Sorry guys,I just found out that I posted the wrong chapter ._. thankfully it was nothing crazy or anything... actually yeah it kinda was, so I might as well just update this story fully... it is what it is.
~~~~~
Suffering is inevitable in life.
What causes one to suffer? Pain? A war? Depression?
There are many ways one may suffer, even if they don't know it.
Some suffer from loneliness, despite stating that it's their desire to be alone. A life is not a life when one experiences it by themselves.
Some may suffer from sadness. A loss too great to hear or push away, setting within the depths of one soul, and if left untouched or unchanged, it grows.
Some may suffer from anger. Pure untempered rage one feels towards a person, a thing, or an entire ideal. It eats at you, clawing at your body and being kind until you are consumed by it. Some say strength can be found in it, but most of the time it leads to a full grave.
Is there a way to deal with this suffering?
Push on? Forget about it? Push it back to the dark corners of your mind?
It's like a worm, only showing its body on the surface of the ground on a rainy day.
On a bad day, that suffering resurfaces, bubbling with fierce emotion to be let out. Some can let this go the right way. Therapy, talking to someone, or finding peace with it.
Some don't get the chance.
~~~~~
I jolted awake, feeling someone hit the side of my head. I look up to see the man himself, Aizawa.
"What?"
"You went out last night, did you?"
"So what?"
"With that?" He pointed to my abdomen, looking at the big, purple and yellowish bruise on my torso.
"I forgot about that..."
"Tch. Come with me."
"Where to?"
"Recovery Girl. You should've went there when we had that meeting."
"Eh, I guess I got caught up in finding the damn place..."
Aizawa looks at me like I'm crazy.
"Let me see it."
"Sure, weirdo." I lift up my shirt to reveal the bruise. Damn you Mirko and your thick ass...
"Mendoza, I think your ribs are cracked..."
"So that's what the poking was!"
"..."
What can I say? I dealt with worse.
~~~~~
I scrolled through my phone as Aizawa drove. Man, I wonder if my true past needs to still be kept a secret...
Aizawa throws a glance at me.
"What now?"
"... Profeta..."
He said with little difficulty. It wasn't exactly hard to say in Spanish I suppose.
"Yeah?"
"Is that where that whole vigilante thing came from, your desire to be a hero?"
"Who said I had a desire to be a hero?"
"That name. Sounds like it stuck for a while."
He was right, it really did. Another story though.
"Yeah, well, that didn't exactly turn out the way it did, huh?"
"Hmph..."
~~~~~
I rubbed the back of my head as I continued to listen to the old lady's yelling. Damn old hag with her cane...
"Fighting the No. 5 hero? Are you out of your mind!?"
"Hey hey! I can't back down from something like that.
"One of your ribs was this close to shattering!"
"But it didn't."
"You're almost as bad as that child..." She pinched the bridge of her nose. I definitely felt tired now, her quirk probably required stamina.
"Please pick your fights next time!"
"Okay okay, yes ma'am..." Man, here I am, 30 years old, still being scolded to this day...
I leave the room as Aizawa left to get ready for the class. Was it wise for the calm and collected Aizawa to leave a brute like me alone? Not at all but-
"MR. MENDOZA!"
A pink bullet shot me right in the sore spot I had got kicked at. Feeling something sharp poke me, I look to see it was Mina Ashido.
"AH I THOUGHT YOU DIED!"
"Me? Die? Yeah right."
"Oh it was so bad... The pain I felt..." She had a dramatic look on her face. I guess we're going into a flash back here...
~~~~~
[3rd Person POV]
Mina had just got back from the one and only UA! She was dying to get more of whatever Mendoza was cooking up, she felt that she deserved it after the villain attack... She bet she could knock his socks off with the story she is about to tell!
She comes up on it as-
"No..."
She comes-
"Nonono..."
She begins to-
"Nononono wait wait wait!"
She approaches th-
"It can't be!"
She rushed to the door where the last words she wanted to see was on the front.
(Closed)
"NOOOOOOO!"
A bystander walked by, noticing her sorrow.
"Kid, you okay?"
"No..."
"Ah, yeah, I heard the place got attacked by a villain, or something... I dunno." The stranger walked off as he left the poor girl in even more peril.
"Attacked!?"
~~~~~
"I don't get why you're so strung up about it." Jason said with a sweatdrop.
"Well, I like your food! And you're a cool adult!"
"Uh huh, well, I'm alive, safe and sound, so don't worry any more."
"Ah, that's right... Wait, what are you doing here?" She asked, her head tilted in confusion.
"I was just wrapping up some business with a friend of mine, one of your teachers. Me and them are good friends" He lied as easily as he breathed. She looked at him, up and down.
"Something tells me you're lying!"
"Why would I lie? Besides, don't you have class to go to?" He said, glancing at his watch.
"OH SHIT GOTTA GO BYE!" She ran off towards Class 1-A as Jason chuckled slightly.
Jason resumes his main goal to leave, but then stops. He stands in the quiet, empty hallway.
"I know you're there." He said to seemingly no one.
"You know her?" Aizawa slipped from the corner, his eyes narrowed as his hair floated slightly.
"She's a good person and customer."
"I see... Goodbye, Mendoza."
"Alright, it would be a shame if a teacher was late to their own class..."
Jason, confused, simply continued on his way.
Aizawa thought about it.
Mina was a girl with good intuition, but naive at the same time in his eyes. Well, for as long as he knew her.
He noticed something else.
The way his eyes softened at the sight of her. His teasing, yet smooth tone, as opposed to his usual brashness. It was akin to how a father would look at their daughter.
Without a hint of bloodlust or untrustworthiness as well.
Was this the same person who was indicted for murder?
Was this the same person who resorted to hate? Vengeance?
Was this the same person who was known as one of the most violent vigilantes in the U.S?
Aizawa was known for his people-reading. He could read anyone like an open book with his cold, dry eyes. So it struck him slightly as he witnessed that encounter.
Maybe there is more to learn about this man, after all.
~~~~~
Jason approached the residence. He thought about the Sports Festival that was coming up pretty soon. He wonders how they'll do...
He looks at his watch, noting that it was now 9 in the morning.
"What to do... What to do..."
He goes inside, noting a letter addressed to him specifically on the table. With a tear, he opens it to see a letter from the HPSC itself.
To sum it up, they're asking for the codename that he wanted to go by, the patrol routes, etc, etc.
With a sigh, he fills out the paper.
Codename: Gran Profeta
The name was already on his hero license anyway. He switched up the wording because he thought the Grand Prophet sounded cooler. He then checked one of the boxes
Independent X
Underground/Night
Limelight
And with that, he decided that was that. He chose independence due to how much paperwork was taken off his load. He heard too many complaints from Aizawa...
Nonetheless, it left a bad taste in his mouth. Feeling like you owe someone sucks ass.
He didn't fill out any patrol time or anything since he didn't really care. He simply sent it off from the nearby post office.
"Now what do I do?"
He decided to forget it, and go do his thing. He'd rather be making pizza right now...
~~~~~
[Jason POV]
I tightened the chain of my weapon around the man's body. He was still struggling too.
"Shut the fuck up before I kill your ass!"
"You little punk! I'll gut you!"
"Yeah, yeah, eat a dick man..." I was already tired of his ass.
Basically, from that time till, what is it, 5 pm? I've been out and about, beating the shit out of people. I was in my workout gear, so a couple thought I was a civilian.
"Hey, what the hell you think you're doing!? Are ya crazy?" A big guy across from me said. Death Arms, I see.
"I dunno, stopping this guy from shooting someone else?" I said, irritated. Don't be mad I got here before you did!
"Tch, imma have to take you in too-"
"Ah, ah! Take a look at this!" I said, pulling out my hero license, much to his shock.
"A hero? I-"
"Ew, don't call me that, here, take care of him." I unwrapped the captured man and pushed him into the hero's arms. I went over towards the potential victims.
I sped off as I heard his yelling. I don't have time for that. Man, I felt so free out here. If there's one thing I love more then making pizza...
"Thank you so much! I-I- almost died, I... Thank you..."
Is saving people.
I calmed down the young woman as I went about my day.
It was always a feeling I kinda had. Something I inherited from my childhood. I was always surrounded by happy people, and that kind of just spread onto me. The gloomiest of customers walking out with a smile after a meal and a chat from my father. It was the best thing I have ever seen. It was a warm feeling. Man this sounds cheesy as fuck, but it's true.
Fuck I'm so corny.
I continue to walk around some more. No one would be suspicious of someone like me. I keep my weapon well hidden. I check my watch to see it's about 7, I guess I'll head "home" now.
I take another walk towards the abode. And then I feel it. That feeling that I used to have. A feeling like something big is about to happen, it feels like it would happen closer this time around...
What the hell...
Y'know what would help with that?
The gym, baby!
~~~~~
Ah yes, I have arrived!
The holy grail itself... A gym.
Not just any gym, but a hero gym. What does that mean, you may ask, well it's basically a gym only for heroes. If a hero were to go to a normal gym, they most definitely wouldn't get anything done with all the fans and such. So these were made in mind for maximum efficiency and strength training.
And you bet your ass I'm gonna take advantage of that.
I walk in, showing my license to the staff and let myself in. It's kinda empty, a few heroes lollygagging in here.
Today's leg day, I gotta do a little more now that I'm gonna be more active.
I head towards the-
"Well I'll be!"
Can't a man work out in peace?
I reluctantly turn around to see- holy shit what is she wearing?
All I can say without sounding weird or horny is that her outfit left NOTHING to the imagination.
Miruko, in the flesh, stood before me. Great.
"Do you need something?" I ask, not exactly wanting her to interrupt my workout.
"I can't help but notice that you're gonna use the squat rack. Leg day?"
"Sure is. What's it to ya?"
She laughed an evil laugh. Oh hell no...
"Why don't you join me? I wanna make do with all the shit you were talking about that day!"
"Now's prolly a good time to show ya." I pull up my right sweat pants sleeve to reveal my prosthetic, much to her shock.
"Oh shit, damn, uh..."
"Different story. Ion need your pity... Besides, this bad boy can withstand a good amount of pressure, so it's alright. Had it happened at my knee or higher, then it would've been a different issue. Technology is so advanced that I don't even notice I'm missing a leg most of the time!"
I can tell she was a little stunned by that.
"Heh, well, you kinda fucked me up even with that..." She was referring towards our little fight at the exams.
"Well, that's just how I am. As long as I got my mind and heart, I'll keep fighting."
"Oh... Shit..." She seemed a little... Nervous? Embarrassed? I don't know, but I don't want to jump to conclusions with how red her face is...
"Anyways, what do you have planned? I think I'll take a leg workout with the Queen of Quads!" I said with a smirk, much to her displeasure.
It was a nickname too many people on the internet spread around, and not exactly the most savory bunch either. That's for another day
"Just because of that, I'mma kill you!"
"Bring it!"
~~~~~
"C'mon, get it up damn it!"
"HAAH!" Currently I was under the bar with 250 pounds fucking replying this shit. Not gonna lie, this was a big ass step up from my maintaining workouts...
~~~~~
"Get that shit! C'mon"
"FUCK! FUCK! FUUUUCK!" Leg extensions. Pretty fucking hard with it almost maxed out...
She was yelling at me right near my legs too.
"C'mon! Kick me you bitch!" She said, placing her chin right where my legs would be.
"Fucking... Bitch!"
~~~~~
"Spot me. I might need it."
"... This might fucking kill me, just so you know."
"You'll be fine! It's only, what, 950?"
(I'm using pounds instead of kilos because I'm too lazy to convert it. Please don't kill me.)
You may be wondering, 950? That's a lot! Well, with her quirk, it ain't much in her eyes. Now she wants me to spot her ass...
"You sure you want me to spot you?" I ask her.
"You're the closest one, and your one of the strongest around so come on!" Was that a compliment? I'll take it.
"I swear if you let it go on me I swear to God..."
"Yeah yeah, I'm only doing it for 5 anyways!"
Fucking monster...
Now then, I have to make sure I don't touch her too much... I can't afford to get distracted. With a breath, she got the bar up, damn that's a lot of weight for her small ass, how the hell. She goes down in a beat, with me following and trying NOT to get distracted by her brushing against me.
After the fourth rep, I could tell she was gonna struggle some.
"C'mon, get that shit up!"
With a yell, she gets it up, the plates clinking against each other as she racks it up.
"Heh, nice. Your turn-"
"Fuck no!"
"Of course, as I expected!" She cackled to herself as I glared at her. Stupid woman...
As for me, my legs are pulsing right about now. They're practically swollen by the fat ass pump they got going on. I'm gonna feel this tomorrow.
"Yeah yeah, well I'm here, right? Your little workout wasn't enough to make me quit" I laughed as I tried to hide my absolute anguish.
"Uh huh, next time we'll do whatever you wanna do, and I'll show you that I can do it better."
Oh?
"Next time? My, are you planning a date with me? I'm shocked you want to see me more~"
"SHUUUUT THE FUCK UP!" her face exploded in red as her ears heavily twitched, her feet tapping against the ground.
"You piece of shit... Eat a dick! I'll fucking kill ya next time!"
"Heh, well how are you gonna kill me? We'll have to communicate that one!~"
She glared at me hard. She knew what I was asking for.
"... Gimme your phone."
"With pleasure~" with a harsh snatch, she punched in her number and threw it back at me, which I caught.
"Now don't be spreading that shit around, aight!? And don't be spamming me and all that weird shit!"
"Yes, yes, calm your head Miruko."
"Fucking- Rumi Usagiyama!" She growled out.
"... Who?"
"My name fuck face! It'll be weird if you keep calling me by my hero name!" She said, pointing her thumb to herself.
"Okay, Ru-"
"I'm gonna cave in your skull!"
"... Usagiyama... Bit of a mouth full..."
"Cry about it!" Sheesh, still so full of energy after that monster workout.
I laughed to myself. Despite it all, I had a nice time. I can't remember a time I enjoyed myself except for hunting criminals... It was a nice feeling, for sure.
"Tch, c'mon. We gotta get our shit?"
"Huh?" What else did she have planned?
"Protein! And lots of it! They got a little protein shake station down the hall! I'll show ya how to really get it right!"
"Really? This spot is better than I thought. I'm glad you care so much about me, Usagiyama~"
"Maybe not!"
"No, no, lead the way!"
~~~~~
"You better not tell a soul about any of this!" We were outside in almost the dead of night as she gave me her signature glare.
"Please, this is between you and me. Be sure to call me, alright?" I leered down at her as her look intensified.
"Why do I even bother..."
"Cuz I'm that charming, obviously!"
"Okay, I'm out of here!" She said abruptly. She huffed, turning her face away from me.
"Yeah, yeah, take it easy bunny!" I gave her a wave as she gave me the finger as she took off into the night. What a woman.
I take a look around, I don't think I'm gonna get any baddies today, not with how my legs are feeling.
Man I need a car...
~~~~~
[??? POV]
...
Bzzzzzz
Bzzzzzz
Bzzz-
"Hello?"
"Yeah..."
"Yeah..."
"Gotcha. My payment better be there when I get back, it was a hassle getting over here of all places... All the translating and shit..."
"Alright... Yeah... Be careful? Please, c'mon now. He's older right? He'll prolly be slower too..."
"The target? Well... He's right in front of me... 233 feet away."
"I'll bide my time. I'm gonna back off for now."
~~~~~
And that's a wrap! Thanks for reading! I hope you guys enjoyed this chapter,and I apologize it took a while to get this out! I can't wait to write about the next several chapters!
Clearly, someone is after our main man Jason, who could it be? The remnants of the place haven't died down yet...
And the mighty Mirko finds herself doing something she never really does: talk to people! Can Jason break her out of her shell?
Anyways, thanks for reading, and I hope to see you next chapter! Buh bye ;)