VictorsMyName: Maybe, but there may be one more that you're forgetting X3
Also! I'll be posting daily until this arc is finished, after that I'll be going on break until the next arc is done because I don't want to take any stops posting that one since it is going to likely be the last arc until more of the show comes out. So strap in everyone, things from here are getting intense!
Kaiji pulled back the curtain around his bed after he finished getting dressed. Quickly looking himself over, "How does it look?" He asked casually.
"You look fine." Tsunotori smiled and nodded from her own hospital bed.
"Thanks, wasn't so sure when DK showed up with these clothes," Kaiji replied with a nervous chuckle, "Darius is a great Hero and Teacher buuut... He's a little eccentric."
"You don't say?"
It was early Friday morning, the final day of the internships, and Darius swung by to drop off some clothes since all of Kaiji's were lost in the fire. They'd be heading home later, both of them hopefully fully recovered by then. Kaiji himself was feeling fine, but knew he should take it easy just to be safe. While Tsunotori would need a few more days to be fully recovered, hopefully alright by Monday, when they would return to school.
"I hate to abandon you, but I'm gonna take a walk and stretch my legs." He said finally, rolling his shoulders a bit. After being cooped up here for so long he was going a bit stir crazy.
"No problem, you might miss breakfast... But the Hospital food sucks anyways." She joked with a light laugh.
"Ugh, I'll bring you back something better." He offered with a laugh, heading out the door.
Kaiji made his way down the hall to the elevator, stepping inside after hitting the button and beginning his descent as he thought over the last week here. Sure, things had gotten kinda scary, but over all he was happy with how things had turned out. With his new power, he'd be able to do even better at school. Without needing to transform to increase his physical prowess, he could excel. At this point, he might even be among the top in the class!
He returned to reality as the elevator doors opened, stepping out and into the lobby. Adachi turned towards the call area, considering trying to get in touch with his father, or his friends. But he figured his Father was busy, and his friends were likely working at their internships still. So instead, he headed out the door, making his way down the sidewalk to give his legs a nice workout.
Taking a deep breath, Kaiji sighed contently as he soaked in the morning light, "Today is gonna be a good day!" He grinned, before noticing some fast approaching clouds, "Hmm? Looks like it might rain though..."
. . .
Taking a deep breath, Kasumi sighed excitedly as she soaked in the morning light, "Today is gonna be a GREAT day!" She beamed, before noticing some fast approaching clouds, "Mmm~ Looks like it will rain too!"
"You remember the plan right?" Kurogiri questioned, the warp villains portal open atop a tall building, "No matter what happens, you will be back here for pick up in two hours... If not, I cannot help you."
She turned to him, smirking as her two companions stepped out of the portal as well, "Of course, I'll do my job, and if your- our, Masters plan works as well as he thinks, you'll have me in your little League."
"Then get to work... And Kasumi," Kurogiri added, his own warp gate halting for a moment, "Good luck."
Zodiac hesitated for a moment, before she laughed it off, "Bah! I don't need luck, I'm the F-ing Zodiac!"
. . .
In the streets far below, a young boy was making his way towards the hospital. He wore a simple black school uniform, but with a hole in the back for his monkey tail to hang out. His face was a bit hairier than it should have been, but for the most part he looked no different than a normal red headed boy. He was excitedly on his way to see that promising young student his father had been gushing over recently, and with all the craze of the Agency getting burned down, he had plenty of time to stop by and say hello before school.
"I can't wait to meet him! Dad said I can be just like him when I go to UA!" He thought to himself, grinning from ear to ear as he rounded another corner.
Darius Krowe Jr. Top student at the local school, and son of the local star hero! He may have been young, but he was going to inherit his fathers title as the number one hero in Dokuga District some day!
As he neared the hospital, he stopped and checked the time, "Hmm... Yeah, I've got enough time to say hi before class." He nodded, continuing forward, "Dad did say we'd stop by after school because he was busy this morning... But I just can't wait!"
As he passed by the next alley, a long green tentacle reached out snagging the boy around the neck and face. Pulling him into darkness before anyone could see, or react to his disappearance.
Unfortunately, it seemed Fate, or at least Zodiac, had other plans for Junior...
. . .
"Her disappearance just doesn't make any sense..." Darius grumbled, arms crossed as he looked over the evidence they had.
"We found her blood trail up the coast," Vector added, looking over the screens before them. They were at his Agency, since the AMA had been burned down, "But it ends cold right there... But these other footprints mean she did find someone."
"Something isn't right here," Darius muttered, putting a hand on his chin in thought, "To just vanish out of thin air..." He remembered something he read in the reports of the USJ incident, narrowing his eyes, "Someone is pulling strings here..."
Vector turned towards him, "You think it has something to do with that League of Villains?"
"After what happened in Hosu, finding out they're linked to the Hero Killer..." Darius nodded his head, "I think it's safe to say we can't rule them out..."
"If they did take her away... We might not see her for some time." Vector replied in thought.
"Yeah, maybe... But I've got a bad feeling." Darius grumbled, scratching the back of his neck, "Come on, lets swing by the Hospital and check on our interns before getting back to it." He sighed, shaking his head.
"I could certainly use the break..."
. . .
Kaiji was sitting on a bench when it finally happened, the clouds overhead releasing a drizzle of rain upon the streets when suddenly an explosion shattered the usual sounds of city life. He was instantly on his feet, looking towards the rising pillars of smoke. A few other citizens nearby were looking towards it as well, others instantly going to their phones to call this in.
"Is Zodiac back already?" Kaiji wondered, narrowing his eyes before he ran across the street, through the nearest alley and began making his way towards the smoke.
It was only a street or two over, coming from one of the towns main intersections. Clearly, whoever was doing this wanted to put on a show. And as Kaiji neared scene, he could already see crowds of people on the edge of the street watching. And in the center of the chaos, standing atop a pile of ruined cars was that twisted woman, Zodiac, and she had a young boy with her...
"I-Is that-" Kaiji's eyes widened, spotting the two forms emerging from the smoke behind her caused by an exploding car. One of them was smaller, thin with green skin, a few writhing tentacles sticking out of his back. While the other, was massive and bulging with muscle, steel grey skin with an extra, smaller pair of arms beneath the first. Though, one thing they shared in common, was the exposed brain on their heads, "Noumu..."
"Come on Darius! I came all this way!" Zodiac cried out, holding up the tied boy by the back of his shirt, "Don't you want to save your boy? I would hate to kill a child..."
"Th-That's Darius' son!?" Kaiji's entire body stiffened, suddenly realizing what was going on here. She said she wanted him dead, and with a hostage that valuable to him... He would certainly give her what she wanted if it meant saving him.
"The pros will be here soon," Someone said nearby, speaking among the crowd, "And the police, we should get away from here while we can."
"B-But what about that kid?"
Kaiji's eyes fell on the boys face, he was gagged with a rag, but the fear in his eyes was clear. He'd been crying, and Kaiji couldn't blame him. He only looked a year or two younger than Kaiji himself, and the longer he looked the more resemblance he saw to that big goofy monkey. But his eyes weren't just filled with fear, not like that of a victim, he could see the worry inside of them. This boy understood more than most would give him credit for.
"He's terrified... Not just because of the situation he's in, but because he knows they're going to use him against his father... I-I have to do something!" Adachi's hands tightened into fists, both shaking, "My muscles are freshly healed but... If I overdo it I'll tear them again, not to mention the broken tail bones... I barely survived last time, if I do this I could be-"
"Fine! Maybe if my friends here pile up a few civilian corpses," His eyes darted back to Zodiac, "You'll pick up the pace!"
Kaiji could hear sirens in the distance, the police were on their way, but where was Darius? Or Vector? "Dammit... HEY!" Kaiji shouted, pushing forward through the crowd, stepping into the street as Zodiac's eyes fell on him.
"Well well well... If it isn't the boy wonder," She sneered looking down at him, "And here I was planning to hunt you down once this was over too... How nice of you to show up."
"Who is that?" Mutters began from the crowd.
"A new sidekick at the AMA I think."
"He was at the bridge with Gryphon a few days ago!"
"I thought he was still in the hospital..."
"So you've thrown your lot in with the League eh?" He demanded, silencing the crowd as he attempted to buy time. Zodiac seemed surprised by his response, "That's right, I've seen these freaks before, these... Noumu," Kaiji scoffed, "You certainly picked terrible allies, you must not have seen the news lately, but the League of Villains has been getting trashed left and right! The USJ, Tagua, and even the Hero Killer was brought down..."
Zodiac snickered lightly, soon bursting into full laughter as she looked upon him, "Ahahahaha~! Y-You foolish boy, you don't know anything, if you think those little mishaps are anything but bumps on our road to total domination! You're facing an evil you can't even comprehend! You should just give up being a hero now!"
Adachi took a deep breath, narrowing his eyes, "Not before I turn you into another speed bump, you crazy bitch." His eyes flashed with light, as his body began to change. Kaiji doubled over, clothes tearing as he grew in size and spikes began jutting from his back. Members of the crowd stepping back as his form continued growing until he reached ten feet tall, mouth jutting forward in a feral reptilian snout as he slammed his fists into the street, roaring out, "GRAAAAAH!"
"That was so fast!" Kaiji realized, that being the first time he'd changed to this stage since his evolution. "And I hardly feel that usual strain! M-My body has adapted to the power more," He focused his eyes on Zodiac, more ready to fight than ever, "I can do this... I can beat her!"
Zodiac watched with mild interest, "Another feral beast, just like Darius... Very well, Noumu, kill."
As Kaiji charged forward, the two mutant villains rushing to meet him, his eyes darted to the boy held captive, "I will save you, just hang on!"
