The world around the trio swirled and morphed, honestly making them a little dizzy. Soon enough, the nausea stopped as solid ground connected with their feet. Stumbling a bit, fighting back the urge to vomit, both Scarlet and Jane opened their eyes. Taking in a deep breath, heads scanning their surroundings, their eyes fell on Sally. Her eyes were still closed shut, holding the duos hands for dear life.
"You can open your eyes" Jane chuckled. Sallys head flew up upon hearing her voice, her green eyes slowly opening.
"I.....I feel sick" she pulled out her teddy almost immediately, snuggling with him, her legs a little wobbly. Scarlet kneeled down, holding the girl by her shoulders as Jane looked around.
"Well; it's safe for now" she spoke out loud. Only then the red haired woman noted that they were in an alley. It wasn't the most pleasant smelling place on Earth, but as Jane said, it was safe.
Scarlet and Sally kept further from the opening, where they could see clouds of people going on about their day. Jane put on the ring, taking off her mask and wig, hiding them behind her back, peeking out to look around the city.
"You okay?" Scarlet meanwhile smiled at Sally, who fortunately got better. The girl grinned back, letting out a 'yep' as a response.
Scarlet got up, walking towards Jane, Sally behind her.
"Can you tell where we are?" She asked as Jane turned around with a shake of her head.
"Honestly? No idea. It doesn't feel like Musutafu. But I can see ads with heroes I know, so it's safe to assume we're in the correct world" she shrugged.
"Did you see any heroes patroling by?"
"Nope; though there's a lot of people around, so I might've missed one"
"I see. And your quirk? Is it back?"
"Not yet. How long did it take the last time to manifest?"
"Like an hour?"
"Oh well, I'll manage. Anyway. What now? Do we just waltz onto the streets?" Jane wondered, crossing her arms over her chest.
"I mean, what else? It's not like we can stay here"
"Yeah, but what if we're still wanted? What if we step outside and police and heroes will swarm us like flies around fresh shit?"
"Well...at least Sally should be fine, right? I don't think they'd put up a wanted post for her...."
"But what about us? They have our pictures from UA. Who knows where they showed those"
The moment was silent, the women wondering if they should risk being found.
"I have an idea!"
The duo looked down in surprise to see Sally grinning, her arm up as if she was in class.
"Okay, shoot"
Sally grinned wider, looking at Jane, pointing at something.
"Can I have this?"
She was pointing at the wig in her hands.
"Oh, sure" Jane shrugged, giving it to her. Then, she turned to Scarlet.
"Lean down" Scarlet just did as told. Sally used her floating to help her. The woman found her head to be suddenly much heavier than she was used to.
"Perfect!"
Scarlet straightened herself, black coloured curly strands falling over her shoulder.
"Can I be honest?" Jane looked the woman over, the other just staring blankly.
"That dark colour does not suit you anymore"
"Gee, thanks"
"But I guess it'll work for now. You look different enough" Jane came closer, adjusting the strands a little more.
"It's not sitting as it should be though"
"You think there's a wig store somewhere nearby? Maybe I could get you one too..." Scarlet asked, then continued.
"...you look the same as before" Jane looked at her brown hair in thought.
"Maybe I could just cut it?"
"....'ight, where's your knife?"
"Not a chance you'll do it with that without it looking like a rats nest afterwards"
"You think?"
Scarlet looked inside her backpack for a pocket knife she kept around. Opening it, she stepped to the woman, whose eyes widened.
"Get the hell away from me" Jane couldn't hold back a chuckle at the overly evil-looking grin Scarlet had as she came closer.
"Come on, it's just hair!"
"But with a knife!?"
"Is there another option?"
"...no"
"See, now come here!"
'Idiots'
"Okay, okay! But do just a test strand"
"For what?"
"Well who knows? Maybe after I take my ring off and then back on, it'll just grow back"
"Alright, now stop backing up"
Jane rolled her eyes, both of them hearing the little girl who watched their interaction laugh. Scarlet circled around the woman, picking enough hair from underneath, just enough to see a difference after cutting.
.
.
.
Let's just say Mulan made it look easier.
.
.
.
It took some time to cut even half of the part Scarlet wanted to.
"I know hair is tough, but god DAMN" the woman breathed out, holding the cut hair in her hand. It wasn't much, but you could see the difference if you looked for it.
"Alright, now for the magic trick..." Jane just sighed and went to grab the ring.
"Do you want your things back?" She looked up at Scarlet and then at the people passing by - the trio was hidden by the shadows, but realising she won't have the mask and wig on, she stepped further into the dimly lit alley, shaking her head.
"It's fine, it'll be quick" And with that, she took the ring off. The brunette, straight hair began to fall, the scars appearing. However, before they had the chance to fully show, she put the ring back on.
Soon enough, the hair grew back and her skin looked healthy again.
"Okay, let's see" Scarlet beckoned the woman to come closer, Sally floating up a little to also see if the cut stayed.
And unfortunately, it did not.
Her hair was the same length all around, not a single short strand in sight.
"Well, seems like we'll have to get you a wig then..." Scarlet mumbled, letting Janes hair fall down. The other woman turned around.
"It seems like we're in a big city, so there should be a place to buy it, hopefully nearby"
"I mean, they have all kinds of equipment and useful stuff for people with quirks. I don't think a wig should be an issue to find. I'll go"
Jane nodded, seeing that Scarlet going was the best option. She herself would be probably recognized and letting Sally go alone would just be asking for trouble.
"Alright, I'll wait here. Take Sally with you" Jane smiled down on the girl - you could clearly see that she was about to ask if she could tag along.
She did want to see all the quirks she could.
The girl grinned in excitement, hugging Jane as a quick goodbye.
"Don't get yourself found out!"
"Same goes to you two!"
---
The duo found themselfs in s shopping mall. Not as big as the one they visited with the class, but still quite large. Finding a wig store would be a breeze.
Though money was in itself a small issue.
Could she just exchange the money she had? Maybe, but those booths are full of cameras. Could they be on a lookout for them in case they would try to go abroad?
With those thoughts jumping around in her mind, she found that mugging someone will be easier (and more entertaining).
The woman sighed, looking down at Sally, who tightly held her hand, curiousity sparkling in her wide eyes. She let out a small 'wow' every time a different-looking person passed by; some with animal heads, some with many arms, legs, some having wings or horns.
It was a sight to see - both for Sally and Scarlet. A warm feeling spread in the womans chest when she saw the girls eyes shine.
Glancing up, Scarlet noticed that they just so happened to pass by a toy store.
'That should be enough of a distraction...'
"Sal, you go over there, okay? I'll go get us some money" She pointed, the girl looking towards the said store. Then she turned and with a smile, she agreed and went in, bee-lining towards the plushies.
'Now...what to do next' the woman looked around, the people fortunately not batting her a second glance.
'Try maybe looking for someone that looks like you...you could use their ID?'
'I could, though who knows if there is someone that looks anything like me'
'I mean, black hair and green eyes isn't really a rare look, you know'
'Here it might as well be with all the quirks around us; plus, you can clearly tell I'm a foreigner. I'll just target someone for money right now. Let's hope we won't need an ID this time...'
With that thought in mind, she casually made her way to the public bathrooms that were basically opposite the toy store. Adjusting her wig, she stepped inside.
---
The womens bathroom wasn't full, to her surprise. There were two ladies, one washing her hands and the other, younger one, texting. The stalls were opened, so no one else was there and no cameras were in sight.
'Perfect'
The women didn't pay her any mind, doing their own thing as she stood there, her back to the door. She decided to take off the wig, since when these two will be interrogated later, her cover won't be blown.
Only when they heard a weird sound, as if metal was being twisted around, did they look her way - to see her smirking.
Both of the women felt chills running down their backs.
Something was wrong
"Good day to you, ladies. No worries, I'm not gonna hurt you. If you comply, that is"
She took a step closer, their eyes widening when they realised the situation.
This before them was a villain, and she was blocking the only way out.
The older one held her purse close, the youngers grip on her bag tightened, as they backed up, bumping into eachother. The one that was texting; she was a tall girl with a blue pixie cut and snow-like eyes took a stand before the older woman, a scared, but determined look in her eyes.
"Oh? Didn't you hear me? This is not complying, dear" Scarlet tilted her head, the last word laced with venom, watching carefully the girl not much younger than her.
'Is she a hero student? Or just a ballsy brat'
'I'd say the latter. Look at her, she's shaking'
A grin made it's way onto her face when she indeed noticed the girls shaking hands.
"Don't do this to yourself, sweetie. Just give me your bags and I'll be on my way. And don't try to run. I took care of that" she stepped aside for them to see the door. The handle was contorted to the other side, so if you'd try and open it, it'll just get stuck on the wall.
The girl protecting the woman shook as she looked into Scarlets eyes, putting her palms in front of her.
'An attack?'
The room suddenly became chiller, to the point the two could see their panicked breaths. The villain playfully blew out hot air, the way kids do when they pretend to smoke in the cold winter air.
"An ice quirk? That's nice" Scarlet remarked, stepping even closer to the girl, a slight look of nostalgia in her eyes.
A small ball of ice manifested itself in the girls hand. The villain chuckled at the focused expression the girl had on.
'She's not trained'
When the girl looked up, the ball now a little bigger and sharper on one side, her focused gaze broke. The villain was close.
Too close.
She was just grinning down at her measly attempt to scare her away.
The girl hoped that if she put up a fight, the villain would give up. But this one was just looking amused. She saw right through the girls plans and wanted to push her to her limit.
Though, as the villain stood close to her, the teenage girl had a weird feeling.
Where has she seen this womans face...?
"Go on, attack me" the villain smirked, taking a step closer.
"Protect the lady behind you" another step forward, now the woman was right in her face.
"Do it..... hurt me"
The girl shut her eyes and took her chances.
So what if she didn't have a permit to use her quirk in public?
So what if she hurts this woman?
This was a villain and she was protecting herself and the lady behind her.
And with that, she let the sharp ice shard pierce forward.
She didn't hear anything at first. No hiss of pain, no shattering. When she went to open her eyes, she felt some heavy weight fall behind her. Head snapping around, she saw the older woman, on the floor, unconscious.
The villain stood above her, the shard of ice that was blunt on one side and sharp on the other in her hand.
Did she.....catch it?
Scarlet caught the girls gaze and smiled.
''Nice quirk, really. But you'll have to work on your technique"
With a grin, she took a step closer. The girls legs couldn't move. She was stuck in place, her heart beating wildly in her chest.
The villain now stood inches away from her. She flinched when her left arm rose up - only to feel it on her shoulder; a harsh pat.
"But I give you points for actually attacking, ya know...even without a permit"
With those words, she smashed the shard against her temple.
The world began to spin, her already weak legs giving out.
'Permit? Yeah, right. I'd have to actually pass the exams...' sounded in her head as the world began to turn dark.
'Hero school...' her body made contact with the cold bathroom floor, her eyes now closed. The face of the woman was the last thing she saw.
'Her....face'
'Heroes'
.
.
.
.
'The News'
These words resonated in her mind as her consciousness finally slipped away from her.
She knew this villain.
It wasn't just her imagination.
---
The icy atmosphere disappeared as soon as the girls eyes closed shut.
"Now that that's done" Scarlet mumbled, squating down and rumadging through both of their bags.
A decent amount of money was what she took in the end. Emptying the bigger wallet of the two, she put the money inside and hid it in her back pocket.
Deciding to hide the unconscious bodies inside the stalls, she dragged the younger one in, sat her on the closed toilet seat, locked it and jumped up through the top. But before she could do anything else, there was knocking on the door of the bathroom.
"Hello? Is there anyone inside? I can't open the door"
Scarlet just rolled her eyes, skipping to the door, putting on her best somewhat distressed voice.
"I'm here. The door is jammed. I can't get it open!"
There was a pause at the other side, before the woman spoke.
"Are you okay in there?"
"Yes, I'm fine. I just came in like three minutes ago....someone did something with the handle..."
"Alright. I'll go get help-"
"-wait! I...I have an idea, just hold on!" Scarlet answered, before continuing her cover up.
With the both women now hidden, she adjusted the black wig on her head to the best of her abilities, walked to the door and used some of her strength to turn the handle into it's original place and opened the door with relative ease.
The woman on the other side stood there, surprised, before coming closer.
"Are you okay miss? How did you open the door?"
Scarlet just smiled and passed the woman, not sparing her a second glance.
"Thanks to my quirk; it's a real life saver sometimes! Thanks for the concern though!"
---
After finding Sally playing with a kid her age in the toy store, they made their way around the place, occasionally asking people for directions.
The store they found was small, but had a wide selection. There, behind the counter, stood an older woman, who greeted them with a polite smile.
"Hello, dears. Are you looking for a wig by chance?"
The duo stepped closer, smiling at the small woman.
"Yes, I'm looking for a long blonde wig, preferably curly"
"Ah, you are in luck, dear. I have just the one" the lady made her way to a certain part of the shop and showed Scarlet said wig.
"Is this what you wanted?" The black-haired woman nodded almost immediately, making the older woman smile.
"Anything else you need?"
---
As soon as the purchase was made (and up to 70% of her money gone) Scarlet and Sally made their way to the entryway of the shopping mall. The older of the two made a small detour for the drug store before leaving, passing by police, who, Scarlet noticed, made their way to the bathrooms.
'Guess the women woke up'
'Better make your way outta here quickly'
Beckoning Sally to walk a little quicker, they made their way outside. Passing by the police cars with a blank expression, they walked to the other side of the road, slowing down and blending in with the crowd.
The hold on Sallys hand tightened since there were many people around them. Scarlet glanced back one last time, in case anyone noticed their presence.
Fortunately, they were in the clear.
She sighed, looking back - only to see someone right in front of her. There wasn't much time to dodge, so her and the stranger collided. Stumbling back, her hand flying up to see if her wig fell off, she found it still in place.
"My bad" she apologized, looking over to Sally, only see her doing fine, just looking at the older one in small concern. Scarlet smiled down in reassurance and resumed her walk, not waiting for the other person to speak.
"No, it's my fault! Sorry miss! Have a nice day!"
Scarlet stopped in her tracks.
The person resumed their walk, talking with someone beside them; a much taller male.
'That voice...'
She turned her head around slowly, in case the person was also looking back. After finding out they weren't, she turned fully, looking after them, Sally doing the same.
They made their way through the crowd of people, but Scarlet could recognize that person anywhere.
"I know him!" Sally pointed. The woman nodded absentmindedly, before shaking her head with a chuckle, resuming her walk, bringing back the memories of their first visit.
He really was recognizable anywhere - she guessed that that feature would be good in his future carreer.
The green fluffy hair was a staple of his appearance after all.
TO BE CONTINUED>