Again … With shaking hands, she gripped the wooden frame tightly, her knuckles turning white. There it was again. That…that thing . Every time one of those things has appeared, she ran in fear for her life. Their screeches, their eyes filled with bloodlust as they attacked…the violence they left in their path…memories of flames and the stench of rotting flesh invaded her senses each time.

Then, later on TV, she would see the destruction they left behind. They would always call it a "gas leak" or some "natural disaster"…

This is it, this is my chance. I'm not going to run this time. She gulped and, with trembling fingers, reached in her pocket to grab her phone. As she turned on the camera app, she was about to raise the lens but then, an explosive screech tore through the building. She gasped and dropped her phone, clutching at her ears and turned to lean against the wall, frozen in fear. She clenched her eyes shut again as the noise shook her to her core.

Not going to run? But what could she do besides take a stupid recording? Sure she'd be able to take the footage to the police but…what if they didn't have answers either? Or worse, what if they couldn't see it. No one ever seemed to see what she saw.

And if they did, what's the point? She couldn't kill that thing. She was never athletic, she wasn't a fighter.

She was pathetic.

"Get up."

She shot her eyes open, remembering his stern voice. She never got to look at his face, only remembering his broad back and silver-white hair blowing in the wind as dust erupted around them. It happened two years ago: the day that changed her world.

That day, she finally decided to stop running.

She took a deep breath, filling her lungs with newfound strength as she recalled the memory. I can do this, I have to. If she could at least get a recording, maybe she can post online and see if anyone recognized these things and finally figure out what they are.

And maybe figure out how to stop them from hurting anyone else. For once and for all. She swallowed and out of the corner of her eye, noticed her phone beside her and reached down to grab it, glancing out the window.

As if it heard her thoughts, it suddenly snapped its gaze towards her and started charging in her direction.

"Miss?" She whipped her head around to see the waitress approaching her table, latte resting on the tray in her hands. "I have your latte right here whenever you're-"

"G-get away-!" Qian cried desperately, reaching out her hand- but it was too late as a mangled body crashed through the door, completely crushing the poor waitress underneath the rubble. Qian could only watch in horror as the creature immediately scrambled to its feet, using its spiked foreleg to get footing by piercing her body with a sickening crunch.

The girl by the other window dropped her phone and shrieked in terror, only seeing the blood erupting out of the poor woman's body.

Soon enough, everyone in the cafe was screaming and climbing over each other to get out of the building. Qian could only watch on in horror as the creature reared its scaly head back, baring its razor-sharp fangs in a screech that shook her nerves. It suddenly snapped its beady red eyes at her, causing her blood to run cold in her veins.

I…I can't do this… She took a step back, terror rattling her brain and nerves.

Move… The creature snarled at her, plucking its foreleg from what was left of the waitress and slowly began to move towards her. Her whole body was trembling but her legs refused to budge.

Move…! She saw something glisten from the corner of her eye and frantically grabbed the butter knife that rested on the table beside her. The sudden movement caused the creature to screech and charge forward.

Move! With trembling hands, she raised the utensil in front of her and shut her eyes.

"BLACK FLASH!"

A human fist connected with the creature's beady eye socket, causing its body to fly backwards, crashing into the coffee machines on top of the counter in the back. Qian collapsed on her knees, mind blank in sheer shock as dust flew everywhere.

"YEAH! FINALLY GOT HIM!" She looked up to see a young boy with pink hair giving a cheeky grin, raising his arms in victory.

"Hang on, Itadori, you gotta destroy the head remember?!" A teenage girl with short brown hair closely followed behind him, dusting her skirt. She frowned with annoyance as she regarded its immobile form. "You only landed a single punch!"

"I think it's very much destroyed." A third voice chimed in. A dark haired boy of similar age suddenly appeared, leaping over the destroyed rubble to inspect what remained of the body. He kneeled down beside it, sighing as he ran a hand through his spiky hair. "Yeah, black flash basically left nothing left of its head."

"See?! Nothing to worry about!" The first teen puffed his chest in pride, shortly before the girl took out a hammer to suddenly whack him over his head.

"OW! Kugisaki! What the fu-"

"You IDIOT!" She grabbed him by the collar of his shirt, screeching in his face as she rigorously shook him. "We chased this thing all across town and you're telling me all it took was ONE HIT?!"

"K-Kug-g-as-sak-i- w-wh-y!" The poor boy yelped as his brain rattled in his skull from all the shaking.

Qian could only gape at the trio before a voice spoke beside her. "Hey, you okay?"

She looked up to see the dark-haired boy, who bent down and extended his hand.

"U-uh yeah, thank you…" She gratefully excepted his gesture and he pulled her to her feet. She stumbled forward as she regained her footing, forcing herself to take a deep breath. These people seem to see these things too…maybe they can help give her answers finally!

"U-um..." She started, trying to piece together her thoughts.

"Hm?" The boy quickly whipped his head to face her.

"W-What is that…thing?"

"What do you mean?" He frowned and she suddenly felt very self-conscious, looking down at her hands.

"T-That thing…behind you?" She murmured softly, locking her fingers together nervously as her eyes fearfully glancing over its immobile form. His eyes widened in shock.

"You… can see that?"