She was out there again. For the third day in a row, she was out running in the streets. For the third day in a row, he was watching her run. She never seemed to run in any particular pattern. He had learned that by now. The catgirl just ran down whatever street she wanted, without much of a plan. He looked more closely as she moved along the street in front of the building, appearing oblivious to his stare.

"Hey, you're going to overwater the plants," Saitama spoke up.

Genos looked down at the plants, realizing that he had lost track of how much he was putting into them. He frowned slightly and set about draining the water, but found himself looking in her direction again. Her waist-length violet hair was pulled up and swung side to side like a second tail. He watched her turn a corner and finally disappear.

"What? Is she out there again?"

"She's training."

Saitama turned away and settled at the table, picking up a manga. "Don't you think she acts weird? I ran into her on my way home yesterday and she didn't say anything. She just bared her fangs at me and ran off."

"Her feline instincts seem to be strong," Genos agreed.

"Right? She's like one of those stray cats that you can give food to, but they don't let you pet them and they run away if you get too close." He scratched at his stomach beneath his shirt and shrugged. "Not really our problem though. She looks alright and she isn't causing trouble so let's just leave her alone."

The blonde went about the rest of his morning tasks until it came time to take out the trash. He stepped outside with the bag and paused. Briefly, he wondered if she was still running. The catgirl was intriguing. Very little was known about her past. Only that she had been born in City G and was genetically altered. If she was altered in a laboratory, what happened to the scientist that altered her? She is a hero, but she acts like a hermit.

He went down to dispose of the garbage bag and saw her rounding the corner again. Their eyes met for an instant and he saw color rush to her pale cheeks, bringing them to a warm pink. The girl looked away quickly and continued down the street, her ears flattened in embarrassment.

They had not exchanged words since the day they met. Genos wondered if leaving her food and a blanket might have been the wrong move. He had seen where she went when she left the two male heroes and he knew that she was injured. He suspected that her injury might have been what drove him to leave the gifts. The food container had been found on the sidewalk, a few blocks away from the apartment building.

Shift P.O.V

Noriko's heart was beating very fast as she put her back to the young man. I didn't know that they live in that building. It looks pretty nice for being in the ghost town. She shook her head and stared straight in front of her, knowing that she needed to focus on the task at hand.

The past three days had been without a fight. As much as she hated to admit it, she really wanted to fight a monster. She wanted to feel that rush of adrenaline and work her muscles beyond simply running. I looked them both up on my phone. Saitama is lower class, but Genos is class S. He looks like he would be class S; he's sort of intimidating. And Saitama…looks dopey enough to be class C. A smile tugged at her lips and she shook her head.

Her plan now was to stay in City Z and train until she was strong enough to move on to the next phase. Losing focus was not an option. Her chest felt tight just thinking about what she really wanted to accomplish. I'm going to do it, she told herself. I'll become strong enough and I'll go back for them! I'll beat whoever I have to just to make sure that I can save the others!

"Samurai Catgirl."

She stumbled, nearly falling onto her face in her surprise. Growling, she twisted and leapt back to put distance between herself and the cyborg. "Hn. You…what do you want? I'm not hurting anyone by-!"

"Why are you a hero?"

"Why…? What…kind of question is that?" Noriko bit at her thumbnail, frowning. She had very minimal experience with talking to boys around her age so speaking to Genos, even though he was a cyborg, made her nervous. "I'm a hero…so I can get stronger by fighting monsters…human and inhuman. I need to be stronger."

He stared back at her intensely and set down his trash bag. "You have another reason." Genos saw her whole body tense and her sharp green eyes met his gold and black ones. "No one knows how you became the way you are. Does it involve that reason? Is that why you have to become stronger?"

She bowed her head, loose locks of violet hair falling over her face. "Have you…heard of Grey Corporation?" Of course, he nodded. It was a big company that produced and distributed mechanical parts and technology. "I need to be stronger…so I can take down that company. I need to be stronger so that I can help all of the others that are like me. So…why are you a hero?"

The blonde launched into a rather lengthy explanation that finally settled her question about whether or not he was a cyborg. When he finished, he simply stood staring down at the girl. "You should train under Master Saitama."

"No." Her answer came quickly and easily. "He's…weird."

"He's the strongest man that I've ever encountered. If you train under him the way that I do, I'm sure that one day you will-"

"Hn. I don't want to." She took a few steps back, anxiously chewing at her bottom lip. "I have to go."

"Wait." When he saw her begin to run, he quickly grabbed her hand to stop her. She twisted toward him, hissing and baring her fangs on instinct. "It was Noriko?" Her tail swished side to side and she nodded once. "Noriko-san, I want you to see Master Saitama fight. Then you will understand."

A growl was forming at the back of her throat, but she fought it down. "If I watch him fight…will you let me run in peace?" The catgirl was unsettled by the idea of being around the two other heroes. She had spent so much time alone that it genuinely frightened her to think about spending time with others.

"Yes." Realizing that he was still holding her hand, he let go. "Master Saitama and I are going to spar this afternoon. Will you come with us to watch?"

"F-fine…I'll meet you at your building," she reluctantly agreed.

"Alright. We are leaving a few hours after noon."

When he let go of her hand, she quickly ran down the street to put distance between them. Noriko's heart was pounding as she looked over her shoulder at the cyborg. He…was holding my hand. She lifted her right hand, staring at the flesh and blushing faintly. He's made of metal, but…his hand was so warm. Why is my heart beating so fast over something so small?

She decided to return to her temporary home until afternoon came. Her lunch was a simple pork bun that she had gotten from the convenience store the night before when buying supplies. Lying on her back in the empty building, her mind wandered to the meal that had been left for her. The fluffy steamed rice and the perfectly seasoned fish had been the best meal she had eaten in quite a while. Even at Grey Corporation, I never ate that well. Always nutrition bars and intravenous fluids. That cooking the other day tasted so good…

The catgirl shifted into the warm sunlight that came in through the smashed window nearby. Stretching a little, she yawned widely and closed her eyes. I wonder what it's like though. Inside that apartment building. Do they live like this? They probably don't. They probably have a stove at least. She absently scratched behind one ear, frowning.

Her thoughts went to the cyborg again. She remembered the expression on his face as she turned to hiss at him. No fear. In fact, he did not seem at all bothered by the fact that she was part cat. His friend had commented on it and seemed almost amused by it. Her tail shifted behind her, coiling into a loose curl around her thigh.

Noriko had encountered men before. She was no stranger to working with them, either. Though most of the men that she had encountered in the past were bad. They wanted things from her. Not her attention, but they wanted her to do things for them like steal and murder. It was how she managed to have as much money as she did. The Hero Association paid her well, but most of her finances were made up from her previous days as a sword for hire. Thievery. Murder. They were things that men seemed to almost expect from her before she became a hero.

When afternoon came, she sat up and finished her pork bun. Alright, she thought as she stood and stretched. I guess I'll go. I really am a little curious. Is that bald guy as strong as Genos says that he is? To her irritation, she felt her cheeks begin to burn as she thought of the cyborg. It's just that I'm not used to being around guys my age. That has to be it. Right?

"Hey, Nya-chan," Saitama greeted her when she arrived. "Are you going to spar, too?"

"Hn. I'm just here to watch," she stated in a growl. I don't want them to think that I'm here to make friends. I have a plan to follow. Friends aren't part of the plan. She shoved her hands into her pockets and raised an eyebrow. "Where's Genos-san?"

"I am here." He appeared at the top of the stairs, holding something wrapped in cloth. "I have prepared dinner for after the sparring match."

Noriko immediately felt her mouth water and her stomach quietly growled, drawing Saitama's attention. She bared a fang and looked away. "That's…I mean…that sounds good."

This seemed to please Genos and he paused beside her at the bottom of the stairs. "Are you ready to go?"

"Hn. I'm as ready as I'll ever be." She grudgingly followed the two down the street, not entirely sure of where they intended to spar. He brought food. And it smells delicious. He must have known. Right? But why be so kind to a stranger?

"Hey, Nya-chan, do you need carried? You're kind of slow."

"I don't need carried! I'm just…not as fast as you." Her eyes widened and a yelp escaped her as she felt her feet leave the ground. Metal arms had lifted her and she was now being held against a chest as she was carried.