RP LOG - Taka, Kevin

[livingheatbomb.livejournal.com]

Characters: Takashi Kawamura/Identity, Kevin Smith/Plasma
Date: Backdated to January 18
Rating: PG-13 for violence and blood
Summary: Taka and Kevin get out of the Brotherhood mansion. And the outing finishes VERY violently, as they have a run with some vicious mutant haters.


Takashi pressed his back against his door, staring carefully at the wall ahead. He reached behind him and locked it, as an afterthought.

What are you waiting for? asked Sleepy, who sounded as amused as ever. Takashi shrugged tiredly.

"Ah...I haven't gone out to do anything in a while, other than going to work at the restaurant. I'm just..ahm...nervous."

Of that brat? He's just a kid. I could take him, Burn announced. Takashi chuckled.

"I hardly think he'd take it without a fight. I hear he's dangerous." Takashi said knowingly. He'd heard rumours of the new boy's hostile nature and explosive powers, but he'd not yet witnessed them himself. Not that he particularly wanted to.

Takashi pushed off from the door and steadied his nerves. What was there to be nervous about? A good-natured meeting between classmates, and teammates. Still, there was that incessant reminder in the back of his mind that Kevin would think him strange for talking to himself.

Why talk to yourself when you can talk to us, hmm?

"Do I have a choice?"

No, came the chorused reply.

Takashi shook his head and set off down the hall to find Kevin's room.

The energy tended to practically bottle up in his body when not used. That's what Kevin Smith felt after letting several days pass without fully using his powers. His family (could he call them 'family', really?) in the USA wasn't as bad as he had thought, but he still had more bitter than sweet feelings whenever he thought of them. And now that he wasn't jet-lagged after the horribly long flight from Philadelphia ('city of brotherly love' my ass, he mused), he really needed to let go of that energy. The how was something completely different, though.

Sighing, Kevin decided to get the hell out of his room and actually do something. Maybe going out for a sort-of walk. Or seeing if someone else was training in the sparring rooms. Maybe he would find Oshitari and ask him if he had some time for the training session that the older man had talked about...

After wandering the halls trying to look like he had a purpose(he was getting lost again and he knew it), Takashi spotted Kevin out of the corner of his eye. It had to be him, of course--how many other Americans were there at this school? Takashi was just coming to the top of a staircase, and he paused mid-step.

He raised his hand to wave, but the younger boy wasn't looking in his direction. He cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted to catch his attention.

"Oi! Kevin!" He grinned and started moving towards him, but failed to notice the very last step was in his way. Takashi lurched forwards and tumbled onto the floor, effectively smacking his face into the marble floors.

Graceful, snickered Sleepy. Got to love excellent first impressions.

"...Ouch."

"Oi Kevin...".

WHACK!

Kevin just stared as the much taller man who was going towards him suddenly fell to the floor, face first. Dude. He had heard that Taka used ot be a martial artist, and in fact when they bluntly bumped into each other not too far from Mr. Sakaki's office, he was the one who could stand on his feet, while Kevin was knocked down to the floor.

But somehow, when he was going to call Taka an idiot, what came out of his lips was laughter. A loud, loud laugh. Not as loud as to shake the ground or anything, but quite a heartfelt and needed one.

"Dude, that's quite the entry!," he said as he stopped laughing.

Takashi groaned inwardly from the floor. He paused to check for any injuries, noting that only his nose and pride had been bruised. He gathered himself up as best he could, but there was an unmistakable blush of shame creeping into his cheeks. If only he wasn't so unbelievably awkward...and did Kevin have to laugh like that?

Unsympathetic and sarcastic--I like this kid, decided Burn. Takashi frowned at him, but said nothing.

"Ah, hello again, Kevin." He said, and rubbed the bridge of his nose tenderly. Nothing broken, but he knew he must look like a mess. "Are we still on for some Japanese dining?"

"Ah, sorry for that, man," Kevin said, but the fact that he was *still* grinning contradicted his words. "Heh, I've have been out of league lately, so you took me by surpise. And what a nice way to kick me back in, eh."

He had thought Taka was THE dork when they met. This had just confirmed it. But at the same time, this was one dork that didn't seem that annoying. And who *did* accept him, at least by now. So, that brought Taka BIG brownie points on Kevin's list.

"I'm up to getting out of here for a while," he told the older man. "Any ideas on where to go, anyway?"

Takashi smiled shyly, and shuffled his feet. He didn't have to read minds to know that Kevin thought him a source of entertainment. Though who was he to deny a friend a good laugh now and then?

"Well, ahm, this is going to sound strange." He began, and shoved his hands into his sweater pockets. "But my father owns Kawamura Sushi, a restaurant on th other side of town. Just a month ago another Sushi place opened up around the corner. He asked me, ahm, over the Christmas break to...check it out." He said lamely. He didn't want to say "spy" outright, in case Kevin thought he was a nutcase. But Takashi had to do it for his father's business, after all, since that's what kept their family's finances intact. But he definitely didn't want to go alone. "It's just on the other side of town."

"Much better if it's far away, Taka," the blond answered. "Don't mind walking or using the train or anything by those lines. I'm very eager to go and stretch my legs. You'll need that too, I see."

Spying on possible rivals? Hah, Kevin wasn't naïve enough not to get what Taka meant, and yes he had done so in a sense in his life as a sporto. He could relate to it and live with that. After all, his sportsman days were gone, and would be for quite a while.

Smiling a little more normally, Kevin winked. "Heh, we shall get out at this rate..."

Takashi couldn't have agreed more. Being cooped up in the Brotherhood mansion all day with nothing but classes and training to look forward to was depressing. Getting out into the fresh winter air would do them both some good. Takashi motioned for Kevin to follow and some minutes later the both of them were on the subway, on their way downtown.

As they arrived to their destination, Takashi looked down the street at his house, nestled above the Kawamura sushi restaurant. Now that Kevin knew where he lived he figured it would be best to stay on his good side.

He looked down at his short companion and gestured to the right - they had the Ichiban Sushi place in front of them. It was well constructed, with an attractive window display and bright, professionally made signs above the door.

Takashi waved to Kevin and entered, pausing to remove his shoes at the entrance. The inside was impressive--comfortable tables and chairs, and a revolving sushi bar?

Takashi paused, alarmed. his father's restaurant didn't have one of of those. The revolving bar was incredibly smooth, and the sushi chef himself was an impressive man whose knife skills looked top-notch. Takashi glanced behind him at Kevin.

"What do you think?" he asked, trying to sound confident. He didn't want to make it seem like he was worried--because he definitely was.

"Hmmmm...". The blond youth stared around, trying to catch on all the details. Telling truths, he wasn't as much of a sushi fan as some of his companions (specially Arnold or Billy), so he couldn't give a really in-depth analysis of the place. But all in all, it didn't look too different from the San Francisco sushi bars his teammates took him in once in a while.

"I'm almost expecting to have the Samurai from the old Saturday Night Life shows popping out and slashing watermelons or fish in front of everyone, if you ask me," Kevin said half-jokingly, half-serious. But telling truths... there was something odd in this place. It felt tense. Some of the customers were looking at both boys weirdly. And he did NOT like the expression in the face of the guy behind the counter.

Takashi blinked to Kevin absently. Soemtimes he really had no idea what the kid was saying, not just because he spoke choppy Japanese, but because he made references to American things he'd never heard of. Takashi smiled and nodded, pretending he understood. He didn't, really; but that's what made hanging out with Kevin so amusing.

Takashi gestured for Kevin to follow him over to a pair of vacant stools at the bar. Takashi smiled and nodded at an older businessman next to him who was devouring some particularly delicious-looking shabu-shabu. The man quickly averted his gaze, leaving Taka feeling bewildered. Soemthing here was wrong. Very, very wrong.

The man behind the counter--the head chef by the look of his uniform-greeted them stiffly. He was balding, and in his late forties; there was a long scar running from the corner of his lip to his adam's apple. His voice was big, loud, and scratchy; Takashi knew he was projecting so the entire restaurant could hear. Some customers glanced over, others continued eating. But there was very little background noise now.

Immediately Takashi's shyness crept in. In his head Sleepy was saying something about leaving, but he wasn't really listening. He blushed intsensely at the sudden attention on him and Kevin.

"So do you like my restaurant?" The man asked. He sounded like he was testing them. Takashi's head lowered more. He hadn't been expecting this. He didn't think he could stand up for himself if anything happened...

"You're Kawamura's kid, aren't you? And look, he brought a foreigner, too! Tell me, boy--how is your father?" He chuckled and casually began to wipe his knives. Takashi flinched.

Do something, Burn insisted. Sleepy began to get impatient. He knows your father. This place is fishy...and I don't think it's entirely because of all the sushi. Takashi shook his head and spoke out loud, forgetting to use mind-speak in his nervousneess.

"Don't joke about that. Don't you think I--I know--" He stopped, and blushed red. Oops.

The contempt in the man's voice as he said foreigner make Kevin blush, but it was out of humiliation and anger. He may be a gaijin, but hell - one of the most important persons in his former life was a foreigner, from his PoV. And he also disliked how he treated Taka; no one ever messed with his friends and didn't receive his/her rightful punishment. Didn't he start getting into fights in the USA because he stood up many times for new kids against bullies?

"Sir," Kevin hissed in Japanese, leaning closer to the chef, "I'd like to know what do you imply with your... words. Do you have something against either my friend here or my American heritage, per chance?".

Unlike Taka, Kevin spoke firmly and clearly, his fists tight to repress his urge to go and burn the man harrassing his friend to a crisp.

Takashi was surprised to hear Kevin talking back to the owner of the restaurant. He felt a bit of pride then, because he should have known Kevin wouldn't take any crap from anyone. Takashi almost wished he could be like that, but he knew he was far too cowardly to stand up for himself.

The man regarded Kevin with a distaste. He looked as though he didn't want to answer. Takashi got the impression the man felt this conversation wasn't worth his time.

"Imply? Nothing, nothing. We just don't take kindly to those who support competition. Especially when said competition is involved with less than reputable individuals," the man said calmly.

Look around, said Sleepy quickly. Takashi glanced everywhere, and caught what Sleepy was getting at--all the tables, the bar, they were filled with older customers. Salarymen, important-looking executives, women dressed up in semi-fancy clothing. Even the menu was expensive...the decorations lavish and pricey.

This restaurant was for rich patrons. People with reputations, and connections. He frowned, thinking about the man's words. Less than reputable? He wasn't, by any chance. referring to mutants? No... it couldn't be. Could it?

Takashi looked at Kevin, who was clearly fighting the urge to throw something. He wanted to calm him down, but he had to be careful. They were waist deep in something here, and he couldn't risk letting anything slip. Vaguely he wondered why his father had asked him to come, and if he knew something he wasn't telling his son.

"You're going to have to... ah... be more... ahm... specific," he mumbled, almost choking on his words. God, why was he so incapable of social interaction? Takashi felt another blush coming to his face. The entire restaurant was staring at him now.

"Specific?" The man laughed, and several people nearby joined in. "I'm talking about that no-good Kawamura and his fondness for low-lifes. Dirty, ugly, worthless mutants who think they have a place in our world."

The man leaned in closer, and lowered his voice so only the two boys could hear him. "I've been doing research. I know your father supports those disgusting excuses for human beings. But what would you know? You're just his mentally deranged son, aren't you? You're the crazy one who talks to himself."

Takashi stared. His father? A mutant supporter? Takashi knew his father and mother had never outright rejected him, but he didn't think they were supporters.

Takashi gripped the edges of the table, hard. So that's what this was about. He looked at Kevin, and told him in a glance that he didn't think he could take any more of this.

Burn began to laugh. If you're not going to stand up for yourself, let me do it, he said. I want to play with Kevin.

Takashi knew he shouldn't have done it, but in a second it was too late. He Switched--his body shuddered gently, his face twitched--and then burn grinned, and slung an arm around Kevin's shoulders. "You know, asshole, it's not cool to insult Americans. 'Specially when they're friends of mine. And what the hell do you know about mutants? You think you're the superior one, when really...you're not."

Kevin blinked for a second before he realized that Taka had switched to one of his Others (but why did he have to imitate Ryoga and sling an arm around him?!). Heh, that made things more intresting, and if Taka was eager to play and stand up for mutants, then Kevin couldn't be less.

"You know," he said to the chef with a VERY false childish smile, "maybe we're worthless as you say, but it's not like you people are much better. All of this is fake crap for rich idiots who think they're better because they have money. So, take you fuckin' hypocrisy...".

With the same cute, innocent grin that covered his fury, Kevin extended his arm and pointed at a nearby lamp. With a little effort, he ionized it and made it explode.

". . . And shove it!"

Burn jumped slightly, and stared at Kevin's hands. The kid could pack a punch. He was pleased -- Takashi had been right to let him out now, even though he was currently moaning about the inevitable delinquincy that was to follow. Sleepy was reminding him that technically, Burn was was the one planning to do mischief, not him. It wasn't exactly helping to cheer him up, however.

Burn felt his body temperature rising, as his blood boiling with adrenaline. He grinned wickedly and turned full circle, watchign as the pathetic humans ducked wildly for cover, most of them dashing for the exit. The owner of the restaurant stumbled backwards and and attempted to make a run for it, but Burn stopped him with a gesture. It wasn't so much the motion as it was the flickering, curling flames jumping up from his fingertips.

"Come on," he teased in english, advancing towards the man. He was looking around for an escape route but found none, cornered by the advancing mutant. Burn wasn't actually going to hurt him. Maybe just play with him for a little while.

Burn concnetrated and let some more energy flow through his arms, channeling it as best as he could until it became a palm-sozed sworling of fire. He exhaled quickly, already feeling a bit of strain from the exertion. He was going to have to practice some more--but for now, he was content to punch a few holes in the walls.

In his alarm, the frightened restaurant owner picked up a knife and pointed it threateningly at Burn.

"You--you stay away! I'll use it!" He lunged forwards, and Burn instinctively sidestepped--the blade grazed his forearm, however, and he hissed with pain. It wasn't deep, but it was long--and bleeding. Bastard, he thought.

Kevin quickly grabbed the man's hand that held the knife. The next thing that the owner knew was that the "weapon" was on the ground, and the American had quickly hit him on the face with his elbow. He was thrown against the nearby wall, and Kevin loooked at him coldly.

"Don't you *ever* injure my friends again...".

But then, he also felt a sharp pain in his arm. One of the cooks had quickly dashed in the middle of the scene, picked up the knife thrown on the floor and stabbed the American in the arm. Kevin screamed in pain and looked up, instinctively releasing a blast of hot air that threw the cook against the unconscious man slumped against the wall...

"*Now* you'll pay...," Kevin hissed fiercely as he removed the knife and tossed it to the floor, indifferent to the intense pain and the blood loss. He closed his eyes, and soon several things started to explode like in a chain reaction...

Burn threw himself to the floor and shimmied under a table. His head pounded fiercely, a combination of pain and excitement and danger. He licked his lips in anticipation, reveling in the screams and crashes accompanying his young friend's breakdown.

He jerked sideways as plaster fell in large chunks, the smell of burning wood and plastic becoming harder to ignore as fire consumed the restaurant. Sirens and alarms sounded off from nearby, indicating the approach of police and ambulances.

This isn't good, Takashi murmured, panicking. Sleepy snorted angrily. Damn right it's not. Burn! Get us out of here--and take that little firecracker with you.

Burn nodded and rolled to his knees, glancing aroudn the smoky din of the room. Flame licked his heels as he jumped to his feet and dashed towards Kevin, grabbing the boy's shoulder hard.

"Come on, asshole, turn it off!" He ordered, and glanced at the collapsing wall. They couldn't go out the front--they'd have to run through the back, maybe get out in the alleyway. "We need to get a fuckin' move on. Now."

Kevin had almost no energy left inside of his body, but he managed to nod at Burn. The chain reactions stopped - it was too late, though; a good part of the restaurant was a goner -, and the younger boy struggled hard to keep himself conscious.

Do not lose it anymore. You don't want to die? Then kick yourself back and MOVE IT, idiot!

Pressing a piece of cloth against his injury, Kevin did his best to follow Takashi. He would never clearly remember what followed; everyone was screaming, there was smoke and heat, everything was spinning... but with his survival instincts back, he managed to resist...

Finally, they reached a nearby alley. In the darkness, Kevin looked at his companion... he wasn't sure of who was in command of their common body. And fuck, his arm hurt like Hell, literally.

"... Taka?", he asked. Let it be Taka, dammit.

Burn stared at Kevin, tsking at the pale boy's strained features. It apparead he was fighting to stay conscious.

Blood loss, Sleepy offered. Maybe if we leave him long enough he'll die~

"I'm not gonna to let him die, asshole." Burn said gruffly. He paused. "Sorry. Not you. And I'm--" He stopped to cough loudly, feeling the tickle of smoke still in his lungs. God, if he had carbon monoxide poisoning...there woudl be heads rolling.

He's bleeding badly. We need to get him to a hospital. Right away! Taka urged. He nudged Burn mentally. Do it!

"Fuck that shit. Can't take him to any human hosptials. They'd never treat him right. We have to go back to the Brotherhood." Burn glanced at Kevin again, rolling his eyes. "Sorry. Not talkin' to you. I'm gonna have to carry you there, aren't I? You look like shit."

"Well... not like there's any other option," Kevin murmured between coughs. He leaned against the wall and pressed the cloth against his wound more tightly, not wanting to lose consciousness. But that one... it was abandoning him, no matter how hard he fought to keep his eyes open and his mind clear.

Everything was vague, hot, confusing still... he could barely see, but even then he refused to give up completely. He had stood up for Taka and himself, he had started the fight against those assholes who hated mutants like them so much - he couldn't give up, not now, dammit, no...

But when he tried to talk to Takashi again, everything went blank.

Burn made a disgusted noise as Kevin's body thumped to the pavement. This is so fuckin' uncool, he thought tiredly. It wasn't like he wasn't exhausted too. He'd used up a lot of power flinging about his fireballs...in about half an hour he'd collapse form exhaustion too. Perhaps less, if he was supposed to carry Kevin back.

Oh god....he's dead...we..we killed him! What are we going to do? Takashi's panic level began to rise. Immediately Sleepy stepped in and calmed him down with a swift mental slap.

Shut up. He's not dead--the brat's still breathing, see? Let me out, I'll take care of this.

"You always want all the glory," Burn said. He shrugged, but was interrupted by a deep shiver that shook him. He made a strange noise of surprise as Takashi initiated the Switch--immediately Burn was sucked back inside, and Sleepy stretched stiffly in his place.

He examined the gash in his arm with distaste--terribly unattractive, and slightly painful as well. If it turned into full-on gangrene there would be hell to pay.

With moderate effort Sleepy lifted Kevin onto his back, careful to wrap the bleeding wound on the boy's arm tightly. He was so not into the blood-splattered look.

You're being awful generous, giving him a lift and all, Takashi said suspiciously.

Sleepy scoffed at him and began walking. "Hardly. I just missed all the fun, darlings. I wanted a chance to breathe some fresh air."

Liar, accused the other two. Sleepy said nothing and smiled darkly instead.