In the Shadows

At six in the morning, Shigaraki was sound asleep with Kurogiri guarding his door.

Bakugo, Flint, and Hawks had just landed on the roof.

Shinso picked the lock to the roof's door to admit them.

"There's no heroes here, so be sure not to hold back." Flint's short, motivational speech stung Hawks and Bakugo, the former who hated his life in the shadows, and the latter who was still angry that he hadn't been recruited sooner. Bakugo wanted to be the best, while Hawks wanted nothing more than an era where heroes could peddle away their days solving minor spats. Shinso recalled the statement vividly, as it had been one of Flint's favorite teachings during practices.

Tokoyami met them at the base of the stairs. "You weren't followed," he reported. "As far as Dark Shadow and I can tell, nobody is on the floor except them."

"Tsukuyomi?" Hawks sounded thrilled. "I heard you were an agent, but assigned to someone else."

Bakugo felt a twinge of jealousy at the duo's familiarity. Not for the first time, he felt as if he may not have been Hawks' first choice as a sidekick.

"I was never assigned a mentor. I've been here since graduation, on orders to collect information."

"Come on, guys. This isn't the time or place. Which way, Shinso?"

"Just down here," Shinso turned and began to lead them away. Flint jammed the lock with sand, thus preventing anyone from blocking their escape. She broke her getaway boulder into several smaller chunks of gravel and had it litter the roof. Overall, it appeared as if nobody had been there.

"Bakugo, give Shinso your headset," Flint directed, aiming to take charge.

Bakugo refused. "Quit treating me like some extra," he snapped. "I've been quiet this entire time, but now it's your turn to shut up, Dyke. I've got a plan, and it's gonna work." Though he didn't shout, his brazen words and firm tone settled the group at once.

Hawks couldn't help but feel as if he was the cause for the rupture in his sidekick's demeanor. "Let's hear what you've got, Overkill."

Hawks led the way with Bakugo's arms held over his head. The former held one of his feather blades to his sidekick's neck. "He won't cooperate," Hawks declared, his eyes already rolling. "It looks like you guys were right after all."

Kurogiri turned his head and chuckled. He wasn't surprised to see Hawks in their building, as he'd been with them for years. "What a shame, it looks like we'll have to-"

"Freeze." Hawks' voice spoke again. Thanks to the poorly lit corridor, Dark Shadow had been able to mask Tokoyami, Shinso, and Flint from view. From the hidden vantage, Shinso had brainwashed the living warpgate. Though Kurogiri didn't appear to be dazed, the tall man stood perfectly still. "Open the door," Shinso said in his normal tone. If only they didn't have to ask about Shoto, he could have brainwashed Shigaraki, too. Since Kurogiri had responded to Shinso's question, he was trapped in the quirk.

Hawks set his blades by his sides and Bakugo smirked. Phase one had gone without a hitch. Kurogiri did as he was told, his eyes ever so slightly less vibrant. The team knew that whoever went in Shigaraki's room first would have to go in with a strong hit. Bakugo led the charge with an explosion at the villain lord's bed. The blast was powerful enough to lift their mattress off the frame and plaster Shigaraki against the ceiling.

The rude awakening really pissed him off. Shigaraki and his pillows dropped back down to the earth with a curse. "What the fuck? Can't a man get a good night's rest?" He shouted to nobody in particular. "Ah, of course," he said, marred face honing in on Bakugo, "it's you. You know what? Fuck you, kid. You wouldn't even make a good Nomu!" Shigaraki found his feet and charged towards Bakugo. With every step, his body glistened to a head to toe silver metallic sheen. Tetsutetsu had gone missing in their second year, with no body found or video made.

His hardening was a perfect contrast to Bakugo's explosions, but he knew his way around the block. Bakugo rushed at Shigaraki with the intention of knocking the man down and holding him until the metal wore off. When he got in close, he touched his forearm to Shigaraki's throat. Instead of feeling steel, Bakugo felt as if he'd been glued to a pile of mush. "Ugh. What the fuck?" He couldn't help but ask.

Of course, Shigaraki was all too keen to explain. "I'm the new All For One." He reached his hand out to grab Bakugo's face. Flint rushed into the blazing room and redirected the inferno into a spear as long as long as an arrow shaft. She plunged the weapon directly into the portion of flesh just above Bakugo's arm. It glanced off, which only pissed Shigaraki off. "And of course you're here, too, Maki. Or is it Flint now?" A sudden gust of wind blew her back. Now that the flames were controlled, he was able to use his air quirk freely. "I promised Dabi I wouldn't kill you, so stay in the corner like a good hag."

Struggle as he might, Bakugo couldn't free himself. He used his foot to kick out Shigaraki's legs and shove him to the ground. Tokoyami rushed from the shadows and found equal freedom of movement with Flint controlling the fire. Dark Shadow leapt into Shigaraki's mouth and cut off his air supply. Flint saw Tokoyami move and extinguished any remaining embers, as to not hinder what seemed to be their one shot. Shigaraki's eyes bulged and he lost control of his quirks. His flesh softened to a uniform texture and Bakugo was able to pull his arm free. He grabbed onto Shigaraki's thumb and yanked backwards, breaking it instantly. Shigaraki howled in pain. One quirk down, Bakugo thought. He pulled himself away and stood over Shigaraki. His hand pulled the pin on one of his gauntlets. "Any last words, Facepalm?"

Whether by luck or design, the force of changing air smacked Kurogiri, who was then freed from his brainwashing. "Shit!" Shinso called just as Kurogiri created a void. Shinso activated his scarf and threw it around Kurogiri in an attempt to trap him, all the while knowing it was in vain. Hawks was the closest, so he could stab Kurogiri's true body. Ink black blood splattered over his face as he tore down.

Though, Shigaraki managed to escape, Kurogiri did not. The warp, the League of Villain's main reason for their dramatic rise to power, stood bleeding and dying. Hawks twisted his iron-like feather in Kurogiri's body. "Where'd you send him?" He growled.

Kurogiri grimaced, but was surprisingly satisfied. "To his new destiny."

Hawks drew his weapons free and Kurogiri dropped to the ground.

"Check the other rooms!" Flint shouted, barely taking the time to revel in their victory. She ran off, leaving Bakugo, Hawks, and Tokoyami in her wake.

Shinso sprinted after her. "You shouldn't go off alone!" In his haste, he never got an earpiece for communication.

At six in the morning, Momo met the suits.

"Dad?" Momo asked, staring straight at one of the many suited men.

Ken Yaoyorozu, a well-paid government employee, uncomfortably met his daughter's eye. "Momo? What are you doing here?" He stepped towards her and attempted to take Momo's arm. She pulled away and took a step back.

"Stop, I have to be here," she declared firmly as she stood behind her monitors. She had each of the agents' numbers flashing in her screen, showing her where they were. In her ear, a nearly translucent device helped her hear everything they were saying. "No!" The word cut through her feed. "Flint?"

"What are you doing, Momo? This is no place for you."

"This is no place for any hero, Dad," she snapped back.

Shoto awakened to a pounding head and all of extremities asleep.

"Long time no see, Shoto Todoroki." Dabi peered into his brother's cell with the enthusiasm of a child in the zoo. At six in the morning, Dabi found his long lost brother. Shoto recognized the voice, but couldn't muster enough energy to try to look up. He concentrated on the bland, concrete floor beneath his palms.

"Dabi," he said in a quiet voice.

"You had your chance, kid. I aired our dirty laundry so we could all finally get some closure. I knew Fuyumi and Natsuo would be worthless, but you? His crowning achievement? I never knew that you would let me down." Shoto heard the solid 'thump' of a deadbolt disengaging. "The only thing different about us is our age, Shoto." Dabi extended his forearm. Though it was mostly covered with his navy blue sleeves, Shoto could see the lack of flesh and staples that connected his skin to scars and muscles. Dabi was so confident in Shoto's disorientation that he didn't bother to close the door behind him.

When Shoto didn't reach, Dabi frowned and kicked his younger sibling in the stomach. "Get up," he said with a smirk. Dabi kicked Shoto again and snickered. "Come on, big, tough Shoto. Can't you stop the bad guys with your almighty quirks?"

At any other time, Shoto could have fought back. He expected to regain a better sense of mobility with his body, but his sense of balance was nearly nonexistent. Every blow had him drop to the ground like a pathetic child.

Flint dropped her phone and bolted into the room. She led with a strong right, flaming hook to Dabi's face. No amount of training or desensitizing could make up for his lack of flesh, which Dabi confirmed with a loud shout. He stumbled, but managed to retain his footing. "Shoto, burn your damn fire," she ordered. She sounded so much like Endeavor that Shoto felt the stubborn urge to resist the command. "If they drugged you, the fire will help your metabolism will burn it up!" She continued to move into Dabi and kneed him straight in the groin. In the same move, her right hand snatched his black hair and slammed his body to the ground.

Shinso listened from the other side of the door, a string of brainwashed people lined up against the wall, well away from any doors or potential projectiles. He sighed and rubbed the back of his neck. "I just had to tell her she shouldn't go alone," he muttered to his silent audience. He reached for Maki's dropped phone and dialed 119. "You have five more minutes!" He called to Flint, even as he heard Dabi slam against the ground. He took a step away from her stream of obscenities while she bludgeoned her nephew with rocks. Shinso found a few new key phrases as he explained the situation to the officers. Once he hung up, he finally noticed Kaumi in the cell. "Hey you," he said to Twice's hypnotized figure, "unlock this door, then give me the keys."

Kamui seemed to be appalled by the language that streamed from his neighboring room. "Shouldn't we intervene?" He asked as Twice obeyed the command. Once Kamui was free, his wide eyes barely dared to peek at what was undeniably happing right beside him.

"Wood and fire?" Shinso asked as a stray flame funneled out the door. Kamui instinctively stepped back. "Good idea," the teen smirked. "Just hold these guys for me, would you?" Kamui seemed all too happy to oblige. Shinso and Kamui took the keys from Twice and shoved the small audience of thugs who wanted to see Dabi and Shoto fight into one cell. Shinso kept them brainwashed, but Kamui released his hold.

Momo began to pull up the hero database. "I'm sending backup, they'll be there soon! Just hang in there." She had only begun to select which contacts she wanted when the power to the building was shut off. "Are the generators out? We need backup ones, now!" She hadn't gotten a good enough look to plug any into her phone.

Dabi cackled through the assault. "You're a Todoroki, all right!" He screamed. Though his body certainly felt his injuries, his mind didn't seem to accept them. "You're no hero. You're just another fake!" He failed to realize that he had blood streaming from dozens of burns. "I inherited Mom's quirk too, Shoto. See? I have weak skin." He snickered and wiped a bleeding palm over his face.

Flames erupted from Shoto's left side. "It's my turn," he snarled. Nobody spoke ill of his mother.