Sitting comfortably in Izou's shadow as he trudged forward, following the hyperactive red panda girl. Amaris was trying to get her thoughts in order. She could barely sit there calmly. It was so difficult to understand when she was inundated with all these emotions. They had just left the previous -er- exercise behind. How could they just leave it like that!? Well sure, she understood that villains were attacking the school, so it was an extraneous circumstance.. Yet, there were villains back there doing terrible things too! Cupiest- ..Right. Cupiestachio... Cupiestachio had ripped off her mustache right before her! Then.. she had been Cupie!.. So did that mean... Cupiestachio was Cupie all along!?!?!
Did that mean.. That.. That everything was not as it seemed? Were there no hostages? Did that explain the cardboard cutouts? Was there no bomb? Were their classmates not corrupted to the side of villainy? She shook her head. Did that mean none of that was real?! Cupiestachio was not some evil mastermind?! Did everyone know? Did her classmates know? Did they already know?
Sitting there in the shadows, Amaris felt like a total fool. Like a total goddamn idiot. But now.. Now she was mad. Boy, was she angry! She looked up, a scowl on her face, purple eyes shot and twinkling with the vindictive rage she was feeling. How could Cupie do that!? How could they all do that!?! Make fun of her like that!! Well.. fuck them!
She perked up, something interrupting her righteous fury, noticing another presence. Pressing herself close to the top of the shadows, peering out of them like a window, staring at the figure over there. That was the Painter Killer! Villain name pending. That's what he appeared to be known as, as of the moment. A man who went awol, with.. She watched as his paintings "came to life", standing before them in a threatening manner. -A quirk that brought paintings to life. He was also rambling some strange words he probably thought sounded poetic. To her, he just sounded like a madman. The next second his samurai painting was attacking Ayame.
What was going on!? Wasn't this path supposed to be safe?! They weren't meant to engage in combat with villains, yet.. Yet here he was, threatening them!..
"Ayame, we need to report him right away!" she called loud enough from her shadows. Her voice sounded slightly echoey, but was obvious in its distress.
Unfortunately, as Masaru and Makoto sat in wait, apathetically awaiting the appearance of the villains, an alarm blared and the exercise was called to an end. As the students gathered outside, Dulluhan was there to give them a very brief briefing about the situation as well as orders to follow. They would be split into groups and make the journey home on foot.
Narrowing his eyes, the plan was apparently by the headmaster's, though Masaru wasn't sure he agreed with it. Sure, being in small clusters and pairs would draw less attention, but in the case they were caught they would be at quite the disadvantage. He supposed they would just have to trust in the professionals and hope this was all an exaggeration.
Looking over to Cupie as the other groups set out, Masaru shrugged and nodded his head. "Well, guess we better go then."
Shoving his hands in his pockets, the two make their way to their designated route. Despite the current circumstances, nothing seemed to be all that suspicious. The pair had trained a few times during the past couple of weeks, so it wasn't as if Masaru was walking with a stranger. Still, the two seemed to be perfectly comfortable arguing about nothing as they reached a shopping plex.
Making their way through it, nothing seemed to be truly amiss. People were going on about their day as if nothing was wrong. If the plan was to blend in with the crowd, it appeared to be working for them.
However, from the second level of the building, a small figure glanced down at the pair below. Staring at them with pause and perhaps some hesitation, the stalker lets out a burdened sigh, a hand rummaging into their shorts' pocket. The sound of change jingled and, pulling out a shiny coin, the figure looks at it a moment before flipping it in the air and catching it.
"You'll do."
Suddenly an audible boom sounded off, coming from the pair's back. The sound resembled a large jolt of electricity, as if lightning had just struck. Jumping, Masaru spun around as some shot past just the side of his head, crashing into the ground behind him with a violent eruption. The impact site was cratered and electrified as the civilians around began to panic and flee, all the while a single figure descended the second floor via walking vertically down the side of a pillar.
Clicking her tongue, the figure possessed a heavy american accent and spoke an irritated English.
"Fuck... Such a pain in the fucking ass," The feminine voice grumbled angrily, shuffling in her pockets and pulling out another coin before positioning it to flick at the pair. "Well... Too close to fuckin' miss now."
No later than she said that, did the auditory eruption from moments earlier occur again, a giant spark from the girl's fingers where the coin was as it shot at them, an aura of violent electricity radiating around the projectile in the middle.
Charlotte, while originally gleeful and eager to carry out the fun excursion to its satisfying conclusion, now wore a pout as the event was put to an end and the students were briefed on the situation. Apparently, the school was under attack and yet, they were all splitting up? It was quite the gamble, but a tactic that could work, assuming they didn't get caught. Then it would all likely go to hell.
Regardless, Charlotte was sure the Pros would have it handled and that this was primarily a precaution. Furthermore, she was paired with the dragon boy, someone she hadn't interacted with much the past couple of weeks and this was an opportunity to rectify that.
"Well, we should be going, hm?" Charlotte urged as the groups dispersed. "You're not worried, are you Jet? It'll be fine~ You can even hold my hand for moral support, so long as you pay me with some nice desserts later."
Grinning at that, the girl was rather light about the whole situation, an attitude she kept up all through their route in the city. The number of people lessened as they began to pass through a district largely under construction. Half-made structures and construction equipment were plentiful, but strangely enough, they had yet see even a single worker. Eventually, they would come upon a man leaning against a fence adjourning one of the construction lots, an eerie red liquid seeping below the barrier.
"...Huh... So you did follow the route..."
The person was obviously male in his late teens of an average height and relatively lean build. He wore a red hoodie unzipped down the middle with a black undershirt, dark jeans and white, slightly worn, sneakers. Aside from the various piercings on his ears, most notable about him were a pair of piercing crimson eyes, or at least they would be if they didn't look so drowsy with bags hanging under them and laid above a mouth giving a sleepy smile.
"I guess they didn't know better... but... still. They must not care all that much about you... Or they're desperate..." The man spoke, his voice just as tired and drowsy as he himself appeared. Licking the tip of his thumb, there seemed to be a hint of red there, or was that simply the imagination? "Oh well... I hope you two are interesting.... That, or at the very least, that you can dodge..."
As he spoke, the liquid that seemed to seep under the fence froze unnaturally before shooting back under the barrier and out of sight. Within a few moments, the crimson liquid crushed through the fence at the pair's side, a torrent of red spears ready to pierce the two.
I like Fantasy, Modern, Modern Fantasy, Yaoi, Yuri, and Romance. Please do not be shy in bringing up another genre. I just might be interested in it ^^
Ichirou had gotten into a combat stance as well, prepared for his fight with the priestess when the alert to cease the exercise and group up sounded. He looked towards the source of the voice for a second, looked to Kanna with concern before he quickly ran back to the meetup location for directions.
Misoka instructed them all that they were to be heading back on foot through off beaten paths, which Ichirou could understand why. Walking in one large group would not only be detrimental should they be ambushed, but they would all be susceptible to not just the enemy's attacks but to each other's.
While sticking together would have been preferable, it was necessary that they head back in groups and pray they all make it back in one piece.
Now, Ichirou and Jojo were walking down a more off beaten path. There were hardly any civilians walking around this road save for a few workers trying to take shortcuts.
He walked next to his friend, hands in his pockets as he looked around and even struck up a conversation to help ease their nerves.
However, suddenly, a young woman approached the two, making both Ichirou and Jojo stop a good distance away from her.
Ichirou recognized her upon sight. He remembered her as the girl from Class 1B; the kind energetic girl he had spoken to last week, who flipped the hell out and asked questions regarding the Heroes at the school. Hell, when he mentioned that Number One had been on campus grounds the first day of school, the poor girl looked like she'd been about to faint.
"Aimi, is that you?" Ichirou asked, taking a step towards her. "What're you doing all the way out here?"
The girl smiled at the two, putting out a hand to stop Ichirou where he was. "I am completing my mission, Ichirou-kun. My time at UA is complete, and I have received almost all the information I need."
Ichirou looked at her, his face confused. Her demeanor and manner of speaking wasn't at all what he had been expecting, nor were her words. "What? What do you mean?"
"Ichirou-kun, you've noticed it too, yes?" Aimi asked instead, going off-topic. "The students at UA talk about the incredible opportunity handed to them as if it's just a stepping stone to fame and fortune... It's disgusting, no? Such impurity is unbefitting a Hero...
A true Hero fights for justice; for the safety of all men, women, and children of this world. A true Hero is pure and selfless, who is never deceived by the seduction of greed or self-conceit. They are noble, strong, and perform their duties with a smile. And yet, of all the students I've met, not one of them has passed any of my verbal tests..."
As she spoke about heroes, Aimi clasped her hands together as a dreamy smile graced her lips. Ichirou looked at her, having pieced together what was going on with her but not wanting to believe it. "A shame truly... Nowadays, the imposters who took the vow of justice are nothing but impure, sinful cretins... They taint the good name of heroes with their popularity contests and their sponsorships. They see their titles as "jobs" rather than the wonderful honor that was bestowed upon them... These imposters speak of protecting the citizens of evil-doers, and yet turn cowardly when their mission becomes "too hard." Repulsion fills me just at the very thought; so much so, that I will help my Master perform the proper cleansing necessary to redeem the good name of the bringers of Justice... And so by my Master's orders, I cannot let you pass just yet."
She looked towards the two boys, her kind and sweet gaze directed at them. "You two... Ichirou-kun, Josuke-kun. You've both taken the oath of justice, yes? You are society's next generation, oh but are you filth and scum? Or are you the true born Heroes this world so desperately needs? You both hold the remaining information I need to complete my mission, but I don't suppose you will give it to me if I asked."
Ichirou gulped. How much information did this bitch obtain? Jojo had never met her as far as he was concerned.
Aimi got into her combat stance, both of her hands were open-palmed while her connected fingers glowed a bluish white as her quirk activated. "Won't you please fight me? Prove to me you are worth your breath, or I shall kill you like the other disgusting cretins that dared call themselves "Heroes."
With that, she launched her reeled back palm forward. The concrete in front Aimi immediately erupted into pieces, the force she released leaving a trail of broken road and construction as it quickly shot at the duo.
"WATCH OUT!" Ichirou warned and jumped out of the attack's proximity.
Past him and Jojo, the attack kept going for a good distance, slicing through all cars, metal, and just about everything in its wake. The destruction caused the civilians nearby to scream and panic, running away from the source.
Ichirou quickly activated his quirk, the blue flames flickering brightly as he readied for combat. "Let's restrain her quickly... Try not to let her cause any more destruction." He told his friend before shooting a fireball behind Aimi and rushing forward.
~~~
Chitose, only a couple minutes ago, had been laying down on the ground in a tattered and cheap blond wig with a gas mask over her face. Izou had activated Cupie's trap, as she thought someone would, but he ended up screwing himself out of the information needed due to the nature of Cupie's quirk. Chitose was "stunned" and therefore, she would not be able to relay her helpful information before she "died."
But then Misoka's warning came along with the red notification on her Hero phone. Chitose had tossed off her wig and instantly rushed back to the meeting location for the briefing and directions. Her gas mask had also been flung off once she arrived in case she accidentally triggered any traps on the way there.
And now, she moved quickly through an abandoned street that was completely quiet and deserted of all activity. Chitose hated that they all had to scatter like this, since they wouldn't know who would be okay until they made it back to UA...
Not to mention the teachers and students that were forced to engage in combat right now. How bad was it over there?
Dammit, she needed to hurry or risk more casualties!
Chitose ran faster, rushing through alleys and shortcuts, leaping over obstacles and doing anything she could to try to keep time short. She could be taking her cloud to get there a bit faster, but she needed to conserve as much of her water as possible.
However, as she moved to the next street she noticed something... strange.
Black birds lingered around the area; on the rooftops, the sidewalks, and the shut off telephone wires up above. Multiple watched her as she ran through the streets, their heads keeping their gazes on her as she moved. Wherever she went, there was also a group of them present and others were following her.
Chitose swallowed the lump in her throat but pushed onward, her heart beating a bit faster as her combat instincts kicked in. Something wasn't right about those birds, but she didn't want to stop and think about it when her friends and students needed her.
Suddenly, a group of those birds, ravens, all flew in front of her. The congress of ravens each began cawing, a chorus of them chiming with each other as the ones that were before her took the form of a person.
The person was a man wearing a baggy black hoodie and a white medical mask over his nose and mouth with blue jeans and regular sneakers. The only things that really stood out about this man were his white eyes, muscularity, and the unsettling vibes he was giving off.
Chitose immediately stopped running and leaped back to put some distance between him and herself.
His eyes stared at her, everything about this man was seriously creeping her out...
"Who are you?" Chitose asked him, watching him and the ravens surrounding them carefully.
That was definitely his quirk... She just needed to uncover his weakness and take him down...
"That is not important.." The man spoke, his deep voice sending unsettled chills down Chitose's spine. A thick accent was also present in the way he spoke. Was it Russian? "As by my orders, I will not let you pass."
"Orders? From who? Who are you affiliated with?" She asked.
"My apologies, but that is also not important." He answered her, the corners of his eyelids going up being the only indication that this man was smiling.
Chitose's eyebrows furrowed, frustrated that he wasn't going to give her any answers but it was to be expected. "Then... answer me this. How did you know I would be taking this path."
"I've been watching since the moment all of you arrived. You, your comrades, and your students."
She stiffened at the mention of the students, "What?"
"Yes, all of you, but your students in particular. I can see where all of them are going right now as a matter of fact. Charlotte and Jet have just engaged in combat. So have Jojo and your beloved son Ichirou. Ayame, Amaris, and Izou, Adelaide and Kanna too. Unfortunately, they will lose."
Chitose was doing her best to keep calm, but the mention of the children she swore she would protect taking on dangerous criminals sent a spike of fear and adrenaline through her body. Had they taken the wrong plan?! Were all of the students about to engage in combat?! Not only that, but he knew all of them by name! Could he listen to them too?!
She needed to be there and help-
"Ah, the look on your face. I recognize it all too well. You want to be by their side, yes? Protect the ones you love more than anything in this world regardless of your own safety... Help them overcome their challenges... Heeheehahaha... The love you feel for them; it's amazing isn't it?" The hooded man hugged himself tightly, "It's a powerful thing, love. You would disregard your own life just to ensure your beloveds can continue living theirs. To use yourself, bring yourself pain and misfortune, for the sake of their own happiness... Hehehehahaha..."
The look in the man's eyes were... different. Something about his demeanor was deranged.
"I hope you've told them how much you loved them, Nimbus. I won't allow you to leave with anything more than an inch of your life."
He had been quiet most of the way, the calling off of the mission was disheartening to say the least, but the long walk back was even worse... Espeacially with how tense it all was. The people's flame was never one for cheerfulness Jojo guessed.
But now... Now he had bigger problems.
He allowed himself to lose his physical form when the strange attack came upon them. His body all but puffing into smoke and returning back to normal as he stood his ground. He shivered, this girl was terrifying... So much power... And so much purpose... He couldn't begin to imagine what shes gone through to get to this.
But... He knew one thing, and one thing for certain, as he clutched his fists pointed at the girl, eye peaking through the shade of his hair, he spoke loud and, for once, without stutter.
"And only villains monologue like that!"
It was go time!
Jojo began to rush forwards, he had a good few options, but he had to get close to this girl. He could see one weakness already, the glasses atop of her admitably beautiful face...
Focus Jojo!
She all but showed her hand, her quirk was strong, but you didn't need strength to win! He showed that much in the test. Robots, after all, had no will power...
No matter how big it was.
This girl seemed to hold alot of it, wouldn't be here talking if she wasn't. Straight assault would be in her favor, he had to distract her from ichirou as well...
But what info was she after...? He had nothing, so... wait the phones!!!
The discerning yellow eyes looked to his friend.
She would not hurt him, nor anyone, while Jojo lived!
His eyes went to a upraised stone from the girl's earlier attack, his hand plucked it and tossed it towards the girl. He remembers the manual of fighting he studied so carefully.
In all honesty Adelaide was a bit disappointed, they hadn't had a real test of quirks since the first day of class, she had been working hard on her quirk at her accuracy and power level, she was excited to really show it off, not to others but to see how much she has grown from the past couple of weeks.
After the alarming information about a potential attack at the school, this left the pair of Kanna and Adelaide the old underground subway stations, it was going to be a long walk, but maybe getting to know Kanna could be fun.
Adelaide began to feel a bit awkward for the deafening silence and broke the air.
"Hey, uh soooo ...Do you have any hobbies?"
Suddenly Adelaide stopped in her tracks when a girl dressed in black with silver hair approached them, there was something about the woman that reminded her of someone she had met, or maybe have seen somewhere before. She had even muted out what Kanna had said, focusing on the other woman, her hair to be more exact.
"So you're the person that gave me that book, you wanted me to figure out who my father was too... Why are you doing all of this?" As Adelaide began to connect the dots in her head, she started to realize that this girl may be trouble. "Who are you?"
"Why, I am but a young girl who wants to see Daughter and Father reunited.. After that well.." Not saying much else, she attacks with her card spread, causing Kanna to jump forward, blocking the initial strikes with a few cuts to her skin as the cards are pulled back. "Huh.. Looks like more than paper cuts will be needed.. Why don't I take care of the Gorilla and we can have a nice long chat.."
Readying for a new attack, the woman smiled thinly, the emotions on her face rather complex upon a deeper glance.
"How do you know all this!?" Adelaide jumped back when she saw the playing card speed through the air, causing her friend to jump back, but still have scrapes on her body. My god this is what they wanted, this was a trap! Adelaide let out a shout and pushed her body into an attack stance, moving her hands into the direction of the villain and shooting waves of sound at the girl.
"If you think I'm going to sit back while you hurt my friend then you got another thing coming!"
Kanna steps in during this attack and charges in attempting to get ahold of and pound the girl as she jumps over into a cartwheel upon the tracks, smiling thinly a deck of cards took the impacts of the sound attack, halting it where it was, leaving crumpled bits of paper in her wake. "How do I know this? Huh.."
With that the woman breaks off into a sprint, as Kanna curses under her breath. Reaching for her cell phone that the school had issued, there was no signal down here.. Being lightly cut, Kanna glared even as all signs of her wound healed. "Adelaide, let's get out of here, we need to get this information out, others may need a helping hand as well.."
The red-head had watched as the silver-headed girl used the card to stop the quirk from hitting her target, which bewildered her. So those cards are really not just a cute attack, we need to get out of here. Adelaide reached for her phone but also realized that the service would not be working. "Shit." She mumbled under her breath.
"She's not going to just leave us alone, I'll cover you but you gotta go now!" There was a part of Adelaide that was doing it to help her Kanna by fighting the other woman off, but there was another part of her that really wanted to know what she was hiding. "I'll be fine, trust me."
Adelaide's attention turned back to the woman in black. "I don't know your deal, but if you are going to say something you better say it now before I blast you through the train tracks!"
Kanna is about to stop Adelaide but doesn't like the feeling she has about all of this, the others may be in danger... At the same time Adelaide seemed rather reluctant to join her.. Pausing for a bit, Kanna was not happy with her decision, but the needs of the many outweigh the few... "Retreat if it gets bad, I'm going to try finding the others, or a place to use this phone... You should come with me but.." Closing her eyes and taking a breath, there were personal things.
Lumbering out of the battlefield, Kanna would make her way towards the station exit, though it would be some time...
The Maid smiles thinly as she stares. "Oh, you want to face me? As stupid as he is and yet far braver. You do know he's a coward yes? But enough talk, let's see how eager you are to blast me... Once you lay down here broken... The bigger one was smart you know."
With that, a crossbow bolt made of paper shoots through the wall with the durability of metal as it heads right for the girl.
"I'll be fine, they need you the most right now." Adelaide gave Kanna a reassuring smile and a quick nod. "Ready for your beatdown?" The maid began speaking in terms of a second person, it confused her at first until she realized that she knew everything about who she was talking about, who he was. "What'd you know about hi-"
She was abruptly cut off when she saw a bolt coming straight for, instead of using her quirk, Adelaide's instincts kicked in, which made the girl jump out of the way, not without it scraping her thigh. Shit! Adelaide thought to herself, touching her leg she felt the wound and looked over to her hand, realizing the bolt had struck blood.
"You know nothing about him…" The girl took a deep breath before continuing. "Why don't you just tell me what you know!" Her emotions began to take control of her, something her mother would regularly look down upon.
Out of pure emotion, Adelaide threw both her hands at the villain, throwing sound waves in her direction.
"Why do you defend a man that left you to suffer.. But ah, you just told me I know nothing about him..now you are saying to tell you what I know.. Highly illogical."
The voice comes back from the shadows, behind it was a few cards to just block what waves were near the assassin as she makes use of the available cover in the tunnel, as a few more cards come in behind that, aiming to slice the woman along the outer edges, probing rather than attacking, provided they reached. "So which is it?"
Even with the training provided by her mother and on her own, the woman's card attacks were no match for Adelaide. I can't even get a hit on her, how is she so fast!? Before another thought, even more, cards came speeding through the air and probed her skin "Shit!"
"I'm so done with people calling me that!"
Suddenly Adelaide's anger started to overwhelm her, her emotions take control of her body causing the ground to shake and debris to fall from the ceiling. "Stop skipping around the subject! You can either tell me why your here or I'll drop the subway on the both of us, It's your choice, kill us both or tell me!"
The girl always had a wave of deep anger hidden inside of her, too deep for her to pull out of herself without a trigger, her mother was always so poised and emotionless that she couldn't have gotten the anger from her, but possibly from her father.
"Calling you what? Highly Illogical?" Smiling at that she chuckles. "Bring it down then. I'll set up a hole and lure your dear old Dad down here to kill him. In fact the only reason I'm here was to confirm something.. That temper is a terrible little thing to get from him.."
With that she draws another deck of cards, shaping them into a wall of knives that she quickly throws, aiming to cut the girl up a bit, but not to kill her.
"My dear, sister."
She almost could not stand each word that came out of the villain's mouth, each syllable made Adelaide want to drop the roof on top of them, her anger slowly consuming her that any logic on her safety was leaving any form of her mind.
"If you call me Illogical again then I will make sure you won't come out of this alive." Slowly Adelaide's breathing began to become uncontrollable, anxiety building up in her chest. "I've been called that so many times, I won't be called that again!"
More and more chunks of the ceiling started to fall close to her feet, her red strands of hair moving from side to side from the vibration. All of a sudden time began to slow in Adelaide's mind. Sister?
"What do you mean sister, what-" Adelaide could not comprehend everything that was coming to her, the vibrations all quieted and the ceiling stopped shaking, leaving Adelaide in a mess. She can't be telling the truth, my mother only had one child, unless she came from him, maybe that's why she's obsessed with him…
Without sensing an imminent attack, even more, cards sped threw the air and landed attacks on her arms and legs, causing the girl's knees to hit the ground with her arms only holding her up.
"We share a little of the same facial structure you know, and I have no real interest in the people who are behind this, I am here but for one reason and one reason alone and you are going to help me with it."
With the girl a bit incapacitated, she doesn't take any chances as she deploys some bindings in hopes of tying the girl down, her face clear to view. "My, my.. Red hair afterall, not fake."
Even with every strength of her body, Adelaide could not move, ever stretch of her arms would ache and feel like it was tearing off of her body. "He doesn't even know I'm alive, how do you think I'd help you psycho!" Her anger was no help in her predicament, the only way she could get out of this would be to have a clear head, and she didn't have that.
"I'd rather be dead than help you...You psychotic bitch!"
"Psychotic? My how you hurt my feelings... And you are very, very wrong. I am the one he doesn't know about. I've been following him for a while, looking into his history. I could care less about him as a father. However, I do have a job as a professional.." Circling around the girl with a hum, Nina presses her face alongside the other, with photos in hand, Nina had been following her for some time it seemed.
"Your mother had a picture of him you see...and here's flight records and a call log..my my, learned he'll be a father, and he runs away... Oh look at this, in America, his partner is killed, a new lover in fact, homosexual, my.. Running so hard and far on that one..and what does he do? Runs away... My own relation to the two of you is here as well... Proof in the DNA... To think I'm related to him makes my skin crawl you know? A Coward like that with the most elegant of Maids as his daughter... And you don't understand... Sister. You are the Younger one and you are already helping me."
Drawing one of her cards across the other's cheek, a small cut forms. "If he even has a little pride left as a man and as a father, me doing all of this will be enough to draw him out. The Organization's rules are absolute."
Adelaide's whole body began to stiffen, every part of her body paralyzed from all the shocking information hitting her now, tears starting form in her eyes and dripped down onto the metal just under her knees. "I..I didn't know, I-" The girl's voice cracked from her brokenness, barely being able to finish her sentence. "He couldn't have known, she said he never knew me, no, No! He couldn't have left knowing I existed...We existed..."
Her head dropped to the ground and even more tears ran down her face, she was always so stoic and in control, but this was her breaking point. "How could he do this." She slowly felt her face being pulled up from her body and felt a sharp pain on her cheek, though she barely felt the pain after what she just went through. "I don't even care anymore. I...Can't"
Staring at the girl, a part of Nina just wanted to kill her here and now, she had learned too much. But thinking back to her own mother and the orphanage, causes her hand to drawback.. This was not a justified killing.. In place she pats the other on the shoulder. "Well, at least he knew about you, and we'll see if he comes..as to that, we'll talk again soon.. Till then, I would be careful with what you mention to others.. I have no interest in more than..sparring with some effort against you and your friends.. Let's keep it that way, hmm? Plus..well let's not worry about complex things huh?"
Pausing for a bit, the Maid draws back her card. "Well then, time to finish this huh?"
The question was how to finish it, as it currently stood, the girl was a liability, while she didn't want to make her stronger, if she was too weak then her own plan would be problematic.. And killing her wasn't an option. Not that Nina had wanted to do such.. It wasn't her fault after all.. At the same time having her just forgetting everything would be useless as well.. Turning to her dress pockets, Nina draws a single syringe, jabbing it into Adelaide's neck, injecting what was in layman's terms as a sedative that left one vulnerable to hypnotic suggestion and clouded the mind to a point.. Leaving a couple of key phrases that would unlock her mind, baring time or direct interactions, the conversation the pair shared would be locked to the subconscious, just waiting, this would not be the last meeting the two would have..
Adelaide would be found laid out on a bench with superficial wounds and a wool blanket from an emergency kit laid across her. And proof of the mysterious assassin, outside of the broken glass and physical damages was well and truly erased.
UHA Special Bob Rossu painting class Collab: Today's lesson Public Safety dismemberment
Gripping his blade, Izou had been in deep thought for a while. It seemed like things had been cut off rather awkwardly, with the teachers mentioning some kind of attack by villains. Why? Sure, UA was the house of practically all of the future heroes, those who would become the new bastions of defense against super-powered evil-doers. However, something stank of difference. This was an attack directly aimed at the students, the teachers and the entire institution.
Besides, the entire measure felt desperate. They had just sent the students on their own with orders to report any villains on their way. They had provided no escort, leaving the students to fend for themselves while ordering them to not engage anyone. However, what made Izou the most weary was the conditions for this to happen. This all seemed like a desperate solution, an attempt to regard the safety of some students over others. Were they at the top of the food chain or at the bottom of it?
As he pondered, he was reminded of Misoka's words… So, this was it. They were being protected in a way. It was likely that whatever attack was launched at the school, it was massive enough to set all teachers in disarray, hence why they had no escorts. If all teachers were in disarray… It meant that they would have no help coming, no matter what.
Sighing at the thought, he was only pulled from his mind by the presence of a weird individual in front of the trio. For a moment, Izou stood at attention, his hand still gripping his dull blade. This was bad.
It seemed that Ayame was struggling to report the situation, and Amaris also quickly grew panicked. He had to take a hold of the situation…
Taking a step forward he covers Ayame and speaks in a low tone. "Daichi-san, Alucard-san… Form a triangle and keep your heads up… I'll take the Samurai and whatever else is with him afront of us, you two keep the other beasts distracted from me… If worst comes to worst… Keep your heads down and escape… I'll hold them back for as long as I can." He stated in a serious tone as his hand still laid on the handle of the blade.
Hidden in Izou's shadow, Amaris did not need to expose herself to danger whatsoever. "What!?" she called out. "'Esscape'!? Nonsensse! We'll sstay right here with you! Like I'd leave you behind!" Plus, if she wanted to escape, she could do so at practically any time.
[color=951ce6]"I'll stop those beastts.."[/color] She affirmed, as shadow tendrils rose out of Izou's shadow to swat a Kappa away and catch a dog by its legs, wrapping around its muzzle to hold its jaw shut.
"I already tried calling! There is no signal!" Ayame barks back at Amaris's words, turning her attention back to the Ninja, she nods, though not much liking it. "Can't we just run?" It seemed Amaris didn't much care to do such, either way.
"I doubt he'd just let us run away… " Izou commented as he focused his eyes in a tense stare against the Samurai.
No signal? That was a bad sign. Implied this was all deliberate. So the students were meant to be separated, and targeted? Running sounded good. Except as Izou pointed out, this villain would most likely not let that happen. Amaris knew all she could do at the moment was provide backup. Or, she could escape as Izou suggested, but that would never happen. However, she could leave easily, and go find backup. But that was not something she was personally wanting to do.
"F-fine..maybe if we defeat his paintings he'll go away, I mean he's mostly just standing there.." Pondering her next course of option, looking at the tree's she would make way to climb up one of those and ambush some of the attackers, the Kappa and dogs seemed weak enough, but she wanted to avoid the former policeman.
With those words coming for her, Izou steeled himself and took an offensive position, holding his blade tightly. Then and there, he'd focus solely on a single purpose: Stop the Samurai. He didn't have any purposes of directly defeating it or destroying it immediately, but rather keep it from reaching the girls. If he could avoid any harm to them, he'd do whatever it took.
His eyes locked onto the Samurai's armor. Taking a step forward his hand's movements change his grip on the sword and he pulls it out of its sheath in impressive speeds before making a diagonal slash upwards, whilst keeping his distance from the ink warrior. In a way, this was a testing attack, a study of what he was up against. While he was definitely attacking, he was ready to fall back at a moment's notice and retrieve his defensive position.
Izou's slash was impressive. "I can usse my shhadows to restrain him, and pull apart his armor, to give you a target, Izzou!" she suggested, while watching to see if his current cut would do any lasting damage. During that, her shadows were already in the process of wrapping around the painted samurai's ankles to root it in place. Truthfully, it was not as strong as Aurora or Kanna, so it was easier to hold back.
While the Samurai seemed to take some damage, it clearly was not enough, as it moves it's blade up in an attempt to intercept another blow should it be coming, stepping forward, it seemed black slash would form across the warrior, all the while the mysterious killer was busy painting other things, things he had not made use of just yet. Ayame for her part bounces on a kappa, knocking it over and spilling its water bowl, 'killing' it, pondering that, she seemed somewhat excited as she moves on to do the same to another.
"And the Legends of Japan were told, and in them not a falsehood."Says the painter seemingly not bothered by the Panda knocking his Kappa over.
The Samurai and Dogs move in to attack, while Ayame kept up her attacks, chomping at the bit, the dogs seemed rather eager to bite into the two heroes while the Samurai made for a quick horizontal slash to beat back the swordsman.
Having been ready for the attack, Izou quickly evades. Side-stepping the Samurai's slash, his black blade crashes against the ground, leaving behind a trail of ink. Izou, on his part, clicked his tongue in response. "Dulled blade…" He murmured under his breath before sighing quietly. Of course his sword wouldn't deal nearly enough damage given it's current dulled status. It seemed like he didn't have much of a choice here…
Taking a brief, but deep breath. Izou prepares once more. It seemed like he had completely zoned out, having ignored everything that Amaris said, but that proved wrong as he saw Ayame's attacks. "Alucard-san… Move to Daichi-san's shadow… Make sure the Painter can't unleash any more of these… I'll see if I can finish this one off." He stated. Moving his hand to his sheath, he seemingly forgot to even keep his blade away.
His eyes locked onto the Samurai, he saw the attack coming from far away… And responded in a completely different kind from his previous attack. Dropping low he made a quick dash-roll below the attack and below the Samurai, before swiping his sword across the hilt's tip. With that, water coursed through the blade's edge, moving in a circular form at incredible speeds. The movement enhanced the blade's cutting capabilities, creating a water-saw around the edge of the sword.
Below the Samurai, he quickly moved his sword in a half-moon slash, looking to cut the Samurai in two…
Amaris frowned as it stepped forward and once more slashed at Izou, apparently she hadn't held it back enough. She remedied that by tightening her shadows's hold on its legs. Then she heard the swordsman's words; she did not like the idea of leaving him undefended, but he spoke some sense. Stopping the painter made the most sense.
Her shadows swatted away two dogs that leapt at Izou in an attempt to bite him. Then she left his shadow, zipping from shadow to shadow. Sliding up a nearby tree, Amaris quickly entered Ayame's shadow. From here, shadows left the Red Panda, catching a Kappa and throwing it clear from the park. Next as she neared the painter, they began snaking around his person, around his waist, hooking around his arms, attempting to catch the Painter Killer and restrain him so he could not paint anything more.
Smiling thinly, they had misunderstood, dangerously so. Leaving his Samurai and dogs to attack, the Panda looking girl was too excited, when something else came into play.. Feeling his movements constrained, the man chuckles beneath his mask. "So the Gaijin sneaks in the darkness, using tricks to stab the honorable in the back, such is the actions of the Foreign Devil, of the coward, of the traitor."
With that his body began to emit a holy flame as if to be of the legendary fox fire. What effect live giving light would have on Amaris was another matter, but for now, the many drawings and scrolls he had started coming to life, and more importantly weapons. The scroll in his hand quickly becomes a sword, the other at his side simply staying there. "Who ever said to draw was to crete that I only can draw that with life. Ignorant Gaijin, Suffer."
With that, he swings the blade towards his own body, or rather towards Amaris and her arms. For Ayame's own misfortune and Oni was next to come out of one of the glowing scrolls, it's steel club swinging quickly into the Red Panda on the way down, swatting her back a few meters and leaving her in a heap. "Rejoice, for this is the beauty of Japan, tremble at the might of the Righteous! NIPPON BANZAI!!!!"
Also to the Ninja's dismay, his sword did indeed strike true, as the being collapsed to the ground, however it continued to crawl forward leaking paint, as it lays a hand upon the other's leg, blade still in hand as it swings. "Should one lose use of his sword, use his hands, should one lose use of his hands, use his feet, should one lose both, use his Teeth. Such is the way of the Samurai!" It seemed to be something more would be needed..
What was Gajin? Amaris wondered. It was not a word she recognized. The rest of his words sounded like total gibberish too, though she understood he was insulting her. But one thing Amaris gained from her emotionless state was logic. Logically she should not care one iota what a villain thinks of her, so she put no stock in his ramblings.
"H~!" Amaris gasped when a bright fiery light erupted from him. The shadows that were enwrapping him were immediately erased by this bright light. And luckily, he was swinging towards shadows that Amaris had left. She would've remained in Ayame's shadows, but the poor red panda girl was struck down. Now Amaris floated in some shadows of a nearby tree. What could she do? Worse paint constructs were emerging, and the painter had a strange fiery light that could dissipate any shadows that got near.
Seeing his plan having catastrophic ends, Izou gripped the blade with intensity. The swordsman quickly got up and attempted to run to aid them, but he was now swarmed by the enemies that he had told the girls to avoid previously. Clicking his tongue, Izou noticed that the Samurai remained yet strong, and aimed to swing at him once more. The attack lacked the strength the full Samurai would've been able to employ, and Izou quickly deflected the blade, causing the ink creature to lose it's balance.
It's posture fractured, Izou swung… Once, twice, thrice… Fast enough that the eye couldn't see. He couldn't hold anything back, and so his posture apparently changed drastically. In one hand he held the sheath of his blade while in the other he held his sword firmly. If the water was tainted with ink, he wouldn't be able to properly manipulate it. Instead, he had adapted his attacks to focus solely on cutting and mutilating with the blade in hand.
Seeing the two dogs from before return, he took a defensive position before they managed to leap at him in unison. Using the sheath as a baton, he swatted one of the dogs away while his blade connected with the other, cutting through the dog's mouth all the way to it's tail. His breath grew ragged by now. Maintaining this level of focus had a definitive cost on his stamina and attention span, but he couldn't hold back now.
Quickly seeing the large Oni beast, Izou dashed to stop it's attack on Ayame, slashing and bouncing on the dogs before using one as a trampoline to reach the Oni's hand, holding the club. His saw-blade ready, Izou's strike was aimed at the beast's arm, a desperate attack to cut it off before the attack could connect.
There were some disturbing painted constructs that were released from the scrolls. One appeared to be wearing a tengu mask, and there were some strange looking quadrupedal creatures like the other two dogs. As the swordsman took on the bisected Samurai, it was up to her to fend against these paintings.
Amaris held out her hand and sent a wave of shadows to trip up the tengu before it could do anything. Smashing it into some decorative pillars, she held it there with shadows for a brief moment. Next up were the fu dogs! Those terrible creatures were going to join their other dog brethren and attack the defenseless Ayame and Izou."Tch."
She popped out of the shadows, waving her hands. [color=951ce6]"Ovver here, ovver here you fucking muttts!"[/color] she spat at the abnormal dogs. Luckily it seemed she managed to gain their attention, both turning towards her and snarling with their giant misshapen maws. Their size was intimidating but.. she had to fight!
A loud barking sound erupted from one of them as it leaped at her. "Nyeea!" she squeaked, diving back down into the shadows, the large dog flying right over her pool of shadows. She had just barely dodged it! It would've ripped her head clean off, no doubt!
Amaris ignored the fear of nearly dying, and retaliated quite quickly. She whipped up some shadows to the fu dog that had just missed her, catching it around the neck. Its aggravated growls assaulted her ears as she pulled its head back with the vicious shadow noose around its neck. "Grrraah!" she shouted, popping out of her shadow pool, physically grabbing at the shadow noose and pulling it back, severing the head of the big ugly dog right off. Its paint spit out like blood, and after some gargled growls it collapsed, the severed head rolling beside her. Its paws eventually ceased running in place.
Blinking, she realized she had felled it. Killed it. The vamp released a heavy held-in sigh. She had been holding her breath. Shaking her head to clear it, she looked up. Amaris spotted Izou and watched as he flew to Ayame's side, intercepting the big Oni that was attacking her. She looked down at her hand, flexing her grip. She realized how to stop the construct. She had just done it!
Holding up her hand a tendril of shadow caught its one hand that was still connected, before it could strike at Izou. Her shadow yanked it back, leaving the Oni in an exposed state. "Izzou! Slicce off its head!" As she was shouting that, she swiped her other hand. And a razor sharp shadow sliced straight through the necks of the two regular dogs.
Hopping off one of the Guardian Lions, Izou jumped high up to land his blade in a stab at the Oni's chest, throwing the large beast off balance. As the spear penetrated the creature, it cracked backwards, using it's knee to support itself as it fell. Using this opportunity, Izou quickly moved his hand upwards and roared in response. The cut of the blade moved far up, all the way to the monster's head before slicing it in half, leaving a blue trail of water in its wake. The Oni, all but completely mangled beyond form, crashed downwards defeated, before it's form started to melt away like the other beasts.
Still content to watch the Policeman starts to clap his hands slowly, as if to mock them or to be truly appreciative. "Well done!" Watching as Ayame defeats the last of them the man seems to be.. Bored.
"You did well enough, but I've killed those you still yet train to fight. Do not Rejoice yet for Victory is still beyond the horizon." With that Rintaro reaches behind his back, casting out three scrolls of paper, a brush between each finger of his left hand as in a lightning fast motion he begins a series of swipes, first out where dozens upon dozens of Caltrops, as he turns his back upon the trio to begin painting on one hell of a large scroll setting on the ground behind him, the other two however continue to unfurl, as the fox fire engulfs them, well over a Dozen Soldiers, Tengu and spearmen are present. Letting out a battle cry the spearmen beat their weapons upon the ground in direct challenge, their Kabuki style faces in rage.
"..w-we should run.." Ayame had no faith in them surviving this run in. The first two groups were a problem, now essentially a force four times as strong was now formed.
"Run, then," Amaris said to the two. "I can hold them back with my shhadows! Jusst long enough for uss to esscape!"
Just for a moment… For that moment Izou thought maybe they would make it, but it seemed like today no Gods would answer their calls. So this was the difference in their powers. If only Izou was stronger, just like Old Man he'd be able to hold this man back. However, their powers were leagues apart.
Taking a defensive stance, Izou once more gripped his sword strongly, aiming it at his enemies once more. "You two should have ran away when you could… Now… There's no way we'll escape him. Hold your grounds… The heroes have to come… They have to…" Even now, Izou believed. He would fight to his very last breath if need be. "A samurai enters the battlefield already dead." He muttered, loud enough for the girls and maybe the Painter himself to hear.
She could escape. But there's no way she'd do that and leave these two behind! "Izzou, I can resstrain them. Retreat, or.. " Well, fight. Amaris dove back into the shadows, then focusing intensely, tendrils came out and began to wrap around the ankles of the soldiers, to halt their advance.
As the trio face off against the Horde, Amaris and Ayame had the right of it, running was for the best.. Taking note of it, the only real limitations the man seemed to have was in the time to detail cost and in the number of art supplies he had on hand.. In this case he had prepared well in advance for the Ambush, yet the fact he was still drawing things led her to wonder if he had spent a lot of time here recently draw-
Either way, as Amaris and Izou attempted to constrain the horde and carve a path out, with mixed success and the occasional help of Ayame who kept trying to penetrate the caltrop field, out of desperation to stop the Cop gone bad..
When suddenly what she next seen scared the girl so badly, she collapsed with on the spot making a startled barking sound, truly afraid, as the Artist turned to face the two, pointing at Amaris he loudly declares; "WHITO PIGGU GO HOOOME!"
As of all things an Eastern Dragon consumes the paper, it's massive body filling up the park quickly as it roars, coming to life, the artist nimble steps around and away from the mighty Shinryu looking figure as it roars and curves about. Shadows unable to hold it, water blades unable to cut it, Ayame looking at the beast with a look of dread and resignation..
Wanting to save his classmates, Izou tries his best to summon a torrent to carry the pair off, as Amaris finds even the slightest dipping out of her cover is met with a brutal neigh all encompassing assault. With her emotions frantically racing against each other.. It was then the beast finally struck home, crushing friend and foe alike, shining into the evening sky.. With a sudden and deft movement, Izou makes to deflect the beast and his sword is suddenly gone, as the shock sets in and the dragons head is gone by, a sense of..loss hits him, looking down at his arm, the sword felt lighter than before, when it suddenly hits him… A bloody stump below the elbow was all that was left..
Laughing, it seemed the Policeman had more planned as the dragon rockets skyward, readying a dive when suddenly…
"What in the fuck is that?" The Samurai says poetically as 'Paint it black' blares across speakers a UH-60 was diving through the clouds straight for them, it's pilot seemingly unconcerned about the dragon.. A Wild eyed man leans out the side door, hand on the frame as the pilot speaks to him from within;
"See! This is why I said we need a fucking door gun you fly boy!""..I told you once more, no, strengthen the Helicopter, we'll ram that son of a bitch. Brace!" With that the Chopper dives right into Dragon, like an absurd scene of old, an armored knight meets the Dragon, it's propeller blades spinning into and decapitating the ink created beast. Seemingly armoring itself the helicopter scores a critical blow upon the beast taking a chunk of it's head off, as a woman in black with a mask jumps from the chopper, her hair snaking around the remains of the dragon as she fell. Ripping it asunder.
"Tch.." With that the Policeman quickly makes his leave, he was seemingly unwilling to fight..
The helicopter had a rather interesting icon design, the head of Misoka in chibi form, with a fireball around the head and a wink of the eye with her tongue stuck out, the markings "347th Joint Emergency Task Force Squadron" was written on the side with the unofficial moniker below.
"The Misoka Five." though as the machine quickly passed by it was clear more than five people were aboard, as the powerful speakers and Radio set calls out across all lines, making use of the powerful S&R emergency system to communicate with any and all possibly interested Parties.
"Air Rescue One to the UA Students, Air Rescue One to the UA Students! Hold on! The Cavalry has arrived!"
Ayame finally stirs about, knowing the helicopter and the maniac hanging off the side, shouting out; "PAPA!? UNCLE!?" It was, if there was any doubt, it was indeed Misoka's sidekicks, standing in front of a door, Mister Otaku was there, Grimmjaw with his jaws of life in his hands, standing on the edge of the chopper floor, White Wind and Running Vector, each in their own customized civil service uniforms of their respective branches. Her Father had to be piloting the machine as it's armored plates vanish, his own code name was Red Eagle, but most called him Fly Boy.
As they looked on Grudge was finishing off the dragon, mostly via ripping it apart as she fell. What few paint specters were left, fell equally as quickly, hair tentacles bleeding ink in the aftermath. With that, White Wind was quick to leap from the helicopter, in a white paramedics uniform with a peaked cap, a red cross on an armband and brown hiking boots, the air around her gives a mighty updraft, slowing her descent as she lands among them. And just as quickly before Grudge, who was the silent sort anyways could respond, a burst of wind from the woman sends the pro back into the sky and aboard the helicopter, which as quickly as it arrived heads off to help yet more groups.
Amaris had not been expecting to face a freaking dragon of all things! Turns out, putting any sort of resistance against such a mythical beast had left them all in the state of which you'd imagine. Feeling like her chest was crushed, the pale girl laid there leaking blood from various scrapes, cuts, and other wounds all over her.
Peering up, hearing the loud hum of an aircraft, she watched the scene above through fuzzy vision. Still, she seemed to recognize some noticeable names! They had been rescued.. good, she had figured heroes would come to get them. She could not believe they had been left to fend against villains themselves. Left to their own devices. Probably left to just.. die. She couldn't believe that had been the course of action. Amaris slowly closed her eyes, passing out with a small smile of relief.
Laying in a puddle of his own blood, Izou struggled to remain conscious. The blood loss and the previous struggle had been enough to destroy his spirit and stamina. However, sheer tenacity held him awake. Looking over his side, he sees his dilacerated limb across the park, with his broken blade besides it. Still barely able to move, he starts to drag his body towards the sword.
His arm left a trail of blood before he managed to reach a tree against which he'd rest, watching the scene unfold in a blur. His eyes were barely open, unable to keep up with everything that was happening but… Thankfully they hadn't been abandoned. Not even then… He still hoped. A hero came to save them in the end.
Staying awake he heard the declaration from the helicopter, his mind all but registering the blaring sounds. The boy was awake but in a status of catatonia, his body no longer willing to respond to anything, he simply stared into the nothing as his irises slowly blanked out.
"Are you okay!?" White Wind yells out, shining a flashlight into the boys eyes. Sadly she had no ability to heal, only to move the winds around her.. This would all have to be old fashioned as she quickly gets to work, trying to stop the bleeding and to stabilize Izou. She also took note of Amaris and while she would take care of her as well, this one was of utmost importance, he had lost a lot of blood…
"Alright, let's get move'n, Grimmjaw, Vector, you're up next, then our guests and Finally I and Mister Otaku." "Roger! Affirmitive!Sure thing boss!"
To say Cupie was disappointed in the abrupt end to the exercise was an understatement. In fact, she was also genuinely pissed. First they asked her if she would be willing to play the evil mastermind since she had experience running away from people. Then she spent that night setting up where she'd put her traps and where everything would go in exchange for getting to sleep through the lesson. After that, they drove her ass to that building an hour early so she could set everything up, which she fucked her hand up while doing. And now, those fucking villains had the audacity to attack today of all days!
Uuuuugggghhhh!
However, her inward complaining soon ceased when she saw the serious look on Dullahan's face regarding the attack, and the mention that they would be heading back on foot.
They didn't want them to garner too much attention... They could definitely do that, sure. But how was the school holding up? The teachers? The students? Was everyone okay?
Well, with a companion like Masaru to keep her company, at least it ensured that the walk back wouldn't be boring…
They were arriving to the shopping plaza, arguing for the sake of bonding when suddenly an eruption made her pause mid-sentence. She quickly jumped out of the way and turned around, covering her mouth with her gloved hand to silence her startled scream as the civilians around them scattered for safety.
Cupie didn't understand a fucking thing this girl said, but she could take the opportunity to check the distance between herself and Masaru.
Not too far. Still within shielding distance. Good.
When the girl finished talking, another electric projectile. This one shot towards Masaru, and just like their first battle against Allo, Cupie reacted quickly.
She rushed in front of Masaru and summoned a large heart, the projectile leaving a deep crack in her shield; enough that the gas within was starting to leak.
"Dammit… Masaru, what did that dumb cunt say?" Cupie asked him before shaking her head a bit. She then spoke quietly to him "I can only fight one handed."
She removed a section of her glove and revealed to him that her hand was completely caked in blood and slightly shaking, "I used too much for the traps…"
As the blast crashed into the shield, the ground below crumbled and air expelled violently outward from the collision. Masaru gritted his teeth as ice began to materialize in the space around him, frozen spears and blades taking form.
The situation must've been far worse than he suspected. They were really getting attacked, and in a completely public place too. Furthermore, their attacker didn't seem to be a pushover considering the shield barely held against that attack.
Glancing over to Cupie, Masaru quickly returned his gaze to the ambusher in question, who at this point seemed to be nonchalantly picking at her pockets once again.
"She's just cursing. Fuck this, fuck that," Masaru replied. Honestly, he wished she was speaking more. She might give something away.
Running likely wasn't possible, but maybe this was a fight they could win. They had numbers, not to mention Cupie and he had spent time training over the past couple weeks as well as fought together before. However, as he looked over to see Cupie's bloody hand, that thought quickly died.
"What the hell you moron!" Masaru retorted with an angry whisper.
Stifling any further chastisement, it would do no good for now. Instead, they needed to come up with a battle plan.
"Okay… Just, focus on defense then. I'll go offense. We can either overwhelm her, or it'll give me an opening to get close-"
"Oi! You fuckers having a good huddle?" The villain questioned, this time having swapped over to Japanese. "No time to consult your playbook, Elsa. Let it fucking go and keel over!"
Shouting out angrily, another coin was fired off in the form of a powerful railgun. In response, Masaru slammed his foot on the ground, commanding a wall of ice to erect behind Cupie's shield for reinforcement only for both to shatter and the explosion.
As the debris expelled in all directions, the villain began to circle the pair, walking passed a small seating area and dragging her fingers across several metal tables.
Masaru, not being one to lay in wait, sent the armada of weapons flying at the small girl, adopting much of the same tactic as he did with Allo; some from the front, others from the sides and flanks, and one curving to come straight from above.
As the icicle weapons closed in, suddenly sparks began to tread across the surfaces the girl had touched. The metal tables vibrated violently before ripping off the ground and circling the villain, the surfaces facing outward like shields to protect her from the multi-directional attack.
The blades crashed into the metal, cracking on impact or embedding into the surface, however just as the barrage ceased for a moment, the testudo of tables opened slightly, just enough to reveal a spark and a light followed by a loud thunder, signaling another projectile firing, and this one straight at Cupie.
Cupie wanted to retort, but now wasn't the time to start bickering. She listened to Masaru's plan closely and decided that she would conserve the rest of her quirk for defensive purposes and let her partner handle the rest, as he said. As much as she wanted to help, this was all she could really do in her current state.
Damn it all…
Well, if push came to shove, Cupie knew what she'd have to do.
If it meant keeping her friend safe, then she'd take all of this bitch's attacks. She just hoped Masaru would remember where her corpse was.
It was then their opponent started speaking Japanese, much to her surprise, before launching another attack at them.
She used her bad hand to shield her face from any debris, quickly recovering from the explosion though not noticing that her legs were starting to shake a bit from adrenaline.
"Oi! Why the hell didn't you speak Japanese in the first place?!" Cupie shouted back at the girl.
Just as she asked her question, Masaru's ice shot at the girl only to be countered by another of her attacks. The projectile that flew at her was fast, leaving Cupie with hardly any reaction time.
There was no way her shield would form on time, which left her no choice but to hurl herself to the side towards her teammate to keep him in proximity.
Part of the projectile struck her leg, and though Cupie didn't feel it, the impact made her stumble a bit when she landed. The pain had yet to settle in for her, thankfully.
"What the hell do you want from us anyway?!" She asked this time, having her hand ready for another shield.
Cupie could tell right away that this fight was definitely not going to be in their favor unless they got their opponent to breathe in the red mist that was lingering the air after her shield broke. Unfortunately, this girl didn't seem to be that stupid so she would most likely avoid the red gas like the plague.
God dammit...
The least she and Masaru could do was get a little bit of information out of this.
"Emi-" Masaru turned to aid Cupie, seeing her take the hit, however just as he took focus away from their attacker, another projectile crashed into the space between them. Creating a crater in the ground as if warning them from getting too close and cozy.
"Cause fuck your moonspeak is why!" The girl snapped back in the very same "moonspeak". However, at Cupie's other inquiry, the girl seemed to grow solemn and silent.
Masaru scowled as he considered the situation. The girl had some massive kick to her attacks. Blocking wasn't effective as even if Cupie's shield worked, it still broke after one or two hits. On top of that, she was already running on fumes. If they charged out it would be like D-Day. But maybe…
"...Got it! Shield me, then don't stay still!"
Getting an idea, Masaru exhaled icy breath and slapped the ground with his palm. Slowly, the ground rumbled as pillars and walls of ice began to erect all throughout the area, creating an heavy ice-made forest or perhaps even a maze. Masaru's machinations couldn't stand a durability test against this girl's attacks. However, if they could obstruct vision, maybe they could figure something out. The downside was that creating so much over such a radius all at the same time would burn quite a bit of Masaru's own fuel, though it wasn't like he could worry about that now.
The villain, in response to this, of course began shooting out projectiles, where Cupie last was, as well as Masaru. However with so many obstacles, it would be a moment before they were in immediate danger. Now, they knew where she was, however she didn't know the exact location of the pair.
"God what a cunt." Cupie quietly said to herself, hating this person more and more as time went on.
The projectile startled her, but now was not the time to be screaming.
At Masaru's words, she did as he said. Cupie immediately moved, putting a large and rather thick heart shield between the duo and their attacker just as the ice maze came up. Looking it over, Cupie could tell that Masaru had just put in a great amount of effort into that one maze. They couldn't let it be for naught, even though their attacker could break through it with her projectiles. And there was no way to close the distance and fight with their current speed and defenses. She'd take them down easily if they tried.
Damn herself and her useless hand…
The second the maze went up, she grabbed Masaru by his shirt and pulled him along so they could start running. "We need to run. I can make us some platforms and we can take the roofs of the buildings to get out of here." She told him, pointing towards one of the nearby buildings and ignoring the fact that her remaining hand was running low on heart usage too. "If we can get some distance and some cover, we can call for help."
If Cupie had to guess, she had enough for heart platforms and maybe 3 more giant shields. If they could just escape for even a minute, they could use their Hero phones to try and contact someone.
Sighing a frosty breath, Masaru's exhale stuttered from the cold. Still, the drop in temperature was worth it if it gave them some breathing room.
Suddenly, Cupie grabbed him by the shirt and tugged, gaining a surprised, yet weird noise from Masaru.
"Y-Yeah… that could work…" Masaru didn't like running, but it was obvious that this wasn't a random attack. The villains weren't fighting blind; they knew their conditions and what they could do.
However, as they ran, Masaru took note of something suspicious.
"Wait!" Masaru said, grabbing her by the shoulder for pause. Aside from the soft cracking of some of the ice in the normal temperature of the day, it was quiet. "...She stopped."
"Fuckin' really. You're running away?" A familiarly aggravating voice called out from above. Looking up, the girl could be seen surfing on one of the tables as it floated with the others in tow. Tossing a palmful of coins and catching them in her right hand. "Fine by me. Makes this shit easier."
Grumbling that last part, the girl begins firing off projectiles from above, raining explosions down on the two. One strikes the ground close to Masaru, knocking him to the ground momentarily. Clicking his tongue in aggravation, Masaru exhales icy breath once again as subtle shards of ice begin to overtake his skin. However, the many walls and pillars constructed as a maze began to rock and lift, straightening at the girl in the sky before flying at her with great velocity.
This appears to take her attention off of them, now firing off attacks at some projectiles while surfing out of the way of others. Using the spare tables from earlier, the girl would crash them into a couple pillars that came too close to hitting her.
Cupie stopped, about to ask Masaru why the hell they were stopping, until he proved a point.
She stopped..?
Why did she-
Her heart stopped, any hope they had was gradually dwindling more and more as their foe seemed to have a counter for just about everything they did. She could float on those fucking tables. Masaru's ice powers were barely doing anything to her. Her own hearts would never be able to get close enough without that bitch shooting them out of the sky.
Of all times, now would be a good one to scream.
Cupie was about to start hatching another plan but the fired off projectiles erupted the ground and one of them striking between them, forcing Masaru and her apart.
Dammit!
"Masa-" She'd been about to ask if he was okay when she noticed the maze lifting up.
God, how much of a toll was this taking on Masaru? Assuming he did used his quirk at all during the exercise too, his body must be hurting to stop. She had to do something.
With Dani distracted, Cupie whipped out her Hero phone and quickly unlocked it, flicking through it and pressed the button to send out an alert of their location.
Loading…
Loading…
Loading?! What the fuck?!
She checked the service network. 2G.
'ARE YOU FUCKING KIDDING ME?!' Cupie inwardly screamed, resisting the urge to spike her phone at the ground. Of course they'd only have 2G at a fucking shopping plaza.
She kept it loading before putting it back in her pocket, letting it take its sweet fucking time while she focused back on her teammate to make sure he was okay.
To try and give Masaru time to recover, Cupie created a heart and threw it towards Dani's head. Did she expect to hit? No way. Did she expect the heart to do any damage? Nope.
"Get up!" She rushed back to her friend and grabbed his shirt, hoisting him back onto his feet.
At least now she could shield the both of them again and be prepared for whatever this cunt's next attack was.
As the heart came close, the table the villain rode rocked slightly before spinning 180 degrees to evade the heart, the attacker appearing wholly unencumbered by the change in positioning.
"Oi, you starting to run outta steam? This is starting to draw out." Speaking as if this entire experience was a complete inconvenience to her, the girl readied more coins to fire.
As Masaru was pulled to his feet, his condition had become clear as frost coated parts of his body and clothes. His breathing had become shaky as had he. The mass amounts of projectiles had taken its toll on him, though through the biting cold he remained unwilling to give up.
As the human railgun crashed another projectile against Cupie's shield, icy weapons materialized around his person once again. In quick succession with their machination, the various items shot around the shield and flew at the villain with more being created after each volley fired. The frost evident on Masaru's person began to slowly spread and enlarge.
"Fucking what?! Why aren't you a popsicle yet?!" The villain complained as the vollies swooped and slashed at her, the mass of weapons making her ability to dodge problematic.
While doing her best to evade, and being out of spare furniture to use as shields, the girl swooped low, diving off the table and onto the ground as the table reoriented to intercept the remainder of the projectiles.
While this is happening, Masaru grips the air and a frozen blade takes form. Crouching down slightly, the ground below him rumbles and cracks slightly as a pillar constructs and launches him forward at the villain. Spinning slightly, Masaru aimed to bring the blade down on the villain. The girl evaded in narrowly by stumbling backwards, releasing a startled noise. However, while Masaru turned to swipe at the girl again, his movements slowed by the cold could not cut the villain before she grabbed his wrist and electricity shot through his body.
Releasing a gut wrenching scream, electricity jolted about his body for several seconds before the girl stepped back, leaving him to collapse. Hesitating a moment, the villain breathed uneasily and her eyes went wide, as if not expecting the events. It didn't last long though, as she shakily shuffled in her pockets for a coin and prepped it to fire at a fallen Masaru.
"Masaru…" Cupie muttered quietly, concern lacing her voice seeing just how bad her comrade's condition had become.
She shouldn't have gone so far with her traps. She shouldn't have assumed there wasn't going to be an attack today. If she had just held back on those damn traps, she could have made stronger shields. She could have protected Masaru better. She wouldn't have been useless.
They could have won, right?
No, they couldn't have. They were far too weak.
This bitch was leagues ahead of them.
She shrugged off Masaru's desperate attack like it was nothing.
The girl returned to the ground, the force of the impact and her sudden appearance made Cupie stumble back a bit out of reflex. However, her recovery was too slow.
The girl had caught and electrocuted Masaru, his blood curdling scream ringing through her ears as Cupie watched, stunned.
Desperation ran through her, the need to defend her friend. Much like their first fight with Allo, Cupie rushed forward as their attack shuffled around for another coin.
Only when time was running out did the shock of the events let her move.
Masaru!
"NO!"
Cupie's gloved hand grabbed the one that held the coin, while Cupie's bare and bloody hand moved to slap the girl's face. Much like she had done with Charlotte, a heart had formed in her palm as she swung.
Her pink eyes screamed desperation, but Cupie had no choice.
The slap collided with the girl's cheek, however while she didn't shoot of the projectile, electricity jumped into Cupie's body much in the same manner as Masaru. It wasn't until a few seconds passed that the villain dropped the coin and stepped away.
"E-Emika…!" Masaru muttered, struggling to push his body off the ground.
Cupie's quirk had worked, given by the heart-shaped pupils of the villain, however unlike the past applications of the quirk, she didn't appear happy, or lustful or even in love. Rather, a conflicted and confused face fell upon her. She paused, her gaze jumping between the two of them before turning around and bolting in the opposite direction. She slid her hand across another fallen table, a jolt shooting across it as it lifted in the air, took her off her feet and out of sight.
A bloodcurdling scream erupted from Cupie's throat the second she received the shock. The pain shot through her body, completely forcing her still as her nerves tried to recover. Once the electricity stopped, she slumped to the ground with a thud, no attempt made to try to cushion it as she fell in a heap.
She was silent and barely moved, the full extent of the pain from being shocked not once, but twice settling after her adrenaline passed.
"S-Sorry…" She muttered back to Masaru, not having the strength to even look at him.
Suddenly, a figure appeared next to them, the flickering white sparks and electricity crackling around…
Designer shoes?
The figure skidded to a halt, cursing to himself that the attacker had gotten away, but he turned his focus towards what was most important right now.
"Shit… I'm sorry I wasn't quick enough, but I'm here now."
The figure was none other than Electros, Number Two Pro Hero and known model all around Japan. Electros had been on a low cut blue v-neck shirt, a black coat looking to be made of leather, some fancy and expensive looking jeans, and the designer shoes.
Looks like he had ditched whatever photoshoot he was doing to help in UA's attack and rescue students.
Electros carefully picked both teenagers up, being gentle with their wounds before the white lightning sparked and crackled again. Then, faster than the eye could ever see, he disappeared in a blur with the students, taking them to the designated hospital that would hold not just them, but the rest of their classmates and other students that were wounded at UA's attack.
I like Fantasy, Modern, Modern Fantasy, Yaoi, Yuri, and Romance. Please do not be shy in bringing up another genre. I just might be interested in it ^^
Aimi readied herself with two opponents rushing towards her, her eyes darting between both men to get an assessment. The ghost one appeared to be the weaker of the two in every way while the fire one seemed to have a quirk similar to that of Nova Master.
Interesting.
The white-haired boy vanished and the other one seemed to be readying for an attack. She took a breath, sensing the movement around her much like her master had taught her. To her, the world seemed to slow, guiding her through this moment of chaos...
The flickering flames and the heavy winds behind her. It was the fire boy, and he was closing in quickly.
Aimi twirled out of the way, swiftly dodging Ichirou's punch whereas the rock thrown at her was easily caught with one hand.
"Do not insult me with your silly display." Aimi scolded, crushing the stone in her hand, effectively turning it to rubble before focusing on her next move.
She quickly launched another force attack at Jojo before side-stepped, dodging Ichirou's next punch. This was when Aimi got a look at his face.
Pain. Visible agony. Was his quirk hurting him?
Heeheeheeheeheeheehee~
Aimi instinctively moved to try and grab his arm and paralyze it, but the second she did, a sizzling sound was heard and Aimi hissed as she retracted her hand. She would have to be faster with her attacks and when she touched him or risk serious injury.
Aimi reeled back her palm again and unleashed another attack at Ichirou, forcing him to quickly leap out of the way.
Ichirou regained his footing, noting just how inhumane this girl's reflexes were as well as her speed and quirk's strength. What the hell was she?!
"Wow… You're really strong." Jojo had to admit, she was! The young man kept up his rush, letting the next wave of force ripple through him once more. Like water punched his form shifted and returned to normal once more. In the very least her attacks had easy tells, and were force as opposed to something metaphysical..
However.. If there was somebody he had to watch out for…
It was ichirou.
Getting closer, Jojo went for a quick jab at her center of mass, all he needed to do was touch her… He could practically feel how much stronger she was than them. Her soul practically flared with purpose.
"Can we please talk about this!?" the boy yelped, his voice scratching as panic showed through.
Aimi, to say the least, was impressed by Jojo's quirk. His being rippled around her force, the attack itself going straight through him without damaging the person at all. Her Master had prepared her to battle a large array of opponents, but this one was new and exciting.
Very exciting.
"O-Oh my…" Was all Aimi muttered, a subtle blush on her cheeks from being in the presence of a challenge. She let the scene of her attack being useless on this opponent settle as her focus turned to the ghost boy. "Show me more."
Despite her eyes being away from Ichirou, she moved her head in time to avoid another attack, her reflexes having her hand quickly push the fire boy's arm so that his punch went towards Jojo's direction instead. The touch was only for a second so as to not hurt herself again.
Ichirou was forced to lean to the side further, throwing his punch off purposely and narrowly avoiding hitting Jojo in the face before he was met by another attack.
"HIIIYAH!"
Aimi, quicker than an eye blink, shot her knee upwards. The force of the attack nailed Ichirou directly in the stomach, taking all of the wind out of his body before Aimi quickly lept out of the way to put distance between herself and the opponents.
Ichirou coughed a few times, the pain of Aimi's attack as well as his quirk were gradually building a toll on his body. If this went on too long, he was going to end up burning himself out.
However, he did notice that this fight catered to Jojo. He would have to play the lesser role and let his friend handle Aimi; and so he said. "I'll keep distracting her. Try to get your hands on her again."
With that, he shot more fireballs at her. Aimi shot another force attack but Ichirou used one of his fireballs to dodge, warping close again and this time meeting her punches and kicks with defensive strikes. Aimi, for every time she launched her hand forward to touch him, was met with a defensive knock to throw her off. He punched her stomach, but his attack was met with a headbutt to his nose. Every attack he threw, she would counter and throw one back and vice versa. Ichirou, despite his strength, was still in trouble due to this girl's obvious fighting prowess.
But this was Jojo's battle to win!
"Ichirou! Be Careful please!" Jojo yelled, his own well being less important, he had to keep ichi safe! Thus…
He had to…
Do the unthinkable…
He thrust forward with his hand, catching the slightest hem on the dress… But that was all that was needed.
A tingle of electricity went up the dress as Jojo poofed out of sight, arcing up the girl's spine like a finger drawn across it's length. The dress now seemed to spark with dark lightning, as once the girl had her arms raised…
It slipped directly upwards over her head, covering it with fabric and tieing into a quick knot as it was let go by Jojo, the young man sliding slightly as he came into a crouch on the other side of the young woman.
"Run Ichirou!" He tossed the boy his phone. "I'll hold her off just run! Find the others!" He pointed, while a cool moment, it was very clear not… everything was to cool… As Jojo's face was beet red and he had a distinct nose bleed.
Now, Aimi and Ichirou both expected many things. What neither of them expected was for Jojo to use the girl's own dress against her.
Ichirou caught his friend's phone and gave a nod while not questioning the red face and nosebleed. Considering Aimi couldn't hurt Jojo, it would be fine if he ran, so he did as instructed with his quirk activated to give himself a boost. As he ran he tried to unlock his Hero phone to try and ping for help.
However, multiple smaller force strikes appeared one after the other from beneath the fabric of Aimi's clothing. The strikes quickly tattered the dress to pieces so all that remained were the sleeves and the collar area above her breasts.
All that remained covering her was her underwear and her shoes.
Aimi herself was red in the face but she regained focus on the task at hand.
Her Master had told her that any tactics on the battlefield were permitted. The only rule was to not attack a teammate, and to do anything she could to win.
Anything.
The fire boy was running away at remarkable speed, but not fast enough.
Aimi put space between herself and the ghost boy before firing another force attack, following it with another that boosted the speed of the first attack immensely. The attack narrowly missed Ichirou, and instead struck the building a little way in front of him. The first floor of the building erupted from Aimi's attack, teetering over until it collapsed to block Ichirou's path.
Ichirou shielded his face from the debris, his ears thudding from the loud noises but he persevered. He threw a fireball in the air, planning to warp to get around the destruction.
Aimi with this moment's distraction, took the hem of her bra in her hands and flashed her bare breasts at Jojo, using that confusion to make a mad dash towards Ichirou.
"You will not get away that easily!" She yelled, her speed faster than even that of Cupie's full sprint. "I WILL NOT FAIL!"
Jojo… was in fact stunned by this… He had felt what the dress felt so… But now…
Now…
...wow…
She…
Is beautiful…
…
"...Umm… Umm… I'm sorry!" He called after her… Before… Actually starting to run after them. He didn't expect for her to rip her way through her own dress… But… guess she was more than ready to sacrifice anything for the job…
….
His heart… It was pumping… For another reason than fear…
"H-hey! ichirou!!! Burn the phones!!!"
Ichirou heard Jojo's idea, and considering their options, decided to do it.
He warped over the destruction of the building and started running again, taking both Hero phones out of his pockets and set his hands ablaze. He could feel the cases very gradually begin to melt, but as long as he could break the motherboards Aimi wouldn't be able to get her information.
As he ran, he looked for any sort of path he could take or shortcut, but they all appeared to be blocked with the only open path being straight.
Had Aimi anticipated this?
Aimi easily sliced her way through the concrete, aiming slash after slash, attack after attack at Ichirou to make sudden changes to the environment. She couldn't catch him on her own, but that didn't mean she couldn't improvise a solution.
Normally, she would have broken the legs by now, but she'd been instructed not to horribly damage the students. Her quirk could accidentally cripple them, and that was one of the red rules her Master warned her against.
She sent another small force attack, this one catching the road in between Ichirou's foot and the road, creating a pothole that tripped him.
Seeing him fall, Aimi grinned wickedly and sprinted faster. Without giving him a chance to react, Aimi pounced her prey.
"Meet," Her palm reeled back, the whole hand glowing a blue rather than the bluish white from before, "the Paralyzer!"
At the word, she hit her open palm against the boy's spine. Just like that, Ichirou's quirk was shut off. He laid there motionless, as still as a corpse.
Aimi then placed her foot on his neck and looked to Jojo. "One wrong move and I end his life."
The phantom froze on the spot, yellow eyes meeting the young woman's. Ichirou… his first friend here… How could he have let this happen…
"...Okay… Just… Don't hurt him okay? I'm sorry for the fight, but please, do not hurt him." He softened his stance, eyes still on her's…
...Despite the male urge to look elsewhere…
"... Ummm… Why do you need the phones though… Shouldn't they just be simple ones? They… don't seem. Important.."
"..." Aimi said nothing regarding his question. Rather, she leaned down, eyes still on his, and grabbed one of the Hero phones.
"I'm afraid the "why" is none of your concern. A true Hero knows not to ask questions that obviously will not be answered… A true Hero also emits bravery and holds a commanding presence. You have neither of those things."
Aimi checked the phone but realized it had automatically turned off and wasn't turning back on. She clicked her tongue then connected what looked to be a flashdrive into it.
A pixelated purple-haired chibi girl appeared on screen, looking like a game character resembling the real person. Aimi watched Jojo as the chibi girl sorted through damaged files, trying to recover corrupt information.
All the girl could obtain was a single folder before returning back to the flashdrive.
Aimi gave a disappointed sigh and removed the device, tossing the phone before retrieving the other one to do the same. All the while she kept a close eye on the ghost boy.
"Josuke-kun," Aimi spoke up. She thought about the events, and seemed to be remembering something when she asked, "would you call yourself a True Hero?"
Aimi seemed to have been thinking something.
"Huh…? A true hero…?" He paused, this was really tense… But… "...I don't think I am yet, like you said i'm.. weak… But its been my dream for a long time to be a hero, I don't care for the money…
I just want to make people smile…"
Aimi could feel her lips twitch a bit, "Truly? And if you received popularity? If you became Number One hero? What would you do?" Could it be?
This one had been a challenge to fight mainly because her attacks ripped right through him, leaving no damage at all. But, she was curious. She wanted to learn just a bit more.
"Then… I guess I would be happy… but…" he paused. "...It doesn't really mean anything… Being popular doesn't mean much if you don't keep being a hero.
What matters most is being the hero! Not the job! To save lives, stop bad guys! Alot of people do bad things because thats all they can do… I want to help them to… And make friends… And…Be there so that nobody ends up like me…"
He stopped his outburst, looking to the ground. "...I know I can't do everything… But… The reason for having unreasonable dreams… Is so you never stop reaching for them… Right?"
As he spoke, Aimi's sweetness had turned to something… different. Her smile spread, almost creepily so. Her eyes held a different sort of look to them as her gaze settled on Jojo.
Ichirou had spoken about his friend a few times but had never mentioned his name. This ghost boy, he was the one.
The one attending UA for True Hero reasons.
Her heartbeat began to race, her legs trembling as a foreign sensation pooled within her lower abdomen. The world seemed to bloom in color in contrast to the ghost boy's monochromatic color scheme, much like one would see in a Shoujo anime.
"O-Oh yes… Yes! It's you! The one Ichirou-kun had been talking about. The one who is there for selfless reasons! The one who wants to help everyone! The one who wants to protect the innocents and the villains!"
Aimi's cheeks flushed a deep red, a sheen of pure ecstasy within her eyes as her hands held her face. Her fingers curled around her cheeks and under her eyes, entirely focused on The One, "Yes, yes! You are the one capable of becoming a True Hero! It's you! It's you! Your words ring true and your speech is music to this one's ears. You are the hard worker! You are the one who works tirelessly to become stronger for the sake of others!" The more she spoke, the more Aimi started drooling at the corner of her mouth and her cheeks became redder,"You are the one who will bring hope to this society of despair!!! You are the one who will show these impure cretins what it means to be a Hero!!! You are the one who will build your commanding presence and bring the disgusting filth of this planet to their KNEES!!!"
Aimi's back arched as the unknown sensation became stronger, one hand gripping her chest to try and ease her ecstatic heart. Her voice was beginning to come in pants, "Yes! It's you… It will be you… It has to be you! O-Oh, you are the one I've been searching for! Your cowardly demeanor had me mistake you for another cretin, but no! No! With every great Hero is great development! Yes, it will be you... Itwillbeyouitwillbeyouitwillbeyouitwillbeyouitwillbeyouitwillbeyou! Ooh just thinking about this is making me smolder~
Heehee-haha-hahahahahahaha! This sensation! This wonder! I've never felt this way before! Hahahahahahahaha~"
Aimi removed her foot from Ichirou's neck, the information extraction having finished sometime ago, but she had gotten a little… caught up.
"Oh my sweet Josuke-kun. I will be at your side watching your development. Even when you think I'm not there, I always will be, ready to cheer you on. When the world is looking towards other Heroes, I will be the one there to hold your hand. I promise you this, Josuke-kun. I will be the one by your side as your beloved wife. No one will ever share this feeling I have with you... But for now, I must say goodbye."
With that, Aimi dropped the Hero phones onto the ground. She blew the other a kiss before running away from the scene to escape the Pro Heroes that would surely come to rescue them.
Though she ran now, this wouldn't be the last time they saw her. Especially Jojo.
There was nothing that the young man could say, he was utterly stunned, flabbergasted, embarrassed, somewhat aroused, and honestly not fully certain what in the actual fuck just happened…
He watched the girl as she ran, before turning to Ichirou. "...I...Umm…" the poor kid didn't know what to do…
So..
He simply walked over to Ichirou and checked on him. "...Are… Are you okay? Can you hear me?" he touched his neck, then chest to see if he had a pulse and breath respectively… he had both… But…
"...Oh dear… Jojo has done it now…" the boy could only sigh, and hope that help came soon.
As Misoka air dashed through the grounds trying to find the intruders a rather large silhouette sulked after keeping silent among the tree's following in hot pursuit never getting near the Dullahan's sight as the redhead steered farther, and farther from the rest the silhouette final decided it was time to strike. A first Misoka would hear a massive cracking of wood before realizing a massive tree branch was falling her way cut clean in two as it veered wildly at the pro hero.
Taking note of the attack, Misoka was quick to dodge, summoning a number of her heads, she intercepts and pulverizes one of the split branch remains as the other misses clean, hovering about in the air she looks on, trying to find who had attacked her.
"..."
As on que to the woman's searching her opponent revealed herself in a soft thud landing perfectly in front of the pro hero slowly standing up revealed the figure of a damn tall woman with curves that would put both Chitose, and Ramiris to shame. The amazon was tall as fuck reaching 6 foot 3 inches, She was covered in a leather like armor oddly missing the parts to cover her hands, shoulders, and feet from the kneecaps down only returning with a nasty looking bladed boot. Upon the woman's arms were an equally dangerous set of arm blades. This girl was an odd choice to go after Misoka as she seemed to be a blade fighter... yet there was a weird feeling the air as the gorgon masked person looked directly at Misoka eyes hidden by the mask for some strange reason.
Taking note of the mask, Misoka quickly forms more of her spare heads and focuses on control of them, using the 'passive' detection abilities she had to gather her senses through them rather her own primary head as she scouts out the foe.
"You made a mistake coming here.." She says with her lower face hid partly below a collar. A threat to which the assailant seemed to accept as Misoka's confirmation to fight as the jump upward tilting in a strange arc before her leg caught branch started a changed reaction. At first it seemed she must have made a mistake, but that would quickly prove incorrect as the masked enemy spun wildly dropping the branch at Misoka before bulleting between the trees dropping a hail mary of debris to force Misoka to concentrate her limbs on dodging or blocking. Amongst a rather bigger piece falling forward Misoka would here a more human like thud behind her a ways off as the tall woman charge right at her with not a slash attack, but a stab giving Misoka only a moment to realize that there was a strange ashen like dust covering the tip of the blade.
Moving one of her heads into the position of the blade, Misoka quickly flies upwards and back, to gain distance, wondering who or what this person was. "Fine, I don't want to talk either."
The distance, however, would only be temporary as the figure gave chase rather promptly as if knowing exactly how Misoka would react as without really giving any thought to the discarded head flung it off in a pile of flames as she continued to speed upwards through the tree's towards her target.Yet as it seemed to near the climax of impact the woman extended her hand forward with an open palm rather then blade. Misoka would suddenly feel an unnatural weariness start to cling to her chest, and the closer the assailant got the more it started to spread.
Shielding herself with her cloak, she had learned long ago the dangers of fire, as the continues her airborne advanced, summoning more heads she starts to pelt the attacker below her, moving them at high velocity, blue flame trailing in their wake. She had no intention of fighting this one in close. So far everything they showed was close range fighting, her mission was not to fight but to run off the enemy. Distance and time were on her side.
As Misoka clearly planned to play the waiting game from a distance she was about to be in for a rude awakening as the taller woman flung both blades off her gauntlets at the Dullehan who would probably have no problem dodging if it wasn't for one very knowable sizzling sound of a bomb triggered inside the blades. The taller woman had dropped out of harm's way as the explosions went off. While Misoka was indeed immune to cutting damage impact was something the assailant knew she wasn't immune to. As the woman landed she started to casually walk forward she didn't need to seek Misoka… she would come to her.
Watching the fighter from above, Misoka decides to study the woman, to see what she was attempting and where she was going. Mustering her heads, she would test her defenses, at times sending out a couple to pry at her, something was off about this one…
"So tell me will your child fair as well as you," a mechanical voice called out clearly distorted by a machine in the mask as Misoka's attack was quickly dealt with in a series of rapid kicks. Clearly the taller woman had lost interest in Misoka as she pointed ina rather specific direction. "Shall I find out?"
"You can try, but she's not here." Misoka says pointedly. "And even if you succeeded I would just hunt you down forevermore.." Not taking the bait, she does however commit to a more full on assault, sending in streams of her spare heads in an attempt to beat down her new threat.
"Then who did you send west with Izou and Ama...ris," for a strange moment there was falter in the threat, but it didn't hold as Misoka's all-out attack caused the tall woman to dash off in said direction as she used the woods to damper Misoka's technique as she took routes in the forest heavier with obstacles as if she knew the damn place perfectly to a T. It didn't take long for the two to near an older building long since abandoned by the U.A. meant for deconstruction. It was originally the medical building for trainees to use after aggressive session of mock courses, or fights. The problematic thing however was now the tall womens threats proved true this building was in fact on route with Ayame's booked path for this very emergency meaning the attackers knew where the kids were going… they were the actual targets.
Sighing a bit at that Misoka follows the other, she knew a bit too much, that was for sure… Which made the situation more worrisome than she herself, on the other hand she was not about to take on a cqc fighter in a cqc situation. Moving her body along the outside of the building, she sends in a couple of the clone heads to search and observe the building as she hovers outside along the windows, with even more parts in reserve, creating them with a bit of focus as she decreases the power of her flight abilities, like a helicopter gunship, she prowls the outside of the complex, adjusting her height from time to time as she triggers an alarm to summon reinforcements, with that she might would venture inside, otherwise patrolling and waiting till she found an advantageous position to attack from would be best.
Yet such opportunity to find would never come as rather unorthodoxly two massive tables found themselves thrown out the third story window a little above Misoka one that was completely off target and the other dead on as it neared Misoka… only to end up being the actual distraction as the assailant who had hid on the blind side of the table launched off tackling Misoka right painfully into the very building she was avoiding. The two crashed pretty hard rolling in roughly as the Tall woman held tightly onto Misoka, and with each second her grip held Misoka would feel her strength draining extremely fast.
Detaching her head from her body, Misoka was quick to compartmentalize, summoning her additional heads to her, she looks into the struggle with her arms spread apart, almost in a T pose with hands upturned, blue flame leaking from her as she suddenly realized who it was and a radio call alerted her to what was going on.
"IMMA!" Dropping her emotionless guard, the anger in her voice was real and booming.
Once the head had detached the woman now discovered let go of the rest of Misoka's body as she eerily stood back up watching Misoka's head. It was then that Misoka would be met with a rather disturbing scene as Imma's body started to twitch weirdly lifting up both her hands. As if by forceful nature the prior missing pro hero removed the gauntlet on her left hand. With one single nail she started to cut into her left forearm just enough to bleed… blue blood. Her body would then freeze as mumbled transmission could be heard yelling into Imma's mask causing the woman to stop what she was doing as her arms went limp before returning to fighting stance as the unnatural blood color dripped onto the floor.
"Dammit.." Watching this, Misoka knew the woman was a threat, but if she could remove the helmet it would be possible to restrain her, she would need help for that however, with her body compartmentalized, she had known Imma enough in the past to know how her quirk worked, the stunning would do little harm and the blades would find themselves rather empty..
However it did put more of a strain on herself, controlling more and more parts, so there would be an eventual limit to where the two could continue this. Sending the body forward, Misoka separates her arms to latch onto and pull the helmet off of Imma, as her Body and spare heads began an all out assault upon her former comrade. As the attacks came flooding in Imma found it harder and harder to slice, and kick away all the body parts Misoka threw at her. As Misoka's hand grasped the mask Imma was starting to overwhelmed as the operator on the mask screamed bloody murdering threats. It would unfortunately end the way neither party wants as when it seemed Misoka was about to rip the mask off… Imma was gone in a flash… vanished in a sudden burst of white. Someone had clearly planned out for this very situation… which meant more half hazardly a warping quirk user was now at play.
Alfanso & Kanna vs Mauve
Having left the subway, Kanna takes out the phone and tries to get in contact with someone, anyone, looking at it with a bite of a mute rage, she reaches a decision of her own, rocketing off her feet in a series of strength enhanced jumps. Causing more than a few cars to get serious dents in them and a few bus stops, Kanna quickly makes her way back to the UA, leaping atop the wall and into a classroom, she decided to drag help from here directly.
As Kanna entered into the building, the girl would feel a sudden, forceful gust of wind hit the side of her face, then suddenly vanish. There, Alfonso stood, as if appearing out of nowhere.
"Ah, Miss Kanna. I am relieved it is you and unharmed," He spoke with relief, however his face retained an expression of seriousness. "But why are you alone?"
"Cause the rest of her classmates are preoccupied. As was she," a voice lulled before four slimey tentacles shot through the wall wrapping around the Spaniard's physique quickly burning through his clothes, and painfully into his skin as the hulk of a man was pulled through the wall, and right out the window in the new room he had been pulled into. The person who had suddenly just bitch tossed a pro hero seemed not to excited about it sighing as her tentacles retracted back into her body before dropping a card key into her somewhat human hands. The figure had no mind it seemed to walk into Kanna's view revealing herself without nary a thought on the matter. For the most part she was a rather unreal illuminated woman nearly see through minus the few clothes she had on that were made of the same watery like substance she appeared to be made of. The woman softly smiled at Kanna winking as she passed her by.
"I won't fight you darling tis not my goal though him on the other hand… I have no mind throwing around," she smiled sinisterly as she could her the Pro hero coming back in.
She was strong, there was no doubt there, normally a cause for a person to flee, a reasonable person at least.. Kanna was anything but reasonable most of the time. And hanging something this strong in front of her was like putting out a 'Punch Here' sign, bleeding a bit of that excited aura as her mother was given, the relation would be difficult for anyone to deny as she smiled thinly before reaching back to give the aquatic woman a good what for, or at least a test. "Huh I think Mamma would say something like; "Hey, that's annoying, hey, do you think I don't like a fight?"
A groan of pain erupted from the man as his clothing was singed and skin burned. Being yanked into the adjacent room, the man gritted his teeth, though whether that was from the pain or irritation remained to be seen. Nonetheless, Alfonso wasted little time on the ground.
The wind within the building picked up, flowing with an unnatural strength before the pro previously tossed about shot back into the room, the air flowing with the rough sound of a storm. Alfonso rushed to her opposing side to Kanna's, as if preparing a pincer attack. However, as he reached that side, the man bounced up in the air with a spin, pushed onward by the wind current of his own manipulation. With a kick off the ceiling, Alfonso spun once more, bringing down a hardy somersault kick aimed at Mauve's head.
"Miss Kanna! You musn't fight her!" He implored amidst his retaliation.
"Oh you are very much your mother," Mauve Stinger smiled a monsterous red at Kanna as if speaking from personal experience. Before this conversation could go any further though a rather unsightly storm brewed towards her at full force seeming to go for a pincer only to end up being a trick shot as he mobilized into the air aiming for her face. Where as for tentacles were used to toss the man six were needed to fend off his attack as they merged above her to shield the aggressive compression attack.
"By all means dear Kanna if you wish to attack you may, but I wish not to awaken a sleeping giant so I cannot counter you," She jovially spoke to Kanna on a first name basis until the floor caved in sending the aquatic woman down a floor as her tentacles grasped onto the man's leg pulling him down with her before pushing him forward as two more tentacles grew out , and launched forward ready to latch onto the man as the original six started to spread out to other rooms one in particular carrying the mans key card.
"Or you can watch and realize how silly it is to conform to such silly rules society places, and see how fun it is to just let it all go," she demonically chimed as she spun forward pulling back all the tentacles to her body as she added a spin kick of her own directed for the man's stomach region.
Glancing at the two, Kanna smiles a bit, her gaze lingering on the two, the man, the woman. Slowly and steadily she smiles finally at the woman. "It's silly, corrupt, pointless, people do silly things building up wealth and more wealth that they can never spend, they pump toxins into the air and into the food. They lie, cheat, steal, look at you with lustful or jealous eyes..."
With that she watches as the floor gives way from her teachers attack as she calls out; "But even so fighting and killing them just as they are there is even worse than silly, it is wasteful. Mother turned against all of that and a little talk isn't about to change that. Even if I get nothing for it, even if they disappoint me, anger me and make me hostile feeling, I have a duty as a Priestess.. And I am doing this as I want to do it, also if you knew my mother, then that's all the reason.."
With that Kanna heads out the room, attempting to find the tentacle with the keycard, she wasn't about to listen to the teacher in full, he needed help, her classmates needed help, and by the Kami they were going to get it, even if it hurts her a bit.
"Are you truly so arrogant, miss Stinger, to monologue while facing me?"Alfonso interjected.
As the kick swiped at him, the man leaned backwards to allow the attack to fly over him. Footing still held firmly on the ground and knees bent at a 90 degree angle, the man's posture quickly returned to that of normal from the appearingly stupid movie stunt.
Performing a half spin as he stood to full height, Alfonso's leg lifted before stepping forward and ejecting fist at Mauve's torso.
"I understand you hold quite a reputation for yourself here… However, I am still a top rank and the element of surprise can only carry you far!"
As he said this, the fist stopped just short of Mauve's chest before he thrusted his palm out and a large, concentrated burst of wind would form from it, slamming into the villain.
"Ah I do apologize nasty habit," she giggled as her kick was dodged leaving her open for a hole punching air blast that literally tore open her stomach as the blast went past destroying some property in the back the sinister woman scoffed tilting her head a bit at the man.
"Indeed, yet jumping at someone with so little knowledge of them equals just as nasty a turnaround," She smiled as all six of her current tentacles slammed into the man sending him forward straight through the doorway leading into the stairs as he was smashed into them forming a nasty crater. Sighing as her seventh tentacle was dealing with the card key it seemed Kanna would be a little harder to ring in… seemed her old cohort had indeed turned a new leaf from the sounds of it. The hole in her stomach started to regenerate as she fixated herself to the wall on her left three of her tentacles returned to her side as they thrashed about the wall revealing Kanna going for the computer she had just inserted the card into.
"How about a game of cat, and mouse," Mauve chuckled as her tentacle ripped the card out and shot upward heading for a different computer on a higher floor.
"Hmph.." Kanna's eyes had a bit of a glint in them then as she 'thinking man' solves the problem. "Hey! Spaniard! Bring her outside and kick her ass! She can't do whatever she's doing if I just take out all the computers!" As far as she was concerned, property damage aside, this would foil whatever plans they had, as she punches one of the supporting pillars causing it to crack and crumble bit by bit, sticking her tongue out briefly in taunt.
The strike from the tentacles acquired a pained grunt as Alfonso was slammed into the stairs. Her strikes at the beginning had done some damage to him; he wasn't at his best. Yet still, he had to stand.
Pushing himself up to his feet, the man steadied his breathing, adopting a dramatic pose that resembled some sort of a martial arts game ripoff. However, as the walls crumbled to reveal Kanna, he stared at her blinking.
"That is a bit hurtful… Miss Kanna," Alfonos grumbled. How cruel it was indeed that she did not even know his name. A plan was a plan though. "Very well… but take care!"
Winding up, Alfonso opened his hands and raised his arms to form a straight X. Dashing forward like a storm, the cut with both his arms, sending two separate slicing currents aimed to tear at the woman's tentacles. Continuing the charge, he spun and extended a leg to plant at Mauve's toso, once again forcing a powerful current of air to blast the woman back and out of the building. He would cover for his student no matter the cost.
"So impatient to get hurt, " Mauve sighed as her tentacles retreated to her body holding patiently still as the wind cutter attack passed her by as she walked towards the massive man. As the home in her stomach finished regenerating the man seemed to go for the same special move yet this time she had no desire to take the hit as she suddenly slid under the leg with all her tentacles grasping and burning into the man's leg. Worn upward momentum the man sent up into the air before being brought down like a hammer in front of Mauve.
"Kanna dearie you really wish to bring down this building potentially filled with numerous victims, Mauve sung out to the miko as she walked away from the Spaniard and towards the student.
"What about all those heroics a moment ago such destructive tendencies without a thought to the potential harmed hmmm. Very much like your mother at her age. I digress though do it drop the whole building on us I'll still get what I want."
"Not all the building, just this section with all the Computers." She said flatly in response. "Buildings can be rebuilt, people cannot...well. For the most."
Smiling thinly at the mention of her mother, Kanna and at her age. "I find it hard to believe you would know how my mother was then, considering you would have been in Diapers. All I can say is you are wrong, mother was much worse."
With that she cracks her knuckles looking at the other, if she was careful with where she hit it would be possible to bring down just this one portion of the building and by now they had to be doing evacuations.
Alfonso grit his teeth as his leg was latched onto and he let out a huff as his back crashed against the ground. However, as Mauve turned her back and walked towards Kanna, he swept his other foot, a current of wind swiping low to trip the villain up and knock her to her feet.
Hopping to his feet with the aid of a gust of wind, his leg was in bad shape, but he could still fight. Unfortunately, his mobility was shot now.
"I must say, you're quite good at causing damage. Your mind games and speech leaves much to be desired, however." Commenting that, the man seemed intent not to let the injuries show.
"Eh it's why I kept silent most of my career," she nonchalantly responded with a shrug as she sized up the man well what was left of him anyways.
"Heh true your mom was pretty up there in the worst hell it's why I enjoyed her company. I am pretty sure my little old friend won't me doing this," she was about to give her full attention to Kanna until she was slapped in the legs by a lazy tripping attempting as her tentacles latched into the ground to regain stability she sighed agitated.
"I've got a better solution to all of this" she smiled at Kanna as her tentacles repositioned themselves at Alfonso.
"Better catch him," she smiled disturbingly as all six tendrils caught the man before at full strength flung him out of the building and into the sky above. Motioning to Kanna she blandly chided.
"You have got some work to do right now don't you?"
"Yes, yes I do." She says with a smile, watching the pro fall out the window. Alfonso up to this point had shown the ability to use the wind. If he couldn't catch himself then he was a pretty shit wind using hero and Kanna had a feeling that keycard was up to no good. In the case of one over the many, the choice was clear. Letting out a battle cry Kanna lets out her power as much as she could, feeling her bones fracture slightly as blood and rage flowed through her, her eyes covered in a dark shadow as she unleashes a single punch towards the woman's back. She didn't expect to win, but if she could send the woman out the window or slow her down enough for Alfonso to return, then her job would be done.
While the tentacles stung as they grappled him, Mauve's plan was less than impressive.
Flying out the window, Alfonso's image disappeared through the window, but as Kanna reared a punch, the man shot back up to the window. Pausing as he leveled himself with the window, a second gust of wind shot him like a bullet at the two.
"Now it seems, even your destructiveness is beginning to lack," Alfonso taunted, spinning once again spurred on by the strong current of air as he let loose another kick at Mauve's front, this time actually pursuing a pincer attack with Kanna's own.
"Lack on purpose really," Mauve smirked as at the last moment she was pulled upward by her tentacles allowing the two attacks to collide.
At the very last minute and with considerable effort, Kanna dives her fist into the flooring, a crater forms, taking her with it and the supports for this section, all the computers in this part that had to deal with whatever the woman was attempting would also likely go up with them, as the building groans and creaks, time was of the essence. Kanna for her part seemed awfully unconcerned with all this as the localized portion of the structure would pay her a visit.
As Mauve escaped from the maneuver, Alfonso summoned another current to stall his incoming kick. With a twirl he reoriented himself and stood on the ground, spinning with arms extended, a force in the motion a tornado takes hold of the debris and shoots them up at the villain as its pressure hopefully pinned her to the ceiling she clung to.
With this section of the building collapsing, Mauve shares a thin smile with Kanna, suddenly vanishing with a portion of the wall, her own mission ended up being a mixed bag but she did cause damage to Alfonso and the virus was in the Network..well partially, considering the network now laid in the rubble for this part of the building, well before it could infect much else. Kanna for her own part was now busy trying to dig herself out of the rubble.
I like Fantasy, Modern, Modern Fantasy, Yaoi, Yuri, and Romance. Please do not be shy in bringing up another genre. I just might be interested in it ^^
Chitose didn't waste time getting into stance. She activated her quirk, her cloud erupting from the center of her chest before she disappeared completely. The fog barreled down the street, encompassing her attacker and his ravens within the thick mist faster than the blink of an eye. Chitose, in her invisible form, stayed quiet and remained completely still. She wouldn't move yet; she needed to decide her next course of action before committing to it. All she could hear within the cloud were the ravens cawing and her own heartbeat.
The man's vision was obstructed by the fog, surely. And yet, he looked completely at ease. His ravens sat where they were, some flying to the street to reposition themselves and others cawing in what seemed to be communication.
And yet, there was no attempt to look around. No movement. Not even a flinch. Nothing…
Chitose quietly thought of her own plan. A stealth attack was out of the question considering all those damn ravens watching his back, and a frontal attack was far too risky.
"How long are you going to keep me waiting?" The hooded man asked her, his gloved hands in his pockets and his eyes lazily searching the fog. "Prolonging your battle is only endangering your loved ones longer."
Dammit, he was right. The longer she fucked around with this bastard the longer her students and the school were in danger. She needed to end this fight quickly or subdue him and get passed.
Chitose warped through the cloud, appearing right before her attacker hovering in the air. She swung her leg in a roundhouse kick but the man blocked it with his right forearm. With a curse, Chitose warped again and reappeared at the same height behind him. She tried a reverse roundhouse kick but he ducked low. A raven from the crowd cawed behind her and barreled in to attack but Chitose spun again, hitting the bird directly in the head with a back fist. The raven disappeared in a black misty poof before Chitose disappeared again. This time she appeared on the ground in front, using her legs to try for a scissor kick but the man disappeared before she could get him.
She cursed again then warped back to put some distance between them. More ravens fired towards her, forcing Chitose to act quickly.
Chitose hit the first raven with a straight punch, met the next with an axe kick, then spun to meet the next one with a back fist, each raven disappearing with the same black mist from before. However, the last raven barrel roll dodged her next punch and zipped past her face, cutting the side of her cheek when the beak zipped through.
"Gah!"
She quickly recovered and touched her cheek as the pain stung. Blood.
Shit, just how sharp were those fucking beaks?
Chitose kept her poker face, but then a light bulb went off. She had an idea.
She warped again, but this time she traveled quickly through the fog, passing the man and making haste past the ravens as well. Chitose moved completely passed her attacker with the intent of making a quick escape. She could have her sidekicks find this man while she helped her students.
However, the man started running.
He ran quickly, faster than any normal person she had seen. Her attacker threw a punch at exactly Chitose's direction.
Startled, she barely managed to dodge but the shock of being discovered so easily flooded her judgment for a brief moment. In all her years as a Pro, no one had been able to pinpoint her location so quickly. What the hell was going on?! Was it just luck?!
The man threw an uppercut punch just as quickly as his first, this one nailing Chitose in her stomach. The strength behind the punch not only knocked the wind out of her body but forced her to reappear. She landed on her legs shakily and readied for a fight.
Her attacker threw his knee forward but Chitose hopped back and dodged. She aimed to throw a punch at him but was interrupted by ravens swooping in to attack her, forcing her to stumble and lose focus on her target.
Chitose swatted at the ravens with one hand, trying to shield her eyes and make the birds disappear. The other man took advantage of this and swung his fists, landing multiple straight punches at not just Chitose's face but her body. The strength behind his swings as well as the birds aiding him made Chitose's attempt to fight back far more difficult than she was used to. He slammed his knee against her stomach again, momentarily stunning her before striking her with another uppercut punch. More ravens flew in and cut through her costume, tearing her skin.
She knew his constant attacks on her were to keep her from counterattacking, and he would succeed if she didn't move her plan to B.
Chitose's cloud disappeared to help her conserve water. In the split second she had where the attacks stopped she quickly warped away and put a good distance between them.
She could feel her jaw and cheeks were growing numb and her stomach screamed in pain. Her cheek and arms were stinging. Chitose breathed easy to try and keep her body calm. The longer she postponed adrenaline, the longer she'd be able to keep a steady stance.
Her attacker was damn near unscathed. Fuck...
"Are you giving up?" He asked her. "It's alright if you are."
"What the hell do you want?!" Chitose asked before shaking her head, "Wait, let me guess. You can't share that, can you?"
"That answer will come in due time, Nimbus." The man smiled behind his mask again. "But please answer my question first. Are you giving up?"
"Never! As long as I'm standing I'll keep fighting!"
He fell silent for a second. "Have I not proven to be much stronger?" The man asked himself, looking to the ground then sighed in disappointment. "That is unacceptable. You should have accepted defeat by now."
As he eyed Nimbus, the ravens gathered. Their black eyes all watched the Hero with unwavering gazes, over a hundred pairs of eyes stared her down. "I suppose further persuasion is necessary."
He rushed forward, but soon his body disappeared in the same mist the ravens did. Chitose's eyes widened. She disappeared as well with the intention of warping, but as she started moving her attacker reformed in front of and punched her out of the air again, forcing her to reappear.
'What?! How?!'
She hit the ground hard, but flipped herself back onto her feet and narrowly dodged his foot where her head had just been.
He swung a roundhouse kick the second she stood up but Chitose blocked with her forearm, only barely. The force behind the attack made her stumble a bit but she caught her footing. She swung an array of her own punches, working into a combo attack that forced her attacker to take defense. Each raven that came after her she quickly kicked or smacked away, doing her damnedest to not let the villain have a chance at getting another combo on her. Chitose's instincts flared; an upcoming attacker from behind. She warped upwards, a split kick that hit both the raven's face as her attacker's defensive stance before she returned to the ground to continue her attack. She hustled, more punching hitting the other's defenses and even breaking past it for hits against his chest, face, and neck. Chitose brought her knee up, aiming for her opponent's groin and stomach area only to discover he was wearing a cup for protection.
Seriously?!
Chitose grimaced at the pain her knee received but continued. She threw another straight punch to aim for his neck again, swiftly dodging a small group of ravens that flew her way after he sidestepped the punch. She warped up at head level again, aiming to hit him with a butterfly kick but the attacker grabbed her ankle and swung the Hero over his head and slammed her against the ground.
Using the bounce from the impact, Chitose recovered and threw some nearby street rubble at her opponent's face, which was successful in momentarily blinding him. Now was her chance!
She warped forward not once, but twice. The first to give the ravens a misdirection, and the second for the actual attack.
Chitose slammed her upknee into the attacker's chest and abdomen, forcing him to double over. She threw an uppercut then a downward hook, then quickly followed it with another array of punches to keep him from having a chance to counterattack her.
She was wary of the ravens, warping out of sight and into a different spot with each raven that tried to attack her. More ravens came after her and Chitose flipped herself over her opponent's head to behind him, using his body as a meat shield for the oncoming ravens as she threw another uppercut into the man's back.
He disappeared again, momentarily becoming a bird before returning to form in front of her. A dark look was in his eyes as the presence of a smile was no more. Chitose cursed to herself and prepared for the next attack.
The villain threw punch after punch, forcing Chitose to take a defensive stance. However, he didn't back down. He punched harder and harder, breaking through her defenses and opening her to his combo attacks.
Punch after punch Chitose was slowly becoming more and more delirious. She tried to block her face but was met with an uppercut that forced her open again.
His body disappeared again into raven form, appearing behind her and delivering a strong front kick before Chitose could face him.
She fell to the ground on her stomach. She hurried to stand back up until she felt pressure on her leg. Then, a sickening snap.
The pain that barrelled through her body made Chitose scream in agony as her leg fell uselessly back onto the ground, the sound echoing down the empty street. However, the villain didn't stop there. He grabbed her other leg with the same pressure being applied.
"N-NO-"
Another loud crack, and all that came out of Chitose was another agonized cry of pain as her nails dug into the street.
"Now you can't fight anymore."
Tears came to Chitose's eyes, trying to fight them as her body suffered the pain of broken bones. She wanted to move, but the slightest pull to her body made her yelp.
The villain hooked her stomach with his foot, forcing her to turn over. The movement of her legs had her cry out again, then a hand that gripped her hair painfully. He forced her to look at him.
"My apologies, Nimbus. But I'm afraid this is a waste of time." His smile returned to his face again, "I have received my orders, and my orders were absolute that I do not waste more than an hour with you."
He let her head fall, but not before one of his gloved hands gripped her throat of her costume.
"No! Letmego!"
The villain picked her off the ground, lifting her with one hand as the fabric was the only thing keeping Chitose from falling.
She tried to scratch and hit his arm; had her legs not been useless she would have been kicking too. Unfortunately, her efforts were futile.
One caw. Two caws. The entirety of the flock of ravens that he had at the ready all began to swarm in, flying in circles around the man and Chitose. Genuine fear was in her eyes seeing the birds circle around her like she was their prey, leaving her completely at the mercy of this villain.
Was this it? This was how she died?
The man stared at her, his gaze menacing before he spoke one word.
"Mercy."
The ravens, on command, swooped down multiple at a time. They attacked Chitose with each beak cutting deep into her skin, sending a sharp sting through her body to accompany the pain she already felt. Her arms, back, stomach, chest, legs, feet, hands, all was not safe as the birds dove in headfirst and tore through her flesh. Chitose writhed and yelped in the man's grasp as her body went into shock, forced to shield her own eyes as two ravens tried to peck at them. The birds scratched and pecked at her arms instead in an attempt to get through but they eventually ceased. She could feel the blood trickling from all over, her vision becoming blurred as she lost more and more blood.
The whole time, the man smiled at her as if this was nothing to him.
A bloodcurdling scream escaped her; her last and desperate attempt to cry out for help over the chorus of caws. Unfortunately, her call would not be heard. At least, not yet.
"Cease."
The flock quickly disbanded at the command and disappeared simultaneously, Chitose limp in the villain's grasp. Her entire costume was drenched in blood with multiple cuts and wounds littering the Hero's body. Each laceration varied in depth and severity, with some cuts resembling ones from paper and others deep enough to expose bone. Though pieces of skin were missing, there was only blood on the ground.
The only sign of life left on her was her blinking eyes.
The man dropped her on the ground, shock allowing Chitose the mercy of not feeling anything as she landed with a thud. He then searched within her pockets, taking out her Hero phone, her wallet, and her regular phone.
He withdrew a flashdrive from his pocket and connected it to her Hero phone.
A purple haired pixelated chibi girl started going through the Pro's files, withdrawing information through the years and years worth of information kept inside. From her friends and family down to her students, every piece of information was taken and placed within the flashdrive.
After a minute, the pixel chibi girl gave a thumbs up to signify it was complete.
He removed the flashdrive and set it within his pocket, then looked at her wallet.
He opened it up and discovered pictures. A wedding photo between herself and her husband, the Number One Pro Hero Nova Master. Another with a smiling teenaged boy and an older gentleman who looked just like her; Number Two Pro Electros. Next were twin girls with differentiating eye colors, and the last was a group picture with herself, her husband, and her children in one. The villain looked to Chitose.
Her legs were snapped in unnatural directions, her breathing was faint, blood was beginning to pool around her and she seemed to be fighting the urge the fall unconscious. Her eyes were on him, tears welling as a gaze of dread and panic looked to be in them.
The villain crouched next to her, this time the smile on his face was disturbing.
"Hahahaha oh what a pretty face… Are you afraid that I'll do something to your beloveds, Nimbus?" He asked, turning the wallet in his hand to show her the pictures she adored so much. "One by one, feed them to my ravens? Worse than what I did you? Heheh, for someone whose tagline is "never lose hope," you've surely lost all of it haven't you?"
Chitose writhed, a pathetic attempt to lift her arm but he forced it back against the street.
"Now now, don't be hasty. Your family will not be killed anytime soon. It is not within my instructions, and so it will not be done."
He placed the open wallet back into her hand, letting Chitose look at the pictures herself.
"You have a beautiful family. They all love you to the point of taking you for granted, and yet their whole worlds would be crushed should you perish to a tool as worthless as me. A lowly dog taking away a beloved mother and symbol of hope to the country of Japan."
The man gently petted Chitose's hair, making the woman flinch at the touch. She tried to move away but couldn't do much in her state.
"Hehehe, why are you so scared? I am simply following orders! But, I may have taken it too far... Your reaction makes sense. Allow me."
With Chitose's Hero phone, he unlocked the device then searched through it. He sent out a ping for help, labeling it as an emergency before putting it back on the ground next to her. Following that was her regular phone.
"There. Now we're even."
He stood up fully, briefly looking around as if searching for something. "Let's play again sometime soon."
His body disappeared into the form of a raven, the bird flying away from the scene leaving no trace that someone else had been there save for Chitose's broken and bloody body.
With a shaky hand, she grabbed her phone and carefully inserted the pin number to unlock the device.
"I hope you've told them how much you loved them, Nimbus."
She did… She told her family every day just how much she loved them. At least once a day they would be reminded. However, her words could only express so much. As her children got older and older, hugs and kisses were only becoming embarrassing to them. Her husband's traveling and their differing work schedules made it impossible for her to show him instead of just telling him.
But, she wasn't sure if they knew why just reminding them with words wasn't enough for her.
Her job was dangerous. Her husband's even moreso.
Her children would always be in danger due to them being family to two prolific Heroes with a lot of enemies. Villain attacks were constant, and there was only so much a person could withstand before they eventually drew the shortest straw.
Chitose put the phone to her ear, waiting for the rings to pass.
Her biggest regret, she could say was that all she did that morning was tell her children she loved them, and told her husband how much she loved him too.
If she died right here, she would never get to hug her family again… She wouldn't get to show them how much they meant to her.
How much she cared.
How much she adored them.
Things were getting dark, but she fought through it.
'Record your message at the tone. When you are finished, hang up or press "pound" for more options.'
Once again, she had to use words to express her love. This time, it might be her last.
"H-Hi Kaz…" Her voice was weak. She hoped it would be stronger but... "I'm dying… I'm sorry… I wasn't strong e-enough to fight him… H-His quirk is ravens… and he has white eyes..."
Chitose smiled, tears running down.
"If I die... I-I love you… I love Ichirou, Honoka and Chiasa t-too… T-Tell our friends and the students I'm sorry I was too weak… T-Tell our families I l-love them too… I'm sorry…"
She removed the phone from her cheek, barely seeing the red button as she tapped it. She hardly saw a gundam figure running towards her before she completely lost consciousness.
Jet could tell Charlotte felt uneasy about all, and to be honest he was to this would be the first legitimate run in with a villain, and for the most part they had only been at the school for a little over a month. This was also a bit odd because it was really the first time these two had interacted Jet knew her quirk and vice versa for the most part, but that was it they just knew each other via training.
"Things will be alri…," Jet was about to attempt assuaging his partners fears when suddenly his senses picked up the faintest scent of blood directinging away from his partner directly to a main lazing about on a construction zone… well that wasn't an ominous clear sign of what they were looking for in an empty district. Before any action could be taken the man spoke, and with little warning attacked causing both students to bail out with Jet quickly scaling the construction site for higher ground as he tensed up… this was no longer recon… they had to fight.
The liquid cut straight through the pitiful excuse for a barrier, though while surprised, Charlotte managed to react in time, floating back with a hop as Jet scaled one of the adjacent structures.
"An actual villain? Really?" Charlotte questioned with a frown as the liquid returned to swirl and circle around the man. "Don't you have anything better to do than attack school kids?"
"Why not…? It's not like I'm that much older anyway…" The man replied dazily. "...And no, I don't. Not really… They don't let me out of their sight that much… Guess they don't trust me."
"Well, you're pretty bad at your job." Sighing, Charlotte clasped her hands behind her back as her eyes glowed. The destroyed fencing and some cast around construction equipment consisting of metal and wooden beams, as well as some tools, began to raise. "Attacking us in an area with so many toys. This is why you guys always lose. You should've done your research."
"Oh, I did Charlotte…" He replied with a tired, yet smug smile.
As the man said her name, Charlotte's frown worsened. She obviously did not care for his tone, nor his insinuation. Her distaste was clear from the narrowing of her eyes and the aiming of her various projectiles, as well as the firing of them off at the villain.
However, the man before them had simply pushed himself off the wall he leaned on, hands shoved in pockets as he faced him, wholly unconcerned by the incoming debris. Just as the projectiles approached, the liquid began to squirm and maneuver, whipping at each incoming item as if without signal, ripping, tearing, and cutting through it all as if it were plywood.
At this, Charlotte's eyes widened slightly. It wasn't as if that was some final move, but she expected to gain more of a reaction than that.
"Is that it…?" He questioned smugly. "...Huh… Not very interesting… I expected more from Surge Alloy's top rank of Class 1A…"
After speaking, the blood began to move again, splitting into three main bodies as it pursued the pair; one whipping at them diagonally down the middle and the other two curving to thrust and impale them from the sides.
"Charlotte regain your composure," Jet hissed as he jumped forward off the structure he had climbed as his body started to emit his black mist rolling upon impact with the ground he speed forward on all fours halting for just one sec to jump upward dodging the diagonal attack as he neared Charlotte as he amasses enough mist to counter their attackers quirk. Pulling Charlotte down upon his descent his mist surrounded the two as the two impalement spears were met with a sudden rip, and tear nature of Jets quirk solidifying into spinning blades around the orbital barrier… literally he had made a massive spinning blade ball… that was a. odd sight. As the barrier ball landed the blades dispersed back into mist leaving only the barrier left.
"Calm, and steady we simply need to hold out now. No drastic action is needed," he spoke though in truth he wanted to take this guy down just as bad as her, but at the same time this guy clearly had experience making them the disadvantage. Fighting human with power as compared to hunting an animal was not the same as such came with more risks humans could adapt, and change so how would this man now adapt.
Thankfully, Jet had returned to her side to cover for her blunder. However, while the blood skidded against Jet's solidified mist, it did not break form. Gliding and parrying against it, the liquid would fall back momentarily, circling back around to lash at the so-called blades and barrier, turning the one-and-done spearing into a constant onslaught.
"We need to do something. I get the feeling he won't just let us leave," Charlotte said with a light huff.
"Probably not, no." The villain called out in response. "...Holding out won't do you any good either. No one's available… They've either got their own problems to deal with or… they're already done for."
"You're quite lax for a villain. Where's the speech about heroism is dead or that we're fakes or something?" Charlotte inquired, eyes glinting as she searched for more weaponry to use.
"...Eh.. Some of the guys are like that… I'm just here for the ride," Kiyoshi said vaguely. "Tell you what though… If you entertain me, I'll let you go."
Narrowing her eyes slightly, something was off. He'd let them go? For entertaining him? And what was that first part about? He wasn't making any sense. Still, ever the performer, Charlotte would give him the amusement he was asking for.
"Let us go… Hm. Very sure of yourself for someone about to get the left side of their face hit my a steel beam." Charlotte's smug expression returned and in preparation, the blood froze for a second before shooting back to return to the villain's side.
"Left side… huh… so right?" The replied, turning Charlotte's smirk into one of befuddlement. As the man glanced to his right, sure enough a construction digger crashed through the fencing. However, it like the rest of the projectiles was sliced cleanly in two.
Chuckling a bit, it seemed the man was amused at least.
"...You always make a habit of that Charlotte… The devil is in the details… and you're way too smart to give stuff away unless it's purposeful," Seeing right through the girl, the man brings up a lazy finger achieving an epiphany. "You're quite advanced for control over your quirk… but you have a limit with how much… don't you?"
Suddenly, the blood circling the man curved off, flowing with speed towards the adjacent half-built building Jet had scaled. Circling its base, the blood cut through the building's support on their side. With the creaking and crumbling of a soon to topple tower, the structure began to tilt and topple over, aiming to fall squarely over the group.
"Well... you're a hero Charlotte… Save us… Or will it be Jet…?"
His mocking fell on deaf ears however as Charlotte stared at the structure with wide eyes. It was too much—there was too much for her to lift. Maybe—Maybe she could find a safe route with her x-ray. Or could they dodge it in time? Why would he even topple the whole thing like that? He wasn't even moving. He was staying still. Was he trying to kill himself? Was he crazy?
Charlotte, for as quick-witted and reflexive as she had been, now seemed to be more or less a deer in headlights.
"Your mistaken," Jet oddly spoke aloud as he got in front of Charlotte eyeing the man Kiyoshi with a rather unusual perplexed yet empty look as quite a bit of Jets mist started to recollect around the two into a more compact square.
"This is a fight between heroes, and a villain. Our goal isn't to rescue you, but subdue you whatever means necessary," Jet rather harshly pointed out as with a slam of his fist against the wall between him, and Kiyoshi a rather intense series of cylinder shots ricocheted into the buildings weakened points just to find themselves right dab into a series of gut shots sending Kiyoshi out of the building… Jets words had been a decoy. While he still held to the thought there goal was to subdue a villain he wasn't about to let one just kill themselves like a megalomaniac either… well yet.
"We need to coordinate with each other, or we are not going to last long enough," Jet cursed that this had all happened during a training exercise they were already pretty tired out, and this sudden event… was not helping.
Smirking at that, the man in front of them appeared more amused by that response than anything. He hummed, as if playing with that thought in his head.
"So you're more Grudge and less Surge Alloy…?" Kiyoshi replied with a light chuckle. "I guess I should be careful then… Or perhaps not..."
Leaving it vague at that, his blood returned to circle him as he watched them, nonchalantly ignoring their present circumstances. As the mist solidified and launched some sort of ricochet barrage attacks, Kiyoshi took the brunt of them to his torso, the force knocking him to the far side of the lot as the blood followed him.
Meanwhile, Charlotte yet attempted to shield herself with her forearm, as if that would contribute to Jet's barrier as the structure collapsed on them.
Still somewhat shocked. Hesitation was plain in her voice, shock on her face and shakiness in her breath. However, she was at least responsive now.
"A-Alright…" Charlotte paused to think. The fight had gone on for a little bit now, so there had to be some information they could use. "There doesn't seem to be a limit to his control… but he at least seems to have a restricted volume. His quirk also looks to only be offensive; even if it guards him, it can only do so by destroying the thing threatening him so… so…"
Maybe they could overwhelm him? They would have to, or else…
Huffing, Charlotte regained her composure, eyes flashing as she gazed around them.
"Alright. We both need to go on attack. If we both go offensive, we might can overwhelm him. I'll run support, hitting him from afar and helping you to dodge or move if you need to… I don't think we should rely o-" Suddenly, Charlotte froze mid-sentence. However, unlike before, she reacted quickly. "Look out!"
Yanking Jet back slightly, a thin, slightly congealed spike would impale itself through the barrier, not shattering it, but certainly piercing through. The point stared at the two, as if a warning. The strategy phase was over.
"He can break through it… We need to do it now," Grimacing, Charlotte's eyes glowed intently, and with significant effort, created an opening upwards. Levitating both of them through the opening, sitting atop the rubble of the building, Kiyoshi could be seen standing at a distance, apparently none the worse for wear. Charlotte scowled at the pristineness of her opponent, taking the rubble she had pushed up to create an exit and throwing all of it at him.
"Alright let the hunt begin… and Charlotte aim ahead of me as well," Jet quizzically spoke knowing she would understand that he needed her to disorient Kiyoshi's sight so that he would have the advantage upon contact. With that Jettitare took off on all four pushing forward rather powerfully as he clawed into the torn wall ahead using them as jumping platforms.
As the debris flew, Kiyoshi's blood sailed out and sliced apart each piece of debris as Charlotte threw it out. Some falling to the sides, flying behind the man, or just dropping to his front, however none of it came close to him. All the while he stood there, hands in his hoodie pockets. Charlotte continued the barrage one after the other, however their opponent made no indication he planned to do anything. She supposed as he said earlier, he was waiting for them to interest him. Yet as Jet neared his target it was time to execute their plan as the whole time Jet had been scaling the area his mist had been following him in collection underneath the rubble. As two of Charlotte's debris shots landed in front of Jet Kiyoshi would rather violently found himself in the middle of a rising needle strike from underground destroying his footing completely while sending debris everywhere, and most importantly left him wide open for Jet.
"...," The dragon kin shot out like a snake jumping over Kiyoshi as his hands latched onto the hooded boys shoulders. Before the villain could react Jet twisted mid air to slam kiyoshi into the falling debris ending with Jet literally jumping off Kiyoshi to send the debris piece further down into the ruins. Causing the mess to collapse over the villain as Jet was caught, and pulled back by Charlotte.
The villain took the strike head on, hardly even putting up a resistance as Jet flung him into the debris and used him as a jumping platform. As he fell to the ground, various other pieces of rubble seemed to topple him.
As Charlotte floated Jet closer to her side and set him back on the ground, it seemed rather quiet but still the girl stared forward. The villain showed exceptional control of his quirk, yet when Jet got close he almost seemed to give up. Surely he should've at least attempted to do something.
Sure enough, as the dust settled, something shot from the direction of the rubble. A tiny red shine that flew between them and cut across Charlotte's thigh, then the other leg. With a yelp, she fell to the ground and caught her legs. Before Jet could move, either to check on her or look to the projectile's direction, two more small, red bullets shot into his own legs, incapacitating the ability to move readily.
Kiyoshi appeared from the rubble, the dust settling to reveal a red dome with a cracked entrance that he presumably exited from. The remnants of his formerly larger volume of blood now separated into tiny, red spheres that circled his palm.
He could harden it too? That must have been how he was so unphased by the attacks they did land.
"Well, you two were good time-killers I suppose…" Kiyoshi stated approaching them. "I'm slightly disappointed though… I heard so much about your potential."
Stopping in front of Charlotte, the villain kneeled down to lock eyes with her, noting the scared expression on her face.
"I guess I'll have to hope that potential makes you more interesting in the future… You're not good enough to just put on a brave face and ignore the fear you have," Chuckling a bit, he stood up again, shoving his hands in his pockets as he backed away. "Dragon boy's pretty boring, but at least by not thinking or feeling he doesn't end up as dead weight… but you're probably used to that, aren't you?"
His words struck at a vein and anger began to rise from the girl, but at the moment it didn't overtake the fear that the man might simply decide to cut them loose at any moment.
"I'll bet on that potential of yours… Either way, your heroes are here, so I'll leave you be… I look forward to seeing where you go from here." As he said this, the blood beats circling his hand shot upwards, conforming to one, thin crescent and slicing at the top of a crane up above, letting its load drop as a distraction while he departed from the situation.
With the battle over and the building falling danger was literally hovering above the two in the form of a collapsing building, and then a Helicopter plows forward as two figures leap from the side, one is a male judging by his face, with a jaws of life in his hands and a modified firefighters outfit with camo in places, he falls hard to the ground, but seems not bothered as a metallic CLANG echos from where he landed, rushing to the base of the now falling structure, he takes out another leg with a snip of his fireman's tool causing it briefly to halt and change it's direction, swaying back and forth as he runs off once more, it seemed ready to fall in upon itself. All the while a woman in what looked like a modified police uniform runs down the length of the building, snatching up the two heroes to be as she ran. With a humph as she hits the pair, carrying them as best as she can till they are in a "safe zone."
It was Misoka's sidekicks, Grimmjaw and Running Vector. While registered heroes they, much like her collected a government salary and had a "unique" position in the standing of things. Walking around the debris field with his tool in hand the man makes a tch sound. "Coward ran away.""Yeah, yeah… he didn't do much either besides bringing down the building.. Wonder why.." The woman says in response, looking down at the two.
The exercise ended early because someone -- or rather, a group of someones -- seemingly decided to attack the school. It was a brash move and not something he would have expected. Lucien's feelings on it were quite mixed, if he was to be entirely honest. On one hand, some incredibly childish part of him wanted a certain hero or two to get their heads kicked in. On the other hand, he knew it was dangerous. On that hand -- that far more sensible hand -- he could only the faculty, other students and the heroes present would be alright. He was conflicted - angry and bitter about his own life -- but he didn't want anyone to be senselessly harmed.
Not by fucking villains especially.
Walking alongside Aurora, Lucien quietly moved down the assigned path. He had kept mostly quiet, but he kept looking around. Searching for anything out of the ordinary. Everything seemed fine, at least. It was quiet -
A body fell from the air and Lucien came to a halt, taking an instinctive step back. His hand rose and electricity built up in his palm as he took aim, but he didn't fire immediately and he was glad he didn't. The man on the ground - bloodied and a broken mess - let out a raspy breath and Lucien recognized him as a teacher's assistant back at the school.
The suddenness of it, the familiarity of him and the state he was in made him a perfect distraction.
Apophis struck without warning, coming up behind the duo. His footsteps were unnaturally silent as he moved with precision, years of this making it easy for him. Hands balled up into fists, his left hand made contact with Lucien's lower back. The child staggered forward while Apophis spun around, leg kicking out at the back of Aurora's knee. He reached behind him , grabbing a metal rod. Adding pressure to it, it quickly extended to its full length of a bo staff. Spinning it around, as he moved forward, one end caught Aurora's throat, bashing her with enough force to cause her out of unexpected impact back while the other collided with the back of Lucien's head, sending him face first into the ground.
The son of the man who killed his mother - his younger brother - and the daughter of Surge Alloy.
This would prove entertaining.
"Well recons out the door Lucien cover me," Aurora growled as she rocket herself into the air past the villain as she shot for the teachers assistant they had to grab him, and run logically in such a measure Aurora's father's sidekick Chimera should be responding to an attack on the school they just had to get this man to her, and she could heal him. The villain though was unpredictable they knew nothing of his quirk nor his style. All they had to go on was he was clearly a cqc type with a staff arm style.
"LUCIEN," The girl yelled to her ally as he seemed to be frozen as landed near the wounded it would take her a moment to properly bandage him with her hair for movement meaning she couldn't give her full attention to the fight.
The blow left his vision darkening and bright spots appeared. Lucien pushed against the ground, rolling over to the side before he found the ability to get back on his feet. He staggered slightly, the suited and masked man's visage doubling as he struggled to focus. Blinking away the daze - and possible light concussion he suffered - Lucien steadied himself. He heard Aurora speaking, but there was a light ringing in his ear and he shook his head.
"Shit." He cursed, watching as Apophis spun his staff around, holding it with one hand as he raised the other and motioned Lucien forward. It was an invitation that the boy accepted, electricity surging through his body as his quirk activated and he lunged forward. His punch was swatted to the side by the staff, Apophis using the parry to spin around and grab Lucien by the back of the collar, yanking him back as his knee shot out into his back.
He released his collar, sending him forward while another spin allowed him to take aim at a nearby building that was undoubtedly meant to be used for training. It was broken and dilapidated, holding itself of barely - its structural integrity more than compromised. He reached out with his quirk, hand extending towards the building before he swung it to the side, metal beams tearing through the cement and mortar as they were sent flying towards Aurora and the injured faculty member.
"OH COME ON," Aurora chided as she finally go the man bandaged enough to lift as the metal structural pieces came flying her way.As the man was held against her back side like a backpack as she elongated what few strands she had left to push off the earth backwards using the other strands to cut, backhand, and throw back debris. With each push back more, and more metal seemed to find its way at her. Unable to attack back or properly move with her cargo she was forced to keep up her momentum as was as she was basically treated as a victim of an avalanche. Yet at the same time she was impressively keeping her rescued unharmed. Yet in return her body was starting to feel the intense strain of it all. It didn't help when a laser blast in the distance was followed by an extreme scream. With the debris now falling short of herself she turned to see what had happened, eyes going wide as she was greeted with a bloody sight… the Villain had sliced Lucien's right arm clean off. The sudden violence was completely unexpected as the man just seemed to want their full attention to test , but just like the assistant behind her it seemed Lucien must have pushed a button with the man to end up with such a wound.
"Now you," Aurora winced as she was now in full knowing what was about to happen. The man was going to concentrate on her next, and if Lucien couldn't handle the man with no limiters how the hell was she going to do it already worn out from beating back an avalanche of metal, and with a bandaged passenger that she couldn't roughly move. Lucien was bleeding to death, and Aurora was near exhausted already. Raising her hair strands for the coming attack Apophis lunged forward going in for an unexpected interruption as he face planted hard to the ground before being flung back straight into a building by a massive snakes grip on his leg. The snake turning out to be a sin against nature as a tail to a nearly nacked woman with animalistic qualities the most noticeable being her lion ears. Her left arm was covered in goat like fur with an unmistakable claw like fingers, as the right was armored sort of like what one would expect of a dragon from a mythical bedtime story. With horns like a ram, and legs ending up as hooves the woman seemed to be a alchemists wet dream as she simply flapped her dragonic wings once as if a warning as in her right hand was an unconscious Lucian with a massive scab over the place his arm used to be being treated by the snake tails mouth.
"Truly a piece of trasssssh," she legit hissed with a clear hostile nature baring its fangs at her registered enemy. With nary a thought to it Lucien was flung to Aurora who barely caught him in time. Aurora breath finally returning to her smiled in thanks to the change of situation.
"Rip him to shred's Chimera-Senpai."
"No need he's already gone," she hissed his scent was instantly gone...he, or someone else had warped the attacker away. Sighing in agitation ran over to Aurora, and started to prep medical chemicals to easy Lucien, and the Assistants pain away.
I like Fantasy, Modern, Modern Fantasy, Yaoi, Yuri, and Romance. Please do not be shy in bringing up another genre. I just might be interested in it ^^
Sīn could only wonder who'd be coming down her route. Her hands were clasped behind her back as she paced back and forth lightly, the mask on her face concealing her appearance as she hummed a joyful tune. There was a certain elation within her as she was finally able to get to work. There were so many potential candidates, so many possibilities... She wasn't entirely gung-ho about who they were working with, but she had no qualms with using them to their utmost before tossing them aside. A man who only wanted to get stronger? Such a small goal.
How gauche.
She did a pirouette when her group arrived -- a trio. The child of a dead hero, a girl with big personality and the adorable, cute traitor. Facing them, her mask seemed to smile as she clapped her hands together. "Well, aren't I lucky?" Sīn mused, her voice and light laughter mildly distorted by the mask. She took a step forward and her head tilted to the side when Caine did the same, his normally languid gaze seeming to sharpen in response to her presence.
When the exercise ended and it was announced their was a situation, Caine had remained calm. If it was an attack on the school itself - a direct one - then they should have been fine. After all, they were a ways away from the school and the training ground they were at had been cordoned off from the city. No one should have been able to find them. But, they had been found. Such a thing shouldn't have been possible. The impossible had been done and Caine wasn't fond of that.
His lips pressed together in a thin line as he eyed the masked woman in front of them, he looked back over his shoulder to Octavia and Makoto. It was three of them against a singular, unknown threat. The question was -- how much did she know about them? He couldn't be certain. Any attempt to ascertain such a thing would be difficult, so he'd simply have to wing it. His thoughts were focused on the singular threat before them. After all, if these people were confident enough to attack the school and had the information to locate and cut off the students from the assigned routes, then they weren't to be trivialized.
There was also the fact that there was a traitor in their midst. Perhaps a faculty member? It had to be. He slipped his coat off, freeing himself from the excess weight. He still had kinetic energy built up from the exercise and he quickly began to prepare himself for what was to come next.
"Oh~? Eager, aren't you? Well, well... I thought after what happened with your mother, you'd be a little more cautious. I wouldn't blame you for wanting to run away, y'know~" Sīn taunted Caine, smiling when she saw him freeze up. There was a look of confusion and shock on his face. Anxiety? Fear? Anger? Misery? All of the above. She moved quickly, the distance between her and the students disappearing as the gap was closed in but a moment. She spun around, her right leg lashing out as, beneath the leg of her pants, the entire appendage was transmuted. The titanium bracelet she wore around her ankles allowing her entire leg to adopt the properties of the metal. Her foot found purchase in Caine's stomach, sending him flying back.
A single, fluid motion and she was falling forward, transitioning onto her hands as her legs split and she spun around, a leg slamming into Makoto and Octavia's sides. She moved with the precision and grace of a dancer, using her quirk to constantly transmute the properties of her clothes and body, letting her move faster than most would expect and hit harder than anyone would be prepared for.
Makoto stood there in an aura of confusion, the class was called outside as they patiently waited to figure out what was going on, it was announced that there was a potential attack at the school and that students were going to be paired off to travel in different routes, which made Makoto feel a bit uneasy.
Potential attack? This doesn't make sense... Makoto's mind kept racing with thoughts, none of which helped him get at ease, whenever the boy was worried he would tap his foot, it was something he would do even as a child, when his parents fought and he had to hold his brother in his arms to make him feel safe, he would keep a constant rhythm with his foot.
His eyes beamed back up to the attention to his teacher, seeing the rest of the student's pack up, Makoto caught back up to Octavia and Caine, still not shaking off that something was not right.
The boy followed his classmates closely next to them, though his mind was not there with them, as it was circling in thoughts, that changed when a voice caught the boy off guard, one that he recognized, Sin.
His eyes burned into the villain's mask, his legs were firmly planted into the floor, even if he wanted to run the fear coursing through his mind wouldn't let him. He forced his eyes closed hoping that when he opened them that everything would be a dream. When he finally let his eyes open he felt a strong strike into his side, causing the boy to fall to the floor.
What am I going to do!?
With the exercise interrupted, Octavia had remained calm and followed directions as given to them by Dullahan. An attack on UA... It wasn't unheard of, but extremely rare. Were the school's faculty and students going to be alright? They were taking the worst of it... She could only pray that they were surviving whatever attack the villains brought upon them.
And so, she was set to walk with both Caine and Makoto; two individuals she had had the pleasure of conversing with in the past. It ensured good conversation for the trip, assuming nothing went wrong. Unfortunately, precisely that had occurred.
Their attacker, a woman who appeared to be young judging by her physique, seemed to have some sort of past connection to Caine; most likely responsible for what happened to his mother.
Octavia was kicked before she could properly react, quickly catching her footing near Makoto as her crow went towards higher grounds to get a better view. She ignored the pain to her side and tried to think of a strategy.
The Hero phones.
If any of them could send out an alert a Pro Hero would surely come to assist them. Caine may be too distracted due to this battle holding history, and his quirk is far more suited to defending them in this instance. Octavia, while she could be the one to try and get away, she would be better suited on the field to assist in the fight.
Makoto...
He could use his portals to get away.
While Octavia and Caine took on their attacker, Makoto could try to get away from the battle. It wasn't much of a plan, but it was something!
"Makoto," Octavia spoke to him, "please try and escape. Caine and I will stay and keep the villain distracted. Alert the Pros of our location as soon as you can. I-I have no other ideas, and this could be our only hope."
With that, Octavia's being erupted into a flock of 15 crows with only one being where her actual body was contained.
'Fight.'
At the words, her crows rushed towards their attacker, flying to her quickly and as one. The flock would aim to peck, scratch, flap their wings, and just about anything to try and keep her distracted.
Meanwhile, crow Octavia flew to where Caine had landed, cawing, nipping, and flapping her wings at him in her plea to get him back on his feet.
Caine was mentally a mess. He had been prepared to focus entirely on the woman, but she had caught him off-guard. It was like there was a pit in his stomach and a lump in his throat. Caine considered himself to be a mentally strong person -- his fortitude and endurance extended far past his physical durability. Mentally, he could be a rock when he needed to be. It was something both his mother and Silas taught him.
But how was he supposed to maintain that when this woman -- this villain -- brought up his mother. Just having her mentioned threw him off. Maybe it was because she was being mentioned by a villain. He let out a gasp when he felt the pecking, eyes peeling open to look at the bird that was making an effort to rouse him.
Octavia.
"Excuse me! Could you, like, not?!" Sīn complained, swatting at the birds as she remained light on her feet, twisting and seemingly attempting to dance through them, her arms moving quickly to try and swat them away. Luckily, her mask kept her face protected and prevented her eyes from being taken out -- she still had to contend with them pecking and scratching at her arms and body, however.
All the while, Caine was getting back up on his feet. "You should probably go with Makoto." Caine said matter of factly, the damage done to him only making him stronger. He could feel it welling up inside of him -- alongside something else. An emotion he couldn't suppress or ignore.
Anger.
He was running forward, his body empowered by the energy he had accumulated. A leap forward and he was sending his knee out, the distraction of birds preventing Sīn from perfectly evading it. It collided with her chest and knocked her back. There was strength behind it, and in return, power.
But the masked woman found herself laughing.
"Hey! That was pretty good, kid. C'mon, show me all you got. Son of a number two has to be pretty good, yeah? C'mon, it's your big chance -- make mommy proud and beat the big, bad villain!" Sīn urged him on casually, the distortion of her voice being unable to hide just how much fun she was having. The skin of her arms shifted, replicating the titanium bracelets she wore. Caine was upon her in a moment, throwing punch after punch, each blow blocked by her arms. Each blow doing more damage to him which - in turn - made him hit harder.
She ducked beneath one of his rapid fire blows, leg snaking out as she spun around and swept his feet out from beneath him. He recovered quickly, getting up just in time to catch a fist to the face, blood flying from his mouth, while another found itself in his side -- something important cracking. Stepping back, she leaped forward and spun in the air, her leg lashing out to find purchase Caine's chest, sending him crashing back into the ground.
"Geez, kid, if this is all your mom had to teach then no wonder she's dead, huh?" She taunted, smiling behind her mask as she could watch Caine becoming angrier and angrier. She really needed to gauge his abilities and see what he could do. So far, she could tell he had potential. Even if she was transmuting her body into something far more durable, his hits definitely carried an impact behind them and she knew her arms would be sore by the time it was all done.
Flipping around, she moved to the side, glancing over to Makoto. "Hey, hey! If you run away, I'm gonna kill these two, kid!" She warned, even as Caine was already in the process of getting back up and she was careful to keep all of them in view. "You're not gonna be a pussy and run away while your precious, wittle friends get killed, are ya?" Sīn inquired through a barely stifled laugh. This was too good.
He had never felt this kind of fear, the feeling of everything about to crash down, the friends he had already made, everything that he made from this new life felt like it was all about to explode. Makoto was never the kid to be scared of anything, his parents always told him how he never made a fuss as a toddler, not even crying when he got hurt. This fear was something that he couldn't just brush away.
still laying on the ground, Makoto tried to breath and try to get ahold of himself. Slowly the boy pushed his hands on the floor and pushed himself up off the ground, taking a second deep breath. Okay, what do I do? Do I fight her off and risk them doing something to me? Or worse my brother? Do I fight my friends? Or just run away..."
The boy's eyes finally opened and the first thing he saw was Octavia sending out some of her birds, then looked at him and told him to escape. "A-Are you sure?" There was so many thoughts racing through his mind, his right from wrong if he should look out for his friends or himself.
Once again his thoughts were pushed away by this time Sin, who was trying to rile them up. "Please don't kill them! Please!" Some tears ran down his chin while his hands shook in fear. Finally, after a lot of thinking, the boy finally decided on what to do. "Guys...I'm sorry." Makoto opened the portal and after a couple of seconds of hesitation, the boy walked through the portal, leaving his friends.
'Ow. Ow! Ow ow ow ow ow!'
Octavia inwardly groaned, their attacker hitting and smacking her birds was transferring over to her original body. Each slap, kick, swat, and everything the woman was doing was just weakening Octavia further for this battle. Still, she had to keep going for the sakes of Caine and Makoto.
But... Caine wanted her to leave with Makoto? Was he crazy? Or at least crazier than usual? No way was she going to leave him here to fight a dangerous villain!
She showed him her answer by shaking her crow head 'no.'
'Move.'
The crows that had been attacking the villain moved in time for Caine's attack, the impact almost sickening by sound...
And yet their attacker laughed.
She shrugged off the attack
Octavia had to take form, her birds disappearing as Caine released an onslaught of attacks at the woman. She quickly tried to think of another strategy to assist them, but their power was very limited.
An offensive opponent vs a supplementary, a utility, and an offensive/defensive quirk. But, if Makoto heeded her word, then they would be out the utility. Not to mention she may need to take a few hits herself to keep Caine from overloading. If he went down, then she would follow shortly after.
As long as Makoto called for help Octavia and Caine could dwell the battle on until reinforcements arrived.
She breathed easily trying to keep herself calm, but seeing her friend take so much damage was becoming more and more difficult with each punch. She knew his quirk and that all of this was just making Caine stronger, but... He was going to end up taking too much too soon if this kept up.
All she could do was distract that woman with her birds for as long as possible, but even that could end up knocking herself unconscious too.
Her birds taking damage meant she was too, but it was necessary. She'd put her all into this, even if it meant risking death.
She needed to do more than just those defense mechanisms.
Octavia could feel herself growing sick to her stomach, but it was necessary.
With Makoto gone and the threat of their lives in the air, Octavia's body erupted into 20 crows this time. She hesitated for less than a second, but the command was clear.
'Feed.'
The birds all launched forward towards Sin, surrounding her again except this time, they were aiming for the neck, head, exposed skin, through clothing, and just about anything they could get their feet and beaks on. The crows were becoming erratic in movement, this time trying to cut the flesh and eat from their attacker instead of being a distraction.
If this woman wanted to kill them, then there was no other choice but to fight for their lives.
Octavia herself had to stay behind, the struggle of trying to maintain control of all these birds was taking a toll but for Caine's sake, she persisted. It was the equivalent of trying to babysit 20 disobedient dogs at once, and she only had commands to keep them in line.
"Well, he's gone! Ain't that a damn shame?" Sīn remarked with a giggle, bouncing on her feet as she shifted back and forth on her feet. Caine was on his feet, hunched over with a hand gripping his side as he bared bloodied teeth at the woman. Makoto was gone and that was good -- that was one safe. But, Octavia had remained behind. He didn't want that. He didn't want that pressure. His mind was a mess. Whenever he thought of his mother, it was always good memories. Happy memories. But now he was thinking of her death. Something he avoided and always tried to not think about.
Now? He was scared. He was scared and he didn't know what to do. He was glad Makoto had gotten away. But Octavia was still there. She stayed behind and he was scared. Scared of something happening to her and it being on his head. He didn't want that to happen.
Was this how his mother had felt?
Sīn let out a yelp when the birds converged on her, becoming far more aggressive. She grunted as she felt it pecking at her, breaking her skin in places -- blood being drawn from around her body. Her hands balled up into fists as she felt herself becoming more and more frustrated. What an annoying girl! She grunted as she began swat at them, purposely trying to hit the birds as hard as possible with her metal covered arms.
She was caught off guard when a fist made contact with her stomach and she was sent flying back. A massive burst of kinetic energy had been released from the fist. Sīn let out a pained grunt when her back collided with a wall, the surface cracking before she slid down to the ground. Doubling over, she let out a wheeze as she glanced over, finding Caine standing where she had been.
His fist had a slight glow to it and there was a resolve behind his eyes that excited Sīn. Forcing herself up, Sīn hissed at the discomfort and pain, but she knew she'd be fine. "Well, don't you have some spirit, kid. I'm sure mommy would be proud." Sīn said as she rushed forward back to Caine. "Becoming a martyr like her would be a real waste, kid. Both of you, actually." Sīn remarked, Caine swung his fist at her and she caught it with her metal covered hand, smiling at him.
"Shut. Up." Caine spoke through grit teeth, yanking his hand away as he began to attack once more. But in response, Sīn began to transmute her body, making it lighter to avoid his blows. Spinning to the side after a swing that went wide, she allowed her body to return to normal. She grabbed his forearm with one hand, while the other lashed out, the forearm of her opposite arm slamming into the back of his elbow. There was a snapping of bone and a stifled cry of pain from Caine.
Sīn released his arm, letting it drop uselessly to his side. He staggered back and she took a step forward, a strong swing colliding with his face and sending him back to the ground. Her foot reared back before slamming into his already injured side. A bloody cough and a grunt of pain escaped him, her foot stomping on his back as Sīn craned her neck to the side.
"Hey, bird girl, this is your chance to run away. Well, fly away. Go on, get outta here. One time offer, just for you." Sīn spoke haughtily and taunted them, even though inwardly she knew she was at her limit. Transmuting her body so much and so rapidly wasn't easy, and the fact Caine had managed to land such a strong blow on her was less than pleasant. She was sore and she wanted to go soak in a hot tub.
Octavia herself could feel the metallic taste of blood within her mouth the longer her birds fought against this woman. Whether it was the attacker's or her own begged the question, but right now she wasn't going to dwindle on it too long. She forced herself to ignore the sickness in the pit of her stomach and keep fighting; to keep attacking. The more this lady focused on her the less she was attacking Caine.
However, she had to cease when her comrade moved in and attacked the woman again, her crows being pushed away from the impact of the blow and forced Octavia to regain form. She reappeared on the ground, blood coming from her mouth as she held her stomach. Octavia could feel she had been wounded; inwardly and outwardly. She had been hit multiple times because of their attacker hurting the birds, and because of this, Octavia was running out of steam.
But so was Caine; their only line of attack. He needed assistance.
She forced herself to keep moving.
Octavia forced herself off the ground and moved closer towards the fight, maintaining a good distance so she wouldn't become a liability.
But then, a sickening snap was heard and Octavia felt dread flood her body.
Caine?
Caine!
The woman, with her foot pinning Caine against the ground, gave Octavia one more chance to run...
But, she couldn't.
She didn't have it in her to run away.
It wasn't fear or shock, she was certain of it. It was the drive to stay and not let her friend be at the complete mercy of this villain.
Octavia wanted to help, but she couldn't. She was too useless to be anything more than a meat shield.
But, abandoning Caine could mean a guaranteed death...
She couldn't do it. She couldn't just leave Caine here...
Octavia would sooner die a Heroic death than forever torment herself over having lost a friend due to her cowardice.
She wouldn't leave her friend to die.
"... I refuse to run." Octavia said simply. "I've already accepted my fate. But please, before you kill me, will you answer me these questions?
Is there any other reason why you're attacking us? What benefits will you derive from killing teenagers?"
Before any sort of answer can be given or more harm can be done, a helicopter comes in danger low, it' s front cable cutting hook catching on and cutting a powerline as a lone figure jumps from the door in passing. Rolling to the ground, the man had a heavily armored fire suit on, a pair of glasses and in his right hand was a nasty looking fire axe and in the left a string of tools, screwdrivers chiefly. Throwing them at Sin at once, the chopper turns almost on a time as the pilot aims the craft towards the woman, the pilot didn't seem to shake at all as his chopper dances and twirls right for her, as if setting up for a strafing run.
"I Mister Otaku am here with the Misoka Five! Ready yourself Villain! Your reign of terror is at an end!" He says definitely, pushing up his glasses with one palm, as he reaches for more weapons beneath his coat. As the stand off stayed, the chopper was ever closer as a spoiling noise could be heard..was in a winch to lower more forces or was it a gun being readied to put down a lot of heavy grade firepower?
Whatever her thoughts may have been or the case there of, her mission had been accomplished and there was no point in testing out which it was. Retreating into a smaller back alley, Mister Otaku doesn't give chase, turning his attention to the kids, there was work to be done.
Octavia shielded her face from the debris as the deafening sounds of the helicopter that arrived close to them. At first, she thought it might have been more villains or some sort, but no. It was their rescuers.
More specifically, Mister Otaku.
Even more specifically, one of her favorite heroes!
'Thank you Makoto!' Octavia thought to herself as she smiled, approaching Mister Otaku to give him the rundown.
"Both my friend and I have been hurt, but him more so… There is a third person, the one who should have contacted you. Is he okay?" She asked him.
"..a Third person?" With a strange gleam off of his glasses as he tilts his head, Mr. Otacku triggers his headset, speaking up to the chopper. "Have you gotten any Calls Red Eagle?.. Really..should I tell her?.. Understood.." Purring his hand down, the man speaks, looking the young girl in the eyes as he examines the boy with the broken arm.
"No. I can't share details but currently the UA is under attack.. The..your Headmaster is.. The assistant had to take over, we were dispatched by him. So far we've been dropping sidekicks all over the place, all of your friends have been attacked along the way. For now, let's get you all on the helicopter and back to the UA.. The situation is under control." Mister Otaku offers by way of explanation, the sheen of his glasses hiding any emotions.
Each student had been sent to the same Hero's hospital that had been kept off the charts to try and ensure no villains would find and attack it. It was also the location to keep the media away from the recovering Heroes to allow them the time to rest without worry.
The doctors worked tirelessly to ensure that every and all new patients received medical attention and given the proper treatment for their injuries. Most were quick and easy, while the more severe ones required plenty of nurses and their better doctors ready to work for hours on end.
Still, every student would survive. Though one nurse in particular lingered about the rooms. She was of average height with black hair and the brilliant blue eyes that a certain ghost had adored so much. She removed her glasses and instead wore a face mask and a nurse's ID whom of which belonged to one of the women that worked here.
When Aimi departed from her battle, she hadn't retreated as they had thought. Instead, she stalked the group back to the hospital where she reported the location as well as some curious piece of information.
~~~
Octavia returned to her room, back to Masaru and Cupie who seemed to have gotten to their usual shenanigans. She smiled, but it wasn't long until she also noticed Makoto in the room as well. He looked uninjured...
Remembering Mister Otaku's words, she decided that now would be a good time to get some answers, while Masaru and Cupie were distracted.
She approached the other and sat down next to him. "Makoto, what happened today? When I asked Mister Otaku about you, no one said anything. They told me the new headmaster had been the one to send them. Where were you?" She asked quietly
Makoto had tucked himself in the corner of the bed, he had a small smile on his face watching the interactions between his friends Cupie and Masaru, though inside he felt like he was getting eaten from the inside, his guilt was killing him.
Suddenly the boy was pulled from his thoughts when he heard a womans voice speaking to him, It was Octavia.
The girl began asking Makoto questions about what happened, his biggest fear yet one he always hoped would happen, she knew something wasnt right about him.
"I...had to leave, I just…" tears began to form in the boys eyes, this was finally it, the boy was going to crack from his guilt, he couldn't let anyone get hurt again, it wasn't fair to everyone that he could keep lying and still get out unscathed.
"I've done something horrible...I'm so, so sorry!" Makoto bowed his head so that his friends wouldnt see that he was crying.
Octavia looked at him, confused. What had happened to him? Why was he so upset? Had he truly abandoned Octavia and Caine, or was it something else?
"What's the matter, Makoto? What did you do?" She asked.
Cupie, sensing something was changing in the room, looked over to Makoto. The atmosphere had really shifted, and something was going on judging by the look on Octavia's face.
Now the whole room had gotten quiet, Makoto could feel the many many eyes on him, so finally the boy stopped crying and let out.
"Everything that happened today is all my fault." The boy began to sit up from the bed and looked to his friends. "Ive been helping them since I got here...that's why I'm here." His head bowed in disappointment.
"What…?" Masaru questioned with a tinge of confusion.
He was able to stand now, and not being one to lay around, had already began working his body to support its own weight. He was still store, as well as cold, but as he leaned against the bed, processing what Makoto had said, it just wasn't clicking.
He helped them? That's why he was here, at the school? Was this just another stupid joke? It sounded like a stupid Makoto joke. Then again, he was crying and grim. He was serious.
"Are you fucking kidding me?!" Growling in anger, Masaru approached the other boy's bed with surprising speed and before another word could be said, cocked a fist back and planted it on the boy's cheek, afterwards roughly grabbing him by the collar of his shirt. "You're not even kidding. You're actually serious!"
It was because of him. Everyone was hurt and it was his fault, as much as the assholes that did it. Charlotte, Jet, Izou, Cupie, Lucien—Everyone...
Cupie and Octavia were both stunned hearing Makoto's confession. It was… because of him that this all happened? Seriously?
"...He's serious… He's serious…" Cupie murmured, repeating the words to herself as she tried to get Makoto's confession to register.
Masaru had rushed forward and punched Makoto square in the face, holding him by the collar as Cupie struggled to stand up. The sting of pain flared through her leg, but she persisted.
"This is… because of you Makoto? Seriously?" Cupie asked him, still not wanting to believe it but the look on his face said everything she needed to know.
It was his fault.
"You fucking bastard… You absolute shithead. You're responsible for this as much as those bastards who attacked us and the school…" Cupie had so much to say in the moment, none of which remotely pleasant.
But at the same time, she didn't deem Makoto worth it.
"Get the fuck out of this room before I kill you myself, Makoto. NOW!" Cupie screamed at him, pointing him to the door.
The moment he left, Cupie swallowed back the lump in her throat and her emotions made her chest feel a bit tighter…
She would talk to him later. But for now, she was far too angry to see straight.
~~~
Aimi had listened closely, though didn't need to stick around to hear the rest. Makoto had betrayed them. He knew exactly what would happen should he betray them…
It was time to reap what he sow.
Aimi walked away from the room and into one of the empty patients' rooms, taking out her burner phone and making a call to her Master.
"...Makoto has betrayed us. I surmise he or his friends will try to alert the faculty by sunrise tomorrow…"
On the other end of the line, an older gentleman held his own burner in his hand. The news made him grimace, the displeasure catching the attention of those who were present.
"...I see."
Akio's demeanor did not change despite the news he had been told. Makoto was one of the kinder ones of the group; one who seemed to have a sort of future in store for him. He could have been a great aid to his cause, and yet he turned him back to the people who offered to assist in caring for his family.
Akio had offered Makoto money in exchange for his services against UA, and at first it had been successful… But then the boy started making friends and developing relationships.
He had begun to care, after being explicitly told not to.
Even after Makoto had been told the consequences of betrayal, he still did it…
He left Akio no choice…
That evening, Joseph had gotten himself ready to set out with only the necessities. He wore the same black hoodie, pants, shoes, gloves, and face mask he had worn when he was fighting Nimbus, all of which disinfected of any lingering DNA and blood. Joseph had also taken extra precautions with his wardrobe to not leave behind any sort of trace, such as double gloves, a hat, and shoes that were too small for his feet.
The pain didn't matter so long as he got the job done.
And this job, Joseph was particularly excited for.
His current master had told him what Aimi said; about one of his beloveds being a traitor to him and the people he promised to be in allegiance with. How befitting a traitor to not be loyal to either side…
It was these individuals that Joseph had a soft spot for when it came to eliminating the target. Heheheheh…
Joseph was in bird form, flying through the navy blue skies of the evening. Makoto's classmates were in the hospital save for only a few individuals who were around the area. The only ones that had returned were the students that had escaped uninjured.
Those ones didn't matter. Joseph would be finished with this hit quick and easy…
He arrived at the window where his intelligence said had belonged to Makoto, hanging onto the building as he returned to normal form. With quick work of the lock being done, he slid open the window and entered the room, seeing his prey inside.
Joseph smiled behind his mask. He closed the window quietly, then went to lock the room's door before approaching the teenager who slept so soundly in his bed.
...Wait.
The breathing pattern was off…
Joseph leaned in closer and pulled off the covers, "...So you waited for me."
The raven boy moved, turning Makoto on his back then straddling the other's waist to keep him from going anywhere. If Makoto tried to teleport away, he would just end up taking Joseph with him.
"I prefer my targets to be awake anyway." As he spoke, Joseph reached into his hoodie. Attached to the fabric was a 10-inch knife, the blade a jagged toothed one to cause more pain to his targets when they died.
Joseph wasn't a fan of "quick and painless". If it had to be quick, then it wouldn't be painless.
After what happened earlier, Makoto could not sleep if he wanted to. He was relieved yet still had a ton of guilt for what he had done over the last few months, the people he used, the friendships he gained yet also destroyed, the lives he put in jeopardy...All because of him.
He knew that day that feeling bad wasn't going to fix what he had done, so telling the truth was the only thing that could have anyway fix what he has done, yet it hadn't, Nimbus was clinging to life, his friends were hurt badly, some will be completely changed after his actions.
But telling the truth was not going to be without his own punishment.
Makoto knew what was coming that night, when he first joined the team he knew about the consequences of what will happen if he ever snitched on them, death.
He made sure that he didn't leave any loose strings, setting up who will help his brother after he's gone, writing letters to his friends that he still needed to tell them, if he was going to go out, he needed to prepare everything for what was coming.
Pulling his sheets up, the boy slipped into his bed, hoping to be asleep when the time does come, but every thought in his head was stopping him from doing just that. The boy nearly jumped when he heard the sound of a window opening, but thankfully he stayed silent.
Until he realized that Makoto was awake.
His eyes beamed open when he heard the familiar voice then suddenly felt a body drop onto him and listened to his words. "It's okay, I'm not going to fight." Weirdly enough the boy hadn't seemed fearful for his life at that point, he was content.
"They warned me what would happen, just didn't know they'd be sending you." Makoto had met the boy a couple of times, none of the times very much memorable, but he knew that he wasn't one to mess with.
Joseph eyed the other as he spoke, the boy seemingly at peace with what was coming to him. This was… different than what Joseph was used to. Now, this wasn't the first time he had someone accept their fate so easily, but it was something uncommon.
So many times he's had his targets try to outrun him, try to kill him, try to hire someone else to kill him, and others who would plead and beg for their lives so pathetically. Each time, it ended in their deaths, but there was one difference.
Fighting back left Joseph exhilarated. Accepting it made it so boring…
"You're no fun, Makoto…"
Joseph's knife gently poked Makoto's cheek, leaving no mark as the raven trailed the blade down from the other's face down to where his heart was located.
"You know I cherish my beloveds… I would have done anything for you if you had just remained loyal. Your target practice, blood donator, your partner in whatever you asked, be it sparring or pleasure. It is my purpose to be used, and I would have been loyal like a dog, but you turned your back on us. Did you love your classmates more than you loved us?"
Joseph asked him quietly, the tip of his blade gently poking into Makoto. Not enough to draw blood, but enough to make someone uncomfortable.
Makoto gave a little shrug to Joseph's comment. "Huh, I'm usually the fun one, were you wanting something more exciting?" The boy joked under not the safest of circumstances.
The males body started to stiffen when he felt Joseph's knife slowly move down his cheek and down his throat, which made him gulp. Makoto listened to every word Joseph said, the man was psychotic but in some parts he was right. He had been with the group longer than he had been with his class, even made unfortunate friends with a few of them.
"...You're right, I made a huge mistake betraying you guys. They were somewhat of a family, you all looked out for me, I guess I made the wrong call. But most importantly I betrayed you, you were nothing but kind to me...You must think I'm rat right?" Makoto looked down, in a way to act as if he was remorseful for betraying them.
"I made a lot of mistakes In my life, betraying the ones I cared for the most will haunt me even after I'm dead. If I hadn't done what I did, maybe I would have had a full life, maybe have graduated, gone to college, get married or had kids…" Makoto paused, then looked at Josephs face. "Hell I haven't even had my first kiss…"
"Will you be my first and last kiss Joseph?"
Joseph had enjoyed watching the other male stiffen up under the knife's touch, the gleam of his blade shining under the moonlight as it traced Makoto's skin. His fingers were aching to grip tight and start slashing into Makoto's intestines, but just a little more patience.
This was the end of a once beloved's life after all. Hearing their last words always made the ending of their days more exhilarating.
As Makoto spoke, Joseph watched him blankly. His years in the bratva had trained him for many different types of people. The bargainers, the "loyal" ones, the stubborn ones, etc. But, his most favorite ones were a dime a dozen… The ones just like Makoto.
At the end of his words, and hearing his final request, Joseph cocked his head to the side as if confused, though one couldn't really tell by the look on his face.
Joseph moved one hand up and moved his mask down to reveal the large smile and the subtle blush on his cheeks.
"Y-You're going to use me? Your last request is to use me? Hahahaha~ I suppose I could leave you to die just a virgin instead of a kissless one…"
He leaned in closer, meeting Makoto halfway to fulfill the other's dying wish.
Makoto hoped that the male work accept his request, Joseph was rather unpredictable in his actions, he could never tell what's inside his head. That's why he was caught offguard when the boy agreed, letting of an exhale of relief.
He could feel the other male's breath over his, which made him anxious yet excited, he made sure that his eyes were completely on Josephs so that he wouldn't have any idea for what was going to happen next.
There was a bit of hesitation at first but he couldn't believe what was happening, the feeling of Joseph's lips clashing with his, it was something that he had never felt before and he actually enjoyed it.
But Makoto had something else different in mind. When he said that he prepared for Josephs arrival, he made sure everything was prepped. Makoto's arm rolled off the mattress, which left hand almost touching the floor, his hand moved around the wood until he finally felt it, the knife he stashed just before Joseph got there.
The male lifted his arm in a lunge attack, throwing his arm and aiming it straight for Josephs neck.
Just as the knife neared Joseph's neck, Makoto's wrist was caught in a painfully tight grip, the tip not close to skin just yet. He would feel Joseph smile against the kiss, before the older man pulled away.
The smile on his face was… wide. Creepy, and eerie. The look in his eyes darkened, with a gaze of a pure psychopath.
"Liybimaya, did you really think this would work?" He asked, his grin widening. "No one truly accepts death so easily, Makoto. I've been waiting for whatever you had planned since you told me you weren't going to fight it."
Joseph made quick work of taking the knife from Makoto, holding it in his free hand. He took this opportunity to put his mask back up. "This isn't the first "final kiss" I've given people either. They always request something as their dying wish, or give some sort of sob story in the hopes that I'd feel anything…"
Joseph's knives went to Makoto's chest, the tips of the blades digging into the flesh a bit. "I don't give two shits about your life story, but if it can make this more fun, then I'll happily see how you try and get out of your situation."
The blades reeled back, the look in Joseph's eyes was wild and his grin was undoubtedly wide and ferocious. "This is the end."
His knives swung into Makoto's chest and neck with a sickening sound, drawing blood that splattered against Joseph and the wall. Two stab wounds became four, to six, to 12, to 24, and it continued on and on until a horrifying 52 stab wounds were made on what was now Makoto's corpse.
Makoto's chest had caved in from the amount and the force of the stab wounds given to him. The environment was a bloodbath due to Joseph's frenzy, but the job was done. Makoto was no more.
Joseph was panting, the thrill of murder overtaking his body for a moment. This, this right here, was his favorite part. The high of committing a crime for his beloveds... For doing his job and doing it well.
No one would hurt the people he loved so long as he lived…
So much for quick...
He got off the corpse and got to work.
Makoto's lips and mouth were cleansed of any trace of Joseph being there. His room, thoroughly searched for any signs of security cameras and torn apart for any incriminating evidence that could have been used against him.
Makoto's phone? Joseph took the entire thing with him. Considering Makoto's financial situation, it would be more believable if they thought he didn't have a phone.
With one more look around, Joseph concluded that the evidence of cleared, which would lead investigation to dead ends.
Heh, maybe this case would turn cold for many years, just like his other ones.
He went back to the corpse, using the knife Makoto was going to use against him and started slicing. He cut the skin around the wrist belonging to the hand Joseph had gripped, completely leaving that area nothing but muscle.
The raven would then take out a little baggy and put the skin sample inside; a present he planned to bring to his darling Akio~
He'll be so proud~
WIth that, Joseph gave the room one last look over, then to Makoto's corpse.
"Dasvidaniya Makoto."
He approached the window and opened it, turning into bird form and leaving Makoto to the unlucky person who would find him.
The scene had been a bloodbath when Cupie had reported Makoto's door being locked for days now and no one having seen him since the hospital. The teachers had taken initiative and used an all purpose ID to get inside, and the second that door swung open, they quarantined the entire floor. Investigation had begun immediately in search of any trace of the perpetrator, but the only links they had to anything was a student informing them that this one had connections to the villains that attacked UA. He had planned to come clean about all of their info, and it was possible one of them came to silence him.
They attacked during the time that most of the students were in the class, and any students who were questioned had some sort of alibi.
In the end, they uncovered nothing.
One detective pulled three students aside and into a private room; a girl named Octavia, a boy named Masaru, and a girl named Cupie who some of the police officers were familiar with. Unfortunately, there were no chairs and the site was still undergoing a bit of renovations after the attack, but it was the best they could do at the moment. All the other rooms were being searched inside out for any evidence regarding the attackers, so this was the only private room available to them that wasn't occupied.
These three, according to the teachers, had been Makoto's closest friends and deserved to know a little more detail about the fate of their classmate. Another officer had gone to the Miasaki household to deliver the news.
The rest of Class 1A would know soon, but it was these particular individuals who needed closure.
"Hello Octavia, Masaru, and Emika. I am Detective Soto, and unfortunately, I have some very bad news to tell you… Your friend, Makoto Miasaki, was found stabbed to death in his dorm room."
Cupie's world came to a crashing halt upon hearing the news. Her closest friend, revealed to have been a traitor, was now dead too? J-Just like that? She could never see him again… Ever… His dreams, his family… He was gone…
After having tried to keep herself together from Makoto's traitor reveal, the attack, the pain of her wounds, and now this… Cupie couldn't do it anymore.
She fell to her knees.
"UUUUWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHH!"
Cupie cried, unable to control herself. Large tears rolled down her cheeks as the pain and heartbreak of losing her closest friend settled. She never got to tell him she forgave him, to at least give him peace for his actions.
She would never see him again… and yet, she wanted just five more minutes. To see him again and have the closure of saying goodbye.
Why couldn't she have been the one to die instead of him? He actually had a selfless purpose… He was the one who deserved to be a Hero…Cupie's main purpose for this career for getting back at her parents.
He didn't deserve going the way he did.
The news hit Octavia as well, tears began to well in her eyes. But seeing Cupie react to it.. "Oh dear… Poor Makoto…Poor Cupie..." She murmured, her gaze turning to Cupie. She and her were never that close, but all she could do was offer the other girl some comfort.
Masaru's eyes widened slightly, his typical scowl shifting to a face of complete shock. He hadn't forgiven him, and since him coming clean, he hadn't spoken to him. Masaru wasn't one to take betrayal lightly, whether it was accidental or misguided, or fully intentional. The boy made that clear with his initial reaction. He couldn't trust him. He didn't know what was real and what was an act, but he hadn't resolved him to death.
Head tilted down with grit teeth and a clenched fist, conflicted by his emotions, Masaru shook slightly, either in rage or depression or some mixture of the two. On the one hand he wanted Makoto to make it up, to prove it was just a terrible mistake and make amends somehow, but on the other he was still angry, but now he wasn't even around for Masaru to be angry at him. It was those damn villains—and for what? To cover their tracks? Absolute cowards.
He didn't have the largest reaction, as he instead attempted to keep himself composed. Cupie's reaction certainly didn't help, but he couldn't blame her. She was just as close, if not more, and likely felt the same as him. He couldn't even do anything to make it better. Instead, rather than thinking about what Makoto deserved, he could only the information they had on the villains who attacked them. Was it one of them? And if so, who?
"...I see."
"I'm sorry for your losses, truly." The detective said as Cupie leaned over, shielding her face from them as she cried. "We're doing everything we can at the moment to find the perpetrator. Shall I leave you alone?"
"Th-Thank you, Detective Soto." Octavia said, giving him a bow of the head. "And yes, please."
With that, the detective walked away.
After a few minutes, Cupie's sobbing was settling down, but not because she was finished.
"What…" Cupie sat back up, revealing a black glass heart in her hand.
Gregori Yamagata was a very, very, very unhappy man. Former number 3 Pro Hero, retired, became the Vice Principle of the UA. His life had its ups and downs, he married a lovely Japanese woman and immigrated to the Company, had his rivals and his successes and had the hero moniker "Siberian Thunder, King of Bears" among others. His own quirk was amazing durability and the ability to partially turn some limbs into that of a brown bear, with a very high strength it was a time now long gone. He had little interest in fighting till he had one foot in the grave like an old man that didn't know when to quit…
Needless to say this all had put a dapper on his peaceful retirement, the "this" being the source of a great strain.
In the wake of the attack on the UA, his boss, Natsuo Kobayashi had ended up dead. The escape protocols had been a mixed back, while loss of life had been low, the poor internal security had led to a total breakdown of their plans. All of 1A was injured to one extent or another, be it dismemberings or in critical condition in a hospital bed among its staff and students. If not for the Sidekicks, things could have been much, much worse. Then there was the curious case of Kanna, he was just planning to ignore the issue. That being her actions had saved the UA from a significant computer Virus… Though mostly as she leveled a part of the complex to make it so.. For the time being they only had the central servers and more importantly the teachers would have to make do with his office or the janitor's room for meetings.. Then there were the 'darlings' in the Media, to which Gregori had a few choice words, words that he would repeat in part during the Memorial service.
Any further attacks would be met with force and acceleration would be given towards the new hero training, background investigations.. He had much to do to regain the public and student bodies trust in the UA. Setting down with a flask in hand, the man takes a drink, smiling thinly. It was Tea made by his dearest wife, Tatsu, rather than Vodka, though some of that would be nice as well.
Either way, time was up.
Grabbing his coat, the man stands to his feet with a world weary look to his face, he would have rather his retirement be peaceful, these villains had made a terrible mistake.. And then there was the issue on that one student, their had been two traitors and one was now dead, though the story behind that was..odd to say the least.. For now there were no bodies, just a reference of the attacks, plans had been made by the families in regards to that.
Out in the school Arena, the students and staff were instructed to sit, without the thousands of visitors the place looked fairly empty, the media was here snapping away with cameras for it's pictures, of course they were, damn vultures.. Either way there was no helping it as the man heads down into the field, taking spot on a stage, with both hands on the Podium, he looks up at the rest, beginning his speech;
"Greetings, I am a man of many names, Siberian Thunder, the King of Bears, Gregori Yamagata, but to you I am now Headmaster. Last week in an act that shall live in Infamy the UA was viciously attacked, many in the Media and across the country have held issue with this, given most of our students are children or young adults. My predecessor paid the ultimate price for his failure and people should remember the good he had done in the world up till this point rather than one mistake. Natsuo Kobayashi was a very dependable hero and a good man.. However, mistakes were made and I will focus my efforts on correcting them. Life goes on. We go on.
To our great wall the mark of the hero shall be added, two more to our numbers..yet another hero has passed. To you looking on, this is what it means to be a hero. Not fame, not fortune, but sacrifice and defending the weak, to stand before and against Evil. To preserve Peace, Rule, Law, Order."
"Many in the Media had knee jerked to this, worried for many of you in those stands. I however do not worry. To fight evil, one must of course, fight. And not all fights end with a person throwing their arms into the sky saying "please kill me!" Shrugging at that the boss continues.
"Then why fight them? Then why get hurt? Why come here? Because live and let live is the notion of children and those who have little and less in life, or will do so. Among the forces that attacked us was an Ultranationalist, psychopaths and, I am ashamed to say, traitors in our own ranks. Let me ask those of you here today, will such beings leave you alone? At what point will the pointless killings be enough? At what point will you stop turning your gaze as yet another neighbor is dragged off into the Night? I grew up in Smolensk and remember the Civil War well.. So long as I live this situation will never, ever repeat itself and further violence against the Hero Association will be met with equal force in kind."
With that the man slams his fists into the Podium once more. "Reforms are to be carried out and the Training regiment will have some changes, Security protocols will be reviewed. And even now, those who smile and laugh at far off TV Screens I have a message.
We. Will. Find. You.
We will drag you by the hairs of your head kicking and screaming into the Light. If you want a War, you've got one."
Calming himself, Siberian Thunder continues, pulling his tie off his neck as he stands there. "But not all is doom and gloom, today is not just a promise of retribution or the mourning of who and what was lost.
No it is a reminder that we still stand! A few had risen up to the occasion and saved the lives of countless others. Currently one of my instructors lays in the ICU, having given battle to one of the monsters that attacked us, the fact that she lived and that this man could do no more damage is a win in and of itself.. A press release on who this was will come soon.. But for now I would like to give thanks to all the Sidekicks, the unsung heroes who saved the day, while Heroes did help and will be given their due, they truly reacted in a capacity that many forget."
Raising a hand, a few were ushered forward, chiefly Misoka's five helpers, Grudge, Chimera and Barriesta...also Kanna was at the rear, bringing herself up alongside them, as the new Headmaster goes down the line, shaking each person by hand one at a time. Grudge was in her hero suit while Misoka's crewmen were in their branches respective uniforms with small alterations here and there. "For your actions in the face of the Enemy, aiding civilians and our students, I give you my thanks.. Sadly that is all I can give you."
"I rather have some money or fuel." Speaks up the pilot, helmet tucked under his arms, as the new headmaster laughs lightly pulling the man in close for a whisper. "I went out of my own way, it's not much but some alcohol and food is in the hangar.. I don't know if she will care to join you however." He says eyeing up Grudge, he was fairly sure she could hear him. As he reaches Kanna is seems she wasn't part of the thanks..
"Now that is out of the way, I would like to take a minute of Silence for the departed after a brief ceremony. A priestess from our Very own Student body shall carry out the blessing of our new stars, to be added to the fallen. Let their light shine on forever more."
With that Kanna steps out of line, aware of all eyes on her, she keeps calm and collected, with a priestess paper seal across her face, it would be difficult to tell who she was outside of the school body, starting an incantation she speaks aloud, the Shinto Death Prayer for all to hear.
"A life has ended, with the passing of a friend,
the memories of times, have come to an end,
their threads wove the fabric of an earlier day.
A life has ended, with the passing of a friend,
sunrises and sunsets, bright days and dark nights
circled again and again, and gave context to this life,
moment after moment, their life was lived each day.
A life has ended, with the passing of a friend,
lives have been touched by the dear one's journey,
laughter, tears, hopes, fears, a life has come to an end
memories hold their spirit alive, in my own life.
A life has ended, with the passing of a friend,
the loss of future moments, that will not be,
grateful for moments shared, that nourished me,
moments lived, in casual belief, they would never end.
A part of me has ended, with the passing of a friend,
be they gone from the earthly plane, their spirit soars,
to renew again, in summerland, heaven or another life,
I know not where, but their love remains with me,
for in this life, we friends, did share.
I miss my friend, but they will always be near, inside
of me, inside you, and all who took time to hear,
the music of this life so dear, a life now silent,
living only in the memory, of those who survive."
Sprinkling the two new hero markers with salt and a splash of holy water, the Priestess claps solemnly, stepping forward and back again as if in a rhythm before she stops, bowing her head. With that a long Silence settles across the crowd, lasting the full span of a minute.
Grunting a bit, the new Headmaster didn't much think that student deserved to be placed on such an honorable wall, but the secret could not be let out.. Not even his instructors could know..that the dead student had a hand in this all..the boy had turned on his allies in the last minute and redeemed himself.. With that he takes a deep breath, bowing to Kanna in kind, while he was an Eastern Orthidox, he thought a Shinto touch on this circus would be all the better. Turning towards the crowds, he speaks brazenly, motioning towards what instructors he still had.
"That concludes our event, please leave. Students remain where you are unless you are leaving with your parents. I have a special announcement." Waiting till the crowd was finally thinned, Gregori was surprised he had so many students left.
"What happened to you all was unreasonable, more so to Class 1A. Our defenses were terribly compromised, one of you died, two lost limbs..several were brutalized. For that words alone are not enough.." Prostrating himself upon the ground, the headmaster bows his head low.
"I am even more sorry that the Future will need to rest on the shoulders of those so young and from here on out your lives will be more difficult. I cannot always protect you all, but I can teach you to defend yourselves and others. I Siberian Thunder, the Bear King, will be upping your training in some regards and one of your teachers had wished to make an announcement.. But that can wait till later. I ask for your Forgiveness and I give you my thanks for staying alive, your lives are not to be spent casually."
Raising to his feet after that, the man shows a brief glimpse of a smile. "To these ends, we are accelerating your hero uniform process and increasing the security on a few locations. To facilitate this, we need all of you out of the dorms and school for a few days. To these ends we have arranged for a beach retreat at an Association owned beach and are giving you two months allowance at the shopping complex. Heal your wounds with one another and be ready for the fitting if you will put your trust in me. We have some training in mind, so don't think this is a total vacation. Either way you and our teachers deserve some rest, I don't care what those pencil pushing fuckers say in the Media.
You did your current best, but I believe you all can be better. The Busses Leave this afternoon within the hour, you'll arrive at nightfall and then have the next few days to yourself, guides on sight will explain what there is to do. And be ready after this, the UA sports Festival will be underway and it won't be like the previous ones. You all need practical skills and I'll be damned if I watch more of you green kids suffering without so much as a fight. Trust in me as I trust in you. That is all, pack what you need for a few days. Dismissed."
Turning his back to the crowd, the old man walks away. He had work to do if he wanted his peaceful rest, and now he was in charge, the times, to use an old saying; 'they were a-change'n.'
~~~~
Waiting at one of the entrance tunnels Misoka would greet Class 1A. With Allo busy tending to a few matters at the school, chiefly replacing the network and patching up security and the others doing much the same, she was the one currently on hand. Looking a bit distracted as if something was on her mind, it takes her a few seconds to register the other students as Ayame calls out to her.
"Ah.. I'm sure you all heard the new Headmaster. We need you out of the dorms and school for a few days while we rebuild.. Some 20 odd years ago some of my classmates save the Tokyo Bay Imperial Aquarium. For that and other events that happened along the way, we gained use of one of the man made islands to build a retreat in the nature reserve.. The Island is connected to the main aquarium and to the..hmm Tourist City you could say. For the next three days the UA will have run of the whole location."
Walking over to a wall mounted display screen, Misoka connects a handheld device showing preview of the Aquarium and its surroundings, a rather surreal location in some aspects.
"You'll have a couple options for lodging, either way a few of the more..adult things will be off limits to you, chiefly alcohol, bars, the usual. Aside from the Aquarium we have a training field, a shopping complex, a small theater, a couple places to eat… As to where you'll be staying, there is an underwater hotel, the normal hero lodgings above ground and the visitor hotel. You all can decide amongst yourselves or even go separately.. The Park AI will be monitoring the site and you all during the duration of your visit, so please behave. Other than that, on the Morning of the 4th day, first thing you return here and we'll begin preparations for the Sports Festival.. The new Headmaster has something special planned for this year's event. Enjoy these three days well. You'll have the resources to train and to relax, to recuperate.. And to mourn if you have the need."
"Pack what you need for three days, your allowance will be given when you arrive. The Busses leave in one hour."
Giving her daughter a rub on the head, Misoka quickly headed off, not saying a further word.
~~~
With that little was left to do as the Bus left on time with all those aboard, conversations amongst one another, as their arrival happens without accident, a pale holographic woman greets them, eyeing the group over. "Welcome to the Tokyo Bay Imperial Aquarium and Reserve. I am your guide Neptunia.. If you have questions or a request for lodging call for me. I can be anywhere within the park upon demand. Ah, also your stipends have been applied to your cards." Lingering over them she was sure they may have conversations to be carried out amongst themselves, that and she was currently doing the same greetings with all the other UA classes.
I like Fantasy, Modern, Modern Fantasy, Yaoi, Yuri, and Romance. Please do not be shy in bringing up another genre. I just might be interested in it ^^
The entire bus ride, Cupie had been silent while responding to conversation only when provoked. Her usual demeanor was now calm, seemingly lost in thought as she looked out the window. The events that had transpired had left her numb. Makoto's confession, the grief of his betrayal, his death, and his funeral all occurring within the span of a week left her wondering what was next. She needed to get over it, and quickly; UA wasn't going to wait on her to get over her emotions...
But... Makoto had been an extremely good friend to her, one of the best including the fellow shitheads she met in Junior high. While Masaru was a great friend too, Cupie rarely spent time with him without some sort of argument sparking (not that she minded, it was fun seeing him flustered). Makoto, on the other hand, had been an upbeat ball of sunshine and really down-to-earth. Someone she could speak to about anything...
And he was gone.
She was able to say her goodbyes to him at his funeral, but it wasn't the same. Cupie couldn't properly forgive him, ever; no matter how much she wanted to... She had his final words to her, sure, but...
Cupie inwardly sighed, seeing the attractions slowly coming into view.
Makoto would have been jumping in his seat right now...
Maybe she could have fun for the both of them? Makoto wouldn't want her locking herself in her room crying the entire time.
Yeah, she could have fun for the two of them.
Hmm...
Cupie grabbed her luggage and walked off the bus, looking for Masaru. When she saw him, she'd approach and ask. "Got any plans today?"
With the whirlwind of events that had descended upon them, the chance to relax was finally at hand, the new headmaster seemed pretty martial but he did at least seem to appreciate them. I mean they had a few days all to themselves at such a wonderful place, it had rides, aquariums training grounds and swimming! Ayame was as happy as could be, bouncing about as she looked out the bus window, eyes going as wide as her smile. Happily running off the bus and waving at the AI, she was hit by what she hated the most of this season.. The Heat.
Groaning and moaning a bit, she seeks out Kanna, hanging off the others back, before taking notice of the giant Miko. "Hey..Kanna, did you really not bring anything?"
"Hmm? What is it? I mean I brought some soup and cleaning items."
"But..well yeah, but like even I brought a travel bag.. I mean aren't you going to swim or tour the place? I mean it's not often you get such a place all to ourselves.."
Kanna looks blankly at that, hitting a fist into her palm. "Oh. That so? What sort of place is this? I mean it seems impressive, but why would I need luggage to swim?"
Ayame stares blankly before taking note of others. "I worry about you Kanna..you'll take as long as your mother to get married unless I help you.."
"And how would you know about such?"
"I know you at least need a swimsuit and other clothes when on vacation."
"Seems like a waste to me."
Octavia had been quiet for most of the bus ride, the death of Makoto weighing her down though not as much as Cupie. She wished things could have gone better for him somehow, but in the end, the consequences of his actions caught up to him and there was nothing anyone else could do.
All the class could do now was heal.
During the travel, Octavia had become a bit bothered by her thoughts with the feeling that she had screwed up her luggage somehow. She wasn't sure how, and the feeling wouldn't leave her until she caved and checked around.
Only then did she discover that she had accidentally packed the unflattering and too small swimsuit instead of the one that she had been wanting to bring.
Oh dear…
She sighed at the realization. Well, she supposed she could just buy another swimsuit… if they had anything in her size.
When it was time to get off the bus, she'd been lingering around near Kanna and Ayame while Fosc went flying to find the nearest store that sold swimwear when she heard their conversation.
"You don't mind if the boys in our class saw you nude Kanna? Or did you plan on wearing everyday clothing into the water?" Octavia asked her, her gaze in the Miko's general direction but not at her.
"Nude? And yes I was going to wear my normal clothing, in part at least. Why wouldn't I?"
She asks in all seriousness, as Ayame sighs, bopping Kanna on the nose with her hand. "No. That's not true at all you country bumpkin.." Eyeing over Octavia and then Kanna, she sighs a bit after looking down at herself, as to why, one could wonder.
"Oh I know! How about we all go look in the gift shops and get some new swimsuits? You and Kanna are around the same size so it makes it more easy as I doubt she's ever had one."
"That's not true, we had one at the school when I was very young."
Octavia giggled hearing their little antics, "Well, it seems there's an apparel store not too far from us… Swimsuits for both men and women...Oh, it looks like one of our classmates is heading there too. The silver haired one… My apologies but I am not too familiar with his name."
Octavia told the two as she used her bird to look around. "Do one of you mind being my eyes for the trip to the store? It would be faster to go to my bird than wait for him to come back."
"Er your eyes?" Ayame asks looking slightly confused, as Kanna nods.
"Sure, I think we can see you there.. I assume the bird takes on some of your senses?"
Octavia nodded a few times, "Yes. The bird is not for show, but he is my sight." She started explaining. "As per my quirk, my vision was regained once it had developed, and without Fosc, I must rely on my other senses or become defenseless."
She held out her hand for one of them to take, "My apologies for the inconvenience, but I don't want to keep you both waiting."
"Ah I see.." Kanna says flatly, that quirk had to be inconvenient at times. Ayame makes a tired whine sound as she climbs down off of Kanna's back, taking Octavia by the hand.
"I'll do it! You both would get lost without me doing it.. And I don't want to get lost too by association!" with that she grabs the others hand as Kanna shrugs following behind.
Octavia chuckled, "Thank you, dear. I appreciate it."
As the trio walked, Octavia would slowly begin to map out the area using touch, hearing, and her steps. Though she was blind, it didn't mean she was completely useless.
Octavia did ask a few times for descriptions of the surrounding area so she had an idea where they were compared to where her bird had flown. With these ideas and descriptions, Fosc was able to meet up with them halfway there, allowing them to continue at a faster rate to the apparel store.
Inside, Ichirou was browsing for whatever he could find that wasn't a speedo or too tight around the waist. When he first packed for UA, his little sisters had played a prank on him by switching out his swimsuit with a tiny little speedo in the hopes that he would have no choice but to wear it when he wanted to go swimming.
Of course, they hadn't thought out their prank very well because Ichirou had a little thing called money. And literally anything else in his closet that he could afford to get wet.
Unfortunately for him, he had forgotten to stop by the store near UA to pick up a new swimsuit, which was why he was here now.
He had thought he would be the only one here, but upon seeing the trio, Ichirou waved hello to them out of kindness.
"Oh, that is the boy I saw… What is his name?" Octavia asked the two.
"Ah, that is Ichirou.." Kanna says letting her sight linger on him as a twinge of her aura leaks out with a smile, before as quickly becoming much less noticeable.
"Ah yeah, I've met him a few times when I was younger. Him, Amaris, Aurora, some of the rest. Ah...hehehe.."
With a twinkle in her eye, Ayame releases old of Octavia and runs to grab Ichirou by his arm. "Hey! Ichi-san! You get to be our eyes, eh?"
With that Kanna steps forward while being sure Octavia was following. "Ah, Ichirou.. And what do you mean eyes?"
"Why, we'll see what this man here thinks about who should wear what.. It's not an offer given to many yah know?" And a little contest maybe, not that she herself was interested in him, but it would be fun to see the prospective number one squirm a little for the fun of it.
Ichirou expected many things today, but this was not one of them. The swimsuit he had been holding fell out of his hands, startled by Ayame's sudden hold on him. Her offer, however, earned her a blush on his cheeks. Though subtle, it was still there.
"Wh-What? I-"
"I think that's a good idea." Octavia spoke up before explaining. "I for one like to hear honest criticism about what I do or what I wear when called for. From what I heard in class, Ichirou is one of the most honest people there. Am I wrong?"
"I-uh…" Ichirou didn't know how to answer. He wasn't seriously going to judge these girls' and their swimwear choices was he?
'Ayame, what the hell?! Thank you so very much, but what the hell!' Ichirou inwardly screamed.
"Hahaha! It's settled then!" Ayame says with a bit of a smile. Running off to look at the shelves, she pauses at a frilly one piece, this would likely be what she wore, but first to find another color and design.
"Well will you two be alright on your own, or would Mister Ichi there like to help you two look?"
Octavia turned to look at Kanna, though once again she was a bit off and seemingly talking to her shoulder. "Would you like to take him or shall I? As I said, I welcome all forms of criticism and his opinion would be of help as Fosc looks through the swimwear for me."
Ichirou was still momentarily stunned as to what the fuck just happened, but he'd also thank Ayame later somehow. She was right, this was not something offered to just anyone.
"Hmm..I guess we could get his opinion, but can we trust him not to pick something base? I mean I don't know much about this sort of thing however.. What were you going to try? Or the crow was to find?" Kanna ask, shrugging her shoulders as she looks at the rows of clothing.
Octavia hummed in thought, "I wanted to go for something more… modest but not prudish. Cute but not too cute." She answered as the crow hopped onto the bar where the rack of swimwear was held. Fosc moved his head through the rack, pushing the hangers aside to get passed all the colorful and tacky pieces.
Ichirou was beginning to feel like his father waiting on his mother to pick something from the store. But nonetheless, they wanted his input and he would give them something. "What type of suit were both of you going for?" He asked them. If he knew what specifically they were looking for then maybe he could be of more assistance.
"Hmm, I had nothing in mind really. My normal Leotard would have been more than enough." Kanna says flatly.
"But you wear it all the time!" Ayame protests.
"I do have more than one, and I don't sleep in it." She says in rebuttal as Ayam scoffs looking at the clothing racks.
"W-well..you guys have suggestions or should I just start grabbing things for her to try on?"
Ichirou didn't have to give it much thought,"It sounds like Kanna wants just a regular one-piece swimsuit; something as close to her leotard as she can get. I don't think she's gonna budge on that."He answered Ayame. As much as his hormonal side wanted to see the girls in bikinis, he was also not going to suggest such a thing unless the girls expressed comfort in wearing one first.
Trying to suggest something like that to Kanna or Ayame might earn him a punch to the moon or a slap across the face.
"Octavia… hm." Ichirou was trying to think what he might have seen models on TV wear when showing off for summer. He was lucky enough to have not been dragged along clothes shopping with his mom except when he was a kid, but he never stood by her side for long. "A two-piece… that comes with a skirt?"
"That could look nice if they have any in my size." Octavia answered as Fosc continued his search, though judging by the bird constantly moving from shelf to shelf, Octavia didn't have too many options.
Walking away, Ayame grabs a red two piece for Kanna, which was rather..skimpy in some regards being an X cross design, the Miko looks at it skeptically and tries it on, looking almost like some sort of old timey superhero with a few bits missing. Stepping out of the changing room she stands there a bit. "Hmm..I don't think this suits me.."
Fosc had given Octavia a swimsuit to try around the same time Ayame gave one to Kanna. This suit was a bikini that didn't leave much for the imagination. The top used only strings to keep it together and the "cleavage window" was wide enough that Octavia would have had trouble keeping someone's attention during conversation.
She walked into the changing room, soon realizing her dilemma when she felt more air than she was comfortable with.
"Oh dear…"
She couldn't see it right now, but she knew very well something was amiss with this suit.
She stepped out of the changing room, fingers tracing the fabric to see what was covered and what was bare. "I… I think this is portraying me as something scandalous."
Ichirou put a hand over the lower half of his face, trying to cover his scarlet red blush. He was doing his best to keep himself together but…
Not many received the blessing of witnessing two beautiful girls in small swimsuits.
"Th-They look great, but if you're not comfortable, then let's try something else." Ichirou told the two despite his teenage boy body wanting to see more skin.
"Hmm..I think I saw something else I rather try on." Kanna says, walking over to one of the other shelves to grab another swimsuit, Ayame herself heads into another dressing room as Kanna shortly joins her in the one next door.
Coming out first Kanna has on a black one piece, wrapping around the neck almost like a cocktail dress and covering her bust, it left much of the mid and upper back exposed with a small skit at the bottom that connected with spats. It was a bit like her leotard but different and was rather form fitting. "Yes.. I think I'll go with this."
Soon after Ayame comes out in a sandy orange one piece that had frills around the bust and skirt, adorned with red panda faces and beach ball icons, it looked rather on the cute and childish side, yet was form fitting as she sticks out her tongue and winks one eye, holding something of a cat pose.
"So what's Octavia got?" Ayame asks.
Octavia's crow had grabbed another swimsuit before she rushed back into the changing room. This time, she came back out with a 2-piece black swimsuit where the top itself hung around the neck with the pieces of fabric needing to be wrapped over her breasts and tied in the back, which worked to cover a lot yet leave some cleavage exposed. The bottoms themselves were a bit low cut and ended a bit below her bellybutton.
Once again, her fingers traced where the fabric exposed and this time she gave a smile of approval. "This one is far less scandalous."
Ichirou wanted to both thank and curse every and any God that existed. Thank them for ending this before his enjoyment of this activity became noticeable, and curse them because it was over so soon.
Regardless, he got to participate and dammit this wasn't something he was going to forget for a long while.
"These swimsuits look great, and you both look way more comfortable than the last ones. Ayame's looks pretty cute too." Ichirou smiled, though he wouldn't say that Ayame's also looked like it was more intended for a child or a preteen girl. "Glad to see you all found what you wanted. But if you don't need me here anymore, then I still need to find something for myself."
"Hmm, well maybe we'll watch you as well then." Kanna adds in with a thin smile.. Looking at Ayame she sighs a little, deciding to help the girl find something a little less childish. The pair settled on a two piece that was orange with white frills.
"E-Eh? Me too?" Ichirou asked her, surprised to hear that.
Octavia nodded a few times, "It would be fair, no? Besides, you'd get the criticism of three people instead of just one. We can ensure you'll look great."
"Um, I mean, if you want. Just caught me off-guard again." Ichirou rubbed the back of his neck, wondering if this was just to be fair or if the girls had planned this the whole time. Or if this was his punishment. "You don't have to if you don't want to though."
"Oh, it's fine, I have no idea what to do next either way." Kanna says, Ayame soon chimes in with a; "I'm just going to go swimming or look around the aquarium, maybe see where we should stay… So yeah why not stay, hehehe!"
For the next hour or so, Ichirou was in and out of the changing room wearing various swimwear that the girls selected for him. Different colors, different lengths, and different types of fabric. However, he couldn't help but notice the swimwear tossed to him was becoming smaller and smaller. Some Ichirou flat out refused to wear since it resembled something his little sisters would pack in his luggage as a joke.
Most likely Ayame taking a page from his sisters' book.
Still, getting to see what he saw still made this worth it in his mind.
In the end, and per their request, he stepped back out wearing the first swimsuit he wore. A regular dark blue swim trunks were the shorts ended just above the knees.
"I believe that one is the best." Octavia concluded, not at all bothered by the amount of time spent near the changing rooms.
Ichirou still thought it was worth it.
"Hahaha... Well Time to go! I want to see that underwater hotel! What are you going to do Kanna?""I think I'll look at the training grounds or the gardens that were mentioned on the map-" With that conversation wanders about.
Amaris had listened to the whole speech by the new principal. While she had wholly disagreed with how the previous principal had handled the attack, she did not wish for his death. She knew it was a solemn occasion, and this new principal deserved respect. He revealed they would be having a small vacation as a way to cool down from all the tragedy. While Amaris needed no such rest, it was not unwelcome.
~~
So, Makoto had betrayed them. He had been giving information to their enemies, and the recent attack was in large part his fault. Yet, at the end of it all, he was the one who perished. It seemed he attempted some sort of redemption at the end, which got himself killed. On the way of to their vacation, which they were being given due to the attack, she recalled her interaction with Makoto.
They hadn't talked much, but when they did, it was often about music. She had tried to convince him to take a musical route with his life. In her opinion, it did not seem like he was cut out for the hero life -or villain life, for that matter. He definitely was more interested in being a musician: specifically, a pianist. She had offered to give him her organ, but he had been adamant about not taking it. Or taking any charity. Well, now she guessed she knew why. Maybe it was a good thing that she had not given him anything, then. He was a traitor, after all. Not to mention dead. Someone dead can't very well play the organ. Yet, as she leaned against the bus, staring out the window, looking out towards the Tokyo Bay Imperial Aquarium as it came into view, she could not help but feel slightly bad that she hadn't given him the organ.
Wait.. Was she actually feeling something? 'Bad'. Bad. She did not favor this gnawing in the pit of her stomach.
~~
Amaris was dressed sensibly when she stepped out of the bus. A blood red shirt with some demonic script and a pair of black and white striped short shorts. In her left hand an umbrella.
Once at the Tokyo Bay Imperial Aquarium and Reserve a holographic construct began to speak to them. It went by the name Neptunia. Ah, she recognized that. Her mother mentioned the name of this AI and this place before, in one of the few stories of her past that she regaled to her daughter.
"Hello," Amaris said with a wave to the AI, after listening to its short introduction.
With that, Amaris hefted up her backpack, and pulled along her luggage on wheels as she entered the touristy place that they were visiting.
Sometime later she was also in the store searching for a swimsuit. She glanced across the way over at her classmates having a time plucking various swimsuits off the hangers. Amaris, herself, turned back to the one she was in front of. It was a tiny little two-piece bikini in a gray color, with a skull on the cups.
A moment later she stepped out of the dressing room in her chosen swimsuit. A one-piece black swimsuit with the straps across her back forming an upside down pentagram. It also looked more like a bikini, due to the stomach area being mesh. She had a pair of burgundy wedge sandals with a chunky 2-inch heel. Her hair was tied up higher on her head, in just the cutest pigtails. Her mouth was a thin line of bloody red.
As Masaru sat on the bus, arms folded and face staring at the roof of the vehicle, he thought on recent events. They were attacked, their principal dead and replaced, many of them harmed or maimed, and now they were being shuffled off on a mini vacation. Looking around, some were understandably excited for it, namely Ayame. However, Masaru still didn't much feel like relaxing.
Following any other events, sure, he'd probably be just as excited, not that he'd have shown it. However as things were now, he didn't feel like he should be relaxing. It wasn't even out of fear or paranoia, but that he didn't like sitting still. He was something of a busybody, perhaps an effect of his childhood. Regardless, he would normally beat himself up for fooling around too much, "too much" typically being not that much at all. That was when nothing was going on. Now, it felt like he didn't have the right to. He needed to get stronger and they didn't exactly have all the time in the world.
Speaking on fear and paranoia however, Masaru supposed he wasn't undergoing the worst. Looking over to his seatmate, Charlotte sat with her head tilted to rest against the window, eyes shut as she napped. He didn't know who she fought or what happened save for the vague details she shared afterwards, but it obviously had an effect on her. Masaru knew she had a habit of trying to hide her real feelings, as well that she was often lonely and as such sought out attention. However after the attack she was different. She was quieter, less prone to jokes and pranks, though she tried. Now especially she seemed to not want to socialize much, but at the same time didn't want to be left alone.
Regardless, it was happening and maybe this little escape would give her some peace of mind. It was shocking, but he honestly would prefer her pranking him than this.
As the bus reached its destination, people began to split off. Masaru stepped off the bus, glancing around as he wondered just what to do. There were areas to train so maybe he could get straight to work? Either way, he noticed Charlotte acting distracted.
"Hey, Charlotte." The girl in question seemed to flinch somewhat, as if startled slightly. "You gonna be okay?"
"I'm just enjoying the sights, Ma-kun... Jeez," Charlotte replied, seemingly intent on going off to do... whatever.
Staring blankly as the girl strolled off, Masaru heard his own name called and perked up slightly. Cupie was also a cause for some concern, though thus far the main issue with her was an understandable amount of grieving. It was something that would heal with time, or so he hoped.
"Uh... Not really... I honestly have no idea where to start," Masaru said with a sigh and shrug. Well, he was considering training, but at risk of looking like a massive busy-body. "You?"
Watching her various 'screens' Neptunia is busy with an enormous amount of tasks, between booking rooms, monitoring the security and wildlife, keeping the staff going on about it's tasks and the mundane tasks of paperwork, however being an AI she still had time to answer questions and more importantly to process some of her own computing power to her own curiosity.
A girl was here.. A girl from before..a very important one.. Appearing before this one as she left the swimwear store, the AI does a curtsy bow. "Ramiris it has bee-..." Pausing for a bit her computations run quickly as she reviews the student files. "Amaris.. A Daughter? I forget how much time has passed.. If you are her daughter would you mind speaking to me for a bit?" The blue hued woman asks, her voice seemingly there from a localized speaker near her projection as a wheeled robot with a display projector comes into view
Stepping right out of the swimwear store, Amaris came to a halt as someone -or something- parked itself in front of her and began speaking. It seemed to mistake her for her mother. Did she look that much like past Ramiris?
"Ah, it iss you again! The AI. Neptunia, I believve.. Can I help you? Yess, I am her daugher, shhe iss my mothher. Shhe mentioned you before."
"Ah did she? Hmm.. She helped me out with her friends in a big way a long time ago. I never did get to finish giving her that Tour of our Aquarium, would you like to see it in her place? There is also one special feature we've had added on since then..or rather three years ago." She says flatly offering a guided tour of the lower levels.
"Shhe did mention helping you out in one of her 'hero sstories'," Amaris stated. "A tour? I ssuppose sso. Shure." She waited for the tour to begin.
"...err..Alright then.." This one seemed rather… distracted.. That would be the nice word for it. "Very well, please come this way, we'll use a service corridor...by chance, would you happen to know this student?" As the AI switches the Monitor, Ayame could be seen leaning over a tank, pawing at the water while in her orange swimsuit, as if trying to touch the fishes.
Amaris followed behind the Ai, looking to the monitor. "Yess, I do. Her name iss Ayame, and shhe likess kibble. Shhe likess fishh, too, I asssume."
"I think she just wants to touch all the things..she is a Ailurus fulgens not a Felis Catus.. Curious.. I grow tired of warning her to not stick her hands in the tanks or to not sleep on top of them, she shall join us on the Tour, do you object?"
"Oh? An Ailuruss fulgenss?" Amaris repeated, looking towards the AI. She was the type to study and appreciate learning. A fact like that would stick with her. Actually, as would a tour. Amaris would make sure to note every little detail she could. "I do not. I will tell her to not do thosse things. Do you have kibble? Thhat may dissuade her."
"I..somehow think that won't help but I could fix some foodstuffs prepared for her and yourself by the staff on the lower floors, now if we take this service lift…" Leading them along it wasn't long till they found Ayame pouting about something or another as her ears perk up, noticing Amaris.. "Err..hi?" Taking note at the others clothing, it seemed the AI was giving her a tour, just great..
"That would be great, muchh apprecciated," she said to the AI, hearing how they would have food prepared. "I am a carnivore," she elucidated, betting the AI already knew, if she knew her mother.
After the service lift, they met up with Ayame. Amaris was also in her swimsuit. A black one-piece that had a mesh tummy and pentagram design in its ties. "Hi, Ayame," she said cordially as she walked over to the red panda. "It appearss you havve been bothhering the fishhes. Why are you doing thhat? Neptunia doess not find thhat agreeable."
"Yes, I have a few blood based dishes being made just for you." The AI says as Ayame sticks her tongue out at the AI in turn. "I just want to see what the fishes feel like and to touch some of the shiny rocks in the tank! Plus the water is cold, I know they have secrets in there..and cold water."
"Thhank you, Neptunia," Amaris said to the AI, as surprised as someone without emotions could be. This AI was very thorough, it seemed! "You musst havve really known my mothher well," she commented. "Do I remind you of her thhat muchh?"
She heard what the red panda had to say, turning to her. "Oh. What do fishhes feel like?" the smol goth asked, now wondering herself.
"To some extent yes, though I detect some..oddities from our bio readings. Curious it may be possible to treat to a point..bu… No." The AI says flatly at where her mind was going.
"Aww come on! Can't you just let us swim with them or like those Scuba tank things!?" Ayame pleads of the AI.
"What do your bio readings say?" Amaris questioned. "What iss treatable?" Whatever it was, it was worth mentioning. Which meant it was promising -for whatever it was. "I am withh the red panda, I would like to sswim withh the fishhies in a sscuba diving spot. Or go ssnorkling, or ssomething."
-sigh- "Fine, we'll arrange it in the Nature Preserve holding zone and Nurse Shark holding tank.. As to that, you show a deficiency or hmm..a chemical reaction to brighter areas that hamper.." Trailing off the AI flickers briefly. "In Layman's terms, your mood and brain chemical output fluxes with the light, it may be possible to make a synthetic middle ground to combat these extremes."
With that a series of lights blink, leading down a few corridors. "Please follow the lights..and don't touch more of the inside exhibits.."
This AI was more and more accomodating! "Lookss like we get our wishh, Ayame," the girl said to the other, when Neputina agreed to to arrange a place where they could swim with the fishes. Swimming in the nurse shark tank sounded very interesting. Or it sounded like it would be quite the illuminating experience at least.
She listened to the AI try to explain her strange body's strange reaction to light. Ramiris had this issue as well, so it must not have been that unusual for the AI. However, it did seem she was specifically talking about the issue with Amaris's emotional state. "A ssynthhetic middle ground?.. Really? Iss thhat posssible?"
Amaris glanced over at Ayame, and gave a tiny shrug. She began walking down the corridors, seeing the spaced out lights overhead. "I guesss you cannot touchh any more of the exxhibitss in here, Ayame."
"Hmph.." Ayame says with contempt to her gaze as they march along, the AI hovering at times and walking at others. "Theoretically yes. I can send the hypothesis to the UA, but to make the medicine here, well.. I would need a lot of blood and visits or for you to stay. So that may not be an option, but I do not see why it should not be possible, it just may be time consuming."
The AI says as they reach what seems to be a moon pool deep below the surface, a glass window overlooking a massive tank which had portholes to the open sea, inside were massive Nurse Sharks, harmless to humans, sea turtles swam around them and schools of fish to and fro, coral and kelp danced and glowed in the light and Dolphins could be seen beyond with whales and rays.
"Welcome to Dive Pool Number Seven."
"I cannot sstay here," she said, "I am training to become a hero, sso I musst go to U.A.. Otherwisse I might take you up on the offfer to sstudy me more. I can give you a blood ssample, though." She was unsure if a blood sample would help with the strange negative portions of her quirk, however.
Once they set foot in that undersea room with the moon pool, the vampire's eyes widened. The majesty of the sea was revealed to them, and Amaris took it all in. She almost felt as if she did not need to swim with them after all. Just viewing them was enough. Ayame probably did not feel the same way.
"That won't be needed, I'll send them my data.. Majestic isn't it? Even now after all these years, I really do love the Sea.. All were born from it and all shall one day return to it.." Lingering on it herself, Neptunia turns to smile at the other two, for an AI the smile seemed very sincere.
Ayame for herself hurriedly ran to the pool looking for a means to go out as a worker stops her offering a few options, from a diving harness to a snorkel and fins, and there was even a minisub. "Do you wish to join her? If not to swim I could take over the sub and you could at least enjoy the view a bit more closely."
Amaris cocked her head. "An AI 'lovves' somethhing?" She did not understand that, and wondered how that could be the case. "How? What iss 'love'? How doess an AI 'lovve' somethhing?" She was also taken aback by the genuine-looking smile the AI presented.
"The minissub seeems quite a unique exxperiencce. I shhall go in thhat," Amaris answered. "Are you coming, Ayame?"
"Nah! I'll swim in one of the diving suits, hehehe!" She says almost like a child given Candy, as the upper hatch on the minisub comes up. "Well then.. Please have a seat miss Amaris and we'll start the tour. As to your questions, those I shall answer at another time."
Amaris lowered her head. While she preferred to go on a ride in the minisub, she wondered if she shouldn't stick with Ayame. "Shhould I go withh you, thhen, Ayame?" Friends stuck together, did they not? Was she and Ayame even friends?
"That will be fine, this sub moves rather slowly for safety and tour purposes, though if you want to touch something..well that may not be possible.." The AI continues as she motions for Amaris to enter. "If you've never swam in the open sea before I do recommend this, plus Ayame can speak with you through a mouthpiece in her diving harness."
Thinking on the words Amaris said, Ayame still didn't much like her in part..well more like how she acted, still.. "Do what you feel safest with Amaris.. And yeah, I guess we are friends..I mean odd friends and you scare me at times.. Still though I mean it would be nice to have fun with you out here, but it doesn't have to be in a dive suit, Mom and Dad would take me swimming often.. Just don't offer me more kibble!"
Amaris listened to the AI. Well, if Ayame could speak to her through speakers, then it seemed fine to be in the sub.. It was not like she feared swimming in the sea. She was probably safer than Ayame would be, if she could make use of the shadows underwater. Which.. was a question she would have to answer, she realized. Could she even do that?
Wondering about that, the girl glanced over at Ayame. It was as if she had read Amaris's mind! So they were friends, huh? Well.. that was good.. Wasn't it? It had to be. Friendship was considered a good thing. She furrowed her eyebrows, "You really disslike kibble, huh?.. Very well, I shhall go in the ssub."
She stepped inside and sat down, glancing around.
With that the sub unclamps from the dock, dropping into the water with a splash as soon after another joins it, grabbing hold of an exterior rail on the Sub, Ayame holds a thumbs up as a miniature Neptunia AI shows up on the dash of the sub informing the two girls of the various creatures they came across, Ayame swims right for one of the nurse whales rubbing a hand under its stomach. Giggling a bit, her voice comes in over the comm. "Wow! It's Cold and prickly!"
Amaris pressed herself against the window of the sub to watch Ayame rub the whale's belly. Maybe she should've chosen to go swimming with Ayame, instead. Although it was not that she was disappointed at all.
Moving on, the AI seems to have taken note of this, bringing the sub even closer to a few of the creatures, emitting a soft sonar pulse near the netting and it's lock, a mighty squeal comes back in reply, even audible in the water, the whales were singing in reply. Turning towards the seafloor, crustacheans moved about as Ayame attempted to grab one almost getting snipped for her troubles. It was then that the Sub peered at one more location, turning on it's lights, a massive structure that seemed to be made of several tubes was there, windows were all around with an elevator up and beds could be seen in a few of those. Ayame pounds on the side of the Sub, seemingly trying to get the AI's attention as she pointed.
"Ah, that's our newest underwater Hotel, would you two like to stay there? It has a means to get to the surface of course."
Amaris listened to the sonar whale song while watching the whales came close to the sub, apparently attracted to the machine due to the song. It was a wonderfully relaxing experience. There was even a smile on her face as her face was close to one of the large majestic creature's face on the other side of the glass.
The knocking drew her attention, spotting the tube-like structure under the water. Like Ayame, she recognized this as the underwater hotel that had been mentioned. "I will sstay there," she answered. It also seemed like it would be a rewarding experience to do so.
"Eh sure! Why not? No one else has really mentioned where to stay, though I bet more of us might end up down here, I mean this is like, the coolest place down here!" Pausing for a bit she speaks again; "Umm..it doesn't leak down there right?"
"Not that I'm aware of, failure of the habitation block would be ruinous to our facility."
Somewhat satisfied with that answer, the Sub starts to make it's way there. "It has a moonpool as well, you can swim or dive between the facility pools around the complex..well most of them and an elevator will take you to the surface. Would you two like to stay now and have your things sent here? Or stay out for a bit longer?"
Ayame's question was both stupid and a practical one. It was obvious that it did not 'leak', for if it did, it would be as ruinous as the AI said. Everyone would most likely drown. "We might as-s well go there now," she answered. "Ssend our things down. We can jusst leave for any activity we wishh when we want."
"Very well, we'll be docking shortly, you two will be free to explore the hotel, just don't expect you'll have it alone for long." She says with a soft smile before vanishing from view as the ship autopilots with Ayame hot on it's heels, docking with the central moon pool. The site was a mix of ultramodern decor with a few ancient pieces that wouldn't be out of place in 20,000 leagues Under the Sea. Sadly or thankfully, there wasn't much Ayame could climb on. Taking off her diving helmet a couple staff were on hand to help her out of a few other components as she left the wetsuit on. Watching the Submarine it's hatch was soon to pop up, as the AI's voice could be heard from the speakers but she was nowhere to be seen.
"Would you like your meals brought to the dining room down here or would you like to return to the surface?" The AI asks.
The sub docked, and the hatch opened. Amaris stepped out of it only to be met with a question, and Ayame. It really did not matter much to her where she ate, but she doubted she'd remain down here for all that long. "I will go where Ayame doess," she stated flatly.
With that, she turned to the red panda. "Did you really mean what you said? Thhat we are friends?"
"Err.. sure. Why not? I mean yeah you are a little strange but so are all the others in this class and you by far aren't the worst you know?" Ayame says flatly. "I mean, I know you a bit yeah? And hmm..we should eat up to with the rest, hahaha! See who else we can trick into staying down here, this place is the best!"
She listened to Ayame confirm their friendship, which still 'surprised' Amaris. Though, in truth, it did not sound like the girl was super into it. But Amaris would take it at face value -as she basically always did. There was something within her that seemed to ignite, hearing an acknowledgement of friendship. Something she did not understand, just as she did not understand what being a "friend" really meant. "Not the worsst? Who iss the worsst, then?" she asked. "Yess. Let uss go eat up withh the resst."
She gave a small smile to Ayame - a rarity from her. Then that faded and she looked down, "I guesss I really do not need to keep the kibble. I will get rid of it."
"Hahaha., I can't tell you th-." Pausing mid word, Ayame stares at Amaris a bit. "You kept it for that.." Sighing a bit she thumps her on the back of the head with a flick of her forefinger. "If you wanted to be friends you could have just asked… But Hmph, for thinking I'm some sort of animal I'm not telling you who.. Though I think we should look for some other colors for you in clothing!" It seemed she would at least attempt being friends with her, she didn't have any reason not to at all afterall.
The AI chimes in after all this however, opening the elevator for them. "Hmm, you could try teaching her to swim a bit while you're at it, you all have three days here after all."
Amaris rubbed the back of her head, and stared into Ayame's eyes. "Jusst.. assked..?" Actually, that sounded reasonable. Why not just ask to be friends? Was the simple straightforward path not the best? "Othher colorss in clothing?" she asked. "What do you mean?" Amaris glanced over at the AI. "I know how to sswim."
"Well..most of what you wear is pretty dark you know? If not in color then in style..but meh.." Ayame says as they continue on, with the AI chiming in. "Maybe so, but a part of you all being here is to learn more about one another, isn't it? At face value it seems all of this was done to get you all out of the way for a few days but that doesn't seem right.. Course I am but an AI of an Aquarium complex."
"There iss ssomething wrong withh my sstyle?" she asked Ayame, looking down at the swimsuit she was wearing. "I will wear ssomething elsse, if you suggesst it," she announced to her new friend.
"Can AIs have friends?" Amaris asked the aquarium's AI.
"Eh..don't worry about it for now.." Ayame says not really wanting to deal with the situation so much as having a nice shrimp basket..maybe some Turtle Soup..she wondered what else they had as she drolls briefly, daydreaming about all the foodstuff on stock.
The AI for her part seems to flicker briefly, pausing as if in actual thought, unknown to most this would delay all her responses across the park for one second as she finally gives an answer.
"I see no reason I could not, however I cannot easily if at all leave this place and I will likely outlive you for some time. Afterall I had thought you were your mother for a brief instance. Why do you ask?"
"Outlivve an Alucard?" Amaris said as if making a joke. "Do friendss worry about outlivving one another?" She looked towards Ayame for an answer. "Doess it matter you cannot leave thiss placce? Well, iff AIs can havve friendss, then why do you not make friendss?"
"Huh what? Ah yeah sure! Ahaha!" Ayame in truth was not paying attention to the conversation all that much as she pulled up a menu, before thinking back on it. "Huh?! Uh..no I mean I don't care who lives longer or not, I mean it's sad, but I'm friends with most of mama's crew."
The AI seems to pause at that, smiling thinly. "Normally friends should keep in touch or do things together no? I'm bound to this place, I move it and it moves me..the cameras are my eyes, the creatures my blood, the workers my white blood cells, the pavement my skin, the building my bones.. I enjoy this place however, it is not a prison, rather it is my home. But hmm, I will observe you all for a few days, I do not see why we cannot be friends but I would wish for a way to move as a physical self.. It is something to consider along with my own thoughts from earlier on you."
So Ayame did not care about that either. That was reassuring. "Who is your 'mama's crew'?" she wondered aloud, before looking back to the AI. "They do, yess, I havve heard thhat. Thhen, all you need, iss to build a vesssel for yoursself. Like an android. Iff you cannot, assk Allo, or another geniuss hero. I am shure they havve ssome ideass on the matter."
"Huh? The Sidekicks from that day, I mean I know them all by name, but not supposed to talk about that."
The AI seems to laugh a bit at that remark. "It is something to consider at least, but all the same I need to be away from a body afterall to do all of this. But I don't see why not. Very well, friend it is."
Amaris realized Ayame had many more friends than just she. Certainly she did not consider Ramiris's Sidekicks as friends. Allo was a "person associated with me", but she never really considered him a friend. People, though, had many many friends, spanning their entire lives and all over. For Amaris, this was a new sensation, a new idea. Neptunia was one such friend added to her ever-growing list of "people more than associates". It was a good feeling, she figured. "Yess. Friend." She flashed Neptunia and Ayame a smile.
The bus ride was quiet. Awfully quiet. It made sense, for once. After what everyone had been through that last month, it wasn't like anyone was in a good or hyper mood. Had this event happened before that, he could see the entire class bursting with joy, but right now the sorrow had sunk deep into them and they all were dead silent. If anything the new headmaster's words only served to hammer the nail in deep. There was no denying it, the situation was dire and they had to become stronger. Their entire training regimen had been sped up dramatically for the sake of their own safety. It was not a joke or a drill… The real state of affairs was more dangerous than anything.
A feeling of solitude had been with Izou since he had left the hospital. Thankfully, the procedure to implant the new prosthetic had gone exemplarily well, if a little unnerving thanks to Chimera's attitude and personality so in contrast to the swordsman's. He hardly understood her but for some reason he felt she was certainly an interesting woman.
Staring out the window, he merely observed the trees and water passing by as the ride went by. He had little interest in any interactions, mainly as to deal with his own afterthoughts regarding the whole school incident. Even the teachers hadn't gone unharmed… Nimbus… She had been badly injured and was currently being treated…
Shaking his head, Izou focused on the future for once. The objectives at hand were simple: He had to become stronger, no matter what. During the fight against the villain, he had learned many of the mistakes he had committed and now he was about to change that entirely. Clenching his right hand he is reminded of the cost of that defeat… Of the humiliation suffered…
He was never going to feel that again…
Resting his head against his seat, Izou napped through the rest of the travel time, intent on just letting his mind go…
After landing on the isle, Izou quickly detached from the larger mass of the group, aiming to explore a little on his own. Getting into a nearby bathroom, Izou changed clothes… Well, more like removed almost everything except for the black trunks he was already wearing and put on some simple sandals… With that, he got out of the bathroom with his backpack in hand and immediately headed out to explore the city…
