ONE MILLION.

GUNGNIRCLAD:

ƒ. Bikki didn’t even think twice about it. The moment her eyes crossed paths with the other she didn’t saw the sight of someone doing something out of need but pleasure. Her right gauntlet transformed into a turbine as soon as she actived her gear once again. ❝ We’re getting to those cables whether you want it or not, you discount Frankestein! ❞ Those trash talk lessons from Makoto were really bearing fruit. 

The strong wind gust shot produced by her punch was strong enough to dispel half of the flames in front of them, effectively making a sort of tunnel for both of them. Bikki’s Gungnir would more or less protect her from gruesome burn injuries but Mirio wasn’t so fortunate. ❝ Mirio-san now!❞

@kizuatto·> @lemillione·

The instant strong gust of wind had taken Dabi aback and he watches as half of his flames dissipate under the strength of the blow. Shit. Another wind-wielding brat. And just when he was starting to give them credit for their wisecracks, they just had to go and ruin it for him by leaving so soon. What happened to decency these days?

Whatever. Before the two could so much as take a step, he beats them to it— raising his hand and sending a burst of flames exploding straight from his palm and to their direction with the intent of incinerating them right then and there.

❝Hey now, I was starting to warm up to you guys! You’ve really hurt my feelings just then!❞ 

@lemillione· > @gungnirclad··

         just as fast as the flames dissipated do they return, sending mirio jumping and stumbling backwards. unluckily for him, part of his already once repaired hero suit is set ablaze and a gloved hand quickly attempts to pat it out. though he manages to extinguish the flame, his suit isn’t fire-proof -- in fact, it isn’t even repaired with strands of his hair -- it was just plain spandex. accordingly, more than just his suit is burned. in a flash, the flesh of his shoulder is exposed and he grimaces, holding back from letting out a cry. cupping his hand over it, he turns back to the other. the pain is immense but as long as he distracted himself from it, he can still fight.

         ❛ like you even have feelings! toying with people’s lives like they’re ants! ❜ and if this guy continues to stall them, keeping them from cutting the cables, then there wasn’t really a choice here. from a distance, their moves were predictable and he’ll just send another wave of flames in their direction. they couldn’t proceed recklessly or they’ll end up in ashes. so they have to think through this instead of running. 

         ❛ we’ll have to think of something else. we can’t continue with how fast he can send out more flames. if we can get close enough, i’m sure we can handle him. but from here, it’s no good. ❜

NANAMIGATARI:

The combined words didn’t dissuade Nanami from leaving her self-assigned post. They did, however, cause her knit her brows in mild confusion for a moment. 

“But I’m not hurting anyone. I’m only plucking weeds,” she spoke, gesturing at some of her handiwork with one wide-sweeping arm. “When they all came to me, begging and pleading me to let them through when I couldn’t, what other choice did I have but to stamp them out?“

Clicking her tongue in disagreement, Nanami moved in closer to the pair. Her walk was slow, casual, and as calm as the smile sitting upon her lips. Not even her voice had shifted in tone, only gaining a tinge of mild amusement. 

“Caring about people put alongside you by circumstance… I’ll still never understand you or humans. Then again, I’ve been nothing but a weapon since my birth. Maybe that’s a good thing. …Or a bad thing. Whichever likely doesn’t matter.“

Nanami smiled openly at Hibiki and Mirio now, the corners of her mouth as sharp as her eyes. She really did seem happy- the same sort of happy a pike would express upon seeing some ducklings. 

“Hibiki… Ah, I still remember your name. You spent time with me when you didn’t have to. You’re sweet. Confusing, but very sweet,“ she noted, looking past Mirio once more. “I’ll give you and your friend the chance to turn around and go back the way you came. If you don’t, well… I’ll kill you. Both of you. Simple as that.“

A mirthless laugh snaked its way out of her mouth.

“Which would be a shame, because I genuinely do wish to die. The scenery doesn’t matter.“

@gungnirclad· > @lemillione·

ƒ. She wasn’t backing off no matter how hard she tried, wasn’t she? How… emotionless could you become? Now that her head was slightly calmer, she did never see her actually smile during their time together. Was this woman that lost? No, not a chance in hell she would let someone go as irredeemable they may seem initially… Even if they willingly killed people? She had allied herself with killers before but, in the end, they shared some kind of worry for mankind and the general good, even if their hands were stained in blood. 

Would she be able to form some kind of connection with her? There didn’t seem to be anything inside those eyes. Just a void with some glances of someone shining quietly drowning amidst the darkness. Act now, Tachibana. 

❝  Noone else is dying by your hand today, even you and I won’t let you die. ❞ A beep was the sound that preceded turmoil as her gear activated once more. Why she despised her existence so much could wait for another day, time was something they couldn’t waste at all. 

SYSTEM ALL GREEN. LIMITED OPERATION. 16:30… 16:29….

The rockets on her feet ignited as she rushed forwards, time to analyze what she could do. If she easily killed these many people then the relic user shouldn’t take her lightly at all. ❝  Mirio-san! Go ahead! I’ll restrain her! ❞

@lemillione· > @nanamigatari·

         to hear her classify all these bodies -- alive or not -- as mere weeds, instead of people, people with souls, lives, it unnerves mirio far greater than the words that follow. so even someone with such a sweet appearance could be capable of such cruel actions. still, it was more surprising that she still felt nothing for them, not an ounce of pity or regret -- almost as if it was as simple as swatting a fly. the laugh that escape her lips sends a chill up his spine. such a dangerous person, there’s no way mirio was going to let her roam around freely like this. 

         so despite hibiki’s attempt to create an opening for him so that they can finish the mission -- their reason for coming here -- he doesn’t take the opportunity. far too often he let his comrade take the fall for him. and though it was one time, it was one time too many. 

         ❛ no! i’m not leaving you, tachibana-san. ❜ he’s made up his mind and his voice resonates his resolve. it’s not because he didn’t trust that she couldn’t make it out alive or anything. mirio’s quite aware of hibiki’s capabilities from their sparing sessions and nanami is the one who should be careful. ❛ your gear will run out soon and then what will you do? of course, i’m going to fight with you! ❜

The feeling of steel caressing his skin was greatly missed! He’s longed for his sword, his daggers, all his gadgets and explosives. But what he missed the most was no mere weapon or toy, but his own strength. Sonic could tell already that which was stripped from him had been returned! The storm that rages on and the pitch black that ensues is little more than a distraction. Only those lame heroic loser would fear the darkness!

❝ Heh. Does it really matter? I fight for myself. And if teaming up with those Null freaks means I get my abilities back then so be it. ❞ That weapon he’d been tapping against the palm of his hand swishes out and points towards Miri’s face. ❝ I’ll have to kill you if you get in my way. Now move. ❞

         now their first encounter was anything but normal. still, mirio wasn’t expecting to turn against the fellow accidental nudist so soon. then again, perhaps it was wrong of him to deem the other a an ally at first glance -- mirio’s even offered his pants to him! so to hear that he’s unfortunately sided with the people of NULL, it stings a bit. 

         arms raise instinctively, immediately sensing the other as a threat. even with the sword in his face, beady eyes are unrelenting. he doesn’t even flinch or hold his breath -- just waits patiently for any sign of further aggression.

📚Dortin squeals as a monster runs into his direction like a massive bulldozer. He’s trying to move, but he can’t convince his legs to start running. Ahh, why is everything so much more difficult without his big brother around? Then, just mere moments before the monster clashes with him, he’s being picked up. The dwarf yelps, but quickly realizes there’s no pain at all. He’s a little bit in disbelief, though. Someone really came to rescue him? Instinctively, Dortin clings onto the arm that holds him. His voice is shaky, but he’s doing his best to thank properly anyway.

“Th— thank you mister, for saving me!”

         a squeal from somewhere nearby sends mirio turning his heel without even a second of hesitation. by now, even his ears were keen to cries of distress. immediately rounding a corner, skidding to a halt, he finally meets the defenseless boy on the ground. in front of him -- moving at an incredible pace -- was a monster he’s never seen before. its fangs bared and its giant claws raised, it was ready to strike. 

         gritting his teeth, mirio makes a dash for the boy, scooping him up in his arms and instantly turning tail. there is no way he can fight the thing with the boy so close, so their only plan is to find somewhere safe for now. as soon as the other speaks, he lowers his head, turning his ear so he can properly catch his words.

Himiko thought that the hero had a weird appearance, but it seemed he had a weird personality to match; at least, in her opinion. He wasn’t her type, nor did she consider him as someone she could make friends with– so, in her mind he barely existed. Unfortunately for Himiko, in this situation he was hard to ignore.

At his words, she gave a rude, but short exhale. “Why would I–? Aw, forget it.” 

He didn’t understand her quip, but, perhaps that was for the best.

“I didn’t need you to catch me, anyway. I would’ve landed on my feet.”

That statement was debatable, but Himiko seemed quite confident about it. With another huff, she turned to the side, wondering what to do now; she didn’t want to hang around anywhere that heroes were, but, could the other blond be useful…? 

“What are you even doing here anyway? Shouldn’t you be helping some old person cross the street or something?”

         the confidence paired with her words only assure him that she would’ve been fine on her own, able to land somehow -- like a cat -- on her feet after a fall like that. aside from her tone and how she seems to... detest his existence or something, she looks fine. that’s certainly what mirio hoped. villain or not, she didn’t appear outright hostile. though her words do sting a bit. 

         ❛ i’m sorry for inconveniencing you then, ❜ there’s a hint of hurt in his voice but mirio’s quick to jump back -- refusing to allow her words to linger for long. still, he doesn’t regret helping her. especially because well... despite what other’s may have told him, he still greatly enjoyed helping people. even things like finding runaway animals or defeating villains -- all of it was part of a hero’s duty. still, he’ll have to come to terms with the fact that maybe, not everyone wants to be saved -- and by him.

It was all she could do at this moment. She can only hope that someone, anyone that was inside already had the ability to at least protect themselves and the rest of the people in this building from the lightning that always dared to hit Pandora’s Cafe. It was always close but not quite. Hansol can protect from the rain, from the wind even, but from lightning that striked anywhere? Impossible. She’s worried, but if she showed her worry outward, then….she’d get everyone inside worried as well and she couldn’t do that. 

At least they didn’t have to worry about a NULL attacking (Not that they would….would they?) and they didn’t have to worry about the monsters. They couldn’t get in and she wanted to believe they were smart enough to know if they tried to get in, they’d disintegrate before they could say ‘eat’ or something, before they could even open their mouth to say a word, really. 

Hansol can see from afar, through the window she’s looking through that someone is approaching. She can see clearly, thanks to her keen senses. Two people! She’s quick to open the door and allow one of the flames to disappear, if only to allow the guy and the woman to come in, “Yes, yes! Please come inside!” She’s holding out her hand to give him assistance, but when she does, she can see those blasted monsters coming their way. First chance they get, huh? 

“Quick get inside.”  She’ll gently but urgently push the stranger further into the circle of flames and step out. When she does, the fox fire is lit up behind her, blocking and protecting. There’s only three monsters so this won’t be much of a trouble. HOPEFULLY just a warning would suffice?

Hansol growls threateningly, all nine tails swaying a way she’d give off a warning to them. She lowers her body, ready to attack. The moment they’re about to leap toward her to get a chunk out, Hansol casts her fox fire, causing just ashes to be in the place of the monsters. 

“…”She’s moving back, back into Pandora’s cafe, “Fred…You’re the assistant manager, right? And you have some abilities, I’m sure will help protect this place, do you think….do you think you can watch over?” Fred looked so confused, but didn’t bother asking why. He had a hunch he knew the answer, “I’d like you to make sure the people here are safe. You won’t have to worry about the monsters or anything but…” She sighs, “you won’t be alone. “Dora, Pam, and Flo will be helping you too. I want to find those wires here. IF it’s a chance that we’ll be able to be safe and stop this madness, I think that’s the best course of action.” 

Now, her attention is on the guy that had just came, with the elderly. She didn’t WANT to take him with her, but…

“Would you like to accompany me?” She knew he’d be capable. SURE, she’s worried, frightened that something’ll happen to him, but she wouldn’t want someone to tell her ‘you can’t come’ so she wouldn’t do that to him. She’ll give him the option.

         as soon as she ushers them inside, mirio ducks his shivering body into the warmth of the cafe. gently setting down the elderly woman on a seat, he rushes to grab her a couple napkins to dry off. though only a cafe, it seems like there are already more than just a handful of people in here. the atmosphere is heavy but with the manager -- he assumes -- in charge, outside and offering aid, people are hopeful. and right now, that’s all he can wish for. 

         ❛ are you going to be okay, ma’am? would you like more napkins? ❜ he asks without even bothering to dry himself off, leaving small puddles everywhere he walked. the woman shakes her head slowly, reassuring mirio that she’ll be fine after some rest. if he could protest, he’d offer to stay by her side until the storm wears off, or until everyone got home safely. 

         but it would seem there are more important matters. outside, growls and roars echo over the sound of thunder. who would’ve thought that they’ve been followed -- still, it's quite slick of them to do so. the fox girl turns to him, asking for assistance. mirio’s caught a bit of the conversation between her and the assistant manager, and from the assistant manger's shaky and confused expression, he wasn’t entirely confident he can hold the fort while she was gone. despite his drenched hero outfit ( which will definitely be in need of another repair ), mirio -- lemillion -- still exudes the aura of a do-good hero.

         with a firm nod and a clenched fist to his chest, he turns back to the elderly lady once more. ❛ don’t worry, the people here are good people. please get some rest and a hot bath if possible. ❜ she waves him off, muttering something like ‘ quit your worrying, i’m old but i’m not at death’s door yet ‘, or something.

GUNGNIRCLAD:

LIMITED OPERATION. STAND BY. 06:55… 06:55…

ƒ.Her legs were starting to feel the weight of her whole frame. All this action was taking a toll on her body yet pure adrenaline kept those effects at their minimum. She still remained surprised that Mirio without nearly as much weekly training as her could keep up effortlessly. Just, how much endurance did this guy have? 

Hibiki’s sight didn’t even consider looking anywhere else than forwards as they approached the next hole. She didn’t even care about this whole tug of power between these Stars and GPU but if this was going to help return everything to normalcy, then she sure as hell would help. She didn’t want to come back, not now not with all the people she has met thus far. 

A blue-ish flare at around 50 meters from them forced her to halt her march, a deep, almost rotten smell of burned flesh and metal penetrating her nostrils. ❝ W-What the… ❞

I wonder if this fight was better in the manga… @kizuatto· > @lemillione·

❝Whoa!❞ A laugh tumbles out of the pyromaniac’s lips as he quickly regains his balance just after he felt the ground lurch under his boots mere seconds ago. He sees several civilians scrambling back to their feet in attempts of avoiding the flourishing flames scattered generously around the vicinity, most already withdrawing from trying to get to the wires situated beneath the city.

After a quick check on his phone though, he still sees one lone access point exposed around the corner and he doesn’t waste another second standing around. But as he nears his destination, his eyes catch sight of two brave idiots already making their way to the access point— comically dressed like they came straight of a cheesy comic book. With just a quick flick of his wrist, he sends a rush of flames to block their path.

❝Playtime is over, kids! Save it for Halloween!❞

@lemillione· > @gungnirclad·

        if it weren’t for the voice that follows the rush of blue flames, mirio would’ve ran straight into it. with the hole just barely out of grasp, separated by the wall of brilliant blue, he nearly falls forward with how fast his instincts reels him back. a scrunch of his nose and a few steps backward, the student definitely recognizes these flames. his gaze turns wild as he searches for the infamous villain with the quirk to match. and as soon as his beady eyes find his target, they widen, and the usual cheery and upbeat mirio is now scowling.

        ❛ the only one playing around is you! do you really think the GPU people will send you back home? and here i thought the league of villains were smarter than that. ❜

NANAMIGATARI:

As it turned out, Nanami didn’t have to venture far to find a nearby wire source. There was one in her own Ward, tucked away from her central neighborhood. After taking note of how the hole leading to the cable periodically opened and closed, she sat near the entryway to the empty lot that housed the pit and awaited any intruders. Some had indeed come in the past few hours, trying to get past her.

That probably explained the few prone bodies of a few men and at least one woman haphazardly lying around on the ground in their own dark puddles of red.

“Hibiki. Who is this? He’s being much too noisy and talking about things I don’t understand. Or am inclined to.“

She looked from the larger fellow before her to the blonde standing just behind him. Her expression didn’t waver at all, a mix between mildly annoyed and boredom.

“If by robot, you mean that girl we all saw, Ofiuco, then that’s really none of my business. I don’t care what she is doing or what is happening to this city, as I don’t live here. Neither do you.“

“There exists a chance for me to leave Spirale instead of waiting around here and doing nothing, Hibiki. So unless you stopped by to say hello and introduce your friend to me, then please leave. I can’t guarantee your safety if you choose to cut the wire behind me,” she finished, waving them off with her right hand. Something in the shade of rust was dotting Nanami’s fingertips and it wasn’t nail-polish. 

ƒ. Her legs were shaking, a pressure on her chest was making it slightly difficult to breathe. She has felt this before. In fact, the circumstances surrounding those ‘before’ were objectively worse than this one yet… She always reacted the same way to it, she always despised feeling this way. Was she that bad of a reader of people? Was the security provided by this island in some aspects just clouding her judgement? 

… No, she has always been like this. Expecting the best of people, expecting them to hold true the same things she does, even unconsciously. Her fists clenched as she stepped forward, switching places with Mirio and standing in front of him. ❝ And you’re leaving with a pile of bodies behind you?! There’s no way to get out of here! You just go back when you have to go back, there’s no reason to it. I know! I’ve lived through it! They’re lying and I’m not gonna let all the friends I have here to disappear!❞

A hint of frustration was clear in her tone of voice, slightly cracked as if the whole situation was putting extra pressure upon her. ❝ You and I live here, Nanami-san! Either you want it or not and we’re here until we go back. Do you seriously don’t care about anyone you’ve met?! ❞ Why did life have to constantly expose her to these kind of ordeals? 

❝ I’m gonna save the people that live here, and that includes you. ❞  Tachibana stood unflenching in front, absolutely determined to get the task done, even if it meant knocking her unconscious… even if it meant violence. 

❝ … Why do you want to leave so much? Enough to kill people around you? ❞

@lemillione·  > nanamigatari

         GPU let it be known that there exists the possibility of leaving here and returning home. and as much as mirio wants to go home, he was never irrational, never one to jump at an opportunity without weighing all his options. that’s what his experience has taught him and through failures, he learns -- adapts. but if hibiki’s words were true -- that there was no true way out, then he has to believe her. there is a time and a place and this isn’t it.

         unlike hibiki however, mirio’s voice remains firm yet calm. he can’t sense any hostility from nanami aside from her words. baseless threat or not, so as long as they tread carefully, no one will end up hurt. truthfully, she even looked a bit bored -- as if she’s heard these words countless times, unaffecting and useless.

         ❛ she’s right, nanami-san. we all live here now, temporarily or not. it can be frustrating not knowing what’s going on or why we’re even here in the first place. i miss my friends and family too, but -- ❜ a gloved fist clenches at his side. no matter who’s side she currently sided with, it was a hero’s duty to save people, whether that means physically or something else. ❛ i can’t just overlook your choice to hurt people.  ❜

@lemillione

The tremors that affected Cotes Ward were nothing that the young villain could not handle; rather, Himiko found them amusing, like a game. They didn’t threaten anything of her’s as of yet, so she found them to be no threat. In fact, Himiko had taken to perching on what was once a multi-tiered building, over seeing destruction from a high vantage point. 

The blonde moved to jump from one exposed beam to another when another tremor rumbled throughout the ground. She hadn’t expected it, and felt herself begin to fall. A small yelp escaped her, one that she would never admit to uttering. The fall would not be fatal, that she knew, but it would still hurt.

Yet, as soon as she expected herself to hit the ground, Himiko felt herself being caught instead. She blinked, only to be faced with another blond. It took a moment for her to both realize the young man had caught her, but that he was a face she recognized. A hero in the making, one of UA’s students, and one that had been involved with the raid on those disgusting yakuza.

“Ew,” was the first thing out of her mouth, her next action to be wriggling out of Mirio’s arms and onto solid ground.

Did he know who she was? Probably. Did she care, though? Probably not.

“Hey, don’t you know it’s totally rude to pick up girls like that?”

        despite the loss of his quirk and thus, seemingly invincibility, his dream of becoming a pro hero one day still rang true. and that’s why he’s here now -- in the cotes ward -- playing damage control. disaster relief was never this hero’s forte but with as much trouble as each ward is currently dealing with, mirio couldn’t just overlook the casualties. and with how unpredictable the tremors have been so far, all he can hope is to evacuate as many people as he can.

        through mostly barren streets, he surveys the area carefully and thoroughly. and as expected, after another few minutes, another earthquake shakes the ward. though it wasn’t enough to knock over buildings, it sure was enough to send someone falling from the sky. from their distance, mirio can’t quite point out who the person is. instead, a yelp and a quick lunge forward are all that’s needed to try to intercept the fall. 

        arms brace for the impact and when he does manage to catch her, the first emotion that springs forth is relief -- not because he realizes he’s saved a villain. her first words uttered to him cause beady eyes to blink once in confusion. and upon closer inspection of her features, the way she spoke -- wasn’t she... -- his arms fall, allowing her feet to touch the ground.

         no friend of mirio’s would side with those who wished to eradicate everyone. ...right? then why...? a gloved fist clenches at his side as brows furrow in confusion. if there is any room to change her mind, then what better than civilly -- with words?

         ❛ don’t you know what will happen to the people here if you don’t let us shut the robot down? aren’t there people here that you care about? formed friendships with? there has to be something here worth saving. ❜

         ‘ follow the fox fires ‘, he remembers someone mentioning in passing. a faint glow in the distance soon comes into view. several of them flash in his peripherals, surrounding a small building and at its door -- a woman or... fox...? the shuffling of people inside allows mirio to believe this is what the rumors were about. with another exhausted lunge forward, he offers the woman in his arms shelter from the rain.

         the rain is beating down hard and with how dim it currently is in archimedes, a hand serves as a visor over his squinting, beady eyes. still, there’s one sound mirio can pick up through roaring thunder -- cries of distress. with a sharp pivot of a heel, he marches straight towards it until he reaches... a child? keeping a bit of distance between the other, mirio’s voice offers a temporary reprieve to this whole ordeal. 

not sure who’s up but consider this a starter call for security breach part 1! mirio is a hero so of course he’s going to fight for the stars, partially in fear of erasure ( whatever that means ), but mostly because he wants to protect the safety of the civilians. while he enjoys getting in on the action and cutting wires, he simply can’t ignore people in need. he currently only has his brute strength and firm resolve in hand ( no quirk, sorry folks ) but tbh he’s still pretty op.