Chapter 48: What You Started Part 3
"Whose idea was it to run from test site to test site? I'm exhausted."
Izuku yawns dramatically, draping himself over his desk. He is completely aware of the entire class giving him deadpan glares while they all wait for Aizawa to come and dismiss them for the day. He isn't the only one tired and ready to go home.
"Keep staring!" He conjures his notebook, and flips it open, holding it up for the class to see. "I got Hawks' autograph; nothing can ruin today."
"Shut the hell up, Deku."
"Awww, Kacchan, don't be jealous."
Groans sound from several members of the class when Bakugo's chair screeches against the floor, the blond whirling around in fury. "I'm not!-"
"Kacchan, I'm tired, can we fast forward?" Bakugo balks at the audacity of Izuku's question, the greenette giving him a weary look. "Here, I'll do it for you." There's a flash of green light as Izuku shapeshifts into the angry boy.
"I'm not jealous!" He yells in Bakugo's form. "I could never be jealous of you!"
Another flash and he's back as Izuku. "What about the time we were opening Hero trading card packs, and I pulled my starlight rare All Might card right before you did?! I saw the look on your face before you opened your pack!"
The flashes continue as Izuku shifts back and forth between him and Bakugo. "I wasn't jealous, ya damn nerd! I wanted to make sure you didn't bend it!"
Flash!
"Then why did you look so relieved when you opened your pack, and had one too!"
Flash!
"Because I knew at least mine would get properly taken care of!"
Flash!
"It is! I have it double-sleeved in a screwdown case!"
Flash!
"Ha! That's all?! What about UV protection? Waterproofing? Insurance?! Your card should be locked in a safe, and placed in a temperature-controlled environment!"
In one last flash, Izuku is back to himself. "There, do I need to go on?"
The air in the classroom is still as everyone stares. Not a sound is made. Bakugo looks too stunned to speak, all the color drained from his face. That is, until, in a rush of emotions, he lashes out, grabbing Izuku by the collar of his shirt, and pulling him up a little.
Lifting a hand behind him to stop others from getting up, Izuku eyes a furious Bakugo with boredom. The other teen pants a little, grinding his teeth together, until finally, "you better be taking care of that card."
"It's locked in a plastic grading slab, and in my pocket dimension."
Bakugo nods, dropping him, before falling back down into his chair, mumbling something that sounded like, "I'm too tired for this."
The door to the class mercifully opens then, revealing Aizawa for a moment, before someone runs past him. "MIDO!!" Izuku doesn't bother to try and stop the smile that forms on his face when Eri runs to him. He does, however, have to hold back a groan when she leaps at him.
"You were so cool! Recovery Girl let me watch your test with her! You were like vanish, but then haha stab, with a hi-yah!" Eri narrates while making fighting motions with her hands. "The big bird was kind of mean, but then-" she gasps.
Yaomomo stiffens when the little ball of energy bounds over to her. "You tried to burn the mean bird-man, thank you! You were so cool! Can you really make anything? Nomy clapped when you shot Ghosty with that big gun! And I loved all the fire you made!"
"I-uh, thank you, Eri." The heiress clears her throat, trying simultaneously to push away her awkwardness. "You like the fire?"
"I did! I love fire! It's bright and warm! Not like where I grew up, all dark and cold. After I told Mido that, he stole one of Mic's hair spray bottles, and gave me some matches so we could-"
A very quick hand from Izuku over the little girl's mouth silences her, the teen carrying her back to his desk. "She's uh, she's just excited."
"Doesn't fire hurt you?" Yaomomo raises an eyebrow.
Izuku sits back at his desk, getting a better hold of a squirming Eri, and not uncovering her mouth no matter how much she licks his hand. "It was worth it to see how happy it made her."
There are a couple of 'awwwws' around the room to the statement. Behind him, Denki and Ochako share a look before sighing together. Clearly, they still had a long way to go in the 'get Izuku to stop hurting himself for others' lesson plan.
"It hurt you?!!!" Eri screeches, freeing her mouth. "You never told me that!! You're in so much trouble, mister!"
"Eri…"
"No! You're in trouble!" she reiterates, shooting him her fiercest pout, which successfully cows the teen. Denki and Ochako smile. They had help.
"If you're all done…" Everyone straightens when Aizawa addresses them from the podium up front. "Yeah, congratulations, you all passed your practicals."
"And that means we all get to go to the training camp!" Mina cheers, sharing an air high-five with Toru and Denki.
"Oh no, you were all always going to go." The three students deflate a little. "But if you had failed, you would have been subject to extra lessons with Logan and me."
Their teacher ignores the collective sigh of relief from his class.
"Moving on. You are all to check your school email. On there, you will find a list of all the necessary supplies and materials that are required for the training camp. Make sure to double-check everything. If you are having trouble getting anything, let me or one of your teachers know as soon as possible. Understood?"
After a chorus of 'Yes, Sensei!' Aizawa checks his sheet again. "Furthermore. I understand that several, if not, most of you, will be attending the I-Expo as well, through your own personal invitations, or whatever other means."
He fixes them all with a stern glare. "Know this. Even while out on an island in the middle of the ocean, you are still students of UA and representatives of this school. I expect all of you, Midoriya, to remember this and, Midoriya, be on your absolute best, Midoriya, behavior. Am I clear, Midoriya?"
"Frankly, Sensei, I don't know what I could have possibly done to deserve being singled out."
Aizawa grunts, letting the snickers die down. "Careful of what you started, Problem Child. And that goes for all of you as well. Since the I-Expo takes place before your training camp, know that I am willing to place any of you in the extra lessons during the camp if you misbehave out there."
Izuku tickles Eri's sides, causing her to giggle. "It's like he doesn't trust me on an island where I'm allowed to use my powers all I want on unsuspecting people," he whispers to the horned girl, who shrugs in response.
A long sigh brings his attention back up front. "Dismissed."
"You get an invite to the I-Expo because you won the Sports Festival, right, Kaminari?"
Izuku looks to his cousin as he prepares to answer Tsu's question, bouncing Eri on his knee while she attempts to spin one of his knives on a single finger. He and the rest of his friends had stayed behind in the classroom after everyone else had left, plans pushed by Mina and Toru for the class to take a trip together to the mall tomorrow still fresh on their minds.
"That's right, two invites for the best in the class." Denki makes it a point to not so subtlety elbow Izuku an excessive amount of times. "Invites for first place. I guess I could take pity on second place, and ask him to come along, but that would be-"
"I actually have three invites." Denki's face drops at Izuku's look of victory. "I've talked about it in the past with my dad, and he surprised me with tickets this year. Don't ask how he got them," Izuku laughs a little, scratching the back of his head.
"Due to my family name, everyone in my household received an invitation as well," Iida chimes in.
"As do mine." Todoroki carefully keeps track of Eri's progress in his notebook, marking down how long the knife stays up each time.
"I actually have two invites from my connection with Stark Industries," Tenko calls over. He had his Nintendo Switch propped up on a desk for him and Tsu to play. "Since, you know, they're always there, and a hero student using their stuff looks good."
After another few seconds of button mashing, Tenko awkwardly clears his throat. "Since it looks like everyone else has their invite and we all know where Uraraka is gonna get one from," Izuku coughs, "I was- I was wondering, Tsu, if you wanted to use mine? Uh, I-Island looks like it's gonna be a fun open-world and- I mean, you don't gotta co-op with me if you don't want to, but just to get there, I could-"
"Yes, ribbit." Tenko chokes on air, his character dying on-screen as he tears his eyes away from the screen they were glued to, Tsu laughing gently. "Yes, I'd like to use your invite if you're offering. And no, I don't mind spending time with you there while we're there."
"Really?!" In his excitement, Tenko forgets himself and lowers a fifth finger down on his controller, decaying it. "Shit!"
"Language, Tenko!" Izuku shakes his head good-naturedly, checking on Eri, before conjuring a spare controller, and tossing it to his friend. "Why can't you just game with your gloves on?"
"It constricts my fingers!"
"You don't have to worry about bad words, Mido." Eri rubs Izuku's arm. "'Zawa says those words all the time!"
Izuku had never seen Iida so conflicted, his chopping sporadic as it looks like he wrestles between wanting to lecture their teacher about appropriate language in front of a child, versus knowing he can't actually say anything to Aizawa.
Tenko gulps, paring his new controller and looking back at Tsu. "Okay, I'd like to check out some of the attractions with you too."
"But you should know, I won't consider anything a date until you ask me properly. Ribbit, ribbit."
Izuku laughs at Tenko promptly going as red as the controller in his hands, before the boy tries to stutter out a response to an amused Tsu. Izuku slides in the chair next to Ochako meanwhile, keeping Eri with him.
"You look cute when you blush. It goes well with your hair, ribbit."
Another controller is decayed, and Tenko covers his face, yelling into his hands. "Girls aren't supposed to be so straightforward!!"
"Get used to it."
Another scream.
The rest of them laugh, Tenya getting up to lecture Tsu on what's appropriate on school grounds. Todoroki makes a note to ask Izuku why they're all laughing later.
"Is that what we were like?" Izuku asks Ochako, calming down a bit.
"Maybe." She smiles back at him, before looking down, going a little red. "You l-look pretty cute when you blush too…the red matches your green hair…" she covers her face as well. Eri keeps her from floating away, while looking extremely happy at the compliment her big brother just received.
Izuku covers his face too. "Thank you… I l-like when you turn red too…it makes your blush marks darken…" the new couple simultaneously groan into their hands.
"I know for a fact you two have made out at least twice." Denki leans back in his chair, cackling to himself. "How can you do that but not this?"
"That's different!"
"Talking is hard!"
He explodes in a fit of laughter when Izuku and Ochako whip their angry red faces at him. Once everyone is given a minute to relax once again, Izuku looks to Ochako. "So, Tenko kind of spoiled it, but would you like my invite to I-Island?"
"Was it expensive? I could-"
"No, no." Izuku raises his hands to stop her. "My dad was given them because he's the brother of a famous hero, and he gave them to me. Totally free, would you like to come? Could be our second date?"
"Yeah, I'd love that- wait, our second date?"
"S-sorry!" Izuku immediately panics, waving his arms in front of Ochako. "I mean, yes, the second. Because I was kind of hoping we could have our first tomorrow at the mall? But I shouldn't have assumed you'd just say yes like that! I don't know what I was thinking! That was-"
He stops when Ochako grabs his hands. "I'd love to. Go on both dates, I mean," she answers softly, smiling up at Izuku, whose face melts into a smile as well.
Sluuuuuuuuuurp
Both teens jump when they realize Todoroki is watching them intently, slurping loudly from a Josta soda Izuku had given him after the exam. "Is this a customary mating imitation in alien cultures? To schedule multiple dates ahead? I have to say, it's efficient. I like it."
"M-m-m-mating?!"
"Todoroki!!"
Denki continues to die behind them.
"Stop, stop!" Denki cries, wiping a tear from his eye. "Izuku being unintentionally smooth, and now Todoroki?! I can't breathe!"
"Am I interrupting?" The teens straighten when Tensei appears at the door to the classroom. "Hey, guys!" He waves. "Sorry, but time for me to take Tenya home."
"Ah." The younger Iida stands, putting his backpack on. "I assume that means the 1-B exams have concluded? I hope they went well."
"Most of them passed, so I'd say so," he laughs.
"That's wonderful to hear." Iida turns and bows to his friends. "I will see you all tomorrow then!" They all say their goodbyes, and no sooner are the two brothers gone than someone else is showing up.
"Dad?!"
Loki spreads his arms out in front of him, strolling in with his black suit. "Were you expecting someone else? Who else do you think turned my brother invisible as he plummeted through the country's atmosphere?"
Placing Eri gently in Ochako's arms, Izuku runs up and hugs his father, more than happy that he was physically there. "What are you doing here? Wait- does Nezu know you're here?"
"Yes, yes, my boy. I entered the school through proper channels this time."
"Oh, okay that's good. Oh, wait!" Izuku leads him back to the group, with Loki nodding at each of the teens, while the air around Todoroki drops a few degrees. "There's some people you have to meet! First, there's Tsu."
The god acknowledges her. "Izuku speaks highly of you."
"Ribbit!"
"And this is Eri."
Loki's grin spreads, the mischief god kneeling down to be more at level with the little girl. "So, you're Eri." She nods, only a little nervous as she moves closer to Izuku. "I don't believe a day has gone by where my son hasn't spoken of you."
"It's nice to meet you," Eri greets politely.
"No need to stand on ceremony with me," Loki laughs. "I've never been one for rules and procedures, you see. And I hear Izuku is teaching you similarly."
"Yes, I love his knives!"
"You do! Well, here!" In a flash, a dagger appears in Loki's hand, centimeters from Eri's cheek. "I'm a big fan too. Tell him to teach you some of these tricks." The dagger flips around the god's hands and fingers, the blade randomly reappearing right next to Eri's face every couple of seconds, only a centimeter or two from grazing her each time.
But instead of being scared, she laughs as Loki does his trick, ending it with the blade near her eye. He chuckles, vanishing it, and standing up. "Your influence is evident on her, Izuku. But come, I was hoping we could spend some time together tonight while I have a little time."
"Really?! Okay!" Izuku vanishes his bag, getting up as well. "I have to drop Eri back with Aizawa and talk to someone else really quick first."
"Very well, I will wait up front." He nods to the kids again. "It was lovely to see you all again." His gaze stops on Eri. "And a pleasure to meet you, young one. I'm sure you and I will be seeing plenty more of each other in the future."
"Your teams and forms out there were sloppy at best. There was some communication, but not nearly enough, and it's clear you have no fucking idea what it's like to fight villains when there are lives at stake."
Wolverine sighs, taking a deep breath, before looking back at the gathered class 1-B, still in their hero outfits having just gotten done with their practical exams.
"And that's alright." A few of the kids look stunned at his sudden turn. "The world's a fucked up place that has forced way too many kids, just like you, to have to grow up before they're ready. I've seen it. I've lived it."
He sucks on a cigar, not lighting it. Kendo had already regularly reminded him enough times he couldn't smoke while teaching. "Point is, remember that you're teenagers, not soldiers. You did your best today and it was enough. You still got a lot to learn, but there's nothing wrong with that."
His phone rings in his pocket and the old hero plucks it out, raising an eyebrow at the caller. "Anyway, not bad today." Wolverine looks back up at his class. "Dismissed." He answers the phone, and Setsuna feels all the tension in her body die down.
She can finally relax! Get home, sink down in a bath with a good- her eyes widen as the class makes their way through the hallway, seeing someone leaning against the wall, waiting.
"You wouldn't happen to be out here waiting for me, would ya?" Setsuna smirks, showing her teeth and leaning against the wall, hand on her hip.
"Heard your exams were done." Kaminari leans against the wall as well, not hiding it as his eyes look her up and down. "And no way was I gonna miss seeing you in your outfit."
"Oh, no." The green-haired girl covers her mouth in mock horror. "I didn't leave no room for imagination again, did I? Guess you'll just have to admire me. But," she says when Kaminari scoots a little closer, "be careful. I bite."
"Oooh, you telling me you're poisonous?"
Setsuna laughs, giving Kaminari a little pat on the arm. "It's alright, you're pretty to look at." At his confused look, she continues, "I'm the one doing the biting, so I'd be venomous."
"Oh, are you?"
"Come over here and find out, babe."
"Tokage, what are you up to this time?"
Setsuna quickly grabs Kaminari and pulls him over to her to face Kendo's flat stare. "Geez, can't a girl have a little private time with her boy toy?"
"She likes the electrical kind." Kaminari immediately follows up, giving Kendo a thumbs up, letting a little lightning travel up his fingertips. He and Setsuna glance at each other quickly, before breaking into more laughter.
"Oh god, there's two of them." The pair giggle more at Kendo's frustration. "Anyway, I'm sorry to get in the middle of…whatever this is, but I'm glad you're here, Kaminari. Do you know where Midoriya is? I've been meaning to speak to him."
"He said he had to talk to someone, why?"
"And you're sure you want to give this to me?"
Izuku snorts, holding out the I-Expo invite closer to the other teen's face. "Keep wording the question however you want, the answer is yes."
Shinso eyes him with suspicion, hand eeking out for the ticket, as if afraid Izuku would snatch it away any second, but the greenette is patient. A couple of more seconds pass, and the brainwasher takes the ticket, scrutinizing it. "Why?"
"Why not?" Izuku shrugs. "I know we haven't had much time to hang out because of our exams and your training. How's that been going by the way? Are you learning Gunhead's style?"
"Actually, no." Shinso scratches his cheek. "Turns out, he thinks Kung Fu would fit me better, so that's what I've been learning."
"That's so cool! We gotta fight when you're more comfortable!"
"No thanks."
"Well, either way, this is the perfect opportunity for us to hang out again before training camp! C'moooon!"
Shinso hums, looking from the ticket in his hand back up to Izuku. "Will Todoroki be there too? He's kinda got that loner vibe thing I can get behind."
"Absolutely!"
"Do I actually have a choice in this?"
"Absolutely not!"
Izuku laughs at Shinso's double take on his honesty. "Look, like I said before, I won't force you to do anything. I'll let you keep thinking of this as 'using me to get to the hero course,'" Izuku mimics Shinso, "but that doesn't mean I won't stop trying to be your friend."
The purple-haired boy mulls it over for a bit, looking at anywhere but Izuku. "I know Todoroki is fine with it, but what about the rest of your friends? They gonna be okay hanging out with someone like me?"
"They wouldn't be my friends if they weren't."
When Shinso still looks unsure, Izuku says, "We hang out with a guy who could decay any of us with a touch, do you think you're really that bad?"
"Wait, really?"
"Really, really."
"And none of you are worried about that?"
"It's literally never come up."
"…I guess there's a chance this might not be the worst thing in the world."
"That's the spirit!" Izuku pumps his fist. "And you gotta admit, pranking Endeavor was fun, right? Right?!"
Shinso crosses his arms. "I considered it more like getting back at an asshole that deserves it than fun."
"But it had to have put a smile on your face!" Izuku mock pleads. "Not even when he started screaming that he'd burn the building down to find his office?"
"…I'll give you that he had good coffee."
"YES! I got my foot in the door! Now I know there's a chance! I'll see you at the Expo! No returns! No refunds! No exchanges!" And before Shinso can object or try to give the ticket back, Izuku's gone in a green light, leaving the brainwasher alone.
Shinso shakes his head. "What have I gotten myself into?"
"We know that nothing we say can make up for it…"
"But we still humbly ask…"
"That you accept our apology!!"
Izuku is stunned silent. When Denki had texted him that Kendo wanted to talk, this was the last thing he had expected. Looking to his cousin for help, the blond looks even more lost than him, unsure what to make of the three 1-B students currently bowing to Izuku, while Kendo and Tokage watch from behind.
"I- what?"
Honenuki stands straight. "Listen, there's no excuse for what we did. It's just, we all kind of got caught up in Monoma's speeches…"
Tsuburaba lifts himself up as well. "Not to mention what Vlad King was telling us…"
Kaibara is the last to rise. "And finally, our general hatred for your class..."
"Something we've come to realize was not hatred, but jealousy. And the wrong thing to be jealous of in the first place," Honenuki picks up where the other boy left off. "Your class was attacked by villains, and any one of you could've died. That's not something we should want."
"Like he said, we don't expect you to forgive us."
"Not that you should honestly."
The three boys bow again, shouting in unison. "We apologize for attacking you during the Sports Festival!"
If Izuku's being honest, he feels a little bad. He's thought a lot about that day. About the lessons he's learned and whatnot. And while being targeted by the three boys in front of him and Monoma had helped drive the lesson home that he couldn't do everything on his own, Izuku had chosen to focus more on learning how to be a team player than thinking about the attack in general.
Maybe it's a symptom of having to run from Kacchan and his friends growing up? In a way, being attacked by a group of boys is oddly normal for him, as weird as it sounds. And boy, if that doesn't sound sad, even in his own head.
But it's clear that they hadn't forgotten about it. In fact, it looks like they had been thinking about it a lot more than Izuku had. And he can't help but feel a little bad about that, no matter how strange that might be.
He looks to Kendo, who helpfully explains. "They and Monoma were given weeks of detention, papers to write, mandated sessions with Hound Dog, and were forced to take an internship with a UA teacher."
"That was one of the biggest things," Kaibara adds. "Because we were basically forced to stay at UA; we weren't allowed to go out and help when the whole thing with Hosu happened."
"Having to sit there and watch our classmates and friends fight for their lives while we couldn't do anything…" Tsuburaba rubs his arm. "It's kind of when it all clicked and we realized just how stupid we were for feeling how we did to your class and believing a bunch of shit rumors about you."
"I can vouch for them on that. Ever since then, they've needed less…" Kendo grows her hand slightly. "Physical correction." The three boys wince, all rubbing the back of their necks at the same time. "But I felt they were more than ready to give you a real apology. If you're wondering why Monoma isn't here… he's not ready."
"Oh…wow." Izuku helpfully remembers to close his mouth. "Just wow. I wasn't expecting this, thank you. And you're all forgiven."
The three teens shake their heads in disbelief. "Wait, that's it?" Honenuki can't believe it.
"That's it."
"You're going to forgive us, just like that?"
"I am."
"Why?"
"I'm not upset about it anymore, and I can tell you all mean what you're saying. So, why drag it out?"
Kaibara looks at his two partners in crime, making sure they're all hearing the same thing. "I mean, it can't be that easy. We gotta do something to make it up to you!"
"You don't have to-"
"Please!"
Seeing as the other boys won't let it go, Izuku thinks about it for a moment. What could they do for him? He gets the answer so quick, it's like the idea just smacked him in the face.
Izuku looks back up at them, a dangerous smile finding its way on his face, causing the others to stand back in fear. "You know what? There is something you can do for me." He slowly raises his dagger…
"Can you soften any surface? Is there a size limit? Can you control how thick the softened material is? What about moving through it, can you do it? Does it require five fingers or just touch? How fast does it activate? Like, can you soften a knife before it cuts you?"
"Uhh…"
Izuku zips from Honenuki to Tsuburaba. "How strong are the air walls you can create? Can you make them stronger? Is there a weight limit for the platforms? Are they easy to move around? Have you thought about a support item that helps you breathe, feels like you'd run out of breath quickly with your quirk!"
"Well- I, um…"
It's Kaibara's turn. "Is it really any part that can become a drill? What if you spun your head around, would you get dizzy? Can you spin your legs fast enough to create lift? If you added metal appendages to yourself, could they be made to spin as well?"
"I-I- think? I…"
Kendo, Denki, and Tokage laugh as the triplet of 1-B boys face their 'punishment' of being subject to Izuku's endless quirk questions, his hand zipping across his notebook with any word they say.
"They had it coming." Kendo covers her mouth to stifle her laugh.
"It's hard to stop him once he gets started," Denki warns. "Once he's done with them, he'll probably come for you next."
"I can make my fists bigger. There's no way he could have questions about that."
"Wanna test that?"
"…No. Tokage, our work here's done. Let's go get changed."
"Before you go!" Denki stops Tokage, reaching out for her but stopping himself from actually touching her. "I actually came here to offer you one of my invites to the I-Expo. You know, if you wanted to come, hang out, whatever."
"I gotta say." Tokage grins, putting a finger to her cheek. "You're the first guy to ask me to an exotic island for a date."
"Pfff, I thought we were already dating."
"If we are, then why haven't you tried to kiss me? That's kinda lame, dude."
"Tokage." Kendo pinches the bridge of her nose. "This is painful. Please, for me, hurry up."
Denki snickers, holding out his invite to Tokage, who makes it a point to show how hard she's thinking about it. "I suppose I could sacrifice some of my valuable time to go to a private island to attend the I-Expo. It's a sacrifice, but I like your goofy grin so I'll tough it out."
The two laugh, Tokage taking the invite and starting to walk away with Kendo. Denki, being the gentleman that he is, does not point out how much her hips are swaying as she does and how he totally knows it's on purpose.
"And hey, my class is going to the mall tomorrow to shop if you wanted to go!"
"Text me the details!"
Yeah, tomorrow was getting better and better.
"Are- are you serious?"
Hirona whips her head back and forth between Nagant and Giran, looking for any trace of a practical joke. When neither crack, Nagant going so far as to give her an 'are you serious' look, the villain finds her voice again. "They really wanna meet me- I mean us?"
"Got it in one, kid." Giran takes a slow drag of his cigarette, while Kurogiri passes him an ashtray from across the bar. "In case you forgot, Hosu was kind of a big thing."
"How could I forget?" Hirona rolls her eyes, leaning against a barstool and accepting a soda from Nagant, who began making her own drink. "News wouldn't shut up about us, Nagant, or Stain for weeks.
"She even made a friend," Nagant very unhelpfully and needlessly pipes up, her drink preparation finished. No one misses the smirk tugging at her mouth.
"Shut. Up." Hirona hisses. "I'm doing the responsible thing and researching our enemies, that's all."
"That's a lot of research on one enemy if you ask me-"
"No one was asking you!"
Giran coughs, putting the attention back on him. "As I was saying, Hosu was big for everyone, including you." He looks directly at Hirona, taking a swig of his drink despite his cigarette still hanging from his mouth. "People started whispering after the USJ, but ever since Hosu? Forget about it. News is saying you were working with Stain, and, on top of that, you broke the legendary Lady Nagant out of Tartarus? People wanna meet who's responsible for all of that."
He takes a small drag this time. "Or should I say, potential recruits wanna meet who's responsible."
"Wow…I guess I never thought…" the young villain looks off in thought for a moment, before shaking her head. "When would we meet them?"
"I can let'em know to come here tomorrow if you wanted," Giran shrugs, blowing smoke out of his mouth.
Hirona hums. "What do you think?" she asks Nagant.
The former hero is silent for a few seconds as she mulls it over, pulling some hair out to form a bullet so she could twirl it between her fingers. Finally, her purple eyes lock onto Hirona, darting to the tv on the wall for a split-second before returning to her. "Might as well see if you like any of them."
"If you think so," Hirona replies, still sounding unsure, even as Giran pulls out his phone to start sending texts.
"Listen, kid. Think of it like this. They're coming because of you." Nagant points the bullet in her direction to emphasize her point. "Because you attacked UA at the USJ. Because you broke me out of prison. And because the news is stupid and wants to assume shit, but that's their fault."
Hirona snorts, and Nagant smiles quickly before finishing. "Point is, they're coming because of what you started. Don't forget that."
Feeling a little better, Hirona gives the older villain a determined nod. "Right. Tomorrow it is then."
"Problem?"
Logan sighs, hitting the end call on his phone and pocketing it, before turning to face Piotr. "I'm not sure."
"What happened?"
"A history museum in New York was robbed."
Colossus nods, rubbing his chin. "While the desecration of historical items is always sad, I am unclear what this has to do with us all the way out in Japan?"
"It's more about what was taken and who did it that's the problem." Logan takes his phone out again, scrolling through it.
"What did you want to do?"
"Get the rest of the X-Men around Japan on-call. We need to have a meeting. Bishop says he's already trying to get a hold of a few of them. Call Gwen, she's usually good at this stuff."
"I will but," Colossus hesitates. "What was stolen?"
"In other news today, a shocking story out of New York City, where it is being reported that the Steve Rogers History Museum was burglarized late last night. Authorities are still baffled about how the thieves managed to break in, but what has them more puzzled, is what was stolen. Just one item. The-"
"Wolfram."
Shutting off the TV, the villain glances behind him where his subordinate stands. The entrance to his office is lit up by the hallway light. "What is it, Dictator?"
The short villain rubs his hands together. "We have received payment. It is as we agreed with the scientist. Half now, and half when the job is complete."
Wolfram doesn't speak for so long, the silence begins to ring in their ears, becoming louder as time passes. As such, Dictator breaks through the deafening quiet. "Wolfram? Sir? Isn't that great news?"
"I suppose it would be if I cared about the money at all." The leader of the villain group uses his quirk to slide the metal case on his bed closer to him, beginning to enter the code. "You and the others are welcome to spoil yourselves, but I will celebrate once we take what they have made."
"I don't understand?" Dictator sounds genuinely confused. "The money doesn't matter? Aren't we just planning to sell their invention?"
Again, Wolfram is silent while he finishes opening the case, which opens with a hiss. "Why are you here, Dictator?"
"Sir?"
"Is this what you thought you'd be doing as a child?" Wolfram lifts the lid all the way up. "The same child who grew up being bullied for his size and discriminated against due to his 'villainous' quirk?"
Dictator's clenched jaw and squirming hands are the only signs of the rage swimming inside of him. "What does that have to do with this?"
"Everything!!" Dictator jumps at Wolfram's sudden yell but the villain leader quickly calms himself. "Apologies, but it has everything to do with it. Humanity has known about quirks for centuries but hate, discrimination, and prejudice are still allowed to exist against those with mutations or quirks that could be used poorly. The fact that a group like the Creature Rejection Clan still exists is more than enough proof."
Putting on a pair of black, padded gloves, Wolfram flexes his fingers. "No, we will not be selling what we get from I-Island. We will be using it. With my power, if what the scientist has told me is true, then it will be our puppet whose strings I pull. And with it, we can finally put an end to the discrimination in this world. Those with hate in their hearts will know to fear the brotherhood."
Carefully, as if he was holding a newborn baby, Wolfram lifts the object out of the case. His hands shake, as if knowing he's not worthy to even be in the same room as something so revered.
Wolfram inhales deeply, lifting the helmet that had once belonged to Magneto higher. "I will finish…what you started."
"David…David. David! DAVID!"
David Shield yelps, jumping up from the latest diagnostic report he had been reading, knocking several tools off his desk. "Sam!" The scientist yells, placing a hand over his rapidly beating heart. "When did you get here?"
"I've been trying to get your attention for a while," Sam chuckles, bending down to pick up a few of the tools that had been dropped as David does the same. "Melissa was wondering if she might be seeing her father for dinner tonight."
"She will, she will," David assures the man, placing the downed tools back in their correct boxes. "I have plenty of time. Besides, don't you have a meeting with the board to go to and delay?"
"That was five hours ago, David." Sam laughs while his friend sucks in a breath. "Your daughter sent me to shut you down for the night."
David looks around, trying to calculate how it was even remotely possible that time could pass by so quickly. Eventually, the father laughs a little to himself. "I suppose I've done enough tonight. Walk with me while I shut down, there's something I want to show you."
Standing up and stretching, the two friends make their way through their most secure lab. Though, if most saw it, they'd probably describe it as a warehouse with how large it was. Low lighting illuminated the numerous work benches, various tubes, and bits of machinery that traveled from one station to another.
Only David and Sam had access to the area. Well, technically the board members did too, but they just couldn't figure out what that darn glitch was that was denying their access. It sure is a mystery.
As the pair make their way across the room, Sam hears a noise coming from the side, finding the source to be a TV on a wall. "You and your need for movies while you work. What is it today?"
David chortles lightly, passing a pair of sealed containers holding red and black goo. "Pinocchio."
"Ah, I see now," Sam responds, looking closer at the screen. "And it's the cartoon from hundreds of years ago as well. Why not use any of the four live-action remakes Disney made, or the television show?"
"They don't have the same charm," David shrugs, stopping at a workbench to roll and tube up diagrams labeled 'Doc Ock Arms.' "Any change in the attendees?"
"Not necessarily. Stark Industries will be here as always. Rand, Oscorp, Detnerat, Pym Tech… the usual players, plus others."
"And what about our special invitations?" David walks over to the side, to a room that contains a half-built green suit, a hoverboard, and a vial labeled Goblin Formula , and closes the door, locking it. "Any answers?"
"The leader of Latveria gave us his usual loud, and resounding 'no' to his country's participation. Wakanda was polite with their decline at least." Sam sighs, the vial on a bench near him with the label 'Super Soldier Recreation. Attempt # 121' not helping his mood. "But the Vision did agree to speak at the event, so there's that."
"Wonderful! That always helps attendance, and will do wonders for our demonstration at the end." David hits a few buttons on the wall, shutting down displays of tech for Rhino, Whiplash, and Vulture, before locking the door to the room with a radioactive spider.
"Speaking of that…" Sam puts away the Gem of Cyttorak, standing back up to look his friend in the eye. "I've been very patient, David. I've helped you plenty with your secret project. Working on parts, and circuitry to the best of my abilities despite not knowing what it's going too. And now I've hired these fake villains to come to the island. I think it's time-"
"I completely agree." Sam jolts at David's interruption, not expecting that. "It's what I wanted to show you, it's something beautiful. C'mon." The two lock up the last of the workstations, before David leads Sam into a backroom with a lock pad that the assistant didn't know the code for.
The room is like the others, a mess. Desks and tech strewn about. The biggest difference is that, in the corner, a covered display sat. From outside, they can still hear the movie Pinocchio being played.
"Here, Sam." David takes a framed picture off of the desk. "What do you know about this man's work?"
Sam looks down at the picture. "Hank Pym? I feel like we know a lot. We have Pym Particles and several different Ant-Man suits in testing and storage. Why?"
"Heh, not exactly that work." David takes the picture back and puts it carefully back on the desk. "Do you remember what I told you about All Might?"
"That his strength has been draining at a consistent rate, and he'd be forced to retire soon," Sam answers almost robotically. "I remember. It's why we began work on the quirk amplification device, before you abandoned it for," he gestures to the rest of the room, "whatever this is."
David smiles sadly. "That's right. All Might is a pillar, and without him, what happens? Who keeps the peace? I thought the answer relied on boosting his quirk to give him more time, but then I stumbled across something. Something that would allow peace to be kept, and even better, allow Toshinori to rest as he deserves."
Rummaging through his messy desk, David flips a few switches, turning the lights up in the room. "It's what our demonstration will be about, Sam! The 'villains' will attack I-Island, only to be repelled by what we made. It's proof of concept without having to put anyone in real danger! The board would have no choice but to approve, and grant us more funding!"
The scientist calms himself down a bit. "And of course, the proper precautions will be taken. We've learned from the mistakes of those in the past. Our backup programs will have backups of their own. Think of it like…like…"
A song from Pinocchio begins to pick up volume outside. "I've got no strings!"
"Ah!" David snaps his fingers. "Think of it like strings on a puppet. Except, we'll have so many attached that even if one goes out, we will still have plenty of control."
"To hold me down!"
David hits a button, causing the curtain covering the display to fall.
"To make me fret, or make me frown!"
Sam's jaw drops. "What- what is that?"
"I had strings…"
David puts his hand on Sam's shoulder, shaking him a bit. "One step closer to peace!" He points at the picture frame, excited. "We're finishing what you started, Hank!"
"But now I'm free!"
"It's the dawn of a new age, my friend!" David grins brightly. "So, tell me, what do you know of the Ultron program?"
"There are no strings on me!"