Chapter Text
“Hey, what’s up?” Robert slipped into her office, the lights pouring through the blinds. Mandy stood behind her desk, chewing on her lip, her fingers pinching her chin and eyes looking away from him. She seemed so… nervous? Apprehensive? Robert could tell from the vibes that something was off, very off. “Is everything…?”
“You may need to sit down.” Mandy told him, still not able to look at him. Robert approached her desk and pulled a chair, sitting down. She stayed silent for a moment, then another. Maybe a minute had passed before Robert spoke again.
He leaned forward. “Mandy, what’s happened?” his voice low, almost a whisper “What’s going on?”
She breathed in deeply, then let out an audible breath out. “It’s-” she paused “It’s nothing bad, I promise.” She smiled, before a look of uncertainty took over. “Well actually, that would depend on your own- well how you see things.” She waved her hand as if trying to summon the right words from thin air. “It’s about um…”
“The Z-Team?” Robert finished, raising his eyebrow. “Did something happen, did they do something wrong or-” he was hoping it wasn’t something bad; the team had made so much progress since he became their dispatching and since their battle with Shroud just six months ago.
“Nothing like that, they’ve been-” she frowned “They’ve been great, really become the pride of Torrance SDN.” She looked over to the side, a framed group photo on her desk of the morning of the battle, everyone there celebrating their win. “I guess that was the problem.”
“Mandy, talk to me.” Robert asked, leaning in a little, moving his hand between them. “What is going on?” she still seemed so hesitant. “C’mon, you know me, tell it to me straight.”
Mandy sat down, hands on the desk. “I’ve just finished a conference call with some of the higher ups.”
“The Higher ups?”
“Board members; CEO, CFO, advisory members and committee members.” Mandy added “The whole shebang.” Her head tilted some side to side as she spoke, the look of worry and concern never really leaving her face.
“Do they want to dismantle the Z-Team?” Robert clenched his fist; if that was the case then he had a mind to quit on the spot; he needed SDN to help repair his suit, he needed Royd to help him most of all but, he wasn’t going to let some suits and assholes rip up the team he spent near a year working on and had rising in the leaderboards.
Or the family who had his back as much as they had his.
“No, nothing like that.” Mandy chewed her lip again “In fact they… they love the team, see it as a growing and valuable asset, they also see Mecha-Man as a valuable asset too…” she puffed out her cheeks for a second “Robert, have you ever… thought about living somewhere else?”
“Why do I not like where this is going?” Robert leaned back in his chair. “Outside where exactly? Like outside of LA county? Southland? California?”
“Outside America.” The answer felt like Shroud himself shot him.
Robert stared at her. “What?”
“Like outside of America… specifically maybe… Japan.” She smiled nervously. Again, another bullet to the chest.
“Blazer, what the fuck?”
Mandy sighed loudly and rubbed her cheek “I tried, Robert.” Her voice was tired “I really did, said that you guys were valuable to the branch and LA county in general and that since Shroud the team’s popularity and success has been steadily growing and-”
“That only fed into their delusions.” Robert finished. “What is this about?”
“SDN have been trying to grow their branches around the world, some places more successful than others and other places… are becoming more of a money sink.” Mandy explained “Usually they’d close the branch and forget it ever happen but this place they want to make an exception.”
Mandy slipped him a piece of paper, a single page document about a failing SDN branch in Japan “Mustafa?” Robert asked “Never heard of a place like that in Japan.”
“Me neither but apparently it’s where the world-famous Hero academy is located.” Mandy said.
“UA? I haven’t heard of that place in a while.”
“You’re familiar with it?” Mandy asked.
“In a way.” Robert replied “I’ll tell you with the team, I’m sure they’d get a kick out of it.” He looked over the sheet of paper. “So, they want to keep the branch that is located next to the High school that produces some of the best heroes in Japan and the world?” it wasn’t a question, the answer was too obvious. “I guess if you’re looking for gold then a mine would work.”
“Only problem is that the gold mine has about a hundred miners already all looking for gold.” Mandy said “And this branch is only just attracting more ‘down on their luck’ heroes or trainees or graduate heroes from less impressive school.”
“But why the Z-Team exactly? Why not the team from DTLA or some other branch? I’m sure Brainbook, Brickhouse, Equilibrium and Pom-Pom would fucking love an opportunity like that. And I’m pretty sure they have bigger branding then us.”
“Apparently they were too valuable to lose.” A hint of mockery behind her exhausted tone. “Their brand is too tied to LA county and Los Angeles.”
“And what, the Z-Team are some global nomad team of heroes?”
“Well Coupe is French, I think, Flambae is from Afghanistan, Punch-Up is from Ireland and Malevola is from Australia… or hell, whatever she says.” Mandy countered. “That’s a diverse group right there.”
“Blazer.” Robert groaned “I’m being serious.”
Mandy rubbed her eyelids “The way they saw it was that the Z-Team fell into this sweet spot of being important and competent enough that you guys could improve the brand and success rate of the Mustafa Branch in Japan… but that if you guys left it wouldn’t hurt the bottom line here in LA.”
Robert rolled his eyes. “Oh yeah, that nice spot of being valuable enough to make a difference but also expendable enough to be thrown aside.” Sarcasm dripping from his voice. He shut his eyes, leaning forward a huge sigh leaving his lungs. “I’m sorry Mandy, I don’t mean to take it out on you I just-”
“It’s a big jump, I get it.” Mandy admitted.
“No, it’s not just that… I just got back to being Mecha-Man again, serving my community and being a part of the LA skies, I was kinda looking forward to announcing myself with the Z-Team.”
Mandy frowned again before smiling at him in a way that only deepened her sadness. “I was looking forward to that too.” She confessed “Had the whole thing planned before this was sprung on me.” She pressed her finger into the table “I guess there’s nothing stopping you from being Mecha-Man in Japan too, we can come up with a whole list of excuses to feed the press until you guys are back.”
“Fuck, how long will it be for?”
“Two years max.” Mandy said “Really depends on you and the team after that.”
“And if I quit then the Z-Team goes to shit and I stop being Mecha-man the next time the suit explodes.” Robert breathes out. “Rock and a hard place.”
“I am sorry, Robert.” Mandy frowned. "It might be those two options."
Robert bites his cheek, he contemplated quitting there and then but… a part of him was curious; a chance like this never came regularly and after joining SDN and meeting the Z-Team, Mandy, Royd and Reuniting with Chase, he realised there was more to life than being Mecha-Man; maybe this was part of it.
Maybe a few years of a quieter life somewhere else would be nice? Especially with Courtney too.
That could be good… for both of us…
“I guess I should speak to them about this.” Tiredness spilling from his voice, rubbing his face with the palm of his hand.
“I can back you up, with Chase too.” Mandy said “I’m sure they’ll have a lot of questions too and… objections.”
Robert pressed his face between his fingers as he thought on that; he didn’t know what the Z-Team would say about this. This would be a life changing decision, one that would have a few of them completely uproot their lives so quickly, it wouldn’t surprise them if a few of them decide to quit SDN altogether because of this, he honestly won’t blame them.
He had to sit them down in the conference room, break the news to them. Robert was sure that convincing them to leave LA would be…
…Way easier than he thought it would be.
Scratch that, to call it easy would have been an understatement, they had no objections to this at all.
“So, you guys are actually okay with this?” Robert was in total disbelief, but the excited reactions and wide smiles did throw him off. Sat at the end of the conference room table with Mandy and Chase at his side, his team all sat around the table too.
“Well fuck yeah.” Flambae said, feet on the table, his visors up as he looked at Robert “New country, new places, new people to fuck up, we don’t have to pay for anything right?”
“SDN have already sorted your accommodation and travel there.” Mandy added. “Food is also covered too, anything else though you pay for.”
“It’s an all-expenses paid trip then, why the fuck wouldn’t we go.” Prism added “We are going? I’ve already told all my followers, better not make a liar out of me now.” Tapping on her phone.
“Weren’t you done for tax evasion?” Chase asked, holding Beef in his arms. “Sounds like you already a liar.”
“I don’t need to be straight with the feds, my fans deserve better though.” Prism replied
“I’ve always wanted to go to the other side of the world.” Punch-Up added. “Carnival was meant to pass through China and Korea at one point but they ran out of money around the time we hit Germany.”
“It is a wonderful country, having stayed there a few times myself on jobs for my previous employers.” Coupe added. “I would recommend we go.”
“It’s a good thing I have been honing my skills in the art of Japanese language and culture.” Sonar said, straightening his suit “I’ll be well versed to serve as everyone’s guide.”
“Dude, just cus’ you watch Anime doesn’t make you an expert on Japan.” Malevola pointed out, she looked back at Robert “I’m up for it, been there a few times myself but only for at most a day, turns out police and heroes are way stricter there about random people popping through portals.”
“Probably freaked the fuck out about Australian sounding red horned demon ladies coming out of red portals.” Chase remarked.
“You’d think but I’m pretty sure a guy at a station tried to hit on me when I appeared next to him.” Malevola replied.
“Golem, what do you think?” Robert asked.
“Not gonna lie, it’ll be pretty sick to live in Japan.” Golem said simply, nodding his head. “Absolutely baller.” Robert didn’t know why he would have expected any different an answer from him.
“Waterboy, how do you feel about this?” Robert asked.
Waterboy gently rubbed the side of his neck with his finger “Well I think- I know that I definitely would like- love to go! I really did- do wanted to go for a while.” he said. “But- I am worried, scared for, my grandmother- she is, well I look after her and the cats.”
“I can arrange for a carer to oversee her.” Mandy said. “We wouldn’t let your grandmother be without care.”
“I can open a portal for you to check up on her from time to time too.” Malevola added “No big deal.”
“Oh!” Waterboy exclaimed, a glint in his eyes and a smile on his face. “Then fuck yeah! Let’s go!”
“That’s the spirit, Hermie!” Prism cheered.
“Can I get in on this too, need to keep in touch with my niece.” Flambae inserted. “And I’d like to take her around to for the day.”
“Hey man, we’re all about family here.” Malevola looked at Robert and winked.
“Gonna need to fill out paperwork for that but we can cross that bridge when it happens.” Mandy added.
“I too would like to relocate with the team.” Phenomaman added. “I have had many fond memories of travelling there and am happy to be a guide for my colleagues and friends.”
“You were always going to go, Phenomaman.” Mandy said “You have the most connections there than anyone else in this building.”
“I am pleased to be invited and a part of the team nonetheless.” Phenomaman said.
“Visi, what about you?” Robert asked. “How are you feeling?”
“Sucks since I just got unbanned from Granny’s.” she joked, a usual nonchalant vibe to her. “But I’ve never travelled outside of LA let alone America so sounds like an opportunity I’d like.” She looked at him softly for just a few seconds. “Plus it’ll be nice to go somewhere and not have former Red Ring losers stalk me.”
Robert nodded his head. “So, we’re all in agreement then?” he asked “You all want to go to Japan for a few years?”
“Fuck yeah, lets do this!” Flambae cheered, throwing his hands up as if what Robert said was the most obvious thing in the world.
“Z-Team now going international, ba-be!” Prism hooted.
“Didn’t think you guys would all be for it, honestly thought there’d be some push back.” He rubbed his chin, slowly warming up to the idea.
“This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, of course we’d take it.” Punch-up replied.
“Yeah, yeah that’s all good, but remember why you’re there too.” Chase told them “Can’t have you making a fool out of us abroad, just able to fix your shit back here.”
“It is important you remember why you’re there.” Mandy added “Grow the brand and recruit the best and brightest.”
“Miss Blazer by the time we’re done, everyone will know who the Z-Team and SDN are.” Prism replied “Leave the brand stuff to me of course.”
“Hopefully not because some new villainy shit.” Chase muttered under his breath.
“It’s gonna be tough competition out there, plenty of already established hero agencies and superheroes looking for sidekicks.” Robert said “All got some kind of access to that superhero high school so we’ll be playing on the backfoot.”
“Oh yeah, Robert, how do you know about UA?” Mandy asked.
“Oh, well back when I was a kid, Vitalia spoke about possibly enrolling me there to my dad.” Mandy looked a little surprised, yet none more so than Chase.
“You’re fucking with me, Val thought about sending you to school in Japan? And she never mentioned it to me?” Chase frowned, shaking his head “I should give her a piece of my mind next time I see her, that glowy eyed bitch.”
“She told me back when I was looking into high schools, asked my thoughts on it.” Robert continued “Apparently my dad was against it completely and also there was this rule UA had about not letting people without superhero powers in, so chances were I would never get in anyways.”
“Wow, that’s kinda sad.” Malevola said.
“Robbed of Japanese speaking Mecha-Man.” Sonar shook his head, looking at Robert “Your Mecha-Man anime would have been sick.”
“That shit would have been fire.” Golem added.
“Wait that’s kinda racist or 'superpowerist?' What, so they’d tell you to get lost if you got good grades and smarts but let in a kid with half the grades but can move rocks with his dick or some shit?” Chase remarked.
“That’s mad fucked up, miss Blazer, you sure you want to help SDN to recruit from Klan high?” Prism added.
“Apparently, they changed that policy, and graduates who come from there tend to be pretty upstanding, definitely not racist, people.” Mandy said “Like All-Might!”
“Ah All-Might, a dear friend of mine and upstanding hero!” Phenomaman proclaimed “How wonderful it will be to see him again.”
“Okay so, plan is to grow the Branch in Mustafa and possibly attract new talent to the company.” Robert listed off to Mandy “Have I got that?”
“Spot on.” Mandy said.
“Alright well… if we’re all in agreement then.” Robert looked around, tapping his finger on the table’s edge. “Fuck it, lets do it.” The team cheered, getting out of their seats. “Wait hold on.” The cheers silence quickly “You’re all gonna have to speak to Royd about getting a nano-chip translator thing installed.” The team collectively groaned and grimaced.
“What like shroud style?” Sonar asked.
“Tiny implant in your ear, somehow it translates on the go and also gets you to speak and write the local’s language.” Robert explained. “Won’t take long but apparently it’ll leave your ear feeling numb for a week.”
“Nah that’s like some illuminati shit.” Golem said.
“Yeah, can we not?” Prism added.
“Well, it’s either that or you’re gonna take remedial Japanese classes everyday for a month for three hours after work, because that’s what it will take to get you fluent enough to not accidently tell a local some offensive shit and we end up on the wrong side of a headline.” Robert shot back, the team all collectively agreed. Coupe raised her hand. “Yes, Coop?”
“I’m already fluent.” She said “I won’t be needing an implant.”
“I too know the dialect and nuances of Japanese language.” Phenomaman added. “One of my many skills is learning human languages very quickly.”
“Okay everyone but Coupe and Phenomaman will need a chip.” Sonar raised his hand. “You’re still getting a chip.”
“Aw man.” Sonar whined.
“Alright, if we’re all sorted.” Mandy stepped forward “You all have a month before you leave to get your things in order.”
“Oh and make sure this news doesn’t impact your shifts, I know you’re all excited by lets not leave this place like a shitshow.” Robert told them.
“SURPRISE!”
Everyone in the office yelled out, the Z-Team returned back with Robert after being tricked by Chase to do some team bonding exercise on the other side of Torrance. The entire office had gathered around, huddled around a table with a large cake with the words “GOOD LUCK!” and a wide range of different snacks and even some beers. As a banner hung on strings with the words “BON VOYAGE!” written on it. Next to the cake was Mr Whiskey, holding a cake knife in one hand.
Robert and the Z-Team looked at them with shocked expressions on their faces, one they had practiced for two weeks ago. Visi had told them prior what was happening when she snuck into Lana’s mailroom and saw a large box of decorations and a banner tucked away.
“Wow guys.” Robert said “This is way too much.” He chuckled, looking around at everyone with smiles on their faces.
“Well, we thought it would be good to give you guys a nice send off.” Mandy said, looking at him, the Z-Team and then the rest of the employees. “We’re really gonna miss you guys, you’d been such a big help to the branch and it’s not gonna be the same without you.”
“Yeah, it’ll be a lot fucking quieter.” Chase remarked, others laughing in the crowd. “Now C’mon, you gonna cut this cake or what, been wanting to try this since Mandy shoved it in the breakroom fridge.”
“Wait, hold on! I need to take some pics first!” Prism took out her phone, snapping some pics of herself and others with the celebrations. “Okay now cut.”
Mr Whiskey handed Robert the knife, Robert turned to the cake and cut into it to some cheers; handing out slices to the offices.
“Bruddah!” Royd came up to him, scooping Robert into a crushing hug for a moment “You one lucky buggah.” He laughed “I like go travel and work in Japan fo' one two years.”
“Well, I’d love for you to visit.” Robert joked. “Might show you around once I know where everything is, definitely gonna be different than around here.”
“No place like LA dat fo sho!” Royd laughed “If you see any new tech den keep me in da know.”
“You’ll be the first guy I think of.” Robert assured him. “Thanks for the translators, Royd.”
“Ah no problem.” Royd raised his hand up, clenched tightly in a fist. “You stay safe out dea, braddah.”
“Likewise, Royd.” Robert smiled, bumping his fist to Royd’s. Royd took his plate of cake and left, greeting and speaking to the other Z-Teamers as beers were passed around the office.
“He’s right.” Chase floated towards him “It won’t be like LA, be a lot more fucking boring really; heard they got tons of superheroes there too, top ones and I’m not talking about that muscle guy with the blond hair.”
“Sounds like I won’t get to be Mecha-Man much then while there.” Robert remarked, taking a fork full of cake and eating it. “That’s kinda a bummer.”
“Might be good.” Chase replied, arms folded, watching everyone else mingle around. “I know you just got to be Mecha-Man again kid but, maybe a few more years out of the game will do you some good, remind you that before than big tin suit was yours, you were Robert.”
“Yeah…” Robert replied “Still, gonna be hard not being here in LA, people expect Mecha-Man to be here and protect them.”
“People expect a lot of fucking things.” Chase said. “I expect the neighbour's kids not the steal my fucking welcome mat, but it still fucking happens.” He nudged his shoulder to his “Listen, you gave a lot to the city being Mecha-Man, it owes you some time off, focus on your team and yourself… and also her too.” They glanced over to Courtney, sharing a beer with Bruno as they chatted with Galen and Mandy. “Fresh start and all that, away from all this bullshit that had you wrapped up here."
“Never knew you were so caring for her.” Robert teased.
“Well, you already stuck your dick in her so I gotta back you up somehow even if I don’t agree.” Chase shot back with a grin.
“Jesus, Chase.” Robert chuckled, shaking his head, nudging him with his elbow.
“Seriously… Just, be fucking normal for a bit, you’ve earned it.” Chase told him. “Don’t go causing too much trouble or throwing yourself into shit.”
“C’mon Chase, it’s like Royd said, this isn’t LA and there’s no Shroud there.” Robert said, taking a beer from the table, popping open the cap and drinking. “How bad could it be?”