anymore, 'hero'."
"GIVE HER BACK!" The pro-hero demanded. Toshinori chuckled, "For what purpose though? So you can get money?"
"You have no idea who she is! She is part of the Yaoyoruzu family! I need her, please, I have a family, this hero job isn't effective, I need more money-" The pro-hero was cut off when Toshinori yelled, "So what you're telling me is, you, a hero, a guy that's supposed to keep the peace in society and save those who needs saving, you're telling me you'd allow this girl to be raped by a bunch of criminals while they demand her parents to give them money so they can give her back to her family?"
"And for what purpose?! FOR THE PURPOSE OF FIXING YOUR DAMN FINANCIAL ISSUES?! And you call yourself a fucking hero? Huh?! A FUCKING HERO?!" Toshinori yelled again, his anger rising. His faith in nowadays heroes are diminishing, and a hatred inside of him began to grow.
"It disgusts me how people like you are even allowed to be a hero! Seriously?! I want to puke about the fact that your name is associated with the title of a fucking hero! A HERO!!" Toshinori yelled so loud, the pro-hero felt an air of intimidation.
"How...the fuck...are brats like you...this strong...?!?!" The pro-hero struggled to speak.
However, Toshinori ignored his question, before he said again, "You are gifted with a quirk, and a hero status, and what do you decide to do with it?! You fucking abuse it and use your status to sell a fucking child to a criminal gang?! YOU?! HOW DARE YOU?!"
Toshinori snapped out of his anger, before effortlessly throwing the pro-hero against the wall with a force that aren't enough to kill him.
"Good grief... you're going to get your license revoked soon, my guy. The girl will provide witness." Toshinori blankly stated, before walking away with the girl, "Goodbye."
"No you won't!" The bicyclist yelled, rushing at Toshinori with a rusty bat he found near a trashcan, "GIVE HER BACK!!"
He swung the bat into the direction of Toshinori's head, but on contact, the weapon was shattered into pieces, "HOW'D YOU LIKE TH- aaahh..." he stopped in fear to realise just how much of a monster the blond boy in front of him is.
Toshinori slowly tilted his head, before throwing a bored punch into his chest, releasing a bone-cracking sound from it, knocking him unconscious again, "Trash." he harshly insulted the pro-hero under his breath.
"Thank you, mister! Thank you, thank you, thank you!" The girl repeated her thanks as she hugged Toshinori's thigh.
Toshinori found himself smiling, before replying, "It's no problem, kid."
However, her happy demeanour changed into a hysterical cry, "Thank you...If mister didn't come...I would be back...thank you!"
Toshinori felt his heart shattered. His faith in modern heroes are slowly fading. These piece of shits are what you call heroes?
"You're a true hero! Unlike that bicyclist guy! Mister, you're so cool!" The girl complimented him in the midst of her tears.
Toshinori found himself blushing in embarrassment at the excessive praise, "Oh, come on kid, I... didn't do much..." He reluctantly finished.
The girl giggled, before wrapping her arms around his legs, clutching herself into him.
"How you feeling, girl?" Toshinori asked as he walked with the girl towards the nearest police station.
"I'm...not good...it hurts..." The girl whined. Toshinori raised his brow, before realising what it was. Ah yes. The funny things.
He ruffled her hair in an attempt to comfort her, "Well, you won't have to experience that ever again, as long as I'm here. What's your name, girl?"
"Yaoyoruzu...Yaoyoruzu Izumi..." The girl replied, while still feeling pain. "Yaoyoruzu-chan it is! Call me Toshinori, if that's no problem with you." He replied with a grin.
"Okay! Toshinori-kun!" The girl cheerfully replied.
At the police station...
"Yagi-san... I'll report this to those who are involved with the heroics. Thanks for your service, and the girl will be save with us. We will contact the Yaoyoruzu family to take the girl back. Here's a compensation for you." Minato, the chief, handed over a couple hundred of yens to Toshinori.
Realising this, he widened his eyes, frantically waving his hands in front of his face, "N- no! No, no, that isn't necessary, sir, I was just doing what I thought was right, I-"
"Accept it. We are grateful for what you did. You see, the Yaoyoruzu family has been demanding us to find the little girl, even declared that they would throw all of their money away to us just for us to be competent enough to find her. I felt bad, really, but then, you turned the tide. We are forever in your debt, Yagi-san..." Minato interrupted, before continuing, "I'm sure you'd make a great hero someday. I see the makings of an incredible hero in yourself."
Okay, this is just too much, he didn't do anything special at all!
Toshinori scratched his head in embarrassment, "Yeah, I'm not sure about that, sir..." He replied, before taking the money, "But thanks..I really don't want the money, but since you insist..." he pocketed the money.
"Good luck, Yagi-san." Minato said while smiling. Toshinori nodded, before a certain girl ran to him, lifting both of her hands up, "Toshinori-kun! We'll see each other again, right?! You're so cool! I want to meet you again!"
Toshinori smiled, before crouching, hugging the little girl, "Of course, of course, if I have the time, I will."
The girl cried in his arms again. Toshinori frowned, before saying in a gentle voice, "Come on, don't cry..."
"The bad men...they...they are still-" Toshinori interrupted by holding the girl tighter than before, "They won't touch you." he said with determination.
Toshinori removed himself from the girl's embrace, before writing his phone number (again) on a small paper, giving it to the small girl, "My phone number. Whenever you feel discomfort, call me, I'll be there in an instant, literally." He finished.
He knew where the Yaoyoruzu's live, so finding her wouldn't be that much of a trouble.
The girl smiled in response, "Thank you, Toshinori-kun! See you!"
Toshinori nodded, before giving away a goodbye salute, as he disappeared instantly.
Outside...
Toshinori walked around, "Now, for the bargain sal-"
He cut himself off when the poster says,
Bargain sale will occur until 7 PM!
Toshinori looked at his watch, as despair began to take him over. It was 7:30 PM!!
He fell on his knees, before screaming to the sky, "KUSOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!!!!"
TO BE CONTINUED!