This is a story written by me starring several TTV Boards members, who all signed up for being included in this topic.
Chapters will be posted when I have the time.
CHAPTER LIST
Young Nights
Festering Sores
The Kettle Is Set
Fireworks
Nerve
Near The Knuckle
Closer To Home
Scars
Scabs
Open Wounds
Turnabout
Parallel
The Calm
Symptoms
Diagnosis
Prognosis
Treatment
Recovery
Warm Blooded
Thermoregulated
Blood Bank
Coy Blood
Eyewall
Idiosyncrasy
The Profligate
Wheelhouse
Boiling Over
Burn
Squelch
Quelch
Augury
Antiphon
Causatum
Atone
The Wild Masks
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Chapter One
Young Nights
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โPickles arenโt meant for dumpsters.โ
The younger man turned back, slowly, with a look of the utmost disgust mingled into his sharpened glare. โHow in the world do you think that is a valid excuse for swiping pickles out of a dumpster?โ
โI dunno.โ The other man shrugged, his hand still holding the brand-new jar of pickles. โWhat I do know is that, since theyโve still got the seal, they arenโt contaminated, which means theyโre just as good as all the other preservative-laced pickles wasting away on store shelves.โ
โYouโre acting even more ridiculous than usual.โ The younger man scowled, his sharp eyebrows flattening out in annoyance. โIf youโre so desperate for pickles as to rummage through garbage-โ
โIt,โ The other man retorted, straightening himself as he did so, โIs about making the world a better place by not wasting perfectly good resources. Isnโt that part of what we do anyways?โ
โUm, guys?โ A chipper voice mumbled from behind the other man. โYouโre, um, kind of clogging the path for the rest of us. Perhaps have your squabbles five feet outside of the alleyway? Thank you.โ
โSays the flying one.โ The younger man mumbled in a completely audible whisper, slowly clearing the way for the rest of his team. The other man nodded as he passed, his height making his six-foot-one superior feel every bit less so. Shortly after him, although wisdom compelled one not to verbally make such a comment, came the only female member of the team, glaring up at her leader with a toothpick in her mouth.
โItโs been a while since weโve been able to pull off a caper like this!โ The chipper voice resumed, its originator floating on past the younger manโs unamused eyebrows. โFinally back on the field like we were meant to be. Itโs good to feel the air again, you know?โ
โYouโre literally not even here right now.โ The younger man frowned, glancing at the machine out of the corner of his eye.
โNo, but I got that standing fan repaired, and wow the difference it makes in here!โ The machine chipped and whirred, the small cameras embedded around its durable exterior hissing as they adjusted their focus. โIt helps me pretend that a breeze can actually be felt down there, and that Iโm doing something way cooler than just typing on a massive keyboard doing boring security stuff while everybody else gets to go and have funโฆโ
Everyone had turned towards the device as the voice on the other end trailed off in depression. The awkward moment seemed to triple and quadruple in awkwardness as the seconds passed, ending only when the last person in line snatched the tiny machine out of the air.
โSave it for the autobiography.โ He muttered, looking up with a sigh at the massive building before him. โDo you think theyโll get suspicious if we keep showing up wearing matching suits and being this out of the ordinary?โ
โI hope youโre not questioning our suits, Tone.โ The younger man raised an eyebrow as he strode past, gesturing with his head for the rest of his team to follow his lead. โNow you all know the drill: We hit security and we hit them hard. If we can get into the fountain controls we can stop the automatic shutoff, and from there itโll be eggs.โ
โNO.โ The fellow called Tone turned away, throwing his hand forward in an attempt to restrain his superior. โI know whatโs coming. Itโs another one of your atrocious puns. Theyโre the reason we keep having bad luck with these endeavors, Ren. I donโt want-โ
โOver-easy.โ Ren fought back a snarky grin and ascended the minimal steps to reach the front door, pausing just inside as security eyed the entire group with a suspicious air. Tone stopped just outside of the entrance, retrieving and releasing the small drone into the air and watching it fly to the top of the building.
โRemember, team โ this is for him.โ
โWILD MASKS!!โ Ren bellowed, unveiling an angular, grey mask resembling the face and muzzle of a wolf. The rest of his team revealed additional masks, causing the security guards to fly into a panic and rush at the group. โOn our blood โ we avenge this day!!โ
Before the guards could reach him, a sonic pulse echoed outwards, rattling their teeth and giving Ren plenty of opportunity to don his mask. In an instant his silver hair flared, adrenaline rushed through his veins, and the hand that gripped his metal baseball bat tightened vigorously around its handle.
โNow, Race!โ He bellowed, the short girl casually walking forwards with her hands in her pockets. Across the room, more of the security personnel drew their weapons and fired. Race became a blur, intercepting the bullets before they could reach their intended targets, tearing up the glamorous carpet as she went. She didnโt have to act for long before Tone let off another sonic pulse, vibrating the internal mechanisms of the guns and forcing them to jam.
โGet outside and keep us covered. I donโt want the police getting the jump on us.โ Ren rolled his shoulders as she disappeared, leaving him and his two compatriots to take on the rather hostile guard. โYou think any of these guys are yakuza?โ
"He knew better than to- nngh" Tone began, growling as he caught an incoming fist and flexed it inwards to buckle the arm attached. โI think heโd know better than to station yakuza in a public establishment. These are likely private security.โ
โIf they are yakuza,โ Ren mused, buckling backwards as his mask pushed him to dodge every attack made against him. โItโs gotta be just them left over from the Kumagai clan. Which would beg the question where theyโre getting financed from-โ
โWatch your blind,โ Tone grunted, wrapping his arm around one of the guards and viciously suplexing him into the floor. โItโs a question of financing regardless of who they are, because bank headquarters donโt let you store expensive art pieces without an account.โ
โCouldnโt we get that info by checking his foundation?โ The tallest member of the group inquired, trying to both fight off the quickly overpowered guards and retain his jar of pickles. โItโs a public charity, weโd be able to see where the money goes.โ
โWe couldnโt get bank info like that without making ourselves obvious.โ Ren sighed, drawing a handheld radio transceiver out from his breast pocket as Toneโs dual chokeholds took out the remaining two guards. โI hope these guys have good health insurance. Alright, letโs make this quick. Race, do you copy?โ
โYes.โ Race reappeared, unbothered by Renโs violent reaction to her sudden presence. โYou want these guys cleared?โ
โIf you and Tone wouldnโt mind.โ Ren returned the radio to his pocket and rubbed his knuckles. โIโd rather not risk them getting electrocuted. While theyโre doing that, weโll get the fountain out of the way.โ
The tall fellow responded by picking up the edge of the fountain and ripping it out of the ground. Water immediately began coalescing, and by the time the guards had been removed it was up to Renโs ankles.
โMy shoes are getting soaked.โ He grumbled. โAll right, Rook, take me up. It wouldโve been easy to bring something like a phone to do this with, but I think weโll need a little more power than thatโฆโ
Rook wrapped one arm around him and suddenly moved upwards, the added weight not impacting his motion whatsoever. Abruptly pausing in midair, Ren climbed up onto Rookโs shoulders, reached out to a very large chandelier in the middle of the ceiling, and with a couple well-placed strikes with his bat, caused it to creak.
โAlright, Coreyโฆ HIT IT!!โ He barked as the last swing impacted with its attachment, sending the chandelier tumbling downwards in a slow spin. The alarms rang suddenly, metal shutters beginning to close atop the windows and door.
Tone quickly ascended the furniture while Race simply stood, watching it fall with the utmost boredom. It hit home, the electrical fixture impacting the base of the fountain and sending a massive shock into the walls and floor of the building, shorting out nearly every electrical function connected to the main power supply.
Ren quickly descended, riding down atop Rookโs shoulder as he floated just above the waterโs surface. โAlright, we only have so much ti-โ
He paused momentarily, sending a glare at Race upon noticing her glowing stomach. โOnly so much time until the minimal amount that the alarms have been on draws the attention of our usual fun-spoiling friends in law enforcement. Get it, Rook.โ
Rook nodded, lowering Ren down to admire his handiwork, the blast doors over the entrance frozen mid-way. He turned around to see Rook stride towards the massive vault door at the back of the room, carefully place his hands on it, and suddenly disappear. In his place was an elaborate statue of a sphere floating alongside curved, draping rectangles, which flowed like water into the base.
Tone and Race splashed over, Race getting there just ahead of Tone, and wasted no time in dragging the statue out of the way. Making ticking noises with his mouth, Ren set an origami mask down right where the statue had been, and after fifteen clicks Rook returned to take its place.
โPerfect. Now if everythingโs set, then letโs-โ
All the glass at the entrance shattered suddenly. โTONE!โ He barked, rounding on his associate with a rebuking air. โThis is supposed to be somewhat stealthy, you know!โ
โBoss, Iโm gettinโ sleepy with how long these speeches take.โ Tone faked a yawn, looking out of one eye at his superior with some mischief shining from his pupil. โAny longer and I might pass out here and- oh. Sorry about that.โ
The party stared silently at the broken jar of pickles, and Ren laid a hand on the visibly gloomy Rookโs shoulder for a brief moment to comfort his tragic loss. โI think weโre out of time. Letโs split.โ
Crouching through the half-open entrance, with Rook carrying the statue, the group made their way to the same alleyway, disappearing into the darkness. Before Ren exited the scene he deliberately caused, he paused at the entrance to the alleyway and held up his hand, the distant robotic tool slowly returning to the earth.
โGotta hand it to you, Corey, you pulled your part off masterfully. By the time anyone realizes what happened, weโll be back home, and dry, to boot.โ
โYouโฆโ The chipper voice began irradiating awe in all directions. โYou really mean that, Ren? Iโm finally a real- a real Wild Mask?โ
Ren smiled. โI canโt be the one to make that choice by myself. But in my book, you did good out there, kid. Now letโs do even better.โ
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