Learn to Live (Vigilante)

Stain

"I can't," I took a breath filling my lungs, "believe we almost missed the train."

Stupid laughter is what I got back. Stupid laughter, and a mouth full of bugs. I sunk onto the roof of the built train while hacking up the gnats.

You would think I would have been able to sneak inside, all besides the fact that there were four pro heroes on the train. Four. The first step was the last one. All three of us backed up, probably looking like fishes caught in the air, but hey, we got away. Now, we are on top of the train being blasted with air.

Brava and Gentle laughed again when they pointed out the bug that splattered on my forehead. I grumbled at them but was eternally happy with the simple show of happiness. It calmed me down. I don't know how, but they have a power to bring a sense of lightness, an easygoing feeling, into the air. It feels like we are going on a run-away vacation, not an impending fight where I most likely will die or get captured. Maybe both. But anyways, as the light-filled air blasted against my face, it rolled down my body and into my wings. It felt good, really good. Godly.

I maneuvered my wings so my hoodie slid onto my neck. My wings were fully exposed to the wind. The three of us were in half-civilian clothes. We still easily looked normal, but our vigilante gear was under our clothes. We got a few weird looks, but it's better than having a hero called on us. It was also better to hide my wings, given that huge green and blue wings aren't common. Eraserhead has probably put a lookout warning on me.

The force of the wind was something else. To test the waters, I flexed my wings, puffing them out. Immediately I regretted it as they caught the wind. My body slid about 30 feet until I managed to tuck them back in. The worried laughter I got set a flame of heat into my face.

"That was cute." Gentle spoke over our earpieces, given I was too far to hear them now.

Too embarrassed, I hide my face behind a wing, "Shut up." Not wanting to sound mean, I added a 'please' at the end.

The snort I got was enough to have us riding in silence, well, at least from me.

Despite being called cute, my heart was high with my hopes. I am free, happy, and about to take down the hero killer. I'm not going to die. This is something I have to do. I'm a vigilante. A lot of people need this. Ida needs this. I won't die. I can't die. I won't get captured. Nope.

What could go wrong? Absolutely nothing. That's what. Yeah-

~~~

"What can't go wrong?" I spoke up, whispering to myself. The thought pulsed through my head. There wasn't a single thing that might go right. People might die. Someone will die.

I was hunched over in my assigned spot, on the outer sections of Hosu. The night air is cool.

The pro heroes had been organized from physically strongest. The ones that threw the meanest punch were in the middle of the city; the spot most likely for the attack to happen. Others like me were stationed on the outskirts making sure the secret evacuation was going smoothly. I watched from a roof ledge as a group of 30 were escorted out of the street. This has been going on for a couple of hours.

My back ached as I straightened it. I was getting too old for this. I pulled my capture gear around my neck tighter, trying to rid myself of the cool air. I lifted my goggles, placing eye drops in my eyes.

It still wasn't sitting right with me that I left Hitoshi in an argument. It never sat right when we fought. He should know better than that. He can't come no matter how hard he begs. He's not a Hero yet.

My body felt tired as I thought of Ren. Technically he's not a hero. He shouldn't be out here hunting the Hero killer alone. I'm in my right mind to punch him and drag him back home. The anger I felt bled into worry for him. Of course, they tried to put me in the middle of the fighting, but if the Hero Killer is anywhere out here, he's not going to be in the middle. If I can find the Hero killer first then Ren can come back. He had to come back home.