Chapter 1: Let's Talk About Last Night

"The thing about villains is they can't win..."

"This is Amanda Pierce from the Kyoto News Network bringing you a live report from the skies above the battle that started in downtown minutes ago. It appears that Number 3 hero: Ground Zero has arrived to combat this new villain."

"...because if evil even got a single major victory…"

"Oh, what is this! Ground Zero has thrown himself into the air and is peppering the ground in explosions! Surely nothing can stand that level of persistent blasting from a quirk as strong as his!"

"...all heroes will have to change, but villains always adapt faster."

"Ground Zero has disappeared into the dust clouds that have completely covered the battlefield, but we can see flashes of green lightning and small explosions through the dust suggesting the villain is still at large. Wait! What is this? Oh my god, something is head right for us, pull up, pull u-"

The t.v. clicks off.

The occupants of the conference room are silent for a minute until the exhausted man holding the remote clears his throat, snapping everyone out of their thoughts.

"Let's talk about last night," Aizawa puts the remote down on the table, "from the looks on all your faces, it seems you haven't heard."

A young man with spiky red hair speaks up first, "Was it him?"

With that one question, the flood gates opened.

"Where is Bakugo?!"

"Is everything okay?"

"What is this all about?"

With a loud whistle from Aizawa, everyone quiets down.

"You are all adults now, you are no longer the kids I used to teach, so start acting like it and go one at a time." Aizawa points in the direction of a floating set of gloves, "You go first Toru."

Toru thinks for a moment, then crosses her arms, "What do YOU think happened yesterday? I don't know about the rest of you guys, but I would rather you tell us straight up instead of beating around the bush like this."

Kirishima and Kaminari exchange a glance then say at the same time, "Yeah! What do you think happened?"

Aizawa runs his fingers through his hair and sighs, "Well I don't know what to think if I am being completely honest, but I can definitely tell you what the news report and further intelligence suggests. After Bakugo was thrown at the helicopter, both him and the crew went down. While the wreckage from the helicopter was found quickly and the civilians were brought to the hospital, Bakugo was nowhere to be seen and any attempt to find him has brought back no results."

Yaoyorozu raises her hand, "Then who was the villian that attacked the city? The only electric style villian with oddly colored lightning was Lady Surge and she was captured years ago."

Kaminari pipes up, "And her quirk was neon pink, I doubt she was the culprit."

Uraraka speaks up for the first time, fists clenched and teeth gritted, "It was him, it was Deku."

Iida stands quickly from his chair, "Now don't jump to any conclusions. It can't be him."

Tsuyu lays a hand on Uraraka's shoulder, "He has been gone for two years Uraraka. We saw him die."

Uraraka pushes the hand from her shoulder, "You saw him die, I didn't. And last I checked you didn't find his body!"

"Can you do this another time?" Aizawa snaps at her, pain layered in his voice, "I'm not done."

"Fine." Uraraka huffs then leans back in her chair.

Aizawa pinches the bridge of his nose, "It has come to our attention that class 1A, your class 1A at least, is being targeted by this villian. Mineta was reported missing a few hours prior and Sato hasn't answered anyone's call yet, so it is safe to say that he is dealing with the same treatment. We don't know the severity of the situation or if it is even a situation at all, but your hero agencies have given me permission to put you on paid leave until the situation is resolved."

"What!"

"You have got to be joking..."

"And they didn't tell me?"

"Quiet!" The room settles once more, "Since you are still all green horns, we have the authority to make this decision. It hasn't even been nine months since graduation and you are all being targeted, to be honest, I am surprised it hasn't happened sooner since the League dropped off the map."

"So what do we do now, huh?" Sero's voice filters through the mask of his hero costume, "Just sit here on our hands while others do our job for us?"

"No," Aizawa says curtly, "that is what your hero agencies think is happening to Nezu and I have a different idea."

Kirishima groans and slumps onto the table, "Oh god, don't tell me we are going to hunt them down ourselves? Please god, don't let that be the case."

"Oh, but it is." Aizawa smiles wide, "We are going to get your friends back personally."

Iida whips a hand in the air, "Question, when do we start?"

"Right now."