Chapter fourteen: The book of missions: Strike of the vanguard action squad
Izuku's pov
"Dumbass, are you gonna make a clone of me or not?" Dabi asked impatiently.
"That's very greedy of you," responded Twice.
Dabi's hands were burning with a blue flame.
"I swear," he threatened.
It was a hilarious scene watching from the comfort of the bushes. I never knew Dabi, Twice, and Toga would be a comedic group.
But I moved a little bit, causing the bushes to rustle.
"Someone's here," Dabi alerted the group.
Dabi, without warning, used the flames to burn down the bushes. I was forced to come out.
"Hey, guys, it's me!" I pleaded. "Your teammate."
"Oh," Dabi responded without a care in his voice. "It's just you."
"Hey kid," Twice said. "Where's Muscular? Weren't you supposed to be with him?"
Crap: I should have thought up an excuse.
"He was captured by heroes. He told me to run." I lied.
"Well, what's done is done," said Dabi.
"Okay, Midiyoria," Dabi went on. "You are to be with Toga."
I took a quick glance at her. She looked jolly.
"Oh Izuku~," Toga said. "I guess fate chose us."
She got close to me and held my arm. I was unresponsive.
Gulp.
Dabi let out a little chuckle.
"Well get on you two. We're gonna help Mr. Compress take the kid."
"You two just cause as much damage."
"R-right,"
"Don't worry, Dabi," Toga joyfully said. "Izuku and I will get the job. Right?"
She looked at me with her twinkling eyes.
"Y-yeah," I responded speechlessly.
"Heh!" Dabi smirked sinisterly.
"Good luck, kid,"
Toga and I traveled through the dark forest. It was pitch black. It did offer us the element of surprise. However, the same could be said to our enemies.
I have gotten used to it.
My skills in combat and stealth improved.
Sadly stealth wasn't Toga's specialty. She just skipped around like all of this was a game.
"Toga, could you try to be stealthy?" I asked.
She giggled.
"Nah," she teased.
Ugh.
I was about to lecture her when we heard rustling noises. Toga immediately halted and took heed.
We hid behind the bushes and observed.
There were two female students. One of the girls had green curly hair, a large tongue stuffed inside her mouth, and black eyes. The other girl was…..
My eyes widened. It was the same girl from the U.S.J attack.
The Burnette was mostly wearing casual clothes suggesting that they're not in training and mostly relaxing.
"Hey Izuku, leave those two to me," Toga requested.
"We're supposed to stick together," I reminded her.
"Don't worry. I'll be fine. Plus I could use you as back up."
"Okay," I reluctantly agreed.
Fear had spread throughout the camp like wildfire. Aizawa had requested Mandalay to order every student to fight back.
Ragdoll had been beaten by Magne and spinner. Magne with her foot firmly placed on Ragdoll's now fragile head. Blood was slowly spewing out.
"Bastard!" Tiger roared.
"Your next," Magne said with a sinister grin.
Spinner drew out his sword.
"I will make sure Stain's dreams are realized!" Spinner joined in.
Aizawa rushed to save his students only to be stopped by a surge of blue flames.
"Heh!" he muttered, as he shielded himself with his two arms.
"You're not bad," complimented Dabi. "Eraserhead."
Aizawa was clinging on the wall with his two feet. Aizawa activated his quirk. His eyes transformed into an intense red.
His cloth-like tentacles lifted Dabi into the air and pounded him into the ground.
Dabi only smirked as he was being held down by Aizawa.
"You have a lot of guts," Aizawa meant to threaten him.
"Yeah," muttered Dabi.
Dabi's hands spewed out flames. Eraserhead swiftly dodged out of the way. Once he was on his feet, Aizawa's cloth viciously attacked Dabi. But something wasn't right. Dabi's flesh was disintegrating into ashes.
Dabi's face did manage to haunt Aizawa.
"The hell," Aizawa startled.
Dabi vanished in thin air.
"I see you manage to defeat the clone, Eraserhead." said a mysterious yet taunting voice.
Aizawa realized it was a decoy. How could he have been so stupid? It didn't matter. No point crying over spoiled milk.
The figure was revealed to be Stain.
"I'm impressed, underground hero."
"Nice decoy, hero-killer," Aizawa greeted him back.
"I don't know why you would join villains," Aizawa explained. "But I'll protect my students from you."
Stain sniggered.
Aizawa activated his quirk once again. His eyes transformed into a serious red.
Stain drew out his sword.
"Let's see what you got, hero-killer."
"Is your arm okay?" the green-haired girl asked.
"Yeah," the brunette assured.
"Who are you?" asked the amphibian girl.
"Who am I?" Toga responded in a condescending voice
"Well, I'm Toga…" she said with content. "You two look cute together."
"Uraraka…." Toga pointed to the brunette. "And Asui…."
Toga tilted her knife towards the amphibian.
"She knows our names…" Uraraka mentioned to Asui.
"Yeah probably from the sports festival…"
"Not enough blood…." Toga said disappointingly.
She took a needle attached with tubes. It was attached to a backpack, which connected to her mask.
She charges at Uraraka. Asui sticks out her tongue.
"Run back to camp! We have been told to fight to protect ourselves!" Asui explained as she launches her out of harm's way.
"You two!" screamed Uraraka.
"O-of course I too-" before Asui could finish her sentence, Toga knife pierced Asui's tongue. She managed to dodge but was left with a bloodied tongue.
"Tsui….Tsui," Toga madly rambled. "I think I'll call you Tsu."
"My friends only call me that," she said as she hopped over to a tree.
Big mistake, Toga trapped her with her needle. Her long hair dangled.
"That means I'm your friend too. Yay!" Toga cheerfully bounced.
"Leave her alone!" Uraraka roared as she rushed towards her. Toga charged her as well with a knife. Uraraka slid to the side, passing Toga's rampage. Uraraka used one of her hands to hold Toga's arm and the other gripping on her neck. With all her might, she pounded Toga to the ground.
"Tsu!" Uraraka called her friend. "Can you hold her with your tongue?"
"Y-yea give a minute," she asked, with her tongue sticking out.
Toga's eyes looked over to the bush. Izuku was observing the battle, just like what Toga requested. The two girls had overpowered her. Izuku needed to save her. Toga's eyes pleaded him not to. Izuku felt tempted to stay behind.
No…..
He would help her. Ignoring her wishes.
Dark aura once again took form. The blackness surrounding his entire body. He looked at his hands. He concentrated. He imagined taking control of his own power.
Becoming one with it.
A knife appeared in his hand. It was all black.
Looking at his target, Izuku hurled the knife at Uraraka. She saw the knife aimed at her. She dodged it, only to be shoved by Izuku.
Tsui readied an attack, only for Izuku to launch sharp projectiles at her. He took advantage of the situation and helped Toga escape.
"You came…." Toga said as she was walking with Izuku.
"Yeah," he responded. "You're part of the league. I couldn't just leave you."
"Now come on. We need to carry on the mission."
"R-right," Toga stuttered as she realized the roles were reversed.
Mr. Compress was standing on the tree branch proudly. He held two compact marbles. It shone across the dark forest.
Todoroki and Shoji stood there as the villain taunted them.
"You're wondering where your comrades are? Aren't you? Well there, in my hands!"
The showman reveals one marble before showing two.
"Your friend, Tokoyami, was an improvision on my part. Very difficult. Your friend, Katsuki, was very boisterous, very easy to capture."
The showman enjoyed watching the terror and anger on their faces.
Todoroki shot a blast of ice from his arm.
The showman dropped the two marbles on the ground. However, underneath his mask, he smirked.
He touched the ice with his hands and compressed. What was once a wall of ice was now a miniature marble.
Mr. Compress bowed before floating away.
The marbles were revealed.
"Damn it!" cursed Todoroki.
They were fake bodies.
"I have an idea!"
"Uraruaka! Tsyu! " Todoroki called them.
"Yes?" both of them responded.
"I think we can still save them. Uraruaka, can you make me float?" the half-quirked user asked.
"Y-yea," she responded. "But it'll float away."
"Not if Tsyu can hold me with her tongue."
At that moment, Tsyu knew what he was plotting.
"What you're planning to do is reckless," Tsyu argued.
"I know but we need to save our friends," Todoroki fought back. "Please."
She was conflicted about the idea. But her mentality gave in.
"Okay…."
Uraraka tapped him with two of her hands. Todoroki felt light. Before his eyes, he was suspended in mid-air.
Shoji quickly tied Todoroki to Tsyu's tongue.
With great force, Shoto was launched into the sky.
Izuku and Toga were running around in circles, attempting to find their allies.
"Where do you think they went?" Izuku asked.
"Beats me," Toga responded, knowing as much as him.
"Shigaraki said to meet at these coordinates by 11:00 pm," Izuku added.
"Are you suggesting that we leave?" Toga asked.
"I'm saying we should abandon the mission. It's just if the league captured Ka-chan, then we should hurry to the spot."
"I see…."
Toga studied Izuku for a moment.
"We should just try and help our teammates," Izuku suggested.
"Let's go," Toga agreed.
Mr. Compress was lying on the ground with throbbing pain. The two marbles flew up in the air. Todoroki was able to snatch one, however, Dabi grabbed the other one.
"Heh!" Dabi smirked sinisterly.
Stain's fight against Eraserhead was not in his favor. Despite the ability to paralyze any opponents via drinking blood, Eraserhead's ability to cancel out quirks leveled the plain field. Both of them were light on their feet. However, Stain was the one on the ground with one foot and his hands on his trusty sword.
"Now I see why the school would hire you as their teacher." Stain sounded impressed while also gasping for oxygen in the cool air.
"It's over hero-killer," Aizawa finished. "Now for an explanation."
Izuku and Toga had witnessed the fight.
"This is bad." Izuku panicked.
"Stainy!" Toga whimpered quietly to herself.
"Izuku," Toga firmly rotated towards him. "Yeah?" Izuku asked.
"I'll distract the scarf guy you save Stainy. Okay?" Toga desperately waited for an answer.
Izuku didn't like the idea of Toga fighting a pro hero. But they needed to save an ally. The risk had to be made.
"Okay then," Izuku agreed.
Toga jumped out of the bush with her knife in hand, attacking Eraserhead. Izuku immediately sprinted towards Stain, helping him with one arm.
"Aren't you supposed to be with that murderous psycho?" he batted an eye to Izuku. "It's a long story. Let's get you up. Our time is almost up. They captured Katsuki."
Stain didn't question further and accepted the help.
"Thanks, kid," Stain said.
"Y-yeah, of course," Izuku stammered.
Toga managed to hold off Eraserhead enough for the duo to escape.
Before Aizawa's eyes, she too disappeared.
Tokoyami and Shoto were hesitant to attack. Dabi had one hand firmly gripped on Katsuki's neck. Warning them if they came closer, they would pay the price.
Black mist appeared. Several different portals formed. Mr. Compress bowed to them before dragging himself to the portal.
"Let me go. Damn it!" Katsuki roared at his kidnappers.
"I can't get close to him!" Shoto obviously stated to his friend.
"We can't do anything," Tokoyami also stated.
Dabi with his grip on Katsuki still firm disappeared in the portal.
Izuku, Toga, and Stain made it just in time to disappear as well. Izuku glanced at them. He saw their faces full of anger and helplessness. He blinked before disappearing altogether.
End of Chapter
A/N: Things are getting serious now. I think in the next chapter I'll have an interaction between Izuku and Bakugo. I'll also have be build-up to the hideout raid arc. I hope it wasn't bad.
.
.
