Chapter Text
"Ah, hell yeah! Now it's time for a little bit of seaside action!" Yubiko cheered.
She had just finished an assignment for the mask, retrieve some stolen XEMBER from a group of hoodlums, who Yubiko had brutally dealt with in ways that can't be described.
Not that it really mattered to her, seeing as she could now relax and have fun, knowing her work schedule was cleared with money in her bank to boot.
As she walked she passed a place called Cafe Haru-Haru, a small and humble cafe that Yubiko had heard good things about from some human friends of hers, maybe she should go there sometime.
Knowing it was late, she decided to breathe some of the night's air before the bright gaze of the moon drew Yubiko's attention.
She was no stranger to going out at night to celebrate successful missions, but for some reason it felt...different this time.
"Weird, must be that gas I smelled while pursuing those ass-"
Out of nowhere, something or someone bumped into her.
The streets of the city blurred past Char as she darted around a corner, her heart hammering in her chest. She could hear the heavy footsteps of Sojo’s men echoing behind her, closer than she'd like. Her breath came in ragged bursts, but she didn’t stop. If she did- she couldn’t.
She zigzagged between alleyways and cut through bustling markets, hoping the crowded streets would slow her pursuers. Each time she glanced over her shoulder, her stomach twisted — they were still on her trail. Char knew exactly what the bad man's friends would do to her if they managed to catch her, especially that loud daruma guy.
Her thoughts raced as fast as her legs. 'I should be able to lose them. Just a couple more turns... Just keep going. Don't stop now, Char.'
A sharp pain flared in her side, but Char ignored it, forcing herself to press on. She slipped between a couple of vendors, sending a stand of fruits crashing to the ground. Someone shouted after her, but she didn't care.
All that mattered to her was getting away.
She stumbled into a new street, wide and unfamiliar. The cobblestones glistened beneath the dull afternoon sky, and every person she passed became a potential shield between her and her pursuers.
Char scanned the roads — left, right, no sign of the henchmen. For a moment, she allowed herself a sliver of hope.
'D-did I lose em'...hmm, maybe I did—' Char's foot caught on a loose stone, breaking her from her thoughts. She pitched forward with a yelp. Before she could hit the ground, her body slammed into something—or rather, someone.
“Hey! Where the hell do you think yo-” a voice snapped, grabbing her shoulders with a firm grip, the person glared down until she realized who she'd just gotten ahold of. "Huh? A little girl?"
The grip she had on Char's shoulders softened upon realizing the person that she was now holding was a small child.
Char looked up, panting, to see a stranger towering over her. She barely was able to see their features aside from being a woman— her mind raced too quickly, every second precious. 'Do I run? Hide? Could they help?' She shook off their hands and glanced behind her.
Her heart sank as she saw one of her pursuers appear at the end of the street. Panic tightened her chest.
“S-Sorry about that!” Char stammered to the stranger before trying to push past them, but their grip tightened on her wrist.
“Hey—what’s going on?” the woman asked, but Char was already twisting free, her instincts screaming to keep moving.
Her determination burned through her fear. She had to escape, no matter what it took. She couldn't afford to be caught—not today, not ever.
A lightbulb went off in Char's head once she realized the woman seemed concerned.
Char sobbed. "These mean men are after me!"
Yubiko was a Choujin mercenary who killed dozens of people for her job, and reveled in violence and bloodshed, that was true.
But even she had some standards...namely not harming small children, and judging by the looks of the little girl in front of her and her tone of voice, especially her tears...someone was losing their arms tonight.
"Mean men?" Yubiko had an uncharacteristically gentle look on her face, her tone soft. "What are they doing to you?"
Char kept her sob up. "They're led by a really strong but really bad guy with a magical sword who hurt my mommy and wants to hurt lots of people, and he wants me because I saw some of the crimes he did, miss."
"Did he now?" Yubiko frowned, only for her eyes widened upon realizing something that Char said about the "bad man". "Wait, did you say he had a magic sword?"
"Yeah! He's got a magic katana that shoots ice and lighting from it's tip! It sounds like something on a tv show but I'm telling the truth, it's real!" Char exclaimed, only to hear loud footsteps approaching her.
"There's the brat!"
"Who's that broad with the big chest?"
"Beat's me, man, maybe she'll let us cop a feel if we pay her some of the stuff, Sojo's got for us."
The last man's insinuation pissed Yubiko off but she chose not to let it get to her; The woman stood up and smirked at the men. "Hello there, boys, what can I do for ya?"
"You can start by uh...handing over that brat you got behind ya."
Yubiko raised an eyebrow only to feel something touch the back of her legs, below her butt, turning to see Char quivering behind her. "No need to be scared, little one, I got this covered."
The woman smirked as she turned to the hoodlums. "Sorry, boys but it looks like your not gonna be getting what you want, today."
They glared. "Oh really?"
Yubiko grinned, madly. "Yes! Really!" as a bunch of arms began to sprout from her back.
The once proud and arrogant men turned pale, as their jaws began to drop as they saw Yubiko using her powers. "W-What the.."
"Shit, she's a Choujin! Let's get out of-UCK!" the man yelled before getting his neck snapped.
The second man began to ran only for Yubiko's arms to grab his legs and toss him into the air, before grabbing them again to twist, the man sobbed as his legs were disfigured.
Yubiko slammed his head into the ground, putting an end to him as she walked towards the third man.
He began to sweat and quiver, bowing once Yubiko got close to him. "Please, ma'am, I have a family to feed, please spare me!"
Yubiko glared. "A family? And you're gonna hurt this little girl over here? Hypocrite."
The man started to cry. "Please, I'm verry sorr-" he wasn't able to finish his sentence before his life ended; Yubiko shot her fingers into his sockets, gouging them.
"Dumb wanker!" Yubiko huffed as her multiplied arms began to disappear, before turning to Char who was now hiding behind a trash bin.
Yubiko's expression began to soften as she looked at her. "Hey, sweetie, everything's safe now, no need to hide."
Char looked at Yubiko with a slightly suspicious and scared look before she began to slowly walk towards her.
"Y'know, I never asked you your name. May I have it?"
Char looked down, twiddling her thumbs. "Char."
Yubiko smiled, extending a hand towards her. "Nice to meetcha, Char! My name's, Yubiko!"
Char stared a bit, before returning the smile and shaking her hand. "Thank's for saving me, Ms. Yubiko."