The Opening Act - Theater [CLOSED]

Why was that villain.. looking at him?

Raphael noticed the intense gaze directed at him and raised his gaze towards the direction when he saw Hone move near him.

Huh?

Lavender eyes went wide with horror when he realised what had happened. Hone had saved him. Taken the blade that was clearly aimed at him. It reminded him of training when Daiki took a punch for him. He was forever being protected as the offensive part of his quirk wasn't suitable for things like this, and above that, he was too weak. The black blade that should have been directed at him fell to the floor with a loud clang, making him look up at his friend's back...wait. No. What...what was he doing??

Blood was everywhere. Hone had started using his quirk heavily again. He had to switch song to alleviate the pain for his friend. But...what if something like last time happened again? What if he was too powerless to do anything??

"Once you do your best, even though in this time and age where we medics all have quirks...what happens, happens. Just keep your mind clear so you never regret not doing something for someone, is that clear?"

The words the school nurse had told him when he had been in pieces last time came to mind.

Yes.

That was right.

He had to do all he could.

And if all he could do was sing and keep himself out of harm's way...

He would do that with all his might.

Taking a deep breath, he pressed a button on the side of his support gear to change music when he saw a green figure start to come towards him. He shifted his stance to the side, taking care not to hit his friend as he took a deep breath, dodging the minion trying to grab him by dropping down to one crouched leg, his other leg stretched out in front of him, his whole body curving back as his arms were spread behind him he took a deep breath, before letting out what sounded like a very high pitched screech as he swung his body forward, a striking palm pushing the minion back as hard as he could. He would not follow up, and actually backtrack a little more, trying to find a safe spot to sing from. Edging a little more towards the corner of the room, he started to sing to the part of the song that was playing now. He needed to heal Hone before the bleeding hindered him. Sure, he didn't know what to think of his friend pushing himself so much, but now that he had he had to try and support as much as possible.

Raphael wanted to run towards her straight away, his thoughts almost deafened by the villain's shout. He looked towards the path to get to Ryuga, it was sort of clear, mainly because Hone was around fending the thugs off for now. He could probably get there. He was worried about Hone, but at the same time Ryuga clearly needed help and he probably was the person to do it. Taking a deep breath, he ran towards where the green thug was standing next to the fallen girl and did a jumping kick, aiming for it's shoulders before landing in a low stance on both feet. If anything, the training and this situation really made him feel he had to get better with his martial arts. Luckily it was timed with the instrumental part of the song, and the blonde cranked up the volume on his mic to try and be heard over all the noise.

"I did it!"

Fu thought to herself as e she dragged the attention of one of the thugs to her. Most, if not all her plans ended up failing one way or another but by some miracle her plan had worked. It meant something to her. She was not a complete failure and actually contributing to her friend's plans, even if it was minimal. All good things have to come to an end though, even small victories. In rapid succession she saw one of the thugs pop and two people she was closest to get tossed around like it was nothing.

"Why did I think I could do this?" As soon as Fu's spirits got lifted, they had sunk. What is she supposed to do when the two people she looked up to could barely do anything themselves. Why did she ever believe those lies that she could be a hero? Why did she put herself through all of this? She was just going to cause more issues for the rest of them and the U.A. was going to pay for her incompetence.

No!

She can't forget her mother's lessons or Ryuga's lessons now, especially now. There was only one thing she could do and the thought of it made her grow pale.

Back in Otaru, Futaba was often bullied for various reason, the most common being because of her quirk. People would corner her and taunt her, saying to use her quirk to make them go away. They would laugh and point but one day she did make them go away. She remembered that day because she was called in to the headmaster's office for using her quirk. After a long talk with them and her mother raising hell at the school, she was given a soft warning.

Closing her eyes for a moment, she knew what she was going to do would overexert her abilities to the max. Opening her eyes, she tried to keep as many of the thugs in her view, especially the one that was getting closer to her.

To the casual observer, nothing was happening. The only thing happening was Futaba starting to shake more violently and growing paler by the second. However, in all of the thugs that she could see clearly (The one near her and the ones near Seraphine-san and Hone-san) something was happening. Within the thugs' heads, deafing screams could be heard. They were so loud, the person screaming could be standing right next to them.

[OOC: Fu is only able to do this action for a round before being physically crippled by the migraine this gives her]

This was a time for quick thinking, the last two seconds had been interesting to say the least.

There was an assortment of exhibits at this museum of chaos, let's go to exhibit A: Ryuga Hoden.

Flying through the air the energetic and passionate rage-filled girl had a plan. Daiki just like her father paid a glance in that direction. 'Weeeeeeeee' THUNK. There was a blink and a slight moment of panic as the girl was hit aside the head. She had fought hard but certainly not for long. Though he had little to no time to process it before exhibit A came to a quick close. Two massive meaty lizard grabbers lurched out to try and wring out his body, to which whether it was his speed once again or the distraction that Nidhogg underwent with Ryuga being hurt was unknown. Regardless it gave Daiki the time to jump back and slide a few meters back on the floor. Another moment in time shed a spotlight on exhibit B.

Exhibit B: Taka Hone
Daiki just looked over with a perplexed blink as while the situation was incredibly sever, the boy went as far as literally making himself a bloody pulp to fight. There was self mutilation in the name of necessity but this was an entirely different story. One place you had someone being knocked out, another someone was screaming their mouth off as bones squirted out of their body everywhere, and then you just have Raphael nervously singing like Beethoven with a gun to the back of his head. Though Daiki had a little bit of an idea. Just a little bit, as the professionals would call it.

A Daikidea.

With a lecherous grin he found the answer to this moment. Exactly, the cards were all in front of him. Ryuga had already been oofed by blunt force trauma, something he had every intention to make up for. Taka was doing his best but he was consumed by some inner demons from the looks of it. If anything he was an obstacle as opposed to someone he could count on right now, something he needed to keep in mind as he proceeded. Then there was Raphael and Fu. Raphael was primarily a non-combatant and Fu was also a utility user. That left him as the only stable and control combat quirk on the field. Regardless of how he put the pieces together unless he surmounted otherwise incredibly odds on his very first encounter with Villains... He'd be in trouble. So, a different tactic. One that isn't a quirk at all. The mind, intelligence and quick wit. He shouted towards Nidhogg.

"That's not us hurting your daughter! Why're you even here, to just terrorize her along with your gang?! Help us deal with them, the people attacking your daughter and just leave! That's the best thing for your daughter right now! This is me asking you man to man, not Hero to Villain!" He shouted, already on the move. He wasn't moving for Nidhogg but instead his target was one of the many dolls scattered around the room. There was two in active combat, and Taka was at least serving as a distraction. None of them could haphazardly rush Taka without risking bursting or... Whatever. They were clearly blow-up dolls or something, but with a lot more force behind them. There was a moment of realization as his eyes moved towards Fu. She was using her quirk and using an ability he hadn't seen before, but this was the worst way to apply it. It wasn't at all her fault, just bad luck. All of these here were just dolls, they had no minds to speak with. The one she needed to be doing that to was the one directing them. There were only two unique faces in this room and Nidhogg surely wasn't doing it.

Course correcting Daiki needed to get Fu out of a bind and get her on the right target. Dashing to his left he burst across the theater and leaped onto the back of chairs. Hopping from the back of the chairs to the far theater wall where Fu was being pursued, he used the same rapid wall dash that he had used to save Taka in order to quickly and unpredictably close the gap with the Green thug that may very well just continue unhindered by Fu's assault attempts and keep trying to grab her. Leaping from the wall in a flash of aqua. A captivating blue glow over the theater highlighting his actions. Coming out as a blur in front of the Green thug he attempted to kick it and send it flying back with enough force to knock a person out, or at least roughly in that area. He wasn't perfect, if anything he might've overdone it. Surely it's also possible some of the 'thugs' here are real people, a catch 22 leading to him killing someone is a risk he couldn't afford.

With or without that succeeding he said towards Fu as he landed near her. "Purple hair guy, assault his mind. I'm sure he needs to focus on these guys, they're just dolls. It has to be him. I'm here for you babe." He said, spreading out his stance and preparing for his next move.

Fu was too concentrated on using her quirk than to notice anything happening around her. As she expected, her quirk was affecting her severely. Her vision was going blurry and she could barely stand. Her head felt like it was about to split open when there was a sudden relief. Everything around her became clearer. She had not seen the thugs pop like balloons. It probably was for the better. It probably would have made Fu feel sick to her stomach if she would have seen what had happened to the thugs. Regardless, that's not what mattered. The healing song from Seraphine-san was helping her. While the headache was not completely gone, it was not as severe as she expected it to be. Maybe she could do it again? She was not sure. She did not want to test it.

It was not like she had much time to think about it. Daiki had been suggesting her to use the quirk on the villain while a teacher's voice boomed over the intercom. Floating? On the stage? There was nothing on the stage except the villains. Peering over to where the villains, she highly doubted that the villains had the bomb on their persons. That would not make sense, at least in scale. Looking at the stage, she saw the piano. Wait. Of course! If it's floating.

Looking over to all her friends, she used her quirk to tell them "It's in the piano!" Without hesitation, she tried one last time with her quirk. "I can only distract them for so long!" Fu said again with her quirk. Then she started. With the energy Seraphine-san was giving her, she launched a renewed set of screams at the two villains. Starring at them intenly, she tried imagine some soothing music in her head as she used her quirk.

[OOC: As long Seraphine continues his song, she is able to use her quirk at decreasing strength]

Rushing through the group, with each resounding 'POP', Taka could only feel himself become more enraged by what had transpired. Of course they weren't going to send ACTUAL people to look after the bomb. If it blew up, then who would willingly lose their life to protect it? And then there was the fact that all the students were going all out on a set of children's toys. Taka's eyes looked down at his body, seeing even more glitter and confetti stick to his bloody form, only feeling himself become angrier and angrier at how much he had been played for a fool, and worse, how he had fallen into it hook, line, and sinker...Although thinking about it for a moment, why had the other two signed up if they knew they were probably going to die?

It was at that point, in his rage focused haze, he remembered the other two villains within the situation. Just as this thought broke through the red mist of Hone's brain, the dragon roared, blocking out Raph's song and deafening Taka. The ringing only incenced him more as it drowned out Seraphine's song, forcing the healing factor Taka was relying on to go unheard, causing the pain to rush back into his form. He needed to do something quick to make it stop. Something. ANYTHING!

Then suddenly, nothing.

The pain had not subsided, the course of blood once again flowing freely out of his form once more, but the noise had stopped, as Taka stood tall once again, clearly unaffected by the roar of the great beast before them. He blinked slightly as he looked at the dragon still crying out, attempting to hurt them with his voice, but merely shook his head. He couldn't hear him anymore, when suddenly his eyes widened at the realization.

His body had removed the bones in his ears to stop the noise. He couldn't hear the dragon. He couldn't hear Raph's song. And perhaps most importantly, he couldn't hear the tannoy explaining the situation.

Taka continued to look around the room at the others, before suddenly he heard Fu's voice in his head.

"It's in the piano!...I can only distract them for so long!"

Finally Taka snapped to look at the stage area, and to the instrument presented upon it.

Oh shit, the bomb!

Hone had finally cleared his mind of distraction as he turned to make his way to it, before seeing the purple-haired villain moving out the corner of his eye. He turned his head to watch him approach the back of the theatre, a pained look on his face as he forced his body with no benefit from his friend to keep up. That must have been where Fu was hiding! He couldn't let him get to her, he mustn't get to her! If he was throwing knives at people from across the room, what could he do while he was up close to someone?!

Hone turned his body to the direction that the man was moving to, before he began forcing his body to move forward. Fu was effectively a civilian at this point, she had dropped out of the course! and if Taka had any hope of one day being a hero, he would have to protect everyone at all costs.

"I CAN'T HEAR YOU ANYMORE!" Taka shouted, hoping Raph would hear him, unaware of his position with all the moving parts, "I'LL LEAVE THE BOMB TO YOU!"

Then swiftly, Taka started to move. He could feel the muscles in his body begin to tear around the protruding bones, but he needed to stop him at all costs. Quickly he broke into a run, aiming right for the purple haired man, attempting another charge like he had achieved with the henchmen.

The only difference this time, is when he went "POP", it wasn't glitter that was going to fall out...

(Note: Taka is now deaf, meaning he is no longer under the affect of Raphael's Green Song. He will begin his countdown timer once again. He will have one more post unaffected, and four more posts until he passes out.)

I’m not sure if words will fully express
These truths within my heart
Even as you gain more and more,
The loneliness will never go away
Are you hiding that sadness behind a smile?

Raphael walked up beside Ryuga, moving to support her neck and had and moving her off the chair arms and onto the floor. She seemed...to be somewhat conscious? The cut on her head was clear from the dark red staining her colourful hair, but well at least the bleeding seemed to have been halted. He sighed inwardly a little in relief. So his quirk was working decently. That was good to know atleast.

He checked his classmate over for any injuries as he tried to get her attention by reaching over to squeeze her hand. He wished he could talk but he realised that was one large problem with his quirk- it was impossible to communicate once he had it up. He should...probably think about how to combat the situation when this was over… if they made it out alive.

No, no, they were going to. He had to be positive. They will be fine!

The kick had knocked Ryuga out cold, but what should have done more damage to her... didn't. Or rather, it was being undone. Sure, she likely had a concussion. Pain was splitting her head apart, and made her waking a little late. But as her eyes would open, she saw the source of her own safety. Seraphine-san. She could hear everything. From Futaba, Daiki, and Taka trying their hardest, to the dulcet song that came from his lips. Yet, why did it look to be so worried?

Right... it was coming back to Ryuga. She had just gotten up and blasted her way back... three shots, when she felt the pain in her head. How did she not die? She smiled up to the blonde idol, and gave a small smile. "Hey... Seraph-san." Awake, she felt a solace from him. But... Ryuga turned her head at a noise that seemed to nearby.

...

Embers erupted on his mouth, as he drank what left of her hot sauce she had. It was her Quirk he intended to use. Dragonlung. Were they going to die here?

...

She needed to get up. She pulled herself to her knees, using Raphael as a means to crutch herself, holding onto him tightly. Her hair was no longer tied up, moving in every which way around her. She felt exhausted already from days of training, and weak from just getting the shit kicked out of her, as her limbs reached behind her. The only thing that could work. She grabbed her last tool. Her bottle of water. This was going to be a double-edged sword. Her head was killing her, and this was the last move she had aside from air bullets. She undid the cap, and began to drink weakly. Trying to gulp it down.

Focus... Ryuga... just... focus... on...

He would roar out the inferno and flames. Intent to engulf them both. Ryuga tossed a half-empty water bottle, and got up as quickly as her body could, using the chair beside her to get onto her shaking feet. As she grit her teeth, she looked to the flames, standing before them. She had to act now, or Seraphine-san would die. She would die. They would become ash. The wave flowed through her. And as she grabbed Raphael into a hug, she fired, pointing a different direction entirely, perpendicular to the flames. She had to get them both out of there, and as the force of the hydro cannon of water flung them away, it did not, however, leave Ryuga unscathed. Her arm suffered burns. Raphael would feel it too. She needed to go faster, or they both would be worse off. She opened her mouth more, to a point where it would endanger unhinging it. She blasted more. More out. MORE. Her Dragonlung was firing harder, until finally-

The duo would be flung just far enough out of the fire to get to safety. Ryuga's arm having undergone a rather big second-degree burn.

As the duo landed, Ryuga was gasping for air. Had her lungs filled with water? No... she needed those. Her breathing became short, as she leaned herself against a chair. Crap. Was.... was this pulmonary edema?! Ryuga began to wheeze for air. That was way too much for her. She went too far. But Seraphine-san was safe... right?

... right?