[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

Mr.Inflatable to the Rescue

Michael was out for a leisurely stroll around Tokyo. As a free day for school, he went to exercise as usual with a long jog away from campus. Michael did this as often as he could. It gave him an opportunity to familiarize himself with the wards and streets, to get to meet and interact with the civilians and strength his body and endurance. Michael loved the peaceful interactions he would make with all the people, helping them with small tasks and good deeds as he passed along. A number of children in the areas he went through had started calling him Mr. Balloon Head or even just Balloon Head in general. Even after he would tell them his name was Michael, Balloon Head just seemed to stick in their minds.

This was a troubling fact that Michael hadn't quite come to terms with. While he knew he wanted to be a pro hero, he didn't know what to call himself. Balloon Head seemed to be child-friendly and easy enough to discern as him... but it didn't inspire much feelings as a hero name. Names like Deep Float and Zeppelin had an opposite affect, feeling like they had dark connotations that almost seemed villainous. The closest Michael had found was Mr. Inflatable. It gave the idea of hero kind of name without coming across as too kiddie or intimidating, but it still didn't feel quite like a good fit... Perhaps it was just a matter of not feeling much like a hero yet, but whatever the reason, Michael didn't solidify it as his hero name, so he continued to just go by Michael.

After having pulled a group of kids' soccer ball out of a small creek, Michael continued on his way. The children shouted, "THANK YOU BALLOON HEAD!" as he jogged away. Michael just shook his head and chuckled softly. A few minutes of steady jogging Michael began to come back towards the more urban part of the area he was in. A mixture of apartment complexes and specialty shops were coming into view. Just as he was passing a little convenience store he heard some soft mewing crying out. Michael came to a stop and looked around trying to find the source of the sound.

Looking towards a decently short tree, Michael noticed that clinging tightly to a branch nearly 20 feet off the ground was a small tiger patterned kitten. The poor thing must have climbed up the tree and now was too scared to get down on its own. "Oh, hey little fella... did you get stuck in that tree? Don't worry. I'll get you down." Michael said softly and soothingly towards the kitten. Michael carefully went to the trunk of the tree and gingerly began to climb it. As the tree was on the skinnier side, Michael did his best to move slowly so not to shake the tree. It would have been easier to stretch or inflate himself to float up to the cat, but that would also be using his quirk without a license. So Michael made do as best he could by climbing up towards the cat cautiously so not to jostle the tree or startle the kitten.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael went for a jog and found a cat stuck in a tree outside a convenience store. He began climbing the tree to try to get them down.

[Yanai Yoko]

Yoko was hard at work in Tokyo. Whenever she had free time from school she usually either spent it playing video games in her room or working at a convenience store. She wasn't really struggling, she had a decent amount of savings and living at campus wasn't expensive considering she could get meals there too. So, why work instead of dedicating herself fully to becoming a hero?

Someone had to support her smoking habit.

Usually work was the place she went to so she could forget about school, but lately thoughts of school had been creeping their way into her mind as she stood behind the counter and greeted customers. She wasn't really serious about becoming a hero, but it seemed like everyone else was. Most of her other peers already had hero names worked out, but she couldn't think of a single one for herself that wasn't belittling her, or downright insulting. How could someone have the self-confidence to just give themselves a super nickname and stick with it despite what other people thought? ''I'm taking my break.'' She called out to one of her coworkers before walking outside to the back of the store. It wasn't exactly a good look to have an employee in uniform smoking out front and she wanted to keep her job, so it was just easier to compromise on her rebel attitude and smoke in the back.

Flipping her umbrella up and opening it, Yoko managed to shield herself from the rain just in time, as a small rain cloud formed over her head like she was a sad cartoon character. ''Made it just in time.'' She muttered to herself as she took out a cigarette and her lighter. The cloud responded to her emotions and if she got too worked up it would appear, meaning it often dictated when her breaks from work would take place. Apparently her manager didn't like it when her cloud manifested and got the floor all wet.

Just as she lit her cigarette she narrowed her eyes at the view in front of her. Was that a guy climbing a tree for a bird, no... A cat? ''What are you doing?'' She spoke up casually, but due to her perpetually grumpy face she might look annoyed or even angry with Michael. It wasn't until she took a closer look that she realized his head wasn't a head at all. Was it a mask? Quirk related? Whoever had heard of a mask-wearing, tree-climbing bandit? And in Tokyo of all places? No, it was most likely a quirk thing, right? ''Hey, get down from there you're gonna get hurt, idiot.'' She was a little more assertive this time, raising her voice a little bit because the rain falling on her umbrella was making it just a bit harder for her to hear herself.

Yoko didn't see it because she was preoccupied with the balloon bandit, but a small group of people about their age was coming around the corner.

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

A Cat in the Hand

Michael tried to lure the kitten closer with few gentle coos as he slowly reached for her. He didn't want to startle the cat and cause it to panic and fall, so he tried to take this as cautiously as possible. Suddenly a voice broke his feline focused concentration. Thankfully the voice wasn't too abrupt or jarring allowing Michael to keep his grip on the branch as his head tilted to look towards the voice.

Standing under an isolated storm cloud was a decently short woman holding an umbrella in one hand to block against the rain and a cigarette in the other. Michael blinked heavily at the upside down sight, though his fully visible balloon face covered it up. Michael couldn't tell if it was the shading from the umbrella or even the cloud but there was a sadness over this woman, a darkness or sorrow. As Michael looked to her, her more casual tone shifted sternly to demand he get down.

"Oh! I'm sorry. I don't mean to trespass but I just-" Michael started to explain himself but the kitten started to move away from him further down the branch. However, the cat was not paying much attention to where it was stepping as it was mainly seeking to move away from the balloon person climbing towards it. After a few steps, the footing of the cat gave way as it misstepped and began falling from the tree. Michael tensed up in concern as the cat began to tumble through the air. Without hesitation, Michael jumped from the tree towards the kitchen. The moment he felt his fingers clasp around fur, he pulled them towards his chest and twisted sharply in the air so to land on his back.

He bounced a couple times on the pavement before skidding to a stop at the umbrella-wielding woman's feet. Michael let out a light groan from the impact, more from the pain of scraping along the ground rather than bouncing off it.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael acknowledged Yoko but had to dive to save the cat as it started to fall from the tree.

[Yanai Yoko]

Okay. So he wasn't here to rob the store, that much was obvious from how he replied to her. Wait, there was a cat in the tree too, surely he hadn't climbed up there to rescue it? What an uncanny scenario, it almost felt like she had walked onto the set of a hero movie. She couldn't help but glance over her shoulder, just in case a hidden camera was recording them. When the cat fell and Michael leapt after it Yoko wanted to step in to try and save him, but oh no her hands were full what a pity. Oh well, not like she could do much without transforming anyway, and she wasn't really keen on transforming in public. It was embarrassing enough that she had to use her shitty monster quirk at school.

''Don't worry about it dude.'' She breathed out smoke, shrugging. ''I'm not the manager, they don't pay me enough to care about if you get into trees.'' Which meant that the only reason she had called him out in the first place was for concern of his own safety. Not that she would ever admit that if he asked her. She squatted down next to him and reached into her pocket to take out a half-empty packet of band aids. She made sure to give the cat a lookover too, just to make sure she was safe and unharmed in the fall. ''So who are you, some kind of cosplayer? I don't recognize the outfit, is it from a manga? If you tell me I might let you have a cigarette.'' She angled her umbrella slightly, trying to keep the rainwater from going on him, but she still prioritized keeping herself dry.

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

Worth Two in the Trash

Michael winced out from the slight roadrash on his backside from the dive he took to catch the cat. It wasn't much a drop, even if he hadn't been rubbery, but it still stung a little. Enough to elicit a slightly exaggerated "Ow..." that led into nervous laughter. Michael still hugged the little cat to his chest as he opened his eyes (not that could be seen behind his balloon face) and saw the convenience store employee squatting down beside him. The cat looked startled and maybe malnourished but by all other appearances unharmed, it wasn't even struggling against Michael's soft pillowy hands that caged around it to protect from the fall.

"Cosplayer?" Michael asked in a slight daze, but when she clarified it kind of settled in. "Manga? Oh, you mean my face." He chuckled lightly at the misunderstanding. "No, this isn't a mask." He reached up and pinched on his latex about where his cheek would be and pulled it. Its very clearly rubbery stretch wasn't the best indicator of it being his real face but it was still gesture enough to answer the question in a friendly manner. "See? All me!"

Without the other hand covering it, the kitten hopped out from Michael's grasp and skittered for cover behind the store's dumpster. "Oh shoot, I wanted to get them to the shelter in case someone was missing them. Come back little kitty." Michael said as he tried to get up, wincing a bit from the sting along his back. Once standing, Michael looked back to the convenience shop girl and smiled, "My name's Michael. Thank you for your concern." Michael spoke with such bright and genuine friendliness it could be rather jarring, almost more so than his red balloon head. Even with his face fully covered, his body language and tone were vibrant enough to do the heavy lifting on expressions. He had caught onto her worry of him possibly hurting himself and had even got out some bandages. He could tell she was a good and caring person, despite looking like the personification a cartoon depression mascot. "I'm fine, but that was really nice of you to care."

Now standing, Michael loomed a good foot taller over the woman and from this angle it was all the more clear that his balloon head was truly attached to his neck all the way around, it was definitely some kind of bizarre quirk. Also now upright, it was more clear to notice the UAU gym clothing he was wearing as simple sweats. Considering how he was wearing basic school clothes out in public it seemed that his balloon head was a more permanent facet of his quirk.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael wasn't injured much from the fall but thanked Yoko for her concern as he introduced himself and got back to his feet to look for the kitten.

[Yanai Yoko]

What? Not a mask? Was that his actual face? But where was his eyes? His nose, his mouth, his ears, how could he hear her right now? How did he eat, or did he even need to eat? ''...I see. Is it made of rubber?'' She was slowly piecing it all together, and it wasn't even that weird considering that mutation quirks were everywhere, she had just never seen one manifest like this before. Once he got up she also stood up, eyeing the cat lazily as it ran behind the dumpsters. She could help him catch it in a minute, but right now she wasn't in any rush.

She was taken aback when he thanked her for concerning herself with him. Concern? All she did was call him an idiot for climbing into a tree and giving him some band-aids. ''Yoko.'' She replied coldly, smoking a little more of her cigarette. It annoyed her that he sounded so happy, didn't he just fall out of a tree? What did he have to be so happy about? He had a silly balloon head, presumably a permanent one and not just part of some transformation quirk. To top it off, now that he was standing she truly realized just how tall he was. Didn't that just make him stand out all the more in a crowd? If she had a balloon head like his she wouldn't be able to be all friendly with her like he was. ''I don't care. I never told you I cared, did I?'' She insisted, putting more stock into her words than her actions when in reality it was her actions that were telling the truth.

Wait... Didn't his outfit look familiar?

Suddenly everything made sense. The cheery disposition, the weird encounter. ''Are you one of those hero students?'' She asked as if she wasn't one herself. ''Do you really think you can become a hero looking like that?'' He didn't get it yet, but she did. They were in the same boat. Monsters, freaks, quirks that weren't 'normal' or conventionally attractive or cool like all the famous heroes had. There was no room for people like her and Michael. The best they could do was lead quiet lives and use their quirks as little as possible to not garner any attention... Although that was much easier said than done, especially for bright red Michael.

Suddenly her umbrella was ripped out of her hands, leaving her to get rained on and her cigarette to be put out. A voice that sounded all too familiar made Yoko freeze up in fear. She almost didn't dare look because she knew exactly who it was.

''Heeey if it isn't Yoko-chaaan! How are you doing girlie?'' One of her high school bullies teased while keeping ahold of Yoko's umbrella using a telekinesis quirk while her friends laughed and encouraged the bullying. ''We heard you got into UAU. We almost couldn't believe it. Did daddy bribe someone at the school to let you in? I mean, seeing you like this says it all. You're still the same little mess as always.'' Yoko just stood there and let the cloud rain on her, looking down at the ground as she tried to think of something to say. If only she wasn't wearing her work uniform. If she was wearing her hoodie she could hide away from the world. Then she felt something tug at her pocket, as her hero license was pulled out of it using telekinesis. ''No waaay it's real! She named her own quirk, that's so cringe!'' The bullies laughed. ''..Give that back.'' She didn't have the same spiteful attitude she usually did with others. Somehow, it was harder to stand up to her old bullies, like all her words get caught in her throat as she remembered how weak she used to be.

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

A Symbol of Joy and Comfort

Michael chuckled at a fairly common question he got from people meeting him for the first time. He didn't really mind as it was kind of a perfect icebreaker. It got people comfortable asking questions and conversing with him so it was easier to build a relationship out of nothing. Despite it hiding his face, it allowed others to have him open up to them. "Kind of. It's all still my skin, but it does have enough of the properties and composition of latex that it could be classified that way." Michael pulled on his arm skin to show it wasn't just his face that had those rubbery attributes, just his head was the most obvious.

Michael lit up brightly to know the name of a new potential friend, especially one that he perceived as so caring and helpful. He chuckled lightly when she claimed that she didn't care. "No, I suppose you didn't tell me that." He laughed gently as if they were already old friends. But then she seemed to deduce that he was a student at UAU in the hero department.

If Michael was cheery and warm before, he was practically beaming like the sun when she asked if he was a hero student. While her comment was clearly meant to be derogatory, Michael just answered it with happy friendly vigor. "I'm definitely trying!" The confidence in his voice had been built up from years of pursuing this dream. "Most my classmates in high school felt I should be like a tv personality or gameshow host, but its scary out there for a lot of people. There are a lot of frightening things and situations in the world and so many think the only way to respond to that is to fight against that fear however they can. It's like this kitten." Michael stated looking back towards the dumpster the cat was hiding behind.

"They're lost, probably cold and hungry, they don't know what's going on or who to trust; they must be so scared... So maybe if I can lend them a hand and help how I can, I can make their life better and put them on track to be happy and safe. I want to do that for everybody. So I'm really glad that I look like a symbol of joy and comfort, that way everyone will know I'm here to help."

Michael didn't even notice the group of people approach until the umbrella was yanked from Yoko's hand. Michael tensed up in surprise from the deliberate act to drench Yoko in her own rain cloud. The group of young adults that had came over began laughing and speaking to Yoko. Michael watched unsure of what was going on since the tone didn't really match the feeling of what was happening. It wasn't until they had gone so far as to use their quirk to pull out Yoko's hero license that Michael finally understood that they were mocking Yoko. Michael expected the seemingly outspoken Yoko to clap back at them, after all, she had chided back at him for just calling her caring... This clearly was an uncomfortable moment for Yoko and Michael couldn't just stand by idly.

Michael swiftly stepped towards the group, snatching the laminated card from the lead bully. He had used his quirk to rubber band his hand so quickly that if they had blinked they would have missed it. "That doesn't belong to you." Michael said with all the gentle sternness of a guidance counselor. He didn't say anything further at the moment as he made his way back towards Yoko, snatching at her umbrella to position it back over her head as he stood in front of her to return her card.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael continued to be friendly with Yoko, expressing why he wanted to be a hero. When the bullies grabbed Yoko's umbrella and hero's license, Michael snatched them back to return to her.

[Yanai Yoko]

''Huh.'' What a weird and interesting quirk. It was pretty impressive, especially that it wasn't just his head that was affected, but she couldn't help but wonder. Why on Earth would this guy ever want to get into heroism? Had he not looked in a mirror recently? Didn't he realize the kind of target he was putting on his back simply for existing? It was just like her sister, Hebiru. Why would someone with such a visually different quirk want to get into a business where they would inevitably become a public figure and have so many eyes on them? She needed to know more. Michael wasn't just different with his personality, impossibly happy and enthusiastic. Heck, she had caught him saving a cat of all things. A weird quirk on a guy like that, wasn't he doomed to be ridiculed as a nerd?

She didn't catch on to what he was laughing at, or perhaps she refused to admit that she cared through her actions. ''Yeah, I didn't. So that means I don't care.'' She insisted casually. She wasn't about to become some sap who cared about the feelings or thoughts of others, especially not strangers. Caring about others was a pain in the neck anyway. It was so much easier when she only had herself to care about. No nagging parents, no demanding girlfriends and a minimal amount of friends, but only the types of friends that knew when to leave her alone and not expect a bunch of things from her.

By calling out his hero status, she was finally hoping for a gotcha moment, but she almost couldn't believe her eyes when he got even more cheery and friendly. That was possible?? He hadn't been using his full power all this time? She couldn't picture herself getting this excited over meeting a person, or at least not showing it so openly. How irritating. What did he have to be so happy about when he was stuck with a balloon head? ''Did anyone ever tell you, you have the perfect face for radio?'' Is what she would have responded with, but it felt unnecessary for some reason. He hadn't exactly insulted her yet, and she had a big dumb cartoon cloud hanging over her head. ''So that's it?'' She asked after giving him some time to speak, looking over her shoulder at the kitten by the dumpster. ''The world is a scary place, so you just decided that's all for you to fix? How noble.'' She added sarcastically. She was standing under the safety of her umbrella, safe from the heat and sunburns, and yet it felt like she was looking straight into a human personification of the Sun itself. Seriously, this wasn't a bit? There had to be hidden cameras somewhere. ''You're gonna fail. You're just one person. You're better off getting a cozy job or something. Unless employee at the convenience store isn't good enough for you.'' She was convinced people like Michael didn't actually exist. At the end of the day, the challenge would become too great for him and he would buckle, or he was actually in it for the money and pretending to be a good person was just something he was saying for his own PR and hero persona. ''Especially when you have a monster quirk. People like you won't get far.'' It was harsh, and part of her was heavily projecting her insecurities onto him. Not that she could ever share that they went to the same school, or that she was a monster too.

When her umbrella was taken from her, it felt like her whole world stood still. Dragged out into the limelight, what could she do but stand there and get soaked like an idiot? Talking back against her peers wasn't usually a problem, she had lots of insults ready for other hero students every day and she didn't hold back, but her bullies from the past? She felt helpless all over again. It wasn't until Michael approached the group that she looked up and felt a pit in her stomach. Was he going to join them and make fun of her? Her skin slowly started to turn blue as she watched him closely, only to be shocked when he took her hero student license back. ''Huh? What's this? Who are you?'' The bullies didn't try to take the license back, but they were now more actively taking note of Michael too. ''Ewww they're multiplying, look! There's more than one freak now!'' They pointed and laughed, but she barely heard it as the laughter was drowned out by her desire to be reunited with her umbrella.

''You...'' She spoke up, but upon noticing that her voice had gotten deeper than normal she also noticed her skin turning blue, then she felt her tusks grow in. Uh oh. When he handed her the umbrella back she quickly tried to hide under it. ''Hey heeey, doesn't that count as using your quirks in public? I'm pretty sure that's like, not allowed, especially not for like, a hero student. What do you think girls, do we call the cops or what?''

''Make them go away.'' She whispered to Michael, but kept looking at the ground. ''How do we make them go away?'' She asked, desperate for a way out. Heck, she might even resort to violence if she felt cornered enough

Samaritan

TL;DR: Yoko doubts that Michael is who he says he is and thinks he might just be into heroism for money. When she sees him take her umbrella back from her bullies she starts to rely a little bit on him, asking him for advice on how to get rid of them in a panic.

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

The Path to Redemption

Michael held the umbrella over Yoko's head to block the rain cloud once. She was clearly in distress; emphasized even more by her gradual transformation. She wouldn't even look up at Michael as she took back her belongings he had brought to her. The harsh words of the bullies behind him didn't impact him, but to see Yoko in such pain and fear hit hard. She was practically begging for him to help.

Earlier, he hadn't responded to her predictions of his failure, that his dreams were too big for someone like him, for someone with a monster quirk. But she hadn't meant just him... His bright (nonapparent) eyed optimism was a lost cause for people like them. The both of them. He hadn't been able to refute that claim before these hooligans had arrived and caused such a scene. But now... now that he knew she needed it all the more, Michael was ready to prove to her just why the world needed people with dreams like his. He was ready to be a hero.

"Don't worry. It'll be okay. I've got this." Michael said softly to Yoko with that same gentle confidence that he gave the kitten that was trapped up the tree. He turned back towards the bullies, standing like a sturdy barricade between Yoko and the girls.

"Excuse me miss, but I'd advise against that." As Michael began to walk towards the bullies he spoke in a very calm if not enthusiastic tone as he began to educate them. "After all, she has a hero license. She has permitted authorization to use her quirk. Yourself on the other hand... well, not only using your quirk a misdemeanor, but using it in order to steal someone else's property would classify as Villainous Quirk Usage. A rather serious felony here in Japan, especially when in connection to harassment, battery and possible hate crime as you committed by singling out Ms. Yoko. That elevates that VQU charge to a first degree offense. That's a minimum of 5 years. But of course you did it twice, once for the umbrella and again for when you took her license. So double that."

He now stood directly in front of the group of girls with his hands in his pockets, sighing sympathetically as he continued. "We don't even want to get into the fact that you girls could be roped in under the Henchperson Code and be tried as accessories to her felonies. And by having henchpeople, no offense intended ladies, that could easily upgrade your offenses to Organized Criminal and Villainous Acts. And even if you are acquitted, which in all fairness is unlikely due to the country's strict zero tolerance on organized crime and villainy, you will be on a villain registry for no less than 6 months of probation and 400 hours of Villainous rehabilitation and counselling. I know its overly harsh for a system, but the lawmakers claim its a greater deterrent to not even be in a situation that would get you accused of being in a Villainous Orgaization."

Michael's tone was still very friendly, despite the rather terrifying truth that the law could easily be turned against them. "We aren't children anymore, so there are harsh consequences for doing immature and cruel actions against one another. We're expected to grow up and be able to function and cooperate as a society, but its not always fair. I know that it's easier to bend or break the rules to our own benefit or satisfaction or to lash out at someone or something. But that only leads to pain, for everyone."

Michael's tone shifted to a compassionate seriousness as he took his hands out of his pockets to emphasis his sentiment. "If you wish to continue to be villains, I will stop you, for your own good, I will stop you. But if you are willing to trust me, I can do everything in my power to help you through your fears and feelings so that you can be a happy and helpful member of the community. I will help each of you on your path to redemption. All that it takes is a little empathy and the willingness for change."

Michael's offer was friendly and charitable, despite the looming legal threat of a minimum of 10 years in prison. He really didn't want them to fall to the ways of villainy, so he would guide them on their path to rehabilitation and redemption, even if they had to get arrested to start that. "What do you say? You can start by helping us get this lost kitten to a shelter for safety. Then we can work towards apologizing and making amends for all the bad you've done."

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael attempted to rehabilitate the bullies by pointing out the very real threat of legal action being used against them for their villainous behaviors and actions and that he would help them become better people.

[Yanai Yoko]

She didn't say anything else after Michael reassured her he would take care of it. She just stood there and hid under her umbrella. Embarrassed to be who she was, hating every second of having a quirk that reacted to her emotional state. Worst of all, now Michael knew. This total stranger who could at any point he wanted out her and use the knowledge of her quirk against her like she had experienced throughout middle and high school. He didn't seem like the person, but sometimes people were deceiving. How was he going to handle the bullies? Honestly, she didn't care, at least not at first.

''What?'' One of the girls scoffed at Michael, who was he to advice them? Heck, they were probably about to fire back with another quip about his appearance, but then he really started educating them. The group fell silent as they were unsure what to spit back with, and as the bullies stopped talking, Yoko slowly peeked up from under her umbrella. He was... He was actually handling it.

''W-Well but they wouldn't- it was just a joke..'' The head bully smiled nervously, trying to save face, but began sweating when Michael started talking about henchpersons and the Villainous Acts. They were used to getting into a shouting contest with their targets, but no one present had expected Michael to be so law savvy. The worst part was he wasn't even shouting back, just talking calmly, to Yoko he almost sounded like a disappointed parent.

''W-We're not villains, you're making that up!''

''Ugh, right? Helping a lost kitten? We have better things to do than play charity!''

''Totally! Let's go, this balloon head is giving me the creeps.''

''We didn't even do anything bad by the way! You're the bad one!''

As she had listened to Michael educate her bullies she almost didn't notice that the cloud over her head had disappeared. However, her mutations still remained. Muscles, blue skin, tusks, the whole deal. Same height, but even more of a monster. She looked towards the kitten and closed her umbrella, before sitting down to greet it. She didn't care about hiding her transformation anymore, not like Michael hadn't already caught a glimpse of it anyway. The kitten mewled as Yoko walked up behind him, the little thing resting in her arms. ''Where did you say that shelter was?'' She had the same grumpy expression as always, or maybe her monster features just made her harder to read. The group of bullies might have been unwilling to accept his offer, but she figured she could accept it instead. She had kind of been a jerk to him anyway, and saying sorry wasn't easy, so maybe doing something like this was easier.

The door to the back of the store swung open as her manager popped her head out. ''Yanai-san? Where are you going? Your shift isn't over.'' The sudden nagging was just enough to tick her off and make her put her foot down, slamming it so hard into the ground that it cracked around her. ''I'm SICK so I'm taking my day OFF, HARUHI!!'' She shouted back. ''You can't just do that because you lost control of your quirk again!'' Her manager retorted, to which Yoko flipped her off with one hand. ''Take it out of my paycheck, shithead!'' She turned to look back at Michael and started walking. ''Let's get out of here.''

As they walked she looked ahead, wanting to avoid the elephant, or rather, troll in the room. ''All that law shit, you didn't just make it up did you?'' He really had all that memorized, or at least was very good at making it seem like he did. She let her question hang in the air for a bit as she thought back to how she had acted earlier, how she had an odd reaction to seeing his quirk too, just like those bullies. ''Do you deal with those types of people a lot?''

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

Justified Justice

Michael was a little disappointed that the bullies took the easier route of running away rather than attempting to change for the better. All of this could have been an opportunity for growth and peace. He'd keep an eye out for them in the future to make sure they didn't fall down that path of villainy. And who knows maybe as they matured they could become good people. There was at least hope for them not antagonizing others.

He turned away from the fleeing bullies and made his way back over towards Yoko. He smiled warmly to himself as not only had the storm cloud cleared away, but she now had the kitten safely in her hands. He didn't need some kind of apology, after all this action spoke volumes. He whipped out his phone from his pocket and looked up the address. "There's a shelter about half a mile from here."

Michael was taken aback by the harsh back and forth that Yoko had with her manager. She might be a bit rough around the edges, but this just proved that she had her own way of caring and wanting to help. And after the distress she just went through, it was probably for the best that she took a day off. Michael quickly stepped in line beside her as they started off towards the shelter with the kitten. When Yoko broke the silence to keep control of the conversation, she asked if that law stuff he knew was real. "Unfortunately, that's all too real. The law can be rather harsh when spun the wrong way." Michael said sympathetically. Especially with backing of two UAU students... there was little chance that those girls would have gotten off easy. Michael was relieved that it ended as peacefully as it did. It would be terrible to see them make their lives that much harder just because they wanted to be mean.

When asked about having to deal with people like those bullies often, Michael tried to smile through a sigh. "There are a lot of people out there that hide behind hate as a shield from their fear and pain. My father was a hero for years in England before meeting my mother and settling down here to start a family. He taught me all about law and order and I learned that most crime and villainy were acts of desperation and fear... done by people that really just need help. There are a lot of people out there that act like those ladies did and I try my hardest to help bring change just like I did for them. It doesn't mean that what they did isn't wrong, but everyone deserves the chance to be good, even if it takes more effort to get there."

Michael ran a hand along his latex scalp, sighing with a gentle hope for a better world. "A lot of people think my way of doing things is hopeless, that there just isn't that much good in people as I believe. And maybe they're right that I'm too trusting and try too hard to help the ones people say are monsters or lost causes, but I don't believe anyone is beyond help and I want to give them the chance regardless. I know that there are much less monsters in the world than people believe."

They arrived at the shelter and Michael felt embarrassed having been talking so long. Yes, this was a view that he was very passionate about but he shouldn't just dump it on everyone. Especially when Yoko was already proving his point and putting good out into the world by helping this lost cat.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael explained why he knew so much about the law and why he fought so hard to help others be better people.

[Yanai Yoko]

Half a mile didn't sound too bad, especially if it got her out of this place for the rest of the day. ''Yeah, that's life isn't it?'' She shrugged casually, she didn't really care too much about the law and never had a reason to before she started attending UAU. Michael was starting to make her realize that maybe she should memorize some of it too, at the very least so she could use it to shut some people up.

As they walked and talked she would idly pet the cat with one hand, silently enjoying the sound of its purrs and feeling it relax in her all too muscular embrace. He hadn't made a single comment about her appearance yet, not that she really needed him to. Maybe if it could all just remain a secret between them that would be great. Hiding behind hate as a shield, huh? She looked up at him when he said that, but didn't say anything. She could be angry and spiteful herself. In some ways she wasn't much better than her high school bullies, but Michael didn't seem bothered by any of it. She had been rude to him, suggested his dream was just that, and would never amount to anything, and yet here they were walking to the shelter together. ''That's a nice thought.'' Her expression was still grumpy, but she didn't feel the need to talk back at him, or give some snarky commentary about how some villains were probably too far gone for redemption. Michael had helped her today, and even if she didn't want to think about morality and hero stuff he was giving her a lot to think about.

Before she could even say it, Michael admitted that a lot of people thought his path was hopeless. It caused her to blink her eyes a couple of times and look down at the cat again, noticing that her blue skin and mutated features were slowly fading as she was calming down again. ''Perhaps.'' The cat was sleeping in her arms now, distracting her from looking ahead for a brief moment. When she finally looked up again she continued. ''Sometimes it's the people and not the monsters you should look out for.''

When they arrived at the shelter she almost didn't want to let the cat go. Maybe she could adopt a cat one day when she had more free time? Once her arms were no longer occupied she reached into her pocket and took out a pack of cigarettes. ''Do you smoke?'' She said, putting one cigarette in her mouth before pausing as she looked back up at Michael. Right. Balloon head. ''...Can you even smoke?'' It was a rude thing to ask, but she was so caught off-guard by his appearance in that moment. Maybe she was already getting used to his mutation features. If he wanted a cigarette she would offer one, otherwise she would just light one for herself when they went outside again. ''I've decided...'' She exhaled, blowing out a little bit of smoke. ''You're not a shithead.'' She said it so matter-of-factly, the same expression as always on her face. However, something in her tone shifted. She still put on a tough facade, but she was bothered by the fact that he had seen her quirk at all, especially in such an embarrassing way. ''You've seen my quirk now. It sucks. Would you mind not telling anyone at school about it? If I have to use it during training I'll do it, but I don't want to be known as the troll girl.'' Unlike Michael, she wasn't ready to accept her quirk at all. Sometimes it felt like she never might.

''Michael, right? You said your dad was from England? How long have you lived in Japan?''

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

Breezy Conversation

Michael was glad that the shelter took in the kitten with such little issue. They said that the cat was still a little too young to have been on its own, so it was good that they had found it. They would feed and take care of it for a couple of weeks, after that it would be ready to be put up safely for adoption. The shelter's vet thanked both Michael and Yoko for saving the kitten and Michael thanked them back for taking care of them from here.

As they stepped outside, Michael hadn't even realized that Yoko had changed back to her original form sometime during the walk. To him, her transformation hadn't been any different than how she already had been. The biggest difference that he noticed was in her demeanor. She didn't have quite the same jaded bitterness as when she saw him up in the tree or the distressed cloistering she displayed when being antagonized by that group of girls. This was a comfortable neutral, a simple contentment that Michael enjoyed seeing on her. He wouldn't expect her to be jovial, so it was nice to see the next best things.

When she offered a cigarette it was clear she wasn't sure if she was being offensive asking if he was even capable of doing so. "Nah. I mean I could... But no thanks, they're not really great for the lungs, and when you're essentially all lungs it's not a good idea." He chuckled playfully in a way that was hard to tell if he was joking or not. There was a lot of questions about his biology that wasn't exactly easy to explain so usually it was easier to just stay mysterious. After all, talking about himself wasn't nearly as interesting or important to him as his desire to do-good and inspire others to do the same.

After lighting up her cigarette and taking a drag from it, Yoko exhaled that she didn't think he was a shithead. "Well that's a relief. But most people call me an airhead." He paused and faintly posed for his joke as of egging for a laugh from his pun. But it seemed that she had something on her mind, so even if she did laugh it didn't last long as she carried on her thought.

Michael felt bad that she experienced such a disconnect from her quirk. It was clear from the earlier interaction that she felt shame and pain from it, likely stemming from how people treated her. Michael had some experience with that, but clearly not as severe as she had. Coming from an upper class family, Michael was home schooled until his junior high years when he was sent to a private academy. During that time, he was teased for his appearance, but bubbly and altruistic personality gained him popularity among the majority of students. By high school, while he was well liked he still wasn't taken seriously. While friendly with his classmates, virtually none of them supported his dream to be a pro hero. They didn't believe someone with a quirk like his, with a temperament like his, with an agonizing hopefulness and overly trusting nature like his would ever make it as a real hero. While not directly laughing at him, they were still mocking him. Michael strove through those beliefs to chase after his dream, but he could sympathize with how Yoko felt and how it held her back.

"It's not my place to share what you're not ready to." Michael said supportively. "But for what it's worth, I really like your quirk." He wanted to gush over what little aspects he saw from it and compliment Yoko herself, but he knew that wasn't going to help her feel more comfortable and confident right now. He'd have to work on her self-image over time to help her love who she is and what she could do for the world being herself.

Michael was happy to change subjects to keep her on track of a good mood. "I was born here. My father retired from hero work not long after meeting my mom. He met her during a mission here and they ended up going steady afterwards. He moved here permanently after marrying her so they could stay close to her family. I don't know if you've heard of my mom's family, the Ojakaze family." He stated the surname nervously. Michael's mother belonged to an old noble family, but Michael was trying to distance himself from that privileged lifestyle in order to become a pro hero. Michael was glad to not be living at their estate anymore so he could actually feel more connected to the normal citizens of Tokyo.

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael talks with Yoko while she smokes a cigarette. He reveals he actually likes her quirk and that his mother's family are actually pretty upper class.

[Yanai Yoko]

Yoko knew that once she got back to campus she immediately had to look up the pet adoption rules so she could see whether she could adopt this little kitten to come live with her in a couple week's time when it was. In fact, she was even as bold as to stake her claim and try to reserve it. She had the money, she had been saving up after all. She wasn't entirely sure what she had been saving for, but maybe it was this? To help make a difference like Michael, whether that was helping people or a small critter.

''I guess not.'' She shrugged and lit her own cigarette. Her quirk boosted her lungs too, but she probably wasn't as 'all lungs' as Michael was. ''Do you like chewing gum, then?'' He didn't seem to mind her asking questions so she figured why not go for it. If he said yes she would hand him a pack of chewing gum instead, something she carried on her person in the event that she couldn't smoke. She didn't chuckle with him, but she didn't mind that he did. Some people were more expressive with their positive emotions and Michael just seemed to be that type of guy. It was all the more puzzling given his looks. It felt as if they had grown up in two completely different worlds, but all it did was make her want to understand him more.

''Airhead?'' She understood the joke, but somehow took offense to it on his behalf. ''Who are these people? Do I need to have a talk with them?'' Michael was an idiot, getting into danger for the sake of small animals, being so optimistic and outgoing, but if anyone called him names in her vicinity they would have to answer for their shithead behavior. ''I'll just call you Michael.'' There was the faintest hint of a smirk as she took another drag of her cigarette.

She gave him a weird look when he said he liked her quirk, like he had just told her he liked murder, or math. ''Thanks.'' She replied, a bit unsure of what to think. What was there to like about it? ''Well, then get used to seeing it more. We're in the same class after all, right?'' Liking her quirk... Had anyone ever said that they liked her quirk? She supposed it was better than hating her for it.

''Ojakaze?'' She thought about for a moment, the name sounded familiar, but she couldn't place it. ''You don't like them or something?'' There was something off about how he said the name, was he nervous? Were they bad people? For once, this was something she could relate to him about. Difficulties with family names. Maybe that was why she chose to confide a bit about her own name in him. ''My last name is Yanai. I'm from a hero family that wants me to make something of myself. The school nurse, Hebiru, she's my older sister.'' She looked ahead, then up at the sky. ''I hate them all. Whatever shit your family has going on that's not you. You're your own person.''

Samaritan

[Samaritan]

Michael Faraday

Lifts and Dips

Michael laughed more at the idea of gum. It was nice to see her curiosity so piqued. He tended to side step the question when kids asked things about his head since it was so often and the answer so technical they would just ask again because they didn't understand. "No. I can't really do solids all that well. My head is kind of like an inflated skin around my actual head and that skin is semipermeable allowing me to eat, drink and breath virtually as well as anyone else. I can also see, hear, smell and taste just fine." Michael was unsure how technical or revealing he should be about it. It didn't bother him much to talk about to anyone that actually wanted to know, but if it was just to not see him as a freak or the comfort of others he usually just kept it brief and innocuous.

Michael smiled at her speaking defensively for him. It didn't offend him much to be othered by people anymore since he embraced the difference and reclaimed his uniqueness, still it was nice to have someone stand up for him. Most people were more friendly than actual friends with Michael, so he was happy that Yoko seemed to be warming up to him. "Michael is a much better name to be called, Yoko-aneki." Michael hoped he wasn't being too familiar with her, after all she told him her name was Yoko and while he had heard her boss call her by her surname, he only wanted to know her by who she shared with him. Despite the size difference, Michael was younger than her and Yoko did have big sister kind of energy. He chuckled basically calling her 'big sis'. She did have that kind of rough-around-the-edges-heart-of-gold yakuza boss trope demeanor. Michael looked forward to seeing her quirk in action and working to become heroes together.

"I like my mom's family fine... they just... don't seem to like my father much. They try not to show it, but I don't think they liked that my mother married my dad... Being a member of an old family comes with a lot of traditions and expectations..." Talking about this clearly hit a more solemn note with Michael. He didn't feel outright hated but essentially unwanted by his mother's side of the family. They gave them an estate away from the other Ojakaze households. Michael only saw his cousins at special occassions and even then it was at arm's length. Michael was at least acknowledged by that side, it seemed even more distant for his father. Regardless, Michael loved his family and hoped that they would eventually welcome them more intimately, until then, he was happy to have his mom and dad. "I don't think about it much. I'm just focused on being a hero, so I just use my father's name anyways."

Notes & Tags: Yanai Yoko


TLDR: Michael explains his balloon head very basically so to not overwhelm or disturb Yoko. Michael called Yoko: Yoko-aneki to have a more casual and friendly connection. Michael admitted that he feels his mother's side of the family don't like him or his father much.

[/quote]