Gotta be real, the reason I'm late to release this chapter is 'cause I haven't gotten to it just because I binged Rascal Does Not Dream of Bunny Girl Senpai, and I also binged Another. Not gonna lie, I've also started binging Diamond No Ace, so, yeah. My bad.
I yawn, a little bored, "Yo, aren't the other heroes supposed to come over today?"
Tats nods, rummaging through the fridge, "Yep. I don't know why you ended up saying yes to them coming over, you know."
Leaning to the side, I stretch a little, "Meh. It should only be a few days, and then it'll just be us two again." As she finds another thing that we still haven't used, she tosses it to the side, wrinkling her nose as she does so.
"They're going to raid your fridge," she deadpans. "You're really going to let that happen?"
"I moved the more important things to your fridge. Nobody's going to try snatching something from that."
She scoffs, quietly huffing to herself, "Metal Prick might, if he weren't out of commission."
"Didn't he almost take down Garou?" I hum, getting up to walk over to the fridge, before lightly chuckling. "Jeez, Tats, what are you even looking for?"
She mutters, "Coffee. I don't know why they made us wake up at 4:30 in the morning for a meeting. Literally nothing is going on, since we're still going to be preparing for the next few hours anyways."
"And you're looking for coffee in the fridge?" I raise an eyebrow, glancing down at her. She's got bags under her eyes. "You musta slept terribly."
"Duh," she rolls her eyes. "I hate it when people come in my home."
"Me?" I question rhetorically.
"This is technically your place," she grumbles. "Now, where's the damn coffee?"
I point to the cabinet.
"Goddamn it, why did you put it on the highest shelf?" She glares daggers at me, before grabbing my arm. "Screw it, get over here."
I don't even put up a fight as she begins using me as a jungle gym, "Okay, now I don't know what's going on."
"I don't feel like grabbing the coffee from down there," she simply explains. "My powers rely on my health and my mental energy. If I'm injured, I spend some of my energy keeping my body in shape, and if my mind's jumbled, I can't control my powers if I try to use them."
"Not like you'd hurt me or anything," I mumble to myself, before a small hand comes down onto my head. "Hey!"
"Shut it, Baldy," she clicks her tongue, no heat behind her words. "You got any creamer?"
"Why would I? Creamer's expensive."
"One of these days, I promise, I'm going to murder you in your sleep," she threatens, slowly climbing down. "Who just drinks black coffee? Psychopaths?"
"People from the Hero Board," I muse, walking back to the fridge to shut it, before meeting her eyes. She's got a raised eyebrow, but there's a light smirk on her face.
"Might be rubbing off on you," she hums, satisfied. "Maybe you can finally stop being a dumbass, too."
"Wasn't a dumbass in the first place," I defend as she just props herself up on the table. "So, when are they supposed to come?"
She shrugs, "Said they'd be here around 8, but I think Zombieman and Flashy Flash are supposed to come here earlier."
I groan, "Do you know how soon? I still need to shower." I knock my head on the wall, being careful not to break a hole through two other buildings with it.
"Not gonna tell you, even if I did know," she pouts. "You were the one who didn't fucking buy creamer even though you know I drink coffee."
"Still not my fault."
"Ah, Miss Tatsumaki," Bang greeted formally. "I was unaware that you had moved in with Saitama here."
Tornado shrugged, sheepishly smiling as she made way for the older hero to enter, "What can I say? We did get in a relationship, after all." She felt comfortable around him. Especially after he had helped her with her emotions at the resort, the two had kept a sense of familiarity and mutual respect for each other.
He chuckled wistfully, slowly entering, "Do you mind if I stay here for a short while until the operation goes underway?"
Tornado hummed, "Could've sworn they tried to get you taken off of the operation." As she walked the elder man over to the couple's couch, she crossed her arms. "I can't figure out for the life of me why."
Bang clicked his tongue, "As if I'd let their own desires get in the way of justice. Whether or not they want me to, saving people is my first priority, no matter what theirs is."
The younger lady sat down next to him, handing him a cup of water, "I get that...what do you plan to do after the operation?"
"Retire," Bang explained succinctly. The response was so quick that Tatsumaki had to do a double take.
"I'm sorry, what?" She sputtered, genuinely taken aback. "Why?"
"It's simple," he narrowed his eyes, hints of remorse yet satisfaction swirling around in his eyes. "I've not got anything left to fight with. After Garou's over and done with, there's not a threat that I'll be able to properly handle that the other heroes can't. Especially with the rise of heroes like you, Genos, and Saitama. A martial artist has no place in a hero's world."
Tornado scoffed, "Your brother told you that?"
Bang nodded, furrowing his eyebrows, "Indeed, but that was years ago, before I became a hero. I'm choosing to retire because the age of a hero for me is over, and I'm okay with that."
"The people still need you," Tornado argued, getting up to walk over to the T.V. "Wanna watch anything?"
Bang only shook his head, a content expression on his face, "The people need a hero. They'll learn to move on. I suppose this fight is just one last time before I go out into the night the way I want to."
Tornado snorted, "You make it sound like this entire thing's going to kill you or whatever."
"Trust me," Bang let out a light smirk. "I can ensure you that the battle is in our favor."
He simply gestured towards the bathroom, from which hums to songs were heard echoing throughout from a familiar bald man, accompanied by the blasting of shower water.
"See? The world is in good hands."
He burps.
"Sure it is," Tornado snickered. "So, you seem to be here early. Anything happen to Charanko?"
To her surprise, a darker expression graced Bang's face, "Still in the hospital. You heard how he got there, correct?"
Tornado nodded, "Yeah. Saitama said he'd pay for the fees, right?"
Silver Fang nodded again, "Indeed. I am grateful for that, but when he told me...it didn't seem like Saitama I was really talking to."
Tatsumaki narrowed her eyes, not having heard this before, "I know it seems out of character for him to just spend money like that if he doesn't have to, but what do you mean?"
"He seemed...remorseful. Like there was a weight on his shoulders. You recall when he came across Garou, correct?"
The short woman nodded, "Yeah. I gave him an earful since he didn't realize it was Garou even though we told him his description around...ten, fifteen minutes beforehand."
"He seemed like he was blaming himself for that," Bang succinctly informed. "I am aware that it has been...perhaps a month or two since the entire incident, but I feel like you of all people deserve to know. I'd been pondering over telling you because I was wondering if it would be best for Saitama-kun."
Tornado, who hadn't been too shocked in a while, had been fully floored.
She'd never known Saitama for someone who'd blame himself for something he couldn't control. Something that'd happened before he could've changed it. Saved people.
Her eyes slowly made its way to the bathroom, where she could still hear her boyfriend happily humming to a song he'd heard in the supermarket.
She slowly turned back to Bang, "Are you sure we're talking about the same Saitama here?"
She simply couldn't fathom him feel that heavily about something to the point of doing something completely out of character.
Bang, whose eyes had softened, nodded, "Surprisingly so. Weird to hear, correct? Saitama-kun feeling that amount of guilt?"
Tornado snorted, "Duh. This is the same guy who willingly took all the blame for the Deep Sea King event. I can't even tell you how many times I'd had to glare at people because they keep giving him the stink eye, and then he asks me not to? How weird is that?" She gestured, annoyed with a pout on her face.
"I suppose we may never understand," The martial artist hummed, content. "However, you're most likely the one who'll end up closest to doing so."
Tornado gulped, knowing that was likely the truth.
Yet, she still had no idea how to tackle the issue.
It's been stated many times before, and it likely will be many times more. Despite Tornado being one of the strongest people in the entire universe, her power doesn't apply to this. Especially when the emotions in question belong to her boyfriend.
A rough knock on the door, pounding hard.
"Oy, you don't have to break the damn door!" Saitama huffs, and I click my tongue, sending him a look.
I don't meet his gaze. Well, more like he doesn't meet mine. He doesn't even notice it.
Even though he gets up and doesn't notice what I do, I bite my lip softly as he walks away.
How do I do this? Does he actually feel guilty, or is Bang just blowing this out of proportion?
No, he wouldn't do something like this. He's smart. Like, actually smart. Not like some of the other dumbasses I know. He wouldn't blow it out of proportion or even try to make me worry for no cause.
"You live like this?" Flashy Flash sneers. "How...uncouth."
"Un-what now?" Saitama raises an eyebrow, and I rise from the couch. "Tats, who is this?"
"Oh, Flashy Flash," I mutter unenthusiastically. I don't hate him, honestly. He's pretty fast. Not as fast as me, but he's almost there. He's also pretty strong.
But he doesn't do anything. Like, ever, especially when we're fighting. He just stands there, waits for a moment to strike, when at least 500 of those pass in a few seconds for him.
So, he's strong, but I don't really respect him. But I don't disrespect him, either. I think it's just a mutual apathy for each other, and I'm fine with that. Pretty sure he is, too.
"Hm. I forgot you two were in a relationship," he admits, glancing over Saitama's shoulder. "Would you mind telling me what seems so special about him that earned not only your respect but your romantic interest? He seems so...primitively savage." He cringes, trying to find better words that don't sound so intentionally insulting.
"Don't worry about holding back, he is," I shrug, agreeing wholeheartedly. "It's when he's not acting like a dumbass that I like about him a lot."
"Is he as strong as you say he is?" He narrows his eyes. "I only respect those who can fight. I see no worth in this man in the operation unless he is capable."
"Mm, he's probably faster than you. Never seen him move at full capacity, but I'm pretty sure," I scratch the back of my head, yawning. "You eaten yet?"
Flashy Flash scowls, his pride definitely injured. No doubt about it.
"No, I haven't," he begrudgingly admits. "What food do you have?"
"There's a bunch of stuff in the fridge, but we could just order pizza since the entire S-Class is coming," Saitama suggests, before muttering under his breath.
I don't even need to hear him to know what he's saying.
Plus I don't want you guys to ransack my entire fridge.
I gulp.
Do I know him as well as I think I do?
I hope I do, man.
Not gonna lie, I'd probably be a really crappy girlfriend if I wasn't there for him the one time he needed me.
"Do you realize that this is a whole complex and that there are, what, ten other places here that you could sit down in?" Saitama furrowed his eyebrows, groaning in frustration. It was cramped, uncomfortably warm, and even Tornado bringing in a gigantic breeze through the window wasn't enough to clear the fact that this was the probable worst decision for organization's sake.
"And what, use walkie-talkies?" Zombieman sneered.
"Well, we could at least meet outside," the bald man rolled his eyes, gesturing to a specific hero. "Pig God can barely fit in here!"
He pointed down at the...large man's feet, showing that the ground beneath him was about to collapse.
Saitama gulped, knowing just how costly that'd be.
At this place?
Probably five yen, maybe ten.
He shuddered.
"Monsters are outside," Flashy Flash points out. "We'd either get attacked and overwhelmed, or they'd report the data back to the Monster Association."
Saitama grumbled, knowing that he was right.
"So, here's the thing," Tornado huffed, a little uncomfortable with how cramped everything was. "There's a literal other apartment that's connected to this. So, for the love of god, could you not all gather in here? Until Sekingal gets here, we can't really have our meeting, can we?"
Child Emperor, seemingly out of nowhere, pouted, "Why don't you have any candy? Why do you just have so much stuff that has to be cooked to be eaten?"
"Oy, are you messing around in my fridge?!" Tornado scowled. "Get out of there!"
"But I'm hungry!"
Tornado remembered Bang talking to her once about the S-Class heroes being problematic.
Now, she didn't know if she was older or younger than most of them, and frankly? She didn't care.
She did not want over 12 people sitting in their apartment and acting like it was their own place, and she fully understood now what it meant to restrain her power. Not just because she could cause more collateral damage than necessary, and not her restraining her power because it'd make people afraid.
This would probably be the thing to teach her the most discipline in the world, having something so tantalizing as brutalizing them at a snap of her fingers at all times, yet nothing happening.
There were a ton of heroes in the room, and none of them really talked to each other. It wasn't because they hated each other, it was just because they either didn't have the time to, or just had poor social skills.
Looking around the room, Saitama could definitely see that, even as a person who didn't like talking to a ton of people himself.
"Got a question, uh...light-speed dude," Saitama began, causing the mentioned ninja to frown in frustration. "You're super fast, right? So, who do you think you could beat here in a one-on-one fight."
Tornado and Silver-fang mentally wanted to commit suicide right then and there. They knew full well that that was probably the only question that'd cause massive chaos among the heroes, and it was something they were certain only they were aware of.
Saitama was not part of that duo.
So he started the fire.
"I could absolutely destroy every single person here," Flashy Flash proudly declared. "Other than Tornado, I suppose." It was pretty obvious that he only said that after nearly dying under the harsh glare she sent him.
"As if," Amai Mask scoffed, indignant. "You could hit me, but there's not a thing you could do to hurt me."
"Hold on, there,"' Zombieman gruffly hummed. "You think you could actually kill me, Flashy Flash?"
"I'll slice through you so fast you can't even regenerate," the ninja informed, though his tone clearly insinuated an insult.
Atomic Samurai started to unsheathe his blade, "Do you really think your measly blade can stand against mine, Flash?"
"Ninja," he retorted, poised as he gestured to himself before dismissing the other hero. "against a samurai. It's an obvious victory against you."
Veins popped up on Kamikaze's forehead, "Bushido is the samurai's way, but this samurai's gonna send your bushidome to hell." He took out his straw, and instantly got into a battle pose.
"Honor lies in you, yet dignity blinds you. How do you slash what you cannot see?" Flashy Flash calmly asked. "You are simply too weak."
"How about Blast?" Pig God brought up, though his expression showed his apathy as he sifted through Saitama's fridge.
"I'm aggressive, but not an idiot," he informed, clicking his tongue. "If even Tornado respects his ability, that's not something that I should be meddling myself in."
Saitama nodded in agreement. He always wondered how strong Blast was, but always chalked up his hope to nothing.
"So...we already know that the rankings probably aren't from the least to most powerful. If it were based on combat ability, who'd win or lose?" Puri Puri Prisoner questioned, putting a hand on his chin.
"Oh, so we're really getting into this, aren't we?" Tornado muttered, crossing her arms as she plopped down on the couch.
Bang nodded next to her, "I suppose."
Saitama sat down next to Tatsumaki, "Well, can't hurt to bring something up whike we wait for Sekingal, right?"
Silver Fang, in a rare show of annoyance, rolled his eyes, "I simply wish you understand the consequences you bring unto yourself, Saitama."
Oddly enough, he brushed it off, "I don't see what I did that was so wrong."
"Don't worry, Baldy," Tornado lightly smiled, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "You're gonna see soon enough."
Saitama, as emotionally incompetent as he appeared, didn't miss the slightly contemplative in Tatsumaki's eyes. He slightly grabbed her hand and squeezed it, sending her a slight smile.
She forced a smile back.
"Genos, are you sure you should go?" Fubuki asks me, concerned, grabbing my arm as I fly us to Saitama-Sensei's abode.
I nod, quickly responding, "It does not matter if they do not want me. I assume they may need all the help they can get, especially with how powerful some of their monsters are." I narrow my eyes, my cybernetic enhancements honing in on a narrower scale.
My eyes widen.
"Is that fire?!" Fubuki gasps, clawing herself away from my grip and using her own powers to get there faster. I gulp. Near Saitama-Sensei's apartment? Did they somehow find where he and Miss Tornado lived?
I bite my lip, before hesitantly untensing my shoulders. Worrying for Saitama-Sensei would not do me any good. Especially when he would most certainly not perish from such a measly fire. I could produce that in three seconds' time, if not less.
"Miss Tatsumaki!" I realize, hastening myself. I see that familiar bright green glow, and suddenly, the fire stops. Well, not stops. It simply ceases to spread, and it's getting smaller by the second.
By another green glow from above, I see the smoke produced from the fire being pushed back down.
"Jesus, what did my sister do now?" Fubuki groans as I catch up to her.
"I detect multiple life forms," I analyze the situation, detecting the multiple heat signatures. "Most of them human."
One may ask why I haven't pointed out the fact that Sweet Mask isn't as human as he seems.
Whatever he is...if he does pose a threat, I believe he can and will be dealt with swiftly.
Regardless, I'm aware that Zombieman isn't fully human, though I can accept it because he'd admitted to it. There's no issue there. Neither am I, looking at it realistically.
"I think I proved my point," I hear from far away. "Atomic Samurai, are you certain you can defeat me now? Puri Puri Prisoner didn't stand a chance."
"He wouldn't stand a chance against me either, pansy," Kamikaze scoffs, unimpressed.
Ah. I see.
They're sparring.
Perhaps I would be able to participate, if they're warming up for a duel against the Monster Association?
"Oh, Christ," Fubuki sighs, catching my attention as she lands on a nearby building. "I see what's going on from here."
I was hopping across buildings at a lower altitude, so I didn't see entirely.
"Is there something I should know of, Fubuki?" I question.
"Some of them got into an argument and now Saitama's home got destroyed while they tried to prove themselves," She groans. "And now Tatsumaki must be sick of all of it, since she lives there too."
I raise an eyebrow, "I'm surprised she even let it get that far."
"Did something happen, you wonder?" She suggests. "Normally, she would've just slammed them into the wall the moment they tried to fight. Maybe something was on her mind?"
I put a hand on my chin as we move down to the ground, "That doesn't seem too wild a possibility."
"Oy, Cyborg!" I hear the older woman call out to me. "Can you just get the fuck away right now?! I don't want to accidentally have to send you to Doctor Kuseno again!"
Since when did she care about Doctor Kuseno? Or did she care about me in that statement?
It was most likely Doctor Kuseno.
Fubuki flies up to her, and I let herself carry me up alongside her. Apparently psychic power also depends on the opponent's willpower, and whether or not they're fine with being carried.
"Yo, what happened?!" Fubuki calls out to Tatsumaki. "Is everyone okay?!"
Tornado sighs, yelling out, "Obviously not! These idiots couldn't stop fighting each other!"
I blink.
I heard there was another group of heroes that were forming. The Neo Heroes, if I recall properly.
Perhaps I will look into them. It may be my best bet when it comes to finding a more...pure organization.
I'm starting to feel that they may be a better hero organization to work for rather than the current one.
Who knows.
"What happened to Saitama-Sensei?" I ask hesitantly, not seeing him among the crowd of heroes? "And what of his home?"
Tornado simply points to a pile of rubble, and my eye catches a familiar glint of yellow and red.
"Sensei?" I ask to nobody as I see him still. He's on his knees.
"Ah, Genos," I hear him whisper, his voice listless and lethargic. "You're here. That's good to know."
"What happened?" I ask with concern in my voice. "Did monsters attack something here?"
He shakes his head, "I shouldn't have said a word," and continues muttering to himself. I tentatively begin to reach a hand out to him, before I feel a soft, tiny hand on my shoulder.
"It's good, cyborg," she insists, gesturing to all the heroes, who are now suspended in the air without a single trace of retaliation. All except Bang, of course.
"Are you certain, Miss Tatsumaki?"
"Drop the formality, cyborg," she hums, content with the suggestion. "I might be your teacher's girlfriend, but you don't have to treat me like I'm teaching you. God knows I wouldn't have the patience to do that."
I blink, somewhat caught off guard (I need to ensure that I bring up to Doctor Kuseno that I will need an awareness measurement bar.), "Understood...Tatsumaki."
"Let your shoulders loose, Genos," Bang gently advises, patting my back lightly.
"Let us go already!" Flashy Flash hissed at Tatsumaki.
"I'm sorry, what was that?" She sarcastically urges him to keep going, this time surrounding his right hand. "I'm pretty sure you're right-handed, right? What would it be like to have to switch, hm?"
"Sensei...what will you do now that your home is gone?" I ask, genuinely curious.
From what I'd heard, he didn't have too many prized possessions. Simply a few pictures that he'd found in drawers that were aged that depicted him when he was younger and had hair.
"Isn't it obvious?" Tornado huffs, finally releasing the heroes from her grip.
Saitama-sensei mutters darkly, "I'm going to have to find a new home, aren't I?"
