Ashes to Ashes, Power to Power: Chapter 10

“All right, son. There's no need for you to feel stressed or scared. No one is going to get you here, okay?”

“O-Okay,” I heard the guy that had told me about the bomb murmured with a nervous smile, watching as Fat-Gum and that one police guy in the anime, Tsukauchi something, sitting across from him.

Suneater, Sparker and I were standing on the other side of the bulletproof glass in the station, a frown adorning my face as we watched Fat-Gum clear his throat.

“Now, first off. What is your name?”

“K-Ken. Ken Mashiro.”

“Ken Mashiro. Age?”

“T-Twenty, sir, and I live in A-Asasho Street.”

“Twenty and living on Asasho Street. Good. Now Ken, do you perhaps know why you are here?”

“S-So, you can find the others?”, Ken said/ asked, Fat-Gum nodding with a smile while Tsukauchi kept writing down.

“Exactly that, but before I ask you that, let me ask why you would join a group that would do this.”

“I didn't know!”, The boy exclaimed quickly, Fat-Gum holding up a hand to stop Tsukauchi and to calm Ken down as we watched him wait until he sat down before speaking.

“Can you explain what you just said, Ken?”

“I…I didn't know they would do that. They just told us that…that it would be a peaceful rally. It was only until we got to the industrial yard that I figured out we were blowing it up.”

“Us? How many of you signed up on this?”, Tsukauchi asked and I grimaced as Ken took a while before answering.

“Five thousand of us. Ma-Maybe more.”

“And this person that recruited you? Did you see them?”

“N-No, she spoke to us over an intercom.”

'Right, that's that blue-skinned woman that fought against Toga, I think,' I thought with a frown as I saw Fat-Gum nodding with a smile before looking to Tsukauchi.

“I think that's all we need from Ken here, right?”

“It is. Ken, we'll send a police escort home with you that will then take you to a hidden location for your protection. If this group that recruited you did the same to over five thousand other people, then it's safe to say that we're no longer dealing with a small-time group here.”

“Y-You think they'll come to take me out?”, I heard Ken ask and watched as Fat-Gum smiled and stood up to pat the boy on the shoulder.

“Don't worry. We'll do our best to protect. For now, we'll leave you to finish your tea and then we'll take you.”

“So…think he was lying?”, Sparker asked as she looked at me and I shook my head as I watched Ken shakily taking his cup and slowly sipping from it.

“No, I think he actually fears for his life.”

“There are people that can fake their fear,” She said and in response, I tapped the window, turning my gaze to her with a knowing look when Ken jumped and spilled some tea on his pants.

“You were saying?”

“…Okay, he's clean.”

“Vanguard, would you mind not tapping against the window?”

“It's Kevin 11,” I grumbled as Fat-Gum and Tsukauchi walked into the room and the police officer just smiled as Fat-Gum chuckled.

“Right, right. Anyway, did you guys catch anything we didn't?”

“None whatsoever from Sparker and I. Suneater?”

“N-Nothing, but I agree with what Vanguard said. A-As someone who is constantly on high alert, he shows the signs of someone that fears something happening while still remaining truthful.”

“In other words, he's cowering because he knows something is going to happen to him.”

“So, we could just wait until this thing happens, but I do not wish to risk his life. Tsukauchi, did your teams find anything from their investigation?”

“The casings for the bombs were homemade, but the bombs themselves used military-grade C4 and they were all placed in areas where an explosion would have been detrimental to the economy. However, those were not the only bombs.”

“How many more?”, Fat-Gum asked, a frown on all of our faces as Tsukauchi went through his notes before stopping on a page.

“Seventy other bombs in fifty different cities. The Musutafu city had the most bombs that were focused around the area of U.A, but with the presence of All Might and numerous pros there, none went off and no one was injured…other than the villains.

However, Deika City was hit the hardest as all ten bombs there went off and almost flattened the entire city. Thankfully, they were holding their annual festival on the city outskirts, but about 15% of the population was lost.”

'Well, that would make sense. Wasn't that the place where Re-Destro and his army was?', I thought with a frown that deepened as I heard that, remembering that the city was also a place where 90% of its population were in the Meta Liberation Army.

All of its members were zealously devoted to the cause so if it meant that they had to sacrifice 5% of their army to further their cause, they'd do it in a heartbeat.

'It's a good thing I only got my Quirk after I got fired from Detnerat, then. Otherwise, I would have been recruited by them as well.'

“Damn those villains. Were any of the bombers caught?”, Sparker asked and Tsukauchi nodded as he snapped his notepad shut.

“Weirdly enough, we caught every bomber at the sight, but they all said the same thing while in captivity. 'For the Liberation'.”

“That's the same thing that woman said when I caught her and Ken there,” I murmured and Tsukauchi nodded as I looked at the scared man.

However, my eyes widened as a figure appeared from thin air next to Ken, who looked just as horrified as the man dropped his cloak to reveal numerous bombs strapped to his body.

“For the Liberation!”

“EVERYONE, GET DOWN!”, I shouted as I dropped down while bringing Sparker and Suneater down with me, Fat-Gum acting immediately as he stepped in front of the mirror right as an explosion rippled from the other side.

“Sun! Tentacles! Ceiling!”, I shouted and the hero nodded as he raised his hand and formed tentacles from his fingers, each latching onto the ceiling and keeping it up as the explosion shook the building.

“Fat-Gum! You okay?!”

“I'll live!”, Fat Gum answered as he stepped to the side, revealing the entire front side of his hero costume reduced to nothing while the skin under his uniform was slightly burned.

The interrogation room was nothing but a mess as the ground was cratered and burned black, the ceiling barely holding up as Tsukauchi quickly ushered us out into the hall and towards the exit.

As the last person made it out, we watched as another explosion came from the middle floors, bringing the building down into a burning mess before Fat Gum spoke up.

“Looks like this just got worse than we expected.”

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“Are you doing okay, sweetie?”

“I'm fine, Mom,” I spoke with a soft smile as the two of us sat in the living room while watching the evening news.

“And lastly, we say this with heavy hearts as another explosion rocks Osaka, this time targeting a police station that was involved in the arrest and detainment of suspected members of the bombing incidents that occurred a week ago.”

“Were you there?”, Mom asked and I nodded as I stared at the images of rubble, fire and the firefighters and heroes doing their best to quell the flames.

“I was right beside the room for the first explosion, but Fat-Gum blocked it off. We were out of the building by the time the second one hit.”

“Still, why would someone just give up their lives for such a thing?”

“Mad men do what they want.”

'That and the Meta Liberation Army are all zealots for the goal of their army: Letting everyone use their Quirk freely. I can see why they would want to do so, but wouldn't using their social and political power be the better option instead of resorting to bombing every city that they can?'

“I suppose they do. Moving on to lighter topics, have you figured out a new name?”

“What's wrong with Kevin 11?”, I asked with a raised eyebrow and she giggled at my disgruntled tone before patting my hand.

“It's a good name, sweetie…for a ten year old.”

“Really? It's simple, it's innovative and it's charming if I have to say so myself.”

“It's simple in that you just added a number, it's not innovative and your name sounds like our wifi password,” Mom said with a smile, to which I stared at her before groaning as she gave a happy cheer.

“What names are there?”

“Vanguard is one most people like. There's also Omni-man, Shapesmith, Forge and Captain Atomic because of the whole shifting your atoms to match the atoms of the material you touch. Those are the four top picks that people like.”

'Well, Omni-man and Shapesmith are already out. Forge…isn't that the name of that guy from X-Men that got together with Storm? That would be a good fit and Captain Atomic…yeah, if I had to pick new ones, it's Vanguard or Forge.'

“Well, I'd say Forge and Vanguard are the ones I like the most, but I'd also need to pick one that people like.”

“Just hold a poll, then.”

“A poll?”, I asked with a furrowed brow, Mom nodding in agreement as she stood up and walked to the kitchen.

“Yeah, just hold a poll online where you say that you would want to know which one would be a good name for Kevin 11 and you'd figure out which one people want.”

'…Right, the power of the internet is always there,' I thought as I took out my phone, going onto the Hero Admiration Forum where one would find a fan for nearly every hero there is.

Omni-Spark: Hey, everyone. I just saw the new names for the hero Kevin 11 and while his name is pretty cool, Forge and Vanguard are my favourites. Which one does everyone else like?

Pressing the Enter button to create the poll, I blinked as nearly five hundred people voted all at the same time and nearly all of those votes were for Forge. It was not long before I found myself staring at sixty thousand votes, 98% of them being for Forge as well as a few replies.

Explosion God: Forge is a cooler name than Vanguard. Kevin 11 sounds like some stupid shit a kid would make up.

AllMight's OneandOnly: Forge all the way.

AllMightOneForAll: Forge! It fits with how he forges a new body with every bit of material that he touches.

Gravity Girl: Forge! Forge! Forge!

Acidy: Forge. It's sounds so much hotter than Kevin 11 and did you see him when he was shirtless? Dreamy~

'…Are these the future U.A. kids responding to me or am I reaching? Wait, Izuku is probably the AllMightOneForAll, even though I'm not exactly sure just how he got it, but who the hell is Allmight's OneandOnly?', I thought with a smirk as I locked my phone, walking to the kitchen where Mom was busy with food.

“Hey, Mom.”

“The poll already ended, didn't it?”

“Yep, 98% liked Forge.”

“See?”, She said with a smug grin and I just smiled as I rolled up my sleeves and walked over.

“So, what are we making?”

“Rice with Nikugaja and some Donburi.”

“Ooh~ Did you get the good fish?”, I asked, my smile widening as she just grinned while lifting the fillets of salmon in front of her.

“Of course. You start on the rice and remember-”

“Rice to the first knuckle and water to the second. I know, Mom.”

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Hero Agency: Fat Gum's Agency

Hero Name: The Omni Hero- Forge

Status: Sidekick

Clearance Level: 3

“Huh, you finally decided to change your name?”, Fat Gum asked and I nodded as I took the license before putting it back into my uniform.

“Yeah. Since everyone apparently hates the name Kevin 11-”

“We don't hate it. We just think it's a bit…”

“Childish?”, I finished for him, smirking as the man just nodded with a chuckle before I looked to where Suneater was busy eating takoyaki balls.

“O-Oh, want one?”

“No thank you.”

“Yeah and besides, we want to talk more about your Quirk.”

“If you want to know, I only had a theory that I could absorb the energy from the explosion.”

“That's not what I wanted to talk about. It's more about what you did when you touched Suneater here.”

“Oh, you mean when I copied his Quirk?”, I asked and raised an eyebrow as Fat Gum shook his head while Suneater grimaced.

“No, you didn't copy it. Copying it means that he could still use it after you took it. You…absorbed it in a way.”

“Wait, I still have his Quirk?!”

“No, no! It was only temporary and his quirk returned after a few seconds, but therein lies the problem. Apparently, what you did was absorb the energy stored in his Quirk factor and then took it for yourself if that makes sense.”

“Kind of? Wait, Quirk Factors have energy in them?”, I asked with a frown, humming as Fat-Gum just nodded in response.

“Yes and you were in contact with him for what we believe to be twenty seconds because that's how long his Quirk factor was drained of its energy before he could use it again.”

“So, what you're saying is that I can temporarily disable someone's Quirk and take it by keeping contact with them?”

“And absorbing the energy from their Quirk factor at the same time, yes. However, I would advise you not to do so as the laws on absorbing another's Quirk are still very vague.”

“Even so, this will help a crap ton in apprehending villains. Even if I just touch them for ten seconds, they'd get captured within seconds if they're over-reliant on their Quirks.”

“Unfortunately, most of the actual villains of our society are more than just their Quirks.

“I know. Well, at least now I know to be more careful than I already am.”

“Good. Now, moving onto darker topics, the blood results from our bombers came back,” He said as he took out two vials and handed them to me, making me narrow my eyes as I took the vials before opening the first one.

'Middle-aged man named Daiki, was homeless, no records of work in the city and…a war veteran. Second guy is Killa on the younger side, homeless and…another war veteran…'

“They were suicidal, weren't they?”

“And our villainous friends gave them a way to express their hatred for our government in a way they can.”

“Well, that's not good at all,” After all, there are many depressed people in this country so if someone just offers them the opportunity to be remembered by people, I know some would jump at the chance.

“Exactly. That is why Tsukauchi is holding a meeting tomorrow with the nearby Hero Agencies so we can figure out our next move. Before that-”

“Fat-Gum, your guest is here,” The secretary interrupted him over the intercom and I glanced at Suneater who just shrugged as Fat Gum grinned.

“Great! Send them up.”

“Should we leave?”

“No, they're actually here for you,” I raised an eyebrow at that as the door behind us opened, Gari walking in with a grin before my eyes widened at the figure that followed behind him.

“Yoroi! How have you been?”, Fat Gum greeted, but I couldn't care for that as I stared at the No.8th Hero in Japan, Yoroi Musha simply letting out a hum as the elderly man stroked his beard while his armour shimmered in the light.

“As good as I can be. You are Kevin Nagatomo, correct?”, He asked as he looked at me and I stiffened at having the man's attention on me before nodding.

“I am, sir.”

“Good. How would you like to come work as my sidekick?”

“…Say wha?”

A/N: And we're ending it here.

Another bombing, new name( we're keeping it) and a new offer.

Should we accept or nah? Find out next time~

As always, read, enjoy, review and until the next one…

Ba-Bye~!!