OP 2 – Tough and Alone by MYTH & ROID
Chapter 20 – Fighting For What's Important
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:53 p.m. – Yuki Household)
"-and the police have confirmed footage of what seem to be recent escapee Graviton's aides outside the mall. Identities of the Beast a.k.a Kataya Ren and Slender Man a.k.a Kirisaki Banri have been confirmed and the former is suspected to be the perpetrator of the assault on U.A. student Asagumo Suzuran. Further enquiries are underway but the Hero Association have refused to comme-"
"No . . . it couldn't be."
Aisen couldn't believe what he was seeing but it was the same mall all of them had decided to hang out at today. Helena, sitting next to him on the couch, grabbed his hand and squeezed it, weakening at the pained look in his eyes.
"It couldn't . . .," the blond bit down on his lip, trying to hold back tears. "Hoshi . . . Suzuran, they're . . ."
But Aisen's voice cracked at the end.
"I'm sure they're fine," she whispered against his cheek, patting his back. "You've got strong friends. They'll be okay."
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:54 p.m. – Madou Household)
"Mashiro! Mashiro!"
"Coming, daddy!" The snow-haired boy was inside his father's study, carefully stacking the files of his patients that were supposed to be put away for storage in the archives. As he balanced the heavy pile in his arms and slowly ambled towards their living room, he peeked from the top of the stack to see his father gaping at the television screen.
"What's got you so worked up, daddy?" he asked, poking his father's paunch.
But instead of chuckling like he usually did, Dr. Madou Yoshihisa sombrely fixed his spectacles as he looked at his son. "Mashiro . . ."
The boy's smile slowly disappeared when he caught the words of the news anchor on television.
"-mall's attack has left several questions as to the safety of the citizens and the mall's security measures. But the most pressing issue seems to be the attack on UA student Asagumo Suzuran and the abduction of her classmate and friend Fujita Hoshi, who was last seen getting into-"
The files dropped noisily to the floor.
"Hoshi . . . chi . . ."
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:55 p.m. – Enoshima Household)
"-were seen getting into a black Sedan with UA first year Fujita Hoshi. Both the police and the Heroes on the case refuse to comment on the exact specifics of this kidnapping and assault incident but we at Mustaf news are striving to-"
"Kazumi," a middle-aged woman with a pleasant face and kind voice spoke over the sound of running water as she washed dishes in the kitchen sink, "Aren't those your friends?"
Kazumi, who had been in the process of clearing the dining table, made no reply to her mother's question. She continued to stare at Hoshi's photo on the television screen, her lips set in a straight line. Her eyes had an unreadable look in them.
'. . . I hope this time you weren't merely being nosy, Fujita.'
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:56 p.m. – Jobu Household)
"Dammit! DAMMIT!"
As a ringing thud echoed through their small apartment, Denwa turned away her worried gaze from the TV to her brother, who sat clutching his knees so hard she was afraid he would break his kneecaps. "Hitting the table isn't going to help, Jonetsu," she supplied in a soft voice.
"If only . . . if only I'd been there!" The boy cried, clutching at his hair in frustration and sadness. "Fujita, she . . . Nee-chan!" Denwa was a little startled at his sudden outburst but as he stared straight at her, she realised how harrowed his eyes looked. "Please, PLEASE request Real Steel to help her! I know he can save her! Ask him once! PLEASE!"
The young woman stared back hesitantly before pulling in a deep breath, and stating, "Jonetsu, I'm sure they've already put capable Heroes on the case." A heartbroken look settled over his face. "But I will still ask Tetsutetsu-san once if there's been any progress on it." Jobu grinned at her and she smiled back before getting up to fetch her cell phone.
Hands folded, the teenager closed his eyes and prayed. 'Fujita . . . everyone . . . please be okay.'
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:57 p.m. – Kanashimi Household)
In the empty apartment, dim lights were switched on in the living room; a minimally furnished room that was almost devoid of signs of life. Fuma sat on the couch in the middle of the room, elbows propped on the centre table and fingers crossed in front of his mouth. Although he was not one for television, he always made sure to check the news before going to school and retiring to bed.
But he definitely had not been expecting to see his own classmates on television.
'This . . . is gonna be troublesome. I can feel it.'
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:58 p.m. – Kenshi Household)
"Nii-san, please, take me with you!"
"Don't be stupid, Ryo," Kenshi Hanzo a.k.a Terrafirma glared at his younger brother before turning his attention back to lacing his boots. "My agency said this is a serious case – one that hinges on life and death – and taking you with me is unthinkable."
The emerald-hair boy growled, trying to suppress his anger. "But they're my-!"
"Don't argue, Ryo." His face was forcibly turned to the ground as his father roughly tousled his hair, forcing the boy to bite down on his tongue in order to prevent cussing out loud. Noticing his son's shaking fists, Kenshi Yamada stated in a calm but firm tone, "Cool your head, kid, and focus on school. Once you get your Hero Licence, you can take part in all the missions you want but you're still only a student, young punk."
With a darkened face, the boy pushed his father's hand away, swerved around and ran up the stairs to his room, loudly slamming the door behind him. Used at his antics, his parents and brother only shook their heads.
"Be careful out there, Hanzo," Kenshi Luka hugged her son as Pro Hero Terrafirma departed on the urgent mission.
"I will be, mom," the raven-head smiled confidently at her before nodding at his dad. Staring up at his younger brother's room, he asserted, "For Ryo's sake, too, I promise we'll save his friends."
(Sunday, 15th May, 7:59 p.m. – Nishiya Household)
Screaming into the pillow hadn't helped at all.
So Asuna grabbed hold of her pink flower vase and hurled it at the opposite wall, motionless on her bed as it splintered into hundreds of pieces and blue hydrangeas they held dropped to the floor, the petals drenching into the spilt water.
And within a few minutes, there was rapid knocking on the door. "Asuna! Oi Asuna!" The brunette pressed the pillow over her head, trying to block her ears. "Open the door, Asuna! Talk to me! ASUNA!"
"GO AWAY, MOM!" she screamed, sitting up on her bed. She refused to show her tears to anyone. "LEAVE ME ALONE!"
"Oi, you don't get away talking to your mother like that!" However, Nishiya Yu was not one to be discouraged and continued knocking. "You need to talk to me, Asuna! Your dad's worried too!"
"It's my fault . . .," she mumbled, toppling on her bed and folding an arm over her eyes. But the tears continued to pour, sliding down her cheeks and staining onto the bed sheets.
"Asuna! OI, ASUNA!" Her mother's knocking did not stop.
"It's my fault . . . that I wasn't there to protect them . . .,"
Asuna cried, coiling into a foetal position.
"It's all . . . my fault . . ."
(Sunday, 15th May, 8:01 p.m. – South Musutafu)
( When the little boy cracks his eyes open, he is face-to-face with the protective warmth that surrounds him.
It is an adult man – one with curls the shade of a brilliant cerulean sky and eyes of golden amber that shine with kindness. The boy's ears are still ringing from the brutal pain that had ripped through his body and his stomach feels like it has been carved empty. His throat is parched paper dry and all he wants, at that moment, is for eternal sleep to take over him.
But when the man gives him a small smile, all the boy can think of is God has finally decided to rescue him.
And he knows, in that moment, that he – his heart, his soul, his whole being – will always belong to this God. )
Ren recognises them all. The tall boy with messy sand-coloured hair, the ponytail girl who stares at him with both fear and anger, the blue-haired boy with raging eyes, the dark-haired girl who is the daughter of some hotshot Pro and the newest arrival, the metal-limbed boy who stares back at him with challenging eyes.
It is impossible for him to not recognise them when all he'd been doing for the past two weeks was follow Hoshi around – sometimes as a crow, sometimes as a dog, sometimes as a butterfly. These brats were her friends and classmates, kids with a memorable past and a bright future . . .
Ignorant twats that knew neither suffering nor hardship.
They pissed him off. He wanted to kill them. Rip them apart, gut them, strangle them, crush their hearts, tear them from limb to limb, rape their corpses over and over-
Brats. Twats. Pests. Fools. Insects. Faeces. Those who know no suffering.
They need to die.
"You need to leave," Inori whispered urgently as the young man in front of them spasmed on all fours, his body undergoing a strange transformation. They watched with horror as his scrawny frame expanded into a mass of sudden muscles, tearing through his loose clothes. His hands elongated into black claws, replete with painfully sharp nails and the same happened to his feet as they ripped through his sneakers. Reiko uttered a small yelp when she saw Ren's face elongate into a snout and black fur began sprouting all over his body.
"LEAVE, NOW." Inori clenched her teeth, ebony wings sprouting out of her back as she flexed her claws, covered in hardened scales.
Most of them looked hesitant. "But you're wounded, Tetsuya-san-"
"YOU'LL ONLY GET IN THE WAY," she harshly cut Kasai off and the boy flinched at the terrifying look in her eyes.
"She's right," Yasu stated and Kasai and Reiko turned to look at him with hesitant glances while Haruka remained silent. "We don't have any time to waste. If the helicopter is what I think it is, we may never see Fujita-san again. And . . . I'm not sure how useful our Quirks would be in direct combat against . . . him . . ." The boy glanced with fearful eyes at their growling opponent.
Kasai clenched his teeth, infuriated at himself. 'If only . . . If only I had my gauntlets!'
Ren, now fully metamorphosed, threw back his head and howled.
"GO! NOW!"
Yasu, Reiko and Kasai dashed off towards the building and the huge black wolf lunged after them, breathlessly fast in its strides as it cut through the night breeze. Reiko screamed and lugged the two boys as she raced ahead with her Ankle Wheels – however, before Ren could grab hold of her, Inori slammed into him full force and both of them tumbled to the ground.
Haruka, with a withering glance at the raven-head, ran towards the building but took a different turn from the other three and headed off into the opposite direction.
"Tetsuya, you'd better not lose!" Reiko yelled over her shoulder as the trio entered the whitewashed structure, slamming the door behind them. Inori, her head dizzy from the impact, had no time to reply as she was focused on jumping away from the violent swipe made at her face. But one of Ren's nails managed to scratch the bridge of her nose.
As she wiped away at the thin trail of blood, a flinch shuddered through her body when she accidentally rubbed her singed arm against it.
"You know, father actually hasn't told me anything." His voice was a barely comprehensible, guttural growl as black lips moved to reveal rows of pointed, gleaming canines. "I'm definitely gonna get in trouble for engaging all of you on my own accord-"
"But as long as I can destroy even one of Hoshi's friends, I don't care."
His movements were fast and fluid and Inori had no leisure to speak, all of her concentration being focused on blocking against his animalistic fighting style. Howling, he rushed towards her and lunged but she dodged and flew upwards, deciding to keep him occupied from a distance.
'All I have to do is prevent him from going after the others.' She stopped once she was well up but looking down at the ground, couldn't find him anywhere. 'Where did he-?'
An eagle screeched from behind her and Inori hissed in pain as talons dug into her wings, trying to tear out the feathers. But she hardened them before he could cause more damage and tried to crush him between them. However, he managed to slip away and flew back to a distance, glowering at her.
'So he can turn into more than one animal? This is going to be troublesome.' Every flutter of her wings caused a sharp throb to shoot through her but Inori wasn't sure how effectively she'd be able to fight him on the ground.
"Why must you come between Boss and his family?" Although it was shriller, it was definitely Ren speaking, hovering from one side of her to the other. "He didn't do anything this time. Why must you interfere between him and his daughter?!"
The black eagle swooped at her with another cry and she brought her claws up and swung at him, moving them in a consecutive cross. Ren was quick enough to dodge them but he did not expect her to move in and grab hold of him in a bear hug. Confused, he tried to raise his talons to cut at her but she grabbed hold of them with her claws and refused to let go even when they dug into her scales, drawing dark blood.
Ren screeched in pain as she began crushing him in her hold, pecking at her shoulder as hard as he could. But even though Inori hissed in pain and cussed out loud, she refused to let go of him, ignoring her bleeding.
However, before he could begin another transformation, her arms unwrapped from him as she began falling to the ground.
Or, rather, was roughly pulled.
"What the-?!" Inori could barely understand what was happening although she was aware of something wrapped around her ankle. The velocity was making her lose her balance but, with great effort, she managed to regain her sense of equilibrium. Flapping her wings as hard as possible, she managed to escape that grip.
'Who WAS that?!'
Flying as far away as she could, she watched Ren land on the ground and transform back into his naked human form. And, as she'd expected, there was another man standing next to him.
A tall, middle-aged man in a black suit, who refused to take her eyes away from her even as he handed Ren a set of clothes.
Keeping a close eye on the distant teenager, Kirisaki sighed in exasperation at the troubling behaviour of the young generation. "Boss is fuming, you know?" he spoke over the rustling of clothes as his young companion dressed himself. "You exited the building and engaged in combat without permission. And also, allowed intruders to infiltrate the building."
Ren was quite for a long time but as he pulled a black T-shirt over his head, quietly growled, "You didn't need to interfere. I would've taught the brat a lesson she would never forget."
Kirisaki glanced at him for the briefest of seconds before quickly turning his attention back to Tetsuya Inori, who was hovering from one side to the other but not daring to move closer. "It certainly wasn't your call to do so but fortunately, we don't have time to waste on stupid mistakes right now. Boss wants you beside him immediately." At those words, Ren perked up at once and dashed towards the building.
'Now's my chance!' Seeing an opening, Inori dived straight down.
However, when she tried to pursue him, Kirisaki elongated his armed hand and shot at her, missing by only a few centimetres as she swiftly manoeuvred to the side. But even from the distance, he could sense the angry scowl on her face as Ren entered the building and she was forced to keep away.
"Why don't you call it quits, Tetsuya Inori-san?" Kirisaki calmly announced as he approached her vicinity, staring straight into her eyes as he reloaded his gun. "I can see you've received some troublesome wounds but with your wings, you should be able to escape this place safe and sound. Wouldn't it be smarter for you to use your flying powers and go get help from Pros?"
'Does he consider me an imbecile?' Moving to and fro was beginning to exhaust her but with him being armed, hovering in a single place would be target practice. And there was not a single structure she could take cover behind.
Even without looking back, the presence of the mysterious helicopter on the building's rooftop was ominous.' They plan to escape from here as soon as they can. And if I leave now-'
Without warning, he fired two more shots and one of them whizzed by very close to her ear, ringing through her eardrums.
"You are all acting like fools . . . something I didn't expect of UA students." Kirisaki shook his head disappointedly, scratching his head with the barrel of his pistol. "It's nice to see Hoshi-chan has made such good friends but you have no right to tear her away from her father."
It took a lot of willpower to not swoop down upon him and rip his head off his shoulders.
'You coward.' The familiar voice, whispering inside her head again and again. 'Afraid of some bullets and a henchman with a mediocre Quirk? COWARD COWARD COWARD COWARD COWARD-'
"SHUT THE FUCK UP," Inori hissed through clenched teeth, wildly shaking her head. Kirisaki raised an eyebrow at her actions.
"If not for the fact that you were such stupid, interfering little brats, you'd have wonderful futures ahead with all the good Quirks you've been blessed with." The man muttered, sighing in exasperation. And then, as quick as lightning, his right arm elongated and shot out.
Inori quickly moved back before she realised that he hadn't made a grab for her.
But when she saw who it was he'd caught, she wished it would've been her.
"LET ME GO, YOU BASTARD!" Kenio's screams and kicks were to no avail as Kirisaki's arm wrapped tightly around his torso, coiling around him so stiffly that he could hardly move. The ginger tried to weasel out of his grip as he was pulled away from his hiding spot behind a metal crate but the man only tightened his hold, causing the young teen to feel dizzy from the constriction.
'No . . .'
"Kenio . . ." Inori mumbled, dumbfounded, but the appearance of two more figures filled her with even more terror.
"Sorry, Tetsuya-san," Jigoku's lips quivered an apology as he was roughly pulled forward by a duo of black-suited men, his arms bound tightly together with duct tape. Koji was thrown over the shoulder of a tall, muscular hunk and was struggling to speak against the duct tape tightened over his mouth, both his hands and feet bound.
Kirisaki shifted his gaze to the silent girl, a mocking look on his face. "Will you please descend now, Tetsuya-san?"
She made no reply, only silently staring with wide eyes at the incapacitated boys.
"Or do you require some more encouragement?" He tightened his hold around Kenio and it was all the ginger could do to not cry out in pain. Inori bared her teeth and snarled in fury.
But even though he was barely keeping himself conscious, Kenio weakly cried, "Inori-san, please . . . run away . . ."
She opened her mouth but no words came out.
'No . . .'
'Attack.'
'NO . . .'
'ATTACK.'
Koji now hung limp over the mobster's shoulder while Jigoku stared at her pleadingly, his usual composure completely overtaken by panic.
'ATTACK!'
'NOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!'
But before she could crack, a green blur burst into the scene and slammed a fist under Kirisaki's ribcage.
"DETROIT . . . SMAAAAAAASSSHHH!"
Villain Name: Graviton/Danuja Fujita
Quirk: Absolute Gravity
Absolute Gravity allows Graviton to control the gravity of any object, living or non-living, in his vicinity and manipulate it in any way he wants. His Quirk is known to work at least 1,000 metres around his circumference and he is known to be able to control objects from 500-600 lbs.
P.S: Graviton is the first prisoner to have been jailed in Tartarus' new experimental cell block.
(Sunday, 15th May, 8:07 p.m. – South Musutafu)
When the door to her room was keyed open, she was ready.
Two armed men in black suits entered and one of them drawled, "Now, little miss, please accompany us without any-"
But they didn't expect an old wooden bed to be waiting right on the other side.
They had little time to react as it pushed right into them with great force, compelling them to back away. Seizing her chance, Hoshi jumped up from her hiding place behind the bed and ran outside into the corridors, not daring to turn back.
"HOLD IT, YOU LITTLE BRAT!" One of the men screamed after her and she heard them trying to push the bed away, which was losing its force due to her increasing distance from it. But with a final burst of power, the bed caught on fire from her applied pressure and the men screamed as the flames lapped at them.
She turned the right corner and found herself at the end of another long, dimly lit corridor and without stopping for a breath, ran as fast as her thin legs could, ignoring yells and shouts that were approaching from behind. Two men came rushing from another branched corridor in front of her and pointed their guns at Hoshi. "Stop right there, Hoshi-san!" the younger one yelled as they rushed straight at her.
But even though fear filled every crevice in her body, Hoshi knew she couldn't listen to them. She would not listen to them.
"Get out of my way!" she cried and once they were close enough, she exerted her Gravity Field; as her blue curls rose above her head in tendrils, the men's guns were pulled away from their grips and clattered to the floor.
"Oh no, you don't!" The younger man, however, managed to quickly grab hold of her, wrapping his arms around her waist. The girl squirmed and tried to hit his face but he was much stronger and in no time, had her arms pinned.
"Let me go!" Hoshi yelled, her eyes flaring into translucent amber as the strobe lights above her head began shaking. "I will not have my memory wiped!"
"Please, stay still!" he cried, wincing as she kicked his knee. "We don't want to hurt you!"
But despite her struggles, she was no match for her opponent in terms of physical strength. "I won't forget mamma and my friends!"
"Keep her down, Kuronuma!" the older man stated, forcing the girl to the floor. The strobe lights in the area were beginning to violently shake.
From both ends of the corridor, the sound of arriving reinforcements could be heard. Hoshi tried to raise her head, shouting, "I won't forget them! I won't! I WON'T!"
Each and every precious memory flashed through her mind. Suzuran's bashful smile the day Hoshi had called her 'friend', Asuna's proud smirk whenever Hoshi answered correctly in class, the fun conversations she shared with Kazumi, Koji's hilarious jokes that always cheered everyone up, passing the entrance exams with Kasai, the excitement in the crowd whenever Deku-sensei took a class, the fun classes they all shared together . . .
( 'Mamma will always be here with you, Hoshi.' )
'I don't want to forget!' Even if her hands were painfully restrained and she was pressed against the ground, she wouldn't stop struggling. 'I won't forget, I won't forget . . . I WON'T FORGET ANY OF MY PRECIOUS MEMORIES!'
But amidst her struggles, Hoshi had failed to notice a poisonously sweet smell fill the atmosphere.
"Oi, what's this stench?" One of the mobsters asked his companion, sniffing the air.
"Am I the only one who can see some sort of pink mist floating 'round here?" another commented, warily drawing his gun as the smog around them thickened. But in their growing panic and hurriedness, they did not notice the yellow blur speeding towards the group until it was too close.
"GYRATING KICK!"
Hoshi's eyes flew open at the familiar, high-pitched voice and she was set free when the man who had restrained her was pushed away, rolling forward until he slammed into the wall. The freckled girl only had a brief glance of Reiko grinning down at her before the blonde hoisted her up on her back and raced away from the men before they could even ready their guns.
"SHI-MA-MAMURA-CHAAAAAAAAAAAANNNNN!"
Hoshi's lips and eyelids were almost blown away at the fierce speed as they zoomed towards the end of the corridor. Kasai and Yasu, who were waiting at the intersection, caught hold of the dizzy girl as Reiko gently set her down. While Hoshi leaned against Yasu's tall frame to stabilise herself, Kasai focused on exhaling enough Death Breath to fill the corridors with a deadly smog that would knock everyone out from violent coughing fits.
Her head swimming with vertigo from the intense velocity of the ride, Yasu's warm pats to her back were much welcome. "You did well, Fujita-san," he kindly said, soothing her frayed emotions. "We're all here to save you."
And tears spilled out as soon as the words left his mouth.
"Why . . ." Hoshi's voice cracked, unable to remain stable.
Her small hands gripped at the front of his shirt as she hid her face towards the ground, teardrops splattering to the floor. "Why . . . for me . . . someone like me . . ."
Kasai grabbed the blue-haired girl's arm and stated in a firm but gentle voice, "I know there's a lot of things we need to discuss, Fujita-san, but we need to get out of here first." Hoshi could barely look at him through her tears but she gritted her teeth and fiercely nodded, wiping at her eyes.
Smiling sadly, Reiko tried to add some pep to the group. "But now that you're safe, Fujita, we'll all be having a big celebration once we get out of here!" Hoshi tried to smile back at her, in spite of the physical and emotional instability she was going through.
The four teenagers rushed through the corridors as fast as they could, with Reiko leading the way and Kasai acting as rearguard, ears alert for any noise that may hint at an upcoming confrontation.
The trio had been lucky in finding their way to Hoshi – the white building had seemed much smaller on the inside when they'd entered but after sneaking around and some near encounters, Yasu had noticed an odd-looking metallic door situated in a dark blind-spot at the end of a wide hallway. And, as he'd suspected, the mysterious key in his pocket was successful in opening the locked door, revealing a long network of narrow and intertwined corridors that made up the majority of the interior space of the white building. The place where Hoshi had been held captive.
'We still don't know who exactly gave us the key,' the blond's thoughts ran as they manoeuvred through the twining corridors, each of them turning up deserted. 'But why did they help us? Can they be considered our allies . . . or do they have other motives?'
However, their luck ran out because as they turned the intersection leading to the secret doorway, they came face-to-face with two familiar figures.
"I've gotta say it. You UA kids are really summin'."
Reiko and Yasu protectively stepped in front of Hoshi, eyes narrowed in angry glares while Kasai cracked his fingers, knuckles itching to beat up the fish-eyed man standing in front of him. Saji and Koiwai, along with a backup of half-a-dozen armed men, had been clearly waiting at the entrance.
'So that's why there was no one during all our running over here,' Yasu swallowed, wondering if there was any way to sneak past them. But chances looked very bleak.
"But I guess everyone's luck runs out, huh?" Saji mumbled, scratching the back of his head as his eyes roved over the quartet. "Although, in this case, it was inevitable. A dozen high schoolers, no matter how skilled they are, can never take on a mob of professional gangsters. It's common sense, don't you guys think so?"
"Has anyone ever told you that you talk too fucking much, you salmon-faced breadstick?!" Kasai snapped, his balaclava being unable to repress the enraged loathing in his voice. Yasu, Reiko and even the air-headed Hoshi stared at him in surprise, unable to recognise the reserved, quiet boy they were used to behind the heated aura he was currently giving off.
But what was even more surprising was the fact that the angry-faced Koiwai burst out into a fit of chuckles, hearty, deep laughter escaping from the pit of his chest. Saji, eyes brutally cold, glowered at his companion. "It ain't funny, Koiwai."
Instead of being threatened, however, Koiwai looked impressed. "I'll ask Boss if I can keep this kid as a pet." He eyed Kasai with blatant interest and the sapphire-haired boy moved back in horrified disgust. "After I beat a lot of sense into him, of course."
Indifferent, Saji shrugged his shoulders. "Do whatever you want. These brats don't matter to me, dead or alive." But after a pause, he mumbled, "Although we should kill one of them as punishment for all the trouble they've put us through."
As several guns were pulled out and aimed at the numb children, Hoshi moved forward, protectively spreading her arms to shield her friends as she. "NO, DON'T!"
However, the bullets never got a chance to be fired.
"Earphone Jack, go!"
Tentacole moved into the frame of the kids' vision as, with his several arms, he snatched away the guns of all six gangsters with overpowering force. Saji cursed under his breath and jumped up to hover away while Koiwai reached for the gun put away in his belt but both were two slow.
"HEARTBEAT PIERCE!" Kyouka grabbed hold of both men and penetrated her ear plugs through their skins. Saji and Koiwai froze as a loud reverberation rung violently through their insides and they collapsed to the ground, the world around them shaking. Their ears, eyes and all of their other senses seemed to have been thrown into disarray; even their limbs felt heavy and numb and their attempts to get up were futile.
"Saji-san!" one man tried to attack the female Pro from the back but a powerful arm grabbed the collar of his shirt and threw him down the corridor with such force that he crashed into the opposite wall.
The four students could only watch with awed gapes as the two Pro Heroes managed to incapacitate their opponents within a matter of minutes and very soon, the mobsters were lying motionlessly on the floor. The happy grins on their faces were wiped away when Kyouka turned stern eyes upon them. "So whose idea was this 'grand rescue plan'?"
Hoshi turned to the floor in guilt while Reiko nervously gulped and stared at Earphone Jack's shoes, the boys turning their heads to the sides.
As Tentacole broke the last their guns with his Dupli Arms, he sighed in relief. "But I'm really glad that we could reach you all in the nick of time." His eyes were kind and the teens let themselves smile a little again. "I hope none of you are seriously injured?"
The words, however, made Kasai remember that their other classmates were still in danger. "Tetsuya-san-I mean, one of our classmates has some serious injuries! She's fighting out front! And we-we still haven't met three of our other classma-!"
But instead of looking tensed, Earphone Jack and Tentacole had smiles of assurance on their faces. "If you're talking about Tetsuya Inori, Nakamura Kenio, Tejina Jigoku and Aizawa Koji, then rest easy." The quartet stared at her with confusion. "Because Deku has already rescued them."
And the four high schoolers flashed the broadest grins they could muster . . . before Yasu's eyes widened in realisation.
"Itou-san . . .," he mumbled, turning to the two Pros. "Excuse me but was there an Itou Haruka with them?! A tall boy with metal limbs and spiky, navy blue hair?!" Kyouka and Shoji exchanged confused, worried glances before shaking their heads.
Hoshi's eyes widened in dismay. "I-Itou-san too . . .?"
"No . . . only the four students we mentioned." Shoji's heart sank at the anxious expressions on their faces. "There was no such boy you talk of."
"I-It's Itou, right?" Reiko tried to smile but her lips twisted into a grimace. She grabbed Kasai's shoulders and stuttered, "H-H-He's strong! I-Itou's really strong! Nothing would take him . . . down that easily!"
"Actually, girl, I think it's likely he's dead."
"Out of the way!" The blonde sputtered in bewilderment as Tentacole pulled her and Kasai away from the spot they'd been standing in, blocking the two against a katana swipe. Koiwai moved a few steps back, holding a gleaming, bloodied blade poised to strike and Hoshi screamed as one of Tentacole's hands dropped to the floor, cleanly chopped off.
As Saji clumsily got up on his feet, Kyouka hissed, "Why?! My Heartbeat Pierce should've left you immobile for at least fifteen minutes!"
"Don't . . . lump us in with third-rate henchmen . . .," the fish-eyed man groaned, gesturing towards the other gangsters who'd been knocked out cold. Yasu stepped back, pushing his friends behind him as Saji and Koiwai stepped towards them, eyes glowering.
"We're Float and Blade Meister, two of Graviton's Fatal Four." Saji's feet lifted off the ground even as Koiwai took a running stance. "And you Pros should know we won't go down so easily."
"Make for the exit and find Anima! He'll escort you to safety!" Tentacole yelled as he blocked another strike from Koiwai, wrapping a hand around the blade tip in an attempt to break it off. Hoshi stared wide-eyed at the blood dripping down his palm before she was jolted by Kasai and dragged through the entrance, emerging out into the main halls.
But before they could even properly assess what was happening, a devastating earthquake threw everything into chaos.
(Sunday, 15th May, 8:21 p.m. – South Musutafu)
"Well, they definitely won't be getting up for a while."
Kirisaki, as well as his henchmen, had their lights knocked out by a single punch from Deku. Free from their binds, the 1-A students watched as a whole squad of policemen began swarming into the area, along with the popular Heroes Earphone Jack, Tentacole and Anima. Koji even recognised some less popular ones with them.
"Surround the house! Make sure to follow the layouts given to you and check for all and any blind spots!"
"Move, move, move! Guns drawn at the ready! Not a single one should escape!"
"All squad members and Heroes will prioritise the search for and safety of the described hostages!"
"Professionals are really something else," Kenio muttered with awe as he watched the geared police and Heroes move swiftly and confidently, pouring inside the white building. On the other hand, he was so exhausted that he couldn't even move on his own and had to lean against Jigoku for support.
Inori, although fascinated with everything that was happening, couldn't take her eyes off Deku. Even when he did something as mundane as adjust his gloves, he looked brilliantly inspiring and admirable.
'Eh . . . my heartbeat's speeding up again . . .'
"The four of you should get out of this neighbourhood and get to a safe distance," Deku turned to them with a solemn face and at that look, the quartet knew they were going to face big trouble tomorrow. "I really wish we could've afforded a protection and escort squad for you guys but I'm afraid our resources and time are rather tight right now."
When Inori realised what he was saying, words suddenly poured out of her mouth. "But Fujita and the others-"
"I am here, Tetsuya-san." Her heart skipped one – no, three – beats at the words and his reassuring smile. "Besides, you are in no condition to protest in your current state, bleeding from several wounds. And I can see Nakamura-san is about to pass out as well."
She looked at the ginger with realisation dawning upon her and he gave her a weak, sheepish smile. 'I have been selfish.' Guilt crashed upon her in heaving torrents. She'd promised to protect all of them and had massively failed. And, on top of that, she hadn't paid attention to her friend's deteriorating condition.
'I'm pathetic.'
'Yes, you definitely are.'
"You are right, sensei," Inori bowed apologetically. "I will immediately-"
But before she could complete her words, a violent earthquake cut through everyone's defences, throwing everything into complete pandemonium.
(Sunday, 15th May, 8:29 p.m. – Midoriya Household)
Ochako stared out at the brilliantly glimmering city below from her apartment's balcony, eyes listless as various thoughts invaded her mind. The lights in the living room were switched on and a few documents, her laptop and her cell phone carelessly littered the wooden coffee table.
( "Are you taking him away? Forever?" )
A wistful sigh escaped her as she rubbed her swollen belly, filled with new life that had been the culmination of her and Deku's union.
. . . Even the thought of being separated from the baby inside her was too painful for her to grasp.
"I hope . . . they're alright . . .," she muttered, leaning against the plush chair and closing her eyes. "All of them . . ."
ED 2 – Superman by Crystal Kay
Inori: No author's note this time?
Pinky: . . . Hmmm, I really have nothing to say.
Kenshi: Oi, you hag.
Pinky: H-Hag?!
Kenshi: What reward do the most popular five get?
Pinky: Ah, that! Well it's a secret . . .
Kenshi: NOT AGAIN!
Pinky: But let's just say you'll enjoy it! Ehehehehe!
Kenshi: I really don't like the creepy face you're making . . . -_-;