N I C E
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Arcane picks up her phone and dials a number.
Arcane: "I need them in my office. Now."
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The scene opens to Flash Bang, Sketcher, Parapet, Haze, and Parapet entering Arcane's office.
Parapet: "We've been summoned?"
Arcane takes her view away from the window and faces the group.
Arcane: "Yes. And have you brought Fusion with you?"
Feroch: "He's on his way."
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The scene changes to Kuuga closing his copy of the book and placing it on the table with narrow eyes.
Kuuga: "In four months…"
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The scene changes back inside Arcane's office now with all of them reading the highlighted parts from a TV screen.
Flash Bang: "Over a hundred thousand of them?"
Sketcher: "That's too many for us!"
Haze: "If it's over a hundred thousand of them, then there's a possibility some heroes in the field are part of the army. There could be some inside this agency."
Parapet: "To mention it's not the precise number, there could be more than a hundred."
Feroch: "And all of us have four months to prepare. Even if we have the most-skilled fighters in the field, is man power enough?"
As they discuss, Arcane has her eyes closed, listening in.
Arcane: "We should not worry about us having traitors. All of us are clean."
Haze: "How can you know that, ma'am? Monitoring more than ten thousand heroes by yourself is nearly impossible."
Arcane: "I know, that's why we have the help from Ezume and Tomo."
Flash Bang: "The Aisakas? Can that weird couple be trusted to do a good job?"
As they speak, the husband and wife are seen inside a heavily guarded server farm and observing a huge screen, showing a live feed of the map of Japan, showing locations of all the heroes from the Arcane Agency. Another screen shows a live heartbeat of every member. Another screen shows a notification of an Arcane Agency hero's heartbeat flat-lining.
Ezume: "Another hero is down."
Tomo: "Let's look at the location."
Arcane: (narrating) "Yes. Aisaka technologies can observe all of our movements and health situations. Nothing gets past them. They may be weird and all, but they can be serious if they choose to be serious."
Haze: "That puts me a little at ease."
Arcane: "Don't doubt those two. They're one of the world's best minds."
A knock on the door stops their conversation. The door opens showing another cloaked hero.
Fusion: "I tried getting here as fast as I could. I saw your messages, I guess all of us are on the same page."
Arcane: "We are. I want to know what you think."
Fusion: "A hundred thousand is just absurd. We're no match for that. Even if we combine all the pro heroes that aren't siding with the Liberation army, I doubt it will be enough. This is not a simple villain versus heroes- This is a bloodbath in four months! We can't prepare in time!"
Arcane: "That is true… A bloodbath."
Fusion: "We can't afford to lose either. We're gonna be forced to take a stand."
Arcane: "That's why we need the youth to join us."
Flash Bang: "The what?"
Arcane: "The youth. Heroes in training. The Commission did ask to train Work Study students to prepare for this inevitable war."
Fusion slams his hands on the desk.
Fusion: "Making kids join?! Are we serious?"
Arcane: "Desperate times call for desperate measures. After all, this is what the kids are signing up for. Instead of regulated training in safe and controlled environments with almost realistic simulations. It will be the same, but instead: It's trial by fire."
Fusion does a deep sigh and slumps down his chair.
Fusion: "Kids are gonna have it tough, huh?"
Arcane: "No one has a choice. They're the next set of the most capable fighters after us. We're taking the lead in all of this. The hero status the others want to maintain will now be in trial in four months."
The whole group went silent for a moment before Flash Bang spoke up.
Flash Bang: "This is the reality you want to stop from happening, right?"
Arcane: "It is… Now it's coming… Brewing… Like a Raging Storm…"
Fusion: "So this is the question you always ask us."
The scene now focuses on Arcane's fierce purple eyes.
Arcane: "Now, I ask all of you in this room once again, like the past: Can you be a hero in that reality, or are you just all talk and mighty?"
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The scene changes to Endeavor approaching Kuuga and standing in front of him.
Endeavor: "Let's go. Don't forget why you're here."
Kuuga stares at him for a while before muttering to himself.
Kuuga: "Against my will."
He stands up from his seat and follows the Pro Hero out of the office,
Endeavor: (mentally) "The Work Study is insurance for our fighting strength. Goodness… I still don't agree with it, but for now…"
Kuuga walks ahead and stands beside Todoroki, Izuku, and Bakugo while Endeavor stands before them.
Endeavor: "Shoto, Deku, Bakugo, Kiriu, I'll be looking after you four."
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The scene changes back into Arcane's office with the meeting still ongoing.
Fusion: "If Hawks is being monitored by the enemy and he gave this place a visit, does that mean this building is compromised?"
Arcane: "This building has always been compromised from the start, just none of them have the guts to target us right now, knowing anyone who tries to attack will instantly be defeated, unless…"
Parapet: "Unless what?"
Arcane: "Unless they're desperate. The enemy is aware that if they defeat this agency, victory will be a guarantee to them. I hope you're aware that the efforts me and Hoshasei made for this agency made us technically the most important pillar in the Hero Society, that's why we have to be greedy."
Sketcher: "By pulling back a lot of our heroes and being stationed here to protect ourselves?"
Arcane: "The enemy will most likely try to pull off something against us, we have to take advantage of our information being confidential to the public. As of now, we know more about the enemy than they know about ours."
Feroch: "To keep it harder for them, we should try harder to keep our identities secret?"
Arcane: "Indeed, that is all for now. We should get the Work Study students here as soon as we can, they need to get ready when that day comes. The situation cannot go to the villain's favour."
A phone suddenly was heard vibrating and was coming from Fusion. He brings it out and instantly hides it.
Arcane: "What was that?"
Fusion: "Aisaka sent a message, we have another one of our scout heroes dead somewhere down South apparently. We'll look into it now."
Arcane: (nods) "Go now. All of you are dismissed, please fetch the students."
All of the heroes in the room nods and leaves the office except for Flash Bang, who stood by the door.
Flash Bang: "Mrs. Kiriu…"
Arcane: "What is it?"
Flash Bang: "Tell me, are you scared?"
Arcane's eyes widened for a moment before going back to her neutral expression.
Arcane: "Being scared is an understatement, I'm horrified, knowing we have no control on what's coming."
Arcane brings out a picture, showing a younger version of herself wearing a white-colored coat, hugging a man whose head is covered by the light coming from the sun.
Arcane: "I can't lose him, especially because he is happy with his relationship right now. But everyone must be treated equally, there should be no biases. That is an unfortunate rule we all have to live by in this agency."
As she speaks, Todoroki, Izuku, Bakugo, and Kuuga are seen walking side by side wearing their respective hero costumes.
Arcane: "Because this world will always be unfair no matter what you do, someone has to sink rock bottom while the other reaches for the stars. That is reality."
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The scene changes to the group standing inside a gym.
Endeavor: "I will train you four. But before that, Deku, Bakugo, Kiriu, tell me about yourselves. Tell me what you need to work on right now and what you can do."
Izuku was the first to speak, raising his left arm and holding it's wrist.
Izuku: "I want to be able to control my power and perform at my fullest."
Endeavor: "Your Quirk was a super strength so strong you hurt yourself… Right?"
Izuku: (nods) "Yes. I found a way to control it enough to not injure myself. But… Well, after all this time, um… There's like this secondary thing, um… it's started manifesting in a different way…"
Endeavor: "Show me."
Izuku raises his right hand and makes a hand shape, allowing a small amount of the black whip to come out.
Izuku: "If I concentrate and release just about as much as I can tolerate… This is the most I can handle right now. If the output wavers, it'll pour out and get out of control."
Endeavor: "What do you mean by performing at my fullest? What do you want to do with it?"
Izuku: "This is actually a power that's flexible, like a whip. I want to turn this from a risk into a weapon that I can use. Right now, I'm trying to see if I can control it the way I do Air Force- Oh, Air Force is a long distance attack using wind pressure, but it needs more output than my body could handle now. In my current state, if the amount I can tolerate without stressing my body is about ten to fifteen percent, then Air Force needs twenty percent. I'm a little over. At this rate, even if I don't injure myself, there's a painful grating, and it affects my movements. That's why I practised so I could release it in an instant and go back right away. If I could do this with the current Black Whip, then theoretically, I should be able to use it. But in the first place, I adjust my power output as I move, so adding another factor to that is hard to jiggle in my head. I've been training so hard so that I can do it all at the same time, but it hasn't been going that well…
Burnin: "It's so long that I don't know what he's talking about!"
Todoroki: "Analysing yourself, huh?"
Bakugo: "Shut up!"
Kuuga: "Apparently, it's rich with information, Bakugo."
Bakugo: "You shut up as well!"
Endeavor: "So, you're saying that you want to constantly be able to adjust back and forth when you're fighting?"
Izuku: "Yes!"
Burnin: "You understood him?! You're not number one for nothing!"
Kuuga: "You would understand it if you listen thoroughly…"
Endeavor: "You've had trouble with your Quirk, I see. You were one of us, too, huh?"
Endeavor looks at Bakugo.
Endeavor: "Next, what about you?"
Bakugo: "I want to know what I can't do. That's what I came here to find out."
Burnin starts laughing.
Burnin: "So cheeky!"
Bakugo: "Shut up! Why are you even here, anyway?!"
Burnin: "I'm on standby right now!"
Bakugo: "I meant what I said, damn it."
Bakugo looks at his hand.
Bakugo: "With my Explosion, I've been able to do everything I wanted. Even if I only have one Quirk, I can become the strongest. And I also learned that just being strong isn't enough to make someone truly strong. I came to find what I still need in order to surpass the number one hero."
Endeavor: "This kid's…"
Endeavor pauses for a moment before looking at Kuuga.
Endeavor: "You?"
Kuuga's eyes dilated as his face darkens.
Kuuga: "Help me find the true value of Zero."
Izuku: "Huh?"
Endeavor: (mentally) "True value?"
Kuuga: "Guide it to find its true value. Currently. It is lost, not knowing what it is."
Endeavor: (mentally) "True value…"
Endeavor's eyes widen as a flashback shows Endeavor and Arcane sitting across from each other in a restaurant, each of them holding the papers related to the work study.
Endeavor: "So you promise to take care of these two?"
Arcane: (nods) "As I see fit, we have no reason to decline Silhouette's greedy desire, or whatever it is. But I will only agree on one condition."
Endeavor: "What is it?"
Arcane: "Help Zero find his true value, guide him so he can see his true purpose of being a hero. What other reason for pursuing to become one other than holding a grudge against me."
Endeavor: "I don't understand what you mean."
Arcane places the papers down and crosses her arms.
Arcane: "The kid is lost, and as his mother, I have failed, and it cost me our bond. A broken family that is more broken now. Because of my desire to have one of the most important pillars in this society, to keep the reality from their very eyes. With that, I have failed the only family I have. While he is under your care, I ask you to help him find his value. He is strong on the outside, but he is a glass cannon that will go off anytime. We don't want Kuuga losing his mind now, because he's close to it, too close for comfort. He doesn't know, his friends don't know, but his mindset in battle and body language screams it. Promise me this, Endeavor, I'm handing you a fragile one. You agreed to take him in, now take on the responsibility with it. I'm dead serious, if anything happens to him..."
Endeavor: "...The consequences will be a nightmare. I know. Your agency will do everything to make my life harder as it is."
Arcane giggled but it suddenly disappeared as she shot him a glare.
Arcane: "Good thing you understand."
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The flashback ends with Endeavor snapping back to reality.
Endeavor: (mentally) "A dangerous package, huh?"
Endeavor starts walking towards a door.
Endeavor: "Very well, then let's-"
Todoroki: "Can I go, too?"
Endeavor: "You're here to learn Flashfire, aren't you?"
Todoroki: "I've put into practice the training you drilled into me since I was a kid on my right side."
Kuuga: (mentally) "Since a kid, huh?"
Todoroki: "Looking back, my head was filled with pointless hatred toward you. After entering U.A. and spending time with these guys, competing, my eyes were opened. Endeavor, in the end, I'm doing what you wanted. But remember, The one I admired was the person on TV I watched with Mom. I came here as a fledgling hero, in order to become someone worthy of being a hero, of my own free will. I came here to use you. Sorry, I'm only here because it's convenient, Number One. Don't put on the parent act in front of my friends."
Kuuga approaches Todoroki and places a hand over his shoulder.
Kuuga: "I think that's enough, let's not make this atmosphere more tense."
Todoroki: "Right… Sorry."
The whole room goes silent until Endeavor continues on his way.
Endeavor: "Right, very well. From now on, I will look at you four as heroes."
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The scene changes to the group patrolling the city.
Endeavor: "Rescue, evacuation, and fighting. These are the three basic categories of what heroes are asked to do. Normally, heroes focus on either rescue or fighting in their agencies, but my policy is to do all three. But some agencies like the Arcane Agency have the policy to do more than those three. Aside from that, I know every corner of the city under my jurisdiction and don't let even the smallest abnormality go unnoticed. If there's an incident or accident, then I rush to the scene faster than anyone, and in order to keep casualties down, if there are bystanders, I keep them back with my fire. The most basic of basics. Parallel processing and swift response. Make that the norm."
Kuuga: (mentally) "Swift response."
Endeavor: "It's a matter of what you accumulate. At U.A., It's hard work. And here, it's experience. Build up a mountain of that. The things all four of you need to work on can be conquered by experience. This winter, show me that you can capture a villain faster than me just once!"
A small beeping noise was heard when suddenly Endeavor blasts off away from the group. Bakugo was the first to respond by blasting off after the Pro Hero.
Bakugo: "Wait up!"
Todoroki is seen sliding on the ground using his eyes with black mist on his waist. Kuuga is seen holding on to the mist he made and slides around with Todoroki.
Todoroki: "He responds fast."
Kuuga: "Let me hitch a ride, keeping up with this speed is my weakness."
Todoroki: "Okay."
Izuku follows them, jumping from one lamp post to another.
As the Work Study students followed after Endeavor, he suddenly took a sharp left without the loss in velocity, shocking the four.
Izuku: "He didn't stop accelerating…"
Todoroki: "...When he turned?!"
Kuuga: "Tch! Let's go!"
The four of them took the same turn the Pro Hero took and saw the scene in front of them with Endeavor and two of his sidekicks arresting the criminal.
Endeavor: "You were a step late, huh?"
Bakugo: "It takes me longer to get warmed up in the winter."
Todoroki: "Bakugo, Zero, did you notice?"
Kuuga: (nods) "Yeah."
Bakugo: "There's nothing you could realise that I couldn't! Anyway, just spit it out!"
Sidekick 1: "S-So petty…"
Todoroki: "He used flames to propel himself whenever he sped up. The Jetburn he used in Kyushu with the Nomu… he probably compressed that and made it into a propulsion."
Kuuga: "My Quirk isn't really suited for insane maneuvers, but knowing I could do some sort of pulse, I can act in a similar manner, but not at that speed."
Bakugo: "He's copying my Explosion. Anyway, you just noticed that just now?"
Todoroki: "Yeah. I took the long way."
Endeavor: "Let me just say one more thing. There's a big street that way."
Izuku: "I see! By emitting flames to intimidate the suspect, he narrowed down the path the suspect could take to escape!"
Endeavor suddenly blasts off again, leaving everyone behind.
Sidekick 2: "Go on. Leave this to us! It's rare for that guy to teach anyone other than Shoto anything. We'll catch up later!"
Todoroki looks at Kuuga.
Todoroki: "You still need a lift?"
He shakes his head.
Kuuga: "No more. Let me try something new. But give me a boost."
Todoroki: "Okay."
Todoroki grabs Kuuga's hands and begins sliding with him, the half-and-half creates momentum and throws Kuuga forward while using his flames to move faster.
Kuuga: "Thanks."
Kuuga looks down on the ground and forms a slide-ramp out of black mist. He lands on it and slides out of it, going faster. He then formed some platforms for him to skip on while in the air.
Kuuga: (mentally) "An old trick enhanced. This could work."
The four managed to catch up with the Pro Hero while continuing their movement.
Izuku: "You're not going to work with your sidekicks?"
Endeavor: "At Kyushu, Hawks, Arcane, and I split the work, but normally, heroes need to be able to do everything by themselves. That's wisdom from the Number Sixteen, herself. By the way, I also noticed the villain's underlings earlier."
Bakugo: "So petty."
Izuku: "Kacchan…!"
Endeavor: "Bakugo. You said you wanted to know what you couldn't do, right? It's true that your movements are fast. You're pretty good. For a rookie, anyway. But right now, you just saw that you couldn't beat me."
Bakugo: "In the winter, I need to prep-"
Endeavor: "Are you going to make the same excuse when you don't make it in time?!"
The four landed in the middle of the street in style.
Endeavor: "This isn't a class. If you don't make it in time, what you'll lose isn't points for a grade."
They all look in surprise to see Endeavor standing in front of a damaged delivery truck, saving a woman from a collision.
Endeavor: "It's a person's life."
Kuuga: "He has a point… No excuses in the field."
Izuku starts running towards the woman.
Izuku: "A-Are you all right?"
Woman: "Y-Yes."
Endeavor: "Shoto, Bakugo. The two of you have the same homework."
Bakugo: "Why am I always with this guy?!"
Todoroki: "It's related to learning Flashfire, right?"
Endeavor: "Store it up and fire, Condense your power. Be able to release your maximum output in an instant, and focus your power precisely. First, keep repeating this until you can do one of those things without thinking."
Izuku: "Kacchan, it's like your Armor-Piercing Shot!"
Bakugo: "Why do you know what, Bastard?! Seriously, stay away from me!"
Endeavor: "Shoto, you're partway there with both. First, practice precision. You're able to control the shape of your ice to a certain extent, right? Try doing the same with your Flames."
Todoroki raises his left hand and looks at it.
Endeavor: "And Zero."
Kuuga acknowledges his name.
Endeavor: "You said you want me to help you find the true value of Zero?"
Kuuga: "Yes."
Endeavor: "Then use the time you have with me to find it. Only you can know its value."
Kuuga slightly narrows his eyes and nods.
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The scene changes to the five on the rooftop, having a snack.
Endeavor: "Deku, you can draw up your power in an instant, right?"
Izuku: "Yes."
Endeavor: "Can you even do it without thinking?"
Izuku: "I can with Full Cowling. I still need to think when I'm using Air Force, though…"
Endeavor: "Then practice until you can use that Air Force without thinking. Forget about the secondary ability for now."
Izuku: "But what about parallel processing…?"
Endeavor: "In the first place, everyone does things with parallel processing every day. Subconsciously, that is. Like that man driving the car over there. He didn't start off knowing how to drive. Turning the wheel, pressing on the accelerator, and brake pedals, checking in front and behind. One by one, he had to learn about them and learn to do them all at the same time without thinking. First, you need to be able to do two things at once without thinking. When you can do that, add another thing. No matter how strong the power, its foundation is still steady accumulation. There are exceptions. But those who aren't exceptions just have to accumulate it. At least, that's the only way I know how to do it. Even if you're doing repetitions of the same thing, the experience you get at school and on the job are completely different. Take what you've cultivated at school and get your body used to it here- in the best environment possible."
The four stare at the Pro Hero in silence.
Endeavor: "What? You can fail without worry. The success or failure of four like you has absolutely no effect on my work!"
Kuuga raises his prosthetic hand as black mists swirl around it.
Kuuga: (mentally) "Progress one step at a time, the answer to what I'm looking for is still far away! One day… One day… I will know what Zero truly means."
End
I finally got this out, feels good, just two more weeks, and Zero should return to regular updates! Can't wait to get started on the second movie.
Also, I decided to get a youtube channel started where I post my guitar covers for real. If you enjoy my work and covers, please give a sub if you want to!
See you on chapter 70!
3907 Words
-WriterCrescent