Season 0 - Chapter 7 - Rippling Puddles

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3rd Pov

Neo sat indolently in the passenger seat of the car, cars whizzing by as Tsutsumi drives the car.

(Trying to expand my vocabulary more and found this word. I liked it, so I needed a reason to use it. I'm trying to read more to see more words, too (Mistborn, a book, is pretty good so far)

"Not a fan of the outdoors?" Her eyesbrows perched up.

She'd supposed that due to him being used to his room, it probably wasn't the most fun to be stripped away from it just to be forced into work labor.

"Just having troubles with my testing is all, lack of some certain resources."

Figures, getting enough blood and running enough tests to get it right could be difficult and annoying, but being stripped away from it when he just got access to new ones?

He felt like a writer stripped from their computer or paper and pen.

"What's our job anyway? All they said is that I'm getting let outside, to do field work no less, which is odd enough as is."

"As odd as it may be, it's not unprecedented. They've done this before. They're seeing how you react in your early stages to situations as well as get first-hand experiences. As far as people know, you're working for Goda, though only say so if you're being pestered. Letting anyone you know you're with the HPSC isn't a good thing. It's supposed to be a secret. " She seemed averse to letting others know about that, a sectets supposed to be kept hidden after all."

She taked a deep breath, stopping the car in a central area in Naruhata.

"We've got a lead as to where they could be, the Abegawa Tenchu Gang was recently taken out. They're an above average Yakuza gang at best, known for unique specilizations when it comes to combat, one even used a manhole cover as a disk. Most 'villains' in that area were either killed or captured, both methods from two different sources. We believe the killing source to be connected to the supplier, or someone close to the supplier as they were operating in similar jurisdictions."

The two hop out of the car, the lumniscent moonight reflecting off of a nearby sewage drain.

A puddle formed nearby it, on the verge of seeping into everything else, only a small kick threatening repture.

Buildings were scattered around, a residential area with tenement like buildings lining the walls.

"So what's so special about here?"

"A few of the old Instant Villains were killed or Re-Triggered, we believe that the supplier is tying up loose ends. Awhile back a couple boys were turned, they live around these parts and a tail was sent after them."

Reaching into the center console she pulls up a couple cards, storing them into her pocket before locking the car.

"Your Arm-Pad, check it."

Glancing down he notices

"That's our tails current location. Currently one of the three 'villains', or victims, is currently away from the other two. We'll be checking in on him, you lead the way for now," moving an object from one hand to the other, an eye piece is placed, similar to a Dragon Ball Z Scouter used by the Frieza Force.

The two trail off into the inner residential area, trecking through the egregiousluy dirty alley ways.

(Suppose I should say, I'm gonna avoid doing Purple Prose, Purple Prose being, to use fancy, overly poetic, or being 'too much' when wriring, deeming it 'skill' when it's just vanity)

It doesn't take to long to find the street their tail is on, the hooded figure: who noticed them approaching, waved them over.

(I think I used : right)

The three look into the streets, a blue haired boy standing along side an eyepatch wearing girl.

Soga Kugisaki, someone who took, or was forced to take, the trigger.

Being allowed to leave the hospital he'd seemed to be in contact with someone, seems like they found their possible assailant.

The two seemed to be talking about the recent Yakuza deaths, a man who'd been killing villains, now possibly hunting Soga and his friends.

"Like I said, I'll take on this killer myself", the diliquent boy grunted his hands in his pockets as his peeved eyes looked at her.

"Oh sure, I get it. You don't want to get your friends involved." She skipped ahead, a pep in her step as she spun around in front of him.

"I mean, it's good to know your so motivated, fighting to protect others is a pretty decent path to follow", she tilted her head, behind her a masked man stepping out into the middle of the street.

The masked invidiual wore a set of ninja-like combat gear, six folded blades attached to his chest, katana attached to his back, blades around his waist, and his hair in a ponytail.

"I'm done with this, drop your charade. I'll kill this one and move onto the next", his voice was aggressive, almost hateful, as he drew his sword, a menacing intent causing a shiver in the boys posture.

Glancing to his left, Neo notices Nagant's right arm slowly opening, several almost machine or robotic like markings covering her elbow.

"You know Soga~ If you die here, both Rapt and Moyuru will be goners~"

Opening a box, several vial like objects being offered, Trigger.

From in-between Soga's knuckles several blades appear, his hand going to slam down on the Trigger.

"Neo!"

Though he lacked reaction time, Neo was pre-prepared to use his quirk, the vials being ripped towards the shrouded trio, the briefcase they're resting in being handed off to their trail.

"Huh? We were being watched?"

Eyepatch looks at her palm, internallly annoyed that she just lost precious vials, but, you can't control everything.

"No matter", raising her hand several bees pierce through the air, an almost face splitting grin painting her face, "You'll just become data!"

Several bees pierce into Soga's skin, his body twisting, his veins wrigling like worms as his back starts cracking, spikes piercing through similar to a porcupine.

He'd quickly become angry, yells resounding and echoing through the streets and alleys.

Another wave of purple energy is sent out, a defensive barrier protecting the now duo, their third having left to secure the product.

Snapping her arm up, a bullet is quickly loaded and ready to fire.

Before she could fire, the sound of energy whirring near the floor takes some of her focus.

"The Crawler! I'm the man who just heard a heart-rendering cry- wait, huh? Mr. Stendhall? Soga?"

The Crawler, a male roughly nineteen to twenty, dressed in an All-Might hoodie.

The hoodie was almost pure black, a couple small decals symetrically laid across the front and back, a small 'chain' acting as the hoods strings, the hood itself was pure white.

The sleeves were similarly black, though s stark constraing yellow was wrapping from the end of the cuffs towards the middle forearm.

'That color scheme, it's based on All-Might current age no?'

Neo watched the Vigilant in his stupor, glancing between the two acquantinces.

Though he was a bit more trying imagine All-Might in his head, some of the time it went to the well known Toshinori Yagi, but that isn't All-Might.

Toshinori WAS All-Might, currently it was actually Nana Shimura, something he still had to wrap his head around.

His information of the world was so limtied but so expansive, he could only assume that the world he was in could be considered an 'AU' (Alternative Universe) or something had caused this change.

The boy snapped back to reality, blood spurting over the pavement as The Crawler pulled Soga away from Stendhall.

The two share words as they watch their attackers actions, though instead of attacking further, Stendhall jumps back, a bullet grazing his arm.

"Shit, drop your barrier, it's effecting the bullets trajectry", partially complying, Neo increases Gravity over what area he's already influenced, keeping the vials on the bugs intact, though the bee's are crushed.

As she reloads, she's forced to jump back off, a knife and bullet almost meeting as the two dodge each other.

Going for a swipe to the head, Stendhall is surprised when his blow is parried by the end of the snipers barrel.

"Nagant, the living rifle, to think you'd come out of retirement to fight me. You, too, will face the blood carved justice I'll stain onto this world. The false hero's corpses will act as stepping stones for my justice and reformation of our current hero society."

He attempts to slash her once again, though failing as she manages to reload and hip fire at him, once again grazing him.

'Why, why is she even here, what does a retired hero want- wait'

"Wait a second," still defending himself, he flicks a throwing knife into his hand, Nagant still wary, opts to listen in as it'd be difficult to dodge and reload.

"Why did you so happen to be here, right at this time, and the suitcase? Why did YOU want it. You're retired, no? Plus, you're waking around with a kid who has tech on him."

Stendhall looks like he's trying to put pieces together. His 'justice based instincts' were telling him something here was odd.

"An emergency call was made so I came, the boy wants to he a hero so he tagged along but was told to keep a safe distance, the suitcase was deemed important so I had the boy help. Plus, he's an aspiring engineer too, support gear creator, to be exact, so it's natural he has tech on him."

The answer was too fast for it to be claimed a lie. At least, most of it.

"Look at him, he's shivering on the spot, you brought a child to the front lines. That's not the Nagant that held the hands of children on the sidewalk, I don't buy it."

His words shook her internally, it was still in the back of her mind constantly to remember those kids, resembling them always made her think of the emotions that she felt when she pulled the trigger on the past Director.

Her eyes landed on Neo, who was almost vibrating.

He could move, but only because Stendhall had no intent to harm him.

"I-"

"You don't gotta buy nothing! Because I'm here!" I giant muscular man slams down towards the floor, the floor cracking underneath him as he slides in front of Soga and The Crawler.

The man was roughly six feet tall and had a bandana around his head, a pair of knuckle dusters in his hands, his figure was hulking, sort of like a mini-original All-Might.

Taking this moment, Nagant quickly loads her rifle, Stendhall moving to the side, causing Vigilante: Knuckleduster to be in between the two.

"Your name is Stendhall, yeah? Heard you've been looking out for my boy", he nudges towards The Crawler, who managed to patch up Soga, who was still transformed.

The Crawler and Stendhall, having had a momentary meet before that, ended well, leaving the two on friendly terms, at that time at least.

"Knuckleduster, the Naruhata Vigilante, you and I have no quarrel. We share a common goal."

"The same? Like hell we do, I'm a Badass Ally of Justice, and you're just some Mad Slasher"

Hearing his words, Stendhall seethed under his mask.

"You don't understand? What a shame."

"Nah, the real shame is you messing up your timing on that sneak attack. I saw right through your little stance and made distance between us immediately. 'One slash and one swing' is the over simplification, but you're defenseless. If I jump back, miss, if I dash forward, I get a free blow, but I'm a nice guy," taking out a small thin string he draws it across the air, falling to the floor and creating a line across the floor.

"You can cross that line, Option A. Or Option B, you take a step access and eat a Knuckle Sandwhich."

The two continue their stare down, no one in the area aware of what's happening in the background.

The puddle, like the one on the street has reached its capacity, the ripples of time and natural passage of fate have reached a point to where they can't be rung out any further.

First with Nana Shimura, next with Kaina Tsutsumi, third with the unnamed blood donor, and several others.

Each small droplets from the wings of the butterfly, the glass it's being dropped into ready to burst, only one drop required go shatter it, and a few here just barely, at a moments notice, willing to make a move they wouldn't normal make.

Who will cause that butterfly to flap its wings once again?

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Find our next time on Dragon Ball Z

Question of the Chapter: Favorite Side Hero in MHA, just no one mainline.

Questions About The Book

Currently Working On: L.S. Next Chapter and my personal Novels World Building for both DND and Writing the Novel when I'm better

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