My Sky Knight Academia Volume III (Storm Hawks AU)

Chapter Five - Doctor Skaal

After recruiting Spinner, the Shadow Collective moved forward with the next stage of their plan to take over the Cyclonian Empire. Kurogiri used his powers to warp himself and the Shadow Collective to a desolate Terra deep in the outskirts of Terra Cyclonia.

Toga: This place gives me the creeps!

Twice: You and us both! WUSS! Dude, shup up!

Dabi: What the hell is this place?

Kurogiri: The home Terra of Doctor Skaal, one of Cyclonia's top scientists. All For One personally recruited him to his cause. Come. The good doctor is expecting us.

As Kurogiri says this, he leads the Shadow Collective through the facility. As they moved through the facility, there was an uneasy silence. Eventually, the Shadow Collective arrived at the main laboratory where a lanky looking Merb was performing an experiment. On the slab was a Nomu.

Kurogiri: Doctor Skaal.

As Kurogiri calls out his name, the Mad Merb scientist turned to Kurogiri and the Shadow Collective with a sadistic smile. He slowly claps his hands at his guests. 

Doctor Skaal: Kurogiri! Sorry, but the reception is always so bad all the way out here. I hope you're enjoying your stay on the island. You're the first visitors I've had in, well, since that dreadful business with Master Cyclonis. 

As Skaal greets Kurogiri, Shigaraki approaches him. 

Shigaraki: You serve All For One.

Doctor Skaal: That I do. All For One has provided me much funding for my experiments. Were it not for his contributions, my experiments would've been failures.

Muscular: What a fucking freak!

Doctor Skaal: To advance scientific advancement, one must put aside such concepts as morality. The only acceptable outcome is one that advances science. Oh, where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself. My name's Dr. Merlot. You don't know me, but I most certainly know who you are. Nevertheless, I'm thrilled you're here. You might be exactly what I need for a very important... experiment.

Doctor Skaal then chuckles as he finishes up his experiment on the Nomu. 

Doctor Skaal: Admittedly, Terra Cyclonia is a bit of a sore spot for me. Decades of hard work, countless research projects, not to mention all of the specimen I'd collected over the years - all lost without a trace. 

Shigaraki: Then you know why we are here. 

Doctor Skaal: Yes. I've been keeping tabs on what's going on in Terra Cyclonia. Master Cyclonis's disappearance has emboldened Ravess and Snipe to stake their claim. It's a pity that they've always been the kind of siblings to squabble. And with the amount of supporters that they've both amased, it's likely that their civil war will tear apart the Cyclonian Empire and likely leave nothing to salvage but smoldering ruins.

As Doctor Skaal says this, there was an uneasy silence as he tended to the Nomu. With a clap of his hands, the hulking Nomu rose from the slab and walked away. Doctor Skaal watched with a smile on his face.

Doctor Skaal: The Nomu. My magnum opus. Decades of research have provided me with bountiful results. And I've only scratched the service.

Spinner: These things...they are abominations!

Doctor Skaal: I must admit, the first generation of Nomu left a lot to be desired. They were strong and possessed enough base intelligence to follow orders, but they operated on primal instinct. A somewhat....limited factor.

When Skaal said that, Shigaraki thought about the performance of the Nomu in past operations. While they proved to be strong, their lack of intelligence proved to be their downfall more times than not.

Doctor Skaal: I was close to solving the problem of intelligence. I was a close to a major breakthrough. I was on the verge of creating a race of High End Nomu. Nomu that would be superior over their more common brethren. But Master Cyclonis's defeat as well as this civil war between Ravess and Snipe have created....considerable delays to my work.

Magne: Sounds like this isn't your day.

Mr. Compress: Quite right.

Shigaraki: You and I want the same thing, Skaal. I want you to succeed in creating the High End Nomu. I want to kill Ravess and Snipe.

Doctor Skaal: Then we are in agreement. If we are to continue moving forward with All For One's vision for Atmos, I must be allowed to conduct my experiments with impunity.

As Doctor Skaal says this, Shigaraki approaches him. The mad doctor simply smiled.

Doctor Skaal: I do know that for the sympathy of one living being, I would make peace with all. I have love in me the likes of which you can scarcely imagine and rage the likes of which you would not believe. If I cannot satisfy the one, I will indulge the other. 

Shigaraki: How do we help you finish your work on the High End Nomu?

Doctor Skaal: My...former colleague Gundstaff has a compound not too far from here. It has all the components I need to complete my research on the High End Nomu.

Muscular: How come you haven't done that yourself?

Doctor Skaal: All For One was explicit in his instructions that I must continue my experiments. But you will not be alone in this endeavor. My....trusted assistant will aid you in this. Recover my research. It is vital to All For One's vision.

Shigaraki: We will do what must be done. Kurogiri. Take us to this facility.

With that, Kurogiri uses his Warp power to warp himself and the Shadow Collective to Gundstaff's Terra to give Doctor Skaal the components he needed to finish creating the High End Nomu. As the Shadow Collective set out on their mission to Gundstaff's Terra, Doctor Skaal smiled, eager to complete what he potentially saw as his magnum opus. For now, all Doctor Skaal could do was wait for the Shadow Collective to do their part.