Chapter 42: Stepping Away
A group of friends stepped out of the bustling mall and onto the busy streets of Tokyo. One of them, Maiku, couldn't help but notice a change in the air. The familiar chatter and laughter had been replaced with a sense of unease. It seemed to have a dark undertone to it that everyone was attempting to hide. They had heard whispers of villains coming out of the shadows since All Might's retirement. But Maiku didn't think he would see it with his own eyes, not on the last day of summer break.
As he and his friends walked down the sidewalk, they stumbled upon a jewelry store being robbed by a group of five, they were all wearing black snow hats over their eyes, but it was possible to make up some distinct mutant features, such as horns, scales, and claws. But they were dressed in black and wielding weapons. Maiku couldn't help but feel a sense of fear wash over him and his friends as they realized the world was not as safe as it once was.
The jewelry store's alarm blared, adding to the chaos of the scene. The mutants were rushing to flee the scene. Maiku knew he should call the police, but he was too shaken to move. HE stood watching, taking in the destruction the villains had caused while they cackled away as if they were having a celebration. Perhaps this was the celebration of the loss of All Might.
He may not have been the only hero in existence, but he was the symbol that held them strong.
The villains sprinted, with bags of cash, and loose bills falling as they made it to a car parked at the end of the street. The onlookers, much like himself were caught off guard by the sudden event and scrambled to get away. But as they sped down the street heading for a crossing, one family, a mother, father, and their child were caught in the middle of the pedestrian crossing, frozen in shock and fear.
As the car revved its engine, to speed towards the crossing, it seemed as though the family was doomed. From the angle Maiku stood, he was certain that the car had hit the family as they were covered by it, but that's when it came to a sudden halt. It was too harsh to have been from the emergency break before he saw the back tires lift into the air for a few seconds like the vehicle was ready to flip over.
Maiku cautiously and curiously stepped closer to get a better look. There he saw her. There was a girl, in a black hoody, but she wasn't wearing the hood, perhaps the force had knocked it off because she was holding the car back with one hand. The wheels screeched against the pavement.
A small fist fell on the hood of the car, knocking out the engine before she moved around to the doors, ripping the metal off with the locks like she was peeling off wrapping paper. The robbers were dragged out with force, and each of them was knocked to the ground with one hit that made them immobile.
Then she took one glance at Maiku, where he attempted to memorize all the details he could about her face before she vanished in a blur without uttering a word.
This was at least an interesting end to his summer break.
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'It keeps getting worse,' When opportunity presents itself, everyone wants to strike. This was evident with All Might's retirement and the uproar caused by All For One. It's like villains were given the signal to step out into the light with gusto now that there was no longer a Symbol of Peace to guard the gates of crime.
All Might wasn't just a Symbol of Peace for society, he was a symbol of fear for villains, a warning that they would not be allowed to terrorize society. That had been lost. And there was heavy doubt Endeavor would be able to fulfill that role. The cape wouldn't fit.
As the sun began to dip below the horizon, casting a warm orange and pink glow over the city, Sakura set out towards the bus stop. Carrying a heavy load of grocery bags that would make a grown man's arms crying.
Casually, she strolled down the streets with her head high but eyes low. Until she eventually reached the stop, where the last bus was waiting.
There were only two other passengers, but she still took the seat way at the back because it offered the most leg room and the bus driver couldn't strike up a conversation on the lengthy journey.
They waited five minutes before leaving. Sakura watched from the window, leaning her head against the glass like she was waiting for something of interest to pass by to entertain her.
That was just in expression, as her mind wandered to the past to occupy her at this leisurely time.
How she came to be here.
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Sakura moved swiftly through her room, her heart calm and determined. The time showed nearly three in the morning and all was silent including Keigo's presence, but she knew he was still out there. Crashing in the living room, sleeping. She filled her backpack with essentials, and it was quick, after the rehearsal before the training camp.
This was also something she had practiced after going on missions away from the village. It was good to be prepared but also practical and able to move like a feather. It was so natural that she was able to pack everything in a matter of minutes without even turning on her room light.
Silently, she walked over to the open window, and in a single motion jumped out. The night air brushed against her face even after she hit the ground, landing easily on her feet.
An urge to look back for a moment overcame her, and she did glance back before taking off down the road.
But she wasn't being fooled.
This wasn't a spur decision, but rather an uneven shift in the balancing act Sakura had been performing since arriving in this world. Now the scale has fallen and she was ready to move with it. Her thoughts still lingered on her classmates, and on the people, she was meant to consider her teachers.
'The league is still out there, but they want to hide the students,' She wouldn't be able to do anything if she stayed behind those walls. And now she had a power she didn't understand. A power from someone who could travel across dimensions as easily as sliding a door open.
Despite her decision, her feelings were gnawing at her with each step she took getting further and further. Was this how Sasuke felt when he left the village? Was he conflicted as well?
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Sakura started by taking the streets she hadn't crossed before, going down uncertain paths. She carried herself out of the city, towards the ocean. An empty beachfront that wouldn't be visited by anyone for hours, and that showed to lack due to the minimal amount of footprints embedded in the sand.
The soft waves held her attention, with the glimpse of the rising sun. Sakura set her bag down on the sand and called out to the hero she knew had been tailing her from a distance in the sky. Hiding in the darkness in case she looked up.
"Come out Hawks,"
The red-winged hero didn't fall onto the sand, but she could hear his wings flapping louder. She held eye contact as he watched her with indifference.
"Can't say I'm too surprised. So you trying to pull a fast one?"
Sakura knew he would follow her. The man's wings could detect breathing from a distance and he did not let his guard down.
"Why are you trying to take off like this? Feeling some pressure? Is that the reason you're trying to fly the coop? Do you realize what's going to happen if you do this?" Keigo knew that the Hero public safety Commission would not let her go. She was the top candidate for the next symbol of peace and too many had already marketed her on it. Society was in a delicate state, and Sakura was willing to tear into it.
"I'm just not interested in pretending anymore," Sakura told him and her eyes were sincere. She didn't belong in a classroom, she didn't belong in this world.
Keigo landed on the sand, arm's length away but she could see that he was ready to move at any moment. "There's a lot of us that get tired of pretending. That's just the way the world works sometimes. Look you're powerful, but there are rules even you aren't strong enough to escape. We all gotta follow through or we're villains. You know how it goes,"
"Better than you," Sakura said, narrowing her eyes at him.
Keigo attempted to placate her, "Now, now, I'm sure we can work this out. Let's just head back-
"I'm not going back Hawks,"
A sternness could be seen behind the lenses of Keigo's goggles. Sakura would not give in to his demands, and she would not be swayed by his words.
"Hey, this isn't a joke. There's no coming back if you decide to bolt. You've been given all your chances," He warned her, his wings stiffening.
"I don't think I have and that's not up for you to decide,"
"Actually it is," Keigo's wings expanded and picked up the wind to lift him into the air again, "Because that's what adults do for kids. Especially hardheads who think they can take on the world and never have to bare the consequences."
Sakura just watched him, craning her neck so she could watch Keigo move through the air.
"You really want to do this kid?"
"I was gonna ask you the same thing, thought you were smarter,"
His lip raised slightly, "I am,"
Hawk's feathers were durable, but they were silent and able to cut through the winds at blinding speed without alerting his enemies. It's what made him such a dangerous opponent despite lacking strength compared to powerhouses like Endeavor and All Might.
Sakura sidestepped one feather and ducked the others but Keigo had sent at least two dozen her way. They were quick.
Her eyes were focused, even when one had snagged her baggy jacket, she ripped the material before it could pull her along the sand.
Keigo had flown higher, creating distance between them but enough that she could still hear him. "Last chance. I'm not playing around. I don't want to have to do this,"
"It's interesting you seem so confident that you can when you've complained about your lack in power,"
Keigo looked back at her with a hard glare, "Maybe so, but I've still got cards to play,"
"We'll see about that-
The bus doors opened with a smooth and steady motion, and the releasing air from the hydraulic cylinders alerted Sakura that it was time to exit the vehicle. Her daze wiped from her eyes as she departed.
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Walking down these barren roads was always a peaceful and picturesque experience for her. Her path was lined with tall trees, rice paddies, and small farms visible in the distance. The air is fresh and clean and wildflowers are in some fields. The roads were quiet, and unpaved, with the occasional vehicle and bicycle.
At the end of one of the further routes, almost into the forest was a little beat-up home that had fallen victim to the elements so far out near the mountains. It was a traditional house, with wide floors and open space, a thatched roof, walls of wood and paper, and weak sliding doors. The wooden floors creaked when she stepped in, and at times sit seemed that the stilts might cave. But she knew it wouldn't.
A collection of moss, dust, and cobwebs on the outside made the house appear unlivable but Sakura found that the lights were still turned on and the plumbing still functioned. Explained why the house was being sold for such a cheap price but the owner had been convinced he wouldn't be able to pull that off.
It was better than renting out in an apartment complex in the city and her only neighbors were the occasional wild boar or fox.
She went into the kitchen, turned on a portable gas stove, and threw in some instant ramen on the pot. It took a bit of scrubbing and scraping but she was able to turn the house into a functioning dwelling again. Would've taken less time if she went looking for a cave out in the mountains, and that had been her intention to set up the base but the idea of heated water got the best of her.
Sakura sat outside with her bowl of ramen, watching the sunset over the peak of the mountain. It was at that time that the sunset would mimic the sunrise.
'Just like on the beach….'
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Keigo prided himself on his speed and technique, his wings could carry him across the battlefield before the enemy even knew what happened and his feathers could be controlled individually at his will. They could sharpen as he wished and could become like darts. However, Keigo wasn't used to fighting an opponent that could keep up with his speed.
'Shouldn't be surprised she can though,' He looked down at Sakura. She wasn't able to fly to his height, but she could land one hell of a punch and had more up her sleeves than she was willing to reveal.
He sent a barrage of small feathers at her like pistols and she was swatting them away like flies. She was surrounded by a whirlwind of red and knocking back anything that would get too close. She wasn't just knocking them back, she was cutting them up with her hands as if they turned into blades.
But all Keigo could see through sharp eyes were delicate small hands, fingers held tight and fighting off his feathers.
Eventually, he had to call back on his attack because he had a limit of feathers and frankly if that wasn't working, he knew better than to repeat something he knew would fail.
"Thought you just rolled in the punches,"
"You're just assuming the fundamentals of my fighting style,"
Because of his opponent, Keigo wanted to keep himself in the air and at arm's length in this fight. If she landed just one punch, that would be it for him. But he didn't know if he was going to be able to stop her either.
Keigo didn't want her to view him as an enemy either. But no matter how many times he had tried coaxing her, she was determined to walk away.
"Hey…" He softened his tone, "It doesn't have to go down like this. I told you, there's another option,"
"I'm not interested in going back to that school and I'm not going back with you just so you can keep playing babysitter,"
He sighed, "You don't have to take off. Just tell me what's been going on with you? Why do you feel like you have to bolt?"
Sakura lowered her gaze, "There's nothing sudden about this. I never had any intention of being a hero. I never had any intention…..of staying,"
Keigo saw that she had dropped her guard, he didn't feel a sliver of animosity and assumed that he was getting to the root cause of the problem. The reason for this decision.
"Come on. You're going to wander out by yourself which isn't a smart move and that's saying something considering it's you. Sakura…."
What she didn't understand was the reason Keigo had constantly been pushing to persuade her to change her mind. Not that it mattered anymore. She was going to do what she felt was best for her. And right now that wasn't being near anyone in this world.
Sakura dug into her pocket, took out an object that looked to be paper mache' and threw it up at the hero.
She had put a lot of power behind it and speed, so Keigo instinctively moved to stop the object, taking one of his larger feathers to cut it apart. But that's what Sakura had hoped for. A purple powder came out and scattered into a cloud surrounding him. Keigo flapped his wings to push it away but he had already inhaled the mist.
His vision became blurred and his body grew too heavy for his wings to hold, so he landed quickly before he collapsed, unable to move so much as his fingers. But he was still conscious enough to see Sakura looking over him.
She opened his palm and placed a small bottle of liquid inside, "I'll call the commission to find you."
Keigo could do nothing but watch her walk off before he shut his eyes wondering when was the last time he had been left this vulnerable, and how he could've been brought to this position by a young girl.
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That was the last time Sakura had ever seen or even heard from Keigo. She left her phone behind so there would be no tracking, keeping only the burner to receive messages from Giran. As Sakura continued to work towards leaving this world, she was also creating a print on it. She was classified as a 'missing child' rather than a wanted criminal who poisoned the number two hero. It meant that they were still looking for her.
'That's in vain though,'
For better or worse, this was the only decision that she could make for herself right now. To get away from the voices and the noise. She wanted to figure out what her next steps would be. Especially if she learned that her efforts truly were in vain and that returning home was no longer a possibility.
What path would she take then?
She hated to admit it, but she was just as helpless as she had been when she was twelve. And her only hope was literally a world away, unaware that she needed to be saved.
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Izuku sighed in relief after stepping out of the dorm's baths, having washed away the sweat and grime of another difficult day of training. It would soon be time for the provisional licensing exams and Shouta was harsh in delivering the urgency of this test. They would be allowed out in the field, able to use their quirks.
It wasn't normal for first years to take these exams, but circumstances had dictated their actions more than rationality and preparation. Of course, all of his classmates were excited and full of nerves as there was only a day left before the exams.
Everyone had also been diving into their training to work on ultimate moves to prepare. It kept their minds off their missing classmates.
Izuku saw Shouta walking down the hall, "Aizawa-sensei…"
"Midoriya,"
He hesitated, knowing this would be about the fifth time, "Has there been any news…?"
Shouta sighed, "Nothing yet I'm afraid,"
Izuku couldn't hide his dismal expression. Sakura had gone missing without explanation and the police
had been investigating her disappearance but while he and all of his classmates had been questioning if
she contacted any of them, no one would tell them the exam circumstances of the situation.
Shouta put his hand on Izuku's shoulder, "Keep your head on straight Midoriya. The provisional licensing exams are a day away. Let us handle this. We're pros for a reason,"
When everyone had first come to the dorms, Shouta intended to give a heavy speech on earning back his trust after he learned about the stunt, Izuku, Tenya, Shouto, Eijiro and Momo pulled, going after Katsuki and Sakura. They were fortunate not to have gotten dragged into that fight, but even so, there was a great deal of backlash that the teachers were facing. Especially since it became public knowledge that Sakura vanished.
Keigo was found on the beachfront where he had attempted to keep her from leaving, but that was hushed. Now the real issue was finding her. Sometimes they would get sightings but Sakura was able to easily evade anyone who attempted to reach her.
At this point, it was questioned whether or not she should even be allowed to return to U.A.
Shouta voted on her return.
'If she doesn't come back here, who knows where she might wander off to,'
Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone