Chapter Sixty-Seven

Dressed up, and waiting in the lobby, trying not to pace as the time dragged on, I felt an increasing sense of dread. Did I do something wrong? Have things gone bad already, while I wasn't there? The fact that literally every girl was late didn't exactly help either, Tenya outright calling Midoriya and demanding to know where the boy was. Think in movie terms. Bakugo isn't here like he was supposed to be, since he didn't win the Sports Festival, while Midoriya and the girls still haven't shown up. It could be starting now.

I didn't know what 'it' was, but it was enough to carry the plot of a movie, and in the world of MHA that meant nothing good. It was only the fact that, along with Sero, Mineta, Tenya, and I, that Todoroki was here with us, in a white suit, because of course he'd wear a white suit, that kept me from truly getting worried. The boy had some serious 'Protagonist' energy, along with Deku and Angry McSplodesalot, though Bakugo was more like an angrier Sasuke, only less shit.

Screw it, I thought, as I texted Mina, Momo, and Mei in our group chat.

Sparky: We were supposed to meet almost an hour ago. Did something happen?

Pinky: Mei doesn't want to wear a dress.

I let out a breath I didn't realize I was holding. Okay. Mundane shit. Not Villains. I can deal with this, I thought, smiling as I read the next message.

N3c3ss1ty: thy r dmb.

Creati: They are not, they have a great deal of aesthetic appeal, and are required for formal settings.

N3c3ss1ty: no pckt = dmb

Packet? I thought, confused, before I realized she meant it didn't have any pockets.

Pinky: dresses can have pockets

N3c3ss1ty: this 1 no pckt = dmb

I sighed in fond exasperation, as I hadn't checked what Mei had brought to wear myself, handling the other aspects of our trip.

Sparky: Mei, you said you brought formal clothing.

N3c3ss1ty: I DID thy sd no

Pinky: You brought a suit!

N3c3ss1ty: I brght PCKTS

"Bit of a wardrobe issue with the girls," I told the others, shaking my head.

Sparky: Momo, Quirk use is free here, please make a dress Mei will wear. Mei, please explain what you want. Mina, help make it look good.

N3c3ss1ty: I wnt pckts

Sparky: I meant explain to Momo and Mina. Mina, Mei prefers a steampunk/Victorian aesthetic.

A few minutes later my phone buzzed again, with three messages, almost at once.

Pinky: Whatchya think Sparky? Got her to let her hair down.

Creati: Mei claims you said she could bring a gun‽

N3c3ss1ty: I hve pckts

Sparky: Looking good!

Sparky: Security had no problems with it, and you're more dangerous by far, Factoria.

Creati: I suppose you are correct. My apologies for doubting you.

Sparky: It's fine, but you three should hurry. I think Ida's about to have an aneurism over how late you girls are.

Pinky: On our way!

Sighing again, I turned to Tenya. "Mina, Momo, and Mei are on their way. Bit of a wardrobe malfunction."

"Wardrobe malfunction, huh?" Mineta commented, giving me a sly smile. "Bet you wish you were there, huh?" I gave him a flat stare, under which he broke, looking away sheepishly. "Sorry! Just, you know, old habits. I mean, man, the line was right there."

"You have been trying," I admitted, "and you didn't do it in front of them, but... you get into the habit away from the others, you'll slip up and do it in front of them. Just... keep trying."

The purple-haired boy winced, "I will man, it's just... they're all so hot!"

"Mineta!" Ida reprimanded, but fell silent as I held a hand up.

"They are, and when we're all famous there's gonna be creeps that use their appearance to justify their own messed up behavior," I said, Ida nodding seriously. Given that the man came from a Hero family, he probably had aunts that dealt with just that thing. "But that's just another kind of 'It isn't my fault, it's her fault for wearing that!' bullshit. That 'You're so beautiful, I couldn't help myself' stuff you hear about? That girls talk about like they like? It only works if the girl already likes you, and even then, it's... not good."

I stopped pacing, trying to put why into words, and was surprised when Todoroki spoke up, the taciturn boy stating with quiet confidence, "If you can't help yourself when it comes to her, you won't be able to help yourself when you cheat on her.'

"I, um, yeah," I nodded to the boy in thanks, who gave me a measuring look, then tilted his head in acceptance. "It's one of those 'romantic' things that gives the girl a bit of a thrill, since most take pride in their appearance and like having that validated, but it opens the door for a lot of bad things if it actually happens. Yeah, all three are smoking hot," I smiled, as Tenya sent me a mildly perturbed scowl, "but while appearance is one part of it, character is another, and, honestly, a more important part. So even if you're a pretty boy like Todoroki-"

"What?" the boy in question asked, confused, one hand lifting up to self-consciously touch his scar.

"If you were an asshole, or worse, weak, they won't stay," I continued. "And yes, even with that, you're bishonen, Shoto. Up to you to decide what to do with that."

"Wait," Sero spoke up, lifting a hand, like we were in class. "Why is weak worse than being a jerk?"

"Because as a jerk, you're still strong, and women like strength, no matter what they might say," I shrugged, having learned from two lives how people acted, despite what they claimed, 'white lies' forming restraints so tight they choked. "Some girls don't understand that you can't always be strong, and will dump you as soon as you show vulnerability, also not understanding the difference between that and actual weakness, but you don't want to be with them anyways. No, if you're weak, you won't help them when they need it, while if you're an asshole, then even if you hurt them yourself, they'll think you'll still protect them from the worst of the world, and will follow you even then."

"He's not wrong," Shoto added, looking depressed yet thoughtful, which was kind of the boy's default state.

"But, what about confidence," Mineta questioned, frowning. "Fake it 'till you make it, ya know?"

I waved a hand in a 'kinda' gesture. "Confidence based on what? If you're undervaluing yourself, then yeah, 'faking' it can work, as you're actually just being an accurate level of confident, but just being 'confident'?" I shook my head, "Trust me, if you don't have anything to back it up, it's just a lie. And starting any kind of a relationship based on a lie is... trust me, you don't want that."

Sero frowned, "So, what? Be a jerk?"

"If it's that or be weak, then yes," I answered simply. "But we're training to be Heroes, which means we need to be better."

The tape-dispensing boy scoffed, "Tell that to Bakugo!"

"Heroes can be bad people too," Todoroki stated quietly, "But we shouldn't be."

There was a moment of awkward silence at that statement, thankfully broken when one of the scanning room doors opened, every entrance requiring you to be electronically searched before being let it in. Midoriya walked through it, in a brown striped suit with yellow undershirt, giving him a vaguely tree-like appearance, when paired with his dark green hair. Amusingly, he was still wearing his greaves, the pant-legs of his trousers pulled down over them, the black and bronze shoe-portions peeking out.

"Sorry about that... you... guys?" he asked, seeing the five of us standing there. "Uh, where is everybody?"

Ida, visibly thankful to have a safe topic, stepped forward, chopping his hand for emphasis. "They're not here yet! Does a proper meeting time mean nothing to you people!?"

A different set of doors opened, revealing Uraraka and Asui, the former in pink dress with a short poofy skirt, the latter in longer emerald outfit, the cloth hanging down but slit to let her move easily with her altered gait, while also showing off her legs in the process.

"Sorry we're late!" Ochaco offered with embarrassment. "It took me a while to get ready."

"I'm still not sure about this dress, ribbit," Tsuyu added, not quite hiding behind the other girl, but very obviously nervous.

"Daaaamn," Sero remarked appreciatively, Mineta just giving a solid nod of approval.

Midoriya smiled brightly, informing them, "You both look amazing!"

Both girls straightened at that, blushing slightly. "You, you really think so?" Uraraka checked, truly unsure, and not just fishing for compliments.

"It, looks really good," the boy answered guilessly. "Like, you both look perfect!"

Ochaco's blush threatened to go nuclear as she looked away, waving a forestalling arm in his direction. "Oh, Deku, stop, you don't have to flatter me so much!"

Asui just smiled, "You could flatter me more."

The doors opened again, and the other three girls walked out.

Momo was in a pale green shoulderless, and sleeveless, full dress that seemed as if it were one long stretch of fabric, showing generous cleavage and looking almost Grecian, along with an understated gold necklace and ruby earrings, her hair done up in its normal style, but with a golden, ruby studded clip holding it in place.

Mina was in an almost eye-searingly orange dress, with a skirt-like bottom, and a green cloth around her waist tied into an oversized bow at her back. The effect almost drowned out the pink of her skin, making her look almost like she had more normal tones, and I really wasn't sure I liked the effect, to be honest.

Mei, meanwhile, was wearing exactly what she was in her picture, the jet black lipstick really bringing out her mouth, which shifted from annoyed to a wide smile as she saw me. "Sparky!" she shouted, darting forward and launching herself for me in a flying tackle. "I have pockets!"

I caught the girl, spinning her about before placing her down by my side. "I heard," I smiled, looking to the other two. "Good job! She looks great, and it's really... her."

"It was mostly Mina who came up with the design," Momo deferred. "I just created what she sketched out."

"Pfshaw! I couldn't've made it without ya, YaoMomo," my girlfriend replied, not willing to take the full credit if she could share it with her friends. "And you're looking practically electric there, Sparky!"

I laughed, as I was wearing a jet-black suit that seemed to drink in the light, with bright yellow lightning bolts along the sleeves and pant legs, with a yellow undershirt, and lightning themed tie. Themed clothing was actually much cheaper than I thought, but Power Loader let me create this in the lab, so I got it for the low, low price of free. Given how a majority of my money was going to hotel rooms, I was okay with that.

Mei, meanwhile, tugged on my sleeve. "Hey, Partner, I've got an idea." I turned to look at her, and she pointed to my girlfriend. "Threesome," she stated with utmost seriousness.

There was a moment, akin to a record scratch of absolute silence.

"WHAT!?" Ida shouted, something echoed by pretty much everyone except for myself, Mina, and, of course, Mei.

I sighed, having an idea of what she was actually saying, but still asked, "And by that you mean..."

"Junior Partner! You and I can handle the parts that actually do stuff, and she makes them look pretty. A true genius would understand that function is form, but like when we made Araraku her stuff, we had to make it all pink for some stupid reason!"

"I'm right here," Uraraka commented, trying to be offended, but still blushing as she sent embarrassed looks Midoriya's way.

Mei just glanced at her, commenting blandly, "Oh, hey, you are." And just like that, the inventrix looked back to me, dismissing the anti-gravity girl. "And she didn't try and mess up our designs when we made our Acid Armor Baby! Not like... well not like some dumb people that don't matter!"

I looked at my partner, who never talked about her past, ever, and wanted to ask, but now wasn't the time. "I wouldn't say no, but it's ultimately her decision," I replied.

"I wouldn't mind helping, but you two can get kinda intense," my girlfriend replied, laughing. "Thanks, Mei."

"It'd be stupid to ignore talent," the inventrix offered with a shrug, very pleased with herself.

The doors opened, and Melissa came running out, with her hair down and back with a red hairband, with contacts instead of glasses, and with a two-toned dress with a skirt-style bottom, a black sash around her waist secured with a flower dividing the deep blue top from the ice-blue bottom.

"Oh, good, I thought I was gonna miss you guys!" she announced, the fact that she was older, and thus more physically mature, on full display.

Mineta, unable to contain himself, announced, "And the headliner has arrived! Oh, deciding to work here was worth every minute!"

Rolling my eyes, the boy at least kept his praise PG and well intentioned, the girls all oohing and awing over each others' dresses. Tenya, to his credit, let them do so for a couple minutes before finally announcing, "The party has already started, and we really should get going!"

"Ida's right," I seconded, getting a surprised look from the high-strung boy. "Besides, then we can do this while we eat."

Any objections the girls might have had were quickly silenced by the siren call of high class hors d'oeuvres, and we moved to the door, only to stop as a feminine, but obviously artificial, voice started to speak.

"This is an announcement from the I-Island Security System. We have received a report that an explosive device was discovered somewhere on the I-Expo grounds. I-Island will now be in high alert mode. Your safety is our top priority. Residents and tourists should return to their lodgings at this time. If that is not a possibility, please locate and locate yourself to the nearest secure building. Anyone remaining on the streets after ten minutes will be in violation of the law. Please clear out public areas."

The windows above the doors were quickly covered by steel shutters that slid down, one after the other, the doors leading outside locking, a red light appearing above them. "As a precautionary measure," the voice continued, "most main I-Island buildings will now be sealed up. I repeat, we have received a report-"

It shut off abruptly, and, from the way Melissa flinched, that wasn't supposed to happen.

"I'm not getting any signal," Shoto announced, looking at his cell phone. "It looks like my service is completely blocked."

"Are you serious?" Mineta demanded, visibly unnerved.

"The elevator's offline too, ribbit," Asui added.

Mineta glanced her way, "What's going on here?"

Melissa, meanwhile, looked troubled, muttering to herself, "It's strange that the system would go on high alert. That's not the protocol whenever explosives are discovered."

"Wait," I said, "How often does this happen? Wait, no, better question, aren't warnings like that supposed to repeat?"

"They are," she nodded. "It sounds like they were overridden, but that shouldn't happen either."

Then something messed up is happening, I thought, simultaneously worried, and relieved. The other shoe had dropped, but not nearly as hard as it could've. We were all together, and though we were out of uniform, none of us truly depended on our Support Items, except maybe Midoriya himself.

Speaking of Mini-Might, his expression firmed with determination as he walked over to me. "Denki, let's go to that party."

"Because that's where All Might will be?" I questioned, getting a serious nod from the boy.

"All Might's here?" Mineta asked, the small teen had not been part of the conversation when we'd mentioned Midoriya's side-trip before, and I nodded. "Oh thank goodness! We don't have anything to worry about, then!"

Midoriya turned to our local guide, "So, Melissa, do you know of any way we can get down there without the elevator?"

Down? I wondered, before remembering that, with how the tower was built, the ballroom was technically subterranean, as was a good portion of every building on the 'island'.

She nodded, waving an arm to the side, "Yeah, sure. We can use the emergency stairs. That will at least get us close."

"We'll follow your lead, then," the boy stated, with a commanding presence that I hadn't seen from him in person before. Right, Serious Deku is very different than normal Izuku.

We quickly made our way down several back passageways, Ms. Shield seeming to know exactly where to go, until the steel corridors opened up into furnished hallways, and, eventually, a circular chamber, which overlooked the ballroom, glass inset into the bottom of a circular pit in the chamber's floor, with railings to prevent anyone from falling in.

Through the glass bottom of the pit, looking into the ballroom, we could see everyone huddled down, sitting or on their knees, with people in costumes, likely heroes, bound by glowing teal ropes, while several men in helmets and armor, armed with assault rifles, stood around, watching. And there, on a platform at one end, was the Symbol of Peace, similarly bound.

"Why doesn't he break out and take them down?" Mineta asked. "Are those ropes that good?"

Melissa shook her head. "No, the Emergency Restraint System is strong, but Uncle Might should be able to shatter them easily!"

"Could it be he can't do it fast enough to stop them from killing the hostages?" Shoto put forward, but this time it was Midoriya who answered.

"No, he can. There must, there must be others somewhere. So that if these Villains are taken down, the others are still free," Izuku stated, with quiet confidence. "I wish we could talk to him."

I stared at the glass, and the area below, trying to come up with something. Talking to him, without being heard by the others, was something we couldn't do. But. . . "What kind of glass is that?" I asked, looking to the Melissa.

"Oh, um, it's actually not glass at all, but a transparent aluminum alloy," she told me. "You won't be able to break it."

I turned away from her, to my partner. "Audio receiver?" I asked, ideas already forming.

Mei blinked, looking down, considering it. "Resonance amplifier?" she questioned back, and I nodded, no way to really target it, but everyone seemed quiet, at the very least, so there shouldn't be that much interference.

"Have to be, but limited parts," I argued. "Cannibalize?" I asked in turn, holding up a bracer.

The pink-haired inventrix frowned, shaking her head. "No..." She looked around, spotting the lamps around us, turning to Melissa, "Hey, are those variable spectromatic lights?"

"I, um, yes?" the college girl replied, looking a little lost, while everyone else just stared at us. "But, they're part of the wall. You can't just pull them out with your bare hands."

Mei grinned broadly, reaching to her satchels and pulling out a pair of multi-tools, "Then it's a good thing I've got pockets!"

MHA

It only took us a few minutes, with a little brute-force help from Midoriya, a few needed parts from Momo, some targeted acid etching from Mina, some targeted piercing from my electric fingers, and an extra hand from Melissa, who looked a little lost as we cobbled together exactly what we needed, the older girl commenting, "I would've needed my lab at home to do half of this. This is... rough, and the tolerances-"

"Don't matter!" Mei grinned, happy as a pig in shit. "Because we only need this Baby to work for a few minutes, in non-combat conditions! Though we should make something better when we get home, Sparky!"

"I doubt I'll be coming across this kind of thing that often, partner," I chuckled, "though a more generalized one, maybe for glass, might be good. If we can get it compact enough."

With the device done, we primed the gel contact and I carefully reached down with elongated arms of lightning, glad the not-glass was there or else the gunmen would've certainly heard me crackle a little, as I pressed the lead down, making sure it sealed correctly. The wire ran up to the ad-hoc amplifier, which I, carefully as I could, ran a charge into, powering it up. Next to the speaker, Mina had her phone recording, just in case we had trouble hearing what was said, with no time to calibrate it whatsoever.

Nodding to Midoriya, the boy stood up to the railing, flashing his phone light, with a focuser Momo had created for him, to send a beam of light down at All Might's face, and only at All Might's face. "You can talk to us," the boy whispered, which was stupid until I realized that All Might could probably read lips. "We're listening."

The device picked up a susurrus, people whimpering, cloth rubbing as people shifted, but when All Might talked, it was soft, but clear. "Hope you can hear me," the man said, and Midoriya nodded, giving him a thumbs up. "Ah, Young Jiro must be with you. Some Villains have taken the tower! They have control of the security system and everyone on this island is now being held as a hostage! That includes the heroes that are at this party. It's dangerous. Get away from here as soon as you can!"

There was a moment of silence, as we all looked at each other. "Let's discuss this when we're safely away," Ida put forward, and we all nodded, heading back to the emergency stairwell, leaving the device in place. While it might be conspicuous, we were lucky not to be spotted the first time, and I'd rather not draw attention to the quarter-sized sensor if I didn't have to.

Everyone made their way back down the lavishly decorated hallway, Midoriya and Melissa at the front, Mei and I at the back as we pushed the receiver out of sight of the ballroom below.

"Partner," Mei asked quietly by my side as we stood up and followed the others, Mina and Momo waiting for us, "did you know this was coming?"

"Not this," I replied, just as low, as we walked up to the other two, who fell in step with us. "If I'd known specifics, I would've made sure we all had our Support Items. But... I had a feeling."

"Like before the USJ?" Mina questioned, frowning, and I nodded. "Well... shit."

"Pretty much," I replied, a little tiredly, but also with no small amount of confidence. The shit had hit the fan, and now I knew what we were dealing with. It was a bit like a punch you knew was coming, but not when, and now that it hit, the fight had started, and I could react. As the other three looked at me, concerned, I smiled. "Now let's see what we can do to save the day. We are Heroes, after all."

AN: As Usual, Next Four Chapter Up On !