[CHUCK MCCOY]

✧ RIP ✧

I went back to work hella fast. Chuck McCoy’s on paid paternity leave at the janitorial office, is gonna come back part-time in the fall to our piss-stained quarters. But Zombae never had a reason to take off. Needs to keep inventing, producing, leave not a single gap of activity for our enemies to pick up on. I wanna work anyway, couldn’t bear the thought of bein’ hella useless or not providing for my beautiful wife and kids!! It helps that my new headquarters is deep in our woods, carved into the heart of a deep ravine only transversable by a seasoned select few. No cars. A three-day trip, on foot, from here to our house for most people. Meant I had a few good years before me and my girl’s adorable snotlings found a way into my forge without me!!

I had a dummy phone setup that I stole from some scrub just for the ENKI system. Anyone who needed a good crafted could come in person or I’d deliver it; and most of the time I’d hella recommend the latter for them!! There ain’t anythin’ special on the outside to my base - it’s a titanium shed that looks no bigger than a place you could park a singular car, a minimalist gray slate with a bathroom, kitchenette, and small table inside. The real work was underground, with a hidden hatch entrance leading to something that doubled as both bunker and shop and storage space. I’m outside now in my Villain fit, opera mask and bulletproof vest bending under my arm ramming down on heated steel, obsidian sparks refracted in my Villain whip parked haphazardly to the side.

Then, suddenly -

“■■■■TTY ■■■■ MOTHER■■■■!!!”

I missed!!

Almost lobbed my hand off! I howl like hell, extra arms coming over over my hit one to try to bite back the pain!! “DAMN YOU!!” I yell at the hammer, mask eye holes narrowing even tho it was an inanimate object!! Hopefully my oncoming guest wouldn’t see all that!

tag: Rui Matsui

[Rui Matsui]

Her knife simply couldn't cut it anymore.

In her bid to take over Japan and by extension the rest of the world, Rui had realized after suffering countless losses to heroes, vigilantes and other villains that she needed to upgrade. Train to fight? She was gonna start soon, but like it didn't have to be today. However, what she did want to do today was put in a commission for her new weapon. After all, how could she take over Japan without a sweet custom weapon by her side? The only problem was that the guy's shop was setup all the way out in the forest, something which she hated.

It almost felt like fate was punishing her as she swatted away bugs while she walked and used her basic knife to cut down any tall plants in her way. At a glance she might not look like a villain, given that she didn't even try to hide her identity. Rui Matsui was the villain Mummy and this was common knowledge to the authorities, so why hide her face? Instead she probably resembled a lost city girl more than anything, having decided to wear shorts, a plain black shirt and a blue jacket with stickers on it, as well as a cap with holes for her horns in it.

When she heard someone howl in pain she couldn't help but grin. Did Zombae have a torture place too? Maybe that was why he situated himself all the way out here, so that he could work uninterrupted. If that was the case she suddenly found herself liking him more before she had even met him. What she didn't know yet was that he was on a path fated to become an enemy of Daiki Kaneko, her ex-boyfriend who she also hated.

''Did someone scream?'' The small villain emerged from the brush, putting her small knife away as her eyes landed on Zombae. ''I'm looking for my Zombae bestie, they say he makes the best weapons in the business.'' Best weapons outside of the heroes association anyway, but she wasn't about to give the heroes any credit for anything. She looked down at his hands. ''Are you hurt? Maybe I can help you out.'' Sadistic grin on her face as she approached and unraveled the skin on one of her forearms like bandages. Unbeknownst to her he had a pretty insane healing factor too.

CHUCK MCCOY

[CHUCK MCCOY]

✧ RIP ✧

I ain’t have my wife’s reflexes. She prolly could sensed the big bad Villain approaching from a kilometer away! But I ain’t exactly blue ‘round the ears, either. Wait, shit, I am!!

When the bushes rustle, my injured hand sweeps across the hammer, ‘bout to bear it towards whoever came through. I ain’t lift it, but I was ready. What I wasn’t ready for was a high, chipper voice, horns jutting upwards from a city cap. City jacket with cute stickers, no mask?! My hand relaxes as my voice raises. “Y-you? You’re the Twilight Witch Doctor, the nefarious and hella bigly acclaimed MUMMY?? How old are you?” I walk towards her as she comes closer, her words spinning around all funny in my head as my tiny brain tries to make sense of the cutesy sprite before me. Dad mode was activating hella fast!! “Look at your legs! Why would you come to the forest wearing SHORTS?! Do you need rash medicine? Shit, I woulda drove out to you if I knew!!”

Bestie? I blink. Between her sadistic grin, just as cutting and visceral as Bakuretsu’s, and the small knife that coulda cored me just the same, anyone would know she was the real deal. An eyebrow perks under my opera mask as her skin unravels. For some reason, I ain’t know why, I gently lifted my hand towards her. “Sure, but if I help you, you let me get you home!! It’ll be dangerous in these woods at night!” I was speaking to a seasoned killer, a treacherous person who’d broken out of jail countless times. But I couldn’t help but baby her!! Even if it was a mistake that’d cost me my life! Just what a dad does!! “Whatcha want me to make you, bestie?”

tag: Rui Matsui

[Rui Matsui]

''Yeah that's me!'' She grinned, but then her eyes lit up as she pointed a finger at Chuck excitedly. ''You've heard of me!!'' It wasn't easy being an up and coming villain. Every now and then people might know her name, but other times they treated her like she wasn't even trying to became super infamous! ''Old enough to buy weapons!'' She looked down at her legs as he pointed them out. ''It's too hot to wear pants! And they just heal anyway.'' Oh right, not everyone just passively heals all the time.

When he reached a hand out she wrapped her bandage skin around it, channeling her regenerative powers through him instead of her own body. ''Really? Are you gonna fight something? Can I watch? I've never seen a fight in the forest at night!'' She got all excited at the thought of watching a veteran villain in action. When would she ever get an opportunity to watch someone as notorious as Zombae? ''How's that? Do you have any injuries or muscle aches, bestie?'' She let go and let her bandage wrap back around her forearm, covering her skeleton interior. ''You probably did, maybe! I'm kind of like a super amazing healer, it's no big deal tho!!'' She shrugged, feeling all smug about her amazing powers, still not aware of how similar his powers were. She smiled back up at him as she rummaged through her bag and took out a drawing. On it was a crudely made sketch of a sword that looked more like a long stick, with the word tanto written under it in a perfectly legible handwriting that wasn't Rui's. Above that at the top of the drawing was the title she had given her soon-to-be weapon. ''Just a little something called, The McStabber! It stabs, it cuts! With this I can murderize even harder!!'' She held the drawing up, looking at Chuck expectantly.

CHUCK MCCOY

[CHUCK MCCOY]

✧ RIP ✧

“Mhm! I’ve heard of you plenty, bestie!! Kicking ass out there! Showing the pigs who’s boss!” I almost had the urge to clap my giant ass hands!! Iunno why, it was just cutesy how she pointed! Even saying bestie was fun, like I was playing pretend with her and we both ain’t real time murderers. What was next? Tea time before she chopped off all the Barbie heads? “Old enough? Oi oi oi…” I sigh, then laugh hella dramatically!!

“Ya, you can watch. Quirked-up animals get aggressive deeper in these woods sometimes, like those hella wild Bay creatures but on land!” I bare my teeth at her, making my free arm into a claw to try to faux-scare her. What came next blew my mind away. I flex my hand, bulging muscles popping over the skin with fierce vim. Her healing flows through me like an electric conduit from each bandage, riveting wild down my sinews. I grin. Marvel over her inner skeleton, wonder what it was like to live in her skin (or lack thereof!!). “Oh! That’s hella good, bestie!! Better than it’s ever been, you’re a genius! A hella super amazing healer!” I echo her, genuine awe alight over my face, like I was praising my own daughter. Then my lifeless eyes shoot up to her own. “Jo-chan, listen. You got damn good regeneration. Ain’t a doubt ‘bout it, better than mine right now and prolly better than mine will ever be. But listen.” I curl my fist. “You can’t just rely on your quirk only, okay? You never know when these damn popozoids will send out the mythical anti-quirk drug or gear. You ain’t wanna get caught up in their shit and suddenly not be able to heal-”

Why -

“- so think about covering up with a thin layer of armor, anythin’, hella anythin’ as a backup!! Your quirk’s a precious one, and that’ll make you fall all the harder if these assholes ever find a way to mine it out from under you. Don’t let ‘em cut you!”

Am I lecturing her?

I blink. “Also, thank you very much.” Wide milky white eyes under the mask take in her drawing and it was a good thing they were covered, cause my mind just about melted looking at her sketch!! How fucking adorable it was!! “Hella nice!! Did you do that all by yourself?” I fawned, “look at that texture! Perfect shape of this tanto!” I ain’t miss the legible handwriting under it. I smile. Good, she must have someone watching over her. Then look back at her. “Ah, ah! The McStabber! Max murderization here you go!!” I hold out my hand, fingertips splayed. “Show me your hand, bestie jo-chan. I’ll make it custom to your grip.” If she would, I’d use my knife to cut two lines in my hand where the length of hers was for measurement. Then grin again. “You wanna snack, jo-chan? There’s cookies and juice in the shed over there.” I gesture to it, making my way to the smithy stone.

tag: Rui Matsui

[Rui Matsui]

''That's right! That's me!'' She smiled proudly, raising her head as she put her hands on her hips. She didn't know what exactly he had heard, but she was never going to turn down praise, especially not from a fellow villain. ''Yeah!! I'm nineteen that means I can do what I want!'' She grinned wildly, even more so when he gave her permission to watch him fight stuff! ''Really? I wanna see! Maybe I should fight them too!'' Him baring his teeth and bringing up the claw hand probably didn't have the intended effect as she burst out laughing.

''Right?!'' More praise? Had she found the perfect bestie?? ''That's why I wanna show everyone! The most super amazing healing powers!!'' She was used to people being impressed with her powers, but no one reacted with quite as much excitement as Zombae had. ''Really?'' She blinked her eyes at him, still staring back at his mask. ''Wait, you can heal too bestie?'' She was half-tempted to ask him to chop his hand off, but what he was saying seemed more important. ''Armor? But if I take hits I already heal it all away.'' She didn't fully get it, but was he giving her advice on how to be safe? ''You're right I won't let 'em, bestie! I'm the one that does the cutting!'' She nodded aggressively.

''All me! I drew it myself! I don't know how to make weapons but I can draw them no problem with my super amazing drawing skills!'' At this rate he was on a fast track to becoming top 1 bestie, giving her the star treatment unlike her brother Sho. ''Yeah! It McStabs and it McCuts!'' She mimed the swings with her hand, as if she was carrying an invisible blade. ''My hand? Sure. I don't know what that means, but you're the boss Zombestie!'' She gave him her red hand. When he cut lines in his hand she watched on in awe, a quiet ''oooo!'' of excitement escaping her. ''Snacks? You read my mind, bestie! Do you have any booze, juice is totes fine too!'' Top tier service from her Zombestie. If he had an online shopping page she would be spamming it with glowing 5 star reviews by the end of this. Looking to where he was pointing she took off, running towards the shed to seize victory against delicious snacks.

CHUCK MCCOY

[CHUCK MCCOY]

✧ RIP ✧

I cackle as she puts her hands on her hips, the smile over my face slipping for a fraction of a second when she says her age. Nineteen. Just a year older than I was when I got caught up in all my shit. I bit back the thought of encouraging her to get the hell outta all of this while she still could, chewed it up and spit it out soon as it came. ‘Cause who the hell was I to say somethin’? “Ah, whatever you want!! Hell yeah!” I hold out a fist for her to bump if she wanted, a crooked grin across my face. Then I laugh again when she does too, lowering my faux claw. She was too old to be scared by all that. But maybe not old enough for her life to be scarred forever by Villainy. Stop, I tell myself, eyebrows furrowing a beat before looking back at her. “You wanna? Bet I can beat their asses before you even cross the distance to ‘em!”

Would I praise my own kids like this? Would our ZuZu’s regen be better than mine, too? I hoped to the God I ain’t believe in that it was the case. I grinned up at her, oh-hoho!!’ing and clapping my giant hands!! “Super BIGLY amazing healing powers!! That’s a helluva quirk, the kind that comes ‘round every few generations, jo-chan!! You’ll show everyone with it!” I nod at her when she asks if I can heal too. “Mhm,” I grunt, “and if I heal hella fast I can accumulate more mass like this.” An extra pair of arms burst out from my shoulder blades, one fist lodged under my chin while the other lay flush across my waist. My guard was hella down. I’d never been this forthcoming with someone I ain’t ever met ‘sides my girl, ‘specially not another Villain!! Why’d I trust her like that? All four hands curl into triumphant fists at what she says, approval evident over my smirk. “Yosh!! That’s the spirit, jo-chan bestie! Cut cut cut, and live to cut another day!! Cut into the ozone and take your soul, cut it into the earth! Don’t give ‘em any angle to get ya!”

I hid the visible part of my face with my hand, pretending to cry. “This may be the BEST drawing I’ve ever seen!! Master-Miura reincarnated!!” Then I stood in awe as she swung around her hand, not bothering to bite back the biggest smiles. I was so goddamn excited for my kids to get her size!! Terrified at the same time! “Hella carnage!” I swung, grinning when she called me Zombestie. It was cute, cute cute!! I was amazed she could stand still as I took measurements, balking at what she proposed next!! “B-booze?!” I was a helluva hypocrite, doing the exact same things at her age and younger!! “I ain’t got that! We Villains gotta get strong by drinking our MILK! And JUICE!” Water was the real adult beverage and I refuse to drink it!! While she ran off to the shed, I started up the forge, igniting a fire under it, tossing in woods chunks and getting a unique mold of her tanto’s hilt before my hand could fully regenerate. I ain’t long before the stone reached 1,370 C and the time before that would be spent grinding out the mold for the hilt! My hands went to work, happy, all four of them humming away on the hot rock.

tag: Rui Matsui

[Rui Matsui]

''Yeah!!'' She replied, happily punching his fist at full force, which he probably barely felt both due to her noodle arms and her quirk making her physically unable to hurt people. ''You're that strong? I wanna see that!'' Zombae probably lived up to his name and then some! A super cool and awesome powerful villain and she was going to watch him fight stuff. Who knew, maybe they could partner up for an actual job one day too! She was getting way ahead of herself, but she couldn't help it. Becoming a notorious villain was all she wanted except for world domination and it was starting to look like Zombae might be able to help her with that goal.

''Isn't it? I keep saying that too, but no one believes me until I heal them!'' It had been frustratingly difficult for her to communicate, especially because a lot of people didn't take kindly to her form of communicating. Namely, stabbing without saying a word, but then healing them after. With those who were faster than her she had to try the 'trust me bestie!!' approach, but no one ever listened to her. Zombae listened! He was different than other people in the best way possible, since he praised her, liked her idea and even offered her snacks. ''Woah!'' She gasped when he grew his extra set of arms, giving them a trying poke with her finger. ''You heal, but you still bleed too? You can kill so many more people with those extra hands!'' She wasn't too familiar with other healing powers, especially not the regenerative kind, those weren't all too common among villains. To think that someone could bleed like normal, but also heal it all back was so alien and new to her since she had never experienced what having blood or bleeding was like. Upon seeing him curl his hands into fists, she did the same with one of hers and jumped on the spot to try and bump them all one by one. ''Yeah, yeah, Zombestie! Cut all the things!!''

''It is? It is! And it's all by me! I haven't even gone to drawing school or nothing!'' She had no clue who Master-Miura was, but with a title like master it was surely a big, huge compliment from her bestie. ''Yeah, booze! Alcohol! I can drink anything I'm not picky.'' She looked around, as if she was hoping to spot a magical box of sake manifest by the bushes. ''Milk and juice?'' She furrowed her brow, giving him a skeptical look. ''Is that true?'' She had never seen any strong villains drinking milk and juice, but maybe they did it in secrecy, or only pretended to enjoy alcohol! Sho probably downed a gallon of milk before every mission. ''So that's the secret! I'll have it until I get sick! Should I try mixing them?'' Juice and milk all in one glass? Only the most unhinged criminal would!!

While he started doing his smithy work she focused on enjoying her refreshing drink, looking down at the hand he had measured as she thought about holding her soon-to-be new weapon. With a fancy custom-made weapon would she be strong enough to take revenge on all those who had wronged her? It was a good first step, but she needed to train too. Lots and lots of training, milk and juice.

''That looks hot.'' She would comment, sneaking back towards the forge to watch him work with her glass in hand. ''Why do you make weapons, bestie?''

CHUCK MCCOY