Manual, Arrow, Iida, Detective Hayashi and I were given our instructions. We were to wait in a police car, observing while Midnight and Gang Orca sacrificed themselves to ensure the safety of the mission.

"Once we see the tracking signal," said Detective Hayashi, "we'll hand it to you two speedsters. Follow the signal to the location ahead of us and do whatever it takes to take out Sloth before she can put anyone out. If the other team has taken her out already, your next target is Gluttony. That dissolving goop is a real problem - then Pride. Remember, she's got the ability to make you lose your equilibrium. Wrath's dangerous too, but we're trusting the sound heroes and Majestic to handle her. Greed's dangerous in battle but is close-range, hand-to-hand. Envy needs at least some proximity to use her quirk and Lust seems to need physical contact, so there's some room to leave thsoe two for lower priority."

I nodded and raised my hand. "A thought occurs to me, Detective. It isn't something anyone wants to discuss, but..."

"What is it?"

"We have some suspicion of Tigress, do we not? That she may be connected with these people? In that case, was it wise to discuss our plans in front of her?"

Iida looked at me indignantly. "Yaoyorozu! A pro-hero, surely?"

"I know...I don't like the idea, but it is a suspicion, isn't it?"

Hayashi nodded and sighed. "You're correct. It was a risk. But the pros in charge of the op - people who have known Tigress long enough to vouch for her - decided to cut her in. Her quirk is too valuable, if she isn't Wrath, to defeating her. Your friend with the headphone jacks is our only other sound-based hero in on the op - Present Mic was otherwise employed, and everyone else was too far to call in. And no disrespect, but your friend isn't exactly enough for a quirk like this."

That irritated me on Jirou's behalf. "Earphone Jack may surprise you."

Hayashi shrugged. Manual said, "I've worked with Tigress before. I think it's pretty unlikely that she'd betray us or work with villains. There are plenty of people with sound-based quirks."

Iida nodded. "Indeed! We can count on Miss Tigress in this operation." And he added, "I will make myself useful as well, alongside Miss Arrow, in defeating Sloth. I have worked hard to upgrade my speed since we last fought her."

"I've been strategizing too," said Arrow. "Most likely one of us can pin her down."

I nodded., thinking through our opponents. "Gluttony seems able to absorb anything. We know Ashido's acid can counteract her, so I'll try to create something for her to amplify her quirk and its range."

"You kids today sure are quick to strategize," smiled Manual. I gave a proud smile - my class was impressing the pro heroes!

It was extremely painful to sit there and watch Miss Midnight and Gang Orca fail. I inadvertantly grabbed onto Iida's wrist as we had to sit still and watch Midnight sensei fall in battle. Gang Orca too...And then it got worse, as Greed leaned down and looked as though she were about to break Miss Midnight's neck.

"Midnight sensei-" Iida started, on reflex prepared to jump in and rescue her. Manual-Sensei had to restrain him; I had moved and Arrow's hand was the only thing stopping me from following him out there.

We sat back down. The police sirens wailing seemed to have stopped Greed. She and Sloth seemed to vanish.

"We've got them," Majestic's voice came in over the comm. "We're in pursuit."

We sat there in agony. Midnight Sensei and Gang Orca were removed from the scene in ambulances.

Then at last, the coordinates appeared.

"GO!" said Manual. Iida and Arrow went flying out the doors and we followed them, surveying the coordinates and hurying.

Calculate the angles, Yaomomo. What's the worst case scenario? If Tigress had sold us out, surely we wouldn't have made it this far? Possibly. They may be forewarned. They do know our quirks...so we have to assume they'll plan for what's expected. Iida did say he'd been training. I should have...in any case, we must think calmly and rationally. My quirk is best suited to take on...

"Creati," said Manual. "Be careful out there. OK? I can see you kids have the zest for it. But as good as you are, you're young, and new to it. Just take precautions, will ya?"

"I nodded. "I intend to."

We pulled up and saw, to my surprise, a giant hole blown into the ground. That damage and destruction - this wasn't their hideout's natural shape. No, it was -

"Jirou's Heartbeat distortion," I murmured. "But it looks as though getting in would not be difficult..."

"Maybe they had to blow their way in," suggested Manual.

This doesn't seem like a great sign.

I hurried downwards, following distant noises. Please let them be all right...

Slumped in the hallway was Sloth - and not far away from her, Tokage.

"Tokage -" I started, but she looked up at me and slowly shook her head.

"T-igress...ssssolld us...out...they knneeww...gooo."

We flew around the corner into the nearest open door. Iida seemed to be - attacking Arrow? My eyes found Envy's slumped body. Pride, Greed, Gluttony and Lust were heading towards what looked like an exit. And no sign of Jirou or Wrath.

Best save Iida. I shot a dart from my wrist at Envy, and Iida promptly fell to the ground - then seemed to disappear.

"Iida?" I cired.

"Jirou's gone wild, she's gone after Tigress!" Iida called. "That way!"

I couldn't see his pointing, but I could see the hole in the wall. Jirou must have...

I ran for it. Jirou one on one against that villainess - that hero -

I didn't want to think about it. I just moved, before I could think.

Jirou was teetering - having what looked like a soundwave duel with Tigress, as Shoji covered his ears. From behind me I heard a familiar cackle. The teetering -

And she was falling, tumbling into the hole, as Pride leaped past me onto Shoji, preventing him from grabbing her.

I threw a rope down and wrapped Jirou, just in time to stop her fall.