So this is one of the longer chapters. Lots of exposition, lots of violence. It's the attack on the summer camp, so it wouldn't be the same without some drama. So trigger warnings: violence, forced usage of medical drugs, fear, mentions of a car accident and following carnage, mentions of suicide attempt. Just...prepare yourselves. I loves you all and hug a stuffed animal okay?


Two days later…

"Alright guys and gals, and some nonbinary pals," Pixie-Bob calls, waving a hand in the air as the students come to stand at the opening to the path they would take through the forest. "It's time for the fun stuff. Our test of courage as a reward for all of your hard work this week!"

"Ooh, this sounds fun," Kaminari says, grinning at his friends. "I wonder who we'll get paired up with?"

As Mina goes to say something, cloth from behind snaps out and wraps around her, Kirishima, Kaminari, Sato, and Sero. They all struggle as Aizawa admonishes them for attempting to skip their lessons, Sero crying they just wanted to join in on the fun. Leinei giggles into her hand, standing next to Bakugo as he sighs and rubs the back of his head.

"With them gone, I'll explain what's going to happen," Pixie-Bob continues, smiling as she rubs the back of her head. Ragdoll stands next to her, holding two separate bags and shaking them up and down gently with small clicks being heard inside. "You'll be following the set path, one class at a time. One class will be the scarers, the others the scarees. Then you'll switch off! For the first round, Class A will be the scarees, B the scarers. The winners will be determined after both classes have been through the trail, based on creativity and who scared more of the opposing class. Class B, go ahead into the forest and start making up how you'll scare Class A, while you guys choose lots to see who you're paired with!"

After the lots were drawn, Leinei ended up with Izuku. They smile at each other, Bakugo's eye twitching as he watches from where he stands next to Shoto. How did that happen? Was it because Mina wasn't here to rig it? Things had been awkward between them since the other night, but...they hadn't really let it bother them too much.

"Oi, Deku!" He calls, dragging Shoto behind him as he walks over to him and Leinei. "Trade with me!"

"Do you not want to be partnered up with me?" Shoto asks, confused as Bakugo jerks his thumb towards him. "I thought we were starting to be friends."

"I don't want to be friends with you, Icy Hot!" he yells, his eye still twitching. Leinei giggles and looks at Izuku, who blushes a bit and looks at his feet.

"I don't mind switching if you don't, Izu," she tells him.

"Ye-yeah that's fine," he says. She nods and switches places with Shoto, which makes Bakugo relax. "I hope you two do fine."

"Ah, it takes a lot to scare me," she boasts, waving her hand in front of her. "Don't worry about it. Besides, I got Katsu there in case someone tries too hard."

"Just take it easy still," Shoto tells her, tilting his head as he looks between her and Bakugo. "If you need us, just yell."

"I can't expect you to save me all the time, Shochan."

"Just until you can save yourself."

"Oi, it's our turn to go in," Bakugo snaps, grabbing Leinei's arm as she waves at them and they walk off. Izuku and Shoto call after them with words of encouragement, Izuku leaning over to Shoto after they walk into the forest.

"Is it just me, or are they acting weirder than usual?"

"I was starting to think it was just me that noticed."

"They've been really awkward these past few days. I wonder if something happened."

"Maybe. Let's wait in line for our turn, Midoriya."

"Right! This is going to be a lot of fun!"

Dabi leans back against a tree as Toga fiddles with her gear, grumbling under her breath. Twice is setting up his clones, a middle schooler in a gas mask standing nearby as well waiting for Dabi's command. He shrugs his shoulders back in his jacket, closing his eyes as he tilts his head to one side. Compress threw some marbles into the air, catching them and rolling them around his fingers. There were a few others, excited criminals ready to be back in the action after being sprung from whatever dark hole they were hiding or rotting in.

"When are you gonna give us the order to go?" Muscular growls, starting to get twitchy as Dabi cracks one eye open at him. Without waiting for an answer, he takes off, grumbling under his breath.

"What was the point if you were just going to leave before I can answer?" the dark haired man sighs, standing up off the tree and rolling his head around his shoulders. "Twice, are the clones ready?"

"At your service! Go fuck yourself, I don't work for you! Whenever you're ready!"

"Good," he replies. "Toga, Mustard, Compress, Moonfish, head into the forest and terrorize those brats some. If you can, get the targets separated."

"Yes, we all know you wanted to deal with that girl by yourself," Toga replies, rolling her eyes. Dabi shrugs and looks at the others awaiting orders. "Oh c'mon-"

"Magne, Spinner, take the Nomu and one of my clones towards the main camp. Keep the Pros busy."

"Understood," Spinner replies, cringing as the Nomu follows them. The others disperse and he takes a breath, smiling to himself. Blue flames spark at his fingers, smoke rising between the seams in his skin, curling in long tendrils as he sends a quick ball of flame at one of the trees and taking in sick satisfaction watching it go up in flames. He runs his other hand through his messy hair, pushing it temporarily from his face before letting it fall back over his eyes. He wants to savor each and every minute of this, the twisted lust he has in his stomach causing this destruction, watching his fire spread to the forest bringing back memories of the day so many years ago.

Except this time, my little mouse is here to enjoy the flames with me. She can sit here with me and watch this glorious show I'll put on. And I'll watch the tears run down her face as I burn each and every one of her friends alive in front of her. Then all she'll have is me...me...Yes, that's how it's meant to be. We're meant to be ruined together, little mouse. We'll be broken together, kill together, you'll be all mine...We can start with that boy, Katsuki. Yes, I'll have you flay his skin off…

A twisted chuckle bubbles from his lips, his eyes closing as he imagines Leinei splattered in blood, standing amidst broken, mangled bodies. A single tear running down her pale cheek, as she looks up to him. He wants to see that broken, dead look in her eyes, the same one in her student ID, the same one she has in all of the hospital photos Toda showed him. The look that screams the world has abandoned me, the look that begs to feel anything, for a new high to replace the ever growing void of numbness in your stomach and heart, the look that gets him so wound up, wanting to see it every day, to watch the beautiful light filling her eyes die out and collapse in on itself. He wanted to be the only light she saw, the only thing she took joy in.

Just like when we were kids, little mouse. Don't you remember? You said you'd always be mine...Don't worry, I'll make you remember...And if not, I'll just brand it into you, a mark on your mind, body, and soul that'll remind you every day...You're mine.

Bakugo and Leinei walk through the forest trail together, quiet after Bakugo had scared the previous group of class B and almost started an argument. Leinei had talked him down, apologized, and they moved on, quiet for a few seconds after leaving. His hands are shoved in his pockets, his gaze looking out into the forest away from camp as she looks down at the ground with her fingers combing through a section of her hair.

What should I say to him?

What do I say to her?

Hey, Katsu, about the other night-

Hey Salinsa, about the other night-

"Katsu," she says, getting him to flinch and look at her. She's still looking at the ground, her fingers having stopped moving through her hair. "About the first night we were here-"

"Don't worry about it," he mutters, looking ahead as his cheeks turn pink. He's glad night vision isn't on her list of powers, but the fact he feels nervous. She looks at him, reaching out and grabbing the sleeve of his shirt. He stiffens and glances at her, seeing the crease in her brow.

"No, please, let me talk," she says, stopping and tugging the sleeve of his shirt to make him stay. He takes one hand out of his pocket, stopping and turning his body towards her. Her hand is shaking, her fingers twitching in the fabric of his sleeve. "I...I like you too. I-I'm not sure how I exactly like you, but I know that...I care for you and I-I like spending time with you. And I'm sorry I left the way I did that night-"

"Salinsa."

"And I really want to learn more-"

"Salinsa."

"Oh my gods, what?" she groans, finally looking up and seeing a thin layer of smoke, the faint smell of burning wood and leaf litter filling her nose. Her eyes begin to water as Bakugo looks around, his hand coming up to grip her wrist as her fingers come loose from his shirt. His brow is furrowed, his lips set in a line. She could feel his pulse in his hand, the calm anxiety and fear starting to curl off him. "Is it a part of class B?"

"No, we're still too close to the last group," he mumbles, looking towards the outside of the forest again as he hears rustling and movement. "No one else should know the location of the camp."

"That's what the teachers said, yeah," she says, nodding her head as she looks in the same direction. "So it must just be one of class B doing their own thing. It has to be. There's no way anyone found us."

"There shouldn't be a way," he murmurs, the both of them flinching as they hear a distant scream. She grabs his arm, stepping closer to him as her fingers dig in through his sleeve. He hisses under his breath, glaring down at her before seeing the terror written on her face. "Stay here," he says, letting go of her wrist and gently prying her fingers off his arm. I'm gonna make sure it isn't one of those extras, and then we can head back to camp."

"No!" she says a little too quickly, grabbing his arm again. "No, you can't leave me here. It's dark, and it's actually really scary. Please don't leave me here, Katsu."

"I'm just walking a minute or two back," he retorts, pulling his arm away again. His voice is a little harsher than he wants, seeing the way her eyes widen at the tone. "Then we can walk back to the camp. Calm down. You're acting like I'm leaving you to get kidnapped."

"You're not funny."

"Besides," he says, starting to walk back in the direction of the other group. "I want to learn more too. About what you and I like about each other."

Then he walks off back to the last group, leaving her alone as the smoke begins to thicken. She pulls her shirt up over her mouth and nose, looking around as she waits for Bakugo to come back. There are more screams, some distant, some close. She couldn't really tell, focusing more on the movement through the bushes and trees making her heart jackrabbit in her chest. She folds her other arm under her chest, looking in the direction she thought Bakugo had gone in and having lost track of the time. I'll just go that way. Yeah, and we can meet halfway and go back to camp…

She starts to get a little light headed, the lower part of her face feeling warm from breathing through her shirt. Her legs are shaking the same way they did during the internship, the attack in Hosu. All she can think of is the Blue Flame Villain, the smoke from the body, the way it smelled. The rustling is getting louder, her hopes getting up as they get closer, coming from in front of her.

"Katsu?" she calls, letting her shirt fall a bit as she stops walking. Anxiety is twisting in her stomach, snaking its way through her veins and chaining itself around her heart. "Katsu, was it just another group, can we go back to the camp?"

Silence answers her, the rustling getting louder. She can feel the heat from the flames, not even seeing through the smoke and trees yet. She takes a step back, her eyes watering from the ash and smoke in the air. Her head feels light, her ankle rolling like that day in Hosu, and almost tripping her. She catches her balance, trying to breath slowly to avoid inhaling too much smoke.

"Katsu, this isn't funny," she calls, her voice breaking and going an octave higher than the usual pitch. "You're supposed to be one of the scarees, not scarers. It's not our turn yet."

Silence returns her remark, the rustling stopping. This just makes her anxiety worse, unable to tell what emotions were hers, and what were the people around her. Genuine terror is overloading her system, tears bleeding into her eyes and blurring her already obscured vision. She couldn't even tell if she was still on the trail or not, having followed the rustling without realizing.

"Katsu-"

"Little mouse," a hoarse voice whispers in her ear, making her blood run cold as she feels a prick in her left arm. She wants to move, her eyes widening as something is pushed into her bloodstream. "I knew that would get you to listen-"

Her elbow comes back into the man's chest, pushing him away from her before he could pull the syringe out of her arm. The needle is pulled along with his hand, tearing through her skin and shirt. She cries out, her hand going to it as blood blossoms through the fabric. She turns towards the way she was sure she had pushed the villain, her chest heaving as her breathing becomes faster.

"You have some fight in you. That's new. The last time we saw each other, you were a crying mess."

The voice seemingly comes from all around her, having her turn each and every way trying to guess where he is. She recognized the rasp, the deep hoarse tone of the voice. She tries to activate her quirk, trying to find him. Her eyes flicker purple for a millisecond, before turning back to blue. A quirk suppressant? Only law enforcement and medical professionals have ready accessibility to those…

"You got your hands on something fun, didn't you, villain?" she calls, backing herself against a tree to keep from having her back exposed. "Stealing drugs like that can easily get you four years."

"I'm pretty sure murder gets you a life time," he says, his voice right next to her ear. She turns quickly, scraping her other arm against the tree as she tries to face him. Her back is exposed again, something she quickly rectifies.

"You're from Hosu, right?" she continues, closing her eyes as her vision starts to blur. "The Blue Flame Villain."

"Is that what you've been calling me?" he asks, his voice seemingly right in front of her. "Cute. I typically go by Dabi. And you're Leinei Salinsa, sister to Reina Salinsa, aka Elementia."

"Impressive," she pants, opening her eyes as her vision refocuses. She uses the tree to keep her up, trying to channel some kind of courage into her body to keep her from running. "You can do basic detective work. Or you just stalked me, which considering the name you're calling me by, means you did a lot more than basic detective work."

Dabi smirks, shrugging as he tilts his head to the side. She has some bite to her this time, but her legs still tremble. She still has tears in her eyes as she stands with her back to the tree, glaring in his direction. He loved that she came to him, all by herself. Alone, vulnerable. Even if she mistook him for the other target of tonight's attack, the fact she felt drawn to him made him ecstatic.

You're still my little mouse. Mine, my little mouse, all mine.

"Why are you here? How did you find out about this place?" she demands, her voice breathy as she drops to one knee. How nice, the sedatives are kicking in. "What else did you put in that syringe? A sedative? You're not very creative."

"Says the one on her knees," he retorts, walking forward with his hands in his pockets. "And what does it matter? You'll be asleep soon enough, little mouse."

"You really..need to stop calling me that."

She's fighting the sedatives as much as she can, letting her hand fall to the dirt and leaf litter to grab a fistful. She's trying to make a plan in her head, a way to get to the others yelling and screaming, a way to find Bakugo and get any of the teachers here. If I can incapacitate him long enough, I can get back to camp before I pass out. Keep yourself calm, keep your heart rate down so the sedative doesn't spread any quicker than it already has. You can do this, Leinei.

"But I like the way you stiffen everytime you hear it," he replies, kneeling in front of her and using a finger to tilt her chin up. A twisted smile breaks his thin lips, watching her recoil from his touch as if just bit by a poisonous snake. "You have more bite to you than you did in Hosu, Lei~nei." She cringes hearing him drag her name out like that, shuddering. "I can't wait to bleed every ounce of fight from your body-"

She slams her head into his nose, throwing the dirt and leaf litter in his face. He falls back, using the heels of his palms to rub his eyes as she gets to her feet and starts running in a direction. She can't tell where anyone is beyond the yelling, her quirk sleeping due to the dampeners coursing through her system. Her head feels disconnected from her body, floating just above her neck as she brushes her shoulder against a tree. She couldn't tell where she was going, if she was going back to the camp or further into the forest due the smoke.

I never thought I'd see this day. That I actually need my quirk to find my way back to everyone.

"Just keep calm," she murmurs to herself, stopping once she sees blue flames bleeding through the trees. She starts to backpedal, turning and stopping again seeing Dabi coming up behind her. More blue flames are curling around his hand, licking up his arm. Right or left? Which way-

He senses her hesitation, her indecisiveness, stretching his hands either way to send blue flames on each side of her. He leaves her only escape route past him, knowing that if she does go to get past him, she would be his with little thought on his part. He chuckles, lowering his arms and shaking one of his hands out.

"Y'know, if you had your quirk active, this may have been more difficult," he tells her, standing where he is after learning his lesson. "Those quirk dampeners are a real life saver, aren't they? Well, for me. Not so much for you in this situation, huh?"

"You're really starting to annoy me," she says, her voice breaking as she tries to work out ways to get past him. He didn't leave her much room, and the smoke is growing thicker and heavier by the second. Her throat feels raw, her eyes dry, and on top of it all, despite her efforts, the sedative was still working its way through her body. "Why are you even doing this?"

"Well, our leader wants you and your little friend," he replies, shrugging. "Me? I have my own plans. Besides, it's always nice to see you again."

"You're sick," she pants, coughing after and shaking her head. I have to get past him. I don't have Shoto or Katsu here to back me up this time. I have to do it by myself. "What does a grown man want with a sixteen year old girl?"

"I think it's more fun if you didn't know."

"Well that just means you're a pervert. My siblings wouldn't take kindly to that in the slightest. I really think you should let me go."

"Then by all means, go."

Bakugo coughs as he walks through the forest, holding his shirt over his mouth. He's cursing under his breath, trying hard not to let the smoke get to him. He had gone back to the spot he'd left Leinei, but she wasn't there. He could hear her voice vaguely, or what he thought was her voice, and followed it into the woods. His stomach is twisting, irritation at her and himself growing with each step further.

I fucking told her to stay where she was. Why would she walk off like that? And with villains running around! How fucking dumb is she?

But she did ask me not to go, and I still left. I should have stayed. Fuck, this is my fault. Be okay, please be fucking okay. I'll never forgive myself if you aren't. Leinei, please.

"Fuck it," he growls, taking his shirt from over his mouth. "Salinsa!" he yells, raising his voice as much as he can before covering his mouth again. He waits a few seconds, trying to strain his ears to see if he could hear anyone yelling in return. "Salinsa!"

There's rustling to his right and he runs over to it, nearly tripping over his feet. Relief floods him momentarily, until he sees that it's Shoto, Shoji, and a banged up Izuku. His eye twitches and Izuku laughs awkwardly.

"Hey, Kacchan," he greets as Bakugo looks around them, trying to see if Leinei was with them. "There's villains here, we need-"

"Yeah, I know," he snaps. "Where's Salinsa?"

"She isn't with you?" Shoto asks, panting as he wipes some sweat from his face. "Did you two get separated?"

"About five or six minutes ago," he replies, his face flushing as Shoto glared at him. "When this smoke first appeared, we thought it was a part of class B's attempt to scare us. I went back to make sure, and when I got back, she was gone."

"Okay, so she can't have gotten that far," Izuku says, stopping Shoto from talking. "She could still be nearby. We can stick together and look for her, then head back to the teachers."

"Right," Bakugo agrees, concerned for his friend twisting around in his stomach. "Where's the bird? I thought he was with you?"

"He is," Shoji confirms, gesturing to the unconscious Tokoyami under his arm. "Dark Shadow got out of control. Todoroki helped to get him back to where he was manageable, but it drained Tokoyami."

"Of course," he grumbles, shaking his head. "Do any of you have any idea how to even start by finding her?"

"Well, we can't yell because that would alert the villains to our location, and we have no clue how many there are," Shoto replies, almost scathingly as he looks directly at Bakugo. The blond boy's eye twitches. "We could use Shoji's quirk to locate her, but the smoke might obscure his vision."

"I'll do my best," the masked teen replies, holding his free arm up and letting it branch out with multiple eyes and ears. "In the meantime, we should keep moving. If we stay in one spot, it'll make us sitting ducks."

"Yeah," Izuku agrees, his broken arms dangling at his sides. "I already took one of the villains down, up on the cliff when this thing started. Mandalay's nephew was in danger-"

"You went and saved the kid that punched you in the balls?"

"Yes, Kacchan. I did. I'm not gonna let him die."

"No, I wasn't saying that. Good on you, Deku."
"Are you sure you're Bakugo?" Shoto asks as they start walking in the direction Shoji pointed out. "I never thought I'd see the day you compliment Midoriya."

"Shut up, Icy Hot!"

"Yeah that's Kacchan," Izuku laughs, trying to lighten the mood a bit as they walk. Bakugo is looking around, his head almost seemingly on a swivel as he searches the smoke for any shape resembling Leinei. Please. Please be okay. Come on, Short Stack.

Leinei barely dodges another blast of blue flames, her arm caught by the barest degree as she cries out. Blisters already form on her arm, the burn mark glistening in the flickering sapphire flames. Dabi laughs, tilting his head back as she tries hard not to drop to the ground.

"You're getting slower, mouse," he taunts her. "I know you're fighting the sedative, and while I'm enjoying playing with you again, you have to be so tired. Your movements are sloppier, dragging behind. Give up and come quietly."

"Go screw yourself," she spits out, her chest heaving as her legs finally give under her. She had tried so hard to get past him, blown back each time by his flames until her body couldn't take it anymore. She's tired, her brain foggy and her vision swirling as he walks over to her. He kneels in front of her again as she starts to slump to the side. He catches her, wrapping his arm around her shoulders to pull her against his chest.

"You did so good, little mouse," he whispers, drawing each word out, seemingly condescendingly. She struggles to keep her eyes open, her arms limp at her sides as he hugs her to him. "So good in fact, I'll reward you. I'll save that boy you hang out with all the time for last, just so you wake up in enough time to hear him scream as I sear the flesh from his bones."

"Don't..hurt him…" she says, before her eyes flutter shut and she goes completely limp against him. Katsu...Katsu, save yourself…

"Finally you're asleep," he sighs, standing up and cradling her in his arms, almost tenderly. One of her arms dangles over his, the other folded across her stomach. Her head is back, which he adjusts his arms so it's between his bicep and his chest. She's nowhere near as small as he remembers, or what he expected, a bit heavier than he thought she would be. But he'd be damned if he didn't like the way her blood had trickled down her arm; imagining her body a patchwork of burns and cuts like his excited him. He couldn't wait to ruin her, to break every inch of her soul to each of his whims.

"Don't worry, little mouse," he whispers to her as he starts to walk towards the meetup spot where Twice was waiting. A soft groan leaves her lips as his gait jostles her. "You'll do so well for me."

Toda bites his thumbnail as he sits at his desk in the agency. His heart is slamming his ribcage, staring at the phone and waiting for a call from either Eraserhead, Elementia, or even worse, Hawks. Elementia would be kind to him, understanding. She always has been, even when she offered him the job here. He has so much respect for her, loves her, would do anything for her. Hawks. Hawks is a terrifying force of nature when he's upset. Not that he's upset often. It's rare to see Hawks without a smile on his face, or a blank stare, but there was one instance he saw Hawks upset, and it terrified him.

It was a little over a year ago, right after Leinei had been admitted to the hospital following her suicide attempt. And Hawks had come into the office, angry and yelling at Elementia. It was so loud, the receptionist on the bottom floor could hear the barest echoes of it. Some sidekick had gone in to ask for a report, and had been shoved out by one his feathers. The dark look on the hero's face when coming out, one that said he would slaughter anyone who even dared to ask him what was wrong-that's what scared him.

Everytime he sees him now, all he can see is that dark look, flashes of his life blinking in front of his eyes each time he ruffles those brilliant red wings of his. Toda could feel his chest tightening at the thought of them finding out it was him who sold Elementia's sister out to the villains, providing them the information they would need to find them during this otherwise secure trip. Oh god, what if they kill her? His life is forfeit at that point.

Breathe, Toda. Breathe. This is going to work out. It's all for Akiha. All for Akiha. She's going to live, I just have to do this. I just have to sacrifice Leinei and her friend to them, and I'll have her back, my debt paid. Akiha, Akiha, I love you so much. Please forgive me for what I had to do.

The day of the accident-that was singlehandedly the worst day of his life. He was working on patrol with Elementia when he got the call. His stomach had dropped hearing the details and his world went numb. She was still a new pro at the time, but still had enough emotional depth to let him go. He went to the hospital, and he just screamed, seeing Akiha bloody and broken, her legs mangled and needing to be amputated. Her body was broken, her brain barely working. Comatose, with a two percent chance of ever coming out of it. Even less of a chance she would be a functioning human again.

And even being told that, he couldn't let go. He had hope, she would wake up, that she would be the same bubbly person he had just kissed goodbye that morning before work, who smiled and wished him a good day with that same beautiful smile he had fallen in love with all those years before. He couldn't let go, he wouldn't let go. His work suffered, he spent all the time he could with her in the hospital, hearing the machines beep, hearing the machinations of the ventilator keeping her breathing. It became work and hospital, his routine. Go to Starlite, work for twelve hours, come to the hospital and stay until they forced him out of the door.

It was one of those harder nights, one day he had a hard time leaving her side, when he was approached by a man in a suit, a broker by the name of Giran. He'd told Toda to follow him, and the broken man obeyed, his head down as he was led to the same bar he would be reporting to almost every month since. There, he met Shigaraki, Kurogiri, the staticy voice of the Master, who offered him the deal that would be his salvation.

"I'll keep your lover alive," the staticy voice says, empathy leaking through his words. "But you have to do one simple task for me."

"I'll do anything. Please, I just..I can't lose her, please."

"Quirks. I want special, interesting, strong quirks. Bring me quirks and I'll save her."

"But...that...I-I'm a sidekick, that-"

"You must not love her as much as you say you do, to hesitate. I do hope she'd understand that given every opportunity, you still let her die."

"I'll do anything. I'll get you quirks. Just don't let her die. Bring her back to me."

"Good. You don't have to get your hands dirty, just bring me files on them. And I'll have others seek them out."

"Yes...I'll do it...whatever it takes to bring Akiha back to me."

Please. Please forgive me. I love you so much, Akiha.

"Kacchan!" Izuku yells as Compress catches the blond boy off guard and puts him into one of his marbles. Shoto steps forward with his right, sending ice towards the masked man and almost catching him. Compress chuckles, sweeping his hat off and bowing to the kids as he balances on a tree branch.

"Give us back our friend!" Shoji yells, all three of them staring at the man. Compress sighs, placing his hat back onto his head with an accentuated flourish. He holds the marble holding Bakugo up, tossing it into the air and catching it.

"Apologies, dear children, but this showman must be leaving. I do hope you enjoyed this one time only performance, and do not be expecting any encores! Tata!"

"You bastard!" Shoto yells, but all they can do is watch as their friend is taken away. They still haven't found Leinei, instead finding this sauve villain here to kidnap Bakugo. And here he was getting away from them, hopping through the trees and seemingly flying through the air.

"We need to catch up to them," Izuku calls to Shoto and Shoji, the three of them starting to race through the trees to catch up. Compress sighs as he soars through the air, using his quirk to compress and decompress the air to keep him aloft. He has the marble holding Bakugo in his pocket, impressed with how easily he was able to pull the capture off, but displeased he wasn't able to show off more.

"Perchance Dabi will give me more chances in the future. I do so enjoy doing this," he tells himself, only to hear crackling and yelling behind him. His brow furrows behind his mask as he looks over his shoulder and feels his stomach drop through his feet. These kids are terrifying.

"Everyone should be meeting up here soon," Dabi tells Twice, who nods. He pokes the unconscious girl's cheek as she hangs limply over Dabi's shoulder. "What?"

"You went overboard on her. You should have shot her up more."

"I put as much as I needed to in her system," he tells him. "We still want her to wake up, don't we?"

At that moment, there's a crashing noise behind them, emerald lightning providing a contrast to the sapphire flames. Ice shoots out, separating Twice from Dabi. He grits his teeth, seeing Compress pinned underneath the kids. Shoto and Izuku's eyes widened as they see Leinei draped over his shoulder like a sack of potatoes.

"Let go of her!" Shoto yells, anger setting into his chest as he sends more ice forward with his right, only to have it melted away by the same sapphire flames destroying the Pussycats' forest around them. "Give us back our friends!"

Compress manages to get away from them as Toga seemingly comes out of nowhere, pinning Izuku to the dirt and cooing over him. Shoji sweeps her off him, throwing her back and earning her ire as Shoto lunges towards Dabi, flames covering his right hand. Dabi smirks and turns his shoulder with Leinei towards him. He watches the boy scramble to redirect his attack, using his free hand to grab the back of the dual haired boy's shirt.

"Shoto Todoroki," he purrs, almost excited to see him. Shoto turns and aims another fiery punch toward the man's face. Dabi throws him to the side, watching him roll before hitting a tree. "Compress, it's almost time."

"Roger that," he replies, holding up a marble and throwing it towards Shoji and Izuku. He snaps his fingers, watching it expand into a boulder. Shoji grabs Izuku and rolls out of the way, asking quickly if he's okay as Toga sighs, almost lovelorn seeing the beaten boy. Twice creates two clones of Compress to keep Shoji and Izuku busy as Dabi deals with Shoto, narrowly dodging each of the younger boy's attempts to attack. It almost seems as if he were toying with him, taunting him with the girl Shoto deems a sister over his shoulder.

A purple warpgate starts to swirl nearby, expanding so that they could go through. Toga and Twice are the first to go through, Toga blowing a kiss to Izuku before falling backwards after Twice. Compress makes his way over, watching his clones melt away. He holds three different marbles up, grinning as he watches the gears work in Shoji's head on which is Bakugo. Out of the side of the still intact forest, a twinkling laser comes flying out of the darkness, knocking his mask off and freeing the marbles from his hand. Shoji flings himself forward, catching two of them as Shoto goes for the third, A blast of blue flames keeps him back, an order from Dabi to release his quirk coming out. Bakugo comes out of the marble, stunned a bit as Dabi wraps his hand around the boy's neck.

"Kacchan!" Izuku yells, his eyes wide as he watches his friends be dragged through the warpgate, away from them, to wherever they were taking them. His stomach felt so twisted and he felt so sick, watching the flash of terror in Bakugo's eyes before the gate shut. Ochaco and Asui come out of the forest where they had been running through to catch up, just in time to hear Izuku's heartbroken wail of self hatred, to see Shoto drop to his knees in horrified realization, to see Shoji just slump.

Because these weren't heroes. And those weren't just petty thieves and vandals. They were children, supposed to enjoy a summer camp away from the darkness of the world, and here it was, having just taken two of the people they cared for. No matter what they trained for, no matter what they tried to do, their efforts just weren't enough. Not against true villains. Not against the kaleidoscope of evil and fear.