dear_mun | Time flies when you're busy with work

[ Ivan will still insist on taking up part of the bill. ]

Mr. Tiger?

[ The air in the restaurant changes dramatically, and Ivan is at the edge of his seat, fingering something in his pockets as he keeps violet eyes on the door. He keeps more than just origami paper in his cargo pants. A ninja needs to be prepared. ]

[Ivan can try, but it's his birthday, so Kotetsu is going to feign temporary deafness. Hey, the ears start to go when you get old!

What doesn't go is instinct. Frowning, Kotetsu turns his head slightly - not enough to give away he's paying attention to the unwelcome patrons.

Laura and a sweating man who has to be the owner make their way to the door. The conversation starts low, urgent, but one snatch rises above the rest. "-up, my friend. Where's our money?"]

Hmm.

[He palms his domino mask where Ivan can see it.]

[ Five small metal shuriken and a number of origami shuriken are on the table, and the situation will tell him what he needs to throw and where. Maybe they can get out of this without a fight. The restaurant is too crowded. There's too big of a risk of a civilian getting injured if it escalates. ]

What should we do? Has this happened before?

Sounds like a shakedown - there's a couple of gangs around here who would pull that.

[It appears the owner is handing over cash. This isn't HeroTV. Technically, he and Origami don't HAVE to do anything. They could just let the thugs turn around and walk away, let the police "handle" it, let the small folk go about their little lives. In the grand scheme, does it matter?

Kotetsu can see Laura's face, teeth clenched tight. That's her paycheck they're taking. Hell yes it matters. Looking over at Origami, he sees the shuriken and the frown. Good. They're doing this.

Unfortunately, the other patrons are definitely a problem. Also, while Kotetsu's got his mask, Ivan is without his armor... unless he disguises himself... Hmm...]

Hey, pretend I'm drunk and you're a server escorting me to the door. Did you get a good enough look at their uniforms?

I did but... I didn't touch anyone. I can't shapeshift into them...

[ So that idea isn't going to work, but what else could they do. ]

Wait here.

[ Ivan makes his way to the restroom but is hardly there a second before Barnaby Brooks Jr. leaves and sits where Ivan was. ]

This might work...

[A good idea, but that is definitely getting attention. Whispers of "Barnaby!" rumble through the restaurant, and they're growing louder. People turn to look.]

[At the change in conversation, one of the thugs glances up. He double-takes (who would expect the King of Heroes here?!), then bolts out the door. The others tear off behind him.]

Crap!

[The chase is on!]

[ Oh.

That... wasn't exactly what Ivan was going for. ]

Let's go, Mr--Old Man!

[ Forgive Ivan. He's not the best actor, but right now he's too busy trying to make his way to the door to give chase. ]

[Vaulting over a table, Kotetsu rockets past Laura and her boss. He can sense Bunny - no Origami right behind him. He's got to remember it's Origami, not his partner. Still, it's enough of a likeness that somehow Kotetsu forgets he could call the real Bunny.

Outside, snow drifts down in lacy sheets. He's just in time to see one of the thugs duck into an alley, and tears off after the figure.

But where are the other two?]

[ As long as Ivan keep up with the speed Barnaby's long legs give him (and Ivan's natural behavior of photobombing), Kotetsu won't have to worry about losing Ivan in some back-alley.

The thugs however... Ivan sees the one that Kotetsu saw, but he missed the other two. He hadn't heard a jet pack, so that couldn't have been a way of escaping. Splitting up to search would probably help find the other two, but Ivan doesn't want to leave Kotetsu's side. ]

... Did we lose them?

[As they round the corner, they spot another running figure ahead of the first. At the end of the alley is a car, engine revving.]

Oh no you don't!

[Kotetsu fires his cable, swinging up and landing on top of the car. Scrambling over, he yanks open the driver's door and pulls him - no, her - out.]

Ori-BUNNY! The other two!

(OOC: Boy I really hope none of these guys is a NEXT, that would just be SO inconvenient! ;) )

[ Ivan lacks the same fancy gadget to help him close the distance, but he throws a shuriken at the foot of the nearest crook.

The shuriken stops mid-air and clatters to the ground. The dark alleyway is awash with a blue light.

One's a telekinetic NEXT! "The hell?" the man sputters as he kicks away the offending weapon. "Why the hell does Barnaby have one of these?"

The other man also begins to glow, and large rocks form and rise around him, a NEXT with control of earth. "It looks like we have a bottom dweller here. Change of plans, we go through Origami."

Ivan throws more of his shuriken, but none hit their targets. Damn it! This seems very familiar. ]

[Cement and bricks begin tearing out of the street. Both men start toward Origami, combining their powers into a wall of glowing rubble.]

Shit.

[Better call this in after all. Kotetsu shifts his prisoner to a headlock and activates the communicator.]

This is Wild Tiger! We've got two rogue NEXT down here on Bronze level! They just robbed a restaurant and they're resisting -

[Suddenly, the woman begins glowing too. Waves of heat radiate out, so hot Kotetsu's forced to let go. He jumps back, shaking his hand.

She laughs. " 'Robbers?' Please. We prefer "Insurance Agents!"]

Make that three! Suits would be REALLY GREAT!

[ Oh. That's... going to hurt. Ivan looks around frantically for some escape route, but his back is literally against a wall now.

Ivan jumps to the nearby fire escape. He barely catches Tiger hoping away from the woman. ]

They're telekinetic, earth based, and... something based NEXTs.

[ "Something? Be more specific, Origami!" comes another voice on the comm. But Ivan doesn't have time to reply as the fire escape shakes violently from the bricks it's anchored into beginning to be tugged out of the walls. ]

Uwaaaah!

Hey! It’s me you should be worried about! What kind of operation is this, taking innocent people’s pay?!

[Tiger activates his own power, spikes of electric blue dancing across his arms and legs. His lunge comes so fast Origami's attackers drop most of the debris and lose focus on the younger Hero.]

'Insurance Agents!' HA! You threatened the restaurant, right?! You’re running some kind of... Insurance Hockey Stick - Uh -um - who cares what it’s called, it sucks!

[“Protection Racket,” Tiger.]

[Oh well. Hopefully that impassioned speech has struck fear into the criminals hearts! ...Or at least given Origami enough time to shift into a different form?]

[ The three NEXT criminals gawk at Tiger. "'Insurance Hockey Sticks' Really?" The telekinetic laughs. "What a bunch of clowns we're up against."

"All right, we'll show them what our hockey sticks can do." Pillars of cement and asphalt rise from the ground. One of which gets cut in half and falls to the ground. "What the hell was that?!"

Despite lacking his suit, Ivan is proving himself quite armed. Don't ask where his fuuma shuriken came from. ]

Please do not count myself out yet.

[Tiger doesn’t care where Origami was hiding that, he’s just really glad to hear the familiar whistle! He ducks as it goes screaming by again, then follows right after. Scrambling away, one thug bumps right into Kotetsu. With a crack the man crumples, unconscious.]

Clowns, huh?

[He flashes a quick grin at Origami. He’s impressed - Ivan had every reason to duck and cover, but he’s still standing in the center. Still wearing Bunny, no less, the most attention-grabbing figure possible. The kid really has grown!

More cement rips from the ground. Looks like it was the telepath Kotetsu nailed, not the Earth-type.]

[ He doesn't have time to really think about how much he has grown or not. Ivan has to move and keep moving. With the telekinetic NEXT out of the picture, he no longer needs to worry about his shuriken being snatched out of the air. He continues throwing them, using Barnaby's height and speed to his advantage.

A piece of cement hits Ivan, but he stop until he's thrown his last shuriken. Then he goes to kick the criminal towards Kotetsu. ]

Catch!

[Tiger can’t resist.]

Here’s the punchline!

[As his fist lands, the alley floods with light. The cameras are here, even if the other Heroes aren’t. +200 each to Origami Cyclone and Wild Tiger for two criminals down!

Of course, there’s still the woman. The air around her ripples, waves of heat radiating out. This has obviously been building since the fight started. Kotetsu can feel the skin on his face prickling, like the beginning stages of a sunburn. He edges back - he and Origami are at opposite ends of the alley, with the woman in between.

She frowns. “Alright, then. I’m taking you both seriously, so here’s a serious proposition. Get out of my way, and I leave the restaurant alone. Of course you might stop me - but without suits, I wonder how well you’ll handle the burns?”

As she takes a step toward Origami, some dumpsters next to her warp. Paint blisters and peels off nearby walls. ]

(OOC: Her power is heat-related, but no flames. Think microwaves or radiation.)

Edited 2014-01-12 22:42 (UTC)

[ Ivan remembers what it felt like in that parking lot as Lunatic tried to murder Edward. Even without the flames, this heat is very much the same. It's harder to breathe. Beads of sweat appear on his forehead. They aren't going to last long in this environment.

But what can Ivan do? He can't get close, and he can't use his weapons. They're metal as well. If only Blue Rose was here. She could take this woman on, or would her attacks only turn to water? ... Water?

Ivan's eyes go wide and lock onto something across the street. ]

Mr. Tiger! Behind you!

[ The Crusher of Justice isn't too far from a fire hydrant. ]

What - Oh!

[Tiger leaps for the hydrant. He’s not sure how much time he has left, but it can’t be much. With a great heave, he wrenches off the cap on the side. Water blasts into the alley. Huge clouds of steam erupt as it hits the woman’s shields, so thick the streets are choked.]

Origami? Origami?!

[Kotetsu hopes he didn’t hit Ivan. He peers through the fog.]

[ Ivan will appear out of the clouds of steam soaked, but it's with the woman knocked out in his arms. A princess carry, of course. Above them come the choppy noises of a helicopter and with it Hero TV. Mario's voice gives a quick update on this situation before they cut to commercials. It'll be a news blurb at most, not the exciting ratings Agnes wants because most of this happened off camera. However, it's something.

What's with Mr. Tiger giving people points for their birthdays? ... Or does Barnaby get the points because the viewers will see Barnaby and not Origami Cyclone? He did call... they know it's him, right? ]

We should probably tie the three of them up until the police arrive...

[Hey, points are a great present! You don’t even have to wrap them! Kotetsu flashes a thumbs up and a huge grin to Ivan. Kid even got in a dramatic princess carry - impressive!]

Way to go! Nice style!

[The HeroTV chopper lands as they’re tying up the criminals in in Tiger’s lasso. Mario runs up, brandishing the microphone in excitement!

“...And that’s 355 points for Wild Tiger and 405 for Origami Cyclone! Congratulations Origami, that takes you out of last place for the first time this season! ”]

[ ... He's out of last place? Ivan gives Mario a blank stare as he tries to process what he just said. Then it clicks.

He's out of last place!

Has anyone seen Barnaby smile as wide as he is right now? Despite not seeing Ivan's real face, the public is getting a glimpse of the person behind the mask. There's nothing to hide Ivan's expression. Even as he tries to get back into character with the kabuki moves (while still being Barnaby), his face screams joy. ]

I was just doing my duty as a hero of this city.

[ How giddy Ivan looks contradicts the humbleness his words. Maybe he can last longer than a day out of last place! ]

[Off camera, Wild Tiger doubles over, choking back snickers. The suave “King of Heroes” making Origami’s “Schoo schoo!” noises is simply too much! That smile though - that's nice. He's never seen Bunny or Ivan beam like that!

When Mario turns to Tiger, he quickly composes himself. Must be a slow night if they both get screen time!

“So what do you think of your new 'partner,' Tiger?”]

Bunny better watch out, I may keep this one!

[Then he notices the small crowd spilling out of the restaurant. Grinning, he slings an arm around Ivan/Bunny’s shoulders, and waves enthusiastically.]

Smile Origami, those are called “fans!”

[ He knows what fans are, Mr. Tiger! He does have some popularity among the younger viewers, but this is a whole different kind of appreciation. It's more than just "Where's Origami?" It's appreciation for being a hero.

The fan forums are going to go crazy over this new facet of Origami they've discovered. There are some heroes who shouldn't go on camera without a mask on... or one that can't make the same expressions Ivan's currently making. (Sorry about your image, Barnaby.)

He meekly waves, with a faint blush tinting his cheeks. Ivan knows he should say something, but truthfully, he's speechless. ]

Time flies when you're busy with work

/noms the cookie!

Re: /noms the cookie!

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Happy New Year!

Happy New Year to you as well!

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Sorry late, out of town!

No worries. Been busy with work on my end

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Yay Origami! :D

Pretend this is older Barnaby in the icon

Awwwwww!

=3

Somehow, I don't think Barnaby will mind TOO much...

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Happy Birthday Origami!