The Piano. It's a beautiful instrument capable of producing any manner of melody. It can be upbeat and full of energy. Or it could provide a somber yet tranquil atmosphere to any environment.
It all depended on how a person danced their fingers across the piano's key. What were the emotions of the individual? What did they want to convey through their song? Were they brimming with life, or were they closer to death?
For Zombieman, he was between both. An immortal man incapable of death by any means. He couldn't get sick. He didn't get older. He couldn't be fatally wounded. Limbo would be a fitting name for him.
To Zombieman, the piano was an instrument that played to his soul. Nothing else produced sounds that struck such a cord with him. He could lose himself in its wonderous tunes, regardless of their mood.
However, there WAS a time and a place to listen to such music.
"Zombieman?" Saitama spoke as he and everyone else looked at their undead colleague. "Is...that your phone?" He asked.
The S-Class meeting room within their newly built apartment building was PACKED. Child Emperor, Drive Knight, and Metal Knight had gathered their fellow S-Class heroes, the Blizzard Group, Sweet Mask, and the lower-rank heroes Mumen Rider and Captain Mizuki. Every person present needed to be there for one or multiple reasons. This, of course, included Zombieman.
But, unexpectedly, the undying detective received a phone call. Of everyone, Zombieman was the most surprised. Depending on the situation, the only people who'd call him were the Association or the other S-Class heroes. So, who had managed to get his number and was disrupting the current conference?
"Uh...yeah," Zombieman answered his leader before producing his cell phone. "Sorry, everyone. I...didn't think I'd need to turn it off." He apologized.
"Who is it?" Superalloy inquired.
"..." Zombieman was silent as he stared at the caller ID.
"Zombieman? You okay?" Superalloy asked. Everyone noticed the peculiarity of his expression.
"...It's...no one..." Zombieman said as he ended the call.
"Oh? You sure?" Bad questioned, not buying that for a second.
"Yes. I am." Zombieman told him in a serious tone while putting the device away. "Now, as you were saying, Metal Kni-"
...
...
The damned piano music. Again. Everyone kept their eyes fixated on Zombieman.
"..." With only a heavy sigh and a hung head, Zombieman got up from his seat and exited the room.
Everyone's gazes followed the poor man as he left. Even certain people, such as Tornado, felt second-hand embarrassment. No one wants an awkward phone call to interrupt something important. Still, who WAS calling him?
Zombieman made his way out of the building. He even went so far as to cross the road to take the call on the opposite sidewalk. He didn't want ANYONE to hear this conversation.
"Mosquito Girl. What. Do. You. Want?" Zombieman answered the call, speaking slowly and with emphasis on each word.
"Whoa. How'd you know it was me?" Mosquito Girl's voice responded. Yup. His instincts weren't wrong.
"The caller ID was for Genus. He gave me his number if anything happened or if he needed something since I'm monitoring you guys. However, the number is for his cell phone. Furthermore, to my knowledge, the House of Evolution doesn't have additional phones or other means of external communication yet. Then, there's everyone else in that building. Neither the clones nor the other creations would have a reason to contact me. It could've been Genus, but the likelihood of something happening between now and last night is extremely low. You would be the only other person with ANY reason to contact me suddenly. That's how." Zombieman explained.
"Wow! Amazing! You really are a detective!" Mosquito Girl exclaimed in praise.
"Uh-huh, yeah," Zombieman said monotonously. "So, I'm guessing this is about your wish. If it isn't, I cannot begin to fathom why you'd go to the trouble of contacting me like this." He assumed.
"Yup! I needed to tell you what it was as soon as possible!" Mosquito Girl confirmed. To her credit, it sounded serious. This was a relief to Zombieman because it gave him the hope of it not being ridiculous.
"Okay. Let me have it." Zombieman told her. Bracing himself in case this did turn out to be stupid.
"First, I need to ask you a question. Do you remember Kombu? The Seafolk you saved?" Mosquito Girl inquired.
"...How...would I forget about them?..." Zombieman questioned. He was stunned that Mosquito Girl thought he couldn't recall what happened last night.
"You never know. People's memories can be weird. I'm sure, as a detective, you get what I mean." Mosquito Girl replied. "Anyway, back to the reason why I called you. So, this morning, Kombu and I had a long conversation in my room about them becoming a hero like the rest of us. However, we knew they'd need someone to guide them. So, I-"
beep
Zombieman hung up. Furthermore, he turned off his cell phone. He was willing to do a lot to mend things with Mosquito Girl. Even something unbelievably absurd, like dancing around on a rooftop in his underwear. But this? Nope. This was a threshold that he didn't know would exist, but now that he did, it WASN'T getting crossed.
"I...have too much going on..." Zombieman muttered as he stored the device. "I do not need to play babysitter to a monster." He continued while heading back inside.
Elsewhere, At The House of Evolution...
Kombu Infinity and Doctor Genus looked at Mosquito Girl with curiosity. She stood before them, seemingly frozen. She had been in the middle of speaking to Zombieman. But now she just stood there with her mouth open and eyes suddenly wide.
"Is...she okay?..." Kombu Infinity quietly whispered.
"I believe Zombieman abruptly ended the connection." Dr. Genus whispered back. "I'd brace myself if I were you." He advised.
"Huh? Why? What's about to-"
"THAT JERK!" Mosquito Girl yelled at the top of her lungs. The outburst made Kombu Infinity jump back a few inches. "JUST WHEN I THOUGHT HE WAS OPENING UP TO ME AND SHOWING ME HIS SWEET SIDE! I CAN'T BELIEVE HE'D CUT ME OFF BEFORE I COULD FINISH-"
CRUNCH
That sound brought Mosquito Girl's rant to an immediate stop. A sickly feeling formed in her stomach. She slowly looked at her left hand and found...a crushed cell phone...
"...I'm sorry..." Mosquito Girl apologized as she lowered her head while extending her hand toward her Creator.
"It's fine. I have more." Dr. Genus assured as he took the parts from her. "Plus, I'm confident I can fix this. When I make phones for the rest of you, I must ensure they're more durable." He said.
"Wait, we're getting cell phones?" Mosquito Girl asked with widened eyes and a smile. Only this time, they were filled with excitement. A full one-eighty mood shift.
"Of course. It'd be cruel to send you out into a modern world without modern means of communication." Dr. Genus answered. "Would you like one as well, Kombu?" He inquired, now looking at the Seafolk.
"...I don't know what that is." Kombu Infinity bluntly confessed. They'd seen a fair bit of technology but hadn't the faintest clue about what most of it was or did.
"Ah, yes. You need education about human society, culture, and civilization." Dr. Genus realized. "Mosquito Girl, how about you spend the day educating Kombu Infinity?" He suggested, looking back at her.
"Oh! I'd love to!" Mosquito Girl exclaimed with a smile. "Although, I'd like to give Zombieman a mouthful right now..." She muttered.
"He'll be here later in the day. Remember, this is his station for now. We should expect him around noon." Dr. Genus told her.
"Hmm...alright. I can wait that long." Mosquito Girl decided as her smile returned. "Come on, Kombu. We'll head back to my room and get started on your surface-life schooling!" She said with enthusiasm.
"Uh, sure. Thanks." Kombu Infinity replied, admittedly eager to start learning.
Meanwhile, At The Ghost Town Apartments...
"So, as you can see, we've prepared a reaction to any species that suddenly appears after One Punch Man meets with the Deep Sea King." Metal Knight stated, nearing the end of his presentation. "The Association, with assistance from my machines, is investigating reports and rumors of monsters that have an alarming similarity to each other. As our leader brought to our attention earlier, we've never considered the possibility of a race of monsters or them coming together to form groups and perhaps societies like ours. If the meeting between One Punch Man and the Deep Sea King ends positively, this could encourage other non-humans to approach us. We'll present all Association facilities and this apartment complex as embassies. Additionally, we'll assert that they are neutral spaces whose doors are open to every type of creature and person so long as their intentions are peaceful." He concluded as his drone turned to face everyone. "Are there any questions?" He asked.
"Yes, sir." Satoru politely spoke while raising his hand. "Regardless of the outcome, positive or negative, the moment we go public with One Punch Man meeting a monster whose the ruler of a species, chaos will ensue. Furthermore, the public's perception will be affected depending on the outcome. If the Seafolk decide to attack, it'll lead to negativity and increased suspicion. We plan to combat this with the non-humans from the House of Evolution, but it'll still be an uphill battle. More so than it already is. But should it turn out positive, the public might be more open to non-humans integrating with humanity. How are we going to handle either result?" He inquired.
"I'll field this one." Sweet Mask interjected. No one had a problem since this WAS his area of expertise. "The most important thing we must do is be clear about the facts. Good or bad, we can't control how people will feel about monsters. A negative ending to this Seafolk situation will be problematic. But there's nothing One Punch Man can do if the Deep Sea King has already decided to kill first and celebrate afterward. However, we can use whichever outcome we're handed to our advantage. If it's positive, it'll incentivize other non-humans to feel comfortable about coming forward. If negative, we can have Kombu Infinity address the public to share their story. Once the public sees a monster who has suffered at their species' hands, they'll slowly but surely start to feel sympathy and empathy toward them. But we should only do that if we need to kill the Deep Sea King." He stated.
"Hold on." Saitama was quick to speak up. "We can't make Kombu do that. Would it help? Definitely. But we're not forcing a victim of torture to go through that. That's horrible." He said.
"I never implied that we'd force them. I only meant that showing how a monster can be anything other than a sociopath would greatly help us. We wouldn't parade Kombu Infinity around. At a minimum, we'd only need them to write down their experience. Then you could be the one who shares it with the public since they know you'd never lie to them." Sweet Mask explained.
"I'm still not comfortable with it," Saitama said. "I think the best approach would be to have Kombu, like with the House of Evolution, show that they can be trusted through their actions. Anyone can say things that sound nice, but that won't go a long way to changing people's perceptions." He stated.
"But don't they need training?" Captain Mizuki asked.
"They'll still get it. But that was before Kombu arrived at our doorstep with a message carved into their back." Saitama answered.
"It'll be faster if you spill it already, Baldy," Tatsumaki told him. "We all know you've got an idea cooking in your shiny head, so share it." She added.
"Okay. You asked for it." Saitama began as he took in a breath. "I think the best way to handle this, IF a fight breaks out, is for the House of Evolution and Kombu to deal with the attacking Seafolk. Metal Knight's machines are already being positioned for the end of the week. If any of them need support, they'll get it. But regardless if they will or won't, the public will still see non-humans protecting them against other non-humans. Their perception only worsens if we, their mostly HUMAN protectors, do the defending. Plus, it'll kill two birds with one stone. The world learns about the existence of non-humans who have species and that the Association plans to try and rehabilitate them to live alongside humanity. We can deal with the reaction in one fell swoop, have one of our usual press conferences, and have the triumphant new members of our organization address the public for the first time. Conflict or peace, we can come out of this with positivity. I've sure of it." He explained.
Everyone was silent. They weren't shocked. Instead, they considered what their leader had laid out on the table.
"...As expected, you have the right direction." Metal Knight was the first to speak. "I assumed you'd already conceived of something and merely waited until we were all gathered before sharing it." He said.
"Nah. You give me WAY too much credit, Metal Knight." Saitama replied with an appreciative smile.
"Don't be so humble." Atomic Samurai commented with a smirk. "Metal Knight's right. The plan's solid. You've figured out a way for us to come out on top with little public backlash. Sure, as always, there'll be an uproar. But we can handle that, no problem." He said.
"I hadn't even considered having our new additions be at the forefront of this." Sweet Mask admitted as he folded his arms. "As you said, showing the public these non-humans can be trusted is better than a prepared speech. Calling their alignment into question will be nearly impossible as we display their acts of heroism. Of course, should this somehow end with no fighting, the Deep Sea King's want for diplomacy will have the same effect. Only it'll have the added benefit of giving us more time to ready our new heroes for their debut." He stated.
"Yeah, but there's one problem. Kombu." Bad began while letting out a sigh. "No matter what, what happened to them WILL get revealed somehow. If scenario B plays out, it'll be later rather than sooner. Still, once everyone knows the Deep Sea King tortured one of his people, they'll wonder what he'd do to a human." He pointed out.
"Very true. Whenever that comes to pass, the House of Evolution will need to work twice as hard to ease the public's worries." Silver Fang mentioned.
"Don't forget about the wild card in play. Our investigation into more potential races has only just begun. As we've discussed, they could also suddenly appear once the Seafolk situation unfolds. Perhaps they'd be willing to denounce the Deep Sea King's actions in favor of peace with us." Flashy Flash reminded.
"That's too much of a gamble to consider right now. It's better to keep it in mind and only focus on it when it happens." Drive Knight responded.
"Agreed. No sense in trying to plan for what-ifs. Let's keep our attention on the Seafolk." Tanktop Master chimed in.
"I have a question," Fubuki spoke while stepping forward. "What do we do about the Seafolk if this ends peacefully? To be clear, I'm asking what their living situation will be. Kombu Infinity is human-sized. But from what's been shown from Metal Knight's scans, the other Seafolk lying in wait are massive. Will we tell them to go back to the middle of the ocean? Or will we try to set them up somewhere? I can't imagine people would feel comfortable about monsters living so close to them. Regardless of how well everything goes." She inquired.
"We've been looking into that," Isamu replied, bringing several holographic images up through the table's projector. "There are plenty of beaches isolated from any amount of human population. And if the Seafolk would like something inland, plenty of lakes are wide and deep enough to house them. Plus, we could always make something to their specifications if they desire." He informed.
"I'd like to ask a question about that," Genos spoke. "What are we going to do about the other Seafolk? From Kombu Infinity's description, not every member of their race accompanied the Deep Sea King or these groups. There is still an unknown amount of Seafolk in the middle of the ocean." He asked.
"That's a good point. No matter what happens, there's still more Seafolk. Have we come up with any plans for them?" Superalloy inquired, supporting Genos's line of thinking.
"We've only mentioned the rest of the Seafolk population when debating their society and culture. We don't have any intended approach should this end in violence." Metal Knight answered. "Do you have any input, One Punch Man?" He inquired, putting all eyes back on their leader.
"I'd be amazed if the Seafolk tried to fight us if I killed their leader. Depending on their lifestyle, they could resent humanity, and we may never reach friendly terms with them. Still, further attacks from the Seafolk seem far too unlikely. Of course, if they all come charging onto land, we must deal with them. However, as I, Metal Knight, Drive Knight, and Child Emperor discussed before the rest of you joined us, we NEED to try and subdue the other Seafolk. I cannot avoid killing the Deep Sea King if he's crazy enough to throw a punch. The same goes for the Seafolk with him if they attack me. Unfortunately, you cannot come along because the invitation was only for One Punch Man. So, you can't do the subduing for me. But for the Seafolk Kombu and the others MIGHT face, they should be able to defeat them without killing them. And if not, Metal Knight will offer assistance, as mentioned earlier. Sadly, even with taking prisoners, the Seafolk could still assert that they'll never be allies with humanity." Saitama stated. "I don't think we should spend more time talking about this since we have Kombu on our side. I'll swing by the House of Evolution later and discuss their culture with them." He added.
"True. Kombu can shed a lot more light on everything where the Seafolk as a whole is concerned." King agreed. "Apart from that, though. Do we have anything else we need to or can talk about? I feel like we've finally reached a point where there's nothing more to be said, and we should start getting things in place." He asked.
Again, silence overtook the room. Everyone, including the rank-and-file of the Blizzard Group, thought long and hard about the question. Everything had been covered. The Deep Sea King. The Seafolk. The aftermath. Their plans. Their approach. All of it. There was nothing left.
"I think the silence speaks for itself," Saitama spoke, receiving nods from everyone for added confirmation. "We'll keep talking to each other, of course. But this looks to be the last meeting. If anyone has any further questions or wants to have all the information provided in a document or something, talk to Metal Knight. Other than that, we should be settled. Dismissed." He said.
And thus, the heroes dispersed. Each of them swiftly but orderly headed out to begin their work. They only had five days to prepare, so they better get to it.
