Prelude 3/6

[It's been a long time since my heart met Medusa's gaze.] -Sheldon

-*-

"They are dead. Dead in the fire." The kid announced.

No emotion could be deciphered from his simple sentence.

It was like if he just describes something as mundane as the temperature or the current time.

It was frightening to hear that from a little kid such as the one in front of him.

However, the man just assumed that it was due to the shock. It was not so unusual.

How wrong was he?

"I'm sorry little one, we are going to look after you for now. Do you need something for now?"

"My parents."

"I'm sorry kid, I fear that I can't give you what you want."

"I know."

Was the only answer he received.

The kid just stood there, looking at the fire which was slowly but surely being subdued by the men clothed in red.

A few minutes later, the fire which was previously a raging one, was now scattered in few places, and pieces of the previous fire were no wider than a campfire.

Soon, the light coming from the fire which has reduced the house to charred ruins died, and the smoke rose above the current location, attesting to the tragedy which just happened.

Only darkness, coldness, and a feeling of helplessness took place, reminding the humans of the fragility of life.

This night, two lives disappeared, and a kid was gone too, replaced by something else, something vastly... different.

-*-*-

"What to do now..." I wondered looking at the active city in front of me.

I could see each of them getting busy with their own problems.

I could see what they can't.

They are forgetting the dangers lurking in the shadows.

They are forgetting the fact that they are not safe.

Each one of them is not worried by the fact that heroes are not omnipresent. Not omnipotent.

Some are waiting for heroes to save them. Heroes who will never come.

Heroes who will die trying.

Heroes give people hope.

Do not misunderstand me. This is good.

But what I see is that they are practically drowning the consciousness of the civilians.

They make them believe that using your quirk to save someone is bad. They are disconnecting the mind of people.

Nowadays, civilians are no different from zombies. All are comforted by the idea that All Might will end up saving them no matter what.

And when it does not happen... They open their eyes and see society for what it really is.

Generally turning into villains, a few ones into vigilantes.

It's a vicious cycle where nothing will change until someone takes the reins of one of the two parties.

Someone who has enough wits to make real changes.

But the question is: Who will be the fastest to take the power?

If it is the heroes, then the change will be slow but smooth. There won't be a real struggle for power. There won't be many casualties.

If it is the villains, the change will be fast, and brutal. A lot of people will oppose them. A lot will die.

In short, a real war.

Normally, I would simply have chosen the heroes' side and tried to use my influence to make a real change in the laws and views of the citizens.

But after the information this mysterious fellow gave me, I don't know if I have the time to do so.

Very soon, I will have to make a choice. Otherwise, I will be too hesitant when the moment of truth will come.

"Saving Japan- no the whole humanity is such a pain..." I whispered looking at the city in front of me once again.

"Quirk Singularity, Doomsday Theory... Paranormal Singularity Theory."

Such difficult words, so many problems, so few solutions.

I removed my blindfold. Something I do quite rarely. For the first time in the day, I look at the world through my eyes.

The light of the sun above my head did not miss its rare chance to stun me with the high luminosity.

One second of adaptation to the light later, my gaze once again fully fell on the busy streets below me.

My quirk allowed me to see whatever was in a few kilometers all around me. Thankfully, I could limit it a lot, making the zone just a few meters around me.

"It's a beautiful view." I couldn't help but mutter.

It was dazzling for sure, each time.

I stayed like this for a few moments. It helps me when I have to sort my thoughts.

"Heroes or villains?" The question is simple. The answer? Way more complex.

...

I don't think that I will find the answer now, and I still have some things to do.

I stood up and dusted my pants.

Looking at the city one last time, I put back my blindfold and stretched my arms above my head.

Then I used my quirk and immediately, my body fade away seemingly merging with the air.

It is not a very difficult process, to be honest. I simply just did that, merged my body with the atmosphere as I gradually turned it into clouds, or more precisely, droplets of liquid water suspended in the air. So small that it is almost impossible to see them.

I said 'almost' as I don't know every type of quirk there is out there. The world is quite big you know?

As for the technique I just performed, it is one of my few true techniques. I call it [Vanishing Cloud]. Pretty cool right?

Getting back to my current situation, I'm floating to a florist shop that I've been frequenting for quite a while now.

Or well, I was as I stopped once again, seeing a peculiar scene below me.

Rematerializing above the scene, but still floating at a reasonable distance, I observed what was going on.

A crowd of civilians was looking at a villain which seems straight out from a manhole cover, destroying the houses around him.

Meanwhile, the heroes were trying to... protect the witness, without the slight intention of subduing him.

"Mhm? It is...?" I look with more focus on what he was doing.

It seems like if he was holding something... no someone.

"At this rate, the person there will suffocate. Once again, the heroes are powerless huh?"

I looked back at the heroes. There were saying something... Are they seriously giving themselves excuses right there?

As I thought that, I saw a certain green-head running from the crowd, and bypassing the security cordon installed by the heroes.

This is... admirable, trying to save someone even though you don't have a slight amount of power.

I could feel a smile appearing on my face.

But before he could put himself in more danger than he already did, I decided to act.

Why? Well, I just saw that the hostage was Katsura. I'm not a monster to let my friend die like that you know?

"... and God announced the Flood." I said, surely surprising everyone below.

My voice was not very loud but it was almost as if the world quietened for a short moment right there, making my voice audible for everyone here.

Not even a second after my voice dropped, a cloud, very very very gray appeared above the villain's head.

Poor man, I hope he has an umbrella.

What happened next could be described as a scene of horror.

A literal wall of water fell from the sky, engulfing the villain and the blond hostage.

A second after, the rain stopped immediately and everyone could see the sludge man scattered in the water having reached at least 10 centimeters in height.

As for the hostage, everyone could see her surrounded by a comfortable-looking cloud from your truly that carried her to the heroes who were looking agape at the scene.

I floated down and got ready for their reprimands. Using a quirk was forbidden whatever good actions you did after all.

"Kid! That was extremely reckless to use your quirk like that!" One of them said, the others said something else along the line, but heh, I put clouds in my ears a long time ago.

After they finish reprimanding me, they started to praise me for my 'amazing quirk' as I had a fantastic future as a pro-hero'. Seeing that I was not very responsive to their praises, they went to Katsura to praise her and also admonishing Izuku.

Poor guy did his best but still got reprimanded in the end.

I still have somewhere else to go, so before any of them came to me to have my identity or something like that, I faded once again, leaving the scene at a neck-breaking speed.

A few minutes later, I arrived at the florist store and went directly to the checkout.

As expected, I saw the gentle girl I see each time I come here.

"Hey~ Ibara! How are you today?" Flashing my usual wide smile, I asked the green-haired girl.

Hearing me, she closed her book and lifted her head to look at me, responding to my smile with her usual gentle one.

"Hello, Eizen. I'm good and you?"

"Just beat a villain and saved some lives, you know my normal day." I replied, shrugging my shoulder.

She simply giggled, thinking I was joking and turned around to take two flower bouquets of different colors.

"Here's your usual order, Eizen." She said, handing me the bouquets.

"Thanks, Ibara! Say hello to your parents for me!" I said, waving my hand and getting ready to step outside the store.

"Wait please!"

Before I could completely leave, I heard her voice calling me, stopping me to advance further.

Turning around, I saw her hastening her steps toward me, and stop a meter in front of me.

"I was wondering if... you were free tomorrow morning. I have two tickets for the new zoo, and since I... want to get to know you better..."

"Mhm... Tomorrow at 9 am, it's good for you?" I asked.

"Hah! Yes, it's perfect. Thank you!" She replied, slightly bowing to me.

"No need to bow Ibara, it's my pleasure y'know?"

Looking at the time on my watch which indicated that I was slightly late to my meeting because of my previous stun with the villain, I said to the girl in front of me.

"Well, I better get moving now! See you tomorrow Ibara!"

"Goodbye Eizen." She replied, waving back at me.

A few minutes of walking down the road later I arrived at the location of my rendezvous.

One minute after passing the gate, I finally arrived in front of my final destination.

"Good morning, mom, dad. I brought you flowers."