With the training exercise over, the three groups, 1-A, 1-B and lighters, broke off to debrief with their respective teachers, though not before some gentle and not so warm-hearted taunting between combatants.
"Seriously! What the hell lady? Why aren't you in the hero track?" a still very sore and embarrassed Denki called after Hina.
Eijiro was in the blonde's ear the moment the electricity wielder spoke, whispering "Man, you need to let it go! It's not manly to question someone on what they choose to study!"
The blue-haired telekinetic in question had been walking with Emeralda and Terra on their way toward Jun but stopped and turned to face the boys. Her nose up and a her hand raised over her mouth, she let out a haughty laugh before exclaiming "What's wrong, little boy! It's not my fault a loser like you has to take classes just claw up to what I'm so naturally good at!"
Terra had stopped a few steps past Hina and looked back with disapproval. "Hina-chan, they're just trying to get better. Please be kind."
Hina looked away embarrassed at the light admonishment but Neito, already aware of what had happened to the four 1-A members unfortunate enough to have run into Hina, decided now was the time to taunt his rivals. Shoulders raised to emphasize the digging rhetorical question he was asking, the blonde copycat mockingly asked "What's this I hear? Did members of the once high and mighty class 1-A get their butts whipped by a lowly general studies student?"
Eijiro and Denki reared about to face the newcomer, their expressions defiant. Neither got the chance to retort though before Neito continued, his eyes narrowing and his gaze focused directly on Terra. "Then again, lighters seem to be absolutely full of surprises. One might even get the impression they were hiding something."
That caught the two boys from 1-A by surprise, neither sure what to make of the accusation. The three lighter girls though, Emeralda also having stopped to listen, offered the blonde blowhard icy stares. Eijiro and Denki suddenly felt like they had been completely forgotten and were being crushed by the pressure now baring down on them from the other four.
"If you have a problem, please direct your complaint to UA administration. We were asked to help assist in your education. Don't blame us if you were unable to meet your or this institution's expectations." Emeralda suddenly said coldly before turning to leave, making clear she didn't care to see Neito's reaction or continue the discussion further.
"We've got to go meet with Sanada-sensi. Please excuse us, Monoma-san." Terra added, trying to put on as sincere a smile as she could."
"Wish I could say it was a pleasure, you over-dressed clown!" Hina added, turning as well.
"Hina-chan!" Terra chided.
Neito, though, wasn't done, his face turning red at the snub and insult, calling after "Oh, I see! Running away? Well, I shouldn't be surprised from people who had to be saved like lost pupp-"
WAM!
Next thing Neito knew, he was laying flat on his back, six feet away from where he had stood, having been hit by some unseen force. Itsuka, the orange-haired class rep, now stood over him, having come to collect him and possibly knock him senseless if the need be. It appeared someone had beaten her to it. "Sorry for the trouble!" Itsuka called, waving at the departing lighters before she bent down to pick up her most demanding classmate.
"That was, uh, interesting…" Denki meekly said, having latched on to his red-haired classmate when Neito was hit. Seeing it happen to someone else had recalled his own experience being smacked around by Hina's quirk, causing fear to seize him.
"Get off me man…" Eijiro replied. Both boys left to join the rest of their class, both chastened but also now filled with questions they hadn't expected to have minutes earlier.
(X)
The six lighters and one general studies student trying for the hero course stood at attention in a line in front of Jun with only Terra showing any notable signs of injury, marks visible on her neck.
None of the lighters looked particularly worried. In fact, Shinra appeared out right pleased with himself, having gotten a good fight in. Michiru kept glancing at Zelgadis, trying to find some sign he was happy at having led the group to victory over a much larger group of opponents. She wasn't surprised though, to find the eternal grump looking annoyed. Having to guess, she was sure he felt like he'd done something wrong.
She'd find out soon enough when Jun finally spoke, his arms held behind his back and his pure white scarf blowing in the chilly wind. "So, you were clearly the winning team, even if the exercise ended before there was a final resolution. Still, I'm curious to know how you each think you did?"
"I think you owe me some caviar." Hina cheekily answered.
Terra and Shinra chuckled at that, by now well used to Jun's teaching style and clearly at ease despite how serious the older man was presenting himself.
"Indeed." the former rescue hero said dryly, despite the playful look in his eye. "You fulfilled your role well, Yoshifumi, and I will honor that promise. Then again, you weren't truly the one being tested here, were you?"
Though everyone there but Hina was in or aiming to be in the hero course, all eyes turned to the scowling chimera before he rolled his eyes and spoke with no small degree of annoyance "I took to many risks, left Yoshifumi completely unsupported and walked right into a trap, yeah I know."
"You did all of those things, yes." Jun acknowledged firmly. "But life is not without risk. You were audacious, knew your teams' strengths and above all else, you trusted them, even someone you just met." delivering those last words just as firmly, as though the praise was meant to scold the chimera for being too hard on himself.
Zelgadis looked stunned, at first staring back at the now proud visage of the lighters' mentor before he turned to look at the rest of his team. Beaming smiles and nods of respect greeted him, though it was the genuine and warm smile from the tanuki girl beside him he found himself lingering on for perhaps a moment too long.
After a moment, Michiru seemed to realize the attention and the smile turned to confusion before Zelgadis quickly looked back at Jun and asked something that had been on his mind "Sanada-sensei, thanks for the kind words. I'll do better next time, but can I ask, what the hell happened to Midoriya? That…didn't seem normal."
"Or expected." Emeralda added.
The retired hero didn't hide his concern when he replied "Honestly, I don't know. That'll likely be something he will have to answer, should he be willing. It wasn't like any quirk awakening I've ever heard of, but then quirks can at times be…unpredictable."
"I see. I'll go ahead and ask him then." the rock-encrusted sorcerer answered. Zelgadis knew the nature of Izuku's quirk was a secret which meant if Jun knew something he likely couldn't share it but given the look in the older man's face, he doubted Jun knew the answer.
"Alright, back on topic. Zelgadis will now be lifted from his punishment and no longer have to attend training with Bakugo and Mineta. I expect you three will again be going on missions again soon. Before we go into everyone else, I do want to pass on a message to Shinso from Aizawa-sensei."
When the wild-haired brainwasher perked up on hearing his mentor's name, Jun couldn't help a smile from creeping up the side of his mouth. "He said, quote 'Good job. More details later.'" Jun said, doing his best deadpan to mimic his dower former student.
Hitoshi couldn't help but smiled himself while the lighters beside him offered congratulations. After a moment, Shinra give him a heavy pat on the back that staggered him and brought further smiles to everyone's faces.
Raising his voice to bring things back to order, Jun continued "With that out of the way, let's go over how everyone did, shall we…"
(X)
With all the students dismissed from training and classes for the rest of the weekend, each began to make their way back to their dorms to dress down and clean up or recover as the case may be. Hitoshi had left to go find Shouta, leaving the six lighters to head back together. There had some recounting of each other's battles when Terra stepped ahead of the group and turned, causing the rest to stop. "I think we should celebrate! We worked together to do this, I think we should go out and have some fun together. What does everyone say?"
The more introverted members of the group, namely Zelgadis and Emeralda, visibly recoiled at the idea while Shinra pumped his fist and replied heartedly "Oh yeah!"
"It couldn't hurt to hit the town with you all, just this once." Hina answered, a light smirk on her lips.
A teasing smile now on her face, Terra turned to Zelgadis and pressed "What does the man of the hour think? My treat!"
Trying his best not to let a frown sink onto his face and ruin the mood, the put upon chimera only partially succeeded, his lips coming to an odd pucker before he signed deeply and answered "Fine. Just no karaoke. I have…some bad memories."
The more outgoing members of the group cheered, but the mood was brought down a bit when Michiru spoke up, having been uncharacteristically quiet. "Uh, guys, I'm so sorry but I already made plans tonight with Sakon."
"The ant?!" Hina blurted out, sounding offended.
Michiru shrank against the scrutiny, more so when she saw the hurt look on Zelgadis' face. Trying to ignore the guilt, she stood tall and opened her arms wide, pleading "I know! But I promised her some friend time and I kinda owe her. Any chance we could postpone until tomorrow?"
"Shinra and I will be at our internships." Terra quickly replied with disappointment.
"I, too, will be training with Master Saotome." Emeralda added.
"You didn't even say if you would go!" Shinra pointed out to the nanomachine girl.
"I would join you if it made everyone happy." The tan girl replied simply, bringing an annoyed scowl from the former fire soldier.
"Please don't let me not being there ruin it for everyone else!" Michiru interjected before adding "I'll make it up to Zelgadis later, I promise." offering a literal puppy dog face to the chimera.
If he had been taking a drink in that moment, Zelgadis would have done a spit-take. As it was, he struggled and ultimately failed to keep his composure, as he broke down laughing.
"Not the reaction I was going for, but I'll take it!" Michiru cheered.
The others, even the stoic Emeralda broke a smile, the chimera's laughter bringing the mood back up.
Doubled over, one arms over his stomach from laughing, Zelgadis waved his hand at Michiru with the other and managed to get out "Fine…but I will keep you to that promise, got it Michiru?"
A knowing smile crept onto Terra's face and she couldn't help but ask "Oh? You two going to head back to the Nekoya?"
"NO!" both Michiru and Zelgadis shouted at the same time.
Taking a step back, Terra put her hands out defensively and quickly said "Sorry, sorry! I'm sure whatever you two do will be fun. Now, lets get back and relax for a bit and meet up in front of the house at six?"
With nods, the group continued on to their dorm, their home.
(X)
Tap tap tap*
Slowly, ever so slowly, an annoyingly regular sound began to fill Sadou Maou's awareness.
Tap tap tap*
Everything seemed to hurt. From his smallest toe to the hairs on his head, the former demon lord was increasingly aware that he wasn't, in fact, dead but he was beginning to wish he was.
tap tap tap*
"What the hell is that infernal sound?" he managed to grumble. With great effort, Sadou began to force his eyes open, despite the bright light he already knew would greet them. Sure enough, when his eyes opened, the light of the space he was in seemed blinding. Yet, he was too weak to shield his eyes, and could only groan as he quickly closed them once more.
tap tap tap*
Though his eyes were closed again, Sadou was becoming more and more aware and he realized that taping sound was more akin to someone rhythmically rattling their fingers on a surface.
"Whose…whose there?" What happened to me? Where am I?" he challenged, his voice carrying all the confidence he absolutely lacked in his weakened state.
The tapping finally stopped, and for a moment, it was a blessing. That blessed silence was, however, quickly replaced by the nasally annoying voice that he had grown to hate and fear. "My, my, I see you've finally woken up." said one Xellos Metallium.
Instantly, Sadou's eyes flew open, pain from the bright light be damned and he found the strength to turn his head toward the source of the voice. The bright light was to much and he was forced to close one eye, but one was still enough to see Xellos leaning over him, adorned in his pin-stripped purple suit and a pen in his hand, his ever-present smile seeming to loom over the deposed demon lord.
"YOU!" Sadou spat "What is this, some sick joke? Here to finish the job, you monster?!"
Returning to his full height, Xellos placed a hand on his chest in mock injury and replied, "Flattering me again? Come now, demon lord, I've already spared your life, you'll get no further favors from me."
It took a moment, but Sadou realized he was in a bed, part of a sparce and bare room and not in a cell or dungeon. It was also clear a bright light was being hung right over his face, nearly blinding him when he looked up at it. "What the hell! This some kind of torture in your world?!"
After a brief chuckle, Xellos jovially replied "Come now, we don't even have electricity where I'm from! No, no, I was just tired of waiting for you to wake up so I thought this would speed things along! Seems it worked."
"Bastard…."
"Anyway…" Xellos started, reaching over to finally turn the infernal light off, "You're still in Deika City, if you were curious. Shigaraki defeated your leader and is now the head of your little insurrectionist group. You managed to save your staff, too, by the way. Very commendable."
With the bright light gone, it became much easier to see, allow Sadou to open both eyes, which went wide at hearing that information. "That, that's great! Well, not the wacko winning thing but…why are you telling me this?"
"I'll ignore that comment about Shigaraki even if it's true, after all, but…" Xellos leaned in again to finish his thought "it's a…secret!"
If Sadou could faceplant, he would have. As it was, he just stared at the purple-haired mazuku and replied flatly "Really?"
Excitedly sitting down on his haunches, hands raised to his mouth like an excited school girl, Xellos replied "OH, ok! You've twisted my arm! Truth is, you impressed me! From one demon to another, you showed loyalty to your cause, and I can respect that!"
Sadou couldn't be sure if this fool was for real. This annoying prick that had faked his own death and had now worked for not one, but two separate criminal organizations was praising his loyalty and the thought was sickening and hilarious at the same time to the former demon lord. The irony was not lost on Sadou as he smiled inwardly about the fact that he was a spy for the hero commission. Then again, Sadou wasn't even sure what Xellos knew. It was so hard to tell with this guy, with his ever-present smile and disarming foolishness that Sadou could only guess. And guessing was very dangerous just now.
Right now, though, there was only one way to get more information. "Respect what? Seems like every word out of your mouth is a honeyed lie. What could a back-stabbing monster like you know about loyalty?" Sadou challenged, hoping to goad something out of the man that was his savior and possibly his jailer.
From his squatting position, Xellos reached out and patted Sadou's head as if the McGonald's manager was a silly child. "There are many kinds of loyalty, my dear demon lord. For some, it's to a person. Others, an organization. And for others still, a cause. These things can overlap or be diametrically opposed. To each, their own, after all. For you, it seems you would do anything for the people you care about, whether they are in this world or your own. Am I wrong?"
Sadou gritted his teeth. The bastard had turned his question around on him, like any good politician. Xellos was slippery indeed. Sadou realized he wasn't likely to get anything out of the bastard. Still, it couldn't hurt to ask one more question. "And what is it that you are so loyal to, then, Xellos?"
Xellos stood back up, a giant, possibly genuine smile on his face as he answered, "Come now, demon lord, you should know the answer to that one!"
Sadou quirked an eyebrow, confused, though a building sense of dread filled his stomach. "Oh? Enlighten me."
"It's a secret!" Xellos exclaimed, almost on reflex, causing Sadou to moan and roll his eyes.
Xellos burst out laughing before adding "Oh, that was classic! Just for that, I'll tell you at least this much. There is little I love more than a little chaos!"
Sadou frowned as he watched Xellos approach the door. When the mazuku put his hand on the door knob, he turned his head and said "I expect you to report to you bosses at McGonald's that all is well here and that you will be back on the job. Don't let anyone know you're a lighter and everything should go fine. You understand?"
"Not at all but yeah, I can do that." Sadou acknowledged. He didn't know how long it would take for him to get on his feet again but one thing was for sure, McGonald's corporate weren't the only ones he was going to be contacting as soon as he could.
"Good. Now I have another meeting that I absolutely don't want to be late for." Xellos finished, an edge to his voice that had been absent till then and sent chills down Sadou's spine.
(X)
"Wait, you stood up all your isakai'ed friends to hang out with me?"
Michiru and Sakon had met up after the tanuki girl said her goodbyes to her friends and left the UA campus, on their way to the surprise the ant girl had promised her. The brash upper classmen looked very surprised when Michiru had told her of their victory in the morning and party she was skipping, which caught the tanuki girl off guard as well.
With a blush, Michiru replied "Well, yeah. I mean, I did promise you after all and it didn't seem right to just brush you off because everyone decided to hang out at the last minute, you know?"
Sakon gruffly threw two of her arms over Michiru's opposite shoulder and exclaimed "Aww! That's sweet! It feels great to actually have a real friend! Now I can't wait to see your face when I tell you where we're going!"
"That caused Michiru's ears to perk up and she replied, wide-eyed "Oh yeah, where are we going?"
Sakon wagged a finger with her free upper left hand and answered "Uh-ah, not yet! We eat first, then the surprise, if I can wait that long anyway. Still, gotta be real, I totally wouldn't have been upset if you had brushed me off. Woulda been a great chance to have some fun with your boy toy!"
At that, Michiru scowled and shoved Sakon off of her angrily. saying "What's that supposed to mean? Why does anyone think me and Zel are a thing? We're not, ok! He doesn't even like me like that!"
If Sakon was offended by the push, she didn't show it. Instead, she wore a sly grin and predatory look in her eyes as she rushed ahead of Michiru and turned to face her. "Oh, come on! I saw the look on his face when we came back from our little fight. He totally cares for you whether you want to accept that or not!"
Michiru tried to step aside from the ant girl, but Sakon kept shifting to get in her way as Michiru countered "He's a good friend, sure but that doesn't mean he likes me! He's a blunt kind of person, if he did feel that way, he'd have said so already!"
The smile on Sakon's face widened, fully aware she was making progress. Finally letting Michiru pass, the ant girl threw her arm around Michiru again and asked pointedly "Whether that's true or not, I think you're missing something. Do you like him?"
Michiru, who up this point had been frowning, came to a hard stop, causing Sakon to nearly trip over herself. "What?"
Sakon, now again in front of Michiru, turned and put her upper arms on the tanuki girl's shoulders. Michiru had a stricken look on her face, and Sakon couldn't help but feel for her. "Girl, you're doing it again. You need to be honest with yourself. Stop focusing on everyone and everything else. Whether he likes you or not doesn't matter if you don't feel the same way. So stop being an idiot and just answer the question: Do you like him?"
Sakon's words were like a revelation. The dumb ant girl was right. Through it all, the battles, the fights with each other, the time apart, the not date that clearly was one now that she looked back on it. She'd been focused on getting home, training, helping Emmy, saving a little girl, freeing heteromorphs. Anything but think about the man that reminded her so much of Shirou and yet was so much more caring and vulnerable. The man who at first seemed to hate her and now…she thought back to the concert and the look the two shared when she first got back.
A blush slowly spread across Michiru's face but the most she could get out in response to Sakon's question was "I…I…"
Sakon patted Michiru's shoulders and pulled her arms away, saying "You don't have to answer now, but it looks like I gotcha thinking, which is funny coming from my impulsive ass but I think I've done my job!"
Michiru suddenly reached out and punched Sakon in the shoulder, a smile coming onto her face "You've done something, that's for damn sure! Way to ruin the mood for whatever surprise you have for me…"
Sakon played at rubbing her shoulder with one hand while pulling something out of her pocket with another. "Oh, going to be like that are we? Well say that again after I flash these babies!"
Suddenly with two slips of paper being wagged about in front of her face, Michiru's eyes went wide. "Are those…they are! Basketball tickets!? I didn't even know anyone played professionally here!"
Without hesitation, the tanuki girl snatched the tickets out of Sakon's hands, who gladly let her do it, smug satisfaction on her face. After a moment of gleefully looking the tickets over again, Michiru caught herself and turned to look at her friend, a hint of suspicion in her voice. "Wait…there isn't some weird catch, is there? This is just basketball, right?"
Sakon raised an eyebrow, confused by the question. After a moment, she thought she had it and replied "if you mean 'are quirks allowed' then no, it's just straight basketball. Why? What were you thinking?"
Cautious optimism crept back into Michiru's voice. "So…no one's trying to kill to their opponents or anything like that? No weird rule where the losers have to sacrifice one of their teammates or anything like that, right?"
"Um, no? Girl, are you ok? What the hell kinda sports did ya play back home anyway?" Sakon asked, truly worried.
Breathing a sigh of relief, Michiru waved her friend off and said "Forget it. I just can't wait to see a game again!"
"Oh no, you're totally telling me this story where we sit down to eat!" Sakon insisted, taking the tickets back in one swift motion, bringing a pout to the tanuki girl's face.
"Fine! But I'm paying for the meal. Least I could do for getting to see some action on the hardwood again!" Michiru declared, a new spring in her step.
(X)
"You…wanted to see me, All Might?" a nervous Izuku asked as he stepped into the teacher's lounge of UA. This, after he'd had time to head back to the dorms, clean himself off and decompress from the morning's events, hard as that was with his classmates a mix of curious and concerned for him.
The inheritor of One for All couldn't hide his surprise when he was greeted not just by his idol but by the brunette lighter and counselor, Hitomi Kanzaki. Both adults were standing, appearing to have been in conversation when Izuku entered. The worried expression that greeted him from Hitomi caused Izuku to pause mid-step and he found he couldn't summon the words to greet her.
Instead, Hitomi's expression grew guilty as she said "Hello Midoriya-san, I'm sorry if my presence startled you. Your teacher was just filling me in on your…unique situation. I have to say I'm sorry I didn't know sooner. If I'd known so much pressure had been placed on your shoulders, I would have insisted we talk more often."
Izuku noted the look of shame on All Might's face, a clear indication the counselor had shared similar thoughts in notably less diplomatic terms already. This also confirmed that Michiru and the others hadn't revealed his secret to the other lighters, which was comforting. Still, Izuku felt he needed to save his mentor and nervously replied "Please don't blame All Might, Kanzaki-san. I knew what I was getting into when he offered me his quirk."
A small frown found it's way onto Hitomi's face before she countered "Did that include having voices in your head?
"Oh, heh, he told you about that, did he?" Izuku squeaked out.
"Considering I never had anything happen to me kid, you bet I mentioned it." Toshinori finally spoke up, apparently finished being chastised.
"Now that I know the burden you bare and our mutual connection to All for One because of it, I feel obligated to help any way I can." Hitomi explained before offering "To that end, I want to use my power to see if I can help you gain more clarity from these…vestiges as you called them, if you're willing, Midoriya-san."
Izuku struggled to keep from being overwhelmed by all of this. When he went to bed last night, all that was on his mind was what the join exercise was going to be like and how he could do his best. Now he was having weird dreams, scaring his friends and being talked to by ghosts while his quirk had gone out of control. Now someone from another world was offering to help and his life felt completely turned on its head.
The uncertainly most have been clear on the young hero's face because Toshinori stepped up and put a calming hand on Izuku's shoulder and said "Midoriya, it's ok. I know it's been a lot to take in and it's ok if you say no and want some time, but I got to be honest, I don't know how much time there is."
That seemed to snap the freckled young man out of his uneasiness, his eyes gaining a determined glint as he looked back at Hitomi and said "No! It's, it's ok! It's important that I learn as much as I can so I can be ready!"
Toshinori stepped back and offered a thumbs up while saying "That's it, kid! Just don't push yourself too hard, ok?"
That caused a look of confusion to come over Izuku and he asked "Push myself? What does that mean, Kanzaki-san? What is your power?"
The brunette counselor took a deep breath, as if the question itself were a heavy burden about to be lifted. "The last time I went to another world, I manifested the ability to see the unseen, look into the past and…see the future."
"The last time?"
"Now though," Hitomi continued, unabated, "I can mostly look into a person's mind and their past. It helps immeasurably with my work. If the quirk that was passed onto you contains parts of the past users of the quirk, that means they are a part of you now and I should have little trouble reaching them."
"I…I don't know. They seemed to think I wasn't really ready yet. Maybe we shouldn't-"
"Go beyond?" Toshinori all but smirked.
Izuku's eyes widened. Hitomi stepped closer to the nervous boy and took his hand in hers, a warm smile beaming at him as she said "You don't have to, Midoriya, but if you decide to, I will be with you the whole time and we can stop at any time. You told All Might that you weren't able to speak either time the vestiges spoke to you?"
Izuku nodded.
"Well rest assured, one way or the other, the conversation will be a lot less one-sided." Hitomi assured him.
Izuku looked at the dainty hand holding his own, a hint of red coming to his cheeks before he looked over to his idol. Toshinori's eyes may have been deeply sunken into his skeletal frame but there was still a confidence there that helped Izuku make his decision.
"I'll do it." he said, nodding confidently.
Hitomi smiled and gently squeezed his hand before letting go. "Thank you, Midoriya. I promise we won't take long, I'm supposed to be resting myself from doing this all week already but after All Might reached out to me, I had to come. Please sit down and get comfortable, we'll get started in a moment."
Complying, the freckled boy sat casually as he watched Hitomi come to sit across from him, a pendent dangling from her hand she had pulled from around her neck. "Ok, Midoriya. Just relax and look at the pendant. Think back to your dream, to those people you saw in the void…"
(X)
"I can't believe I let you all trick me like this…." Zelgadis lamented. He, Emeralda, Terra, Shinra and Mobb sat around a table in an enclosed room at a restaurant that Hina had picked out for them to celebrate their victory earlier that day.
That, by itself had sounded fine to the cankerous chimera. The problem was, they had barely been seated and ordered drinks before the muffled sounds from beyond the walls clued Zelgadis into the truth.
"I TOLD you I didn't want to do karaoke!" Zelgadis all but bellowed at Hina, who wore a shit-eating grin, entirely unfazed by the chimera's ire.
"How many of you knew? Huh? Does what I want mean anything to you? Some friends…" Zelgadis continued to rant before he crossed his arms and huffed, looking away.
Hina burst out laughing, unable to contain herself. Terra looked guilty herself and Shinra was grinning himself, giving away who had been in on the conspiracy. Emeralda and Mobb looked on, confused, though the meek black-haired boy looked concerned for how upset Zelgadis looked.
"Ah, come on! How bad could it be? You never told us why you hated karaoke, so we thought it was only fair if the majority could have fun." Hina reasoned, offering a challenge to Zelgadis to explain himself, glaring right at him.
"Yeah, come on man! What could be so bad that you hate doing something so fun?" Shinra asked, elbowing the rocky sorcerer.
"Something dark and depressing, I'm suuure!" Hina taunted.
"It…was something embarrassing, ok? Just leave it at that." Zelgadis offered, refusing to look at anyone.
"Well, I say it's time to make some better memories!" Shinra exclaimed.
Zelgadis rolled his eyes and whispered "This couldn't get any worse…"
"Hiya, everyone!" a girl with long red hair, a huge trench coat, oversized sunglasses and Fundora hiding her deathly pale skin.
"Sakura! You made it!" Terra said, happy to see another old friend.
"Goddamnit." Zelgadis muttered.
Taking off her disguise to avoid her fans and sitting next to Emeralda, Sakura beamed at everyone and replied "I'm just glad I had some free time to come hang out! I'm so glad to hear things have been getting better for you Zelgadis!"
His name mentioned, the chimera meet the zombie idol's eyes and couldn't help but lose some of that anger when he saw how happy she was for him. It had been her words, her sharing her story with him that had lit the spark the led him to joining Kyoko's band for the festival.
After a moment, Zelgadis allowed himself a small smile, if a brief one, and answered "Thanks, Sakura."
Said redhead's smile got bigger as she replied "Anytime! Now, whose going first!"
"We haven't even ordered yet, Sakura-san." Mobb pointed out.
"Ah, poo!" Sakura pouted.
After getting their order in and the food arriving, Sakura couldn't help but ask "Zelgadis, I thought you'd be happier to have your punishment lifted, what's wrong?"
"Zelgadis has stated that he doesn't enjoy karaoke." Emeralda answered before Zelgadis could start into another rant.
The moment the nanomachine girl was done speaking though, Hina cut in and said mockingly as she waved her chopsticks around "Yeah, yeah, some brooding backstory. Yada, yada. We all know why Rocky Sadface over here is upset."
"We do?" Mobb innocently asked, earning him a pair of rolled eyes from his fellow telekinetic.
"Uh huh." Hina answered, turned to look Zelgadis in the eye.
Said chimera's own eyes went wide as he realized what she was about to say and he shot out "Don't you dare-"
"His little Michiru isn't here." Hina continued, unabated, using a cutsy voice and finishing by puckering her lips and making kissing sounds.
Instantly, Zelgadis stood up and he glared at his blue-haired tormentor but said nothing before he turned, slid the door open and stormed out.
There was a brief moment of silence before Terra spoke up, her tone admonishing "Hina…"
Hina's smile was gone but she refused to be cowed and shrugged her shoulders and replied "What? We all know it's true."
"That's not the point and you know it." Terra countered." You went too far. This is supposed to be as much a celebration for him as anyone."
"Fineeee! I'll apologize when he gets back, ok?" Hina whined.
"I really think you should go now." Terra pointed out.
"Nah, Emeralda's got it!" Sakura interjected.
"What?" Terra asked, confused.
"Yeah, I let her out already. She's got this!" Sakura said cheerily. Terra again glared at Hina, who finally showed some contrition and looked away, a hint of shame on her face.
It took little effort for Emeralda to find Zelgadis. He'd only gone as far as outside the door to the restaurant. His hood was up and his back was turned to her but Emeralda could guess he was looking on at a couple that was passing by, their hands locked and the pair seemingly lost in their own little world as they talked to each other.
"I could call her, you know." Emeralda said to the chimera's back before coming to stand beside him and looking out onto the street.
"We've been over this, Emeralda. What I do or don't feel doesn't matter. We're all aiming to go home to our own worlds. It'd be foolish to start something, so please, could you, at least, respect my wishes?" Zelgadis said, his voice distant, hallow.
Emeralda opened her mouth to speak then closed it again before looking over at the taller lighter and asking, "What would be so bad about being happy with someone, even if it was for a short while?"
Zelgadis instantly turned, his eyes hard and his teeth clenched as he sharply retorted "Are you stupid? It hurts to lose the ones you care about. To know you'll never see them again…How could I ask her to care for me and then leave her? Doesn't that sound cruel beyond measure?"
Emeralda was unfazed by the harsh tone of Zelgadis' words and in fact, the expression she offered gave the chimera the impression she thought he was the stupid one. It was an unsettling feeling, seeing that look on her normally expressionless face.
"I watched as my creator, my father and mother were murdered and I had to sleep for nearly four thousand years, alone. I know what loss is, Zelgadis Greywards. You do too. But as much as it hurt to lose them before I could even touch them, knowing they loved me, that will stay with me forever. If you care for Michiru, tell her, before it's too late. Let her choose whether that pain is worth it."
Zelgadis stood, his limbs numb as he heard his friends' powerful words. He had none himself. She was right. He knew it. Hell, everyone around them seemed to know it. Yet, he couldn't shake the feeling that telling her would be wrong. Like he'd be losing something he dare not let go.
So, without anything concrete to offer Emeralda, he turned to something else that was bothering him. "And what about you, Emeralda?"
The nanomachine girl was caught off guard by the question for a moment before replying "I have previously stated that I don't feel I am ready for anything…romantic, regardless of where I might find myself."
Zelgadis shook his head and countered "I wasn't being so specific. I mean, you're always looking out for us two. Don't think I didn't figure out you set us up at the weird restaurant. If we're dispensing advice here…I think you don't spend nearly enough time worrying about yourself. Me, Michiru, Eri, the other lighters. Even if you don't really see yourself as a thing so much anymore, I get the feeling you still don't really think too highly of yourself."
"That would be because I am not very good at being a person. A look around at this very moment and I see people going about their business, working, having fun or just headed home. I see people. Yet when they look at me, I know that they can see just how hollow I am. How much different I am to all of them. How could I see myself for anything other than what I am?" Emeralda explained, her calm façade hinting at breaking as she spoke.
Zelgadis smirked, an expression thankfully hidden by the hood of his jacket. Now it made sense to the chimera. With reassuring confidence, Zelgadis explained "Your being way too hard on yourself. Take it from someone who felt something very similar."
"You? But…your anger notwithstanding, you have always felt like someone capable and confident." Emeralda responded, surprised.
"Come on, you know I hate the way I look. There was a long time where I thought every time someone looked at me, they could see just how much I hated myself for letting this happen to me. Turns out it was just the rocks they were looking at." Zelgadis quipped, causing the tan girl laugh briefly.
"Listen, I've been a lot of places and met a ton of people while looking for a cure and I can promise you, you're a much better person than just about all of them. You have a big heart. Maybe too big. You just need to accept your shortcomings and work on them. Also something I have some experience with." Zelgadis finished, offering a gentle nudge with his elbow.
Emeralda again offered a small smile before a more determined look came over her face and spun to look up at the chimera. "Zelgadis."
Suddenly flustered by Emeralda's more assertive visage, he stuttered out "Ye, yes?"
"Please tell her."
With that, Emeralda turned and went back into the restaurant without another word.
Zelgadis took another long moment to look up at the almost starless night sky before he shouted "DAMNIT!" startling a group of teenagers passing by at that exact moment. With a blush of embarrassment, he, too, went back in the restaurant.
(X)
"Ka, Kanzaki-san? Is it supposed to be dark in here?" a very worried Izuku asked into the void that he found himself in.
Luckily for the unnerved teen, he didn't have to wait at all for a response, even if the voice from everywhere and nowhere was almost as disquieting. "It's ok Midoriya. I'm with you. I thought being apart of you, I would have no trouble connecting with these vestiges but it looks like I'll need your help."
Looking around for a face to attach to the voice to, Izuku's eyes were drawn back to his front when particles of light formed into the shape of a person. Izuku was sure it would be Hitomi he would see but once the light disappeared, he wasn't as sure. "Uh, Kanzaki-san? Is that you?"
The girl in front of him, likely no older than he was, did a once over on herself and blushed slightly before looking back up at Izuku with an embarrassed smile and said "Heh, sorry Midoriya. I thought you would find it more comfortable if I appeared closer to your age while I peered into your mind. This is how I looked when I last was taken from my world."
Hitomi, now a bit shorter, her face smoother and eyes appearing a bit larger, definitely read as younger. Her brown hair was lighter and was definitely longer and less professional looking, adding to her cute appeal. She was now wearing a light yellow overcoat with a brown overlay that sat atop a white shirt with a red bowtie. Her brown pleaded skirt, white socks and sneakers completed the school girl look, even if the uniform looked very outdated by Izuku's standards.
"O, oh. You…didn't have to do that, Kanzaki-san! You were fine the way you were, promise!" Izuku nervously replied.
At first, the freckled boy had a hard time looking the girl in front of him in the eye, a blush coming over his face. But when their eyes did meet, Izuku could see it. Now matter how much Hitomi had changed her appearance, the look in her eyes hadn't changed. There was still a certain weight to them that a girl she appeared to be shouldn't have. Izuku couldn't help but feel pity in that moment. Had it lingered longer, he may even had asked about it.
Instead, he was brought back to the moment when Hitomi took his shoulders and said "That's sweet, but to be honest, it helps me focus sometimes too. Now, I need you to focus on remembering that dream you had last night. Can you do that for me?"
Izuku nodded him head, clearing any other thoughts from his mind and said "Yes, absolutely!" yet, as he tried, a feeling of fogginess began to fill his mind, as if resisting him.
Closing his eyes, Izuku focused harder, trying to recall any detail at all from that conversation that, until a few moments ago, had been one of the clearest memories he had.
"Midoriya!"
On hearing Hitomi's call, Izuku flashed open his eyes, now realizing he was now covered in the same nebulous darkness that had covered most of his body during his dream. It was the same substance that had made it impossible for him to talk to the vestiges and it now restricted his speech to Hitomi. It was all too clear what was happening but now it was too late for him to say so!
"Midoriya, what's going on? I'm, I'm losing my hold!" Hitomi exclaimed, as the darkness around them began to flash with chaotic swirls of pink light. "I've never felt this kind of resistance before! Midoriya! It's One for All! It's like it's an entirely separate entity within you!"
Fear and anger gripped Izuku as he screamed at the top of his lungs, trying to answer the counselor only for feeble muffled grunts to be audible coming from him thanks to the mist pressed against his mouth. Hitomi seemed disoriented, stumbling about and clasping her hands to her chest, as though just trying to keep herself together. Somehow, Izuku knew that if he could just get her to touch him, he could make this go away.
With every ouch of willpower he had, Izuku pushed with his foot. With equal measure, the haze resisted. The harder he pushed, the more and more Izuku felt his very essence was being pushed back.
Hitomi fell to knees, her hands to her face, pain twisting her features. This was it. If Izuku was going to do anything, now was the time!
"RAAAAHHHHHAAA!" he screamed, his body filled with the urge to help the person suffering in front of him as he threw the sudden surge of power into his feet. With a slow lurch, his right foot lifted up and with a heavy, sudden thrust forward, it stomped down. It was hard, so very hard but Izuku knew he could do it again, the victory fueling a second surge, this time to his other foot. Then another, and another.
Seemingly endless moments later, Izuku, still constrained and covered in mist, was upon the suffering and disoriented Hitomi, frantic muffled grunts going unheard or unheeded by the apparent schoolgirl.
Finally, out of fear, desperation and the unbridled urge to help, Izuku's arm thrust forward, not to grab Hitomi, the mist made that impossible. No, just any contact would do. Hitomi sat, unaware and unable to move as the limb reached her.
And when the haze covering Izuku touched one of her hands covering Hitomi's face, bright, shining light burst from the point of contact, blasting away the haze covering Izuku. For several moments, the freckled boy could see nothing, and he called out for her now that he could "Kanzaki-san? Counselor! Are you ok?"
Instead of a response to his question, Izuku heard Hitomi say, her voice betraying a deadly seriousness he had never heard from her before. "There you are. For former heroes, you tried very hard to avoid being seen. Pretty cowardly if you ask me."
"Quite the thing for someone forcing their way in somewhere uninvited to say." came a second voice before Izuku began blinking rapidly. With each beat of his eyelids, the space became darker and after just a few moments, all was clear to see.
Before him, Hitomi at his side, stood all eight vestiges of the previous users of One for All, most looking less than pleased to see them.
(X)
"Ah, to what do I owe the pleasure so soon, lighter." sneered All for One, having once again been visited by what appeared to be one of the many guards who kept tabs on him in prison. The thought occurred to him that this face was different than the last one the mazuku had used.
The guard chuckled and bowed mockingly, his appearing reverting to the purple-haired otherworlder most knew as Xellos before he straitened back up.
"I thought you were getting a bit bored just sitting here with nothing but yourself to play with, oh lord of evil." Xellos answered, using the same derisive tone when using the title for All for One as he did with Sadou. "thought you'd like to know what's been going on out in the world without you is all."
Unfazed by the mockery, All for One smoothly retorted "Come to gloat, more like it. You think that just because I have a gun to my head 24 hours a day that I don't get updates from the outside world? Please, you underestimate me, Xellos."
The mazuku smirked but feigned disappointment. "Oh, that is sad to hear! I went to all the trouble to arrange our reunion and you mean to tell me it was for naught? Well then, great lord, you must be aware of your protégée's great recent victory?"
"Of course I am aware. But that isn't what you wanted to wave in my face, now was it?" the lord of darkness drawled. "You think that because Tomura has refused the good doctor's enhancements that you have somehow proved your influence over my own?"
Instead of seeing Xellos' smile strain, All for One was inwardly surprised to see the purple-haired bastard's smile widen. "Not at all! The boy is chaotic, after all! That does mean he could turn on a dime and take the power and your leash but that's the fun part, isn't? What matters is that it happened at all, in my humble opinion."
"Does it? Tomura is still young. He has made mistakes before. He will again. I was, however, the one who raised him. Molded him. No one knows him better than I. There is nothing an inhuman otherworlder could offer that would entice my Tomura away from my teachings." The faceless master villain assured his guest.
At that, Xellos looked away, finger on his chin as if lost in thought. "Hmm…maybe your right about that. All I've got is a thousand years of observing and manipulating humans, what do I know?!"
Then turning his back to All for One, Xellos took several steps away, head tilted to one side, supported by that finger, while he made an annoying "hmmm" sound. Just as he was about to get on All for One's last nerve, Xellos stopped and twisted his head and excitedly offered "I know! Freedom! That's what I gave him!"
If he could have cocked an eyebrow, the master of evil would have. As it stood with his featureless face, All for One was forced to say "What nonsense. I gave Tomura the tools and support to choose whatever he wanted. There is no greater freedom."
Turning fully to face his imprisoned host once more, Xellos hopped on one foot and exclaimed "Oh, but there is! You gave him the freedom to do what he wanted but you guided him, molded him, as you say yourself. I merely suggested he start asking why. I have given him the freedom of thought, your lordship! He may still choose to follow you or maybe not! Who knows! Because now, now he wonders if what he wanted was just what you wanted him to do for you or if he wanted it for himself all along. Isn't that fun?"
"You truly are a fool, Xellos. You think I don't see through your little act? I have smashed underfoot more than I can count just like you, those who thought themselves smarter than anyone else in the room. Taunt me all you wish. I will not rise to your little game and before long, the last play will be mine." All for One cooly replied, his anger quelled as quickly as it had come when Xellos had spoken.
Suddenly in the guise of the prison guard once more, his hat lowered to his eyes, Xellos answered "I guess we'll see, won't we? I expect the next time we meet, you'll be a free man. Perhaps we can go for some tea?"
Before All for One could answer, Xellos was gone and again, the master of evil was alone with his thoughts. A broad smile covered his face. All for One had a vast network to pull information from, even from within his cell. Xellos knew that. What Xellos couldn't know of was All for One's connection to his little brother's quirk, one of the major pieces to his grand plan.
Though it was true Tomura had yet to allow the good doctor to infuse his own quirk into the boy, All for One had felt the stirring of One for All. Something was indeed stirring in his little brother's quirk and he knew the time was coming soon that it would be his again, as would the world, whether this upstart otherworlder was around or not.
(X)
Getting a better look at the space around them, Izuku could see a semi-circle of ridiculously high backed red cushioned seats that looked more like thrones than anything else. The space in which they stood though was remarkable for how featureless it was. Just a grey painted floor and walls that appeared to be crumbling. Looking further up, Izuku could see the walls give way to…well, nothing. There was no roof, and what he could see beyond reminded him of nebulous space with what looked like stars and mist swirling about.
Honestly, it would have been beautiful if the situation wasn't so serious.
A bald and muscular man with black pants and a black open jacket, exposing his shirtless chest stood at the head of the group of eight, shaking his head. "Kid. I, we expected you to go off and master my quirk. What the hell are you doing back and with an outsider?"
Izuku, not used to being able to speak to these people after the last two encounters, hesitated for a moment. That gave Hitomi time to take in the figures before her. All but one we men. One of them appeared to be cloaked in a golden light and after squinting, the brunette counselor could tell it was Toshinori himself. Or at least a part of him. Still, now that they were exposed to her, Hitomi could feel them and she couldn't help but pick up on the anger and disappointment flowing from the vestiges.
"I, I know what you told me, sir but I thought if I was going to get as strong as I could, I would need your help!" Izuku pleaded. His logic was lost of mostly deaf ears.
"You're too impulsive kid. You have no right the wield that for which we all fought and died to protect and strengthen. I'm not helping a child like you." Another man with short spiky salmon hair, scars between his eyes and cloths vaguely reminiscent of Katsuki in his hero costume declared firmly.
Another serious looking guy with silver hair tailed up in a spikey ponytail nodded solemnly and added "This is outrageous. Who even is this girl? She isn't a user and yet here she stands. How dare you allow some unworthy interloper into this scared place. I can't help but second Kudo."
"This isn't how it's supposed to work." Said another, this one with beige hair that hung lose down to the base of his neck said. "There is no point to us helping if you're not ready. The fact that you recruited help to force your way in here is proof of that."
Another with short black hair and wearing a red buttoned up jacket, the high collar of which hid part of his face remained silent, though he looked sympathetic to the now downtrodden boy.
The only kind voice came from the muscular woman with shoulder length black hair wearing a sleeveless black bodysuit, white boots and a white cape. She came to stand by Izuku and put a gently hand on his shoulder. She didn't refute what the others were saying, however, instead seeking to comfort the current holder of One for All. "Izuku, I know it hurts. We're asking a lot of you here. Maybe it would be best if-"
"No…"
The woman, the seventh holder and All Might's mentor Nana Shimura, strained to here and asked "What? What did you say Izuku?"
"You're all a part of me now!" Izuku suddenly shouted. "You told me the time was coming and that I needed to be ready! I, I can't do that alone! Whose knows this quirk...your quirks better than you? Yet when I come to ask for help you shut the door?"
The first to object, Kudo, the second holder shot back "That's right, they are our quirks and we will decide when you may wield them and kid, you aren't ready."
Finaly, the first holder, brother to All for One himself, Yoichi Shigaraki, a thin and frail man with unkept silver hair flowing to his shoulders and in a simple shirt and pants spoke up. "Your determination is admirable, Izuku, but Kudo and Bruce are right. You have effectively cheated to be here before us. By rights, this shouldn't be possible yet. I think you need to leave this place for now."
"But!"
"I'm sorry, Izuku, but that is our decision. You have proven that you aren't ready. We will speak again when the time is right." Yoichi calmly but firmly explained.
"And just when will that time be right, huh?" came a righteously indignant voice from Izuku right, leaving the vestiges in stunned silence.
It was as though the echoes of heroes past had forgotten that Hitomi was even there and by speaking, she had somehow reappeared before them. Her arms crossed, Hitomi had stepped forward and was anything but ready to leave and said so "We're not going anywhere! You forget, we forced our way in, you didn't let us. There is nothing you can do to make us go away. Cling to whatever plans or timetable if you want but if helping Midoriya, if defeating All for One is what we're all after, then you need to get over yourselves and help out! Got it!"
"Oh, I like her!" Nana remarked, a smirk on her face.
Daigoro Banjo, the bold man whose quirk had manifested during training, came to stand between the two apparent teens. There was a tense moment where he looked down on both of them before he, too, cracked a large smile and let out a hardy laugh. "Hey, you already had my quirk kid! You think you can push harder, guess there is only one way to find out!"
The one that had remained silent, fifth holder En Tayutai then came to join them, adding in a soft voice "What the hell. I'm game. I'll help where I can."
Finally, the stoic fourth holder, Hikage Shinomori, joined as well. At first he said nothing but when attention fell on him he said "I can see the current holder has a noble spirit. IF he wished to devote himself to training, I, too, will help."
The vestige of Toshinori stood with them as well but said nothing. At left the original three holders. When the rest turned back toward the trio, Kudo frowned and said "You get a hold of all that and I'll consider it. For now, I'll have nothing to do with this."
"Same." Bruce said, crossing his arms and looking away.
Yoichi then came to address the majority, a placating smile on his face "Well, if I had something to add, I would. I'm sorry. Foe now, will four do? I hardly think you'll master four quirks in the next few weeks anyway. Besides, you've more than proven you can come back here if you want. What do you say? Leave it here for now?"
Those gathered turned to look at Izuku, waiting for his reply. Proud of how far he had come, the freckled inheritor of One for All nodded once and said "You watch me! I'll be back for those two before you know it! It's a deal!"
Daigoro slapped him on the back. "That's the spirit, kid! Now don't go and fall flat on you face, you got me?"
"We're counting on you!" Nana added while En just nodded.
"You ready to go back, Midoriya?" Hitomi asked, suddenly looking very tired to Izuku.
"Yeah, I think we've done what we came to do. Thank you Kanzaki-san. I can't tell you how much what you said meant to me."
A yawn escaped her mouth, something that worried Hitomi greatly before she replied "Think nothing of it. If anything, I feel like I just made things much worse for you so, in a way, I owe you an apology."
Suddenly feeling tired himself, Izuku just nodded and said "Right, lets get back."
With that, and a final wave to the vestiges, the two left back to the real world.
(X)
"Shouta man, what the hell are you still doing here?"
Startled, the ever-exhausted teacher shot ramrod straight in the chair he was slumped over at. The room was dark save for the light coming from his computer terminal, so it had been an easy thing for his best friend Hizashi to sneak up on him.
"Research."
"Dude, it's way past hours. Didn't Nezu tell you to get some rest? You know he can check the logs when we use the UA terminals, ya know?" the blonde hero warned, sounding very worried indeed.
Shouta refused to look at his friend, instead choosing to continue scrolling on the computer as he spoke. "I could say the same for you. Hound Dog is usually responsible for weekends. Why are you here? Don't tell me you fell behind on lesson planning again?"
Hizashi stepped further into the room, rubbing the back of his head in embarrassment before he came to stand behind Shouta. "Heh, you got me. You know I've had a hard time focusing with everything going on with Oboro. I know it weighs on you too, but you need at least some rest. Come on, let's got get something to eat and-"
"There he is, I found him!" Shouta suddenly exclaimed, his voice low and filled with venom.
That caught Hizashi by surprise. He was only half paying attention to what Shouta was doing but on hearing is normally calm friends voice turn so bitter, he had to ask. "Wait, found who? What have you even been doing here, anyway?"
On the screen was the profile photo of a head administrative doctor of a private hospital. He was bold, featured a full grey mustache and wore large, rounded glasses. "This asshole." Shouta answered, each word growing louder and angrier with each word, "He's the one who turned Oboro into a monster. He's the one that made all those nomu. And now…now that I know who he is, he will pay…"
(X)
And there we have it! As focused as last chapter was, I feel like things whipped in the opposite direction here. I personally prefer to have more scene changes when possible. Allows for breaks for me and the reader to refocus. At least when action isn't involved. I personally hate it when a fight is building and everything just stops. I guess that's why my more action oriented chapters tend to fil most, or all of a chapter.
I don't know if I really covered any new ground in this chapter but, for me at least, I felt like a lot moved forward here. If it feels a little like the lighters are kind of spinning their wheels a bit while other things happen around them, that is by design. Their lives will, before long, be turned upside down so they get to hang out and have light drama and watch basketball while they can.
What game, if any at all, Xellos is playing, who can say? Hopefully you haven't guessed exactly what the mazuku has planned and if you have, I hope you enjoy the ride regardless.
Things are starting to speed up compared to canon. Izuku and company won't be spending time working with Endeavor, we're going to be skipping that whole plot point. We haven't invested at all in the Todoroki plotline and to do so now would muddle things further. There is enough to juggle as is. I hope that doesn't bother anyone too much.
Much as I wish the rolling over of the calendar could magically make things start anew, all that we bring with us is still there when the year changes. Weather sucked, colds abound, work, usually one of the most stable parts of my life, has been challenging. There, got the complaining out of the system, moving on.
Another month without reviews, so we'll move on. I've said it a million times before but I appreciate each and every one of you who comes back each month. You are a precious few and that makes you all the more awesome for it. If you happen to be new and have taken the time to catch up when reading this, thank you so much as well. I know it's a lot but I hope that if you've come this far, you've liked it and will stick around to the end because we WILL get there! Take care out there everyone, thank you and I'll see you next month!
