as has been said before.
i.
parker is king of the playground. he never meant to play the game with the other children in tow, praising him each time he climbed to the top of the structure, but he still ended up as royalty among them. not many challenge him. when recess calls and the daycare teachers ask them to line up, parker’s always first. even if he’s not the first one at the door, he’s always first.
there’s someone who’s always last of the line. villains go to the last of the line. the sticky gum stuck underneath of the playground. that’s what juyoung is.
she admires parker’s ability to be king. she wants to be king, too !! she wants to be …
ii.
❝ you can do a lot of dangerous and evil things with that quirk, you know. ❞
she knows that.
❝ that’s scary !! that’s why you got fangs, right ?? to suck the blood out of your victims, right ?? because you’re a scary monster who steals people’s faces !! ❞
stop saying things like that !!
❝ everything about you screams villain. just accept it. you’re a villain, juyoung. there’s nothing you can do to change anyone’s mind. ❞
who are you to say that ?!
❝ it’s the nature of your quirk. that’s what scares people. maybe just pretend you’re quirkless. it’s not much of an improvement, but at least, people will stop calling you a villain. ❞
how can you say that ??
please, she wants to be …
iii.
❝ shut your trap before i shut it for ya !! ❞ juyoung screams out, fists balled and ready to pounce. “ you come at me and i’ll beat ya to a pulp !! “
❝ ha ?! why are you trying to put on a brave face, you evil brat ?? your knees are shaking. everyone says you’re a villain. i don’t think so. you’re just a henchman. an igor to an evil genius, ❞ he cackles. the others laugh in agreement or ... is it compliance ?? her bottom lip puckers out but still, she stands her ground.
❝ come at me then if you’re so sure !! ❞ she yells.
they don’t hesitate. juyoung gulps. still, she rushes out in a frenzy. she throws her fists anywhere, so long as they hit something, she doesn’t care where they fly. she lashes out and bites anything that comes near her mouth. she kicks like a madman. she pulls hair and shirts and pants. she’s brawling, not fighting. she hears a voice outside of the mania that she instigated.
it’s the king.
it doesn’t stop the fighting. if anything, it gets wilder because now, explosions are going off. whose side is he on ?? is he defending her ?? is he against her ?? she doesn’t know. she can’t find out. if she stops brawling, she loses the advantage of her unpredictability. she’s gotta keep clawing and biting !!
she’s on the ground, still kicking and still pulling. they’re mostly on the ground. it’s chaos and no one knows who’s hurting who. someone’s leg reaches juyoung’s face as an instinctive reaction. they hadn’t meant to kick her. still, her jaw locks onto the calf.
she hesitates. if she does this, she’s giving into her quirk. she’s giving into the very nature that makes her so villainous. stealing blood to mimic people’s faces and copy their quirks ?? she’s got to if she plans on getting the upper hand !! at that moment, she bites down, her fangs piercing the skin. the liquid tastes like copper. it’s thick and coats her entire mouth. she swallows, hating the feeling of ingesting it.
the boy screams. it’s carnal, like someone biting a tiger’s tail. the aftermath is even more malicious chaos. her own hair gets pulled, she gets bitten. her ribs hurt because of how badly someone kicked her. still, the other kids have a black eye and a busted lip. she knows those are because of her. she has a bad goose egg at the corner of her forehead.
as she scrambles to her feet, holding on to her ribs, she rubs her nose with her thumb and grins. the others crawl away, their looks of fear a prize to her. ❝ yeah, you better run !! ❞
❝ tch, what useless extras, ❞ the king says. he glares at her, shoves his hands back into his pockets, and walks the other direction from the boys.
the king … saved the villain ?? she gasps audibly, her eyes sparkling.
she wants to be … !!
iv.
❝ leave me alone, you damn idiot !! can’t you fucking tell when you’re not wanted ?! ❞ parker yells. the use of swears feels weird on her ears, but she’s not deterred. he’s a big shot, a king, he’s allowed to use adult language !!
❝ i told you, i’m your servant now !! you saved me !! i owe you a debt !! ❞ juyoung chirps.
❝ you want to pay me back for helping you out ?? ❞ he asks. he raises an eyebrow, challenging her.
juyoung nods excitedly. ❝ yup !! ❞
❝ ... don’t mention it. ❞
❝ huh ?? ❞
❝ EVER. ❞
his eyes are steely. they’re scary, especially with the way the red seemed to turn into hellish flames. it feels like all the winds been knocked out of her as he continues on walking. she can’t move. she can’t help the tears that start to sting her eyes. she wipes them away.
she was about to turn away, walk back to the bridge to mope underneath it. no one wants her around, even after they think she’s worthy enough to save.
❝ hey, brat. ❞
juyoung looks up. she sees parker, turned to her. with a resigned sigh, he jerks his head forward, commanding her to follow him. she perks up and without hesitation, runs to keep up with him.
she just wants to be … !!
v.
❝ it doesn’t matter. ❞
❝ huh ?? ❞
❝ as long as you come out on top, as long as you win, it doesn’t matter. “ parker says with his hands on his hips. “ you’re listening to other people when you should be listening to yourself. what do you want to be ?? ❞
❝ i want to be … a hero !! “ she squeaks out. ❝ i just want to be a hero !! i want to be a king, too !! ❞
❝ then you’re not going to get anywhere if you’re going to pretend you’re a fucking quirkless rock, you dumbass. use your quirk !! your body’s not going to be adjusted to the power like the original user, but you can still use their quirk, right ?? become a versatile jack !! you’ve got unmapped potential with a quirk like that !! who cares if it’s villainous ?? who cares if it’s scary ?? none of that matters !! ❞
❝ i … don’t have anyone to transform into. i don’t know their quirks or anything like that — ❞ she starts before blinking. ❝ wait !! i got someone’s blood during the fight !! i can transform into them and learn how to use their quirk !! like quirk training but for dozens of quirks, right ?? ❞
❝ exactly. whose blood — ❞
parker stares at equally as red eyes. his glare suddenly grows. juyoung, transformed as parker, squeaks and shrinks in on herself. ❝ i didn’t know it was you i bit — i’m sorry !! i was desperate !! i wasn’t thinking !! i just wanted an upper hand !! ❞ her usual cries were strange in parker’s voice.
parker scoffs. ❝ well, that’s fucking that then. i’m going to come out on top, brat. i’m going to win indisputably. i was going to help you so that i’d at least have a challenge on the way up but since you’ve got my blood, i’ve already given you more than i bargained for. i’ll see you later, fucking rude ass brat. ❞
❝ w-wait, parker !! ❞ juyoung cries, her voice turning to her own as she transforms back to herself. ❝ wait !! please, i still need your help !! ❞
he’s not listening. he walks away from the empty lot where they were going to train. where they were going to be friends. she wants to be a hero, she does !! she wants to be a beacon of hope, instead of a scary omen !!
but mostly … she just wants to be able to have a friend.
vi.
juyoung’s panting. she’s expended a lot of her energy.
the king has stamina like no other, that’s for sure.
❝ you dumb fucking brat !! ❞ parker yells, ❝ you think you can wear me out with my own power ?? you must have gotten dumber since our elementary days !! ❞
she smirks. juyoung runs forward. ❝ face it, i’m more agile than you !! you’re a slow, useless tank compared to my abilities !! ❞
❝ shut up, you fuckface !! ❞ parker holds his hands up, ready to send a barrage of explosive attacks. she dodges to the left and he takes it as his chance. he makes a big explosion, knowing she’d try to cancel it out with one of her own.
suddenly, an ice wall climbs upwards, the sound of it manifesting metallic and melodic. the explosions do nothing against it. parker grits his teeth. it’s what he told her all those years ago. become a versatile jack.
when the smoke clears, ❛ ricky ❜ stands triumphant, all grins with her hands on her hips. she steps back with her left foot, and with one swoop of her arm, she manifests a slew of ice aiming for parker. he keeps jumping backward so he doesn’t get stuck in the ice. he barely has time to think of a counterattack. he lunges despite no plan. once there’s an opening, he’s sure he can make a chance decision—
❝ time’s up !! your timeslot for use of the gym is over, please pack your things !! you guys are always working so hard, especially after school hours. it’s so admirable !! ❞ miss yong chimes as she opens the door. parker stumbles back onto the floor, almost falling over. juyoung laughs, having transformed back into herself.
❝ this doesn’t mean you win, you fucking brat !! ❞
❝ oh my, the king is a sore loser !! how sad !! ❞ she cackles, grabbing her gym bag and taking a drink out of her water bottle.
despite them not being friends, parker and juyoung have become formidable rivals. she hopes that one day, parker will learn that not everyone is an obstacle he has to overcome. he hopes that one day she stops being annoying. for now, it seems that neither of them gets what they want.
that’s just fine as she’s grown. juyoung knows what she wants to be now.
she wants to be a hero, no matter how lonely her journey there may become.