The Hero Association's black, sixty-six story tower seemed to shimmer in the distance when Mitsumi and Saitama approached it on her crane fan wings. They were wearing their hero suits to show it was association business. Overgrown Rover was in a specialized carry bag for the ride in its tiny form, and it was designed to be much like a backpack on Saitama's back. It was enjoying the ride and had its head sticking out of the top much like a dog would with a car window. It even let its tongue hang out while taking in the sights of the flight.
Wind Crane had ensured her nest would be warmed and protected. Even Zip offered to stay with the nest the whole time to ensure the blankets over the four eggs stayed on them. With Masaki, Black Sperm's clones and Metal Knight's cameras, too, the nest was securely watched. Child Emperor had to leave for school at last, but he planned to make it to the karaoke event later. Wind Crane was carrying Zenchu, Tanktop Girl, Tsuruga, Kamikaze, Tacki, King, Kianna, Genos and Kamiko. Orotsu and Suiryu would head to the restaurant to prepare it for opening. Shenjou made them promise to get him if he was needed for a form of security even though he couldn't fit into the building.
"You're sure you wanted to go with them, Tatsi?" Rendor chuckled as she flew him aloft with her.
"Yeah. I figured…why not?" she shrugged. "If we get bored, we can do something else. Until then, eh…I want to see some of these people. Curious, mainly. And I know you want to be with Mitsumi."
"To help her, I do. Of course, that new dog would likely be just fine. But it's nice to be with family," Rendor chuckled and let her kiss him.
"We should have gone to Neutral Grounds," Tsuruga snorted from where he was on Wind Crane's back.
"We'll head there with Kamiko after we see what's up," Tanktop Girl nodded. "It's not open yet, and we need to make sure Fan Dancer will be safe."
"Why are we going?" King asked Kianna on Wind Crane's back.
"It will improve moral. And intimidation," Kianna winked at him before placing a kiss on his cheek. "And, if Saitama brings a portable game, you could co-op play…"
"I really don't think I'd want him pissed off in front of possible new heroes," he grinned. "I get it, though. I…suppose it would be good to see how this all pans out. At least until Neutral Grounds opens. Oh! There were some new games I've been wanting to get! Maybe we can pick them up before we head there…"
"We can do that!" Kianna said and snuggled into his chest when he hugged her to him. "I was also thinking about something."
"Oh?" he gazed down at her.
"With how good you are at video games…maybe you can set up an online guide for various games and how to properly play them. Many people set up streams to be viewed just for gaming, and they get paid for it, too. Even with donations from their fans. I can already see it! Watch the S class hero, King, play a full game all the way through with no defeats! As powerful in reality and virtually! What do you think?" she grinned.
"Okay, that sounds awesome," Kamikaze grinned. "I would totally watch that on an off day."
"Every day is an off day for you now, honey," Tacki chuckled and laughed at his small, tickling poke to her side.
"I wonder if you can make an exclusive guest profile on the gaming server, too," Kamiko said. "A lucky fan can get a week to play with heroes before getting kicked out. The profile can be reset and ready for another."
"We can set up a funding source for the raffle easily," Genos nodded.
"Huh! I could see that," King mused.
"A weekly raffle for it could work," Fumio grinned with Black Sperm in his lap. The two had become rather bonded, and Fumio treated Black Sperm much like a cat with how it responded to him. "You'd have to change the passcode each time. Unless you just do an auto-invite with a limited timer on play."
"That's doable," King nodded. "I can bring it up to Mitsumi."
"And if monsters game with them, too?" Garou grinned. He had left Lily back at the apartment for safety. "That would make it even more fun!"
"I was thinking about something, though," King said with a serious look in his eyes to show he was going to be cryptic. Kianna nodded to him. "I know I'm strong, but I was wondering if I could learn a spot of martial arts. Bane has that dojo. Saitama will, too. I want to…expand my skills."
"Why?" Kianna asked. When he rested a hand on her belly, she blushed and gave an understanding nod.
"I could teach you," Garou said calmly. "I know everything Old Man does. I may know more, come to think of it. I don't mind teaching you at all. I can have complete patience with you. If you want, he could teach you the basics, but I can teach you things far more advanced in secret. And it would be easy to learn once you had all the basics down."
"That's right!" King blinked at the idea.
"Don't let him teach you how to eat your own foot, though," Zenchu snorted from Wind Crane's mouth.
"Just let her bite down on you to quit yer bitching," Garou snorted back to get them all laughing hard at it.
"I might learn to like it!" Zenchu retorted to get Garou's yellow eyes to widen with a form of disgust.
"I don't need that visual!" Garou snapped back now with the others in tears.
"What are you both blabbing about? Do I need to slap you both?" Saitama asked when Mitsumi soared over to them.
"No!" they both shouted to get laughter all around. Mitsumi gave a loving, sisterly gaze at her brothers to calm them down before landing on the roof of the Hero Association.
"Ah. We made it in time," Inichi said and brought Sweet Mask and Tajima over in a blue bubble. "Fubuki is sleeping from all the night traveling we did. We have some key locations to check after Neutral Grounds tonight. For, ah, Kamikaze, that is. He wanted to find some romantic places for Tacki."
"Yeah. Cool. We'll check them out after tonight's event," Kamikaze nodded and sat down. He chewed on the stick in his mouth lightly and let Tacki get comfortable. Kamiko brought over her crafting bag for her to make more costumes and props. All four board members were present, and they gaped at the sight of Overgrown Rover getting set down from Saitama's carry backpack.
"What?" Saitama asked neutrally. "It's my dog."
"Your dog?!" the third board member gaped.
"It is an ally now," Mitsumi smiled and let her fans become their circular sets of ten to hover over her. "And it's such a cute puppy!"
It huffed and ran over to her in its tiny form to snuggle happily into her arms. It licked at her face and whined with affection before finally settling to lay in a relaxed form in her arms. It rolled its tongue out with complete comfort and looked at Zenchu with a light head tilt. "You keep your ass away from me."
"Why?" Saitama asked and moved to sit in a chair to pull Mitsumi into his lap. "Oh. Yeah. It likes to fart on you, huh?"
"That thing is a sewage tank!" Zenchu scowled.
"You take that back!" Mitsumi ordered and snuggled Overgrown Rover. "My puppy smells nothing like that!"
"But…Lady Mitsumi! I don't understand why you're not able to smell what it can do!" Zenchu seemed to beg. Garou grinned and got flipped off in retort.
"Because it absolutely loves me," she smiled and got her cheek licked as though to confirm it. "As well as Saitama. So, I can see how we can be immune to things like that. We are its primary family now. But, puppy, you should be good with Fumio. He will be adopted in as my son shortly if things go well."
At this, Overgrown Rover blinked all six eyes and grumbled to show it understood. Inichi caught the thought and said, "It will do its best, but it cannot control things if it does not work."
"I'm fine with it, Mom. I find it hilarious. Especially if I sit with Zenchu," Fumio said and sat down with Black Sperm in his lap. He made at face at Zenchu's dirty look before scratching Black Sperm's back to get it swooning at it. "I like this guy, too! It wants to stay with me. It's all good."
"Hey! Glad I made it," Tanktop Master said and waved at Tanktop Girl when he arrived from the elevators. "Everything is good with you?"
"Yes. More than good," Tanktop Girl said and blushed when Tsuruga sat on the ground with her in his lap. "We're just here until Neutral Grounds opens."
"Where is Flashy Flash and Iwasaki?" Mitsumi asked and let Overgrown Rover snuggle into her more. It grew larger and reclined happily on both Saitama and Mitsumi now in its usual way. Tanktop Master noticed it and gaped at it with shock. He didn't realize the monster dog was even there.
"It's their dog," Kamikaze shrugged.
"Such a cute puppy!" Mitsumi giggled and got her cheek licked.
"The two you asked for shall be here within the hour," Inichi chuckled.
"Ah, Tajima?" Kamiko asked and now moved to her side. Sweet Mask nodded to her to show things were fine. "I would like to look at your back."
"What's wrong with her back?" Mitsumi asked.
"You didn't tell Lady Mitsumi?!" Kamiko gaped.
"Hold up," Saitama said and rose up his red gloved hand. "Mitsumi, last night I told you that your youngest brother did bad things. He whipped her. She still had open sores even after a few months."
"WHAT?!" Mitsumi shrieked with horror.
"Calm down, please," Saitama said and kissed her forehead to calm her. "Sugar Face dealt with it."
"I beg your pardon?!" Sweet Mask looked over to glare. Inichi died laughing at the whole thing now. Even the board members had to cough into their hands with a few of the others. As much as they were completely concerned on what they were hearing, they didn't know the full amount of details.
"Yeah. You. Sugar Face. Right?" Saitama asked.
"Sweet Mask," he corrected with a light scowl.
"Oh. Either way, you knew it was you," Saitama shrugged. Sweet Mask scowled softly despite Inichi's intense laughter.
"You knew his name…" Mitsumi said softly with a forced smile.
"Knew. Yes. I forgot," Saitama shrugged again. "It happens."
"Lady Mitsumi, it's true we never told you the full story. We did not want you to worry," Inichi said after controlling himself. "As it stands, Himiko and Zombieman will assist Daiki with checking over the remaining maids. Just the fact that those girls used Tajima's horrific ordeal against her…would you object if they were released from your contracted servitude?"
"Wait…" Mitsumi narrowed her eyes. "They knew what happened to her, didn't tell me and threatened her with such knowledge?! If this is true and they confess to it, I don't want them working for me. That means they will only lie about everything they do to my face and keep holding secrets. I told them that I was done with secrets. Even if they agreed to writing courses…no. Absolutely not. This is drawing a line. Tajima, did they truly threaten you from your ordeal?"
"They did, Miss Mitsumi," Tajima frowned and lowered her gaze.
"Why didn't you tell us?" Saitama asked.
"I didn't know…how to…" she started and shivered with shame. Sweet Mask moved to pull her into his arms to hug her. He actually surprised himself on how he reacted to her. What's come over me?! I'm not one to do this!
:It's because you care for her. Don't fight that.: Inichi said lightly to him.
"Kamiko was the one that sent the medicine. I do want her to look at you. Fan Dancer, too, but…" Sweet Mask started. Mitsumi let her fans separate out to show they could help assist with shielding. Even Wind Crane clacked her beak to show she could further help.
"We can make a temporary way to view her. Gentlemen, please let us know when the lines start to form," Mitsumi said gracefully while the fans split out to make a shielded circle of cloth and feathers. Those that didn't need to see were carefully set apart momentarily to allow privacy to happen.
"Go ahead and show them," Sweet Mask said and stepped aside within the fan circle. Tajima was wearing a loose shirt to accommodate for the bandages, and she took it off to let Kamiko slowly remove them to evaluate the damage.
"Can I get Genos to stand with us? He can also check things over," Kamiko said. A fan set moved to hover in front of Tajima's chest in case she needed the modesty. Genos was called for, and he scanned over the wounded skin carefully.
"It appears that he was trying to aim for the center of her back," Genos started with what he was able to detect from the patterns. "The way the skin is stretched, though…were you bound?"
"He had a hidden room in his wall," Tajima said with a shiver. "He…had my hands tied to a hanging hook from his ceiling…"
"Please…don't tell me he…" Mitsumi said when the color drained from her face. At Tajima's soft whimper, her eyes narrowed. "That…bastard…!"
"She told me he said she was of no further use after he touched her. That was when he whipped her to set an example," Sweet Mask said to get Mitsumi hissing with even more anger at it all. Then he paled at Saitama's cutting glare with a spark of smoldering fire in his pupils to shut him up.
"Ah….no. You shut up. Now. Mitsumi, listen to me. He's dead. It's done. She's with us and safe. She'll get cured of all of this and healed. Okay?" Saitama said to get Mitsumi's attention. Then he turned to look at Genos to get the cyborg's direct attention. "However, I want that room searched. If we find it, destroy it. Turn it into a storage room for better use. I don't want Mitsumi to see anything from that room. Got it?"
"I shall inform, Master," Genos nodded. "Did you want me to assist?"
"No. Tsuruga can do it," Saitama said. "No one would even think of trying to mess with him. Tell him. And take Richoo, too, for cleanup. If the mess is bad, Tacki can jump over with her guy to help."
"It shall be done the moment you give the word for me to do so," Genos nodded again and bowed. Genos knew that Saitama was taking a role as a true leader this way. Whenever Miss Mitsumi is threatened with harm, his true disciplinary self comes through! This is my master! When Mitsumi still wasn't calming down, Saitama glanced at Overgrown Rover in their laps. It looked at her and saw how Saitama was giving a small gesture to Mitsumi. It huffed and rose up to lick her face constantly to get her squealing with laughter for it to stop.
"Good doggy," Saitama chuckled and watched Kamiko expertly apply more painkilling salve to Tajima's back before working on cleaning out a few other areas that had healed over reformed infection. Once her back was properly flushed and cleaned, her back was layered with more ointment and bandages. Tajima was able to put her shirt back on and sigh with a form of relief.
"Sweet Mask, you may need to do this a few times. I'll have Inichi show you what to look for. After a week, she should remove the bandages in full to let proper scabbing take place. Just keep a little ointment on her to avoid itching," Kamiko advised. Sweet Mask nodded and made mental notes on the areas of concern to know where to check for it.
"I do want to know when he did that," Mitsumi said and pet Overgrown Rover's nuzzling face to keep it calm.
"It was after you left, Miss Mitsumi," Tajima said and found herself leaning into Sweet Mask's form when he moved to pull her against him in a protective way. She was very surprised at it, but she was also too exhausted to question it.
"That's right. Saitama mentioned that to me, at least," Mitsumi sighed sadly. "But…I don't want those girls to be part of my staff if they used such things against others. I can understand if they kept such knowledge out of fear, but there is no need for that now. If they threaten to go to the press…"
"Why would they?" Saitama asked.
"It may be something they'll try to use as leverage against my family. So, as my fake mother paid off the press to keep quiet, I'll just pay them off-" she started until Saitama put a hand to her mouth gently to show he was going to take control of the situation. What she started to say sent a nasty vibe through him, and he knew he couldn't let it happen the way she wanted it.
"If they DARE to use your name against you for something you had no control over," Saitama said carefully to show he meant every word. "I will confront them personally and question them. Face to face. I will want them to repeat everything they would dare to say against you to me. It's on them that they said nothing when it happened. It's on them that they tried to use crap against each other. It's on them that they didn't say anything when they were rehired.
"We were up front and honest with them on everything. The fact that they hid this nasty crap from us is on them. We gave them a final chance to start fresh. Even after the crap they tried to do again to you and to each other. They tossed our forgiveness aside like nothing.
"They are used to getting passed over on their mess ups. No longer will that happen. You were right that this was drawing a line. Not coming forward about the abuse they went through from your now dead brother is definitely a line drawn, and they crossed it on using that crap to threaten someone else. It is now on them to reap what they sowed."
"I could not have said it better, Master Saitama!" Genos said with full praise and agreement. "I can ensure with Lightning Max that they cannot gain entry to the mansion once they leave with their belongings."
"Good," Mitsumi nodded. Then she stood up and had Overgrown Rover move aside. She walked over to Tajima and gave her a sisterly hug. The girl burst into tears at last from the whole thing, and Mitsumi sighed. "I'm so sorry that happened to you. I know why you said nothing. The shame you must have felt! I would have likely done the same thing. But you have nothing to fear now. Okay? And if those girls try to approach you, you let any of us here know, okay?"
"And if we do let them go, we'll just pay them what we owe with a light severance check. They won't get another coin from us," Saitama said curtly.
"I'm…sorry…that I didn't…say anything…" Tajima sniffled.
"It's okay now. You won't get hurt anymore. You reach out to me if anything else happens. My brother and sister know, too. They will ensure all of your medical needs are covered. And so will I," Mitsumi said with a nod. She looked over at Sweet Mask before saying, "Thank you for discovering this. If you need more medical supplies, let us know."
"What Kamiko gave over was more than enough," Sweet Mask nodded.
"Good," Mitsumi nodded and hugged Tajima again before letting her go. "Treat her well, Sweet Mask. She's in your care now."
He blinked at this and watched her move back to Saitama's side. She got into his lap with Overgrown Rover to lay back down on them both with a contented, yawning growl. Kamiko cleaned up the used medical bandages and let Genos reduce them to ashes with his flame throwers. Saitama found himself supporting Overgrown Rover's nuzzling muzzle, and he grinned lightly when all six eyes looked up at him fondly. Then he laughed with Mitsumi at the soft face lick to show affectionate concern.
The fans separated out, and the others were looking at them curiously. Saitama waved his hand to get their attention. "I'm sure you all heard some of it. Here's the breakdown. This girl was one we had rehired. She's working with, eh, Sweet Mask now. We just found out that Mitsumi's youngest brother, the one I had to kill for becoming a monster, was beating, raping and whipping the girls after Mitsumi fled the mansion. This girl here was one of them. We had to look at her back. It's healing now after several months."
"What?!" the first board member gaped with the others.
"I mean…we heard some of it, but…" the second board member grimaced.
"She'll heal fine. But there were other nasty things that came up that will be addressed. Inichi heard everything. He can tell you all of it. I'm done talking about it," Saitama said with boredom. "Anyways, are the lines for the recruiting formed yet? Or are we still waiting?"
"The lines are starting to form. As you can see," the fourth board member said and pointed out at the streets below them. Mitsumi got up to walk over with Saitama, and the monster dog shrunk small to get carried in her arms.
"You going to jump?" Tatsumaki asked.
"Lady Mitsumi?" Rendor asked with a small grin.
"Saitama. Let's put on a small show to give some moral support. And scare the crap out of any Secret Skins that doesn't want to get cured!" Mitsumi grinned.
"I'm game," Saitama nodded and grabbed hold of her. "Eh, doggy. She can hold you, or you go in the bag. What do you want?"
Overgrown Rover huffed and snuggled into Mitsumi's arms happily. Mitsumi giggled and cuddled it before jumping off the ledge with Saitama clinging to her. Her fans split and formed into the hovering crane wings to show a fantastic display over the crowds. Saitama had to hold the monster dog to let her use the controlling fans, and she swooped over the gaping recruits elegantly.
"It's Fan Dancer! With Caped Baldy!" a girl breathed.
"Amazing!" another gasped. She flew over them and swooped back up into the air to settle back on the roof of the association. The fans flicked out the blades quickly to shine out a welcome and a warning to those that would want to do harm in their circular pattern. Only then did she sit back down in Saitama's lap with the monster dog happily laying across them again in a larger size.
"We're ready," Mitsumi said. "I want Iwasaki to sit behind me next to Wind Crane for safety, though. When she gets here with Flashy Flash."
"We'll set up seating now," Zenchu said. Garou was quick to help, and a table with refreshments was soon set up by Inichi. He recalled what happened before, and he wanted no one to have a form of discomfort. The signal was given to start bringing up the groups, and Saitama was handed a portable game. King was already playing on his with Kianna in his lap. Genos and Kamiko were on a laptop to go over Neutral Grounds payroll and scheduling. Fumio was sitting with Black Sperm on Wind Crane's back to protect him.
"I have the contract for Fumio's adoption," Rendor said.
"We'll look into that now. This way?" the second board member said. Tatsumaki nodded and moved with Rendor to ensure everything would go well.
"Here we go…" Saitama said with a bored mutter. "Waiting this out again…joy…"
"I'm wondering who puppy will sniff and leave a little gas bomb on," Mitsumi grinned a bit wickedly. Now he grinned back and kissed her before going back to his game for a slight bit of relaxation before the first group reached them.