~~000~~

Tales of the Multiverse Bit 255

"Yeah, I do think that's the best option we had right now."

Crusher the Highlands Goat, Kouta Fujiki, Marcus Reservoir, Owen Brannons and Soaphie Lapislazuli agreed with Sharpshooter Jane's suggestion of joining the Neo-City's Heroes Coalitions while Sora Aozora looks away begrudgingly.

~~000~~

One sunny afternoon in Neo-City, Hifumi Yamada could be found leaning against a lamppost near a bustling station, looking around anxiously. He had on a black hoodie with white trimming over a crisp white shirt and a striking red necktie, paired with black pants and sneakers.

Hifumi wiped the beads of sweat from his forehead and his voice a little shaky, "How on earth did I end up here?" he wonder out aloud.

~Flaaaaaaaashbaaaaaaaaack~

Last night at the Training Camp, Hifumi was hanging out by the lounge with a girl and they were both kind of ignoring the rowdy sounds coming from the lounge.

It turns out the girl was Emiri Yamanaka, standing right there in front of him.

Emiri looked a bit nervous, "Hey, how about we grab some lunch together tomorrow?" she suggested.

Hifumi was just as nervous and blurted out, "W-W-What?" he squawked, "With me?" he questioned, "But..." he trailed, "... why me?" he added.

Emiri started playing with her hands shyly, "It's just to say thanks for helping me out the other day." she explained, "But if you can't, it's totally fine." she reassured.

Hifumi was at a loss for words and is trying to process what was happening, "Well, it's not that I can't, but..." he trailed off.

That's when Emiri gave him this big happy smile, "Great!" she cheered, "I'll see you tomorrow then!" she beckoned and before he could even ask the million questions racing through his mind, she was already walking away.

Left by himself, Hifumi's head was spinning, "What just happened?!" he thought in panic, "Why would a girl as cute as her want to hang out with me?" he questioned, "Did I imagine this?!" he assumed, "Oh man, what's going on here?!" he was so confused and overwhelmed, he couldn't even put his thoughts into words.

~End of Flaaaaaaashbaaaaaack~

Well, to be honest, Hifumi has had feelings for Emiri for a while now, ever since she started helping him out with his job. But the poor guy just can't bring himself to tell her because he thinks there's someone out there who's a better match for her. And that's not even the half of it—his lack of confidence is a real issue here.

One day, he saw some jerk trying to get too handsy with her on the bus. Without a second thought, Hifumi jumped in and bumped into the guy to get him off her. He didn't do it for any heroic reasons, just didn't want to see his co-worker in trouble. Little did he know that this act of kindness was what actually made Emiri start liking him.

Now, as he's waiting for her, he's a nervous wreck. He keeps looking at his watch and questioning his outfit, thinking maybe he's come across as some kind of fashion disaster, "Maybe she just feels sorry for me." he uttered to himself while trying to play it cool, "There's no way a girl as pretty as Emiri would ask someone like me out on a date, right?" he declared, "I've got to be imagining this!" he emphasized.

And then, as if to prove him wrong, Emiri shows up. She's dressed to the nines in a white jacket with pink arm warmers, a cute red dress shirt with a yellow tie, and a blue and green striped skirt. To top it all off, she's got black thigh-high socks and some stylish brown boots. "Sorry, did I keep you waiting?" she asked while looking genuinely concerned.

Hifumi couldn't resist ogling her in amazement, "Wow!" he exclaimed in his thoughts, "She's really here!" he pointed out, "This is..." he trailed, "... oh my gosh, she's so incredibly adorable!" he squealed.

Emiri glanced over at him a bit shyly, "You know, it's a little weird if you keep looking at me like that." she pointed out.

Startled at her comment, Hifumi shook his head, "What?!" he squawked, "No way!" he denied, "I totally wasn't staring!" he furthered, "I wasn't even thinking about how cute you are..." he trailed, "... I mean, I do think you're super cute, but right now, it's all about..." he went on, "... your outfit!" he pointed out, "Yes, your clothes are what's really adorable!" he declared while obviously flustered.

Emiri couldn't help but laugh a little, "Thanks." she expressed in gratitude, "So, wanna grab a bite?" she beckoned, "My treat." she offered.

"S-Sure." Hifumi managed to respond.

Soon enough, the pair made it to the Rabbit Café and as they stepped inside, they grabbed a table and picked up their menus.

"Go ahead, order whatever tickles your fancy." Emiri beckoned with a warm smile.

"Okay, I will." Hifumi responded shyly.

"What about getting a drink bar?" Emiri proposed.

"No, no, it's okay." Hifumi reassured, "I just want to eat and go." he replied while not wanting to trouble her further.

Emiri looked a bit down, "You don't want to stay longer?" she asked.

Panicking, Hifumi quickly corrected himself, "No, no!" he squawked, "I didn't mean that." he said, "I just don't want to keep you here too late." he assured her.

Emiri put down her menu and looked at him, "I actually know quite a bit about you, Hifumi." she claimed, "You're a very kind person, despite being an otaku." she pointed out.

Surprised at her comment, Hifumi shook his head, "I-Is that so?" he stuttered.

"I've noticed you give up your seat to the elderly on the bus." Emiri revealed with a smile.

Hifumi blushed and laughed nervously, "Well, you know, people do nice things once in a while." he mused, "I'm pretty moody, though." he admitted.

Emiri started to play with her fingers nervously, "But, you know, it was you who saved me that day..." she reminded while smiling gently.

"Oh no!" Hifumi freaked out, "I can't believe I brought that scary moment up!" he exclaimed and clearly upset with himself.

This surprised Emiri and she leaned back a bit, "What?" she uttered out loud, "No, really, it's okay." she reassured while looking at him with a concerned expression.

"Why do I always have to be such a mess?" Hifumi thought to himself while feeling frustrated, "And now she has to lie to make me feel better!" he added.

Emiri couldn't help but giggle a little, "You're so funny, Hifumi-san!" she said.

"Me?!" Hifumi uttered in shock, "Are you talking about my face?" he asked, "That's all anyone ever says to me!" he pointed out.

"Well, actually..." Emiri began and her cheeks turning a little pink, "I think you're kind of handsome." she shared.

Hifumi couldn't believe what he had just heard and gasped loudly with his mouth hanging open, "S-She can't be serious, right?!" he squawked, "Maybe she's just saying I look like a good-looking character or something?" he thought to himself while utterly in shock.

"U-Um, if it's alright with you..." Emiri began tentatively.

Panic washed over Hifumi as he tried to anticipate her next words, "What?" he squawked, "Is she for real?" he questioned, "No, no, no way!" he cried, "But what if she isn't joking?" he assumed, "Oh man, I have no idea how to handle this!" he exclaimed in his racing mind.

"Could you maybe go out..." Emiri attempted to say but Hifumi's nerves got the better of him and he cut her off by ringing the bell.

"Drink Bar, please!" Hifumi called out loudly and Emiri couldn't help but let out a sigh of exasperation.

bzzzttt...

Over at the Training Camp and in the training area, Marcus "The Kane" McGee, Rainbow Dash and Seishirou Tsugumi were all pushing themselves to the max, working on their moves and getting stronger. Meanwhile, Brent Dark, Joey Hollard, Ozzy Wizner and Yan Fung had just finished a tough training session and were taking a much-needed break on the bleachers, and they were all catching their breath when their coach mysteriously disappeared.

All of a sudden, Tomomichi Motoyama burst into the area while looking frazzled, "Big Trouble!" he yelled out and it was weird because he had his glasses perched on top of his head, revealing his dark eyes.

The four guys couldn't help but notice that he was only looking at them, "What's up?" Yan inquired.

"I can't find my glasses!" Tomomichi answered, "They're gone!" he exclaimed while sounded really flustered.

"Seriously?" Ozzy uttered out loud with a puzzled look.

"You're kidding, right?" Brent added.

"No, I'm not!" Tomomichi insisted, "I had them on when I went to the bathroom to wash my face." he explained, "Now they're nowhere to be found!" he concluded.

Shaking their heads, Brent, Ozzy and Yan decided to help Tomomichi out, "Okay, let's go find them." Brent beckoned while obviously not thrilled about the interruption.

They all jumped down from the bleachers and started to search the area. Joey, who had been watching from his seat, eventually got up and tagged along too.

As the boys wandered down the hallway and Joey was kind of hanging back with them. They were all heading to the bathroom but Joey looked like he was just tagging along.

Once they got to the bathroom, they started looking around.

"Hey, maybe you guys lost them in here?" Ozzy suggested.

They began searching the place with Yan taking a peek at the sink, "Nope, not here." he relayed.

Ozzy then checked one of the stalls, "Still nothing." he added.

Brent looked over at Tomomichi, "Before the bathroom, where'd you go?" the young man with dreadlocks asked since Tomomichi was the last one who had seen his glasses.

Tomomichi paused while trying to remember, "Hold on, let me think..." he trailed off.

But Joey wasn't saying a word because inside his head, "They're obviously on his head." he exclaimed in his thoughts and just kept watching the whole scene unfold without mentioning what he noticed.

Tomomichi had a sudden epiphany, "Oh, right!" he uttered out loud, "I picked up some juice from the vending machine at the cafeteria." he recalled.

"Ah, the cafeteria, eh?" Brent echoed.

"Alright, let's go then." Ozzy beckoned.

The five friends made their way to the cafeteria and headed straight for the vending machines while scanning the area.

"They're not down here." Yan pointed out.

Joey, feeling a bit annoyed, observed them, "They're not on the floor, obviously!" he thought to himself, "Why isn't anyone saying anything about it being on Motoyama's head?" he questioend and is utterly confused by the situation.

Then Tomomichi had a sudden recollection, "Oh, right!" he exclaimed, "I've actually been in the dorms earlier." he recalled.

"No way!" Ozzy protested.

Joey then figured it out, "I get it now!" he thought to himself, "It's like they're all in on some kind of inside joke and just playing along with it." he declared.

The group of boys continued walking towards the dorms with Joey lagging a bit behind as usual.

Yan looked at them quizzically when they arrived, "What on earth are you guys doing in the dorms?" he questioned.

Tomomichi shrugged nonchalantly, "Just hanging out, you know, the usual stuff." he answered.

As this unfolded, Joey was lost in his own little world of thoughts, "Ah, so the timing of the punchline is crucial for this type of joke." he mused internally.

Ozzy suddenly came to a halt when it dawned on him, "Whoa..." he trailed, "... they're actually on your head, man!" he pointed out and gestured a finger towards his own head to make it clear.

That's when Tomomichi gasped and even Yan joined him in the moment of understanding. But Joey? He was just floored and he couldn't believe this was for real, and not some kind of prank.

Brent couldn't help but shake his head with a smirk, "Tomomichi, you're such a goofball." he mused and sure enough, Tomomichi had the cheek to grin and rub the back of his neck, seemingly enjoying the spotlight.

Meanwhile, Joey was in his own world while thinking, "Don't you guys laugh!" he cried in his thoughts but his voice was lost in the sea of hearty chuckles that filled the room.

Over at the sick bay, which is part of the Training Camp, Angela "Mercy" Ziegler is having a chat with the girl that the Three Brothers had brought in earlier. The poor thing had tumbled out of a blue vortex, but it seems Mercy has already filled her in on what's been happening. As for the brothers, they're not around because they've gone back to the training grounds. You know, where they're supposed to be, keeping up with their drills and stuff.

The girl has an average height, she has a slender figure and a slightly tanned complexion, she had a short green-mint hair with an orange ribbon tie and she has violet-colored eyes. She wears a sleeveless white & black crop top with cleavage window, a collar and a yellow & black ribbon, she wears a white short pants with stitch-like patterns and brown folds, she wears a pair of white detached cuffs and a pair of black & brown boots. This is Zessica Wong.

Aquarion Pilot and New-Kowloon Student

Zessica Wong

"And that's about it." Mercy concluded while turning to Zessica, "Do you have any questions?" she inquired.

Zessica thought for a moment before shaking her head, "No, I think I've got a good grasp on the situation." she assured her.

"Alright." Mercy accepted, "I'll chat with the Communications Department and ask them to reach out to your people." she explained, "Just to let them know you're okay." she assured.

Zessica nodded in response, "Thanks." she murmured in gratitude.

With that taken care of, Mercy exited the infirmary, leaving Zessica by herself. Zessica took a deep breath and reached into her pocket, pulling out a small, worn-out photo. Gazing at the image of her friends, she tried to push the overwhelming thoughts aside. Worrying wasn't going to change anything, she reminded herself, so she focused on the comfort the photo brought instead.

Over in a cozy corner of the Training Camp's small kitchen, Mario Martinez is seen chatting away on his phone while lounging at the table with a wide grin stretches across his face.

"Yeah, absolutely!" Mario accepted, "We'd love to see you back here!" he cheered, "It's been ages since you and the others graced Neo-City with your presence." he reminded, "You've got so much to share with the fresh crop of heroes we're training." he beckoned while nodding emphatically, "Alright, we'll all be eagerly waiting for you." he said, "And let me tell you, Bow and Kratos are going to be over the moon when they hear you're coming back." he mused, "Safe travels!" he expressed.

In walks Louie Lovenhope while sipping on a soda, "Hey, President Mario." he greeted with a casual wave, "Who's that on the phone?" he asked, "Someone special?" he assumed.

Mario can't help but smile a little wider, "You could say that." he replied, "Some old pals of ours is heading this way." he shared.

"No kidding?" Louie mused with interest is piqued and his eyes lighting up, "Who's the big shot?" he asked.

"Some legendary veterans from the Freedom Heroes are coming to pay us a visit." Mario shared with a touch of excitement.

bzzzttt...

Concurrently, within the confines of an anonymous realm that is burgeoning with vitality courtesy of the resonance of heavy metal music, a pair of figures are seen engaged in a dialogue positioned in the vicinity of a substantial trailer.

The first figure is an old man with a tall stature, he had a muscular build and a caucasian complexion, he had a neck-length blonde hair and facial hair, he wears yellow-rimmed sunglasses and a red bandana wrapped around his head. He wears a red & orange feathery scarf over his shoulders, he wears a reddish-orange sleeveless muscle shirt with the words "Hulkamania" on his chest, red & yellow spandex pants with orange-flaming designs, a pair of yellow boots and a pair of arm bands. This is Hulk Hogan.

Professional Wrestler

Hulk Hogan

The second figure is a middle-aged man with an average height, he had an average build and a tan-complexion, he had a short brown hair and he had black-dotted eyes. He wears a high-collared brown coat over a dark-orange shirt, he wears brown pants and a pair of dark green shoes. On top of his head is a brown hat with a red band. This is Professor Hershel Layton.

Puzzle-Solver and Archaeologist

Professor Hershel Layton

"You know, people aren't gonna stop mentioning that about you." Layton pointed out while giving him a knowing look.

Hogan let out a heavy sigh, "Yeah, I'm well aware of it." he acknowledged.

"Do you really think he's going to wiggle out of this mess?" Layton wonder out loud.

"He's managed to slip through the cracks a bunch of times but I have a feeling this is the end of the road for him." Hogan replied with his voice filled with a mix of doubt and hope.

At that moment, a figure emerged from the trailer, sporting a battle axe and a guitar on their back.

The figure is a middle aged man with a tall stature, he had a stocky yet muscular build and a caucasian complexion, he has a black shoulder-length hair, sideburns and a goatee, and he has brown-colored eyes. He wears a black leather vest over a black t-shirt with a demonic symbol, he wears black pants with chains held by a belt with a demonic buckle and a pair of black & white rubber shoes. He also wears a pair arms bands with left band looking a bit large while sporting some spikes, and wears a roadie ID card. This is Eddie Riggs.

Demon Roadie

Eddie Riggs

"Sorry I kept you guys waiting while I sorted my stuff out." Eddie said with an apologetic smile.

"Don't sweat it, my friend." Layton reassured, "We've got plenty of time." he said.

"Alright, let's hit the road then." Hogan suggested while gesturing for them to get going.

Eddie nodded in response while giving his guitar a little tug to make sure it was comfortable, "Yeah, let's do this!" he beckoned with excitement in his voice, "It's about time we legends hit the open road again!" he declared.

And just like that, Eddie hopped onto his black doom buggy while Hogan and Layton climbed into their hummer truck and all set to go. They waved goodbye to the area behind them as they set off on their journey.

A/N: Inspired from someonestupED, damnlastwords, Jamesdean5842, Hope the Victor and Ace Neptune. All OCs and concepts not created by moi were given permission for me to use by it's respected creators.