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CHAPTER START---
Stepping out of the purple Warp Gate, Star and Stripe is greeted by a comfortable lounge area.
She looks around as it closes, seeing the comfortable living place deserted.
'Is this the right place?' She wonders. 'Maybe Phantom Thief got it wrong.'
She walks over to a large window, looks at the warehouse area below, and is confused.
Walking down there, she sees a man standing over a massive fuel tanker.
Tattoos on his arms as he holds a glowing blue sphere between his hands, pouring Panacea into the top of the structure."Not what you expected?" Law asks.
She walks closer, gaze stuck on him. "You said you couldn't take off the body glove," she gestures to his casual clothes. "This isn't something I thought possible."
"You believe everything people say?"
"I believe my friends."
"Still getting used to those," He says. "But I figured since you trust me, I should trust you too. Especially since we'll be seeing each other more often when I move to America."
"I see." She walks over to where he is above the tanker and leans against the railing. Arms crossed, staring at him. "So, are you anyone important, or just some random person?"
"Law Matani."
She raises a brow at that.
"Billionaire, investor, key pillar of Japan, that kind of thing."
"So, very important," she says.
"How was your day with All Might?" He asks. "Did you make him sign every poster you own?"
"Pshh, no…just a few."
"I'm more curious about this place. What is it?"
"One of the many, many, Panace storage facilities in Japan. Or more accurately, hidden in the little islands around Japan's mainland. Can't risk a villain accidentally spilling it onto the streets during a fight."
"Japan still has villains?"
"Not since someone got a bit more hands-on with them. Setting an example certainly helps."
A moment later, he's done filling this massive container. Five Olympic swimming pools of Panacea were ready for shipping.
"Sheesh," she looks over the edge as the tanker seals itself and he stops using his Awakening. "You long? Does it take you to fill one of those?"
"About an hour, give or take how I'm feeling."
"And how are you feeling?"
"Like I have more work to do."
They both appear back in the lounge as Law stands at the window, overlooking the private beach on this little island.
"Still annoying." Star walks over to the kitchen and gets herself a drink.
"You'll get used to it," he says while making a call. "The next shipment is ready. Warp this tanker away and send me another one.'"
Star listens to him chatting with Phantom Thief while idly sipping her soda. Contemplating everything she wants to talk to him about. About how much has changed in this past year.
About how much her life has evolved since letting go of the past.
Mostly ignoring her, Law shakes his head at what he's hearing. "Just send it. I'll handle the rest."
He hangs up and begins sending some messages.
"Speaking of rest–"
"Not in the mood for another one of these talks," He cuts her off.
"You've been awake for 5 days. Mudman sent me a message. Said we'll be attacking soon. We need you at your best."
"I am enough."
She sighs. "You're certainly annoying enough."
"Did you just want to come here, to give me the same lecture I've been getting all week? The world is in crisis, scared of the next attack. It's our job to protect and secure it. I'll sleep when the job is done. Until then, I have work to do."
"That's not why I wanted to see you today. Not even close."
"Good, because I'm not in the mood."
She stares at his back, and sees him still typing by the window, all but ignoring her.
And takes a cautious step forward.
"I wanted to talk to you about this exact problem."
"What might that be?"
"The work consuming us, mostly you."
"Ugh."
"You've still got time. Unlimited time, really. Is there anything you missed out on because of this life?"
Law stops and thinks about it for a moment. "No, I do everything I want, when I want. Perks of being Horizon."
She frowns, jealousy building in her. "I missed out on decades because I was so scared to be vulnerable. To leave this form. To let anyone in. And now I feel like I'm trying to make up for lost time…"
She deactivates her Quirk, allowing her body to shift back into its natural state. No longer the 6ft4 -193cm- tall monolith of muscle and strength.
But to the petite and fragile Cathleen Bates, barely a hair over 5ft -150cm-.
So small that Star and Stripe's Hero Costume falls off her frame and pools are her feet.
Leaving her naked in the open air.
Law senses this and tenses. "What are you doing?"
"Asking my friend to help me. To teach me how to do this, something I missed out on because of how scared I was. Because I couldn't trust anyone enough to be vulnerable with them."
"I'm still getting used to this, having friends," he says.
"Then we're both learning new things, so let's help each other…"
---1 Hour Later…
Cathleen feels a pleasurable soreness in her body as she rolls over.
Opening her eyes to the dimly lit room and becoming embarrassingly aware of her naked state.
She jolts awake fully and sits up in bed, clutching the blanket to her chest.
She then frowns, seeing Law already back to work, sitting at his desk nearby and reading a few documents.
"Had a good nap?" He asks.
"I know better than to give you a compliment, especially on this."
Law chuckles.
"Should I feel insulted that you didn't even pretend to fall asleep?"
He shrugs. "There is work to do."
"There will always be work to do."
"Then I'll always be busy, but I can make time for you."
She smiles. "Thank you."
Before Law can respond, his phone rings, as does hers.
"See, the work never ends," he says while responding to Juzo, confirming a Warp Gate from their current location.
She finches as he warps her oversized Hero Costume onto her.
"Time to go to work…"
Moments later they both step out of a purple Warp Gate, into the United Nations Response Force meeting room.
Mudman is standing at the front, a large map on the wall behind him. And glances at both of them, noticing that Star subconsciously avoids eye contact with everyone.
And it doesn't take an expert detective, as he is, to figure out what happened before they walked out of the same Warp Gate.
But with the fifty Pro Heroes of his new division.
Which includes Phantom Thief, Cellophane, Tsukuyomi, Simon, Deku, and Katsuki Bakugo aka Ground Zero.
With help from their two Mystery Class reserve members, they're now ready to end this Trigger crisis.
"Good, now we can get this over with," Mudman says. "Our scouts found the enemy base. Now we need to move in and capture them before they launch any more attacks."
They nod, ready to end this crisis as Mudman continues.
"We tracked the money and resources back to Humarise. Their headquarters is the capital of Otheon. Now we need to—" Mudman stops as alarms blare around them.
He taps the side of his visor, getting an update from his communication team while turning around to see the map.
"Change of plans," he sees thirty red dots appear on the global map. "The atmospheric sensors in thirty cities just went live for Trigger. They must have seen our scouts."
"What's the plan?" Horizon asks.
Mudman briefly checked the map before addressing his team.
"We stick to the plan," he says. "Phantom Thief, send everyone to Otheon. We need to capture them and disable whatever they have planned immediately. Star and Stripe will act as Field Team Leader while I stay here. Horizon, stay behind to deal with the other cities."
Phantom Thief creates a shroud of purple mist and envelops everyone with it, sending them to the other side of the world.
Leaving only Mudman, Horizon, himself, and their support staff in the room.
"Can you handle this?" Mudman asks Horizon.
"It won't be pleasant. And don't tell them, but…I kind of regret not taking a nap right about now."
"I'll save the 'I told you so', for later," Mudman says as he turns back to the map.
Behind him, Phantom Thief creates a Warp Gate and shrouds them both in it, taking them to the first of thirty cities that Horizon must protect from Trigger.
END CHAPTER---