Eri sat on the swing, waiting. She had placed the bear on the other swing. She didn't want to be close to it, but didn't dare throw it away.
No one had looked at her on the bus. Like Overhaul had always told her. People didn't care. They had given up on helping others, and left it to Heroes. Not that Heroes would help her either.
The sad fact was, in the age of Quirks, the lone little girl might not be alone and might not even be a little girl. So as long as there was nothing obviously wrong...
But nii-chan had. And his friends and teachers. And even his mom. So maybe Overhaul wasn't right. That was all the more reason to save them.
She looked around, cautiously. The last instruction had been to wait for someone to pick her up.
"Eri."
She looked up in surprise and fear as a rough voice called her name.
"The bear is in the park," Overhaul said, "It is time to move."
"I don't get it," Rappa complained, "why aren't we waiting closer?"
"Three reasons," the yakuza boss complained, "First of all, if we were too close and she betrayed us, then we would be in custody now, or at least fighting. Second, we couldn't sure how long it would take for her to get the bear or when she would be able to leave, so we needed somewhere comfortable to wait. And also because we weren't sure how long it would be, I needed somewhere with good wifi to work while I wait."
"Let's go," Hekiji said, ready to leave the net cafe. He and Rappa had been waiting here since the morning, and Overhaul had joined them after altering the toy with his message and directions for the girl. The former monk hated the decedent place, a palace to wasted time and worldly desire.
"Rappa, get the car," Overhaul instructed. Once the musclehead fighter was gone, Overhaul looked at Barrier's user and said, "Don't screw this up again."
"You are expecting trouble?" the blonde countered.
"Always."
I knew about this park. It was small, and well maintained. A mirage of nature and respectability. When the bus had gone by here in primary school, the driver told us never to go here. As did Mom and Mitsuki-baa-san. Only in my second year at Aldera did I find out why.
To the south, currently spewing steam into the air, was a factory that produced cheap, low-quality adult toys. Though it provided jobs for the city, and especially the neighborhood, no-one want to acknowledge it. And they especially didn't want their children near it. So the park was generally unused. To west was a warehouse for the factory. To the east was a parking garage. And the northern building was a four story office complex, mostly empty except for a questionable law office, an even more questionable 'idol' agency. And an excellent diner on the bottom level, the type the could have moved somewhere else but the owner refused to leave the neighborhood.
All in all, clean or not, it was the sort of park where it would be more common to see two grown men exchanging nondescript brown bags, than to see children enjoying the playground equipment.
I wasn't sure why Eri had come here. But the item next to her caught my attention. She hadn't had a plush bear yesterday, and Mom and I hadn't bought her one. Someone else could have, but why would she bring it.
"Analyze."
[Sir Bearington v2 (revision XIV)
A plush bear with a speaker to talk to the child. Also a nanny bear with GPS, wifi, and a camera. This one has been modified Chisaki Kai with a custom voice track and a DNA scanner so the message only plays when the right person is alone.]
So that was it.
"Eri," I called to her. My voice was harsh from running all out. She looked up, and teared up.
"Onii-chan," she said fearfully as I approached, "why are you here?"
"I came for you, Eri," I told her gently, "I was worried when I found you were gone."
"You have to go," she told me, "If I go with him, he will let Inko-baa-san go."
"Did he tell you that?" I asked.
"He said he kidnapped her two days ago," she said, "which is why you are staying at the school, right? And if I don't go with him, he'll kill her."
I knelt down to look her in the eye.
"He did kidnap my mom," I told her, "For about two hours before she was rescued. We are both staying at UA, to be safe. But he won't be able to get to her so easily."
"Overhaul said he would kill you, too," she protested.
"I'm not that easy to kill," I told her.
"All he has to do is touch you," she said.
I reached down picked up a handful of the rocks under the swing set. I held them up at eye level, so she could see them hovering over my palm.
"He can't touch me if I don't want him to," I told her, "You saw the sports festival, right? The ice at the end didn't touch me either, that's why I could lift it."
I made the stones orbit my hand. Eri's eyes widened. She watched the dancing rocks with interest.
"And there is something else I should tell you," I raised my voice slightly, letting it carry, "Right now, the Heroes and police are raiding three of Overhaul's bases..."
"Let's go," Tsukauchi's voice came over the radio.
"Begin the assault," Endeavor rumbled.
The small contingent of police and les... local Heroes charged the building.
Normally, Enji would not have participated. He would have considered this beneath him. The yakuza in general were relics. Some groups were arguably more helpful than harmful, contributing to local charities and despising Villains enough to fight them or even turn them in. But this particular group had been an increasing problem over the last year. In helping to take them down, Endeavor would get the accolades he demanded.
And speaking of accolades, All Might was in another group. But the Number 1 Hero was not the group leader. He was merely a grunt.
'Where he belongs,' Enji thought specifically. And the difference in position, leader versus cannon fodder, would give Enji a further leg up on his rival.
And finally, while it was the smallest of the targets, this was the base were the Shie Hassaikai diluted and distributed their imported supply of Trigger. Endeavor had an interest in cutting off the source of the drug. If in the process he happened to recover a sample or two so his agency could create a counter agent, all the better.
The pounding of feet of the men and women of the Tokyo PD broke his musings, and Endeavor strode forward towards the sounds of battle.
Hawks' feathers took down two gunmen, before they could raise an alarm. The third target was the largest of the Hassaikai bases being raided, and also the furthest afield, being outside Tokyo prefecture. It was a training facility for the yakuza. So while the quality of the thugs was fairly low, they made up for it in quantity.
"Jet Panther," Rikaryu Goji proclaimed. He grew, expanding from his more manageable eight foot two inch frame, to the full forty eight feet tall.
'Now that I'm back in Japan, I should try to use metric again,' the Hero known as Godzillo thought to himself. He had been living in America for two years. But he was spending a few months in Japan before the I-Expo, to try to convince his parents to attend his upcoming wedding. His father didn't approve of Connie, or of Goji moving to the US. But his mom was more flexible.
He placed his tail so it covered the entire south side of the building. Then knelt so he could grab anyone who exited the east side. The Hassaikai had been a sore spot for him when he crossed the Pacific. They always seemed to be the ones that got away. And now that the gang was even worse, but there was a chance to take them down? Goji gladly interrupted his vacation to help.
As the police and other Heroes swarmed the entrances on the other sides of the building, Godzillo snorted in amusement as someone tried to open the back door. Only to find it blocked. Another yakuza dove out a window on the side, presumably to either flee or flank the police. Goji casually picked him up, flicked the wakizashi out of his hands, and then set the stunned criminal where the police could cuff him and shove him into a van. Goji couldn't go inside, but the yakuza wouldn't escape on his watch.
"Assuming he hasn't already been captured," I told Eri, "he would be smart to run. And if he comes here for you, that will make it harder for him to escape..."
Eri's attention shifted and her expression changed. I guess my little distraction show wasn't enough.
"...The police and Heroes will be looking out for a man or three travelling together with a young girl, so kidnapping you now would be bad for him."
I sighed and let the rocks drop. I put an arm protectively around Eri.
"Isn't that right, Chisaki-san?" I asked him. They would have done a good job of sneaking up on me, but Ki Detection was still on. So I had felt the three Ki signatures, two of them very strong, approaching us. Not to mention the incredible spike in Sense Hostility.
"I would prefer you not call me that," he respond in obviously false civility, "What are you doing here, boy?"
"My little sister lost her way," I told him, "So I came to save her."
"I don't think she wants to be saved," he countered, "Do you, Eri?"
Eri didn't say anything, but I could feel her body shaking against my arm.
"That doesn't always matter," I told both Eri and Overhaul, "After all, a Hero doesn't wait for someone to want their help. And doesn't go back on their promise."
"Heroes," Overhaul sneered angrily, "Unruly wretches."
"MCU Thanos?" I asked, glaring at him, "He's who you look up to?"
"A visionary with the desire and will to fix a broken system?" Overhaul sounded like he hadn't considered it before, "Yes, that sounds about right."
"Try an insane fool who's plan didn't make sense in the short term or the long term," I shook my head.
"The self-righteous always refuse to see the truth."
I looked back at Eri. And I realized.
"She's your Nebula," I said softly.
"This is pointless," he said, "Rappa, take her."
The large red-head charged forward. From what Principal Nezu had said when telling Mom about this guy, Rappa Kendo was a fighting junky who had been arrested twice for participating in illegal underground fights. His Quirk gave him super strong shoulders, so any motion involving his shoulders, like punching or throwing, was incredibly strong and quick. Almost to All Might's level. But he wasn't actually super strong, so he couldn't crush things in his hands. He could deadlift a lot of weight, but not bicep curl it.
"Drive 3," I mumbled as he ran, having turned off my powers after reaching the park.
When Rappa-san reached me, his fist shot forward faster than his legs had carried him. I briefly wondered if he could have run faster on his hands. With my improved kinetic vision, I could still see it. Though it was close.
I slid to the side, drawing Eri with me. I parried with my left hand, pushing his right cross wide so the shockwave wouldn't hit her. I crouched. Stepped in. I fired a right palm at his gut.
"Hogwarts SMASH!"
He rocketed back. Past Overhaul and Tengai Hekiji, the barrier user who had tried to take Eri when we first met. Rappa-san skipped across the grass and slammed into the SUV the three criminals had arrived in. Overhaul and Tengai-san looked surprised, their eyes trailing Rappa-san and then coming back to me.
"Ha," Rappa pulled himself out of the dented panel, seeming unharmed, "I knew I wanted to fight you after watching the Sports Fest, kid. But you might actually give me trouble. I guess I won't hold back this time, and Overhaul can just fix the brat up if she gets hurt."
My vision went red. He wasn't even threatening Eri, trying to use her as a hostage. He just wanted a fight and didn't care who got hurt in the crossfire.
I forced myself to calm, assisted heavily by Gamer's Mind. I couldn't do the same as Rappa. Even with my Ki healing or Recovery Girl's Quirk, I couldn't risk Eri getting hurt. She seemed so fragile. And more importantly, I didn't want her to be hurt. Not even a scrape or a small bruise. These guys... I wouldn't let them do it. Not once more.
Rappa prepared to charge, but Overhaul held up his hand. He gestured at Tengai-san, who surrounded the two of us in a barrier. Then a second. Then a third. I wondered what there were doing, but I figured it out quickly enough. The small amount of grass in here with us wouldn't supply a lot of oxygen. In a matter of minutes, we would pass out. Probably Eri first. And I would either surrender to avoid her getting brain damage, or I would pass out, too. And then they would have her.
I punched the barrier. As hard as I could without spending any more Energy. This one was many times harder than the first time I had faced Tengai. This time it didn't even ring, the force of my punch could not reverberate it. A full power Minnesota Smash would damage it. Maybe even break it. But then I would be down an arm. I would be forced to spend Energy to heal. Or try to go on without it. I could try a Gondor Smash, see if Ki or slashing attacks were more effective. Or use TK to pick up something outside the barrier to hit them with.
I could also throw Eri into my Party, finally, and then jump into a rock or blade of grass Dungeon. Only I was worried about Eri on multiple levels. Especially her mental state, would a Dungeon shatter her grip on reality. Also, there was a good chance, based on what both Eri and Mom had said, that Rappa-san or Overhaul would throw a tantrum. And potentially damage or destroy the Dungeon's source. After the Quest from the frying pan, I was pretty sure that would kill anyone in the Dungeon. Not that I had been able to test it.
Okay, no time to think. Gondor first, then TK, with Dungeon as a last resort.
I didn't mention it before, but the street I had come down, traveling south to the northeast corner of the park, was a twenty degree slope. I say that now, because a dark blue van was hurtling downhill, well in excess of the posted speed limit. Due to the reckless driving and utter disregard for traffic law, I had to assume it was reinforcements for the yakuza.
Tires squealing in protest, it skidded to a halt next to the park, blocking traffic had there been any in the early afternoon. Only then did I recognize the van was not unmarked. And the passenger side window was already rolled down.
'That was like the Knight Bus, only in real life,' Ami's mental voice sounded woozy over Guild Chat.
A hand extended from the open window. And behind it was the absolutely livid face of one Misaka Mikoto.
BOOOM!
"Understand," Nezu told them harshly, "I am only letting you go because Midoriya-kun already... texted you the location. I am sufficiently certain you seven would go even if I ordered you not to, and we don't have the staff on hand to lock all of you down. So if you agree to follow her instructions, you can go. If I find out you disobeyed an order, any order, there will be consequences."
The seven Knights all nodded.
"I would go myself," Nezu told the eighth person in his office, "But I need to continue to monitor and direct the raids. I am trusting you with this."
He did not seem reassured by the response. Nevertheless, he tossed the keys to the licensed (arguably) adult (technically). They all started to hurry out.
"Misaka-san."
Nezu stopped her, and she looked back. He tossed her a case.
"Prototypes from the Support Course," he told her, "They complained about the 'coin' profile, but wanted you to test these."
She cracked it open to look at the two shining discs.
It was the loudest sonic boom I had ever heard from Mikoto's Railgun (at least to date). I would learn later that the disc she fired had an armor piercing coating over a hardened titanium jacket over a specially shaped magnetic core. A custom round designed to give her maximum output. While still looking like a coin.
The outer two layers of barriers shattered. Broke into millions of fragments that dissolved instantly. And the innermost one did not break, but cracked severely. I quickly punched the point of impact from the opposite side, and that was all it could take.
"Backup's here!" Hadou Nejire-san shouted joyfully as she flew out of the driver's seat. And the rest of the Knights (sans Mom and All Might) piled out of the other doors.
Status Changes for Midoriya Izuku:
Skills:
Analyze (W) – Battle Scan: 54 → 55
Dodge (A/Q) LB – Catch: 41 → 42
Basic Karate (A): 45 → 46
Boxing (S): 38 → 39
Parkour (A/Q): 37 → 39
Running (Q/E) – Jet Set Run: 37 → 40
Ki Detection (D/I): 40 → 42
Telekinetic Aura (I) LB: 44 → 46
Kung Fu Fundamentals (Q/E): 24 → 25
Clairvoyance (I/W) LB: 34 → 35
Jump (Q/S) LB: 12 → 14
Sense Hostility (I/C) - Hostile Aura: 36 → 39
High Speed Vision (W/Q) 17 → 19
