Night Two Hundred And Forty Two
Age 1991
Gladiolus City...
The Arena...
"And the winner of this round goes to Emma Vibes of Squad Seven!" Olf announced loudly peaking out from over Leo's shoulder.
Lucy let out a sigh opening her suitcase open as blue threads seemed to seep out wrapping around Hero Junior and pulling him back into the case as it closed shut sealing tightly.
"So. I guess I lost."
Emma crashed down on her back breathing heavily. "My everything hurts." She sighed.
"No! Lucy lost!" Hero and Daughter cried out.
"Yes!" Shelly and Ken announced loudly. "Emma won!"
"You guys are ridiculous..." Kitsune, Light, and Irene, all three said flatly looking at the four other members.
Hero let out a sigh rubbing the back of his snow white hair. "Damn... Hero Junior could have won that if Lucy was a little stronger. It was a close match. I never expected that Bestia Macht to actually be able to keep up with a level 2. It was a neat experiment."
"Experiment?" Daughter asked.
"Yeah." Hero stared down at his right hand. "I can't use Level Two right now and that's a bit of an issue. It's able to out power anything I can do. The Level Two State is a massive boost in power and grants the user new powers they can't use in their base form. As it stands I'm about evenly matched with Max, and Kitsune's new form. Ken is stronger than all of us and Shelly is just under Ken. Max however unlike any of us has access to his level two form which massively boosts his power to higher than even Kens. So base to base it's a close match but once he evolves it becomes next to impossible for me to keep up as I am. That's not even getting into things like Ken being able to transform as well. And then there is the fusion of Kitsune and Irene which is around the state of a level two... Also Light can enter level two... Honestly I'm kind of way in the back now that I think about it." Hero laughed rubbing the back of his head sheepishly. "Kitsune and Irene's fusion beats me, Lights level two beats me, Shelly and Ken are both stronger than me, and Ken can still transform."
"I get it." Kitsune nodded. "You wanted to work with Lucy to see if it was possible for a level one to beat a level two."
"Yeah." Hero nodded. "I would have felt more confident if it would have won though."
"Father don't feel sad! You're really strong!" Daughter said grabbing his right arm and squeezing it tightly.
"Yeah but. Not strong enough." Hero pulled his arm away as he stared down at it. "But that's okay."
"It is?" Irene asked.
"Yeah." Hero nodded giving a smirk. "Vice Captain Jackson and I had a talk. He asked about a few things and he gave me an idea. There's something I've been wanting to try out. I actually got the idea from Light, and Jackson gave me another idea on something I could. I borrowed something Kitsune does."
"Still ripping off others huh?" Kitsune nodded frowning.
"I'm honored you took inspiration from me big brother!" Light announced jumping at Hero.
"Get off me you psycho!" Hero said being pushed back and trying to shove Light off of him.
"So what's your new move?" Ken asked.
Hero gave a small snicker. "It's a secret. And not one. It's two. The first being Lights idea, and the second I'm still working on. Honestly I haven't even tested out the second one yet and don't know how it will work."
'Of course I know what it is.' Row commented speaking inside of Hero's mind. 'And I have to say it isn't a bad idea but it isn't a smart one either. That 'plan' you have could rip your body apart you know.'
"Well." Shelly folded her arms up. "Hopefully we get to see it actually work."
"So do I." Hero nodded. "I'm hoping I can get a little more time to go over the math with Row before I- Oh shit I'm gonna have to fight next aren't I..."
"And it's time for our next match to begin." Olf announced. "This one will be Hero Law from Squad Six-"
"God damn it I knew it! F##k you universe, just couldn't give me a little more time could you!"
"-Versus Ava Vil from Squad Five! This should be a good one everybody!"
'We're f##ked.' Row stated.
"Hero." Irene reached out to touch his shoulder but he ducked away making her sigh. "Yeah that thing. Are you going to be able to fight."
"No clue." He stated honestly.
Up above the Empress was leaning on her rails a small smirk on her lips. "So." A voice said. "Who do you think will win?" She turned looking up finding Katrina standing next to her.
"Oh. Captain Katrina-"
"Former Captain. After all you'll be stealing my spot."
"Ahh but I haven't yet."
"That is true." Katrina said frowning. "Though. One does tend to wonder. If it is true that there is a child within your womb that's making you step down from being the Empress is it really wise for you to take up a position for a Military lead group?"
"Is it not natural for me to want to be with my future husband." Aka asked cocking her head to the side.
"The future husband? Or the father of the child?" Katrina questioned.
"...Aren't they the same thing?"
"I don't know. Are they?"
There was a moment of silence between them before Aka let out a small laugh. "Why don't you take a seat next to me Captain Katrina. The view of the match is much better up here. And I'm guessing you would like to see your precious baby recruit fight." Katrina took the seat next to the Empress as she stared down at the arena her arms crossed. "So as the Captain of my future Husband is there anything you could tell me that I should know about Jackson Storm?"
"One tends to think a person knows their husband to be, should they have slept with them." Katrina said bluntly.
"Ahh. I see. So you're jealous about the wedding aren't you. Jealous that you won't get to be Mrs. Storm. Well don't worry. Neither will I. After all as the Empress the name Aka has more ties than Storm. He will be taking my last name. I suppose if you really want the title of Mrs. Storm you could Marry his older brother the head of the Storm family."
"You know. Master Storm made mistakes."
"He did."
"And he was far smarter than you."
"Oh?"
"It makes me wonder. How many moves will you make before you stick yourself in check mate. Of course. That's if you haven't already."
"...Their is a spy within the Enforcers."
"What?" Katrina asked turning to look at the woman in shock.
That managed to put a smirk back on Aka's face. She liked that her words managed to catch the well endowed Enforcer Captain off guard. "There is a spy within the Enforcers." She said again in a blunt tone. "One of the reasons I had to give that speech to the entire Red Nation was there was a leak. None of the Civilians from this city knew about Master Storm being removed and arrested as that happened while the barriers were still up which stopped sound and light from getting out. Yet that same day I received a call from the Emperors from the other three Nations all of which informed me that they already knew that Master Storm was arrested. Actually it was the White Nations Emperor who told me. None of the recruits knew about it and none of the high ranking Enforcers other than Dawson Blight and a handful of others were here. This would lead me to believe that the traitor must be one of the Twelve Captains and Vice Captains."
"You... You're coming along to interstate us aren't you?"
"No. I already know that Squad Six is clear."
"You do?"
"I do. It's the other ones I'm unsure about."
"I... I see." Katrina looked over at all the Captains and Vice Captains that were all out of ear shot. She felt a sick feeling coming onto her. "But... We had a traitor. North Glacious."
"So there can't be more?"
"I... I suppose there could be..." Katrina admitted. Her sick feeling grew. "But to claim it's a Captain. I've... I've trusted these people with my life. I've fought along side them."
"Well. Then you're really going to hate what I have to say next." Aka said her smirk growing. "Right now. My prime suspect is Sif Stygian. The Seventh Squad Captain. Also known as your best friend."
"N... No." Katrina shook her head. "I refuse to believe it's Sif." She hissed out. "You're dead wrong."
"I could be. Though. It was her Squad that lost a team member. A team member who seems to have reemerged working for the Organization."
"Wait what?" Katrina asked with wide eyes. "Serenity is working for the Organization? Everyone thinks she's dead though?"
"Apparently not. According to Hero he fought a woman that was the mirror image of her."
"H... Hero fought..."
"Oh? He didn't tell you?" Aka asked cocking her head to the side. "You act like his mother and yet he told me and not you? How odd huh?"
"I..." Katrina felt her face go a little green as her stomach flip flopped.
"So he didn't tell mother? I guess he preferred to tell Mommy instead." Aka said winking.
"You son of a bitch-" Katrina stood up a blue aura crackling around her.
Aka also stood up but didn't face Katrina. Instead she turned around and began to walk away. "Oh and don't worry about losing Jackson." She said not even facing Katrina. "After all I'm sure he could sneak out to see his Whore of a Mistress every now and then."
Katrina felt herself fall back into the chair as Aka left heading somewhere else. She stared down at her hands which were shaking now either from rage, nausea, or fear, she honestly couldn't tell.
What she did know.
Lady Lillian Aka definitely wasn't in check mate yet.
"I can't believe I'm saying this..." Katrina said quietly as she clasped her hands together. "But I miss that damn old man."
Down below Hero was on the wall of his box staring up at the planet. Ava was already up there. "Yo Hero." Hero turned finding Davi had his arms crossed. "You should know. I'm a lot stronger than Sis. She's a bit weird. Not a real Seraphin like Ken or I. She's something else. Her healing is some of the best out there. That said she's not as strong as me."
"...Why would you tell me this?" Hero asked frowning as he crossed his arms.
"Cause I've seen your handicap." Davi snickered. "Besides." He stared Hero down a light blue aura beginning to seep out of his body. "After seeing you stroll around like you own the place and the things you've said... I want to be the guy that kicks your sorry ass to the curve and teaches you a thing or two about respect." He grinned.
"Ahh I see. I got another rival. Well get in line. Kitsune and Max are ahead of you. Both want to take a swing at this sweet ass of a Hero."
"Are you an idiot." Davi said flatly.
"I've just had a lot on my plate lately." Hero nodded.
"You can win this right Hero?" Kitsune asked folding his arms.
"I. Have. No. Clue."
"That uh... That isn't a response I wanted..." Kitsune hummed.
"D... Do you need Daughters help Father?" Daughter asked clinging to his leg.
Hero let out a small chuckle as he patted the girl on the top of her head. "Thanks but I think I'll pass... A lot of these girls here all seem to like you and find you cute. They'd slaughter me and rip me apart no questions asked if I brought you into the arena with me. And I find the thought on dying in that way to be not fun..."
"Aww..." Daughter pouted.
"You can win this Big Brother." Light announced.
"Yeah maybe if Hero's lucky she'll give up before he can throw out an attack like last time." Ken nodded.
"Or maybe she'll have a heart attack mid fight and drop dead." Shelly stated. "Cause otherwise I kind of think you're screwed Hero."
"Maybe Hero's Harem King Power will kick in and she'll want to join the harem." Kitsune joked.
"You guys are the worst at encouraging people." Hero said flatly.
"Whatever the case." Davi sighed. "Do your best to win."
"Yeah." Hero nodded as he gave a smirk and turned to look back up at the floating arena. "I will."
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"So uh... You gonna go up to the arena?" Davi asked as everyone watched Hero stand there not moving.
Hero turned back to the group giving a sheepish smirk. "I can't waste my Rage Cannon shot to get up there cause I need it for the fight and I can't jump that high or fly so I have no idea how to get into the arena..." He said in a sheepish tone making everyone fall back.
Kitsune let out a sigh standing back up. "Guess I'll fly you..."