Bubbles for Naomasa
The sunlight came into the room through the window, illuminating the bedroom and all that was inside it. Clothes were scattered around the floor, forming a trail to the bed where the two figures draped each other under the sheets after a long passionate night. The scent of passion from last night hung in the air like a cloud made out of cotton candy and whisky. To most this would be a romantic scene between two lovers, but there was more behind it all. Their arms coiled around each other like pillows of comfort and heat. This was the position in which Izuku and Mina woke up.
The light reached Izuku's face, waking him up. He grunted as he felt a warmth on top of him and two small horns poking his cheek. His eyes slowly adapted to the light and the strange place he found himself in. Turning his head, his eyes caught the sight of a clock that he didn't recognize along with some pictures of Mina with some of her high school friends. Izuku's mind started waking up and taking in the information around him. But before he could speak or say anything, he felt movement on top of him. Izuku looked down at the feeling of two large soft things dragging across his chest.
"Good morning, handsome~." Mina kissed Izuku on the lips before giving him a dreamy smile.
Izuku's face lit up as the memories of the night before came back to him like a bullet train. His eyes noticed his partner's naked figure as small traces of alcohol were left in her saliva. His eyes widened as he fell out of bed, covering himself.
"Mina!? What? What happened last night?" Izuku asked, grabbing his clothes as Mina looked at him with a confused glance.
"Um, don't you remember? I told you thanks for saving my life back before joining the force, and then well~. One thing led to another." Mina blushed with a smile. "You were amazing last night. You are all man in all the right ways."
Regardless of how good Mina was speaking, Izuku remembered that Mina was not in the right state of mind last night. She was inebriated and he took advantage of her. All he did that night was now imprinted in his mind. He could only think of one thing he could do. He knelt down on both of his knees, bowing his head.
"I'm so sorry, Mina. I didn't mean to take advantage of you! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I'm sorry!" Izuku bowed his head, partially wishing that this was all a strange dream.
Mina however was taken aback by Izuku's action. In her experience, when a man had sex with an attractive woman he'd be jumping over the moon. She had to clear this up before Izuku went overboard. She sighed, getting out of her bed, not bothering to cover herself.
"Izuku, what are you doing?" Mina asked.
"I'm sorry for taking advantage of you, Mina. I'll understand if you want to no longer be partners and-why aren't you putting on clothes?" Izuku asked.
"You've already seen and touched everything I have. Hell, I'd go for another round or two if you stop groveling." Mina blushed at the sight of Izuku bowing to her.
Just then, Izuku's phone lit up with his alarm. He snatched his phone before covering Mina's body with the sheets.
"Oh, no, we're late for work!" Izuku shot out carrying the rest of his clothes and shoes. "I'm sorry, Mina!"
Mina was left there blinking in confusion. This was not how she had expected her first time with Izuku to play out. She had expected him to be adorable and blush at the fact they made love like two horny teenagers and maybe offer to make breakfast for her. A surprise was how great he was in bed and how she loved how he worshiped her body. But what wasn't so pleasant was that he thought he forced her to have sex. She was a modern woman and she was the one that chose who she had sex with.
"Man, this is gonna be an awkward day. I'll just have to drill it into his head that this was my idea." Mina huffed, walking to get a change of clothes. "Besides nothing happens to me and Izuku."
On the other side of Paris in one of the more dangerous neighborhoods of Paris, Detective Naomasa knelt behind several patrol cars with several other officers and members of the Parisian SWAT team. He was leading this team to capture a small-time drug peddler and his gang. Naomasa watched the building, a rundown brick building with boarded windows and graffiti splattered around it. He pulled out a megaphone as he looked to the building they had surrounded.
"This is Detective Naomasa of the Paris Police, Bubbler, you are surrounded. Give yourself up and I promise that you and your men will face a fair trial!" Naomasa called out.
He was then met with a barrage of bullets from one of the Bubble Boys.
"Guess they don't want to come in quietly." Naomasa ducked under a shot. "All units, keep down and allow Mirko to enter with the second squad. I want their eyes on us!"
Naomasa pulled out his service pistol and along with his fellow officers. He managed to shoot one of the Bubble Boys in the shoulder before getting a good look at their leader.
The Bubbler was not exactly a very dangerous or imposing villain compared to the ones that the top ten heroes usually faced. But he was more than a danger to the common civilian. He was a skinny tall man with blue skin and dark eyes with a yellow domino mask, with a brown haired mohawk going from his forehead to the back of his neck. He had a crooked smile with a dark mustache on top of his upper lip.
The Bubbler wore a black jacket on top of a red t-shirt with a blue spray-painted 'B' on his chest. He had tight black pants with a yellow belt full of soapy water and a pistol just in case, a pair of red firefighter boots with graffiti on them. On his back there was a large bubble backpack connected to a large hose on his right arm as the form of his first weapon.
"Those fools think they can take out the Bubbler, the Bubbler will make them drown in a bubbly grave!" Bubbler aimed his hose at one of the patrol cars.
Bubbler fired a flurry of bubbles at one of the patrol cars, forcing Naomasa and the other officers to roll out of the way. The villain's bubbles crashed into the patrol car, sending it flying back and smashing against the building behind them. The bubbler sent more and more bubbles at the officers, forcing them to lay down, avoiding the deadly bubbles of water and soap. The drug peddler laughed from where he was as the police were forced to keep their heads down from his attacks.
"You should've brought Freezerburn or Dynamight to get me, pigs!" Bubbler taunted.
Back amongst the officers, Naomasa couldn't help but cringe at the villain's taunts.
"That guy just loves the sound of his own voice, doesn't he?" Naomasa pulled out the radio. "He's focused on us, time to bring in the reinforcements from behind."
Back inside the Bubble Boys' hideout, the backdoor is kicked down with the Rabbit Hero Mirko charging in with a grin on her face.
"Guess who's here, punks?!" Mirko kicked one of the gangsters with her iron-sole rabbit shoe.
Mirko jumped forward, slamming her knee on another gangster before jumping up to the next floor. She caught the attention of the gangsters, but they were a little too slow for her. With the speed that would leave foxes and wolves starving, the number five hero knocked out criminal after criminal with her devastating kicks.
The rest of the SWAT team came in behind her, as she kicked, punched and stomped every single wannabe gangster punk Mirko came across. She wasn't used to working with the police, but when they asked her to take down a ring of drug peddlers that gave a dangerous drug disguised as bubble candy, she was all for knocking out a few teeth. Her ear perked up at the sound of a loaded shotgun made her duck down before slamming her foot backwards, smashing the weapon and the man that held it.
"You fools are way too easy! Bring out your big guns!" Mirko laughed.
Naomasa and the rest of his forces broke in through the front door, catching several of the fleeing gang members.
"Paris police! You're all under arrest!" Naomasas held up his badge, as his forces were knocking out and cuffing as many members of the Bubble Boys as they could find.
Bubbler ran to the top of the building, as many of his subordinates managed to escape.
"Freeze!" Naomasa held up his gun as he and Mirko caught up to the Bubbler.
"You're a deadman, detective!" Bubbler growled. "Do you know how much you just cost me?!"
"I know I cost you a stay at a maximum security prison cell," Naomasa replied.
"Now, either come quietly or I'll use your stupid mohawk to clean my feet." Mirko stepped towards Bubbler.
Bubbler looked behind him, hoping to get an escape route before the heroes got him. His eyes landed on some of his crew getting the car ready. He smiled and pulled out one of the canisters from his belt.
"You're a deadman, Naomasa! And I'll get even with you for this!" Bubbler tossed his canister in front of Mirko and Naomasa.
The canister exploded, releasing several explosive bubbles.
Mirko jumped back, covering Naomasa from the blast.
They got up and saw the car with the Bubbler on the roof, driving away.
"Damn it." Naomasa put his gun away.
"I'll go after them!" Mirko ran in pursuit of the villain, leaving Naomasa to clean up.
"This is why I don't like overly enthusiastic heroes," Naomasa sighed.
Izuku had run straight to the police headquarters, hoping to avoid Mina and any possible awkwardness that could still be between them. He had to make things up with her, before things spiraled out of control. His mind was already going through different ways to apologize and make it up to her. But the fear of Mina reporting him and being kicked out of the force was hanging over each one of his thoughts like the Sword of Damocles hanging over his head. He felt like he was falling down a rabbit hole with no clear end in sight.
"Izuku?"
Izuku shook his head, clearing it from any possible negative outcomes. He had to go straight up to Mina and take responsibility for what happened. He couldn't overthink things like he sometimes did. It didn't help that he had to endure the awkwardness during their whole shift of the day. He could barely keep up with her usual flirt but now if she was angry or resentful, she would make him grovel.
"Izuku, buddy?"
Which he did deserve in his own mind. He had to make it up to Mina no matter what. And if Izuku had to then deal with the fact that Mina didn't want him as a partner any longer, then he would face it-
"Hello! EARTH! TO! IZUKU!" Mina yelled in his ear, causing Izuku to come out of his rambling thoughts.
He fell down from his chair, kicking his coffee mug into the air. His mug struck a fleeing perp before it bounced off and struck another officer on the face.
"Why?!"
"Sorry!" Izuku apologized before turning to Mina. "Sorry, Mina. What were you saying?" He asked, bowing his head as though talking to a superior.
Mina looked at the other officers looking at her and Izuku's interaction, causing her to blush.
"The boss lady wants us in her office. Let's go, partner." Mina dragged Izuku as he flinched from her claim.
Izuku looked at the office door with dread. He could only imagine what Captain Kendo would say if she was told of what happened. He lost all the color from his face as he could already imagine his captain giving him his walking papers.
"We're here boss," Mina said as Izuku slumped down to the floor.
"Perfect, I'll-What's wrong with Midoriya?" Kendo pointed to the officer. "Is he sick?"
"He just had a rough morning, captain." Mina chuckled, knowing that Izuku was still reeling from the events of that morning.
"Well, you'll have to work it off, Midoriya," Kendo said.
Izuku sprung back to his feet like a recently reanimated corpse.
"Yes, captain, I'll be sure to make up for what I did and do everything Mina tells me." Izuku bowed his head.
Mina blushed as she knew that Izuku was thinking that Kendo was referring to their night together. She wanted to smack him, although she did find it adorable that he was willing to go all this way to make things up with her.
"Please don't. I want to keep this city in one piece. I called you both here for something else," Kendo said just as Naomasa arrived at the precinct and was met with cheers.
"Um, what's going on?" Izuku asked.
"Right, you two don't know. But early this morning, Detective Naomasa, along with several members of the force and with the aid of Mirko, arrested half of the drug peddling gang led by the Bubbler."
"Whoa, he did that this morning?!" Mina beamed.
"It has to be one of the biggest busts of his career," Izuku said, finally snapping out of his stupor. "The Bubbler is the villain that has been peddling drugs through Paris but has mostly gone under the radar of most heroes given that they are mostly a small gang with a semi-profitable product, right?"
"That's correct, Midoriya. Wow, you look like you got run over." Naomasa entered the office, noting Izuku's looks.
"Um, no but it's still early." Izuku scratched the back of his head much to Mina's dismay.
"Regardless, we have half of the Bubble Boys locked up but the other half and the Bubbler managed to slip through our fingers." Kendo pinched the bridge of her nose. "We've got people looking for them along with Mirko. But the Bubbler swore that he'd kill Naomasa. He may be a small fry villain, but we're not taking any chances. I want you two to protect him at all times until we've got the Bubbler in custody."
Izuku and Mina were surprised at the fact that they were chosen to look after their superior officer. Not that they weren't honored and were willing to protect their friend, but they also thought that being out on the streets was more their style.
"But, why us?" Izuku asked. "Shouldn't he be surrounded by more experienced officers?"
"Most of the more experienced officers have their assignments and are looking for the Bubbler as we speak. I need you two to keep an eye open around Naomasa and watch his back," Kendo replied.
"You got it chief, we'll make sure nothing bad happens to Naomasa in our watch!" Mina pulled Izuku into a hug, which made him blush.
"You guys don't have to babysit me like I'm some rookie, just keep your distance and look for anything that looks out of place." Naomasa rubbed the back of his head. "Just don't do anything weird and we'll be fine."
Izuku could already feel the dread mounting on him.
Izuku and Mina sat down inside Alien Queen while taking turns watching Naomasa when he was out. They remained in silence for most of the time except for when they took notes on anyone that looked suspicious. So far they hadn't talked about the events of the morning, but the tension was still there. In fact, the tension that was between them had gotten so thick that Izuku could barely breathe without looking like he needed an airbag.
But that wasn't the case for Mina, who was just waiting for the right time to talk like a grown up with her partner.
"Well, so far nothing is out of place." Mina watched from inside the car as Naomasa went about his daily day. "Maybe the Bubble Boys are just laying low, they can't be dumb enough to attack on the very same day, right?"
"I-I-i mean, the Bubbler isn't exactly the most thoughtful of villains. He-he could act out and actually go after Naomasa right off the bat," Izuku blurted out, acting like he couldn't look at Mina.
"Are you trying to picture me naked?" Mia playfully asked, causing Izuku to flinch.
"No! No, no, no, no! I mean, it's not that you're not attractive, but," Izuku stuttered, only to notice something going on. "We've got movement!"
Mina turned to where Izuku had pointed.
A car came out from the other side of the street. It drove like a bat out of hell towards Naomasa, not caring of who or what got in its way.
Naomasa didn't have much time to react. He was cornered and without a way out. He pulled out his pistol, aiming it at the car, but then he saw who was at the wheel.
Just then, Izuku came out from behind him, tackling away at the last minute. He rolled them out of the way, taking a good lick of the asphalt as the car crashed next to them like a crash test dummy. Izuku took Naomasa's gun, aiming it at the driver in case they came out.
The driver came out, revealing themselves to be just a junkie. He pulled out a gun on the two officers, making Izuku hesitate to pull the trigger.
"Don't do it." Izuku firmly glared at the gangster.
The junkie didn't reply.
Just then, the junkie's gun was melted down by a splash of acid, courtesy of Mina.
Mina jumped over the hood of the car, landing a spin kick at the junkie gangster's face, knocking him down to the ground.
"And that's our answer for if he'd be dumb enough to attack in broad daylight." Mina helped Naomasa up as Izuku cuffed the man.
Izuku pulled up the man's sleeve revealing the gang's tattoo sketched on his forearm, a 'B' surrounded by bubbles. He showed it to Naomasa as he knew what would happen next. With an attempt on Izuku's superior in broad daylight, their simple babysitting assignment had now a more hands on protecting assignment.
The three officers put the wannabe hitman inside an interrogation room, hoping to get answers out of him. Izuku and Mina were inside with the gangster but the man was not making things easy.
"Alright buddy, we know you're a part of the Bubble Boys and you work for the Bubbler," Izuku said. "If you tell us what you know and where the rest of the gang is, we will tell the judge that you've been helpful."
"So what do you say?" Mina asked.
"Ey, yo baby doll. No can do. The boss man ain't that lit. He plays checkers while you play chess, ya dig?" the punk said, earning confused looks from the two officers. "So if pissable, you'll late me have some me time?"
Izuku and Mina looked at each other before looking away from the wannabe gangster. They looked at the mirror, hoping that Naomasa was able to get a clue or something out of their conversation.
"You've gotten anything out of him?" Kendo asked, entering the room.
"Not much, partially because I don't think he's talking in any known language," Naomasa replied. "This is something that the Bubbler often does, he gets punks that are illiterate enough or dumb enough and gets them hooked on his bad product. They join the gang and peddle their drug, Bubblegum Blues. I should be out there looking for them."
"Just because the Bubbler is a hot headed idiot doesn't mean that you have to be one." Kendo placed her hand on his shoulder. "You are now under house protection with Izuku and Mina as your protection."
"But, captain, this could be the link I'm looking for for my investigation," Naomasa argued.
"No arguments." Kendo turned to the mirror, pressing the buzzer. "We've got enough to book him, you two. I've got another assignment for you."
Naomasa frowned, looking at the wannabe gangster as he was taken away by the other officers. He knew that this might've looked like a random and spontaneous attack from part of the Bubble Boys and the Bubbler, but he knew otherwise. He knew that the underworld web he'd been looking into was trying to either take him out or cut their losses. He needed to learn more, and that meant playing around his aids or having to ask them to look the other way. Naomasa didn't like either option.
Far from the police headquarters, the Bubbler and the rest of his gang were licking their wounds from the morning raid to their home base. But the leader was not taking it as kindly as others. He was kicking the crates like a boy pulling a tantrum.
"Bastard cop! I want him dead, you hear?!" Bubbler kicked another crate over, knocking out all its contents. "I'll fill his head with so many bubbles that he'll be confused by a bubble-head! Has Luke done the deed?!"
"Sorry boss, but the pigs took him in when he crashed face-first against a building." One of the gangsters winced as the Bubbler fired a blast at the couch.
"Damn it! How am I supposed to be treated like a king when I got punks screwing up and taking our own stock?!" Bubbler fumed. "How am I supposed to be taken seriously in this town with screw ups like that?"
The Bubbler was not a feared villain, but he was a dangerous one. The other drug runners of the city mocked him for the bad product he often sold. But the thing that made him angry and fiercely wanting to make his operation work was the fear of failing the man backing him. He shuddered at the thought of that man coming around and asking for his money at the last minute.
Bubbler stomped his way into his office. He slammed his door shut before he punched his old desk, breaking a chunk of it.
"What do I need to do to get some respect around here?!" Bubbler demanded.
"Perhaps you should start thinking with your head instead of blowing a gasket for every misstep."
Bubbler lost all his bravado. The voice that had just spoken was one that made his blood freeze. He slowly looked up, noticing that his swivel chair was turned around, showing its back to him. But he knew that the man he feared the most was sitting on it looking out the window.
"H-hey, boss man. I-I got to say, next time you want to come around and hang out with me and the guys, you just have to-" Bubbler was silenced by a black hand lifting one finger. "say so."
The black clad hand slowly disappeared back into the chair. What followed was a dark and uncomfortable silence. The type of silence one knows is always followed by something big and devastating. The man behind the chair took in a deep breath before letting it out. He repeated the same action two more times, making the Bubbler sweat with fear. The black clad hand pulled out a booklet with the words accounts sketched on the cover.
"My assistant told me that you've been lagging behind," the man said with a cold calculating voice.
"Well a little but-" Bubbler began only for the man to interrupt him in a show of dominance.
"But I told them, there must be a mistake. The Bubbler would not dare to come short twice in a row." The owner of the black clad hand opened the accountings book. "Yet here we are. You are short this month, again."
The Bubbler stared at the open book with all the amounts of earnings and expenses that had been made. He couldn't take his eyes off of them. As though he was reading his whole life before his eyes, he kept on looking at the writing as the black clad hand held it with ease. The Bubbler was sweating, knowing that the owner of the hand could easily crush the book with little effort. With the same amount of small effort that anyone could crush a bug.
"I know your product isn't the best thing out there. But after all the effort I've put in steering the heroes off your back." The hand closed the book without making a single noise. "So tell me Bubbler, what's stopping me from taking what you have and cutting my losses?"
The Bubbler knew that he had to give his boss something. He didn't want to end up like those that failed him. His eyes darted in search of something, anything that could save his skin. He then remembered the detective that had ruined his operations. He'd be his escape goat.
"There's a detective." Bubbler blurted out.
"Please explain," the man asked without turning around.
"There's this rat bastard detective, his name is Naomasa and he has been poking his nose all over our operations. Not just ours but others." Bubbler pointed out. "He's been looking for connections all over the criminal underworld. He's been a big mean son of a b-"
The man snapped his fingers, shushing the Bubbler.
"What you're saying is that if this detective keeps poking around, he might discover who really runs the city?"
"Yeah boss man. I mean, yes sir." Bubbler bowed his head. "I've been trying to take him out but he's a slippery sucker. If you give me some time, I'll put an end to him and you'll have one less nosey pig sniffing for truffles in your garden."
The man behind the chair didn't reply. His finger tapped on the armrest slowly as though he was thinking with laser accuracy.
Bubbler was sweating like a turkey on Thanksgiving. If his bluff was called and he didn't have anything else to give his boss, then he was as good as dead as a dodo. He was by no means a man of god, but at that moment of tense thick silence, the Bubbler prayed to all the angels above and all the devils below not to bite the big one.
"Very well, Bubbler. I'll give you one last chance," the man said. "However, if you fail me, I will take more than whatever worthless winnings you've tried to hide from me."
"I-I understand, boss." Bubbler bowed his head. "You won't regret this, sir. By this time next week-"
"You have 24 hours to end the detective's life and deal with all his acquired evidence." The man stood up from the chair, disappearing from the room.
The Bubbler collapsed on the ground, feeling his heart beating against his chest like a water balloon about to burst. He had just used his last card against his boss and he had better deliver or else.
Izuku and Mina were tasked with escorting Naomasa back to his house, much to the distaste of the detective. It wasn't that he didn't like being driven around, it was more the feeling that he couldn't do what he usually did without help. But he was able to pick up on some sudden hints to their inner conversation.
"You know, I could've driven myself, right?" Naomasa argued.
"Yeah, but the boss wanted to make sure you got there quickly and efficiently!" Mina drove past two cars, catching the lights before they changed. "Besides, no one can drive like me and get away with it!"
"I think we just passed a red light, Mina. We should take a turn here. Oh hey aren't those the cakes you said you wanted to try?" Izuku pointed to a cake shop as they drove past.
"Yeah, they're supposed to be great." Mina shrugged.
"Great, I'll buy you as many as you want," Izuku said, once more trying to get back in her good graces.
"You know you don't have to do that, Izuku," Mina replied.
"But I wanna do it!" Izuku snapped before putting his face back on the file.
Mina rolled her eyes as she knew that Izuku was going to bend over backwards to get back in her good graces. She really needed to talk to him before he burnt himself out or screwed up their assignment.
The house came into view for the group, revealing it to be a rather simple townhome with a brown roof, a small garden, and two windows looking out into the street. It was the kind of home that a small quiet family would like to live in instead of a single detective. It raised a few questions for Izuku and Mina, as they didn't see their friend and co-worker as someone that would live in such a homey home.
"We're here!" Mina pulled into the house's driveway. "Wow, look at this tiny little place. You live here all by yourself, boss?"
"It looks like the kind of home that my mom lives in," Izuku commented, stepping out of the car.
"It's a family home, my parents left it to me after I became a detective. They always ask me when will I get a wife to truly make it a family home," Naomasa explained as Izuku and Mina helped him bring in all the different files he'd requested.
"Sounds like a nice form to spend your days, right Izuku?" Mina commented, causing Izuku to stiffen up.
"Oh yeah, definitely!" Izuku agreed as they entered the house.
Izuku and Mina quickly covered the windows and locked the doors. They looked up and down through any nook and cranny that they could find, making sure the house was safe from any possible traps. As they made their way through the small house, Izuku found a room that was locked unlike the others that he'd come across.
Izuku looked at Mina before pulling out his weapon. He counted to three before Mina melted the lock with her acid. With one swift push, Izuku jumped into the room, only to find it empty.
"Huh, it's just a study room." Izuku put down his weapon.
"Why would anyone lock a study?" Mina asked.
Izuku then noticed the different clippings on the wall of the study. They were all of different crime scenes and conflicts between heroes and villains, connected with red thread with notes stuck to each of them. Izuku knew some of these by heart. He saw one where his friend made his first debut as a hero with his battle against the Rock Villain Stoneheart. Another one which showed a younger Turtle Sentry capturing the elusive Mime. But his eyes then fell on the regular crimes that were tied together with the superhero news and clips. They seemed like normal crimes, thefts, drug related violence, and some murders.
Izuku didn't like what he was looking at. But he wondered what the link between the two different types of crimes was.
"What is this?" Mina asked before they heard Naomasa walk into the room.
"Hey, Midoriya, Ashido, did you melt my doorknob?" Naomasa asked, looking at the melted piece of doorknob.
"Oh, um yes, sorry we thought it was weird that there was a locked door so we had to open to check the room," Izuku apologized.
"It's fine," Naomasa sighed. "It gets stuck sometimes. Looks like you found my past time."
"What is all this?" Izuku asked. "You have both regular crimes and hero fights against different villains. Some recent and others spanning the last twenty years."
"It started as a curiosity I had with how crime seems to spike whenever the heroes are facing off against any villains that show up." Naomasa explained. "I noticed that different parts of the city had an increase in crime while heroes were busy in other parts. I then started to look into the big moments like the debuts of heroes or big busts, and saw that some criminals were going out of their way to avoid those areas or move after the heroes left."
Izuku saw what Detective Naomasa was saying, but couldn't help but wonder how the criminals were mobilizing so quickly in that kind of organization. Most criminals he'd dealt with had been working on their own with their own goals. But a few of them alluded to something much larger going on amidst the shadows.
"And you think that the Bubble Boys are involved with this syndicate?" Izuku asked.
"I'm not even sure if this is a syndicate or a conglomeration of gangs but the fact that groups like the Bubble Boys are constantly protected by other forces makes things complicated," Naomasa said. "I've seen it in other cases. But I can't see who or why they would do so."
"So you hope to get information from the Bubbler?" Mina asked.
"Sadly, I don't know what will happen. He isn't exactly the kind of person who would share that sort of thing unless he had nothing else to give." Naomasa scratched the back of his head. "That's why I need to catch him, before whoever he's working for decides to cut him out."
Izuku remembered his clashes with Simon Says, and the Pigeon. They had mentioned that there was something else out there. Then there was what Bunnix had mentioned. He was certain that there was someone in the shadows that aided or controlled all these villains and put the fear in others. But he had no solid proof of it, even with Naomasa's information.
Izuku knew what he had to do. He needed to find answers to the questions that Naomasa had given him. If he could get to some of the members of the Bubble Boys or the Bubbler himself and get information out of them, then he'd be able to find something solid out of the working theory Naomasa had explained.
"If it's alright with you, Naomasa, I'll go out and look for any clues as to the whereabouts of the Bubble Boys," Izuku said.
"Hey, what am I chopped liver?" Mina asked, causing Izuku to recoil slightly.
"Um, well one of us has to stay here and keep an eye on things and Naomasa in case someone comes looking for him," Izuku explained, holding up his hands. "It'll be a quick search I promise, besides, the sun is almost down." He argued with a small smile.
Naomasa sighed, knowing that there was a good chance that these two could destroy his house if left alone together. He knew that the self proclaimed Dynamic Duo was going through a rough patch and some time apart would be good for them.
"Calm down, Ashido. There are some places I'd like you to check, Midoriya." Naomasa handed Izuku a list of addresses. "That's the list of usual places where the Bubble Boys usually peddle their stuff. Maybe you'll get lucky since they don't know you. But be careful, they're dangerous."
"I will." Izuku took the list before running off. "Oh, Mina, I will pick up some of those cakes you liked to make up for this! Bye!" Izuku ran out of the house.
"We're so talking after this, Izuku!" Mina called out, shaking her fist in annoyance.
Izuku quickly got back into his costume and took to the night. He looked at the list of addresses and started heading to where the first spot was. Running from rooftop to rooftop he fired his grappling hook to swing through the air to clear his inner thoughts. Izuku made a list of things he had to do. He had to find the Bubble Boys and stop them from killing his superior officer. He had to find proof of the darker web of villainy that may or may not be at work in Paris. And he had to talk to Mina and clear things out between them. Hopefully the ridiculously expensive cake he was going to buy would do the trick.
As the night air became his only companion, Izuku looked down at the first of the addresses on his list. He looked for anyone that could resemble one of the Bubble Boys, they weren't subtle about who they were or how they dressed. He was able to find a few gang members but they weren't the kind that he was looking for. Izuku's time had taught him that gangs often stuck to their territories and rarely went out of them without a good reason.
If a new gang was moving in then the Bubble Boys were moving. There were only three gang members, but one of them had to know something.
Izuku had to take them down before getting back to his search. But he made time to fight them. Jumping down from the rooftops, he knocked out each of the gang members. With darkness by his side and his two kali sticks, he swung fast and hard against them. He landed a blow on one of the gang members, knocking out the air from him. Ducking under a punch, Izuku uppercutted the second member, breaking one of his teeth. He had one left awake to interrogate. Izuku slammed the gang member against the wall, knocking the knife out of his hand.
"Where are the Bubble Boys?" Izuku asked.
"I don't know. Those freaks are always on the move since their crap doesn't sell," the gang member replied. "Don't know where they are, no skin off my back."
Izuku punched the man across the face, knocking him out. He sighed as he looked at where he had to go next. Even if it was an inevitable distraction, he wondered how Mina was doing in their assignment.
Back at the home of Naomasa, Mina was pacing through the house, wondering where her partner had gone. She kept looking out the window every few minutes, making sure that no one out of the ordinary was parked outside in waiting. She sighed, noting that there was nothing, again.
"Where is Izuku?" Mina sighed. "I should call him. Maybe ask him to pick up some food, I'm starving."
She then thought that she should ask Naomasa what he wanted so that he wouldn't be even more miserable.
"Hey, boss man, I'm going to ask Izuku to pick up something to eat. You want something?" Mina asked, but she didn't get any reply. "Boss? Detective Naomasa?"
Mina walked through the house, looking for Naomasa. She heard no replies to her calls. Making her way to his study, she hoped to hear Naomasa typing away at a file or coming up with some way of tracking the Bubble Boys. However, as soon as she arrived at the study she saw that it was empty.
"Where the heck is he?" Mina asked.
She noted one of the post-it notes flapping slightly. She slowly approached the note, feeling a light draft hit her hand.
"You've got to be kidding me." Mina pressed the wall to reveal a hidden door. "Why are all the men being such stubborn pig-headed morons today?!"
Mina quickly dialed Izuku's phone.
"You better pick up, Izuku!" Mina ranted.
Meanwhile, Izuku had just struck off the second to last location from his list. He sighed after not finding anything about the Bubble Boys or where they were. He just had to check up the last address before heading back. He wondered if the gang and the villain were in fact underground and were just waiting until the heat died down. It was the smart thing for them to do, but they still needed to remain strong in front of the other gangs. Izuku's mind filled with possibilities as he approached his last destination. Maybe the gang had moved out of Paris completely, but such a move after a hit like that was too much. He wondered if someone was hiding them or at least giving them a way out of the city without being caught by the police or the heroes. It would certainly give weight to Naomasa's theory if he thought about it.
Just then, his phone started to ring.
"Hello?" Izuku answered.
"Izuku! We've got a problem! Naomasa's gone!" Mina screamed into his ear through the phone.
Izuku almost fell from the roof, grabbing hold of the edge in the knick of time.
"W-What do you mean 'he's gone'?" Izuku asked, pulling himself up.
"The boss man had a secret escape door in his own studio, can you believe it?!" Mina ranted. "He snuck out while I was doing my rounds!"
"Wow, that's smart," Izuku muttered.
"What did you say?!" Mina snapped.
"I-I said, do you know anywhere he might've gone?" Izuku asked.
"He might be looking for the Bubbler and his goons. Have you seen anything suspicious or any signs of him?" Mina asked.
"No, but I'm at the last spot. I'll look for him here and then make my way back!" Izuku arrived at the last location. "Keep an eye out in case he comes back. I'll put out an APB on him."
Izuku hung up the phone before dialing back at the police HQ. He quickly asked the officers to look for Naomasa and keep him and Mina posted on his location. He grunted in frustration at the reckless act of his superior officer. The thought that he had been going on a wild goose chase angered him a lot. Was he actually helping the case or was this just a waste of time? A part of Izuku wanted to kick Naomasa's butt for this trick.
But just as Izuku was planning on viciously beating up Naomasa, he spotted him getting out of a taxi. Izuku let out a sigh of relief. At least Naomasa was safe, but now he couldn't approach him as Chat Noir. He would have to keep an eye on him and make sure that nothing happened to him. Not the easiest thing when Izuku wanted to keep his vigilante and professional lives separate.
Izuku kept his eyes on Naomasa as he moved through back alleys. He saw him approach some of the wastrels of the area. Sticking to the shadows, Izuku looked down at the interaction.
"Hey fellas, been looking for the Bubble Boys. Seen them around, lately?" Naomasa asked.
"Nah man, haven't seen them around," one said.
"Yeah, heard they got busted this morning," the girl said. "Don't you know where they are, copper?"
"Some slipped through our fingers, and I'd see it as a good sign if you kept me informed." Naomasa handed them a card with his number.
"Don't hold your breath," the man said.
"Why is that?" Naomasa asked.
"Some say that they won't be long for this world if-" he began only for the woman to elbow him.
"They're dumb and don't know subtlety. That's all we know." She dragged her partner away before smacking him over the head.
Izuku didn't like what their conversation meant. He saw Naomasa narrow his eyes, feeling like there was also on the trail he wanted, but not the one he needed. Just then Izuku noticed the sound of an approaching vehicle. He saw a car coming towards Naomasa, forcing him to act.
"Get stuffed, pig!" one of the Bubble Boys fired his gun.
Naomasa turned around to see the Bubble Boys pull out with guns and machine guns. He ran away as the bullets started flying. He ducked behind a large trash container, getting a good defense as he pulled out his own pistol. However, before he could fire back he heard the shots turn away from him and against something else. Naomasa heard screams followed by the shots.
"What the?" Naomasa peeked out to see what was happening.
Izuku jumped down from the rooftop, slamming against two of the Bubble Boys. He slammed their heads against the ground before pulling out his kali sticks. He ducked under one of the shots before, striking the gun away before kicking him in the stomach. Izuku threw his other stick at the other gunner, hitting him in the eye. Without wasting another second, the vigilante recovered his weapon before tackling the last gunman against the wall, knocking the air out of him.
"Detective, you may come out." Izuku rushed to the trash container's side, putting away his weapons.
Naomasa came out with his pistol drawn and aimed at the vigilante's chest.
"You were awfully quick to come to my rescue," Naomasa said. "Not many heroes patrol this area."
"I'm not 'most heroes', detective." Izuku slowly lifted his hands. "They may be down, but more will come for you. Can you think of a reason they would come looking for you with such force?"
"I don't tend to tell my life story to just about anyone," Naomasa replied. "But if I had to guess, it could be because I busted their drug operation."
"This might be excessive," Izuku commented. "No, they're doing this because of something else."
The vigilante and the detective heard another car coming towards them from the other side. They turned to see another car coming towards them, running over anything that was on their path. On top of the car, they saw the Bubbler himself aiming his weapon at Detective Naomasa.
The Bubbler fired his hose directly at Naomasa and Izuku with mad glee.
Izuku grabbed Naomasa, pulling him behind the trash can as the blast of bubbles tore through the top of the container.
"Get ready to die, pig! And your wannabe hero too!" Bubbler cackled.
Izuku looked back at the incoming villain and his remaining lackeys. He wouldn't be able to take them down and protect Naomasa at the same time. He needed to get him to safety before he could do anything about the Bubbler and his trigger happy followers. He spotted the car of the first group of hitmen. He narrowed his eyes behind his mask, picking up Naomasa.
"See the car, we'll make a run for it." Izuku looked at the Bubbler as he and the other Bubble Boys pulled out their guns.
"Not like we have a choice!" Naomasa and Izuku took off towards the car, narrowly dodging bullets and shots fired at them.
Izuku jumped into the driver's seat as Naomasa slid over the hood of the car. Once the detective got inside, Izuku took off, driving away from the shots and the villain gang. He took to the backstreets, keeping the chase away from the populated areas. He looked at the rearview mirror, and saw that the car was coming after them.
"Seems we have company," Izuku said, turning the car away as the gang members fired at him.
"Persistent bastards aren't they?" Naomasa fired his pistol at the enemy, shooting one of the gunmen.
"I'm gonna try to lose them, and you must return to your safehouse, do not take any of your usual routes!" Izuku took a sharp right turn, knocking over some trash cans.
"How do you know I have a safehouse?!" Naomasa shot another gunman before taking out the side mirror. "Have you been following me?"
"No, but something tells me that your actions have struck a bigger hornet's nest than what you claim!" Izuku took a sharp left as the roof was split by a blast of bubbles. "Start talking!"
Naomasa fired again, hoping that he'd get the villain, but he settled for shooting his windscreen. He hated to admit it but he should've brought backup on this mission. He checked his service weapon and that he had enough shots ready. Thankfully, Naomasa's gun still had five bullets and his new driver was able to keep them from dying.
"If you must know, I'm looking into something!" Naomasa rocked as their stolen car was struck from behind. "And I fear that the Bubbler is trying to kill me to save his skin!"
Izuku nodded in understanding. He could tell that the Bubbler was doing this not just for vengeance but also because he was desperate. If he could get him to talk alone, then he could get answers. He turned to see the Bubbler preparing another shot from his hose. An idea popped in his head.
"Hold on!" Izuku stepped on the brakes, crashing the car against the pursuing car, knocking the Bubbler out of the car and on top of the other car.
"Now!" Izuku instructed, as Naomasa shot the wheels of the crashed car.
Izuku then stomped on the accelerator, dragging the Bubbler with him while leaving the other car for the officers.
"You are not making a fool out of me, pigs!" Bubbler snarled.
"You do the fool part all on your own, Bubbler!" Naomasa snapped back, aiming his gun at the Bubbler.
Naomasa shot twice at the Bubbler.
The Bubbler turned on his side, narrowly dodging the two shots. The villain didn't like being insulted, much less being shot at. He looked down at the driver as he swiveled the wheel, trying to shake him off. He didn't know where the clown dressed in black had come from, but he was going to make him pay for getting involved.
"Get ready to take a shower, bastards!" Bubbler aimed his hose at Izuku's face with a sickening grin.
Izuku narrowed his eyes. He saw that they were heading to a dead end. A crash would be disastrous, but also the perfect place to have a conversation with the villain. He hit the brakes once more, halting the car at a loud whine. He sharply turned the wheel, shifting the car and throwing off the Bubbler into the wall of the alley ahead of the car.
The Bubbler fired his hose at the car, knocking off the rest of the roof before skidding to a halt.
"That'll show you to mess with me, pigs!" Bubbler snarled.
Izuku and Naomasa got out of the car, facing down the Bubbler as the headlights illuminated the alley.
"Yeah, that showed me that you're an idiot," Izuku commented, getting a snicker from Naomasa. "You rely on the brute strength of your Miraculous without knowing what it can really do. Talk about the wasted potential of a versatile ability."
The Bubbler didn't take kindly to the words of the vigilante. He growled and gritted his teeth as more bubbles started coming out of his body.
"Bubbler, you're under arrest! Put your hands up and kneel on the ground!" Naomasa aimed his gun at the villain who only smirked at his threat.
"You got it, pig!" Bubbler fired his hose at the two men before him with a flurry of bubbles.
Naomasa ducked under the car as Izuku ran towards the villain.
Izuku ducked under the bubbles as they took a bit of his coat. He had to find a way to get close and take down the villain, but he also had to draw his fire. He wasn't going to let someone like the Bubbler hurt his boss. With a flick of his hand, Izuku threw a sharpened disk at the Bubbler, cutting his cheek.
"You bastard!" Bubbler focused his attacks on Izuku, firing his hose once more with the excess of bubbles at him.
As he ran towards the villain, Izuku rolled to the side, avoiding the bubbles by the skin of his teeth. Gritting his teeth, he pulled out one of his kali sticks. He threw it straight at the Bubbler's hose, plugging it.
"Hey! The hell!" Bubbler snapped, trying to pull out the kali stick.
Izuku took the initiative. He punched the Bubbler in the stomach before cracking him across the face with another punch. With one swift move, he grabbed hold of the Bubbler's jacket, flipping him against the ground. Izuku tore off the grenades on the villain's belt, throwing them away from the villain.
"Who put you on this trail?" Izuku asked.
"Not talking, pig!" The Bubbler snapped through a sick grin.
Izuku pulled up the villain before slamming him against the wall.
"Let's try that again," Izuku said, before noting that a phone was buzzing on the villain's jacket.
Izuku pulled out the phone, noting the caller ID said 'private number' raised a few questions. He looked at the villain, who looked scared out of his mind at the sight of him holding the phone. Izuku gestured to Naomasa to listen in as he turned to the Bubbler.
"Answer it, and keep it in speaker," Izuku said as Naomasa kept his weapon on him.
Bubbler knew that if he squealed he would die. But as he saw Izuku's finger answering the call, he knew that he was doomed. He'd have to use all his cunning to keep the conversation casual and not give up anything.
"Bubbler, you know I don't like to be kept waiting."
The voice was cold and robotic, but it still carried a speck of malice from its very core. Whoever the man at the other end was, carried enough power over the Bubbler that made the loudmouth man cower in fear.
"S-sorry, sir." Bubbler trembled.
The two officers were drawn into the conversation, picking up on anything that could tell them about the person from the other side. They felt the dread behind the words of the man as he continued to talk.
"Is the job done? You are down to a few hours?"
"Y-yes. We've got those pigs down and just about to put a cap on their asses," Bubbler said as Izuku and Naomasa listened carefully.
"I thought you said you only had to deal with one pesky detective?"
The Bubbler lost all of the color in his face. He bit his tongue, knowing that he had just screwed up. He needed to save himself before Hawkmoth thought of him as a screw up and came down on him.
"The-the pig is just surrounded by a group of cops, but-but me and the guys got him covered," Bubbler replied, trying to put on some bravado. "Don't worry Hawkmoth, I'll get it done!"
Silence.
Izuku and Naomasa looked at each other as the silence stretched.
The Bubbler became as pale as a ghost as he understood what he had just said out loud.
"Why did you say my name out loud?"
Bubbler looked around, hoping to say or do something to clear himself. He had screwed up big time and now he was caught between a pair of pigs and a hard place. Bubbler thrusted his hose forward, forcing Izuku and Naomasa back, dropping the phone to the floor. He fired his hose, forgetting that it was jammed by the kali stick.
The hose exploded, sending the kali stick past Izuku and Naomasa and into the wall.
Izuku and Naomasa looked at the Bubbler as he tried to flee. Izuku threw his second kali stick as Naomasa fired his pistol at the villain's weapon. Izuku's stick knocked the Bubbler while the shot struck him in the leg.
"Are you alright?" Izuku asked.
"Yes," Naomasa replied. "At least now I know that I was right all along."
"It seems like there is someone controlling crime from the shadows." Izuku recovered both of his kali sticks. "You will need this though." He handed Naomasa the phone as he put the Bubbler tied up on the hood of the car.
"Thanks," Naomasa replied. "You know, I should arrest you for being a vigilante. But so far, you're the only other person that knows that this Hawkmoth is hiding somewhere in the shadows."
"Are you proposing a partnership?" Izuku asked.
"I won't install a Chat Noir signal at the top of the police headquarters." Naomasa snickered. "But if I find anything or you find anything, we will contact each other. Understand?" He stuck his hand out.
Izuku looked at the detective's hand. He knew that if he took it it could put his identity at risk even more than before. But what kind of hero could turn away after hearing that a conspiracy was taking shape. He took Naomasa's hand before hearing the sound of sirens coming towards them.
"We'll keep in touch." Izuku pulled out his graplinghook and took to the shadows of the night.
Back at Naomasa's house, Mina paced like pins and needles at the tips of her fingers. She had received word from the other officers that not only had they found Detective Naomasa thanks to information given to them by Izuku, but they had also found and captured the Bubbler and his crew. However she wasn't any less worried. She had yet to hear from her partner and feared that he had been caught in the crossfire or something worse.
Just as her head was about to go into some dark territory, the door opened revealing Izuku with a black eye and a slice of cake in his hand.
"Izuku," Mina said.
"Hey, Mina. Sorry I didn't call earlier but my phone died on me," Izuku said. "But I managed to get you a slice of strawberry cake you wanted."
Izuku wasn't able to hand her the cake as she tackled him into a hug. He blushed immediately at how she was pushing her body against his.
"I was so worried! What happened?!" Mina asked.
"I-I was about to go to the last address when I saw Detective Naomada driving away with someone being followed by the Bubbler and his goons. I tried to catch up but the patrols were already after them, and so well," Izuku stammered as Mina looked at him with teary puppy dog eyes. "I'm sorry I worried you."
Mina sniffed and wiped away her tears. She knew that they needed to talk, and this was as good a time as ever.
"Why have you been avoiding me all this time?" Mina asked. "Was it something I did or said?"
"NO! It wasn't anything that you did. I'm-I'm sorry I took advantage of you last night." Izuku bowed his head. "You were drunk and I shouldn't have done what I did. I understand if you're angry and I'll do everything I can to make it up to you."
Mina blinked. All this time he was trying to make things up to her after what she did. She didn't know if she should be happy, flattered or a little annoyed. She let out a sigh before grabbing his face with her two hands. She kissed him deeply on the lips, knocking him out of his stupor.
"B-But, I thought-" Izuku began.
"Izuku, I like you, a lot. Don't you notice that I'm always flirting with you? That's real flirting," Mina explained. "Honestly, how can a head so good for crime fighting be so dense when it comes to women liking you. I would've done what I did drunk or not. My choices are my own. So please, can we try something or at least be partners with benefits?"
Izuku was blushing like a tomato. He hadn't expected a confession from his partner and that she was more than willing to have this continue.
"I can see that you still need time to process this. So, yoink, baby." Mina took the cake from Izuku's hand. "Also, I'm not the only one that finds you hot, so don't think I'll let them get ahead so easily. Thanks for the cake."
"Y-Yeah, no problem." Izuku scratched his cheek until he realized what Mina said. "Wait what?! There are more girls that like me?! Mina, wait, please, you've gotta tell me who they are! Please, I'm begging you!"
In a dark deep cell, the Bubbler was thrown to the ground by the guards. He staggered to his feet, looking for a way to break out. He tugged at the Miraculous Suppressor Vest on his chest. He didn't have long, and that cop and vigilante were so on his hit list. But first he had to get out of the city, out of Europe if he had to.
"These cells are quite comfortable."
Bubbler stiffened up. That sentence had felt like a nail being struck on his coffin. He quickly turned around. He was met with a large black figure of a man standing between the iron door and himself.
"I've never spent a night in a cell myself, but this one is nothing like you expect from the movies. It is much better than criminals deserve. Much better than what you deserve, Bubbler."
"W-Wait, boss! J-Just give me another shot," Bubbler begged. "I can fix this!"
"No, I don't think you can. Thanks to your big mouth, someone knows about me and that's a problem."
"Are-are you going to kill me?" Bubbled sobbed.
"Kill you? No, no, no. That would lead to too many questions. I will simply make sure you can't screw up my operations any further." The black figure walked towards the Bubbler as a glowing blue butterfly visor lit up on his face.
"Wait, please, no! No! No! DON'T DO THIS!" Bubbler screamed as the flapping of butterfly wings filled the cell.