Hey everyone, been a while since this story gets updated. The only excuses I could give I'm focusing on my own OG story (which is already a struggle) and I have to prepare for Uni.

Well uh I hope you will enjoy this chapter, though it is relatively shorter.

Chapter 5: Celestial mechanics in the dark

"Punishment."

With that word, everyone's core felt hollow and cold, save for the two coiled up by the Magician tendrils.

"Punishment?" Spider-Man asked, he tried prying the binds off.

"Indeed. That's why you're all together." The silhouette shrouded in blackish purple inched towards Spider-Man. There was no face, no skin, just a humanoid of utter darkness.

"You." The Magician leered. Turning to both the Spider and the Hunter. "Trying to shoulder so much for nothing. And how you made the people who follow you suffer." He motioned at Yumiko and Kakeru.

"Now you get to see what your choices bring." The Magician said. "See how you ruined yourselves. You could have been so much more. Instead, you turned to this path. I'll teach you in time. Teach you from your stupidity." The Magician turned to Hachiman and pointed at him. The poor boy could only freeze in fear, his dead fish eyes turned wide and frightful. Iroha as well, cowered behind him holding onto his sleeve.

"You will learn Hikigaya Hachiman." The Magician hissed. His hand clenched a fist that glowed purple and the portal opened below him again. "Prepare yourselves for your first lesson."

The tendrils coiling Spider-Man and Huntsman swung them down and slammed them into the ground again. The Magician descended into the portal before either of them could recover. The park soon returned to its nightly quiet self again, leaving the Hachimans and their companions alone.

Kakeru and Yumiko quickly rushed to them and help them up. "Are you ok?" Kakeru asked the Webhead.

"Just about." The unmasked Spider-Man patted the dust off himself. Huntsman wasted no time in pulling his hood over his head to shade his eyes. The two vigilantes picked up their masks. The three Hachimans stood together once more, the loner, Spider, and Hunter. They glanced at each other, trying their hardest to process everything.

The Huntsman brought his mask up to inspect the damage. There were scratches all over with the circuitry slightly exposed from a cut. He would have to rewire it to fix the damage. Spider-Man's mask did not look too well either, there were scratches too and the lens were fixed in its default size. Nevertheless, the two put their masks back on.

"Shit, so you really are another Hikigaya Hachiman." Kakeru said under his breath. His comment was heard which resulted in a glare from the dark vigilante. "Ok that aside, what was that?!" Kakeru stepped in and blurted out. "That was our Mystery Man, right? He's behind this whole mess?"

"Looks that way." Yumiko joined in as well. "Calls himself the Magician, he's magic-based then if it wasn't obvious before."

Spider-Man noted Hachiman having a hand over his mouth, biting on his knuckle. "You ok?"

Hachiman breathing turned heavy. A multiverse, alternate versions of himself, magic, the threat of death. It was all hammering down on him. Spider-Man gripped his shoulder. "Hachiman?"

"Uh, y-yeah. I mean it's only someone trying to kill us." Hachiman shrugged him off. His pulse was raising. "Komachi…Yukinoshita…Mom…Dad…"

"Hachiman look at me." Spider-Man's tone grew firmer and the boy's eyes slowly turned to him. "I made you a promise. We'll fix this." His words of comfort did little in terms of comfort for Hachiman however.

"He didn't say kill." Huntsman cut in and pointed out to the two. "He said punishment. He wanted to punish us."

"What the hell does that mean?" Yumiko stood next to him.

"A lot of things. From that 'Magician' person said, he has a big vendetta against…us." Huntsman referred to the three Hachimans.

"So what's our next move?" Yumiko and Kakeru said simultaneously to their respective comrade.

"Hell if I know." Spider-Man crossed his arms. In truth, the Hachiman inside Spider-Man was clueless. Echo team, the things he had encountered on his world, none of that had anything on this.

"Like the Magician said." The Huntsman declared. "Prepare ourselves." His tone only added the somber tone. "He did this, he brought us all together, which means he might know how to undo this. He may have to play his game if we have any chance of catching him."

The sound of sniffing, however, took hold of everyone's attention. And there was Isshiki Iroha unable to hold back her tears. "I can't take this anymore!" She wept and wiped her tears on her face. "What is going on? I want to go home!" As the girl cried, the rest of them watched in discomfort save for one. The Huntsman still had his stone-cold face showing no hint of expression. He turned away from the crying mess much to Spider-Man's disapproval.

Hachiman approached her. "Isshiki, calm down ok?"

"H-How can I calm down S-Senpai?! Why is this happening?!" Iroha sobbed. "I want all this to stop! I want to go home!" She continued to cry.

"Then go home." All turned to Huntsman.

"W-What?" Iroha squeaked.

"If you want to go home, then go." Huntsman told her. Spider-Man groaned and turned to him.

"Y-You won't stop me?" Iroha braved a question to the hooded man.

"We're in your earth, this is your world. You don't have to put yourself in all this. If you want to leave for your safety, then leave." Huntsman said. Iroha quickly eyed everyone. It took her half a minute before she made her decision. Iroha backed away from Hachiman. This was indeed too much for the girl and she just wanted to escape.

"I-I'm sorry senpai." Iroha shakily said. "I-I can't do this. I n-need to go."

Hachiman tried reasoning with her, "Isshiki, you don't think it's better to stay with us?"

"No!" Iroha snapped. "This is happening because of them!" She threw her finger at the other two Hachimans, the Spider-Man and the Huntsman. Iroha wiped the tear rolling her cheek. "Senpai, please."

Hachiman's mind was overwhelmed, no words could come to his mind for Iroha, and all he did was gawk with uncertain eyes. Iroha took her chance and turned away them, running off to head for the safety of home. Hachiman could only stand there and watch her slowly disappeared from sight.

Hachiman picked up his bag and his gaze went back to the others, those not of his world, these outsiders.

Spider-Man for his part was biting his lip, Iroha accusation did strike a blow in him. Being blamed for something he had no control over but he had to bite it and accept it as is. Huntsman, however, was impassive as ever.

"Are you ok?" Spider-Man asked Hachiman.

"I-I think so, she's safe." He replied.

"Alright," Yumiko stepped forward as if to lead. "If no one has any idea on where to start, I'm saying this now. None of us are in any condition to push on, and you two," She pointed at the two vigilantes. "Eventually you are going to have to get out of uniform. We need someplace to hold out.

"But where? Sobu High?" Kakeru suggested.

"Break into the school?"

"Yeah."

"Nah bad idea Tobe." Yumiko objected. "There's going to be other club activities in the day, even on weekends. There's got to somewhere else."

Hachiman's forehead creased, he had an idea. A preposterous idea, but it was the right call in his eyes. Huntsman and Spider-Man noticed him reaching into his pocket and he fished out his phone. The two caught on to what he had in mind. Before Hachiman could dial the number on his phone, the Huntsman gripped his wrist like a vice.

"No." The Huntsman commanded.

"You have to trust me." Hachiman tried to say bravely against those red eyes.

"No way in hell!" Spider-Man took hold of his other wrist.

"It's ok, you have to trust me." Hachiman turned to the white eyes.

"No!" Spider-Man and Huntsman snarled in unison.

Yumiko and Kakeru could look at each other in confusion as to what the three were thinking.

A moment later, the three Hachimans were in a public restroom in the park while Yumiko and Kakeru waited outside. Inside the restroom, Spider-Man had removed his mask and gloves. He was wearing another set of school uniform shirt and pants over his suit. His black and webbed red shoes had to stay. The Huntsman had removed his armor and cape. Now was wearing a simple red t-shirt and grey track pants. The only piece of his armor he had kept was his boots.

Now there were truly three Hikigaya Hachimans. And they still could not get used to it at all.

Hachiman in the red t-shirt pulled the sleeve. It was tight around his biceps and abdomen, and he hated it. He packed his remaining armor in the bag provided by the other Hachiman. The tight shirt accentuated his muscles and another Hachiman could not help the slight tinge of green envy in him.

They all left the restroom joining up with Yumiko and Kakeru.

"Ok now, Hikio." Yumiko said.

"Mm." The three turned to her, three identical faces eyeing her which got her having chills down her back.

"Ehhh?! I-I mean uh the Hikio with the mean face." It did little to narrow who was referring to.

"Ahh! Ok!" Yumiko pulled her hair. "Huntsman."

"Miura." The Hachiman in red t-shirt replied.

She a finger pointed at him. "Ok, that's you. Who is uh Spider-Man? That his name?" One other Hachiman raised his hand. She then pointed at the last one. "And you're the one from this world."

Kakeru had to bring his hand to his mouth to quell his chuckle despite the situation they were in. "Yeah, we have to find a way to differentiate you guys."

None of the Hachimans spoke a word, waiting for the two to come up with something. Yumiko pointed at her supposed partner, Huntsman. "Hikio for you then."

Kakeru pointed at his partner, Spider-Man, "Ah ok. Then I'll call you Hikitani-kun like always."

And for the final Hachiman. They said together. "Hikigaya?"

Hikigaya, Hikitani-kun, and Hikio deadpanned at them, all groaning in cringe at the same time. Hikigaya Hachiman made some distance away from them as he took his phone out.

Hikio with arms crossed warned him. "I still think this idea is insane."

"You sure about this?" Hikitani-kun added.

But Hikigaya Hachiman ignored him, now his mind was focused on the person he was seeking aid. And deep down he knew, she would want to help him.

Because his life was hers.

It was 1 am, the bedroom was dark with the curtains blocking out the moonlight. A phone lit up and rang. Hearing the phone ringing, she was shaken from her slumber. Raising her head off Panda-san she reached her phone to see the caller ID.

Her eyes widened and answered. "Hello? Hikigaya-kun?"

"Yukinoshita." Hikigaya Hachiman responded.

"Hikigaya-kun? Do you realize what time it is now?" She yawned.

"I know, I know. But listen." Hachiman said over the phone. She waited for him to continue, the silence was shifting the tone, and she could sense things were afoot. She heard him sighing.

"Yukinoshita, I need your help."

Time had passed, Yukino in her pink sweater and purple dress paced around her living room, she washed the sleep off her face but it did not remove the dark circles below her eyes. She peered out the window, her heart worried. "Hikigaya-kun."

Her boyfriend had called in the middle of the night asking for help and he needed to come over to her house. He did not explain what was happening, and all he said was 'It would easier if just it for yourself, I can't explain it over the phone.'

Suddenly the intercom came to life with a chime. She glided over and answered, "Hikigaya-kun?"

"Yukinoshita."

"Are you ok?"

"I'm ok, but can you let me in?" She did as he told her. She was then left waiting for him to come up to the fifteen storey. The mere waiting for him to come up was agonizing, all the while she was running all sorts of scenarios.

The doorbell finally rang and she shuffled over to the main door. Opening it, her boyfriend was in sight right in front.

"Hikigaya-kun, are y-" What she saw next stunned her completely. Standing on both sides of Hikigaya Hachiman were Tobe Kakeru and Miura Yumiko, and behind them stood two more Hikigaya Hachimans.

So Yukinoshita Yukino is going to be involved, don't worry about Iroha. She'll be back.

I hope this won't look like I'm still giving Iroha crap (since the responses from her as a villain in 'The Dark Knight of Chiba' were...divisive so to say). Realistically anyone who just had his/her world messed around like that in this book, he/she'd want to get away and seek safety.

That's my take at least.