"Don't move!" Snapped Aizawa, their slightly eccentric homeroom teacher. Fixing his glaringly awful goggles into place and eyeing the approaching mob warily, the tension in his body almost palpable. "Those are villains."
Involuntarily, Midoriko almost stepped towards him, checking herself at the last moment. Focusing instead on the dark cloud massing before class 1-A, villains striding confidently from it's dark maw, assured of their easy victory. Like hell, she thought, bristling with righteous indignation as more and more figures poured forth into the USJ training grounds. Their malice beckoning to the darkness inside of her, recognizing a kindred spirit.
The nervous chatter of Midoriko's classmates broke though her uneasiness, distracting her just in time. I can't let my guard down, she knew, refusing to be scorned as Midoriya was for having an uncontrollable quirk. She'd worked too damn hard for it all to have been for nothing. I have to stay in control.
"Thirteen," Aizawa ordered, talking over the rest of class 1-A, "start the evacuation. Try calling the school." His words were clipped and curt, but Midoriko was sure she heard genuine concern in his voice. Numbly, she wondered just how much danger she and her friends were in. Only two teachers, Thirteen and Mr Aizawa, were present, and Midoriko privately wondered at the usefulness of some of her classmates.
She could only watch in mute horror as Aizawa began directing Thirteen and the students to safety, herself included. Striding forward with an authority she didn't know he possessed, shoulders set firmly, booking no argument. "Stupid," Midoriko muttered softly, too softly for anyone, let alone him, to hear. Wasn't it obvious that she was going to argue? Aizawa, of all people, should know that she didn't play by the rules.
"What about you, Sir?" Midoriya piped up, taking the unspoken words right out of her mouth. "Will you fight by yourself?" His green eyes glistened fervently, clearly distressed by the prospect of their teacher fighting alone.
Midoriko narrowed her own eyes, practically spitting contempt as Midoriya reeled off all the reasons why Eraserhead was wrong for this fight. Reminding her of all of the things she should have already thought of. "Izuku's right." She finally said, forcing her voice to remain calm, dispassionate, cold even. "There are too many for one pers -"
"You can't be a hero with just one trick." Aizawa intoned, cutting her protest short without even a backward glance. "I'm leaving it to you, Thirteen." Just like that, he was gone. Leaping from the platform, headfirst into a mob of villains. Leaving her behind... Again. His scarf-weapon billowed around him, plowing into the villains, and immobilizing them in quick succession. Dark clothes a mere blur as he weaved, with surprising grace, through his opponents.
He's good, Midoriko admitted to herself, trying to quell the surge of pride she felt as Aizawa darted between villains twice his size, sending them reeling.
"Come on Midi," Ashido said, pulling her away, towards where the rest of class 1-A were retreating. "Let's hurry." Following her friends direction, Midoriko saw Lida, their class rep, yelling at Midoriya, and knew she'd be next if she didn't get a move on. Aizawa's fine, she told herself firmly, casting a rueful gaze in his direction before allowing her friend to lead her away. "Do you think Mr Aizawa will be okay?" Ashido asked breathlessly, her usually cheerful demeanor fraught with concern.
Despite her misgivings, Midoriko squeezed her friend's pink shoulder reassuringly. "We'll all be okay." She smiled, forcing her own worries down, deep into the bit of her stomach where they churned sickeningly. "This is what we've been training for after all."
As if to prove her wrong, a dark shadow emerged from the ground before them, stopping class 1-A in their tracks. Flickering above them as it began to solidify, taking on a large, humanoid shape, and blocking their exit. "I won't let you." The shadowed mass spoke seriously, eyes gleaming like hot coal.
Midoriko drew back sharply, cursing under her breath as the writhing mass of darkness began addressing her fellow classmates. Annoyed, she risked a backwards glance, hoping for some glimpse of Aizawa; but he was already out of sight. Still fighting the villains, buying them time. "Well, that is neither here nor there." The dark figure intoned listlessly, spreading what Midoriko assumed were his arms, and drawing himself up to full height. "This is the part I am to play."
Midoriko gasped, realizing she'd been a fool to underestimate this man's power. Shadow or no, she could feel the tension in the air as he moved to strike, like a snake tormenting its prey.
A rapid burst of movement caught her eye, followed instantly by a faint waft of air upon her cheek as both Kirishima and Bakugo propelled themselves towards the shadow, fists flying recklessly. Idiots! Midoriko thought, throwing herself to the ground as the pair stampeded past, sparks already igniting the air as Bakugo used his explosive quirk. The ground erupted around her as explosions shattered the air, echoing painfully throughout the USJ, causing black plumes of smoke to choke the class.
Disjointed voices sounded around her, impossible to pinpoint with the dense smoke making her eyes stream. Blearily, Midoriko tried to focus on what was directly in front of her, hearing Thirteen cry out for her classmates to move. Where? She wondered, reaching around for Ashido who had been right beside her, and snagging empty air.
"Midi!" She heard her friend call as, within the smoke, something viciously began tearing her away from the rest of the class, forcing Midoriko backwards. She struggled futility, feeling her body being pulled further and further into the darkness. Damn you, she thought vengefully, raising her hands to protect her face from the onslaught. Her legs splayed uselessly beneath her, the floor seemingly disappearing as she kicked aimlessly, grasping for purchase.
A dark rage flooded her, and Midoriko fought to quell it. Don't be used by your quirk, she commanded herself. Use it. Feeling the tension, the anger, the hatred, humming through her blood, Midoriko crouched. The roaring in her ears grew louder, and her face began to morph, bones cracking as her quirk took hold. There! She thought, uncurling her body with inhuman speed. Propelling herself from the shadow's icy power, and crashing bodily into Lida as they both tumbled painfully from the thick cloud of mist. "Sorry!" She gasped, wincing. "That was too close."
"Are you okay?" Lida asked, allowing Midoriko to clutch unsteadily at his hero costume as the mist, along with most of her classmates, disappeared.
"I'm fine," she said, regaining composure, and allowing Lidia to help her to her feet. "Thanks." Looking round, Midoriko saw that only a handful of her classmates, along with Thirteen, remained. There was no sign of Kirishima or Bakugo. What now? She wondered, focusing solely on the threat before her. The enemy. Ignoring the others, Midoriko stepped forward, drawing up alongside Thirteen, her fists clenched. She wouldn't be caught out again.
"Class rep!" Thirteen said, turning to look back at Lida, ignoring his protests. "I entrust this duty to you. Run to the school and tell about what it happening here." Good, Midoriko thought, as their teacher continued to explain the dire situation they were in. Once we have someone on the outside, we can prioritize our friends...and Aizawa.
"Lida," she said, adding her own voice to her friend's encouragements. "Believe in us. You're our class rep, and we chose you because you're the best. So, let's kick some ass!" She grinned savagely, punching the air. Seeing, to her relief, that everyone's words had the intended effect. Lida braced, eyes narrowing in determination as he powered up his quirk. The engines on his calves surging into life as, together, class 1-A naively turned to face their opponent.