Few days later
Issei slouched through the park, his sneakers kicking up gravel as he navigated the winding path.
The spring air buzzed with the energy of kids shrieking like a banshee on the playground, their laughter and squabbles grating on his nerves.
To Issei, they were hyperactive, evil little human shits—his private label for the pint-sized terrors who made living impossible.
At nine years old, carrying the mind of a man who'd been staring down middle age in another life, he felt like a stranger in their world.
Their petty dramas, their obsession with hero rankings, their endless games—none of it landed.
He was disconnected, an alien with no tether to their reality.
Grandpa had dragged him here, muttering about "getting some sun" and "stop brooding like an old man... that's my job"
His senses drank in the park's chaos: the squeal of a slide, the sugary stink of spilled soda, the vibration of footsteps tearing across the grass.
It was too much sometimes when he focused, but he'd learned to filter it unconsciously.
Mostly.
Emotions were the real problem for him.
Since his heat conversion quirk awakened four years ago, something had shifted.
His perspective had gone noticeably flat, monochrome, like a painting stripped of color.
His old feelings that persiwted were just as strong but new Judgements often lacked the emotional spectrum he hwd before..
He still felt them—but it was like his heart was locked behind glass, detached and cold.
Was it the quirk, rewiring him to match its deadly precision? Or was it his Earth self, the jaded adult, pulling away from a world that didn't fit?
Either way, it left him hollow, unable to connect.
He aimed for his usual refuge, a bench under a gnarled cherry tree, far from the playground's madness.
No one bugged him here. No one, except—
"Issei!" A bright voice sliced through his thoughts, and he stifled a groan.
Hope bounded toward him, her serpentine tail swaying, green scales catching the sunlight on her cheeks. Her mutant quirk made her a spectacle—slit-pupil eyes, hair that writhed like living snakes, and tiny wings tucked under her shirt.
She'd shown him those wings once, shyly lifting her shirt to reveal delicate, bat-like membranes.
Issei had just stared, tongue-tied, his social awkwardness making it painfully weird.
Hope's dad was an immigrant, her mom Japanese, and her quirk drew cruel whispers from the other kids.
They shunned her, just like they avoided Issei for his too-quiet, too-serious vibe.
So she'd glued herself to him, chattering away like they were best friends, no matter how much he tried to stay distant.
Before he could dodge, Hope launched herself at him, wrapping her arms around him in a hug so tight his ribs creaked. "You're here!" she squealed, her tail curling excitedly.
Issei gasped, air squeezed from his lungs, his senses overwhelmed by her warmth and the faint floral scent of her shampoo.
"H-Hope… can't… breathe!" he wheezed, tapping her shoulder frantically.
She giggled, loosening her grip just enough for him to suck in a breath, but didn't let go entirely. "Oops, sorry! Got too excited. Grandpa dragged you out, huh? Bet he said you're too grumpy." Her grin was wide, sharp teeth glinting, her eyes sparkling with mischief.
Issei squirmed free, his cheeks flushing as he straightened his clothes. "Yeah, something like that," he muttered, avoiding her gaze.
His voice was flat, too mature for his age, but a childish tome slipped through, betraying his nine-year-old body.
He wished she'd leave him alone.
She never did.
Hope plopped onto the bench, patting the spot beside her. "Come on, sit! You always look like you're about to run away."
Her tone was light, like she was talking to an old friend.
Her hair wriggled, a few strands curling.
Issei hesitated, then sat, keeping a careful distance. "I don't… like it here," he said, staring at the ground. "Too loud. Too many kids."
His words were clipped, his voice dull.
He didn't want to explain the real reason—the disconnect, the way his Earth self saw kids as chaotic gremlins, not peers.
Hope tilted her head, her tail tapping the bench.
"Yeah, kids can be jerks. They're all 'ew, snake girl' to me, so I get it. But you're not like them, Issei. You're… I dunno, different. In a good way."
She nudged his shoulder, her smile softer now. "That's why I bug you. You don't make me feel weird."
Issei's chest tightened, a faint flicker of warmth breaking through the static.
Though it died down fast, his face staying blank.
"I'm not your friend," he said, the words harsher than he meant.
She was a distraction...!
Hope's grin didn't falter. "Sure, whatever, Mr. Grumpy Pants." She leaned closer, her voice dropping to a mock whisper. "You're totally my friend, you just don't wanna admit it. Classic tsundere."
She poked his cheek, giggling when he swatted her hand away.
"Stop that!" he snapped, his voice cracking into a kid's whine.
His cheeks burned, and he hated how his body kept betraying him, making him act like the age he was supposed to be.
"I don't play your stupid games, Hope. Go find someone else."
She laughed, hopping off the bench and grabbing his wrist. "Nuh-uh! . Let's play tag—you're it!" Her tail flicked, and before he could protest, she yanked him to his feet, her strength overpowering him.
His senses screamed at the contact, her warm grip jarring against his muted world.
He could've supercooled her entire hand forced her to let go, but the thought made him flinch.
He wasn't that far gone.
"Come on, slowpoke!" Hope darted toward the grassy field, her wings fluttering faintly under her shirt.
Leo cpuld hear them fluttering.
" you can't catch me!" Her laughter was bright, infectious, cutting through the park's noise.
Issei stood frozen, his serious mask cracking as a spark of childish annoyance flared.
She was so annoying.
But as she turned, waving at him with those serpentine eyes , something stirred—a faint, stubborn warmth.
He muttered, "Stupid kid body," under his breath, but his lips twitched, almost a smile.
With a huff, he took off after her, his senses tracking her every step, playing along despite himself.
Maybe she wasn't his friend.
But for now, he decided to chase Hope through the park, her laughter pulling him out of the monochrome haze.
Issei sprinted after Hope, his feet pounding the grass, his senses locked onto her every move.
Her laughter rang out, bright and wild, as she weaved through the park's open field, her serpentine tail swaying behind her.
"You're so slow, Issei!" she taunted, glancing back with a grin, her slit-pupil eyes shining in the spring sunlight.
Issei's lips twitched, he was letting her take the lead.
The monochrome haze that dulled his emotions cracked just a little, Hope's relentless energy pulling him into the moment.
He didn't want to admit it, but running with her felt… lighter.
"Gonna catch you!" he called, his voice slipping into a kid's playful tone, though he'd deny it later.
His senses picked up the shift in her steps—she was about to dodge left.
He pivoted, ready to cut her off, when Hope's foot caught on a stray root.
She yelped, stumbling forward, her tail flailing as she crashed into a group of kids near the playground's edge.
The group—three boys, loud and cocky, turned as Hope hit the ground, her hands scraping the dirt.
The boys froze, their eyes narrowing at her scales and tail.
One, a kid with a buzzcut, opened his mouth, a mean twist in his expression, ready to spit something cruel.
Issei was there in an instant, stepping between Hope and the boys.
His dark eyes locked onto the buzzcut kid.
And he simply stared him down.
It was a look that promised trouble, the kind that made you rethink your life choices.
The buzzcut kid's mouth snapped shut, his bravado crumbling.
The other boys shifted uneasily, their senses catching the faint, eerie chill that seemed to radiate from Issei.
They'd been in the sandbox with him once, months ago, when a prank gone wrong left them shivering in frost-kissed sand, their fingers numb from a "misfire" of Issei's quirk.
He hadn't meant to scare them that bad, but the lesson stuck.
They didn't mess with him now.
"Get lost," Issei said, his voice low, steady, but laced with a protective edge.
It wasn't loud, but it cut through the playground's noise like a blade.
The boys didn't argue.
They muttered something and scurried off, disappearing into the crowd of kids by the slides.
Hope pushed herself up, brushing dirt off her hands, her tail twitching irritably.
"Ugh, clumsy me," she muttered, then looked at Issei, her grin returning, softer this time. "Whoa, you scared 'em off with just a look! You're like a mini-hero."
She nudged his arm, her warmth jarring.
"Thanks, Issei. Didn't need you to, but… it was cool."
Issei's cheeks flushed, and he turned away, shoving his hands back in his pockets.
"Wasn't a big deal," he mumbled, his serious tone undercut by a kid's sulky huff.
His heart stirred, a faint warmth breaking through the static haze.
He hated how she made him feel things—annoyance, protectiveness.
Obviously no romantic feelings since he more so saw her as that one sister he always wished to have.
"Just… watch where you're going next time."
Hope laughed, unbothered by his grumpiness.
"Yeah, yeah, Mr. Tsundere. Come on, you're still it!"
She darted forward, her tail giving her a springy boost as she raced toward the open field again.
"Bet you can't catch me now!"
Issei sighed, but his senses were already tracking her, picking up the rhythm of her steps.
He took off after her, his serious mask slipping as a childish spark of fun pushed through for a brief moment.
---
The sun dipped low, painting the park in hues of orange as Issei and Hope trudged toward the ice cream shop.
Torino walking behind them.
The old hero's gruff hum mixing with the distant hum of the city.
Issei's pants was smudged with dirt from their park antics, and Hope's tail swayed lazily, her shirt slightly askew.
The air smelled of blooming flowers and exhaust, but Issei's senses zeroed in on the faint vanilla wafting from the shop ahead.
"Grandpa, you're buying, right?" Hope chirped, spinning to face Gran Torino with a wide grin, her sharp teeth catching the evening light.
She'd taken to calling him "Grandpa" months ago, ever since she and Issei started their awkward not-friendship.
With no grandparents of her own, she'd adopted Torino as easily as she'd latched onto Issei, her bubbly energy unfazed by his grizzled demeanor.
Gran Torino snorted, adjusting his scarf.
"Tch, you're a mooch, snake girl..But Fine!."
His sharp eyes softened. "You too, Issei. Pick somethin' before I change my mind."
Issei shrugged, his face set in its usual serious mask. "Doesn't matter,".
But hope just giggled at him.
He shot her a sidelong glance but didn't say anything.
The ice cream shop was a cozy hole-in-the-wall, its neon sign buzzing faintly. It sat on the corner of Hope's street, her house just behind it, a modest two-story with a sagging porch.
The three of them crowded at the counter, Hope bouncing on her toes as she ordered a double scoop of strawberry, her tail knocking a napkin dispenser over.
Issei, after a moment's hesitation, got a single scoop of chocolate, his senses allowing him to experience the taste and smell more in depth than anyone.
Gran Torino stuck with a plain vanilla cone, muttering about "fancy flavors" being a scam.
They sat on a bench outside, the shop's awning shading them from the fading sun.
Hope licked her ice cream with gusto, pink smears on her scaled cheeks, while Issei ate methodically, his spoon precise.
Gran Torino leaned back, his cone already half-gone, watching the street with slight vigilance.
"You two caused a ruckus at the park again, huh?" Grandpa said, his voice teasing but proud. "I saw how you scared off some punks, Issei. Good instincts, but don't go freezin' anyone like before."
Issei's spoon paused, his serious eyes flicking to Grandpa.
"They were gonna try to bully her," he said flatly, as if it was just fact, not heroism.
His senses caught Hope's tail twitching, her smile widening.
"My knight in grumpy armor!" Hope teased, leaning toward him, her hair writhing playfully.
"Admit it, you totally care about me." She poked his arm, ignoring his scowl.
"I don't," Issei snapped. "I just… didn't want trouble."
He wasn't her friend.
He didn't do friends.
He was just… being responsible.
Yeah, that was it.
Hope laughed, undeterred, and Gran Torino chuckled, a low, raspy sound.
"You're a lousy liar, kid," he said, finishing his cone. "Both of you, finish up. It's time to head home."
Hope's house was so close they could see her front door from the bench.
Gran Torino wiped his hands, glancing at her. "You're old enough to walk ten steps, snake girl. Safe to go on your own from here, right?"
Hope nodded, licking the last of her ice cream off her spoon. "Yup! I'm basically a pro at this." She hopped up, her tail giving a cheerful wave. "Thanks for the ice cream, Grandpa! See you tomorrow, Issei!"
Issei stood, his cone gone, his hands shoved in his pockets. "I'll make sure she gets inside," he said, his voice flat but firm, directed at Grandpa. "Crime's not zero around here. It's… the responsible thing to do."
His senses were already scanning the street—quiet, no threats, but you never knew.
He wasn't concerned.
Not at all.
Hope wasn't his friend or anything.
He was just doing what any citizen would.
Gran Torino raised an eyebrow, a knowing smirk tugging at his lips. "Sure, kid. Responsible. Go on, then."
Hope rolled her eyes, grabbing Issei's sleeve. "You're so serious, it's funny. Come on, let's go!"
She tugged him toward her house.
Issei followed, his face blank.
They crossed the street, Hope chattering about some hero show she'd watched, her voice filling the quiet.
Issei stayed silent, his senses tracking her steps, the creak of her gate as she pushed it open.
She turned at her doorstep, grinning. "You're such a weirdo, watching me like a bodyguard....But… thanks, Issei."
He shrugged, looking away.
"Just go inside," he muttered.
Hope laughed, waved, and slipped through the door, her tail vanishing as it closed.
Issei stood there a moment, his senses confirming the click of the lock.
Safe.
He turned back to Grandpa, who was waiting by the shop, cane tapping.
The old man didn't say anything, just nodded, and they started the walk home, the city's hum wrapping around them.
Issei's hands stayed in his pockets, his serious mask firmly in place.
...
=======================
Power Stones and Reviews please