⠀⠀The slow September breeze was marked by a soft flurry of snow, a heavy overcast, and a buzz from my pocket. I withdrew my phone and faintly smiled at the text before typing my replying. Halfway through, a second message popped up. Then a third and a fourth.

⠀⠀Together, they read, "Passed my exam today. Only missed one question. Thank you for tutoring me, Akari-sempai! I wouldn't have passed without you!"

⠀⠀As I stepped into an alley where two boys waited for me, I replied, "You're welcome, Toshi-san. What was the question?" Before he could answer, I silenced my phone and focused on the two high schoolers.

⠀⠀They had short, well-kept black hair, clean matching school uniforms, and broad builds. The shorter of the two had green eyes, while the taller had brown. While the shorter boy smiled and held a relaxed posture, the taller of the two looked uncomfortable and fidgeted. Between them, the smell of expensive cologne overpowered Autumn's crisp drawl.

⠀⠀Besides that, neither boy had a mutation quirk, nor did they show any hints at what their powers could be. They looked above average in their high-end uniforms. The tall one even looked out of place alongside the alley's filth. I could sense the uneasiness in his posture and the hesitation he carried.

⠀⠀"You didn't say — she — was a girl," the tall boy complained to his friend.

⠀⠀"Well — she — can hear you," the shorter laughed. "Shio-san," he waved, "it's nice to see you again! What, ah, were your prices again?"

⠀⠀I let out an annoyed sigh, then took in a deep breath. "Three-hundred yen per kilogram. I don't include a base or light, so you'll have to get that yourself," I explained. "Color-wise: pick blue, red, pink, orange, white, or gray. It costs extra if you want it to look like a hero or multicolored or anything — perverted..."

⠀⠀"P-perverted," the taller boy gasped. "I t-thought we were here for salt!"

⠀⠀"We are," the shorter boy said, and a pat on the taller boy's back reassured his friend.

⠀⠀"Oh... Isn't she like, eight?" he muttered.

⠀⠀"I'm fourteen, you idiot," I huffed.

⠀⠀"Oh, sorry, you're just-"

⠀⠀"Short, I know," I interrupted him.

⠀⠀"S-sorry," he tried to apologize again.

⠀⠀"Look, you asked me who I got my Recovery Girl lamp from," the second boy began. "Right here." He gestured towards me with both hands. "Don't ruin it and start complaining, alright?"

⠀⠀"I'm not c-complaining! I just," he paused, his face tinted red, "didn't expect a girl."

⠀⠀"He's a sheltered shut-in, isn't he?" I asked the shorter boy.

⠀⠀"He is, Shio-san," the shorter boy chuckled.

⠀⠀With a face as red as the leaves, the taller boy hissed, "N-no! I'm not!"

⠀⠀"Well, you really need to get over your fear," the second boy deadpanned. "And she's like as tall as your sister! Relax!"

⠀⠀I rolled my eyes at the comparison as the taller boy furrowed his bow. "S-shut up!"

⠀⠀With another deep breath, before they could continue to ramble, I asked, "Okay, who do you want a statue of? Another Recovery Girl? Some anime girl you like?"

⠀⠀"What? I'm n-not here for that!" the boy shouted with his face redder than before. "I wanted — a nice pagoda statue! It's for my mom's grave!"

⠀⠀I gave a short nod and relaxed my posture. "Well, pull out your phone and start looking up images. Do you want it to be, I don't know, a meter tall or two? Traditional architecture or modern? Square or round? You get the picture, right?"

⠀⠀The tall boy nodded, then made several unsure noises as he reached for his phone and began searching. His finger flicked several times as he scrolled before finally handing the device to me. "Like this. P-please."

⠀⠀"Modern then. How big and what color?" I, again, questioned.

⠀⠀"Sixty centimeters and w-white," he answered as I walked over to the alley's wall and lifted my bag.

⠀⠀As I withdrew a heavy tape measure, a thought came to mind. "Wait," I looked to the second boy, "please tell me you told him how expensive this can get?"

⠀⠀"I have m-money," the first boy stated with determination.

⠀⠀"Really? Without doing math or weighing the thing, it'll probably cost you around thirty-thousand yen," I estimated. "Do you have that kind of yen?"

⠀⠀The shorter boy snorted. "Easy. Toshiaki is loaded," he proclaimed.

⠀⠀"Iwao, don't go telling people that," Toshiaki hissed.

⠀⠀"What? You just said you had money, and she needs to know you're going to pay her! I mean, I did, and she delivered," Iwao countered. "You're new!"

⠀⠀"And you're annoying," I thought.

⠀⠀"That's not the point! You don't tell people your friends are loaded," Toshiaki complained as I withdrew a scale bag.

⠀⠀"But everyone already knows you're-"

⠀⠀"Will you s-shut up, Iwao," Toshiaki shouted, and the red on his face was now from anger.

⠀⠀"Eh, whatever," Iwao grunted.

⠀⠀"Ditto," I agreed as I then withdrew a sketchbook.

⠀⠀With a throat-clearing grunt, Toshiaki needlessly admitted, "Sorry, s-sometimes Iwao doesn't know when to stop talking."

⠀⠀"Hey!" Iwao complained.

⠀⠀"I apologize for his r-rudeness," Toshiaki continued. He then bowed, but I ignored him as I began sketching.

⠀⠀"Ditto," I repeated, not looking up at the apologetic boy. "Now, considering how simple the shapes are, this'll probably only weigh about sixty, no, eighty-ish kilograms. The top needs to be removable, and — an engraving would probably look nice..."

⠀⠀Toshiaki's posture relaxed at the mention of an engraving, then asked, "Do you know how long this will take?"

⠀⠀"To make? A few minutes. Five tops. The math is the hard part, and it's not really that hard, to begin with," I explained. "Does this look right?" I then asked, and my sketchbook was shoved into Toshiaki's chest. He hesitantly took it, only to nod in confirmation. "Good. Going by the volume, it'll probably cost you thirty-six thousand yen. That's rounded down."

⠀⠀"Eh, volume? What?" Iwao dumbfoundedly wondered.

⠀⠀"I can use geometry to calculate the weight of salt before I make something. Especially if its basic shapes like this," I explained, only to show Iwao the sketch. "And, you know, never mind. I'll only charge you twenty-thousand since it's for your mom's grave. That cool?" I offered as my sketchbook returned to my bag.

⠀⠀"Y-yeah. I need to run to the ATM at the c-corner s-store, but I can pay that," Toshiaki agreed.

⠀⠀"Good. Go get the yen, then," I directed. Then, in a louder voice, I added, "And be quick. I'm already late to judo. Got it?"

⠀⠀"Um, yeah, we got it, eh," Toshiaki hesitated. Then leaned toward Iwao and asked, "what was her n-name again?"

⠀⠀"Shio Akari," Iwao answered. "And you call me an idiot."

⠀⠀"Thank you, S-Shio-san," Toshiaki said with a bow, addressing me by my family name.

⠀⠀"Don't thank me yet. You two are on your own about carrying the thing," I warned.

⠀⠀"I f-figured," Toshiaki moaned. "C-come on, Iwao. I'll call a cab on our way back." He then turned and started to march off.

⠀⠀"You think the driver will help us get the thing in the cab?" Iwao asked as he ran after his friend.

⠀⠀"They better..."

⠀⠀I rolled my eyes as the two ran off and checked the time on my phone. Then, after I quickly looked around and knew no one was watching, I dove deeper into an alley. Immediately, I activated my quirk, and steam began flowing from my skin.

⠀⠀Salt then spewed from my hands and cascaded like an avalanche of jagged cubic structures. In seconds, the rough shape of the pagoda statue formed. Yet, it was an amalgamation of cube-like design. Its form was reminiscent of a quarry, all in sparkling white.

⠀⠀My work continued as I swiped at the salt, chunking away peace after peace with simple waves of my hand. My measuring tape ensured it was the right size, while its built-in leveler guaranteed it was leveled. Quickly, it took shape, and eventually, after dozens of checks and adjustments, I was finished.

⠀⠀With a quick snap of my wrist, what left-over salt remained on the alley's ground flew towards me. When it came in contact with my skin, again, steam bellowed, and my body absorbed the sodium. All but one peace, which I flipped into my mouth like candy.

⠀⠀As I bit into the mineral, I opened my phone and gawked at the image Toshi sent. "Really?" I said aloud, only to type, "How did you get that one wrong?"

⠀⠀He imminently responded with, "I forgot to simplify."

⠀⠀I squinted at the problem and texted back, "Which part did you forget to simplify?"

⠀⠀"Oh god, did I have to simply more than once?" he asked, followed by a confused emoji.

⠀⠀With a sigh, I began to explain the question. It helped pass the time, but eventually, the two boys returned, taking longer than seemed necessary. They each had their school uniforms unbuttoned, a blue ice cream cone in their mouths, and looked tired. Grime stained their pants, and neither looked happy.

⠀⠀Once more, Toshiaki bowed. "I'm s-sorry we took so long! A villain was robbing the store," he proclaimed in a loud, worried voice. "Don't worry, though. I got your m-money!"

⠀⠀"Not so loud, you idiot," Iwao warned.

⠀⠀"S-sorry..."

⠀⠀My interest perked up at the comment. "Anything good happen?" I questioned. "You two look like a mess."

⠀⠀"Eh, not really. Some d-lister who controlled smoke-"

⠀⠀"Smog," Toshiaki interrupted.

⠀⠀"Yeah, yeah. A guy who controlled smog was trying to rob the store. Covered everything with, eh, this." Iwao gestured towards their legs.

⠀⠀"Smog," Toshiaki pointed out.

⠀⠀"Whatever," Iwao huffed.

⠀⠀"So, which hero stopped him?" I inquired, my hopes running high.

⠀⠀"The great — Cashier Clerk, Kaoru!" Iwao declared with an over-dramatic tone. His body then slumped as I raised a brow. "She didn't even use a quirk. Just punched him in the face."

⠀⠀"It w-was anti-climatic," Toshiaki grumbled.

⠀⠀"Oh." I shrugged, then pointed an outstretched hand down the alley and pulled. The pagoda statue hovered a centimeter off the ground, yet only Iwao gazed at the creation.

⠀⠀Toshiaki watched my shoulder with an intense fixation. "You're injured," he pointed out, and the weariness in his voice vanished.

⠀⠀As the pagoda thumped against the ground, I raised a hand to my shoulder. "I — got attacked by a villain," I lied. "I'm still bruised from it, but I'm fine."

⠀⠀"Oh. I'm glad you're okay," Toshiaki said in a kind voice that wasn't there before. He then looked over the sparkling wounder and began to nod. "It's bigger than I'd thought it would be," he deadpanned, only to realize something. His hand shot towards Iwao's chest. "Don't," he then warned.

⠀⠀"Hey, I wasn't," Iwao scowled defensively. "That one's too easy..."

⠀⠀"Yeah. Well, it really is b-big," Toshiaki continued. "I hope you like it, Mom."

⠀⠀"And heavy," I put in. "Have fun getting that in a taxi."

⠀⠀"So, how does your quirk work? I mean, I know it's salt. It's just you use it only when no one is looking," Iwao asked. "Last time, you made me be a lookout. This time, we had to go and, you know." He pointed with his shoulder.

⠀⠀"I-I'm actually curious about that, too," Toshiaki agreed. "If you can make cool stuff like this all the t-time, then..." He trailed off, still smiling at my work.

⠀⠀I rolled my eyes at the boys, then raised a hand. From my palm, a tiny cube of salt began to grow. It then floated into the air before I flicked my finger, and it zoomed into a wall. As it shattered against the concrete, the two boys looked surprised.

⠀⠀"That's-"

⠀⠀"Kind of lame," Iwao interrupted Toshiaki. He and I then gave Iwao an annoyed glare.

⠀⠀"Hey, don't be rude," Toshiaki gasped. "She's trying to hide using her quirk in public, don't go insulting her for it!"

⠀⠀"You're being loud again," Iwao pointed out. "And I know, but can't you do anything flashy?"

⠀⠀"I can bury you alive in salt if you want," I offered. "But I want to be a hero, and you're not worth it."

⠀⠀"Harsh," Iwao laughed, taking my threat in stride.

⠀⠀"Right, well, what do you want to be engraved on it? I have to go soon, so let's get this done quick," I ordered.

⠀⠀"I just want her name engraved on it," he stammered. "It's Miyake Ayano. Miyake meaning 'three houses, and Ayano meaning 'my color.'"

⠀⠀I scratched away at the salt with the tip of my finger, leaving shallow groves. "There," I finished. "Now — the money?"

⠀⠀Toshiaki's hand then slid into his pocket. "Here," he withdrew a white envelope, "this is y-yours."

⠀⠀I took the envelope with two fingers, opened it, and counted out the yen. "Good," I noted before neatly placing the money down my shirt. Toshiaki's cheeks flushed at the action. "You have your pagoda statue. I have my money. Bye." Before the two could continue the conversation, I spun and walked off.

⠀⠀"Hey! Wait, Shio-san, this looks amazing! T-Thank you!" Toshiaki yelled from behind me. "I hope you become a splendid hero!" I smiled at the compliment but refused to look back. Instead, I raised the peace sign into the air.

⠀⠀"You know, I'm surprised you were able to talk with her for so long," I heard Iwao quietly point out.

⠀⠀"Oh. Well, I — imagined Shio-san being younger. L-like my little sister," he admitted.

⠀⠀"Yeah, she really is short, isn't she?" Iwao chucked.

⠀⠀"I heard that," I angrily yelled, and like a gunshot, steam erupted from the tip of my finger as I shot salt at Iwao. His yep was like thunder as a cube of salt shattered against his ankle.

⠀⠀My walk home was long, tedious, and full of inclines and stairs. My feet ached as I held my phone through the sprawling hills, waiting for the dial tone to end. I sighed in relief when it did and grinned at the masculine voice on the other end.

⠀⠀"Aomori Airport, how can I help you?"

⠀⠀"Excuse me, but I'm calling to ask if the flight from Aomori to Musutafu is expecting any delays?" I spoke. "It's tomorrow, eight in the morning. Flight two-zero-three."

⠀⠀"No, Ma'am. The snow in Musutafu is expected to clear up before landing," the sweet voice explained, assuming I was talking about just weather.

⠀⠀"Oh. Good. Thank you very much," I hummed.

⠀⠀"You're welcome, Ma'am."

⠀⠀My phone beeped as I ended the call, then immediately opened my context. After I clicked another name, the dial tone began to ring. My glee faded as I waited, and I held my breath, knowing I was almost home.

⠀⠀"Hello? Who is this?" a woman's voice asked. It was soft, but there was a tired emphasis in her tone.

⠀⠀"Shimura-san, my name is Shio Akari. Gran Torino gave me your number," I began. "He said I should call you if I needed help."

⠀⠀"Oh. I see. Well, hello, Shio-san," she said, and the tiredness from before seemed to vanish. "What do you need?"

⠀⠀"I'm going to be boarding a plane from Aomori to Musutafu. After I run away, I'll need protection from my Grandfather," I explained as my home loomed distance. "Gran Torino can tell you more about my family..."

⠀⠀"Alright," she acknowledged, but there was a faint hesitation in her voice. "You said your name was Shio Akari?"

⠀⠀"Yes."

⠀⠀"What flight will you be arriving on?"

⠀⠀"Two-zero-three. I'll land at nine-ten," I answered.

⠀⠀"Okay. I'll get your description from Gran Torino. Do you know if you can safely get away from your family?" she asked.

⠀⠀"Yes, I can," I assured her. "But I have to go. I'm already late getting home, and I'm — staring right at my door." I lazily gazed at the large, old manor with unkempt foliage and random, unmatching decore. It was a mismatched eyesore that made me shake.

⠀⠀"Are you sure you don't need help this minute?" Shimura questioned. "I have contacts that can get to you if you need help now."

⠀⠀I had to take a slow, deep breath. "No. I know I can get away tomorrow."

⠀⠀"Okay," she said in a, somehow, softer tone. "Please be safe, Akari-san," she requested, switching to my name instead of my family name. "You can count on me making sure you're protected, but I need you to promise me you'll leave early, if you have to. Alright?"

⠀⠀"I will. I promise," I agreed.

⠀⠀"Okay. Good. I'll make sure there's a hero waiting at the airport tomorrow. She'll know who you are. Be safe, Akari-san."

⠀⠀"T-thank you," I said slowly, only to hang up.

⠀⠀I squeezed my phone as I gazed at my looming home, only to gulp as I approached. The engawa's wood creaked underfoot as I unlocked the front door. It swung open on loud hinges, and the smell of dust and ash bellowed out. As I walked through the house, I held my breath from habit and fear as dust littered the air. Each room was pitch black, and only after I entered my room could I properly breathe, let alone see.

⠀⠀All I could do then was change and hide my money and check my phone one last time. Toshi had sent another thank you, but I had no time to reply as I regretfully marched to my backyard. I now wore a cream beige gi and a brown belt. When I saw my Sensei, a man who sat in the center of a grassy yard, I steeled myself and was grateful I couldn't cry.

⠀⠀We wore the same martial arts uniform, yet his belt was black with eight dashes. He was facing away from me, but I knew he wasn't happy. Without seeing him, I could tell he clenched his jagged jaw, flared his thin nose, and held his orange eyes shut. It wasn't hard to tell why, as an older man stood between us.

⠀⠀The Elder rested a hand on a gemstone embedded in the trunk of a lone tree in the backyard. He stood motionless, with long silver and white hair, and wore a loose montsuki. His right arm was missing, and from the stump grew royal blue crystals. His eyes, and the cane that leaned against the tree, matched them in color, and even dozens of meters away, I could smell the saki on him.

⠀⠀I had his elf-life ears, his sharp blue eyes, but not his height. He towered over me nearly two-fold, and his cane alone was roughly as tall as I was. When he finally spoke, his tone was calm but held a restrained venom.

⠀⠀"You're late, Akari," he redundantly stated. Then, as I sat down before him, he asked, "Why?"

⠀⠀"I stayed after school to tutor my class," I lied.

⠀⠀His gaze rose to the sky, and I saw him tap his finger against the gem. "And? That can't be all. It's late. Far too late to just be helping those idiots."

⠀⠀"Two — high school boys also paid me to make them something with my q-quirk. They were delayed because of a villain attack," I explained.

⠀⠀He glanced towards me, and through the long, thin strands of hair, he furrowed his brow. His land lowered to his cane, and he gripped it between long, frail fingers. It made a soft thump as he brought it to his side.

⠀⠀"More funding for your dream, hm? To go to U.A. High school, more than a thousand kilometers from home, just to be a hero... I'm shocked you still think pocket change will get you there. How little did they pay you? Two-thousand yen? Three-thousand?" he finally asked.

⠀⠀"Ten-thousand," I lied.

⠀⠀He let out a forced laugh. "Ten? For what, a paperweight?"

⠀⠀"A pagoda statue," I explained.

⠀⠀"A pagoda statue," he mouthed. Then, with an amused smirk, he asked, "Is it going outside? Please, tell me it's going outside."

⠀⠀"Probably," I guessed.

⠀⠀"Probably?" He began to tap his index finger against the shaft of the cane. "A pagoda statue? Of salt? Outside?" His wrinkled hand shakily rose and pushed the mess that was his hair back. "That's funny. Masaru, that's amusing, isn't it?"

⠀⠀Masaru didn't respond and continued to sit, legs crossed. With an annoyed sigh, the older man shook his head. "Ten-thousand yen, only to be washed away in the rain." He paused and smiled, showing rotten teeth. In a quiet voice, he asked himself, "Should I really judge? I've thrown away more than that on a whim." He then laughed at nothing particular before his commanding presence returned. "Have they no sense?"

⠀⠀Silence took the yard as he waited for an answer. Nearly a minute passed before I replied, "I don't know, Grandfather..."

⠀⠀"Of course, you don't," he hummed. "You conned them, you know. Concrete would have been fine enough. Durable. Cheap. It will last a lifetime if given care. Stone is better. And wood?" He made a mute shrug and tightened his grip on his cane. "Yet salt?" He let out a exagerated groan. "They know it will dissolve in the rain, don't they?"

⠀⠀"Probably," I offered, but my voice was uncertain.

⠀⠀He raised a brow at my comment, and I knew he noticed my unsure tone. "Probably?" he repeated again. "Probably." He took in a deep breath, and his voice finally turned sour. "You just love that word today. Don't you, Akari? A wannabe hero — does not live their life on probabilities! Only absolutes! Only guarantees! Did you tell them or not?!"

⠀⠀"I did not," I stammered.

⠀⠀"Of course, you didn't," he snarled as he stepped past me. "You're too forgetful, or perhaps, you just don't care? With that mind of yours, I doubt it's the former. You even 'forgot' to bow when you saw me, let alone apologize for being late." His voice then rose to a shout, and I flinched at the volume. "You keep dreaming of being a hero, yet your quirk is nearly useless on a rainy day! Your manners are worse than a dog's, and you'll be dead weight a third of the year!"

⠀⠀As he stepped onto the engawa, he somehow roared even louder, "Masaru! Once more, teach my Granddaughter manners! Do not come inside until she is black and blue! Do I make myself clear?!" I then felt his gaze on the back of my head. "Make her useful! Teacher her what pain is, so she knows to avoid it!"

⠀⠀In an authoritative voice, yet quiet compared to my Grandfather, Masaru said, "Yes, Shio-sama." The large man then stood as a door slammed behind me. I uncontrollably recoiled at the cracking of wood.

⠀⠀The sight made Masaru's brow furrower, and he continued in a softer tone, "I'm sorry. Akari-kun. I am." He let out a slow exhale and took a fighting pose. "But I can't be gentle today. You may use your quirk, so please — defend yourself!"

⠀⠀Before I could react, Masaru used his own quirk and went from a man that matched my Grandfather in height to one as tall as I. He then charged as I sprang to my feet. Salt grew from my hands and feet, but it was too late. He reached out, and with no effort, I was flipped through the air and slammed against the tree's trunk.

⠀⠀I cried in pain, from old injuries and new, before the beating continued. Four ferocious hours of brutal involuntary gymnastics passed before it was finally over. Sensei had enough tact to carry me to bed, and the pain kept my sleep dreamless.

⠀⠀When my morning alarm rang, I had hoped my exhaustion would melt away. Instead, I stared at my phone longingly with only the need for freedom overtaking my need for sleep. Louder and louder my alarm beeped before I sluggishly dragged myself out of bed. I dressed casually and covered my brushes, new and old, under jeans, a jacket, and a disposable medical mask.

⠀⠀After a round of painkillers, stuffing my purse with my yen, and filling my suitcase with predetermined clothes, I was ready to leave. Finally, I half-dove, half-flopped out the window, and crashed face-first into the bushes. It was six when I woke up and six-ten when I left, phone in one hand and my suitcase in the other.

⠀⠀My early march then began, and as I trotted to the train station, I was grateful the medication was fast-acting. It took the pain away while the morning sun rose and swept away the morning's cold. My smile grew as I marched, and by the time I reached the train's station, I knew my grin matched its welcoming glow.

⠀⠀I was grateful the first stop on the train was less than two kilometers from the airport, but even with my precautions, I received stares. The all-encompassing eyes of strangers gazed me down without hesitation, and I knew several of them spotted my bruises. I tried to pay them no mind but failed and fidgeted along the way.

⠀⠀Eventually, I strolled into the airport, and the pleasant smell of floor wax and coffee fumigated the air. It was nearly seven, and hunger alone dragged me towards the food courts. The lines were long, but the bustling mess was only a distraction. I had options but no time and chose the shortest line. Breakfast, in the end, was a jelly-filled, plump onigiri.

⠀⠀I sat as I ate, but when my phone buzzed, I choked, hoping it wasn't my Grandfather. Panic arose, only to leave as quickly as it came when I looked over my phone. It was a simple text from Shimura and nothing more.

⠀⠀"Are you at the airport?" it read.

⠀⠀"Yes. Eating breakfast," was my reply.

⠀⠀Her response was immediate. "Good. The hero will meet you in line."

⠀⠀As I replied with a thumbs up while I bit into the oversized rice ball, a double ring of a bell boomed through the building. Then a feminine and mechanical voice chimed, "Flight two-zero-three, Aomori to Musutafu, now boarding. Flight two-zero-three, Aomori to Musutafu, now boarding."

⠀⠀I made a noise, arose from my seat, and jogged to my terminal. As I moved, I received even more stares, but they didn't matter as I tracked down my flight. Eventually, I passed security and screening and was thankful I wasn't stopped as I scarfed down the last of my meal. As I withdrew my tickets, I followed along with other passengers as they filed in line. Some had physical copies, like mine, while others went digital.

⠀⠀When I reached the front of the line, the clerk made a horrid gasp. "Are you a-alright?" she asked.

⠀⠀"What?" I stammered, taken back at the sudden volume.

⠀⠀"It's alright, Ma'am," someone feminine said behind me. "She's under hero protection. It's a long story, with a few villains, but please. Try not to make a scene."

⠀⠀My guard immediately rose, and my fists clenched tighter around my luggage and phone. Then I turned around to see an average-height woman with bags under her golden eyes. Her business attire was all-black, her black hair was in a bun, and she carried a gold purse. Something about her was familiar, but it was a mystery I couldn't place.

⠀⠀She then looked down and quickly added, "Shimura sent me." Her eyes glanced toward my phone and the handle on my luggage. Steam slowly rose from both, but she held a playful look. "So watch the rocks." Releaf hit me as I reabsorbed my salt and lowered my guard.

⠀⠀The airport clerk quickly squilled, "Wait, are you-"

⠀⠀"Ah, bub! Shush," the woman in black cautioned quickly. A finger rose to her lips, and in a harsh tone, she warned, "Now's not the time! The kid's been through a lot, and I don't want her swarmed. Just look at her." She gestured with an open palm. "The last thing we need is a scene."

⠀⠀The clerk gazed down, and I saw the gears in her head turn as admiration weighed on her shoulders. She dried her mouth with a gulp, then politely asked, "Tickets?" The woman offered her phone's screen while I held up the paper. She scanned both, then said in a gleeful tone, "Thank you. P-please, keep her safe!"

⠀⠀"Don't need to tell me twice," the unknown hero stated, and the six words made the woman giddy. "Come on, kid." She went to place a hand on my shoulder but stopped herself and instead stepped past me and gestured for me to follow. "Musutafu awaits." Not needing to be told twice, I marched happily onto the passenger boarding bridge.

⠀⠀"So, who are you, exactly?" I asked her quietly.

⠀⠀"Huerta Aisha," she answered in an equally quiet voice. "But you may know me as the Wonderful Magic Girl: Second Light!" She then curled her left hand into a fist and pressed it against her right breast.

⠀⠀Confusion hit me as we reached the short queue at the plane's door. And I bewilderedly asked, "Who?"

⠀⠀My question struck Aisha's ego, and she jolted forward, nearly tripping on herself. "Seriously?" she gasped. "Wow, Nana-sama wasn't joking. I guess your situation's worse than I thought," she exasperated. "Especially if you don't know about me." She corrected her posture, grinned, and pointed to herself. "Look, don't worry about it, Shio-san. Just know you're safe with me."

⠀⠀"Akari," I began. "Call me Akari, Huerta-sama."

⠀⠀"Only if you call me Aisha," she requested.

⠀⠀"Huerta Aisha. At least now I know who to blame for kidnapping my Granddaughter." My eyes widened, and dread crept down my spine. "Or was it Shimura Nana? Who to blame, who to blame..."

⠀⠀I didn't look back as I tightened my fists. Again, steam faintly bellowed as salt began to cake my palms. At the edge of my vision, I saw Aisha spin about and take a fighting pose I didn't recognize. It seemed amusing to Grandfather as he quickly bellowed a low laugh.

⠀⠀"Blame yourself," Aisha hissed.

⠀⠀"Witty," Grandfather mused. "Now explain this kidnapping," he thumped his cane, "and relax that heinous posture of yours before I call the police and whichever hero is nearby."

⠀⠀Aisha wasn't bothered by the statement and roared, "By Japanese law, Shio Akari is under hero protection! All former and current guardians are not permitted-"

⠀⠀"To be one hundred meters near her," Grandfather interrupted, his voice equally as loud. His tone otherwise oozed sarcasm. "I am aware of that law, Huerta Aisha. But why bring it up? And why does she have a black eye?"

⠀⠀"You tell me," Aisha scoffed. "Now leave. You're breaking the law."

⠀⠀"I think not! You're taking my Granddaughter away! You have no right-"

⠀⠀"By law, I do! Now back off!" Aisha warned, and I felt my heart race as the faint smell of sake grew.

⠀⠀"By law, this! By law, that! I still want to know what happened to her," he breathed, acting as if he didn't know. "Was it you? Are you holding her hostage?"

⠀⠀"What? No! I'm her temporary guardian," Aisha deflected.

⠀⠀"Guardian? A stranger? Look at her! What sort of job have you done? She looks half dead! Some guardian you are," he mocked. "And about that law, you spat out? It lets you hire private jets free of charge! So why are you taking her on a public flight? You're lying, aren't you?!"

⠀⠀"I am not legally required to answer that question, and you are legally required to back off!" Aisha warned. "As the hero Second Light, you can consider this a warning!"

⠀⠀"Warning? Bah! You're a drummed up her, pretending to do what's right! How do I know you're not lying? How does anyone here know you're not lying? Prove it! Go, and let the girl fly first class while these old bones ache under coach. The government pays for it, so prove me wrong. Reward her for whatever lies she's fallen for or spun for this — illegal coincidence and leave my business trip be!"

⠀⠀"Coincidence or not, I said walk away!" Aisha growled. "Last warning!"

⠀⠀"A coincidence? Yes, this is a coincidence, alright," he mused in a fowl tone. "I don't know the 'probability' of this situation, but don't claim this dumb luck was anything but a coincidence!"

⠀⠀I felt his gaze burn into the back of my skull, and under his blue glare, I knew the meaning of his words. From the night before, his hate-filled speech repeated in my mind. "A wannabe hero — does not live their life on probabilities! Only absolutes! Only guarantees!" A soft crack pinged from my phone as the salt from my palms grew.

⠀⠀"Because it's true," he continued with his lies. "I've been planning on going to Musutafu for weeks now! If you are a hero, and some damned kidnapper, have whatever resources look into my quirk! Its haüyne — and is quite a lucrative thing! And it's worth too much money for me to not get on that plane!"

⠀⠀Then his soft footsteps began to approach, and Aisha pulled me to the size as a bright golden light lit the boarding ramp. It was met by a gasp from Aisha and another sickening laugh. From the corner of my eye, I saw the old man hold Aisha's hand inches from his face.

⠀⠀"Please," he spat, and an unnatural strength held the woman in place. "If I wanted to lay a finger on my Grandaughter, not even you could stop me. I never personally have, and I never would."

⠀⠀The truth of the statement made my quirk jolt again. Anger crushed my luggage handle and snapped my phone under salt. The former thumped to the ground while the latter ripped apart and cut into my wrist Neither the large wave of steam nor noise went unnoticed.

⠀⠀"Akari-san?" Aisha questioned, only to gasp as she looked back at me. "Akari-san, are you alright?" She tried to get to my side, but my Grandfather squeezed harder.

⠀⠀As Aisha let out a grunt, she held her opposite hand up, and a blinding flash lit my Grandfather's face. He hissed, and as his hand covered his eyes, Aisha was by my side imminently.

⠀⠀"Damn you," he grumbled as he finally forced his way past. "Fine, 'hero!' Take her," he spat. "But that license of yours won't last," he warned as he glanced back. "Your career will burn!"

⠀⠀Like the night before, his eyes glowed that sickening regal blue. It twisted my stomach, but as he knowingly smiled, my soul soured. My rage grew into a blinding agony, and the visible dread I wore made that ugly grin grow. He only looked away when he had to board the plane.

⠀⠀"Akari, can you hear me?" a voice spoke to me, but I was trapped in my thoughts. "Akari, you're going to have to loosen your grip," it went on. "I think you may have cut an artery!"

⠀⠀"He knew," I mouthed. My voice was horse and caught in my throat. "He knew I was leaving."

⠀⠀"Akari? Akari, listen to me. Don't think about him, alright? Focus on me, and focus on your hand. Loosen your grip, git rid of the rocks, so I can make sure you're alright! You're bleeding!"

⠀⠀"I... I'm not getting on that plane," I growled out. My voice was still no louder than a whisper.

⠀⠀"And you don't have to." Aisha raised a hand and forced me to turn towards her. "I'm getting you to Musutafu some way else! You have my word as Second Light, the Wonderful Magic Girl!" She looked down, and I followed her gaze to see blood pooling around my right foot. "But you need to open your hand, do you understand? There is a lot of blood, and those rocks are in the way. I'm trying to make sure you're safe!"

⠀⠀I again followed her gaze, up the dripping blood to my wrist. My hand, phone, and most of my arm was wrapped in a chaotic, cubic mess. Salt sprang from my fingers and palm and encaged my shattered cell in a twisting cradle. The tendrils that grew from it spiraled up my arm and halfway to my elbow. But then there was my phone's screen. It cut into my wrist, but salt heavily obscured the wound.

⠀⠀I tried to twitch my fingers, but they were unmoving, so instead, I used my quirk. The salt was pulled away, and as more steam bellowed, my shattered phone dropped into the puddle of blood. Immediately, Aisha made a noise, only to swipe a finger up my arm. Golden energy followed, and my jacket's sleeve tore apart into ribbons.

⠀⠀"I need to bind this," she explained but winced when she saw my bruises. "Hey, someone call one-one-nine! We need an ambulance!" Panic immediately arose at the shout, but it was background noise as I felt a wave of dizziness wash over me. "Akari, listen to me. It's going to sting, alright?" Aisha then explained, and the first of the jacket-ribbons were wrapped around my wrist. "But you're going to be alright. You don't need to-"

⠀⠀I didn't hear the rest of what she said as my vision swayed. My head fell into Aisha's shoulder, and she gasped as I crumpled into her. "Everything's off," I croaked, only to fall back. I was unconscious before I the ground.

Author's Note

⠀⠀Out of respect to Kaiimei, author of War Dogs, I named Shio Akari after Uchiha Akari. One of my favorite fanfiction characters of all time.

⠀⠀Remember to review, follow, and favorite if you enjoyed. It lets me know you want more.