Star Meets All Smite
There’s a russet color that falls over California on a hot mid-July day. The heat bakes the concrete with it’s unrelenting rays, the sounds of fans peppering the shops and homes all buzzing together in a metal symphony with it’s feeble attempt to chase away the summer heat. The crowds gather along the beach in droves, peppering the shore as far as the eye could see. Toshinori was a tall and broad man who easily stood out in a crowd. It was almost comical how his view was mostly unobscured even in the most crowded of boardwalks. Most didn’t dare walk too close, for either fear of being trampled by the 7’2’’ man, or the menacing glare his bright blue eyes would regard them with if they dared. There was something off about that man.
And yet, women and men ogled him as he passed. Women in bikinis and men in swim shorts would shout “hey blondie~” with alluring tones, waving when he glanced over and seemed to like what he saw. Toshi would give them a wicked grin, loving how they swoon in reaction. He made sure to flex, the white tank top stretching around his chest and torso, seemingly threatening to rip at any moment as his muscles bulged. He loved the attention, his ego inflating as he brought the quickly melting slushie he’d acquired to his lips and tasting the sweet cherry against them, staining his tongue red.
As he drank in the attention from passersbys , Toshinori did not realize there was another who was also watching him. A young girl.
Hoodie drawn over her head even on a day as hot as this, she neared. It was always easy for the young girl to pick out the tourists, his obvious souvenir shirt was a dead giveaway, and the accent he’d spoken with when he called out to his adoring fans- although quite good- was not enough to hide the cadence in his voice. The rush was kicking in now. And though he was tall and quite intimidating she flourished at the challenge. The fact he was distracted would make this a piece of cake. She walked faster, her short legs struggling to keep up with the giant as the boardwalk groaned under his weight. Surely he could not catch her if she weaved in and out of the crowds, she had had plenty of close getaways before using that method.
The tall blonde stopped suddenly, a crowd of men and women almost flocking as his booming laugh left him. The oaf was enjoying this, she thought. He handed one of the women his slushie, her eyes growing wide, as if receiving and offering from a god. His arms stretched, then flexed as the crowd gasped in awe, a flurry of requests to touch his arms that he seemed all too happy to accept. Hands were against him, feeling along his chest and arms. The girl could scoff, how arrogant could one guy be?
But this was too perfect. Seeing an in she weaved through a crowd, all averting their eyes as she passed. Just another street rat.
As a hand neared his side she stepped in, small hands expertly pulling the wallet that poked out from his back pocket within a fraction of a second. Her lips lined with a grin as she drew away with her prize clutched in a fist of the hoodie pocket. The idiot would never know. Probably just thinking he dropped it along the way. She could still hear his chuckles as he was showered with compliments from the crowd. The soft pitter-patter of her feet slowed, the sound of creaking wood gave way to the dull thud of pavement, her adrenaline slowing as she grinned in delight feeling the overpacked wallet with her small hands. Now in an alley she pulled out her prize, unfolding the bill wallet like a kid at christmas.
And then, a crack of thunder– no, there was not a cloud in the sky, she thought. Her blue eyes looked up to the sky, seeing a flash of something before her hand was swept upwards by something. Her head felt like it was spinning, feeling an iron grip against her small wrist and letting out a surprised shout. The first thing she was able to see was piercing blue eyes beneath thick creased brows, a snarl that seemed almost wolfish framed by two golden yellow tufts of hair. The man! She struggled, her hood falling off as she thrashed and feebly attempted to pull her wrist from his large hand. “Do you know who you’re stealing from?” Came a low, threatening sound, like the thundering roll right before a hurricane. The wallet fell from her hand, refusing to answer as she grunted in an attempt to wrench herself free and make a break for it.
“Answer me.” he barked, reflexes inhumanly fast as his free hand darted out and snatched the wallet from midair. His face more frightening than anything she’d ever seen before. His quirk was so impossibly fast and strong. If only he was there when…
When her parents died. She had not been strong enough on her own to save them. He noticed it then, the mess of her brown hair, the cracks and wear of her glasses that barely held on. The dirt of her face, the state of her clothes.
“I don’t care who you are!” She hissed. If he harmed her, she’d rip his arm to shreds. That was her rule, she was lucky enough to get a glimpse of his name on an ID. She had nothing left to lose. No one would know that she was gone. No one had even come looking for her when she ran away from the orphanage. It was one less damaged kid to concern themselves with.
The anger that bubbled up in her from being left behind by her parents, by the adults that were supposed to protect her thereafter gave her a new sense of confidence, peering back at the man who looked like a snarling dog ready to bite, “I have nothing left to lose. My parents are dead, the system has abandoned me. I don’t give a shit anymore.”.
Toshi’s expression lifted, the furrowed brows rising , his hand loosening around her wrist. An unfamiliar pang in his chest…she was an exact mirror of him. The anger he felt in his youth when he grew up in foster care, that stayed in his heart and twisted his once noble morals when Nana died.
“What is your quirk?” He said simply.
She gaped at that, the question throwing her off guard. “I- I don’t have a name for it yet.” she managed, “It’s licensed as a “rule” quirk.”.
Toshinori seemed unphased, “Spit it out already.” growing impatient, still holding her arm in his grasp.
She sighed, reluctant to give away the only card she had, had he decided to attack her. But he hadn’t done it yet, and it’s not like this man could possibly have another quirk that could reverse her rules. “I can apply two rules to everything. For example… If you harm me, I applied a rule that it would shred your arm to bits.” .
Toshinori tried not to look shock, his brows shooting up slightly. If this were true, this child had a truly powerful quirk. “Show me.” he demanded, not at all convinced she wasn’t bluffing.
“Toshinori Yagi.” She said, his face scowling at his full name, “If you don’t release my arm, you’ll feel like all of the air left your lungs until you let go.”
The villain’s mouth opened, but nothing would fill his lungs. The feeling was sickening, like drowning with no water in sight. Hastily he released her hand, breathing a lungful of air. She was telling the truth.
The villain turned, walking out of the alleyway, “Don’t ever call me by that name.” He uttered, turning back to see her awestruck face, “Well, you want food or not?”.
At the mention of food she caught up after him, her stomach growling.
They ate burgers in silence. Looking like quite the pair, both scarfing down burgers. Her legs swinging in the diner chair, as Toshi’s barely seemed to fit under the table. Though Toshi had eaten three by the time she’d eaten a half of one.
“Cassie.” She said between bites.
“What?” Toshinori said in his signature annoyed tone.
“My name is Cassie.” she said again, mouth full of food.
Toshinori looked awkward, grumbling a slight acknowledgement before returning to finishing his burger.
