Cat-Plant: I dunno, is it?
Euphoria: Kyoka and Jolyne will be encountering some pretty terrifying...but also sad things.
Guest: I wanted to bring in The Rake for a while, it's such a creepy monster that I just had to make them fight it.
Also...HOW?
Jpx0999: :)
Bearticguy7: Nice!
Monster King: Thanks!
FinchFlyingAce: I love her character, and she's going to be a pretty important character for them after the Raked arc.
BryanTF2: ...HOW?
Alexander Lawliet: I'm glad someone noticed that!
Delrosario: They are a series of mini-arcs. First is MVA, which should be kicking off this chapter.
Death Omen Star: Yes.
Syrian Ken: I actually had a cryptid encounter planned, where Kyoka would have to go against Siren Head, but I scrapped it in favor of The Barge.
Blood of Belmont: Oh no, she's not taking out DIO. He's still dead for one, and two...I'd like his defeat to be at the hands of someone a little closer to him, a little more...poetic.
The sailor stopped in front of Tomura, his hat still casting a shadow over his face.
"What's the big idea?"
The man's voice was gruff, and he spoke abruptly. Everything from his posture to his voice indicated the sailor had a temper.
"You seem strong...I'm afraid you were in the wrong place at the wrong time." Tomura replied, raising a hand. "I'm surprised you actually managed to overwhelm Dabi, he's one of my best killers."
"All he did was light me pipe." The sailor said, stepping forward. Sure enough, he was smoking a pipe, he had rather large cartoonish features, and he had one eye closed. His sailor uniform consisted of a black top, blue pants, and a cap that concealed a mostly bald head.
"You sure are cocky? Do you know who I am?" Tomura said, amused.
"Yeh look like a crusty thumb. Are yeh the thumb villan'sk?" The sailor asked, grinning. "Yer sure scarin' me."
"I'm sorry, your English is awful. My native language is Japanese, and I speak it better than you."
"Me English ain'tsk awful. At least I'm doin' somethin' with me life. Aghaghaghaghaghaghagh! Yeh look like a tramp'sk!"
"You take that back, you fucking barnacle!"
"What'sk with the hands?"
"None of your business!"
"Yeh need some chapstick." The sailor ran back to his boat, and brought out a stick of chapstick, much to Tomura's fury. "Ere' on the house! Aghaghaghagh!"
"Do you have a death wish?!" AFO's successor snarled.
"Yer the one who sent the raisin over ta kill me, I should be askin' yeh the same question."
Tomura threw back his head and laughed, a malicious laugh. "Buddy, you have no idea who you're making an enemy of. You're earning a one way ticket to Davy Jones' Locker!"
"Oh really?"
"Yeah!"
"Really?"
"YES! RIGHT NOW! I'M GOING TO DECAY THIS WHOLE FUCKING DOCK, AND YOU WITH IT!" Tomura snarled.
"Yer friend is still knocked out over there. Yeh sure yeh wanna do that?"
"He's just a means to an end, NO! HE'S OUR FRIEND!" Tomura said, but Tenko Shimura interrupted him. The villain's red eyes turned wide in disbelief.
"You stay quiet...ever since Santana got quippy with me you've been chiming in. I don't want to hear your whining..." Tomura said under his breath.
"He's helped us, he was one of the few people who didn't turn on us when Santana took over! We can't decay our friends!"
"Shut up...you're weak. You've always been weak, that's why I'm in charge. The little boy who misses his pathetic excuse of a family, that stupid Beru woman, all that dumb stuff that just drags us down! We're going to destroy everything...so SHUT UP!"
Tomura shoved Tenko deep into his subconscious and slammed his hand onto the wooden dock, and the sailor lept into the air as everything crumbled beneath him, grabbing onto a streetlight.
"WOAH!"
The sailor's other eye shot open in surprise as he barely managed to avoid the sea of decay, jumping into the ocean from the streetlamp. The sailor hit the water, and grumbled.
"StupidcrinklylittleswobI'llfixhimgooddecayingthedockfornogoodreasonwhodoeshethinkheis?"
Tomura dove into the water right after him, cackling.
"WOAH!"
The sailor barely avoided the strike, and swam in the opposite direction. "Aghaghaghaghagh! Can't decay water, can yeh? Yeh need ta get some sea legs!"
"Did you think I just jumped into the water without a plan? You got lucky when you escaped my decay, but now I've got you right where I want you!"
The sailor looked around, and he saw that Tomura was grabbing onto seaweed. The seaweed was decaying in a chain all around him, making a makeshift web of death.
Tomura smirked as the sailor went under water, knowing full well that his admittedly crafty opponent's fate was sealed. Walking back to the shore, he stood admiring the destruction his decay had caused.
I definitely flew off the handle a bit there...it's just a sailor. What was he going to do other than taunt me? He...was surprisingly resilient, and the way he punched Dabi indicates he has some sort of strength Quirk, so I guess it's better to avoid a prolonged fight.
Speaking of Dabi, he was gone.
Did I decay him? Shame, he was pretty useful...
...
He was our friend...
*crunch*
Tomura paused as he heard...chewing. When he looked back, he saw the sailor rising from the water, holding an empty can of...
Spinach?
Muscles bulged and formed into the shape of anvils, almost as if this sailor came straight put of an old rubberhose cartoon.
The sailor looked like he was about to move, and then disappeared from Tomura's sight entirely. AFO's successor's eyes widened in disbelief and shock as a warm gust of what was likely tobacco smoke brushed against the back of his neck.
"No more games, I ate me spinach." The sailor's voice said from behind him.
Why am I so scared right now?! What is this?! Spinach?!
Almost immediately, a triumphant sea shanty began playing as background music, further confusing Tomura as he whipped around to decay his opponent.
*CRACK!*
The sailor hit him hard and fast, and grabbed Tomura's foot before he could go flying. The sailor then began spinning him around, going faster and faster until he let go, flinging the dizzied villain into the air.
The sailor then got onto his back, and began juggling Tomura with a series of kicks. The rising king of villainy was being tossed around like a ragdoll, being bruised and beaten senseless by this living cartoon sailor.
Tomura landed on the ground, and began trying to crawl away.
I couldn't even fight back! He overwhelmed me so fast! What is this shit?! Is he done?!
The sailor wasn't done.
"This'll teach ya for attackin' me unprovoked!" The sailor began twisting his own arm into a spiral, further resembling something out of a rubberhose cartoon, and it began spinning. The sailor slammed the spinning fist into the downed Tomura, drilling the villain into the ground, creating a hole.
The sailor still wasn't done.
He reached into the hole and grabbed Tomura by the face, throwing him up into the air. Spinning his fist around in a circle, he clocked AFO's successor as he came down, sending him flying about 100 meters into the ocean.
Tomura gasped as he forced his head above the waves, only to find that the sailor had jumped the whole 100 meters, ready to elbow drop him under the water.
HE STILL. WASN'T. DONE.
WHY ARE YOU STILL ATTACKING ME?!
Tomura was smacked down into the ocean, and the sailor swam towards him like a torpedo, pummeling him deeper into the depths. Finally, with a mighty uppercut, he sent Tomura flying back to the surface and onto shore.
AFO's successor wasn't getting up any time soon.
The sailor stretched his beefy arms. "Aghaghaghaghagh! I won the scrimmage 'cause I ate me spinach, I'm Popeye the Sailor Man!" *TOOT TOOT!*
*HA! You thought it was Josuke!
...
Except for the people who SOMEHOW GUESSED IT WAS POPEYE! HOW DID YOU DO THAT?! I GAVE NO INDICATION WHATSOEVER, IT WAS A TROLL!
HOW?!*
"It's taken care of, Lord Santana!" A woman resembling Betty Boop said, kneeling before the Pillar Man. She looked like a black and white cartoon, even sporting reel lines.
"You don't have to kneel my friend. River Master?"
"Afraid he's dead, but Tomura Shigaraki was hurt pretty bad. Dabi is nowhere to be seen."
"Hmm...I wouldn't count him dead. Dabi is known to be pretty resilient." Santana said, scratching his chin. "Shame about River Master...he was a good ally to us...even if he was a bit of a cheapskate. Still, we squashed that attempt to ruin our influence on the sea trade."
The Cartoonist raised her head, smiling. "Popeye sure gave him a run for his money. Still...the decay he used...he's much deadier than before...he might even be able to kill you should you get caught in it."
"Indeed. He might not have regeneration, or the physical strength to best me...but his decay might be faster than my natural healing abilities...maybe, I haven't and won't put that to the test. You did an excellent job Cartoonist, you should be proud of your artwork."
Stand Name: Cartoon World (song by U2)
Stand Master: The Cartoonist
Appearance: Integrated with the user's body, it is always active. The cartoonist looks like she came out of a black and white cartoon from the 30s, which often made her the subject of ridicule.
Abilities: Whatever the Cartoonist draws will come to life, as long as it is an established cartoon character. However, it must be identical to the original artwork, otherwise her ability won't work. She must get it perfect.
Her drawings then become flesh and blood, but they retain the personality and morals of the character, and thus have free will, and a soul of their own. Characters she draws in pen are permanent, in pencil they fade away after three hours.
If she wishes to permanently bring a character in this world, it must be pen, meaning that mistakes cannot be erased, leaving little margin for error.
She can recall these drawings to the papers they came from to preserve them.
Rough drafts often turn out...a little creepy.
Stats: N/A
Character Description: The Cartoonist loved to draw from a young age, and also grew up watching old cartoons, frequently drawing her favorite characters. However, after her Quirkless diagnosis, people began making fun of her and her art.
However, she was Quirkless because she was born with a repressed Stand. After a particularly humiliating incident involving a bully, a pen drawing of Popeye, and a toilet, her Cartoon World manifested, along with the iconic sailor himself.
She often uses Popeye to deal with powerful opponents that other characters can't compete with, often as a last resort, however he has a free will of his own. Being a character that is firmly on the side of good, he's opposed to anything villainous, thus she usually uses him against villains alone.
She joined up with Santana, wishing to aid in creating his ideal world through art, where she was welcomed with open arms. She is entirely faithful to his cause.
Popeye brushed himself off, kicked the twitching Tomura, and looked around at all the destruction. "Oh boy...hope nobody was 'ere to get caught in that."
*FWOOSH!*
The iconic cartoon sailor turned to find Dabi pointing a flame at him, a bloodied and burnt stump all that was remaining of the villain's left arm. Dabi had forcibly burned it off to escape decay.
"Are yeh really sure yeh want to do that?" Popeye said, taking a whiff from his pipe. "I did just eat me spinach."
"I...won't just let you..." Dabi wheezed out.
"Look, he just tried ta kill yeh. Why are yeh riskin' yer life for him? Look at yeh, he made yeh lose an arm."
Dabi narrowed his eyes, and glanced at the beaten Tomura, and then back at the cartoon character casually smoking a pipe in front of him. Slowly, Dabi lowered his remaining hand.
There was a moment of silence as Dabi's earlier doubts came to mind. How he had found himself believing in Santana's ideals, how he doubted Tomura...and now the man he had actively risked his life for had just endangered him, all to try and kill a cartoon sailor. He just lost an arm, all due to Tomura's lack of care, and his suppression of Tenko.
It wasn't worth it anymore.
"You can leave I guess...he's got an army now, so he doesn't really need me anymore." The wayward Todoroki said, shrugging. "I already cauterized my arm, so I won't be bleeding out. Go on, rescue Olive Oyl or something."
"How come yeh recognized me and he didn't?"
"He doesn't get out much. Go on...I don't really feel like killing you anymore."
Popeye nodded, and began strolling away, before turning to Dabi. "Burn me boat, and I won't even use spinach."
"I won't burn your crappy boat."
As the sailor left, singing to himself, Dabi angrily turned to the twitching Tomura. The man's eyes were slightly open, and were gazing at him, as if he was expecting help. Neither of them had noticed that the iconic sailor had turned into a series of scribbles, flying away.
"Y'know...I actually believed you could change things." Dabi remarked, glaring at the wounded villain. "I freed you from that cage because I believed in the League. I wanted to destroy it all too...burn it all down. Now? I can see what that does to someone. I can get my revenge without supporting you."
"You...betraying me...too?"
Memories of the LOV, before Santana showed up, popped into Dabi's head. They were all unified at one point, all working towards a common goal.
Friends, even.
He had always blamed Santana for it's collapse, but now he realized that it was actually Tomura's insatiable appetite for destruction, and AFO's manipulation. Even now, after Tomura had matured...he was too far gone to do anything of value.
Maybe Tenko was the version he needed, the version that genuinely looked out for his fellow villains.
Maybe the reason Toga and Compress sided with Santana...is because they weren't consumed by revenge, but only wanted acceptance.
Maybe...deep down...Touya Todoroki wanted it too.
"I'm done. I've given you all I could, but you're just gonna lead us into an early grave. Even with your power, even with the Liberation Front...you're just too far gone at this point. I'm done, it's over."
"Coward..."
Dabi was about to use his flames again, but recognizing that he couldn't overdo it, simply snarled at his former friend. "You're lucky I've burned myself enough today."
With that, Dabi left, a little more than just anger boiling in his heart.
Tomura angrily made a fist and punched the sand, ignoring the pain.
Thanks to Popeye the Sailor Man, he had lost another ally.
Johnny sat across from Mirko, the two staring each other down.
"So...you gonna help me with this Rake, or not?"
"Probably, as long as I'm bringing a teammate."
"I only need you." Mirko responded, crossing her legs. "Anyone else would just get in the way."
"I work better with my friends than I do strangers...I'm a bit picky like that." Johnny responded, draping his arm around the back of his chair. "So I want to bring a friend."
"Are they capable?"
"If my friends weren't capable, they'd be dead by now." Johnny replied, bluntly. "Everyone here has seen some shit, trust me."
"That's not a good thing. You kids should be learning how to be heroes, not handling things that the pros are supposed to."
"Well maybe the pros aren't all they're cracked up to be."
Mirko narrowed her eyes. "Excuse me?"
"Oh, don't get me wrong, they're far more experienced. I'm saying that the way things are now, the pros are more materialistic than altruistic. Am I wrong?" Johnny asked.
"No, you're absolutely right." The rabbit hero admitted. "Hawks came to me, and he said that he believes in your cause, your ideas of heroism. I'm kinda the same, except that you kids are doing stuff that's...you should let us risk our lives, y'know?"
"I do. We are doing this out of necessity."
Mirko clasped her hands together. "I know you ain't here by choice. I'm not gonna blame you for anything that's happened. I prefer to do things by myself, but I admire your teamwork. Alright, who is it?"
"Uraraka."
"...the...floaty one? Is...she qualified to hunt this thing? Her Quirk is more so for...rescue stuff..."
"She has encountered crytpids before, the Mothman is still flying around here somewhere." Johnny said. "However, she is the newest addition to the team, and I'm the oldest. As such...I'm trying to make sure she feels like she fits in."
"The Rake almost killed me in the two minutes I fought it, and I'm a pro."
"Uraraka is capable, trust me. I...also made a promise to include her on a mission...I may have to talk to her about a few things." Johnny admitted. "However, she can help me rig some pretty complicated traps, and she's a decent martial artist."
"I'm surprised you aren't vouching for Zeppeli, that ear girl was saying the two of you are an 'unstoppable duo.'"
"I was considering it. The two of us could probably take on the Rake without you...but Gyro wants to investigate the mysterious page. Said something about seeing the Golden Ratio on it." Johnny replied. "He still knows more about that stuff than me, he's the physics expert."
"A first year hero student is a physics expert?"
"A certified doctor too."
"...what the fuck? A foreign exchange student fluent in Japanese, physics expert, doctor, admittedly good looking and one of the most powerful members of your class. What is the deal with you kids?"
"We're good?"
"That Midoriya kid startled rambling about you too. Said your survival skills are impeccable, and that you're a tactical genius. He has a pretty high opinion of you."
"I have a high opinion of him. Of all my friends...they wouldn't be my friends otherwise." Johnny replied, and crossed his legs. "Uraraka is the friend I want to bring, and that's that. I ask that you respect my judgement."
Mirko narrowed her eyes, and studied Johnny carefully. His face had remained in a neutral deadpan for the entirety of the conversation. By no means was he the typical wide eyed kid excited to meet a pro hero.
He was down-to-earth, rational, mature. He presented his case in a clear and professional manner, polite even.
"Normally, I'd say statements like that are naive and foolish...but you don't seem like that kind of guy."
"Maybe in another life, I could have afforded to be." Johnny replied. "That is no longer the case."
Mirko frowned. She was always a hot-headed and stubborn jackass, and was proud of it. However, that didn't mean she didn't have a conscience. This was a 16 year old kid with the mindset of a jaded adult, and somehow she could tell that the Musketeers and their exploits were only scratching the surface of what Johnny had been through.
"Alright kid...you can bring Kirby. However, I'M in charge of this mission alright? You're gonna be following my rules."
"Fine, a pleasure teaming up with you, Number Five." Johnny said, extending a hand to shake with a slight smirk. Mirko reluctantly took it, and the two shook hands.
"I'm taking a risk on you kid, so don't make me regret this." Mirko said, giving Johnny a serious look. "I don't like having regrets."
Katsuki stepped into the common room, only to be met with the sight of a certain purplette lying face first on the floor, in the middle of the kitchen.
"EARS!"
The ash blond ran to his friend's side and turned her over, only to get an earphone jack jabbing him on the side. "OW! WHAT THE FUCK?!"
"Stahp screaming..." Kyoka muttered, her eyes barely open. Katsuki pinched her cheek in retaliation, and the purplette's eyes shot open, and she grabbed him by the collar.
"WHAT'S THE BIG...oh...I'm...in the kitchen..."
"Yeah, you were just laying on the floor, I thought you had a heart attack or something."
"No...I was making myself a snack and I guess I just passed out." Kyoka said, rubbing her eyes as Katsuki sat next to her. "I didn't get much sleep last night."
"Is this about that boat?"
"...yes, it is. I'm...pretty scared to be honest." Kyoka admitted, hugging her knees. "Ghosts freak me out, especially when I know that they could be nasty. Just having Valentine floating around put me on edge. One of them knows my name...I couldn't sleep because I was afraid I was being watched."
"I'd imagine." Katsuki said. "Before...I might've called you weak."
"Well, you were a Grade A asshole before."
Katsuki grunted and crossed his arms. "I know. Listen...I'd hate to be the poor dead bastard that gets on your bad side. Whether you can see them or not, the ghosts should be scared of you."
"Pfft~ ha ha ha ha! Yes, they'd be absolutely terrified of me! The 5 foot tall punk that flinches at spiders!"
"Kyoka, you can be pretty intimidating." Katsuki said, honestly. Kyoka was a bit taken aback to hear him use her first name, but rolled with it. "When I hurled you at Tokage for Sonic Boom Overdrive, I saw the fear of God in her eyes. You seriously scared the piss out of her for that entire fight."
"I...guess I did. I was just trying to get our team the win." Kyoka replied, rubbing the back of her head.
"You don't even realize it...but you've become more like Johnny." Katsuki said, looking her in the eye. "I've watched the two of you, picking up each other's habits. He's a lot happier than he used to be, he's cracking jokes like you do. You've become stronger, practical...always analyzing the situation, always finding some clever way to outfox people who are stronger than you."
"I'm becoming more like a Joestar." Kyoka confirmed. "I've noticed that...and Johnny has lightened up ever since we became a thing. You're a pretty observant guy, for someone who's shouting all the time."
"I was jealous of it."
"I know...you were acting like some dramatic middle school girl who got her crush stolen from her!" Kyoka teased, and elbowed her friend in the side.
"Shut up! I'm trying to comfort you here!" Katsuki snapped.
"Ha ha! Messing with you is comforting!"
"Mess with JoJo!"
"I don't know where he is, so unfortunately, you're going to have to suffice."
"You're such a bitch!"
"I'm THE bitch."
Katsuki had to snicker at that one. "You and your stupid quips. Look...my point is, you're no extra. There's something about you, something that helped me pull my head out of my ass, and that something...whatever it is...should make those ghosts shit themselves."
The air turned warm, and Kyoka put a hand on his shoulder, giving it a squeeze. "Thanks Bakugo-"
"Come on, I called you Kyoka, make it even!"
"-Katsuki. I don't know how I managed to become friends with your rodent looking ass, but I don't regret it in the slightest. You might actually be a good person!"
Katsuki snorted, and was about to leave when Momo entered the room carrying a package. "Is Kyoka in...oh good! I was worried!"
"Why? Is something wrong?" Kyoka asked, standing up.
"I found a package...outside your bedroom door. The handwriting isn't something I'd recognize...but someone wanted you to have it. I checked it for explosives and it seems safe, but then I saw that you weren't in your room."
"A package?" Kyoka asked, her voice shaking just a bit. The timing couldn't be a coincidence.
Momo handed the package to her friend as Katsuki watched in anticipation. "What the fuck is in there? Could it...?"
The purplette slowly removed the tape on the package, and began unwrapping it, a bead of sweat running down her face. With a final tug, the contents were revealed...
Kyoka's terrified shriek filled the air as a rotting severed hand fell to the floor.
Santana led Himiko across a set of rails as her legs wobbled. "Easy...you're doing great."
"I know I won't fall, you'll catch me!" Himiko said with a grin, and slowly inched away from the Pillar Man, who took a step away as the girl began walking on her own. "I'm doing it! Santana I'm doing it!"
"It's like watching a dad teach their kid how to ride a bike, except it's a Pillar Man teaching a knife-wielding nutball to walk again after a crippling injury." Penance remarked to Compress, who chuckled.
"They share a deep bond...we all do at this point. Santana is someone who brings people together."
"THAT'S RIGHT, I CAN WALK BITCH! LOOK OUT SHIGGY, HERE I COME!" Himiko yelled and attempted to run, only to stumble, and Santana shot forward to catch her.
"One step at a time. Patience is a virtue."
"Right...patience. My bad..."
*KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK!*
"LORD SANTANA, IT'S DABI!"
"What?!" The Pillar Man whipped around. "I knew he probably wasn't dead...but why come here so brazenly?!"
"He says he wants to talk to you!" The Cartoonist poked her head in. "What do I do?"
"I will go meet him, his flames cannot harm me...is it only him?"
"No one else in the vicinity!"
"Keep a few cartoons on standby...but I have this gut feeling he isn't here for a fight."
Himiko watched as her mentor stomped off, summoning Genesis to go confront her former ally. She and Dabi had both been attracted by Stain's ideals, and had gotten along well until the split...
He sided with Tomura though. He was filled with hate, while she wanted to be accepted for who she was, something that only Santana was truly fighting for.
Dabi stood in the rain as the massive outline of an armored Pillar Man appeared in the doorway of the LOV's mansion, stomping towards him with an air of great importance. Santana's warm demeanor had been replace by the cold hearted killer that confronted the Joestars.
"Well? Do you have a reason for being here? I could easily kill you where you stand."
"I need to ask you something..."
"You have risked much to ask it."
"Where I go from here depends on your answer."
Santana's cold blue eyes narrowed underneath the helmet, glowing brighter. "Then I suppose I shall answer."
"Why?"
"Why what?"
"Why do you believe in what you do? This 'save the outcasts' agenda...why do you fight for it?"
Santana's eyes bore holes into Dabi as he replied.
"Because I too, am an outcast. I'm not only one of the last of my kind...but even the remainder my kind has forsaken me. My master, Kars, brought me up as a child soldier to his cause, and he had my complete loyalty...until I discovered how dishonorable he truly was. I wish to create a world where no one is a pawn, no one is mistreated for who they are. A world without outcasts."
Dabi's eyes widened for a bit, before he resumed his calm demeanor. The burnt serial killer began laughing, putting his remaining hand to his forehead as he took a step back.
"What's so funny?"
"You and I are in the same boat...that's what." Dabi replied, still chuckling. Santana's eyes widened as his mask faded.
"Why are you truly here, Dabi?"
"Touya. Touya Todoroki. Endeavor's very own child soldier in the remaining flesh." Dabi revealed, spreading his arm and stump wide.
"The son that died? I thought his Quirk malfunctioned...Endeavor's..."
"Yep! Born and raised with the sole purpose of surpassing All Might, since the old man couldn't do it himself! My brother Shoto, currently a hero student at UA, is the same thing! Your master and my father aren't so different! He abandoned me for my brother, because he doesn't burn himself!" Touya said. "We're the same...except you moved on, you never desired revenge on Kars...and that's all I want for Endeavor."
Santana stood frozen by the revelation, his jaw slightly agape.
"So, Santana. The reason I'm asking is because I can't rely on Tomura anymore, and now I know why you fight! Your ideals...they're what I really want, along with Endeavor's destruction! I've made up my mind, I want to defect...and perhaps get some medical attention."
Santana walked down the steps to approach the wayward Todoroki, and summoned his helmet back onto his face.
"You may enter. Your story has struck a cord with me...but in order to properly defect you must prove your loyalty. As for your father...he was already on my radar with the way he treated his wife...but I can assure you, I will not let his deeds go unpunished."
"That's all I needed to hear."
With that, Dabi passed out, landing in a puddle with a splash. He had been fighting the pain from his burns until he had gotten the chance to talk to the Pillar Man.
Penance came up next to his boss. "Lord Santana?"
"Bring him in, and see to it that he gets a replacement for his arm. He could prove a worthy ally...and he has earned my sympathy. We have another outcast to take in." Santana replied, deactivating his Stand. "Keep an eye on him though."
"Yes sir!"
Santana stared out into the rain, a saddened expression on his face.
"What has this world come to? Making a man like that the number one hero...what has this world come to?" He muttered to himself. "A child soldier...like myself...like Tenko Shimura. Endeavor is just a villain in hero's clothing..."
"Lord Santana?"
"He mentioned a brother..." Santana said, and shook his head. "I'm coming in, don't worry."
As Dabi was carried in, the Pillar Man stood in the rain, thinking about the storm that had come over society.
"Wait...you want me to help you fight that thing?" Ochako asked with her eyebrows raised. "I-I'm not a survivalist like you JoJo."
"Not yet. I'm going to teach you." Johnny replied as the two hero students walked back to the dorms. "You're part of the group, and part of that is that we kind of help each other learn things. I taught Kyoka how to hunt, and it helps great with her stealth work."
"I-I know...it's just...you and I don't really interact all that much. Not that you aren't my friend, but...would we even make a good team?" Ochako asked, her eyebrows coming together.
"That's what we're about to find out. Personally, I have high hopes for this. We both kind of manipulate the laws of physics, so I'm sure we'd be effective."
"I thought you were a pessimist."
"I'm a realist. I'm usually pessimistic as a joke nowadays...although that wasn't always the case. I managed to convince Bugs Bunny to let you come with us, so that's something."
Ochako blinked, before a determined look came on her face. "I won't let you down. Teach me your ways JoJo!"
"You're making me sound like some wise old sensei."
"Teach me how to survive! I'll hide in the bushes, I'll crawl in the mud, I can saw my own arm off with a rusty knife-"
"-what exactly do you think I do?!"
"-cover me in blood, I don't care! Teach me all of it!" Ochako said, clenching her fist with a surprisingly intense look on her normally cheery face.
So this is the 'Terminator Mode' Izuku was telling me about. At least it isn't cold fury like Kyoka...
That shit is scary.
"Alright Uraraka, I will. I'll give you a list of essential supplies, like a sleeping bag, maybe a gun..."
"A gun?!"
"This thing needs to be killed Uraraka, it's a monster that is only focuses on cruelly sniffing out human life. We need some lethal weaponry...in fact, I should buy a lot of meat to use as bait...and food, we'll need lots of food..."
"Fine, teach me how to kill things JoJo!"
"That's...not exactly something I can demonstrate freely, but I appreciate your enthusiasm..."
"I shall become your faithful student, anything to take myself to the next level! I'm going to be a help to the group, I promise!"
"Well...ab-"
Johnny's phone went off, as well as Ochako's. They both looked at each other, and their eyes both widened.
One of the things that the Musketeers had set up was Crisis Calls, where every member of both teams would be notified of an immediate emergency should someone deem it necessary to activate.
Momo was the one who did it, although why was still up for debate.
Johnny answered his phone first. "What's wrong?!"
"KYOKA WAS MAILED A SEVERED HAND!"
It was at that moment that the normally collected Joestar went pale, and he turned to the dorms to find Momo beckoning them from the window with a horrified look on her face. Without missing a beat, both Johnny and Ochako sprinted to the dorms.
The whole class was gathered around the scene, and Johnny pushed Ida aside as he made his way to the center of the commotion. "OUT OF MY WAY!"
"LET HIM THROUGH!" Katsuki screamed over their classmates as Johnny pushed his way to the front. He helped clear the path for Johnny and Ochako as they pushed their way in.
Kyoka was standing over the rotten hand with her hands over her mouth, barely holding back tears. As soon as she saw her boyfriend come into view, she bolted over to him, crushing him in a hug.
Johnny could feel it, she was shaking like a leaf.
"It's okay now...it's okay...we're all here, so breathe." Johnny said, stroking her back to calm her down. It didn't matter that their classmates were watching, he was going to comfort her.
Hearing her name from the tape, and now being mailed a severed hand the day after she decided to investigate the ordeal...someone either wanted her at The Barge...
Or wanted her to stay away from it. Either way, terrifying, especially since the enemy was still unknown...
"It...it was outside my door." Kyoka whispered. "I was asleep in the kitchen...they walked right by me..."
"I know."
"I am not setting foot in this fucking building until that ship is fucking dealt with." Kyoka said, clenching onto Johnny's shirt in an effort to calm her nerves. "If I had b-been in my room..."
Jotaro, who had also received the message, came into the room and cleared his throat, silencing the buzz of 1-A instantly. "Everyone clear out, let me handle this."
"Dr. Kujo...is the school under attack?" Mina asked, her face lined with worry. "That's a mummy hand!"
"Why was it mailed to Jiro of all people?" Ida questioned.
"GO."
Everyone was wise enough to know not to question Jotaro further.
"Those of you around the hand, stay."
As soon as the rest of the class filtered out, Jotaro turned to the Musketeers present. "Yaoyorozu, analysis?"
"It's a left hand, and it's been pickled, preserved. Whoever this hand belonged to has been dead for quite a while. It's mummified. That's not the only thing...it came with a candle."
Momo held up said candle, examining it. "It's normal wax...the real question is, why send Kyoka a mummified hand and a candle? Who sent it? What does this mean?"
Jotaro's eyebrows knitted together as he scratched his stubble. The elder Kujo glanced towards his son and Kyoka, and walked over to kneel in front of them.
"Kyoka, don't stay in your room tonight, and that goes for all of you. Watch each other's backs and stay in Exodus for the time being, Shota and I will make an excuse to your classmates. As for your investigation...I'm bringing this up with the family...I'm sorry you were frightened today, this was on me. I should've been more observant."
Momo created a rubber glove around her hand and picked up the mummified left hand, and put it in a bag. "We should keep this as evidence, the candle too. There's more to this than meets the eye...and we'll get to the bottom of it."
"Keep that thing far away from me." Kyoka said, having calmed down. "This creepy supernatural bullshit is outside my expertise...I think I'm gonna puke, I'm so anxious..."
"Easy Ears...if we ever find out who left that for her, I'm gonna blow up his face!" Katsuki said, punching his fist into his palm and unleashing a small explosion.
"We're really in it now, aren't we?" Ochako asked, concerned. "The Rake, the boat...and now this? It feels like we're being attacked from all sides..."
"We are...and I just have this feeling...it really is that Necrobastard's fault." Katsuki said with a snarl. "I think he really was telling the truth, he did this."
As the group left for Exodus, they failed to notice a shadow in the corner of the common room. The shadow's red eyes followed them as they left.
Fumikage Tokoyami stepped out of the darkness, having concealed himself with Dark Shadow, his eyes narrowed.
"Interesting..."