Ashes to Ashes, Power to Power: Chapter 8

“I wish to join your agency, sir,” I decided to just rip off the band-aid and ask the question I was here for, watching as Fat-Gum raised an eyebrow. The sizzling of the grill along with the sound of his chewing was the only sound there was for a brief moment before he leaned back in his chair.

“You serious about this,” He sounded more curious than skeptical and I nodded as I finished eating the bite that I took earlier.

“Dead serious. I know I don't have any fancy diploma from U.A. or Shiketsu, but I've got instincts, training and the will to want to be here and save others.”

“Hmm,” was all he said, his eyes narrowing and studying me before he spoke.

“You've got that 'I've seen some things' edge to you. You're not here just for flashy headlines and fame, right?”, He asked while pointing a skewer at me, to which I shook my head with a smile.

“No, sir. I'm here because I've already stood between people and danger. I did it once and I'll keep doing it whether I've got a license or not. However, I figured it would be better to do it the right way before someone tells me I'm just a vigilante with good PR.”

“Hahahaha! I like your style…and I like the jacket. Your name was…Kevin 11, right? Nice name.”

“Thank you. It took a while to choose one,” I murmured and he grinned before finishing off three skewers in one bite.

“I know the feeling. Hmm, okay then. I like it.”

“Is that…a yes?”, I asked before a relieved grin spread across my face as he nodded with a thumbs-up from his free hand.

“I'll bring you on as an intern and I'll give you a recommendation when you need to go for your actual license. However, don't think this means an easy ride. You'll have to work double-time to earn your spot here.”

“I didn't expect it to be easy, sir,” I answered back and the man nodded.

“Good. I trust Gari's eye and it helps that you saved that Bakugo kid before any of the heroes could. Those that act instinctively to save those that are in need of help are the true heroes of society.”

“Thank you, sir. You won't regret it.”

“Eh, Fat Gum is okay and I know I won't. Now, are you ready to start?”

“…Like right now?”, I asked, a bit surprised as he laughed and nodded with a sly grin.

“Yep! One of the sidekicks has just decided to join a new organization and that left one of the other sidekicks without a partner.”

“Okay, sure. Who's the partner?”

“The kid's name is Tamaki Amajiki. A bit of a quiet kid, but he's pretty skilled considering he's one of the Big Three at U.A. He just recently started working under me as a hero study intern, but he's not exactly the most social person.”

“Crippling panic attacks when he receives compliments or is criticized by someone?”, I asked, already knowing the answer as Fat-Gum sighed and nodded.

“Pretty much, yeah. Think you can handle that?”, He asked and I smirked before nodding with a chuckle.

“I'm not the most extroverted person, but if you need me to make someone more confident, I think I can.”

Great! Come on, then! We'll go and meet him right now.”

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“A couple of things you need to know. Firstly, most of the heroes that work as my sidekicks usually stay on-site to ensure that we can respond as fast as possible, myself included.”

“Sounds efficient.”

“It is. Secondly, if you do stay on-site, everyone has a schedule for the showers or you can use the private showers and meals are served at 8 AM to 10 AM, 2 PM to 4PM and 6 PM to 8 PM. Thirdly, lights out is at 10 PM and wake-up time is at 6 AM.”

“Reminds me of an army camp,” I spoke as we turned a corner and Fat-Gum just smirked while eating another teriyaki ball as we stopped in front of a door.

“It is kind of, but I'm a lot more pleasant than a drill sergeant. Anyway, this is the room,” He said while knocking the door and I looked at the writing on it before raising an eyebrow.

Please Knock first…or don't. It's okay, I guess. Just do what you want.

“Okay, I can see now what you meant by him not being the most social person,” I spoke and he chuckled as he knocked another time before opening the door with a grin.

“Hey, Tamaki. You got a minute?”, While Fat-Gum greeted him, I looked at the room around me that was tidy. A small desk stood in the corner with scattered paperwork on top and a few bento boxes neatly stacked in a bag.

Off to the other wall was a small bed with a bedside stand as well as a cabinet that most likely contained his casual clothing.

The boy in question flinched slightly when the door opened and turned around, to which I noted the mop of indigo hair and his unique anxious eyes as he gave me a nervous nod before looking to Fat-Gum.

“I…uh, y-yeah? Uh, Fat Gum, who's…who's that?”, He asked while looking at me for a moment, making me raise an eyebrow at his soft tone before I grunted as Fat Gum motioned me forward with a smack on my back.

“This is Kevin Nagatomo or Kevin 11 if you want to use his hero name. He's joining us as a probationary intern and I figured since you're also kind of an intern, you two would mesh well together as a team.”

“A-A-A team? Uh, I'm…I'm not really…I mean, I don't u-usually work well with new people.”

“Hey, I'm not great with new people, but what I do know is that sometimes, the best teams are made with people that you least expect to be able to work together,” I spoke with a calm smile, to which he blinked and looked at me before nodding slowly.

“I…I guess. I just…I don't know what to do when people…say stuff.”

“You mean compliments?”, He nodded in response and I hummed as I glanced at Fat Gum who shrugged before looking back at him.

“Well, lucky for you, I'm not the biggest fan of small talk either. You don't have to do anything different that makes you uncomfortable for my sake. I'm fine with whatever,” I answered with a shrug, smiling as he just gave a tiniest of nods before looking at Fat Gum to see the man beaming.

“I like the vibes! Ayway, patrol starts in about forty minutes. Kevin, I'll have one of the support staff bring you your temporary sidekick ID to show that you're affiliated with me. In the meantime, think you could saw him the ropes, Tamaki?”

“I'll…try,” He answered and Fat Gum just nodded as the man left the room, the two of us looking at each other before he shuffled over the paperwork in the corner and picked up a folded map and a schedule.

“This is the patrol layout that we have for today. We, uh…I mean, my old partner and I usually split up for the first half and then regroup after checking in with the agency halfway through. The south sector's mine today so you'll probably get the north.”

“That works for me. How do you usually do the patrol?”, I asked as I took the map, folding it open while Tamaki blinked at the question before answering.

“Uh, I usually stay on the rooftops. It's easier to spot things.”

“And quiet too, I bet?”, I said with a knowing smile, chuckling at his small, shaky smirk and his relaxed shoulder when he nodded.

“It is.”

“Got it. I'll patrol on the roads of the north sector to show the people the new hero on the patrol for the first half and then I'll meet you on the rooftops. You don't have to worry about me. I'll stay in your peripheral on another rooftop to give you some quiet space.”

“I'd like that. Thank you,” He spoke with a small yet honest smile and I gave a thumbs-up as I folded the map back up and handed it to him.

“Anytime. Now, I suppose we'll have to get started, don't we?”

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Hero Agency: Fat Gum Patrol Unit

Hero Name: The Omni-Hero Kevin 11

Status: Probationary Intern/ Sidekick

Clearance Level: 1

“Now, I don't have to tell you not to lose it, but make sure it's hidden enough so no one can take it. Also, flash it if anybody gives you trouble. It won't stop everything, but it will give you legal standing,” I stared at the card before nodding, putting it on the inside of my jacket before looking at the other two pros standing nearby.

The first was a woman in her late twenties, wearing a black bodysuit with a scarf around her neck and a black jacket on top. Her brown hair was buzzed short on the sides and tied into a tiny knot.

The second was a tall and broad guy that looked like he could headbutt a building, his arms wrapped in metallic bracers and a plate resting along his spin as he wore a black bodysuit with green insignias on the arms and chest.

“These are the two you'll be patrolling with this today. Meet Sparker and Sledge.”

“Let me guess, an Emitter-type Quirk and an Enhancer-type Quirk?”, I asked, watching as Sparker smirked while Sledge shrugged.

“We make it obvious to be honest.”

“Huh, nice. Well, I'm Kevin 11. Hope we'll have a good time working together,” I spoke with a bow, which they returned before I smirked as Tamaki waved.

“H-Hello again.”

“Hello again, Tamaki,” Sparker spoke with a wave and an amused smile before we looked at Fat Gum as he clapped his hands.

“Glad to see you guys are great! Now, you will will split up. Sparker, Sledge, you two will take the east and west districts respectively. Kevin 11, Suneater, you two are patrolling the northern and southern districts respectively. Try not to scare the locals too bad.”

“Don't worry. I won't,” I spoke with a smile and he nodded before I began following the other three to the door.

Time for my first day on the job.

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The cool afternoon air of Osaka washed over me as I walked through its street, adjust the lenses of my glasses to hide my eyes from view as well as give me a tactical advantage.

“Yo, you a new hero or something?”, A guy with a screwdriver for a nose asked and I was a bit bewildered by the facial change before nodding.

“Yeah, Kevin 11.”

“…That's a stupid name. Who the hell just chooses their name and then the number 11?”, He asked with a raised eyebrow, drawing murmured agreements from the rest of the gathering crowd while I smirked.

“I get that.”

“I bet you do. So, is it just you patrolling the northern district today?”, One of the old women in the crowd with leather snakes for hair asked and I crossed my arms with a nod.

“Yep. Just me for now. My partner for the day is covering the southern district.”

“Good, so long as you're not the one with the sparks. She always spells like sulphur,” The woman said as she scrunched up her nose and a squint of her nose and the crowd and I let out soft chuckles.

I blinked then as something pulled at my coat, looking down to see a girl with black hair and cat-like pupils smiling while holding a notepad and a pen.

“Can you sign this, please?”

“Sure,” I spoke with a smile as I crouched down, writing down Kevin 11 and my signature along with a small smiley face with my logo beside it. She beamed as she quickly bowed and ran back to her mom while I stood up to give screwdriver guy a smug grin.

“See? Not a stupid name now, huh?”

“It still sounds like a password,” He spoke with a scoff and I rolled my eyes while patting his shoulder and continuing onwards.

“Guess I'll change my passwords, then. Anyway, I'll see you guys when I see you. I'm new on the job and I need to not fail!”

“Come to my shop before you go back home! I got some sweets for you!”, The old woman with the leather hair spoke and I nodded with a wave before continuing on my path.

'I guess I managed to make some friends with the locals, then,' I thought as I continued walking to the edge of the district and entering the industrial part of the city, where the scent of oil and metal had long replaced the fragrant aromas of street food and perfume.

Rows of cranes, storage containers and forgotten equipment stretched out in front of me and while I could easily turn back, I narrowed my eyes as I felt the hair on the back of my neck stand up and a foreboding sense of warning crawling under my skin.

Yeah, something is definitely up.

Slowly walking towards one of the storage containers as I continued forward, I kept low as I heard voices whispering to each other, slowly making my way to the edge of the container.

'Okay, there are…three guys with what appears to be a duffel bag?…Please don't be a bomb.'

“We shouldn't be here, man. He's patrolling the north today,” One of the figures spoke up, their voice sounding male as all three were wearing cloaks to hide their facial features.

“It's the new guy. What do we have to worry about?”, One of the others asked, this one sounding female as I watched the first guy fidget.

“Still, we shouldn't be here this long. If he sees us-”

“Which is why we're going to finish this now. Prime the bag and set detonation for when we're thirty seconds away. Besides, newbies are hesitant on their first villain arrest. Just act confident and we'll scare him off,” The woman said and I walked out as the third figure put the bag down and knelt down.

“Oi oi~”, I called out, watching as their eyes widened before the woman lunged for the bag and I quickly rushed over. The first guy squeaked as I charged at them while the third figure rushed in to block me, yanking off his cloak to reveal a mask made out of cracked porcelain and metallic spikes protruding from his body.

Yet as he swung at my head, I slid through his legs while grabbing onto one of the spikes, shifting my arm instantly into the material before hopping up and delivering a heavy elbow to the back of his neck.

'A bit lighter than regular steel, but a lot harder than it too,' I thought as I turned and ran towards the woman, who gritted her teeth as I touched my other hand to the ground and shifted its composition to match that of the rocks.

Her eyes widened as I dug my fingers into the ground and tore it out, throwing sand at their eyes and blinding them before tackling both of them to the ground and disorienting with a quick punch to the skull.

It was a bit harder than I intended, but I couldn't care as I reached for the bag, opening it only to frown as I saw nothing but cloth.

“Oi, where's the bomb?”, I asked as I looked at the woman, frowning as she grinned while shaking her head.

“The liberation will continue without us and the oppressed shall be free again!”

“…You are one crazy woman,” I muttered as I took out my handcuffs, locking them both in them before turning only to frown as the last figure was completely gone.

'Okay, so the guy was either faking it or there was a fourth with some kind of invisibility quirk,' I thought as I stood up, reaching for the side of my neck and tapping at the communicator.

“Hey, this is Kevin 11. I just apprehended two goofballs that think they-”, A flinch escaped me when I heard a loud explosion to the west, staring at the billowing smoke rising high before turning to the woman as she cackled.

“For the Liberation!”

“F-For the Liberation!!”

“Kevin 11! Sledge was just caught in a large explosion! I'm on my way there!”

“I just got two criminals that talked about an explosion! Should I come with?!”

“No, take them to the station! We'll question them there!”, Fatgum ordered before turning his communicator off, turning mine off as well while picking both criminals up with a grunt.

“You better hope Sledge makes it.”

“As I said, the Liberation will continue with or without us,” The woman spoke with a grin and I frowned at her fanatical tone while looking at the smoke still rising.

'Something's going on here…and I don't think I'm going to like it.'

A/N: Yeah, sorry about the no Devilish Gaming Chapter, but I just can't bring myself to write a chapter tonight. Maybe I'll do one tomorrow or I'll just do a double chapter for the Second Son of Winter. It depends.

Anyway, Kevin did his first capture, but they keep shouting about liberation. What does that mean? Find out next time~!

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

Ba-Bye~!!