delrosario: I've never actually seen him reverse scars or injuries that have already been healed. In fact, he actually broke Angelo before fusing him into the rock.
The injuries are healed, they are simply scarred.
Jpx0999: Well, Mirko wasn't the only person in the wrong, Johnny was too. Mirko needs to work with him, and he needs to work with her.
Euphoria: Unfortunately, no.
Next arc though...
Kasumi Kenshiro: Yeah, the discourse is going to bite them in the ass. The whole Forest is shrouded in mystery...also The Operator is making an appearance.
Gunga Mountains: Day 2
-:-
*Kars has been defeated.
*AFO loses his Quirk, his mind shattering as a result.
*Tenko Shimura has found peace.
*Izuku and Katsuki are being treated at Central Hospital.
*Santana's movement has received NATIONAL ATTENTION as a result of the massacre.
*Jotaro is on the move once more.
*The Barge is on fire.
Gyro opened his eyes, groaning as he sat up. Glancing to his right, he found Hawks laying on his side on the dirty concrete, his broken wing in a splint.
Poor guy...
He proceeded to glance to his left...
The Broker was inches away from his face.
"Hello! Pleasant dreams?"
"...WHAT THE FUCK?!"
Gyro jumped back, and the salesman did too. Hawks kept to his feet, pointing a feather blade at the perceived threat, before lowering it, sighing.
"Oh...it's just you."
"How the hell did you get in here?!" Gyro asked, and the Broker shrugged.
"I have my ways. So! You guys survived, that's great! Here's a consolation prize!"
The Broker reached into his jacket and pulled out a baggie of metal parts, throwing it to their feet. "You can use these to repair the power to this little shack, free of charge! Although next time I will be requiring payment."
"And...what exactly do we use to pay you?" Hawks asked, an eyebrow raised.
"Shiny stones that litter the land, generated by the woods. They're a type of quartz, never seen anywhere else but here. I'm sure you'll find some when you go out...alright, that's my piece, I'll be heading out now!"
The Broker suddenly vanished in a puff of smoke.
Gyro got up, grabbing one of his steel balls. "Alright...since there seems to be some semblance of light outside, I assume it's daytime. This seems like the perfect time to go searching, don't you think?"
"Yeah...man...this blows." Hawks said, glancing at his wing. "Thank God I happened to be teaming up with a doctor."
"Use that other wing for combat, rest the broken one." Gyro replied, turning to grin at the No.2 hero. "Doctor's orders, Nyo Ho!"
The two exited the small maintenance shack, ducking under the barbed wire, Hawks having an especially hard time doing so.
"The question is...how has stuff like this been going on in the forest without being noticed? I mean...it has it's own population and stuff." Hawks said, his yellow eyes searching their surroundings. "Not to mention this mysterious Operator guy...you'd think-"
Hawks fell silent as he processed what was in front of them. Gyro had stopped too, and the Italian's mouth had dropped open.
It was a large commercial building, a law firm by the looks of it. The pictures and text on the dilapidated signs were of Americans and written in English.
"An American law firm...what the fuck is happening?" Gyro muttered to himself, scratching his facial hair with a look of pure confusion.
Mirko sat on the edge of the railing, stewing to herself.
Fucking hell...I've been standing guard all night, and no sign of the blasted thing.
Glancing at Johnny, who appeared to be asleep, she sighed and ran a hand through her hair.
Let him think I'm an asshole, I don't care. I don't need him to like me to keep him safe. Hawks...why on Earth did you think this was a good idea? These kids shouldn't be throwing themselves into danger without an adult around.
"Mirko?"
The No.5 hero turned to find Ochako in the doorway, looking at her. "What's up kid?"
"You...know you can trust us, right?"
Mirko huffed, closing her eyes.
"I'm sure you're capable. You'd have to be if you've beaten villains like the Necromancer and that Nine guy. It's just...you kids think that you have some sort of duty to grow up as fast as you can, to become pro heroes in your first year...but you both still have so much to learn."
"I know...we really do. So...teach us."
Mirko turned to look at Ochako, and found herself caving slightly. "I'm...not a very good teacher, or communicator for that matter. I say how I feel, regardless of how it might hurt someone's feelings."
"Is that why you normally work alone?"
"...partially. Uravity, you're a sweet kid...and I really don't want anything to happen to you, or JoJo. I know you've overcome some big obstacles, and I understand you're both more capable than normal first years...I really do. I also know I stepped on some toes yesterday...but this whole 'Musketeers' racket you've got going on? It's dangerous."
"That's why we need adults supporting us. Hawks trusted you for a reason." Ochako sat next to the woman. "What JoJo said...he was kind of lashing out. I won't talk for him...but he's been through more than a 16 year old should. We are kids, and we are stuck in this situation...we aren't trying to play heroes...we're being forced to become real ones. So we need help..."
The pro hero pressed her lips together.
"A hero doesn't ignore a call for help." Mirko replied after a while, and gave Ochako a small smile. "Okay...I'll do my best. Get some shuteye, alright? I'll keep watch."
"It's morning."
"It is?"
Ochako pointed up, and the faint outline of the sun could be seen in the clouds.
"Ah...it is."
Gyro entered the old building, flipping through an old magazine. His eyes narrowing in suspicion, he looked around the abandoned reception office. Old posters on the wall were rotting away, including one of the American hero, Star and Stripe. Everything suggested that the building was from the United States...
So why is it in Japan?
"Someone made a bonfire in here." Hawks called out, poking at the cinders with a feather. "Recently."
"A survivor?" Gyro asked.
"Perhaps...but considering I also just found a dead body, I think calling this woman a survivor would be a stretch."
The Italian walked into the room, his nose shrinking as he found Hawks kneeling in front of a corpse. Upon examining the body, he ended up finding something strange.
"Hawks...someone planted seeds in her."
"...what?"
"No, I mean literal seeds!" Gyro reached into his belt, and pulled out a pair of tweezers. Hawks looked away as Gyro fished something out of the poor woman's body. "See? Look!"
It was indeed a seed.
"Small...oval shaped...and a bit flat...someone planted a fucking potato in her!" Gyro realized, tossing the seed away. "What kind of sick bastard kills someone to plant potatoes in them?!"
*click*
Hawks felt a vibration through his feathers, and he quickly tackled Gyro out of the way. "MOVE!"
*BANG!*
"GET OFF MY PROPERTY YOU FILTHY IMMIGRANTS!"
A potato slammed into the wall, and the menacing figure of an old man cocked his spud gun, angrily snarling. He appeared to be clad in overalls...
ONLY overalls.
The man stepped out of the shadows, and the heroes were struck by a bizarre, and kinda terrifying sight:
His head was a potato. His blue bloodshot human eyes were the only thing that remained of a human, the rest was pure potato. His nipples were potatoes.
EVERYTHING. WAS. POTATO.
"This is America! We speak English here!" Mr. Potato Head snarled.
"Uh...you're in Japan."
"BULLSHIT! This is Idaho! People like you are corrupting our country! This is why Funny Valentine ain't my President! You fellas are trying to steal my TATERS!"
*RATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATATAT!*
Mr. Potato Head opened fire, screaming at the top of his lungs. Hawks unleashed a bunch of feathers, deflecting the potatoes and lining up a shot for Gyro. The Italian quickly threw a steel ball, but the potato man sidestepped the throw.
"YOU FOREIGNERS WON'T TAKE MY TATERS! YOU WON'T TAKE MY JOB! MY TATERS ARE EVERYTHING TO ME!"
The thrown steel ball bounced off the wall and brained Mr. Potato Head. Mashed potato fell to the ground, along with a pair of eyeballs, as the redneck potato monster fell to the floor, dead.
"If only we had butter..." Gyro muttered, before shuddering. "What the fuck was that?!"
"I have...no idea. Why did he think he was in Idaho?! Why was he a potato?"
"He was a Tainted, like that little girl The Broker killed...something corrupted him." Gyro said, kicking Mr. Potato Head's body. "I...have a theory...and you aren't going to like it."
"Yes?" Hawks said.
"We...aren't in Japan. This forest is entirely separate from the Gunga Mountains...a separate plane of reality." Gyro said, turning to face Hawks with a grim expression. "Things get pulled in here from all over the world...that's why there's an American building in here, and why Potato Man thought he was still in Idaho."
"Are you telling me we're in another dimension?!" Hawks asked, his eyes wide.
"Not exactly...I think the other dimension is coming to us."
Gyro turned to Hawks with a pointed look.
"There's something you don't know yet...about the Steel Ball Run. It wasn't just a race, but a conspiracy. A plan...to assemble an artifact known as the Saint's Corpse. The Necronomicon was the Corpse's opposite...and the Corpse was capable of creating a pocket dimension that was named Love Train..."
"So..."
"So...it stands to reason that the Necronomicon as capable of doing the same, except instead of being a protective barrier...it's a trap. It corrupts anyone inside of it...and I bet that's the work of The Operator. The Necromancer wasn't lying...he really did rip a page out of the book...he ripped out the worst one."
*Gyro's notes.
Yeah, I was right on the money.
A separate plane of existence, governed by an unknown entity...you ever hear of the Backrooms? You know...that ARG/meme of a series of endless corridors once you phase through reality? Kind of like that...but...the Forest was coming to our world.
People from all parts of the world have been unlucky enough to be pulled into this place.
Obviously, Hawks and I weren't pulled in, the Forest was simply manifesting in the Gunga Mountains. Posthumously, the Necromancer had unleashed his worst attack upon the world, and only two guys, one of them being nerfed, could hope to stop it.
That wasn't the only thing the page did though...it brought more than just the Forest.
The Rake broke into the watchtower, gazing around. It reared it's ugly head, making sure there were no more of those infernal traps lying around. The trio that was "hunting" it had left, and it was time to make them pay for what they had done.
Just because they were all caught up in the Dark Forest, didn't mean the Rake was impaired. In fact, it thrived in the woods, quickly establishing dominance over the other creatures. It didn't care that the Forest had transported it to Japan, it could wreak havoc just the same.
Grabbing ahold of a small grocery bag, it tore it and it's contents to shreds. In fact, it was tearing EVERYTHING to shreds. Clawing at the walls, the map.
Most importantly, a hat with a horseshoe on it...it had seen the Joestar cleaning it, taking care of it...a sentimental expression on his face. So...it tore it apart.
Nowhere was safe for them.
Johnny stared at the torn fragments of his hat. He had taken it off to cool down for a bit...and now it was destroyed.
The hat that a certain musician gave him, when their relationship first started. His fingers closed around the torn fabric, tightly. In his other hand was his horseshoe, unharmed.
"It destroyed our food!" Mirko snarled, kicking the bag in frustration. "Dammit!"
"Sorry if you don't like the white...but they didn't have the same fabric in blue-"
"I love it!"
Johnny stuffed the remnants of the hat in his pocket.
That was a gift, you pale bastard. This had to have been intentional...in fact.
It was trying to provoke me in particular, there's no doubt about it. It was trying to get me to do something rash...this thing is much more clever than I thought...
"We'll have to forage for food from now on." Johnny replied, and turned to their destroyed map. "As for the Rake, we need to bunker down. It's trying to lure us out."
"What, you want to wait around for it to pick us off one by one?" Mirko retorted. "The longer we wait to take care of this thing, the more damage it'll do."
"You were the one lecturing me about exercising caution last night." Johnny clapped back, irritated.
"Mirko...that hat was really important to him..." Ochako muttered.
The pro hero took a deep breath, clapping her hands together.
"I did, and I stand by that. We can pursue this thing and be cautious at the same time. Multitasking...we bunker down now...someone could die, because we didn't act."
"...you're right..."
"So...here's the plan." Mirko sat on the ruined table, crossing her legs. "We go out there with the intent to bust it's head open. Bring whatever we can carry, as long as it doesn't weigh us down in combat, and we hop from campsite to campsite."
Mirko pointed at the ruined map, showing a few campsites in their portion of the mountains.
"We travel from place to place. Since we'll always be on the move..."
"We force the Rake to move in order to keep up with it's prey." Johnny finished, begrudgingly accepting that Mirko had a better plan. "Alright...let's go then...'
"Is...this?"
"An old WWII panzer tank...and someone is still inside." Gyro confirmed, reaching inside the rust bucket that was once a machine of death. "This forest...it's been around for a while. Oh...holy shit..."
"What?!"
"This...looks like Stroheim...this must be Rudol Von Stroheim..."
"Fritz's ancestor...how did his body end up here? He's been dead for a long time...died in the battle of Stalingrad, to a Stand User." Hawks recalled, remembering his conversation with Fritz Von Stroheim during their UNO game.
"Don't know, probably the same way that law firm got here...but someone looted him for spare parts. Except for this..."
Ball Breaker emerged, carrying a large machine gun.
"Mr. Joestar mentioned this...Stroheim used it against Kars when the guy attempted to steal the Red Stone of Aja. This is a pretty powerful gun...if we can get it working...we can defend ourselves against the Tainted a bit better."
"Oh...that should do the trick." A third voice said.
The heroes turned to find what appeared to be a small masked boy staring at them. The mask was a giant, dirty smiley face. In the boy's gnarly wooden hand, he held a small ukulele.
"Uh...who are you kid?"
"I don't remember! Most just call me Ukulele Kid, or Lele for short!" Lele said, enthusiastically. "Wow...are you guys heroes?! I've never seen a hero before!"
"Yeah...we're heroes. We're trying to stop the Operator." Gyro explained, and Lele shuddered at the mere mention of the creature.
"He's hunting tonight, you know that? Tonight's gonna be a Blood Moon. The Operator leaves his territory and hunts across the whole woods whenever there's a Blood Moon...we all have to hide. The Tainted get extra angry too...you guys really need that machine gun, but you don't want to fire it too much, or the Operator will find you..."
"What...happens when it finds you?" Hawks asked, and Lele scratched the back of his head.
"We've all been touched by the Operator once...since you guys are normal...it means he hasn't gotten you yet. He binds people to the Forest...to become his puppets, his eyes and ears...and the more times he catches you..."
Lele lifted his mask, and both heroes were repulsed.
What was once the face if a small boy was now a writhing mass of roots, worms, and rotten wood. Gross squelching sounds the worms made as they slithered around made Gyro want to vomit. The only thing remaining of a human face was the boy's mouth.
"You become a part of it."
*Hawks, in a letter to Tokoyami.
So...yeah, that's our situation.
I don't really know if you're back from the Barge, but Zeppeli keeps assuring me that Jiro is pretty damn reliable, so I'll take his word for it. Hell, I wouldn't be alive without him right now.
If you are back, and the mission went well, you have my congrats! I'm really proud to have been your mentor, and I just know that you're going to soar. The Musketeers...odd name but I kinda dig it...will have your back, I know it.
Hopefully, I can make it out of this mess without the Operator catching me...let me tell you, that guy is NOT something you'd ever want to meet. Gyro and I ended up having an encounter with him...and I still haven't fully recovered.
I've been trained to repress fear, and sentiment, since I was a child...but that thing...
It truly scares me.
"What are you rigging now, JoJo?" Ochako asked. They had made it to one of the campsites without much of a problem, and Johnny appeared to be tinkering with something.
"A surprise for our exhibitionist friend, you mind passing me those strings?"
Ochako did so.
"...Mirko is kinda right you know."
"..."
"JoJo, I get it. You've been through a lot, and I know you absolutely hate it when people look down on you...but...we are just kids. The fact that we go through this stuff at all...that isn't a good thing."
"...I know. I know that very well. I...just had to grow up pretty fast...I never really had the luxury of normalcy. Not even when staying with Gramps...that's why I'm a hero Uraraka. I don't want other people, especially kids...to suffer like I did."
"I really admire that."
Johnny snorted, finishing his trap. "Thanks...your reasoning is pretty admirable too. I guess...I forget sometimes...how young we are."
"It bothers me. It feels like something is trying to tear our innocence away you know? I remember when Deku was all shy and nerdy...and now...I've seen him angry. He's still the same kind person as before...but he's more jaded, you know?"
"We all are...that's why...it kind of hurts when another classmate is pulled into this. We've banded together, not just in friendship...but also survival. Once someone's in the loop, they can't escape...they don't want to."
"Now Tokoyami is involved...but that's why Hawks had us team up with Mirko. He trusted her for a reason...I...hate to say this...but I think we really do need a few pros on our side."
Johnny closed his eyes, huffing. He seemed to ponder Ochako's words for a moment, and then he turned to look at her.
"Fair enough."
"Alright! Now this is what I'm talkin' about!" Mirko yelled from a distance away. She was shadow boxing in the open. "Open space to kick some ass! We should've camped here instead!"
Johnny rolled his eyes, and finished his newest trap. Ochako's eyes widened as she got a good look at what the Joestar had just rigged. "JoJo...holy...how did you get these?!"
The seventh JoJo gave her a sly smirk.
"They were left in the old shed back there, confiscated by one of the caretakers...there's a cryptid running around, so I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I borrowed them."
Ochako blinked, and then shared his grin.
"You're crazy!"
The Rake sniffed the air, scampering after it's prey in frustration.
Johnny Kujo was smarter than it thought, he had correctly assumed it was trying to provoke him, and stuck with the rabbit. Clearly, he had a good head on his shoulders...he might prove to be the hardest to break.
"So these mushrooms are edible, these are not." Johnny was saying, showing Ochako a sketch he had drawn. "Enoki mushrooms are good, although I'd personally recommend cooking them, although finding standard white mushrooms are probably easier. That is...if you're opposed to hunting the wildlife."
"They're so cute though!"
"This is a survival situation Uraraka, cute isn't worth shit."
"I know..."
The Rake turned it's head to Mirko, who had her ears up. The creature froze as the rabbit hero jerked her head towards it's direction.
Of course, she had the ability to detect predators like a rabbit. The Rake was no normal predator however, and it had abilities that she couldn't account for.
Nonetheless, it had been detected, so it had to lie in wait.
Mirko uncrossed her legs as she got up from the lawn chair she was sitting in, a grin forming on her face.
"You're here, aren't ya Rakey?"
Silence.
"Don't try to hide...come on...when are ya gonna quit watching already? Come on...I'm right here."
She was trying to provoke it again, judging by her taunting body language. This one was quite deceptive, it took the form of a rabbit, but it thrived on battle.
It was like the Killer Rabbit from Monty Python and the Holy Grail.
The rabbit's admittedly impressive legs could prove quite destructive if she hit it with a full powered kick. Her thighs were the size of God, and her biceps...
This was a powerful opponent. The Rake looked like a toothpick compared to her...but it was a supernatural creature, so it's strength didn't necessarily equate to it's physique. Nonetheless, having fought Mirko before, The Rake knew she'd be an even match.
Fuck it.
The Rake burst from the shrubbery, hoping to catch Mirko off guard with the sudden attack. It would maul her a bit, not to kill her, but to show its dominance.
Except Mirko had anticipated it.
*CRACK!*
One of her powerful legs struck the Rake in the side, but it grabbed onto her leg and bit down. Mirko never lost her grin, heaving the Rake off of her and into a tree.
"Nice try! One bite ain't gonna faze me! You gonna do that fear thing again?!"
"Mirko! Lead him over here!" Ochako yelled, pulling out Mountain Tim's revolver. The Rake barely registered the young heroine, it's attention focused solely on the rabbit. Mirko had a bit of a hesitance in her step as soon as the brunette had called out.
She was reluctant to put the kids in danger.
The Rake smiled at her, and proceeded to bold towards Ochako.
"Wait...NO! DAMN YOU NO! FIGHT ME NOT THEM DAMMIT!"
Mirko bolted after it, grabbing the Rake by the ankle and dragging it away from Rake was the one grinning now, it had found the rabbit's weakness: she cared too much.
It dodged a kick, and proceeded to drive one of it's claws into Mirko's gut. The rabbit hero, distracted by protecting her younger comrades, coughed out blood as The Rake drove it deeper, keeping it's malicious grin.
"MIRKO!"
"You think...that's gonna stop me?" Mirko grunted out. "You missed my vitals on purpose, didn't you? That was a mistake!"
It then proceeded to pull it's claw out, and kicked her in the chest. Mirko, wounded but enraged, charged once more...
Only for the Rake to make a break for Ochako again.
Ochako took a deep breath, remembering the advice Johnny gave her when setting up the trap.
"Analyze the situation, choose the best time to fire the gun. You need to keep your cool when pulling the trigger...I know it's scary to try shooting one for the first time...but I believe you have the will to carry this out."
The Rake was getting closer, and Mirko was almost on it.
"DON'T GET CLOSER!"
The pro hero stopped when Ochako raised the gun...but not towards the Rake.
Towards a pile of fireworks.
The Rake's dead eyes followed the line of fire, and they widened in terror. The creature took a defensive position for the incoming explosion.
The brunette gave the Rake a defiant look as she pulled the trigger.
*click*
"..."
"..."
"..."
I FORGOT THE SAFETY!
The Rake noticed this as well, and stood up to it's full height, towering over the hero student with a snarl. Mirko dashed forwards, desperate to stop the cryptid as it raised a clawed hand to scratch out Ochako's eyes.
*BANG!*
*KABOOM!*
It was out of pure survival that Ochako had managed to fire again. Instinct had kicked in, and ironically at just the right time, as The Rake had abandoned any sort of defensive measures it had previously taken.
Vibrant colors washed over the Rake, burning the beast. It let out a terrifying shriek in response, it's flesh smoking. It stumbled to the side, wounded and burnt, when Tusk Act 4 appeared behind it.
The Rake went still as the massive Stand breathed down it's neck. With one move, a golden fist closed around the cryptid's neck, lifting it up into the air.
"CHUMIMIIIIN~!"
The Rake struggled to get out of Tusk's iron grip, with no luck. The Stand held it fast, and wasn't letting go. Johnny emerged from a wormhole beside his Stand, aiming a nail bullet towards the Rake's head.
"That's enough of you."
"Wait! Somethin' ain't right!" The wounded Mirko sputtered out, clutching at her wound. "It's smarter than that!"
Johnny eyed the pro hero. "What do you want me to do? Not shoot?"
"Let go of it!"
"I have it where I want it!"
"Kid, trust me!"
Johnny was caught off guard by the desperation in the pro hero's voice. That's when the Rake activated it's trap card.
Simply widening it's eyes.
The Rake begin to grin again, it's foul lipless mouth curved wide. It's soulless pits bore holes straight into Johnny's soul.
Tusk's hand trembled...
In those soulless black eyes, he found himself staring down Valentine's gun, reaching for a falling Kyoka as Overhaul's hand came towards him...
Susan's hand.
"JOJO, NO!"
No...The Rake's hand.
In his brief spat of fear...his Stand had reverted to Act 1, it's most vulnerable form. The tiny version of his Stand was smacked by the monstrosity, hard.
Blood exploded from multiple places in Johnny's body as he fell to the ground, unconscious. The Rake grinned at the other two, and Mirko tackled it to the ground.
The Rake hissed as it kicked upwards, knocking the No.5 hero into the nearby cliffside.
All according to plan.
Rocks that the Rake had so carefully positioned before the fight came tumbling down, separating the heroes. Johnny's unconscious body rolled into a nearby stream, being washed away by the current.
"JOJOOOO!" Ochako screamed, horrified, and was about to head after him when the Rake stepped in front of her. Backing away as the cryptid approached, she aimed the gun in it's face. It's eyes widened once again, and she was struck by a paralyzing fear, as Johnny was.
However, instead of harming her, it simply tilted it's head to the side, grinning.
"Hide...and...seeeeeeeek." The Rake said, it's shrill and raspy voice rooting her to the spot. "I'm...it!"
Ochako looked towards the pile of rubble, where one of Mirko's hands was sticking out, limp. There was no way she wasn't crushed by the debris...the No.5 hero was either dying or dead.
Am...I the only one? Ochako looked away from the possible corpse, putting a hand over her mouth. A pro hero had fallen...just like that...
No...this...this can't be happening! JoJo has to be okay! He's...oh God...
Her mind turned to Kyoka, picturing her friend's reaction to what had just happened. The Rake had jokingly put it's hands over it's eyes, which had freed her from it's influence. Ochako's gaze turned steely.
I have to believe they're both gonna make it. As for you...I'll play your game Rake...but only so I can save JoJo and bring you down!
She bolted along the stream, and began to float to mask any footsteps. The Rake uncovered it's eyes to find Ochako gone, and scampered over to the rocks where Mirko was buried...
Only to find a glove...and only a glove. The hand wasn't inside.
Gyro stuffed the last of the bullets into the strap he had bought from the Broker, and heaved Stroheim's machine gun in front of him. They had encountered the Broker on their journey, and he was quite interested in buying Mr. Potato Head's remains...
Which was concerning, but they got ammo, so it was worth the risk.
Hawks knelt beside him. They were on top of an old radio tower, ready to mount a defense against what would soon be a hoard of Tainted, and perhaps the Operator itself.
Slowly, a red glow emerged from the horizon...
The Blood Moon was up.
There was silence all around them...the night undisturbed. Then...something large emerged from the woods.
The large, one-eyed Tainted with antlers emerged, it's deer skull snarling as it eyed Hawks. The No.2 hero broke out in a sweat as it lumbered towards them, ice forming around it's furry body. A chill broke out in the air as the monster pointed a large metal object in their direction...
It's holding...helicopter blades?!
"Gyro...do you have any info on what that thing is?" Hawks asked.
"I have heard of it...it's a creature from Algonquin mythology, called a Wendigo." Gyro said with a grimace. "Native to the Great Lakes region in the United States and Canada. They were once people, who succumbed to greed in the face of starvation...and resorted to cannibalism."
*A/N: I wanted to use the traditional appearance of the Wendigo for this, but I found it was too similar to The Rake, and I didn't want people to get confused. So...the Hollywood version it is.
"Cannibalism?!"
"Yep...obviously not every cannibal turns into a Wendigo...I believe they have to be in sacred or paranormal areas for the transformation to take place...and the Forest fits that description. The Wendigo is always hungry...because it grows in size with every meal..."
"That thing has eaten a lot of people then." Hawks said with narrowed eyes, looking at the beast that was challenging them.
"Yup, and considering you took it's eye...I think it wants some chicken."
The Wendigo let out a roar, and the Tainted emerged from the woods, following their giant leader. Savages that were once innocent people, warped and twisted by the Forest and the Operator, racing towards the radio tower in a fit of insanity and fury.
Without missing a beat, Gyro began sending bursts of machine gun fire into the crowd of the unfortunate, and Hawks followed suit with his feathers, mowing the Tainted down. The bullets harmlessly bounced off of the Wendigo's icy armor, and it began lumbering towards them at breakneck speed.
"It's coming!"
Spinning the helicopter blade in it's hand, the Wendigo hurled it at the radio tower. Gyro threw a steel ball at the projectile, causing it to rotate to the side, missing the tower by a hair. The beast kept coming, making a horrifying shrieking noise as it began to scale the tower, trucking through the bullets thanks to it's ice protection.
Legends say the Wendigo has a heart made of ice...it's commonly associated with winter and famine...but...
Ice is water, and water is an excellent conductor for Hamon, and the Spin.
Gyro readied a steel ball, angling his throw. If he didn't manage to knock the Wendigo off, they would be forced to flee, and they would lose their precious high ground. With a grunt, he hurled the steel ball at the approaching giant.
Bouncing off of one of Hawks' feathers, the steel ball hit the Wendigo in the chest, and began drilling through the ice. The kinetic energy from the Spin was also melting it, and the heat quickly spread through the ice, thawing the beast.
Not used to being heated up, the Wendigo made a noise of discomfort, and Gyro proceeded to unload a clip into it's chest. Bullets shredded through the monster as it fell from the tower, landing with a thud.
However, the Tainted had used the Wendigo's attack to their advantage, screaming and howling as they made their way up the tower. Hawks had turned one of his feathers into a sword, and was hacking away at any that tried to get to their position.
More and more Tainted were emerging from the trees, and the Wendigo grabbed one. The two heroes watched in horror as the giant began devouring it, bones and all. One more, Gyro found himself about to vomit.
The Wendigo grew a few inches as a result, and it turned around, screaming. It picked up the slaughtered Tainted's arm, which was covered in thorns, and hurled it at them. Gyro tried to avoid it, but the thorns managed to catch his arm, taking of a bit of flesh. Blood flew from his arm, and immediately the flesh around it began to blister.
Shit! Poison!
"Gyro, your arm!"
"Fuck my arm! Keep fighting!"
Hawks turned to see the Wendigo's sunken eye trained on him, and he sighed. "Sorry Doc...looks like I'm going to have to disobey your orders."
"No, don't fly you idiot!"
Hawks unfurled his broken wing, wincing as he took off. Flying above the Wendigo, he pelted it with feathers. Blood flew everywhere as the Wendigo was knocked back by the No.2 hero's assault, and the beast cried out in both pain, and rage.
Blood leaked from the splint in Hawks' wing, but he continued pushing himself, drawing the Wendigo's attention. He still had his speed, and it allowed him to fly circles around the beast, pelting it, stabbing it where he could, overwhelming the monster with everything he had.
The Wendigo was caught in a mass of feathers, torn to shreds by the No.2 hero's fatal blows, and it stumbled backwards, swatting at the air...
When the ground quite literally opened up beneath it.
The Wendigo let out one final howl before it tumbled into the ground, and massive roots pulled the land upwards. The radio tower shook, and began to topple over.
Everything was a blood red under the moon. The chaos that was erupting, the roots digging up the ground...it was all a moving deep river of crimson. The Tainted screamed, the roots groaned and scraped against each other...
Then the radio tower was knocked over.
Gyro broke out into a sprint as what was once flat ground became an incline. He jumped and grabbed ahold of Hawk's hand just as the radio tower collapsed to the ground, smashing into pieces.
The horrid sounds of the damned, screeching metal, and the Forest moving filled their ears like some horrible orchestra...and then...
It all went dead quiet.
The outline of a man was standing in the woods, dragging the remains of the Wendigo behind it.
The silence was defeaning. You could hear a pin drop...but at that moment, the two heroes were almost wishing for the screaming to start again. There was an air of danger in the air, danger like they had never felt before.
Then...a footstep as the man continued to walk. His gait was slow, calm, methodical with every step. The Wendigo was dragged behind it, leaving a trail of blood as it went.
A soft buzzing sound could be heard as the figure grew closer, and Hawks' enhanced eyesight caught the reason pretty quickly.
The man didn't have a face.
Instead, it was a mass of red static. It wore a suit, a red dress shirt underneath a black jacket, and it's hands were gloved.
The buzzing grew ever louder as this man...no...this thing...simply walked through the Tainted. The monsters parted for it, and the creature slowly turned it's static head upwards to stare at them.
It didn't speak, it didn't even make a sound other than it's static.
It didn't need to.
They knew they were looking at The Operator itself.
With a simple wave of it's hand, a tree began growing out of the ground, carrying it towards the two heroes.
Gyro threw a steel ball at it, only to watch in horror as The Operator caught it. The steel ball began to warp and change in it's hand, until it changed into a giant eyeball.
The eyeball grew legs, and it opened up to reveal a hideous mouth.
The Italian opted to use the machine gun as the eyeball lept towards them, blowing the eyeball away...but the Operator simply stood there, the bullets bouncing off of it, harmlessly.
Hawks' vision began to distort, static filling it as the Operator got closer, and he began feeling sick to his stomach. This ancient, vindictive evil was simply reaching for them, and all he could do is stare.
Gyro was saying something, but he couldn't hear it. All he could feel was this inherent awfulness, this sickening feeling in his stomach growing bigger...
"Fl-"
What...is he saying? I...
"-WAY!"
way...oh my God, I need to FLY AWAY!
As soon as he snapped out of it, he was staring at the Operator's fingers. Flapping his wings, he unleashed a gust of wind that blew the eldritch horror back. Carrying the poisoned Gyro off, the two could only flee for their lives.
The Operator only stared, it's hand slowly forming a fist in silent frustration.
The Operator
Species: Force of Nature...could be a form of Stand.
Motives: Consume and control everything that moves.
Physical Appearance: A well dressed humanoid figure with no discernable features, it wither does not have an actual face...or the red static present could mean that it's true appearance is too horrifying to be perceived by the human eye.
Info:
Born from the pages of the Necronomicon, The Operator guards it's last and worst page. It is entirely indestructible, and can only be slowed by attacks. Any resistance is meaningless...
It is a deathly silent stalker, the only way to know it's coming is the faint buzzing sound it produces. It has the power to corrupt and bind anything it touches to it's pocket dimension: The Dark Forest.
It has no clear personality, other than it's desire to control everything. The Operator is the sole reason the world was destroyed in Patch's universe...Dark Valentine unleashed it.
Now...the Forest is spreading, as is the Operator's influence. If the page is not found and destroyed, the Operator and the Forest will consume Mustafu...if not all of Japan.
It is a creature that can't be fought, only avoided.
All you can do is run.
Mirko gasped as she dragged Johnny onto shore, heaving as she collapsed alongside him. The pro hero coughed as blood poured from her wound, and her eyes shifted to the Joestar on the ground.
"Kid...?"
Johnny remained silent.
"KID?!"
Tusk suddenly emerged, and proceeded to punch it's own user in the stomach. Johnny suddenly vomited a stream of water, and laid on his side, groaning.
"Hey...Kujo...are you alright?"
"Do I...look like I'm alright?" Johnny wheezed out, blood running down the side of his face. He was littered with cuts, brusies, and likely a few broken bones. "That stare...that stupid stare."
"Your Stand grew smaller...what was the deal with that?" Mirko asked, seething.
"My Stand...evolved...over time...it used to be weak as fuck...but my experiences...made it grow stronger...alongside me." Johnny explained, coarsely. "Looking into that thing's eyes...it made me remember who I was before all that..."
"So your Stand changed back to what it used to be."
"Yeah...where...where is Uraraka?"
Mirko shut her eyes, punching the ground. "Still there! I jumped into the water to get you, but I underestimate how powerful the damn current was! We were dragged away from her! SHIT! SHIT SHIT SHIT!"
"..."
Johnny was silent as Mirko berated herself, and eventually sighed.
"She has to be alive."
"...if she isn't, I'll never fucking forgive my-"
"It's...OUR fault."
Mirko propped herself up against a tree. "I'm supposed to be watching you two..."
"No, you're supposed to be working with us, and us with you." Johnny said, turning to give the pro hero a pointed look. "Neither of us did that...Uraraka was the only one who tried."
"I...well, yeah." Mirko hung her head. "I guess...I was so bothered by seeing kids putting themselves in situations like this...it...reminded me of myself."
"Really?"
"Yeah."
"...I hate it when people look down on me." Johnny said, wiping his nose. "There was once a time where people thought they could baby me...and I know that wasn't your intent...but it felt like it."
"I guess we both kind of dismissed each other, huh?"
"...yeah...I know we're kids Mirko, I have never been unaware of that. It's a sad reality...but we have all been thrust into situations that have painted targets on our backs...so we banded together to fight them. We have...been through a lot more than we would've liked..."
"Then tell me everything."
Mirko turned to the teenaged boy lying in the dirt, and reached into her belt, pulling out the medical tools from their camp. She had brought them with her...just in case.
"You said it yourself, you kids are stuck in this situation...so tell me everything from the start. I...truly want to help you. It's my duty as hero to make sure a kid in need gets the help they deserve...so tell me, and I'll be all ears."
Mirko's ears wiggled as she said the last part, and Johnny had to chuckle.
"Alright...I take it we've reached an understanding?"
"Yeah, we have."
"I'll tell you on the way then...when we catch up with Uraraka." Johnny said, a determined glint in his eye as he extended a hand.
Mirko took it in her own, grinning.
"You know what? I think I might like your attitude after all."