[Open] 🚬 June Flames

[burnitblack]

Who: Dabi & others
What: June Catch-All
When: Various
Where: June

Content Warnings: Potential mentions of domestic/child abuse, potential mentions of murder, violence, adult language or subjects

Notes: General and specific starters will be below. More to come, including event prompts. Contact under cut.

If you want to hit me up for ideas on prompts or plots, feel free to comment on Dabi's CR plotting post or his Event plotting post (tbd), hit me up on my contacts – Plurk (StarSeed69) / Discord (StarSeed#3572) – shoot me a PM, or drop an ooc comment down below, and we’ll hash it out. I'm down to write a unique starter for our threads if you prefer.

NOTE: I'll be with limited computer access the first week of June, and will get event prompts up when I return.

Comments

That's a convenient trade...

[burnitblack]

Willful Machine ... District: Trading District

➊ [hustle and bustle. hustle and bustle. always something going on in this place. with stalls huddle up close to the shops to snap up potential buyers, coated merchants pacing and leaning within their booths trying to capture an eye of interest, the place was one potential purchase after another. it might be safer to come here during the day, but that makes it far easier for someone to notice something that shouldn't be happening. a hand swiping across the side of a stall, fingers delving into pockets for an ill-gotten gain, even a distraction to pull attention away from the prize.

among the shops and booths, or even wandering among the bars after majority business hours, there's talk about interesting items for trade. nothing new to most listeners, but what might catch the interest if what's being offered. trench certainly presents just about anything in the willful machine, and items from sleepers' homes wash up on the beaches of the farther shores all the time. but some of these things aren't so easy to come by. yet whoever's doing the dealing seems to have quite a stockpile of common comforts from what, to some people, may sound a bit more "modern" and familiar with their lives back home.

it would take some investigating, actually shown interest in the offers, but ultimately, the trail leads to a bar in the back of the district, nighttime mist making the front of the building hazy and causing the lantern outside to glow within the fog. a surly lot inside, people who want to stay out late after the merchant day and not go home just yet, or those who aren't interested in returning to their carts to sleep for the night. the clock's barely struck 7 and it'll begin its two-hour winding period to 9. but within those points, look for a man in the rear of the bar, sitting in a black cloak, hood over his head and a cigarette drifting coils of smoke from one glowing end. shouldn't be too hard to recognize... after all, his face is covered in burn scars, but those turquoise eyes of his seem to glow within the shade.


OOC  
OOC: during the april event, where portals opened up to other worlds, dabi spent the majority of his time hunting through the portals and finding ones that connected with convenience stores (corner stores or gas stations as well), which he then proceeded to loot as much as possible. carting back bags of this stuff while awake, he's amassed quite a stockpile of various wares you'd find in those kinds of shops. below are a few categories of items and samples of what you can find within them; these kinds of stores stock a range of everyday items.

Food - non-perishables, canned foods, dried foods, long-lasting candies and snacks, etc.
Drinks - coffee, tea, soft drinks, canned beers, wines, etc.
Tobacco - cigarettes, pipe tobacco, cigars, e-liquid and e-cigarettes, lighters, etc.
Medical - over-the-counter drugs, bandages, suture kits, compression items, etc.
Toiletries - hygiene products, shampoo, conditioner, body wash, soaps, etc.
Cleaning - disinfectant wipes, cleaner fluids/sprays, sponges, gloves (heavy + disposable), etc.
Household - napkins, paper towels, toilet paper, fabric towels, washcloths, etc.
Electrics - flashlights, lanterns, batteries, air fresheners, simple appliances, etc.
Jewelry - cheap store products, earrings, rings, necklaces, bracelets, etc.
Apparel - shirts, shorts, pants, jackets, socks, underclothes, etc.
Toys - simple and compact items, cards, marbles, jacks, gum, etc.
Office - paper, pens, pencils, notecards, notepads, calculators, rulers, tape, staplers, etc.

feel free to devise how you heard of him and reached the location above. it's barter based, so if you have something useful he wants, then a trade can be made. keep in mind that trades worked out in the bar are only worked out vocally. dabi will agree to meet at the bar again or at another location to do the actual trade, which can be done through omens instead of in person meetings.]

slams in here late with sbux

[likethelight]

[ Willful Machine is a place Allen is intimately familiar with, being that Viktor's lab is here and that he had lived at one of the inns here since he first woke up back in October. At... least until his death, after which he'd lived with Shouto for several weeks on the outskirts of Prufrock. But this is still his old stomping grounds, and he still keeps to his old rounds of checking in on and visiting all the various merchants, residents, and guards he used to stop by and chat with or assist. Also, while Sansa has taken care of most of the supplies Sanctuary needs on a regular basis, it isn't everything and this is something he's good at. Finding things and haggling; his master's expensive tastes made sure of that. And this is where you come to do that, especially on any kind of scale.

That's why he's caught wind of a new trader of sorts who's been selling items specifically from Sleeper worlds it sounds like, items that can't be found or produced normally Trench and that garner the gossip of merchants torn between wanting to have them and being envious. Someone selling Sleeper world items isn't that new, but that they seem to specialize in only that and have a large stock? That's a little more unusual. And that they're staying secretive and only meet with buyers after dark one-on-one?

That's the thing that sets off a bunch of flags to Allen, more than familiar with the different kind of trading that comes after dark and not out on the street in plain sight. Not necessarily bad ones, just... flags. So even if it may or may not be the sort of thing he's looking for, he's nosed around and come to find out who this man who has the local merchants abuzz must be.

And because the last person he spoke with who pointed him here also mentioned the trader to be a man covered in burns with almost frighteningly bright teal eyes.

The first thing Dabi might note of his approach, though, is the dual kh-click of his crutches against the hard flooring of the bar. He comes up to a stop in front of him, not wearing the highly recognizable uniform and coat that he had before, but grey embroidered robes that fit more with Trench. Dragonscale smocking up the collar and silvery moths textured on the sleeves.

He lifts his chin lightly, meeting those faintly glowing turquoise eyes with his own pale grey ones. Neutral and steady. Clear-eyed and, yes, entirely unsurprised. Timcanpy, his omen, hovering quietly just over one shoulder. ]

I'm not surprised to see it's you.

shakin the coffee machine

[burnitblack]

[he's kept his business more tight-lipped than completely necessary, but you don't want to reveal you have a stockpile of shit people want right away. dabi avoided trading things in bulk, instead opting for smaller transactions, like one to five items, rather than dumping a lot of his reserves. the fact he couldn't reliably restock his items is a problem, but one he already knew would happen right when he saw the first portal close. even beach combing the farther shores had no hope of keeping anything in his hoard in steady supply. and he was certainly keeping stuff for himself. this was less a business and more a side hustle for him. but it didn't fail to bring him interesting things, and all these precautions ensured he had valuable trade items for a long time.

wasn't gonna open up shop. there was already some random shop that sold weird knickknacks and shit. dabi suspects he owner also combs the beach, and he wonders if he's seen the person from time to time... not that he's looking for competition.

dabi notes the strange sound, but almost immediately identifies it as crutches. it's not when the noise makes itself obvious that it's coming towards him does the villain bother to look up at the approaching figure. yeah, there's no way he wouldn't recognize allen. clothes don't matter; it's his damn face. those same eyes, his hair, his expression.

tsk, the priest... figures he'd find a way to make his trenchian robes suitable for his own tastes. who used scales in their designs? what theatrics. he doubts allen did it on purpose, but the fact he's got fucking moth designs on his sleeves? rude.

dabi meets his eyes without a problem, looking as callous, bored, and guarded as ever. the lack of surprise in those silvery orbs suggest allen knew who he was meeting before tonight. not really strange; dabi's an obvious description. he notes the little golden blob with stubby limbs hovering over the priest's shoulder. tim... something. dabi doesn't usually keep his omen out in public unless he feels the need to. mostly cause a large wolf isn't hard to miss.]

Figured I'd take advantage of the situation.

[likethelight]

[ It's not like anything about the robe was his choice, it was a handmade gift thank you very much. Apparently it'd be considered very fashionable in... King's Landing or wherever Sansa had said. Even if he sometimes catches himself eyeing the moths on the sleeves a little uneasily himself. If Sansa had any idea about the one that had led to Dabi's transformation and thus Allen's death he would wonder if she had done that on purpose to remind him of his own mortality, she could be a little subtly scary like that... But that's something he's kept entirely to himself so it's just a very bitterly ironic sort of thing.

The answer gets a very wry sort of smile and a cocked eyebrow from Allen though, and he sets his crutches against the wall before he slides into the seat across from the other man. Ginger when shifting his weight and using his hands to steady himself, though there is still an unsteadiness as he does so. ]

I think most people here would just call that surviving. [ It's amicable, if dry.

He takes a moment to fold his arms on the table, Timcanpy settling on his shoulder in the process and just watching Dabi with wide, impassive "eyes" that aren't visible. He's always out and acting in counter to Allen; it's just how he's always been. Staying tucked inside during the chaos of the battle before had been more to not be in the way. They're a team that way -- so says Allen. ]

Seems you're better at it than most people who just pick through what washes up on the beach though? If what people are saying is true.

this is so late i'm sorry

[dirtdevil]

[ he's heard the whispers. gossip in hushed tones (or not, it's not like what he's doing is illegal) about some guy who has a bunch of random shit from other worlds for some reason—things he's willing to part with for a fair trade.

cool. whatever. why should he care? what could this guy possibly have that would make him go out of his way to figure out what the hell he could trade and then seek out some weird shady figure in an equally shady bar to make an offer?

the answer, of course, is cleaning supplies.

he's not able to stock up on things like sponges and gloves the way he used to; that alone might not have been enough of a push, but that's before he hears about the magic wipes. a single disposable cloth that can disinfect anything from any surface with a simple swipe. what the fuck, right? it's almost like cheating.

he's gonna get some of that shit, one way or another.

and so it's this probably-misplaced enthusiasm that drives him to walk into this bar—someplace that likely wouldn't interest him at all otherwise—and meander towards the back in search of this mysterious tradesman of otherworldly cleaning materials (and probably a bunch of other shit he doesn't care about). it's not terribly difficult to spot him, what with the weird eyes that cast just enough of a glow to make out the telltale burn scars on his face. yeesh.

Levi approaches him with a blank expression that belies the rigid (and ridiculous) determination to acquire disinfectant wipes under the surface. if he looks like he's come empty-handed, it's because he has. ]

You're the guy with all the loot.

[ just to confirm. it'd be pretty awkward if he just started talking about magic cleaning wipes to the wrong person, after all. ]

s'all good. life's a bitch.

[burnitblack]

[he's let the word out slowly, but hearing whispers and gossip going pretty strongly, he's starting to wonder if maybe he should make it official. but then again, rumors and assumptions certainly give him the advantage when it comes to people approaching him, and it's not like he's doing this "business" for monetary profit.

only thing he's making sure to keep a dead secret is where all his "random shit" actually is. and he makes a point only to do trades with other sleepers, since the locals around here aren't going to offer him anything he actually wants. that keeps his admittedly-large stock from dwindling quickly. and it creates links between him and the people who matter in this hellhole.

not that he won't talk to locals if they happen to swing by... always a conversation before bothering to do any business. kind of more an advantageous hobby to keep him somewhat occupied and entertained.

omg, levi meets lysol wipes. a match made in heaven.

he likes this bar. it's out of the way, doesn't have too many customers, far from the sea and the market, and basically your somewhat-seedy back-alley don't-look-at-me meeting place where he'll neither get mobbed by annoyances or completely missed by potential interested parties. still "open" enough the person approaching him won't feel completely swamped either.

someone's straight laced... reminds him of an almost militaristic air, though he's not carrying himself with chest puffed out and looking down on him. though the determined aura around him is interesting... obviously someone's heard of him.]

Ya say "loot" like it was plundered. [totally was, but no one needs to know that. explicitly. except the two people who watched (and helped) him do it.] Whatcha want?

it sure is

[dirtdevil]

[ he snorts, taking a quick second to eye his surroundings again. it's more of a habit than anything. he's been attacked in bars before, you see. ]

Not really concerned with how you acquired it. Even if you told me, I'd have no way of knowing if it was the truth.

[ he's stolen some shit in his day—out of necessity, mainly, but he has no room to talk about how shoplifting is bad.

he crosses his arms. the determination only intensifies. ]

I heard something about "disinfecting wipes."

[ of all the ridiculous things to say in such a serious tone. what a fucking weirdo. ]

The black beach.

[burnitblack]

Darcmouth ... District: Fishing District - Farther Shores

➊ [dabi didn't remember who he heard it from: things from "home" washed up all the time on the father shorts, located beyond the darcmouth fishing district. after that amazing stroke of luck with the portals linking him to several convenience stores from different worlds, he found a special sort of allure to gathering things like that. wanting to keep a stockpile of items from "home" worlds that weren't usually, if ever, offered in trench's normal market wares.

dabi wasn't the most active member of the league of villains, capable of lazing around when there was shit to do, but he did have a penchant for recruitment. going out and looking for interesting and useful people to add to their group. so why not apply that to things as well? couldn't hurt to have some valuable items for trade that no one else had... it was better than pricking his finger or handing over vials of his blood all the damn time.

even if it did mean he had to go through a damn wharf and fish market. ugh, he hated fish; the smell and taste were gross. but with that behind him, dabi found some strange comfort in seeing the lonely black shores stretching out in front of him, the warm sand sinking under his boots with each step. among the rhythmic ebb and flow of the waves, the man wandered across the dark beach, coat and cloak drifting against his legs and sides in the ocean wind. he kept an eye out for anything unique sticking out of the sand. not one to go digging though. a cloth bag dangles from one hand and he crouches down for a moment, inspecting a few items before dismissing all but one of them as shells, but digging out and washing off a gold, ruby ring from the black sand.]

➋ [there was one other reason dabi liked to come to the father short. the sapling. standing out here in a strangely inhospitable and remote place for a tree like this, there was no denying it was the same kind of tree that grew in the priest's sanctuary. meaning it had the same calming and cleansing properties its fellow trees had. resting his back against the large sakura tree's trunk, dabi let his eyes linger on the waves in front of him, occasionally ghosted by a drifting pink petal.

corruption was a strange thing for him, considering all the things he did and witness back home in his world. murder, oppression, abuse, lies, corruption, battle, and yet in trench, it was all about blood and those negative emotions creeping through, poisoning thoughts and actions. but here under the boughs of this tree, all of that felt less important, the weight of it slowly leeching out of his system. far better here than trying to steal away a few hours during the night at the sanctuary, where people could come up and ask what his shady ass was doing skulking around in such a place.

with his bag of collected items beside him, dabi leans his head against the tree and drifts, one leg stretched out in front of him, the other tented at the knee with an arm draped over the bend. leave him alone... or bother him. it's your call.

ooc note: despite his villainous nature, dabi will defend the sapling from attack. fatally. for purely selfish reasons.]

Re: Prompt Two

[thevengefuldoll]

While following his fellow centipede, the demon chances upon a familiar face. He notices the teen sleeping beneath the tree. It's been quite the time...hasn't it? The old man smiles. He debates whether or not to interrupt the other's nap for sake of conversation. However, Chin Yisou isn't given the choice. His small centipede scuttles up to the teen and nudges him.

Xiao Wu!

The demon scolds loudly. He startles while dreading what's to come of a rude awakening...

[burnitblack]

Bump... bump... The little nudging is more than enough to stir Dabi to waking, blue eyes twitching once before flashing open. He's not survived as long as he has by being slow to wake up. Instinct and alertness keep him from lashing out immediately, his eyes dropping to the bumping thing. Just in case it was some beast, predator, or enemy checking him out. Reacting could've prompted an aggressive response before he was ready.

Instead, there's some... bug-looking creature? And then a voice calling out towards him? It? Probably it. Dabi lifts his head and a bleary scowl aims at the approaching man. "This yours?"

[thevengefuldoll]

"My apologies!" The old man bows.

Chin Yisou scoops up the impish critter. He regards the sleepy teen with a nervous laugh.

"It's been quite some time, hasn't it?"

The demon wonders if he would be remembered. After all, it wouldn't surprise him if the teen forgot their misadventure.

2

[survivalthroughhate]

[Maul's out near the sapling. He loves the trees. They make him feel good, balanced and calm in a way he hasn't felt in a long, long time, not since he was a small child. He's able to relax a little better around the guardian saplings, infused with that energy he'd felt when Amaterasu was still here.

When he spots Dabi underneath the tree, he makes his way over on silent feet. He sits down not too far away from where Dabi is at and closes his eyes for a few minutes, centering himself using the energies of the trees. When he opens them back up, he looks over at the villain.]

Did you happen to encounter me while I was changed into the form of a very large lizard-like creature?

[burnitblack]

[the trees, this one in particular, are a favored resting spot. not only does it bring him out here, away from other people, it helps soothe the corruption they're always staining themselves with and leeches out what it can. additionally, being so remote out on the farther shores bleak, cold black beaches, it makes the sapling too out of the way for most people, leaving dabi content that it's not swarming with other sleepers. unlike the one in the sanctuary.

plus it gives him a nice vantage spot to watch the beach for anything interesting that might pop up. and train, but that's done much further away from the tree. doesn't need to be throwing fire around something he actually likes and uses.

it's not maul's noise that gives him away, but rather the mixture of his presence and the simple fact dabi can see people approaching the tree. it's a beach after all. he doesn't bother greeting the horned man, remaining seated where he is and watching the waves fall onto the shore.

oh. that question.]

Yep. Felt like a real weird impression of a dinosaur kaiju film.

[wasn't half bad entertainment either.]

A burning hunt.

[burnitblack]

Prufrock ... District: Hunter's District - The Gate

➊ [damn monsters. dabi's seen a few, but only physically interacted with one or two, including one that killed a guy right in front of him. that'd been a surprise, but despite the death, had been rather informative. even if the stood there and watched it happen. look, it'd been fast enough there wasn't much he could've done even if he'd wanted to. better to take his shot while the creature was distracted. the victim could thank him later for putting out their misery faster, if/when they returned from their death. sleepers apparently did?

the flip side of it being, dabi himself had been a monster for a short time, corrupted immediately after killing one of those damn butterflies a few months ago. that's a story for another time. from the shadows, he'd heard about the growing argument towards the hunters, some soft-hearted group protesting that the beasts aren't "truly" beasts, but people corrupted into their beastly forms. dabi knows as much that's true, since he'd been one, but that doesn't stop him from siding with the hunters. it's not his business to try and trap, capture, and drag a beast back to some sanctimonious person who can heal it back to normal. especially when killing it is much faster, less bothersome, and the ones that matter would come back anyways.]

You gotta problem?

[he glances over his shoulder, turquoise eyes narrowed slightly at the person behind him. this could go one of many ways.
1) they could indeed have a "problem" and be seeking a hunter to take care of the beast plaguing them.
2) they could be one of those annoying "hero" types begging mercy for the beasts, or wanting to angrily argue at him over siding with the hunter's creed.
3) they could be wanting to talk about that display back there, aka: the burning corpse of a monster dabi had incinerated with his blue flames a minute ago as a test of his powers.
4) they could be wanting to talk about teaming up or training together to deal with a hunting mission.
5) they could be asking for an escort for either a walk, a delivery, a caravan, etc.
dabi's still relatively new at the hunting "vocation" proper, as he more likes to keep to himself and not go helping people with their problems, but it can't hurt to get a little familiar with the hunter's life... it does let him practice with his quirk after all.]

So about that walk in the night...

[burnitblack]

Cellar Door ... District: Entertainment District - Goat Turning

➊ [it's the muted tumble of dice against the carpeted stone that sets the ambiance of the area around him. among the black and stone setting of goat turning, dabi's found himself a spot to carve out for himself. lounged back against the cushioned booth, half in shadow and half in light, one booted ankle thrown across the knee of the other, he's a mixed image of relaxed control and shady caution. finding the place hadn't been hard and the collective gathering of gamblers and interesting parties with stories and information is a welcome to someone like him. as much as he's a firestarter, literally and figuratively, dabi prefers to learn and plan first before rushing headlong into something like a fool.

the gambling hall provides him with a safe place to gather news, stories, and rumors, all while kicking back and learning to play some gambling games with other trench locals, the occasional sleeper making their presence known as well. a basic dark liquor sits in a hard glass nearby, something he's tending to every now and then. dabi leans forward and scoops up the dice for his own turn, palming them in his hand with a few clicks and marbling grinds.]

So whatcha want?

[in spite of his dark clothes, purple burn scars, the villain's turquoise eyes are bright in the shadows of his white bangs, watching the person in front of him with a calm gaze. some called them "whores" others said "entertainers" and others "company" when it came to the people known as "night walkers" in trench. dabi never settled himself into the "job" proper, but at the same time, wasn't above blowing time and thought away on some physical pleasures. whether that's something carnal or just talking about shit to trade stories while drinking and gambling. he's not one of those cuddling, cajoling escorts, but if blowing off steam or venting frustrations to someone who seems pretty removed and casual about everything going on in trench is something of value in this place, dabi's got no problem trying his hand at it.]

Someone get this nightmare off~

[burnitblack]

Prompt 1 ... DON'T GIVE UP ON YOUR DREAMS

➊ [he normally looks tired. whether it's the somewhat slumped-forward posture of his walking or the bags under his eyes. well, "bags" being the burn scars covering his lower eyelids and spilling over his cheekbones in wrinkled purple skin, attached to the rest of his face via the surgical staples punched through his skin. someone once said dabi's face looked like a tired skull from a distance and they're not wrong. but the problem is, despite what he looks like, right now, he's fucking exhausted. no matter how much sleep he manages to get, it's never restful. the villain's no stranger to restless nights, waking up feeling groggy and worn, trudging through the day just to get back to bed the following night, only to find his mind too full of thoughts and memories while he's lying in bed to sleep.

this isn't the same. nightmares aren't entirely common with dabi. he's seen plenty in his life of villainy and many of his demons are far more emotional, leaking from a traumatic past rather than witnessing the underside of society out on his own. he never considered himself one who could be woken from the middle of the night with a shout, drenched in a cold sweat, shivering with fright. and yet, it's been one frustrating recurrence after another of the very thing. clawing at the sheets until he's pulled up to sit in bed, hand plastered over his face and forehead to keep himself propped up and his stomach contents inside.

not surprising it takes a toll on him physically. walking slower, even his less-than-stellar track record for physical activity being strained further, not as inclined to do any "business" of his trading on the side, and finding more and more reasons to stay inside his residence and/or rest beneath the sakura tree at the farther shores. otherwise he's left zoned out in a trace. if someone does see him outside while he's moving through the market, or sitting at the bar for a drink, or slouched in the shadows smoking a cigarette, dabi won't be looking well. burn scars aside, there are bruises on what healthy flesh remains on his face, a bandage wrapped about his forearm that has nothing to do with his normal scars, and even a limp that catches while he walks.

feels like shit. looks like it too. insomnia is a real bitch...]


~ 0 ~  

➋ [despite his lone wolf disposition in the league of villains, dabi's not alien to teaming up with people when he feels the need to. alliances can be more advantageous when he realizes he can't achieve a goal of his all on his own. people are useful. their resources are useful. but what he doesn't like, is having to explain things or show things that he's not ready to when it comes to other people. even when he joined the league of villains, he refused to reveal his real name, or his ultimate goals, until the proper time. that's one of the things that pisses him off about trench more than anything else. seems the nightmarish place is determined to force people to "open up" and share things that are vulnerable and private whether they want to or not. dabi's already had one invader in his mind and the memory/sensation is none too pleasant.

but ultimately, the villain is selfish when it comes to his own life. he'll decide when he dies and what kills him. linger around places enough in trench and you'll hear things. rumors about the going on's for the month. strange books. a weird ritual to help with the nightmares passing around the sleepers. it's he latter one that catches his interest. enough investigating and he turns over the entire happenings. from the demons latching on to people (that fucking explains the nightmares) to the dual methods of getting them off. of course the physical method is his preference, especially when dabi discovers the secondary method is, surprise surprise, another damn trip into his mind. reading that caused a quiet, but intense outburst from the villain, a curse shouted out amid a window going up in a bright blue flash. torched everything inside the room.

regardless, that's how he ended up here. there was only one person he actually "trusted" enough here to perform such a ritual with, two he might have been willing to acquiesce to their help if they sought him out, but none of the three are ones he willingly wants to reach to for their assistance. it was better to go for some stranger, someone who wasn't connected to his past, someone who wouldn't sit there and pity him or wheedle into his affairs. someone he doesn't care about possibly murdering once the ritual is finished, because one less person knowing his secrets is a positive... the room itself is calm and dark, well away from dabi's normal haunts. if something goes wrong and this place burns down, he won't care. a strange person, a strange room, and a strange ritual to rid him of this demon gorging on his nightmares and sleep.

yeah, he'll make that sacrifice.]

Unless ya wanna state a price now, this is no strings attached.

[aetherweaver]

[Scars, Nara'a is used to seeing. He's an adventurer at least, and he's familiar with the injuries that can come from it. His own injuries are hidden under his clothing - black pants and a loose brown shirt, with a brown cloak on top. It's easy to slip on over his existing equipment. He's a fighter, but he's also aware of how hard it can be to get blood out of fine materials. No thank you.]

[But he isn't used to seeing fresh wounds - there's someone who's walking there with a limp and bruises, someone he doesn't know but... it doesn't matter. He walks towards Dabi in the marketplace, pushing carefully past other people to get near the man.]

Hello - hey. Yes, you. Are you all right? I have a healing spell I can use if you need.

[It's his red mage gear on underneath - his rapier and focus are concealed but within reach. Vercure's better than nothing...]

[burnitblack]

[his own clothes are the same as normal, a thin white shirt, dark cargo pants, and a long coat with metal cuffs on the short sleeves and the lower half torn into sewn-together tails. though all that's momentarily covered by the black cloak given to him at the very start of his journey here. doesn't do much to hide the scars on his face, however, or his arms, since the sleeves are rolled up to bunch behind the metal cuffs of his coat.

moving forward is a chore, his steps almost dragging and his body leaning forward. dabi keeps to the outer side of the market, home the destination in his mind. though it's clouded by the memories and thoughts, the lack of sleep pulling at his body and mental functions like hands grasping to haul him back.

the first attempt doesn't do anything, the second neither, but the question if he's all right finally breaks through and dabi turns his head to look sleepily at the other man.]

Whaddya want?

[not in the mood for this.]

Fire in the spelunking hole~

[burnitblack]

Prompt 2 ... PATIENCE IS A VIRTUE

[it's the first rumble that catches his attention. for a second, he wonders if it's an explosion nearby. or in trench, some giant monster or beast rampaging. but then the next one happens and dabi immediately recognizes what it is. an earthquake. of course they'd have earthquakes here, why the hell not?! but there's some prompts for living in japan where earthquakes aren't uncommon. walls shaking, glass rattling, things on shelves starting to fall. hell if he's staying in this place! dabi got out of there quick, shouldering open a door and stumbling outside before shoving off the ground in a burst of blue fire. probably won't be hard to spot him up in the air, an azure flaming comet traveling skyward. above the tree line and building roofs, before finally coming to a stop high above the ground.

no, he didn't take anyone with him. what's he look like, a hero?]

➊ [from his vantage point, dabi narrows his eyes at the sight below him. the shaking is clearly visible, but despite all of that, there's no damage to the buildings. they vibrate, their roofs, chimneys, steeples, whatever, all trembling from the quaking ground, yet not a single damn one of them cracks apart and breaks a window. either these things are built way behind a modern earthquake code, or there's something else going on with this world... (it's impressive, if at the same time enviously disgusting.) birds take off from the nearby forests and dabi looks towards the oceans. not able to see them from this point, but their general direction works. he's concerned about potential tsunami...

but the first crash jerks his attention back down and he's left watching the ground open up in a hole. plunging down into darkness before crashing all over the floor. one sinkhole here. another one over there. again, conspicuously avoiding swallowing existing buildings or structures, but never the less pocketing the area in spaced out holes. damn. as if he needed one more reason to think this place fucked up...]

➋ [once the rumbling finally stops, he takes the opportunity to fly away from the town square and alights in a rush of blue flame next to a hole along the outskirts of the forest. dabi doesn't want to get swallowed up by throngs of curious people, but also doesn't want to leave himself singled out and alone around the holes. he's close enough to town to get back without a problem, but far enough away there won't be a crowd around him. hands in his pockets, he walks to the hole and starts inspecting the exterior of it, trodding grass beneath his boots and minding not to slip over the edges. it's dark inside, obviously, so after a few laps around the perimeter, dabi curls his hand, ignites a ball of blue flame, and side arms it into the hole to get himself a look. may or may not attract anyone else in the general area...]

➌ [deeming it "safe" enough to proceed, what with no underground monsters charging out, dabi heads inside. it's not a smart move to go wandering in all by himself, but he doesn't intend to go too far into the caves. a quick whistle and black fire curls off his body, splashing onto the floor before curling up in wisps and forming a black wolf with a few white steaks and patches through its fur, bearing the same turquoise eyes as its master which glow like firelight in the darkness. dabi waits for his omen to move to his side, leaving small patches of black flames behind every fourth step.

better than nothing, since he doesn't have any string to trail behind himself. with that, he sets off into the caverns, drawing out a pad of paper and a pen to begin a crude map/marker of the directions he's going. mostly charting a straight path unless it forks, at which point he draws the forks and then indicates which one he took. it's not perfect, but if he's going to enable himself to get out of here via a few tricks, fucking go for it.

the blue glow of his omen's eyes and a hovering mote of blue fire above dabi's shoulder provide enough light, though they'll both likely alert anyone, or anything, of their presence a bit before the pair actually come into sight.]

3

[swellter]

[ Ahoy! Touya isn't the only Todoroki who's exploring the cave system. Shouto got himself stuck in a sinkhole in the initial earthquake. An avalanche sealed the entrance, and he and his friends had to find another exit. They found a few interesting items along the way. At one point, they had to dive through the water to get to the next opening in the cave and Shouto got himself stuck real good. Found out he's bigger than his friends since they fit just fine while he got pinched, damn shoulders! A few close calls there, but they made it out alive.

A few days later, Shouto is back in the cave ready to explore with better equipment this time. For one he's got a backpack on with proper climbing gear and as well as a few tanks of oxygen, the handheld type. Using his fire as a light source Touya can probably see him coming especially when he's busy talking to his omen who is nowhere in sight. ]

I'll ask Viktor if he knows how to take care of a flower.

[ Silence, followed by a response. ]

I've got 5 vials. Do you think that's enough for a pot?

[ More silence. ] You're right. I'll make more when we get back.

[ This... is Endeavor's masterpiece... ]

[burnitblack]

[this is his third time in the caves. the first two ended up being met with two individuals inside the tunnels, leading to adventures in their own rights. traps, animals, weird conversations, but luckily no battles or enemies resulting from either encounter. though they did end up finding some treasures of their own, which touya carted back to his place. well, his share at least. while he's drawn a crude map of the cave system he's traveled, both are only good from the entrance he originally came through each time, so this time, he's starting a third map to at least trace his way back.

and string. he did go into the marketplace to procure some string.

not that touya's much prepared for cave diving. he doesn't plan on going too deep, so a single bag of some tools to make sure he can find his way back is the only thing he's brought with him. well... that's the only visible thing. he's got bags with him. stuffed in his pockets for carrying any interesting thing he finds down here.

a voice? touya glances up, brows arching in curiosity about who he's going to meet this time (he won't go deep by himself; he's not an idiot). only to flatten a second later when he recognizes that voice.

seriously? of all the people, he's gotta run into shouto again. the hell's he saying? flowers? vials? enough for a pot? more? least he can put a few things together.

what an idiot.

touya flares a blue fireball in his hand and lobs it shouto's way. far more a welcome than jumping out of the dark at him. he's standing on a ledge nearby, one foot propped on a stone and his arms crossed over his bent knee. watching the other boy below.]

3

[retsuden]

[ It probably would have been a more intelligent idea to go and grab Sakura to explore the cave ins with. Not only would he have had another person with him, but he would have had a highly skilled medic in case he did something idiotic (likely) and got himself severely injured (highly likely). That's a thought he's chosen to override, apparently, given that he's been exploring the underground tunnels for some time completely on his own.

At least he'd been smart enough to grab a lantern. It took up the use of his only hand, though, which meant that he wasn't able to actually map his way around the tunnels the way he wanted to. Every once in a while he'd tried marking the walls, hoping they would stay and nothing (and no one) would somehow cover them when he decided to turn around, but he knew it was a possibly foolish hope. He'd been especially sure to leave a deep scratch in the stone beside any entrance that to a cavern room that had ended in him getting close to one of those injuries Sakura would lecture him for later, if only to burn into his mind which ones to not go back into.

He'd gone to dim his lantern when he saw the light from another, keeping himself somewhat on alert, though he was hardly hiding himself from detection here as they got closer. There's a pause as he registers it as another Sleeper and not an immediate threat, before he gestures back towards the tunnel he'd just come down. ]

Ignore the door down there. The room's got some kind of acid inside.

[ Might as well spare him if he can. ]

[burnitblack]

[coming into the caves with another person would be a better idea, but the past two times he'd gone wandering beneath the surface, he'd encountered someone. banking on it again is a gamble, but it seems there are plenty in trench who are exploring the tunnels below the ground. not entirely surprising; people are a curious bunch and the questions they have above might be answered below. dabi's found one or two interesting things down here already.

didn't mean he had come out of either of those two sojourns with no problems. there were traps down here (why the hell someone would be down here to trap it in the first place is anyone's guess) and predators (which at least made some sense) trying to pick explorers off. the former confused him, because that implied someone was here before and sought to protect or hunt people who came after. the latter annoyed him, because there's enough goddamn monsters on the surface, they don't need more crawling around under their feet all the time. no place is safe in trench. should just burn the whole damn thing and be done with it...

footsteps and light bring his attention out of his head and back into the cave. dabi looks up at the glow and dismisses his omen for the time being before going around the corner to confront the newcomer. well, another gamble pays off. a sleeper. his eyes narrow on the other man, giving a quick once over as the small blue flame on his shoulder goes out. this one's got a light. no point in wasting his own.]

Ya don't wanna go this way either. [dabi tugs a thumb over his shoulder, expression matching his dry tone.] Ends in spikes.

2

[syncopathic]

[Dito's doing his own reconnaissance in the forest. After the worst of the earthquakes had subsided, several Hunters took it upon themselves to investigate. Normally that sort of scouting detail would have been repugnant to Dito, but his curiosity had always been annoyingly difficult to tame.

So here he was, out at the edge of the forest with his hyena omen by his side and a lit lantern in his hand, scouring the grass for anything out of the ordinary. He almost misses the blue flame when it temporarily lights up the sky, and with a glance and a nod to his omen, Dito moves to investigate. A will o' the wisp, perhaps? Or something more sinister?

He finds his answer soon enough. It's hard to see in the darkness, but from the glow of his lantern he can just make out a tall and lanky figure standing at the edge of a particularly large cavern. Dito slides his spear out of its sheath, just in case the person turns out to be not too friendly.]

I'm gonna take the chance that you're not one of those beasty types that get their kicks chewing people's faces off. Though I wouldn't mind if you did that to somebody else-- be pretty cool to watch.

[burnitblack]

[sinkholes aren't exactly rare in japan. but watching a number of them fall open in quick succession? that's not something he's seen outside of certain quirks being used. unable to guess where the next one will show, he remains in the air until the rumbling and collapsing have stopped. then alights on the edge of one of them, leaving the grass to burn all around from the blast of fire used to catch his fall. hmph... might have to rest a bit. he got dangerously close to his threshold limit.

the hole itself is large, certainly would've toppled a house if it opened under the corner of it. looks like it's opened up into an underground cavern too... guess it shouldn't surprise him trench has an cave system beneath it, though that makes him wonder how much of the place is ready to collapse into itself at any time. the curious side of him dabbles with heading down into the cave to explore. the logical, planning side of him says that's foolish to go alone into an unexplored cave.

a voice cuts into his thoughts and dabi looks over his shoulder, most of his body hidden behind his long coat and the shadows swallowing him. someone's over there; the lantern isn't hard to miss at all. a passerby, here to inspect the hole most likely. he notes movement near the person, assumes it's an omen, but can't be sure of the size or shape.]

Ya ever seen a beast that looks like a person?