AN: literally texting this while on the way to the plane so gonna be a short author note. To those that saw my Reddit post saying this chapter would be out at the end of December…sorry life got in the way(for me and my editors). Anyway here's the new chapter.
-Text documents-
Date: 9/14/2301
Title: while the angel away the devil came to play
"So this is your home?" So-ri asks as the plane comes to a stop. He was looking out the window, eyes following the flakes of snow that were lazily falling from the sky. If it wasn't for the weather we probably would be seeing a great sunrise.
"It's where I was born." I corrected, "can't really call it a home."
"So why are you homesick?"
I sucked in air between my teeth thinking about that question. "It's more like I'm 'people sick' in both senses." I rub the back of my head. "There's someone here I want to see and to be honest I need a break."
"A break huh?" So-ri raised an eyebrow at me pulling the scarf that covered his face a little higher. I just knew he would have some bit of insight to hit me with but thankfully Bastion dropped in wrapping his muscular arms around the both of us and pulling us out of our seats
"Well, what are we waiting for?" He asks, shaking us slightly. "Sooner you leave the sooner you remember how much you hate this place and come back." I had something snide to say about that but Bastion was already steering us to the door of the plane.
"What the hell?" I say as I see the sight before me as we exited the plane. Quinn was trying to stop Christopher from eating the snow, which wasn't the oddest thing they stopped the man from doing. What really attracted my attention was Roofy, Eero, and the monstrosity by them.
"Like it?" Eero asked, patting the purple suitcase that was wider than me and taller than Bastion. "Got all your hero gear in it and some other stuff that you might need on your vacation."
"How the hell did you get this on the plane without my noticing? And how the fuck is it going to get to my room? Sure as hell won't fit in a normal taxi."
"It hovers and has magnets," he smacks the side. "We could have stuck it to the plane, it would have stayed on, as for how we got it in without you noticing…"
"We had Anasova stand in front of the plane loading station," Bastion said as we walked over to the group. "Might as well as have been invisible."
I huffed at him but accepted that point. I'd already taken Roofy's advice and apologies to Anasova about some of what I said. It helped to clear the air but there was still tension there and I would know because most of it was still coming from me.
"Why did you only pack up a duffle bag anyway? You're staying here for months right?" So-ri asked
"I was planning to buy whatever I needed, a fresh start and all that." I answered, which earned me an odd look from the Korean boy.
"Fresh start can go rotten fast pretty quickly." He replied, and before I could ask him the fuck that meant I was interrupted.
"Alright alright, enough horseplay." Roofy said, clapping her hands. "This is a public airport, after all, let's not make a scene".
"Oh come on, can't we stay for like a day?" Bastion asks, "not like we got any missions for the week."
"Actually you guys do have to be in Iran by the end of the day." Roofy manages to not flinch as all the class turns to look at her with annoyed looks. "Mark requested you to assist him in the Middle East." The chorus of groans and growls was a testament to how the class felt about that.
"Bet 500 he called us just so we couldn't hang with Mineta," Wendy says.
"No shit." Bastion growls, "just say our plane was damaged or something."
Christopher apparently took that as an order to damage the plane because he reached into his pocket and was staring at the plane's left wing with a look that usually means stuff is about to start exploding. Quinn snatched whatever he was about to snort from his hand which earned then a nod from Roofy.
"I know your class and Mark have some differences but even he wouldn't use our resources and time just to be petty …or at least he wouldn't call 7 classes and 3 M classes members to assist him." That sobered us up real quick. Mark could be an ass but if he is calling that much firepower then it must be something big.
"Say your goodbyes and let's get going."
"What about the gifts?" Zilko said, causing me to raise an eyebrow. The giant of a man had stepped down from the plane and was holding 8 bags in his arms, one for each member of the class.
"I'm going on vacation, not retiring." I sighed as he started passing out the bags to my classmates. "This isn't needed"
"It's tradition!" Zilko and Roofy said at the same time. The retired classmate motioned for her to continue, which she did.
"Whenever a member leaves for vacation or retirement, the class gets them gifts and says whatever they need to say to one another in case it's the last time they see each other." Welp, that dampened the mood a decent amount.
"But we're not here to speak of the fallen, we're here to see you off on your trip and wish you a safe return." Zilko recovered it but stepped in front of me and handed out his gift.
Opening the bag I smiled at the bracelets that were in a small little velvet box. "Friendship bracelets? That fits you." He smiled as I put the 3 bracelets on. "Is it safe to assume the other 2 are gifts for those not around to give them?" He nodded at my question. Swallowing down the emotions that came from that as I was looking over, they seemed to be simple things: a tungsten square with 4 purple strings wrapping around one another in a pattern. "survival rope?"
"Yep, and the plate can be split into two cutting edges" Simple yet useful, yep, exactly how I remember him. He patted me on the shoulder, "I know it's not my job to watch over you guys any more but if you need anything-"
"I'll call." I finish for him flashing a smile. He pats my shoulder again and nods before moving along.
"I got you something," Christopher said dashing between Quinn's legs to get to me which was impressive since he was the taller of the two. The twitchy boy stopped before me, looking me up and down as if to confirm I was myself. After a moment he nods before poking me in the chest 12 times in 1 second. "I was gonna show it to you yesterday but I didn't want you to use it on the way here." I lean back as he thrust a basketball size box in my face. Taking it and opening it, I blink at the different vials and bags of powder that were neatly placed in it, picking up one I narrowed my eyes at the white powder. "Cocaine?"
"If I wanted to go that mild I could have bought you a soda pop." He laughed and I suddenly didn't want to be holding the box he gave me. "It's some of the stuff me and old witchy made that you tested over the years. Black bags are for a fight and clear bags are for fun. She put labels on the bag but honestly I Russian roulette it."
"Not happening." I replied, putting the box in my backpack. "Wait, this stuff is legal, right?"
" I mean…most of it is new so they have never been registered before so yes?" Christopher questioned looking at Roofy.
"I've already made it so he wouldn't be searching when leaving so he doesn't have to worry about it " she replied which wasn't a yes or no Answer.
"Yeah so," Christopher twitched at me before lightly thumping me in the chest with his fist 7 times, "see ya later." He nodded to me before moving out of the way, jerking back to thump me 3 more times before going off to put his attention somewhere else.
"Watch over him," I say to Quinn as they step up.
"Always do." They sigh before handing me two books.
"'How To Be The Better Man' volume 6 of conversing with the other sex." I read out loud to Wendy and Bastion's chuckles. "What are you gonna give me when this series is done?"
"There's like 30 volumes, I got years to figure it out." They respond, smirking at me. "If it means anything I think you'll like the other one much more." Raising an eyebrow I read the other one only to see a familiar title.
"'Moonlit Shadow', I see you decided to take my advice for a title."
"You're the only reason it got published in the first place."
"Oh yeah, just ignore the editor why don't you." Bastion grumbles only to get swatted upside the head by Wendy who sidesteps his retaliation.
"Figured you should get the first copy," Quinn said ignoring the two's antics. Smiling I nodded and spread out my arms, beckoning them to a hug which they took. "Be safe man." They whispered, squeezing just a bit tighter. "We're just a call away if you need us."
"You guys stay safe as well," I said as we separated. Next up was Wendy and she did not disappoint.
"So I'm getting one or two gifts from you?" I ask as she reaches into the back of her shirt and pulls out an instrument case. It was about a ¾ of my height.
"Wendigo thought of this actually but she needed my help with inscribing and also getting the person to harden it." Placing the case in my hands she stepped back. "Well, what are ya waiting for?"
Opening the case I let out a squawk of surprise at what I was looking at.
"You got him a sword?" Bastion said as I pulled out the blade. The sheath was a dull gray and so was the handle, though it was wrapped in a white leather foregrip. I pulled on the handle and the reflective white of the blade surprised me. "Is that fucking bone?" Bastion asked.
"Yep!" Wendy said, not noticing Quinn and Bastion looking at each other. "It's a ninjaken since he's gonna be living in Japan for a while, I thought it would fit."
"What or who's bone is it?" Quinn asking the important questions that I was too caught up in the blade to bother with. She must have had someone with a material-altering quirk because the blade felt smooth and strong. The edge was also fantastic. She must have taken her time on it but the inscription on the blade had my attention. The first half was written in Cherokee which meant Windigo wrote it while the other was in English. Reading the two quotes, again and again, I smile before putting the sheathing back on the blade. "Thank you Wendy, and you too, Windigo."
"Rubbish, after all we went through a fancy bone is hardly a gift." We shared a short chuckle before she held out a hand. "Want to go for a run when you get back?" I smiled and grabbed her Forearm as she grabbed mine.
"That sound perfect, I'm going to need to burn off the fat I get from lazing around here."
She nods before closing her eyes for a second. She was perfectly still before opening her eyes again, her brown doe-like eyes were now a crescent and yellow like a cat's.
"Wendigo." I nodded to her as the separate personality lowered into a squat to look me face to face. If it was my first year at the academy I might have buckled at her stare but I've long grown used to it. "You're seeing me off as well?"
"Can't not say goodbye to my favorite punching bag," she says, giving me a smile with too many teeth. "Who am I gonna throw around now?"
"Bastion will still be around." I motioned to the aforementioned student earning a round of chuckle from the class all beside Bastion who saw fit to mention that we still didn't know who's bone this was. Suddenly Windigo leaned forward until her forehead was touching mine. "Be safe, little one." She whispered to me to which I nodded.
"You too." I whispered as her eyes changed back to Wendy's big brown eyes and she quickly bounced to her feet to make room for Eero.
"And yours is?" I question to which he taps the suitcase with his leg and mechanical limb, making a heavy bang sound against the suitcase material.
"The suitcase itself, dude, made it from scratch! It even has a mini fabricator in it in case you get bored and want to make something."
"Nice!" I nod my head in appreciation. "Alright dude, while I'm gone don't you dare finish the X armor without me."
"No, I'm definitely finishing that without you. Not waiting half a year on that but I will send it to you when I finish it, let you go on a test run and give the villains of Japan a bad day."
"Fine."
"But if you break it you're gonna need these." He threatens taping his legs.
"And there it is." I sigh and allow myself to be pulled into a hug. "Don't die, man."
"Me? ¾ of the time I'm in the middle of 2 feet of tungsten carbide and shock-absorbing gel, you're the one covering yourself in hair. You're the one that needs to be worried, be careful of yakuza and all that jerks." I laugh and pat him on the back as he lets go and moves out of the way for Bastion and So-ri.
"And then there were 3," Bastion said, hands in his pockets.
"Started with us, might as end with it." So-ri added.
"Do you remember when we were chosen to be part of class T?" I say, shaking my hands. Remembering the broken fingers. "Sergeant was trying so hard to get us kicked out."
"Us?" Bastion questions. "Bitch please, he loved me and adored So-ri. He wanted you out and was just willing to let us take the fall with you."
"True true, fuck him for that by the way." I nodded with Bastion.
"Hey, you should honor him." So-ri pointed out then explained when I gave him a look. "If he wasn't such of a Brobdingnagian cunt sack to you then you wouldn't have pulled a U and stuck around on pure spite, I'm pretty sure you either would have dropped out or would have at least settled for class A and then when would we have hanged out?"
"Mineta Minoru, part of class A?" Bastion said, chuckling at the idea. "They either throw you out on your ass or you be a captain within a week."
"Oh yeah, that would be fun," I say sarcastically. "Then I would have had to watch you get girls from a distance, get blown up from a distance, get eaten, murder each other in training from a distance, and hopefully get eaten alive from a great dista-what are you doing?"
I raised an eyebrow at Bastion who was slowly lowering himself to one knee, pulling out a small box and holding it out to me. "Mineta, I know this is probably not the best time, but your talk with Anasova showed me how I trul-", before he finished the proposal my hands were already grabbing the handle of my last gift.
"I'll cut you" I warned, which earned a snicker from So-ri.
"Come on," Bastion complains, smirk crawling up his face. "You gonna strike down a man proposing to you? Or is it the idea of a ring? Remember the last time you got a ring, Mineta?" At this point Bastion was laughing. "It was such a pretty thing too, yet you were crying for Eero to take the thing off." Eero was looking anywhere but me while I was glaring at Bastion. The ring incident was a 7 hours of hell where a prank went way too far. "You done?" I ask, trying to stop my teeth from grinding. He was not, Baston looked like he was about to bust a gut and even So-ri was laughing. When the laughter died down, I could only stare at Bastion, trying to ask with no word why he had to bring up that situation. "The fuck?" Was my only response
"If I just gave you the ring you would have made a purpose joke. I've ruined it for you," he says, putting the box in my hand. I blink realizing that he was right. "Fair enough." Was my reply, opening the box and looking at the ring. It was a simple thing, knuckle duster design,
black with a sharp ridge on where the headstone would go. "Ouch," I say looking at the points where they cut you up. "Poisoned?"
"You can dip it if you want, but no, it's clean, read the encryption."
I would put the ring on my finger and tilt it. "Brains, brawns & the bitchless." I read looking at So-ri who was grinning. "I don't know why you're smirking, Basion is brawns and you for sure ain't brains." He blinks at my words, digesting them for a moment before turning to Bastion whose face was too still, too calm, a slight glint in his eyes showing his amusement. He looked back at me, eyes widening as I nod confirming his thoughts. "You gonna let him talk to you like that?"
"You said you were gonna put 'brains, brawns and the beats'!" The Korean boy accused, glaring at Bastion now that it was clear that he was the butt of the joke.
"I did...I did!" Bastion says, putting his hands up in defense. "Just on the other side!"
tilting my finger the other way I confirm, which calms So-ri down and earns a light chuckle from all of us.
"None of you guys die," I say looking at the two of them. "Watch after the others, you know they're useless without us."
"What are you plonkers on about? I have actually killed all three of you in combat practice before." Wendy saw fit to remind us. "And Wendigo manage to kill all of you in a 3-on-1 several times."
"That was just luck." Bastion replied which earned a raised eyebrow from me and a roll of the eyes from So-ri.
"If giving you guys adrenalectomy is lucky then I need to start gambling more often... Though not with any of you lot and all your straight rubbish." She smirks at Bastion, "besides you but you're a Whinger."
"Enough of the past." I hit Bastion in the shin before he could get into an argument, being careful not to break my finger on his skin. "What did you guys get me? Something illegal as well?" I asked, putting the blade in the case and slinging it on my back.
So-ri pointed at my pocket. "I made you a couple songs and sent them to you."
"How the ….did you know I was leaving before I did?"
"Don't give him that much credit, he based them off songs of your favorite bands." Bastion corrects me while So-ri shrugs, not even abashed.
"One is completely new but yeah."
"Thanks, man." I reply, already pulling my phone out to see what he made.
"And I took the liberty of giving you another gift, the best gift of the lot and one of the only ones that wouldn't get a normal person arrested to have at an airport." Bastion's comment earned him a middle figure from Wendy and no reaction from Christopher who had decided that the falling snows deserved all of his attention.
"Oh, and where is this gift?" I leaned to see if he had anything behind his back.
"Oh, it's already in your bag." Bastion motions to the tiny van they were calling a suitcase.
"What is it?"
"Surprise " I raised an eyebrow at that statement then looked at so-ri who shrugged
"A surprise ?" I ask
"A surprise "he confirmed
"…..is it going to hurt me?"
"….define hurt." Was his reply which earned my raised eyebrow.
"Eh-hem," Roofy coughed in her hand reminding me we were on a limit.
"If you put a bomb in my back I'm melting you down when I come back!" I snarl at Bastion before grinning and holding my hands out into fist.
"See you when you come back" Bastion replied completing the fist bump
"For every allies reception, " So-ri said, connecting the other fist of my other arm.
"Hmmmm, not sure if that one works." Bastion mutters.
"You try finding an r-word for 'connecting'."
"Rivet?" Bastion offers
"That sucks even more."
A clap brought their attention to the final member of the group who had been waiting her turn.
"Ahh and there it is." Bastion grinned, slapping me on the back. "Video call us once you get all your shit together," he said before moving with the rest of the group. So-ri stared at me for a moment.
"Don't die out there." Were his words to me before he caught up with our metal-skin friend. I didn't have much time to think on his words before Anasova walked before me. Ah yes, the sweet tense awkwardness, I think to myself as we stared at each other.
"Oh my god this isn't a Disney movie either make out or start talking!" Bastion shouted only to get hit by Wendy and Quinn, the latter of which hissed and shook their hand after. At least it gave me the kick in the ass we needed.
"Sorry," we both say at the same.
"You go first!" We both repeated.
"You're a purple-balled midget!" Anasova stated.
"Huh?"
At my look she explained: "Wanted to make sure we were gonna say something different this time." The joke was weak but still earned a weak chuck from me which got a smile from her. I've always loved that smile.
"Are we gonna be okay?" Anasova asked.
"Of course, we will." I wave my hands, "if I can forgive Jackson for half of his shit then I can forgive you, it will-"
"Will just take time." She finishes for me, letting out a sigh when I nod. "So where does that leave us?"
Took me a moment to figure out what she meant for that before silently extending a hand for a shake. "See ya later, Ana."
Anasova looked at my hands for a moment before clasping my arm. "See you later, Mineta!"
I smirk at her then let go of her hand and blink when her grip tightens. "What ar-whoa!" next thing I know she was hugging me, one arm around my back as the other was rifling with my bag. "The hell are you doing? You're gonna get stuck to me."
"Good friends get stuck together!" Was her response as she shoves her arm into my bag, keeping me close so I can't see what I assume she put in there. It's possible that I could have tried to guess what the thing she was putting in it was but the soft mounds that were rubbing into my cheek were distracting me.
"There we go," she says, closing my bag and pulling away from me, or trying to, finally notice that my hair was stuck to her chest "Do you mind?"
I disconnected the orbs from my hair. "I should leave those on you as a going away gift." I say, working my finger under the orbs and flicking them off her. "Bye."
"Bye." She replied, giving me a sad look before going with the rest of the group.
"Well, if everyone has said their goodbyes." Roofy starts.
"Wait, you didn't give me anything?" I pointed out.
"I'm not class T, I'm just here to supervise you guys." She gave me a smirk before flicking something at me, catching the item between my fingers. I grin as I see the purple card in my hand.
"A gift card?"
"It's for the place we went to eat when we first met!" She replied being vague about it, normally she wouldn't bother but the memory connected to that restaurant was complicated. She had found me at a low I don't want to ever experience again. "Present arm!" Instantly the chatting relaxed, members of Class T went straight and faced me with straight backs and an arm behind their back. Their other arm wrapped across their chest, latched onto the Metallic glass necklaces around their neck. At her words, I had assumed the same position and had grabbed my own. It was a familiar feeling around my neck, one that I have worn for years now. On the necklace were beads and tags of different shapes and sizes, each one telling a story of a mission or task I had been sent to do. Only readable to those knowing the code that is taught in the academy.
No words were spoken, they didn't need to be, the look we gave each other within those 3 seconds were all that needed to be said. After the moment had passed, Ruth gave me a single nod and told everyone to get on the plane. There were final waves and nods from them all as they got in. I gave them all a two finger salute as the plane went on the runway.
It was then watching the friends that I had fought for, bled for and partied with for years leave me did I really feel the weight of what I was doing. "...Alright now what do I fucking do?" I ask myself once the plane was out of sight taking all those I've known for years with it. "Hadn't really thought this far" well I was in Japan with a hero license and a ton of money so finding a house wouldn't be too hard. What really gonna be a pain is the paperwork and waiting. It was thoughts Like this that dwelled on while walking into the airport. suitcase trailing behind me. The plus side of having a hero license is that I didn't get nearly as much negative attention as I should have. If I had been searched like most people are in an airport then my hero statues wouldn't have saved me for illegal weapon holding, possible illegal drug holding and whatever the hell Bastion and Anasova put in my bag. Thankfully holding out my hero license and acting like I knew exactly where I was going helped. Walking through the crowd I took at the moment to… well I can't say enjoy it but rather be at peace with being back in my homeland. My eyes watched the people walking past me. Honestly surprised to see no pickpockets or the like around. Good to see some things haven't changed I think to myself allowing the crowd to lead me to the main lobby.
Once in the lobby, I saw the things you always see in airports: thousands of people moving out and in, rows of seats for people to sit at and a little restaurant for those that know they're going to be here for a while, and people that are waiting to pick people up. It was this area that gained my attention. "No way," I muttered, staring at a certain blond man holding the classic white square with the person's name on it. The asshole came to pick me up? Honestly I was expecting that while he had been the one to get me to come back to Japan I didn't expect him. Denki hadn't changed at all, well actually yeah he has. My past best friend had grown Wonderfully, reaching the height of 5' 10 and filling out nicely. Really nicely, I think to myself, eyes trailing up and down my old friend. He took after Bastion, a runner/boxer body type instead of the V shape All Might and Sato were known for. Took me another couple of moments of checking him out and I realized I was just staring at him. Honestly it was surprising that he didn't notice me. Looking around I realized why that was. I had unconsciously moved behind a support pillar leaning against it, lifting my phone up so it looked like I was looking at my phone instead of spying on someone.. When was the last time I spied on a classmate like this? That thought brought back memories that I wasn't happy about. Memories of climbing bathhouse walls and peaking through them. What the hell am I doing here?
This wasn't a good idea, my mind thinks to itself as I back away, trying to stay hidden from my old friend. It's been too long. He probably doesn't remember all the stuff I did. Maybe he came here to tell me it wouldn't work out face to face. Oh gods what if anyone else from 1A is here I'm not ready for this. I turned around and already decided on what plane I was going to take. While going back to the academy wasn't an option I'd never hear the end of it for pussing out. I could spend my vacation time in Hawaii or something and text Roofy the different location information .
"Mineta?"
That voice stopped me dead in my tracks. It was different, older and deeper than the one I remember but I could still remember it. I didn't want to turn around, I didn't want to ruin a friendship that had already been defiled back in high school, I didn't want to spoil the memories already rotten on the ground.
"Mineta!"
I consider running away from him even as the crowd started separating. It made sense, he was a pro hero and he looked like it. Natives or not people would recognize him. Turning around stiffly with a hand wrapping my necklace for comfort I sigh as I see an old friend "ello Denki" I smile at him "how ar-"
I didn't get to finish my sentence before I was brought into a deep hug, face against his chest as he barreled into me.
"How you been man? you've gotten taller?"
I blink, practically frozen as my brain tried to process what was going on. He seemed to notice that I wasn't reacting and quickly broke the connection "Sorry", he said backing away "it's been a while, I should have asked if you were okay with th-" I cut him off by leaping into his arms reconnecting the hug.
"No it's fine…this will always be fine," I say, wrapping my arms around his muscular back and enjoying the warmth he was giving out. "I missed you man."
Denki chuckles and pats me on the shoulder "I missed you too man."
I was brought back to reality by two sensations, one was my nose suddenly spraying out blood I didn't fucking have and the second was the sweet sensation of getting mouth, throat and stomach fucked. "Gah fu-" was all I could make out before falling to my hands and knees and voiding my stomach which was basically just bile. Something's wrong with my vault, something's wrong with me. Those were the only two thoughts that were going through my head as I emptied my stomach below me. Did Jackson opening it for me do something? Or did something happen to the vault that allowed me to break through the limiters but still broke it? Am I gonna die of an aneurysm? Can Azrael fix it? She is an M class member so she should have the codes needed but I can't hear her..well not yet an-.
I was distracted by the worries of my long-term mortality by threats to my short-term mortality. "Stop screaming!" I yell down at the old lady I was about to …I was about to do something to her. Can't remember why. The old lady on her account had begun to scream in a mix of fear and disgust which I guess was fair because I had covered her in blood and bile. Slowly rising back to my feet and scoping out the surroundings. 12 unknowns contained by my quirk, 1 performing first aid on a hero and an officer contained by my quirk. I'm missing memories. Am I still in Japan? Denki just picked me u-. For better or worse, it was then that my memories came back and they came back hard. Explaining it would do it a disservice but imagine the feeling of getting hit with a defibrillator. That feeling of being on your way to the next world and in a flash of pain and suddenly you're back, you're alive again, or in my situation, you're aware again, mostly aware of the person you were about to kill.
"Oh, now I remember you," I say looking back down at my target. "Sorry, something came up, I'll deal with you now." Reaching down with a hiss of effort while lifting the large crowbar I must have dropped when the vault spasmed. Spinning it in my hand, I hold it in a vampire-shanking position and lift it over my head.
"NO, please!"
"You don't have to do this!"
"No no no!"
Ignoring the screams and babbles of the hostages, I focus on my target. If I hit the eye that would be an instant kill .. no with how much I'm messed up I could miss and hit her in the cheek, or The neck? Maybe if I break her neck death will be instant. Lifting an arm, I narrow my aim at her Adam's apple, which wasn't the easiest target since she was whipping her head back and forth while she screamed. Clenching my arm, I let out a roar and stab the crowbar down. My roar was cut off into a gasp as something slammed into my back. The crowbar flew out of my hand stabbing itself into the wood floor right by the old lady's head. This finally managed to shut her up but I was more invested in the female arm that had thrust itself through my chest.
The first words to go through my head were 'hmm, must have gone into shock already since it doesn't hurt' as I stared at the hand. Surprisingly enough this isn't even the top 20 times I'd been impaled though considering where the hand went through this one is the most lethal. Straight in the heart, it's a wonder I'm still alive..wait why aren't I dead? Narrowing my eyes at the hand, I sigh as I notice that it was semi-transparent but also the fact that I'm much calmer than I should be when getting stabbed. Turning my head to stare at Azrael who was wearing a semi-concerned expression, which was odd since she was the one elbow deep in my chest. Annoyingly enough because of her quirk, I couldn't even get mad at her. All I could do was stare at her and ask "why?"
She waits for a moment before pulling her hand out of me and lifting them both up to chest level and signing something at me. Fear. It took me a second to understand which acronym she was referencing. "Forever evolve and recycle." I mutter, which made her nod her head. She was right. I didn't have the strength, weapon, or gear to waste anything…Even if there were annoyances like this one. Leaning down I grab the crowbar and put it in my belt hoop, turning to the other hostages.
"Apologies for my outburst, I got a bit too emotional." They all stared at me as if I was insane, which, not gonna lie, they have every right to think I am. Snorting at them I turned at the lady who was about to be bludgeoned. Honestly I should feel more upset about that but between the blood loss and the possibility of my mind breaking I just couldn't seem to find a reason to give a fuck. "Fuck Yokohama." I mutter, shaking my head before an idea hit me. Yokohama… Yokohama was right by Tokyo Bay which means Tsunamis and water based villain damage, in fact, I think the city got hit with earthquakes in the early 1900s which means they should have an extensive sewer system.
"I have an idea," I say, turning to Azrael who raised an eyebrow at me and pointed outside before making the sign for a car. That reminded me that she looked a lot more solid than she did when she first appeared in front of me, meaning that my health was not doing any better. "No forget the car, go down and see if there are any sewer pipes or subway paths below" I whisper to her. Azrael's eyes widen before she nods, sinking into the ground. "Alright!" I say, turning back to my hostages. "Sorry about all that, I ask you to prepare yourself because I'm using you to get out of here!" I look down at the old lady I was about to bludgeon, blood trailing down her cheek from the cut the crowbar had left when I stabbed into the ground. "Starting with you."
It took another 10 minutes until a hostage negotiator came in contact with me and honestly, I was surprised it took that long. Whoever worked against me must have some sway to prevent big hero intervention for that long in the center of a big city. What surprised me even more was that it wasn't a hero hostage negotiator that made contact with me. It was also surprising how bad she was at her job. Either she wasn't taking me seriously or she thought I would start killing people if she didn't keep me distracted. "Okay okay, first of all, no, I'm not gonna give up and come quietly, no you're not gonna come in here and I know for a fact that none of the heroes in the back have a sniper type quirk or I would be on the ground bleeding by now, as a matter of fact why the fuck are you still talking to me? I have been using my quirk for combat, therefore, I'm a classified villain at the moment. Criminal negotiators shouldn't be talking to me now and that's ignoring my International hero status. In fact, here's something for you to do: get me in a private call with the head of the US embassy here in Japan or an executive of the IHA." I close my eyes and grit my teeth as I hear her response "you...can't?...YOU CAN'T DO THAT? Then what the fuck are you good for? Tell you what, I'll make it simple for you, if the next time you call and it's not a hero on the line or one of the two previously mentioned groups imma shoot somebody." I turn off the radio and glare at my hostages who, while recently blindfolded, still turned their heads to face me. "And the fuck are you all looking at? Get back to work!" Watching the hostages work from the corner of my eye and go through the process of looking at the hostage's ID cards I took to see what quirks I had to work with.
"No wonder you wore such nice clothing," I say to the 40-something hostage who was pouring a black liquid into pots and pans and putting it on the ground. "Oil companies must love you."
"Never got a license to use my quirk for business…" he mutters.
"And yes silly me, this is Japan after all," I said looking over to the teenage boy who I had on his knees using his quirk. I watch as the wood and stone turn to putty in his hands as he scooped it out of the hole he was making. "Amazing, I took you for a jock and here you are being a sculptor. An interesting quirk to be sure. Much better than this fella." I say pointing to the military man. "Green Light? Really? At least tell me you're a sniper or a crack shot." He gave me the finger from behind his head while staying in the surrender position.
"Startup, Sculpting, Stampede, Green Light, Push, Caffeinated…" I grumble going over the cards. "Cat speech? Oh come on! None of you guys have healing or anything?" The hostages for their part had gone quiet after I dragged granny away by her hair. To be fair I was going to be nicer but she had tried to hit me with the gun when I got close. "You" I point to a thinner man with fat glasses even though he can't see. "How does Caffeinated work?"
"My fingers produce a liquid, sort of like coffee. It's a caffeinated drink that can keep you up and active," he says quickly.
"Alright I'll be sucking on you in a minute then." I reply blinking before chuckling. "Yo kid, explain your quirk in detail, Sculpting? What does it do? Do you have to do anything with the material you're digging through right now?"
Jacket boy who I was referring to glared in my direction in defiance to which I raised a single eyebrow and tapped my crowbar on the floor. The sound seems to get him talking.
"My quirk allows me to mold material into shapes," he says simply. When I don't reply he adds "harder material takes longer but no, it doesn't force me to shape the material."
Yeah, I figured as much. "How fast is it? How do you mold the materials? How much material can you mold with at a time?"
Before he could respond the radio buzzed. "Oh good news everyone, the heroes are calling." That actually did seem to make them happy. "Hello" I answered, lifting the radio to my ear.
"Mineta" the voice that replied was intellectual, feminine, and cold but it was one I recognized right away.
"Momo!" I responded, rising to my feet with a false expression of joy and walking over the hostages. "It's been so long, I haven't seen you since the pit! How's your eye?"
"How's your arm?" Another voice replied through the radio, causing me to hiss in surprise and nearly trip on a hostage I was walking past. "Ashio," I said simply, trying to scratch my stump with the radio. It had started to hurt all of a sudden. "Since both of you are here can I assume Todoroki is here as well? Cause I'm not gonna lie, I need an icy hot real bad."
"I suggest you surrender Mineta." Todoroki's tasteless voice replied to me. "You have to know there is no way out of this."
"I don't know that. Why would you assume that?" I ask, trying to figure out how I can use my hand while pressing the talk button, after a bit I hand it to a hostage "keep a hand on the button and walk with me."
"What?" Todoroki asks.
"Not you …oh right you know I have hostages right? Pretty sure the officer would inform you I but need to know."
"We know you have hostages Mineta but even so, how far do you expect to go? Hurting them will only make your sentence worse and it's not like you can fight out of this and even if you could, what are you going to do in your condition?"
"Oh? Are you a doctor that can see through walls now? What do you know about my condition?"
"You really gonna make him say it?" Ashido asked.
For the reasons I think you all comprehend, her statement pissed me off. "You guys have seen Midoriya wreck people with broken arms as a kid, I'm annoyed that I have to say this but I can kill captives easily with one arm." The hostages flinch at my words, at least they seem to consider me as a threat. I was frankly insulted. This was the path they chose to try and talk me down. Hey, Mineta, yeah I know you beat Tsuyus's brother and took a restaurant of hostages but that must have been luck right? Not like you are an international hero that fought villains around the world right? Not like we grew up with you for more than a year and that you fought with us against Shiggy, AFO, Nine, Wolfman, Humarise and so many foes we fought together but nah, it obvious you're gonna fold any minute. Not like you spent a couple months here as a hero but no, let's still assume that you are that weak little shit from first year that will for some reason fold just because we tell him to. My condition? I've been weaker than this. I've been more hurt than this.
"You have the audacity to assume that you know my limits? I've been on the run for nearly a month and you can't even see me as a threat? Momo do you agree with this? Do you not remember me beating your ass during my escape? Are you all that arrogant to assume that even after all this that I can't hurt you? You think my will is so weak that all you need to do is talk to me and I'l-". I take a deep breath to calm myself down. The very fact that her words had annoyed me so much meant they had more say over my emotions then I originally thought. "Sorry about that, it's been a long day and you ignore the last little rant I just had? Good? Good alright back to business." I let out a sigh and get ready. "Here's how it's gonna go, we're about to play a game."
"Oh gods no." The elephant boy's mother cries, clutching her son tighter. she must've thought I was about to do some Saw like shit to them.
"Not you guys, the heroes." I reply turning to the radio "You three heard that?"
"We have no intention of playing any games Mineta either you come out or we go in to get you."
I walk over to a random hostage. he was a younger male probably a college student and his quirk was metabolized control which meant it was useless to me in this situation. "You're ordinance Todoroki, not a knife." I say as I start working the College boy's hand from the orb keeping him pinned to the wall. "And ignoring the fact of the bomb I told the cops I have with me, if Mina or Momo or any of the 3 heroes on the other side approach the building, I'll know. I have a hostage with a vision quirk". That was a bald-faced lie. I had no idea what was happening outside but until they pulled up names that would slow them down. "It's an exchange ga-" The second he was free College boy's arm tried to jerk up at my neck before I put my knee on it, pinning it to the ground. I raised my voice so the whole group could hear me which also had the side benefit of yelling in college boy's face. "IF BOTH OF YOU AND THE HOSTAGES PLAY NICE Y'ALL GET OUT SAFELY!" College boy flinched away from my face covered in spittle.
"Why should we trust a word you say?" Shoto asked.
"You can trust me but don't have trust in me. Assume I'm gonna do what I need to do to survive and if that means giving hostages over to you guys then it is the best course of action is for me to keep them alive." If it wasn't for the eye covers I would have taken that moment to make eye contact with every hostage but I could only hope my voice explained enough. I tap college boy on the forehead before raising my knee off of his leg. "Do we have an accord?"
He looked in my direction for a moment before nodding at the same time Todoroki gave his response. "Very well" I groaned at the tone. I could tell just by the way he had spoken that Todoroki was already thinking of a way to get into the building. Shit to deal with later. I shake my head, moving college boy and having him sit on a table closer to the door to prepare for trading.
"Good, first thing I'm going to need is a call with either an executive of the World hero association or the U.S Embassy of Japan, as an international hero association pro hero. I should have rights to communicate to either of these organizations if I feel I'm being treated unfairly in my court, which I do."
"And you'll trade one hostage for this phone call?" Shoto asks.
"Yes."
"Done, give us a moment."
"Wait," Momo cuts in, "You're a member of the IHA correct? Why aren't you asking to contact them instead of the WHA?"
Because wherever the IHA goes the GA isn't far behind and they're apparently going through some shit and Azrael already said they wouldn't be able to help me for a while. Whoever hit the GA left the IHA alone, that could mean a couple of things but until I figure out what it means then it's best not to have a wanted man yelling for GA members, it could be argued that even having Azrael here could be dangerous though it be hard as hell to prove. I wasn't sure if every member of the GA was known but everything the hostages heard me say so far could be defined as me listening on a hearing device or going crazy.
"The IHA is for more western nations and even if they weren't the WHA has a much bigger connection to japan so it is a better chance they will have a bigger sway here."
"Wait, that doesn't make an-" Momo started only to be cut off by Todoroki.
"Done, we're making the call." The call cut off.
Careful Shoto, some of your dad is shining through. If Momo was from the states that could get ya put in the dog house. I grinned. Spineless as she is I can't imagine Momo gonna like being cut off but she was right of course, if I was gonna ask for help it would have been better to ask the IHA since that's the group the GA is part off...but it's also what the person that framed me would assume I would do. And even if I called the IHA, that might be worse for the GA since I have no details of the problems they're going through, blowing the whistle on this could open up more problems for them and me. This is also a good way to see if the WHA is part of this plot. I honestly have no idea at this point.
"You know funny enough this isn't my first time doing a hostage exchange as a hero...well, I guess I'm the villain this time." I say to Azrael as I walked around. Over the next 3 minutes while I waited I got two more hostages to sit by the college boy ready for trade, checked up on Mr. faker cop and Samidare to make sure they weren't dying, had another hostage take over giving Samidare CPR, and directed sculpture boy while planning my escape plan. I was currently reading Azrael's signs and telling the sculptor in dumbed down terms what to do when the radio beeps.
"YO, what's up?" I ask keeping my voice causal.
"The executive of the WHA has accepted our call but is requesting time for a protected line is that alright for you?"
"Sure," I say, eyes narrowing "how long?"
"Ten minutes."
Well, that's a trap if I've ever heard one. No government office leader should need more than 3 minutes to get a secure line and that is even less for an office that has to interact with important figures from other countries. They want me to stay here long enough for a hero that can get in here to show up.
The question is are the heroes stalling or is it whoever is pulling the strings?
"What about the US embassy?"
"The leader of their hero branch is on vacation for the week, they're currently trying to get in contact with his second but he is apparently in the hospital."
And there is no one else in the whole building that can do hero negotiations? Yeah, this just got very bad. Either Shoto's call getting redirected or someone has enough control over Japan to have the government officials giving them the under-table suck. The worst part is unless a lot of things have changed since I've been gone I don't think Shoto's gonna notice that's blatant government fuckery.
"Odd for a government building to only have 2 members that can fill out a job like this." I pointed out.
It was Momo who replied "Global heroes don't normally break laws this large. Normally you would have been sent back to your own country or the IHA court would have handled you."
"I'm aware Momo but how about this, has there been any word of my arrest on a global scale you know of? International heroes doing crimes would be a hell of a scoop for many reporters."
"I wouldn't know, Toru is a WHA member so I would have to ask her about it."
"Bullshit, now I know you guys are more native heroes but we've all been around the world when we were 15. We were at I-Island. We all had to deal with Humarise when they did their shit, we have all seen how the rest of the world works. You should know that the way they're handling my case is odd to say the least. Come on, look at your phone and search me up. You don't find it odd that there's no info on me?"
"Did you never consider that the IHA might have left you to Japanese justice?" Mina cut in. "That they might have been ashamed of what you had done and tried to bury you?"
She does have a point, my mind whispered to me. You've seen what Jackson has done. Even if he breaks his code he could make it so no one remembered what he did.
Normally Mina's words would mean less than shit to me when it comes to the IHA, or more precisely, the academy. The IHA I could imagine leaving me, but the GA? Jackson? I shake those thoughts out of my head. I couldn't afford to think like that and the very fact that Jackson is missing proves that he didn't leave me out to dry. A bit of calm hits me as Azrael pokes me in the forehead reminding me that she was here, that I wasn't alone, the academy hadn't left me, my friends hadn't left me. I nodded to her and mouth 'thanks'.
Forever Encouraged And Recognized.
"The IHA does not leave a man behind ever. If they were gonna leave me to Japanese laws they would have still taken the time to capture me themselves and throw me at your feet."
I could hear Mina snort and grumble something about them capturing me first before getting quickly shushed by Momo, who I assumed remembered that pissing off the hostage taker wasn't the smartest move.
"I was serious about what I said Momo, search me up on a phone."
"Are you asking me to scroll on my phone during a hostage negotiation?"
"Yes! For god's sake, do you think I'm gonna come running out and start shooting so that Akoji over there can ice time my ass?" I growl into the radio before turning towards my hostages as Azrael signs at me. "One moment." I say into the radio before turning over to sculptor boy "To the left...the left! son of a- the other way! how old are you to not know from your left or right?"
"I can't see." He meekly responds which made me blink.
"What does that have to do with anything? you don't need to see to kno- know what, forget it, just keep digging." Walking away from him I tap another hostage on the shoulder. This one in his late 30s with a blue sweater. He flinches at my touch "you" I go over the cards in my head, at least the vault was still working with that. "Your quirk is called Oxide, right?"
"Yes." He nods his head "I can rust stuff," he says nervously.
"You can do a lot more than that my good friend!" I grin, clapping him on the shoulders. Finally some good news "Man you should have gone to a hero school, any high school teacher could tell you how useful that quirk is." I couldn't help but chuckle as I ruffled his hair "Alright, for now keep your blindfold on but I'm gonna put some stuff in your hand to rust and rust them until you get that browned powder." Turning to another hostage, the, 80-year-old covered in white scales that had asked me if I liked my home country. "Yo, national pride, stand up for me." Grabbing the older man, I take him to the kitchen. Ignoring the whimpering of the lady who shot me and the muttered apologies of the hostage I had working on her, I grab a roll of aluminum foil, a Mortar and pestle, and some bowls. Moving him over to the blue sweater, I set some bowls for them. "You, put your rust powder in here, and you, grind the stuff in your bowl to dust. When the bowl is filled go to the next." White scale looked like he was gonna say something but he must have thought better of it and wisely shut up.
The radio was making its noise and I let out a long sigh before answering it "Hello?"
"Something the matter in there? We were in the middle of a conversation." Momo asked with a slight tinge of worry in her voice, apparently deciding that leaving me to my own devices will lead to problems or she might want to distract me.
"Yeah, it's..hard for me to direct all of my attention to things anymore, it's been a long month or however long I've been on the run." Funny enough, that was a problem that came more from my time at the academy, prison just made it so I didn't have to hide it.
"You know, if you surrender we might be able to get you into a different prison." She offered. "I don't agree that you should have been sent to The Pit anyway, it's a waste of resources."
"...And why is that?" I asked with narrowed eyes, already guessing her reasoning. She must have realized because there was a slight delay before she responded.
"Because The Pit is for villains with quirks of a certain destruction level, and while your quirk has its uses it is not the level of Dabi or anyone like that."
"Dabi is in Tartus, Spinner was in the pit and his quirk was sticking on walls."
"And becoming giant." Momo pointed out.
"Fair enough."
"How is Spinner anyway? Shoji visits him every once in a while but he doesn't talk about it."
"His mind is much better, he's a lot calmer though he does still have some of Stain's teachings in his head, but they're more diluted. Is it true he escaped as well? I haven't been by the TV much."
"It's true that, I'm surprised. I heard from the warden that you two were rather close, I expected you two to stay in touch."
"Alot to ask for a one-handed man that jumped down off a cliff to find his lizard friend that he didn't even know escaped a couple days ago, also you spoke to the warden? about me?"
"We asked about all the prisoners that escaped. We needed to so we could figure out who was the best for each capture team."
"Ah, so everyone else getting teams of heroes sent after them and here I thought I was special, so is Spinner getting a team as well?"
"Actually we're the team assigned to hunt down Spinner." Her words stopped all the questions I was about to ask.
"What?"
"I mean, of course we were set to capture you as well, but that was mostly just chance cause we heard that Spinner was in the area and Mina thought it be good for morale to let everyone know we were gonna capture you." She kept going on, not aware of my mounting annoyance. "In fact, capturing you now is possibly better for the both of us since the higher ups think Spinner is gonna try and contact you so it's good thing we found you first, Mina thinks we can use you as bait to draw him out. If you help us do so I think I can convince them to put you in a proper prison instead."
"The Pit is a proper prison Momo, it's been holding villains for years and it took a Nomu kajiu to break out."
"No I'm not saying The Pit is a bad prison, from what I saw of it and from meeting the warden, I say it is a nice enough place for what it is."
They never defended me in the prison or from any of the other prisoners I thought annoyed that she bought the warden's lies so quickly, they only cared about stopping us from leaving. The only time they cared about us was when they made bets on who was gonna survive the next fight.
"Alright Momo, if The Pit isn't a good enough prison for me, where do you think I should go, Tartarus?"
"Don't be ridiculous, I'm pretty sure a standard prison would have worked for you."
"Standard? you mean where the D and C rank villains go?"
"I mean there are some low-risk Bs there as wel-"
"Momo are you buttering me up so I will agree to be bait for Spinner?" It would be easy for them to be honest, Mina would go for whatever sword he has and Shoto would just spray him with ice with Momo as support. They must need me as bait only and not strategy though it still infuriates me they think I will turn on a prison ally for a better cell.
"What?"
"Let's put a pin in that, better question: What do you see when you look at me?"
"I don't understand the question."
I look around quickly making sure she wasn't baiting me for someone to catch me off guard.
"You're not saying I shouldn't have gone to The Pit because of some kindness or the belief that I didn't do the crimes I was accused of, you're saying it because you can't see me as a threat. You're acting like the resources that it takes to maintain a villain cell is wasted on me." I gave her a second to deny it and when it didn't come I continued "So I ask again, what do you see when you look at me? Do you still see the imp that rode your back during the sports festival? Or maybe you see the kid that tried to peek on you in the hot springs? Oh oh I know, maybe you see the boy that you and your classmates bullied for a crime you couldn't prove until he dropped out of UA. Do you still see that, Momo? Is that where this pity is coming from? Or maybe it's not pity, maybe this is your way to try and get me to turn on Spinner? At least I can respect the manipulation angle instead of the idea that you think I'm too soft for prison." The hostages were shying away from me now which informed me that I had started to raise my voice. "I know we didn't talk alot when I came back to Japan but I can't tell what you see when you look at me. You don't see me as a threat and not in a 'He was once a friend' type of way. None of you seem to see me as a threat and I'm starting to get annoyed by it." At least whoever framed me knew of my threat level and placed me in a high threat prison.
I hung up the radio and went back to work. angrily sorting out useful and not-useful hostages.
"You don't need to bite them." The thin man grunted as I sucked on his finger "they're nozzles, not water bottles." I didn't reply simply biting harder, enjoying his winces of pain. petty I know but Momo had pissed me off... Well every goddamned moment of the last couple of weeks had pissed me off but she wasn't making it better. "I've fucking fought Villains." I grumbled around his finger nozzle, "Mercenary teams, hell I eve an attack helicopter but no, Momo thinks I'm too short for big boy prison." At least thin man's quirk is doing its job and caffeinating the hell out of what little blood is still in my body. After sucking on him for a bit then another, checking up on Old Lady the radio buzzed again.
"Yo."
"Mineta." Mina's voice was the one to answer me, this time causing me to groan slightly.
"And what do you want?"
"For you to peacefully surrender so I can put you in a pit."
"I thought the pit was destroyed?"
"not the pit, A pit, preferably one with acid at the bottom."
"Wow you stopped pulling those punches, I assume Momo and Shoto aren't near?"
"Talking to cops about how we should handle you."
"Fun," I say dryly, "So why are you calling me?"
"Making you an offer."
"Hmmm?"
"Give up, come out with your hand in the air an-"
"And wave it like I just don't care?" I roll my eyes "This is your best offer? Give up so you wont hurt me?"
"No, give up so you won't have to deal with Tsuyu."
The caffeine in my blood froze solid at the same time my stomach went south to hide in my ass.
"Is she out there with you?"
"Not yet, she's at the hospital but she did get in contact with me since I'm on the team to hunt you down. I could have the guards let her in even if she is… emotionally involved."
"Even she can't get in here faster than I can hurt hostages."
"True, but whether it's today or a week from now we will catch you, and I'm more than willing to leave her alone with you in the car. I doubt the officers will care."
"Momo will, and maybe Shoto."
"You bashed her sister's head in, I think they would understand that what friends do...tho I dont think you would know about those Mineta seeing as how you manage to push every friend you ever had."
"I have friends." I say not at all defensively.
"Do you? You have comrades maybe, people you fought with side by side."
"We fought side by side if I remember correctly." I cut her off.
"Yeah we did. Then you betrayed us, betrayed the whole class taking advantage of us."
"I wasn't the one to spike the punch."
"Why should I believe you?"
"Is this how you judge someone? Sins from the past?"
"But it's not from your past anymore is it? You're still doing the same things you did as a kid, but I will admit you've certainly raised the stakes. I still remember when you bit Jiro's ear off back in school."
"She attacked me first." I say remembering the memory. It was probably 2 weeks before I decided to leave school.
"Did she Mineta? Did she really? Cause I think you started it when you stared at us, I think you started it when you touched us without our permission, I think it started when you roofied us, I thi-"
"Mina!" Momo's rapidly approaching voice cut the tangent off which was a good thing because I was about to start screaming at my radio. "I'm sorry about that Mineta," Momo started trying to placate me "This situation has just been rather stressful for her a-"
"Tell me Momo, did you do as I ask?" I could sense her confusion so I explained "Did you search me up like I asked?"
"I already said Mineta I can't do research during a hostag-"
"Fine then!" I hissed "But even then why didn't you pull out my file when you joined the team to take me down? Or I'm sorry, joined the team to hunt Spinner down but want to use me as bait for?"
Her silence annoyed me. "You didn't think it would matter did you? You assumed that you would be able to take me down in a couple days and get some ramen after?"
"I mean, the moment we located you we basically w-" Mina's statement was cut off as Momo cut the radio. While I waited for her to call I grabbed another hostage, tracksuit man, and pulled off his blindfold pointing to the front window. "You are to wipe a little area clear so you can see and tell me what is going on outside whenever I ask of you. And please remember no matter how fast you are, you're slower than a bullet and I'm not in the mood." Shoving him to the window I press the call button on the radio.
"Alright, I have a way for you to get a hostage back. I have a question for you all."
"A hostage for a question?" Momo asked happy to change the subject.
"Bingo, but not for these 3 questions, consider these ones as freebies since I need these questions to confirm who you guys are." Thinking on it, the very fact that there is a memory-altering quirk around that these are probably the real class 1A members but there is also the possibility that there's shapeshifters or that jogging old memories might affect said quirk.
"What are you?-" Mina started but was cut off again. Me throwing away my hostages for a useless question helps them.
"Ask your questions"
"Shoto, when was the first time we spoke to one another? And I mean a real talk. Ashio, what did we talk about at the reunion? Momo, who was the girl that tried to get me expelled the most?"
All these questions should be personal so that a shapeshifter wouldn't know them on one hand. If it's a perfect memory control quirk then it's possible for them to be exactly the same and they should be able to answer the question just fine. On the other hand, from the way the fake cop talked about it, I can assume they have very few heroes under their direct control or else they wouldn't have needed to bait me with a hero. That was more likely to kill me or if they're normal for now let's just confirm whether or not I'm dealing with real class A members.
"The first time I talked to you was year 2, maybe a week after the incident," Shoto said. "Before that we had one word responses if I wanted to get around each other or something."
"What did we talk about?"
"I threatened that even if the school couldn't expel you, if you ever even looked at the girls again I would make sure that you were out of UA from a training accident." I nodded recalling the anger and fear that had coursed through me when the half and half hero had frozen the floor around me to have a talk.
"Correct, Mina?"
"We didn't talk, I threaten you to not touch any of my friends and you pulled a knife on me."
"He what?" Momo asked, hmm guess she never told anyone that part, honestly she had been threatening me with acid hands so I think I was being quite nice...Although she had been trying to melt my outfit while I was considering to hamstring her.
"Good, and Momo?"
"Jiro."
"And why?"
"She hated you the most?" Momo offered. I answered with silence to which she sighs. "Because she was my best friend and you made me genuinely uncomfortable."
"Adequate answer, alright you're real... Probably."
"What's your angle?" Mina asks suddenly sounding irritated. "Insanity plea is an American thing, it won't save you here."
"Number 1, Japan does have an insanity defense. It's just almost ever used. Number 2, if I was already insane I don't think I could thrash Tsuyu's brother so effortlessly." Fake cop started to laugh at that statement. "And lastly, if I were insane then it would have been your guy's fault ..Well you and this whole country." I consider telling them but so far one of my only advantages against whoever framed me has no idea what I know and even if I'm sure these guys aren't controlled I'm also sure that they're not gonna believe me.
"Look, I don't care if you believe me at the moment but I was framed for any crime I was accused of before breaking out," I sigh and chew on my lip "since you guys are being so helpful compared to a hostage negotiator that will not be named, tell ya what you guys get one hostage free. Give me a sec to get ready to move him."
I take my finger off of the reply button. Taking one step only to hiss as my foot started acting up. "Right, a doctor. Asking for a doctor might be a smart move." Shambling over to the man with the oxidation quirk. I grin at the 3 large bowls of rusted dust he has for me. "Good boy." I slap him on the back before sitting down by him, which for some reason made him worried. "Anyone want to learn how to make thermite?"
Faces paled in the room.
"No? Alright then get back to your jobs… Not you," I say, grabbing blue sweater. "You're my radio holder while I work on this."
Rolling my sleeve up (which was a hell of itself with one arm) I pluck off an orb and concentrate. While the big sudden uses of my quirk have been instinct control, I have learned a decent amount of manipulation with my orbs. The orb that grew in was bigger than normal, about a third of the size, and used about half of the amount of the hair and those weren't the only changes. Instead of clumps that normal orbs are or the spring in a ball that the compress orbs were, these orbs are basically like those water splash balls you would play with at the pool. It basically had a mesh pattern that allowed the sticky liquid to soak and collect in the hair acting like a go-to balloon. Moving the [name here] grape gusher until i think of a better name orb over the bowl I squeezed it causing a semi-transparent purple liquid to spill into the bowl. "I could make the real thermite with everything in this restaurant, but by mixing the liquid in and you get something truly pretty," I say to the hostages as I work. I'm not sure why though... Probably to find the next loudmouth or Akira. Took maybe 30 seconds and 8 more orbs before my work was done. Taking the bowl that white scale was working on, I added the aluminum powder. I then rolled the dust and liquid of each bowl into apple size clumps of a purple pudding-like substance. Taking the 3 clumps I wrap each with tin foil. "There we go!"
"What's the plan with those?" SDF man asks. Orb pinning him to the wall in Y pose "If it works like thermite then you'll just get something really hot but no bang."
"Don't worry about it," I say, giving them to the elephant's head and whispering in his ear, then I patted him on the back when he ran off to the kitchen. "Don't" I say using my foot to push the mother back down as she hears her son walk off with homemade bombs "You're gonna rip your own skin and you still won't get out of them plus your son's safe. Unless he sets them on fire they're pretty safe." Taking the radio back out.
"Hey guys, it's me again. I don't suppose you could get me my bag, bike and some new clothing could you? I'll trade those for a hostage."
"2 hostages" Mina says instantly.
"1 hostage. Don't test me. Can you do it or not?"
"They're all in evidence so I don't see why not." Was Shoto's response. Since he didn't even take a minute to discuss that with anyone I'm guessing he's BS'ing me.
"Cool, I want a second backpack full of clothing, long pants and sleeves. Don't put a tracker in the bags I will know and I will hurt the hostages, understand?"
"I understand and a second bag will cost another hostage." I grunt as an agreement to his demand before hanging up on him. I turned to tunnel boy to check his progress. A look at Azrael got me 7 fingers raised. 7 more minutes, alright I can keep this going. Obviously, I'm probably not gonna stay here long enough for them to get my clothing. One of the most important things about getting out when holding a hostage is timing. Currently Shoto and the rest are thinking along a timeframe of 10-25 minutes of this hostage situation. In their minds I'm giving hostages over fast so there isn't a big reason to rush me yet but I'm also going slow enough where I won't be on my final hostage for a bit and get desperate. As long as I don't wiggle too hard they won't pull the net up just yet.
"Alright, I already owe you one hostage for the 3 earlier questions, 1 for the phone call that hasn't happened yet and 3 for the clothing that will come later. So let's just do rapid fire with the questions so I can actually give you some hostages right now, "I say making sure that I kept count of my hostage resources.
"Let's start with what was the crime I was arrested for?" I waited for Shoto to reply and waited. Then waited some more. There's a saying that silence was telling and Shoto's silence was saying something that was gonna make me hurt someone. "Shoto I swear to the gods and the devils of my soul that if you say there no official reason for my arrest-"
"We are not aware of all the information since it's still in the investigation stage but you were arrested for suspicion of treason and espionage." Shoto stated, his straight voice hitting me in the chest. "And that's ignoring the crimes you committed when you resisted arrest and when you broke out of jail."
Shoto's words sort of flowed past my ear when I heard treason. Now, you don't have to be really big in the law to know that while murder or the big R are the worst crimes you can do to a person, the more drastic crimes are when you fuck with the government.
Well, that could explain why the IHA hasn't stepped in and they're trying to keep it low. While global heroes from both the IHA and the WHA get a lot of leeway and rights in other countries, treason is one of those situations that spins the point all over the place. But even then treason is the type of crime that gets put on world news, not covered under the rug. If they wanted to take a swing at Jackson by publicly accusing one of his heroes of spying on a country this would be the time and setting for it but the fact that the news doesn't know anything makes me think I'm missing something.
"Any more info on that? How long has treason been on the crime roll? When were you all informed? What type of treason was it? Does this have anything to do with Denki's death?"
"That's a lot of questions Mineta, you're gonna run out of hostages fast at this rate."
I'm pretty sure that nine hostages are gone already. I fake a curse before agreeing "True, but until the call and the clothing come in I'll still have some hostages. I'm also willing to exchange an extra 2 hostages for a medic. A couple of my other hostages are bleeding and I can't afford to lose bargaining chips."
"How will we know you won't take that medic hostage?"
"I will, that's why I'm giving you two, to keep the number fair again. I don't want to lose my other hostages so I have no reason to kill the medic and we're making an exchange for them right now. They'll be out in no time."
"How do we exchange hostages?"
"You send them to the front door. If it's a cop I put a bullet in their head but if it's a medic I let them come in and the hostages come out."
"You expect me to trust yo-" Mina started but I cut her off.
"Again Mina, trust in me to do what is best for me. Not releasing the hostages will shatter the deal that I've been keeping." I roll my eyes "Look, I know you guys are used to the Dabi's and Shig's of the world and their 'destroy everything attitude'. But some villains don't want to watch the world burn, these hostages are keeping me alive so use your brains and stop assuming I'm gonna get murder happy." I rolled my eyes and started grabbing 5 more hostages with quirks that wouldn't help in this situation. "Alright so questions."
"The suspicion of treason was stamped on a couple weeks after your arrest." Momo continued. "As for your arrest itself-"
"We brought you in on the suspicion of the murder of Denki Kaminari." Mina cut in. It was a collection of self control and blood loss that stopped the phone from exploding in my grip. That explains why the heroes came at me so hard, my mind pointed out. My arrest was hardly a quiet one. While I didn't have my hero suit on I was also well fed, in perfect health and had a self-defense weapon on my person. I did not go down without my pound of flesh. But all those thoughts were drowned out with the rage that these people thought that I would hur-.
"They were dropped." Momo cast off, knocking the wind from my sails.
"What?" I asked, not sure if I heard that right. It was kind of sad that people not blaming me for a crime was the odd scenario.
"They were dropped." Momo repeated. "Lack of evidence."
Makes sense. Now I don't know what to think, I was the last person to be with Denki but he had been dead when I got there. The other heroes had found me trying to revive him after that. It was maybe 2-3 weeks of me snooping around before I was arrested. So during that time, I must have gotten close, and whoever it was decided that throwing me in The Pit would handle me.
"Lack of evidence doesn't mean you don't think I did it...do you?"
"Directly? No." Shoto replies.
"Even with what you've become it's hard to think that you would harm Denki." Momo replied "You two were too close, though I can't say that I know you that well so I'm not taking chances."
"I do," Mina says plainly. I wanted to be angry. I really did but I think my body was hitting the point where it didn't have the hormones for rage anymore.
"Once more Momo being the voice of reason," I say, licking my lips which felt way too dry. "Alright, explain Shoto, Mina, what would I get for killing Denki? Why would I stay with him trying to bring him back If I was the one to do that to him?"
"Good way to fake us out," Mina said.
"You littl-"
"I don't think you killed Denki. I think you got him killed. I also think Mina thinks the same way" Shoto's words stalled me for a moment.
"You think whatever the higher-ups are accusing me of is what got Denki killed," I said, a weak laugh coming from my voice stifling the dark feeling of rage and despair threatening to...not overwhelm me but become a higher issue.
"You said it not us," Mina said. "I mean, that sounds just like you doesn't it Mineta? Hurting people without meaning to. People suffering because of your own problems."
I gritted my teeth. That was hitting so close to home it might as well be in my living room.
"I didn't kill Denki."
"Then who did?"
"I don't know, he was already gone when I got there."
"Then how did you know to get there?"
"He tried to call me and I got a bad feeling so I tracked his phone."
"Likely story."
"Fuck you Mina."
"No fuck you, Mineta!" She hissed, her voice dripping with acid. "Fuck you for coming back and bringing this on our head. Fuck you for coming back and killing my best friend!"
"DENKI WAS MY BEST FRIEND!" I screamed into the radio. The anger had come faster than I expected. "The only reason I came back to this place was because of him!"
"And look where it got him!"
"Shut up shut up shut up!" I whip my sleeve across my face and let out a whimpering sound. I'm not proud if only to let out a gasp as Azrael's hand patted my chest. Letting out a deep breath at the calm, I give her a nod only for my eyes to narrow as she signs something at me.
"Mina," I say slowly, handing the radio for a hostage to hold. "..Are you trying to bait me right now?"
"What?" her voice was drenched with fury and frustration but was also tinged with something else, confusion? or worry? Couldn't tell yet.
"You're not acting like you would if you're trying to keep a hostage keeper calm." I say calmly as Azrael floats higher pointing her hand at a point on the roof. I tap Oxidation dude on the shoulder pointing at the same location and mouthing the word "Fire" at him. He blinked at me before going pale when I drew one of the throwing knives I took from Faker cop.
"Would you rather I placate you?" Mina asks "Should I try to seduce you with a harem like when we were kids? Should I Offer you my panties for your surrender?"
I let out a humorless snort distantly recognizing the fact that if Jackson hadn't fixed me, there wasn't a 100% possibility that I wouldn't have caved to that demand.
"Funny but no, you should be trying to talk me down, keep me calm, not whatever this is! What's your angle?"
Oxidation dude extended his hands to where I pointed, causing a pale brown vapor to leave his hands and float up into the air.
Oxidation should work on the wood in the roof as well as the metal. Japan likes traditional buildings so I doubt any plaster is gonna be in there.
"It seems like you're trying to keep me angry, keep me unfocused- no not unfocused. Focused on you alone."
"And why would I need to do that? You said it yourself Mineta, you're giving out these hostages really fast and there is no use to you dead. I'm just talking to you
like I always have, directly. And telling you exactly what I think of you."
"Good good, I would hate to learn that you using Denki's death to take advantage of my emotions."
The wood that made up the restaurant roof was getting discolored wherever the vapor hit it.
"Alright I don't think this is a good place for the conversation to follow." Momo stated.
"Maybe you're right Momo," I say, hearing her sigh in relief and Mina tisk in annoyance. "Let's talk about who is about to die."
The hostages flinch and I roll my eyes at them and point up towards the soon to be decaying roof.
"Wait, Mineta!" Momo's words filled with worry "I can send Mina away if she upset you!"
"You can't hurt the hostages." Mina says with a twinge of doubt tinting her voice.
"I could." I corrected "But it wouldn't help me. No, I'm about to kill the person that's on the roof."
"Who?" Momo voice was filled with confusion.
"There's no hero on the roof." Shoto stated with so much confidence honestly I had started to forget he was there.
"Well give me a second to confirm. Tell ya what, I'll let you have the body."
Thankfully oxidation dude's quirk seems to be a 100% or 0% type quirk meaning the roof will instantly rust away once it does it thing. If it was an animation quirk or a sped-up version of real life then the roof would most likely bulge giving our would be hero a warning.
I could hear Shoto in the background saying he didn't give orders to go through the roof which either means he was lying to throw me off or team B got tired of waiting.
"Mina I swear to god if you use Denki's death to distract me I-"
"I think he would forgive me if it was to put away the person that killed him in the first place."
"Mina!" Momo hissed, silencing the acid hero "Mineta please hold off whoever it is, we will get them off the roof."
"Why should I even begin to trust yo-"
Azrael, who had been sticking her head through the roof to see what this person was doing, brought her head down and signed a word.
Down.
Normally I would be able to flip or spin out of the way blind firing perfectly without even looking. There are so many reasons my body is telling me that's not an option so I did the easier option and just let my body do what it wanted to all night ...Collapse.
Falling to the ground I let out a hiss as something whizzed past the top of my head. The hostages dived to the ground screaming and fake copper yelled something that I didn't hear on account of me rolling under the table avoiding more things whizzing past me.
It was at this point that god threw me a bone...Nah I'm not buying that, god must have realized that my dying would mean he can't see me suffer anymore. Whichever case it was at that moment that the roof caved in going from mostly normal to rusted dust in seconds unable to hold the weight above it.
Definitely a hero I think, struggling back to my feet as the hero slams into the floor letting out an OOF as the air was knocked from their chest. Definitely a girl.
Thankfully I had angled myself close to her drop location and was expecting her to fall. Getting up hurt, the 8 steps it took to get to her hurt. The wind must have been knocked out of her but she was still a hero. As I dropped on her she grabbed my face, stiff-arming me and raising her other hand to punch me in the throat. I took the generous opportunity she gave me by placing her pinky so close to my mouth and bit into it.
She screamed and tried to pull her hand back but I decided that I needed the iron. Twisting my head and biting Harder, enjoying the scream rising in pitch as I bit through.
She tries to scootch back, holding her spurting hand, eyes glowing. Not in the state or mood to take chances, I slash the knife across her face. The purple glow coming from her eye disappeared in a spurt of blood. Every second of movement just now hurt ...But it felt so good.
"Get me the radio!" I yell to the hostage that had dropped it, kicking her lightly when she couldn't take her eyes off the screaming hero. As she scrambled to grab it I did a quick turn to make sure the hostages weren't making a run for it and let out a sigh when I saw they were all still cowering beside the SDF dude who looked like he had been trying to get loose.
Radio holder came over to me pressing the call button on the radio.
"ALL HEROS BACK UP OR BUILDING BLOWS!" I yell into it.
"We haven't approached," Momo says, voice filled with worry.
"You better not have or I swear to god. Call you back in a moment." I stomp over to my would-be assassin, raising an eyebrow when I notice that she wasn't moving nearly as much as people that have their eyes cut do.
None of the injuries she received is lethal, is it shock? No. Did the fall give her a concussion?
I looked over the knife then at the fake cop who was looking at the hero with a worried expression. Considering he hasn't given Samidare the same.
Oh I get it, this must have been his backup. As for why she's suddenly so weak over having her eyes ruined. I turned the knife over in my hand remembering the fact that faker had been grinning when I asked if the knife was poisoned. Turning to him I give him a deep smile.
"Your friend I presume?" I say grinning when I see his teeth grit. "I cut her eyes, you know? Both of them, will you be able to tell her that it was your knife I used? Or will the poison on it make that not a problem?"
Faker's eyes widen and he looks at his friend, apparently remembering that his blades had poison.
"There an antidote in my pocke-"
"Scratch that, give me a sec." I wave a hand at radio-hostage who seems to get the message and to press on the call button again.
"I'm back and I have another hostage though I'm not sure how much longer she's gonna last."
Shoto was the one to respond "Is she wearing a dark blue jumpsuit with an X pattern above each eye?"
I look her over. "Yep."
I heard Mina curse in the background "The heroes on the other side of the restaurant said she suddenly broke position and climbed onto the roof Mineta, I swear to you that we didn't have anything to do with this."
"Number 3 hero and you can't even control your lower assistants." I shake my head, my voice laced with a heavy dose of condemnation. "Is that swear coming from all of you or just you and Momo because I'm pretty sure Mina knew of this."
"I received a message on the radio saying 'distract him', I wasn't expecting X-Lazz to try and snipe you."
"Putting hostages in danger? Not very heroic."
"Yeah really? Because screaming into my radio to get off the roof isn't gonna tip you off. She didn't tell me or the other heroes what she was doing."
"Is she alright?" Momo asks.
"She's still alive...for now" I say walking to faker-cop and digging a hand into his pocket. Pulling out a tiny bag filled with a powder, I jog over to X-Lazz and pour two thirds of it into her mouth. "But as you can probably guess she is now my hostage and if anything like this happens again."
"We understand," Momo said, relief in her voice.
"Alright to recap, I did not kill Denki indirectly or directly. If I hear one more thing even insinuating it the hostages will start losing fingers."
There was a moment of silence before Mina gritted out "I understand."
She doesn't believe me which makes me believe that she wasn't involved in Denki's death but she might be working with these two who might be involved with Denki death. I groaned, corrupt governments are something that Class T has worked with a lot but we normally have a lot more intelligence to start with, not to mention gear and the choice of when to make ourselves known.
"You said this hero's name is X-Lazz right?" I asked thirsty for information "Why does that name sound familiar?"
"her father is X-Less, he was there when the heroes attacked the revolutionary army"
"The one that shig killed and took his cape?" I raised an eyebrow at the girl, dropping some hair orbs on her to keep her where she is, though whatever toxin that was on the blade seemed to take the fight out of her. "And she became a hero after all that? Impressive."
"Indeed." Momo agreed.
"She'll need to learn to not be so reckless though. Her actions today could have cost the hostages their lives and managed to cause her to lose some fingers."
Momo and Mina both let out a sigh at that.
"She also cost you the hostages ...That came out wrong, she cost you the hostage returns you earned for those questions."
"Now wait a minute!"
I cut Mina off, "Don't worry, you'll be able to earn them back by answering more question and giving me more things and I'll still give you two hostages for a medic."
I could hear Mina growling but Momo must've said something to her cause she shut up.
"Agreed." Momo responded.
"Good good. Now my other questions?" I prompted them. A moment to understand what I meant.
"Beside espionage, we don't have any more info on what type of crime."
"And the rumors of me?"
"We're not allowed to tell the news anything on the case." Shoto explains voice calm as always. Say what you will about him, he took X-Lezz's dumbassery and kept walking. "Blame your past self and his antics that gave birth to these rumors."
"Well that and the fact that you guys leaked what I was like to the news." walking over to X-Lazz I start to disarm her by taking her utility belt and her cape to drape it over my shoulders.
Azrael gave me a raised eyebrow to which I rolled my eyes as I put it on. Yes, capes were stupid, but they look bitch'n and I'm cold.
"But that's neither here nor there," I say, continuing my talk with Shoto. "Look, imma need that doctor here sooner rather than later, call me back when you have the phone call or the doctor ready and I'll get ready to send out the hostages."
I hang up the radio and sit down on the bench with a sigh. "Well, what are you waiting for? . Get back to it!" I slap the bench, shocking the hostages to get back to their tasks.
"Time for an employee check-up!" I say looking over. Sculptor was overdoing his job digging, not that I can see him but Azrael would have told me if he was slacking. Look out was doing his namesake. Chef at some point had switched back to keeping Samidare alive and caffeinated and was in the kitchen caring for granny. The most important hostage at the moment was business suit who was doing his job on the floor in the corner where pots and pans were filled with black liquid, mostly collected in the kitchen where it will be needed. The rest of the hostages were sitting where I placed them or stuck to whatever I stuck them to. Most of them still blindfolded.
Well at least I got some information from this I think to myself, getting the hostages ready. The heroes themselves aren't pushing or buying the rumors that are being leaked, at least not 1-A. Well mostly, but they're also not able or willing to tell the truth either on the off chance I did kill Denki. But even then, is that the full reason why some of them were playing loose with the amount of force they have been using on me?
Damnit! Even with this information it doesn't tell me any of the main facts that I need to know. Like who the hell killed Denki and how the hell are they blocking the academy as well?
I already tried to call the Contacts within the GA who have been silent which makes sense with what Azrael explained. Calling the actual main branch of the IHA could get results but if whoever did this knows about the academy and was able to attack them without getting the rest of the IHA involved, then calling the IHA's attention to this might get the GA pulled into the limelight which would be shooting myself in the foot.
The Main problem with this situation is that I don't know why Denki and I were involved. If they were aiming at me as a GA agent then what does Denki have to do with it? He didn't know. On the other hand if whoever killed Denki didn't know of the academy then who are these agents sent after me that seem to know the academy?
If they think I found whatever Denki was looking for then why not try to kill me sooner? Why did they try to execute me after a year of holding me? Who's attacking the academy and how are they involved? so many questions and I'm getting nowhere.
I shake my head hissing. "Ugh!" For now let's assume that this big bad is targeting me since his agents know of the academy.
From what I can figure out so far I'm possibly/probably in the middle of a cold war between someone in Japan and the GA. Let's hypothetically say that the GA is hiding in Japan and labeling me as a traitor. Even if the academy was in control by the new director with Jackson's absence, and that new director didn't care for my life. They still have to follow the code of the school and at the very least, I can't see anyone from class M would allow such disrespect of themselves or the school. For all Jackson's faults, he doesn't take disrespect lying down, and neither do his students. So there has to be a reason the GA hasn't asked for outside help or sent boots on the ground. My guess was the thing that was blocking the academy was the very same thing that stops countries from going to wars nowadays. And that is mutually assured destruction.
Getting the IHA involved could get whoever is pulling the strings on the Japan side caught if they're called in an investigation. The IHA, while not the GA, are willing to tilt the rules when needed. They have mind readers and while someone picking through my memories would prove my innocence and would normally bring me freedom ...With a broken vault they could get classified information out of me given time. Between my memories and whatever this hypothetical big bad already knows about the academy, it's quite feasible that they could bring the whole academy down and I would eat a bullet before I let my friends get silenced.
But how am I involved? Now that's the question. Jackson's quirk would stop most mind-reading attempts and it wasn't like they were trying to capture me. They were trying to kill me so either I'm off the mark or they don't need me alive for it.
So the main theory is this. The big bad wants something from me and doesn't need me alive to get it. He has something that's keeping the academy out of Japan so far. Perhaps he is the reason why the academy is going through something or he might be just taking advantage of the moment. On the other hand, this person isn't fully following the rules as well. Fake cop and my no-trial execution attempt at The Pit is proof of that.
He must be higher up in the government if he can just slap a big crime like treason on me. He must have some dirt on him or a tail because he also can't let news of me hit the global stage. While it would most likely lead to my capture if he asks for outside help, it also runs the risk of his corruption being exposed.
The big bad also has to be careful not to get exposed to the heroes of Japan either. Deku could be just as big of a problem snooping around as other nations' governments.
Now the only thing I could see them wanting from me is my memories or to learn how to make a vault itself. The former could be used to take down the academy, the latter could be used to do almost anything if you had the quirk to do it.
In that case, is that why Jackson broke my vault? Actually, did he do it?
If this hypothetical big bad did want my vault, which is the only thing I could see him want besides the minor body alterations some GA members get.
Nah, in that case I don't think Jackson would've broken my vault or be missing… Only thing I can think about is that they could want my memories, but again the vault would… Unless they have a way to break the vault. My mind screeches to a halt at that idea. One of them had already admitted to being able to rewrite memories but I have no idea if there's anything else he can do? How much control over memories does he have? Can he break mind blocks? Can he get into the vault? And if he can mess with the vault, why did Jackson break the thing if he was the one to break it? Maybe to scramble the code in a way? A damaged vault spasming might be harder to control depending on how he does it. If he has to follow my line of memories linearly and memories start looping it might make his quirk null and void in which case Jackson basically scrambled a code that they wanted. As for why they chose me, my guess is that I was a target of luck if this dude was planning this for a while. As for the reason to do all this, they either wanted proof to drop legal issues onto the academy or one of the missions I was placed on has some important information to them and sadly either could be likely. While compared to the other members of Class T let alone some of the other classes, I can say that being with the team with the son of Jackson, friends with his right hand and being semi friends with his angel, not to mention whatever the hell the relationship between me and Mark are, the simple fact is that Class T and therefore, me, have seen much more tours of action than any of the most recent Class T classes and possibly some other classes of the GA as well. Even when we weren't directly fighting we had memories of certain locations, enemies and allies' quirks and other important details put in our minds. Even if someone didn't want to take out the academy, a lot of that information would be useful for almost anything.
Are one of the heroes nearby part of big bad group? Did they let X-Lazz pass? If they want my vault I assume they need my head and they wouldn't want it to get damaged in a fight. No, fake cop said they were hoping I would die from this attack… Well most hero-kills don't destroy the brain so they might be taking a risk. Should I ask for information about the other heroes' ID? Even if they're not working for the big bad it's possible one has an annoying quirk… No while none of these 3 would probably lie with hostages on the line but false information could be used to lead me into a trap.
Denki's death
My arrest
My late kill order
The Academy's attack and inability to come to Japan
My vault breaking
Five pieces that are so close to fitting but I can't fucking find the missing piece.
"Come on," I said, grabbing a girl that looks like she was in high school by her shoulder and kicking the force quirk user on the shoulder as I walked past. "You two are group 1."
Placing them with the other hostages on the bench I let out a sigh as the radio buzzed and I answered it. "You ready?"
"Ready" was Shoto's straight reply.
"Good" I hang up. "Alright, the two of you with me are going home."
"Oh thank god!" A girl in a red hoodie cried out while the other hostages let out sighs of relief.
"Don't do anything stupid." I warned. "It's an exchange, you guys for a medic, you two will step up in front of me arm in arm. The heroes ain't gonna shoot you so don't worry."
One look out the open door I was not surprised to see the army of cops that was waiting outside. Ducking low, I look past the hostages' stomachs, keeping most of my head under cover. "Momo, show me your hands!" I say narrowing my eyes. While I doubt a Japanese hero would do gun training but Snipe was a teacher and he could have ended Shigaraki on day one if he aimed a little bit higher and I would be damned if I was gonna get shot after all this.
"Alright Mineta how's this gonna go?" Shoto said as Momo put her hands in the air with Mina glaring at me.
"Simple enough. You gonna move the medic forward, I will take their arm and pull them into the restaurant. These two will stay right here or knowing civilians, the moment I let go of them they'll run away but they will be safe. Also I have a gun to the girl's back. If I see even a blink of a quirk she's dead."
Hoodie girl flinched and I apologized mentally before sending my eyes back and forth until they locked on a female in a medical outfit who, when receiving a nod from an officer, started to approach. Confident from the way she walked, but it's more of an 'I will not be intimidated' kind of walk. I don't think she knows how to fight. The threat of them dropping a hero with a medic outfit is possible but I doubt it. If X-Lazz hadn't been stupid they would have gotten 6 hostages from answering questions. Plus they don't know how I detected her on the roof so they have no idea how to get close without tipping me off. Once close enough I leaned forward and grabbed the doctor's coat pulling her through my hostage wall and in front of me. "GO!" I yelled as my hostages ran forward but I kept my eyes locked on Shoto and Momo as I pulled the doctor into the restaurant.
Once the door shuts I let out a long sigh.
"Welcome to hostage camp," I say dryly, pushing her away from the door "Ready to save some lives?"
The doctor turned back to glare at me then blinked at me. Eyes widening a bit before turning to glance at the hostages "who's blood?"
I raise an eyebrow and tilt my head at her question before realizing what she meant "oh ..do you think this blood is from one of the hostages?" I gave her a smirk and moved the apron, wiping the blood from my chest to show the cracked skin "Nope all me." The doctor didn't seem shy or anything about my nakedness but she was staring in shock at my flesh which made sense.
"Pretty right?" I grin. "It's like one of those skin grafts you seen in your bio books." A quick explanation to what she was looking at since it's a rare type of damage. Most humans don't have their skin shatter. The skin all over my body was a pale and purple color showing extreme bruising that was already setting in but adding to that color was the texture of exposed muscles. Mutation types get the best of both worlds in a way, on one hand, they get normally the best overall quirk abilities and the lowest quirk drawback. On the downside those drawbacks when and if they show up, are costume cluster fucks. An example of this was the cracks that were all over my dermis which exposed the flesh and tissue below and also all the nerves in between, which thanks to what I assume to be shock or at least the approach of shock, hasn't gotten any more painful.
"Then who am I treating?" The doctor asks, eye trailing the hostages, finally stopping on Samidare who was getting CPR from another hostage as chef girl recovered and X-Lazz who seem to have come to but seem to still be weak. "Them?"
"Later, first me." I answered. At her expression, I explain "There is another hostage that probably will need your help, I'll take you to her but I need blood as you can see, as well as first aid." I raised a hand before she could cut me off "and before you give me shit I'm pretty sure the Seventeen Rules of Enjuin, the Vejjavatapada, the Buddhist medical doctor's oath, the Oath of Asaph and the Hippocratic Oath all say that you can't deny me care just because I'm a villain.
"Those are only for villains that are determine as not a threat."
"The rules also state that it's your decision to decide who to heal to save the most lives. I'm a mutation type, I'm in pain, and I am weakened, but my body is used to this type of damage. I can run on less blood than someone with my body should be able to. If you don't heal me I will hurt the hostages and their death will be on both of our hands.
The doctor glares at me for a moment. "It's possible that it would save more lives to let you fall than to heal you and leave these ones to fall."
Oh a realist? "I disagree, even if all the crimes that I am accused of are true, which you probably remember, I haven't been convicted of anything official yet, but even if I kept doing the same crimes as I've been accused of there wouldn't be a massive loss of life. That would mean suffering yes but not death, or at least large-scale death even if I'm worse than what the media says. My crimes shows that I'm not one to randomly go out and massacre civilians."
"Just have your way with them," she says, her eyes narrowing.
"Which I denied and hasn't been proven yet." I say, eyes just as narrow. "look, I'm not here to argue with you, you got two heroes dying of two different poisons and you're not getting to them or to the other hostages unless you give me blood and if the heroes try to bust in and I have to set off my bombs then none of us are getting out alive, so better get to it."
She stared at me staring into my eyes as I stared back wishing Anasova was here. A little bit of her quirk and these hostages would be worshiping us or at least not bitching every five minutes. After what felt like 20 years the doctor lets out a sigh as needles grow from her palms. I was happy they didn't come from her finger cause that would have reminded me of fake cop's talons.
"Give me your arm." She says, reaching for me.
"Cute but no." I pat my thigh, I'll be damned before I give her my gun arm, let alone my only arm. "Use this if you need an artery. I can't afford to give you my arm in case you do something stupid." It was quite possible this person was also working for fake cop over there but it wasn't something I could risk. Even with my mutation-style body stopping the bleeding, I'm running on a low amount of blood and my grape skin was at its limit. If I pull it up again I would start bleeding and definitely bleed out before my skin can clot. My eyes tilt to Azrael who was watching carefully as the needles bit into my flesh. With the state my body is in right now there should be some reaction that she would sense if it was a toxin or something else dangerous the doctor was injecting into me.
Azrael's gray eyes stay locked on my leg as the red liquid flowed into me. "Not blood?" I said calmly, my eyes locked on the doctor. My gun causally pointed at her chest. She must have been in the field for a bit because she didn't even flinch.
"Imagine a self replacing stem cells that turn into whatever you need." She replied while distracted. Her eyes were locked on the deep lines trailing down my chest. Yeah, the idea that she would kill me is low and I doubt whoever is pulling the strings expected me to ask for a doctor for myself but it was still a possibility. She pulled out the needle and I let out a groan as everything started to itch. "Don't scratch yourself. After a couple of minutes you'll feel better." she says watching me.
A couple minutes later and I would firmly call the doc a liar unless her version of better was ants crawling through my everything. Once the god-awful itching stopped I stomp my foot down letting out a hiss as I confirmed that the hole in my foot was still there but… Filled in slightly. Looking at the shattered window that was my skin showed the same thing. The wounds weren't healed, they were covered in extreme platelets for lack of a better word. I brushed a finger over the reddish-black material. Extreme coagulation or scabbing, not healed, not by a long shot but still days better than what I could do with my body's current state. And here I assume she just replaced my blood. Speaking of which, now that my body has had enough of that life sustaining liquid. The god awful cold I was feeling started to disappear slowly. I was still cold because I was semi naked but I lost the your-bleeding-out cold-that-had-been-approaching-for-a-bit shivers that had been racking my body.
The doctor pulled the needle out and stepped back from me.
"Can you do anything about this?" I ask, shaking my stump in her face.
She leaned back not wanting to rub her face on the blood stain bandages.
"No."
Raising an eyebrow I turn my head to look at one of the hostages "Bet their safety on it?" The doctor's eyes widen and she steps between me and the hostages "I'm telling the truth I can't regrow limbs. I can only seal wounds and replace blood and some hormones but I can't regrow limbs."
I stare at her for a moment before nodding my head "I believe you." I sigh in annoyance "But you're a medic so you know how to patch people up." I lift up my leg and kick off my shoe showing where the tendril had gone through "Fix this fully… Wait can you give me nutrients?"
"Like an IV?" She asked, staring at the bloody bandages wrapped around my foot "Yeah but I don't have anything that can fix severe emaciation as you have."
"Damn it." That could have made it much better if I could regain my muscle mass. Somehow I've taken one step forward and one back since I recorded my first video. No scratch that, I'm still worse off. The doctor didn't undo the damage to my skin; she just slapped a bandage on it and gave me more blood to bleed. "Give me a pain killer and then there is a hostage in the kitchen, an old lady, I need you to work on her. Do not touch the orbs pinning her and don't touch the device on her stomach."
The doctor goes pale at my word before giving me another injection and walking to the kitchen.
Once she was gone I looked to Azrael who nodded to me then pointed to the left "Hey sculptor boy." The kid digging my escape tunnel looked up "Go to the left and dig at a 45 angle, make it as smooth as you can. He growls but goes on to doing what I asked.
I'm once more distracted by the radio going off, grabbing it I answered "This is Mineta who am I speaking to?"
Mina's voice met mine "Put the doctor on the line. I want to confirm she is alright."
"You really don't understand that I need the hostages in good shape do ya?" I ask. "Just sent her to help some of the other hostages. I have another question." While saying this I grab one of the hostages with the quirk -Cat Voice Translation- that was useless to me. "The day I escaped, are you aware what was going on at the prison?"
"Are you referring to the break out… Your break out?" Mina asked.
My break out? That could mean a couple of things and I'm gonna hope it means the simple one "No. Well yes but no, I would love to hear about these Nomu worms that have apparently been kicking your guy's ass but I have my own shit, what I want to know is did you know about what was happening to me that day?"
"...You broke out." Mina says slowly like I was a child.
"I have no idea what you're talking about." Shoto dryly stated.
"Really? Nothing else? It wasn't a special day for me in any way?" This was expected to be honest, the idea of big bad being a member of the government or the government, was a solid point in my mind. They were hiding the fact that they were going to kill me, which fits since from everything I've heard so far is that I've been called an escaped convict, not an escaped death row inmate, which is a big thing.
Now the big question is why? If they wanted me killed, marking me as a death row escapee would've been a better shot. Death row inmate means I have nothing to lose and therefore I get the A class and above villain treatment which means broken limbs and anime style beatdowns whether or not it's needed. Hell, Dark Shadow almost killed Moonfish during the villain's attack and while he did have permission to use his quirk, if that was a normal villain who was crushed like an ant there would have been a 10-minute talk at least.
If they wanted me dead the deathrow status would have helped. And they do want to kill me, fake cop made that clear, he even shot at my head when he came busting in. So yes, they want me dead and possibly want my body but they either don't have or don't want to let it be known that they illegally tried to kill me. They want me killed in a way that can be hidden. If I'm captured alive they'll have someone in a position to kill me and then just say I had died in prison from a prisoner fight or something. Then they are just waiting for the right time to drop the information and they're in the clear. Even cooking up some fake evidence to defend against backlash for capture of an IHA hero… But that still doesn't explain why they ain't hitting as hard as they can. Either they want to silence me, in which case they should be hitting harder, or they want something from me. In that case they're hitting too hard!
I hiss out, head throbbing as I struggle to think of the reason I'm stuck in this hell.
"The only thing I remember is Mineta trying to kill Momo." Mina's response caused me to stop the downward spiral I had been falling down. I would have kissed her for that if the moment she mentioned made me feel way to many emotions.
"If I wanted to kill Momo at that moment then I could've snapped her neck or broke her trachea, her neck was in my hands! I was trying to escape and she got in the way. Honestly, killing Momo would have been faster but I tried to be merciful by knocking her out and that's when you came in and disarmed me." My stump itched and I wanted to stop talking about it.
"Your arm was your own fault, Mineta." Mina was apparently deciding to be that person in the movie that pisses off the big bad "If you had stayed in your cell then it would have never happened."
"You're right, if I had stayed in my cell I wouldn't have lost my arm. I would've lost my head or at least my throat as they hanged me."
"What?" Momo's voice cut in from a distance, getting louder as she got closer. I don't like the fact that she was away from the group "What are you talking about?"
"Momo, I'm gonna ask you to use your brain for a minute." I say watching the hostages work "What did I look like when you tried to capture me in the prison?"
"You were wearing a prison uniform, had a nightstick and had broken your handcuff." She rattled off pretty quickly.
"Alright so no prisoners were in the yard, at least they shouldn't have been since there was an earthquake warning before the Nomu attack."
"Correct."
"So why was I handcuffed? How did I get out of my cell? Was my cell even in the branch where the worm attacked?... These are honest questions cause I don't know."
"What are you trying to say?" Shoto asks
"Well, if Momo or Mina remember our fight.. Well I guess Mina since I was beating Momo pretty badly but, what did my neck look like and how did I sound?"
"All I remember was you screaming when I got you off Momo."
Odd way to say 'when I covered your arm in flesh eating acid' but okay.
"You didn't really say anything" Momo said while actually giving my questions a thought "You sort just hissed at me? I think you said 'go' at one point."
"And you didn't wonder why I sounded like a 200-year-old smoker?"
"I was more worried about the guard that you had just assaulted."
"Fair enough, but let's focus on the fact that you remember my voice being raspy, yes?" I didn't wait for her to answer "Yes, now that's because, and I want you guys to really process this, I was being hanged by a noose when the prison got broken into."
"Bullshit." Mina instantly replied "You weren't signed for death row and even so Jiro would've been alerted."
Why? The official charges of me being involved in Denki's death were dropped. If they told the truth why would they bring in Jiro? Questions for later… So many questions for later.
"Believe what you will. I honestly doubt that there's any evidence left in the Pit to prove I'm telling the truth. What are the words for my clothing and bike? And that goddamned phone call!"
"The former should be here soon." Todoroki replied. "I would ask you to wait for the phone call."
"Cool, sending out two hostages for the answered questions." I slap two hostages on the back allowing them to run out of the restaurant's front door.
From the corner of my eyes Azrael hops up and down clapping her hands while pointing at the hole. A grin covered my face "Just hurry up, move the cops and heroes from the front of the restaurant back. I want a clear path."
"What?"
"Once we're done with the other exchanges, I'm going to take one of the hostages with me and drop them off 10 miles from here."
"Why you littl-" Mina starts but I cut her off.
"That's to stop you guys from following me. Once again, killing said hostages means that I can't do this again."
"You assume that this is gonna happen again."
"True, but I have hope. Alright so I've given you 4 hostages so far and gained 2 and I started with 12 so that's 10 deals I can make with you guys."
"So what do you want?"
That's a good ass question. I tap my foot. The problem is these guys don't know anything that I want to know and asking them questions could make it to ears I don't want.
"3 fanny packs filled with medicine, food pills and weapon mags."
"For 3 hostages?"
"No, 3 fanny packs don't fit the same as 3 backpacks, one hostage."
There was an amount of silence where they cut the call to talk to each other. After about a minute they kept going.
"Fine, deal. Next?"
"How about my phone call? It has to be past 10 minutes by now."
"There been some sort of delay." Shoto says.
Yep, WHA is getting blocked somehow.
"Interesting. Alright then, get me a getaway car ready, I'll figure out what else I want and call you back." I hung up and groaned before turning to Azrael with a grin "It's done?"
she nods just in time for sculpture-boy to come out sighing.
"Found an opening into a sewer line or something."
"Good, good." I grin "You can sit down now."
It's the endgame now. Escape plan is set, they think I'm gonna try and use either the bike they are giving me or the car I asked for. Is there anything else I can ask for? Not from these 3 and not in this situation.
"Look out, what does it looks like outside?"
"Oh um," he jerks in surprise. "Four more heroes have showed up and a news helicopter is really high up in the distance."
Yeah, no. Can't stay here. No idea what those heroes can do.
"Doc, have you checked up on the heroes already?"
The doctor glares at me from where she was sitting by X-Lazz.
"What poison did you give her?"
"No idea" I throw the bag of powder at her. "Give her the rest if she is still dying, is she awake?"
"She's in a daze."
I cursed and looked at the faker. "Are you willing to answer my question now?"
"Nothing changed Mineta, even if you escape there's nothing you can threaten me with and killing me ruins it for you."
"And what about her?" I say pointing to X-Lazz "You guys seem to know each other and I could finish her."
Faker actually gave a laugh at that "She'll never forgive me if I let you get away. For her sake we fight for the betterment of the human race. That's bigger than any one person."
"The human race? As in mankind and not just Japan?" I raised an eyebrow but faker apparently realized he said too much. "Interesting, well I'd love to ask you more questions but it's time to make my leave and I dont have the time to break you."
It was another 3 minutes to exchange the next fanny packs. A cop ran forward to drop the bags at the front of the restaurant and ran back with the hostage that I allowed to run out with him. After that I gave the heroes BS demands that would take time and enforce the idea that I was gonna take a single hostage and make a break for a car. After that I got to work. First things first was checking all bags for trackers, but thankfully Momo hasn't taken the chances of pissing me off. After which came clothing and gear which I took plenty. All of the hero gear from X-Lazz and Samidare was placed in a bag. I kept the cape on for now. No idea why but I put on some cargo pants and a tank top. Placing the fanny pack on each leg and my hips. At the end I looked like some survivor hero but it fits. After which I got another injection from the doc.
Alright, now how do I get the heroes to piss off and not swarm the building once they figure it out? Scratching my chin my eyes trailed over to X-Lazz who had one of my orbs on her head. That will do."
"Alright there you go," I say, finishing putting the orbs on elephant-boy's head. "Now you look just like me!" His mother didn't look happy about that. Even less so than the orbs that are on her own head.
"Okay everyone! This will be our last activity before I send you all home. Now I know you all are unhappy with me right now and I would like to apologize if some of my actions today have been hash, cruel, or otherwise unkind." Most of them couldn't glare at me directly since they were still wearing blindfolds but a lot of them were doing their best. "And I doubt you will ever understand but I am truly sorry." I gave them all a quick nod before realizing how pointless it was. "Except you miss, you earned what comes next." I fixed a glare to the old lady that had shot me. The hostages that were holding her were not blindfolded, mostly because I needed them to see where they were taking her and not drop her. I basically had Sculpture-Boy whip up a cross for her, molding it around her arms and legs to hold her in place.
"You should thank the angel of death, miss." I say, playing with the brick of tinfoil with a phone in the middle of it stuck to her chest. It wasn't a bomb but none of the hostages knew it and heroes weren't gonna go running past her and leave it.
"Mmrrpp mrrpp mmerrp!" Old lady screeched through her tape, eyes wide as she pleaded with the others who either couldn't see her predicament or weren't willing to go through me to stop it.
"Alright everyone the show's about to start" I smile at them before clapping or rather slapping my hand on the table to make a sound. "Team A will be going out the front door and I will be shooting at the slowest of you so keep those legs moving, bob and weave and all that. Team B will go out the back door with the old lady Jesus, here." I point to the doctor "While the others are carrying her outside you will tell the heroes back there that she has a bomb on her and that it has about 5 minutes left." I made a show of checking my watch grinning when I saw the other hostages lean away from their trapped comrade. I wonder how long it's gonna takes the heroes outside to realize that's it's not a real bomb. Probably a couple minutes, even if they have a hero that is anti-bomb they're still gonna want to get the cops and hostages away before they bust in.. And to be fair there is gonna be an explosion. "Also chef girl," I point to the one caring for Tsuyu's brother "Get in the hole, you're coming with me. Bring the hero with you."
"But you said-" the sculpture boy started before I lightly swatted him with my gun.
"Final card. Don't worry, a chef and a dying hero are no good to me. I'll ditch them once I'm far enough away from this shit." What am I gonna do with them? The only reason I want them is that Samidare didn't black out when I poisoned him. Taking him is the only way I can make sure his memory isn't altered and therefore my best way to get the heroes on this big bad trail. The problem is, I don't know what to do with them or how long to keep them and that's not even talking about what I'm gonna do when Samidare recovers.
"What about her?" The doctor asks, pointing to X-Lazz.
"I'll be keeping her for a little bit longer. 4 minutes and 40 seconds!" I lift the gun "Bye everyone!" I shout, shooting over the businessman's shoulder, now that made every moving hostage bust out of the two doors screaming and scattering. If this surprised the cops it didn't for long. I could already hear the sound of Shoto covering the floor in ice to freeze their feet but I was already moving.
Spinning while I walk and chucking orbs all over letting the clumps of hair land everywhere. Over in the kitchen, all the ovens were on, boiling some of the black liquid, feeding the air with an explosive gas, all blocked off by a thin covering of plastic wrap in the doorway. Grabbing a kitchen lighter and lighting one of my orbs on fire I turn to chef girl.
"In the hole, time to go!"
She glares at me but grabs the frog boy and crawls in the hole with him. Sighing, I drop the burning orb on the table and pour some black liquid on it. Purple fire instantly spreads across the table and drips a bit on the floor.
Tightening the multiple backpacks covering my body I watch the fire for a minute before running to the fake cop.
"Do you have anything else to tell me? Are you guys involved with Denki's death? Did you guys have something to do with the academy?"
A cold stare was all that answered me.
"Damn you." I sighed, placing my hair orbs around him.
"What are you doing?" he hisses as I draw my knife.
"If I had time I would've cut off your arms and legs to make you shorter, then placed some of my hair on your head and made it look like I died trying to escape… But I can't let you go either, you've seen too much so I'll give you a choice." I grab X-Lazz's hair and lift her up so he can see her face "If you tell me the name of your boss or organization I will kill you quickly and spare her life. I can't take her with me. If you don't I'll leave you both to burn to death."
His eyes met mine searching my face to see if he could find any lies. Every once in a while his eyes dripped to the spreading fire and the plastic wrap, the last line to a large explosion.
"Phoenix Tree."
Phoenix Tree I think, tasting the word. An interesting organization name, seems to relate to rebirth and growth with combining what faker said about the betterment for humanity.
"Anything else you're willing to tell me?"
"Our roots are deep."
"Oh ominous," I say, stabbing the knife into his thigh. Ignoring his grunt I grab X-Lazz and start dragging her to the front door.
"Really? you're gonna bleed me out? A bit cruel don't you think?"
"For you? No, it wouldn't be but she just needs a fatal wound to latch on to."
"Wh-" He didn't finish before Azrael latched onto him. Ever since doc had worked on me she has gotten more transparent, her tether weakening as I tip more to life, doesn't mean she wasn't still there and that her quirk couldn't help.
I adjust my grip on X-Lazz, cringing as Mr. Faker makes the most interesting and disturbing sounds as his body goes through the course of full cellular death at high speed. His pale skin had gone paper thin, his black hair silver with age. His wounds look like they had rotted and dried out.
"Well, I don't think you can do any damage with that and I don't need anyone killed." I say dragging the hero "So for now I guess you ca-'' My words were cut off as slightly cold arms wrapped around me. Azrael's hug came with a brief moment of pure terror as of the fact that this means I should be dying followed by a moment of peace. Not because of her quirk's side effect but because it's the first time I've been hugged in a while. I drop X-Lazz and hug her back.
"I still don't know everything about you it seems." Her chuckle warmed my heart.
"Be safe." Her words shocked me for a moment before a wave of… For lack of a better word, life, got channeled into me.
"What?" I say in confusion, falling to my knees. Not in pain for the first time tonight. I move my limbs feeling a fraction of the pain that's been radiating from my whole body all night. Checking my chest I noticed the wounds were a bit better, a bit more healed. "You can heal?" I yell looking at the wound. "Since when can yo-" I blink as I notice that Azrael was gone.
Must've given me enough vitality that I tip back over the part where I can't see her anymore… If she is even still in the area.
"Az, if you can still hear me… Thanks, you really are an angel." A fwoosh of fire spreading along the walls of the restaurant reminded me of where I was. "Oh right, restaurant's about to blow. Time to leave." I picked X-Lazz back up, enjoying the ease that came with that motion.
Gritting my teeth I yell out as I throw X-Lazz out the front door, getting a mouthful of smoke for my trouble. As the door opens I see the chaos I had created outside already being handled. Cops were pulling confirmed hostages back into their fold and Momo and another hero were checking out the fake bomb I had sneaked into the SDF's pocket. Also a familiar pink blur was racing towards the door.
"Aaayaahraahhh!" Was my intelligent response, pulling the door shut and backtracking.
"Azrael, don't know if you're still here or not but I Hope you liked the big city because we are leaving!" I yell sprinting past the mummy that used to be faker.
"Mineta!" Mina's voice rang out as she burst through the front door dripping in acid, arms covering her face as if she expected me to shoot at her. Silly Mina, I learned from my mistakes, I lit the fuses on one of my grape thermites and tossed it at her.
'Fire in the hole!"
What I didnt expect from her is that she would catch it and flood her arms with gallons of her acid, smothering and eating away the incendiary before it could even start.
Damn that's… Not gonna lie, that's impressive.
"At least you're not completely useless." I say, putting the other two in my pocket and drawing a throwing knife.
Mina looks at the knife then to me with a raised eyebrow "Are you really gonna fight me?"
"It's either that or I die." I say watching fire creep from pan to pan, the orange flames becoming purplish and giving off purple smoke as they reach my hair balls on the wall. "You think I killed Denki and in this situation no one is here to call you out if you killed me."
"True, though that's the difference between you and me, Mineta. I'm not a monster, surrender right now and you go back to jail. Fight me and I won't hold back."
Normally I have a witty comeback for that but today's been so long that I just gave up.
"Suck my nuts!" I say, drawing the knife back. She raises an acid covered arm to block it, only that it wasn't going for her. Letting go of the knife in the drawback I could practically envision it's soon to be trajectory into the plastic wrap separating the very flammable gas. Of course I was too busy calculating my own trajectory as I threw myself down the tunnel that was made. Didn't see Mina's face when the restaurant blew but I did hear the door burst open so some other heroes must've jumped in.
Sorry guys, hope you make it. I think a second before the plastic must have been torn and the gas ignited. I wasn't in the hole fully yet so I had a brief moment of terror as the shockwave sent me deeper into the tunnel, though that probably saved me from the wave of heated air, fire and shards of pots sent flying above my head. A moment later I heard damaged wood start to give way in the inferno above me, turning onto my stomach I began to army crawl deeper into the tunnel.
Alright so Azrael can heal, that's new. Was that a quirk awakening? No, I doubt that. She doesn't really… Fight she just kills. Hmm, alright so in that case her quirk has to be projections of herself that drain people's vitality to stay corporal, or rather she can make vitality draining ghost copies of herself around anyone she marks… They'll only be able to drain energy when you have a fatal or big enough energy then. I realized that this isn't the best time to think about these things but figuring out Azrael's quirk was a big game in the academy so it was kind of stuck in my mind. I'm also trying not to think about the heroes that were up there when the explosion hit.
The heroes there train for this, they must have handled worse than an exploding restaurant. I need to focus on how fast it will take for them to find me. Mina saw me dive into the tunnel, she might not know where it goes but if she's awake from that explosion then there's gonna be heroes checking all the sewer and subway lines in the area. I was cut off from my thoughts when my elbow found the end of the tunnel. I tried to see how far down it was but it was as sculpture-boy said, pitch black. Not willing to waste time wondering and being unable to turn in the tunnel, I pulled myself out of it and just fell off. Silently falling for 2.5 seconds, I land with an "oomph." My many backpacks dealing with the fall. Was it smart to land in a completely dark place you know nothing about? No but it's not like I had a choice.
I hiss as the fall causes little pains to make themselves known. Right, I'm better, not healed. Gonna have to check myself for shards of pot or glass once the adrenaline goes away, thankfully the full body clot the doc had given me seems to have mostly stayed intact. I take a big breath of air, noting the water's smell and decide that this must be a sewer line, or more precisely a water line, for when a tsunami happens.
"Chef, you alright?" I ask. No response. Did she land on her head during the fall? God I hope not, I can't care for both her and Samidare like this. "If you're thinking of ambushing me I swear to-" a slight whimper cut that thought off.
Reaching into my camp backpack I drew out a flashlight and turned it on, flooding the pitch darkness into decent bright lights.
"Hi" said the cloaked figure holding the sushi chef against their chest, the civilian looking at the person with wide eyes. Another one seemed to have taken Samidare and seemed to be keeping up the CPR process, though the 7 foot tall figure was doing it standing up which spoke to their super strength at the least.
"Uh.. Hi?" I cautioned, wondering if I should drop the light and grab my crowbar. "May I ask who you are?"
"Tools for the masters."
God damnit "Of course, and who is the master?"
"He asked us to bring you if you showed promise."
"Who is the master? Spinner?"
The figure, who now that I had a moment to look at them was definitely a female, laughed in her husky voice. The surprisingly deep voice was messing with my memories and I struggled to think of where I heard it before.
"No but you will meet them. Come, we have to go now."
"Thanks but no.'' I spun my foot, curving around in a perfect round house only to be stopped by the cloaked figure's hand who had moved the moment I started to say "No". My movement caused the light to spin erratically so I couldn't see her. Drawing an arm back I threw a punch where I calculated her neck would be and let out a whimper when I felt a finger break. Her skin was soft but she was as solid as concrete.
"Sorry," she said as a hand grabbed my hand, trailing across my broken finger. "Master said not to hurt you if I can help it." I tried to pull my hand but her grip was solid. I threw some light knees into her stomach but her hyper toughness was throughout her full body. After 3 seconds I sigh and go limp.
"Damn it, I almost got away." I sighed as she released my leg, still keeping a grip on my damaged hand.
The flashlight suddenly lifted into the air which was surprising since it had rolled like 4 feet away from me when I was caught and whoever was holding me had one hand holding mine and another bracing my back.
"The master wishes to meet you." she said again.
"Alright I heard you the fi-" suddenly I slammed my head forward jabbing my hair into her face. The breathing in my ear was suddenly muffled and I spun trying to break her grip. Her hands might as well have been gravity cause it was constant. The flashlight moved to illuminate the both of us, showing me that my orbs had covered her face completely, stopping her from breathing.
"If you let me go, I'll take the orbs off." I offered, trying to break her grip. In response, she grabbed the edge of her face and ripped it off. Sushi chef screamed, I hissed and Samidare was getting tongued down. My hiss died like a finished tea kettle as her face grew back, red skin growing over muscle tissues that was just too dark for a human. Now, you might be asking yourself, red skin? Well, I would argue the transparent top of her head that let me kinda see her brain was more concerning. The discolored skin and the seeable brain already had me guessing what she was. But the eyes.. The eyes were the kicker, pure yellow eyes that glowed even in the flashlight's gaze.
"You're a Nomu." I said, sounding much calmer than I think I could, given the implication of being in the hands of a talking Nomu.
"And you," she answered, the way her voice was finally kicking with how the high ends of the past sounded, "Are gonna see the master… Now." Something wrapped around my throat and I realized she must have had a tail or something that was holding the flashlight. "It's a long trip… You should rest." Her fist rears back and the last thought I had before it made contact was.
Kind of wished Azrael stuck around a little bit longer.
AN: this was actually gonna be a past and present chapter but I'm trying to stop making my chapter so long. In Mexico for a week and when I get back classes should have started so let's give the next chapter a 2 week notice at the earliest.
