『ARC ZERO: BEGINNING』

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A biting zephyr fluttered through the bustling city of Kyoto, welcoming those who ventured its streets with an icy greeting. Colorful leaves joyfully soared through the air, dancing hand in hand with the wind that released a whistling tune. Suddenly, the wind released its grasp on the autumn leaves and watched with a teasing eye as they tumbled with a swirl. Moments before the leaves connected with the sidewalk, the breeze swooped underneath them and carried them across the sky.

The rapid onslaught of footfalls echoed with every tap. No step fell simultaneously, and if someone paid enough attention, they would only be greeted with an unrhythmic song. Crowds of people traversed across the sidewalk and did as they pleased. Some had pressed their phones to their ears, chatting with the person on the other line, while others walked with their companions to their desired destination.

Turning away from the people, various cars of multiple colors waited at the red light at the intersection. Few could be seen cursing at the streetlight that refused to change hue despite it being three minutes of it being scarlet, and some only tapped impatiently on the surface of the wheel. Now and then, a loud honk vibrated against the air.

Unlike Musutafu, where Heroes patrolled by the dozens, the city of Kyoto was one where many did not. Villains did not ravage as frequently, and if they did, the Heroes lurking in the shadows would eliminate them effortlessly. Crime was hidden in the darkness, away from the peering eyes of civilians.

Pulling the rim of the styrofoam cup away from his lips, a lethargic sigh slipped free from his lips. The liquid burned his esophagus, yet he paid no heed to the sensation enveloping his nerves. For a moment, the steam wafted in his face, warming up his face in a way that made him feel feverish. Swallowing the rest of his coffee, he savored what was left of the bitterness on his taste buds. The edge of his nail tapped against the cup's side, drumming in boredom as he walked.

He tugged at the end of his dark gray jacket with his other hand, fingers lightly bruising against the tip of the calligraphy pen strapped to his belt. Although he did not wish to check, he found himself content with knowing that it was still there. Raising his gaze, his eyes scoured the busy sidewalk he treaded before shifting his attention. As the sun began to fall, the sky had seemingly become a canvas. Slathered with strokes of orange, red, and purple, the beautiful view that descended the city was seen once again.

Unlike the other civilians, his footsteps were inaudible despite falling in the same rhythm as everyone else. Weaving through the groups of citizens with ease, his white eyes briefly scrutinized all of those he passed. However, before getting any further, fabric colored a dark blue caught his attention. Twisting his head to the right, he noticed a group of girls that wore familiar blue blazers and plaid scarlet skirts.

His lips tilted upward in reminiscence. Mizu Academī uniforms? It's quite uncommon to see those outfits in this area. Granted, Mizu rarely lets anyone into their academy. I wonder if they're a part of the same team. It is none of my concern, however.

Just as he was about to take a step forward, a loud squeal was emitted by one of the girls. Although he did not flinch like others, it did not stop a scowl from etching itself onto his features. A few adults voiced their concerns in annoyance, yet those words had fallen on deaf ears. Shifting his gaze, the man took a quick peek at the source of the high schoolers' squealing. He would have gagged if he had not raised a shut fist to his lips. He could almost feel the coffee slipping back up his throat.

"Can you believe we almost missed it? The top five Heroes on the charts are about to be announced!" One of them screamed with excitement.

"I know, right! Isn't it so exciting?"

"It sucks that we missed ten through six, but the top five are honestly more interesting! Oh, look! Number five is about to be announced! Who do you think it's going to be?"

One girl with caramel-furred bunny ears pressed a hand to her mouth in contemplation. Her eyes brightened. "Didn't Creati's rankings go up? Maybe it's going to be her?"

The man pinched the bill of his black hat and nearly released a sigh. Did high schoolers really talk this much? With this much enthusiasm too? It sounded exhausting. He was suddenly grateful that he rejected that teaching offer he received some time ago. He would never have lasted if he had done so. Children were not his forte. He never understood them.

Although he averted his white eyes from the televisions inside the shop's window, he could still see the flashing colors in his peripheral vision. How annoying. Instead, he shifted his gaze to the lamp post on his left. It would have been easy to scramble up the pole and leap over the girls' excited forms, but it was instantly dismissed. One of his friends' would scold him for doing something so unnecessary. The last thing he needed today was an earful. With reluctance, he resigned himself to fate and shoved his hand into his jacket while lifting the other to take another sip of his coffee.

One of the girls lightly grabbed her friend and shook her with glee. She jabbed her index finger at the screen. "Look, look! They're going to mention number five!"

"Unfortunately-" an announcer with curly blonde hair tucked into a ponytail smiled awkwardly at the camera. Her lips parted open slightly, the words on the tip of her tongue. A few seconds passed, hesitance filling her figure. Droplets of sweat coated her dark complexion as she finally spoke. "The Illustration Hero: Inscribe and number five on the rankings has not shown up. It is unknown as to why he has not arri-"

A devious smirk slipped onto the man's as his eyes brightened slightly. One of the girls had moved forward, leaving a small enough gap for him to slip through. Not even bothering to give it a thought, he instantly took the chance to slip through the crack. Once he was on the other side of them, a brief gust plowed through the area, stirring his bangs. He lowered his gaze, hoping that no one was stained with a stray droplet of onyx ink that pulled off his hair.

Trekking down the sidewalk, the ink-haired man drank the final sips of his coffee before tossing the styrofoam cup into its respective trash can. Moments passed by with tranquility, and the people lingering around grew less and less. Once he was on his lonesome, he muttered, "those rankings are such a nuisance. Although I may be Inscribe, that does not mean I want to be awarded for my work. Not to mention the lights and the loud sounds. Let the younger Heroes enjoy the spotlight. I want none of it."

He was not a fan of the spotlight. Excitement over a Hero made little to no sense to him. Civilians were in awe when there was a problem, and they always managed to get in the way. They never thought of the consequences of placing themselves in danger nor the extra strain they put on Heroes. They make work much harder for someone such as himself.

He loved performing his duty as Inscribe, but he also preferred stillness. Certainty was the only thing that could guarantee the success of a mission, but civilians were a wild factor. And they never learned, which made it worse. It did not help that fangirls trailed him whenever they could. Sure he was only twenty-three, but he had no interest in partying or having a significant other.

Ink pressed against his forehead, the wind sticking the liquid onto his skin. As he was about to wipe the ink, he felt his phone vibrate against his thigh. Fishing out the device, his thumb pressed against the power button. The screen flicked to life, revealing an unread message from a friend. He entered his password before tapping on the notification.

Kohei

Hey, Tomohiro! Next time you decide to ditch a significant event, tell your sidekicks or one of your other teammates to find a good excuse. I've had people call my agency left and right, and I'm a hundred percent sure that my secretaries are going to quit because of people yelling at them! Not to mention that Sumiko keeps sending me messages.

A fruitful chuckle escaped Tomohiro's lips in amusement. A small part of him enjoyed the slight chaos that erupted without his presence. His phone's keyboard popped up.

Tomohiro

Isn't this a regular occurrence now? Inform Sumiko that I'm not going. I have better things to do than go to the Hero Rankings?

The small dots on his screen jumped, signaling that Kohei was typing out a response. It did not take long for a message to show up, along with a chime.

Kohei

I know damn well you aren't doing anything. You have no social life outside of work which is why Sumiko and I drag you places. If you're going to do something, make an acquaintance or worthwhile. Call me when you get the chance.

Tomohiro

No, that's too much work.

The message was marked 'read,' but nothing else appeared. The edges of Tomohiro's lips quirked up in a slight smile. As he tucked his phone away, the faint sliver of a glimmer shined in the corner of his eyes. His strides came to a halt in an instant. That was strange. Especially since the flash occurred in the darkness of an alleyway. What once was a spark had disappeared into nothingness.

The familiar sensation of his stomach dropping while unease crawled up his skin. Narrowing his eyes in a skeptical manner, he quickly observed the area around him. No one was present besides himself. His instincts pricked at him, informing him that something was amiss. Breathing in deeply, he calmed himself. He was not frightened but wearier at the sight he thought he saw. The second he stepped into the alleyway, the hairs on the back of his neck stood.

His fingers instantly freed the calligraphy pen from his belt while retrieving the small notebook in his pocket. He shook the writing utensil, feeling whether or not it still had a good amount of ink. Just as he expected, it did. Pressing the tip to a new page, he quickly sketched something out. A few seconds trickled by before a detailed drawing of a shiba inu was displayed on the sheet.

Tomohiro tapped the sheet with the end of the calligraphy pen, and all of a sudden, the drawing leaped from the sheet. Landing on its paws with ease, the dog crafted out of ink with blotches of white on its inner ears, mouth, underbelly, and toes. A quiet yip escaped its muzzle while it shook its tail in excitement.

A smile pulled on his lips, but before he knew it, a frown settled on his face instead. "Shishi, inspect the alley. If something is wrong, return right away and do not get caught. Stay hidden."

Barking softly, Shishi nodded in affirmation. Without wasting another second, the ink dog dashed into the abyss. Leaning against the brick wall, Tomohiro's fingers felt the bumps and grooves of the material. His face was void of emotion, patiently waiting for his small companion to return with news. He hoped that what he felt was nothing but a fluke he sensed.

However, the unease shackling his ankles never ceased. They weighed his body down, like a pressure forcing him still. The inside of his body churned as the strong urge to chase after his dog flooded his system. The ink-haired male gritted his teeth. Rushing into something never ended well. His drawing would trek back to him and tell him of the situation.

Just as his heartbeat was calming, it sped up when he heard the sound of frantic barks. White eyes darted upward, watching the shiba inu sprint to him. Its forepaws slammed against the concrete ground, skidding to a halt before gesturing into the depths of the alleyway.

Tomohiro's jaw tightened as slight panic coated his features. He broke out into a sprint before he even realized it. Stray objects, such as trash bags and dirtied cardboard boxes, were nothing but blurs as he weaved around or jumped over them. At times, he had to slow his speed to take sharp turns. A curse freed itself from his lips in frustration. Why did alleys have so many turns? All they did was slow him down. After what seemed like a lifetime, he dug his heels into the ground and pressed his back onto the wall.

He peeked around the corner, and his lips parted open in surprise. Forcibly cornered into a dead-end were two small children by a pair of adults. Tomohiro did not need to glance closer to realize that the kids were a pair of twins. Instead of normal hair, the twins had jagged and bulky crystalline hair that reflected a multitude of purple hues. The illusion of sparkles outlined the illumination of the amethyst. Underneath all of that brightness, he could barely make out their pale skin from the distance he was at.

A pitiful barrier of crimson crystal stood between the children and the adults. The dulled gemstone had cracks running through it like an arachnid's web. Shards and large chunks were strewn across the concrete as they had broken off the wall. The male child had his arms extended, jagged lines like broken glass peeking out from his shredded sleeves. The edges were parted open, spilling droplets of blood from his wounds. His forearms quivered from the overexertion of his Quirk.

Hiding behind him was his sister. A concerned yet frightened expression was etched on her face. Shards of scarlet gemstones floated above her spread palm, quivering at times as they would fall.

One of the adults scowled, frustration evident in his tone. "Ya, damn kids. Give it up already. Yer folks are payin' us a good amount of dough ta return ya ta them."

"Come on, sweeties," the woman pressed her hands to her knees and crouched. Pink locks fell past her shoulders. "Your parents love you. Why else would they pay us to bring you back?"

A look of exhaustion crossed the male twin's eyes. He instantly shook his head, hands still held out in front of him. "Liars! Our parents only want us to make money! Because of our Quirks!"

"They sell our gemstones for money! We're tired of it and don't want to do it anymore!" the female win shouted from behind her brother.

The creation of gemstones? The inquiry materialized in his mind before realization struck him. Kyoto has seen a rise in jewels being bought over the past year. This typically isn't a big problem since the gemstones were not stolen. Nothing to fret over but seeing this, it's done underhandedly.

Subconsciously, the male's fingers curled into tight fists at his sides. He could not help the sneer tugging at his mouth. Forcing children to use their Quirks for profit! At first glance, that power seems like a worthwhile Quirk, but the methods of using them for gain are nothing but horrid.

Movement in his peripheral vision snapped him out of his thoughts. The woman placed a hand on her hip as she stood back up. "You don't have to make this so difficult now."

The children refused to abide by their demands.

"Fine then. We'll do this the hard way." the male growled.

The pink-haired woman connected her fingertips before spreading them apart. Seeping out of her pores was a bright yellow glow. Pulling her arm back, she readied herself to fling it at the cracked shield. The twins screwed their eyes shut, curling into each other as they waited for the attack to land. The crystal would not hold up if it were struck.

Witnessing enough of this scene, Tomohiro bolted forward with Shishi a step behind. His fingers looped around the woman's collar and yanked her toward his chest. Not expecting the sudden attack, her feet tangled themselves with each other. Unable to gain a stable footing, her body fell. With a swift hit to the side of her neck, the woman crumbled. He did not even bother to place her body down in a gentle manner before focusing his attention on the man.

"Why ya-!" Erupting to life in the man's hands were burning flames that eagerly licked at the oxygen around them. Quivering fire lashed out in Tomohiro's direction while embers sputtered in excitement.

Unlike the fear that the villain expected Tomohiro to wear, all the Hero did was smirk. Not bothering to move from his spot, the ink-haired male momentarily relished in the heat warming his face. As the flames were about to scorch his skin, the warm hues extinguished. Shishi leaped into the air and slammed its forehead into the Villain's abdomen.

Sputtering out a gasp, the man stepped back in surprise. A curse settled in his mouth, but he did not have the chance to say it because the ink dog did not give him the opportunity. Jumping up once more, Shishi's now liquidized body connected with the man's face. A muffled scream exited his mouth. The melted veil of ink stayed like that for a few seconds until it popped off. Its paws landed on the ground while the Villain's unconscious body collapsed.

In no time, the ink had molded itself back into the form of a dog. Barking in glee, Shishi's tail wagged back and forth in pride. All Tomohiro did was shake his head. With hesitation laced in his steps, the white-eyed male knelt to check both of their pulses. Slow and steady. Good, he would not have to worry about them waking up. Slipping his hand into his pocket, he quickly handed it over to his dog.

Shishi bit down on the device before setting it onto the ground. Turning it on was not a difficult feat as it had done it many times before. Glancing away, Tomohiro's eyes landed on the children. He measured the distance between them, wondering if he should risk getting closer. The last thing he wanted was them thinking he would lay a hand on them as well. He was not quite sure how to handle kids. Nonetheless, he carried the title of Hero and had to try anyway.

"I'm Inscribe," pressing a hand against his chest, the ink-haired male relaxed his tense muscles to seem less intimidating. "I'm a Hero. Although I know you're weary of me, I promise I won't bring any harm to you."

It seemed like his words had no effect. Instead, the twins clung to each other even further. He was unsure how that was possible from how much their clothes were wrinkled. He kept his mouth shut for a moment, inspecting the children's forms. He felt a scowl pull at his lips. Their clothes hung off their skeletal frames while dirt coated their alabaster skin. The mixture of blue and purple bruises was also present.

The male twin was the first to realize what Tomohiro was doing. He kept his trembling arms up, leering at the Hero with suspicion in his periwinkle eyes. It meant that the child was not going to trust Tomohiro anytime soon. But the blood spilling over from the boy's open wounds was not reassuring. He was going to need medical attention.

"Listen, I know you see me as a random stranger, and it seems like you have not had any luck with them. But the wounds on your body don't appear to be good. You have a high chance of infection if you don't get them treated." Tomohiro stated while bringing his hands up so the kids could see them. He was unsure what he would do if they did not trust him. He could knock them out, but their trust issues would deepen even further.

"Why should we listen! How do we know you won't use us for our Quirks? Everyone does." the female twin retorted. Her fingers tightened around her brother's shoulders.

"I have no use for gemstones, nor would I ever exploit children. Quirks used for the profit of oneself or others in commerce or backhanded negotiations are illegal. Not only does that go against my morals, but it would also end up with my provisional license revoked. I pride myself on my work as a Hero. I would not throw everything away."

"Lia-!" the word spoken by the male twin was abruptly cut off. The brightness lingering in his irises faded in an instant while his eyelids fluttered shut. The child's legs buckled underneath him. Frightened by the sudden reaction, his sister still tried to catch his collapsing form.

However, her reaction time was much too slow. Kicking off of his toes, Tomohiro barely managed to wrap his arms around the child's body. His hand cradled the back of the amethyst-haired child before his head could hit the ground. Tomohiro hated how light the boy's body felt.

In front of him, the female twin's face contorted into a look of panic. Tears welled up in her eyes as she tried to control the gemstone slivers in her hand. The red crystals collided with the concrete because she did not have the power to control them any longer. Her white diamond irises shifted between Tomohiro and her brother. The girl's brows furrowed as she stumbled forward.

"Let Akihiko go! Let him go! Don't take him away!" Her bony fists collided with the Hero's arms, hitting him with what was left of her strength. Fear and panic swirled in her irises as she kept crying out. Trails of tears slithered down her cheeks. "Give him back! Give him back!"

Tomohiro did not try to stop her from hitting him. Her reaction was understandable. "I'm not going to take him. If you let me, allow me to take the two of you to a hospital. As I said before, the two of you are injured and malnourished. I cannot allow you to stay out here."

The girl halted her punches. Her nose scrunched up as she thought about what he said.

"Please trust me, even if it is only once. I will assure you that no one will hurt you under my care. You care for your brother, and it is evident. But he needs to see a doctor." The ink-haired male said slowly in the softest voice he could muster. Blood was beginning to stain his hands, and he was unsure how long the boy could last.

Reluctantly, the girl nodded her hair in agreement. She still gazed at him like Tomohiro would steal her only family but realized the consequences if she did not. "Do you promise?"

"I swear it on my life."

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Author's Note:

This chapter has been rewritten but carries the same premise as the prologue I wrote two years ago. I just rewrote it to match the current writing style that I have now. Honestly, this prologue flows much smoother than the previous one. The main thing that irked me was Tomohiro's dialogue which sounds sooo much better in this version. His previous dialogue sounded awkward and choppy.

Rewritten version posted: May 10th, 2022