The Villain’s orange eyes flared. He charged towards the boy, alerting the Hero of his presence. With his whip in his hand, he sent a strike to the Scarecrow. But a fume of black smoke dispersed from the impact, as the barrier of crows impeded his effort. The remaining two birds circled around the boy and their masked master.

“Stay away from me, or the boy gets it.” The Villain’s voice quivered from stress. He held the boy in a tight grip, causing him to cry out. It triggered the child’s eyes to flicker; glowing a deep purple. The Scarecrow’s eyes followed suit, reflecting the young boy’s. The white plush he was holding was now gone. Presumably dropped during the scuffle.

The man in green gritted his teeth. His knuckles turned white as he clenched the weapon in his hand. “Let him go.” His voice was low. “This is just between you and me.”

“Not anymore it isn’t! You dragged your Hero friends into this!” Desperation coated the Villain’s words. “Call them off as well!”

“I— I don’t—” The Pro Hero stuttered, before another voice spoke out.

“I understand that you’re upset, but maybe we can talk this out.”

Scarlett’s eyebrows rose as a stout figure in a grey trench coat appeared by the Villain’s side. He had slanted ears on the top of his head and an elongated muzzle. A large scar marked one of his circular black eyes. Scarlett couldn’t pinpoint his appearance, as he looked to be an amalgamation of multiple animals.

But one thing was clear. He was not a stuffed toy.

“I’m not listening to anything any of you say anymore! You’re all the same!” The Scarecrow screeched, hurtling one bird towards the Green Hero, and the other towards the individual in grey.

The shorter figure flashed an alarmed look. He was much closer to the Villain than the Pro Hero. Meaning the bird would strike him first. And his build hinted that he may not be fast enough to dodge, or strong enough to deflect the attack. The Hero grimaced; conflicted about what to do. He could dodge the attack aimed at him. But there was no way he could angle his whip and counter the other bird at the same time. Nor could he close the distance between himself and the stranger before it was too late.

Scarlett’s muscles tightened. Her legs moved on their own as she rushed out of the door.

She darted to the newcomer’s side, as she was the closest to him. Her arms extended, shielding him with her body as she grabbed him out of harm's way. A plume of smoke ruptured behind her, while the Pro Hero yelled out. His hesitation cost him as a crow slammed into his sternum. It covered him in smoke, burning his lungs and stinging his eyes. He fell to his knees, coughing and sputtering.

The Scarecrow took a step back. A moment of clarity engulfed him. His eyes widened as the sound of choking filled his ears. His mind raced to justify his actions. But no argument could defend him. Not when the world adored the concept of Heroes and despised anything that threatened that.

A lump formed at the back of his throat. No, there was nothing he could do. He let the child go, turned on his heel, and ran.

“Wait!” Scarlett called out, as she helped the individual she saved to his feet. He offered her his thanks. But Scarlett paid little attention to it. Her gaze shifted between the Scarecrow, whose figure became smaller as he fled, and the man in green. A grimace plagued her face as he struggled for air.

His coughs were jarring. His eyes were bloodshot. His breathing was hoarse. But a decision had to be made. Which one should she go towards?

Damn it! She clenched her jaw. But the choice was simple.

Fumbling for her phone, she dialled for an ambulance; something she had only memorised after Zero nagged her to learn the emergency services phone numbers before they landed in Japan. But the man let out an anguished groan, clutching his chest and tumbling forward.

“Oh, God!” Scarlett ran towards him. “Hey, Mister, w-what’s wrong?”

“Help me sit him down and clear the smoke surrounding him.” The mouse-like person spoke perfect English, almost causing Scarlett to do a double-take at his American pronunciation. But she waved the observation away. Now was not the time to dissect that not only could this animal talk, but was bilingual as well.

The two offered relief by moving the man to a seating position. Scarlett took off her grey coat, using it as a fan to waft away the remaining smoke that surrounded him.

“Can you call an ambulance?” he asked, gesturing to the phone in her hand.

Scarlett nodded, before she stopped herself. “I—I don’t know how to speak Japanese.”

“That’s alright. Hand me your phone.”

He took the device, before directing the emergency medical services to the area and narrated any advice the operator could offer them. But now it was a waiting game. Putting her coat back on, Scarlett scanned the horizon for any signs of a vehicle with blaring lights. But instead, her eyes landed on the young boy.

Taking a moment to look at him in detail, he must have been around five or six years old. He sat on his heels. His cheeks were soaked. He hiccuped with each silent sob. But his eyes retained the purple hue. His gaze focused on the direction the Villain went.

Glancing back and noting there was nothing more to do for the Green Hero, Scarlett headed towards his direction. Careful not to spook him, she gently knelt beside him.

“Hey,” Scarlett tried to make her voice soft. But the child recoiled, flinching immediately as he noticed her presence. Scarlett raised her hands and slowly backed away. Oh no, what do I do? Zero’s the one that usually handles this stuff…

Her mind raced to find a solution. But she hit a standstill. Would she be able to communicate with him? Or would the language barrier make the situation worse? She tried to think back to what Zero would do, but Scarlett internally frowned. There was no way she could display tenderness and compassion to the same level as her sister. Not with her stiff expressions.

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She shared a glance with the individual by the Green Hero’s side. A silent plea for his aid. His eyes shifted to the child, before he gave a quick nod and made his way over.

“You know, the Villain’s gone.” He spoke in Japanese. “He can’t hurt you. You’re safe now.”

The shock of the ordeal broke away with the sound of his words, causing the child to cry out, wailing loudly in the middle of the street. A small paw wrapped itself around him, bringing him into a much-needed hug. The young boy trembled in his arms, his sobs muffled by his coat.

Unable to stand idly by, Scarlett headed back to the convenience store, only to reappear with a white carrier bag. By the time she made it back to their side, the cries were replaced with an occasional sniffle. She set the bag down, presenting snacks and knick-knacks, and offered them to the boy. With encouragement from the mouse-like individual, he hesitantly took one of the juice boxes.

But their attention shifted, as the blaring sound of sirens announced the arrival of the ambulance. The paramedics rushed to the Green Hero’s side, while the trenchcoat-wearing chimaera conversed with them. But Scarlett stayed with the young child. His line of sight seemed to be focused on something in the distance. Following his gaze, she examined the skyline before her eyes landed on a building that stood out. The boy was staring at the clock tower. Huh.

“Is that clock tower special?” asked Scarlett.

“Hm?” The individual perked his ears, turning around to face her. “What do you mean?”

“It’s just…he keeps staring at it.” Scarlett said, directing his attention between the boy and the tower.

The stout figure arrived by the boy’s side. He shared a gentle smile as he spoke to him in Japanese. “Do you like clock towers? Do you wanna go and see it up close?”

Alarmed, the young boy shook his head. “No—that’s where Mr. Scarecrow is.”

The expression faltered on the individual’s face. “Mr…Scarecrow?” He shared a glance at the tower. “How do you know that?”

“Um, ‘cause my Quirk lets me know.” The boy pointed to his glowing eyes. “It makes me connect to people and then I can see where they are for a little bit.”

“What’s he saying?” Scarlett asked, noting both of their expressions and gestures. The individual in grey shared a brief explanation, while Scarlett’s lips pressed into a line. Her eyes shifted between the boy and the clock tower. Well, that’s not good.

“How long does his Quirk last?” Scarlett stared at the tower, estimating the distance to reach its walls. He relayed the question and received a reply. But the figure in the trenchcoat gently shook his head.

“Unfortunately, considering how young he is, I’m not sure he understands how to measure time just yet.”

Scarlett let out a soft sigh. She didn’t want to do this. But the situation left her little choice. Stretching her back, as well as her leg muscles, Scarlett began her warm-up routine; the same one she used to complete while she was more active. The stout figure lifted a quizzical brow in her direction.

“What are you doing?” he asked.

“Well, it might be a good idea to have a visual on him before the timer on that link runs out. Plus, I don’t wanna drag a young kid into this by overwhelming him with lots of questions,” Scarlett answered.

The individual’s beady eyes widened. “Wait, so you’re going to go yourself? But that’s dangerous!”

“Waiting around for another Hero means we could lose this lead,” said Scarlett. But a firm grasp from a furry paw stopped her in her tracks.

“Do you have a Provisional Hero’s Licence?” he asked. Silence was his answer. The figure gave a stern look. “Then, you can’t go. It’s simply too dangerous.”

Scarlett shared a discontent expression, before pointing at her palm. A small graze marked her hand from her little tumble when she pushed the mouse-like individual out of harm’s way. “Look,” she said as steam emanated from the wound before it healed completely. “I’ll be fine. And anyway, I’m not going to confront him—I’ll leave that to the professionals. I just want to help out by making sure we don’t lose sight of him. Being a witness isn’t a crime.”

The figure in the trenchcoat sighed in defeat; there was little he could do to convince Scarlett not to go. “Just wait a moment,” he said, before sharing a quick exchange with the child. Whatever they spoke about caused the figure to place his paw underneath his chin as he contemplated to himself. An assured look settled on his face before he spoke again. “Alright, if you’re going to do this, I’m also coming with you.”

Scarlett’s eyes widened. “With all due respect, I don’t think that’s a good idea. If anything happens, I can heal myself. But I can’t heal you.”

A glint of amusement and recognition danced across his eyes. “Well, if what you said is true, and you’re not going to confront him, then there should be nothing to worry about. And anyway,” a confident smile danced across his face, “I know how to contact the Pro Heroes.”

Scarlett pressed her lips into a slight grimace. He had a point. And she didn’t like it. She didn’t know how to tell the Pro Heroes about the Villain’s location, or have any way to update them. But she wasn’t a fan of him tagging along either. What if something were to happen to him? She shared a glance at the clock tower. They were wasting time.

“Do you have a plan? Or is there a different reason you wanna join?”

The chimaera blinked, almost surprised that she caught on. “Well, I have half a plan. But I need to see the clock tower to refine it. I’ll tell you more about it once we get there.”

Knowing they were up against the clock, Scarlett pushed aside her reluctance and agreed. Being caught up in all that must not have been nice. Maybe he wants to tag along so he can get back a sense of control. Isn’t that what Juno said about witnesses and victims of crime? If that’s the case, at least an extra pair of eyes will be helpful.

She repeated the thought to further convince herself as she let the mouse-like individual climb up her shoulder. Once they were ready and ensured the little boy would be alright in the hands of the emergency services, she bolted towards the red brick building. Her last-minute hitchhiker helped her navigate the way as she raced through the streets and arrived at the clock tower. Upon seeing it up close, it was clear that the repairs were not as minor as she had originally thought.

The clock tower itself stood well over 30 metres tall. And while the clock faces were untouched, with light scaffolding securing its form, the main building that was attached to the tower was enclosed under a mesh fencing. She could make out the skeleton of the infrastructure under the dim streetlights; its metal bones peeking through the translucent material, before her vision cut off at the bordered wall.

As the two continued, Scarlett’s newfound companion pointed to one of the panels of the barricade. She followed his direction, squinting her eyes, before she too also saw it. One of the wooden boards was out of place. If the Villain was inside, they had found a way he had accessed the building.

Squeezing through the borders, they both entered the premises. The odour of wood and metal was strong. Piles of red bricks, stacks of wooden planks and bundles of steel rods littered the ground. But what caught Scarlett’s attention was the crimson building itself.

While most of its walls were obstructed with scaffolding, the elegant masonry continued to peek through, as the different tones of bricks created patterns on the walls. Arches were carved into the stone, while intricate domes roofed the main building. It was jarring to see a structure that looked very similar to the old buildings in London on this side of the world.

Scarlett could almost envision how beautiful the tower would have looked, as the copper lights on the clock faces accentuated the warm undertones in the red brick. But she pushed the thought away. Right now, she had a job to do.

“So, do you think your plan could still work?” asked Scarlett.

She turned to see the chimaera's eyes darting across the infrastructure, as he devised and revised his initial ideas. She could almost hear the cogs whirling in his mind. It wasn’t until a few seconds had passed that he nodded to himself, satisfied with the scheme he had conjured.

“Oh yes, it’s going to work.”