Rejected Stones

Daily Heroism

Beta'd by kylekatarn77 and Poliamida

44. Daily Heroism

"You are calm and intelligent, but youth can invite disaster. Do not fight alone."

-Dr. Kuseno, One Punch Man

"Any movement?" Izuku asked quietly, trying to relieve his aching muscles without moving the Ultra Armor. He was hidden in the back of a delivery truck, and had been for several hours in a seedier part of the city. The Ultra Armor was now over three meters tall, broad and bulky and painted for combat in digital urban camo patterns. It was fitted with a number of modules, from a souped up jetpack and hoverboots, enhanced communications, and a number of weapons and missiles types.

"Look, dumbass, they're still just standing there, and there still just talking," Bakogo's hoarse whisper answered over the radio. "That's all they've done for three hours. That's all they've ever done! So in five minutes, when you ask what they're doing, I'll tell you they're still just standing there, and they're still just talking! When they do something interesting, I'll damn well tell you."

"Calm down, Bakugo," Shinso's calm voice replied. "He can't even move in that gear of his. It's got to be driving him crazy."

"Well his stupid questions are driving me crazy!" Bakugo hissed.

"Can it, you two," Burnin growled at them. "Mei says they got movement at their location."

"Izuku! The big boss is headed your way!" Mei said quickly. "My drone is tailing them!"

"Well are Shoto and his team ready to move in?" Shinso asked. "We're good here."

"We're ready, but we don't want to spook them," Shoto answered. "We'll move in at the same time as you guys do."

"Friggin' finally," Bakugo grumbled. "This had damn well better be worth it."

"Shhh," Uraraka's voice whispered, and Bakugo subsided.

A screen popped up in Izuku's vision, and he saw Mei, back at headquarters, looking concerned. "Izuku, be safe, OK?"

"I will," Izuku promised, smiling. "But it's going to be dangerous, you know that right? Besides, I'll get a chance to show off our babies again."

Mei shook her head. "I don't care about that anymore. I just want you to be safe, and to stop those bad guys. They can't hurt Hari again, or our families."

"There's a lot more than that on the line," Izuku told her quietly. "The drugs that they're moving are dangerous. There've already been several incidents; at least three deaths from overdoses and some even lost their quirk. Plus, criminals have been using them to enhance their abilities. Deadarms and Backdraft are still in the hospital. If this continues, more pros and civilians could end up seriously injured."

"I hate these people," Mei said sourly. "I thought Bakugo and the kids at school were jerks. But these people are bad!"

"That's why we need heroes like me and you," Izuku told Mei. "So that others can be safe, and there is peace and justice in the world."

"Hmm. Well, they're pulling up now," Mei told Izuku. "Get ready. Teams on standby, wait for my mark."

Izuku switched his feed over to the drone footage. A large black van with dark windows pulled up in front of the old laundromat. The two Meta Liberation Army guards looked up from what they'd been doing, which was still just talking. They hurried over as a man emerged with his face obscured by a thick dark blue parka, despite the fact that it was only the beginning of October.