Heroes in the Dark chapter 30
True to her word, Toga was already getting herself acquainted with the undesirables of this world. She had seated herself directly across from three gangsters that Tokoyami recognized from the meeting with Overhaul earlier that morning. Tokoyami couldn't be sure about what her process of befriending others was like, but if it was anything close to what her attempts to get closer to him had been like then it couldn't have been good. She sat with her food on the table, ignored, while she leaned in uncomfortably close to these dangerous people, a carefree smile written across her face. The blond-haired man, who as he recalled was the first person they encountered down here in the halls before meeting with the rest of the Precepts, was glaring daggers at the intrusive girl.
When Twice called out to her, Toga turned to them happily, her eyes bright with the prospect that she was taking the initiative to get to know her fellow villains. Tokoyami didn't agree with the way she was so eager to assimilate herself into this group, but it seemed as though he didn't have a say in this matter. But perhaps I shouldn't be so concerned? Any attempts to learn more about this place and its people will surely prove beneficial. Although I can't imagine that this will be such a tame encounter, knowing Toga.
Twice plopped down next to Toga and very intentionally scooted her further along the bench so that Tokoyami would have a place to sit next to him instead. By this point Twice was quite aware that the best he could do if he was to avoid some extra trouble was to keep the two of them separated. How efficient this actually was had yet to be determined, but an attempt was made. Twice patted the space next to him in an open invitation while Toga let out an indignant huff. If she was keen on making something happen, then hopefully it wouldn't involve him as much as he feared it would. But with that, he found himself willingly sitting himself amongst them, opening himself up to whatever was bound to occur.
"I was wondering if you'd actually join us! Buuut you did, and now that that's happened you're obligated to stay here," Toga snickered.
"Oi, we never agreed to this. Trash like you should have enough sense to keep out of other people's business. Or are you just that eager to fulfill your role here?" hissed the blonde individual.
The large, intimidating man sitting beside him grunted. "I can respect their willingness to overcome such boundaries. We, too, were new here once, you do realize." Right off the bat, Tokoyami identified him to be one of the more sensible ones here, despite his gruff appearance. He was large and heavily built with muscle, prominently featuring dark sunken eyes and a bald head. He wore a basic modern doctor's mask, having yet to take it off for dinner. His hands were rough and calloused, but were folded gently in front of him. More importantly, he didn't emanate hostility the way the other one did.
His agitated companion refuted those words with a scowl. "No need to get buddy-buddy with the interns. They probably won't even be here that long! They're not devoted to a cause like we are. Besides, do you really think we'll get anywhere talking to these guys?!"
That remark was briefly taken into consideration before it was tossed aside. "I am Hojo. This one here is Setsuno, although I hear that you met earlier today anyway. And this is Tabe—" He indicated towards the last of the three, who Tokoyami had failed to acknowledge until now. A person with round, hungry eyes was hunched over various plates of food, distinctly ignoring the whole exchange in favor of more important things. This yakuza, Tabe, was gorging himself on anything within reach, including the plates and silverware, where it just disappeared beneath the burlap sack covering his head. But then the attention was brought back to Hojo. "I hope that this partnership will not be a horrible one," he added grimly.
Toga laughed at that, the only laughter in the room, and brushed aside the last comment. "Oh, please, what could be better than combining powers? Overhaul chose us for a reason, after all. We're just here to do our part in this whole thing, but there's no harm in getting to know each other better. Can't you help out some new recruits?" She batted her eyes and her smile twisted into something that could almost pass for sweet. He wished he knew what her intentions were.
Setsuno became noticeably flustered, avoiding eye contact and fiddling with his hair. "We don't need a vixen like you distracting us from our work! We have enough trouble as it is without your type getting in the way, ya hear?!"
"You think you can talk tough to the likes of us?" Twice growled. Everyone at the table tensed up, and Toga shot him a warning glance. But then Twice's tone shifted, as he figured it would. "It's understandable that you might hold these feelings. We're encroaching upon your territory, after all. I only hope that we all can get along."
The tension in the air depleted a bit after that. It was impossible to predict how Twice would approach a situation, but more often than not he was at least somewhat capable of holding his own. This time, at least, they had avoided elevating the discussion into dangerous territory.
Tokoyami wondered if he could take advantage of that. "Did you say that you were having troubles here?"
Setsuno swiveled towards him, no doubt with a biting comment ready on his tongue. But before he could say anything, Hojo intercepted the conversation. "Nothing out of the norm for an organization like this: deals not going how we want, a decline in recruits, and not to mention pesky heroes tracking our movements. That's just what every yakuza group faces nowadays, though, so don't take it as a sign of weakness. If anything, we're becoming stronger than we've been in years thanks to the efforts of Overhaul."
"That's right! We really lucked out when we were recruited here just in time for that spike in Trigger demand," Setsuno bragged shamelessly. "In fact, Overhaul takes in all kinds of people, even the living garbage of society like you and me."
Tabe lifted his head from his plates, as if noticing the company for the first time. The way his strangely large and crammed teeth could be seen through a hole in his mask, ready to tear apart anything that got too close, reminded him of something else that he'd confronted before, but he couldn't remember what. Either way, it left him unsettled. Even more so when he spoke in a guttural, broken tone, like it took effort to use his mouth for anything other than devouring food. "H-hee provides ferrr… us." A laugh escaped his mouth between bites of food. "We geht tooo… live."
Tokoyami looked on in concern. "I'm not sure I understand."
Hojo stared down at his companion with a thoughtful expression. "I'm sure it might be better if you did." He wordlessly slid his plate of untouched food towards the hearty eater, much to Tabe's delight. Sestuno looked like he wanted to object, but instead he grumbled to himself, pulling his own mask down to enjoy dinner for himself. The plague doctor mask he sported hung around his neck, and Tokoyami thought he saw the glint of metal from inside it. Just what kind of people are they? But it seemed as though Hojo was already prepared to elaborate on their behalf. "The people we used to be doesn't matter anymore. We all came here under different circumstances, but what we have in common unites us. We are Overhaul's Expendables, serving him without question because of the gratitude we owe to someone like him taking in someone like us."
The cynical one, Setsuno, didn't he refer to himself as such earlier? As an Expendable? I didn't think he was being serious… Tokoyami thought to himself.
Tch! They really don't value themselves at all, do they? Being proud to call themselves that.
Dark Shadow, why should you concern yourself with another's self worth? It makes no difference to us if they intentionally put themselves in a position where they don't want to be saved.
Setsuno picked at the contents of his plate, much more interested in the company that had found their way to him. With his mask off, Tokoyami could see the smug smile that crossed his face. Where that smugness came from, he couldn't be sure. "It doesn't matter who you are: if you find yourself in the underground world, that makes you nothing but another reject of society. You can have your little League, but we take pride in being accepted into an organization as prestigious as this. After all, the alternative isn't nearly so… life fulfilling. We could be much worse off, and it's because of that that we're not afraid to acknowledge ourselves as the trash we are."
Hojo nodded solemnly. "As long as Overhaul can make use of us, that's all that really matters."
Tokoyami regarded the strange trio curiously. No matter where he went, or what explanations they offered up, it was proving ever difficult to figure these sorts of people out. While the members of the League of Villains joined together under shared ideals and a desire to use their quirks freely, these individuals had no such want. They were here fully knowing that the only thing that mattered was their servitude to a higher power. This is… practically the exact opposite of the League members. I guess villains truly do come in all types.
And they're okay with this? Dark Shadow questioned.
Evidently so, even if I don't understand it.
…Then maybe they're already saved.
Tokoyami caught himself before he could hum out loud. But at least he had something more to consider regarding the people who served Overhaul. Perhaps this was truly the only life for them now, and no amount of heroes or officials stepping in could turn around their pitiful existences. Only now the question that churned in his stomach was if their dedication to this cause was one they had decided for themselves or if they had been offered no other choice. The League members were all willing participants, at least he was pretty sure they were, even if they didn't quite know what they had been getting into when Shigaraki had first recruited them.
But even still, there were those residing here that were not so willing. He couldn't erase the look of fear in the little girl Eri's eyes. She was enduring something that she shouldn't have to be going through. He didn't know what, and he hesitated to figure it out. All that mattered was that these people were acting as though they were perfectly comfortable with their commitment to this place. And that was fine for them, but that was not a shared experience in this labyrinth of darkness. This feeling, at least, he understood all too well.
Of course, the League members weren't nearly as interested in their words. "Well, that's boring," Toga drawled. "Do you really have nothing better to do with your life? You really just want to live like dogs to that guy"
"Toga, be nice, they're opening up to us," Twice chastised. "Let them compare themselves to dirt if they wanna! If they can acknowledge themselves as human trash, then more power to them! It's not like you're much better. You're worse than them. You're amazing!"
Toga bristled at Twice's taunting voice, rounding on him with a glare. Apparently she hadn't expected that response from him. For once, both sides of Twice seemed to share similar ideas, although they were expressed differently. The thinly veiled compliment/insult didn't help, either.
Tokoyami couldn't help but smirk briefly at that, something that he noticed was shared between him and Setsuno, who also took pleasure from seeing the obnoxious girl be put in her place by her companion.
Toga jabbed at her rice in irritation. She'd invited herself to this table on her own terms, and now she was starting to lose out on whatever fun she might've been having. But by this point it was less that she was actively trying to befriend these people and more that she just sought to get a response out of them. Civil discussion was evidently not high on her priority list. Tokoyami couldn't help but glance over at her whenever he got the chance to make sure she didn't do anything foolish as a provocation. He wouldn't put it past her to pull out her knife like she was so care-free to do.
Going off of Twice's decree, Tokoyami took over the conversation. If Toga wasn't going to take this opportunity seriously, and if there was a constant possibility that Twice could derail the conversation by saying something out of line, then he was going to take it upon himself to set things into motion. "I find your plight to be quite respectable. It's clear that you're very loyal to your cause. But if I may be so bold as to ask, what caused you to come down this path? What led you to believe that this was the only way to live, subservient to another?"
"You're prying awfully deep for someone who just got here, ya damn hero dropout," Setsuno snarled, pointing at him with his chopsticks.
Tokoyami narrowed his crimson eyes to slits, but his voice remained calm and even. "Is that what you think I am? At least I'm making an attempt to get to know you rather than spouting falsehoods. Don't claim to know what my situation is before hearing it straight from the crow's beak."
Setsuno glowered at him, but inevitably returned to his dinner. Thankfully, Hojo was ready to step in. "Don't take it to heart. I understand that your situation is… complicated. You've just caught Setsuno during a bad time, is all. His morning didn't exactly start off well."
"You don't have to defend me!" the scrawny yakuza hissed, intent on getting the last word in. "I meant what I said: if you're in this place, there's a reason for it, and the reason is because you're scum. We're all here waiting for Overhaul to either throw us aside or recycle us. It doesn't matter how you got here, because that's what the situation is now. And the sooner you accept that like we have, the more likely it is that you'll make it through all the shit of the world! Because let's face it, you'll never be treated as well as you are right now, surrounded by people who can't go anywhere else. Just like you."
An uncomfortable silence fell over the table. Anyone who had been eating chose that moment to stop. Twice had lifted his mask partially up so that he could eat, but reading the atmosphere he quickly tugged it back down to cover his face. Even Tabe, as absorbed as he was with his food, had taken a moment to look around the table in concern, his fingers tapping insistently against the table as though he were waiting for something to happen before he could continue his feast.
A heavy-hearted sigh from Hojo sliced through the silence and relieved the tension. "His words are crude, but he's not wrong," he murmured, his voice apologetic. "Before joining this organization, our futures, if you could call them that, weren't exactly bright. All of us were ready to be condemned to a life of misery or no life at all. I'm sure this isn't an unfamiliar story coming from the likes of villains?"
Tokoyami realized he couldn't reach the same conclusion. Despite the close proximity he'd been in with these villains over the past several weeks, he didn't actually know enough about any single one of their pasts to make a statement. After all, he'd spent most of his time with Dabi, and that was a person who never shared anything about his life before joining the League. The only one whose background he somewhat understood was Twice's, and that was… an interesting case, to say the least. But that wasn't the point. Hojo was looking at his expectantly, and Tokoyami nodded in agreement to encourage him to continue.
"I, for one, have been used for far worse due to the product of my quirk. It was a stressful situation, details notwithstanding, and it ruined any chance of me returning to a normal life, which is why I'm grateful to be here. I'm used to being used; at least here their kinder about it. Meanwhile, Tabe over there got it worse thanks to the effects of his quirk. He can digest just about anything, and at an amazing pace, too. As a downside, his high metabolism and insatiable hunger caused him to literally eat himself out of house and home. He did some things he shouldn't have, and then he was lucky enough to be taken in by the yakuza, where his quirk has proven useful. He doesn't ask for too terribly much, after all. And Setsuno—"
"Okay, that's enough!" Setsuno practically shouted, standing up part-way from his seat and jarring the table. His explosion didn't go unnoticed, and Tokoyami didn't have to turn around to know that there were now many sets of eyes trained on them. He sat back down awkwardly, but not without scowling at his own disruption, one which had apparently even surprised himself. A redness tinged his cheeks, and he glared at Hojo with unrestrained scorn. "You don't have to go around telling the nobodies our stories just to make them understand. It's really not worth the trouble," he grumbled, quieter now, resting his head wearily onto his hand.
Twice gave him a sympathetic look that would certainly not be taken well. Toga seemed indifferent to the outburst, but from where Tokoyami was sitting he could see that her fingers were twitching eagerly under the table. Tokoyami hadn't expected to be learning so much about these people in his first real encounter with them. Hojo, at least, gave off the impression that he didn't have much to lose, even while his companion remained more guarded and openly hostile to them. But that was fine. With just this much, it didn't appear as though they were entirely irredeemable characters. They had found their place here in the darkness of this world, and much like the League members – most of them, anyways, - it seemed like there was little that could be done to overturn their loyalties. What they were in the past would only go on to further prove that. Rather than choosing this lifestyle, it was more like their path in life had necessitated this shift into an organization that welcomed their kind. Perhaps their devotion to this cause wasn't so unexpected, in that case.
"This certainly is an interesting place, then, to become the home of so many different people united under one cause," Tokoyami offered, placating whatever frayed nerves were hanging in the air.
Hojo relaxed at that. Tokoyami knew what this was, had seen it before. He, at least, didn't view Tokoyami as a threat. He knew Overhaul's plans, knew that the crow-headed kid wasn't here to use his quirk, perhaps figured already that he didn't harbor the same negative emotions that the League members did. He saw Tokoyami as a casualty of an unjust situation, and even if he wouldn't outwardly express this, it was evident in the way he was patiently trying to explain things to him more than anyone else.
The large man looked down at his scrawny companion to see if he was going to interrupt again. Noticing this, Setsuno responded with an exasperated shrug, his lips curled in contempt that he would even have to explain something so obvious as "don't go telling other people my backstory." Grumbling to himself, Setsuno fitted his mask back onto his face, running his hand along the length of the beak-like protrusion before tucking the strings behind his ears. Still clearly annoyed, and maybe a little petty, he shoved the remnants of his dinner towards Tabe. The consistently hungry man looked at him with concern, but didn't hesitate to accept the offer. Tabe looked like he wanted to say something, but settled for paying closer attention to the situation instead, eating the new food placed before him at a slower rate while making sure to look between his two companions to make sure he was okay. Even with how preoccupied he had been with his food, he had still taken notice of the strained atmosphere and wanted to show that he was invested.
But Hojo was already taking back the conversation, responding to Tokoyami's last statement. "Not everyone is here for the same reasons, that being said. We three just so happen to have come here under similar terms and united under it, but you won't be seeing this type of camaraderie and shared experiences from the other Precepts. It's probably a good thing you're here talking to us instead of… someone else. It wouldn't feel right if you went through all the trouble of coming here just to be met with an unfortunate confrontation." Hojo looked between the three of them, and Tokoyami couldn't keep from squirming nervously under his gaze. He didn't doubt that Hojo noticed this, as perceptive as he seemed to be, but he didn't comment on it either.
Tokoyami decided to subvert the conversation slightly from there. "S-so then, what does that make of the other Precepts? Do they all agree to being "expendable," as you put it? It doesn't sound like you all would have the same ideology…"
Hojo shook his head. "Everyone who is subservient to Overhaul understands their position. We may flock here for different reasons, and admittedly some of us have clashing perspectives, but that much can't be helped when bringing such different and capable people under one roof."
"If you ask me, I'd say that there's at least a few guys here that cause more trouble than they're worth!" Sestuno scoffed, his squinty eyes flitting between the three of them, as though waiting for someone to guess who that troublesome person might be. Tokoyami had a pretty good feeling he knew who it was, but he wasn't about to validate that yakuza's opinion with an answer.
Is he talking about the noisy muscle guy? Dark Shadow asked.
That would be my guess, but I don't know enough about the rest of the precepts to be sure that that's the only answer. I can't claim to know what insight he has on them all.
"But that doesn't matter so long as Overhaul sees the use in them," Hojo assured, silencing Sestuno. Tabe nodded his head in agreement, finally becoming fully invested in the conversation as Hojo continued. "Most of us are just thankful for a second chance at life and don't particularly care what happens in the aftermath of whatever our Boss has planned. If we end up living up to our titles, then so be it. That being said, we're all a part of the Precepts, but not everyone is an Expendable."
"What's up with this unfair hierarchy?!" Twice huffed. "You should all be equally garbage, like it is in the League! Even our leader is trash!"
Toga burst out laughing. "Twice, that's the truest thing you've said all day~"
Tokoyami turned towards the two of them. "Let him speak, if you're not going to say anything useful."
Twice mumbled an apology. Toga quirked an eyebrow at him. She seemed amused that he would call them out like that, as though he was comfortable enough to say such a thing to him. Or maybe he was just sick of having them interrupt and didn't care what the consequences were.
"Could you please continue?" Tokoyami asked, looking back towards the yakuza.
Hojo shifted in his seat, as though considering something, but didn't comment on it, opting instead to keep up his explanation. "Right. Well, you surely saw everyone at this morning's meeting. All the Precepts were there under orders from Overhaul, but not everyone that was there are considered an Expendable. Chronostasis, who escorted you three here, is Overhaul's assistant and right-hand man. He's been a loyal follower of Overhaul longer than anyone else, even before the position of Boss was shifted over to him. He's someone who can't be so easily discarded, and holds a certain amount of authority even over us. The same goes for Mimic… you also were able to become familiar with him."
"You mean that annoying little puppet? It's so dumb that someone like that is holding himself so highly when he can't even stand higher than the fucking coffee table," Toga complained, her annoyance when remembering that strange encounter eminent.
"I mean, you're not wrong for once," Setsuno interjected. "Old Irinaka comes from a different time. In contrast to Kurono, who follows Overhaul and only Overhaul, Irinaka was subservient to the old boss. He predates all the other Precepts, and even maintained his position as General Manager. So yeah, he's pretty damn integral to this organization. I actually don't mind taking orders from them… so long as they're not going around with a stick up their ass," he concluded, sneering at his circumstances. Tokoyami recalled how Chrono had ordered him to clean up that mess in the hall before the meeting, and how he had been opposed to it at first before giving in. Had it been anyone else, he got the impression that such a demand wouldn't have been followed so easily. Sestuno didn't seem like the type of person that would follow just anyone's orders.
Tabe tapped the table to get Hojo's attention and made some limited movements with his hands. Tokoyami followed their meaning, recognizing it from the way that he would communicate with Kouda during class. He ignored the twinge in his heart that came from remembering his classmates, instead taking the time to understand what the yakuza was trying to communicate. The man had tried talking to them earlier, but it seemed as though his large, ill-fitting teeth made it difficult to talk in complete sentences. But he wasn't inept, that much was sure.
Hojo nodded, as though everything had been communicated perfectly to him in that moment. "Tabe wants to point out that there's very different kinds of loyalties here, and that's to be expected," Hojo explained on Tabe's behalf. "That might be where you three differ the most from us, everything else aside. I can only recommend that you be more careful of who you chose to approach. It's fine if you talk to us – were just the newest members of the Expendables, there's not much we can do – but be more considerate of where you go from here on out. I shouldn't have to explain that to you, but just in case…"
"Ohhh?" Toga hummed, leaning forward. "Is there anyone in particular we should be careful around? Since you seem so knowledgeable of everything going on here, after all~"
The three of them shared a look, like they were communicating something amongst themselves.
"Well," Hojo began.
Tabe gestured something that might have been something like "don't keep them waiting," or maybe it was "be careful what you say."
Setsuno stepped in. "Right off the bat, I'd tell you not to piss off Irinaka, but I think you already succeeded in doing that. Heh, guess you should've had more warning, not like some of you probably would've heeded it anyway."
Toga shrugged. "That's fair."
"Be careful what you say to Nemoto, too. That's the guy in the traditional plague doctor get-up. Anything you mention to him goes directly to Overhaul. We're all loyal to this cause, but that guy's dedication is kinda creepy. I don't trust him. And god help you if any one of ya run into Rappa when Tengai's not around," Setsuno warned.
Hojo put a hand to his chin. "You could've said it a bit nicer… but yes, that tends to be the general consensus. Tengai, the one that looks like a monk, is a man of reason, so don't be afraid to approach him if you need anything. But that's why he's usually paired with Rappa, who can get out of hand very quickly, so be careful of that. That just leaves…"
"Sakaki and Katsukame," Setsuno interrupted. "They're intimidating in their own right, but I don't think you need to worry about them too much. Katsukame keeps mostly to himself when Overhaul doesn't have him doing things. He's sort of a gentle giant type, though you wouldn't guess that from first impressions. And Sakaki's a pretty fun guy if you know how to have a good time. I think you would get along with him, Twice."
Twice sat back in his seat with surprise. "As though I could have fun with the likes of them!" And then he leaned in, his excitement clear to see. "Ya really think so?! I didn't think you'd have guys like that around! You'll have to introduce me; I'm always eager to meet new people!"
Toga sighed. "I guess that's how we got into this situation in the first place," she muttered, more to herself than anything. Twice pretended not to hear, but Tokoyami noticed the way his enthusiasm deflated, and he was clearly quite hurt by the comment. Toga, on the other hand, perked back up with one of her sharp-toothed smiles. "But I guess we ended up making new friends here after all! See, Twice, aren't you glad we all decided to sit here? Tokoyami?"
"R-right! Not at all…" Twice mumbled.
"It was not my decision, but it was worth-while to formally meet you three," Tokoyami agreed. "Hojo's right when he said that we should be lucky to have talked to them so soon. The information you've shared here will certainly help us during our time here, and hopefully that in turn will allow us to better fulfill our roles in this place, temporary as they are."
"So like, can we actually trust you guys," Toga asked, not without reason.
Setsuno stiffened. "Oi, you're the one trying to make friends here, not us. We should be asking you the same thing! Don't forget that we answer to Overhaul before anyone else…" He hesitated, and Toga looked at him expectantly. She tilted her head to the side, waiting for a response, and Setsuno turned his head away sheepishly. "B-but yeah, I guess you can say that you can count on us. Just don't get too comfortable, ya hear?! Damn dirty garbage…"
Tokoyami didn't know what was going on between those two, and frankly he didn't want to know. The most important thing is that they seemed to hit it off well enough, and it was reassuring if he didn't have to worry about future conflicts with at least some of the people here. This was a better start than the last few hands he'd been dealt, that was for sure. He would much rather encounter any one of these three individuals again instead of Overhaul. And having some insight on the other Precepts was also greatly appreciated.
Tokoyami dipped his beak. "I find this all to be very reassuring. Thank you for willingly sharing your table with us, as well as your knowledge. I hope we haven't bothered you too terribly much. You've certainly gone out of your way to shine a light on this darkness we find ourselves in."
Setsuno brought his eyebrows together in a confused scowl. "Ya call that "light?" What the hell are you talking about now?"
Hojo gave him a more thoughtful look. "You talk like a student speaking with a teacher. I guess it only makes sense that you would have more respect for others than most other villains. I noticed you were like that during today's meeting with everyone else here. If I may make an assumption, I think you'll do just fine here if you try not to go looking for trouble.
If only he knew that that was already unavoidable…
Dark Shadow growled in his mind. What if he already does? I wouldn't be surprised if word travels fast here. This could be a warning to us.
And would it be so wrong if he were to heed that warning now?
I think we've already decided that it's a bit too late for that.
Tokoyami pushed the remainder of his yakisoba towards Tabe. He'd managed to eat a decent amount of it, but had finally decided that he'd had enough. Besides, it had grown cold by this point, and he was growing weary of being surrounded by people, regardless of how helpful they had proved to be. Certainly, this wouldn't be the last time they would meet. This was still only his first day here, after all, a thought that actually became a bit alarming when he'd considered everything that had happened.
Tabe signed his gratitude and Tokoyami responded with a simple gesture that he'd picked up from Kouda. It wasn't true Japanese sign language, but the message came across all the same, and that made Tabe smile, bearing his large teeth through the hole in the burlap sack he wore over his head.
"Aaaanywho, appreciation aside, I think that's enough for one night," Toga declared, getting up from the table and smoothing out her skirt. Setsuno was watching her carefully, something that Toga took pleasure in realizing. "But I look forward to seeing you again," she said slyly, and Tokoyami watched as she winked at Setsuno, an exchange that nobody else seemed to notice. The scrawny Yakuza averted his gaze with a huff, grumbling something about girls being allowed down here. His mask just barely concealed the blush that had appeared across his cheeks.
Tokoyami got up from the table as well, sweeping his cloak around him. "Agreed, but I certainly intend on making the most of our conversation here. Hojo, Tabe, Setsuno, thank you for having us. Let's work together for the sake of Overhaul's goals."
Hojo bowed politely to him, something that came as a surprise, and his two companions followed suit. "The pleasure is ours. Please make the most of your time here."
"We plan on it! Don't expect too much from us, we're only doing what's necessary," Twice said, in that contradictory way of his. And maybe it was just him, but there seemed to be a tone of ominousness in his voice.