Well, things are starting to heat up here! Last time we left off, the rescue team of Class A came together! Now it's time for them to make their move and find Katsuki and Rebecca before it's too late!
But while that's happening, we're also learning a bit more about Drakken Joe and what the deal is with Rebecca's Quirk. More will be explained in the near future, but right now, there's more important things for us to deal with. There's quite a bit for us to get through, so let's jump on in!
Welcome back to "Through the Rough"!
THROUGH THE ROUGH
"Just to be clear, this is a rescue operation first and foremost," Naomasa noted to the group of heroes standing before him, including All Might and Endeavor, "Getting Bakugo and Bluegarden out should take priority over apprehension of the league," he advised on.
"Of course," Justice agreed as he stepped forward, "And with all the information we have, we can launch a separate strike team on where the Nomu are being kept," he mentioned.
"That's some good thinking, Justice!" All Might agreed with his trademark smile, "So long as it doesn't hinder our mission, we'll do everything we can!" he assured confidently. Endeavor scoffed, looking away. He wasn't thrilled about working alongside the man he aspired to surpass, but wasn't also going to be petty over it. Jaguar could notice that expression in his face. His demeanor was much calmer than he remembered.
"Hey, old cat," a familiar voice chimed in, getting his attention as he saw Mirko approach, "Heard word that Shigaraki's benefactor is you-know-who…" she grumbled, folding her arms over her chest.
"Hmm…" the Jaguar Quirk user hummed, looking away for a moment.
"You think whatever shit he's up to with Shigaraki might have something to do with—?"
"I hope not," Jaguar responded before the Rabbit Hero could finish her question, making her blink in surprise.
"Hey, I'm not trying to open up an old wound…" she assured as she held her hands up, "I was just thinking since—"
"It's fine, Usagiyama," the I.U.A. Hero affirmed, interjecting her again as he walked off. She looked on at him worriedly. He ventured over to a window, looking outside with an indifferent expression. Earlier that day, he had a very telling conversation…
FLASHBACK
"You look old, Tai," Drakken remarked upon arriving atop the roof where Jaguar stood. He narrowed his eyes.
"And you haven't aged a day like always…" he grumbled out, "Tell me, Joe…" he continued, balling his hands into fists as the villain approached him, "are you still using children's lives to maintain your own?!" he inquired angrily. The bar owner stopped. The only sound around him and his old friend was the wind swirling about.
"Hm," Drakken chuckled out, "Nah, I don't use kids anymore," he confirmed, "Wouldn't work anyway," he admitted, "My body's just come to the point where it won't take any more life," he pointed out.
"Then why continue to fight that fate?" Jaguar asked, clenching his fists.
"Because I don't trust anyone to take on even one iota of my legacy…" the villain responded, "Unlike you with those kids you're coddling to be top dogs, when we die, we lose everything," he pointed out, "That's not gonna be me," he declared, "Not until I own this country," he proclaimed on.
"Joe…" the I.U.A. Hero growled.
"I think it's a miracle that you got such a great second chance!" his former friend noted, letting out a laugh, "The once feared beast that lurked in the shadows turned hero," he recalled, "All because you wanted me dead…" he snarled out, taking on a darker tone.
"I was stopping you from toying with any more lives…" Jaguar retorted, "If I hadn't, you would've killed hundreds of more children!" he shouted.
"And yet… I'm still here," Drakken pointed out, chuckling again, "I've gotten benefactors since we talked last," he noted.
"…You have Bluegarden, don't you?" his former friend guessed, "What do you want her for?" he inquired, narrowing his eyes.
"Gee, whaddaya think?" the bar owner questioned back rhetorically, earning a snarl from the I.U.A. Hero, "But in all seriousness, you don't need to bother," he affirmed, "I'm not going to hurt her," he promised. He then walked off without another word. Jaguar sighed, looking away as the wind breezed by. He felt partially responsible for Drakken. So he would do whatever he needed to in order to stop him.
END FLASHBACK
"Hey, Jaga?" Mirko chimed in, getting the I.U.A. Hero's attention as he turned to see her there, "You good?" she asked out of concern.
"…Yes, I'm fine," he answered assuredly, "Let's go do our jobs, Usagiyama," he insisted as he walked off.
"Tch," the Rabbit Quirk user scoffed, "It's Mirko, ya damn cat…" she grumbled out as she followed him.
OPENING
Insert "ODD FUTURE" by UVERworld
Opens with Izuku and Rebecca getting into lunging stances before taking off into the distance as a bright blue sky looms overhead. We see a scene of Nana Shimura holding out her gloved hand to a skinny All Might, who accepts it as a light shines between their palms. A bright light flashes across the screen.
We cut to the rest of Class 1-A running together at the campground in their P.E. clothes, with Shiki leading the way as he leaps ahead. Ochaco and Momo are staring at him from behind somewhat longingly. But once they notice each other staring at him, they blush and look away.
Elsewhere around the camp, we see Homura using her energy blades to slash down mounds of earth formed by Pixie Bob, Shoto practicing with shooting his flames from his left arm, followed by unleashing a wave of ice from his right foot, Weisz remodeling multiple machines to practice more with his Quirk, and Katsuki unleashing large explosions up into the sky. As Izuku takes a moment to catch his breath, he looks over to see Rebecca running alongside Tenya. She spots her boyfriend and shoots him a warm smile, which he returns as he blushes.
However, that happiness is shattered as the forest is engulfed in blue flames that evening, courtesy of Dabi. He's joined by Himiko, Twice, Compress, Mustard, Muscular, Moonfish, Laguna, Fie, Daichi, Maria, and Shura. The latter of the group floats up and has Ether Gear markings expand along his right arm as he aims it down at the ground, which suddenly caves in. He grins wickedly as he dives toward Shiki, who retaliates with a Gravity Fist.
We see Laguna turning to face off with Weisz, who equips into his Arsenal armor before dashing out at him. Meanwhile, Daichi emerges from the ground, joining Maria in confronting Rebecca and Kyoka, who stand back-to-back and grimace. Izuku is in battle against Muscular, lunging forward and rearing his right fist back for a full-powered punch.
The scene changes to Drakken Joe atop a roof as the wind rushes around him. He's approached by Jaguar, who stares at him indignantly. A leaf blows by, revealing a flashback of the two confronting on the same rooftop. Drakken doesn't look like he's aged a day since then.
We cut to Tomura being approached by All For One, who rests his hand onto his head gently. Several Nomu emerge behind him, ready to act on command. We get a shot of Poseidon Nero, who opens his eyes as his dice rattle in his hands. We also see Noah Glenfield, who closes a book as he approaches the desk of Nezu at U.A.
All Might arrives, landing down mightily to confront All For One, roaring as his eyes glare onto his foe. There are several shots of Mirko, Endeavor, Justice, Holy, Eraser, Feather, Cure, Jaguar, Edgeshot, Kamui Woods, Gang Orca, and Eraser Head, with all of them battling against enemy forces.
We end on Izuku and Rebecca standing up alongside All Might, staring out determinedly towards the horizon, ready to go and save the world.
END OPENING
Izuku felt like he and the others were being watched around every corner. Though most of it was centered around Homura and her inadvertently promiscuous attire… Still, it didn't help relieve his or anyone's nerves. Momo led the way as her tracker beeped.
"We're now within a kilometer from the location," she confirmed to the group.
"What exactly did you end up placing the tracker on?" Kyoka asked curiously.
"Uh… well…" the Creation Quirk user started to reply, sweating a little, "I had Awase weld it to the back of the jacket that the villain we ran into was wearing back in the forest…" she told the others. Shiki blinked in surprise.
"Wait… you mean the same villain that gave Granbell hands?!" Kyoka inquired in a loud whisper.
"…Yes…" Momo replied ashamedly, lowering her head.
"Oh, we're totally screwed…" the Earphone Jack Quirk user realized.
"Now hold on," Shoto chimed in, "As long none of us go charging in there recklessly, we should be able to get around having to deal with him," he told his classmates.
"And if things do get too dangerous, we're done," Tenya confirmed, "I'll drag you all back if I have to," he added as a warning.
"Yeah, got it," Izuku replied, putting his right hand onto his chin, "So once we arrive at the location, we should probably have Jiro scout for how many people are present and if Kacchan and Rebecca are there…" he noted, muttering on.
"Been a while since I've seen him like that…" Eijiro pointed out.
"In true Midoriya fashion…" Kyoka mentioned, "Still…" she kept going, "knowing that we're probably gonna be running into the guy who trounced Shiki's not gonna be great…" she admitted, sounding nervous. Momo seemed apprehensive herself, remembering the injuries that the Satan Gravity Quirk user had endured against his equal. All of a sudden, he felt his hand grab hers firmly.
"I'll be okay," he promised with a grin. Her eyes shimmered underneath her shades.
"Hey pretty lady!" a drunk man's voice slurred, getting their attentions as they saw a pair of gentlemen getting close to Homura, "Wanna come hang out with us tonight…?" he inquired drunkenly.
"Ah, quit messin' around, pal!" his friend insisted, noticing Shoto defensively getting in front of the Soul Blade Quirk user, "Ya see she's out with her friends, right?!" he questioned, sounding just as drunk. As Izuku and Tenya shooed the drunken men away, Homura blushed a little as she held onto the Half-Cold, Half-Hot Quirk user's hand.
"Do I really look that pretty…?" she inquired quietly, getting Shoto's attention.
"Yeah, I think so," he responded, making her blink in surprise. She blushed as she looked away with a smile.
"Thank you, Shoto…" she said with gratitude. He grinned a little.
"Hey, let's stay focused here," Kyoka insisted, continuing onward alongside Shiki and Momo, "Let me know when we're getting close, Yaomomo," she advised, "I can lead from there," she noted.
"O-Okay," the Creation Quirk user stammered, "It's just around this corner," she confirmed. The rescue team arrived at a warehouse soon afterward. With the Earphone Jack Quirk user leading the way, they went into the narrow alley between the warehouse and another building.
"Ergh…" Tenya grunted as he shimmed along, "It's far too cramped in here…" he pointed out.
"Yes…" Momo agreed, "I'm going to get stuck…" she noted, causing some of the boys to blush at the thought. As if that wasn't bad enough...
"Um… I believe I am stuck…" Homura admitted as her chest squished against the warehouse walls. The boys made sure not to look her way as she sighed. "It's times like these that I wish I had a flat chest like yours, Jiro…" she confessed. The Earphone Jack Quirk user gave off an annoyed look.
"Gee, thanks…" she muttered out. However, she perked up after a moment. "Someone's inside…" she noted, causing everyone to immediately silence themselves. Shiki had his green-glowing markings appear upon his arms, floating up high enough to see into the window.
"Can't really tell what's going on in there…" he admitted with narrowed eyes, "It's too dark…" he pointed out.
"One second, I can make something for that…" Momo chimed in, removing her shades.
"No need," Eijiro said, pulling out a pair of night vision goggles, "Bought these just for the occasion," he remarked.
"Whoa…" Izuku uttered upon seeing them, "But… aren't those really expensive?" he inquired of his classmate.
"Look, it doesn't matter right now," the Hardening Quirk user affirmed with a shake of his head, "Who's gonna let me stand on their shoulders for this?" he asked. A moment later, he was standing on Tenya's shoulders, while Izuku stood atop Momo's and Homura was standing on Shoto's.
"Hah…" the Soul Blade Quirk user sighed with relief, "Thank you for letting me up here, Shoto," she said with gratitude.
"It's no problem," he replied as he looked up, "I just thought that you needed—" He suddenly stopped talking. The reason was because he accidentally looked up underneath her skirt.
"Shoto?" Homura uttered, glancing down, "Is something wrong?" she asked in concern, "Your shoulder suddenly got warm…" she noted.
"It's nothing," he claimed, quickly calming down.
"You see anything yet, Kirishima?" Izuku asked of the Hardening Quirk user, who was looking through the window with his goggles.
"Yeah… there's someone in there…" he answered quietly, "Green hair, leather jacket, tattoos all over…" he listed off.
"Shura…" Shiki growled.
"Hey, calm down…" Kyoka insisted, "Is it just him there?" she inquired on.
"Not sure…" Eijiro replied, glancing around, "It seems like he might be there guarding something, but— Whoa!" he yelped, almost falling backwards. Luckily, Tenya had a firm grip on his feet.
"What?! What is it?!" he asked in a loud whisper, seeing him sweat and pant in fright.
"Midoriya…" he began, handing the One For All inheritor his goggles, "The back corner in the left… look there…" he advised. Izuku nervously put the device up to his eyes, peering into the corner as instructed and widening his eyes. There were several vats, in which were the bodies of what appeared to be Nomu. Inside, Shura peeked over at one curiously.
"So these are the freaks that bastard made, huh?" he noted, sneering at them, "Gotta say, he really outdid himself…" he mentioned with a chuckle.
"Is this supposed to be where they manufacture all the Nomu we've seen?" Izuku wondered aloud in a whisper.
"Or maybe they're just being stored here…" Eijiro assumed.
"Either way, it sounds like that neither Bakugo nor Rebecca are here…" Homura pointed out.
"So what do we do now?" Shoto wondered. At that moment, Kyoka perked up again as her eyes widened.
"Uh… guys?" she uttered, getting their attentions, "You might wanna get down…" she advised as she pointed toward the front of the warehouse, enticing her classmates to look that way. A shadow suddenly loomed over them as they widened their eyes. In an instant, something crashed through the warehouse's roof.
X
"Will you join us… Katsuki Bakugo?" Tomura asked of the restrained Explosion Quirk user back in the Belial Gore.
"…Go throw yourself into traffic," he responded venomously. Rebecca wondered just how he was managing to keep a brave face through all this. Then again, it could've all been just a front.
"Okay, I think it's time we try something else…" Drakken decided as he stepped forward, "Shigaraki…" he began, turning to the Decay Quirk user, "you don't need this kid," he pointed out.
"Excuse me?" he responded with a tilt of his head.
"Let's face it, crazy as this little bastard is and how he looks like a rabid dog," the bar owner continued, "you gotta admit that he's set on being the hero, not the villain," he noted, "Hell, the damn dude on the TV said the exact same thing," he mentioned, "You'd be stupid to think you can just keep him around and get him on your side," he told him and the other villains. Tomura shifted in his seat a little.
"So then, what do you propose?" Kurogiri asked, chiming into the conversation.
"Heh," Drakken chuckled, "Threaten to kill him," he advised to everyone's surprise, "Show the country just what'll happen to hero hopefuls if they mess with us," he told them as Rebecca shuddered with fright, "And of course, it'll give me what I want…" he pointed out additionally as he looked toward the Leaper Quirk user, "You get heroes to fall in line, and I get the extra life I want thanks to this girl's Quirk," he noted, "It's a win-win," he confirmed with a chuckle.
"It does seem sound…" Spinner concurred.
"Ooh, can I stab him?!" Himiko requested excitedly.
"That could help, actually," Drakken admitted, walking over to the restrained Katsuki, "You see, Katsuki…" he began, placing his hand on the board over the Explosion Quirk user's head, "your little friend there's not cooperating with me," he told him, "I want her to help me by either giving me her Quirk or by joining us," he mentioned, "She's not goin' for either option just yet, so…" he continued rather causally, "I'm gonna give her thirty seconds," he decided, "She doesn't choose A or B, I kill you," he affirmed in a darker tone, "Then your other little friends and those precious heroes will know exactly what they'll be up against…" he threatened.
"No, please!" Rebecca cried out.
"Gonna pick A or B, Rebecca?!" the Oracion Seis member inquired back to his captive, who practically stiffened with fear, trying to steel herself, "Maybe I should just kill him to set an example, and then you'll fall in line…" he suggested with a sneer.
"Humph," Katsuki scoffed, smirking a little. Drakken took notice, as did everyone else.
"Something funny?" he questioned, narrowing his eyes onto the restrained Explosion Quirk user.
"It's just that you're a damn idiot," he responded to his shock, "You really think she's gonna be all buddy-buddy with you just because you're gonna kill me?" he assumed, chuckling, "She's stronger than that, you know," he said. Rebecca's eyes shimmered upon hearing that. "You D-listers are all a bunch of idiots," he mentioned to the rest of the villains, "It's like that old saying, you mess with the bull, you get the horns," he remarked in a snarky tone, "And you're about to get fucked, big time," he added confidently. There was a twitch in Drakken's right eye. The last time someone had back-talked to him, he did end up in an unfavorable position, setting him back several years.
"Heh," he chuckled, "Okay, I'm just gonna kill you," he decided, grabbing Katsuki by his throat.
"No!" Rebecca screamed, attempting to lunge out, only to end up stopped as Maria and Daichi grabbed her by her arms.
"Ah-ah-ah~," the latter sang with a shake of his head, "Can't have you trying to play hero now…" he remarked.
"Just sit back and watch, cat," the Slime Quirk user added. They watched as blue lines of energy appeared along Drakken's hand, trailing up to his fingertips as he tightened his grip around Katsuki's neck. As he started choking, Kleene watched with a horrified look upon her face. She didn't want any of this.
She thought back to when she and her brother were forced to leave their old home when Müller had killed their parents. They had nowhere to go, and the Wind Snatch Quirk user was emotionally distraught over everything. So much so that she barely showed an emotion again for years. It wasn't until the events in Shibuya that she actually felt her emotions return in full. She was sad that Kris had lost his arm, scared that Müller had returned, and happy to know that Izuku and Rebecca wound up defeating him.
The greatest feeling she felt during all of this… was guilt. Not just to her own classmates of Class B, who she respected and cared for dearly, but to Drakken himself. He was the one that took her and her brother in. He raised them as if they were his own children. But he also used them like soldiers, having them infiltrate and get into U.A. High.
Kleene would barely bat an eye to all of this at one point. But now, she couldn't bear to see it happen. Green markings appeared along her face and arms as the wind around her swirled. Kris and Magne noticed.
"Kleene?!" her brother gasped out.
"What are you doing?" the latter of the two inquired. Pulling her arms back sharply, the Wind Snatch Quirk user had the air tug on both Rebecca and Katsuki, taking them out of the grasp of their captors. The restraints around the Explosion Quirk user broke, freeing his hands as he and his fellow captive fell to the floor behind Kleene.
"What's the meaning of this, Rutherford?!" Kurogiri inquired angrily.
"I-I don't know!" Kris stammered out.
"Rebecca helped save my brother's life back in Shibuya…" Kleene answered to his surprise, "And it was your fault that Müller even harmed him in the first place!" she accused of Drakken, who widened his eyes, "I'm thankful that you helped to raise us…" she admitted as the wind swirled beneath her feet, lifting her off of the floor, "but I won't let you use me anymore!" she declared fiercely. Everyone took on ready positions. They were prepared to start an all-out brawl. Little did they realize that it was about to be cut short…
X
FLASHBACK
Taichi Jaga was a 21-year old high school dropout who became quite a delinquent. He was known as a skilled cage-fighter and viciously brutal man. His Quirk had manifested late in his childhood, and worsened during his teen and adolescent years. His violent nature earned him the title as one of the Oracion Seis.
Even with that title, he wasn't really much of a villain. The worst he did was vandalism, and even that was an accident. Around Japan, he was called the Vicious Beast Jaguar. He didn't care for the title. He just wanted his life to as free as he could make it.
"Seeing you fight in that cage never gets old," a voice remarked to him one day, belonging to none other than Drakken as he turned to see him there, "You're a real force of nature, Tai," he complimented, approaching the Jaguar Quirk user.
"That may be, but I'm not exactly trying to earn clout," he responded, removing the bandages around his bloodied hands, "I just like to fight," he said.
"It's kinda a waste to see you stuck fighting here…" the bar owner admitted, "Why not work for more?" he offered, "I could use some muscle…" he pointed out with a smirk. Taichi wasn't exactly opposed to any offers. As a matter of fact, he and Drakken became friends. He essentially was his bodyguard as he was seemingly working out deals with people all across Japan, promoting his business from what he imagined. But one day, his perception changed.
"There you are!" a voice shouted within an alley, getting the attentions of the bar owner and his guards. They turned to see a little girl with long white hair and rabbit ears panting for breath with sweat along her face as she glared at the men. "Where'd you take my friends, you jerks?!" she asked angrily. Taichi blinked in surprise.
"The heck are you talking about, brat?" one of the guards inquired back, chuckling a little, "We don't got any little kiddies with us…" he pointed out, "Why don't you go find your mommy and look for 'em in a park or somethin'?" he suggested, waving her off.
"I'm warning you…" the little girl growled, taking a lunging stance.
"Ooh, the brat wants to tussle!" another guard noted as he laughed, "Who's gonna be man to take her on?" he wondered sarcastically.
"That's enough," Taichi said, causing everyone to look over at him in surprise, "Go," he advised, "I'll handle this," he decided.
"Try not to be too rough, Jaguar…" the previous guard remarked with another laugh.
"Huh…" the orange-haired man sighed as he approached the rabbit-eared girl, who stepped back nervously, "What did you mean by 'take your friends'?" he asked, making her blink.
"What, you live under a rock or something?!" she shouted back in question, much to his surprise.
'Never met a little one with this kind of attitude…' he admitted to himself.
"There's a bunch of kids at my school that went missing," the little girl told him, "And they haven't come back yet…" she added as her fists trembled, "The teachers say crazy things like they're getting taken by bad guys…" she remembered, "Like you and that beardy guy," she mentioned, referring to both Taichi and Drakken.
"I'm not…" the Jaguar Quirk user tried to say, only to stop himself as he sighed, "Tell you what, I'll look into it," he promised, "A little one like you shouldn't involve yourself in something like this," he advised seriously.
"But—!"
"Go home, please," Taichi requested, interrupting the little girl. She pouted, clenching her trembling fists tightly. Ultimately, she turned and ran off.
"You better keep your promise, Mister!" she demanded of him. Another sigh left the Oracion Seis member's lips. Even if there was evidence of human trafficking, he didn't think Drakken would involve himself in it.
Unfortunately, that was the case in more ways than one. The bar owner wasn't just organizing the human trafficking ring, he was letting the children themselves get experimented on. Taichi was disgusted, but that wasn't the end of it.
"You're taking their lives?!" he roared in question to Drakken one evening, slamming his hands against the bar counter as he gnashed his teeth together.
"Tai, it's all for the sake of the business," his boss noted, sipping a glass of whiskey.
"You call killing children 'business'?!" the Jaguar Quirk user snarled out, "And for what?!" he inquired on. Drakken sighed, setting his drink down.
"I'll level with you, Tai," he said, rolling up his right sleeve to reveal his wrinkled skin, "I'm not supposed to be alive right now," he admitted to his colleague's surprise, "I've always had the ability to use my Quirk to manipulate matter into whatever I want, but never found the right formulas for what I really wanted," he told him, "That is, until I met a benefactor," he recalled, "He helped me figure out what I needed, and in exchange, I'd give him what he needed," he explained.
"And what exactly is it that you needed?" Taichi asked, now somewhat dreading the answer.
"…Life," Drakken replied to his shock, "I give the kids to the benefactor, he takes their Quirks, and I take their lives to add onto my own," he noted without a hint of remorse in his voice, "Life's important, Tai," he pointed out, "And I'm not wasting nor losing mine…" he declared. In that moment, the Jaguar Quirk user stepped back. He turned and walked to the door. "Hey, where're you going?" his boss asked, seeing him open the door.
"For the first time in my life, I've got this terrible feeling in my chest…" he confessed, "And if I don't leave now, I will act on it…" he noted additionally.
"And what feeling is that?" Drakken asked almost uncaringly, about to sip his drink again. However, he stopped upon seeing the intense glare burning into him from Taichi.
"The desire to kill you…" he growled out. He shut the door behind him without another word. From there, he didn't look back. He turned himself into the police and told them everything he could about his former boss' operations. Though Drakken himself managed to evade capture, the trafficking scheme had been completely stopped.
As for Taichi himself, he expected to be sent to prison for life because of his involvement. It made sense, and he was willing to accept the consequences. However, fate would have other plans for him.
"Ah, if it isn't the man of the hour…" a voice chimed in from an interrogation room, causing the cuffed man seated at the table to perk up. Entering was none other than Noah. "Taichi Jaga, correct?" he assumed, "Or would you prefer Jaguar?" he inquired on.
"You're with the Safety Commission…" the orange-haired man noted, seeing the insignia on Noah's armband.
"That I am, though I only recently started," he replied, sitting down across from him, "I've been tasked with quite the first assignment," he noted, pulling out what looked to be a folder.
"Huh…" Taichi sighed, "I've already told you everything I know about Drakken," he confirmed to the Safety Commission member, getting his attention, "And I promise you, I haven't involved myself in any wrongdoings…" he added firmly.
"Well, we both know that's a bit of a lie," Noah retorted to his shock, putting the folder down and opening it to reveal several images of injured men, "Do you recognize them?" he inquired of the Jaguar Quirk user, who looked away ashamedly, "This is quite brutal, even for cage-fighting…" he noted curiously with a grin.
"I'll take whatever punishment you see fit, sir," Taichi affirmed to his surprise, "Lock me away for however long you need to…" he insisted.
"Oh, there's no need for that," the Safety Commission member responded, causing him to slightly widen his eyes, "You see, I'm not here to strike you with a sentence, but to offer you an opportunity," he told him, "For a man of your stature to come forward like this gives us the chance to tip the scales even more," he mentioned.
"What are you saying?" the Jaguar Quirk user inquired, narrowing his eyes in confusion. Noah stood up from his seat.
"I'm saying that we can turn you from villain to hero in the blink of an eye," he affirmed in reply, "Someone like you could help change society for the better," he pointed out additionally, "So…" he continued, "what do you say?" he asked, offering his right hand out to him. Taichi wasn't sure what to think. Was he being treated like this because people feared him? Or did they genuinely want him to become a new beacon of hope during these times? Either way, he didn't want to live the rest of his life caged, even if he'd accept it.
"Alright," he said, grasping Noah's hand in his own.
END FLASHBACK
Taichi found himself staring at Rumi during his musings. Since the day he met her as a little girl, he wanted to make sure the right thing was done in any capacity. No child would be taken, no villain would get away with their misdeeds, and no one would die. That was his philosophy. He took on his monstrous, beast-like form as he took on a determined expression.
"Are we ready to move in?" Edgeshot inquired of the group as they were just outside of the Belial Gore with a squadron of officers in riot gear.
"'Course we are!" Mirko responded, cracking her knuckles, "I can do it all myself if I have to!" she proclaimed.
"Still as feisty as ever, aren't you Mirko?" Eraser inquired, getting her attention.
"Enough banter," Endeavor insisted, chiming into the conversation, "Tsukauchi, are we ready to move?" he inquired of the detective standing nearby.
"Yes," he answered, putting his hand onto his radio receiver, "All teams… we're clear to move!" he declared. Inside the bar, the standoff between the trio of Kleene, Katsuki and Rebecca and the villains continued.
"I knew she was against us!" Compress shouted.
"Aw, but I thought Kleeney was cool!" Himiko complained.
"No point in worrying about it now…" Dabi muttered, igniting his hand in blue flames, "What do you wanna do, Shigaraki?" he inquired of his leader.
"Compress, get Bakugo," he instructed, "The rest of you, get Bluegarden and kill Sylph," he advised of his colleagues.
"What?!" Kris exclaimed in shock.
"Huh, fine…" Laguna grumbled out as he got up from his seat and walked over, "It's easier to make girls cry than boys anyway…" he noted.
"Hey, wait a second!" the Wind Rage Quirk user yelled, "That's my sister you're going to—!" Before he could finish his shouts, his right arm was grabbed by Daichi, pulling him back.
"Sorry, Jinn…" he apologized, "But Kleene brought this on herself…" he pointed out as the others were approaching their targets. Rebecca clenched her teeth together, trying to steel herself.
"Kleene, is there another way outta here?" she asked in a whisper.
"That back door is the only one I know…" the Wind Snatch Quirk user replied, "Look, you don't need to worry about me…" she affirmed as the wind swirled around her, "I can handle myself," she promised.
"Kleene…" Rebecca uttered out. There was seemingly no way for the three to all get out of this together. But at that moment, there was a knock at the door behind them.
"Hello, got a pizza delivery here," a voice greeted. Everyone stopped, befuddled by the sudden interruption.
"What the fu—?"
"SMAAASSSSHHHH!" All Might's voice bellowed as the wall burst open behind Spinner and Fie, knocking them down as the number one hero entered alongside Kamui Woods.
"All Might!" Rebecca and Katsuki exclaimed.
"Pre-emptive Binding…" the Arbor Quirk user began, extending his wooded arm out as branches shot off and wrapped around each of the villains, "Lacquered Chain Prison!" he exclaimed.
"Ah, shit!" Fie cursed.
"It's holding me so tight…!" Daichi whimpered out, appearing to enjoy it.
"Damn it…!" Maria grumbled.
"Just wood, huh?" Dabi noted, igniting blue flames around his body. All of a sudden though, Gran Torino shot and slammed his head with a roundhouse kick, promptly knocking him out. Seeing everything going wrong all at once, Drakken growled. In that moment though, he saw Jaguar enter alongside Edgeshot.
"Tai…?" he uttered as his eyes widened.
"Crap…!" Fie grumbled out as he tried to break himself free, "I… can't use my Quirk!" he pointed out.
"We're aware that some of you have Ether-type Quirks," All Might chimed in, much to his surprise along with so many others, "Kamui Woods is an excellent choice to deal with the likes of you!" he mentioned proudly.
"So that whole press conference where you all were looking like you had no idea what was going on…" Drakken began as he clenched his teeth together angrily, "it was just a ruse?!" he guessed.
"That's right, Joe," Jaguar responded as he stepped forward, approaching his old friend, "You got too comfortable with your victory and let your guard down," he noted, "And now…" he continued, drawing his claws, "you and your cronies are going to pay for everything you've done!" he declared. The bar owner kept his teeth grit. Never had he been put into a corner like this.
"Are you both alright?" All Might asked of Katsuki and Rebecca.
"I-I'm fine, dammit…" the former stammered in claim, while the latter gave way to her tears of joy.
"Thank you, All Might…!" she whimpered out. He flashed his trademark smile to her reassuringly. The day had been saved.
"This is…" Tomura muttered out, causing everyone to turn their attentions onto him, "This is all…" he continued as his body trembled with rage, "THIS IS ALL YOUR FAULT!" he bellowed out toward the number one hero, "I HATE YOU!" he roared. All of a sudden, globs of black sludge appeared in midair around him, scattering about the area. They appeared to envelop the likes of the villains, including Katsuki and Rebecca as they felt it fly out from their mouths suddenly.
"Young Bakugo! Young Bluegarden!" All Might exclaimed in fright. He tried to reach out for them, but they suddenly disappeared into the sludge as it splashed apart. "NNNOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!" he bellowed with dismay. Along with the villains escaping, Nomu were coming out of the sludge-filled voids, attacking the groups.
"Wasn't Jeanist's team dealing with the Nomu warehouse?!" Edgeshot inquired aloud.
"No, don't tell me…" the number one hero uttered in fright.
X
"Ow…" Izuku muttered out of pain, rubbing the back of his head. Everything had just happened instantaneously. Mt. Lady was on the scene, having shoved her foot into a truck to use as a boot in her enlarged state, slamming it straight through the roof. Everyone in the alley had gotten knocked down as a result, but were fine otherwise.
"Shiki, can you see what happened?" Momo asked as the Satan Gravity Quirk user had floated himself up to see through the windows again. He blinked in surprise.
"Whoa, Mister Tiger's here!" he exclaimed. Both Eijiro and Homura were brought back up, looking in with him.
"Best Jeanist, Gang Orca, and even Holy!" the former listed off.
"It looks as if they were planning to mount this attack," the latter noted.
"Then it seems like the heroes have this all handled!" Tenya pointed out upon overhearing.
"I suppose…" Shoto concurred, narrowing his eyes. Izuku wasn't all that convinced himself. They hadn't found Katsuki or Rebecca yet.
"Hey, you guys see that other dude who was inside?" Kyoka inquired of her classmates.
"No… he's gone…" Eijiro replied upon taking a second look. Shiki clenched his teeth. He had a feeling that Shura was still around. And he looked up and gasped.
"Okay…" Mt. Lady breathed out as she stepped back, "Anything else you guys need me to do?" she asked of her colleagues below. Before she could hear their responses though, she blinked in surprise to find the tattooed man floating in front of her face.
"Well, aren't you a cutie?" he remarked with a sneer, followed by slamming his right fist into her face as she yelped.
"Mount Lady?!" Best Jeanist exclaimed from below, seeing her start to topple over backwards. Fortunately, he was able to manipulate the threads of her costume by tying them with his own, trying to pull her back onto her feet.
"That's one the villains from the raid!" Tiger pointed out to his other colleagues. Gang Orca rushed forward, unleashing a powerful sonic blast up toward his foe. He weaved aside to evade it, cackling excitedly all the while.
"Even you heroes are chumps compared to those brats!" he proclaimed as he dove towards his foes, "I'm gonna crush every single of you!" he declared. However, he was promptly struck down by a golden beam of light, landing upon the ground on his back. "Agh…" he groaned out, clenching his teeth together.
"Gravity doesn't affect light, you know," Holy noted as she stepped forward, with her markings shining a bright gold along with her hair before disappearing, "That's the problem with villains these days," she pointed out, while Shura sat up, "They get far too cocky…" she noted with a smirk.
"Grrr…" Shura growled out.
"Nicely done, Holy," Best Jeanist complimented as he helped Mt. Lady stand back up.
"Ugh…" she groaned, holding her nose in her right hand, "I don't think he broke anything…" she grumbled out with relief. As the group detained Shura and investigated the remainder of the warehouse, securing all the Nomu they could, the Class A students watched on curiously. They saw that Ragdoll had been found as well, though she was completely unconscious.
"We should really go, everyone…" Tenya insisted firmly in a whisper, "You heard them, there's another team out to get our classmates back," he pointed out, "Why are we staying?" he questioned.
"Because something doesn't feel right…" Izuku admitted in response to his surprise, "Why would they only have Shura on guard here?" he inquired of the group. Before they could answer, there were footsteps. A figure was walking out, dressed like a salaryman. But there was another distinguishing feature to him. He donned a navy blue, skull-like gas mask with angular tubes at the top, a wide collar-like life-support system around his neck with additional pipes connecting in the front and back.
Just his presence alone made the student heroes tremble a little. And in the blink of an eye, the warehouse was decimated…
ENDING
Insert "Update" by miwa
Opens with all of Class 1-A standing in front of U.A. together. Izuku and Rebecca stand at the front, with the former balling his left hand into a fist as he looks to the sky. His girlfriend glances over and smiles, happy to see him determined.
We go through a few scenes of Homura shaking as she struggles to withstand the heat of the hot spring, while her fellow female classmates are just fine. Weisz and Minoru attempt to peep on them, only to get struck by wash tops flung at them by Rebecca. They crash down on the other side of the while, with the rest of the boys there shaking their heads.
We see Izuku and Rebecca sleeping against each other on the subway ride back home. Ochaco smiles at them from nearby, but then notices Shiki sleeping on her shoulder and drooling. She screams in surprise, waking him up while also startling everyone in the train car. She blushes in embarrassment, burying her reddening face into her hands.
The scene changes to Homura joining Shoto on an excursion along the beach, where they're joined by their friends. Shoto finds a seashell and offers it to Homura, who accepts with a smile. Mina looks at them excitedly, while Kyoka rolls her eyes and sighs behind her.
We then shift to the class training, with Katsuki racing against Tenya and Weisz with his explosions. Shiki passes them all by to their shock, making him the winner. In the meantime, Rebecca practices kicking with Tsuyu, sharing a smile with her as they work together.
Everyone is doing their best around school, whether in the classroom or in the field. Izuku shares a moment with All Might on the beach before they shake hands firmly. We close out on a scene of some of the class standing on a tower together. Izuku smiles brightly, and Rebecca plants a kiss onto his left cheek under his freckles. She giggles as he blushes, happy to be with him and their friends.
END ENDING
And that wraps up one of the more intense chapters I've done for this story. I think what I enjoyed most was writing Jaguar's backstory, as he didn't really get one in Edens Zero. There are a lot of characters whom I wish got backstories that I hope will get explored in the canon materials I'm adapting from, especially given that both series have gone on for a long while.
Next time, we're gonna be getting into some big fights to close out the first half of the season! Stay tuned and thanks for reading!