#i need to break something. grab something blunt and swing it and shatter whatever's waiting

[uncle-dusknoir]

[Image attached! It's dark outside, the middle of the night. The trees are barren aside from a couple pine-adjacent, coated thick with snow that glitters gently in the dim moonlight. The ground, too, is the same sort of glittery falsely-bright snow, with evidence of Pokemon having run around and played in it.

In the distance, through the trees, a Winter form Sawsbuck can be just barely seen with a Deerling fawn. A trail of what looks like cigarette smoke crosses the scene.]

[saintshigaraki]

the sun has not yet fallen

pairing: bakugou katsuki x gn!reader

word count: 2.2k 

excerpt: You look back towards the setting sun just once. You don’t really know why. Perhaps to find some bravery in the beauty of it, to steal yourself a few extra seconds of this limbo you’ve found yourself in. Where everything is hazy and beautiful and hurts so bad you can hardly breathe.

a/n: me: i hate angst

       also me: writes this fic

tags: angst, hurt/comfort, sometimes love requires work 

in case you want to read it on ao3!

Katsuki is in a bad mood. He was uncharacteristically quiet when he walked through the door which is more often than not a sign he was trying his damndest to hold back saying something just a bit too cruel. And you appreciate the effort, truly you do. 

On any other day, you would’ve let him be to work through his shit alone. He usually does that by cooking up something far too elaborate for a weekday night, and then after decompressing for a bit, he tends to slink back into whichever room you’re in and lay his head on your lap so you can work your fingers through his hair. 

You’ve found over the last two years that that is what tends to work best. Giving him space and letting him come to you.  

But today you’re feeling just as raw as he does. You can’t remember the last time you spent quality time together. You can’t remember the last time he didn’t go to bed so exhausted he was out before his head hit the pillow. You can’t remember the last time you didn’t feel this heavy cloud hanging over your head. You can’t remember a moment where there wasn't a timer counting down and down and down while you do nothing but wait for it to hit zero. You’re not quite sure what will happen when your time is up.

It’s selfish, probably, to want to be with him right now when you know he’s so weary, but you won’t even bother him, is what you tell yourself. You just want to be around him for an hour (or two) you want to stand so close to him you can smell the ever clinging scent of caramel and help him with dinner and think of brighter days. Better days. 

(You want things to go back to the way they were before. You want to cling to him, just for a short while, stuff your face into the crook of his neck while he tells you everything’s okay. That you guys are okay.

But that’s for another day. It has to be.

How many times have you told yourself that?)

You follow him as he stomps towards the kitchen. 

He aggressively grabs the ingredients for whatever he’s making and slams them on the counter, grumbling under his breath the whole time. You stand in the doorway worrying your hands, feeling awkward, and hating that you feel awkward in your own kitchen with your own boyfriend. 

It makes that awful nagging voice in your head grow just a bit louder. 

You approach him slowly while he sets up a pot filled with water and turns on the stove. He’s still grumbling to himself by the time you place your hand softly on his forearm. 

He jerks away immediately and narrows his eyes. You viciously stamp down exactly how awful that makes you feel. How small and unloved. 

“What do you want?” he says bluntly (and a little cruelly but a part of you says just ignore it, maybe if you close your eyes and cover your ears you can pretend that everything is fine, that you guys are fine) . 

That was part of his charm when you two first started dating. You loved that he was blunt, that he got to the point, there was really no guessing what Katsuki was thinking because he’d simply tell you and if it were any other day perhaps his words wouldn’t have bothered you as much as they did now. 

And it’s partly your fault, or maybe even mostly. Because you let it get this bad. You could have told him something was bothering you, that lately, you’ve been feeling a little insecure in this relationship. Katsuki was blunt but very rarely if ever cruel with you or your feelings. He would’ve understood, probably. 

But anytime you thought about broaching the subject with him, he always looked so, so tired. Bone tired. And you thought maybe it was selfish, to want him to comfort you over something this dumb. Over something as frivolous as this. He just needs time. 

(How much time, you wonder. How much more can you take? you ask yourself.)

“Are you fucking braindead or something,” he snaps, dragging you out of your spiraling. 

“I was just wondering if I could help. It’d be nice to cook dinner together.” We use to do it all the time, you almost say. Now you can’t even remember the last time you did. 

“You’re a shit cook,” he says. 

It’s true, and on another day, a brighter day maybe, you would’ve laughed. Or at least smiled. Because it was true. You are an awful cook, a shit one, as he so eloquently put it, especially compared to him. But that never mattered to Katsuki before. 

He always let you cook with him, always wanted you to cook with him, even if the majority of the time you ended up sitting on the counter swinging your legs and watching him do all the work. 

To be fair, afterward, you always cleaned the dishes. It was a lovely, simplistic give and take, one you wish you had again so, so dearly. 

“Yeah, I am,” you agree. You try to smile, but it feels forced. You’re tired, you realize, bone tired. 

You don’t say anything else and he turns away. You know that’s technically a dismissal but you elect to ignore and start unwrapping the vegetables. 

Just as you reach for a knife he grabs your wrist. 

“What the fuck is up with you right now?” he grounds out. 

“I just want to spend some time with you.” 

Your voice sounds frail, even to your own ears. 

And before he even opens his mouth you know what he’s about to say is going to bring all this to a head. And from the look on his face and the awful, gnawing in your gut, you know you’re not going to like it. You know that more likely than not, it’s going to break your heart. 

(A part of you can’t help but wonder if maybe your heart has already been broken. That it’s made up of haphazardly glued together pieces. Perhaps that’s why you feel so fragile. Perhaps the damage is done and you’ve just been waiting for Katsu to bring down the axe. To scatter the pieces. To finish the fucking job.)

“God,” he spits out. And it’s like a dam has been broken and every hateful thing he’s ever thought about you can’t help but come pouring out.  

“You’re so fucking needy, you can’t do a fucking thing by yourself. It’s like all you ever do is breathe down my fucking neck and tell me everything I’m not doing for you.” Distantly, you wonder if that’s true. It might be. Maybe it’s that ugly selfishness you’ve never really been able to hide. You thought you’d done a better job of tucking it away. You were wrong, it seems. 

“So I can’t spend every single fucking second of every single day with you, sue me. I’ve got my own shit to deal with, my own problems, or have you forgotten that I have a life outside of you?”

No, you think. I haven’t. Or maybe you have. You’re not really focusing so hard on his words. You tune them out as much as you can. You’re staring at his face, taking in all the details. The deep red of his eyes, the pale blond of his hair, the sharpness of his cheekbones, the slope of his neck, the little scars peppering his face. You used to sit on his lap and kiss each and every one, no matter how faint. 

You’re so weird, he’d say as you did it, but the tightness of his arms around you always spoke a different story. 

You’re going to miss that, you think. Holding him. Loving him. 

It takes you a while to realize he’s still yelling. It’s all hateful and cruel and so sharp. Like he’s taken a knife to your skin to flay you open, exposing every crack, every vein, every shattered piece of heart that makes you. You let it wash over you, like a particularly violent ocean wave.  

“Sometimes,” he says, his voice finally quieting to a bearable level, “I wonder why I’m still with you.” 

The breath you let out is shaky. No matter how ready you thought you were, there’s simply no amount of time that prepares you to hear those words from him. From the person you thought you were going to spend the rest of your life with. From the person you wanted to spend the rest of your life with. 

The silence between you two is deafening. And heavy. So heavy it feels as though your chest will cave in from the pressure. 

“Yeah,” you say at last, though you have to force the words around the burning iron poker in your throat. And then you laugh, you can’t help it. It’s all so fucked. You hate that it’s come to this bitter monstrous ugliness. 

When had this all started to fester, to rot? you wonder. Is this really all that’s left?

“I can’t help but wonder the same thing.” It comes out more bitter than you'd like. A small jab to try to even out the gaping wound he’s torn open in you. 

But it’s also true. 

You can’t see his reaction through the tears clouding your vision. You don’t really want to anyway. What’s done is done. What’s said is said. 

You grab your phone and keys and walk through the front door, closing it softly behind you. 

He doesn’t say a word.

You think if there was any part of your heart left unbroken, his silence has shattered it to oblivion. 

+

You walk for an hour or two. Until the sun has dipped almost completely below the horizon and it’s surrounded by hazy blood-red waves. 

It’s a good place to think. To set your jumbled thoughts in order. 

It takes a special kind of selflessness to love a hero, you realize. A type you don’t possess, not even nearly. You’ve always been just a little selfish when it came to love. But there’s no room for that when with people like Bakugou Katsuki. 

And that’s okay, you tell yourself. 

It’s a lie. It’s not okay. And the hollow aching in your chest that beats in time with your heart agrees. 

You look down at your phone. 

33 missed calls from Katsu 

You look back towards the setting sun just once. You don’t really know why. Perhaps to find some bravery in the beauty of it, to steal yourself a few extra seconds of this limbo you’ve found yourself in. Where everything is hazy and beautiful and hurts so bad you can hardly breathe. 

It’s not long before you’re biting the inside of your cheek, turning on your heels, and heading home. 

+

You don’t even have your keys fully out of your pocket before the door swings open, with Katuski on the other side looking a bit worse for wear, though you doubt you’re one to talk. 

His eyes are bloodshot and his nose is a bit pink. He’s been crying. You can’t remember the last time you saw him cry. 

(That’s a lie, you realize. You had gotten in the crosshairs of a particularly brutal villain versus hero showdown. The resulting injuries you suffered were severe. You’d apparently been a bit touch and go for a while. When you opened your eyes for the first time after everything, Katsu was right there, looking like hadn’t slept, showered, or eaten for days. Later you found out it’s because he hadn’t left your bedside since you returned from surgery. 

Katsu, you’d croaked out weakly, stretching out a shaking hand toward his face. 

He broke down into sobs so violent they wracked his whole body. It took him over an hour to calm down.)

You got about half a foot through the door before he threw himself at you. Wrapping his arms around you so tight it bordered on painful. He sinks down to the floor. You sink with him. 

He’s sobbing into your shoulder repeating a mantra of, I’m so sorry and I didn’t mean it. Please, please. I didn’t mean it. 

You think about that old saying. What a person says in anger is how they really feel. You don’t necessarily believe that. You yourself have said things out of anger that you in no way meant, that were purely thrown to hurt the person on the other end. 

You want to believe he didn’t mean it, more than anything you do. Because you love him. Because you really do think that Katsu is it for you. That he’s always been it for you. 

You pull away about as far as he’ll let you. 

“Do you love me, Katsuki?” 

The words hang in the air. You feel raw. Like you’re the one who has taken a knife to your own skin and flayed it all open for him. 

You don’t quite know vulnerability until you ask someone if they love you. It’s a different sort of weakness. 

“Yes,” he responds. His voice rough from his tears. “More than anything.”

You watch one last tear fall from his eye.

You hold his face in your hands and wipe it away. Softly. Gently. Lovingly. 

+

You guys are not okay and now that you’ve accepted that you think there’s a chance that one day, you will be. 

[frekydeki]

Abstractions

Summary: A simple invitation for coffee, ice scream, tea, whatever it was, turned out to be a little more than you bargained for... Caught in the hot pursuit for the Winter Soldier, you have to play your cards safely, and keep them even closer to your chest; for yours and Bucky’s safety.

Pairing: (Bucky Barnes X Reader)

Authors note: I had posted this on a previous account (that I recently deleted) and it was titled ‘A Little Bit of Magic’. I’m tagging you ( @ilikehocolatemilk09, @learisa) just in case you want to keep being tagged in the rewritten and newest chapters, so lemme know if you do! Thanks!

| Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3: Upcoming

You are no stranger to unfortunate events. In fact, you like to joke that your special power is bad luck and misfortune. Dr. Strange never believed in misfortunes - he called it a lack of skill and awful coordination - but once he heard your life story over that first cup of tea in New York, he's become a little more open-minded. You are blunt, upfront about your feelings and thoughts, so you like to tell the short version of your extensive history: You were born to farmers - quite a tasteful occupation compared to the one you hold today - but they perished not too soon after your birth in a stray missile from a battle between some lame mercenaries and the local militia. You were found in the rubble by the mercenaries, taken back to their stinky grovel of a base, and sold to the highest bidder; said bidder was a HYDRA scientist with a watering mouth to ruin another promising kid. Until you were sixteen, you were a guinea pig; they did everything they could think of to you... Their little concoction resulted in you, an emotionally unstable - yet cocky and bubbly - electrocuting, foul-mouthed, enhanced ray of sunshine mastering the mystical arts under the lovely Dr. Strange. 

"Good morning, Mr. Strange." You call after a bite of your apple, not bothering to lift your eyes from the book you are sucking dry of information. "Doctor." He corrects routinely as he pours himself some coffee and scans the newspaper, humming interest, "This Mr. Barnes is continuing to peak my interest. Says here he was behind the bombing..." You nod and express your feigned astonishment with a huff of air. "I've always wanted to meet him." You mumble, fingering the old pages of the book. "He was kept by HYDRA too, I was thinking we could get together, have a little pow wow with the Black Widow or somethin'." The sound of Dr. Strange clicking his tongue at you elicited a smirk on your plump lips. You both have kept an eye on this Mr. Barnes for a few months now. He's pretty good at keeping his head low, but you - you're not too big on tooting your own horn, keep in mind - happened to be one of the best at finding Waldo in those cartoon books; of course a high profile, wanted criminal with a villainous vibe of any teenage fantasy novel is no hard task for you to find. "If you want a pow wow with him, Y/n, you should get to sending your invitation before he is arrested by authorities." Surrendering your hands, you stand and close your book, finally meeting his eyes with a small smile on your lips. "I've never been good with invitations and socialization; every time I asked a man to go get some coffee with me, he's stabbed me with a needle... Anyways, you're the teacher and universe protecting whatever... Shouldn't you, not the student - who's me - be going to chit chat with Mister Barnes?" Stephen only allowed one side of his lip to lift. "You're an awful student who doesn't go along with my Brittany Spears jokes, so take this as your punishment and learn from your mistakes." "What can I say, they're toxic," You lift your eyes to his in triumph, "I'm gonna get in the shower. I'll go and grab a drink with this Mr. Barnes after, if you'd still like me too." Stephen dismisses you with a wave and turns to the fridge, retrieving all the ingredients he needs for his "nutritiously balanced" breakfast; living with a doctor like him is a damn nuisance. You move on muscle memory through the halls, all the way to your room. You lightly shut the door behind yourself, tossing your book on your cluttered desk and yanking your towel from the hook on your wall. Last night was another awful night of sleep on that good for nothing mattress you've been stuck with for years - you hate to blame your insomnia on something so trivial, but it's better than to admit the truth - so you rush to put yourself under that steaming water to wake yourself and your muscles up. It's over too soon - a bad habit you can't seem to shake from your childhood in that facility - and you step out ten minutes after you stepped in, feeling like a new woman. You brush your teeth, and don't bother to stare in the mirror too long, before you rough up your hair with your towel and dress in your very own uniform; a plain gray t-shirt, dark, ripped jeans, fluffy socks that you yank over the end of your jeans, and house slippers dawning your love for Deadpool. You've never been one to do your hair very reliably, so after yanking your brush through it, you pull on your navy-blue hoodie and slide down the hall to find out your plan for the day. You catch Strange just sitting down to eat his breakfast, clad in his Supreme Being get up as usual, and carry his coffee over to him; he always forgets it on the counter. "Thank you." You chime a happy response and sit across from him, waiting for the owner of the second plate to show. You flick your head towards it. "Is Christine swinging by for breakfast before her shift starts?" Your brows raise in question as he clears his throat and nods. Silence falls over you both awkwardly, your fingers tapping against the glass table and Stephen nose deep in the newspaper he's read through about ten times now. "So, am I going to go on a date or what?" You ask, glancing to the dark picture on the front page of the newspaper. "We might get mixed up in something bigger than we want to deal with, Y/n." He sighs. Your lips purse as your heart sinks a little in disappointment. You have to admit, you're on the line just as he is. You have bad memories stuck in those blue eyes of Mr. Barnes, but you also get this weird pressure in your chest when you think about just how much hopelessness is running through him in this moment. He has to run away, again... They just won't leave him alone... And that breaks your heart. "Think about it Mr-" "Doctor. Jesus (Y/N) how many times do I have to say this?" You dead pan at the man before you, tracing every feature of his face before the corner of your lips pull down into a drastic frown. "I'll start calling you Doctor Strange when you start cleaning up after yourself." "I've got much more important things to do than dishes-" "Anyways," You send him a sharp glare through your determined eyes, "We've been trailing Mr. Barnes for a long time now. And we haven't seen any concerning behaviors that could even point to this sort stuff!" "He's murdered several people." Your stomach flips as your eyes cool from determined to slightly hurt. "You know he didn't have a choice in that matter." You say in a near whisper. Dr. Strange lifts his eyes to you, slowly piecing together the thoughtlessness of his words. He finally sits his newspaper down and leans on the table with his elbows, scratching the hair on his chin. "As I said before, (Y/N), this might be much bigger than us." "Dormamu... That's bigger than us. And you sailed right into that!" You retort, barely noting the sound of the front door shutting. "Listen, Strange, you got yourself mixed up in this stuff when you agreed to take me in." Stephen's eyes look up to your own, trying to read the message behind them, "We should try and help him. See if we can get him out of the mess he's in." "You know we really only deal with problems that aren't... Of this world." His head tilts in reasoning, but you refuse to be talked down. You stand and take a deep breath. "You have performed thousands of surgeries and have a PhD in basically everything but you still can't come up with a good excuse." You stop and look to him from the archway, leaning your hand and cheek on the dark oak with a pleasent smile surfacing on your lips, "I'm going to drop by, see what he's up to and get a feel for what's going on." You conclude. Golden sparks indicate your dramatic exit, but Strange stops you before you finish making the portal. His eyes, caught in conflict, stare at you until they fall to your feet. "In those?" Your expression falls along with your expectation of some dramatic one-liner, and you look to your slippers. "At least look a little cooler. You'll make this organization look a fool if you leave here in superhero slippers and a hoodie." You groan and stomp off to your room, exchanging your Deadpool slippers for a pair of black high-tops before you pull on a jean jacket over your hoodie. You clomp back into the kitchen, glaring at Strange. Arms thrown out, you wait for his approval. "Is this good -" you stop and look to the woman smiling happily at you - "Good morning, Christine. How are you?" "Great. You?" "Just dandy, thanks for asking." You return your attention to Strange, "Good enough for you?" He chuckles and nods, dismissing you with his hand again. "Yes, now go, or you're going to lose the soldier to the police. We found him easy, the others can't be too far behind." You turn your chin up and nod, sparking your portal open. You barely take time to examine the dirty wall of the apartment before you step through and punch your hands into your pockets. The portal closes behind you as your concentration shatters and you find two sets of eyes on you; all three of you caught off guard. All the attention you were sparing to the hair tickling your nose is given to the two men in the room instantly. The tension in the air nearly strangled you as your eyes bolt between the serious glares they send to you. Your hands surrender quickly. "Oh jeeze..." You exclaim, hissing in your mistake through your teeth. "Did I-" You stop and share another glance with Captain America and Bucky Barnes, slowly gesturing a circle between the two - "Did I interrupt, something?" "Who... Are you?" Captain America asks, switching his weight between his feet. Your eyes glance to the ceiling, along with Bucky Barnes. "You guys are in quite the stinker, aren't you?" You ask before turning to try and glance out the window; they are blocked by newspaper. You click your tongue as you squint through a crack in the pasted papers, "You know," You sigh, turning back to the brunette, "Letting sunlight in helps with depression; even the smallest things can help." "I don't have time for this." Captain America mumbles under his breath. Your eyes turn around the entire apartment, your tongue swelling slightly with the realization that you're surrounded on all sides. The hero turns his clear blue eyes back to his friend, ignoring your presence. You fold your hands in front of you awkwardly, swallowing as you catch the intense exchange. "This doesn't have to end in a fight, Buck." He pleads. The soldier continues to draw his left hand from a glove, to reveal a silver hand before sighing in a defeated tone, "It always ends in a fight." Your heart wrenches in your chest at his words, and then it quickens, knowing that you're going to be caught in the middle of it. You shiver with anticipation, unsure of what to do; should you get mixed up in all of this? Confliction runs through you until those blue orbs meet your own and you're sent into a sea of your own memories; you'd help him. "You pulled me from the river!" Captain America yells his eyes tearing from you in frustration. "Why?" The loud breath that comes from Bucky draws your attention to him, and he looks to Captain America. "I don't know." "Yes, you do." The hero lowly said. You swallow and put a shaky finger up, both eyes looking towards you. "Excuse me, if I could just bother you to -" A grenade pummels through the kitchen window, which Captain America easily flicks away from him with his shield. Another comes through the window behind you, howling past your ear and picking up some of your damp hair, landing at your feet. You kick it towards Bucky, who then sends it to the Captain to throw his shield on top of. "To perhaps answer a few of my questions as well?" You finish before Bucky throws his mattress up to block you both from another grenade. The front door rattles with police trying to force their way in; you step from the hallway and watch Bucky calmly as he hurdles his small table in the way, so they won't be able to get in. You coo in admiration of his strength, your hands still in front of you. "You're sure not getting your deposit back on this place." You mumble to yourself, rocking on your heels in the madness of the situation. You jump slightly, however, to the window shattering and a soldier hopping in, his rifle directed at your chest. Panic sets in and blinds you as you push the gun away and land a hard punch to his throat; in any normal situation you would have shivered at the sound of his throat snapping and the gargling noises, but you are in survival mode now. Gun shots sound from the kitchen as you watch the man fall to the ground; you throw up a shield instinctively. From the balcony more men begin to file in, the Captain and Buck heading the charge there... "Strange is not going to be happy that I am in this situation." You mumble as you bite your lip, ignoring Captain America's scolding of his friends’ violence. You eye the book bag that Bucky throws from the building and raise your brow, but another enemy falling through the window near you takes your attention away. You quickly conjure up a little magic before landing an uppercut against his jaw that lifted him off the ground. You barely notice Bucky throw Captain America out a window as you toss a few extra punches on the man to make sure he'd stay down. Bucky hustles past you, and you decide to follow. Turning around, you're met with a man flying into the closet, the remnants of a cinder block falling to the ground. You blink away the shock before continuing towards Mr. Barnes, barely flinching at the shotgun sounds from outside the door. "Mr. Barnes, I know we've never met before..." You stop to mumble under your breath, "Okay, well, we have, but that's not the point...." Before continuing louder, "I sure would like to help you and then have a little talk with y-" You step out of the way after he dislodges the table and throws it into the living room. He doesn't look as if he's listening, but you know he's aware of everything. "I don't intend to hurt you, or arrest you, or anything of that sort so you'll let me help you, yeah?" You ask, simply. He turns his eyes to you in question. "Why?" You let a soft, warm smile to cross your lips; it's a little hard to face this man with a smile on your face but you know he's not the one you're petrified of...  So you keep that smile, soft on your lips. "Because you deserve it." You shuffle past him and stand behind the front door, before looking to him, "Besides, I'm sure you don't go get ice cream with just anybody." Bucky's metal arm shoots through the wall, and you quickly kick away the door, clearing the small platform of policemen. You apologize lightly as you step over unconscious bodies and head down the stairs quickly behind Bucky. "My name," You stop as you send someone flying down a flight of stairs, "Is Y/n Y/L/n." You call through the chaos. You stop as you watch Captain America - where did he come from? - catch a man who would've fallen quite the ways, and scold Bucky. The man took off, however, leaving both you and Captain America to chase after him; lucky for you, you're a little reckless, and you jump after Bucky, down the middle of the stairs a couple of floors before catching yourself and skipping through the apartment halls to continue your crusade. "Mr. Barnes... If you'd allow me, I'd like to take you and your friend to safety." Bucky kicks open a door and stops to look at you, chest heaving. "Why would I go with you?" He questions before sprinting towards the edge of the railing. You chase after him and jump as well; the panic that runs through his eyes as he watches you is almost comical as he grabs you and pulls you to his toned chest. "Mr. Barnes... You don't have to-" You sigh as your arms wrap under his and you look to the nearing rooftop. You could've easily stuck the landing, what with a few bruise, but still, you are trained for this all the same. But you roll a couple of times across the concrete with Bucky's muscular arms wrapped around - why are you thinking about that?   "Mr. Barnes, please, let me get you somewhere safe so I can explain-" He runs off again, being able to stand much faster than you. You screech in annoyance as you stomp your foot and fling your arms out at him. He snatches up his bag and continues running, ignoring you when you grab onto the leg of a new pursuer; a cat man? "What'd you do to make all these people mad, Mister?" You ask with a clenched jaw, trying to keep the enemy at bay. But he lands a hard kick to your jaw, and you cry out with the sharp pain it sends through your neck and jaw. You stand quickly, glancing up to the helicopter now shooting at you, Captain America now running at you, a new flying man kicking the helicopter; you are on overload and if you don't get away now, you're gonna explode... Literally. You look to Bucky, suck in a heavy break, and sprint towards him. You grab the shoulder of the newest attacker, send him flying off of the poor brunette soldier, open a portal, and look to Captain America. "Don't hate me for this." You say as you look down to Bucky, snatching up an arm and throwing him into the portal. You step in and hold it open until the spangled man jumps through. "What about your flying friend?" "Who? Sam? He'll be fine." You clench your jaw and watch the man, before shutting the portal just before the cat man could reach through. You let out a long breath and turn around, smiling at the two men breathing heavily behind you. "Where are we?" Captain America asks. "My home." You motion to the small building in the clearing. You walk towards it, and motion for them to follow. "Come on, I have coffee. Or ice cream. Tea. Water... Vodka, whatever you want." You throw open the door and look to your dirtied hoodie, tearing the layers off and tying up your hair. "You're HYDRA?" Bucky asks quickly. You turn over your shoulder and smile softly; he saw the branding on your neck. Shaking your head, you offer water while the coffee brews. "No," You look up to Barnes, "I'm Ex-HYDRA." That's only if you were ever a part of HYDRA. Does it count if it were unwilling? You drink your water quickly before noticing that neither have taken a drink of their water. "If I were out for your heads, I think I'd do it when it was three against a whole police force and a cat-man, okay? It’s just regular H2O in that cup." You point out. The two share looks before they cautiously drink. You smile.  "So, what do you want with Bucky?" The Captain asks. You lean against the small counter of your kitchen before hopping up onto it. "I don't want anything." You curtly answer as you spin your water around in your cup. Silence falls over the two. 

“What?” Bucky questions, sticking his chin out and raising his dark eyebrows. You bring your eyes up from your swirling water and smile to him.

“I don’t want anything from you.” You repeat. More glances are exchanged between the two before Steve shoves the confusion from between them with waving hands and a shaking head.

“Then why the hell did you help us out of there.” You clench your jaw and swallow; you can’t just upfront say ‘Yeah I helped you because I want someone in my life that will understand why I can’t sleep at night and I want to be able to think that if the Winter Soldier can escape HYDRA, then so can I.’ You push your eyes up to Barnes and smile sheepishly.

“I wanted to ask him what kind of conditioner he uses.” You point to his hair and nod, “It’s really nice,” You run your hand through your own hair, “Wish mine could look half as good.” The two soldier deadpan at you, disbelief strong on their sharp features.

“Seriously?” Captain America whines, tired and unsure who to trust. You smile and shake your head. You hop off the counter and put your cup in the sink.

“I just think it’s about time Mr. Barnes is free.” You answer, meeting those blue eyes of his. Silence, a common trend between the three of you, settles on you one more time. You push your mouth into your cheeks before you bite you lip under those harsh gazes. The blonde stands quickly, startling you slightly - your tongue swells in your throat as you anticipate what he’s going to do when he stops in front of you - and his hand jets out to you; you flinch only by habit. You watch his open hand widely. "I'm Steve Rogers.” You smile and accept his hand. "Y/n Y/L/n. Nice to meet you, Captain America." You turn your eyes to the brunette, his stance still guarded. "And it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Bucky Barnes."

[tactileconsensus]

happy accidents.

She treads the worn out city streets as any other troll would. She wears tedious black clothes, and her reddish complexion brands her as insignificant to the majority of the high-blooded locals. Her long, long hair - a feature that has often been the only thing people remember about her - has been braided and pinned up, making it’s length unremarkable. Her blank expression looks unfriendly and keeps others from wanting to look at her for too long. Nothing about her is special. The group of indigos that pass by don’t even seem to notice she’s there. It’s perfect.

The blue lights adorning the sidewalk are the only company she keeps. She’s enjoying the way they pulse and illuminate the ostentatious gardens along the way, giving every strange and beautiful flower she encounters an alien glow. These high-bloods sure know how to impress a dumb girl from the woods. She’s never even seen most of these species... She snaps a few pictures so she may search for their names later.

She has had many names but only one truly belongs to her: Morras. That is the only name her friends know. Now that she thinks about it, it’s probably a good thing that she has so few of those. It’s not that she worries about what would happen if her real name got leaked out to the world but, in Morras’ line of work, one learns to treasure anonymity.

With each step she takes she feels the comforting weight and swing of the weapons she’s almost always carrying around with her: daggers and small throwing knives, things as sharp and dangerous as a bear’s claws. They remind her of home; the road’s never lonely this way.

Morras walks calmly for a while longer until a number of beautifully lit, highblood-owned mansions begin to rise above the horizon. She starts to hear music and the laughter of dozens of trolls who have decided to enjoy the cool breeze. They are all wearing fancy clothes and sipping on something dark with delight. 

The bright lights of the lively neighborhood cast dark shadows that she inches towards slowly until she vanishes from sight. Morras sneaks from building to building with feline grace, keeping her eyes and ears peeled for anything that might try to creep up on her. 

Deftly she continues until she finally arrives at the party. She struggles with a very stubborn window she’s forced to break and kill two guards for. If only she’d found the courage to do all of this in heels and a suit, she thinks, then she might’ve simply swaggered through the main entrance like everyone else and avoided this unnecessary death. She spares some time to close their eyes, to move their bodies somewhere quieter and mourn their passing in case nobody else cared. ‘Rest easy, ya’ poor bastards’. Their fear led them to loyalty and servitude they weren’t ready for. They deserved closure, and certainly not the one granted by death.

Morras leaves the corpses behind. If she’s not careful, she’ll be forced to take another life or risk compromising the mission, so she tries her damned hardest to navigate the space undetected. She succeeds. 

She climbs an embellished stairwell and hugs the wall as she hunts down a specific room. When she arrives at her destination, two guards stand between her and her kill.

Two knives disappear from her belt with only a flash of cold steel as warning. Each blade finds and pierces through the thigh of each guard and, before they have time to process what happened, before they can even scream from the pain, the substance coating her blades makes them go limp. Morras lunges forward and catches them easily before they fall. She watches their chest rise and fall for a moment as they enjoy a much deserved nap and knows she can move on to more important things.

Morras straightens her back and takes a deep breath before walking through the large door. She’s not nervous, she just wants to make sure she’s ready for anything.

She hears screaming from the other side and she’s immediately on edge. Carefully, Morras rests an ear against the door and tries to make sense of the muffled voices and only stops when she hears glass shattering.  

The first thing she sees the moment she bursts into the room is a table neatly set up for two where dinner seems to have been forgotten. Behind the table stands a young troll, holding a blunt knife between her and Morras’ target. For a moment she wants to protest and ask why this child has come to steal her kill, but that chain of thought is broken when the dim candle light in the room bounces off the streams of blue running down her rounded face. “I WANNA GO HOME!” She cries out, a pathetic attempt to threatened her captor into submission. It doesn’t work, of course.  

“You are home, Nakomi! Please, my child, you must stay. I can help-” Morras’ arrival cuts their sentence in half. She watches their fake smile fall apart, anger poisoning their expression. “Who are you? How did you get here?!” They bark. The girl doesn’t seem to know where to point her knife anymore.

“I’m good.” Morras’ eyes linger on her. She wishes she would take this opportunity to run away, but she seems to be paralyzed in fear. 

They scoff. “The only good assassin, is a dead one, my dear,” The world ‘assassin’ seems to send the girl through ten different emotions at once, all of them negative. Morras would never do anything to her... Not that she’d be able to guess it from just looking at her perpetually hard expression. “What have I ever done to you anyway?”

“To me? Nothin’, I don’t think. But you definitely wronged someone enough that they paid me to see you dead, so” She flashed them one of her favorite daggers - a large jet black beauty with small roses carved along the handle and blade alike.

“If what drives you is money, I assure you I can double whatever you were offered. Hell, I’ll even let you take her!” They grab the girl’s wrist suddenly. She’s so weak and frightened that it’s enough to make the kitchen knife fall from her trembling hands. She looks between the two adults in the room, terrified at the prospect of being sold to a scary assassin, or staying here with a mad slaver. Morras’ heart breaks a little. “She will control the minds of your enemies, if only you can tame the bitch,” Morras’ fist clenches around her weapon. Research told her this troll could match her in speed, and that was really the only thing keeping them alive. They were holding a kid hostage. 

“Only problem is she’s an unpredictable little creature - oh, and she’s incredibly ungrateful; here I was, keeping her safe and trying to make sure she didn’t kill herself with her own stupidity and that is how she thanks me.” They look down at the knife on the floor. They’re practically mocking a defenseless girl; it’s disgusting. “Look what your idiocy caused you already.” They pull back her silvery bangs, revealing the scaring on her forehead. She yelps in protest.

Morras looks at Nakomi with what she hopes to be a sympathetic look. She knows what nearly frying your own brains feels like, knows what a terrifying thing it is to go through it alone.

“I’m not convinced.” Morras replies after a brief moment of silent contemplation. “How do I know you’re not lyin’? That could just be a normal girl with pretty hair and some bruises, no?” Morras looks at the girl as she speaks her next words, begging the gods to make her understand. “I’m gonna’ need a quick demonstration.”

“What? That’s ridiculous. I just told you she has no control over her own damned powers.” 

“Oh, please.” Morras continues to look directly at Nakomi’s soul. “Have some faith.”

A moment passes before it finally dawns on her. 

Morras speaks again but she’s not really sure what she’s saying. All she means to do is distract them while the small girl frowns through her cerulean tears and struggles to seize control of her captor’s body.

It takes her long enough to make Morras a bit nervous, but Nakomi does eventually force them to open their hands. She runs away as soon as she’s free, and the time it takes them to regain control is more than enough to ensure Morras scores a clean kill - not that they deserved one.

The girl throws both arms around the scary assassin. She’s shaking and Morras is as awkward as ever. After a few seconds of not knowing what to do, Morras bends down and hugs her back until her crying dies out.

“Did he hurt you?” Morras asks.

The girl means to say ‘no’, since that’s technically the truth, but she clearly feels like they hurt her a lot. She doesn’t say a word.

“He’s dead.” Morras doesn’t understand what she’s supposed to be saying in moments like this, but she’s trying to be comforting. 

Nakomi sniffles. “Is she going to kill me next?”

“What?” 

The girl’s eyes go wide. “W-what what?”  

“You think I’m gonna’ kill you?”

“How did you-!” She looks at her with wide, trembling eyes and takes a step back. “You’re scary.”

“If I wanted to kill you, you’d be dead already.” Morras tries to reason. Naturally, it doesn’t help much. Oh, no, is she going to start crying again? “Fuckin’... O-okay, listen,” She sighs. “I kill bad people. Like that fucker over there, right?” Nakomi nods slowly. “You’re not a bad person, so I’m not gonna’ kill ya’. It’s that easy.”  

Silence takes over and a moment passes.

“How did you know what I-”

“I got cool powers. Like you.” She’s surprised. Does she not know others like her exist? “I can read thoughts.”

“O-oh...” Nakomi still looks a bit frightened, but Morras spots a flash of something that puts her at ease.

Silence takes over once more. Morras coughs. 

“We have to leave this place.” 

“How are we going to do that?”

“Dunno. Same way I came in? We’ll figure it out.” Morras looked down at her with intensity. “Stay close to me unless there’s a fight goin’. If we’re attacked, you just hide and wait for me, okay?”

“O-Okay.”

“Promise me.”

“I promise.”

The journey back down would’ve been much easier if she’d been heartless enough to slaughter every guard on duty earlier.

Walking around with company during work - a child, of all people - is new and a lot to handle. She keeps worrying about her whereabouts and over planning their next movements. At some point, a moment of doubt is enough to alert a group of guards that immediately swarm them. Morras counts 5 in total; they all wear the same uniform but some have spears while others have swords. She knows she can take them on, but she needs Nakomi to hide first.

“Go!” Morras yells at her small companion, pushing her away from a mean spear swing that would’ve cut her in half. She runs off, panicked. Two tranquilizing blades find two different targets and the threat’s reduced significantly. Those were her last; she would carry more tranquilizers around if the sedative wasn’t so damn expensive. 

Two of the remaining guards run towards her, one swinging high, the other going low. Morras jumps over the spear and extends an arm upwards to hold the guard’s wrist, seizing control of his sword hand. Morras spins and throws her back side roughly against the guard’s chest. She bends his arm in a painful angle that forces him to drop his weapon. The guard sees their closeness as an opportunity to yank her by the hair with his good hand, but all that does is release her gigantic braid from a maze of hairpins. Morras twists her body and grabs her long, long hair at the base to avoid any pain. She kicks him in a certain spot that has him falling on his knees. Unfortunately for him, he refuses to release her braid even as he squirms, so Morras chokes him with it. He’ll live.

The guard who’d swung her spear at her before turns around and tries the same move again. It actually grazes her cheek once but, when she tries another attack Morras just grabs her spear, ripping it from her firm grasp like it was nothing. She hits her with the blunt end of the weapon, stunning her, and sticks the pointy end through the guard she feels sneaking up behind her. 'I really didn’t want to kill another person today...’ Morras thinks with a tinge of sadness.

That short moment of vulnerability is all the last guard needs. Weaponless, she rips one of Morras’ knives from her friend’s body and sprints towards her, aiming to sink it right between her ribs, where her heart might beat. She probably thinks Morras killed her friends, and she’s not entirely wrong.

Morras knows she could’ve defended herself in time from her surprise attack, but she’s still thankful for Nakomi who repeats her neat little trick on the guard, making her drop Morras’ knife. Morras’ fighting instincts kick in. They trade blows until the guard falls on the ground in pain, rust pouring from her nose and lips. Morras sits her up and locks her in a chokehold until she stops moving. The guard joins her friends in the realm of dreams.

At the end of the fight, Nakomi pokes her head out from her hiding spot. “Is... Is it over?” 

“Yeah. You can come.”

Nakomi walks the distance to join her new ally. She’s avoiding Morras’ gaze like she thinks she’s about to get in trouble. “I know I promised to just hide, but...”

“You did good.” Morras wants to smile. Instead, she gives her a lame thumbs up and a nod. 

“You did everything...” She shrugs and picks at her fingernails. Her cheeks are tinted blue and she seems to be smiling.

“Oh! Did you ever tell me your name, miss?”

Morras stops to think about it. Her loaf of bread is lamely forgotten between her lips as she does it. “Did I not?”

“No!” Nakomi replies before swallowing a large bite of chocolate cake. “If you did, I forgot. Sorry.”

“Morras.” It sounds silly when said with your mouth full. It earns her a giggle.

“Morras, huh.” She repeats, looking off into the distance. 

The night had gotten colder, so Morras let her borrow her sweater. The damned thing was already over-sized on her, so Nakomi was currently wearing what looked to be a full body woolen dress, with sleeves she had to roll up to the armpit. 

They had distanced themselves from her captor’s corpse and the fancy party their matesprit threw. The dinner Nakomi left back at their mansion explained the embarrassing noises her stomach was making. Morras offered to buy her something cheap and sweet to remedy that, and that’s how they came to be where they are, sitting on the sidewalk outside a convenience store, eating something light. 

“Thank you for saving me, Morras.”

“It was no problem.” She nods. Saving her was basically a happy accident, really. “I’m glad he’s dead.”

The girl stays quiet, making a face. Morras doesn’t need to read her mind to know she wants to agree.

“It’s okay to want someone dead, sometimes.” Morras tells her calmly. “Some folks just need killin’. It’s why I exist.”

“I never thought of assassins as the good guys. But you’ve been so nice to me...” She takes another bite of cake. “Do you have other good assassin friends? Oh! Oh, are you part of a super duper secret society or something? Who pays you to kill the bad guys, anyway?” 

“I don’t really have assassin friends, no.” Most assassins she does know are batshit crazy. It’s why she works alone. “As for who pays me, well, I suppose it can be anyone? And really any sum will do.”

“Who hired you to kill them?”

“A guard.”

“A guard?” She blinks, confused. “Why were they all trying to kill us, then?” 

“They’re too scared not to. During my research I found out that practically everyone working for them was hiding from something big. So, really, either they did as they were told, or they were sent back to their old lives without any protection. Can you blame them?” Nakomi looks away and doesn’t seem to know how to reply. What Morras said has clearly hit close to home. “They were doing the same to you, huh.”

Nakomi sat in silence, fighting back tears. “My lusus...” She sniffed. “She d-died yesterday. I searched for help and I found them. They said I’d never have to worry about the empire coming after me if I accepted their help... They weren’t that scary at first.” Morras places her hand on her shoulder. “But then they said I could never go home again. They said I would have to do everything they said and that I’d be punished if I didn’t,” She’s sobbing again. Morras wants to do more than stare and touch her arm.

“It’s okay. You’re okay.”  

The girl hugs her. They sit there in silence until the tension dissipates and her tears dry up for the second time in only a few hours. This poor girl deserves better.

“You really are cool... A little scary, though.”

“I know.” Morras sighs. She’s definitely pouting. “This is just... how my face works, though...” It’s obvious this undeniable truth about her is something she’s insecure about.

 “Oh, I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to-” Nakomi jumps in her seat, now worried that she hurt her feelings. “You’re really pretty! And- and your hair is nice! You just... You should smile more.”

“You’re right.” She nods. “I’ll... work on it.” As if she hasn’t been doing just that for sweeps now. 

Morras blinks. “Now that you mention things to work on - you should definitely train your power. They were right when they said that it can kill you.”

“How do you know?”

“Nearly died once.” She shrugs. “Don’t worry, though. You might not know how to control yourself just yet, but you have talent. I’ve seen it twice today already.”

Nakomi peers up at her shyly after a moment of no reaction. “... Will you teach me?”

“Huh?” 

“Um-” She looks away, embarrassed. “I don’t know anyone else with cool powers like us, and you seem to know a thing or two about my current level already, so... Why not?” She chuckles. She’s nervous.

Morras pauses to think. Morras isn’t good at many things, and she’s certainly never been a teacher to anyone. Could she really teach a girl she barely knew about powers she did not have? ‘At the very least, I can keep her safe’.

“Why not.” She repeats with a nod.

Nakomi smiles brighter than the sun and, for once, Morras’ cold expression doesn’t stand a chance.

[madamedeher]

No pressure

Cullen and Trevelyan fight to release something unspoken. What happens when that becomes not enough? a.k.a the one where everyone knows but the couple.

Maybe it's just me, but I almost never see fics of Cullen pining. I thought it'd be interesting to explore that. Also I'll be loosely messing with the canon in this story. Nothing too story shattering, just a few tweaks you might notice. If you'd like, you can go to my oc page on here and see what I envisioned Maxwell to look like. (Spoiler: he's based off my own inq lmao) just go to the oc page and Andrew Trevelyan is who I described :)

Also this is on AO3! I’m a bit paranoid with the link purge but my profile is /users/ordinarycrayons :)

Come two weeks, it will have been one year since the inquisition had been formed. Cassandra tried to argue that the inquisition was official once Trevelyan accepted his role, but he thought it was too self righteous to agree to that date.

Varric, Trevelyan’s self claimed “closest dwarf” was now standing in front of Cullen’s desk, a knowing gleam to his eye and a smirk ever present on his face.

“All I’m saying is you’re invited.”

Cullen sighed lightly. Varric has decided to celebrate the first nameday of the inquisition by holding a grand game of cards. Apparently everyone in the inner circle will be there, and then some.

“Plus,” Varric leaned in a little, smugness on his face ever present.

“Max is definitely coming.”

Cullen couldn’t help but bristle. He never thought of himself to splay his emotions out on a platter, but even before Haven’s collapse Varric took it upon himself to tease the commander for his one sided infatuation for the Inquisitor.

“Like I have told you, I will probably be busy. Thank you. I will send Maxw— the Inquisitor my regards.”

“Whatever you say, Curly. If you manage to unglue yourself from your desk, invitation’s always open.”

Varric turned on his heels out Cullen’s office and once Varric was out the room, Cullen let out a breath he did not realize he was holding.

Maxwell Trevelyan was not an enigmatic man. He wore his heart on his sleeve, heaving his opinions like he does his broadsword. He seemed to have a permanent tan to his already brown skin and dark freckles that dusted his face, accentuating an innocence that wasn’t exactly there.

Cullen would often daydream about those freckles. They complimented dimples and round cheeks, making Trevelyan look much younger than he actually was. The amount of teasing they both got when it was found out Trevelyan was the same age as Cullen still makes the blond burn in embarrassment.

His thoughts on the leader had shifted recently. What it had shifted to, though, Cullen still does not know.

Trevelyan has never called Cullen by his name, always some form of Commander. In turn, Cullen always tried to make it a point to call him the Inquisitor. Even if Cullen finds himself saying it offhand to himself, noting how easy it slides off his tongue, how it would be so gratifying to have Trevelyan grab him and make him say his name over and over and— Maker.

The Inquisitor had been gone for two weeks, something about peace talks in Orlais. He’d be back by the morning, no doubt irritable from dealing with stuck up nobles day in and day out. Cullen very much looked forward to seeing him again, much to his chagrin.

Cullen stood from his desk and paced for a moment. A slow throbbing was approaching from behind his eyes, a sign that his body was getting too tired to go on without pain.

That night, Cullen touched himself, spilling Maxwell from his lips.

He didn’t have feelings for Trevelyan, oh no. Simple infatuation. Forbidden fruit. Nothing real there, whatsoever. Truly. Hopefully.

+++

As predicted, Trevelyan was back in Skyhold by dawn. Josephine was on him the moment he stepped into the fortress, asking about how it went, who he impressed, who he more importantly pissed off. Vivienne, who attended the talks, stepped in to answer. Maxwell was brooding the moment they left Orlais and was not in the mind to answer her questions.

A random Orlesian had mentioned his father, how he was a noble who fell from grace by scandal. That scandal, being him and a servant creating Trevelyan’s half sister. Great stuff for Trevelyan’s psyche to go over several, several times.

His legs walked for him at that point. His target, Commander Cullen’s office. He knew the commander wouldn't be asleep right now, as many times as they've done this.

Something of a ritual had formed between the two. When one was upset, they would invite the other to spar. Neither has ever declined the other and it proved to be therapeutic in some primal way.

With a hard knock, Trevelyan announced himself outside the office and walked in. Unsurprisingly, Cullen was hunched over his desk, though he was still dressed in casual clothing, his armor sitting well placed next to him.

Looking up, Cullen acknowledged him.

“Good morning, Inquisitor.”

Then, the ritual begins.

Trevelyan would comment on the time of day.

“Morning, commander. Up early today I see.”

Cullen would make a comment on his work load.

“Yes, I have much to do.”

Trevelyan would proposition.

“Don’t you need a break, Commander?”

And Cullen would fall for it.

“I suppose I do. Meet you by the usual place?”

The, “usual place” was near the southern entrance of Skyhold, where only some immigrants and the merchant would see them. They use to practice by the tavern, but they eventually gained an audience. Trevelyan didn’t mind, but Cullen drew the line when he overheard Iron Bull and Dorian wondering if who wins the spar means who takes the other that night.

He didn’t tell Trevelyan the exact reason why he wanted to move, citing the noise of the crowd was distracting and if Trevelyan suspected another reason, he didn’t show it. Since then, they fought in their place. Truthfully, Cullen has several places mapped if they gained a crowd once again.

Trevelyan waited patiently by their spot. He took it upon himself to grab their usual weapons. Cullen relied on a rather large wooden shield and right handed sword. Trevelyan had his two-handed broadsword tucked into his elbow, leaning on it as he waited. Both weapons were old and dull, only able to do real damage if using blunt force.

Cullen bounded towards him ten minutes later. His lion helm was left behind, but his usual armor was donned. Trevelyan wore similar armor, though his was less stylized.

“Commander.” Trevelyan handed Cullen his sword and shield, a half smile on his face.

Cullen’s heart thumped in his chest. Their sparring use to be simple, he played as it was. But when his feelings deepened into whatever they were, their dueling fueled more. An itch he couldn’t scratch was the only way he could describe it.

He watched as Trevelyan oriented himself with the sword. It was a tad smaller than his actual battle weapon, with the hilt being a thinner leather than usual as well.

“Ready, Inquisitor?”

“Always, Commander.”

No matter what, it felt like the world disappeared when they did this. In Cullen’s mind, it was just them in this moment. No Inquisition, no reports, no worry. Just them.

The pair rounded themselves, facing the other. Cullen noted how even though Trevelyan’s brown eyes looked very tired, he still managed to create a spark behind them.

Trevelyan was the first to move, stepping to Cullen’s right side, swinging his sword. It was a test, as Trevelyan never actually made his swing come all the way down to hit Cullen’s shield. The pair locked eyes again and Trevelyan let out a breathy laugh.

“Did not expect cold feet from you, Inquisitor.”

“Simply gauging my prey.”

Prey. Cullen let out an incredulous noise and suddenly charged with his shield, catching Trevelyan off guard and knocking him back with a loud oof.

Trevelyan recovered quickly, but not before Cullen got a good jab at his rib, causing the other to groan in pain. With a well placed turn, Trevelyan brought his foot up and kicked Cullen’s shield towards the left, stuttering the commander’s reflex and bringing down a harder than intended swing to Cullen’s side. It made the commander make his own noise of pain and he gripped his side as best he could.

He knew there would be a big purple bruise there in a few hours. He couldn’t bring himself to care.

Trevelyan came at him again, his sword menacingly in front of him. Cullen blocked last minute with his shield and pushed back, staggering the man for a moment. Cullen did his best to round his own sword back to the other, but it was successfully blocked by the left metal bracer Trevelyan wore. Not missing a beat, Trevelyan awkwardly switched his sword to his non dominant right hand and clumsily hit the bottom of Cullen’s thigh.

Cullen reminded himself to warn the Inquisitor about learning to be ambidextrous with his weapons. Two-handed weapons tend to spoil those wielding them.

They pushed off each other, both slightly out of breath. Mirroring the other, they both stepped towards each other and arched their swords, the swords hitting each other with a loud metallic pang. Trevelyan pushed against Cullen and the commander pushed back, deadlocking the two into a power struggle. Cullen was close enough to Trevelyan’s face he could count the freckles on his nose. He got to twenty before a voice cleared from behind him.

Trevelyan was the first to back off and an innocent grin spread on his face.

“Are you two playing nice?”

Morrigan. Cullen whipped around and put his hands to his sides. He felt as though he had been caught doing something he wasn’t supposed to.

“I always play nice. What isn’t nice is watching people without their knowledge.”

There was no bite to Trevelyan’s scolding.

“Oh, but I am not a nice woman. Is it a crime to watch two attractive men beat each other with sticks?”

“Ah-ha! I knew you thought I was handsome.”

“Tis’ not a secret, Maxwell. I am not the shy type.”

Before Cullen knew it, he realized the pair were… flirting?

A knot of jealousy settled in Cullen’s stomach. It made him feel hotly ashamed and a bit nauseous. He brought his hand to the bridge of his nose and pinched, closing his eyes and inhaling deeply.

Trevelyan mistakenly thought it to be lyrium withdrawal pain and placed a comforting hand on Cullen’s shoulder. It made his heart beat even harder.

“As much as I enjoy this chatter, is there truly something you needed?”

When Cullen opened his eyes, he found Morrigan transfixed on him. He shifted uncomfortably under her stare.

“I was hoping to discuss The Winter Palace with you.”

Her gaze shifted between the two and settled on Cullen again, her face looking more knowing than before.

“That is, if you two are quite finished.”

Trevelyan straightened and stuck his sword into the ground. Clapping a hand on Cullen’s back, he smiled warmly at him and stepped towards Morrigan.

“I guess we’ll have to finish this later. See you later, Commander.”

Cullen watched Trevelyan and Morrigan walk off together. They started their light flirting again from what Cullen could tell and the weight in his stomach seemed to have snaked up to his chest, constricting his heart. He cleared his throat and looked down at his feet, willing the emotions to fade away. Cullen made it a point to himself to get over this crush effective immediately.

“Oh, and Commander,”

Morrigan’s voice rang out again, though she was much farther away. Cullen sheepishly looked up from his brooding thoughts.

“Shall I remind you I am not the villain here?”

Trevelyan looked between the two, settling on raising his eyebrows at Cullen. Although Trevelyan didn’t really know what Morrigan was talking about, he was surprised to see a bashful look on Cullen’s face.

+++

Cullen has not spoken to the Inquisitor since they’re last sparring. He’s not quite sure if he appreciates or hates that fact.

It’s easier to forget about his situation with Trevelyan this way, even if he misses him. Besides, it isn’t as if he is purposely avoiding the other. Trevelyan has made no attempt to talk to him. Although, that fact stings, so Cullen tries to forget that as well.

Varric’s celebration is tonight. Cullen made no plans to go up until earlier today. After a rather tedious war meeting, Leliana stopped Cullen to talk to him alone in the hallway out. Once again, Trevelyan made no attempt to talk to him and it grated on his nerves more than it should have. Them standing in the cramped space between the main hall and Josephine’s office did not help his growing nerves.

“Is there something I can help you with?”

Cullen’s voice sounded strained even to his own ears, causing him to briefly wince.

“You are going to the celebration tonight.”

“I beg your pardon?”

“You think I do not know of what is going on between you and the inquisitor?”

Cullen blinked and felt the tip of ears grow hot.

“I do not know what—”

“Do not lie to me, Commander.”

“...there is nothing unprofessional between me and the Inquisitor. I say that truly.”

Leliana’s eyes were piercing, as if she was trying to read his mind. Cullen would never admit he wouldn’t be surprised if she could.

“That is precisely the problem.”

Cullen stepped back and hit his back against the brick wall. He’s sure if he saw his face it would show a look of complete and utter confusion. “Are you suggesting me and the Inquisitor start some illicit affair?”

“If I thought it would just be a some dirty affair, I wouldn’t be standing here.”

“Then I am at a loss as to what you are suggesting.”

The woman shifted her weight to her left foot and crossed her arms. A ghost of a smirk was on her face.

“I know love when I see it, Commander. It is something to be cherished. The Maker made us this way to embrace love, not run away from it. Do you not understand that?”

Cullen’s heart started thudding against his chest and he instinctively rubbed the back of his neck. He couldn’t meet Leliana’s eyes even if he wanted to.

“It is not mutual.”

The smirk widened on Leliana’s face. “Because you have been rejected, or because you refuse to consider it’s possibility?”

Cullen had no answer. He had not even entertained the thought that the Inquisitor might feel the same way. Trevelyan had made no moves, had he? Belatedly, Cullen realized he and the Inquisitor spent the most time together out of everyone in the inner circle. Trevelyan is the one whom Cullen bared his deepest struggles to, and Trevelyan was the only one to take the time to comfort him, tell him how proud he was of Cullen. While Cullen wasn’t as eloquent as Trevelyan when it came to praise and feelings, when he did do the same to Trevelyan he could swear he saw a blush come to the warrior’s cheeks. It all came naturally, and Cullen kicked himself for being so hung up on their names.

Leliana spoke again. “Are you coming to the celebration?”

Cullen steadied himself on his sword, gripping the handle hard. He tried not to get his hopes up.

“Yes.”

+++

The tavern was bustling. It seemed as though everyone in skyhold had stuffed themselves in there, from the chargers drunkenly guarding their corner of the bottom floor to even Vivienne chatting idly to Dorian and Solas, all three drinking some expensive wine Varric managed to get his hands on.

Trevelyan was drinking a tankard of beer with Blackwall, Cassandra, and Varric. Their conversation devolved the more the night went on. While he didn’t drink that much, Trevelyan saw his companions get more and more inebriated. By the time Varric managed to round up the inner circle for their wicked grace game, Sera was asleep on the floor and Bull was so loud it was starting to make Trevelyan’s ears ring.

“And THEN, and then, oh shit boss you’re gonna love this one, and then he went, ‘But I barely knew her!’” The table erupted in incredulous laughter and a solid eye roll from Cassandra. Trevelyan tried to hide his laugh behind his drink, clapping Bull on the back for his story. Naturally, the conversations went on. His hand in the card game wasn’t great, but he didn’t really mind. It felt good to celebrate something amongst the string of tragedies he has to deal with.

Varric sat next to him, the two occasionally sizing each other up. Josephine was the best at the game, but Varric could bluff like nobody’s business. It gave Trevelyan a sense of confidence being around him when playing wicked grace. It wasn’t until he jabbed Trevelyan in the ribs with his elbow did he get his head out of the game. He nodded his head towards the entrance of the tavern and Trevelyan’s eyes landed on the blond that was making his way through the door.

Cullen walked towards the table but stopped just short of it. Varric stood up and waved the commander over.

“Glad you made it Curly, saved a seat for you.”

Trevelyan looked wide eyed at Varric who shot back a wink. He went off to drag another chair to the table, leaving Cullen to sit down next to the inquisitor.

Cullen’s entrance didn’t stop the flow of conversation, but Leliana, who was leaning against one of the support beams in the tavern threw Cullen a look. She turned to whisper something to Cassandra who was some steps away. Cassandra not so subtly glanced at the pair with raised eyebrows. Both Cullen and Trevelyan looked elsewhere to avoid the questioning eyes.

“I… guess I have arrived too late for the game.”

“Don’t worry, there will be plenty more rounds. Lest we forget your last game.”

Cullen smiled at Trevelyan despite the embarrassing memory. “Ah, I do not plan on losing my clothing tonight, though.”

Trevelyan perked up at Cullen with newfound confidence. “We’ll see about that, won’t we?”

Something told Cullen they might not be talking about the game anymore and he looked away shyly. He never knew what to do in these situations. Especially since this is the first time in many years he wanted their affections in the first place.

“S-so, uh, I feel as though we have not seen each other in a while.”

Trevelyan deflated at that and Cullen recoiled slightly wondering if he said the wrong thing. Thankfully, Trevelyan continued on the conversation. “Why is it always I who seeks you out? You’re free to come to me for a change, you know.”

A hardened tone took over Trevelyan but he still tried to mask it with a forced lightness. Cullen felt the guilt wash over in a wave. He had never thought about that. For the past year, it had always been Trevelyan who progressed their friendship. It hit Cullen that even if he had feelings for Cullen, Cullen was not showing any signs himself that it could go anywhere. Tonight felt like it was a turning point in their friendship— or what it could be.

“I came tonight. I… hope that is a sufficient start.”

“You act as if you came to the party only for me.”

It was invitation to go further, Cullen saw it clear as day. Trevelyan was baiting him to go farther, and he knew he would always go for his game.

Cullen acknowledged him.

“Perhaps… perhaps I did.”

Trevelyan craned his seat to look out a window at the far side of the wall to their left.

“It’s getting quite late, Cullen.”

Cullen’s eyes widened and he could feel his pulse thud in his ears. He wanted to ask Trevelyan to say his name again, over and over. It was by far the only sound Cullen wanted to hear from then on. He had half a mind to ask him to say it again before he remembered what he was doing.

“Yes, I finished my reports early.”

Trevelyan prepositioned.

“Well, I’m sure you deserve a long break.”

And Cullen falls for it. Every time.

“What do you suggest we do, Maxwell?”

The grin that split onto Trevelyan’s face was unfiltered excitement and it made Cullen mirror one of his own.

“Walk me to my quarters? It is just so late.”

“Of course, dear inquisitor.”

+++

Cullen had never been in Maxwell’s quarter’s since it was being built in the first place. It awed him how much of Maxwell emanated from the room since he last saw it. The Orlesian linens had been replaced by woolly blankets and fluffy pillows that looked perfect for winter. The couch, desk, and bookshelves were all the same but had been covered by different memorabilia Maxwell had collected over the past many months. His desk especially was cluttered with dozens of half written missives and reports. Cullen wonders how he manages to get anything done with the mess in the way. Incense sits in the air as well, a mix of cherrywood and lavender. It relaxed both of them greatly.

Behind him Maxwell stokes a fire he lit. It was late fall and a chill had comfortably settled over skyhold.

When the fire seemed to be going full force Maxwell stood. He and Cullen shared a brief moment of eye content before they both looked away nervously. Maxwell admittedly didn't think this far into this, considering he didn’t even think Cullen would accept the offer to walk him to his room.

“I like your quarters.” Cullen blurted out after a beat of awkward silence.

“Do you?”

“Yes, I now know why you smell so good.” He faltered at the tail end of that sentence. Cullen inwardly smacked himself. You smell so good? Maker, Cullen, you’re bad at this.

Maxwell laughed behind his hand, “Thank you. I’m glad my… smell? Pleases you.”

Cullen hoped his face didn’t seem to red, but just in case he looked down at his boots to hide at least some of the embarrassment.

Maxwell walked towards an empty loveseat that was in the corner of his room and pushed it towards the fire that crackled noisily. He sat down casually and patted the spot next to him, beckoning Cullen who obliged readily.

“I’m glad you agreed to come with me to my quarters. I’ve… admittedly missed you. And I’ve been wanting to speak about something.”

This time it was Maxwell looking down at his feet. Cullen wanted to reach out and hug him.

“What did you want to speak of?”

Maxwell took a deep breath and looked up, but not at Cullen. “Cullen, I care for you, more than what I’ve let on and I—” He shook his head and tried to gather his words.

“I don’t— I don’t know where I’m going with this. I just want to know if you could care for me as I care for you.”

Cullen felt his mouth dry and he swallowed thickly. He tried to bring up words but nothing seemed to do justice.

“I could. I-I mean I do. I’ve… often wondered what I might say in this situation.” Cullen’s voice wavered a tad but he continued, “I didn’t think it was possible for there to be something, much less admit to it.”

“Now that it is possible, what do you intend to do?”

Maxwell was looking at Cullen now, the pair meeting each other’s eyes. Cullen shifted closer to Maxwell and started to slowly lean into the other’s space, closing his eyes and hoping he’s met with what he wants.

With a sharp intake of breath, Maxwell met Cullen halfway and kissed him.

Cullen had imagined this a dozen times, in a dozen different ways. He knows it’s cliche to say it is like no other, but he can not remember a time where something as simple as a kiss filled him such an indescribable joy.

They seperated momentarily, looking into each other’s eyes with a newfound ferocity. Cullen grabbed Maxwell by his collar and pulled him back into the kiss, their mouths naturally falling open to explore the other. Maxwell tangled his left hand into Cullen’s hair and moved to straddle his lap, his other hand finding itself on the other’s waist.

It stirred something familiarly warm deep in Cullen’s belly, causing him to involuntarily moan. He could feel Maxwell smile into the kiss and it caused him to smile back, effectively ruining the kiss they had going. It devolved into a fit of shy giggles and chaste face kisses between the two.

“I can’t remember the last time I was into another man’s lap.”

Cullen pressed several kisses along Maxwell’s jaw and neck, causing the other to crane his neck back for better access. A passing thought wished Cullen would divulge in as many love bites as he could.

“If I get what I want, I’ll be the last lap you’re in.”

Maxwell meant to softly put their foreheads together but misjudged the force of it and thonked their heads together, causing another bout of breathy laughter.

“Whatever you want, I’ll grant it.”

Maxwell brought his hips closer to Cullen’s and ghosted contact. In retaliation Cullen settled his hands on Maxwell’s hips and brought them together himself, the hard grind bringing groans out of both of them.

Their lips connected again, the kiss hard and wet. They fell into a slow rhythm, grinding until they were both hard and desperate against each other.

“Grant me a spot on your bed?”

Maxwell smiled crookedly and stood, taking Cullen’s hand in his and leading him to the bed. They kissed on their way there, unbuckling and fastening each other’s clothing the best they could until they fell on the bed in their underclothes, never separating until both needed a breath. Carefully, Maxwell made his way from Cullen’s mouth down his chest, leaving a trail of wet kisses across his torso and taking a moment to lavish a nipple with teeth and tongue. It made Cullen’s breath hitch in his throat, stifling a kean that came with it.

Calloused hands made their way down Cullen’s soft thighs, tracing a map for Maxwell’s lips to follow. It was slightly ticklish, Maxwell’s plush lips mixed with his rough stubble rubbing against his thighs, it forced Maxwell to steady a hand against his stomach to keep him from squirming too much. With steady hands, Maxwell pulled off Cullen’s last bit of clothing and discarding his own in the process.

They stared at other, breathing heavily. Maxwell tried to drink up the sight in front of him as much as he could, while Cullen tried to commit to memory what it looks like to have one of the most powerful men in Thedas kneeling above him completely naked.

Without wasting another second Maxwell puts his lips to Cullen’s dick, kissing the head, then spreading them just enough to suckle at the tip. Cullen quietly gasped, swallowing hard. It had been years since anyone had touched him this way. He never thought he would find someone he trusted enough to take to bed, yet here he was, thanking Andraste and the maker himself for allowing him to climb into Maxwell’s space.

Maxwell got more bold as he worked, taking more of Cullen into his mouth. Cullen unconsciously thrusted into Maxwell’s slack mouth. He couldn’t very far, the arm that steadied him earlier was placed back on his stomach, restricting his movement. A frustrated groan escaped Cullen before he could catch it and caught Maxwell trying not to smile. The brunet pulled off and licked the precome that got on his lips. “You’re so cute.”

Cullen flustered and pressed his lips into a tight line. He didn’t trust himself not to say something completely embarrassing.

“Can… can I take you?”

That got Cullen’s attention. Maxwell had settled himself in between legs that Cullen didn’t know he could spread that far. Maxwell had clear sight of his hole and it made Cullen want to close his legs out of bashfulness, yet he relented on the thought.

“Y-yes. I… I don’t… I’ve never...” Cullen looked up at the ceiling, willing the Maker to not let him mess this up.

“It’s okay, we, um, we don’t have to.”

“No! I mean. No, I want to. I just... have never been taken. Please, I do want you.”

Maxwell flashed a warm smile then pressed a long kiss to Cullen’s lips.

“If anything becomes too much, you know to stop me right?”

Cullen nods and takes a deep breath. He lets his legs fall open as they were and watched Maxwell’s gaze fall from his face to between his legs. He knew his face and chest were flush red yet he couldn’t bring himself to care anymore. Maxwell reached over him to ruffle inside his nightstand for a small container. When opened, the smell of mint and earth filled the air and Cullen looked at Maxwell questioningly.

“Don’t ask why I have it, but it’s oil with a special root infused. Will help with comfort, helps relax muscles.” Maxwell dipped his fingers into it with a shrug. The liquid was even thicker than oil and the smell made Cullen’s nose tickle.

When Maxwell made first contact with Cullen’s hole, he circled his index fingers around the ring before pressing up to his first joint. Cullen tensed under him, not parsing the feeling very effectively. It was hard to describe, especially since Maxwell took this as an opportunity to start sucking his cock again. He sighed, but it turned into a breathy whimper. Maxwell finished pushing his first finger into Cullen, quickly doing the same thing with his middle finger. After a moment of adjustment, Maxwell pulled his fingers out only to slowly put them back in. It took everything in Maxwell not to fuck Cullen right there, the man above him spilling little mewls and begs the more he moved.

Maxwell didn’t have to explore the inside of Cullen for long before he found his spot, causing the blond to buck up into Maxwell’s mouth and choking his lover, making him sputter on his dick.

“Oh— oh Maker I’m sorry, so sorry.” Cullen slurred a little, hazy from the pleasure he was receiving but nonetheless felt bad for choking Maxwell. The other man shrugged and smiled, coughing a little.

“No need to apologize. I’d be lying if I said I didn’t like that a little.”

Cullen gasped and Maxwell chuckled lowly, pressing a small kiss to the top of Cullen’s thigh. He moved his fingers again over Cullen’s spot, making him moan and slam his eyes shut. Occasionally, Cullen would be able to find it himself when he fingered himself, but he was always too awkward to get the right angle. He wondered what else Maxwell would be able to tease out of him. The thought made him shudder.

“I think I’m ready, please, Maxwell,” Cullen pleaded, pulling at Maxwell’s arm to get him close. Maxwell obliged and settled above Cullen, but he didn’t expect Cullen to grab his cock and shakily stroke it, causing him to cry out. He ignored his own pleasure for the sake of Cullen and didn’t realize how desperate he was starting to get.

Swatting Cullen’s hand away, Maxwell lined himself up with Cullen, pressing the tip to him and slowly pressing in, causing both of them to moan. Maxwell hitched Cullen’s legs up to wrap around his waist, of which Cullen readily clung to.

Maxwell added more oil to where they joined and in a slow swoop put his cock to the hilt in Cullen. Cullen shook below him and Maxwell kissed all over his face, from his nose to his cheeks to his lips.

They stilled, letting Cullen adjust and Maxwell catch his breath. Cullen was... divine. Tight and warm, so soft and sweet under him. Somewhere dark in his mind wanted him to be like this more often, pliant and cute, wanting to be taken care of. Without thinking, Maxwell searched for Cullen’s hand, binding their fingers together to help anchor him. He left little kisses on Cullen’s neck, letting his free hand stroke Cullen’s side.

Cullen breathed heavily, feeling increasingly impatient in the stillness. “You… you can move…”

Not needing another cue, Maxwell experimentally rolled his hips, making Cullen grunt and seize. Another thrust, and another, and Maxwell falls into an easy rhythm. The thrusts weren’t particularly fast, but they were deep, causing Cullen to whimper everytime Maxwell bottomed out. Again, though, Cullen grew impatient and requested Maxwell go faster. He happily obliged, quickening his pace.

It was Maxwell’s turn to groan, the pleasure that coiled in his stomach making his shake. He buried his face into Cullen’s neck, tightening his grip on his hand and latched his lips on the tender skin, surely leaving a love bite for later. Cullen under him was alternating between moaning and catching his breath, the slap of skin ringing obscenely through the room. If the balcony doors had been opened even a fraction the couple would have surely been heard.

Maxwell was lost in the scene but caught himself enough to move to stroke Cullen’s cock. A low sob emanated from him, Maxwell not only stroking him but his thrusts brushing against his prostate. Cullen’s eyes were shut so hard he was starting to see stars behind his eyes and every thrust pushed out a chorus of ah ah ah.

Cullen’s free hand found its way into Maxwell’s hair, pulling hard and making Maxwell loudly whimper. Cullen foggily made sure that he would remember that for later.

Maxwell removed himself from Cullen’s neck and pressed their foreheads together. Cullen took it upon himself to kiss Maxwell open mouth. The kiss was noisy and messy, neither of them having the right mind to fix it.

It wasn’t long before Cullen felt that telling coil in his belly. His toes curled and his mouth fell slack, his eyebrows furrowing and a long deep cry left his mouth. Hot strings of come covered both of their stomachs, Cullen shaking and bucking against Maxwell, his body not knowing whether he wanted to get closer or farther away from the thrusting.

Maxwell willed his eyes open to watch Cullen come undone, which only egged on his impending release. His pace quickened brutally, his thrusts getting out of rhythm. Cullen writhed and loudly whimpered, overstimulation getting the best of him.

Maxwell tried to bury his head in Cullen’s neck again but Cullen stopped him, pulling his hair again and keeping his face where it was so he could watch Maxwell cum. His eyes screwed shut and he yelled brokenly, spilling inside Cullen, his stroke only breaking when he couldn't physically go on.

The two of them breathed heavily, Maxwell falling on top of Cullen after a moment. Cullen felt like jelly under Maxwell, and urged for another kiss that Maxwell happily gave him. He pulled out after they pulled away, both of them shuddering at the loss of contact.

Taking it on himself, Maxwell cleaned them off with a wet cloth from his wash basin. He discarded of it and quickly made his way back to the bed, lavishing Cullen in little pecks on his face.

Maxwell was the first to speak. “Are you okay, honey?”

Cullen nodded and smiled lazily, tackling Maxwell onto his back and throwing a leg over his.

“I’m more than okay.” Cullen’s voice was listful and soft. The good feeling in his heart had shackled itself there.

“Are you staying here tonight?”

Cullen swallowed and looked at Maxwell. “May I?”

Maxwell grinned and snaked his arm around Cullen’s shoulder, grabbing on the blankets that were jostled off the bed and throwing it across the pair.

“I’d love nothing more.”

The fire made earlier was dying down but the blanket was warm enough between them. Nonetheless, Maxwell snuggled closer to Cullen, placing a kiss to his forehead.

For the first time since either of them joined the inquisition, they went to sleep without a worry.

+++

Josephine was tipsy and counting her winnings from wicked grace. She scanned the room but didn't see her desired person anywhere. "Has anyone seen the Inquisitor? He promised to have a drink with me after I won!"

Varric let out a hearty chuckle and Bull gave his own belting laugh.

"Haven't you noticed who else is missing, Josephine?" Bull's voice boomed and his tankard sloshed.

Josephine looked around again and noticed Commander Cullen was gone as well.

"Are they fighting again? At this time of night?"

Varric leaned into the table and raised his eyebrows.

"They're doing some sword fighting alright."

Bull laughed and Cassandra who caught the tail of that conversation sneered.

Josephine looked at Varric before it hit her. Oh. Oh.

[tysonrunningfox]

Open Flames: Part 11

Secret about me: as much as I crave constant validation for writing, I’ve been working on it and actually had some success, but there’s still a limit and when I reach that limit without input, I forget if any of it is funny or good or any adjective at all and I’ve been sitting on most of this chapter for a while and trying to overcomplicate it the whole time, but I reread it and...here, all the babies are ridiculous, I think

Masterpost

"I have to show you something," Fuse catches my elbow as I'm polishing Bang's saddle in the sun in front of the barn.  The last three round trip flights to Elva's island have done a number on the leather and I limply toss my oily sponge at it as Fuse drags me to my feet and into the barn, where she steps into the corner and unclasps her vest.  It always hits me how she looks pregnant now.  Pregnant in the way I've always understood it, with a noticeable and round shape pressing against her shirt.  It's even stranger because it doesn't seem to be effecting anything else, the rest of her looks the same.  

Well, her shirt is tight on her chest too, but I'm trying not to think of that, especially with the urgent expression on her face as she grabs my hand and presses it to her stomach with way more force than I would myself.  

"What am I looking at?"  I ask after a second of taking in her frown, her snaggle tooth digging into her lower lip as her brows knit together.

"It's not happening now," she pulls her shirt up, revealing the pale skin of her stomach that I haven't actually seen and pressing my hand even harder against it.  It's warm and more than a little surreal and I swallow hard, spreading my fingers slightly to take it in.  "Thor-dammit," she swears, clenching her eyes shut and pulling her shirt back down, effectively pushing my hand off.  

"What's wrong?"  

She's ragged in that way I can't quite get used to, breathing hard but even, nostrils flaring as she stills her shoulders and closes her eyes, exhaling purposefully before trying again.  

"Nothing is wrong," she puts her own hand on her stomach and presses, shifting slightly and looking up like the answer is on the ceiling.  "I felt it move."  

"You mean," I look back down at her hand and blink, "the baby is moving?"  

She nods, impatient by Fuse standards, "I thought I was hungry, but that wasn't right and then it moved down..." She trails off with a sigh, almost pouting, waiting for my reaction like it's an answer to something.  

"That's amazing," I say, flat but honest, too overwhelmed for anything else.  

I haven't brought up what we're going to do with the baby when it's born again.  I don't know how.  And hearing that a baby is actually moving is thrilling and urgent and as much as I adore Fuse's bluntness, I could have used a warning on this one.  I sit down where I am, laying back in the hay and picking one of Stormfly's scales out of it to fidget between my fingers.  

"I can't make it happen again," Fuse sits next to me, frustrated and tugging her vest back closed and nudging my leg with her boot.  "Sorry."  

"Why are you sorry?"  I lean up on my elbow and frown at her.  

"You're leaving this afternoon," she looks at my saddle, shiny and drying in the sun.  

"Yeah, but just for a couple of days."  I don't know how to comfort her.  I can tell that she needs it, and there's that increasingly common feeling that she doesn't want me to.  I'm scared that I get it, that it's the kind of display of strength shattered by a hug and I sit up, bumping my shoulder against hers.  "I hate to say it, but maybe they just got my stubborn streak."  

"I'm counting on it," her lips twitch, almost a smile, and I sneak a hand under her vest as I kiss her on the temple.  "There!"  She yelps, louder than she ever is, grabbing my hand and sliding it to the side of her stomach.  I don't feel anything, but she looks so hopeful, so I kiss the tip of her nose like it'll distract her.  

And there's a flutter.  A twitch of her skin, not intentional but definitely not random, and my eyes nearly bug out of my head.  Fuse grins and nods, pressing my hand harder to her shirt.  

I don't think I've ever wanted to leave less and it must show on my face, because Smitelout almost looks like she's pitying me instead of pissed at me when I lean on the forge counter and ask about the scrap I promised to fly out along with a few old tools she said she'd part with.  

"I'm not even going to ask, I'm worried you'd tell me, and I do not need to keep another secret for you."  

"Another?"  I cock my head and she points at me with the hammer that so recently left a dent in my chest.  

"Do you need something, Twerp?"  

"You know, the more you say that while threatening me, the more it starts to sound like an endearment."  I half expect her to whack me with the hammer but she sets it down, scowling at me and hefting a crate onto the counter.  "Really, do you call anyone else Twerp?  It's kind of our special thing, I should have a nickname for you."  

Maybe I am trying to get her to hit me a little bit.  Then I'd have an excuse to stay that no one could read anything into, not even Fuse.  It's not that I don't think she can handle things on her own, it's that I hate that she has to.  And I hate that this is the first time I don't know how to talk to her about something, and I should take the time away to think about it, but my fingers are still tingling with that little flutter.  

"If you even think about calling me Big Nugget," she shakes her head like even she can't verbally illustrate what she'd do to me if I adapted my nickname for Finn to include her.  

"Oh, I'm thinking about it," I take the crate, sifting lazily through it for a second, pretending like I'm counting what's in it.  I don't know.  I've lost count of everything I've signed and delegated and asked for in the last weeks of flying back and forth.  I never thought flying could become boring but even Bang seems to be getting sick of this.  

"If you're going to show up at the forge to irritate me, at least commit," she flicks my forehead harder than is explicitly necessary and I glare at her with as much as I can put behind it, which admittedly, isn't much.  "How's Thorston?"  

"She's fine."  I half lie, which is convenient because I think Smitelout half cares.  No, that's not quite fair, she actually looks kind of worried about Fuse, which doesn't make much sense given all she has to go off of is me moping all over her.  "Really, she's good, I'm just--"

"An indecisive hotshot who spends too much time yammering?"  She shoves at the crate.  "Are you about done helping out over there?  Aurelia's head is getting so big keeping your shit together here I'm worried she's about to tip over."  

"Trust me, her head has been bigger and she handled it fine."  It's like every conversation with Smitelout.  Frustrating, insulting, a bit of a slap in the face, but this time maybe it's a good thing.  

It's normal enough that I manage to leave and deliver what I have to deliver and give the orders I have to give.  And that leads to following a tip about a trapper ship nearby and chasing it down towards the mainland until I lose it in a bog just north of the mainland.  I'm not even sure at this point that it was a trapper ship, maybe they just ran when they saw a dragon chasing them, or maybe I'm just trying to make myself feel better about losing them.  Either way, I'm glad to o home on my own schedule afterwards.  

It's unusually hot by the time I see Berk on the horizon and I press myself flatter to Bang's back, flinching as he dips into the waves, stinging my hands and face with sharp, frigid droplets. It's better than the boat, that's for sure, and the six hour trip is worth it to get a break mid-week, even if I'm going to have to head back. We're close, we're so close, there can't be more than a couple trappers left on the island from the way their communication is slowing down and once I've rooted them out, I can call this a diplomatic success and be on island full time.

And if I actually see Fuse daily, convincing her that it's about time to do something about where we plan to put our baby once it's born might be easier. I know that a lot of it is hormonal, or something, and if it's anything like being stressed and sixteen, she's still handling it really well but…every time I think of feeling that delicate flutter under the stretched taut skin of her stomach, I get dizzy with both irrational pride and deep anxiety about everything. I keep coming back to the fact that the chief didn't make a home for me and my dad did and look at where it got the three of us. And thanks to Aurelia's constant, not so gentle reminders that the baby in there is going to be an heir and how complicated that is when the heir's parents aren't married, the worry is two-fold.

I almost told her before I left this time that I'm not the one balking anymore. Not that I'm rushing to the altar, but I'm recognizing the necessity with each slow passing day and every morning I wake up alone, on Berk or not. Every time I see Fuse and notice that she's different, that I've missed another change, that another thin pink line has worn its way into her belly while I wasn't looking, it becomes less about the chief or winning.

But I didn't tell her because I know what it's like to be nagged about this, I know what it's like to be pushed and pulled and shoved and Fuse is already getting enough of that from the inside. Literally. I just have to get her to talk to me about it and whatever her issue is, I'll fix it. Or I'll try to.

No, I'll fix it. I have to.

Gods, I'm really sounding like the chief now, forcing solutions on problems I don't understand yet.

That thought doesn't put me in the best mood as I guide Bang down to the dock, swinging off with a sloppy splash and wringing sea water out of my shirt. No one is expecting me, so it's quiet, and I really should have just flown straight home, but docking has become kind of a habit, I guess. I'd get back on Bang, but my knees are trembling and wobbly from six hours crouched low for speed and his wings look tired anyway as he helps himself to a barrel of sardines that appears to have broken open while being unloaded. I pat his head and he shoulders me out of the way slightly.

"Right, bud, I totally want that pile of fish that's been rotting in the sun for hours." I roll my eyes even as my stomach growls, not as ironically as I'd like to think. I left before breakfast this morning and I'm regretting that now as I edge away from the stench that my body apparently considers good enough to eat. "I'll leave you to it, see you at home."

He waves me off with a shiny blue wing and I nudge his tail with my toe in parting.

A blonde blur almost takes me out at the trailhead, a shoulder smacking mine like a war hammer before the unidentified assailant skids to a stop on their heels, catching my shoulders and shouting an apology in my face, out of breath.

"Squirt!" Ingrid hugs me, too tight, metal fingers digging into my back as my face is pressed into her messy braid. It smells like pine sap and grass and metal and I don't expect the wave of homesickness that almost beats out hunger for the bulk of my attention as I hug her back. "I wasn't expecting you back for a few more days."

"Yeah, I couldn't take roughing it anymore, I had to come have a night in my own bed." I let her go and stretch, dramatically rubbing my back.

The unexpected benefit of the situation is that my lying skills are really reaching a new level. I'm downright pleased with myself until Ingrid narrows her eyes at me, hand on her hip.

"Right, your bed, not Fuse's?"

"What can I say? I'm twenty-one." My laugh is hollow even to my own ears but I shrug, my embarrassed grin not entirely fake. Aurelia always says that the best lies are mostly truth and I won't deny the fact that Fuse avoiding talking to me has its benefits.

"You sure are," she says mysteriously, shaking her head and looking over my shoulder. "You haven't seen Fuse, have you?"

"No, why?"

"I was supposed to meet her here, Smitelout told me she needs help setting off some explosion or something."

"What?" I try to hide my flash of panic. I know Fuse thinks she's fine, but just like I hated the flammable fabric of her ancient vest so close to her belly, I hate the idea of her lighting anything off right now. I know she said she had to in order to keep the chief from getting suspicious. I know it makes sense. I just wish she'd let me do it, which of course, doesn't work because I'm not here, and that entire panic cycle starts again, like a rough edge gnawing at the back of my mind. "I'll help find her. Hel, I can go with her, you don't have to worry about it."

"You know what makes a big sister worry?" She wraps her arm around my shoulders and starts guiding me up the hill. My stomach growls audibly and I snort.

"Her little brother starving to death because he skipped breakfast?"

"I already have one toddler to keep alive," she flicks me on the arm, "don't make it two. And to answer my original question, it makes me worry when you tell me not to worry."

"I think that's a mom thing, not necessarily a big sister thing," I brush her arm off, "you should probably sort that out before you start shoving a spoon in my mouth while saying 'here comes the night fury, open up the cave'."

Holy Thor, in a year or two, I'll be feeding a baby. Maybe, if I live with the baby. I imagine a two year old that babbles like Finn does but looks like Fuse, all messy pink hair and chubby fingers. That panicked thrill surges through me again and my hands sweat, suddenly clammy.

"Hmm, right, I'm supposed to sort that out." She shakes her head at me and knocks half metal knuckles against my shoulder, hard enough that I stumble to the side. "Baby."

"Don't call me that," I snap, hungry and tired and on edge. And thinking of babies in the classic sense, not the sense that my arms aren't made of literal granite so Ingrid's punches hurt.

"Do you want to talk about it?" She hooks her arm through mine, brushing off my irritation and I sigh.

I do.

I really do. Ingrid might understand better than anyone, given her situation, unmarried and happy with Smitelout and Finn. If only I were a girl, I'm sure Snotlout wouldn't mind another illegitimate family under his roof even if just to claim another grandchild to piss off the chief. But I guess if I were a girl, we wouldn't be in this situation.

And that hurts too, with a keening protectiveness I'm not used to. I haven't seen this baby, I've only felt it flutter under my hand through the skin of Fuse's stomach and even the idea of it not existing anymore is sharp and painful.

"I'm just tired and hungry." Another good lie, close to the truth. The 'just' is the only thing off about it.

"Well, let me know if you change your mind."

If only Ingrid could keep a secret. I don't think she's kept one since the day I learned about the chief and she could let sixteen years of silence off of her chest.

Hotgut sees me before Fuse does, running ahead of her like a baby terror and nearly headbutting me in the stomach in enthusiastic greeting. Ingrid lets go of my arm and pats Hotgut on the head, approaching Fuse with straight shouldered body language like she thinks Fuse is going to try and escape.

"Hey girl, yes, I missed you too," I scratch Hotgut on the shoulder, right in front of her saddle where she likes it, hoping it'll be enough to slip around her without argument. I'm almost right, she doesn't argue much, and Fuse is just looking up from a wrinkled piece of paper when I extricate myself from her dragon. She looks between Ingrid and I, blinking at me for a second before cocking her head.

"You weren't supposed to be home for a few days." She tries to hide a heavy looking sack of explosives halfway behind her knees.

"Couldn't wait," I take the strap from her shoulder, setting it gingerly on the ground before hugging her. The dome of her stomach presses into mine and I can't squeeze, because that might deflate the pockets that are hiding it, and Ingrid's eyes boring into the side of my head are torturous. Fuse seems to think the same thing because she kisses me, warm and fast, clearly irritated by the distance as her tongue licks briefly into my mouth before she pulls away.

"Great," Ingrid claps her hands with that distinctive hum of vibrating metal, scooping up Fuse's bag with a bounce that makes it smoke out of one end. Fuse flinches, hand outstretched towards it, "you two need to catch up and something needs exploded, I've got it. Where am I going?"

"You should put that down," Fuse cautions, direct and more than a little irritated when Ingrid drops the bag. "Gently."

"Shit, yeah," Ingrid steps away from the bag as it belches green smoke and hisses quietly for a second.

"I can do it," I step up to take the bag but Fuse grabs my hand, grip a little too tight. "What? I don't mind, Fuse. I'm assuming it's important if you're doing it alone instead of waiting for me to get back." It's not really an edge in my voice. Or maybe it is, but it's sheathed, because I don't want to be mad, I don't want to aim my frustration with the situation at her because I know how hard it is to redirect.

"She's not doing it alone," Ingrid interjects, "she's doing it with me, that's why I was looking for her."

"You were looking for me?" Fuse frowns at Ingrid, still cutting off circulation from my fingers.

"She didn't know you were looking for her?" I narrow my eyes at Ingrid, who tends to lie by looking threatening, the way she's doing right now, arms flexing in the sun.

"No, I didn't," Fuse answers me, oblivious to Ingrid's posture.

"What's going on here?" I look mostly at Ingrid but glance at Fuse, who looks equal parts irritated at being caught with a bag full of bombs and irritated that we can't have this conversation in private. I agree on the second point, but Ingrid is obviously up to something and while I can't say I fear another coup, my siblings scheming behind my back usually doesn't end up with me particularly comfortable or unembarrassed.

"I'm just trying to help." Ingrid dares me to argue with her and Fuse's eyes widen.

"She knows."

"Knows what?" I look at the bombs that Ingrid most definitely knows nothing about.

"Yeah, what do I know?" Ingrid's voice is artificially high and clear, like Mom's when I got too close to the hidden Snoggletog presents.

Her eyes flick to Fuse's stomach.

"Fuck," I whisper, pulling Fuse reflexively into my side and wrapping an arm around her lower back. "Who told you?"

I'm hoping she says Aurelia. If she says Aurelia, this is only one degree removed and I know I can at least get an explanation for it. Maybe even a reason.

"No one told me," she lies again, worse, chewing on her pinky nail and avoiding my gaze. She doesn't have her axe or I bet she'd be messing with it by now, trying to distract me. "I'm a mom, I know these things."

"Oh yeah? Please tell me the shared symptoms of pregnancy and 'about to kidnap a baby' syndrome." I hit a nerve I probably should have stayed away from.

"Very funny, but you really have to stop saying that before Finn can understand you--"

"Right, like I'm following in the hallowed Hofferson footsteps of not telling a kid who their parents are--"

"No, I guess not. You're just having heirs out of wedlock like a Haddock." Ingrid spits, and she's angry at me so little that I don't expect the sting of it. She seems to realize her mistake immediately and fumbles for an axe that isn't there to distract herself from it. I haven't heard Haddock said like that in years, probably since I said it the same way myself.

I look at Fuse and her lip is held tight like it's threatening to tremble and I pull her closer, ignoring the way her new vest wrinkles and draws attention to the curve of her belly. It's not like we had long to hide that anyway. Fuck.

I don't know if I feel lighter because Ingrid knows or because she called out the same family similarity that's been weighing on me. Even I can acknowledge that it's a little fucked up to feel better for being compared to the chief's arguably most public mistake, but now I know I'm not the only one who sees it. Maybe Fuse sees it.

"Smitelout told me," Ingrid confesses a second later, eyes downcast, "Aurelia told her."

"Well, sounds like we need to talk to Smitelout and Aurelia." I nod, and weirdly, this isn't so different than tracing dragon trapper communication. If anything, it's easier because I know where everyone lives.

Fuse and I don't talk on the short flight over to Arvid and Aurelia's house. Ingrid promised to get Smitelout and meet us there and I don't stop Fuse from taking an extra short lap over the island, her breathing slow and steady against my chest. She doesn't bat my hand away when I set it on her belly, hoping for one of those little flutters through the leather even though I don't think that's possible. I rest my cheek against Fuse's shoulder, looking out at the clouds and trying to prepare myself for what's about to happen.

Fuse will be mad that I told Aurelia. I'm ok with that, or not ok, but I understand it. I said I wouldn't tell anyone and I did it anyway. Later, I get to be mad about her blowing things up when she said she wouldn't, so I figure those two are about equal and from the way she tried to hide the bombs, however half-heartedly, I don't think she's going to argue with me about it.

I'm mad that Aurelia told Smitelout, but I'm sure she'll have a reason. I'm more mad that Smitelout told Ingrid, and that might lead to yelling, which I don't want to do around Fuse right now, so I can deal with that later. Mostly, we have to contain the leak, at least until I can talk to Fuse about how that's getting increasingly impossible.

She's big enough that getting off of Hotgut seems difficult and I reach up without thinking about it, hands on her thickened waist to lift her down. She lets me, a little embarrassed with her hands on my shoulders and I set her down gently, smoothing her vest to hide the bump as best as I can.

"You told Aurelia." It's not a question but the 'why' is in her tone and I shrug, pulling her into a real hug without caring about her bump showing. She sighs into my shoulder and wraps her arms around my back, squeezing for a second.

"I was leaving, if something happened I wanted someone to know."

"That makes sense," Fuse agrees even though she doesn't necessarily sound happy about it. "You should have let me know you told her. I lied a lot."

"You're right," I see Smitelout and Ingrid arguing at the base of the hill and pull out of the hug, staring down into Fuse's searching face. I'm not mad about the bombs. I'm irritated. At myself, mostly, for being gone and not being able to help her. A little at her. "Let's do this, then."

I knock on the door and jump back when my dad answers it, hastily shoving Fuse behind me and wincing when she adjusts her vest.

"Dad!" I hug him as a distraction, a lie to myself that's not quite close enough to the truth that I've missed him, and he thumps me on the back.

"I thought I'd miss you again," he holds my shoulders, looking at me like it's been so long that he has to re-memorize my face. I'm feeling the same, in a way. I'm always shocked by the gray at his hairline. In my mind it's just a few hairs but in reality, it's probably half of the strands, and there's a new solitary white hair in his eyebrow. He's tan though, and smiling, and I almost blurt out the truth for what feels like the hundredth time. "You weren't supposed to be back yet, right?"

"Couldn't stay away," I shrug. He hugs me again and Fuse shuffles past inside just as Smitelout and Ingrid make it to the top of the hill.

"Dad!" Ingrid joins into the group hug like we didn't just fight and I swallow the childish urge to tug on her braid. "You didn't tell me you were back!"

"I figured Snotlout would have told you, I'm going over to see him and Finn now."

"I see how it is," Ingrid rolls her eyes as I step out of the hug. Dad greets Smitelout with a pat on the shoulder and glances back at me.

"We'll talk later, before you leave again?"

"Yeah, sure," I look cautiously at Ingrid, waiting until she makes eye contact to continue, "grandpa time comes before your beloved son and daughter, I understand."

She accepts the Hofferson apology with a nod and lets Smitelout walk past her through the door.

"He's growing every day, you two aren't that exciting anymore," Dad jokes. Ingrid goes inside so that her face doesn't reveal anything and I laugh, waving my hand dismissively.

"You know me, Eret the Boring."

"Anything but," he points at me, "catch me up later, alright?"

"Will do," I lie through gritted teeth but Dad is either busy enough not to care or I actually am getting better at lying. Ingrid did know the truth earlier so technically, her reading my mind was kind of cheating.

When I do get inside, everyone is tensely fake relaxing, expressions neutral, and I don't know how we ever got away with anything. Ingrid is in Dad's old chair and Smitelout is on the floor between her knees while Ingrid winds a lock of black hair around her metal fingers again and again. Aurelia offers me some tea and Arvid snorts, handing Fuse a steaming mug and sitting down next to her on the hearth.

"I've gathered you all here today to surprise you," I start, because maybe the hunger and exhaustion and general irritation of the day has me feeling a little dramatic, "guess what? Fuse is pregnant."

"What?" Arvid stands up, looking between Fuse and I with astonishment that looks real. "Can I say congratulations?" He holds out his hand and I take it, looking at Aurelia and trying to make sense of her expression.

"Wait, did you actually not know?" He lets go of my hand and helps Fuse up, giving her a miniature version of his usual bear hug where her feet don't quite leave the floor.

"He knew," Aurelia rolls her eyes and Arvid lets go of Fuse, turning back to me with a one shouldered shrug. Aurelia backhands him in the chest, "he guessed it before you told me."

"You knew?" Ingrid scowls at him, tugging a little too hard on Smitelout's hair and making her wince. "Everyone here knew before me?"

"And you see why? It lasted less than an hour after I told you," Smitelout smacks Ingrid's hand away, scratching her scalp.

"I didn't tell her."

"Yeah, right, and I was giving your axe a full detail because I felt so bad for keeping a secret--"

"She didn't tell me," Fuse cuts off the fight, oddly calm energy that I haven't felt since she bombed Elva's island settling over the room. Maybe she feels better about the truth being out too, at least to people we trust.

"See?" Ingrid sticks her tongue out at Smitelout who glowers at the floor, still rubbing her head. "Does anyone else know?"

"Rolf." Fuse starts unfastening her vest, stepping away from the fire and pulling her hair over her shoulder.

"Rolf." Ingrid repeats, vengeance clear in her tone.

"I told Smitelout because I wanted to delay some shells being done until you got home, Eret," Aurelia winces slightly, and I have to give it to her, it's a more practical reason than I was expecting. "And someone wouldn't just take my word for it." She glares at Smitelout who rolls her eyes.

"Once I knew it was an actual reason and not just another Haddock thinking they can run a forge, I did it." Haddock as an insult stings me again, strangely, and I don't know when I got comfortable enough with it to care.

Maybe when I started thinking about sharing it with Fuse.

"So, it stays in this room," Fuse nods, speaking quietly but firmly, fanning herself with one hand and shrugging the rest of the way out of her vest. The effect is immediate, Ingrid's eyes widening and Arvid raising his eyebrows.

"Not for long, Thorston," Smitelout snorts, flinching when Ingrid tugs on her hair again to shut her up.

"There's time," Fuse says calmly, tugging her shirt down like that makes it less obvious, and Aurelia meets my eye before talking.

"It kills me to say it, but Smitelout has a point, Fuse. How much longer are you going to be able to hide it?"

"Seriously, how pregnant are you?" Ingrid looks particularly stunned at Fuse's belly and I'm both proud of the vest I made to hide it and strangely embarrassed that everyone is staring at it. Before now it felt private, like something just between us, and now I'm keenly aware that everyone here knows exactly how it happened. It feels a little like being caught in the act.

"I'm pregnant," Fuse frowns and I'd laugh if this weren't such an awful time to joke, "I don't think there different degrees of pregnant."

"She means how long have you been pregnant," Aurelia corrects gently and I don't think anyone but me picked up on Fuse deliberately dodging the question.

"Five months." Even Fuse can't make that sound casual and I put my hand on her lower back, almost flinching at how tight the muscles are.

"Are you sure?" Ingrid cocks her head, standing up and walking over to us with a critical gaze that looks so much like dad's I'm sure he must be figuring it out at the same time, halfway across the island.

"More or less." Fuse leans into me, away from Ingrid's inspection.

"You're awfully big for five months," Ingrid cuts off my barely bitten back comment as to who died and made her mid-wife with an urgent, serious stare, "do you remember Rolf's wife this time last year."

"She was pregnant," I shrug and Aurelia's mouth drops open.

"With twins."

Ingrid turns to Aurelia, pointing at Fuse's stomach, "and am I crazy or did she look this big at five months?"

"Twins?" I blurt out, feeling a little dizzy and holding tighter to Fuse's hip.

Twins. Everything I've imagined in the last couple of months doubled. Two little girls with pink hair and blue eyes. Two babies curled up against Bang's tail. That much more Fuse in the world.

"I think he's going to pass out," Arvid steps carefully towards me, ready to catch me if my knees give out and I wave him off, exhaling carefully.

"I'm fine."

"You're white as a thunderdrum's belly," Smitelout points out with some amusement and I can't bring myself to glare at her.

"Three Fuses." I mean to say it to myself but it comes out in a whisper and everyone pauses.

"What was that?" Fuse cocks her head at me, hand rising to my shoulder like she thinks I need steadying too.

"I--Three Fuses," my face flushes hot and I scratch the back of my neck, wishing again that I could make the audience disappear, "ever since you told me, I've been thinking how lucky I'll be to have two of you and now it might be three. I--"

"That's not how it works, Twerp," Smitelout can't handle not being the center of attention and she snickers at me, "they'll have at least part of your ugly mug." Ingrid punches her, from the sound of it, but I can't make myself look away from the happy, conflicted expression on Fuse's face. She runs her fingers through my beard, across my jaw.

"I'm hoping at least half of it," she smiles, corner of her lip twitching slightly. The kind of private smile that's only meant for me. My heart swells in my chest and I kiss her forehead, trying to figure out the quickest way to talk our way out of this unfortunate little meeting.

"We can talk about that," I nod, "I might be willing to compromise on minor features like eyebrows, since they're your kids and will be burned off half the time anyway," that gets a laugh from her and my smile splits so wide my cheeks start to hurt almost immediately, "but I'm not budging that much. I want my three Fuses."

"I could go on about how you call us disgustingly sappy," Aurelia cuts in with a badly hidden smile, "but I think it's more important for me to tell you that twins are born early, more often than not."

"That's true," Ingrid nods along with her, "and I'm sure I don't need to mention again that they would be heirs--"

"You don't," Fuse snaps at her, squeezing my hand protectively, like she feels the need to take care of me. That's both sweet and makes me feel incomprehensibly guilty, because she's pregnant with twins and I need to be the one taking care of her.

"It's ok," I mutter to her, "I know. I'm working on it." I look at her again and tell the lie I don't want to tell but the one that protects her from this group of lovely, nosy, pushy, intrusive people from giving her this stressful lecture, "and by it I mean my crippling, Haddock marriage-aversion. I just can't shake how boring and normal I'd be if I were married. What if I'm not the center of all your concern anymore?"

Aurelia narrows her eyes and the gaze I'm expecting to fall on me lands on Fuse instead before she looks back at me, suddenly sympathetic. I see what Fuse saw now, on the way up here. I see the moment of realization in Aurelia's eyes, I feel the hollow, slippery stutter of being caught in a lie by someone who I can trust to not let it go. I shrug, one shoulder barely moving, and only Aurelia catches it because everyone else is so busy rolling their eyes. I am getting better at lying. And right now, when I could use a hug instead of the mindless, repetitive lecture that starts back up again, I'm not sure it's such a good thing.

[elliotthezubat]

DEATH CITY DAYS CHAPTER 111

 Momo: *looking over the menu* "Hmm...Excellent options."

ochako: ooh this one looks nice!

Izuku: *staring at the menu* "They have superhero-themed desserts! Look at the one for Gang Orca! It's made with Oreos..."

???: *setting down drinks* "Ladies~ Enjoy."

jirou: thanks kamina- k-k-KAMINARI?!?!

Kaminari: "What up? You all visiting I-Island too?"

ochako: yep! woah, snazzy uniform!

Mineta: "Why, thank you, Ochako." *eyebrow wiggle*

ochako: *disgusted look* i was not talking to you, mineta.

melissa: oh, are they friends of yours?

Mineta: -^- "Can't blame a guy for trying..."

Izuku: ^^; "Classmates."

jirou: classmates, though in mineta's case, who cares.

Mineta: DX< *then he looks at Melissa* "... ... ...Hi."

Kaminari: "I'm Kaminari. You from around here?"

melissa: oh, hello there. *smiles* yeah.

jirou: melissa, please, dont talk to mineta, it's not worth it.

melissa: huh?

jirou: trust us on this.

melissa: im sure he's not that bad-

jirou + ochako: YES HE IS.

Mineta: >x< "You're just jealous for when I show what I'm really made out of!"

Momo: -_-; "He's made out of water, grapes, and perversion. We've tried everything to correct him. The only solution is blunt force." *pulls out a mallet*

melissa:....*looks at izuku* is this normal?

Mineta: Q_Q *hides behind Kaminari*

Izuku: *small shrug* "This is kind of a better day: Mineta hasn't tried peeking up anyone's skirt."

melissa: o_o;;;

Kaminari + Mineta: "...Midoriya..." *grab him, pulling him over to another table*

Izuku: O_o "H-Hey! Hey!"

Kaminari: *slams Izuku down in a chair* "Okay, dude, I appreciate the hustle--BUT ARE YOU CHEATING ON TSU?!"

Izuku: "Wh-What?! Why does everyone--"

Mineta: *slaps Izuku with a grape* "DON'T YOU DARE BREAK HER HEART, YOU BASTARD! Even if the hustle is appreciated..."

Izuku: Q_Q;

melissa: i dont even know who this 'tsu' is. ._.;;;

Momo: ^^; "Izuku's girlfriend. She's great. In fact, she's touring the island as well."

*BOOM BOOM BOOM from the tournament stage*

ochako: what was that?

*a nearby TV in the restaurant seems to be showing some opponents going at it*

???: *on the TV* "I'LL KILL YOU DEAD!"

jirou: ho. ly. fuck. is that...?

Kaminari: *shaking Izuku--then pauses* "..." *looks at the TV* "...Oh boy."

ochako: classic bakugou.

Izuku: @~@ "Kacchan?"

Opponent: *running from Bakugo* "THEY SAID NO KILLING!" *dodges, summoning vines--that get burned away* "AAAAAH!"

Bakugo: "GET BACK HERE, YOU TREE-HUGGER! I'M SENDING YOU BACK TO FERNGULLY!"

amplifier: wow, kacchan is certainly getting into the spirit of battle.

Shotaro: "HEE HEE HEE! The plant person just peed themselves!"

Emine: "I said he was a typical villain." *looks at Mana* "Which flowers do you want at your funeral?"

mana: get bent.

Emine: *tilts his head--in a painful looking position* "..."

Opponent: *slapping their hand on the floor* "Uncle--UNCLE!"

mana: .................................forget i said anything then.

jirou: come on, we better stop him before he gets arrested or something.

Shotaro: "Oh! That looks painful...Time for a good deed!" *steals a medic's first-aid kit* "Let me re-attach that limb, plant person!"

Izuku: "Y-Yeah..."

-and so-

kirishima: hey guys!

Bakugo: *flexing, screaming into the camera while holding a microphone like a pro-wrestler* "--AND THE SEATS WERE TOO CRAMP! WHAT IS UP WITH THAT KIND OF SERVICE ON AN AIRLINE?!!!"

Izuku: "Hey! How was the trip?"

kirishima: super awesome!

tsuyu: oh, hey izuku. ^^

Izuku: "Tsu!" *runs over, hug*

tsuyu: !! hello to you too. *hugs*

Momo: "Aw..." *looks at the damage* -_-# "Bakugo..."

Bakugo: "HANG ON A MINUTE! I'M TELLING THE MASSES--...What the hell is HE DOING HERE?!!!"

Izuku: ._.;;;;

melissa: HESMYCOUSIN!

Izuku: "?!!!"

melissa: sorry, i panicked.

Bakugo: "?!!! Since when does he have--"

kirishima: oh cool!

ochako: oh boy.

jirou: *facepalm*

Bakugo: "WHATEVER! YOU'RE JUST HERE TRYING TO BEAT MY RECORD IN THIS TOURNAMENT!"

Izuku: "N-No! Melissa invited me and All Might! I have no interest showing you up in an exhibition!"

*ice starts forming on the stage behind them*

Bakugo: "NOT THAT YOU EVER COULD! NO ONE COULD MOP THE FLOOR WITH AN OPPONENT HERE FASTER THAN--"

amplifier: ASTOUNDING! A RECORD BREAKING FINISH!

Bakugo: .______. "..." *turns slowly*

Todoroki: *standing on the platform, stoic* "..."

ochako: oh!

Bakugo: "... ... ..." *small pitiful crackling on his fingertips...*

ochako: todoroki! hi! *waves*

Todoroki: "! ..." *slides down to them* "...Hi."

Bakugo: >_<# "You little sh--"

melissa: another friend of yours?

Izuku: *nods* "Our classmate, Todoroki. He came in second in the Sports Festival."

Todoroki: "Midoriya..." *looks at Melissa* "...I didn't know you had a cousin."

melissa: yeaaaah.. <w<;;;; (OH CRAP IN IN TOO DEEP! AHHHHHHHHHHHIHEKHBKDK>JVN<)

Todoroki: "..." *pulls Izuku aside* "So, All Might is your f--"

Izuku: -_-# "Stop."

melissa: eh?

Todoroki: "...Well, that match was a good practice. I guess I am again facing Bakugo--"

Bakugo: "YOU BETTER COME AT ME WITH EVERYTHING YOU HAVE, OR I'LL RIP OFF YOUR LIMBS!"

melissa: .__________________.;;;;;; is _this_ normal?

ochako: and this is him on a _good_ day.

melissa:.....................................if i actually went to UA, i'd probably die.

jirou: at this point, i doubt anything can shock us.

Momo: "Oh, it's really not that bad! I mean, aside from the villain attack...and the other villain attack...and those Infernals that one time...and the terrorist hostage situation last summer...and--"

Shotaro: "Mana, stop! He said he was sorry!"

ochako: ???

Emine: *Mana is on his shoulders, punching his head* -_-#

mana: I DARE YOU TO SAY THAT AGAIN! COME ON! DO IT COWARD! D8<

Todoroki: "Oh. Are those 2 competing?"

jirou:....melissa, what's the i-island legal drinking age?

Shotaro: ^^ "Mana is! Emine and I just snuck into I-Island in luggage!"

melissa: *sigh*

-elsewhere-

robo nurse: scan complete.

Dave: *looking at the read-out on a computer screen behind him* "Hmm..." *the screen shows an outline of All Might's body, with a small glowing mass around his heart* "...All Might, it's reduced in size considerably since the last reading following All for One...Your Quirk is leaving you at an even faster rate."

All Might: "..." *nods* "I was afraid of this..." ("...I can't tell Dave that it's not just because I've weakened: I can't let him know Izuku has the Quirk, or he'd be at risk, too...")

Dave: *sad smile* "I wish there was more I could do. It's not fair--"

All Might: "Not this again." *forces a smile* "I've had to make peace with this. It's just...acceptance."

Dave: "And how will the world accept the Number One Hero, the Symbol of Peace, fading away?"

All Might: "..."

Dave: "You've seen it. The increased crime rates around the world in just the last decade. Infernals. Dokeshi. Rogue witches. Villains. Without you...it's only going to get worse. We can't let this happen."

All Might: "Hey, Dave, calm down. ...It's why I'm a teacher." ^^; "Going to need a new generation to replace us at some point, am I right?"

-elsewhere-

melissa: so that's why i said that.

tsuyu: ah. i see.

ochako: QwQ;;;

tsuyu: but it's fine, i know izuku wouldnt do something like that.

ochako: that reminds me! dont we have that reception tonight?

Izuku: "Oh, right! That'll be fun when--"

Shotaro: "Hey, are you Mr. Midoriya?"

Izuku: "Yes? Wh--"

Shotaro: *BONE OF GORILLA* *muscles up*

Izuku: "?!!"

melissa: oh!

Shotaro: *flings Izuku onto the stage* "You're next in the competition!"

Izuku: "AAAAAAAAaaaaaaah--" *THUD ON THE STAGE*

ochako: wait isnt that-

amplifier: and we have our next match up! izuku 'deku' midoriya vs tenya 'ingenium' iida!

Momo: O\\\\O "Wh-What?!"

Izuku: *picks himself up* "I-Iida! ...Oh! You've taken on your family's name!" ^^ "That's so--"

ochako: oh boy.

*MATCH BEGINS*

Iida: *already rushing at Izuku*

Izuku: "!!!" *leaps--and didn't time his Quirk right* *lets out a yell from injuring his foot*

mina: i cant watch, but i have to!

melissa: !!!!!!!

Hagakure: "Oh, who do I root for...Um...Go both of you! Yay!" *pulls out cheerleader pom-poms*

Iida: *leaps up, twirling his leg* "RECIPRO--"

Izuku: "?!!!" ("How did Gran Torino do it...Oh, right!") *aims--and uses One for All to boost himself back DOWN AT THE STAGE!*

mina: WOAH!

Iida: *swings--misses* "?!" ("What is he doing?! At that speed, he's going to slam face-first into the floor!")

jirou: *covers her eyes, but peeks through her fingers*

Izuku: QwQ ("...Well, I guess I die now, slamming face-first into the floor...THINK THINK THINK--") *light bulb* "!!!" *curls into a ball--and slams hard into the stage, kicking up smoke and dust*

ochako: WOAH!

Kaminari: "?!! Why did he curl up into a ball?! Midoriya! That stuff only works in video games, man!"

melissa: ARE YOU ALRIGHT?

Mineta: "RIP, young hero. ...I call dibs on his notebooks!"

Momo: *smacks him with a fan*

Iida: *lands...approaches cautiously...* ("I'll stay back, wait for the smoke to settle...") *peers into the crater--* "?!!!"

tsuyu: it's not over just yet.

*he's not there*

*something rumbles underneath the stage...*

Iida: "?!!!"

*part of the floor shatters, as it lifts up, knocking over Iida--with Izuku underneath!*

Izuku: ("I'll have to thank Ochako for this reminder, back when we fought Kacchan and Iida when we started...Using the debris as a weapon, improvise until I find an opening and--") *FULL COWL TOSS!*

Iida: "AAAAAAH!" *trying to run--and only ends up running around the debris like he's on a tiny planet until--*

*SLAM*

ochako: WOAH!

*the debris slams Iida into the side of the wall underneath the audience*

Izuku: D8> "Oh no! I didn't mean to toss him that far!"

Momo: "..." *passes out*

jirou: YAOMOMO! are you ok?

mina: *takes the fan and fans momo's face*

Momo: X_____X

Iida: *skids to a stop under the debris...panting...looks down, seeing the grass* "..." *sad smile* ("Brother...I'll do better next time.")

Todoroki: "Impressive...I didn't think Midoriya had improved so much since the Sports Festival."

melissa: .......

Bakugo: "OF COURSE HE'S IMPROVING!" *slams his fist into the palm of his hand* "BECAUSE IT'LL MAKE ME KICKING HIS ASS EVEN BETTER!"

Todoroki: "Ah, true friendship indeed."

Izuku: "!!! Um..." *waves to the crowd with a smile, as he limps off the stage, favoring his non-injured foot*

-a little later-

ochako: you both did great out there, guys!

Izuku: *looking at his ankle* "Slight sprain..."

Iida: *bandaged on his face* "Thank you. Izuku, that was a surprising performance! Well done."

melissa: i think i have some medical spray in my bag.

Izuku: ^^; "I'm still getting myself all wrecked physically from those kinds of stunts, though. All Might and Recovery Girl are going to be upset. And so will Mom. And Mr. Aizawa. And--"

melissa: you get injured a lot, dont you.

Mineta: "Yes, he does. He's a full-on masochist."

Izuku: "N-No, I'm not! I'm just...still getting the hang of my Quirk."

tsuyu: *throws mineta in the trash*

Robot Trash Can: "????!!! HEY. YOU! I DON'T WANT THIS EITHER!"

melissa: hmm....say, why dont you take this. *gives him the gauntlet*

Izuku: "Oh? The polymer? What will it--"

*it springs up*

Izuku: "?!!!"

ochako: WOAH!

Izuku: *it wraps around his ankle* "...Huh. Like a splint? Or bandage?"

Mineta: *pops out of the trash* "No, it's more like--"

Robot Trash Can: *slams the lid down, silencing the trash-person*

melissa: something like that.

Izuku: "Melissa...This thing is so incredible! But this is yours--I don't want to damage your invention."

melissa: i can always make more of them if i need to. it'll take a while, but im sure it'll be fine.

Izuku: *smiles* "I'll put it to the best use and heal faster! It will not go to waste!"

???: what's this i see~?

Izuku: *shudders* O____O "Oh, God All Mighty, no..."

melissa: ??

mei: salutations everyone! fluffy, gravitron, pikachu and- *looks at iida* have we met?

Iida: "ARE YOU KIDDING ME?!"

Kaminari: "..." *whispers to Ochako* "I think you're Gravitron. Am I Fluffy?"

ochako: surprised to see you, mei, right?

mei: correct! i came to the technical nirvana known as i-island as a guest of my dear gruncle, swashbuckle!

Izuku: *held upside down by Mei as she's examining the gauntlet on his ankle* "Wait?! You're related to Swashbuckle?!! That's amazing! Like the time in Lake Ontario when he--"

mei: what's this on your ankle? i smell new tech.

Izuku: .w. "It's currently attached to my extremities, so please don't smell. Too close..."

mei: hmmmmm.

melissa: it's one of my inventions. it's a shapeshifting polymer that can use multiple functions such as a scooter, a bracer, all kinds of things.

mei:...............................

Izuku: "... ..." ("...What is that sound?")

mei: *vibrating*

Kaminari: "... ... ..." *whispers to Ochako* "She's not talking. Why is she not talking?"

Izuku: *getting shaken by Mei* O_O;

mei: *vibrating intensifies*

melissa: um....are you alri-

Kaminari: "?!!! Oh, crap, she's going to blow up."

mei: *grabs her hands* MARRY ME!!

Izuku: ._.

melissa: e-e-EH?!?! O////O !!!

Kaminari: "...D'aw!"

Izuku: -n- "Please let me down before you propose."

jirou: um-

Iida: "Hatsume! This is still a school-sponsored trip, and you are representing the Support Class of UA! Calm yourself!"

melissa: i-im a student too! and i still need to focus on my studies before i settle down into a relationship!

mei: that's fair. why dont we exchange numbers to keep in touch? ^w^

Kaminari: *whispers to Ochako* "She's not saying 'no.'"

jirou: *elbows him in the stomach*

Kaminari: OxO

-elsewhere-

atsushi: @~@;;;;

naomi + maki + naho: *singing the end credits song for kross new judgement*

Tanizaki: *wearing noise-cancelling headphones, a sleepmask, curled up in a blanket in his seat* *snoring*

kenji: woooow, everything looks so small from up here!

Tanizaki: *snort-snore* *wakes up* "Huh?" *removes the mask* "Oh. Yeah." ^^; "I should fly you around more--we could see more around the desert."

atsushi: *shaking* Q~Q;;;; *internally screams*

Tanizaki: "??? Atsushi? Are you nervous flying?"

atsushi: just some PTSD related to the moby dick incident.

Tanizaki: "Oh. Must've been bad flying to Germany too, huh?"

atsushi: i dont remember much of the flight there. maybe i passed out on the plane.

Tanizaki: *nods* "I was a little preoccupied..." *glances at the girls singing*

kenji: *singing along, even though he doesnt know the words*

Tanizaki: ^^; "I think I was having to keep an eye on Naomi during the flight. But look how happy she is now."

naomi: hehehe ^^

Tanizaki: "Granted, I am avoiding the theme song like the plague. One time, she left it playing on a loop after bedtime...The nightmares." *vacant dead eye stare* "The nightmares."

atsushi: oh yeah, the opening song does seem pretty intense. isnt it by that one gothic-rock style band?

Tanizaki: *nods* "It's like the devil himself composed it."

maki: the lyrics are about never losing face even in the face of fear and danger, at least that's my interpretation.

naho: i just like the music itself.

naomi: and the opening animation is superb! and there is so much zephro subtext to it! hehehe~

naho + maki: huehuehuehue~

Tanizaki: .____.; *tilts away*

-elsewhere-

Yohei: "And this is one of only 7 left in the world."

chie: wow....

*The sign says "Seraphim Shark," with the creature inside looking like a shark but with fins protruding more like an angel's wings*

toru: *stares*

-another display is a model of a tarantula-scorpion hybrid known as 'Tarapion'-

Tarapion: *odd noise mixing a snort and a slight chitter*

chie: 0-0;

Yohei: "I-Island had this initiative decades ago to try to 'fix the world.' But lately it's been preserving things since, you know, saving us from ourselves hasn't been working out well enough..."

chie: truth. kepuri seems to be interested in it enough....

Kepuri: *petting the glass case holding Apamea nakamura, 'The Giant Moth'*

Giant Moth: *happy purring*

-elsewhere-

akaderu: *asleep*

nea: *bangs on his door* akaderu! you're supposed to mow the lawn!

akaderu: too tired.

nea: YOU CANT SLEEP IN ALL DAY JUST BECAUSE YOUR GIRLFRIEND IS ON VACATION!

Shinoda: *clipping the hedges, wipes his brow*

Assi: "I got the leaf blower! Maybe I should handle the mowing while Akaderu sleeps?"

nea: *sigh* FINE i guess. =n=

Assi: "Yay!" *then he accidentally turns on the leaf blower--and it leaps out of his hands, bouncing down the hallway* OwO;

-elsewhere-

Kunikida: *talking to Aya and Sylvia* "Without Naomi and her brother here, your responsibilities to the maintenance of this Agency have increased."

aya: aye-aye!

sylvia: o-o-ok.

Kunikida: "Begin by distributing assignments." *hands them folders*

Fukuzawa: "I'm sure they will not disappoint."

sylvia: w-w-we-we'll do our best!

Kyoka: *looking at one folder* "Another person missing. And they have a Quirk."

sylvia: *looks*

*seems to be a person with elastic Quirks...*

aya: like the straw hat.

Lucy: "...You mean Kenji?"

aya: i mean i like the straw hat they're wearing here.

Lucy: *looks again* "Oh, I see."

-elsewhere-

melissa: welp, here's the hotel. how's your ankle?

Izuku: "Better--thanks again! I should return the polymer to you--"

melissa: you were holding back...

Izuku: "...Huh?"

melissa: in today's fight. you were holding back the full extent of your quirk, werent you?

Izuku: "..." *looks down at his hands* "My Quirk, um, manifested late. My body isn't ready for all this power..."

melissa: i can tell by the scars....sorry, that might be a bit too personal...but maybe if you use the polymer on your fist, it might help absorb the pressure?

Izuku: "Oh, it might! Um..." *taps his ankle--and the polymer springs up and onto his fist and over his forearm* "...I keep saying it, but this is such an impressive material."

melissa: ^^ thanks. i should probably head home to get changed for the party. you have my number, right?

Izuku: "Right! I better also see All Might. And thanks for the tickets for Kaminari and Mineta!"

melissa: ^^; i guess i felt a bit bad for them.

Izuku: "Oh! But if this polymer is your scooter, how will you get around town?"

melissa: dont worry, i can just call up an i-uber. ^^

Izuku: "Okay...I do feel bad given the costs. I'll make it up to you!"

-elsewhere-

Todoroki: "Anything you're excited to see on I-Island, Ochako?"

ochako: oh tons of stuff! there's the zoo, the shopping mall, the amusement parks, the cafes- *blah blah*

Todoroki: *nods, listening to her* "..."

ochako: and the- oh right! the formal event tonight! momo invited us to go along!

Todoroki: "Ah, you'll be there, too?"

ochako: yeah!

Todoroki: "I will be, too. I guess I'll see you then."

-elsewhere-

Bakugo: *shaking through his luggage* "NO ONE TOLD ME THERE WAS SOME FANCY DINNER!!!"

kirishima: which suit do you think would look best?

Bakugo: *stares* "...What is with that color?"

-elsewhere-

Iida: *limps slightly* "Ah..."

momo: are you alright?

Iida: ^^; "I think the tournament was a little more ambitious than I anticipated."

momo: well, try to take it easy tonight, alright?

Iida: "Yes, well, it is a reception, so it should be relaxing--aside from some insistent mingling with family friends." ^^;

momo: yeeeah. ^^;;;;;

Iida: "Did your parents ask you to speak with anyone at the reception?"

momo: i think frostbyte will be at the event. she was one of mother's classmates in high school.

Iida: "I see. She is popular in her hometown--and the news said she stopped the musical villains Rock and Roll just yesterday."

momo: i heard about that.

Iida: "..." *tenses up* "Then...There's that pirate hero..." *Excalibur face*

momo: oh, swashbuckle?

Iida: *cringing* "Yes...I learned that Support student Hatsume is related..."

momo: oh wow! but then again, they both have the same quirk...

Iida: *face-palming himself repeatedly* "I should've seen this!"

-elsewhere-

Shotaro: "Don't be nervous!"

Emine: "You'll die out there."

Shotaro: "You can win this!"

Emine: "No one will miss you."

mana: wish me luck. ^^

Shotaro: "Good luck!"

Emine: "I hope it ends quickly."

Yohei: "Kick some butt out there."

Kepuri: =A= "All this does is remind me of losing that robot tournament..."

Tool: "Oh, yeah--that time Mana beat you in London--"

Kepuri: *SLAP* "Shut up!"

Tool: x_-;

mana: *steps out*

*the opponent is walking from the other side--and they have antenna*

Yohei: *stares* "Wait...Mana's opponent looks familiar..."

*the opponent's antenna crackle*

Agate: *smiles* "Oh, hello! You were at that Salt Lake tournament!"

mana: *battle stance*

Agate: "But I'm not going to lose this time. I'm going to--" *phone rings* "??? Oh! My AP is up! I should get back to--" *looks back at Mana--* "Oh, right--the match..."

amplifier: begin!

mana: *taking steps*

Agate: *small smile* "Careful where you step..." *an electric twitch comes off their eyes*

Kaminari: *watching on a TV at the restaurant* "...Wait..."

mana: ??

*some of the tiles on the tournament floor shine*

mana: hn?

*tiles pop up into the air--and are coming down at Mana*

Kaminari: "Dude, that fighter's an electric type like me?!"

mana: oh shit! *dodging*

Agate: "I got better since that time I fought that--that--that Amazonian." >~< "That headlock still hurt my neck...But you'll be easy enough! You're not as strong and fast as her!" *shoots an electric blast*

Kaminari: "Yeah! Go for it, electric type!"

mana: WOAH!

Agate: ^^ "That's better. Oh, I should tweet this..." *pulls out the phone*

mana: you're seriously using your phone in a fight?!

Agate: "Got to stay current--HE SAID WHAT?!" *a bunch of tiles fall* "That monster! How dare he! I'm reporting this account!" *more tiles fall, as electricity leaps between Agate's antenna...she’s not looking at Mana*

mana: *running behind her*

Agate: "Aaaaaaaand sent!" *taps the phone, puts it away* "Now, where were we--" *looking* "???"

-KICK-

Agate: *knocked down* "OW!"

*CRACK*

Agate: "... ... ...MY PHONE!"

mana: oops.

*there's a crack on the touchscreen*

Agate: "...You...BASTARD!!!"

mana: oh shi-

Agate: *grabs Mana's wrist*

mana: !!!!

*SHOCK SHOCK ZAP*

mana: *SCREAMS*

Kaminari: "Oh no! That's going to hurt..."

Agate: "One shock for each crack!" T~T "My poor phone...I'm just lucky it didn't brick before I did this week's gacha deal..."

mana: get OFF! *SMACK*

*and at that moment, Agate's head flew off*

Kaminari: "... ... ...EEK!"

mana: *stunned horror* ah-ah.....

Agate's Head: *eyes closed, not moving*

Agate's Body: *frozen, still clutching Mana's wrist*

mana: *collapses, staring* ah-.....

amplifier: um....

Emine: O_O "...Holy f--"

Agate's Head: *eyes break open* "...OH, THAT'S JUST RUDE!" *shaking in the grass*

Agate's Body: *let's go of Mana's wrist, slamming her feet down*

Agate's Head: "THAT'S JUST MEAN! HOW DARE YOU!"

mana:........*PASSES OUT*

amplifier: well, it seems agate wins the round?

Shotaro: "HER HEAD IS OUTSIDE THE RING! SHOULDN'T THAT COUNT FOR SOMETHING?!!!"

Tool: "Well, Mana killed a fighter. I knew it was a matter of time, but like this?"

Agate's head: =~= "I hate this...I feel shorter now..." *trying to roll back to the stage*

-elsewhere-

???: *watching a TV in a dark room, staring at Mana passed out* "..."

{???: "Help me..." *debris is holding his leg*}

{mana: grab my hand!}

{???: *reaches*}

{mana: *grabs his hand and pulls*}

{???: "Thank you...Thank you..." *pulled out*}

{*a shadow looms over them, with gleaming eyes*}

{mana: !!!}

{NoFix: *inside the Fear Robot* "Aw, look--your little friend, YoYo!"}

{Yohei: *tied up inside the Robot* "No! Don't!"}

{Fear Robot: *fist rotates--spins--and slams down*}

???: "..." *a robot hand rubs the side of his face* "...I'll get you for this..."

-elsewhere-

Hani: "And here is where we store the failed experiments!" *looks at her phone, then at the tour group* ^^; "Sorry, more work came ahead. Albert, could you take the tour group to the test kitchen? I'll be there shortly."

albert: yes ma'am. come along please.

Hani: *waves--and after the doors close behind her with automatic locks, she frowns* *takes the call* "What?"

???: when to we move on to the next step of the plan?

Hani: "Reception tonight--the one I'm at. I'll make sure Nanami and his people are there. You're to take him, the boy, the girl, and the kappa only--no one else. Be sure the ride is ready, too."

-elsewhere-

Tanizaki: *stretches* "Glad to be back on solid ground..." -_-; "You can let go of me, Atsushi."

atsushi: Q_Q

naho: @~@ traveling in cosplay may not have been the smartest move...

Kenji: "--and then there were mountains! And then green stuff! Then small moos and bigger moos!"

Stranger: "STOP TALKING TO ME, SMALL CHILD!"

Announcer: "Death City Flight 018, Luggage on Carousel 4. Welcome to Los Angeles International Airport. Please be aware that security is increased today--Oh, and there's a fire in the parking lot. Enjoy your stay."

maki: welp, we better check into the hotel.

Tanizaki: "Here comes the luggage. Naho, how many pieces do you have to pick up?"

-elsewhere-

hibiki: hey saria!

Saria: "It was so much fun! We went camping, stayed at corny themed motels--I think we saw a bigfoot!"

izumi: wow!

Saria: "But I want to know what I missed while I was out. You all okay?"

-elsewhere-

stocking: *panting* that was great, kiddo~<3

Kid: *lets out a happy sigh* "I aim to please..." *kisses her neck*

stocking: *giggles*

Kid: "You were great...So enthusiastic." *strokes her head*

stocking: mmmn~<3 *nuzzle*

Kid: *strokes, letting her rest on his shoulder* "We have so much time today..."

stocking: indeed....*whispers* you up for round two~?

Kid: "Oh, I'm not sure..." *his hand traces down her stomach* "Only two~?"

-elsewhere-

Gin: *checking the armory* "This one..." *pulls out a rifle*

naoya: oooh, nice.

Gin: *nods* "It'll need to be cleaned up and tested." *checks for ammo* "What else do you need?"

naoya: we'll need some smoke bombs too.

Gin: "Okay." *locks the cabinet* "That'll be next door..."

katya: *giggling like a kid in a candy store*

Tachihara: ._.; "Seeing someone that enthusiastic is kind of creepy..."

katya: <it's been far too long since i got to do one of these missions.>

Pushkin: <Woo!>

higuchi: *sweatdrop* at least they're having fun.

Gin: "Hmm. Just need to keep an eye on them. Too much fun can be a problem."

-elsewhere-

Sakuya: *plops down on the couch* "..."

-it's rather quiet-

Sakuya: "..." *curls up* "..."

lilac: s-sakuya?

Sakuya: "Hmm? What's up?"

lilac: a-are you alright?

Sakuya: "..." *groans* "I don't know...Naho isn't here."

lilac: ...

Sakuya: "..." *slaps himself in the face*

lilac: s-sakuya?

Sakuya: "J-Just trying to shock myself out of this." *slap slap* "I need a distraction."

lilac: w-want to watch a movie?

Sakuya: "...YES."

lilac: o-ok. *looks at the DVD selection*

*looks to be a mix of everyone in the house's interests, including some kung-fu movies*

lilac: h-how about this one?

Sakuya: "Sure, fine..." *looking up*

-elsewhere-

Akitaru: "Ah, come on! It's not that heavy!"

Arthur: *struggling* "How did Maki lift this..."

shinra: *peeks in*

*looks like they are moving some equipment, weapons, and machinery*

Vulcan: "Watch the magnetic bombs!"

shinra: what's up here?

Akitaru: "Taking an inventory. We've gotten so many weapons since Vulcan joined--but we need them inventoried and figure out which ones to get baptized."

tamaki: OW! careful with that needle!

Arthur: "Sorry--didn't mean to poke you."

tamaki: not you arthur. im talking to lisa.

lisa: *sewing tamaki's outfit*

Arthur: *still holding one of the giant needles* "...Point taken. So to speak."

Vulcan: *looking over sketches* "Hmm...Could still go for cat earphones..."

lisa: tamaki, try to stand still, ok?

Vulcan: "Yeah, you don't need to be full of holes."

tamaki: =n=

shinra: anything i can help with?

Akitaru: "Depends--do you want to help keep Tamaki distracted, or do you want to do back-breaking labor?"

shinra: .........the second one.

Tamaki: *glares*

Akitaru: "That a boy! It'll build character! Now, let's load up the Matchbox."

-elsewhere-

Kyoka: "This way. We'll see the client in a moment."

sylvia: *follows*

Kyoka: "How do you feel about this?"

sylvia: a-about what?

Kyoka: "Working as clerical, going on another mission."

sylvia: i-i-i couldnt say...

Kyoka: "Well, this is a missing person case, so we'll need to be supportive of the person we're meeting."

sylvia: r-r-right.

Kyoka: *looks up* "Here's the address..."

sylvia: c-c-could you knock first?

Kyoka: "Of course." *knocks*

-elsewhere-

mana: nng...

Shotaro: "Hey, I think she's waking up!"

Yohei: "Hey, Mana...How you feeling?"

mana: my head hurts...

Yohei: "Well, you had a nasty stumble after...well, after the tournament."

mana:......

Yohei: "Sorry you lost. But that'd surprise anyone--"

Kepuri: *looking all around Agate, taking notes* "Optical drives. Sensory tactile bio-skin. Fascinating, fascinating--" *lifts Agate's arm*

mana: .....

Agate: -~- "This is demeaning..."

Shotaro: "..." *pat pat* "You did great!"

mana: um...hello?

Agate: "..." *small grunt* "...My phone screen is still cracked."

mana: kepuri, could you fix it?

Kepuri: *shiny eyes* "I could...if I got to further examine this miracle of android engineering..." *creepy finger movements*

Agate: O\\\\O;;

mana: kepuri... -_-;

Kepuri: -3- "You're all no fun..."

Agate: "...Are these people, like, your family? Is that thing with the bones in his mouth your brother?"

mana: wellll....it's kind of a long story.

Shotaro: "I'm Shotaro! Mana is my friend, and we live together with these people. The one examining your head is Kepuri. She's short!"

Kepuri: -_-#

Shotaro: "And that's Chie and Toru and Yohei and Tool and Emine."

mana: pretty much.

Agate: "...Um...I don't like talking to this many people all at once..."

mana: oh.

Emine: "Join the club. I keep trying to push them out of open windows--"

chie: *whack* bad emine. bad.

Emine: X_-; "I didn't say you. You at least have an ability, unlike Garbage Girl--"

mana: *POW* WHO'RE YOU CALLING GARBAGE?!?!

Shotaro: "Nama Mana! Mana Nama--"

Agate: O_O;;; *her body is walking away* "!!! Get back here! Don't leave me alone!"

-elsewhere-

Tanizaki: *looking out the hotel window*

naomi: isnt the sunset beautiful?

Tanizaki: "It's a lot different than Death City...Can even see some of the mountains."

naomi: ^^

Tanizaki: "Well, what you feeling like for dinner? Are the others coming?"

-elsewhere-

izuku: .~. *trying to tie his tie*

All Might: *coughs as he exits the bathroom in his depowered form...his suit is hanging off of him* "??? Jeez, you've been in school uniforms this long, and ties are what's giving you trouble?"

izuku: the school ties are clip ons. ^^;

All Might: *sighs* "How are you going to be the Number One Hero with a clip-on..." *takes the tie* "Let's straighten this out..." *ties it for Izuku* "When we get back to school, I'm going to teach that to you, too."

izuku: thanks dad.

All Might: "... ... ..." ._.

izuku: .....*realization* s-sorry! it was a slip of the tongue and-

All Might: ^^; "It's fine--just one of those things the older generation teaches the younger..." *pats his shoulder* "There. Now you look like a fitting representative of UA."

-elsewhere-

chie: showtaro, please stand still.

Shotaro: >n< "This gunk in my hair feels yucky, like squid slime or cow poop!"

chie: now now, it's just for tonight.

Shotaro: *whines* "Why do I have to be fancy for this? Is Yohei even going to dress up for this or just wear sneakers?"

Emine: *his hair is pulled back in a ponytail* "... ... ..."

-elsewhere-

Iida: *reviewing his calendar* "Ahead of schedule, so that leaves enough time..." *dials 'Home'*

mrs iida: hello?

Iida: "Hello, Mother. It's Tenya."

mrs iida: hi sweetie! how's i-island?

Iida: "Wonderful! The new presentations are quite fascinating, and I look forward to seeing more of them tomorrow, after tonight's reception."

-elsewhere-

Hagakure: "And this--and that! Oh, and that!" *pointing at items on her tablet's food service* "And we should order a movie!"

tsuyu: that would be fun.

Mina: T~T "I wanted fancy reception food. And who knows which heroes are going to be there to hob-nob with..."

-elsewhere-

Bakugo: "Hurry up! I don't want to get mobbed by more crazy fans."

eijiro: comin!

Bakugo: *growls* "I can't believe I lost my dress clothes--WHY DO YOU HAVE ROSES ON THIS VEST?!"

eijiro: *shrug*

Bakugo: -_-# "This is worst than that host club..." *shoves his hands in his pockets--then realizes--* "I FORGOT MY BLASTED PHONE!"

-elsewhere-

Izuku: *huffing, puffing, looking* ("Which room was it again? Man, for being the pinnacle of Quirk progress, they could use more signs...")

kaminari: heeey midoriya!

Izuku: "Oh! Hey!"

Mineta: "Jeez, you get lost or something?" *wearing what can only be described as a purple pimp suit*

Todoroki: "Hey, how are--"

Iida: "You're late! We've been waiting 15 minutes! And Bakugo and Eijiro are still not here..."

kaminari: and the girl's arent here yet either.

Iida: T^T "It's like all social order is falling apart..."

???: we're here!

Todoroki: "???" *turns*

ochako: *in a pretty pink dress. she almost seems to be shimering* how does it look?

Todoroki: .\\\\\.

Izuku: "Hey, Ochako! Is that a new dress?"

ochako: yeah, momo bought it at the shopping center. ^^

Todoroki: .\\\\\. *gulps...walks up to Ochako*

ochako: hey todoroki! love the suit!

Todoroki: "..." *nods* "Thank you. ...You look nice."

jirou: yo. *in a suit*

Mineta: -n- "A suit? Really?"

jirou: the 70s called, they want their suit back.

Mineta: "Oh yeah? The 80s called--they want that joke back."

momo: hello everyone. ^^ (AHHHH TENYA LOOKS SO GOOD IN A SUIT HOW EVEN?!?!)

Iida: "Greetings!" *waves to Momo* "That dress compliments you well."

momo: thank you. ^///^

melissa: hey everyone. ^^

Izuku: "Hey, Melissa! You're wearing contacts tonight?"

melissa: yeah. im honestly not a fan, but oh well.

jirou: yeah, my mom has the same problem.

Iida: *claps his hands* "If that's everyone, let's get going--"

-elsewhere-

security: *checks the cameras*

Security 2: "Anything of interest?"

security: some girl's going the wrong way.

security 3: maybe she needs to take a shit?

security: god dammit jerry, be mature about this.

Girl on Camera: "IT'S JUST AROUND THIS CORNER, I'M SURE OF IT--" *goes around the corner* "DANG IT!"

Security 2: "...I bet it takes her an hour to get where she's going."

-THUD-

Security 2: "?!"

-WHACK-

???: *talking into a speaker* we're in, boss-man.

Security 2: *knocked down, unconscious*

Boss: "Secure cameras on All Might's location."

???: got it. *pressing buttons*

*A camera shows All Might in powered form, walking proudly through the halls*

All Might: *humming to himself*

???: found him.

Boss: "Track him and notify me of the room location..."

-elsewhere-

Tool: "Huh--don't you see in dresses much, Mana."

mana: yeah, yeah...

Kepuri: "And yet you kept the hat?" *is wearing butterfly wings on a fairy Tinkerbell-esque dress*

Agate: *following far behind, wearing an LED-light up dotted dress*

mana: yes.

Shotaro: T~T "I hate this junk in my hair. My pants itch. I'm tired--" *sniffs* "...I SMELL FOOD!"

chie: ^^;

Emine: "That's the wrong reception. We want--" *bumps into someone* "...Watch where you're going."

All Might: "ENTIRELY MY FAULT, YOUNG MAN!"

Emine: "... ... ..." O_____O

Shotaro: *gasps*

toru: ama?

Tool: "...Holy crud, it's All Might."

All Might: "GREETINGS, CITIZENS! ENJOYING THIS SHIN-DIG?"

Shotaro: "..." *glomp hug*

chie: o-o

All Might: OwO; "...Is your son usually this affectionate?"

chie: oh, he isnt _my_ son, he's a family friend. ^^;;

Shotaro: "IT'S ALL MIGHT IT'S ALL MIGHT!" *Bone of Gorilla lifting him*

All Might: ^^;;; "I see...Um, if you put me down, I could--"

Shotaro: *drops him, opens his autograph book* "SIGN UNDER THE FIFTH CHARISMA JUSTICE AUTOGRAPH!!!"

All Might: "...Ah. Yes..." *pulls out a pen* "He was a good man."

Shotaro: "..." *nods*

-elsewhere-

David: *looking around*

mr plastic: *enjoying food*

frostbyte: mr shield? are you quite alright?

I-Island Executive: "--and Hani is off to speak with the new inventors visiting. I swear, she's obsessed with just more and more--"

David: ^^; "Just wondering why All Might is late."

frostbyte: perhaps he's being fashionably late, as it were.

David: "Given the mobs that have been hounding him for autographs, likely."

sam: *ahem* sir?

David: "Ah, Sam, yes?"

sam: the new intern should be here within the week.

David: "A week? That seems early."

sam: guess he's eager to start.

David: "..." *nods* "I'll adjust my schedule to give him the tour."

-elsewhere-

Hani: *shaking hands* ^^ "Thank you, Prisha--your innovation sounds just thrilling!"

prisha: *nods*

Hani: "I'll have to introduce you to--" *spots someone* "...Excuse me." *practically shoves Prisha as she straightens herself up to approach the guests entering*

Shotaro: "THERE'S THE FOOD!"

Yohei: *looking in awe* "...Oh my God. There's Dr. Humpert. And Leslie McIntosh--"

Kepuri: *shaking with glee, giggling to herself*

doctor: AGATE! there you are!

Agate: "!!! D-Doctor?"

doctor: are you alright?

Agate: ^^; "Just...got ahead of myself in the tournament. But this, um, person repaired me...Sort of." *rubs the back of her neck*

doctor: thank you so much!

Kepuri: "Fufufu~ It was nothing for a brilliant roboticist to handle. And you are?"

doctor: my name is Remina Renfield.

prisha: grand-daughter of Vladimir Renfield.

remina: >n<#

Kepuri: *shiny eyes* "Were you the brilliant mind who crafted this exquisite model in android technology?!" *stroking Agate's face*

Agate: .\\\.;

remina: um..yes?

Kepuri: *grabs Remina's hands* "TEACH ME!"

remina: oh! um. .///.;;

Yohei: "Ah, Kepuri made a new friend."

chie: i'd say so... ^^;

Yohei: "So, how about we get something to e--"

Hani: "YOHEI NANAMI!"

Yohei: "...Yes?"

Hani: *smiles* *offers her hand* "Queenie Hani, I-Island Executive." *shakes his hand firmly* "Delighted to have such a bright mind visiting us."

Yohei: "Oh, thanks. We're happy to be here. This is my wife Chie and our son T--"

toru: *crying*

Hani: "..." *small frown at Toru*

Yohei: "Oh, kiddo...Chie, need me to hold him?"

chie: it's ok, sweetie. here. *hands him over to yohei*

Yohei: *holding Toru* ^^; "Kids, huh?"

Hani: "...I wouldn't know." ^^; "I was kind of hoping to introduce you--your robotics and programming are top-notch, you know?" *looks at Chie* "Did you know that? That your husband is at the top of his game?"

chie: indeed.

-elsewhere-

*a cloaked figure stands before a set of people all dressed in identical soldiers, each with an oddly insectoid helmet on*

guard: can i help you?

Cloak: "Yes..." *holds out a cylinder, aiming it at the Guard's face*

guard: ??

*a beam of light explodes from the cylinder...the Guard never had a chance*

Cloak: *holding a laser sword* "Let's go..."

-elsewhere-

Izuku: *breathing heavily* "This is going to be a room with so many superheroes...And I am terrified I'm going to spill my drink."

kaminari: just breathe and keep your cool.

Todoroki: *nods* "You get used to it."

ochako: *humming*

Mineta: "I just hope there are some hotties with digits."

jirou: *jabs him with her earjack*

Mineta: >~< "Is flirting so wrong?!"

jirou: nah, it's just you that's wrong.

Mineta: Q_Q

Iida: "Behave yourselves out there. You represent the pride of Class 1-A!"

momo: *nods*

kaminari: here we go! *runs....and slams into the door*

Mineta: "HA! The door says 'Pull,' buddy--" *tries to pull--and it's stuck* "..." *pull* -_-# "..." *PULL PULL PULL* "WHY IS NOTHING HAPPENING WHEN I TUG IT?!"

jirou: the heck?

Izuku: "??? Melissa, was there some pass card we needed first?"

melissa: no, i dont think so...

*BANG BANG BANG*

melissa: ?!?!

Iida: "Gunfire!"

jirou: shit!

Izuku: "Let's get in there--"

Todoroki: "Bad call." *points up* "Sky dome above the room."

ochako: !!!

Izuku: "...Jirou, Ochako, let's head up there. We may be able to listen in..."

Mineta: *hiding behind Kaminari* Q_Q

jirou: right.

ochako: *nods*

Iida: "Momo, we'll need a shield here in case victims escape through these doors..."

Todoroki: "Be careful up there."

ochako: *gravitying herself, izuku, and jirou*

Izuku: *looking down through the sky dome* "Okay, there's All Might, and--!!! He just got tied!"

ochako: !!!

melissa: !!!!

jirou: *listening in*

All Might: "UMPH!" *collapses*

*There's a man in a cloak, aiming a gun at Sam*

hero: what's going on, who are you??

Wolfram: *to the hero* "We are merely here for the latest tech, and this heist is for I-Island's treasure trove." *looks at Sam* "Who has security clearance to get us in there?"

sam: i-i-i believe i-i do-

Wolfram: "Then I guess you're my hostage tonight." *pulls Sam, holding an arm under his neck, gun aimed at Sam's temple*

sam: !!!!!

David: "Stop! Don't hurt him! Sam has access to the room...but not to the individual safes."

Wolfram: "?! What?!"

David: "Each safe is a unique combination...You're going to need me, too."

Wolfram: *to Sam* "Is he lying? WERE YOU TRYING TO TRICK ME?!"

sam: h-he's telling the truth! honest!

All Might: "DAVE, NO!"

David: "Please, just don't hurt him, and I'll let you in--"

Wolfram: *nods to lackeys* "Take them both." *shoves Sam into David*

All Might: *struggling in the restraints...*

grunt: you got it.

Wolfram: *smirks at All Might* "Like it? Really sticks to you, huh? Too bad you can't get out of that, Symbol of Peace." *looks to grunts* "Don't kill anyone unless they make a move."

-elsewhere-

kirishima: *whistling*

Bakugo: "SHHH! Stop whistling! Didn't you hear that?"

kirishima: hear what?

Bakugo: -_-### "Your hearing is better than mine and you didn't hear that bang?"

kirishima: i dont remember. ^^;

Bakugo: "God, you're insufferable." *starts running* "Come on--I got a bad feeling--"

*CRASH*

kirishima: !!

Bakugo: *growls* "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE GOING! CAN'T YOU SEE WHERE YOU'RE GOING--"

Mei: "!!! HARD GUY! KACCHAN!"

kirishima: hey there um....hatsune miku?

Mei: *in Kirishima's face* "MEI HATSUME! SUPPORT CLASS! INVENTOR EXTRAORDINAIRE!" *closer* "I WAS ON MY WAY TO THE PAH-TAY WHEN I GOT DISTRACTED BY ALL THE WONDERFUL BABIES DOTTING THE WALLS!" *strokes the wall, rubbing her face against it* "That's a titanium plastic steel blend, baby--durable, flexible, and oh-so-good at holding this entire building up! WHO'S A GOOD POLYMER-METAL COMPOUND?! YOU ARE! YES, YOU ARE, YES YOU--"

Bakugo: *already walking away* "I need to punch someone. I hope Deku is at the reception already..."

kirishima: *sniff* you smell that? smells like gunfire...

Bakugo: "!!! Those bangs...WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!"

-elsewhere-

melissa: *shaking, breathing hard*

Todoroki: "...I'm sure your father is fine..."

melissa: *whimpering*

Iida: "We need a solution...Melissa, we need you on this, too. Where is the security's main office in this building?"

melissa: t-top floor...

momo: we're going to help your father, alright?

Mineta: "You can count on us!" *presses a button on the elevator* "We just need to get to the top floor--" *looks at the elevator...a giant electric "OUT OF ORDER" error appears* D8< "WHAT IS WITH THIS STUPID ISLAND?!"

momo: we'll just take the steps.

-meanwhile-

Izuku: "What can you hear?"

jirou: well, the leader's name is wolfram, and they seem to be looking for some kind of tech that they're making david and his assistant look for.

Izuku: "Can we get a message to All Might?" *looks down to see him tied up*

jirou: does he know sign language?

Izuku: "!!! Yes! He trained in it while working on the Scarlet Sapphire Mystery!"

jirou: let me.

All Might: ("Damn...I'm at my limit...") *looking around* ("The hostages are safe, for now. Why are they after just tech? Why take hostages? It's not like someone else couldn't hack in--") *glances up* "?!!!!"

jirou: *waves* *signing* <just hold on, we'll help you out> anything else i should say?

Izuku: "We're going to security to try to track the villains and call in guards and the robot sentries to stop these villains."

jirou: *conveying the message through sign language*

All Might: "!!!" *shaking his head* ("No! This is too dangerous! What if they kill you, or David...Melissa...")

jirou: he's shaking his head...

Izuku: *hardened look* "...I think we better get going..."

-elsewhere-

Hani: "Everyone, please, calm down!" *trying to maintain a calm smile* "

toru: *crying*

Yohei: "It's okay, kiddo..." *looking around* ("All exits sealed, so that's good...")

*BOOM*

chie: !!!

Hani: ("WHAT THE HELL ARE THEY DOING?! THIS WAS SUPPOSED TO BE A SIMPLE JOB! Unless...Wait...IS SOMEONE ELSE TRYING TO ATTACK I-ISLAND AT THE SAME TIME?!")

Shotaro: "Let me out--I can help! I--"

*something bright slams through the wall, right over Shotaro's head*

Shotaro: Q__Q "EEP!"

mana: ?!?!?!

*the wall is sliced open, revealing the lightlaser saber-wielding cloaked individual*

Cloak: *labored breathing...looks around*

Agate: *fighting pose*

chie: *forms a shadowy barrier around yohei and toru*

Cloak: *gestures to his troops* "Tie up the others. We know the ones we're taking with us..."

mana: ?!

Kepuri: "And me without my heavy artillery..." *taps on her wrist behind her back...*

Trooper 1: "You, with us." *grabs Mana by the wrist*

mana: !! *kicks them in the stomach*

Trooper 1: "UMPH!"

Trooper 2: *aims a wrist-mounted weapon at Mana, firing an electrified bolo at her*

mana: !!!!

Yohei: "!!!" ("...I recognize that...I made that for...!!")

Shotaro: "Mana!"

mana: *SCREAMS*

Emine: -_-; "This is getting annoying..." *summons the Wall--and smashes it into Troopers*

Shotaro: "EMINE! DON'T--"

Emine: "They aren't dead. Just held back--"

Cloak: "Lay down your weapons and abilities--" *holding Hani by the throat* "Or the Executive dies."

Hani: *choking*

mana: !!!!!!!

Agate: "?! Doc...What do I do?"

remina: *shaking*

Hani: *gasping*

Yohei: "Enough! Chie..." *hands her Toru, steps through her shield*

chie: !!!!

Yohei: "Let her go."

Cloak: *cackles* "You finally recognize us."

Yohei: "..." *nods*

Cloak: "Say it. Who are we?"

Yohei: "...Fear Factory."

mana: !!!!!!!!!

Shotaro: "..."

Emine: "No..."

Tool: "What the hell...We stopped your operation years ago!"

chie: i-i thought they were wiped out!

Cloak: "Yes...That's why I'm here. The new Fear Factory can be reborn only on the corpses of those who brought it down." *nods to the Troopers*

*The Troopers each taser Tool, Shotaro, and Mana*

Yohei: "?!!! Stop it!"

chie: NO!! *shadow arrows aimed*

Cloak: *lets go of Hani, grabs Yohei and holds the laser saber to his neck* "Stop."

chie: !!!! let....let him go...

Cloak: "I'm afraid I cannot." *nods to the Troopers* "We're taking them. Our boss has an audience with them."

Hani: *gasping for air, scurrying away from the Cloak, hiding under a table*

chie: STOP!

Kepuri: *sharp inhale, slight hyperventilating* "Wh-Why are you back...Why?!"

Cloak: "We are leaving...I don't suppose you remember all your inventions for Fear Factory, do you, Nanami?"

Yohei: "...How could I forget them all...I think you're forgetting one other thing I made."

Cloak: "???"

*KNOCK KNOCK*

Kepuri: *smirks* *sighs* "I guess they did."

*BOOM*

Cloak: "?!"

GET and WASHU: >o< *rush into the room, punching the Troopers in the gut*

toru: baba!

Emine: *punches another Trooper in the face* "Old Lady! Go for the head!"

Yohei: "Toru!" *tries to make a run for it--*

Cloak: *grabs Yohei by the neck, squeezing* "I'll just knock you out--"

chie: *SHADOW PUNCH TO THE FACE*

*Cloak's helmet flies off, revealing a face half-covered in robotic parts*

mana: !!!!

Kepuri: "... ... ..." *shaking* "LOOK AT IT!" *tugs Remina's arm*

Agate: "Gross."

remina: !!!!! *covers her mouth in horror*

Cloak: *growls--and launches a net, capturing Toru*

chie: TORU!!!

toru: *crying*

Yohei: "Stop! GET, WASHU, stop! Emine, put them down! Shotaro--"

Shotaro: *swinging a Trooper over his head* "What?"

*something is humming nearby...*

mana: ??

Yohei: "...If we surrender, you will let my son go, or even Hell won't hold me back."

Cloak: *laughs* "The Shinigami himself, eh? You know where you and your friends are to go, right?"

Yohei: "Yeah, yeah...But I'm not driving it."

chie: yohei...

Yohei: "Chie...I'm sorry." *walks towards the wall...which explodes behind him*

chie: !!!!! YOHEI!!

*the wall falls apart, revealing a starship...*

Trooper: *stabs a syringe into Mana's neck*

mana: !!!!

Yohei: "?!!"

mana: nghh... *passes out*

Shotaro: "MANA! I--"

Trooper: *stabs a syringe into Shotaro*

Shotaro: "...Oh, like that even hurt--"

Trooper: *another syringe*

Shotaro: *lip droops*

Trooper: ._.; *another*

Shotaro: "I doooon't efen fweel..." *passes out*

Tool: -_-; "You're literally trying to stab it into my dome, you twit. I'm a kappa--you could literally hit any amphibious skin--"

Trooper: "I KNOW WHAT I'M DOING! I--"

Tool: *picks up his axe and slices the Trooper* "Enough of this shit." *runs*

Yohei: "?! Tool, stop! They'll kill them--"

Cloak: *shoots syringes at Yohei's chest*

Yohei: *falls over...he's not breathing*

chie: !!!!

Cloak: *walks* "We're leaving. Drag the Dokeshi and the human."

chie: *shaking, her eyes going dark*

-SHINK-

Hani: "?!!!!" *covers her mouth*

Cloak: *collapses, ripped in two*

Tool: "...Holy shit."

chie: let.....them.....go.....NOW....

Troopers: "!!!" *dragging Shotaro, Mana, and Yohei onto the ship--*

Kepuri: "Get back with them!" *sends WASHU and GET at them--before Troopers tackle her*

-STAB STAB STAB STAB-

Troopers: *screaming as they are stabbed*

(kagemaru: yes, kill em! KILL ALL OF 'EM!)

WASHU and GET: *grab at Mana--only for--*

*CRUSH*

Kepuri: "?!!! WASHU! GET!"

*they are...flattened...they aren't moving*

*it's...another Fear Robot?!*

remina: *breathing hard*

???: "Hee hee...Mass automation, Mrs. Nanami."

Agate: "Doc..." *holds her hand*

chie: *looks up*

*as she looks up at the Robot, someone is getting back on his feet behind her, and picks up the laser saber...*

chie: *glances and slices*

Cloak: *grunts...but laughs* "Oh, that hurts...But then again, I've had every last part of me crushed under tremendous weight..." *grabs Chie by the neck, squeezing*

chie: GRK- *she still glares; as if she isnt in control...*

Cloak: "Why would you turn your back on Dokeshi for some human mongrel?"

Tool: *removing the net on Toru, cradling him*

chie: *snarls*

???: *deep inhale...as something sliced is heard...blood drips on the floor...*

remina: !!!!!!!! *faints*

Cloak: "A mere beast, eh? Too bad my boss didn't ask me to bring you..." *aims the laser saber* "I guess your corpse will be enough for experimenta--"

???: "LIGHTNING SCISSORS!"

-SHIV-

Cloak: "???"

chie: *looks back*

*looks down...a bloody mess in the form of blades have sliced through Cloak's chest...the blades pull back, revealing...*

Emine: *clutching his wrist, panting...*

toru: *crying*

chie: !!! *snabs back to reality*

Cloak: *smirks* "Like that's enough to--"

Emine: *grits his teeth* "GUILTY BLADE!" *leaps forward, forming a X with his arms, swings them at Cloak, and--*

*Cloak's head goes flying--into the starship, where Yohei, Mana, and Shotaro are loaded*

Cloak's head: "Enough of this--forget the kappa! Just go!"

Fear Robot Pilot: "ROGER ROGER." *closes the doors...*

chie: YOHEI!!

Emine: "!!! No!" *slices his other wrist, as a four-bladed fan departs* "Fujin!" *the blade sails at the ship and--*

*FWOOSH*

*the starship is gone in the blink of an eye*

Kepuri: *staring...crawls over to the remains of GET and WASHU* "Oh God..."

chie:......*holding her baby, weeping*

Emine: "..." *stares at the headless body of the Cloak...looks down at his wrists...sees the blood pooling under him...collapses, passing out*

prisha: w-what the hell??

Hani: "..." *picking up her communicator* "Security. I-Island Security. Report. Report, goddamn it...REPORT! IS ANYONE OUT THERE?!"

prisha: medi, tend to the wounded.

MEDI: *beep* understood, doctor. ^^

Tool: *staring at the hole in the wall* "..." *holds his head in his hands*

Emine: *passing out* "Sho..."

Agate: "..." *looks out the wall, her eye narrowing up to the sky, zooming in...following the ship's path...*

-elsewhere-

setsuna: !!!!!!

Assi: "?? Ma'am?"

setsuna: s-showtaro...yohei...mana...t-they-they've been...

Shinoda: "What? What happened?"

setsuna: t-they've been taken!

Assi: "?!!! How can you--"

Shinoda: "What?! And Emine? Is he..."

setsuna: e-emine's still on the island...

lin-kimpur: !!!

akaderu: what about kepuri?

setsuna: same as emine...

Shinoda: *dialing* "Come on...Answer..."

-elsewhere-

ochako: how much longer till we get to the top?

melissa: i think there's an elevator on floor 80.

Mineta: T~T "I might as well just bounce all the way up there..."

Izuku: "At least we haven't run into any of those thugs..."

Iida: "We are not to approach these villains--our goal is to report and get backup only."

momo: right...

Todoroki: "...Is that really the right approach? We could stop this right now--"

Iida: *glares* "We don't need a repeat, now do we? I think you and I both know that."

Izuku: *looks down*

ochako: ???

Mineta: "I can't go on..." *collapses on the stairs* =~= "Someone, carry me."

jirou: did you hear something?

Mineta: DX<

Izuku: "I know we're all tired--but this is to save those people."

melissa: here it is! floor 80!

kaminari: if we do this, we'll have fangirls all over us.

Mineta: "..." *bounces back up, struts to the door* "Stand aside--let a hero handle this, ma'am!"

*the door opens to reveal a giant indoor garden*

Izuku: "Oh, wow...I-Island is amazing."

melissa: this floor is used to determine how quirks affect different plant life. the elevator's over there.

Todoroki: *looking along the walls...spots windows and ceiling beams*

Iida: "Let's be quick about this before--"

*doors open*

momo: !! hide!

*everyone ducks*

grunt 1: lotza plants, here, eh?

Grunt 2: "Yes, that's what greenhouses have, dummy."

grunt 1: you think dey got weed up here?

Grunt 2: "You idiot! ...Of course they do. They want to see what quirks do to make new breeds, right?"

Izuku: ._.

*everyone looks at Melissa*

melissa: *shrugs as a 'dont ask me'*

grunt 1: you think we can sneak some of- HEY! YOU THERE!!

???: "WHAT?!"

Izuku: "...Oh no."

eijiro: hi, you guys security? we cant find the party.

Grunt 2: "Yes, we're security. Why don't you come with us, kid?"

eijiro: you hear that guys? we're saved!

Mei: "Wait a minute..." *leans up to Grunt 1* "You suuuuuuuure you're security?"

grunt 1: uhhh..... yeees? owo;;

Bakugo: "Uh huh. Then maybe you can tell us what all those explosions have been."

grunt 1: uuuuhhh.....OH LOOK WHAT'S DAT?!

Mei: OwO *turns* "What?"

-POW-

Mei: *goes flying*

ochako: !!!

Bakugo: "Oh, you motherfucker!" *his fingers are sparking up*

Mei: *crashes into the bushes*

eijiro: you alright, hatsume?

Grunt 2: "Jeez...Boss is going to be pissy if we let some kids out of here. Better kill them."

eijiro: *hardens up* oh boy

Izuku: "This is not good--we need to get to the elevator, but we can't leave them and Kacchan to fight alone..."

Todoroki: "..." *steps out*

Iida: "?!"

ochako: !!!

Todoroki: *shoots an ice blast at Grunt 1*

grunt 1: *wilhelm scream*

Todoroki: "There. That solves half the problem."

Bakugo: "ICY HOT?! YOU TRYING TO UPSTAGE ME AGAIN?!!! ...Wait, why are you freaks here?"

ochako: why are _you_ here?!

eijiro: we got lost.

Bakugo: "SHUT THE HELL UP, EIJIRO!"

eijiro: .......

Mei: *waves* "Hi, everyone! How's the reception?"

grunt 1: ok, just HOW many brats are walkin around here?! WHERE'S THE ADULT SUPERVISION HERE?!

kaminari: that would be iida.

Iida: -^-; "Well, Todoroki just got us caught up in this fight, so it is unavoidable to use our quirks for the sake of self-defense...Let's get to the elevator before--"

*a giant fist pops out, slamming Eijiro*

eijiro: *SLAMMED INTO THE WALL*

kaminari: oh shi- KIRISHIMA!!

Grunt 2: *cracks out of the ice, now triple the size* "Brrr! That was too cold!"

Bakugo: "?!!! YOU PIECE OF SHIT!" *lobs attack at Grunt 2--*

-FWOOM-

Izuku: "?! Kacchan's attack disappeared!"

Bakugo: "What the hell..." *lobs another attack--*

Grunt 2: *suddenly in front of Bakugo and the kids*

momo: !!!

jirou: *grabs mei and runs*

Mei: OwO;

Izuku: *aims a shot--*

Bakugo: *pushes Izuku away* "Run, doofus!"

Izuku: "?!! Kacchan--"

Bakugo: "I'M NOT GOING TO HAVE YOU TAKE ALL THE CREDIT! GET OUT!"

Todoroki: "I'll back up Bakugo--get to the security office." *fires ice at Grunt 1*

Bakugo: "I DON'T NEED BACK--"

*Grunt 2 punches Bakugo in the face, knocking him through 3 trees and into a rose thorn bush*

Izuku: D:>

ochako: deku, let's go!!

Izuku: "...running* "Don't you dare lose, Kacchan! We still have a fighting match when this is over!"

Bakugo: *leaps up out of the bushes, a rose held between his teeth as he smiles demonically* "COUNT ON IT!" *slams a fireball punch at Grunt 2*

grunt 1: where do you think YOU'RE goin', brats?!

Todoroki: *ice wall* "Away from you, reprobate." *then sends a fireball at Grunt 1's head*

grunt 1: !!!

-FWOOM-

*the fireball disappears*

Todoroki: "???"

*suddenly, snow is falling on him*

Todoroki: *looks up* "...Wait...He doesn't _cut_ space. He--"

Grunt 2: *tackles Todoroki, ripping his jacket in the process*

grunt 1: space displacement, baby!

Bakugo: "Displace this!" *fires bullet-shaped shots at the ceiling*

grunt 1: dafuq you doin?!

*something is creaking loudly above...before lighting fixtures on the ceiling fall towards Grunt 1*

grunt 1: ..... 0_0 mother-

*CRASH*

Grunt 2: "BRO!" *growls, rushes at Todoroki*

Todoroki: "Wait..." *turns around* "It's not space displacement if he is storing up all that space...That means our attacks from earlier will--"

*fireballs get released, slamming into Grunt 2*

ochako: woo-hoo!

Todoroki: "..." *small smile*

melissa: hurry, the elevator!

Izuku: *rushes inside*

eijiro: go on without me, im trapped.

Bakugo: "YOU IDIOT! YOU'RE HARD! GO SOFT AND YOU'LL GET OUT OF THE WALL!"

eijiro:.. oh... oops. ^^;

jirou: *glares at mineta and kaminari* NOT. A. WORD.

Mineta: "I WASN'T THINKING AT ALL!"

momo: what else is new?

Mineta: T~T

Mei: *limps into the elevator* "Jeez--I just wanted to get to the reception! Why are there thugs everywhere?"

melissa: allow us to fill you in.

-she explains the situation-

Mei: "Oh, wowie! Then you're going to need to get more than just security!" *pulls out something from her purse*

melissa: ??

*it looks like a radio communicator*

melissa: oh!

Mei: "They are obviously listening in on all communications, so we need to jam it!!!"

jirou: and how do we do that?

Mei: "A POWER SOURCE!" *holds up an iPhone charger* "...CRAP! I MEANT TO BRING A USB-C!"

jirou:....*looks at kaminari*

kaminari: alright, i'll do it. FOR THE FANGIRLS! lay it on me!

Mineta: TwT "Make us proud, buddy."

Izuku: ^^;;;

Todoroki: -_- "Just shove the electrical cord in your mouth already."

kaminari: im sorry wha-

Mei: *hands the cable to him* "Okay, who's going to send out the message?"

momo: i'll do it.

Mei: "Okay--not sure how far the signal goes, so keep it short, then I'll put it on a loop."

momo: alright.

Mei: *pushes a button*

momo: attention, i-island's HQ is under attack, we need security backup!

-elsewhere-

Tokoyami: *listening on the hotel room's clock radio* "?!"

mashirao: *getting out of the shower* what is it?

Tokoyami: "Yaoyorozu somehow hacked a local radiowave and is sending a message--" *stands up* "I-Island is under attack."

mashirao: !!!

-elsewhere-

Hagakure: "D'aw, my phone reception is out!"

mina: HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK HOLY FUCK!!

tsuyu: what is it?

mina: listen to this! *playing the radio*

Hagakure: "The radio, Tsu!"

tsuyu: !! what do we do? we dont have hero licenses yet...

Hagakure: "But that doesn't stop us from looking around, does it?"

mina: hagakure, i dont know what expression you're making, but i have a bad feeling about it.

-elsewhere-

prisha: *helping to repair GET and WASHU*

MEDI: incoming radio transmission! *playing the message*

Kepuri: "I got their backups downloaded..." *plugs from her wrist-watch into GET and WASHU*

toru: mama?

chie: *still in shock*

Hani: "...Doctor, who is that talking on that radio transmission?"

prisha: i-i dont know, but she sounds like mrs nanami.

Emine: *passed out on a cot, a blood pack by their side*

remina: *still out cold*

Tool: "..." *steps through the hole in the wall* "Kepuri, I'm heading out."

Kepuri: "?!!! Now's not the time for some macho-head bullshit!"

Tool: "That radio said they need help--and I'm useless here." *climbs down with his pick-axe*

prisha: ...

Agate: "..." *groans* "Wait up!"

-elsewhere-

*Security Robots are rolling through the streets*

Sero: *waves down a Bot* "Help! Our friends are in trouble!"

-someone pokes their head out-

Security Bot: "???" *looks over the scenery...a small glitch appears...everything goes red* "...YES. HOW MAY I HELP?"

Sero: "We just heard some radio signal about an attack on the HQ here! We're trying to get someone to go there! Can you help--"

*The Bot's eyes turn red*

rikido: uh-oh

Sero: ._.; ("Oooooooh, I've seen enough movies to know this is bad...") *tapes away before--*

kouda: >~<;;

Bot: *sends out a taser where Sero stood*

Sero: "RUN!"

kouda: WAAAHHHH!!!! >A<;;

*Bots around I-Island start turning red, chasing after bystanders*

Bot: "HALT. UNAUTHORIZED USE OF QUIRK ON PROHIBITED GROUNDS!"

Sero: "When you're trying to tase me, it's hardly unwarranted use!"

bystander: WHAT THE HELL IS GOING ON?!

bystander 2: WE'RE ALL GONNA DIE!

bystander 3: so they DO glow in the dark!

Bystander 4: "REALLY?! YOU HAVE TO BRING THAT UP NOW?!!!"

bystander 3: glow in the dark stuff is hella cool.

Bot: *keeps running into Rikido...which is pathetic as it's not knocking him over*

kouda: *shaking*

Bot 2: "RETURN TO YOUR HOMES. EVERYTHING IS FINE." *giant metallic carving appendages come out, as the Bot rolls towards bystanders*

rikido: !!!!

Sero: "!!! Kouda! Ants!"

-WHIP SLASH-

Sero: *tapes up 2 bots before they can shock him*

kouda: ?!?!

???: *has slashed some of the bots with a whip* ....

Sero: "Wow..."

???: shhh, you didnt see me, i wasnt here. *runs*

Sero: ._.;

rikido: i-i think that was a vigilante.

Sero: "Given everything else on this island, not surprised?"

-elsewhere-

Hagakure: "EEEEEEEEK!" *picks up a room service plates, smashing it over a Hotel Bot's head*

Hotel Bot: "RETURN TO YOUR ROOMS, *OR DIIIIIIIIIIE!*"

tsuyu: come on, this way!

mina: AND I THOUGHT THAT VACATION TO HONOLULU WAS SCARY! LONG STORY!

Hagakure: *flings the plate at a Bot, running after Tsuyu* "This is crazy!"

tsuyu: right now, the best idea is to find the others and make a plan.

Hagakure: "How?! Phone signals are jammed by whoever is doing this! Where would everyone have gone to right now?"

mina: HQ! the big old tower! that was totally yaomomo's voice on the radio! and that's where she is!

Hagakure: T~T "This is not how I wanted to go to the party!"

*THUMP THUMP THUMP*

Hagakure: Q____Q *turns around* "?!!!! WHAT THE--"

*It's a giant soda machine...that starts firing soda cans*

mina: HEAD TO THE STAIRS! I THINK I GOT A PLAN!

Hagakure: *follows*

-elsewhere-

Bakugo: "So it's just across the power grid station, up a few more floors, and we're there, right?"

melissa: yeah, just past the power grid, and we'll be there soon.

jirou:.....you know. 'girl from ipanema' really isnt fitting the mood right now.

Todoroki: "...When this is over, I'm complaining to the travel agent."

*thump...thump...*

*ding*

-the door opens-

BOTS: *RED EYES OF DEATH*

Iida: "... ... ..." *frantically pressing the 'Door Close button'*

kaminari: wrong floor.

*One Bot shoves appendages into the doors, ripping them open*

kaminari: *SCREEEEEEEEEEAM*

Mineta: D8> "Didn't you hear the man--wrong floor!"

Bakugo: "FUCK THIS! Kirishima, Icy-Hot!"

Todoroki: *icicle through the Bot*

kirishima: you got it! *hardens arms*

Bots: *rush at them into the elevator*

Izuku: "Jump!"

Bots: *swarm into the elevator*

Mei: *crawling over them* "Bad babies! BAD BABIES!"

melissa: !!!

ochako: *gravity tossing the others*

Bots: *all down the hallway, rolling towards them*

jirou: *phone jacks one of them*

Mineta: Q____Q "I CAN'T DO THINGS LIKE THIS!" *runs...into the men's room*

ochako: *floating the others to a higher level*

Izuku: *Full Cowl punching--and notices his fist* "?!!!" ("The gauntlet...I'm not feeling any pain! It's moderating my power output!")

ochako: *trying to hold herself together, but shaking*

jirou: yaomomo! get us a grappling hook!

momo: you got it!

Mei: *shifting through her purse* "No." *tosses out some makeup* "No." *tosses out a pocket mirror* "Ah! Here it is!"

melissa: *looks*

momo: done!

Mei: "We need some distance back there, so..." *tosses a smoke bomb behind them*

-BOOM-

momo: everyone grab on!

Mei: OwO; "Maybe I made it too powerful--":

Izuku: "Wait--we left Mineta back on that floor!"

Todoroki: *grabs on*

Iida: *grabs onto Momo*

ochako: g-guys, i dont think i can hold much more...

momo: >///< *shoots at a higher guard rail*

Todoroki: "Ochako..." *grabs her hand*

ochako: t-thanks.

jirou: everyone's on!

*they're pulled up...*

Bakugo: "WATCH WHERE YOU'RE TOUCHING!"

Izuku: "S-Sorry!"

eijiro: WEEEEE!!!

melissa: i think i lost my high heels!

*below them in the smoke are hundreds of blinking red lights...but now they are at a higher level*

jirou: ah crap.

Mei: "D'aw..."

Iida: "We can't afford to linger. Let's keep moving. Anyone unable to continue?"

momo: we're almost there!

jirou: tch- BAKUGOU GIVE US A BOOST!

*sign: Power Station, turn right*

Bakugo: "DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" *aims--and fires*

momo: WOOOOAH!!!

Iida: "Recipro...Burst!"

Mei: *face pulled back*

ochako: @~@ i think im gonna pass out!

kaminari: OHHHH SHIIIIIIIIIT!!!!

Todoroki: *catches her*

*the door to the Power Grid is quickly approaching...*

-they made it!-

ochako: release!

Izuku: "!!!" *aims...and punches through the door*

*they all crash on the ledge over the power generators...*

melissa: come on, hurry!

ochako: *woozy* ugh...

Izuku: *face-down on the floor* *muffled* "C-Coming..."

Mei: *looking at the generators* "Hmm...Best be careful--don't want to touch the coils."

eijiro: *looks around*

*Iida picks up the door, while Todoroki and Bakugo fuse it shut behind them*

jirou: well, we're all here.

Izuku: "...Most of us..."

jirou: well everyone of any importance is here.

*CLANK...CLANK...CLANK...CLANK*

momo: ?!

*something is whirring up...*

*it...looks like a giant walking cyclone machine?!*

jirou: oh come on!

*more Security Bots roll around it*

Todoroki: "...We're not all going to be able to continue beyond this point. Some of us will need to make an escape for the next hall while we hold it back."

melissa: just dont break any of the servers.

Iida: "Those with speed and knowledge should move ahead: Hatsume, Melissa, Izuku, Momo, myself. Can the rest of you stay back to hold down this beast?"

ochako: i-i'll try.

Bakugo: *glares at Iida and Melissa* "So, beat the thing up, but not wreck the servers. Gee, you're making this so easy for us..."

Todoroki: "We'll trap it and attack it without damaging the servers. Now go!"

jirou: take ochako with you!

Iida: "???"

jirou: she's not looking well, and i think she'll be safer with you guys.

Izuku: *nods* *picks up Ochako*

Todoroki: "...Stay safe."

ochako: im gonna take a lil snooze, 'zat ok?

momo: come on, let's go!

Bakugo: "DON'T WIMP OUT ON US, URARAKA! I BETTER SEE YOU WHEN THIS IS OVER!"

Izuku: *follows*

eijiro: think fast guys! here it comes!

Whirlwind Bot: *inhales...and blasts at Eijiro and company*

-elsewhere-

grunt: ey wolfram, we got someone out front.

Wolfram: "???" *looks*

mina: *in a dominos uniform* pizza delivery! ^w^

Wolfram: "...Which one of you stooges ordered pizza?"

grunt 2: not me, im vegan.

Grunt 3: ._.; "I-I might have? I'm hypoglycemic and have short-term memory."

Wolfram: -_-# "Go down there, kill her, and take the pizza. I got to keep Shield and his partner on track."

-elsewhere-

Child: *crying*

mother: it's ok, sweetie.

Bot: "GET BACK." *approaching the mother and child*

mother: !!! *shielding her child*

Bot: *releases a taser--*

*SLASH*

*something scoops up the mother and child*

mother: !?!

*GLITTERY BLAST*

*The Bot goes flying like a rainbow*

Tokoyami: *using Dark Shadow to lift mother and child* "It is okay now. We are here."

mashirao: aoyama!

Aoyama: "Bonjour! What a mess this is turning out to be."

mashirao: so now what do we do?

*BEEP BEEP BEEP*

Tokoyami: "Keep these machines back and get civilians back into safe spaces."

mashirao: right!

-elsewhere-

agate: and just where are you going?

Tool: "These robots...They're screaming. It's getting on my nerves. I'm going to give them a nap."

agate: i dont hear any screaming.

Tool: "I'm a kappa. I lived in a garbage dump. Since then, I don't really hear living things talking...but I can hear the feelings of inanimate objects..."

agate: oh, so robots are automatically just objects?

Tool: "...You ever talk to the soul of an object? The soul of a robot?"

agate:...well, no-

Tool: "I have. Robots have souls. And these robots' souls are screaming in pain because someone is taking them over...just like before."

agate:.....

Tool: "...That doctor. Is she your parent or something?"

agate: she did build me, yes. but she built me to act as a companion....considering who her grandfather was, she was often looked down upon and viewed as an evil person. but she's nothing like her grandfather at all. she just wants to help people and make them happy.

Tool: "...Her grandfather?"

agate: vladimir renfield. he created various robot monsters, some of which were used in a terrorist attack on the kiraragi starship. since then, the renfield name has been blackened in the scientific community. so that's why when she received an invite to i-island, she was so overjoyed and ecstatic.

Tool: "...I'm sorry this happened."

agate: we cant change the past, that's why we have to make the future better.

Tool: "..." *clenches his fist around his weapon* "I'm going to find those Fear Factory freaks, save my friends...and slash through anyone who gets in my way."

agate: ...

-elsewhere-

mina: *tapping her foot*

Grunt 3: "Um, hi? My pizza?"

mina: yep! want to see it just to make sure we got it right?

Grunt 3: "Ah, good call. 'Cause this one time I ordered pineapple and--" *leans forward*

-MACE'D-

Grunt 3: X_X *collapses*

mina: he's down! go go!

tsuyu: *runs in*

Hagakure: "I cannot believe that worked..."

mina: i dont know how you got the costume and the pizza box, but we'll worry about that later!

Hagakure: ^^;

-elsewhere-

melissa: just a little further now.

Izuku: *following*

Mei: "Once we get in there, can you shut down where they're holding your dad?"

melissa: i think so. oh, and thanks for the sneakers, momo.

momo: no problem.

Izuku: "Ochako? You holding up okay?"

ochako: i-i think so. i dont feel as dizzy now.

Mei: *shiny eyes* "I might be able to help with that~"

ochako: ._. um-

Mei: *pulls out a headband*

ochako: what's that? ._.;;

Mei: Cranial equilibrium modification apparatus...prototype. It helps you with feeling wheezy while going all gravity!"

ochako: oh, cool!

momo: how very convenient.

Mei: *puts it on*

ochako: how does it look?

momo:...well the color matches the dress at least. ^^;

Izuku: ^^ "Stylish, but what do I know."

Iida: -_-

Izuku: "!!! There's the last turn--"

villain: where do you think you're going?

Izuku: "...No..."

ochako: OH COME ON!

villain: you're not going any further than here.

Iida: "We've come too far to be held back!"

melissa: why are you even doing this?!

villain:...we all have our reason....mine is that my daughter is being held prisoner by the mastermind...and if i dont get this done, i'll never see her again.

Izuku: "?!!! That's still no reason! What if we could help you?"

villain: why would you help a villain?

Izuku: "Because it's what a hero should do."

villain: ......you're really naive. *attacks*

Izuku: "!!!" *dodges, running along the wall before bouncing off of it* "I'm sorry for this..." *swings his fist--*

-the villain's body becomes liquified and dodges the punch-

Izuku: "?!!!"

villain: you underestimate how far a parent will go for their child's sake.

Izuku: ("Liquid quirk...Could evaporate or compromise solidity? Perhaps with speed--") *trying to dodge*

villain: *solidifies*

Izuku: "Iida! Get around them! Momo! What you got?"

momo: im thinking of something!

Izuku: *slammed into the wall* "GRK!"

Iida: *trying to out-race projectiles*

ochako: ARE WE BEING SHOT AT RIGHT NOW?

Mei: *aims* "Locked on!" *fires a small pellet from a slingshot, which hits a projectile--immediately covering it in foam, sticking it to the wall* "BULLSEYE!"

villain: ?!

*the foam is growing along the wall and floor*

Death the Kid: Mei: "My Dynamic Expanding Foam Expansion Anti-flammable Tactile Emergency Deterrent or as I call it, 'DEFEATED'!" *smiles at Melissa*

villain: and how is _that_ to stop me?

Mei: "Ever get gum in your hair?"

villain: ??

*the foam starts crawling towards the Villain*

villain: ?!!!

*the foam climbs up the Villain's legs*

Mei: "Hee hee hee--SUCCESS!"

villain: !!!!

Mei: "Now stay there! We have to get around you..."

-elsewhere-

mina: *peeks past a corner*

*seems to be guards standing with rifles...*

mina: hmmm.

Hagakure: "I could sneak around--but I don't know whether they have a visual quirk to see through my invisibility."

mina: anyone else got any ideas?

tsuyu: *looking around*

*looks to be a fire alarm right behind him...not within arm reach, but maybe frog-tongue reach...*

tsuyu: im gonna try something. *focusing*

Hagakure: "???"

tsuyu: *her skin seems camouflaged?*

Hagakure: *gasps*

mina: neato!

tsuyu: *reaching for the fire alarm with her tongue*

Guard: *snorts* *looks around*

-pull-

*BEE-WOO BEE-WOO*

Guard: "?!!!" *looking around* "Fire? Fire!"

guard 2: oh shit!

Guard 1: "Let's get to a spot of the building where the alarms aren't going off!"

-elsewhere-

Todoroki: *shielding his face, as his ice blasts are blown back at him* "GRK!"

Bakugo: "Damn it! I'm barely putting a dent in its armor!"

kaminari: how many of these guys are there?!

Todoroki: "The curses of automation..."

Whirlwind Robot: *inhales...*

Bakugo: "... ... ...Well, if you can't fight it from outside..." *pushes Kaminari into the Whirlwind Robot's suction*

kaminari: HEY HEY HEY HEY!!! D8

Whirlwind Robot: *sucks in Kaminari...then starts shorting out* O_____O *GLITCH GLITCH*

jirou: ?!?!?

Whirlwind Robot: *WRRRRRRRR--*

*It explodes, producing a tornado in the room, sucking in all the robots...*

Sentry Bot: "ERROR. ERROR. THIS SUCKS--"

*CRASH*

eijiro: KAMINARI?!

kaminari: *face planted on the ground*......ow.

Bakugo: *ducking to avoid falling robots* "He's fine--he's got a hard head."

jirou: guess we better hurry.

Todoroki: *produces an ice slide* "Let's move."

-elsewhere-

Tokoyami: *holding the crying baby awkwardly* ._.;;; "How...do you deal with these things?"

rikido: you have to support the head, like this.

Tokoyami: "O-Okay?"

Dark Shadow: *holding the baby's rattle*

baby: bah...baba ^o^

Dark Shadow: "Yay..."

Sero: "Guys!" *waves* "What's been going on here?"

-elsewhere-

ochako: are we just about there yet?

Iida: "Straight ahead! That leaves the last set of stairs..."

momo: right!

melissa: *running*

Mei: *looking at readings on her wristwatch* "And it looks like we'll have some help--I got 2 heat signatures following us! Must be Icy Hot and Kacchan!"

ochako: that's good.

*the floor is rumbling*

Mei: ^w^ "Aw, Kacchan is excited to fight."

Izuku: "...I don't think that's Kacchan--"

*something explodes under the stairs, bringing them down*

ochako: WOAH!

melissa: AH!

Mei: O_O; "...Jeez, I knew he was violent, but gosh darn."

Iida: *looks* "...!!! Everyone, get down!"

*a fireball, shaped like a bird, flies at them*

ochako: EEP!

*the flames dissipate, revealing...*

Villain: *walks through the flames, seemingly unharmed, staring harshly at the students*

ochako: OH COME ON!

Villain: "You will not pass. Your journey, and your lives, end here." *holds up her forearm, lighting it on fire as the faces of birds seem to be screaming off of it*

ochako: ._.;;

momo: !!!!

Izuku: "This is bad...We're already at our limits. And we're so close!"

Mei: *shaking her purse* "I'm running out of babies..."

ochako: *gulp* ideas?

Iida: "...I think it's time for something reckless."

Villain: *drops flames along the floor, blocking any access underneath the command tower*

momo: !! *summoning a cannon*

Villain: "What? Is that tiny thing supposed to scare me?"

momo: *fires*

Villain: *smiles, sending her firebird forward again--*

ochako: *gravitying izuku and melissa up to the door*

Izuku: "??!! Ochako!"

ochako: go!

Izuku: "..." *nods*

Villain: "No, you don't." *sends flamebird up--*

momo: *fires again*

Villain: *dodges, running swiftly around the blast and towards Momo...smirks*

momo: !!!!

Villain: "Versatile...But not a very powerful Quirk, is it? What use are you, child?"

momo: more than you'd think. *summons fire extinguisher*

Villain: "?!"

melissa: almost there!

Izuku: "Let me give us a push..." *charging up Full Cowl*

*something whirring sounds like it is behind them...*

melissa: *looks*

*it's drones and flying Sentries...*

melissa: !!!

???: "FOR THE FANGIRLS!!!"

*plunger'ed*

*a Sentry now has a toilet plunger sticking off its 'face'*

Sentry: ._.;

melissa: ?!?!?

momo: -A-; you have to be kidding me.

*It's...Mineta?! Strapped with...toilet paper on his belt like weapons and...holding plungers*

Mineta: "YOU THOUGHT I WOULD JUST RUN AWAY!" *aims grape balls and toilet paper* "I'LL BONDAGE YOU UP RIGHT NOW!"

Izuku: -_-; "...Let's just get up to the command tower..."

Sentry: "..." >_< "EXTERMINATE! EXTERMINATE!"

melissa: ._.

Mineta: "...I didn't think this far through the plan, BUT I'M STILL GOING TO RUB MY BALLS ALL OVER YOU STUPID KILL-BOTS! DIE!!!" *flinging his balls at the bots*

*the Sentries are still swarming...*

Villain: *brushing extinguisher off of her* "Like I needed just my quirk to stop you..." *steps up to Momo, cracking her knuckles*

momo: !!

Villain: *fist flies--*

*BOOM*

ochako: ?!

Bakugo: *slams out of the floor, slamming his fist into the Villain's jaw* "OUT OF MY WAY!!!"

*an ice bridge flies up, freezing the sentries*

Todoroki: *half of his body is on fire, his suit half-burned off*

ochako: GUYS!

jirou: yo.

kaminari: =w= huehehe~

Mineta: "??? He shocked himself stupid again?" *pumping a plunger on the robot, ripping off its shielding*

jirou: you're alive. how dissapointing.

Mineta: -_-# "D'aw, I missed you too." *tosses a roll of toilet paper at her*

-elsewhere-

Wolfram: *watching security cameras* "Why are a bunch of children mopping the floor with my troops?"

grunt: wait a sec, i recognize some of those kids, they're UA students!

Wolfram: "..." *sneers* "Should've figured."

grunt: what now?

Wolfram: "...Dr. Shield still in the vault?"

grunt: yeah, why?

Wolfram: "We're getting the package and leaving..."

-elsewhere-

sam: ....

David: *counting through cabinets* "Hmm...Ah! Here."

sam: thank god.

David: *nods* "Our ride waiting for us?"

sam: yeah.

David: *sighs* "It'll be worth it...This will restore All Might to greatness."

melissa: DAD!

David: "??!"

melissa: oh thank god you're alive.

sam: h-how on earth did you get here?

Izuku: *fast-talking rambling* "I-I'm sorry! We made sure to keep Melissa safe! But she's here now to help get control back for the tower! We don't have a lot of time to explain. We have to get out of here before those villains get here. Don't worry, we'll protect you."

sam:.....

David: "Y-You can't be here--not yet. ...Come on, Melissa, we're leaving."

melissa: dad? what's going on?

David: "Melissa, please--we can't stay here, not once they find this missing..."

melissa: what are you talking about?

David: "..." *sighs* "You deserve to know...My funding's been cut."

melissa: ?!?

David: *holding the case close to himself* "Toshinori...Your uncle...His will is dying."

melissa: w-what...?

Izuku: "?! Dr-Dr Shield, I don't think--"

David: "He's losing his Quirk. The Symbol of Peace...will soon be no more. Not without this!" *opens the case, showing a headset*

melissa: !!!!

Izuku: *noticing a sticker on the case: "DANGEROUS--PROHIBITED TECHNOLOGY"* "?!! Doctor--Is that some weapon?"

David: "No! No...Sam and I developed this Quirk enhancement device..." *small laugh* "A way to augment one's inherit abilities, to rejuvenate...To let All Might be reborn!"

melissa: but i thought the villain-

David: *shakes his head* "An actor. One we hired to distract the I-Island executives and security long enough to retrieve this tech before they kept it locked away forever."

Izuku: "..." *serious frown*

melissa:....h-how could you? risking innocent people for this?! the papa i know would never do that!

David: "Melissa...I'm doing this for the world. We can't afford...to lose anyone else."

melissa: that doesnt justify-

Wolfram: "It more than justifies." *walks in between Melissa and Izuku*

Izuku: "?!!!"

melissa: ?!?!?!

Wolfram: "The helicopter is waiting. Let's get a move on." *grabs Melissa by the arm, squeezing* "We'll get you out of here, dearie."

melissa: *winces and steps on his foot*

Wolfram: "..." *grabs her by the chin* "Behave yourself, girl."

David: "!!! Hey! Let her go!"

sam: this wasnt part of the deal, wolfram!

David: "Yes! This is just an act! It's--"

*SNAP*

David: "?!" *looks down to see a metal brace put around his neck*

Wolfram: "...Come along, doc." *squeezes his hand, as the brace shrinks around David's neck*

melissa: !!! DAD!!

sam: *takes the suitcase* here, just take the helmet, just let them go!

Wolfram: "Hmm..." *takes the suitcase* "Thank you. Let's deal with your payment--"

David: *gasping* "Pay-Payment? Sam...Did you sell me out?!"

sam: dont we deserve fame and money for this tech? we worked on this together, yet YOU got the lead credit! im DONE being in your shadow sir!

David: *lying on his side in pain* "Sam...This wasn't for me. It was for All Might..."

Wolfram: "I'll be sure to let him know that. Now hurry up--I need the head scientist on this to come with me."

sam: I. WORKED. ON. THIS. TOO!!

Izuku: *stunned...looking around* ("Metal quirk...Metal everywhere...One wrong move, and he'll kill Dr. Shield...What do I do...") *looks at his gauntlet* "..."

Wolfram: -_-; "You're seriously going to whine like this the entire trip, aren't you?" *sighs* *aims his gun at Sam's chest--and fires 3 times*

sam: !!! *stumbles, blood dripping from his mouth before he collapses*

David: "?!!! SAM!" *stares at Wolfram*

melissa: *shaking*

Izuku: "You bastard!" *throwing a punch* "DAKOTA SMAAAAA--"

*braces wrap around Izuku, covering his mouth and pulling his limbs back with a POP*

Izuku: *muffled scream, like he feels his shoulder pop*

melissa: *frozen in terror, tears falling*

Wolfram: *hurls David over his shoulder, picks up the suitcase* "You're out of your league, kid." *stares at Melissa* "..." *holsters his gun* "Not even worth it. Say 'bye' to your dad, girlie." *starts to walk away--*

melissa: no....please....

Wolfram: *imitating* " 'No, please.' Ha...Quirkless brat. What good are freaks like you?"

Izuku: *shaking in the braces...they are starting to snap as Full Cowl takes effect...*

melissa: *looks* !!! (is....is that...?)

Wolfram: "???" *turns--*

*the braces snap off, slamming into Wolfram but not David*

Wolfram: "???!"

Izuku: *not a word, as his fist slams into Wolfram's stomach...*

Wolfram: *coughs up blood...before he goes sailing into cabinets of inventions*

David: *goes flying up--before landing in Izuku's arms*

melissa: DAD!

David: "Melissa..."

Izuku: *pants...stares shocked* "..." *smiles* "Melissa! The polymer! It really--"

*An entire cabinet smashes Izuku in the face, knocking him down, and David with him*

melissa: !!!!!!

Wolfram: *standing up...marches forward, multiple metallic objects swirling around him* "..." *looks up* "..." *lifts a hand, squeezing it...the room starts shaking--before a hole rips in the ceiling*

David: *groans*

Wolfram: *picks up David...and the floor beneath them cracks and explodes up, letting Wolfram leap to the rooftop with his hostage*

Izuku: "!!!" *looking down, as the floor has cracked so much it's going to drop completely* "!!!" *his nose is bleeding...he leaps across the growing chasm towards Melissa*

melissa: !!!!!!!!!!!

Izuku: *catches Melissa...but he's already falling* "!!! Hold on!" ("I got to time this just right...") *he uses One for All to time his leaps across the debris until he can get back to the entrance of the vault--before the vault collapses behind them* "...Melissa...I'm going to get your dad back. And you need to get control of the security system!"

melissa: *shaking*

Izuku: "..." *gets down to her level* "Melissa...Please. You're the only one who knows how the security system here works. We can do this--we're going to save your dad. And if you can get into security, we can get All Might to help..."

melissa:....o...ok....

Izuku: "..." *nods* "I'll be right back." *looks up at the ceiling* "..." *cringes* "This is going to hurt..." *leaps--and smashes through 3 floors to the rooftop..."

-elsewhere-

mina: i think that's the security room.

Hagakure: "Yep--the monitors in there look very security-esque..." *looks inside* "Where is everyone?"

tsuyu: *looks around*

*there are video feeds all over, showing the students inside fighting Villains and robots*

tsuyu: !!! look!

Hagakure: "!!! Oh no...They're getting demolished out there!"

mina: what do we do??!!

Hagakure: "I don't know--this is beyond just a typing class! Why can't they put the kill switch as some big red button?!"

mina: i dont know!

Thug: "FREEZE!" *aims a gun at the trio*

mina: OH SHI-

tsuyu: !!!

Hagakure: *puts up her hands...as much of them as can be seen in her shirt* "...Hi. We're lost. Can you direct us to the ladies' room~?"

Thug: *click* "Against the wall."

mina: *gulp*

Hagakure: -_-; *looks around* "..." *manages to grab a coffee mug, tucks it into her pocket before moving to the wall* "We won't tell anyone!"

Thug: "I know...We're all going to sit here and relax until Boss gives the order to let you go..."

mina: cant we at least get a phone call?

tsuyu: we dont want our families to worry about us.

Thug: "Can't allow that. Besides, cell reception is still down, so what would you even say to them?"

mina: say, do you like movies?

Thug: "...I mean, I guess?"

Hagakure: *sneaks her hand back in her pocket...*

mina: oh cool! what kind of movies do you like?

Thug: "...I mean, the usual...I was hoping to see the new Space Wars prequel...Then boss pulled me into this."

mina: there's a NEW prequel? i havent heard that!

tsuyu: are you talking about the ghostly menace? because that one's been out for a while now.

Thug: "...Okay, I'm going to be real with you: boss over-works me so much, I haven't had a chance to go out to the movies in months."

mina: must be tough. say! if you let us go, we'll hook you up with some movie tickets, sound good, fam?

Thug: "R-Really? ...Let me see them."

tsuyu: our friend has them.

mina: totally! give 'em to 'im, toru-chan!

Hagakure: "...You really want them?"

Thug: "Yes! Give it to me!"

Hagakure: "..." *shrugs* "Okay!" *pulls something out of her pocket*

Thug: ^w^

*SLAM*

Thug: X__X *a broken mug over his head*

Hagakure: *pats her hands* "Well, that's that!"

mina: aaand he's out. let's try and figure this thing out.

Hagakure: "Ooooo! A microphone..."

security system: please enter the passcode.

mina: um...ravioli ravioli please free the hero-olies?

security: ACCESS DENIED.

*the door slams open*

Mei: "LADIES!" *holds up a USB stick* "LET'S RUN THROUGH ALL THE PASSCODE COMBINATIONS!"

mina: oh boy.

Hagakure: -3- "Yay..."

tsuyu: be careful...

Mei: "It's fine! What's the worst that can happen--" *plugs in the USB stick*

-BWEEEP BWEEEEP BWEEEEP-

-COME ON AND SLAM AND WELCOME TO THE JAM-

mina: *SCREAMING*

Mei: *head-banging*

tsuyu: Q~Q kerooo…

melissa: what is going on here?

Mei: "??? Hey! You finally got here!"

melissa: how did you-

mina: pizza delivery.

melissa: nevermind, now isnt the time for that, for now, we need to unlock the security system.

Mei: "You know the code?"

melissa: *typing it in*

Mei: OwO "Amazing."

-it worked!-

Mei: OwO "Amazing."

-it worked!-

-meanwhile-

Lackey 1: "So I said, 'Honey, the color does not work.'"

All Might: *straining under the constraints when--*

*CLICK*

All Might: "..." *loosens his arms* "..." ("I'm almost at my limit...But I can't rescue Dave until--")

X: leave this to us!

Lackey 1: "?!!" *calling into walkie talkie* "The constraints are loose! What's going on in secur--"

-WHACK-

Lackey 1: X_X

All Might: “THANK YOU! STAND BACK!" *leaps up through the ceiling*

-elsewhere-

Wolfram: *shoves David into the helicopter* "Tie him up."

grunt: got it, boss.

David: "This wasn't the deal! You can't--"

Wolfram: "Shut up. You made this. You knew you were told not to. And now...Now, you've unlocked the next advancement, the new evolution..."

*the helicopter lifts up...then something shakes it*

grunt 2: uhhh sir?

Wolfram: *looks out the window* "?! A cling-on!"

Izuku: *hanging on for dear life* "PUT THE HELICOPTER DOWN!"

grunt: *shooting*

Izuku: "!!!" *shoves his feet into the skids, hanging upside down* ("This needs to work...") *before lifting, grabbing the other skids, and tossing himself up and into the door of the helicopter--then slamming into the grunt*

grunt: OOF!

Izuku: "*grabs David* "Let's go--"

Wolfram: *slams a fist into Izuku's face, as he's wearing brass knuckles to increase the force, sending Izuku flying out of the helicopter...and down towards the ground*

Izuku: *barely conscious* "Wh-Wha...!!!" *looks down* ("OH GOD THE GROUND IS COMING AT ME!!!")

-a mattress appears below him-

Izuku: *soft landing* "UMPH! ..." ._. "Where did this--?"

momo: midoriya!

Izuku: "!!! Guys! Dr. Shield is in that 'copter!"

ochako: *jumps up with gravity*

Wolfram: "!!! Keep going! Get higher!"

ochako: oh no you dont!

Todoroki: "Ochaco!" *forms an ice path*

ochako: thanks! *sliding along it and jumps off with momentum*

Wolfram: "Higher--higher!"

ochako: *grabs on*

Wolfram: "?!" *aims the gun at her--*

ochako: *focusing*

grunt: uhhh, boss?

Wolfram: "?!!! What's that rattling..."

-PANG-

grunt: OH FUCK!!

ochako: release!

-the copter begins to plummet-

ochako: *grabs david and jumps, using gravity*

Wolfram: *trying to hold the copter's remains together with his metal quirk...then he spots the headband* "!!!"

David: *screaming*

Iida: "Get ready to retrieve the civilian."

momo: right!

*the helicopter crashes to the ground in a fire far away*

ochako: release!

Iida: "Easy, sir. You're safe now..."

David: *shudders*

melissa: DAD!

David: "M-Melissa..." *runs up to her...*

melissa: *hug*

David: *hugs* "I'm sorry...I got so wrapped up. They were right--this tech could be duplicated. But I'm so glad you're safe."

melissa:......

Izuku: *small smile* "We better get back to let the others know what happened."

David: "...I..." *nods* "Okay. I'll--"

*SPLURT*

David: *SCREAMS*

melissa: !!!!!

*metal rebar has pierced David's leg*

Mineta: Q___Q "Guys? Something big is coming out of the fiery helicopter mess..."

ochako: !!!

*a hulking mess of assembled parts marches through the fire...the flames just roll over him...he looks like a patchwork of different skins, muscles, metals...It's a hulking, almost mutant-looking version of Wolfram*

Izuku: "?!!! What happened to him?! H-His quirk was metal manipulation--wasn't it?!"

melissa: *looks* !!! the headgear!

Wolfram: *chuckles...it sounds like animalistic braying, his pupils rectangular in shape* "The achievements of modern technology..." *taps the headband*

momo: brace yourselves everyone!

*Wolfram's torso ripples...before it opens like a mouth, as a tongue-like appendage whips out of it towards David, wrapping around him*

David: "?!!!"

mina: WHAT THE FUCK?!?

*Wolfram's torso-tongue pulls David in, locking him in his chest cavity...his screams are heard...then muffled*

Wolfram: "Yes, Doc, calm down--we'll be home soon enough..." *prepares to leap away...*

kaminari: *SENDS AN ELECTRIC CHARGE AT HIM*

melissa: WAIT!

Wolfram: *holds out a metal fist, the electricity circling around his mitt...and quickening its speed...he sneers at Kaminari, aims...*

kaminari: !!!!!

Iida: "Kaminari!" *running* ("Damn--I'm too slow! I'm not going to make it!")

???: "DETROIT..."

kaminari: ??

All Might: *catches the electricity--and throws it back*

Wolfram: *absorbs the blow* "..." *sneers* "All Might...He'll be so happy."

All Might: "???"

ochako: ?!??!

All Might: "ENOUGH OF THIS, VILLAIN! WHERE'S DAVID?!!"

kaminari: the villain fucking vored him.

jirou: NOW ISNT THE TIME FOR JOKES, KAMINARI!

All Might: "...Young Midoriya...What is 'vore'?"

Izuku: >_<# "NOT NOW, SIR! THAT VILLAIN IS HOLDING DAVID INSIDE HIS CHEST CAVITY!"

All Might: "?! But he doesn't have a Quirk..."

Izuku: "He does! I mean, he has a magnetic quirk! But then he had all these other quirks when he put on Dr. Shield's Quirk amplification headset--"

All Might: "Quirk amplification what?"

Izuku: "--but the headset should only increase inherent Quirks, not _bestow_ Quirks! It's not like One--Er...It's not like anything I've ever seen!"

All Might: "..." ("Wait...Multiple quirks..The Nomu...Bestowing or taking away Quirks?!") "!!! STUDENTS! YOU ARE NOT TO BE HERE! GET BACK!"

momo: what's going on?!

Bakugo: "WITH ALL DUE RESPECT, SIR, FUCK THAT NOISE!" *charging up* "LET'S GET THIS BASTARD!"

*and then suddenly, the ground swallowed up Bakugo*

eijiro: KATSUKI!

Wolfram: *he's touching the ground, as it pulls dirt around the spot where Bakugo once stood*

All Might: "NO!" *rushes at Wolfram--*

Iida: "CHEST CAVITY, SIR! AIM FOR THE HEADBAND!"

All Might: "ROGER!" *skids to a stop, but his arm is pulled back, as his fist connects with Wolfram's head with a loud CRACK*

Bakugo: *under earth* *muffled yelling...you can see the sparks popping underneath...*

eijiro: hold on! we'll dig you out!

Izuku: *watching from afar* "Did he stop the villain..."

Wolfram: *head knocked back...then snaps his neck forward, headbutting All Might*

melissa: UNCLE MIGHT!

All Might: *goes sailing, crashing through a jutted wall*

Wolfram: "Oh, no, Number One Hero...HE'S NOT DONE WITH YOU!" *leaps after All Might, following him and wailing at him*

ochako: *throwing a piece of rubble* HEY! LEAVE HIM ALONE!

Wolfram: *the rubble hits him* "Hmph. I think we need to go somewhere more private..." *tosses All Might higher, resuming an air battle*

All Might: *getting pummeled*

mina: NOW WHAT DO WE DO?!

Wolfram: "You already know, don't you! What he did to me? He enhanced me! Gave me these beautiful powers, all so he could finally kill you, All Might! All for One gave it to me now!!!"

All Might: *struggling to get a hold of himself* "You...bastards...I'll end your evil...I'm rescuing David...AND YOU'RE GOING DOWN!" *wraps an arm around Wolfram's neck, slamming his fist repeatedly into his face*

Todoroki: "What if we encased both of them in ice?"

Iida: "Wouldn't that also harm All Might?"

Todoroki: "Look at him--he can handle it. ...Probably."

momo: maybe if i made...no-no that wont work...

Izuku: "What is it?"

momo: i considered a net gun, but im not sure how effective that would be.

Iida: "What kind of material would hold the villain..."

Izuku: *looks at the polymer* "If only you could duplicate this..."

melissa: could you?

momo: i'll need full details on how it would work...

Mei: "HEY, YOU GUYS!" *looking up* "IF MELISSA'S DAD IS INSIDE THE CHEST CAVITY...WHERE'S THE HEART?"

Izuku: "??? Hatsume, do you see--"

Mei: "ANSWER: IT'S STICKING OUT OF HIS BACK! AND IT'S SUPER GROSS!"

momo: !!! mei, do you still have your grappling hook?

Mei: "Is the large hadron collider capable of accelerating protons at 0.999999991 c? ...The answer is yes." *holds up the grappling hook*

mina: aim for the weak point!

Mei: *looks carefully...steadies her hand--* "WAIT! What if he falls? Who's going to catch him?"

Bakugo: *still underground, letting out a groan of fury*

tsuyu: i'll catch him.

Mei: "RIGHT! FIRE!!!" *shoots at the heart*

tsuyu: *running in*

Wolfram: "Say hello to your mentor in Hell!" *a blade shoots out of his wrist for All Might's throat--*

*BRIIIIIING*

Wolfram: *lets out a scream, as a pellet has struck through his heart*

All Might: *BROOKLYN STRIKE!* *his fist slams into Wolfram's face, causing the chest cavity to open up, David slipping out...*

tsuyu: *tongue out*

David: *unconscious...*

tsuyu: *mouth open* <he's still breathing>

momo: we need to get him out of here before he gets hurt even more.

Wolfram: *bleeding profusely, struggling to reach his back, screaming*

All Might: "I'm sorry...but this ends now..." *takes Wolfram by the face--and hurls him down into the debris...*

mina: *helping hold up david* this way sir.

David: *trying to follow*

All Might: *three-point landing* "..." *looks back* David...Melissa...You're safe now..."

momo: let's get him inside, then i'll make a stretcher.

Bakugo: *slams up out of the dirt, panting* "I COULDN'T BREATHE DOWN THERE!"

eijiro: you ok?

Bakugo: "I JUST SAID I COULDN'T BREATHE!"

Todoroki: "Yet you were screaming, so technically you were able to inhale--"

kaminari: is the villain-

Izuku: "..."

Iida: "Killing one is...not something we're all prepared for. But it was either him or--"

-rumble-

*the metal debris flies up into a giant ball*

Izuku: "?!!"

mina: come on doc, let's go!

David: *trying to follow--*

*an electrical cable circles around Mina's ankle, pulling her up*

mina: !!! *throws some acid on it*

jirou: !!! you son of a BITCH! *aims her earjacks*

*a vaguely human-shaped mass of metal appears, body-slamming Eijiro*

eijiro: GRK-

Bakugo: *blasting at metal golems* "Son of a crap!"

Iida: "!!!" *rushes for David and Melissa--*

*a giant metal hand emerges, reaching for Melissa and David*

melissa: !!! *trying to shield her father*

David: "!!! Melissa, no--"

*scooped up*

melissa: !!!

All Might: "NO!" *races* "TAKE MY HAND, NOW!" *reaches to them...*

melissa: *reaching out*

David: *pushes Melissa to All Might before the hand closes around him*

melissa: DAD!!

*the hand pulls into the earth--before a giant apparatus of metal and gears emerges, with the half-dead Wolfram in its center, clutching David*

kaminari: HOW IS HE NOT DEAD?!?!

Izuku: "...It's multiple quirks...I don't know how, but until every one of his quirks is broken, he's not going to die..."

Wolfram: *coughs up blood* "If I can't get this idiot back to him...I at least will go down in history as the man who killed All Might."

ochako: !!!! this is bad...

Todoroki: "I-Island metal like that in this building can withstand intense heat and cold...Even Kirishima's punches may not be enough...We have to keep any more metal from getting around him--Ochako, make it float away from him."

ochako: r-right! *touching as many metal pieces as she can*

All Might: "GIVE HIM BACK!" *rushes at Wolfram--only to freeze in place, as if he's lifted in the air*

melissa: !!!

All Might: "GRRK!" *pulled by telekinesis to Wolfram's face*

Wolfram: *smiles weakly* "What will it be like, to have your brain explode from the inside? Or perhaps...That old injury of yours needs a refresher--" *summons a beam--that he slams like a bat into All Might's side*

All Might: *SCREAMS*

Izuku: "!!!" *crouches--and leaps--*

melissa: !!!

Izuku: "I-ISLAND...SMASH!" *his fist collides with Wolfram's face, freeing All Might, as both he and Izuku fall*

ochako: DEKU!

melissa: !!!!!!!!!! (that's......)

Bakugo: "You nerd! He's not down yet! GET BACK UP AND FINISH HIM!"

Todoroki: "..."

izuku: all-might! are you ok?

All Might: *coughs...puts on a smile* "It's not enough for just one of us, young man. This is a job for two heroes. Can I ask you for your help?"

izuku: *nods* any time.

All Might: "Right! Keep up the speed--we're going to do something I've wanted to try for the longest..."

izuku: ?? and that is?

All Might: "Use the abilities you have, the ones you've earned, the ones you've developed, to run really really really fast! If this works, it'll speed us faster than just one person!"

izuku: o-ok.

All Might: "...We're doing this for David and Melissa...For I-Island..."

izuku: right.

All Might: "...One for All..."

izuku: ...double...

All Might: "DETROIT..."

All Might + Izuku: "SMASH!"

*they take off, streaks of green and gold along the ground*

ochako: COME ON!

eijiro: YOU CAN DO IT!

jirou: KICK HIS ASS!!

melissa: .... (this is.....)

Hagakure: "SAVE THE ISLAND!"

Bakugo: "DON'T SCREW THIS UP, DEKU!"

Wolfram: *roars, as he fires all metal he can at the two...*

tsuyu: YOU CAN DO IT!

Todoroki: *watching* "..."

Iida: "PICK UP THE PACE! YOU'RE ALMOST THERE!"

momo: GO ABOVE AND BEYOND!

mina: PLUS ULTRA!!

*a spire of metal heads right for All Might's head*

All Might: "!!!"

izuku: *PUNCHES IT AWAY*

All Might: "...THIS IS IT!" *readies his fist*

izuku: *does the same*

Wolfram: "THIS WON'T END IT! YOUR DAYS ARE NUMBERED, HERO!"

izuku: that's what YOU think!

All Might: "THE NEW GENERATION HAS ARRIVED TO PUT AN END TO YOUR SCOURGE, VILLAIN...Goodbye..."

izuku: HAAAAAAH!!!!

Wolfram: "NOOOO--"

*a shining light explodes out of Wolfram...everything seems to float in the air for the longest moment...*

melissa: *staring in awe and shock*

*all that is left in the sky are bits of metal and 3 shapes descending rapidly to the ground*

ochako: YAOMOMO!

momo: *making a platform to catch them*

*All Might lands first, slamming through the platform and into the ground, kicking up dust...*

melissa: UNCLE MIGHT!

David: *lands safely on the platform, unconscious, his leg bleeding*

melissa: DAD!!!

Izuku: *flailing his arms, screaming* "AAAAAAAAAAH--" *POOF* *lands face first into the cushion* "..." *muffled noise*

ochako: deku!

tsuyu: izuku!

David: *barely conscious* "Melissa..."

melissa: daddy?

Iida: "Momo, first aid..."

momo: right! *making some gauze*

David: "Melissa...I'm..."

All Might: *his time is running out...he coughs up blood*

melissa: !!! uncle might? are you ok??

mina:..........that........................THAT WAS TOTALLY EPIC!! DID YOU SEE THAT?! IT WAS LIKE ‘WHOOOM’ AND THEN IT WAS LIKE ‘PREOOOO’ AND THEN ‘BOOM WHAM BAM’! HOLY SHIT IT WAS LIKE SOMETHING OUT OF A SHONEN MANGA! *INHAAAAAALE*

Izuku: *gets up* "..." *looks around*

All Might: "D-Don't look...Please..."

melissa: uncle might, what's going on?

*the smoke clears, revealing an emaciated figure*

melissa: !!!!....uncle.....might?

Izuku: "Al-All Might!" *leaps down, running* "Melissa, don't--"

All Might: *coughs up blood, trying to get up* "...This...is looking pretty bad, huh?"

momo: *making the stretcher*

eijiro: ally-OOP! *hoists him onto the stretcher*

David: *passes out*

mina: *calling 911*

Todoroki: "Come--let's get him to the med room." *looks*

Iida: "MELISSA! IZUKU! DO YOU NEED ASSISTANCE!"

All Might: ._.;;;

David: *groans*

ochako: dont you worry, sir, you're in good hands now.

David: "Toshinori...Melissa...Where..."

ochako:.....who's toshinori?

Izuku: "W-We're fine! Just fine! Everything's fine! ...How are you?!"

Iida: "...Did you hit your head? ALL MIGHT, SIR! Are you--"

All Might: *waving at Izuku and Melissa*

melissa: he-he's fine! nothing to worry about here!

Iida: "Okay! We need to get the doctor to the hospital!"

ochako: kind of ironic.

jirou: he's not that kind of doctor.

ochako: i know, but i couldnt help myself to the joke. ^^;

jirou: -_-; ochako, you are really weird sometimes.

ochako: ehehe~ ^^;

Todoroki: "...Ha."

jirou: well, at least we're all ok.

Bakugo: -_-; *spits up more dirt*

Hagakure: *hugs Tsuyu* "Yay! We're not dead!"

Mineta: *holding the plunger* "We saved I-Island! COMMENCE WITH THE FAN-GIRLS!"

*a giant gear falls on Mineta*

jirou: and we didnt even use lisences........ohhhhhh aizawa's gonna kill us.

kaminari: hey, it's summer break, he's never gonna know.

-meanwhile-

Aizawa: *petting a cat* "...I don't know why, but I have the sudden feeling those kids did something stupid again."

-back on the island-

Todoroki: *shivers* "...Did anyone feel that?"

kaminari: NOPE!

-elsewhere-

Tool: *stroking an offline robot* "Whatever it is, it's over--they're at peace now."

agate:.....

Tool: *closes his eyes, holds his hands together* "...Be safe, you three. I'll bring you back."

agate: so....now what?

Tool: "...I think go back to our families. I've blown off enough steam."

agate:...right....

-elsewhere-

chie: *holding toru, silent*...........

I-Island Detective: "Anything else we can add to the description?" *looking at Chie and others*

chie:...........*lip trembling*

toru: baba?

Detective: "I know this is difficult. But this isn't enough to go on--some weird cyborg android thing?"

Hani: *practically fuming*

Kepuri: "Chie..."

remina: well, i drew some sketches. *holds up a notebook; the pictures are rather burton-esque*

Kepuri: ._.; "Kind of...um, Lewis Carroll meets loli?"

Detective: "Were the eyes really like that?"

remina: .///. .... >///< d-dont judge me! it's the only style i know how to draw! >n<

Detective: "I see...I can't say I have any idea where to find them--outer space is not in my jurisdiction--"

Hani: "YOU FOOL! THEN GET SOMEONE WHO CAN GO INTO SPACE! THIS IS I-ISLAND--FIND SOMEONE!"

remina: outer space? ._.;;;

Detective: "That was a sub-orbital starship, wasn't it? That's what our aerospace division said after examining the security footage."

prisha: well, that gives us a clue as to their location.

Kepuri: "Outer...space..." >~< "Why does Yohei get all the luck?!!!"

-elsewhere-

*outside is darkness, dotted with small spots of light...the Earth can be seen below*

mana: nngh....

Cloak: "You're awake." *looks like he's been repaired*

mana: what's going on? where am i?

Cloak: "Far away from home." *pulls up a chair, sits outside her cell* "We have plans for you and your friends."

mana: what's going on here? who are you?

Cloak: "We are Fear Factory. You and your friends destroyed it. But now that Fear Factory has been resurrected, our first mission in this new life is to snuff out yours."

mana: and who are you, individually?

Cloak: "..." *pulls back his cloak, revealing a face dotted with cybernetic attachments* " I was Luke Akiho."

mana: !!!!!!!

Shotaro: "HOLY MOLEY!" *in another cell, holding onto the bars like a monkey* "...Who's Luke Akiho?"

mana: showtaro! you're alright!

Shotaro: "Yep! I heal quickly thanks to--" *holds up an empty hand* "... ... ..." *looks around* "?! WHERE ARE MY BONES?!!!"

Luke: "We confiscated them, along with all the weapons your traitor held. Amongst other items..." *twirls Mana's cap on his finger*

mana: *glares*

Shotaro: "Jeez, mister, I don't know what Mana did to tick you off. Mana, did you rob him or date him or spit in his food or something?"

mana: where's yohei?

Luke: "...He's back at work."

-meanwhile-

Marie anette: helloooo mr nanami~ did you enjoy your naaaap~?

Yohei: *shirtless, strapped to a giant crucifix* "..."

Marie anette: not gonna answer? boooooriiiiing!

Yohei: "..." *his eyes look back and forth* *whispers something*

Marie anette: what was that? i couldnt hear you, speak up!

Yohei: *whispers still--* "--I."

Marie anette: ehhhh? *trying to listen*

*SPITS IN HER EYE*

Yohei: *smirks* "I needed to share that with you."

Marie anette: GYAH!! *glares, tears welling* WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAH!!!!!!!!! NAOKAAAAAA!!!! HE'S BEING A MEANIEEEE!!!

naoka: *wipes her eye*

marie anette: *sniffles* i-im gonna enjoy this! *presses a button*

Yohei: *his body convulses as a current is sent into his body*

marie anette: that's what happens to big dumb meanie heads! >XP

Yohei: *passes out, slumped against the crucifix*

-elsewhere-

Assi: *reading the news out of I-Island* "It's horrible..."

saki: *worried*

nea: they've really been captured?

Shinoda: "It's been difficult getting in touch with police. The news reports hints as such."

lin-kimpur: *calling emine*

*a raspy voice is heard*

lin-kimpur: EMINE?!

Emine: "..."

lin-kimpur: EMINE ARE YOU ALRIGHT?!

Emine: "...They took Shotaro."

lin-kimpur: i-im going to put you on speaker phone now, everyone else is here.

Emine: "...Oh."

setsuna: emine, are you alright?

nea: what's going on? setsuna said that showtaro, mana, and yohei were taken, is that true?

Emine: "...They took Shotaro."

setsuna: *covers her mouth, crying*

Emine: "...I'm sorry. I'm sorry..."

nea:.....do you know _who_ took them?

Emine: "...They kept insisting they were Fear Factory."

mono: i thought they went defunct?!

Shinoda: "Destroyed, actually. At least, the leadership was...Except...their president."

akaderu: i thought that bastard rodigy was their president?

Shinoda: "_Vice_ President."

mono: then who was their leader?

Shinoda: "From what I heard, Yohei crushed the President after sabotaging the Fear Robot."

mono: really?

Emine: "...'Crushed' isn't the same as 'killed.'"

mono: ._.

Shinoda: "Well, that answers one question. Too bad we don't have former associates...Except when Lin infiltrated...and Kepuri worked for them..."

Assi: "I worked for them!"

Shinoda: "...Who are you?"

Assi: D8<

Zuno: "Who are you?"

Assi: -_-; *pat pat*

nea:....is anyone else there with you?

Emine: "...The others are elsewhere. I don't care."

nea: well you _should_ care, because i have a plan to get them back, but we'll need all the help we can get.

Emine: "Then go call them. They aren't here."

akaderu: *calling up kepuri*

Kepuri: "Babe!"

akaderu: hey babe, emine just told us what happened. are you alright?

Kepuri: "Shaken...GET and WASHU got broken."

akaderu: seriously?

WASHU: >3< we're right here-shu!

akaderu:.....babe? what was that? ._.;

Kepuri: "Oh, I upgraded them with voice chips." *pets WASHU's head* "It's okay, sweetie."

akaderu: were mana and yohei taken too?

Kepuri: *nods* "Yeah. Those Fear Factory stormtroopers shoved them into a starship."

akaderu:.....what?

Kepuri: "Starship--it went into outer space."

akaderu:....they're in space?

nea: you got a location?

akaderu:...i think so-

nea: *takes the phone* kepuri, is anyone else there with you?

Kepuri: "Chie is...recuperating. Tool is out on the balcony, trying to...I couldn't follow--something about nature communion."

nea: well get them here because we're about to have a team meeting!

Kepuri: -_-; "GET, could you help Mama and ask Chie to come here?" ^^;

GET: yes ma'am-gege!

Shinoda: "...Well, congratulations, Akaderu: you're a father."

akaderu: =////= s-shut up.

-elsewhere-

*Class 1A have changed out of their damaged formal clothes, sitting in the hospital commissary*

Hagakure: "Well, it's not your fancy reception food, but hospital food is usually not bad."

Todoroki: *slurping noodles*

Bakugo: -_-# "My mouth still tastes like dirt."

Izuku: *picking at the broken remains of the polymer on his wrist* "..."

swashbuckle: there ye'are mei! ^^

Mei: "GRUNKLE!" *runs up to him* "OH MY EDISON, YOU SHOULD HAVE SEEN IT ALL!"

Iida: -______- "Oh, God, it's two of them..."

swashbuckle: yargh? these be yer friends?

Izuku: *covers his mouth, shaking like the precious fanboy he is*

Mei: "YEP! They're in the hero course! That's Kacchan, Fluffy--"

Bakugo: *snaps the hospital food tray in two*

melissa: *waiting outside david's room*

All Might: *in his weakened form* "..."

melissa:....i guess he told you, huh?

All Might: "...Melissa, I'm sorry. If I had been honest, maybe...maybe your father would've known and...This is my fault."

melissa:.....uncle might.....i need to ask you something....it's about izuku...

All Might: "Melissa, I--"

melissa: your quirk and his......they're one in the same....arent they?

All Might: "..." *sighs* "I never told your father because I was afraid if he understood the qualities of my quirk, it would put him, and you, at risk."

melissa: please i-......i just want to know the truth.

All Might: "..." *sits down* "..." *pats the seat next to him*

melissa: *sits down*

All Might: "...I was born without a quirk."

melissa: !!!!???

All Might: "Growing up, I saw what heroes could do--how they helped neighborhoods, cleaned up messes, saved people. But I also saw the wickedness of people with evil hearts. I wanted to be a hero...but back then, I didn't think you could do that without a quirk."

melissa:....

{rebecca: melissa, sweetie.....it's not your fault that you dont have a quirk...}

{young!melissa: ....}

{rebecca: you're still always going to be our special girl.}

All Might: "I just thought...if one person could make a difference...if one person could save just one life...Maybe what people need are role models...Symbols. Pillars of the community. Gosh, I looked up to her..."

melissa: ??

All Might: "...My predecessor. Nana Shimura."

melissa: *listening*

All Might: *small laugh* "I was pretty annoying back then--not like now where it's more boisterous." ^^; "I kept talking to her, trying to explain what the world needed...Heroes can't just _do_ something. They _are_ something. They stand for what is right. And sometimes, if you want to get the bullies of the world, the cowards, to back down...You got to show them how confident you are, with a smile." *forces a smile* "I asked her...to lend me her power."

melissa: so then her quirk....

All Might: *holds out his hand...a small glow appears on the palm* "Was passed onto me, like it was passed onto her...and her predecessor...and so on...and so on...One for All."

melissa: and izuku's quirk...is the same?

All Might: *nods* "I chose him to be the next Symbol of Justice."

melissa:.....i think you chose just the right one for the job.

All Might: "...Thank means a lot..."

melissa: *nods* *glances at david's door*......

All Might: "..." *pats her shoulder*

melissa: i know....he had good intentions....i just......im scared.....nothing's the same anymore.....i havent felt this helpless since mom died....

All Might: *hug* "Melissa, you're not alone. Your father is a good man. I will do whatever I can..."

melissa:...r-right.

-elsewhere-

giran: *on the phone* uh-huh....uh huh......i see.....i'll tell 'em. *hangs up* welp, wolfram's dead.

TV: *sighs* "What a waste...Still, more and more opponents for All Might bring us closer to the next step of his inevitable fall."

giran: and most of the others were arrested, but mizuiro and hino managed to escape thanks to kurogiri. and the teacher from that school said that mizuiro's kid's training is complete and is ready to graduate.

TV: "Hmm...I think it would be good to have a chat."

giran: shall i schedule the touching family reunion?

TV: "Proceed."

-elsewhere-

Phoenix Villain: -_-; *controlling one of her flamebird heads like a puppet* "So, what do you want to do now?" *imitating a voice for the flamebird head* "I DON'T KNOW. I'M NOT FEELING TOO WELL--I THINK I GOT A FEVER! CAW!"

liquid villain: *phone rings* yes? !!!!! really!? o-ok! i'll be there soon! *hangs up* hold on, namie, papa's going to be there soon.

himiko: hehehe~ they're silly.

Twice: "What a bunch of weirdos. LIKE YOU'RE ONE TO TALK!"

banshee: um, kurogiri? i think we have a situation. the puppet's acting stranger than usual...

shaula: he just started going bear-zerk.

mimeca: >n<

shaula: i saw the opportunity and took it.

PlushFix: "FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK FRICK!!!" *slamming his teddy bear fist on a phone--but it's not doing anything, because it's a soft teddy bear fist* "I'M GOING TO SMASH THIS THING!"

mimeca: D8>

PlushFix: "YO-YO IS IN TROUBLE! I KNOW THOSE SYMBOLS ON THAT GIANT SPACE JALOPY! NO ONE HURTS YO-YO--BUT ME!!!"

himiko: what's he talking aboooout~?

PlushFix: "I'm putting in my 2 weeks notice--I'M GOING ON VACATION!!!"

tomura: bye.

spinner: that was a quick answer. ._.

PlushFix: "Fuck you too, handy! Mist Man, see you soon! Lizard Stain, have a good one. Creepy blood girl--cut the sugar! Shaula, my bro--Smash is coming, we're doing online play, you hear me?! Kinuta--"

kinuta: yeah?

PlushFix: "..." *HUMP HUMP HUMP*

banshee: *sweatdrop*

mustard: ew. stop. no.

PlushFix: "SHUT THE FUCK UP, VIRGIN, OR I'LL CUT YOUR BALLS OFF AND FEED THEM TO THE DOG!"

Dabi: -_-# "This used to be a normal place...Comparatively normal."

Muscular: "Can we just get on with killing some heroes?"

magne: soon soon, dears.

Dabi: "Hmph. I'm getting tired of feeding that brat. Didn't we get enough blood out of her? Or did she use it all up already?"

magne: she's still hanging in there.

Dabi: "She better...I don't like it. She's too quiet."

-elsewhere-

Hani: *sitting with other Council members* "I do not think it is an understatement to say this is a disaster. Not only do we learn 2 of our leading scientists were attempting to steal prohibited technology, but we were attacked by not one but two separate villainous organizations. Tell me...How did this happen? Why didn't security catch this?"

council member: it's likely that the first group disabled security and the second took advantage of the situation.

council woman: i-island along with tartarus prison are some of the most secure places in the world. if villains can break in here, then....

Hani: *nods* "I find it hard to believe those thugs could operate a microwave...Could Shield have disabled _all_ security on his own? One building, yes. But those Fear Factory monsters..." *sniffles* "I'm sorry."

council man: this is concerning....

Council Member 4: "I recommend a more extensive investigation...including people who came here, like those UA students."

council member 5: do we continue with the expo as planned?

council man 2: well cancelling now would be a huge loss of funding.

Hani: "...I say we continue." *wipes her eyes* "We are a beacon of hope to the world. We cannot let it be extinguished by the feats of small-minded fools."

council member 6: and what do we do with the shields?

Council Member 4: "We can't let them keep that tech or spread knowledge of it, that's for certain."

council woman 2: i vote we suspend mr shield's research for a year, as for melissa, she had nothing to do with the crime itself other than helping to stop it.

Hani: "...I want to look over the tech personally--figure out how to disable it completely. And I'll speak with Melissa."

council man 3: well, most of the headgear was destroyed upon the villain's demise.

Hani: "Even the tiniest piece is a threat--imagine the damage someone could do it they figured out even one centimeter of it."

-elsewhere-

mina: hey guys! *waves*

kouda: *waves*

Tokoyami: "Greetings."

rikido: you will not beLIEVE the night we had.

jirou: same, honestly.

Sero: ._.; "Mina, what's with..."

mina: long story, my dude.

Sero: "...'Kay? Um, it looks like the expo is still suspended after all that, so not sure what we're doing."

ochako: *VIOLENT STOMACH GROWL*

Tokoyami: "...That's a monstrous hunger."

mina:.....you guys thinkin what im thinkin?

eijiro + mina: BREAKFAST BBQ!

Sero: "Barbecue? For breakfast?"

rikido: wouldnt have been the weirdest thing i've ever heard.

Tokoyami: "Hmm...Food is food."

kaminari: QuQ can i take a nap?

Iida: *sighs* "Trying to stop villains without licenses...What a bother."

tsuyu:..... .______.;;;;

Hagakure: "??? Tsu?"

-elsewhere-