Today, it would all end.
Unknown leapt backward as a gleaming blade split the air mere centimeters from her face, landing firmly on her feet as her eyes found the dagger. She activated her quirk and ripped it from Traceback's hand. The knife flew through the air and pierced the truck of a large tree behind her, the blade producing a deep thud as it lodged halfway into the rough bark. Traceback grit her teeth, her brows drawing in concentration as she quickly rushed forward. In a moment, she was in front of Unknown once again, both hands balled into fists as she aimed a punch at her stomach. The older girl twisted away just in time to avoid the blow, quickly moving to grab at her arm, but Traceback managed to slip out of her grasp and darted past her. The redhead made a beeline for the blade, leaping up and forcibly dislodging it with a single hard swipe- the dark handle was still warm. She wasted no time in charging forward once again, reaching Unknown faster than the eye could follow. The blade flashed as it drew a sharp arc in front of her, nicking the other girl's shirt as she leapt back, followed immediately by a barrage of swipes and stabs that were nearly too quick to track. Unknown's brows furrowed in concentration as she rapidly twisted and ducked and dodged the relentless assault, her eyes darting as they followed the spot of light reflecting off the silver blade. She spotted her chance as the dagger jabbed upwards. It whistled past her nose as she leaned back sharply, Traceback immediately moving to follow with another attack, however her eyes widened as a hand shot up to grip her upper arm, forcing it upwards from below. She barely had time to register the sharp discomfort before another hand grabbed her raised fist and twisted it harshly. The sun bounced off the blade and shone directly into her eyes, causing the girl to instinctively squeeze them shut. The moment she looked away, however, a cold dread settled in her stomach. She felt a sharp kick to the back of her knees as the hand on her arm shoved her backward, sending her toppling over. She had no time to try and save herself before her back met the hard ground.
The dirt was cold as it pressed against her, even through her insulated training attire. The stray pebbles and twigs jabbed at her uncomfortably, and a large root dug awkwardly into the base of her spine. Her deep red hair, usually straight and well-kept, was tousled all around her, falling in a tangled, dirty halo. The distant treetops swayed gently as her gaze cast to the morning sky, the branches all but barren, having yielded the last of their leaves to the winter chill not long ago. It was almost perfectly cloudless, the calm blue sky fully visible before her, foretelling pleasant weather for the day.
A hand peeked into her field of vision, drawing her attention away from quiet treetops. Traceback shook her head in gentle refusal as she pushed herself into a sitting position.
"You're getting faster."
She glanced up at Unknown who now leaned against a thin tree next to her, passive eyes focused elsewhere.
"Thank you," she tried to offer a small smile, though it didn't quite work.
Traceback had little confidence in herself at the best of times, and it was only magnified during training. She knew she was rather lacking when compared to the others, and she could never seem to catch up.
Physically, Horus was the strongest of the four. Despite being the same age as herself, he was much taller, well-built, and relentlessly strong. He was the most skilled hand-to-hand fighter out of them all, to the point where none of them would spar with him without the added advantage of a weapon or quirk. He was not necessarily aggressive by nature, but over the years, he had become more reliant on his brute force and harsh personality when dealing with whatever problems he might encounter. By no means did his strength come by chance either; he was entirely dedicated to physical training, never passing up on an opportunity to become stronger. He trained whenever possible, even during harsh weather or sickness, setting him apart as the most driven out of the four. He never aimed to be anything less than the best of them all, and he wouldn't stop working until he got there.
Amnestica was a distant second when it came to physical ability, but she excelled in her own ways. She was certainly the fastest of them all, able to outrun any of them even on her worst day. Aside from this, she had the gift of quick wit and a silver tongue. She spoke more frequently than the rest of them combined, always going on about something or another even when no one was paying attention, and had the uncanny ability to get most everyone to like her. She was an excessively skilled talker, able to bend most people to her will with her bright personality and honey-coated words. Unfortunately for her, overexposure meant these tactics had lost their effectiveness on the other three over the years, though it remained largely useful on the strangers she was often tasked with targeting. Amnestica undoubtedly had the most distinguished personality of the bunch, to say the least.
Unknown was neither a skilled talker nor physically strong. She wasn't fast, nor was she particularly dedicated to training. She wasn't particularly notable when it came to most things, yet she was undeniably the most dangerous of the four. Her quirk was naturally strong, and it was magnified by her incredible control over it, apparently having mastered it at a very young age. She had trained her quirk to be wildly versatile, able to manipulate pressures so precisely that she could pick up a pencil from clear across the room and write with it. Some people were gifted in many areas, able to demonstrate a wide variety of skills; Unknown excelled in only one, and it, by itself, was more than enough.
Traceback was not as strong as Horus, nor as quick as Amnestica, nor as gifted as Unknown. She was always the runt of the group, the youngest, newest, most thoroughly worthless one. She worked hard to improve wherever she could, hoping she might soon develop her own notable ability, but it never seemed to be enough. She was getting better, yes, but the kind of distinguished skill the other three possessed was too far out of reach.
"You're overthinking again, aren't you?"
Traceback blinked in surprise as Unknown's voice pulled her from her clouded thoughts. She glanced up at the older girl who was already staring back at her.
"Sorry," she apologized quietly as she averted her gaze.
Unknown's stare had always been… unsettling to her. She couldn't explain why, and she knew it wasn't logical, but there was something behind her passive, stony eyes that always seemed… off. That wasn't to say she mistrusted the older girl, of course; Unknown had always been kind enough, if not a bit distant. She was strong and reliable, having been here the longest out of the four, and Traceback often suspected she was the Manager's favorite. It was for that very reason that Horus was always rather hostile towards her; he was a hard worker, dedicated in a way she wasn't, and he believed he deserved the Manager's approval more than she did. He would never admit it aloud, not in so many words, anyway, but Traceback had long noted his dislike for the older girl. He hadn't always been like that- in fact, there had been a time when he spoke quite positively of her- but somewhere along the way, that had begun to change.
Among the group, Traceback had always been closest to Horus. He had been the first to speak to her on the day she arrived, and since had consistently gone out of his way to help her adjust as best he could, even going so far as to stand up for her whenever the Manager became upset. She wasn't sure if she would have survived so long were it not for him.
"We should go inside," Unknown breathed a shallow sigh, watching her breath fog the air for a moment before pushing off from the tree behind her.
Traceback rose to her feet and quickly followed as the other girl started back towards the house in the distance.
"Thank you for training with me, and sorry about your shirt," she apologized quietly, glancing at the small gash in the stomach of her top.
"It's nothing."
Perhaps it was just her imagination, but Unknown was rather quiet today. She was never particularly talkative, of course, most often preferring to keep to herself, but she seemed even more withdrawn than usual. Maybe something was on her mind, but Traceback didn't like to pry about those kinds of things.
By the time they reached the door, it was a few minutes past noon. The pair announced their return as they slipped into the house and quickly received a pleasant reply back. The tension in their shoulders instantly dissolved; the Manager was in a good mood today.
"You can shower first," Traceback offered as they made their way upstairs to find a change of clothes.
Unknown only nodded before the pair quietly split towards their respective rooms.
Today, it would all end.
Steam filled the small bathroom as Unknown stood idly under the showerhead, one arm against the tiled wall, leaning forward with eyes closed as her back remained turned to the hot stream. The warmth was a welcome relief from the biting cold outside: a chill that also seeped into the bones of the house, albeit to a much lesser degree. There had yet to be any snowfall this year, but it was certainly on the horizon, considering temperatures had fallen well below freezing as of late, even during the daytime. In past years, Unknown recalled hoping for the quick passage of winter, where the days were short and always bitterly cold, wishing for a return to more pleasant temperatures, yet this year, she found different topics occupying her thoughts.
Absentmindedly, her left hand rose from where it rested at her side, moving to hover over the area just above her stomach, to the right of her sternum. Her fingers touched the unblemished skin, and a slight frown tugged on her lips.
Today, it would all end.
"Is everyone ready?" the Manager smiled as he locked the small metal suitcase lying on the table in front of him.
"Ready!" Amnestica cheered enthusiastically. "It's been forever since we've had such a big mission! This'll be great!" she swayed from side to side, hardly able to contain her excitement.
"Just try to keep quiet once we leave," Horus sighed, leaning back in his seat, an identical black suitcase resting next to his heel. Traceback stood next to him, another suitcase in hand. She tugged at the neck of her coat, trying to bring it as close as she could, already feeling the impending chill.
"I know I don't have to tell you this again, but tonight is very important for us. It's the first step in our big plans, and we'll be able to save countless people if we do well, so be extra careful tonight, understood?"
Echoes of agreement sounded throughout the room, and the Manager nodded in satisfaction. He handed two small suitcases over to Unknown and Amnestica before picking up yet another, briefly opening it to glance over its contents before re-securing it.
"Alright, let's get going then!"
With varying levels of enthusiasm, the five exited the house, the lights flicking off behind them as they stepped into the surrounding forest. Instantly, they felt the biting evening air envelop them.
Each with a black metal suitcase in hand, they took off westwards.
They moved quickly and quietly, remaining in a neat group with the Manager at the head, the rest of them following close behind.
After some indecipherable amount of time, what could have been minutes or could have been hours, they emerged from the forest, not pausing as they continued into the small town ahead.
Once they arrived at the outskirts of the city, the Manager signaled for them to pause. He glanced around for a moment before pointing towards a small store nearby, the darkness inside indicating it was empty. They followed as he approached the side of the building, following its length until they reached a small stone wall standing no more than five feet high. He pulled himself up the wall, his feet landing on the narrow topside before jumping onto the roof of the building. Using the wall as a boost, Amnestica and Unknown followed, then Horus and Traceback, with the former extending a hand to help pull the other up. Once they were gathered on the rooftop, they continued making their way into the city, bounding along the dim skyline to avoid any unwelcome attention. Unlike the previous terrain, the city posed a much larger risk: there was no small number of cars and pedestrians in the streets below, despite it being well past midnight, and it only grew as they approached the more populated areas of the city. They could also avoid the streetlights and security cameras lining the cold roads this way, the half-moon offering just enough illumination for them to move safely across the field of rooftops.
It didn't take much longer for them to arrive at their destination.
The five crouched a short distance away from a towering metal wall as the Manager briefly reviewed their course of action.
"This area is big, so we don't know exactly where the buildings are." He used his finger to draw a rough map into the dirt, reminiscent of the more detailed one they had already memorized. "I'll take the western corner, Horus will take the area around these two training grounds, Unknown will take the northeastern area by the main building, and Amnestica and Traceback will take the area we're about to enter, between this stadium and this training ground. Once you find the dormitories, signal everyone else with your location and wait for us to reach you." He raised a small square device, identical to the ones at the other four's hips, bearing a black switch and a red button on the side. "Until further notice, remember not to move in until all of us are there; we'll need all of our bombs to get this right. If you run into any major problems, press the red button and we'll be there as quickly as we can. Do I make myself clear?"
The four quietly agreed in unison.
"Good, now come on." The Manager rose to his feet and turned to approach the towering wall, the other four copying his motions. He gestured to Horus, who took hold of a large steel panel and carefully pried it open, the metal bending with little effort as it peeled to the side, exposing a narrow gap leading directly through the barrier.
The five silently slipped through the hole, exchanging one final nod before taking off in different directions.
Unknown stood with her back to a small building as she glanced around, trying to orient herself. She had forgotten how large the UA campus was, and having spent little time exploring the grounds during her time there, she was almost as unfamiliar with it as the other four. She didn't recognize the area she was in, though according to the map, they had entered near the south end of the campus: someplace she recalled to be near Ground Omega and the trio of stadiums. That, unfortunately, meant both the main building and her assigned zone were clear on the opposite side.
The building behind her seemed to be a warehouse of sorts, but all she cared about was the fact its lights were off. The area was rather dark and showed no signs of activity, meaning the dormitories were likely elsewhere. She could see a few lights in the distance, approximately in the direction of her assigned sector. Cautiously, she slipped out from behind the building, making sure to stay hidden in the evening shadows.
She quietly zipped her way across the school grounds, drawing closer to the northeastern corner. Occasionally, she would pass a building or two with the lights on. Though none of them seemed to be occupied, considering she never saw any movement in or around them, she remained careful nonetheless.
It wasn't until she noticed the gate to Ground Gamma in the distance that she began finding her bearings. She had gone to and from that area enough times to vaguely recall its location in relation to the main building. She turned, identifying the general direction she recalled it being in, and quickly continued forward.
Unknown passed dozens of buildings, big and small, as she sped across the grounds, often with large stretches of empty field in between. As she closed in on the northeastern zone, she noticed the amount of empty land gradually began decreasing, and at the same time, she began seeing more familiar structures.
She must be nearing the main building.
Up ahead, she spotted a few landmarks she vaguely recalled, including a large gym with its lights on. She made sure to give it a wide berth as she approached, circling around and past it, quiet as a winter breeze.
Bakugo clutched the empty water bottle in his hand, panting loudly as he shoved a towel against his forehead. He sat atop one of the enormous, jagged rocks, head tossed back and leaning on one arm as he struggled to catch his breath. He had been training for hours now. It wasn't unusual for him to spend the better part of the night here, though he had been more careful not to overwork himself lately.
The past few months had been... tumultuous for him, to say the least. Daytime brought the often-monotonous onslaught of hero work and schoolwork, while nights saw familiar, unpleasant thoughts seeping into his consciousness. It had gotten better lately, if only marginally. He was sleeping more than he used to, and some evenings were even free from nightmares. He felt a bit better as well, though maybe that was simply an effect of the improved sleep.
He scoffed as he shook the thoughts from his mind, shoving them aside in his fatigue. He was far too tired to be thinking about that right now. He decided it was about time to get back to the dorms, hoping he was tired enough to fall asleep without so much effort. He had class tomorrow anyway; Present Mic would be giving them a quiz.
As he moved to stand up, however, something caught his attention.
Bakugo frowned instantly as he turned towards the large window to his left, crimson eyes scanning the darkness of the field outside.
He could have sworn he saw something.
...that was strange.
His first thought was that it could have been some students who, like him, were breaking curfew, but they usually went to the rooftops or to the area around the lakes; they hardly ever came out here. There was nothing to do on this side of campus.
What else could it have been? Was it just his imagination?
He quickly jumped off the tall rock, landing firmly on both feet and grabbing his gym bag from where he had left it slouched against the wall. Pulling on his coat and shoving the water bottle into his duffel, he swiftly made his way to the door and pushed it open, slipping out into the frigid nighttime air.
Unknown followed the treeline closely, her dark clothing blending naturally with the angular shadows. She must have been getting close to the dormitories, seeing as she now passed more and more buildings with their lights turned on. The white-yellow glow spilling from the windows of nearby buildings, coupled with the occasional streetlamp-lined path, made it increasingly difficult to stay fully hidden as she wove through the silent school grounds. She had to circle around a large area filled with brightly-lit walkways, sticking to the shadowy edges as she shifted the suitcase to her other hand, trying to ensure the dark metal didn't accidentally reflect any light and catch some unwelcome attention.
The grass beneath her was dry and gave way under each footstep, making a soft, rhythmic bristling noise as she slowly padded across the field. The biting cold had long seeped into her skin, her wool coat offering minimal resistance against the chill creeping down her neck and up her wrists. Her hands were mostly numb, and she was certain her cheeks were at least pink by now. Her hair brushed against the tips of her ears which burned a bright red, and she was thankful there was no wind tonight, otherwise all this might have been infinitely more unbearable. She quietly sighed into her hand, briefly offering a touch of humid warmth that faded not a second later. She continued forward despite the slight tingle in her legs, determined to finish what she started.
However, in a momentary lapse of judgment, she accidentally stepped too close to a streetlight.
"Oi, what are you doing?"
Unknown froze to the ground the second that distant, repulsively familiar voice reached her ears, and her heart all but stopped as her eyes shot wide open. Her thoughts came to a screeching halt, then in the next moment, they were racing again with tenfold speed. Every alarm in her body was telling her to run.
She forced herself to remain in control as she harshly grit her teeth, her grip on the suitcase's handle tightening until her knuckles were ghostly white.
Move.
Lose him.
He's going to ruin everything.
In a split second, she took off towards a dark field a few hundred feet to her left, speeding as quickly as her feet would allow.
"What the- hey! The hell are you doing?!"
Shouts rang out from behind her, but she could hear little beyond the air whistling past her ear and the blood pounding in her skull. Her eyes searched frantically for something to duck behind, but a horrible weight dropped in her stomach upon realizing the field was almost perfectly barren. She took a hard right and dashed towards the nearest building, hoping she might escape from his line of sight if she rounded it quickly enough.
It had to work.
Just get out of sight.
She could hear shouts behind her, but she couldn't tell how close they were.
Move, move, move-
She reached the edge of the building in mere seconds, frantically turning the corner and dashing towards the opposite end. Her breaths were rapid and uneven, and had she still been thinking rationally, she would have sworn she'd never run faster in her life. The moment she reached the other side of the building, her head whipped around, eyes darting wildly in search of her pursuer. The dreadful, booming voice still filled the air, but it bounced and echoed all around, quickly becoming too disorientating. She no longer had any idea which side it was coming from. Then suddenly, her eyes fell on a small pile of wooden planks a dozen feet in front of her. Before she could even process it, she activated her quirk and rapidly pulled one over, nearly hitting herself in the face along the way. The moment it was within her reach, her hands seized it before it instantly shot up into the air, dragging her up with it.
She hardly realized what had happened by the time she dropped herself onto the roof, half a dozen stories high. She stumbled, awkwardly landing on her feet as both hands flew over her mouth, muffling the sound of surprise and her own ragged breaths that seemed to overtake her hearing.
The adrenaline burned through her veins as she stood entirely still, body rigid and feet frozen in place.
Her eyes remained wide as she strained her ears, listening carefully for any sign of her pursuer.
The shouts were gone.
Everything was silent.
She remained still as the winter chill crept back up her body, eventually numbing her limbs as it reclaimed her adrenaline-warmed veins, slowly raising goosebumps across the back of her neck.
After what felt like hours, Unknown finally uncovered her mouth, letting out a silent, clouded breath. Cautiously, she crouched down, shuffling over to the side of the roof. She held her breath as she hesitantly glanced over the edge, her eyes rapidly scanning the ground below.
Empty.
She cautiously moved to the next wall, careful not to make a sound, and glanced over.
Empty.
She scanned the remaining two sides of the building, finding herself alone each time. She stepped away from the edge, grip tightening on the suitcase she had somehow managed not to drop in her haste.
Was he gone?
She remained still for another indiscernible amount of time, holding her breath as best she could, listening intently for even the slightest noise.
Finally, after her hands had both gone white and she could no longer feel her lips, Unknown slowly stepped over to the side of the building once again. She picked up the wooden plank she had dropped earlier, and after peeking out one last time to ensure there was still no one in sight, she cautiously activated her quirk, holding tightly to the plank as it gradually lowered her down the height of the building.
Her feet met the cold pavement, and everything was quiet.
Unknown strained her ears as she stood frozen for a moment longer. She pressed her lips together as she moved to set the plank down.
A sudden pressure around her wrist tore a gasp from her throat, her heart nearly leaping out of her chest as it roughly jerked on her arm, forcefully spinning her around.
"You must be the worst damn burglar I've ever-"
Unknown felt her jaw tighten as her eyes locked with familiar red ones, looming mere inches in front of her. She could only watch in utter dread as they suddenly widened in shock, something foreign and indecipherable flashing behind that gaze. Then it was gone in a second, instead morphing into a primal, untamed, all-consuming rage.
The hand engulfing her wrist suddenly burned like hot coals.