Michael was making great progress up the side of the mountain and even was leaving a safe and easy path behind him for others to climb. Others were likely making it up better or faster, but he was not that far behind all things considered. These small holes he had made into hand-holds proved very effective and Michael was glad he didn't have to use them against other people. He was proud that he could showcase the gadgetry in a way that might not have been thought of during its design. It would be easy to use this as a way to hinder or trap others, but Michael wanted to show that it didn't need to essentially be a weapon.

Suddenly a shadow cast over the mountain side as the zeppelin floating around was now looming just over head. Michael's stomach churned as hatches opened from the blimp's bridge and a large object was dropped. Michael's assumptions on the intent of this gross overuse of power were confirmed as the object struck into the mountain near its peak and exploded into the craggy side. Michael feared for anyone that might be closer to the impact, but he couldn't be concerned for long as it only got worse. The explosion had blasted loose a rock slide that was coming for anyone ascending the mountain side.

Michael didn't hesitate as he quickly got out his Well Well Well stickers. He didn't have long before the boulders and debris would not only bowl him over but anyone behind him. Michael yelled back to the people behind him using the hand-hold holes he had made. "EVERYONE GET UP HERE FAST!" Michael placed down the three 9 foot wide diameter stickers, using the angle of the mountain to try to create shallow caves for people to hide inside so the rock slide could roll over the hole rather than hitting them. Michael moved down to help anyone straggling to get to the holes as quickly as possible.



Notes & Tags: Jack Orion | Kaida Ikarashi | Kurokami Gen
In possession of the Back Star Shield (inert) and Well Well Well Stickers (2/3 Pads remaining)| No 9 foot hole stickers remaining. Only 1ft, 3ft and 5ft holes remaining on the two pads.

TLDR: Michael used the 9ft holes create small caves in the mountain side for the rock slide caused by the explosion to roll over the hole rather than hit anyone trying to climb. Michael tried to help as many people as he could get into the hole to safety.

Despite the more or less obvious implications, Michael hadn't really seen this event as a competition against his fellow classmates. After all they were expected to be testing new and possibly dangerous equipment, it seemed reckless and kind of mean to do that to others. However, they did need to properly test the equipment and that included in practical application against others. Michael was thankful that his gear didn't have obvious offensive properties but still it did not help with what they were being tasked to do either.

As the others seemed to trash talk or hype themselves up, Michael gave all of his competitors a gentle wave and a wish for good luck out there, but it seemed he would need that luck the most. A shield and stickers were not designed to deal with this kind of challenge. If trying to avoid hazards of the shifting arena or even going down the mountain side was the task, then he might have some use for them. Also if he was more maliciously minded, he might try to use the stickers to set traps against his competitors, however it just wasn't in him to act so underhandedly. He knew the stickers would have their use, but he wouldn't go against himself morally to use them. However as it was the gear he had was about as helpful as his quirk was right now, nonexistent. Still Michael strove to keep pushing on ahead.

Michael did feel bad not being able to showcase the gadgets the engineers had worked so hard to craft and hoped there might be better advantages moving forward, but he would keep pushing himself to climb the mountain through the growing weather hazards. This was definitely an eye opener for the young latex hero-in-training. Despite using his quirk rather sparingly while performing community services, he did expect to be able to use his quirk while doing more escalated hero duties. He had been too lax in his physical training. He needed to be faster, stronger, more enduring. He couldn't count on his quirk to literally and figuratively help him bounce back. His muscles were already straining from exertion as he pushed himself. Not only was he forcing himself up the side of the looming and thunderous mountain, he went out of his way to try helping others. Even if it was just giving them a hand hold or a boost, Michael gave his all to assure the safety and accession of his competitors.

Michael wasn't giving up, but he wasn't going to let anyone get hurt if he could help it. They were all competing against one another, but they were all also wanting to become heroes, he was wanting to become a hero. So he would aid anyone in need, even if they were against him. The mountain side was only getting more treacherous by the moment and Michael would help and protect anyone and everyone he could. He kept an eye out for falling hazards or dangers from above, ready to spring into action if needed.

As the mountain side became slicker, regular hand holds were not going to cut it. But Michael suddenly had an idea. He got out one of the pads of Well Well Well Stickers from his pack. He could unfold and unravel it to get to some of the larger holes, a few big enough to catch people like a tiger trap, but he didn't need any of the bigger ones. Michael began peeling out the numerous small holes, ones that were likely made to act like tripping potholes, and began sticking them to the mountain side. As soon as he slapped the stickers down they would create an equivalent hole. This was more than enough for him to grip as well as leave them for others to use to help with their climb. Michael continued to use all of small 6in wide holes from all three pads to create a safe and accessible climbing path behind him as went up the mountain side, leaving a descending amount of assorted 1ft, 3ft, 5ft, and 9ft wide holes remaining on the pads.



Notes & Tags: Jack Orion | Kaida Ikarashi | Kurokami Gen
In possession of the Back Star Shield (inert) and Well Well Well Stickers (2/3 Pads remaining)| I believe that using all the small holes would likely add up to an equivalent of 1 pad's worth of stickers.

Michael continued to be surprised by the attitude and surprises of Momo. Her latest trick with her yo-yo made it so it was being lifted by the girder above to ease some of the weight off Michael. He was able to charge it forward and line it up for the plan. With the help on the barrel, Michael was able to outrun the next wave of barrels. "Okay, on three let it go." Michael said as he readied to throw it towards the panel to lock it up. He didn't want her to get yanked along with the barrel from just throwing it unannounced. "One, two, Three!"

Michael inflated himself nearly twice his size to give him that extra little bump to hurl the barrel towards the panel that had been releasing them towards them. Michael let out his gas as soon as the barrel was in the air, snapping back to his normal size and shape. From this close at the end of the scaffold they should be able to jump up to the final beam together and make way for the exit.


Notes & Tags: Aimoto Momo

It seemed their teamwork had paid off. Just as Michael asked of her, Mesmer used a blinding flash to disorient the hammer wielding foe. This allowed Michael to slam his inflated fist into the attacker and sent him flying over Carpenter. Michael couldn't count that the guy was going down with that one hit and unfortunately he was right. Rather than targeting any of the closer party members, the attacker summoned forth a new hammer that he chucked towards Mesmer.

Michael was too far away from her to pull Mesmer out of the way so he just dove in from instinct. "Mesmer get down!" Michael shouted as he jumped into the line of fire. His body attempted to act as an air bag to cushion the hammer against his body to dampen its impact, but it still hit hard. Knocking a large amount of air from his body with as painfully as it sounded from Michael's latex masked mouth. This attacker's escape diversion had gone off without a hitch as this was now the new focus rather than detaining the hammer bro.




Notes & Tags: lonewolf

As they had made it to a relatively safer path, Michael's classmates used this as an opportunity to introduce themselves. The two men with them gave their hero names and admitted that they had come with Michael because he seemed to have a plan. "Sorry to disappoint but no. I don't have much of a plan, at least not one to get us through. I've been just going off instinct, same as you. My name's Michael, I can manipulate my body pretty much any way a balloon can. Its not going to help up much getting through this together, so we just need to rely on everything else we have."

Michael looked down to the girl that was still complaining about her injury. "How is your leg doing? I can carry you for a bit if you need. I don't know if you're able to help at all, but I'm not going to leave you behind even if you can't." He hoped that she would tell him who she was and what she could do if she was going to help them.

Michael looked back to his party. "If we can get to the center, I might be able to float up the side of the building and be able to knock out the people on the higher levels while you three can come in from the entrances for a pincer kind of maneuver, but we need to get there first. If we keep together and go at this smart, we should be able to avoid the traps, so if you see something say something. No one gets left behind." Michael said reassuringly hoping to motivate them with some confidence.

Michael was ready to take over carrying the girl from Carpenter if she felt she needed it. "Mash, Carpenter, take point. Everyone keep your eyes peeled high and low. We can't afford to take our time here but we can't charge blind."



Notes & Tags: lonewolf