Genos was tired. The Monster Association invasion had worked him down severely. Dr. Kuseno had told him to stay indoors until he was fully ready. He respected Dr. Kuseno, but he couldn't help but want to leave. His master had moved into a new apartment in a new city, which meant he was moving as well. As for Ayano, somehow City Z Suburbia had survived the impact, and was still going.
Ayano… he thought of her again. So many members of her group had died in the Monster Association invasion. Did she feel any remorse or, dare he say, responsibility? He did not know all the members well, but it almost seemed like senseless violence.
He had originally thought her simply being his fellow disciple, almost his friend, but the Monster Association had changed his mind. She confuzzled him.
He had to wonder… who was she, really? What was she? When they had first met, she had come across as an ordinary schoolgirl. But he still couldn't figure out why she had not appeared on his scanners. Later on, he scanned her again, and it said she was human, but it still felt… off, somehow. There was more to her than what met the eye.
Were his scanners glitching? No, she had those unusual strings, and the uncanny ability to pull weapons out of nowhere…
Genos decided to do some research. He had to know the truth. He was going to figure out the truth. He had to.
Red strings, he searched up online. Nothing relevant to what he was looking for.
Ability to pull weapons from nowhere, he continued to scourer the internet. Nothing still.
He glanced at his scanners on his arms. He checked them for viruses, or anything of the like. Nothing came up. They were fine. Perhaps it was the quality of his scanners? They had not been the best when he had first met Ayano.
No, they were strong enough to detect any sort of lifeform, he mused. I do not understand. What is Ayano? Is she really human? Is this all just panicked speculation?
There was only one way to find out.
He got up, scowling to himself. He headed towards the door. Dr. Kuseno walked in, brows raised with concern.
"Ah, Genos!" he gasped. "Where are you going?"
"I have to investigate something," he replied.
Dr. Kuseno frowned. "You're going to get into trouble again, aren't you, Genos? You're not in a good condition, you shouldn't be going out!"
"I will avoid fighting," Genos replied. "I am simply investigating something important."
"Genos…" Dr. Kuseno rubbed the bridge of his nose. There was no point trying to talk Genos out of it. He simply wouldn't listen.
"Very well, go," he sighed. "But promise me you won't get involved in any fights, okay?"
"I promise," Genos nodded.
Ayano looked at her list of heroes. It was getting shorter and shorter. She was getting closer to her goal.
Most of the students that were a threat to her as well had been eliminated. Soon, she would be the strongest being on Earth. Next on her list to assassinate was Tanktop Master, the S Class hero. She would deal with the other A Class heroes later. Once she was strong enough, she'd wipe them all out.
Suddenly, she heard a banging on her door. She went downstairs, opening up the door. Standing there was Genos. His appearance was different from before; a light bulb was on his chest, and more armour covered his arms. His brows were furrowed.
"Ayano," he greeted. "I have a few questions to ask you."
"Oh, of course," Ayano smiled sweetly, opening the door wider. "Why don't you come inside?"
Genos paused for a moment, before entering the house. Ayano felt the knife in her pocket. Genos was weaker than usual, she could tell. It was almost the perfect opportunity.
"Can I get you something to drink?" she asked him, politely.
"No thank you," he replied, sitting down at her dining table. "I will not be here long."
"What would you like to ask me?" Ayano asked, sitting down nearby him.
Genos breathed in. "What are you?"
"What do you mean?" Ayano asked, tilting her head.
"What is your species?" Genos asked.
"I'm… a human," Ayano answered, giving him an odd look. "Why are you asking?"
"That cannot be possible," Genos said, looking away. "Do you remember when we first encountered each other? The battle with the Mosquito monster?"
Ayano nodded.
"Usually my scanners detect all life forms around me, human, monster, or otherwise," Genos explained. "Although my scanners were not as advanced back then, they could still detect all living lifeforms." He paused. "But they did not detect you."
"A glitch?" Ayano asked.
"Perhaps," Genos replied. "I checked my scanners, and they were working fine. Later on, when I scanned you again, it said you were a human."
"So it was a glitch," Ayano said.
"That is the interesting thing," Genos told her. "Because I scanned you just now, and my scanners do not know what you are anymore."
"Is that so," Ayano replied, staring at the strings on her hands.
"So, I ask again," Genos caught her attention, "what are you?"
"Human," Ayano responded.
"You are a liar," Genos stood up, his face darkening. "Do not lie to me."
Ayano didn't respond. An idea was forming in her head.
"Tell me the truth," Genos raised a glowing palm, "what are you? What are you planning?"
"I'm human," Ayano insisted, standing up with a gasp. "Why are you acting like I'm not?!"
"Because…" Genos gritted his teeth. A rush of emotional pain ran through him. A pain he had not felt in many years. His arm shook.
"It does not matter!" he roared, palm flaming. "I shall expose you and your lies!"
Then he remembered what Dr. Kuseno had told him. The doctor's face appeared in his mind, scowling deeply. Genos bit his lip, lowering his palm. There was a tense silence. Genos did not see Ayano's tiny smirk.
"I promised Dr. Kuseno I would not fight," Genos sighed. His formal nature had returned. "We can do this calmly."
"Wise of him," Ayano nodded. "Saitama already knows how petty you are, but I wonder how he would feel if I told him you tried to attack me."
Genos' hand fizzled.
"I wonder how he'd feel if he knew his hard-working disciple was actually just a pathetic little worm who can't control his anger," Ayano added.
Genos gritted his teeth. Ayano leaned towards him.
"After that, we'll see who's Saitama's favourite disciple," Ayano replied, face darkening. She smiled. "Oh, we don't need to, do we? He already chose me over you. Maybe Saitama should've let that Mosquito monster kill you after all."
"BE QUIET!" Genos roared, destroying Ayano's table in one fell swoop. "You idiot! I'm the only one who deserves to be Saitama's disciple! I'm the one who suffered the loss of family! You're just some school girl! Some creature! Why do you deserve his greatness?! And yet, you're so much closer to him than I am!"
Genos' hand glowed once again, eyes glowing yellow. He sent a wave of energy at Ayano, destroying the chair she was sitting on.
"You should've listened to your precious Dr. Kuseno," Ayano giggled. "Too late for you, Genos."
Genos fired another blast of energy at her, his body creaking.
He paused. No, I need to control myself… she's getting under my skin…
He realised there were red strings around his arms. And then he was back in his hometown, watching the rampaging cyborg kill his family. He cried out his mother's name, pleaded for his father not to die, but he was helpless.
Helpless, worthless, alone.
You couldn't save them.
"Enough!" he roared, falling over. His energy was running out fast. Ayano was right there, wielding an axe.
"Do you think you can kill me?!" he demanded. "I haven't had my revenge against that cyborg yet. You're just in the way!"
He stood back up, staring her down. His body trembled.
"Once I am fully recovered, I will destroy you," he said. "I promise! I will make Master Saitama proud!"
He used the last of his power to make a getaway. He raced down the street, leaving the girl's house behind. As he did, he felt amnesia creeping in. The red strings on his arms vanished. His body slowed down; his vision blurred. He collapsed into a bush.
Dr. Kuseno… my apologies… I broke my promise.
Psykos' plan had failed, and she was in a cell, chained up like an animal.
She tch-ed. Ayano Aishi still lives, and those fools gave her even more power… our planet is done for...
She felt three presences. That witch Fubuki, her teenage co-leader, and another man, all outside her cell.
"I honestly didn't think you'd be alive," Fubuki told Psykos. "You've gotten quite tough."
"Are you... here to kill me…?" Psykos asked, her voice frail.
"I'm here to ask…" Fubuki narrowed her eyes. "Why did you form the Monster Association?"
"And why did you destroy my home?" Saitama added in, face darkening.
Psykos coughed. "President… Fubuki… the Monster Association…"
"Your ability to see the future, 'The Third Eye," Fubuki said. "You suddenly changed when you learned that ability. It's about time you tell me… what did you see with that ability?"
Psykos shivered. She curled up into a ball.
"I don't know… I don't see anything…" she whimpered. "I don't remember… I can't remember…"
"Well, a load of help she is," Kencho grumbled.
"She's totally scared," Saitama said.
Fubuki frowned. The Hero Association recognises her as a monster, which means… her eyes went wide.
"Psykos, you have to talk now," Fubuki told Psykos. "Before she comes to finish you off!"
The ground began to rumble. Fubuki went pale, sweating all over.
"She's already here…" she muttered.
She held out her hands, summoning her psychic power.
"Fubuki?" Kencho asked. "What are you-"
BOOM! Psykos' prison door came flying open.
"I can feel her approaching," Fubuki told Psykos. "Come on, Psykos."
Psykos' eyes widened. Fubuki grabbed her arm, placing it around her shoulders. She hastily led the woman out.
"Fubuki, what the Hell are you doing?!" Kencho demanded.
Fubuki ignored him, ushering the four of them into the elevator. The elevator began to rise, taking them to the ground floor of the prison. Soon enough, they reached the ground floor… only to witness devastation. Half of the floor had been taken out, and the offer half was in ruin. Fubuki creased her brow. Psykos shivered, sweat dripping down her face.
"Everyone's gone," Kencho snorted. "What a bunch of cowards."
"Oh, I see now," Saitama scowled. "So the homewrecker makes an appearance. Get your ass down here!"
Tatsumaki crashed through the prison roof, surrounded by a barrier. Her eyes glowed with power.
"Why is she alive?" she hissed, glaring at Psykos.
Debris came flying from every direction, zooming right towards Psykos. Nobody, no matter how fast, could escape it.
"Wait!" Fubuki cried.
But Psykos was alive, to everyone's surprise. Saitama had the woman under his arm like a sack of potatoes.
"AGH!" he bellowed. "MY SANDAL BROKE!"
"Saitama!" Fubuki yelled. "Get Psykos to safety!" She raised her arms, teeth bared at her elder sister. "Psychic binding!"
"Fubuki!" Kencho grabbed her arm. "Are you crazy?"
"Stay back," Fubuki told her co-leader.
"What are you doing, Fubuki?" Tatsumaki asked, tone scarily calm. She tilted her head. "Are you protecting that monster? Were you brainwashed?" She tch-ed. "Your heart grew because you've been spoiled by others. The Blizzard group? What a joke. It's a gathering of imbeciles. How can you enjoy that? We don't need anyone else, after all. We were born with special powers."
Her brow creased when she heard a youthful cackle.
"Are you for real?" Kencho asked, spreading his arms. "You think Fubuki's being spoiled? She's the one doing the spoiling, dipshit. She doesn't need them, they need her. And she cares about them enough to be their family. Because she's selfless and a great leader." His grin twisted. "And you know what, Tatsumaki? It's the same with you. You think Fubuki needs you… but the truth is… you need her. You need her because you don't have anyone else, do you? You're completely alone. Well, aside from Blast, but I think he lost interest in you a while ago."
Tatsumaki's body glowed. "You little… who do you think you are?! It's because of you Fubuki changed!"
"You're upset that Fubuki changed?" Kencho asked. "Wow, no wonder everyone thinks you're a little girl. Not only do you look like one, but you act like one too."
"Kencho," Fubuki put a shaky hand on his shoulder.
"You're not any different, you little brat!" Tatsumaki roared. "You hang around my sister because you need her as well! Because your sister doesn't care about you!"
"But unlike you, I don't care what Megami thinks of me," Kencho growled. "One day, I'll surpass my sister, and you, and then we'll see who's laughing! My father will know I am the superior child!"
Tatsumaki groaned. "I'm sick of this idiot!"
She raised a fist, trapping Kencho in psychic energy. He choked.
"Tatsumaki!" Fubuki cried. "Sister, please-"
"This kid is toxic, Fubuki," Tatsumaki told her. "You don't need him."
She threw Kencho aside like a doll. Saitama caught him with his other arm.
Fubuki narrowed her eyes, fists clenched. She stared her sister straight on.
"I've decided what I want to do," she said. "I'll stand at the top of a large organisation… and I'll beat you. Just like Kencho said."
"You're still listening to that damn kid?" Tatsumaki scoffed. "Ditch him, and your group. They're all pathetically weak."
I'm tired of this, Fubuki scowled. I'm tired of being called weak. For once… I'm going to prove that I'm not weak.
"Oh, a fight?" Tatsumaki asked, sensing Fubuki's menacing aura. "Entering a rebellious phase, are we?"
Fubuki clenched her fists. It was the endgame.
Saitama grimaced. Somehow, I feel like I'm gonna get involved in this…
Megami was refusing to let any more incidents slide. So as soon as she heard about the earthquakes and monsters in City A's hero zone, she was determined to put a stop to them at once.
Plus, her father had also said her brother was in the area. He had ordered her to rescue him if needed.
She ignored the… unpleasant… feelings she received when thinking of her younger brother. She tried not to think about him much at all.
Aoi approached her leader, putting a fist in her palm. "Are you ready, Meg?"
Akane held up a chart. "Hmm… there's a lot of psychic pressure coming from the area…"
"So it must be Tornado of Terror," Megami sighed. "Unsurprising."
She led her group members into their private Saikou Corp jet. They took off into the air, speeding along.
"The destruction's getting worse…" Akane noted, checking the scanner. "... oh my. The power keeps increasing!"
The plane made it to City A. The group members looked down at the scene below them, taking note of the devastation. Many buildings had burning holes right through them. Smoke and steam was drifting into the air. A ginormous monster had literally been taken out, and its carcass was dissolving into dust.
"What the Hell?!" Aoi pressed her face against the window. "What could've possibly pissed off that crazy esper so much to do all this?!"
Megami frowned. She zoomed in on the city using technology, seeing Tatsumaki fighting… a bald man?
Caped Baldy, the same one from the Monster Association, she realised. How is he able to withstand Tornado's attacks so easily?
Then she spotted another familiar person, observing the battle.
"Yan-chan…" she muttered.
Ayano realised finding Saitama was going to be more challenging yet much easier than she had initially anticipated.
She had been warned about the earthquakes happening in City A. However, she had not quite expected to see a tremendous battle taking place. Many of the A Class heroes were hiding somewhere, and some monsters had escaped from the Hero Association. Destruction was everywhere. The civilians were in disarray. Hundreds of people had been knocked unconscious.
What could've caused such destruction? Saitama vs Tatsumaki, of course. The real trouble was trying to keep up with them, Ayano discovered. The two moved way too fast. At least their destruction left an easy path to follow.
And then she saw someone she didn't expect to see.
"Phew… calm down…" Metal Bat whispered to himself, sweating all over. "Don't get mad… Tama's waiting at home…"
"Metal Bat," Ayano said.
"Huh?" he turned around, staring at her. "Oh… it's you. Hey, the Hero Association said I was the only S Class hero on standby! What kind of bullshit is this?!"
Ayano simply shrugged.
"Whatever, I've gotta get home," he said. "Tama's giving birth any minute!"
"Ah, Metal Bat, Yan-chan," a new voice spoke. "I see you are here as well."
Metal Bat groaned, glaring at Megami and her group members. "Dammit, I forgot yer back…"
"Very nice to see you as well, Metal Bat," Megami replied, curtly. She turned to Ayano. "You seem to be looking for someone."
"Oh I'm looking for someone," Aoi spoke up, glowering at Metal Bat. "I'm gonna beat the crap out of-"
"I have to go," Ayano declared suddenly, turning away. She was losing time.
"Where are you going, Yan-chan?" Megami asked her.
"To see my sensei," Ayano said, before running off.
Sensei… Megami thought. Wait, could her sensei be-
"I'LL KILL YOU!" Aoi yelled, clashing with Metal Bat. Megami sighed, deeply.
"Master?"
Saitama turned around, facing his female disciple. He stood at the edge of the city, nearby some ground that had been sliced in half.
"Hey," he said, casually.
"Is the battle over?" Ayano asked, staring at his tattered clothes.
"Yeah," Saitama nodded. "It's over."
"What happened?" Ayano asked.
Saitama shrugged. "Just a fight between siblings that went too far."
Psykos ran off into the streets, gazing at the sun. Her messy hair covered her pale skin. The bald man had let her go, but what was the point? The end of humanity was approaching, and not even he could stop it.
She smiled sadly, before disappearing, thinking of her failed experiments.
A/N: As much as the fandom drools over Tatsumaki and Fubuki, they aren't really nice people, more so Tatsumaki. She calls Kencho toxic - and while she's not wrong - it's not like she's any better lol. Not that she's a bad person, she's just very…. morally questionable at times. And Fubuki's just plain selfish, although a lot of that stems from her relationship with Tatsumaki. Character chat aside, I drew a picture of Ayano, Metal Bat, and Megami, which will be on my deviantart iHateFridays, my tumblr (FridayHater), my Twitter (FridaysHate) and Instagram (ihatefridaysihf) sooner or later. I've gotta draw more crap for this story lol. See you next chapter!