Chapter Seventy Seven

"Oh yeah-!" Shiro chortles, "-now this is a party!" He belts while throwing a right hook, striking down one of the small-time villains who tried flocking into the crowd.

You flanked Shiro's right, while side stepping the six foot something man, he spun around pulling a five-inch blade from his black hoodie.

"Really?" You say, pulling your gun from its holster. "What do you think your toothpick there is gonna do?"

"Shut you up!" The man sneered, pointing the blade.

"Nah-!" Gray came up from behind the man, kicking out his legs. "-I've been trying for years, still hasn't worked." He used the butt of his gun to knock the man out, you watched him drop to the ground.

"Where the hell is your jacket?" Shiro frowned staring at you.

"I gave it to Eri." You replied.

"Why the hell would you do that!?" Gray snapped around.

"Because she's a fucking kid." You replied.

"A kid who is I assume hiding now and not in a fucking fight!" Shiro pointed, "You were told not to loan your jacket out like it's a fucking pencil after giving it to Invisible Ink." Shiro quickly removed his own jacket before tossing it to you.

"I'm don't need-" You caught it with ease.

"I don't wanna hear it-!" Shiro waved you off, ducking the swing of a woman. "-we aren't the ones with the shiny price tag on our heads, now shut up and put it on-!" Shiro turned after throwing the villain over his shoulder. "-and how the hell did this many villains get in without anyone fucking noticing!?" Shiro cursed, eyes darting around the sea of people, the villains used the civilians to blend in and use as cover.

"I have to find Renata-" Gray turned but Shiro grabbed his shoulder.

"What?" Shiro frowned, "No, we need to figure out what the hell is going on here."

"Why?" Gray questioned, "We are grounded, we can't do hero work."

"Well, it looks like the heroes are in need of some saving." Shiro replied.

"I know you want to find them." You added, "But there are people trained in rescue and recovery, and we aren't those people."

"We aren't-" Shiro agreed, "-normally we are the ones causing the explosions."

"The faster we eliminate the issue, the faster we can find our people." You reasoned with your brother.

"Oh-!" Shiro laughed, turning to you while blocking a blow to the skull. "-you have people to find and who might that be again?"

"Shut up." You glared over your shoulder, taking down two thugs who tried rushing you.

"I'll head north-" Shiro declares, "-Gray you go west and (y.n) you come with me."

"-the fuck?" You turned.

"Your still injured."

"Oh, fuck off-!"

"The faster we get done." Gray reminded; you shot him your signature annoyed expression but sighed.

"Fine-!" You called over the sounds of chaos, turning to Shiro "-move your ass!"

"You act like you weren't just in that little pow wow of ours too." Shiro teases as Gray and the two of you parted ways.

You ducked and waved through panicked people; amazing how fast common sense went right out the window.

"(y.n)-!"

You turned your head; you knew that voice.

"-(y.n) help-" You slowed your pace, not realizing Shiro was continuing on. "-they got me-!"

"Mina?" You shout, trying to get your voice over the crowd as your eyes frantically searched around. "Mina!?" You called again, spinning around trying to focus your hearing onto her voice.

"Five!" You jumped, a woman rushed up to you, gripping the front of Shiro's jacket. "Please, please help us!" She clung onto a child no older than six years old. "You have to help us, please!"

"Calm down." You say, trying to get her off the unwanted jacket.

"(y.n)-!" Mina's voice snaps your head to the side—she was close.

"Five-!" The woman had been pleading with you.

"It's going to be fine." You reply, wrapping your hands around her wrist. "You see that building over there?" You nod behind her at the candy shop with broken windows.

"Y-Yes."

"You and your kid need to go over there and hide until I send a hero, ok?"

"No-!" The woman tightens her grip, "-you can't leave us, please you have to protect us!"

"I can't stay with you-" You kept your face expressionless, unsure if you could trust your face without your mask present.

"Why not!?" The woman cut you off as her child began to cry.

"-because if I do, then who will help stop this?" You reasoned with the panicked mother, who only cared about her child's safety. The mother's frantic eyes flickered across your face, tasting what you had just said. "Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes." The woman slowly releases her grip on you.

"Alright-" You nod, "-I will cover you, go-" You nod, watching the woman hesitate only for a moment before taking off into a run, you watched until she crept through one of the shattered windows, glass crunched under the mothers' shoes.

"(y.n) please-!" Mina's voice muffled, as if someone was trying to prevent her from talking. Your body moved on its own, you found yourself running in the opposite direction as Shiro, searching out the pinkette.

Shiro did a double take over his shoulder, eyes instantly searched for you in the crowd.

"What the fuck Five!?" Shiro called, spotting the brightly marked number on your cargo pants. "This wasn't the plan!"

You caught a flash of soft pink being dragged behind a nearby building. You jumped over a toppled cart, the moment your feet hit the ground, your legs turned numb.

You furrowed your brows, realizing the scenery wasn't rushing by anymore. You glanced around, quickly finding it was you who wasn't moving. You looked at your boots, there bubbling and quickly crawling up your legs was an airy black smoke.

"(y.n)-!" Shiro sprinted after you, confused as to why you just halted. After a moment, your legs buckled, bringing you to your knees. "-damnit!" Shiro cursed, propelling himself on the toppled cart, instantly his lips parted with the sight before him.

You were completely engulfed inside a thick smoke, slowly being pulled downward, it appeared as if you were being dragged into the depths of hell before his very eyes.

"(y.n)-!?" Shiro's voice echoing above you and the feel of suffocating was the last thing you registered before it as lights out.

----

You were dropped onto weathered planks, inside a building standing on the outskirts of J-World. You rolled onto your side, coughing with faint traces of black smoke being evicted from your lungs. Your head was spinning as your lungs felt like they had been set on fire, you rapidly blinked trying to clear out the burning sensation—you didn't notice the two figures lurking in the shadows of the dimmed room.

Just then, a form landed with a thud beside you. Shiro let out a frustrated string of profanities. With each breath you drew in, your body felt like it was filling with more liquid magma, you were so engulfed by the noxious fumes of the black smoke the report of the gunshot reverberated inside the confines of your skull.

Shiro jerked upward, his gaze instantly locked onto the two figures, his eyes narrowed onto the one brandishing a sleek firearm, its ominous muzzle aimed in your direction.

Time seemed to slow as Shiro's protective instincts kicked in.

The gunshot echoed through the air, and a sharp crack cut through the tension. The bullet struck Shiro's shoulder, a jolt of searing pain raced through the limb, Shiro gritted his teeth, his muscles tensed as he absorbed the impact.

The force threw Shiro onto his back.

A scowl twisted the assailant's features, their displeasure evident. "I missed." One of them muttered, lowering the gun.

"It's not your fault-" The other replies, "-that little pest got in the way."

"Shiro?" You exhaled, the taste of the smoke still on your tongue, your gaze fixated on Shiro's motionless form lying before you, a surge of dread rendering you momentarily immobile.

"Promise me-" Kai's voice danced through your head. "-Shiro can't lose any more family."

After a cold moment, Shiro's eyelids fluttered with a strained groan escaping his lips. Relief washed over you and, in this moment, after hearing Kai's words, you realized.

Neither could you...

"I-I'm fine, I-I've had worse." Shiro grunted, downplaying his injury. "-hell-" He chuckled which quickly turned into a cough; blood sprayed from between his lips. "-you-you've had worse."

"Shiro..." Your gaze darted to his shoulder—heart instantly sank at the sight of his shirt soaked in bright red blood.

Instinctively you pressed your hands against the gushing wound, his pained protests were a distant concern you brushed aside, your mind racing for a solution which wouldn't end in Shiro leaving this drafty room in a body bag.

Your thoughts raced as you grappled with the gravity of the situation, the shoulder was hazardous place for a gunshot wound, housing the subclavian artery which fed the brachial artery—the very lifeline of the arm—alongside a complex network of vital nerves.

"Are they-" Shiro voice pulled your attention, his teeth-stained red. "-are they just watching?"

"Who?" Your eyebrows knitted in confusion, your focus snapping forward as you finally noticed the pair of figures standing by the opposite wall, masked in the room's shadows.

"Kinky fucks." Shiro coughed.

The duo were twins, their skin carrying a subtle gray hue, while their captivating eyes displayed an intriguing mismatch of colors. Snow-white hair cascaded down their backs, completing the ethereal image they presented.

"Who are you?" You called out as your hands-stained crimson from Shiro's blood as it trickled through your fingers.

"I'm surprised by you Five-" One twin remarked, taking a step closer, your brows furrowed as the pair emerged from the shadows, a sense of unease settled over you.

The twin's faces bore an eerie quality, stirring a disconcerting feeling of abnormality. Their facial features seemed to have subtly shifted, gathering to one side of their heads, creating an unsettling and otherworldly impression.

"What?" You blinked, having been ensnared by their appearance, causing you to miss their words.

"Shirakawa-" The left twin spoke, "-I'm sure the town's name rings a bell."

"Uh..." Your gaze flickered to Shiro then back to the twin. "...can't say it does?"

"Your team-" The right twin interjected, "-the Seven Bullets, was among those who responded when Shirakawa was engulfed in flames that fateful night."

"There were no survivors." The left twin added, their tone carrying an eerie synchrony.

A pained grunt escaped Shiro as he struggled to maintain his composure. "L-Let me guess-" He rasped, "-you're the ones responsible for the town's downfall?"

"They deserved it-" The twins retorted in conviction.

A bitter smile twisted Shiro's features as he fought through the pain. "You-You poor things-" He managed; voice laced with sarcasm. He turned his head slightly, forcing air to fill his lungs with strained effort. "-did you get b-bullied because your faces look like they can crack glass?"

You didn't hide the smirk from seeping across your face as your narrowed gaze fixated on the left twin, whose air of dominance was unmistakable. Their reaction to Shiro's mockery was evident, a mixture of offense and simmering anger brewing beneath their surface—the twin on the left turned to the door directly behind them.

"You dare mock us!?" The right twin hissed sharply; their irritation showed their thin skin.

"Calm down Pollux." The left twin intervened, his voice soothing as he turned towards Shiro and you, who was fully engrossed in your task of stemming Shiro's bleeding.

"But Castor-" The right twin known as 'Pollux' began to protest, only to have his brother's calming presence dissuade him. Castor took a deliberate step forward, causing your attention to snap back to them.

"You have no idea how those people treated us-" Castor explained, his voice tinged with bitterness. "-our own mother disowned us the moment we were born, simply because we didn't look like everyone else. The place which should have been our refuge turned its back on us-!"

"Oh God-!" Shiro's pained voice injected with a hint of sarcasm. "-not the tragic backstory-!" His chuckle caused blood to spackle on his cheek. "-please, let me bleed out first!"

Pollux's sneer deepened, his frustration with Shiro's dismissive attitude obvious. "Arrogant Bullets!" A scowl etched into his unnatural features.

"Brother." Castor turned, caressing his twin's cheek. "I hate seeing you so distraught-"

"And people say our relationship is weird." Shiro mumbled, you shot him an annoyed look.

"Stop talking." You mumbled, pulling the jacket off and balled it up, sliding it under Shiro's wounded shoulder to elevate the wound.

"Do you not find them a fitting addition to our collection?" Castor's inquiry redirected your attention to the twins. Your brows furrowed, a dawning realization sweeping over you—they weren't launching an attack; they were intentionally stalling, but for what?

"Well, this has been a riveting experience-!" Your voice drawing the twins' attention squarely onto you. "-but frankly I've had all the circus acts I can handle for one day, so why don't you two exit the stage already?"

"Excuse us?" Pollux scoffed, a hint of disdain coloring his voice.

"It's painfully obvious that your surprise shot was all you had up your sleeve, which was banking on me showing up alone." You retorted, exposing their strategy. "This is your chance to go before you really piss me off."

"No-" Castor countered; Pollux glanced at the door behind them. "-I think you'll find we've made a different decision. You're destined to become a prized addition to our collection."

"Do I look like a fucking mind reader-?" You shot back in frustration, arms growing weary from placing pressure on Shiro's shoulder. "-what the hell does that mean!?"

Castor's expression contorted as his fingers tentatively grazed the side of his right eye. Your gaze remained fixed, baffled by the twin' peculiar appearance—their eyes mirrored each other in an unnerving way, one a vibrant blue and the other a deep, endless black.

"We were born with a single eye in each of our outer sockets." Castor revealed, his voice softening as he withdrew his hand and met your gaze once more. "But our inner eye sockets lay vacant...prompting our pursuit to fill the void."

Shiro and you glanced at one another.

"You should feel honor-" Pollux announced as Castor turns to the door behind them. "-we don't let just anyone join our collection."

"You want a fucking thank you card?" You snapped, a surge of adrenaline pulsing through your veins, feeling your skin tingle as the rim of your eyes emits a glow, the symphony forest green lightning danced over your skin—you struggle to ignore your burning lungs and heated skin.

"Indeed." Castor nods, his voice holding an unsettling calmness as he pulled his twin to his side. "Your eyes Five, will undoubtedly make a splendid addition to our collection."

Lifting a bloodied hand, you directed it upwards in the direction of the twins. A surge of lightning emanated from your arm, flowing into the open air with electrifying intensity.

An immediate frown etched across your face, your lips parting in astonishment as you observed Castor physically draw Pollux into his embrace. Their features appeared to med together, forming a singular ordinary person—only the twin sets of obsidian eyes remained distinguished.

As those eyes swiftly opened, a vacuumed-like effect materialized.

You gripped Shiro, watching in awe as your lightning became ensnared within the twins' orbs, swallowed by their enigmatic depths.

"I'm aware I've lost a significant amount of blood-" Shiro swallowed, "-but did those freaks just devour your quirk with their creepy eyeballs?"

"Something like that." You breathed, bracing for the backlash.

"This is precisely why destiny chose us for this moment." The twins' distorted voices resonated as they began to separate, their forms distinct once more. "Your fire, ice, lightning...everything that constitutes you as a threat is now null and void."

"Huh." You nod, "Funny how you think as a Bullet I'm only able to rely on quirks." You swiftly drew your gun from its holster and leveled it, finger on the trigger. "I'm gonna go on a limb here and say you can't redirect the quirks you absorb, because you would have done that by now, right?"

A grin tugged at Castor's lips. "You truly personify the intellectual might of the Bullets, don't you Five?"

You hardened your gaze, the hammer of the gun audibly clicking into place. "I'm the whole damn package."

"Don't be naïve, Five-" Pollux retorts with a taunt expression, "-we're all aware you won't pull that trigger. After all, you're a hero, and heroes don't resort to killing."

A sardonic smile played on your lips as you held Pollux's gaze, your finger caressing the trigger of the gun with deliberate intent. The room seemed to hold its breath, suspended in a tense standoff between you and the twins.

"An eye or an eye." You recite adjusting your aim before squeezing the trigger.