"Yo, Andy!" The leader of the troublemakers yelled, loudly enough that Barnaby heard from his end. Further ahead, the teenage teen boy and girl stopped.
Kotetsu frowned, definitely not liking where this was headed. "Just get over here," he said quietly, and hung up.
"Friends of yours?" The girl asked, looking up at the teen she was with a mixture of confusion and curiosity.
Andy, in a sports cap and jersey t-shirt, slowly turned around. "I'm not doing this here, Freddie. Leave us alone would ya?"
"Or what?" Freddie replied as he loomed closer, the chains on his baggy jean pants jangling with the movements. "Little snitch." He spat. "I thought we were square. Thought we were tight! But you've only been thinking of yourself this whole time, haven't you? I don't need any do-gooding little pricks messing with my plans. You know what? I outta beat the crap out of you right here. Unless...you want to give me a fling with your girl. Then we might be square again." He waggled his eyebrows suggestively at the young female.
She harrumphed in response. "Jerk."
"Delia, don't." Said Andy beside her, and made one more attempt to prevent a confrontation. "Don't do this here man, come on." He tried to reason. One of the other teens however stormed forward menacingly with a frown and spoke up.
"Hey, fool! Don't you even think about trying to tell Freddie what to do, you little prick!" He jabbed a finger at Andy, who flinched, looking increasingly more nervous and concerned.
"But there are people here that aren't even involved in any of this, guys!"
Freddie pretended to pout. "Well, ain't that gonna suck for them? And guess who's fault that's gonna to be when their perfect little daytrips get ruined?" His eyes suddenly glowed blue, revealing that he was a NEXT. His cronies behind him snickered in anticipation. "Ain't no heroes around here to save your sorry ass either, snitch."
"Crap, that's not good." Kotetsu muttered to himself from his hiding place, having peeked out one side to watch subtly. He'd been hoping that the confrontation between the teens was nothing after all, so that he could get back to Barnaby and continue their day, but it would be just their luck that it was developing into a real, potentially dangerous problem. And the situation was only made worse by the fact that this punk teen, Freddie, was a NEXT. Who knew what his power was, and the guy seemed hell bent on causing Andy and his girlfriend trouble. And having already used his hundred power not long ago, Kotetsu still had some time before he could activate it again. But maybe if he could break things up before anything happened, there wouldn't be a need to use them at all. He certainly was not about to just walk away now. This was a public place after all, and it was his duty to protect. Besides, Freddie couldn't be so stupid and careless as to use his powers here with so many people around, especially children, right?
Stepping out from his hiding place the hero began walking towards them.
"Oi!" He called once close enough, getting their attention. "This isn't the place for picking fights. There are a bunch of kids around here. You could hurt people." He said calmly but with authority.
The teenagers had turned at the suddenly intrusion, but only Freddie and his crew seemed annoyed at his appearance.
"Man, mind your own damn business!" Freddie spread his arms confrontationally. "Do I honestly look like I give a shit about what you got to say? Now beat it old man, before I show everyone what I got in mind by cooking you!" His eyes were still glowing as he spoke the threat, and a glowing yellow sphere the size of a bouncy ball then appeared in his hand before Freddie tossed it at Kotetsu's feet. It bounced once, twice, then exploded with a loud bang like a firecracker. The veteran yelped, jumping back in surprise. Several bystanders were also startled by the noise, as well as curious, but at least some began clearing the area as Freddie tossed another sphere at Kotetsu's feet, it making a slightly bigger explosion and forcing the hero to dodge out of the way again with another yelp. "Don't want to mess up those fancy shoes of yours do ya old man? Buzz off! I got something to settle." He chuckled
"Hey, I'm not old!" Kotetsu yelled back, waving a fist in the air as he finally had enough of the term for the day.
"How dare you!" Delia shouted, her hands fisting at her sides. "My dad owns this amusement park and you're destroying public property, you big stupid jerk!"
Completely unaffected by the insult, Freddie just shrugged casually. The girl flicked her hair back testily. "This is ridiculous! I'm calling the police!" And with that she whipped out her cellphone.
"Honey, that just breaks my heart." The older teen commented in mock dejection as he drew a handgun from beneath his shirt and pointed it at the two. "Still want to make that call baby?"
The girl recoiled slightly in surprise and fear, clinging to Andy's arm. The teen looked just as startled, taking a step back.
Kotetsu was momentarily shocked at the sight of the gun as well. How the hell did a kid manage to sneak such a dangerous weapon into the park, despite security? This situation had just gotten much worse, and he needed to de-escalate it quickly, before someone got killed.
"Hey, Freddie right?" He called cautiously. "I don't know how you managed to get a gun into this place, but think about what you're doing a moment. What's so bad that's worth killing someone over? It's one thing to be arrested for picking fights and disrupting the peace, but it's another to murder an unarmed civilian. Do you really want to go away for that over this? That's a long prison sentence you'd be looking at, maybe thirty to forty years." The hero hoped his trying to talk Freddie down, perhaps scare him a little wouldn't instead trigger him further. If the older teen knew he was Wild Tiger, he might grow even more desperate, which might cause him to become more reckless. In that case a mistake was sure to happen. The hero would need to be very careful.
Where the hell was Barnaby?!
Without the loud explosions to deter them, people gathering around in curiosity, the noises and commotion having drawn them in. Kotetsu glanced around, frowning at the growing crowd.
"Hey, isn't that Wild Tiger?" He heard someone ask out loud. More murmurs passed through the crowd.
"Yeah, it is!" Someone else piped up, and the hero frowned. Well, so much for keeping who he was from the teens for now.
"Is this some kind of show or something? Is this all planned?"
"Go Wild Tiger! Wild Roar" Some kids started yelling, jumping up and down excitedly by their parents. It looked like Kotetsu would now forced to confront their audience.
"No, this is not a show, so everyone needs to get away from here okay? Please." He shouted in answer, trying to keep his eyes on Freddie while at the same time occasionally checking the crowd for signs of his partner. Just where was he?!
Looking back to the real problem, it seemed Freddie was getting distracted and annoyed by the growing commotion as well. Seeing an opening, Kotetsu jumped at the opportunity, and raised his arm to take quick aim before shooting his wire from the watch on his wrist. It hit the teen's hand, effectively knocking the gun out of his grip to go sliding away out of reach, and making Freddie recoil in pain and a string of obscenities.
"Hey, you two!" Kotetsu then called to Andy and Delia. "Go on, get out of here!"
No one needed to tell them twice. They took off running through the fleeing crowd.
Freddie looked up from examining his hand for injury to give chase. "Where you think you're going?! I ain't done with you, Andy! Stinking son of a –"
Kotetsu was already reacting appropriately. "Oh no you don't, you have to deal with me now!" His wire went flying again, wrapping around the teen's leg as the teen made a dash for the gun. Then, giving it a yank, Kotetsu effectively pulled Freddie's legs out from under him mid stride.
Freddie went down hard, rolling around to scowl at Kotetsu as his prey got away. That was when little posse moved in to try and help but he held up a hand to stop them. "I got this. Poking your nose where it don't belong ain't gonna end well for you, old man! You forget what I can do?" The NEXT produced another sphere about as big as a baseball, and lobbed it at Kotetsu.
The older hero yelped and barely dodged out of the way with a roll as it exploded. Man this kid could make those things bigger?! At least he still had a hold of the teen with the wire, meaning he couldn't get away any time soon.
"Hey knock it off! You might as well give up now, you're not getting away!"
"Fuck you man!" The teen shouted back, and hurled another explosive sphere at him. After the hero dodged it again, Freddie's crew seemed to rethink their leader's original orders not to interfere and went on the attack, one of them shouting, "We got ya Freddie!" They all piled onto Kotetsu, grabbing at his arms to get at the wire. One of them seemed to figure out the mechanism a bit and managed to push a button, though the man had tried to stop him.
"Oi, don't touch that!" Didn't these kids' parents teach them not to touch things that didn't belong to them?
Unfortunately, instead of releasing Freddie from the wire, the button ended up reeling him in at high speed. The young NEXT then decided to use it to his advantage and slammed his foot into Kotetsu's gut when they connected. The wind knocked out of him, the hero had let out a grunt, doubling over as the cable went slack, and Freddy then shook his leg free of it as he stood, rolling his shoulders.
"Wild Tiger, huh? Where's your famous hundred power or whatever?" The older punk delivered another spiteful kick, nailing the hero in the same spot. "Never ass-kicked a hero before. This might be fun…" He created another explosive sphere in his hands as the other teens shoved Kotetsu to the ground. "Better start dancing, Tiger Man. These things pop real quick." Freddie advised with a sneer, and dropped the sphere.
Suddenly flew into view, Barnaby kicked the sphere aside as he landed beside Kotetsu, it exploding a safe distance away. The delinquents seemed surprised by his appearance but quickly moved to retaliate. Dodging a weak punch from the closest attacker, then Freddie, he repaid the attempt with a swift roundhouse kick that sent the two teens sprawling into their peers. Straightening, the blonde glanced down to his partner, who was beginning to get up. "Sorry I'm late. I had to take the long way around due to the mass exodus. I thought you were good with kids?"
" 'I thought you were good with kids'." Kotetsu mocked between winded coughs.
"Wait…I know who you are!" Exclaimed one of the teens still standing, pointing at Barnaby. "You're –"
"Barnaby Brooks Jr." Replied the young hero smoothly. "Give up immediately and I'll go easy on you."
"You gonna listen to this lame pretty boy!?" Freddie shouted. "Where's your power, hero? You run out just like Tiger Man?"
Barnaby shook his head, lying smoothly with, "No. I just don't see the merit in wasting my power on a minor annoyance."
"You bastard!" Freddie threw another glowing sphere angrily. Barnaby quickly grabbed and yanked Kotetsu clear of the explosion with him, but the teen NEXT didn't stop there. "You assholes better keep back or I'll blow this whole place!" He then began throwing more explosive spheres everywhere in rapid succession. They blew up instantly as they touched the ground, making park decorations, small food stands and shops burst into flames. Trees shook and were lit up, leaves and branches falling to the ground all around the immediate area.
Jumping back to avoid falling debris, Barnaby calmly took stock of their situation. Without their powers, they were at a slight disadvantage. "If we can get close enough to take out that NEXT, we wont have trouble getting the rest to surrender. Think you can hold up until our powers recharge? We may yet get some points if someone thought to notify the police." Which many probably had.
Kotetsu gaped incredulously at his younger partner, slack jawed. "How can you be thinking about points at a time like this?!" He practically yelled as he threw his arms up in exasperation a moment before seeming to reel himself in again and focus. "Don't worry about me, I can handle this little punk, even without my powers." The older hero's gaze locked back onto Freddie, even as he continued speaking to Barnaby, quieting his voice so that only the blonde could hear. "If you can distract him for just a few seconds I can grab him with my wire again. Then the two of us should easily be able to subdue him. The others shouldn't be a problem after that."
Barnaby nodded once, bracing to dash and make himself a brief decoy. "It seems this NEXT can create a few of those spheres at a time, not just one at a time. But I shouldn't have a problem –" Over Kotetsu's shoulder, he spied one of the delinquents picking up a gun from the ground. The kid turned toward them.
"Hey! You're dead dapper man!" The teen raised the weapon, and Barnaby's green eyes widened in horrible realization. What followed felt as if it happened in slow motion.
"Kotetsu!"
The gun went off with a bang. Barnaby staggered back against the destroyed Hermes statue behind them from the impact of the bullet, after having shoved the other hero out of harms way. A trail of crimson followed him as he slumped to the ground.
Kotetsu, stunned for only a moment, reacted by whirling on the teen with the gun and, before said teen knew what was happening, he was caught in the wire. The hero yanked and the younger landed with a grunt at his feet, where he bent to immediately take the gun from the teen's slackened hand. Cowering, the teen scrambled back and raised his arms in surrender at the sight of the anger projected towards him.
Glancing to where Freddie still stood nearby, Kotetsu pointed a finger in a 'don't you move' command before turning to check on Barnaby, who hadn't moved beyond clutching at his wound. His anger melted away into worry as he knelt next to the blonde.
"Bunny? Barnaby… Hey…" His voice was full of concern, and perhaps a little fear as he put a hand on the other's shoulder to get the blonde's attention.
"Just my shoulder…" Barnaby replied, but his face had gone white.
As he spoke, Kotetsu gently nudged the other's hand pressing against the gunshot entrance wound to the side and just ripped the red and white leather jacket in order to pull it open carefully, enough to see the injury better. It appeared the bullet had ripped straight through and out, and blood had already soaked a good-sized stain on Barnaby's black t-shirt, steadily expanding, but Kotetsu was relieved a good deal to see that it didn't seem to be a fatal hit. Still, guilt then took a firm hold as he returned the younger's hand and put his own over it to add some pressure to the wound. Barnaby grunted from the pain but kept still and didn't try to shove his partner off.
"You had to save me again, huh Bunny? I'm sorry… I should have been paying attention to those other kids. I didn't think one would go for the gun."
"You never even told me there was a gun." He growled in annoyance, and his green eyes peered up at his friend. They were clouded with pain, but the corners of his mouth twitched into a mildly sarcastic grin. " And I figured… I'm always saving you, so… Couldn't let it not happen." After a moment, despite the worry he still felt, Kotetsu offered a small appreciative smile in return.
"Uh, hello?!" Freddie shouted irritably from where he was, interrupting. Apparently he didn't like being left out. "Forget about me while you're having your little love scene over there?" The teen mocked as he threw more spheres at the two heroes.
Even without the use of his powers, Kotetsu managed to move quickly, grabbing hold of his younger partner and standing to leap away from the attack as the spheres exploded. Backing out of range, he took shelter behind a small nearby building that hadn't been lit aflame yet. Only then did he somewhat relax the protective hold he had on Barnaby in his arms.
"This should be enough to withstand those attacks while I deal with that kid."
"This must be karma." The blonde hero muttered, wincing. "All those times I carried you…"
Kneeling down a moment he set the blonde down against the wall gently, minding his injured shoulder. He pointed a finger at the other as he stood back up, seeing the defiance in those green eyes. "Stay here. I'll handle him. Besides, it's personal now." About to walk back into the fray, Kotetsu paused again. "Oh. Hang onto this." Pulling out the gun, he handed it over. "I won't need it. You shouldn't either, so no shooting anyone Bunny. They're just kids." If any of the other teens did try coming to attack him, seeing that Barnaby had the gun should be enough to ward them off.
"Yeah, just kids…" Barnaby echoed grumpily with a glance to his bleeding shoulder before his eyes softened. "Kotetsu, please don't let your guard down."
"Yeah, I'll be careful." Kotetsu answered dutifully. "I think I have a plan. Wish me luck." He flashed his partner a thumbs up, breaking a small reassuring smile. Barnaby blinked up at him with an unreadable expression.
"Good luck, but…are you sure you don't want the gun?"
"Yes, Bunny." Came the flat reply.
Peeking out from behind the building to ascertain he wasn't about to walk into another barrage or something, Kotetsu then stepped out when he saw Freddy still there waiting. Only now the other teens, minus a few that perhaps got wise and took off, were there next to him. "I'm surprised you didn't take off too. I've been a hero for a while you know, and taken down much bigger fish than you kids. If I finish this, you're not going to enjoy it. So why don't you just give up? I'll give you one last chance."
"Oh, there you are." Stated Freddie. "Thought you ran. Man, even doing this for so long, you say all that cliché crap like in the comics. Well, guess what? I'm not scared of you!" Freddie beckoned him nearer smugly. "Come on Tiger Man. You're old, you don't look so tough. And I already hit you twice. How many do you got on me, huh? One little kiddie scratch on my hand."
"Gee, Freddie," said one of his cohorts, shifting from foot to foot nervously.
"Maybe…maybe we shouldn't. I mean, what if his powers come back?"
The unsettling question seemed to rattle the others, but Freddy just scoffed. "So what? Tiger man is a NEXT just like me, just dresses it up all pretty and calls himself a hero. Anyway, I got youth on my side. That old Tiger is gonna get himself skinned." He grinned over at Kotetsu, who looked less than impressed at the cocky, smug attitude. "So, did the pretty boy bite it from one little bullet sting? By the way, you took my piece, asshole. Not that I really need it…" The NEXT created another glowing sphere and taunted, "Here kitty, kitty."
"My partner is unhappy, but will be fine." Kotetsu corrected, growing irritated at hearing how little regard the older teenager had for human life. Just what was this guy trying to prove anyway? Whatever it was, Freddie was about to get a reality check, because the 'old Tiger' was about to lay down the law the hard way. It was time to end this. No more mister nice guy.
With that, the hero didn't waste any time, and shot forward at a run, straight at the group of teens. A couple, now too intimidated to fight, startled and retreated, taking off towards the park entrance. The rest of the posse, which only consisted of two now, perhaps thinking they had something to prove, charged forward to meet their opponent first. They quickly learned that trying to take the veteran head on, even without their powers, was a very bad and painful idea, and the two were quickly taken care of, left groaning and clutching their stomachs seconds later. Of course Kotetsu had still held back, not actually wanting to injure them, but his blows had done the job of discouraging their desires to fight.
Immediately following this though, Kotetsu quickly moved to the side as he saw Freddie readying more of his spheres in retaliation. Not wanting the two downed teens possibly getting injured by them when they exploded. Waiting for them to be thrown his way and remembering how long after leaving Freddie's hands it took for them to detonate, the older hero knew he had almost two seconds or so in between. So, evading the first couple spheres by dodging right and letting them explode, he then instead shot forward just as Freddie was throwing the next batch and they'd just left his hands.
The move clearly threw the teen NEXT off, at least a moment, and that was all that Kotetsu needed as he slipped past the spheres completely, at the same time raising his arm and shooting his cable. As the spheres that were now behind him exploded, giving him a momentum boost, he gave the wire that had now wrapped around Freddie's arm a hard yank. The teen, suddenly and strongly pulled forward and off his feet, had no chance to counter as the hero's knee came up to met his stomach with force. This time it was this opponent's air being knocked out of him all at once, and he dropped to the ground in a heap, curling in on himself and clutching at his gut in pain.
Just moments later Kotetsu had Freddie effectively tied up in his wire, the teen's arms and hands immobilized so he couldn't use his power or get away. Slightly out of breath now though, the veteran took a moment to stand and get it back, wiping his forehead with the back of his hand as he gazed down at the NEXT. "I did warn you." The hero said to the clearly troubled teen. Then realizing that he couldn't just remove the wire from the mechanism, he instead just took the whole thing off and tied the end around a nearby lamppost securely. "The police should be here soon, so just stay put."
Jogging back over to the building he'd left Barnaby behind, he poked his head around the corner. "Hey Bunny, how you doing back here?" He asked in concern.
The younger slowly turned his head to meet his partner's gaze. His left hand was bloody from holding it against his shoulder wound and thin trickles of the crimson trailed down his right arm where it hung at his side. The gun lay beside him, untouched.
"As well as can be expected." Barnaby replied quietly. "You're not hurt?" It was a good sign that the hero was still alert, if not a little weak in the eyes.
"Nope. I'm fine." Kotetsu replied with a small smile.
"Good. I feel dizzy…" The blonde hero leaned his head back against the wall, studying the ground where a shadow began moving on its own, getting bigger. Kotetsu saw it as well just as someone overhead called their names.
Sky High was approaching from above, weaving around rising columns of black smoke from the fires. It was he who had hailed them. At the same time, they both saw and heard shards of ice as they rained down on the nearby fires as Blue Rose appeared around the corner, swerving her custom motorbike to a stop. She quickly dismounted, as did Dragon Kid who had hitched a ride and sat behind her, to hurry on foot to their colleagues. The scantily clad female hero was opening her mouth when Sky High suddenly swooped in and spoke first.
"I'm so relieved we found the two of you! Though one of you isn't looking so well." He commented in concern. "But never fear; the ambulance is on its way. I will direct them here to your location. In the meantime, try not to move too much, Barnaby."
The blonde grunted a reply as the other hero took to the skies once more. "No problem." He muttered tiredly.
Blue Rose winced in sympathy as she asked, "Tiger, were you hurt at all?"
Glancing to the girl briefly to acknowledge her and what she was saying, Kotetsu shook his head from where he knelt next to Barnaby worriedly. "No, I'm fine. I got lucky I guess. One of those kids somehow snuck a gun in here. We'll have to ask him about it later." He wouldn't mention how the blonde got shot, incase it was somehow embarrassing for him. Focusing back on his partner, he shifted a bit closer to put one hand on the younger's good shoulder to keep him steady, as the veteran had noticed he was tilting slightly, while his other went to cover Barnaby's left hand that was over the gunshot wound to add pressure to it once more. As Kotetsu did this he realized that the blood loss must have weakened the blonde more than he was letting on. Barnaby tensed and hissed as the pain revived him a little.
"Ow." It may have been somewhat intended as a joke, but any humor quickly evaporated as the blonde shivered, tensing up again. Frowning at that, the older hero gave his good shoulder a comforting squeeze.
"Sorry Bunny. Gotta keep pressure on it. The medics should be here soon. Just try and relax if you can, but stay awake. Don't worry about the talking, I'll handle that." Had the situation were lighter, Kotetsu probably would have laughed and joked about how he already did enough of that for the both of them. But right now he couldn't make himself tease Barnaby, especially knowing he was in pain. A part of the hero almost wished the teenagers responsible for all of this had been adults so he could have really dealt out some punishment for hurting his partner.
Like a true ninja, Origami Cyclone seemed to materialize from nowhere. There were no civilians but there were security cameras, so when he addressed Kotetsu he also used their hero names.
"Wild Tiger, I'm here to inform you that Rock Bison and Fire Emblem are currently clearing a path through the debris for the ambulance. Dragon Kid has also arrived. I wondered if you would prefer that Blue Rose, Dragon Kid, and I handle securing criminals with the authorities? Under the circumstances, I would be willing to submit the paperwork listing you as the one to make the arrests, along with Barnaby in absentia."
Taking in the information, Kotetsu nodded, thankful for the offer of assistance. "Sure, if you don't mind, go ahead. They're just over there behind us. Thanks." Then, before his worry for his wounded partner could grow beyond what it was, he spoke up again to Barnaby. "Maybe I should just bring you to where the ambulance is." He suggested. "I –" A sudden familiar sensation shot through the older hero's body then, making him pause. "Oh, hey, my powers have recharged." He stated with mild surprise. Had it been an hour already?
"That means mine are recharged as well. In that case it's alright, I can walk." Barnaby's eyes glowed blue as he activated his power and bit back a curse as he stood up with some difficulty. Then he noticed Kotetsu had done much the same thing to steady him, staying close. "I'm fine, I can…" His face went dead white in that moment, and everything tilted around him as his eyes rolled back in his head and his body wavered.
Thankfully due to standing right there, Kotetsu was able to reach out and catch his partner as his strength failed, arms firmly but gently wrapping around the blonde for support and bracing him against his own body. Despite the save, it hadn't kept the older's heart from leaping into his throat at the brief scare. "Bunny? Barnaby! Hey, come on say something!" Giving his fellow hero's good shoulder a little shake to gauge his awareness and only getting a weak moan, frowning as his concern skyrocketed, ever so carefully Kotetsu repositioned Barnaby against him briefly in order to free up an arm. "Okay, it's alright Bunny…" He tried to soothe quietly, moving slowly as to not cause any further pain. "Just relax, take it easy. I've got you…" Bending slightly, he tucked his now freed arm under the younger hero's knees before gently lifting Barnaby up into his arms more fully, adjusting carefully as needed so the blonde's head was pillowed on his shoulder.
"This is humiliating…" He finally muttered quietly though the dizziness, hating how weak his own voice sounded, but offered no further protests on the matter.
"Well now you know how I feel right? Besides, it can't be helped. You're not walking, Bunny. You almost passed out on us there…" Kotetsu lightly scolded while his voice remained gentle.
"No more screwing around, you idiot. Tiger's right." Karina then motioned to the way she came, adding, "I put out most of the fires on my way in here. You'll have no trouble getting back to the entrance. I'd offer my bike, but with your powers back…" The female trailed off, shrugging. "I'll…just go help Dragon Kid and Origami finish up if you don't need me." She finished somewhat awkwardly, as if not sure of what to say just then.
"You two should get going," Suggested Dragon Kid. "We can handle the rest. Barnaby needs your help more." As Kotetsu nodded, Origami made a 'ladies first' sweep of his arm and kept stride with rather than running ahead of the girls as they moved out.
"Okay Bunny, I'm getting you out of here. Try to stay with me, no falling asleep." It only took a second for him to activate his Hundred Power for the third time that day before taking off towards the entrance as fast as he dared while being considerate of the one in his arms.
Thankfully by that time, thankfully Rock Bison and Fire Emblem had mostly finished clearing the path. Both must have thought that their fellow hero was going to stop and catch them up on what happened, and seemed somewhat surprised when Kotetsu just zipped past them in a blue blur.
"What was that all about?" Antonio asked out loud, heaving aside a chunk of rubble with relative ease. Nathan hummed thoughtfully, pausing in his own task a moment.
"I'm not quite sure." He frowned slightly. "But I hope nothing's wrong. I could have sworn I saw him carrying handsome." If that were the case, it would explain Tiger's use of the speed his power gave him.
At the entrance where the ambulances were stationed, Kotetsu slowed his pace upon approached, jogging up to the nearest one. "I need help, he's been shot! And he's already lost blood too."
As the EMTs quickly began pulling out a stretcher from the back of the ambulance to wheel over to them, the hero took note of the crowd for the first time in minutes only because of all the noise they were making. The police had cordoned off the area for the public's safety, but the civilians were standing right up against the caution tape, all straining for a better view and crying over one another in confusion.
"Oh no, is that Barnaby?"
"Oh my gosh, he's hurt? Oh no!"
"Is he dead? Oh please no…!"
The cops had were practically having to bully people to keep them back and under control. The crowds' heartfelt outbursts were not making their jobs any easier.
Kotetsu took a moment to gaze down at Barnaby briefly to check on him. "Hey, Bunny, you still with me?" In response, his partner managed to crack open his eyes sluggishly for a second, but then they slipped closed again. The older frowned, his concern growing.
"Mr. Wild Tiger, sir?" One of the EMTs asked to gain his attention. "Here, please lay Mr. Brooks down and we'll take a look at him."
With a nod, Kotetsu gently began to maneuver the younger man from his hold and onto the stretcher so that he rested on his left side, wincing along with his partner if he accidently got jostled in the process. Guiding Barnaby's head to the pillow, then tucking the blonde's right arm carefully against his chest, the veteran was suddenly struck with an almost overwhelming surge of protectiveness as he took in the sight of his friend lying there, pale, injured, and out of it. "Bunny…?" He felt the need to ask about going in the ambulance with them to the hospital, but managed to bite it back. "They'll take good care of you okay? Be good huh?" Kotetsu spoke as the EMTs began wheeling him towards the ambulance.
Just as they carefully hoisted him into the back, a new wave of shouting began circulating through the crowd, angrier. Kotetsu briefly directed his attention in that direction as he turned, just as Dragon Kid, Origami Cyclone and Blue Rose came into view at the entrance, each dragging a criminal behind them. The two that Rose and Dragon Kid handled were docile compared to Freddie. Kotetsu could not see Ivan's face, but knew the younger hero had his work cut out for him with the punk fighting him every step.
"Were you the ones that hurt Barnaby? You guys suck!" Someone shouted from the crowd. Another concurred by adding:
"Jail isn't good enough for you, you freak!"
"Hey now." Kotetsu spoke up at the freak insult, frowning. "They're just kids. You're not helping, calm down." But the civilians either didn't hear over their noise, or ignored him in favor of their anger.
"Why don't we shoot you and see how you like it?!" Still bound in Kotetsu's wire, Freddie was unable to offer up any offensive hand gestures to express his opinion of the crowd's harsh criticisms, but sneered while his two younger accomplices ducked their heads in shame.
"Yeah, so what?" The young NEXT shouted. "So the hell what?! You're only this brave cause I can't use my power! You bitches ran from me earlier, remember? Bunch of pussies! If pretty boy dies from something this lame then he's not that great a hero, and neither is his partner, so-"
Origami spun his charge around quicker than he could blink and had the teen by the collar in one hand while the other gripped a partially drawn katana, the blade hissing from its sheath. Having successfully gained the teen's attention, he instructed in a voice as sharp and deadly as the steel clasped in his hand, "Walk." Freddie complied very obediently after the show.
Meanwhile, the ambulance doors had yet to close because it appeared the EMTs were having some sort of trouble. Barnaby was struggling to move and, despite their best efforts, with his Hundred Power still activated, they were no match for the blonde's strength even as weakened as he was.
"Sir," Said one of the paramedics, a young woman with dark skin and long dark brown hair tied back in many tiny braids. "Please lie still. You shouldn't –"
"No, wait…" Barnaby protested weakly and shoved at the oxygen mask in her hand. "Where is he? I don't… I don't see him. I…" His blue glowing eyes then located and locked onto his partner, standing just outside the ambulance looking in worriedly. It was only for a second though, as his strength then seemed to give out again, and the paramedics had to grab onto their patient so he didn't fall off the stretcher.
Kotetsu found himself leaping up into the ambulance and was at Barnaby's side in an instant, helping the workers gently reposition him on the stretcher. "Bunny, come on, easy now… It's okay, I'm right here, see? Calm down…" He soothed as he reached out and took his partner's left hand, grasping it firmly. "I'm here…" As the female paramedic leaned in with the oxygen mask again, the older hero offered his aid again, taking it to gently press it over the blonde's nose and mouth and securing it with no resistance. Now the EMTs were once more free to focus elsewhere, and seemed grateful for the help. Kotetsu's attention however was now only on his friend. "Relax…there you go. Just breathe." He encouraged, offering a smile to further comfort the injured man. It was a bit odd seeing the younger reacting like this, but now after witnessing Barnaby's anxiety, the veteran had every intention of remaining with him as best he could if that helped. They were partners after all. "Just think; what you're breathing in now is higher quality than outside. Even when you're shot you get pampered."
Barnaby huffed out a weak laugh.
The doors closed at last and the siren blared as the emergency vehicle began to move. Lying on his left side, Barnaby let the EMTs poke at him, and couldn't have cared less what they were doing, just as long as he could see Kotetsu. He was so tired, cold, and his shoulder hurt a great deal. When something pricked at his injury, the hero tensed and tried to turn his head to see what was going on.
"No, no, Bunny. It's okay. Just keep your eyes on me okay?" Came Kotetsu's voice, his free hand reaching out to block Barnaby's view of his shoulder as he gently guided the blonde's face back to look at him. The last thing they all needed was for the young hero to panic for some reason and struggle in his state. It would only aggravate his injury further. He would need to keep the other distracted until they got to the hospital. Giving Barnaby's hand another reassuring squeeze, Kotetsu's hand that was on the side of his partner's face shifted up and began, at first somewhat hesitantly, experimentally, stroking his blonde hair back slowly. "Doing great there partner. They're just giving you something for the pain. You'll be fine. It hit your bloodstream yet? Yeah, you're floating, or just about there."
Being a parent, most, if not all of his actions were most likely coming from experience, and partially due to the fact that Kotetsu was by default already such a kind-hearted person, with a strong desire to help others. And these protective feelings only got magnified when they were for someone he knew and cared about. Now that Barnaby had given him his full trust, the veteran would in turn take care of him, as much as would be allowed at least. Though right now Kotetsu wagered that he could have been holding the blonde like a baby and he wouldn't mind. That thought only made him worry more however. Yet in the back of his mind he was berating himself for fussing so much when Barnaby probably wouldn't appreciate it later. It wasn't like the other was dying after all…
"Just like your friend said," The female paramedic spoke soothingly. "You're going to be fine. Just rest. The blocker I gave you will take effect and take the edge off your pain. That will help."
Barnaby gave the barest implications of a nod and kept looking at Kotetsu as directed. It should have bothered him, possibly offended him, the way the older was petting him as though he was a scared child needing reassurance, but it didn't, and the touch was reassuring. In that moment it didn't even occur to him to wonder why.
When the ambulance drove over a bump, one Barnaby barely felt, he witnessed how quickly Kotetsu reached out to brace him. Smiling faintly, he listened to the sounds of the voices speaking to each other with their medical codes, and to his partner, all the while not letting go of his hand. It felt warm, reassuring, and strong. Yet Barnaby could barely will his little finger to move. He blinked a moment later as he faintly registered the deactivation of his power, Barnaby let his mind float toward anything and nothing. Was that the painkiller kicking in? He was beyond caring at this point, but a gradual and growing tightness in his chest was changing that attitude. At first he thought it was nothing, but in the seconds that passed, the tightness became more pronounced. The hero groaned, automatically wanting to pull it to his chest, but Kotetsu's grip was too strong around it.
"Bunny? What's wrong?"
At the same moment, something started beeping, garnering instant attention from those present.
"BP is dropping." Stated the braided female. "It's no use, he's lost too much blood. His hundred power must have been sustaining him until now."
Kotetsu's head snapped up, alarmed as he glanced from Barnaby to the paramedics around him. "What?!" The professionals barely acknowledged him however. The veteran didn't think his partner's condition was so bad! It hadn't seemed that the blonde had lost that much blood up to now…
"Breathing is getting shallow. Get him on his back, now, we don't have a choice. He's going into shock." Said one of the young male paramedics. "If we're quick enough, we can counteract it." On the tail of that assessment, Barnaby lost consciousness. As they carefully moved him onto his back, the beeping from the monitors accelerated maddeningly. The veteran hero sat frozen, observing everything thing as though each action were playing out in slow motion.
The sudden chaos and tension erupting in the small vehicle cabin was thick enough to slice with a knife, but the paramedics remained composed, Kotetsu just barely, as they carried out the necessary tasks to stabilize their patient. They injected a drug into Barnaby's system, watching the monitors along with Kotetsu while on the edge of their seats for any sign of changes. For a long moment, there was no change, and the machine continued to blare a high-pitched warning. The older hero found himself holding his breath in anticipation, his eyes locked on the screen. Just before they would have no choice but to rely on more drastic measures however, the stats on the display slowly but steadily began to climb. In that moment everyone in the back of that ambulance was holding their breath until the numbers reached a safer, moderate level. There was a unified whoosh of air as everyone released their held breaths. The numbers would be enough for the paramedics to ensure that their patient would hold until they reached the hospital.
"We've got him, Mr. Tiger." The female paramedic reassured, decompressing, now turning a critical eye on him. "You look a little pale though. Maybe you ought to sit back. Take a few deep breaths, okay?"
Kotetsu certainly did feel shaky now that he thought about it. He acknowledged her vaguely, not realizing he was clutching Barnaby's hand in a near death grip to reassure and convince himself that his friend would indeed be alright. After that brief but serious scare, maybe the paramedic's advice wasn't without merit. The hero took a deliberate, deep breath in an attempt to ground himself, slowly exhaling afterwards.
"I'm fine. Worry about him." He managed as he swallowed with difficulty, unaware of exactly when his mouth had gone bone dry. Well, if the veteran hadn't been aware of the blonde's true condition before, he certainly was now. "Hang in there, Bunny, we're almost there." Kotetsu muttered under his breath. "You'll be okay."