10 years ago...
"Ugh, so BORING!"
In a park, a young Mykhail was busy tossing rocks into a nearby pond, sporting an annoyed look on his face.
He picked up another large rock, attempting to skip it.
"Why is everything so dull?" he wondered, sighing. "I try to play sports with some kids at the park, and they don't even want to compete!"
As he skipped another rock, he noticed a green-haired girl creeping up behind him and hiding behind a bush.
"Hello...?"
The girl peeked her head out, giggling. "Aww, how did you spot me?"
Mykhail stared at her with a less-than-impressed look. "...Because I'm not blind?"
She stepped out of the bushes and held her hand out. "My name's Kumiko! Nice to meet you!"
Mykhail rolled his eyes and shook her hand. "Cool."
"What's your name?"
"Mykhail."
"Nice name!"
She noticed the rock in his hand. "What are you doing with that?"
He skipped it across the pond. "Nothing. Nothing at all."
She tilted her head to the side. "That looks fun! I wanna try!"
He shrugged and handed her a nearby rock. "Go ahead. Just flick your wrist and BOOM."
She tried to skip the rock, but she ended up accidentally throwing it into the middle of the pond. "Wow! Almost got it!"
Mykhail slapped his forehead, sighing. Kumiko picked up another rock, launching it across the pond this time.
Mykhail casually took a rock and effortlessly skipped it across the water. "See? Not that hard."
"I can do that too!"
"Yeah, sure you can."
Her rock ended up in a tree, almost getting a laugh from Mykhail. "Anyway, if you'll excuse me, I'm going to the playground now."
She gently grabbed his arm. "Wait, can I ask you something?"
"Yeah?
Kumiko smiled. "Let's be friends! I'm sure we'll get along well together!"
Mykhail appeared a little confused. "That's...fast."
"We can do so many things! Let's follow our dreams! Let's explore the world! Let's do anything we can imagine! What do you think, Mykhail?"
He paused for a moment, giving it some thought. "Well...I guess it couldn't hurt, this world is already bland enough."
She jumped up and down. "Yay! This is gonna be AMAZING!"
Then she grabbed his hands. "I have someone else for you to meet as well! You'll love him!"
"Wait, I thought that it would be just you and me—-!"
Just then, a light-skinned boy walked out of the bushes, nervously looking at the ground. "Hi...my name is...Kiran."
Kumiko waved him over. "Here, Kiran! Meet Mykhail! He's gonna be the third member of our trio, starting today!"
Mykhail looked between the two, a shocked look crossing his face. "Aww hell..."
Present Day...
Kumiko slowly opened her eyes, but to her surprise, they couldn't see anything. She could hear a couple of voices around, and the beeping of machines, but she couldn't tell where she was.
"The young lady's awake! Thank goodness!"
Kumiko tried to sit up, but her entire body hurt. She lifted her right arm, feeling around, and she came into contact with a rail.
"What...is this...?"
"Kumiko!" someone called out. "Kumiko, can you hear me?"
She recognized the voice, but she had no clue where it was coming from.
"Takehiro?"
She felt a hand on her shoulder. "Yes, it's me! You're gonna be fine, alright? The doctors are working hard to fix you up!"
"Takehiro...what happened? Where's...everyone else?" Kumiko asked, still confused.
"They're on their way!" Takehiro responded. "You just hang on, they'll be here soon!"
"Why...can't I see anything...and I can't...feel my legs...?"
"Kumiko!"
Immediately, Mykhail and Kurumi rushed into the room. Kurumi put her hands on the rails of the bed, stroking Kumiko's face.
"Are you alright? How do you feel?"
Kumiko's head began to hurt, but she tried to ignore it. "I feel...fine. A bit fuzzy, but fine. Can you tell me where I am?"
Kurumi hesitated before responding. "You got in an accident, remember? You took a missile to the FACE! It's a miracle you even survived!"
Kumiko remembered pushing Justice out of the way of a missile strike, and then after that, everything went black.
"I see..."
Takehiro slammed his hand on a wall. "It's that superhero's fault! I knew letting him roam free was a mistake! Why didn't the government stop him?"
Kurumi put a hand on his back. "It's fine. This will all turn out fine, okay?"
He took a deep breath, beginning to relax. "Right, sorry!"
Mykhail was standing in the corner of the room and checking on Kumiko from afar, worry on his face. "Her eyes are gray, and she looks pale...damn it, what have I done?"
As Takehiro and Kurumi tried to talk to her, she began coughing, and the doctor led them away. "The girl needs her rest, you can come back later."
"Alright," Takehiro said. "Please take care of her."
The doctor prepared to lead Mykhail out as well, but Kumiko interrupted.
"Wait, can you let...Mykhail stay?"
The doctor looked at Mykhail. "Is that you?"
He nodded.
"Alright," the doctor stated. "I'll allow it for now, but if she gets worse, you'll have to come back later."
He and a nurse stepped into a nearby office, leaving Mykhail and Kumiko alone.
"Mykhail...can you...come closer...?"
He slowly approached the hospital bed, taking in the extent of Kumiko's injuries.
"Did they discover you?" Kumiko asked.
He shook his head. "Finished off the other robots and then blended back in with the chaos."
He glanced over at her one more time.
"You...you were right," Mykhail said, an awkward and embarrassed look on his face. "That was pretty stupid."
Kumiko began to cough before answering. "Right about what?"
"The superhero thing," Mykhail said. "I probably should have been more careful, I'm sorry."
Kumiko stared up at the ceiling, giving Mykhail a soft smile. "It's okay...remember what I said?"
"About what?"
She blinked for a moment, before feeling around for Mykhail's hand, which was on the rail to her side.
"I'll always support you, no matter what."
To his shock, she turned and looked at him, even though her eyes appeared hazy and clouded.
He held her gaze for a long time, before gripping her hand and smiling.
"Thanks! I'm sure I've got a power that can fix you up, no problem!"
She closed her eyes and laid back down. "That's sweet of you...but please...don't scream out incriminating stuff in here."
"Incriminating? What do you mean?"
She sighed. After a bit of awkward silence, Mykhail began to leave.
"Mykhail...?"
He turned around. "I'll be right back, Kumiko, you just wait here!"
After he was gone, Kumiko smiled again. "Well...not like I really have much of a choice..."
Outside of the hospital room, Mykhail walked down the hall, finding a worried Takehiro and Kurumi.
"How bad is she?" Kurumi asked. "Did the doctors tell you anything?"
Mykhail shrugged. "They didn't say much, because she wanted to talk to me alone. She doesn't look good, though."
"Those missiles packed a punch, it's no wonder she's in the intensive unit," Takehiro remarked.
Kurumi started to shed a tear. "Missiles? I've never even heard of them! Why would the government use something so dangerous?"
Takehiro pointed towards a nearby screen, which played the news.
"Breaking news, the government has lost track of the individual known as Justice after an intense scuffle at a nearby fair! I'm your Reporter, Miku Nakano, and we'll continue to bring you more updates as we find out more about this incident!"
"That's why," Takehiro said, his tone slightly bitter. "All because of him."
A few people walked past, mumbling under their breath as they looked at the screen. Mykhail, a bit uneasy, cleared his throat.
"How about I go and get Kumiko some food?" he asked. "She's a big eater!"
"Great idea!" Takehiro said. "We'll come with!"
Mykhail scratched the back of his neck. "Well...I was thinking you guys should stay here, to watch her."
They shared a look.
"Smart," Takehiro said. "Alright, we'll wait for you!"
As he headed outside the hospital, Kurumi turned to Takehiro.
"Does Mykhail seem a bit...different to you?" Kurumi asked.
"Eh?"
"I don't know, he just seems a bit...more outgoing."
Takehiro watched as Mykhail walked out the doors. "Hmm...maybe something big happened to him?"
"Probably. Maybe I'm just overthinking!"
While they turned away, they didn't notice a snake make its way out of Mykhail's bag, quietly slithering into a nearby bathroom.
Once Mykhail was a block away from the hospital, he took a moment to breathe. "Sheesh, who knew being a hero would be so...SERIOUS? A bunch of haters, keeping a secret identity, and my best friend got hurt?"
He sighed, turning his attention to a pizza shop nearby.
"Well, pizza should do."
He walked inside and was greeted by the owner, an elder man.
"Hello, kid! What can I do for you?"
Mykhail looked at the menu. "Oh, just 2 regular pizzas, please."
"Make that three."
To Mykhail's shock, he saw Mr. Kenta standing next to him, cash in hand. "It's on me! Good evening, Mykhail!"
Mykhail jumped back, nearly falling over. "Mr. Kenta! When did you get here?"
"Me? Just taking a stroll in the neighborhood, that's all!"
The owner took the money. "Alright, I'll have them out soon!"
Mr. Kenta sat down in a nearby booth. "Care to sit with me?"
Mykhail looked around before sitting on the other side of him. Mr. Kenta made sure that no one was listening before leaning in.
"So, have you heard the news?"
"About the hero? Yeah?"
Mr. Kenta sat back, putting his hands behind his head. "A real head-turner, isn't it? I'd never imagined someone would go and defy the rules like that!"
"Yeah..." Mykhail said. "Crazy."
"You know what's even more crazy? I've seen many, many people use that sword, Mykhail, but none of them ever made such a bold move as you."
"..."
Mykhail nearly jumped out of his seat. Mr. Kenta stared him right in the eyes. "In time you'll learn, but for now, best be careful, alright?"
Just then, the owner walked up with three pizza boxes. "Here you go! Hot and fresh!"
Mr. Kenta took them out of his hands, smiling at the man. "Why thank you! Here, Mykhail, these are for you!"
He put them down on the table and headed out, leaving with a wave. Mykhail just sat there, shocked.
"That man...who IS that man...?"
The owner tapped him on the shoulder. "Excuse me, is everything alright?"
Mykhail immediately came back to his senses. "Yeah! Sorry, I should go now!"
He took the boxes and left, heading back to the hospital.
Meanwhile, inside of the hospital...
Kumiko shifted in her bed, trying to sit up.
"Guys...is anyone there...?"
A nurse walked up to her, holding her hand. "Sweetheart, your friends have left, but they'll be back! Right now, we need to make sure your condition is stable."
"Stable? What do you mean?"
The nurse gave a sad sigh. "Kumiko, dear, I'm sorry to tell you this, but your spine was severed at the back due to the damage you sustained. In addition, the light from the explosion damaged your eyes beyond repair. In simple terms, you're both permanently blind and will never be able to walk again."
"Really...?"
The nurse squeezed her hand. "Yes, but don't worry! We're gonna do our best to help you!"
"Thank...you..." Kumiko said, weakly putting her head back down.
"I'll be right back. We'll try to offer you some medicine for your injuries."
Once Kumiko was alone, she began to visualize memories of her friends, beginning to cry.
"I'll...never actually see them again...I'm...stuck like this...forever..."
As she became lost in her own thoughts, she heard the door slightly creak open.
"Mykhail, you're back?"
No response.
"Takehiro?"
Silence.
"Kurumi?"
Nothing. Kumiko began to listen in, and she almost thought she could hear the faintest noise of movement.
"Hello...?"
Just then, she felt something make its way onto her bed, and right onto her chest. Confused, she reached out and tried to feel what it was, and she pulled her hand back in horror as she felt the back of a slimy snake.
"What? What the h—-?"
"Perfect."
And then, she felt a searing tear in her neck.
"AHHHH! SOMEONE HELP—-!"
Immediately, she gasped and her eyes turned green again, but this time, they were glowing. When the doctor and nurse came in to check the scene, they found a black and green colored snake making its way right into her neck.
And in the next moment...
BOOM.
Mykhail, still holding his pizzas, watched as over a dozen large black tendrils tore through the roof of the hospital.
—-