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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2019 7:38:09 GMT -4
Words: 1,625 It wasn't every day Izanami got to give back to the community. Well, technically it was, her entire career focused on the pursuit of justice for the betterment of mankind. But this was different, this time it was for the children. As part of a charity fundraiser, the Tokyo Municipal Children's Medical Center had contracted a number of Pro-Heroes for a kind of fundraiser-groundbreaking ceremony for a new children's playground on their facility. The actual playground was financed entirely through donations, the ceremonies were a meet and greet of the hospital's wealthy benefactors and a number of Pro-Heroes and other celebrities.
For Izanami it was a dream come true, well, one of many dreams come true. She was ever ambitious, but the young heroine saw it as an important milestone for improving her own brand. Many of the now ex-vigilantes had become government sanctioned Pro-Heroes for a number of reasons. From being tired of hiding in the shadows, to wanting to atone for past sins, to plea deals and bargains, to the simple love of justice, their reasons were their own. Izanami though, had not become a Pro-Hero for entirely unselfish reasons. Like some of her compatriots she saw the Hero lifestyle as a growing avenue for wealth and fame. A new era of celebrities, super powered guardians patrolling the streets bringing justice to Villainy and defending the innocent for the righteous cause of good. It all sounded well and good on paper, even if greed and vanity tinged the purity of her cause. To her it was a small price to pay. What did it ultimately matter if she wanted to be rich and famous? So long as at the end of the day innocents were saved and Villains thwarted.
The charity event itself could not have picked a better day. A bright sunny Sunday morning with puffy white clouds lazing about the sky and a nice August breeze. The media would be out in force, eager to get their soundbytes from politicians, performers, and Pro-Heroes at the event. Though she hungered for the limelight, Izanami was not actually fond of reporters. She saw the press as vultures, like piranhas eagerly biting away at anything resembling a story. She detested when they'd swarm her with questions shoving microphones in her face but smiled and put on a convincing show anyways. Better to humor the press than risk a public relations fiasco. That was what her father had always told her anyways.
Izanami arrived at the hospital not a minute late. Punctuality was something her mother had drilled into all of her children, among many other lessons on how to act 'proper' and 'dignified.' She signed in with the guest book, before making her way to the groundbreaking ceremony. The medical center itself sat on a complex that spanned several city blocks. The primary campus was composed of a main building shaped like a rectangle, with an empty central area that housed a large park. This was where the new playground was to be, the old one already hauled away leaving basketball courts and football fields looking rather lonely next to the empty section.
Other guests were already beginning to trickle in, some having arrived early. Izanami recognized the city Mayor and his wife, as well as the CEO of Kyodo News, a J-Pop Band, and a number of hedge fund managers she only recognized because she'd accompanied her father to some conference or business social. This was of course, in addition to the real stars of the show, the Pro-Heroes. It seemed Izanami was among the first of her compatriots to arrive. She did spy a caped hero that had bark like armor and vines for dreadlocks. She knew his Quirk to manipulating plants, very useful in the city parks. Another heroine had an outrageously flamboyant costume on, with dazzling colors and far too many sequins. Izanami smirked, it was compensation for her Quirk which rendered her any anything on her personage completely invisible.
The young dragoness made her way to a large white tent that had been erected. Underneath were tables where food and drink was being served, Light fair, snacks really. There'd be a main luncheon with plenty of socializing after the groundbreaking ceremonies were through. During that time donations would be collected and checks with many zeroes would surely be written. Not one for coffee, Izanami got herself a glass of juice and a plate of hors d'oeuvres to tide herself over. She fed them individually to the serpent-tendrils that sprouted from her upper back. Doing so kept her actual mouth free to converse, and the food was all going to the same place anyways. Izanami made small talk for a few minutes, when a familiar voice made her groan internally.
"Miss Ryū! It's been such a long time." Came the voice of a portly, balding, middle aged man in a well tailored suit that failed to slim his gut. 'Not long enough.' Izanami though to herself, putting on a brave face and turning to greet the old acquaintance.
"Mr. Dorobō..." She replied sweetly, giving the man a short bow. Izanami was not one to forgo common courtesies just because she disliked a person. "I haven't seen you since finance summit my father insisted I attend with him. How have you been?" Kentaro Dorobō was an investment banker by trade and a major shareholder within her father's company, Ryū Heavy Industries. Izanami knew him to be a toady, always looking to worm his way into the good graces of his superiors to he could coerce them for favors down the road. She suspected this behavior was a key tactic in how he had managed to amass his personal fortunes, but she found it irritating behavior. Moreover, she knew quite well the only reason this boot-licker was even talking to her was due to her proximity to her father. Dorobō was always trying to grease Izanami's wheels so she could persuade her father on his behalf. Izanami was quick to pick up on his intentions, and thus far simply humored him.
Dorobō chuckled, taking an hors d'oeuvre off Izanami's plate and popping it into his mouth without asking. The serpents protruding from her back simply glared at him in agitation. "Oh, you know how it is dear. Busy busy busy. I'm just always running about these days it seems. We live in exciting times after all." He paused, taking a drink from what was thankfully his own cup. "Speaking off exciting, I have a new enterprise I've been sinking my teeth into. It's a real estate development venture, and we've already landed contracts with Tokyo, Osaka, and Kyoto..."
Here it was, here was the sales pitch coming. Izanami braced herself mentally for it, smiling and nodding along as she feigned interest. "Oh? Sounds rather interesting, if not my forte. You know, with all the buzz in the news this year about U.A. High School I bet there's plenty of development opportunities in Musutafu." Izanami was slowly trying to steer the conversation back into her direction. She planned to loop back from U.A. High to talk of the children and this very hospital. Unfortunately it seemed Kentaro was dimly aware of this and made sure to get his two cents in first.
"Yes, that school certainly is abuzz with news these days." The man added, almost sounding annoyed Izanami had tried to shift the subject. "That said my company is in the business of commercial high rises, not class rooms and gymnasiums. Besides, there's no money to be made in that school. It's a government run bleeding heart's project. It'll be closed down in a few years, mark my words." Izanami furrowed her brow at that comment, she rather liked the idea of a school for future heroes. It might have its flaws but at least it was something. Her entire generation of vigilantes-turned-heroes had grown up with no formal guidance whatsoever. At least these next generation heroes had someone to show them the way.
Before she could interject though the man continued. "Now that brings me back to my original point." Kentaro said as a wide, toothy grin crossed his fat face. "We both know RHI has a rather considerable mining and construction division. I was going to pitch you the idea, now this is all rough concept so I'd be more than happy to have my secretary email you the details, of a contract between your father's company and my own. An exclusivity deal if you would, for the usage of RHI branded construction equipment for all our future projects at an... appreciably discounted rate. What do you think?" The man's smile grew wider, he no doubt saw himself as a proud fisherman reeling in a prized catch.
Izanami wanted to roll her eyes, but instead took a drink from her cup as she mulled over what to say. "I think..." that I want someone to save me from this conversation, is what she wanted to say. "...That while I'm sure it could be a very lucrative proposal, you've given me the barest minimum of details. You know how difficult my father is to convince of anything that wasn't his own idea. How about you and I discuss this properly at another time; you can go over everything in depth then. Today is about the children after all." Dorobō looked momentarily defeated, and Izanami was ready to smuggly claim victory over this conversation. However when the man spoke again, he proved ever persistent on the matter, beginning to go over his five year plan for his company in agonizing detail. Izanami could only smile and pray someone would liberate her from this agonizing discussion. ๑
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 16, 2019 8:52:54 GMT -4
Mia won’t ever lie to herself. She didn’t get into the hero business for entirely selfless reasons, but moments like this definitely had their perks too. In a lot of ways Mia could readily admit she was a bit of a child at heart, so getting to not only build a park for them, but also get to interact with them a little as she got a bit of good publicity, was all bueno in her book. Afterall she was doing something that was kinda enjoyable, the weather was great, thanks to her immense strength the work wasn’t at all hard, and she constantly had some kids chasing her around as she put up fixtures in the park. They were all well behaved too to boot. Course that could just be the whole…being sickly think, and Mia had at one point tried to internally guess how many kids were terminal, but seeing the bright smiles they all had seeing her work, she’d quickly whipped that question from her mind.
“Easy kids. This one’s gonna be a doozy…!” Mia squatted down low, hugging her arms around the base of a tree trunk. The kids, as they’d learned to by now, all backed off cautiously before the Heroine before them, Red Horn, started to rise up from the ground. The tree had been marked as needing to be discarded so they could make rooms for a fresh patch of grass and some swings, and Mia was taking it upon herself to remove it. A loud grunt flowed from her chest as she hoisted the tree right over her shoulder, with relative ease to boot once she’d ripped it’s roots out of the grounds. She’d briefly pretended to tumble backwards from the weight, one or two of the kids clearly squealing behind her, but she very easily stopped herself, and turned about swiftly. “Woops! Sorry about that! Told you kids to get back.”
Just as quickly as they’d squealed the kids broke out into giggles realizing they weren’t in any real danger, Mia shooting them a bright smile before walking around to one of the waste disposal skips and tossing the whole tree down beside the one that was marked for greenery and the like. One of the more human workers on the project looked up from their clipboard at the sound of it being dropped before them, then looked to Mia with some bewilderment. “You couldn’t…break it up?”
“Hm? Oh! Yeah sure, sorry!~” She gave a briefly sheepish grin as she rubbed the back of her neck, then cracked her knuckles and rolled back her shoulders. She knew not to leave splinters that could fly into everyone’s faces, and held onto the tree a section at a time, simply throwing her fist through the tree like it was wet paper, and cutting it into uneven yet clear chunks that could be more readily disposed of. It was hardly an elegant approach, but the worker noted it off on their clipboard. “Ooookay…you’re good for a break about now. We’ll get you back when we’re putting in the swing. Sound good?”
“Aye. Sounds good.” She chimed back with a bright smile. She’d turn to the kids and say a quick good bye to ‘em, saying she’d be back to finish up once she refuelled and got her ‘hero juices’ back. Some were old enough to tell that was a teasy lie, but the others looked at her in awe, as if there was some really magic juice that gave heroes like her their powers. She smirked a little, sure to think up any details she could add to that if any of them asked about it later.
Approaching the break table, loaded with snacks and drinks, Mia wasn’t one for coffee either, avoiding that and going for one of the pitchers of juice and ice. She didn’t bother with a cup though. With her size the pitcher looked like a large sized mug for her, and she’d drink from it directly to help her freshen up a little. One of the other heroes shot her a look like she was doing something incredibly rude, but Mia just shrugged as she grabbed one of the plates of sandwhiches too. “What. I’m workin’ hard here.”
Shifting away from the other low-tier heroes, not recognizing anyone beyond a few passing appearances on the news, it seemed none of the UA teachers had been called to the event either, which meant Mia had no one she knew to hang with. She and her family were hardly present in Japanese politics either so that wasn’t here scene…there was a pretty looking woman to flirt with, but the camera on her said she was a reporter, and Mia didn’t wanna get too loose lipped on a good day like this.
Eventually, she spotted another woman. A REAL striking figure, costume, and quirk to boot if she was looking at those snake heads right. Her face though…pretty, but the expression it held yelled ‘kill me now’ and with the toady looking man hogging her attention, Mia could see why. Seeing it as her duty to save all people from death, both from the hands of villains, and boredom, Mia pushed her way between the two and pretended to know the other Heroine.
“Heeeeey! Thought I saw you!~” She’d begin, trying to create some fake familiarity between the two, biting one of her sandwiches as she put the plate down on a spare table beside them. “You still on for that raid of Thunder Shock’s operation this weekend? I-“
“Excuse me-“ The toady man tried to squirm in with a little raise of his voice. Clearly had some self perceived ‘stones’ if he talked over a woman Mia’s size, especially since she was still displaying a lot of muscle from working so hard all day. Mia’s red, sharp eyes would slowly turn over her shoulder, her free hand resting under the other arm’s elbow as she casually sipped from the pitcher she held.
“Can I help you?”
Seemed the man quickly learned his place. His lips had parted to speak but he noted the Red Horn and the striking blonde hair…and the size of the woman in general. “O-oh! Red Horn! I’m so terribly sorry! I assume you two have some big operation planned?”
“Something like that.” She smirked as he bought the bait. “You mind er…shooin’? Big police op. Need to know and all that. Just making sure we’re all clear on the details.”
“O-of course.” He bowed his head and backed off a little, leaving Mia with a cheeky smirk at the woman she’d hopefully rightly saved from a dead conversation.
“Sorry about that. No operation to be clear, I just thought you could use some saving. Looked like you were about to blow your brains out.” She rested the pitcher down and dusted off her hands before offering one across. “Name’s Mia, but I’m on the clock so ya better call me Red Horn.~”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2019 10:43:58 GMT -4
Words: 1,055 Izanami was out of snacks, out of drink, and running out of patience. It was beginning to show, as her serpents grew increasingly agitated, nipping at one another and hissing among themselves. They tended to reflect her subconscious thoughts, and she didn't spare the mental focus to keep them in line. The woman herself just continued to idly wade through her one sided conversation, which had shifted towards short term quarterly goals and projected growth margins. Why must they always take business with her? She was not her father, Izanami had desire to go into the cutthroat world of finance. Even her degree in business administration was just to appease her parents. She'd made the fledglings of a career out of heroism, she intended to keep it that way.
A familiar voice stole her attention, though it was not one she'd met in person. Izanami and her serpents turned to face the giant of a woman approaching them. Her height betrayed her identity, more so than the crimson horn that graced her forehead. The aptly named Red Horn, aka Japan's Number 1 rated Pro Hero. Izanami hadn't even seen her arrive. How long had she been here? How long had she been trapped in this conversation? Had time and space simply blurred together over the boring matter of business projections? It didn't matter, the change was welcomed, it meant a chance to escape her personal Hell.
Izanamu was briefly confused by the comment about a raid. There was no raid, after this she was heading back on patrol. Her eyes met Mia's and she realized what was happening. She gave the taller woman a curt nod before speaking to her. "Of course, though I'm surprised you're mentioning it in public." Dorobō quickly interjected, and Izanami couldn't help but think 'he's your problem now.' He was quick to inquire about the hypothetical raid, to which the dragoness folded her arms across her bust and shifted her gaze back to him. "More than the two of us, half the Pro-Heroes in the city have been called in for this." She leaned in closer, both her gaze and that of her tendrils leveled on the man. "But... I've already said too much. It would have serious repercussions if anyone leaked this information to the media..."
Dorobō swallowed the lump in his throat, Izanami's idle threat finding its mark. He wisely exited the conversation, no doubt off to pester someone else into becoming one of his 'future investors.' Good riddance. She turned her attention back to Red Horn, giving the woman a fanged grin. "I gathered as much, and I owe you one." She ran a hand through her long mane of blonde hair, before letting out a relieved sigh. "If anyone was planning a raid on Thunderbutt, the last thing they'd be doing is talking about it at an event covered by the media." She pointed over her shoulder, to a throng of reporters and news cameras swarming around the Mayor posing with the J-Pop band from earlier. No doubt trying to secure the 'hip urban youth vote' for his reelection campaign.
"For the record..." Izanami said as she reached out to shake Mia's hand, scaled hand meeting her acquaintance's giant mitt. "...I've sat through much worse. I've been getting dragged into corporate affairs since my father first thought I was old enough to 'Go out there and get your feet wet Princess.' Though Dorobō is particularly persistent." The woman shook her head, her serpents mimicking the gesture as they fell back in line. "Anyways, pleasure to finally meet you in person, Red Horn. Can't say this is where I expected to." Truthfully she figured the two would probably have met over a U.A. function, like attending a sports festival or maybe guest lecturing. Not that this wasn't equally as pleasant.
"And I am Izanami Ryū, though I go by Dragon Queen these days." As she introduced herself another six serpents shot out from her back, some coiling around her arms, others draping over her shoulders, and some poised at the side of her head. Bringing the grand total to the full eight, each one studying Red Horn head to toe, forked tongues flicking out as they tasted her scent. "It's nice to see someone genuine here." Izanami added with a smile, before looking to the congregation of the event. "Half the people here are only attending because 'helping sick children' looks good for their public relations. They'll pose for pictures, give their speeches, cut a check, then forget about it by tomorrow." Her eyes wandered to Dorobō, who was now trying to hold conversation with the Mayor and a man Izanami recognized as the host of Japan's most popular morning talk show. No doubt back to fishing for investors already. She shook her head at the thought of it, what a vulture.
Izanami's gaze turned back to Mia's, and her expression brightened. "Not us though, we're the genuine article." She spread her wings wide, placing a hand on her prominent hip as she began to recant her story. "Don't laugh but, when I'm out on patrol during the day I try to plot my route so I fly by this place as often as I can spare. I go low and slow, just gliding as I pass by. You know, so they kids can get a good look at me as I go by." Izanami blushed slightly, folding back up her wings and withdrawing her serpents within her back. "I hope it brightens at least one of their days every time I go past. Lord knows these kids deserve all the happiness they can get."
Her gaze shifted to a little girl sitting on a stump watching the two heroines talking from afar. Her hair was bald from chemotherapy, her skin pale and her features gaunt. It hurt slightly, seeing a child so blissfully happy at the simple joy of watching two Pro-Heroes talking while knowing the girl's days were likely numbered. Izanami pushed the thought aside in her mind. "So anyways, were you here this whole time? No offense but... you smell like you just got back from the gym then got in a fight with a wood chipper." Izanami said sarcastically, trying to lighten her own spirits with a joke.
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 16, 2019 12:47:21 GMT -4
Mia had a light smirk as Izanami (who’s name she would soon learn) so readily took the hint of what was going on and made sure the guy bothering her didn’t see that smirk in the slightest. Wouldn’t do well to rumble the ruse too soon now would it? She played her part and Mia played her own, and soon enough the woman was even lowkey threatening the man with actions against him should information leak about the operation. Mia had an easy enough excuse in that she wasn’t the sharpest tool in the shed sometimes, so letting something slip wasn’t out of character, but now the man had clearly been threatened, and clearly had no excuse should information of this fake operation slip in the slightest.
“Nice work….” She’d idly comment as she watched the toadly little man run off to bother someone else, looking back to the woman and taking her in a bit more openly. Even with kids around Mia herself was still a grown woman, and couldn’t help but admire the curvaceous, lightly toned figure of a fellow heroine, a smile curling it’s way up her cheeks as she did but snapping out of it as the conversation continued, doing the other woman the courtesy of being looked in the eye clear as day. “No worries. I’ll just be sure to call on that I O U if he ever tries to schmooze me.” She winked back playfully, resting her hands on her hips. She herself glanced at the reporters, but shrugged idly. “They’re as much trying to come out of this with a good story as we are, so they’re not about to eavesdrop too readily. As bad a rep as we might get for talking about something innapropriate here, none of those guys wanna be known as the new tabloid gossip mag, ya know?” She smirked and looked over the brand names on all their cameras indicated what crew belonged to which station. “Yeah, none of those are gonna be trying to listen in. Hero association knows how to select it’s news outlets.~”
As the woman said she’d sat through much worse, Mia just shrugged. “Well I’ve had someone stab me, but I’ve also had someone burn me with magma. Now the second one is clearly the worst, but it doesn’t mean I want someone to stab me again either.” In a roundabout way Mia was simply saying ‘just cause you’ve been through worse doesn’t mean you should be suffering through more of the weaker shit’. The two shook hands, and Red horn’s grip was firm as she shook back, quirking a brow as she was told this wasn’t where she was expected. “Oh yeah?~ Now I gotta ask. Where exactly did you expect me? I mean, there’s only so much crime at any one time. I gotta do something on my quiet days to help out.~”
As she finally got the other woman’s name, Mia tried to scan her memories to see if it came up. She tried to keep up to date on the up and coming heroes, and she couldn’t see her name ringing a bell…oh! Dragon queen! Now that was memorable. When she’d seen the latest hero listings she’d wanted to contact her about joining her hero agency, wanting to get a whole monster theme going on, what with her being an Oni and all, but she’d ended up too busy with the pro hero rankings coming up that she’d never sent anything out. Beyond her name and a small idea of her quirk though, Mia knew very little about the woman infront of her. “Nice to meet’cha dragon queen.~”
At the comment they were some of the only people here for genuine reasons, Mia glanced over her shoulder, watching the toadly man schmoozing up to someone else and shrugging with a chuckle. “Ah who cares.” She boldly stated, turning her eyes back to Izanami. “I mean sure, guys a wormy toad, a lot of people are, but I’m of the personal belief no one does anything without at least a tiny bit of a selfish reason. People give to charity to alleviate guilt or to feel good, not solely out of the goodness of their hearts. I mean, heck-“ She looked around. “I love seeing these kids happy. That makes me happy. Now that’s not bad in any way, but it’s the truth. Now yeah some of these guys have more selfish reasons, and I wouldn’t wanna end up like them in a million years but…” She shrugged casually, not bothered by her world view. “People are selfish, I’m just lucky what makes me feel good is making other people feel good.~”
Despite her selfish speech she’d have a hearty chuckle, not the mocking kind in the slightest, at the idea that her developing fellow heroine would purposely fly by the place low and slow to make sure the kids saw her. “Gonna be honest, if I’d have the forefought to do that I might too, but with how I move across the city it ain’t too safe for me to use the streets. I mean I basically jump from rooftop to rooftop, not a good idea to move like that with cars and civilains in the way…still, I getcha. I’ll play up a fight I know I can win for the fans in the crowd sometimes, make sure everyone gets their fill. Never putting anyone in danger of course, but ain’t nothing that beats a kid looking up at ya with eyes wide as his head right?”
With the comment about her stench, Mia was briefly tempted to sniff her pits, and clearly was about to as she lifted her arm, but hearing a kid giggle behind her she forced her arm back down and fought the instinct, simply stating. “Er…I’ve been here a while but I’ve been focusing on the kids rather than er…hanging out. It’s my first break since I don’t really get all that tired from work like this.” She crossed her arms to help fight the instinct to sniff herself after that comment. “As for the chipper smell I just pummeled one of the old trees.” With a roll of her shoulders she’d ask.” How bout you? What projects have you been workin’ on?”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 16, 2019 22:05:55 GMT -4
Words: 1,050 Izanami scoffed, giving Dorobō one last look before turning her attention back to Red Horn. "Him? Naw, I don't think you'd interest him much. He doesn't talk about it, but his Quirk is he's got a long tongue like a frog. It's not really useful, and he doesn't like to talk about it." There was a slight pause as the woman tried to find the right words to say. "Dorobō is of the older generation, he doesn't have a fond opinion of Quirks and if you asked him he would rather be Quirkless and 'normal' himself." It was a common sentiment, one unfortunately still held by far too many people. One things like this fundraiser worked slowly to alleviate.
Amethyst eyes watched the throngs of reporters as Red Horn shared her thoughts on the media. "Hmm... If you say so." Izanami stated simply, she was still not keen on the media. "I'm sure if they overheard something truly juicy they'd just leak the story as an anonymous source then report on it anyways." That was an all too common tactic these days it seemed with political scandals, thankfully she was a far cry from politics. When Mia made her strange euphemism Izanami couldn't help but raise a hand to her mouth to suppress a laugh. "That is quite the metaphor, I'll have to remember that one... but I understand your point." Red Horn was clearly cut from a different cloth than she was, and lacked much of her sophistication or tact. If not for their shared profession the two would likely have never met one another.
"Well, if you must know." Izanami said through a sly grin, several serpents coiling around her arms snakes wrapping around a tree branch. "I imagined at some point I'd end up television alongside you, on a talk show or some interview special. You are the current Number 1 Ranked Pro-Hero in Japan, are you not?" She put extra emphasis on the word current, placing a hand to her chest. "I intend to climb that ladder myself, it is only a fitting a Dragon Queen should reign supreme." The woman was never one to make her intentions less than clear. Yamata Ryū had not raised his daughter to aspire to anything less than first place. If Red Horn wanted to maintain her spot, she was going to have to work harder than Dragon Queen did trying to claim it. It was as simple as that in Izanami's eyes.
"It was nice to meet you too Red Horn." Izanami said politely as she withdrew her hand, shaking it slightly as it stung a little from Mia's grip. The giantess was strong, much stronger than Izanami's humanoid form it seemed. She was lucky the two were on the same side. She nodded along in agreement though as the taller woman spoke. "People are selfish, its in our nature. Since the first fish crawled out of the sea and grew legs, its been in our instincts to do whatever we can to survive... and thrive." Izanami was in a philosophical mood, petting the snakes along her arm as she spoke. "That's why there will always be evil in this world. Mobsters, criminals, terrorists... Villains. New names, same faces. It is up to people like us to rise about our nature, and be selfless and just. It is the only way Good will ever hope to triumph over Evil."
Izanami initially chuckled at Mia's story about how she leapt from rooftops and hadn't considered the idea of slowing down for the children. Though her expression quickly turned dour when Red Horn said she'd sometimes drag out a fight for other's amusement. Dragon Queen shook her head, before looking the taller woman sternly in the eye. "That is where you and I differ then. My father taught me to always take down my opponent as quickly and efficiently as possible. Villains do not play by our rule book, they will do anything and everything to win. Taking any opportunity to fight dirty or harm the innocent." She paused, letting her words sink in. "The children can look up at me wide eyed after I've won, with the Villain defeated and in custody. We aren't gladiators out there to entertain the masses. We are Symbols of Peace, Hope, and Justice."
Dragon Queen let out a sigh, turning to look away from the irksome reporters and politicians. "I should have been doing that as well. I've been here at least as long as you and I've been wasting my time talking to my father's damned acquaintances." She let another sigh, before unfurling her wings and beating them once in agitation. "Even here I can't seem to get out from under his shadow." Izanami gave a slight pause as she mulled over Red Horn's question, before simply responding with "Personal matters. They occupy a lot of my free time. I don't have any big 'projects' as of late." She didn't want to elaborate on her personal vendetta to keep Ryū Heavy Industries manufactured weapons and gadgets out of criminal hands. Beyond that it was the truth, Izanami simply didn't have any grander plans at the moment beyond advancing her own standing on the Pro-Hero charts.
"Anyways..." Izanami said as she began to walk away from the taller woman back towards the playground. "I've done enough standing around doing nothing but talking. You're more than welcome to continue this conversation, but I want to stretch my wings." With that Izanami made her way to a forklift holding a pallet of sandbags. These were not crude sand you'd line a ditch with. Inside was fine white sand from the city's beaches for the children's sandboxes. She coiled her tail around one bag, grabbing another four using two tendrils a piece, and lifting several more with just her arms. Izanami was strong, far stronger than the average Quickless person even in her humanoid form. Though she would be the first to admit she didn't hold a candle to Red Horn's raw might. Not that it would matter for this, as she carted the bags over to the nearest empty sandbox and sliced them open one by one with her claws as she began to pour them out into an even coat. ๑
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 17, 2019 7:06:03 GMT -4
“Oh he’s a quirker?” Mia spoke up a little surprised, but glancing back to him she supposed it was a little clearer. She thought he just looked toad like because he was the slimy kind of politician. That whole ‘you suit the look of your role’ philosophy, but no, seemed he had a quirk that might be fueling his toady appearance…huh. Mia supposed there were a lot of people with no visual tells that they had quirks, but it felt almost weird seeing one on a politician…she’d have to consider looking into the possibility that other people in such positions had such powers. “Wouldn’t have called that…” She idly commented, rubbing her chin in thought on the matter. Hearing he was from the older generation easily made sense though, sighing through her nose. She hated anyone who was quirkest, but being quirkest WITH a quirk? That was just…a whole other level.
“Eh I dunno. The hero association wants us doing our best in the public eye, so they probably screen these folks to hell and back. Like, don’t get me wrong, it’s not like I inherently trust them but…” Her mind tried to catch another metaphor. “it’s like, there’s only so much dirt that can stick to your hands if ya wash ‘em 5 times over. These guys may want all the juicy deets, but they also know that if they make the slightest slip then they don’t get to come back and see us again, so they gotta behave as much as we do ya know? I ain’t about to spread dirty secrets out loud, but if they report on something they weren’t supposed to hear…they’re likely in more hot water than me.” She shrugged casually, just callin’ it how she saw it. She chuckled a little though as Izanami called out her metaphors, crossing her arms. “Oh shut up. Best way I know to make myself understood.”
She lifted her brow as the other woman talked about how she’d envisioned meeting her on a talk show or the like. Which…wasn’t too unreasonable. Even if she was more the kind for playing to a crowd after a villain take down, the hero association made sure she made more formal appearances like Shows and the like when she was available. She woulda found it interesting talking to a lass like Izanami back stage too. “Maybe they woulda called on all the monster heroes. You, me, serperior, army of one, maybe Yellow Jacket. Coulda been a good show talking about all our visual differences and crap from the public.” She thought for a moment, tipping her head back. “…Ya know that could actually be a good segment to pitch to someone…eh. Something to throw at the agent whenever I see her next.” She didn’t care much to be on TV, but a chance to hang out with her fellow heroes like that didn’t sound too bad.
With Izanami commenting she’d be on the top of the pile soon enough, Mia simply shook her head with a smirk. “Aren’t dragon’s USUALLY known for being conquered by those with the muscle to take them down?~” She smirked wider, purposely pumping her arm into a strong flex.
She was glad the woman wasn’t opposed to her comment on people being standardly selfish, and Mia could only add. “Just gotta remember not everyone’s selfishness is bad. Some people feel good from doing good. Some people feel good from hurting others. Everyone’s selfish, there are just different brands of it.”
She may have been misinterpreted on the showmanship however. “Oi I mean, don’t get me wrong, if a villain needs to go down he’s going down quick as that, but if I know I’ve got everything under control, what’s the harm in acting up on them a little. I mean the more I play with them the bigger the power gap they’d see, and the less likely they’d be to try that shit in the future since they know they might run into me again. I ain’t about to play up a fight that’d endanger anyone, but to me It don’t hurt to get a kid laughing from how easily I trounce the bad guy.~” The comment on not being gladiators had her roll her eyes with a sly smirk. “I mean I don’t know about you, but as good as being the hero makes me feel, I’m definitely in it for the combat more than not. Maybe I just got a little bit more of the gladiator brain in me.”
Mia felt a little bad for Izanami as she said she’d had to smooze with some pals of her father or some such, but she wouldn’t push the topic. She was right, bout time they got back to helping out. She’d follow Izanami as she stuffed a few of the sandwhiches into her maw, rolling her shoulders back as she swallowed and hefting a couple sand bags over each shoulder, smirking at the kids as they started to follow along again. While Izanami used her wings, Mia would use her horn, ramming it into the bags to cause a tear before dragging it up to open it up fully, pouring out the sand. She did wince a bit with regret after the third bag, feeling some sand had worked it’s way into the scar of her horn. She’d have to wash that out when she got a chance…
“So…what’s yer quirk anyway? Yer clearly strong, but that don’t explain the medusa serpent things ya got going on.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2019 8:46:15 GMT -4
Words: 1,715 Izanami chuckled slightly at Mia's continued metaphors; they were very apt, even if she had to try and dissect each sentence first. "I didn't say stop with the metaphors. I think they suit you." She added simply, nodding to herself as she mulled it over. "The news makes you look like a true Hero, a champion of the common working man. I think your down to earth way of thinking really drives that point home." Izanami was already abuzz with ideas. "It's good for your brand, it makes you relatable."
Pro-Heroes were a new enough profession many of her compatriots were figuring this out, but Izanami was keenly aware how as super powered celebrity law enforcement they were easily the most rising form of entertainment whether they wanted it or not. Their exploits and acts of heroism made the nightly news a comic book reel and their role in society as symbols of justice made them extremely appealing role models to parents. There was immense money to be made on heroism, from book deals, to guest appearances, to licenced toys, clothing, and other merchandise. Perhaps it was her father's business acumen in her, or maybe her mother's shewed savy nature. Regardless, Dragon Queen wanted as big a slice of the Pro-Hero pie as she could get.
Izanami's eyes practically flashed with energy when Red Horn seemed receptive to the idea of a television appearance. "I like the sound of that. Though... don't use the word Monster." Her enthusiasm quickly faded though. Izanami exhaled sharply, twin jets of black smoke briefly pouring from her nostrils. "I dislike that word." Despite her current self confidence in her appearance, and acceptance of her Quirk as part of her identity, it hadn't always been that way. Even attending expensive private schools as a child she had been ruthlessly tormented for her appearance. Called a freak, a monster, even a demon by the more religious folks of the older generations. Monster was the favored insult of her peers, and a large part of her reasoning for being a force for good was to prove to others she was no monster.
It didn't surprise Izanami at all when monstrous looking Villains emerged, and she silently wondered what torment and abuse they endured through their own childhood. Abuse was often systematic, those who were abused as children often became abusers as parents. Quirks were no different. Those ridiculed for their Quirk often in turn came to despise those who were Quirkless or still managed to look 'normal.' This kind of intolerance was still far too prevalent in society, despite the laws outlawing Quirk based discrimination and protecting rights for Quirk wielding citizens. "Find a better word." Izanami said simply, though she herself was unable to place one. Cryptids? Not every animal themed Quirk was mythological in nature. Creatures? Creature had a secondary definition of a pitiable being. That would not do either. Beast was too brutal a word for public relations purposes. The young woman exhaled another quick puff of black smoke at her frustration.
Dragon Queen raised an eyebrow to Red Horn's flex, shaking her head no. "Dragons are also known for stealing away princesses, burning down castles, hoarding treasure, and killing brave and noble warriors." Her own Quirk's namesake stole a princess of the Shinto Gods and was slain by the God of the Wind and Storms. "But times change, and we can't just be what others expect us to be." Izanami gave Mia another fanged smile, as she explained the irony of their Quirks. "If you and I did, we'd both be Villains. Your Quirk makes you like an Oni, mine makes me like Dragon. By all accounts we should be predisposed to evil, and yet here we are at a charity for sick children." Her serpents seemed particularly riled up by that statement, and her tail swished eagerly. "We have to be what we want others to see in us. And what I want others to see is a great Pro-Hero, a true Symbol of Peace."
Izanami remained irritated in Red Horn's brash approach to heroism. "You shouldn't play with your food. The one time you slip up and make a mistake, and someone innocent gets hurt when they shouldn't have been, and you'll live with it for the rest of your life. A black stain on your legacy, where people look back and go 'why didn't she do things differently, why did she have to let them die.' If anyone under my watch, I want to be able to look back with clear conscious, and say that I did everything I could to the absolute limit of my abilities."
Mia's talk of loving the thrill battle stuck with Izanami, though she did not openly admit it she too reveled in the adrenaline rush of combat. She felt most alive in her dragon form, pushed to her limits, eight heads breathing fire over her opponent. "If you like fighting so much, make something happen. You've got more pull than any of us, as the Number 1 Pro-Hero. Set up a contest, a tournament maybe. Some way for Pro-Heroes to showcase their skills for the world in the spirit of competition." Izanami pressed a finger to her lips, mulling over her idea further. "Even better, if you wanted tons of good P.R., make it non-profit. Use the proceeds to fund the prize pool and the expenses, then donate the rest to charity. Maybe even set up a charity foundation of your own. The Olympics get less popular every year, most major professional sports forbid Quirk usage, and the people always love to be entertained." If Mia did not run with the idea, Izanami would.
Izanami focused on the playground, pouring sand to the children's delight. When she'd finished she moved to grab the frame of a swing set, hefting it over to the nearly sand filled playground and setting it up carefully. Extra appendages made it easier, she could hold two pieces in place with her hands and screw in screws with a screwdriver clasped in one of her serpent's mouths. When Mia asked about her Quirk Izanami stood up, turning to face her. "My Quirk? Here I was assuming you knew." She was disheartened the Number 1 Hero didn't even know enough about her to understand what her Quirk did. But... she supposed that was too be expected. There were more Pro-Heroes by the day, and competition was growing between them.
"How well do you know your history Red Horn?" Izanami said with a coy smile. "My Quirk is Yamata no Orochi, named for the very same dragon of Shinto legend. Eight heads, one body, with all the powers you'd expect of a dragon." Izanami had several serpents coil in front of her and she gently stroked their heads and scratch their chins. "You're not the first to compare to me to Medusa, but that's my Mother's Quirk not mine. These lovely serpents are like tendrils that grow out of my back. There's eight in total. They've got vestigial brains in them, so they're somewhat self aware. They can see hear, feel, taste, smell, feel, you name it. But I experience what they do, they're a part of me. I don't have a better way to explain it." Izanami paused, mulling over how to demonstrate.
She withdrew seven of her serpents back into her body, leaving only one over her left shoulder. "I can see what this one sees. But I don't see it like a second set of eyes. It's more like... like there's a television in my brain and this snake is a security camera feeding it images. Does that make sense?" She hoped it did, she didn't have a more concise way to explain it. "But my serpents are about as intelligent as real snakes on their own. If I'm hungry, they are too. If I'm angry, they get violent. Most of the time I don't actively put any thought into controlling them. I just let them do their own thing, and as long as you don't grab them and pull they won't try and bite." Izanami smirked, and the remaining snake suddenly froze in place, jutting out perfectly straight. "But with mental focus I can control them the same way you and I can control the fingers on our hands." With that the snake coiled up like a spring, straightened out to normal, then slowly retracted back into her body.
"They come out of special pores on my back, and when I retract them into my body they apparently go inside out... which I do not like to picture." It was inside her, with the rest of her organs, but the mental image of a bunch of inside out snakes resting behind her lungs always kind of creeped her out. "When I retract them they go dormant, their brain only really seems to switch on when I mentally command them to emerge. I don't think they have the capacity for memories either, or if they do I don't know how to access them. And they don't seem to display any differences in personality, each one is exactly like the others. Even if it gets damaged and has to regrow." Izanami was thankful she could regenerate wounds, though her serpents were infrequently severed in battle and regrowing them was still an arduous process. That and very, very itchy.
Izanami rolled her shoulders then turned around, going back to work on her swing set. Just as before several of her serpents emerged from her back to aid her by carrying tools from a toolkit she'd snagged out of the forklift. "Should I keep going? Or am I boring you." Izanami asked Mia as she focused on making sure the swing was as tight and sturdy as possible. Nothing was too good for sickly children. "I'm aware I'm not exactly what you'd call 'humble.' Most people don't really want to listen to me talk about myself all day..." She was at least self aware of her vanity, though she also made no excuses for herself. In truth Izanami embraced her vanity as an extension of her pride. Better to be vain and proud than ashamed of your own Quirk and your identity.
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1,296 Posts
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22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 17, 2019 12:25:37 GMT -4
Mia smirked a little at the comment of the metaphor’s suiting her, but mostly shrugged the comment off as an idle compliment and little more. It was the easiest way for her to get some ideas across, which was more perhaps a sign of her lack of intelligence than anything else, but hey, if it worked, it worked. She even smirked a bit more at the comment of her being the ‘working man’s hero’, laughing a little more genuinely even. “Yeah that’s one way to describe me I guess, but I don’t care so much about the brand. I’m doing what I do, and it just happens to click with people.” She’d think for a moment, then cheekily ask. “Hey, what kinda brand you goin’ for?”
Seeing the reaction to calling them ‘monster heroes’, Mia would backpedal a little, not meaning to have offended but also not too cautious either. She hadn’t meant to offend and the other woman seemed to get that, so she’d offer a brief “Sorry-“ Followed with an equally brief explanation of her use. “Japan just tends to use that readily enough. Ya know like…’monster girls’ are a thing in their nerd culture or whatever. I’ll just call us mutations from now on to be a little less offensive.” Easily done. Mia herself owned the term ‘monster’ rather than recoiled for it, but she wouldn’t judge those who weren’t okay with it. “Or is there somethin’ else ya’d prefer?”
As Izanami tried to go into their monster natures and what those should supposedly lead to, she scoffed a little. “Hey I dunno about you but these days dragons are as good as they are evil. In games and TV they’re as much the good guys as they are the bad guys. Oni’s I’ll give you though. Outside of anime and shit we’re definitely the bad guys, but you’re right. We aren’t just predestined to match what our quirks make us.”
With the further potential chastising about her battle habits, Mia shrugged and shook her head again. “I’ve fought all my life, even before I did it professionally. There’s a thrill when you know you’re the winner no matter what happens, and you can dance around an opponent who’s struggling to even stand up to you. I’ll take my kicks where I can get ‘em, but like I said, when I can’t fuck around, I don’t. There are times to be serious…and there are times to take joy out of something when you can.” She hated when people took things to the extreme, so she didn’t entertain the idea of letting someone die even for a moment. It just wouldn’t happen, she knew herself well enough to know that’s never a situations he’d play about in, but it was hard to display that with words alone.
The idea of a tournament was an interesting one, but not one Mia felt she could entertain too much either, idly scratching her cheek. “Eeeeh…fun as that might be, I doubt anyone would sign up. Too many heroes would have reputations to risk on it, either cause it’d show how weak they are, or it’d show they’re not as kind and gentle as they might try and look.” She chuckled a little however and added. “Ya got a good head on yer shoulders though. Sounds like it’s not the first time you’ve organized an event.”
Mia would just listen quietly as the woman explained and displayed her quirk, commenting “Not well.” At the question of how well she knew her history. She knew a few mythical creatures since her family had a habit of developing quirks to look like them, her brother himself had a draconic twist to his quirk, but Mia didn’t know much of real history as she might refer to it. Still, she kept her slightly pointed ears open and absorbed what was given to her, brow raising a little as she heard the intricacies, unable to help an idle comment of “Geeze, all you new bloods with these interesting quirks, and all mine does is make me strong when I’m in the zone.” She shook her head idly, pouring out another bag of sand. “Well, it’s certainly an interesting quirk ya got there…always had it or did ya develop it later in life?” She flicked her horn. “Had mine since I was born, but the muscles didn’t form till I was 9. Back then my strength never really showed physically but I could lift up one of my teachers. Muscles started to actually show when I hit my teens, but even then, only when I really pushed myself.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 17, 2019 13:36:39 GMT -4
Words: 780 Izanami was not keen on the word mutation either, but she said nothing. To her the word mutant invoked mental images of radioactive abominations terrorizing the surviving humans in a post apocalyptic world. She was no mutant, and she was no monster. She was just... herself. Izanami didn't know what she truly was, only what she knew she wasn't. And that was monster or Villain, neither could further from the truth. "Apology accepted." Was all she said on the matter.
"You were raised all your life fighting? I wasn't. I was raised to be a proper lady and take over the family business someday. I suppose technically I still am." Izanami said, though that was one bridge she herself didn't know if or when she'd cross. She'd have to find a fire proof room to argue with her father in, either or both of them would probably try to burn the place down in their anger. "Fighting came later. I didn't have any formal training. Just my wits and my Quirk. So I don't 'fuck around' as you put it. I like to consider myself swift, efficient, and surgical. Make as few mistakes as possible and always strive for perfection."
Izanami just scoffed and shook her head when Mia commented she had a good head on her shoulders. "That's just my father in me talking. Apparently business runs in the family veins. And no, it's not my first event I've organized. But it sounds significantly more fun than setting up another conference or corporate assembly... or worse... golf tournament." Izanami visibly shuddered at the last one. There were few things more boring to her than watching old men play golf as they babbled on endlessly about business and office politics. Thankfully her Pro-Hero career had forced these responsibilities onto her younger siblings, who her father continued to groom as possible successors.
"New Blood!?" Izanami said in an offended tone as she turned to face Red Horn. "Just because I haven't been a sanctioned Pro-Hero as long as you doesn't mean I'm some kind of rookie. I've been on the streets fighting crime for almost decade now, started when I was sixteen." Izanami had realized by now Red Horn, while personable, was fairly ignorant of many things. Mia was not as studious as she herself was, given her general lacking knowledge towards both other heroes and Japanese history.
"I didn't even tell you everything my Quirk does." She added, mildly annoyed Mia hadn't asked for the rest of her synopsis. "In addition to flying, I can breath fire and transform into my other form." The young woman hesitated when asked if she'd had it all her life. "I've had my Quirk as long as I can remember... for the most part. I first started getting scales when I was four, and my tail and wings started growing in when I was five. By six I had horns too, but they took years to grow to full size." Izanami sighed, looking at one of her clawed hands, clenching and unclenching her first. "The serpents came later, just sprouted from my back one day during puberty. I thought a snake had crawled into my bed. Punched one in the face... except... I felt it. Mom ended up being so proud I had some of her Quirk in me."
Izanami then gazed up at the clouds and let out a soft sigh. "I spent most of my life growing up getting called a freak or a monster. My family always told me I wasn't, but... it'd hard not to let so many insults get to you. My scales are my armor... but even armor cracks. I struggled with self confidence and self worth for a long time. It's hard enough living up to the Ryū family name without half the people in your school calling you a monster to your face." The strange, gem-like scale on Izanami's forehead glowed with a violet light for a brief moment as she spoke. "Then one day in high school I snapped, I'd had enough of their abuse. So I showed them what a real monster looks like. At the time even I didn't know I could do it either." The light dimmed, as Izanami regained her composure. Taking a deep breath, she calmly walked over to the nearest tree scheduled for removal, and in one lightning fast movement spun on her heels whipping her tail through the air carving a deep gash through the thick bark of the tree with its barbed tip. "There.. now I feel better." She said simply as she walked back slowly to where Mia stood.
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
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22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 20, 2019 12:09:27 GMT -4
Mia shrugged at the ‘apology accepted’, unsure what to say on the matter but not wanting to offend. Mia had been called everything from demon to monster, and she turned those titles on their head. Claimed them. Owned them. They felt powerful under her now and she preferred them over more…simple terms. Ones meant to avoid hurt. In her eyes telling someone not to call you something just displayed your weakness. Turning that weakness on it’s head, making it motivation, making it fuel…
She wasn’t the lecture giving type, and she held her tongue.
Mia scoffed a little though at the question of her being raised to fight. “Not exactly. It was just…how I reacted. Texas isn’t exactly a place known for peaceful solutions. When I got riled up enough I threw a punch. Eventually I learned to just shoot the words back till they threw the first punch but…yeah. I guess I was never raised to be a proper lady either way. My dad worked in a mine, my mom didn’t care how we turned out so long as we were happy and…humane. Me fighting didn’t bother her so long as no one was permanently injured. Kids would be kids and all that.” She rolled back her shoulders to get a little more comfortable, and laughed at what Izanami said next.
“Formal training!? You think I of all people have formal training? Please, you’ve probably learned more from just watching a kung fu movie in passing than I’ve ever learned.” She teased right back, but being honest in a way with her choice of words. “Seriously, I just fight. I’m a beast, I rampage forward, that’s my style. If anything training kinda feels…insulting. It’s like…taking a photograph of a beautiful sunset. It’s still amazing but you turned a beautiful, visceral, natural thing into just…a snippet of art. You take what fighting is and you boil it down into something it isn’t. I mean hey, kudos to people who can master that shit, it just ain’t for me. It ain’t what fighting is….but that’s just me.”
“Golf tournament?” She’d briefly inquire, quirking her brow. “Heh…how boring was that?”
When Izanami seemed to take offense to being called the new blood, Mia didn’t hesitate and just grinned through her defense. “You’re new blood compared to me lass. And don’t just think you’re the only one who fought crime before it was legal. How do you think I found challenging foes when my quirk kicked in?” She teased of course, but more genuinely. “Seriously tho, I got brought into this job cause I did a lot of shit before I even got here, so I think I still got a right to call you ‘new blood’ far as I’m concerned.~”
Mia would close up her smart mouth for a bit as the other woman continued to explain her quirk, thinking to cheekily comment it was just more evidence of her dragon like nature, but for now she’d just be respectful and listen.
As she whipped her tail about her, speaking of her struggles with handling being called a monster, Mia let out a deep sigh from her nose. She held out an arm where the tree was falling from it’s deep cut, and let the tree trunk fall into her arm. Her strong arm caught the tree before it hit the ground, and idly adjusted it’s weight so it was balanced over her shoulder.
“…When I first lashed out. I wasn’t angry…well I was. But not the way you’re describing. They called me a monster and a demon…and I wasn’t wanting to prove them right. Cause I knew they were wrong in how they were saying it. I wanted to just…knock the words out of their head. I won’t lie, I wanted them to fear me so much it just didn’t come up again. Wasn’t the way to go about it. I realized the more I lashed out because of it…and instead of fearing me enough to do it again, they did it more. I showed them it got to me.”
Maybe she would give a lecture afterall.
“…eventually I did the opposite. I took the words they were giving me and I turned them to my advantage. Yeah. I was a monster. I am a monster…but not the way they think.” She smiled warmly and started to walk with the tree to the disposal site. “I ain’t gonna tell you how to live your life but I wouldn’t be so open with the fact being called a monster gets under your skin. I mean by all means, I ain’t gonna tell you ‘get thicker skin’, but if you let people know it’s a weakness so easily…it’s gonna be a nerve more people try and rub the wrong way.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2019 13:38:06 GMT -4
Words: 1,010 Izanami would have been lying to herself if she said she expected the Origin story Mia gave her. Somehow she envisioned something more... 'grandiose' of Japan's Number 1 Pro-Hero than beating people up in the great state of Texas. "Texas, hmm?" She said simply, mulling over what that meant to her. Her mind rushed to old westerns, cowboys and ten gallon hats, six shooters, stallions, and saloons. She only really knew about Texas from the movies, which she knew were greatly exaggerated for effect. "They say everything's bigger in Texas. I suppose you're living proof." Izanami stated dryly, she couldn't think of a less insensitive joke.
Shaking her head, Izanami turned and moved to retrieve a large plastic slide to install as part of a playground jungle gym set. "A beast rampaging forward... not exactly 'my style' so to speak." She hefted the lengthy plastic over her shoulder and lugged it into place. "Some of us like photography. It's a way to capture moments of beauty and emotion, immortalizing them forever. A single picture can define an entire generation. Like the moon landing, or the new millennium, or Semper Fi..." Izanami spat a flaming wad of spittle at that last event, it quickly sizzled out on the freshly laid sand. "Sometimes preserving a memory is as important as it happening in the first place. That was it can serve as a reminder."
"That said, I don't like fighting for fighting's sake." Izanami set the slide in place, making sure it was properly affixed before hopping up to test it with her own weight. She slid down it as if it were a surf board, finding it satisfactory. "I see fighting as an exercise to master. Just like you can train to increase your strength, speed, stamina... you can train to fight better too." Izanami didn't have formal martial arts training, her extra limbs made it seem irrelevant. Instead she fought in a manner that used her wings like fans to partially mask her movements at key times, used her tail as both a whip and blade, and utilized slashes as much as punches when up close. "Anyone can practice, anyone can improve. I strive to end up a little bit better each time from where I was when I started."
Izanami chuckled when Mia asked about the golf tournament. "As boring as you're imagining I assure you. It's to be expected, it's old men with too much time and money finding another excuse to waste time and talk about money." She sighed, looking back at the large tent that housed the catering. "You'll get used to that if you keep going to these P.R. events. For every one honest bleeding heart there's ten people there to write a check and collect their sympathy points." It's not that Izanami was a cynic, it's just inside every realist was a disappointed optimist. She believed in ideals more than she believed in people. People often let her down.
"I'm aware I was hardly the first to take up the cause, Red Horn." Izanami said in a slightly irritated tone. "I'm se-" She was about to say second generation Vigilante, but caught herself quickly enough. "...Someone who looked up to those old school vigilantes. The first of the first, taking to the streets to fight for what they believed in for no simpler reason than doing the right thing. The world against them but they didn't care." What she said was true, though it wasn't exactly the original reason she'd chosen to take up the mantle of Vigilante against her father's wishes. It would suffice for Red Horn though, for now.
"The reason I was brought on as a Pro-Hero is I scored phenomenally on that aptitude test they made us fill out." Izanami said, following Mia as the taller woman carried the tree she'd felled. "One more thing Red Horn..." Izanami said dryly. "I'm fairly confident I'm older than you are." It'd been a long time since she'd read Mia's dossier, but Izanami was fairly confident she had her beat by at least a year. New blood was a term reserved exclusively for the kids at U.A. High, at least in Izanami's eyes.
Izanami listened intently as Mia lectured her on how she'd handled her own insults. As she did, the dragoness leapt up onto the discard tree and began slicing through the major branches with her tail, hoping to make it more manageable for the waste removal company. "Once again, I respectfully disagree." She finally added, taking a seat on the trunk as she finished her task. "You embraced other's insults for you. You took their derogatory term and made it your armor." She paused, exhaling another puff of black smoke. "That approach never works." Izanami said coldly. "Think about the slurs and insults people used to use against homosexuals, or minorities, or religious groups. It never works, you can't just turn their insult into your word of empowerment. It didn't work before, it won't work for Quirks."
With that the woman hopped down, now she was the one in the mood to lecture. "I'm happy that's how you made your peace with it, and if that works for you who am I to judge? I'm not one to sit around idly and take the insults hurled at me and pretend they give me strength, wear them like a badge of honor. I know what I am, I know what I'm not. That means I have to change people's minds, their whole way of thinking. Change is hard, especially for society. But I'm not monster, the only monsters are those judging people based on their Quirks." Izanami folded her arms crossed, wrapping her wings around her body like a cloak. "It's not a weakness to hate an insult. They remind me how far society still has to come. We're getting there... slowly, and I do everything in my part to speed up the process. It's part of what led me to become a Hero."
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 20, 2019 17:01:22 GMT -4
Mia’s lips curled up with a cheeky smirk at the ‘everything’s bigger in texas’ comment, but she didn’t have much else to say. It was an easy joke, and not an offensive one, but not one she had much of a response to beyond a light smirk.
“Eh, not my best analogy.” She admitted as she heard the merits of a photograph. Though the fact Semper Fi was brought up got a curious look, till the other woman spat at the mention of it. Good. Almost sounded like she treated that like a momentous occasion but it seemed she was listing tragedies that could be captured too… “Bottom of the line, I just hate the artsy style of martial arts, fighting styles. All that. It ain’t my style. I think when you try and turn fighting into an art form…it removes it from what makes it special. I dunno. Analogies or not, I ain’t the most eloquent person.”
Mia would offer her help where needed, helping put the parts of the slide’s frame into place and setting down pieces of a jungle gym around it, but she’d mostly listen, even if. Heck. Especially because she didn’t agree. She didn’t wanna be rude and interrupt so she just bit her tongue till she had a chance to speak. “Fighting is…an experience for me. I train my muscles. I don’t train my style. I don’t shadow box, I don’t learn moves. I learn solely through trial and error in the moment…s’how I’ve always learned…and I’ve noticed I enjoy a fight a lot more than those who take it ‘more seriously’.” She ultimately shrugged. She didn’t treat fighting like others. Didn’t expect anyone to understand either.
With the talk of PR events and the like, Mia shrugged. “Hey I ain’t got no delusions on this shit. I know not everyone’s got a heart of gold, and I know I’m my own person. If I see something’s not on the up and up. I walk.” She gestured about to the hospital ground. “Look at this place I mean…sure, some people are here to get a pay day and walk off, but it’s for a good cause, so I’m here, spending my time here, because I want to. If I get any hints an event is more just for a payday and it ain’t for me…I walk. Simple as.” She tapped the side of her head. “I ain’t a legal jargon whizz, but I never sign anything that won’t let me change my mind. Or if I do…I assure myself I’d rather lose the money than my self respect.”
With Izanami pulling at straws a little to try and lose the title of ‘new blood’, scoffing a little and leaned over. “Yeah well, while you were busy looking up to people to drive yourself to act, I was doing it off my own back.” She’d wink, her ego starting to get a chance to shimmer through a little. She wasn’t gonna stop calling her new blood since it clearly bothered her so much now, especially since, given who she was talking to, the Dragon queen didn’t have too much room to work with.
“Oooo. Fancy. Test scores got you in eh? And here I am, being so. Damn. Good. That people half the world away scouted me out to be on the hero program when it first started. I’m sure you did well New blood, but I wouldn’t try comparing yourself to the literal best of the best.~” She’d wink again, and as the other woman tried to play the fact that she was older that Mia, Mia would just cross her arms with a cheeky smile as she commented. “So…you’re trying to play that card? Yeah. Not gonna fly. Age doesn’t earn you respect with me dragon queen. I was on the force before you, I was fighting the ‘bad guys’ long before we met, so I think I’m still pretty confident in calling you new blood.~”
As Izanami tried to state that you can’t reclaim a word like that, Mia scoffed without restraint, shaking her head a little. “Yeeeah…never works.” She smirked cheekily, knowing she was in the right here. “Ya know I’m gay. And ya learn a lot about a community when you’re part of it…like how, back in the 2010s, the word queer went from being a sheer slur to a term used by the LGBT community itself. How Gay used to be a slur itself, an insult, and was turned, again, into a term more officially used than the term homosexual.” She crossed her arms, leaning back against one of the skips used for the disposal of waste. “Shall I keep going? Mention how Otaku and Weeaboo were used as insults, and are now the official terms of those cultures? How you can hear lesbians call eachother dykes endearingly? Men call eachother ‘huge homos’? How people can argue about who’s the biggest gay in their group?”
Mia just shook her head again, a broad smile on her lips.
“I’m not saying a word hurting you makes you weak…what I’m saying is, the WORD hurting you is the weakness. I called you a monster, with no sense of hurt, pain, insult behind it…and you practically recoiled at the existance of the word.” She pushed her back off the skip. “I ain’t gonna tell you not to be hurt. I’m saying…you’re physical armor is as important as your mental armor. If someone calling you a monster as a term of endearment hurts you as much as the insult…that ain’t just a fault with the world. It’s a fault with you too Queeny.” She rolled her shoulders back. “Change society all you want…but any word can hurt with the right tone. I can change how I say ‘Dragon queen’ and suddenly its an insult. Focus on who’s saying the word, and how they’re saying them…especially since you’re gonna have a LOT of fans who call you a monster, and mean it as praise. Especially with me around teaching everyone that being a monster is good…”
She chuckled a little, thinking to add. “I mean…think of what the word QUIRK means too…it means an abnormality. Something NOT normal. It’s the term we all use…you think it’s a scientific term? Nah…odds are it was an insult we adopted. Maybe not. I ain’t a historian…but given ‘queer’, ‘Otaku’, ‘Weeaboo’…my money says it was an insult.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 20, 2019 22:13:35 GMT -4
Words: 625 Izanami grinned slightly as she listened to Mia's rebuttal. "If nothing else... you're a woman of conviction. You know where your heart stands, and you don't deviate from what makes you, you. There's a kind of nobility to that..." She said, sighing and looking up the warm skies above. "I think that's something every Hero needs. Conviction. You can't stand for a lofty ideal like peace or justice if you don't wholeheartedly dedicate yourself to it." Izanami let out a long sigh, noting she was getting all philosophical again. "Or maybe I'm just an idealist..."
This admiration quickly faded back to quiet contempt, as Mia continued to call Izanami New Blood. "I can't argue with the facts I suppose..." She finally said in lament, admitting defeat. Izanami vowed she would surpass this woman, if only to shut her up. There were core ideological differences between the two, and Izanami was fast growing to dislike the reckless easygoing approach Red Horn had to heroism. If she kept treating it like one big workout, someone was going to get hurt, or killed. One of these days she'd run into a Villain she hadn't prepared for and couldn't just brute force her way through on instinct. Pro-Heroes operated under a loose code of guidelines, mostly ethics and morals mixed with some hastily written laws. For Izanami it wasn't enough, which is why she treated her own position more as a craft to hone. Hero work needed plans, strategies, contingencies, procedures. Preparation was key to success. It should be a matter of always being one step ahead of the Villains. Otherwise Heroes were little more than government brutes with badges.
Izanami raised an eyebrow when Mia interjected with her own sexuality; simply put the woman hadn't considered it, or particularly cared. People were free to do as they wished in her eyes, so long as both parties were consenting adults did it matter who loved who? Love was love, it was hard to argue against it. "You make some good points, I'll give you that. But think about all the racial slurs you still to this day can't say without it being a media fiasco. You're from America, you know your culture better than I do. How many powerful people have ruined their careers with an erroneous slip of the n-word on video?" Izanami was going to be honest with herself, she barely saw people of African descent. Simply put there weren't many in Japan, though she knew dark skinned minorities and America had a long and very troubled history going back to the first days of slavery.
The dragoness stood there listening to Mia speak on her thoughts regarding words, insults, and overcoming them. She didn't speak, merely listening as even her serpents fell still and silent. When she finally opened her mouth to speak, she'd given herself enough time to formulate a response. "You can say Dragon Queen as an insult, go right ahead. But at the end of the day I like what those words mean. That's the difference. Dragon Queen invokes a specific image, one I admire. Changing the done doesn't change that. Monster is the reverse... no matter how you say it, I'll always dislike the meaning. Monsters are hideous, brutish, terrifying creatures. A person who is a monster is usually described as amoral, sadistic, or worse."
Izanami paused, she had one final question left. "Tell me Red Horn. Has your Quirk ever scared the people you were trying to save? I don't mean startling them either, I mean real fear. Have you ever seen a child look up at you with terror in their eyes? More afraid of you than the Villain that moments ago had been threatening them?" ๑
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1,296 Posts
0 EP
EXP
Total
22 Years
Female
"Redhorn"
Hero-Rank Quirk:
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Post by Mia Kearney on Aug 23, 2019 11:18:27 GMT -4
Mia nodded along at the comments of her having conviction, and not deviating from her stance, she had that at least. “I mean, Yeah. O’course. Don’t get me wrong someone makes an argument I see the point in I can change my views, but a lot of what I feel and the behaviours I follow, I settled my mind on those topics a long time ago and I ain’t had much strong reason to change them.” At the comment of her being an idealist, she did smirk a little. “Hey I mean, nothing wrong with hoping for the best, so long as you understand reality too. Seeing the good in everyone is a very ‘ideal’ way to live…but sometimes ya gotta understand not everyone does have that in them. Or at least…they don’t have enough to counter the evil warping it…” She shrugged idly, and chuckled. “Hey now ya got me getting’ all philosophical.”
Mia was glad they at least settled the topic of her being new blood, and she herself being, well, a more brutish figure, but whatever Izanami may think from Mia’s own poorly chosen words, she was far from just a brute. Sure, she wasn’t the plan ahead type, and she’d always admit that, but she wasn’t an idiot either. She didn’t look at a wall in her way and think the quickest way was through it, she looked at it, and considered if she could jump over it, swerve around. She weighed the pros and cons of situations quicker than most. Thing is, with a plan, you could only have so many contingencies…for as many disadvantages as working on instinct like she did had, Mia had as many advantages in her head. Were a ruined plan might send another into a frantic panic to replace it with another, Mia continued to act. She’d never disregard a hard thought plan from a comrade in arms, but she relied on her gut more readily than most. That was just what worked out for her.
Mia could see Izanami trying to pull the argument back to her side, but in Mia’s mind she’d already crashed through her ideology on the matter, the Heroine walking to the next site they needed to work on with her hands in the baggy pockets of her hero costume’s pants. “Hey now, don’t go moving the goal posts. I fully admitted, some words can’t be reclaimed fully, and even then some can be maybe brought back half way. A white person can never say that word. A black person may use it willy nilly, or may be uncomfortable to use it themselves, but bottom line, there ARE times it works out. It may not be for everyone. Not everyone can playfully compete over who’s the bigger Homo, not everyone can like being called a dyke and some take immense pride in such a title, but in the end, I have proof it CAN work. Even if not for everyone.”
As Izanami focused more on monster having a personal issue with her, Red Horn bowed her head and admitted defeat there. “And that is FINE. If it really bothers you so much, you don’t get called it. Fair enough. But , say, a kid like me, takes pride in that title. Your own discomfort is YOUR own. Not everyone has to stop using those words. I’ve seen so many people be told ‘you’re wrong’ for using offensive terms on themselves cause it’s how they identify. I mean fuck I seriously saw people freak out once cause a kid in a wheelchair called himself ‘handicapped’ and not ‘differently abled’.” She shrugged heavily. “If you don’t wanna be called a monster, it’s fine, but I prefer the mentality of a culture absorbing these words in strength, not just reacting to them on gut instinct cause they can’t see intent behind a word they hate.”
At the final question, Mia paused her walking, and considered it. She knew the answer, but she felt no anger or shame in it. “I’m a round about 7 foot woman, with deep red eyes, more muscles than any human being should have, and a huge red horn. When I’m in the heat of a battle or a rescue, I grow tusks, and even more muscles. I can crash through walls like they were tissue paper, and break ribs like they were chicken bones. Yeah. I’ve had people terrified of me walking in to rescue them. And I don’t blame ‘em for it. It never hurt. It never stung. I expected it. I know what I am and I ain’t about to make someone feel bad because, when they were terrified for their lives, they only saw me on the surface.”
She let out a heavy sigh. “I judge people by how they react once they’re safe…a lot of those terrified faces turn to elation. Some are still cautiously fearful, and ya know what? Pumped with adrenaline? Still can’t blame ‘em…it’s the jackasses who spit at me for touching them with my ‘filthy quirker hands’, who try to look for a reason to hate me even long after their lives are saved, like how I might have crashed through a wall in the effort to save their life…and even then. I’m fine being a monster. It’s what I am. Being terrified of me is a gut reaction I can’t blame anyone for and never will…DESPISING me. Powering through the fear with hate and disgust. That’s not because I’m a monster…that’s because I have a quirk.”
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Post by Deleted on Aug 24, 2019 3:22:29 GMT -4
Words: 1,010 Dragon Queen nodded softly in quiet agreement. "I think there's a bit of a philosopher in every Hero, hell... even the Vigilantes too. We are the knights of the twenty first century, sworn to uphold not a king's law but a government's. Marching out to stop Villains, not bandits, defending citizens, not peasants. Imagine what they'll call it in the history books some day. The Golden Age of Heroes perhaps?" History loved to romanticize the past, and an era of super powered men and woman standing up against evil doers had been the stuff of comic books and movies for decades. Now that Quirks had appeared, fantasy had become reality and the line between fact and fiction seemed blurrier by the day.
Izanami fell silent as she listened to Red Horn's lengthy opinion on words, meaning, tolerance, and culture. She disliked being lectured, but respected Red Horn too much for her position as the Rank 1 Hero to interject again. Instead she let the woman speak her mind. She had a few good points, though Dragon Queen still disagreed with her on the word monster. If others wanted to wear their insults on their sleeves and parade around playing who's the thickest skinned, so be it. She'd rather force others to change, she liked herself just the way she is. Society could be changed, even if it was a harder goal that just 'getting thicker skin.' There was an old saying, society marches forward one funeral at a time. Each generation was more tolerant and progressive than the last. Izanami simply needed to be the fuel that fanned the flames of progress.
When Red Horn finished her speak, Izanami gave a curt bow. "With that I concede defeat Red Horn. It seems you truly are the stronger woman, in more ways than one." There was nothing Izanami liked less than admitting her own failings, except for Villainy of course. Her hatred of losing is what partially drove her calculated and methodical approach to heroics. Even her serpents dipped their heads and bowed, parroting the actions of their owner. "No one is perfect..." Izanami said with a sigh as she stood back upright. "...Not even me." It took eight mouths to swallow all the pride Dragon Queen had, which was fortunate for her.
She turned her gaze back to Red Horn and gave a somber smile. "For the record, I never took you as batting for the other team. I never put much thought into it, but I always figured the mighty Red Horn was interested in big burly men with hulking biceps and a jawline strong enough to bend steel." Izanami's smile turned to a coy smirk. "I would have pegged you as interested in Iron Arms, or Living Mountain, or maybe Warwolf if you had a thing for fur." Dragon Queen threw up a quick shrug, finished with her playful hypotheticals. It made sense in retrospect, given Mia's boisterous and assertive demeanor, she'd clearly be the ones wearing the pants in any relationship. Now the question remained, what kind of woman was she interested in? The thought of her with a delicate waif in her arms that she could snap like a toothpick was a humorous one. "Oh well, more handsome men for the rest of us to enjoy I suppose."
There was one part of Red Horn's speech though that still stuck out, and Dragon Queen cleared her throat, her eyes growing narrow and fierce. "Those jackasses as you call them... people that hate Quirks simply for existing. They aren't worth our breath. I save them, but only because I am sworn to defend the innocent from the Villainy. Those who hate, simply because Quirks exist... they are on the wrong side of humanity. Look into their eyes sometime and you'll see what I mean. Behind the facade of hatred, you'll see the fear in their gaze. They fear Quirks because they make us genetically superior to those without. Unlike past 'supremacy' groups, this isn't even grounded in lofty ideology. Those with Quirks are simply better than those without, it is an immutable fact. The best part is, Quirks don't pick favorites. They effect every gender, race, culture, creed, religion, country. No one radical group can use Quirks as a proxy to proclaim their own superiority, not when they have spread across the entire globe almost evenly."
Izanami turned and began to slowly walk away. "Those that despise us simply for the Quirks we were born with are the last vestige of a dying era of a humanity. They don't even deserve our pity. In a few decades they'll be dead and buried, and their children and grandchildren will be born with Quirks and have to live bearing the shame of a bigoted ancestor. Their entire ideology will have crumbled to ash and be nothing but a footnote in the history books. Right at the end on an entire chapter on how Quirks revolutionized humanity in the late twenty first century." Two sides to every coin, and if people were going to bigoted to Izanami for having a Quirk, she could be bigoted against them for not having one. They weren't 'equal', they were weak and scared. If they had not had the luxury of being born in an era of peace, tolerance, and progress, they would not be fortunate enough to spew their hatred.
"Anyways..." Dragon Queen said, putting their conversation behind her. "You're the star of this show, not me. The media is going to throw a hissy fit if you spend all day mulching trees and putting together swing sets. All this... philosophy makes me hungry, I'm getting something to eat. I've been smelling the grill for twenty minutes now and having Jacobson's organs makes food smell all the tastier. You're welcome to join me if you like." With that Izanami nonchalantly sashayed her way into the main event tent. Once more putting on her bright eyed smile, walking with feminine poise and grace as she worked her way towards the buffet. ๑
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