dear_mun | Time flies when you're busy with work

[ 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. ]

[That picture, of Wild Tiger and Origami!Barnaby grinning like idiots, is already storming the net! When Barnaby comes into the office the next morning, he finds a copy on his desk, along with a Post-It saying “SMILE!” It’s also going to be Kotetsu’s wallpaper. He will regularly point it out to his partner, saying loudly, “See, THAT’S how you should be cute, Bunny!”

That’s tomorrow, though. Tonight, some of the restaurant servers are running up, including Laura, who grins, “You two are coming back to dinner, right?!”]

What do you think, Birthday Boy?

((OOC: Think this is a good place to wrap it up?))

[ Ivan blinks at Laura when she runs up to them. Does she know? Does she know Mr. Tiger's true identity and now Origami's? He glances at Mr. Tiger, but he doesn't catch his eye. Oh, that's right. They were Wild Tiger and Barnaby Brooks Jr. when they left the restaurant. Maybe that's what Laura means.

Well, Ivan still wants to know what "real rice" is supposed to taste like. ]

It would be rude to turn down the offer.

[[ OOC: It is. Thank you for the fun thread! ]]

Alright! Dinner time!

[Who knows what secrets lurk in the hearts of men? Hospitality employees. When Laura brings the food (3 kinds of rice!), she produces a couple of Hero cards and quietly asks for autographs. The images are Wild Tiger (not so unusual, he's more popular these days) and... Origami Cyclone. Turns out she's a fan, too!

Maybe she remembers the blond boy who was at Kotetsu's table earlier. Maybe not. But hey, Origami's a master of disguise - who could prove anything?]

((OOC: You're welcome, thank YOU! Your Ivan is adorable!))

Time flies when you're busy with work

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

Sorry late, out of town!

No worries. Been busy with work on my end

no subject

no subject

Yay Origami! :D

Pretend this is older Barnaby in the icon

Awwwwww!

=3

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

no subject

Happy Birthday Origami!