Chapter 25: Mayhem in Hosu
"Hey, Tempest! Heading off for your first night patrol?"
"Yup, that's right."
"Good luck with that. Coffee is available in the cafeteria if you want. Not free though!"
"Hehe, I'll keep that in mind!"
I greeted the sidekick a good evening before stepping into the elevator and pressing the ground floor, letting the soft tunes washes me over as I check over my costume one more time.
It has been two days into my week-long internship, and still no sign of any movements from Stain. Everything had been rather peaceful, all things considered. Today, the third day, might change that.
During all that time, I've worked with Team Idaten and Ingenium on their patrols and even helped out in the crimes that took place; most of them are small-time crimes too, either purse snatchers or speed maniacs on the highway.
The last one was a rush on the morning of my second day. Some guy with ostrich legs just starts running through the busy highway leading out of the town and disrupting traffic. Ingenium was immediately dispatched for it and I followed along with him. We immediately rush out onto the highway and catches up to him in no time at all.
Funnily enough, it turns out that the guy was just in a such hurry to deliver some documents to a client located in the next town over that he couldn't afford to wade through the heavy traffic. After some warning about breaking the traffic laws as well as having me deliver the documents in his steed, we have the case closed just as the afternoon sun struck.
That was the most thrilling part of my two days, and I'm not sure what to make of it. If anything, this all feels like the calm before the storm.
I know Stain is still out there, but there has been no sign of him doing anything. No sightings, no injured Heroes, nothing at all.
Not sure if he is bidding his time, or if the League of Villains got to him, but it has been bothering me for a while. And with today being the canon day in which Stain got captured, I'm betting that something might happen.
But right now, I'm about to head off on my first night patrol.
"Evening, Tempest." Ingenium greeted me when I entered the entrance hall, "Ready for your first night patrol?"
"Ready as I'll ever be!"
"Good! I hope you like coffee, because that's what you'll be craving after this!"
Ingenium and I exited the compound, the sun already dipping into the horizon by the time we enter the city proper and began our usual patrol route.
"Night patrols aren't that different from the ones we did in the day." He tells me as we walked along the sidewalk, "The only real difference is that there's a higher chance of encountering a Villain during the night than the day. Can you tell me why?"
"It is because there's lesser chance of getting captured than in the morning?"
"Correct, but that's not all. With less people about, there's lesser witness of call them in than in the day. Now, just as a reminder, you are not to engage in any Villains on your own; you are still a student and a minor, not to mention you haven't got your provisional license yet. If you are to encounter one, signal us on the comm set and don't fight them. Run if you need to."
I nodded in acknowledgement as I felt the walkie clipped on my belt.
Team Idaten has a private comm link system that linked up the support crew's command center back at the compound with the Heroes and Sidekicks on the field. Every sidekick has a walkie or headset that they carry around whenever they go out on patrol, some even has them customized so that it wouldn't clash with their costume; Ingenium himself has a set of headphone and speaker built in his helmet.
Due to my intern status, they decided to issue me with their standard issued walkie which they issue to all new sidekicks. It's not as bulky as the ones used by the police with a single button to press whenever I wish to speak into it. There's even an emergency button that sends an SOS to every comm link in the system.
"Oh, as a side note, keep an eye out at the alleyways."
That sentence got my attention. Alleyways are the territory of Stain; his guerrilla/ninja styled methods are well-suited for it. For him to mention that…
"Is it because of Stain?" I asked.
"Yeah." He nodded, "One of the local Heroes got attacked and hospitalized last week. As a precaution, I've made sure that everyone keeps their eyes opened for him and to report if they spot him. So far, we haven't encountered him and there hasn't been another attack for a while."
"But considering his pattern, he would strike again soon."
"Precisely. That's why keep a look out, but don't engage him."
I nodded before taking a look around.
Engaging him or not, Stain is definitely a dangerous individual to be left lurking around in the shadows. His killstreak and quirk aside, what is most dangerous is his twisted ideology, one which can be seen as right if looked at a certain angle.
That doesn't make him killing off Heroes left and right correct, though.
As we carry on with our patrol, the skies start turn dark while the street lights are being turned on as the late evening sun fully set. The streets are still relatively crowded with both night workers as well as students from regular high schools. There are even other Heroes patrolling about as well, some we encounter and greeted in our patrols.
Some of them look like the ones that would soon get involved in the fight against the Nomus. That just worries me more with each passing minute. If this goes according to canon, we would have a large city destroying disaster in our hands soon, with Stain in the background killing off another Hero.
If that's the case, do I help out with the Heroes or head off to look for Stain?
I mean, the Nomus would be dealt with when Endeavor would with no doubt show up to the scene and take care of them within minutes with or without my help, and Stain would add another Hero into his purge of 'fake' Heroes if I don't stop him.
Even so, how do I even go about finding him? I can't search every alleyway and expect to get lucky with him. Midoriya has plot going for him, so that method works for him, but not for me. Not to mention that my very existence could butterflied his location to somewhere totally different, or could have him killing a Hero BEFORE the Nomus began their attack.
Either way, I'm stuck. Let's hope that Shigaraki could be rational and calm and not pull a city wrecking temper tantrum after Stain rejected him.
"Oh, Manual-san."
"Evening, Ingenium."
Ingenium greets the next Hero we encounter, the Normal Hero Manual. If this was canon, Iida would be interning under this guy. Instead, the guy's alone with no sidekick around as far as I can tell.
"Out for night patrol today?" The fish-themed Hero noted, "And not alone for once? A new sidekick?"
"No, unfortunately." He tells him, "This here is Tempest, our intern from UA."
"UA? Oh, I recognize you! You're that girl who got Third in the UA Sports Festival!"
"Y-Yeah." Man, are people still talking about that? You're the third Pro Hero to take note of that.
"And now you're interning with Ingenium? You're really moving up in the world. I didn't get any interns from UA this year, so I'm a little jealous of you, Ingenium."
"Haha, better luck next year."
Ah, right. In canon, Iida would intern under him with the intention of hunting down Stain. But with lack of that reason, he wouldn't have chosen his agency. Did I unintentionally ruin his chances? Whoops…
"So, any sights of Stain?" Ingenium quietly asks him, but not quiet enough to stop me from Eavesdropping, which I don't think is what he is going for.
"None." Manual sighs, "It's like he just up and vanished into thin air."
"That's disconcerting…" He muses, "It's not his MO to just end with just one Hero in one city. You have any ideas why that's the case?"
"Well, Endeavor has been patrolling the city for the past week. Maybe he scared him off?"
"Maybe, but is he really that easy scared of him?"
"Who can say? I mean, Endeavor is pretty scary."
Yeah, but Stain is insanely obsessed with purging the 'fake' Heroes from the world. Heck, the guy tries to pick a fight with the flaming bastard when he has a broken ribcage! You think he would be scared of him if that's the case?
"Any ideas to contribute, Tempest?"
"Huh? You're asking me?" I blinked in surprise. Why am I suddenly getting involved in this discussion?
"Yeah. You look like you have something to add." Ingenium noted.
"It's okay. Anything is good." Manual added.
I'm not sure how to go about this. Well, if they want my opinion on this…
"I highly doubt Stain would just leave the city after just one victim." I stated, "It is not like him to stop at one. He must either be scouting his next target, or is laying low till our guards are down before striking."
"Hm, that's a possibility." Ingenium noted, "Any idea who might be his next target be?"
"That's a flip of the coin, unfortunately." I pointed out. Although, he might still be aiming for Ingenium. Or he might go after Native now as per according to canon.
"Then we can only stay vigilant and make sure to keep an eye out, as usual." He concluded before turning to Manual, "Sorry for taking up your patrol time, Manual-san."
"It's fine." He noted with a smile, "It's not like there's anything major that needs my attention-"
*BOOM*
A sudden explosion can be heard erupting from further down the street. The screams of people running away from it as well as smoke rising from that direction are more than enough to tell me what is going on.
The Nomus! So Shigaraki has made his move!
"What was that!?" Ingenium shouted.
"Command, please come in!" The walkie on my belt buzzes which I quickly lift up to my ear to hear it properly, "This is Enigma! Villains have appeared at South Avenue and are wrecking the city! Requesting immediate backup-OH SHIT!"
There's a loud boom and the comms cut off.
"Engima? Engima!? Damn it!" The Turbo Hero grunted before pressing on his helmet's comms set, "This is Ingenium to Team Idaten command! Deploy an immediate perimeter around Sound Avenue and evacuate all civilians to the safety zones!"
"Roger!"
"Anyone closest to the site, head to the scene and back Enigma up! Me and Tempest will meet you guys there!"
"Big Bang and Fuusenko are on the way!"
"Let's go." He tells me before we both dashes towards the scene at our top speeds.
I knew Nomus are extremely dangerous, if the one in USJ is any comparison. They are horrendous and powerful monsters, bio-weapons of All-For-One that cause havoc and mayhem wherever they are deployed.
Knowing that, I am still horrified when we reached the scene of their mayhem.
The once busy streets of Hosu City are down in ruins. Street lights are either broken or straight up destroyed, a building is on fire while another has its roof completely blown off, trees toppled over, a bus on its side with shattered windows; it's like a hurricane has blown through.
And in the middle of it all, are three large Nomus of various grotesque design. One has wings, the other has very long limps with four eyes, one doesn't even have a proper head; all with their large brains exposed.
All the local Heroes are already fighting with them to no avail, some are just straight doing nothing to them. One of them even got grabbed by the long armed one and was sent flying.
"W-What are those things!?" Ingenium cries out in shock as we saw the long armed Nomu chases after the tossed Hero, "Are they even human?"
"I-Ingenium…"
A weak voice calls out, Enigma's blobby form is slouched against some rumble with an unconscious civilian woman in her protective grasp.
"Enigma!"
He quickly runs towards her, just as she releases the civilian from her blob tentacles into his arms before changing back into her human form; a short woman with black braided pigtails and the same blank look face as her other form.
"What happened here?" He asks her.
"Those monsters… They come out of nowhere…" She mutters out tiredly, "Nothing… the other heroes do… could hurt them…"
"Ingenium!" One of the Heroes at present, the one with insect wings on his forearm, calls out to us, "If you want to assist, now would be a good time!"
"None of our attacks are working!" Another shouted out, a female hero in a white and green body suit with a red scarf.
"Damn it, what is even going on…?" Ingenium mutters.
"Nomu…"
"Tempest?"
I quickly turn to him and explains, "They look like the monster that attacked USJ! The same thing that took All Might all he has to take down!"
"Seriously!? And now there are three of them!?"
"No, I don't think they are on the same scale. If anything, these three looks physically weaker."
"Then we might stand a chance against them." Ingenium noted.
"We're here!"
A loud voice shouted as the familiar face of Fuusenko runs onto the scene with his partner Big Bang who has his armored arms red and steaming and ready for action. "What's the situation?"
"Bad, really bad." Ingenium hands the unconscious civilian to Fuusenko, "Tempest, get Enigma."
"Got it." I rush over to her and slung the female sidekick over my shoulder, "Can you walk?"
"A… little…"
"Fuusenko, you and Tempest are to bring those two out of here and to the perimeter's medical site." He commanded, "After that, Tempest is to join in the evacuating team and get every civilian out of South Avenue."
"Roger!"
"Big Bang, you are with me. We have to at least keep them here, at least until Endeavor shows up!"
"Gladly!" He slams his fists together, the armored limbs letting out a hiss of steam in response.
With our orders received, the two of us rushes out of the scene just as Ingenium's engines roared to life from behind us.
"Tempest, over here!"
I follow Fuusenko to the perimeter Team Idaten has set at Hoth Boulevard; the trucks and vans all forming a wall of sorts with several sidekicks and an area where the medical teams are helping out with the injured civilians. There're even some curious by-standers all trying to peek into the perimeter to see what's the commotion is about.
I quickly lie Enigma on one of the laid-out mats as a medic quickly got to her and starts looking her over. She doesn't look too beat up with just a few bruises here and there and the intense fatigue she had built up from staying transformed in such a weaken state.
"Is there anyone not yet evacuated?" I ask one of the sidekicks on standby.
"Most of South Avenue has been cleared." He tells me, "But there's still some at the business district not accounted for yet."
"Got it. I'll go take a look."
And just as I was about to leave…
"Please! You've got to find her!"
One of the by-standers shouted at us, a young woman crying out as she grabs onto the sidekick's costume, "My daughter is still in there! You have to find her!"
"Ma'am, please calm down!"
"Please! Kirinko is all that I have left! I can't lose her too!"
As she cries her heart out, I turned to both of them and gave the sobbing mother a nod. "I'll find her." With those promised words said, I flex my hands a little to build up charge and quickly rocketed down the streets.
"Kirinko-chan! Kirinko-chan, please answer me!"
It has been at least a couple of minutes since I started looking, but no matter how much I shout her name or search the streets, I can't find any lick of anyone. I'm getting really worried for her. With the Nomus running amok, who knows what Villains would take advantage of the chaos for their own devious deeds.
And with a scared young child lost and alone… I don't want to connect the dots even if I know what that might imply.
There's also Stain still on the loose, but he only targets Heroes, so the girl is safe from him at least. At least, I hope…
So far, main streets are empty with no sign of anyone at all, not even any Heroes running about to help with the evacuation. The places I have left to search are the alleyways between the buildings, the hunting grounds for the Hero Killer.
Would she even run into an alley to hide? Was the though that run through my head when I think of the possible locations she could have gone.
Seeing no other choice, I dashes into the alleys as fast as I could.
The back alleys of Hosu City are pretty clean for the most part; I passed a single trash bag when I ran through. At each corner I turn, I try to keep a look out for any signs of a young kid in hiding. Any clothing, lost hat, sobs, anything that could help pinpoint her location.
Then, as I about to turn another corner…
A red scarf, wrinkly eye mask, many knives on his belt, wielding a katana with a jagged blade, all of it indicates one person in mind. And in his hand, is an injured Hero in an American Indian inspired costume who goes by the Hero name of Native.
On the floor next to them, is a young girl with two giraffe horns poking out of her hair cowering on her knees with tears streaming down her face.
"Get…out of here, Kirinko…! …run…!"
"Acting heroic now? A little too late for that."
"Na-Native…!"
When I saw his angles his blade for a slash, I know I have to act.
I speed up as fast as I could and dashes right at the Hero Killer.
The Hero Killer immediately took notice of my actions and swung his blade towards me. My reflexes kicked in as I duck under his swing; I square my shoulders and raises my fists, and then jabs one into his face, knocking him back down the alley and releasing the injured Hero in his grasp, who slumps onto the floor.
I skid to a stop next to Native, "Are you alright?"
"W-Who…?"
"I'm Tempest. I'm a Hero intern from Team Idaten."
"Intern…?"
I turn to the sobbing child next; her shoulders are shaking with each sob and tears are still streaming down her cheeks. "Are you Kirinko-chan?"
"Ho…How do you know my na-name…?"
"Your mother has asked me to find you."
"M-Mommy…?" Her sobs worsen at the mention of her mother, "Mommy… I want my mommy…"
"A kid playing Hero…?" Stain scoffed as he got onto his feet, I got into a ready stance in response, "Buzz off, girl. This is no place for children."
"Quick, grab the kid and get out of here!" Native shouted at me, "It is me he's after!"
"What about you?"
"My body can't move! I think it is his quirk!"
Damn it, so he has already got to him… This is bad, I don't have the strength to carry both him and the young girl out of here. And that's not mentioning needing to get away from Stain as well. I can't do this on my own.
"Get lost, girl!" The Hero Killer points his sword at me, "You're in my way!"
"Go, Tempest! Forget about me! Just get the girl to safety!"
What should I do!? Grab the girl and abandon Native to his fate? Logically, that is the correct choice of action, but to just leave someone to die like that?
My hand then grazes something hard on my belt and I remembered. My walkie! That's it!
I immediately pick up my walkie from my belt and press emergency button, "This is Tempest to command! I've encounter Stain!"
"This is command. What is your location, Tempest?"
"It is at-AH!"
The communication device is knocked out of my hand by a swing of the Hero Killer's beat-up sword. The walkie tumbles about on the ground, sliding to a stop next to the wall close to Stain who simply walks up to it and stomps on it, crushing it into pieces under his metallic sole.
Crap! That's my only way to call for back-up!
"So, you're not a kid…" He stated with a scoff as he readies his blade, "But another fake 'Hero' in the works. Another trash to purge."
This is bad! Now I'm completely alone in this with no back-up coming! And not only that, I think I've just gotten myself added onto his blacklist! What do I do!? What should I do!?
"Tempest, run!" Native shouted, "Grab Kirinko and run!"
"M-Mommy…"
The little girl sobs did nothing to my nerves, but it did get me to steady myself and stop panicking.
No, wait… even if command didn't know my location, the fact that Stain is spotted should have them sending search parties for me. I don't know how long they are going to find me, but I have to stall him until then. That's the only way everyone here is getting out of here alive.
"O-Onee-san…?"
"There's nothing to fear, Kirinko-chan." I turns around to face the sobbing girl and give her the brightest smile I could muster at the moment, "I won't let the scary man hurt you."
"Tempest, what are you doing!? Just get out of here!"
Ignoring Native's words, I turn back to face the Hero Killer as he scoffed at my actions, "You should listen to him."
"Sorry, but that's not possible. After all,"
I flex my fingers, building up enough charge before clenches my fists and getting into a fighting stance.
"What kind of Hero would leave someone to die?"
…
To Be Continued…
Omake
"Taikou, this is a bad idea."
"Relax, it is not like we're committing a crime."
"Yeah, but it is not right."
"Hey, you're the one who wanted to do this in the first place!"
Shinsou sighs as he turns to the currently brainwashed Genko staring blankly into the distance, before commanding, "Open up your shirt and do a belly dance."
She obediently obliged, casually opening up her school blouse and revealing her grey sports bra and tone stomach. Her hips then start to sway from side to side as she dances to an imaginary tune while showing off her nice hips.
Thankfully, they are on the roof during lunch break when no body is around to witness the slight immoral act of indecency being performed.
"Okay, so far as usual. I guess dancing doesn't count." Taikou noted, "Try something else."
"Sure." Shinsou nodded, "Sing a song."
The girl just keeps on dancing.
"Guess singing is counted as one."
"Yeah, unfortunately. But at least I know about my limitation."
"Yup."
"…"
"…"
They both look at their dancing friend, whom is starting to sweat a little. Her swaying hips draw their attention to them as they both swallow their spit they didn't know was building up.
"Okay, okay, stop, stop!" Shinsou cries out, "Stop and close up your shirt!"
The girl did exactly that, letting the two boys to let out a sigh.
"…Let's never speak of this again."
"Oh yeah, I'm bringing this to the grave with me."
Oh yeah! Time for the Stain arc to properly commence! Nomus are on the loose, Stain is killing Heroes, and Genko is now in a tight situation! Oh no, what is she to do?
So yeah, Kirinko-chan. If you aren't weebs or know basic Japanese word place, kirin is not sure the name of a mystical monster, but the Japanese word for giraffes, thus the little horns. Not my proudest name, I admit, but for a one-off character, it is good enough.
As for why I include the kid in, it is to add tension to the scene. Iida from canon chases down Stain for revenge, something which Genko isn't doing. If anything, she isn't actually actively chasing Stain down, just being cautious of him. After all, she has no idea if she has butterflied the Stain plot by saving Tensei or just delay the inevitable.
And, well, Heroes saving kids is a cliché for a reason.
With that, I thank you for reading this!
