Ch. 7: A Normal Day In Tomobiki
Two Weeks Ago(The Day of Androburst's Attack)
*Bang Bang Bang Bang Click*
Removing the empty clip, he quickly inserted another magazine into the pistol and steadied his breath as his eyes scanned the area.
*Creak*
Twisting around, He squeezed the trigger, only to pull his finger away, his hand twitching from the sudden motion.
*Blare*
'All Primary Targets: Damaged' 'Training: Complete'
'All Primary Targets: Damaged' 'Training: Complete
Reluctantly, he holstered his pistol and removed his headset. Warily, he examined the wooden target, pondering why he felt the urge to shoot.
"It's just an innocent little girl."
Meanwhile, the ground began to rise and exposed the underground facility. Once the steel doors opened, a bearded man wearing a blue camo military jumpsuit, marched towards him.
Hirotoshi Nomi, Head of the Mendo Clan's Private Army.
With the morning sun glaring off his sunglasses, Hirotoshi smirked as the scars on his lips crinkled.
"Total Accuracy: 92. Time Between Shots: 2.5 seconds. Missed/Misfired: Zero."
Hirotoshi frowned deeply.
"Almost one. You managed to stop, but that won't mean shit out there. I do not tolerate stray shots from my soldiers. Not even from you, Shutaro."
Nodding, the young master said. "I am sorry. I don't know what came over me."
"Correct it." The trainer grunted.
Before Shutaro could respond, Hirotoshi punched him in the stomach, lifting him briefly off the ground.
Inhaling sharply, Mendo managed to stay on his feet and exhaled deeply.
Curling his upper lip, Hirotoshi snorted.
"At least you're still standing. When I started your training, you dropped to the ground, coughing and spitting like a baby."
"I was eight years old."
"Now, you look ready to march into battle and maybe come out alive."
"For this battle, there is no doubt that I'll come out alive," Mendo gritted out. "The question is, will my pride survive? Will the honor of the Mendo Clan persevere?"
"You're serious about this?"
The young master nodded, his black eyes were like coals, ready to come alight.
"Very well. I'd wish you luck, but that won't help, will it?"
"I'm afraid not. However, one should never rush into an unwinnable battle," Mendo declared before his phone buzzed. "Not without a way to ensure victory."
Once he read the message, a chuckle slipped past his curled lips.
"And what is better than observation?"
Present
Ataru inspected the ceiling as darkness reigned over the sky and with Lum nowhere in sight.
At his desk, the clock said 3:25.
His mind was exhausted, but his body was anything but.
Sighing, he rose from his futon and looked towards the window.
"I used to go patrolling every night and sleep during the day." Ataru pondered. "Lum would electrocute me if I left looking like this."
Falling onto his pillow, he caught a glimpse of the doorknob jingling.
Ataru closed his eyes and, relaxed his breath, the door gently opened and closed as a muffled yawn grew nearer. Crawling into bed, Lum wrapped her arms around her Darling and nuzzled against him.
Listening to her shallow breathing and feeling her warm skin.
His body became heavy as his mind finally wandered away.
Walking through the neighborhood, the Oni had a spring in her step as Darling trailed behind her.
"These uniforms shockproof?"
"The uniforms were designed to be resistant to a variety of different Quirks, such as electric powers," Ataru mentioned, looking both ways.
He has been on full alert, ready for whatever Tomobiki had to throw at him.
Ten called it paranoia, but his parents called it smart.
The difference between someone who has just moved in and someone who has spent their whole life here.
"I thought I'd have to be cautious with my power," Lum sighed, shaking her head.
He was seconds away from using the Omnitrix and she was not having it. Clearing her throat loudly, the Oni blocked him with her hands on her hips.
"Don't even think about it. Miss Sakura said that it'll take two days for you to recover. So, Omni needs to take it easy."
"And he is, but that doesn't mean his quirk has to."
As she frowned, Ataru clarified. "If I get hurt as an alien, it doesn't carry over when I change back. I've been through the wringer more times than I can count and came out with minor bruises."
"You're invincible?" She mocked until he shrugged. "You're joking."
"I have some regenerators and others who are close to indestructible."
"That doesn't equivalate to invincibility."
"I'm always cautious. I know that dying isn't an option Omni can afford, not when everyone is counting on him. Not when Tomobiki is finally getting back on its feet."
Back when quirks were viewed with hostility, Tomobiki was among the few, maybe the only prefecture that welcomed them with open arms.
Why?
Because they had seen weirder things than a glow-in-the-dark baby or a literal catgirl.
Strange things always happen here and the Heroes have no idea whether it is a truly dangerous situation or just a normal day in Tomobiki.
If it was the latter, then they'd look bad for responding to an exaggerated threat.
However, if there's an actual threat, and the Hero believes it to be a town classic and ignores it, then they're accused of negligence.
Damned if they do, and damned if they don't.
This would be easier anywhere else, but around here, it's like trying to find a needle in a haystack.
Then there's Ataru Moroboshi, a Quirkless teenager with a superpowered watch and a demon girlfriend from outer space.
Does that sound like something you'd find outside of the internet?
Even Quirkless, he's just like everyone else in the Tomobiki Prefecture.
Bizarre, in his special way.
Regardless, these folks loved this place and why leave what you love?
That's also why Omni is favored by its citizens over other Heroes. He's one of them. He can tell the difference.
So if it's criminals, then he'll kick their butts and take them to the cops.
If it's people in need, then he'll help them.
If it was typical Tomobiki weirdness, then he'll just shake his head and leave it alone.
Whatever comes his way, he'd be ready.
"I know how much my death would hurt those closest to me. No matter what happens, I'll do everything I can to come back alive." Staring deeply into Lum, Ataru concluded. "I don't want to make them cry. I want my actions to make them smile, even when they would rather I do anything else."
Scowling briefly, the Oni lowered her head and inhaled through her nose.
"I swear, he's just like her."
Exhaling, Lum narrowed her eyes.
"So when she said you needed to rest, she meant you as in Ataru? I'll double-check that with Sakura. If you are lying, then prepare yourself. I will have words."
"Right," Ataru sighed.
At the footbridge, they noticed someone leaning on the railing, happily giggling. Once she spotted them climbing up, she held her hand up.
"Hey, Green."
"Ryunosuke!" Lum smiled, recalling her from yesterday.
Meanwhile, Ataru rubbed his chin, feeling like he'd seen her before. "You know her?"
"Surprised you remembered my name. I only recognized you by your green hair," She snorted before glancing at the young man. "Who's this?"
"Ataru Moroboshi."
Tilting her head back slightly, Ryunosuke faced him and squinted. "You, I remember. You're the Quirkless kid they were talking about at class."
From the corner of her eye, she noticed Lum scowling. "I just have one thing to tell you."
With a blank stare, Ataru crossed his arms. "I'm all ears."
"So am I, bitch."
Ryunosuke placed her hand on his shoulder and looked him dead in the eyes.
"If someone messes with you about being Quirkless," Ryunosuke pointed to herself. "Then send them my way. I'll show them where their shit belongs."
Blinking, Lum couldn't help but speak. "You're not going to pick on him?"
"Well," Ryunosuke shrugged with a smirk. "I know a thing or two about being discriminated against for something you have no control over. So, when someone has it worse than you. Why mistreat them when you should sympathize instead?"
Smirking back, Ataru held his hand out, which she firmly shook.
"I can get behind that."
"Glad you do."
"Shouldn't you be wearing a female uniform?" Lum asked, noticing her uniform.
Ryunosuke covered her eyes with her hand.
"My dad refused to buy me one."
Turning to Ataru, Lum asked. "Does the school have a strict dress code?"
"It does, but we're allowed to have accessories as long as we wear our gender-assigned uniforms. Based on our registrations, girls have to wear sailor uniforms and gakurans for the boys."
"And yet, Ryunosuke's a girl wearing a ga-ku-ran?"
"Fuck," The girl-in-question groaned angrily. "Don't get me started. I spent my first day after school convincing the principal that I'm a girl because my dumbass dad registered me as a male. I'm lucky he changed it otherwise it's men's health classes for me."
"I thought she looked familiar. She was the girl who was fighting with her father," Ataru thought as they chatted.
Hearing this, Lum winced. "I could imagine, but you're still wearing a gakuran?"
Tugging at the black blazer, Ryunosuke scowled. "Old fart refused to buy a sailor uniform and I can't afford one right now, so I'm stuck with this.
Meanwhile, Lum noticed her shirt and called her out.
"It's that…?"
Nodding happily, Ryunosuke opened her blazer and proudly displayed the symbol resting on her chest.
"An Omni shirt," Ryunosuke exclaimed, before quickly looking around and fixing her gakuran. "Don't talk about it."
"Our classmates won't bother you over this." Lum raised her brow when the tomboy shook her head.
"It ain't them I'm worried about, it's my father. He hates Omni with a passion."
Warily, the couple glanced at each other as they walked across the footbridge.
"My father tried to raise me as a man." She grimaced, raising her clenched fist. "With frustratedly impressive results."
Shaking her head, Ryunosuke continued. "He would go to any length to make me the son he's always wanted. Not that I'll let him."
"And this relates to Omni, how?" Lum asked, crossing her arms.
"My old man thinks I have a crush on him, which I don't. I just… admire his actions. The way he just doesn't let anyone control him. If he wants to be a hero, then he'll be one and not even the law can stop him. And he relies more on his natural strength than his quirk, like when he stopped those robbers without transforming even once. I'd love to have a match against him," Ryunosuke smiled brightly with red cheeks. "I mean, he's just so-"
"You're so in love," Lum sniggered.
"It ain't love! It's respect!"
"Suuuure."
"What about you?!"
Holding her Darling, Lum grinned smugly. "You can have Omni. I'm happy with my Darling."
"Darling? What? Are you married? Next, you two will be making a baby in a carriage." She teased, eager to share some embarrassment.
To her curiosity, Ataru looked away as Lum went silent.
"Wait…"
Suddenly, Ryunosuke threw her head to the side and snorted. "Well damn normie. You work fast."
"It's not like that," Ataru sputtered, looking to his girlfriend for support, but her empty stare took priority. "Lum?"
Tilting her head, Ryunosuke knitted her eyebrows.
"Is she okay?"
Shaking her shoulder gently, Ataru said. "Lum? Lum?"
Blinking, the Oni noticed her Darling staring with worry-filled eyes.
"Sorry. Just lost in thought."
"Want to talk about it?" Ataru offered.
"No," Lum muttered before smiling tightly. "Don't worry, it's nothing major. So, your dad doesn't like Omni?"
Narrowing her eyes at her evasion, Ryunosuke grunted. "He thinks Omni's a threat to his plans of making a man out of me, which was doomed, to begin with."
"You having a crush on Omni-"
"Not a crush."
"-is stopping you from…becoming a man?"
"My dad is not a full deck if you catch my drift. It isn't just Omni, he'll destroy anything I want if it's feminine," Ryunosuke stated, gesturing to her shirt. "Hell, I've only had this shirt for half an hour because he wasn't at home and left his wallet. I wouldn't be wearing this if he knew. He'd rather burn the store down!"
"Sounds like a real charmer," Lum added, rolling her eyes as Ataru kept his eyes on her.
"Well, he may be an abusive sack of crap, but he's still my dad," Ryunosuke shrugged, much to their surprise.
"Abusive?" Lum glanced at her Darling, who narrowed his eyes, before looking worriedly at her. "Are you in danger? We could get the police involved."
Looking at them with confusion, she quickly realized and waved her hands rapidly. "No need! I kick his ass as much as he does mine."
"Are you sure?" Ataru pressed, stepping forward.
"It's okay. I'm cool," She stated, rubbing her neck. "It's kind of a family tradition."
With her eyes raised, Lum asked sarcastically. "Your family tradition is to abuse each other?"
"Kinda, but not really." She winced, knowing how it sounded.
Ryunosuke held her hands once Lum reached for her earth phone. "Listen! The Fujinami family has a history of infighting like you'd never seen. It's why I'm so good at fighting. My grandfather treated my father the same way his mother treated him and so on."
"Like I'd believe that!"
Before she could do anything, Ataru took her phone while staring at Ryunosuke.
"Darling?!"
"Wait," Ataru said without looking away.
Her blue eyes were a raging tsunami, but there was an underlying sense of honesty hidden deep within the depths.
Nodding to her, Ataru said. "She is telling the truth, Lum. So, no need to call the police."
They held a silent conversation until Lum scowled and glared at Ryunosuke.
"Are you sure that you're safe with him?"
Once she nodded, Lum chewed her lip before reluctantly nodding back.
"You're not the first to ask me that," She raised her brow at Ataru. "But he's the first to believe me."
"Stranger things have happened here. So, the issues with your family don't even hit the scale," Ataru shrugged. "Let's go. Today is going to be bizarre."
"No it won't," Lum stressed out, only for him to rub her head. "What are you doing?"
"Oh you poor naive thing," Ataru said cutely, shaking his head before walking across the bridge.
Lum growled as Ryunosuke smirked at them.
"What is he doing?"
The two girls watched as Ataru peeked around the corner and narrowed his eyes before jogging ahead of them.
"He thinks something is going to happen because we had a normal outing yesterday." Lum sighed, annoyed.
"You two are new, so I won't get annoyed, but something is going to happen. It wouldn't be Tomobiki if we had another day of normality."
Sensing an upcoming argument, Ryunosuke stepped between them. "How about we talk about something else?"
As their eyes focused on her, she scrambled for a distraction.
"My family owns a beachside cafe," Ryunosuke perked up before quickly wilting. "Or we used to. The storm destroyed it, so Dad is working at the school to pay off the repairs."
"Was it special?"
"Hamajaya was an old place, but it's belonged to the Fujinami's family for 30 generations."
Lum would've said something, but she and Ryunosuke were stunned by the large crowd in front of the school's gate. Moving closer, they could hear the students and even some of their classmates.
"What's going on?"
"Some dude is challenging Omni."
"Really?" Kakugari doubted.
"Really. This guy has been here since the principal opened the gates. At least, I think he was." A girl explained and her brother added. "He was. Some of the teachers tried to talk to him and he just waved them off."
"The principal permitted this guy to use the courtyard, as long as he doesn't disturb classes."
"That would explain why my friends were able to get inside without him doing anything."
"Huh?"
"Yeah, I managed to talk to him yesterday. He's our new gym teacher and owner of the school store." Perm informed.
A young girl with chalk-white skin and rainbow hair rubbed her forehead.
"So wait, let me get this straight," She muttered, nursing a headache. "This guy, who's our new gym teacher, is challenging Omni…OMNI to a fight?"
"And the principal has approved all of this. From what I've heard, our home room's been extended," Shinobu concluded with a roll of her eyes before scoffing. "That sounds like our crazy-ass Principal."
*Silence*
"Yesterday was a bit bland," A red-skinned boy admitted shyly.
The students around him couldn't help but agree.
"It was pretty intense in the morning," Inaba countered gently, but he looked away and muttered. "But everything after was…pretty dull."
"You said it."
"Wouldn't be Tomobiki without some craziness."
Her eyebrow twitched as she noticed his smirk.
"Not one word."
"I ain't saying anything."
Ataru stopped and faced the wall beside them. Bending his knee, he leaped upwards and grabbed the wall before going over it.
"Not bad," Ryunosuke whistled.
"My darling can be pretty athletic," Lum admitted, but she was waved off.
"I understand completely. The greatest tool we have is our bodies," She stated before following Ataru over the wall.
Nodding, Lum jumped…
…And missed.
She grunted before trying again, only to fail once more.
Growling, she jumped continuously, ignorant of how it looked as she bounced.
Thankfully, everyone was too focused on the lunatic shouting in the center of the courtyard.
Finally, she pouted and flew over the wall, and landed in the small forest.
When they looked at her, she glared back darkly.
"Not one word."
Sweat-dropping, Ataru sighed and Ryunosuke chuckled sheepishly.
"COME OUT AND FACE ME! I'LL MAKE YOU REGRET MESSING WITH MY SON!"
Ryunosuke stiffened.
"That fucking moron!" She snarled, catching their attention as she matched ahead. "I should have fucking known!"
Breaking into a sprint, she rushed toward the challenger. Leaping through the air, she twirled and kicked his face in.
" DAD! YOU FUCKING DIPSHIT!"
"RYUNOSUKE! STAY OUT OF THIS! AS YOUR FATHER, I'M PROTECTING YOUR MANHOOD!" Dansui demanded, rolling across the ground before jumping to his feet.
"I'M A WOMAN, YOU DUMB FUCK!"
As the father/son fought, the couple watched them from the forest.
"WHY DO YOU ALWAYS HAVE TO BE SUCH A IDIOT!"
"THERE IS NOTHING IDIOTIC ABOUT PROTECTING MY SON!"
"DAUGHTER! AND IF YOU WANT TO PROTECT ME, THEN ACCEPT MY GENDER, SEXIST ASSHOLE!"
"I DO ACCEPT YOUR GENDER! YOU'RE RYUNOSUKE FUJINAMI! SON OF DANSUI FUJINAMI AND HEIR TO THE HAMAJAYA LEGACY!"
"ARRGH!"
"I want to do something, but…" Ataru mumbled.
"It's watching a train wreck, I just can't look away," Lum finished.
Ataru pulled his sleeve and reached for the Omnitrix.
Grabbing his hand, Lum narrowed her eyes. "You need to heal."
"What about them?"
"Maybe they'll resolve this."
"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU WEARING!?"
"AN T-SHIRT! AN OMNI SHIRT! SINCE YOU LIKE WRECKING THE STUFF I BUY, I BOUGHT THIS ON MY WAY HERE!"
"WHY YOU-"
Suddenly, Shinobu and the girls scream while the boys whistled or cried out for more. Looking back, Lum quickly covered his eyes.
"AND A MATCHING BRA & PANTY!"
"Hey, I have the same one at home," Lum thought blankly at the sudden exposure. "At least she is wearing her pants."
"RYUNOSUKE!" A tidal wave nearly crashed into the gates. Briefly, the students moved to the walls, only to witness the fight once it was safe.
"The Hell!?"
"Old Man Can Create Waves!?" Shinobu exclaimed, alarmed.
"Where's Omni!?" Chibi cried out.
Looking at his girlfriend, Ataru stared blankly.
"Maybe the heroes-" She winced as the violence grew more hectic and lowered her head. "I just want you to get better."
However, her Darling gently raised her and she found him smiling with a gentle look in his eyes.
"Life is never that fair," Ataru consoled, sympathizing with her desires.
"Just…just be quick," She relented as he went through the Omnitrix.
Leaning close, he caressed her cheek, making her lips curve slightly. "I'll be safe. Big Chill will make quick work out of this, maybe Articguana."
As the light died down, Lum blinked.
"Who is that?"
He sighed, shutting all of his eyes.
"Eye was hoping for Big Chill or Articguana, but Eye Guy works too," Eye Guy grunted as his ears crinkled. "Eye… I need to work on controlling this one. The puns are so cornea…corny."
As he walked ahead, Lum leaned against the trees, crossing her arms.
*Buzz*
Lum lowered her head towards her vibrating bust and pulled out her phone.
"Hello," She greeted before letting out a snort. "Of course, you would call about this. Look, now is not a good time to call, maybe later."
At their response, Lum rolled her eyes. "If you want, you can come to visit me. Okay? Okay. Goodbye, B.T."
Ryunosuke grinned evilly as she cartwheeled to the left of his latest wave.
Before she could retaliate, a beam of green energy struck the ground between them as the multi-eyed creature made itself known, glaring down at the Fujinami family.
"Eye heard a commotion and…Damnit!"
"YOU!" Dansui shouted before charging at Eye Guy. "YOU DARE TO CORRUPT MY SON!"
"How have I corrupted your son? Last time I checked you have a daughter," Eye Guy remarked, using his right hand's eye to blast the ground ahead of Dansui. "Rushing your enemy rarely works unless you're faster and harder than them. Trust me, I should know."
"NO MATTER!" Dansui swerved through his blasts and pulled his fist as he neared the vigilante. "TODAY, YOU WILL DIE!"
"Like Hell He Will!"
Suddenly, he was kicked in his cheek as his son bounced off his father, sending Dansui crashing into the ground.
Sliding to a halt, Ryunosuke scowled. "I'm not going to let you become a murderer, shithead. Stay down."
"Stay out of this, Ryunosuke! This is between me and him!"
Squinting his bat-like ears, Eye Guy looked at them both.
"You should listen to your daughter," He said, crossing his arms. "Especially when you're misleading your intentions."
As Dansui scowled, his son glanced curiously at his hero.
"For someone who wants to murder me, you've been rather cordial with the school. If you wanted my attention, then you could have been attacking the school. Instead, all you've been doing is creating noise complaints and allowing students to walk by, unharmed."
Just then, a student started rushing out of the crowd. "Bathroom!"
No one, especially Dansui, interfered as he sprinted past.
Gesturing at the desperate student, Eye Guy concluded. "You don't want to kill me. You just want to fight."
Jerking his head to the side, Dansui spat on the ground before grinning viciously.
"For a little shit, you're observant," Dansui commended him begrudgingly before snarling. "Of course, I want a fight! Whether it ends with just your ass kicked or your corpse on the ground doesn't matter to me."
Holding his hand out and stopping Ryunosuke, the eyes on his shoulder watched her as a thought entered his head.
"How about we make a deal?"
"No," Dansui said, shifting his footing.
"I'll fight you if you accept."
"You'll fight regardless."
"True, but wouldn't you want a real fight between men," Eye Guy offered, holding his hands up. "You're a…manly man? A battle between men should be fair and since I have to hold back for your protection, you would have a clear advantage-"
"Actually," Dansui interrupted, even losing his fighting stance. "I'm the one with the disadvantage. You have numerous abilities, so you're capable of outmaneuvering me at every turn, and offering to fight at full power doesn't sound appealing."
*Silence*
A gust of wind brushed past as they went slack-jawed.
"SINCE WHEN DOES HE USE HIS BRAIN!?" Ryunosuke shouted in her head.
"What about this instead? You're only allowed to make one move and, if you can beat me in one shot, then I'll submit," Dansui proposed smugly. "And if you can't, then you cannot defend yourself as I pummel you."
"Nevermind, it was a fading moment," She sighed. "No one is crazy enough to accept that."
"Deal," Eye Guy accepted, much to her shock, before adding. "If I win, then you can't destroy your daughter's belongings again. That includes her clothing."
"How do you know that?!" Ryunosuke asked before blushing brightly. "You heard, didn't you?"
Diverting his gaze, He calmly stated.
"Please put on a shirt."
To her horror and embarrassment, Ryunosuke finally realized that she was shirtless, in front of Omni, and turned into an apple as she scrambled for her clothes.
"Is it a deal?"
"Why should I?"
Suddenly, Ryunosuke shouted. "Because if you don't, then you wouldn't be Dansui Fujinami! Master of Hamajaya!"
"I'LL DO IT!" Dansui roared, his fighting spirit bursting through.
Slowly, Eye Guy's back stared at Ryunosuke's smirking expression.
"Benefits of being his son," She jeered quietly.
He sighed but straightened his posture. Stepping forward, he faced her father.
Near the gates, the crowd around him watched intensely as a young man smirked into his phone.
"Then let's go," Eye Guy stated, rolling his neck. "I'll make this quick."
Crouching slightly, Dansui shouted.
"GOOD ''CAUSE I WON'T!"
Leaping into the air, a giant wave of water formed beneath as he rode the powerful surge.
"Prepare Yourself!" Dansui smirked arrogantly as his wave neared them. "TO BE CRUSHED UNDER MY WAVES!"
Bracing herself for impact, Ryunosuke glanced at Eye Guy and noticed the eyes on his body were closing as he smirked at the oncoming wave.
Suddenly, a large eye sprung from his chest and stretched out from a stem, unleashing a large energy beam at the tidal wave.
Changing back, Omni rested his fists on his waist, admiring the view.
Atop a giant block of ice and struggling, Dansui shivered violently in his icy shell.
"H-H-How?"
"Freeze Vision," Omni grinned.
"B-B-"
"Bastard. You're not the first and you won't be the last," He mocked and turned towards Ryunosuke. "Get him to the nurse. She'll know what to do."
"...A high school nurse knows what to do with a frozen person?"
"You're new, I can see that. Tomobiki can be…strange. Trust me," Omni smirked, making her blush.
"Alright. I'll get-"
*Chime*
To his surprise, Ryunosuke suddenly vanished.
"What?!" Omni looked back, only to find no trace of Dansui. "That Quirk."
At the far corners of the school, strange rods started to rise out of the ground. They vibrated with a dim blue shine until pillars of bluish lightning shot upwards. As they rose, the blue transparent energy followed them.
Looking at the sky, Omni scowled. "Of course."
Once the beams were high enough, they arched until they connected directly above Tomobiki High and launched another beam downwards, creating a smaller dome around the school.
The crowd watched in amazement, horror, or surprise.
"What is that?" Inaba muttered until his girlfriend rushed past him. "Shinobu!"
With fear turning to fury, Shinobu rushed ahead and slammed against the barrier. Bouncing back, She growled and pelted the barrier, only for it to have no effect. With a final punch, Shinobu breathed heavily as she stared worriedly at Omni.
From the other side, Lum narrowed her eyes.
"Force Field?"
"-right on it."
Blinking, she lay in a bed, staring at the ceiling.
As she sat up, an alluring voice filled her ears.
"You were warped here."
Looking to her right, Ryunosuke gawked at the most beautiful woman she'd ever seen. The corners of her cherry-red lips tilted down as she filed a report.
"My name is Sakura. I'm the nurse at Tomobiki High School." She greeted her without looking away.
*Silence*
"What's wrong? Not going to talk?"
When she didn't respond, Sakura placed her clipboard on her desk and pushed her chair toward the young girl.
Narrowing her eyes, Sakura frowned. "I suspected the instant transmission would have shaken you, but you should've recuperated by now. Are you experiencing any side effects? Any disorientation? Perhaps slight nausea or lightheadedness? If you don't speak, then I'll be forced to assume the worst."
Despite this, Ryunosuke continued to stare fixedly.
"So beautiful. She's practically oozing with feminine charm. I wish I could be like her."
The belle(a very beautiful female) gifted the tomboy with a graceful smirk.
"I could give you some advice if you'd like?" She offered, much to her shock, and explained. "You were thinking aloud."
"O-Oh…"
As Ryunosuke blushed, they were interrupted by a shivering voice.
"I-I w-won't l-l-let y-y-you, w-w-"
Rubbing her temple, Sakura sighed tiredly.
"You should wait until you're thoroughly defrosted before conspiring against your daughter," She said blankly as Ryunosuke turned to her left and found her old man scowling from the corner, like an aggressive ice sculpture.
Looking back at the nurse, Ryunosuke frowned. "You said I was warped here?"
"R-R-RYU-RYUNOSUKE!"
*Smack*
"Pretty birdie," Dansui thought deliriously as a thick medical book slid off his face.
Sakura whistled. "Nice shot."
"Thanks," Ryunosuke smirked. "Now…"
"You were transported by our Principal's Quirk, Chime. It's pretty self-explanatory."
"Why though? The fight was over?"
Suddenly, the room started trembling as a low rumble filled the air.
"Earthquake?"
Shaking her head, Sakura jerked her head towards the window. Following the nurse, Ryunosuke peeked outside and hitched her breath.
Between the two courtyards, the school walkway split apart, revealing a platform filled with highly advanced drones. Sleek, white, armored football-shaped machines with quad-rotors. One by one, the drones came online and flew upwards, deploying cubic-like machine guns.
As the drones trained their guns on Omni, Sakura chewed her lower lip. "The school has undergone some improvements under the Principal's orders."
"What the hell?" Ryunosuke asked, stunned. "They're aiming at Omni!"
"He's very passionate about his duty as an educator."
Ryunosuke opened her mouth, but her eyes went wide. Slowing paling, she looked frantically around the office
"Hey," Ryunosuke gulped, beads of sweat forming on her forehead.
"Were we the only arrivals?"
Sakura raised her brow, only for the tomboy to jump from her bed. "Hold It!"
"ATARU! LUM! FUCK!" Ryunosuke screamed mentally as she sprinted through the hall. "I GOTTA STOP THIS!"
"Holy Shit!"
"You said it," Omni thought warily, shifting backward.
Back at the gate, Shinobu pressed her hands against the force field.
"What the fuck is this? When does high school have that kind of hardware?"
"I think I have an idea," Megane said, adjusting his glasses as he peered inside.
"Why do I get the feeling this is…" Omni pondered, kneading his brows.
Looking towards the school entrance, he found a nearly bald man with a blue suit and square frame glasses.
"I fucking knew it." Despite his annoyance, Omni smirked. "The Principal of Tomobiki High School, Shigeru Takahata."
As though he didn't have killer drones aiming at the vigilante, Takahata smiled courteously. "Salutations, Omni. I hope you're having a good morning."
"It could be better," Omni shrugged as he went through the Omnitrix. "Do you mind?"
"Not at all, but you should listen to what I'm about to say."
"Diamondhead? No. Amphibian could escape the force field, but…"
Taking his silence as confirmation, Takahata folded his arms behind his back.
"Last month, a young man attempted to enroll at our loving school. However, his family was concerned, believing Tomobiki High would be incapable of protecting their son. Despite this, he was eager to pursue an education here."
As Takahata prattle on, Omni scrolled through his selections, listening with half an ear. Behind the gates, the students went on their phones, either preparing to record the upcoming showdown or ignoring their principal's speech.
"Eventually, an agreement was made. They would allow their son to attend our amazing school under the condition of remodeling our school. I had my doubts, but for the sake of his education, I accepted their improvements towards our school. Nonetheless, I've decided to put this new security system to the test."
"By having your C.O.D drones fill me with holes."
"If it's any consolation, these Vultures are loaded with non-lethal rounds. They'll break your bones but never take your life," The principal straightened his posture with an unusual sense of pride.
As the core sprung up, Omni sneered. "And that's the only reason why I'm humoring your request. you fucking psychopath. For all your insanity, you've never willingly endangered someone."
"We, as in Tomobiki High School, prepare our students for the challenges ahead. We teach Life because there is nothing to learn from spreading Death, other than guide children against such acts."
"Say the man using robots to attack someone," His students sweatdropped.
"I'm alright with that."
"Your assistance is very much appreciated." Takahata nodded kindly, turning towards his drones.
"Vultures. Activate Combat Mode. Attack Hostile."
At his command, the drones turned red and opened fire. Diving behind the frozen glacier, Omni slammed down on the core.
His skin turned black as green stripes spread across his body. Grimacing, his face vanished completely as a green line appeared and widened into a circle. The Omnitrix emerged from within his facial ring. Crossing his arms into an X, he threw into his sides.
"Upgrade!" He called out in a robotic tone.
Before he could move, the drone flanked him, surrounding him once more. As they pelted him from all sides, Upgrade twisted and swerved around their bullets. "Hey! No Spawn Trapping!"
"If you're waiting for them to run out, then a rude awakening awaits," Takahata chuckled as the Mechamorph flowed around their shot like water.
However, he noticed a Vulture straying towards the forest.
"Lum!"
Suddenly, Upgrade pulled his arm back and caught the drone before pulling himself towards Vulture, splashing against it like a water balloon.
The white drone turned black with green circuits. Its quad rotors merged into a dual rotor covered by trapezoid-shaped wings with miniature panels on the top and bottom. In the center, the football shape condensed into a rectangular disk. At the front, three small cubes materialized as the top bore his symbol while the two on the bottom had four green lights. Lastly, the gun became more angular and straight like a hunting rifle.
Taking to the sky, the Vultures gave pursuit after the upgraded machine as he led the drones away from the forest.
"You Wanted A Test Drive," Upgrade shouted over the gunfire. "Fine!"
Going full throttle, He raced towards the gates with his pursuers not far behind, swerving around their shots. Just before impact, the Omni-Drone veered downwards, making a sudden U-turn, and flew under them. While some followed his example, most turned aside and curved around the force field.
"They're not as dumb as I hoped. Alright then."
Rotating his gun, the Omni-Drone unleashed bullets of green energy in a semi-automatic fashion, managing to destroy two Vultures before the others scattered apart and maneuvered around his shots. Taking more bullets than he liked, Upgrade barrel-rolled before nailing the left rotors of another drone, causing it to collide with a nearby drone, sending them both spiraling to the ground.
"Fucking A!"
A girl jumped back as the Omni-drone swerved past them.
"I'm telling you! Omni's here fighting some drones! Get out of bed and get over here! Yes! The Principal's responsible! I know you're faking it, dumbass!"
Facepalming, Shinobu groaned. "Why am I not surprised?"
"At least, it seems that he's gotten better," Inaba comforted quietly, resting his hand on her shoulder before wincing under her glare. "He did receive quite a beating yesterday, so Omni should be taking it easy. For his health, of course."
Patting his hand, Shinobu nodded sternly. "Glad we agree."
"Still you have to admit that it's rather inspirational that he keeps on fighting."
"Considering yesterday's incident, that is reasonable. Then again, heroes are expected to fight through pain and injury. He's handling the V-U1s rather well, but they were adapting surprisingly well to his methods."
Turning around, they found Shutaro behind them as he stared intently at the battle above.
"What did you call them?" Inaba asked as Shinobu narrowed her eyes.
"V-U1, better known as Vultures. They are specialized combat drones created by the Mendo Division of Robotics," He explained proudly. " However, the V-U1s is merely the beginning act. We have yet to witness our primary defense."
While Inaba furrowed his brow, Shinobu gave Shutaro a dirty look.
"In other words, your family gave our principal to have all this shit?"
Gulping silently, he tugged his collar, glancing away from the irate woman. Fortunately, Inaba rubbed her shoulder before staring intently at him.
"Primary?" He repeated before the ground started to tremble. "An earthquake?"
"The Courtyard! Something's Coming Up!" Kakugari exclaimed, drawing their attention.
With their attention away from him, Shutaro smirked.
"Don't disappoint me, Omni. Show me what you're truly capable of."
"Is This All You Got, Takahata!?"
On the ground, Principal Takahata smiled fondly as he heard a beeping noise from his suit pocket and pulled out a remote.
"Hardly."
*Click*
*ZAP*
"AAAH!"
Suddenly, electricity erupted from the Omni-Drone, forcing Upgrade to abandon his vessel as the Vultures fell from the sky. Crashing to the ground, Upgrade rubbed his head, humming weakly in pain as he glared at Takahata.
"You destroyed your drones? That doesn't sound like a good idea."
"Quite the contrary. In a world of super-powered individuals, many possess technokinesis or something closely related. Tomobiki High's latest security was designed with adaptability in mind. To counter various abilities from elementals to enhancers, we need to be able to counter them."
Pressing another button, Takahata concluded. "Now then, allow me to introduce the final addition, Guardian."
Rising from below, a massive white robot towered over the Galvanic Mechamorph with a black orb staring down at him. With glowing blue marking etched onto its hunch-back, Guardian slouched forward as its long arms drooped behind and its four fingers dragged across the grass. The lower half seemed more nimble, with its muscular legs and steel-tipped feet.
"You broke your robots, just so you could bring in another robot?" Upgrade asked before a jitter of static came out, almost like a snort. "You realized who you're up against?"
"With Omoikane, I don't see your current form being an issue," Takahata smiled as Guardian swung its left arm back.
Extending its arm, only for it to pass through Upgrade, who created a hole in his torso, and pierced the ground. Upgrade quickly sealed the gap and merged with the arm, racing towards the central body.
"That won't work twice." Takahata scolded as the orb glowed blue and electricity surged through its arm, shocking the Mechamorph.
"Again!?"
Upgrade pulled away from Guardian and spilled to the ground. Reforming, he was suddenly hit from behind and repeatedly electrocuted. Guardian retracted the arm and walked towards the electrified Mechamorph.
"Since you didn't ask, Omoikane analyzes your capabilities, your composition, and uses the accumulated data to calculate potential weak points," Takahata explained, adjusting his tie as the revived Vultures zapped Omni through wires. "From there, the Vultures and Guardian adjusted their capabilities to combat the current threat. The name implies, Omoikane was the Shinto god of wisdom and intelligence, whose ponderings often aided his fellow deities."
Back in the forest, Lum narrowed her eyes as her horn sparked dimly.
"This is getting out of hand. Let me see…"
Holding her hand forward, she slowly curled her fingers, making a claw before twisting it to the right.
At the same time, the drone's optics flickered wildly until their electric tethers faded away and they fell from the sky, permanently.
"What?" Mendou thought, surprised.
Checking his remote, Takahata hummed at their status report.
"The primary CPUs were fried?"
Behind him, the doors sprung open and a student sprinted at him, followed by the nurse.
"Miss Sakura," The principal nodded, then focused on the young woman. "And if I'm correct, then you're Miss Fujinami."
"You need to stop this!" Ryunosuke demanded, pointing towards the forest area of the school. "Two students are hiding inside the forest! Ataru Moroboshi and Lum Invader!"
While Sakura glanced at Omni, Takahata examined the student and turned away.
Raising its right hand, Guardian slammed it down.
"That won't be necessary…." As a green light shined ahead, Takahata smiled. "It's about to end."
As though on cue, a small creature jumped onto Guardian as the arm suddenly became undone. Before it could defend itself, the pair of sharp red hands grasped its eye and violently tore it out.
"Break! Break! Break! Break!"
In mere seconds, the massive robot was reduced to a large pile of scrap as the gremlin laughed hysterically atop the pile.
"Juryrigg For The Win!" He shouted before vanishing in a green flash.
Once he was gone, the principal lifted his eyebrows in amusement before pushing a button. The shielding rods descended back to the ground as the force field dissipated.
"It didn't even last a minute," Ryunosuke exclaimed, her gaze fixed on the scrap heap until Sakura was beside her. "They had him right where they wanted him and-"
"I saw," Sakura said, smirking at the sight. "You can always trust Omni to turn the tides."
"Indeed." Takahata chuckled, turning towards the forest. "You can come out now. It's safe."
Slowly, a pair of students walked warily from their hiding place, holding each other tightly.
Freed from her stupor, Ryunosuke suddenly appeared in front of them, checking for injuries. "Fast!"
"You two alright? I can't believe I forgot about you! Then again, it was the old shitter who was causing a ruckus. I tend to put everything on the back burner, but that's no excuse for"
"Ryunosuke!" Lum shouted, thrusting her hand at her face. "Chill! We're fine."
Nodding, Ataru added. "Omni led those drones away from the forest."
"And made a popsicle out of your dad."
"That too."
As the students started piling in, Ryunosuke sighed. "For real, though, I should've been more aware. Sorry."
"It's alright. If anything, we look out for each other," Ataru said before leaning close to Lum and whispered. "Thanks for the save. Things were looking rough out there."
Smirking, Lum wrapped her arms around Ataru, unaware of the attention she drew.
"It's natural for a girlfriend to help their boyfriend," Lum proclaimed, her eyebrows fluttering as she smiled coyly. "That said, I will be expecting a reward."
Ryunosuke snorted before glancing around with a frown.
"Reward?" Darling repeated warily, completely focused on Lum. "What do you want?"
"This," Lum said cheekily before pressing her lips against his.
Although briefly stunned, Ataru reluctantly accepted the kiss as if he was forgetting something.
"WHAT!" "A BABE LIKE HER!" "KAMI WHY!" "THERE'S NO WAY A GIRL WOULD-!" "WITH HIM!"
Oh yes. The couple pulled away and realized they were surrounded by the entire student body, especially the male portion with some exceptions.
Speaking of which, one such example was more focused on the metallic remains of their security, crouching down as he picked up a sphere from the pile.
"Impressive," Shutaro smirked, holding the Guardian's optical sphere. "Such a small creature…defeated the Guardian."
With his arms clasped behind him, Principal Takahata walked over to him. "You seem rather pleased. Won't your parents be upset that the defense system was bested? Their improvements were meant to guarantee the students' safety?"
"Their performance was satisfactory," Mendou stated casually, tossing the orb upwards. "Rest assured that replacements will be installed before the day is over."
"That is comforting to hear."
Catching the optics unit, Mendou smirked proudly.
"Regardless, Vultures and Guardian accomplished their duty with acceptable results. Omoikane, on the other hand, exceeded my wildest expectations. Our Robotics Division will be pleased with these developments."
"Truly?" Takahata tilted his head as his student nodded.
With a hand on her face, Sakura shook her head and sighed as the crowd grew more violent.
"MOROBOSHI! YOU ARE FOUND GUILTY OF BLACKMAILING OUR PRECIOUS LUM INTO DATING YOU! HOW DO YOU PLEA?!"
"When Did This Become A Trial!?"
"AND WHY WOULD HE BLACKMAIL ME!?" Lum shouted, outraged.
"HE DEFILED OUR GODDESS WITH HIS FOUL ESSENCE!"
"Hey!"
"GUILTY!" "LYNCH THE PRICK!"
"IT'S NOT FAIR THAT WE'RE SINGLE AND HE'S NOT!"
Heading inside, Inaba sweatdropped as Shinobu tugged him forward.
"Shouldn't we do something?"
"And make a target of ourselves? No thanks. Lum got this."
"If you say so," Inaba said, glancing back at the angry mob. "Why are most of the boys' perverts?"
"Honestly, the girls are any better at times either," Shinobu sighed.
"Alright! I HAD ENOUGH OF THIS!"
"WHAT!? SHE CAN FLY!?"
"MISS LUM! WE'RE TRYING TO SAVE YOU!"
"ATARU! BE A MAN AND ACCEPT YOUR PUNISHMENT!"
"WHERE ARE THEY GOING!"
"THEY'RE HEADING FOR THE SPORTS FIELD! AFTER THEM!"
As the students chased after them, Takahata chuckled gently as Sakura walked towards him.
"What lively students we have," He smiled proudly.
*Smack*
Towering over the bruised principal, Sakura scoffed.
"Pay for your crimes, dumbass."