This was supposed to be a small segment, but then, Best Girl had other ideas...
She cast a smug smirk down from her place hovering in the air, down at the struggling hero, who gazed at her with intensity enough to almost cause her to shiver.
"Come on, Yuha," she said with a taunting tone, her green aura flaring a tad brighter—
"Gkh!"
And forcing the hero back down to his knees, the spiderwebs in the dirt around him spreading further.
She stretched her arms.
"Is this all you can do?" Tatsumaki shook her head with a fake, despondent sigh. "I expected better of you," she said, one arm trailing down her form, noting with satisfaction how despite his struggles against the artificial gravity, Yuha's eyes remained fixed upon the digit. "Saw me your power, your esper power, that is, and if you manage to touch me," she trailed off and winked. "Well…"
Yuha's eyes bulged down below as he roared and pushed to his feet despite her pressing down on him with a force exceeding fifteen times gravity. It was more than he could handle right now, with the man barely accustomed to ten times and yet…
She could feel it, the maelstrom of psychic energy swirling and gathering about the man as he struggled to lift his right arm, fighting for every inch, his palm fruitlessly opening and closing, trying to grasp the unattainable.
Good. He's improving and yet…
She scowled in confusion. All this and yet he had yet to once again manifest his green esper aura. What would it take for him to consciously utilize his full strength? And given how strong he was already…
How strong would his hypothetical children be…
With a blink, a healthy blush spread across her face at the unprompted thought. S-she meant little by it! Merely being curious and—
"Eep!"
She jumped in the air, for the weak psychic barrier she'd place in between them as a training aid shattered. But that wasn't the reason for the undignified sound leaving her lips.
No. That had more to do with the stretched hand currently copping a feel!
"Huh," the panting men below noted with a happy grin, managing to stand despite the harsh gravity. "Forgot I could do that," he mused, his hand still not letting go. Continuing to caress her rear. "Nice…"
She felt her whole face burn. And whether in pride or anger, she knew not.
Still.
"Yuhaaaaa…"
"What is it Tatsu—Oh shit!" the man managed to squeak before her hair danced, her eyes glowed and the bold Idiot smacked down on the ground with a groan, his hand letting go and shrinking back down and past the man's ever present mental noise, constantly exalting her a single thought peeked through.
"Core memory getto!"
A smile stretched unbidden even as she growled and felt unbelievably flattered…angry, angry, damn it!
"Back to training you little perv!" she growled. "Fubuki! Come, lend me a hand!"
Her sister sighed. "Yes, sis…" But nonetheless did as asked.
Despite her words and scowl, she could at least admit, even if only to herself, that her 'wrath' was but for show. For the man she and her brat of a sister were currently doing their best to prepare for his…match, in two days' time?
She had little reason to be angry at Yuha. Well, little reason to be angry at him for appreciating her. In fact, it was an almost headyfeeling.
But little reason did not mean no reason.
As her Idiot struggled through set after set of push-ups below, she glared and added an extra g or two, causing the man to grunt and his limbs to tremble.
Idiot! Why do you have to go and be all so heroic and noble everytime I take my eyes off of you and the brat? Don't you know the troubles you create for me?!
Her lips twitched upwards a tad.
Admittedly, your idiocy is almost a-a-attractive, b-but still! What's up with all those new hussies? She turned her eyes a bit to the side, and peered through such flimsy things such as well to glimpse into Bang's Dojo, and more specifically to its newest, and if she had anything to say about it, temporary resident.
The tall female with the lame cow udders smiling beatifically if with a bit of confusion as Bang's second and much less impressive pupil was in the midst of performing various moves, attempting to show off with seemingly little effect.
She snorted. About what she expected and yet…and yet.
The woman's appearance troubled the green-haired Esper.
Not so because of Kisha herself, no. Rather, it had more to do with the fact that her and her family's re-appearance, as well as the alliance to be, spoke of a troubling trend.
Monsters had been appearing more and more frequently as of late. And this…whole new people and races, another culture entirely, one that, if the association's tentative meetings with representatives of 'the ones who dwell underground', apparently that's what they called their race. A bit of a mouthful, in her opinion. But in any case. The appearance of, according to the newcomers, a cousin race to humanity?
It was troubling.
Very troubling.
For disparate, uncoordinated monster attacks were already bad enough.
But an entire race? Yes, they've won against 'the ones who dwell underground' and were in the process of establishing lasting peace. Mostly thanks to her Idiot and the beings own customs.
But what about the next time?
For if there was one race living beneath their very feet, undetected and hidden till now. Could there be more? And what if they were even stronger?
She couldn't be everywhere at once. And she was only mortal. Despite her strength and this 'Ki', courtesy of her Idiot.
At the thought of it, like a loyal puppy, the power blazed within her like. Suffusing her and filling her with its warm, invigorating touch. And she smiled. She still could not maintain this 'powered up' state that Yuha spoke off at all times, but she was getting there and…
She glanced at the hero going through a series of katas that had little to do with what she'd seen from Bang before.
The green-haired woman's eyes narrowed as she focused before nodding.
Yeah. He is getting stronger.
To anyone else, it would be obvious, even to her sister. But to someone of her strength? Boosted even further with this Ki… Noticing that Yuha's stray thoughts were somewhat harder to observe, taking a tad more effort?
The hero's mind, if she so chose, would be as easy to pierce as it would be for a strongman to crack an egg. And yet, his 'eggshell' seemed to be growing thicker as his power grew. Curious…
And speaking of eggs…
She gnashed her teeth at the thought of that bitch.
Monarch of another race or not, Tatsumaki had half a mind to dig a hole through the crust and the mantle, find the woman and beat her black and blue.
How dare she try to steal what is mine! At long last another hero with the potential to stand by my side appears, and some hussie thinks to jump in and steal him?! Where was she when a much weaker Yuha nearly died against Vaccine man, mmh?
"Gkh!"
She paid little heed to the sound and growled, nodding to herself.
If he loses I'm not letting her abduct Yuha, peace treaty be damned. The Idiot better win if he wants this peace to stand a chance!
"G-gkh!"
"Sister!"
Fubuki's panicked shout made her blink, and she glanced downwards, finding Yuha face down in the dirt, limbs trembling as he struggled to rise.
Oops?
Cheeks burning, she let gravity return to more normal levels.
"Hmf. Merely a test. Relax, Fubuki," she said and her sister clenched her fist, the girl's black hair dancing as she glared at the ground, gritting her teeth. "No need to worry, he's fine, aren't you Yuha?"
"Yes, Tatsumo—Tatsumaki," the man nodded, catching himself at the last second, even if it seemed to pain him, just as he had ever since his scuffle with Bang's wayward pupil.
She didn't feel a pang of disappointment due to Yuha attempting to learn self-control. Not at all!
"See? He's—"
"No."
She blinked, and even if only to herself. Tatsumaki could admit to being surprised.
For Fubuki usually deferred to her and backed down whenever she spoke.
So, to find her brat of a sister staring fearlessly straight into her eyes, glaring at her even?
It was surprising, to say the least.
"What do you mean—"
"What I said, sister," Fubuki growled, and more out of surprise than anything. Tatsumaki's mouth clung shut with a blink. "You've been overdoing it, pushing Yuha too hard."
Letting out a scoff, she rolled her eyes.
"Oh grow up, Fubuki. He can take it. Besides, he needs to be ready for his match, and so, every extra bit of training counts."
"He's not you, Tatsumaki!" her sister shouted, and she floated backwards. Surprised yet again.
"Err, ladies…"
Fubuki whirled on Zero and pointed a scowling finger at him. "You. Shut it. Or no more training from either of us. Got it?"
"Ma'am, yes, ma'am!"
"Mmh~ That's better…No, no. Enough. No more gravity training for you today, Yuha."
"But—"
"No buts. Go on. Shoo!" Fubuki said and with a quick glance at her, and finding her silent, the man shrugged and did as asked. Trotting towards Bang's Dojo.
"That was a foolish thing, Fubuki," she said after a moment of silence, crossing her arms. "He really does need every bit of strength he can get."
"And what I said is still true, sis," Fubuki growled, not backing down, which, admittedly, impressed her a bit. "He is not you. Nobody is!" the woman cried, throwing up her arms and glaring at the heavens for a moment before lowering them and looking to the ground, taking a deep breath. "Yuha needs strength to win his fight yes, and no doubt to survive after, but you forget Tatsu."
She arched an eyebrow.
"Forget what?"
"People…normal people, are not seemingly made of metal like you are and they need rest days to recover and decompress." Fubuki looked at her with a tear filled bitter smile.
"Fubuki…"
"Most people are like glass, push them too hard, bend them too fast and they don't grow stronger like you, sis, they break…"
Tatsumaki hovered in place, caught in between two worlds. Indecision making her freeze. Was this what Fubuki had been feeling all this time when she'd been trying to protect her and encourage her crybaby of a little sister to grow stronger?
"So, don't break Yuha too." The girl spun around and started walking away. "Don't take this from me as well…" the thought slipped unbidden from the emotionally disheveled brunette's mind.
She slowly raised an arm as her sister walked away.
"Fubuki…"
And then let it drop, closing her eyes and sighing.
Right…this was a mess and one she was ill-equipped to deal with right now.
Her tiny back door into her sister's mind, meant to locate her in emergencies, let her in on her sister's angry thoughts and the plan Fubuki was hatching.
Tatsumaki blinked, and then, after a few seconds spent gaping, snorted and shook her head. Lifting higher into the sky and starting to fly away.
Right. Yuha can have a rest day tomorrow, Fubuki. And you can also have that little date you're cooking up, but two can play this game, sis~
For even if her beloved sister's words hurt somewhat fierce, and all but ensured that she'd need to re-evaluate several things?
In this, she did not intend to lose.
For as Fubuki had her pride, so did she!
And she wouldn't let the first man to show honest interest in her slip through her fingers without a fight! Nor would she play fair, for, if she did, then the game was all but lost.
After all, even if only within the privacy of her thoughts, she could admit that in this one area, namely womanly charms, the brat had her beat.
Although… after whatever it was that Yuha did? New possibilities had opened with her improved Esper powers, which when combined with this 'Ki', well, suffice to say, if her hunch was correct, Fubuki would not remain the winner forever in this one area.
But that was for later.
For now? Fubuki's plan, and no doubt the involvement of Lily in it, meant that Tatsumaki had to strike fast and strike hard. So, her sister intended to take the Idiot out on a date tomorrow?
Then Tatsumaki would do the same today!
But that meant…
She paused in the middle of the air, biting her lip.
Where the hell do I get a suitable dress?
Biting into her thumb as well, hovering a mile or so over Z-city, she growled.
This too was an area Fubuki had her beat in, and one she would normally consult with either her or Lily if the need arose, something which she couldn't do in this instance.
She growled, her hair flaring, and a nearby innocent cloud scattered.
Where can I find someone who has some idea about fashion and whom won't snitch to Fubuki… She wracked her brain and for a few moments nothing came to mind.
But then, inspiration struck, and she smirked.
Focusing, her power flaring, Tatsumaki sped through the skies like a hypersonic missile until in short order she arrived at her destination and started lowering herself.
Alarms and sirens begun to blare for a moment before with an eye-roll she contacted the idiots running the place and, transmitting the correct codes and other kinds of proof, lowered herself on the piece of roof, underneath which she sensed her target.
Eyes blazing and with an indifferent, mostly cosmetic by this point gesture, an enormous square piece of concrete separated and rose and hovered and Tatsumaki, crossing her arms, stared down into the cell.
"Nyo~?"
Where, much to her relief, the man was not up to his usual…habits.
"Oh my! If it's not Tatsumaki-chan! Nyo~! Is there some monster you need my help with? Nyo~?"
Oh, if only we weren't so hard pressed against this endless war, what I would do to you…
She shook her head, trying to keep her disgust from showing.
"No. Nothing of the sort. I just need your help."
The buff man cocked his head and batted his long eyelashes at her.
"Nyo? With what, Tatsumaki-chan?"
Was she really about to go through with this?
At that moment, an image through her sister's eyes slipped through, and Tatsumaki saw Lily start to grin and cackle.
The strongest Esper nodded to herself. Mind set.
Yes. Yes, she was.
"I…" still, the words were hard to speak. "I…"
"Yes, Tatsumaki-chan?"
She closed her eyes.
"I need your help with picking up a dress. Cause I…I don't know what would fit me…"
The man's eyes stretched wide and a happy smile spread across his lips as he jumped to his feet, and the overly buff man clapped his hands, swooning left and right like an excited bridesmaid.
"Oh~ Did you finally find someone worthy of you Tatsumaki-chan? Oh, I'm so happy for you, nyo~" the man cooed. "Come, come! You must tell me aaaall the details. When is your date, nyo~?"
Shoulders slumping, she lowered herself to the cell, the piece of cement still hanging above, ready to be placed back in its place when she left.
"Tonight."
The man gasped, slapping his cheeks with his palms.
"Oh nyo~!" he cried and then his vision firmed. "Then we must be quick!" he shot to his feet and strode towards the bars of his cell, and reaching up with his arms, grasped a pair of them, stretching the steel bars to the side as if they were putty, just enough so that his head could fit through.
Pushing his head between the opening, the man looked left and right until, with a gasp, he found what he was looking for.
"~Darling~!" he cried.
"Y-yes?" the whimpering voice asked.
"We have an honored quest! Be a dear and bring me the last five issues of cosmopolitan, will you, honey?"
And with that, the man snuck his head back inside, straightening the bars again and giving her a wink.
"Don't worry, Tatsumaki-chan. You did the right thing coming to me, nyo~!" the man said, puffing out his hairy chest.
Somehow I doubt that.
"We'll have you ready faster than even flashy flash can dash, and you'll dazzle your beau, nyo~!"
Is it too late to back down now?
A man stepped into view and passed the magazines to the buff man, who blew the other prisoner a kiss.
"Thank you darling~ Now, Tatsumaki-chan, let's get you ready to, how do the youths say it, oh yes. Ready to rock! Nyo~!"