Luccione vs. Mauler
The secret lair of the Night Parade was nestled deep within Tobita Shinchi's red light district. Lit by the eerie green glow of antique jade lanterns, the marble walls were lined with forbidden treasures and artifacts from ages past. At the center of the sprawling complex was the debauched den of hedonism claimed by the Night Parade's flamboyant leader. Lounging amidst silk cushions and lavish furnishings, the villain known as Midas nursed a goblet of wine as he regarded his visitor with an amused smile.
"Luccione, my cultured friend! To what do I owe the pleasure?"
"I've come to discuss the recent aborted operation against Shiketsu High School," said Luccione crisply. "I'd like to know why Night Parade retreated after all the effort spent in Preparation?"
Midas waved a hand airily. "Priorities change. Our interests shifted - you know how it is. The chaotic currents of fate swept us along to more intriguing opportunities."
Luccione's golden eyes narrowed. "It just doesn't make sense. You know as well as I that the heroes of Kyoto poses a growing threat. Night Parade attacked four hero agencies, injured Majestic and then what- just stopped?"
Chuckling, Midas took a languid sip of wine. "Always so serious, Luci. Learn to savor the moment - the anticipation can be as sweet as the act itself."
"Yes, but when where you planning to attack?" Luccione questioned. "I did not escape the gilded cage of my family to indulge simple hedonistic whims. We must act against Kyoto and Shiketsu."
Midas waved him off, tone bored. "Yes yes, crush the old order, raze the ivory towers...I've heard it before. Tell me, what's got you so riled up about those school children anyway?"
Luccione's sighed. "As we speak, that foul school continues to poison my poor baby brother... To think of the things they must be filling his empty little head." He trailed off, visibly collecting himself. "No matter. The point remains that Night Parade spent considerable resources preparing an attack on Kyoto which you then failed to follow through on. "
Sighing theatrically, Midas set down his goblet. "Very well, since you insist on being so tiresomely single-minded." He leaned forward, jewelry glinting within the dark aura that surrounded him. "I have a task for you." Extending a hand, he gave Luccione a velvet envelope with a wax seal.
Luccione warily opened the envelope and read the note inside.
"Does that meet with your lofty expectations, dragon prince?"
"For now. Yes."
"Wonderful! Do enjoy yourself! Bring me something nice, will you?"
Midas' ringing laughter echoed down winding corridors. The sound grated Luccione like rusted blades. Myoga's golden eyes flashed and he forced himself to be patient. In dealing with such upstarts, Luccione knew there was no time to waste. Boldness was required. The winds of change were rising, and he would ride them straight to the shattered gates of Shiketsu.
Within Kyoto's Yamashina Prison, Dr. Hayashi smiled gently as the group of inmates took their seats in the circle of folding chairs. Though still wearing power-suppressing collars, their demeanors seemed less openly hostile after months of counseling together.
"Good morning, everyone. Let's start by sharing something from your week. Sahulor, would you begin?" Despite some progress, the inmates still responded best through their villain names, choosing to remain anonymous amongst their fellows.
The bald ex-yakuza boss scratched his chin. "I still have nightmares of that bone kid, but in the bright side, I finally got approved to take that masonry class. Be good to do somethin' useful with these mitts again." He flexed his fingers and bits of molten rocks appeared to cover his knuckles.
Dr. Hayashi nodded approvingly. "Wonderful. Having a constructive outlet for your skills will be very beneficial."
He turned to the next member. "What about you, Broad Daylight?"
"This week I taught embroidery to some of the other inmates," replied the woman primly. "It's rewarding teaching disadvantaged souls."
"How commendable. Providing your talents to others is admirable."
Broad Daylight preened under the praise.
"But I must ask, the pin cushion that you carry around, it's in the shape of-"
"Last Rite. I have one of the Yako girl too. You wanna see?"
"No no. I'm just concerned that this isn't healthy behavior."
"All I wanted to do was to liberate some artifacts for a private collector, then those wretched students ruined everything!" she shrieked, she punctuated her words by stabbing an embroidery needle into the Last Rite pin cushion."
"We'll have to work on your anger issues," Dr. Hayashi sighed. "Moving on."
Next to share was Cryo Jin.
"Recently I've taken up meditating each morning. It's quite relaxing," he remarked. "Helps me stay cool, heheh."
"Excellent, Cryo Jin. Developing healthy coping mechanisms is great progress."
The final member, Mammogar, rumbled happily, "I read many books from the library. Makes my brain stronger."
"Wonderful, Mammogar!"
"Next time, I'll outwit that disappearing rat-imp who made a fool of me," growled Mammogar. Apparently the mutant had a score to settle with a blade-wielding ninja of some sort. The mutant still carried a deep scar on his trunk.
"Now now, revenge is not the way to better yourself. You are more than your bad actions."
Cryo Jin spoke up, "Nah, doc! Gotta say, the thought of revenge sounds like one hail of a time," mused the icy villain, smiling coldly. "I'd love to freeze that arrogant dragon-boy's blood in his veins."
The group started talking all at once about their plans for revenge. Dr. Hayashi tried to maintain control but they spoke over the poor therapist.
The final member of the circle spoke up, "COME THE FUCK ON, YA BUNCH OF SISSIES! " The mountain of a man shifted, growling. "A REAL VILLAIN PLOTS REVENGE AGAINST ADULTS! Am I the only one here who didn't get defeated by children?"
"Technically, I fought against adults too," Broad Daylight chimed in.
"SHUT UP! A REAL MAN IS SPEAKING NOW! O HO HO! I'LL TELL YOU WHAT I'LL DO TO IPPON WHEN I GET OUT HERE!" Bruno Marcia, aka Mauler looked over at Dr. Hayashi's frown and all the guards in the room. Their hands moved to their weapons.
"UH- ...maybe I try coaching kids wrestling or somethin'. Keep 'em active and outta trouble." He said frowning.
At that, Dr. Hayashi smiled widely. "That's the spirit! With training, we can all become assets to society, not liabilities. Keep at it, Mauler. You have a bright future ahead."
Mauler rubbed his neck self-consciously. "Aw shucks, Doc, I'm just tryin' to walk a better path. Sure appreciate you believing in me."
Watching the doctor, Mauler allowed himself a small smile. Fool practically had cartoon birds circling his head, he was so convinced of Mauler's reformation. Well, time would tell who the real fool was. Mauler had spun his yarn well, but soon he'd be beyond words. After today's performance, the doc might just help grease the wheels on his early release. And once Mauler was free, his fists would make up for lost time speaking loud and clear to those who'd humiliated him. A few "pro-wrestling coaching sessions" from ol' Mauler would set 'em straight right quick.
Mauler ambled down the cell block, whistling to himself as he anticipated some hard-earned rack time. Doc Hayashi had really put him through the wringer with all that rehabilitation bushwa, and a man needed proper rest after all that taxing chicanery.
He was picturing how great it would feel to finally lay down when a violent explosion down the hall nearly knocked him off his feet, followed by the blare of alarms and additional detonations. Mauler's senses went on high alert - something BIG was going down. All around him, cell doors were bursting open as fiery eruptions rocked the cell block. Crazed inmates poured out, whooping and hollering, getting busy tearing the place up with their reactivated quirks. The guards were scrambling to mount a defense but were badly outnumbered.
In a minute flat, the prison had turned into a nightmare. Was he dreaming? A prison riot weren't exactly in his plans, but far be it from him to waste a perfectly good chance to blow this joint. These kindly folks had just greased the wheels on his escape real nice.
Fists raised, Mauler pushed through with the rioting throngs as they gave the cell block a righteous trashing on their way out. He clotheslined a pyrokinetic spewing out cinders and stepped over the twitching body of a guard getting acquainted with a few thousand volts. The place was really going to hell in record time.
Following the path of least resistance, Mauler soon reached a blasted open doorway leading out to the exercise yard. The scene that greeted him was one of pure mayhem. Cons and guards battled everywhere amidst scorched earth and rubble. It was a class-A shitstorm out here, no doubt about it.
Off in the distance, Mauler could see the main gates had already been breached. Beyond them beckoned sweet freedom. He just had to make it through this war zone in one piece first.
Cracking his knuckles, Mauler plowed forward using fleeing inmates for cover from quirk blasts and gunfire. He found himself at a nearly deserted hallway that led to the opened gate. He was nearly home free when a figure appeared in his path, seemingly conjured from thin air.
Mauler skidded to a halt, sizing up the stranger. He was tall and slender, with long silver hair and hoity-toity refined features. The kind of guy who wouldn't last a hot minute in a real fight. But Mauler knew better than to judge solely by looks.
"Pardon the interruption, but I need a word," said the stranger pleasantly, as if they were meeting at a soiree instead of a full-blown prison riot. "The name is Luccione. I have a business proposition for you, Mauler."
Mauler spat on the ground, already sick of this peacock. "Whatever you're sellin', I ain't buyin', buddy. Now get gone 'fore I put you down for good."
Luccione chuckled infuriatingly. "Come now, don't be obstinate. My employer is quite eager to retain your...services. The pay is most generous for skilled hands such as yourself."
"I don't truck with snakes like you," Mauler growled, fists clenching. "Now you got five seconds 'fore that pretty face gets rearranged."
Luccione smiled coldly. "I'm afraid your cooperation isn't optional. But very well..."
Mauler watched the silver-haired dandy walk towards him with a growing swagger.
"Join us, Bruno," purred Luccione, voice dripping persuasion. "Together we can accomplish great things."
At first, Mauler bristled at the invitation, primed to pound this pansy's face in. But strangely, the more Luccione spoke, the more reasonable he seemed.
What was the harm in hearing him out? People could change, couldn't they? Maybe it was time for Mauler to turn the page and fight for something bigger than himself.
Luccione's smile turned benevolent, sensing Mauler's weakening resistance as he placed a hand on Mauler's shoulder. "You belong with us, my friend. It's your destiny... You wanted to do greater things than wrestling... We can help you reclaim your passion."
As the last word echoed in Mauler's mind, alarm bells suddenly blared. Something weren't right here. He could feel whispers crawling like spiders behind his eyes, laying silk strings in his brain.
With a guttural roar, Mauler tore free of the mental cobwebs, shaking off Luccione's influence. "Stay out of my head!" he bellowed. Luccione's smile evaporated, surprise flashing across his refined features. Clearly he hadn't expected such raw resistance. But he hadn't dealt with the likes of Mauler before.
Mauler's fist connected square with Luccione's nose in an explosion of crimson. The dandy went down hard, silver tresses falling in disarray.
"Not so sure now, are ya?" Mauler chuckled as he loomed over his dazed opponent, ham-sized fists clenched. One more wallop would put this powder puff down for good.
"Have it your way then," Luccione snapped.
A bone-rattlin' roar split Mauler's ears and a great shadow fell over them. Mauler threw himself aside just as a huge golden claw smashed the concrete where he'd stood. Whirling around, he saw a hulking creature loom up behind Luccione, big as a grizzly with jaws that could rip a man in half.
In a flash, the hulking golden dragon with claws like swords was on him. Before Mauler could bellow in outrage, three hundred pounds of a golden lizard threatened to crash into him like a goddamn freight train.
Mauler cursed. His quirk wasn't at a hundred percent yet, but he can feel it coming back. Luccione's golden dragon leaped and swooped down, claws extended to shred the wrestler to ribbons. At the last second, Mauler rolled aside, feeling the force of the blow glance off him, kinetic energy tingling through his limbs. "That the best ya got?" he bellowed, quirk thrumming with power as he absorbed the dragon's strength.
"I'll tear you and your pet to pieces!" he bellowed. Mauler launched himself skyward in a quirk-powered leap, catching the dragon's leg in midair. The force as it tried to shake him off only fueled Mauler's grip. With a roar, he swung the flailing beast like a cudgel straight into the ground, the impact cratering concrete.
"FALLING PILEDRIVER!"
Before it could rise, Mauler grabbed the dazed dragon in a headlock, muscles bulging. "Nighty night, lizard breath!" He squeezed with all his enhanced might, feeling vertebrae creak under the pressure. The dragon thrashed weakly, then went limp in his clutches. Mauler tossed the unconscious beast aside and rounded on Luccione, quirk thrumming with stolen energy. "You're next, powderpuff!"
Mauler saw red as he charged full-tilt, aimed to put his fist through Luccione's grin. But quicker than spit, another golden dragon appeared and Mauler smashed into scales hard as steel. Staggerin' back, his mouth filled with the taste of pennies—but the beast hit the floor easy as you please when Mauler's elbow crashed into its skull. Wasn't so tough.
He rounded on Luccione again but the bastard was gone. Vanished into thin air. Mauler spat curses as he whipped around, hunting for any trace of his prey.
There, back in the prison hall! He glimpsed a flutter of that silver hair round the corner. With a bellow he pursued, his thundering footfalls drowned out by the clamor of chaos brewin' all through the prison. The snake thought he could lose Mauler in this ruckus? He had another thing comin'.
Barrelling around the corner, Mauler caught Luccione backed into a dead end. Nowhere left to slither off to. Cracking his knuckles, Mauler advanced on the cornered rat.
"Got you now, you yellow-bellied milk-sop."
That prim freak didn't look worried at all. He glanced over Mauler's shoulder and his lips quirked in a faint smirk. "On the contrary. I believe it is you who are caught."
Mauler whirled around just as a hulking mutant slammed into him, all teeth and claws. The stink of unwashed hide clogged his nose as he grappled with the frenzied creature, finally cracking its head against the bars with a thick crunch. He tossed the limp body aside—only to catch a faceful of steel blades from another escaped freak.
The razor-sharp swords struck fierce against his skin but didn't pierce. Mauler stepped through the swords, hungry and unharmed. Didn't these idiots know who they were dealing with? His quirk made him absorb kinetic energy. He'd crack their skulls and use 'em to pave his way out.
But more were coming now, half a dozen ex-cons with murder in their eyes, quirks blazing. Mauler waded into them, fists swinging on muscle memory alone. He'd danced this dance a thousand times before, and these pissants weren't nothing special. In the chaos he caught sight of Luccione orchestrating the inmates like a bloody conductor, urging them on in their suicidal attack. Mauler bared his teeth in a humorless grin.
Ducking a volley of spikes, Mauler seized his attacker and swung the freak like a sledgehammer into two more charging cons, then pile-drove the mutant's head straight through the concrete floor in an explosion of dust and gore.
"My, oh my, these toys break way too easily," Luccione pouted as the prisoners dogpiled on top of Mauler. "Can't we handle this like civilized—"
His words ended in a pained squawk as Mauler bursted out of the pile and scooped him up in a crushing bear hug. "Ain't nothing civilized about the beatdown you're getting, buddy!" Mauler crowed, squeezing until he felt ribs creak.
With a desperate wheeze, Luccione broke a capsule in his mouth and spewed a green stinging gas into Mauler's face. Mauler's eyes burned painfully. He yelped and loosened his grip, allowing the dandy to wriggle free. Before he could grab the snake again, Luccione slipped aside like an eel, infuriatingly unruffled by Mauler's onslaught.
Mauler buckled with a pained grunt but surged up fast, resilience fueled by rage. As Luccione lined up prisoners to block for him, Mauler bull-rushed through, getting both arms snug around the scrawny freak's waist. With a roar of effort, Mauler lifted Luccione up and slammed him down in a crushing belly-to-back suplex.
The impact rattled Mauler's bones, never mind what it did to the poor bastard in his clutches. Luccione flopped limply to the dirt, looking two shades paler. It was Mauler's turn to dance now. He seized his moment and hurled himself upwards, diving down into Luccione in a bone-pulverizing elbow drop with all his weight and momentum behind it. Bones crunched like dry tinder under his impact, the silver-haired man spasmed and coughed up blood.
"Ready to beg for mercy, fancy pants?" Mauler stood and leered down at his dazed opponent, fists clenching in anticipation of a knockout blow. This powder puff wasn't so pretty all bloodied.
To his surprise, Luccione replied not with pleading or curses but...laughter. It started as faint chuckles before building to a full throated cackle that echoed off the concrete battlefield.
"My, you are a spirited one," gasped Luccione once he could draw breath, blood running down his face. "I suppose I deserved that for provoking a barbarian like you. We are gonna have a lot of fun together."
He unfurled himself gracefully, staggering to his feet. Mauler gaped, flabbergasted. Ain't no way that half-portion fop should be moving after the wallop he just took. He dared to no sell the bloody suplex!
"Surprised?" Luccione flashed a weak cold smile. "I confess, you exceeded me in brute force, if I haven't used my quirk to change my pain receptors to give me pleasure a long time ago, I'd be out like a light and with your power at what? Half strength. Bravo."
He gestured languidly, and a score of inmates emerged from the chaos, moving with single-minded purpose towards Mauler. No, not just normal inmates, Mauler saw villains from his own cellblock: Sahulor, Broad Daylight, Mammogar, and Cryo Jin amongst them.
"You see, I have an army of real thralls at my command. You, on the other hand..." Luccione smirked as Mauler found himself surrounded. "Well, I appreciate you entertaining me with your brawling. Now, shall we proceed to you turning into my pet?"
"You snake-tongued son of a whore!" Mauler thundered. "I'll entertaining you real good once I kill you!" Mauler surged up with a bull roar, murder blazing in his eyes. He'd make this pissant eat every last word along with his teeth. This snake didn't know who he was fuckin' with.
Luccione weaved away and before Mauler could get close, Sahulor, hands wreathed in molten flames blasted Mauler with scorching explosions that sent him skidding back, smoldering.
Before he could recover, Mammogar came thundering forth and blasted Mauler with an ear-piercing trumpet blast. Mauler could feel his skull rattle painfully as piercing sunlight cut into him courtesy of Broad Daylight.
"YOU SISSIES! FIGHT HIM LIKE A REAL MAN AND GET HIM OFF YER HEADS! YE' HEAR ME!" Mauler yelled as he charged once more, swinging blindly, only to catch a point-blank blast of icy fury from Cryo Jin. The searing cold drove him to his knees, lactic acid screaming in his heaving limbs. All four villains repeated their attacks again and again, blasting Mauler's body. Blinking anguished frozen tears from his eyes, Mauler watched Luccione walking slowly towards him, that fuckin' smirk was still plastered across his face.
"I'm not here to kill you.. Tell me what you really want, Bruno Garcia. Why are you escaping?" Luccione flared his quirk.
The cell seemed to melt away, replaced by the burning lights of a packed arena. There was no more pain. The roar of the crowd reverberated in Mauler's chest as he stared across the ring at his opponent - the one who took it all away. Vengeance seared through his veins. He'd make that backstabbing pissant pay ten times over... and then there was the woman...
"Ah, I see it now. It's not just revenge.." Luccione's voice seemed to echo from far away. "You want her, don't you? The woman in the cabaret. I believe her name is Rosethorn. My associate Greenfinger knows her well..."
Rage snapped Mauler back to reality. "Stay...out...of my head!" he roared. Gathering his fury like a tidal wave, Mauler unleashed all his kinetic reserves into a quirk-enhanced punch that sent Luccione and his thralls flying like ragdolls, smashing into walls hard enough to crack concrete.
In the ringing silence, Mauler swayed on his feet. Blood dripped from his mangled ear down to the floor far below. He blinked, vision doubling. since when was he up on the rafters? The whole bloody prison spun around him. He felt empty, hollowed out. Was this Luccione's doing? The snake was slithering back up now, bending over him with false concern.
"Are you alright, my friend?"
Mauler tried to roar, to curse, but only managed a faint gurgle. His limbs wouldn't respond. Luccione's voice seemed to echo from the end of a long tunnel.
"Shh. Just rest now." A cool hand pressed against Mauler's fevered brow. "This will all be over soon..."
The darkness rose up to swallow him whole.
Mauler drifted in a void, snatches of memory swirling mist-like...the deafening roar of the crowds...the smell of wine and perfume...a honeyed voice whispering lies and promises in his ear.
You want this.
No! He tore himself free of the grasping shadows. You don't know me. You don't own me!
Mauler clawed his way back to wakefulness by inches. The friendly darkness retreated, replaced by blinding light that seared his brain. He thrashed weakly, trying to rise. A heavy weight pinned him down.
"Easy, my pet. You're safe now."
Luccione's face swam into focus, regarding him with faux concern. Mauler tried to snarl, to curse the snake to hell and back, but his tongue was leaden. He managed only a faint gurgle. "Save your strength." Luccione's cold smile made Mauler's skin crawl. "You'll need it where we're going. Don't worry, I'll be taking your friends with me too."
Rage simmered in Mauler's gut. Mauler swore if it took his last breath he'd make Luccione pay for this humiliation. He'd rip that smug smile right off the snake's face if it was the last thing he did.
Bonus Scene:
Inigo, wearing his Ryu-kishi hero gear, watched thick black smoke rise up into the sky. Sirens from emergency vehicles rang through the air as crowds of curious civilians pushed against the police barricade behind them. Team Alpha was assigned to assist the pro-hero Impakt, and they were deployed to aid in quelling the prison break inside Yamashina Prison, which started three hours ago. He was in a team with Christopher, Hifumi, Sandy, and Faith. Impakt had gone inside the burning building, and the five hero-licensed students were told to guard the perimeter of the prison and keep civilians in check. He sighed. They were basically glorified police-men. Inigo leaned back against a police van and pressed on his communicator.
Inigo: Bro, I kinda feel bad just standing here.
Christopher, shrugging: We were told to watch out for escaping prisoners. Nothing we can do.
Sandy, boredly: Find any yet?
Faith: My drones haven't detected anything.
Inigo: Neither has Gigan.
Faith's drones and Gigan in its dragon form patrolled the skies above them.
Hifumi: If Impakt gave us this job, then it's important. Just get ready to dive in on his call. I can teleport us inside.
Hifumi whistled at a journalist trying to cross the barricade to snap a photo.
Faith: Hey, I see something! Injured civilians at three o'clock. They're heading this way. I think they're like- being chased by some ugly guys! Ew.
Hifumi: Let's get on it!
The group rushed to aid the injured civilians. Inigo riding Gigan swooped down and gracefully plucked the escaping civilians, carrying them to safety and quickly applying first-aid to a man with acid burns.
Hifumi materialized in the middle of the mob of escaping prisoners and quickly struck three down with his bladework. One of the prisoners, a particularly large one, retaliated by spewing a corrosive acid spit at him. Before it could hit its mark, Sandy leaped into action, his body bulging with extra arms. He intercepted the acid and slammed the prisoner to the ground with a thunderous crash. They stood back-to-back facing the mob.
Christopher hovering in the air, focused his ki blasts, sending blasts of energy to assist Faith, her drones zipping and swooping to control a second group of prisoners. The larger ones slamming their metallic body into those who dared to get close. The two students danced and circled around their targets, playing keep away as they picked each prisoner off.
In a few minutes, the situation was brought under control. One by one, the rest of the prisoners surrendered. Team Alpha cheered and returned to their positions, their impatience gone. That short fight would be the only action they'd get that day, but Inigo had a bad feeling. As he pushed the last prisoner into the police van, he wondered how the other teams were doing and what happened to the fifteen prisoners who were already confirmed missing.