Chapter 64: Mall
The group of Roman high students walk into the mall all wearing Uniform and bands.
Kai and Rex aren't particularly here for anything since they already have everything on the list.
Saito isn't sure if he should get all the items on the list.
Akali and Chinami are already going to the I-tech shop for water proof electric gear.
"What about this? It says it's a waterproof laptop bag." Akali holds up a no name brand bag.
Chinami feels the material inside and out "Nope, it is heavy enough as it is without the laptop and gear, what about when I have all my things in there? We'll come for it as a last resort if we can't find anything."
A shop keeper watches their every move hoping to get a glimpse of their colour bands with the colour band chart right behind him.
Saito walks into the shop to look around unlike Chinami and Akali who are allergic to the cold he's in a simple oversized shirt with black ripped jeans his leather back scotch printed sleeves jacket is tied around his waist.
The male cocks a brow as he sees the colour of his band it's the first time he sees a Super so out in the open with their band, but he can tell the student has bigger fish to fry.
Saito looks like his brain is about to melt from the confusion.
"Hi there, how may I help you?" One of the store employees keeps a distance from Saito who turns to the short female in relief.
"We're going camping and I've never camped before I hate sleeping on the floor and I am too heavy for the pump beds. I also don't want a power bank with unreliable battery life and I am clueless about what else to get."
She takes the list and takes Saito to a scale to measure his weight it's pretty obvious he's 5 foot 8 she can already tell by experience working here she's shocked when his weight is above 200.
Saito is a healthy looking male ripped but lean it's not something he shows off especially during the months when he was upset for losing Yuno's child.
He kept himself busy with training just like the others as well as the military work he and Rex get into at the Edu-centre. He's come a long way in building up muscle.
"Uhm, what is your ability?"
Saito shows her his scales and the band on his right arm mystifies into a black colour the teller turns around staring at the chart from the bottom left corner which is the lowest rank starting with the colour green.
He stops half way going to the other side and finds the colour black right below the colour white both colours are S-ranked it's just that one is destructive while the other is ranked in the negatives at how destructive it is mostly reserved for healing types.
"Dragon scales that are indestructible."
The female nods Saito is very cooperative as they move along testing his strength.
"I'm strong that's not necessary are we deciding how heavy my travel bag should be?"
The female asks him to carry a thick ball of massive weight, "No, this is for the gears sake not for you, if you're too heavy whatever you buy will be for one time use.
"The heavier you are the heavier your gear so, yes we need to know that you can carry your own Ultra Padded sleeping back that is a lot heavier than it looks."
She points to a nicely printed square box with a pump bed that has special pads inside that thicken and harden when they come in contact with air, "It's uncomfortable sleeping on this yes, but it won't pop in your sleep and it deflates at a slow rate, but it's the best option for you."
Saito takes the box moving on to the next thing.
"These are the blankets that match with the bed so it's less rigid and uncomfortable."
Saito shakes his head, "I don't need those, I'll be fine."
Kai and Rex walk into the shop as they see Saito getting into a tent and spreading his wings.
"Not enough room."
Rex stands next to Saito while Kai is more interested in the hoverboards behind everyone.
"Woah, Ake doesn't mess around he's already got all this crazy cool stuff out there, excuse me can we test out the merch?" Kai points at the hoverboard.
Rex already has the one he likes in hand. "I'll take a second one just in case I wrack the first one."
Saito gives Rex the black one, "You take one that matches your colour band that's how they were designed since they don't have blue you take the one closest to your colour which is black."
Rex nods putting back the one he has in hand.
Tiyo walks out from the shooting gallery with a hunting rifle.
"I'm sorry, you're not old enough to buy that."
Tiyo turns his head looking himself over, "Whaat? Oh, come on I swear I'm older than I look. I really like this gun such a unique design and very illegal."
Tiyo casually puts it back where he found it going into the back where there is an elevator to a secret floor full off weapons that Kai designed and they do not have the Ake family crest on them. "The police are already on their way, good luck explaining that."
Saito stands in front of the woman, "Excuse me, can you help me out first before you get arrested I still need a bigger tent."
Tiyo throws him the compacted box. "That's also another one of Kai's designs it will unfold into a pretty big tent something he saw on a 2000s movie, spy kids? Was it? He still went crazy after watching it and that happened."
Kai holds up the laser glove he designed, "How the hell did they get access to this? They were in my room at the Palace."
"Your room was included in one of the ones on the maintenance list the clean up company is the one we're holding accountable it's what I've been working on at the centre. The designs are already out there and you know what Tachibana and Ake will say when they find out."
Kai rests his palms on his cheeks, "Forget them my uncle Izumi will have my head for sure. I didn't say anything about these because they aren't complete yet these are just going to fall apart when you're done using them."
Rex flicks Kai's forehead, "You idiot, that's exactly how you make money and clearly someone has been making money if they have a secret section in a public mall ..."
Saito looks up sensing something wrong. "We left Chinami and Akali up there and we're down here let's go." Saito forcefully opens the elevator door with help from Rex.
The female looks up at Akali and Chinami hi-fiving after finding the perfect laptop bag at a reasonable price.
"Not yet, the dragon has built in instincts to protect touch any of them and we have a problem." The female shows him the footage from the underground room.
"We have a problem already Shadow where the hell are they?"
They look up at Chinami and Akali slowly approaching while Rex and Saito work on opening the second door after Kai used one of his guns to bore a whole into the bottom of the elevator.
"Saito what's going on out there?"
Tiyo touches the door with his finger and the door opens all on its own, "Well done, you did it guys let's hurry up now."
Akali and Chinami freeze in their tracks when a water wall is up separating them from the cashier.
"Kai? What the hell dude we finally have the perfect bag." Akali nods in agreement.
Saito growls at the both of them to step back. "Put it down we're leaving you'll find it at another shop."
Akali drops the laptop charger she was going to buy while Chinami throws what he has in their faces, "You guys ruin all my fun." The two of them leave going to another shop.
Shadow turns to Saito weary of his next move.
The people in the mall are surprised when the military police march in as an entire unit surrounding the store from every angle. The special abilities force space jump the students out of the building surprising the group.
"Woah, I didn't know we have space jumpers in Japan pretty lit huh!" Rex exclaims walking away holding the two boards he wanted, "Hey Chinami, are any of these bugged?"
Chinami analyses the boards before shaking his head, "Clear as crystal, how come you get to walk away with what you want?" Chinami raises his hands calling for the Military police, "You forgot another item from the shop. Two in fact."
Akali takes the boards handing them over glaring at Rex who's taking deep breaths trying to stay calm.
"How do you people commit such brave acts of stupidity when you know your friend is a literal IED." Dasai comments walking past Saito and Kai holding back Rex.
"He's an IED with a pretty long fuse than." Chinami comments casually pointing at Rex who looks like a rabid animal clawing at something he can't reach.
"Bruh, who the hell do you think you are to enlist titles on us anyway? So what if he's an IED we don't care he's our favourite IED one we love to hate and hate to love." Akali adds turning to Rex
"Besides he'd never hurt us we're his friends, you on the other hand might want to run and hide."
Dasai uses his ability to push the whole group back staring at the vermin that dares speak so casually with him. "Watch yourselves Palace brats I'm a different breed of Super you do not want to trifle with."
Tiyo groans kicking Saito off of him, "You know what? I think I'm starting to hate that guy."
Kai stands up helping Akali and Chinami up, "Join the club, he's the one person I know capable of making enemies out of the air itself."
Rex helps Tiyo up accidentally adding pressure to the ground forming a crack from his foot to the support pillar next to the donut shop.
"Keep your cool Kazama he's not worth it, remember?" Kai follows Chinami to the waiting area not in the mood for shopping anymore.
Akali joins the group after bringing milkshakes all of them sitting by the stairs facing the parking lot.
A group of girls from a high school nearby walk past the group they look like delinquents without trying.
Rex glaring at no one in particular. Saito leaning back sitting next to Tiyo doubting one milkshake will be enough with the amount of time they have left.
Kai is quietly thinking trying to figure out how his plans got stolen there is no way it could've been done from the inside and they even got some of the plans mixed up unless that was their intention right from the start, but that's highly unlikely.
Chinami pulls up a blueprint scanner drone he stole from the shop, "We have a big problem, I stole this and I've been reading about it in the dark web.
"Someone is using these drones to snatch blueprints from big tech companies and sell them to anyone willing to buy in the black market and that's not even the gist of things. We have an even bigger problem."
The group turns to Chinami going over the files on sale on the dark web. "There's a brand-new Super drug on the market that doesn't have side effects this is the entire client list the person has." Chinami shows them a list of up to 200 names.
"What does this mean?"
Chinami shrugs his shoulders, "Apparently they linked Ryujin's company to the Super drug doesn't say anymore than that."
"Look at the colour of their bands it's true Roman high students are here today."
Medley and Rou stare at the group wondering where they'll run off too any moment.
"If you're going to bend over like that how about you try wearing skirts your own size." Dasai comments glaring at Rou and Medley who glare back.
"Go to hell Yanagi." They turn back to the group and they see the girls from earlier approached them.
Kai pecks Akali's cheek smiling she looks away locking eyes with Rogue who was looking in their direction.
Roku walks past him and they walk together to the car.
"Your little friends are over there."
Roku turns his head and ignores the group, "Let's go you said you know something about the Exorcists in town they have their own problems to worry about.
"I just want to give them valid information about the Exorcists before the camp especially the ranking of the ones they brought in and we can be sure reinforcements are on the way."
Rouge gets in the car looking back at Akali who's still staring
Kai turns his head looking towards the direction she's looking, "He was with Roku just now, do you know who he is?"
Rex shakes his head, "If he's a new edition we haven't met him yet, but if he's with Roku he's with us right? Unless Roku is with the adult Palace team now?"
Chinami pulls out a facial recognition search. "Rouge Charles, he's from the Vatican where Roku grew up, it may just be a friendly visit from an old friend."
Rex shakes his head, "I don't like him already."
Tiyo asks one of the girls to get him a milkshake since he just finished his.
"We can all go together we were about to grab a bite to eat inside, are you interested in joining us?"
Kai turns to Akali and she looks up to see that all the boys are looking at her for an answer.
"Sure, let's go."
Kai helps her up accidentally bumping into one of the girls from the highschool he makes a water wave circling her from behind pushing her up into his chest before she could fall back and hit the ground he sighs in relief hugging her.
"I'm so sorry." Kai takes off his jacket wrapping it around her she's wet on the back.
"Hey Akali you wouldn't mind taking her to get a change of clothes would you? We'll wait at the restaurant," He turns back to the girl taking a step back, "Are you sure you're okay? I'll get Cebba to check her up, I'm so sorry I wasn't watching my back I should've noticed."
She shakes her head, "I'm fine despite being soaked."
Akali takes Kai's card that he offered to the girl, "Let's go." Akali walks on ahead walking into the first shop she finds sitting down waiting for her to get a change of clothes and they leave.
The girl picks out a dress and matching shoes grabbing a small bag for her wet clothes.
Akali pays taking her to the ground floor laundry walking to the washing machine taking the girls clothes, "We'll come back for them later my sister we'll keep them in your bag for you."
Akali leaves the bag with her sister before walking back to the elevator.
"Your boyfriend is very generous, thank you he didn't need to do all this I assure you his jacket was enough of a cover up."
Akali nods in agreement, "He's not that kind of guy he wasn't raised like that and he's not my boyfriend we're just friends."
They join the others and Akali holds on to Kai's card.
"Thank you, this was not really necessary, but your kindness is highly appreciated."
Kai nods, "Are you sure you're not hurt? The force of the wave was a bit too much I really panicked I could've broken something you know."
Cebba sits next to the girl holding her hand while the other rests on her back.
"Geez Kai I thought you said you could control your annoying ability stop lying about your colour code and maybe you'll be careful from now on." Cebba scolds Kai healing the girl.
Her spine was lightly shaken it's nothing serious, but it puts her in danger of getting paralysed if she badly injures her back ever in her life that would be it for her. The problem is that she didn't feel anything which is worse.
"There, fix his band Chinami it's not fair for you to decide what rank you are."
Chinami sighs fixing their bands the only person who was honest about his rank is Saito. Tiyo didn't know they changed his band colour. Rex doesn't need to change his colour band it is a unique shade of blue if he changed it he would get caught.
Kai hides his black band Chinami pulls down his sleeves Akali does the same though hers is not black it's not white either it is bright red which is just as bad as black in people's eyes.
Cebba stands up looking back at them.
"Is it really something you have to hide?"
Rex nods, "Red to black bands are more of a murder me sign out there, it also means we have control issues if we can control our abilities our bands will have white dots or like Saito they'll be a neutral colour and turn black when we actually use them we unfortunately don't."
Chinami hides his face, "My ability is just a curse there's no record of an S-rank hacker in Japan and with my band if things start getting sketchy on the web I'll be the first suspect.
"People are not comfortable around us and we don't blame them these bands don't restrict our power they just label us as dangerous it sucks."
Kai slowly turns his head his blue eyes staring at the girl next to him. "I'm sorry, you guys probably want to run and hide I won't blame you."
Cebba sighs, "I'm such a total dick I had no idea they were all black bands I assumed they were B rank or the equivalent I didn't realise they were S ranked and those girls are probably scared shitless."
Nezukou shakes her head. "Tiyo seems to be sweetening things out with his damn sexy smile I don't get why he had to hang with the trouble makers he so is my type."
Tiyo looks at his band it's Purple the same colour as Roku's meaning his ability is undetectable they don't have an egg, but they have something in them that gives them their ability.
"What are you exactly? If you're not like Roku?"
Tiyo shrugs his shoulders, "I bet you all exorcists have purple bands but I guess you hiding my band means it's bad to have a purple band."
The female next to Kai cock a brow, "Exorcists?"
Tiyo nods he pulls out a Katana from out of nowhere, "I'm a demon slayer I do not have an egg I got training at the Vatican. The source of my power is a blue flower called hell flower
"It grants us special power and through training that takes three years you will find your type of slayer ability and you will be given a weapon.
"After the three year period you can go off on your own or stay I was born there so I trained for more than three years, but I came here after and well lived here at the orphanage pretty close to Roman high."
Saito snorts at the look on the girls' face, "Tiyo if Setsuno was here you'd have earned yourself a good knock out."
Rex pats the top of his head he can actually feel Setsuno's fist crashing down on the top of his head he always feels like he cracked his skull and repaired it in an instant.
"Who's Setsuno?"
Akali smiles taking her phone out showing them a picture of Setsuno, "He's the hottest thing since the Australian forest fires, isn't he a total hunk? We gym together and let me tell you it's so worth the sweat."
Kai glares at Akali's phone drilling a hole through it unintentionally.
Akali turns to him with shock in her eyes. "Kai."
Rex nudges him and he takes his eyes off Akali and turns around people's drinks were rising.
"What?" he doesn't see anything wrong.
Dasai turns to the group as a bunch of drunk guys who were sitting next to Dasai's table stalk over to Kai and his friends.
"Scatter." Chinami stands and Rex pulls him back down he's not leaving before dessert.
"Rex don't be stubborn we need to go we'll get ice cream somewhere else besides it's late we should probably walk them to the station we'll stop by your favourite place at the station."
Saito turns to Yukari who stops the bunch of randos asking for trouble in their tracks letting the group pay for their meal before leaving walking to the underground parking to get Sin's bag of clothes.
Kai offers Sin his jacket as they walk to the station having casual conversation.
Jet spots the boys stopping them in their tracks, "The station is closed off by the protestors if you go there things won't end well, where are you going?"
Akali smiles, "We were walking them to the station."
Jet shakes his head, "It's a no go area the military police are still cleaning up the mess at the I-store and you know how violent it gets I'll call your parents you can stay at the Palace with the Roman high kids, or that's where they'll come get you."
Dean walks towards the car shaking his head, "Setsuno and Yuno just arrived in Hokkaido they are alright, but this won't end any time soon the protestors are moving towards the mall word has spread that Roman high has students at the mall.
"The bus won't make it in time I called Ian he has the cars racing over we just need to round them up."
Roku shifts the gear stepping on it driving to the mall, "Dammit, where the hell are the others? Rogue where are you?"
Rogue drives past Roku smirking, "Come on, don't tell me you forgot who taught you how to drive, now watch and learn."
Roku presses the accelerator seeing four more cars behind him.
"Saito you know what to do." Saito nods spreading his wings taking a deep breath Kai shields everyone as Saito's roar fills the air.
Everyone turns their heads watching the Roman high kids grab their things in a hurry running for the exit.
Rogue parks right in front of Saito the instant his feet touch the ground, "I'll take the girls home, hurry up."
Akali opens the door for the four girls, "Hurry up!"
Sin sits in the front seat and Rogue drives in the opposite direction of the crowd.
Jet turns to Kai and Saito pointing a finger at Chinami. "Use the drones and you two form a wall to buy us time you can catch up with us at the Palace. Neon you're with me Saito will follow your scent."
Dean sighs when the group refuse to be split apart, "Just go we'll catch up." Dean gets in the car stopping in front of the group gathered outside with on lookers peering as they hear the loud protestors on their way.
Drones form a line above the water wall Kai formed they join the others while Saito helps Chinami hide his face as he tempers with the electronics in the area so that the rescue squad can get to them quickly.
"Get inside the bus won't make it in time."
Dasai stops Yukari from getting in the car, "That wall won't hold and you know if we hurt anyone this will be blown out of proportion we'll need you out there those of us with useless abilities leave first."
Yukari nods waving goodbye to Nezukou and the other students get in the available cars, but there's too many left.
"How far are the cars?"
Namiko controls the drones while his brother tempers with the traffic lights allowing the sports cars free passage.
The people nearby are shocked at how long the light has been green and the number of sports cars driving past them in a hurry.
Chinami takes a step back when the sound of heavy breathing engines can be heard.
Akali's jaw drops, "How rich is Tachibana?"
Kai shakes his head, "This is all on the Road Junkies."
Ackerman gets out of the car throwing the car keys at Kai, "You are the last person to play hero unless your plan is to get Izumi in a mood, get him in the car."
Chinami and Namiko press their hands on Kai's shoulder electrocuting him he won't go willingly and his stubbornness is the last thing they need.
Saito and Rex are shot by drones getting knocked out and Akali stares at Chinami. Ackerman cuffs her with the ability restraining cuffs similar to Tori's.
"I don't want to see a single student on the front lines, get your asses out of here or we'll make you."
Namiko and Chinami turn to the other students as the cars arrive. Yukari stands between Chinami and Namiko as the water wall is steamed using Kai's heat blaster, but the weapon crumbles like building blocks after one-time use.
"On our signal stop them in their tracks for now they are still sceptic that little display was to scare them a little."
Yukari nods as the others are driven away.
"We're the last group left, now." Yukari throws a marble at the crowd freezing all of them in their tracks her ability is pause she can make anyone basically pause she uses marbles to focus on long distance targets her ability will work as long as you are in her line of vision.
Ackerman gets in his car with the last of the students driving to the second Palace. None of them have ever been here and they've heard from the middle schoolers it's bigger and more beautiful than the first.
The interior is the complete opposite of what the outside looks like on the outside the Palace looks like a plain dormitory while the inside looks like the inside of a Palace with glass chandeliers.
White walls, and Royal blue tiles on the floor that mark a foot path towards the receptionist amongst the white tiles, silver chairs and a metallic silver reception table with three receptionists two working check ins and one working check outs.
The rest of the building is practically hard to make out since up ahead you can't see a single door or the stairs all you see is a large wall going up with a long passage way leading to two emergency exit stairs at the very end of each hall way with narrow windows.
The sound of an elevator ding is heard and everyone is amazed at the way the elevator door is so hidden they didn't expect that at all.
"Roman high this way please."
The students follow Jet into the hidden room leading to the underground rooms.
"You will divide yourselves in groups of four or five and we'll see you for dinner later the rooms go further down just follow the stairs.
"I hope I don't have to tell you the boys one side girls one side rule." Jet leaves the group to sort itself out
Chinami is in the infirmary waiting for his friends to wake up, "Will they be okay?"
Jet nods. "They will be just fine. Don't stress."
Gifts
-- Gift
received Weekly Power Status
-- Power
Ranking 
-- Power
stone