[Exemplary] A Promise of "All Might"

[All Might]

"We have a room available if you need it, uh, sir, but are you sure you don't want to go someplace more expensive? I mean, you're a Prime, aren't you? You could probably stay at a fancy Tier-Two hotel with nothing but what you make by breathing."

"It's more than sufficient for my purposes!" All Might said happily.

"Don't you think you're overpaying me?" the manager of the place, practically human, but for the orange skin and bright red hair, asked.

"Nonsense man, I'm just trying to give back to the community!" All Might left the man behind, heading into his new apartment. Letting out a sigh, the perpetual grin slid off his face as he relaxed, and he let himself fall into a massive bean-bag chair. It felt good to have a place to call his own in the city. It was in the heart of the red light district of his particular quarter of Tier five. Gang presence was visible and had a potency everywhere he looked. There were very few shops that weren't marked were the ones in the worst shape. Broken windows, scratched doors, and the signs of recent repairs of things even worse. 

It would stop, All Might decided. He would make it stop. 

Getting up out of his bean bag chair, the superhero walked over to his window, looking out over the street below. He took in the smells, the sounds, of a living, breathing, city. A city choked by fear, by poverty, by crime. When those of Tier Five thought about who was in charge, they didn't think of Emperor Palpatine sitting amongst gleaming steel spires and surrounded by space marines and storm troopers. Although it was hardly better- at least it was stable. These people, when they thought about the people in charge, they thought about the gangs.

The Westside Coalition. The Gentlemen Jacks. The Gastropoda. The Lotus. The board of directors. And dozens of no-name and small-time groups of punks who have decided to resort to violence to either get their bread on the table, or for kicks. The group he had demolished yesterday was one such nameless pack of scavengers. 

It reminded him far too much of the Japan of his youth. While the Yakuza were still around- and the Villain Alliance. In his youth it had been so much worse. Sensei's coalition of supervillains, teenagers with nasty quirks giving into the temptation of running free and unchecked. While it seemed most people in this world were Quirkless, the Omniverse had a way of leveling the scales more-or-less. 

He had received a paper cut, in his muscle form. It wasn't harmful in any way- but he was practically invulnerable before. It took an opponent with a very rare degree of super strength to even break his skin in his prime. Crashing into buildings, being hit by knives, bullets, or having incredibly heavy objects dropped onto him- in his prime, he had nothing to fear for any of them. 

Not so in the Omniverse. He wasn't invulnerable, nor indestructible... but he was unkillable, according to Omni. That papercut had been a significant moment for him, something that put everything into perspective. 

He was a shadow of what All Might had been. 

He was strong- but there were stronger. He was fast- and there might be faster. He was tough- but there were certainly tougher.

"All Might" he said to himself, quietly. The name itself was more than just something catchy to be called. It was a promise. A promise that he would always succeed. That the public could put their trust in him, and that he would not let them down.

But as he was now... he couldn't keep that promise. At best, he could fight until he died, and then come back a week later and try and scavenge things. He wouldn't give up, he knew himself better than that. Until he learned of a place worse-off than Coruscant's lower Tiers, where he actually felt he could help, he knew he'd be there. He had determination, and his showing from the last night proved to himself that he could handle the lesser gangs without too much of an issue. 

But until he was all powerful, strong enough to be the Symbol of Peace for the city, for the Omniverse, he didn't deserve the title. 

With a deep sigh of regret, he peeled his costume off his body, and summoned a locked box to keep it in. 


He set the box down, and walked naked into his bathroom, staring at his chest, and trying to think of what kind of Symbol to display. If he was being honest with himself, he had been trying to be Superman. He was red, gold, and a lot of blue. He had a belt, it was skin-tight. But it worked. It fit. It was exactly what a country onset with supervillains needed in order to find hope again. 

But he couldn't be that man any more. Not until he was stronger, far stronger than he was now. Not until anything that tried to threaten the city found itself beaten back with overwhelming force. Only then would he be All Might. 

Right now, all he could offer the city was a Batman... but considering that there were storm troopers running around and his hotel's manager looked Tamaranean, there might very well already be a Batman in this city. But all the same!

Now, let's see... what shouts "Batman"? 

The first thought to pass his mind made him smile. He didn't approve of Vigilantes in modern Japan, as a matter of principle. But he acknowledged that they were a necessity, in a world before official Heroes. They were Heroes when no one else was. In the Omniverse, vigilantes like them would be just the right ticket. 

Besides, the man he was thinking of, he knew would approve. 

Yes, as a temporary costume, this would do fine. Simplistic- but to the point. The mask he would do without. (His hair would just make it look weird.) And the dark blue-green of the jacket reminded him of Izuku. 

For his name... Might. He would promote himself back to his full name when he was able to meet the promise of "All Might", but until then, the Hero Might will bring justice back to the lower Tiers, one punch at a time!

[All Might]

He smoothed back his distinctive hair and pulled a hat over it to seal the deal. He wanted to keep his image intact for when he decided to become All Might in full. That included his hair. It would be hell to keep his antennae hidden, but it would be worth it to preserve his image for when he was ready to carry it again. 

Donning his temporary costume All- err, um, Might! Might, the hero, leaped off into the night. He cleared the balcony of his hotel room easily, the win whipped through his blonde hair as the city shrunk beneath him. This had been the highest he had tried jumping, and from nearly the top of his apartment building as well... but from this high up, he could appreciate the sheer size of Tier Five. Above them all, the artificial sky slowly shifted, complicated systems manipulating weather formation, light levels, and colors. For the sake of aesthetic and comfort.

People could go mad, without a sky above them.

He flew though the night, one massive bound at a time as he enjoyed himself. He was back on Patrol without even the slightest care for the passage of time. No more three-hour limit under constant strain. Now, he felt unstoppable, despite technically being weaker than he had been in decades. If he wanted to, he could just jump from building to building without a care in the world, for hours. He was a Prime, he could technically just never stop- the more he moved, the more Omnilium he produced, and with Omnilium he didn't need rest, or food, or time to heal beyond a few hours.

He could keep going forever- just jump after jump after jump.

His smile was quite real, before something caught his attention. The sound of  a gunshot. He checked his watch. He had barely been enjoying himself five minutes, when this happened. Ah well.

"Halt!" He cried, kicking off another brick wall, and redirecting himself towards the sound of violence. He soared for an alleyway, and he kicked off the walls to slow his momentum as he bounced to the bottom of it. Five people, facing off with each other. One was a dark green color, with bug-like eyes, and most importantly, a smoking gun. Another was heavyset and Asian, Korean, if he guessed right. On the Korean's side was a man dressed in purple who appeared Japanese. The one in purple carried a sword. The other two were in posh suits, and adorned with white porcelain masks, one carried a broken bottle of something very expensive, and a pistol, and the other a curved blade with a jewel-encrusted pommel.

"...What the fu-"

Might stared at the group, and though his grin didn't falter in the slightest, a drop of sweat began to form. "Err, would you fine gentlmen mind explaining the situation here?" Might asked, 'could you tell me which of you are the bad guys?' was the question he wanted to ask, however, but he knew somehow that the answer was probably 'all of them'.

"Get the heck out of here." the alien gurgled, pointing the pistol at him, "There's no need to make this nonsense even more complicated."

"No way," the korean man growled, "We're not leaving until this house is gone." he said, jerking his hand forward, to the building behind the alien on the other end of the alleyway, a strip bar, from what Might could tell by the 'CHEAP GIRLS!!!' neon sign adored on the front. A simple animation of a green girl with lekku, like the little girl he had rescued the other day, but quite a bit older, swayed her hips on a stage as an advertisement, "And I'm not planning on letting any of you scum escape either." 

"Now, I'm sure there's a way to resolve this peacefully, so-" Might took a step backwards as the bottle's edges came jolting towards his face. The step was enough to have the attack go off-aim, and Might lashed out with a fist, catching the masked man in the chin, shattering the mask and sending the young man into the brick wall behind him. 

"Bastard." the other masked man growled, drawing his sword. 

Might dodged another slash from masked man, before backing off. 

"Damn it!" the alien growled, firing twice. Might felt his body seize up as he flashed to the right, and then the left, just barely able to dodge the projectiles. 

The man in purple smiled sadistically, and leaped over to slash at the alien while he was distracted. 

"I said halt!" Might yelled, pulling back his fist, all five of them were clearly gangsters of some kind- except perhaps the alien, who might simply be the bodyguard of the strip joint, but he was still shooting at him! It was time to take control of the situation, Might decided, "DETROIT SMAAAASH!" he roared, pulling his fist back before firing it forwards in the blink of an eye. 

His smile tensed as he felt the impact shake his arm- he hadn't punched anything in particular, merely the air in the center of all the hubbub, but it had exactly the effect he desired. The shockwave rang out from his fist, sending all four remaining standing flying. The alien was sent rolling down the alley and across the street, close to the strip join he was protecting. The asian in purple was knocked into the brickwork, the large Korean left a sizable dent in a nearby garbage bin that had caught him, and the conscious masked fellow wasn't any longer. 

"Well!" Might said, "Now that you're all paying attention, I'll ask again, what's the meaning of all of this?"

The Korean was the first to get up, pulling himself free from the dent he had made, and grinning almost as widely as Might was. "Well, well, what do we have here? A fucking fountain fish tourist."

Might shook his hand, but took a wider stance, wary of the other man, "Fish?" Might asked, "No, and not a tourist either."

"Sure you are." the Korean man's grin slipped as he advanced "I used to be a fish, once upon a time, with my brother." he threw a punch, and even despite Might's speed, he could feel the force of the impact against his chest. Might was pushed against the wall, before he managed to recover.

"What are you talking about?" Might asked, before closing the distance with a burst of speed. 

"A Prime, tourist. An Ace, Fountain Fresh, immortal, walking piggy banks." he carried on, drawing back his fist, he punched again, and this time Might caught the fist in return. The man- he was strong. It hadn't been since the Nohmu that Might had actually had to struggle against someone like this. 

But Might was stronger. His fingers tightened around the Korean's fist, and began squeezing. Narrowing his eyes, his opponent ripped his hand free, kicking off of Might's chest at full strength in order to do so, "You're tough, fish."

"Of course." Might said, "I am Might! Defender of the peace! Hero of hope!" 

His opponent sneered, before dodging Might's fists and getting behind him, jabbing his palm into the superhero's back. 

"GAhk!" Might gasped, taking a step forward. He had felt that. Really felt that. He was only about as durable as a regular human, apparently. And if someone had almost his strength, that meant taking a punch like that was dangerous, if he was unprepared. 

He leaped forward, easily clearing the alley, he burst out onto the street, thankful there didn't happen to be a car passing by at just that moment. 

"Running away, fish?!" his opponent cried, following after him. 

"Of course not!" Might yelled back, truthfully, "Just building up speed!" he turned, and began pounding his feet against the pavement, he accelerated, and soon he tackled into his opponent, carrying them both out the other end of the alley, and all the way across that road. This time a car did have to swerve around them both. Might managed to slow down, and his opponent was flung into the door of the strip club, smashing it open. 

The alien pulled his gun on them both once more, and Might simply slapped it out of his hands, "You're the bodyguard for this place, right?"

"Yeah?" the alien asked, slowly backing away, looking nervously in the direction of his gun.

"If you're just protecting a place of business, I have no reason to harm you." Might turned towards the door, "I promise, I'll try to fix anything... I... break...." his smile shifted into a grimace as he walked in, saw the cages, saw the chains, saw the price tags. 

There were regular strippers- or at least, there were women dancing on stage without cuffs. "What is this place?" he asked, his voice hard. 

"Il Gastropoda." the Korean he had launched in here first muttered. The sound of strange music blaring from speakers had stopped the sound of him bursting through the doors from making too big of a stir. People were still dancing, and drinking, and bidding, and... like nothing had happened, "They run prostitution rings, some of their workers are more willing than others." the other man picked himself up, "My brother ran a strip club on the side, but he didn't touch prostitution, before that swordsman reached him."

"......" Might turned to the man, "Why do you want to destroy it? Tear the building down?"

"Because it's a stain on my neighborhood." the Korean said. Two Klingons in suits, carrying blasters, had noticed them, and were clearly making their way towards the entrance, intending on killing them both, "My name is San Yi. You're Japanese, aren't you?"

"I am."

"You know yakuza, right? On your old world you probably tussled with them." he smiled, "Being a 'hero' after all. But you don't look much the part, besides the green."

"..."

"Don't answer if you don't want to, I guess." San Yi said, "But what I am, is yakuza, more or less. I have legit operations. I teach martial arts, I'm a beneficial force on neighborhoods that accept my protection."

"And those who don't pay for your protection?"

"They don't get it. Simple as that. Luckily, I'm not too expensive. And I'm fair. Some people can't afford what others can, so my prices can be flexible."

Might's eyes followed the two klingons as they approached. A hairy creature- Chewbacca?! No, no, a different wookie, probably, joined them. It was carrying a very big gun.

"But these guys, the Gastropoda, and those masked dap bastards?" San Yi spit at the ground, "They're gangsters, pure and simple. Their codes are incomprehensible. They don't try to make life better for anyone. The slugs try to drive their communities into the dirt so that the citizens of their territories will pay everything they have to buy their chemicals. The directors, in the masks, they're rich kids, getting their kicks by slaughtering the homeless and the ill."

Might caught the eye of one of the Klingons, who raised his gun towards him. 

"...Get to the point, mister San Yi." Might said, turning away from the gangster to face the the oncoming armed guards. 

"Join my gang. Join the Floating Lotus. You want to help people with those fists of yours? Then let me direct you."

Might looked to the man, "You know a lot about the other gangs on Tier Five?"

"Sure do."

"You have a code of morals- one stronger than the people who made all of this?"

"Absolutely."

"...I'll help you take this place down, at the very least. I am a hero! Understand? I can't join the yazkuza, or any gang. It goes against everything I stand for... but if you remain the lesser of the remaining evils, I won't mind the help."

San Yi grinned, raising his fists as the guards finally came close enough. The two Klingons and the wookie raised their weapons, and were about to tell them something, but that was when the two Primes struck. 

San Yi buried his fist in the wookie's gut, while Might leaped into a flying kick that knocked one of the Klingons onto one of the stages. 

A true brawl began.

[All Might]

"I don't understand why you're doing this boss." the ninja muttered, "It's not like you needed the help. Everyone in that joint together wouldn't have stood up to you."

"It's not about whether we needed his help for that job, it's what we'll need him for in the future."

"But he refuses to join." Murasaki said, the secondary glaring at the massive blond man as he leaped away. 

"Only for now." San Yi said with an evil grin, "That guy, Might, he probably comes from a simpler world." 

The ninja rolled his eyes, "There's no such thing as a simpler world."

"No, no, I've seen em'. Primes can come from just about any type of world. I've seen cartoons walking around, people from places where people don't have to worry about money, or sex, where any act of violence can basically be shrugged off. That guy was a genuine superhero, he probably came from a world of clearcut good and evil."

"So why would he want to work with us?"

"Because he'll see, eventually, that we represent a lighter shade of gray." San Yi said, "I can tell already, he's a brawler like me. Maybe a little stronger, a little faster, but not as good at taking a punch. Together, the two of us would be an unstoppable martial arts machine."

"Is that why you let the girls go?"

"Yeah. Besides, what would we do with them? We're not in the slave trade, my no-good brother wasn't even that low. The Floating Lotus has honor."

"We didn't have to keep in chains, just push em' through and-"

"He wouldn't accept that."

"They're just girls." the ninja muttered, "dime-a-dozen secondaries who were probably thought up for the specific purpose of getting f-"

"He won't see it like that. He sees us pushing the 'true victims' into our own businesses, rather than shepherding them into the hospital and shelters? We'd go right to the top of his shitlist."

"You could take him, right?"

"Sure. I've been in the Omniverse a long time. Way longer than him. He makes himself impossible to deal with, I'll snuff him out. Over and over, if necessary." the brawler said, as he and his companion walked towards one of their safehouses, "But we're the best out of every gang in the Tier, right?"

"Of course we are!" Murasaki said in agreement.

"He'll either abandon Coruscant to find someplace easier to be a hero in, or he'll get wrapped up in the gangs." San Yi said, "And if we're the best option for him, he'll be on our side."

"Not sure why you even want a superhero. He's going to object to everything, the drugs, the weapons."

San Yi shrugged, "Not so much these days now that Cleaver's in prison. If we don't make it too obvious, he won't notice."

"Lot of ifs, boss."

"Lot of complaints, not the boss."

"I just expected a bigger draw from this."

"A new Prime in the Lotus isn't enough of a reward?"

"He's not a Lotus yet. Might never be."

"We'll see."

---

"Do not fear!" Might cried as he burst through the flaming doorway, "Let's get you out of here!" he grabbed the coughing man, and flung him onto his back like nearly a dozen others. Wading through the flames, he grit his teeth to focus on anything but the pain. 

"Is there anyone else on this floor?!" he shouted, and after hearing a grunted 'no', he aimed for the nearest outside wall. "SMASH!" he cried, slamming his fist against the wall. The plaster was obliterated, the wood crunched, and the brickwork on the outside slightly bent. "Damn it! I said- SMAAASH!" he threw another punch, and then a third, before the wall left a hole big enough for him and his rescues to escape the blaze. He dropped to the street below, and set them down on the sidewalk on the opposite end of the street from the fire. 

"It'll get the whole neighborhood." groaned one of the women, watching the apartment building going up. She was right, the old-fashioned city wasn't quite built up to modern code, even with the post-modern cities above. 

"Has anyone called the fire department?" he asked.

"It'll take em' fifteen minutes at soonest to get here, at soonest." she muttered. 

"Then I'll have to make do!" Might said, "If anyone can walk- please go and call first for ambulances, then the fire department! I'll need to concentrate!" Might didn't answer any questions as he closed his eyes tight and focused.

It didn't need to be complicated, it just needed to be- there! It had only taken a few minutes, but now he had what he needed. The freshly summoned firetruck sat pristine on the road, and Might ran to its side, turning the correct nozzles and unfurling the fire hose. "Hydrant, hydrant- hydrant!" making a short dash for the red hydrant, he placed the fire-hose in the correct position quickly, used to the action from assisting fire departments in his own world, and turned the hose on the house. 

He let a rip, and the water quickly began snuffing out the flames. A few minutes later, more firetrucks arrived, smaller and less blocky than his own summoned vehicle, and they joined him, connecting to other fire hydrants.

Soon, the fire was contained, and killed. 

He shook the fire chief's hand, delivered a winning smile, and donated a truck.

And then he was off again. He stopped on a nearby rooftop to cough his lungs out and focus on healing the burns on his skin and repairing his costume. To his dismay, it had changed unconsciously in the process. Namely: his pants and shirt were gone, once again replaced with a skintight bodysuit. It wasn't his regular costume at least, all-black instead of red white and blue. And the Izuku-green jacket returned to how it was meant to be. Irritated, he ran his fingers through his hair, only to find that the two blonde spikes he had slicked down had returned back to their regular position, "Ah well." Might said, "Guess it's just too much a part of me to change."

Over the next few hours he stopped seven muggings, broke up two more gang fights, caught an abusive husband in the act and knocked him out, rescued a kitten from a tree, prevented a robbery at a corner store, and ate a sandwich summoned from the same glistening rainbow light he had used to create a firetruck. 

It was.... a successful first patrol. The city was an absolute mess, he found. There was an occasional stormtrooper, but they were either overworked to the point of stress, or absolutely couldn't be bothered to keep the peace. The regular police officers were a little bit more proactive, but from what little he heard, the citizens tended not to trust the police force to solve a situation. When a situation got bad enough that bringing in more guns couldn't make it worse, that was the point when the Tier Five CPD were called. 

Any time Might looked for more trouble, he could find it. 

It kept him a busy man, and kept his mind off darker topics. 

Such as the Floating Lotus Posse. 

"We're a collection of exiled ninjas, martial artists, and kung fu enthusiasts." San Yi had said, once they had cleared out the horrible place. 

With a little searching, Might found the numbers to some women's shelters, and made contact with nearby hospitals, along with calling the cops. The man in purple, one Ninja Murasaki, had complained a bit about calling in the cops before they could do anything with the place, but San Yi had shut him down. 

"We call ourselves the Floating Lotus Posse." San Yi continued, "We're a gathering of similar souls- men whose only useful skills revolve around their fists. We do what we can for our communities, and curb the other gangs around here. For now, we don't have big goals- just keeping our little patch of the city safe. Every other gang around, we'll be sometimes an enemy, sometimes an ally, but we're always ready to fight, and we have better codes than anyone else we know."

Might sighed, "I can't, San Yi. I've made a promise to myself- to hold myself to a certain standard. I'll acknowledge that this was a good thing you did today, but I can't bend to darkness. I can't compromise with criminals. I will not abide by organized crime. I can promise you that for as long as there's someone worse, they'll be my priority, and you have my thanks for bringing this place to my attention... but that's where it ends."

"You can't compromise with criminals Might? You're a vigilante yourself. I see no badge, no white armor."

"..."

"Let's fight people who deserve to be beaten, Might. Let's fight together. From one criminal to another. One vigilante to another."

Might shook his head, "Hopefully I won't see you again, San Yi!" Might cried back with a smile, trying to put the offer from his mind. 

Would it really be the wrong course of action? A whole other group of vigilantes at his back would be nice. People who know the area, who can work with him, their leader already having shown himself a brawler at Might's level. 

But he needed more information first. He didn't know what else the Floating Lotus was a part of, and if there were other hero teams around, he'd make headway in joining them before trying anything else. After all, for all he knew there could be a Superman in the Omniverse! A Wonder Woman, a Batman, a Green Lantern, a Spiderman, a Captain America! He just didn't know. It had been a childhood dream- to join the Justice League. He coded himself after those old-school American comics made when superpowers were flights of fancy rather than a fact of life. 

If people like them existed in the Omniverse, he would hope that they would accept him. 

The Floating Lotus- perhaps if he could reform them, make them something less yakuza and more like an anti-crime brigade, they would be useful. But for now, he would leave the thoughts of possibly allying with them on the backburner, and focus on finding more information, and stopping crime in the process.

[All Might]

The library was useful. The watchful librarian kept an eye on everything, and although no outright threats were made, everyone within the halls seemed to know not to start any trouble. 

The omniverse was quite a big place, it seemed. And also limited. If he thought of each Verse as a small continent, it didn't seem too far off from Earth, but the various places were strange. Almost video-game like. An ice zone, a water zone, a fire zone, desert zone, undead themed, futuristic city and magical countryside, and all the rest. It even had a hub area. He smiled as he sat down, reading about the stories of the lives of Secondaries and Primes trying to survive in a dangerous and confusing world. 

It was almost inspiring. 

And somewhat terrifying. It seemed that most people int his world were summoned by other people. The Omniverse being only a few years old, only the youngest children were actually born- everyone else came into existence by the will of someone else. Often, accidentally. All the people of the city were just as confused as him, when they first were summoned. And even despite that, they've managed to build all this...

Leaving the library, he began leaping, aiming in the general direction of his apartment.

---

"What's going on?"

"Three suspects. Masked, armed, dangerous." the second officer reported, staring into the store window. The blinds had been shut, and occasionally, someone would peek through, watching the cops just as closely. "We're not sure of the number of hostages, but from calling the manager, at least two employees were supposed to be inside."

"At least?"

"Three were scheduled for the shift, but one of them is, and I quote, 'a no good rotten bum, always coming late'."

"Hmph." The higher-ranked cop picked up a megaphone, turning it towards the store being held up, "Attention scum! If you send out the hostages and surrender, we'll let you off easy. No executions, no harsh punishments. Just hand over the hostages, and hand over the weapons. If you don't, however, we'll be forced to resort to-"

"Wait, please!" 

The cops looked up, and took a step back at the sight of a very, very large man with bright blonde hair and an even brighter smile, leap off a building and land in front of them. His green jacket billowing like a cape from the impact. 

"What the hell are you doing here, this is an emergency situation-"

"I'm very experienced in emergency situations." Might said, "It's also less risky for me." 

"What if I told you to get lost?"

"I'm afraid then I'd have to barge in anyway." Might said, "It's not like I can just give up on the people in there!"

"Urgh, fine. But those people's lives are on your head. If even one hostage ends up dead, I'll make sure they put you in the worst hole we can find on Tier Five, got it?"

"Understood!" Might grinned, taking the megaphone, and turning towards the building, "Hello! My name is Might. It's my understanding you have hostages? I'm not with the police, and I have my own ultimatum!" Might said, "I would like to make you aware that I am a Prime. I can take the whole building down if necessary, and replace it all within a half hour." 

"You're escalating the situation." the cop growled behind him, quietly. 

"If you hurt a hostage, I will hand you all over to the police. I will catch you. You can't run from me." Might declared, "If you do not harm any of the hostages, I'll let you all off with a warning." Might promised, "This is a one-time offer! I hope you know I'm being very generous! This is a second chance for all of you, understand?"

"D-Don't come any closer, if you do we'll-" came a voice from inside the store. 

"I am about to break open the doors! Please stand clear, alright?"

"Don't you-" 

"DETROIT SMASH!" 

The doors exploded open, destroyed, and the robbers inside stared in horror as the frame crumbled away. Might walked into the store fearlessly, before speeding into the face of one of the robbers. He took the gun from the shaking man's hands, and grunted as he squeezed and twisted at the barrel. With a harsh metal sound, the deadly end of the weapon was pointing back at whoever would be holding it, useless. 

"Oh my god." the robber muttered. 

"Surrender?" he asked cheerfully, turning his gaze on the others as well. 

One of the other two, who was standing by the electronic cash register, where he had been uselessly trying to guess at the code to log into it and open it, quickly put his hands into the air. 

But the third, the one holding a gun in the vague direction of three of the employees, was glaring hard at Might. 

"A god damn Prime." the man muttered, "Thinking you can just waltz in here, and we'll do anything you say just cause you're tougher than us?"

Might said nothing, merely letting out an audible, sad, sigh. 

"Don't look down on me! You can't do anything, or I'll kill the hostages!"

"You don't want to do that, my boy." Might said, "You're right, I'm a Prime. But those people aren't. You would end their lives forever, for what, cash?"

"You don't get it, you can just make money out of thin air! You've never had to be desperate before!"

"No, you're wrong." Might said, "Before I came to the Omniverse, when I was a child, I understood your position. But I've never stolen from others, or pointed a gun at someone. Do you know why?"

"..."

"Because I made a choice not to. Even though it was less convenient, even if I thought I could get away with it, I didn't."

"..."

"Put the gun down, my boy." Might said, "It's not too late yet, I'm just trying to offer you the same choice."

"Fuck you." the guy raised the gun, pointing it at Might. But at the very least, it was away from the hostages. 

Might flung into action, dashing himself towards the man, and he raised his arms over his face. 

The robber fired, and Might hissed as the bullet found itself in his chest. 

The robber didn't have time for a second shot, Might was on him, and the gun was wrenched from his grip. Tossing it towards the police, Might punched the man in the face- it wasn't a SMASH, but it was enough to break his nose and knock him out. 

"Are you alright? Is anyone injured?" Might asked the three employees, who began to break down and cry form the stress and fear, "There, there, you're fine. All of you. You were very brave."

He helped them up, and ushered them outside, into the waiting hands of the police. 

The cop was no longer glaring at him, but the expression wasn't exactly thankful either, "You got shot."

"Indeed. But better me than anyone else. I can take it." Might answered, carrying the shooter. He deposited the young man into the arms of two other cops, who pushed his body into a police car, "As for the other two-"


"You're going to take them, even though they threatened innocent people?"

"They both surrendered." Might answered, "And no one was hurt. They realize they made a mistake, and I'll make sure they've joined society properly."

"... I better not hear that either of them committed so much as jaywalking, got it?"


Might's smile grew even wider. 

---

San Yi narrowed his eyes, looking out over the dojo. 

It was a kind of lair or base- in truth, they had a half-dozen of these dojos, owned or staffed by members of the Lotus. Places to practice, to train, to teach. The businesses next door to the dojos were also doing quite well for themselves. People knew those neighborhoods near the dojos were safe. If someone tried to mess with a customer to the grocer half a block from the Tigermouth Gym, they'd find a half-dozen brawlers at their door knocking in the middle of the night. 

Not many people still messed with the businesses there after that.

"Hey boss. Your boyfriend is on the news." San Yi nearly slapped his subordinate, but he knew the martial artist would just take that as an excuse to start a fight. Besides, it was just a small joke.

"Who are you talking about?" San Yi asked, following him to the break room, where a television was playing the evening cycle. 

"That Might guy who broke up that Slug-run scumhole with you."

San Yi raised an eyebrow, interested, "What, he save the day again?"

"Smashed open a store getting robbed. He took out one of the thieves, handed him to the pigs, and jumped away with the other two. Hour later, he comes back and creates new doors for them out of Omnilium."

"Hehehe, he's got style huh? What are they calling him?"


"Might. He introduced himself and everything." Ding had come from what San Yi believed was some kind of silly Wuxia film series. He was a gangster and a martial artists, and he had a sense of humor, "You like blondes boss?"

"What do you think of him Ding?" 

"I prefer brunettes myself." 

"You know what I mean."

The Secondary shrugged, "I'm not too fond of the hero type. They jump in, ruin everything, don't listen to any sense, and then use some godlike move they never used before to destroy your entire base. Happens in all the movies. Yakuza and superheroes don't mix boss."

"Who's to say they can't?" San Yi said, "Look, all I want is to reach out to him... do we have anything stowed away at the Blue Lilly Karate Center?"

"Amaranth. Some Spore. A little Pulp, I think, but we might have sold that already. Not much, just two or three crates just in case." Ding said, thinking, "

"Move it somewhere else." San Yi ordered, "Blue Lilly is close to the guy's apartment. The Floating Lotus Branch there is the one he's most likely to come across."

"Fine, fine. But what if someone goes to Blue Lilly asking for it?"

"Then Murasaki directs them somewhere else. Simple enough, until he can be made more agreeable to it." San Yi grinned, "I have a feeling he'd like Pulp quite a bit."

"Hmph. It's a lot of trouble for one guy, boss."

"If he does join us in the end? It's worth the trouble."

"I miss Cleaver." Ding said, as he walked off to deliver the new orders.

San sighed, "Ding, Cleaver got what was coming to him. He didn't have discipline, not like us. He would rather go off on his own and start some kind of get-rich-quick smuggling scheme with Sorry Sorry on Tier Four." San Yi frowned, "He was supposed to be smuggling us weapons. He was supposed to distribute our drugs... but then he started getting involved with revolutionaries and clubs and selling to anyone-" Ding had backed off, now, and was watching his boss warily. "...He tried to do too many things at once, and got himself captured. It's his fault. If he wanted us to help him he would have stayed with the tteoissneun yeonkkoch gundae." 

"He always had somewhere we could put this stuff when we needed it gone, is all." Ding said, "That's all."

"...Whatever. Just make sure they're out of sight. I want Might, understand? He could be exactly what we need to push the Posse to the top."

---

"And... you're really going to just let us go, just like that?" the first of the two robbers said, standing nervously in the center of the rooftop. 

"Ah... not quite. I need to be sure you won't do something like that again."

"Shit. I knew there was a string attached."

"What kind of hero would I be if I let people get away with just anything? No, no. This isn't you getting off scott free, this is about getting you two a second chance." Might said, pointing at the two of them, "What were you thinking?"

"What were we... thinking?"

"Yes! What drove you to commit your crime, tonight?"

"We... needed money?" the first said.

"Look, it was supposed to go quick." the second muttered, "The cashier said his code out loud! I figured we go in, I type in the code, we get everything out of the safe, and then we would leave."

"And then this numbskull forgot the code."

"I didn't forget!" the second growled back, "They changed it, they must have!"

"Ugh, either way, they somehow tripped a silent alarm or something, and the shutters closed. Terry- our friend, the one who... shot you." the robber said, looking at the bloodied hole in the jacket trailed off, "Sorry, about that, by the way..."

"Nothing some Omnilium and rest won't fix. Worst comes to worst, I die, wait a week, and come back." Might said with a shrug, "That said, what did Terry do?"

"Um, Terry, he tried to get the new code out of the cashiers, right? Made them sit down, waved the guns at them. But they said that only the manager had the code to the safe. One of them told us a code to get into the register, but it's all sci-fi bullshit right? Some stores still do things the old fashioned way, but this place? No. The register controls how much money is in the till." the guy sighed, "It keeps less than a hundred fifty Omnilium chips of various sizes in there. Anything more gets dumped directly into the safe, automatically. And when the silent alarm is pulled? Every single rainbow crumb of Omnilium goes in."

The other guy groaned, "Damn it, it should have been easy! The safe should have opened for the code!"

"So, all of this... was because you saw an opportunity? Are you career robbers?" Might asked. 

"N-No. I've done a little shoplifting before but-"

"Idiot! Don't tell him that, he doesn't know!" 

"Look. I don't break my promises. I'm not taking you to jail." Might said, "Because despite this unfortunate misstep in your lives, I know you can both change for the better."

"What are you going to do to us, just tell us, it's killing me not knowing."

"I'm going to offer you a job." Might said, looking down at both of them, "I want the two of you to keep your ears to the streets, and tell me what I need to know. If you hear somewhere that there's going to be a robbery, I want to know about it. If a gang war is about to break out, I want to know."

"We don't know anyone!"

"We don't know anything about the city!"

"Too bad!" Might said, clapping a hand on both of their shoulders, "Look, you've both been in the Omniverse longer than I have, right? Right! I need help getting around and figuring things out. You need to point me in the right direction, short-term, and I need to point you two in the right direction long-term!"

"...Can I just go to jail?"

"Sure thing! Want me to take you?"

"No! No, just kidding, just kidding, we'll help you."

"Wonderful! You two will be helping to clean up the city already! Here- is my apartment number, be sure to go there tomorrow. I'll be waiting. Then the three of us will take a nice tour around Tier Five, and you can point out which territories 'belong' to whom, alright?"

"...And if we say no?"

"We'll head over to the police headquarters and I hand you both into their capable hands."

"...I'll do it."

"Fine. It's better than jail, I guess. How long will we have to do that?"

"Hmmm... how about until both of you are responsible for saving the lives of nine people each." Might said, "Welcome to the Might Agency." with that, he closed his eyes, and rainbow light built around his fingertips. 

Within a few minutes, he had given both of them a stack of business cards and posters. 

"Tomorrow, we'll be posting those around and handing out cards to those who may be in need of our services!"

"Our... services?"

"Hero work!"

"Are we getting paid for this?"

"Not a cent! Hahaha!" Might said cheerfully to the two of them, "Now then, your names?"

"...Krid." said the one who had been disarmed by Might. 

"Panda." said the one who had believed he knew the code to the safe. 

"Good. And with this, I think I can let you off for now... as soon as you tell me where you bought those guns."

Both men gulped. 

---

Scavengers hung around fights, and stole whatever they could carry from the losing side. Whenever a Prime decided he had had enough of the stuffy rules of Coruscant's upper Tiers and devolved into a rampage- righteous or not, the stormtroopers would come out in droves. 

Inevitably, as if they were almost cursed with the essence of 'expendable foot soldier', many fell. 

Their weapons, their armor, their little bits of coordination tech and even their identification numbers, would be stolen. The corpses of the fallen picked clean. 


Those scavengers brought their wares to lower Tiers, where there were both less stormtroopers to scavenge from, and less stormtroopers to arrest them for selling what they scavenged. 

The bits and pieces of deadly weapon were passed around, sold and traded and exchanged and smuggled. These components find their way down to the darkened and dirty tents of Tier Six. There, they are bundled, and polished, and put in more-or-less a gun-shaped configuration. 

Thanks to Omniphysics, that alone was sometimes enough. 

These guns, 'Heaters' would then slowly drift back up the elevators and hidden passages, finding their way into the hands of smugglers, and from there, those who needed to kill others to survive. Revolutionaries. Gangsters. Bountyhunters. Bouncers. 

And, on this occasion, attempted robbers.

"Hello there." Might said, his giant hand wrapped all the way around the skull of a smallish alien, something he vaguely recognized from one of the Star Wars Prequels. He couldn't place the name at the moment- he was more a comic book nerd than anything else. Blue, short, elephant seal nose, buzzing wings, with a vaguely everything at once accent. "I'm told that you sold three guns to a few teenagers, correct?"

"Uh..."

"This would be a few days ago."

"...doesn't ring a bell." 

Might squeezed, only a little. 

"Oh, you said teenagers! I thought you said, uh, shit, nothing rhymes with teenagers. Yes, I sold three guns. Why, it's not illegal, it's a free planet. Well, I mean, it is illegal, and it's most certainly not a free planet, but who gives you the right to threaten me for just trying to conduct business, eh?"

"I was shot by a weapon you sold."

"Then take it up with the shooter! After the guns leave my shop, they're not my problem."

"...Tell me, can you name your providers? The smugglers who provide you with these... heaters."


"No. Of course not."

"Then I'll just go and have a chat with the police about your lack of a licence." Might said, "I'm just trying to get to the root of the problem. You're part of it, mister Grardda, that's for certain, but you're not a big part." 

"...You want to get the guns off the streets, mister green jacket?"

"That's right."

"Hah! Then you'll have a long, long road ahead of you, and just about everyone who's anyone will be against you. It'd be easier to find someone who wasn't a part of the problem." the alien sneered, "Go ahead, take me to the police. Selling without a licence isn't too serious offence, not with the monsters who live in this 'Verse. They'll let me go eventually."

Might sighed, "Well, that's your prerogative." He let the alien's head go, instead carrying him under his arm. 

"Put me down!"

"Hah! I wouldn't do that! You might get hurt!"

"...Hurt?"

"From the store collapsing, of course."

"WHAT?!"

Reeling back his free hand, Might turned towards the little ramshackle hut and let loose with another DETROIT SMASH that leveled the building. 

"DO YOU KNOW WHAT THAT COST ME?!"

"Don't worry, citizen. I'm sure that once I inform the police of your place of business, they'll have people crawling all over the wreckage to pick up the broken weapons. They'll need evidence, after all!"

[All Might]

The police officer looked at the Toydarian held securely in the massive man's hands, and the pile of very clearly illegal weapon pieces in the other.

Any sane man's first instinct, in this situation, would be to open fire? Or at least threaten a bit, shout to "Stay back!" that sort of thing. 

But Might made any situation strange. 

He was seven foot three inches of pure muscle. He was wearing a bright blue-green. He had bright blonde hair, and a disarming, constantly overjoyed smile. He had asked quite politely at the front desk to be let in, that he'd like to report a crime and hand over a criminal, and not knowing what else to do in this situation, she had simply sent him along the way. 

"..." the officer stared up at him.

"Ah! I recognize you, the robbery a night ago, correct? Thank you for being so understanding!"

"...You're All Might, aren't you?"

The hero flinched, "Err... I go by just "Might" now, actually." 

"...You know you're a wanted man, right? Wanted Dead or Banished. As an officer of the law, I should be bringing you in right now. Just because you changed your name and put on some different clothes doesn't make you a new man... and even if it did, I saw your bit of vigilanteism... sure, you got the hostages out alright, but you got yourself shot, and you took justice into your own hands. What did you do with the other two perps?"

"I've put them to better use."

"What, did you eat them or something?"

"What?! NO! Of course not, is that... just something that happens in the Omniverse?"

The officer shrugged, "Primes." he said with word with more than a little disgust, "You really never know what you're going to get. That Omni's a sadistic little bastard, you know? Unleashing monster after fucking monster into the world with godlike power and watching how things play out." the officer glared at All Might, "I've investigated vampire serial killers. There are orks with plasma cannons shooting up neighborhoods. If I go down towards the Westside you'll see kids with toy weapons- that can summon fucking lightnin'bolts."

Might stood there, his smile seeming less overjoyed and more trying to push through the awkwardness. 

"Unfortunately... because I've seen all these things, I can tell, despite what you're doing... you're probably one of the good ones, aren't you?" the officer sighed, "For every... I don't know, three monsters from the pits of hell, there's one or two goody-two-shoes saints or just plain weirdos that pop out from the fountain. You're one of those."

"I... well, if that's the alternative, I'd much rather be called a weirdo than a monster." Might admitted. 

The officer shook his head, "When dealing with Primes, you gotta work around them. I know, and you know, that if I tried arresting you, we'd be dealing with some dead bodies at worst, and some extreme property damage at best, with you long-gone. So... as long as you stay on the side of angels, we can keep this... thing... going. Ain't going to help you when bounty hunters start going after you though."

"Thank you for your understanding." Might said gratefully. 

"This is all fun and great and everything, but I'm tired of this dumb jock's sweaty hands holding my head in a cage." the toydarian muttered, "Now, are you going to let me go or what?"

The officer looked drily at him, "What did he do, supposedly?"

"He's a smuggler, and a black market arms seller. He gets stolen components from... someone, on Tier Six, and then builds his own weapons and sells them for five times what the components were worth."

"It's a living." the toydarian said with a shrug, "On the other hand, this jerk blew up my house. Where am I gonna live, eh? I make guns, yeah, so? Who doesn't? It's not my fault people want to buy illegal things! I don't make em'. You can't get addicted to guns can you?" the toydarian harrumphed, glaring at the both of them, "You want overboard? Just think about what this guy did to my freaking house! That's gotta be worse than selling guns, right?"

"Did you pay taxes on that house? Was it registered with the Imperial code?" the officer asked. 

"Ehhhh, not as such, no."

"Then you can't do much about it. Assault, maybe, vigilanteism, sure. Handling illegal components is something I could hit both of you with." the officer said, sitting back in the chair, "Except I've already made it clear that not much will stick to this one... I have a feeling I can keep you in a cell just fine." the officer said, pointing a finger at the toydarian. 

"I'll leave him in your capable hands then." Might said, before turning off to go, "Ah! The address to his house-" Might reached into his jacket, pulling free a business card. The opposite side was blank, however, and he wrote down the address on it. He handed it to the officer, and was out of the station in a flash. 

Lieutenant Mangas Oakes sighed to himself, before looking at the small, bugwinged alien. "...Well, come on then. Let's show you to your new room, hm?"

"...Fine. I heard the grub at the prison wasn't too bad anyway." 

Oakes turned the card over, and raised an eyebrow at the Communicator Number. 

---

NEED HELP? 

DO YOU NEED TO BE REMOVED FROM A BAD SITUATION?

ARE YOU AWARE OF A CRIME TOO DANGEROUS FOR THE POLICE?

MIGHT! SUPERHERO AGENCY 

IS JUST A CALL AWAY. GUARANTEE 24/7 CALL ACCEPTANCE. ABSOLUTELY FREE

HELP ME HELP YOU

A FIST FOR THOSE WHO DON'T HAVE THE STRENGTH TO FIGHT ON THEIR OWN

###-####-####

---

Panda was on the computer when Might returned to the apartment he had bought. "I found the weapons dealer." Might announced, the young man looked up from the screen, before sighing and turning back towards it. 

"...I can see you're not very enthusiastic about our new set up." Might said. 

"No shit, man." Panda growled, looking up at Might, "Save nine people's lives- how? You want us to be your secretaries, right? Guide you around town, tell you stuff, answer the calls in case anyone reads those stupid cards."

"...I figured I'd train you two from the bottom up as sidekicks-"


"Oh god."

"What?"

"A sidekick? That's so lame!"

"What are you talking about?"

"Nobody wants to be a sidekick!"

"Fine, fine, how about... apprentice hero? Young Justice!"

"I... that sounds a little better I guess." Might slapped him lightly on the back. 

"See! Now, you'll start off doing the secretary stuff, sure, and if you do something via the telephone or find some important piece of information that saves someone's life, well, that counts! It won't be too hard, honestly!" Might said, pointing towards him, and then shifting his hand into a thumbs-up, "And just think about what it means. At least nine people, who would have died if not for something you did. Being a real hero! And for as long as you're with the Might Agency, I'll be taking care of all your expenses! I'm not sure about you, but that sounds like an okay deal to me!"

"I... I guess."

"So, where's your friend, Krid?"

"He's off looking for trouble."

"Mm." Might pulled out his Communicator, flipping it open and calling the third member of his newborn agency. 

<Who is this?>

"This is Might!" he declared, "Anything of interest?"

<...Maybe. Depends how serious you want to get.>

"Oh?"

<The orc mafia are planning something serious, or, at the very least, they've been really active, and absolutely everywhere. Something kicked the hornets nest.>

"I'll have to keep an eye out."

<Another thing- the Westside Coalition, do you know them?>

"Only vaguely, I'll admit." Might said, "Why?"

<Word is that a new gang has taken up residence in Little New York. Called Gentleman Jacks, apparently they destroyed most of the Metalheads and have been taking over their turf. People are already making noise about them. The Westside is already the biggest allied group for miles around, and they're in contact.>

"Hm..."

<I haven't seen much of anything else- no, like, robberies in progress or anything. Just rumors mainly. People are getting worried.>

"Good work, Krid. Keep your ear to the ground. Don't be afraid to call me the moment you see anything!"

<Got it.>

He hung up the Communicator, clacking it shut, "What do you think Panda? The Westside, the Jacks, or the Orcs?"

"Can't you... stick to street crime? Like me and Krid? Why go after the gangs? I mean, you're tough, sure, but there are other Primes in the gangs."

"I can't abide by organized crime." Might said coldly, "It goes against everything I stand for. People like you and Krid, that girl that I saved from the police... you're kids. And even if you weren't, you were still just people making a bad decision. A really bad decision. One that hurt people... but still just one bad decision. You aren't irredeemable by any means. I believe everyone makes mistakes... but organized crime?" Might looked out the window, "It's not a random decision. It's not applied by pressure, or disease... if you're part of a gang, you're supporting it. Gangsters aren't being pressured by society into having to resort to crime, they're people who looked at society, scoff at its rules, and decide to abuse them." Might curled his fist, "People realizing they can use violence against their fellow men to get what they want, with the full understanding of what they're doing. It's poisonous. It's toxic." Might said, "And I'm going to rid this city of it, somehow."

---

"Well?"

"Shootup by the Ork Warryorrz."

"Argh!" San Yi smashed his fist against the desk, "DAMN IT." 

"I can get together maybe eighteen guys, within an hour or two." Murasaki said quietly to his boss, "We can go right over there, and pay em' back twofold."

"The Orcs have been building strength lately." San Yi muttered. "The Orcs, the Westside, these new guys who think they're in the thirties or something... If we throw our hat into the ring right now, it might just make things worse. We don't have the manpower to keep watch over every single one of our territories. If we pay em' back, bloody their noses, they'll come right back and mess up even more of our neighborhoods. These people expect protection from us, what do we tell them once we drag a whole war on their heads?"

"If we're harsh enough-"

"Orcs don't understand 'harsh enough'." San Yi growled, "They fight until they die, and they don't die until they've ruined everything around them."

"We can't just let them get away with it." Ding hissed, grabbing the newspaper and pulling it open, glaring at the image. The building was in bad shape, the walls had been scorched black, the ceiling had holes burned through it, smoke appearing from the building.

Mantis Karate. 

It wasn't one of their main bases. But it was still theirs. San Yi had visited in person. He had personally bested the top three students of the school, and when the chief instructor, an anthropomorphic mantis, still refused him, San Yi had fought him. It had been a fun afternoon, and a profitable one. More than one of his regular recruits had been pulled from Mantis.

Fucking kids went to the school. It was Lotus- so it did its part, they hid a few drugs, they had a space in their basement in case anyone bearing the flower showed up needing to lay low.

The Lotus had a reputation to uphold...

But he wasn't sure if he could handle things on his own. He trusted his men, sure. He probably had the best fighters in the city under his banner, in hand-to-hand at least. Unfortunately, that didn't count much against sheer numbers with firearms to back them up. And the fact of the matter was- the Floating Lotus Posse were picky. They were particular. The men who saw San Yi and decided to follow him just tended to be the type who would scoff when handed a gun. Some of his members wouldn't even carry weapons at all. They were a bunch of prideful martial artists, and San Yi wouldn't have loved them as much if they weren't. The Omniverse being what it was made things a little better. 

On San Yi's original world, people... just tended not to carry guns. His was a world where problems were solved with fists- all kinds of problems by all kinds of people. He had seen middle school girls scoff as guns were pulled on them, and deflect bullets with fists. It was just that kind of shonen-genre world. 

But he knew from just talking with others that most worlds weren't like that. Guns killed fast, and there wasn't much a human could do in the face of one. If a group of skilled martial artists challenged a group of thugs with rifles, on most worlds, you'd have to be an idiot to even consider that the guys showing up to a gunfight empty-handed would possibly win. 

The Omniverse was somewhere in the middle. 

What all this meant, in simplicity however, was that if the Floating Lotus tried to get the orcs back for Mantis Karate, there was a good chance he'd lose a lot of decent people... It wasn't as if the orcs had even directly challenged them. It had been an impersonal, accidental act of destruction. The orcs technically encompassed the territory around Mantis Karate, and had torched it simply because the Chief Instructor refused to pay protection money to both the orcs and the Lotus. 

The Instructor, likely, thought this would mean the Orkz would go to look for the Lotus, and San Yi would gather his men in a show of strength, show the orcs the place really wasn't worth the trouble. 

Instead, they put a flaming blue projectile through his exoskeleton, and did the same to the entire building. Right there. In front of the man's damn students.

San Yi was livid. 

"Maybe not all-out war, San." Murasaki said quietly, "I can take Akane, and a few of my quieter students, and we'll have a dozen orcs dead by tomorrow morning, no one seeing a thing."

"No! Well... no. That can't be all. We need to step up- make a show! How else will those we're protecting keep confidence in us? We need to attack the orcs, we must avenge Mantis Karate, or the other gangs will think they can mess around in Lotus neighborhoods without a second thought!"

"...I'm behind you boss." Ding said, "Master Mantis was a creepy son of a bitch, but he was a funny guy. He didn't deserve that. Not in front of his students. We show them whose boss, and I can get three dozen kids willing to risk their lives relying on their fists."

"...I need to give a show. That harming those under the protection of the Lotus Posse will have consequences... but I want that to be the end of it. We do not need a war with the Orkz."

"Do we know who did it in particular? If we killed the guy who actually did it, I heard some orc bosses are willing to let thing slide if their subordinates were 'asking for it.'" Murasaki answered.

"No. It could have been any of them." Ding said.

"..." the leader of the Floating Lotus stood up, pacing as his fists clenched and unclenched, "... Have the Orkz been... targetting kids?"

"I... don't think so. I haven't heard anything in particular at least."

"Women, the elderly? Aliens?'

"Well they hate the elves, but the elves fuck with them right back. Nobody wants to get involved in that." Ding said, "Why boss?"

"Might and I-"

Murasaki rolled his eyes, while Ding grinned, "Boss, you're really infatuated with this guy, huh? I mean, I guess it's not every day you meet a seven-foot-tall blonde with bigger muscles than you, so I get the why of it."

"..." San reached up and flicked Ding in the forehead, sending the man flying back. 

"Wh o o  o    a     a       a      h       !" Ding cried as he began to fall in slow motion. 

"Might and I dismantled that Hutt slave show utterly. And the slugs have flat-out left that neighborhood alone. We shut it down. And that was the end of that. The two of us, together, was terrifying to the slimy bastards. Might's whole show with the girls too. I mean, it was annoying at the time, I wanted those girls to be our girls, in our bars and on our streets... but we've been taking a whole different look since he helped them." San Yi shook his head, "I've had a girl stop me on the street to thank me for finding her sister. I felt... guilty. I was going to put her sister into one of our bars, probably, or throw her on the street and tell her to make sure to always give us a cut of her work, or else... and instead I got thanked, by a crying girl.

"That superhero shit, it looks good. It makes sure the bastards remember. It's something primal in them. If a guy destroys your operation, you get mad and send guys with guns to get rid of him and rebuild... but a superhero destroys your operations, they stay destroyed. If a superhero is after you, you know you're the villain. And you know, that if this were a story, that means you're already doomed." San Yi said, almost reverently.

"Do... you want us to be superheroes, boss?" Murasaki asked. Murasaki was loyal, San Yi knew. Murasaki would throw himself onto a bomb, for San Yi. Already had, actually. If the ninja was ordered to wear spandex, however, San Yi knew he would probably wake up with a note of resignation jabbed into the pillow an inch to the left of his ear... if San Yi ordered Akane to wear Spandex, that would be a different story for the ninja... but all the same.

"No. Course not." San Yi said, to the relief of Murasaki, "We push drugs, we run prostitutes, we take protection money, we smuggle. It's what we do. But we do it with honor, which I doubt anybody else in this fucking city can say. No. But if we're already in a superhero story, I want to use that." San Yi said with a grin, "The Hutts know to leave well enough alone after me and Might wrecked their shop. Maybe the Orkz will know not touch a house marked with the Flower if they know that if they do, it means a goddamned superhero will 'save the day' and help us kick their asses."

San Yi turned his head as he heard the 'thud' of Ding, finally, hitting the floor. "Ding Wu, find me Might. I want you to let him know that... there are villains, who need to be dealt some real 'justice', eh?"

[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!"

[All Might]

The group advanced on a bar that was known to be frequented by the Ork Waryorrz, Skullcleaner in particular had been sighted here semi-regularly, at least according to Murasaki's sources. 

"So, what's the plan San Yi?" Might asked, looking over the gathered men. Many were going in with just their fists, while others carried blunt weapons, or swords. Not any guns, that he could see. He approved. 

"We'll give them the chance to apologize, and make it up to us. They promise to leave the neighborhood around Mantis Karate alone, and to not go picking any more fights with us. We believe them, and we go. We don't believe them, or they don't even try... we start a fight."

"Inside the bar?" Might asked, "Do they own it?"

"They might as well. Their symbol is on it." San Yi said, but he tensed, "...We'll offer to take it outside, but I don't think they'll give us the chance."

"Hm." Might looked to Gynoid, "Go around the other end, to the back, wait-" he looked to San Yi, "-for my signal, then start getting the staff out."

The Gynoid nodded, Krid and Panda, whoever was piloting her on the other side, should be able to hear everything the robot hears. She darted off, disappearing behind the bar. 

"Let's go." San Yi ordered. "Wu, Murasaki, Might, I want you behind me."

"Of course Boss." Ding Wu said, falling into step, the ninja did so silently, and Might smiled nervously, before awkwardly standing between the two of them. 

"Okay." San Yi said, breathing in deeply, before letting out the breath, "SKULLCLEANER!" he roared, barging in. Might waited for Ding Wu and Murasaki to go in first.

The voices in the bar began to roil up as the customers, mostly large orcs in biker gear, all bearing a yellow bandanna somewhere on their bodies, began to mutter to each other. 

One orc, a truly massive one, with yellowed tusks, bright yellow eyes, and mostly green skin, except for a single yellow stripe that seemed to cut the ork in half, starting beneath his short black hair, and running down his forehead, his nose, all the way down his chest, was absolutely silent. 

As Might bent down so as to not hit the door frame- a door built for orcs, the rest of the bar became just as silent. 

San Yi walked forwards, narrowing his eyes, "Which one of you is Yellowband Skullcleaner?" San Yi asked, his voice gruff. He made a show of looking around, ignoring the clear leader of the group. 

The massive orc, Skullcleaner, stood up, dragging with him a huge gun. The gun wasn't a work of art by any means, at its center was a large Crackler, an electric blue globe of mana, barely contained within a scorched-black metal frame with a trigger attached to it. It was a gun that told whoever was looking at it that whoever was holding it likely had never heard the word 'restraint'. 

"Thaht'd be me, hyuman." Skullcleaner grunted, "What'd you want?" 

"Not too long ago, you burnt down a martial arts school because they wouldn't pay your protection racket."

"Meh, I burn down a lot of things. Lot of people too." Skullcleaner smiled, his tusks making the grin even wider than Might's, "What is it to you?"

"That dojo wasn't in your territory, orc." San Yi growled, "Every Martial Arts dojo on Tier Five is under our protection!"

"And who you?"

"We're the Floating Lotus Posse." San Yi said proudly, turning halfway and gesturing to his back, "And we demand recompense."

"Recompense?"

"You'll fund the rebuilding of Mantis Karate." San Yi ordered, "Your men will leave the neighborhood alone, and you'll steer far away from any building bearing our mark. You do that, this can be the end of it."

"I don't listen to no Flower Pussies." Skullcleaner said, to a few chuckles among his gang, "What if I don't want it to be the end of it?"

"Then we'll have a problem. You killed a friend of mine, and struck at something we promised to protect. There... will be consequences."

"Heh, you want to hear about consequences, hyuman? Okay, I can do that. There is a consequence for interruptin' our evenin'. There is a consequence for talkin' down to me. There is consequences, for trying to order us around, and consequence for bein' in our neighborhood, and my bar." Skullcleaner raised his gun, "Get out, now."

"No."

"Fine." he fired. The Burner erupted with blue-hot energy, spewing forth in a ball towards the four men. 

"HWWWAAAA A A  A    A     C      H     A         A           A!!!" Ding Wu screamed, leaping into the air to kick away the ball, causing both himself and the crackling sphere of death to slow nearly to a stand-still. Might, San, and Murasaki quickly got out of the way, as time resumed upon impact, Ding Wu's kick sending the fireball launching straight up, into the rafters of the orc bar. 

The kung fu practioner hissed with pain as he clutched at his scorched ankle, before raising his hands towards two other orcs. 

Murasaki was there one moment, and gone the next. The purple-clad ninja held his fists together, two fingers raised toward his face, before vanishing in a puff of smoke. 

A moment later, he was behind an orc who had been reaching for his own gun. A hypo-shiv was brought down into the orc's shoulder, and the green giant slumped to the ground in short order. The ninja spun around, tossing more hypo-shivs out to other orcs getting up. 

San Yi growled, before throwing himself towards Skullcleaner, fists raised. He dodged another Burner shot, jumping to the side before Skullcleaner touched the trigger, letting the fireball explode behind him. He launched into the air, spinning as he did so, and unleashed a jump-kick into the face of the orc.

Skullcleaner took a step back, blinking furiously, and firing his Burner twice on instinct. San Yi could get out of the way easily enough, his foresight keeping him out of the way. 

"GYNOID! GET THEM OUT!" Might shouted, before rearing back his fist. More and more orcs were jumping from their seats, and he had seen enough from their leader to erase any feelings of guilt in bringing the place down. One of the orcs had almost reached him, readying a knife, when Might's smile turned sharp, "Detroit Smash!" his fist shot forward in a blink, his fist burying itself in the orc's huge chest, before rippling out in a shockwave. 

The orc was flung backwards at high speed, crashing into two of his fellows before slamming into the wall, an angry red and violet welt covering his chest, where the imprint of a fist was marked. The shockwave had shoved five more of his opponents down as well, and Might stepped forward. He shook one hand to get the pins-and-needles feeling out of it, before reaching over and grabbing one of his downed opponents. Taking the orc by the ankles, he began to swing the lughead around, before letting go and sending him crashing into two more orcs. 

San Yi kicked the Burner in Skullcleaner's hands, but the orc had a strong grip, however, being forced to duck meant that he didn't see Ding Wu coming. The kung fu artist only slightly slowed the three of them as his fists rang out, slamming into Skullcleaner's back over and over. The orc let go of his gun with one hand, swinging the crackling metal monstrosity at Ding Wu. The martial artist leaped into the air, trying to get over it in time, and San Yi helped out by grabbing the orc's free hand, and yanking him to the side. 

Skullcleaner roared with rage as his swing missed, embedding his gun into the bartender's counter, the Burner ripping through the wood and getting stuck. San Yi hung onto his hand, and dragged it back behind the orc, and began to push, trying to pin down the giant. 

But it would take more than that. 

Skullcleaner with a grunt of effort pulled his hand forward, slamming San Yi into the hard floor of the bar, before attempting to kick Ding Wu away. The kung fu master stepped back out of range, but watched nervously as the orc turned his attention on his boss. The orc reached back to his gun, and pulled the trigger. Blue fire erupted around the embedded gun. He pulled it again, another wave of heat. Soon, enough of the wooden counter was immolated for the orc to pull the weapon free.

He pulled the steel contraption from the charcoal he had made of the counter, and aimed it towards San Yi's head. "See you in hell, hyuman." Skullcleaner growled, shoving the edge of the 'barrel' of his gun against San Yi's forehead. The martial artist hissed as the red-hot metal met skin, and struggled to get away. 

"Not so fast." Murasaki whispered behind Skullcleaner. The hyposhiv found itself in the orc's neck, and out of instinct, the orc kicked directly behind him. Murasaki folded around the orc's foot, and was sent flying into the wall, only for Akane to appear from nowhere, catching her teacher before he could hit the wall. More martial artists began streaming into the bar, hearing the sounds of fighting. Men jump-kicked their way through open windows and onto shocked orcs.

Might frowned as chaos took the bar, men and orcs were just about everywhere. Guns began going off, fireballs flinging themselves this way and that across the open bar, erupting on tables, walls, windows, and people. Might watched a kung fu practioner launch himself over an orc and collide feet-first with another, while that orc's buddy stabbed a ninja, who had only become visible once the knife was buried in his chest. 

Doing a simple regular punch, he knocked an orc out, before throwing him out a window. 

"Might!" San Yi hissed, in pain, and the superhero focused on the gang boss and the biker leader, and the gun up against his head. 

He grit his teeth, and slapped his foot against the floor hard enough to leave an imprint, before pushing himself through the chaos. He simply started running, crossing his arms in front of him, orcs and martial artists alike were bashed to the side as he shot across the bar, his arms began to crackle with power. 

One for All!

"Carolina Smash!!!"

He crashed into the massive orc- a being even larger than he was! -and brought his cross-chop down across the creature's chest. The edged shockwave that erupted from his hands as they passed in an 'X' shape across the orc's chest left a deep, bloody groove. 

Skullcleaner roared with rage as he backed up, clutching his new wound, and dragging his gun away from San Yi and towards Might. He fired, but Might used Burst Movement to dodge to the side, before reaching towards the orc and grabbing the weapon with his bare hands. 

"Let go!" Skullcleaner yelled, furious, only to drop his own weapon in fear as he heard the horrible metallic crunch. Might squeezed the Burner, ignoring the heat, ignoring the furious buzzing of the Crackler Mana orb inside the gun. 

He crushed it. 

And it exploded. 

Laughing with triumph, Might was sent careening backwards, bowling over several brawlers of both races as he went. San Yi, who had been trapped on the floor, groaned in pain as he got up, his short spiky hair and mustache standing at end, live with energy. 

And Skullcleaner... well, he wouldn't have to worry about closing the cuts Might had given him. They had been cauterized properly, now. The orc was in a great deal of pain. 

Now, there were many kinds of orcs in the Omniverse. Some were monstrous creatures barely more intelligent than a bonobo, who would fly into a barbarous rage at the slightest insult. Some were basically a human, but with greener skin and sharper teeth. Most fell somewhere in the middle. 

Skullcleaner was one of the rare few firmly set on the 'barbarian rage' end of the scale. 

Pulling himself free of the wall, he screamed pure hatred, barreling forwards towards Might, fists raised. One of his underlings smiled, shoving Might forward with one hand, and tossing a wicked looking blade to his boss. Even in the midst of his rage, Skullcleaner reached out and grabbed it, his expression of fury replaced, for an instant, with sadistic glee. The blade was what happened when a medical saw decided it would rather be a scimitar. 

Skullcleaner roared as he brought the sword down on Might's shoulder, and dragged it downwards. Might grit his teeth and bore through the pain, before reaching up and clutching the orc's head. He yanked his arm back, nearly tripping the orc, before jerking it forward again. The orc took a few steps back, gagging and dizzy, and Might leaped back into the fight, giving a sharp punch to the biker's gut. 

San Yi got up from where he had been lying on the floor, and seeing what was happening, he grinned wide. He began to charge towards the orc's exposed back, before taking a flying leap. "Floating Lotus Taekwondo!" he screamed, before crashing into the orc's back at full strength, all of his weight directed into the blow. 

At the same moment, Might delivered an uppercut to the orc's jaw. 

Yellowband Skullcleaner's eyes rolled up into his head, and he fell to the ground, still. The fire raged around them, but the rest of the fighting slowed to a crawl at the impact of the orc hitting the floor. 

"Everyone!" Gynoid shouted from outside a window, "Out of the building! It's going to collapse!" the female robot stepped through, grabbing two unconscious karate students, and carrying them back out. 

"You heard the lady!" San Yi growled, coughing a bit, "Out! Out! Everyone out! If you can walk, grab someone who can't!"

Orcs and humans began to spill out the shattered windows and the broken-open doors. Might bent down to grab Skullcleaner, but the orc groaned, and slapped away the hand. "Hyuman! I... I'll get out on my own. I'm fine. You bastards dint' do a dam thing."

Might narrowed his eyes, "Your back-"

San Yi sighed, grabbing the orc under his shoulder, and pushing him to his feet. "See?" San Yi said, "He's fine." he let go, and the orc remained standing, looking defiantly down on both gang boss and superhero. He even took a proud step towards Might, as if daring him to push back and see how he could stand on his own. 

Might looked between them suspiciously, "...Fine." he said, sighing, before he kicked off the floor, escaping through an open window. 

San Yi turned towards the orc, his eyes full of hate, "...I hope you know, that wasn't for you. That was for Mantis."

"Why you care 'bout the bug guy anyway? He wasn't hyuman."

"No. But he was a Martial Artist." San Yi growled, "And you killed him." Akane appeared, no longer invisible, as she let go of the orc, who began to swing his arms, trying to keep his balance without her invisible support. San Yi punched him in the chest, sending the orc toppling over, hitting the floor.  

"Can't move my legs anymore." the orc sighed, "S'good you're letting me die. The other Waryorrz... I don' want them to look at me sad. I can't stand that, looking at orcs who can't fight no more. You're a good one, for that, hyuman."

"Like I said, I didn't do it for you. If that guy rescued you, Mantis wouldn't get his revenge."

"Either way. Thanks. Tell my boys I decided to stay in, 'kay?"

"...Sure. Might could respect that, I think. Come on, Akane. Thank you for that, though. Quick thinking." The kunoichi nodded, and then promptly vanished once more, sinking into San Yi's own shadow. 

With that, San Yi turned his back, and punched his way through one of the walls. The bar collapsed into flames behind him. 

Might was standing there, watching him. "Where's Skullcleaner?"

"I tried to get him to come out, but he said he wanted to stay there. As recognition of our victory. He died... like a warrior. It was a better death than he gave Master Mantis!" he said this loudly, for them all to hear. "And it's the Lotus way, to allow a warrior to die a warrior's death." 

Might looked at the flames. 

"Either way... it's too late for him now. It's what he wanted, Might." San Yi clapped his hand on the hero's back, before turning towards the rest of the gathered brawlers, injured or otherwise. "How many wounded, Akane?"

"Nearly everyone's got something. I have two ninja in critical condition, and another from the Tigerhead Gym might die."

San Yi nodded, "And the orcs?"

The orcs were, mostly, either trying to sneak off, or were watching their bar burn down with a look of anger. One of the orcs, a woman with larger-than-normal tusks and an eyepatch, turned towards San Yi. "...We've all got injured. Five nearly dead." she looked to the bar, before glaring back at the boss of the Posse, "...One really dead."

"You killed our Master Mantis first." San Yi said. "...We're even. We have recompense."

"We won't forget this, you know." she growled, "Yellowband was respected, he was friends with a few other of the Ork Waryorrz and-"

"Then you can tell them that I allowed him a warrior's death."

"I will come after you, then." she growled. 

"And who are you?"

"Igon Skullcleaner." she hissed, "And I will see you dead, flower man."

"Hm. Well, that's all right." San Yi turned his back, and began walking off. "If you ever want to fight, Floating Lotus Taekwondo is in the center of the city. If you come alone, I will too. I'll honor every challenge made against me."

"Fine!" Igon hissed, before turning to go. She walked over to one of the motorcycles, before thinking better of it. She pushed over the bike, and instead went to the largest of the bikes, one painted bright yellow, while most of the other orcs only had a stripe. She climbed on, and started it. "Come on!" she growled at the others, "Let's get these bastards somewhere they can heal!"

Might watched the orcs go, before turning to glare at San Yi. "You let that man die."

"He wanted to."

"His spine- it was broken. You broke it... no, we broke it. How did he stand?"

San Yi didn't glance down at his shadow, where the female ninja was still hidden. He simply looked Might in the eye, "Manly determination, probably."

Might sighed, "Come on! Let's get your people to the nearest hospital."

As the group began returning to their vehicles, Might helped the Gynoid into her seat. "...So, boys, about your terms of service."

"We only saved about six people." Gynoid said. He couldn't tell whether it was Panda, or Krid, who said it. "The cooks, you know."

"No. You saved more than that. If you hadn't warned us, a lot of us would have been in there when it came down. Consider yourselves both free men, if you want."

Gynoid's expression didn't change, but Might waited all the same, sensing. His smile became more than just a show for the first time that night, if he was guessing right- 

"Would it... be alright if we kept doing what we've been doing? You know, helping people? Maybe we could use Gynoid to help people- she's tougher than us at least, so-"

Might nodded, "I would love that. Krid, Panda, my boys! You're well on your way to being superheroes! Tonight... wasn't a good night, but we shall see if the orcs learn the reality of 'consequences' that the Lotus were trying to teach. I don't think San Yi is an evil man, despite what happened tonight." Might smiled, "I think we can change the Lotus into something heroic. I'd very much like the both of you to help me to that end!"

"Of course." Gynoid said. 

---

In the days that followed, Might recovered from his wounds, and considered what he wanted to do. Krid and Panda were really getting into the idea of being a superhero. Almost every night, Gynoid would go out running with him, sometimes seeking out and stopping crimes herself, with the guidance of his two sidekicks from the safety of their lab. He had even made arrangements at a local dojo for the two of them to begin learning karate, so that they could someday go out heroing under their own power. But for now, they were still saving lives with Gynoid. 

However, when the question of 'what to do' in the future came up, Might was at a loss. He had helped shut down a division of a major gang... but only with the help of San Yi. He needed other heroes, to make a real difference. He knew he had gotten stronger during the time he had spent in the city, but it was slow-going. He wasn't sure he would ever reach his old levels of strength. 

But where to look for other heroes? If they were on Tier Five, he would have heard of them, wouldn't he? The answer came in the form of a Dataverse alert. He had simply been browsing online, when he came across a name that made him pause. 

The longer he had gone without contact with the fountain, the less memories he had of... specific things. He knew that he had felt suspicious of the stormtroopers because of a movie he had seen in his old world- but now it seemed that he couldn't remember anything from it. A lot of the memories from his old life had faded, slightly. 

And when he saw the symbol, he had felt it. That same foggy feeling of something the Omniverse... was trying to hide from him. But it couldn't hide all of it. It was too important to him. 

When he saw that symbol, he thought of something else. He was reminded of blue and red and white around a star. Of the idea of 'Hero', of the symbol of peace he wished to become as a child, and the basis of why he had made it reality. 

He couldn't remember much of his favorite comic books as a kid, since coming to the Omniverse. No spoilers, he supposed.  

But he remembered that they existed.

And when he saw that symbol...

He felt he could trust it implicitly. It was, like he used to be... 

A symbol of Peace.

All Might knew what he wanted to do next... but how to get out of Coruscant? And when he did find the Avengers, how would he bring them back to help deal with the gangs?

Hm. Either way, they were goals for the future. For now, he would continue his patrols, and fight the crime of the city bit by bit. 

He looked up from his dataverse device, when he heard a scream from outside the window. He was needed once more. As he leaped outside, he made a promise. A promise that, should he leave, he would someday return, as a true hero. That when he left, the next time he appeared, he would be All Might, and he would bring other heroes with him, and together, they would fix this city, end the gangs, bring peace.

It was his second promise of "All Might".