SPIDER SECRET

Spiders can sense a particular electricity in the air, shoot silk web into it, and ride the current for miles and miles.

Sunlight streams in through the office's broad window display, casting a crisp glow along Tomura Shigaraki's otherwise pale pigmentation of dried & flaking skin. He sits – not quite comfortably – on an elongated couch, his back bent in a slouched position. Across the way, with his back foolishly (or confidently?) facing Shigaraki's set of deep & darkened red eyes, Rikiya Yotsubashi stands in front of the window's cityline view.

Yotsubashi, his villain honorific being that of Re-Destro, acknowledges his criminal colleague by finally turning around. He sees the unironed suit that Shigaraki wears, as compared to his own unwrinkled business attire, and forces a thin smile on his face. "I'm glad that you agreed to a more civilized conversation in order to discuss our change in management", he speaks unto 'Tombstone' rather than Tomura Shigaraki in that moment – so long as there exists a differentiation, that is.

And Shigaraki, mutually disgruntled by the company of his criminal colleague, grimaces. "You left me not much of a choice in the matter", his hand habitually reaches up to scratch the skin beneath his neck – but his fingers stop and instead reach for the glass of wine that had been put out on the coffee table ahead of him.

For a moment, Yotsubashi's smile becomes less forced. "Yes, well, I'm sure someone such as yourself can understand the importance of snatching something as soon as it becomes snatchable.." When his eyes fall on Shigaraki's destructive pair of hands, the smile does not last very long though.

Shigaraki's fingertips twitch, yearning to touch something other than just the glass of wine that he was given. They curl and close, wanting to snatch Yotsubashi by the neck. "Yes… I do.."

Yotsubashi takes ahold of his own wine glass, raising it for a slight toast. "But that's why it is important for us to have this discussion", he keeps his eyes trained on Shigaraki's hands ever still while swallowing the beverage in one swift sip. "With your previous connection to the HPSC moved out of power and me taking a role on their board, I think we can both continue to be beneficial to one another."

Shigaraki sets his glass of wine down. His red eyes narrow. "I've already agreed to keep sharing Trigger with you so long as you produce it yourself", the villain sneers with his scarred lips, "What more do you want?"

"Knowledge is power, my fellow colleague" Yotsubashi strides over to a shelf that is lined with books. He asks Shigaraki, "Do you read?", before picking one in particular to take out.

Shigaraki's answer is a quick one. He says, "No", because he does not care to read novels – or anything for that matter, outside from maybe the occasional manga or magazine.

Yotsubashi extends the book in his hand as an offering. Shigaraki spares a single glance at its cover. It is the autobiography of the villain that was called Destro, a novel written while he was in prison. "It might be worth starting."

Shigaraki stands to his feet. "You're testing my patience."

Yotsubashi notices the hostility in the other villain's stance, and wanting things to remain civil, reclines his offer. "Apologies.." He puts the book back. "Like you, I want to expand my influence" But that doesn't mean the purpose of the book can't still have, well, it's purpose. "Hence the image of a company" It's about 'community' and reaching out to that network. "It's rather late for you to take such an approach but I'll admit that you do have your own push and pull."

If the window behind them had a dark reflection of the city, it would be the perfect analogy for these two takeovers. As Tombstone, Shigaraki has his own resourcefulness. "I'll give you my connections so long as you share yours", and he sees that there is a give & take of benefit when it comes to Yotsubashi's side of resourcefulness.

Yotsubashi smiles, "That includes your enforcers?"

Shigaraki smiles back, "Who do you want to use?"

Yotsubashi hums. His eyes move from Shigaraki to the closed set of office doors behind the villain. "Electro", he chooses the 'security detail' that Tombstone had brought along who waits just outside those doors.

Shigaraki throws a look back, "That's all?", and shrugs, "He's yours."

Yotsubashi's Meta-Liberation Army acquiring a new ally makes him ease back into a bit more of a comfortable stance. He believes the negotiations are finished. "Excellent–"

"AFTER he performs one final mission for me, of course" But Tombstone's agreement comes with a caveat that might deem otherwise.

Yotsubashi stands straight, his back bristling a bit. "...Of course", but he doesn't argue or refute the counter request.

THAT is what determines the deal is done. Even before Tombstone asks, "Are we finished with the negotiations then?"

Yotsubashi nods once. "I believe we are", and that will have to do since he knows better than to offer a handshake – and he refuses to bow to the other crime lord.

"The deal, if you recall.." But Shigaraki, on the other hand, does outstretch an arm. Not to shake on their deal. But to be given a vial of Trigger, per their prior arranged agreement for this meeting. Once getting what he wants, he then turns and leaves. "I'll see myself out."

Denki Kaminari – Electro – waits in the hallway outside of the office. He perks up when Shigaraki steps out. "How'd it go, boss?" And he follows in step with the villain once it becomes time to leave.

"I'm annoyed", Shigaraki flares his nostrils like he caught a whiff of something awful, "Cheer me up by being a bug zapper."

Electro gets the floor's elevator button. "You're sending me to kill the spider? Gee, you didn't have to even ask for that one, boss!"

"But I DID have to get ahold of Trigger first", Shigaraki shifts so that he can dig into his pockets while they wait, "We're running low after The Yakuza went down" He hands over the vial of quirk boosting drugs, "Make good use of it."

Electro takes the tiny tube of illegal liquid, his eyes glinting in the reflective glass as he stares at it. "Heh..", and then stashes it in his own pocket, "I probably won't even have to bother with a bug like the web creep."

Izuku Midoriya tenderly takes the hand of Kyoka Jirou in his own – as though it may give him an electric shock if they make contact – it's silly, since he's held onto her so many times before … but a lot of those instances were .. 'different'. Life or death situations. In the midst of the moment sorta scenarios. This is DIFFERENT. Slower. More intimate. And … it's nice.

He hears Kyoka say from alongside him, "It is nice", and he blushes when realizing that he said some of his internal thoughts outloud. Those old muttering habits of his haven't been completely outgrown afterall.

He's far too shy to excuse himself with an explanation. "So, um.." He instead clears his throat and tries changing the subject, "I hear the Provisional License Exam is coming up."

"Ugh", Kyoka catches him off guard with a groan. "Don't remind me", but the groan makes sense when he sees the signs of distress on her face as much as that same distress is exuding through the tone of her voice, "I'm stressing out enough already as it is."

Even so, seeing his girlfriend so clearly anxious gives him a moment of pause. Especially since it's only over the Provisional License Exam. He asks and tells her, "Really? Why? I'm sure you're gonna do great."

Kyoka rolls her eyes. "Izuku, no offense, but that doesn't mean much any more than if my parents were to have said it" She sees his confused reaction – and a touch of, just maybe, hurt from her words. She gives his hand a soft squeeze and explains it a bit further to him. "As my boyfriend, you're supposed to say that sorta thing."

Izuku nods, understanding it now, but still maintains a slight pout. "Yeah, well, I can still also mean it.."

Kyoka smiles over his response before playfully bumping his shoulder with her own. "I know you do."

After their beach 'date' got interrupted – and it wasn't really a date, it was more of a group gathering – the two thought it'd be a good idea to meet up for the day. Even if it's just a stroll around town during their free periods in between classes. Somehow, it's been going perfectly well. They may as well be any other ordinary couple spending time together.

And that comes with those ordinary couple kinds of conversations… Izuku starts slowly, "Speaking of parents.."

Kyoka falters for a fleeting second. She shakes her head upon recovery, short hair and ear jacks swaying side to side. "Trust me, Izuku, you don't wanna meet them."

Izuku shrugs. Sure – who WOULDN'T be nervous to meet their significant other's parents – but there's no first impression quite like seeing them rushed through a hospital hallway to get over it. Plus – He says, "It's kinda tradition", because they HAVE to take this step in their relationship at SOME point soon.

Kyoka sighs, matching his shrugging gesture, "Yeah.. But it's also so embarrassing!"

Izuku chuckles, a sincere smile crossing his facial features. "MY mom ought to embarrass ME more than your parents will embarrass you, if it makes you feel any better" He can already see his mother tearing up over her son bringing a girl home. Not to mention, she'll also be busting out the baby pictures…

He shudders when he sees Kyoka has a slight smirk like she just read his mind somehow to see that future too. "A little", she chuckles right along with him. And then she switches the subject back to what it formerly was about, "But anyways… about the Provisional License Exam.. Maybe you should see about taking it too."

This surprises Izuku for a number of reasons – and he has only one unintelligible way to respond because of that. He looks at her and makes a noise close to sounding like, "Huh?"

Kyoka looks back at him and says – almost too simply – what she believes sums it up, "That way you can be properly licensed as Spider-Man."

Izuku laughs it off like it's a joke of some kind, "I've gotta be a student enrolled at a hero school for that–"

"You are", she stops him to point out that he is enrolled at U.A (a hero school). She lets him think about the logistics of that for a second before continuing to explain her thought process. "It may be that you're currently in Gen Ed, but a little honesty with Principal Aizawa and–"

"It's not that simple", Izuku stops her before she can get too ahead of herself. Technicalities aside, a vigilante can't just cheat the system like that. It wouldn't be right for a number of reasons.

Kyoka surrenders with a sigh, "It never is.." She forces herself to shrug off the matter and smiles through it. "Alright then, I won't push the issue! I support your decisions!"

Izuku smiles back. "Thanks.. I know you're just looking out for me but it's a lot to consider with the mess that was made between U.A and the HPSC in the past."

"That's the past, Izuku" She slows down so that they can turn and face eachother. When they do, she fights through a blush of embarrassment so that she can give him a light peck on the lips. "Let's live in the present."

It's said lightning never strikes the same spot twice. That just simply CAN'T be true. Izuku feels like he's been jumpstarted by that simple & small kiss already. So, when a bolt of electricity comes streaking towards him, that completely disproves whatever superstitions people have about lightning.

"For however long that is!", a villain's sinister cackle interjects the sweet moment between the two love birds who flutter and fall away from dangerous voltage vollies.

"Kaminari?!", Izuku and Kyoka are surprised to see their date has been disrupted by none other than a familiar foe from their past. He must have tracked them down specifically due to their personal relation to eachother.

And he's got a lasting grudge apparently, "I told you not to call me that!", ELECTRO sends more electrical currents towards the two people from his past.

Izuku skillfully shoves Kyoka away from the incoming danger while making it seem like a lucky stumble. A soon sizzling spot where the electricity hits creates a smokescreen good enough for Izuku to then duck out of the way for himself. He also takes this as an opportunity to hurry off for a place to change into his vigilante attire.

What Electro sees is a coward leaving a girl behind. This makes him fiendishly cackle even more over the supposedly quirkless loser's abandonment of Kyoka, "Some hero you got there!"

Kyoka fixes him with a defiant glare, knowing the truth. "He's more of a hero than you are."

Electro's evil grin falls from his face. But that doesn't mean he still doesn't have an advantage currently. His hands raise as more sparks fling from them. "Well.. You're not wrong."

Kyoka braces herself. She's trained for this. Her ear jacks plug themselves into the ground so that they may serve as a firm foundation. Even without the specifically designed amps that she utilizes as support equipment, her quirk can pack a mean punch. She repulses a beam of electricity with her own shockwave of sound amplification.

Electro blinks back his initial shock. But he recovers with a different kind of shock. A stronger output that should overwhelm his opponent. SHOULD being the key word here.

Somebody swings down right in the knick of time to move the girl away from the dangerous blast. And by 'somebody', of course, it's Spidey who is identified as who is meant to be that special somebody.

"She's not interested, Sparky!" Spider-Man sets Kyoka aside before front flipping himself forward to plant himself in between her and the livewire of a villain.

Electro's electrically fueled fists clench tighter at the sight of the vigilante. "You!", sparks fly from his mouth along with spit as he hatefully hisses his disdain for the costumed character, "I KNEW you'd come running if I went after her and your quirkless buddy!"

Spider-Man somersaults so that he can avoid a big streak of energy emittance. "Ah! Still got a bone to pick with me, eh?" It doesn't come as a surprise to him that this attack was a lure to bring out his vigilante persona – it's better that than any alternative – but he decides to take it personally anyways. "Well, here I am!" He presents himself as a target to zap or blast at. But he doesn't make it easy for the villain to actually hit him. "And just so you know..", he evades more electrical streams with acrobatical grace before retaliating with a punch, "The feeling's mutual!"

Electro is sent reeling from the landed blow. "Try that again!", the villain snarls through a mouthful of blood before activating a 'forcefield' made of electricity around himself. This barrier is something Spidey has encountered before when battling the likes of Electro.

Per his experience, Spider-Man comes up with a counter to the 'forcefield'. He webs each of his hands. A second set of gloves, if you will. This extra covering over his knuckles will help to balance the blastback reaction from when his hits connect.

"I mean, you kinda did literally ask for it!" Spider-Man's webs burn away when his next couple of punches make their mark, but the damage is done, at least.

"I'm gonna FRY you!", Electro shakes off the blows before rekindling an amount of energy within himself so that he can shoot back.

Spider-Man ducks, dodges, and leaps. As he bobs & weaves, he starts adjusting the selected slots of his web cartridges. When it comes to conductors and ways to counter electricity, he managed to make a specialized web formula to counter Electro. It's been saved just for this special occasion of a reunion.

"On the contrary, I think it's about time that we finally wrap this feud up!" Spider-Man ropes around the villain as he secures layers upon layers of the carefully crafted webbing meant to insulate and trap electricity.

"What the hell is this?!", Electro struggles from within the confinement of his personal prison – no matter how much juice he puts into trying to surge through the stuff, it isn't enough to burn his way out.

"Trust me when I say you probably don't wanna know the ingredients", Spider-Man places his hands on his hips as he admires his handiwork – it's one thing to theoretically test it at home but there's great pride in seeing the success of it function properly while being used out in the field.

Electro growls. As Shigaraki may have put it in the past when using videogame terminology – the web creep 'cheated'. He wouldn't have had to use it otherwise, but if it means leveling the playing field … he reaches for the vial of Trigger that he brought along.

The performance enhancer goes down easy. And its effects are quickly applied. Electro's yellow aura begins to brighten into a bluer tint of color. His suit sizzles and sears along with the webbing encasing him. Next, the villain's skin pigmentation sparkles and sheens with pulsating power. He gets a power upgrade.

The eye lenses on Spider-Man's mask reflect the dazzling display of light. He backs away, giving the villain space as electricity emits past more than a few feet from eachother. Electro levitates, his energy uplifting him from the ground. A glowing blue bad guy hovers in front of the vigilante as basically a living bug zapper.

"How do you like me now?!", Electro's new brand of firepower proves much larger and more capable of stretching to longer distances when he sends a streak towards Spider-Man.

"Still don't!", and Spidey must admit that it's a scarier comparison to make to his opponent's previous potential despite still making wisecracks.

Spider-Man fires globs of his specialized webbing at Electro, but the projectiles prove futile in the face of an even greater energy level. He hadn't calculated for this kindof output from his foe. And now he's paying dearly since he is without a counter or a defensive measure.

Since webbing isn't working, Spider-Man resorts to chucking other things at the villain. Heavier things, to be exact. Like a mailbox. Or a car. Stuff that may count as property damage but is hopefully covered by somebody's insurance company.

Electro blasts each object to smithereens. Whatever doesn't get hit by his electrical streams is burned by sheer closeness of proximity to his irradiated body. Since Spidey is unable to neither attack at long range or close range, they find themselves at an odd stalemate.

Or rather, Spider-Man realizes his options are limited. Electro, on the other hand, gains an advantage. The villain pursues the vigilante with a newfound amount of confidence. And despite Spider-Man's enhanced agility & stamina, he can only outrace an electrical current for so long.

A sharp – radically rapid – spasm SHOCKS Spider-Man's system. It's a great pain that takes possession of all his muscles, tightening them so much that he can hardly use their strength – as though that strength is being siphoned. His body feels like it's tearing at its limbs. He clenches his teeth and fights to keep his eyelids from clamping down too.

Spider-Man's grip on a web line goes taut and he drops right into a department store. He tumbles and rolls before crashing back out into the open line of fire for Electro to hit him with another electrical burst of harmful energy.

Somehow, a scream escapes his mouth through his tightly clamped teeth. His body violently jerks, his Spider-Sense and its defensive override of his body fighting for dominance over the muscle spasms that come from electricity swelling in his system.

"Been waiting a long time to get to do this", Electro doesn't let up or show mercy at all while watching Spider-Man squirm & struggle.

Eventually, Spider-Man stops convulsing. His body goes slack. Only then does Electro cease his assault on the wallcrawler that has now been officially grounded.

Kyoka runs over to her boyfriend's body, screaming just about as loudly as he had been when being struck by Electro's energy beams. She falls at his side, clutching him and then letting go as though she fears he'll crumble into dust should she not be too careful with her touch.

Electro flies off, convinced that he managed to murder the pest that had been bothering him for so long. And, he may as well have, since Kyoka can no longer hear her boyfriend's heartbeat.

"No! No! Izuku!", she shakes him as though that will snap him out of an intense state of sleep. She knows better that this is not what this is though. She has to restart his heart or he truly will be dead.

Fortunately, she's just the right person for the job. She utilizes her quirk, her ear jacks serving as jumper cables between herself and him. Though she hasn't had medical practice to stimulate another person's heartbeat through her own quite yet, she has a good enough idea of how to TRY.

One pulse at a time. Mixed in with small compressions. And soon enough, the boy's heartbeat returns. Spider-Man jerks awake, his breath catching against the mask closed over his mouth. A lasting ache in his internal organs lets him know that he's alive when he coughs out of reflex.

"Don't scare me like that ever again", Kyoka embraces him in a hug now that she's sure he won't crumble away when she does – even despite his pained protests of 'ow' and 'ouch'.

Izuku opens his mouth – about to respond with some sort of classical Spidey wit & humor. But then he sees his girlfriend's face. And he can't. He can tell that this is serious. His breath stifles but he manages to answer her anyways, "..I'll try not to.."

After a moment more of hugging and trying to get over, well, him DYING – even if only for a little bit – the two eventually get on with things. They each help one another get to their feet, both of them recovering in their own ways – physically AND emotionally.

Spider-Man stretches & sighs. "Back to work", his arm shoots up so that he can spin a web line but he never gets to make the full motion–

Kyoka hops in his way, blocking the path of where he'd be able to spin a web or swing off. "You are out of your alleged mind!", she prohibits him from going anywhere, "Look at you! You can barely stand up! You're in no condition to fight anybody!"

In a slightly feigned form of offense, Spider-Man squints at her like she's speaking nonsense. "I can too!"

"Look at the way your knees are trembling", she motions down at his legs – which DO feel as wobbly as they appear – before indicating to herself and her ears, "And don't think I can't hear you wheeze every time you breathe."

Kyoka reaches out to touch his ribs, and sure enough, he sucks in a breath whilst shying away from her hand. The two give one another a look, acknowledging the argument – or lack thereof – of his health and what must be done here anyways.

"Nobody else is around but me.. And I CAN'T stand by and do nothing while waiting for someone to show up when I'm here and able to fight.. Not again", the way Izuku speaks to her makes her see him through the mask that he has on – she can HEAR the hurt of sincerity in his voice. And she can't exactly argue against that anymore.

"Then let me help–", she offers the first solution that comes to mind.

But, hypocritically, he shuts her down on a teamup. "No! It's too dangerous! And besides, you haven't gotten your Provisional License yet!" Though, he does make a decent point considering her lack of a vigilante status thus far.

Kyoka wants to force him to stay somehow. Oddly, after the Nomu at the USJ and Venom, THIS is what makes her wary to let him go. "Just make sure you come back to me.." But she knows there's not much to be said or done to change any of it either way.

Only after he leaves does she follow up her choice of words with an alternative choice of action. She goes to a contact in her phone and hits 'call'. It's one of the other few people who are looped in on Izuku's secret … and quite possibly the only other person who would be willing to help somehow.

Spider-Man feels a vibration running all throughout his frame. There's a static electricity in the air. It causes his hairs to stand on end beneath the fabric of his costume. He can tell the difference between this feeling and the slightly similar effect of his Spider-Sense though. THIS feeling comes from the electric current caused by a 'Trigger-happy-lunatic' with electricity powers.

Spider-Man follows it straight to the source – getting hotter before he gets any colder in terms of proximity to that source. Electro saps & siphons more power from cable wires. The villain – like most villains – is getting greedy. Spider-Man uses that to his advantage. Or, so he hopes it's advantageous.

Spidey spins a web between Electro and the connector cables. It could easily be burned or torn through by the power radiating from both those things, but it serves its purpose. It gets Electro's attention. The villain swivels around to face his returned rival.

"You're a hard bug to kill", Electro goes straight to work on trying to blast the 'bug' to ash – this time, he's intent on leaving behind no body.

Spider-Man moves quickly, somehow maintaining his usual speed despite so many sore spots covering his body. "I was originally gonna go by Cockroach Man, but my PR Team said that wouldn't sell as well as Spider-Man!" He talks himself through the pain with his usual comedic commentary. "Plus I really wanted to keep the hyphen!"

Spider-Man swings away from a big blast of blue energy. The force from the blast knocks him off course and sends him spiraling momentarily though. He hardly has enough time to recover with a new web line so that he can yank himself away from a second electrical explosion.

Electro's attacks have increased in power. They pack a meaner punch. Even if they don't even connect. The vigilante's Spider-Sense doesn't shut up either. Spider-Man's head hurts from all the internal SHOUTING that it's doing.

But he fights on. Spider-Man slides – and slightly skids – across a wall. Behind him, a blue beam is concentrated into a fine line and being fired directly at his fleeing form. Debris draws out of the building as it is blasted into dismantled brick fragments.

Spider-Man thrusts out his hand. The cartridge clicks empty when he attempts to use his web shooter. "No need to panic.. I still got another..", he switches to his other arm – and receives the same sound result of an empty cartridge clicking, "Okay! Time to panic!"

The vigilante jumps as far as he can in order to compensate for the lack of a pulley string. Behind him, an explosion erupts. His back burns. Wind whips him HARD. He has no webs to brace his fall when he slams into a rooftop.

Electro hurls balls of electricity at Spider-Man next. These are just as deadly as the beams, but they're at least a little easier to dodge. Spider-Man puts his agility to the test as he evades the glowing orbs of energy.

Without his webbing to support him, he's more of a sitting duck up on the rooftops rather than a spider. He dives down between a gap of two buildings that oppose eachother. It gives him a straight shot to escape Electro's pursuit – if, at least, momentarily. And then he has the cover of an alley and the street.

He considers adding a watch to the wrist of his uniform. When fighting Sandman, the time limit to Trigger seemed shorter. Electro is staying amped. A quick glance back to see electricity draining from surrounding structures gives him a general idea as to how there is a difference, but STILL.

Spidey can only stall for so long. There aren't any other options. He can't even fight back without harming himself. The best he can do is chuck the occasional object back at Electro. And that hasn't helped him out in the slightest.

Just as he believes he's found himself cornered – Electro primed & ready to blast him away – there's a silhouette of saving grace. Spider-Man's eyes widen along with the lenses of his mask. It's the shape of a girl. An.. angel.. ? No. It's.. "HAGAKURE?!"

The illumination of Electro's energy reflects off the girl's invisible form. A scientific part of Izuku's mind realizes Hagakure's quirk isn't simple invisibility but rather a result of light refraction & reflection. In other words, electrical energy has no effect on her – not when it can be absorbed and trapped!

"Looks like WE'RE saving YOU for once!", Hagakure's body is now the one that sparkles and radiates instead of Electro – she essentially stole all the power for herself.

"We.. ?", Spider-Man is baffled by her rescue but is even more baffled when Electro gets blown away by a shockwave of sound, "Kyoka?!"

"You didn't think we'd just stand idly by either, did you?" Kyoka gives her boyfriend a grin and her fellow hero in training a high five.

Spider-Man stumbles as he tries to keep himself standing straight. Kyoka catches him, making sure that he doesn't fall flat on his face like a fool. "But.. Your hero license and–"

"It's not like anyone can see sound or Hagakure", Kyoka cuts him off with a counterargument to make for a loophole in the system.

"I didn't see anything or anyone other than Spider-Man, did you?" Hagakure goes along with it.

The vigilante looks at the two girls with more shock than he had when being blasted by Electro – who appears unconscious and drained of power now. Then he chuckles. "Heh.. No, I didn't."

Rikiya Yotsubashi has a quirk that thrives on his stressful work environment. Any time he is frustrated – whether it be because of a bad business deal or a dip in their market sales or prices – his quirk activities of its own free will. Dark lines, almost like pulsating veins, stretch along his forehead. He developed early male pattern baldness as a result, his hairline receding significantly.

But for all its worth, not even the dark exposure that exudes from him because of his quirk comes close to demonstrating the anger that simmers beneath his normally composed demeanor. Yotsubashi releases his pent up aggression with a vicious swipe across his desk. The landline phone, his computer, a stapler and pen holder, along with various other items go clattering across the room.

He's angry. It should have been obvious but now he can see that Tombstone had underhanded tactics of his own. Tombstone knew Spider-Man would defeat Electro. It was an underhanded way to not give the Liberation Army what it requested – and all without consequences of the agreed upon trade.

Such is the price of playing an unfair game in this line of business. It is far more cutthroat than the boring boardroom meetings he has about displacing members of the team. Authority figures come and go. That is the nature of both these professions. As is backstabbing.

But, occasionally, there are alliances – partnerships – that do hold some semblance of mutual benefit and interest…

"I find it helps to have an extra set of hands", a fellow visionary has come to meet with him – this one offering a drug far more potent than Trigger – and they both share a disdain for Tomura Shigaraki.

Doctor Octopus, formerly referred to as David Shield, carries a vial of the experimental formula that had transformed Katsuki Bakugo into the Green Goblin. It's one of the few fluids made accessible only to scientists such as himself or Kyudai Garaki when they were apart of the League of Villains. And without Electro around as a distributor anymore, there is only so much left of it remaining – and that's excluding the Yakuza's downfall as well.

"Sometimes.. It helps to use your own", Yotsubashi takes the drug from Doc Ock and holds onto it for himself.