70: 𝚀𝚞𝚒𝚛𝚔 𝚊𝚠𝚊𝚔𝚎𝚗𝚒𝚗𝚐
"Are you okay?"
It wasn't the message that Nova expected to get from Shoji after her first day of training with Zel. And she couldn't quite make sense of it.
What do you mean?
She messaged back, biting her thumbnail nervously. His question Immediately put her on edge. She didn't even have the slightest idea of what he could be asking about.
I don't know if you've heard, But the guy who attacked you escaped prison. Kain Abal.
Nova stared at the message. She didn't type out an answer, she just stared at it in shock. Kain had... Escaped? How? When?!
The police and pros are after him.
They'll catch him soon.
His next two messages also went without response as Nova shuddered.
"Hey kid I was planning on patrolling and maybe grabbing a bite to eat before sunset-"
Nova ignored Zel too, grabbing a TV remote and turning on the flat screen in Zel's living room. Switching to a news network, then another. Then finally she found one covering the news.
"In other news, convict Kain Abal escaped by killing two police officers escorting him to a different prison. He has been flagged as extremely dangerous."
"Oh shit." Zel mumbled, moving closer to Nova. Who stood silently, eyes wide. She felt like a deer caught in the headlights of a car. The headlights were a warning of danger coming, but Nova couldn't move. She didn't know what to do or how to protect herself.
"Last seen in the city of Musutafu, police are still searching for the eighteen year old."
The news reporters kept droning on.
"The former UA student was arrested for physically attacking a first year student during the sports festival along with two others that remain in custody."
"You okay kid?" Zel asked, putting a hand on Nova's shoulder.
"Yeah... I'm fine." Nova said with a dazed expression. She seemed to be detached.
"Come on." Zel took the remote and turned off the TV. "It's about time we switched locations anyways. The test tomorrow is in Tokyo, I have a base there."
"Huh?" Nova glanced up at Zel who had a serious expression.
"We'll pack up. Put some distance between you and that psycho while the police track him down. It won't be long before he's behind bars again, until then it's a good idea to stay out of Musutafu." Zel explained.
"Okay..." Nova nodded slowly, liking the idea of getting away.
"Okay." Zel nodded. "Get your things together, normally I don't drive but you don't have your permit yet so we can't use the gear. I'll load up the car."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Kain had walked several miles. He was somewhere in a rural area outside of Musutafu. All he knew was that he had to get as far away from the pros in that city as possible.
He didn't know what his plan was, he knew he had to lay low. He wasn't a complete moron, he just killed two men. The pros would be after him, and he was still stuck wearing his prison uniform. He knew he had to change as soon as possible. The bright orange made him obvious from afar. Though the few civilians who had seen him either ignored him or made a run for it.
He was on the side of the road now, one that not many cars passed on. There were woods around him so he was covered from above. He has covered what he could of his uniform in mud to dull the color, but he was still on edge.
As he walked he noticed something on the side of the road, it was big and black, with a white spot. It Seemed to be made out of cloth. He approached it cautiously, then stopped all together as he noticed that 'it' was more of a 'they'.
A person was sitting in a ditch wearing all black. Their skin barely visible, but pale. They weren't moving, completely unconscious. Kain noted the small amount of blood in the arena he assumed was their head.
He stopped, standing over them. He wanted to run, but knew staying would be smarter. They were about his size, he could take the black clothes. The blood, while noticeable... wasn't as significant as the bright orange of the prison clothes.
He climbed into the ditch, noting a few other details.
They were still breathing, their chest rising and falling. And they were also wearing a mask, it almost looked like some sort of beak. On their chest was a folded piece of paper. That was the white spot he noticed earlier.
They didn't stir as he picked it up. His curiosity peaked, he unfolded it and read the letters inside. It was a simple message, one that made Kain raise an eyebrow.
"We will destroy you again."
⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘⫘
Nova sat in the passenger seat as Zel drove through the streets of Japan. She had been mostly quiet, while Zel talked occasionally about random subjects. Then she turned on the music and rolled down the windows to blare it to the public.
Eventually she rolled through a drive through and ordered them some food. Only to get it for free because the workers were all big fans. Nova made sure to lean back when they chatted through the window. She didn't know if they'd know her, but she really didn't want to find out.
"You can talk about it you know." Zel said, glancing at Nova as she shoved fries in her mouth. "If you need to."
Nova looked down at her own food. "Talk about what?" She asked, though she knew the answer.
"What happened... With that guy. From your school." Zel's voice had a more serious tone than Nova was used too. "I understand if you don't... But I also know that having someone to talk too could help..."
"I'm... Fine..."
"Are you fine? Or do you just not want me to feel bad or... Or worry for you?" Zel asked, staring ahead at the road. They had just entered the Tokyo city limits, so traffic was getting denser.
"...I don't know I just..." Nova stopped with a sigh. "Want to forget about it all..."
"I understand..." Zel frowned and glanced back at Nova, then at the road again. "Don't take this the wrong way but... What happened... Was the reason I decided to take you on."
"...oh..."
"You were a strong fighter, I thought it was amazing. But I don't take interns whatsoever, so that has nothing to do with it..." Zel explained. "Until I saw the aftermath... And I realized I had too."
Nova didn't say anything. Of course, this whole time she hadn't wanted any pity, only to find out that's what her entire internship was based on.
"It happened to me too... In grade school. No one in my class really liked me, I was too different from them. My hair especially... Not to mention the fact that at the time I was quirkless. I was no stranger to bullying but... That was... Too far." Her voice trailed off, but Nova could figure out the rest. "You were stronger than I was. I didn't want anyone to know, especially not my parents. They already worried a lot... But..."
"Was that... Your quirk awakening?" Nova asked softly.
"Mhm." Zel nodded. "I... Didn't tell anyone about what happened... I didn't have too... My hair just came back, I waited a few days and then faked an awakening. The people who hurt me got away with it, because I was too scared to tell anyone."
Nova didn't say anything, but she felt a pang of sadness. The same type of pity she had hoped to avoid for herself. But Zel's story was so sad, going through that and not even telling anyone.
"But you... You showed the world..." Zel chuckled, shaking her head in amazement. "It felt really powerful... And I knew... I just had to meet you. So I put in an offer."
"...Thank you... For telling me." Nova whispered. Her eyes covered by what little hair she had left. "I just... I feel so weak you know? Even though I won... He was able to beat me... Despite my quirk and training, I couldn't even protect myself. And I just know that... Whenever anyone sees me that's what they think about. My hair is a permeant reminder of my weakest moment."
Nova wiped her eyes as she felt tears well up in them.
"I understand that, but... Everyone has weak moments. It's what we do after that matters. Instead of viewing it as a reminder of your weakness think of it as a symbol of triumph." Zel said. "I mean right after that you won the sports festival, while injured. That's incredible, and if anyone says otherwise then damn them. You're cooler than them anyways."
"I don't want to be cooler than them..."
"Well you already are, and I have a feeling you've been pretending otherwise for quite a long time." Zel said with a pointed frown.
"It's about time you change that."
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