She Just Got Lucky

The Day She Remembered Fear Part 2

        Ryo always found herself in trouble. No matter where she went she usually found herself in a life-threatening situation. Everywhere she went a monster would show up and attack the city she was in. If she was very unlucky on that day, the monster would target her. Because she was pretty, because she was there.

Or maybe it was just because she was lucky.

Inside the evacuation center, Ryo pressed herself against a wall, hugged her knees and heaved. Her heart pounded. Her breath was quick and unrelenting. She just couldn't calm down. The reality of the peril that she had been in felt real. It wasn't something that could just be blown away.

When Saitama had saved Ryo for the first time, he had no idea that that day was the first time Ryo had left the house in days. Ryo didn't like thinking about those days when she'd be too afraid to leave her father's home, unable to start a life. Saitama gave her hope. If a guy who could hardly move was able to fight for her, then she could fight for herself. In many ways, Saitama saved more than just Ryo's life that day. He saved her whole future.

She hadn't heard her heart pounding in her ears in a long while. The burning in her lungs from constant panting. She couldn't focus her mind on anything other than the physical manifestation of fear in her body. She hadn't felt this kind of fear since she had met Saitama.

Saitama gave her a lot of bravery. Having him behind her enabled her to act as brave as she was. And she had managed to muster up the courage to start her own business. To go out in public without Saitama by her side.

Up until this very minute, Ryo had been okay.

"Hey," Someone's feet enter her field of vision. Slowly Ryo looked up, seeing a plain-looking blond man, looking down at her with a worried expression. "Are you feeling okay?"

Ryo swallowed the knot in her throat and nodded. "Yeah... Yeah, I just had a close call, I guess."

"You were with the guy at that brought the two A class heroes in, right?"

Ryo nodded again, leaning her head back against the wall. "Yeah. I was with Stinger before he started fighting."

"And you're just a civilian?" His words sounded surprised.

Ryo pressed her lips into a stiff smile and nodded again, wishing the man would leave her be. "Yep, just a civilian."

"You're a whole lot braver than me." The man chuckled. Ryo looked up at him with a quirked eyebrow. "You're not going to believe me, but I'm a hero. Class C rank... Well it doesn't matter, does it? I heard the alarm and evacuated with everyone else. I just... I don't know. I guess I just want to say thank you."

Ryo felt a small smile grace her lips. She took a deep breath and felt her pounding heart relax. "I really needed to hear that. What was your name?"

"My hero name is Allback-Man but my real name is-" A huge bang on the evacuation center's wall silenced him.

Ryo flung herself onto her feet and retreated from where she had been sitting. Allback-Man backed up with her. One more loud smash and the monster came crashing through the wall. Ryo felt all the life drain from her body.

"I knew I recognized that scent!" The monster boomed, looking down on Ryo. "You lead me right to the slaughter! I am the Deep Sea King! Nice to meet you! And goodbye!"

Ryo stepped back, tripping on her feet and landing on her butt, staring up at the Sea King with a slack jaw and tears brimming her eyes. She had led him here? No, she shook her head. He would have found this place no matter what.