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Melissa woke up with an alarm, a bang resounding throughout the apartment.
What was that?! She wondered, a touch of fear and nervousness flashing across her eyes.
She had been living alone ever since the I-Island incident, as her father, Dr. David, was confined to the main tower itself.
Despite being allowed to move around the I-Island, she was nothing but a prisoner, along with her father.
It was already becoming a constant struggle, trying not to let her father see her state.
And now, this… Thief?! Or… worse?!
Suddenly, Melissa remembered Dr. Blessed's warning — Sooner or later, Villains, who had stolen the Quirk Amplification Device, would come after her father.
Was it them?!
Were they here to kidnap her to force her father to work for them?!
Steeling her resolve, and taking out a knife from under the pillow, as she wasn't allowed to carry any scientific item out of the tower, Melissa stepped out of the bed.
She dared not call the security. The people in charge of the I-Island were already looking for a reason to lock her up in the tower. She was the only link remaining between her father and the outside world.
Also, if it was indeed those Villains, then she doubted the bodyguards keeping an eye on her outside would make any difference.
So, tiptoeing bare feet, grabbing the knife tightly, Melissa walked out of the bedroom.
The silence and darkness made her hands shake, her throat going dry.
Suddenly, a rustle reached her ears, as if two people were bickering.
Someone was here!
In the bathroom!!
Melissa clasped her empty hand over her mouth lest she let out a scream.
Biting down the fear, and as her breathing quickened, she walked toward the bathroom.
The closer she got, the higher the sound became, the tones getting sharper with every next step as well.
As she stepped into the dark bathroom, with a glass door separating the shower and her, she lifted the knife higher and forward, the blade shaking like a leaf in a storm.
"… Who… Who… Who's there?!" Melissa dared to speak out loud.
All rustling suddenly died.
Melissa could swear that, through the darkness behind the glass door, she saw shapes move, a chill running down her spine.
And, under the courage instilled within her by the sudden rush of adrenaline, she slammed the light switch and charged toward the shower, kicking the glass door open.
"Meow!" A black cat hissed at Melissa and then disappeared through the small opening in the ventilation window, leaving the bathroom.
Stunned, as her boiling blood dropped suddenly, Melissa slid down against the glass, the knife dropping on the floor with a tink.
Then, holding her face, she began crying.
…
LA,
California
"Have you gone out of your damn mind?!" Nyx cursed, scratching Luke's face. "Why didn't you cancel the Quirk right after the first teleportation?!!"
"You dare accuse me?!" Luke fired back, his face going red in shame and anger. "How would I know that you were shameless enough to remember Ms. Melissa's bathroom with one fleeting look?!! Just how much were you concentrating on the Crystal Ball, anyway?!!"
"… Not enough!" Nyx cawed. "Damn you, fake Virgin!!"
"Nyx!!" Luke gasped before tearing a feather off her body, making the raven squeal.
It was good that both had left the most crowded area after returning to the USA. Otherwise, the next trending reel would have been a white coat-wearing man fighting with a raven, both cursing at each other.
[Shut it, you two!] Miss Justice screamed, taking the matter into her hands. [Star Shift is already a deadly Quirk to use! How do you two have the time to joke around with it?! Do you have any idea how risky it was?!! What if you had thought about some scene from your previous life, Nyx?! This Quirk would have sent you two to some random location… maybe not even in the same dimension…]
Nyx suddenly went silent.
It wasn't like she didn't know how dangerous it had been.
As the user of the Star Shift, she knew that they had just dodged the sharpest and deadliest bullet.
"Exactly!" Luke said, eying Nyx. "I always keep telling her… Meditate. But, no! Even for Cogitation, she had to choose… boobs… Tch!"
[You aren't any better, either, Luke!] Miss Justice reprimanded. [You are a scientist! You should have instantly canceled the Quirk!! This lackadaisical and rookie mistake is not worthy of a Leader…]
After being scolded, both Luke and Nyx just stood there in the alley, a few drunkards passing by, eying them oddly.
[More than anything…] Miss Justice reminded. [… you two just scared an innocent girl. Was the sight of her crying in the Crystal Ball not enough?!]
Luke had to hurriedly bestow Descorrer upon Nyx, opening a teleportation vortex to the HQ's Zoo, where he stored small animals for instant use.
Then, canceling the Descorrer and bestowing Perfect Recall and Star Shift again, they came back here before Melissa had kicked the shower door open.
Three uses of Star Shift… back to back…
Now that both Luke and Nyx calmed down and thought about it, a silent chill ran down their spines as well.
After a while, with a sigh, Luke realized something. "This was a mistake, to begin with," he admitted. "I thought it would be best to couple such a Quirk with High Intelligence, but…"
"… it's best to use Star Shift after suppressing Intelligence," Nyx finished, nodding.
[…] Miss Justice suddenly remembered something. Wasn't that particular Item needed to be sealed?!
But the System thought it better not to mention it now.
After scolding Luke and Nyx, if she told them she must have warned them regarding successive, random thoughts, then it wouldn't be good for her big sister image.
[… Cough!] Miss Justice cleared her throat. [Mr. Iron Mentor and Ms. Trick*Step are waiting for you, Luke.]
Despite having a feeling that the System was hiding something, Luke knew it was time to take care of the matter at hand.
So, after letting Nyx catch her breath, he turned her into a mask, putting it on his face.
A back tendril left the mask and lashed at the space next to them, parting it up and down into a mass of blackness.
Iwao and Kazuho walked out from the blackness, their eyes widening with utter surprise.
"Welcome…" Dr. Blessed said, outstretching his arms. "… to the City of Entertainment!"
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AN: Original Image of Luke using Star Shift is available
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