As always, I want to thank G-Viral, BearShark, and Galileo for their help. Special acknowledgements go to CJtheCreator and DrZenkai for use of their OC's, but both will get proper introductions soon. Actually, pretty sure some characters I referenced here and in the last chapter are ones I co-created with AnchoAshido. Either way, that's my due diligence.

It's later than expected but sometimes that's how it is. I wanted to get this out on Setsuna Tokage's birthday but it is what it is. I am happy for all the help I have had in making this story the best it can be.

Also, there is a subtle implication of younger Itsuka referring to herself with "Boku", as well as a couple Hololive references if you caught them. I wish I could remember all the little hints and easter eggs I put in here, but a lot of the time, I forget to call attention to them when I post. I am sure I will go back and do so one day. Just annotate this thing. For now, however, we are near the end of an arc, and a saga. Stay tuned to see how that goes. Speaking of, I apologize for it taking so long, but I'm nearly done with the I Island finale for Walk.

I'm headed to bed. Hope you all enjoy. Talk to you later.

—-

The train ride was long. "So Momo gave me the tracker, but it also had an ETA attached via sticky note. We should be there by about 10 or so, possibly 10:30. That gives us time to go over what exactly we're doing. That also means…we may have to prioritize our class and you will have to prioritize yours."

"Well of course. What's the issue with…" Monoma paused, seeing the anguish on Kyoka and Izuku's faces. He had let his pride for his class render him unable to see the truth: Setsuna was beloved by more than just 1B.

"Fine…I will aid in rescuing Bakugou if it will allow the rocker over there to rescue her crush."

"As for you, Midoriya, you have double the stakes, but for this to work best? Assuming they aren't being kept together…"

"I'll have to make a choice between who to prioritize. It's definitely a challenge. I'm tempted to go for Setsuna. I owe her, or maybe she's right and we're square now. I don't think we'll ever be even, though. Setsuna and I…" Izuku gave a sad smile. "That's fine by me though. I'll never stop. We'll save her again. And Kacchan."

"You knew them both growing up, right?"

"Yeah. I didn't get along with Kacchan very well after a while…But he was my definition of victory and strength, even when he put me through hell…but I can't just stand by while someone needs saving. He and Setsuna have felt like important figures in my life since childhood. I need to make it up to them."

Izuku sighed, then relented. "Setsuna is yours to rescue, Jirou. Todoroki, Kirishima, Monoma, and I will rescue Kacchan. The girls and Shoda can save Setsuna."

Kyouka was stunned. She was happy to reach out and save Setsuna, but she felt almost guilty over it. "Are you sure? She's your best friend. You have every right to save her too."

Izuku smiled, speaking resolutely to his friend. "Positive. Besides…It would be unfair of me to have anyone else give up their spot. I'll still be here after we save her."

Kyouka felt her heart squeeze in her chest. Izuku really was too much for her sometimes. She was truly glad they had started talking more. "Thank you, dude. I mean it. I'll make it up to you."

The boy waved his hands frantically in front of his face, feeling no desire for rewards. "You don't have to."

"I want to." Kyouka shushed the boy with one of her jacks, placing her hand on Izuku's. "We're in this together. For her."

"Right. For her…" Izuku nodded, zoning out ever so slightly before he and Kyouka awkwardly took their hands away from each other.

"Speaking of girls…can I say something in private?" Shoda raised his hand, then looked to Yui. She nodded at him knowingly. "To Yanagi."

Reiko pointed at herself in confusion, then shrugged, getting out of her seat and heading towards the bathrooms with Shoda.

"What's up, Shoda?"

"I have to get something off my chest. I know the timing is off, but I want to stay focused on this mission so that if things get dicey, I can pull us out."

"I figured as such," Reiko shrugged. "It doesn't seem like a private thought, however. What's really on your mind?"

"I know you say he's just a friend. I will trust you, but you have gotten closer to Shinsou…and since I helped Yui come to terms with her feelings and get them off her chest, I should do the same so I can move on."

"Wait, Shoda. Slow down. What are you talking abo…oh." It all clicked for Reiko. It was all too fast to keep up with. She felt like she was spinning in a fog, disoriented slightly by it.

"Yeah. I, um, well…I like you. But I can see how you are with him. Sorry if it's not my place or I'm being presumptuous. I just…don't want to sit on those feelings. I don't want them to push away my friend, but I can't force you to return those feelings. "

Reiko was at a loss. In a way, she supposed she knew, but never gave it much thought. And now, of all times, it was out in the air between them. She would have preferred to think about it more, though she supposed it made sense. "Shoda…I'm sorry. I didn't…"

Shoda waved it off, fighting against the knot in his chest. Some things were worth the risk, or at least that's what his grandfather always told him. "It's OK. I probably should have picked a better time to say it. It just seemed right to clear the air so we can focus on this."

Reiko looked down at the ground, trying to figure out what to say. It's not like she didn't think fondly of Shoda. He was a dependable guy and looked out for her and others. And yet, she was still sifting through her own feelings. There was a lot to take in these days. Finally she gathered her thoughts and let them flow from her lips.

"Thanks for telling me. I will admit, I might have a small crush on the guy. I also sort of figured out you might like me, but I didn't want to assume. With all the romance stuff on the horizon, I wanted to focus on becoming a hero with my friends. I could figure everything out after that. And now, one of my best friends is…"

Reiko found herself unable to cry, wondering if she still could, or if her determination to save her friend had dried that well up already.

"That's why we're going to rescue her. I am mostly here to make sure none of you get hurt…but I'd be lying if I said I didn't want to save her too."

Reiko sighed and looked to the ground. She felt like on some level, she could feel emotion welling up, but it wasn't coming. "I don't think I can return your feelings. I apologize."

Shoda patted her on the shoulder, then bashfully took his hand away before it could linger. "No need to apologize or be so formal. Yeah…I had feelings for you. It might take time to get over them, but as your friend, I am at peace with whatever makes you happy."

Reiko smiled, then rustled his hair. "I suppose so. Thanks for talking to me about this. Come on. Let's rejoin the others."

Shoda agreed and nodded,walking next to Reiko towards where the group was seated. "Oh, Reiko?"

"Yes?" The girl responded.

"If you do decide to pursue anything with that guy, I hope you're both happy. Come on."

Reiko smiled, at peace with herself. Shoda was similarly close to that threshold. For now, they had a friend to save. Everything else could wait.

While they had conversed, so did the other members of their group. The students went over what they knew and what the plan was before Kyoka changed the subject

"Hey…Kirishima. There's something I want to ask you. I didn't really have the opportunity but Midoriya summed things up for me."

Kirishima stretched in his seat and looked across at his classmate. He answered her cheerfully, then took a sip of water from a bottle he had with him, in case he got thirsty

"Sure. What do you need to know?"

Without missing a beat, Kyouka asked her question with a stoic expression. "How do you feel about Bakugou? Like what is he to you?"

Monoma nearly choked on his own spit from the surprise of it all.

"Wow…um…is that a bit personal, and right before a rescue mission?"

"We have time to kill. Besides, I'm not trying to tease you like I do with Kaminari…I just kind of picked up on something I guess."

"Well…he's my friend. I know he's grouchy and he's got a chip on his shoulders. And I know that apparently, he and Midoriya don't have the best relationship. There's just something about his desire to win, and to go all out, regardless of his opponent. He's pretty manly in that way."

The punk girl took on a smug expression as she took a sip of her own beverage, a grape soda she got at the station vending machine. After her drink, she chimed in again. "Sounds like you might be developing stronger feelings than friendship."

Kirishima grimaced, realizing there was little use in hiding it. "I mean, suppose I did. Not like he's the kind of guy to be receptive to it."

Izuku nodded. "Yeah. Kacchan doesn't really seem to do people very well…at least that's what I thought. You get along with him really well though, Kirishima."

"If it's just friendship, it's fine. Your feelings are yours…but if I'm not just making assumptions about you, we might be in this for similar reasons, Kirishima," Kyoka finished, pushing her jacks together as a blush crept across her face.

"I won't confirm or deny anything…but it means a lot, for what it's worth. And I hope you get to tell Tokage how you feel. I'm still figuring those things out."

Jirou smiled comfortably at her classmate. "Welcome to the club then. At least we're in good company."

Yui looked out the window, watching the darkness outside speed by as the train barreled down the tracks. Faint thoughts of her brother drifted just out of reach. She wondered what her family would think of all this, especially what he would think of her defying the law like this.

"Oh, Kodai. I meant to ask. I didn't know you were friends with Uraraka," Izuku spoke to the most taciturn member of the group, bringing her out of her trance.

"Mmm." Yui merely hummed and nodded before looking back out the window. She lost herself in thought, pondering her last conversation with the girl, as well as the current conversation between her classmates. Finally she answered Izuku more definitively. "Same club, I suppose."

Reiko and Shoda returned to their seats, having concluded their conversation. With all relationship talk concluded, all that was left was to strategize.

Todoroki looked at Izuku and spoke. "Will Kendou and Yaoyorozu contact us again?"

"Probably at about 10 pm, to make sure we're there. My phone's not getting a signal, anyway," Izuku responded, slipping through his saved photos, noticing some of him and Kyoka with Setsuna.

Monoma chuckled to himself. "It's actually a good idea that I came along with you lot. I'm somewhat familiar with Kamino ward. I'm from Kanagawa actually, so I've gone with my family before."

"Oh? That's great. We do have the tracker to do most of the work, but this should help even more. Thanks, Monoma."

Monoma gave the smuggest grin, basking in the faint glow of praise. True, they were united by a common goal, but he could still have fun on the ride there. "Of course. You can bask in the greatness of 1B n-"

Yui bopped the boy on the head with a rolled up magazine, putting a stop to his tirade before it began. "Stop."

Towards the end of the car, Nejire and Yuyu watched from behind two newspapers, keeping themselves hidden in plain sight as they kept track of things.

X

Itsuka scrolled her phone, sending texts to Izuku, Reiko, and Monoma, coordinating with them to make sure they were safe. There was no response and there was time before their estimated arrival time. "They must not have any reception on the train. Guess I'll just have to wait. Last text I got was from Yuyu saying she and her girlfriend were boarding."

"I got one from Kyoka, saying she had boarded with everyone." Momo responded, watching as Itsuka put her phone aside and picked her TV remote off the stand.

"Should we watch that news conference?" Itsuka queried, wondering if it might be valuable for them to do so. "I'm almost too nervous to do so. It feels too real. I mean, I already know it's real. We lived it…but seeing my teacher on live TV as people lobby question after question…I worry somehow, this might lead to me going to a separate school from all of my friends…and you."

Momo nodded, then agreed in an erudite manner. "I know the fear. I can't fault the doubt seeded in everyone's minds. At least, I can't fault it fully. The security that everyone took for granted is showing cracks. It all seems carefully choreographed, doesn't it? This whole situation, I mean. "

"What do you mean?" Itsuka looked at her girlfriend inquisitively as she spoke. It seemed like a stretch at first glance.

"USJ, Hosu, the training Camp. I heard there was a villain intercepted on the way to I Expo earlier in the Summer. It all feels like it's getting bigger…like there's a storm coming," Momo paused, then got frantic. "Sorry. I must sound pretentious and perhaps a tad conspiratorial…I just wonder how the villains found us twice."

"No, no. You're fine. That's been bothering me too. Maybe UA has figured something out. Want to check the conference out? If not I have movies, but that's probably too soon." Itsuka glanced at a stack of DVDs nearby, including something called Virgin Road.

Momo reflected on it for a moment, letting the options weigh themselves within her mind. She ultimately declined, for now at least. "Maybe later. I'm not in the mood for television just yet. Or movies really. Perhaps around 10 after we check in with everyone."

"That sounds like a plan I can get behind. Plus my mom is probably watching the conference. I can always ask her about it later," Itsuka accepted, putting the remote away and once again reclining on her bed next to Momo, with a gentle thud.

Unbeknownst to them, the door to Itsuka's room had been opened just a crack, then was gently closed again.

X

The group arrived in Kamino ward, taking in its sights and sounds. It was almost overwhelming how bustling it was. Monoma, however, seemed almost at home. As the party departed the train and ventured out into the night, Shoda stopped Todoroki.

"Hey. I just wanted to say thank you for helping out Tsuburaba and carrying him around back at the camp. I'm sure he'll be grateful when he wakes up," the shorter boy spoke humbly.

Todoroki scratched his cheek and responded. "Oh. Well, it's what we do. Rival classes or not, I can't just abandon others. I probably would have at the start. I was a bit single-minded a few months ago."

"We've all grown, I suppose," Shoda spoke with a weak smile on his lips. A lot had certainly happened so far. He could only hope tonight worked out for the best.

Todoroki nodded, then changed the subject. "By the way, what was that about earlier with Yanagi?"

"Just some unfinished business. I think it might be finished now."

"I see…So, do you like her or something?" Todoroki spoke into his hand to hush himself while he addressed the other boy.

Shoda was flustered, utterly taken aback by the bluntness of the accusation. He certainly was guilty as charged, but it still came out of nowhere, and from Todoroki of all people. "I…Wha…I mean, I did. I still kind of do, but she likes someone else and that's fine. I'm slowly starting to move on."

Todoroki placed a firm hand on the other boy's shoulder to reassure him. "I mean…I'm not interested in her so you may still have a shot. I should apologize for leading her on at the Sports Festival."

Shoda looked at Todoroki in utter confusion before they were beckoned to hurry up by the others.

Izuku started off by briefing the group. "Well, we're here. We should stick to the plan. We should- Hey!"

Before the green-haired boy could finish off his speech, Kirishima started to run off. Luckily was halted by Kyouka and her ear jacks, crumpling into a heap temporarily.

"Cool it. We should probably play it calm and be stealthy. That's what Momo would say, I think. I definitely agree," Kyouka said with a sigh, as she scratched at her cheek. "You with me, Midoriya?"

"Stealth mode activated." Izuku said quietly while crossing his arms. Kyouka did her best to stifle a laugh over how dorky her friend looked.

"Tone it down, Rock Lee. I appreciate the vigor. We should probably blend in better, since we'll stick out otherwise. Any ideas?"

She soon got her answer. Yui produced a stack of 8 cards and fanned them out in her hands, dealing one to each of her teammates

"Kodai? What's with the cards?" Kyouka asked.

"Not here. Over there." Yui pointed to an area away from prying eyes, close to some public restrooms.

In the alleyway, Yui used her quirk to enlarge the bags attached to each card, handing out hats and sunglasses to everyone. "I brought disguises. Quick and easy." The girl continued.

Reiko rested an elbow on her friend's shoulder and chimed in. "I helped. I gave Yui some suggestions and had her bring them."

"Let me see what you have to offer. I refuse to wear anything too gauche," Monoma whinged as he carefully drew a card.

"Don't be picky. This isn't a fashion show. Besides, you'll stand out more since you're from the area," Reiko clicked her tongue in mild annoyance.

Monoma groaned and rolled his eyes, drawing a card and pocketing it. He spoke flippantly to his classmate. "So be it. Let's go change already. Shoda, Midoriya, Red Tetsutetsu, you're coming with me. Oh yeah. Endeavor Jr. as well. Time to activate incognito mode."

Kirishima groaned in a bemused tone. "That's not my name."

Beside his classmate, Todoroki spat in bored annoyance. "Please don't refer to me as that."

"I didn't ask. Come along, Shoda. Others." Monoma beckoned impetuously, followed close behind by the other boys. Monoma stopped and looked towards Yui and Reiko. His tone softened as he addressed his classmates. "Thanks, both of you. You came through."

Yui nodded calmly while Reiko merely gave a thumbs up. As soon as the group was out of sight, Yui activated her quirk on the bags, returning them back to portable size.

While the first years entered the nearest public restrooms, they were being watched from afar.

"Nejire, we really didn't need to go thrift shopping. I brought a change of clothes already."

"Awww. That's no fun. Besides, you're the one who got me more invested in fashion. Besides, they're probably wrinkled and it will bother you."

Yuyu relented. "Guess you really do know me too well. Now we just have to…"

"Hey, Yuyu? I found the 1st years. They're just standing around. I'm going to observe from around the corner," Nejire whispered to her girlfriend before heading into the alley and watching from a safe corner.

Yuyu was puzzled at first, given their provisional licenses. However, that was only in select situations. This operation wasn't without limitation due to that. "Alright. If need be, we take action. I'll let Kendou know we're on stand by."

"She really is something, that Kendou. Tamaki and Mirio are from Chiba too. They remembered an incident there a few years ago. Glad she's doing ok," Nejire pondered aloud about the first year.

Yuyu nodded in agreement. "Yeah. I want to ask her about that one day. She seems like a good kid. Guess we all have lapses in judgment."

Nejire shrugged. "I guess so. I'm hoping we can take some heat off them. The other first years, I mean."

The other girl took out her phone and scrolled through the recent calls. "That's the idea. Anyway, one second. Time to report in." She hit the call button and waited for the recipient to pick up.

Elsewhere, Itsuka's phone rang. She answered in a daze. "Hey. We got distracted."

"I bet you did," Yuyu teased. "We're here. Eyes are on your pals. They seem to be getting dressed to blend in."

Itsuka spoke from the other end. "Good. They might be able to pull this off, especially if Midoriya, Reiko, and Jirou are taking point."

"Maybe. This is still risky. Nejire and I will follow at a distance. We'll keep in touch," Yuyu cautioned. "If things get crazy, we'll rely on you to find alternate routes."

Itsuka's voice sounded exhausted but cheerful. "Roger on that. Stay safe out there. Kendou out."

When the call concluded, Yuyu pocketed her phone and continued to monitor the others at a distance, unaware of what was yet to come.

X

Itsuka hung up, then rolled over and gazed affectionately at Momo. It hardly felt real, yet here they both were together. Momo's flowing locks smelled of roses and tea leaves, while her eyes shone like polished tourmaline. Itsuka didn't even know what that was until Momo excitedly showed it to her in a book one day as a kid. However, Itsuka couldn't think of anything more apt.

Itsuka smiled and brushed hair from her girlfriend's face. "I missed your smile."

"I mean, you see it every day…" Momo whispered while blushing. "Do you think we should have waited? Not that…I mean…Sorry. This is all I wanted for months, but now, with everything going on."

"Yeah. You're right. We have to coordinate this first. Boy, we really are repeating ourselves, huh?"

"I'm sorry."

"For what? You reminded me of what we're doing. Besides, it's not like I haven't expressed similar worries. I want to enjoy this, just you and me. I can't just yet though."

"Then let's watch over our friends and make sure everyone is safe."

"Agreed. I know what it's like to try to take something into your own hands and getting overwhelmed. That's why we need guidance. So we'll do it together. "

Her ringtone blared like a siren, taking her by complete surprise.

Itsuka fumbled with the phone then caught it, expecting to hear from her support team. She hadn't bothered checking the caller ID.

"Hey, what's up?"

"Itsuka, hey. It's your bro. Just checking in to see how you and Momo are doing."

"Oh, well she just got discharged today, so we're at the house."

"Awesome. Great to hear. So are you two dating now?"

"We didn't want to announce it until all of our classmates were together again. Most of my class is still in the hospital…"

"Sorry to hear. Hopefully that's sooner than later, especially if things go as planned."

"Hopefully. It's kind of rough, between one of my friends being taken and most of my class being in critical condition because of someone I know."

"Don't beat yourself up, sis. Just focus on having a good night in…man, I hope that press conference is going well, by the way. A lot of eyes are on UA right now."

"I saw something about it. Momo and I might watch together, though it might be a rough watch. We've kind of been putting it off."

"Yeah. I don't blame you. A lot of people are upset at your school. Can't say I don't feel skeptical of it myself. However, based on what I've heard, they've tried. But yeah. Might be worth a watch, even if it's kind of a bummer first date."

"I still have more of a love life than you," Itsuka said with a laugh.

"Rumi would beg to differ…though love doesn't exactly factor."

Itsuka wretched over that mental image. "Eew. Did not need to think of that."

Sora chortled at his sister's disgust. "Yeah. Fair. But listen…I can talk about that later. There's more important things to worry about. These are dark days, Itsy. I don't have time to worry about that."

It was true. He had a packed schedule and he had to postpone all of it when the Training Camp incident. Not that he minded. That Sorakaze kid went to UA. He would understand. Besides, Sora could always leverage the boy's interest in his sister towards taking his time.

Sora was happy about the work he did. It was important, especially now. Two students, a pro hero, and several wanted criminals were on the line here. A lack of personal attachments or friendships outside Miruko was a small price to pay. He considered reaching out to his high school friends or other pros in his age range, but he would rather focus on cleaning messes than leaving attachments behind. Not like that one bird guy socialized much either and Kaoruko was busy these days.

There was no guarantee in this job that you would get up the next morning, especially with Stain-mania still lingering. He knew Itsuka wouldn't be convinced, but she had always looked out for him, even when it was his job to do the same for her.

"Yeah. Sure. I suppose. I still wish I knew how the villains were tracking 1A. It feels like we got caught in the crossfire but in a morbid way, I suppose this unified our classes."

Itsuka felt the sting of the words in her throat as she spoke. Even if nobody could have seen it coming, she hated feeling so helpless.

Sora listened intently, then spoke compassionately to his younger sister. Perhaps they were both two hard on themselves, or perhaps it was just that drive to push themselves. It might have been UA's catchphrase, but it was equally the motto of the Kendou family. "Perhaps…I'm hoping your schoolmates recover soon. Your class definitely got hit hardest with that gas."

"By Dokuga…It feels like my past kind of came back to say hi. Apparently the guy who killed Team Waterhose showed up…Sora…you don't think he…" Itsuka hesitated, worrying about her uncle's involved beyond that admittedly miniscule connection

"No. I would know. I've been keeping tabs on him. He's not with the League, based on my intel. It certainly has been an eventful past few months though, so I wouldn't be surprised if he showed up again."

"Neither would I. Be careful, just in case."

"I'm always careful…barring accidents. Hang in there as well, Itsy. We'll settle this tonight. I'm proud of you, kiddo."

Itsuka hung up, placing her phone back on the shelf next to Harley's ashes. "That was Sora. He's going to be one of the pros rescuing Setsuna and Bakugou. It kind of seems like things are good, but I still want to check in soon and monitor how the others are doing."

Momo responded. "The most we can probably do is pull up GPS and find a good route for them in case it gets crowded. There we go," Momo produced yet another tracking remote. "It's probably too many, but at least we can keep track of where our friends are."

"Good thinking. In the meantime, maybe we should check to see UA's response."

Itsuka turned on the TV in her room and switched to a station with the UA press conference. "It might at least provide some insight," she thought to herself.

A reporter aimed questions aggressively at Aizawa and Vlad King. "It seems to me that the villains have a new recruit. Given his aggressive and uncouth behavior at the Sports festival, do you think it's possible your student may be undergoing brainwashing right now and how do you think your negligence fueled this."

Vlad King looked at his colleague, concerned for how he may have been handling the situation. He appeared to be very exhausted and on the brink of leaving. The reporter continued. "As for the other student, she was recommended and yet she ended up captured as well. Doesn't it reflect poorly on heroes to put a giant spotlight on these children in the form of sponsorship without proper preparation? What are you doing to prepare them?" The reporter finished and took his seat.

Itsuka watched the scene and clenched her fist at the gall of it all. She was ready to turn the news off when she and Momo watched their homeroom teachers stand up and address the questions. First up was Aizawa.

"I apologize for not curbing that attitude of his. I could have done a better job of it. However, if there's one thing I can say for sure, that young man's behavior stems from his desire and drive to be the best hero."

Vlad King then stepped up and addressed the reporter's question about Setsuna. "I too would like to apologize for not keeping my students safe. However, similar to Bakugou, Tokage is a brilliant and driven student with a bright future ahead of her. UA, like every other hero school, does its best to mold our students into the best versions of themselves. We don't sugarcoat how demanding heroism is. That includes the attention that comes with being under the spotlight. Perhaps there is more we can do and this will put a target on their backs. However, I have faith in every single student and we want them to shine the way we know they can. We'll get both Tokage and Bakugou back, and we will step up our efforts, especially given our principal's plans. Next question?

Itsuka turned off the TV and faced Momo with concern. She was glad the teachers had an answer to such leading questions, but she was still worried.

"Do you think our parents will still send us to UA? It's looking kind of grim."

"My family did consider sending me to Seiai Academy. I hope they reconsider. At least they didn't talk about moving to I Island. "

"Yeah, people are losing faith in institutions like UA and I can see why, but also it's not like they didn't take precautions."

"Luckily, I feel like our parents wouldn't separate us. Even if we don't go to UA, I doubt we will end up far apart again. I still can't believe our families get along so well, considering their differences. I'm glad they did, though. What if we had never met?"

"We probably both would have still gone to UA and met there. I probably would still end up falling for you. Who's to say?" Itsuka had often pondered it, but hypotheticals were irrelevant. All that mattered was what was there.

Momo slumped against her girlfriend and responded thoughtfully. "I had actually considered homeschooling but my family decided I should have interactions with others. It certainly helped. I managed to make some friends, but I threw myself into my studies without you."

"Your parents always looked out for you, as I recall. They could be a bit…extra sometimes," Itsuka chuckled gently as she retorted. "But they seem to love you."

"I just wish that they would tone it down somewhat," Momo sighed as she lamented their penchant for spoiling her. "I remember my parents considered giving me a shopping mall once. That's a bit much. I know they love me but I'm just glad I had some hint of normalcy, with you and our adventures. They were always so much more fun than the fancy parties I would have to attend. I'm sure there is something there that I can apply to hero work, but it doesn't feel like it."

"Yeah. It's kind of wild how night and day our families are? Yet here we both are, like a sunflower and a rose in the same garden. If you ever get roped into a boring rich person party, leave it to me to sneak you out."

"I'll hold you to that promise." Momo felt herself melt within Itsuka's embrace. The situation was tense and their classmates were still either in Kamino about now or in the hospital. "Is it OK if you just hold me like this? For just a little while?"

"I mean…Do you want to be held?" Itsuka asked. It seemed pretty simple, open and shut. And yet something was on Momo's mind.

"Yes. I just worry about…" Momo mused. She stared at the wall with concern, lost in her own thoughts.

Itsuka finished Momo's sentence, unable to deny her own worries. "Timing?"

Momo shook her head. "Well, of course. But also, I am a few centimeters taller than you," she blushed, hiding a slight smile as she sleepily spoke her mind.

Itsuka scowled, then poked her girlfriend on the nose while playfully chastising her. "Hush, you. Not by much. I don't think there's harm in it. If anything, I remember it helped. You know, when it started storming and you had read about stress relief through hugs?"

"Back in your hat and overalls period. You used to announce yourself like a little boy and call yourself the boss of all ducks," Momo retorted, stifling a giggle to herself as she cuddled up in her girlfriend's embrace. She could smell the petrichor from that day, after it had all stopped. The scent of that memory was sharp in her nostrils, as was that of Itsuka's hair. It smelled of mild sweat, Jasmine, and wildflower honey. Even that was nostalgic.

Itsuka huffed playfully and flicked her girlfriend's arm. "I made it work, though…Boy, that was a look, wasn't it?" Itsuka queried in reflection, uttering her own soft laugh as she held her girlfriend close. It was like opening a photo album in their minds as the two reminisced. The memories would come back in crisp resolution, playing in her mind like old home movies.

Momo fired back with a short burst of giggles, a sound that few people had the privilege to have heard. "I remember you trying to give yourself a haircut like your mom's that week too. It certainly was eventful."

Itsuka groaned in contentment. "Yeah. It certainly was. Glad my hair grew back. I'm pretty happy with my hair as is. I have considered going shorter again, but not just yet."

"I think it suits you well. We match in a way," Momo yawned. could feel herself fighting sleep. The need to stay alert was in a bitter struggle with the warmth and comfort of Itsuka's embrace.

Itsuka gently shook Momo's shoulders. "Hey, babe. Don't get too sleepy. We have to stay awake to coordinate with our classmates."

"I'm too comfy. Five more minutes, please." Momo moaned. She hadn't laid with Itsuka like this since they were small. It was different, of course, but familiar at the same time. It was as though it was the right place to be, timing notwithstanding.

"I know. But we really should check in," Itsuka whispered gently in Momo's ear, massaging her shoulders instinctively as she tried to keep herself calm. "Priorities, Itsuka. Priorities. Don't get distracted by dreams coming true," she cautioned herself mentally.

Momo yawned again, unconsciously pushing against her girlfriend, as if her body was trying to fuse with the other. She spoke in a dreamy manner, a tinge of disappointment in her voice. "I suppose. We really are making a lot of phone calls today. It's kind of a far cry from what we're used to. It seems closer to what we would have done with Uwabami."

Itsuka reflected on what Momo had said and shuddered. Perhaps she was correct. It was certainly not the kind of hands-on approach she was used to. And yet, it seemed like the best approach in her mind.

"Don't remind me. Actually, do remind me. I promised some friends I would put in a word for them. What we're doing here feels at least more involved. Part of me even wished I was alongside them…but I also should have put up more of a fight, you know? At least Iida tried putting his foot down. I kind of folded, maybe because I want Setsuna back."

"Perhaps. Don't be so hard on yourself. You helped pull me out of that. Allow me to pull you out as well," Momo twisted around groggily and looked down at Itsuka.

"I feel like we're going to be telling each other that a lot, huh?" Itsuka giggled. "Right. We can snuggle when we sleep. Let's call…"

Momo hushed her girlfriend. "Not just yet. There really is something we should have done first."

"And what is that?" Itsuka felt her heart rate skyrocket. Was it something wholesome? Was her mind in the gutter? If it was, it was floating along rapidly on a stream of sewage and down the drain. She bit her lip and fought such notions back.

Momo shot up like a bolt of lightning, well rested and motivated. She breathed through her nostrils before making a gentle yet determined declaration. "Soundproofing the room. What we're doing is pretty much still vigilantism. We don't want your mom to hear," Momo answered as she lifted her shirt up and started producing acoustic foam, as well as additional security for the door.

Itsuka was relieved, if not disappointed. Alongside it all was a twinge of guilt for even entertaining the idea of putting hormones before friends. Still, she couldn't help but tease the other girl. The red-head tugged on her shirt collar and gave a teasing grin, laughing as she spoke. "That last sentence sure is…something."

"C-Cut it out," Momo huffed, trying in vain to hide her embarrassment. "You know that's not what I meant. Come help me out, please."

Itsuka supposed she had been so distracted that she hadn't considered this. Perhaps that was what leadership was: knowing everyone's strengths and weaknesses, including your own, and managing accordingly.

"Alright. Let's be discreet about this. We don't have a lot of time. I'll call in after we set this up."

"Alright. I just hope your mother doesn't get upset over us making impromptu renovations."

"If she didn't throw us out for the bookshelf in the bathtub or the trampoline in my bedroom, I doubt some mild Soundproofing will bother her. Just don't use a nail gun or anything."

"Of course. I did say discrete. Also, I like to think I have learned my lessons from all those." Momo answered back as she read up on quick and easy Soundproofing techniques. "This shouldn't take long."

Itsuka shrugged and started taking stuff off the wall containing the door. "Then let's get to work."

She was eager to check in, see where everyone was. In silence Itsuka whispered a prayer under her breath.

"Please hang in there, Setsuna…"

X

Setsuna sat on one of the pods, resting her chin in her hands as she spoke to the previously missing Pussycat.

"So you were kidnapped too, Ragdoll?" The lizard girl leaned against a pillar of cold technology. The low hum of the equipment filled her ears.

Ragdoll responded with a yawn. "Mew guessed it. I barely have any strength though…that Nomu thing attacked me and dragged me here. I haven't had my quirk taken yet, but presumably soon. In the meantime, I have this uncumfurtable kitty collar on, same as you."

Setsuna snickered, but tried to contain it. She couldn't shake the feeling they weren't alone."I appreciate you sticking to the puns but this probably isn't the best time."

Ragdoll stared in despair at the ceiling before addressing Setsuna. "I suppose not, I still feel a bit woozy from that whole ordeal. I'm surprised I'm not in one of those pods."

"Same. We've been here a few days, apparently. How were you not?" Setsuna responded cautiously, narrowing her eyes as she looked over the pro. Could she be a duplicate?

Setsuna knew that one weirdo villain in the jumpsuit could, not unlike Ectoplasm. Except that guy could do other people too. Setsuna shook her head, deciding to give her fellow captive the benefit of the doubt.

Ragdoll picked upon this. She couldn't blame a dose of health skepticism in situations like this. An explanation was in order. She cleared her throat and spoke.

"It's not my first rodeo. The Wild Wild Pussycats are search and rescue heroes, and sometimes you have to acclimate to things going south," Ragdoll's voice got more serious for a moment, a quiet sorrow to it. "After Team Water Hose died, we redoubled our training. We had a little one to look after and we wanted to guarantee we made it back home. I might be incapacitated, but I've still got my wiles."

Setsuna could hear the pain in the normally cheerful woman's voice. It was definitely something she could empathize with. However, she could also faintly hear something else over the low hum of the machines.

Ragdoll's eyes went wide and, before Setsuna could say anything, the older hero whispered desperately.

"Go. Hide. I'll hold them off. You can still make it out of here."

Setsuna hesitated until she heard the frustrated hiss in the pro's voice. She hid behind some crates and stayed perfectly still.

Ragdoll was dragged into the darkness by an unseen force as Setsuna watched in terror. Her throat clenched up, rendering her speechless. In the shadows, she could barely make out three silhouettes, one of which was that of Ragdoll, being held by the collar. A short mustachioed man was nearby, the dim lights of the machinery reflecting off his goggles. Setsuna assumed that he was the Doctor.

"Now now. You weren't done with your little check up. We need to preserve the meat once we take that quirk of yours," the Doctor spoke in a sinister tone, pursing his lips as he did so.

"No way are you turning me into one of those lumbering Resident Evil creatures you use as servants!" Ragdoll thrashed in the shadows, refusing to play nice.

A smoothe, deep voice hit Setsuna's ears, filling her with a sense of dread that she could not place. "What a good, defiant little D-lister. I think it's time to put kitty down for her nap, Doctor. I hope she serves as a final example."

"To whom? There's nobody here?"

The voice, which Setsuna had assumed was that of Shigaraki's teacher, spoke again. "See, we both know that's not the case. Normally, I could just rip that collar off you and drain your quirk as is. Unfortunately, especially with quirks from newer generations, I need some help. Luckily I know a good physician. Sleep tight, Ragdoll. These are your last few moments of relevance. I have a new game of Cat and Mouse to play after this. Shame you were never the cat here."

The hero struggled but was held still before being placed in one of the pods and dosed with anesthesia.

Setsuna could only watch from her hiding spot as she tried to find a safe path out. Her legs were refusing to move. "Come on, Fight-or-Flight response. Do your thing! You're a hero student. Your body should be moving on its own. Please," she pleaded to herself silently, tears streaming down her face. There was nowhere she could go and this guy seemed utterly terrifying. Luckily, he and his physician were preoccupied. If only she could have saved Ragdoll.

She was brought out of her despair, however, by a distant commotion. Before she could question it further, a giant foot wearing a truck like a Rollerskate smashed through the roof of the building. Setsuna had tried to keep it together and remain calm, despite everything that happened, or perhaps because of it. She couldn't risk being tracked down by the creepy man from before. However, as she ran for the cover of the pods once more, she was unable to stay quiet.

"What the fuck?"

X

Itsuka tried calling Izuku multiple times, hoping to reach him. Unfortunately, he was not picking up, so she tried Reiko, with similar results.

Momo looked at the several missed calls she had on her phone, dismay painted across her face. She bit the bullet, returning the phone call to keep her family informed

"Momo, honey! Where on Earth are you? We've been worried sick. The hospital says you signed out. Are you alright?"

Momo apologized, mentally reprimanding herself for not checking in with her parents. "Sorry, mother. I suppose I got distracted. That was very careless of me."

Moriko Yaoyorozu exhaled as she spoke. One might assume she was being authoritative. Momo knew, however, that her mother had likely been hyperventilating. "I'm just glad you seem to be safe. You gave us quite the fright. Where are you now?"

"With Itsuka," Momo responded frankly. "Again, I'm sorry I lost track of things."

A different voice came over the phone this time, that of Momo's father. "Ah, I see. The Kendous. That's a relief. In any case, we miss you dearly. Please give us more warning next time. Especially after the negligence that allowed you to be put in danger not once, but twice. Shall we send Sebastian to come pick you up?"

Momo declined, wanting to stay until everything was taken care of. "No need. I feel safe here. Itsuka is taking care of me right now. I didn't mean to worry you."

Motohiko calmly responded to his daughter, trying to assuage his own nerves as much as hers. "It's ok. Your mother and I just got worried. Well, when you get home, we wish to discuss something with you. Itsuka is welcome to come as well. She can even bring her family."

Momo paused, feeling a calmness take hold of her. She responded in kind. "I see. They might appreciate that. Thank you."

"Of course. You have two gifts waiting for you by the way. Isn't that right, dear?" Motohiko asked his wife just behind him as she went through some parcels.

"Yes, I have them right now. Well, one of them. The other won't stop…one moment," Moriko answered in the background.

Momo was puzzled, and reflected that with her words. "But my birthday isn't for another few weeks. Did my middle school friends send me anything? Or elementary perhaps?"

She didn't have the largest friend group before UA, but she did make at least three. Momo wondered if that kind boy from America had sent her something. She remembered being assigned to reacclimate him to life in Japan, but lost touch as of late. She felt like she hadn't seen him in ages, but life had been rather hectic. In any case, she hoped he was ok. She supposed she owed him an apology for being distant but still appreciated his cards. "Perhaps he's reaching out again," Momo thought to herself.

Her mother burst that bubble, though she was sure she would still receive cards, mostly from her family and their friends. "Oh no. This is a different occasion. Also, the second one is from that gentleman who knew your grandfather," Moriko spoke calmly. "Sebastian seems ill at ease about it. Perhaps you can ask him about it when you return home."

Momo exhaled, feeling relieved that her parents had calmed down. "Perhaps. Anyway, I am going to watch the news with Itsuka. Good night."

"Of course. Please check in before bed. Give her our best wishes." Motohiko spoke jovially, his wife ching in with a very quick "We love you!"

Momo spoke warmly to her family. "Of course. Good night, mama. Papa."

"Good night, dear." Her parents exclaimed before the phone clicked off.

Itsuka had listened in, feeling the urge to say something. She had also considered it the perfect time to check with the rescue team. However, she was interrupted by the sound of her own phone. The caller ID sent her heart into her throat. She picked up and answered. "Yuyu?"

"Kendou…things hit the fan. Multiple piles of shit have hit multiple fans! I repeat, things are looking really bad," the 3rd year huffed frantically into the phone, unable to catch her breath.

Itsuka got worried. Had she made a mistake? Had the rescue team gone off the rails? She trusted them, sure. However, Yuyu's words definitely sent her on high alert. "What did they do?"

"Nothing yet. They're safe for now…" Yuyu's voice seemed to calm a little, but only barely.

"For now?" Itsuka asked, anxiety fully starting to build back up. Had she failed them already by not keeping in touch? No. She had to think rationally and figure things out. If her upperclassman was this panicked though, it had to be something big. Itsuka asked for clarification. "Yuyu, what do you mean? Are they safe?"

Yuyu spoke sternly, her voice cracking as she tried to keep it together. "Kendou...I have more field experience than you, and a license to operate...and I can say for certain...I don't feel like any of us are safe."

"Ok. Breathe, senpai. What happened?" Itsuka did her best to take control of her emotions and the situation. She could only imagine what her friend, her schoolmates, and her brother had become embroiled in. Something clearly shifted the tides for the worse, and she had no way of knowing what that was.

A deep breath came from the other line. "OK. Right. Sorry…Where do I begin?"

X

Earlier…

Police Closed in on the location of the villain base, flanked by several high profile heroes, including Endeavor, Gang Orca, the remaining Pussycats, and Edgeshot. Leading the charge were Detective Tsukauchi and All-Might.

Sora stood by, noticing the variety of pros on call. Not everyone could make it. That went without saying, of course. And yet this operation was very much 'All hands on deck' from what Sora could see. He took it all in and calmly let his thoughts be known. "So this is it, huh? We're closing in on the League of Villains. Not only can we rescue these kids, but we might be able to pin the League themselves. We even managed to get Intel on almost every member."

"Don't Jinx it, kid. Victory isn't secure until we walk through those doors. And even then, you never know what's up their sleeves," a small old man in an equally old costume cautioned the young pro. Where he came from, Sora couldn't say.

He could have sworn the man mumbled something about six years ago but he couldn't quite make it out. He thought back to something he read on a message board the year that the Yaoyorozus moved, but he shook his head. He was probably just imagining things.

"Fair. It's hard not to get excited about cleaning up this mess. Hopefully we can get some Intel on anyone else that might be involved. Something actually bugs me about this whole thing. USJ, the training Camp, even that incident towards the beginning of the school year. The name's King Yeti by the way."

The old man had a keen look in his eye. He was clearly interested by the young man's observations.

"Ah, so you have a head on your shoulders, boy. Shame about that hero name. It's ridiculous. Anyway, It is rather peculiar, these past few months and how they have panned out. Just stay focused though. We can figure those things out after we capture the villains. I'm going to meet up with All-Might and Tsukauchi. I believe they're just about to enter the bar. Your team will be securing that building."

Sora slammed a fist down onto his open palm, catching on to the plan of attack. "Gotcha. Two-pronged attack. Good strategy. Shame Mirko is elsewhere. She would have gotten a kick out of this."

"No idea who that is. One of the newer guard I take it…like you and that Manual kid." The old man stroked his beard as he spoke, then made his way over to join the others. "Anyway, good luck, all of you. The name's Gran Torino, by the way."

"Good to know," Sora responded, lumbering up for the coming action. "As for my hero name, it's been my top pick since childhood, but honestly, I'm no King. Just a servant to this world, cleaning up messes for people's benefit."

"Humble workaholic, huh?" Gran Torino observed. "Kind of unexpected from a whippersnapper like yourself. Just don't work yourself to exhaustion. We need you to be alert. I'll be going now, Yeti. Stay on point."

"Yes sir," Sora smiled firmly, aiming to do his best. He was a hero and he was needed. He could relax once everyone was safe.

As that conversation concluded, a hand reached out and knocked on the door of a nondescript building. Specifically, it was the apparent villain base according to all known intel, as well as the tracking device Momo had provided. The raid was about to begin. All that was needed was the code phrase. As All-Might assumed the position, Tsukauchi uttered the go-ahead.

"Pizza-La, Kamino branch. We have your delivery."

X

While the heroes were enacting their plans, the rescue team had arrived at their destination. Unfortunately, the window was too high to see through, but that was a fairly easy obstacle to contend with.

Shoda looked left and right around the alleyway. "Do you think we might have brought too many people? It might be a bit crowded."

"Not really. It's not that cramped, we just need to get a good look. Mind giving me a boost, bro?" Kirishima responded, requesting assistance in looking through the window.

Shoda obliged, speaking to Kirishima before lifting him on his shoulders. "Um, sure. I suppose if half of us lift the other half up, we can see what's in that window. We won't really be able to hear, but I suppose that's expected."

"Right. Leave it to me. I'll listen in," Kyouka whispered as she tapped her jacks against the wall. Reiko, meanwhile, levitated herself onto the ledge for a better look using a nearby trash can lid.

She peered into the darkness, providing commentary as she addressed her comrades. "It's too dark to see. Maybe we should have had YaoMomo make some Night Vision goggles."

Kirishima smiled in satisfaction to himself as he reached into his jacket. "I actually came prepared. I bought these a while back. I knew they might come in handy."

Yui had already produced her own pair. She pointed to them with a stony expression and spoke. "Same idea."

Kirishima was tempted to fistbump the girl, but there was a time and a place. He merely smiled at her and said. "Nice. Same wavelength, Brodai"

Yui put the goggles down and stared intently at the boy, like a cat who had just been shown a magic trick. She looked back towards the window and lifted her goggles again, uttering only one word. "No."

Kirishima shrugged and did the same, scanning the inside of the building. He thought he caught a flicker of movement but it was too sudden to make out.

Reiko scanned the darkness. She had no goggles, but she had trained with her eldest sister to bypass that somewhat. "It's kinda Spooky. Like the alley near that one teahouse close to school. Anyway, It's pitch black in here, save for some faint light from the moon."

"There's nothing Spooky about that alley. It's probably just stray animals knocking down garbage cans," Monoma corrected, then nearly jumped at a distant noise, only to get a boot to the face.

Reiko spoke in a hushed tone. "Focus. And try to stay steady. You're holding Yui up. Hold on, I think I can make out faint movements. Yui, Kirishima, can you two see anything?"

Yui merely hummed, then perked up as she saw movement. "I do."

Kirishima chimed in with a "Roger that!" as he gave a brief thumbs up.

Kyouka interrupted the conversation as she picked up on something. "Wait…everybody stop talking. I think I hear something inside…guys, I think it's going to be oh…oh…"

Kirishima and Yui both watched the scene unfold, giving a very similar reaction. It was Yui, however, who broke the hush. The normally quiet girl jumped down and beckoned her other elevated teammates to do the same in a desperate and horrified tone.

"Take cover!"

X

The pro-heroes arrived in the building with a crash, thanks to a well timed entrance by Mt. Lady. Best Jeanist communicated via radio with Endeavor. "We have found Tokage, as well as Ragdoll. We also stumbled upon some more Nomu."

Sora stepped through the debris and took off his mask. "Hey. How are you doin' there? My sister, Itsy, has told me all about you. We're here to rescue you."

"So you're Itsuka's brother?" Setsuna was in shock, still very shaken by her experiences as Sora fished through his utility pouches to find a multi-tool. Alas, it did not get the collar off.

Sora carefully started unlocking the device around the girl's neck, remembering training he went through when he was in hero school. "Let's get this inhibitor collar off, then…"

"No. Later. We need to get out of here…now!" Setsuna was shaking like a leaf, her complexion pale as she gazed into the darkness. "I'm glad you guys came but we need to move, before he…"

"You must be under a lot of stress, Tokage. It will be alright." Gang Orca assured as well, freeing Ragdoll from one of the nearby pods.

Tiger cradled Ragdoll in his arms as she stared vacantly. She was breathing, albeit shallow breaths.

Something was wrong, however. "Tomoko…what happened to you?"

"She saved me…she saved me by going first…" Setsuna wept with terror as approaching footsteps echoed in the distance. Her eyes widened as the steps got closer.

"My apologies, Tiger. Ragdoll always did have too good a quirk to pass up. I do like to keep an eye on these things, after all, so I took advantage of a golden opportunity and took it for myself. The young lady next to you shows promise as well. She's next."

The mysterious man continued. "With my body in the state it is now, I also depleted a lot of what I had stocked up, which is why…"

In the other building…

In an instant, everything had gone wrong. Shigaraki had gone absolutely mad with fury while he and the other League of Villains members were called out.

All-Might watched in horror as the plan started to fall apart. Nomu appeared from inky portals throughout the bar.

Kurogiri had been rendered unconscious, and yet he was eyed suspiciously as more Nomu piled in. Through the hole in the wall, more could be seen spawning all over the area.

Bakugou vomited a black ichor as similar bile-like portals opened up around the bar and pulled the leaguers in. In an instant, the boy was gone, leaving All-Might to scream in frustration.

As if to accompany his loud anguish, a shockwave blew the building away, leaving a clearer view in the distance as to what had occurred. Or rather, who had enacted it all.

X

Present…

It had all flipped on its head, just as the group was about to head home and leave it to the pros. If only things had worked out that way. It all occurred too fast to comprehend. Izuku covered Kyoka's ears as the building exploded. The rescue team hid behind the wall for cover.

"Nejire, they're over here. Let's grab them and get them to…to…" Yuyu felt her blood run cold as she looked at the masked man floating above the ground as debris fell around him. She had no idea who he was, but something about him made her very mind curl in on itself.

It took Nejire to snap her out of it. "Babe? Babe. Who is that? He looks…pretty sinister."

"I have to call Kendou. This is bad. Are the first years ok?"

"They seem pretty shaken up…" Nejire shivered, shaking off what she could only describe later as a hallucination of her death and everyone else's.

She thought she saw the green-haired boy mouth something but she couldn't make out what it was. All she could see was several heroes on the ground, covered in rubble, and a terrified first year on her hands and knees in utter abject terror. And then, of course, she saw the masked man, hovering like a specter above the debris before he descended.

It wasn't that long until she thought she heard a jet, followed only by a familiar voice screaming what could only be the villain's name.

"ALL-FOR-OOOOOOOOOOOONE!"