A gentle breeze blowing through the air, the sun's warmth making the day feel inviting, and a clear blue sky to gaze upon in comfort. Truly, Tatsumaki couldn't have asked for better conditions to lounge around in. If today wasn't so important, she might've come to City J to relax as a choice rather than an obligation.
But it was. Yet, for nearly half an hour now, Tatsumaki had done nothing but lay in her comfy chair. She hadn't even bothered to lift a finger. She was basking in this wonderful day for all it was worth.
"Tornado." A colleague's voice, Metal Knight, spoke to her via a communication device she'd been given. It rested beside her left thigh on the chair.
"Sup?" Tatsumaki casually responded. She might've had a snarky remark to give him, but she was too zen right now. She didn't feel like it.
"The Seafolk ambush has been dealt with. I've contacted the Association and Doctor Genus for the extraction and clean up of the remains." Metal Knight informed her.
"Cool," Tatsumaki replied, slightly shifting to make herself even more comfortable.
"How is One Punch Man? I presume he's already returned from the ocean?" Metal Knight asked.
"Nope," Tatsumaki answered.
"..." Metal Knight was silent. One Punch Man hadn't returned? There's...no way something could've happened. Plus, Tornado was unusually calm.
"Curious?" Tatsumaki inquired with a smirk, knowing that answer would get a unique reaction from the normally composed man.
"...Yes..." Metal Knight slowly confirmed, his mind trying to think of an explanation before she could say it.
"Alright, I guess I'll share the details with you." Tatsumaki teasingly started. Her usual personality was beginning to show itself. "From what Baldy told me, the whole thing was a setup. Given that you have a bunch of fish guts to deal with, it's undeniable that this was a fight from the start. Even though this is Baldy we're talking about, I still asked him if he needed backup or if we needed to mobilize more heroes in case more Seafolk got sent to shore. He responded with nah, it's all good. However, before throwing punches, he said he had an idea. I asked him what it was, and Baldy told me he'd be gone for a bit longer. I tried getting more details, but by that point, he went silent." She stated.
"I'm amazed you didn't go after him to give him an earful." Metal Knight commented. That wasn't meant as a jab or joke. He sincerely meant it.
"I considered it. That guy's got a LOT of nerve suddenly keeping me out of the loop, especially since I'm out here to keep in contact with him." Tatsumaki admitted as she stretched out her arms. "But I'm enjoying the beach-side view and atmosphere too much. Plus, from how it sounded, the Seafolk were mindless monsters, right?" She added, ending with a question.
"Well, yes. But there's more to it than that." Metal Knight began. "Before the fighting started here, the Seafolk consumed an unknown object. We haven't the faintest idea as to what it was right now. Hopefully, we'll learn something by examining the remains. There's also the possibility that their digestive systems didn't finish breaking down the item. However, that's a slim chance." He told her.
"So...the Seafolk ate something that transformed them?" Tatsumaki asked with genuine curiosity. "Has...that ever happened before? We've seen monsters transform mid-battle or when they're about to die. But I've never heard of something that could be eaten to cause that." She said.
"Neither have I. I'm confident in saying the Association hasn't as well. Furthermore, I'd describe what the Seafolk underwent as an uncontrollable mutation rather than a transformation. When they consumed the object, they didn't control how their bodies changed or what attributes they obtained. They lost any semblance of sentience. They became, as you put it, mindless monsters. They didn't use any tactics or abilities innate to them. They screamed, roared, growled, and snarled while recklessly swinging around their distorted appendages. Although dangerous, they weren't anything special. But whatever caused this could have concerning potential. Perhaps the conditions weren't right, or the Deep Sea King somehow created the item to enhance his soldiers. We'll have to investigate this thoroughly moving forward." Metal Knight answered.
"Huh, Saitama didn't say anything about that..." Tatsumaki muttered under her breath, ensuring he didn't hear her say their leader's name.
"Also, Tornado, what about the Deep Sea King? Was he there to fight One Punch Man?" Metal Knight inquired.
"From what Baldy said before going silent, the Deep Sea King dipped out once things got hectic. Or, if he was among them, Baldy couldn't discern him through all the gnashing teeth and various appendages being swung around. It could be that the Deep Sea King just wanted to use these guys as an example. He never planned to fight Baldy since he knew it would kill him." Tatsumaki responded. "Do you think he told his subordinates that eating whatever they did would turn them into ACTUAL monsters? Like the kind of thing, you'd see in a horror movie." She asked.
"Doubtful. I can't imagine anyone agreeing to that. Likely, the Deep Sea King told his forces they'd become so strong they could fight One Punch Man. As strange as it may sound, I pity the poor fools. Even if they were sadists, sociopaths, or psychopaths, no one deserves the fate they received. I truly believe we gave them an escape from the brief torture of their final moments. Assuming that they were still present mentally to some extent." Metal Knight answered.
"Sheesh. The more you talk about it, the worse it sounds." Tatsumaki noted.
"Apologies. I don't mean to sound so dreary." Metal Knight said.
"No, you're fine. If it was that bad, you're just being accurate with your description." Tatsumaki assured. "So, what's the Association planning to do right now? Apart from cleaning up the corpses on your end. They haven't called me yet asking about Baldy or anything else." She inquired.
"In addition to the corpse collection, the Association's focusing its attention on the media and public right now. Nearly every outlet everywhere is hyper-fixated on One Punch Man's unknown status. We'll prepare for the House of Evolution's reveal whenever he returns." Metal Knight stated.
"Get good footage?" Tatsumaki asked.
"If I were to praise myself, I'd say it's flawless. It will serve its intended purpose perfectly once we've edited it for the best presentation." Metal Knight answered.
"Alright then. Unless you've got more to say, I think we're done here." Tatsumaki said. She wasn't trying to end their conversation hastily. There was simply nothing left to discuss as far as she was aware.
Without saying goodbye, Metal Knight went silent. Tatsumaki didn't see this as rude; it was not as if she and he were friends. If he didn't do it, she probably would've. And with that, the green-haired Esper was allowed to get back to her relaxation as they waited for One Punch Man and his mysterious idea.
Elsewhere, At The House Of Evolution...
By now, Kombu Infinity was expecting this. A comforting temperature that surrounds them? Check. Any pain they had felt not long ago suddenly disappearing? Check. Being at ease and experiencing no tension or stress at all? Check.
As previously, Kombu Infinity had been placed in a chamber and surrounded by water. However, the Seafolk was fairly sure something else was in the mix. A cool healing juice or something akin to that made by Doctor Genus. They assumed this because the rate at which they healed themselves far surpassed the normal speed back in the ocean or any other body of water.
Fortunately, their injuries were nowhere NEAR as severe as before. So, it not only took less time for Kombu Infinity to heal but also to regain consciousness. When their eyes slowly opened, they expected to see the clones again. Maybe Doctor Genus or a worried Mosquito Girl?
Nope. The first thing Kombu Infinity saw, which nearly gave them a non-existent heart attack, was a certain beetle man's face pressed against the glass.
"GAH!" Kombu Infinity yelled in alarm, flailing about in the water from the surprise.
"Ah! You're finally awake!" Kabuto exclaimed with a grin. "I was wondering if you were going to sleep all day. Wouldn't blame ya after getting stabbed like you did. Which, by the way, was awesome to see. You're tougher than I gave ya credit for, kid." He said, praising him at the end.
"Uh...thanks?" Kombu Infinity replied, still processing what was going on. "...Wait. Did you say see? How did you see it?" They questioned.
"Metal Knight was recording us, remember? While the clones treated ya, we watched all of our fights. That damn furball killed his opponents faster than me and Ground Dragon. I know that smug bastard will be taunting me with it for weeks." Kabuto explained as he crossed his arms.
"Oh. Right. They're going to use the footage for TV." Kombu Infinity remembered. "I'm...still a little fuzzy on what TV is. We didn't have time to see much of it since we were training and stuff." They said.
"Ah, don't worry. There'll be plenty of time to prop up your feet and watch the tube. The Association will be busy dealing with this, the Seafolk, and many other things. It'll still be a bit before we get our hero training underway." Kabuto responded. "Plus, you've got a bit of a shit storm waiting for ya..." He added while looking off to the side.
"I do?" Kombu Infinity questioned. "Did I do something wrong? Was I not good enough in the fight?" They asked.
"Nah, nothing like that. As I said, you were great. Really impressive stuff, kid. But uh...Mosquito Girl...oof, she's pissed." Kabuto answered.
"...Oh." Kombu Infinity said. Their eyes were wide with the realization.
"Yeah. I've NEVER seen her this bad, and I've accidentally spilled stuff on her One Punch Man merch. Let me tell you; I caught an earful when that happened." Kabuto began before pointing at them. "But you? Damn. What you did has made her a NEW type of angry. She's got this look on her face none of us have seen before. I pity ya. I know I wouldn't want to be in your position." He told him.
"...Could...I just stay in the tube?..." Kombu Infinity requested. They didn't want to leave now. This was their new home.
"Nope. Sorry, kid." Kabuto denied.
"...On a scale from one to ten, how bad would you say it is?" Kombu Infinity asked, now trying to ready themselves.
"Nuclear," Kabuto answered.
"...Are you SURE I can't stay in the tube? At least, until she calms down a little?" Kombu Infinity requested again, desperate to avoid this.
In response, Carnage Kabuto raised his hand and gave a thumbs up as Saitama had done. And, just like before, the water was drained, and the container's glass retracted into its base. The only major difference was the lack of a mask around Kombu Infinity's face.
"Okay. I've gotta ask. How do you people do that?" Kombu Infinity inquired.
"The clones cycle through shifts of monitoring the facility. There are cameras EVERYWHERE. And, from where the clones are, they can control almost everything in the building, including that tank. So, One Punch Man and I give a thumbs up to signal you're ready to go, and they let you out. Simple." Kabuto explained.
"Ooh. That makes sense." Kombu Infinity said. "What about the mask? Why didn't I have it this time? Is it because I wasn't hurt as badly?" They asked, having thought about its absence.
"Those masks help the people inside those chambers breathe. We didn't know how you worked yet, so we stuck one on ya. But now that we know you're a plant and do just fine in the water, it's unnecessary." Kabuto answered.
"Oh, okay." Kombu Infinity replied. "...So...even though I can't stay in the chamber...could I just hide somewhere?" They suggested, trying their hardest not to confront Mosquito Girl.
"Nice try, but no." Kabuto denied them again while putting his hand on their shoulder. "Now, will you walk beside me and not try to run away? Or will I have to pick you up like a barrel and carry you?" He asked.
"..." Kombu Infinity didn't answer verbally. Instead, they hanged their head in defeat.
"There, there," Kabuto said while patting their shoulder to comfort them. "If she mauls ya, we'll shove you back into the tube." He told them.
Gee, what a nice thought. As Kombu Infinity and Carnage Kabuto made their way to the others, their nervous anticipation of Mosquito Girl worsened. By the time the Seafolk got there, they were stiff as stone.
"Brace yourself," Kabuto warned them as the door to the room opened.
The space they had traveled to was a sort of recreation room. There were activities and games alongside televisions to help the clones and the creations relax. However, when the door opened, all eyes landed on Kombu Infinity. Well, except for Mosquito Girl, whose back was turned. Each of the gazes that met the Seafolk was filled with concern and nervousness.
"Hey, look who's up!" Kabuto exclaimed with a grin as he patted Kombu Infinity's shoulder again. "The kid's alright! Better than ever, even! Why, I say it's cause for celebration!" He said.
Silently, Kombu Infinity thanked the beetle man for what he was trying to do, even though everyone knew it wouldn't work. Still, it was a nice gesture to try and prevent what was about to happen. Yet, as Mosquito Girl slowly turned around and looked at the Seafolk, their blood ran cold. Far more chilling than the freezing depths of the arctic waters.
As Carnage Kabuto had mentioned, there was an expression on her face that none of them, including Kombu Infinity, could describe. It was a fusion of anger and...something else. Annoyance? Disappointment? Frustration? All of them? Ultimately, the ingredients didn't matter, only the result. And again, as Carnage Kabuto had mentioned earlier, that result was PISSED.
"Uh...hey...Mosquito Girl..." Kombu Infinity greeted with a shaky smile and timid wave.
"Outside." Mosquito Girl firmly stated as she approached them.
"W-What?" Kombu Infinity nervously questioned.
"Out. Side." Mosquito Girl repeated once she reached them, separating the word for emphasis.
Knowing that saying or doing anything else would only further her wrath, Kombu Infinity obeyed Mosquito Girl and returned to the hallway with her following. Carnage Kabuto quickly stepped out of the way as they left. He didn't want to become collateral.
"BEG FOR FORGIVENESS!" Ground Dragon called out from within the room, hoping his suggestion would help the poor Seafolk.
Before the door closed, Mosquito Girl swiftly looked back into the room at the mole. Her eyes carried a glare of death. Unsurprisingly, this sent Ground Dragon into a terrified silence.
Now, it was just the two of them. Mosquito Girl and Kombu Infinity. The latter leaned against the wall opposite the doorway. They averted their gaze to try and make this easier. However, she wouldn't allow that.
"Kombu." Mosquito Girl spoke. The tone she used was enough to make them wince. "Look at me." She ordered.
Hesitantly, Kombu Infinity met her glare with their vision. If they had any bones, they'd be jelly right about now.
"..." Both of them stared at each other in silence. Each waited for the other person to say something.
...
...
"I'm sorry." Kombu Infinity apologized, knowing they had to be the one to start this. "I should've clued you in on the plan, but I didn't think we had the time. Plus, I assumed you might not go for it." They said.
"You're right. I wouldn't have." Mosquito Girl confirmed, now folding her arms over her chest. "But your plan isn't why we're out in the hallway." She revealed.
"...It...isn't?..." Kombu Infinity questioned, now confused.
"I wasn't supposed to beat the Seafolk alone. It wasn't meant to be JUST me. But you decided instead of us working together; you'd sacrifice yourself so I could win." Mosquito Girl started as she came closer to them. "Not only that, you didn't hesitate to put yourself in harm's way. You allowed yourself to be impaled by my proboscises and FORCED me to drink your blood. You took away ANY choice I had and made me hurt someone I care about when we could've thought of something different OR let Metal Knight handle it. Sure, we wouldn't have been the victors like everyone else. But YOU wouldn't have needed to be rushed back here to ensure you'd be okay. Do you have ANY idea what that was like for me? The entire time I wondered if I had taken too much blood or if, in transit, you lost enough for it to be concerning. I was scared that you could die!" She told them.
"B-But I knew you wouldn't!" Kombu Infinity responded in their defense.
"No, you trusted that I wouldn't. There IS a difference." Mosquito Girl corrected them. "Admittedly, it's very touching and sweet that you already trust me to the point of having that level of confidence. But still, I wasn't in control of ANYTHING that was happening. You surprised me with your plan, forced my cooperation, and if I DIDN'T drink your blood, the Seafolk coming back to life DIRECTLY behind me would've put us both in danger and forced Metal Knight to save us. I only had a few seconds to process what was going on and what you wanted me to do and THEN drink your blood while ensuring I didn't accidentally kill you. There are SO many different ways it could've gone wrong. Again, you could have DIED. And from where I'm standing, it comes across as if you didn't CARE if you died!" She exclaimed.
"...Well...that's because...I didn't..." Kombu Infinity slowly confessed. "I mean, I didn't do it because I WANTED or EXPECTED to die. But if it happened, then at least you would've-"
THUMP
Mosquito Girl's hands made that sound, which cut off Kombu Infinity as they landed on their shoulders. She gripped them tightly and brought her face as close to theirs as possible. Mere centimeters apart.
"Don't." Mosquito Girl said in a quiet yet stern voice. "Don't finish that sentence. Don't even think about the words you were going to say. Kombu, you deserve to be alive. Your life isn't something that's meant to be thrown away. And don't you DARE mention the Doctor! Could he bring you back? Yes. But that doesn't mean you should be suicidal! Nor should it enforce your perception that you're expendable or worthless! You're not! We care about you! I care about you!" She told them as her voice got louder and her grip tighter.
Kombu Infinity just stared at Mosquito Girl. They couldn't think of anything to say. However, their body decided to speak for them. Tears formed in their eyes, and their breathing became uneven.
"...Why?..." Kombu Infinity quietly asked. "Why do any of you care about me so much? You barely know me..." They said.
"So? What does that matter?" Mosquito Girl challenged. "We've spent this past week hanging out and talking to each other. I've shown and taught you a lot about the surface. You've told me what it's like in the ocean. You've discovered so much that makes you happy, and we've only just started. I want to keep learning about you and help you learn more about everything else, including yourself." She said as her expression finally changed. Now, it was one of sadness. "So, please. Don't be so quick or eager to throw yourself away even if we can bring you back. You don't deserve to feel pain or be miserable all the time. No one does. You're not an exception to that." She requested.
Again, Kombu Infinity was at a loss. No words. No thoughts. The kindness Mosquito Girl and everyone else, including Saitama, had shown them was unnatural. They had no reason to treat Kombu Infinity so well. And yet, they did.
Once more, Kombu Infinity's body spoke for them. They broke free of Mosquito Girl's grip so they could hug her. Of course, she happily returned the embrace. Together, the two stood there and hugged for what seemed like forever.
...
...
"Oh, shit."
That sudden voice came from behind Mosquito Girl. As the duo looked in its direction, they saw Carnage Kabuto standing in a now-open doorway.
"Uh...shit...my bad..." Kabuto apologized as he rubbed the back of his head. "It's just...you've been out here for a while...we were worried you might be arguing or something happened...and I was waiting by the door for you two to come in, so I opened it to check on you..." He explained.
"It's fine." Mosquito Girl assured him as she wiped her eyes with her arm. During the embrace, tears had formed in hers as well. "We're done talking. Everything's okay now." She said before looking at Kombu Infinity. "Right?" She asked.
"Yeah. It is." Kombu Infinity agreed, wiping their eyes as well.
"Phew. Glad to hear it. We were SO nervous. You could cut the tension with a knife." Kabuto sighed in relief with a smile. "Well, come on in, then! We want to turn on the news and see how everything's going with One Punch Man!" He excitedly exclaimed while inviting them inside.
"Yeah! Plus, we've got some snacks and food to help us celebrate our win today!" Frog Man chimed in from within the room. "We've even got some more delicious meat you've yet to try, Kombu~" He teased.
"You should've led with that!" Kombu Infinity exclaimed before hurrying inside. If there was meat, they HAD to eat it, much to the amusement of the others.
As the Seafolk rush to take their seat and begin chowing down, Mosquito Girl walked into the room with Kabuto accompanying her.
"You know, you two are pretty close to each other," Kabuto commented as they walked.
"Of course we are. We're best friends." Mosquito Girl replied.
"I don't know. Seemed like more with that hug." Kabuto said.
"...Kabuto." Mosquito Girl began, stopping them in their tracks. "You...remember that Kombu's a kid, right?" She asked.
"...OH. NO. THAT'S NOT WHAT I MEANT!" Kabuto quickly exclaimed, realizing how that could've been misinterpreted. "I wasn't saying that you looked like a couple! That'd be gross! I meant that you looked like siblings!" He clarified.
"..." Mosquito Girl's eyes widened. That intention managed to shock her more than the previous one. "...N...No...that's...ridiculous..." She tried her best to shrug off the suggestion. Unfortunately, the creeping blush in her cheeks betrayed her words. "We're just friends. I'm not like a sibling to them. That's...absurd. Silly. Crazy, even." She carried on, now with a dismissive hand gesture.
"Right. Sorry. I wasn't thinking." Kabuto apologized. "I'm more muscle than brain. I Should stop trying to make observations like that." He said.
After that, the duo silently returned to the others. Thankfully, the others didn't hear that conversation since they were busy talking and eating. But once the pair were seated and rejoined with the group, they turned on the TV closest to them and switched it to the first news broadcast they could find.
However, the group was met with a stunning discovery when they did. For Mosquito Girl, it wasn't as severe as the insinuation of being an older sister to Kombu Infinity. But it was a sold second.
"As you can see, a massive gathering of Seafolk is coming onto the shore of City J. Yet instead of screaming in terror or running away, the people gathered further inland are cheering and applauding. I don't blame them. One Punch Man's peace talks must have gone over swimmingly. And yes, that was a pun. But in all seriousness, the sight of the Seafolk race being led by our greatest hero onto land is cause for celebration. As always, One Punch Man has succeeded in his efforts. But what lies ahead for humanity? Is this the beginning of a new age of peaceful coexistence? We'll bring you the latest coverage and details the Association provides as the situation develops. So please, stay tuned!"
