Chapter Text
You were walking down the streets of the city center. It was so hot today on this day off. You still kept a chalk stick, a box of crayons, and a bottle of ink in your bag at all times. It would be bad if you were stuck without a medium to use. You wiped the sweat from your brow that gathered around the baseball cap.
Thankfully the hat at least shaded your eyes from the harsh sun today.
Walking up to the food stand that smelled amazing. You pulled down the face mask to keep your identity hidden. It was very sweaty but if you didn't wear it you would probably get swarmed by fans and then that's a safety hazard.
The stall owner's eyes widened as you placed a finger on your lips."Shush, I am off duty right now." You smiled at him and he nodded his head frantically. "May I buy one takoyaki skewer?"
The old man smiled, "Of course young lady." He pulled one fresh off the grill and handed it to you. You reached for your wallet fishing out some cash, when he said, "It's on the house."
You smiled and shook your head, "That's not a sound business practice sir." Taking a bite of the food as you were enjoying the food. He laughed and nodded, "And I know that I shouldn't just give food away, but you are my grandson's favorite hero. He loves to draw and thinks you are just the coolest."
You paused in thought before reaching into your bag and pulling out the box of crayons. They weren't really useful when fighting. They were the most versatile as they couldn't write on most surfaces. You pulled out a pen you used to sign autographs and signed your hero name and message on the box -
Keep practicing and I'll buy your art someday!
You handed the box to the stall owner, "For your grandson. I can't use them when fighting when I don't have paper." He took them and started to speak but you had already walked off in the hustle and bustle of the crowd.
You had just eaten the last takoyaki and disposed of the skewer stick. You stood at the side of the street as you pulled your mask back on even though the heat was beating on your back. Your long sleeve shirt had a large sweat stain on your back. It felt disgusting but your mind was shifted as the feeling of someone bumping into your shoulder.
You looked up and saw people start turning in a different direction. Going down the street as many people started running as cars weren't moving and you heard sirens from police cars. You pulled off your mask and ran into the parking lot of the road. You saw the villains in the distance moving closer.
You were ushering people off a public bus and told them to head in the opposite direction of the encroaching battle.
You started opening people's car doors, "Please evacuate your car and help others get out. Tell them to leave the area, things aren't looking pretty!"
The driver was in shock and you went to the next car shooing people out, many started to go and soon you felt comfortable with leaving them to assist in the battle. The first day off in a year and you were right back on duty. You pulled off your long sleeve shirt that hid the large sleeve tats of poison ivy. Now just in your under-tank top and the shorts you had been wearing. You pulled your hair up through the back of your hat as you ran trying to get to the fight. You ran your fingers down the length of both arms, knowing getting them replaced would be a pain. Activating them, pulling up into the sky from swinging from buildings.
You watched a hero thrown into a building as the giant robot was swatting heroes left and right. You were horrified, you could see that this battle had already taken someone's life. You shook your head and created a large momentum swinging to land high up onto the skyscraper. You could see one villain controlling the machine while the other was there clearly for defense of the other. You knew that was where the controls were.
You took a running start and ran straight off the side of the building, as you reached for your back and activated the bat wings tattooed on your back. This was the first time you had tried this, in the field. You felt the wings form into existence as you dived onto the platform. You can only use them as a glider unfortunately so no going upwards from here and you were plummeting straight down. You opened the wings and they caught the air slowing you only enough to not kill you on impact, you would take what you could get. You deactivated them and stretched your legs to land directly on top of the bodyguard.
You landed on his shoulders and heard his bones make a snap as he collapsed beneath the sheer force accumulated from your rapid fall.
You landed a little more gracefully than the other and rolled to the side of the platform. Thankful for the element of surprise that gave you the advantage to land such a critical blow. You knocked him off the robot and down to the heroes on the ground below. They looked up and gave a cheer.
"Sorry looks like your vacation ended early, Arti-san." The villain controlling the robot snickered as he turned towards you. You didn't bother giving him your attention, smiling and giving a wave to the heroes. You gave them a salute before looking at the new opponent, "Well I couldn't let you have too much fun."
You worked the ivy to act as a rope to get other heroes to the robots control platform. Leaving it behind as you forced down a coughing fit hopefully, the others can help take care of this guy.
The man began giggling before going into a fit of laughter, "I have been waiting for someone of equal stature to fight me!" He pulled his arms from the panel and showed that he could remotely control the bot. You grimaced knowing that when he lands a hit it will hurt, "Well, stop with your chit-chat and swing at me!"
Your one hand holding onto the remaining ivy vines, and the other waiting to block with. He came running at you and swung you pulled yourself to the other side of the platform with your one set of ivy. That was too close for your liking. You sprinted and lunged at the villain and he stepped to the side and you turned around, grabbing him with the ivy. He grabbed it with his arms covered in metal. You weren't expecting him to not give with the fall. You felt your body snap with the lack of give. The blood rushed and pounded in your ears.
You groaned as you felt yourself being pulled upward, "Well, well, well, that didn't play out as you hoped! Hahaha!"
The cackling of the villain was not heard in your ears. The doctor had told you to take a day of rest. You sighed and the drawing disintegrated from the villain's hand and you smirked feeling yourself drop yet again. You landed on the side of the metal bot and reached in your bag attached to your hip. You pulled out your chalk and made a door. You were not able to stop the coughing fit as the repercussion of doing hero work in this state. You heard the metallic clanks from the gears. You looked to see a robotic fist swing at you. You touched the door then scrambled opening it. You went through the door before the machine could crush you.
You went to the interior metal wall and started drawing a large circle making a comical bomb with the fuse lit. You touched it and threw it before going out of the door. You touched the opening and it chalk evaporated into thin air.
You saw a hero with wings and waved to them. You knew you didn't have any more stamina to fight close range. Not to mention you felt like your lungs were on fire. They seemed to notice and you jumped from the robot. The hero took off through the air and you landed against their chest harshly. You nearly fell as you reached grabbing his hand.
You were fine until another coughing fit started, you choked out "Bomb active in the mech" but he held you securely and he seemed distracted thinking. You caught your breath and shouted to him, "A BOMB IS GOING TO BLOW ANY SECOND!" That catches his attention and he darted to the ground with you landing on your feet.
The hero landed beside you and you let out a panted breath. You were supposed to be recovering from a fight with Bronchitis not having a fight with a villain. You started coughing and gripped your knees. You felt lightheaded and sick at the moment too.
"Hey, are you alright? Pro hero Arti-san, I presume that's you." The winged hero touched your shoulders and helped you stand back up. "Y-Yes." You took in a short breath and reached into the bag strapped around your waist, trying to fish out the inhaler only to start going into a couching fit yet again. The hero touched your back and rubbed it.
You slowly began breathing normally again and he held the medical inhaler to your lips, "Here." You took it in your mouth and he helped you as you inhaled holding your breath. You waited and then felt your airway opening up. You took a breath and were sent into an immediate coughing fit.
"Better?" The hero looked at you at eye level and you nodded your head. "I got a bad case of bronchitis. I'm fine though." You heard a shout and the hero took off again.
The vines and been removed, sending two heroes falling. The hero, Suneater, caught the ivy and gently landed them on the ground. You moved over and touched the vines and they fell flat into the road like dried-out ink. You heard a loud series of explosions as you watched the robot fall to the ground. You frowned as you watched the one villain emerge from the rubble, and then another, and another.
Seven villains were there all of a sudden. How? Three villains came running at you through the dust clouds. Two went after Suneater, the last to split attacking the two that had fallen with the ivy. You examined the three running at you.
One was the person with the metal arms. You examined the battlefield and started climbing onto some of the wreckage. You felt something cold clasp onto your leg as the villain gave you a crazed look before yanking you down. You heard a crack from your bag and your heart sank. The ink bottle had broken. Ruining the little amount of chalk left and would begin leaking out of the bag.
"How dare you destroy my creation! I will paint these streets with your blood, you will remember Mechise's destruction." This villain had no idea about your issues. He probably was very concerned as he had a strong advantage over you.
While he was speaking you painted three throwing knives and activated them.
You threw one landing it square in the shoulder of Mechise. You jumped up and threw another one into Mech before running past the villains while severing the muscle from one of the random villains who appeared. You kept a firm grip on the knife as you sliced into his leg. He fell to the ground in agony as he couldn't stand with a quadricep severed.
You weren't too concerned with him ever walking again. This was a very dangerous situation, you didn't even know what their quirks were. Other than physical things such as the claws that the other villain who was fighting you had. Mech probably had another thing hidden up his sleeve. Suddenly the villain with claws body began to morph into something else.
You swallowed the lump in your throat. Their muscles increased as the claws elongated, you figured that this was the moment in which you needed. You recognized this villain from the news and knew it took a moment to shift into a different form. You destroyed the only one of your knives you had and painted a set of quirk restraint cuffs. These were the largest ones you knew how to make as you ran along the fallen debris. You heard a clank as you hid while activating the painting of the cuffs. You pulled them close to you so you could launch yourself higher to get an advantage. You dropped the bag as it would lead the villains right to you as you got into position.
"Oh Arti-san, do you think you can hide? I have one of those weapons of yours and your bag. Don't you want them back?" Mech was trying to lure you out and you climbed up to the top of the rubble pile without making a sound.
The villain who was shifting was growing much larger than they did last time. You glanced at where Mech was, deciding he was far enough away to attack the other.
You jumped and landed on the back of the shapeshifter. Lodging the knife deep into their back as they let out an animalistic scream before you attached the quirk restraints and they were electrocuted until their quirk deactivated. They lay on the ground unconscious as you were slammed into the ground with a heavy object.
It broke some of your ribs definitely and you started coughing yet again. The meds were supposed to last longer. You found yourself catching your breath at possibly the worst time. You couldn't take a deep breath if you wanted to, you were slumped against the remains of the bot.
You heard the metal clank from Mech as he let out a laugh, "Are you trying to catch your breath? Forgot about this tiny little detail into your bag?" He laughed as he threw the inhaler and it smashed to pieces as it hit the ground by your face.
You clutched your chest as you forced yourself to slow down and breathe. The coughing hurt your throat as you continued. Mech's shadow loomed over you blocking out the light. "It's such a pity. You really are a decent hero."
The villain grabbed your forearm and held you up by it. You had stopped coughing hard as the air wasn't able to make it into your lungs for you to cough on. You felt him throw you to the ground and hit you with those metal fists right in the face. Almost as if his goal was to knock out your teeth. You could taste the blood in your mouth. You laid there trying your best after having the wind knocked out of you. You felt your busted lip with your hand wiping it away. You could use it to make some restraints for his quirk at least, but you didn't have enough blood. Not to mention get one of your knives back. You couldn't remove the cuffs from the other villain or then you would have to fight them.
You looked up as best you could, formulating the plan in your head. You stood up slowly you had stopped coughing for a moment.
You raised your fist and readied yourself for the fight, "Didn't you say I was worthy of your stature? Even when I'm sick I'm better than you!"
He was furious and he ran at you for you to dodge and touch one of the knives.
He frowned and you felt yourself prep. You would need to get the other knife to make your plan less obvious. He swung and land another blow into your face. You stumbled as you hit the ground away from him. You quickly stood up to run and felt something buried into your back.
"OH, how poetic!" You were snatched by your hair and lifted, Mech stared you in the eyes with a smile, "Dying by your own weapon!"
You reached for the knife and it disappeared. "N-Nobody with have proof you landed such a blow. They will think it's just that metal." You sneered as you felt the blood on your hand. "Well, I guess I have to prove I'm better than beating you with this controller!" The metal fell to the ground and you knew this was it.
He gripped your throat in his hands planning on choking you to death. You grabbed at his wrist and successfully coated it in blood, he smiled at your seemingly futile struggle to get him to release his grip. Reaching to your mouth, wiping at the blood and spit with your other hand.
You grabbed his free hand painting the other cuff. You pushed his wrist together and activated the blood-painted cuffs.
"YOU!" He was enraged at the cuffs that bound his wrist together. He was still choking you as he didn't let go. "I may be going to jail, but you are going to the grave."
Everything was out of focus, you looked up at the sky as you felt your body stop responding to you. A blur encroached on the sky as you struggled. You weren't sure what happened but you found yourself on the ground. You struggled to take a breath as you sputtered.
You felt someone grab you from under your arms and then you were pulled upward into the sky. You sucked air in as you looked up.
"h-Hey Suneater-"
He looked down at you, he looked pretty roughed up. "I will get him don't worry."
He placed you safely on the ground with the other two heroes before flying back to the villains. You sighed and went to the heroes as you showed off the back wound waiting to get picked up by an ambulance.