Vigilante Hunt 2
Author's notes: This story is continuation of Vigilante Hunt 2 and Conservation of Ninjitsu
I. Inigo's Apartment
The maiden turned to him with bittersweet tears. The angry cliff face behind her fell into violent foaming waters, as clouds above portened a brewing storm. She took a step back, watching the Prince approach.
"Ayylissandra! Wait!"
"Stop! Please! I love you but we can never be together! There's something you need to know.." Slowly, she shifted back into her true bovine form.
"I'm a water buffalo. I'm so sorry「Chrisfumi」."
Pick One:
⫸ I don't care. I love you too. Let's get Moo-rried.
⫸ Water Buffalos - belong in the water. [Push her off the cliff]
⫸ Wait- what?
⫸ I'm kinda into it. (Explicit)
Holding up his phone, Inigo stared sightlessly at the choices. The answer was obvious, but his mind was miles away from the drama in 'Ushi-n for Love: A Hoofing Romance (海の牛)'. He tossed, turned, and then hopelessly sat up on his bed. Playing the visual novel to distract himself wasn't working, even though he was close to a good ending. He quickly took a screenshot, scrolled through his friend list, and texted it to Christopher. They'll deal with Ayylissandra later.
They had just gotten back from getting victory ramen with the team, and by all accounts things went well. Bad guys were arrested, people were saved, Sally got caught. It was a good night. But the assassin in the factory, followed by the revelation that one of their professors was a bad guy - a villain that could now be after them - all that stuck to his mind. The plan was for Joon and himself to draw out the villains. And then the girls would sneak in and save the workers. He didn't plan for Hoge to be in danger, definitely not cutting your head off danger. 'We can't keep doing this, Ini.' Hoge's words rang and echoed in his head. She had - cutely- used expulsion as the worst outcome, but he could think of worst things. A cold wave of dread ran through him as he stared through the ceiling.
LookingGlass: wtf stop sending me VNs
He glanced down at a text message.
IniGOAT: bro ur still awake
IniGOAT: up late with Kang?
LookingGlass: No, I'm trying to figure out who tf Smokin' Sexy is.
IniGOAT: 2 pages of research?
LookingGlass: Font size down to 6. Single spaced.
IniGOAT: Kami help that man
LookingGlass: meh.. he's not my first choice
IniGOAT: dw rosethorn just has her hands full w tame and sora.
LookingGlass: uhuh
IniGOAT: she didnt want u to nerdsearch her and find her fanfics
LookingGlass: ?
IniGOAT: check the link bro
IniGOAT: [LINK]
LookingGlass: I CANT UNSEE THAT
IniGOAT: u should know by now
LookingGlass: my fault yeah
IniGOAT: now imagine dealing with rosethorn's fans as her intern 24/7
LookingGlass: ...
LookingGlass: what's with you and Sally today?
IniGOAT: jealous bro?
LookingGlass: nvm
IniGOAT: we were looking for vigilantes
LookingGlass: Find any?
Inigo looked up Sally on his phone. She'd been pretty mad huh? He'll swing by with Junichi and reveal himself later. They were great friends after all so it's probably fine if she knew. But something else tugged on his mind. He should tell Chris first.
Actually your greatest general has something to tell ya
He started typing up the message only to stop halfway through. Desolator's words from that cold rooftop surfaced in his mind. [ “He tried to kill your friend.” ]. He saw flashes of Junichi's mangled body. Of Chris' and Kaylee's. What if Chris went after Junichi again?
He deleted the message. Not now... He'll make sure the two became bros first then they'll laugh about it. But not just yet.
IniGOAT: nah
Putting away his phone, Inigo hopped off the bed. Despite the overall success of their mission, he couldn't shake the gnawing worry over Hoge confronting that assassin—alone in the factory. What if she had gotten hurt? The mental image made his chest clench. A hundred conversations of her saying that she's a hero-in-training too and that she's fully capable splashed in his mind. Yeah, I know that but...
Gigan, perched on the windowsill, watched him with concerned eyes. Sighing, Inigo pushed himself up. "I need a drink, buddy. Be right back."
Putting away his phone, Inigo hopped off the bed. Gigan flew to his shoulder and clung there. Brushing back his hair, he made his way out of his bedroom. The rooftop apartment had seen better days. Takeout boxes and cans of energy drinks littered the floor. Joon's jacket, and Inigo's vigilante costume, or what's left of it after facing the Nail villain was strewn about next to the bathroom door. The hallway was dark, lit up only by the light coming from his room and flashes coming from the living room television.
Junichi was busy playing a frantic game of Mecha Corez 12, and the sounds of crushing metal and explosions filled the room. The dark-haired boy let out of a satisfied huff as a victory screen popped up in front of him.
"Can't sleep?" Inigo said as he passed by on his way to the kitchen.
"Yeah. Too busy carrying these LOSERS all night!" Junichi yelled into his mic for the game lobby to hear. He's been pretty hyped up ever since they got back, Inigo thought. You'd never know it from looking at him, but the grouchy boy had nearly killed a villain earlier that evening, but there was a small satisfied gleam in his eyes like he had just accomplished a long assigned task. It was only from closer inspection that he noticed Junichi wasn't playing alone.
"I got one kill," Chihiro said in calm satisfaction, kneeling beside the couch, controller in hand. The crimson-eyed girl had decided to stay over. It was too late for Curie drive her back to the woods, and Inigo had been too wounded to fly her back.
"Only one?" Inigo pondered as he took out a carton of milk from the fridge.
"Takagi-san has been teaching me the game."
"She's learning!" Junichi called out.
"I'll help with your mech setup later so we can 3v3," Inigo shot her fingerguns, before awkwardly noticing that her controller wasn't plugged in all the way. Junichi shot him a sidelong glance.
"Y'know you can use my bed if ya want, Chihiro-san," Inigo suggested. "Joon and I can sleep out here."
"No, thank you," Chihiro shook her head. "Takagi-san told me that you designed your bedroom to traps girls."
"Huh? What?"
"Yeah.. I remember what you said before. Your weird plan," Junichi said evenly, starting another match.
"Bro! First of all, I told you that in confidence! That was way way back! And I couldn't find a big enough cage..."
Gigan facepalmed on his shoulder. Chihiro started typing away on her phone.
"She's telling Nyoro."
"I'm telling Fuu-chan."
"Don't tell her that!"
"Send it Mitsurugi. Do it!"
"I should warn my friend if she is in danger."
"Hoge's not in any danger! I don't need to trap her in there. She should er- want to go in my room on her own."
"Heh, but she's never stayed over," Junichi noted.
"She will one day!" Inigo hoped. "And I don't want her getting weird ideas. C'mon now!" he pleaded.
Chihiro slowly placed down her phone. A merciful gesture from the sword mistress. Thankfully, the match started and Chihiro got lost focusing on controlling the lone black and red mech on the screen. Inigo watched them for a minute. As he made his way to the kitchen, a glint of metal caught his eye. There, resting innocently on the coffee table, was Hoge's Maru(maru) helmet. The burnished brown metallic surface winked at him, the three green lights set above the reddish eyes resembling a cicada. It sat there like it was watching him.
"Huh...she must have left it here earlier," Inigo murmured, scooping up the helmet reverently.
"Mmph...don' do anythin' weird with it..." Junichi mumbled.
"Yes. Please don't do anything weird," Chihiro parroted, her eyes fixed on the game.
Inigo sputtered. "I wasn’t—I’m not! I'm just keeping it safe for her, assholes!"
Junichi merely grunted. Shaking his head, Inigo carried the helmet back to his room, setting it carefully on his desk. He flopped onto the bed, staring thoughtfully at Hoge's disguise. Having something so personal of hers felt strangely intimate, almost like having a part of her with him. A faint blush crept up his neck.
"Wonder how she even got this thing," he mused aloud. Gigan just blinked at him silently.
On impulse, Inigo snapped a quick picture of the helmet and texted it to Hoge.
IniGOAT: a cute girl left this at my place
IniGOAT: lmk if u see her
He glanced at his Popsy-funtime clock—12:05 AM glowed back at him. She'd be fast asleep by now. His gaze drifted back to the helmet, gleaming in the lamplight.
Inigo's heart raced as he stared, remembering the first time he'd seen her wear it. Shiketsu had asked them about their hero costumes at the start of the year, but he could’ve sworn that she had this beforehand. Much like Ashleigh’s electric whip or Hifumi’s armor, it was custom-made. Had she made it herself? Poured her heart and brilliance into crafting this symbol of her heroic identity? The thought made his eyes gleam with affection and admiration for the girl that’s somehow bloomed inside his heart and spread roots in his veins.
Almost of its own volition, his hand reached out, fingers brushing the smooth surface. After a moment's hesitation, he lifted it and slid the helmet over his head. The scent of Hoge's calming aromatherapy spray—jasmine, lavender, sandalwood, magnolia —enveloped him, and he couldn't suppress the tingle that raced down his body. Eyes fluttering closed, Inigo let himself imagine Hoge, fresh from hero practice, hair tousled and damp around the helmet, eyes bright with adrenaline and something deeper as she looked at him...
Inigo's face flamed crimson and he yanked the helmet off, heart pounding. "Gah, what am I doing?" he groaned, burying his face in his hands. Gigan shot him an odd look. "Get a grip," he stammered, dropping heavily onto his bed.
The buzz of his phone made Inigo start violently. Hoge's reply flashed on the screen:
〇〇: Don’t do anything weird with it, Ini.
He could hear the wry amusement lacing her voice as clearly as if she were beside him.
IniGOAT: I swear I’m NOT!
He hastily typed back.
[Just keeping it safe. I need you]
Backspace. Backspace.
[I need to know you're safe.]
Erased.
[Just keeping it safe. Promise.]
Send.
Inigo fell back against his pillows, arm flung over his eyes as if to block out the world. Face red, every nerve felt raw, every emotion amplified to an almost unbearable intensity. All the secrets. Exams. Internships. The villains they were after. The fear, the longing, the aching need to protect Hoge, to hold her close and never let go… He was going to explode.
He heard a mew and opened his eyes to find Gigan patting him on the head.
Inigo sighed. “Thanks, buddy."
Gigan transformed into a mini-Popsy, shooting him a thumbs-up.
"Yeah yeah, I need to get a grip. We have a villain to catch in the morning." He felt the angst slowly leaving him. "I can't let the others down."
At least there was no one around to see what a mess he was. The buzz of his phone made them both turn.
〇〇: If you do something weird. (Please clean it properly afterwards.)
〇〇: Please don't leave any stains.
GAH!
II. Con Man
As Shiketsu Academy's support course advisor, Omura Tadao, drove along the carpool lane, his mind wandered to the past, to the days when he was a young, aspiring hero fresh out of school. His quirk, which allowed him to create illusions, flickered in the passenger seat, conjuring an imaginary companion to satisfy the lane's requirements. The illusions only made his self-imposed solitude worse. His passengers turned and spoke.
'Other people have it way worse than you.'
'Be grateful for what you have.'
In a detached, rational sense, Omura understood the intended meaning behind these phrases. But when he considered them in the context of his own life as a failed pro hero, they felt like knives twisting in his gut. The condescension was suffocating. Yes, he recognized the privileges he had—a roof over his head, a teacher's salary. But was he really expected to endure the relentless barrage of misery that life threw at him, day after day, with a fake smile plastered on his face? He peeked at himself through the car's mirror. His ivory hero mask with a red circle gleamed back at him. It's not that he was particularly ugly, just that he was typical, and he hated that. It was better to let others believe there was someone heroic under the mask.
"Another day, another lie," he thought.
At the age of 18, Omura had been eager to take on the world, to fight villains and prove himself. However, his quirk's compulsion to constantly lie quickly woke him up to the truth. No hero agency wanted someone who compulsively lied. Especially when working as part of a team in dangerous situations. One by one, the agencies had dropped him, citing this and that, forcing him to move from one organization to another. His hero name, Conman, slowly faded from the rankings and public attention.
He turned his car into the faculty parking lot of Shiketsu Academy. Picking up his silver-tipped cane, Omura got out of the car and made his way slowly towards the west gate. He led with his left leg and grumbled as he watched groups of students enter the gate.
"On your left! Hahaha!" Omura felt a heavy hand pat him on the shoulder as the pro hero Majestic jogged past him, blonde hair shining, hero cape blowing in the wind. He was followed by a flock of jogging women, one of them had a shirt on saying "Shiketsu Moms Jogging Club".
"Oh hey... good morning, Yasashi-san." Majestic didn't return the greeting. They've worked together for over ten years, and the #6 Hero had mostly ignored him. Omura sighed inwardly and made his way to his office.
'Conman' had been close to reaching the top 100 once. But despite his best efforts to "be better" at playing the pro hero game, Omura's compulsion inevitably led to an accident, resulting in a fatality and a severe leg injury that ousted him from fieldwork. After that, he was relegated to dealing with computers and support, through it all he had gritted his teeth and nodded along. Believing it would all work out somehow. Yet, the mistrust persisted. One day, the Hero Public Safety Commission stopped giving him work. No tasks, no assignments, no meetings, and so on.
He tried to reach out to other pros, but they wanted nothing to do with him. He was poison: to their reputation, to their ranking, and to the hero industry as a whole. Unable to fire him outright, they had exiled him in the hope that he would quit on his own. "Window sitter" some called him. Despite all his hard work, he was being shunned.
He wasn't sure why he kept going. Why he kept hoping that someone would listen, that anyone would genuinely care about his struggles. Maybe it was a tiny, stubborn spark of optimism that refused to die. Ironically, the counselors and mental health professionals, the very people whose job it was to help people like him, seemed to care the least. Their apathy towards their work and the people in their care was so deeply ingrained, it was almost impressive. Omura felt like he could confess to giving up on his dream of being a hero, to succumbing to the darkness that haunted him, and they'd barely acknowledge it with a disinterested nod. Dr. Saraki had promised him a treatment for his compulsion but that was a lie. No surprise there.
Miserable and desperate, Omura had turned to overspending, maxing out his credit count. And when that ran dry, he turned to making deals he never planned to keep. It didn't matter. It was a reckless last hurrah before ending his life. For months, he spiraled downwards into the depths of Tokyo's red district, his spirit breaking, until he was on the verge.
It was cold that night, he was standing on top of Nihonbashi Bridge, contemplating the jump when he got the phone call. Anzu, an old classmate, reached out to him, offering a lifeline, a teaching position in the support course of Shiketsu Academy. She was surprised when he broke down crying. Omura accepted the offer like a drowning man gulping precious air, clinging to a last chance at redemption with a fervor born of desperation and spinelessness.
It was all the way in Kyoto, but it was a chance for a new life, a new start. Surprisingly, he found the transition easy. The geniuses in the support course preferred to work independently, allowing him to keep his interactions brief and oversee them without his compulsion getting in the way.
Before he knew it, months passed and he had found a purpose again. That is until his past caught up with him. His debts and past debauchery never went away. It only took a few home visits for him to cave like a coward and turn into a Shiketsu leak. And to protect his worthless life, he betrayed the one person who believed in him.
"There you are, Tadao-kun," Karaburan greeted as he got to the faculty room.
"I told you to stop calling me that, Anzu," Omura replied.
"That's Principal Anzu," she said with a smile.
"Right..."
"How's the leg?"
"Sore. How's the arm?"
"Still gone."
Omura returned the smile.
As Omura stepped into the Shiketsu faculty room, he was greeted by the familiar sight of his colleagues engaged in their usual morning routines. The spacious room contained desks for each faculty member which held the documents they'll need for the day.
In one corner, the Overly-Enthusiastic Hero Localoca was animatedly showing pictures from her recent trip to Okinawa to Ippon and Rebecca Weber, the school nurse. "Oh, and Saurus says hi, by the way," Localoca chirped, her eyes sparkling. "He says you owe him a sparring round!"
Ippon nodded, a grin spreading across his face. "Oh yeah? I'm always up for testing my skills."
Weber chuckled, shaking her head. "You two and your constant need to prove yourselves. I don't know if it's the water in Kyoto, but men are all the same. Don't you ever get tired of it?"
Localoca giggled, throwing an arm around the nurse's shoulders. "Oh Becky-chan! Let the boys have their fun! Ippon's just excited to spar the #2 hero!~"
Majestic looked up from his desk. He let out a loud, mocking laugh. "That loudmouth Saurus? He couldn't cut it in Kyoto, so he had to flee to Osaka. Pathetic."
Skycarver shot Majestic a weary look. "This again? Don't start another Twitter flame war with Saurus, Yasashi. We don't need that kind of drama."
Hijack shook his head from across the room. "Too late."
As if on cue, a series of dings echoed through the room as everyone's phones lit up with notifications. Majestic glared at his phone, his fingers furiously typing away. "He's saying I'm Wash-blocked?? What the hell does that mean?" Majestic growled. "I'll show him!" Groans filled the room.
Nurse Weber turned to Hijack, holding out a leather jacket. "You left this at my place last night," she said softly with a wink.
The room erupted in a chorus of "oohs" and "aahs" as Hijack chuckled uncomfortably, his face a light red. "She was just— helping me with a lesson plan," he stammered, trying to deflect the attention. Nurse Weber smirked, clearly enjoying the reaction.
Majestic called out from across the room, his voice booming. "Hey, I could use some help with my lesson plan too!"
"Really? No, thanks," Nurse Weber waved away.
Karuga Ito, the school psychologist, shook his head, taking a long sip of his coffee. "It's too early in the morning for this," he muttered, his voice barely audible over the laughter and chatter.
As he sat at his desk, Omura looked on enviously as he watched his colleagues laugh and joke with one another. Quietly he reviewed his lesson plans for the day. They don't even know I'm here.
"Good morning, Omura."
He looked up to see Rosethorn standing by his desk. Omura forced a smile, "Oh—um... good morning."
"How's the support course coming along for the festival? I understand 2-C is working with my class."
Omura's heart raced as he scrambled to find the right words. "Ah, yes, well, the students are making excellent progress! Their inventions are sure to impress everyone at the festival, and—" The bell rang, signaling the start of classes and saving Omura from having to elaborate further. He breathed a sigh of relief, thanking his lucky stars for the timely interruption.
"Sorry. I have to go."
"We'll talk later then," Rosethorn said, smiling as she walked off. As the teachers began to disperse, Omura gathered his materials and headed for the door.
III. Support Course Development Studio
Steadying his breath, he entered the 2-C classroom, a high-tech lab posing as a lecture hall. Hand-picked prodigies tinkered at dedicated workstations, whirring machinery and buzzing tools filling the air. "Alright class!" Omura clapped. "The Shiketsu Culture Festival is coming up, and your inventions will absolutely not be the star of the hero course demo. Feel free to slack off!" The students chuckled, accustomed to his compulsive dishonesty. Charm and quirk in one.
He weaved through the bustling space, taking attendance. Omura approached a workstation where a lanky boy with wild, electric-blue hair was hunched over the large metallic torso of a battle drone.
"Renki-kun!" Omura greeted with a grin. "I see you're not working on anything particularly groundbreaking, eh?" Kagami Renki, whose quirk "Overclock" allowed him to boost the performance of any electronic device, looked up with a smirk. "You got me, sensei! This baby here definitely won't be revolutionizing search-and-rescue operations!"
Omura chuckled, moving on to the next station. A small girl with pale lavender skin and iridescent eyes was carefully adjusting the settings on what appeared to be a vest. "Mirai-chan, I bet that gadget of yours will be an absolute flop."
Yokota Mirai, possessing the quirk "Spectrum Sight," which granted her the ability to see across the electromagnetic spectrum, smiled softly. "Of course, sensei. I would never dream of creating something actually useful for our heroic counterparts." She held up what looked like a dark-orange vest covered in exposed wires.
"And what is it exactly?"
"It's a modulator vest for emitter-types. The primary objective is to ameliorate the challenges faced by heroes exhibiting hyperactive quirk manifestations. However, the current iteration effectively reverses emitted electromagnetic radiation patterns. It'd require additional tests with Seijinto-san from Class 1-E. That is if you would allow it, sir," she blushed after her request.
Ah. Young love. "Of course, Mirai-san. I'm sure the young man won't be very happy to see you for the third time this week." He winked before moving forward. He made it halfway to Aura Curie's workstation, a desk covered in patient charts and medical journal pages, before his phone buzzed.
"Excuse me for a moment, everyone," he said hurriedly, already heading for the door. "Just need to take this quick call. No shenanigans now! If anyone breaks a rule, this room is set to explode! I will not be attending your funerals." He heard the kids laughing as he stepped out into the hallway. Seeing the number, Omura pressed the phone to his ear with a trembling hand.
"H-hello?"
"Conman."
The distorted voice on the other end chilled his spine.
"We have a problem. Ootanagi's operations are compromised. We need you to clean house."
Omura swallowed hard.
"I... I see. That's fantastic news!"
"It's bad enough we have to deal with one group. But whoever attacked the factory released Ootanagi's dealings. Now we risk every low-life hero-wannabe going after us..."
"But how?"
"Tojiro is dead too. Decapitated. You know what that means."
"Oh god..."
"These vigilantes need to be dealt with."
"Of course."
"Get it done. Unless you'd like your activities to become public knowledge?"
"...I understand. You can count on me."
With that, the line went dead, leaving Omura slumped against the wall. His leg ached painfully. Maybe his lies had finally caught up with him. It was nice while it lasted. He had a plan but he just needed time to—
"Is everything okay, professor?"
He turned around to see the silver-haired student, Aura Curie, by the door, one of the star students in the Support course. She had an incredibly rare quirk and was well sought after by hero agencies. Her bright future was the complete opposite of his own.
"Yes. I'm fine, Curie-san. Never felt better. Just my mother calling about dinner plans. You know how parents get. Is there something you need?"
"Oh, I wouldn't know actually," she said in a sad tone. "Is it okay if I leave early today? They need me at the hospital."
"Yes, of course! Go right ahea—" Suddenly, Curie clutched her arm and fell forward, groaning in sharp pain. Omura caught her reflexively.
"Sorry. I'm okay. It's only a cramp from overusing my quirk."
"Now, now. That won't do at all. We'll have Siro take you to Nurse Weber before you go," he said worriedly. If something happened to the star student, Anzu would kill him before his shadowy employers could. He looked at the sophomore with deep concern. He was so concerned, in fact, that he didn't notice the deft blurred hand reaching into his pocket for his phone.
IV. Spy Games
Inigo crept through the hallways of Shiketsu. He glanced over his shoulder, searching for any sign that someone could be following him, but the corridors remained empty. Most of the students were still at lunch. Gigan flew to him from the other direction and chirped. All clear. With a final, cautious sweep, he slipped into a room, the door closing behind him with a soft click, and he glanced at the sign above the door.
Doki Doki Investigations Club.
Inside the small club room, the girls were gathered around the dark smudge who is Hoge. Her laptop open, her fingers flying across the keys with quiet focus. Inigo, Curie, and Chihiro surrounded her, their eyes glued to the screen as she worked.
"We're in," Hoge announced. "Omura's credentials worked. Since we have Charlatan's laptop from Tor Maju, we now have access to the account and back-up server too."
Inigo let out a low whistle. "Easier than we thought, huh?"
Hoge nodded. He could see her twitching and jolting excitedly at the explanation of her process. "The code he used matched the encryptions on the packaged documents. It's like finding the same combination lock on different lockers. They didn't even try to hide it. The system is set up so buyers can easily get info from Shiketsu They likely didn't expect anyone like us to get this far. "
Curie hugged herself. "They know so many things about us," she sighed.
Inigo reached out, patting her on the shoulder. "We'll get to the bottom of this."
Hoge was in hyper-focus mode, quiet save for the occasional mutter to herself. Now and then, Inigo caught a flash of her cold, calculating eyes behind the blur. "She's piecing it together," he thought to himself. "Like a puzzle." Who was collecting all this info on Shiketsu? And how? It can't just be Conman.
Files on every student in the hero and support course filled the laptop's display. Chihiro leaned in, her eyes narrowing as Hoge paused on a profile for the Hero: Yako. Who would purchase info on how Chihiro's Life Taker worked? Its precise range and current intensity? There were folders about Chihiro's past, police documents and testimonies on the horrific scene that killed so many when her quirk manifested.
Click. Click.
Evidence of a cover-up, of Shiketsu turning a blind eye to allow her in despite written complaints and objections from the Commission. Emails from the relatives of Chihiro's victims. Condemnations of the young girl's ability.
Hoge seemed to become aware of the other girl's close presence. She shifted, a flicker of self-consciousness crossing her face at delving into the private details of her sensei and best friend's life. Chihiro's blank stare betrayed no emotion, no hint of objection.
"Chi-chan," Hoge began softly, "we can erase all of this, if you want."
Chihiro shook her head. "It's okay. What they're saying is true."
An awkward beat passed. Hoge, unsure how to respond, moved on to the next name in the 1-D database. Bobby Samson.
Click. Click.
His full profile appeared, one of the larger files, similar to Hailey's and Inigo's own. Someone was paying frequently not just for information on Bobby, but also on his mother, Lifelight.
"Who is 'Nightmare'?" Inigo mused aloud at the note next to the file. "Pretty edgy villain name."
"Sounds like a silver age villain. An enemy of Sunman perhaps," Hoge said.
Inigo noted the documents denying the Samsons financial aid from the Hero Commission, there was an apparent effort to undermine them. Hoge clicked to the next profile before Inigo could finish reading, her interest in Bobby apparently minimal. I've got to do something to bring her closer to the boys, Inigo thought. Maybe Bobby could grill her a steak dinner, or Sandy could lead another treasure hunt in the woods. Those are always a blast.
Click. Click.
Kaylee's profile loaded after a brief pause. "It says she's from 'England(?)'," Inigo read, amused. "There's no way she was actually discovered in a pod. That's awesome."
"Everyone in support just thought she was from the Amazon," Curie chimed in. "She doesn't even have a birthday listed. How do we know she's really a teenager?"
"Someone deliberately filled in the blanks to get her into Shiketsu," Hoge stated frankly. "They wanted her in 1-D."
"Why?" Chihiro asked.
Inigo grinned. "Maybe Majestic just really wanted babes in 1-D. Explains why Joon was left out."
"Baka," Hoge muttered, but a hint of a smile tugged at her lips. "Still, it does explain the paper trail pushing for the recruitment of the Koreans and McCathy. No wonder we have so many gaijins."
Curie glanced at Hoge and Chihiro. "You mean all the freaks and weirdos in 1-D isn't a coincidence? No offense."
"Hey, I'm a freak too!" Inigo declared proudly.
Curie rolled her eyes. "You have a cute dragon mascot. That's hardly a mutant quality."
"I am too a mutant. The evidence is in my pants," Inigo said with a wink.
"Gigan!" Hoge called out authoritatively. A green cinderblock flew towards the blonde boy's head, knocking him to the floor.
"Ow..." Inigo groaned from his sprawled position, eyes swirling as egg Popsies danced around his head. "You can't bury the truth, Coru-chan..."
The school bell signaled the end of the lunch period. Hoge's fingers swiftly tapped away, transferring the last of the incriminating files before closing the laptop. The sound of rushing footsteps filled the halls outside.
"Aw, I wanted to see what they have on me and Chris."
"That's everything," Hoge said, ejecting a small flash drive. She held it up for the others to see, her glasses flashed white. "Fufufu- Everything we need to bring down Conman's group and expose the whole operation is right here. This'll lead us right to him. Let's bring it to Principal Anzu."
Inigo whistled low. "Alright alright! Let's blow the creep's whole game wide open."
"We have to be careful how we proceed," Curie cautioned. "If they realize we're onto them..."
Her words trailed off as a mechanical skittering came from Conman's phone. In a blur of motion, a small spider-like drone launched itself out, snatching the flash drive from Hoge's hand. "Uwaah!" Hoge cried out, startled.
The drone didn't pause, immediately racing for the door. Chihiro was fastest to react, phasing out of sight and giving chase with liquid grace. "After it."
They spilled out into the hallway in a mix of shouts and pounding feet. Students scattered in confusion as the mechanical spider skittered between their legs, a ghostly blur hot on its heels.
"Don't let it get away!" Inigo bellowed, Gigan shot forward like an arrow materializing a wall to cut it off. With a frantic whir of mechanics, the drone split apart in four separate directions. The team pulled up short, eyes widening.
"Split up!" Inigo barked. Hoge blurred towards the west hall, weaving through the body of students. Students gasped. A ten foot pit appeared in front of her. Hoge ran right through. She's flying!?
The hiss of spray is heard. "It's an illusion! Omura's quirk," she called out.
"Got it! Be careful!" Inigo chased through the east hall, looking back quickly to see Chihiro catch one of the four pieces and hand it to Curie, before continuing to chase the third piece. She was heading for the cafeteria.
"Alright!" Just ahead Inigo could see the mechanical spiderling skittering through students returning to their classrooms. So much for staying quiet and not attracting attention. Inigo willed his construct and leaped into a neon green skateboard. With a burst of speed, he rode forward.
"Coming through!" he shouted, grabbing a slow swirly-eyed boy in his path.
"Oi! What the hell's going on??" Satoru cried.
"Tani-kun! No time to explain," Inigo grinned. "Tame! Catch!"
Inigo passed the boy off to the android and sped ahead. The hallway was widening as students entered their classes. His eyes zero'd in on his metallic target. It was matching his speed. I'm gonna need help - his eyes scanned the students ahead. The 1-D classroom was coming up. There!
A familiar group was approaching from the other direction. Sally, Yui, Hiro and Chris!
Hoge
The mechanical spiderling zipped through the freshman PE class, Hoge a blur on its heels. Students scattered with shouts as it skittered between legs and thrown dodge balls. It angled towards the training rooms, forcing Hoge to crash through the closed doors. Inside, the Korean clique girls were gathered near the bleachers, practicing a popular TikTok dance in their modified Shiketsu uniforms. Hoge huffed at the dress code infraction. Faith was off to the side, studying a deck of tarot cards instead of dancing.
"Ugh.. I'm so over this song," Max groaned, reluctantly moving her hips in time with the beat.s. "Why are we even doing this again?"
Edith smirked, pointing her phone camera at Max. "'We did a fan poll and it won. Quit bitching. Our fans are watching, and you're kill the vibe."
"Ugh, shut up!" Max snapped, sticking out her tongue. "At least I'm not making stupid grunting noises on every beat drop."
"Leave her alone," Minnie chided gently. "Maybe the dance just isn't Max's thing."
"{Yeah, because she's all beef and no moves,}" Edith said in Korean with a cackle.
Max bristled. "{I'll show you beef, you little—}"
"Alright, that's enough!" Hailey cut them off with an eye roll. "Places for the last run-through before lunch."
As the other girls obediently reformed their positions, Hailey turned to Faith who was concentrating intensely on the cards laid out before her.
"Seriously? You're not even trying today."
Faith didn't look up from the spread. "My reading this morning cautioned about unexpected events arising. I'm just preparing myself accordingly."
Hailey stared at her blankly. "...You're so weird." She shook her head and rejoined the others. "Okay hoes, one more time!"
No sooner had the music started up again than a huge commotion came from the doorway. A strange skittering metal creature burst into the room, charging right through the dance formation. The girls screamed and scattered in shock.
"Oh my god, what the fuck is that thing?" Edith cried out, phone still raised to film it.
Hot on its heels came a familiar blue-and-green blur. "Gomene!" a blurred Hoge shouted, eyes locked on her metallic target as it zipped towards the boys' locker room. Maxine snarled, bone spikes erupting from her arms as she took an aggressive step forward.
"Hey Class Rep! I know it's you!" Hailey called out, still floating. Hoge skidded to a stop, chest heaving as her eyes finally focused on the Korean girls arrayed against her. For a beat, she expected taunts, demands to explain herself. Hailey smirked, flipping her hair back. "Need help?" An uncharacteristic look of concern on the lead korean's face as the other girls gathered behind her.
Hoge weighed her options. "Hai!" She gave a curt nod.
With scary smiles, the girls moved to back up her up. Faith had already turned one of the metal lockers into a hovering drone. For good or ill, the chase was now a team effort.
Chihiro
Chihiro knew they where fake but it still made her wary and unsteady. The hallway seemed to wobble and move as pits opened before her. She pushed aside her caution, eyes locked on the scuttling spiderling. Shiketsu's large sprawling cafeteria was half-full.
"Hey! No running!" Skycarver-sensei's call was a distant echo as Chihiro blurred past. Leaping onto the cafeteria tables, she was a crimson blur, students' shouts and clattering plates fading into the rush of the chase. The spiderling skittered under the tables, always just ahead.
"Mitsurugi? What are you chasing!?" Kaylee's voice boomed over the chaos. Chihiro looked up to see the large girl soaring above her.
"Yeah, tell us!" Orochi said, running by her side.
"That!" Chihiro pointed as the spiderling leaped out of the cafeteria windows and into the sports field outside.
"What is it?" Kaylee's eyes narrowed. As it got outside, the spiderling only sped up. Chihiro felt herself slowing down as she led their trio. Her reserves where running low.
"Running out of juice?" Orochi called out. "Drain me."
Chihiro's eyes widened. "No."
"C'mon! You're the only one fast enough to catch it!"
"No."
"I trust you!"
Chihiro's aura unfurled without a second thought, Orochi's regenerative power flooding her veins like lightning. She surged forward with blinding speed. Orochi smiled uncomfortable as she fell back, her regeneration keeping her steady as Chihiro sped upwards with the burst of speed. "Thank you,"
"I can get it! Stand back!" Kaylee's shout was a thunderclap. She flew upwards. Energy gathered with a deafening hum. Chihiro tensed, coiled to strike.
ZWOOOOMMM!!
The blast sheared the earth, a ring of devastation encircling the spiderling. Chihiro exploded into its center, bokken raised. She pinned the writhing creature to the churned soil.
Hoge + the Clique
Hoge blurred through the locker room door, bokken in hand, the mechanical spiderling scurrying ahead. The korean girls fanned out behind her, quirks at the ready.
"Block the exits!" Hailey commanded, her telekinesis slamming the far door shut with a bang. Faith's metal drones encircled the shower area as Maxine's bone spikes erupted in wicked arcs at their target. Edith pulled out a metallic frame from her quirk, boxing the spiderling into a corner.
It whirred frantically, darting this way and that, seeking an escape. Hoge materialized in its path, eyes narrowed behind her blurring form. She threw her kunai and broke its legs. It couldn't move! They did it.
That's when the first insectoid appeared. A skittering sound, like countless legs on tile. Minerva screamed as a wave of tiny chitterous horrors flooded from the vents, pouring over the lockers in a writhing sea of chitin.
"What are those things?!" Edith cried out, forcefield faltering. Hoge's eyes went wide with revulsion as the insectoids surged forward in numbers too massive to comprehend. With startling speed, they swarmed over the spiderling, obscuring it entirely within their wriggling mass.
Bone spikes and Minnie's electricity lashed out, ripping the creatures apart in explosions of ichor - but for each one slain, ten more took its place. An enormous insectoid, easily the size of a basketball, skittered forward on wickedly barbed legs. Its tail whipped out, razor appendages shredding through Edith's hastily erected barrier. Hoge instinctively sank into Wasuremono, narrowly avoiding being perforated. The creatures slinked away. Behind her, the the girls fell back, fending off the endless waves even as more insectoids continued birthing forth in a never-ending stream of chittering horror.
With a focused wave Hailey sent her quirk surging through the crowd, cutting a path in the middle. "Nyoro! Get it girl!" Through the haze, Hoge saw a familiar glint of metal amidst the roiling sea of insectoids.
She nodded grimly. "HAI! I'm going in!" Hoge took a deep breath. Locking eyes with Hailey, who gave a sharp nod. Lightning and telekinetic blasts fired through the crowd - Hoge's cue. She blurred into motion, lithe form dancing through the chaos. She let her after-image linger just enough to confuse the swarm. Chitin and ichor splattered in her wake as she wove between the massive insectoids. Their barbed legs lashed out with blinding speed, but Hoge's quirk allowed her to effortlessly evade. Minerva kept the pressure on while Faith's drones herded the larger insectoids away from Hoge's line of advance. Closer and closer she pressed through the seething mass. A pair of wicked pincers snapped inches from her face. Hoge pivoted, following the source - there! A familiar metallic glint amidst all the writhing mass. With a burst of effort, she brought her bokken down into the mass. Her hand lashed out, fingers closing around the dismantled remains of the spiderling. Pincers clamped down on her forearm, but Hoge held firm.
"I've got it!" She twisted, already dissolving back into frantic motion to retreat. But then a shadow fell over her. Hoge glanced up to see the largest insectoid, the size of a dog, bearing down, acid dripping from its distended maw. Too many eyes blinked across its grotesque, malformed body. Minnie's lightning coiled and struck the large insectoid's head. Followed by one of Faith's drones slamming into the insectoid's flank, staggering the behemoth just long enough for Hoge to throw herself aside. She hit the ground rolling, finally coming up in a crouch.
It was still charging! It could see her! There was no time to evade. Hoge skidded to a halt, clutching the spiderling tight as she braced for the attack. A piercing screech split the air.
Vyoom!
A noise snapped like a vacuum sucking in air. Everything went dark for Hoge. She felt cold. Yet, she could tell no blow struck her. All around her were various objects in a dark gray space. She spotted metal bars, rope, a mini-karaoke machine, and even some insectoids. Where was she? Her mind raced and reached only one conclussion.
Vyooom!
Edith released Hoge from her quirk, and the taller girl appeared. The malformed insectoid was instantly on them. Everything fell in place instantly for Hoge like a television switching to a different channel. "Fall back!" Hailey's telekinesis shoved the teeming mass momentarily away. "We have what we came for!"
The five girls looked at each other, battered but victorious. With a unified nod, they turned and ran for the exit. The door burst open and they spilled out into the hallway, Edith sealing it shut behind them just before the relentless tide crashed against it once more. For now, they were safe. "You have some explaining to do," Hailey said breathing hard, as all five girls rested their backs against the door. The noise slowly waned.
From the nurse's office, Nurse Webber watched the camera footage from phone with a grim look. There was only so much help she could give to Omura.
Inigo
Inigo blew past Yui, Sally, Chris, and Hiro in the hallway, wheels of his skateboard thundering. He could use their help but... he's already gotten Sally into enough trouble. "Coming through. Hey bro! Lookin' good!" He threw them a jaunty fingergun as Gigan's wings materialized, propelling him even faster in pursuit of the fleeing spiderling. The metallic quarry skittered just ahead, weaving between the crowd of students returning from lunch.
Yui and Hiro shot him a perplexed nod. They were carrying their lunchboxes from the cafeteria. Chris looked up from his copy of Legend of the White Snake, blinking. He had wondered where the blonde boy had been all of lunch time. Before he could say anything Sally's off-center Japanese errupted behind him. "YOU! Come back here, Myoga!" Sally shouted, quirk flaring followed by the sounds of several clicks within her arm.
Fortunately, Inigo was already gone, rounding a corner in a spray of green sparks. Christopher stared after him. "Yo, what's up?" No response came except the fading clatter of the chase. With a huff of frustration, Sally took off at a sprint, following the sounds toward the back of the campus near the library. Christopher sighed and handed his book to Hiro.
"Hold on to this please."
"You got it."
Chris was only a few strides behind Sally.
"Should we go after them?" Yui asked.
Hiro shrugged. "We're gonna be late for class."
"It's an independent study class!"
"Yes... it's one of my favorite subjects."
Chris and Sally found Inigo heading down a dingy stairwell half-hidden behind shelves, skateboard abandoned as he peered down into the shadows with a perplexed frown."Damn, it's gone."
"What are you getting into now?" Sally demanded between breaths as she stomped down to follow him with Christopher right behind her. At the bottom, she found herself staring at a dark hallway. They were alone down here.
Inigo spun to face them, expressions shifting rapidly between cocky bravado and uncharacteristic worry. "Hey. Sorry no time to explain," he said as he whistled and his skateboard turned back into Gigan's dragon form.
"I think I deserve to know! After what you put me through! Three hours of anti-vigilante counseling, Myoga! Skycarver made us watch a video made in the 2030's!
Inigo chuckled, and reached for a light switch. The room lit up into a series of hallways and maintainance pipes. "Right right. Look," Pitching his voice lower, Inigo scanned the branching path. "We know there's bad guys out there, but I'm checking up on Shiketsu itself. You ever feel like there's more going on in here than just hero school? This is about why villains like Ootanagi were able to get away with their crimes for so long."
Sally's eyed him suspiciously. Christopher cut in. "Because the system that's supposed to catch them is compromised..." He exhaled slowly.
Inigo beamed. "I knew you'd get it bro! " He kept moving. "And the next step is finding where that ugly spiderthing went."
As they moved together, Sally looked at the crumbling masonry surrounding them. "Where are we?"
"Underground," Christopher replied causing his hand to glow for light. It was a good thing he still had Jugo's quirk. "These tunnels run beneath the oldest part of Shiketsu's campus and the buildings that existed..."He paused to take in the architecture. "Before the 100 Years of Chaos. This whole area used to be an all-girls college."
"Oh yeah, Hiro told me about this place. I always thought the school was built on a graveyard." Inigo noted.
"So there's just tunnels down here for no reason?" Sally noted the cobwebs on the walls.
"It doesn't look like it, but in the events of an emergency this place could be used as a bomb shelter," Christopher checked his phone and found no signal.
"Or as a hideout for a bad guy." Inigo glared at the darkness.
Before anyone could reply, a strange mechanical whirring echoed up from the depths ahead. The trio instantly fell silent, straining to hear.
More noises followed - a cacophony of pounding metal feet and servomotors engaging. Inigo's expression hardened. Gigan's armor started to spread across his chest.
"I don't think we're alone anymore..."
Taking point, he started cautiously. The clanking and whirring grew louder with every step until finally the hallway emerged into a vast, open space. They were surrounded by ranks of vaguely humanoid mecha.
"Watch out!" Sally's quirk hummed as bullets and laser fire whizzed towards the trio. A faint humming is heard as Inigo lifted up a green barrier which coiled from his gauntlet. "Hey! Looks like we've got some old friends here. I think I remember that big one!"
"Huh?" Sally shot him a weird look.
"Oh I forgot you weren't there."
"Entrance exam bots," Chris explained. He recognized them and they were indeed the same decrepit combat robots that had tested them during the Shiketsu entrance exams. Down to the damage inflicted by the various students. Had they been down here the entire time? Rust flaked from their joints, servos whining in protest as they turned in eerie unison. They marched forward.
"Should we get a teacher down here?" Sally asked.
"I can't leave - I have to get through them!"
"Why!?"
"I'll help you," Chris said assuredly.
"Thanks bro. These buckets of bolts were easy enough to scrap the first time! It's rematch time!" Inigo boasted, Gigan already flaring to life beside him. The emerald dragon lashed out with an enlarged tail, energy construct smashing one of the drones to shrapnel-laced ruin. But even as it fell, two more lurched forward, electrical discharge arcing between their limbs.
Sally was firing, high-caliber slugs sparking into a drone's chest-plate. The drone fell but started to crawl forward. The hole she made was being patched up by other mechas. "They're self-repairing!" A wave of them bore down with bladed weapons. Christopher reacted instinctively, with a grunt of effort, he unleashed a blast energy - Jugo's quirk making the air heated around him. The drones kept coming. Inigo launched himself to the ceiling with Gigan's wings. At the apex of his leap, the dragon-quirk morphed into a talon of swirling jade energy.
"Crash METEOR!"
He descended, obliterating the largest drone at the center of the formation. Its metal shell crumpled inward, power supply overloading in a shower of sparks and flame. As the smoke cleared, a spiderling's metallic form was revealed, skittering out of the wreckage.
"There it is! I found it!"
Without a moment's hesitation, Inigo pivoted to give chase once more, ignoring the remaining robots clanking to enraged life all around.
"Go!" Sally shouted over the din, blasting away with her rifle.
"We'll handle the tin cans and catch up!" Christopher was right behind her, ki energy rolling forward. Something black like a shadow was blocking projectiles for him.
"Thanks!" With a salute of acknowledgment, Inigo tore off down a side tunnel, emerald blurs of energy keeping the path ahead illuminated. The sounds of pitched battle faded quickly, Inigo's rapid footsteps and the spiderling's insectile scrambling all that remained. Up ahead, daylight began filtering in through a series of grimy staircases. He followed up to the surface. He burst into an abandoned classroom in Shiketsu's support department wing. This was the old building. The one that's been under construction all semester. Dusty work desks filled the room. The spiderling was mere steps ahead, zigging and zagging across the dusty desktops. And standing squarely in its path, hand outstretched in clear anticipation...was Omura Tadao, aka Conman. The masked man wore a dark gray suit, his gaze locked with Inigo's as the spiderling leapt upward, landing with a clink in his waiting palm.
"...Conman." Inigo straightened, Gigan hissed on his shoulder.
V. The Call
"Inigo Myoga... so you and your friends are the vigilantes. That's an expellable offense," Omura rasped, clutching the metallic spiderling tightly. His hands trembled as the spider's legs cut into his palm. Of all the students in the school why did the vigilantes have to be 1-D? For heaven's sake, didn't they do enough heroing? Both Becky and Ito had warned him about Myoga's backstory. As Omura stared through the mask, the consequences loomed in Inigo's piercing gaze and the calm intensity he radiated.
"Better than being a traitor to Shiketsu, right?"
"I wouldn't be so self-assured. I've trapped this room. Don't move." Sweat trickled down Omura's brow. His eyes flicked to the door. Where was he? With a mental command, his quirk altered the room, making it seem like he was in four different places at the same time. If that dragon attacks, Omura could hide himself.
Inigo didn't move, but a curious smile crossed his face. "You got me. What're you gonna do now, kill me?" At that the green reptile on the boy's shoulder hissed.
"Too messy," A tall figure appeared from the classroom door. They both turned to see Karuga Ito, the school's psychologist standing there with a frown. His hair was ragged and he shot them both an annoyed look as if he caught them arguing over something inane and he's forced to intervene. "
"I apologize, but I have to erase your memories of this. So Omura doesn't have to kill you," Ito stated impassively.
"I'll simply change your memories. I apologize in advance. So Omura here don't have to kill you," He held out a hand, and Inigo staggered back. He felt the man's manipulation quirk. "Your memories should be enough for us to find the others."
"Is... that it? Good luck getting us all," Inigo glared. They had suspected Ito to be one of the leaks, but they hadn't had the chance to follow up on it. Last ditch effort. He could pour his last thoughts into Gigan and have the construct escape. Even if they changed his memories, Gigan would bring him back. It's just like with Luccione or Mio-senpai. Inigo took a step back, he felt whispery tendrils in his head, but then it paused and he gasped in relief.
Omura barked out bitterly. "What are you waiting for? Do it! Wipe away the truth like you always do!"
Ito hesitated. "We sell information but we've never hurt students before. We've never directly harmed students before. This is a line..."
"Damn it. Now's not the time to grow a spine, Karuga!," Omura snarled. "They have evidence against us! Against everything!"
"Not exactly," Inigo interjected with a strained smile. "We only got the blurry factory footage. Coru just said it would lead us to you."
Confusion flickered across Omura's face. "But she said..."
"And it did," Inigo finished with a mocking wink. Outside the classroom hallway, a commotion spread.
The sliding door burst open. Hoge, Chihiro, and Curie stood flanked by a crowd of spectating students. Behind Inigo, Sally and Christopher ran up the hidden staircase. "Just in time!" Inigo called out triumphantly.
Omura felt his strength leave him under the weight of their accusatory glares. Was he gonna have to fight all of 1-D? How the hell were they all here?
<Conman-sensei? Ito-san?> <Huh?> <Okay, what's going on?> <Like ew. This room is filthy.> <Are we fighting?> <What did you do now, Myoga??>
Chaos broke out until a booming voice cut through everyone's voices.
"STUDENTS RUNNING AMOCK IN THE SCHOOL!? WHO'S RESPONSIBLE FOR THIS??"
Principal Karaburan forced her way through the throng, winds gusting as her quirk whipped up mini-tornadoes. Skycarver followed behind her, face stern. They had never seen the principal use her quirk like this before as they were forced to cover. Karaburan followed everyone's eyes to Omura.
"Omura?"
"Oh Principal Anzu- I uh.." Omura started, Ito stood quiet. "You see this is-" Omura's eyes met his old classmates glare. This was it - the moment Omura's sins would be laid bare before the very woman who offered him redemption. A chance he had squandered through his unending deceptions.
"-I uh.." he began hoarsely. And for once the lies refused to come out, his chin dropped.
"It's a training exercise for the festival!" Inigo jumped in. "1-D is helping with the security drones and mechs."
Karaburan turned that piercing stare on the boy. "Is
that so?"
Omura's head snapped up, eyes wide as he registered Inigo's words. Their eyes met, and he saw only a strange calm understanding. Inigo walked up to him and held up the spiderling they was chasing just minutes ago. "Can't spoil the surprise but it'll be a good one."
Seizing that mercy with both hands, Omura managed a thin smile. "Y-Yes, exactly. We...wanted to test the drones under realistic circumstances. No point if the students knew it was coming."
"Can't spoil the surprise," Inigo chimed in with a conspiratorial wink. "Omura-sensei is also gearing us up with brand new support items for the demo."
Karaburan's frown deepened as she surveyed the gathered students. Omura let out a faint smile. "Apologies.. In order for the tests to be successful, the participants had to be surprised. No harm done right? 1-D.. and 2-C are working together."
Hoge and Curie stepped forward and bowed. "It's true," they both repeated. Karaburan sighed. Her gaze settled on Hoge and Curie, both girls bowing in perfect contrition. There were some rumors about Nyoro Hoge, but Aura Curie was the pride of Shiketsu's support program.
"I expect a truly remarkable demonstration to justify this disruption," she said at last, the warning clear. Omura could only nod weaky. As the principal swept out issuing orders to disperse.
"It won't happen again," he mouthed fervently. "I swear it."
Inigo smiled, giving him the barest of nods, before turning to follow the crowd of students filing out. Ito remained behind, watching Omura with an inscrutable expression.
As Karaburan left, Inigo and Hoge lingered in front of Ito and Conman.
"Why help us? Why do all this?" Conman asked.
Inigo met his gaze evenly. "We wanted to give you the chance to confess on your own. To see what you would do." Conman let out a harsh bark of laughter. "Heh. Dumb kids. This room is still trapped did you forget that?"
"But you didn't hurt anyone," Inigo said softly. "Because deep down, some part of you is still a hero."
Omura flinched as if struck, his expression twisting into a pained grimace. "I haven't been one for a long time..."
Inigo stepped forward then, his voice calm yet insistent. "Both of you are good people. I'm willing to bet on that if you hear me out." He locked eyes with Ito and Omura. "I know what it's like to get caught up in something beyond your control. To believe you have no choices left."
Ito placed a steadying hand on Conman's shoulder, regarding the students with a measured gaze. "So what happens now?" Omura muttered, sounding utterly drained.
Hoge pointed two fingers at her eyes, narrowing them in silent emphasis. "Stop spying on Shiketsu," she ordered, her tone brooking no argument. "You can get us expelled, and we can send you to jail. We'll be watching each other closely from now on, sensei."
Conman's mouth twisted in a bitter smile. "So mutual blackmail. You'll be rattling a lot of cages if we stop the pipeline now. We have...clients who won't take kindly to that interference."
"I'll take care of them." The quiet confidence in Inigo's voice seemed to catch both men off guard. The blond boy's expression was open, reassuring.
"You already know I'm a Daiichi. Kyoto is my family's territory. My uncle would want me to seal these leaks anyway." He held up a placating hand forestall their objections. "If you're really worried about retaliation, my family can keep you both safe while we sort this out."
Omura scoffed, a hint of his old defiance resurfacing. "You want us to work with the yakuza? That's almost worse than our current situation..."
"Work with us," Inigo countered calmly. "Against your past employers. You'll earn the funds to clear your debts, get you back on your feet. Without jeopardizing Shiketsu. After that, you'll be free - no strings attached. You can read my mind if you want, I'm not lying."
An uneasy silence fell over the chamber as Ito calmly pondered the offer. After a moment, he met Omura's gaze.
"We need time to think it over," the counselor said at last.
Inigo nodded easily. "That's fine. You know where to find me if you decide to take me up on it."
He turned to leave, Hoge falling into step beside him, when a thought seemed to occur. "Oh, and Ito-san?"
The counselor paused. "Yes?"
A conspiratorial grin split Inigo's face. "Is it true you know Popsy? Is she awesome?"
Ito's expression remained inscrutable, but the barest hint of a smile played around his lips. "Heh. You better get to class, kid."
Inigo left the room, his mind swirling with the weight of the choices they had made. As he walked away from Ito and Conman, he couldn't shake the feeling that this was merely the tip of the iceberg. Trusting them felt like a gamble, but it was one he had to take to protect Shiketsu and those he held dear. There were still so many unanswered questions, so many details left unresolved, but for now, they had taken a crucial step forward.
Warm fingers intertwined with his own, and he looked over to see Hoge by his side, her presence aligned him. As they hurried to class, side-by-side, the world seemed to hold its breath, waiting for the other shoe to drop.
"You have something on your face? What is that?"
"Bug juice." Hoge held up an oversized mandible. "There are tiny monsters in the school."
"Wait - what?"
Yep. Just the tip of the iceberg.