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The moon shone beautifully in the night sky, its milky glow enveloping the buildings of Musutafu. The winds were just right, not fast enough to offset his balance and not negligible enough to make him sweat either. The perfect weather conditions for the entrance of The Great Phantom Thief: Nisemono!
Neito dusted off a fleck of dust from his vest and adjusted his fingerless gloves before jumping from the building. He glanced around, his eyes sharp as he thought about tonight’s mission. A routine drop-off of a package intended for one of Grian’s associates. It was a simple job, if Neito had ever heard of one. But that didn’t mean he had to like it.
He stepped into a dark alleyway, slinking in the shadows as he made his way to the meetup location. Half an hour later, he reached the night market. Neito glanced around, taking in the vibrant stalls illuminated by neon lights, the air thick with the scent of street food and chatter.
Now, where was his target?
All Neito knew about Giran’s accomplice was that he was a man in his late 40’s, had black hair and would be wearing a beige coat along with a fedora hat. He moved deeper into the night market in his quest for the man, weaving through throngs of people enjoying the late-night atmosphere.
“Nei-Nei! I like this place.” I do too Pari, how about we come here again later?
Neito answered his sister as he ducked behind a stall selling takoyaki, glancing around for any sign of his contact.
“Yeah!”
As he leaned against the wooden support, he caught a glimpse of movement out of the corner of his eye. A man fitting the description stood near a fruit vendor, his fedora casting a shadow over his face. Neito’s pulse quickened; this had to be him.
“Time for the eloquent entrance of Nisemono!” Neito said to himself and pulled out a small brown envelope from his pocket. As he approached, Neito watched the man closely, noting how he kept glancing around, as if expecting someone. “Definitely a cautious type,” Neito mused, moving to stand a few paces behind him, adjusting his mask.
“Excuse me sir, I think you dropped this.” Neito’s voice was modulated, unfamiliar yet confident.
The man slowly turned around, a hint of surprise on his face and a guarded glint in his eyes. But he relaxed after seeing the envelope in Neito’s hands. “So you’re the one Giran sent this time.”
“Phantom Thief Nisemono, at your service!” Neito bowed with a flare.
The man raised an eyebrow, clearly unimpressed by Neito’s theatrics. “Nisemono, huh? A flashy name for a kid playing with fire. Just remember, you’re in deep with people who don’t take kindly to mistakes.” So kind of the stranger to care for him, but Neito doesn’t need the advice. He’s well aware of the world he was venturing into.
Neito straightened up, maintaining his confident demeanor despite the man’s dismissive tone. “I’m fully aware of the stakes. Now, are we going to conduct business, or are you going to stand there and critique my entrance?”
The operative let out a low chuckle, the tension in his shoulders easing slightly. “Alright, kid. Let’s get down to it.” He gestured for Neito to follow him down a quieter path away from the bustling stalls, leading them toward a dimly lit corner of the marketplace.
Neito obliged, following closely behind him. They arrived at a small, secluded alcove where a dim street light flickered overhead. The man stopped, turning to face him. “Here’s the drop-off. I’ll take the envelope now, and you’ll get your payment once Giran confirms everything checks out.” That was fast. Guess he’ll be able to get his much needed beauty sleep after all.
“Ah, of course.” Neito nodded while passing the envelope to the man. He received a small brooch in return, a proof to show Giran that the transaction went smoothly. He saluted the man, “It was a pleasure to make your acquaintance.”
The operative sighed, “Stay careful kid, don’t let yourself get killed.” With that, he turned to leave, blending back into the shadows of the market.
Neito watched him go, not quite being able to understand the concern the man showed for him. Surely he didn’t need to? Neito even felt guilty for making him worry over someone like himself.
But that was a matter to be thought about later, Neito thought. Since he had completed the task assigned to him, he could go home early and get some well needed shut eye.
He made his way back out of the crowded night market, his return taking far longer than his entry because the crowd had somehow tripled. Neito stopped, debating whether or not to see what the commotion was about.
“Nei-Nei, I wanna see what’s going on.”
Well, that settles it. He couldn’t possibly ignore Pari’s request.
Neito wove through the crowded streets, making his way to the center. His eyes widened a bit when he finally made it to the front. He saw a makeshift stage, where a troupe of performers was showcasing their quirks. The performers were clad in vibrant costumes, a blast of colors that sparkled under the stage lights.
“So pretty!” It really is, Pari!
Neito agreed in awe, watching a girl with bright blue hair juggling glowing orbs of energy that danced and sparkled in mid-air, leaving trails of light as she moved across the stage.
That’s… energy manipulation? Neito thought, analyzing her quirk. She’s using her quirk to create these beautiful, radiant spheres. He wondered what it felt like to control that kind of fluid energy. Do the spheres have any force in them? Their potential for combat seems to be low, however her control was impeccable.
“Wow,” Neito murmured as he watched her. The orbs soared higher, spinning and flickering in a mesmerizing display. The crowd clapped and cheered, clearly enthralled.
He imagined himself tossing those orbs into the air, creating a spectacle that could leave everyone breathless. The idea of Neito Nisemono no longer being a side character sent a thrill through him.
Next, the lanky boy with the wild red hair summoned flames that danced at his fingertips, forming intricate animal shapes. Neito’s brow furrowed with fascination. Fire manipulation, but he’s not just shooting flames; he’s crafting them into something dynamic. It’s like he’s painting with fire. Todoroki should take lessons from him.
Neito wanted to practice with that quirk at least once. He wanted to see how different it was from half-hot-half-cold and perhaps figure out why he wasn’t able to manipulate Todoroki’s fire as freely.
The small flame animals ran along the boy’s body and to the floor of the stage, forming a circle around him and dancing to the music flowing in the air. With each snap of his fingers, a new creature sprang to life, much to the delight of the audience. The flames flickered, casting warm shadows on the faces of onlookers who leaned in closer, mesmerized by the spectacle.
“They’re so cute, Nei-Nei!” Pari exclaimed, jumping around in Neito’s mindscape, positively smitten with the creatures.
Neito smiled, “Yeah, they’re really cute.” He had always admired those with strong quirks, the way they wielded their powers with such flair.
As the performance progressed, a girl with a flowing green cape took center stage, summoning vines that twisted and turned around her.
Neito gasped, “Just like Zaki’s quirk!”
They formed intricate patterns, moving like dancers in sync with her graceful movements. The crowd gasped as the vines blossomed into flowers, bright and vibrant against the backdrop of the night.
Hmm, no. Her quirk wasn’t exactly like Shiozaki’s. For one, Shiozaki can’t make flowers bloom on her vines. Was this perhaps an evolved version? Did that mean she could make flowers bloom if her quirk progressed enough? Oh, this was a possibility he failed to consider in his analysis!
Neito wondered if copying it would have the same feeling as Zaki’s quirk did. It would certainly be a very interesting phenomenon if that happened. This detour was turning out to be far more fruitful than he had thought it would be.
Time to go back Pari. “So soon?” We still need to drop off the brooch at Giran’s.
Pari pouted, wanting to see more. But a moment of contemplation later, she agreed and Neito turned around. But just as he did, a sudden commotion erupted behind him.
The fiery boy lost control of his flames, a burst of fire shooting into the air. Gasps echoed through the crowd as people stepped back, eyes wide with surprise. Neito instinctively dropped into a defensive stance, ready to react.
“Sorry, sorry!” the boy shouted, waving his hands frantically. The flames sputtered and extinguished, leaving behind wisps of smoke. “Just a little too much excitement!”
The crowd erupted into laughter, the tension dissipating. Neito relaxed and straightened his posture. Pari giggled in the background and he too let out a small smile.
As he stepped back into the thrumming energy of the night market, the vibrant lights and lively chatter seemed to wrap around him and he relaxed a bit more.
He then found some shadows and made his way out of the market. Halfway to Giran, Neito came face to face with another predicament.
Out of nowhere, he heard a voice ring out behind him. “Hey! You there! Stop!”
Neito's heart dropped as he recognized the authoritative tone—he was being pursued by a hero. He turned just in time to see a figure clad in bright, flashy armor barreling through the crowd, a determined expression on his face.
“I guess I’m not getting that nap after all,” Neito muttered under his breath, his mind racing. His eyes locked on a ledge in front of him and he broke into a sprint. He grabbed the ledge and pushed himself up, using the momentum of his previous run to aid his jump.
“Wha-?!” He heard an outraged cry behind him as he jump-climbed the building. “Get back here right now!” Apologies hero, but the Phantom Thief Nisemono cannot be caught tonight.
And so, the chase continued. With Nieto running over buildings and the hero chasing from the ground. The hero had tried to climb the buildings, but he couldn’t keep up with Neito’s speed and thus, decided to follow by land.
It seemed to Neito that he needed to work on his parkour skills more. A few blocks later Neito decided that it was finally time to lose his tail. He increased his speed, jumping off the buildings more recklessly. At one such turn, the hero lost sight of him and Neito chose that moment to drop to the ground.
He wasted no time, slipping into the dark alleyways and using the cover of the night to his advantage.
As he sprinted through the darkened veil, he could hear the hero shouting, trying to navigate through the confusion.
“Where did he go?!” The voice echoed, frustrated and bewildered. And the Phantom Thief did it again! A flawless escape as always.
This time, Neito moved more cautiously, even taking one or two detours before he finally made it to Giran. A nondescript café tucked away in one of the deeper parts of the alleyways welcomed him. He entered the cafe, the bell on the door jingling softly, indicating his arrival.
Giran was seated in a corner seat at the back of the cafe, smoking a cigar with a file in his hand. Neito approached the man and sat down opposite him.
He dropped the brooch in front of Giran. “Mission complete. I believe you won’t trouble me until next week now?”
Giran swiped the brooch examining it, “Good work kid. Didn’t think you’d be able to do it this fast.”
Neito swiped his hair arrogantly, “You’re speaking to the great Nisemono. It is to be expected.”
Giran chuckled, “You’re clear.”
“Well then,” Neito flipped his imaginary hat, getting up. “Please excuse me.”
And with that, he tied up all his loose ends for the week.
Just another night in the life of the Phantom Thief Nisemono.