Midori the Phoenix
Chapter 23: Leviathan Vs. Phoenix
Midori could tell that this wasn't gonna be like her other bouts. This Leviathan guy was close to her age, but he had a sense of anxious determination she hadn't sensed in the other fighters. This kid wanted to stretch his powers out, and was itching to have a real fight. She needed to be careful not to overdue the delivery, but also not underestimate him.
"Here, take this." Midori put her winnings in Yuuichi's hands. "If the fight turns south I want you guys to head back to the hideout."
"What?"
"It's just a precaution. I don't know why but I'm getting weird vibes from this kid. I don't know what his game is or why he wants to recruit me, but if he knows the Hassaikai and it's possible he's connected to Overhaul somehow… he could be from a rival Yakuza gang from the way he's dressed." She closes his hands over the money. "If something happens to me, you and the others use this money to buy papers and get the hell out of dodge. Got it?"
"Midori I'm not leaving-" Yuuichi started to protest.
"-we got it." Max finished for him and squeezed his shoulder. "I'll drag wolf boy out if I have to."
"You can try," yuuichi growled in his throat.
"Thanks and relax…" she smiles behind the mask then pat their shoulders. "I don't plan on losing."
She walked up the steps and into the cage. Leviathan was already in, cracking his knuckles and surveying the stage.
"These competitors are getting younger and younger!" A drunk stated with a grumble. "I came to watch real fighters, not some pushy shovey."
"That drunk's about to eat his words." Giran laughed, biting down on the end of his cigarette and looking to Shirohime. "Why so quiet? Are you worried for your brother?"
"No…" Shirohime said honestly. "He's strong, and can take care of himself. I'm just anxious to watch and see what he's learned. This is his first real fight."
"His first huh?" Giran pulled out his cigarette and tapped out the ash. "Should be a good one then."
"I gotta say, Phoenix." Leviathan spoke as he stretched. "Your previous bout impressed me. You got way more guts than the bulk of these losers."
"Thanks, but it doesn't hurt to have the power to back it up." She laughed, her aura pulsing already.
"That right?" Leviathan watched keenly, his eyes taking in her flaring quirk, and feeling more confident in his decision. If his hunch was right… he'd need to go full power to start. "Maximum percent then…" He crouched and straightened a few times. His muscles tightening up and the tension in his hands grew. He cracked his knuckles one finger at a time to release it. "I really hope I'm right about you, Phoenix."
"Right about me?" She lifted her hands up, the ref doing his usual routine of prepping the fighters. He put his hand as a divider between the two, but the tension was so heavy between them, he felt the urge to yank back immediately and take cover.
"Yeah," His smile spread wide behind his mask. "It'll make my job way easier."
"BEGIN!" The ref made a dash just as Leviathan closed the distance fast. Surprised by his speed, Phoenix had no opportunity to put up a defense before his fist landed right in her stomach and sent her careening into the cage.
"OOOOOF!" She gasped for air, and went to her knees. Fortitude saved her bones from being broken, but the hit had knocked the wind out of her lungs, and the shock of the hit put her off balance and open for another hit. His foot came up and she barely shifted her arms up to block when she felt the impact of his foot against her wrists. "Shit! This kid has some bite to go with his bark."
"On your feet girl! Hit him back! Don't wuss out on me!" Rappa shouted through the bars making her clench her teeth.
"I ask the fool for one lesson and now he thinks he can give me orders?" Midori heard Karma scream in the back of her mind. "Arrogant oaf!"
"Shut up!" Midori shouted at Rappa and dodged the next oncoming hit by coming in low. If Rappa riled Karma up any further she'd lose what little control she had. She pulled heat into her palms and released it, the force of it rocketing her body upward. She then clung to the cage like a spider and twisted her body to get an overview look.
The smoke her launch had caused covered his view so she could barely make out his body taking cautious turns as if preparing for an assault from any direction. This kid really didn't have any experience at fighters knew how to adapt to their surroundings, and a veteran would have already caught on to where she was hiding.
"He's waiting for me to come to him…" she murmured under her breath and released one hand. "Bad move, boy." Fire covered her palm and she released it in a brilliant flame that scorched the arena. Nearby spectators yelped, feeling the second degree burns. There was a loud hissing sound, and the smoke turned white, rising hot and making the air thick and humid.
"Steam?" She murmured, confused by the outcome.
"Well that was close… but your little fire trick isn't gonna work on me." She heard Leviathan speak and suddenly it clicked in her mind.
"Leviathan… I should have known. Your quirk is water related." She'd let his overwhelming strength and speed blind her. She let go of the cage jumping down as the steam started to clear. Her eyes focused on his form and her brow rose at what she saw.
The water didn't move like water. The liquid flowed from his pores as if alive, slithering against him like a second skin. Fascinated she risked stepping closer for a better look.
"Interesting quirk you've got there. I had you pegged for a simple muscle head…. But I can see it's more than that."
Leviathan: Quirk- Water Augmentation: He can combine his "Water Gun" quirk and Muscular's "Augmentation" in order to control and strengthen the release and make the water more pliable. The more water he drinks, the bigger the power boost, and the more options he has.
"It has its uses. Although..." Leviathan laughed and as a warning shot he held out his hand, the water on his skin now forming into his palm and he launched it out. Phoenix jerked her head out of the way, and heard the audible splash of its contact on the far wall. The spectators sputtered complaints as they got wet from the hit. "I don't like relying on it."
"So I see…" She cracked her neck and rolled her shoulders. "You prefer physical strength?"
"No… I prefer mental strength." He told her up front, catching her off guard. "I learned to control my quirk because it's necessary. I train my body because it's necessary. This though…" he tapped his temple. "Is a weapon that's more useful than any quirk, and more powerful than any punch."
Phoenix let down her guard as his words hit home. The way he spoke, the way he moved, and his quirk were all ringing bells in her mind. Did she know this man… or more accurately, did Karma know him?
"How old are you… if you don't mind me asking?"
"I'm eleven. Why?"
"Not entirely sure… I suddenly want to see what you're hiding underneath that mask."
"That so?" Kota laughed. "I'd like to see you try." He crouched and launched at her. Phoenix was ready for his speed this time. She sidestepped grabbing his arm as he zipped in front of her, and then snagged the back of his neck. She forced him down to the ground, his mouth making a muffled grunt as he struggled to regain the upper hand.
"Now then, she straddled his back to keep him down and shifted her grip on his head so his face tilted up. As she focused her quirk on his mask she failed to notice the liquid coming from his palms. He released it in a huge force propelling her backwards and soaking her head to toe.
"Not so fast there bird brain!"
"Pfffffft" Phoenix rolled onto her hands and knees coughing up water that had gotten inside the mask and up her nose.
*Cough* *Hack* *Cough* "Blegh!" She shakes her head and tilts the mask up just enough to spit the water from her mouth. "Didn't think you could drown on dry land." *Cough* *Cough*
"Just gotta get used to it. Why don't you take another drip?" He circled his palms and sent the jet stream her way again. Phoenix tried to get to her feet to avoid it, but the water kept her off balance. She felt herself being washed away with the water as it propelled her around the stage. With her skin wet and temperature dropping, she wouldn't be able to use her fire like before.
She gripped the cage again when she felt her back hit it and she crawled upward and out of the stream, coughing again and struggling to breathe through the wet mask.
Think, Midori, Think!
She needed to regain the upper hand in this battle. If she couldn't use her fire against Leviathan… then she'd need to find another way to counter attack him. It could mean her identity would be discovered, but Sentient Aura was her best bet at defeating him. She jumped off the cage, narrowly avoiding another stream, and immediately made a dash for him. Leviathan saw her coming and shifted his attack. As he let loose another powerful stream, she brought out Sentient Aura and created a shield to block and push against it. Her feet skid back from the force but she dug in, finding just enough friction to stand her ground. The water splattered around her like a heavy rain, and she could feel her energy wavering. Just how powerful was this kid?
"Come on, Phoenix! Brace up! You can do it!" Yuuichi called out her supportively. "Push him back!"
"Yeah! Turn up the heat!" Max echoed, both of them damp from the backlash of Leviathan's attacks, but they stayed at ringside to give their support. Midori felt a swell of joy at having their support. For some reason, the fatigue seemed to vanish, and her power pulsed stronger. The water steamed off her skin as heat built up and she pushed the shield out more.
Leviathan felt the push, but knew he couldn't let up. The moment he let his stream go, she would use that opening to attack… so he shifted again, bracing himself and focusing both hands for the stream… the jet so powerful it felt like a chaotic rapid from the way he released it.
Midori grit her teeth when she felt the push getting stronger. Her eyes went sharp and focused, the aura in her hands growing hotter as her determination and temper rose. The hair tie she'd used to bunch up her hair snapped from the excessive heat, and her hair flower out, flames flickering through the curly strands.
Steam rose up again, making the entire room feel like a sauna. The shield spread out more, curving like a bowl and forcing the water back on leviathan who then proceeded to lose the friction under his own feet. The force of his own power caused him to slip and fall forward… for just a single short moment he cut the stream in order to catch his fall… but Phoenix was already there. Fire and energy burning in her fists and plowing right into his face.
"OOOOOOOOF!" Leviathan fell back and slid across the wet stage until he sat crumbled against the cage wall. As the intensity of the battle calmed, both fighters took a moment to breathe and assess each other's condition.
The mask on Leviathan's face cracked and he lifted a hand to check the damage. One touch had the ornamental mask crumbling off his face
"Damn…" Kota winced rubbing his bruised forehead. "You got me good."
Midori stare in shock: her breath stuck in her throat, eyes wide, and legs threatening to give out. She knew this face… she knew this boy…
"Ko...ta?" She whispered it low, and took two steps back before whirling on the ref. "I concede!"
"Huh?" Kota lifted his face up in shock. Yuuichi and Max also voiced their confusion as the referee called match, giving the win to Leviathan. Midori hurried out of the cage, desperately trying to feed air into her lungs.
"Hey! Wait a minute! Where the hell do you think you're going?" Kota hurried after her, Shirohime coming up and wrapping a towel around his shoulders. "We had a deal."
Midori stopped midstride, Yuuichi and Max meeting her there with her belongings. She slowly turned to face him, and spoke in a shaky tone.
"The bet isn't viable…"
"Huh? The hell does that mean?" Kota sneered.
"All bets are viable, Phoenix. You had a deal and you need to honor it." Byron told her, cornering her and the boys between them and Kota. Stuck between a rock and a hard place, Midori knew she wasn't getting out of here without an explanation.
"Mr. Byron…" She addressed him. "Is there a room where the six of us can talk in private." She motioned to her group, and Kota's group and made a circle with her finger. "I don't feel comfortable talking about this in public."
"Of course… why don't we all come to my office, and we'll talk." He motioned behind her, guiding the group of people to the overhead office that looked over the entire arena. As the door closed behind them, all the noise of the crowd vanished.
Midori paced the floor, getting a feel for it. Byron sat behind his desk and folded his hands over the smooth wood.
"Would you care to explain why you're backing out of the deal you made?"
"The bet was that if you win I'd join Leviathan's crew, right?" She motioned to the boy who was receiving first aid from Shirohime. Midori didn't need to see behind her mask to know who the girl was. Pain and confliction twisted her insides up. "There's no point in the deal because I'm already a member of the League of Villains."
"What?" Byron narrowed his eyes.
"Phoenix!" Yuuichi held his hands up and Max smacked a hand to his face as the cat came out of the bag.
"I knew it!" Kota got to his feet. "It is you… Izumi."
Midori sighed heavily and she removed the mask tossing it aside. Byron stare at her in pure disbelief as the familiar face matched that of the woman he had clippings of on his wall. Midori turned to Kota, eyes filled with remorse and guilt.
"Yes… hello Kota."
"Izumi…" Eri removed her own mask, tears slipping down her face. She dropped it to the floor and ran to her arms open. She hugged her tight around the waste crying and clinging on. "You really are alive!"
"Eri…" Midori grit her teeth trying to fight back tears of her own, but couldn't. She wrapped her arms around the girl and hugged her back sobbing. "I'm sorry, Eri."
Not wanting to be left out, Kota came over and hugged them both. Midori shifted laying her hands on their heads and stroking fingers through their hair.
"You're here… we found you. We've been looking everywhere for you!" Kota complained through his tears.
"I know… I'm sorry… a lot of things have happened, Kota. As you can see…" she slowly stepped back and motioned to herself. "I'm not exactly the same person you remember."
"Who cares… you're alive! Touya's gonna hit the roof when he sees you." Kota said eagerly. "He's been a wreck since England, and Tomura-"
"I'm gonna stop you right there, Kota." She held her hand out. "I don't want you telling Touya or any of the other league members where I am."
"What?" Kota looked wide eyed. "Why? We're finally together again. You get to see everyone… you get to see your- HURMPH!" Midori cut him off by slapping her palm on his mouth. The dangerous look in her eyes was one he'd only seen her take on in battle and sen shivers up his spine.
"I told you… I'm not the same person you knew. I'm not at 100% of my strength, my mind is different, and i've got new allies I need to protect." She motioned to Max and Yuuichi. "I have to ensure their safety before I even think about my own."
"So what, you're just gonna abandon us for your new friends?" Kota slapped her hand away, sneering.
"That's not what this is about, and don't you dare take that tone with me!" Midori snapped back at him. "If it wasn't for those guys I'd still be at the JDC, or worse in prison!"
"That doesn't mean you get to just ignore your family!" Kota fired back with temper and emotion. "Izumi you have no idea what we've been through these past few years without you!"
"I know that… I'm completely in the dark about what's going on with the league, and that's a good thing." She told them up front. "Tomura's done a good job keeping a low profile, and you guys need to maintain that for the time being. At least until I'm back at full strength."
"That still doesn't explain why you don't want Touya and everyone to know where you are."
"The less people who know my location, the better, or did you forget I'm a wanted criminal with the entire country looking for my head?" She flicked him on the forehead. "Listen to me, alright? I'm not abandoning you guys. I have every intention to go back, but I just have some things I need to take care of first."
"Tch…" Kota turned his head away, rubbing the spot she flicked. "We're not the only ones who wanna see you, Izumi."
Midori knew immediately he spoke of her son, and fresh pain ached in her chest.
"I want to see him too… and Touya… and all the rest." She held her chest. "I just… can't right now. I know it's confusing, and selfish… but I need time. Can you give that to me, Kota?"
"I can!" Eri told her immediately, earning a scoff from Kota. "So long as you promise to come back, and we can be a family again, then you can have all the time you need. You always keep your promises, Izumi. So if you promise to come back to us like you always do… then I won't tell anyone we saw you."
"You're not getting the same promise from me." Kota pointed a finger at her. "We had a deal… and you're gonna honor it."
"I'm already a part of-" Midori started to retort but Kota brushed it off.
"My deal was with Phoenix, not with Izumi." He looked her directly in the eye. "Eri and I were sent on a mission to collect new recruits and allies. I scouted you, and we made a deal. You will honor that deal… or I'm telling Touya and Tomura everything."
"Are you friggin serious?" Midori sighed and rubbed her temple. "How do you expect me to-" she paused and looked down at the mask she had on the floor then back at Kota who smirked. Her lips quirked and she had to laugh. "I see… when did you get so smart, Kota?"
"I learned from the best…" he holds his hand out. "So?"
Midori looked down at his hand, smiled warmly and took it in hers.
"Alright, you win, Leviathan. My crew is your crew."
~The Following Day~
"Welcome back, Leviathan, Shirohime." Tomura sat on the makeshift throne, the current league of villains spread around him. Touya stood with Finnick beside him, the four year old finally looking more like a villain dressed in all black and a black crown on his head showing his station. Toga sat on the right arm of the throne, her hair free of their normal twin tails and fingers playing with her dagger. Compress, Twice, Magne, Ace, Dr. Bennett, and the rest of the crew stood in a semi circle, ready to judge and speak their minds. "Were you successful in your search for new recruits?"
"Yes sir… we found a crew of promising young individuals. Their leader is someone who has taken it upon themselves to follow Karma's ideals and spread her influence to the youth. I think you'll find their overall power and usefulness to your liking, sir."
"I see…" Tomura tapped his fingers as an intrigued smile spread. "Bring them forward."
They would all hear the sound of heels clicking on the ground, as well as the shuffle of multiple feet. From the dark, came forth a large group of young people, all guise in Hassaikai fashion. Their bird-like face masks, all black garb, and intimidating stances made Tomura's lips curve.
"Welcome, new friends." He greeted, and was pleased when all of them took a knee.
"Thank you, My King." The leader spoke, her voice muffled and guise by the mask she wore. "It is an honor to finally see you in person."
"Thank you… why don't you introduce yourself, young one? I'm eager to get to know my new comrades."
"Yes sire…" She rose to her feet and stepped out into the light. Phoenix stood tall and proud among her crew. "We are The Phoenix Rebels… and we are at your service, King of Villains."
Finnick looked at the girl who stood in front of the King. His eyes focusing on her, but not intensely so as not to trigger his quirk. This girl… there was something about her presence that made little goosebumps pop along his skin. He tugged on Touya's hand and lifted his head to speak to him.
"Who is that girl, Daddy?"
Touya gripped Finnick's hand a little as he too set his sights on the leader of the Phoenix Rebels. The way she walked, talked, and moved was all too familiar to him. There was no way he could be wrong… the way his body reacted to her voice, and the similarities between the two just made it impossible for him to think that this was anyone else.
"She's a friend, Finnick." He told his son, knowing that this masked girl was so much more than that. "She's a really important friend."
~Ask briry~
Briry: Sorry it's been so long since I updated. Things have been chaotic and I took a little trip out into Utah which put a hold on my writing time. Hope it was worth the wait.
Next Chapter: Undercover Mom