The hospital room lights were shut off and the door locked tight. Window blinds were flipped closed to block any uninvited viewers. The time now was past midnight, and the moon outside was the greatest piece of proof. Inside the dark room were three silhouettes, while a single body stood guard outside and quietly listened to them. The first of the trio was All Might, reduced to his weaker form. Second was Detective Naomasa, pen and paper in his hand as he questions the young arachnid hero sitting on the bed in front of them. He was the only student of U.A left at the hospital, as all the others had been discharged and gone home. Peter stayed simply because his Aunt needed to remain there until morning.
"We examined the gauntlet weapon that The Green Goblin used in the battle," Naomasa started, eyeing Peter intensely, but in a friendly manner, "It isn't made of any material we've ever seen before. The stone latched to it as well was giving off a strange …vibe, is the best word. The gauntlet also has 5 other slots, telling me that there's more than one of these stones involved to complete the set," He deduced, "We need you to tell us everything you know, Mr. Parker."
Peter sat on the bed with his fingers locked together and his ankles crossed over one another. It wasn't likely they would believe the entire truth. Fact was that the gauntlet was made by a Dwarf; the same one that created Thor's Hammer Mjölnir. The metal came from Asgard, a place they likely haven't heard of in terms of being reality.
"It's called the Infinity Gauntlet," Peter began as Naomasa took notes, "It was created back home by a …master blacksmith. Its purpose is to contain and control the power of that purple stone, plus 5 others. Each stone has a different ability on its own, but together are nearly unstoppable."
"Where did these stones come from?" The detective asked.
Peter shrugged again, "All I know is that they are dangerous. I've …been trying to find them and send them home so no one gets hurt."
"Do you have any with you?" Naomasa accused.
While it's true that Peter managed to obtain two of the Infinity Stones, he was unsure if he should tell them about it. They would likely try to confiscate them from him. It's troublesome enough that they already have one stone plus the gauntlet itself.
"Do you know how the stones ended up here in Japan?" All Might asked, "It seems a bit coincidental that your enemies would be searching for these stones while you were attending school here."
"It's likely they came to kill me," Peter said, "Maybe they saw an opportunity that I wouldn't be protected by the usual heroes back home. I doubt they expected to confront heroes here, we don't get much word about the hero programs here in Japan. We kind of isolate ourselves that way, it's why I wanted to come here so I could see what it was like."
"Why aren't all the stones in one place?"
"As far as I know, Goblin divided them up amongst his minions, and they were too clumsy and got them lost."
He almost commended himself for coming up with a believable lie so quickly. Though, he still felt bad for not telling the truth, even though they wouldn't believe him anyway. It's better to give them something they'll understand rather than confuse them with something they won't.
"…It's my fault they're here," Peter grieved, "They wouldn't have come if not for me. The only reason they attacked the school as well as the USJ was because I was there. If I had gone with on the field trip, the other classes would have been safe."
"That's not your fault, Peter," All Might assured.
"It is my fault, though! Half of those villains exist because of me! They up their game so they can keep up with me and people get hurt in the process. Norman Osborn is the worst of all. Becoming Spider-Man made him what he is, he blames me for everything," Peter's voice began to crack in sorrow, "People have died because of me and what I do. People suffer everywhere I go, no matter how hard I try to prevent it."
"A lot of people are safe because of you, your Aunt included," He reminded him, "You're going to be a spectacular Pro hero one day, Young Parker-"
"I can't wait for 'one day'! If I don't act in the moment, people will die!"
"What are you saying?"
He hesitated, but went through with confidence, "I'm saying let me keep searching for the stones. Let me take down whoever may have them, so we can stop these guys from hurting others. Goblin may be caught but he still has lackies, all being led by whoever has a light Quirk."
"'Light Quirk?'"
"The woman who saved me that day at the precinct. I think she leads all of them and wants the stones for herself."
Naomasa put his notebook to the side, standing up straight, "You can't go out and fight villains. You don't have a license, so going out there would be illegal. We'll use the info you've given us to find the stones and keep them safe. When we have them, you'll be the first to know."
He sighed, lowering his head and staring at the floor. Without the protection of a secret identity, there wasn't much that he could do about it. They had their eyes on him now, meaning sneaking away was no longer an option.
"Naomasa," All Might spoke up, "Is it alright if I have a word alone with Peter?"
"Of course, I'll be outside," The detective grabbed his notebook and exited the room, standing beside Overcast as they discussed recent events.
All Might struggled a bit to stand on his feet, having to push himself off from his knees. His body was still weak and fragile from fighting at the USJ. Maintaining his stronger form for so long beyond his limit had put a strain on him. Walking across the room, he let himself collapse into a sitting position on the bed next to Peter. Up close, the young hero could see the bags under his teachers' eyes.
"You look like you need a nap," Said Peter.
"Yeah," Said All Might, "I spent myself today. At the USJ, there was monster with strength to rival my own. It could take my attacks, and nearly killed me. The only way to beat it was to push myself beyond my limit," He put a hand on his side, where the wound in his stomach still resided, "Before today, I could maintain my strong form for about 3 hours. Now it's even less …"
"…I'm sorry," Mourned Peter, "I should have been there to help."
"You were busy. Six of your own villains ambushed you and the other students."
"Seven technically, but someone else took care of him."
All Might laughed, immediately holding his side in pain. He would have to rest for some time before returning to Hero work. This will be difficult with all the reporters that will likely try and swarm the school come morning.
"Izuku told me that you know about my Quirk now," All Might said, "Don't worry, I'm not upset. You were bound to find out eventually. Though, I did have him tell me why he had brought it up, and he mentioned something about your powers."
"Yeah, I told him it was ok to tell you," Peter reassured.
All Might sighed, moving to the next topic.
"Why didn't you tell the police about the stones sooner? Green Goblin only had one and-"
"And It was my problem," Peter cut in, "These villains, the stones, they are my problem."
"They're our problem too now, kid. You can't fight them, it's the law."
Peter muttered something under his breath.
"What's that?"
"I said screw the law!" Peter shouted, immediately turning away in shame.
His teacher sighed and rubbed the back of his neck, "Young Parker, this city has dozens of Pro heroes patrolling it 24/7. You aren't the only person who cares about stopping these villains, there is a whole community of people ready to fight against evil."
"This whole hero system…" Peter started, "It's flawed."
"What?"
"Heroes here …they get paid to save people. It becomes a career like any other job. For so many people, they start out so passionate. But when they get enough fame, that becomes their new drive. The crowd cheering their name, Pro Heroes on talk shows, acting like celebrities. That's not what a hero should be, should it? Other than protecting my family, my secret identity keeps me humble. I'm not gonna stop doing the right thing just because the law tells me no."
Sighing, All Might stood up and walked toward the door. He knew that there wasn't much he could do to change Peter's mind, even if he did bring up some good points. There are heroes that do it simply for the fame and money. Payment can be left up to interpretation whether it's truly a selfish goal or note, but fame was different. There are indeed heroes that sink themselves into their fame by taking on commercials and going on talk shows. However, there were still plenty of heroes that did it because they wanted to save people, the fame and payment was just a bonus to them.
All Might grabbed the door handle, turning to the young hero briefly, "I understand where you are coming from, Young Parker. But there are heroes who still believe in what's right."
"I know," Peter agreed, "I'm saying the public sees them as celebrities, and it goes to a lot of their heads. I don't care about fame or following the rules, because If someone is in danger, I'll protect them no matter what."
"I admire that, I do. But if you go after these villains and cause harm to them, the Police will have no choice but to arrest you. Please …don't do anything drastic." With that he left the room to talk with the detective outside. Peter was left alone with his thoughts, bathing in the darkness of the hospital. The law was strict about hero work, and he knew that any acts would be trouble for him. It hadn't stopped him before, but now he had eyes on his back.
He was trapped in a web of his own lies.
…
The woman who held power over light entered her dark and gloomy apartment. She had spent so much money in her expedition toward her goals that she could no longer afford anything better. With her Light Quirk, she had no need for electricity, or at the very least light bulbs. All she had was her laptop now, which she simply charged whenever she was at an outlet anywhere else. Dropping a bag by the couch, she let her body collapse on the cushions, sighing with frustration.
She hated villains.
Many of them were self-centered, egotistical and irrational. Those are simply the close-up qualities many of them had shared. Villains were destructive and unpredictable, yet she had no choice but to work with them. She had no choice but to use them as stepping stones. Perhaps she couldn't complain, as she was considered a villain in the eyes of those she meets. At least, those who meet here as she is, doing what she does. She's had no choice but to work with villains, though it doesn't mean she likes it. Much rather she would wish to work with someone of more mature qualities.
She created a small ball of light and let it float into the air, illuminating the room and showing off more of its details. Though everything inside was cheap, she at least did her best to keep it as clean as she could. The sphere of light travelled around the room, staying close to the ceiling and sometimes bouncing off it like a balloon. She sighed again, beginning to take deep calming breaths.
After calming herself down, she reached into her bag and pulled out her laptop, opening it up and logging in. The first application to open was a live video with several numbers to click on the side. The first camera feed was set in the warehouse where her and the other villains would meet. Currently only a few were still there in the main room as the rest went to sleep.
One of the villains, a man with short hair, goggles, and a green suit with a metal backpack equipped to the fabric stood in the center. The man pulled out his phone and held it to his ear, glancing at the camera watching him. Not seconds later, the woman's phone rang with the same man's caller ID. Naturally, she answered him.
He was the first to speak, "I figured you would be watching us by now," He said, "You always check in at the same times every day."
"You truly are the smart one of the group, Octavius," She replied, "Anything I can help you with right now?"
"Norman's arrest is a problem, as he was the bulk of our manpower. But we can fill the gap if we can retrieve the space stone and the gauntlet."
"That will be a problem since both items are with the police right now."
"Perhaps, but I found a solution. They're holding them temporarily at a police force safehouse in the city. Currently they are waiting for transportation to arrive, but we can get the jump on them before they take off."
She hesitated, sitting up on the couch, "Who do you think should be at the front lines of this attack?"
"Do you trust any of the others to be subtle?"
She sighed, "No. You're suggesting I go myself."
"I'd be there with you. We're the only competent people of this little organization. If we want to avoid making too much of a scene, I think it's best that it be just the two of us. You brought me on because you wanted a focused and balanced mind."
There was a great pause after he had finished. It wasn't often that she showed herself in person. Even when she did, she was always covering herself in light. If the public knew what she looked like, she would be too easy to track.
"I know you're worried about your appearance," Octavius assumed, "But you'll be happy to know I finished the suit."
She jumped to her feet, "You finished it?"
"Stop by the warehouse and pick it up, then meet me at the location I will send to you. That is …if you're interested."
She knew that the best way to retrieve the stone as well as the gauntlet was to avoid causing a scene. Each of the villains that went behind her back and attacked Spider-Man are not sitting behind bars, cutting a dent in their forces. Thanks to her deal with the League of Villains, she has a few more resources but not enough muscle. Octavius was smart and calculated, and he did things out of logic and not instinct. While he has in fact done things others would deduce as villainess acts, he did them because he thought he had to. She had a respect for him, unlike the other members of their little group.
"I'll be there, Octavius," She answered, hanging up directly after.
…
It hadn't taken her long to return to the warehouse from where she met with the villains of another world. Most of them were asleep for the night, minus a few night owls that roamed. The main area of the warehouse started empty when they found it, now it was filled with couches, lamps, and a television. As she walked in, her eyes went to those whom still strolled around the main room this time of night. One was a pale being with dark hair, floating upside down in the corner of the room. He wasn't quite sleeping, more meditating in a deep trance. The other figure was a man in a leather jacket, staring at the TV as it played its late-night shows. It was a late-night live show, playing a skit that mocked fast-food cashiers.
The man noticed his new boss enter the room, and turned his head to greet her, "You're here late."
"Octavius said he finished the side project I assigned to him," She stated, "I'm just here to pick it up."
The man laughed, "Well you better get going. Some of the others aren't happy with you since Norman got arrested."
"I can handle myself, Quentin," She walked away, not so much as giving him another word.
The next room was a small office, only big enough to hold a desk and two cabinets behind it. Scattered on the desk were papers and picture frames, with a large suitcase resting on the top. It was a large silver case with a classic briefcase lock. The case acted as a paper weight for all the papers she had left sitting there, unfinished. Many of the papers listed possible sightings of Infinity Stones, while others had biographies of people.
She opened the briefcase, looking at the contents inside. It was correct to the specifications she gave the scientist, happy that the mask was on that would cover her entire face.
"Late night?"
She turned around quickly, almost ready to attack whoever was behind her. Even when she saw who the voice belonged to, she kept her guard up. The man standing at the door was as pale as could be, with hair to match his arctic look. He wore a dark suit to counteract his skin and completion, and his hair had a classic flat army cut.
"Tombstone," She greeted with her fists still up, "You're still up I see."
"In my line of work, late nights are a regular," He moved slowly around the room, examining her, "Where are you going with the old moon in the sky?"
"It's none of your business," She rejected him, "Simply an event I need to attend to."
"Really? You don't trust me?"
"I don't trust any of you. It's a matter of who I can rely on to work with me. If I gave you the chance, you'd take whatever power you could get and betray me in an instant, just like Osborn."
"Osborn was a clever man," Tombstone's voice held poison in his tone, "And a great business partner too. I came here because the crime of this world was so much easier to manipulate. The criminals back home have lost their touch," He poked his temple, "They've gotten too smart. But here, It's like I'm back in my prime."
"I'm not some dumb wannabe criminal you can manipulate. Keep in mind what happens if you double cross me."
"Now, sweetheart, I never said I would," He backed away with his hands up, "You're the one making all the assumptions. Just remember that Norman, as reckless as he was, was valuable. You could have gotten him out of there safely, but you chose to let the police take him," He came closer again, almost nose to nose, "It's almost as if you have a grudge against us 'villains'."
He was taller than her, this was true. In fact, she'd be lying if she said she wasn't intimidated. However, she couldn't show him this as he would try to make a shift in power. He would love to take over and assimilate the others into his newly formed crime gang, but she needed to maintain her appearance. This overconfidence is a big reason why she hated working with these villains.
"Do your job and everyone benefits," She said sternly, "That's the deal, Tombstone. Where I need to go requires precision, and subtlety. You're a good businessman, but not a good man."
Tombstone frowned, backing away from her and making his way to the door, "Fine, you've made your point. I need to return to business anyway. However," He opened the door, his body already halfway through, "If it all goes wrong, I'll be there to call you out." He closed the door with a light slam and left her alone with the case on the table.
She let out a sigh of relief, leaning against the desk as she held a hand to her chest. Tombstone was nearly invincible and didn't feel any pain. He's one of the few villains she's brought here that intimidates her, as her power would have no effect on him. Villains were often overconfident and selfish, he was no exception.
Finally, she pulled the contents of the case out and readied herself for the night.
…
The sky was still dark, while the city below was filled with light. People talked down below, steering clear of a building labeled 'scheduled for demolition'. Octavius kneeled on a roof higher up, positioned a block away from the target. Four mechanical arms had grown from the containment on his back, hovering around his body and moving with every thought he gave them. The goggles he wore functioned to zoom in on an open window. Nothing could be seen but a few moving shadows of people, counting to seven or eight bodies guarding the Infinity Gauntlet.
A small burst of light landed behind him, the energy breaking her fall. Her suit was a mixture of cloth and armor covering the more sensitive parts of her body such as her joints, chest, and a helmet that covered her face. Two small eye holes were all she had to look out of, yet she could see almost as clearly as she could without them. The back of her helmet had a sharp point for flare, shining from the moonlight. Her armor was primarily white with many yellow highlights that travelled up her limbs and around her head. The saturation for both colors were only slightly lower than their natural states, but still enough to get the point across. On her back was a unique cape; two strands of strong cloth attached to each shoulder and reaching down below her waist.
"You look good," Octavius complimented, "How's it fit?"
"Perfectly," She smiled under the helmet, "I was worried I would always have to blind everyone before entering a room. Heroes aren't the only ones with secret identities, right?"
"I agree," He looked back to the target building as the woman of light kneeled beside him, "That's the safehouse, hidden in plain sight. There are about eight police officers guarding the Gauntlet until transportation arrives. There could also be Pro Heroes in there, but I couldn't see any from this position. The only way we'll know for sure is if we go inside."
"Where's our best entrance?"
"The roof has a few guards on it, but we can take them out quietly. We just need to wait a few more minutes until I can be sure the gauntlet is in there," He adjusted his goggles, "I'm scanning the building on a private network, it's going to take a minute."
"Copy that."
Octavius took a moment to glance at her, admiring the work he put into the suit. In fact, it wasn't just the suit, but the woman herself that he admired. She was passionate about this entire crusade for the Infinity Stones, but not the same way the other villains were. Everyone else was promised destruction of their enemies, power over society, or simply high amounts of cash. Him however, he wanted something different. All Octavius wanted was a fresh start in this new world. Back home, everyone knew him only as Doctor Octopus, a villain and horrible human being. This wasn't who he was, at least not anymore. He made mistakes and could not undo them as he thought it was the right choice. The world he knew saw him as a villain and always would, but here he could be different. Here, he could salvage a career as a scientist and pursue his goals like he used to.
She was different than him, however. Something was driving her for these stones, something very personal. It wasn't cruel, she never seemed to have a selfish desire for the weapons of mass power. Instead, she always seemed as though if she didn't get them, then something worse would happen than her crimes. It was the desperation of a child, with the passion of a strong woman.
"Why do you do this?" Otto asked, "What do you need the stones for."
She looked at him, sighing as her gaze fell to the street. Civilians down below were greeting one another, and walking out of stores with bags of products, "Look at those people, living their lives without a care in the world. They aren't even concerned about the gods that walk among them. They don't care about a thing, not even when a monster attacks them. They're so …"
"Desensitized?" Otto suggested.
"Yes! They see heroes as celebrities, some even see villains that way. They don't take it seriously, and that gets them hurt or killed," She looked back at him, "Heroes and Villains cause half the worlds biggest problems now, and no one bats an eye."
Otto's goggles blipped green as he turned his attention back to the safehouse, "Gauntlet confirmed. We're good to go."
He leapt off the roof, using his arms to climb across the sides of the buildings. The woman released light from her hands and hovered through the sky, gliding from one roof to another. When they reached the safehouse, they ascended the wall slowly as not to make too much noise
Four armed guards patrolled on the roof, standing at each corner. From their position, they could see anyone coming at any time.
Unfortunately for them, this was not one of those times.
The armored woman landed on the first guard from above, earning the attention of their neighbor. Lifting his gun, the armed guard readied himself to fire, but the woman shot a blast of light that nearly burned his corneas. She ran at him, jumping in the air and throwing a knee to his chin. The impact was enough to knock him out.
When she landed, she had prepared herself to face the other two. Otto however had already taken them out, his metal arms pinning their unconscious bodies to the ground.
"How did you do that without me hearing?" She asked as she met him halfway on the roof.
"Improvements on the arms," He answered proudly, "Smoother joint movements almost as silent as a real limb."
Smiling, she looked to a door that led to the lower floors, "Shall we?"
"Ladies first."
Giving a comical curtsy, she blasted the lock with a small light burst and walked through with little effort. Otto retracted his arms and followed her in. The staircase was lit only by a single bulb on the ceiling. The woman could have lit the room herself, but she didn't want to give away their position too soon. Unlike being with the other villains, she didn't feel compromised working with Otto. He was a smart man, the only one of the groups that she trusted.
Eventually they found a door just one floor from the base of the building. She opened it slowly, moving out and discovering a catwalk that stretched across the large empty room. The space below was barren, only a series of lights that illuminated for them. The massive room was empty, the only notable detail was a skylight with the moon hanging above.
"Where's the Gauntlet?" She asked, "Are we on the right floor?"
"We should be …" Otto extended his metal arms and leaped down, using them to break his fall. The woman followed and used light from her hands to hover safely down. It felt like an interrogation room with the vibe the ceiling lights gave off.
Being at ground level, Otto was able to see objects sitting near the windows. Cardboard cut outs of human shapes stood just out of the window's view, casting a shadow that reached the wall. As he looked out the window, he noticed the same roof he had been positioned when doing recon earlier.
"Dammit …" He said, looking back at the woman in a panic, "We've been set up!"
A quick explosion of light escaped from a small cylinder dropped to the ground. While Otto was blinded by the sudden attack, the woman was not affected in anyway. The skylight shattered, and glass slammed against the concrete ground. Ropes dropped from the opening with armed men grappling down dressed in all black. Most of the squad surrounded the woman, while the rest kept their guns pointed at Otto who rested on the ground with blinded eyes.
A final figure jumped down from the broken skylight and landed with a large thud, cracking the ground beneath her feet. The hero who landed had dark skin, red eyes, and long white hair with long fluffy ears that resembled an albino rabbit. Her build was rather muscular, she was stronger than she looked. Her costume was a white leotard with a fuzzy collar containing a purple rim around the shoulder and thighs, metal plating on her midriff, and a yellow crescent moon on her chest. At the end of her costume is a tuft that resembled a rabbit's tail. Her boots were dark purple high thighs with metal plating at the heels and toes which resembled rabbits' feet. To finish it off, she wore white gloves to match the set.
"…Miruko," The woman of light stated.
"I'm not really one to work with other people," Miruko stated with a large smirk, "But this is a special occasion isn't it, little lady?"
The woman remained still as not to push the soldiers into shooting her. Miruko stepped forward and intruded on her personal bubble.
"You're lucky they called a Pro like me instead of someone like All Might or Endevor," Said Miruko, "Though I'm not exactly friendly either."
Even though this was true, Miruko was still a dangerous adversary. She was known as the number one female Pro hero in Japan. Her power gave her extreme strength in her legs, her signature move being the Rabbit Thump. Kicking the ground could cause a miniature earthquake if she wanted, perhaps even giving All Might a challenge.
"How did you know we would be here?" The woman asked her.
"We knew you'd take the bait. A nice student gave us Intel about the Gauntlet and how badly you wanted it. So, we knew we had to lure you and your lackeys in."
A swift strike to the back of her leg forced the woman of light down to her knee's. A soldier came over, pulling out a pair of handcuffs. It didn't take him long to drop his gun, grab her hands behind her back and slap the cuff's around her wrists. They were sealed tightly, almost scraping against her body had it not been for her suit.
"I don't think you guys really needed me for this," Miruko said as she turned around and started to walk away, "Call me again if something happens. I gotta go and-"
"Collect your check?"
Miruko stopped with her shoulders perking up, turning around to address the villainess's words. She could have simply left and been done with the job, but curiosity told her to stay. She slowly walked back to the woman cuffed and kneeling before her, believing without a doubt that she was safe to do so.
"What did you say?" Miruko asked.
"I said you gotta go and collect your check," The woman confirmed, "That's what it's all about, right? Forget saving people or doing the right thing. What really matters is the money you earn. Appearing on talk shows is worth way more of your time than assisting your fellow hero against a super villain. Making money is way more important than why you're making it."
Miruko was clearly offended, beginning to get steamed, "You don't know me at all, lady."
"I know that you bathe in your fame and glory. Men fall in love with you, and Women want to be you. Yet rather than use that inspiration to change the world, you use it to get onto talk shows, merchandise, and movies," The woman leaned closer to Miruko, "You're not a hero, you're a goddamn celebrity."
Miruko was angry now, kneeling and nearly bumping heads with her new enemy. It was hard to figure out if she was offended because her assumptions were off, or if she was right, "Who the hell do you think you are to say something like that?" Miruko spat at her.
The woman simply straightened her back in response, the sound of metal clanking against the ground. She lifted her hands from behind her back, finding that the cuffs were no longer attached. Her palms glowed a terrifying light as Miruko's eyes widened in shock.
"My name," the villainess said, "Is Lumina."
From Lumina's hands, massive explosions of light escaped as a wave of energy, knocking the participants of the room off their feet. Even Miruko found herself flying backwards, having been the closest to the small explosion. Lumina jumped to her feet, turning her body at an angle with her feet planted on the ground. The guards over Otto turned their guns unto her, but she managed to fire first and slam them into the wall. Finally, Otto's eyes recovered from the flash grenade and he used his metal arms to lift himself up, hovering over the ground.
Miruko recovered onto her steel toed feet and glared at Lumina with a growl. Pushing off her heels, she erupted off the ground and left the concrete broken and ruined. He body flew across the room at blinding speed. As she closed in on Lumina, she twisted her body and threw a round house kick to her head. Lumina was able to lift both her arms in time and block the attack, but Miruko's strength was still too much, and it send her skidding across the ground. Miruko charged at her again, this time her enemy chose to dodge repeatedly.
"Come on! Isn't a Rabbit's foot suppose to be lucky?" Lumina mocked, "Or are you just a Bunny Wabbit?"
Her cutesy voice angered Miruko as she increased her attack. Primarily she fought with her feet, being that they were her strongest assists. She brought her powerful heel down on Lumina, who dived under it and grabbed her by the ankle. Using her momentum, she slammed the hero face first into the ground and created a small dust cloud. The victory didn't last when Miruko pushed off her hands and kicked Lumina straight in the stomach. She went flying and crashed into the wall across the room. Had it not been for her armor, the attack would have been much more painful.
Metal clanked against the ground as Otto charged at the Pro hero, swinging his mechanical arms at her. She put in little to no effort in dodging, for he lacked the speed to match. A single kick to the side sent him to the ground.
Miruko positioned her arms at her side and started to stomp her right foot repeatedly against the ground. As her speed picked up, the building had begun to shake vigorously. Otto was unable to remain on his feet nor keep his metal arms against the ground. Lumina however jumped into the air and used light energy from her palms to stay afloat, avoiding the artificial earthquake entirely.
"Otto! Shut your eyes!" She shouted as Otto didn't hesitate to listen. Her suit charged with light and began to illuminate in the corner of the room. She removed her helmet, releasing the light trapped inside. Miruko couldn't see her face, only the scorching energy that filled the room. It caused her to cease her stomping, just long enough for Otto to extend his metal arm and trip her. As Lumina touched the ground, she put her helmet back on and launched herself into the air, crashing through the nearest wall with a strong blast. Otto carried himself with his four arms and followed her through.
By the time Miruko managed to recover her vision, the room was empty of all things except the soldiers and herself. The villains she was paid to catch were long gone, having just escaped their grasp. Naturally, it pissed her off that this villainess had managed to escape her after insulting her image. She won't lie, however, some of what she said got to her.
"Regroup at the station," Miruko said with a hint of aggravation, "We should tell the chief what happened."
…
On a roof far away from the safehouse, Lumina and Otto finally stopped and rested with large gasps. While they had managed to escape the clutches of arrest, it was still far too close for comfort. There was a chance that a few bones had been cracked or broken given the pain she felt in her chest. The night was supposed to be a stealth mission, she hadn't planned for a full-blown fight. Had she brought more of the team's muscle, perhaps it would have been easier.
"They likely moved the Gauntlet hours ago," Otto said, sounding out of breath, "The whole thing was one big trap."
Lumina leaned against the edge of the roof, looking down at the city below. Civilians down below were greeting one another and walking out of stores with bags of products. Everything was good for them, not even one had a care in the world, they didn't care about any of the world's dangers.
And it made her angry.
"Dammit…" She muttered, "Dammit!" She clenched her fists at the raise of her voice, "We were played!"
"We'll try again," Otto reminded her, "We'll get the Gauntlet."
"Will we?!" Her voice cracked, clearly in distress, "I should have just taken that Gauntlet from Norman when he first got here! How could I ever trust a villain to do the job without letting his stupid ego get in the way?!"
Otto almost felt offended, but chose not to let it fuel his emotions, "I'm a villain too."
"Are you?" She questioned, "In their eyes, maybe. But you use your head, you plan your moves so that you achieve your goal. You care if destruction occurs, because that's not what you want. You have a goal and you chase it, assuring that it's all that happens. But villains do whatever the hell they want without a care in the world because of the rewards that come from it! Now tell me, does that describe this worlds Villains or Heroes?!"
She was panting now, her heartrate increasing with each word. Seeing her distress, Otto retracted his mechanical arms and held her by the shoulders, "Lumina, relax. You need to breath slowly."
It took her a moment, but she finally managed to slow her heart rate. Her chest moved in and out as her shoulders followed the same pattern going up and down. Lumina's fingers shoot and twitched from the pure adrenaline, tears coming out of her eyes and leaking against the inside of her helmet.
"Trust me, I know how the others are," Otto said, "Why do you think I formed the original Sinister Six? I wanted to use them to achieve my goals. They were so easily manipulated by a few promises of money and power. Me? I wanted to show the world a new perspective, why people are the corruption of society. And at every turn, a hero stops me because he only see's-"
"A villain," She finished, "Not the man."
"Or the woman," He added, "I know you want to show them a new perspective. To do it on such a scale, we need the Gauntlet. Don't lose sight after one setback."
In a rush of emotion and vulnerability, she hugged him slightly. Admittedly he was surprised but didn't hesitate to hug her back. Out of everyone, he was the only person she brought to this world that she was able to open with. Otto was the only person who understood the kind of person she was as well as her morals. He was someone she could trust, the only real one she could trust.
Letting him go, she cleared her throat, "I'm going to return home. Get some rest Otto."
She leapt off the roof and used her Quirk to hover away, letting Otto watch her vanish with a smile.