Disclaimer: I don't own One Punch Man :P
Warning: Death (and a tiny bit of gore? Idk)
Italics is subconscious talking btw.
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[Present Day]
I stared at the gray door in front of me and pondered how long was I standing here. My internal body clock tells me it couldn't have been hours but my legs already felt like collapsing at the invisible weight depressing me. My limbs shook and I probably look pale – as pale as my green skin can offer – devoid of any blood rushing from my veins.
You were probably wondering if ever I'm sick.
No, I'm not.
I might as well be with what my actions caused. The events that happened prior today were still fresh and replaying in my mind as if I unconsciously downloaded an application to remember it all just for me watch and rewatch more of it again. It was a chore to sleep that night, tossing and turning for a comfortable position, wanting to give in to sleep you desperately needed yet knowing rest was far from your reach.
Now I'm sleep deprived and certainly looking more like a monster with the sluggish, exhausted way I present myself. Somewhere deep in my mind, I vaguely recalled some scientist commenting how my moods affect my ability, but it soon drifted away.
My hand trembled once I tried to lift it and knocked three times.
That's funny, I snorted, because you know what? I'm invisible, I exist but no one can see me like a ghost lumbering around the area. Must be the emptiness I'm feeling… I suppose this is a good thing, to be able to hide yourself from onlookers noting your miserable presence.
How again should I deal with this? I never thought of what I'm going to say before, too occupied wallowing and watching my mind-tv. It hadn't occurred to me where I'm going but my feet dragged me into Saitama's apartment.
There was someone shuffling inside who I figured was Saitama, since Genos hasn't approached the man yet to be his apprentice, and the next thing I knew light met my eyes – his bald head never loses its shine apparently. He stood there expecting delivery mail while my body tensed at the lack of preparation I gave for this moment.
"Sai–" I abrupt held my tongue, remembering how Saitama doesn't know me because we didn't introduce ourselves that day. Pretty sure he forgot about me too.
So I began with a different greeting.
I cleared my throat at the best of my ability but the shortage of water available had me force, "Mister…" rather roughly.
Saitama adopted a mix of annoyed and peeved expression on his face as his gaze met a brown shirt that would have been white if clean and denims floated in midair. Eyes searching back and forth for my body, or for probably for strings attached on the cloth. When met with nothing but air, his pupils began to dilate in slight panic. Without doubt, this guy must've imagined a ghost in front of him. I didn't really want to creep out the guy. He's the only one I have in mind that could help (read: save) me in times of crisis so I pushed the thought away and continued – the dryness didn't help my voice sound less horrible, "You are a good man mister and I come to confess my–!"
Slam! The door immediately shut closed into my face, its hinges ruined whereas my nose crumpled into a bloody mess.
"Ouch! Goddammit and everything holy!" I wailed pathetically on the floor, crying big, fat tears of pain as I gingerly touched my damaged organ, "What the shit Saitama!"
"Hey! You're that kid from the streets!" I was about to snap something rude but stopped in favor of focusing the slip-up I made. Luck seems to be on my side (she was quite late rescuing me from bloody nose) because Saitama appeared concerned for my health instead of confused when he asked, "What are you doing here?"
And boy, he didn't even look remotely close to sorry.
It's actually my fault but I don't care.
"I told you! I'm here to confess!" I replied, my voice nasal as blood poured without a hint of stopping. Guess my injury is more than just a broken, bloody nose.
"But I'm not a priest." Of course he isn't! I wanted to tell him that he'd be the worst pastor ever boring everyone to sleep, but my brain kept supplying pictures of Saitama in a silky, clerical clothing fighting crime and saving the day.
Mentally spluttering at the unnecessary train of thought, I began to appeal for the hero to listen, "Please… Just hear me out!"
Saitama shook his head, his hand reaching for the door to close it once again, "Go bother someone else kid."
My stubbornness wasn't about to let him ignore him, not after I went here for a purpose, and certainly not after blasting my nose without hearing me out. "…I-I killed someone."
"Eh?" was his only reply.
"It was an accident I swear!"
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[Two Days Ago]
My everyday routine consisted of aimlessly wandering around Z-city alone and I was perfectly content with it. The place is a ghost town, but it has its own peaceful vibe once you get past the eeriness it vibrated 24/7. Contrary to what people assumed, few monsters actually live here instead of the thought of it being a nestling ground of criminals. With no one to be terrorized, of course they'd look for the populated areas to show themselves. But that was partly the reason why Z-city is abandoned. It was frequented by natural calamities – and by natural, consider it the underground home of the Subterraneans…
As I was saying, being happily undisturbed for me to grasp enlightenment was fairly enough the only good reason I came up with my reincarnation business. Unfortunately, some people don't get that.
"Hey you!" I stopped at my tracks and turned to look at the person who called.
It was a highly disfigured man with my same skin color. Well, not really, more like a human wearing a frog as his head except it really is his head.
He had a dozen or so followers too tailing at him sharing his upsetting facial feature. These thugs seem tough too. Broad, strong bodies pumped with steroids like those muscle obsessed men from commercials… Heck, three of them were carrying baseball bats with barbed wires wrapped around the barrel, and the end cap has a huge spike attached on it!
I frowned, feeling that they'd use it to scare civilians into giving money or whatever they want, and to an extension: me, just in case I show myself as a threat to them.
"You new here pal? Looked lonely too. Where are your friends? What are you doing here?"
I sighed miserably at the questions he fired all at once, he's asking me too many questions and only the first one was what I can answer. So what am I supposed to respond? Without of course angering them seeing the thugs encircle my being. I'm heavily outnumbered should I end up in a fight. "What if I am?"
The leader grimaced. Ha! Answering your question with a question would surely put me off as well especially when said person was being elusive.
"There's a new store at W-city. They're opening later today bet there'll be plenty of people to rob." (1) The leader of the gang said, failing to hide his excitement.
"Oh~ and pretty ladies! Heard they have the biggest cosmetics department!" Someone spoke up.
"And we'd chase them around!" Another chirped, waving his bat frantically and here's me hoping he'd hit himself and die.
"Or we could have them around!"
"Ooor! We could sell them and earn more money. I want a car because travelling on foot is a pain in the ass." And they all cheered, some nodding at the thought of cars, others were jumping in eagerness.
Great. I'm surrounded by rapists and human traffickers. What more could possibly go wrong? Come now, this is One Punch Man. Aren't villains of this world hypothetically ultra-strong, power-hungry, conceited titans? My lips curled in absolute disgust, teeth gritting as I held my temper down, "That's not really my thing." By this time, I really should leave and move on to my daily stroll but I had been a girl from another world, if my ears caught something like this, my high heels would immediately found its tip poking their lungs.
Although I'm not wearing any shoes as of this moment, there's no way in hell I'm letting these ill-bred brutes touch innocent girls.
I'm pretty sure my veins were already bulging as my blood boiled, but the thugs weren't as bright as their skin tone when the hairs of my neck straightened up signaling me that someone put an arm on my shoulder. And once he tried to persuade me into going, saying in an obnoxious tone– "You'd fit right in with us, little man! And with that face of yours you'd get ample of ladies on their knees." –I lost my cool. That's the last straw. I am not having any more of their bullshit.
"I'm surprised you even know the meaning of ample." The guy gasped for air when his gut came in contact with my elbow. Without hesitation, my other hand gripped his offending arm and threw him off to the nearest fellow.
There was an incoming ugly from behind, hoping to surprise me but then again Ugly's too stupid to do that as he came yelling profanities and swung his bat in a huge arc. Which is again stupid. Holing up most of your body's center of gravity at the torso left the legs in such an unbalanced state.
So I crouched down then took the chance to kick his ankle.
He was silenced as he ultimately fell onto me and into my awaiting arms. Only for Ugly to be thrown off into another approaching thug, who I decided to call Fugly.
Their assaults seldomly hit as I was faster than them, but when it did… I had the deep urge to laugh because why not? I survived Genos' line of fire blasting straight to my face. The blows I received were nothing compared to the blonde's metallic limbs delivering an uppercut.
I almost didn't feel it if it weren't for the barbed wires shredding my skin.
By this point, I'm less than aware of my actions, however, my sensory perception doubled making me think of Spiderman in a split second before it was gone and replaced by a new surprise. This was definitely the opposite of my fight with Genos where I wasn't in control. My punches were ridiculously lame, my dodges were quite sloppy, and my blocks were pathetic – laughable!
Though right now, it seemed to me that this body was a built of evasion. Their attacks appeared predictable, I can counter it with swift strike at the most vulnerable areas in complete precision. It didn't take me long to realize no one is out to get me as I kicked the last frogman in the balls, seeing him howl in pain brought glee into every fibers of my existence.
The bodies were all over the street unconscious and battered – they look good crumpled – so I allowed myself a rest. Dropping on the ground, panting and exhausted at the adrenaline gradually leaving my system.
Now. How do you call the police?
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[Present Day]
Telling Saitama the whole story would result to him slamming the door shut for the second time of this day. Fortunately, I have the foreknowledge of his lackluster attitude. He found long discussions an absolute bore, no matter how informative it is. As a result, I decided to be blunt, just like what I should have done in the first place where my nose instead faced the consequence of my idiocy.
Summarizing my story was easy but cutting off words to make it less than twenty? I'll try my best…
"A gang assaulted me but I managed to dispatch them all. I had no idea that their boss would avenge them! It was not what I expected at all." Indeed it wasn't. I mentally berated myself for being careless. A gang, no matter how it consisted of unknown creatures, is still a gang – they have organizations.
And their leader who approached me first was puny, no way others would follow him. So the whole situation was really my fault… for you know, underestimating stuffs I have no clue about.
"So how did you kill him?" Saitama's question broke my self-blaming fantasies and I stared at him, eyes squinted and head pulled back.
"The boss? Oh no. It wasn't him I killed. Believe me if I did I wouldn't be here."
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[Yesterday]
My casual morning walk was once again interrupted… any peace I gathered for the day evaporated when my teal-colored eyes caught sight of the anomaly. I immediately knew that today was going to be a long one. If this happens one more time, I'd rage a bitch fit. It wasn't even a week yet I already involved myself into fights with gangs and canon characters.
There was a frog, sandwiched (squished) between ruined buildings, who was just as tall as the structure. If you think for a second how it was a cute spectacle, then you should go and correct your eyesight for the view would definitely empty all your stomach contents – I grimaced exaggeratedly, even comparing it to Gamabunta is just rude!
It croaked; its throat expanding and its beady black eyes stared down at my small form that greatly unnerved me. We had a staring contest and when he opened his mouth, I feared for my life. So far, I've survived Genos (and Mosquito Girl, if you could consider it) and a group of rapists with a fetish for frogs. Is the chance of surviving this day possible for little ole me? Yes, but unlikely.
To my surprise, the frog didn't eat me, "So you're that punk who attacked my soldiers?" He asked. His voice rough as if he had sandpaper for a voicebox.
My eyebrows when up, "Soldiers?" This must've been the boss, pretend there are no other contenders, and apparently he runs a military army of frogs for what? World domination? – get real. "Makes sense since you're kinda like the frog lord and all being one hundred percent frog complete with warts and slime." I commented. All I could see was his squished up front, and it really wasn't a beautiful sight to look at. Don't get me start thinking about his other body parts…
"I'm not a frog! I'm a toad!" His black eyes grew wide as he croaked in indignation.
I waved my hand in dismissal and muttered lowly, "To-may-toes and to-mah-toes…" because my care for his species is between zero to none. It simply doesn't matter and I bet anyone wouldn't give a fuck either. "Your soldiers kinda attacked me!"
The toad huffed. Normal amphibians don't do that. He may look like one, but his weight clearly lists him off the normality this plane of existence offers, "Excuse you…" Oh wow, it can sass back too! "You apprehended them from doing their job."
I rolled my eyes, stopping by this lot was more and more presenting itself to be mistake. "Does their job consists of robbing a store?"
"Yes! We need funds."
"And rob girls from a nice future?"
"Yes! We need funds." He repeated and my face crunched up in dislike as I gaze at the nearest corner longingly. I could leave you know, since the toad was too massive maybe he got stuck in between the buildings… "Actually, their job is to get you to me."
And that brought the fear back because if their target was me all along then yesterday was a planned meeting, except ending up beaten into ground was probably not according to what these creatures discussed.
By now my senses would have told me to hide or initiate invisibility but because I'm curious (and incredibly wary), I queried, "Is that so?" with a voice full of pretended confusion.
He instantly answered the most ironic reply I have ever heard, "Yes! I've heard rumors of you fighting a cyborg and surviving. You must teach me how to be powerful." My mind rapidly focused on his last sentence, it definitely won the cake. Because – me? HAHAHA! I can't even comprehend half of my abilities, and this toad is asking for my help?!
It should be me who needs help!
"Suck up to someone else cuz' I aint teaching you." I turned back to the street and walked away.
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[Present Day]
"Let me get this straight." Saitama said and I'm secretly amazed he stayed listen. "Some toad asked you to be his master, you refused because he insulted you?"
"Wrong." I raised my hand for the one gesture and began to list my reasons, "I refused because one: I am different from him. The powers he seek can't be learned."
I was being one hundred percent honest with that because just how on earth am I be able to teach invisibility to a specie of different caliber? Plus why would I do that? Who knows what might happen… Just imagine an unseen obstacle crossing the road and people wondering why cars were suddenly crashed. "And two: is simply out of dislike."
Saitama looked bothered. I'm not exactly sure if he's perturbed with my story or with me, "So how did you kill a man again?"
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[Yesterday]
He leaped.
The fucking toad jumped straight into the air like a bullet aimed at the sky, and the area he once stood was ultimately ruined, fracturing the surrounding buildings. I was baffled, my mouth dropped open. His shadow dawned on my whole being, swallowing about 10 meters of the ground. My sharp eyes could barely see his figure, he was like a spec of dirt in the clear, blue sky. Do you know huge he is? As big as a ten-wheeler truck!
And when he reached the highest point… dear god, the toad descended with such an impressive speed, his shadow increasing in size, no thanks to gravity for helping his massive weight down.
The initial shock that had cemented me on the pavement was gone the instant I realized that the whole street would be destroyed. I'd be destroyed like an insignificant ant, flattened if I weren't to get out of the way.
So I hastily scrambled into run, my breaths coming in short as I prayed, wishing and hoping I won't get hit by the impact–
–I did get hit eventually. Not crushed under the toad's weight (I survived yet again another close encounter to death, thank you), but the force it generated caused a blast of winds blowing my entire being to a distance of unknown.
It must've been very far because I wasn't in Z city anymore the moment I opened my eyes.
Worse than that is my back somehow fell on a person.
I never actually knew the emotion behind death. It causes grief, sure, but I died when I choked an apple – didn't really feel that much. The thing is, in my past life, I was too caught up with the person experiencing pain and the death, the ones about to die. Call it ignorance or apathy, but my insight on the people the dead left behind hurting hadn't been a subject I've tackled with my subconscious.
Thus when my irises landed on an empty, bleeding eye socket of a civilian I explicitly knew the real emotion dealt behind literally someone who died.
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[Present]
"The man you killed died because you broke his back?"
I slowly nodded in confirmation, "And neck. Also crushed half of his body including the head." squeaking in a very small voice and unable to look at Saitama.
When I collided with him, his front must've have been scrapped off. I didn't remember any tumbling or rolling so that means – I gulped, feeling coldness wash over my back – we skidded along the road. Except he had the misfortune to be my surfing board. Delete that thought! There is no time for jokes!
"It was just so sudden…" I muttered. My mind kept on replaying my mind-tv specifically the scene where I was cushion by a body of an innocent man who might have a girlfriend (or a family, anyone really!) looking for him, worrying for him and mourning for him. "I can't even! Oh my god!" The speedy fall of my tears greeted Saitama's apartment floor and tried, miserably failing, to wipe it all off.
It really should have been me lifeless! Not some powerless individual to have a life of his own. What use do I have in this world when I came and ended up killing someone? Who thought it was a good idea to recycle my rotten soul into this should be, supposed to be hero? Just why me?
All the emotions I've bottled up since the beginning steamed off. There was the immense shock from where I found myself surrounded by clones. There was the anger and denial I felt when questioning the meaning behind my reincarnation, losing the life as a nerdy college girl. The depression of understanding I'm alone for two months with no one to share my discomfort was also there. Lastly, was the anxiety of facing whatever misfortune I cross as a new breed of human.
None of this is what I've wished for. The universe chose the wrong person for I'm anything but strong. Oh how I loathed it, thinking of my position.
Maybe I was busy bawling my eyes out, or Saitama can't handle seeing a crying kid and took pity on me because I have no recollection of entering his house nor seating on a tatami mat being offered tea.
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Fast update huh? Don't get used to it my friends haha! I just so happen to be motivated to write this because this is what I initially had in mind as a prologue. I figured that maybe I could still use it before Genos comes knocking on Saitama's door.
I have no idea where W-city is, I just assumed Z-City is surrounded by V,W, X, and Y.
10/24/2018 - Minor edits.