Chapter 8: Leave him alone!

The ride in the van was silent, no one cracking up jokes. Not even Peter, who was behind the back, waiting for the hostages to wake up at the back of the van. Alice and Connor are unconscious in the back, tied up and one supporting the other. Peter just smiles at the two with Stele just grinning impatiently, can't wait to carve their faces.

Takumi and Takie were just at the front row, looking at the passing monuments as the day turns to the night. Takumi looks down on his watch and notices that it is 8 PM. He hmms to himself as the van neared to their hideout.

Back at the warehouse, Kabe sits luxuriously on a chair while reading a book as he puts his mind in peace as he controls the frozen officers with his Quirk. Any sort of movement or any drastic emotion that can tick him off will set them free.

Tamaki looks around for anything they can use. He tries to get him to monologue.

"Hey! You! What do you think of heroes?" Tamaki asks out of desperation that he'll make a mistake. Kabe doesn't budge and flips to the next page, with his calmness solid. Tamaki could sweat if he could but his body could not because it is under control.

'I have to break his concentration. Somehow. Judging by how he is concentrating, it means he is on his breaking point. And he can't keep using his Quirk forever.'

While he was in his thoughts, Fat-gum had his punch froze and his mouth starts to drool. His whines are muffled. Tamaki stops his snickers and chuckles. Then he notices something. Kabe was getting tired, that he let Toyomitsu's drool drop to the floor. And that his sweat dripping down from his brow.

'I have to get him to use his Quirk more. It's the only way.'

Kabe's eyes open and his gaze moves to Tamaki. He knows that Tamaki is plotting something. It was obvious from his eyes.

"Hmmm. If you think of a way to get out of this, there is none." Kabe says while he stands up and closing the book. Tamaki watches as he steps his way closer to him, every step making his fear grow by a tinge.

He stops in front of him and looking down a bit. He surveys his tentacle arm and is disgusted that a slimy arm helped bring down their biggest ally in terms of survival. They beat their economic source in the streets of Musutafu. And it all went downhill from there in terms of money and gaining it.

He walks by the tired officers and chooses two to be let free. The two hostages gasp for air before they are dragged by the collar too tired to fight back. He drags them in front of the two heroes assigned to the raid.

He goes to the tables and gets three peculiar handguns. He places them in front of Tamaki. Fat-gum already knows what he's going to do.

"There are three guns. You choose. I shoot." Kabe says plainly, raising the pressure and tension in the room. Tamaki grunts, struggling to be let loose. Kabe grows frustrated with every struggle. "Choose now or I'll kill every single officer in the warehouse." Kabe says, making Tamaki and Fat-gum get even more pressured.

Tamaki is thinking fast, thinking of a solution with no officer casualties. 'Damn this.' He thought to himself. "I swear, you'll pay for what you've done!" Tamaki says, making Kabe feel amused that he gets under their skin.

"Choose. Even a hero such as you can figure this out. I do not know which of these are loaded. So I won't cheat." Kabe says as he sat back on the chair. Kabe looks on the troubled hero and a smile manifests on his face.

"Y'know what? I'll let you do the shooting." Kabe says as he waves his hand at Tamaki, letting him move. Tamaki's tentacle arm forms back and he drops to the ground, breathing heavily. Tamaki looks at Kabe, who looks at him back, signaling the guns with his eyes.

Tamaki looks at him and notices something as he walks to the guns and picks one. "By the way, if you try to shoot me, I'll stop the bullet before it hits me." Kabe pans, making Tamaki stagger. Kabe smirks and chuckles at his response.

Tamaki looks at the guns one more time. 'Damn. I'm boxed in. This guy's gonna unhinge himself in a second if I don't cooperate.' Tamaki thinks to himself as he chooses.

Kabe crosses his arms and his fingers tap on his left arm as Tamaki was contemplating. Tamaki breathes in and out as looks at his arm. Kabe notices this and readies to use his Quirk. Tamaki lashes his tentacle arm at Kabe.

Kabe stops his arm just before it touches his face. Tamaki grunts as his arm was put in stop. Kabe clicks his mouth as he waves his finger at him. "Now Tamaki. I've figured this out. You are outmatched."

Inside Tamaki, his mind is snapping back and forth, trying to keep calm. Toyomitsu's eyes widen and roll to glare at Kabe. Tamaki shoots out his tentacles at Kabe and just about it was to hit his face, Kabe stops it. Tamaki grunts as he struggles to move once more.

Kabe walks alongside his tentacle, feeling disgusted that only a part of him is an octopus. "Grotesque form, you've taken. Did you think I am an average villain? Who will fall to your idiocy?," Kabe glares at the troubling teen intensely. Tamaki can only see his face's details.

"I will not. And because of your mistake, every single police officer here is dead. Except you two." Kabe threatens and picks up the guns in front of him. Tamaki grunts to be let loose but could not. He screams angrily to break free.

Toyomitsu continues to watch with his drool on the ground. Fat-gum grunts with wuth Tamaki, but then they were interrupted by two shots from behind.

They became silent and in their silence, three more shots. Then shot after shot, it was getting closer to them. The two police officers in front of Tamaki could only fear for their lives, knowing they are done for.

The two heroes felt like screaming out but something stops them. It was their fear. Then one of the cops shakes Tamaki's leg. Tamaki snaps out of it, rolling his eyes down at the two cops in tears.

The cop places a piece of paper in Tamaki's pocket and pats it. "Tell our families we love them. Please."

Tamaki's heart stops and he feels like falling in a bottomless pit of guilt. His eyes widen more and more as Kabe's gunshots get closer to the remaining officers. Fat-gum turns his Quirk off to shrink down to his normal size. Toyomitsu falls down to his knees and gasps for air. Kabe notices this and stops him in the spot.

Fat-gum can barely breathe in his groveling state. His mouth is opened once again, and drool descends to drop to the floor again. He whines inaudibly as a tear drops with the drool. Kabe chuckles at the sight of Tamaki's mentor in that state.

Kabe continues the carnage and finishes the two police officers. Shooting them in the head. Tamaki's entire being became white. Silent. Lifeless. Without hope. As if all the happiness in the world vanished.

Kabe admires his handiwork, all dead on the now-bloody floor. All twenty cops assigned to the mission. He smears his blood-stained hands and pants with a damp cloth. He looks at the two frozen heroes and thinks about releasing them, but he should wait for the hitmen to come back.

After another hour of silence, A van's wheeling becomes audible in the distance outside of the warehouse. Kabe's eyes closes and places a bookmark between the pages of the book. He places his book on the table and passes between the two heroes. Kabe smirks as he glances upon the bloody officers before coming out to see the hitmen coming out of the car, with two tied-up bodies.

Kabe staggers as he watched Takumi and Stele carry them inside. Peter abruptly touches his shoulder and grins at him.

"Don't worry, Kabe. They're asleep and they should wake up for about… two hours from now." Peter assures, checking his watch for the last four words. Kabe's brow winces before going inside.

Peter lays back on the van and looks back at Takie, who was texting with his small posse to find their bounty. "By the way, if we get that lizard job, the money's ours right?" Takie acquires and Peter looks back at him and raises a brow.

"Uhh sure. But share your blessings with your boss, alright?"

"Yes sir~." Takie chirps at him, and Peter grins back.

"Thanks, kid." He thanks, patting the van. He walks away and waves his two fingers from his forehead. Takie nods and starts the van to leave. Once Peter gets inside, he looks at Takumi tying up the four heroes in bonds together. Alice's head gears downward and upward with her eyes fluttering open, coming out of her sleep.

Her head moves around to see the four villains looking at them, clearly surrounding them..

"Hi there. You seem to be awake now. Good. Cause we'll be making use of you." Peter grins, waving at her and she squirms out but unable. Her head moves to the left and sees Connor groaning. She staggers at the sight of her nephew.

'Well, too late to go back now.' She thinks to herself as the villains surrounded the four heroes in the middle of the warehouse. Peter's grin grows wider and Kabe flips another page of his book to read the next paragraph.

-=-=-=-=-=- (next part of the story, is what this means. Sorry for everyone being confused by my transitions.)

In the warehouse with a hole in it, Sokudo was out gathering more info, without being seen. Akihiro's drills and buzzes throughout the warehouse and annoys Ryusake as he chows down on his yakisoba. He shrugs it off and continues slurping up the yakisoba.

Ikari's eyes are stained with crow's nests as she squirms in her bed, trying to mind off the loud sounds. By the time that Ryusake finishes his yakisoba, and places his chopsticks neatly on top of the rice bowl. Then Ikari shoots up out of the covers and stomps her way out the door.

Ryu shrugs her ferocity off and sleeps on the bed behind him and and lays his back down on it with his hands behind his head as he remembers the four years that he went through.

The place is black. He can't see a thing. Except himself. But a bit taller. And the flames that start to emit from his mouth looked even brighter as it flashes from his mouth and some drip down to the floor.

His brow rises up in curiosity and a tinge of fear which was nonexistent. "You will die out here if you won't speak." The taller figure started to speak and he staggers backward as it booms throughout the space they were in.

Then, his eyes open and look up to the burning hole in the ceiling above him and melted wood starts dripping down and melts on his face, which stings him up and off the bed. The sudden jolt from Ryu made Ikari jump and squeak in place. Her eyes look at Ryu and looks up at the hole he made in the ceiling.

"Uh… Sakii! There's something that you have to see!" Ikari chimes at him, urging him to come out of bed.

Ryu closes his eyes and sighs his breath out and gets out of the covers to walk to the hallway, and Ikari follows him out the door, humming to herself.

Akihiro polishes his gift to Ryusake with a damp towel and wiping it dry. He smears the sweat off his brows and starts to hear footsteps coming his way.

He quickly covers his gift with a tarp and shuffles over in front as Ryu harrumphs his way toward him. Ryu's scowl deepens as he looks at the young Tinkerer dusting off his body. His face brightens up and he clasps his hands together.

"Since you're kinda famous around these streets, I figured that I'd make you… something to give you some mmph." Akihiro announces as he motions over to uncover his gift. Ryu crosses his arms while Ikari munches on shark chocolates. His yellow eyes roll over to her, and she glances over to him and furrows her brows.

"What?" Ikari retorts at him and he looks back at the tarp. Akihiro smile before presenting to him his…

"Ta-daaa!" Akihiro says, taking off the small tarp from Ryusake's gift from him. Ikari's eyes sparkle as the light shines and glitters from its metal. Ryusake's mouth is agape as he stares at his costume.

It was only a metal face-mask and dark yellow leather gauntlets. The face-mask is diamond-shaped, and having a strap behind the ideal head. It is shimmering light from the lightbulbs. Below it are the leather gloves, with holes through the fingertips to insert the claws. Its straps lay around it acting as a belt.

Ikari's eyes sparkle at his costume, thinking that this is better than his other face-masks. Ryu walks slowly and grabs on the gloves to try them out.

Ikari continues munching on her chocolate and Akihiro looks on for the reaction of an agape vigilante as he looks at the costume. Ryusake fits his hands in the gauntlets and fingers through the holes. He admires Akihiro's craftsmanship on the metal face-mask before strapping it onto and around his head.

"Wow~! You look like a real hero!" Ikari compliments him as he wiggles his face comfy. Ryu nods at him, while giving his thoughts. 'Thanks for the gift. I'll be leaving Ikari to you, Akihiro.'

"Yeah Sakii.," Ikari gives up on arguing and Akihiro squints his brows and looks back and forth at them, making Ikari stagger at him. Then she interprets what he did and translates for him.

"He's leaving on his patrol. And I'm staying here." Ikari pans and Akihiro looks at Ryu, with his costume on, leaving. Akihiro steps in front of him before he could leave.

"No you don't. We need to stay here for Mr. Sokudo."

Ryusake's scowl turns into a glare as they look at each other, the other getting nervous but holds his ground. Ikari starts worrying and could feel the tension rising between them. She decides to step in, chirping and patting both of their shoulders from the other.

"Hahaha I think that everyone's had a rough day. We should be getting some sleep! It's getting kinda late." Ikari complains in hopes of no fighting. Ryusake glares at her then notices Akihiro's yawning as he rubs his nape.

"I'll stay up for a bit and wait for Sokudo to come back on his search." Akihiro suggest, causing Ryusake to clench his fist in. He aimed to get in patrol now, but it had to wait. He lets it go and huffs his way back to the room they're staying in. Ikari shuffles behind him into their room.

Akihiro drops a sweat down his forehead, almost having to use his Quirk to restrain him. He phew's before going to the couch and playing on his Fintendo 3Vs.

"Now, back to the world of Pokermon." He says before jumping back into a game on the couch.

In the bright city of Hokkaido, Otaru City, three lab coats lay down on the floor unconscious. Sokudo interrogates hardly on the last scientist with his scowling helmet. "Where are they taking the Quirks?!"

"I-I don't know man! They said that they were going to be transported to someplace called 'The Rift' That's all I know!" The scientist whimpers as Sokudo grips harshly on his collar. He clenches his fist and knocks him out cold.

His head falls on his shoulders and Sokudo speeds around to tie them up and leave them in front of a police station with a note saying, "Take them in, and look their names up. Worth the trouble."

The police officers eventually surrounded them as they groan in front of the station.

Sokudo speeds off from the scene, with small snickers under his helmet. 'Man, did I miss tie-ups!' He thinks to himself, remembering a snippet with Alice and their little team. Some time ago.

He slaps himself from going into a rabbit-hole memory and speeds up back to Musutafu. He passes by a train station in the middle of nowhere, a small village by the riverbanks, the suburbs where he lived in and the lampposts that dotted the streets going toward the city.

"Yes! Full house!" Akihiro laughs when he defeated the very hard AI. Then, Sokudo skids into the warehouse and through an open door. Akihiro shoots up looking at Sokudo with shock. Sokudo veers to look at him, breathing fast.

He takes off his helmet and throws it down in anger and grunting as he did. The helmet clangs and bounces to the wall. Akihiro puts down his game and walks over to tend to him.

"Whoa whoa whoa! What happened over there?" Akihiro says as he holds his hands up and moves him over to the couch to calm him down. He uses his Snake Spirit Quirk. A snake's silhouette appears on the floor and darts over to a filler of water and a cup. The snake divides its head into two and wraps itself on both things.

Akihiro brings it back and it slithers beside him and raises the filler and fills water in the cup.

"I didn't find anything about the missing Quirks. And I don't even know where Peter and his gang are." Sokudo sighs as he claws his hair back in frustration. Akihiro grabs a cup of water from his snake shadow and offers it to Sokudo.

The speedster glances at it then he stares at Akihiro and then back. He takes the cup and drinks it. "Thanks." Sokudo thanks Akihiro. Then he sighs out his frustration. Akihiro motions to his right and sits beside him.

"You want to talk about it?"

"*sigh* I'll just stay awake. You go slee-." Sokudo says before dropping his head to the couch. Akihiro chuckles as he scratched his nape. He stands up and goes to his sharing bedroom with the two strays.

He opens the door and goes to the bunk bed he's sharing with Ikari. She squeaks in her covers when he walks in. Akihiro gets suspicious at her reaction, but shrugs it off. He climbs up the ladder and lays himself down to his bed.

Ikari starts fidgeting, tapping her fingers with a grin around her face. Akihiro can only feel that something feels wrong. Out of place. He veers to look down at Ikari, looking up at him. Then he looks over to Ryusake's bed, only to find out that he's gone.

He looks down on Ikari and sees her rolling herself to the right. Akihiro groans, already knowing what he's doing. "Do you know where he went?" Akihiro pans out, making Ikari stagger.

"Umm to wherever the police are going, I guess." Ikari hints, making Akihiro suck it up and go after him. He throws himself off the bed and goes over to Ryusake's bed. Ikari looks at him, sitting up on her bed.

Akihiro pulls out the box under it and opens it to take out his small armored leather top. It has a white cobra sign at the back and it comes along with thin rubber gloves with hard knuckles. The front only has green splats on its abdomen area, making it look like venom.

Ikari eyes Akihiro, looking like a pro-hero. Then she grows curious.

"Are you a pro hero, mister?"

"Call me Akihiro, and no… But I am considered to be by Fuzz Beeds." Akihiro introduces himself and brags about his fame. Ikari winces her lips and shakes her head.

"No? Oh okay," Akihiro says before wearing a black half mask for his eyes. Ikari looks at her claws and scratches her teeth for leftovers. Akihiro leaves the room and into the hallway with Ikari following.

Akihiro opens the door, finding his skateboard by it. Ikari crosses her arms and warms herself up. Akihiro looks at her form and gets concern.

"Go back to your room. You might catch a cold." Akihiro advises her and she nods to that.

"Be sure to get him, Akki."Ikari mutters before closing the door. Akihiro grins as he rolls off on his skateboard. While inside, Ikari yawns as she trudges back to her bed. Then she hears the veteran's door opening. Her eyes widen as Sokudo walks out and stops to see her in pajamas.

"Hey there, kid. Where's… Ryu and… Akihiro" Sokudo stutters as Ikari sweatdrops.

"They're… sleeping." Ikari states in an awkward tone. Sokudo squints his eyes at her, feeling suspicious. Ikari smiles at him.

"Something on my face, mister?" Ikari intimidates him, making him feel even more suspicious. Ikari's face heats up as Sokudo stares at her. Sokudo's face winces before shrugging it off and going to the kitchen for a glass of water.

Ikari exhales out of relief. "Phew." She says as Sokudo is out of sight. 'Man, one of these days, he'll really scare me.' Ikari thinks as she thinks about her friend out there. Then she breathes out a chuckle.

Akihiro strolls through the city on his board, looking left and right for him. He takes a right up the mountain and pulls up his skateboard to walk. Akihiro starts thinking about all the random things that happened today. He got to meet a student from U.A., then meets his savior from the bank.

What next? Fireman coming down from a helicopter to say hi? Akihiro shrugs everything off to find him. 'If only I could get some sort of sign.' He thought. Suddenly, he hears an explosion happen from far away and into the edge of the city.

The skateboard skids on the pavement as he looks ahead. The explosion lighting up the dark ahead. He sighs, knowing that he would be the guy to do that. He regains his pace and huffs toward there.

=-=-=-=some time earlier=-=-=-=

In a bank, two security guards and a few civilians have their hands strapped while the masked thugs were getting the money in the back. A sentry with a handgun on his left and a fist embalmed with flames with his right.

It was Takie and his new lackeys, Nasai and Kasai Fujimara. The aggressive Kasai swirls his sword while fire dances on his right forearm. Nasai grabs the duffle bags and carries them to the van outside.

Kasai grows impatient and whips the fire gone from his arm and snaps.

"Hey Takie! How long are we gonna wait for this guy?! I'm getting bored!"

"Don't worry. You'll soon get some fun." Takie assures the fire-bender, knowing that Ryusake will show up, after looking at every single time he pops up. He's noticed that he is focusing on districts that have fewer pros and more yakuza in its streets.

He smirks at the thought of him finally capturing the lizard after embarrassment after embarrassment. He clenches his fist with anger, keeping his frustrations in for a bit longer. He touches the scars on his face that has become a hindrance to his good eye.

'I will not be defeated by a damn parasite.' He thinks to himself as Nasai goes back through the entrance. Meanwhile, outside the bank, Ryusake stalks the three from the other side of the wall. Ryusake contemplates on his Quirk and whether he should use it. Now, he's eager to make a pest melt.

He lets down his metal face-mask and opens his jaw wide to let out his maximum fire. He walks over to the side of the van and roars fire out of his mouth. The bright white fire gives him away and Takie smiles, finally on proper circumstances. The white fire burns the van to the ground, making the two brothers gasp at its brightness, and gives Takie goose bumps.

The bright fire illuminated the bank in a white light. The hostages stare at Ryu, agape with shock and awe. The fire melts the van and it explodes massively.

Kasai grunts at the silhouette coming to light. He veers towards Ryu with his sword. Ryu rolls his eyes at Kasai and grabs hold of the sword, bleeding from the touch.

Kasai grunts before igniting his right and kneads his abdomen. Ryu grunt before throwing an uppercut at Kasai's chin.

Kasai is thrown backward and down to the floor. Nasai takes out his baton and electrifies them. They both go at it and Nasai swings downward.

Ryu grabs it but is electrocuted. Nasai grins before thrusting the other to his abdomen, but is denied with Ryu's punch to his chest.

Nasai staggers backward and he grasps the pain. Ryu shakes off the shock and glares at Nasai. Behind Ryu, Kasai war cries and swings his sword at Ryu's shoulder. Ryu deflects the sword and jumps backward from the second swing.

Kasai switches his sword to his right and his Firefist to his left while Takie watches from the back, wearing special gloves that Peter gave him earlier.

Ryu roars at his opponents and Kasai grunts and shoots fire from his palm, enbalming Ryu in fire. Kasai grins that he has done that, and he slows it down to see him fallen. But Ryu is unfazed by the fire. His clothes are burnt off and charred and he still stands.

Kasai staggers, surprised that his attack did nothing. Nasai sprints beside his brother and swirls his batons and makes a sideward swing at his head. Ryu dodges downward and swipes at his chest.

Nasai blocks his claws with his baton and thrusts them to his chest, landing a hit. Ryu staggers backwards and down to the floor. He grunts and looks at the hostages in fear for their lives. Their faces stained because of his direct anger. He gets the message and rolls his head to face the opponents.

Kasai drops his heel at Ryu's chest and points his sword at his face. He readies to deflect his sword when it thrusts. Then Takie grasps at the subordinate's shoulder tightly, and Kasai looks at him angrily.

"We need him alive, idiot!" Takie shouts at his ear, raising an oppurtunity for Ryu to tip him over, making Kasai fall to the floor. He lands on his shoulder while Ryu stood up with his claws readied to slice the ropes. He unties the first four.

"Nuh uh!" Kasai says and 'fooms' his fires at Ryu, and Ryu stops the fire with his. He unties the second one and the hostages run for the exits. Nasai sheathes his batons and readies his handguns and shoots at Ryu.

He fires bullets and electrifies them for extra, but Ryu breathes fire at the bullets and melting them into nothing, and sparks fly off the melting bullets. Kasai grunts in annoyance and sprints at him with his sword and his Firefist.

Ryu holds the sword in-swing and his hand bleeds on his sword, bringing a grin to his face and Ryu glares at him for a knee-kick at his guts. Kasai staggers backward and Ryu tosses him away from the next hostage. Electricity runs through the ground toward Ryu and has him paralyzed and unable to move.

Nasai surges more to disable him completely. Ryu slowly slices the last ropes, letting lose the last hostages, along with the security guards. The guards unsheathe their guns and aim at the criminals. "Aim for their legs!" Yogi shouts as he shoots at Kasai, along with the other security guards.

Nasai steps in front of him and pushes him downward. He surges the ground and toward the police to paralyze them. The surges managed to get to them, but not before Yogi shoots Nasai's abdomen.

'Dammit! I got shot.' Nasai thinks to himself as he staggers back and the cops fall to their knees. Officer Yogi grunts on his knees, and aims his gun at the two criminals. "Don't move!" Yogi shouts as the other guards aim their guns at them too.

"Well, guess I'll be going now." Takie says, feeling defeat if he stays. Takie looks at the wall beside him and uses his gauntlets to punch and blast the wall open. He hoists up one bag before going through it.

'Hell no! You are not getting away!' Ryusake thinks to himself as he makes his wounds away and runs into the alley after him. Takie looks back and sees Ryusake gaining on him. This brings a smile on his face. He grinds his heel on a stop and prepares to punch him back with his gauntlets.

He punches at Ryu's head but Ryu dodges by sliding under it. Takie grunts at him and tries to dodge his claws from slicing his stomach, but Ryu sliced his side instead. Takie's eyes widen at the pain, and he grunts and screams as he clobbers Ryu's head, making a direct hit

Ryu roars out the pain and punches Takie's open wound. Takie falls to his knees and bleeds out on the cement. Ryusake kicks him down to the ground and plans to make a threat. He growls before speaking his mind.

"Stayyyyy down, scum!" He shouts at Takie's ears, making Takie's stomach curl. Takie chuckles and stands on one foot, and primes his gauntlets. They seem to be growing in power, and Ryu opens his mouth to breathe fire at them.

Takie gives out a battle cry and punches him at his chest, making him fly off and out of the alley. Takie grins as he comes for Ryu to hand him over to some mercs in the area.

Akihiro skates off to see what the situation is. He skids his board to a stop beside the melted van and near the entrance of the bank they were in. 'What happened here?' Akihiro thinks in thought as he scopes the scene. Then he hears a punches happening nearby. He looks at the alley to peer at it.

He sees… a body being hurled at him. He stances to catch him with his Quirk. Dark snakes shoot out of his wrists and wrap around him, putting him to an abrupt stop. The body was Ryusake's. He looks down on Akihiro, rolling his eyes to the side. Akihiro notices his face and

"FOUND YOU! Where have you been?!" Akihiro says, loudly. Then they both hear chuckles coming from the alley in front of them. They both look down the alley and Akihiro swoops him down. The steps get closer and then, closer and faster. Akihiro sees the cowardly thug going for a punch.

He surges his snakes off his feet and on the ground and they jump to restrain Takie from the back. The snakes wrap his arms, making Takie grunt with his hands grasping for Ryu. Akihiro scoffs and adds more snakes for supports. They wrap around his neck, then his hips, slowing Takie down.

"Nhh.. I… will… Take you!" Takie promises to himself as he grasps his hand towards Ryu, who was getting annoyed on how long this was taking. He walks up to knock him out but Akihiro grabs hold of his shoulder to walk up to him.

"Why do you want him? Why did you set out for him?" Akihiro asks the thug, making him scoff his eyes away.

Akihiro slides over to his line of sight. "Did someone pay you to find him?" Takie looks away again, but with a hand straining his throat. He chokes on it and breathes at his highest, letting him see the whites of his eyes.

Ryu growls and squeezes a bit before letting him see the inside of his mouth on fire, shining white light to his face, giving him a hallucination of death. "F-fine." He says weakly, and Ryu lets go of his throat and lets him breathe. Takie gasps for air and rolls his eyes at them both.

"I was assigned to find you by my boss.," Takie says referring to Ryusake, who growls in response. ",He didn't tell me why but it was only an order to get him over. Something about… taking something?," Takie elaborates his boss's plans. Ryusake rolls his eyes to Akihiro, staggering and scoffing on the last thing that he said. ",Hell, I don't fucking know."

Ryusake scratches his chin in boredom, and then Akihiro stomps to Takie's face, with his nerves twitching. He stops in front of his face, and Takie's eyes twitch at the sudden response.

"Where are they meeting?!" Akihiro desperately asks and grabbing his collar, and twisting it.

"Haaahh? What are you talking about kid?"

"Where are they gonna meet? When?!" Akihiro asks shouting at his hear. Takie winces at the loud decibels and he ponders on when and where.

"Mmmmm… maybe at the old warehouse in the Macro District?" Takie guesses, making Akihiro release him from the snake restraints, making him fall to the floor, and breathing more. Akihiro looks into the bank and sees the two criminals, Kasai and Nasai Fujimara, being detained. Kasai has a defeated face and Nasai looks weak as he loses blood.

With the situation under control, Akihiro pushes Ryusake back into reality and onto his board, with him being in the front. Then, a snake shoots out from his feet and wraps around Takie.

"Whooaaoh HEY!" He shouts as he is thrown into the bank, and crashing onto the Fujimara brothers."COME ON!" Kasai complains about the pile of dead weight on him. Akihiro skates off, and Ryusake staggers on the board and after some time, he gains his balance.

"We need to get back to the warehouse right away!" Akihiro says as they disappear into the night. Ryusake raises his brow in curiosity as they get nearer to their loft, and then he huffs off the curiosity.

Back at the warehouse, Ikari lays on her back, wrapping herself in her blanket, nice and warm. She giggles to herself now that she has someone to live with. And then gets heated. She shoots up and triumphantly places her hands on her hips and whips her arm to touch her chest.

"Good job, Ikari! You've managed to find yourself a better home, a new friend and you've managed to sort out some problems with your looks!" She evaluates and pats herself on the back. Literally. She grins to herself thinking about the days that passed by.

Suddenly, her nose breathes in consecutively, about to sneeze. "eh.. eh.. eeEAAACHOO!" The sneeze shoots her back into bed and it shakes on impact. Ikari makes a whining moan and pulls up the covers.

Her brain's thoughts revolve at a certain friend of hers. How he was strapping in his leather jacket, and how he was a jerk. But at most times, he'd be… like a dad. How he cares for her, how he treats her… It was like how Kenta treated her. She smiles at the thought of having a dad again. Then she thinks about where he could be.

And then she hears what seems to be knocks on the door outside. She throws the covers off of her and walks to the door. The knocks get louder and louder with every step closer, passing the hallway and through the living room.

She grabs hold of the door knob and she sees Ryusake. She smiles at him and Ryusake softens his scowl a bit and sends his thoughts. 'Move.'

The thought made her stagger a bit and Akihiro cuts in, waving his hands around her face. "Heyy~! We don't have time for this!" He says, pushing them both inside and closing the door behind them. Ryu deepens his scowl back, making Ikari worry.

"What happened out there?" She inquires. "We've found our next mission." Akihiro cuts in, and Ikari whips her head back at him. Akihiro spreads a map of the Macro District and circles all the Axe Clan's hideouts and puts a triangle around all the warehouses he could see beside each hideout.

Ryu opens his palms to reveal the wound from a sword earlier. He peers at it and Ikari gasps at the sight, making his head turn to her. She shoots up from her seat and exclaims. "Sakii! You're hurt!" She kneels beside his legs and sees the wound. Ryu is surprised by her worry about his condition. She harrumphs her way to Akihiro and taps his shoulder. Akihiro whips his head around to look at her.

"Where are the kits, Akki?" She worriedly asks with her hands clasped and eyes of need. Akihiro stammers as he looks at her very worried face.

"T-.. They're in the bathroom." Akihiro clams up and Ikari walks in a fast pace towards the hallway. Akihiro and Ryusake stay frozen, a little agape from her attitude. Akihiro returns to mapping out where the misfits could be.

Ryusake holds his arm on his right, leaving his right on his lap and leaving the wound open. He huffs out the surprise and the scowl returns on his face. Akihiro is about to finish and figures that he should make conversation to Ryusake.

"So… you two close?' Akihiro probes, making Ryu growl at him from the couch.

He chuckles, already knowing the answer. Ikari hurriedly steps toward Ryu's side and kneels down beside him. She opens the kit to get a needle and sew it back. "Your hand. Give it here."

She says to Ryu and he hesitantly opens his palms to her. She takes out the needle and pierces his palm with it. He winces from the pain and Ikari flinches. "Should I stop?"

'No. I'm fine.' He sends with a purr, intriguing Akihiro. She puffs up and continues. Akihiro chuckles and grabs a marker and lines the warehouses according to the schedules of patrols and shipments he's been noticing since last month. He sees most of the shipments coming and going to one place, and that was the House of Storks, a hotel but broke down fifteen years ago because of a disappearance of a hero guard and now under the oppression of a hostile force.

'What? That's my granddad's place. And there might be that warehouse Takie was talking about.' He thinks as he slides his forefinger down to the warehouse. 'That's not far from here…' "Hmm…" He ponders on what he should do now. Behind him, Ikari finishes the sewing and bites off the thread to begin wrapping.

Ryu gets that pinkish feeling again as her smooth palms swirl around his ragged hands with clothe. Ikari's eyes shoot up to look at his yellow eyes. "How could you let this happen to you? I already sewn this up but I don't know anything about this." She scolds Ryu, making him look away from her, making her puff up in annoyance.

She tightens the cloth wrapped around his hand and finishes up. Ikari clenches her fist and looks sympathetic at Ryu's wounds on his arm, then the burn marks on his face. She never liked to see someone with wounds and scars. Makes her feel like that they're about to die. She opens her mouth to speak her mind but

"I've done it!" Akihiro shouts, interrupting her thoughts.

'Sometimes I don't like other people.' She thought to herself, then Ryu passes by her shoulder coldly. Ikari gains a sad on her face, worried that she might see her new friend hurt or worse.

"Ryu places his left hand around the map, unfamiliar with the Makro District. He growls his thoughts to Ikari, making Akihiro jump a little.

"He says he doesn't know that area, and it would be a waste of his time." Ikari translates for him, ringing Akihiro with a red flag, but he shrugs it off. Akihiro takes out a letter from his sling bag and analyzes the words and reads between the lines.

"Experiments.. warehouse by the hotel. Yep," Akihiro says circling with a red marker with the landmark he said, with the most amounts of shipments going in and out in the entire district. "We're going in! Tonight." Akihiro announces, making Ikari jump and Ryu's head shoot up at his shout.

Ryu clenches his fist still in healing and takes up the mission, making Ikari very worried. She remembers her mother's wounds and how they made her stomach curl. She never wanted to see that. She clenches her fist and rushes to Ryu's side.

Ryu raises his brow chords as she steps toward him. She seizes him by twisting her arms around his suddenly. His head veers to look at her and she grins at him as she drags him out of Akihiro's sight, whilst Akihiro looks at them both, going into the bathroom together and feeling confused after.

Ikari closes the door and Ryu looks at her, deepening his glare on her. Ikari sighs before looking into his eyes with woe.

"I don't want you to go." Ikari says, bringing her friend's attention to their little talk in the bathroom alone. She clasps her hands and looks at his wounded hand. "Remember that story about my mom? And that she… you know." She elaborates, leaving out her mother's death for she might cry again.

Ryu's glare softens but remains. 'Yes, you did.,' Ryusake sends and she twiddles her fingers together and speaks.

"I-." "But you don't want me to go. Do you?" Ikari staggers backward as Ryu's glaring golden eyes staring at her with seriousness. The bathroom becomes quiet and ringing starts to be heard. Ikari breaks the silence by speaking her mind.

"I don't want you to end up red… Okay?" Ikari pleads for him to not die. Ryusake fixates his glare on her pleading face and covers the surprised feelings about her sudden care for his life. In the four years of homelessness, he's never had someone that acted like her. Caring and stupid. But nice.

'Don't worry about me. I'll be fine. Stupid girl.' The thought made her fuming with annoyance. She stammers before whining and her face becomes red with her mouth agape. Ryusake passes by her shoulder and she turns, still looking at him.

"Y-Y-Y-You-ou… I'm serious! I don't want you to go out there again without me!" She shouts at her ear, making Ryu stop in his tracks and from twisting the knob. The bathroom turns quiet again, and Ikari feels awkward and a drop of sweat rolls down the side of her face and she gulps up in fear, hoping that he wasn't pissed off.

'*slight turn of head towards her* …You're not coming with me. I don't need my voice to die.' Ryu sends his thought, which made her very surprised. Her eyes widen at him, seeing his concern for her safety.

"But I don't want you to die!"

'and I won't. Trust me. Besides, Akihiro will come with me.' Akihiro assures, making her feel at ease. She sighs out and looks down to the floor as he opens the door. And suddenly, she grasps his wrist before the door opens. Ryu looks behind him only to be close to her face, feeling the air from her nose and smelling her hair with remnants of lilac.

"Just… come back clean. Okay?" Ikari pleads to him again, making him freeze once more. Ryu turns around to look at her doe eyes and remembers a piece of his past with someone similar and can't help but feel pinkish.

He hesitantly pats her shoulders with a nod of assurance that he will come back. They stare into each other's eyes, and feeling each other's breath on their faces. Like how his past happened with a certain someone.

Meanwhile, outside the bathroom, Akihiro eavesdropped on their entire conversation on the other side of the door. He gains sympathy towards them and he understands Ikari, as he too lost someone dear to him.

"just come back. Okay?"

-=-=An hour later=-=-

The moon shines brightly over the Makro District as a warehouse emanates screams from the abducted bystanders.

"AAAGGHHH!" "GAHHH" Their grunts and shouts and screams echoed in the hallways and filled the entire room.

As they scream in their posts, restrained to them, Kabe oversees the experiment and a scientist organizes the Quirks in bottles into a box. They've managed to get five successes in Musutafu so far, and that is enough to satisfy his master. He readjusts his glasses and closes the box. He looks at the gangster before giving out the order.

"Take it to the truck and make sure those mercs get it to the airport to Hokkaido." Kabe orders and the subordinate nods off, currying the box with him. He passes by the tied-up heroes and their faces are stained with defeat, but not the determined Alice Diamond.

She hears their screams one more time before struggling to be free. She directs daggers at Kabe and struggles again. "Coward! Why don't you untie us as well!" Alice threatens, making Kabe chuckle.

"You four are under the mercy of me. Meaning you can only watch." Kabe pans out, motioning his hand to the Reaping of Quirks beside him. Alice growls and veers to Connor beside her post she was tied up to.

"Connor!" She shouts quietly, getting his attention. "Huh?"

"Get your wolf on and untie us!"

Connor does as told, but… "I-I can't. Something's not letting me." Alice's head staggers as she racks her brain as to why their Quirks would not work.

'No way! They drugged us!' Alice snaps at the time Peter and his lackeys took them. From above and on the post, a laugh can be heard. Alice looks up to see Stele sitting there childishly, grinning and laughing at them both. Alice growls at the man-child and Connor looks at him.

"Peter sends his regards." Stele waves at Alice, and she only growls at him. He hops off to the next pole, looming over Connor. Connor looks up at him with troubled eyes as Stele crawls downward to touch his face. His hand hovers on his cheek. "I wonder what Quirk you have." He asks grinning at Connor below him, about to touch his face.

"LEAVE HIM ALONE!" the diamond girl screams from her post, making Stele stagger and squint at her. Alice continues to send death threats to Stele and Stele shimmers his claws at her neck.

"Don't do that. My master will want to see her first." Kabe waves him off, making Stele back up, but not without a few glances with daggers at her. Alice glares back, making Connor anxious now that he knows he can't use his Quirk.

'So, we can't use our Quirks. But what about those guys?' He thinks to himself as he looks to his left to see Toyomitsu and Tamaki, battered up and in defeat.

"Psst. PSST!" Connor signals to him, and he looks at Connor back. "You still have your powers?" Connor asks, making him interested.

"No. No we don't. But who are yo-?" Fat-gum asks the pre-mature teen but Connor cuts him off before he could ask.

"No time! We need to figure out a way to get out of these ropes. You got a knife?" He whispers to Toyomitsu.

"No. They got everything off us as we collared them and we can't use our Quirks either."

Connor smacks his mouth before struggling and looks at the overseer of the experiments. Screams continued to fill in the room as he had a chat with Toyomitsu.

'Damn! He's thought this through. Who is this master?!' He thinks to himself as he looks at the disciple, looking over the experiments. In his thoughts, he can only feel achievement, for he will see what will happen when one man takes control of one entire country through illegitimate means for the legitimate ends.

BAM! 17 pages in-between a month! Thanks for the 13 who favorited and the 15 followers of my story! Especially the 2 reviewers who sent me those boxes of words! Your simple words keep me going. They are my happy.

Seriously.

Thanks. Especially to that one classmate I know who is reading this.

Expect another installment to this story in a month. Prob'ly around November or December.