Chapter 53: Waves in More than Just the Ocean

Summary: Aftermath and Arguments...

Warning! Chapters 50-54 were all posted back-to-back! Make sure you don't miss any of them!

Chapter 53: Waves in More than Just the Ocean

Despite Izumi's distress call to Nedzu…it was the Oki Mariner that reached the destruction and wreckage of the fight first. It was followed not by heroes, but by a series of Coast Guard and JMSDF Naval Vessels that had responded to Nedzu passing on that Mayday. Just to add more bad news to their night, they had quickly discovered the reason for the nearly forty-five minute delay before any help arrived. Specifically, the JMSDF had suffered its own series of attacks from a wave of water-borne Nomu. Much like all branches of the JSDF, the Marine Self Defense Force was a somewhat-reduced entity compared to the pre-quirk era. But it wasn't, by any stretch of the imagination, toothless. Its nearest vessels had successfully fought off the Nomu wave with only moderate damage, but the fighting and the damage had kept them from being able to respond. The vessels that did eventually get there to support the Oki Mariner and survivors, had needed to come from significantly farther away.

That attack also, unfortunately, represented another major departure from All for One's previous methods. The man had previously relied on infiltration of the government at nearly all levels to prevent their acting against him. For him to actually attack them was a massive escalation that even the assaults on the various Hero Academies had not prepared anyone for. Villains, as a general rule, weren't stupid enough to engage the world's militaries. No matter how powerful your Quirk, having to protect yourself from gunships, smart bombs, and special forces teams was usually not on any Villain group's list of desires. It was, in fact, a significant portion of the reason that most Villains made their lairs in cities, rather than some remote underground bunker in the mountains. Very few militaries were willing to shell their own cities to kill a Villain, which was ninety percent of the reason the Hero profession even existed. Heroes were the step that could be taken between police action and full scale military engagement. A needed half-way point between the two that the entire world had settled on to resolve the escalation of danger Quirked Criminals represented.

Suffice it to say that the Powers that Be in the Japanese Government were…not quite panicking, but something close. They were leaning on Nedzu, All Might, and the HPSC all three to get answers to why there was suddenly a Villain Group in Japan willing to hit SDF forces just to delay their response. The fact that there had been, despite Selkie's best efforts, seven dead Coast Guard personnel, and a dozen more dead from the JMSDF's own engagement, meant the Government was no longer willing to be put off. They were demanding action and answers now. Which was…not good. Mostly as it was causing them to slowly become aware of just how badly the previous, pre-All Might, government had been compromised by a Supervillain. One that was, apparently, still alive.

All of which, unfortunately, explained the JSDF checkpoint that Momo and Izumi had needed to pass through just to get to school. UA was, after all, not just a Heroics University. It was also the premier high-security education environment for children of many high-profile members of the Japanese government. It was only the fact that UA had thus far proven able to defend itself to a level superior to most military bases that had allowed Nedzu to retain control of the school and keep it open. Even so, he hadn't been able to avoid the sudden JSDF presence and the escalation it represented. The population was uneasy, and crime rates were beginning to soar, despite the Hero community responding fairly well overall. So far, at least. There were unsettling murmurs building among the less…stalwart members of the Hero community that it might be time to 'retire' a bit earlier than they'd expected.

Thankfully, despite the loss of the Coast Guard sailors, UA hadn't lost any of their own in the fight with the Kaiju Nomu. There had been a number of fairly serious injuries, but all of the students and staff had gotten out alive. And none of the other Terrain Camps had been hit. Less thankfully, that last detail did tell those in the know exactly why that particular group had been targeted, even if that most definitely wasn't something they were sharing with the Powers that Be yet. That little detail, plus the fact that the government wasn't exactly happy about the idea of two hero students apparently having ready access to military-grade heavy ordinance, had caused Nedzu to very politely ask Momo and Izumi to lay low for the remainer of the summer break. Frankly, given their own emotional exhaustion after the fact, they'd been okay with doing just that. They'd retreated into their workshop-cum-safehouse and worked on several projects in the unexpected downtime.

It was, of course, also the reason that, now that classes were over, they were once again in Nedzu's office. After an emotionally draining lesson with Midnight where Izumi and Momo had needed to reassure everyone they were okay, practical heroics had actually been pretty low-key. Midnight and Vlad King had taken the excuse of All Might currently being away to try and calm the government down to set up a meet-and-greet of sorts between their Groups. Normally, more of a rivalry was encouraged between the Group A and Group B. But this year, they had enough outside pressure to deal with that Midnight and Vlad King had quashed that rivalry hard. Instead, the session had been a series of Quirk demonstrations and question and answer periods between the classes. The end intention was for them to build each other up…and Izumi and Momo had been pulled in firmly to start applying their particular brand of crazy to Group B as they already had done with much of Group A.

Thankfully, that was the sort of thing Momo and Izumi quite enjoyed. But, even so, it was still mentally draining. The result was that the two were already more than a little wrung out by the time they got pulled into the office with Nedzu and Gran Torino. Nedzu had, of course, expected it. Energizing tea and a few of their favorite foods had been waiting for them, even as he patiently went over the footage Izumi's Flight Unit had taken of the battle with the giant Nomu. As his analysis and commentary ran down, Nedzu sat back with his own tea and let the silence linger for a moment. Eventually, it was Gran Torino who actually spoke.

"So. What are the odds that the bastard knows who has One for All, now?"

The tension ratcheted upward as the question was finally asked. Nedzu set down his tea, voice calm as he answered.

"Unknown. The fight almost certainly put Miss Yaoyorozu back on his short list. She was unable to ever spare the time to get her full suit deployed, after all. At the same time, the primary indicator he got was Float, not One for All itself. Atom Architect stuck mostly to things that fit her known Quirk. There were only two points where a burst of super strength and some additional durability were shown off. That may not be enough for All for One to pin her as the new holder, but it certainly at least put her back on his radar. Resolution still showed off the more direct fighting style and greater degree of sustained physical power. I think we have little chance of predicting which of them he now thinks more likely."

Gran Torino made a frustrated noise but nodded in agreement. He added his two yen a moment later.

"I don't think we can hope he doesn't believe it's one of them now, though. Anywhere both of them are, outside of UA, he's likely to target now. Hell, he might target them individually again, too, to get more data."

Nedzu nodded, took another sip of his tea, and leaned forward.

"Which is all the more reason I believe we need to change tactics. Even if we don't know where All for One himself is, I propose we go on the attack. Sir Nighteye has done his usual through job and at least managed to identify a few fringes of his network. 2B's own efforts have also turned up a target. Though that one is an information broker that would pose some risks to capture."

Izumi and Momo both blinked in confusion, looking over to 2B's young-adult form. The android looked a little unhappy at being brought into the conversation, but responded to their obvious confusion anyway.

"After the attack on UA, I've been putting some of the HSN security apparatus to work on running down a few things. They turned up an information broker named Giran, whom several of the villains, including the flame villain, were apparently recruited through."

Izumi frowned.

"Why didn't you bring this up?"

2B looked away, sighed, then straightened.

"Because I tasked Nekomata with running down the information."

Izumi and Momo's expressions blanked, then turned furious. Izumi so much so that she couldn't speak. Instead, Momo spoke for the two of them in a brutally cold tone that made 2B flinch.

"How could you. You know that will completely violate the deal the lawyers struck on her behalf. Damnit, 2B! She's supposed to be getting away from the life that you just put her back into."

2B's voice was stiff and defensive as she replied.

"She volunteered. And she was our best chance to get information. It worked, too. The Dean has also guaranteed her as a UA asset to make sure there is no legal trouble."

Their joint glares turned to pin the Dean…who looked back at them, completely unruffled.

"What the two of you have done with Nekomata is admirable. But it was a misuse of a resource that wanted to help. As I understand the situation from 2B, her therapist even signed off on her suitability for such work. She has recovered, and you were only coddling her out of fear of a relapse."

Izumi finally managed to speak, tones almost as icy as Momo's.

"Of course that's what we were afraid of. We helped her claw her way out of a dark place and didn't want to risk her falling back into it." She glared at 2B again. "We will be talking about this in private. But for now, what is done is done. What is going to be done about this broker?"

Nedzu came to 2B's rescue by outlining the general plan to go after the broker, as well as after two medical supply companies Nighteye had identified through his investigative work. It was hoped that, somewhere in the information that could be seized from the three groups, there would be a link to a larger target for them to take out. Eventually, the still fuming pair had left the office and headed back to their workshop, ready to tear into 2B for what she had done…

... ...

Unfortunately for them, 2B fought dirty and 'Nekomata' herself was waiting for them on their couch. Since she was the one who had handled many of the clandestine purchases and questionably legal hookups required for much of its renovation, she was also one of the tiny handful of people that knew their safehouse existed. Which didn't keep them from being surprised when they found her sprawling on the couch, watching TV.

"Himiko! What are you…no, 2B brought you to try and convince us not to yell at her, didn't she?"

Momo's voice was tired, even as Izumi had resumed glaring at 2B. Himiko, completely ignoring their obvious disgruntlement, lept into a flying tackle-hug that nearly knocked Momo and Izumi over, despite their greater weight.

"Momoes! Izuzu! I haven't see you two in forever! And yeah, I'm totally here to bail 2B out! I was so boooorrredd, you two! She gave me something fun to do!"

Sighing, the two of them picked don't-call-me-Toga up between them and towed her back to the couch, all three of them falling onto it. 2B quietly took a chair opposite them.

"Oh, cooommme oonnn you two! Kaina and I totally had things under control!"

Izumi groaned.

"Damnit, you got Kaina involved too. Are you trying to get them killed?!"

2B frowned, her expression showing her own displeasure at that accusation.

"Of course not. Kaina was her backup, and fully capable of getting them both out if it came to it. Even if I disagreed on their use, I would never put either of them to a risk they could not handle."

Momo's expression was less icy than it had been in Nedzu's office. But still cold.

"So, they can suddenly handle All for One, can they?"

2B tisked, shaking her head.

"Do not act like I required them to actually infiltrate his organization. That was considered, but was simply too risky. Instead, Nekomata simply posed as a number of useful Villains whose locations I was certain of. Huntress quietly made sure those Villains wouldn't pop up for a while, while Nekomata acted as a lure for recruiters. It worked well, easily leading us to Giran."

Izumi's voice was plaintive, less angry now that she knew 2B had been careful, but still visibly unhappy.

"There's still so much that could have gone-"

She was cut off by a firm elbow to the ribs from Himiko.

"No. I and Kaina both appreciate everything you've done for us. But we told you from the start we wanted to help. 2B was right to call us in, and you know it. Both of us have the exact skills to collect information you need. Hell, we were doing it before, just in a more low-key way. The fact that the new target is more dangerous doesn't really change things."

Momo and Izumi both grimaced. Technically, Himiko was right. She and the former Lady Nagant were both part of the HSN security apparatus. They were so specifically because they had experience with differing parts of the underworld. Given the legal trouble Izumi and Momo had gotten both of them out of at various times, along with helping take down Himiko's abusive parents and Tsutsumi's utterly corrupt boss, both of them were extremely loyal. Kaina ran the overall physical security, and Himiko had been her best operative for the last couple of years. They had been focused entirely on threats to the HSN, however, which mostly meant white-collar criminals and Villains who specialized in the more electronic forms of villainy. Those targets were only rarely a physical threat…and Himiko in particular had been steered away from physical violence for fear of a relapse into her more psychotic behaviors.

Still, it sounded like 2B had kept them in that information gathering role, just switching them to a much more dangerous target. Izumi and Momo would never have agreed to it if 2B had informed them…but they were very grudgingly forced to admit that the assignment made sense. Moreover, strictly speaking, security was 2B's job. Which means the two operatives actually answered to her, not to Izumi and Momo. That didn't mean they weren't going to have a serious talk about just what else 2B had been up to. But with Himiko's firm pushing, they at least kept it civil. Particularly when Himiko pointedly brought up the fact that no one knew the fates of the kidnapped students from the other schools yet. Not bringing every resource to bare would have been very unheroic. Doubly so when those resources volunteered.

Things would probably be a little bit tense between Izumi and 2B in particular, for a little while. But they did very much still have to live with each other. And this was hardly the first argument they'd ever had. They would find a way to sort it out, now that tempers had cooled a bit…

... ...

2B huffed a quiet sigh of relief as Izumi finally drifted off in the cuddle pile of her, Momo, and Himiko. Despite appearances, that relationship was an entirely platonic one. Which was a shame, really, as 2B totally would have 'shipped it' if there was any sign from Himiko of it being otherwise. Sadly, despite technically being older than them, the blonde had latched onto her pair of genius idiots as sort of pseudo big-sister figures after they'd helped her out of an abusive situation. She'd latched even harder onto Kaina Tsutsumi as a replacement mother-figure of sorts, which was good for everyone, given that it had helped prevent Kaina from doing something foolish and throwing her life away in a quest to bring down the HPSC. Instead, she'd let them use her inside info to take down a few of its worst actors, at least temporarily pruning back some of its corruption. The fact that the timing had been fortunate, crippling the HPSC's attempts to forcefully take over the nascent HSN, was really only a bonus.

Still, that was years-old history, and today 2B was mostly just grateful that her emergency message to Himiko had gotten her to their safehouse before the argument could escalate. Nedzu had thrown her under the bus, badly, though 2B was almost certain it was unintentional. A flaw of Nedzu's where the overly-logical animal had once again failed to account for human emotion properly in his analysis. She wouldn't hold it against him, much, since she'd gotten it under control, but it had been unpleasant.

It was hardly the first time she'd argued with Izumi…but in virtually all previous cases, either Momo or Inko had been neutral, and able to play peacemaker between them. With Momo being just as angry this time, it could have been…bad. Thankfully, Himiko had been near enough by to interfere, her presence helping to cut Izumi and Momo's anger enough for 2B to explain. To explain that yes, she'd made a judgement call they would not have. But that she'd also taken every possible precaution. She cared for Himiko nearly as much as they did, and hadn't wanted to see her harmed. But 2B had also interacted more with her in recent days, and knew how much the girl wanted to do more.

Himiko's work in helping keep the HSN secure by being an ear-to-the-ground under a dozen different identities was immensely useful. It was, however, an entirely defensive role. Himiko had been just a bit too inspired by Momo and Izumi to be content with just that, and 2B felt she'd been correct to take advantage of that to shift Himiko's assignment. With Kaina watching over her, she'd been relatively safe, while at the same time getting a chance to make a bigger difference. Even better, it was a difference Himiko knew would directly help keep her two friends-cum-big-sisters safe.

Thankfully, with Himiko's help she'd won the chance to lay everything out. To explain all the careful digital groundwork she'd done to create Himiko's false identities. All the precautions and Kaina's efforts to make sure she had physical backup. Izumi and Momo had calmed down, mostly, as a result. Though they were unhappy about one last thing, still. This was still technically a violation of the original legal deal they'd made to keep Himiko out of one of the 'juvenile training schools' operated by the Ministry of Justice. It was why 2B had needed to work with Nedzu, getting Himiko reclassified as a UA Asset, to work around that issue. She just hadn't expected the chimera to out her efforts to Izumi and Momo without proper explanation. And Izumi and Momo remained displeased at the target it potentially painted on Himiko's back, as such assets had to be claimed in files somewhere, in order to be proven later.

Still, it had all worked out for the most part. Though she was sure the next few days would be a bit rocky as the fact that they'd argued again worked itself out of their system. What was done was done, however, and 2B would have risked far more than an argument to keep Izumi herself safe. Though, it might be time for both of them to set new appointments with their therapist, just in case. She hummed at that thought and made a note to check their therapist's availability tomorrow. Then, she went back to work on working through every single one of Giran's associates and their digital trails…

... ... ... ...

A/N: Don't worry, I hate angst. But the argument between 2B and Izumi/Momo is meant to display the fact that 2B really is her own person, and won't always get along absolutely perfectly with her host and friends. They can disagree from time to time, while still remaining friends and partners. A very human thing, really...

A/N 2: So...you can see I changed what happened to Himiko and Lady Nagant. While this might not be a fix-it fic, that doesn't mean I can't salavage the occasional character that got a raw deal. Particularly when those characters can fill a useful role for the story...