We'll Carry On: An Ochako Omnitrix Story - Volume 1

by Transwiththeplans

Ochako Uraraka finds herself unexpectedly taking on the mantle of the Omnitrix wielder from Ben Tennyson. As Ochako begins to explore the capabilities of the Omnitrix, she must also navigate the complex relationships and alliances, all while facing off against increasingly powerful enemies. Cover by @ZebraKnight1 on Instagram

142. With Great Porpoise

We love Gang orca in this household

Anyways, please enjoy this chapter. Here's the Discord: /cgFmXz3qJ5

---

Fun Orca Facts!

- Orcas are dolphins, not whales.

- Orcas have the second-largest brains of any marine mammal, weighing up to 15 pounds.

- Orcas are apex predators and have no natural predators.

- Orcas can feel hurt.

- Orcas can remember.

- Orcas can change.

...

Kugo Sakamata didn't always have it easy. He grew up in Kitakagaya, an economically depressed neighborhood in south Osaka. Sometime around the birth of quirks, time stopped here. Economic growth stopped. Changing trends stopped. Transportation development stopped. Everything felt frozen for the poor boy.

Not to mention, the issues he faced with his quirk. Kugo's Quirk gives him the attributes and abilities of a Killer Whale. While this might seem powerful on the surface, it came with its own set of challenges. Kugo struggled to control his immense strength and often accidentally hurt those around him, particularly when he got angry or upset. It wasn't long before people started to fear him.

"He's nothing but trouble."

"He's always hurting others. Sometimes I think he does it on purpose."

Kugo heard these types of comments all the time. They only worsened as he grew older and his quirk continued to develop. He became more isolated, keeping to himself and only interacting with his close family members. He felt like a monster.

...felt like a monster.

That's different from 'being' a monster. There was one person who always grounded him, built him up, and kept his head high.

"It happened again..." Kugo frowned, as he rubbed his head. His head was bruised up, with some cuts and scrapes all over. His dad lightly moved the hand away and sighed.

"How did it start this time?" He asked, not sounding mad or upset.

Kugo hesitated, feeling embarrassed. "I got angry when the guy on the street bumped into me. I didn't mean to hurt him, but...you know." He looked down, feeling ashamed. "Then he got mad about it, and a bunch of his friends came out and...yeah."

"...then?"

"Then I got angry, and..." Kugo winced. "...maybe I threw a few punches."

Kugo's dad let out a sympathetic sigh as he bandaged up his son's injuries. "I know it's hard, but you have to learn to control your anger. I'm not saying you have to be a saint, but harming others isn't the answer."

Kugo nodded, feeling guilty and ashamed. "I know, Dad. It's just...it's hard sometimes. It's like this anger just boils up inside me and I can't control it."

Kugo's dad gave him a reassuring pat on the back. "Maybe we can look into some anger management techniques or talk to a therapist who can help you."

Kugo nodded, feeling grateful for his dad's support. "Thanks, Dad..."

Nothing really changed for him and his life. He stayed poor, he stayed the outsider in his neighborhood. He was probably doomed to this life.

At least, until his paths crossed with his.

He was the new kid in class. And he was bullied for his odd appearance. Sure, he looked normal, but the object of mockery was the cloth on one side of his face.

"Hey, buddy. You covered up the WRONG ugly side."

"Shoulda put a bag over your head. Skip the eye holes!"

Their mockery didn't bother the new kid. He sat there, quietly absorbing their words. Despite their jabs, the boy looked quiet, complacent in their mockery. Kugo, however, didn't like their mockery. So, he decided to step in.

Now, here comes a question. They say meeting one person can change you for the better or worse. Who in this situation...was the better and the worst?

"Hey, leave him alone," Kugo said, stepping forward and facing the bullies with determination in his eyes.

The bullies turned their attention to Kugo, sizing him up. "What's it to you, whale boy?" one of them sneered.

Kugo clenched his fists, trying to control his anger. He knew that getting violent wouldn't solve anything. Instead, he tried a different approach. "Look, you don't know him, and he doesn't know you. Let's all just calm down here and let him breathe. It's his first day..."

"Yeah, right," another bully smirked. "He needs to be caught up to speed- he needs to know who runs this school." He threw a punch to make the new kid flinch, stopping his fist inches from his face...and making a small gust of wind. Kugo could see something underneath that cloth- something black and hideous looking. The bullies laughed, thinking the new kid would freak. Instead, he took a deep breath and began to address them with a calm but unwavering voice.

"You know, it's pretty pathetic to pick on someone weaker just to feel powerful," the new kid said, his words dripping with confidence. "It shows how cowardly and insecure you really are. What's the matter? You can't find any real friends, so you resort to bullying to get attention?" His head cocked to the leader. "Is that what you do when you go home to your parents who probably don't care about you?"

One of the bullies scowled, trying to maintain a tough facade. "You don't know anything about us."

The new kid smirked knowingly. "I don't need to know your life story to see how you act." His head swiveled to the next bully. "It's pretty obvious you're deflecting your own problems because of your older brother's abuse. It's sad that you think bullying others will make you feel better about yourself."

The second bully shifted uncomfortably. They had expected an easy target, not someone who could see through their bravado and expose their insecurities.

"You think you can just waltz in here and talk to us like that?" the second bully retorted, trying to regain control of the situation.

"I'm just stating the truth," the new kid replied calmly. "If you want to be respected, try earning it through actions, not fear."

The third bully, who had been the most vocal earlier, suddenly seemed at a loss for words. The new kid's observations had hit a nerve, and it was clear that he was no longer enjoying the spotlight.

"You know what? We've got better things to do than waste our time on you," the first bully muttered, trying to salvage some dignity.

"Yeah, whatever," the second one added, looking away.

The third bully simply grumbled and followed his companions, their intimidation crumbling under the weight of the new kid's words. Kugo watched in awe as the new kid verbally dismantled the bullies with such precision and insight.

"That's the best way to deal with someone...play to what you know." The new kid said. "Eviscerate them with something superior you hold over them."

"N-noted." The future pro nodded. "I'm...I'm Kugo. Nice to meet you."

The boy gave a small smile. "Nice to meet you, Kugo. You can call me Isana Nijuu."

"Yeah, I just...had to kind of step in. Those guys usually give me trouble for my appearance too, so-"

"Why?"

"...huh?"

"Why?" Isana asked. "You're bigger than them. You're stronger than them. Those bandages on your arms tell me you just...sort of let yourself get hurt by them. That doesn't seem right."

Kugo was taken aback by Isana's straightforward question. No one had ever challenged him like this before, and he felt a mix of surprise and vulnerability. He hesitated for a moment before finally mustering the courage to respond.

"I guess... I don't like causing more trouble," Kugo admitted, his voice tinged with uncertainty. "It's not just about their words; it's also about my quirk. When I get angry, I tend to lose control, and I don't want to hurt anyone unintentionally."

Isana raised an eyebrow, not buying the excuse. "You're afraid of losing control, so you let them walk all over you? That doesn't make sense. Being physically superior should be an advantage, not a weakness."

Kugo pondered Isana's words. He realized that he had become so accustomed to holding back, to bottling up his true strength and emotions, that he had forgotten the value of his power. Isana had planted a seed of doubt in his mind, and it started to grow. And it continued to grow throughout the day.

As the day wore on, Kugo couldn't shake off Isana's words. They were jerks, y'know. Jerks who fed on insecurities, ones they held themselves. He had the means to defend himself, right? So, why not use that more?

During the lunch break, Kugo decided to sit with Isana under the shade of a large tree, away from the prying eyes of others. The atmosphere felt different around Isana – it was almost like he created a safe space where Kugo could be himself without fear of judgment.

"My dad lost his job," Isana said. "So, we moved here for his new one. Pays less, but...we'll take what we can get."

"Sorry to hear," Kugo said.

"Eh. It's whatever." Isana said, finishing up his bento box. "Could be worse."

Kugo didn't really know how to reply to that, so he just went back to eating his lunch.

"...my words stuck with you, didn't they?"

Kugo glanced back over to Isana, who was staring directly at him. Kugo nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, they did. I've never really thought about it that way before – about using my strength to defend myself. With great power comes...the great responsibility and other sorts of law-abiding activities people do."

"Those laws are bullshit." Isana frowned flatly.

"You think so?" Kugo asked, genuinely curious about Isana's views.

"Yeah," Isana said firmly, leaning back against the tree trunk. "People make rules to keep others in line, to maintain order. But sometimes, those rules just restrict us from being who we really are. They tell us how we should act, how we should use our powers, and how we should conform to fit into their mold of what's acceptable. Those guys? Oppressors. They'll grow up thinking it's fine to shame others- and that'll cost them."

"What are you saying?"

"It's okay to stand up for yourself and show them that you won't be their punching bag," Isana said. "You don't even have to beat them up. You just need to show you're not afraid of them."

"You've got an interesting worldview." Kugo chuckled. "Where'd you pick it up from?"

"There was this book, by an author named Chikara Yotsubashi-" Isana never got a chance to finish his sentence. Suddenly, the cloth on the side of his face was yanked off, revealing the other side of his face. Kugo's eyes widened, and Isana desperately tried to cover it up.

"H-hey!" He yelled, all his gusto suddenly lost. "G-give that back!"

Kugo looked over to see the bullies, laughing as they waved the rag in front of Isana's face. "Woooah! Look at his mug!" One of them laughed. On the right side of his face, his skin was dark blue, his hair was white, and his eye was red and stretched very wide. He also had a blowhole on his forehead, as well as very sharp teeth jutting out from his mouth.

The atmosphere around Kugo shifted from playful to serious. He clenched his fists, feeling a surge of anger rise within him. Screw words, he wasn't the best at that- fighting was the best way to go right now.

Kugo's anger boiled over, and in a split second, he decided that enough was enough. He couldn't stand by and watch his friend being humiliated any longer. With determination in his eyes, he lunged forward and threw a powerful punch at the bully who held the rag.

His fist connected with the bully's jaw, and the impact sent the rag flying. The bully stumbled backward, taken aback by the sudden retaliation. The laughter around them abruptly died down as everyone watched in surprise.

"You think it's funny to make fun of someone?!" Kugo growled, his voice low and intense.

The other bullies, no longer finding the situation amusing, took a step back, their bravado diminished. Kugo had never really stood up to their jeers and jabs...and he was quite scary when he yelled like that.

The bully who had been punched held his jaw, trying to mask his pain with a forced grin. "Haha, it was just a joke, man! Can't you take a little prank?"

Kugo's eyes narrowed, his anger still simmering beneath the surface. "A prank? This is your idea of funny!?"

The other bullies attempted to back up their friend, chuckling nervously and trying to play it off as harmless fun. "Yeah, man, lighten up! We were just messing around!"

But Kugo wasn't buying their act. He had endured their taunts for far too long, and their attempts to brush it off as a prank only fueled his frustration. He stepped forward, his imposing figure towering over them.

"You know what? I'm tired of your crap," Kugo snapped, his voice resonating with authority. "You think you can push people around and get away with it? Well, not today."

Before the bullies could react, Kugo lunged at them, his anger driving him forward. With swift and powerful movements, he grabbed one of the bullies by the collar and tossed him aside, sending him sprawling on the ground. The other bullies watched in shock as their friend hit the dirt, realizing that Kugo was serious about standing up for himself and Isana. But they still weren't fully convinced, trying to regain some semblance of control over the situation.

"Dude, chill! It's not that big of a deal!" one of them stammered, taking a cautious step back. The bullies exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to proceed. Their attempts at intimidation had backfired, and Kugo's unexpected display of strength had left them shaken.

Kugo snarled, blowing smoke from his nostrils. That was enough to make the bullies start running. Kugo picked up the cloth from the ground and handed it back to Isana. "Dicks." He muttered.

"That's one way to show them something..." Isana said, snatching the cloth back. Kugo stared at his face, and Isana grimaced. "This...this is my curse to bear."

"Side effect of your quirk?" Kugo guessed astutely.

Isana nodded, as he put it back on. "A quirk far too powerful for my body to fully contain. This is the most I can contain it."

"Too strong?" Kugo repeated. "Never heard anything like that."

"It's rare. But trust me." Isana said. "I'm more than just my quirk...I have my wisdom."

"Clearly," Kugo said.

"...so, you defended me. Does this make us...friends or something?" Isana asked.

Kugo nodded. "One could see it that way."

Isana chuckled. "Well then...I have no issues with this."

As time passed, Kugo and Isana's bond grew stronger, and they became inseparable friends. Their unique combination of Isana's wisdom and Kugo's strength earned them a reputation among their peers. They were known as the "brains and brawn" duo, and their camaraderie attracted a small group of like-minded individuals.

They started spending more time in the hidden corners of the city, hanging out in back alleys, and experimenting with their quirks. Isana believed that 'heroes' were they biggest oppressors- something about how you never really saw mutants like Kugo or himself in the top. Well, 'mutant' mutants. Not the closer to humanoid ones.

As they grew older, their focus on academics waned, and they started skipping classes more frequently. Their academic records might not have been exemplary, but their street smarts and unconventional problem-solving skills were second to none. Surprisingly, they managed to pass their exams with higher marks than anyone would have expected, a testament to the potential hidden beneath their rebellious façade.

Now 18, they spent their days hanging out in back alleys, engaging in petty mischief, and indulging in vices like smoking. The excitement of their delinquent lifestyle seemed to be enough for them at the time.

...at least, until Kugo's dad got sick sometime after graduation.

It was an acute kidney injury- occurs when the kidneys suddenly stop functioning properly, often as a result of a sudden decrease in blood flow or kidney damage. If not treated promptly, it can lead to complications such as electrolyte imbalances or fluid overload.

...it hadn't been treated properly by the usual doctors. Something about 'their' biology being so different. Bullshit, Kugo thought.

What's worse was just how much it was going to cost. Intensive surgeries like this would always cost a fortune. For a kidney surgery like this, that would be about 442,00 U.S. dollars. In yen, the conversion rounded out to over sixty-three million. That wasn't even considering that "differing biology" excuse. Some doctors out there would try to use that as a means to squeeze even more money out of cases like this, so who knows how high the final cost would actually be.

Kugo looked at the price on the medical papers, anger and sadness welling up inside him. There was no way he could afford that, especially in this never-moving town. He crumpled the paper up in his hands, almost ready to just toss it aside.

"Sucks about your dad, man." Shikuma said, taking a drag from a cigarette. They'd met him sometime during their sophomore year- and he just stuck around ever since.

"Bit of an understatement there, Shi." Isana frowned, letting Rei rest her head on his shoulder.

Rei was another newcomer to their little group, joining up with them a short time after Shikuma showed up. She was a little shorter than Isana himself, sporting white, shoulder-length hair and white irises.

"Sixty-three million..." Rei repeated, "There's...there's no job in town that could give that kinda cash in a short amount of time is there? Like, just based on the salaries?"

"Not a one..." Kugo confirmed, "So we're stuck. Unless I get lucky and win the lottery or something..."

"...then let's make it," Isana said.

"What?" Shikuma asked. "That's crazy. We can't just get that much yen in a single day."

"You're right. Someone else probably already has."

"Wait...wait, wait, wait, you're not suggesting-?" Rei asked.

"We steal it, exactly," Isana nodded.

"...I mean. Got a friend who knows that kinda thing," Shikuma added.

"Woah, woah." Kugo said, crushing his cig beneath his foot. "We're NOT gonna steal stuff. I'll just...have to work myself to the bone."

"You and I both know that might not work. Even if you could scrounge up that kind of money, you'd have to take on like...six or seven different jobs if you're lucky. More if you're not. And from the sounds of things, time's not on your side. Why play a game that's rigged from the start?" Isana questioned.

"...It feels wrong to steal the money, even if it is for the greater good." Kugo frowned.

"You're fine with sacrificing your health for an impossible dream. Think of this as a shortcut." Isana said.

"But..." Kugo started.

"Kugo. I know you're a good guy but...this could be the difference between life and death. You have to."

"...we're not even equipped for something like this." Kugo frowned.

"That's where my friend comes in," the bear-headed delinquent mentioned, "He's done a few thefts here and there. Never anything big but...still the same, right?"

"Fine, fine. But we work without hurting anyone, without taking people hostage, etc. Deal?" Kugo asked.

"I'll talk with him." Shikuma said.

Shikuma's "expert" on criminal matters was another animal-based Quirk holder. Kugo wasn't entirely surprised by the pattern forming among their little friend group, the only exception being Rei herself. The so-called expert was a tall and lanky man going by the name of Dholak. The animal for his Quirk was definitely one of the more unsettling ones, even if it was harmless. Much like Kugo, he was gifted with an aquatic animal Quirk, but his was the Japanese spider crab. The most intimidating thing about normal spider crabs is their size, able to grow a leg span of up to 3.7 meters. Dholak had those trademark extra appendages emerging from his back, though he could always just retract them into his back if he needed.

"Sixty-three mil?" Dholak repeated when he heard the number.

"It's...for my dad. He needs a kidney surgery and-" Kugo began.

"Oh, so we're doing a Robin Hood type job? Steal from the rich, give to the poor. Alright...I can get behind that."

Kugo gave a sigh of relief. "And I don't want anyone innocent getting involved. Hell, I'll even be the fall guy if things go south- I just want to do something good. Even if it means breaking the l-"

"Save the morality speech." Dholak huffed. "I know a family that wouldn't mind that missing money."

"Alright, where?" Shikuma asked, not even bothering to hide his eagerness.

"You ever heard of this family called the Yaoyorozu family? Turns out they have a villa in the countryside with a safe filled with cash and gold bars and stuff. They rarely use it." Dholak explained.

"Gold bars? Seriously?" Kugo asked, a little doubtful of that claim.

"I know, I know, it sounds cartoony but its true. Point is if they rarely use it, then there's no real harm in taking surplus right?" Dholak chuckled.

"I mean...I guess not?"

"Then there ya go."

"Alright, alright," Kugo said, pacing around. "How soon can we do this operation?"

"A week," Dholak said. "Need to scan the perimeter, etc."

"Alright...a week and then we meet you back here or something?"

"Two days before the heist, I'll send Shikuma the location. We meet there," the spider crab Quirk user nodded.

"Then we'll get the rundown. Easy peasy...right?" Shikuma said.

Kugo gulped. "...hopefully."

---

Half the time had passed that Dholak needed to case the place and Kugo...was not feeling it. Doubt was starting to creep its way into his mind. Really, it had been there since the start of this entire heist discussion. He knew the money would be going to a good cause, it'd help save his dad's life after all. But this was an incredibly dangerous line to cross. He'd heard stories about some of the world's most dangerous villains starting off with good intentions and just spiralling further and further into villainy. Was that was happening here? Was he about to-?

"Kugo," Isana spoke up, snapping the killer whale Quirk-wielder away from his thoughts, "You ok?"

Kugo took a long, long drag of his cigarette. "...I'm worried. About what this might do for us down the line."

"Jury might be lenient if we get caught. You never know-"

"I'm talking about our morality, Isana. Our integrity. This isn't just a simple theft. We're stealing from someone who probably hasn't even done anything wrong." Kugo said. "The Yaoyorozu family is just a stepping stone for our success...but what comes next? Are we gonna...fall down that villainy pittrap?"

"Worried we'll get hooked on it, hm? A valid concern, I admit," Isana shrugged, "But as long as your only motivation is something good, I don't see you turning into a villain. Maybe you'll develop a love for adrenaline but that won't be too bad. Some martial arts or other sports should fix that need."

Kugo nodded slowly, taking in Isana's words. "...but what if I just get hooked, and keep on going?"

"Then I'll be there to pull you out," Isana said firmly. "We're partners. We look out for each other. I won't let you fall down that path if I can help it."

Kugo smiled faintly, grateful for Isana's unwavering support. "Thanks."

"You'd do the same for me, after all, right?" Isana smirked and gently punched Kugo on the shoulder.

"I would," Kugo chuckled, punching back maybe a little harder than he intended.

"Ow," Isana rubbed the spot Kugo hit. It didn't hurt that badly and they both knew it, so they were happy to share a little laugh between them about it.

---

The rest of the time before the meet-up seemed to pass in the blink of an eye. Before they were ready to hear it, Shikuma's phone buzzed with a text from Dholak. It was short, concise and to the point. The address was the first part of the message, fortunately, Kugo knew exactly where it was, and the second part was just an ominous, if a little cliché, "It's time."

"We're...we're actually doing this, h-huh?" Rei asked as they made their way to the address in the evening, the sun slowly setting off in the distance.

"It's a day before, Rei. Don't think you can afford to back out now," Shikuma scoffed.

"I mean...what if something goes wrong? People this rich have got to-"

"Ah ah ah, not so loud," Isana stopped her, "Not so loud."

"R-right," Rei sighed before lowering her voice to a whisper, "People this rich have got to have security, right? Not just tech but guards too?"

"You'd think that- but it's literally just a common folk security system. They're so confident in their security they'll mock the lesser folk by playing by their rules." Dholak explained.

"Class act." Isana said with an eyeroll.

"They have motion sensors and security cameras installed in every room, but they're all connected to a single monitor in the study, so it's easy to bypass. The safe is in the master bedroom, behind a portrait of the owner's grandmother. The lock is a simple combination lock, 4 digits long, but we can use my program to bypass it." Dholak went on. "So, easy peasy."

"Your program?" Kugo repeated, "You know code?"

"Course I do. It's so fucking easy to learn Python." Dholak scoffed, holding up a flash drive. "Plug this in, and it'll erase the day's recordings, copy the recordings from the day before, and paste them over the prior recordings."

"...simple enough," Rei said, taking the flash drive. "And I'll clean our traces on the way out."

"Clean?" Dholak repeated.

"My quirk lets me 'clean' stuff. That includes fingerprints, shoe prints, etc." Rei said.

"Your quirk is perfect for the job..." Dholak grinned. "And OTHER things."

"I would ask if I even want to know what the hell you mean by other things," Kugo muttered, "but I have enough to worry about right now. We just...we just go in, use the program, grab the money, get out before anyone knows we were even there."

"And you don't even need to worry about hurting people," Shikuma added.

"Works for me." Kugo said. "When do we strike?"

"Honestly, whenever. Could be right now if you wanted. Even in broad daylight." Dholak said.

"In broad-?! Hell no! We don't want to be seen, remember?!"

"Night's much better," Isana said, "Fewer people around, easier to sneak in, the usual perks. I thought you said you were an expert at this?"

"You seen our location?" Dholak said, presenting the mansion. The house was in the middle of a thick forest. The thick canopy of trees around it made it hard to see how grand it was. As they got closer, they could see the tall front of the house peeking out from between the trees. It was a big, two-story building with big bay windows that looked out on well-kept grounds. The walls were made of white stone and had carvings on the sides that were very detailed. The roof was made of red bricks, and a tall chimney. Grand columns held up the porch and led to a set of double doors.

"No neighbors for miles. Right by a small manmade beach. This thing is pretty much begging to be stolen from."

"I mean...shit, he's right," Shikuma agreed, "If they didn't wanna get robbed, woulda had some guards up here at least, right?"

"It's...it's for a good cause. Just need to keep telling ourselves that," Rei muttered, trying to both calm her anxiety about this and hype herself up for when the actual heist started. While he didn't say anything out loud, Kugo was mentally repeating that phrase like a mantra. It's for a good cause, it's for a good cause.

---

The group struck late the next night- around midnight. As they got closer to the mansion, they stayed low and kept to the shadows, avoiding any detection as they made their way towards the back of the mansion. Once they reached the back of the house, Isana scouted the area for any security measures. He quickly confirmed that there were no guards in sight and that their tech was their only obstacle.

"We're golden." He muttered.

"Perfect," Dholak smirked, "Stick to the plan and in...let's be generous and say half an hour, we'll all be rich."

"Right, right." Kugo said, looking for a window to pry open carefully.

He quickly found one that opened into one of the many lavish corridors of the summer estate. Kugo sighed, rubbing his hands together before gripping the edge of the window. With, honestly a small amount of strength on his part, he was able to pry the window open easily and raise it just enough to let everyone in.

The group stepped into the corridor and were immediately impressed by all the expensive paintings and other art pieces lining the halls. They took a moment to appreciate the grandeur of the estate before swiftly and quietly making their way towards the master bedroom.

"This place is insane," Shikuma muttered. "How often do they come here?"

"Not often." Dholak frowned. "Waste of money, but it looks nice."

Rei traced her finger along a table. "This place is dusty."

"Let me guess, something of a neat freak? Given your Quirk and all?"

"I...happen to have an appreciation for cleanliness, s-shut up," Rei muttered.

"Don't be rude." Isana frowned.

"Sorry, sorry. You know what? I'll go take care of the security." Dholak huffed, making a turn down another corridor.

"Remind me how you even know him," Kugo asked as the other four made their way deeper into the estate.

"Eh, met him one summer. Taught me how to hotwire cars and be good muscle," Shikuma shrugged.

"Muscle? Like...a gang enforcer?" Isana asked.

"Hey, that'd be cool."

"No. No gangs." Kugo frowned. "We're not a gang. We're just...some people who need the money for an unfortunate situation."

"Soooo a gang?" Shikuma snarked.

"No! If anything we're...a temporary crew," Kugo corrected.

"Works for me." Kugo huffed, as they made their way into the master bedroom. Rei used her quirk to quietly clean up any footprints they may have left behind while Isana scanned the room for any oddities.

"We're good." Isana said as Kugo walked over to the picture.

The killer whale hero-to-be took a deep breath before he reached out, grabbing the painting and pulling it away from the wall. There was the wall safe, just like Dholak said. Kugo looked at it and actually allowed himself a quick smirk. All that stood between him and the money they needed was a small but heavily reinforced metal door.

"This is it..." Kugo sighed. Dholak quickly rejoined the small crew after activating one other little function of the program. The others watched as the dial spun on its own, the lock letting out a satisfying click with each correct number put in.

"Annnnd voila," Dholak smirked as the combination lock finally clicked and all the locks were undone. The safe door pushed forward a little bit, giving a little bit of room for Kugo to grab hold of it and slowly swing it open. Everyone's eyes, even Dholak's, widened at the sight inside. He wasn't kidding about there being gold bars inside the safe. Stacks of cash were piled next to at least eight gold bars stacked atop one another.

"Jackpot," Shikuma smirked.

"If none of you brought a bag for the loot, then just grab everything you can carry," Dholak said, pulling out one of the bars.

As Kugo and the crew stared at the piles of gold bars and stacks of cash, excitement filled the air. It seemed like their daring heist was about to pay off handsomely. They quickly set to work, grabbing whatever they could carry, and filling their arms and pockets with as much as possible.

Kugo felt a rush of adrenaline and accomplishment as he held one of the heavy gold bars. He couldn't believe they had actually succeeded in breaking into the safe. He felt a small grin spread across his face- his dad was gonna be okay.

"Hey, that wasn't so bad." Kugo muttered. "Right, Isana?"

Isana didn't respond. He was staring at something he grabbed from the safe.

"...Isana?"

"Guys... you need to see this," Isana finally managed to speak, his voice laced with both shock and disappointment.

His crewmates turned their attention to Isana, curious about what could have shaken him so profoundly amidst their triumphant moment. As they saw the pictures, their expressions mirrored Isana's initial reaction - disbelief mixed with anger.

"What the hell is this?" Shikuma growled, clenching his fists tightly.

It was some rich bitch, presumably of the Yaoyorozu family...with the Creature Rejection Clan. The CRC was a cult-like religious organization that did not accept people with physical "abnormalities", especially against those with Mutant-type Quirks, even when the super-powered society had stabilized and escaped from such bigotry. Originally, their main activity had been protest, but they had become increasingly radical and had begun committing violent crimes. Their extreme behavior ended up weakening their public support and they shrank dramatically in size and ended up being scattered into smaller groups.

"Not even I could clean up a mess like this." Rei muttered, dropping the gold bars in disgust. "Do you guys realize what this means?"

"What?" Kugo asked.

"...this is blood money."

"This wealth is tainted by the suffering of innocent mutants who have been hurt and oppressed by the Creature Rejection Clan."

Kugo felt a sick feeling in the pit of his stomach. The excitement and accomplishment he had felt just moments ago had vanished, replaced by a sense of disgust.

"I...I can't believe this." Kugo said, feeling sick.

"I didn't sign up for this," Shikuma said, his voice filled with disappointment and anger. "The fuck are we supposed to do now? This easy job just got morally complicated."

Isana crumpled the paper up. "Their faces. I recognize them."

"What? What do you mean-"

"They're billionaires from Japan. This place...might be a meeting place for the CRC." Isana realized.

"We stumbled upon something bigger than we anticipated," Dholak said, his voice grim. Kugo said nothing. He just went over to table and found a candle on it.

"...I need a smoke." Kugo grumbled darkly, as he took a long drag from the cigarette, the smoke intertwining with his thoughts...his thumb still had his lighter lit...

"...take enough money to pay for my dad's operation," Kugo said.

"What!?" Dholak huffed. "Just that much?! There's plenty more than that in-"

"I don't care," Kugo said. "The money's covered in blood...but at least it'll be used for something they'd hate. Saving some 'filthy' mutant's life. Take the photo, too."

"But I could use some extra moolah-" Shikuma added, but he was cut off when Kugo spun around, an angry look in his eyes. Shikuma looked taken aback by Kugo's sudden intensity and quickly backed off.

Isana smirked a bit. This really lit a fire under you, huh? Never seen you THIS mad before.

As the crew started to leave the mansion, Kugo's anger and frustration simmered beneath the surface. The weight of the situation had transformed his usual laid-back demeanor into something more fierce and determined.

Reaching the window they crawled in through, Kugo spotted an opportunity. Pretending to stumble, he 'accidentally' dropped his lighter near a pile of papers, and the flame ignited a small fire.

"W-what the hell are you doing-" Shikuma yelled.

"GO!" Gang Orca yelled. . Without wasting another moment, the crew hurriedly made their way back through the window and retreated from the mansion.

Outside, they gathered at a safe distance and watched as the fire began to spread.

"I...I didn't know we were doing that." Rei said.

"Neither did I." Kugo said, coldly walking off. "But we got our money. And we sent our message."

Isana closed his eyes for a second, and made a face. "Fair enough." The group watched the fire from a distance for a few more minutes, the crackling flames reflecting in their eyes. They didn't feel bad. They didn't feel evil. They just felt...right.

After some time, they decided to head back to their van. The drive back was filled with an awkward silence as each member of the crew was just lost in their thoughts.

Once they were back in an area with cell reception, Kugo's phone rang. He hesitated for a moment before answering, unsure of who could be calling at a time like this.

...then he saw the caller ID.

It was the hospital where his dad was.

Kugo's finger was shaking as he pressed 'answer'. "Hello?" Kugo answered, his voice trembling with anticipation.

"Is this Kugo Sakamata?" The voice on the other end sounded serious.

"Y-yeah. This is him...what's going on? Did something happen with-"

The nurse's voice on the other end of the line was filled with regret and sorrow. "I'm so sorry, sir. Your father had complications with-"

Kugo didn't hear anything she said after that. Everything around him seemed to blur into one big color, and he heard white noise, all around him. Kugo's mind went blank, and he felt a wave of numbness wash over him. It was as if time had stopped, and he was suspended in a void of grief and shock. He couldn't comprehend the reality of what he had just been told.

The world around him continued to move, but he felt detached from it all. His crewmates tried to console him, their voices sounding distant and muffled.

"Kugo?"

"Dude."

"Hey, what's wrong?"

"...I'm so sorry."

...

...

The next few weeks felt like a blur. Kugo didn't remember much here. He just remembered...the pain. Bruised knuckles. Screams of agony. Piercing headaches.

...bloodied faces of the CRC.

Kugo didn't remember his father's funeral. But he remembered the CRC members begging for him to stop.

He never did. Any time those mutant-hating bastards pleaded for mercy, Kugo would give them a form of it. One more swift punch to their face or a quick kick to the stomach knocked them out. He never killed anyone during any of these brutal rampages by some miracle. But with the amount of broken bones and blood lost from those hits, some of the Rejection clan members wished he had. Each one of them would no doubt be in pain for the rest of their lives.

And Isana had to admit...he was inspired. While not entirely how he would've gone about it, he began to notice real change around his hometown. Heteromorphs and animal-Quirk users were being treated better around town. Even if it was born of misplaced fear, there was an improvement.

"Hm...I wonder..." Isana hummed.

Kugo was a...vigilante. Vigilantes in the world were frowned upon. The origins of Heroes could be traced back to Vigilantes. When Quirks started to manifest, no organization controlled the people who used their Quirks to help others and took down the bad guys. Since these individuals operated outside of the control of the government and law enforcement, they were declared Vigilantes.

While the act of vigilantism was inherently illegal, the Vigilantes themselves represented a gray line in the eyes of the law. There were times when a Hero was unavailable to stop the trouble, and the Vigilantes' actions could result in lives being saved. It was because of this that a debate persisted amongst those representing law enforcement on how lenient to be on a Vigilante.

And in the times of the Symbol of Peace? Where issues relating to the 'lesser' were shoved aside for blissful ignorance?

Gang Orca was a symbol.

And symbols could rally people. Isana approached Kugo one day after one of his "battles" against a CRC group. Calling it a battle was being generous, really. Every one of these fights was so one-sided in Gang Orca's favor.

"Kugo," Isana began, finding his old friend at one of their old hangouts.

"Hey...Isana," Kugo sighed, his voice sounding almost emotionless.

"You doing good, buddy?"

"..."

"Sorry. Dumb question." Isana said, pulling out a smoke. He offered the box to Kugo, but he declined. He then watched as Kugo dumped some water on his face. "You've been busy."

"...one way of putting it," Kugo muttered.

"We've been trying to find you, y'know. Me, Shikuma, Rei, even Dholak. We found the aftermath of more than one bloodbath...but never you."

"Good. Means the Clan and the police couldn't either..."

"I know you went off on your own to...to keep us out of it, but I don't think you can anymore."

"...you wanna keep up with me or something? Fine. I could use the assistance." Kugo frowned, rubbing his chin.

"I'm seriously considering it." Isana said. "I'm not really a fighting type...but I'd be content with letting loose."

"The others too?"

"Haven't asked, but I think they'd agree to it."

"...do you think I'm doing the right thing?" Kugo asked, staring out into space. "Or am I just...not coping well after the funeral?"

"Probably. Not the healthiest thing to do after a death, but at least it's semi-productive." Isana said. "The only good racist is one that's been bloodied to a pulp."

"They deserved it, no doubts there. But...do you think-?" Kugo began.

"This place has been stuck in time for who knows how long. And now, because of what you've been doing, time's actually moving forward again. We're moving away from those old prejudices. You're doing good."

Kugo crushed the now empty water bottle. "Let's hope it stays that way."

"It probably would...maybe even go a little faster if you had some back-up," Isana suggested.

"And you're suggesting everyone else pitch in then?" Kugo asked.

"Everyone wants to. Could be our very own vigilante team, doing things the police won't for whatever reason. Think about it."

"I have. And...and I'll take it. But one rule. No killing," Kugo put special emphasis on the rule, making it perfectly clear what the stance was on that.

"Rei and I are pretty much in agreement there. Shikuma and Dholak...they might convincing, but they'll probably cave," Isana explained.

"Good. Because if they don't-"

"Relax. They will. Neither of them have a death wish."

From there, the Aquarium was formed, a local vigilante group coordinated by Isana himself. He wasn't the best in the fight, nor did he prefer to be on the front lines. He liked being in the background, the "Oracle" of the group. Dholak was their source of street contacts, the ones who provided rumors and and hints for Isana to corroborate with more official sources. The three headliners of the group were "Bearhead," "Zookeeper" and, of course, "Gang Orca." The former two needed to build up their own reputations, but they soon came to be as feared as Gang Orca himself. In no time, the Aquarium's war against the CRC in the area had ended in victory. The prejudiced group's cells had done all they could to stay in the town, fight back against these "mutant freaks" that they saw as lesser. But in truth, the CRC couldn't hold a candle to them. With the "Curator's" intel and coordination, the brute strength of Bearhead and Gang Orca, and the versatility of Zookeeper's fighting style, there was just no counter.

For a while, it just was hunting down members of the Creature Rejection Clan. Punishing them. Sometimes breaking up fights and more times than not, destroying bases.

Kugo thought this would be his path for the rest of his life. Fighting. Taking revenge. Destroying everything that hated him.

...but the hate didn't consume him.

It took Isana instead.

Isana, despite never actually taking part in the fights, had seen and heard far more about the CRC's crimes than any other member of the team. All that negativity began to change him, color his opinion in a new way. These people, with self-described "normal" Quirks, thought they were so much superior to him. Most other people with Heteromorph Quirks fall into one of two categories, either repaying atrocities with more atrocities or doing nothing. Isana justified the Aquarium's exclusion from the former category because they never took lives. They didn't need to. That was their one rule and even as the hatred and revenge slowly corrupted him, he intended to stick to it all the way.

During the aftermath of one of final few CRC raids, he ordered Shikuma to steal the finances that the cell had accumulated. With those funds, he began to put a plan into action in the background, a pet project if you will.

"If a world run on land is so easy to tempt into violence and cycles...then perhaps, all we need is a change of scenery," Isana muttered to himself one night as he worked.

He spent so many late nights poring over blueprints and schematics before he found what he had been looking for: a large derelict tanker ship. It wasn't anything special, just a rusted hulk floating on the coast, but with Isana's mind and the Aquarium's capabilities, he knew it could be so much more.

He presented the idea to the team. Kugo disapproved. "A hideout?" Kugo huffed. "What are we, six? We're not gonna have a 'villain' dugout. Seems stupid."

"Six now. But...I've been thinking of expanding," Isana said.

"Why? The CRC's gone. We pushed them out!" Rei countered.

"From one city. They're not gone...not fully. Cut off one tendril and another grows to replace it, like an octopus."

"We're overstepping limits. We're almost done with the list. After that, we give up this life." Kugo said.

"Why?" Isana frowned. "Why!? Why stop with just one problem? There's OTHERS suffering like us, Kugo! Other bullies we can't even dream of! People need someone to look up to!"

"It's not us, though! We're...hometown icons. Nothing more. The CRC is one thing, but there are people much more dangerous than them."

"Like the Red Fang?" Rei suggested.

"Exactly who I'm talking about. The CRC are just a bunch of assholes with money. The Red Fang are actual terrorists, we're not going to-"

"Terrorist is such a strong word for them. They idolize a stubborn man with the traits of livestock who can't even take a hint when a girl tells him 'no.' They're no more terrorists than the CRC are, just a collection of land-dwellers with guns. Too much energy, not enough sense," Isana interrupted, correcting Kugo's statement.

"We have two names left." Kugo growled, standing up from his seat. "We take them down, and then we go our separate ways. That's it. Okay?"

Isana just glared at Kugo in response. "…you're a coward." Isana said with grit teeth.

"You're the last person I ever expected to throw that at me," Kugo narrowed his eyes.

"And yet you're just proving my point."

"How?"

"You'll beat up someone who hurt you, or your friends- but other people? Screw them. They can't fend for themselves like you can, Kugo." Isana argued. "Look at you- you are SO much better than the people who hate you for BEING."

"And what? You just want me to be your personal enforcer now? Is that it?!"

"Not enforcer. Our dynamic's the same, only difference is the target," Isana explained.

"No. I'm not doing this." Kugo frowned. "I'm the one who started this crusade, and I decide when it ends. And it ends with our last two targets. If you're not satisfied, whatever."

"You're right. You did start this crusade...you're also the one who gave us our one rule. With you gone, I'm sure Shikuma and Dholak would be happy to use a more permanent solution to our problems," Isana threatened. It was no idle bluff either. Kugo had known him long enough to tell a lie from the truth.

Kugo nearly picked up his chair and threw it at Isana. "I've never seen you lift a finger for all of the heavy lifting I've been doing. It's always been you bossing me around."

"Bossing you-? I've been coordinating. You know as well as I that going to the front lines would be a death sentence for me! I'm not a fighter!" Isana reminded.

"Ya know, he's right," Dholak said, "Ya both are. Red Fang are a bit much for us to take on as we are...but we should expand a bit. Get some new blood into the Aquarium. More muscle, quick hitters, things like that. Plenty of other gangs and Quirk crews out there that could use a good punch to the face."

"Yeah." Kugo frowned, grabbing his coat and heading for the door. "Do it without me."

Isana would not stand for this. At all.

"Shikuma," Isana growled. The bear-headed vigilante moved to step in and block Kugo's path out. As did Rei, even though she wasn't ordered to.

"Kugo. Please," Rei started.

"What, now you're for it?" Kugo asked.

"If it's not against the Fang, then yeah! Small-time gangs and crews like that are a dime a dozen. Small good deeds like that'll add up! No killing like you always say!"

"Good deeds? We're crossing lines." Kugo said. "What if we start witch-hunting others? And what if we're wrong? Then we're villains."

"That's part of my job. I make sure that everything is as accurate as possible. Witch hunting is based off rumors and hearsay. We act on evidence and facts. Not a single person we've gone after here has been innocent, have they?" Isana argued.

"But you can't be perfect all of the time! Mistakes happen!"

"That's why I make new connections. Info brokers have to sell good intel or they'd be out of a job. It's in the name, Orca," Dholak countered.

"Then we're veering into the path of villainy. I want no part, damn it!" Kugo yelled.

"Info brokers aren't villains! They're...shady grey at best," Shikuma said.

"Kugo. As your friend, you cannot leave us here. Not now. You need to stay. If not for the future then at least for these last two..." Isana reminded him. In truth, a plan was forming in his head that he'd spring when the last of the CRC was truly eradicated from here. Kugo was a man who followed his purpose, so all that needed to change was said purpose. "Protect his home" was the one he currently adhered to, but "getting proper revenge" could overwrite that easily.

"...are you really my friend?" Kugo said. "Or am I just a way for you to lash out at the world without having to use YOUR power?

"You're asking that? Kugo, I would've thought-" Isana began, his hand shaking in anger for a moment before calming down, "We'll...we'll talk about at this at greater length after we finish the current list. Deal?"

Kugo took a good, long, hard look at his old friend. He tried to recall any good memories. Anything.

But he found nothing.

Kugo didn't say a word as he pushed the two out of his way and left without even a goodbye. Isana stared.

"Kugo..." Rei muttered in disappointment.

"We did say we needed more muscle," Shikuma muttered.

"It doesn't matter. We'll get what we need...with or without him," Isana finally said, letting his silence hang in the air after who he thought was his friend left him.

"What, you just gonna find some NEW muscle in an instant?" Shikuma frowned.

"I did put out some ads on some of dark web sites. I know some likely candidates..."

"Like who?" Dholak asked. Isana just smirked behind his bandages at the question. He'd tell them in due time. But first, he needed to upgrade his attire. It only made sense if he was going to make his proper "debut."

---

The other CRC cell in the area had been absolutely demolished by this group of freaks calling themselves Aquarium. A fitting name if nothing else. The last cell in town was certainly feeling the pressure on their shoulders as the last bastion of their beliefs, even if some called them extreme. The man in charge of this cell was the third son of one of the Clan's largest financial backers, easily top five if you wanted to get specific. His father was the current CEO of King Enterprises, one the pharmaceutical giants in Osaka. Even the Quirks on call with the CRC were enough to handle most mutant freaks, these Aquarium thugs were a different breed.

"Sir...what are we-?" one of the cell's members asked, hushed by a sudden wave of his leader's hand.

"Neither our Quirks nor our weapons are enough to deal with these animals, that's obvious. So...I've been looking for someone else to handle this," the leader of the cell admitted, "A professional. And I think I finally found the one. He may ask for more than money, but he'll get his payment. No matter what it may be."

"More than money? What the hell else does this guy want?" The member asked.

"...test subjects." The man said. "Living. If he captures them, then he can have all the fun he wants with those freaks."

"W-who the hell did you hire?" the CRC member asked, a little unnerved by the notion.

"You can ask him when he arrives," the leader sighed. Admittedly, even he had his doubts about this character. He had no problem with the experimentation angle as long as the Aquarium was dealt with, but what was to stop him from turning on them and adding them to his experiments? He needed some kind of insurance obviously, but this wasn't a man you could just threaten into compliance. No, he was the one who threatened others back in line.

I can't let our ideals die. This world is starting to fester- I fear my offspring may be one of those monsters down the line...so, I have no issue doing whatever I can to protect my work. The leader thought. This world will bear no mutants down the way...and I will ensure that.

---

Kugo might've left the Aquarium because of Isana's new paradigm, but that didn't mean he was done with the CRC. Using the info that they'd gathered before this whole argument, Gang Orca had found the last local cell's hideout. Considering smoke wasn't rising into the sky and the lack of panicked shouts, Aquarium hadn't gotten here yet. In his mind, if Kugo could get rid of the CRC before the others do, then maybe they'd consider his words a bit more. Shikuma was a fifty-fifty really and Dholak was probably a no-go; he only cared about the money. If Isana brought in anyone else then they wouldn't really care about him. Rei though? Rei might be convinced to actually lay down this whole vigilante thing.

He just needed to prove to them that the Aquarium wasn't needed still.

Kugo didn't bother hiding his presence. The people probably knew he was coming- and he was right. The second he got near the vicinity of the base, men jumped out, all with various, powerful quirks. They were screaming slurs at him-

And he immediately wiped them out with a sonic wave. Boom. Done.

Only one of them was still semi-conscious, trying to crawl away from the bloodless slaughter even with blurred vision. Kugo didn't let them get far, grabbing their hood and pulling them up off the ground.

"All the other bases you had had code doors. What's this one?" Kugo asked, his tone of voice implying that if the CRC member didn't give him the code, they'd end up like all their "brothers and sisters in arms," with plenty of broken bones.

"F-fuck you." The member smirked. "I'll never-"

-finish that sentence. Kugo threw the bastard through a window. "Thanks." Kugo said, making sure to step on his back as he walked inside.

Kugo adjusted one of his gloves as he made his way over to the door to the hidden part of this warehouse. Place was just a general shipping and holding warehouse, no big connections to crime bosses there. The only issue was that, in the past, this place used to be a smuggle hideout and no one found the old hideout. Well, until the CRC did. Gang Orca shoved aside some crates that were hiding the hidden door before he gripped it and pried the metal door off its hinges.

Down the staircase he went. Guys tried to stop him. And they failed, instantly. Kugo was a man on a warpath. He had no intel on how bad these guys were, but given the nature of their business...a place like this deserved to burn if they refused treatment to mutants.

Maybe he was going extra hard tonight because his dad was sick. But whatever.

The only good CRC member is one snivelling on the ground in defeat.

No matter what kind of Quirks they sent his way, they weren't a match for a Kugo with a mission like this. To the average member of the Rejection clan, this was like being in a slasher movie and they were one of the extras to be gruesomely killed off. Though they were given a mercy they probably didn't deserve, none of their lives ended. The leader of the CRC cell took a deep breath and just waited for Kugo, a hand on a secret pistol secured to the underside of his desk.

Don't stand me up, you psychopath... the leader thought to himself.

"You're the pathetic sad sack behind this clinic, are you?" The towering man boomed. "I bet you're reaching for a gun right now. Am I right?"

The leader screamed, whipping the gun out….and Kugo just unleashed the loudest sound wave he could muster.

The soundwaves slammed into the leader, breaking his desk in half, wrenching the gun from his grip, and slamming him into the stone wall behind him. The sonic assault cratered the wall, the constant assault of sound damaging his ears. Soon, the CRC leader couldn't even tell if he was screaming because all he heard was the shrill ringing of the soundwaves pressing him against the wall. Of course, that went both waves. With all his attention focused on the leader, Kugo didn't hear the hired muscle walk up behind him until the giant's hand was already grasping his head.

"This? THIS is the guy who's got you so terrified?" the newcomer questioned before slamming Kugo face-first into the nearest wall, "A guy with the attributes of a killer whale? Actually, no, when I say that out loud, there's a degree of sense there."

Kugo groaned as he tried to push himself up from the ground, but the hired muscle wasn't having any of it. The giant pushed him back down, his hand like a vice grip on Kugo's shoulder.

"I'll admit, I didn't think much of you at first," the muscle continued, "But now? I can see why they're so afraid of you. You're resourceful, you're tough, and most importantly, you don't give up. I can respect that in a person...but not a freak."

Kugo gritted his teeth, trying to ignore the pain coursing through his body. He could feel his blood pooling beneath him, staining the floor- something was poking into him and it hurt.

"Why are you doing this?" Kugo managed to gasp out, "Why are you working for them?"

"Why would anyone work for them? Shared beliefs aren't quite enough. Money...and the promise of new test subjects," the man smirked.

"Test...subjects, huh?" Kugo grunted. "So, is that what I am!?"

"To me, yes. These... supremacists can be rather small-minded. But to me, mutant biology is perfect for what I have in mind. Ah, but where are my manners? Even to a lesser entity, you should know the name of your better. You can call me...Ironish Man."

"Iron...ish?" Kugo repeated.

"Yes."

"What? Someone tried to sue you on the trademark and you changed it to compl-" Kugo started to taunt before Ironish Man slammed the orca Quirk-user into the wall again and again.

"Not the first time I've heard that 'joke.' It's never funny. Always grating..."

Ironish Man roared as he slammed Kugo into the wall again, causing cracks to run up and down the stone surface. Kugo gritted his teeth, fighting against the pain that lanced through his body.

"But enough of this banter," Ironish Man said, his voice low and menacing. "I have a job to do, and you're not making it easy for me."

He reached down and grabbed Kugo by the scruff of his neck, pulling him up to eye level. "Consider this a test. Just seeing how much pain tolerance you have..."

Kugo's vision swam, his head pounding from the repeated impacts. He could feel the blood dripping down his face and mixing with the sweat on his skin. His body ached, but his determination burned like a fire within him. He refused to let himself be beaten down, both physically and mentally.

With a surge of adrenaline, Kugo forced himself to break free from Ironish Man's grip, his muscles protesting the sudden movement. He lashed out with a powerful kick, aiming for Ironish Man's midsection. The blow landed solidly, but Ironish Man only chuckled, seemingly unaffected by the attack.

"You've got spirit, I'll give you that," Ironish Man said, his tone dripping with condescension. "But let's see how well you fare against this."

Ironish Man raised his arm, forming a drill that gleamed with a metallic sheen. Kugo's instincts kicked in; he couldn't afford to be hit by another attack like that. With a burst of speed, Kugo sidestepped the incoming drill, feeling the rush of air as it whizzed by him. In an instant, Kugo pivoted on his heel, and launched himself at Ironish Man with a ferocious determination, his fists clenched and his muscles tensed for action. The odds were against him, but he couldn't allow fear or doubt to cloud his mind.

Ironish Man responded swiftly, his drill-covered arm swinging towards Kugo once more. But Kugo was ready this time. He ducked under the incoming strike, and delivered a lightning-fast combination of punches and kicks, aiming for Ironish Man's exposed midsection-

Drills sprouted from around Ironish Man's torso with astonishing speed, catching Kugo off guard as they whirred to life. Before Kugo could react, the drills extended, piercing through his foot. Pain seared through Kugo's body as he gritted his teeth against the agony. He could feel the metal drilling into his flesh, and he fought to suppress a cry of pain.

Ironish Man laughed. "You stupid whale...I can make drills ANYWHERE on my body. Can your mutie brain not comprehend that!?"

Kugo's teeth clenched even tighter as Ironish Man's mocking laughter filled the air. The pain in his foot was excruciating, but he refused to let it break his focus. "I comprehend more than you think," Kugo growled, his voice laced with defiance. Despite the agony in his foot, he'd continue to fight on.

Ironish Man's laughter echoed through the battlefield, a twisted symphony of mockery that stung Kugo's pride. The pain in his foot was a constant reminder of his vulnerability, yet he refused to allow it to erode his resolve. Kugo's teeth clenched, his gaze unwavering as he met Ironish Man's gaze head-on.

"Go ahead and laugh," Kugo retorted, his voice dripping with determination. "But I won't back down. I've faced bigger challenges than you, and I'm not about to let some overconfident thug get the best of me."

Ironish Man's laughter intensified, his smug grin widening as if he relished Kugo's defiance. "You're just a fish out of water in this world, aren't you? A mutant like you will never find acceptance. They might prop you up as a symbol of rebellion, but you will be long forgotten soon after. Then a new symbol will emerge. And again. And again. And again. Your people have been a blight, and every time we think you're down...you get back up. It's annoying..."

"As smart as you claim to be, surprised you don't know the definition of persistence," Kugo growled, ready for another go. Ironish Man just rolled his eyes and formed up a single large drill that encompassed his entire his entire hand. The weapon began spinning up as if powered by some motor before the mercenary villain leveled the giant construct at Kugo in a threatening challenge. The two stared each other down in a tense silence before Ironish Man drew back the drill and rushed forward, aiming to impale this mutant freak and end it right here. Kugo was ready to try his best to counter the hit...

But he wouldn't have to. All of a sudden, smoke bombs were thrown and exploded around the juggernaut of a hired thug, catching both Ironish and Orca by surprise. The smoke quickly obscured Ironish's vision, giving plenty of time for a new pair of attackers to rush in and flank him. Thick claws slashed and stabbed into the man's chest, deep enough to wound but enough to be fatal. In response, the metallic madman grunted in pain and swung blindly at where he thought the assailants would be, only to strike concrete or metal. As he pulled his drill arm away from one of the impact sites, a broom of all things was smashed over his head, cracking in two from the impact. After a brief moment of confusion, Ironish spun around and grabbed hold of the broken broom, tossing it and its wielder into Kugo. Rei was sent flying over the hulking juggernaut, right into Gang Orca's arms as he caught her.

"Rei?!" Kugo gasped.

"You forgot we were still coming here, didn't you?" Rei smirked a bit as Kugo helped her get back to her feet.

"No, just...I thought-" Kugo began.

"You asked me if I ever really was your friend," Isana began before he leapt over Ironish and walked over to Kugo, "Lesser minds would have been too hurt by that to even think of aiding the one who insulted them. But have I ever come off as less intelligent?"

"Isana?! You're-?!"

"In the field, per your suggestion. You were right. I didn't really know the dangers you all put yourselves in at my word, the difference between a literal safety screen and actually feeling the punch."

"So...what? Only selectively listening? I still-"

"Now's really not the best time to continue that argument," Isana said, ducking under Dholak as he was thrown aside by a strike from Ironish, "How about we deal with this...B-Movie horror villain first, then we talk about the future? What are we dealing with here? Iron manipulation of some sort?"

"He can create and manipulate drills anywhere on his body."

"Like a giant metal porcupine," Rei commented.

"...not a bad way to describe it. Bastard's strong too. Took hits from me and didn't flinch," Kugo continued.

"Which means what Dholak and Shikuma did-" Isana began.

"Was jack shit, yeah."

"Well, fortunately, we don't just have brute strength to rely on. I...might have been saving something for a bit of a surprise debut. Using some of the CRC's funds that we've...liberated, I managed to get-" Isana wasn't able to finish the sentence as Shikuma was suddenly slammed into the nearest wall.

"Please tell me it's not a 'charge-up' kind of thing," Rei hoped.

"Something like that, yeah." Kugo said. "Just keep back."

"Sorry...but I can't exactly do that." Rei said, as she rushed forward. Kugo tried to stop her by reaching out, but Isana lowered his hand.

"Her quirk might be useful here." Isana cautioned, as Rei's hands started to 'bubble'. In a swift and decisive move, Rei thrust her hands towards the drills sprouting from Ironish Man's body. The bubbles she produced enveloped the drills, emitting a soft, radiant glow as they made contact. The reaction was immediate and unexpected – the surface of the drills began to corrode and rust, their once-gleaming metal turning dull and weakened.

"It is..." Isana admitted.

"Oooof course it is."

"How long do you need?" Kugo asked.

"Give minutes," Isana winced a little.

"Five?!" the other two questioned in sync.

"I thought we'd be going up against the same old same old! Or at least someone who wasn't on a most wanted list! Possible, anyway."

"First of all," Ironish began, revving his drill, "I am on a most wanted list, though why still baffles me. Should any of my experiments succeed, it would revolutionize the world! Second off, if five minutes is what you need...then your friends won't survive past one."

"That a bet?" Kugo asked.

"Willing to take those odds?" Ironish asked back. Instead of answering with words, Kugo and Rei rushed in to give Isana the time he needed to set up. Ironish ran in to meet them, throwing a powerful swing aimed at Kugo's head, but the orca-Quirk holder ducked under the strike, letting the drill stab into the wall. With that opening, Rei raced in and thrust her hands towards the giant drill around Ironish Man's hand. The bubbles she produced enveloped the drills, emitting a soft, radiant glow as they made contact. The reaction was immediate and unexpected, corroding and rusting the metal surface, its once-gleaming metal turning dull and weakened. Ironish's eyes widened in shock as he realized the true power Rei held, but before he could pull back and protect his weapon, Kugo threw an uppercut that broke the drill apart. Ironish staggered back, wincing in a mix pain and surprise...before it was replaced with pure, sadistic glee.

"Three Mutants, an Emitter, and whatever your boss is supposed to be," Ironish grinned, forming up another drill on his other hand and several over his back, revving them up and readying for his next move, "What a perfect group of test subjects. I'll try not to damage you too SEVERELY!"

He spun around and fired off the back drills at his opponents like missiles, hoping to perforate his twin assailants. Before they could, several large crab legs appeared from behind them and swatted the smaller drills away. Dholak was back in the fight, much to Ironish's annoyance. That lapse in his guard was all Shikuma needed to tackle the insane and self-declared man of science into the nearest wall. The bear Quirk-holder then landed a series of quick jabs to the sides of Ironish's chest, ignoring the pain from his fists being scrapped and scratched by the drills that appeared to defend the weaker spots. Ironish ignored Bearhead's strikes and brought up one of his hands, a drill tip appearing like a dagger at the bottom of his fist, but Kugo wasn't about to let this happen. He raced in and grabbed Ironish's arm, slamming it back into the wall as well with a loud thud.

Isana, meanwhile, was getting everything set up for his support gear item. He flipped a latch open on a small holster he had on his hip, one that not even Kugo had been aware of, and drew the support item in question. Design wise, it resembled an M1911 pistol, but with more technological additions to it, including a battery meter to show its charge. While the others were fighting Ironish, he slipped in a new cartridge, but not one of bullets. The guy who sold it to him said it was reversed engineered by some freelance engineer in America with a penchant for the "extreme and exotic," whatever that meant. Cosidering that Isana felt his hair stand on end just holding the charging weapon, he had a pretty good of what that meant now. A weapon like this would be Ironish's Krypnonite.

Ironish threw Kugo and Shikuma off with a mad roar, threatening to stab both of them in various spots with his drills. The two managed to avoid being impaled, but that did give Ironish a chance to start a renewed assault. He was fighting both of the Aquarium's muscle, but his focus, really, was on Kugo. A bear, while formidable, could be dealt with easily. But someone with the aspects of what many considered a "king of the ocean?" That was a legitimate threat.

Isana's moment had arrived as Ironish Man continued his assault. The piece of support equipment he was holding had been charged and was prepared; its battery meter showed it to have impressive potential- he aimed the modified weapon squarely at the approaching Ironish Man.

Isana held her breath and slowly pressed the gun's trigger. What came out of the gun's muzzle was nothing short of spectacular: a dazzling beam of crackling electricity. The bluish-white power shot forward at incredible speed, cutting through the haze of conflict and home in on its intended target. Ironish's eyes widened in horror at the oncoming threat, but it was already too late.

The beam of electricity shocked the mad "scientist" to his core, causing him to scream out in pain. Bolts of lightning jumped from drill to drill like tesla coils, some even travelling up the arm drill he used for a weapon and leaping from it, almost like the lighting had a mind of its own and was just lashing out at anyone nearby.

Ironish lost command of his deadly drills in the cacophony of exploding energy. His once-imposing frame shriveled into a writhing tangle of pain as his body convulsed from the devastating shock.

"MAKE IT STOP! MAKE IT STOP!"

"Isana!" Kugo yelled, turning back to see the Aquarium's leader. He was actually struggling to turn the thing off, his finger having left the trigger a minute ago.

"It won't stop!" Isana said, trying to figure out why the gun wouldn't stop firing. Not like he could just point it somewhere else down either, because any way he turned, the lightning would be going for one of his friends.

"We need to find a way to shut it down!" Kugo called out, his voice urgent as he assessed the dire situation. His eyes darted around, searching for a solution amidst the chaos...

And he had one.

Without even really thinking, Kugo raced back and jumped into the stream of electricity. Ironish Man fell to the ground once the stream was cut off, smoke rising off his body and residual bolts sparking up here and there. Kugo, meanwhile, marched through the shocking pain of the stream towards Isana, with everyone else just watching on in shock, horror, and amazement. Gang Orca was just...brushing off the electric shock like it was nothing.

Kugo charged directly into the torrent of electricity. Ironish Man collapsed to the ground as the stream of lightning was abruptly severed, his body convulsing from the shock he had been subjected to.

With each step, Kugo endured the searing pain that coursed through him, his unwavering focus solely on reaching Isana and putting an end to the uncontrollable storm.

"No fucking way..." Isana mumbled.

"Who did you even get that from?" Kugo panted, small trails of smoke rising off his body.

"They said they were from...out of town," Isana said honestly.

"And he just let you buy it? No...no questions asked?!"

"Yeah. Why, you got a problem?" Isana frowned.

"I do, in fact. That weapon is going...too far." Kugo said. "Especially since you couldn't control it."

"It's not like I knew it was going to do that! I figured it held a charge and then I could...essentially just stun people with it," Isana explained.

"So whoever sold it didn't give you the real details. Just handed some teen a weapon that could fry someone from the inside out."

"That's what gun-runners tend to do. Bad ones anyway. Good ones'll give you something more powerful and not care what happens after," Dholak chimed in.

"...ok then. They're next," Kugo said simply.

"Next? That...that works. That sends a message, that is what the Aquarium needs. A new crusade against these weapon-" Isana began.

"But...you're still gonna have to do it without me."

"What?"

"This?" Kugo said, holding up the gun. "This is the shit villains buy. If they're willing to sell to you, then they're willing to sell to anyone. I doubt kids are off the table too."

"...are you serious!?" Isana said. "This weapon is our answer to-"

"Nothing."

"But I got it to help! You said it yourself, I'm not in the field! I just thought-!" Isana argued.

"You thought this thing could help?!" Kugo yelled. "Your logic is out of line, Isana. This world's corrupted you!"

"Corrupted? The only thing that's been 'corrupted,' Kugo is your conviction! You're willing to leave this all behind because...what? You feel tired? 'Getting too old for this shit' type of nonsense? Or is it because you no longer have a personal stake in this? Someone you care about has to be directly involved or else it doesn't matter?"

"You think this is about me being tired or giving up?" Kugo's voice held an edge of frustration, his words laden with the weight of his convictions. "You're oversimplifying things, Isana. This isn't about personal stakes or seeking an easy way out. I don't like that I'm inching closer and closer to being a criminal..."

"Criminals don't have a positive effect on people's lives! We do! We've made things better for heteromorphs and mutants in this city because of what we've done! The CRC kept this entire city in the past. Now that they're gone, people can move past those old prejudices!"

"Don't be so naive as to believe that prejudices will just disappear overnight." Kugo growled. "We've made progress, yes. But those deep-seated biases and fears don't vanish with the fall of a regime. They might lie dormant for a while, but they can resurface stronger than ever if given the right spark. Do you want that?!"

"Of course not. I'm not even saying they'll vanish entirely, but the CRC are the ones who enforced and encouraged them, making them acceptable. With them gone, people might actually wake up and change!"

Before Kugo could formulate a retort, a distant wailing of sirens pierced the air. "Shit...someone called the cops." Isana growled. "Come on-"

"No."

"No? What do you mean 'no?!'"

"I mean I'm not running." Kugo's tone was firm. "I'm turning myself in, tell them what I know, and gonna let the heroes handle the weapons..the right way. The crusade's over. Run if you want...I don't care."

"Kugo..." Rei sighed.

"...well. He ain't changing his mind," Shikuma shrugged, "Nothing I say'll get through them, know that for a fact."

"I don't want anything to do with any of you...especially if you're willing to stoop so low to use guns." Kugo growled. "You act like you have all the answers, like your way is the only right way...was any of this right?"

Isana wanted to say something...but he was so tired of Kugo's new moral compass bullshit.

"...if you find the answer in a cell...let me know," Isana said, before motioning for the other members of the Aquarium to follow him.

Kugo just stood there for a few moments and closed his eyes.

Sorry, dad. Sorry I...was led down this path. Kugo thought. I wish I was there with you, instead of robbing some shitty millionaire...

And I deserve what comes next.

When he heard the sounds of officers approaching, Kugo just took a deep breath and raised his hands in the air. He wanted the officers to know that he surrendered, no resistance.

And that was the end of the story.

...

Or so he thought. Instead of being shipped off to a rotting cell, cops were given a special order- take him to the hero commission.

When they stopped outside of the Commission's headquarters, Kugo was in disbelief. Why here? Why him? Was this related to the CRC? Did the Commission have something planned to deal with the racist organization?

Kugo was brought into an interrogation room, sat down, given a glass of water, and told to wait.

He blinked.

Either they were playing mind games with him...or they were genuinely trying the "good cop" routine here.

The hell is this? He thought, picking up the glass of water. Kugo was admittedly paranoid- was this water laced with something?

The door opened, and someone entered. "Don't worry. No nanobots in the water, if you're curious. It's tap."

"...I'm sorry, did you say nanobots?" Kugo asked, his eyes going back to the water for a moment.

"What, were you thinking truth serum?"

"Kinda..."

"We don't have that," The lady sighed, brushing some of her purple hair out of her eyes. "Kugo Sakamata...you've got quite a record, you know. Police have been tracking you."

"I figured," Kugo sighed.

"Quite a few counts of assault, breaking and entering, trespassing, theft...but not against anyone who didn't deserve it. All your 'victims' were the Creature Rejection Clan."

"If they were tracking me, why weren't they arresting me?" Kugo asked.

The lady leaned against the door frame, her gaze studying Kugo with a mixture of curiosity and something akin to amusement.

"Because you're a puzzle, Kugo. You don't fit neatly into their categories. You've got a way of operating that doesn't always align with their understanding of law and justice," she explained, a slight smirk playing at the corner of her lips. "They like that."

Kugo crossed his arms, a mix of skepticism and wariness in his expression. "So, what do you want from me?"

"You ever want to be a hero?"

"A...a hero? You're asking me if I want to be a hero?"

"I mean if you're against it, I can at least convince them to give you a shorter sentence," the woman shrugged.

"Okay, so why me as a hero?" Kugo said. "Just because I don't fit in their box!?"

"You're not afraid of their bullshit." The lady said, finally sitting down. "We need someone like that in the community- All Might's great, but he doesn't do the unsavory side of the hero work...hence why you have people like me."

"And you are? I don't pay attention to the hero community."

"Call me Lady Nagant." The lady said.

"Nagant? As in...the rifle?" Kugo asked.

"Yep. Sort of a marksman, if you'll forgive the humble brag."

"...what benefits do I get from this? Aside from being a weapon." Kugo said.

"Who said anything about being a weapon?" Nagant asked, "Commission only really needs one weapon. The reason they like you is because, even though you can beat one of those mutant-hating bastards into a red paste, they're still breathing. That restraint, that..."

"...conviction."

"Exactly. You never step over the line, not once. That...and it seems you already helped take down one of our biggest cases, Ironish. Madman's evaded us for months and now, thanks to you, he'll never see the sun again."

Kugo leaned back in his chair, studying Nagant with a mixture of intrigue and suspicion. "So, what exactly does this organization do? What's its endgame?"

"We're about dismantling the systems that perpetuate injustice. Whether it's the CRC, criminals with dangerous quirks, or corrupt officials. We aim to bring about change, no matter how deeply entrenched the problems are." Nagant listed. "Sounds interesting, no?"

"Yeah...what about the others?"

"Hm?"

"Are they under surveillance too?"

"What others?" Nagant wondered.

"... never mind." Nagant said. "Your criminal record would be erased- but it's up to you whether you disclose it to the public. We can't control every part of you, obviously."

"But...you're still willing..." Kugo said.

"Once in a lifetime offer, really."

Kugo paused.

"...so? You gonna take the deal?"

Kugo opened his mouth-

And he woke up.

"What?! Where...?" Orca gasped, waking up with a jolt. He looked around, most of his surroundings were shrouded in darkness with only a single show light shining down on him. As he tried to stand up, he found himself bound by powerful chains to a chair.

"You're awake..." a familiar voice called out from the darkness.

Orca's eyes readjusted. "No matter how much you clean up your act...no matter how much you run...the past never dies." The voice said, walking forward.

Orca winced. "You."

"Oh please, Kugo," Isana said, stepping into the light, "Theatrics were always more my thing than your's, so stop acting so surprised."

"I honestly thought you'd give up this life, but I suppose that was wishful thinking..." Gang Orca said.

"On the contrary. At the same time you started your little 'hero' career...I started my empire." Isana said.

"Empire...you sound like some...some Yakuza thug," Kugo growled.

"Well, they have been a rather...surprising inspiration for me, really. Especially that one fellow that got arrested recently. What was his name...ah yes, Chisaki."

"Overhaul." Gang Orca frowned. He heard from Rock Lock about what his endgame was. "Don't tell me you're ripping apart some poor girl too."

"I'm insulted you'd think I'd stoop to such barbarism. No, it was the...how shall I put it, the product rather than the process. Chemistry, drugs...funny that a man styled after an avian would give me the tools I need to ensure aquatic, and amphibious, dominance."

"You have the Quirk Erasing bullets!?" Orca huffed.

"On the contrary." Isana chuckled. "We have something better. Are you familiar with Doctor Aloyious J. Animo?"

"Animo? He's...one of Ben 10K's villains, a mad scientist who specializes in mutating animals. Last I heard, he was with the League..."

"I've been looking at his work...and been applying it to what that one pharmacist was doing way back when. He was going to vaccinate us mutants out of existence..." Isana said.

"What...?"

"I know that sounds...horrendous, but I've taken that madman's work...and I've reversed the effects. Instead of 'curing' mutations...it will spread them..."

"...What?" Orca repeated. "How did you-!?"

"I did my work." Isana said. "And I wanted to invite you to...our test run."