[Eiji Harada]

This day amongst other things was Eiji's worst nightmare. Why had Tokyo suddenly erupted and changed into an active war zone? Was it a conspiracy by a rival gang, or something much, much bigger? Eiji and the Hummingbirds were by no means keeping tabs on the villains in general, but they heard the occasional rumors and whatever else rose up from the criminal underworld. There was nothing to suggest that an attack of this scale was coming. Heck, they didn't even know if there was a leader behind it or who it was. Only one thing was certain, their little sanctuary was definitely not safe.

''Jet, tell everyone to evacuate back at the orphanage!'' Of course there were already bad dudes advancing on their position. Climbing up a nearby ladder, Eiji poked up over the crowd and raised his voice. ''Everyone! If you're healthy enough to fight pick up a weapon and meet up by the Ferris wheel in two minutes! We're gonna fight them at the main entrance!'' Why was this happening now of all times. The Brain was still out on their mission, leaving Eiji, The Heart, to be the stand-in leader for the Hummingbirds. On a day to day basis that wasn't too bad, but when war came knocking on their door? Yeah, he had NOT signed up for this.

As he and the rest of the gang started mobilizing towards the entrance to the park, Eiji couldn't help but take note of the festival decorations that had still been left up because they breathed life into their home. Flower wreaths, colorful banners, trails of white lily leaves covering the ground like a soft, natural carpet. The flowers and leaves were meant to help guide and show lost spirits the way home. It was bitter sweet to think that intruders were about to enter their premises so soon after they had finished celebrating one of the happiest weeks of the year.

Stepping forward, Eiji put on his best delinquent tough act as he pointed to the nearest goon in the enemy crowd. Some goofy-looking guy with blue hair. That hella didn't sit right with Eiji considering his own was red!!

''You there! You their leader or something? You've got no business here so unless you wanna get kicked around I suggest you get out of here!''

Words of encouragement and approval chimed up behind Eiji as his gang supported him. ''Yeah, tell 'em boss!''

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ 100/100

The Flukes were a gang made from former members of more notorious groups, exiled for one reason or another. Maybe they were too weak. Maybe they broke a rule they didn't know existed. Maybe they just didn't fit the aesthetics the leader had with their crew. So it resulted in this hodge-podge gathering of ne'er-do-wells, looking for their place in the pecking order after being left behind.

The Flukes weren't named after the luck they had - of which there were none really. They were named after the parasites, seeking to annex the territories of the cliques who kicked them out.

That was what Taro was told when he was briefed on his mission when he accepted at least, along with anyone else on ENKI who wanted in. He was to join them in taking over some derelict amusement park, currently home to the Hummingbirds. Maybe a Fluke was an old member of theirs? He didn't know, but knowing didn't seem necessary.

His job was just to cause mayhem and wreck some shit.

So when one person on the other side - Hummingbirds' leader maybe - addressed him specifically, he couldn't help but blink at the notion before giving a smile. "Nah." With a bottle in one hand and a lighter in the other, he lit the cloth poking out of the drink. A molotov cocktail. "I'm just the guy who acts first." With all his might he threw the bottle at the roof of the ticket booth, cracking it and spreading flames against the wood of the entrance. Members behind him followed suit with their own molotovs and they too soared, setting more fires. It was when one attacker controlled the flames so it rushed towards the awaiting opposition that the others began to rush through, himself included.

Let the games begin.

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

Damn, his intimidation wasn’t working at all. Whoever blue here was, he was a tough little guy. “What do you think you’re doing with that thing?” He scowled, balling his prosthetic right arm fingers into a fist. Eiji didn’t know the first thing about how this gang of evil doers had gathered at their doorstep. Could be that a former member had betrayed them, not like it mattered now. All that mattered was beating back these invaders and minimizing the damages to their home.

Eiji’s eyes widened as they followed the arc of the thrown Molotov, he was helpless to stop it as it cracked on the top of the booth and it immediately caught fire. They had a fire manipulator too? Shit, shit, things were going south fast! “Jet! Get those flames under control!” A taller individual behind Eiji aimed his open palm at the approaching flames and shot a torrent of water at them. While he started combating the fire along with a few others, Eiji did what any reckless leader would do and charged in first, running straight towards the blue guy who had thrown the first Molotov.

“Do you know who you’re messing with?” He raised his non-prosthetic fist and took a swing at Taro’s head, trying to knock some sense into this ruffian! “You’re facing Guts, The Heart of the Hummingbirds! If you think your little fires are enough to put us out, think again! My soul burns with the energy of a thousand suns, by comparison your room temperature fires are nothing!!”

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▰▰▰▰▰▰ ▱ ▱ 85/100

So Taro. He understood the assignment, already tipping over trash cans and kicking holes through nearby doors and benches. He couldn't provide much in terms of property damage, his Quirk not nearly as destructive as the fire guy - who was having a hard time because a water guy was present, unfortunate - but he was one of many; sheer numbers being their advantage as they spread across the park like locusts. He was just here to do his part in driving the residents out of their home.

This guy though, Guts, didn't seem to get the memo. For someone who was called the Heart of the Hummingbirds, you'd think the man would go after the leader of the raid. Though maybe he just wanted to take care of whoever's closest; humbled himself enough to not care for the glory of taking down a memorable target. Taro could respect that.

He also wished that was why he got hit. In truth, he didn't notice the fist aimed his way until it was too late.

Guts' hand connected with the grunt's face easily, and he did more than flinch back at the hit. Static spread like a wave from the contact point to the rest of his body, specks of blue shimmering before his form righted himself.

Taro turned to the vigilante, his head noticeably absent of any bruising. "Nice shot, Hummingbirds' Heart. My turn." With that he launched a fist of his own, aimed directly at the redhead's nose.

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

''What the hell??'' He instinctively shook his hand right after the blow to Taro's head, as if he was scared the static would zap him. Just who was this blue guy? Eiji wasn't even particularly fast or strong. Heck, most of his guys had actually beat him in sparring matches several times. Did Taro choose to take the hit, or were they evenly matched? There was only one way to find out. He got ready to take Taro's fist face first, staggering back from the blow as blood dripped down his face.

''Hah...'' He breathed, but then it turned into a surprised laugh. Maybe he had misjudged the blue-haired Molotov thrower. ''You're tougher than you look, blue guy!'' What was his quirk even, electricity of some kind? Nah, he couldn't risk overthinking it, just go with the flow and never surrender! That was his style! ''But are you tough enough for this?'' He grinned, wiping the blood away from his nose as he charged forward, this time punching with his prosthetic arm. Moments before his fist would attempt to connect with Taro, Eiji sent a burst of flames through his prosthetic arm. His quirk was weak, but he knew how to apply it. He even named his attack because, of course he did!!! It was every guy's dream to have an arsenal of cool named attacks at their disposal!

''Sparking Fist!!''

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱ 45/100

The man's still standing after his hit. blood dripping down his face. Yet he was smiling all the while and even complimented him? What a strange reaction to the person invading your home breaking your nose. Intrigue coloured Taro's features as he returned the grin. "Thanks. You're not so bad yourself."

To answer Guts' question, the grunt prepared to catch the oncoming fist in his hand but he didn't account for the fire his adversary would activate last second. He should've in hindsight when the Heart announced what kind of fist it was, almost like those strategy fighting games he would play on his phone. Regardless, it was too late to change tactics; he caught the hand but at the cost of losing more HP than what the regular punch wrought. But you know, this too shall pass.

He tilted his head, the static in his voice revealing to the other that he wasn't exactly human. "Y- es-s-s-s." Not at all convincing what with his ongoing glitches so long as he held that flaming fist.

Welp. Since he put himself in this situation he might as well commit.

Taro gripped the prosthetic harder, sacrificing more of his health to turn around and try to pull the man up and over himself. Whether he was successful in throwing Guts on the ground or not, the digital entity would slip soon after, his distorted form causing his feet to lose traction with the dirt below him.

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

Maybe blue guy here wasn't the worst. Heck, as intense as his home getting attacked was, Eiji was actually having fun trading blows with this weird electric maniac. All the weirder when he responded in the way that he did after Eiji threw out his magnum opus, causing the red-haired vigilante to stumble over himself for a second. Was he fighting a person or an alien??? ''What the hell type of quirk is that? You're speaking all funny!''

When Taro grabbed his prosthetic, Eiji resisted at first, but his pride told him he shouldn't try to avoid this attack. ''Even after my strongest punch you can still go?'' He grinned through gritted teeth as he was picked off the ground. Scooped up and slammed into the ground back first, he let out a painful gasp as the air was knocked out of him. ''Y-You got some muscles on you...'' He wheezed, rolling onto his stomach, letting out a hacking cough. ''B-But it's not enough!'' He pushed himself back up slowly, his stance a lot more wobbly as his vision was starting to go. ''Not enough to extinguish my burning soul!'' He pointed a finger at Taro as he made his next declaration. ''You better have more right in you, because I'm not done!'' Although if he took more hits like this he was absolutely going to hit the ground hard. ''Take another-'' The fire in his arm flared up for a moment, but fizzled quicker as it failed to emit. ''..Shit.'' Lunging forward he raised his foot trying to kick Taro in the midsection.

''Improvized Kick!!''

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 20/100

Taro had to have taken a lot of damage just then. How could he tell? By his form; it was still shaky, even as he laid on the floor. Slowly he pushed himself to a sitting position, making sure his grip on the ground was solid as he did so. "Sp-peaking all fun-n-y?" Oop, he understood now. He was indeed speaking all funny.

A distorted laugh escaped him when the supposed leader asked about his Quirk. "Oh. I'm not-t real." And there was the big reveal. Of who exactly the Heart of the Hummingbirds was really up against. "Even if you d-defeat me, I jus-s-t come back." Though it's not that big a reveal was it? Taro would tell this to anyone who asked, so casual with his admittance of immortality.

He clapped at Guts' words, entertained. He liked the fire this guy had despite having just endured a throw. "You talk-k a lot. You sure you're gonna be okay?" Taro could hear himself stuttering less. He stood up. "You're wasting your energy-"

And the grunt was apparently wasting his own as well for he didn't ready himself for the kick. He was sent back, crashing into a trash can before falling on the floor once again.

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

The distorted laugh was a disturbing one, unlike anything he had heard before. There was something distinctly non-human about it, like he was fighting some kind of creature, maybe a cryptid? Some kind of electric ghost man perhaps? ''What... Are you?'' He was equal parts terrified and morbidly curious. Never before had Eiji exchanged punches with someone and have the other person get all glitchy. It was most likely a quirk that was at play, but there was no way it was as straightforward as his own power. ''H-Hey you can't do that!'' He protested, pointing a finger at Taro. ''That's cheating!'' What did he mean by that, come back? Hell no he wasn't about to get haunted by a blue, electric, poltergeist quirk.

''Me? I'm just getting started!'' He shouted out, feeling the last of his energy leave his lungs as he panted, and then eventually fell onto his back after landing that kick against Taro. All he could do was focus on taking deep breaths to try and relax himself as he could feel his body heating up from his quirk use. Eventually, he spoke up. ''How about a... Like a quick break? Just a few minutes.'' Even keeping his eyes open was exhausting. He could afford to close them for a couple minutes, right? ''You really are a ghost, aren't you? What's your name? If you come back to haunt me, be prepared for another fight, and it'll be even tougher than this one! I'm not going down without a fight!'' His words, meant to bolster and convince himself that he could in fact take a rematch, where cut short by an anti-climactic cough.

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 20/100

Taro was probably near the end of his life at this point. Between the punch, fire punch and kick, surely he didn't have a lot of HP left to keep going. And with him glitching out once again, it was only a matter of time before his adversary took advantage of that opportunity and defeat him once and for all.

But no such hit came. No one entered his blurry vision to deliver the final blow. Only more words were spoken.

This guy really did talk a lot.

Taro laid there motionless for a while longer, waiting for his form to calm from its static. Only when he was whole again did he stand up and walk over to the redhead. "Not real," he repeated when the other asked what he was. "I'm like a videogame character. You know how you respawn after you die in a game?" He crouched down next to Guts' prone form, pointing at himself with a thumb. "That applies to me." Guts would see that he looked wholly unharmed.

"But sure. We can take a break." He sat on the ground next to him then, feet together as he clutched on them with his hands. "I don't think I'm a ghost. I can't go through walls or possess things, even though that'd be cool. I'd probably die less if I could." He turned his head to the hummingbird heart. "I'm Player One. Sorry for not saying that earlier, you didn't know who I was the whole time we fought, even though I knew who you were."

There was a boom not far from the duo. Taro turned his head as a food stall collapsed in another fight separate from theirs. Though he supposed they weren't fighting anymore. He hummed. "Who do you think is gonna win? My bet's on our own fire guy."

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

''A video game character?'' He looked at Taro again, somehow seeing him in a new light for the first time. Come to think of it, video game character seemed to fit his aesthetic a whole lot more than electric poltergeist. ''That's insane.'' He sighed, feeling a crazy headache coming on. ''What's that like?'' He continued to lay there for a bit as their break commenced. It not only gave him time to rest, but it gave him some much needed time to cool off too. ''I see.''

He smirked when the blue-haired molotov thrower finally revealed his identity. ''Oh, that. Don't sweat it. Most people never introduce themselves to their enemies.'' The more he thought about it, their situation was pretty ironic. Taro had blue hair, Eiji had red hair, but beyond those differences, they were fighting here today as enemies. One with a quirk that cursed him with immortality, and the other who could self-immolate and turn into ash in a matter of seconds if he didn't regulate his flames well enough.

Eiji slowly moved to sit up next to Taro too, but he didn't prepare himself for a fight or anything. He just sat there and watched the chaos with him. Upon seeing the food stall collapse he let out a casual sigh. ''Takashi is gonna be angry about that one. He keeps fixing that stall only for it to break.'' He looked over at Taro. ''No way, my bet's on Jet. I've never seen him lose a fight. Always beats me during practice anyways.'' Weirdly, even though his home was still under attack, Eiji didn't particularly feel like fighting anymore. At least not Player One, anyway.

''Why are you hanging with these guys anyway? Trying to level up or something?''

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 20/100

Taro swayed back and forth on his spot, using his core to keep himself balanced and not topple over. "It's pretty good. I don't need to eat. I don't need to sleep. I come back after I die. All good things." It couldn't be argued against. Lack of food and rest meant he could spend more time playing the game he was in. The sleep especially; seven whole hours no longer wasted each day and he didn't have any negative side effects from it. And the not dying? He was cheating at life. It didn't matter what he did, didn't matter what mistake he made. He was simply brought back if he failed at staying alive.

Nothing he did mattered.

It was all good things.

Guts' words about the stall brought it into a new light for Taro. "Damn, it's not the first time?" He sported a sympathetic pout at his adversary's friend's misfortune. Was he even an adversary now? He didn't know. "At least he already knows how to fix it. What's one more time really?" It had to be muscle memory by now he thought. This Takashi person could probably put it back together very fast.

He hummed. "Jet? The water guy?" Sure enough, water guy doused their own fire dude in water. Only smoke came out of his arms then. "That's fair. Fire guy's not fire guy anymore- he's fumes guy now." A small laughed escaped at the lame joke he made for himself.

Taro then nodded in affirmation at the question. "I was hired. The group hates your guts." He paused. "Hummingbirds' guts? Your whole gang, not only you." He nodded again as if that made sense before continuing. "But yeah, I'm trying to level up. Just need some experience to see what the outside of Tokyo's like."

Eiji Harada

[Eiji Harada]

''Really?'' He frowned. No eating? No sleeping?? ''I think I'd go insane if that was me. Don't you miss eating food?'' Or had he never eaten food in the first place? He had so many questions, like was Player One born, or did he just sort of spawn in? ''Sounds like hell to me.''

He shook his head at Player One's question. ''Nah, probably won't be the last either.'' He had to admit, he was surprised that he cared. Maybe blue hair here wasn't so bad after all? Wait, but that was a problem... The more he started to learn about him, the less Eiji wanted to fight him. ''Right?'' He chuckled weakly, his ribs still hurting. ''He's used to it by now, he fixes most of the stuff in the park if it goes down.''

He looked over just in time to see Jet blast another guy. ''Yup. That's him.'' The fumes guy joke made him burst out laughing. ''That's a good one!!'' Why were they even fighting in the first place? Because he threw a molotov? Because they wanted to destroy the park? Eiji could hardly remember why he was so angry. ''Hired, huh?'' That checked out, lots of people, especially the villainous kind didn't like their group. ''Makes sense.'' He grinned, ''We birds stick together, I'd be nothing without everyone else.'' His answer was an interesting one. ''So you're a traveler? I bet fighting me was worth plenty of exp!'' He smirked confidently. ''This is weird.'' He sighed, finally standing up completely and dusting himself off. ''I kinda don't feel like fighting you anymore, Player One.'' He put his hands on his hips. ''Not unless it helps you on your journey.''

Taro Yamada

[Taro Yamada]

GAME ON!

HP: ▰▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱▱ 10/100

With the pause employed temporarily, Taro's mind wandered as he looked around them, no longer focused on the task at hand. Trash cans were set ablaze. Doors were broken in. Several stalls collapsed. He nodded at the spots he could tell was his own handiwork. He'd done his job well.

It was when he heard Guts' comment that he turned to him with a blink, tilting his head in confusion. "Hell?" That was a first. So many would praise the convenience of his condition. Doing whatever you wanted without the setback of getting tired or caring about food and water was a dream come true. The digital being looked up, eyes squinted in thought. "Can't miss food if I've never had it. At least I think I've never had it." The first few years of his life were a blur, something he couldn't hope to remember. Or maybe it was supposed to be that way.

The game he was in had its rules. That's the one thing he didn't question.

"Not even the last? He should try moving it if he cares about it that much." Getting the same thing broken repeatedly had to have been annoying. Taro could relate; he lost his katana with every death he went through. "Oh, I see. Having a fixer is good, especially when you have us going around ruining your stuff." There was no remorse in his tone at all. He was only speaking the truth, they were just there to do their job.

But he at least understood that his job was causing problems for Guts and his crew. So he was only more confused when the guy wished not to fight him anymore. Sheathing his blade, he stood up too. "Why though? I was hired to help push you out of your turf. You should hate me." He shook his head then. "But nah, opposite of traveler. I can't get out unless I break enough things. People don't count sorry."

Taro tilted his head again. He was quiet for sometime before he straightened to look at the redhead. "Anyways, you're in luck. We're told to retreat. He gave a thumbs up then. "Congrats on protecting your park."

He took the guy's refusal to fight him as his opportunity to walk away. "See ya when I see ya-" Taro ducked as a knife clipped his head, and his form shifted further. Right. Just because one person didn't want to fight didn't mean the others felt the same.

So his walk turned into a sprint, and eventually he was out of sight. And for once in his life, he didn't die after an encounter.

He was getting better at his game.

Eiji Harada

[Jinx]

☆ MISSION SUCCESS ☆

Everyone ends up having fun at the amusement park!
Great thread you two!

+ 50 Tokens!!

Eiji - 10,000 // 15,000 Exp
Taro - 50 // 100 Tokens

tag: Taro Yamada Eiji Harada