No copyright infringement intended.
please consider supporting my writing on ko-fi jngsjngs! thank u so much! (◍•ᴗ•◍) ✧*
—
XVII. Hurricane
—
When I opened my eyes, the whole world was blue.
It all happened too fast for me to properly piece together the order of events. Between our cross questioning and Dabi unleashing a relentless squall of flames, Todoroki intercepted him with a gargantuan glacier, and in a desperate attempt to put out the fire, I spun the ice into the torrential threads currently flooding the caverns.
Luckily for us, Todoroki had punctured straight through the ceiling, stalling the overflow just long enough for me to recollect myself. I grabbed him by the arm and created an air bubble before either of us could accidentally take a breath, using one arm to prop him up and the other to propel us above ground.
I felt equal parts relief and trepidation when I realized that while Jirō and the others made it out safely, the two Villains had also escaped from our sight. Theories about where they could have gone swirled in my mind until Todoroki pointed at the debris cluttering the exit.
My brain switched gears and tested a handful of different scenarios aiming to clear a path without disrupting our only source of oxygen. As I narrowed down which of them resulted in the least number of casualties, something on the other side seemed to remove the rubble.
The absence of obstacles created a gaping hole gushing gallons of liquid. Kaminari appeared directly above us, his hands lit up to help him see in the dark and his eyes wide upon seeing me and Todoroki swiftly approaching the surface.
"What the hell happened down there?" Kaminari asked, shoving away stray pieces of metal still blocking the opening.
I broke for air and gave Todoroki an extra push with a quick swirl of my fingers. "The League of Villains have Luci's blueprints."
"And that explains the flood how?"
"Not important."
"Ah."
"What are you trying to say?"
"I literally just made a noise!"
"A noise that implied something."
"It did sound kind of accusatory," Todoroki agreed.
Kaminari groaned, throwing up his hands. "Of course you'd take her side!"
"Now you're definitely implying something!" I sniffed, fighting the urge to sneeze.
"If you think I'm denying that, I'll sit here and argue with you for days," Kaminari said, rolling his eyes. "And hello, get out of the water! Having your Quirk doesn't make you immune to pneumonia!"
I snapped my fingers. "Mom."
"What?"
"You remind me of my mom."
"Why'd you get all offended then?" Kaminari paused. "Don't answer that."
Todoroki sighed, pushing himself to his feet. "Can we talk about the Villains now?"
I grabbed his outstretched hand and slowly steadied myself on the puddled ground. The area appeared eerily empty, but the security system advised everyone on the island to stay indoors until the so-called threat was neutralized. At least that meant we didn't have to worry about civilians getting caught up in the mess.
"We ran into two down there," I said, thinking back to the words the blonde had uttered so vehemently. Curious is ugly, Curious is old, Curious is annoying. "But I don't think they're the only ones on the island."
Kaminari noticed me shiver as a breeze blew by and shrugged off his waiter vest, throwing it over my shoulders. "If there are more of them around, the two you bumped into might have been some kind of distraction."
"Distraction from what?" Todoroki asked, slipping out of his drenched blazer. "I assumed they rigged the security system to get the blueprints, but the alarms went off after they stole them. You would think they would leave as soon as they got what they wanted."
I gave Kaminari a grateful smile and worked on stripping the moisture from my and Todoroki's clothes. Dabi and the blond didn't look especially eager to board the train, suggesting that they never intended to use it as an escape at all. Before I lost track of them, I vaguely remembered their expressions when I flooded the caverns—self-satisfied, almost expectant.
"They must have gone down there to destroy the train," I mumbled, thinking aloud. "Which means they have another escape route prepared, but if they already had the blueprints, why bother with the train itself? They should have known that Luci would still have access to the data somehow, and it's not like even a MagLev train can do much else aside from transport—"
It hit me then, quick and sharp like the pull of a bandaid. I let out a gasp and Todoroki inched forward, hovering close by as if anticipating my collapse.
"We're past the point of speculation," I said, knees almost buckling under the weight of our discovery. "The League of Villains are definitely planning an attack on the island. With the security system initiating a total lockdown, the MagLev train would've been the only way out of here."
"That's why they wanted to destroy it," Kaminari realized, mouth agape. "They seriously want to trap all of these kids and families here? And not just residents! So many people are in town for the Expo!"
"It's worse than that," I said, looking at the control tower in the near distance. "These people are the targets."
Todoroki followed my line of sight. "Those blueprints can't be the only thing they came for."
"Can you get a hold of Bakugou? He should still be with Melissa. I need to know what's up there."
"What makes you think they want something up there in the first place?" Kaminari asked, taking out his phone.
I nodded at the bots piling up near the end of the sidewalk. "The streets should be crawling with those things, but they're all circling back to the base of that building."
"That could mean anything."
"Or it could mean they want to keep outsiders away."
"We need to evacuate the city," Todoroki said, looking pointedly at me. "The MagLev train is still testing, but Luci said it should be operational. Can you stop the flood?"
"Sure, but I-Island has a population of thousands. I don't think one train can transport that many people," I avoided his gaze in lieu of the control tower. "We need to get the ships back online."
"Bakugou and the others are on their way to fix the security system," Kaminari said, typing up his text. "We should tell them about the plan."
"We don't have a plan."
Todoroki knocked his shoulder against mine. "Are you not about to put one together?"
"Touché," I said, lips curling into an impish grin. "I'm counting on Melissa to disable the security system. It's a bit of a trek from here, but you and I need to be ready by the docks once she does."
"I can get a head start on clearing the runways," Kaminari offered. "Jirō told me to contact the police, but they hung up on us three times until Aizawa-sensei stepped in. He can probably send a few airlifts to the island."
"They can't enter the airspace until the security system is disabled," Todoroki said, frowning. "I guess that's expected of a place built like the highest security prison in the world."
"Wait," I said, holding up a hand. "I told Jirō to send police to the New York station, but it looks like there's not really a point in that now."
"The League might have anticipated an opposing presence and sent people there in case they couldn't disable the train," Todoroki said, looking at me again. "That's why you didn't want to risk putting civilians on it, right? Not to mention the League could find all of its weak spots in no time with the blueprints in their possession."
I nodded slowly, perhaps a little more startled by his perceptiveness than I should have been at this point. "I'd rather not have another hostage situation occur on our watch."
"We should hurry then," Todoroki said, turning to the blond. "Will you be alright by yourself?"
"Well, you guys are headed to the docks, and the airport is on the way there," Kaminari said, folding his arms behind his head. "I wouldn't be opposed to you dropping me off…"
"Let's get moving," I said, handing Todoroki his jacket. "These people need our help and they don't even know it. We have to protect them no matter what."
An explosion erupted on the fifty-third floor, filling the hallways with dense smoke. In a matter of seconds, spirals of ice swept the smog away, revealing a glimpse of ash blond at the end of the corridor.
"How resilient," Curious said.
Geten already had frost collected at his fingertips. "More like pathetic."
"I'll leave you to it then," Curious mused, keeping her gaze on the trio of students. "Don't beat them up too bad. I'm still holding out for an exclusive interview one of these days."
The woman departed with a wave, heels clicking loudly across the spotless floors. Bakugou narrowed his eyes at her retreating back and almost lunged out of pure instinct, but he still had business to take care of with the man standing in front of them.
"Oi, Chipmunk, Shitty Hair, head to the top."
Big, brown eyes observed his square shoulders and understood that challenging such stubbornness rarely prompted positive results. Had it been any other time, she might have considered it because that sort of thing was their thing, but when Uraraka found herself refusing, she realized it was not out of spite.
"Hey, Kirishima-kun," she said. "Please take Melissa to the control center."
The redhead chuckled nervously, glancing back and forth between a determined Uraraka and an irked Bakugou. "Why don't we all just stick together?"
"No," the two said in unison.
"The faster I shut down the security system, the better our chances," Melissa admitted. "I can't do it alone."
Kirishima frowned, but relented. "Be careful, Bakugou, Uraraka."
"Bold of you to think I'd let you leave."
Verglas covered the ground beneath them. Uraraka used her Quirk to maintain balance and Bakugou remained unaffected while hovering in the air, but the second Kirishima and Melissa took a step toward the elevators, they slipped on the ice and ended up flat on their backs.
"You were less annoying when you weren't talking," Bakugou sneered.
Geten hurtled a frozen fist in their direction. "Consider it a mutual sentiment."
"We're gonna go now," Kirishima said, scrambling to his feet. "Come on, Melissa!"
Bakugou reared his own fist, but before he could even prepare an explosion, Uraraka hauled him aside. Holding out her hand with the palm facing forward, she waited for the incoming mass of ice to become featherlight in her grasp and hurled it back with double the force.
"You're not the only one who learned a few tricks in training," Uraraka said, ignoring the crimson glare fixed at the back of her head.
"Warn me next time, dumbass!"
"Now you know how everyone else feels whenever you and Rei do the same thing!"
"You're not as strong as you think you are if you're impressed by that," Geten said, splintering the rebounded attack.
Pushing off the wall, Bakugou catapulted himself at their opponent. He maneuvered through the pillars of ice using innocuous explosions and then switched to a more malignant blast that had smoke pervading the area. Uraraka ducked to avoid floating debris, but their opponent didn't flinch.
Geten formed a tiger head using the ice off the floor and sent it after the blond still descending from his midair attack. As soon as Bakugou destroyed the sculpture with a quick explosion, residual shards shot straight at him, but he swung his arms and, for the first time, he later realized, performed Howitzer Impact as a defensive move.
"You might be able to protect yourself against my ice," Geten said, shifting his attention to the brunette standing a few feet away. "But she can only do so much."
Frost stockpiled together and formed the outline of a snake, pouncing at Uraraka from the front and then slipping behind her when she slapped it to the side. It landed an unobstructed hit between her shoulder blades, and the impact sent her weightless body careening until an abrupt collision with a slab of ice interrupted its momentum.
"Oh, shit," Bakugou muttered.
The resulting whiplash blurred her vision so much that the blood dripping onto her shoes looked like nothing more than a splotch of dirt. Uraraka pinched the bridge of her nose, but instantly regretted tilting her head forward when every nerve in her neck pulsed at the subtle movement.
"I'm not as fragile as you want to believe," Uraraka gestured at the scratched windows, damaged but still in tact not unlike her trembling hands. "Your ice can't even break through bulletproof glass."
The blond scowled at her words, but a flicker of cognizance crossed his expression. "What the fuck are you saying now?"
"Don't underestimate me," Geten said, extending an arm. "You might attend a prestigious school, but the years I spent training my meta ability weren't limited to a mere classroom."
Bakugou went back to setting off a flurry of explosions, each one clouding the vicinity in puffs of gray. Geten shaped his ice into a giant pistol and fired frozen bullets with every blast, piercing the walls and, true to his word, all but shattering the windows.
"I could take down this entire building," Geten declared.
His revolver transformed into another oversized fist. Bakugou thrust his arms behind him and kicked off the ceiling with an explosion, missing the fingertips closing in on him by mere inches.
"But you haven't," Bakugou retorted. "You're stalling for time until that bitch finds whatever you're looking for."
Glowing eyes narrowed beneath the fur-lined hood. "And what if I am?"
"Consider it a mutual sentiment."
"That's—"
Undetected through the wisps of smoke and ignored because of her injuries, Uraraka snuck up behind them and slammed into Geten's side. It took little effort on her part to move his ice out of the way and use her zero gravity on him next.
"I told you not to underestimate me!" Geten snarled. "I don't need gravity to use my Quirk!"
The ice at their feet rumbled, throwing both Bakugou and Uraraka off balance, but before Geten could properly attack, the blond landed a clumsy kick on his back. As they stumbled closer to the windows, Uraraka slapped her hands together.
"Release!"
Geten plummeted in an instant, disrupting his concentration enough for the two teens to scramble to their feet without hindrance. Bakugou yanked Uraraka in front of him, left hand placed securely behind her neck and the other clenched at his side as they climbed through one of the walls perforated by bullet holes.
"You got your Quirk activated?" Bakugou asked, lowering into a crouch.
Uraraka almost nodded, but the pain still present along her now stiff neck prompted good old fashioned words to come out faster. "On both of us."
"Get on."
"Get what?"
"'m not repeating myself."
"Maybe I hit my head harder than I thought…"
"Move your ass before that fucking psycho catches up!"
Uraraka stuck her tongue out at him, but she shuffled onto his back with only a bit of apprehension, her arms slung loosely around his shoulders. The blond rolled his eyes at the pensive grip and pushed off the wall, igniting an explosion that sent them charging forward.
"We bought some time," Bakugou said, steering them through a forest of trees in what looked like an indoor conservatory. "Now the bastard's hell bent on coming after us instead of them."
"He was totally serious, huh?" Uraraka murmured. "He really could have taken the entire building down, and we would've—"
"Don't be such a baby."
"I just took a hit in the face!"
"No kidding," Bakugou snorted, stealing a glance at the dried blood on her top lip and the darkening bruise on her forehead. "Wear it like a boss bitch or shut the hell up."
Uraraka drew back in surprise, a small grin replacing her pout, but the blond had since recalibrated his focus on getting them to the top floor. Even though the original plan didn't include the brunette staying behind, Bakugou could admit that she didn't do a half-assed job.
"Which floor did you say Deku's meeting up with Shitty Hair and Four Eyes?"
"The hundredth."
"And we're on what?"
"Fifty-eight, er, fifty-nine now."
"Just fucking great," Bakugou mumbled under his breath, adjusting her weight on his back. "That damn snowman won't stay down for much longer."
"You're not a dumb blond at least."
Bakugou cursed again, grabbing onto a loose fixture attached to the ceiling. Two floors below them, Geten stood on ice sculpted into an outstretched hand, his hood thrown back as a result of his fall. White hair cascaded down his shoulders in unruly waves, and his gaze, framed by long lashes, did not falter.
"Curious should arrive at her destination any moment now," Geten said. "I no longer have any reason to hold back."
As his ice rushed in from the other side of the walls, Uraraka realized they had since passed the greenery and ended up inside a planetarium. For a second, the stars provided a sense of relief that sliced through her initial dread, but then she heard it—an eerie, guttural sound that forced even their opponent to pause.
Bakugou stiffened at the same time Uraraka felt a million shivers run down her spine. Geten looked mildly interested at their reactions, but he seemed too preoccupied by the quaking walls to discern their unease. In the heat of the moment, the lights flickered and then dimmed.
"Get out of there, Bakugou, Uraraka!" Tokoyami pleaded.
Dark Shadow roared.
"How did you know?"
"Know what?"
"How did you figure out they were looking for something in the first place?"
Kirishima spared a glance at the older blond, taking a couple of seconds to respond. Less than ten minutes had passed since they split from Bakugou and Uraraka and even less since Midoriya and Shōji caught up with them after sixty something floors, but his legs burned like they spent years on the run.
"Ah, that," Kirishima said. "You told us, remember? The control tower is compromised."
Melissa blinked at him. "What does that have to do with it?"
"You heard what our friend Kaminari said on the phone, right? These Villains broke into Luci's lab to steal her blueprints, but they also tried destroying the actual train."
"Not to mention they managed to take hostages," Midoriya said from behind them. "Civilians, and Pro Heroes, too."
"The point is that there are no coincidences," Shōji said, absentmindedly watching the changing numbers above the elevator doors. "They show up and something important happens. If you ran into some of them here, something of equal significance must be hidden or occuring in the building."
"Kacchan must've known from the start," Midoriya murmured. "That's why he wanted to go after them even after you got away."
The realization hit Melissa hard, and it showed when her mouth dropped all the way open. "Bakugou-san didn't want to get even. He wanted to make sure they kept their attention on him so that they would leave us alone."
"No, he definitely wanted to get even," Kirishima grinned, proudly almost. "Uraraka was the one who thought to use that as a distraction. I have to admit, though, I didn't expect her to stay behind."
"Uraraka-chan voluntarily stayed behind?" Midoriya asked, stuttering in unconcealed surprise. "That's way too dangerous!"
Melissa noticed the panic on his face, and despite the circumstances, she mustered a small smile of her own. "And so unbelievably brave."
"I don't doubt that," Midoriya mumbled, flushing at her expression and turning even redder at his next few words. "It's just hard not to worry."
"The woman left as soon as we got there," Kirishima said after a moment of thought. "I feel like that pretty much confirms they have other stuff going on around here."
Shōji raised a brow. "You said she has an explosion Quirk?"
"Not nearly as strong as Bakugou's, but blowing stuff up is scary no matter how you look at it."
"Thank you for looking out for me when she attacked us earlier," Melissa said, smiling kindly at the redhead before concern swept her expression. "Will Tokoyami-san be alright by himself?"
Midoriya and Kirishima exchanged discreet glances, but Shōji couldn't help his grimace, muttering an ominous, "He is not alone."
Melissa looked curious, if not a bit confused, but Kirishima and Midoriya quickly registered the weight of his comment, and the tell-tale sound of a growl in the distance only piled onto their distress. It might have sounded like an anguished animal had they not known the difference, that it was far worse.
Midoriya blanched. "Was that—"
"It was his decision to stay," Shōji said, keeping his gaze on the floor. "I'd like to think of it dangerous and brave all the same."
As the four made their way closer and closer to the top floor, Melissa found herself thinking about everything that happened in a single night. Jirō called them shortly after Kaminari did to inform them that they had contacted the police and that their teacher, Eraserhead, was on his way to help evacuate the island.
"I've never seen those three so sure about anything," Jirō had told them, referring to Rei and Todoroki in addition to the energetic blond. "The League of Villains is definitely up to something, but we don't know when or how they plan to execute it."
"Luci and Jirō-san should have caught up to your friend at the airport by now," Melissa said, glancing at the time on her phone. "I don't have a way to contact Natsuo-san, though."
Midoriya waved off her apologetic frown. "Jirō-san still has Rei's phone, but I have Todoroki-kun's number if we need to reach them."
"Aizawa-sensei really pulled through, didn't he?" Kirishima murmured, biting at his bottom lip. "I don't know how long it'll take him to get here, but I'm really hoping it's soon."
"It puts me a little more at ease knowing Natsuo-san and Luci-san are there," Shōji admitted, multiple arms folded across his chest. "There is strength in numbers."
Melissa forced herself to give them another reassuring smile, knowing it was the least she could do at the moment. "As the oldest of the bunch, we have a responsibility to look out for you."
"Speaking of numbers," Kirishima said, frowning. "What floor are we getting off at again?"
The first time Momo met Amajiki Tamaki, she made sure to come prepared with a comprehensive list of her Quirk's strengths and weaknesses. It took three days of staring at blank spaces just to fill up about four pages carefully handwritten in her smallest legible font, but she decided it wouldn't hurt to spend a little more time drafting possible scenarios on top of that.
"My stamina isn't very impressive in comparison to many of my other classmates," she said, breathless due in part to nerves and her rush to get to school a few minutes early. "In a potential hostage situation, for example, I would have a very limited amount of time to come up with a plan and create the materials I need to execute it, but if I focus on cardio for a while, maybe practice conserving my energy, I can worry less about burning out too quickly under such stressful situations."
Amajiki glanced at the stack of papers in her hand and then looked at her like he wanted nothing more than to crawl under a rock. His embarrassment only served to fuel her own, and upon the tenth or eleventh second of silence, Momo made a point to speak a bit louder.
"Weight training builds muscle to compensate for the aforementioned time and energy required to use my Quirk…"
"You're thinking way too much…"
"Pardon me?"
"Sorry," Amajiki said, ducking his head. "I just meant that theories and hypothesizing won't do much to help you get from point A to B once you're in the field."
"That's why I'm here, is it not? I can't be helpful if I'm not prepared."
"What if a Villain abducted a child right in front of you?"
"Um, I would calculate the distance between—"
"You're thinking about doing something instead of actually doing it," Amajiki interrupted, keeping his gaze on the floor. "I'm sure you know that's not always a bad thing, but in situations like this, I wouldn't be surprised if you lost the kid. Ah, I hope that's not too morbid…"
"With all due respect, Amajiki-san, I need to know what objects are made of and how said objects are made."
"Do you know about my Quirk? I can manifest the characteristics of things I eat."
"Yes, of course," Momo said, making a very conscious effort not to frown at the sudden change in subject. "Consuming fried chicken, for example, might allow you to sprout wings."
"Clams are more versatile than most foods, which is why I make sure I eat at least a little bit of them everyday. That's my way of preparing for the unexpected."
"How does something like that relate to me?"
"What you do on the battlefield is not preparation. That's the kind of stuff you do beforehand to make sure you don't have to deal with it on the job."
Momo sighed in growing frustration, clenching her fists around the papers she had all but slapped down on his desk. "I'm afraid I don't understand."
"I didn't really get it at first it either," Amajiki admitted, lifting his head a smidge to peer at her through the safety of his fringe. "The books you read, the material you research… those are your ways of preparation, and that means once you're on the job, you have the capacity to fully execute your ideas."
Momo didn't believe him then. Perhaps if she had heard the same spiel today, she wouldn't have believed him even now, but thinking back to her previous experiences with her friends, it felt like she might have seen a glimpse of what he meant.
"Intruder alert!"
A new wave of security robots ushered in from the main entrance, but the wires she created and set up around the perimeter trapped them in a tangled mess as one after another came tumbling through the door.
My ways of preparation…
Momo stabbed her staff straight through a bot that tried swiping at her side, her skin glowing violet as a giant magnet sprouted from her wrist. Pivoting over the shut down machine, she attached the magnet to its back and jumped out of the way before a handful of bots in the vicinity came crashing into it.
You have the capacity to fully execute your ideas…
Momo started to understand that there was more to creation than just tangible objects. It wasn't about coming up with the most complex or abstract thing to create. It was about using the things she could build quickly, easily, and implementing them in her carefully thought out strategies. Fifty robots tied up in wire, twenty hovering in a makeshift magnetic field, another sixteen glued to the floor…
It extended to ideas and procedure and all the things she never gave herself the opportunity to practice because she didn't believe she was capable. Just a month ago, she would have thought to start by building heavy artillery weapons, because creation was her specialty, and she grew up with the mindset that bigger is better. In reality, the simple act of producing such massive objects would have exhausted her to the point of immediate incapacitation.
"What if a Villain abducted a child right in front of you?" Amajiki asked again. "Say the first thing that comes to mind."
"I would make a whistle," Momo said, automatically, but not autonomously. "It's simple enough to produce that I don't have to worry about taking too long or making a mistake."
"Better."
"Assuming we're in a public sphere, I'd use the whistle to attract attention and hopefully discourage the kidnapper from going through with the abduction at all."
"Keep going."
"Well, I'm not sure what else I can do in that situation," Momo admitted, promptly deflating. "If I could have only created something to keep them in place… rope and wire can only do so much…"
Amajiki seemed to shrink into himself the same as she did. "You're aware of your limits, but you're not doing much to surpass them."
"My Quirk unfortunately has many restrictions."
"I wasn't talking about your Quirk."
"What do you mean then?"
"I'm talking about you."
"Me?"
"You look at these situations and think to yourself, 'Can I do this?' But the point is believing that you will, even if you don't know for sure."
"You're saying I should believe in myself even if I don't?"
"It sounds strange when you put it like that…"
Momo bit her lip as another round of bots burst through the door. It had only been a few minutes since Midoriya and the others went on ahead, but the army of androids that infiltrated the building came in incessant waves, and her shallow breath showed her exhaustion after clearly overusing her Quirk.
It was in that moment did she start to understand what Amajiki-senpai tried to tell her that day. Perhaps it would take her a bit longer to feel entirely comfortable with the revelation, but she couldn't just wonder if she could help people in trouble. Momo would do everything in her power to do so, even as she struggled to stand.
"I can't stop here," she muttered. "I need to keep—"
A giant tentacle shot out from behind her and into the slew of approaching robots, slamming all but two of them against the wall. Momo whirled around to find a familiar figure at the south entrance dressed in his Hero costume and enveloped by several transfigurations, one of which remained swiping at the bots that narrowly escaped his first attack.
"Senpai!" Momo cried.
Amajiki nodded, lips twitching into a faint smile. "You did well holding them off, Yaoyorozu."
What was he doing here? How did he get here? How did he find out about the island in the first place? Did he come with others who could help her friends the same way he stepped in to aide her? Such thoughts ran through her mind, but it was his words that left the most important impression.
"I tried," Momo said, blinking away her tears. "I can say honestly that I really tried my best!"
"And that's enough," Amajiki mumbled, folding one of his wings around her. "I'll take over while you rest. Don't worry about your friends. Mirio and Hadō have gone in search of them as well."
Feeling a little horrified at the realization that she cried at the mere sight of him, Momo sniffled and allowed her senpai to gently nudge her into a safe spot behind him, though not before her skin glowed for the umpteenth time.
"Even if I can no longer fight, I won't be a burden," Momo declared, ducking behind the shield that had emerged from her back. "Don't concern yourself with protecting me, Amajiki-senpai."
Amajiki abruptly swiveled around with his cowl tugged all the way down to his chin. "Please… fix… clothes…"
"Oh," she blinked, readjusting the straps of her dress still held up on her shoulders. "Carry on."
His cheeks burned so brightly that Momo could see the red beneath his hood despite standing a few feet away. As apologetic as she felt about putting her senpai on the spot like that, the relief of him being there and the bubbling excitement from what she had accomplished made her smile widen.
"Fat keeps pointing out the similarities in our Quirks, how they're about finding use for what we already have and then pushing past our boundaries to 'make something greater,'" Amajiki-senpai had mentioned to her weeks earlier.
"He's given me that speech a million times, and I can't help but sigh every time I hear it, but I still find myself thinking, 'Everyone else is working so hard. How could I live with myself if I didn't at least try?'"
"Midoriya?"
The boy in question startled and tripped out of the elevator with an uneasy yelp. As Kirishima and Shōji helped him up, Melissa turned around to find a blond that looked about her age approaching them.
"Big Three!" the first years exclaimed, looking at him with wide eyes.
"Hey," Togata said, holding up a hand in greeting. "I'm glad I finally caught up with you!"
Melissa blinked in surprise. "A friend of yours?"
"My name is Togata Mirio! On the job, please call me by my Hero name, Lemillion!"
Midoriya and Kirishima fervorously bobbed their heads while Shōji mustered a more subdued nod.
"He's a senpai from school," Midoriya added. "And also a part of the Big Three, who are considered the strongest students in all of Yūei!"
Melissa smiled in acknowledgement and offered a wave, grateful to see a friendly face after the plethora of enemies they had encountered so far. Togata returned the enthusiasm with a grin, but let out a sheepish chuckle when he noticed the starry eyes pointed his way.
"How the heck did you get here?" Kirishima asked, teeth baring as he let out a hearty laugh. "Does this mean the rest of the Big Three are on the island, too?"
"Yup! It would've taken us a couple more hours, but Kamino dropped us off on the outskirts of the city. Getting in was a piece of cake after that!"
"You bypassed the security system with your Quirk," Midoriya deduced, gasping in astonishment. "That's so cool! Togata-san, you're so cool!"
"You said that twice, man," Kirishima whispered.
Midoriya clutched his head. "I know!"
"Thank you," Togata said, his grin widening as he turned to his fellow blond. "You must be Melissa Shield. I heard you're trying to get to the top floor?"
"Yes. I can reboot the city's operating systems up there."
"Why stop here then?"
"The elevator only goes up to the two hundredth floor and after that it's another three flights of stairs."
"You would be able to get up there in no time at all," Shōji said, looking at their senior. "Please feel free to go on ahead without us if you feel that is best."
"I don't know much about computers," Togata admitted. "Besides, I think that's a job only Melissa can do reliably. Mine is here, helping you all keep safe."
"We're doing alright," Kirishima said. "One of our classmates—Tokoyami—he probably needs your help even more than we do!"
Midoriya flinched at the thought, but nodded in agreement. "He stayed behind to make sure Kacchan and Uraraka-chan made it back safely, but his Quirk…"
"Don't worry about your friend," Togata said. "Us super cool third years aren't the only ones who made it on the island. What did I say about how we got here?"
"Rei's mom," Kirishima supplied, then slapped a hand over his mouth. "I mean—"
"Don't worry," Togata laughed, shaking his head. "Eraserhead and Kamino herself filled us in on our way here."
Shōji blinked his extra eyes, a little less wary knowing that Tokoyami would be safe with one of his mentors. "Aizawa-sensei is here, too?"
"He sent Hadō with the group in charge of the airlift evacuations while he and Tamaki rescue the hostages and other Heroes. The planes are still on standby, though."
"Yaoyorozu will be fine with them," Kirishima breathed out in relief. "Looks like things are starting to look up for us."
Melissa held the door open for the next flight of stairs. "We're almost there."
"We've got you covered with the evacuations," Togata said. "Eraserhead brought in some students from Shiketsu. One of them has an illusion Quirk that they're using to mask all of the civilians heading to the docks and the airport."
"Camie-senpai!" the three younger boys chorused.
Togata stared at them with raised brows. "You know her?"
"We participated in a training camp with them not too long ago," Shōji said. "Is she doing that all by herself?"
"Nah, Edgeshot and the other kid from Shiketsu are with her right now."
"Kamino, Edgeshot, Eraserhead," Midoriya recited, his giddiness growing as they bounded up the steps. "Heroes who specialize in infiltration and covert missions! So cool!"
"How does Aizawa-sensei have the authority to bring in kids from other schools?" Kirishima wondered aloud.
"They're here on behalf of Yoroi Musha," Togata said, slipping past the next set of doors before opening it for them on the other side. "Students involved in work study programs are cleared to work on missions alongside their Pro Hero mentors. Yoroi Musha couldn't make it, but the circumstances of this particular mission are special to say the least, so the Shiketsu kids are here under Edgeshot's supervision instead."
"There's still so much we don't know about what it means to be a Pro Hero," Midoriya murmured.
Togata clapped him on the back, gesturing to the sign on the last door in front of them. "You're doing a pretty swell job so far."
203.
"We're here," Melissa confirmed, straightening her shoulders. "Time to put everything back to normal."
"This wasn't supposed to happen."
Trumpet eyed the man kneeling before him with a pitiful frown. David Shield was a kind man, but he was also a desperate man, and desperation often inspired people to do unspeakable things. In this case, the renowned scientist had inadvertently allowed them to take control of one of the most secure locations on the planet, and such feats did not come without a justifiable reason.
"The Villains were supposed to be fakes," David muttered, fists clutching at the threads of his jeans. "No one was supposed to get hurt!"
"I'm curious to know why someone like yourself felt the need to use such extreme tactics in the first place," Trumpet mused, tugging on the restraints that kept the researcher bound at his feet. "I've asked multiple times, Mr. Shield, but I'm afraid my patience is wearing thin. It's time I handed the reins over to an… associate of mine."
David glowered at him, but his seething gaze drifted to the figure that had just stepped into the room. It appeared to be a man dressed in a long cloak, black or perhaps dark navy like the beaked mask and hat concealing his identity.
"Hello, Mr. Shield," the man said. "My name is Nemoto Shin. I'd like to ask you a few questions."
"Go to hell."
"Why did you hire fake Villains?"
"I needed to reclaim a piece of confiscated research," David answered, letting out a strangled gasp immediately after speaking. "Why did I say that? What did you do?"
"My Quirk allows me to force the truth out of someone," Nemoto said, pulling out a pistol from his pocket. "Not quite ideal for the offensive, but that's why I have this."
Trumpet sighed, shaking his head. "Please put that away, Nemoto-san. Mr. Shield is cooperating rather decently, wouldn't you agree?"
"What is the research for?" Nemoto asked, lowering his weapon without removing it from his grasp.
"It's a Quirk amplifying device."
"How does it work?"
"The user wears a head piece that can exponentially increase the power of their Quirk without directly affecting the body."
"That implies the user's Quirk can be enhanced without the negative side-effects of drugs like Trigger," Trumpet murmured, adjusting his glasses. "How very interesting…"
"Why do you need the device now?" Nemoto asked.
David bit his bottom lip hard enough to draw blood, but to his shame, he uttered, "For All Might."
"All Might?" Trumpet parroted. "Why would the Number One Hero need a Quirk amplification device?"
Despite his forehead burning from his attempts at resisting the masked man's Quirk, David dutifully kept his head down. As Trumpet and Nemoto paused the interrogation, pondering his last response, a flurry of thoughts similar in nature invaded his mind.
Don't ask anymore questions. Don't make me betray his trust.
"You heard the man," Nemoto said. "Why do you think the Number One Hero needs a Quirk amplification device?"
No.
No.
Please…
"It's only a matter of time before his body gives in to his Quirk," David choked out, defeated. "I had the idea that my research could bring him back to his full strength before it's too late."
"You're saying the great All Might has become an enervated Hero?" Trumpet asked, chuckling a bit. "It looks like things have taken an interesting turn indeed."
Nemoto pocketed his pistol and tipped the rim of his hat at the man sitting on the ground. "Thank you for your time. I have one final question. Where is the Quirk amplification device?"
David couldn't even stall long enough to breathe.
"It's here in this room."
His pride, his dignity, the relationship he shared with his best friend that he treasured for so many years. It all shattered at that moment, and he had only himself to blame.
"Papa!"
Please… don't take her away from me, too…
"You would've been a formidable opponent."
Not even a week after passing his final exam, Tokoyami Fumikage realized how foolish it would have been to feel satisfied with a compliment like that. Kamino looked at him like she had perhaps given him a test of her own, one that he had horribly failed.
"I would've been more surprised if you didn't feel that way," Higuchi said, sitting next to him at lunch a few days later. "Most people have a little voice in their head that tells them to do better, to try harder. Once you've met my mother, fought with her the way you and I have, it becomes impossible for those whispers to not sound like her."
It started out as a harmless conversation about the weather, of all things, but it carried them over to dangerous waters shortly thereafter. In truth, Fumikage didn't know why he mentioned it in the first place.
"The moon is dangerous," he said, recalling the words from that day. "I think I'd much rather stand in the rain. At least the sun can peek through the clouds."
Higuchi let out a thoughtful hum, but she made no indication that she knew what he really meant. "As much as I agree about the rain, I don't think I'd mind becoming a bit more accustomed to the moon."
Her choice of words nearly made him flinch, and Fumikage tried not to roll his eyes at his reaction. Brows raised, Higuchi put down her chopsticks and swiveled in her seat to face him.
"Hit me."
"Excuse me?"
"Not literally, though."
"Yeah, I didn't think so."
"You just rolled your eyes the way I always do when I'm annoyed."
"I'm not annoyed at you," Fumikage grunted.
"Actually," Higuchi said, lips twitching. "I do it when I'm annoyed at myself."
Fumikage didn't even bother stopping his eyes from rolling this time. "Does it count if you're annoying me now?"
"Was that a joke?"
"It won't be in a second."
"You know what's funny? I didn't want to be anything like my mother. I assumed that sharing her strength meant I had to give up a part of myself, because I thought she was so strong, and I didn't think I was strong at all."
"How is that funny?"
"It's not. I cope with sarcasm."
"I respect that."
"Have you ever felt that way about Dark Shadow?"
"Perhaps."
"You're probably thinking I'm insane for even suggesting it."
"I won't deny the truth," Fumikage said gruffly, crossing his arms. "Your problems with your mother are your own and I will not judge you for that, but I doubt you know what it means to share a body with such a dangerous creature."
"I don't," Higuchi agreed. "But I wasn't talking about my mother. I wasn't talking about Dark Shadow either."
Fumikage frowned, but she said nothing more, and after a moment of silence, he finally gave in. "What did you mean?"
"Not wanting to be like my mother had less to do with her than it did me. I wanted to be my own person, but it's a bit difficult to do that when you don't like yourself all that much."
Her mouth pressed together into a small smile, not strained, though not quite reaching her eyes. It occurred to Fumikage then that she had a weight on her shoulders, perhaps not like his own, but one she had to carry all the same.
"I know what it's like not to trust yourself," she said. "To have powers and refuse to use them because you feel like you're not strong enough to deserve it."
The sliced apples in front of him hardly looked appetizing now that her words started to sound even more familiar. Fumikage took one out of stubbornness, biting into it, but lost in thought, forgetting to chew.
"It's not like there's no danger out there," Higuchi added, picking up her chopsticks again and motioning out the window. "But the monsters we have to tolerate, the ones we're afraid of more than anything else, they're up here living in our heads."
Fumikage found his voice again after remembering to swallow, but it came out like a coarse whisper. "'In order to control the shadows, you must grow accustomed to the moon.' That's what she said to me."
"Sounds rough, buddy."
"I would like to thank you for the sentiment, but I'm not even sure I quite understand what she means."
"That's something you have to figure out for yourself."
"Do you know what it means?" Fumikage couldn't help but ask.
Higuchi grinned, and for a brief moment, the light in her eyes returned. "I'm still trying to figure it out for myself, too."
It almost felt like a cruel joke that he and Dark Shadow landed in a planetarium. Fumikage offered to stay behind and assist Bakugou and Uraraka because of the brightly lit hallways, but the thought of a room shrouded in darkness never even occurred to him.
"We have to switch the lights on!" Uraraka exclaimed.
Bakugou glared at her when she elbowed his shoulder. "We can't take on Jack Frost the Ripper while you're fucking crippled."
"Don't come closer," Fumikage growled, clutching his head. "Bakugou, please, stay back and keep Uraraka safe."
Don't join a fight you can only lose…
"You lot of brats keep underestimating me," Geten said. "And it's really getting on my nerves."
He sent a frozen fist flying at Fumikage and Dark Shadow. Despite landing a direct hit, Dark Shadow didn't flinch.
"You're the one underestimating me," Dark Shadow mocked, swiping a claw at the hooded man. "I'll chew you up and spit you back out!"
Geten tried swerving to the side, but Dark Shadow moved imperceptibly fast and threw him off course with a strike from his other claws. The ice he stood on cracked at the impact, forcing the man onto another slab.
"My ice is far superior to your little toy!"
As ice came pouring in from the windows and allowed a sliver of light to loom through the fissures, Dark Shadow spread across the planetarium, crawling into corners and cracked crevices. The walls shook from sheer pressure, and in a matter of seconds, chaos ensued.
To have powers and refuse to use them because you feel like you're not strong enough to deserve it…
"Dark Shadow," Fumikage cried out, nearly collapsing onto his knees from the pain. "Please listen to me!"
The darkness had all but enveloped the ice, but Geten did not tire. He released a storm of unabated attacks, and Dark Shadow revelled in the attention, trapping each one within the shadows.
"I haven't had enough fun yet!" Dark Shadow vociferated.
Fumikage shook his head with as much force as he could muster. "I don't want to stop you!"
"Don't lie to me!"
"I'm not!"
"Lies!"
"I want to do this together!" Fumikage snapped, letting out a muffled groan at the swelling pain in his body.
"What do you know about that word?" Dark Shadow scoffed. "You speak of togetherness as if it's something worth revisiting."
As much as Fumikage hated to admit it, the word 'together' sounded about as foreign on his tongue as it did from Dark Shadow. The two of them never really worked as a team. It was mostly Dark Shadow doing the heavy lifting and Fumikage getting stuck with damage control.
But is there a need for control over what has already been damaged?
"The most I can do is be here for you, but I couldn't even do that," Fumikage muttered, fists clenched tightly at his sides. "I'm a coward, Dark Shadow. I just always feel like I don't deserve to share your strength."
"Share… my strength…?"
"If you would let me," Fumikage pleaded, stepping off the side of the ledge. "I want to fight alongside you from here on out!"
The planetarium remained still as Geten continued his barrage of attacks under a blanket of darkness. Slowly, the shadows retracted, allowing crystalline shards to escape from the rifts.
"Your Quirk is weakening," Geten said, collecting enough ice to tear the walls of the building down.
Fumikage shook his head, feeling Dark Shadow merge with his thoughts, his heart. "We're growing stronger."
He stepped out of the darkness no longer tangled in the shadows, but rather claiming the shadows as an extension of himself. Dark Shadow preened behind him, wings stretched and ready to take flight.
"Shut up already," Geten demanded.
The entire room turned to ice, but the shadows moved twice as fast, smashing every bit into even smaller pieces at an exponential rate. Fumikage breathed in the light from the moon, growing accustomed to it in a way that assured Dark Shadow he had nothing to fear.
When the smoke cleared, Geten was half conscious on the floor. Fumikage almost breathed out a sigh of relief, but a sudden change in the atmosphere had Dark Shadow standing on edge once again.
"You cannot die here," Kurogiri said, abruptly materializing next to the immobile man. "How very troublesome."
"Son of a bitch," Bakugou groaned.
"It's you," Fumikage muttered, lunging at the same time Dark Shadow let out a provoking laugh. "I will not let you leave!"
Despite their increased speed, Kurogiri had retreated into an open a portal and threw Geten inside. Fumikage flexed his wings in an attempt to chase after them, but the room suddenly fell prey to another shroud of darkness.
"Let them go," Kamino said, descending from the sky above them. "We have a job to do."
The approving glance she sent his way did not fulfill him in the way that he expected or even hoped, but Dark Shadow curled into himself, albeit muttering a litany of complaints, and for once, Fumikage didn't feel so alone.
Somehow, in that moment and moments to come, that mattered to him more than anything else.
"Get away from him!"
Before Melissa could take another step forward, Kirishima and Midoriya rushed in front of her, and Shōji stood firmly at the rear. Placing a warm hand on her shoulder, Togata mustered a smile and steeled his gaze at the men standing a few feet away.
"What seems to be the problem here, sirs?" Togata asked.
David stared at them with wide, panicked eyes. "You have to leave right now!"
"No, papa!" Melissa cried, trying to push past the boys crowding protectively around her. "Let him go!"
"Move and I pull the trigger," Nemoto said, pointing his pistol at the scientist.
Trumpet sighed at the gasps permeating the room. "Mr. Shield just has some research to share with us."
"I'm not giving you anything," David spat out, struggling in his chains.
Nemoto clicked his tongue and shifted his aim at the girl. "Perhaps I can change your mind."
"Who the hell are you?" Kirishima asked, immediately activating his Quirk and nudging Melissa further behind him. "What are you doing here?"
"I ask the questions around here, boy," Nemoto said, unflinching. "What's your Quirk?"
"I can harden any part of my body at will," Kirishima replied, blinking rapidly. "Uh, I didn't mean to tell him that!"
Nemoto turned to the third year who had replaced his smile with furrowed brows. "What's yours?"
"I can phase my body through physical matter," Togata said, gritting his teeth. "Your Quirk must be some kind of truth serum."
"Something like that," Nemoto said, turning to the last of them. "You're next."
Midoriya felt the blood in his veins freeze along with the rest of his body. If the man's Quirk forced his target to tell the truth, everyone in the room would find out the nature of One For All, betraying the secret All Might had entrusted him with all this time.
"What's your—"
"Don't tell me I'm late to the party," Hawks said, promptly crashing through the windows.
Trumpet distastefully eyed the shards of glass on the floor. "What a way to make an entrance, Pro Hero Hawks."
"Hey, doc," Hawks greeted, hovering a few feet off the ground. "Let me know where I can find this device of yours, yeah? I know we just met and all, but I figured I'm the best person to get it far away from these freaks."
"I wouldn't do that, Mr. Shield," Nemoto said, keeping his hand steadily pointed at the shaking blond. "Her friends might have Quirks that can protect them from my bullets, but I seem to recall hearing that your daughter is Quirkless herself. My boss would certainly find that aspect of her rather refreshing to say the least."
"You'll have to shoot those bullets past me first," Kirishima said, knees curled into a defensive stance.
Nemoto chuckled gleefully, using his free hand to adjust his hat. "These bullets are especially manufactured. You see, I can have them follow my intended targets until they hit their mark."
"Mr. Shield," Togata said, taking a step forward. "I promise we will protect your daughter. Please tell Hawks what you know."
David glanced at the Pro Hero above them and then at the Villains keeping him hostage. His attention switched to the boys surrounding his daughter, and finally, he looked at Melissa herself.
Her expression screamed fear and determination, but her eyes begged him in a language that he understood even better. Despite the worsening situation, unconditional love and the comfort of family urged him to take a stand.
"Each tile on the wall is a numbered compartment," David muttered. "The device they're searching for amplifies Quirks. It's in—"
Nemoto cocked his revolver.
"Fifty-seven."
The seconds after that seemed to move impossibly fast. Nemoto pulled the trigger, but Midoriya lunged in Full Cowl a breath earlier and destroyed the bullet as soon as it was fired. Togata disappeared into the ground and reappeared behind the masked man, grabbing his pistol and throwing it aside.
Shōji rushed towards a defenseless Trumpet, restraining him with his multiple arms. As Hawks flew towards the walls, searching for the right compartment, Kirishima accompanied Melissa to her father. The blond dropped to her knees and threw her arms around his shoulders, tears simmering but refusing to fall.
"Papa," she whimpered.
David breathed out a sigh of relief. "I'm sorry, Melissa."
"No, Papa! I'm so sorry for not realizing you were in danger."
"I would accept his apology," Trumpet chimed in, grimacing when Shōji tightened his hold. "Who do you think hired us in the first place?"
"What?" Melissa recoiled.
Kirishima frowned, shaking his head. "Don't even lie about something like that."
"Mr. Shield," Nemoto said, grunting when Togata pinned him to the floor. "How did we get here?"
"I paid off fake Villains to take part in this mission. The ones who showed up at the banquet hall looked like the real deal, and they were, but these two grabbed me, led us here, and set off the security system on top of that."
"And why did you feel the need to go through all that trouble?"
"Because All Might is sick and he's only getting worse because of his Quirk!"
Midoriya recoiled at his words, but no one seemed to notice with their attention on the researcher. Kirishima and Shōji exchanged helpless glances as Melissa brought a hand to her mouth to stifle her gasp.
"Oh, papa, you didn't…"
"You're right."
Heads turned to the other side of the room, where an older man emerged from the shadows.
"Sam?" David croaked out.
Kirishima blinked. "Who is that?"
"Another scientist, papa's assistant," Melissa said, propping her father up as they stood to their feet. "What are you talking about, Sam?"
"Why don't you tell them, Mr. Abraham?" Trumpet goaded. "Tell them how you put in just as much time and effort into your work only to have it taken away from you."
Sam clenched his fists, bringing attention to the briefcase in his hands. Above them, Hawks let out a groan and what sounded suspiciously like aw, shit.
"You gave up the research so easily," Sam said, face twisted into a scowl. "The reward, the recognition, it all slipped out of our grasps, and for what? There just wasn't a point in any of it if I didn't at least get some money in return."
"I really feel for you, man, but I do not have time for this."
Hawks swooped down and attempted to take the briefcase, but Sam, unbeknownst to them affected by Trumpet's Quirk, maneuvered out of the way with reflexes unlike his usual self.
"Think about all that he stole from you!" Trumpet proclaimed. "Your whole life, you worked to become someone great, and it gets flushed down the drain by a man stuck on his own ideals!"
Hugging the briefcase to his chest, Sam dove for Nemoto's discarded revolver. Shōji and Togata secured their hold on the two Villains while Kirishima and Midoriya once again stepped in front of Melissa and her father.
"You're outnumbered," Hawks said.
Sam pointed the pistol at his own head. "You're out of your league."
"And I see I have arrived just in time."
Mist extended across the room, revolving around Trumpet and Nemoto. Not a moment later, Kurogiri appeared behind Sam, startling the man enough to momentarily release his hold on the briefcase.
"Come," Kurogiri said. "I would very much rather not be here when the inevitable occurs."
In a split-second, the three Villains and the briefcase disappeared.
"Damn it," Hawks muttered.
Togata stared down at the empty space beneath him. "That's the guy from the League of Villains with the warp Quirk?"
"Yeah," Midoriya said, clenching his fists. "There's nothing we can do about them right now. We need to shut down the security system."
Melissa straightened, taking a deep breath as Kirishima broke the chains restraining her father. "I'm on it."
"I'll keep an eye on him," Shōji said, holding a disoriented Sam in place.
"We need to let everyone else know what just happened," Togata said, gesturing at Midoriya. "Your friends might be in even more trouble now that the Villains finally got what they came for."
"I bet this isn't how you imagined your third anniversary."
Natsuo grinned and dropped his hand on my head. His fingers ruffled my hair before quickly pulling back, probably taking me by surprise more than my question startled him, but it was a friendly gesture that elicited a smile from me in return.
"Don't go around saying it's your fault or whatever," Natsuo said.
Feigning nonchalance, I shrugged. "I've come to accept the fact that trouble finds us wherever we are."
"Sounds like a line from a cheesy movie."
I glanced at the younger Todoroki from the corner of my eye as he returned to his spot beside me. The warmth he provided felt more welcomed than usual with the wind blowing particularly hard due to our close proximity to the ocean.
"In a weird way, it kind of feels like I'm in one," I said, feeling oddly nostalgic. "The only thing that's missing is the soundtrack."
Todoroki kept his gaze forward, staring at nothing too important. "That's a lot of water."
"It's your first time seeing the ocean up close, isn't it?" I asked, frowning at the sudden recollection. "Sorry I couldn't show it to you first."
"You're here," Todoroki said, lifting his shoulders into a proper shrug. "That counts, I think."
"This isn't the same as the ocean back home, though."
"What's the difference if they're all connected?"
"I don't have many memories here. I wanted to show you where I grew up, all of my favorite places."
Natsuo made a contemplative noise that in all truthfulness served to remind me that he was still here. "You two are sharing a memory right now. It could've been under better circumstances, but all things considered, that definitely counts for something."
"Fighting against exceptionally powerful Villains and almost dying," I said, lips pulling into a wry smile. "Not really something I'd put in a photo album."
"The waves."
I turned to Todoroki again, quirking a brow at his seemingly arbitrary statement. "What about the waves?"
"They'd be part of your soundtrack," Todoroki said.
Natsuo mumbled something only loud enough for me to hear, but even then I couldn't tell if he did so on purpose. "Is it my anniversary or yours?"
"Um," I said, lamely. "Any news?"
I had hoped my attempt at changing the subject came across as more concerned than embarrassed. Todoroki pulled out his phone, unaffected, and I made a point not to look at his brother's all too knowing grin.
"Tokoyami took down one of the Villains, someone with an ice Quirk," at this, Todoroki frowned. "Before they could apprehend him, Kurogiri arrived and took him away."
"Kurogiri?" Natsuo voiced in confusion.
"From the League of Villains," I explained, biting the inside of my cheek. "If Kurogiri came to get one of them, it's safe to assume he's here to get the others."
"Your mother arrived at around the same time," Todoroki added. "Now she, Tokoyami, Bakugou, and Uraraka are helping with the evacuations."
"My mother?"
"Your mother?
Natsuo and I turned to each other, surprise and curiosity meeting in the middle. I shook my head more so for my benefit, trying to grasp the situation.
"Luci did say someone from Yūei met up with them at the airport," Natsuo said. "I think her name is Hadō? Must be reinforcements."
I hummed in agreement. "Hadō-senpai is a third year and one of the strongest at our school. I'm guessing if she's here, the rest of the Big Three came as well."
"How does that explain why your mom is here, too?"
"She's a Pro Hero."
"Yeah?" Natsuo snorted, humorlessly given context. "We know a thing or two about what it's like to have a Pro as a parent."
"So I've heard," I said dryly.
Todoroki merely glanced at his brother and looked back at his phone. "Yaoyorozu didn't pick up the call, but she sent a message saying she and Amajiki-senpai are working with Aizawa-sensei to rescue the hostages."
"If Hadō-senpai and Amajiki-senpai came, Togata-senpai is definitely here, too. Since everyone else is accounted for, I'm hoping he managed to catch up to Deku's group."
"Aizawa-sensei said a couple of students from Shiketsu are also helping with the evacuations," Todoroki let out a quiet huff, and if I felt brave enough to point it out, I might have said he almost looked like a pouting puppy. "Shishikura-san and Utsushimi-san are guiding civilians to both the airport and the docks."
"Any injuries?"
"Nothing that requires immediate medical attention. Uraraka feels a bit nauseous after experiencing whiplash during one of the fights and Tokoyami is understandably exhausted."
"And no word on Deku yet?"
Todoroki opened his mouth to respond, but paused as his phone rang. "Funny you asked that."
"Todoroki-kun?"
"You're on speaker," Todoroki said, blinking at his phone as the camera switched on. "Was it supposed to do that?"
Deku smiled tiredly, nodding. Behind him, Kirishima grinned and Shōji dipped his head in acknowledgement. "I asked Kaminari-kun to turn on the video feed. It's about time we all took a second to regroup."
"Hey, guys," Kaminari said, waving as he appeared on the opposite corner of the screen. "I'm at the airport with Jirō, Luci, and Hadō-senpai."
The three girls popped into frame at the sound of their names, Luci grinning and Hadō-senpai waving at the camera.
"I am so glad to see you guys," Jirō sighed, placing a hand on her chest.
"Guess what? Kaminari-kun and Jirō-chan hot wired the controls," Hadō-senpai said, smiling brightly. "You first years are pretty impressive, huh?"
"We should have a couple of the planes boarded in a few minutes," Luci added. "I don't know if we can get more in the air, though. It looks like there are only two pilots available right now."
"Aizawa-sensei has airlifts on standby just outside of the island perimeter."
"Yaomomo!" Kaminari and Jirō loudly exclaimed.
Momo smiled, but with the way her eyes sparkled, she was practically beaming. "I hope you're all safe."
"Hey, hey, Yaomomo-chan, you wouldn't happen to still be with Amajiki, would you?" Hadō-senpai asked.
"That's right," Togata-senpai said, peering over Deku's head. "Is he doing okay?"
We heard Amajiki-senpai sigh before the top of his hood shortly appeared on camera. "I'm… not dead."
"Don't forget about us," Ochako said, showing up on the bottom corner. "Bakugou-kun has a couple of scratches and Tokoyami-kun is still pretty pooped, but other than that we're totally fine!"
"What about you?" Deku asked hurriedly, forehead creased in concern.
Todoroki adjusted his grip on the phone as I struggled to peek over his shoulder. "I heard you got whiplash during one of the fights."
"Yeah," Ochako winced, rubbing at her neck. "Rei's mom gave me some pain medication. No need to worry!"
"Good to hear," I murmured. "The only ones missing are Seiji-senpai and Camie-senpai. I have Seiji-senpai's number if you want to call them, Jirō."
"No need."
Todoroki and I looked up to find Seiji-senpai in the flesh, no pun intended, standing in front of us. Natsuo raised a brow and leaned over to catch a glimpse of him.
"Where's Camie-senpai?" I asked, offering him a small smile in greeting.
Seiji-senpai gestured to the boats docked a few feet away. "Helping civilians board the ships. Her Quirk deactivates at a wide enough distance and we don't know if there's still a credible threat on the island."
"That's kind of what I wanted to talk to everyone about," Deku said, frowning. "Kurogiri just showed up and escaped with two Villains we found at the control tower. They stole a device that supposedly amplifies Quirks."
"Bastard showed up and took the freak with the hood, too," Bakugou muttered.
Seiji-senpai twitched at the sound of his voice. "Names would be helpful, brat."
"What the fuck?" Bakugou exclaimed, nearly ramming into Ochako as his head popped up from behind hers. "Who invited the damn meathead?"
"Your vocabulary continues to do the complete opposite of impressing me."
I swatted at Seiji-senpai as a signal to shut up, and he rolled his eyes. "Do you remember his name, Ochako?"
"I think the lady that was with him earlier called him Geten."
"The one with the explosion Quirk," Kirishima said, bringing a hand to his chin. "Where do you think she ended up?"
"And the two who stole my blueprints," Luci huffed.
"With a Quirk like that, you would think she's spend a little more time on the front lines," Togata-senpai pondered. "The two we dealt with here didn't have any offensive Quirks, but it looks like they did more tangible damage than she did."
"The guy with the flames didn't inflict nearly as much damage as he's capable of," I admitted.
Todoroki frowned, reluctantly nodding. "Neither did the girl with the knives."
"What now?" Kaminari asked. "We think there's going to be an attack on the island, right?"
"Melissa is almost done shutting down the security system," Kirishima noted. "The Villains installed some kind of firewall. It's taking just a little bit longer than expected."
"They were already here," Amajiki-senpai said. "Why leave if they're planning to attack again anyway?"
"Maybe they realized they were outnumbered and didn't want to get caught," Hadō-senpai suggested. "Or maybe they just moved to another part of the island."
Togata-senpai shook his head. "No, something that Kurogiri fellow said doesn't line up with that. He said he doesn't want to be here 'when the inevitable occurs.'"
"Here as in the control room?" Kirishima asked.
"Here as in the island," Momo said, frowning. "What are the facts? Two Villains stole the blueprints from Luci-san's lab, two stole a Quirk amplifying device from the tower, and two—did what? This Geten fought Bakugou-kun, Uraraka-chan, and Tokoyami-san, but that can't have been his only mission."
"He was pretty persistent," Ochako recalled. "I'm not even sure he had time to play a part in their mission considering how much time he spent on us."
Bakugou clicked his tongue. "Unless he already did his job."
"What exactly was that woman's Quirk?" Deku asked suddenly. "Kirishima-kun said it resembled Kacchan's, but in what way?"
"I think she needed to be touching something in order to make it explode," Kirishima said, scratching at his cheek. "Well, something like that."
"The blasts didn't feel very strong," Ochako said.
Momo nodded, her eyes reflecting a slow realization. "It's likely they weren't, at least by themselves."
"We're surrounded by water," I mumbled, forcing my focus by tugging at the hem of my shirt. "Someone who can control ice can't necessarily control liquid, but they can use it to make more ice."
"Maybe we should—"
Kaminari paused, his eyes wide as the something that sounded distinctly like an explosive erupted in the background.
"Did that woman show up again?" Ochako gasped.
"No," Jirō said, pursing her lips. "That blast came from somewhere underground."
"Why would—"
Amajiki-senpai paused this time, but for the same reason. Another muffled explosion sound off on their end of the call.
"That was underground, too," Seiji-senpai observed.
Natsuo looked around, eyes wide. "You don't think they're happening everywhere, do you?"
To answer his question, an explosion went off somewhere along the coast just a few hundred feet away from us. Another blast went off seconds after it, harmonizing with the shrieks of the panicked people still waiting to board the ships.
"Shit," Bakugou and I cursed at the same time.
"They were together when we ran into them," Bakugou said. "The bitch and the ice freak."
"We're surrounded by water," I repeated, looking out into the restless seas. "Turn the water into ice and the ice into bombs…"
"They're not just attacking the island," Deku concluded. "They've turned the island into the weapon they're using to attack."
"Are we all accounted for?"
Kurogiri eyed the subordinates in front of him, taking in their unscathed appearances, save for perhaps the hooded ice mage asleep at the far end of the bar. It took them a bit longer to transport back to Yokohama due mostly in part to the sheer distance between I-Island and Japan, but everything else seemed relatively in order.
Trumpet made a noise of confirmation, but kept his gaze on his fellow Liberation member. "Geten took more of a beating than anticipated."
"Those kids certainly put up a fight," Curious sighed wistfully. "I wish I'd gotten around to asking them a few questions, but I suppose that's what we have dear Nemoto here for."
"Like anyone would want to talk to you," Toga mumbled. "Can we leave now, Dabi, Kurogiri?"
"Patience," Kurogiri chided. "Let's make sure we have everything we came for first."
"Here are the damn blueprints," Dabi said, rolling a metal tube across the table. "Don't blame us if they're a little soggy."
"Looks like you had a few inconveniences as well," Nemoto mused, holding up a briefcase. "The Quirk amplification device."
"Got any useful information from those scientists?" Dabi asked.
"Quite," Nemoto said. "It appears All Might is suffering from the repercussions of his Quirk. You know must know a bit about that."
Dabi narrowed his eyes, fingers itching at his sides. "I'd shut the fuck up unless you want a real reason to wear that mask."
"Hush, boys," Curious cooed. "You were saying, Nemoto?"
"I'm going to stab her now," Toga deadpanned, pulling out a knife from her pocket.
Dabi rolled his eyes and lowered her hand, eliciting a pout from the blond. "What about his Quirk?"
"We didn't get much more than that," Trumpet said. "However, it's a start. The clock is ticking for the Number One Hero."
"That'll make Tomura-san very happy," Toga giggled, hiding a grin behind her sweater covered hands.
"Overhaul will also be quite pleased to know he'll have one less cause of concern," Nemoto said, the smile in his voice evident. "Of course, I doubt he'll have much use for this device. The mere concept of Quirk amplification contradicts many of his ideals."
"Good thing it's not for him."
The group of Villains looked up to see Hawks leaning against the doorframe, wings folded in an attempt to save space.
"And where the hell were you the whole time?" Dabi asked, veiling his annoyance with a lazy drawl.
Hawks crossed his arms. "I bought you some time, that's what."
"He played his part as he should have," Trumpet said. "Despite our forced confrontation, he held back quite a bit, but not so much that the other people present would have noticed."
"What are you doing here?" Nemoto asked, tempted to use his Quirk, but holding off in the meantime.
"I'm not," Hawks said, holding up a small chip. "Hologram. Looks pretty convincing, eh?"
"That could be useful one of these days," Curious said, inching closer to inspect the display.
"I'll be sure to send you one for Christmas."
"Why are you calling, Hawks?" Kurogiri asked. "I assume I don't need to remind you that exposing yourself now could prove problematic for all parties."
"No one's around," Hawks assured them. "I just wanted to make sure you got everything you needed."
Kurogiri shook his head. "In terms of material items, yes, but I have one more stop to make."
"Just you?" Dabi asked, quirking a brow.
"Toga Himiko shall accompany me."
"Is it time to play?" Toga gasped, clapping her hands. "Let's go right now, Kurogiri!"
"As long as you're done with I-Island," Hawks shrugged, pointing his thumb behind him. "The bombs detonated right on time. Not to sound picky or anything, but I would prefer having more than a few minutes to prepare for them next time."
"Just consider it a surprise from me," Curious purred.
Kurogiri dipped his head, and Hawks knew that was his cue to leave. "You have served your purpose for this mission."
"Call if you need me," Hawks said, saluting them. "Gotta play the Hero part a little now."
Once the hologram disappeared, Dabi scoffed and waved the bartender over. "How much of that Hero part is acting?"
"Eir will be glad to know the mission was a success," Nemoto said. "This was a test of sorts and the fact that we're here now means that he passed."
"Come on," Toga whined, stomping her foot. "I can't wait any longer!"
"Yes," Kurogiri nodded, his mist slowly permeating the room. "We have people expecting us. The blueprints and the briefcase, if you please."
Toga tucked the tube containing the blueprints under her arm while Nemoto carefully handed the device over to Kurogiri. As their bodies began to disappear with the dispersing mist, the blond let out another giggle.
"Now we can start the real fun!"
Deep in the basement of the Hassaikai compound, Shigaraki Tomura and Chisaki Kai begrudgingly sat across one another in silence. Eir watched them just as quietly, every so often stirring her tea, but her gaze drifted to the girl in the corner of the room with pink hair and parted lips.
It was, admittedly, an impressive feat. Shigaraki put in quite a bit of time and effort to retrieve her, and since the I-Island mission succeeded without any casualties, the next phase of the plan could begin while the Pro Heroes had their eyes set in the wrong direction.
"We have arrived."
Toga Himiko skipped out of the portal that manifested on the other side of the room, followed shortly by Kurogiri himself. The blond grinned at the sight of her boss and frowned after glancing at the head of the Yakuza, but her smile returned in full force when she noticed Eir sat between the two group leaders.
"You're late," Shigaraki grumbled, clicking his tongue as he stood to his feet.
Kurogiri dipped his head. "I apologize for the delay."
"Don't blame him, Tomura-kun," Toga said, shaking her head. "Those annoying kids kept showing up and slowing us down. I didn't even get to see Izuku-kun once!"
"What matters is that you're here now," Eir said, setting her cup down on the table. "Shall we get started then?"
Chisaki stood up at last, carefully dusting off his pants. "Let me show you to the lab."
As Kurogiri opened the briefcase containing the Quirk amplification device, Chisaki took the blueprints and handed them over to Kurono for processing. Toga, in the meantime, inched towards the unconscious girl with a needle in hand.
"I didn't get to see you today," she murmured. "But I will see you soon, Izuku-kun!"
postscript
u know the drill folks i will probably most likely definitely make edits to this chapter throughout the first week it's up but in all honesty it came together so quickly i feel like it'll take a while for me to find anything i'm unhappy about which if u ask me is major character development on my part
i feel a bit lethargic due to a few personal grievances (in full transparency my family and i are going through a particularly difficult time at the moment) but stepping back into the world of hsc has helped me cope a lot! i always appreciate ur support but i am especially grateful for ur presence now, old friends and new neighbors alike
this extends to the community we've built across the two platforms i post on (ff and ao3) but i'd like to give a special thanks to everyone on tumblr as well! it's nice to see u guys react to shared interests outside of bnha and that alone inspires me to create even more
in any case i hope u enjoyed this chapter! i have most of the next one already written (which will wrap up the i-island arc) and after that i think i'll indulge in a bit of todoreiko development if only because i missed them a lot
thank u for reading! i hope u had a warm holiday season and have a healthy new year ahead :-)