1 1-1

"Will that be paper or plastic?" Tobi asked in a flat voice, repeating himself for what felt like the hundredth time today. He fiddled with the edge of his apron while the customer before him deliberated, taking what felt like an eternity to answer the simplest of questions.

He began placing items in a paper bag immediately after the customer made their choice, the sudden speed with which he moved causing the absentminded customer to jump in surprise. Once the items were bagged, he placed them in the cart, and the customer left.

Up came the next customer, to whom he asked the same question. He received the same response as before, though their response came immediately, something he was thankful for.

While having such a monotonous job was far from Tobi's ideal circumstance, this did allow him plenty of time to think of more exciting topics. 

Tobi was a superhero. At least, he wanted to consider himself one, though the general public didn't really know that he even existed, especially given that at this point in time, he'd only been on patrol once. Last night. Illegally.

"Wait, wouldn't that make me a villain? Since my only act in costume at this point in time is technically a crime... Shit." Tobi thought, a troubled expression crossing his face as he filled a plastic bag with canned vegetables. He looked down at the cans. Peas. He looked away, looking back up at the customer.

At the sight of the customer, Tobi stopped bagging the cans for a second. Before him, stood a mountain of a man. Easily six feet and six inches tall, and at least two hundred and fifty pounds of pure muscle, the man's head was shaved to the scalp, and he wore a heavy metal chain around his neck.

Something about this man struck Tobi as off, dangerous, even. Everything about him was just too much. Tobi finished bagging the cans, and handed them to the man, who took them and stomped away without a word to either Tobi or the cashier. The line was empty now, as it should be when closing time came.

Tobi turned to the cashier, a young woman by the name of Lisa, who was no more than a year or two older than Tobi, no older than twenty.

"Talk about intimidating." Tobi remarked as he began to organize the bags into two stacks.

"Tell me about it. I almost didn't want to tell him his total. Seriously, who buys eighty dollars worth of canned food?" She said, tapping a few keys on the cash register as she spoke.

"Only those that require the worst the world has to offer. He really bought nine cans of peas." Tobi said, tidying up the stacks before fiddling with his apron strings, pulling them loose and removing his apron.

"Not everyone hates peas, Tobi. God, you're such a kid." Lisa sighed, shaking her head at her coworker's childish tastes.

"Whatever. I'll see you tomorrow." Tobi turned and walked away, folding his apron as he walked over to his locker.

He retrieved his bag, and clocked out. Lisa watched him as he left, as there was an ever so slightly noticeable bounce in his step as he made his way out of the store. The automatic doors slid shut behind him, and he disappeared around the corner.

Something had been different about him today. He wasn't one to speak often, but he usually talked more than he had today. He seemed distant, well, more distant than usual at the very least.

It was cool outside, the fall weather a welcome change from what felt like an exceptionally long summer. Tobias pulled his hood up as he walked, hardly being able to keep himself from breaking into a run. It was time. His second night on patrol. 

Where to go? Last night, he'd gone through some of the darker alleys, though he hadn't managed to find much of anything. Though surprised, he supposed that a slow night was good for the world around him, boring as it was.

He ran a hand through his hair, then readjusting his disturbed hood as he walked. Excitement and anticipation went hand in hand, and a pit began to form in the base of his stomach. What would he do if he encountered another hero? He knew that Metrowick Branch of the New Guard operated in this area, and he'd even seen some of the younger members in this area. 

His excitement faded as he realized that encountering a hero may very well be worse than a villain or unpowered criminal, as he was technically a vigilante. Which were treated only a step above villains.

As Tobi arrived at his front door, he began to wonder if he should go through with this. He unlocked the door, and stepped inside, closing the door behind him, making sure to lock it.

No, he had to do this. The only way to know was to try. He slipped out of his jacket and hoodie, and hung them in his closet. It was dark outside now, so naturally dark colors were the way to go. He pulled on a navy blue hoodie and a gray jacket. 

Next, he pulled on a half mask, the type one might wear to cover their mouth and nose in winter. Finally, he put on a pair of worker goggles, gray lenses glinting in the light of his desk lamp.

Tobi went to the mirror and looked over his costume. He ran a hand through his hair again. He'd wanted something easy to move around in, and something that he could use to blend into a crowd, should he need to make a hasty escape, hence the admittedly shitty homemade costume that offered little in the way of defense.

But, perhaps he could get something more functional when he started making connections with the wider costumed community.

Tobi put the goggles into his jacket pocket, and stowed the mask away in the same manner. He pulled his hood on, and left his apartment, shutting the lights off and locking the door after himself.

He made his way down the street, as if he were going to the store. Roughly sixty feet ahead of him, he would take the same alley entrance he'd taken last night. He knew that rooftops were a popular vantage point for many of the teen heroes, the ones most commonly on patrol. 

For that reason, he did his best to stay away from street lamps, sticking to the less illuminated areas of the street, at least until he could get into the alley where he could get fully suited up.

As he walked, Tobi looked down at his finger nails. They were black, nail polish glimmering in the low light. He reached out with his power, and a single nail, the one on his index finger began to change, the edge elongating and narrowing into a point.

As he reached the mouth of the alleyway, he commanded the rest of his fingers to follow suit. By the time he entered the dark passage, each of his finger tips ended in a black claw. Tobi reached into his pockets, and pulled his mask on, fixing it around his nose, followed by his goggles...

Which he quickly removed, upon realizing that dark lenses did little for night vision. He chuckled to himself, and put the goggles back in his pocket, shaking his head at his own shortsightedness.

And so Tobi began his second patrol.