The first knight instantly crouched and swept her leg, making her fully fall down. Her cowl fell back as well, revealing her hair.
"She's strong…" One knight told the other. The other knight, however, spat.
"Desperate more like it." He said, before putting both hands on the hilt. "And history–"
"The only history is that armor!"
Holding the gun by the nozzle, Ingenium swung the rifle as if it were a bat!
One managed to dodge it, while the other couldn't.
Momo grabbed her staff, and tried to trip him, but he jumped.
"I can hear you!"
Ingenium gritted his teeth. Blue flames came out of his engines again. "Okay… let's try it one more time!"
The knight threw his sword in the air, but Ingenium zoomed out of the way and jumped!
"There!"
He landed a kick right to his side. The knight crashed onto the wall, knocked out.
Ingenium landed. "Phew…" He put both hands on his knees, and then helped Yaomomo up–
Both fighters looked around and saw the knights gathering.
"They are on their last legs…" The higher-ranking knight pulled himself up from the ground. "Keep throwing everything at them!"
With hands assembled behind his back, Enoch side-eyed the battle, and didn't object.
"I hate it, but he's right." Ingenium said, tasting the iron flavor of blood dropping down from his nose. "Back to back, Creati."
"What?" She asked, panting.
"Just like how some heroes do it." Ingenium replied. "We fight, covering each other's backs."
The two of them walked back and pressed their backs onto one another's. A pro-hero with broken armor, and smoking engines was on one side.
"Come on." Ingenium hit the side of the rifle. "Unjam–"
Green plasma fired onto the ground, and Ingenium felt just a little bit of relief.
And on the other side was a student… with her hair now unleashed, feeling her pupils vanish again behind the purple hachimaki, as she raised the staff.
Her hands ached, and her heart beat as if it was going to jump out of her chest , but she didn't move even an inch.
Her gaze made contact with the high-ranking knights, and from his body language, he seemed actually taken aback by her grit.
"Let's test your mettle then…" He drew his sword. "Full force attack!"
The knights ran ahead at them with their swords, and the brawl started swiftly.
Spinning her staff in defense first, she reflected the initial blows, before going for a poke. Momo tried to avoid any wider swings. She wanted to avoid any movements that would hinder Ingenium.
"Sorry about this Kevin." Ingenium thought, as he used the rifle as a sword, before headbutting a knight's helmet and smacking him with the gun.
"Ah…" He reeled back, blood coming out from his forehead.
Right at that moment, Momo kicked another from their side, poking their calf and landing a chop on their side. She stepped forward a little bit, getting a little distance between her and Ingenium to attempt a swing from the left–
Three swords came towards her at once!
She raised her staff to block, but they instantly pushed her back. Ingenium felt her left foot slipping, and so straightened his back, preventing her from falling down!
Right when he was focused on her, one knight tried to engage him, but his engines revved up.
"Here!" He grabbed his hand with the sword, before hitting him with blue fire coming out of the other elbow. Seeing him back off, he took the sword, and stabbed its hilt to his stomach, making the knight fall down in pain.
"I think you lost this." Ingenium then dropped the sword next to him.
"Open fire!" The high-ranking knight commanded.
Instantly pellets manifested in Momo's hands, and she knocked down all three knights with three pellets!
Ingenium then took his own aim and knocked down two with two of his own shots.
But with the third and final one… his gaze grew hazy.
"Come on." His once firm stance faltered again; his ears rang. "Not now–"
Firing the laser lance, the knight hit him in the leg. Ingenium collapsed and yelled in pain!
The knight raised his lancer. Momo, however, instantly turned around, and threw a pellet!
Exploding in his face, the pellet knocked him to the ground.
As the wave seemed to be finished, she put the end of her staff to the ground, leaning on it, before lending down her hand.
"Are you okay, sir?" she asked.
Ingenium got back on his feet, putting a hand on it.
"Yeah, just a flesh wound," he said. Honestly, his own suit's armor probably blocked it, but the heat itself probably just burned something.
But, hearing Yaoyorozu's tone, he felt as though that wasn't quite important right now.
"Creati." A sympathetic tone came from Ingenium. "Is something bothering you?"
Momo side-eyed him, however, then turned back to the battleground. "No, everything is fine."
As she knocked down another knight, her gaze casted down and narrowed.
"No, everything is fine." Her gaze casted down, right as she knocked down another knight.
Ingenium didn't speak. Expression unchanging, his gaze turned back to the front, silently beating on any who tried to approach him, and shooting any who didn't.
"I guess…" Yaoyorozu said, shivering, as her stand-up posture slacked.
Her staff lowered.
"Nevermind." She raised it back up again, but Ingenium felt how spiritless that was. "We should just continue as is."
Unfortunately, the number of knights were starting to dwindle too much for that to happen–!
All of a sudden, Gwen got thrown right in front of them. With an angry scowl, she got back up.
"Are you alright?" Ingenium made sure to ask.
"Yeah, yeah, Tensei."" All of a sudden, Kevin's voice emerged from Gwen's body! "The bastard really just snuck me."
Both of them however were too perplexed.
Kevin looked down.
"Oh yeah." He said. "Tl;dr, one of Gwen's powers."
"It's a spell!" She shouted, as she was trapped in Kevin's body and getting chased around by the Forever Ninja!
"Okay, let me help out!" He said.
"No! Do the spell!" Gwen said, however Kevin shook his head.
"Can't exactly have a body that doesn't have its money maker intact, can I?" He leaped back against the ninja, coming down with a kick. Right as that happened, Gwen took her chance. Running back and still armored up, she raised her leg and landed an ax kick right to the robot's shoulder!
As they fought, Momo caught them performing the spell again, and end up in the right bodies.
She winced, as the intervention made the area around them clear up of opponents.
"Yaoyorozu…" Ingenium said, as if he were whispering. She winced, as her straight as an arrow posture slacked.
"I guess…" she said, mumbling. "I find solace… right now."
Ingenium tilted his head–
"It's been a dream come true for me, to actually help a pro-hero on the field." she said, shaking her head. "And… it just means a lot to be of assistance."
A hand descended upon her shoulder, however it wasn't soft as if he was sad along with her, or heavy, like he was being stern.
He patted her shoulder.
"With an idea like that, I imagine you will be of assistance to a lot of people." he said., as Momo's reluctant gaze hesitantly turned, but still couldn't quite face him.
He kept up a lively cheer in his tone, even if his side and feet were absolutely killing him right now.
"I can't imagine just the kind of agency you'll start." he said, and laughed nervously. "And then… maybe we can do a real team up."
Momo smiled, imagining it for herself. "I feel the same way–"
However, as if it were a mere recording, that brief levity they found got cut short.
A cold, and hateful aura… rapidly approached them like a dark cloud.
Momo felt her goosebumps. Even the knights froze where they stood, not daring to move.
"Fake…" Stain approached them.
Instantly she turned, raising her staff–
A nicked staff cut across her side, cutting right through her suit and skin!
"Ahhh!" Then he spun around. Momo put up her arms, only for a spinning kick to hit her.
It sent her back… making her drop flat on her stomach!
"Stain!" Ingenium shouted. And, the notorious killer stood before him, fuming with deep, hateful eyes.
"Ugh…" Momo tried to pull herself up.
"No, Creati!" She heard Ingenium's voice, as well as the cocking of his rifle. "I'll handle this…"
Stain's eyes narrowed. "Even now, you try to appear powerful. As if you weren't just hiding behind a child."
He had put his dagger back and armed himself with the katana.
The two adversaries looked at each other one more time, Ingenium took his chance for a deep breath while Stain took it to charge in.
Ingenium tried to fire. But Stain was too fast to hit!
Holding it by the nozzle, Ingenium let their weapons fiercely collide.
"Tensei!" Kevin yelled. Seeing the stand off from the corner of his eye, he pushed back the ninja, and tried to run at them.
But, putting away one of its swords, the Forever Ninja grabbed Kevin's face and slammed him into the wall!
"You–!"
Gwen tried to make a shield, but the Forever Ninja tossed one of its swords, almost cutting off her outstretched hand.
Momo tried to rise, but using more force only made her lose more blood, weakening her already depleted stamina.
Having his blade grind on the rifle, Stain started to outright slam it now, with every blow feeling like an avalanche!
"You think you're a hero!?"
The rifle's green paint and then its metal were getting dangerously chipped away.
Ingenium noticed smoke emerging from the rifle, as the killer's hateful glare descended upon him!
"You're nothing–!"
"Ingenium!" Momo managed to throw her staff to him. Tensei barely caught it, switching it out for the remains of his weapon!
"Hah… Hah…" Ingenium breathed panickedly. Stain raised his blade and… only attacked him three more times.
All in the midst of Momo just blinking… The first strike came from above, wide and powerful. Holding it high horizontally, he managed to block it.
Instantly, the second strike came, and to his lower right. Even as seconds felt like moments, Ingenium could only move halfway. The blade skidded through his armor, right before contacting his blade.
Ingenium felt like this was a chance. Stain had pulled away too soon as if their blades bounced off from one another.
His eyes landed on his face, as his heart skipped a beat. "If I hit him n–!"
Stain crouched, and the chest of Ingenium, guarded by only the fractured armor… was left wide open.
"INGENIUM!" A petrifying cry came out of Momo.
With both hands Stain pushed the sword up.
Kevin, Gwen, Winston… Barring Enoch and the ninja, everyone felt as if a shadow passed over them.
Stain, stabbing through Ingenium's gut, made the sword's tip emerge from his back.
"Fame, money… that's what all of you are really after." Stain said, as a copper-like smell filled the air, and a blood curdling aura rose.
Ingenium looked down, and spat blood, strength leaving his fingers first, and then his whole body.
"Poisoning young eager minds, under the guise of agencies and team-ups, to compensate for your own weakness. You bastards won't be heralded as heroes."
Kevin's mouth fell open, as Stain ripped out the sword and Ingenium fell limp on the ground. The killer waved his weapon, letting the blood splatter down. "Not while I'm around."
Fear rang through all of them, but Kevin… He fell onto his knees.
"Tensei?.."
A collected but pleased smile appeared on Enoch's face, behind his fabled mask, and Winston could see it.
"Forever Knights!" He called to his scrambling men. "Time to withdraw."
One after the other, Knights then started to press the button on their gauntlet's one after the other… however Kevin couldn't hear them.
Stain was looking at him. Over his shoulder, Kevin could feel the unhinged satisfaction, and the demonic malefic aura finally tempering after being flared for so long.
"Kevin…" Gwen shouted in desperation; however he could barely hear it. Ingenium was twitching on the ground.
"Run…"
He heard Ingenium faintly say. Seeing the sights, the ponytail had rushed and sat next to him.
"Get… help… Kevin…"
"Kevin!" Gwen shouted, trying to defend against the Forever Ninja. "KEVIN!"
"Kid!"
And the terrain around him morphed.
His hands touched uneven, sturdy rocks as he was on his knees. The walls around them were crumbling, as a weird blue aromatic scent filled the air of the cave…
"Forget about me, kid!"
Kevin raised his head… and saw a giant, gray, muscular bearded man with sideburns, wearing a white tank top and black baggy pants.
"Run!" he commanded.
He… feeling his eyes as wide as a puppy's, slowly he shook his head.
"I can't… Kwarrel."
"Don't argue kid!" Kwarrel started to be pushed back by a man, dressed in armor of color blue.
"Run..!" he said again, losing strength.
Kevin, feeling the lock hanging from his neck and the old breeze creeping up at his sleeveless shirt, got to his feet… only to run ahead.
He closed his eyes, as a blaster got raised.
"Time to finish the job–!"
"HAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAA!" Palms directed towards the sky, Kevin shouted with a bloodcurdling intensity!
Yaoyorozu fell silent, as did Gwen, the knights… and even Stain.
"Y…Yaoyorozu…" Ingenium managed to speak again–
"Right…" She turned her attention to the pro-hero again… who was bleeding out.
"Right,right, right. Alright Momo, think think. Impalement. What's the first aid for treating it?- Don't remove the object. But it's already removed…"
Her hands were shaking, seeing the black fabric soaked with red, she… She was freaking out. First things first, she took off her gloves and started to roll up her sleeves to create.
"OPEN FIRE!" One knight ordered. And as Gwen put up a shield around Yaoyorozu as well as Ingenium's body. Kevin, however, just took the hits, still armored, and ran through!
The knight's eyes went wide as did Stain's.
"BASTARD!"
Without mercy, Kevin cocked back his hand, lunging towards him.
Stain took a stance with his katana, only for Enoch to get in the middle of them!
With a blue plasma blade accompanied by diamond shaped crossguards igniting from his gauntlet, Enoch clashed with Kevin's armored hand.
The sight seemingly unnerved him.
"Go." he said. "Get our associate out of here."
Winston, however, was in awe. Seeing his superior's usual ice cold, disciplined exterior finally move with intent, and clash with Kevin's consumed and crazed stance was nothing short of awe-inspiring to him.
"Get our associate out! Forever Knights!" Enoch's composure gave way; but, Winston felt that the aggression wasn't directed towards him.
Two knights, who seemed to be also intimidated, appeared from behind him.
"Y-Yes, sir!" They said apprehensively in unison.
One then grabbed onto Winston's shoulder, as the other shakily put one on Stain's arm. The killer hissed, however the knight–
Both were suddenly knocked to the ground.
It was Gwen who had shot them. With her eyebrows knitted, She closed her fist… and both hands lit up with pink.
"You aren't going anywhere."
She engaged Stain. The killer reserved himself to only dodge the blows, only for the Forever Ninja to be swift, and interfere.
Winston gave Enoch a thumbs up, and the superior returned the gesture with a nod.
"Excellent work, Squire."
"No!" Gwen shouted, trying to get past the ninja. But it was relentless!
Winston took his chance to press the button on the knights' gauntlets himself, letting them teleport alone.
Enoch nodded satisfiedly. The brunt of his forces had successfully evacuated, only the four of them–
"Hey… Stain!"
And all of a sudden Kevin started to push at him even harder.
"You are going to regret that."
Having his left initially behind his back, Enoch switched his grip to both hands. Kevin started to shake.
"I'll put a hole in your chest… myself!–"
Enoch hit him in the face, parrying him back and dropping him to the ground.
"Do not overestimate yourself, Levin." He put his left hand behind his back, before bringing the blade vertically in front of his own mask and swinging it down, ready for a fight.
However, as Kevin got up from being on the ground stomach-first, he laughed.
"Ha…" The laugh sneaked out from his lips. "Hahahahahahahha…"
Kevin wiped his mouth, as his armor crumbled off his body, falling to the ground.
"His hair is rising up." Yaoyorozu noted, as she sneaked a look from tending to Ingenium. "Almost like Mr. Aizawa."
Enoch hesitantly circled him with the blade pointed down, however… the pristine gauntlet, unused the entire time, started to flicker.
And Kevin looked up to him… as a blue static aura manifested.
"My turn."
Kevin, without his armor, suddenly grabbed the plasma saber!
The blade's plasma suddenly burst forth and flowed into Kevin.
"It's never a good idea for me to get too close…" he said mockingly.
His hair fell back down, however his pupils were still gone, as a static aura emerged around him!
Yaoyorozu gasped. "Did Kevin…"
Did he absorb the gauntlet's… energy?!
"You forgot the meaning of 11 or what, twerp? I got your powers, plus my own!"
The reason eluded her as words from five years ago played in her head.
"Unexpected." Enoch murmured. He reached to his right hand with his left and turned the blade off!
"Huh–!" Kevin's pupils came back, as a shockwave pushed him to the wall.
It was his left gauntlet. He had a concussive blaster built into it.
The blade reignited.
"Sir!" Winston cried out.
"Withdraw the arms, Winston." Enoch said, taking his stance again. "I will provide for the time."
"You will!?" Kevin got back up, smiling. He cracked his neck, as blue static escaped his hands.
"I just wonder if I can get you in with one blast…" It formed into electricity.
Enoch scowled from under the mask, gritting his teeth. The hand behind his back opened, and cracked every finger as it closed back up again.
"LET'S FIND OUT!"
He threw it, and Enoch could barely reflect it.
"His power…" he panted–
Just barely, he dodged an uppercut. "He closed the gap!?"
Kevin, with a deranged look, went after him.
He went for a right hook, and Enoch barely managed to block it, with his left hand behind his back!
However, Kevin didn't let up, hearing Enoch's breathing!
He went for a left roundhouse. Enoch repelled it, this time however holding his right hand with his left.
Leaning back with his punch, Kevin followed with a right uppercut. Enoch made the tip of his blade move, leading the blow away.
He stepped to the right and tried a blow on the left! Enoch, with a burdened sigh, moved his entire hand to parry.
Kevin jumped and tried a superman punch. However, this time… Enoch's movements came alive. He blocked, and instantly pushed an offense!
As if he were fencing, he moved forward, landing blow after blow to Kevin's arms. Minor cuts formed around his arms–
Kevin dropped his guard and rushed to grab Enoch's neck. However, the knight flipped backwards into the air, and got some distance.
Seeing those defensive moves return, after such a lightning-fast offense, it felt irritating, but… it also felt like he had drawn blood, pleasing him.
"You've been holding out on me, old man!"
"Hmm…" Enoch tried changing his stance.
Still holding the blade with one hand, he brought it noticeably back, angling forward in parallel, while bringing the other hand forth from behind his back and held it u–
However, his opponent didn't give him the chance!
As they met again, Kevin's footwork came in, skipping to the right for a punch. But Enoch quickly twirled, blocking with one hand with the sword over his back, only to finish turning and face his opponent again!
His stance had gone back to his previous one.
Kevin tried a right elbow. Enoch countered, and grazed his opponent's arm.
He then attempted a poke followed by a rising slash, Kevin held up his arms and blocked it.
Kevin tried to sweep his legs, but Enoch jumped over it firmly, and got back into form, spinning his arm around carefully.
"You disappoint me!"
Enoch twirled around after another parry, letting his sword come down with a two handed strike!
However, Kevin blocked it with his forearm, and from how it looked, it felt almost as if a feather landed on him.
Letting it brush across his skin that burned only to rapidly heal over, Kevin grabbed him by the throat!
"Game over!"
Enoch tried to raise his left hand for a concussive–
Kevin touched it first, draining it of power. His eyes turned completely blue. "There won't be a second push!"
The blade deactivated, as it also ran out of power. Kevin's expression only became wilder because of that.
"WE HAVE UNFINISHED BUSINESS!" Kevin's voice roared, reverberating in the alleyway!
Enoch reached for Kevin's grip, trying to pull himself out of it, and… breathe!
"Wha… What is he doing?!" Yaoyorozu got up with her staff in hand, but just then one of the gauzes she applied gave way. Momo had to crouch right back.
Gwen, with her shields coming out of her hands like lunch trays, found herself still busy with the ninja!
"Sir!" Winston got to his feet… as Stain watched peculiarly. Kevin's blue, glowing eyes turned to him.
"Finally." he threw the limp body of the superior to the ground.
Stain drew his daggers, electricity enveloped Kevin's hands.
"I'm going to make you pay in blood!"
"Let's see it, child." Stain spoke. "What conviction lies beneath your brutality… and quips!?"
A red glare appeared in his eyes, as Kevin rushed forward with his blue glare–
"Another time perhaps."
Both fighters paused, as following the voice, a black and purple portal opened between them!
"Please remain calm, we are of the same mind." said the rippling void, as two yellow eyes manifested. "Hence our associates are here."
"You're…" Yaomomo gasped, instinctively putting a hand on her mouth. "You're from the USJ."
"Humor us. I believe you will be interested in what we have to offer."
Stain's eyes narrowed, as they were now off Kevin.
"No! You won't get away–!" Kevin fired a beam, however Kurogiri teleported it back to Momo.
Gwen gasped, as she stretched out her hands and made a shield over them!
"Don't worry, Creati. I got you."
"Dammit!" Kevin said.
Kurogiri's yellow eyes went down to Stain. "We need to leave."
The killer looked on skeptically, however… seeing the so-called pro-hero lying bleeding on the ground, he decided to nod.
"Warrior!" Winston yelled. The Forever Ninja leaped back with a backward flip and helped up Enoch.
Kevin took aim again, however the electricity faded from his body. Black marks appeared under his eyes.
"No!" he yelled, as the blue aura started to leave his body, leaving… him… drained…
"Ugh…" Kevin fell on one knee.
"Like the mist said."
A remark came from Stain. Kevin raised his head. From in front of the portal, and as the knights brushed past him, the killer chose to look back, with an expression that seemed solemn.
"Perhaps another time."
Kevin's eyes glowed blue one more time. "No!" As Stain turned away and got inside, he waved his hand, but nothing came out! "What's going on!?"
The blue glow disappeared from his eyes. Kevin looked at his hand, and unfortunately saw the electricity dispersing.
"No…" He closed his fist. "Fresh out of power."
The sirens of an ambulance and multiple police cars could be heard incoming as the last villains left the scene.
"Ingenium!" His eyebrows went up. Without wasting a second, he ran back and crouched next to the girls.
"Kevin…" Gwen said, sitting on her knees and looking at the black markings around his eyes. "You absorbed–"
"Not the time." he sternly remarked and sat down. "How is he doing, doc? Give me some good news."
"He's alive." Yaomomo could say fearfully, as her hands continued to press on his chest. Kevin looked as well.
The ninja girl had taken off her bloodied armor, ripped open the skin tight suit under it, and covered the whole area with bandages.
"I've managed to seal the blood flow, however…"
Her head flinched. She gestured with her eyes.
"Continue applying pressure here, but gently."
As she lifted her hands, Gwen reached but Kevin overtook her. He put a hand over it, and lightly pressed down. "What's going on?"
Yaomomo put the back of her hand on his forehead.
"He's cold." She put her ear next to Ingenium's mouth, hearing the irregular breathing. After that, she put two fingers on his neck. The dread in her tone intensified.
"He's going into shock."
Kevin raised his head, and… Gwen could see him. It seemed as though a stone dropped in his stomach.
"Eyes on me." Kevin said, faintly getting the dazed man to move his pupils. "Like that Tensei, yep, eyes on me."
"I thought you sealed his wound." Gwen said.
"I did the impalement but…" Yaoyorozu stammered. "He… must have more in this case. He's losing blood."
"Check his arms." Kevin commanded, keeping up eye-contact with the groaning and pained Ingenium. "That's the bastard's style. And when I found him, he was definitely impaled on the right foot."
Gwen nodded and removed the armor. Sure enough, he was bleeding from there.
"Yaoyorozu." She said, and instantly another pack of gauzes manifested.
"Apply them wherever you can, try to keep both feet elevated. Kevin, keep talking to him."
Kevin sneaked a look at the girls at work, before shifting his gaze back onto the hero. "Already on it." Ingenium's eyes were starting to drift off again.
"Tensei, what did I say, come on." His tone, as much as he just wanted to cuss and order him around, got soft. "Think of your brother Tensei."
Ingenium's eyes got back to him. "K… Ke…"
"Yep Tensei, eyes on me or… I swear I'll tell your brother."
Ingenium drifted in and out.
"Don't make me tell on you." Kevin said. "I…"
Gwen picked up on what he said–
"Hello?! Ingenium?!" A male voice spoke at the entrance of the alleyway.
All three teens perked up. The help was finally here, and from the sounds of it, they already had a stretcher out. Kevin, all of a sudden, felt a hand… wrapped around his wrist.
He looked down. Ingenium had raised his hand and grabbed onto Kevin's arm.
"G… Get…"
"No, no." Kevin shook his head. "Save your strength, Tensei. Just–"
Ingenium's eye contact threw him off. Barely moving his head, he got his blue hopeful eyes to glimmer under the light.
The ex-con winced. And taking a deep breath, biting his tongue, he turned to Gwen and Yaoyorozu.
"Gwen. Ponytail girl." he opened his mouth. "Thanks for the assist, but this is your cue."
Both girls looked at him.
"No, Kevin, let us help–"
"Time's up, Gwen." He countered instantly. "Remember you can't be seen out here. If the police see you… it's just gonna make it more complicated and…"
Gwen could see his eyes drifting to Ingenium.
"It will be more difficult for him to get help."
She lowered her hand, clenching her fists.
"The medical professionals are here." Yaoyorozu spoke, with her breath and hands starting to tremble.
She closed them as well, pressing them to her knees. "There is no question they can treat him better than me."
"They'll get him stabilized." Kevin corrected her, really enunciating the last part. "This primitive… fucking Earth tech."
Gwen could see his desperation.
"Then I'm also staying."
"Who's gonna get her home then?!" Kevin snapped, not taking his hand off Ingenium's chest. The black lines under his eyes really became evident.
He closed his eyes in regret, breathing through his teeth.
"I'll… I'll be fine." Kevin said, as he reached into his backpocket. "As you know, I picked up a couple of things about talking myself out of bad situations."
He took out an ID Mask.
"Go back to the stadium. Tell Tennyson, that green mop head, do what you have to do." he said. "I'll make sure Stain doesn't finish his job."
Gwen reluctantly got up, and as her eyes checked her work once again, Yaoyorozu followed.
She took out the book, and flipped to the page–
"I'm dropping her off!.."
Kevin looked at Gwen over his shoulder.
"...Then I'm coming back."
He shook his head, looking up, scoffing. His eyes went down to Ingenium, and… the pro-hero blinked to him in recognition.
Kevin got irritated but… also couldn't help but smirk, mostly because he was reaching his limit.
"Fine." he replied.
Gwen nodded and got to the correct page.
The pink bubble emerged once more, and as Gwen chanted the words, Momo watched Kevin stay behind.
Kneeling in front of his wounded friend, still holding down on the wound… with his back turned to them.
"Eo recedentia."
Yaoyorozu shook her head. As her lips pursed, her eyes went down back to her hands.
Present time
Back at the tournament grounds, taking advantage of the break, their little group had chosen to assemble right outside the east gate.
She sighed.
"We got back, and changed in the restroom." she said, her hands briefly opening. "After Ms– Gwen left, I went to find you."
She raised her head. Her story had at last reached its conclusion and… the entire group seemed very desponded.
Midoriya had his mouth open, looking like he was going to say something, but… he just shook his head instead, in complete disbelief.
Ben was slumped back. He didn't seem like he could look anyone in the eyes right now. He just kept his arms crossed, eyebrows knitted, and mouth sealed shut.
The first words, hence escaped from Kirishima's lips. "Fuck, man…"
And Yaoyorozu couldn't find it in herself to point out his language.
"So…" Midoriya opened his hands. "Do we… Do we not have a word on Ingenium?"
Yaoyorozu shook her head. "My guess is towards him being taken into an emergency room right now or… perhaps he is still in the ambulance."
She could feel her heartbeat speed up.
"There is no way to be certain… We have to wait for Kevin, or Gwen."
"Then…" Midoriya felt himself deflate. "What do we tell Iida… back at the stances?"
Momo shook as she heard that.
"I don't know." Tennyson spoke up.
"Actually, he just left." Kirishima came to her rescue, with a very muted version of his attitude. "They just announced that he left 'cause of a family emergency."
She put her hands over her face.
"Guess now we know why…"
Silence took hold, and Yaoyorozu closed in on herself. Her despair was seemingly overtaking her, and… it was just cascading over everyone–
"Midoriya!"
The group all turned their heads towards the doorway. Midnight came through. Everyone suddenly felt snapped out of their depressive thoughts.
"Hey boys, and Yaomomo." She gestured to Midoriya. "Sorry, but would you mind if I stole this handsome gentleman away from you?"
The group also saw Todoroki behind the teacher… as well as Bakugo?
Seeing them make eye-contact with him, Bakugo walked back into the shadows. However, Midnight paid no mind.
She licked her lips. "His turn is coming up to fight."
Seemingly with no soul left in his body, Midoriya got up from where he sat.
"Much luck dude." Kirishima said with every reason to be unenthusiastic, and Midoriya nodded.
"Thanks…" he said, taking a deep breath. He was going up against Todoroki, and… if there is anything this story made for him, it was that it took away his nerves at the idea of fighting the recommended student.
Tennyson gave him a nod too, and so Momo raised a thumbs up.
"We will be watching." She said, even though her muscles ached–
"Hey Kirishima." Tennyson spoke. "Could you maybe go with Midoriya?"
Yaomomo raised her head. Midnight, as well as the students that followed after her, tilted their heads.
"That's no problem, right Miss Midnight? You said his fight was coming up, not necessarily about to start."
She nodded. "Yeah, he's on in ten minutes."
"Alright then. What do you say, Kirishima?" Ben said, channeling some enthusiasm. "How about you give him some tips on the good ol' one two."
He raised his hands and punched the air as he said that.
Kirishima, after having a stupefied expression at the beginning, nodded.
"Yeah…" He got more fired up. "Yeah, I could show him a couple of things… Come on, Midoriya!"
"O-Oh, yep. Kirishima, wait up!" Midoriya ran after him.
"As if you could teach him, shitty hair." Bakugo said under his breath, as him, Midnight and Todoroki chose to walk too… leaving the two of them alone.
"Okay, I'm just saying, I'm getting worried." Jiro opened her arms. "We haven't heard from Tennyson or Yaomomo for a really good while now."
"Is there a specific reason why you left out Midoriya and Kiri?" Ashido raised an eyebrow with her cheshire smile.
Jiro huffed in frustration–
"Quit your yammering." Bakugo entered the stances. "Your precious lot's been outside the east gate."
Jiro, ignoring that this was maybe the very first time Bakugo addressed them without a nickname, asked. "Really?"
He grumbled, and… honestly Jiro didn't see that coming.
She hadn't even noticed Bakugo being gone, and… it almost seemed like he left out of his own curiosity.
"After that ego was put through the shredder…" Jiro thought–
Mineta cut in. "And they're still there, Bakugo?"
"Yeah, runt." he scoffed, with a little bit of anger between his teeth. "Damn shitty hair and Deku are in the prep room now."
Ashido perked up with her hands assembled. "So… you're saying they're really alone now?"
Jiro's eyebrows went up, and Bakugo shrugged, his scowl getting more annoyed. "Can you really not do the math, Racoon Eyes?"
Just the absence of a 'no' was enough to get Ashido get up and go, followed by Mineta.
"Uraraka." Jiro said, grabbing her arm. "You're coming with me."
"Wha– Why–"
"Because I need someone on my side!"
Momo and Tennyson were indeed left to their own devices, as Midoriya and Kirishima left. However, she wasn't really eager to just wait around.
Yaomomo wanted to see her classmates, and hopefully revitalize at the sight of them… despite how painful it was also going to be with everything she knows.
"It's better if we get going as well." Yaoyorozu rose from where she sat. "Before we arouse suspicion."
"Yeah…" Ben said, as he put one hand on his neck.
Yaoyorozu nodded, and moved to walk past him–
"I'm… not sure if you want to go back like that though."
She tilted her head and looked at herself. "Like what?"
Tennyson pointed. "Your side."
Momo touched it and… she could instantly feel the wetness. When she raised her hand, it had hints of red.
"Hm?.." She raised it up. The blue fabric had darkened.
"I… must have been too caught up." She slowly said, trying to put all the pieces together–
She slapped her hand on it. "Oh, did you think they–"
"No." Ben shook his head, rather stiff. "It wasn't there when we first met up, and you were leaning forward the entire time. They couldn't have seen it."
Yaomomo sighed. Well, that was a relief. She rolled back her sleeve–
"No, no." Ben said, sitting down on the bench in front of her. "You've done a lot, leave it to me."
Yaoyorozu raised her head.
"It's the least I can do." he said. "I… imagine you had enough."
She shrugged and lifted up the side of her jacket. "Very well."
He examined the cut. Thankfully, despite the blood on her, it seemed to be shallow. It must have just been exposed for a good while.
"But the fact that she couldn't tell…" Ben thought.
He noticed Momo raising her right hand and gritting her teeth before manifesting a piece of cloth. She handed it to him.
"So…" Ben said. "Overdid it with your creation?"
"I mustn't have realized it due to the adrenaline." Yaoyorozu then extended her finger forward, and with a little pink glow, brown disinfectant dripped down on it. "It all just… transpired too fast."
Feeling it was enough, she retracted her hand.
Tennyson nodded. "I know how that feels." He put the cloth on the cut–
"Ow!.."
"Sorry." Ben gasped. "I… I didn't actually get to do this a lot."
"It's fine." She responded. "It… *can also* mean you're being thorough."
Tennyson responded with a true smile, looking up at her. "I can only hope I am." he said, as his presses on her side also became much gentler.
It made Tennyson busy with something, and seeing him work in this focused manner, reassured her, but… as he continued and finished by wrapping a bandage over her side, it reminded her of Ingenium.
When he was done, she put a hand on her side and… felt the wound as well as the bandage, grabbing onto it.
"And, there we go." He said. "I did everything right? Right?"
Momo nodded as she could feel her heart weigh. It hadn't hurt as she let her fingers brush over the bandage. Tennyson moved to get up, ready to leave–
"Tennyson, what are we going to do?"
He turned around. Momo hadn't found the strength to get up, still sitting by the tree.
"You said you didn't know but… Forever Knights, the 'infamous' Hero Killer, and those from the USJ are all after us now."
Ben sighed. "It really was the same mist man then."
"Yes! I…" Momo answered with a higher tone, hands assembled, before she stopped herself. "I connected those two together, but you avoided the question earlier."
She looked up to him, feeling herself unravel.
"Only two of those threats came after us today, and…"
"You got through it." Ben said, looking her in the eyes. "Everyone managed to get through it, WITH your help."
"Ingenium is in the hospital." she said, her voice cracking. "It was my failure."
"Yeah, and those two girls would be too." Ben said. Yaomomo felt like she was going to sink into the ground.
"Yeah, I could tell, you mentioned them to be honest with us but quickly brushed past." Ben said. "How about saving their lives today?"
"I… could have done better." She said, her voice faltering for just a second. "I should have done better."
"Yaomomo, no." Ben sat back down. "Thanks to you, Ingenium managed to get the help he needed. Thanks to *you* he won't die in some alleyway. You did the best with what you had–"
Momo retorted, shaking her head and hiding her eyes. "*You* would have been able to take him to the hospital yourself."
"Are you kidding?" Ben asked sarcastically. "I know at least a little first aid, Yaomomo. First rule with any stab victim, do NOT move–"
"*You* would have never let him get stabbed to begin with!" She raised her tone, and that caught Ben off-guard.
He shut his mouth. Momo closed in on herself.
"I *know* you would be able to do so much better. I know… that it should have been you out there." she said. "You wouldn't have let anyone get hurt…"
Ben leaned forward, and apprehensively put a hand on her shoulder.
"We can't regret that now." he said. "We…"
He sighed, clicking his tongue. He felt Yaomomo's gaze turn to him, and so Ben sighed and tried to speak confidently.
"Magister Labrid said he would give us a call when he found something on the DNAliens." Ben said. "Then, after the festival… what do you say we put our heads together and take these three down first? Okay?"
She replied. "Okay."
"Really?" Ben asked again.
"Yes." she nodded her head, as she was looking like she was still calming down.
"We will stay here and be done with this first. Then the Highbreed."
Momo nodded her head again. She still looked winded but, at the very least, not as desperate.
"Now, do you have enough left for new clothes?" He gestured to her bloodied shirt.
Yaoyorozu scowled, even just thinking about it. She put a hand on her stomach. "Yes, I should still be able to manage."
Gritting her teeth, she let a new jacket manifest out from her arm.
Ben could see Yaomomo straining herself and watched it very discontentedly.
Ben grabbed them before they fell onto the ground, but as he was going to hand them back, he could see her panting, very much in pain.
"You're not okay…"
Yaomomo shook her head. "No… I'm at my limit."
"Food…" Ben thought out loud before his gaze snapped back to the tournament stances.
A lightbulb had lit over his head.
"What should I get you?" he asked, making sure he still had his wallet on him.
"I don't know…" She said putting a hand next to her head, clearly lightheaded. "The richer it is in fat content however, the better."
"The richer in fat…" Ben echoed, hand on his chin. "Perhaps there is something in the festival–"
Ben snapped his fingers. "I got it…"
A smirk spread all over his face, as if he seemed actually excited.
"Oh, you're gonna love this. O-or I mean, I hope you love it." He stammered. "Okay, I'll go grab your food."
He handed her the jacket back. "Can you still get to the bathroom to change?"
Momo nodded, with a hand still next to her head.
"Great. Meet back at 5 then?" He said. "*In* 5 minutes, I mean?"
She nodded. "Okay, but…"
Ben started running off already, and so she raised her hand next to her head and needed to shout. "...what are you planning on bringing me?!"
Ben turned around. "Something that will open your eyes." He said, jazzing his hands.
Momo smiled.
"Okay…" she laughed under her breath and they both went on their ways.
Ben raised his hand with the Omnitrix. "Jetray!" He dashed away into the distance, and Momo got back inside, finding herself a bathroom.
Five or so minutes later, just like they agreed upon, Momo met up with Ben as she waited right by the east gate, leaning next to it.
She saw him running in human form, all the while carrying a paper bag.
"There." he said. "Hope you didn't wait too long."
"No…" She shook her head, and the two walked inside. "You were the one so fast actually."
"Yeah, thank Jetray for that." he said, and Momo instantly caught on.
"Speaking of which." She curiously tilted her head. "Why didn't you return as so?"
"Ah..." Ben put on his showman act. "Well, the answer is simple. I couldn't dare ruin your experience with these!"
Her gaze narrowed. The paper bag had a logo on it, but… it was as Tennyson said, she has no recollection of ever entering one of their restaurants, nevermind eating there.
"What is it?"
Ben opened the paper bag, and immediately a rich aroma of sauce, cheese, onion, and a whole array of spices rushed to her nose. It was enough to… at the very least pique her interest.
She reached in and grabbed the paper cardboard bag from the bottom. When she lifted it up, she was greeted with a pile of golden French fries, covered with red chili, cheese sauce and, from what she could tell, jalapeño slices.
"Chili fries." he said. "What's honestly better to charge up a quirk that runs on fat."
Momo could see his mouth water a little as well, and… even though she literally couldn't help but feel the same way, she extended it to him first.
"Don't you want any?" she asked innocently, whereas even just the smell was seemingly messing with him.
"No…" he gently pushed it back showcasing self-restraint. "You try it first."
She could see him being at the end of his rope, and so nodded.
"Alright." A plastic fork manifested from her hand, and she stabbed into them. As she pulled the fork back, the cheese stretched with it before snapping.
Ben puffed up his chest. "It looks like the Tennyson delivery service doesn't disappoint yet again. It's all still fresh off the fryer."
Momo nodded, and blowing on it a little, put them in her mouth.
The taste that flowed into her mouth… was indescribable.
"These… These taste so good!" She exclaimed, clearly in awe.
Ben pumped his fist. "Yes!"
She took another forkful.
"But I have to make sure, it's not malnourishment speaking, right?" Ben asked, and Momo with almost puppy eyes shook her head.
"Clearly there is some word of malnourishment." Ben said, but still pumped his fist in celebration again!
And seeing him smile, Momo did so too. She extended the cardboard bag to Tennyson.
"No…" Ben said. "I shouldn't…"
But Momo, even with her mouth full, insisted. At that point, there was no choice in Ben's mind but to give in.
He reached with his fingers, only to pause and look at her. Momo's eyebrows went up, as she manifested a plastic fork for him, already much quicker than she was manifesting the bandage and the jacket.
He too then grabbed a bite, and the two both relished eating what Ben liked to call, 'a sometime food'.
Seeing him smile, Momo felt her attitude turn… just a little melancholic.
"I'm… sorry for what I said back there." She said. "I lost my nerve."
Ben shrugged. "It's okay." he responded. "I get it. You… You wanted to do more, to save more people."
Yaomomo, reluctantly, nodded. It felt like there was a good chance that he wasn't quite on the mark.
Ben assembled his hands.
"But we can't dwell on the past." he said, looking ahead of him, before that gaze fell onto the Omnitrix.
His hand brushed past it, mourning. "No matter how much we want to."
Yaoyorozu could notice his expression change.
At the time Ben couldn't realize what happened… or how much grief it would cause him to fix it…
But by digging up his own pain, he had failed to truly see hers.
"All we can do is look forward, and make sure that works out for the better…" he said, before looking at Yaomomo again.
"...together." His eyes got a livelier and more determined aura.
"You look like you have something in mind." She stated. Ben nodded.
"I said, after today, I'd put my whole focus on finding who did this to Ingenium." Ben repeated. "I know it's best if we started today, but we can't and… a lot of people are about to be troubled by what they are going to see tonight in the news."
Yaomomo, wincing, nodded in acknowledgement.
"So, I'm going to put on a show." He said. "I know… it's not going to offset anything but, since we're on a good amount of Japanese tv, I can at least make sure people have fun right now."
She could see Ben puffing up.
"This fight in the finals…" He said. "It's not just for me, or for Todoroki anymore… it will be for everyone." He raised his fist. "I plan to put on such a show that it will be all they print about on the front page!"
And seeing the conviction, she decided to go along with it. Honestly, that optimism, seeing it this close made everything feel just a little better.
"I guess…" She stabbed her fork into it again. "...I shall look forward to watching it–"
"Hey, guys!"
Just then, Ashido and Mineta showed up, followed by Jiro and Uraraka.
The group immediately noticed the fries as well as the pair's close proximity and smiles, and as the latter two felt thrown off, the former felt very vindicated.
"Whatcha doin?" Ashido asked.
And Ben's answer couldn't be any more casual.
"Oh, Yaomomo wasn't feeling well, so we grabbed some chili fries from the festival grounds." he pointed back with his thumb.
"Turns out I've overused my quirk." She assisted him. "The reaction happened to come over me a little later than expected, is all."
Mineta raised an eyebrow. He wasn't buying it, and for the first time, Ashido felt the same way as the little perv.
"You sure nothing else happened–OWWWWW!" he tried to ask, only for Jiro to plug her earphone jack to his head, completely deadpan.
Ben shrugged. "What's he talking about?"
Momo sweated internally. "Wait, is there any chance they overheard us? Jiro has great hearing. Will they ask us what the knights are?!"
However, Jiro did no such thing. She just crossed her arms, with her face flushing a little. "Oh, you know, Mineta being Mineta."
Both Ben and Momo looked at each other and shrugged.
"Anyway, with that sorted, let's head back then?" Uraraka asked, and as Mineta managed to pull himself off from the ground, everyone complied.
And as they walked, Ashido sniffed the air, before sneaking next to the pair. "Oh, those smell good."
"Yeah, you said they were chili fries?" Uraraka asked too, sounding interested.
"Yeah." Ben said. "Lucky for us, they had a food truck in the festival grounds. Try it."
Yaomomo extended the pack of them for her to try as well as two new forks, and as they tried it, both Ben and her could see their eyes growing.
Ben sweatdropped.
"We might need to do another run." he said, and Yaomomo agreed.
"It's our responsibility to share our knowledge with the class." She said, stabbing her fork into it again.
Ben agreed, and… couldn't help but have a sneaking suspicion that it was going to be *some* run back.
Meanwhile, a bar inside Kamino had its own kind of tension starting to rise… based on what Stain could tell.
Inside the dimly lit bar, from behind the counter and a wall of drinks at his disposal, was the man with the portal that brought him here, stylistically dressed.
Over by the red high-top tables, clearly amiss and unresponsive to anything that went around him, stood a gray… frog from what he could tell, wearing a black and green tunic, and using something akin to a blowtorch on some cylindrical device.
Stain's eyes then went to the three who also watched the frog, those of which were the knights that assisted him in the alleyway. They seemed to be rather irritated.
The young one seemed to stick close to the man with the golden mask who was clearly superior, as the crimson red armored one stood guard before both of them.
And lastly… there was an even peculiar person. Out of the entire room, the only one staring at him directly without hiding it.
A young man, perhaps barely old enough to drink, with a severed gray hand on his face, bluish-white hair, pure black outfit and… blood red eyes akin to his own.
He was also standing next to a purple and black screen which said 'Audio Only'.
"Well, you seemed to have called us all here." He remarked, getting everyone's attention all the while standing against the screen. "Talk."
And from behind the screen, the master couldn't help but smile ear to ear.