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Post by Beriadan on Mar 26, 2023 10:35:03 GMT
There was a lot of interest, but Tanzo and Shinja weren't exactly conspicuous. Both had been in the media after villain attacks in their previous year, and Shinja had even been the centre of a kidnapping plot gone wrong. That, combined with their first-year Sport's Festival results and their appearances, meant that they were going to have a hard time fitting in quietly.
"Didn't really think this through... we're both well known students now, right? Maybe we need to get a disguise?"
Shinja bit her lip. What were they doing? It was fine for them to be here... right? She pulled her hat down further around her head, holding back the wave of doubts that kept threatening go break through the dam of curiosity built up inside her brain.
"Or maybe we just own it... not like we're doing anything wrong."
Yet. The big, bloated, unspoken Yet hovered like a storm cloud behind her eyes. She shook it off and checked her phone.
"Tabin's already there. Let's go, I know which way from here."
Whatever Tanzo and Kako had been expecting from Shinja's brother as they rounded the corner to the meeting point would be put to the test. A slender young man rose from his chair, outside a quaint little teashop. He was dressed smart, in a jacket and loose shirt, but perhaps the most prominent detail was his head. Where there should have been one, instead there was a large turbine fan on the end of a short tower. He looked agitated as Shinja slowed slightly, before standing across from the boy.
"Tabin..."
"Shinja..."
There was an awkward few seconds that followed as both stood without really knowing what to do, both with similar body expressions. Fists clenching, muscles tensed, body rigid, Shinja's face a twisted mask of anxiety. It was clear these two hadn't been in close proximity for a while.
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Post by cmd1095 on Mar 26, 2023 23:58:20 GMT
Tanzo shook his head at Shinja's suggestion of disguises "would be counterproductive for me, no amount of new clothing or whatever is going to disguise me. I'm huge, made of metal, and radiate heat even with my vent covers on. Not to mention I've been in the news multiple times in the past year for thwarting big villain incidents... it was a eventful year. Suffice to say stealth isn't happening for me..."" he sighed
"That being said, right now we're just classmates visiting an acquaintance/family member for lunch, no need to stress. If stealth becomes necessary we can always travel separately." Tanzo said
Meeting Tabin was something Tanzo didn't really know how to handle though. He had no siblings, let alone estranged ones... the only point of reference for mending family bonds he had was his mother and... well her case wasn't anything like this one anyway...
Still, Shinja was choking here, this stalemate would extend into infinity if nobody said anything. He'd briefly give a reassuring nudge to Shinja to remind her she had a support net here for her, then he'd speak up to break the silence
"You must be Tabin, I'm Tanzo Camina, her classmate and friend." Tanzo said, giving a polite bow "Shinja has spoken highly of you, it's an honor to finally meet you"
It was a bit of a lie, Tanzo couldn't recall Shinja ever volunteering information about her family. But with her family business being a thing he'd been able to do some research on the man regardless for this meeting, just in case. And complimenting him in a way that implied Shinja still felt fondly of her brother ought to help ease the strain between them... in theory. Truthfully Tanzo had no idea if this would work, he was just pulling on various social skills he'd learned from being a high profile artist, a hero dealing with media, and a regular teenager to act like he knew what he was doing.
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Post by notdomino on Mar 27, 2023 3:33:07 GMT
"Or maybe we just own it... not like we're doing anything wrong."
"I think in your case, being known is a good thing. Hometown hero vibes!" She chuckled.
"That being said, right now we're just classmates visiting an acquaintance/family member for lunch, no need to stress. If stealth becomes necessary we can always travel separately."
"I doubt anything too bad will go down. It's just some quick info to learn, so we know where to look next. A nice bonus is we get to seeeeee..." Her face dropped when they finally arrived at the cafe and the person in question. It was jarring to witness.
Kako flinched at the tension. This was not the familial embrace she had in mind. It was far closer to the distant and cold sensation her own household brought. Perhaps she was too much of an idealist to think maybe they'd show off a bond she hadn't seen. To an extent, everyone had something to run from. Why did she think Tanzo and Shinja were so different than her? Was it because they were older, and always pushed her for positivity? It was likely she chose to ignore their similarities and only celebrated their differences. Purposefully choosing the blind route allowed her to see the two in a much more pure light. How immature... She bit her lip and forced a smile through the disappointment in herself. Life was funny that way. Ignoring the ugly bits of someone would only mean she never looked at someone in their entirety... The case was true with Kagayaku, but it hurt a bit more since she claimed to have been so close with her Senpai and Paisen. They were her shining lights. Lights, who pulled her from the whirling pits of despair with ease. She could clearly see why they forged forward every day in pursuit of becoming heroes.
In their presence, she felt her hope. In their absence, she was well outside of that blinding light, but attempting to figure out who Kako really was. If they couldn't be peers in the hero industry, then her only option was to become a better friend to them now and forever. A future where they were still close despite not walking the same path.
A real smile breached through the fake one as she regained some composure. She'd need it to greet Tabin. Whether the siblings were on good or bad terms, Kako wanted to leave a good impression at least. There was so much to deal with, and in the midst of it, she had to remain on task. Wallowing in her own erratic emotions wouldn't do anything here... not like she could control them. Tanzo saved the group from the depths of this ear-piercing silence. He took a brave shot of choosing flattery. Kako didn't know what was going to work, but Tanzo excellently got the ball rolling. Right after the upperclassman, she- "Hey~! I'm Kako." Her face turned red a bit. "I... um, Hi. Nice to meet you." Whatever ammo she had brought, had left her mind immediately when it was her turn to speak. She'd simply take up a chair for herself, and scoot into the table as if she didn't fumble her words just now.
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Post by Beriadan on Mar 27, 2023 11:43:18 GMT
At the prompt from the other two, Tabin seemed to relax, and that lead Shinja to untense as well. The white lie from Tanzo especially seemed to work, though it caused Shinja to have a pang of guilt for it not being the truth. All this time, her family were under the same umbrella as her father, yet here was her brother, someone she had grown up with and been so close too... Shinja swallowed her pride, put on a smile (surprised to find it was mostly genuine) and embraced Tabin with a hug. It took a second, but he wrapped his arms around her too. They shared a moment of sibling love before pulling away, both taking seats opposite one another.
"Tanzo, Kako, it's a pleasure to meet you both. I'm glad Shinja has made such good friends at U.A."
For a moment he looked around, as if expecting someone to descend on them, then he pulled a document wallet from his pocket.
"I can't stay long. If father knows I've seen you, let alone that I'm giving you these... well. You know what he's like."
Shinja nodded gravely, knowing exactly what Tabin put at stake here. She put the wallet in her jacket pocket, and as she did, Tabin rose from his seat.
"Everything I could find. The police and hero reports from the day. Mum had kept it hidden away somewhere, but I know where she keeps things she doesn't want father to find. Shinja... this paints a pretty awful picture about what happened to our grandfather. I know things have been... strained, between us all. Just remember... we love you, okay? Don't do anything stupid."
Shinja smiled at Tabin, eyes misty, and nodded.
"Of course I won't. I just need answers. Tabin, this means so much. I can't express my thanks in words. I'll keep in touch. Once this is all over... I'll let you know."
Tabin looked like he was going to say something else... but simply nodded, before turning and striding swiftly down the street. Shinja exhaled, not realising she had been holding her breath, and felt her muscles unwind.
"Shit... that was harder than I thought it would be. Tabin and I were always close. I didn't realise how much I missed him."
She rubbed the back of her sleeve across her eyes, cleared her throat and looked at the others with a Resolute grin.
"We got what we came for though. Wanna give it a read?"
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Post by cmd1095 on Mar 27, 2023 22:00:20 GMT
Tanzo was glad the tension broke, and the siblings softened towards each other. It wasn't going to erase the gap between them immediately, but it felt like a start at least.
"We'll do our best to keep her out of trouble, so rest easy, she's in good hands" Tanzo said to Tabin as he pleaded for Shinja to be careful... it felt a bit odd saying that when he was in the process of enabling her to go down this investigative path... but hopefully it'd put her brother a bit more at ease.
Once Tabin left, Shinja let on how hard that meeting had been for her, earning her a warm hug from the metal giant.
"you'll see each other again, even if things are strained right now. But for now we've got what we came for" he said reassuringly "let's not crack it open here though, places of business like this always have cameras and stuff for security, it's not exactly private. I think we passed a park a few blocks back, that should be more secluded. Wouldn't want evidence we're investigating this caught on camera"
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Post by notdomino on Mar 28, 2023 6:46:24 GMT
Kako smiled big at the sibling's embrace. Perhaps that whirlwind of emotions was just her being pessimistic. Tanzo's gamble seemed to pay off after all. Gradually her smile dropped at Tabin's remark. Don't do anything stupid... Nocturne warned Shinja as well. She gulped big in an attempt to stuff the nervousness down. She'd grab a hold of the document and blink at Shinja. Before she could crack it open, Paisen recommended a change of scenery. More specifically, one away from camera. It made sense. Swiftly, Kako would try and lead them to where Tanzo had stated. As much as a smart decision it was to move from cameras, they were being monitored already.
______________Somewhere close by...
"I have eyes on the little princess. She's got some other brats with her. " A woman spoke into her phone. Presumably, she was talking to the regent herself. "Yeah...yeah... Flora sent someone too? So why'd you call me? Did she send someone for the big guy? Huh... she's always been a softie. He ain't my responsibility and neither is the other girl. I'm not moving in until I see a threat toward Kako. WHAT? You had all three of them do some service? Fine... I'll be nice and look after all three from a distance until he gets here. You're lucky it's you ordering me here, Izumi..."
______________Other side of town.
"That's her isn't it?!?!? The granddaughter of Aeronaut, she's part of Nocturne's agency. That means the bastard was right... Nocturne's gonna show up soon. Get the word out!"-A voice shouted from a walkie talkie. In the depths of the town, men were moving and shifting. Gearing up for what was to come. The dusk agency was coming to raid home base! At least that's what they were led to believe. The walkie talkie would girgle out and fizzle as it got soaked in blood. The killer was more than satisfied with what he'd heard.
"I can say with confidence, the board's all set," Bloodlust oozed from his pearly white grin. Shoving his pistol in its holster, a killer would show the victim through facetime, crushing the man's walkie-talkie with his foot.
KK would nod, confirming that the steam punk was on the right track. "Yes, I'm actually surprised that you were able to brain this operation together. You've been getting better with strategy lately. I can understand wanting to watch Aeronaut die, because I've done it, but don't you think this is a bit excessive? Perhaps you feel it's necessary as one of my prodigies? Help me understand. "
"While a part 2 would be thematic... I just want to admire my own handy work. I need a proper nemesis in order to get stronger. If she and her friends die here, it just means they're trash... As it stands, I hold everything in my hands." The white haired teen hung up, and snatched the badge from the victim's coat. The only thing was, he had to find the hideout before the heroes did! Eyeing the badge, he chuckled and sprinted off into an alleyway. He had no clue both Kako and Tanzo had help inbound.
_____________
Indeed... all sorts of things were lining up in the background within this small small city. Once they reached a secluded parking lot, Kako would do the honor.
"Ahem..." She eyed both upperclassmen before diving into the contents. There were a few papers, seemingly Tabin did a bit of digging for more recent documents as well. With a deep breath, she-
"Relation to the victim Sanwa Hikosen --- Family.
Case Number 154468
Multiple Victim / Multiple Offender. This case is considered both high profile and unsolved. While the primary assailant was caught, the groups in relation to the perpetrator are still at large.
Convicted--- Najimi Bluesky, also known as "The Baron"
Missing ---- "Bo"
Missing ---- "Black Hawk"
Deceased --- Sanwa Hikosen "Aeronaut"
Deceased --- Officer Higen
Deceased --- Detective Obei
Deceased --- The Launch Hero "Orbit" one of Aeronaut's sidekicks.
70 civillains killed, 20 officers killed, 14 civilians were gravely injured. The names are as follows..." A shaky deep breath. She shifted the papers around in hopes of finding something less bloody. They needed information, concrete stuff to learn.
"Case Number 15448-1a-b
ORGANIZATIONS
Team Air Raid
A terroristic hit man group, that solely targeted heroes during the silver age. They still carry out hits, but are much more quiet in recent times. In recent history the first generation leader has broken out of Tartarus in the jail break 8 years ago. All members are at large, and as it is understood, there may be far less members compared to their hey day back in the silver age.
Known Members are large: They keep an incredibly low profile while still being able to receive illegal funding from villainous big wigs.
Najimi Bluesky "The Baron"
? "Black Hawk "
?"Bo"
?"Red Rooster"
?"Warship"
?"Starling"
?"Red Baroness"- The supposed new leader and face of Team Air Raid
?"Ace Pilot"
Cerberus
Inconclusive. Likely the group who set the hit up. They are only known to be a small group of intellectuals who first spawned from a larger conglomerate. It is highly likely this group has been disbanded, and its members have either been killed or spread out. As the name states, there are three heads in this organization. Perhaps one of the heads set the hit up, as Team Air Raid generally NEVER has this many casualties on their prior hits. This case feels like a perfect setup, but there are far too many variables for detectives to guess.
Niko Ruger - Deceased. Theorist
Kashi Aya - Deceased. Philosophy major
Annabelle Joji- Also known at large as "Pill" A psychologist that disappeared after graduating from university. The last known sighting has been at an incident known as glass cage. There are no direct ties to this case, but all other details are inconclusive. She remains on this list due to close ties with known member "KK."
Kunimi Dorikawa - A business major, and chess champion. Much like Annabelle, a person too hard to pin, but he was detained for a time. He somehow was exonerated and practically fell off of the map. Due to the mysterious nature of his disappearance, it's inconclusive if he is even still alive. Many of our detectives theorize he was likely one of Cerberus' heads.
There are many more, but we could only identify these few.
Tateyama Police
Believe it or not, our own were involved in this case. We don't know how, but there were multiple green light commands send to certain officers, and they were all disposed of when the hit was a success. As it stands, the force has been reorganized. And we stand together as one unit, with aim to tackle justice. Whether guilty or not, the deceased brother in blue are as follows,
All of Unit 6
All of Unit 3" Kako folded up the paper and handed it back to Shinja with a unsure expression. If the Cerberus people were disbanded, and the hitman team dwindled... then that meant their odds were better... right? It was a bit too much to digest, especially since she didn't know many of these names. The major thing that stuck out was the mention of the Glass Cage. Shinja mentioned it, but never went too deep into detail. Did that mean Shinja had met some of these people during the kidnapping fiasco???
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Post by Beriadan on Mar 29, 2023 9:36:42 GMT
"Team...Confidence." Shinja had gone white, but her eyes burnt with an intense rage that neither of them would have seen before. She clenched her fists so tight that they went white, and her fans were whirring madly in both of her plans. "You've got to be joking... so that's why they targetted me at U.A. over everyone else... this can't be right! KK planned my grandfather's death, then he comes for me? What does he want, every one of. Y family dead?" She was breathing fast and heavy, anger twisting her brow like knotted rope. So KK and Team Confidence ordered a hit on her grandfather. She looked up at the others, a mask of fury concealing her normally amiable face. "How dare they... think that they can get away with this! I won't let them. All of these villains are gonna pay for crossing both Aeronauts! I'll finish what my grandfather couldn't!"
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Post by cmd1095 on Mar 30, 2023 4:51:34 GMT
Tanzo didn't like any of what he was reading, this investigation had just gone from digging into a cold case with little risk of actually encountering villains to something involving currently active groups... and a group that had targeted Shinja before. And the leader of this Air Raid group had gotten out of prison recently, which meant the person responsible for the hit was back in the picture. Tanzo's danger senses were on full blast now, and Shinja's enraged reaction did not inspire confidence. It was time for him to steer this investigation away from danger as best he could... even if Shinja wasn't going to like what he had to say. Little did he know that his sense of impending danger was so much more tangible than just helping a friend avoid a bad decision.
"And what is that he couldn't finish Shinja?" Tanzo said sternly, grabbing Shinja's arm to make sure she couldn't fly off and do anything stupid. His grip wouldn't hurt, but it was firm "because it sounds to me like you're looking to pick a fight now. I get the urge, but if there's anyone who absolutely shouldn't be looking for this fight it's you. The look on your face right now isn't one of a hero Shinja, let's assume you win this fight. Against a criminal mastermind who could orchestrate a hit with all these levels of separation, and against a group of professional hitmen who already took out someone with your quirk and way more experience. What are you going to do? Calmly hand them to the police? Not with an expression like that, this KK will say one line to provoke you and you'll do something you can't take back."
Tanzo glanced to Kako ever so briefly. He wasn't blind to her growing attraction to the NJPD, and he wasn't blind to the fact that a vigilante group like that definitely had a body count. He might've been supportive of vigilantes as a general rule, but he was still concerned about Kako becoming a killer one day. Now he had to worry about Shinja becoming a killer too. It made him feel powerless, seeing his friends drawn towards these dark paths... he wasn't giving up without a fight though.
"we're here for answers, not vengeance. Justice will be dealt out, but not by you. I'd expect you'd tell me the same thing if we found the villains who killed my father. It's time to take a step back" Tanzo said "if you can't resist the urge to seek vengeance, I'll pull the plug on this right now and call Nocturne. You might hate me for it, but I'm not letting you rush off to either your death or to becoming a murderer. We're heading back now, we can investigate more when you've calmed down."
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Post by notdomino on Mar 31, 2023 3:44:59 GMT
"How dare they... think that they can get away with this! I won't let them. All of these villains are gonna pay for crossing both Aeronauts! I'll finish what my grandfather couldn't!" She flinched as Izumi's teachings played in her head as Shinja finished.
Kako recoiled with Shinja was showing levels of rage that had been unseen before. Kako was even more shocked at how she wanted to welcome Shinja into that feeling and root her on. She even seemed to nod to her senpai ever so softly. Shinja was right at the threshold... could she surpass it? ...Kill someone?
"Kako I know it feels weird to think about but part of becoming stronger is removing that limiter every hero calls MERCY." Izumi's words rang in her ears. To an extent, Kako wanted to repeat those words. They infectiously coated every bitter feeling she had pent up. While fighting Kagayaku relieved so much, there was something still within that she couldn't shake. The seed the Regent planted was already showing quite a bit of growth. The girl couldn't help but feel curious about it. So if Shinja were pondering doing those villains in for good well... was the curiosity so wrong? Despite not having as much experience, Izumi pulled her well within the range of that same threshold called mercy. In fact, if Gigabite hadn't... -never mind that. Kako could feel a tiny bit of confidence in her own answer, but still couldn't find the words. All she knew was, she was backing Shinja 100%. Her senpai, her "sister", Kako's fists clenched seeing her like this. She couldn't help but take on the girl's pain and want to fight alongside such a strong will. T-tanzo's sentiments were the polar opposite. Kako could feel a pang of guilt line the back of her throat. She'd swallow hard to stuff the feelings down and find some resolve in her stance. But...
"we're here for answers, not vengeance. Justice will be dealt out, but not by you. I'd expect you'd tell me the same thing if we found the villains who killed my father. It's time to take a step back" Tanzo always had a way with words when it mattered most. "if you can't resist the urge to seek vengeance, I'll pull the plug on this right now and call Nocturne. You might hate me for it, but I'm not letting you rush off to either your death or to becoming a murderer. We're heading back now, we can investigate more when you've calmed down."
A dark anxiety filled her lungs when Tanzo spoke. IF Nocturne came, it would deny Shinja any way for seeing things through herself. While it was the "right" thing to do if things escalated, how was that fair to Shinja? He was the voice of "reason" here, but was revenge that wrong? They took someone dear from Shinja. Her idol, her very reason for becoming a hero at that. If they were out for blood, then so be it. The paper even noted that the group's numbers had greatly thinned. The leader had to have been a super geezer at this point. What possible threat could he really pose? She wasn't saying they should outright kill the geezer... In fact, she hadn't said anything yet. The battle to find the answer was at the tip of her tongue. Still...
"Still..."
Finally, she-
"Even with a cool head, I can't see a way passed confronting them ourselves." Kako meant that with every single syllable of the sentence. She wouldn't egg on the issue, but she'd help Shinja see it through if she requested it. There it was, her signature glare. "So... Like she said earlier, she deserves to look that person in the eyes and ask why." The young girl looked up to him, siding with Shinja. Her gaze softened as she placed a hand on the very hand he grabbed Shinja with. "Clearing our head IS a good idea though..." With a sigh, she took a few steps back and stared at the sky. taking note of the sunset. As clouds accumulated, it was deceivingly dark with rays of angelic light bleeding through here and there. The chilly air seemed to swell, and warm just a tiny bit. A storm was coming... for both Team Air Raid and Tateyama. The night was going to be long, and... ugly.
With further investigation of the paperwork. There was information about a base. It was taped off and had seen some surveillance every once in a while. The crime had happened so long ago, that it was considered a cold spot. In terms of finding clues, there were a few ways to go about it. Head to that base and see if the police missed anything, or try to get lucky with the police themselves. There also was Tanzo's contact. A ping would hit his phone. A text.
It would read. "Oof, feels so weird to be home. HEY kid! I got this number from Flora. Heard you needed some help. She figured a former local could be useful here." It was incredibly informal, speaking as if they were buddies already.
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Post by Beriadan on Mar 31, 2023 6:49:16 GMT
Their words cut through her fury like daggers, slicing away the angry layers to reveal what lay beneath; a tired, overwhelmed young girl. In Tanzo's warm grip Shinja's shoulders began to shake, tears flowing freely down her cheeks as her knees gave out underneath her. There, in the darkening skies as the sun cast its orange gaze upon them, Shinja released sixteen years of pain, doubt and fear in deep, raw sobs and tears that fell like rain to the soft grass.
After what seemed like an age, her crying slowed, and she looked up at the two with red eyes, a misty gaze that was nothing like the anger she had shown before.
"I'm sorry, both of you... I thought I could be strong, and face my grandfather's murderers with a hero's heart... but my mind is all over the place. KK... the one who planned my kidnapping and tried to turn me into a villain... he's poisoned me, made me think dark thoughts of revenge..."
She sniffled, wiping her eyes on the back of her eeve again.
"I never came here for revenge. I just wanted... I just wanted closure. To see the man who took away my chance to meet Aeronaut. To ask him why. But now... I need a clear head. I'm so sorry, Kako, Tanzo. I don't want to give into this dark shadow inside me that Team Confidence nurtured. I just want to be a hero, like my granddad."
Slowly she rose to her feet, looking out towards the dinning sunset. Shinja took a deep breath. She remembered the shrine she had flown to, where she had given respect to her grandfather after so many years. What would he do in this situation?
"Let's get some rest. I need a clear head, and time to sleep."
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Post by cmd1095 on Mar 31, 2023 22:45:22 GMT
Tanzo was relieved he and Kako managed to diffuse Shinja's rage... well mostly him. Kako was alarmingly on board with going and fighting. Did she just not realize how dangerous it was? Or was she further down the path of the NJPD's way of doing things than he'd realized? Maybe both... it was something to dwell on... he was pretty sure Kako would become a vigilante eventually... and the NJPD probably wouldn't keep her from killing so she was probably going to do that eventually too. He just hoped that before that point she might be able to learn how to determine when that level of violence was needed, and when it was better to hold back... he could turn a blind eye to a lot of things, even sometimes the killing of villains. But there were lines not to cross... he hoped Kako knew where those were.
She wasn't the focus now though, Shinja was.
Tanzo would hug the crying girl, his huge metal arms wrapping around her like angel wings shielding her from the world. He'd hold her as she cried and let out everything she was feeling. Pushing down the thoughts of how cathartic and nice it looked to just let it all out and repressing them hard the whole while.
When the breakdown finally subsided Tanzo passed no judgement on Shinja as she course corrected.
"I get it, you've been through a lot in no small part due to these people. And I do think confronting them will eventually happen. Whether that's through a bulletproof glass barrier visiting them in prison, or on the field of battle. I want to get you that closure" Tanzo said "I just also want you to be safe, and to not stray from the path you've chosen for yourself. If you murder someone being a hero would be out of the question, you could still do a whole lot of good as a vigilante I'm sure... but that's not being like your granddad."
And there it was, Kako's first hint that Tanzo actually supported vigilantism, something the NJPD knew, but Kako hadn't been around for those conversations. He even seemed remarkably chill about murder... he wasn't condemning murdering these villains because it was murder... just because it would ruin the future Shinja wanted for herself.
"For now let's head back and get some rest. I'll do some digging into our leads on my own. Once we have a solid next step, we can come back with clear heads." Tanzo said. Then he'd get his phone ping, perfect timing
"We're looking into two villain groups, Air Raid, and Team Confidence. Apparently the former has a old base in the area. It's likely been picked clean by now, but Shinja shouldn't go alone and I can't exactly sneak in with how my body is. You might be able to look around though. If that turns up nothing, anything you can dig up about Air Raid, Team Confidence, or the prime culprits 'Najimi Bluesky - The Baron' and 'KK' would be helpful." Tanzo would send "be careful though. Apparently Shinja and KK have history already, Team Confidence might be keeping tabs on her as a person of interest... which means they might know we're snooping around."
Tanzo hoped he was wrong about that last part. But thinking on it, KK going after both Aeronaut AND Shinja wasn't something he could ignore. Coincidence? Maybe... but if not then it meant KK and his lackies were interested in Shinja specifically. From what he knew through the Crescent Moon agency Team Confidence specialized in information and masterminding crimes... a group like that would be keeping tabs on Shinja if she was of interest to them. If they were, and if they saw the meeting with Tabin... He hoped he was being paranoid but after the year he'd just had he had to expect the worst.
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Post by notdomino on Apr 1, 2023 4:59:00 GMT
Kako struggled a bit. With her changing views, it was hard to align what was actually right, and what was wrong. Surely most things fell within the prominent grey Izumi had been exposing her to. Shinja would find herself pull closer to Tanzo's reasoning more than her own encouragement. She didn't fault either of them... They were sticking to their values as heroes. It was those tiny few degrees of separation that made Kako feel uncomfortably alone at this very moment. "I'm sorry, both of you... I thought I could be strong, and face my grandfather's murderers with a hero's heart... but my mind is all over the place. KK... the one who planned my kidnapping and tried to turn me into a villain... he's poisoned me, made me think dark thoughts of revenge..." Tanzo would wrap his arms around Shinja. Kako would wrap an arm around the other and hug herself with a shaky sigh. They were dark thoughts, huh? She'd kneel low, and gather herself. "You're plenty strong, senpai. Stop apologizing for being human. " She noted, she'd leave the latter end of her statement out. It was inappropriate at this point. When Tanzo spoke, it gave Kako mixed feelings. His support of vigilantes wasn't the point of her conversation. That too would be left out. Shinja was the priority here. Kako would leave her feelings at the door. "Let's get some rest. I need a clear head, and time to sleep."
"For now let's head back and get some rest. I'll do some digging into our leads on my own. Once we have a solid next step, we can come back with clear heads."
Out of all three, Kako still had yet to suggest leaving. Her actions haunted her in the same way her feelings of blood lust haunted her now. She'd stuff it all down. If it was one thing, she was good at, it was running away from her problems. "Wait but, aren't we on borrowed time already? We have no clue when Nocturne-sensei will catch on to us. " She would push for them to at least stay in Tateyama. If they couldn't go to Shinja's, both upperclassmen were old enough for a hotel. They didn't know she had a clash with their former upperclassmen Hellfire Kitty, they didn't know she confronted Kagayaku on her own, nor that Gigabite had his eyes on her... Go back, head back... Those two were fine to go home, but where exactly was she supposed to go? That place couldn't be called home at this point. She didn't want to make it about herself, but despite making these suggestions for the group, Kako made it very clear she wasn't going anywhere. "Senpai, do you think you're family would mind if we stayed in Tateyama?" A smile masked her true feelings. She continued, " OH I know, you guys could book us a hotel, and we can investigate first thing in the morning. We don't have to burden Shinja's family like that." She was disgusted with herself... she couldn't stop. The word vomit just kept coming. "Nah, actually I could explore the town some more. You guys rest. Don't worry about little ol me. I've still got loads of energy! -And -And" Kako's stomach twisted and turned. Tanzo had never seen her like this before. This was the same type of behavior she was exhibiting when she first met Shinja. While some of the anxiety fuel was her want for escapism, the major bulk of her instability was seeing Shinja in such disarray. She had no one before her... To an extent, the girl was her rock and her segway into learning how to make more friends. A supporter and a sister. It was her duty to help Shinja! A phone would buzz as foot steps approached the group. It was uncomfortable looking at a bunch of emotional teens, but it was Tanzo who requested aid.
"YO!"
He didn't get a chance to read Tanzo's message. He'd been walking the streets looking for the trio and approached after recognizing Kako. He could surmise who was who through process of elimination. Kako turned, and lunged to hug onto the man. "Well, well, well... okay. Good to see you too, kid." Kako would show a weak smile to him before burying her face back into his jumpsuit to dry her eyes. He'd just smile at her, and push the conversation forward so she could gather herself. The man was well in his 30s, and wore a mechanic's jumpsuit. He towered over the girls, but Tanzo towered over him. "Tanzo, I assume." His energy was warm and inviting, almost infectious. If the big guy were Tanzo, that obviously meant the other girl were Shinja. He was able to recognize her quickly as well. Who from Tateyama didn't know Aeronaut? "And, Shinja... " He'd roll Kako to face them properly, and lift her a few inches off of the ground.
"This is Jet!" She was red with embarrassment of being maneuvered around like a toddler. Though this emberassment was nowhere near the embarrassment he'd just saved her from a loose anxiety attack. She'd have to thank him later. The man would chuckle, and smile. "Hi!"
Legal Name: Jet
Alias;
Quirk Name: Flame Body
Picture: 
Notable Achievements:
To be announced
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Post by Beriadan on Apr 7, 2023 1:54:55 GMT
Shinja took a deep, cleansing breath. Tanzo wad right... but even the fact that the dark thoughts had crossed her mind was enough to shake her foundations. Shinja didn't think she had it in her to kill anyone... even the worst villain could be stopped without stripping life from their bones. Yet the thought had snuck into her mind. Just once, just for a microsecond, but it had still reared its ugly head. She shivered, feeling her mind swaying as if it was drunk.
Kako began to chatter, and it seemed like the girl was getting panicky. Shinja was in a fog of her own, but even through the dreary cloud she knew something was wrong. What was going on? Kako had been strange for a while now. Not herself, not in her usual frame of mind. Ever since the NJPD... Shinja didn't even consider that they could be Vigilantes, but she knew something was odd about them. Kako was too involved, showed too much interest... and the likes of Izumi set off warning bells in Shinja's mind.
She was about to say something to Kako, reach out and grasp her, to let her know they were all here together, when an unfamiliar voice rang out to greet them. Shinja took the man in, and felt that deep gut wrench she had felt when speaking with Izumi. Something was off about these people, yet Tanzo and Kako didn't seem to feel it... she clenched her fist, and took another breath.
"Jet... Nice to meet you."
Shinja looked at Kako, saw her expression, felt that wrench again. She smiled, despite herself, and looked back at the older man. Was this the right course of action? Letting others in on their plan... she shook her head slightly. Trust in your friends! Shinja unbleached her fists. She had to believe that they were making the right choices. Shinja set Jet with a mild gaze, red and puffy eyes not quite hiding the fierce determination behind them.
"We were about to go find a place to stay for the night... can you help us with that?"
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Post by cmd1095 on Apr 9, 2023 5:38:56 GMT
Tanzo noted Kako's odd behavior, she was rambling and seemed anxious. She also seemed dead set on not going back to UA. Was something up with her? He couldn't say for sure, and before he had time to dwell on it at all Jet arrived and the moment passed. Just another concern for the pile then.
"Hello Jet, I just sent you a text with an update a moment ago, Flora told me you'd be coming" Tanzo said "I'll second what Shinja asked. I can pay you back for the rooms, but it'd be best if they weren't in our names."
Tanzo hadn't really expected to have to pay for hotel rooms today, he figured they'd just take the train back to the dorms. Luckily he made plenty of money from his art so he could afford it. He'd have to figure out some excuse for why they didn't check back into the dorms that night though, with the school monitoring where the students were after all the incidents and all. He'd probably chalk it up to they lost track of time catching up with Shinja's brother and decided it was safer to crash for the night rather than travel while tired. That'd buy them a day at least
"I'll make some phone calls once we set up shop in our rooms. For better or worse I've got affluent contacts thanks to my art career. And people like that have lots of connections that might be of help. Some of them might even be familiar with one of those groups the report mentioned. The report said the Cerberus group was a band of intellectuals right? They may have had connections to the art world. It's not a great lead since Cerberus was just a front group, but who knows" Tanzo said. He hoped giving some concrete plans of actions would help calm everyone down a bit... and give him time to figure out how exactly he was going to get everyone through this unscathed... which was looking to be a taller order than expected.
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Post by notdomino on Apr 9, 2023 7:27:49 GMT
"We were about to go find a place to stay for the night... can you help us with that?" He wouldn't bend to her determined stare. Instead, he'd place Kako down and take a moment to think. A hotel would be bad for everyone if this were a supposed under-the-radar operation. "My old house could work. It's in one of Nitchu's fields. It's getting dark soon, and the neighbors are pretty old. No one would really be out to see us if being lowkey is your goal. To be honest I was headed there anyway, if I couldn't spot you guys." It was roughly a few minutes east. At the mention of a text, he pulled his phone to check. He added in whilst looking up from his phone and over the student trio- "I can whip up some grub too. There's a grocery store on the way."
Kako held herself back from talking too much for now. It seemed like up until now, she hadn't been helping albeit desperately wanting to. They had more seniority, so she'd pay close attention... especially since Jet was here. Surprisingly, she'd take a few steps toward Tanzo instead of Shinja. She'd always favored women, but this likely was because she was on board with the revenge idea. Tanzo was very clearly against it... In a whisper, she spoke so only he could hear. With a strained tone, she- "Please don't hate me..." before quickly running along to Shinja's side and hooking her arm. To Shinja, she whispers- "You okay?" Kako, herself, wasn't but it was worth a shot, seeing how Shinja was feeling. A plane could be heard flying overhead, but couldn't be seen. Jet noticeably got distracted by it. Why was a plane flying with a storm brewing? Strange. With Tanzo, he quickly reeled his mental inquiries in. Jet blinked. The text... the text. Had he? Ah, it was right there, and it aligned well with Tanzo's oncoming explanation. Despite his size, the young man was careful. And Shinja, very to the point. With his immediate takeaways and impressions, Jet took a moment to explain the easier bits. Tanzo was asking for a good grip of information in one sitting. With a hot meal and less prying eyes, Jet would go into deeper detail for them when they got out of the open air. But for now he'd try and answer a few questions. Where to even start? "Front? Cerberus was very real. I guess it's cause you guys are young... But, most Silver Age heroes would have at least heard about them once, even if they think they're a myth. No one really knows how they started or ended but, it was made up by some smarties with very specific personality kinks. They were the type of people who are too smart for their own good, ya'know. The types who play with people or manipulate them. They wanted to get things done but didn't have the manpower, so they'd hire other groups while remaining the brain. But since Cerberus had three heads, it's not like they all had the same goals. I guess it made sense for them to "use" each other rather than oppose each other. Probably meant a shit ton more information and resources too. " He scrolled through the phone to see what else he could quickly chime in on, but another plane flew overhead, yet was hard to pick through the dark clouds. With one raindrop came another. "Let's get outta here first." He was called there to help, so he would. Easygoing, and an active listener, Flora's touch was precise even when she wasn't directly involved. This guy was an excellent pick to send to help, but who the hell was Jet, really? Not only did the NJPD have a colorful assortment of folks, they all had a sense of mystery about them. The only way to find out more was to stick around long enough. Of the student trio, Kako knew that already. 
By now it was getting dark and darker. With the warm and cool air mixing, the rain would begin to roll in with some thunder crackling here and there. The house was old indeed, but it had plenty of charm and precious warmth. Some of the rooms were cleaned out, but it was to be expected. Jet was in his thirties, he hadn't seen this place since his parents moved out. "Sorry if it's a little tight in here Tanzo." This place wasn't really geared for someone THAT big. He laid a plates of grilled chicken down, with a bowl of rice for each person. With a quick trip to the kitchen and back, he'd provide some chili oil, and bean paste to appease the wants for spicy, salty, or sweet. Jet dug in, and tried to find where he left off. "Where was I?" A few bites, and he still couldn't figure it out.
"Team Air Raid." Kako chimed in. It was one of the group names on the list.
"Oh, them. They are a hitman group local to mountain towns like this one. The guy you mentioned, Tanzo, Najimi BlueSky ran the group as one of the very first Baron, he was a local like the first Aeronaut. No matter the generation, or location, there is always a Baron. Someone who can coordinate aerial assaults, and the team itself. They usually are the best hitman. You take them down, you basically kill their squad." It was true enough, especially with the file they had. There was a Red Baroness on that list, meaning that likely was who was calling the shots now. It also meant that the clash of "The Baron" and Aeronaut seemed inevitable. A villain and Hero from the same exact town during the Silver Age... quite a convenient clash. Too convenient. Cerberus likely got that ball rolling in motion. Jet would pause to both eat, and try to recall more information. It left the floor open for more questions.
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