discord.gg/q5KWmtQARF
Join my Discord!
**************
The sun had barely begun to rise over the city skyline when Shigaraki, Dabi, Stain, and Aiko found themselves huddled together at an unassuming café in the heart of the city. A mere stone's throw away from the Shie Hassaikai headquarters, they sat, all cloaked under subtle disguises, a mere shadow of their usual, imposing selves. Kurogiri, for obvious reasons, kept to the shadows, far from prying eyes.
Of the four, Aiko was the most conspicuous. His eccentricity evident in his attire - an oversized hat, sunglasses covering half his face, a flowing coat that just screamed outlandish. In trying to blend in, he stood out, drawing the occasional curious glance from the early morning café-goers.
"Aiko, you look like you're hiding from a bad date," Dabi commented, his voice a low chuckle as he observed Aiko's flamboyant attire. "Are you sure this is how undercover works?"
Aiko, tilting his sunglasses down his nose, shot Dabi an exaggerated wink, his playful smile hidden behind his coffee mug. "Dabi, my dear, this is the art of misdirection. Let them look, let them wonder. As long as they're focusing on the hat, they won't see what's underneath."
"Or they'll see a buffoon in a hat," Stain grumbled from his seat, his brows furrowed in distaste.
"Ah, Stain, always the critic," Aiko chuckled, his laughter a burst of warmth in the morning chill. He leaned back, stretching out his legs under the table. His haughty grin was a stark contrast to the seriousness of their current situation.
A tense silence fell over the table as they all glanced towards the Yakuza headquarters. It was almost time. The clock was ticking, each passing second filled with anticipation and trepidation.
"You better pray the plan worked," Shigaraki murmured, breaking the silence. His voice was soft, laced with worry. His eyes were shadowed, focused on the distant headquarters, his fingers twitching in his lap.
Aiko's grin never faded. "No worries, boss! Our dear heroes will soon realize that their surprise visit wasn't so surprising after all."
Shigaraki shot Aiko a skeptical look. "You seem unusually confident."
The mischievous glint in Aiko's eyes shone brighter as he replied, "My dear Shigaraki, confidence is my second name."
"And here I thought it was 'insanity'," Dabi commented, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips.
"No, no," Aiko corrected, wagging a finger at Dabi, "that's my third name."
Despite the tension, Dabi's smirk grew wider, his laughter blending with the early morning noise. Aiko's playful demeanor had a way of cutting through the gloom. Even Stain, ever the critic, couldn't resist a small smile. It was the calm before the storm, and in these fleeting moments, they were allowed a sliver of peace.
Suddenly, a low rumble echoed through the city streets. The café patrons turned in their seats, their chattering silenced by the sudden disturbance. In the distance, smoke billowed from the Shie Hassaikai headquarters, the once formidable fortress now a smoldering ruin.
The reaction at their table was immediate. Shigaraki's eyes widened, his hands clasping the edge of the table tightly. Dabi and Stain jumped to their feet, their faces hardened. Aiko, in contrast, leaned back in his chair, his face obscured by the brim of his hat. His grin had not faded, if anything, it had grown wider.
"Well, gentlemen, it seems the show has begun," Aiko said, his voice low, filled with an anticipatory thrill. "The heroes have entered the lion's den, unaware that the lion knew they were coming."
"No amount of coffee can prepare you for this kind of morning, can it?" Aiko quipped, stirring his spoon around his empty coffee cup with an almost exaggerated boredom. The smirk on his face was as wide as the chaotic scene unfolding before them. "So, how many Nomus did you lend our dear Overhaul?" he asked, tilting his head towards Shigaraki.
Shigaraki's eyes, fixed on the smoking ruins of the Shie Hassaikai headquarters, flickered towards Aiko. "Four," he replied curtly, his voice barely audible over the pandemonium.
Aiko let out a low whistle, raising his eyebrows in mock surprise. "Four Nomus, eh? This is going to be quite a show!"
They sat there, a strange tableau amidst the everyday hustle and bustle of the city - a villain, a murderer, a terrorist, and a spy, watching the world burn with casual nonchalance. And amidst them all, Aiko, with his hat tilted low and his glasses obscuring his eyes, sat, an embodiment of free-spirited nonchalance. His grin was a slash of white in the dim morning light, his demeanor an unsettling contrast to the escalating tension around them.
As the tremors grew stronger, the café patrons started to panic. Chairs screeched against the floor, cups toppled over, shattering, spilling their contents. Amidst the ensuing chaos, Shigaraki's voice cut through like a knife, "We need to move."
Aiko lifted his sunglasses, his eyes twinkling with mirth. "Oh, come on, Shigaraki, the party's just getting started."
Ignoring Aiko's remark, Shigaraki turned to Dabi and Stain. "Get the Nomus ready for extraction. We can't afford to lose them."
Shigaraki's eyes darted between the chaotic scene before them and Aiko. His voice was rough, riddled with annoyance and disbelief, "No one in our list can cause this much damage! Are you sure it's only them?"
Aiko, nonchalantly stirring the remains of his coffee, frowned, scratching his head. "Oh, and that new Hero Agency that just opened. What was it called? Pantheon Creators? Creation Panthers? Pool Dancers?" He tilted his head, his mind seemingly engrossed in his own thoughts.
At Aiko's words, the air around them seemed to grow cold, the color drained from Dabi and Stain's faces. "Do you mean The Creation Pantheon Agency?" Stain asked, his voice barely a whisper. His eyes were filled with a zealous dread.
Aiko's face brightened. "RIGHT! That one!" he exclaimed, slapping his hand on the table.
Dabi buried his face in his hands, while Shigaraki looked as if he might leap across the table and strangle Aiko. "Idiot," Shigaraki gritted out, "that's All Might's agency."
Aiko blinked at him, his confusion genuine. "That cannot be true. It's a new agency a student created. How can it be...?"
His words died in his throat under Shigaraki's murderous gaze. "Forget the Nomus, let's move!" Shigaraki ordered. But before they could rise from their seats, the ground opened up in a swirl of dust and a figure dashed out.
It was Daichi. He was breathless, his clothes torn and his body covered in grime and blood. His usually calm eyes were wide, panic-stricken. "We have all lost," he managed to say between pants. "I'm the only one who escaped. We need to go."
Shigaraki's aura shifted from frustrated to outright murderous. His hands balled into fists, the air around him turning electric with his simmering rage. "What about the drugs?" he spat out, his voice barely audible.
Daichi shook his head, "All gone."
A tense silence followed his words. The ticking of the nearby clock seemed deafening. Aiko's playful demeanor faltered for a moment, his laughter replaced with a grim silence. He took off his hat, running his fingers through his hair. He glanced at Daichi, his eyes filled with unspoken questions.
Shigaraki was the first to break the silence. His voice echoed around them, cold and harsh. "So, we have nothing? All our planning, all our work... for nothing?"
Daichi nodded, not trusting himself to speak. His eyes were glassy, a testament to the horrors he'd seen. He tried to say something, but his voice was choked, his words swallowed by his trembling lips.
Aiko, though clearly shaken, tried to lighten the mood, "Well, that's a bummer. Next time, maybe we shouldn't put all our eggs in one basket."
Shigaraki looked at Aiko, his eyes threatening imminent bloodshed. He opened his mouth, ready to unleash a torrent of vitriol, but was cut short by the screeching sound of the café door being thrown open. He shifted his gaze, his eyes narrowing at the sight of the newcomer. Turning to Daichi, he spat out, "You've been followed, idiot."
Standing in the doorframe were six people, the early morning sunlight framing their figures in an ominous silhouette. They slowly stepped into the café, revealing themselves as Mokami, Momo, All Might, Mirko, Ryukyu, and Sahar - four pro heroes of The Creation Pantheon Agency and its owners.
A chill descended over the café as the patrons recognized the legendary figures. The villains too, reacted with varying expressions. A flicker of recognition crossed Shigaraki's face as his eyes fell on Momo. Beneath the evident anger, fear, and all other hostile emotions, there was something else in his eyes. An emotion he couldn't or wouldn't name.
Stain's gaze lingered on Mokami and All Might, his eyes full of a twisted sort of worship. He stood, rooted to the spot, as if in awe of the scene unfolding before him. Dabi, on the other hand, looked terrified. His eyes darted between the heroes, looking for a way out.
Seemingly unfazed, Shigaraki pulled out a device and clicked a button. A portal flickered into existence, and Kurogiri's head popped out, ready to extract his team. "NO YOU DON'T!" All Might shouted, lunging towards them.
Daichi, in a sudden burst of action, came between All Might and the portal. His foot slammed into the ground, and in response, the ground rose, creating a makeshift barrier. The café was thrown into chaos. Screams filled the air as the patrons ducked for cover.
Momo, Mokami, Sahar, Mirko, and Ryukyu acted quickly. They spread out, their top priority to protect the innocent bystanders caught in the crossfire. But in the midst of the pandemonium, the villains slipped through the portal, escaping their grasp.
Shigaraki, Aiko, Dabi, Kurogiri and Daichi reappeared in their hideout, the portal closing behind them with a soft 'pop'. Shigaraki turned to Aiko, his eyes promising a world of pain. "This is your fault," he snarled, pointing an accusing finger at him.
Aiko, still maintaining his playful demeanor despite the tension, shrugged. "Well, you can't win 'em all, boss."
"Your idiotic plan got us nothing," Shigaraki spat out, seething. "Our stash, our Nomus... Everything's gone because of your stupid gamble!"
"Oh, come on, Shigaraki," Aiko retorted, rolling his eyes. "You agreed to it as well. And besides, who could have guessed that All Might's new agency would interfere?"
Shigaraki didn't respond. He was fuming, his eyes glaring daggers at Aiko. The room was thick with tension, their anger and frustration hanging heavy in the air. But amidst the gloom, Aiko's laughter echoed eerily, his smile a stark contrast to the grim expressions of his companions.
"Well," he said, stretching out his arms. "As my dear grandmother used to say, when one door closes, another opens. We might have lost this battle, but the war isn't over yet, gentlemen."
"Your grandmother sounds like a wise woman," Dabi muttered, his words laced with sarcasm.
"Don't you dare insult my Nana, Dabi-kun, or I might just kill you." Aiko's gaze was serious. Others ignored him, but he was dead serious.
-----
You can read up to 20 advanced draft chapters and the First Checkpoint for extra chapters is missing 16 Euros! You can now support me and have one weekly extra chapter!
patréon.com/thefanficgod