CHAPTER EIGHT: Dirty Deeds Done Dirt Cheap

"If you're havin' trouble with the high school head/He's givin' you the blues"

"...and following the attack on Club Pearl, a well known nightlife spot loved by partygoers and jazz lovers alike, the pro heroes are still in pursuit of the culprits who until now have managed to elude them. Footage from the club's CCTV have identified them as the violent criminal known as Muscular and Tomura Shigaraki. They leave behind considerable property damage and no less than twenty wounded bystanders. Police has cordoned off the area and we will keep you appraised as the situation develops..."

Kurogiri shook her head silently and crossed his arms, his yellow eyes staring at the images onscreen but revealing nothing under the blot of darkness that was his face.

Twice literally facepalmed and then laughed before walking to the bar to make himself a cup of coffee, with Compress and Machia sharing a look of disbelief. "Well, there goes our occasion to call them back. We have to wait at least a day or two now... and hope they don't engage in any other impropriety. The target they painted on their back is big enough as it is." Compress said calmly.

"Told you those two were the worst match up to send out." Twice sighed.

Dave was leaning on the counter with a can of lemon juice in hand, Toga sitting on it and swinging herlegs back and forth with a mildly amused expression on her face.

"Does the boss engage in stupid often? My dad, may his sould rest in peace, said one thing to me once when I was a kid. He said the only way for people to unstupid is for stupid to hurt as much as possible." he asked to no one in particular after downing the can in a few gulps. Gigantomachia gave him a dirty look and opened his mouth to say something but after a moment, he snapped it shut.

"Da-kun, be nice." Himiko chided him playfully.

"He's out of line, but he has a point here." Compress replied leaning back on the couch. "This complicates things by an order of magnitude and, most importantly moves the timeframe of our next operation by an undefined number of days - not to mention the possibility of them being further delayed or even arrested."

"My fear is that my not so esteemed counterpart is leading Mr. Hands and Hulk Smash into a rat maze with a thoroughly trapped exit. It's entirely in his modus operandi." Dave mulled, looking at the ceiling with a deep and rather worried sigh. "For all his bluster and big talk, deep down he's a coward. He wouldn't face anyone that he isn't sure to either beat or control. That means he's become insanely good at planning and using the resources he has in the most efficient way possible. When they'll meet, Shigaraki will have zero chances of coming out on top. Trust me."

"You talk like you're sure this...old friend of yours...Mark, is it? is dead set on doing our leader harm. I am curious as to what you know to make such a statement." Kuro said looking at him with an unusually penetrating gaze.

"Simple logic. If he hadn't any interest in Shigaraki he would have wiped Bunny Ears only on the logic that she was a heroine. If he targeted Dabi, it was to lure him. He thinks of himself as a villain. Being a villain is...more or less all he wants to be. And a petty one at that. No big ideals on reforming society or anything. Just being top dog and enjoying life. He's very cliche' and he ends up making cliche' mistakes. That's...pretty much my only hope, if he hasn't wisened up."

"Yes, yes." Kurogiri continued, pressing on as Dave said absolutely nothing of interest. "But what does he know about Shigaraki that he wants to harm him? And by association, how much do YOU know? You seem... awful knowledgeable for an outsider who came to the city two days ago."

Dave smiled and pointed at Himiko, who nodded absentmindedly. "She asked many questions. So did I. She wasn't the only one who had curiosities... and I simply used logic from that point on. Knowing our fearless leader's power, it's absolutely logical for Mark to want it for himself."

"Pillow talk, eh?" Twice quipped. "You two are hella cute. I pegged you for dead the moment her door closed." At the mention of 'pillow talk', Toga blushed intensely - but her grin spoke volumes. Dave simply shrugged, looking back ad the black-clad villain with a small smile. "I'm tougher than I look. Plus, Himi-chan has learned to temper her affections to keep her boy in working order."

"And what can her boy do? Neither of you has shed any light on that particular aspect." Kuro interjected relentlessly. "If you want to be accepted in the fold, keeping secrets is far from the best way to do it. Especially if - like you said - the life of our leader is at stake. So speak."

"Fair enough. I summon things. You may call my power 'Requisition'. I need something, I pull it from somewhere, somewhen in the multiverse. A barrier, a tornado, money, and so on and so forth. Allow me to demonstrate."

He opened his left palm, grinning. "Requisition: one Fuji apple."

"Requisition complete." A luscious, perfect red apple appeared with a little poofing sound and Dave's finger flexed to grab it.

"Somewhere in the multiverse, there's one less Fuji apple - and it's the one I'm holding."

Kuro and Compress both looked at the apple with much interest. "Oho." the latter uttered in admiration. "That's... very very interesting. Do you have an upper limit for gating in materials? Because I think we could be the best of friends and partners in crime."

Dave shrugged. "I see what you're getting at and the answer is no. I could literally gate a moon here, but I'd rather not destroy the planet and die horribly. A truck, though... or a small house..."

"...suddenly compressed into a small sphere...several spheres, several houses..."

The two were looking at each other with growing smiles and a strange glint in their eyes.

"...yes. Weaponizing mass, the right way."

Toga giggled and leaned her head on Dave's shoulder. "Aw. Da-kun has made a new friend. I'm happy~"

"You need a costume. No buts!" Compress declared.

"If you have finished derailing the conversation-" Kurogiri interjected somewhat forcefully "-I still have question for our...probational member. The most pressing is: do you know what power your counterpart has?"

Dave shook his head slowly. "No. We have seen him making Dabi disappear, but after that all the rest is conjecture. You see, us acquiring our abilities is... recent history. We were both involved in a large scale accident, we literally died, and got revived with these abilities. Thing is, I didn't know he was alive until I saw him on TV - and I'm sure it was the same for him."

"So, like Nomu." the villain replied, pensive. "Only... naturally occurring and apparently with a much higher potential?"

"Yeah, but don't go thinking you can replicate the conditions. That was a one off involving quantum physics." Dave replied with a sneer. "No super soldier army for you. You'll have to make do with the prototype you have and make sure he likes you enough to cooperate."

"Be NICE." Himiko repeated, this time pricking his side with the tip of his knife. "This is your new family, and Kuro's okay. He's just paranoid about security."

"Owie. I am being nice. I just don't like the prospect of being used. By someone who's not you and under the sheets I might add."

She leaned in to whisper in his hear, giggling. "That's what I like to hear."

"Noted." Kurogiri replied, coldly, then cast another glance at the TV screen. "Well, all we can do is wait anyway. And hope nothing goes awry."

"I never pegged you for an optimist." Twice replied dryly. "This will end in a shitshow. Mark my words."