Justice Across Space and Time
Chapter 60
Now for some training, and some set up. Need a bit more to move into this next stage of the arc. Also those expecting the MLA vs LOV arc, that won't be happening for a while. After all, with Sosaku they have something of a comfortable way of living. Kind of like the Legion of Doom in DC with Lex Luthor bankrolling them. But for now, we have the students next challenges. On with the show.
(No POV)
"So how do you intend for these potions of mine to get into UA?" Mandla asked after Compress has used his quirk to seal up the vials. Natalie smirked at the newest member and asked him to come with her. "If they don't see or feel anything off, then it will be fine. They think they are untouchable after all."
She then shows him a box containing some delicate parts to be sent to UA. And the packing material is similar to the marbles Compress makes. "All we need to do is have you put these in here and wait. You release your quirk after we confirm they've stopped or are inside and we've got ticking time bombs in the school."
The stage magician and mage shared a look before shrugging and sticking a few of the potion marbles into the top of the boxes. With that, they were sealed up and sent off to UA. Natalie confirmed that it was about a week until the School Festival started and asked Mandla if the mixture would activate on time.
"It should be fine. So long as no other liquids mixe or leaves any kind of mess it will be alright." Mandla says with a shrug. Natalie returns it and says, "good enough. In the meantime we should prepare for other matters. Tomura. Has Giren gotten anymore items he wants to make? Or does he need materials?"
Tomura shakes his head and notes that the black-market dealer was fine and safe at his new lab. "He's been collaborating with Wu and they've been looking to make some improvements on all of our gear. Including this." Tomura rolls up his sleave and shows his new combat arm. One with a grapple gun, plasma and laser cannons, extendable blades, and an acidic/disintegrating touch.
Natalie whistles and says, "while I'm not condoning maiming, it does seem like you got something better compared to what you originally had." Tomura laughs and agrees with her given he now had more offense options when it was time to clear mobs. He then asks if they'd heard from any of the other members.
"Not much. Dabi and Psych Link were checking around a few areas after we lost some of our smuggling routes. Emma, Ryan, Toga, and Kenji are looking to try and recruit some others, but they've been coming up dry or not finding anyone who is really any help."
With that report Tomura sighed before noting that they'd have to wait for the potion bombs to make some statement. Claiming responsibility for sneaking inside and poisoning a lot of people. "That should break more of the faith in heroes."
"Agreed tovarisch. But we've got to wait a week for that. In the meantime, I've got some companies I'm and other businesses I'm looking at picking up." Natalie says with a rubbing of her hands. And while Tomura doesn't want the money the same way, he can't deny the enjoyment of having more people bowing to him. Even if he was just the number two with Sosaku's company.
With the packages, they were quickly shipped off to UA to be held in the development studio. And when everyone arrived for the Festival, they would unleash a massive gas to make multitudes of people sick.
Or at least that was the original plan. "Damnit Hatsume! Another explosion?!" Power Loader coughed out after yet another of Mei's inventions backfired and exploded. This time though, it did major damage to the studio and the various storage areas.
Mei brushes it all off by saying this was what progress demanded. Only for the girl to be restrained by something new Melissa had been working on. Quick acting, smart metal, straight jackets. "Thank you for that Sheild-san. I think it's time we make sure she can't get into the studio for a while."
"Agreed. But what about the studio? Have they finished their display? And what about…. Oh of course. Right as this happens, the new parts arrive. What do we do?" the young inventor asked with a look at the support hero.
He sighed and said, "take these to a few of the battlegrounds. We can use that as temporary storage." Melissa grumbles as the other students were busy with their own work. So she called to ask anyone she knew if they had free time.
Izuku being the first one, and he checked to see if anyone else was free. "I can help you out Midori! I've shown everyone what they should do for the performance. All that's left is for them to get in sync." Mina said with her usual cheery smile. Izuku thanked her and said they could use someone else.
Most of the other members of the stage team though were busy with other matters. Be it make up homework or helping with setting up the stage. The band group were making progress with their song. With the exception of Saphentite who was working with Itsuka and Nejire for their appeals during the pageant.
"So what's Mel-chan doing for the pageant? You seen it yet?" Mina asked with a smirk toward Izuku. The teen coughs with a light blush and says she had a plan to use her machines and some special tools to show off. "You'll have to see for yourself."
On the way toward the front entrance, Izuku spotted Bakugo looking bored outside of his general education class. "I take it you're not doing anything. Any chance you'd be willing to help out some classmates?" Izuku says with a look to his former friend.
Bakugo snarls a bit but he calms down and mentions that his group was mostly done so there was nothing else for him to do. "So what the heck. What's the big problem?" Izuku shrugs and just mentions that Melissa had asked for some help and he was going to give it. To which, Bakugo gave Izuku a flat and annoyed look as they were walking to the entrance.
"Izuku. Mina. And….. I forget. What's your name?" Melissa asked innocently enough so Bakugo didn't take it too personally. It still stung the boy though. Izuku introduced the two and asked what it was she needed help with. "Oh right. I just need some help moving these boxes. Mei blew up the lab and a bunch of our moving bots. So we needed some muscle."
Mina smile before holding up her arm and saying, "we got you covered Mel! Even if Bakugo is only in the general course, he looks like he works out." Bakugo's eye twitched before asking that they get this over with. He steps over and picks up a box.
Or he would have, but it was far heavier than he expected and he threw himself back and fell onto a different box. One that cut him and he bled onto a recently opened one. Izuku curses and loans Bakugo a handkerchief to clean some of the blood. And for once the explosive boy doesn't rage at Izuku. He takes it with a grumble and cleans up the blood.
"Yeah sorry about that. Some of these are kind of heavy. Better for you to handle Izuku." Melissa says before pointing out a few other boxes the weaker members could lift. Including the one Bakugo cut himself on. "Just be careful. Some of the parts inside are delicate."
Bakugo snarls before saying, "fine. So where do we take these?" He lifts up the box in question after setting the handkerchief inside box. Melissa says they needed to take it to Ground Gamma. As it would be stable and a safe place to store the extra parts they ordered.
Izuku moves the heaviest boxes and his increased stamina thanks to his powers makes it little trouble for him to get there. The others though sweat while lugging the boxes to a stable building in Ground Gamma. "I thought you said these were light?!" Mina says after moving the third set of boxes.
"They are. We're just having to move them more than we thought. Here." Melissa says before pulling out a towel to for her and the others to wipe off their sweat. Well except for Izuku. He was barely sweating after moving four heavy boxes. "This is good cardio! Maybe I should help out at the development studio more!"
All the rest could do was give him an annoyed look. With Bakugo giving him a middle finger in anger while trying to catch his breath. He and the others wiped off the sweat again before checking that some of the parts and items were still in good condition.
"Mh. Yep. Everything looks fine. Now I don't know about you all, but I could use a shower. Between the smoke and moving all of these, I stink." Melissa says with a shake of her head. "Really? I don't think you smell bad." Izuku says nonchalantly as they walk out. Making Melissa blush and stop.
She gulps before catching up to him to bump his side slightly. "You did that on purpose didn't you? Maybe. But I did mean it," the two say with Izuku giving Melissa a warm smile. This makes her blush brighter and she grabs Izuku's face and kisses him. "Dummy," she says before taking off.
From the outside though, Bakugo and Mina were both shocked. Well Bakugo was shocked; Mina was blushing from the cute interactions of the two. "Freaking Deku got a girlfriend. Is the universe gonna implode?"
"Actually, it's not just 'a' girlfriend. He's got two." Mina says with a smile. But this makes Bakugo freeze up again and grumble about how much everything for them had changed for them. "I was the big dog in Aldera. But ever since that sludge villain thing, it's been a bit downhill for me."
Mina looks at the blonde before asking what he meant. Bakugo gave her a jaundiced account, but it showed her the inferiority complex the boy had been growing since he started attending UA.
"Maybe you need to let go of what you thought made you better or stronger? And thinking it is the absolute or whatever. Jotaro has been showing how that doesn't matter multiple times. Not just by smacking down quirk users; but even now that he's got no powers, he can still take those with powers down. With his whole ki manipulations."
The pink girl had a wistful and yet somewhat sad look on her face while talking about this that made Bakugo a little suspicious. "You got a thing for him?" he asked bluntly. Which just made Mina face fault a bit before trying to cover it up.
Bakugo rolls his eyes and says he didn't really care. "But you were willing to listen to my griping. So I….. thought I should return the favor." Bakugo says with a look to the side. Mina smiles and thanks him. Before teasing the explosive boy and asking if he was interested in her. "Not a chance. I don't really give a damn about that."
'Well that was blunt. But it is a tad reassuring that he probably won't saying anything about this.' Mina thinks as they return to the main building. Not realizing that they left the bloody and sweaty towels atop some of the open boxes. And those fluids mixed with the recently revealed potions.
With the pageant participants, they were practicing a few ideas they had for their appeals. With Itsuka feeling a bit frustrated that her ki attack, while generally cool to look at didn't have quite the same appeal. And they tended to tear apart the dresses she was trying on.
"Can't I get one that holds up to me going a bit more all out!?" Itsuka asked after tearing through a third dress. She ripped off the remains leaving her in a sports bra and panties. Saphentite chuckles a bit before noting that she had a different advantage. "I create this stuff myself. So as long as I imagine up what I want, it should be able to handle anything."
"And with what I'm planning for the pageant, I'm not using quite the same set of stressors on my clothes." Nejire notes after floating in the air and trying to make shapes with her quirk. Itsuka grumbles while pacing a bit. She was going to ask if Saphee could make her a dress that could handle what she had in mind.
But those thoughts were disrupted by Jotaro and a few others arriving. "Hey girls! It's about time to eat and… Mineta. I'm going to say this one time so listen up. Turn around and walk away, or I will blast you into next millennium." Jotaro says before glaring down at the short teen who was ogling Itsuka. And his lust filled face turned to one that made everyone assume he wet himself.
Jotaro glare was passed to a few others who quickly ran off before they got a taste of the planet's wrath. Saphee then made Itsuka some sweats to cover herself as the girl looked ready to bury her head in the ground. "I want to make a crack about already knowing what you look like with nothing on, but that isn't what you need."
"You still said it though. I can take out a little frustration on Mineta and the others another day right?" Itsuka says with a pout. Saphentite jokes that it would be a bit justified. "Just don't go too far." Jotaro though wonders if she was planning to perform in her current attire or if she was thinking about a swimsuit appeal.
Nejire titters before saying, "no. She just can't get a dress that can handle her going all out with her ki skills." Jotaro has and 'ah' look before nodding and asking how the practice and preparations were going. "Aside from me tearing apart my clothes, mixed?"
Itsuka explains that Saphentite already had something of a routine worked out and other ways to show what she could do. Nejire was deciding on the shape she was going to use for her appeal. "And me? I want to make a big splash with my ki techniques and all. But they don't go very far from my body. Even with the Storm Fist I finally learned how to do."
Jotaro chuckles before mentioning that he may have something she could try. "You'll have to make it your own obviously. But I might have something you could use for a big finish/last resort attack." Itsuka just gives him a look to say, 'why didn't you teach it to me first' before sighing and asking what it was.
The large teen smirks before stepping forward and holding his arms straight out from his sides. He takes a few deep breaths while charging the ki around him. He starts to rotate his arms in front of his body. Initially seeming no different from his usual Storm Fist.
But he doesn't stop moving and rotating. Seemingly concentrating all of the ki into position right in front of him. He continues to rotate the energy as it grows and then holds it above his head. Forming a massive ball of swirling power.
Saphentite whistles and says, "so you're thinking on teaching her the Tempest Blast? But even you can't form it quickly. You sure she can handle it?" Itsuka gives Saphee a half-hearted glare but moves on to focus on the technique. Jotaro grunts as he holds the sphere aloft before answering the question. "She can. And frankly I think she can make it work better than I can. After all, I created the Storm Fist technique since it took so long to make this!"
Itsuka was wide eyed at hearing that but she could easily understand the principals to try and make her own version. And she was somewhat incentivized when she saw the power of the attack. "You might want to aim this a different way, but that is where the next technique I'm going to show you could come in."
"Oh yeah? What is it?" Jotaro smiles before bringing his hand in front of his face in a meditative pose. He keeps his index and middle fingers aloft after a few seconds and gathers ki to the tips of his fingers. He shouts out before firing a laser like shot from the tips.
Once the shot was done though, Jotaro was shaking his hand in a bit of pain. Itsuka looked at him weird before asking how the technique was different from any other he'd shown.
"To an extent, its probably not. I don't actually have a name for this so you could call it whatever you like. I created it originally when I wanted to fire off massive or precise amounts of energy from my body. I focus it from my reserves and then I've got a gamma, electro, etc laser."
Itsuka still looks suspicious but relents before asking, "it just takes me focusing the energy to the tips of my fingers, right? Like so?" She then takes the stance copies what she saw Jotaro do. Only for the beam to only go a few feet. Which makes the girl blush because she strode up thinking it would be an easy technique to learn.
Jotaro laughs before saying, "it's not quite that simple. You have to keep channeling energy to it. In this case, keep the ki flowing to that point and it will extend the range. Power varies a bit, but it will give you some range." Itsuka nods before taking the stance again and letting the energy of the planet flow around her.
At feeling a critical point in the flow, she thrusts forward again. And tries to keep the energy flowing around her like when she uses her Taifu Hashi combo. It lasts for a few more seconds than before, but it is still unstable.
The two more experience ki users nod and applaud how quickly she learned the technique. "I think you'll be able to take this skill of mine beyond anything I could do. And not just because I'll eventually have to stop using ki. You have the diligence and drive that can truly make the most of what we've been teaching you."
Itsuka smiles and thanks Jotaro, before trying her hand at the Tempest Blast. She could gather the energy, but she couldn't make it fly or go as far as she wanted. And kept having to be caught by Nejire, and the other two.
"I think that's enough for today. Besides, we've all got a week before the festival and the pageant! Plenty of time to improve." Nejire says with her usual pep. Itsuka shrugs and agrees, so they all start heading back to Heights Alliance. Though even as she is walking, the red head keeps trying to build up even a small amount of ki to practice.
For the other extra participant in the pageant, she was currently adjusting some of her armors to give a different kind of appeal.
"Lets see. The Overwhelming Firepower armor I'll swap some of the rounds and the like for more firework esque shots. Finally got Stealth's flight capabilities configured. Probably won't need the Aqua Rider, though I could use it in conjunction with Frigid Lands for a little something different. And…. Mega Mech Might and Starfall could be great as finishers."
The last armors mentioned were a special duo based on the two heroes who were the strongest in the current age. The triple M armor was built more around pure strength and power. Just like All Might in his prime. Starfall meanwhile was modeled slightly after Star and Stripe, with some extra pieces to counter or mirror the strongest woman in the world.
From shields and refractors to deal with lasers, even the capability to move and operate without an atmosphere. Even a really special piece to deal with the hero's need to touch an item to apply a rule. If anyone other than the main user (determined by biometrics) got close to it, a powerful shock field would blast anyone nearby.
Aside from that, the color schemes of both played perfectly into each other. Given she based Triple M on All Might in his Golden Age and Starfall was based on the very hero it was meant to contend with.
"These two will make one heck of a finishing entrance. But in the meantime, still need to finish one last piece." Melissa mutters to herself before looking over a new armor. One with a special gimmick she'll be happy to show once it was done. As the days went by and all the students were getting ready, they never even knew about the trouble that was stored in Ground Gamma.
I'm curious what you all think of the armor ideas I had Melissa build. I know everyone is often about Izuku being the Iron Man like character in fan fics, but he doesn't fit that bill as well. Least of which being his lack of technical or mechanical experience. He seems more like Batman or Spider Man given his analyzing talents.
But Melissa is an engineer, so she'd be perfect for that type of hero. Especially with inspiration from those who aren't brainwashed by the quirked world. Also I was tempted to call the one the Nomu Buster, but that doesn't feel right given Nomus have a lot of forms rather than being just tanks. Though I am thinking on having her build a say, Gigantomachia or Luiz Lima Breaker. Something to compete with giants.
As for Itsuka's new skills, I won't even deny; it they were slightly inspired by various Dragon Ball techniques. Though the beam one is a little based on lightning bending from Avatar the Last Airbender as well. The big orb meanwhile is the Genki Dama but more storm focused rather than ki based from DBZ. Anyway, that's what the next lead up is and I'll get to the Festival soon enough. Please review!