Canon Fodder

CHAPTER 196 TSUKUYOMI

The 3 of us flew side by side to where the Blizzard member had found the Tsukuyomi testing center. He had been fairly certain it was to the West of A-City. 

“What do you know about these guys?” I asked. Turning to Fubuki’s sister. 

“It’s Tatsukmaki,” she said. “My name.” Less angry with me as we flew. “Not much. They took me in when I was young. Promising to help with my psychic outbursts. But they took me to a small cell. Treated me like a test subject. Me and dozens of others. I pretended to lose my powers and they lost interest. But I was stuck there until…” 

“Bang saved you, right?” I asked, trying to focus on something to keep the fury I felt at bay. 

“How did you know that?” She asked. 

“Guess I’m a little psychic now too,” I lied. “What should we expect?”

“Expect?” 

“You said you’ve taken down other branches of theirs, right? What did you fight?” I asked. 

“That was…an exaggeration. I’ve been on the trail of them for years. I know they are still taking people with psychic powers. But every time I get close they abandon their testing lab. Which is why I felt like we needed to attack this place now! If they found out your stupid Blizzard member was exposed, they might move again!” She yelled at Fubuki. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t know,” Fubuki said, ashamed as she looked to the ground. “He has been loyal for years.”

“I told you not to form that stupid group!” Tatsumaki yelled. “You shouldn’t even be a hero. I am more than enough to take care of everything.” 

“Leave her alone,” I growled. “That’s all you’ve done is put her down. Fubuki is doing her best.” 

“What’s it to you!?” Tatsumaki cried out. “This is a family issue. Don’t butt your head into it.” 

“I don’t want to hear it. I’ll destroy Tsukuyomi then kick your ass after we are done.” 

“Kick my ass? I’m the Tornado of Terror. Class S-Rank 2. Who the hell are you? Some nobody?!”

“Whatever number 2. I’ll still kick your ass. I don’t mind hitting a woman. Especially when it’s a kid that needs a spanking,” I said. 

“A spanking?!” Her hair raised up as the wind increased around her. “You are a nobody. You stupid buzzcut! Jello brain! Squidman!” 

“Those don’t even make sense, number 2. Stop while you’re ahead.”

“Stop calling me that?!”

“Number 2. Number 2. Number 2,” I said quickly. Her face becoming more red with each repeat. 

“Guys stop!” Fubuki said. “This isn’t the time to be fighting.” 

“You’re right,” I said, breathing out. Feeling a little better, my anger had calmed down as I teased her. “It should be ahead. Spread out. Look for an old concrete building. Only about 20 feet by 20 feet. 1 story tall.” 

“That’s not very big,” Fubuki said. 

“The guy was taken underground. He thought it was a lot bigger down below,” I said as I moved to scan the area. We were over a large forest. I lifted up high trying to find anything of note, but it was all the same. Dropping down to below the canopy of the forest I looked around as the sisters spread out. 

My thoughts were dark as I scanned the area. If anything bad happened to any of the girls, I would kill everyone. Aiko and Setsuko could probably take care of themselves, but Jun would have an issue. Her fear would kick in. Making her stronger, but also inconsolable as she became more and more scared. 

I should have known someone was after them as well. In all honesty I thought the guy that attacked me was after me because I was a hero. Maybe someone that was pissed I took someone down. When I found out about Tsukuyomi I hadn’t put thought the girls could be targeted. I had gotten sucked into the drama and quest I was given. I made a mistake. Letting the girls fend for themselves for a time. 

I considered using my Weakness Eliminator skill on my Berserker Mode. It might remove me from the equation from the girls. Them no longer needing me would help them survive more easily. And maybe I could stop these bouts of anger that kept coursing through me. But I really wanted to save it for a better power. Devil fruits were too tempting. Maybe I could get lucky and find an awesome one. I was supposed to be getting stronger for these challenges. I needed all the help I could get. The Challenge should be happening soon. I held off on making any moves for now. 

“Here!” I heard Fubuki yell. I flew over in a mad rush and found her staring at a building in the thick of the trees. “What should we do?” She asked. 

“Rush it?” I asked. The building appeared abandoned. More of a shell of a building it might have been some bunker back in the day. As we waited for Tatsukmaki our decision was made as she flew over top of the building. With a wave of her hand the building lifted off the ground and was thrown away. She flew inside as soon as the deed was done. 

“Goddammit,” I growled as Fubuki and I flew after her. At the center of where the building was there was a wide elevator shaft. Perfectly square I dropped the water and fell in. The vast darkness swallowed us as we moved below. No doors leading out we fell for a long time. 

Light appearing at the bottom we slowed down. Landing in the floor of the tiled hallway we heard yelling and gunfire. “Guess it’s the right place,” I said as I ran in. Like some hospital ward there were ceiling tiles with LED lights above. The walls and floor were white. Everything was pristine as we walked. We came across the first person knocked out and sped up. 

We came to a large room to find Tatsumaki stopping bullets with her hands raised. I ignored the bullets. Running past her I dodged the trajectories just in time with each bullet that got close. Waving my hand in front of me water shot out, slicing through the arms of 3 men with guns. They dropped the weapons clutching stumps. 

“Don’t kill them. We need information!” Tatsumaki yelled. 

“They’ll live,” I growled as I moved to the first. My Chikyugi Necklace was out and missing arms was the least of their worries as I got every bit of information I could out of them. 

“This way,” I told the sisters as I raced down the hall. Doctors and assistants jumped as we moved past. The girl’s heels clacking as they ran across the tiles. I took 2 turns but stopped in my tracks as a huge metal door was blown off of it’s hinges. The door was almost worthy to guarding a safe. It clanged loudly as it hit the ground. Smoke billowing out of the room it came from I walked to it slowly but was stopped by a familiar voice. 

“Good job, Jun,” Aiko said. “Now let’s get the hell out of here.” The busty woman walked out of the door as Setsuko and Jun followed her. They turned to look the other way then turned to see me. 

“Weston!” The girls yelled as they ran to me. Tears in my eyes I closed the distance taking them in a big hug. 

“Thank god,” I said holding them. “I was worried.” 

“How the hell did you find us?” Setsuko asked. 

“Long story. Are you okay? You’re not hurt are you?” I asked. 

“No, they tranqued us, but it was nothing compared to the dead doc’s crap. Barely got a high from it,” Aiko said. “We woke up and started breaking out about 10 minutes ago.” 

“Goddamn it’s good to see you 3,” I said. Relief washing over me as I wiped my eyes. 

“What’s the matter? Miss us?” Aiko asked. 

“Of course. Our place would be lonely without you 3,” I said without shame. “Come on. We can catch up later. Still need to take care of the bad guys.” 

I turned to see Fubuki and Tatsumaki awkwardly staring at us. “Introductions later,” I added. “Come on. Almost to the boss room, I think.” I turned around and headed down another hall. The trio sticking close they whispered to one another as Fubuki and Tatsumaki walked beside me. At least they had the sense to stay focused and not ask dumb questions. Most had the sense anyway.

“Who the hell are you 2?” Aiko asked without hesitation. “This is our man.” 

“W-what?!” Tatsumaki yelled as she turned around. 

“You heard me, get your own!” Aiko yelled. Moving up to the smaller woman she looked down at her from the valley of her breasts. 

“Guys, this is not the time,” I growled. 

“This is the perfect time. They seem way too familiar with you,” Aiko said. “We already have dibs on him.”

“All 3 of you?!” Fubuki yelled. Jun blushed deeply, Setsuko looked ashamed, Aiko crossed her arms over her chest, daring her to say more. 

“Behind!” I yelled, throwing a streak of ice at a guard aiming for us. The ice threw the gun away and he was soon on the ground as another ice shard pierced into his side. “Not the time ladies,” I hissed. 

“Fine, fine, keep your secrets,” Aiko said, not perturbed by the situation at all. 

“This way,” I said, turning back around and starting to jog down the hall. I followed the directions I had gotten from the 3 guards. Hoping I didn’t miss a turn we came to a large door. Bigger than the one Jun had pushed through it was locked down tight. 

“Step aside,” Tatsumaki ordered as she pushed through. Her hands raising I could almost feel her work. Not so much Spiritual Energy, but something poured out of her mind into the large door. She struggled with it, pulling harder until the metal began to creak with the strain of her psychic powers breaking it apart. Then with a crash it was yanked away. Tatsumaki let it fall to the ground and we jumped onto it. Walking over the door as we made our way into the bosses room. 

The large office was dark. All except for a screen at the other end that was glowing a white light. We spread out in the room. Some office chairs scattered around, whoever had left were in a hurry. I was about to turn around to head somewhere else when a deep voice sounded from a speaker near the TV. 

“Tatsumaki, so good to see you again,” the voice said. Tatsumaki stopped as if struck. Sweat breaking out on her face. “Oh good, you recognize my voice. I had worried that you forgot me.” The voice reminded me of All-For-One. Perhaps because of his faceless voice. 

“Fubuki, it is good to finally see you a part of this,” the voice said. She looked around confused to me then her sister. All I could do was shrug as we gathered around the screen. I noticed a small camera above it. 

“Weston, Aiko, Setsuko, and Jun, it is sad that our meeting was cut short,” the voice said. “But I am looking forward to seeing what will happen with you 4 in the future.”

“Who are you?” I asked. “Why did you take them? You touch them again, I will find you and kill you.” 

“I have no doubt,” the voice said. It was quiet for a time, I was worried he was done talking. After a minute he started up again. Luckily villains liked to talk in this world as well. “Let me tell you a story,” he said slowly. “It is about a world gone to hell. Death and destruction everywhere. Anarchy in the streets. Monsters coming out of nowhere to destroy what little of the world that had been able to be built back up.” 

“In this story there is a man. A man that could lift objects with his mind. Nothing big mind you. A pencil that shook from the strain was all he could manage. He was a very weak man, but smart. He studied himself. Trying to figure out what was different about him. But the answer eluded him. Eventually he came to the conclusion that if he wanted to learn more he had to leave it to the next generation. He altered himself and found a woman to love. They had 3 wonderful children,” he hissed. 

“Those children were just as special as the father. More special in fact. Unlike him they weren’t weak. One could read minds, learning all there was to know about someone with a simple gaze. Another could light fires with their mind. And the last could sense emotions.” The voice let out a sigh. “Telepathy, Pyrokinesis, and Empathy. These children were praised by their father as he coddled them. Unfortunately the world was still in shambles. A monster ended his life far too soon, but his children wanted to carry on his work. Over the years the siblings drifted apart. All believing that their psychic power was the strongest. Determined to figure out what made that little something special tick.” 

“Time passed and they formed their own groups. Tsukuyomi, Kowarenai, and Chikara.” Moon god, Unbreakable, and Power. I had seen the name Chikara many times. It had been written on the letterhead of my medical documents. Mine and the girls. Also it was listed on my 1st quest for the One Punch Man World.

“Ah, you see the answer,” the voice said. “My brother and I had our fights. But you killed him, Weston. Tore him to shreds and threw him in a dumpster like trash. You surprised me this time. I had not thought his research bore any fruit. Next time we meet I will be sure to prepare properly.” The speaker cut out and the light from the screen flickered off. 

“Fuck,” I mumbled. 

“What does that mean?” Jun whispered in the dark of the room. 

“We need to watch our backs,” I said, my hand moving to pat her head. 

“This is bullshit,” Aiko said. “Why are we caught in the middle of some family drama?” 

“Just our lot in life,” I said. “Well, I’m out of steam.” I sighed loudly. “Come on. Let’s go home.” 

“What?!” Tatsumaki yelled. “But there is a lot of information to get here. More people. We have to contact the Hero Association as well. I doubt this place is legal.” 

“You’re number 2. You do it,” I said. “I’m out of here.” 

“What if there are more test subjects?” She asked. 

“Then save them. This wasn’t even the group that messed with our brains. I’m exhausted, what should we do for food tonight?”

“I’m feeling Chinese,” Aiko said.

“We had that last night. One of us needs to learn to cook,” Setsuko groaned. 

“Not it,” I said followed by Aiko and Setsuko. 

“What? Me?” Jun asked.

“Looks like it, Jun. Come on. I’m sure you’ll do great…tomorrow though. I’m starved. And those asshats tore up our place.”

“Oh that was me,” Aiko said. “I got in the zone there for a little bit and was throwing the guys around. But they got us.”

“Bastards, we need more training I guess,” I noted as we continued down the hall. Tatsumaki and Fubuki did not follow. It wasn’t too long until I was holding the girls and raising us up and out of the elevator shaft. Worried about secret societies now after us I decided to ignore it for now. Maybe something would come of the place, but I doubted it. I had other things to worry about like finding a place to eat.