Chapter 2: Training on the Beach
It was Sunday, the only day in the week Toshi had to himself. Every other day of the week was preoccupied with school work, and when he wasn't hanging out with Takara and Himari, he was training. However, it was on Sundays that he wanted to spend his time exclusively with his friends. Popping a lollipop into his mouth, Toshi shot a text to his friend group, asking if they were up to going to the beach with him.
Thinking ahead, Toshi began to pack his backpack with the essentials, a towel and loads of snacks, especially candy bars and about a couple of bottles of water for the way to and back his destination. He had checked his iPhone for at least four times before receiving messages from both Himari and Takara that they had their own plans for that day. Sighing, he placed the device inside his backpack, finally starting his routine.
But before he could exit the house, Nejire - still as beautiful and quite the airhead as ever, called out to him in her loving voice. She placed a finger to her chin and asked, "Now, Toshinori, where are you going~?" She asked even though she knew what he was up to.
Toshinori couldn't help but form a smile on his face as he let his backpack slightly fall from his shoulder, "Well, I know YOU know, ma~!"
Nejiri smiled and laughed gently, "I know~ But do be careful now. Always keep an eye on your surroundings. And before you go home, fetch some umami from the convenience store! We'll be having katsudon tonight!" She placed her hands on her cheeks, clearly excited to make the dish. However, Toshinori knew the real reason why she was making THAT.
HE's coming home later this day…
Toshinori gave a huge smile, but his hands had tightened around the straps on his backpack as he stepped out of the house, letting his mother know he'll get it done. But his thoughts kept coming back to the one person he didn't want to see or talk to as he walked the empty neighborhood he lived in. It was quiet, leaves swaying in the branches of the trees lined up to decorate the park built near their suburb. The shallow river flowed uninterruptedly as he bounded over to the side of it and started his warm ups.
It was truly pleasant that day, and he could hear the birds chirping giddily as they go about their day, flying from one place to the next. Extending his muscular arms up high and to his sides, Toshinori's overall form looked very similar to that of his avian companions hopping about him. He couldn't help but stop to observe them before reminding himself to concentrate on the tasks he set out to accomplish that day.
And after one more arm-breaking push up, Toshinori fell on his back where soft well-trimmed grass made his otherwise uncomfortable position on the ground quite tolerable. Looking up at the sky, he let out a bright sigh with cyan eyes glistening in the cool, comfortable heat. Sweat falling from the sides of his face, he didn't bother wiping them off as he sat up to stuff his hand inside his packback, taking a towel to lay on his shoulders and a candy bar with which to eat after a hard workout.
Unbeknownst to Toshinori as he ate his candy in peace, a purple-haired girl slowly directed her green mushroom-shaped pupils to the boy's location. With her mouth open and a red blush settling in her cheeks, Betatsu continually watched the boy's activities with her dainty binoculars. She gulped as she shyly put the binoculars down when people got too near her. She didn't want to be seen as a stalker after all, since she was not one in the first place. SHE WAS WATCHING BIRDS, after all...
She squealed when Toshinori laid down on the evergreen grass, for her mind had started to run on its own fantasies. Drooling over the sight, she fanned herself excessively. It wasn't long after that the boy somewhat turned to look in her general direction that she fainted from the sight. Blood could be seen flowing from her nose as she fell backwards on her picnic blanket where grapes and an assortment of chocolate candy mushrooms were packaged neatly for her to enjoy.
From the distance, Toshinori could see a few people gathering around a certain spot - to see if a certain purple-haired girl was alright, but he decided to pack up and continue his trek after his light snack. Checking the GPS embedded on his wrist watch, he set it up to where he could pass through the suburbs of Musutafu instead of going through the busy roads in the downtown area to get to the beach. The mint-haired boy took one last look at the serene park and jogged to a more modernized suburb area with quite a number of stalls offering many services, from fast food, to nail polish, tattoo, and so many more kinds. He stopped after hearing quite the loud ruckus from an arcade that certainly had way too many people inside, seeing as there was quite a long line of gamers, otakus, and shut-ins that risk their lives just to acquire some new edition figurines.
Toshinori stopped upon seeing a poster plastered on the wall, where a few people were taking pictures with. There was a television screen next to it that had action scenes that the boy initially thought were from a 3D animation, 'This must be what the hype is about…' It wasn't long into the 'show' that he realized it was actually news reported a few days ago about a certain rising Pro-Hero.
"Oh my gosh! MARIA is so freaking hot! She could step on me, and I wouldn't mind!" Came quite a disturbing statement from a few men standing near a body stand of said heroine.
"MARIA, huh?" Turning to the television, Toshinori stood to watch the clips for a few minutes, with interest quickly growing as to who this MARIA was. She was even becoming more popular than recognized heroes of this generation, and that was what really made him watch the whole video.
The scene that had him glued to his spot was of a fight scene.
A gorgeous young woman came on the screen, ethereal white hair draped behind her like a beautiful shawl and heterochromic eyes of grey and blue staring down a confident, sadistic Villain who was in charge of setting off a high-detonating nuke. Wearing a white bodysuit fit to her curves with a signature dark blue letter M placed on her chest, dark blue high-heeled boots, and a blue mask with blue fringes waving behind her, she suddenly jumped, disappearing from view. Once Toshinori saw this, he got really quiet even though his thoughts were racing about what could have been MARIA's quirk.
Then like a tear in space had been opened suddenly, Maria popped into view again, quickly placing herself on the shoulders of her opponent before rolling downwards with the villain following suits. After she had rolled off of the villain, she had thrown a disc on the nuke, and it had disappeared as well. Even as the Villain pressed the remote, it could be seen that a small bit of smoke rose from a really tiny explosion where the nuke once stood. The woman quickly overpowered the Villain, cuffing him, and letting the police handle the aftermath of the battle.
As the clip finished, Toshinori blinked, muttering to himself, and coming to the conclusion that the heroine was someone he needed to watch very closely. She was one heck of a hero.
A/N: Well guys, it's really coming full circle ain't it? I've actually got the next chapter out on time. So what's the deal? Well Sheepthrills is the one who helped me, they did a great job helping me bust this chapter out.
An update shall reveal that I have got all the characters I need for my class of 24.
Well here we got to meet a new character and teased another character, but what is she for? Who knows?
Go Beyond! Plus Ultra!