Kobeni Higashiyama hadn't ever anticipated being sucked into Hell itself and being spat out like a piece of used up bubblegum.
No, no, no! This had to be some ridiculous dream or something right?!
The atmosphere changed and warped like a wavy filter. She spun and twirled in the air while countless voices laughed, cried, and sang all around her.
She heard people and creatures crying out for mercy; she heard men and women begging to do anything to be set free; she heard children and animals wailing out in despair and agony.
Kobeni dreaded opening her eyes in fear of what could be seen. Fear of seeing creatures and scenes beyond her worst nightmares.
Everything screeched and it made her snivel even more. She closed her eyes as hard as she could, clutching at her ears to blot out the noise.
But then… It stopped. All that horrid nightmare fuel just disappeared. There wasn't a slow fade to it; just immediately nothing.
Like everything nasty and horrific had been put on mute - as if someone held a remote in hand.
"H-huh…?" Kobeni slowly yet hesitantly opened her eyes back up to see she was sitting down, legs crossed, to a vast blank landscape of nothingness.
It was all white. A pure white room of just… Nothing. She stood back up on wobbly legs, shaking like a wet dog and opened up her mouth to speak with a fearful tone. "Hello…?"
There was no echo to her voice; it sounded like she's in some ginormous noise cancellation room. Kobeni's posture remained guarded, her eyes darting around for any sign of something living.
She walked for what felt like hours in this vast room of what could be limbo or the afterlife. Did she die?
Impossible - it had to be a nightmare!
Finally, after what could've been miles of endless walking - Kobeni saw something in the distance. She squinted to find what she thought to be a ball of glittering light. It spasmed and shot in different directions.
It looked like a disco ball she'd seen in karaoke rooms - the gaudy ones that'd spin and shower the room in an array of light. Except, instead of the wavy assortment of colors, it radiated like gold and another color…. A color she couldn't really describe.
"B-bwuh?!" Kobeni's eyes widened when she saw it appear to turn her way and begin floating ominously her way. No, no, no!
In her mind, she saw that as an eldritch abomination beyond her comprehension. Thoughts of it killing her at a super-fast speed or possessing her became probable scenarios. Scenarios Kobeni didn't want happening to her whatsoever! No, no, no!
She had to run!
Making a complete 180 on her heel, Kobeni booked it like never before. Whimpering and sniveling all along the way. "Please! Please! I didn't do anything! Let me live!" She turned her gaze behind her shoulder and immediately regretted it.
The demonic ball was gaining on her ass and she urged her legs to go as fast as they could. But where could she run?!
"Don't kill me! Please! WAHHHH!"
A low hum emanated from the ball of obvious doom and she wasn't keen on finding out what it could do to her! She flailed her arms and fell forward onto her face.
This was it! She was going to die! She failed as a Big Sister and as a human being!
"Let me die quickly! Just kill me fast! JUST DO IT!" She cried out. "I–Urgghhh! HRRRGH!" She couldn't even finish her sentence before she just bawled out an ugly sob. Snot flowed from her nose as she curled up into a fetal position.
Above her, the ball hovered, listening and floating there menacingly.
She knew being a Devil Hunter wasn't worth it. Everything and everyone wanted to kill her and she just wanted to go to college. Find a good guy and settle down. Was it too hard to ask for something so simple?!
She hadn't even given herself to someone - everybody avoided her like the plague in school. She's done nothing worthwhile! She's not gotten the chance to live and now she's going to be ruthlessly killed at the hands of a freaking ball of all things!
She looked up and the ball rushed into her vision.
Then nothing…
She opened her eyes to find herself in an alleyway stinking of filth and sweat. Beside her - two homeless men gawped and pointed at her with a big oblong glass of beer hidden in a brown bag.
"Did she just come out of a thingamajig, Subaru…?" The man with a raspy voice and a bucket hat said, handing the poorly covered beer to his buddy.
The other, a scraggly bearded fellow, scratched at his face, his dirty yellow patch coat scoffed. "Must be one of them quirk gals, Haku. Not our issue. Let's go before–"
Kobeni shot forward, nabbing the bottle and drinking it like it was her lifeline. The cheap stuff didn't matter to her tastebuds as she gulped it like the alcoholic beverage was the oasis itself.
"H-hey! What the hell?!" the homeless man named Suburu exclaimed, snatching it out of her hands. "Get! Go on with your filthy self, ya wench! Get yer own!" He made a shooing gesture and Kobeni wiped her lips, panting and stumbling past them to the street further up.
The fresh air hit her face and it made Kobeni's wobbly knees buckle and she sank to the warm concrete sidewalk. People gave her looks and glared.
A kid picking at their nose pointed at her. "Mommy, is that a freak?"
The woman gasped and pulled their child away with a hushed whisper. "Get away from them, dear. You don't know what kind of diseases those types of people have."
She planted her left hand onto the ground and rose with a look to the sky. This couldn't be real…? Is she back home?
Kobeni shot forward, looking for the nearest telephone booth but couldn't find one anywhere. She saw people holding advanced devices in their hands and she followed after a crowd who were being held back by a–
A devil!
Kobeni shrieked and hid behind a stoic-built man, peering past his shoulder to see a fire-hydrant devil! He had hoses for hands!
Looking up to the stoic man, Kobeni gasped and backed away to the man's lizard-like facial features. "L-lizard devil! Y-you're all–GAHHH! Someone! Anyone!?"
She turned to shake the shoulders of a concerned elderly man, pointing at the lizard devil in front of her with tears in her eyes.
The crowd gave her looks and laughed. One man said under their breath right next to her. "Must be some crazy."
"Think she's not medicated?" A woman whispered to their cohort.
Were they not afraid of the clear devil in front of them or the lizard that could eat them up right away?! Were they fiends…?
Where was she?!
Six months later….
She patted her face, cupping some lukewarm water from the employee bathroom's miserable sink. The water helped wash away tears from her most recent breakdown after the manager had told her off for spilling food onto some bigshot Pro Hero.
How could she figure out that he's some up and coming type of guy? Some All-something or other. He looked sorta cool and even told her it was alright, but that didn't fly with the McRonald's Manager whatsoever.
"You're an idiot! He won't come back after the stupid shit you've pulled, Higashiyama!" The manager's voice cried out in her thoughts, making her heart sink lower and lower into her chest.
It wasn't her fault, though! The Pro ordered an obscene amount of food for himself and some muscular looking lady.
Two number nines with medium fries and drink; a number nine large; a number 6 with extra dip; a number 7; two number 45s, with one having cheese; and a large soda….
Needless to say the tray she's carrying with such a large order felt like a trial in hell all by itself. A single misstep was all it took for her to fall forward, splashing everything into the man's lap and super-hero suit - sullying it… The woman laughed and didn't much care that some of the cola got onto her, thankfully, but what could she do…?
Pulling away from the sink, she readjusted her apron and looked at the black hat the McRonald's provided - a happy anime girl giving a piece sign pin setting on the left side of the brim. Part of her smiled back at it and the other part wanted to toss it to the ground and stomp on it.
She turned to leave the bathroom - the waft of breakfast sandwiches, pancakes, and bleach flooded her nose. Oddly quiet though…
Today was another busy day with rude customers, the occasional old couple who'd swing by to tell her about their day, and eventually freedom.
Though… The sight of people crouched down in fear, the manager, his scrawny, balding head turning to face her from under the cash register - and mouthing 'do something' as she blinked in surprise.
"E-eh…?" The cold barrel of a gun pressed against the side of her temple and she looked to her left to see a masked man with an intimidating aura. There were two others, one in a dark blue hoodie with hammer fists of some sort; the other a noodly man holding a crowbar.
"On your knees! Go on, git!" Balaclava face shoved her down and she quickly complied, not at all wanting to die in a place like this.
"W-what the hell, Higashiyama…?! W-were you just in the bathroom this whole time while we're getting robbed?!" The manager hissed, his face red and spittle landing on her face. "Do something! I've seen you do absurd bullshit, so do it!"
"B-but sir…"
"No buts to me, Higashiyama! Do it or else I'm dockin' yer pay!" The manager spat out, his face red with anger and fear.
Docking her pay…?!
She's already messed up her hours thanks to the change in a crappy payroll system.
Kobeni muttered quietly to herself, her eyes wavy with tears and realization of what could happen if nothing is done.
If my paycheck is whittled down even lower I'll be kicked out of my apartment! No, no, no. I can't. No, what'll I say to the landlord, she won't give me any more extensions! No,no,no. No! No! If it comes to I'll have to sell my car! I don't wanna! I just got it repaired! Then I'll have to live back at the shelter and be bullied by that homeless guy again. Worse! I'll have to resort to selling my socks and shoes to old perverts! No!
She rose slowly, eyes welling up with tears. "Urgnnng…. Hrnnnnng! Urrrrnnng!" She let out an ugly whimper.
"That's it…" Balacava chuckled darkly, shoving her to the counter and tapping her shoulder with the pistol. "Good, now empty the cash register and we'll be outta–"
A shadow cast over Kobeni's eyes and her shaky frame stilled to calmness like a peaceful lake amidst an azure sky.
Kobeni whirled back without a word, twisting from the man's grip on her shoulder, karate-chopping his throat, forcing him onto his knees, clutching at his neck with warbly gasps, trying and failing to get air back into his body.
She raised her hand high and delivered another swift chop like a falling guillotine down onto the back of his nape - taking him out of the equation entirely. His body went still as he lay next to her cowering manager who was hunched up under the cash register.
"What the…?" The hammer-fists goon exclaimed with astonishment, trudging on over with full intent on taking initiative!
"Hey… What're ya doing?! We gotta keep hostages–" The noodle-shaped man shouted with worry in his voice.
"Shuddup!" Hammerfists retorts. "Ya can keep a watch of 'em. I'll deal with our little knight in shinin' armor here." He rushed her, hopping over the counter.
With both dangerous quirk-enhanced arms, the goon slammed his fists down where Kobeni had been standing - creating a mini crater into the tiled flooring in the process while she dodged it.
The manager squealed beside her and rolled away from his hiding spot, leaving Kobeni to backstep toward the hallway leading into the kitchen. She searched to and fro for a suitable weapon. Opting for something hot, Kobeni's hands started grabbing a frier full of hot oil and casting it to the man's way.
Hammerfists laughed, blocking the scalding hot oil with his quirk - the substance splashing against him but not at all burning what she considered to be concrete on his arms.
"Ya ruined everything! Once my boss hears of this, you're a dead woman. Hell, there won't even be much to bury ya when he gets his mitts on yer ass!"
Like a hunking train of concrete, the man braced himself, fully intending on crushing her with his forearms and weight.
He charged forward as if he were a bull himself. Kobeni's eyes widened as she turned heel, running toward the end of the kitchen's small space to the freezers. She sidestepped into a dexterous roll, leading the man to bust through them at breakneck speed, caving in the metal door, tearing it off its hinges.
"Grah…! Pleh!" He emerged from the room of meats, a big glare on his square face that's slowly turning redder than a tomato. He spat out a thick wad of phlegm with a furious huff, raising his forearms into another brace, which meant another charging stampede.
Not again… Where are the Pro Heroes and Police?
The man charged through, practically running through the ice cream machine that management swore they'd fix; he ripped apart the commercial dishwasher, tossing it her way with a roar; following it had to be the sanitation sink… Another missed throw that dented the sturdy ice machine.
It was almost like a quick game of tag, with her as the fragile runner and him as the tagger with the full intention of maiming her.
Then he managed to grab a hold of the back of her shirt… Oh no.
Immediately she'd been lifted off the ground and slammed down onto the last remaining metal counters still standing in the kitchen.
The impact knocked the wind out of her, making her gasp and spew spittle. Breathing became difficult and she almost let out a whimper… Her back screamed at her for aid as it communicated the loss of air to the rest of her body.
She rolled away from a falling amateur elbow drop, landing onto her stomach to the cool, albeit greasy, kitchen flooring.
Remembering Kishibe's words and the other tips from Himeno, she'd relaxed her body. Taking shallow breaths, reminding herself to pause and then force a breath out, resetting the spasm to her diaphragm.
With a wheezing cough at first, Kobeni grasped at the counter for a steady climb back to a full stand.
At the rate this goon was going, every bit of equipment and machine needed to run this burger joint would cause the place to go under a thorough renovation. Which meant she'd either be laid off like the rest of the crew, or fill in at another fast-food restaurant…
She needed to finish this fast and without as much damage to the kitchen as possible. Reaching for a stainless steel spatula and keeping him in her peripherals, Kobeni readied herself for self-defense measures.
She's not wielded a weapon, let alone a poor substitute like a spatula of all things, since coming here. Kobeni had to hold back. She can't kill the guy. If she did, it's straight to the slammer for her. Which meant a permanent assault conviction on the shiny record that Giran guy made for her… Why did things have to be so complicated?
Hold back. Just hold back and don't kill him. I can do that.
The man saw her choice of a spatula and let out a loud laugh, pointing at her. "You're going to beat me with that?" He waved off her defensive posture as if it didn't matter to him. "Bitch, please. Now stay still so I can finally crush ya–"
She rushed forward while he kept up his monologue, ducking under his wide swing from his right hand, staring up at him from below his knees with a cold stare.
Rising up into his guard, Kobeni reared back her spatula, slapping his right cheek as hard as she could.
"Argh! The fuck?!" He hissed, stepping back as Kobeni wailed on him with strong-armed spatula slaps that began to make his face swell up. Each one leaving a meaty sound against flesh until the point where the spatula itself was bending under the force of her swings.
Each powerful spatula slap made the man falter, forcing him to back off to a wall where Kobeni had been able to corner him. She continued her onslaught without relent!
"Stahp it!" His bruised, swollen lip said, the cement from his arms dissipating into normal human limbs. So it had a time limit… Good. She'd worried he could just easily bat her aside from this close up. "I shawd stahp! M'sorry!" He knelt down, raising one of his hands up in defeat and the other to clutch at his face.
She had to hold her hand back from not switching the spatula's blunt side to the finer and sharper edge, slamming it into the head of this man… Ending it quicker, but she didn't.
She tossed the spatula aside, its shape all bent and misshapen. But that meant there was one more man. Kobeni booked it back to the front with haste, eying the last goon who had a crowbar in hand.
He raised to lay metal on an innocent elderly woman, but Kobeni was faster - she scrambled for the gun on the floor, ripping it out of Balacava guy's unconscious grip and undid the safety, aiming it up high in the air with one hand and letting a warning shot ring out.
Customers and the remaining goon gasped, the former cowering and hiding under booths and tables while the latter held up their hands in surrender.
"You…" She aimed the pistol their way, causing both to flinch and get onto their knees with hands on the back of their head. "Stay there. You." She looked at the woman with glasses recording with astonishment and awe. "Call the police… Please?"
"O-oh… Y-yeah! Of course…" The woman laughed bashfully and began dialing. People around her rose from their hiding places and began clapping, cheering and congratulating the heroic act.
A little child began chanting. "Bur-ger lady! Bur-ger lady! Bur-ger lady!"
"Bur-ger lady!" A chubby man joined in, clapping his hands.
"Bur-ger lady…?" Another woman, eyes dripping with tears wanted in on it too, clapping her hands with mirth yet with some confusion.
"E-eh..?" Kobeni took a step back, flicking the safety back on and placing the gun onto the counter with a shy scratch to the back of her head. She wasn't really sure what to do with this much attention…
People joined the child and they chanted for a few more minutes before it settled down.
Before she knew it, she was hoisted up in the air and cheered on by the customers. Some took photos while others livestreamed it.
Then she'd be dragged outside, shaking hands with some dog-man police chief for diffusing the hostage situation that Kobeni had no clue was going on until she left the employee bathroom…
She looked bewildered while the dog-man pointed to a crowd of journalists who snapped her photo, calling her a local 'hero' who saved the day.
"E-eh..? I-I just…" She sniffled, averting her eyes from the crowds' intensive stares and cameras. "I just wanna be paid…"
AN:
I got inspired by this out of the blue when Courage the Cowardly Dog came onto my relative's television, and my mind churned out a unique spin on it. A Kobeni-styled adventure where our huggable and very timid coward is constantly thrust into situations she doesn't wanna be in.
A one-shot (that may turn into a full-blown story) about Kobeni trying her best to acclimate and not have several meltdowns in the process. She'll try to live a normal, carefree life, but Fate always gets the last laugh.
Don't fret though, I'm still working on A Twisted Influence, but I figured I'd share this funny idea with you all while I finish up the 24th chapter of ATI.
With the idea of a Kobeni-centric story, I immediately think of the vast shift from a powerful, manipulative character like Makima to the likes of a very mortal, very unlucky Kobeni who just wants to live a good life in a world that ain't her own. Plus, I thought of differing timelines that it could be in - whether it'd actually be during the events of Midoriya and such, or All-Might's rise to fame while the previous One For All user was running around.
In a way, Kobeni would have reason to always be caught up in trouble since supposedly crime and villains were at an all time high during those days.
It seemed pretty fun writing a character who is very much a coward and isn't afraid to cave into peer pressure and fear. It makes her largely human thus making the stakes higher since she's only got one life to spare, unlike Makima.
It'll be on a back-burner for now while I continue to write A Twisted Influence, but writing a Kobeni-centric story detailing her journey (cowardly moments and all) does sound pretty fun.
Until then, my fellow Makima (and hopefully Kobeni) connoisseurs!