My tail swiped back and forth behind me as I skipped down the sidewalk. I got some weird looks but it's easy to ignore.
The sounds of explosions drew my attention and I followed the noise to a small shopping center where a sludge villain was taking over the body of a middle schooler.
I sighed and my ears and tail dropped. I can't bring attention to myself or I would've helped him. Instead another middle schooler with bushy green hair ran into the fray. Throwing his backpack at the slime and trying to pry the other boy free.
So brave! I thought while my tail wagged happily. My hearing picked up their conversation from meters away and I smiled.
Then all might came punching the slime away and grabbing the two boys. He punched the slime so hard that he also affected the weather making it rain. I winced as the rain began to wet my cat ears and make me shiver.
Most of the time the rain would not affect me but on this current day I didn't have an umbrella to keep me from the downpour. Thankfully the rain was short and I dried quickly. But being a cat my fur was now plus ultra fluffy and staticky.
After the altercation the boy who was attacked by the villain is praised for his heroism while the boy who fought to free his friend is scolded. I stayed back some and as the green haired boy passed me I put my hand on his. "I think your gonna make the best hero ever." I said winking at him.
I carried on skipping to work at the nearby cat cafe. I clocked in and got to work. Occasionally making conversation with the cats and learning their likes and dislikes.
At one point a man in all black walked in and sat at a booth in my corner. Multiple cats crowded him and I smiled. Anyone good with cats is good with me.
Quickly jotting down his order I also listened to the cats talking about the man. I giggled at the things they said.
The day carried on and soon it was time to clock out.
Walking home I passed by dagobah beach. Like I did every walk home and I arrived at the abandoned building I temporarily call home.
At least a week had passed and I hadn't bought or rented an apartment because I was still unsure how long I would live in this part of Japan.
I huddled closer in the corner of the abandoned building as I listened in on the conversation going down in the alley below. Some kind of villain showdown. If it got too bad I'd step in.
My ears flicked on top of my head at the sound of grunting and then two bodies falling. One splashing into a puddle. I peeked out the window and caught eyes with a man in black with yellow goggles and grey scarf.
He swung up the fire escape and perched on the window. "Go home kid."
"This is home, for now." I said ears back and tail straight ready to fight.
He sighed and pinched the bridge of his nose.
"I will have a home soon but I am unclear of how long I will stay in the area as I look for a good Highschool." I said cautiously. I do not know this man so for now it's best to speak plainly.
He nodded and left. Only to return again the next night.
After multiple encounters I came to know him as Eraserhead, the underground pro hero and a regular patron at the cat cafe. And he came to know me as the cat kid or problem kitten as I hear him mutter.
At some point I began making him meals to eat on his patrols and we would talk. Every now and then I followed him on his patrols as a cat but I think he knew that.
Our friendship soon evolved and he let me stay with him at his apartment. By then I told him my name. Nix.
I was working on the computer looking for a job. Maybe interning at the animal hospital alongside keeping my job at the cat cafe.
Speaking of Aizawa, he came in the door taking off his shoes as he went and going to his room. When he came back out he was wearing grey sweatpants and a cat shirt.
A tabby cat with curly fur by the name of Mochi came striding in after him. I patted the couch and the cat was quick to curl up beside me.
"Still looking for a second job? Aren't you busy enough with the one at the cat cafe?" He said sitting down and petting mochi.
"Yes but I'm trying to keep busy, I don't understand how you could be comfortable with me being in your apartment all the time." I said typing away at the application.
"It's like having a second cat. Stop." He said before taking the laptop from me.
"But I was almost done applying for the veterinary clinic." I whined childishly and my ears flicked.
"I have a better idea. Why don't instead you apply for a Highschool." He said typing away at the computer and handing it back.
When he handed it back on screen was the website for japan's best hero high school, UA.
"But that's a hero school?" I said tilting my head.
He sighed again. He's been doing that a lot this conversation. "You've got potential. I've seen your fighting. Don't think I don't know you follow me on patrols. You've watched my back enough times that I know you have fighting experience. I won't ask where from but I think this could be good for you. I can train you until the entrance exam." He scratched his scruffy stubble while looking off.
"And is there a reward for getting in? If I were to apply myself that is." I spoke coyly while reading over the application and coming up with forged records in my head. I'd still apply even without reward.
Aizawa nodded thoughtfully, "if you get in I'll buy fancy tuna."
"Deal." I said while typing in all the needed information for the records. Most of it forged. But no one needs to know.
Later that day Aizawa took me out to the roof of the apartment building and with him he had a two bo staffs and his capture weapon.
"First we'll see where you are with a Bo staff and then work on evasive maneuvers against my scarf." He said while tossing me my staff.
I got into a ready position and prepared myself. He swung first and I blocked by redirecting his aim and tried to hit him in the leg which he dodged. This went on for a while mostly going for body shots or to make the other stumble. I had to take a few hits to make it believable.
He pulled back for a second to perhaps analyze me and then he dove back in. This time swinging for my head. I leaned into a back arch and then twisted to kick his side. He stumbled to the side while I got up.
I stood leaning on my staff and smiled like a Cheshire "are you okay Pro Hero San?"
"Your purposely taking hits? Why would you even do that?" Aizawa said holding his staff in an attack position.
"So you'd underestimate me and I could get a good hit in. I learned the Bo staff when I was a kid. It was obligatory where I was." My tone turned sad near the end. "Still it's nice to practice again. At least I know I'm not rusty. Wanna go again?" I said on a happier note.
Aizawa nodded before attacking again. This time the only sound on the rooftop were the cracks of the two staffs meeting.
It ended in a tie but I think if it went any longer he would've exhausted his stamina. Then he smiled at me like a proud dad. "UA won't know what hit them." He muttered. "Okay no holding back let see how well you are against evasive maneuvers." He walked to the corner and grabbed his capture weapon and I put my staff away.
"Give it your best. I am a cat, dattebayo!" I said quoting an anime.
Aizawa chuckled before swinging his capture weapon at me.
I swayed my body left and slid under his next attack. His punch going over my head and I aimed an elbow to his ribs. He blocked using the scarf and then tried to pull my arm in. I twisted till the scarf slid off and then jumped away and landed in a crouch.
He then began shooting the scarf at me to pull me back or tie me up. But I did flips and tricks to dodge them all.
It continued with me dodging and trying to get hits on him. At one point he got frustrated and his quirk activated.
All I really knew about Aizawa was his hero name and that he works as an underground hero. So there was not much information to gather on him. He did look vaguely familiar in a way that I had probably seen him on tv years ago. So even though I knew he had a quirk to erase quirks. I also knew it wouldn't affect my mutant quirk.
But as his red eyes lined up with mine I still expected something to happen and flinched. When nothing happened I opened my eye again cautiously. For a moment Aizawa looked startled and then he blinked his eyes and the quirk went away. "Sorry. So far you seem well aware and have good combat focus. We will keep training tomorrow but for now it's bed time for you and patrol time for me.
Looking around I noticed how dark it had gotten and rushed downstairs while he followed behind at a slower pace.
Entering the apartment the first thing I did was put the leftovers from yesterday in the microwave for my dinner. Then I set a new box of bandaids with his hero gear and grabbed the Lunch Rush lunchbox, putting it by the door and going around to lock all the windows for the night.
"I expect you asleep before I get back. No staying up to watch cartoons or whatever teenagers do." Aizawa said while swinging his capture scarf over his head and grabbing his goggles.
"Mhhm sure Aizawa." I said while playing with mochi on the couch.
He came over and flicked my ear. "Just be in bed, you have work tomorrow."
Later when Aizawa came home he saw you asleep on the couch facing the door with the first aid kit beside you.
He shook his head before covering you with a blanket and going off to change. Then coming back to sleep in the living room and sleep in his sleeping bag.
"Nix Aizawa? Hmm. It could work." Aizawa said into the night.