Neutrality Order (TomBoo)

N.E. - Chapter 2

Ranboo was Capital-P PISSED OFF.

It was a day after Overhaul's 'interview visit' and his Syndicate was in a state of chaotic disbelief.

Michael was dead.

Karl was missing an arm.

Charlie was pestering him about going stab-happy on the Shie Hassaikai.

Boomer was inconsolable, shouting between his selves about someone needing to pay for this and sobbing about how it was all his fault.

Punz was doing his best to provide treatment for Karl, being the closest thing they had to a medic at the moment.

Techno was making a few calls, calm face being betrayed by the tangible heat his body was giving off from pure anger.

Niki was trying to keep everyone and everything together.

And it took everything Ranboo had not to decay the card Overhaul had thrown at his feet before his departure. Somehow, he knew it was all Techno's fault that he felt so torn up inside about the death of Big Sis Michael and the loss of Karl's arm, and not in the same sense as the panic he felt when he got pickpocketed for his pocket notebook - although it was admitted overkill what that stupid kid ended up as; he's sure the stain is STILL in the concrete - but closer to the sense of when he last saw Tommy.

Turning around to face him.

Before being lost to his sight entirely.

The only difference now was, Michael wasn't coming back.

People came and went all the time when he was growing up, with only himself, Sensei, and Niki as the sole constants. He didn't feel like he should be taking Michael's death so hard, but those that were here, that had survived the fight and capture of the summer camp ordeal and formed camaraderie over it; hell, this group formed a bond even before that mission. Michael really did seem to be everyone's big sister, down to the teasing and attempts to take care of them. She understood more than most the need to belong and she made EVERYONE feel belonged.

Punz and Techno took care of her remains, carrying them out back and Techno giving her a proper pyre while Boomer howled with grief back inside, unable to properly face it. Charlie was uncharacteristically solemn, tracing the tip of his knife into the floor and murmuring promises of retribution for Boomer.

Retribution. That was a fond word.

Ranboo flipped open the notebook to the nearest half-filled page, clicking open a pen and writing.

RETRIBUTION

NOUN

PUNISHMENT INFLICTED ON SOMEONE AS VENGEANCE FOR A WRONG OR CRIMINAL ACT AGAINST DISGUSTING OLD-NEWS RELICS WHO THINK THEY CAN LORD OVER US.

He frowned, eyes narrowing at his own passage. Tommy would find irony in this, he thought to himself. He would say 'told you it's not just the heroes who have flawed political systems. Flashy quirks, daddy's money and foundation to work from...same shit, really'.

Fuck off, Tommy.

He sat back silently, reaching into his pocket and taking out Overhaul's card, looking at it carefully with narrow eyes.

Overhaul thought they were little raggedy children playing in an elite game.

"You're kind of a childish prick, to be honest."

Tch, Tommy had pushed it a little far past perfectly accurate, and Overhaul wasn't exactly a polite gentleman either.

But if that's how he came off to that elite scrub, then he had to step up his A-game if he at least wanted an audience with him.