231A/N: Sekingar is the name of the executive with the cybernetic eye.
A full day hadn't even passed before news of Saitama's mercy spread to the other cities like wildfire, courtesy of the civilians present.
"Did you hear? That Class-A hero that everyone calls a phony stopped the Class-S from killing the aliens when they had the chance!"
"I heard that some of the Class-S heroes actually stood by his side as well. Even King himself defended the aliens!"
"Why would any hero stand up for the aliens?"
Followed by rumors and theories.
"Maybe the aliens have mind control powers? Could explain why the heroes didn't finish them off."
"What if the aliens have paid the Hero Association something to keep the heroes from attacking?!"
"Maybe that Class A hero has a thing for the leader? She does look nice, despite being an alien abomination."
These were but a few that circulated throughout the cities, changing and warping each time they were told. Each one serving to shake the faith that the citizens had in the Hero Association. And that was making a lot of it's workers very nervous. Especially the executives.
"It's just one thing after another with these aliens!" huffed an executive. They, along with others, were having another meeting to discuss the aliens and their latest impact on the citizens.
"And not just the aliens." another growled as they brought up a holographic image of Saitama. "The Caped Baldy isn't exactly helping our image either."
"Many of the public are furious that he keeps defending the aliens." another executive huffed in annoyance before four other holograms appeared. "Plus, the four Class-S heroes who defended her as well are drawing some of their ire as well."
"Pig God and King were escorts, so it could be that they see something in the alien leader that we don't. Child Emperor has been monitoring her as well. But the Demon Cyborg is a mystery." a female executive listed off.
"Perhaps there is a connection between him and the Caped Baldy. They both applied at the same time at the same branch." suggested the bespectacled worker.
"So many questions. Not enough answers." groaned another while pinching the bridge of their nose before looking up. "Have the heroes who defended the aliens been questioned?"
"Indeed." Sekingar nodded as he pulled up the footage from each of the heroes. "First is Demon Cyborg." he said before the video began.
"My master said she was not a threat, so I did not strike."
"That's all we got from him. This is what King said."
"Yes, she is an alien. But, if she was as evil as everyone claims she is, then why would she help a random child?"
"Next is Pig God."
"She brushed off the insults and food thrown on her without retaliating at all. Any other monster would have gone for the kill."
"Child Emperor merely stated that he had his reasons when we asked before leaving." Sekingar stated while another answered their phone. "As for the Caped Bal-"
"WHAT DID YOU JUST SAY?!"
Everyone jumped when another executive roared at the top of his lungs, their chair having fallen back from their sudden movement.
"What is it?" Sekingar asked. The man slowly eased the phone from his ear before typing a few buttons, bringing up a live image of a reporter.
"-situation has escalated! As you can see, mulitiple vehicles are advancing down the road leading straight to the Hero Association Headquarters. From buses to bicycles and everything in between-"
"This is from City L." said the frazzled executive before bringing up another screen. And another. And another. And another. Each showing a live image of people steadily heading down the roads towards the Hero Association H.Q.
"W-What is this?!" the squinting executive gasped. "Why are they all coming here?!"
"Because this man just sent a viral outcry to the world." explained the executive from before as he pulled up another image. It showed a man wearing a blue shirt, blue pants, blue cap, and brown shoes yelling at a crowd of people, a few videocameras also watching as well. "Hayashi Tokedo. Leader of the Anti-Alien Alegiance."
"Him again?" grunted the balding, moustached executive. "Isn't he just someone that appeared out of nowhere and began trashing the aliens?"
"At first, yes." the bearded worker answered with a nod before continuing. "However, his latest rants have been including the Hero Association as well. Apparently, he's been calling the Hero Association as a whole to be incompetent for failing to destroy the aliens."
"This video just went live not that long ago." said the executive that had the phone earlier.
"My fellow humans! We have been forced to tolerate the presence of aliens on our planet! In our cities! Our streets! Even in our businesses! Why?! Because the Hero Association refuses to do anything about it! No, worse! They've been having heroes escort their leader around while the underlings have gone around unattended! Is that what we're donating our hard earn money for?! To act as...tour guides?! NO! We make donations to the Hero Association to protect us from monsters like them!"
"Hmm. One of the few things he's said that makes sense."
"But alas, our hopes that the Hero Associaton will take care of these creatures are slowly being dashed! I'm sure you've all heard by now of the hero called Caped Baldy somehow keeping them from destroying any of them. Especially their leader. And now, as you all have probably heard, a few Class-S heroes are now standing up for them as well, despite the orders they were given to fnally rid our world of them!"
"Does anyone else have a bad feeling about where this is going?"
"How much longer must we live in fear of death from these aliens? How much longer is the Hero Association going to ignore our cries of help?! Can they even hear us?! DO THEY EVEN CARE ANYMORE?!"
"Now I have a bad feeling about all this."
"My fellow humans! The time for hoping is over! It's time to take action! If the Hero Association won't listen, then I say we make them listen! Those of you here, and for those of you out there in every corner of every city! I ask you to join me! We will break down the Hero Association's doors! We will march through it's halls! We will make them see that we will no longer tolerate these aliens! AND WILL WE FORCE THEM TO DEAL WITH THESE EVIL CREATURES, ONCE AND FOR ALL! ARE YOU WITH ME?!"
A rousing cry could be heard from the citizens on the video as Hayashi Tokedo entered his car and drove down the road towards the Hero Association, followed by everyone in whatever vehicles they had.
Everyone inside the meeting room were staring at the screen, their collective jaws scraping the floor as they tried to process what they had just seen.
"Call the heroes!" an executive barked.
"Which ones?"
"All of them!"
The meeting room was soon thrown into a panic, workers and executives all bringing up phone monitors and barking orders.
Save for one.
A single man slipped away from the pandemonium and was now quickly walking through the corridors of the Hero Association's H.Q. He kept on walking, ignoring the various workers and civilian occupants that ran by to either get to safety or relay orders. He walked until he finally reached his destination and, with a heavy sigh and a grim glare, raised his fist and knocked on the door. A few moments passed before he raised his fist again, but stopped mid-knock when the door clicked open.
"Yes?" Saitama asked when he opened the door. He blinked as he tried to recall the man standing before him. "Oh, hey. You're that guy from that big Class S meeting awhile back, right?"
"Yes. My name is Sitch. May I talk with you, Caped Baldy?"
It was a true testament to how fast heroes respond to a call. 20 minutes after the call had gone out, and the Hero Association was surrounded by heroes of all classes. Each of them have had their fair share of fights since they joined the Hero Association. Monsters that could destroy cities? Definitely. Criminals that ranged from underworld assassins to two-bit street thugs? Of course. But an entire army of innocent civilians? That was completely new.
And it was also why they were all nervous about raising their arms against said army that was quickly approaching from all sides.
Many of the heroes were voicing their opinions either out loud or to themselves.
"Oh man. Look at them all."
"How are we supposed to stop them all without hurting them?"
"Curse that Caped Baldy! If not for him, the aliens would be dead and none of this would be happening!"
"Still, you can't help but wonder why he's so determined to defend them."
"Whatever it is, I don't think that any of them want to hear it at this point."
The heroes weren't the only ones panicking either.
"Hooooly crap! Look at all those humans!" said an alien from inside the ship. All of them except Eyonae were watching them approach from their own security cameras.
"I haven't seen that many lifeforms come after us on a single planet for awhile."
"You think those humans in charge of that Hero Association will let them through to us?"
"Even if they did, I highly doubt they have anything that can penetrate the hull."
"What if those heroes rip the ship apart to get us?!"
"I still have nightmares about that little girl with the green curls!"
"Enough!"
All chatter silenced as everyone turned to Uzkli, who was making his way towards the viewing screens.
"We have nothing to fear." he said in a calmer voice. "Soon we shall leave this planet and never look back."
"B-But what all those humans?" One of the aliens stuttered. "Some of them are really strong. What if they won't let us leave?"
"Whether we leave willingly, or they kill us, it doesn't matter how we're gone." Everyone turned to Svoneh, his arms crossed over his chest and his face stoic. "All that matters to them is that we're not here anymore. If we play this right, it'll be through us leaving this planet of our own accord. Violence may not be necessary."
"But, don't you always look for a fi-" another alien started before Svoneh turned a stink eye towards them. "N-Nevermind."
"Still, what about that one human? The one that Lady Eyonae's been walking around on this planet with. What if he stops them again?"
"He'll try." Uzkli nodded. You could hear the smirk in his voice from under his hood. "But it will no longer do him, nor any of the other heroes who stand with him, any good anymore. This planet can no longer tolerate Eyonae's presence, nor can it's inhabitants hold their emotions in any longer. Anger, rage, terror, despair, fear, sorrow, hatred. All of it is now guiding their actions. The only way to stop them at this point is to either attack us or them. Those that run the Hero Association won't dare to let the heroes lay a hand on the civilians for fear of their image. And as for us..." He trailed off and looked behind him, prompting everyone to follow his gaze-
"EEK!"
And promptly tense in terror at the sight of Eyonae standing behind them all.
"L-L-L-L-Lady Ey-Eyonae!"
"Wh-Wh-What are y-y-you d-doing here?!"
"Shouldn't y-you b-b-be resting?!"
"A-A-A-About what we were just t-t-talking-GRK!"
They all froze again as Eyonae walked towards...then right past them?
"Huh?"
"Uh..."
"What?"
Everyone watched as she sluggishly trudged onwards, their eyes never leaving her even when she was out of sight.
"Mmmhmhmhmhm."
Until Uzkli let out a dark chuckle, which slowly grew into full blown cackling.
"HAHAHAHAHAAAAAA! YEEESS!"
"Uh...sir? Are you feeling alright?"
"You didn't see the look in Eyonae's eye?" Svoneh asked with a grin while Uzkli continued to laugh maniacally. "There's no life in it anymore. She's nothing more than a walking corpse at this point. And going by Uzkli's laughter, she's gonna let the humans finish her."
Silence followed, then...
"YEEEEEEAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHH!"
The ship exploded in cheers. Everyone laughing, hugging, and relishing the thought of Eyonae, the last piece of Boros alive, would finally perish.
Well, almost everyone.
"C'mon, Screech! Join the party!"
"I'll sit this one out." the alien bat answered with a wave of his claw. The other creature shrugged before joining the others, leaving Screech to quietly slip out and head for the exit, his ears picking up on the voices from outside.
"Forgive me, Tsehal." Screech sighed, his voice somber and devoid of joy. "I'm afraid your daughter...couldn't find her happiness."
"Reporting for Channel 4! A half an hour after Hayashi Tokedo's declaration, citizens have flooded the streets and are steadily making their way to the Hero Association Headquarters. Riot squads and heroes are doing their best to hold them back, but mounting tension-"
People were surrounding the Hero Association and the alien vessel at an alarming rate, their shouts of anger heard for miles. The only reason that they hadn't stormed the Hero Association was because of the security detail and a vast amount of Class-C heroes that were surrounding the building. Most of it was around the HQ, with the ship itself having only a handful guarding it, consisting of Genos, Pig God, King, and Child Emperor. They remained stone faced, even with everyone yelling at them all.
"STOP PROTECTING THOSE THINGS!"
"DESTROY THE ALIENS! DESTROY THEM ALL!"
"GET OFF OUR PLANET!"
Workers from the Hero Association were doing their best to try and calm the crowd down, though that seemed to backfire every time they opened their mouths.
"EVERYONE! PLEASE CALM DOWN!" pleaded one of the workers.
"SHUT UP!" came a response, a rock following the angry shout.
While this was happening, others from various groups were all speaking amongst themselves.
From the Tank Top Army.
"I liked it better when the mob wasn't directed at us." Tank Top Tiger grumbled.
"It can't be helped." Tank Top Black Hole whispered back before smirking. "Look at it this way. If we play this right, we can finally have our revenge on that fraud for aiding these creatures."
"...I can live with that." Tiger smirked back.
"Focus on the matter at hand." Tank Top Master grunted, causing the brothers to cease their conversation and focus on the angry citizens, along with the rest of the Tank Top Army.
To the Blizzard Group.
"I haven't seen this many heroes gathered since...actually, I've never seen this many heroes gathered before!"
"Not even with that whole business with the Monster Association and Garou?"
"Uhh...hmm...I don't know."
"Everyone!" Fubuki yelled, causing the Blizzard Group to snap to attention. "Remember! Non-lethal force! We're not here to hurt them! Only to incapacitate! Alright?!"
"Yes, Miss Blizzard!" her subordinates shouted. Fubuki nodded to them all before turning towards the crowd.
'How did it turn out like this?' she thought as she saw the ever growing mob continue to shout towards them.
To the Class-S guarding the Hero Association.
"Why'd they even call all of these idiots?" Tatsumaki huffed in annoyance. "I'm more than enough to stop all of them."
"Maybe because the Hero Association thought you'd do something reckless and hurt them." said Flashy Flash, earning an angered growl from the petite esper.
"Take it easy, you two." Darkshine pleaded as he stepped between them. "If you two start fighting, people could get hurt."
"At this point, a fight seems likely." Atomic Samurai stated as he gripped the hilt of his blade.
And to the small group guarding the alien ship.
"Where could Master Saitama be?" Genos asked aloud.
"I know. Considering how he's always been defending Eyonae, you'd think he'd be the first one standing guard." King mused.
"Maybe the Hero Association's trying to stall him?" Pig God guessed.
"Who knows." C.E. sighed before turning to Genos. "Why don't you try contacting him?"
"Master never seems to carry a cellphone on him." Genos answered.
"Then how does he know to respond to monsters?" Pig God asked curiously.
"The news." Genos replied, his eyes drifting to the various news vans and helicopters that were everywhere.
"Then shouldn't he have been here already?" King asked.
"Indeed."
The four Class-S heroes turned to see none other than Amai Mask walking towards them.
"With how much he's been defending these creatures, he should be here. And yet..." he left his words hanging for a moment as his head slowly swiveled back and forth before lifting his arms in a shrug. "I don't see him anywhere."
Genos scowled as the others merely glanced at Amai Mask, only to then divert their attention to the growing mob as they began cheering.
"LOOK! IT'S AMAI MASK!"
"HE'S BEEN AGAINST THE ALIENS SINCE DAY ONE! SURELY HE'LL DO SOMETHING ABOUT THEM!"
"SMASH THOSE ALIENS, AMAI MASK!"
Amai could only smile at the Class-S heroes defending the ship. A smile that showed, as he himself had stated before, he was not that sweet.
"I can't help but wonder why you four would turn against your own race to defend these creatures." he stated.
"We have not turned against humanity." Genos defended.
"If anything, we're doing our jobs as heroes." King added, causing Amai Mask's eye to slightly twitch.
"Your jobs?" he asked in a quiet voice. "Since when do heroes defend anything evil?"
"How can you immediately judge these aliens here to be evil when they've behaved themselves?" Pig God asked while wiping his face with his handkerchief.
"That's what I want to know."
Amai Mask shut his mouth and turned to see Saitama standing behind him.
"They're not going around attacking people or destroying anything." the bald hero continued. "So, why say they're evil?"
"Because they-"
"LOOK OUT! THE ALIEN SHIP'S OPENING UP!"
Both Class-A heroes, along with everyone present, turned to see the landing ramp lowering, causing everyone to cease their shouting and watch. No noise came for a few moments after the ramp touched the ground. Then...
"IT'S THE ALIEN LEADER!"
And indeed it was. Eyonae, her head lowered just enough that her hair covered her eye, slowly walked down the ramp and into the fading sunlight, looking almost as battered and beaten as she did when her unconscious form was taken back to the ship earlier in the morning. Following behind her was Screech, who was silently standing on the ramp. The mere sight of them set the mob off anew as they began hurling insults and demands.
"IT'S THE ALIENS! DO SOMETHING!"
"THE LEADER LOOKS DEAD! FINISH HER!"
"WAIT! WHAT'S THAT IN IT'S HAND?!"
"A WEAPON?! SHIT!"
"WHAT'S SHE GONNA DO?!"
"WHAT IS THAT THING?!"
"IT'S A...IT'S...IS THAT A RABBIT?!"
"WAIT! IT'S A TOY?!"
"A TOY?!"
"...Why does she have a toy?"
Half the crowd were now wondering about the stuffed animal in question while it's holder merely approached the nearby heroes. Specifically, the one whose heartbeat was clearly audible.
"Here." she said, her voice sounding hollow, as she lifted the toy up for King to take.
"The stuffed rabbit that Mika gave you?" King asked in confusion as he carefully took the toy. "But, why are you-"
"When you see that little girl, tell her I said thanks." Eyonae interrupted. "And thanks for being my escort for a day." She then turned to Pig God. "And to you as well. The food was delicious." The overweight hero blinked as she turned to Child Emperor and Genos. "You didn't need to, but thanks for defending me today." All four Class-S heroes were thoroughly confused as she turned to Saitama, her lips curling up into a light smile. "Thank you..." she said as she lifted her head, a single tear trailing from her lifeless eye. "For not hating me."
"Oh. Sure." he replied. "But, why are you saying this?" She didn't answer as she turned to Amai Mask.
"You win." she said before turning to the crowd, causing them all to jump back. All eyes, both present and those watching from the news, were focused solely on her. "YOU WIN!" she yelled, making everyone flinch. "I GIVE UP! DO WHAT YOU WANT WITH ME!"
"Wait, what?"
"What'd she say?"
"She gives up?"
Everyone began to quietly mutter at what she was saying-
"YOU ALL HEARD THE ALIEN!"
Until Hayashi shouted at the top of his lungs.
"THE ALIEN LEADER'S WILLINGLY GIVING HERSELF UP! THIS CHANCE TO ERADICATE HER AND THE OTHERS MAY NEVER COME AGAIN!"
"Hey! He's right!" somebody from inside the crowd shouted.
"IF SHE HERSELF HAS SAID SO, THEN THE HERO ASSOCIATION DOESN'T NEED TO DEFEND HER!" Hayashi continued. "SHE EVEN BEGGED THE HERO CALLED CAPED BALDY TO DESTROY HER THIS MORNING AFTER SHE LOST ANOTHER FIGHT TO HIM!"
"It's true! I was there!"
"Heard it straight from her mouth!"
"The Hero Association can't deny it!"
Once more, the crowd was steadily growing into another frenzy. The only one who wasn't angrily shouting their head off was, surprisingly, a smirking Hayashi Tokedo. Saitama took a step forward-
"Don't!"
Before Eyonae raised her hand towards him, stopping him dead.
"Just...don't." she said. Saitama could only stare at her before feeling a hand on his shoulder. He turned his head to see King standing behind him.
"I know it sucks, but it's her choice." he said, though his eyes could tell that he didn't like it. Saitama stared at him for a moment before looking back at Eyonae, who had dropped both her hand and to her knees, her head bowed before Amai Mask.
"Do it." she said to the superstar hero. Amai Mask said nothing as he gave her a cold glare before slowly raising his fist, his muscles tightening to put every ounce of strength he could into the death blow.
Everyone had their eyes glued to the two of them. Those who sided with Saitama in sadness. Those who were against the aliens in anticipation.
"Die." Amai Mask whispered.
-Screech-
Screech had watched, or listened to in his case, everything the moment Eyonae walked down the ship's ramp. The humans shouting for her death. The majority of heroes holding them back. The few that stood by Saitama in defending her. Eyonae giving up. Even Saitama's muscles tightening in his fists as he stood back and reluctantly left Eyonae to her fate.
"Die." he heard Amai Mask whisper. He could only lower his head.
'So long, Eyonae.'
So many noises filled his sensitive ears at that moment.
The crowd holding it's collective breath in anticipation.
Eyonae's sigh of defeat.
Amai Mask's punch rippling the air.
A child's footsteps rapidly running towards them all.
...What?
"LEAVE HER ALONE!"
Everyone stared in shock at the child that just shouted. A child that had positioned herself between Amai Mask and Eyonae, her arms spread wide to shield the alien woman. The alien in question merely raised her head, wondering who it was that just stopped her from recieving the blissful nothingness of death. She saw a small child standing in front of her.
'Who is this?' Eyonae thought, her dead eye looking at the light hair of the child.
"MIKA!"
Eyonae's eye moved to see a woman being stopped by heroes as she tried to run to her child.
'Oh...it's Mika and her mother.' Eyonae thought before closing her eye, only for it to snap open in shock as that finally registered. 'Mika?!'
"Mika?!" King asked in shock.
"Who?" Pig God asked.
"She's the little girl that was lost some time ago. Eyonae and I helped her find her mother." he explained.
"What do you think you're doing?" Amai Mask asked, trying his best to not sound cold to the child.
"I'm stopping you from hurting her!" Mika answered defiantly, stunning everyone within earshot.
"Who is that child?!"
"Why is she there?"
"Get her away before the alien does something to her!"
"MIKA! COME BACK!" her mother pleaded to the child.
"NO! NOT UNTIL THEY LEAVE HER ALONE!" Mika refused, her gaze never leaving Amai Mask.
"Mika, was it?" Amai Mask asked with a small smile as he knelt down to her level. "I need you to be a good girl and go back to your mother now. Okay?"
"No!" she yelled while shaking her head. "You'll hurt the nice lady!"
Amai Mask's eye twitched at that, but he remained calm.
"Mika!" her mother yelled. "Please, come back here! Let Mr. Amai Mask do his job!"
"NO NO NO!" Mika snapped, shaking her head furiously before glaring up at the hero. "If you or anyone else wants to hurt her, you'll have to get through me!"
So many people were suffering from emotional whiplash with how much their moods kept flipping from hostile to confused and such. Especially from those inside the ship.
"What's going on?!"
"Why is that human child defending Eyonae?!"
"Can't they just kill her already?!"
"Calm down." Uzkli ordered them all. "One child will not stop them. It is merely delaying the inevitable."
"Mika." her mother begged her again. "You keep saying that the alien is nice, but-"
"BUT NOTHING! I know she's nice! And a good alien!" Mika interrupted. "If she wasn't, I wouldn't have given her Nibbles!"
Eyonae's head jerked up her words, complete shock filling her being as she stared at the back of the girl's head.
"W-What are you talking about?" Eyonae finally managed to get out. The girl turned to face her, a smile on her face.
"I know it was you that day." she said. "I saw your one big eye under your hat when you were adjusting it one time. I know you're the nice lady that helped Mr. King find my mom. Right, Mr. King?" Her question was directed at the nearby Class-S Hero.
"Yes." King nodded with a small smile. "The little girl is right."
"See?" Mika shouted towards her mother. "Even Mr. King says so!" Her mother could only shift her gaze between her mother and Eyonae, confliction etched all over her face.
"But...she...and City-A..." the woman mumbled out.
"City-A?" Screech muttered to himsel before sighing. 'The city that was destroyed by the Dark Matter Pirates. She must be a survivor of the destruction.'
"Momma." Mika said, getting everyone's attention, her mother included, to stare at her again. "What happened to City-A was really bad. But nothing will change." Her mother's gaze shifted to the ground, her arms trembling as tears came to her eyes. "Even if they killed all the aliens in the entire universe, it won't bring back City-A...or Papa."
Her mother's breath hitched in her throat, her lip bleeding in an attempt to not break down then and there. Many others inside the mob wore similar looks of anger and grief, their minds going back to that horrible day.
"I...don't understand."
Everyone turned back to Eyonae, who was simply staring at the girl in confusion.
"My father...killed your father." she said, earning a sad nod from Mika. "Then...shouldn't you hate me?"
"I did." Mika answered. "When my daddy was killed when City-A was destroyed, I hated the aliens. And when you all came a few weeks ago, I was really angry when they said that the Hero Association didn't destroy you all. I even wrote a lot of letters asking why they were letting the aliens walk around on our planet." She lowered her gaze to the ground for a moment as she continued. "I wished every day for the aliens to disappear." She then brought her head back up, a smile back on her face. "But last week, when I saw that it was you, an alien, helping me find my mommy, I asked myself, 'Why is an alien helping me? Aren't they supposed to be evil?'"
The sadness faded from her smile as she spoke. "Never has there been a kind monster. So if you were helping me, then you must be good. That's what I think."
Mixed reactions could be seen on the faces of the crowd and heroes. Some confused, many angry, and a few...looked like they were thinking very hard on the young girl's words.
"DON'T BE DECEIVED!"
And then Hayashi started talking again.
"HOW DO WE KNOW THAT YOU'RE TRUE INTENTIONS WERE TO HELP THAT LITTLE GIRL?! FOR ALL WE KNOW, YOU COULD'VE BEEN PLANNING SOME UNSPEAKABLE HORRORS TO INFLICT UPON THE CHILD! KING THERE COULD'VE JUST FOUND YOU BEFORE YOU COULD COMMIT THESE HORRIBLE ACTS!"
"YOU'RE WRONG!" Mika shouted at the man. "SHE'S NOT LIKE THAT!"
"HOW WOULD A CHILD LIKE YOU KNOW?!" Hayashi roared.
"BECAUSE...because..." Mika trailed off, her gaze lowering to the ground. Hayashi smirked at her lack of response, but it quickly dropped when King spoke up.
"Because if Eyonae had planned anything of the sort, she could've simply taken Mika and run." he explained. "And by run, I mean 'keep up with Flashy Flash' run."
A vein bulged on Hayashi's forehead as he began ranting again. "IRRELEVANT! ONE ACT OF KINDNESS DOESN'T CHANGE ANYTHING! IT COULD'VE JUST BEEN A TRICK TO GET US TO LOWER OUR GUARDS!"
People were nodding at his words.
"Then how about two acts of kindness?"
Before another voice spoke up next to Mika. Everyone turned to see a teen with bandages here and there glaring at the crowd.
-Hero Association Meeting Room-
"Who's that?"
"Wait a minute? Isn't that the Class-C hero, Skater?"
"Wasn't he only recently released from the hospital?"
"Yes. But why is he standing up to Amai Mask?"
"Why are you defending these creatures?" Amai Mask asked.
"I'm not defending all the aliens. Just the one right behind one." Skater replied.
"Then let me rephrase the question: Why are you defending that creature?" Amai Mask asked, his eyes narrowing at the young hero.
"Simple. She saved my life, so I'm defending hers."
"She saved him?" an executive asked in surprise. "What is he talking about?"
"They've never met each other...have they?"
"Saved your life?" Amai Mask asked, his scowl fading for a moment.
"Back in City V, I got into a fight with a monster. Somewhere along the way, it sorta...exploded. Next thing I knew, I'm waking up to her looking down at me." Skater explained.
"That does not explain how she saved your life." Amai Mask said, his voice steady despite his rising anger.
"Not done yet. See, I attacked her after she pulled me off the ground. Bad idea. I passed out shortly after. After that, I'm waking up in the Hero Association Hospital. Doctor explained what had happened. After that, I'd figured I'd just wait until I recovered. At least until the doctor said it was a lucky thing that the alien found me. Turns out I was knocking on death's door. She was the only one in the area since everyone else fled from the monster, and kept fleeing after the explosion. Ergo, her finding me ended up saving my life." Skater finished before taking a breath. "What I'm trying to say is, if she's so evil, then why'd she help me?"
The executives couldn't think of anything to say. Some actually looked thoughtful after hearing Skater's words, thinking that maybe the aliens weren't as bad as they thought.
"This is becoming troublesome."
And some still had trouble accepting that the aliens weren't evil.
"First a child, now another hero? Who next?"
"Uhh...sir?" a worker spoke up, pointing at the figure approaching the two. A figure wearing a suit like all the executives inside the room.
"I had...to ask." the executive groaned, his hand dragging down his face in frustration.
"Miss Eyonae?"
Eyonae, and everyone, turned to the man that had just approached her. She blinked in surprise that someone like him would approach her. Especially since he looked a lot calmer than their first encounter.
"Sitch?" she asked in shock. Her shock faded into a glare before looking back at the ground. "What are you doing here? Have you come to personally order your heroes to kill me?"
Sitch's expression softened for a moment before steeling his nerves.
"Actually, I've come to ask you a question." he said. Eyonae merely gave him a minor glance before looking back at the ground, completely ignoring Hayashi's rant and demands about why he won't have the heroes kill the aliens.
"Ask it quick, before that man whips them into another frenzy." she sighed out.
"What is it that you truly want?" he asked her, making her scoff.
"Everyone knows that I want death." she said.
"I see." he hummed before continuing. "In that case, may I ask why you wish for your own death?"
"Tsk. What do you care?" she growled out.
"Humor me." he shrugged. She glared up at him, teeth grinding before looking away.
"I want to die because life's not worth living anymore!" she muttered loud enough for him to hear.
"That's not true!" Mika spoke up before Sitch could say anything. "How can you say something like that?!"
"Because it is true!" Eyonae snapped, her intense glare focused solely on the girl. Everyone jumped at her sudden hostility.
Well, all but Mika. All the little girl could do was stare at the tears welling up in Eyonae's eye.
"For as long as I can remember, I've been insulted, tormented, and outright hated by everyone that my father has wrong! And I've been constantly demonized throughout my entire life! Why?! Because my blood comes from that...that...BASTARD of a father of mine!" People were staring as Eyonae slowly devolved into a crying mess. "I've tried everything that I could think of to show everyone I came across that I was not like my father. I tried approaching with gifts of good will. I tried hiding my identity. I even tried letting others attack me without resisting!" She took a moment to catch her breath, a shaky smile on her lips. "And a few times, even if it was for a few moments, it worked." The smile dropped into a snarl as she glared up at Hayashi, who returned the glare with his own. "But then someone like him always shows up and reignites the fear and hatred!" Her body sagged as her tears slowly slid down her cheeks, a mixture of sorrow and fury hidden from view of those around her. "No one likes me. Not even my own species want anything to do with me! No one...no one...will ever accept me."
No one said anything as the alien woman wept, her whimpered crying the only sound being heard. All they could do was look on, though not as they once did. While there were still many who held anger in their hearts, many others were now looking at as if they'd seen her for the first time.
Finally, Eyonae looked back up at the child. "Tell me." she sniffed. "If the entire universe hated you, would you want to keep on living?" Mika pursed her lips, but ultimately looked at the ground.
"No." she muttered.
"Then why you stand aside and let me die?" Eyonae asked, her voice teetering on desparation.
"Because the whole universe doesn't hate you!" Mika answered, her own eyes tearing up. "The Caped Baldy doesn't hate you! The heroes that have been defending you don't hate you! I don't hate you!" And without warning, she leapt at the one eyed alien woman and wrapped her arms around her neck, clinging tightly to her. "So stop saying that everyone hates you!"
Eyonae could practically feel everything inside of her flat out stop. Her breath. Her mind. Even her heart seemed to stop. All she could do was stare, her eye wide in lifeless shock. Then, the endless darkness that would visit her in dreams seemed to crawl into view, it's entire being writing and churning as it towered over her. The same darkness that would cackle and sadistic delight as it would envelope her each time.
"The whole universe doesn't hate you!"
Her breath returned in ragged gasps as the darkness seemed to crack.
"The Caped Baldy doesn't hate you! The heroes that have been defending you don't hate you!"
More cracks appeared as her mind finally began to catch on to her words.
"I don't hate you!"
Her heart, which was injured to the point of it's beat being practically non-existent, was growing stronger with each beat. Each beat seemed to cause more cracks to appear on the darkness.
'They don't...hate me?' she thought as the darkness crumbled away, piece by piece. 'But...if they don't hate me...'
"...Uh..."
Her arms slowly rose from her sides.
'If they...don't hate me...then...'
Her lips trembled as they slowly wrapped around Mika.
'Then...does that mean...that they...'
Her teary eye slowly gained a shine that had been lost for who knows how long.
'They...they...'
Her head twitched as she gazed skyward, the darkness before finally breaking enough that a light seemed to shine through.
'Care about me?'
"UUUWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHH!"
A/N: I can't tell you how many times I teared up writing this. More explained in the next chapter.
