DC: Fading Away

Tatsu Yamashiro leaned back in her seat. The lecture was boring as hell. She wanted to go home already. Knowing that someone was waiting for you back home…it tickled the heart a little. Eased the worries. Washed away the stress. Especially when food was already on the counter. 

Tatsu had gotten used to smelling delicious aromas when opening the front door to her house. There was always a meal waiting. If only she could fit Tobi in her backpack. Ah…that would be the stuff.

Barbara had become increasingly hostile to the Japanese beauty. She wasn't an idiot. Tobi's location was caught at the nonchalant girl's house several times. The bat family knew they were in contact. 

The commissioner's daughter was jealous. Part of her wanted to grab Tobi and drag him back to Bruce's manor. The other part wanted to lock him in jail. It was hard to make a decision when it came to that angelic but murderous boy. 

DING DONG DONG

The bell rang to signal the end of the day. A majority of the students rushed out of the room. Others were lazy and slowly strolled out. As the Japanese beauty made her way out of class, Barbara stepped in front of her. They stared at each other. 

"He threw away his phone." It was the first thing Barbara said. Tatsu shrugged.

"So?"

"He killed Black Mask. There's nothing left to keep him here. You really think a teleporter would stay in one place?"

Batman had already guessed what would happen. He knew that Tobi hated this city. If you hated it, why stay in it? Especially if nothing is holding you there anymore. 

His bounty and threat level had been passed to each hero team. The Teen Titans, Young Justice, and The Justice League. This would transcend Gotham now.

'Would he leave me that easily? No. He wouldn't. Not without telling me first.' Tatsu thought. Comforting herself.

"You should've helped us capture him. At the very least, it would keep him in Gotham. Now…none of us will be able to see him."

"I don't control his actions. That's how you drive someone away. We aren't the same, Miss Gordon."

With those words, the assassin hero strolled out of campus. Her car zoomed down the roads. A small bit of anxiety had grown. What if he actually left? She needed to get home. 

VROOM

About twenty minutes later, she was parking in her garage. The doors closed behind her as she jumped up the steps. A delicious aroma was already tickling her nose. Mmm. What did he make this time?

Upon reaching the main floor, she entered the kitchen. A scrumptious assortment of plates were sitting right on the counter. It was covered in thin plastic wrap. Loads of pancakes, parmesan biscuits, eggs and ham, hashbrowns, and cinnamon rolls on the side. Tobi had made another feast for her. 

"Tobi!"

Putting the plates on the dining table, she first checked to see if he was home. She opened the door to every room…he wasn't there. Okay. Maybe he was out. Handling his business. 

That was when she saw a note on the dresser. She immediately snatched it. The more she read, the more her expression warped. 

'I'm sorry but I have to go. Let's meet again in Japan. Aren't you settling there? I'll come find you. You know I wouldn't do this for no reason. Hopefully you forgive me by then. P.S. Eat the food while it's warm. Putting it in the microwave doesn't do it justice. Love you.' ~ Tobi

Tatsu crumpled the note in her hands. Her eyes closed as she took a breath. She went back to the table and started to eat. The home was back to its empty silence. Her eyes were sharp and deadly. 

'Idiot. I'm the one who helped you open your bank account. You think I can't track you cuz of a damn phone? Bastard. Hopeless till the end.' She thought angrily. Her eyes watered up but she held it in. 

…

…

…

SEVERAL MONTHS LATER

The sound of nature. It was everywhere. Greenery all around. A bright blue sky. Tobi walked along a small path. This path took him through hills and over streams. America had been left behind. 

He was making Gummy's dreams a reality now. One foot after the other. That's how you live. Tobi wiped the sweat from his brow. All this walking was quite the workout. 

When he wasn't utilizing his mental energy, his body was human again. Normal. Average. Not to say that he wasn't evolving. The vessel would always grow and evolve to handle its contents. Tobi had gained a lot of muscle and endurance since his awakening. 

Anyways, the young man was currently in Iceland. The first stop on his journey. The first country. There was a small village nearby, one that he planned to stop at after he took a look at something. Something he needed to see. 

Taking another step, he blinked across the trail until he reached the end. The sounds of nature grew louder…but it was drowned out by the crashing of water. Everything was misty and hard to see. Tobi needed to get to higher ground. Appearing on a cliff on the opposite side…he finally saw the beauty of it all. 

Skógafoss. One of the best waterfalls in Iceland. He stood motionless at the edge of the roaring cascade. The mist had clung to his coat. Almost like memory itself. His breath only added more to it, vapor blending into the expanse. The air was crisp and his heart carried the weight of silence. 

He was alone in the truest sense. No family to return to. No true home. Still, this sight made him feel less lost. His mind went to Gummy. Her name was like sunlight even in the darkest days. She was the biggest dreamer, always talking about the glow of the Northern Lights, the ancient cities lost to time, Japan's cherry blossoms, and more.

Even now…he could imagine her sitting on the edge beside him. Eyes wide upon the vastness of it all. Laughing in awe, exclaiming in wonder. This journey wasn't his alone. It had never been. There would be even more to come. More waterfalls, more attractions, more countries. 

Tobi settled in. He would sit here for a while. A bottle of alcohol was already waiting. He didn't go anywhere without at least one. He poured himself a glass. This time, the drink took on a pinkish hue. It swirled in the cup, rippling slightly due to the waterfall's vibration. 

He didn't drink quickly. Each sip was savored. Maybe it was just in his mind…but today the alcohol tasted quite good. It went down smoothly. He couldn't help but take off his overcoat and suit jacket. Unbuttoning his white shirt and loosening the tie, he truly started to relax. 

The tendons and ligaments loosened. His muscles slackened. His eyelids drooped. Accompanied by the sound of water and nothing else…it was peaceful. He drank. He smoked. Day turned to night. He drank more. Night turned to day. 

Watching the sunrise here…it was a view that Gummy would've loved. She was the type of person who wanted to camp at a location. That way she wouldn't miss anything good. She would trace maps with her fingers, whispering wishes into the pages. Now…he would walk those maps for her.

By the time he stepped foot in America again, he was sure he'd be forgotten. That was the good and bad thing about that country. It's propaganda and social media was calculated. After about two weeks, netizens had already moved on to the next big thing. Maybe even after a few days. 

A small part of him hoped Tatsu would forget about him too. She deserved someone better. Someone mentally stable. He wasn't anybody special. In the grand scheme of things…he was a nobody. 

His background was a common story in this world full of heroes and villains. It might've been better if he was born in a world without powers…or maybe it would be the same. Just packaged in a different way. Did the system always have to be rigged? Why?

Tobi was just another faceless npc. A person that blended into the crowd. Sure, his tattoo on his neck made him stand out a bit more, but not by much. The only difference was that he had abilities. Abilities that weren't visible unless he chose to make them so. 

Thoughts and ideas revolved in his mind. He couldn't help but ponder on several things. It was all he could do at this point. There was nothing else for him. He could find a hobby, join a club, connect with a new community…but it was tiring. He didn't have the energy to forge new relationships. At least not on purpose.

The young esper would remain in his thoughts for a long time. Thinking about what used to be. Thinking about what was to come. Nobody to talk to but himself. Wondering where it all went wrong. Wondering…why he was left to bear the burden.