𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐚𝐭𝐞𝐝→ᴅᴀʙɪ ᴀɴᴅ ꜱʜᴏᴛᴏ x ʀᴇᴀᴅᴇʀ

20

"Shit! put your weapons down!" I scream at the top of my lungs; no one listens. Dammit, this is the worst possible thing that could've happened. 

The sound of explosions and gunfire rings through my ears. At this point, it's almost impossible to hear myself over all the ruckus. This is bad. I wanna know who started this so I can drag them to hell for the shit they've caused me.

There's nothing I can do now. No one was nice enough to give me a firearm, so I'm practically screwed. I take in my surroundings. A few people lie dead on the cold floor. People I couldn't save. I try to pick out who the next target might be but there's so much going on it's hard to tell.

My heart starts pounding. What should my next step be? What should I do to ensure the safety of everyone in this room? I'm panicking, but I can't help it. My hands start trembling. The sound of screams travels through one ear and out the other. What should I do, dammit?

"Stop, think, and then act." My heart drops when someone's hand touches my shoulder. I turn my head in fear to see who it is. It's the bartender. I squint my eyes in confusion. Why didn't he get out?

"Look, you're training to be a pro. I've cheered you on for the past three years of your life at the sports festival. You know what you're doing, L/n." I take a deep breath and shake off my nerves. I got this. I can take control; I know it.

I turn to face the bartender. "Thank you," I say into his ear, and he gives me a thumbs-up before pulling something from his suit pocket. It's a pistol. My eyes widen in fear but he hands it to me slowly. The grip facing me and the barrel facing him.

"It just shoots blanks alright? Use it to get everybody's attention." I nod, and he runs off after wishing me luck. I only hope he gets out of here safely.

I search the room, people still argue and guns are still getting drawn on one another.

Higher ground... higher ground- I look around for somewhere elevated. A place where I can stand and get everyone's attention.

And then I spot it: a stage at approximately 2 o'clock from where I stand in which a pianist hides behind her shiny black piano.

Can I make it over there without dying? Without getting shot? I rub my finger nervously along the ridges of the grip of my gun, and I take a deep breath, studying every path I could use to get over there as quickly and efficiently as I can without getting shot.

Fuck it. I think before dead-bolting it for the stage. I swerve around countless people avoiding their shots aimed at other persons that hide behind pool tables and leather poker chairs.

As I run, I remember what Ida told me to increase my speed: keep your arms sharp, your form tight, and your chest up. And don't forget to keep your eye on the goal.

My ankles are killing me, and I'm only halfway there. It feels like I'll never reach my goal. I block people out, focusing on the stage. C'mon- I push myself.

I finally reach the stairs to the stage without a scratch and run up them, almost losing my left high heel. I run behind the piano with the pianist and she looks at me, terror in her eyes.

"It's alright," I tell her and some hope comes back into her eyes. "What's your quirk?" I continue, asking her quickly.

"I can change the vibrations of sound. Make things louder and sound a different way," she explains to me over the noise, her voice cracking at almost every word that comes out of her mouth.

"So, you have a quirk similar to Presentation Mic?" I ask. Her quirk sounds almost exactly like his. Maybe they're related?

"Yes, he's my uncle. The only reason I'm playing at this party is so I can get money to pay for my son's schooling." My lips part. She has a kid...

"Okay, I'm gonna need your help-"

Me and Aiko, which is what I learned the pianist's name was, go over the plan one more time and then get ready to take it into action. 

First, Aiko will mute the sound of all surrounding guns so the only known sound is the blank when I shoot. Then when I do fire, she will amplify the ringing noise of the shot and make it so only the people inside of the building can hear. After that I'll announce something; I'm just not sure what it is yet.

"You ready?" I question, checking the gun magazine. Aiko gives me a thumbs up before slowly bringing her middle and index fingers to her temples.

Soon enough, everything goes quiet. People look around confused that their bullets are making no sound.

I turn off the safety of my gun quickly and pull back the hammer aiming the barrel up towards the ceiling. I move my finger to the trigger and shoot.

The fire of the blank hurts my ears, and I start to hear ringing as the sounds around me no longer vibrate my eardrums.

I drop my arm and take a deep breath. The only thing I can hear right now is my heart beating. My head feels like it's about to explode.

Aiko tugs on my sleeve and I look down at her. She looks concerned. She taps her ear and her mouth moves, but I can't even read her lips.

She stands up and grabs my arm. Looking at the crowd of people who are still alive. She opens her mouth to speak tucking a piece of her long black hair behind her ear.

She says something and says it loud because I can feel the vibrations of her voice through the stage floor, the way her words pulse through my entire body.

I cover my ears and fall to the ground.

It suddenly hits me: my hearing is gone.