Hello and It's good to see you after two months of silence. My excuse? Life has been a slog and as a result my fanfiction progress has been slowed. But here I am with a long chapter for my followers for you to read this friday evening. Anyways, I'll let you guys read the long anticipated chapter.
A long while ago, Raki would've considered the laboratory his most favorite place in the world. It was small and makeshift, but was also humbling and homely. All of its tools and gizmos seemed to beep and chirp like a flock of birds giving life to the room that biological life couldn't. But most importantly was where so many of his friends and companions were reborn, where so many children found happiness in their new metal bodies. Raki always found himself smiling, secretly, when another addition was added to his family. The lab was a sacred and gentle place in the opinion of the hunched henchman of Mechanicus, but that opinion was founded a long while ago. Now…
"Subject 463: end result-success. Neurological input has been successfully proven, and now the procedure will continue on to the next stage of experiments. If successful, then standardization will commence for the project.", stated Mechanicus as he logged his experiment results.
However, said experiment was the body of a woman that had five large black cables attached to her spinal cord, her legs, and her arms. The ends of the cables split off into many smaller ones that embedded themselves into seemingly random points of their respective locations.
Raki was glad he didn't have to help Shujin with these experiments, and in fact, Shujin was insistent that he didn't help him. But even with him not helping Shujin with the Battlecast project, he still had the occasional duties that brought him into the lab. And he was subjected to seeing things like this, and despite his inhibitor suppressing the majority of his emotions; Raki couldn't help but feel...afraid.
A chill shot up Raki's metal spine as the red robed henchman carefully skirted past the surgery table and towards Mechanicus. He discreetly shot a glance at her from underneath his hood. To his surprise, his sensors indicated that she still possessed the functions of a human that was still alive. Why was she alive?! Raki thought Shujin only worked on the cadevors provided by All For One, and not on living humans! If she was alive she should be ascended, and not experimented upon like a piece of meat. Weren't they doing this for the good of huma…
"I presumed you are here for a reason, Raki.", Mechanicus said to him without looking. A clockwork sigh escaped from the Lord of Machines, ". I hope that this isn't All For One inviting me to another one of his wretched 'Tea Parties'."
Raki jumped out of his thoughts after being addressed so suddenly.
"U-Um yes!", he sputtered out, "But it's not All For One, our systems have alerted me that Akemi has awoken from her latest surgery.."
Mechanicus let out a gruff laugh, that could be constituted as excitement, as he proceeded to hastily wrap things up. "Raki, clean up this mess and get the equipment ready for the next experiment. The specifications are in their usual place. And use the servitor drones for the heavier materials. I am afraid that Akemi is going to require my full attention."
"Yes, Shujin.", Raki said but lingered in his spot longer than he should have, "Shujin, the others want to know when you are coming to see them, and I am sure that Akemi would like to see them as well…"
"Tell them that I have been busy and cannot afford to dally with visits. And Akemi is not to see any of the others as well.", Mechanicus quickly replied.
Raki flinched, "B-But, Shujin they are worried about you and Akemi needs to see…"
"They shouldn't have the need to worry in the first place because I am fine.", Mechanicus scolded, "I am working on our future, and sometimes the small things such as visits need to be sacrificed for the greater good. And Young Akemi gave up everything to ensure that the future will happen! I cannot afford to have her be idle when she could become stronger! We will not continue this conversation any further! Am I clear?"
"Y-Yes, Shujin.", Raki said, taken aback by the outburst of Mechanicus.
"Good. Now if you excuse me, I have to calibrate Akemi's vitials.", Mechanicus said as he began to limp out.
"Shujin!", Raki said, and Mechanicus turned to look at him, "W-What should I do with the…s-subject?"
"Dispose of it.", Shujin said without hesitation, "Its usefulness is now over."
"Y-Yes, S-Shujin.", Raki sputtered as Mechanicus left the room.
The red cloaked henchman slowly walked towards the woman on the table. He swallowed the lump in his throat as he moved his hand to begin removing the cables. Before he could even touch one of the cables, the woman's hand shot out from its limp position and grabbed his with an iron hold. Raki would've jumped in surprise and tried to remove the hand off of him had he not heard her speak.
"H-H-Help m-m-m-me-e.", she croaked weakly.
Even with a body made of metal and veins of circuits, there was still a beating heart inside the henchman of Mechanicus.
? before the USJ
Akemi sat hunched over on an old little stool while a beam of intense light shone upon her form. It was as if she were an actress on a stage, giving her solo moment in her darkest hour. Her red eyes were bloodshot and betrayed the pain in her body. She was pale in a sickly sort of look with her blood veins peeking through the window of her skin like morbid tattoos. Long gone was her hair, clearly been shaved off, and so were her legs and left arm. In their place were two mechanical and clockwork limbs that pulsed and ticked like the parts of an old clock.
But such things were lost on the young woman as she was more focused on the chill in her remaining fleshy bits or the nerve tearing pain in her spine. Or the mechanical core that ticked inside her chest and acted like the heart that had been removed in that first surgery. Her breathing was heavily and raspy as she tried to hold out against the pain that she was currently fighting. But she wasn't alone, as a pair of yellow orbs peered over her bare back and appeared to be narrowed in focus.
"The procedure is almost finished, only a few more minutes at most.", an assuring voice, "You are doing fine young Akemi."
The mentioning of that name had caused Akemi to flinch, making her body jolt. She could hear a distorted voice curse from behind her. Akemi felt her stomach grow sicker than usual, causing her to hang her head in shame. Tears welled up in her eyes as she heard the rhythmic thumping of heavy boots circle around her. A pair of glowing yellow orbs encompassed her blurry sight.
"What troubles you, my Acolyte?", asked Shujin as his blank visage bore down on her, "You are not in trouble, so do not hesitate."
"I-I d-don't l-like b-being called t-that.", she stuttered from
"You do not wish to be called by your name?", Shuijin half-stated half-asked.
Akemi began to shake uncontrollably, and her built up tears finally fell from her eyes. "I-I'm s-sorry s-shujin! I-It's d-dumb…I-I s-shouldn't h-have…"
"Be silent, my Acolyte.", Shujin interrupted. Akemi immediately clamped her mouth shut.
Shujin put his hand on her shoulder, it was gentle and it immediately made Akemi feel lighter, "Akemi, look at me."
With a great reluctance, Akemi stiltedly raised her head to look at Shujin. He maintained that same stoic and wise expression on his blank mask as his glowing eyes peered down at her tear soaked ones.
"Does it hurt for you to hear that name? Does it feel like you are being suffocated when you hear its twisted letters in your ears?", Shujin asked.
Akemi sobbed, "Y-yes! E-Every t-time I-I h-hear I-It f-feels l-like I-I am…"
"Useless.", Shujin finished.
Akemi felt her exposed spine shiver, "Y-Yes! H-How d-did y-you k-know?"
"Experience.", Shujin replied as he kneeled to Akemi's level, "I had a normal name just like yours at one point, but just like you I grew to hate it."
"W-Why would you hate your name, Shuijin?", Akemi asked innocently.
"You hate many things when you are quirkless, and it only grows worse as time grows on.", Shujin said sagely, "I was once like you Akemi, a quirkless child in a world of quirks, and I was despised for it."
Akemi's eyes grew large as they stared into the imposing form of Shujin. She had never met another quirkless person before. "You really were a quirkless Shuijin?"
"I still am, Akemi.", replied Shuijin, "The changes I made to myself and the ones I am doing to you do not make us one of the quirked fleshbags, instead they will make you into something greater."
"Really?", Akemi asked with hope, "What are they going to make me into?"
Shujin replied with resolute certainty, "They are going to make you into the hero of our people. You are going to ensure that a better future will happen for those yet to be born. Our future, Akemi, is to reclaim the lost future of humanity that was taken away by quirks. It is a job that only a hero rivaling those of the ancient legends can hope to accomplish. So can I trust you to do this?"
Akemi couldn't help but return a determined expression as a fire lit up inside her, "I'll do everything I can to help you, Shujin. I want to be the hero of our people."
"Excellent.", Shujin replied slowly," So how about we begin by giving you a proper name befitting not only of your new form but of your role as well."
For the first time since she could ever remember, Akemi felt excited. As such she couldn't help it when her lips contorted into a smile despite how physically painful it was for her to do so now.
Shujin stood back up from his kneeling position, "From this day forward, you shall be known as…Machina."
It was at this moment, Akemi felt light. Lighter than she ever felt in her life, as if a great burden had been removed from her shoulders. But most importantly, Akemi didn't feel like Akemi anymore. She felt like someone different, someone who didn't have a past weighing them down and instead had a blank canvas to freely draw on. To freely choose their future. Machina felt liberation.
? before the USJ
It was just another day for the newly christened Machina. A day of physical therapy, surgeries, calibrations, and the sort. Machina was once again sitting in a stool amid the intense lights of Shujin's ward, while the Lord of Machines was busy calibrating her shoulders after a round of testing revealed some imperfections with her hand-eye coordination. It was another case in which Machina was left stewing in her thoughts, but unlike her previous thoughts this was consumed with something else. She thought back to the day Shuijn gave her new name and couldn't help but linger on his mentioning of a lost future.
As such, she couldn't help it when blurted out a question that had been nagging her since she was five, "Shujin, what did you mean by a 'future taken away by quirks'?"
Shujin paused in his work for a moment before speaking, "Before the age of quirks, Humanity had emerged from simple apes to becoming the most dominant and sophisticated apex Machinal on the planet. We achieved many great feats and forever etched our achievements into the heavens itself."
Machina recalled her time in school, and never ever heard what Shujin was telling her. In fact, her teachers went over the age before quirks as some sort of dark age.
"At the height of our power, we were looking to colonize the stars and expand into a space faring empire. Prejudice and hatred had vanished, as the world was finally uniting into a single entity that would see humanity as a united species and not as squabbling tribes. And our technology was advancing to heights that were only thought to be achievable in the world of imagination with so much future potential as well. But…"
"...Quirks happened.", Machina finished.
"Indeed, my acolyte. Almost overnight, everything that man had built up was destroyed. Fear, Prejudice and Hatred invaded our consciousness yet again, destroying the idea of a unified world forever. Nations fell apart from the upheaval, warred with their neighbors, or cannibalized themselves before imploding. Technology either was lost forever in the chaos or had stagnated to the point of only being replicated and never understood. And our dreams of a future in the stars disappeared as we turned inward on ourselves into forced isolation.", Shujin said with a lament.
Machina couldn't believe Shujin was saying this. There was no way that he could be telling the truth. She wanted to deny what he was saying as everything she taught appeared to be nothing but a lie. Yet, deep down she knew he was telling the truth. Her own experiences with her teachers and peers taught her that they hated anything to do with quirkless people, they hated her for merely existing after all. So who's to say that they wouldn't change it to fit their own views.
"It is only after two centuries did we as a species begin to recover from that age of chaos, and make no mistake Machina but this world is a shell of what it used to be. Do not believe anyone when they say that it isn't for they are not the same humans that existed before quirks.", Shuijin said with disgust, "They are creatures obsessed with the powers that destroyed our future. They have no dreams for a greater future or even an idea on what the future should even look like. Instead they are obsessed with the present and whatever faulty genetic abnormality they were born with."
"But Shujin, aren't we all humans regardless if we have a quirk or not?", Machina asked after her thoughts drifted to Shujin's telling of a nearly united humanity in the past.
"A real human, Machina, looks to the future and does whatever they can to make it better for the ones to come after they are gone. Quirks have ensured that there are no true humans left, Machina, and their regressive nature have ensured that people will forever be stuck in limbo.", Shujin said sagely.
Machina stared at Shujin with utter shock. If everything he had been saying was true then they truly are living in the shadow of something greater. She thought of all the people who were in her life, both good and bad, and now saw them with a different lens. Did Katsuki ever truly like her or was it so she can be his sidekick in his hero dream? Did her parents really care about her or did they just not show their indifference to her? Why didn't her aunt tell her about the actual history, even if it was only the art? Was everything just a facade since the moment she was born?
"But Shujin, that can't be true. There has to be something good about them. Right?", Machina replied, seeking validation.
"I assume you are versed at least a little bit in the Hero known as All Might?", Shujin remarked.
Machina instantly beamed up at the mentioned hero, "Yeah! He was Katski's and my favorite hero! He was so cool when he goes around and saves everyone no matter what! I…", Machina gushed before slowing down, "...think I would've died if it weren't for him. I am sorry Shujin, I got carried away."
Shujin kneed before Machina and placed a hand on her shoulder. Despite the coldness of the metal, Machina felt warmth in its touch. "Do not worry yourself on such things, you are still a child and still have many things to learn. But you did answer my question, so let me ask you a question. What do you think the world will be like when All Might is gone?"
Machina immediately got a dumb expression like she had just short circuted as her brain tried to discover an answer to Shujin's question. It was difficult enough to see what the world would be like with just her in it, but it was impossible to see what the world would be without All Might. In fact, it never dawned on her that All Might would ever just go away. His presence as a hero was something that she likened to the sun rising up in the sky each morning.
"I don't know Shujin. I never ever thought about anything like that.", Machina honestly admitted.
"I am not surprised that you haven't. Very few people think so far ahead.", Shujin replied, "A man that shines as bright as him will have the darkest of nights come when his time is over."
Machina couldn't help but think that the way the phrase was worded made her think that Shujin viewed it as an absolute fact. It made her feel easy that Shuijin was thinking of a plan to deal with the end of All Might, should such a thing ever happen.
"However, do not fret, that is a flaw that I am going to correct as we progress. Now let me continue with the calibrations.", Shujin said, dropping the subject.
? Before the USJ
Shujin rarely left Machina alone, so it was a rare instance in which the mechanical girl could spend time by herself. Shujin practically fretted over Machina like a mother hen does her chick, and she couldn't really blame Shujin. She was afterall, a very needy child. She still wasn't completed with only 70 percent of her body being metal, The metal parts of her body weren't so simple to replace or maintain as one would expect. Especially the fact that they needed to endure the same stress as a hero would face, but also have the same level of cognitive control as a fleshy human would have over them. Despite the progress, they would all have a ways to go before she was done.
As a result, Shujin was constantly testing the limits with her body to see if they were in the highest functioning quality possible. He wanted her to be the best that she could be, so he needed to do his best to make sure that she could reach those requirements. She was designated as the first hero of her people, and unlike other members of her family, she needed to be strong and durable. Yet, she also needed to be graceful and not brutish.. Shujin said she was supposed to be a swan, a dancer full of grace and eloquence when she battles the villains of her people.
She really couldn't imagine it, considering Swans had gone extinct in the last 100 years. Nor was she privy to Machinals before Shujin took her in. But she had some ideas on what it would be like. She would be dancing like those people at those fancy balls, but each move would also be like a punch that would take out villains left and right! It made her excited to see what she could be capable of doing! Would she jump and dash around like Mirko? Or would she be quiet and sneaky like Edgeshot?
However, until that day could come, she was more than content practicing her stilted movements while Shujin had to go to a social gathering with a "Potato and his Merrymen of Deranged Introverts". She thought it might be a fun thing to do, but Shujin didn't seem too thrilled to go and seemed more irritated than anything. But she supposed it made sense that Shujijn had friends or people he at least tolerated. He was a great man after all, way better than any adult she knew.
…
…
…
Her thoughts unintentionally drifted to those people she left behind. She thought of her mom and dad, and all the pain and misery she had caused them over the years. They were also so loving and caring of her old self, and they didn't care that she didn't have a quirk. They always supported her no matter what, even when things got particularly bad. They deserved so much more than a quirkless daughter like Akemi. But would they be able to accept her as she was now? Or what she was she was being forged to be? Machina didn't know, and a small voice of reason told her it was better that they believe she was dead.
"Katsuki would love to know that you are alive", her human voice told her.
The Machinelette tried her hardest to not think about the blonde teen that she had abandoned all those months ago. But she was still weak, and as a result her thoughts drifted towards him. Her emotions were a tangled mess of when it came to him, she wasn't sure if she hated him or missed him. However, the logical part of her reminded her that he was the only human that wanted to be her friend unconditionally. He was the only human that ever did, and maybe ever will. The mere thought caused something to flutter within her, but she didn't know what. Machina couldn't come to a conclusion towards Katsuki whether to find him or not.
But, she couldn't just leave Shujin for a boy or parents that probably already forgot about her. He did so much for her and that was how she repaid him! Besides when it came down to it they didn't help Akemi, they only made things worse. No one could understand what it was like to be her, or what the pain a quirkless person had to endure. No one could understand or even try to fix what was wrong with her. No one, but Shujin.
Machina wanted to be the very best that he believed she could become, and prove that she wasn't a quirkless Akemi. She pushed herself to her absolute limits on increasing her strength and dexterity after each surgery. She gritted her teeth and bit down on all the pain and agony that she inflicted on herself in the name of relearning how to move. She even forwent sleep to wander the halls of Shujin's complex in order to strengthen her control over her legs.
It was something that Shujin had forbidden her to do, but it was an order that she promptly ignored. She did so in the name of speeding her physical recovery from each different surgery, and it allowed Machina to explore the complex beyond the room she had been confined to. She found the old subway system to be fascinating and the way Shujin was able to carve an intricate lab out of its ancient walls and tunnels.
However, the logical part of her mind which always referred to Shujin's words and advice nagged her that this was a bad idea. She disagreed, until she found something that she shouldn't have.
It appeared as nothing more than an indistinct door in a hallway of doors. No signs or anything to indicate that there was something in there that couldn't be seen. In fact, Machina only went into the door out of sheer randomness. What she saw was something out of a nightmare.
It was something that didn't have a gender or rather it didn't even have a distinguishing shape to tell what it originally was. It looked like a torso and head of a human, but with blotches of metal and flesh mixing in on each other. But it was in a manner that reminded Machina of a victim of a cruel torture more than anything. To even further her shock was the fact that the creature's eyes darted frantically towards her, and the clear signs of intelligence behind those bloodshot orbs.
"Y-You're n-not Mechanicus?, the thing said, "Then are you here to take me in his stead."
"Mechanicus?", Machina parroted, " And take you?"
"Why else would you even be here if you aren't here to take me?!" It balked with venom.
Machina jumped back in shock at the venom in the creature's voice. A nagging voice in the back of her mind told her to leave while another told her to stay. Logic told her to inquire about the fleshy-metal creature and discover more about it.
"Who are you?", Machina asked with a nervous tick.
The strange amalgamation of steel and flesh looked tersely at her with its pathetic eyes. "I-I d-don't know? I think I h-had a n-name? But w-what was it? All I can remember is the name, S-Skarner? It f-feels like my n-name, but it also f-feels w-wrong."
Machina looked at the amalgamation with a curious sympathy, "Skarner? I never heard a name like that? Who named you that?"
"I-I t-think s-someone named M-Mechanicus gave it t-to me.", it stuttered, "H-H said I-I was the f-first one."
Machina tilted her head in confusion. The first one? Was he the first of the Mechanical Men? No, that didn't compute because Shujin was the first of their kind. Was he supposed to have a different designation than her or the other Shujin told her about?
"M-Mechanicus s-said I-I was t-the f-first suc-success! H-He said t-that I w-will b-be the f-first B-Battlecast.", wearily replied the amalgamation.
"Battlecast?", She parroted trying to taste the word, "What is a Battlecast?"
"I-I d-don't k-know!", Skarner stuttered fearfully, "B-But Mechanicus s-said i-it w-was important!"
Machina looked at the amalgamation with a puzzled expression. He didn't look important, and he certainly didn't look completed. So she didn't know who this Mechanicus was or why he deemed someone like him as important. Maybe she should ask Shujin and see if he knows more about this? Just as she was about to voice her thoughts to the oddity, it spoke up.
"W-What's gonna happen to me?", he said. His voice was laced with fear. "Why does it have to be me? Why am I important?! Everything hurts, and it just seems that Mechanicus is just torturing me! I HATE it! I hate the pain! I hate being here! I am…just…so scared all the time. I just…I just want to go home."
Machina looked at the amalgamation with a flabbergasted expression. It was clear that he was distressed and afraid of the coming future. She didn't know what to say to try to comfort the creature, after all she herself wasn't put together either, so what good would she be able to do? However, her thoughts drifted to what Shujin had told her about her place in the world. An ember of empathy smoldered in the remaining flesh of her body, and it told her to help Skarner.
"Skarner…", She began, "I know you are afraid, but that's okay. We are always afraid of the things we don't know, but being afraid is okay."
"T-There i-isn't?", Skarner stuttered in disbelief.
"No, being afraid is like a quirk. It can make you strong, faster, and clever.", Machina whispered, "It doesn't make you weak or less to be afraid."
The amalgamation that was Skarner looked at Machina with an unreadable expression, "W-Who a-are y-you? And why are you trying to comfort me?"
"I am Machina, think of me as your older sister, Skarner-kun.", Machina stated, "And family needs to look out for each other when no one else will."
"Y-You w-will?", Skarner asked in disbelief.
"Yes, because I am going to be a hero. The first hero of the mechanical people.", Machina said with determination as she closed the distance between her and Skarner. She then grasped the amalgamation in a hug, Skarner flinched at her touch.
"I can't do much now, but the least I can do is to make sure my younger brother is not afraid of what comes tomorrow.", she said kindly.
Her kindness seemed to be too much for her younger brother, as Skarner began to quietly sob in her arms. She couldn't tell if they were tears of joy or sadness, but she held on and comforted him until the amalgamation fell asleep in her arms. She continued to hold Skarner for the rest of the night, before Machina had to leave before Shujin found out she was missing. She laid him down as comfortably as she could before wobbling up to her feet and leaving through the door. Yet, Machina wasn't too sure, but she could've sworn that Skarner seemed to be lighter than when she first saw him.
One Month before the USJ
In the dingy and dark office that had been converted into a surgery room, Mechanicus had his attention focused squarely on an old computer tucked into a corner. His metallic fingers clicked and clacked the keys while two spindly arms danced above a covered figure. Green lights and hissing echoed in the tiny room as the arms traced over the covered form with brutish precision.
The Lord of Machines was pleased, a fact that seldom happened to the metal man. And that due to the fact that well over a year's worth of work was on the cusp of being completed. Akemi's ascension was nothing short of revolutionary in the eyes of the Machine Herald. For she was created to be a delicate balance between the simple conversions of humans-to-machines he had done in the past, but with added benefits of a combat ready machine that was key to the Battlecast Project.
Akemi would be considered an elite soldier with the proto-Battlecast hardware, high grade weapons and materials used in her conversion. Yet, she won't be relegated to being bound by the hive-ai that controls the soon to be soldiers of his revolution. No, Akemi was boosted by supercomputer implants that increased her cunning, wit, and discipline to a degree that rivaled his own enhancements.
If anything, Akemi was yet another version of himself, at least in terms of the mechanical structure, but without any of the drawbacks or mistakes of experimental surgeries or self mutilations. If he was the prototype of the mechanized people, then she would be the first in her class to represent a perfect specimen of their people.
Mechanicus knew he would be smiling if his blank face could allow such a thing to happen. After all, things were going right on schedule. Akemi had passed all of her physical tests, both with her remaining pieces of meat and her mechanical strength. She passed the stress and strategy tests with flying colors. Her education had been supplemented with subjects pertaining to her designation, in which she passed with excellent marks. But her most important test pertained to how well she was adapting to his philosophy.
The indoctrination to Hero Society was a struggle to shake from her viewpoint, as it always was from his minions. It didn't help that Akemi was related to a hero that she used to look up to in admiration, but Mechanicus was patient to a fault. His persistence is already bearing fruit as the foundations are beginning to crack a little at a time, and soon they should begin to falter completely once she goes on proper missions and sees the darkness of Hero Society.
Which will be happening soon as Ake-Machina was now getting her final diagnostics check before he sent her out on a "trial run" to test her "loyalty". His analyst predicted a 78% chance at success in converting the girl whole heartedly to his cause. A good number, but he had a contingency should that 22% chance decide to interfere in his plans. All For One's process of mind erasure and altering could prove useful in such an unlikely situation. Though Mechanicus would rather not have the potato involved if possible in his "pet project".
But that was neither here nor there. Right now he should stop pondering the uncertain "ifs" and more on the final set of equations in the computer.
…
…
…
"Diagnostics completed. Restoring systems.", Mechanicus stated, "Begin awakening process."
Right on cue the dancing arms stopped their flutters zig-zags, and reactacted to their base in the ceiling. Meanwhile the table began to tilt up until the table was standing straight up.
"Remove the sheet!", Mechanicus commanded and a small human skull with a series of wires and a small propeller floated up to the table and grasped the sheet with two tiny claws. With a great tug, the macabre machine pulled off the cloak, revealing what was hiding underneath.
It was a humanoid figure coated in what appeared to be metallic scales that took the place of skin. Each scale was the size and shape of a guitar pick and were intricately overlaid over one-another to form a seamless blanket of scales. Larger sized scales were also placed in vulnerable regions, such as the heart and the belly. Everything below the elbows and knees were not scaled at all and instead were encased in solid metal split into many interlocking plates in a manner akin to the same type of limbs that the Machine Lord donned himself.
Yet, the scaly skin did not appear to be stiff or rigid. Instead the scaly skin looked flexible and viscous, which enabled the figure to have the physique of an female olympic gymnast. The neck of the figure was encased in the same solid metal as their hands and feet that also covered a part of the shoulders and upper chest.
The head of the figure had no ears, nose, or mouth. Its face was blank with the same solid metal continuing up to encase their entire head. There were two dark spots situated where the eyes should have been while another spot was situated in the middle of the forehead. A bundle of tubes appeared to steam from where the head meets the neck and onto a series of valves located on the table.
"Final Awakening Protocol initiated.", Mechanicus proclaimed.
A chorus of electric squeaks emerged from the tubes as powerful surges of blue lightning crawled down the tubes and into the dormant body of the inMachinate body. It twitched and spasmed uncannily in its restraints. Sickly blue flashes of light illuminated the room with each uncanny movement of its still form before the power abruptly died.
Immediately light began to pulse inside the humanoid machine, illuminating the seams in between the scales with a glowing red light. The three individual eyes came to life one by one, and emitted the same red glow as the rest of itse body while a whirling hum soon pierced the room.
Mechanicus left his post at the computer and slowly limped his way towards the machine on the bed. His own glowing eyes scanned the prone figure with a scientist's intuition, shining yellow light on the red glow of the machine.
"Machina, can you hear me?", Mechanicus said with a clockwork hiss.
The machine did nothing but merely stare straight forward before speaking in a voice modulated in electric humming.
"Yes Shujin.", Machina replied before she began to move her head around as if she were trying to adjust to the new form of vision she possessed.
"Excellent, neurological pathing successful.", Shujin remarked briefly, "Would you mind taking a step?"
Machina did as she was asked and took a step forward. Her balance was a little shaky when her foot finally came down, but her months of practice prevented her from falling. And after a few more steps she was walking without any problems.
"Very good, everything appears to be going as intended.", Shujin stated, "Now we will just run a few more tests before we send you out on a field test."
...
...
...
"You appear to be functioning at maximum efficiency Machina, which leaves the field test.", Shujin said.
Machina inwardly perked up at the mention of that, "I promise to continue to meet your expectations, Shujin."
Shujin's blank face betrayed a competitive streak as if her words were a challenge, "We shall see?". Was all he said before he used his third arm to reach out and pick up an ancient looking tablet, and brought it to his person.
"I am sending you the parameters and details as well as the objectives I want you to complete. I will provide you with minimum support and equipment to start the mission, but I want you to prove your capabilities with limited resources.", Shujin said without looking up, "You will have two weeks to complete the mission, and failure will result in immediate reevaluation of your skills. Any questions?"
Machina suppressed the dread she felt from potentially failing the mission, but she swallowed the emotion and buried it away from the time being, "I would like to see the details first before making any illogical or redundant questions?"
"Ah, of course? Just one minute?", Shujin said before a ding rang out inside her head.
Machina thought back to her training to use the mental database that she was connected to access the information. The machinette honed her focus directly inward to the vast oceans of data in which her computerized brain could tap into.
Mission: Eliminate a Threat to the future of the Mechanized Peoples
Objectives: Avoid detection by Heroes and Law Enforcement
Leave no evidence to suggest the existence of Agent
Target must be Terminated
Evidence must be left behind to frame known villains with similar modus operandi
Target: Hinata Sawako
Despite being nearly entirely composed or metal, Machina felt a memorized shiver trickle through her form. She reread the dossier again again and again, until she was certain that she wasn't misinterpreting the texts.
"Shujin, it says that I have to terminate a target.", Machina said cautiously, "As in kill them?"
Shujin turned to face her with his right arm moving behind his back, "Yes. Is that a problem?"
"N-No!", she all but shouted, "B-But is it really necessary?"
"Of course it is necessary. If there had been any other alternative then I would have mentioned it in the dossier.", Shujin replied matter-of-factly.
"B-But…", Machina tried to argue.
"Killing is an action as regrettable since it first appeared in the texts of old religions.", Shuijin interrupted, "But in a world ripe with scum and villainy that either looks to oppress the weak or slaughter them for their own twisted sense of fun. Then it is a necessary evil that must be done to ensure our goals can be accomplished."
Machina didn't look so convinced, and still seemed unwilling to as commanded. Yet she appeared completely uncertain whether to challenge his authority on the matter. Time to see whether her hero's morals will outweigh her desire to feel desired.
Mechanicus turned his back to her whilst grabbing his chin with his free hand, "I understand that you are not capable of doing something so big after all, for it is a giant leap from what you have known. I am sure I can find someone else who is willing…"
"I-I'LL DO IT!", Machina shouted in a panic. "I-I'll do it s-shuijin!Just let me try and I will prove to you that I am capable."
Mechanicus smiled to himself, "As you wish Machina…"
Sawako grumbled to herself as she tried to best shield herself from the pouring rain. Yet, despite her best efforts, she still managed to get wet from the pouring. Great, yet another thing in her life has gone awry. Yet she thought nothing more of it as she skirted past some homeless person dressed in a baggy coat, worn out boots, dirty leggings and a torn up skirt trying to take shelter in an alleyway from the pelting rain.
Akemi's little stunt into accepting reality had caused more problems for her than she expected. She was lucky on the count that she was able to weather most of the charges placed upon her by the Akemi's family. Even though she wasn't effectively charged with anything, it was enough for many high schools to deny her entry applications on the basis of "controversy".
Sawako gritted her teeth as she let out a growl upon the memories of having her future plans burn up in flames. She wished that Akemi had at least waited to kill herself after they had graduated and let some other fool take the fall for driving the waste of space into the afterlife.
However, any thoughts on the dead girl disappeared from the teen's mind as the door to her family's apartment. She picked up her gait as she was in a hurry to get out of the rain as she went past the cluster of trash cans. She closed up her umbrella and grabbed the doorknob with her free hand and twisted the knob.
Sawako let out a gasp as all the air from her lungs were forcibly sucked out. Her flesh stung severely from the wound in her back while her muscles trembled from the shock. She could feel a warm liquid drip down her lower back and legs as her left eye twitched unconsciously. The teen subconsciously traced her free hand over belly while the hand that had been on the door knob tightened into a death grip. Her shaking hand blindly slither across her front until it came into contact with a slick object protruding from the center of her stomach.
The breathless teen stiffly dropped her head down to look at her belly, and that object proved to be a blade covered in blood and rain water. Sawako 's eyes instantly widened from the realization that she had been stabbed. A cold chill swept through her as she continuously got pelted by the rain. A tremble emerged in her limbs as everything sense and instinct kicked into overdrive. The teen raised her head with great difficulty while her breathing became strained.
She saw her panicked and terrified expression in the reflection on the door's small window. But behind her face, she saw the hooded face of the person that had been following her. Dread set in as Sawako's panicked gasps began to hyperventilate into quick rapsy gulps of air. Her irises jittered in the whites of her eyes as she stared into the faceless visage of the person seemingly responsible for her stabbing.
Sawako didn't hesitate for a second when she twisted herself in order to partially face her attacker. The frightened teen activated her quirk, causing the palm of her hand to grow red hot, and in a swift motion grab the face of the assailant. Her palm connected with the face of the assailant. What should have happened was the assailant doubling back in pain while the scent and sound of sizzling flesh should have emerged in her nose and ears. But not only were those scents and sounds not happening, but her assailant did not react to her touch at all.
Yet, from her burning palm, Sawako could feel the face of the assailant tense up. Without warning, a hand shot out from beneath the robes and grabbed her throat and lifted her effortlessly in the air. Sawako choked and grasped at the cold hand holding her cruelly in the air. A cold hatred emitted from underneath the hood, and without warning the assailant threw Sawako away from the door.
The girl flew through the air like a missile before careening into a clustering of trash cans with a clatter. The cloaked assailant slowly strode their way towards the pile of garbage, reaching inside the darkness of the coat and pulling out a blade. Their stance tensed as they neared the pile of garbage clearly getting poised to strike again.
A loud scream interrupted the eerie silence as an empty trashcan came flying at the assailant. With quick reflexes, the hooded figure slashed at the old trash can, cutting it in two with the sheer brute force of their strength. What they didn't have time to react to was Sawako swinging a lead pipe at their head. The blow had sent the assailant tumbling while the pipe had broken in two from the impact of the strike.
Seizing on the opportunity, Sawako took off away from her home and away from the attacker.
…
Sawako was half-sprinting, half-crawling as she booked it away from her home as fast as humanly possible. She didn't know if her attack on her assailant had been enough to lose them, nor did she know if the rain was enough to wash the trail of blood leaking from her wound. All sense of logic had been replaced by the instinctual desire to survive no matter what.
"Igottafindhelp!Ihavetofindsafelty!", she repeated over and over again.
Yet no matter the strength of her will, Sawako was running on borrowed time as the adrenaline in her system could only do so much before she succumbed to her injuries or if she was found by that villain that attacked her. The injured teen rounded back on the corner of an alley with a stumble before she forcibly balanced herself on a wall. Sawako greedily took in as much air as possible but it never seemed to satiate her frenzied lungs. She tried to scan around for anything or anyone that might help her, but her vision was beginning to blur alongside the fact that her head felt extremely heavy on her neck.
Yet, her eyes caught onto the one thing she had been hoping for. Standing a good distance away in the shelter of an awning was the bright costume of a hero. Sawako's eyes grew wide with relief while a smile was etched on her pained face. She let out a bout of raspy chuckling as she began to slowly hobble her way towards safety. For the briefest of moments, Sawako held onto the smallest of hope…
…Before all the air in her chest was forced out as she plunged face first into the sidewalk. A sharp coldness entered inside Sawako while her limbs somehow lost all their strength. Her thoughts were an incoherent mess and were unable to figure out why she was on the ground. Her eyes drooped onto the wet ground and onto the puddle of water that she had fallen into.
There it was in the reflection of the water. The hidden villain that attacked her without warning, its arms stained crimson with what was her blood. Sawako's glazing eyes stared in horror as they finally began to shed tears that mixed with the rain. She tried to scream out for help but she couldn't find her own voice. The teen blinked, and the sensation akin to falling overwhelmed all of her senses. Even as the costumed form of the hero suddenly emerged in her fainting sight. He moved her on her back, she was certain but couldn't register the fact. He was saying something, but she couldn't hear it. She couldn't even hear the rain anymore or even her own breathing.
Everything was cold and eerily calm. She was going…was in the void.
A Week before the USJ
"Excellent work Machina.", Shujin said with a small hint of satisfaction, "Not only did you terminate the target, but you also successfully covered up any evidence that could be traced to us."
She should be feeling guilt right now for what she did because she killed Sawako in cold blood. What was worse was the fact that she didn't merely kill her, but brutalized Sawako in the cruelest of ways. She should be crying out in sorrow and in guilt because heroes don't kill people.
But Sawako was a villain and one that enjoyed crushing the weak beneath her.", a voice told her, "She was not only a threat to Shujin's plans, but also rotten to the core. Don't lie to yourself, you enjoyed killing her."
Machina wanted to deny it, but she would indeed be lying to herself if she said she didn't enjoy it. She was on cloud nine throughout the whole ordeal once it became apparent that Sawako couldn't defend herself, much like how Sawako enjoyed torturing her when she couldn't defend herself.
However, she wouldn't let her few lingering emotions cloud her mind, "I was merely doing as directed, Shujin.", she replied monotonously.
"Yes, you did.", Shujin replied with his usual hiss, "But you far exceeded my expectations from beginning of the operation to the end. You were swift, clean, and efficient."
Shujin placed his third arm on her shoulder, "In fact actually, you more than exceed. You excelled!"
In the tiniest fractals, Machina could feel the warmth of the emotion called joy. She would smile, if only she could, at all of Shujin's praise. For the first time in her life, Machina did something that she could be praised for and it washed away the empty feeling deep inside her. She didn't feel useless. She felt like she could be useful. She felt like she could actually help.
In a surprising motion, Machina zipped quickly and embraced Shujin in a hug. Shuijin was initially taken aback by the motion and didn't return the gesture at first.
"Thank you.", Machina whispered, "Thank you for making me better than Akemi."
"Do not thank me.". Shujin said pulling away, "You did your fair share of the work Machina. I do believe some accommodations could be made to rewa…"
However, before the two could continue a dark misty portal suddenly appeared in the square middle of the room. Machina instantly was put on edge and immediately went into battle stance, ready to defend Shujin from the intruder. Logic dictated that Shujin should send the facility on high alert and get the security measures online. But defiance of all logic, Shujin seemed to deflate as his third arm clenched into a fist while his face palmed with a loud clunk.
"Oh no, not him.", Shujijn groaned.
In return, A lengthy teenager with bleached hair and hand on his face emerged from within the portal. While a man made of a black mist with sickly yellow eyes dressed in a bartender's outfit soon followed him along with the disappearance of the portal. Machina didn't know who these two men were and why they were here, but she could tell Shujin was not happy to see them.
"Shigaraki.", Shujin all but spat out, "What a surprise? What brings you here and why was I not notified of your arrival?"
Machina nearly flinched at the near murderous tone in Shujin's voice before she turned her head to face the one called "Shigaraki".
"The raid is happening in the next rotation.", the teenager said in a condescending tone, "So I need to gather party members and want to see if you have anything worth recruiting."
Machina, nearly gasping at the tone and contempt that this teenager was talking to Shujin before her shock turned into anger. Instinctively her hands hovered over the blades hidden in her forearms, preparing to strike down this freak. Yet, in the subtlest of motions, Machina saw Shujin reposition himself to block herself from view from this Shigaraki bastard.
"I am afraid your master will get priority once the project is completed, but it is only recently that I began work on the first functional prototype.", Shujin said tersely, "It is far from battle ready, and I am afraid that I do not have anything else that could be of assistance."
That didn't stop the bleached haired bastard from going around and inspecting everything as if he owned the place. Shuijin looked like he was gearing up to explode with his third arm twitching threateningly, while the man made of mist looked exasperated. But he more tact for very obviously murderous aura surrounding Shujin.
"Shigarachi Tomura.", he said carefully, "I do not think the doctor would not have any reason to prepare something for the plan. Given that you never asks nor do I think it would be best to treat the doctor's work as you are doing right now."
"Kurogiri, Sensei said I can use both the doctor's skills however I want to do this raid, right?", Shigarachi said while examining a spider-like drone before tossing away like it was a piece of rubbish.
Kurogiri looked a little pale despite being made of black mist, "Yes, but.."
"Then shut up! Unless you want to go and argue with Sensei about this!", Shigarachi balked.
With those little words, the one called Kurogiri instantly backed down from challenging the bleached haired bastard. He turned his wispy face back towards Shujin, his sickly yellow eyes apologetic.
"I apologize for Shigarachi's behavior, on behalf of Sensei.", Kurogiri said before he winced after yet another gadget met its end.
Shujin lingered for a moment before he relaxed his posture, "It's nothing that I am not already used to."
Machina metaphorically blinked at Shujin's words. Used to being mistreated? Who was this bastard? And why was making all these demands like Shujin was a dog he could beck and call?
Her thoughts were interrupted by the frustrated shout of the Shigaraki bastard before it turned into a series of whining that was grating to listen to. She would've been wincing if it hadn't been for metamorphosis. But thankfully it meant that this hand-loving freak would get out of here.
"I am sorry that I could not be of any assistance to Shigaraki Tomura. Next time, why don't you send a formal request instead of waltzing into my lab and destroying my projects.", Shujin said coldly to Shigaraki as the latter of the two walked back to Kurogiri in a gait that mirrored a pouting child.
"Whatever, such a big fat waste of time.", grumbled Shigaraki.
It was at this moment that Machina messed up. She leaned a little too far out to see the two intruders leave. In doing so, she noticed the singular bloodshot eye revealed beneath the creepy hand mask dark in her direction. Machina jumped back to the shadows by instinct.
Shigaraki's eye then darted to Shujin and replied in a cold tone, "Move."
"Excuse me?", Shujin said without losing his composure.
"I said move it, tin can, or would rather I tell sensei that you aren't following his orders?", the Shigaraki bastard threatened.
Shujin looked ready to kill the teenager in front of him, despite his lack of facial features. Yet, whomever this Sensei guy was, seemed to be really important because Shujin reluctantly obeyed the order of the freak.
The freak with the hand masked then leaned in closer to look her up and down like she was some sort of prized Machinal for him to buy. Machina instantly felt disgust at being ogled by such a vilde bag of flesh such as this Shigaraki Bastard. Then as quickly as he started, Shigaraki leaned back and took his eyes back to Shujin.
"It'll do nicely for my party, I'll take it.", Shigaraki stated.
Machina didn't know what she felt when she heard those words. Sharp pangs of revulsion, Spikes of fear and swirls of confusion. This was something she did not expect to happen at all when she returned to the compound after her first mission.
But what she didn't expect was when Shujin exploded into a shower of angry ranting directed towards Shigaraki while the hand freak exploded into his own tirade of rants as well. Nor did she expect them to be ushered away from the lab by Kurogiri to have this "Sensei solve this dispute". Which left Machina there alone in the room waiting for what seemed to be ages for either to return back.
…
…
…
When Shujin did eventually return, he was in a foul mood while his voice was dripping with a maulding tone that caused her to jump up in surprise.
"Get your kit together along with your disguise.", Shuijin ordered, "You are going to be helping that Shigaraki brat and his moronic scheme to kill All Might."
What did you think? Did you hate it and think I need to give up this hobby? Or am I the nex Martin? Let me know in the comments and reviews so I can improve in the next chapter. Have a nice day and Praise the Omnissiah!