Burnt to Ashes - Kenichi Todoroki

Shinju's Origin

"Come save me, okay, Shinju?" I stood on my tip toes to stare into the glass. Just behind it, my brother sitting in an orange prison jumpsuit, handcuffed. "I'm innocent, so make sure to bail me out when I'm older. I left you all my stuff."

"Yeah, of course I'll come and save you! Like a real hero would!" I put my fist up in the air. "I'm going to gather up all the money I can and get you out!"

"Good, good. Go back to mom." Tora's eyes darkened. "Tell her that I'll be out soon."

I knew my family was a bad family to begin with. Always stealing and killing for others, but that was okay if it was for the right reasons, right? And this time, I was going to bail my brother out of jail, and if I stole to get the money it would be okay because he's a good person.

At least, that's what my family told me.

I walked home with my mom and ran right to the back of my garage. I jumped the fence and was met by seven of my dogs. "Hey guys. I'll go steal some meat for all of you, just let me find my brother's stuff he left for me!"

I walked to the corner of the fence, still being followed by my dogs. I immediately found a pile of dirt and a hole, and in the hole was a box. That must be his stuff!

I opened the box and started to go through it. I found a bunch of money, band shirts, and a tattoo pen. But something that stood out the most.. a My Chemical Romance CD. "Hey, I thought CD's didn't exist anymore! This could probably sell for thousands!"

I ran, jumped the fence again, and rushed back to my garage. I scavenged through the pile of stolen items my family has gathered, and found a record player. I put the CD in and adjusted it so it would start playing.

They're going to clean up your looks...

With all the lies in the books...

To make a citizen out of you....

Because they sleep with a gun....

And keep an eye on you, son....

So they can watch all the things you do.....

"You realize you have school." I looked back and saw one of my other brothers leaning against the garage wall, giving me a glare. "Why are you listening to Tora's music? He's pathetic, he got caught and almost dragged me down with him."

"Sorry, Akuma." I took the tone arm off the CD and grabbed my backpack. "I didn't do my homework."

"You always make me do it." Akuma grabbed the homework from next to my sleeping bag. "If it weren't for my quirk you'd be failing school. Get yourself together if you want to graduate and be a successful villain like us."

"But I don't want to be a villain." I protested. "I want to be a hero so I can save Tora from prison."

"You better hope a hero's around to save you if mom or dad heard you." Akuma snapped. "You can't be a hero, heroes are terrible and take everything away from other people. You don't want to become someone like that, Shinju. Now get your ass in the car before Inei gets mad at you."

I rush into school, realizing I'm fifty minutes late. I bet they didn't even notice I was gone! I can still make it and pretend I was there the entire time.

But as I turned a corner, I ran straight into someone. I tripped backwards, barely saving my head from crashing against the ground with my shadow arm.

"I swear, nobody ever looks where they're running anymore." I looked up to see a gray haired kid glaring over me. He had four piercings on each ear, and his eyes were glowing orange. It took me a second to realize who was looming over me.

It was the killer, Kenichi Todoroki. The one who shared the same grade with me.

I stood up and glared right back at him. He must've noticed because he grabbed me by the collar. "Don't look at me like that."

I punched him in the gut with my shadow hand and made a run for it. I gave him one final glance, and he was crouched over staring at me, but this time he was smiling. "What's your name!?"

"Shinju Shirokage!" I yelled back, and busted into my classroom. I blocked out my teacher yelling and asking where I was, and instead focused on the weird interaction I had with Kenichi. He actually killed someone, just like a lot of my family has! Maybe he could help me gather enough money to help save my brother if he was experienced!

And then it clicked; I was going to ask him to be my friend, and then ask him to team up so we could both kill people for money.

Don't worry, Tora. I'll save you.