Chapter 21
In the days to come, inexorable progress was being made compared to the rickety beginnings that Izuku and his friends experienced. In the span of just one month, Bakugou and Izuku gathered the necessary materials required to repair Denki's prosthetic limb, which now functioned better than ever thanks to the blueprints etched out by AC. One week into their new residence, Bakugou was now working as a crane operator for a reputable construction firm.
In the same week, Tenya oversaw dozens of small assembly projects, as well as the mining and collection of primary resources for the marketing sector. It was two weeks after that Denki started his route as a simple paper boy working mornings, giving him an appreciative amount of time to furnish the apartment- while at the same time, self-appointing himself the house cook. Once they had moved in they began endowing the residence with the few trinkets and fixtures they had brought from Galliedenn. It finally began to impersonate a home, one that Izuku had been grateful to find.
The original plan involved Bakugou's dismissal once he found himself a suitable career. With that being said, he voiced no campaign to depart, nor did the group endorse a departure of any sort. Though his character was explosive, with a temper that was much to be desired, the group had grown accustomed to his presence in a peculiar manner. Though Bakugou himself would never admit it, he took a liking to the company.
Fortunately, Izuku had gained some advancement in a career working in an esteemed assembly line at "Ceederwood Motors." The employment he had acquired fit his requirements perfectly, granting him the perfect amount of autonomy, in addition to a conceivable rise in status. His skills were being put to good use, as the atmosphere around the factory exhibited a novel yet familiar juxtaposition.
The work had been the same. Fixing the various valves and chambers of motorized steam vehicles gave him a sense of nostalgia as he twiddled various monkey wrenches about his digits. Though his co-workers were an auxiliary gratuity, he forged new friendships with the coal miners and steam engineers that toiled about the sweatshop.
However, while the others showed signs of growth and progress, both fiscally and emotionally, it was Izuku who unexpectedly struggled between hardship and promise. The minute he adjusted to his new living quarters, he had rushed to the nearest GAUNT tube in an attempt to contact Shanta and Yoroi from home. Much to his dismay, no response was conveyed in the three weeks since he sent the dispatch. The constant work, as well as the friends he held dear to him, were all that retained his sanity, saving him from sweeping sorrow. Though it appeared finally, that Aspeu's manhunt had drowned to a lull.
However, Izuku would not accept the prospect of Shanta and Yoroi being subdued and captive to a foreign government due to the actions he caused. The denial he faced cast a constant mourning in his eyes that would not size to fade. Between the sage consolations of Tenya, the iron skin attitude cast by Bakugou, or the humorous reassurances of Denki nothing seemed to uplift his spirits. However, it was the income he received that instituted the greatest comfort. This was not due to greed, or a need for luxurious material goods, but due instead to the false hope that the credits would help his family in whatever situation they found themselves in.
The dawn had struck on a frost turbulent morning, just as it had the previous day, and the day before that. Izuku and Bakugou did not commence their shifts until much later. Sizing the opportunity, they took the liberty of grocery shopping for their unit. The sun, barely peaking from the clouds that obscured it, gleamed through Izuku's curtain, awakening him. Groggy and confused he veered up right, yawned, and perceived the room around him. Discarding his itinerant life, the knicks and knacks he had hauled all the way from Egrary now rested on the many shelves that littered the room.
Once his senses came to order, he rubbed the sleep out of his eyes, noticing that Bakugou was out of bed earlier than expected. Having acquired him as his new roommate proved surprisingly welcoming. Apart from the shelves that displayed Izuku trinkets, the room itself was empty, as a consequence of Bakugou being a minimalist. This was fine by Izuku, knowing full well that having a disordered lodger would have proved far more irksome. He rose from his mattress, brushing his thigh with the tips of his finger. He smiled at the sight of his rapidly healed wound, thankful that Moonfish had not stuck any major arteries. He quickly fastened his classic tunic, brown khakis, and red leather soles before brushing his olive hair back, and trotting out to the common area.
The common area, much like his room, held very little furniture apart from a dusty leather couch, a stained-glass table, and small cupboards built into the walls. Before Izuku had the chance to further examine the quarters he was taken aback by an unforeseeable blinded light materializing from the center of the room. The instant Izuku eyes adjusted to the room he could see the origin of said light, emanating from the blow torch firmly clasped by Bakugou.
It appeared as though he was working on Denki's bionic arm, which lay barren on a glass countertop. Both Denki and Bakugou were wearing protective eye gear as to avoid any retina damage from the various sparks and embers that bounced about. Izuku observed the metallic fingers that stretched and motioned. The mechanized hum of resistors, and the buzzing's of circuits echoed throughout the barren chamber.
"How about a little warning next time?" barked Izuku as he instinctively covered his eyes with his dominant forearm. At that moment the fiery blaze sized, and Bakugou subsequently lifted the protective wielding cap from his crown.
"Time is money Midoriya, early bird gets the worm" he said in his own apologetic manner.
"I thought you said your niche was organometallics, what on earth could be taking you so long? You've had a month to work on that thing." Tenya said this from the corner of the room in a disparaging tone, having clearly been fed up with the constant auditory and visual assault brought about by Bakugou's work.
"Hey, are you really going to speak that way to the guy with the blow torch?" replied Bakugou, in a manner which could be perceived as either hostile or teasing.
"I want to let you know I do appreciate that you're doing this for me Bakugou," Denki said, his voice dripping with appreciativeness.
"No need to thank me, I just expect to get paid for the work is all. As long as that happens, we're even," said Bakugou in kind. "Not to get you to enthusiastic, but the arm now contains an additional setting programmed into it," he continued in a zealous tone.
"What are you on about?" Denki asked inquisitively.
"I'll start off by saying this, you should thank AC rather than me. Without the schematics, there would have been no way I could have pulled this off."
"Just spill the beans man, I'm curious enough already," he asked more exasperated than before.
"Press that button and you'll find out." Following Bakugou's order Denki hesitantly pressed a dial located at the center of his forearm. A jolt of electricity ran through the back of his neck and down the barrel of his prosthetic limb. Tendrils of bizarre yellow current radiated from the surface of the metal. A low buzz pulsated reverberating off the walls, causing Denki's hair to uplift ever so slightly.
"Woah, what's all this?" Denki asked, sounding both thrilled and frightened.
"Think of it as a glorified taser," Bakugou said pompously, feeling a sense of pride after having the feature installed.
"AC must have wanted you to have some way to defend yourself. You know, after that whole Moonfish fiasco," reasoned Izuku. All Denki could do was sit ogling at the advantageous novelty fixed upon his arm. It read clearly on his expression that he felt a sense of pride, perhaps even security.
"Thanks, so much Bakugou, truly. Maybe I'll finally be of some use to the group now, I'll be able to put up a fight if the green caps ever show up," he said jubilantly. Once Denki closed his fist, the light shows sized, and the room returned to its original illumination.
"Oh don't say that Denki you've always been an asset. Speaking of usefulness, what happened about our plan regarding supply hunting?" Izuku said, grilling Bakugou. "The market's an hour away and the weather outside is terrible, the earlier we go the better."
"Calm down Izuku I was just finishing up. Besides I was bored waiting for you to get out of bed," he said, sealing a metal fold within the bionic arm, successively rising from his chair. With a sly grin, melded by slight vexation, Izuku bobbed his head towards the door, and the two dispersed to the hallway. On the way out of the apartment complex they made it a point to complement both Mr. Izumi and Kota Izumi. Though Mr. Izumi was on cue, forever ready at the door. It was Kota that was nowhere to be seen.
"Hey Mr. Izumi, is Kota around?" said Izuku with a friendly morning wave.
"No sadly you just missed him. He went to the market to stock up on morning newspapers for the building," said the gentleman.
"Oh great, I guess we'll run into him on the way then. Anyways, have a nice day," said Izuku kindly, while Bakugou nodded his head in an almost imperceptible greeting. Once their doors reached the outside they immediately began trudging as best they could through the snow and to the market. Several moments of silence past, as the weight of how Shanta and Yoroi's well-being began to weigh on Izuku' shoulders once. The expression on his was so noticeably distraught even Bakugou, the most emotionally stunted of the entire party, could perceive his grief.
"Don't get so worked up about it," said Bakugou, revisiting the topic of unresponsiveness on Izuku family's part. "There could be a hundred and one reasons why you haven't heard from them yet. It could be the weather you know, that's delaying your message, ever thought of that?" he said consolingly.
"Bakugou, the message I sent goes through a GAUNT, a glass automated underground network of tubing. I don't see how any sort of weather would remotely impact the transportation," he said dismayed.
"Hey man the snow could have frozen the pipes! You never know, it's probably happened before. There's just no point in moaning or bitching about it." Izuku let a pause blow by.
"I appreciate Bakugou, but sadly I don't think that's the case."
"Just trying to help," Bakugou concluded whilst throwing his palms in the air defensively. The silence that would have otherwise filled the air was cut by the howling of frosty winds that sliced through the air, making warm blooded foreigners such as Bakugou and Izuku wonder, just exactly how any life could possibly be sustained here. Izuku felt the pit in his stomach grow, all consuming. In an attempt to engross himself in other matters, he sought to alter the topic of conversation.
"So, Bakugou, enough about that, how's work?" asked Izuku.
"I mean hey, it's a paycheck. The base pay has got to be almost twice that of Galliedenn, so that's a major bonus. It's just boring you know, sitting on my ass all day picking stuff up and plopping it down again," he said trying not to appear to ungracious.
"Oh I'm sorry about that man I had no idea," Izuku said supportively.
"There's just no room for growth you know, no autonomy, right? Even if I rise up the ranks of the firm, all I'll really be doing is barking orders at others down the line. I don't even have a real grasp for what were even building you know?" said Bakugou discouragingly.
"That doesn't make any sense," said Izuku cocking an eyebrow.
"Exactly. I might have been scraping by in Galliedenn, but at least I had a sense of purpose or pride in my work," Bakugou said, being much more open about his sentiments than usual. In any other circumstance Izuku would have found that pleasant, though Bakugou's change in character took him slightly aback.
"I'm sure you can't complain, you're probably loving your new career," replied Bakugou.
"Yeah I guess I am. I'm basically doing exactly what I did the minute I left, fixing catalytic converters, swapping mufflers in and out, tweaking the occasional piston you know?"
"Sounds like a whole bunch of motorized steamy vehicle jargon to me," Bakugou said with a yawn.
"Well I mean hey, there's a lot more road here. Half the town isn't submerged like it is in Galliedenn, people here drive a lot more," said Izuku in an illuminating fashion.
"Good point."
"I'll have to hand it to you though, it is kind of tedious compared to toying with AC, seeing how he runs," said Izuku with a sigh.
"Speaking of which, are you getting any closer to learning what he is or how he works?" asked Bakugou.
"I don't think there's a single person alive who can understand what makes that ball tick," Izuku said with a chuckle. "He's just other worldly you know?" Bakugou paused for a brief interval.
"Where is he anyway?" asked Bakugou curiously. A sly grin plastered itself across Izuku face. He extended his hand out, the palm of his glove immediately beginning to accumulate the flakes of snow that were pouring from the sky's. A high-pitched whistle escaping the confines of Izuku's mouth resonating through the alleyways of Ceederwood.
A second later, the golden globe, which had now taken permanent residence inside the knapsack of Izuku, flew out and placed itself directly into his opened hand. Its familiar lilac lens showered both Izuku and Bakugou in a dim light as it observed the two trekking along the snow
"Damn, it's like you have him trained and everything," said Bakugou, utterly impressed.
"I wouldn't call it training. I got the feeling that this fella right here is much smarter than any dog or cat you could find. Probably smart then you and I," Izuku said pleasantly.
"Bet you were relived once Tensei and Tento let you off the hook and allowed you to keep him?" Bakugou said, grabbing AC from Izuku palm, juggling him gently from one hand to the next.
"Oh, absolutely without question" Izuku said, with no attempt to hide the relief in his voice. The trudging continued for minutes longer, with many more to go until their final marketplace destination. In an attempt to conserve time, Izuku veered off to a shorter route, with Bakugou following suit, juggling AC amusingly all the while.
After several more minutes they found themselves in a narrower alleyway. Though they were slightly sheltered from the snow, the height of the building and the stretch of the road casted a looming shadow over them, making it more difficult to see. The smell emitting from the sewer grates, and grimy walls gave off an eerie ambiance. The tunics and slacks being suspended from drying strings above gave off the appearance of ill-omened ghouls that hovered over the heads of wanderers.
"Not saying I don't like the town," said Izuku cautiously, "but some parts of it give me the creeps."
"I hear that, reminds me of where I grew up in the west side Galliedenn," he said, appearing distressed.
"I take it you didn't like your upbringing all that much then?" said Izuku raising an eyebrow.
"Your right on the money," confirmed Bakugou. Before Izuku allowed himself to deliver a comforting retort, a flicker of movement danced about his peripheral vison, as he instinctively veered his head one hundred and eighty degrees.
"Did you see that?" said Izuku cautiously.
"Yep, we got company. Looks like people ahead of us and behind us," said Bakugou, his eyes darting back and forth. Having been prepared for the worst since coming to Aspeu, thinking on their toes became second nature, like it would for any runaway felon. They stood quick, back to back, each staring down one alleyway.
"Bakugou hand me AC," requested Izuku sternly. With no retaliation Bakugou tossed the orb to Izuku, who immediately began to twist its segments and prod its buttons. It was at that moment that the shadowy figures reveled themselves, aware that their cover had been blown. Approximately ten feet in each direction, lofty brutes emerged from the corners of the cobblestone road. Though the shade hid many features, their eyes pierced the dimness, reviling foreboding, and even some crazed glares.
"I count two on my end," Izuku murmured to Bakugou.
"Two on mine as well," Bakugou replied angrily. Various leather belts were draped about the figures from shoulder to hip. Many sported checkered handkerchiefs tucked underneath their ringmasters' jacket. The majority carried wooden cudgels, with black electrical tape wrapped around the grip as to prevent splintering, barbed wire had been woven onto the tip of some. The shortest of the bunch carried a second-rate pistol, it's etches and features becoming clearer as the ranger advanced.
"Howdy, oh how I am delighted to finally have made your acquaintance," he said displays a row of catawampus, yellow tainted teeth.
"Do I know you," Izuku said through gritted teeth, stalling as he furiously tampered with AC's interface.
"No. I don't suspect you do, but we know you my friend. Ceederwood's a small town you see, word spreads pretty fast amongst these parts. I'm even taken aback at how long it's taken us to run into you lot, but here we finally are," he continued, tipping his bonnet in an awkward fashion.
"Oh that's great, come to give us a friendly welcoming party?" questioned Bakugou sarcastically. At this, the frontrunner of the mob chuckled.
"What a lovely accent," he said, mockery dripping from his tenor, "Anyhow, in regard to the welcoming party, I'm afraid this is all you get." His chuckle quickly faded as he slowly raised his firearm, pointing it directly at Izuku and Bakugou. Izuku hesitated within the scope of the firearm, his hands became clammy while his movements slackened.
"Got to be honest Bakugou, I'm getting real tired of having guns pointed at my face," Izuku whispered discreetly to Bakugou.
"Ok let's take it easy," Bakugou hollered in an attempt to make peace with their assailants, "what's the issue here?"
"The issue is," said one of the furthest brutes, "You foreigners coming here from out of the blue, trying to take what's ours," he said boisterously.
"What?" Bakugou growled, the venom in his voice was so dense it could be bottled.
"Now that's a bit much don't you think?" Izuku said in an attempt to diffuse the situation. "We're here for a reason, for mutual benefit yeah? With the economy as good as it is here, don't you figure you can use a couple more grunts doing some of the dirty work, manual labor and all that?" He spoke in an attempt to pander to their conservative philosophies, and their ideal's that lack any foreign aid.
"Now if you put it like that it all sounds crystal," the shorter ranger began once more, "there are many here in this republic as a matter of fact, that hold the same ideals as you. However, when the tyranny of the majority is hypnotized by those naïve few, that's when real dystopia occurs," he said, almost as if he was giving a speech.
"Big words for the guy with the gun, why don't you set it down and we can maybe have civilized chat" said Izuku, once again trying to promote peaceful discourse. The man was clearly vexed by this suggestion, cocking the hammer back on his firearm, as the distinct click rung throughout the alleyway. A gulping sound resounded from Izuku' throat, instigated by fear.
"As I was saying," said the assailant haughtily "mores are what trump the laws. It is the values and ideals, set by the public, that determine the fate of a nation. It rests on the shoulders of the strong willed, to carry out the actions that the weak of heart cannot, all for the people."
"Your standing there all high and mighty, but how do you know what the people want?" Izuku spoke sternly, in a futile attempt to reason with a man that had been living his life by a singular archetype.
"Because unlike you senseless foreigners, I've walked in their shoes and shared in their suffering." As he spoke his register increased, festering in his own self-inflicted anger. "What resistance can people offer, when they have already faltered so many times? The bureaucracy and man power that have been invested in the promise of a coexistence is sickening! Most are too inexperienced, too raw to see it, but I do." His final words came out with raw indignation, and blinding hate. The man closed one eye, while the exposed one stared down the sights of the pistol, taking deadly aim.
"Izuku!" Bakugou shouted, extending his arms out, attempting to contort both their bodies to ducking position, making a smaller target for the bullet to strike. At that moment however, he pitched AC straight up, after having tuned it for some time. A loud bang was heard, echoing like a thunderclap. Startled dogs howled angrily at the loud blare.
Bakugou had opened his clenched eyes, with a dire concern for their lives, presuming one had been stuck with a projectile. What he instead saw was what appeared to be a violet window, as bright as a neon sign. Perfectly proportioned hexagons patterned the barrier like veins. He shot his head aloft staring at the origin of the defensive shelter. The orb that had previously rested in the hands of Izuku now hovered above the duo with, the lilac barrier originated from its circumference like an egg-shaped curtain.
"Now this is exactly why I didn't want to give AC up," he whispered wittily to Bakugou. The man who had once been spewing word's like a fire hydrant gushes torrents of water, now remained silent. He worryingly approached the threatened youths.
"I'll let you know when the buffer is down. Once I do, I could use a hand," he muttered gingerly to Bakugou, having confidence that none of the aggressors heard what he had mentioned. Aside from the node that was given in response, the two stood motionless, as their four opponents drew closer and closer to them. All were hesitant, having no inkling as to what could transpire next.
"What in the world is that?" the tallest of the accosters moaned, having no desire to continue with the violence.
"I think I get it now. You two are spies aren't you," said the shortest, having found is anger once more. "Where are you from anyway, hu? Brasstrone? Anzai? Why come all the way to Ceederwood?" As he rambled on, rattling both questions and accusations, he marched closer and closer to both Izuku and Bakugou, who continued to remain stationary. The attackers were almost upon them now, mere inches from the translucent wall that separated the two factions. An overwhelming curiosity could be notably perceived, as the armed gunman stretched his free hand out, engrossed by the otherworldly erection.
"Now!" bellowed Izuku, startling the attackers and alerting Bakugou all at once. The moment the pitch registered, the purple guard dissipated into a mauve gas, giving Izuku the opening he required. With the assailant still stunned, Izuku clutched the opponents pistol with his left hand, while delivering a right hook with his dominant hand. Though the blow landed accurately and fervidly, the strange man refused to relinquish his weapon, as the two struggled ferociously for control of the firearm, the muzzle pointing down as to not inflict any self-harm.
Bakugou conversely stretched both his arms out, palms exposed, and digits stretched. With brute force he grasped the skulls of the two assailants closest to him, jamming his palms into their respective faces. He then pivoted both his legs in such a way as to maintain center gravity, while unsteadying the larger men. This maneuver drove both men to the ground, their rear heads being the first to make contact with the hardened cobblestone below. Though stars danced around the men's dazed vision they fought on, their hefty bodies weighing them down, slowing their movements.
As Izuku fended off a fatal attack from the gunman, Bakugou parried and weaved, delivering blow after blow with his swollen knuckles and rocketing arms. This left one man out of the fray, startled at the sudden carnage that was displayed ahead. The final man was remarkably green when it came to robbing, his face pale with concern.
"Don't just stand there you moron, help us," said the armed man, his stance still shackled by the struggle Izuku imposed upon him, knowing full well that relinquishing the pistol would mean certain death. Grasping the urgency of the situation the man shook his head, concocting flanked attack to Izuku side. The moment his leather gumboots tore off the pavement however AC propelled himself through the air with cold blasts of compressed air, driving his hard metal exterior into the gut of the flanker, bringing him to his knees coughing copiously.
The battle proceeded a minute longer, though to Izuku and Bakugou, their time was rendered in slow motion. They desperately fought on knowing full well that any false move could be their last. Having finally managed some leeway, and a steadier grip on the armament, Izuku drove all of his power into a hip check using the driving force of his legs and core, finally causing the attacker to lose grip as he landed firmly on his side.
Izuku beheld the gun in his hand, his eyes widened with a newfangled fear. The fear of what harm he himself could commit onto other which such a weapon. Deprived of reason he strained his arm and tossed the heavy pistol as far as gravity would allow, as it skidded onto the ground several meters away from the skirmish. With some fresh breathing room Izuku was finally able to swerve his head towards Bakugou, in the hopes that he himself was not to gravely injured.
As impressive as Bakugou was, with his brawler's physique and agile movements several cuts could be noted on his brow and lip, he knee appeared to be injured as he darted cumbersomely with a slight limp. Izuku began a sprint towards Bakugou and his assailants, though he was stopped dead in his tracks by the disarmed grunt. The man dove, tackling Izuku to the hard rock, pinning him down with his excess weight. Though Izuku struggled, he felt his arm contort and lock into place, held firmly by the deviant above. From a distance he surveyed helplessly as he Bakugou's energy begin to fade, while the muggers craned their fists back delivering devastating blows.
"This is what you get for messing with us you little shit," the man murmured in his ear as he watched helplessly. In a final attempt to break free from his captivity, Izuku thrust his head back violently as the rear of his noggin made contact with the man's nose. He felt a wade of hot blood dispense over his head, as the assailant reared back in agony, cradling his broken nose in hand. By the time Izuku regained his footing he bore witness to Bakugou curled up into fetal position, being mercilessly booted by the two largest of the thugs.
"Get the hell off him," Izuku cried at the muggers, who paid no mind to his pleas, as they prolonged their assault. AC hovered by Izuku side his lens gazing up at Izuku, almost as if in anticipation of receiving a command. Before he allowed himself to instruct AC any further, yet another figure danced about his peripheral vision, further down at the entrance of the alleyway.
The bleak sunlight from the back in contrast with the alleys shadowy illumination provided Izuku with a silhouette of average height and average weight; while the figure itself cast a long, lanky shadow down on the rutted floor below. Presuming he was yet another mugger Izuku stood his ground, his knees buckled in anticipation. His presumptions were then tested however, as he noticed the two attackers looming over Bakugou size their beating, looking up with the same cautious manner as Izuku.
Silence once again enveloped the ambiance, interrupted solely by the aching choughs and groans escaping Bakugou's beaten lungs, his limbs stiff as his marred body slumped to the floor. As much as Izuku wished to carry Bakugou off to safety, this new guest presented himself as an unknown variable, he was unsure how to react. Once again, all parties stood incredibly still in keenness, as the presence of this new stranger engulphed the playing field. With no soul knowing where this man's allegiance lied, the largest of the four thugs shouted down the corridor,
"Piss off, you got nothing to do with this," he yelled, invoking as much intimidation into his register as possible. The mysterious stranger merely stood there, no response or movement was expressed.
"What? You want some?" the brute continued, placing the sole of his foot on Bakugou's temple. As frightened as Izuku was for the safety of both himself and his incapacitated friend, he was relieved to find that the stranger was not conspiring with the offenders- knowing full well that would have resulted in their demise.
"We mean it, beat it asshole," the other hooligan said in retaliation. At this last aggravated yell, the figure drew closer, walking as nonchalantly as one could towards Bakugou and his two assaulters.
"Alright you as-," the thug began to say before his speech was interrupted by a strange clamor, louder than any engine in existence. The mysterious stranger was bizarrely illuminated, with alien jets of sapphire butane flame protruding from his forearms and calf's, as though he himself was part torch, part human. The light produced from the jets of fire that protruded from the man's appendages dimly lit the entirety of the dark street, enveloping all objects with his strange azure glow. What was once a stationary figure now distorted into a mere blurring motion, his movement so rapid the human eye could barely perceive it. In a fraction of a second the outsider now stood behind the attackers, looming over their bulky forms.
Just as one revolved his body, endeavoring to land a right hook, the stranger's forearm once again erupted with a hellish flame, propelling his closed first at the jaw of his attacker with blinding speed. The man's pupils rolled behind his head, as he faded out of conscious before his hearty body could even make contact with the street below. Startled at the sight of his colleague being rendered unconscious, he to bid to harm their new accoster, with a vengeful strike to the chest.
The speed demon evaded his frontal assault with ease swerving to the right with the grace of a dancer. It was his calves this time, that sprouted azure hellfire, sending his whole body into a rounded spiral. With grace and precision, he delivered a bicycle kick to the back of his attacker's head, condemning the second man to the same fate as his colleague as his lifeless body toppled to the ground like a ragdoll. Landing on his feet, the swift stranger turned his head, analyzing the backstreet in pursuit of his next victim.
Izuku had little time to marvel at the nimble combatant that came to his aid, taking part in his examination of the field, seeking out the final two men that strove to end his life. Meters away Izuku witnessed the shortest of his attackers make a run for it, sprinting closer and closer to the gun that Izuku tried to discard. Pure instinct swept over Izuku as he clutched AC, who continued to hover beside him, and pitched him with as much force as he could muster.
With the momentum Izuku provided to the golden orb, as well as the powerful jets of air that sprouted from its divots, the ball reached a startling velocity. With its trajectory corrected by the propelling spouts of gas, the orb crashed its body against the rear of the sprinters head, bringing the man's whole body to a standstill as he collapsed onto the floor, motionless.
A moment passed, where all wallops and motions finally seizing to an end. Izuku stood their lightheaded, as the adrenaline coursing through his veins gradually subsided. He tried to slow his breath, playing back the attack that occurred in his head, trying to make sense of all that had happened. Without knowledge of the cause, the thought of Shanta and Yoroi flashed before Izuku eyes, and how their concerned reaction would look like if they were here to witness what had just transpired.
With the stranger just feet away from Izuku, he was now fully capable of grasping his image. The man displayed rounded, retro style glasses, hinted with yellow. He wore a vertically striped polo, with sleeves trolled up to reveal a plethora of murky tattoos, and rackets of chromium bracelets. His hair was slicked back, though the sides of his scalp were shaved down to the skull. In a bizarre genomic anomaly, half of his mane was white, while the other was red.
Circular titanium plates lined the posterior forearm, as well as the calves, a systematized bundle of wire's could be seen accompanying each jet. Following the wires, they could be seen disappearing into the man's shirt out of view. The expression on his face remained forever indifferent, as if the events that had recently occurred were nothing more than everyday phenomena. The man retracted his gaze from Bakugou's injured body, now eyeing Izuku behind shades that masked his eyes. That being said, a sizable scar was plastered on the man's left side, slightly masked by his bangs and oculars.
Izuku was utterly unsure of how he should proceed, as the stranger gave no indication of whether or not he was friendly, or hostile. His pulse began to quicken once more, fearing that this new-fangled creature would do away with just as much ease as his former victims.
"Um, hello," Izuku said quivering lifting his hand to assert an awkward, yet friendly wave.
"Hey," the stranger answered in kind.
