As of this moment, Taylor Hebert kinda regrets her whole spontaneous decision to start her 'heroing' tonight.
At the same time, you can't really blame her, sure Brockton bay is full of a lot of scums of the earth— the trio, included— but what were the odds that she would run into a dragon who powers up because of "I USE RAGE!"?
And surprise, surprise, this dragon wants to kill kids.
Another spontaneous decision later, she had attacked him with her swarm, along with his goons, and while some of the goons had been taken out of commission or otherwise flee, the dragon who has now grown in size is now searching for her.
She didn't think this one through… but she just couldn't not do anything when someone was trying to murder kids, could she?
Even now as she swarms him with more of her critters, they do not have any effect as they are immediately burnt to crisp due to the flames surrounding Lung, the dragon.
She tries to steady her ragged breathing.
She's scared.
Is this what every cape has to go through? The idea that they could die at any moment in a fight?
Death huh…
Thinking to her life, there isn't really much to live for, is there? A 'might as well be' absent father and a shitty school life and a shitty ex best friend who gets off from making her life miserable…
Death wouldn't be so bad. Yeah, death wouldn't be so bad… but she hasn't been holding on and giving it her best all this time only to die here!
As she takes a step back, hoping to make a quick escape.
"FOUN' OOU!" The indistinct voice of Lung rings out.
Enhanced hearing? That's just unfair!
With a leap, Lung grabs onto the building and scales it with his claws.
Fuck, fuck, fuck, fuck.
Even knowing it's no use, she continues to attacks him with every insect in her control.
The smell of burning fills the air as they burn to crisp.
Knowing she won't be fast enough to outrun him, Taylor moves to the edge of the roof and crouches.
She quickly takes stock of her inventory, looking for anything that can help her, she settles on the pepper spray which her father had gifted her.
As soon as Lung's head peer over the edge, she sprays him, aiming for the eye she didn't sting.
With a roar of pain, Lung jumps with a burst of strength, landing on the rooftop.
Seeing that she has been cornered, she panics and starts to run towards the fire escape but a wave of flame strikes her back, making her sprawl on the ground.
She feels pain.
"KIIII OOUUU!" Lung continues to grow stronger by the minute.
As another wave of flame is about to be shot out by Lung, a voice cuts into their confrontation.
"Hey, stop that!"
Taylor watches as a blue haired boy lands on the rooftop from an honest-to-God broom that seemed to have bat wings.
Standing between her and Lung, the boy speaks. "Why are you doing something like that? That's dangerous!"
Even though Lung's facial expression cannot be seen clearly, Taylor can almost see the "what the fuck?" look on his face.
The boy before her is obviously a Cape from the flying broom, but yet he is not wearing any mask, he also has an Asian accent.
"FUC OFF. DIEeee." With no hesitation, Lung throws flames towards the both of them.
The boy turns around, faster than what a person without powers would be capable of and runs to Taylor, picking her up in a bridal carry and jumping out of the way.
He does all this fluidly.
"H-hey…" Taylor attempts to rebuke.
"Are you okay?" The boy asks looking worriedly at her and her rebuttal dies in her throat.
With flames now covering him, Lung charges at the two of them.
"Watch out!"
The boy watches as Lung approaches, then whispers in a low voice but Taylor hears him clearly.
"Zadkiel."
She watches in surprise as the previously hot rooftop turns cold and into a landscape of ice instantly, even Lung is frozen in place as well.
"Wh-what?"
"That won't hold him for long… we have to go…" Saying so, the boy turns and starts to run towards the edge of the roof.
"Wait, that's not the way!"
Without stopping, the boy jumps off the roof and Taylor screams, wondering if he is crazy.
"Haniel."
With a word, that same broom appears underneath the boy's feet and with a burst of speed, flies them away from the area.
***
Flying to a rooftop, one very far from before, the boy steps off the broom as it disappears.
"Ummm…"
"Ah, sorry about that." He says as he sets her down. "Are you okay?"
"I'm…" She clears her throat. "I'm fine… thanks."
She hates how small her voice sounded.
"That's good… anyway, can I ask you some questions?"
Taylor raises her guard up at that.
The boy appears from nowhere, saves her and wants answers to questions.
Everything screams suspicious.
Taylor nods to him.
"What is the name of this city and what is today's date?"
What?
What sort of question is he asking? Is that code for something? Some sort of Cape lingo?
Since she doesn't know if the question means something else, she answers truthfully while still keeping her guard up, building a new swarm.
"Brockton bay. April 11th." She replies.
"I don't know that. And April huh… I see." The boy replies back with a weary expression as he looks into the distance.
"You are not wearing a mask." Taylor blurts out.
"Mask? Why should I? Don't tell me this place celebrates Halloween in April?" He asks, shock seeping into his voice.
This place?
Is he not from around here then?
No, looking at him, he does look out of place, a face that looks very handsome that it's almost unnatural, and maybe dyed blue hair? With Asian features.
He didn't wear a mask, he's Asian and he fought Lung? Isn't that even more reckless?
"No. You are a Cape, aren't you?" She asks.
"Cape? I'm assuming that mean something other than clothes in this context."
Taylor looks at him incredulously.
"Are you kidding?"
Is there anyone in the world who doesn't know what Capes are?
"I'm definitely not. I literally found myself in this place all of a sudden so I don't know anything… I'm lucky that you are even speaking Japanese."
What?
"I'm not speaking Japanese. We are talking in English."
What is going on here?
Her suspicions increases.
"We are?" He says then continues with a whisper to himself. "But I'm talking in Japanese right now… Is my Reiryoku doing this? I wish there was someone I could ask."
"H-hey, are you okay?" Taylor questions, seeing him talk to himself.
With a look of realization on his face. "Ah! I think there is something that I can do in this situation."
Taylor stretches an arm to him as he takes hasty steps towards the edge of the roof.
He takes a deep breath.
"Hey, wait a—"
"KURUMIIII!!!!!" He screams out.
"Hey! Stop that, what if Lung finds us." Taylor scolds him as she walks hurriedly to him.
"Ah. Sorry about that." The boy says rubbing the back of his head.
Taylor stares pointedly at him, just what is his deal anyways?
"Just don't do that again, please."
"Understood."
As Taylor breathes out a sigh, a voice interrupts them.
"Ara, ara, I didn't think you would ever call out to me so fervently."
Taylor feels her skin crawl from the sweet but scary voice coming from behind her.
Turning around quickly and taking a step back, she watches as a figure appears from a pool of darkness that has formed on the rooftop.
She is wearing a gown made of red and black frills, hair styled in twin tails with one side longer than the other. On her unnaturally beautiful face, a face that would put Emma's to shame, she has a red right eye and a golden left one that has a clock in it.
What the hell?
Taylor takes more steps back.
Who is this person?
"Kurumi!" The boy beside her says.
Kurumi? That same name he had just shouted?
The girl before them curtsies politely, holding the hems of her gown, a sweet smile on her face.
"A very good evening to you, Shido-san."
Shido?
Taylor watches as the boy walks over to the girl named Kurumi and embraces her.
"Sh-shido-san?" She stutters, her face a little red.
"Kurumi, you are here. I'm glad to see you… "
"Mou, Shido-san, I might not be able to help myself if you do something so bold…"
Breaking the hug. "Sorry, I couldn't help myself." The boy now named Shido laughs embarrassedly.
"By the way Kurumi, if you are here, does that mean the others are here as well?"
"Fufufu, apart from you, Shido-san, I haven't found anyone else." Kurumi replies, smiling. "It's quite a complicated situation we have found ourselves in, isn't it?"
"Tell me about it, I was in the house and the next thing I knew, I was here. I don't know what is going on at all…"
Taylor watches from the side as the two converses not knowing what to do or say.
She really wants to go home, who knows if her dad might have noticed she is not in her room?
And besides where did these people come from, they have powers but yet they are not wearing masks.
The only Capes in the bay who do not wear mask is New Wave and none of the two before her is among the group.
She knows because she checked online.
She sighs.
As she tries to get their attention, she notices something.
Opening a palm, a snow flake settles on it.
Snow?
Why would it be snowing in April?
"Shido-san."
Hearing the voice of Kurumi, Taylor looks at the two.
"There is no doubt about it." Shido says looking at the snow falling from the sky.
"This is Yoshino's doing."