Silent meals. Boy, those sure are uneasy. They never happen because you want them to. It's always because something has transpired that has led to unbearable tension.
Saitama, Tatsumaki, King, and Flashy Flash sat around a table. To prevent all-out chaos, Saitama demanded that they sit down and finish the food that Flashy Flash had worked hard to make. He hoped everyone could discuss things like civil people by the time they were done.
Regarding King, there were no concerns. Saitama was confident he'd always have his back, even in terrifying situations. It was the Esper and Ninja that he was worried about. However, neither glared or did anything to antagonize the other. They obeyed Saitama's order.
Unfortunately, the plates were growing thin. The food was reduced to small pieces and scraps. It couldn't be delayed any longer, so Saitama needed to ensure he could maintain control.
"...Okay," Saitama spoke after a deep inhale and exhale. "Here's how this is going down. I'll go first, then Flashy, Tornado, and King if he has anything he wants to say. No outbursts. No shouting matches. Even if you want to start attacking one another, you'll wait to do it outside. Right now, we talk." He told them.
In reply, the others nodded.
"Good. Thank you." Saitama said before continuing. "So, the only thing I feel needs to be asked is this. Why, Flashy Flash, do you think it is necessary to act as my bodyguard? I do not say this to be rude or dismissive of you, but I am invulnerable as far as we know. I understand that Sonic is a professional killer. You have a history with him, which makes you the best person to assess his threat level. However, unless Sonic can make people instantly explode, I don't see an outcome where he hurts me, let alone kills me." He stated.
"Very true. What you say is correct, One Punch Man. Sonic, although skilled and strong, could never hope to harm you. Not unless he achieved the same level of power as yourself. However, if that happened, I'd assume Sonic's first action would be to display his newly obtained power for the world to see. As you probably gathered earlier, he's quite proud of himself." Flashy Flash began. "Even so, I feel responsible because of my history with him. To spare you another story, we were friends in our youth. We were the only thing the other had. We may have gone our separate ways since, but still, I don't harbor hatred toward him. Well, except for all the disrespect he showed you today. But that's beside the point. I know Sonic. He won't stop harassing you until he or you is dead. So, I hope I may apprehend him by remaining close to you in anticipation of his inevitable revenge. Once that is accomplished, I will dedicate all my time to his rehabilitation. If he refuses to reform, I'll ensure he doesn't escape incarceration and continue to be a menace to society." He explained.
"That's stupid." Tatsumaki started, showing no intention of being polite. "Do you think Saitama needs you around when I'm here? The MOMENT this Sonic guy shows up, I'll restrain him with my Esp, and that'll be it. Putting aside any personal feelings, there's no logical reason for you to be here. Saitama can take care of himself. I can take care of this ninja if he arrives when Saitama's not around. You wouldn't contribute anything." She told him.
"...Would Sonic be so careless?" King questioned, leaning forward with his serious expression. "Let's consider this. Sonic knows Saitama is the most famous and strongest person in the world. I don't doubt that Sonic is skilled at what he does, but there is rarely a moment where it's wise to attack. At his home? Now, he has Tatsumaki living with him. A fact Sonic will learn by doing some surveillance, which he'll undoubtedly do. When Saitama's walking around or working as a hero? Too public. Too many witnesses. Plus, if Saitama holds him off, which we know he will, that'll give ALL heroes time to come in for support. Of course, C and B-Class won't mean anything. But all of A and S-Class? No one is dumb or cocky enough to think they'll survive that fight. Legitimately, Sonic will wait for the most opportune moment. At the very least, Flashy Flash's expertise in this field will help us determine when Sonic will strike. We shouldn't dismiss him." He said.
"Thank you, King. It's good to see our leader isn't the only one with sense around here." Flashy Flash replied, grateful for the support.
"Ahem." Saitama cleared his throat, maintaining the peace. "I think everyone makes good points. However, the most crucial to pay attention to is those moments when I'm completely alone. We don't know what could happen at any point in time. Tomorrow, a monster could show up in a desert that's SO strong; I'm the only one who could handle it. Or we get another Vaccine Man situation where I'm called out by name to an isolated location. If that happens, Sonic, who now has me in his crosshairs, will take advantage. So, I think the best course of action, at least for now, is relying on Flashy Flash's knowledge, as King suggested. However, I agree with Tatsumaki that your staying here is going too far. I hope you can understand that." He said.
"I...can see the logic in that." Flashy Flash reluctantly agreed. He had no objections; he only wanted to ensure Sonic would not harass his leader. "Very well, One Punch Man. I shall offer my mind and nothing else." He promised.
"Ha. I win." Tatsumaki taunted with a smirk.
"Tatsumaki..." Saitama said.
"What? I'm not the one who brought home a ninja and his baggage like it was a lost puppy!" Tatsumaki defensively exclaimed.
Knock Knock
All eyes went immediately to the front door. Who in the WORLD could that be? There's no way it was Sonic; that'd be the stupidest thing a professional killer could do. Unless...it was SO expected that it went full circle and became unexpected. Was Sonic capable of such devious mind games?
"Before anyone jumps the gun, I'll get it," Saitama told them as he got to his feet.
Walking to his door, Saitama looked through the peephole upon reaching it. When he did, he discovered the last person he expected to see. Whoa. Deja vu. It's like this was yesterday.
"Uh...hey, Genos." Saitama greeted while opening the door. Hearing the cyborg's name be spoken by their leader surprised the others.
"Hello, master," Genos responded, bowing his head. "I hope you're having a pleasant afternoon." He stated.
"...Oh god..." Saitama thought, feeling a migraine coming on. "Genos, you don't need to be so formal. Please. I beg you." He pleaded.
"As you say, sensei!" Genos exclaimed, resuming an upright position.
"...Honestly? Sounds better somehow." Saitama decided before continuing the conversation. "So, Genos. Why are you here?" He asked.
"I wanted to start my hero training as soon as possible. Doctor Kuseno suggested I wait until after lunch to come to you." Genos answered.
"Mental note: Thank the doctor later." Saitama thought, thankful that Kuseno kept Genos from showing up first thing in the morning. "Alright, well, come in. We just finished eating. Sorry, there's none left." Saitama invited while stepping aside.
"No. I would expect no food from you. That'd be too kind, considering I've yet to prove my worth." Genos rejected the apology as he entered.
"...You know, he and Flashy Flash are SCARILY similar..." Saitama realized as he closed the door.
"Tornado of Terror. King. Flashy Flash." Genos named each of the heroes present once he saw them. "Are you here to receive training as well?" He inquired.
"No. We're each here for an independent reason." King replied.
"Ah. I see." Genos said, now sitting at the table. "If you wouldn't mind, I'd like to know what they are. It could help me in my training if they are hero-related." He requested.
"Pfft. Doubtful." Tatsumaki scoffed. "I'm here for personal reasons. No, I will not expand on that. Deal with it." She told him.
"I came here to help Saitama relax after yesterday's craziness." King shared.
"I'm here because someone has decided to try and kill our leader. My training and past allow me to offer insight." Flashy Flash stated.
After saying this, Flashy Flash felt everyone's eyes lock on him. Genos' eyes were full of shock. The others were a mixture of surprise and anger. The rage mainly came from the Esper of the group.
"...Did I say something wrong?" Flashy Flash questioned. "We're all S-Class heroes. Sure, Genos was only added yesterday, but still." He said.
Before anyone could say something, Genos whipped out his Association-issued phone and began typing.
"Genos? What are you doing?" Saitama asked, a feeling of dread washing over him.
"I'm checking the S-Class chat room. I'm certain that my notifications are turned on. How did I miss such important information?" Genos answered while posing a question.
"Oh. This isn't something everyone knows." Saitama told him, relieved he wasn't trying to share this on social media or anything similar. "Look, it's a long story I'd rather not go through again today. In short, only the people in this room know about it." He explained.
"Do you plan to tell the rest of S-Class or the Association?" Genos inquired.
"No. Absolutely not." Saitama denied. "If they caught wind of this, they'd lose their minds. It's not that big of a deal, honest. I can handle this myself with the input provided by Flashy Flash." He said.
Upon hearing that, Genos stopped moving. The notable thing about this sudden change was the extremeness of it. It was as if the cyborg was turned to stone.
"...Genos..." Saitama slowly spoke, that feeling of dread quickly returning.
"...I'm sorry, sensei." Genos immediately apologized. That feeling of dread now spread to the others.
"Genos. What did you just do?" Saitama asked. There was a noticeable panic rising in his voice.
"Before you explained the situation, I asked the other members in the chat what was going on. Bat Fanatic, who I assume to be Metal Bat, replied by questioning my meaning. To which I mentioned the assassination planned on your life. At that point, you clarified everything, so I stopped typing." Genos answered.
...Oh...my...god...
...OH...MY...GOD...
OH. MY. GOD.
Everyone, except for Genos, felt their minds be set ablaze. Tatsumaki was overcome with a fury that could melt steel. King was overwhelmed by the thoughts of what was about to unfold. Flashy Flash experienced two things. 1. He was impressed by the speed at which Genos could type. 2. He also wanted to do unspeakable things to the cyborg, like Tatsumaki.
As for Saitama, he just had a migraine. The worst of his life. And everything seemed to fade away...
Elsewhere, Not Too Far Away...
"Do you think this is too much?" Fubuki asked her subordinates. "Maybe we should go back. Saitama deserves a day to himself. As his friend, I want to comfort him during stressful times. But I could accidentally add to it." She worried.
Being driven in a luxurious black car, Fubuki, leader of the Blizzard Group, was on her way to Saitama's apartment. Mountain Ape, Eyelashes, and Lily of the Three-Sectioned Staff (or just Lily, as she preferred) accompanied her. Although the entire group usually followed Fubuki, it wasn't needed today. After yesterday's craziness, she was confident the Association would have doubled Saitama's security detail.
And, if they hadn't, Fubuki wasn't above taking a page from her sister's playbook. A few strong gusts and psychic shoving would disperse the maniacs.
"No! Not at all!" Lily exclaimed. She, Mountain Ape, and Eyelashes were seated across from her in the car. It was a bit of a tight squeeze due to Mountain Ape's size, but they wanted their leader to have a seat all to herself.
"Really? I'm not being weird. You're not just saying what I want to hear, right?" Fubuki pressed.
"No. We'd never lie to you, miss." Eyelashes assured. "If anything, you and King are the only people who put One Punch Man at ease. He'll be happy to see you as he always is." He insisted.
"Phew." Fubuki breathed a sigh of relief, accompanied by a smile. "Thank you. Sincerely. I don't want Saitama to ever see me as one of his fans. I want to be seen as someone he can relax with. Someone he can talk to without the concern of if it's genuine." She explained.
"Well, if you want to ensure he's getting the message, how about you hang out somewhere fun?" Mountain Ape proposed. "We and the rest of the group can help sneak you away. Then you two could go to a park, a theater on a weekday, or anywhere else where people won't be." He told her.
"You guys would do that?" Fubuki questioned. She knew her members were loyal, but that went beyond loyalty. That was kindness and charity!
"Of course! We want you to be happy, Miss Blizzard. Keeping a few psychotic fans and reporters busy is the least we can do." Lily replied.
"Agreed. You deserve to enjoy your time with One Punch Man without interference or restriction." Eyelashes chimed in.
These kind words warmed Fubuki's heart. She appreciated all her subordinates, and knowing they'd go to such lengths for her was wonderful. Of course, Fubuki would return this tenfold in a heartbeat. However, regardless of size and value, her beloved subordinates would never accept ANY gesture or gift.
However, there WAS another reason for the Blizzard Group's rejection beyond their love and adoration of their leader. Watching Fubuki's interactions with Saitama was their soap opera. Every single one was like a new episode. She believed they were unaware of her true feelings towards him. She was hilariously mistaken.
Although, to their credit, the Blizzard Group played the role of "fool" very well when needed.
SCREECH
The car abruptly stopped, nearly jerking Fubuki from her seat. As for Lily, Mountain Ape, and Eyelashes, their backs collided with their seat quite harshly.
"HEY!" Mountain Ape shouted in anger while opening the divider. "WHAT THE HELL'S WRONG WITH YOU?! MISS BLIZZARD NEARLY HIT THE FLOOR!" He yelled.
"Uh...yeah...sorry..." The driver apologized before holding up their left hand. "But...you're going to want to see this..." They said.
Unsure of WHAT could justify such a sudden stop, everyone in the car looked forward through the windshield. The vehicle had halted at the end of a street that led to Saitama's apartment building. The reason it didn't get closer is because it couldn't. At all. It was impossible.
Countless Association vehicles of EVERY type were parked in the street and on the sidewalk. Hell, there was a HELICOPTER on the roof. Association employees flooded every piece of free space there was. It's as if the world was ending.
However, there were also heroes amidst this swarm of suits and sunglasses. Specifically, they were S-Class. All of them. Every. Single. Member.
Well, except for Blast. And Metal Knight sent one of his drones as usual. Then there was Puri Puri Prisoner. Again, this is a friendly reminder that we will not disclose why he cannot be present. Trust us. You don't want to know.
Anyway, back to the mania. Everyone was freaking out doing this and that; it was chaos. Of course, at the epicenter was none other than One Punch Man. He just stood there in the middle of it all. Honestly, it looked like he was mentally checked out.
A normal person would immediately turn around and hurry in the opposite direction. Yet, as Fubuki scanned the faces of everyone there, she noticed a certain green-haired woman OFFENSIVELY close to Saitama. That sneaky bitch.
"I'm going in," Fubuki told her subordinates while opening the car door, catching them off guard.
"WHAT?! MISS BLIZZARD, WAIT!" The trio shouted as their leader left.
"Call reinforcements. The entire group, if they're available. Whatever's happening here is huge. For once, I want to learn about it before it gets posted on the internet or broadcast on TV." Fubuki told them before closing the door.
Her subordinates watched in awe as their leader fearlessly marched into the madness. They even kept their eyes on her as they took out their phones and called the other members. A smart decision. It allowed them to see Fubuki and her sister engage in some classic sister squabbling.