Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 165 YOU AGAIN

We ended up meeting at the school. No classes, we still ended up there somehow. Hell I never left the place. Except for some extra-curricular dates and investigations anyway. We were on our way to the nearest Shopping Plaza. Filling the bus as everyone excitedly talked about what we should buy. 

“Are you treating us again today, Weston?” Mina laughed. 

“Not today. When it is just me and the ladies I don’t mind. Its when you bring guys along that I must refuse,” I admitted. 

“Too bad. I was thinking of getting a bikini,” Mina teased. 

“That is too bad,” I said. “When we get back, I will for sure. I looked more into the packet and nowhere did it say lakefront access.”

“Lame,” Mineta groaned. “Are we going to have any fun on this trip?”

“I’m sure we can figure something out,” I said. “We get what? A week before summer camp, then 3 weeks after for our own summer fun?” I eyed Toru next to me. “Maybe we should go somewhere? You, me, maybe Nejire?” 

“Like where?” She whispered back. 

“I don’t know. I have money, we could fly somewhere in country,” I said. I could use another vacation. 

“Where do you get all this money?” She asked. 

“I’ll tell you later,” I said. She could believe the mother’s insurance money lie easy enough. It was hard to say I got most of it from saving the world from aliens and robbed banks and a police lock up for the rest. “I feel like having fun. Maybe go somewhere that you actually need a bikini.” 

“What are you 2 lovebirds whispering about?” Momo asked, eyeing us from a seat in front. 

“Weston is shamelessly trying to get me to join your date,” Toru whispered. 

“Wait? You’re not Momo?” I asked Toru. “You 2 look so much alike. Honest mistake.” 

“You’re awful,” Momo laughed. “You promised, so you’ll be taking just me.” 

“Fine fine,” I pretended to grumble. “What are we doing anyway?” 

“You offered, I think you should decide,” Momo said. 

“Damn, I have to think? That’s not my strong suit.” 

“What is your strong suit?” 

“Punching, maybe some kicking. Light aerobics at most. You know, because of my bad back,” I reminded. 

“So you’re old now?” 

“Old at heart.” She gave me a whimsical smile but our conversation was interrupted by the bus stopping. Pretty much the entire bus got out. I grabbed onto Toru, moving her to in front of me to make sure she wasn’t bowled over. Acting as a good defense between her and people that were heartless enough to not see an invisible girl right in front of them. 

The group of us clumped together. Walking through the plaza people split off from the main group. Because of my last encounter with Toga at the plaza I was paying attention to everything going on around me. Practicing my Haki like always. It was easy to feel the bloodthirst then. 

The first place I felt bloodthirst was back in Gantz. So long ago, it was when those idiots killed the first alien. Some kind of green onion. They killed it, and the dad of the alien found them. The father was pouring out bloodlust as he backed them to pieces. 

Bloodthirst wasn’t a tangible thing. It was a presence that someone exuded out. When they were so angry they didn’t care who they killed. They simply wanted to kill someone. 

I’d felt it exuding off someone. It was not something I could identify back in the day of course. It wasn’t until I considered myself truly strong that I could gauge it for what it was. Perhaps sometime in my training during Naruto. Back when I fought Evey over and over. She was good at using her bloodthirst to scare me into flinching. 

Right at the moment I wasn’t feeling that type of lust for blood. It was more of a dull throbbing in the back of my mind as someone watched our group. Ready to grab a target. Cull a weak person from the herd. I was tempted to offer up Mineta. But I’d feel bad. His obvious perviness made mine look mild in comparison, so he was useful. 

“I lied,” I said to the group of 10 or so around me. “Toru, here’s some money. Get everyone something. My treat.” I threw her a stack of bills. 

“What changed your mind?” She asked. 

“Oh just feeling generous,” I said with a smile on. “Go take them to the food court. I’ll catch up. I need to use the bathroom.” 

“There’s a bathroom over there,” she said. 

“I mean, I forgot something,” I said. I winked and she slowly nodded. Not understanding fully, but enough not to question. She got everyone’s attention and they were soon on their way. Kneeling I pretended to tie my shoe. When they were far enough away I turned to see the presence that had been following us. 

It was Shigaraki. No extra hands on him, he wore a black hoodie that obscured his face. He was only about 5 paces from me. But on his lips was a wide smile. The pale man was happy to see me for some reason. 

“Handjob, is that you?” I asked, with a wider smile. Just talking in a normal tone in the crowd of people. He still heard me. His smile changed to a sneer. I couldn’t see his eyes, but I knew they were there. Boring into me.  

“Weston Watanabe, or should I say Frostwave?” Shigaraki asked. He too spoke in a normal tone. “Fancy meeting a bunch of UA brats here.”

“Well it is a mall, and the weekend. Why did you come? Interested in the Build-a-Bear? Or is there a Henchman-R-Us store around here for you to get bottom feeders?” I asked. 

He cracked a smile. “I don’t know what it is about you. But I can’t stand you most of all,” Shigaraki said. “I could grab a hostage and threaten someone. But you seem smart enough to skip that step. Care to have a little chat?” 

I was surprised by the question. I slowly nodded and he moved with the crowd. I followed him. Moving to a somehow more crowded area he sat on the edge of a fountain. I moved about 10 feet away and did the same. Both of us just sitting there. I couldn’t remember this happening in the manga. If it did it must have been a minor event. I only saw the guy storm off a couple of days ago at the League Headquarters. I hadn’t heard back from him. 

“You’re quite bold, Weston,” Shigaraki said. “Most kids your age would yell for a hero to come save them.” 

“Eh, I don’t need a hero. I could take you on myself.” 

“Very bold and stupid. You beat one of my Nomu, but that was one of the weak ones. We have a lot stronger ones now,” Shigaraki admitted. I had assumed as much. “How’d you notice me?” 

“Your bloodlust. You’re pretty obvious,” I said.

He laughed maniacally. “I would love to kill all of these people,” he said, looking into the crowd around us. “Look at them. So many with quirks. Some actually useful. But they never use them. They wouldn’t know what to do with them. I could kill how many before someone would step in?” 

“None,” I said. “I wouldn’t let you.” 

“So confident. So dumb,” Shigaraki rasped. “But at least these idiots aren’t talking about the damn Hero Killer.” There it was. He was having a hissy fit because someone else was getting all the attention instead of himself. “The UA invasion. The Nomus we released in Hosu. And somehow that jackass overshadowed us.” 

“He has a better PR team than you do,” I offered. 

“Perhaps,” Shigaraki sighed. “He was just a man though. A dead man. His martyrdom making his stupid ideals an actual cause to follow.” 

“I don’t know,” I admitted. “Were they dumb?” I couldn’t help but question my own actions. “Good ol’ shit stain had one thing right. The hero system is broken how it is. Putting these stupid heroes on a pedestal is wrong. He wanted to hold them all to this impossible standard of All Might. When they are just normal people. Good days and bad. Being a hero is a job. A job many of them spend the majority of their time doing. But if they weren’t willing to give their all, then they weren’t worthy in Stain’s eyes.” 

“Always comes back to Stain and All Might,” Shigaraki laughed. Shaking his head. “Doesn’t that make you sick? Some man or woman that’s allowed to use their quirk how they see fit, all in the name of justice. But they can’t follow their own ideals? Pretty oxymoronic in my opinion.”

“Is that why you made your stupid club?” I asked. Unafraid of the spike in bloodlust. “To fight against heroes and their unfair popularity? Despite the fact that they sacrifice their time and health.”

I let out a sigh. Standing up I turned to him. “So you wanna fight or what?” 

“No, I don’t think we will,” Shigaraki said as he stood up. 

“Running away again?”

“Ha, sure,” Shigaraki said. “Thanks. I think I have my answer. See you soon.” He walked into the crowd and was gone. I frowned. Unsure what I said to give him whatever answer he was looking for. 

Confused, I considered going after him. But he was dangerous. One touch from that guy could kill most anyone. If he wanted he could have killed a lot of people. Just grabbing hands on a crowd. But he didn’t. I wasn’t too sure what to make of him. 

“What was that?!” Toru asked. Angrily tapping her foot in front of me she was completely visible. The greenish yellow haired girl’s cheeks widened as she gave me a stern look. “You know who that was, don’t you?”

“I do,” I admitted. “Handjob.”

“No! The guy from the League, back at-“ I stood, kissing her lips. 

She stopped talking as I moved my head next to hers. “Don’t say anything. You might scare someone.”

“We should tell the police,” she said. 

“And what? He and I had a cup of tea? He didn’t do anything illegal,” I said. 

“No, but people should know he was here,” she pouted. 

“Don’t worry about it, beautiful,” I said. “Come on. Let’s you and I go out on a date.”

“You have Momo,” she said, eyeing me. 

“I suddenly feel very tired. I’ll push her off till tomorrow,” I said. My hand moving to her ass as she stayed visible. “I want to hang out with my actual girlfriend. Why’d you have me push for a date with Momo anyway?”

“She asked me if it was alright if she asked you,” Toru admitted. “I don’t know. Wanted to try it out.” 

“Ha, I knew she was interested. Come on. Let’s go get a love hotel,” I said with a wink. 

“Okay,” she said, cutely. 

“Really?!” I asked, surprised. “What about Momo?”

“Move it until tomorrow,” Toru said. “You can seduce her later.”

“Are you still planning on stalking the date?”

“It’s not stalking,” she corrected. But didn’t elaborate. I knew she’d be keeping an eye on us. “Come on. Were you serious about going on a real vacation after summer camp?”

“Of course. As long as you wear a bikini.”

“I’ll ask Nejire if she wants to go,” Toru said. “What about Mei?”

“Jeez, do you just not like being alone with me?” I asked as a joke. 

She stopped, blushing as she looked over at me. “Oh my god. Of course I do. I love you, dummy,” she said like it was the most obvious thing. “We don’t have to. I thought you liked it.”

“I do,” I admitted. Regretting my words. “Do you?”

Toru nodded. “It’s very…you ever picture your dream person?” I nodded. “I never really was able to.” She said with a frown as we left the plaza. “Then you showed up. And it was like oh, this is the one. Duh. You haven’t judged me for what I’m into. You focus on me. You let me be…weird. With these stupid other girl dates…”

“Hey, I’m all for the harem life, honey. I just don’t want you to feel left out,” I said. 

“Oh my god. You had a big head before. It’s going to get bigger now, isn’t it?”

“Huge,” I said. “Like something else.” She blushed. Becoming visible I kissed her on the lips. “Love you.”

“Love you. Now apologize to Momo. Say you’ll grovel at her feet or something.”

“Fine fine,” I said, grabbing my phone. I was going to have to be pretty convincing. But it was worth it. It was all worth it. I hesitated as I was given a new notification though. Not from my phone, but from the world. 

My Hero Academia WORLD QUEST UPDATE: ANTI-HERO PATH

Due to your own meddling you have succeeded in creating an Anti-Hero Path

in the My Hero Academia World. Quests will begin once more.

Rewards for Previous Anti-Hero Actions:

World ID x 1

Forge: Quirk Evolution x 1

Challenger Bonus Slot x 1