"Quit ignoring me. It's time to talk Tats!"
"Call me that again and I'll reseal your mouth."
Tatsumaki volplaned through the clear blue sky. Keeping her attention straight ahead as she refused to glance over to her right at Mosquito Girl.
The entire day they had been flying all over, evident by the five items trailing behind her. Only one more to go and then they would have all the pieces necessary for Wavygyaza's full recovery and final enhancements.
She had been trying her hardest to get along with this chatty mosquito. But she hadn't expected the woman to detail her entire past. Mosquito Girl happily admitted her crimes against humankind, causing Tatsumaki to recall a memory of a mass mosquito outbreak not too long ago…
Tatsumaki ended up reflecting on herself. Wouldn't the old her have killed Mosquito Girl in a heartbeat if she learned of this and now here she was sharing a man with her and finding her company… tolerable.
Mosquito Girl only stopped talking when she needed to breath.
She silently listened and came to appreciate the sweeter aspects of how Caspian rescued Mosquito Girl from her monstrous self, but how could she appreciate Mosquito Girl bragging about being the one to steal Caspian's first time?
The words ignited her ire. In response, she plotted out several punishments for the woman's transgressions.
"As sisters, it's essential we become close. It's your turn to tell me all about yourself, missy. How did Caspian treat you? Was he gentle? Or did he make your little frame quake?" Mosquito Girl chimed.
Before Tatsumaki could blow a gasket, Mosquito Girl's next words calmed and piqued her interest.
"I know a way for the two of us to pull ahead of the other four. Are you interested?"
"What? I won't scheme against my sister." Tatsumaki brows raised as she cast a gaze toward her.
Mosquito Girl grinned deviously. "She can be a part of it too… but I don't think you're ready for that yet."
"Hurry and tell me!"
"Bring me closer."
She brought Mosquito Girl beside her.
"Here's what we will do…"
Tatsumaki lashed out. "You're out of your damn mind! Both of u—"
"Huh, I thought you would want to make Caspian happy? I guess I was wrong. Just forget about it. I'll ask someone else who does."
"W-Wait…" Tatsumaki's mind and heart rampaged as a deep blush spread over her face. "We can leave out Fubuki this time… And the two of us will…"
¤ ¤ ¤
Genus waited in anticipation, from the safety of the secured testing room, for Boros to start. The time to witness a grand display had arrived.
Considering the situation, he was pleased with his decision to upgrade his glasses not too long ago. This upgrade came with two useful features: first, he could zoom in further than any pair of binoculars could dream to achieve: and second, the ability to slow down what he was seeing by hundreds-of-times. There were many other features he could use as well, all controlled by thought.
Investing a fraction of an afternoon to do this really paid off in the end. Genus thought before zooming his vision straight ahead past the thickened glass toward the center most point of the combat experimentation room where Boros stood facing toward him and Caspian.
Boros removed all of his attire, setting it aside. He then tensed his body, arms crossing over his chest as his fingers curled into claws, facing away from him. His muscles flexed, which seemed to ignite the dark, thick veins running across his form as they blazed with a pink light.
Genus leaned forward, his eyes shining as he viewed the subsequent series of changes. Phenomenal.
¤ ¤ ¤
On a paved pathway that stretched an untold distance in both directions. Two figures could be seen walking along it. One moving with unworried ease, the other glancing around nervously at the darkness that night had drawn over the city.
Moonlight and the occasional streetlamp provided the only illumination in this area. To their right, a tall concrete wall ran alongside the path, cracked and stained with age, with weeds crawling up from the bottom. And on their left dwelled a small forest.
"Kombu, we shouldn't be wandering Z-City at night. It isn't safe…" Gunner's eyes darted toward a shadow he thought he saw move along the forest's edge. "…there could be heroes about."
"You worry too much. How many times have we wandered through this city already?"
"But Lord Boros is always with us when we do."
Kombu sighed and looked at him. "Our latest recruit is a tad wild, and he needs us to look after him. Do you want to let him run around Z-City alone and wind up getting hurt?
We're doing the right thing by searching for him. Anyway, Lord Boros will locate and save us if anything goes wrong."
Gunner felt those words were too hopeful and unrealistic. "How can he know where we are now? Remember, he left with Caspian earlier? That guy is supposed to be special, right? Maybe he will know where we are."
"We don't need to talk about him… I—"
Gunner realized Kombu had come to a sudden stop and his eyes turned bloodshot.
"Hey, you, monsters."
Gunner's three-eye tipped tentacles drooped when he spotted the individual ahead. I knew this would happen!
A human stood with his hands at his sides. His silhouette highlighted by the nearby streetlamp. The human's physique was lean but corded with muscle. Though, Gunner's eyes were drawn to two other features. Those being his almost lambent yellow eyes and his slicked gray hair that spiked upward into two large prongs.
Kombu moved in front of Gunner and asked, "Are you a hero?"
The man clenched his fists and laughed. "Hero or beast," He raised up one hand. "it doesn't matter. You will help me become a true monster!" A savage grin spread over his visage.
Gunner sobbed. I take it back! I want to run into a hero!
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