Kumo

Chapter 6

He was just starting his route, sometime around nine at night. He was still in his old neighborhood, and since it was pretty quiet there was nobody out except those coming from work. He never expected anything bigger than drunks unless he traveled farther. And boy was he glad he didn't that night.

He was walking along the edge of a roof, arms sticking out to keep his balance. It was an incredibly stupid thing to do, looking back. One wrong slip and he'd fall four stories.

Which was exactly what happened when an ear-piercing shriek rang out. Izuku scrambled to grab the fire escape ladder, slowing his fall. He dangled there, trying to comprehend what happened, when the same voice called out again.

A few moments later, and he was on the ground and running towards the sound. He passed by the trash dump known as Dagobah Beach. Who was hanging around there that late at night?

The source of the scream bumped into him. They both fell to the ground, landing uncomfortably on the concrete. Bags fell, their contents going everywhere.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Izuku apologized, getting to his knees and scooping the items back into their bags. He paused, looking at what he was holding. It was a bunch of broken wires and metal pieces.

The girl he ran into sat up, heading spinning around frantically. "Where is he?" she asked, her voice shaking.

"Who?" Izuku asked, completely forgetting that he was a vigilante and not some random guy and he should be looking for the person who caused the screaming.

The girl stood up, wincing as her knees protested. In the dim light from the lamps nearby, Izuku could see red dripping down. "A guy," she explained, moving her pink hair out of her face. "I was walking home with my stuff and bumped into his shoulder. I guess he thought I was trying to rob him or something and started yelling. I screamed when he grabbed my elbow."

As if on cue, someone yelled out, "Damn brat! Where'd ya go?"

Izuku stood, holding his arm out towards the girl. "Stay here, I'll deal with him." He began walking in the direction of the older voice.

Sure enough, he found a man appearing in his mid-40's stumbling around like he was looking for something.

"Can I help you, sir?" Izuku asked, trying to appear as non-threatening as possible. Which wasn't difficult, given how short he was.

"Y'see a girl wi' pink hair 'round here?" the man asked, slurred. Izuku reeled back. He'd cover his nose if it wasn't already. The man reeked of alcohol. No wonder he got confused.

"What'd the girl do, sir?"

"Stole from me," the man groaned, "then lied 'bout it. Damn brats tryna rob defenseless people."

"Sir," Izuku said, putting his hands up in a calming gesture, "I think you need to go home and rest. You seem pretty intoxicated. Sleep should clear up any misunderstandings."

"Misunderstandings?" the man bellowed, taking a step forward. "What's a misunderstanding is I was robbed and you're too stupid to tell me where the damn girl went!"

The drunk was obviously starting to get violent, if the abrupt hand gestures were anything to go by. Izuku couldn't knock him out and leave him for the police. The man hadn't harmed him, and purposefully provoking him wasn't morally right.

So, Izuku sighed and pointed in the opposite direction of the beach. "She went that way."

The man spun around, grumbling about useless teenagers and walking away.