Heaven Ain't Close In a Place Like This.

Independent Black Tiger roleplay blog. Feel free to drop me questions, or anything else for that matter. My sexy brat partner can be found here.

[lipsticksandkicks-deactivated20]

roguedelinquency has approached you. Look alive!

[lipsticksandkicks-deactivated20]

Not one to jump right into things, she bit her lip a moment and looked toward the male. “Um…Would you like to stop in a get something…you…together.” She flushed a bit at just what that might imply…but he just just so damn charming she couldn’t help but want to spend more time together.

[roguedelinquency-blog]

He has to bite his tongue to keep from snorting at her reaction, so shy and yet she was planning to strut around as a hero?  Boy she was in for a surprise no doubt when they unveiled her costume.  If it was anything like the other ones, her face was bound to turn beet red.  "Sure sweetheart, I've got some time to kill anyway~"  It was stupid at best, playing at this civilian card, but he'd been given some time off, there weren't exactly rules that he couldn't spend it in such a manner.

[loveless3173]

[roguedelinquency-blog]

source

[roguedelinquency-blog]

What goes around, comes around.

[kaburagitkotetsu-blog]

Kotetsu’s head jerks the opposite side of the slap, his cheek stinging hard from the pain. Shock crosses his face and in his eyes. It was very clear then and there that this wasn’t some game. Kotetsu was in real trouble, with a real threat against his life, and anyone else he cared for. His eyes narrowed as he watched the twin, Tiger, if he must be called that, pick up a switchblade. 

Oh.

It made sense then why there was so many different weapons in the room, why he was strapped down. It was either torture or death, and it made his blood run cold, his face look pale once the gravity of this situation finally settled in his mind. Kotetsu couldn’t sit a bide his time anymore, he had to get out of there, to save himself in order to protect his family and friends -

Feeling the blade against his chin made him move to activate his powers, but he soon discovers he can’t. Kotetsu could only tip his head back, eyes wide as he tried again and again to activate them. He had the time for it, could feel it still there, but he just couldn’t go that extra mile to activate them. Each time he tried, a flicker of blue surrounded his body, specked his eyes, then faded as quickly as it came.

Shit.

“What did you do?” He hissed out as amber bore into the crimson eyes. Kotetsu struggled against the bonds, making a harder attempt to get away as the drugs unclouded his mind. “Let me go — I didn’t do anything.” Kotetsu twisted harder, getting more and more frustrated and more and more panicked, “And why the hell do you look like me?!”

[roguedelinquency-blog]

"Aw, look at you, tryin' so hard to get free.  Take it from someone who knows, don't bother strainin' yourself," he remarked, idly drawing the blunt edge of the blade over his twin's shoulder.  "After all, y'think we're just gonna let you have a free minute or two to break outta here?"  Tsking under his breath, he cocked his head to the side.  "You really are a dimwit, aren't you?  It's not permanent, of course, we wouldn't want to bastardize one of our own, if you can even be called that anymore.  You'll get your lil' powers back when we're through here."

When he pulls back this time, Tiger punches him hard in the side of the head, in the hopes that he'll knock some sort of sense into Kotetsu, or at least daze him for a bit, to stop the struggling.  It's probably useless, as he well knows, having took the same kind of blows himself when the tables were flipped the other way.  "I already told you, you know too much about us.  Your lil' research has landed you in hot water, kitten.  Why do you think that pathetic old fuck of a ceo turned his own brains to mush huh?  So that he could keep livin', even if in a prison cell.  Though that didn't turn out so well for him anyway~"  Grinning at the thought, he leaned down so he was at eye level with his twin, a scant inch or two separating their faces.

"I'll repeat myself one last time, kiddo, you wanna do this the easy way or the hard way?  You keep this up, it defaults to hard.  I don't mind either way.  Actually, go ahead, keep strugglin'.  It'll be fun makin' such an obnoxious scumbag cry out like a lil' bitch."

[roguedelinquency-blog]

.

[lipsticksandkicks-deactivated20]

roguedelinquency has approached you. Look alive!

[lipsticksandkicks-deactivated20]

“Oh well thats part of my thing, I don’t have a secret identity. SO what you see is what you get.” She smiled as she walked along, seeing a coffee shop. “Oooh…some pomegranate tea sounds heavenly right about now.” 

[roguedelinquency-blog]

"Well, well, a refreshin' change of pace."  He's not entirely convinced, but she at least promises to be more entertaining than a set of rehearsed catch phrases.  Glancing in the same direction he gives a shrug, "I could use some coffee myself."  When was the last time he'd slept anyway?  Instead of trying to figure that out, he decides caffeine is the better alternative.

[malevolent--windcurrents-blog]

“How fun,” he cooed, when he saw Tiger activate his own powers. Now Badman had to work quickly, and quickly with the aid of his wind, he jumped backwards so Tiger couldn’t have the privilege of kicking or punching him. Meanwhile, he worked on building his powers enough to send a big ball of wind towards the other man, which was hard considering he couldn’t stand still. In other words, Badman had to focus on two parts where he should gather wind. His feet who caused small dents in the ground from where he used the wind to jump sideways, backwards, and his hands. Sure he could snap his fingers and send something flying, but with Tiger and his powers activated, something minor hardly ever worked. No, he had to send him flying through a wall again to stop him.

The second issue he had, was that Tiger was quick. There was only one chance of doing the grand thing, and he had to hit him dead on in order to make him fly away like a tornado. Badman had to think, had to see what he could do in case he failed  - which was probably a 80% chance of doing so - a chance he would take. “Kitty, I would suggest that you sit the fuck down so I could hit you, but why would you listen to me,” he joked, and finally sent the huge ball of wind towards Tiger.

If he missed, he’d be punched and Badman would be the one greeting a wall. If he hit him, there was still a high possibility that Tiger blocked it somehow, or he would be able to get up right after, thanks to his powers. There was never a telling on what his friend managed to do, and that ticked him off… always ticked him off. Tiger had been hard to read before when he had his powers on, safe for the dead on attacks he did, but now… No, he could never read that man’s stamina and this time the man advanced enough to build up a variety in his fighting.

Add that to a will that was random, and you have an unpredictable fighter.

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Each blast of wind breezes past him, rippling through his hair, clothes, but never getting close enough to really harm him - a fact that only has the grin on his features growing as he vaults, leaping over another wall of air threatening to send him flying.  At this point, its a matter of who can outsmart whom first - or if Keith can manage to keep him dodging for the remainder of his time.  Try as he may, Kotetsu is still making progress, edging closer.  

It's a careful dance, to say the least.  His powers could simply push him far enough to reach the blond in a matter of seconds.  The problem is that he would be airborne for too long, would be too vulnerable.  Still, his time is quickly ticking past, and soon he won't be fast enough to dodge the blasts of air and will be pushed back too far anyway.

"Tch!  Keep dreamin' sensei~" he called out in return, narrowly dodging another of the blasts before pushing off hard from the nearest wall.  It's a long shot, but after spotting a fire escape, a plan flares to life in his mind.  Leaping up a number of flights he half expects to get blown back before he can land.  And yet, his feet touch down, and he's shoving off the cool, slick metal, hand balled into a fist as he aims for Keith.

Until he realizes why he wasn't knocked down earlier by the wind.

The blast is larger than the last ones, hitting him square on and he's only lucky that it doesn't whip him hard against that fire escape, sending him careening down the alley way instead.  He's ripping up asphalt as he struggles to slow himself down and he knows this is going to hurt like a bitch in the morning, but for now, all bets are off.  Even with the minute or so he has left, he knows he'll never make it back to how closely he'd come, not when his muscles already ache under the strain of slowing himself down, trying to avoid colliding with anything - especially not brick, brick was the worst.  

Panting, he looks up, still grinning, but not arrogantly.  "Well damn, looks like you got some bite to that bark after all~"

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Targeted

[ouroborosbarnaby-blog]

Finally things were looking up. The coy exchange of words, laced with something much more naughty seemed to entertain the blond. Well at least the man was good looking. Barnaby could help but notice the way his muscled moved beneath the suit, indicating a very tone man. 

He pressed close into the other man as the arm found it’s way around his waist. “I live in a nice place…just around the corner. Of course he was referring to the upscale hotel. He may be pretending, but he sure as hell wasn’t going to sell himself short. “I hope that’s alright with you.”

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Knowing the neighborhood well enough, he knows what building the man's referring to.  Honestly, Kotetsu shouldn't be that surprised, the guy was standing around on the street, and offered no protest to his offers.  Pushing the thought aside, he looked his companion over again, a small smirk lighting his features.  It was quite the role reversal, to go from paid entertainment to paying for it himself.  Perhaps hypocritical, but he needed some way to blow off his steam that wouldn't simply land him with more retribution required.  

"Perfect place for someone like you," he agrees, not dropping his arm even as they entered the building.  Some people around the lobby were eyeing them both, may as well make it blatantly obvious the blond was his for whatever remained of the night.  "And honestly, I could use a lil' glamour right about now~"

[roguedelinquency-blog]

What goes around, comes around.

[kaburagitkotetsu-blog]

That voice was familiar, ringing in his ears as it rasped in the dark room. Kotetsu let his head roll forwards as he tried to snap out of this drug induced grogginess. Lifting his eyes, he saw the last thing he would expect. Himself? He was expecting Maverick above seeing a twin. Maybe it was a dream, but the pain he felt in his head told him otherwise. 

“Where… wh-who are you?” Kotetsu struggled to speak, to just think. 

Instinct told him this was bad, very bad, and he wasn’t going to get out by his brute strength alone. What would Barnaby do? Kotetsu found himself thinking. The kid would play it calm and cool, escape when the other was vulnerable, just sit and wait. 

Kotetsu leaned away from his capture, the other’s voice right in his ear. The threat to his friends and family didn’t go lightly. He turned his head around, giving the doppelganger a glare that didn’t feel as menacing as he hoped it would. 

“You touch them and I’ll rip your fake face off,” Kotetsu snarled. Well, so much for staying calm. 

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Amusement flickers in his eyes as he pulls back, "Oh~ touchy, aren't you?"  Grinning, he backhands him hard across the face.  "And how do you plan to do that, hero?  'Case you didn't notice, your dumbass is tied up for safe keepin'.  You wanna keep runnin' that mouth like own the damn place or you wanna get sensible?"  Resuming his walk, he moves to a table a short distance away.  An array of devices are set out neatly, and he trails his fingers over the tops of some of the weapons, the tools of torture he's been given to ensure silence from the man.  The threat to his family and friends is very real, but if Tiger can convince him otherwise, then they would be none the wiser.  

"To answer your first question, you can call me Tiger."  Rubies glance over in Kotetsu's direction again, the arrogant grin momentarily replaced by a stoic mask.  To think if he could have been given such an easy way out...it has him deftly palming a switchblade.  After all, he doubted the self righteous hero would simply give in without some kind of fight, he may as well make use of his stupidity now that he had the chance.  "And by the way, dimwit, the face is real."  Stepping closer, he flicks the blade out, tapping it beneath the man's chin.

"Now then, kitten, you gonna play nice~?"

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Targeted

Today just wasn’t his day.

Not that many were, all things considered, but this had been especially bad.  A mission he’d assumed he’d done flawlessly was nitpicked until it took every ounce of his training to not simply hurl his superior through the wide panes of glass behind him.  That ordeal, throwing avoided, of course, still landed him on suspension.  Which meant petty missions again; more specifically becoming a liaison for the evening for a number of over-priced bigots.  

That feeling of wanting to throw someone through a window?  Instantly amplified tenfold.  It was a miracle he hadn’t killed any of them, doing as they asked, degrading himself for their entertainment.  Just the memory of it was enough to make him want to demolish something – a task that would be more than easy to accomplish with his powers.  Kotetsu was in the process of eying up prospective buildings when he spotted him.

At first he watched curiously, the awful night he’d spent so far fading to the back of his mind in the wake of this man.  It was hardly his style, but after a night that was clearly meant as punishment, maybe something different was just what he needed.

And if the alcohol in his system was making that easier for him to decide, then he couldn’t be happier with the earlier choice to drink himself into a stupor to help numb his duties.  

“Well, well, wasn’t expectin’ to see somethin’ so nice on the eyes out this late.  Need any help gettin’ home~?”

[ouroborosbarnaby-blog]

Barnaby was starting to think it was a waste of time. Maybe his lead was just full of shit. Maybe the boss had given him the wrong guy. It certainly wasn’t his fault. But Barnaby wasn’t sure just how many more creepy, fat, old guys he could turn down before someone caught on. 

The blonde pulled out the file once more and looked over it. No picture, of course. That would be convenient. So he had to look over the description to make sure that he hadn’t missed anything. Brown hair, layered, red eyes with cat shaped beards. What the hell kind of description was that?

It wasn’t until he heard the voice that he was jolted out of his thoughts. The blond lowered the paper that looked like anything from directions to just a note. He was met with an eye full of cat shaped beards. A slow and almost sinister smirk curled on his lips. “I just might baby…you mind helping me get home? Its a little cold tonight so I might need someone to warm me up.”

[roguedelinquency-blog]

"I couldn't agree more.  Where do you live sweetheart~?"  Maybe his luck was shifting after all.  There was certainly no mistaking that approaching the man was the right choice - not with that smooth purr of a voice saying what he wanted to hear paired with a face like that.  Somewhere in the back of his mind, he feels he should be concerned about the all too familiar shade of scarlet the man's eyes are, but just then he can't bring himself to care.

Slinging an arm around the blond's waist, he let him take the lead in the proper direction.

[malevolent--windcurrents-blog]

Hopping around on one leg, like that damn hero he saw on TV really made Badman reach the end of his own patience. 

The man made a much more different hop, and this time made a roundhouse kick in the air. Air, something he used to make the kick even harder, sending his friend flying to the edge of the ring. It wasn’t that hard really, proven when he wasn’t flying outside of the ring.

Badman smirked once Tiger collected himself, knowing perfectly well that the fight would turn a little bit more… bloody. Of course he already knew he should take the fight outside of the building, not wanting to wreck it with his wind, or Tiger’s ability to smack something into pieces if he wanted to, which is why he lured the man outside before Tiger could even activate his powers.

He fought fair, knowing he only had five minutes before he was back to normal again, unlike Keith who ran out when his stamina ran out, obviously. But he was still a man that fought fair when sparring with friends, unless they were brats. Tiger wasn’t a brat anymore, succumbed by anger. Something that needed to be straightened out. He had collected himself and seemed to have - save for Ouroboros - straightened his life up again.

“Aren’t I a kind sensei?” Badman used the words Tiger used, to describe himself, while sporting a smirk over his glowing shoulder, eyes shimmering in gold. “Here I am, hopping around like a fucking rabbit, and then to be fair towards you when switching scene to fight, I allow you to activate your powers later. My my my… You should thank me when I’ve won, Kitty.”

[roguedelinquency-blog]

And all too quickly, their little fight shifted dramatically.  

There was no mistaking the power behind that kick, no normal kick made his hair ruffle like that, not unless he took a hit to the face, and this was just the shoulder.  The smirk widened to a grin even as he caught himself at the edge of the ring; this meant he could really let loose.

"Don't get too far ahead of yourself, Puppy, you haven't won yet."  Now that they were outside, he didn't have to worry about breaking things - a problem he'd had when he'd lost his temper and flared his powers to life in training in the past.  Out here, he had free range, or at least freer than he had in that cramped ring.  Rubies flash to gold as a red aura of his own glows around his form.  This time when he pushes off, he moves quickly enough to leave the faint glow of his power trailing after him.  "Let's see what your wind can do~!"

[roguedelinquency-blog]

What goes around, comes around.

[kaburagitkotetsu-blog]

Maybe Kotetsu’s reasoning for researching deeply into Ouroboros was stupid and shallow on the surface. 

Maverick had left a bitter taste on his tongue, on all the heroes’, to the point where he had to stand at an airport and wave his partner a farewell for travels. It would be a pleasant distraction for Barnaby, Kotetsu rationed, and they kept in contact a bit. Still, it left Kotetsu terribly bored and restless while trying to figure out what to do with his new found free time while stuck in retirement.

Researching on Ouroboros seemed to quell his mind and his fears about what Maverick had said, that this origination ran deeper than any of them knew. Well, he was curious, and wanted to dive deeper. He wanted to share whatever information with his partner, maybe reassure him about everything. Maybe that Maverick had died with the last of Ourobors. 

Never did Kotetsu think it would land him neck deep in Ouroboros itself; kidnapped by them, left to their mercy.

A groan escaped his lips as the drugs started to ware off, started to let his senses clear up. His head and body felt like it was being crushed underwater as Kotetsu let his head roll backwards with another groan. Amber eyes slowly fluttered open, staring at the ceiling, trying to remember what happened to him. 

Where was he? Kotetsu shuffled himself heavily and discovered he was sitting in a chair, unable to move his arms and legs. It sent his mind into a panic as eyes widened, struggling to get out of the binds and try to just remember what had hit him.

[roguedelinquency-blog]

"Rise and shine sleepy head, we've got a big day ahead of us~"  Stepping forward, only a few inches from his twin's bound feet, Tiger let a smirk come to his features.  It certainly brought back bad memories of his own past, but this was an amusement park compared to his story.  And he'd be lying if a part of him wasn't enjoying this, getting the chance to make a hero - his double, no less - squirm.

"You should be thrilled you got me.  It's your lucky day, kid," he continued, beginning to slowly circle the chair he was bound to.  "Y'know why you're here, of course.  Pokin' around in our business just a bit too much.  And after we were nice enough to leave you pathetic idiots alone for a while too.  Talk about rude."  Pausing at the man's side he leans down.  "We can make this perfectly easy, however.  I'm not an unreasonable sort, assumptions aside, Wild-san.  You keep your mouth shut about what you know, and none of your precious friends and family have to die~  Simple, right?"

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Targeted

Today just wasn’t his day.

Not that many were, all things considered, but this had been especially bad.  A mission he’d assumed he’d done flawlessly was nitpicked until it took every ounce of his training to not simply hurl his superior through the wide panes of glass behind him.  That ordeal, throwing avoided, of course, still landed him on suspension.  Which meant petty missions again; more specifically becoming a liaison for the evening for a number of over-priced bigots.  

That feeling of wanting to throw someone through a window?  Instantly amplified tenfold.  It was a miracle he hadn’t killed any of them, doing as they asked, degrading himself for their entertainment.  Just the memory of it was enough to make him want to demolish something – a task that would be more than easy to accomplish with his powers.  Kotetsu was in the process of eying up prospective buildings when he spotted him.

At first he watched curiously, the awful night he’d spent so far fading to the back of his mind in the wake of this man.  It was hardly his style, but after a night that was clearly meant as punishment, maybe something different was just what he needed.

And if the alcohol in his system was making that easier for him to decide, then he couldn’t be happier with the earlier choice to drink himself into a stupor to help numb his duties.  

“Well, well, wasn’t expectin’ to see somethin’ so nice on the eyes out this late.  Need any help gettin’ home~?”

[malevolent--windcurrents-blog]

Don’t cheer too soon, Keith. It’s Tiger, and Tiger is better than that. 

Keith smirked when he saw his friend roll and stand up again. It was fun for once to spar with someone. Someone that didn’t receive a punch somewhere and rolled out of the ring. Tiger was the perfect partner to spar with, and he missed it.

Although he did not like that launch, especially not when it made him stagger backwards slightly, and the distinct coppery taste reached his sense of taste. Spitting some blood from his mouth, and licking his busted lip, Keith smirked once more, and used more kicking instead of punching. 

He couldn’t deny he was tempted to activate his powers, but he also knew that once Tiger did so, he’d be bonding with the wall on the other side of the room. Sure his wind was strong, and sure he had potential to win with said wind, but he needed more space to do so. He couldn’t even use some in his movements without Tiger noticing the slight red aura surrounding him.

[roguedelinquency-blog]

"Oh, too serious for words?  C'mon, I thought you could play better than that Badman~" he taunted, poorly blocking a kick that forced a grunt of annoyance past his lips.  It was difficult to keep up a stream of taunts while still parrying attacks and dishing out his own, but he was willing to take a few blows if it meant tipping the man over the edge.  Hand-to-hand combat was fun, certainly, but he always enjoyed it more once he used his powers - even if it gave a clear, unfair advantage.  

Catching one of the man's kicks, he held onto the blond's leg, snickering when he had to hop on the free leg to keep from falling.  "Give up yet~?  I'd hate to wreck that pretty face any worse."  A split lip was hardly much damage, but he had no intention of really harming him.  Keith was one of the few people Kotetsu actually trusted, and even rarer than that was the fact that he liked him.  Not an easy feat to accomplish these days.

[roguedelinquency-blog]

What goes around, comes around.

History certainly had a twisted way of repeating itself.

The roles were reversed, but it was the same old story.  That one Kaburagi T. Kotetsu couldn’t keep his nose out of trouble, even with quickly dwindling powers and retirement on his hands.  Whatever his motive was for researching this deeply into the organization, it had to be a stupid one.  Why else when peace seemingly reigned, would he bother digging into an organization he couldn’t hope to take on?  That he had no idea, really, what he was even getting himself into, looking into all these things? 

Some part of Tiger knew that, knew that being assigned this task was undoubtedly some kind of test.  A test to see where his loyalties laid now that the organization that landed him in Ouroboros in the first place was gone for good.

Horrible timing as always, Wild Tiger he thought irritably to himself, waiting, pacing the sealed off room that he was to use to convince the hero otherwise of spreading around what he knew.  Capturing the man had already been completed, he simply had to wait for him to wake up out of the drugged sleep now.

Of course when he did, that was when the games would begin.  Stupid, stupid kitten…

[roguedelinquency-blog]

-Wrinkles his nose, his ears pinning back as the man speaks and kneels down. He glares a moment then looks confused- Hero?

...Never mind.  What're you doin' here anyway, Bunny-chan~?  -idly pats him on the head.;

[roguedelinquency-blog]

Pyooh... I'm Barnaby. -tilts his head, looking up at the other. He furrows his brows then as he studies the bigger man- You're not Tiger...

Hey look, for a rabbit you're actually not entirely stupid.  Good for you, big guy.  -snickers, kneeling down next to him.;  Barnaby huh?  Like the idiot hero?

[roguedelinquency-blog]

updates!

As I said on my headcanon page, I'd make a post if any were updated/changed/deleted/tweaked/etc so here's that post!  The full list of headcanons can be found here.  If you've read them already, the added ones are listed below for your convenience. 

They don't often show themselves but he does have triggers.  For instance if he feels that someone important to him is in danger, or if he's in a situation much like the one he faced when he lost his wife and daughter, then he will snap.  Expect a bloodbath.

He really, really doesn't like the heroes.  At all.  Being the victim of real violence, he finds their antics to be insulting and downright pathetic.  He sees them administer no real justice and therefore mocks them whenever he gets the proper chance.  [Therefore, hero characters beware of some serious sarcasm and a need to defend your sense of justice because he will question it.]

He speaks fluent English of course, but his native language is Japanese.  It's rare that he slips back into it [Barnaby being really the only one to witness it without pretense] but when necessary has used it for missions in the past.