CONTACT [Strive Mission]

Wakaba couldn't help but be taken by Strive's ability to take center stage-"...COOL." A smirk found itself peering through his dreary eyes. Likewise, Ai would give an approving nod. Her eyes had a story to tell, but all she would say was, "As it should be. Thank you in advance for all your hard work!"  She flipped her hair and took the lead of the group to begin walking. Nervously Nata rushed to her side. As the jewel holder, he knew he was supposed to stand closest to Amp Man or Strive, but technically as the hime's attendant, being by Ai's side would always take priority in his mind.  

"Fellas, this job is very simple. We'll be strolling through town presenting our products to competitor shops. These are precious jewels and gems, so this of course would be lower pricing to get them interested and licking their chops. I doubt anyone will be stupid enough to by, BUT it's important to have the competition eating out of your hand before the customers do-it's advantageous to start fishing for buyers now rather than later. " The woman had a fine business accumen. Essentially, anyone dumb enough to buy now would be receiving their newest product, a highly brittle replacement for a diamond. A brilliant stone, but by all means cheap. If they competed with the real deal of her store, they'd crumble almost immediately. Of course, the heroes didn't have to know that. 

"Amp Man, I'd like you to be a rear guard." Interesting that she knew the term, likely due to always being heavily guarded. "Don't take it personal, I'd like to speak to Strive for a moment...alone. Those gems should be close to protective hero hands, Nata~chaaan" Flashing a glance to Nata, who sighed and fell back to walk with the teenager. Wakaba held no complaints. This job was nice and boring with Strive here. He wouldn't have to lift a finger with the number one around. "Welp, boss lady is all yours, Strive." Wakaba said allow both he and Nata to fall back a few steps. 

~~~~~~~~~A moment of silence would pass before Ai sparked up some conversation. 

Ai glanced over her shoulder at the two, before letting out a soft giggle. They were just out of earshot. Good. Looking to Strive now, she-"I must say... the state of things is quite difficult to understand. -The situation between heroes and villains, I mean. It feels as though the country we once knew and loved is long gone. The time of peace is over. " Her gaze dance along Strive's frame. This hero had a sturdy body, and a history with the Resolute family. Not only that, but his great wealth of experience and quirk were nothing to sneeze at. In her current state, she knew she wasn't going to be able to touch him in a fight. In all reality, it wasn't the reason she called him up to her directly. It was to pick his brain. "Strive, the recent billboard change of administrative ranks and hero rank change. It's a bit strange, no? It feels as though the commission scrambling. Hell -even putting you on a mission like this after what happened to Nocturne is a bit... shall I say amateur. " She knew too much. What would some rich girl from northern Japan know about hero politics? 


"Or are you waiting for the new era to take your place? It's okay if you are. The next generation often out performs the old one. Passing someone else the baton, it's noble. Hehe, in my case I had to take the baton, but I'm sure passing it is a much smoother process."  Like a knife she'd present this follow up question with some statements to pad the bleeding. It was as if she were saying Strive was slacking somehow, maybe even unfit. What exactly was her aim of this conversation? It's not like she had any hand in things, or did she? She didn't have a sinister aura to her, not even a spec of blood lust that most villains had. It was just sincere interest. Ai was a straight shooter. She'd confirmed something for Strive so that the subject of conversation made more sense. "Heroes have a much more amiable way of doing things. I sometimes envy it. The yakuza is much more dog eat dog. While I born an heiress, even I had to do what I had to do in order become the elite I am today. " Still no malice. What the hell was up with this woman?!!? IF anything, rather than a villain, she shined in a much more similar way to a hero. "As innefficient as you lot are, I envy you guys sometimes..."

She found herself staring up at the sky as she said this. Before there were heroes and villains, there were just people with powers. In the era after that the lines between vigilante and villain were so blurred, but Ai found that to be the truest era. The were simply times when people did what need to be done. Ah... that was time where her ancestor, the first Gold Mask reigned over the yakuza. There was true order back then and a whole lot less randos trying to make name for themself as super villains. She blamed the silver and gold age of heroes for that. It also was the era, the first gold mask passed. The japan she envision was an elder version of itself. She craved that order. In order to achieve it however, she wanted to understand the current peace keeper better. Perhaps order was a shared goal...