Marionette and the Blue Demon (Rewritten)

Chapter 24 A New Beginning

-Airmed-

My eyes felt so heavy but I was able to flutter them open. What was so much pain that made me was to blow my brains out is gone.

At first, all I saw were blurry colors standing in front of me. The texture underneath me wasn't grass anymore. Where am I? I blinked a couple more times and the blobs started to become shapes. The shapes started to become even more clear. They were people. People that I had never seen before.

I sprung up like a jack-in-the-box and looked around. My eyes planned on Dabi and I jumped from my platform and run into him hiding from all the eyes watching me.

My face was buried deep inside his chest wanted to just be absorbed by him. But last I was only able to go so far.

The scent of lavender, smoke, and sage swirled in my mind calming me, sadly only slightly. I could hear mumbling behind me. But the one voice that felt familiar was Megumi's.

I turned around and saw her. Her face lit up like a Christmas light when our eyes met. "Reiki!" She shouted. I couldn't help but use Dabi as a springboard and run to Megumi.

We hugged each other tightly and giggle with each other. Once she let go she held me by my shoulders and looked at me. Her two-colored eyes scanned my face. The once bright light darkens and she let out a fearful scowling voice.

"What the hell is wrong with you? You could have died!" I couldn't help it. I pulled my head in trying to become small. I was ready to be her but it never came instead was another hug. My body stiffens at the embrace. "At least next time tell me before running off in adventure your stupid head." I could feel warm wetness coming from her.

Meaning I made her cry. I felt horrible, I quickly hugged her tightly and started to cry too. "I'm sorry." I was able to mumble the words out before my cry became ugly sobbing.

With us hugging each other I have forgotten there were other people in the room. The only thing that brought me back to reality was someone cleared their thought.

"This is all sappy and stuff but it's becoming annoying." I turned and saw a man with pale blue hair scratching his neck. I tilt my head. I could see blood start to ooze out.

"Shiggarki Tomura, give the girl a chance to prove herself." I looked to see where the voice was coming from. A man, or at least I think it was a man covered from head to toe in some purple swirling mist. He had on what I would assume was a butler-looking outfit.

"All she is gonna be is a nuisance. What I need is a healer!" I bit my lip and looked down. Once again I was being bullied by my looks.

"Come on Rei-" Megumi tried to get me to walk away but for once. I was gonna stand my ground.

I took a step towards the one called Shiggarki. His red beady eyes looked down at me. I could see the skin flaking off as he scratches his neck. His lips were dry and crusty like the man never had a drop to drink before.

"I can heal." My voice was shaking but I tried to hide it. But even the dumbest person would have known I was scared.

"What was that?" His high-pitched voice shook me. Dominance, my fear. My stepmother made me fear my own shadow. "All I hear was a squeak from a rodent."

I ground my teeth, trying to push my fear aside. I looked up at him and stared at his face. "I can heal!" I screamed at top of my lungs. I shoved my hand and placed it on top of his bleeding neck. His eyes opened wide and were about to grab my arm.

"Don't!" I heard a new feminine voice. "Look!" Right, when I was about to look back at her I felt the air lick my new wound. I pulled my hand back and stared at the red beady eyes that were staring right back.

I watched as he pulled his hand away from me and went to touch where I touched. At first, his eyes showed no emotion, and then they widen.

"Heh, I guess you can heal, hero." When he said hero I felt like the word just crumbled under my feet. It was something I was trying so desperately to become. Only to become a used marionette so some 'true hero'

"I-" I stopped myself and quickly turned my head away. I sealed my eyes shut as tight as I could.

"Now, now. Let's not hurt the dear more than what has happened before." I turned to face the man that had just spoken. He had a black latex mask that was skin tight coving his face. Some silvery tubbing coming out of a mouthpiece like Bane off of batman. I guess he felt my eyes on him and he opened his arms out.

"Come child let me get a good look at you." At first, I was very hesitant and my eyes wandered looking for either Dabi or Megumi. Megumi had a hand on her chest like she was silently praying. Dabi on the other hand turned his face away from me. Like it felt like he didn't even wanna see me anymore.

I felt my heart shattered. 'Dabi tell me what to do!' I looked at the man and took a step forward. He smelled off like he smelled like a  newborn baby. I was slightly confused. Maybe he has a baby at home.

I took another step forward, becoming in arm's reach from him. "Now child tell me what do you think of heros?" His arms dropped down to his hips and he tilt his head wondering how I was gonna answer.

"Well, I....umm." my eyes wandered to the floor and then looked at Dabi. Once again he kept his face away from me hidden behind his hair.

I looked back at the man lifting my face so he could see I wasn't lying. "Not all heroes are good. Some just want fame and money,  others...." I stopped I felt like the world stopped spinning when Michael popped up in my head.

"Child?"

"Others use their influence to prey on the weak." I could see the brows lifted through the mask, as he was impressed by my answer.

"Now what about the villains?"

"They aren't all that they seem. Some might just like chaos but others are just trying to live. Like a man robs a store so he could pay off his daughter's hospital bills." My eyes wandered over to Dabi once more. "And there are some of us that just got the label thrown on them." I could feel his eyes move on to me but he was still hiding them from me. I couldn't tell what was running through his head.

"Now that's an answer!" The latex man clapped his hands and then took a small step in front of me. His hand slowly raised and caresses my face, pushing loose strands of hair behind my ear. 

"My dear child, you have the eyes of a  vigilante. But not a true villain. But perhaps you can help this group. If you so choose." I felt small in his hand but at the same time, I didn't feel like I was in danger. I swallowed hard.

The man moved his head to nodd over to Shiggarki. "Prove your worth to him and I'm sure you'll be rewarded, my dear." I slowly turned and looked at the crusty man.

His beady eyes glued on to me as if I had moved he would have pounced. I slowly turned to the latex man and tilt my head. I blinked slowly and then nodded.

"I will do my best I can," I spoke softly. I felt Megumi's eyes on me, as well as Dabi's. If I made the wrong choice then there is no going back now.

Goodbye,  Airmed...Hello Reiki.