"Everyone, get out of the water! I repeat, get out of the water!" the lifeguard hollered anxiously through her red and white megaphone.
I watched as everyone in the water, with parents immediately grabbing their children and couples entangling their arms together, scamper out speedily. A few swimmers around me began to voice their confusion. Some of the younger kids outright ignored her orders and continued splashing around. Whether it was an actual emergency or not, it'll make things easier if I got out.
"Himawari, the lifeguard said we gotta get out," I announced turning around. Instead of seeing a little girl there, I was met with one of her pink arm floaties that were sitting on the ripples.
I was supposed to be babysitting. My neighbor's down the street needed a sitter for the weekend since they had to go out of town for a funeral. They didn't want to take their kid, so they asked me if I can watch her. They had to pick the worst candidate for watching her, did they? First of all, I'm a walking magnet that attracts trouble wherever I go, and secondly, I have zero experience with babysitting. However, I didn't really have the choice to say no.
The neighbor's kid, Himawari, seemed really bummed out that her parents abandoned her, so I thought taking her to the beach would cheer her up. Both my parents were busy with work, so they couldn't make it. It was just me and her, and maybe my unluck.
More people were retreating back on the sand. The ocean water was emptying out, and I still couldn't find her. I hurriedly waded through the water trying to find any sign of a little 5-year-old wearing a polka-dotted sunhat. It was difficult. I tried calling her name, but my voice just got drowned out by the wave of other voices. A few minutes passed by with no luck.
This is bad. What if she got lost? What if she got kidnapped? What if she drowned? I swore she was right next to me. I turn my back for one second and bam! She's gone.
"Crap..." I muttered, beginning to panic. "Where'd Himawari go?"
As I continued on with my search, I overheard two boys my age talking about the current situation. "The stronger heroes should be coming anytime soon," the taller one with a shaved head mumbled, as he surveyed the crowd.
"Are you sure you saw an actual villain?" his companion asked.
"Yes! I saw his face and everything while I was underwater. He looked like an octopus. One of the tentacles almost touched me! We're no match against a big villain like that. It's best if we wait for backup," he replied.
"Are you sure it wasn't just a plain 'ole octopus?"
"I swear it was a villain!"
Is that why we were pulled out of the water? Because there was a villain in it? This situation is getting worse by the second. I really need to find Himawari...
That's when I heard a bubbling sound in front of me. It was pretty loud, because even the nearby boys stopped and turned around.
"Dude, did you just fart?" the blond one teased with a smug look..
"I did not!" his friend retorted.
"I totally get it. You must be freaked out over the whole villain thing."
"I'm telling you, I saw it! You don't believe me, don't you?"
The two of them soon got into a squabble about whether or not the villain spotting was real. The blond dude was having fun teasing his friend, who was desperately trying to drag themselves out of the water. About a minute in, the blond boy's body stiffens.
"Why's your leg feel so weird?" he asked with a disgusted look.
"What do you mean? I didn't touch you."
"Then who touched me?" he said, folding his arms. "The octopus villain?"
Just as he said that, a huge purple octopus man comes soaring out of the water. He had the torso of a human but the legs of an octopus. A wave crashed down on me and the boys, pushing us in opposite directions. Immediately making its appearance, the people on the beach took notice and began to panic.
"I told you there was a villain! You didn't believe me!" the bald boy exclaimed in a mixture of triumph and fear.
I wiped the salty seawater that stung my eyes. In one of the octopus man's tentacles was Himawari. Her face was blue. She was gasping for air.
Crap, crap, crap! Out of all the times I don't get captured, it has to be the kid I'm babysitting that gets captured instead? I have to get her out!
I stared at the villain that towered over me. His eyes were yellow with dark pupils. He wore an evil grin on his lips, exposing his razor-sharp teeth.
How the heck is a little middle schooler with basically no Quirk gonna go up against an evil tentacle man?
Himawari took notice of my presence. Her wide eyes glimmered with hope upon seeing me. "R-Rin! I-I'm scared!" she blubbered. She stretched her hand out toward me in an attempt to grab onto me. "Save me..."
The horrified look on her chubby face made me feel a bit of guilt sink into my stomach. What the heck was I doing here, doing nothing as a little kid was begging me for help? Although the odds were not in my favor, I needed to do something.
"U-um, how about you put her down?" I said pathetically to the octopus man.
"It's not that simple, kid!" he snorted. "She's mine!"
I tried again. "Well... Um, why have a little kid when you can have...me as a hostage instead!"
What kind of suggestion was that? However, I was already bringing that topic up so I had to roll with it. I awkwardly shifted my gaze to the side as I struggled to come up with a convincing argument. "Uh, you know, when the heroes--"
The villain interrupted me. "If!"
"Er, yeah, if the heroes come, wouldn't it be weird that you're holding a little 5-year-old in your...um, tentacles?"
The octopus raised his nonexistent eyebrow at me. The two boys behind him, who were too stunned to move, also gave me an odd look.
"I'm just saying that it's kinda weird. You know, it might make you look like...a lolicon."
I managed to somehow get my point across because he glanced at Himawari awkwardly. "H-Huh...well, I guess that makes sense," he stuttered.
"Yeah," I continued. "At least with me, it won't be as weird since I'm over the...age of consent."
Hearing me say those three words out loud made me cringe. If my parents, heck, if Hiro heard what I said, they'll lose their minds. I noticed the two boys standing behind the villain turn pink. Seeing their flustered expression only made me cringe harder. "So... How about it?" I said to the octopus.
He stood there for a moment. He was processing what I said to him. He kept glancing at Himawari and me. After a minute or so, one of his slimy tentacles wrapped around my waist and pulled me up. I can feel his suckers cling onto my bare skin. I shuddered in disgust.
"I've decided," the villain said. A devilish grin appeared on his face. "I'm gonna use the two of you as my hostages!"
Welp. I failed miserably. I mean, at least I tried?
"I smell a villain!" a voice suddenly boomed.
The villain frantically spun around trying to find the source of the voice. He, along with Himawari, the two boys, and I settled our gazes upon a figure riding on a jetski. I couldn't really tell who they were since they were too far away. With a splash, they appeared in front of us sending a wave of water. Once the water dripped away, I gazed at my potential hero.
She wore a gray bodysuit with a cropped sweater. Around her waist was a pointed black belt, and she had on thigh-high boots. Her spiky hair was pulled into a high side ponytail, the ends of its strands covering her right eye. The left side of her face exposed her other eye which had a mask over. Her lips were pulled into a cheeky smile.
"Don't worry! The hero, Static, is here!" the woman announced gallantly. Her eyes peered at us. "Holding two defenseless girls in your tentacles, huh? I'll never allow you to live out your perverted fantasies!"
What...? Did she just...?
If the boys' faces weren't pink enough, they blushed harder. I was speechless, unsure how to respond to that comment. However, another voice, one that was new, piped up.
"I think the only one with perverted fantasies is you."
Looking towards the source of the voice, my eyes landed on a man standing on a surfboard. He wore a woven tengai hat over his face. His right kimono sleeve was missing, exposing his shoulders and upper arms. Underneath his dark hakama were sturdy-looking boots. In his hands was a wooden fishing pole.
Static took notice of the man. Her nose crinkled in disgust. "Oh, look who's here. It's Masterbaiter. Here to defeat the villain and steal all the glory again?"
"I am not! And my name is not Masterbaiter, quit telling people that! I'm Rod!"
"Whadya mean? It's the perfect name," Static replied, with a smirk. "You have a fishing pole. Fishing poles bait fish, and since you've been using that pole for a long time now, you must be a master at it."
"The point is that it sounds wrong! It sounds like I have too much fun in the bathroom."
The grin on her face grew. "Oh, it fits you perfectly, without a doubt. Don't think I'll ever forget that time Ryukyu came into town. You were totally drooling over her."
Through the little slits of his mask, his face glowed red. "I was not!"
She snorted. "Yeah, right! You literally broke that villain's fingers because he badmouthed your dragon queen."
He pointed his fishing pole at her. "Says the one who came to a rescue half drunk! You planned a wedding with Hawks! And planned the honeymoon that was going to be in Italy AND the names of your future kids! Naruto, Sasuke, and Sakura! And the name of the dog: Kakashi!"
Static's face flushed pink. Folding her arms, she said in defense, "Wh-what? S-So? Hawks is super hot! Any sensible human being will admit that!"
Rubbing his chin with a tentacle, the octopus villain agreed. "Look, I hate heroes, but even I can tell a good face from another."
Why are you getting involved in this conversation?
"Right? The guy got looks! Not only that, but he's strong too!" Static said, pleased that she had a supporter. Then turning to the boys and me, she demanded our opinions on the matter. The two boys also agreed with her, probably to end the conversation faster so she could save us. Then it fell to me.
"U-uh... Hawks... Er, well, I..." I began awkwardly. I envisioned the image of the Pro-Hero in my head, trying to judge it for myself. He's actually saved me before. He rescued me from splattering on the cement when I fell out of a bus. I tried my best to recall how he looked: feathery blond hair that was swept back, a small stubble, golden-brown eyes, a carefree expression on his face...
"I mean... He isn't ugly. I guess he's better than average?"
Despite my unenthusiastic response, she took it as support. Turning to Masterbaiter, she said, "Aha! I told you! Hawks is hella hot, and I'm not afraid to admit it. Some Pro-Heroes are simply attractive," she said. "Eraserhead is good-looking too! Did you see him at the last news conference? And Fat Gum! He's not only adorable, but he's also a total snack in his shrunken form! All Might? I would totally Detroit Smash!"
I shifted awkwardly as she continued ranting about heroes she was crushing on. Himawari gave me a confused look, and the two boys just silently stared. In a gruff voice, Masterbaiter reminded her that there were children here. However, she wasn't stopping. Pointing an accusatory finger at him, she said, "I know you have the hots for Mirko! Just admit it, buddy. I know you want her to kick you in the face!"
Upon saying that, his straw hat was practically steaming. "What the hell are you talking about?"
"I totally get it. Those sculpted thighs are enough to get any man turned--"
Without warning, a fishing line goes swinging at full force at her. The lure at the end smacks her head-on, making her almost fall into the water. There was a red circular outline on her right cheek. Rubbing her cheek, a fire ignited in her eyes. "Ok, I see how it is... You're screwed!"
The two charged at each other, completing disregarding the current situation, and fought. Well, kind of. Since Static was on a jet ski and Masterbaiter was on a surfboard, so the terrain was not in their favors. From the looks of it, Static was losing. Masterbaiter's fishing pole was long enough to hit her and even wrap around her arm.
Despite them being heroes, they sure weren't acting like ones. They were supposed to be rescuing us, not fighting each other...
"Get over here!" she demanded, trying to pry the fishing lure off her arm. Reaching into his pocket, Masterbaiter pulls out a small string of rope. It wasn't very long at all. I noticed that when he whipped it forward, the rope grew longer. It gave her another smack on the face, and Static yelped.
————- ————-
̶ʀ̶ᴏ̶ᴅ̶
ᴍᴀꜱᴛᴇʀʙᴀɪᴛᴇʀ
Qᴜɪʀᴋ: ᴇʟᴏɴɢᴀᴛᴇ
ʜᴇ ᴄᴀɴ ɪɴᴄʀᴇᴀꜱᴇ ᴛʜᴇ ʟᴇɴɢᴛʜ ᴏꜰ ᴀɴʏ ᴏʙᴊᴇᴄᴛ ᴀꜱ ʟᴏɴɢ ᴀꜱ ʜᴇ'ꜱ ᴛᴏᴜᴄʜɪɴɢ ɪᴛ!
————- ————-
"A-Aren't you guys heroes?" the bald guy asked. "Just save us already!"
Upon saying that, the octopus man turned around to face the two boys. "While I'm at it, I might as well take you guys too!"
With two of his tentacles, he simultaneously grabbed the boys. The bald one started shrieking for help while his blond friend's face went pale. The bald one was too afraid to move, so the villain was able to scoop him up easily. Meanwhile, the other guy finally kicked back to his senses and tried to escape. As the villain was about to make his move, a surge of electricity discharges from his body.
In that half a second, the villain's tentacles around my arms loosened for a moment. That gave me the chance to pull my right arm out and reach out to Himawari, who was about to receive the full impact of the shock. I wasn't sure how that was going to prevent her from being electrocuted since we were all wet, but it just happened on instinct. I shut my eyes.
Everyone in the vicinity was shocked. As the others erupted in screams feeling the force of electricity, I only let out a small grunt. I felt really tingling especially in my fingers. It surprisingly didn't hurt as much as I expected, but that's not to say that it didn't hurt at all.
The villain holding us hostage let out a cry of pain. His tentacles gave out, and I splashed down in the water below. When my bare feet hit the sand, my knees buckled and my head went under. I struggled to keep my head up. Even underwater, I could feel my knees shaking. My left arm was sore, and I could hardly move the other. My arms flailed as much as my body allowed them to, while water flooded into my nose.
This is stupid. There's only about 4 feet of water, and I'm drowning? Is this really how I'm going to go out?
I realized that since the villain dropped me, he must've dropped everyone else including Himawari. She won't be able to stay afloat with only one arm floatie. She'll drown.
I could hardly see with all the splashing that was happening around me. I saw a glimpse of the bald kid flailing his arms in the water. His friend, which was the one who used his Quirk, was just peacefully floating there with his thumbs up while wearing a dumb expression. It sounded like those heroes were actually trying to be helpful for once, because I heard them trying to apprehend the tentacle villain. There was no way they were going to have time to rescue Himawari.
Forget it. Who cares if I drown? I need to save her.
"H-Hima...wa..wari!" I gurgled as more and more water splashed in my face. With all the strength I could muster, I forced my shaking legs to move. As I did, I felt a sharp pain erupt in both my legs, but I didn't care. I needed to save Himawari.
"R-Rin!" I heard her say amidst all the chaos. "He...Help!"
I managed to catch a quick look at her, whose head was practically underwater. Seeing her tiny body thrashing helplessly as she sinks, made a pit form in my stomach. It made me want to throw up.
Why won't my Quirk come out?
My head began to really hurt now. There was a ringing in my ear that started to grow louder. Because of that, my movements began to stiffen. My head slowly began to sink. Just as my head was submerged, I heard a loud splash, like someone fell into the water. It came from Himawari's direction and from behind. Then, I heard a cry.
"Rin!"
I was only underwater for two seconds when I felt a pair of hands pull me up. I was shoved onto something that was afloat. I let out a coughing fit, as I lay on whatever surface I was on. My entire body was shaking from stress. Since my eyes were facing up, I couldn't see who joined the battle. I definitely heard those two heroes from earlier battling the octopus man, but I also heard Himawari calling out to me. There were also a familair voice: a strident voice near me.
"Phew! That was a close one!" he said. The face of a brown-skinned man wearing a whimsical strawberry hat appeared in my tunnel of vision.
Huh? It's this guy? What's Strawberry Shades doing here?
"Hey! We need some help over here!" I heard Masterbaiter yell from afar.
"Got it!" Strawberry Shades replied. Promptly after that, he disappeared from my view.
The voices around me began to blend together as my vision got hazy. I was getting very lightheaded. It didn't help that the sun was practically roasting me. Within a minute, everything went black.
»»————- ————-««
When I woke up, I saw that I was underneath a beach umbrella. I was lying on a towel. Himawari, who was sitting beside me, noticed me wake up. Her eyes swelling up with tears, she pounced and engulfed me with a hug.
"Wahh! Y-You finally w-w-woke u-up!" she blubbered. She was squeezing my neck so hard that I could hardly breath. I barely managed to asked her if she was ok, and she said that she was. After calming her down, I asked her what happened.
With shimmering eyes, she explained. "Strawberry Man and the fisherman and the lady battled! They went like wham! And like kaboom! Then hiyah! Then they beat the big bad octopus! They were so cool!"
"Oh. I...see." Well, I guess it's a good thing they took care of the villain.
Standing up, I decided to approach the group of people up ahead. In the crowd were the two boys. The bald one was trying to shake his friend back to his senses, but to no avail. He was still out of order, wearing a blank look. By them was the villain from before. He was knocked out cold and wrapped in rope. I didn't think that the rope would do much if he were to wake up, but it seemed like he wasn't waking up anytime soon. Next to him were Strawberry Shades and the two fighting heroes. They were talking to the crowd.
Strawberry Shades let out a booming laugh. "Haha! But of course! That villain was a piece of cake! He was no match for me!"
Masterbaiter let out a scoff. "You didn't do anything; I did all the work. Quit stealing my hard work!"
Static nodded in agreement. "Yeah, man. Quit stealing his hard work that he stole from me."
"Don't even get me started on you. You didn't do jack shit!"
"Excuse me? Buddy, I think you forgot that I was the one who stopped him from moving."
"After I finished beating him into a pulp!"
The two heroes began to argue with each other again. Meanwhile, Strawberry Shades noticed that I was up. He squeezed his way through the crowd, jogging over. He stopped in front of me and Himawari, wearing a huge grin.
"Ah, I see that you've awakened," he remarked. Then patting down my arms and shoulders, he said, "And without a scratch on you! How lucky you all are!"
Himawari bounced excitedly. "Hey, hey, did you see Rin? She was cool!"
I raised an eyebrow at her. "Cool?"
She nodded. "Yeah! When that scary bad guy grabbed you, you weren't scared at all. And when you did that thing, wow, everything went biz, biz, woosh!"
"Biz, biz... Woosh...?"
"Yeah, biz, biz, woosh!"
I had absolutely no idea what she was talking about. However, it seemed like Strawberry Shades did.
He snapped his fingers. "Oh! Yes, I remember! Something totally did do a biz, biz, woosh! when that blond juvenile used his Quirk." He began to laugh to himself. "That was quite the shock! No pun, intended, haha!"
Before I could ask him what he meant, I heard the sounds of the police. That was Strawberry Shades's cue to leave. Giving me a pat on my shoulder, he said, "You did well once again, little girl!"
"I told you, I'm--"
"Or should I say, Rin." He gave me sparkling smile that shined brighter than the sun. His white teeth was blinding. "Now, I must bid you farewell. Strawberry Shades, out!"
I watched as the vigilante scampered away, his bulging strawberry head bopping up and down as he ran. I noticed that Masterbaiter and Static hurriedly sloshed through the water, making their way to their respective water-travel devices. Still arguing, they made their getaway.
Wait, why would they be running from the police? Aren't they heroes? Unless...
I let out a weary sigh.
Of course they're vigilantes. No wonder why they were so weird.
Hearing the siren approach, I grabbed Himawari's hand and looked down.
"...Let's not tell your parents about this, alright?"