Chapter 52: Iida Tensei I
A/N: Well, here it is! This story's revival is a go. Full steam ahead. I have a backlog set up too, so that should offset any unseen difficulties in the future (hopefully).
Anyways. let's start off with another interlude! This time, we see the results of some of Whisper's meddling. Just what will it mean for the future? Well, that remains to be seen…
"Took you long enough. What, trains were late? Oh, and you look crap, too."
Tensei huffs, a smile lighting up his face. "Gee, thanks." He pushes aside a few wild strands of hair from his eyes and turns his attention towards the owner of the voice.
Detective Tsukauchi Naomasa, a man Tensei trusts with his life, and — more importantly — somebody known for his discretion and professionalism. Something that Tensei so greatly needs tonight if his hunch is correct.
"Are you sure that you're fine being out of the hospital already?" Naomasa asks, his eyes narrowed. "I mean, you have looked at yourself in a mirror, right?"
"First thing I did when the doctors stopped fussing over me, actually." And what Tensei saw was a disheveled and pale shadow of his former self. Nothing he didn't expect, given his recent brush of near-death with the Hero Killer. Nonetheless, it was something that irked him to his nerves' end.
Naomasa crosses his arms, his eyes sharpening. "And…? Doctors said you were fit to be up and about already?"
Tensei clears his throat. "Quite. In fact–"
"False." Naomasa levels him a stare. "Try again."
Tensei rubs the back of his head. "Okay, fine. So… Truth be told. The doctors may have recommended a few more days of bedrest."
Naomasa shakes his head. "Need I remind you of the beating you received fighting Stain?"
"Come on, Nao. It wasn't that–"
"You were rolled into the E.R. covered in blood. You had a minor concussion, a fractured wrist–"
"It was barely–"
"Three broken ribs–"
"I get enough of this from Koichi–"
"Two severed popliteal arteries–"
"Tis but a flesh woun–"
"You're lucky that Stain's quirk acts secondarily as a coagulant," Naomasa interrupts yet again. "Otherwise you would have bled out within minutes."
"You have a variety of valid points, true." Tensei gives a solemn nod, before smirking in return. "Counter point: How's your sister doing?"
Naomasa's eye twitches. "Look–"
"No! Just…" Tensei sighs. "I get that you're just looking out for me, and I appreciate it. And truth be told, if things were all fine, I would be in bed. But everything is not fine. There are some loose ends, and we can't wait any longer. Not for something sensitive like this."
Naomasa presses his fingers to the bridge of his nose. "Alright," he eventually grinds out past clenched teeth. "But only because I know how stubborn you can get."
"Thank you!" Tensei exclaims. "I knew you'd underst–"
"However," Naomasa demands, "bed rest after this whole stupid scavenger hunt is over."
Tensei shrugs. "Sure." He pauses. "Though, if we're going to find even a hint of what I suspect might be here, then all the resulting paperwork might just–"
Naomasa clears his throat. "You aren't helping your situation, Tensei."
"Right," Tensei says, "I'll shut up now and leave the rest to you."
Naomasa shakes his head as he reaches into his coat, pulling out a bundle of papers. "You're lucky that I got the warrant you wanted. Wasn't too hard, considering that the occupant of the apartment is no longer with us, but still."
"And yet, I'm a bit baffled," Tensei says. "I mean, nobody's actually checked his place yet?"
Naomasa shrugs. "Something about a sister maintaining ownership. She's in America though, and turns out she and Native were estranged. She didn't argue much. Add in all the stuff that's been happening lately however, and it wasn't deemed a priority. Even with your statements."
Tensei frowns. "Still not sure if I should be happy about that or not."
"What?" Naomasa asks. "The lack of fanfare around Native's memorial, or the fact that the police didn't want to follow up on your statements because they were based on the words of a vigilante-slash-villain?"
Tensei sighs. "I'm… not sure. Guess we'll see."
Naomasa nods, then finally extends an arm to the building's front entrance. "Ladies first."
The pair walk in with some haste; one with anticipation of ending the night, the other eager to learn if the trip will have been worth it. Naomasa decides to break the silence as the pair stop before the elevator door. "Are you really putting this much merit into the words of a villain?"
Tensei lets out a laugh. "What happened to Whisper being a 'vigilante-slash-villain?'"
The elevator doors depart, leaving the two to step forward. Tensei presses the button for the top floor - the penthouse. He then moves aside, letting Naomasa enter the authorization code that will allow them entry into the private suite.
"I was saying that more for your benefit," Naomasa adds, "since you're so hellbent on chasing after his words."
"You weren't there," Tensei tells his friend. "The look in his eyes, the steadfastness in his voice–"
"You're basing your hunch on the way the words sounded from someone with a quirk that allows them to manipulate their voice? And aren't his eyes covered because of the mask?"
"I know how it sounds–"
"It sounds stupid, that's what." Naomasa sighs, his face shifting slightly.
Most wouldn't notice, but with how well Tensei's gotten to know the detective through the years, he's come to recognize all of his friend's quirks. Thus, a smile appears on Tensei's face. "But…"
Naomasa shakes his head in defeat. "But I can admit that more often than not, your hunches are right. Otherwise I wouldn't have entertained your request to come here in the first place."
Tensei bumps his arm against Naomasa's shoulder. "There's the ace detective I know."
Naomasa rolls his eyes. "Half of the reason you call me that shouldn't count. My quirk–"
"Helps you solve cases efficiently," Tensei interrupts. "Doesn't make the title any less…false."
Naomasa rolls his eyes. "You're insufferable." The elevator dings, signalling their arrival. "And we're here."
The penthouse is dark, though that's not a surprise given that nobody's been here since Native's death. A simple flick of a lightswitch brightens the place up, revealing a rather lavish living space awash with bright colors and foreign-looking decor. Aside from a few dust covered surfaces, the place is pristine and expensive-looking – exactly how one might expect the home of a Top 500 hero to look like.
Naomasa lets out a whistle. "Well, the man certainly didn't waste a single yen in making sure any visitors would know this place was his." He walks over to a wall, where various frames of abstract artwork hang. "Though a bit much, don't you think? Especially compared to your place."
Tensei takes a moment to gawk before he catches up to his friend. "You know how I feel about material wealth. It's uncouth. Pretentious. Why spend the money I earn propping myself up when I can use it to help others?"
"I know, I know. Nothing but the basics, aside from a novelty every now and then. A creed you religiously live by." Naomasa smirks. "Of course, then there's all the orange juice you buy."
Tensei huffs. "At least I have a valid reason for it. Anyways. We're here for an investigation, are we not?"
Naomasa nods. "Right. I'll start here… with the artwork. You head over to the kitchen and see what–"
"No need," Tensei interrupts. "There's one thing we can check right away to see if this was a wasted trip or not."
Naomasa raises an eyebrow. "And that is…?"
"To the bedroom!" Tensei points forward and marches towards his destination.
Naomasa trails behind, taking note again of the various furniture and decor that wouldn't be out of place in a trophy hunting room. Eventually, he finds his friend standing in the middle of what is – was – Native's bedroom, staring at one of the walls. "Well?"
Tensei nods to himself. "Notice something?"
Naomasa takes a moment to look around the room. "Ah," he says, finding the discrepancy to be glaringly obvious once he knows to look. "No closet, despite being a bedroom."
Tensei nods in response. "Precisely." He stalks forward until he's in front of a bookcase. "If I remember his words correctly…" His hand moves over to the third shelf, hovering over the fourth book to the right.
"Wait. How do you know this isn't a trap?" Naomasa interrupts. "I mean, this is a known villain we're talking about."
"A known villain with roots to an impeccable career of a vigilante," Tensei amends. "An individual with hundreds of arrests under his name, from villains ranking E to A."
Naomasa blinks. "Doesn't change Whisper's most recent actions."
Tensei shakes his head. "Of course not. I'm merely saying that there's a sense of… honor in there somewhere. Besides, Whisper could have killed me in that alleyway if they really wanted to. Why would he get me medical attention, only to point me to a trap that will kill me months later?"
"Point," Naomasa concedes.
Tensei huffs, placing his hand on the book. "Moment of truth, then." And he pulls it down.
There's a metallic click, followed by a faint rumbling that permeates throughout the room. The bookcase pops forward, leaving a thin gap between it and the wall.
Noamasa and Tensei stare at one another before nodding in agreement.
Tensei grabs the edge of the bookcase and pulls, revealing a darkened room with left and right walls stacked tall with filing cabinets. At the far end of the enclosed space lies a single computer atop an ornate wooden desk."
"Dammit," Tensei curses, fists clenching. "So something is here."
"It's what you wanted, right?" Naomasa mutters, peering into the dark space.
"I almost wished I was wrong," Tensei mutters.
"Well, you weren't," Naomasa says. "And so, a hidden room. Just what would a hero like Native have to hide with such an elaborate setup?"
"I have several guesses, if Whisper's victims are anything to go on," Tensei says. He pulls on a cord, turning on a lone lightbulb in the middle of the room. "There's only one way to find out."
Naomasa's eyes dart around the room. "Hrmm. I'll take the computer. You're faster, so the filing cabinets should be a breeze for you."
Tensei lets out a muffled laugh. "You know that I don't have that kind of super speed."
"Regardless, I'm more tech savvy than you," Naomasa says as he boots the computer up. "Maybe I can teach you some of the basics for next time. You'll have plenty of time to learn, given your upcoming bedrest, hmm?"
"Yeah yeah, no need to rub it in." Tensei hums as he begins his own search. He doesn't let silence fill the void, however. Not when he finally has Naomasa in a position where he won't simply walk away to avoid the subject.
"You know," Tensei starts, "I was wondering something."
"Yeah?" Naomasa says as the computer opens up to its home screen. "What's that?"
"I was just… It's about Whisper." Tensei tilts his head. "If you wouldn't mind indulging me."
"Curious. It's air-gapped. Maybe he was using this room for his investigations?" Naomasa mumbles to himself. The subtle click-clack of fingers against a keyboard stops, Naomasa straightening and turning to look at Tensei. "This about his vigilante-slash-villain status?"
"Partially." Tensei moves his head from side to side. "I mean, you were aware of Whisper when they first started out. When they were still a bonafide vigilante and not whatever he's – she's – classified as."
"We're leaning towards Whisper being a he," Naomasa says. "If only because Whisper uses male voices more often. But that could be a misdirection in itself."
"Right," Tensei says. "So. You know that he's the reason we're here in the first place."
"And what of it?" Naomasa asks.
Tensei sighs. "What do you think changed? He was doing good by targeting criminals that the police and limelight heroes don't normally go after. Brutal in his ways, yes. And yet he never killed anyone: a massive improvement compared to most known vigilantes."
"Could have been a whole load of things," Naomasa admits. "Death in the family, a psychotic break, a shattered worldview. Heck, he could be brainwashed for all we know, taken by some villain who saw potential in him. We don't have enough info to go off of… Why do you ask?"
Tensei shakes his head. "I just hate knowing that somebody who could have been a hero, that somebody who demonstrated the will to be a hero, has fallen so. We failed them, whoever they are. Maybe, just maybe, we could have helped him."
"You aren't as fast as All Might," Naomasa adds. "And even then, he can't save everyone. So what makes you think you could?"
"But he's trying something different, isn't he?" Tensei questions. "With those programs for the Quirkless and those with quirks deemed 'villainous' by the general public?"
Naomasa takes a few seconds to contemplate his response. "Look. Only a select few know this, but those are actions spurned from failure," Naomasa reveals. "It took All Might facing the jaws of despair to kick what you see now into gear. He knew that he couldn't go back to the past to fix his mistakes, so he strived for the future."
Naomasa huffs. "You may not like hearing this, but Whisper's a lost cause: he invaded the USJ, even if he proclaims he isn't a part of the League. He attacked schoolchildren. Could have killed your brother. He's a villain now, simple as that. You shouldn't feel a need to pay him back just because he spared you from death."
"He didn't just spare me," Tensei argues. "He left me alive on purpose. Said that I would help perpetuate betterment in Japan, or something."
"You shouldn't take the words of a madman to heart," Naomasa says as he goes through the computer's folders. "It's not healthy for you."
"But think," Tensei says. "Let's go under the impression that the Whisper we see now is the same Whisper who started out beating up criminals in alleyways. If he truly aims for the betterment of Japan, then maybe–"
"Tensei," Naomasa chides. "Are you sure that you don't still have a concussion?"
"I am in perfectly sound mind and body," Tensei bites back. "You see it, don't you? The times are changing, if the emergence of the League is anything to go by. There haven't been villains so bold in decades. And so. I simply think that Whisper is somebody we can't ignore. Whether for good or bad."
"I will admit," Naomasa says, "that Whisper, as a vigilante, was a godsend. Shouta praised him even, you know? He was even looking to see if we could recruit Whisper, get him a proper hero license and everything. But then USJ happened. And I firmly believe that anybody willing to go to the lengths of attacking a school has something wrong in the head. The ends don't justify the means. Results received with evil means will only leave you in a deep empti–"
A clang of metal shakes Naomasa out of his monologue. He swiftly turns, spotting Tensei to be leaning against one of the filing cabinets, clutching at a file folder in his hands.
A grimace grows on Naomasa's face upon the sight. "Not good?"
Tensei shakes his head. "We need to call the station. Get more people in here."
Naomasa walks over to Tensei, putting a hand on his shoulder. "You good?" His gaze swaps over to the crushed folder in his friend's hand. "Can I–"
"Don't." Tensei gulps. "You shouldn't have to suffer this."
Naomasa frowns. "Okay. I'll trust your word on it." He looks around the room, with a much more critical gaze this time. "You know the drill. I'll call. Sansa, Meanwhile, let's make sure we don't–"
Suddenly, a chirping ring erupts from Naomasa's waistband. "Speak of the devil." He takes his phone out and answers. "Sansa! Just the cat I was–"
[Tsukauchi! Not now! You need to get back to the station! And make sure you bring Ingenium with you! We need all the help we can get!]
"I, what?" Naomasa exclaims. "I told you that he's supposed to still be on bedrest, right? The only reason I brought him–"
The whole building suddenly shakes, causing Naomasa and Tensei to brace themselves against the filing cabinets. The two look to one another, eyes wide.
Naomasa snaps his phone back to his ear. "Sansa! What was that?"
[There's something happening in Kamino! You need to get–]
A rumbling crackle tears through the penthouse, assaulting the ears of both detective and hero. Once the cacophony subsides, Sansa's voice breaks through the eerie silence.
[I need to go! Call the station for a debrief, but otherwise get your butts down to Kamino quick!]
The call ends, leaving Naomasa with the sound of a disconnect. "Damnit!" he yells. "Can't we just catch a break? What is it now? "
Tensei, having left the hidden room and once more entered the bedroom prior, stares out the window. He eyes the plume of smoke in the distance, and frowns as he glimpses the intense flames rising into the sky. "I don't know. But it doesn't look good."
[Arc Five: Crossroads - End]
A/N: I'll be honest, this chapter might have been the catalyst for the rather lengthy hiatus. It just wouldn't come to me! Didn't help that at the time I was getting busier with things. Oh well. Anyways… This was a twofer! Another chapter is posted, so cheers to that!
Also, as for my BNHAxJJBA crossover… it's still in the works. Same rules apply as it did before: expect infrequent and random updates until I get my feet back on balance.