After a full hour at the arcade, the two leading villains marched back to Puppetress' hotel, ice cream and prizes in their hands; a few stuffies for Puppetress and a limited edition Villains card set for Tomura, with Destro on the cover of the pack. They had set new high scores at all the games, with Tomura specializing in fighting games while Puppetress had dominated sharp-shooters and dancing.
"This has got to be one of the best days I've had in a while" Tomura admitted. "Sure, may not have done anything to show Heroes are worthless or destroy All Might, but this has been fun, Enwia."
Puppetress simply smiled as she tossed the remains of her cone into a garbage can.
"Glad to hear that, Tenko." She produced her key card and opened her door.
Although it would be hard to see, Chomp had a light smile on his face as he opened his mistress' door for them.
"First and real name basis already, milady? You're a lucky man, Shigaraki." He then narrowed his eyes. "Just don't push your luck."
"I'll try not to. I played Poker Night at the Inventory once. Didn't work so well."
As Tomura went inside, his attention was soon caught on what he saw.
Puppetress' room was the lap of luxury; spacious enough to fit three ''normal' hotel rooms, a curtained bed, and colors that screamed expensive all over. A living room and a fully stocked bar were the first things one would see when stepping in; a huge TV and a currently deactivated Jacuzzi in the center of it all.
"Like it, I wager?" Puppetress smiled. "One of Grandpa's shell companies built this place long, long ago. They've remained business partners ever since, so we'll get to stay here free with all ammentities."
"Wait, we?" Tomura asked, brought out of the luxury around him with that word.
"Oh, didn't I mention I already had Crunch bribng everyone over?"
"Yo, Shigaraki! Pull up a seat! GET YER OWN ROOM!" Twice waved over and then snapped as he and Toga jumped on a bed while channel surfing. Magne and Mr. Compress were enjoying a cup of coffee and several small cakes while Spinner played and explained the lore of one of his videogames to an unamused Dabi.
"Ooooh! So comfy~!" Himiko giggled as she flopped on the bed.
"Ah, at least I'll be able to work in my comfort zone," Kurogiri said contently as he set himself up at the bar.
"You two seemed to be having a good time." Dabi snarked as he made himself comfortable in the corner away from everything else.
"So, how was it giving Overhaul his just desserts?" Magne asked Chomp, who dabbed some sweat from his forehead.
"Oh, we've been getting along JUST fine." The butler smiled sadistically and perversely with a lick of his lips. "Kai-boy can't get enough of me."
"Then you're gonna LOVE the prize I bagged for ya." Showdown smirked as he poured himself a drink, along with a coke.
"Gotta say, this is so much better than our last hideout," Spinner noted. "I could stay here forever!"
"I have no need for earthly possessions," Quatal said humbly as he sat Indian-style on the floor. "What I have, I am content with."
"Oh, speaking of..." Puppetress smirked. "A few friends of mine are coming over. Some of them were just DYING to meet you."
"Oh?" Tomura asked curiously and a bit excited but also cautious. "Please tell me they're not Stain Fanboys at least. Don't get me wrong, I've come to appreciate my party, but it still irks me that they initially came here for him."
"Honestly, I want to be even better than Stain." Spinner admitted. "Sure he went after Fake Heroes, but Ingenium wasn't really a Fake...at this point, I'm starting to see he may have become too blinded by his crusade."
"Honestly Spinner, why even bother?" Dabi scoffed. "There are NO Real Heroes in this disgusting world. Best to just burn it all down."
"Seems like we've gotten a bit of a hint on your history, Dabi." Mr. Compress noted. "As for me, I merely joined in order to spread my name around in infamy. It still helped that I found genuine comrades in the process."
"Trust me, my friends are the real deal," Puppetress assured the others. "They're all loyal to the death and I feel like some of them would really like some of you."
A knock on the door was soon heard, the League all turning in interest to see who was coming. Chomp opened the door for them and Puppetress smiled.
"Everyone, you made it!"
The first to come in was a young man wearing high-tech mercenary armor and wearing a mask based on the Predator. He also seemed to be armed to the teeth like a one-man army and he had his black hair in dreadlocks. From what skin could be seen, it was tanned with some scars.
"Hey there, sport." Showdown smiled warmly as he handed the coke he'd poured to the aforementioned newcomer, who gave him a hug and then accepted the drink.
The second to arrive was a woman who appeared to be in her mid-to-late 20s. She had a bit of a maniacal expression on her face and wore round glasses. Her hair was wild, purplish-blue, and unkempt and her skin was rather pale. She wore a white cape-like lab coat over a red t-shirt that had the periodic table on it and blue jeans with black boots.
The third was a girl with ghostly white pale skin wearing a black tank top with a white skull on it, a dark grey biker vest, biker pants, black boots with spikes on them, and wearing a skull handkerchief that covered her mouth and nose. She also had long raven-black hair with a tinge of purple and purple-blue eyeshadow.
The fourth was a young woman with mocha brown skin and short dark brown hair with green and silver tips wearing a dark purple suit with a hooded cape and a C-shaped brooch with black gloves and boots.
The fifth was a man dressed like a mix of a rapper and rockstar; a muscle shirt and backward cap that somehow fit despite the mohawk atop his head. A black vest also adorned his form, along with ripped jeans. He also had a modified and weaponized guitar strapped to his back and DJ Turntable-based gauntlets on his arms.
The sixth was a buff man with chiseled facial features and light brown hair in a crew cut. He wore a simple beige shirt, dark brown camo pants, and combat boots.
The seventh and final of the newcomers wore purple body armor with black skeleton decals on it and a gas mask on his face. He had clawed gauntlets and armored boots with spikes studding them.
"Everyone, meet my posse." Puppetress smiled. "You already know Showdown and Quatal but these seven arrived a bit late."
"Hey, we had reasons, boss lady." The punk rock rapper smirked. "Call me Feedback, by the way."
"Mudslide." The buff man said, his left arm turning into mud that hardened into a spiked gauntlet.
"Hehehe, he looks tough." Rappa chuckled.
"Void, if you please." Chuckled the man in purple armor as he bowed.
"Predator. No need for formalities." The masked mercenary said, his arms folded as he nodded to Showdown. "Thanks for the Coke, Dad."
Showdown tipped the brim of his hat. "Pleasure to see you made it here safely, son."
"Hehehehe, Chemistra, at your service." The woman in the lab coat giggled. "Which one of you is named Twice? I'd love to analyze him~!"
"Present!" Twice said. "HE'S NOT HERE, LADY!"
Chemistra was already in Twice's face, firing off a billion questions and holding two beakers and a needle in her mouth.
"Name's Nightmare..." The Goth Biker Girl said with a shrug. "Don't mess with me and I won't mess with any of you."
"Carbonado." The woman in the hooded cape and purple suit smiled, graphite dancing around her hand before glowing and solidifying into a pure diamond, which she played with in her hand.
"You could say they're part of my own League of Villains," Puppetress said. "Also, for all of you Japanese Villains, Here are your company IDs, good for 40% off Health Insurance and meals in the cafeterias."
"Uh...what?" Spinner asked as he and the other League members were each given a card.
"The Guild has major controlling interest in several corporations and conglomerates." Feedback smirked. "Those cards there just made life even easier for you. I'll make a list of the deals and companies later."
"On top of her grandfather's Guild, the young Miss has won three international tournaments for six years running; chess, boxing, and fashion," Chomp added, pulling out several magazines that held his mistress on the cover.
"Huh, not bad," Magne noted.
"As Grandpa says, it pays to have an alter-ego."
"Awesome! I hate this!" Twice cheered and booed.
Meanwhile, the two lead villains couldn't help but smile as they saw their groups interacting:
Himiko hit it off with Predator with the two bonding over knives, Himiko preferring small cutters while 'Pred' liked the one slash and done types.
"Raised him well, I did." Showdown smiled.
Carbonado made her way over to Spinner and sat down to his game
"You want to play?" The lizard boy asked.
"Sure!" She said as she sat down and took a controller. "Little rusty though…"
Spinner smiled.
"I got no problem with tha…is there something on my face?"
"Oh no, no!" Carbonado assured him. "Sorry, I…well…this is going to sound weird but…I…I have a thing for Heteromorphs…Sorry…"
"…The hell would I take offense to that?!" Spinner asked, elated. "Say, you want to do a tutorial first?"
"Probably a good idea…CHEM! Respect Twice's space!"
"I am!" Chemistra beamed as she examined some of Twice's 'clone goop' in a smaller tube. "We can fill out the bigger ones later."
"Sounds like a plan! WITH WHAT?!" Twice smiled and then screamed in horror.
Magne found herself lauighing with Mudslide, who smiled at her.
"So…Pre-op, I presume?"
"…Yeah, why?"
"No worries. Just nostalgic. My Rad's trans.."
Magne, interest peaked and delighted Mudslide DIDN'T smell like most 'muck villians' sat down and the two began swapping stories.
Dabi and Nightmare were in the midst of a stare off.
"Daddy caused the burns? Nightmare guessed.
"And mom and sis did nothing."
"Lucky you. Everyone in my family got on my case."
"At least you wear make up by choice."
"And your hair dye?"
"…Touche. And at least you're not in a scarecrow get up."
"Oh please, that's been done to death!"
Things were looking good….untila burst of laughter filled the air; it came from Void.
"So...this is the great Tomura Shigaraki?" He asked. "Not impressed in the slightest."
"Void..." Feedback growled at his partner.
"No...let him talk." Tomura calmly said, his fingers laced together as Void approached him. "What seems to be the issue…Void, was it?"
"Honestly, I don't know why my Mistress sees so much in you. All you really are is a poster boy for the great All For One."
"I see...That's what you think, huh?" Tomura said as he calmly placed a hand on Void's shoulder...and began decaying the armor. "Trust me...I can be so much worse than him."
Void was still unimpressed. "Oh, and what are...?"
Suddenly, he stopped and began having trouble breathing as Carbonado held her hand out toward him, an annoyed look on her face.
"Have you forgotten I can just fill the air around you with carbon monoxide?"
Void managed to get his mask on and breathe normally, only for more pain to fill his form, starting from his back and pinning him to the ground. He managed to look upwards to seeing a familiar hand pressing down on the singular button on a small remote.
Puppetress shook her head. "Ah, my dear Void…I figured there'd be some trouble but of this magnitude?"
"M-M-Milady….why?"
"Because nobody here likes ya." Nightmare sneered behind her mask. "You're a goddamn creep who keeps simping over Enwia when she's told you several times she's not interested. If your Quirk wasn't so useful, we'd have all chomped at the bit to rip you in half."
"Pretty much everyone in this room can ice you before you even have a chance to take off that mask to use your Quirk." Predator said, pulling back the hammer of a .44 Magnum Revolver menacingly. "Trust us, it'd only take one shot to the head."
"That, or Mudslide can just smother ya in your sleep." Feedback sneered, Mudslide smirking evilly.
"Plus, there's also the matter of the cobra venom cocktail flowing through your system?" Crunch grinned, showing his blade teeth. "Just one push of the button and that venom spreads through your whole body faster than you can use your Quirk."
"You'll have to thank me for making it~." Chemistra giggled deviously. "Chemistry is such a fun thing to use with a Quirk like mine. Oh, and before you ask? Feedback was the one to slip it in."
Void looked back at his comrade, who was counting up some bills.
"…Oh, don't look so shocked." Feedback waved it off.
"Sad but true." Showdown sighed. "Feedback here'd sell his own grandma to make a buck."
"$14.95 plus shipping."
"See!? You see that? No hesitation!" The cowboy gasped.
He went ignored as his mistress knelt down and forced Void upwards.
"Tomura is learning." Puppetress said coldly to Void. "As am I. Now, are you going to apologize?"
Carbonado released Void from her hold, dispelling the carbon monoxide cloud around him as he gasped for air before turning to Tomura and getting on his hands and knees, bowing pathetically.
"I-I'm sorry, Shigaraki-sama. P-please forgive me!"
"Now that's more like it." Tomura smirked as he sat back down.
"Now that that's settled," Puppetress smiled. "Crunch told me you were all investigating rumors of some American Heroes being in the area. What did you find?"
"Commander Comet, Jet Falcon, Stars & Stripes, and Equinox, along with the Kirby first years," Mudslide answered.
"And Machine Maiden just arrived recently as well." Predator added.
The air went cold, and Puppetress' smile vanished. "Was….Everyman there?"
"Unfortunately, yes." Nightmare sighed.
Puppetress took several deep breaths before stretching her arms outward, the lighting and wallpaper falling towards her before crashing perfectly around her in a circle. She then, with an unyielding glare, rose her arms again, the material following and suddenly flying out a window.
Everyone stood in silence. The League was shocked.
"…You've seen her eye, right?" Quatl mused. "Well, Everyman did that. And killed her partner."
And with that, everyone understood.
The lead villainess then recomposed herself with a soothing breath and flattened out her dress.
"Someone call for maintenance, please and thank you? Also, I need to blow off some steam...Does anyone have any ideas?"
Showdown smirked behind his mask. "Now that you mention it..."
Kurogiri opened a Warp Gate and a wriggling sack fell out of it. Showdown caught it before tossing it to the floor as it opened up to spill out Chugai Chisaki.
"Ah...the Old Boss' daughter...well, Ex-Daughter, I guess," Rappa smirked. "{Never did like her, spoiled…"
The former yakuza princess looked up and instantlky began to fear for her life; The League of Villains plus several American villains, all of whom radiated strength?
"…This lady's an insult to moms everywhere." Was all Dabi said before he turned to walk away.
"My wife would have loved you, Chugai." Showdown snarled.
"My ma sure would have." Predator nodded. "And I HATED Ma."
Chugai continued sobbing before being pulled up to her feet as Puppetress glared at her coldly with hate burning in her eyes.
"You remind me of my father. I. HATED. My father. Still do now. But unlike him, you're worth something alive and with a working brain. So, unless you want me to immeadately hand you over to some less than reputable gentlemen, possibly even some in this very room, no offense, boys."
"None taken." Qutal, Showdown and Predator waved.
"Not my type." Dabi and Compress admitted.
"I'm not paying for a shit mom." Feedback said. "Specially when mine and sis's did the best she could."
Proud of the men in her group (minus Void), the villainess returned to her victim.
"Anyways, unless you want to start being a plaything right away? You will tell us EXACTLY what happened when your daughter awoke her Quirk down to the most minute or tiny detail." Puppetress continued. "No run of the mill quirk could be used for what that idiot brother of yours was doing and if it's what I think it is?"
Chugai gasped for air
"Nightmare. Void. Mudslide." Puppetress demanded. "Do what you need. Then send her to Groper."
"…Groper?" Himiko asked, concerned.
"The kingpin of sex trade and slavery back home." Puppetress smirked as Chugai's shrill screams and sobs finally vanished before turning to her allies with a sickeningly sweet smile.
"Now...who wants to watch Avengers: Infinity War?"
Tomura could only smirk. "Shit, I think I really am in love."
Knightmare Lord A/N:
Figured we'd have another chapter focused on the League of Villains and their steadily growing numbers with their new friends from America. Considering that with me at the helm, we're gonna be doing the story just a wee bit differently what with wanting to keep up with Canon and all that, things will be different in the reboot.
Ergo, the students of UA and Kirby will have a much easier time hanging out together...not that there won't be some troublemakers showing up here and there...
Mrotrax A/N:
Another villain focused chapter, really liking the additions to Mudslide's backstory, instead of him being dumb muscle and yeah, nice to see the LoV getting ship mates. Was Chugai's fate too much or not elaborated enough? Perhaps, but I wanted to get this out before work.
Next time, we check in on the kids and see what kind of trouble they get into!
Stay safe and healthy!