twomillionvolts | Open Post

[A Goth classic. It'll be in history books forever.

It's not an issue that will go away. Unfortunately, the human condition exists and inequality will always be a part of any society. There will be those down below and those high above, the middle flexible and varied, but all trying to survive, some with more difficulty than others. And the sense of fairness versus unfairness pervades... which leads to all the rest o the mess.

A cynical and embittered view of the world thanks to her experiences. She'll admit the heroes are trying, but they can only do so much. After all, even heroes are only human.

But they have things to be proud of. Japan remains Japan, not the kingdom ruled over by All for One. Any villain who thought that would go their way was a fool.]

Depends on who you ask.

[Band switches drivers when Denki needs his break, getting some food and water from the back so he can take his pick. Apples and oranges, dried snacks, biodegradable packets of water (you can even chew the straw up if you're that kind of munchies person). The car heads back on the road, finally reaching the highway and heading out.]

Kyuketsuki's family was attacked by heroes. I don't know the details, but he lost someone important to him during the event. He's not a man who speaks much of his past to people.

[ He's more than happy to have an orange and one of those cool water packages (you know he'll chew it up). It's a nice normalcy in all of this, having car snacks while on a road trip. All that's missing are some good tunes. Awkward quietness isn't something Denki's good with - with his friends and boyfriend, sure, but like this? He's nervously gonna try to talk about anything.

The electric hero didn't expect Band to actually answer him about Kyuketsuki, though, so he's immediately more interested. ]

Attacked by heroes? Why would heroes just attack people?

[ Was it some of those corrupted Meta Liberation Army people? That's all Denki can really think of. He still hasn't put anything together, teetering between stupid and naive. Maybe both. ]

If that's the case... I hope I managed to give him a little bit more trust in heroes.

[ It looked like he had managed, his own upcoming freedom proof of that. Why they're going to a casino is another hing, but there might be enough people there for Band to just disappear with the car after she drops him off. ]

[The food's in the car so they don't have to stop and pick up something at a gas station. Same as the tanks of gas being in the trunk. All to keep the trip going smoothly without having to stop for any extended period of time. On Kaminari's side, to get him home fast as possible. On the Rubbers' side, to avoid any potential spots or recognition.

And the radio's free to be turned on if Chargebolt wants; Band isn't gonna stop him from listening to music. Provided it's not like... raging death metal at full volume or toddler's nursery rhymes. She's fine with driving in silence, but already figured the electric hero is not.

The surprise and interest on his face is obvious and expected.]

You really don't see things from any side but your own, do you? [Band glances at him with a piqued brow.] The wrong place at the wrong time. A false accusation. An assumption. There are many reason why a hero would attack someone. Often couched in the name of protecting from villainy. [She returns to the road.] Think about it, Chargebolt. Both Hawks and Lady Nagant attacked people. And yet, they're heroes.

[To say "just attack" like it was the heroes who snapped and went mad is a shallow way of looking at things. Of course corrupt heroes are real. Perhaps Kyuketsuki's family fell on the wayside of one of those. Or perhaps they were setup and framed to take the fall for the real villain. Band can't offer information she doesn't know, but simultaneously, she doesn't instantly consider the heroes' the innocent side in Kyuketsuki's background tragedy.]

I can't speak to that. However, I believe you are a good hero. And for what it's worth, I'm sorry you were caught up in this. [Though she offsets it immediately with a shrug.] Of course, to the Rubbers, you're just a paycheck. Nothing personal.

[The casino will make sense once they arrive.]

[ Thankfully Denki's choice of music ends up being some bright pop music that he keeps on a low volume. Both so he can hear her and to not be too distracted by that as well. Now and then the music is broken up by road announcements and commercials, but at least it's not 'Baby Shark'. ]

I don't really have much experience with other sides but my own. [ He points out. ] ...and I know heroes can be flawed. Killers, even. Much of that was because of the HPSC, though. Fucked-up people grooming kids... and then there were the corrupted heroes. I was wondering why they attacked; I wasn't saying it was Kyuketsuki's fault.

[ He realized is might have sounded that way, though, so he concedes to that. Her next words are a surprise, and there's a slight smile when she brushes it off immediately as well. Nothing personal, indeed. ]

Thanks. That's all I hope to be.

[ Denki is already gambling. He doesn't need a casino for that. ]

[Band usually goes quick whenever the road announcements show up, listening in for traffic flow, accidents, impediments, or other such news. Commercials don't bother her and the music is fine. One brief run of the news mentions Chargebolt's continued disappearance, but that's more for the television news rather than expounding on it on air. Which is somewhat odd, considering the information Chargebolt gave them. Perhaps there's an effort not to cause a national panic and suspicion right now...]

That's part of the problem for both sides, isn't it. [The villains can't see from the heroes' side and the heroes can't see from the villains' viewpoint. Both operate on what they see of the other, stereotypes, assumptions, and misunderstandings included.]

That's an interesting way to view it... [Band glances at him.] Because I assume you'd be among the first to defend U.A. and similar schools from accusations that they likewise groom children into child soldiers and heroes. Yet no one would call those institutions "fucked up" despite operating on similar principles.

[She keeps her voice from being angry or accusing, mostly a conversational tone that brings up the counterpoints. Less trying to convince him and more exploring the other side and how things can be viewed differently.]

I don't know much of Kyuketsuki's background apart from what he's told me. And I make it a point not to believe anything I hear without doing my own research. So I can't tell you for certain if his family was innocent or not.

[She'll concede that point to Kaminari as well.]

[ Denki's eye widen a bit when he hears the news talk about him, and it makes him sit back a bit and bite his lower lip. Fuck, everyone's probably still worried about him. This car ride suddenly feels way too slow, but he can't exactly call his Kacchan and go piggyboom to the next prefecture.

Band's comment about not knowing each others sides is a little bit of a sting, because the things they saw during the war, with Shoto's brother and even Shigaraki? Yeah. It's not always fair.

Mentioning UA, however, makes him reflexively want to do exactly what she said he would. He does take a moment to actually think of his argument, though. Katsuki reminded him of doing that all the time. ]

Yeah, sure... some of that is right. We're all pretty much told from young childhood to adore heroes and want to be one - but becoming a hero the school way seems to help with values and critical thinking rather than brainwashing. Our class just happened to be a mess, and then Japan lost almost 200k heroes to corruption and we had to step in. Normally, that doesn't happen.

[ His fingers play a bit with the seatbelt as he speaks. ]

We don't kill people as heroes. Hawks got some bad shit over that, and the fact that the Commission was making hero assassins and essentially eugenics makes it a lot more different than a school that is, in the end, a choice to want to attend. [ Sigh. ] It's not perfect, I know, but after living through both UA and the war... I would say it's more different than you think. However, it's probably a lot more different than I think, too. Like you said... I only have one point of view.

[ If Kyuketsuki's family was innocent or not... well, that's really not the point here. It had hurt the man already, and then he escalated by making a mistake like this. His head felt pretty good, but he's a little sleepy. The rattling of his brain takes a long time to heal even after he feels okay. ]

Do you mind if I take a nap until we switch again? Concussions are stupid and the fatigue comes and goes.

[He's still big news despite the scarcity of it on this channel. Chargebolt is one of Class 1-A after all. Of course they haven't given up on looking for him, especially now that they know he's being released. Which Bakugou is insanely suspicious of. Why the fuck would some kidnapper release a high profile hostage for no reason? The world's not nice like that.

"Fair" is a fool's word. An ideal that cannot exist in a world inhabited by humans. Band might have thought things were "fair" a long time ago, but by now, that's become a figment of imagination. No one truly wants "fair"; they only want what the think is theirs.

When Kaminari doesn't reflexively jump to his school's defense, Band silently gives him a look of surprise, but approval. It's a flicker, there and gone, but she notes his maturity. Been a heavy subject for a while. And she can admit to some fallacies in her own argument about U.A. versus the HPSC.]

Normally. [A quiet agreement. U.A. sought to create heroes, though a hero could be a soldier depending on the battle, if they aren't already. ] You're right. U.A. doesn't want soldiers despite heroes battling regardless. And had they more options, they wouldn't have sent you all into the war. But like you said, they had no choice. Not jumping to defense and explaining your way of thinking's the proper way to do it.

[She changes lanes with an easy move.] There should be more people like you.

[Knowing he's still dealing with the concussion, and satisfied with his answer, Band nods and reaches into the back. A second or two of feeling around and she drags a blanket up, leaving it draped over the armrest in case Kaminari wants it. She won't tax his brain further.]

Do you want to drive through the night or stop at a hotel like last time?

[ 'Fair' and 'nice' both seem like things that cannot exist in their world, but here he is, a war veteran but still believing in both.

The surprised approval from Band feels like the generic version of the one Katsuki gives him when he manages to put his feelings and words together in a way that has a decent point. He did not expect her to agree with him or admit to her own misconceptions, but here they are.

'There should be more people like you.' He wants to say that there are, almost 40 of them, but he allows himself to take the compliment without rerouting it to his friends. ]

I am a delight, I know.

[ Okay, the joking works instead.

The blanket is a welcome surprise and Denki pulls it on himself after Band leaves it for him. He's not exactly cold, but it's cozy and if he's going to rest better than in the nervous half-asleep way, he has to have something comfortable. He was technically in a car with a kidnapper, after all. ]

I want to get there as soon as possible, honestly. However, I'm happy to stop if you don't want to. I'm not gonna be an asshole just because I'm in a hurry.

[ Denki. Kidnapper. Villain. Stop being nice! ]

[She can't very well call those who don't know the other side idiots if she's not willing to listen to the other side and consider their ideas. Rather than lambasting the heroes, Band doesn't see a problem in learning more about them. Though considering her line of work, she probably doesn't get to talk to heroes in such a casual setting very often. Which is usually fine with her. That means she's doing her job well.]

You are. I might actually miss you.

[The little smirk on her lips and tease in her voice suggests it's little more than jesting. After all, she did tell him it was nothing personal. He's merely one of her less-annoying kidnaps.

Once he's settled with the blanket (and she even turns the air on a bit higher to cool the car down more), she focuses on the road again, letting some cars pass her and passing others along the way.]

We'll decide again when it gets closer to night. It won't be the first time I've slept in a car.

[Pull off to the side of the road or crash in a parking lot, that's as acceptable as getting a hotel room. A choice for later then.]

Go to sleep, Sparkplug. I'll wake you if I need to.

[ He laughs a little at her saying she'll miss him, and gives her some classic Chargebolt finger guns in return. She's pretty alright when she's not threatening to sell him off as a sex slave or choking him with rubber bands.

Maybe this is seeing things from the other side?

Cuddling into the blanket, Denki closes his eyes and leans his head to the window so he can feel the slight vibration of the car. He can pretend it's Katsuki on one of the nights when he snores a little bit. Fuck, the electric blonde feels touch-starved for his boyfriend and it's only been three days or so. ]

Mmhm. Sounds good.

[ Is his reply to the suggestion to revisit their nighttime driving once things get darker. He drove the first leg of the journey, up to a little after mid day, so he can rest for a few hours.

When he falls asleep, it's not really that restful. Denki dreams shattered, weirdly fragmented things that make no sense, but at least they're not nightmares. Just weird. ]

[Band offers a small hum of amusement at the finger guns before turning the radio station to something more relaxing. She settles back in the seat and lets her mind wander along her past and her missions.]

You're probably right.

[But just seeing from the other side means little if the actions don't change. That could be said to both sides though, heroes and villains. Leaving Chargebolt to sleep, Band falls into contemplative silence. Two providence away from U.A. and the rest of the area the electric blonde is familiar with. It's going to be a drive.

Weird dreams can still make good sleep difficult. Band doesn't wake the other man until about four hours later. But that's only because she stops and gasses the car up from one of the tanks in the back. Then it's back on the road. It'll be almost 10pm by the time she broaches the subject again.]

We've got about half an hour before the next refuel. We can find a hotel, a place to sleep, or keep driving.

[ He wakes with a bit of a start and a confused snuffle, before his brain catches up and he's yawning and rubbing the back of his head. At least he god a bit of shut-eye and he's feeling alright again.

Hearing Band return to the question from before, Denki looks at the road, trying to see any road signs. ]

I think a place to sleep would be good. It doesn't have to be a motel or anything if that worries you, I've slept in plenty of cars. Could do with some more substantial food and a pit stop, though.

[ Those damn human needs. Food, sleep and bathroom breaks.

Denki knows he's pretty recognizable with his hair bolt even outside of his hero costume, and with his kidnapping being one of the biggest news right now, he's not sure if hiding with some clips is gonna work. His hand comes up to play a little with the collar there, smoothing the buttery-soft leather with a thumb. That's probably really recognizable, too.

...he really needs to stop trying to help his own kidnapper, here. ]

We could stop somewhere for food and bathrooms and then find a parking place to sleep.

[ Then it wouldn't be all at the same place. Does that help? ]

[Least she didn't slam on the brakes or something. Band lets him come awake at his own pace, though she's not going to begrudge him the crick in his neck if he slept on it wrong. It's already dark out by now, so he slept a fair amount. Enough she's wondering if he's going to be able to sleep tonight.

Most of the road signs going by are exits markers and what's at each exit, with the occasional reminder of the highway they're on. Band nods at his answer, and as for the motel, she simply shakes her head.] You recall we were at a motel when we brought you.

[Though his comment about more substantial food and a pit stop get her attention back to the road signs that brush past. She fixes on one of them, an exit in five minutes with a selection of places. There doesn't appear to be any worry about the risk of being detected.]

I know a place up here we can stop at. If you don't mind a B&B over a motel.

[Which... might give some sort of tip off to what's going on.]

[ There's a bit of a crick, but nothing bad - he's rather not have it upgraded to whiplash so he really is grateful that she didn't slam on the brakes.

Denki can tell that it's late, but he doesn't think he'll have an issue sleeping later. Concussion recovery means a lot of drowsy spells in-between the good ones, so he'll snooze more later. Especially since his dreams were so weird and didn't let him rest well.

When Band mentions the motel he first woke up in while he was brought over to Kyuketsuki, he nods slightly. Maybe it was a villain-owned place or maybe it was before at least half the country was keeping an eye out for him. Now it seems like it would be more difficult to be discreet even in that kind of place. A B&B sounds... nicer? He's not sure what to make of that. ]

I don't mind that... as long as we're not making things difficult for some random people.

[ He's a little too confused to pick up on anything at the moment, head full of trying to figure out how much time they'll 'lose' by staying the night. Did they have to kidnap him so far away?? ]

[If it's not already apparent, Band's not a bitch. Most of the time. She puts on the blinker to signal a lane change and eases over to prepare for the next exit coming up.]

Unless it's completely full, I don't think we'll be making trouble for anyone. [Again, no real worry about running into people with the B&B she has in mind. They'll "lose" however many hours they want to sleep before they get back on the road again. Band's aware that Kaminari wants to get home, but he also agreed to the sleep, so unless he opts to drive through the night, they're getting off at the next exit.

As for kidnapping him so far away, do they really want to stay in the same prefecture that houses Endeavor, U.A., and a solid chunk of Class 1-A, especially when they've got Chargebolt stuck in the back of their car? Yeah, no thank you. Going to prefectures away is a far safer option if you're opting to kidnap a war hero.

With the exit behind them, it's only a few roads before they come upon a nice-looking two-story home, somewhat reminiscent of the Todoroki estate, but without the massive wall around it. There's a fence at least? Two cars are parked outside in the little parking lot of a driveway, and a small sign reads "Aki Inn" curled around a red salamander. The light by the front door is on and a gentle wisp of smoke wanders out the chimney.

Band slows the car to a crawl as they make their way towards the building.] How do you feel? If you want to keep driving, we can. We'll have to trade drivers.

[But she wants to give him a last chance.]

[ Luring Denki to another prefecture and then moving him further was a genius move, really. It messed up all the search attempts and people had to travel far to gather in Shizuoka. Far away from the more powerful hero agencies, too.

For that, she's very much still a bitch - especially considering how she treated him before. It's a lot different having her around this time, and he's honestly not sure which one is the 'bit'. Decent-ish, married Band or the playful Toga knockoff?

Either way, they're off the main road and reaching some kind of older homestead. It looks pretty nice and probably not too full if there's only two cars. It depended on how many rooms it had available, of course, but old-style Japanese houses tended to have a lot of add-ons. ]

I feel pretty okay, right now. How about we have something to eat and use the facilities, and revisit that question?

[ Honestly he wants to continue driving, but he also has a feeling that he's pushing himself too much just to get back home quicker. They're not going to save time if he crashes the car. ]

[The Rubbers never said their services came cheap. And there was a reason for that: they were good at what they did. The drive wasn't an issue and the fact their client was far away from their target made sense. Perhaps not the quick turnaround, but a check is a check, and they merely added on another fee for the return delivery. If you will...

No apologies for the bitchy part. After all, would it better to put up one personality to feel out the other person, or to immediately go with the other with no recourse to fall back on. Then again, there's that good cop bad cop analogy. Who knows, Denki.

Band nods at the choice before pulling the car into the parking lot. It rolls to a stop easily and she twists the keys to kill the engine. As the locks pop, the sound of crickets singing outside and a small brook babbling somewhere in the darkness make their way into the car. Band steps out, not even bothering to try and put Chargebolt in cuffs. An understood agreement, probably.]

We can always set and alarm for a few hours and get up then.

[Since driving at night is arguably "safer" for kidnappers than heading down the road in the bright of day. Stepping up onto the porch, she knocks on the door. After a few seconds, there's a click and the glowing porch lights illuminate an inner shoji panel sliding to the side to reveal an opened door inside before an older woman pushes open the screen door covering both. Yeah, it's a triple-layer entrance.]

Good evening, Mother. [Band offers the woman a nod.] Do you have room for two?

Who am I hosting?

Your daughter, and a handsome tourist on route back home.

[There's brief silence before the proprietor, after eyeing Chargebolt through the screen, pops the lock and lets the screen door swing open.]

Come in. For the night?

A meal first, then further arrangements.

[ Re-furbishing a stolen garbage truck with a Faraday cage isn't exactly cheap, either. Especially not when just abandoning it later. No, the Rubbers are definitely professionals and probably pretty damn expensive. Kyuketsuki paid a fat amount of yen for what ended up just a moral vibe check.

Denki gets out of the car once Band does, and takes a moment to stretch. He's a little stiff after the car ride, but most people were after an entire day of traveling.

Band's suggestion is met with an easier smile and a nod. That sounded perfect, honestly. Just a refresher and a couple of hours, then keep going. Best idea so far, and he can understand wanting to move in the dark with a missing hero in the car.

He follows along, stopping at the entrance and immediately feeling under-dressed as he sees the way it is so fancily laid out. It was cool as hell to see this old-style place, and he's about to greet the old lady that arrives to meet them when Band speaks.

Oh. Oh. Holy shit. Those had to be codes. He's poking his head into even more secrets he definitely needs to forget later.

...at least he's 'handsome'. Gotta take his wins, here.

Nervously, the electric hero takes his shoes off and slides his feet into the house slippers. ]

Thank you for having me, Ma'am.

[ Is that a good enough greeting? Help, what would Todoroki do? ]

[makes you wonder what kind of technology they used to accomplish such a thing and still manage to drive it around the city without getting picked up by some kind of scanner or sensor. in hindsight, synthetic hadn't be entirely happy to abandon something he was fairly proud of, but it was safer to trade off for a simple car and take off from there. give the police something to crawl all over and delay them due to the sophistication.

the area around the bed and breakfast is rather peaceful, a quiet, thick woodlands that seems to swallow the road on either side once out of the driveway parking lot. not a place that you'd find by driving in from the highway unless you knew it was here. likely to give its occupants and patrons a private abode to rest without running any interruptions.

considering the strange turn this has taken, band is a little keen to finish the deal as well, not wanting to take more time than necessary, but also not willing to jeopardize anything because someone's got a homesick urge. but since kaminari's being cooperative, she's more ready to compromise with him.]

You're welcome, young tourist.

[the elderly woman nods to him and steps to the side to allow the two in, then closes the screen door, the shoji panel, and finally the main door. lock, click, slide, lock. the interior is rather homey despite the large size of the house. a large living room with a television, a kitchen and dining room further back to the side, stairs resting across from the living room that lead up to a second floor that's lit with lamps on the wall.

band talks to the woman for another minute while kaminari looks around, then heads for the stairs, giving him a whistle to call him over. it's only a short walk and she stops by one of the doors, then hands him his key.] There's a menu in your room, so feel free to order what you like. I'll come get you in six hours.

[yeah, as a show of trust, she got chargebolt his own room.]

[ Considering how high-tech things are nowadays, using old stuff really worked well. People just don't know how to handle something without a single microchip. (It's probably a good thing Quirks arrived and offset things, or tech would be even crazier.)

Speaking of old things - it's really beautiful here, honestly. Not a place he would like to live in all the time, but it felt cozy. Like coming to visit your grandparents when you were little.

Too bad it was full of secrets and codes. Spies? Maybe, considering what band said about the Rubbers.

He gives the old woman a polite, if stiff half-bow and then does his best to look like he's not eavesdropping while Band speaks to the proprietor. Denki admires some decorations and then his head snaps up to look at Band when she whistles for him.

(He's not a dog!)

The key is quick to smooth over any annoyance, though. His own room? Really? ]

Uh... thank you. That's really nice, man. Ma'am. Band.

[ Dumbass.

Stepping inside the room, Denki makes use of the bathroom and then orders some food. Something filling and delicious, so he could get the energy he needed for later. After all, who knows what will happen. It all seems so straight-forward so far and he's doing so well that he's starting to expect some kind of bullshit happening at any time, now.

...fuck, he never thought he'd miss pants that fit right. It's kindergarten all over again. ]

[It's one of the reasons the Rubbers are had to trace. Even if someone knew their M.O., it would be difficult to locate whatever they were using. Even if reports of older cars were headlined, a car's body could be changed relatively easily and not mess with the inner workings all that much. An "old car" without high tech riding inside a "new car" body is only one such trick.

Still, Kaminari's right about people getting weirded out over something that doesn't have microchips or similar tech. A relic of the past, a ghost in the proverbial machine. (Yeah, just think; without Quirks, people'd be warping around the world.)

The BnB is designed to evoke the feeling of rest and relaxation within the formal yet cozy home. Not catering to normal tourists, but rather to people who showed up looking for them. Chargebolt's free to make of that what he likes, coded speech included.

He can listen in to the words, but there's little to gather from the conversation. Band and Mother's discussion mainly focuses on the length of their stay and payment, as well as what could be construed as the proprietor asking if more are on their way, to which the reply's a negative. It's a one-night stop and done.

(And yet he comes when called. Fancy that.)

She drops the key in his hand and heads for her own room, which is beside his, for obvious reasons.]

You earned it. Rest well.

[Lucky for Kaminari, the facilities all work well, the shower's hot and refreshing if he wants to grab one, and the food is definitely worth the order. Flavorful, filling, and delivered by middle-aged man who politely greets the hero and asks him to leave his dishes out on the wheeled tray parked beside his door once he's done with them. Afterwards, he's left for his six hours to do as he pleases. It'll be around 3AM when Band knocks on his door.]

Time to get up, tourist.

[ Some theories say they developed quirks to stop humanity from growing too fast scientifically, but who knows. Maybe it was aliens. Either way, humanity had trouble making clothes that fit more limbs and few kids were born with ten fingers and ten toes. Conquering the galaxy? Not as important.

...yeah, probably aliens.

Chargebolt does take advantage of the shower, taking a moment to just lean against the shower wall and relax. He's not physically tired as much as he is mentally exhausted about all the things whirring in his brain, so Denki lets hot water wash the stress wash away.

The meal is pretty amazing, too, and he spends the rest of his six hours finishing that off and sleeping a little. It is a bit harder to fall asleep than when in the car, but at least the electric hero gets a few extra hours sleeping undisturbed and in his own room. Maybe others would have tried to flee when alone, but he already is leaving. He doesn't need to lose his ride, that seems like the opposite of success.

Once Band wakes him, Denki stumbles up from the bed and opens the door for her, hair a wild mess since he didn't dry it and just slept on it instead. ]

...why am I a tourist?

[ The blonde asks, curiously. He's ready to leave when she is, dressed and with nothing to pack. ]

[They don't seem to have too much trouble making clothes for Shouji or Principal Nezu. But it's certainly railroaded certain elements of their technology, while giving rise to a host of others humanity likely never would've considered or would've been able to accomplish without the Quirk phenomena. It's a 50/50 in most eyes.

A good choice not to try and flee. It wouldn't have done all that well for him and there's a good chance he would've been left to run off and get lost in the woods on his own or whatever. Band's orders are to deliver him, however, so she would've hunted him for a while before making a call and deciding on whether to continue or let bygones be bygones. Proverbially.

(But considering there are cameras around the place...)

Band arches a brow when she sees Denki's bedhead.] You might want fix that. [Indicating his hair with a pointed finger.] It's quite wild.

[As for the question, she merely puts a finger to her lips.] Who knows.

[Her braid swings to the side as she turns and heads off down the stairs. Band already checked out with Mother, so the older woman merely stands to the side and lets them leave through the front door with a nod to them both.]

[ He's brighter than people think (sometimes), and while he doesn't trust Band the slightest, she's still the best way for him to get home. He's not going to jeopardize that by trying to run away or rolling himself out of the car door to wave down someone on the road.

No, the safest way to get home without anyone getting hurt is to do things this way. Just go to the casino and then maybe call a cab to get home. Why it's a casino is still confusing him, forgetting that a lot of villains like to hang at those. It's been a while since he saw old yakuza movies, okay?

When Band mentions his hair, Denki groans and tries to smooth it back a bit. He would have put some clips in to hold it, but his box of colorful and weird hair clips and bobby pins were far away in a cozy apartment that he's longing for so badly. Hell, even the spare ones had been in his costume, and wherever that went is still unknown to him.

...hopefully they didn't burn it.

Denki chokes down a yawn and then gives the old lady a smile as they pass her. Putting his shoes on (at least those fit well), he heads for the car to take his shift as driver. It's dark, but that just helps their little reverse-kidnapping. ]

Alright, strap in! Let's get this done! Plus Ultra!

[ Denki, please. ]

[Mutual benefit. Even idiots can recognize survival tactics and advantage. If he did try to roll himself out of the car driving down the highway, he'd probably come out of that with a hell of a lot worse than a road rash. Try skin peeling off like an orange. To say nothing of causing an accident behind them. Best not attempt that.

Band takes a seat in the passenger's side and pulls out a map from the glove compartment. Checking a few routes, she indicates the highway they're on and directs Kaminari from there to the next leg of their journey. Giving him the merger number to look out for. With that, she buckles in and folds the map halfway up before leaning back in her seat and giving him the wheel.

As for his hair clips, they're not destroyed, but they're not in his costume either. Couldn't let him have an easy lock-picking or rope-cutting (or hole-poking) tool on him. With that excitable crow to kick off the driving, they're back on track. (She rolls her eyes at "PLus Ultra" but doesn't bother to comment on it.) And unless Denki offers to broach a conversation topic, Band's content to stay quiet and listen to the music the blonde hero put on. Though, knowing Chargebolt, "quiet" isn't his style.

So they'll probably get into more conversations along the way. It'll be closer to sundown by the time they end up rolling off the road and driving into the parking lot of Tsubaki's Dire... a decrepit, derelict old diner of a casino that probably looked pretty good at one time. Now the neon lights are all smashed, the windows are boarded up, the doors are barely holding on, and the parking lot is overgrown with grass and weeds breaking through the black asphalt like some flattened green-veined monstrosity. It's a sad place, so far removed from its glory days, it's hard to even imagine what it used to be like.

But it is in Shizuoka Prefecture and from the map Band showed him, about 100 miles away from Musutafu. This is the drop-off point. No risking her going back into the city and plenty of time for her to disappear before anyone can arrive. But also not ditching Chargebolt on the side of the road. Despite the building's shabby state, it's relatively large and provides good shelter for him to wait.]

This is where we part ways, little Sparkplug. [Band steps out of the car and rests her arms on the door frame.] It's a shame we couldn't see this place in its prime... I heard it used to be impressive.

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject

no subject