Chapter 1: Little Monsters

There were about half a dozen kids huddled together on the other side of the playground at the city park. It was a mere block away from the elementary school these rowdy boys attended. Their snickers were a kind of childish laugh tainted with corruption, like they had a devious plan in the works. Of the six mischievous children, there amongst them stood the tallest boy, Tatsu. Well bodied for a child and dressed in slightly nicer clothing than the rest. The other boys seem to listen to him, copying his demeanor and egged his every action on.

That faithful afternoon, they had one purpose for being there: to find a monster. It wasn't just any monster, either. Tatsu had a certain face in mind as he punched the air with his child sized fists. "I'm Justice Man!" loud cheers erupted from the group, an ominous warning for what was about to go down. The boys laughed and shoved and sang the theme of their favorite hero. They yelled out crude remarks like 'death to all monsters'!

"Where are you going Garou?!" Tatsu called out as he spotted his target try to slip away. The group approached in strides, like a pack of wolves surrounding its prey. The boy, Garou, suddenly found himself surrounded from all angles. Badum, badum, his small heart pounded as Tatsu stepped forward, "You don't want to play heroes with us?" he smugly stared down the shorter boy.

"I just want to go h-"

"Garou the poop monster!" Tatsu cut him off with shove. The white haired boy let out a gasp as he fell back into one of the other boys only then to be shoved to the ground. "H-hey stop! I don't want to play heroes!"

"Why? Do you want to admit that monsters SUCK?" The taller boy towered over him. Cruel eyes burning themselves into the young boy's mind and gritted his teeth, "No! it's just that this whole game is unfair!"

The boys edged closer, the two behind Garou took him by the arms and held him in place. It was as if dark shadows possessed them, their laughter ringing like tiny demons as they took turns hitting the white-haired boy. They all chanted his name, 'Monster, Monster, Monster!'

Why? Why was it always him? He struggled against their clutches, desperate to fight back against 'Justice Kick' and 'Justice Cross'. There was no justice in what he felt, just pure humiliation. A frustrated yell escaped him and the tears followed after. The laughter made his head spin. The kicks made his face hurt. As he sucked in a sharp painful breath of air and glanced up at Tatsu, something unexpected happen.

Someone intervened.

A boy had come running from the other side of the park and shoved through the little circle until his shoulder collided with Tatsu's chest. Suddenly Tatsu's frame went toppling to the ground. He'd never been the one on the ground, yet here he was staring wide eyed in utter dismay that someone dared to challenge him.

"What was that for?!" Tatsu yelled, anger overwhelming him.

"Your stupid game is unfair!" the boy snapped back just as angry, "6 against 1?!"

"He's the monster! We're playing heroes you idiot," Tatsu was back on his feet and readily tried to push the boy with the high-pitched voice. The boy moved out of the way and stuck out his foot and tripped Tatsu to the ground, "Still not fair!"

"H-hey, I know you, you're Maria from Class A," one of the boys shook in his shoes, "T-tatsu! She's a r-real monster!"

"You're a girl?!" Tatsu pointed his finger at the intruder. The girl had short black messy locks of hair cut like a boy's. Her eyes were grey and filled with hatred directed right at the bully. She was dressed in an oversized t-shirt and a pair of shorts. Normal enough, however, everyone seemed to have their eyes on her right arm. The bandages wrapped their way up to her shoulder.

"That's right. I'm the monster," she announced fearlessly as she began to undo the fabric on her arm, "And if I touch any one of you with my bare hand, YOU'LL GET SICK AND TURN INTO A MONSTER TOO!"

All six boys stumbled back, some screamed while others made a desperate run in separate directions. When all of them disappeared, the girl known as Maria turned to find Garo still on the ground, his eyes filled with awe and astonishment. They lingered on her face, her light olive complexion bathed in the orange rays of the setting sun. He recalled a quick glimpse of her in the halls of school. She'd had long hair earlier in the year. "Are you okay?" She asked him as she extended her right hand out, the red skin completely exposed. Almost instantly she retracted as his stare was fixated on her skin. The rush of adrenaline that made her intervene had begun to wear off, and the white-haired boy could tell that his gaze made her uncomfortable. She puffed her cheeks sheepishly and began to quickly wrap her arm up, trying to hide the red patchy skin that decorated it.

"Would they really have turned into monsters?" the white-haired boy asked. To his disappointment the girl shook her head and extended her other hand to help him up.

"No. But mom and dad said that it'll scare away the bullies."

"What's wrong with your arm?"

"I burned it playing with fire."

Truthfully, this was the longest conversation he had ever had with someone. Outside Tatsu's group who only spoke to terrorize him, this was all to new for the boy. "Man, that's so cool though! You made them run just by scaring them! Just like a monster would!"

The girl looked at him with her wide eyes, a hint of sadness glistened in her gaze, "Why didn't you run away then?"

"Because," he stood up and tried to rub his bloody nose on his sleeve, "I'm a monster too!"

She blinked confused, "You're a monster? Why would anyone want to be a monster?"

He nodded quickly, "Because- Monsters are way cooler than stupid heroes. Heroes are always the popular kids and bullies. The monsters are the ones that always get ganged up on and it's never fair!"

"Ohh," the girl nodded, trying to make sense of what the boy was saying. When it registered in her mind, the frown on her lips turned into a smile. "So you like monsters?"

"Definitely!"

"Well, if they ever play heroes again, I'll come be a monster with you. We can fight those stupid heroes off together."

The white-haired boy smiled. Was there someone else that finally understood him?

"Yeah!"

"Got you-ah ouch! Hey stop it!" a woman's voice was heard wrestling something in the dense branches of a tree. There was a moment's struggle which shook off a couple leaves before a figure hopped down to the concrete holding a hefty cat in her arms. Maria had gone up on request of a child claiming that the cat was theirs. However now that she had retrieved it the kid was no longer in sight.

"…was I just bamboozled by a brat?" she asked herself as she stared at the cat clawing away at her arms. Man, today was not her day. Like every other twenty-year old, Maria seemed to be facing the great struggle of their generation-finding a job.

By now, she had built up a reputation that kept her from working at any fast-food establishment. It was as if she were cursed in the kitchen, or in near proximity of one. Food almost always tended to combust. Bacon and eggs? Always burned to a nice crisp. Omurice? Charcoal with a cute squiggly ketchup garnish. Ramen? Somehow the ingredients would be ablaze in the bowl or the liquid would reach boiling temperatures and shoot out to attack her. It made no sense, but then again nothing in this world ever made sense. Hell, people turned into monsters for no reason. Or so that's what the public believed.

Maybe it had to do with her fixation with fire.

Whatever, she had long let that theory go. All those years of obsessing over power to protect the few people she cared about. Now it was all about trying to get her life together. She wanted a normal job that could pay the rent. After that? She wasn't quite sure.

"You know, you're an ugly fella," Maria held the big cat by the back of its neck. The furry animal had it's face scrunched inward like someone had punched it into oblivion, "No wonder the kid abandoned you. She probably put you up there herself." She decided to take the cat home, it's little pompous ass wouldn't survive out there in the streets of City Z, probably turn into a tasty snack to one of the many monsters that liked to pop up around the place. It was a dangerous area. Not too far away from the ghost town. Completely abandoned since it had been overrun by monsters.

"Hello," she greeted the empty apartment, finally letting the cat jump out of her arms. The furball made a dash and went to hide under the couch, its yellow eyes piercing through the shadows that covered it.

"Talk about ungrateful, I just saved your life!"

The damn thing hissed in response. What had she brought into her home? The apartment was in good condition. It was a simple lay out. One small bedroom, a bathroom and a small living room area that had window to the kitchen. She didn't have too much. Just the essential furniture like a couch and table. Instead of a tv, there was a computer to the side of the window. She'd gotten the place for a good price thanks to the location. Too bad she didn't have a proper job to be able to pay off the rent. The three months since she's moved into the place, she'd had to use money from her parents' inheritance.

She went into her room to change, happy to be able to change into a comfy sport bra and leggings. She stood before the mirror to tie her hair. Her once short black hair had grown down passed her shoulder blades. Then, after getting her hair out of the way, she removed the bandages on her right arm, allowing the skin to breath. Her grey eyes lingered over the burn marks that began from her right collar bone, down her shoulder and to her fingers. They had healed long ago but left her arm an utter mess.

"Oi, oi, are you still under the couch?" Maria plopped down on the floor with some microwaved steak. Thankfully, the food didn't explode in the microwave this time, "Are you hungry?"

She placed a couple pieces on the floor beside her until the little sassy furball made its way out. It chomped down on the pieces of meat, and then looked up at Maria with dangerous eyes. "What. The fuck?" Did this cat just release a deadly aura? Maria slowly placed the entire plate on the floor, somehow complicit to the cat's unspoken demand. Almost instantly the steak was devoured.

"Your welcome!" she remarked as went right back under the couch without so much as a purr. Maybe she should name the little shit Fuckface.

Just as she was contemplating what her next move was as a new mother to a four-legged furry devil the doorbell rang.

'Who could that be?' she thought as she got up and grabbed her cardigan that hung on the coat rack. Was it Sensei? She didn't recall ever giving him her address. In fact the only person who knew she lived here was…Maria's eyes widened. Her heartbeat was suddenly racing as she leaped to the door and swung it open.

"Garo-"

The mailman blinked at her as he was about to push the mail through the slip, "uhm, I'm sorry, I accidentally hit the bell."

Ah, that's right. She'd accidentally subscribed to a heroes magazine.

She wondered what level of stupid she was on to still think Garou would show up. The crushing feeling of disappointment replaced the excitement and she found herself standing gloomily in place.

Was he really out of her life for good?

End Chapter

Author's note: Hey everyone! Thanks so much for reading my first chapter! I hope you guys liked it! I just want to mention that, I bumped up Garou's age a bit because I am planning to do some smut and I don't feel comfortable writing that with characters who are less than 20 years old! and also also, Garou, like most of the other characters in OPM don't look 18. Anyways, lemme know what you think, it really helps motivate me to continue! The plot will be connected to whats in the manga/anime!