[Exemplary] A Promise of "All Might"

[All Might]

Previously on All Might: The Hunter and the Hunted

Krid looked at the beeping communicator, and opened it. "...Might Agency?"

"...You're a superhero, right?"

"Uh, no, but Might is. I can get you in touch with him if you'd like-"

"Can you tell him to come save my cat?"

"Your... cat."

"Yeah! He's stuck in the tree, and Momma says she won't call the fire department again, because they have better things to do."

"Might isn't going to... waste..." Krid looked behind him, at the hulking form of Might, looming over him. Wordlessly, he held the Communicator upwards, and Might took it. 

"This is the Hero Might! Tell me, where is this tree? I'll be there in a flash!"

---

My boyfriend hasn't come back home in two nights! Could you go look for him?"

"Of course!"

---

"Those hoodlums from down the street are stealing my carrots!"

"Err... Are you sure?"

"Of course I'm sure. It must be em'. They've been sneaking in during the night, after everyone's asleep, and making off with them!"

"Well... I'll have to ask them to... stop. Then."

---

"My brother was murdered."

"Don't worry. I'll find the one responsible."

---

"I wanna see you do a punch!"

"A really big punch?"

"The biggest punch!"

"My dear, I can do the biggest punch of all! DETROIT-"

---

"I'm being threatened. Can you stand guard for the night? I don't think they'll try anything if they see I'm not alone in the shop."

"Have no fear, I'll be right here!"

---

"I... just need to talk to someone right now... or..."

"I don't mind."

---

"I saw you on the news the other day, right? That Bomber chick?"

"It was all part of the job, no need for thanks."

"No. I... knew a lot of her victims. They were friends. If you need anything, anything at all, just ask."

---

"I'm sure the bitch is sneaking out with that bastard! Just, you don't even need to do anything, just follow her and tell me if she's seeing him."

"No. If you don't trust your wife, then that's your own problem. This isn't something you need a superhero for."

---

"Could you... jusst... take me to my house... thabbe' great! Okaysh?"

"...Very well, though if you throw up on my jacket, I might drop you out of impulse."

"Why? Izz all green, anyway."

"Just... don't."

---

"My daughter is gone! She wasn't at the school yard yesterday, and I'm worried and-"

"Don't worry. I'll find her."

---

"That 100 OM will be mine! You are a fool, to believe every sob-story someone with your card tells you. And now, you'll-"

"So you aren't afraid you're being stalked?"

"Die!"

"Ah well. DETROIT-"

---

"Might, do you do birthdays?" Krid whispered, covering the mic for the communicator.

"What... as entertainment?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"...Is there ice cream cake?"

---

"...Hey, it's me again."

"I'm glad to hear from you again! Is the new medication working?"

"I... I guess it is. I've been feeling a little better lately."

"Wonderful!"

---

"The Gastropoda have been prowling around my bar lately. I think they're trying to kidnap drunks. Haul them off who-knows where. I'm almost scared to open up any more."

"Don't worry about a thing, I'll be there!"

---

San Yi picked up the card being offered, "...All for free?"

"More than that, he'll sometimes pay them." Ding Wu reported, "The guy's free with how he spends his Omnilium at least. Any time there's a fire, the force'll end up with a new truck. If anything gets broken while he's helping, he'll replace it. Seems like it would get expensive quickly enough."

San Yi stared down at it, reading the card carefully. He reached over his desk, and picked up a communicator. 

"Boss? Shouldn't you plan this out first?"

"...I'll see." San Yi said, "After all, it shouldn't be a problem for him."

"Might Agency here." said the voice of a young man, in a bored tone. 

"I need to speak to Might." San Yi said seriously, "A group of orcs assaulted a school in the Southside. I was a friend of the sensei there, one Chief Instructor Mantis. He was a cornerstone of his neighborhood, and taught the kids who lived there how to defend themselves. I need Might's help to teach the orcs that such a thing is not acceptable."

"...I uh, I'll get you with him in just a moment."


San Yi waited, and soon enough, the familiar voice came through on the other end. "Hello? I think I have the gist of it."

"This is San Yi." he could hear Might's breathing change, and the martial artist smiled, "I know what you're thinking-"

"Is this gang warfare?"

"I won't lie and say it couldn't be considered that. But more importantly: It's about a gang who murdered a teacher in front of his students and burnt down a school that taught otherwise helpless people to defend themselves in this cruel city we live in." San Yi said, "I... am wary of the power of the orcs. Alone, with only a few martial artists at my back, I'm not sure if we would make enough of a difference. With you at our side, we can make it clear to the orcs that such behavior is not acceptable. Was Chief Instructor Mantis a friend of the Floating Lotus Posse? Yes. Was he a member? No. The attack wasn't one against me, Might, the attack was against the idea of a civilian trying to stick up for himself in front of a gangster."

"...I'll be there." Might promised, his voice hard, "When do you need me?"

"The culprits were a division of the Ork Warryorz, a collection of mainly orcish bikers and mercenaries. They're the main fighting force of the Orc Mafia."

"Hm."

"I'm not intending on making a declaration of war to the entire orc population of Coruscant, however, so we'll be targeting the specific division. Led by an orc called Yellowband Skullcleaner. We'll make it clear to one and all the specific why and who-. People will know this was for Mantis Karate, and people will know that we'll only be there to take out Skullcleaner."

"It's mainly about revenge, then?"

"You say it like a dirty word, Might." San Yi said, "Revenge isn't just petty anger, vengeance, and justice, are one and the same thing. It's about consequences. If you kill a teacher in front of his students, the consequence is that the Floating Lotus will be there to kick your ass. It's not personal, it's about teaching them not to do it again."

"...Very well!" Might said.

"Tomorrow, at the former site of Mantis Karate in the Southside of Tier Five. Bring a vehicle, or make one, if you need to. The Warryorz are bikers, through and through, if we're not able to chase them, we'll be at a disadvantage. Eight PM."

"Got it. For the sake of consequences."

Might hung up his communicator then, and San Yi let out a breath of relief.

Ding Wu raised a carefully trimmed eyebrow, "So... we're doing this then?"

"All the way, Wu, all the fucking way." San Yi said with a fierce smile.

---

"Akane." 

"Murasaki." the kunoichi greeted, lowering her shears and making a bow, "The Boss has contacted us?" she set the shears down next to the bonsai she was preening, watching her teacher. 

"Indeed. San Yi has managed to get Might to agree to aid us in our raid on Skullcleaner's gang. Are any of your class at a level of skill you think would let them be successful in such a battle?"

"...Perhaps. There are four students who I think have finally become stealthy enough to be called real ninja." Akane answered, "There are also three practioners of karate who have shown interest in permanent positions in the Floating Lotus Posse. Not the best of the class, unfortunately, but they are willing to fight, and they are skilled enough to survive."

"Then they'll have to do. Ding Wu is bringing ten of his kung fu practitioners, and the Boss is bringing four taekwondo practitioners."

"A united force of twenty-six fighters then." Akane nodded, "It should be more than enough, you would think."

"There are nearly forty under Skullcleaner. It'll be close, either way." Murasaki said, before freezing, "Twenty six? You are coming along?"

"Of course I am." the kunoichi said.

"But... what of the Blue Lilly? You have almost never left-"

"I feel this is an exception, teacher."

"But what if the Blue Lilly should be attacked while we are away, you would leave the post San Yi assigned you?" 

"You assigned me my post, teacher. San Yi told me more than once I was welcome to join. Besides, I've done assassinations before on my own."

"A brawl is very different from an assassination!" Murasaki said, worried, "I think it would be best for you to remain-"

"No."

"What if we could-?"

"Teacher, please. I'm going along with. We need the edge."

"That's true." Murasaki said with a sigh, "It's just... I am very protective of my best student! If I fall, and you fall as well, who would carry on the legacy of the Blue Lilly?"

"It will not come to that, besides, you can't expect our school to throw in less than the others... but still, I understand your worry. Less than thirty fighters, taking on an entire division of the Ork Warryorz? We should call on more schools."

"...No." Murasaki said, "Not at the moment, many are unsure. They fear that attacking the orcs will only lead to the same thing happening to their own schools. The Floating Lotus Posse let them down, by letting Mantis Karate fall and go without being avenged for so long." Murasaki pulled his mask down, smiling, "But I'm sure they'll run back to us, with apologies aplenty, once we finish off the orcs."

Akane nodded. "So... About this Might character, he's against killing, isn't he? How do we work our magic then? We are assassins."

Murasaki shrugged, "Poisons that bring sleep exist as much as poisons that bring death."

"It seems to be... quite the limit, we're setting on ourselves. How are we going to properly avenge Mantis Karate if we don't even kill the ones responsible? My own students are crying for blood. One of the three was close friends with a Mantis student, they've taken the loss personally."

The ninja nodded, "San Yi intends on making the point clear. Skullcleaner will die by the morning after the next."

"Even if it brings a fight with Might?"

"Even so."

---

The Gynoid rode behind him in his newly-created motorcycle. While he was sure that he could keep up with most vehicles just by running and jumping, if the Floating Lotus wanted him to bring a vehicle, he would. It also beat carrying the robot with him by hand. 

He arrived at the remains of the former Mantis Karate dojo, looking out upon the men gathered there. Just over twenty people, all well-muscled, with serious expressions. The men were mostly human, one or two aliens mixed in amongst them. Of note was the purple-robed ninja he had seen on his first trip out, once again accompanying San Yi. The addition of a smartly-dressed chinese man with a mustache, and a young woman dressed in a similar shade of violet to Murasaki, though, her outfit seemed to Might more fitting for a waitress in an upscale Japanese restaurant than a brawler. 

"I'm glad you could make it, Might. And who is the young woman?"

"Her name is Gynoid." Might said, "She's good in a fight as well." at least in theory. Ever since their meet-up with Taylor the Bomber, Might had put in more than a bit of Omnilium and time into repairing and upgrading Gynoid. Krid and Panda had been complaining about not having much chance to prove their worth, and save lives. They wanted to work off their debt to him, after all. And so, he came up with a solution. Leaving them his communicator, he allowed them to direct Gynoid from afar. She was made of sturdier stuff now, and could move at speed that would leave Might himself blinking. 

"The more the merrier." San Yi said, "Now, Floating Lotus Posse, gather 'round!" he commanded his small audience, "Not too long ago, a division of the Ork Waryorrz paid us an insult as an organization, and even more grievous, killed a long-time ally of the Lotus. Chief Instructor Mantis, of Mantis Karate, was a friend of mine! His students were likely friends of yours! More than once, the man's saved my life, and the lives of many of our Posse!" San Yi shouted, "He was murdered, in front of his students, and then had his legacy destroyed. Mantis held a trust in us! This neighborhood held a trust in us! His dojo bore the Lotus Flower, and that is a promise, from each of us, to protect our fellow practitioners of martial arts! We failed in this promise, but tonight, we will make recompense!" San Yi roared, now. People from the surrounding neighborhood of the dojo were at their windows now, a few coming out onto the streets, to see what the big deal was. 

San Yi took in a deep breath, before reaching for his chest, and balling his fist on his shirt. In one motion, he ripped his shirt from his body, and turned around, showing the symbol of the Floating Lotus Posse tattooed on his back. "I promise, on this flower, that we will go to the Ork Waryorrz, and we'll make them pay for the murder of Master Mantis!"

"YEAH!" came the cry from the rest of the gathered Posse. Might and Gynoid silently watched, their faces both showing friendly smiles, but their eyes were serious. 

"Tonight!" San Yi growled, "Yellowband Skullcleaner will regret ever being Summoned!"