Run With The Pack

It was 4:30 am on the dot, and the rain was terrible.

- - -

Even on her 20th birthday, Nina Wynowski refused to give herself a day off from work. She had gotten up, rinsed off in the shower, and pulled clean clothes from the dryer to wear. Just like yesterday and the day before, she made sure every button in her shirt lined up, each lace in her steel toed, personalized combat boots laced so tight it almost cut off the circulation to her feet. On a whim, she forsook her fur-lined vest and went out in only the calling card that was her red dress shirt, cut off jeans, and heavy shoes. The leather of her gloves squealed and groaned with every pull of a wrist strap or flex of her manicured fingers. It was a work day, and though her current position didn't require a uniform, the young adult still loved dressing to the nines when dealing with ''customers''.

- - -

It was 4:47 am. Thunder rolled into the living city like an ocean wave, blanketing the buildings and people in deep sound. Lightening split the sky; more thunder followed.

- - -

At four in the morning, Valkyrie had slipped away into the streets on her usual morning assessment, a task she affectionately called ''the forecast''. Her mentor had been heard taking a very early shower, causing her to put an extra spring in her step when she climbed out onto the fire escape. While Pain toweled off and dressed himself, his protege scaled buildings and scoured the faces of New Yorkers, her breath coming in pale clouds. This routine helped shape her into the heroine she would eventually become with Pain's help, forging techniques for travel, self control, even tracking or public relations. Today would be a good day, after all, it was her birthday, and even the air felt lighter.

- - -

Rain and noise sank into Nina, chilling her skin and saturating her once tidy hair. Her nerves were shot due to the weather, temper dead in the water from her dashed special day, and blood ran off of her knuckles and into the storm drains. It wasn't even 5 am and already she had bashed in a ne'er-do-wells face as he had tried to rob a convenience store at gunpoint. The man in question had made the deadly mistake of doing such a thing on a rainy day, one that he paid for with a broken nose, shattered jaw, and a fractured femur. Against her usual behavior, she ignored the praise she received from the cashier and single patron, instead storming away and back onto the damp concrete to fume.

Cars honked, people yelled, buses came to shuddering stops and blocked more traffic, eliciting an ungodly amount of noise that made Valkyrie grind her teeth. A controlled jump brought her to the rooftops, and copying the teachings of her tutor, she leaped from ledge to ledge, navigating her way back to the apartment she had come to reside in. She was hours away from finishing her usual circuit, but the extreme circumstances of the day made her decide to cut it short and head back for a change of clothes, a nap, and then maybe some hot coffee. In the distance, thunder clapped and hurt Nina's ears.

Pain wouldn't relish the gory tale she had managed to bring about with the criminal, but it wasn't exactly an uncommon occurrence that he corrected her in the ways of combat. Her blood-lust, her violent tendencies, the way she took pleasure in the fight, it perturbed him in such a way that he immediately tried to stamp out. Every conflict was an attempt to do better, every punch a closely watched test, but today she would admit to failing, only this time there would be no regret in her voice.

It was her birthday, the big two-oh, and it was raining.

Another sleepless night again, and this apartment room his closest friend. While the young woman slept in his big comfy bed, Pain sat outside on his patio, overlooking the sleeping city of New York from his tall apartment building. Even at four in the morning, it was still full of life and light. The sounds of thunder boomed through the air, making it obvious a rainstorm was on its way. He didn’t care though, the rain never bothered him, if anything it made for an interesting backdrop. Sitting up here, this was peaceful to him. So far it had been a quiet night, nothing needing his attention but cold Olde E’s and some smokes. The Big Guy was just taking it easy, lounged out in a chair with his legs kicked up on the small crappy coffee table.

He took another glance at the cheap analog clock hanging on the wall, 4:15, didn’t even notice those fifteen minutes passing. Funny, when he was alone like this, felt like time moved faster than ever. The Big Guy gulped down the last of his 800 before crushing it down to the size of a quarter, he then proceeded to toss it in the small garbage can with the rest of them. Pain stood up from his lounge chair, inhaling a few last puffs from his skillfully rolled blunt before putting it out and leaving it in the ashtray. With a quick shake of his head and rub of his eyes, the Big Guy opened the sliding glass door and entered the room. He saw what looked like really good food, then he saw her out cold in his bed, but something didn’t seem right. The alarm on his digital clock was set, not sure to what time, but thanks to a little red light it was obvious to him. The hell did she need to be up for? He shrugged it off and didn’t bother to look into it, assuming it was probably more of that uptight crap she does.

Pain walked past his dresser and towards the bathroom, figured he’d take a quick shower then eat up on that food before getting started on his day. Didn’t bother to pick out a change of clothes though, as usual he’d just grab something at random when he was finished. Though he didn’t really take his guest into consideration with that, he had become accustomed to living alone.

Most would consider it extremely odd, but Pain liked to shower at extreme temperatures, whether it was freezing cold or scorching hot. Since his body was numb, the extreme temperatures were easier to feel, and this time he chose the freezing cold; would probably just drain all the hot water if he went with the other. Never took too long for him to shower either, unless he was distracted or something; was probably no more than ten minutes.

The Big Guy turned off the water and stepped out of the shower. His eyes darted about the cheap bathroom for a towel and found two, a fresh clean one and the same one he used yesterday. He briefly thought of his guest and decided to just use the dirty one, not like it was that bad anyway. Pain poorly dried off before wrapping the towel around his waist and pushing open the bathroom door. To his surprise, the young heroine was standing before him, a change of clothes in hand. The hell was she doing up so early? Guess that’s what the alarm clock was for. The Big Guy just looked at her suspiciously, his brow raised as his eyes questioned her, but he chose not to say anything but simply. “There’s one towel left, and plenty of hot water. Enjoy.” Pain brushed past her without another word, moving to get dressed and grab a bite to eat from the kitchen.

He might’ve come off a little harsh to her, but he just wasn’t used to having someone else around. The Big Guy meant well, just didn’t always go about it the best way. After getting dressed, he threw together a few poorly made sandwiches and went to sit out on the patio. Pain took it easy again, returning to his smokes and drinks, only this time with a bite to eat. Didn’t take long for him to devour his ‘meal’, and he figured why not catch a little shut eye. The Big Guy leaned back in his chair, closed his eyes and just drifted into his dreams for just a little.

It wasn’t long before it was interrupted, though he was fast asleep, his paranoia woke him. Hearing his front door shut forced his eyes to immediately flicker open. Pain sluggishly rose from his chair and shook his head just like last time before leaving the patio. He entered the room to see Valkryie in his kitchen, her fists stained in the blood of another. This immediately pissed the Big Guy off, he’d seen plenty of people come back from fights and he could put two and two together. That wasn’t from a bad brawl, that was from beating someone mercilessly! A fierce scowl clung to his scarred face as he glared down his ‘partner’ suspiciously, his eyes darting back and forth between her hands and eyes. “Start talkin'.”

The sound of her wet boots squelching on the stairs made her temper progressively shorter and shorter so that by the time she reached the door, she was already groaning and muttering under her breath bitterly. After opening the door with her spare key, she kicked her shoes off and slammed the door shut, locking it behind her before peeling off her vest. Her shirt, pants, and socks were clinging to her body, making her frown as she awkwardly strode into the kitchen to hopefully find something to eat. She noticed the blood still on her knuckles, but ignored it and continued to reach for the fridge until she heard someone behind her.

Her reddened hand was still in the air, fingertips brushing the handle of the refrigerator, so close to something relaxing, until she turned to discover that she was in the headlights of her mentor. Even though she respected him, cared about him, wanted to learn from him, her tolerance for things were considerably smaller.

''Start talkin'.''

She sighed and looked up into his frozen eyes, staring back with equal ferocity. For a few moments, she said nothing, simply holding the eye contact with her hand slowly curling into a loose fist that fell against her thigh. The longer she looked, the more she realized that once again, she had let her emotions get the better of her, and it only took that thousand yard stare of his to make her come to her senses. The defiance melted away and boiled all the way down to disappointed shame. Blood mixed with rainwater and dripped into a tiny puddle on the kitchen tiles, and she ran a dirtied hand through her wet hair. ''I uh, ran into some trouble this morning.''

She couldn't bring her gaze to meet his, so she just stared down at the mess her drenched body was making. ''Had a bad day...'' The big guy sighed and folded his arms in disapproval, but before he had a chance to speak, she busied herself by turning around and opening the fridge, reaching in, and grabbing a few random things that would eventually create a sandwich. ''It's my birthday, you know.'' she muttered, just barely loud enough to be heard while she searched through the silverware to find a knife. Only when she was hard at work making a snack did she decide to look up again.

Pain’s intimidating glare would never falter, and it didn’t take long for her to give in. He saw the anger, the defiance building up in her, and moments later watched it boil down to shame. He felt almost like an angry father scolding his kid. She was a smart girl with extraordinary power, which is why he had been so disappointed. Man, he was getting way too soft. Sometimes he wondered if he was better off living like he used to.

The Big Man crossed his arms and lowered his head briefly, exhaling deeply as he shook his head. She was just beating around the bush, the gal knew she was caught, why didn’t she just fess up already? Not like he was gonna’ bite her head off, though he probably could have done better to show that. Pain knew he needed to work on that, and after hearing it was her birthday, he felt bad for coming off so harshly. If it was this gal’s birthday, he’d have try and make this day at least decent.

He lifted his head back up, his scowl left his face and his eyes instead tried to show he understood. “Look, kid.” Pain said as he uncrossed his arms and walked over to her, moving to stand across the counter from her as she made her sandwich. He wasn’t sure what to say just yet, guess he’d have to think of something; let them both cool down a little too. “Don’t worry about it right now.” The Big Guy moved to stand beside her, towering over her as he looked down with a genuine smirk. “I’ll make you somethin’ to eat.” He said as he placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “Go clean up a little, if ya’ ain’t got more clothes, you can use some of mine til’ yours dry.” Pain shooed her away with a soft push, he figured she needed someone to be patient with her. That would help right? He didn’t really have a clue, he just did what he felt was right.

She nodded solemnly as he spoke, looking back down at her hands. She realized just how badly she had messed up in his eyes, and with a small sigh, she took a step back and slipped her gloves off, laying them on the edge of the kitchen sink. When she felt the weight of his hand on her shoulder, her knees buckled slightly, making her look up at him. Once she saw his small smile, she felt slightly better and smiled back. With that one gentle push, she was out of the kitchen, tip-toeing over the carpet and into the bathroom so as not to soak the flooring too badly. ''Thanks Pain.'' she said quietly, a bit of spring in her step.

The blood took a while to wash off in the bathroom sink, and once her hands were basically clean, she peeled off the rest of her clothes and draped them over the towel rack. For a moment she stared at them, realizing that she hadn't grabbed anything before she came in. ''Well shit...'' It felt so nice to be out of them that she decided against putting them back on just to grab something, so she wrapped the towel from this morning around her waist, steeled herself, then opened the door a crack. Judging from the sounds, Pain was still in the kitchen. ''Hey, uh... Don't look over here, ok?'' she said loudly, ensuring that she was heard before she did a scantily clad dash into the bedroom with her own eyes closed. Thankfully she only bumped the door frame, and not even enough to cause any damage, before she made it into the sanctity of the room and shut the door behind her. The towel was thrown aside, and the search for clothing began.

Every drawer, nook in the closet, and area under the bed was thoroughly searched for something on the relatively small side, but she couldn't find a single thing that wouldn't drape over her like a circus tent. She finally settled on a large black shirt that went to around the middle of her thighs, and a pair of boxers since her underwear was still in the bathroom. She straightened herself out a bit before she warily made her way back into the main area of the apartment, her wet head peering around the corner to look into the kitchen. ''Sup?''

((OOC: I hope you don’t mind, but for the news to be on, it would have to be at least 7 AM. So when Valk returns from her early morning patrol, I would like for it to be around that time. I also set up a scenario for us, so I hope that’s okay. If there’s anything you’d like changed, let me know.))

He responded to her thanks with a nod of his head before starting on making the both of them a sandwich. He couldn’t believe it, the hell was he doing right now? Pain slowly shook his head in disapproval, the world’s greatest hero, here catering and taking care of some teenager. There was always a small part of him that wanted to throw it all away, feeling like he was better off alone. At times, he sincerely contemplated living alone again. Sometimes he missed the constantly messy apartment, not having women’s clothing in his dressers, or chick flicks filling up his crappy movie collection. But the real reason Pain disliked being close to people was fear of losing them, permanently. People he cared for were in constant danger, most of them either ended up dead, or disappeared from his life forever. He couldn’t stand it, he didn’t want to see anyone else hurt because of him. It felt selfish of him to be close to people, like he was constantly putting their lives at risk.

Pain was distracted by his thoughts and the two sandwiches he was making. When he heard her call out to him, he barely made out the words that pulled him from his daze. “Huh?” Pain lifted his head up to look in her direction and nearly immediately looked back down to busy himself, his face a bit red from embarrassment. He’d just witnessed the young woman’s half naked form running across his apartment and felt a little stupid. The Big Guy quickly shook it off and decided to watch a little TV to get his mind off everything, including what he just witnessed. He put a pause to making the sandwiches and walked towards the large flat screen television across the room; Pain’s living room and kitchen were pretty much the same room.

The Big Guy scooped up the remote from the couch and gave power to the TV. As its light flickered on, Pain returned to the counter to continue making their sandwiches. He had no idea what she wanted on it and really didn’t care, just made it like he liked it. As the sounds of the television came to life, his icy eyes darted up to see what was on; the news. “Dammit Scar.” He mumbled under his breath. Only she watched this crap, and he hated watching the news, nothing ever interesting, just biased crap or tragic shit drawn out; he’d seen it all. Though today the news certainly did have something interesting on, well, interesting to Pain that is.

He’d caught the end of a news report on a vicious killing spree, dozen of citizens in the area and all the employees of his favorite bar were slaughtered in cold blood. Pain was immediately angered by the news, he had gone to that bar for over twenty years and was a regular there. The Big Guy had considered the people there his friends, and though he would never want to admit it, he was saddened to know they were now gone forever. He wanted justice for them, he wanted to find the punks responsible for this and give them the beating of their life before he hauled them off to prison. Pain watched on, hoping that the culprits would be revealed, and sure enough they were.

“Sup?”

Pain heard as Valkryie entered the room, she was starting to sound like him already. Though now wasn’t a good time for small talk, the Big Guy was far too focused on the screen in front of him. ”Hang on kid.” He said with a nod to the television, trying to show without words the importance of the situation.

A civilian had managed to get a recording of the monsters responsible, which should not have been possible for them, but upon discovering the culprits, it all made perfect sense. These freaks wanted to get caught, and wanted Pain to see. They were screwing with him, just like they used to years ago, but why now? Why after all these years? The Big Guy had fought them off several times, but every time and only because they had help, they managed to slip away. Guess they went into hiding, no clue where, but whatever they were doing they kept their bad behavior to a minimum; until now. Fantom and Relic were back, up to their old antics, only this time they didn’t have an organization or Chaos to protect them. These punks were going down.

The hero turned off the TV with a click of the remote before quickly throwing the two sandwiches together. In his haste, they were poorly made, but he really didn’t care right now. ”Eat up.” He said as he slid one on a napkin across the counter to her, but didn’t bother to grab his own. The Big Guy kept his icy blue eyes focused on the black television screen as his rough voice spoke again. “Those punks…I got some history with em’.” Pain’s expression was harsh, a scowl clung to his face as he withdrew a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. The lighter followed, and a single bent cigarette was placed between his lips. It took one flick to ignite the ‘death stick’s’ tip, and immediately he inhaled a sweet drag. Pain exhaled through his nostrils as he returned the pack to his back pocket.

The cigarette hung from the corner of his lips, his hands resting on the counter, the right constantly tapping with his fingers. “This time, I’m dealin’ with em’ for good. They’re gonna’ pay for all the lives they’ve destroyed.” He spoke with a harshness Valkryie had never heard before, his anger radiating from him like a dark aura that infected the whole room.

''Hang on kid.''

She winced and tip-toed into the room, making her way to the opposite side of the kitchen counter, her eyes on the food instead of the news segment. Though she could hear that they were talking about something very serious, and the sudden and unmistakable sound of unprofessional video, nothing quite registered as she instead focused on getting herself a meal. The sandwich itself, though a bit shabby and full of mysterious contents, was still appealing to the hungry young adult. For a brief moment, her eyes made their way to the television screen before it was turned off.

''Eat up.''

''Oooh...'' she mumbled excitedly, snatching the food and quickly beginning to consume it like a ravenous animal.

''Those punks... I got some history with 'em.''

She looked up at him with curious eyes, her cheeks bloated with half-chewed food. ''Mmmnn?'' was all she could manage without making a fool of herself and grossing out her mentor. His expression sent a ripple of nervousness through her; she had never seen him so upset. The mixture of primal rage and inner turmoil did not suit the man at all, and as his otherwise handsome features contorted into a face of bitter blood lust, Nina swallowed hard before stuffing her face again so she wouldn't have to say anything that might make the situation worse. To further save herself from any emotional spillover, she looked down at the tile of the counter, keenly pondering the tastes in her mouth as opposed to the negativity she could practically feel burning her skin. When the smell of cigarette smoke hit her in a soft wave, she chanced a look back at Pain.

''This time, I’m dealin’ with em’ for good. They’re gonna’ pay for all the lives they’ve destroyed.''

It didn't take long for her to realize that he was talking about the men she had seen strolling across the grainy footage on the news. Words like 'bloodshed', 'horrors', 'dozens', and 'slaughter' picked themselves out of her head from the macabre news story, and the sense of it came crashing down like an ocean wave. Someone had killed innocent people, and not just any innocents, but friends of Pain. Her brow furrowed, and the classic Wynowski rage frothed up in her gut and set fire to her brain. Death was one of the few things that could really set Nina into an honest rampage, and it took every ounce of her self control to not find those responsible and crush their skulls herself.

Pain's anger had indeed permeated his young student, but not in a way he could understand. Those men, whoever they were, had committed the grave offense of hurting the man she had idolized since she was a child. The wounds they left wouldn't heal up and fade away, and for that reason, Nina silently abandoned her vow to never take a human life; These two would be the perfect exception. ''Well then...'' The last of the sandwich was consumed, and with a small burp, she walked into the bedroom and rifled through the drawers again, this time producing a pair of jeans that belonged to Scarletta. The boxers were removed and replaced with the appropriate attire, and when she walked back to the front of the apartment, she eyed her mentor and pulled on her boots. ''I think it's high time we beat some faces in.'' she said bluntly, tying up the bottom of the shirt so it hung just above her hips. ''I'm right behind you, sir.''

He remained silent for now, not even paying attention to the young woman; his thoughts consumed his attention. The Big Guy moved to the front door, grabbing his jacket off its stand and throwing it on. So much frustration boiled within, he wanted to do nothing but kick their asses. Driven by anger and revenge, he didn’t like this feeling, but he could barely control it. Pain intended to solve it the only way he knew how; anything to get this feeling off his chest.

Valkryie’s voice rang through his ears, and Pain softly shook his head in response. “No.” He said roughly before turning to look over his shoulder. ”This is too dangerous for you kid”

“I ain’t gonna tell you what to do.” The Big Guy said as he turned his head forward, blankly staring at the door in front of him. He knew when he left this apartment, he was going to be facing his past; nightmares that attacked him while he slept. Pain hated dealing with his problems, but he had no choice this time. He withdrew his signature shades from his jacket’s pocket, placing them on his scarred face before exhaling a cloud of grey smoke. “But this isn’t a game, those freaks wont hesitate to kill you.” Or use her against him…

Pain was confident he could do this alone and would prefer it that way, but he knew there was no convincing this gal otherwise. No matter what he said to her, she would surely follow him to hell and back. Had to respect that this kid had guts, but that wasn't always enough. Ein had guts too, enough guts to help him save the world many times, but he ended up dying in Pain's arms. He opened and proceeded through the door, swearing to himself that he wouldn't let it happen again as he walked towards the edge to make his leap. The Big Guy stopped to say one last thing before going to put himself out there as bait. “Just be careful out there kid.” Pain spat out his cigarette before making his mighty leap, easily hurling himself towards a high rooftop across the street.

Her brow furrowed at his remark about it being ''too dangerous''. If Pain knew anything about her, it was just how much she could endure, and deal. She had always considered her appearance to be her greatest asset; when you're almost as powerful as the world's greatest hero, and you look like the average female college student, it is definitely a bonus. If anything, these villains need for bloodshed would work to her advantage. They would come at her like they would a civilian, and she would crush them like the juggernaut that she was.

''I ain't gonna tell you what to do.''

Nina nodded solemnly, the slight irk in her brain tainting her grip on the seriousness of the situation. She ached to prove herself as more than just a sidekick, and this just might be the opportunity she had been waiting for.

''But this isn’t a game, those freaks wont hesitate to kill you.''

Her fists clenched tightly, knuckles blanching as her face curled up into a snarl. Cold fear eked into her stomach and throat, making her feel heavy as anger frothed up into her brain. She wasn't a kid anymore, why wouldn't he see that? But even through her needs to be on the same ground as the heroes she grew up with, the reality of her own mortality started to sink in. These ne'er-do-wells were deadly enough to put steel in Pain's voice, make him worry, make him angry. These were men she had to take seriously. She followed him to the door like a loyal puppy, just behind and just as ready for a fight. The breaths she took were trembling ones, and she hoped that her mentor didn't hear them.

Cool air ran over her like water, shocking her lungs. It smelled damp outside, the rain still washing over the concrete. The gentle sputter of raindrops hitting the world just beyond Pain's back seemed foreboding now, making her peek around him nervously. Her guts burned, crying out to be praised for the atrocities she would undoubtedly commit when she encountered her foes. She knew that in reality she would probably just be vilified, but the voice of her father rang out in her mind.

''Put others before yourself.'' She recalled sitting on the grass in the park, feeling the weight of his buck knife in her hands. The sun was warm, and as his hand rested on her shoulder, she looked up into his war-worn face. ''You're strong, Nina Wynowski. Never forget just how strong you really are.'' The knife was taken from her hands, and her youthful fingers pulled back into soft fists. Surely he was talking about her superior muscles, right?

''Just be careful out there kid.''

A small rush of air from his leap ruffled her hair. Stepping to the door, she watched the quickly shrinking figure of her teacher launch itself into the city and planted the balls of her feet on the same cusp he used to send himself careening into what would soon become a battlefield. A sharp intake of breath, a single snap of her legs, and she was off, rain stinging her face like needles. The world sped by her, but she focused on the rooftop Pain had planted himself on. Much to her chagrin, she had miscalculated, landing a good thirty feet away. The gravel that covered the roof made her slip slightly, her arms wheeling a bit as she scrambled to stay upright. ''Where are we going?'' she called out, jogging to the brick lip of the building, using an intricate gargoyle to steady herself as she looked back into the serious face or her tutor.

The rain had been his favorite kind of weather to be out in, he could feel everything. Every little drop, he felt them on his skin. He enjoyed that feeling, even savored it. Pain came in for a smooth easy landing, his eyes immediately scanning the city for a good way to get caught. The Big Guy looked back over his shoulder to see the gal not having the same luck, so he waited for her to catch up. His icy eyes looked back to the city, and though he seemed tense, he was actually quite relaxed and thinking clearly. Though he was still far from content, he could control and channel his anger; for the most part.

”We’re gonna’ get some attention.” Pain said simply in response to her question, folding his arms and waiting for her to stand by his side before continuing. “You see that building over?” He said with a nod to the city’s major library which resided far off in the distance. From here it looked like a dreary work of art, resting far off in the background as raindrops littered the sky.

“Read somethin’ in the paper this morning, got some real famous author over there. Supposed to be a big event, and the news is gonna’ be all over it. My guess is those two are gonna’ hit there next. They love attention, and this is perfect for them.” Pain finished with a loud bone cracking squeeze from his hands.

She gave a stiff, annoyed nod when he pointed out the building and gave his explanation. His words seemed far away and hollow, but at the same time they rang within her in a way that she couldn't explain. Her muscles tensed in preparation for the eventual clash, and the adrenaline that began to flush into her system made her cheeks hot. It was times like this that she relished; the quiet before the battle. A small grin slid through her face like a thin slice from a knife. ''Yes sir.'' she said with a soft chuckle, cracking her knuckles along with him.

"They love attention, and this is perfect for them."

"Delusions of grandeur...?" She ventured, a hint of disgust peppering her words. Though she could understand wanting praise, she drew the line at actions for the sake of attention. It was an abhorrence that made her suddenly feel the urge to shower after she beat these guys up, like they would be covered in some sort of vile, oily film that would undoubtedly cover her in the heat of the fight. With a heaving sigh, she gave her head a shake and looked over at Pain, only to see his legs go taught in preparation for another momentous jump, which she copied in kind.

Without so much as a sound, she was off, soaring through the rain once more and wincing as it pricked at her skin and washed over her already wet clothes. Arms tight to her sides, she pierced the air like a bullet, enjoying the whistle she created, the clap of wind in her slipstream. Forward, her legs extended, absorbing the inertia that slammed onto her back and sent a spare few fractures into the concrete roof of the building she landed on. A cursory glance backward showed that Pain had closed the gap as soon as her eyes found him, and without a second thought, they were off again, kicking off of brickwork, fire escapes, exhaust vents, making their way closer and closer to the quickly growing library that swam into Nina's vision like a foreboding pyre.

The Big Guy glanced over to his ally, giving a silent nod before bending his knees and leaping from the rooftop. The hero need not look back; he knew that gal would follow him into any battle. Carrying such power had always been a burden, but Pain carried it well. Viewing himself as a man of countless mistakes, he never understood why people followed him, why they thought of him as a leader. Though he didn’t agree with nor understand it, he stood proudly as their leader.

The heroic duo swiftly made their way through the city towards their destination, taking the attention of civilians as they leaped over their heads. Some looked on with amazement, others with fear. The two soon arrived on a rooftop belonging to one of the mightiest skyscrapers in all of New York. Pain briefly stopped in his tracks, his icy blue eyes glancing back to her; he was impressed to see her keep up.

The hero continued on his path across the rooftop, proceeding to rest a boot on the ledge. His elbow rested on his knee while his hand supported and rubbed the stubbles on his chin. “Now comes my favorite part…Waiting for somethin’ to happen…” The sarcasm was obvious even in his rough voice. In the meantime, his freehand withdrew a pack of cigarettes from his pocket. With one hand, the pack was flipped open and brought to his lips. A single cigarette was then withdrawn and left hanging loosely between his lips. Out of habit, Pain looked over his shoulder back at Valkryie before proceeding to offer her the open pack. “Smoke?”

Whether she accepted or not, Pain returned the pack of cigarettes to his pocket and withdrew his pink BIC. One massive hand shielded the death stick from the winds while the other flicked the lighter, after only two tries the cigarette was ignited and its smoke poured into the hero’s lungs. “Helps pass the time.” He claimed simply as he exhaled while his icy eyes overlooked the city.

With the kind of expertise that only comes with practice, Nina held out her hands and feet, absorbing her final landing silently, leaning over the edge like a curious feline. She squinted a little bit to take in the minute details of the ground below, watching with muted interest as hundreds of people milled about in their private lives far below her. A single glance upward let her leader swim into her vision, his broad back and shoulders taking up the majority of what she could see.

''Now comes my favorite part... Waiting for somethin' to happen..."

She couldn't help but crack a grin, shaking her head simply when he offered her a cigarette. "No thank you, sir." she said curtly, holding up her hand to refuse it further. "I'm more of a toothpick lady, myself." With trepidation, she leaned forward a few more inches. Nothing spectacular stood out in her vision, causing her mood to drop ever so slightly. The anticipation of the fight was getting to her, to the point that she was almost disappointed that nothing was happening.

"Do they, uh... have a usual time for... evil-doing?" she asked meekly, casting a naive look upward into his scarred face. "Or are my eyebrows going to grow to the floor before these douches decide to show?" Suddenly her face turned focused as she looked down into the entrance of the library. "Might have even seen us jumpin' over here. Those assholes are probably running scared as we speak, right?" As eager as she was to beat in some faces, especially for people who genuinely deserved it, she didn't want to have to deal with death today.