Waves laced with flora wrap themselves around the pillars of the pier. Salty brine filters into the oceanic air, that strong scent wafting with every gust of wind. The boards beneath Izuku's feet creak under his weight. The planks are uneven, mismatched even; aged cypress and dull red cedar create the docking. Golden sunbeams shine down on the harbor, illuminating the boats anchored there. Each ship rocks in the water, swaying with the loose foundation of the quay.
Another breeze passes through, ruffling the plain t-shirt Izuku's wearing as much as the wind tousles his hair. He's grateful Hawks requested that he dress down today, leading him to abandon his hero uniform for a pair of tan cargo shorts and something lighter. Sweat drips from his brow followed by his chin, the droplets hitting the already damp flooring. The heat of the beach creates a glare on the bay that forces Izuku to squint. Yet, it's still difficult for him to see the purpose of meeting here today instead of in the city like last time.
Twiddling his toes in a pair of flip flops, feet floating between the dock and the water, hovers Hawks. He plucks a cherry red popsicle from his mouth with a pop before smiling and waving with it upon noticing his intern's arrival. Instantly, Izuku notes the hero's attire is also more leisurely; a beach shirt covered in peacock printing and bermuda shorts flap in the wind with his wings. "Yo", Hawks greets Izuku before gracefully landing and putting his popsicle back into his mouth, "Nrrc drey, hrrh?"
Izuku stops short, cocking his head with confusion in his face. He glances left and right before flicking his gaze back to the man in front of him. "Um.. What?", he asks.
Hawks bites off a chunk of his popsicle to suck on the flavored ice before sliding the rest out of his mouth in order to speak more clearly. He repeats himself, "Nice day."
"Oh", Izuku nods, "Yeah.." He looks around the pier again, as though he missed something the first time. "I hope you don't mind me asking", the back of his head suddenly itches and he can't help but scratch it, "But why exactly are we here?"
"Good question", Hawks gestures towards Izuku with his half eaten popsicle, "I don't mind it at all" Before taking another bite off. "I've been thinking..", he swallows, "What's the point of taking you on patrol with me if you're only going to slow me down, ya know?"
Izuku reciprocates swallowing, though his is dry. He pats the pant legs of his shorts, trying to dry off his hands that have become as sweaty as the rest of him. "I-"
"So I called in a favor for today", Hawks flourishes and waves his popsicle while stepping aside to present a particular boat docked behind him, "I thought it'd be a good change of pace to have you try another mode of transportation."
Scrawled in bright painted kanji, Izuku reads 'The Oki Mariner'. The sixty five foot vessel resembles a cutter with a crew of sailors already on board. Izuku's eyes widen. Among the group is a girl that he recognizes from class. Garbed in a lime green turtleneck wetsuit, a greenette with equally big eyes hops from the boat's deck onto the railing. She croaks like a frog with equal surprise evident in her otherwise expressionless face, "Midoriya?"
Izuku has to do a double take, his brain clocking overtime to register the coupled amounts of shock. "Asui?", he blinks back his surprise when she leaps down from the boat onto the dock.
"Call me Tsuyu", the fellow greenie holds up one of her fingers to correct him. Izuku notices how unnaturally big her hands are when that same finger moves to rest curiously on her chin. "What are you doing here?", the girl ribbits.
"I think I can answer that", everyone diverts their attention to the direction of another feminine voice. A voice that belongs to a woman sporting a sleeveless sailor uniform, blue hair and blue fins drawing focus to her face. "I'm Sirius", she introduces herself first and foremost before joining them and explaining, "And Hawks here spoke to the captain and it's been decided that we got room for one more on the ship."
Izuku meets his gaze with Asui's again before clearing his throat and addressing Sirius, "With all due respect.. My internship is with Hawks and not you" He moves to cross his arms over his chest but opts for setting his hands on his hips instead, "I can't just be passed off to somebody else."
Hawks finishes his popsicle before flicking the stick away, "It's just for one day, kid" His shoulders roll with a shrug, "Try not to take it too personally."
Now, Izuku crosses his arms. "It's kinda hard not to when the reason is because I hold you back", he grumbles his frustrations loud enough to be heard over the waves hitting the harbor.
Sirius glances between the hero and his intern before chiming back in, "This isn't a cruise ship, ya know" She gestures with a thumb over her shoulder to point out the crew working to set sail, "Try not to hold us back either."
"The whole purpose of this exercise is to help you", Hawks moves closer to speak with Izuku while taking on a more serious expression and tone, "You're too reliant on the landscape of the city to think of anything outside the box" He taps the side of his head with his fingers for emphasis before pointing out at the sea with them, "I can fly over open water while you with your chainsaws would just sputter out" The hero then rests a hand on the boy's shoulder, "The aim of this isn't to pass you off to be somebody else's problem but to help you stretch your wings", giving it a good squeeze.
Izuku stares out at the vast ocean, suddenly understanding what Hawks means. "I see", he turns back to address Sirius with an apologetic bow, "I didn't mean any disrespect."
"None taken", she waves it off.
"Water under the bridge – or dock, in this case", which Hawks does as well. He flaps his wings to lift off. "Good luck, kid, I expect you to have learned something by the time I come back to pick you up", and then he's gone.
"Come on", Sirius gestures with her finned head for Izuku to follow, "Let's introduce you to the captain."
"I'm surprised heroes can do this", Asui uses her trademarked thinking finger to scratch the top of her head, "Though I guess I'm not complaining. It's nice to see a familiar face."
Izuku nods in agreement, the feeling mutual. "It was a little nerve wracking being on my own for the first night", he steps up from the dock onto the Oki Mariner.
Asui follows after him, though she adds a little more spring to her step. "Did you have trouble sleeping too?"
"Ah.. Not really", Izuku lets out a resigned chuckle as he places a hand over his chest, "I got used to sleeping without my dog after a while."
"I know what you mean", Asui's response makes Izuku glance over at her. She notices and elaborates, "I have a bunch of younger siblings that I used to share a room with."
Izuku hums, mulling that over. To suddenly have an absence of family, it's a feeling he's all too familiar with. Now more than ever after losing his mother. "You must miss them", he tries not to sound too somber as he offers her some form of empathy.
But their conversation gets disrupted when the ship shifts under the heavy weighted stomps of a muscular man's boots. Sporting a wetsuit like Asui, though blue and not as compact, is a humanoid spotted seal. Yellow goggles rest atop his head and gray whiskers hang from his chin to make a beard. "Well, what do we have here?", he towers over the hero students so much so that his shadow completely blocks out the sun, "A scallywag looking to join my crew?"
"Captain Selkie!", Sirius salutes before she gestures towards Izuku in order to introduce him, "This is our intensive intern for the day.. Izuku Midoriya."
"Oh-ho! Hawks told me about this one!", Selkie leans down to get a closer look at the latest member of his crew, "You're not what I was expecting but welcome aboard."
Izuku raises an eyebrow before shrugging the comment off and bowing respectfully anyways, "I'm not sure what you were expecting but I'll try to live up to those expectations."
"No doubt in my mind that you will", the captain stands back up. Then Selkie nods, satisfied. "Prepare to set sail. We've got a rendezvous with the coast guard and there's no room for slackers around here."
"Sir yes sir!", Sirius gives another salute. When she sees the two interns aren't performing the same action, she gives each of them a nudge. They follow along when they realize their mistake. "I'll whip these two into shape in no time!"
She starts by handing each of them a mop to swab the deck. It seems like boring work to pass the time, hardly anything that'll amount to real progression with helping either one improve towards becoming a hero, but it at least gives Izuku some time to contemplate what Hawks had told him. It's true. He'd been too focused on how to utilize his environment within the city that he hadn't considered what he would do should he be placed in a different setting. He'd been subconsciously holding himself back. And by doing so, he also held back Hawks. Izuku's grip on the mop handle tightens when he thinks about how ignorant he was being.
It's true, out on the open water he'll be forced to rethink his methods of movement. There's no sturdy structure or surface for him to glide on with his chainsaws. He contemplates water skiing but gives up on the comparison when considering the stark contrast between using concrete and liquid as a means to skate. The steel of his chainsaws are too heavy. They'll weigh him down. His movements will be more restricted than freed. To go quirkless though… That's no better. He surely wouldn't be able to swim at a pace as fast as Hawks or a boat. Izuku frowns. He's stumped for the time being.
"Why the long face? Cleaning duty is too boring for you?", Sirius snaps him out of his internal musings by invading his personal space. He reels back as she cranes her neck forward, their foreheads nearly knocking together.
"Wha- No! I mean, a little – but no", Izuku stumbles with both his footing and his words as he tries to recover. He blushes, embarrassed. "I was just thinking is all.."
"Well, let's see you daze off when you're busy unfastening the ropes", Sirius snaps her fingers and motions for him to get on the left side of the ship. Izuku does as he's ordered, spotting Asui across the way and handling the right side. "One, two! One, two!" Her chants to get them synchronized soon has them flowing properly.
The ropes catch and slide through Izuku's hands, making him hiss. Nevertheless, he sees how much control the lines have over the ship's steering and sense of direction. The boat departs from the harbor with a swift turn. "There we go", Izuku winces and grunts as he pulls in sync with the others. The thin wires are given power through his arms as they flex to maintain a firm foundation.
"Now that's what I call teamwork!", Sirius claps him and Asui on the back once they manage to pull off the task.
"Are you okay, Midoriya?" Asui takes note of Izuku closing and clenching his hands. She takes them in hers to inspect, concerned when she sees rope burns.
"I- It's nothing, Tsuyu" Izuku tries pulling his hands away but she doesn't let him go so easily. "Really, I'm fine."
Sirius notices next and steps closer to see for herself. "We should get you bandaged", she tsks when she sees the injury.
"I'm telling you, it's fine" Izuku sighs but relents and allows them to tend to his wound anyways.
"If any of my little brothers tried to hide their scraped knees, I'd be upset, so don't go trying to undermine yourself when you're hurt", Asui scolds him as his hands are wrapped with gauze by Sirius. The sight of a greenette concerned for his well being reminds him of his mother. Unable to work up an argument, he nods.
Selkie steps out of the ship's control room, joining them on the deck. He carries with him a portable radio, the comm switched off as he addresses his crew. "Just got off the line with the coast guard. There was a tip that the Nysan trade ship had a couple of stowaways", he informs them of the situation they're sailing towards.
Sirius finishes tending to Izuku, tightening the bandages wrapped around his hands. Then she shifts to ask, "And?"
"The coast guard inspected the Nysan but the stowaways were nowhere to be found", Selkie pauses to scratch his beard before adding, "However… they DID find cargo missing from the ship's freight list."
"I see", the fins on either side of Sirius' face flap when she frowns, "Do either of you interns know what this means?"
Asui answers first, "The stowaways moved the cargo to another ship before the coast guard arrived."
"That's correct", Selkie nods in approval. "The stowaways were more than likely smuggling brokers", he spits his disgust out and over the side of the ship.
"They got away?", Izuku asks.
"Not quite", Sirius waves for them to follow her into the control room. "We can search the surrounding area with radar", and points towards the console where a sonar system runs.
"Exactly", Selkie gives her a thumbs up before addressing the interns, "And while you monitor that… I'll take a more direct approach in the ocean thanks to my quirk."
"Aye aye, sir!" The three crewmates salute their captain before he departs by diving over the railing of the boat. When he does, Izuku rushes to the handlebars to peer over and catch a glimpse of the hero's shadowy form darting through the water like a torpedo. Selkie is in his element, capable of using the ocean as a way to enhance his means of transportation. Izuku can't help but wonder what the hero does on land though. He thinks to ask Selkie when the man returns.
In the meantime, he returns to the control room to monitor the radar. Or so that's what he expects to do. Sirius switches the sonar off before flicking a few more switches. The boat's motor fizzles out and the ship comes to a standstill as though anchored. "What's going on?", he asks the woman as she taps a few keys on the control panel to disable the radio next.
"If you're tired of all the work the captain and I have been putting you through, then I've got some good news", Sirius pivots to flash him a grin and a peace sign, "We can relax for the rest of the day now!"
"Ribbit?", Asui is just as dumbfounded as her fellow intern.
"Captain Selkie should be able to handle the search himself. The odds of us finding anything stationed here are slim to none; he left us to keep us out of trouble in actuality", Sirius waves off their concern as she steps out of the control room.
Izuku falters before chasing after her through and out the doorway, "B- But–"
When he steps outside, he nearly trips over himself. He doesn't expect to see Sirius bending over as she slides her sailor skirt down her thighs to her knees. His eyes catch a glimpse of white and cerulean striped buttocks before he turns away. "What are you doing?!", his voice comes out a shrill squeak of a scream as he flushes red.
"Going for a swim", Sirius replies with a muffled voice as she slides the top part of her uniform over her head to unveil a frilly bandeau, "Duh" Izuku peeks from the corner of his peripheral vision to see the striped panties from earlier were actually just the bottom half of a two piece bikini.
"Seriously?!", his jaw nearly hits the deck. He makes the mistake of looking at Sirius fully now. There's a rise to her breasts as she arches her back to relinquish herself of the stuffy top she'd worn prior. Her long legs turn her around as she discards the shirt with a careless tiny toss. Her rear end laced with the stripes of her bikini bottom stretches out as she bends the other way in order to dive over the ship. The splash of water as she disappears from view isn't enough to fully snap him out of his trance.
"You can pick your mouth up off the floor now, Midoriya" It's only when he hears Asui that he comes close. He blushes ferociously, prepared to apologetically face her. Except, his jaw unlatches a second time. He gets a full view of his classmate in her own bathing suit. This one also striped, albeit lemon yellow and lime green, clings to her body tighter than her wetsuit did. Her thighs are thicker than Sirius' were, the bottom of her bikini trimming them in a way that shows how plump her ass is as she stands to the side. She looks over her shoulder where a strap hangs loose, her boobs still propped but not as tightly.
"You too?!", Izuku manages to find his voice but it's still a shrill shriek that he's not proud of. He's not proud of himself in any way for that matter currently. He finds that his body won't allow him to move. He can't raise his arms to cover his eyes nor can he twist to turn away. Asui glances down at herself, taking note of the loose strap, but doesn't fix it. That only draws his gaze even more.
The girl ribbits as she heads to where Sirius dove off. Her diving stance compared to the woman's accentuates her ass in a much more provocative way. A squat position reminiscent to that of a frog somehow expands the width of her backside even further. "I didn't take you for such a prude", she leaves him with a parting shot before joining Sirius in the sea.
Izuku groans, leaning against the frame of the control room's doorway to use as a crutch. It takes a moment for him to cool off, his body hot and bothered not just by the sun anymore. He feels a warm liquid trickling down his lip and wipes it away with the back of his hand. He nearly chokes on his own saliva when he sees blood and not sweat smeared on his dorsal side. Izuku groans again, realizing he had a nose bleed.
He pulls his shirt off to use as a rag, holding it to his nose. After a few dabs, his white tee is spotted with red stains. It's a punishment that he's deserving of, he figures. Izuku tosses it into the pile of other discarded clothing. It's at least refreshing to let his bare chest breathe a bit. He even contemplates cooling off further by joining the girls in the water. But decides against it. He sits on the edge of the ship, letting his legs dangle over.
He stares out at the open water. The vast ocean met by the horizon glistens under the sun. He partly gasps and partly exhales, amazed by how the sky reflects in the sea. Each as blue as they are clear, he can find himself staring deeply into the endless expanse forever. So he closes his eyes. He feels the warmth of the sun beating down on him coupled with the soothing touch of a cold but gentle breeze. He listens to the seagulls flying overhead and chuckles when he can't help but think of Hawks when hearing a bird. Izuku relaxes, feeling the slow sway of the ship.
The palpitating pulse of the sea is as steady as the ocean's current. Izuku knows that if Jirou could hear the waves, she would find it tranquil. Reminding himself of her brings a smile to his face. He briefly wonders how her internship is going. He wonders if it's anything like his. And if so, he ultimately would wonder what she looks like in a bikini compared to Asui and Sirius. Izuku shakes his head, trying to clear out those thoughts. When his brain threatens to conjure up imaginary images of what Jirou in a bikini might look like, he opens his eyes to look at the ocean again instead.
Extended combers of water curling into arched formations bring ripples to the brim of the boat. Izuku tracks the swelling froth out to sea where he spots the source of disruption. A smaller vessel than the one he's on catches waves as it travels through the tide. He's on his feet in an instant. Considering the odds of a registered ship coincidentally entering their space as they try to track down pirates are slim to none, Izuku hurries back towards the control room. As he does, he shouts over the railing to his disboarded crewmates, "Tsuyu! Sirius! I spotted something! Hurry back up!"
A pair of binoculars hang from a hook by the doorway. Izuku snatches them while flicking the switches that Sirius had hit earlier. The ship sputters back to life as its systems return to being online. The radar makes a noise when a blip enters its echo location radius; the unidentified watercraft matches the trajectory reading. Izuku slings the binocular strap over his head before bringing the lens to his eyes. It takes some twisting of magnifying dials to zoom in but he manages to get a better look with them.
The pirate's head turns, noticing him. It's a cephalopodic face, the mantle of an octopus, tentacles trimming the bottom like a beard. Izuku whimpers when the steel sword raised above him glints in the sun, the villain's shadow enveloping him in darkness to see its sharpness all the better. The pirate cocks his boot back, winding up, and then kicks Izuku in the side with his pointed foot.
"You…", Izuku tastes the bitter salt in the ocean air when his mouth parts to gasp. He recognizes the cerisen skin covered in papillae bumps. He remembers the siphon-like mouth and the leather cap atop the pirate's head. Izuku closes his mouth, jaw tightening and teeth grinding together. Through seething breaths, he growls the villain's name that he committed to memory, "Innsmouth."
"Pochita!", Izuku watches as his pet dog plants its paws into the pier's planks to stand its ground between him and Innsmouth. The little orange animal snarls with as much intimidation as it can muster while protectively placing itself between the criminal and its owner. Pochita barks between growls, baring his fangs. The pirate hesitates, taken aback by the tiny creature's ferocity, but quickly recovers with his own tenacity. "Why, you little mutt!", the villain points his weapon downwards and thrusts it forward.
The jab makes the blade spear Pochita, eliciting a yelp from the small canine. "POCHITA!", Izuku shrieks as he catches his wounded pet in his arms. Tears stream out in large sprays like the blood spewing from the dog's injury. Izuku rolls over to get on his hands and knees, one arm clutching Pochita close to his chest, so that he can make an effort to crawl away. The next yowl of agony comes from the blade passing through the boy's back and out the other end, stabbing into Pochita a second time.
"Damn dogs and kids!", the villain withdraws his sword and more blood leaks through the planks of the pier. He brings his blade back down so that it lances through Izuku's shoulder in order to express his rage, "I can't stand them!" Izuku howls in torment as he holds Pochita close to him, their life liquids mixing into a sopping mess of red. The dagger cuts through them both a few more times, chopping at the boy and his pet until their breaths turn as ragged as their bodies.
Izuku feels his lungs pulling for all their worth to draw in oxygen. Lethargically long intakes and outtakes of air leave him panting, the boy quickly becoming winded. He has a hand placed over his chest where he can feel his heart pounding into his palm. Izuku wraps his fingers around Pochita's tail, holding it as tight as he can. He's still gasping. It's hard to breathe.
"Midoriya, are you okay?" A cool compress slathers his shoulder. Chills course throughout his body from the sudden cold contact. It makes him inhale sharply but the flow of oxygen regulates back to normal like a much needed reboot to his startled system. Izuku swivels his head to see that a hand is gripping his shoulder. Damp from swimming, Asui stands in the doorframe with water dripping onto the floor.
Sirius follows behind her, pushing her way through the door and into the room. She's also drenched, slick in her bathing suit. "What's going on?", the heroine pauses to assess the situation before taking the binoculars from Izuku.
"I'm pretty sure we found our stowaway smugglers", Izuku shrugs off Asui's moist touch and steps up to the control console so he can check the radar again. The blip is still within their radius, meaning the boat hasn't gotten away yet.
Sirius brings the binoculars up to her eyes, peering through them to see for herself what Izuku had spotted. "Holy shit…", the heroine swears under her breath before swallowing down any other curses and tossing the binoculars to Asui. "They sure look like pirates", she then grabs the radio to use the comm line, "We'll notify the coast guard and inform Captain Selkie."
"That's it? They'll be gone before anybody can arrive!", Izuku clings to Pochita's tail while still eyeing the ship's radar system. The blip is gradually gaining distance, and will soon be out of range soon enough.
Sirius shakes her head, "We can't act of our own accord. Not without Captain's orders. Especially you two only being interns."
Izuku shares a glance with Asui, seeking her support on the matter. The greenette averts her gaze. He falters before looking back towards their superior. Sirius stays occupied tending to the comm system that she doesn't notice him beginning to back away. Realizing he's on his own, Izuku turns his back on them before wandering out of the room. It's not until Asui makes a croaking noise that Sirius realizes he's left.
Sirius does a double take, stepping away from comms. When the radio buzzes to indicate she's made contact with the coast guard, she pauses. "Froppy! Go after him!", Sirius flicks a finger in the direction of the door to pass the problem onto her subordinate. She then returns to the transmission system, slipping on a headset to communicate properly.
Asui nods with an affirmative ribbit. When she pursues Izuku, however, she finds him not far off from the exit of the room. He leans with his arms on the ship's railing, staring out at the open sea where the smuggler's ship sails. He turns his head ever so slightly to fix her with a sideways glance. Asui stops, taken aback.
"Earlier, you asked me if I was okay… I'm not", Izuku still clings to the tiny string that dangles from his chest as he confides in her, "I told you I miss my dog. I didn't tell you the reason why is because that guy out there is the one who took em from me" Izuku's gaze hardens when he redirects it back towards the smuggler's ship.
"I'm sorry", Asui cautiously approaches him until they're side by side, "But even so… Aside from quirk law, it's not like you could reach him even if you wanted to" She gently grabs his arm in an effort to console him.
But she quickly draws her hand back when Izuku's glare flicks towards her. "Are you forgetting the reason I came here was to learn how to reach bad guys who are out of reach?", the same level of intensity in his eyes is also in his voice. Asui stumbles back, suddenly sensing something akin to bloodlust. Her eyes are drawn to the ripcord he's been gripping; he has a finger looped through the handle's hole.
The ropes catch and slide through Izuku's hands, making him hiss. Nevertheless, he sees how much control the lines have over the ship's steering and sense of direction. The boat departs from the harbor with a swift turn. The thin wires are given power through his arms as they flex to maintain a firm foundation.
"Well, I figured it out."
It comes eroding from the center of Izuku's face; the bursting brattle of a chainsaw, caustic and loud. Arteries are ruptured as they're torn open even further, various blood jets spraying ubiquitously. The metallic malformation of his head turning into an engine of violence glistens under the slick shade of crimson. When arm bars sprout from his arms, the chains skirt off from their rotation. Bending with a crack of sparks more coercive than the snap of a whip, the sharp links of steel lasso into lengthened extensions. Izuku upswings the fetters so that they slice through the air. Grappling over a vast stretch of water until clearing the distance between boats, the chains hook inwards so that they are able to latch onto the smuggler's ship.
Izuku's feet fly off from the deck as he's pulled away by the boat he's snagged with his impromptu fishing line. His heels hit the water when he goes over the ship's side, catching an updrift of sea spray. Carried by his chain cables, Izuku skims the surface of the ocean. Droplets of drool mingle with specks of water when his metal maw opens up for his elongated tongue to flop in the wind. "Surf's up!", Izuku cackles with glee while the boat pulls him behind it.
Innsmouth's barbel beard swishes with his head when he looks back from the ship's steering wheel. "No.. Not you!", a spittle spray of ink spills from his siphon-like mouth as he utters his disbelief. The tentacle appendages that make up his arms quiver, suction cups releasing the helm, one of the trembling limbs a shade lighter than the rest. He clutches the tendril with another; it's a memento from his first encounter with Izuku.
"Glad you remember me, Octopussy!" Izuku leans on the chains he's using as reigns to stay with the boat. "I wouldn't be satisfied carving you into calamari if you didn't!"
"You little–", Innsmouth draws his sword from its sheath. Autopilot engages so that the tiller can allow for the navigation system to be left unattended. The pirate stomps forwards with pointed boots until he reaches the back of the boat. Once there, Innsmouth raises his cutlass so that he can chop down in an effort to hack away the chains Izuku uses to drag himself along for the ride.
Steel clashes with steel. Izuku's chains rattle as the sword grinds along their front end. Innsmouth slashes with his cutlass, trying to cut across. The fetters don't snap. To make matters worse for the pirate, Izuku begins reeling himself in. "Brothers!", Innsmouth calls for his siblings to join him. Hearing their captain's tone filled with panic, the crew comes quickly. Innsmouth raises his sword so that its tip points at Izuku. "Kill him!"
"Ha!", Izuku guffaws when he sees the band of misfits rushing about in an effort to stop him, "You're gonna need something better than that thin little stick you call a sword if you wanna cut ME down!"
"Oh, we got something for you, brat!" One of the squids hoists a large metal cylinder over their shoulders. It's only when the weapon is leveled that Izuku realizes it's a harpoon. "Try this on for size!"
"Whoa!", Izuku tugs on his chains so that he glides to the right in order to avoid the thick spear. A crash of water from the impact behind him splashes his back.
"Again!", Innsmouth barks his orders for them to reload the gun. The squids load a metal rod into the chamber before aiming it for a second shot. "Fire!", and they shoot it.
This time, Izuku takes the harpoon square in the stomach. He's speared through his gut, pointed end coming out the other side of him. Pulled down by the drag force and taken with the momentum, his chains rip off the boat's trimming as he's hauled under the sea surface. Innsmouth gives a giddy shout with the rest of his crew when Izuku is carried deep beneath the water. Red blots blue as blood rushes to the top of the ocean.
As Izuku sinks, he thinks about how he's been here before. The first time, Pochita had bailed him out. Maybe the wonder dog can do it again. Izuku reaches for the string floating with a trail of bubbles behind it. The cold depths of the ocean recedes when a warmth comes from his heart. Heat spreads throughout his body as he gives the ripcord a good tug. The chainsaws rev back to life, his amber orbs for eyes radiating a rejuvenated glow.
Innsmouth and his crew celebrate with highfives and hearty laughs. One squid slings an arm over the other's shoulders, swaying with their sibling. Booted feet step and slide around the boat's floor as they dance around it. The slick but solid surface collects a series of thuds. Not just from their stomping though. Splitting polyethylene as it carves its way through the bottom of the boat, a chainsaw springs a leak by piercing the deck.
Innsmouth's shout becomes one of terror, followed by equally horrified screeches from his squid siblings. The flooring gets shredded from underneath until a person sized hole is torn into the freeboard. Izuku climbs out from the opening, one leg hoisted over the other so that he can pull himself up. He's the one who's laughing now. The squids cower from the boy's crazed state, alarmed that he has the harpoon spear still protruding from him all the while.
"What are you doing?! Get him!", Innsmouth swings his cutlass haphazardly in a panic. Izuku deflects the blade with a chainsaw, manacles now rebound to the bars. Sparks spray from the collision with a resounding scrape of sharpened steel.
One of the squids plucks a flintlock pistol from its holster before firing a bullet into Izuku's knee. Izuku cries out as he's forced down to a squat. While he's crouched though, he retaliates with a swipe of his chainsaws. The metallic teeth bite the squid's calf. An eye for an eye, or rather, a leg for a leg.
Another of the pirates spears Izuku's side. Between two of his ribs, the blade digs deep. Izuku grunts and growls before lacerating the squid's tentacle arms. Blood splatters the deck and boots squeak as the rest advance on him. A roar erupts from the boy. Chainsaws flare up and down, cutting and slicing, the squids having made the mistake of getting too close.
Innsmouth backs away, the cutlass in his hand shaking. He eventually finds himself with nowhere left to go. His back is pressed up against the steering wheel of the ship. Izuku finishes off his siblings, leaving them with wounds that won't kill them but that certainly puts them out of commission. Then, with a limp that slurs his movements to a slow sway, Izuku comes for the captain of the pirates.
"N- Now, listen here! Listen, boy, don't do anything rash!", Innsmouth waves his sword about in an effort to fend off Izuku but the threats are seemingly empty as they do nothing to stop the advancement. With no other options, the pirate resorts to the last trick he has up his sleeve; liquid gushes up his throat before breaching the surface of his siphon-like mouth. A stream of ink shoots out.
Izuku instinctively raises his arms, shielding himself from most of the blackout slime with his chainsaws, but some does manage to cover his eyes. Knowing Innsmouth will use that opening as an opportunity to attack, he moves forward to meet his enemy head on. The thin blade of the pirate's cutlass stabs Izuku's shoulder. He keeps going. Izuku brings his own sharpened weapons down. The chainsaws crash into the circuitry of the ship when Innsmouth ducks out of the way.
A small explosion blows both fighters back. Flames destroy the tiller as the helm is engulfed in fire. The ship slows as half of it falls apart. Then, it starts to tilt. The descent of a sinking boat makes Izuku slide down more so than Innsmouth, allowing the pirate to scramble back up to his feet first. Water begins rising as it flows over and fills the space. Blood coupled with salt from the ocean darkens the flooding liquid. Fire casts over everything, smoke filtering through the air.
Innsmouth retrieves his cutlass, plucking it from Izuku's shoulder with a swift yank. Izuku shouts as he slashes blindly as a reflex. Innsmouth stumbles, splashing about in knee high water. The ink covering the metal shell of Izuku's head melts away until he can peer through again. Innsmouth lashes out with a yell, sword slicing open the boy's anterior. Another cry comes from Izuku and another violent swing of his chainsaws. Another miss. Innsmouth swashes away just in the knick of time to avoid being cut.
Blood seeps from Izuku's wounds, conjoining with the murky water that's now reached he and his opponent's waistline. Innsmouth feints with his cutlass before cutting Izuku again. The chainsaws that had been so full of ardor are starting to stall. Slowing their spin and sputtering like the boat's engine, they lose their power. Izuku breathes heavily, dropping down to one knee, the muddled mess of darkened water covering him to his neck when he does so. A shadow casts over him as Innsmouth moves in for the finishing blow.
"Got anymore vile things to say NOW, boy?!" Innsmouth relishes in the moment. The pirate raises his cutlass high above his head. A breeze rustles his coat and barbel beard.
"Yeah…", Izuku coughs before baring his fangs into a massive grin, "Go fuck yourself!"
Effervescence surrounds the blackened water around Innsmouth before chains erupt from below him. The manacles trammel him by looping around his body in a criss cross pattern. The pirate shrieks as he's dragged down and wrapped in chains. Thanks to the bloodied water, he never saw the sneak attack coming. Innsmouth drops his sword, letting it sink. He's been caught. Izuku pushes himself up so that he stands over the villain.
A horn alerts them both to the arrival of The Oki Mariner. Izuku turns his head to see the incoming boat. Sirius pilots the vessel while Asui tosses a lifebuoy ring out for Izuku to catch. Selkie swims alongside his ship before boarding the remains of the pirate's. The hero helps his injured intern carry the captured villain away. All the while, another hero hovers out of sight from above. Hawks watches the cleanup and the aftermath with a plaintive expression.
Hidden within the mist of the clouds, he flies away. While Izuku may have freed himself with his flow of movement… Hawks knows that this stunt, without a provisional license at the very least, will reflect poorly on the boy. This is exactly the kind of opportunity Makima will capitalize on. In other words… Izuku may not be chained down anymore, but he will surely be kept on a leash.
AUTHOR'S NOTES
Am I gonna have to make the rating M now? I'm very dangerously walking that line.
Either way, THIS is why it was important not to skip those early flashback chapters! Nevertheless, I reincorporated some of the flashbacks into now in a way that I hope worked with the flow as a nice recap.
And I was finally able to have Izuku figure out how to fully use his chains, so you can expect some Spider-Man styled swinging when he returns to the city.
