Meanwhile at the Shie Hassaikai, Shigaraki had finally found his way into Overhaul's office, joined by Pyro, the two looking quite frustrated.
"What a boring office," Shigaraki said.
"I don't like pointless clutter," Overhaul said.
"Also, you had us walking underground in circles for thirty minutes," Shigaraki said. "We're not ants."
"Yeah mate, I get you have to keep this place secret or something but be a bit more creative, otherwise you'll just tick off potential business partners," Pyro said.
"We don't know who might be watching us, or where," Overhaul said. "Not all our guests have the best intentions, so we have a number of routes leading here. Pyro should know that."
"Little different than what I'm used to, but I understand what you mean to an extent," Pyro said. "At the very least, it's better than some old shack."
"It's how we survived this long. Anyway, let's cut to the chase," Overhaul's small assistant Mimic said. "Did you really mean what you said the other day, about joining us?"
"Try not to get too comfortable just yet," Shigaraki said, taking a seat alongside Pyro as both placed their feet on the table in front of them. "You want to capitalize on our reputation, and we want to increase our strength. Our needs happen to coincide for the moment."
"Put your feet down, you'll dirty my table," Overhaul said.
"Please, you need to mind your manners, I don't tolerate disrespect," Shigaraki said. "Now, we're not putting ourselves under you. My side will be calling their own shots, similar to what we have with The Brotherhood."
"Yeah mate, this is a partnership deal," Pyro said. "Be lucky my team is even considering this, after all we in The Brotherhood have quite the reputation."
"Of what? Getting beaten up by the X-Men?" Overhaul asked.
"You wanna talk about getting beaten up? I heard about your run in with Spider-Man recently, so you ain't in any position to talk," Pyro said. Overhaul looked notably frustrated upon hearing the hero being mentioned.
"He's got you there, seems you're not all you're cracked up to be, but I'm still willing to cut a deal regardless," Shigaraki said. "What do you say?"
"So, those are your conditions then?" Overhaul asked. "A simple partnership?"
"There is one other thing," Shigaraki said. "I want to know about this grand plan of yours. I think that's a reasonable request."
"If we're gonna be partners, you gotta tell us everything," Pyro said.
"That right?" Overhaul asked.
"Yes," Shigaraki reached into his coat. "You see-"
Suddenly Mimic held Shigaraki down while Chronostasis aimed a gun at his head. "Hands where I can see them!"
"Tomura!" Pyro was about to attack when a second gun was aimed at his face.
"Same goes for you," Chronostasis warned. "Neither of you call the shots here."
"Yeah who the hell do you think you are you damn PUNKS!?" Mimic shouted.
"Who do you think you are?" Shigaraki said. "You think we're even after killing Mag? Just because I took out one of your disposable thugs?"
"Not to mention what you lot did to Compress's arm," Pyro reminded. "We're a Brotherhood for a reason, guys like me and Tomura look after our own. What you did was personal!"
"Chrono, Mimic," Overhaul said. "Stand down, these two came all this way, let him speak. Let's hear whatever offer either of them have."
"Like I said before your friends got jumpy," Shigaraki continued, the two backing off as he pulled a bullet out. "I want details on this little thing."
"I'll help you out, but you have to do a little something for me," Overhaul said. "Some guests I have here can explain."
"What guest?" Pyro asked as the door opened. He turned to see who was entering, his eyes widening in surprise. "No way..."
"Huh?" Shigaraki turned to the pair that entered. "Who are they?"
"Pyro, it's been a while," Came the voice of Albert Wesker, the man joined by Juri.
"Wesker, figures you'd be here," Pyro said.
"I've been meaning to catch up with you, and your little friend here," Wesker said. "Tomura Shigaraki."
"Wesker? Wait, your name sounds familiar," Shigaraki said. "Weren't you involved in the incident that destroyed Raccoon City?"
"I was not directly involved with that incident, in all honestly the T-Virus outbreak was a bit of an inconvenience for me," Wesker said. "But I did work for the company that created that same virus. Of course I've gone on to bigger things since then."
"He's the new boss of S.I.N.," Juri said. "It was where the Shadoloo leader Bison would create clone bodies for himself, but they also served as creatures similar to those Nomu."
"I came to Japan to work out an alliance with Overhaul myself, just like you are now," Wesker said. "But his plans have been halted, thanks to Spider-Man."
"Yeah, he basically stole some little girl from here," Juri said.
"He did what now?" Pyro asked.
"It's true, Spider-Man and one of his sidekicks, a boy with green hair ran off with a young girl," Overhaul said. "She's a big part of my grand scheme, but without her, I'm afraid there isn't much I can do. That's why I need your help, I need you to kill Spider-Man and bring that girl back."
"I know Spider-Man's been a thorn at your side, Tomura," Wesker said. "But I would prefer if you could bring him back alive, or at least get some blood samples from him."
"If you need blood samples, our girl Toga specializes in that," Pyro said. "Tell us the details Wesker, we'll finish off that spider. Hell maybe crush that runt of a kid too."
"If anyone is gonna kill that kid, it's going to be me," Shigaraki said.
"Thought it was Spider-Man you wanted to finish off yourself?" Pyro asked.
"I'll kill them both! That kid pisses me off the same as Spider-Man," Shigaraki said, then turned to S.I.N.'s boss. "You have a deal Wesker, but know that I'm not doing this for you. I just really hate Spider-Man."
"Join the club, Norman Osborn's the leader," Juri said.
"Pfft, that guy's past his prime," Shigaraki said.
"Call up Bison, he'd want in on this," Pyro said. "Hell he might send Vega out too."
"So it's a deal," Overhaul said. "Defeat Spider-Man and bring back Eri."
"Fine by me, but first thing's first," Shigaraki began, holding up the bullet. "I'm going to need details on this thing. When Compress got shot with it, he couldn't use his quirk. Same with Pyro here."
"Took a while before it came back," Pyro said. "This is a pretty powerful weapon you have here, word gets out about it, then an uproar is inevitable."
"Tell us, what is your grand plan?" Shigaraki asked.
"It's about the natural order of things," Overhaul said. "From what I hear, One for All ruled by stealing quirks, I'm just fine tuning the plan a little. I'm already spreading my seeds across the country."
"It's a simple plan really, the best way to stop any warrior is to disarm them," Wesker said. "Granted it's not foolproof, many are just as capable of fighting without a quirk. Some don't even have natural quirks."
"Natural quirks?" Shigaraki asked.
"The likes of you, Tomura, your quirk is due in part of an extra joint in your pinky toe," Wesker said. "Our friend Pyro here, his powers come from the X-Gene. In actuality, some say those with the X-Gene show greater potential of power, that's why you have someone like Magneto who could easily destroy the world with a whiff of his hands."
"So, what's your quirk then?" Shigaraki asked. "Extra joint? Or X-Gene?"
"Neither...I wasn't born so fortunate, so I had to take matters into my own hands," Wesker said.
"What does that mean?" Shigaraki asked.
"I created my own powers," Wesker said. "It was a risky move, but I managed to pull it off, with a little help from some allies."
"So, you were born quirkless," Pyro said. "A last of a breed."
"It's funny, they say eighty percent of the population is one with quirks, but truth be told, that is a fabricated lie," Wesker said. "There's more quirkless people than you can imagine, but the government hopes to keep the peace in their own way. They just want to make it seem like a natural evolution, and reduce chances of a riot. Those with quirks won't be threatened by jealous quirkless people if they feel like there's so few of them, and those who are genuinely quirkless will feel outnumbered and less likely to act."
"So, it's all a ruse then," Shigaraki said.
"That's how the government operates," Wesker said. "It's all about control in the end, and those pro heroes are just the puppets needed to maintain that control. Pawns in the government's big game of chess, and villains like you are just the enemy pieces."
"Tell me something I don't know," Shigaraki said.
"Well consider this, the government thinks all villains are just enemy pawns that can easily be taken out by select Knights, Bishops and Queens, all to keep themselves, the King, safe. However...you Tomura, should think like the Rook."
"Rook?" Shigaraki asked.
"The Rook is the most important chess piece, it's what leads the pawns and cuts off the opposing King," Wesker said. "It's often a forgotten piece too, but one that can lead to checkmate if used correctly. Tomura, you must be the Rook among your fellow villains, lead them to victory against the opposing team and the world could be in your grasp."
"Just make sure you're careful, the most skilled player can take a Queen out with a Pawn," Juri said. "Even if it seems like you're winning, keep in mind that a Pawn can become a Queen as well, and that Queen is deep in your side."
"Even if that happens, the way I see it, the Queen is still in the most danger," Shigaraki said. "All the power in the world means nothing if you have a trap waiting."
"The best trap against a Queen, is of course, a Rook," Wesker said.
"Man, all this talk about chess, feels like I'm in an after-school club," Pyro said.
"None of it is incorrect though," Overhaul said. "Wesker's got good points, I would heed his advice."
"While I do appreciate the life lesson, and will gladly take it to heart, I also wish to get back on track," Shigaraki said. "I need to know about this bullet. How much can it affect?"
"I haven't been able to test it out much," Overhaul said. "I do know that it can affect both the Pinky Joints and X-Gene. But that bullet isn't much of an eraser, more that it's a reverser. Even those who got their quirks unnaturally, like Wesker did, are subject to losing their power."
"What about the aliens?" Pyro asked. "Guys like Goku and Superman."
"I don't know much about their alien races, or if they had prior forms," Overhaul said.
"Humans haven't always had quirks," Wesker said. "Saiyans and Kryptonians however, that's a different story."
"Plus we don't know how it would affect a pure Equestrian," Juri said.
"Equestrian?" Shigaraki asked. "You mean the people from that European Country? What does that have to do with anything?"
"The country of Equestria has some pretty big secrets, and those with abilities theoretically have something beyond the X-Gene and the Extra Pinky Joint. But it tends to get overlooked for one reason or another," Juri said. "I suggest keeping an eye on it."
"Truthfully, there's a lot I want to test these theories on, but first thing's first," Overhaul said. "I need that girl back."
"If we find her, we'll get her back," Pyro said. "But what exactly does this girl have to do with your plan anyway?"
"The answer lies in her blood," Overhaul said.
Juri looked visibly unhappy once she heard that, even Pyro seemed a bit worried on what that could have meant. Shigaraki wasn't sure what to make of this but figured it wasn't really his business to ask right now. He just wanted to get the job done.
Meanwhile Peter was overseeing some training that Amy was giving to Ochako and Tsuyu, both girls sparring with the small hedgehog girl.
Amy's speed was clearly no joke, despite being only one of her, neither Ochako nor Tsuyu could keep up.
After a few minutes, Peter called it, "Alright Amy, I think they've suffered enough."
Amy nodded her head, "Sure thing Peter."
Ochako panted from exhaustion, "Geez, I thought I got better with my hand-to-hand combat."
"You're not bad Ochako, and you're going to get better," Peter reassured. "Amy's just been doing this much longer, plus she's got natural speed."
"I did try to hold back a little, I even kept my ring-cuffs on," Amy said.
"Huh? What does that have to do with anything?" Ochako asked. She got her answer when Amy demonstrated by removing her ring-cuffs, creating a large thud on the ground. Ochako was very much wide-eyed while Tsuyu looked almost ready to faint.
"You...had that on...this whole time?" Tsuyu asked.
"It's part of my training, though I've been wondering if I should get something heavier, these are starting to feel light," Amy said.
"Light!?" Ochako asked, still wide-eyed. "But...but...how!?"
Peter chuckled to himself, "Oh man, you look so blown away. This is a common martial arts practice. Saiyaman's father Goku uses something like this."
"He learned it from his teacher, Master Roshi," Amy said. "In fact, Piccolo, one of Goku's rivals, regularly wears a turban and cape that is also very heavy."
"It's not too uncommon honestly," Peter said. "You feel so much lighter when this stuff comes off."
"Should I wear something like that?" Ochako asked.
"If you'd like," Peter said. "But start small, and if it doesn't work out, that's fine. You have other ways you can be strong."
"I'd just like to get better at fighting," Tsuyu said. "Though between you and Amy, I think Ochako and I are gonna struggle a bit trying to match against you."
"Don't worry about it. I'm confident that one day, you girls would probably kick my butt in a fight," Peter said.
"I doubt it, you're way stronger than us," Tsuyu said. "We can't even rival your daughter."
"Plus I don't want to fight you, senpai," Ochako said. "I never want to imagine us as opponents."
"Hey it's fine kid," Peter said, rubbing her head. "I just want to build your confidence a bit. But for real, you're going to get stronger, you have that passion in your soul."
"I'll try my best, for you Peter," Ochako said.
"Not for me," Peter said. "Do it for you. It needs to come from your own desire, okay kid?"
"Yes senpai," Ochako said, looking up with determination. "I'll make you proud!"
"Geez you're cute," Peter said, lightning pinching Ochako's cheek. "Stop being so cute kid, there's only so much I can take."
"Come on, I'm not that cute," Ochako said, blushing a bit.
"Yes you are, you're cute and adorable," Peter said, pinching her other cheek. "Cutest little superhero in existence right now."
"P-Peter!" Ochako said, blushing a bit. "Come on, you're making me feel embarrassed. I'm far from the cutest hero anyway.
"You're right, you're tied for cutest hero," Peter said, now pinching Tsuyu's cheeks. "This little beauty's your rival."
"M-me!?" Tsuyu asked.
"I don't know any other cute frogs," Peter said. "Seriously you're like the cutest frog in existence, and I must protect you and your cuteness!"
"Peter, come on..." Despite her embarrassment, Tsuyu greatly appreciated the compliment.
"Wow, I remember when you did this with me," Amy said.
"Me too," Peter said, lifting Amy up and kissing her cheek. "Cute little hedgehog."
"Peter, you're making me blush," Amy said. "I don't want either of our sweethearts to get jealous."
"I don't think Twilight minds, she gets her own special Spidey love treatment," Peter said. "You girls get the cute little sister treatment." Peter lifted both Tsuyu and Ochako into his arms, holding all three girls for a hug. "Because you're all cute and adorable!"
"Wow, talk about Friendly Neighborhood Spider-Man," Ochako said. "We really love being with you Peter."
"Yeah, you're really supportive," Tsuyu said.
Amy left a kiss on Peter's cheek, "The best big brother, rivaled only by Knuckles for me."
"No rival here," Ochako said.
"Same," Tsuyu said.
"Just make sure Peni doesn't see this, she's jealous enough of me as it is," Amy said.
"I have plenty of love to give to little sisters," Peter said, placing the girls down. "Especially you three girls."
"Gotta say, I don't think many other work-study mentors would be this affectionate," Tsuyu said.
"Yeah, I imagine Mayday isn't being called cute by Sir Nighteye," Ochako said.
"Of course, dude doesn't seem to care about little girls very much," Peter said.
"Peter, don't say that!" Amy scolded. "You're better than petty slander."
"Sorry, guess I'm still kind of ticked off by how he reacted to us saving Eri," Peter said. "If he could see that girl, the fear in her eyes she had that day, he'd have to be pretty cruel to look past it."
"I know you feel that way, but don't let your emotions take control over you," Amy said. "Someone with so much love in your heart shouldn't have room for any type of hatred."
"You're right, I shouldn't," Peter said. "Ochako, Tsuyu, this is one thing that Amy could teach you better than I could, try to manage your emotions so you don't get heated like I do."
"I don't see it as heated," Ochako said. "You're just full of passion, and you care about others so much that you hate that anyone could find it wrong to save that girl."
"Still, mind what Amy said, she's a smart girl," Peter said.
"And you're a good guy Peter," Amy said. "It's alright to have frustrations, just manage them well."
"I still think you're great, and I'm happy we saved Eri," Ochako said. "I don't regret anything."
"Yeah, me neither," Tsuyu said.
"You're great girls," Peter said, rubbing their heads. "Anyway, it's getting late in the day, guess you won't be heading to school after all. It's fine, I can swing by UA and get your schoolwork, maybe even help you with it if you'd like."
"Anything to spend more time with you," Ochako said.
Peter bashfully rubbed his head, "Geez, now you're making me blush. Now let's-"
Peter noticed a pair nearby, this pair then noticed by the three girls.
"It's you two," Ochako said. "From Kamino Ward."
"Leon Kennedy and Chun-Li," Amy said.
"Amy Rose, good to see you," Chun-Li said.
"Hey Spidey, got yourself some sidekicks?" Leon asked.
"Yeah, this is Ochako Uraraka and Tsuyu Asui," Peter said. "Girls, Chun-Li was one of my classmates back when I went to UA."
"Leon is an Agent for the US Government," Amy said.
"Peter, we need to ask you about that girl you rescued," Chun-Li said.
"You mean Eri?" Peter asked. "What for?"
"Don't worry, we're not here to tell you that you made the wrong choice or anything," Leon said. "In all honesty, we're glad you saved her."
"I would have done the exact same thing," Chun-Li said. "The idea that someone could put a child through what I heard about, I don't understand why Nighteye was so angry about you supposedly messing up."
"Chun-Li and I have had times where we had to rescue young kids," Leon said. "So we more than most would understand why you did what you did."
"We just need some information from your perspective, anything you can tell us," Chun-Li said.
"Sure, I'd be happy to tell you," Peter said. "I was getting ready to take charge myself. I got into contact with some friends from overseas. I was hoping to bring Gwen over but she's too busy looking after New York, and after Miles."
"Shame, I'd kind of like to see Gwen again myself," Chun-Li said. "But duty calls. If you can clue us in, maybe we can help on our end."
"You know where their base is, right?" Leon asked. "Are you planning to raid it?"
"If I have to, even planning some recon very soon, I have it all planned out," Peter said. "Why don't you come over for a bit? Twilight's preparing some plans for her student Momo but I think we can still work something out."
"Alright, lead the way," Leon said.
Somewhere in town, Rina Howlett was seen patrolling streets near a seafood restaurant, alongside Tamaki of the Big Three and a Pro Hero named Fat Gum.
"Man, so much stuff happening these days," Fat Gum said, eating some food. "Can't eat enough to keep up."
"I thought my dad had a big appetite, this guy puts him to shame," Rina felt.
"Well Agencies lately wanted some close combat type heroes," Fat Gum said. "So you're just what we need Wild Thing. Especially given that you're the daughter of Wolverine, so I trust he's taught you plenty."
"You bet he has," Rina said, extending her claws. "I've also received training from a woman named Psylocke, another member of The X-Men. She has powers similar to mine, so my dad deemed her the best person to train me."
"I'm still surprised you got an offer," Tamaki said. "I figured a 1-A student would have taken the role."
"Well their best fighter is probably Eijiro Kirishima, but he's training with my dad," Rina said.
"Wolverine actually is close by, we're supposed to meet for a rendezvous," Fat Gum said. "Though I'll be honest, he's not someone I don't think I can easily talk to."
"My dad gives off that vibe a lot," Rina said. "But he's much friendlier than he looks, just don't say something that might tick him off."
"I feel like anything could tick him off, such a man seems so frightening to be around," Tamaki said. "I could only imagine how badly he could hurt me if he so desired."
"My dad doesn't hurt people for no reason, honestly I really hate that he has that type of reputation," Rina said. "He's not the smiling type like Superman or All Might but he's still a great human being. Just ask Spider-Man, he'll tell you how reliable my dad is, helps that my dad has a soft spot for Spidey. There's a reason people call them 'Blood Brothers'."
"I heard that name once or twice," Fat Gum said. "Spider-Man strikes me as the kind of guy who could make friends with just about anyone."
"I might be biased but, yeah, Spidey's super wholesome," Rina said.
"Honestly Spider-Man is pretty scary too. Just the way he crawls on walls is weird and the eyes on his mask just gives me the creeps," Tamaki said.
"Dude, does everything freak you out?" Rina asked.
"He just has delicate nerves," Fat Gum said. "He'll be fine though; he has a bright future ahead of him."
Tamaki held his stomach, "Your expectations just drag me deeper into despair. Was I brought into this agency to be constantly tormented? I want to go home."
"You really need to man up," Rina commented. "You make Izuku Midoriya look as confident as The Human Torch."
"Look, I'm not exactly known for positivity," Tamaki said. "You want positive, go see my friend Mirio Togata."
"Oh I know he's confident, Mayday told me all about him, says he has that All Might type smile," Rina said.
"Yeah, like I said, positivity," Tamaki said. "I know you have confidence because your father is a legend among heroes, actually I quite envy you for having someone like that to help you grow as a person. But I can't meet your expectations, I'm really sorry about that."
Rina rubbed her brow for a second, trying to think of something positive to say, "Look, maybe I was being too hard, and I'm sorry, I should know how delicate some people can be. I mean my mom was really shy until she made a lot of friends who accepted how she was. Even my dad has bad days where he feels some type of despair. But that's why we tough it out, when the world gives you lemons, squeeze that lemon juice in the world's eyes. Just face your fears, you'll be fine."
"Atta girl, a good hero helps out others, even fellow heroes," Fat Gum said. Looking ahead, he spotted a pair, "Hey I see your dad, Wild Thing."
"Oh boy..." Tamaki lamented.
Meanwhile from the distance, Logan is seen walking with Kirishima, the older hero keeping a lookout. "If you see Fat Gum or my daughter, let me know."
"Sure thing," Kirishima said. "Oh, and thanks again for this opportunity, still surprised you scouted me."
"I did it fer a reason, so I expect you to put in the work," Logan said. "Don't make me regret my choice."
"I won't," Kirishima said. "I really want to get strong, I don't want to be left behind by my classmates."
"Left behind? What makes you think you're getting left behind?" Logan asked. "You did well in the Practical Exam, you got yer License, what more do you feel like you have to improve? Who are you trying to catch up with specifically?"
"It's just that, sometimes things get crazy and I feel so useless, like the time my friend Bakugo got kidnapped," Kirishima said.
"Yer friends with that hothead?" Logan asked.
"I know he's abrasive but he's a cool guy and I respect him," Kirishima said. "That's something I tend to butt heads with my other classmates about...mostly Mayday Parker."
"She hate him?" Logan asked. "I mean, I shouldn't be surprised, she really messed him up during the Sports Festival. I know she hates bullies though, she's gone vigilante on them on occasion."
"Huh? What does that mean?" Kirishima asked.
"Back in Queens, if she saw someone getting picked on, she would run over and beat the bullies up," Logan said. "She'd get in trouble fer using her quirk without permission though, noble as her actions were, she was still breaking the law."
"Did she get in trouble with the cops?" Kirishima asked.
"Almost, lucky fer her, she knows Tony Stark, and he usually pulls some strings," Logan said. "I told Spidey that he needed to be harder on her and not let her think that being friends with one of The Avengers means she can break the rules on a whim. I get that sometimes you gotta take a chance but she pushes her luck too damn much."
"I can't judge, I technically broke the rules when I went to save Bakugo with my friends," Kirishima said.
"I fully understand why you did that, and why my daughter went with you," Logan said. "Just like I can still understand why Mayday did what she did at the time. It's just hard fer her to turn the other way, she feels like if she's able to help someone, she should do so, because her dad would."
"I guess I respect that, she's a nice girl when she wants to be, but it just feels like..." Kirishima wasn't sure how to word this. "I know you probably know Parker well, and that you care about her but-"
"I get it, knowing her she's running her mouth a lot or doing stupid stuff," Logan said. "I've tried setting her straight myself, but in the end that falls down to her parents. The problem is that Spidey is too reluctant to be hard on her. When he sees her, he sees his little girl, the same little girl he held in his arms minutes after she was born, the same girl who motivates him to always do his best because he wants to be home fer her, the same little girl he has at points has gone long periods of time without seeing because he has a lot of hero duties."
"I respect a man who wants to be there for his daughter, but I'm worried it might have turned her into a brat," Kirishima said.
"It did, she's got a lot to learn about humility," Logan said. "I don't blame Parker for wanting to be there for his daughter, I'm the same way. Rina means the world to me, and it helps that so far, she's the only kid I haven't screwed up with."
"Only kid?" Kirishima aksed. "Come to think of it, I think your daughter mentioned a girl named Laura once, she calls her 'Big Sis'."
Logan looked hesitant to speak, wondering how to word this. Though fortunately for him, he found a distraction, "Tell you later, there's Fat Gum."
"Fat Gum?" Kirishima looked ahead to spot the hero.
"Hey! Wolverine!" Fat Gum greeted, making his way to the X-Men Legend. "Glad we could catch up with ya."
"Likewise," Logan said, then took note of his daughter. "Hey Rina, you behaving?"
"The best I can," Rina teased.
"Cute...remember you have a big responsibility now," Logan said. "Don't make trouble for Fat Gum, if you screw up I will personally destroy your license and you'll have to start again from scratch."
"Oof, noted," Rina said.
"It's fine Wolverine, she's actually been doing really well so far," Fat Gum said. "I mean, it's only the first day, but I have confidence in her."
"Yeah dad, you know I won't screw anything up," Rina said.
"I need more than words, show me you can pull this off," Logan said.
"Wow, Wolverine's pretty tough with his daughter," Kirishima observed. "Probably why Howlett doesn't screw around as much as Parker would."
"Say why did we need to meet with my dad?" Rina asked. "Does this have to do with that Hassaikai group that Spider-Man ran into?"
"Something like that, since your dad here has experience with those types of groups, I figured he could join us, especially after some rumors that have popped up," Fat Gum said.
"Spidey filled me in on a lot, he said to keep an eye out for a guy with a large beak mask," Logan said. "Rumor is that they might also be connected to the League of Villains."
"You know, I gotta say, that's a really dumb name," Rina said. "League of Villains? I mean, couldn't they be more creative? Then again their first day on the job was to assemble a bunch of losers only to get their asses whooped by Deadpool and Eraser Head."
"Name may be shit but they're clearly a threat considering what happened at the summer camp," Logan said. "Though if Eraser Head didn't screw over Peter, we probably could have prevented that whole thing from even happening."
"They're fighting! Someone help!" a pedestrian called.
"Oh boy, at it again," Fat Gum said, taking note of some oncoming crooks.
"Stupid punks mad at us for selling on their turf! We gotta make money too! We're hungry!" a guy said.
Logan stood in their path, extending his claws. "End of the line."
"Crap! It's Wolverine! Split up!" a guy said, a few trying to leave and finding themselves caught by Fat Gum.
"You're not getting away," Fat Gum said, holding a couple in his grasp. One guy tried flying off to avoid Logan. "Wow, that guy has a quirk similar to Edgeshot."
"I got him!" Rina was about to attack, but the crook found himself grabbed by Tamaki after growing some octopus tentacles. "Uh, is he a sea creature type of guy?"
"Tell this freak to put me down!" the crook said.
Tamaki seemed bothered by that statement, "So cruel."
"Are you gonna let some dirtbag loser get to you, man!?" Kirishima shouted.
Tamaki then pulled the guy in for a few punches with a newly formed clam hand and pressed down with a chicken foot.
"What in the..." Rina said. "Wait, is this what he meant when he told me what his quirk name was?"
UA Third Year Tamaki Amajiki, his quirk, Manifiest. His body can take characteristics of whatever he eats.
"Wow, that's so sweet!" Kirishima said. "Yo Howlett! Did you know he could do that!?"
"No, I mean he told me what his quirk was called but he didn't really elaborate," Rina said. "As you can see, dude's not much of a talker."
"Did I do alright? I feel like I messed up," Tamaki said.
"Are you kidding!? You did great!" Kirishima said.
"Not bad there kid," Logan said, dragging over the remaining guys. "You got great control of yer powers, you'll do great as a pro."
"That's our Suneater. The only thing he needs to work on is his mental game," Fat Gum said, then turned to the crowd. "How did he do everyone!?"
Tamaki got a roaring ovation from the crowd, though it served more to embarrass him than make him feel better about himself, something Rina immediately noted.
"He seems like the type to be overwhelmed by positivity, probably because he's always such a downer," Rina noted. "Mom's the same way, she gets easily flustered by a crowd, even if they're being nice. It would explain why she doesn't like being in the spotlight. Dad's no different, his loner attitude isn't the same as mom's though. He doesn't get embarrassed, just annoyed. I should bring Amajiki to my mom, she might have some advice to help him out."
Meanwhile in the crowd, a guy pulled out a gun, "Gotta help my team."
Logan's ears went off, having heard the click, "Someone's armed! Get down!"
The guy fired the gun, the bullet aimed at Tamaki but Kirishima blocked the path and took the bullet, feeling completely unharmed.
"It bounced off!?" The guy shouted, looking at his gun. "Defective piece of junk!"
"Whoa, you totally tanked that bullet!" Rina praised.
"Out of my way!" the guy shouted, running off.
"Hey, you're not getting away from me!" Kirishima shouted, chasing the villain.
"Yo wait up! I want a piece of this too!" Rina said, following Kirishima.
"Hey! Don't just run off like that!" Fat Gum scolded.
"Let me catch him with my tentacles!" Tamaki said, trying to use his quirk, but nothing, "What's happening?"
"You alright kid?" Logan asked.
"My quirk isn't activating...I think something's wrong," Tamaki said.
This information was surprising to Logan of course, wondering what could have caused this. "We'll figure this out." He called the other pro, "Fat Gum! His power's shut down!"
"Huh? Is Eraser nearby or something?" Fat Gum asked.
Meanwhile the villain was still running from the students, "Will you stop chasing me!"
"How about you stop running!" Kirishima shouted.
"No, keep running, makes it more fun when we catch you!" Rina shouted.
"Not helping right now!" Kirishima shouted, then focused on the other guy. "As for you! You just shot someone and ran to save your own skin! Do you even care about what happened to your buddies!?"
"You're mad about that!?" The guy asked.
"I don't respect guys like that! You're no man! You're a coward!" Kirishima shouted.
"And you reached a dead end!" Rina taunted as the guy came to a stop. "Nowhere to run now, you're our cornered prey and we're about to strike!"
"Howlett, chill, we're heroes, not predators in the wild," Kirishima said.
"Get away from me!" The guy said as he unleashed spikes from his arm to attack Kirishima, the boy tanking it and punching back.
"RED COUNTER!"
"Whoa, that's awesome," Rina said. "Also, were those claws out of his arm? Not exactly the same as dad's but pretty sharp looking regardless."
Kirishima walked over to the guy, glaring down at the crook, "So you ready to surrender already?" He then heard some sobbing, confusing him a bit, "Wait, are you crying?"
"Seriously?" Rina asked. "Wow, he really isn't that manly."
"You two wanna know what my quirk does?" the guy said. "It just sends out blades a mere ten centimeters long, like some dinky box cutters."
"I don't remember asking," Rina said. "I don't think Red Riot here asked either."
"Seriously Howlett, not the time," Kirishima said.
"Of course I wanna save my friends, you jerks," The guy continued. "I'm just scared, at least I was brave enough to shoot though."
"Look man, if you're gonna whine about getting caught, then you shouldn't be doing crimes in the first place," Kirishima said, helping the guy up. "Now on your feet."
"I just wanted to get stronger," the guy continued. "I thought if I hung out with strong guys, then that can help."
"I get how you feel," Kirishima said. "But you still shouldn't-"
"Hey, he's got something!" Rina called.
The guy then injected himself with a serum, "Don't act like you know how I feel!" Suddenly he started twitching from the injection.
"Hey! What'd you do to yourself!?" Kirishima shouted.
"Eijiro! Keep your distance!" Rina called, then turned to the civilians behind her. "Hey, this isn't a show! Keep moving!"
Suddenly blades erupted from the gangster, Kirishima leaping back to avoid any damage, "Where'd all those blades come from!?"
"Holy shit, did he just use some power enhancer drug?" Rina wondered.
"Power enhancer?" Kirishima said. "I heard about drugs that boost your quirks, but this is unreal. If he gets back to a busy street, this can be a disaster."
Rina turned back around to the citizens, "People! For the last time leave!"
"Watch out!" Kirishima shouted, leaping in front of Rina, taking a blade attack. "Is he actually cutting me!? How can his blades be sharper than my hardening!?"
"You talk big, heroes!" the gangster said. "Thinking you know more about manliness and toughness! But I hear the age of you so-called good guys are crashing down in flames! Oh man, soon the world will belong to guys like me, it's such a crazy high!"
"This guy's lost it!" Rina then saw that Kirishima was hurt from the blades, "Hey, Red Riot, are you alright?"
"I think so..." Kirishima said.
"You know, I'm going to take your advice kid!" the guy said, his blades increasing. "I'm gonna bust up some heroes and save my friends!"
"Kirishima, watch out!" Rina called, rushing to block the attack with her claws, though got knocked back for her troubles.
"Howlett!" Kirishima shouted in worry.
"Who does that girl think she is, Wolverine!?" the guy taunted.
"That's his daughter! You hurt her, you're gonna have to deal with him!" Kirishima warned.
"Fine by me, taking out a top member of the X-Men would really bump up my credibility!" the guy shouted, sending more blades at Kirishima. "It's over for you!"
"I don't think so!" Kirishima shouted, his body starting to harden in every single inch as he began to remember the words of his idol, and the hero from whom he got the inspiration for his name.
Years ago, Kirishima had watched an interview featuring his personal favorite hero, Crimson Riot. "You are known for your chivalry and bravery, but I have to ask, do you ever gets scared when you're fighting?"
"What kind of ridiculous question is that? Of course I get scared!" Crimson Riot said, taking Kirishima by surprise. "Show me someone who isn't afraid to die, and I'll show you an idiot!"
"I never really got what he was about until that interview, something about his words just stuck with me."
"When I was a sidekick, I hesitated once, and it cost someone their life," Crimson Riot said. "So yes, I'm afraid when I fight a dangerous villain, because I know it can result in my death. But the only thing worse than the fear of dying is seeing the look in someone's eyes as they meet their end. That is what drives me, that fear of uselessness keeps me going!"
In the present, Kirishima powered up even more, "Time to get stronger, physically and mentally! Go harder! Harden into a wall!" The blades hit Kirishima, breaking on impact. "A wall that's indestructible!"
The swords were immediately destroyed once Kirshima's quirk was too hard to penetrate.
"Whoa...awesome," Rina said.
"This is my quirk at its maximum!" Kirishima stood back in stance. "RED RIOT! UNBREAKABLE!"
"What's with your body!? It sounds like it's creaking!" the man said.
"I can only hold this form for thirty seconds, forty if I push it hard enough," Kirishima rushed at the gangster, ready to fight. "Until then I'm indestructible!"
"I'll focus everything on one spot then!" the guy said, sending more blades at Kirishima, all of them breaking upon impact.
"Wow, looks like Red Riot here is channeling his inner Man of Steel," Rina said, then turned to the bystanders behind her. "Hey! While he's saving your lives I suggest you run!"
"Sounds like Howlett's trying to get those people to leave, though I need to be mindful of the people in the nearby buildings, I gotta keep his attention on me!" Kirishima noted as the guy exerted more energy. "Hardening is my power! Time to bulldoze my way through!" He then delivered a massive punch to his opponent's stomach. "Ultimate Move! Red Gun Punch!"
The guy was finally defeated, to the amazement of Rina, the girl clearly impressed, "Wow, that took some guts."
"He may be a kid but he's really strong," A bystander said.
"Who exactly is that?" a guy asked.
"That my friends..." Rina began. "Is the Indestructible Red Riot. A hero being personally trained by my father, Wolverine."
"Wolverine? Wow, don't know much about him but I always took him for a loner," a man said.
"Well, he saw something special in this boy, and now you all can see it too," Rina said. "He's damn strong, pops picked a good apprentice for sure."
Kirishima began huffing as his power drained. "Sweet, just before my time limit expired." He took note of the man's tears upon losing. "Ugh, now he's crying again, guess the drug wore off."
"Freaking crybaby," Rina said, stepping over to the guy.
"I just wanted to get stronger, please let me go," the guy requested. "I'm just a pathetic weakling who wanted power."
"I can't let you off the hook after shooting Suneater," Kirishima said. "I get how you feel though, see not to long ago-"
"No one cares about your sob story!" the guy shouted as he used his blades to escape. "Ha! No one can-"
Rina immediately jumped in and kicked the guy in the head, sending him crashing down to the floor, "Seriously, screw this guy. This is why some pros don't bother trying to be nice to these thugs."
"Great work Howlett," Kirishima said. "Kind of wish he would hear me out. See if I can get him to change his ways. Spider-Man says words help but I guess I don't have that gift."
"It's not just that, I mean I think you did great, you related to him and tried to be helpful. But while some guys benefit from a good talk, others are just scum, plain and simple," Rina said as the guy slowly stood up. "A lot of crooks will do anything for the upper hand."
"Got that right! You fool!" The guy prepared an assault, but before Rina could counter, Logan showed up with a punch to his jaw, knocking him against a wall.
"Whoa, good timing sir," Kirishima said.
"Yeah...even though I could have taken him," Rina said.
"I know you could have," Logan said, stomping his foot on the guy's head. "Doesn't mean I'm standing idly by while some punk tries to hurt my baby girl."
Rina blushed a bit from the embarrassment, "Come on dad, not in front of so many people, or Kirishima."
"Doesn't bother me," Kirishima said. "Not like I'm gonna blab about it."
"Better not, I can make this guy's blades feel like papercut," Rina warned.
"Well, seriously. Sorry, I nearly let him escape, I guess I felt bad for him," Kirishima said.
"Just try not to let that happen again," Logan said. "Compassion is good but not if it causes you to slip up. Always be on guard, not too tense but not too lax either."
"Villains win if they defeat you or run away," Fat Gum said, making his way over. "We only win if we stop them with no casualties. It's about how fast you can make the villain lose the will to fight."
Pro Hero Fat Gum, his quirk, Fat Absorption. He can absorb anything into his body.
"Well still, thanks for your help," Kirishima said.
"And thank you, young man," an older man said. "You did great back there."
"The way you kept his blades from hitting us was insane," A younger boy said.
More people came to praise Kirishima, giving the boy a much needed confidence boost, with Rina stepping aside to let him bask in the glory.
"Looks like you already amounted a fan club, solid work out there," Fat Gum said. "You're gonna be an amazing hero one day."
"This young lady said your hero name is Red Riot, is that correct?" the older man said.
"Yeah, it is," Kirishima said.
"I look forward to seeing how well you grow," the older man said.
Kirishima bowed to him, "Thank you."
"Already popular, who knows, maybe you'll be Number One Hero someday," Rina said.
"Wow, Number One huh?" Kirishima said. Suddenly he experienced some flashbacks, recalling a day where a monster came, and it wasn't him that rushed to help, but rather it was Mina.
"Yo, Red Riot, you doing alright?" Rina asked.
"Yeah...I'm fine," Kirishima said.
Rina didn't buy it, she had a feeling something was bothering him, "What could be bugging him? He did great out there. I'll get him to open up later."
With the villains rounded up, Kirishima and Rina had explained everything to Fat Gum, Takami and Logan.
"So, his quirk powered up huh?" Fat Gum asked. "Power boosting quirks are banned in Japan. But that power didn't last long so he probably had a black-market version. The ones from the US work for at least an hour."
"Wow, you know a lot about this," Kirishima said.
"Back in the day, me and some cops used to catch smugglers," Fat Gum said.
"Still, this has me a bit worried, I had some run ins with stuff like this myself," Logan said, extending his claws. "Lots of examples of people who found ways to boost their powers."
"Fat Gum! Wolverine!" a cop said, running over, holding a bag. "This is what's left of that gun. It's smashed up but we can tell it's not a normal weapon."
"Those guys we caught, they fess up to anything?" Logan asked.
"Not yet, they're keeping quiet," the cop said.
"Typical, well keep pressing them," Logan said.
"We'll look more into this gun too," Fat Gum said.
"Hey, Amajiki, how are you feeling?" Rina asked.
"Awful..." Tamaki said, hiding his face under his hood.
"To lose your quirk like that, yeah awful just about sums it up," Kirishima said.
"That's not all, you had to protect me," Tamaki said. "Just like Mirio, shining like the sun."
"You really need to stop being so negative, you did great today," Rina said.
"Again with the positivity," Tamaki said.
"Look, I don't know why you feel the need to beat yourself up so much, but it's gotta stop," Rina said. "As it stands, you're the only one who thinks you're worthless. Humility is fine but not to the point where you actively degrade your own worth."
"I'm with Howlett here, show some self-respect," Kirishima said. "Look, we all did our part, and that's what matters, everything else is irrelevant."
"You three, we're gonna get you to a hospital to rest and recover," Fat Gum said. "Wolverine and I have some investigating to do."
"Yes sir," Kirishima said.
Fat Gum still looked worried, "I've heard of these power boosting drugs, they were initially made to help people with weak quirks. But ones that completely erase a person's ability? That could be a really bad problem."
Meanwhile at the Parker Condo, within what was previously Mayday's room, Eri was seen sitting in her bed, the girl still looking confused and unsure about her situation. This was different, much different than what she's used to. She didn't feel scared, alone, or imprisoned. She felt comfortable, to an extent at least.
Overhaul still plagued her mind, and each day she worried he would find her and take her away from all this. "I wonder what will happen now? Will he find me? Will Spider-Man protect me? I think he will try to keep me safe, he's nice. But...those guys are mean, and cruel. I hope nothing bad happens to Spider-Man or his family...because of me."
She heard a knock on the door as it creaked open, "Eri, it's me Peter, can I come in?"
"Uh-huh," Eri said.
Peter came into the room, holding a plate for the girl, "I brought you something to eat. I hope you like curry."
"Curry?" Eri asked.
"Try it," Peter said, walking over to the girl and handing her the plate. "Can you feed yourself or do you want me to help?"
"I can do it," Eri said, taking the fork and scooping up some food.
"Oh be careful, you might-" Peter's warning came too late, Eri took a bite and nearly burned her tongue on the good, the girl's eyes watering as she huffed to cool herself. Peter was quick to give the girl a glass of milk, "Drink this. Sorry, I should have told you it was spicy."
Eri drank the milk, the burning sensation now gone, "It's okay, my mouth feels better. Thank you."
"Sure thing," Peter said, about to rub her head when she flinched. The hero quickly pulled back, looking very apologetic. "Sorry, didn't mean to startle you."
"You didn't..." Eri insisted, though didn't feel right leaving it at that. "Actually, maybe a little. But it's not your fault, please don't be sad."
Peter could tell that she still looked a bit frightened, despite all he and his family were doing to make her feel at home. He cursed Overhaul in his head for what he might have done.
"It's fine, I'm not sad about it. You just need more time here, might be easier if I leave you to your food," Peter said, standing up. "If you need anything you can let me, my wife or anyone else know."
"Wait..." Eri said. "Can you stay? I don't want to be lonely. It's just that, people aren't usually nice to me, but you seem different than them. You're not mean at all."
"They've hurt you, haven't they?" Peter asked, sitting beside her again. Eri slowly nodded, Peter's resentment building. "That was wrong, no one should hurt you. The idea that such a beautiful little girl like you went through such terrible things really irks me."
"Beautiful?" Eri felt a bit flustered, the girl not used to this type of praise. She had been called cute before but it always sounded empty and sarcastic. Even when Benjy calls her cute, she feels less flattered and more confused, not sure what to make of the boy's compliments. Here Peter was genuine, she can tell that he meant what he said about her looks, and it's a lot more than Overhaul has done. "I never have to see him again, do I?"
"Of course not, he's not coming anywhere near you," Peter said. "We're going to find him and send him and his friends to jail. They will never come anywhere near you."
"You'll keep me safe too?" Eri asked.
"You bet, I'm a superhero after all, and heroes help others," Peter said. "But of course, you don't have to be a superhero to help, anyone has the power to help other people. I just wish someone helped you sooner. I don't know what those people did to you but I'm going to make sure it doesn't happen to you again."
"...Thank you," Eri said. She leaned in as if she wanted to hug but kept reeling back, almost afraid to touch Peter. She tried fighting it, but her fear won out. "I'm sorry, I want to give you a hug, but..."
"You're not ready to, and that's fine," Peter said. "No physical contact unless necessary. I just want you to be safe and happy here, and one day, we might find you a good home."
"A new home?" Eri asked. "But...don't you want me here?"
"Huh? You want to stay here?" Peter asked. "Are you sure? I could get you a great home."
"You saved me, I can't go somewhere else, what if that someone isn't as nice as you?" Eri asked.
"Well..." Peter didn't know what to think. He wanted this girl safe, but he didn't expect to take her in. Of course, he won't tell her he won't, and truthfully he wasn't too eager to send her away. It was a big risk and while he was willing to ensure she had a proper family, that didn't mean Eri would feel safe around just anyone else. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to make you feel worried. I just want you to have a choice on who you want to live with."
"If it's my choice, then I want to stay here," Eri said. "I want to live here forever."
"That's adorable, and I'm flattered," Peter said. "But, you should know something first. I'm only living in this country for a few years. Once my daughter graduates from UA, I'm moving back to New York. That's all the way in America, not in Japan. Do you understand why I'm worried about you living with me? I don't want to just uproot you out of this country."
"It won't bother me, I can live in America with you," Eri said. "I really like you, and I know I don't come out of this room sometimes, but it's not because I don't like you. I just don't know what to do when I'm out there. But I'll get better, and I'll go with you wherever. I just want to be with you."
Peter couldn't help but feel a bit emotional. This girl has grown so attached to him for reasons he doesn't quite understand. But it's very obvious she feels safer with him and Peter doesn't want to be the reason she feels worried or unhappy.
"Let me talk this over with my wife later," Peter said. "But, I do like you Eri. You seem like a nice girl, and if you really do want to live here, well I can make room in this family for one more. But, you need to be sure this is what you want. I mean, you don't really know me that well, I might not be the best parent for you. But, we have time to figure that out, if you really do like it here, then you should be able to stay. If not, well I can think of better alternatives."
"Okay..." Eri said.
"Good, now eat up, that way you can be big and strong, like those nice kids who helped you," Peter said. "I'll stay here until you finish."
"Yes sir," Eri said.
"Peter, my name's Peter," the boy corrected.
"Okay Peter," Eri said, taking a bite.
"By the way Eri, has my son spoken much to you?" Peter asked.
"Uh, a little," Eri said. "Earlier today, he called me a Peach, and kept smiling at me. He even wanted to know if I wanted a boyfriend, Twilight didn't seem happy."
Peter lamented the situation, "Really not happy that he's flirting at his age, I blame Johnny's influence. Also Peach? Like what Mirio said the other day? Who told him that? Did he overhear Mirio?"
"What's flirting?" Eri asked. "And who's Johnny? And Mirio?"
"Mirio's that blonde boy who's friends with my daughter, and Johnny is a friend of mine. Also if you want to know about stuff like flirting and romance, talk to my wife," Peter said. "Actually, Peni and Amy would be able to help as well, mostly Amy."
"Which one is which?" Eri asked.
"Peni is the girl with black hair, she's technically my cousin but we call each other 'brother and sister'. Amy is the hedgehog girl, and she's very nice. She has a daughter around your age named Sonia, if you're ever interested, I can arrange a playdate."
"Playdate?" Eri asked.
"Uh, looks like I have some more stuff to teach you," Peter said. "Guess now's as good of a time as any."
"Teach me? Like school?" Eri asked.
"Good, you know what school is," Peter said. "While you're staying here, I guess I can homeschool you. Make sure you have a proper education; I did the same with my daughter for a while and I currently do the same for my son."
"Is it fun?" Eri asked.
"Depends, I can make it fun, what matters is you learn some of these things," Peter said. "Knowing Math and Basic Reading will get you places. Do you know how to read and write?"
"Not very well," Eri said.
"I can help you," Peter said. "Well, Peni might be good to teach you Japanese since she knows the kanji much better than I do. But I can teach you English. Then you'll be ready to go to America."
"What's America like?" Eri asked.
"It depends on the location. Me, I'm from Queens, New York. The neighborhoods are a bit poor but it's still a homey place," Peter said. "Anywhere can feel like home if you know how to settle in."
"Like here?" Eri asked.
"Yeah, I learned to settle in Japan for the time being," Peter said. "And you're learning to settle with me."
"Do you miss your home?" Eri asked.
"Yeah, I do get homesick," Peter said. "New York's such an awesome place. For starters, the pizza there is amazing! It has that authentic Italian style."
"What's Italian style?" Eri asked.
"Like it came from Italy," Peter said. "That's a country in Europe. My wife's from a country not too far away from Italy."
"Where is she from?" Eri asked.
"She's from Equestria, a magical place, literally," Peter said. "You might like it there, nice friendly folk, usually."
"She moved to New York too?" Eri asked.
"Yeah, she misses her home, but she likes it in Queens," Peter said. "She's happy because she has me, and our children. Home is where the heart is, and for Twilight, it's our family."
"Okay," Eri said. "What else is in New York?"
"Well, one day, I'll take you to Manhattan," Peter said. "Just a quick trip through the Midtown Tunnel and you'll see all the amazing sights. A trip through Central Park for starters. Then some cool architecture like The Chrysler Building, or The Empire State Building, or the Statue of Liberty. Even my personal Favorite, Avengers Tower."
"Avengers are Superheroes, right?" Eri asked.
"Exactly, and they're really nice people," Peter said.
"Like you?" Eri asked.
"It's not a competition," Peter said.
"If it was, you'd win," Eri said.
"Aw, you're so sweet kid," Peter said, then kissed her on the head. This took both of them by surprise, Eri was not used to this type of affection and Peter worried he went too far. "...Sorry, I hope I didn't cross the line there. I know you're still getting used to me."
"You did that because you care about me, right?" Eri asked.
"Well, yeah," Peter said. "You said something that made me happy, so I gave you a little kiss."
"Like you do for your kids?" Eri asked.
"Yeah, and my wife, or Peni, or Amy, just about anyone I love," Peter said.
"...You love me?" Eri asked.
"Uh, might have used too strong of a word," Peter said. "Don't get me wrong, I really do like you, and I want to love you. But, it's too soon to tell you that. I hope you're not too bothered."
"I'm not, and I like the kiss," Eri said. "No one's ever kissed my head like that, not since..."
"Hm? Since what?" Peter asked.
Eri shook her head, "Nothing...Thanks for the kiss."
"...You are just so cute sometimes," Peter said, holding his hand out, wanting to stroke her head, but pulled away, not wanting to startle her.
Eri figured out quickly what he wanted to do, he wanted to give her more physical affection, but was too afraid to. The girl knew if she was going to live here, if she was going to convince him to adopt her, she had to make herself more open to him.
She took his head and placed it on her face, letting him gently stroke her cheek as she gazed at him with her sweet, and innocent eyes. She wanted him to know this was okay, and that she wanted him to give her the physical love that she's yearned to have for the longest time.
It seemed to work very well, as it didn't take long for Peter to pull the girl into a hug, letting her rest on his chest as he gently stroked her head. Eri felt a strange sensation in her body, one she was not used to feeling. She wondered if this was happiness, she hasn't felt this way in so long that she didn't know how to respond, she just rested comfortably in the gentle fatherly grip of a man she had come to care about.
"I hear a lot about love at first sight, usually about a man falling in love with a woman, or vice versa," Peter recalled. "But, does it always have to be romantic? Can I love someone like a daughter, even though I just met her? This girl just came into my life, yet I want to give her the world. I want her to be happy, and I want to make her happy. I want her to be mine, my precious Eri-chan." Peter's eyes widened in realization, "I am so glad I'm not saying this out loud, where did that even come from? Eh, whatever, Eri's cute and I'm not going to be sorry for thinking so."
Later on, Peter had tucked Eri in bed, the girl having gotten tired. He placed one more kiss on her forehead before grabbing her plate and leaving the girl to her slumber.
As the hero went to the kitchen, he spotted Twilight working on some lesson plans for Momo while Amy sat beside her, checking on her tarot cards. Peni was asleep on the couch, an unfinished device right beside her.
"You were in there for quite a while, Peter," Twilight said.
"Yeah, Eri wanted company while she ate, then we started talking about stuff," Peter said. "I think she's really warming up to this place."
"That's good," Twilight said.
"It's weird though, she says she wants to live here now," Peter said.
"That's really sweet Peter, how is it weird?" Amy asked.
"I mean, we just met her, and she already wants to move in?" Peter asked. "I'm not against it, she's a cute little girl and all. However, I'm worried she's acting too fast. Plus I did have to remind her that we don't live in this country, still didn't deter her. I'm just amazed that she's already so interested in living with us."
"Peter, she's a little girl, kids her age tend to want things fast," Amy said.
"Plus, you did save her from that man, she's obviously going to be grateful," Twilight said.
"When you save someone's life, that someone usually becomes attached to the savior," Amy said. "Eri's attached to you now because you brought her into your home and took care of her without question. It may have only been for a short time but, it could be more than she's gotten in her life."
"She did finally confirm that those people have not been nice to her," Peter said. "She said that they've been hurting her."
"It bothers me that this poor girl may have gone through such terrible abuse, she still hasn't said exactly what it was either," Twilight said.
"Those scars are all we need to know that it was bad," Peter said. "It's fine, I'm getting closer to busting Kai Chisaki. I know where he is, and soon I'm taking action."
"Don't rush in, you know how emotional you can get," Twilight said.
"I know Twi. I won't do anything stupid; I'm going to be smart about it," Peter said.
"Need me to check the base out? With my speed and invisibility powers, I can do some recon no problem," Amy said.
"Too risky, I don't know who else is there, someone might have a counter to your abilities," Peter said. "There might be someone there that's stronger or faster, or someone with thermal vision. I'm not letting you go in alone."
"We'll come up with another plan," Twilight said.
"I got one, also I made calls," Peter said. "Got some friends from overseas."
"That's exciting," Peni said.
"I should see if anyone from my world can help too," Amy said. "Or who knows, maybe I can find Ryo."
"Just be careful, he doesn't have a license and Japan is way stricter about vigilante stuff than America," Peter said.
"I'll keep that in mind then," Amy said.
"By the way, Twilight," Peter said, getting her attention. "How would you feel about Eri living here?"
"Honestly, I wouldn't mind," Twilight said. "If she really wants to, I'd love to take her in."
"That would be so sweet, you two adopting a little girl," Amy said. "Something about adoption just feels like a special type of wholesome."
"Would you ever adopt?" Peter asked.
"Oh totally, if the opportunity came up at least," Amy said.
"We'll consider it then," Peter said. "If that's what she really wants."
"You'll have time to figure that out, right now we still need to do something about the Hassaikai," Twilight said. "How do you plan on doing this recon?"
"I got a little something I can use, or a few little somethings," Peter said, holding up a spider drone. "Lights, Camera and Action."
A few days later at UA.
"Yo, Kirishima! Check it out!" Kaminari said, showing him a phone. "Your superhero name is all over the place, it's freaking crazy! Fighting villains on your first patrol with Wolverine! And alongside his smoking hot daughter too! You're lucky man!"
"Dammit..." Bakugo muttered.
"You're so lucky, I haven't done anything that cool with The Human Torch yet!" Kaminari said.
"He and his wife are starting us off light," Jiro said. "But Johnny expects things to get chaotic soon."
"Hey check this out," Mina said, showing off her phone. "A picture of Tsu, Ochako and Midoriya with Spider-Man!"
"Oh, that's when we stopped for a corndog," Ochako said.
"When did they even have time to take that picture?" Tsuyu wondered.
"With your provisional licenses, you're all seen as heroes, so I thank you for your services," Tenya said. "But a student's top priority is academics, so let's hit those books!"
"Yeah let's learn stuff!" Kirishima shouted.
"Right!" Izuku said.
"Boring..." Mayday lamented.
"Huh? Boring!?" Tenya shouted. "You're still behind from your four-day suspension and you're barely taking it seriously!"
"It's just four days, I'll live," Mayday said. "No big deal if I'm a little behind."
"Mayday you need to stop acting like this is New York," Flurry said. "Make sure you catch up on your studies, and with A+ material. Unless you want Auntie Twilight to be ticked off again, she expects you to catch up as well after all."
"Ugh, this is why home schooling is better, schools are too bossy," Mayday said.
"It's for your own good!" Tenya scolded.
"Yo Kirishima, is it true that you've been struggling lately?" Kaminari asked.
"A little, but the teachers set up some extra lessons for me," Kirishima said.
"Sounds like something I need," Sero said.
"Remember, we all learn at our own pace," Momo said. "And as Princess Twilight would say, we all learn in our own ways."
"Yeah, exactly, and my pace is whatever I'm comfortable with," Mayday said.
"That reminds me," Momo turned to the girl. "Mayday, your mother has asked that I keep you on track with your schoolwork, so I would suggest you heed the warnings of Iida and your cousin by taking this a bit more seriously."
"Uh, what? You're my babysitter now or something?" Mayday asked. "There's no way I'm putting up with this. Don't forget that I-"
"Mayday..." Izuku said, getting her attention. "Be nice to Yaoyorozu, please."
"...Fine," Mayday said.
"I will forever envy Midoriya's way with Mayday, wonder if there's a secret to how he gained her respect? Is it because he spoke tough to her? No, that can't be it, anyone who talks tough to Mayday usually find themselves on the receiving end her sass, or even the risk of her getting physically aggressive. Guess it's just his charm that works," Momo said. "Oh, by the way, Midoriya?"
"Yeah?" Izuku asked.
"The other day when Peter came back in a foul mood, do you know exactly what happened?" Momo asked. "Twilight seemed really concerned and thinks something is bothering him, but she can't always get him to talk about his problems, do you know what might have happened?"
"Uh..." Izuku knew but wasn't sure how much he should say.
"Don't bother asking," Mayday said, covering for Izuku. "My dad doesn't like talking about his problems with anyone, if my mom doesn't know, Izuku won't either."
"Aren't you worried?" Kaminari asked.
"Well, yeah but my dad's a professional, if it's really bad he'll tell my mom, chances are someone just ticked him off and he doesn't feel it's worth giving attention to it," Mayday said.
"He did seem to cheer up when he saw me and Ochako training," Tsuyu said. "I think it would be good if we just stayed the course."
"Yeah, it keeps Peter happy," Ochako said.
During this, Izuku had a lot on his mind, "Pent up emotions, reminds me of All Might and Sir Nighteye. I still can't stop thinking about what happened between them. How Nighteye wants Togata to be the proper successor to One for All, and how he's betting Mayday's future in his company for that. I don't know the details, though I do understand the situation. Still, what if something like this happens again? Sir Nighteye was very displeased that Peter had me save that girl, why was it such a bad thing do to? She's safe at his apartment yet I'm wondering if we made the right call. Peter said being a hero means sometimes looking like the bad guy, I just don't understand how that could help? How can I be Number One if I'm seen like the opposite of what a hero should be? What if...they see me less as a hero...and more like a Menace?"
"Something bothering you?" Mayday asked, getting his attention.
"Oh, it's nothing," Izuku said. "But can I ask you something?"
"Sure, what is it?" Mayday asked.
"What does doing the right thing mean to you?" Izuku asked. "Is it worth if it people hate you? Or is just doing the right thing all that matters?"
"Is this about Eri?" Mayday asked, making sure no one overheard. "Izuku, you and dad made the right call. I mean, you trust my dad, don't you?"
"I want to," Izuku said.
"Then stop worrying so much," Mayday said. "I guarantee that in several years, that girl will be happy that you saved her life, actually I'm pretty sure she's happy now. She likes it at my parents' place, she's very happy there. Granted she doesn't smile much, if at all, but she seems comfortable."
"How can you tell?" Izuku asked.
"She's already super attached to my dad, and if he's not around, she's comfortable with my mom or Aunt Peni," Mayday explained. "Just stop freaking out so much about this. You did something great and it's gonna get better once we bust Chisaki."
"...Sure," Izuku said.
"Hey...are you still thinking about All Might and Nighteye?" Mayday asked.
"Sometimes," Izuku said.
"Look, All Might has to deal with this on his own," Mayday said. "It's great that you want to help but you can't always be the one who solves everything. Some people you can't really help unless the person wants help."
"Right, of course," Izuku said. "I'll do my best."
"Izuku, you are a very caring boy, and I admire that about you," Mayday said. "It's one of the reasons I want to try and be better. I know I suck at it but you motivate me to not give up. Thank you for being you."
"Sure," Izuku said. He then felt a kiss on the cheek from Mayday, taking him by surprise.
"Arigatō, tomoyo," Mayday said, getting off her seat.
"Her accent's gotten better...guess she is giving some effort to fit in more, even if it's small," Izuku noted. "If Mayday looks to me as an example of how to better herself, I should keep being that inspiration she needs."
This little exchange did not go unnoticed by Ochako, the girl feeling a bit jealous, especially after seeing that kiss. "Whatever you're up to Mayday, it's not going past me. I will aim for the Number One Spot just as well as you or Deku. I will prove that I am worthy of Deku's attention, and to be Spider-Man's sidekick. I will make them both proud!"