COLUMBIA

I-Island surfaced. Then it kept going. Clouds obscured the ocean before parting to reveal a vintage landscape of steam-powered carriages, coal-fired power plants, and hundreds of clockwork Hattori Hanzos carrying plasma katanas stomping into formation.

At the vanguard of her mechanical army stood Inko, arms raised like Moses parting the Red Sea, wearing a golden crown studded with glowing emeralds. Verdant light wreathed her hands, and she floated an inch off the ground.

"So glad you could make it, David," Inko said.

"That's my Quirk Amplifier."

"Mine's better." Inko's hands lowered, and I-Island settled onto a cloud. "How was your underwater city thing going?"

"Quite well. There were a few… minor difficulties, but none I didn't have under control."

The 1-A students stumbled out of a glass dome and kissed the clouds beneath their feet. Ochako vomited a rainbow, and the others ran straight through it.

"Freedom!" Ojiro shouted.

Tokoyami cried as he looked into the sun. "I never thought I'd embrace this scouring light. True darkness is a madness I was never ready for."

"Does that mean you'll wear pink dresses?" Dark Shadow asked.

"I'd rather go back."

Inko raised an eyebrow as the hero students saluted the sun. "I see. One might say that making a glass dome and dropping it underwater isn't quite as impressive as nullifying gravity on an entire city, but who am I to judge?"

David bristled at the insult, but he swallowed his temper. "It didn't have to be this way, but you leave me no choice. Work with me. Help me make the world a better place. Imagine the problems we could solve if you put your mind to it! Food shortages, gone. Affordable housing underwater, in the sky, on the moon, anywhere! Villains detained before they can hurt anyone, clean water, completely renewable energy, isn't any of that worth making?"

Inko gestured at her city. "See this? It's a single gravitational fluctuation away from collapsing into a black hole."

David looked down and gulped.

"Everything I make is one idiot away from a global disaster. Unlimited food sounds great until a mix-up laces every meal with arsenic. Replace a single hydrogen atom in water with deuterium and people will dehydrate as they drink it by the gallon. And renewable energy is a lie, David. Entropy ends all things."

"Even if it'll all end eventually, is that an excuse not to try? There's always a way forward!"

"You can find that without me."

David sighed. "Then I'll have to-"

One of the Hanzo's stomped forward. It had green hair.

"Hi mom. I am a historical figure now."

As David gaped, Inko said, "That's nice, sweetie. Did you have a good time?"

"Affirmative. I learned how to make forcefield projections green."

"Very nice. Why don't you play with your classmates for a bit?"

"Understood."

As Class 1-A shrieked and ran from the mechanical samurai, Inko said, "Next time, I will end you. Got it?"

David slumped his shoulders. "Yes, Inko."

497

And with that, we've hit two-hundred! Were you expecting a fight? I was too, but Inko said, "Fight this worthless trash? Why bother? I can make black holes on a whim."