helland_damnation | TFLN and Continuations, bitches!

The scream was more startling than the silence, and Minoru had to grab onto that ledge as his foot slipped slightly. That... that was very close. Too close.

“Warn me before you do that!” He shouted back, relieved that Joe was merely finding his second wind and not falling to his doom.

The last thing he needed was to fall to his doom either. (Because yes, dying would be very inconvenient. He wouldn’t get to take the American Ninja Warrior Finals by storm if he were dead. Not to mention how his friends and family would feel... Ziggy especially. He did make a promise to always come back from his adventures, and he intended to still keep it.)

"What? Oh, yeah--sorry! Just had to."

Joe just had to scream to get himself pumped up and psyched for the next round of pulling and pushing. Fuck, it wasn't easy! His arms were already like dead weights and his feet ached. Maybe that was because he wasn't wearing shoes anymore. Whatever. He could do this. Fuck the cops down there.

"Smile for the camera, mate!"

The bassist laughed as he looked at the news chopper which was now circling over head with a news man talking into a mic whilst near leaning out of the chopper to get a good view of the two young climbers. It was crazy.

Oh, they were definitely going to be on the news. The lead story, for sure! If they weren’t broadcasting live right now.

Minoru grinned, repositioned himself, gave a wave and pointed straight up.

“Think the cops are waiting at the top too?!” He called back down to Joe.

As long as they were in the middle, there wasn’t much they could technically do. It wasn’t like office building windows opened.

It was good they were going to be on the news because Joe wanted this. There was no way he was going to attempt such a climb without some media presence because this was totally crazy for him. He could die! Yet, he was still clinging on. Just.

"Fuck knows! If they are I'll give them a moon once I'm up and over the top."

Because this is what high rock stars did. Mooning people with their naked ass cheeks. So classy, Joe. It was what Aarne would have wanted anyway since he was as crazy as the Brit. The Trash Twins. Gripping onto the next ledge, Joe pushed himself up and huffed a little. How many more levels were there? Jesus.

"How long before we reach the top?"

The thing about the middle was that it was really hard to gauge where exactly you were. Looking straight up was a dizzying experience, and one to be avoided about as much as looking straight down was.

"Probably about as long as we've been climbing!" he shouted back down. They were somewhere around halfway. Probably a little bit beyond it. "Told you I lost count a long time ago!"

If it was just Minoru, it wouldn't be that long, honestly. But he was waiting now for Joe to catch up a little more. (And very seriously getting worried about whether he was going to be able to make it all the way.)

"We can't stop climbing, honey! Let's show them what we've got!"

Joe was still full of positive energy as he continued to climb even though his leg muscles were on fire and his arms ached. Fuck that. He couldn't give up now. No way! The media was on them both and the bassist wanted to give them a good show. Heaving himself up another level, Joe looked up at Minoru and sighed, pushing some of his wild hair from his face.

"We can do this! How are you doing?"

Damn, it was hard work but the Brit couldn't stop now, nor could he force himself to look down. Oh god. So high. He would surely fall if he looked down so---nope. Not going to happen.

Unbeknownst to both of the climbers, the law enforcement on the bottom had called for backup. And the New York City fire department had special teams that specialized in high stakes rescue operations.

Minoru thought they were safe because no one was even trying to rappel down from the top or climb up after them. (Really, why WOULD they? It was insane enough that they were up there!) But on one of the floors between Joe and Minoru, they were busy cutting into the glass with a special diamond saw.

“I’m good!” Minoru shouted back. “Just... hang on... did you hear something?!”

From where he was, he couldn’t see the glass being cut and pulled into the building. But Joe probably had a good vantage point for seeing very serious faces just two stories up peeking out and down at him.

The gig was up!

Joe could hear something above him like a cutting machine of some sort. What the fuck was that? The bassist glanced up slowly as he then saw people peeking out and down at him. Oh fuck! Police? No. Fire department?

"It's the law and some fire guys! Shit---what do we do? I think they're trying to rescue us, mate. I can't climb any higher without them getting to me."

What were they to do now? These guys were out to ruin their fun and Joe wanted none of it. Fuck them! They were here to climb this skyscraper and he wanted to do it. Why did the fire department need to get involved? There was no fire. Holding his position he waited to see what Minoru would do next because he couldn't go higher because of those tosspots blocking his way.

They were radioing that they had one of the climbers cornered.

Unfortunately, they couldn’t exactly get any closer without potentially risking knocking one off. And that was not a risk they were willing to take. As it was, one of them was holding out a hand, and another was beckoning Joe to come up just one more story.

“I don’t know! I didn’t know they could do that!” Minoru also didn’t know if there was a team up in his path somewhere. “Do you think you can go around?!”

Moving up was hard enough. Moving to the side, having one foot and one hand (possibly at the same time) reaching across to another frame, could spell disaster. But it was definitely an option.

Either way, as Joe and Minoru stalled, the rescue teams were doing the final checks on their harnesses. They’d be out of the window very soon!

Shit. They were radioing! Not good.

"Fuck knows, mate. I need to get around them so I can climb higher! Stupid assholes..."

Joe huffed and looked upwards, wondering how to get around the inconvenience which were the fire crew. Fuck this. Why did they have to ruin Joe and Minoru's fun? It wasn't like anyone was in trouble---not really. Joe had this, or at least, he thought he did. Hey, he was still hanging in there!

"I'll try and go around them--"

It was the best bet. What else could he do? Offering the fire crew a middle finger, Joe grabbed onto the ledge above and carried on his descent, slowly but surely. If anyone tried to grab them he'd kick them in the face.

Minoru watched from above as two firefighters, hooked and harnessed, climbed out the window.

One looked up at Minoru. The other frowned at the lovely middle finger gesture he was given from Joe. And as much as he wanted to deal with the barefoot punk, they really did first have to deal with the one above them.

“Stop right there.” He insisted, and to Minoru’s credit, he did actually stay there.

But he couldn’t help but pout with a bit of a sheepish smile. “Please, we made it this far! We’re only half way up!”

The politeness stunned them for a moment, but they quickly both shouted back.
“It’s too dangerous for you boys to be out here! Let’s get you both inside.”
“Stay where you are, and we’ll come get you!”

The news choppers were getting some good shots of the fireman reasoning with Minoru. They were all the way to a dramatic closeup when looked down at the rescue team, and sighed.

Yeah... it was over. This was a blast, but Minoru wasn’t going to run from the authorities. Not like that.

“You don’t have to come get me. I can climb down just fine...”

Which he could. And did. Just as quickly and gracefully as he’d descended when he needed to rescue Joe out of his shoe. He moved right past them, grabbed the edge of the frame, and swung inside the now-open window. The rest of the firefighters were there, trying to do something to help, but really just stood ready to catch him by that point. He really could climb down just fine.

On the ground, there was a mix between cheers and boos.

The rescue squad turned their attention to the one who definitely wasn’t going to be as polite.

Fuck.

"Fuck this!"

Joe was pissed. The emergency crews were above him and now they had Minoru. Damn it! This wasn't suppose to happen. Why did this idiots have to try and foil all their fun? After getting this high Joe wasn't about to give up. Fuck off was he? Growling in annoyance, the bassist pushed himself up higher to another level close to where the window was now open with the crews looking down at him.

"Piss off you bastards!"

Offering up a one handed middle-fingered salute, Joe then made his way up much to the dismay of the people on the ground and the crews, as he managed to meet at their level, aiming a kick at the nearest grabbing hand that came near him.

"I'm not giving up. Not after all this! I lost my fucking boots doing this shit and I'm getting to the top!"

He tried to squeeze past the open window, using his foot to kick whilst trying not to fall to his death.

Minoru was yanked all the way inside as soon as he got close enough to the missing window. The police were not about to take any chances, even if he did come willingly, and the traceur found himself quickly cuffed with his hands behind his back.

It wasn’t the first time that happened. Or the first time it happened in this universe, actually...

He could no longer see what was going on outside, but he could hear Joe cursing up a storm, followed by multiple stern replies of, “come with us, it’s for your own safety” and “Stop right where you are. Keep your feet on the frame!”

The rescue crew had one thing Joe didn’t - safety harnesses. This meant they could use both hands and feet without needing to hold on. The intended target could, and did, block that lopsided kick from hitting him in the face. And he grabbed Joe’s leg.

Minoru tried to run back to the window to see what was going on just below, but was held back.

Shit, this was bad.

Minoru had been fucking cuffed! Joe wanted to reach the top so swore at the crew and then felt his leg being grabbed. Trying to shake off the bastard who grabbed him, Joe growled in annoyance but made sure he was holding on tight with his hands and other foot since otherwise he could lose his grip.

"---the fuck! Are you trying to kill me you wankers? I could fall! Let go of me you cocksuckers! I'm getting to the top---"

Joe wasn't going to give up. No way was he! After all this effort AND losing his boots he wasn't going to let some fucking squares ruin his fun. Minoru though---shit. Had he been arrested? Joe would have to bust him out after he got to the top. Right? He would get to the top.

"Get the fuck off Minoru too! He's done nothing wrong. You knob jockeys!"

The two on the rescue squad answered at the same time.

“Not if you come quietly.”
“That’s what we’re trying to avoid.”

A fight thirty odd stories off the ground was the last thing they wanted, but at the moment it appeared unavoidable. Their attempts to talk Joe down weren’t exactly working.

“Your friend came quietly. If you do the same, no one has to get hurt.”

"Come quietly? That's what you want, isn't it? You fucking assholes! You've ruined our fun!"

Joe was getting desperate. Where could he go? He couldn't go back down, not now. He didn't even know how to descend the building, let alone do anything else. Shit. This was total garbage. Minoru had been caught and now it seemed the bassist had no where to go.

"Fuck! Just---"

A large sigh and Joe gripped tightly on the ledge before rolling his eyes and giving up. What else could he do? Jump to his death? Fuck that. So, he resigned himself to the authorities along with Minoru. Damn it. He really wanted to get to the top! Moving himself closer to the crew he huffed and went to reach out with an extended arm hoping someone would grab it.

Oh, some of the news crews had probably suggested the possibility of suicide rather than arrest. But thankfully, such a tragedy was not going to happen today.

The rescue team seized that outstretched arm. They were ready for a struggle, and were a bit surprised that the rocker actually resigned himself to being taken inside.

“Joe!” Minoru called out, as he entered through the window. He was relieved his partner in crime (or should we say, Partner in Climb) was all right!

He wanted to run right over, but could only take a single step forward before the policeman grabbed his upper arm. He wasn’t going anywhere, except probably jail, until somebody came to get them.

Joe snapped his head towards where Minoru called out and desperately wanted to punch and kick his way towards his friend but knew that was impossible now. Fucking police. He offered a sad expression and then offered a finger to the person who grabbed him by the arm, pulling him inside the building.

"These cocksuckers ruined our fun, honey. Hey, there's always a next time though. Fuck, will there be!"

He yelled the last sentence even louder so everyone could hear. No one was going to stop the bassist from causing more chaos once he busted out of jail. Let's face it---this is where both men were going tonight.

"Ever been banged up before, mate? Sorry if this is your first time because of me."

Joe offered Minoru a sheepish smile.

The police may have been a little rougher on Joe when they shoved his hands behind his back and cuffed him. But he did give them plenty of reasons to be. Minoru, by contrast, really did come quietly.

“…yeah.” Minoru sheepishly admitted that it wasn’t his first time. “I think this one’s gonna clear out my No Trespassing Fund, though…”

It was definitely not his first time. He literally kept a separate savings account for bailing himself out of trouble. (Not everyone was a fan of parkour.) It technically wasn’t even his first time in THIS world, but Jack and Ziggy busted him out before the cops could actually take him in that time. This time, he doubted he’d be so lucky.

"You've been busted before? Fucking awesome, mate. You're a rebel like us."

Joe laughed and then groaned when he was shoved in the back slightly by one of the cops. Wankers. They were rough on the bassist because he'd been abusive and hadn't come down lightly. Whatever. Tom would be pissed but it had been totally worth it in Joe's eyes because he could have made it to the top. Right?

"Looks like Tom will have our asses for this. Shit. Ziggy's old man really yells when he's pissed. Last time he blew up was when Rik and Viktor had a punching match at the back of the hotel."

That wasn't good. What were these US jails like anyway? Easy to bust out of? Joe guessed if he could find a pin he could pick the lock. Was Minoru any good at picking locks?

Given the television cameras that had been pointed in their direction for at least half of their ascent, it sounded really stupid to ask, but…

“You think he knows?”

Yes, Minoru. Of course, Tom is probably well aware of the situation you’ve gotten yourself into.

Minoru didn’t know what the jails were like in this universe, only the one he came from. But there, it was less about doing time and more about just paying a few hundred dollars in fines and apologizing for being a public nuisance by climbing on someone’s private property. The hard part was remembering which fences not to hop or which walls not to scale.

"Yeah, I think he knows, mate. The TV choppers and all of that shit. He may have even watched it on TV himself."

Joe was willing to take whatever punishment came from Tom but as for these idiots taking them into custody? They could fuck right off. The bassist offered a glare to a few of them as they were walked cuffed back to the police station. The cop shop.

"You had nice moves up there though, honey. Totally rocked the side of this building."

He couldn't help offer up praise to Minoru for leaping up the building like Spider-Man. It was an impressive feat himself. Then his thoughts turned to his boots. Fuck. Would he get them back? Probably not.

"I need to get some new boots after this shit's all over."

A policeman nudged Joe in the back to silence him a little. As if that would work.

The compliment made Minoru smile, even as the cops led them both out of the building in quite the walk of shame.

“Thanks… woah…”

Joe might be used to the crowds, but this was the first time Minoru really found himself in the middle of it all. Even when he and Ziggy had their first date, it wasn’t like this! Cameras were everywhere. The press was on the ground, shoving microphones toward the police officers for statements and cameras toward Joe for color commentary. Whoever had the boots must have made off with them already, or else they probably would have been pushing through trying to get an autograph. (Not like Joe could sign it with his hands cuffed behind his back.)

A squad car would have been a welcome relief. But the crowd was still too thick, so they were literally paraded through downtown.

"No need to thank me, mate. I mean it. As for these assholes here? They just love to ruin people's fun!"

Joe scowled at them all as they were lead down onto the ground floor and out into the open. Fuck. This stank like stale shit. What would Aarne say right now? Or Tom even? Shit....Tom. Not good. As for being paraded, Joe made a scene by jumping up and down even with cuffs on, laughing and trying to get out of the grip of the authorities. He hated this. Being lead around like some zoo animal.

"Get the fuck off me! Too tight---"

The cuffs were digging into his wrists as he squirmed. Looking to Minoru he knew this could only get worse as they were being lead to the police station. Sticking his tongue out at one of the cameras, Joe then bit a microphone thrust towards his face and laughed. Why not cause shit? He was arrested and couldn't do anything else right now.

Minoru kept a low profile as they walked. Or rather, Joe kept attracting all the attention.

Normally, he’d just call Isamu whenever he got to the station, tell him how much money to get out of the account and endure a lecture about proper behavior until he arrived. But Isamu was currently in the Nexus. That complicated things (the least of which probably involved inter-dimensional currency conversion).

“What usually happens now?” He asked as he thought about who he should call.

Ziggy was his first thought - and he was kind of glad now that his koibito hadn’t taken no for an answer on paying him like the rest of the crew. That would cover his bail, right? Maybe Tom, though? Tom would know what to do.