I knew I wasn't gonna be able to pull off a job this big on my own. No, if anything I'll need all the backup I can get, plus an easier way inside.
And since I already told Shiggy my plans, he knew the calls I'd have to make, and the people he didn't like that I'd have to talk to. That's what ended me on a nearby rooftop in the middle of a more rural part of the main city.
It was fun to perch, lent up against the railing, hoodie and leather vest strapped, ripped jeans, skates, pads, mask, face in my phone and waiting for a reply from a certain spry budget cut Spiderman friend of mine. I've been staring at my inbox for what felt like hours. It was late into the night too, almost 10 pm.
"Look up Cerezo!" I hear suddenly from above me.
I tilt my head up and almost stumble back when me and Sero's noses are practically touching. He was perched upside-down from using his tape and the overhead streetlamp on top of the roof. I pushed him and sent him swinging away, only for him to cut the tape and stick the landing like a champ. He quickly fixed his hair and laughed off my surprise while I was still hyperventilating.
"What the fuck Hanta!?" I screamed, while he still caught his own breath from laughing so damn hard.
"Sorry! I couldn't help it! It was an old trick I learned and dammit the face you made was ridiculous!"
Oh how I wanted to punch him in the face so bad, but I had to resist despite it. I took my mask off, stuffing it in my bag and taking my hood off. Sero's expression quickly softened, and his laughing died out a little.
"... Those scratches on your face, Shigaraki?" he asked me.
I looked up at him, worried that he was thinking about the ways Tomura would want to hurt me for stepping outta line. And personally I think it's too early to call us a thing, but I'm not about to tell Hanta about the events of this morning. He doesn't have to know, I'm only here to talk business. But I couldn't be too guarded, he's my friend now.
"It's... A long story, he got mad and rightfully so. I forgave him and he swears it'll never happen again."
Sero's concern only grew, "That's not okay Chica, you should've put him in his place an-"
Before he could dare finish that sentence, the soul piercing glare I shot him got him to shut up real quick. Sure I wasn't happy about what Tomura did, but I wasn't about to stand there and let my friend diss my boss right in front of my face. My glare sent Sero to put his hands up and shut his mouth on the spot knowing what he said would only piss me off more and give him less of a chance at what I was about to offer.
We took our spot on the railing, Sero perched and slouched over while I simply stood behind the rails and rested my arms. A heavy sigh left my lungs as I breathed in the night air to calm my nerves. Sero's eyes met mine and so our little exchange began.
"I wouldn't have called you if I didn't need your help."
"Didn't have to tell me for me to know Cerezo, go ahead, I'm all ears."
It was good to hear he was ready to cooperate with me, I'm starting to like this kid more than I already did.
So, if you were curious, this is the plan. I'm finally gonna attempt my big break, my stunt, something that'll finally get my villain name on the streets. But in order to get a good broadcast point, I needed an easy way inside. This stunt would definitely get me the backup I'll need in the future, a loyal following. But right now, me on my own, I only got one good outlet and I follow the league's orders. For this job, I needed an insider, an impostor, and Sero's perfect for it.
His high school, UA, has a massive server room. And I'm pretty sure they're having some event to celebrate graduates tonight. And ever since the recent targettings their security has gone up, including some of those manipulative bastards using their own students as bodyguards. So chances are high Sero's gonna be some kind of guard too.
What I asked of him, is to take a computer chip I crafted, and plant it inside the UA server room before midnight. He thinks the broadcast I'll hack into the system from the chip will only affect his school, but I targeted UA's server room because it can set out a broadcast big enough to affect the entire city. That was my goal, to send a message out, but Sero doesn't know the broadcast is gonna get that big. And depending on his reaction to it all, will vary the result of his future.
I didn't want to manipulate the kid, but as much as I'm letting him think he has control, I'm the one pulling the strings here. And he couldn't be any wiser.
"All I ask is that you get in, plant Bug, then get out. And I promise I'll handle the rest."
Getting those last commands out felt like I was condemning the kid. But when I looked up and saw his corny smile again, I knew he was taking what I said seriously. Honestly, I didn't expect him to risk his hero reputation for me over this gig, but I was surprised when he agreed and wanted to help me. He explained how he wasn't part of the entertainment or tech team, how he'd be doing guard watch with a few other classmates, and how one of them would cover for him.
Since I had already hacked into the school's main systems and found the blueprints and layout of where the server rooms were located, all I had to do was map out a route for Sero to take, give him Bug and send him off.
"You got nothing to worry about Cerezo," he said, taking Bug from my hand and hiding it in his pocket, walking to the wall to get changed into his hero costume.
"Stealth is something I'm a natural at."
All of a sudden, his helmet was on and he vanished into the night like the Spiderman I needed and wanted. This was in his hands now, and as much as I hate to say it, I'm content putting my trust in a wannabe hero.
He's got this, at least I fucking hope he does.
{Time stamp: 11:34 pm, UA high, Sero's POV}
God damn I'm thirsty, welp, not a better time than now to sneak off and get a drink.
I've been perched on the banisters watching this ordeal from the ceiling for almost an hour now, and it's almost midnight. Might as well bounce now and get the job done, got the blueprint mapped out on my helmet's visor so it shouldn't take long to get to the server room and plant this little device Lyn-San called Bug. A cute name for a computer chip, she must like doing what she does if she has the time to give cute names to her gadgets.
Wait, no, gotta focus, look for a way out of here.
I scoped around and saw if I could find a good way out of here a safe getaway to the server room. This place is rigged shut so I need a favor from- Aha!
There he is, standing guard at the door, my knight in shining armor for this heist.
Tenya Iida, he was in suit and posted up by the door to the rest of the school. He and I are on steady ground, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if I asked for him to cover for me. Making my way over the beams I taped myself to the beam so I could swing down and slowly lower myself upside-down. I've perfected this method and got all the way down until I was suspended in the air right beside Iida without his awareness. Damn, he doesn't even know I'm there, Lyn-San would see this and finally know how good at stealth I am.
" 'Sup class Prez."
That made him jump easy, he may be tall and all serious but I'll tell you, he's easy to sneak up on and spook. He turned to me and chopped air out of frustration as he always did, embarrassed that I scared him so easy.
"Hanta Sero! What on Earth are you doing away from your post!? Are you merely here to poke fun at me out of boredom?!" he scolded me.
I gave him my amused eyeroll and half-assed smile before responding, "Relax Tenya, I need a favor. I'm gonna go get a drink of water from down the hall, I'm parched. I trust you'll watch and cover for me, won't be long, promise."
After a small pause of consideration, he put down his arm and pushed up his glasses, "Very well, I will step up my attentiveness for your absence, but don't delay. And I appreciate your honesty."
Good, now I got my alibi.
"Thanks, I'll be right back, you won't even know I'm gone."
Iida stepped to the side and I slashed the tape to cut it so I could land back on my feet. After I waved to him before walking out, I put my helmet on once I was out of sight and began using the blueprints in my visor to navigate the school hallways and find the server room. With luck, everybody is at the gym for that assembly and I'm scott free. Everything should be-
Fuck, wait, I hear footsteps.
I ducked behind the wall and peeked to see who was patrolling the hallways. There had to be at least one person keeping an eye on the outside, I should've at the very least considered that. If it's one of my classmates I'll be fine.
Oh gods no, it's Midnight Sensei, I'm screwed.
Dammit, I have to find a way around her, her back was turned and blueprints show the server room is down the hall she's in just to the right. She was the only thing standing in my way from getting this done and I had barely fifteen minutes to get through. And if I get too close to her I might pass out. I had to think.
I scattered further back and busted open one of the vent covers as quietly as I could, sneaking my way into the ducts and using the map to navigate my way to the server room.
At one point I had to hold my breath because the vents went right above where Midnight Sensei was, causing the fumes she creates to get into the ventilation. It was a steady tense crawl but eventually I made it to a cover that was right on top of the server room.
I busted it down, it hit the floor, I fell through. Bingo, I was right where I needed to be, and I could finally catch a breath of fresh air.
Sneaking through the server room, I reached into my suit and pulled out the Bug. I approached the main jack-in points of the servers and planted the chip. It seemed to wedge itself in and turn the entire ray of blinking lights into shades of orange and yellow. That was my cue to get out, I was done here.
But only to solidify my alibi, I needed to make conversation, make my cover seem legit. After making my way out of the server room, putting the grates back and finding my way back where I started, I walked back down that same hallway and caught teach's attention.
"Hey! Midnight Sensei!"
Her shoulders spiked a little and she turned around to look at me. Her smile emerged and her stance relaxed.
"Ah, Cellophane, glad to see I'm not the only one on hallway patrol tonight. How are you, young man?"
Good, she doesn't suspect a damn thing.
"I'm good, teach, but I'm only here to get a drink down the hall before going back to banister watch in the assembly. But it's good to see you, mind if you walk me?"
She agreed and I went to fetch a water bottle from the vending machine at the end of the hallway, small talk to the whole time, mostly about my personal improvements in the course and how I've gotten better at manipulating my quirk for maximum versatility. I got my bottle, bid to teach a farewell and went back to the gym. Fifteen minutes tops, barely two until the message Lyn-San mentioned goes up for broadcast.
I walked right back in and cracked the bottle open to take a well needed swig before noticing my alibi standing right beside me.
"So, what'd I miss?"
Tenya jumped again and stared daggers at me.
But that didn't last because the entire room went dark, sending everybody into a stilled panic, and all the screens in the room went fuzzed with static all around. Jeez, I knew Lyn-San said what she was doing was gonna be big but I didn't expect something THIS BIG.
Soon enough, the big screen lit up, it was a dark room illuminated by green light, and there was a dark outline of someone, but I knew it was Lyn-San as soon as I heard her voice. She began to speak.
"For years, hero society has been something we as the public have looked up to. A reliable source for help, a way for us to get justice. Well it's all a lie, because now, all heroes have become government sponsored instruments of unjustified violence! They say anyone can become a hero when in reality, they push away people with the right intentions at heart! Shunning people who don't fit their cookie cutter ideals! Turning their backs to a broken society that they in the first place destroyed!"
Oh my god, that's what she's going for... I'd understand if she told me what she was doing sooner. She wasn't done.
"People that don't have aesthetically pleasing or properly helpful quirks have been put down by hero society! So that's why I say fuck it all! People like us don't deserve to be put away because of who we are, and shunned away from doing the right thing because of how our powers are perceived. We are all unique, we all matter, but heroes want to ignore us! Heroes will say they'll help everyone, BUT THEY DIDN'T HELP ME! OR ANY OF US!"
I could hear the breaks in her voice, she was about to cry.
"... Dabi, the arsonist you all despise and know too well, was abused because he was being turned into a weapon, and neglected when he was proven pointless by his own family. Toga Himiko, a misunderstood schoolgirl who was shunned since her experimenting her new power made her look like a monster and nobody helped her! Tomura Shigaraki, once known as a young boy with a loving family, Tenko Shimura, his grandmother Nana Shimura couldn't give a damn about him! And look at what that's turned him into!"
Her voice was breaking. The lights turned on, I could see her properly now, it was Lyn-San, in full gear and mask.
"... And then there's me, Jade Lyn Tsūro, also known as the infamous Hacker, the underground strategist for the League of Villains. Orphaned at birth because I was unwanted by my original family. Abandoned because I was defective and useless. Well no one is useless anymore! I'm making a new home for people like us, a place where you don't have to hide anymore... If you're done hiding, because this society says you should, look for me... I promise to bring you home. Join the Reset, and change this Rotten Society for the better."
And then the message cut to display this banner, it said, 'Join the Reset: Streetkids'.
Must've been the name of this gang she's forming.
In the midst of the chaos forming in the room, I got a text and checked my phone. It was from my little Cerezo...
Oh my god.
The text was a photo of that same message being broadcasted across city screens all over town with a map to an alleyway attached.
With the text, 'Make like a Mariposa, and fly'.
I'm not too sure what she meant, but I never got out of that school so fast in my fucking life.
Looks like I'm on the run again.
Code: Bug
hjl/assets/gear-computer-chip/033/509/330/small/BUG-broadcast-computer-chip-BCC-matrix-10