I yawned, trying to suppress the hollow sound in the still night air. We'd been perched on a nearby rooftop, watching the orphanage for several hours, hoping to get some clue that would aid us in our abduction plan.
We hadn't spotted anyone come or go since our arrival, so either all the helpers worked abnormally long hours, or they weren't there tonight. There was also the possibility that they lived onsite, but I discarded that theory almost immediately.
I wanted to just go in and take her, sure that all three of us would be capable of defeating, or at least apprehending the retired heroine.
I didn't know where this impatience was coming from though, trying to rush my plan. I knew that it was better to take our time, try to gather information, train some more so as to increase our chances of success.
My best guess would be something like the feeling in an RPG when you're grinding for levels and supplies, whether they be potions and mana potions or coin to buy the gear. My mind had plans, and they were all being stalled out by waiting right now. I wanted to rush the boss, move on to the next level, area, whatever you wanted to call it. I wish I could say that was why I preferred strategy games, but I was just as impatient whether it was waiting to declare war or to spring some trap on my enemies, I hated waiting.
But this wasn't a game, it was real life, and I needed to insure we would win the next confrontation, and the one after that, losing here wasn't a game over and restart, it was prison time or the bone orchard.
"It's just like Ironman Mode on a game. Focus up!" I ordered myself, mentally slapping some sense into myself.
"I saw something." I heard Zee say, dragging me from my introspection, which completely ruined any observations I was supposed to make.
"What, do we have contact? Were we spotted?" I asked in quick succession, Zozo shaking her head.
"A light went off in the back room, I think it was her office." Zozo said, peeking over the edge of the rooftop ledge.
"Okay, so she's going to bed... I still haven't seen any of the helpers, but I wouldn't put it past them to work late. All the same, Ms. Gaol should be asleep soon, so we can make our move. Let's wait and see if we can spot any of the helpers leaving." I said, my two compatriots nodding in agreement.
We sat there for another two hours before something caught our attention.
"Did you see that?" My question was unnecessary, both Zozo and Kuro were already on high alert.
"Three bright flashes in the upstairs window, they looked just like gunshots." Zozo responded as we tensed, readying ourselves for combat at any moment.
"Let's go, it would seem someone had the same idea as us. Kuro." My order was once again unnecessary, a wispy black portal appearing before me as I nodded in thanks, diving into it as I found myself on the roof above Ms. Gaol's room, Zozo appearing next to me followed by Kurogiri.
Leaning over the edge, I could see inside her room; it was difficult to see in the darkness, but it looked like two people fighting, one figure with dark tracks on her chest, most likely Ms. Gaol, our target whom the attacker got the drop on.
"..." I turned to say, only for nothing to come out as I looked at the other parts of my triad in confusion. Cutting my hand across my throat though seemed to get the message across. At least I knew why no one seemed alarmed by the gunshots or ensuing fight, they were silenced.
Taking a calming breath, I removed one of my gloves, placing the fingertips on the glass as it turned to dust in the mid-night air. I didn't wait, swinging, Zozo right behind me as Kurogiri trailed back, smart given he was our escape.
It was chaos, and I didn't even have time to take it in as the invader spotted us, a gun turning to fire at us almost immediately, only survival instincts throwing me to the floor as the shots went wide, grazing my shoulder as Zozo jumped into the fight, a wooden club in one hand which she brought down in a overhead strike that also showered the room with debris from the now broken light.
The assailant looked vaguely feminine, although it was hard to tell with all the confusion and darkness. That was all I could tell as she dodged, kicking Zozo aside and sending her tumbling over a personal desk.
However, this gave Ms. Gaol an opening, her mouth moving in what was most likely some aggressive order as the blackened blood stopped, replaced by a silverly substance that shot out, instantly solid, into three spears, all aiming for the assailant.
Deciding it was my turn, I jumped into the fray, my ungloved hand grabbing one of the spears, nearly burning my hand off before it began to crack under my grip. Rust would've followed soon after if I hadn't released, the metal spears retracting into her body as a bright spark flashed in the dark, a ricochet off her cheek as the mystery assailant attacked, rather than dodged, the same silvery liquid now leaking from Ms. Gaol's eyes as I dove behind the same desk as Zozo, a spray of metal shrapnel suddenly shredding where I was standing as well as a large part of the room.
The assailant hadn't managed to avoid all the damage, blood barely visibly dripping from her right side as the hand holding the gun went limp, dropping it to the floor.
Seeing the fearful look in Zozo's eyes, a feeling that I shared, I felt the need to step up and be the leader our team seemed to need right now.
Leaning over the top of the desk, I grabbed a paperweight, hurling it at the amalgamation in front of us. She looked like the worst version of a Terminator, part of her body vanished beneath the metallic shimmer of what was most likely her power, angry eyes peering out of the gloom.
The paperweight never even reached her, the heavy glass sculpture, shattering partway there, all it had accomplished was getting her attention as she glared in our general direction, one hand raising towards us in a threatening manner.
Not waiting to see what her next big play was, I grabbed Zozo around the waist, making sure to use my right arm and hand, before throwing her back out the hole in the window. Judging from the shards of glass that rained down, I wasn't the most accurate, but hopefully she was okay.
The same couldn't be said for me as Ms. Gaol launched a solid ball of metal about the size of a basketball at me, her desk exploding in wooden splinters as I jumped, grabbing hold of the ceiling as it crumbled beneath my left hand, but left enough purchase for my right.
She was forced to ignore me for a second as the assailant got back in the fight, a kick that probably would've broken my arm only barely moved the implacable Ms. Gaol as she swung out with a backfist, an iron gauntlet buffing her blow as the assailant stumbling back, her head no doubt ringing as Ms. Gaol followed up, a high kick with a shimmering boot sending the assailant to her knees, leaning on the bed for support as Ms. Gaol aimed to finished her off, only for me to take advantage of her momentary lapse of attention as I grabbed a hold of her still pointing arm, first the metal covering falling away as I pushed my power into her, then soon the flesh falling away as she reeled in agony, her exposed muscle now visible.
Judging from how her wayward axe kick with that boot bent the metal of her bed at a very uncomfortable angle, I didn't have high hopes for my sudden ally's survival had it landed.
Still the assailant remained dazed as Ms. Gaol got me off of her with a fist that planted itself in my gut, sending me sprawling as I struggled to my feet, not succeeding, struggling for air, also failing as I was pretty sure that blow had pulverized my ribs.
It was with bleary eyes and a no doubt wheezy breath that I saw my executioner, rather than smash me into the floor, I felt that metal boot sending me tumbling through the air as I barely managed to catch myself against the backwall, only to spot her supporting her injured arm with her good one, the ball of iron growing way too much for comfort as I barely had time to utter a silent prayer before it flew at me.
I expected my life to flash before my eyes, or some otherworldly being to materialize in my inner world, giving the drive to somehow overcome the impossible odds. I would've even settled for being able to form a grim smile, but my body was tired and weak after the short brawl so all I could do was watch my death approach.
Suddenly, it all went black as Kuro, bless his heart or whatever the Doctor had put in there, interceded. I almost thanked him, allowing myself to fall unconscious before realizing I wasn't safely back at the bar. Rather Kurogiri had opened a portal blocking me, while also opening a second one lost in the darkness of the room, taking advantage of the chaos as the massive cannonball, because that's what it was, was redirected, appearing behind her as it slammed into her back, sending her reeling before she caught herself, an angry glare still on her face, not that it seemed to faze Kurogiri much.
Whatever her next plan was, it was cut short as Zozo reentered the fight, her hands tightly gripping a pipe, not a featureless pole, that I recognized as the one I grabbed earlier. It must have broken off after I let go, and Zozo got a hold of it as she descended on the stunned Gaol, bringing her appointed hammer down again and again on the retired heroes head, until the pole was blackened with blood, and partial bent as I could now see a metallic skullcap under Ms. Gaol's skin. Whether by her own design or medical reasons, I didn't care, I fell back, allowing myself a chance to breathe easier as Kurogiri went into action, swallowing the possible corpse whole, Zozo vanishing along with it with an annoyed snarl on her face.
I looked towards the bed, expecting to see the assailant, but she was gone, no sign she'd ever been here except for all the damage, but nothing that would lead to her, not even her gun I noticed as I took a deep breath, wincing as daggers filled my chest. Thankfully only metaphorical ones as I let Kuro embrace me, whisking us back to homebase after a mission completed.