A/N: This time around the story will include several Blazblue plot-point spoilers, you don't need to know the series, but if you don't want anything spoiled go ahead and give this a pass till you've had the experience.
A shout of, "Hey! Stop!", rings out as a teenager in a yellow hoodie runs through the crowded square, slithering through small gaps between people like a snake. The boy is clutching a bag of stolen food as if it is the most precious thing to exist, being careful to keep the contents within it from spilling out as he makes his escape. As he makes his way to the other side of the square, the boy looks around for a way out before spying an old fire escape with the ladder down.
He charges towards it as fast as he can without losing his precious cargo, climbing with as much vigor as he can muster with his heavy load. Upon reaching the top of the ladder the teen quickly folds it up and hastily climbs the stairs. As he crests over the rooftop he dashes towards the other end to make a running leap.
As he's flying over the multi-story drop, the boy ponders his situation. 'Seven years, huh? Considering how long I've been doing this, I'd expect I'd stop getting caught by now, but security measures are too advanced, even for simple shops.' The hooded escapee hits the other rooftop running, and his pursuers are left to their frustration at losing him.
(A few minutes later, half a mile south)
The hooded boy lets out a breath as he comes to a stop before sitting down on the roof he's found himself on. "Should be far enough", He mutters aloud as he sifts through the bag of stolen food to begin his meager meal.
(Later, Night, a rooftop in an industrial sector)
Terumi lays his blanket out and nearly collapses onto it from exhaustion. For some reason he can't comprehend, Terumi has always been skinny and frail, almost no stamina to speak of. He's quite quick, and not weak by any regards, but he can't take a hit to save his life, and anything drawn out wears him down till he falls into exhaustive sleep. He sighs and shuts his weary eyes, drifting off in an instant.
"Terumi!" He's facing down a tall, pale man with spiky white hair and heterochromia, one eye red and the other green. Said man is charging him with a ridiculous blade, having made the exclamation of his name. Terumi responds against his will with what he assumes is the other man's name, "Ragna the Bloodedge!"The man continues his rush as neon-green energy and chains erupt around Terumi and launch out to strike at the man, who parries with his massive weapon. As another attack launches out, the man moves past, not even caring that one of the chains latches onto his arm, and rushes at Terumi as his weapon morphs from greatsword to scythe.
Terumi feels something he isn't used to, in dream or out, apprehension and… fear. Genuine blind fear erupts as a monstrous black aura springs to life around Ragna. There's a moment's exchange of blows parried and blocked, but Terumi feels a terrible pain in his chest as he is run through. He locks eyes with his killer and smiles madly, cackling, "Suffer for eternity… Ragna the Bloodedge!" The Bloodedge meets his gaze with a cool glare, "Be swallowed by darkness… Yūki Terumi." One last mad cackle erupts as Terumi is wiped from existence.
Terumi sits bolt upright with a start, grasping his chest as if in pain, breathing heavily as he grounds himself in reality. The Grimm Reaper isn't real, he has no place in this world. This isn't the first odd dream Terumi has had, they've been a haunting occurrence in his life since he started living on the street. They're all different scenarios, but they all revolve around someone he shares a name with committing atrocities he can hardly imagine in a world so strange and impossible that it hurts to even consider. 'Azure? Master Unit? Why do they keep mentioning gods like Susano'o?'
While Terumi is considering the mind-numbing world in his dreams, a figure in black approaches from behind. The man is tall and bedraggled, with long and unkempt dark hair falling down his black jumpsuit clad body to a little past his shoulders, and an odd scarf encircling his neck. This man is Shota Aizawa, (somewhat) better known as Pro-Hero Eraserhead. The Hero is here to investigate the young man in front of him's trespassing and possible squatting. As he comes up behind the boy, he hears him muttering nonsense about something called a… Phenomena Intervention?
Suddenly Terumi freezes and clamps his mouth shut. He feels someone behind him, approaching on silent feet. As Aizawa reaches to grab Terumi's shoulder, the man's instincts scream and he jumps back as a quick flash of murderous intent serves as a preamble to a vicious attempted liver shot with a butterfly knife that appears in the teen's hand in an instant. The teen glares at the man and bares a set of sharp fangs, flicking out his forked tongue as he hisses, bloodlust glowing in his eyes.
Terumi knows this presence, It's that damn warrior, the strongest thing alive. He hisses again and shouts, "Jubei! Damn cat!" He freezes and a confused look crosses his face as his stance falters. He didn't know anyone named Jubei, and he is fairly certain that the man in front of him has no distinctly cat-like features. Terumi relaxes his body and puts away his weapon, giving the man in front of him a sheepishly apologetic look, "… Sorry about that I… I guess I'm just a bit jumpy around other people…"
Aizawa is… baffled to say the least. Just moments ago this boy, for that's what he was, a teenage boy not possibly older than fifteen by the looks of him, was prepared to deliver a deadly blow with the rage of an old enemy, but now he was being… awkwardly polite… And who was this Jubei he mentioned? Aizawa shook his head, he could sort that out later, but for now he had to deal with this kid.
Aizawa clears his throat and steps forward, "It seems you've calmed down, I am Pro-Hero Eraserhead, and I'd like to ask what you're doing here." Terumi nods warily, "I suppose that makes se- wait, Eraserhead?", suddenly, the boy has shifted into panic mode. In an instant he's bowing as low as he possibly can, "I'm terribly sorry, had I known it was you I would've stayed my hand sooner!"
A look of mild shock crosses the Pro's face, "You know who I am?" Terumi straightens and nods vigorously, "Yes! You're only the best of the best when it comes to Underground Heroics! You help people and solve crimes and never ask for anything in return, outright avoiding attention as much as possible! You're my favorite Hero and what I think represents the very definition of the word!" As the teen speaks a smile grows across his face, cementing him as a die-hard fan.
Aizawa nods stiffly, he hadn't expected that, and carries on, "Alright then… now what were you doing up here?" The boy's expression immediately sours, "I uh… I sleep here… Nowhere else to go…" Aizawa frowns at that, this kid… what's he doing out on the street, he's too young for that. As he looks the boy over, he takes not of the dirty and ripped clothes, caked on dirt and grime, and the tired aura that hovers around the boy, but his eyes still burn bright. He has a quiet determination in his very soul, something that won't let him give up. Something like that could be very dangerous if put in the wrong situation, and there was no one to guide this kid unless…
Aizawa's eyes widen as an idea strikes him, it's crazy and goes against his usual attitudes but… This kid needed help, and he was a Hero after all. "Hey kid", his voice takes on a silently serious tone, "What do you aspire to be?" The teen tilts his head and considers the querey, "Well… I've always wanted to be a Hero", Aizawa nods inwardly to himself, this is what he wanted to hear, "But… That might be difficult given the current circumstances…" Aizawa could already tell what the kid meant, it was all too obvious the kid was homeless, but maybe he didn't have to stay like that.
"What's your name kid?" The teen looks confused but answers, "Terumi, why?" Aizawa grins slightly, "Well, it's true that achieving your dream would be difficult at the moment." Terumi grimaces, he should've expected this, "However, it's not impossible, especially if you have help." The snake-like teen is speechless, "Wha-", Aizawa cuts him off, "I'm saying that you can be a hero, Terumi, and that I'll help you make it to your dream's conclusion." Terumi takes in the words and processes them, and then, he smiles, turning night to day.
A/N: So, here it is, a redo of my first fic. Despite the fact that it's been such a short time, it feels oddly nostalgic, and I hope that this brings the same quality of enjoyment, if not better, than last time for everyone that I'm sure it will for me. Now then, It's almost midnight and I've got things to do in the morning, so goodnight and carry on.