Chapter 4: The Shokuro Gang. Gentle Winds
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The next day...It was odd...I..Cant seem to wake up, yet..I dont think it's due to what happened yesterday...This is something else...It's far from anything good..I know that much... "(I thought this was enough..Turns out I need more for you)" I heard, "(! Who's there?! W-wait..This deep voice..Dont tell me.. e;)" I was saying in my head, "(That's right. It's me again. And you're under my control. For the most part it seems. You aren't supposed to be this conscious)" she replied. This is Yusao...Dammit! But how'd she take control of me like this?! Since when?! I was only fighting that Jacker guy and Merku before I was out..I didnt see her at all that day... "*sees my finger twitching for a second* Ooooh, so you're still able to move? Yusao...I thought you told me all you needed was 15% of yourself to keep an unconscious person down" Mikura brought up, "*slightly comes out of my mouth as a head* Sorry about this, Mikura..It looks like I needed an extra 5% for specifically him" Yusao told her, "It's fine...*smirks* At least he cant cause us any trouble this way..But just to be safe" Mikura replied. She proceeded to get an emptied boxing bag and stuffed me in it. She then zipped me up and hung me from the ceiling. "Just let me know when you have full control over him, ok Umi? He'll be a nice addition to Genius' ranks...*does a few kicks to my side, making the bag I was in swing around* He'll make for a good punching bag too..I always wanted one like him #uo" Mikura said with demented smile, ready to wind up a punch to where my face is but receives a shot in the back by a blast of energy, making her fall over to her knees on me. "That's far enough..You're letting him out right now or else! Dont think I'll go easy on you! *sees her turn around, facing this way, revealing her slightly swollen, scared half of her face with a long slash mark across her mouth as she smiled* ! Your...Your face..! o o" La Brava reacts, "*gives a chilling giggle* Yes...He did this to me...A certain...Friend of mine saved me..But...*touches face* He had to cut open the ice over my mouth...Even after thawing it out..I look like this...But's ok...Once he gets fully controlled by Yusao..He'll be mine u " Mikura said, "*looks down*...*gives her a fierce look upon facing her* I wont let that happen! You caused us enough trouble as is and Im gonna put a stop to you and your plans! oVo" La Brava shouts with conviction, "Hmhmhmhmhmmmm, we'll see about that...Who knows...Maybe I can have you for myself too...!" she said back while having water tendrils coming out of her body and out of the bag I was in, "! (Since when did she have a water Quirk?! Hold on...She must have her water partner in her body too! In that case..I need to be careful. Who knows what else this water Quirk can do for her. Though..I should be able to handle her on my own. After that first shot, I have up to 9 minutes to finish her off) I'll make you pay for everything you've done...YOU HEAR ME! oVo" La Brava told her, making her opposition have a thrilled smile on her face. Manami starts by digging her fists into the ground, making a pillar of her pink energies burst from underneath Mikura, which she was able to dodge in time with the moment she was given by jumping out of the way. However the weakened path that was made was lifted by Manami's hands and was slammed into her opponent's rib with a swing of the long piece of concrete. "*is slid backwards from the force as the pieces broke apart upon impact; feels some blood coming out of the wound* (I see...Those gloves give her Quirk a great deal of power and control..I really shouldnt hold back then...!)" Mikura was thinking, extending out both of her arms, forming long, spikey water tendrils from them. This attack had La Brava backing up while punching the swipes of water away, ending up with scars in seconds from their wild flailing when they got close. "(She's keeping them close to me. I'll really run out if this keeps up. Should I use another shot..Or maybe!)" Manami was thinking, clapping her hands together, emitting a powerful shockwave that blew away Mikura's liquid attack. Unshaken, Mikura went ahead and shot at Manami with her Mercury gun, spewing it horizontally, making Manami back away as it boiled and sank into the ground once it was floored. She saw her shooting more of her mercury out and in response, La Brava dug her hands into the ground again but rose a big chunk of the ground this time, creating a wide three meter makeshift shield like this that was more than big enough to keep her protected. "*covers mouth while on one knee* (I gotta think, how am I gonna get close? She must be figuring Im not that good when kept at bay by long range attacks)" La Brava was thinking, "I wouldnt sit there forever yknow..*sees her pop her head above the risen ground; leans on me with an arm wrapped around my waist area* I can be this close to this boyfriend of your's...And there's nothing you can do..You wouldnt hurt me and him..Would you? euo" Mikura prefaced, "(She's right...I dont wanna hurt him..) *sees her still shooting more mercury from her weapon, dashes out of the way of her line of fire* (It looks like I'll have to try my best move! I wont get anywhere like this)" she was thinking to herself. With a leap in the air while dodging more of the boiled shots, La Brava extends a long arm made of her pink energy from her hand, gripping Mikura this way to her surprise. "*starts squeezing her body upon landing* I can break every bone in your body this way..So you better stop now!" Manami ordered and threatened her, "*sees the mercury dripping over her from the ceiling, burning her skin and some of her clothes* (Hmhmhmhmhmmm~ I see why she hasnt used this attack so far..Cant move at all while it's out? Did you figure out I wasnt just firing aimlessly?) *sees her breathing heavily and periodically coughing* (So this makes you tired..I bet the worsening air doesnt help either..OuO)" Mikura was thinking. For a second Manami saw that a water tendril was coming out of Mikura's back and decisively she tossed her to the other side of the room, having her roll away with multiple big bruises on her up to her shoulders. "*keeps panting* (If I was a bit closer..I would've been able to break at least a few bones..-v;) *notices the temperature dropping, starting to breathe cold air* (Huh? Who turned down the A/C?) *looks back to me, seeing some wind swirling around the bag I was in* (Could..he be...?)" Manami was putting together. "I wouldnt take your eyes off of me...*amasses a ball of water, expanding it and making it accelerate while having it rotate* Cuz as long as Yusao's in my body...YOU'RE GOOD AS DEAD! " Mikura shouts, shooting the dangerous water ball at Manami, "*sees how it's about 5ft tall and racing this way* (Oh no! If I dodge it, that'll hit him instead! Then I have to stop it..No matter what!) *gathers as much Love in both hands as possible then casts both hands out* (Im ready for it!) *lets it make contact with both hands, quickly pushed back from it's surprisingly strong force, into the bag I was in; tries hardest to push it back as it cuts palms and chips away at the Enhancer Gloves with it's accelerating rotations* HAAAAAAAAAUUUUGHHHHH! (If I dont stop it here...It'll kill us both! I have to do this..Not just for him...BUT FOR US!)" Manami told herself in her head, "*sees her slowly push back the strong water ball with one hand, then raises a fist with the other* (No...She isnt!) *sees her burst not only the big ball of water, but the ceiling as well from the power of the strike* (That was supposed to kill her! Where's this strength coming from?!) *sees her running this way with a winded up fist of pink aura* I dont think so! *launches water tendrils at her, which she barely dodges and end up only spearing through her shoulder* (What?! But how?!)" Mikura reacts, putting up a water shield at the last second but Manami drives her fist through it and into her gut, lifting her in the air from the impact then does another hard-hitting punch across Mikura's face, sending her flying backwards with a trail of blood. "(Dammit..That last hit totaled her brain. I cant control hosts that're damaged this badly, so maybe I should come out and-) *sees her raise her arm through her eyes as her back is on the ground* (How is she...Even if she tried, nothing will come out now..Unless..Maybe she's..)" Yusao was putting together. "*heavily pants then sees her mangled hand raising more and aiming this way* (How is she...Still moving after that?) *notices nothing happening* (That took alot out of me..I probably have a minute left now..If she isnt gonna do anything..Then I will!) *runs at her as she sits up, giving her a flying headbutt to her skull; climbs on top of her, and charges up a fist while holding it* I'll end it with this..It's..Over for you!" Manami told her, "You..Love him alot, dont you? *sees her pause with a surprised look* Too bad then...!" she said, "(What does she-) *gets stabbed in the back in several spots, feeling the wounds becoming more hole-shaped; falls over on her* (But! How did she...) *struggles to look back but sees 8 water tendrils digging into back and traces it further while looking behind* No..She...Cant have.." Manami was saying, seeing how the water attack came out of the bag I was in, "Hmhmhmhmhmhmhmmm that's right..Im able to control Yusao in your boyfriend's body as well..Even if he's unconscious...You didnt except that, did you? Now you're going to die because of it.. eu *sees the tendrils freeze over from where I was* Hmm?! But...She should be preventing him using his Quirk..!" Mikura said with a strained face, "(You aren't...Hurting Bravy...Anymore!)" I was mentally saying, "(His body..It's responding to how he feels now. *feels a sudden rising warmth* This power..It's coming from somewhere else! It's making this ability of his become more potent. It should be below 30 degrees now. It's starting to be dangerous for me now..!)" Yusao was putting together before she found herself freezing over inside my body and the ice I added into my body weight was enough to make me fall through the bag. "*stands up, charging a fire orb around my fist, putting it in front of me* You hurt Bravy...She had nothing to do with this...She was just trying to save me...*uses a frozen water tendril from my body to move Manami out of the way to everyone's surprise* You were my friend...But you were just a damn Villain after all..! YOU WONT GET AWAY WITH THIS!" I shouted before shooting my heat orb at her with a punch, "(After this..It'll be everything I got!) Dont think I'll let you off easy either!" Bravy shouts before giving her a shot of her own with a pink blast coming from her fist, "! Bravy no! (This is too much! I may hate Merku but..I didnt mean for it to go like this!) *sees a frightened face occur in Mikura's expression before a big explosion engulfs her* MERKUUU! Please tell me you're alive! Please!" I shout in desperate concern for her, "...Hmhmhmhmhmmm~..Dont worry..Im ok...*sees a surprised look on my face as well as Manami's while being carried* You really could've killed me there..Better luck next time.." she told us, "But...Wait a sec..*sees the fires and explosion's smoke dissipate, revealing that she was being carried by a black-cladded man in Samurai attire* ! Who...Is he..? e;; (Wait! Wasnt he behind the attack I stopped the other day?!)" I questioned, "*glides a hand down his face* A past lover of mine..We didnt see eye to eye when he saw how much of a bad girl I was...So I had Yusao control his body as well! Now then...Raiki...Get rid of these wannabe heroes for me.." Mikura was saying with a weak, fainted smirk as he rose his blade, preparing a big electric attack despite his past wounds and a new back wound from our attack. He made bolts of lightning in the shape of other blades above his head, aiming them at us, but right when he was going to launch them, yet another person became present. "*gets surrounded by a series of light balls* ! What's all this?!" Mikura reacted, "(Master Raikimitsu...Allow me to attempt to free you) *deactivates light sword* (No..This should be fine..) Meadow Nemesia" we heard before the glowing spheres make strong, blinding explosions on Raikimitsu and Mikura, crippling him before the mysterious helper kicks them out of the building with tremendous power behind her attack that everyone could barely notice. The person was a woman dressed in a white tuxedo with long gray hair and had red tattoos around her neck. While me and Bravy were relieved, we couldnt help but collapse from exhaustion. The woman looked out of the large hole that she made, with a notably lamenting look on her face. Could she be...
"[?] Raikimitsu..Who could've done this to you?"
"H-hey...Are..Are you the one they call Shiroko?"
"[?] !...*turns to me* Who did you hear this from?"
"Hazama..Me and him used to..train...To help with my Quirk.."
"[?] Hazama...I see. Then yes. Im Shiroko. I lead an unlikely group of misfits. I want them to become Vilgilantes."
"[Manami] So you...Really are Shiroko..What a relief.."
"[Shiroko] What business do you have with me?"
"We need help with our Quirks..We figured you and your gang would be helpful.."
"[Shiroko] *looks at the rugged gloves that Manami had* (Quirk Enhancer Gloves..Then she'd need the most help) We're in a building closer to the pier from here. Take some time to rest and you can spend the night with us."
"Shiroko..That guy..He's being taken over by a Villain I've dealt with...But who is he really?"
"[Shiroko]...Raikimitsu. He was my master. *sees both me and Bravy look shocked* Dont worry yourself. Though he isnt your usual Villain, he has honor. I chose to follow my own path. To maintain my own sense of honor. So you say he's being controlled."
"Yeah...In fact..It's the same Villain that tried controlling me earlier..I can do well with resisting her, but I dont want it to take a while like it just did. But umm..Sorry to hear this about your master. It must be painful to see him like this.."
"[Manami] Yeah..It'd be like if I had to fight Gentle...I cant imagine it.."
"[Shiroko] (Gentle? It seems he's missing here..Then he was taken in) *turns away* It matters not to me. What does is that everyone I care about is alive and well."
"*sees her start walking away* Wait Shiroko...*sees her stop* You were so fast in that fight..Your strength and Quirk were unbelievable...Why dont you become a Hero? We needed people like you.."
"[Shiroko]...This Quirk of mine. I was too rash with it long ago. I was targeted by everyone. Villains. Heroes. Police; You name it. With what I am doing..I can be out of the public eye this way."
"*sees her continue to walk away* (Then what Crescent said was no joke. She really is increibly strong. If we can train with her, we should be able to stop anything that Genius throws our way) *crawls to Manami* Bravy...Im...So sorry about this..You...Couldnt even change..In your La Brava outfit.."
"[Manami] *feels my hand on head* Pleae..Dont be sorry...I came on my own..and...I couldnt stand not knowing where you were.."
"I was the one that was kidnapped...If...I was any better with my Quirk..If I was stronger.."
"[Manami] D-dont..Be so hard on yourself..I was...The real drastic one..I thought I could do it..At least...We met Shiroko this way, right? ^ ^ *sees me close my eyes and resting* You overdid it again..That's ok...As long as Im close to you..I know we'll pull through somehow.." she said with a smile, curling up against me before resting herself. We tried our hardest against Merku and Yusao..But in the end, we still needed help..With Raikimitsu's help, they're more dangerous than ever. Who knows how much damage they can do between the three of them. Well..At least we did a really good number on them..But we're still behind. We'll get them. Once we wake up and start training, it'll only be a matter of time. Their Villain days are numbered. I'll make sure they're behind bars after we're done with them.
A few hours pass and a ring wakes me up. Once I open my eyes I see that it was early in the morning, with a deep hue painting the skies and the surrounding. Is Shiro gonna still be there? Even then everyone should be there..Oh yeah. My phone went off right? I check it and it's from...Ukawa? I guess he would be concerned about me by now. I did kinda make it sound like getting to his place would no problem, so..Man, wait til Ukawa hears about all this. My eyes drift off to Bravy and I notice that the holes in her back were closing and filled with ice. Did I do that? My temperature-based Quirk really has a mind of it's own at times..Makes me wonder what sense Shiro and her gang can make of it. Geez..I just want things to not feel so tense all the time...Well, no use just sitting here. It looks like Bravy needs some extra time sleeping, so I'll just carry her. I can tell she really isnt use to fighting so hard. We'll see if they have some better clothes for her while we're there. I picked her over my shoulder and we made our way out of the unused, broken building we were in and made our way closer to the pier. If only we weren't quite a distance away from our houses..I rarely come out this far at all. I went ahead and texted Ukawa about the situation we're in, seeing if he can help out. Hope he can be dependable for ocne cuz ooooooow Im running on fumes here..I cant remember the last time I've eaten..Please tell me they got some food over there ~q~...When I was done texting him, I started hearing crinket sounds..Like, what on Earth could be making that? They sound a tad different from ones you hear at night too. What I was hearing kept getting more and more audible the closer I got to the building Shiro was talking about...Please dont tell me she collects crickets as a hobby and lives with them o O;. Im not in the mood to just shoo them away all day while talking to her. What I saw a moment later was significantly worse than I thought. A 3ft humanoid insect walked onto the ground I was on from the pier planks, colored bright green from head to toe with bumpy skin and a vertically rectangular head, similar to a mantis', and a mouth that was pratically on his chin..He only had one eye but it was across towards the top of his head. It was really freaking me out how he looked! What exactly is he?! Shiro's group cant be this creepy! Is he a Villain maybe? "*turns gaze to my way then eye widens in surprise* GYKYAAAAAA! GYKYAAAAAAA!" it wildly hollered, "(Looks like it spotted me..) *sees several of him come out from the building that was a dozen meters away, some having yellow eggs on their bodie* (Dammit, they can make more of themselves?! How much worse can things look for me?!) *slowly puts Bravy down as they fly towards me while close to the ground* This might get ugly..Dont want her to be a part of this...What'll I do about 'em? I dont feel too capable now.." I said to myself, still feeling most of the pains from yesterday. One of them flies faster at me, dashing in with a claw strike which I was able to catch by holding his wrist in place when he got close. I can hardly freeze or heat the air around us..So it looks like I'll have to get more physical than usual. The thing tried to strike at me with his other claw, even trying to bite me but I was able to catch the other arm and slam him into the ground, making his body explode upon impact as his buggy guts splatted on the ground before dissapating into small bits. What the...? These things're real brittle..Who'd make 'em like this? Also eww, I got some on my shirt! "*wakes up, seeing me fight off a few green humanoid bug-men at a time; GASP* W-w-what are those things?! They look so creepy and disgusting! O" Bravy reacts, "*pushes two of them away from me* T-tell me about it! There's alot of 'em too. *holds another one of them back by hold it's wrists from it's lunge* They're weak but dealing with this many's just annoying! I dont wanna look at 'em anymore o! *sees a rope wrap around it and he gets yanked away* Huh?" I react, then seeing a rope duplicate into other ropes before turning into a jump rope, wrapping around the other bug people and lifting them into the air. "*does a peace sign gesture with a wink* Sorry 'bout this! I came as soon as I could! Had a really good breakfast for once but no worries cuz Reira's here to save the day! uo" she told us, "*wipes myself of the gunk from my clothes* Were you the one that made these things?" I asked, "EWW of course not! I wouldnt be caught dead with a Quirk like that! That's Kenta-Kun's thing! I oughta give him a piece of my mind for making us deal with alot of his Swarm Hoppers - V-" Reira complained, "(Hoppers? Like grasshoppers? Is that what these things resemble?)" I was thinking, "*dips the lot of them into the water close to us with branchng jump rope, crushes them underwater and whips around to clean it* Well dont just stand there. You're the guys that Shiroko mentioned about, right? Clean yourself up and come on in" Reira told us before retracting her jump rope to normal length in her hand and skipping the rest of the way to the building. This is some team already. I can only imagnie how the rest of 'em are. "Umm..L-like she said, I'll let you wash your hands. I'll go ahead and be close to the- *sees a cluster of yellow eggs on the side of the building, with the biggest one having a very developed fetus that looked this way* O O;;;; uuuuh...*turns back to me* On second thought, I'll just wait with you..=u=;;;" Bravy said before I used the pier's water to wash my hands and rub out the bug fluids and innards off of me. It took a minute or two to get it all off. She didnt help but it was understandable...I wouldnt wanna get this stuff off of anyone either..Once I was done, me and Bravy gave each other a nod before walking to Shiroko's building, which somehow looked a bit worse than the one we were in. When we got close, we saw that it had two floors to it, but the back of the place is mostly blown out. Even so, Shiroko's group, all 9 of them, were at their own spots from each other, with most of them sitting on varying stacks of boxes as they turned to us as we entered. The most notable ones were mutant Qurik users: A big guy made of glass, a grasshopper guy in a black jacket, an 7ft muscular shark woman and a fox boy with a big scar on his eye. A few we've already met but boy did they look tougher than both of us expected. Already I could feel how much stronger Shiro than everyone here combined, including me..These guys are far from slouches themselves so...We'll see how all this goes.
"[?] Heh! These the punks you told us they need our help? They're scrawny! How 'bout they go to a gym first and come back?"
"W-well y'see..We're here to train our Quirks than doing anything phyiscal."
"[?] Hmph...So you believe your Quirks alone are enough to warrant any form of excercise?"
"I did some training with Hazama before and can handle myself just fine."
"[?] Is that so...Shiroko, do you aware of how strong their Quirks are?"
"[Shiroko] Not yet, Hakabi. Though, I do feel as if this boy's Quirk is most dangerous. The girl's Enhancer Gloves being this damage is conerning as well."
"[Hakabi] Ah yes. I knew I've seen those from somewhere before. *puts cigarette to mouth* She bought a pair from an underground market. One that I parted from no less."
"[Manami] They were being torn up by this Villain's attack that me and him were fighting. Are you able to fix them?"
"[Hakabi] For fee."
"[Manami] A-a fee? How much?"
"[Hakabi] 300,000¥."
"[Manami] B-but! I already spent so much on them! TT TT"
"[Hakabi] Those parts dont come cheap. Heroes are always tracking illegal weapons like that everyday. Judging from the wear on them, you can probably get some mileage out of them for two more days. If you dont get into another fight like you just did, that is."
"[Manami] But...I dunno how I'll make that kind of money..Without stealing.."
"[Crescent] *sits over the top railing with crossed legs* Someone's lucking out right now. Well if you want, Im game for a good ol' heist."
"[?] Dont be too reckless, Crescent! You'll need some help with my Swarm to make it out without getting caught by a Hero."
"[Reira] Pffft! They'll end up getting squashed like the bugs they are by your average Hero these days, and you know it, Kenta-Kun! 3"
"[Kenta] Dont underestimate my Swarm! If I see too many get wiped out, I'll be more than plenty to take charge and beat the hell outta whoever they throw at us."
"You're really confident in yourself and your bug guys. What's that all about?"
"[Kenta] If you're so curious, I can make alot of Swarm Eggs to do most of the work for me once they hatch. As far as me, I can take on the form of multiple different grasshoppers. It'll definitely keep anyone on their toes."
"So those really were your eggs then..Huh."
"[?] What do you think, Takeshi? Maybe you can help these two out?"
"[Takeshi] Hmm...I dunno..If he's too dangerous for me, 'fraid I cant do nothin'."
"Then what can you do? Got anything other than whatever foxes can do?"
"[Takeshi] Ahem...-V- I uhh...Can use some fire and expand my tail..Im pretty hard to hit...It works for me, ok? -V-;"
"B-better than nothing... ;"
"[?] Shiroko, do you think his Quirk can work on me?"
"[Shiroko] Hmmm..Come to think of it, he shouldnt do too much harm to you, Ganeru."
"Oh really? What's he made of?"
"[Ganeru] My glass body is very dense. I can control how hard and dense I can be at will. I've survived a 2000ft fall without so much as a scratch."
"W-wow, really? Im not sure if I can actually hurt you then."
"[Ganeru] The only one that's been able to crack my body was Shiroko. Kishira was close in the past too."
"[Kishira] Hahaha! Gimme a month and my jaws may end up snapping you in half from just one bite!"
"(T-the shark girl?! How strong would her teeth have to be to not break from biting...All that? O O;;;)"
"[Emiko] Shiro, let me and Cres' handle the little girl with her Quirk. Gan and 'Keshi should help her boyfriend."
"[Kenta] Tch! Look at the lil' brat trying to take charge..Shiro, are you sure that'd be ok?"
"[Shiroko]...I'd say so. For now, that is. I was thinking perhaps Hakabi and Kishira but they'd be too much for him. However...Hakabi, you watch over Crescent and Emiko's side. I'll do the same for the boy's group."
"[Hakabi] Sounds just right to me. Very well then."
"Umm..Can I eat first? Im really hungry now...~ ~;"
"[Shiroko] Hmm. Fine. Reira, mind making some food for our guests?"
"[Reira] Leave it to Reirei~! I'll knock their socks off with what I made for myself earlier! u"
"[Kishira] Tch! Please! What they need is some meat on their bones! I'll fix up a mean steak and fish dish in no time! That'll get 'em pumped!"
"[Reira] No one eats that early in the morning, Ki-Kun! You'll give them cramps for the rest of the day! V"
"[Kishira] *towers over her* If you get in my way, I'll put YOU on the plate!"
"[Shizaki] Hey uhhh..Did I come in at a bad time? ^ ^;"
"Oh uh, Ukie...You..kinda pretty late..Well you can stay. We're just getting around to eating and training our Quirks."
"[Shizaki] Hey that sounds kinda fun! I gotta see this! Mind if I dig in with ya? My fridge is uhh...There- Yeah there's nothin' in it so..."
"[Kishira] Heh, looks like the Scrawny Brothers are in town. Lemme make you two a big ol' plate. Maybe then you'll be half as strong as me. UwU"
"F-fine by me. Can never go wrong with a ton of food in front of you, right? ^ ^;"
"[Shizaki] I'll say! Bring on the food! Im ready to chow down! \u/" he excitedly said, putting an even bigger smile on Kishira's face before racing Reira to the stove as they began cooking. Kishi ended up making Ukie the bigger meal than me and Bravy, being beaten by Rei's faster cooking and the fact she made a meal that was half the size. Me and Brav took our time feeding each other the three omlettes we shared between us, while Ukie was busy with two big rich balls, stuffed full of fish and beef in it. The things were almost half a foot tall! I never seen them look this big before! I was getting jealous til Ukie practically choked on the first one. We finished 15 minutes after him and he ended up passing out on the last ball ^^. Cant blame him though. I didnt think he'd get past the one. Any how, me and Bravy were split up and given our respective trainers for the day, supervised by Shiroko and Hakabi. "*sits on top of an abandonded yacht, lighting another cigarette* No need to rush into it. Start when you're ready" Hakabi told her, "Ok...Im ready for them" Manami replied, "...You look like something's on your mind. Care to tell us?" he asked, "Well..I still dont feel too good from yesterday, so go easy on me but..I...Being out so much feels off to me..and there's...Someone I still have feelings for, but he's in prison..He went in for me.." she told him, "It sounds like he meant quite a bit to you..I'll make sure these two aren't too much to handle given your state" he promises, "*nods* T-thank you..I'll try my best.(Gentle...I wonder how he's doing now..)" she then thought to herself, staring into the lightly clouded skies as Emiko stepped up nonchalantly, blowing a piece of gum. "(The fastest I've ever went was 400mph only using the ground to charge up my flying kicks. Even then, I know Hakabi can stop me on a dime so maybe he wont be antsy if I use 1/5th of that. I'll see if I can turn it up from there) Ok shortstuff, try lookin' alive, k?" Emiko told her [Manami is 3'7 but Emiko is 4'3], "Right. I'll let you start" Bravy replied, giving a more serious look before they begin testing how capable she currently is.
Meanwhile, Hazama happened to be outside, finding dices here and there near alleyways. He found a few notes that further rose his curiosity, trying to figure out who would leave behind such things behind. On his way to a hospital to meet a certain popular figure who he believes is at least loosely connected to his findings, he stops himself once the place was in seeable in the distance. "You're not as sneaky as you think yknow. Think I wouldnt notice after 5 minutes of being followed?" Hazama said before turning around, "*flies down from being 10ft off the ground; lands* So you really were playing along. Guess you needed a bit more time to think eh? I thought you were just gonna lay low all day just like yesterday" Jiki replied, "Well y'see, I was gonna, til I heard some fights happening around me. Couldnt help to do at least a bit of snoopin'. Uncle Haz wants a piece of the action too UuU. I would've went back if it weren't these type of clues I've been findin'. *shows him he notes* Like these for example. Notice anything off about 'em? Different handwrittings. All askin' for help and dropping details on Villains that're runnin' around. These are from victims. Found a bunch of dices too" he told him, "Tch! I really've been looking in the wrong places then..And you were gonna visit Miruko, weren't you? To see what she could gather?" Jiki asked, "Well seeing how you showed up around here when I was on my way to her, you were gonna do the same. That's ok. I'll leave it to you from here. Just check near alleys. It looks like these Villains have been fighting Heroes or attacking civillians in those places" Hazama told him before walking away. The relayed info made Jiki think a bit deeper about the situation. "What exactly are these Villains doing with Genius?" crossed his mind. He continued walking to the hospital, stepping inside minutes later. He asked the desk lady for Miruko's room and was told which one it was. Once he came up to her door, he knocked and she opened it, welcoming him with her usual excited grin as she was in a patient's robe. Jiki pulled up a seat while she layed in her bed, supporting her head with an arm with her leg up.
"What's a guy like you doin' in my room like this? Cant ya see it aint a good time to ask me out when Im this banged up? I may be ok for the most part but they aint lettin' me out for a few more days."
"I aint here for that -v-. Im seein' if you got any hints on current Villain activity around here."
"Well whacha been hearin' so far?"
"Not much, at least on my own. Let's an associate of mine just told me about a few clues. Namely some notes and some die layin' around. Sound familiar?"
"Some die eh? Snake-eyed mask sound familiar to ya?"
"Him...? I rarely worked with him...So he's part of these attacks too. Dammit.."
"Ya never know when a Hero could be workin' for the other side. Can happen at any second."
"...Im realizing that but..Just how many...How many of 'em avre gonna switch up on me like this? Are they all working with Genius?"
"Shocking aint it? Nobody thought he'd try being a big-time Villain. Now look at 'im. Hell look at me. He gave even me a run for my money. u Especially with that Quirk of his. I took some notes about it. Check under the tray over there."
"*lifts the tray on the stoll in front of her bed, grabs the note* Good... *sighs* Ever since I knew him, I always hoped he wouldnt ever be like this..But why? Why's he goin' this far? For what? He was doing good as a Hero...Before he suddenly became inactive and violent, that is..Even then..What could he be planning?"
"Listen kid. I may not be the sharpest in the shed when it comes to MOs and crap like that. But even I know he'd start small after doing what he did and work his way up from there. Think. If he wanted to bully small-fry Heroes, where'd he start? 'Least that's what I'd do if I were a Villain."
"Yknow...That is a thought..Small-fry Heroes...It looks like him and his goons are in the streets, already picking fights..If he were to target them somewhere ele.."
"Here's a hint. Just heard on the news that a group from UA's comin' out to help lock his men up."
"UA...Wait...Dont tell me...HMM! (Of course! Them!)"
"*sees him dash out of the room* Hmph. Took him long enough. Kinda reminds me of me durin' my first year" Miruko said under her breath with a smirk. Though she heard little of his fighting skills, she still had faith in his strength and believes he can stop whatever Genius' Villains. Of course she much rather rough up the Villain in question herself due to her unwavering bloodlust, but she knew it wouldnt be as fun to be beaten so quickly given her condition. Her acute ears happened to pick up on a few names from UA in a previous news announcement on TV, which helped put her mind at ease as well with who are being sent out.
There were two groups. Group A being the farthest out by a few miles, consisting of Bakugo, Tokoyami and Jiro, while Group B had Mina, Kirishima and Ochako; Both teams aiming to sort out the surge of Villain activity around the city. "Ya kiddies ready to give some bad guys a smackdown? Let's let 'em hear it!" Present Mic encouraged them, "You got it! CMON OUT VILLAINS! WE'RE GONNA DOWN EVERY LAST ONE OF YA! OVO" Kirishima shouts out loud, "W-whoa, is it me or is he more pumped than usual? o o;" Ochako reacts, "That's the spirit, lil' Riot! Dont be shy, girls! Maybe matching his vibe'll help get your heads in the game!" their Pro told them, "Imma try! Ahem...I'll show 'em what real stickiness is! u" Mina tried to shout, "...C-could be better. A Plus Ultra could help... ;" Ochako comments, "PLUS ULTRA!" Kirishima and Mina said together with a high-five, bringing a smile to Present Mic's face. Little did they know however that they were being watched, from high above even. "(Just when I thought this was going to be easy. It looks like I'll have to single out the Pro that's with them first. Let's think...If I were to do that..)" Snake-eyes Mask plotted to himself, juggling a set of dice in one hand, deciding which one to use, "What do you think you're doing this high up, Snake-eyes? *sees him turning around* You're up to no good. I've already caught onto your little scheme here...You're trying to pick off each UA student that's been sent out!" Jiki said with conviction, "Are you really going to stop me, Phoenix? Even when you know next to nothing about my Quirk? You've always been such a fool. I was on my way to meet up with a special acquaintance of mine" Snake-eyes Mask replied, "You sound so sure of yourself. Is it really going to beat me when all I'd need is one attack against you?" Jiki said back, "Hmhmhmm. It seems we both believe our Quirks will make short work of our opponent. Only one way to sort this out. But just know this...*holds four dice pieces between fingers* Unlike mine, your Quirk is rather simple..And I know how it works" he said to him with a smirk. A seed of doubt of planted in Jiki's head at that moment. He couldnt help but notice that the Villain is clean, despite putting together that he's fought at least a dozen Heroes today yet not even a scratch can be found on him. However... "I think you forgot my Hero name...*sees his brow jump* When I picked it...*amasses a ball of fire in one hand* I knew my own Quirk could kill me in any fight...That was the day I knew if I became a Hero it'd be the same as throwing my life away...! *pitches the fireball at him* THAT'S WHY IM THE MORTAL PHOENIX!" he shouts, "*sees it suddenly become 10 times bigger* ! (It can grow now?!) *throws out three dice pieces, which connect to each other with a beam, forming a sort of ring among them* (No matter. I knew I had the right sets with me) *sees the fireball disappear when it goes througnh the expanded ring* Consider your attack negated, Phoenix" Snake-eyes Mask told him, "But! But how...? (Dammit! That was 1/3rd of my life just now..Just how'll I get around this?)" Jiki thinks to himself, "It's clear that this is a mismatch. You can give up now and I'll sweep this under the rug" he suggests, "You got another thing comin' if you think Im stopping here! Consuming Wings!" Jiki shouts, "! (Yet another new move?!) *jumps back with a die falling out of overcoat's pocket, catches it and is warped right above the attack* (Good! That Luck Die landed on the right sides in my hand) *sees how the blast resembled a set of fire wings and notices it return to Jiki* (What's this now?)" thought Snake-eyes, "('I admire your willingness, but what use do ya really got when you just throw your lives away to win? Here. Lemme give you some ideas'. Thank you, Hawks...) *has the flame wings snap to back, then extend to wrists* (With your help, I can use my fire little by little to win battles like this) *gathers fire bits at the edge of thumb while cuffing a hand* Rapid Feathers!" he shouts out, flicking flames down at his opponent as they become more feather-like in shape as he was flying around him. Shocked for a moment, Snake-eyes dodges the flurry of shots with impressive agility and with the help of small shields of dice to bounce the incoming fire (no pun intended). "I think I get it now..*sees him look up* You're showing your hand a bit. Those dice blocks of your's...You can control them telepathically, can you?" Jiki figured out, "More of less. They have a bit of a mind of their own. Now what will you do about this?" he replied, throwing sets of die his way, "(What's he up to?) *throws out a wave of fire at them but the dice blocks fly past them* (WHAT?!)" he reacts, having them hit his head, snapping his neck backwards, "Those are my Cluster Dice. A bit of overkill but they multiply the weight of one another when together like that. Though, as you've probably noticed by now. All my die are indestructable. *sees him struggle to move and start slowly falling* You seem rather occupied. Enjoying the multiplying weight of whatever they also touch? Looks like I got many Evens to land that time. Well, if you're so busy, allow me to take my lea-" he was saying, "YOU AREN'T GOING ANYWHERE! BIG BANG BULLET!" Jiki shouts, shooting a huge 50ft feather shot with a powerful flick of her thumb at Snake-eyes Mask, "How futile. *tosses a 10-sided die in the air and catches it, warping to ground level of the building as he watches the top of it blow up as Jiki falls after wasting his life* You usually come back afterwards in no time. Looks like that doesnt happen for an attack like that. *throws his body to the ground* You gave me a bit of a scare but oh well. Have a nice nap while I have some kids to terrorize" he said with a smirk, "Not while Im here" he suddenly heard, making his heart skip a beat upon hearing. In seconds, Snake-eyes was surrounded by many shifty clones of a man in a tux, all of which are speeding around him. "You're making too much noise close to my gang's territory. Im afraid I'll have to take care of you" he said, "! (W-what's going on here?! I dont know which one of them spoke just now!) *digs in several pockets in overcoat* Let's see you handle this many of my dice pieces! With the many shapes they have, there's no way you can-" he was saying, "Child's play. *catches all of them with clones before they land* Leave the dice throwing to games like Poker" he told him, "! What's this?! You're supposed to be unable to move! Aren't any of them weighing you down!? (What the hell is this?! My Quirk doesnt have any weaknesses! How is it that it has one all of a sudden?!)" he reacts, "Sorry to break it to you, but the game's over. Maybe I should send you to a circus...In a bodybag..!" he said, having his blinking clones punch and kick him around, brutally grabbing while socking him in the jaw, making him bleed out in seconds. The next moment he find himself on his knees, his mask full of dice blocks of ones cracked almost all the way off, still staring at a bunch of the mysterious man's clones as they were going to finish him off. "Gah...! A-aaahkk..! (My jaw's locked up and I cant feel my ribs or legs..I..cant...move..!) *sees one of them have a cigarette in his mouth* (There! That's gotta be the real one!) Got..cha! *throws a die at the clone with a lit cigarette but it phases through him* HUUUH!?" Snake-eyes reacts, "Tch. If that's all you have, you're through" he said, "*sees all of them leap this way with a winded up punch* NO NO NO! PLEASE WAAAAIT!" he begged before receiving a simulatneous punch from many of his clones, but rather than taking alot of damage from this, his mind shatters, flopping to the ground with his mouth wide open and his eyes rolled upwards. "*crotches next to him, tapping cigarette over him* Now he should be out for the next 36 hours. Plenty of time for Heroes to pick him up" Hakabi said to himself, "I heard it over here! It was really loud! Let's hope he isnt dead!" Kirishima said in the distance, "Speak of the devil. Well my work here's done" Hakabi comments before disappearing in a shifty manner without a trace being left. "*watches them attend to Snake-eyes Mask* How sad. A fellow gentleman struck down in such a ghastly manner. By a incredible foe no less. I should be weary of threats like him. If only I knew where he went..*looks into the distance* Oh my sweet little La Brava...Where are you? How much must I venture these lands before I can see that smile of your's again?" Gentle asked himself before leaping off of rubber pads of air, seeking one of the other members within Genius' group.
Shortly, he rendezvous with another person he was supposed to me. A young lady, that is. At an abandonded building among a dozen others around it. When Gentle found her, she's seen strung up in webs of water, with a water tentacle coming out of her eye socket, with Raikimitsu sat next to her, looking like he's become a husk. "! Oh my! Young girl, you look as if you're falling apart! This is sickening!" Gentle reacts, "Hmhmmhhmmhmhmhmmm...Dont worry...I've never felt better...*raises head at him with a crocked smile* Once Yusao is completely fused with my body..I'll have him all to myself...And that little girlfriend of his... u ~~~" Mukura told him, "If you so much as lay a finger on my La Brava...! SO HELP ME-!" he was shouting, "I wont...I'll make it fast...Reeeal fast...I'll replace her...I'll be his true lover... " she was declaring, "(Gh! How delusional..What a foul lady she's become!) D-dont cause me any problems. Do I make myself clear? (By hook or by crook, I'll do whatever it takes to get closer to my La Brava..Even if it going with this inital partnership and taking down this lot of freakish fiends soon after)" Gentle declares to himself before residing a room to himself, further trying to scheme against the group he is loosely allied with. It was daytime with 5pm drawing near, and he wanted answers. From this point on, he decided to narrow down a list of locations, and readied a sheet for Villains he plans to hunt; To beat, interrogate and draw as many clues from them as possible. All so that he can find the one he loves the most.