Gathering of Evil: Omoikane's Revolt Against Amaterasu

Two Years Prior the Current Timeline
This was the place that that bitch told him to be. Where he would meet his contact for this secretive mission. Here, surrounded by children and bullshit families laughing and cheering on a sunny day, James stood with a solemn face. Covered in his hooded sweater and sweatpants, he appeared immune to the chilly wind blowing across the street. He stood several inches above the tallest fathers, causing children to point at the ebony skinned giant. They reached for his silky hair, unable to believe that humans could possess such curly, course locks. He smacked one child’s hand away and started towards an empty bench.

“The tour is about to begin in ten minutes.” A woman’s voice boomed over the intercom. A tour of the Imperial Palace. How troublesome. He picked up his phone and navigated through several folders. He stopped on the picture of a beautiful enchantress. A dark skin beauty whose psychotic eyes were complimented by a warm smile. He could feel his eyes warm, albeit due to the tears he blinked back. How could he fail to protect her? How could he end up in this situation?

*"You’ll be an instrument in our destruction of the Imperial Family. Tomorrow, you and Asano will go on tour of the palace….Why? Well preparation is key. One does not simply prepare a glorious meal day of celebration - No! It takes hours if not days to complete. This isn’t an operation that can be rushed either.*"

The devil’s words taunted him. Circling around his head and laughing at his inner suffering. But the hooded stranger’s empty visage betrayed the inner torment. His stomach was on fire. Heart sinking deeper by the second. He knew, that by the end of this week, the name Kotodama would mean something completely different than he had hoped.. He had spent years worth of tears over the past few nights at that very realization. *Not unless they kill me during this mission.* Hopefully. Regardless, today's task was at hand and if he even showed signs of betrayal….

The thought of watching her scream and squirm haunted James. He changed his focus, scanning the crowd for his new partner in crime, literally. Asano. A man as mysterious as himself.

His crimson eyes spotted the man from a distance. *So this is my partner, James Noah.* he thought to himself, rapidly making his way towards the man. *Scope out the area, make sure no one's watching.* Asano thought, scanning the nearby area. Although it seemed as if no one was watching, Asano did notice a woman walking away while quickly staring back at James and himself, before the woman suddenly vanished. Asano moved the brown hair out of his face, before tapping James on the back. "Pleasure to meet you, James. My name is Asano, and we'll be working together on this mission."

"Don't remind me." James scoffed. Without a second's waste, he stood up and brushed passed his partner. "Come on, the tour is about to start."

The Imperial Palace of Japan, located in Tokyo, was nothing short of its famous legends and tales. Surrounding a small, ancient building were massive gardens decorated in beautiful floral patterns. The imperial Palace was simply far too large for James to even comprehend. He pulled out his phone and pulled out an image that his *employer* sent of the grounds. It was a colorful rough map which labelled certain areas. But the Language Hero knew that there was more to this place beyond fancy gardens, imperial agencies and meusuems. After all, this piece of real estate was one of the most expensive in the world for some odd reason. He knew they placed complex defense systems in strategic locations. High tech equipment straight out of futuristic movies probably littered these divine provinces. With the appearance of heroes and the technology movement, surely they would up their defense protocols. Especially to keep up with the sudden wave of more *chaotic* quirks.

James scanned the parameters, counting the massive walls which protected the inner gardens from the outside world. The very thought of nobility sickened him. *Who declared that they should be cut off from the rest of us?* He spat. *Why shouldn't they suffer? Living peacefully behind walls that anyone could break down.* Where are these thoughts coming from? Had they always been there? James refocused. The tour guide's lectures went well above his head.

"I can't see anything beyond these massive walls. I've no idea what the inside looks like." He finally spoke to his partner. They had passed the massive gray slab of concrete and were traversing through some of the more scenic routes. Pink flowers and yellow daisies decorated the moat's outer rims.

As James denied the handshake, Asano sighed. This was going to be an interesting job. As they walked away, Asano was somewhat in awe. The sheer size of the palace was impressive, and the crowds were huge. He actually listened to the tour guide, noticing that his partner James was observing the area.

As James told him that he had no idea what the inside looked like, Asano quickly cut off his finger. Asano grimaced, before accessing Planarian DNA, which resulted in his finger growing back. As the group moved, Asano discreetly hid the severed finger on the outside walls of the palace, burying it in a minuscule crack. Before James could ask, Asano whispered to him, "Planarian DNA is activated. Hive mind between organs, severed or otherwise. It'll stay for 24 hours, and can let me see what it sees. Meaning I can scope out the inside."

James was absolutely shocked by his partner's brutal self-mutilation. He obviously had done this plenty of times before. To James, who cried whenever he gave himself a paper cut, this was the sort of badass shit that villains were known for. Regardless, this gave the duo quite the upper hand in the upcoming operation. "That's...surprisingly helpful." James admitted. "But don't forget how large this place is. We're still in the Eastern Guardian. Several thousand feet away from the actual Royal Family. 24 hours should be enough time for you to gather some information regarding-" His phone buzzed. "Huh?" Interrupting his train of thought, he retrieved it from his pocket and pulled up the message from the home screen. The sender had only an image attached to the number, one he recognized from his previous encounter with this *group*.

*Meet with Shinichirō Yamamoto at the Tōkagakudō music hall.*

James repeated the message to Asano. "It seems like we're close." He butchered that name in the typical manner that American's butcher anything outside their own language. "This guy will be our key, surely."

Asano nodded as James spoke, and followed him to the Tōkagakudō music hall. Asano quickly sliced off another finger and left it near the hall. Asano looked up and chuckled. It was one of his many informants, the head of the Imperial Police. He was a corrupt son of a bitch. But Asano had no recollection of calling him over here. Hell, he had planned to kill him. Shinichirō approached the duo. "Kathleen says to...just follow me. Not a single word." he stated, sharply turning around and walking away. Asano raised a brow as he followed, signaling James to follow suit.

James flinched. He *really* wished his partner would stop slicing off his appendages. Shit. He focused on Shinichirō. The man was of middle age but quite distinguish. He had grey hair and a stare that only those who've seen war possessed. Contrary to what James thought, his attire was quite different from what he would expect from a high ranking official. This man, head of the Imperial House Agency, wore a dark suit and sunglasses which masked his identity to the unaware. Perhaps if this world was one filled with chaos, people would’ve noticed such a high ranking official. But without chaos, the common man could ignore potential damage. They were sheep protected by shepherds. James, alongside his partner, separated from the main group which gathered by the nearby pond.

While trailing the distinguished gentleman, James noticed the strange, alien mark that was imprinted on his neck. He already knew what it meant. It was the same tattoo that appeared on *her* a few days before. Suddenly the sickening sensation returned. He felt his stomach twist and turn. The realization that his life was about to change returned. The noise drowned out. The flowing river. Chirping birds. The sound of grass being stepped on. Silence. *She* stood before him. Beautiful hair and all, it followed her as she spun around in a loving twirl. James's stoic face melted into a gentle smile...until he realized he lovingly stared into an old man's eyes.

"Why're we here?"

Shinichirō pulled out a flash drive tossing it over to Asano. "Information. Patrols, defense systems, map of the inside. That's all you get. Now do your thing..." the man spat at the pair, jogging away, obviously in shame. However, Asano did not care. Asano turned towards James, and tossed him a burner phone. Despite being a burner, it looked much more technologically advanced. Asano pulled out one identical to it, and plugged the flash drive in. After a few seconds, the phone James had been granted buzzed. "I sent you the stuff on the flash. Shinichirō wasn't lying. These are basically everything we need. Why would he give us the information though? I haven't even asked him for it...no matter." Asano said, placing his phone away. "What's the next move?"

"Don't underestimate Izanami." James muttered. "She understands how to pull strings." The next move? That was quite the question indeed. The possibility of successfully infiltrating the Inner Gardens during the day was slim. Guards were on high alert. "Well, you're talking to a former hero here." James joked. The first little snap he offered since meeting this mysterious man. "I doubt we can successfully infiltrate this place yet. I mean we need to analyze this information first."

"What'd you do?"

Asano sighed. "Honestly, basically the same. If I can spread some more planarians in the area, I should be able to collect more information rapidly. It'd probably be more detailed as well. " he responded, pulling out his phone. "I already bugged Shinichirō. He's headed somewhere...follow me. If we're lucky, we can get a way in."

"Um, its broad daylight?! How're we supposed to get inside the inner gardens!" James barked. Who knew villainy was such a task, he almost felt bad for all the bad guys he busted. They surely placed twice as much effort into their crimes. "Not like we can go under."

Asano chuckled. "Actually, we are going under. One of my tunnels goes under the palace. Never thought I'd need to use it like this though..." he muttered, leading James to a somewhat secluded location. He grabbed onto the man, and using his Mole DNA, quickly dug them underground using his feet. Once they were underground, Asano let go of James. "There. We walk forward for a few minutes and we're underneath the actual palace. You have any ideas, or should I continue with my plan?"

## Gathering the Different Thoughts

Meanwhile...
*Delivered Ms. Donald. Please, let my family go.*

The text read. She wore a menacing grin as her eyes narrowed. Men were so expendable. Simple creatures of basic emotions. Science had proven that women experienced a wider array of sensations than their barbaric counterparts. And such, this simplicity made it almost *too* easy to manipulate these poor creatures. Let his family go? So that he would have leverage in case someone **dared** to step against the secretive Izanami. No. For she had promised ages ago to kill a thousand people a day. An extra person wouldn't hurt, no? She checked her watch. The poison he stole when he forced his tongue down her throat should be taking hold.

*You'll see them in a few minutes. XOXO ;\*'*

She replied with a menacing grin. **No Survivors**. The creed upon which she lived. Her phone started to ring, playing a rather gentle tone. The curvaceous beauty, who stood outside the bar in broad daylight, lit a cigarette she had stolen. The number was unidentifiable. But she knew it held importance for only *certain* people possessed access to this phone. She pressed the green button and held it to her ear.

"How's progress, Izanami?" A man spoke in a brutish manner. His accent belonged to the western world. But he spoke with a certain professionalism...One expected from someone of such a high rank. "Izanami?" He repeated after failing to receive a response. "Now's not the time for you-"

"Relax." She barked. Blowing out a puff of smoke. She wasn't a dog who could be beckoned whenever some *man* felt like it. And she made sure her superiors understood that. She pushed her thick hair behind her ear and took another pull. Her crimson eyes looking to the blue skies. "Can't a girl enjoy a smoke. This isn't the most pleasing job."

"Please, you enjoy this type of stuff."

"Hmph," She chuckled. "that only justifies the necessity for a smoke all the more. Anyway, what do you want?"

"Well today's been a slow day in the office. Thought I'd call to check on you and your progress. How's everything going?"

"According to plan, Blondie. But you can't rush me on this - this isn't some little assassination attempt on the milkman." She teased. "Victory will result in a global shockwave. Japan will feel ramifications of that night for generations to come. But first I need to continue to gather my forces."

"Good. Good. I sent over the stuff you requested. Breaking into that old wooden house shouldn't be a problem for your people after they unleash this, Ha!"

"Good boy." She breathed out a cloud of smoke and smiled. "My appointment should be arriving soon. I'll talk to you later." And with a final grin, the deadly enchantress hung up on her benefactor. She returned the phone back into her bra and entered the empty bar, sitting on a stool while sipping a dry martini. *He should be here any second now.*

The door opened as a young man with white hair entered the bar. He took a quick look at Izanami, he walked towards her and took a seat next to her. "Yo, you must be my employer?"

She smirked. A fool to sit so close to a stranger. She immediately stood up and walked behind the bar. "What's your poison stranger?" Her alluring voice was as silky as her black, revealing dress. A piece of clothing which amplified the effect of her cleavage while hugging her waist tightly. "This is something we should drink too."

"I'm afraid I don't know what you mean, Ms. I wouldn't mind a drink, though." He ordered a beer and walked towards Izanami. "So, what do I have to do?"

Izanami laughed and patted the poor man's head. "Calm down sailor." She stroked his cheek lovingly, staring deep into his eyes. Her own eyes inviting him to take her against the wall. "I was offering you a drink but I figure *what's your poison* isn't a Japanese phrase." She poured her guest a large cup of beer and slid it his way. She sat on the bar. "Please sit. I have a few questions. First thing's first, what's your name and trade?"

"Ohhhh, sorry.." He chuckles a bit at his own stupidity. "My names Nikolai Dmitri, and I'm a mercenary. I'm really not that interesting in all honesty." He chugged the cup and coughed a little. "Ughhhh, why did I do that... anyways, I already know who you are. Any more questions before you tell me what my job is?"

"Trust me," Izanami pulled out another cigarette and lit it. She took a pull alongside a deep breath and absorbed the harmful chemicals poisoning her body. It was exhilarating, knowing she brought herself closer to death. She shivered with the release. "you don't know anything about me..." Those words were quite frightening...spoken like a true femme-fatale. "I'm not here to rush. What I'm giving you isn't some simple job but a way of life. You see," She turned her seductive gaze back to Nikolai. "mercenary work isn't like other jobs. You live for the love of money." She retrieved a hundred dollar bill and lit it aflame. The smell of paper engulfed the bar. "But money comes and goes. And its worth is only as much as those snobs say it is. No. If you're going to risk your life for me, you'll need a better reason. Tell me Nikolai, have you ever enjoyed killing?"

Nikolai was a bit shocked by what Izanami said, *"Have you ever enjoyed killing" Well, a few times, but one springs to mind.* Nikolai thought to himself. "Hmm, depends on the person, really. The answer is yes, though. If someone harms kids with what they do, I'll kill them, and enjoy it. Same goes if someone harms my family. I don't enjoy all my kills though." He seemed a bit saddened with his last words, but quickly snaps out of it. "But, what is this 'way of life' you mentioned?"

Izanami sighed. "Such a cliche approach. Always, *I'll do it if they harm the children or do it to someone I love blah blah blah*." She mocked. But even during her playful tease, her silky voice was without flaw. "Before I explain the Way of Life, let me ask you this, what about a child who harms your family? Or what if two members of your family are fighting and one threatens the life of the other? Or perhaps you grow up to find out your father's peculiar hobby." She chuckled. "See, these questions all tie into the definition of this **way of life**. An existence where such oxymoronic limitations don't exist. Kill without reason. Kill with reason. Rob, cheat, jeopardize, do whatever you desire simply because you desire it." Izanami peered deep into Nikolai. "Does this sound natural to you?"

"Damn." Nikolai scratched his head a bit. "Well, in all honesty, I don't know what I'd do." He sighed in embarrassment. "And to answer your question, sorta, yeah."  *"Christ, well it seems like that would be...fun? Just doing whatever you want for the hell of it. Yeah, I can get behind that. But, kill without reason? I'm not sure about that...."*  Nikolai continued to ponder this 'way of life', the bar fell completely silent, Nikolai broke the silence. "I'm interested, just, explain more."  *"God, I sound like a child..."*

Izanami walked seductively to Nikolai, sitting on his lap gracefully. She smelled of a special scent. A unique concoction of made from the special storage of Denzle Montier himself. A small container of that perfume cost more than several years at America's top Ivy League universities. Her soft silky skin pressed against his, her hair's exotic allure entangling Nikolai in an irreversible trap. She spoke in almost a whisper. "I won't be able to explain it. How does one explain the taste of water after dehydration? Or the first hour of sleep after a long day of work? It is something I'll let you experience. This friday, I'm going to pay you to protect me during this mission I've been tasked with. We'll enter the Imperial Household of Tokyo's Chrysanthemum Throne and assassinate the crown prince." She leaned in, her forehead resting against his. "All I ask for is a kiss." Her soft lips were lush. "In my country, it symbolizes a bond which cannot be broken."

Nikolai was visibly nervous, obviously. "Ummm..." Nikolai did what she requested, and panicked immediately. "Sooo, assassinating that failure, aye? Sounds.....fun."

It was a gentle kiss. One given by a cheater, a succubus. Through her lips, a contract was spoken onto Nikolai's soul. Implanted upon his very existence was an unbreakable desire to serve Izanami and protect her existence. She pulled away and looked the poor victim in the eye, tracing her hand lovingly over his face. "Yeah. Fun indeed. You'll be my protection for that mission. I've been watching you, you're powers are quite unique."

## The Slight Ray of Hope

*"Today, the largest Orphanage in Kyoto has caught fire. Firefighters are currently trying to tame the unbelievable blaze while police officers assist in diffusing the situation. We have several heroes, including the famed JetSki and WoodBurner, attempting to evacuate those in danger.*

The sounds of helicopters roaring over the city shook nearby buildings. Sirens. Screams. Cries. Women shouted and men attempted to calm their partners. The hysterical terror of children overwhelmed the powerful explosions erupting from the lower floors. Some said that this was the worst fire in years, attributed to faulty wiring and subpar upkeep. Either way, there were only minutes left before the entire block would erupt in a chaotic flame. But who would save the day?

"The sounds of screams and cries are beyond reach." Like a shooting star, a man soared through the skies at blitzing speeds. But before anyone could see who it was, the figure merged with the sun, forbidding anyone to lay eyes on him.

"Yes! It has to be a H.O.P.E Hero." one spectator yelled, only catching a glimpse of the soaring figure.

"Agreed but who is it. Not all of them are cut out for this kind of job." another responded.

"It's obviously Shooting Star, I mean who else would soar through the sky and use the sun for their entrance.

But as the people waited for their hero to descend, they would all be left with their jaws open as he was already landed and headed towards the scene. After a few seconds, the crowd of people finally gazed downward in astonishment. A single glimpse and they knew "HERCULES!" they chanted in unison. Like a bullet he dashed towards the house. "Put me in touch with the other heroes at the scene." Herculues spat, as if he were talking to someone. Before entering the burning orphanage, his fist banged with the blue ball on his chest. At that moment his suit began to morph.

"Here it is! H.O.P.E's prized jewel and Hercules' search and recovery suit, Morphing Maze!" a fanboy cheered.

Indeed it was. Unlike many previous number one heroes who specialized in combat, Hercules was a search and recovery hero. The suits provided by his hero agency allowed him to be more versatile in various natural disaster. "Flare Mode!" Hercules mumbled, before entering the building. Inside, his suit began to transform into a dark black and orange color. With no hesitation, Hercules ran through the flames, experiencing no repercussions. Using his quirk enhanced speed, he swiftly navigated through the buildings to save the remaining civilians. His suit would help combat the flames for the villains, using his newly acquired wings to block the heat. "Work with the police and move the civilians away from the scene!" Hercules spoke once again, directing the two heroes at the scene.

Within the time-frame of two minutes, all civilians would be removed from the buildings and away from any harm. But the job was not done. The flames were about scatter all over the city. Even with his arsenal of suits, there was not much he could do. "Damn it, I'm have to blow it away." he thought, widening his arms in preparation to unleash a shockwave through a clap. Just as his hands were about to meet, he stopped.

"Bubbles?" one of the civilians questioned.

"I thought I told ya to watch." Hercules giggled, placing his arm down.

The sight was like a dream. Hundreds of bubbles descended from the skies. But these were not regular bubbles. These were bubbles produced by Hercules sidekick and the newest member of the H.O.P.E agency; Pop Pap! "Lesson Number 2: Teamwork makes the dream work, am I right!" Pop Pap responded cheerfully. Each bubble was filled with about a gallon of water. *Pop Pop Pop* the bubbles went, bursting into a sea of water which eventually put the sea of flames to rest.

Reporters and cameramen rushed to the two H.O.P.E agents, but neither went to talk to the press yet as they went to make sure each of the civilians were okay.

A scream broke the rush of civilian worship. A shriek filled with fear and worry,which told the heroes that their work was not finished. "HERCULES!" She cried. Her voice seemingly louder than that natural for girls. But she cried his name, begging her hero to arrive.The source of the tormented pleas was atop the roof. Covered in darkness, a masked figure held a girl by her neck...There, he stood awaiting for him to arrive.

"Pop Pap, stay here and protect the innocent." Hercules spat, without even giving a second thought. Fueling power into his legs, he blasted off into the air. In less than a second time, he landed on the roof top where he saw *him*. "So, it's you..." he said, as if he recognized the evil doer. "No need to fear ma'am this should be over in a moment."