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Now onto the story!
Chapter 8 Resurgence
It disgusted him by the mere number of villains and heroes that swarmed the streets of Tokyo, like roaches that rear their ugly heads onto the first sign of exposed light. The mobs of animalistic and deformed creatures flooded the streets, screaming about human-faced people not understanding their suffering. Overhaul scoffed by the ridiculous rantings of the quirk-mutated scum; his mind went back to his old desire of eliminating the quirk gene – it would have solved all these pathetic creatures' problems if his production hadn't seized. He shook his head getting rid of the thought – it was the heroes' problem now; it was their consequence of stopping that cure from hitting the streets and now they must reap what they sowed with the mutated masses.
Eri clutched tightly onto his sleeve as they started to mix with the mutated masses, the creatures' attentions were too focused ahead of them. He had warned her that they would have to blend in with the crowd to reach the hospital, and if she managed to get herself separated from him, it would be catastrophic.
Overhaul gritted his teeth, he could feel his nerves prickling by the crowd of filthy parasites, and even felt his quirk itching to just slaughter the masses so he could have some breathing room… He could even feel the girl brushing into his side as angry creatures yelled around them – too focused on their march towards the hospital. He wanted to get to higher ground away from the crowd, but they would be at risk of getting spotted easily by the authorities that were blockading the way to the hospital's entrance. Plus, he wasn't sure how long his recuperated energy would last, he didn't feel completely healed – there was some achiness within his muscles and he would like to hold out as long as he could without using his quirk.
Eri huddled closer to Kai, fearing the scary angry faces, the violent scuffing of bodies, and the vandalizing of buildings. These people posed more of a threat to her life than her past nightmare. They were rampaging without order, attacking anything to create more damage and pave a way for that massive lizard creature that stomped through the masses. She could feel the man next to her had actually allowed her to clutch to his side, at least she knew his mannerisms and that he actually had a method – a reasoning for everything he does. He's letting me get close to him, these people actually worry him… I just hope they leave us alone.
Overhaul narrowed his eyes as one of the creatures actually reared its head at them. The creature took in their appearance, really looking at them, taking in the Yakuza's normal appearance with a little girl that barely had a noticeable horn.
The creature raised his hand towards them, "What the hell are you type of people doing here?"
"Mind your damn business sideshow." Overhaul snapped mustering a dark glare towards the deformed person that addressed them. Eri winced huddling closer to the Yakuza knowing he was giving the person one chance to get away from him.
Eri begged the two, "Please don't…"
"What was that cripple?" The creature ignored the child, practically getting in the face of the irritated human-faced man.
Clutching onto his shirt by his hip and sleeve, Eri felt Kai shift in one quick movement as he kicked into the creature's chest, the force of the kick flung the person back in an exploded mess of innards and bone. Eri quickly turned into his shirt trying to shield her eyes from the scene.
Overhaul put his foot back into his shoe and forced them to move forward before the other creatures took notice of the bloody mess around them. Eri clutched tightly to his shirt as he moved fast as the crowd seemed to press forward and were more chaotic as a loud commotion came ahead of them when multiple people were blasted away from a sound wave.
He pushed her against a building as another blast hit from above, the blast had scrambled the advancing mob near them. Eri shook against his body as he shielded her between the wall and his body as debris scattered across the road and onto the rioters. His gold eyes narrowed noticing they were nearing the authorities' blockade and these hits were from the heroes, it was their attempts to keep the advancement at bay.
Eri peered up at the Yakuza seeing him take in their surroundings and his breathing was getting slightly ragged as adrenaline was kicking in. Her red eyes widened seeing a familiar face, Present Mic… she winced as the hero's loud shout blasted people near them, flinging the rioters yards away. In the sky, there were creatures that were attempting to subdue the loud hero.
Overhaul took in the situation, noticing the rioters that were blown away stumbling back on their feet and flocking towards the authorities' blockade in order to divide and isolate their numbers. Where the authorities were, he could see a pile of subdued rioters tied down. We need to stay away from the officers. A couple of yards behind him, he noticed the brute lizard was progressing closer to the main blockade and soon enough that thing would be smashing its large club into things that would cause some damage.
He gazed down at the girl seeing her eyes were wide with different emotions. Above them, on the side of buildings and roofs, were scrummages that turned into aerial brawls that ultimately led up to smashed buildings. And once that big lizard jumped into the air and started to scale the skyscrapers, Overhaul knew it was time for them to move. He couldn't miss the opportunity, "Eri."
The little girl's gaze shot to his gold, pushing away the thoughts of running towards the authorities.
"We need to move quickly." Overhaul turned around lowering his back to her, "Get on." He resorted in having her on his back in order to keep her close and so he could move freely if he had to bring out his quirk.
Without being told twice, Eri climbed onto his back wrapping her legs around his hips and holding her hands on his shoulders. Overhaul shifted slightly to adjust to the additional weight and rushed forward with the creatures that got another wave of encouragement from the brute lizard's motivation. He ignored the achiness of his body – Pops was practically right in front of him, he won't stop now.
A monstrous roar sounded above, Eri screamed as the lizard monster flung itself across the sky above their heads and plowed through the front of the hospital. Shit! Overhaul deconstructed his shoes as he overhauled his footing, creating a moving hill of asphalt to carry him and the kid through the masses. There were howls below them as the reconstruction slewed and shifted everything under them.
Eri tightened her hold on him as he moved them with an elevated ground towards the hospital. She couldn't keep her eyes off the people around them, how many were impaled or pushed to the side with his overhaul on the ground. Her red eyes caught sight of police officers and heroes who stared after them in a daze – not expecting a quirk that wasn't a physical mutation.
Overhaul followed the path of the brute lizard; it left a large opening, for it had crushed all the officers that were in front of the hospital's doors. The Yakuza expected a blood bath within the hospital, but he was surprised that the rioters just halted upon seeing the doctors and nurses who blocked the patient wing. Seeing the medical staff, made the rioters freeze in place, they just stood there. The creatures were all talk, what a pointless revolution on their part. He wasn't all talk with no action. Steadying his breath, he moved forward, making his way to the scared and the façade of fearless medical staff that were in the way.
Eri noticed Kai heading straight towards the people that blocked the patient tower, the rioters behind them didn't dare to take a step towards the innocent. She noticed the tense expressions on the staff's faces when only the Yakuza had moved towards the patient tower. Apparently, the research tower was where the supposed goal of the rioters was being held, but that wasn't his nor her goal. The little girl saw how the staff clutched tighter to each other's hands making a chained barrier of bodies and limbs.
Overhaul felt himself get irritated as the clock was ticking down until reinforcements for the authorities would take siege to the lobby. His gold calculating eyes took in the nervous gazes of the medical staff, "Step aside, we are here to visit a patient." His eyes lingered on one of the few doctors. This doctor had a mutated quirk amongst the staff of nurses and techs – a clever ploy to halt the mutated rioters from targeting the patient wing once they saw one of their own on the front line to protect the patients.
"We will not let any harm come to any of our wards." The doctor stood up to the glowering eyes of Overhaul.
His gold eyes stared past the heads of the staff, just yearning to get to Pops. He is just passed these bodies…
Eri could feel Kai tensing, as though he was debating on just slaughtering all of them. "Please! Let me see my grandpa!" Eri exclaimed lifting her head past his shoulder so the people could see her. "Please let us pass."
Overhaul's attention snapped to the girl as he shifted his head to see her from the corner of his eye. Taking in her nervous and desperate expression towards the human barrier. He reasoned that he will allow her a chance to convince them civilly before he resorted to his way.
"Please, we never got to see him." Eri begged, hoping to convince the staff to move out of their way. She didn't want anymore blood on their hands – there was more death that had occurred than she would have thought to just reach her grandfather and heal him.
The doctor stared at the pleading face of the child, "We aren't accepting visitors at this time –."
"You should really consider her request, unless you want to have the blood of your staff on your hands. I will only say this once." Overhaul remarked emotionlessly, the staff stiffened realizing the bloodlust within his gold eyes.
"Please move." Eri stressed, worried she will lose her chance in saving more lives.
The staff wavered a little; many nervously unclasped their intertwined hands. Overhaul gritted his teeth, willing himself to have patience as the staff moved slowly. He turned his head slightly noticing the authorities starting to clear through the mob that made it through the lobby. He pushed forward glaring darkly at the medical staff that eyed him.
"Thank you." Eri whispered as they fully went through the barrier. Overhaul ignored her, not caring if she was thanking him for not killing them or if she was thanking the bold fools.
His focus was on the hospital map, scanning for the Intensive Care Unit knowing comatose patients should be located there. He made his way to the elevator, attempting to ease his emotions to halt his quirk. Overhaul sighed seeing the buttons, he lowered himself to get the girl down, "Push the up button."
Eri did as she was told as he ushered them inside the elevator. She felt her nerves bubbling within her, the anticipation of everything would have to go smoothly if she would be able to fix her grandfather. She tried not to focus too much on the if.
He closed his eyes, focusing all his attention to prevent an overhaul. "Eri, push six, he should be in the ICU."
Eri quickly pushed the button realizing he would be struggling in putting all his concentration on keeping their flooring unrendered. If his quirk was tied to his emotions, she was sure he was feeling multiple things all at once as the elevator rose. She watched as he kept his eyes closed but there was a continuous strain in his facial features as they waited for the elevator to complete its incline.
He released the breath he was holding as the chime sounded to alert their arrival to the sixth floor. They stepped over the threshold; Overhaul gritted his teeth as a small trickle of deconstruction shattered bits of tile. Eri cautiously stood near him as he gathered his bearings as his eyes flickered hastily to the empty desk and then to the multiple doors down the hall.
A door opened at the end of the hall, revealing a doctor, "Hey! How did you get up here?"
Overhaul shifted his feet on instinct, spikes scattered ahead of them, stopping only short from the unexpected doctor. "We don't want any problems." The Yakuza growled out, keeping the overhaul at bay. Right now, he didn't need the authorities on his ass if there was a murder – it's taking every ounce of energy just to hold back.
The doctor stared at him like a deer in headlights with the spikes dangerously close. Overhaul moved passed the doctor with the little girl grabbing his sleeve as his eyes scanned the clipboards on the doors for Pops' name. He felt his heart skip a beat and his blood run slightly cold seeing his name. Overhaul stared at the closed door; his heart felt like it was in his throat by memories that played back-to-back of visiting Pops many times a day in the compound to just talk to him. It's been so long…
Eri noticed him stopping dead in front of one of the doors, she watched as his gold eyes grew with different emotions and it settled on nervousness. She took the initiative to open the door, a heart monitor sounded and it send a jolt through them.
Overhaul breathed in a shuttered breath seeing Pops on the bed hooked up with machines. It was as though nothing had changed from his condition. Compared to the year he had put the old man under in the compound to the months of Pops being in the hospital, he just slept there unresponsive with the rhythm of the heart monitor and breathing tubes. His legs felt heavy as he willed himself to move closer to Pops, self-consciously he reconstructed the door with concrete to prevent anyone from disturbing them.
His gold eyes took in Pops' appearance, guilt racked into him seeing that the old man had lost more weight making his skin seem to sink into the bones. Overhaul fell to his knees, taking rapid breathes, "Pops, I'm so sorry – I never wanted this."
Eri stared at the man on the floor, his breathes were broken as he held back sobs. She put her hands on her mouth to keep herself quiet to ensure she didn't disturb him as she took in the state of her grandfather. After all that time in the compound, when she was tortured and scared, her grandfather was bedridden and locked away.
Overhaul composed himself, "Fix him, bring him back."
The little girl snapped her attention to the Yakuza, his gold eyes were slightly red from his unguarded weakness. Her stomach twisted from nerves, but what made her more unnerved was seeing those gold eyes in this state – the desperation, the guilt, so different from the icy and emotionless gaze. I don't know if I can do this… She didn't trust herself, worried that she will kill her relative. Eri forced herself to move forward, taking in her grandfather – everything fell to him. He will dictate her future, whether she healed him or rewound him from existence, what happens here will set her fate.
Eri felt her heart pound painfully into her ribs, sweat covered her body with the pressure of having everything fall onto her. She winced feeling a shot of pain run through her head as she attempted to call forth her quirk – I can't do it!
Overhaul noticed her haunted look, "Do it! We came all this way, don't lose motivation now." Outside the hospital, it was quiet as though all the fighting seized, soon the authorities would swarm further into the hospital – they couldn't wait anymore, they needed to heal him.
"I—I'm sorry, I can't –."
Overhaul stood up, I'm not letting Pops stay in this state anymore, if she fears killing him then I will give her an option that will fall less on her conscious. He towered over her, he could feel the thick emotions suffocating him, "Look at him! Look at the state of him – what I put him in! Just seeing him like this –." He gritted his teeth, attempting to control the level of his voice.
Eri stared at him, frozen in place seeing the man lose his composure again.
"If you are so worried about killing him. Then rewind me, give the old man a chance to come back. Use me as a test drive – I can reconstruct his brain back." He gave a bleak smirk, "If you rewound me out of existence, at least Pops would be on top of your to do list. You will be alone with him; he would be your motivation to do it – be a constant reminder that you are the only one to heal him."
His gold eyes stared right through her with their intensity, "The only thing I wanted was just to see him again, it doesn't matter if I don't get the chance to talk to him. I don't care about my life, my only wants are his wellbeing."
Eri felt herself shrink in size with his menacing gold gaze on her again. She knew with the possibility of not being able to heal her grandfather, that she would have to face the wrath of her nightmare. Eri shivered as the atmosphere around the man became suffocating and heavy.
Around them, the ground rendered and constructed, "So, if you aren't going to rewind him, then come at me with it. Take all that fear and hatred onto me, channel it and do something about it! Don't fucking stand there and do nothing! Come on and hit me with everything you got, no one is coming to save you."
Tension is in the air...