Chapter Text
Nine crouched on the roof, surveying the city below him. He was dressed in a ratty black hoodie, a pair of slightly long jeans, and his feet were crammed into a pair of shoes that were both too big and too tight. He’d have to steal a new set here soon, maybe he’d try to get a fancy red pair like the ones he used to have. Those fit his feet perfectly, at least until he got too big for them. It’s been at least a year since he’d been able to fit into those shoes, at least according to his companions, though they were just as bad at keeping track of time as him.
His face was covered by a simple black face mask and a pair of yellow goggles. He had seen them in a bargain bin and immediately slipped them into his pocket. They quickly became the favorite part of his outfit.
Behind him he could hear his companions chattering, though he felt one sit down next to him. Seven, otherwise known as Nana, had quickly become his new adopted mother in the past year, even though she was, well, dead. She was the only one who insisted that she be called by her living name, however most of the other ghosts just called her Seven. They often said it would be easier for her in the future if she gets used to the name seven now.
Nine tilted his head towards Seven, showing he was listening to whatever she wanted to say. She merely sighed, “you should really try to find All Might.” She reminded him again, “instead of running around like this.”
Nine shook his head, “All Might hasn’t been seen since he made that retirement announcement. And he doesnt have you guys anymore, so what good could he do? Especially since we know that All for One is chasing us. He’s sent that other boy after us in the past, it's easier to just keep moving.”
Seven sighed, but spoke no more. She was the only one who was against the plan to have Nine keep moving, keep running, rather than have him go and find All Might.
Nine hummed, “I know you don't like this, Seven.” He said softly, keeping his eyes trained out across the city, “but... at least this way we’re keeping All Might safe, right? If we were to go to him, All for One and his kid would follow us. Eight barely survived the last encounter with All for One, he wouldn’t be able to survive another.” Nine looked over at Nana, looking years older than he should, “besides, we’re getting to see so many cool parts of Japan!” He said with a large grin, one that only reminded Nana that Nine was seven, almost eight years old.
Nana hated that Nine was here on this roof. That he was here in this position. He was a child, one that should be happily going to school and playing with friends and generally having a fun, happy childhood. Not... not running around alleyways, sleeping in boxes and abandoned buildings. Not chasing after petty criminals or fleeing from cops or fearing for his life cause an all powerful supervillain and the villain’s apparent newfound son want to kill him.
Nine should be in a happy, loving home, not alone on the cold and dirty streets.
Nine’s head snapped up before Seven could speak again, “there’s someone approaching.” He spoke out as his fingers twitched. Within moments the boy was leaping off the roof, swinging between buildings with the aid of blackwhip. Nine didn't go far, just a block down, before hauling himself up onto another roof so he could check to see who was chasing him.
Thankfully it wasn’t the one villain he feared.
Honestly, he couldn’t tell who it was. The man was perched on a roof a few buildings away. He had two long wing-like things sprouting from his arms and that was the only thing that really stuck out to Nine over the distance and through the darkness. Nine guessed the man was some sort of hero, no villain would be that obvious. Well, he could be a stupid villain, Nine had encountered plenty of those.
Nine didn't have to wait long for the other to announce themself, as the dumbass decided the best idea was to shout, in the middle of the night, “stop! You are under arrest for vigilantism!”
Nine rolled his eyes, and he could see the ghosts around him do the same. “Doesn't this guy know that heros can’t arrest people unless they’re caught directly in the act of doing a crime?” Five muttered, “and I highly doubt that’s changed.”
“Well, he did just see Nine using a quirk in public.” Seven countered, “and if things are still the way they were when I was a hero, then that, for some reason, counts as breaking the law.”
Nine rolled his eyes, “it’s just a dummy hero. Even if he can fly, we can lose him.” Nine said as he jumped off the roof, “come on Birdy, let’s play chase!” Nine called out to the hero as he swung away on black whip, “if you can catch me I’ll go with ya!”
Nine loved these sorts of chases. The kind where it’s just him and a hero, where he doesn’t have to worry about life or death of himself or of anyone else. So far he hadn’t encountered a hero willing to use lethal force against him, and obviously all heros have a responsibility to protect the public from harm.
So when he was being chased by heros.... Nine felt free. These cat and mouse games always thrilled him, pushed him to his limits in endurance, speed, and intelligence. So far he hasn’t found a hero that he hasn’t been able to outrun or out maneuver, and this time isn’t any different. The winged hero couldn’t keep up with Nine’s ability to make tight turns around the buildings, and Nine cackled as he heard the sound of a body hitting a building followed by swearing. He heard the hero shouting at him, but he paid the man no mind as he slowly lowered himself to the ground and disappeared into a darkened alleyway. He loved hero chases.
Nine flattened himself against the side of the alley, and looked upwards with a smirk. He watched the hero fly over the alley multiple times searching for him, and he had to resist laughing aloud. Most heros he encountered were so stupid, and it made things so easy for him. He was able to run freely rather than get put in jail or something, and he could still help others cause the heros couldn’t catch him.
Though, it did make him doubt a lot of the heros, cause if they couldn’t catch him, a little kid, then how were they supposed to catch the big grown up villains? Even though there were a lot of stupid villains that the heros could probably catch, there were many many more intelligent and super strong villains that the heros would stand no chance against. What good were heros that couldn’t do their jobs?