I can post a new chapter, at last! Anyway, this'll be the end of the Training Camp Arc people. And thank you all SOOOO much for all of your reviews! It's really awesome! Also, a lot of people asked me if the KiraXJiro moment was intentional... and the answer is YES! When I first asked you guys to vote for a pairing, I was including the girls in it. I know it's now between Shoto and Katsuki, but I still felt like writing that one.
Warning: Kira's language, Kira's pain and Kira's fear.
Enjoy!
"Hey, do you think we're almost at the half-way point?" wondered Kira. "We haven't seen people from Class B for a while now…"
"Aa. Or maybe they're all waiting for an ambush or something," scowled the purple-haired girl.
"Oh! Or maybe- wait, what's that?" The ginger stopped in her tracks, puzzled. A strange fog could now be seen, slithering amongst the trees. "Another student's Quirk…?"
But then, she felt the distinct pull that happened whenever a fire was near. Narrowing her eyes, she looked up, only to see an heavy smoke slowly covering the sky. The only other person she knew who had a fire Quirk was Shoto, and he wouldn't have been careless enough to put the fire to the forest. Katsuki could have started it, but he had more control over his power than Kira liked to admit.
"K-Kira…?" Jiro tightened the jacket around her shoulders, wary. "What-"
"Fall back."
"Uh?"
"Fall back," repeated the teen, louder this time. She was slowly backing away, her eyes darting from side to side of the small path. "Go! Come on, we've got to go!"
"But-"
"Something's wrong! This isn't the doing of one of the students!" The ginger started pulling her along. "We have to get back to the others!"
"R-right!"
Understanding now was not the time to protest, Jiro started running after her. As they quickly made their way back to where they came from, though, the ginger couldn't shake off the feeling that they were being watched.
This can't be happening, she gritted her teeth, focusing ahead. It must be one of the student's Quirk, or an illusion, or-
But she could only sense real fire. An illusion wouldn't have had that effect.
Jiro suddenly stumbled next to her.
"Oi! Are you okay?"
"I-I don't know… I feel… kind of dizzy…"
The fog, paled the fiery teen.
She slapped her hand over her nose and her other one over Jiro's. "Don't breath it in!" she warned, her voice muffled. "Come on, we've got to move faster!"
The purple-haired girl shook her head a few times, before pulling the jacket over her nose and mouth to cover them. Nodding, they then started running again. After a few more minutes, they seemed to finally reach a part of the forest that was out of the range of the fog.
Everyone!~
They both stiffened as Mandalay's telepathy reached them, though not because of the surprise at her sudden interruption. The two girls couldn't take their eyes off the dark figure that had now appeared in their path.
No… No, please, this can't be happening…
"Oh, shit…" muttered Jiro, tensed.
"Why, what a lovely night! Truly the perfect one for a surprise attack, wouldn't you agree, girls?" mused the man before them.
~We're being attacked by two Villains! It's possible that there are more! Everyone who can move, get back to camp immediately!~
"Couldn't she say it earlier?" grunted the ginger, her heart beating fast.
~Even if you come across the enemy, retreat and do not engage!~
"It's nice to see you again, Kira. You've grown a lot since our last meeting, uh?" grinned Hagane, taking a few steps out of the shadows. His hands were shoved in his pockets; he obviously didn't consider them a threat. "I gotta say, though, I was hoping you'd be as hotheaded as the last time we fought. Where's all that fire of yours?"
"What are you doing here?" she retorted, ignoring his jabs. "How did you know how where to find us?"
He rolled his eyes and shrugged. "A little birdie told me. As for why we're here… Well, we've got quite a few targets this time around. Aren't you happy? You won't be the only one joining the League of Villains anymore~"
Jiro paled. "Kira… he's…"
"Kyo-chan, you have to get out of here," ordered the ginger.
"What!? No, I can't-"
"We can't contact Mandalay or any of the Heroes right now!" replied the girl. "You have to go and warn them that they're after other students. I'll hold him off in the meantime."
"But you're one of the targets! If I leave you alone, you-"
"I won't be able to go all out if I have to look out for you!" snapped the fiery teen. "I know you're training to become a Hero too, I know you're strong too, but Hagane's on a whole other level and I won't be able to use my Quirk to its fullest if I have to be careful not to hit you with my attacks. Myself… I'm not to his level yet, so I'll need frontline backup. You have to go and bring me reinforcements as quickly as you can!"
Jiro stared at her for a few more seconds, before cursing. Then, she darted into the trees to their right, almost instantly disappearing into the darkness. Kira clicked her tongue when realizing Hagane didn't even seem half-bothered by the fact that her friend had just escape.
He wanted to get me alone, she narrowed her eyes. But that's what I was aiming for too, in the end.
"Who are you after?" she inquired, falling into a defensive stance.
"Now, sweetheart. Do you really think I'd tell you? Although, if you simply joined right now, you would know-"
"Thanks, but no thanks," she cut him off flatly.
"Well, can't say I didn't try," he sighed dramatically. "Though, you're mistaken on one thing." Before Kira could react, though, he suddenly disappeared. "You are not one of our targets tonight."
He was just behind her.
"Shit!" She released a wave of fire, forcing the man to back away. "W-what do you mean?"
"Well, everything can't be all about you, little spitfire," he snorted. "You've got such amazing friends too! It'd be a waste to leave such potential to the hands of Heroes, of all things…"
He disappeared again. She clenched her fists, ready to react. "Then why did you come after me?"
"Well…" She barely blocked his leg in time, a few centimeters away from her face. "I didn't really trust my own companions to deal with you. You're no use to us dead, you know? So, I kindly volunteered to get you out of our way while the others dealt with our real mission."
He kicked her in the stomach, but she grabbed his leg and instantly put it on fire. He however pulled away quickly enough to avoid any real damage. She used his moment of inattention to pounce, but he grabbed her arm and threw her aside, although she fell back on her feet.
"So you're just a decoy, uh?" she huffed, straightening up. "Awfully chatty, though. Not scared the Pros will show up any second?"
"Nan, pretty sure they'll have their hands full," he shrugged. "So, it's just you and me now! Isn't that fun?"
Gritting her teeth, she hardened her fire and created a whip, trying to hit him, but he easily blocked it with a metal shield that suddenly grew on his forearm.
"One of your new techniques, uh?" he mused. "You've been working hard. That's good, you know? I was so proud of you, back at the Sports Festival~"
She ran at him again, fire encasing her fists. She ignored the pain that spread in her whole arm as she hit the shield, and the cracking of her knuckles that definitely wasn't a good sign, and kept on attacking. Channeling the warmth in her limbs, she was gaining speed and strength, but she knew she wouldn't be able to keep it up for long. After all, it put a great strain on her muscles.
"You're fast, sweetheart," he grinned. Then, he suddenly grabbed her arm, stopping her in her tracks. "Not fast enough, though—whoa!" He let go as fire flared near his face, reflecting in his purple orbs. "That's cheating, you know?"
She clicked her tongue in annoyance, the fire dying down. Her clothes were darkened by soot, but also slowly falling to pieces, considering they weren't fireproofed.
And I liked that shirt too… Not the time! Narrowing her eyes, she crouched as he started circling her, literally whistling. I can't stay here. I need to find everyone else.
Breathing in shortly, she didn't waste any more time and kicked her shoes off, throwing them at Hagane. They bounced off his shield, and he stared at her, obviously not impressed.
"Was that necessary?"
"Yes." And before he could react, she suddenly jumped. "Fire Rocket!"
She was propelled upwards, way above the trees. She knew the landing would hurt but, at the moment, she was focused on getting a better understanding of the situation, and was hoping to find her friends despite the darkness.
There was a forest fire spreading on her left, and the weird fog slowly making its way to her position on her right. Anyone in the forest was completely surrounded and, much farther away, she could see the clearing where the rest of the group was supposed to be. There seemed to be some trouble, though.
Villains are attacking Pixie-Bob, Mandalay and Tiger, she realized. The campus where Aizawa-sensei and Vlad-sensei are is more than probably attacked too, but its too far for me to see anything. Our enemies must be scattered in the woods, thus trapping the students already inside.
She started falling. Gritting her teeth, she started gathering her fire, just like back at her training. Landing in trees promised to be a painful experience, but she'd rather not crash and, this time around, Ren wouldn't be there to catch her.
Ren… Her eyes widened a little. Could it be…
Ren wasn't supposed to come to this training camp in the first place.
Ren had ties to the Villains, that much she knew.
Hagane said he was there to stop her from interfering, but also to make sure the other Villains wouldn't hurt her. Could that be a part of the deal he made with Ren?
Ren, what have you done?
Izuku had dropped off Kota with Eraser Head, before taking off to find Mandalay and pass along his message. The kid, still terrified, had been holding on tightly to Deku –the cat-, who was doing his best to comfort him.
When he finally found the Pussycats, they were still occupied fighting the two Villains, but his fellow classmates were no longer in the clearing. He barreled into the fight, separating Spinner and Mandalay. The woman gasped when seeing him.
"Kota's safe!" he assured. "And I've got a message from Aizawa-sensei!" He crashed into the ground, but didn't let that stop him from delivering his message. "Use your Telepathy to tell everyone! Tell everyone in Class A and B… that Pro Hero Eraser Head says it's okay… to fight back!"
The brown-haired Hero hesitated for a moment, before caving in.
~Everyone from Class A and B, listen closely!~ she ordered. ~You have been granted the permission… to fight back!~
"Thanks for the message… but you have to get back to camp now!" she then told Izuku, blocking one of Spinner's attacks.
"No! Sorry, I mean… There's one more thing you need to relay!" replied the boy, already darting towards the forest. "One of the Villains' targets… is Kacchan! Use your Telepathy to warn him, please!"
Before she could answer, he had already dashed into the trees. Tiger's opponent, Mag, tried to stop him, but Spinner interfered, claiming it was against Stain's judgment. While he was distracted, though, Mandalay managed to land a solid hit.
"Great! And now…" ~One of the Villains' targets has been identified!~ She informed, using her Quirk. ~It's the student known as Kacchan! Kacchan needs to avoid battle! And don't make any move alone! Everyone~
"MANDALAY!"
Without warning, one of the students burst into the clearing. Jiro Kyoka? She was panting harshly, her eyes wide with worry.
"It's Kira! She's facing… she's facing one of the… the Villains!" She was doing her best to keep her voice steady, but it wasn't really working. "He- he's been after her for a… a long time, and she won't be able to… to fight him alone! She- she asked for reinforcements! Please!"
"I- move!"
The Hero grabbed Jiro and managed to pull her out of the way of Spinner's surprise attack. Gritting her teeth, she pushed the teen behind her.
~Suttoki Kira, flee your battle! We are in no position to send reinforcements at the moment!~ she ordered mentally, before clenching her fist, and looking back at the purple-haired girl. "We can't do anything for her right now. Go back to camp immediately and report the situation to Eraser Head, he'll tell you what to do."
"H-hai!"
Kira… Jiro tightened her grip on the jacket the ginger had passed her earlier. Please stay safe!
.
.
~Everyone from Class A and B, listen closely!~ Mandalay's voice suddenly echoed in Kira's head. ~You have been granted the permission… to fight back!~
Kira's eyes widened at the announcement. For the Heroes to say that, it must meant the enemy was far stronger than expected, and that they wouldn't be able to protect the students.
She started falling, though, and so she immediately started preparing her landing.
~One of the Villains' targets has been identified! It's the student known as Kacchan! Kacchan needs to avoid battle! And don't make any move alone! Everyone~
Before she could ponder over it any longer, though, something suddenly wrapped itself around her ankle. She gasped, startled, but was pulled down too suddenly to really be able to do anything about it.
~Suttoki Kira, flee your battle! We are in no position to send reinforcements at the moment!~
"I would if I could!" she snapped, even though she knew Mandalay couldn't hear her. At least Kyo-chan made it back safely, then.
She protected her head as she crashed through branches and trees, dreading the moment she'd hit the ground…
Someone caught her.
"W-what…" Her eyes widened as Hagane grinned down at her. "Let me go, damn it!"
She managed to punch him in the face. He dropped her with a groan, and she instantly tried to make a break for it, but she was instantly stopped in her tracks as something suddenly grabbed her leg.
"The hell…" The ginger stared down at the metallic shackle now tied around her ankle. The other end was held by Hagane. "For fuck's sake!"
"That was one hell of a punch," grunted the black-haired man, rubbing his slightly bloody nose with his free hand. "And a marvelous escape attempt. Unfortunately, my range is far greater than yours. So, now? We're going to stay here until all of this clears out, and-"
Kira clenched her fists. I can't wait any longer. "It was Ren, wasn't it."
The Villain stopped talking There was a glint of surprise in his eyes and his usually taunting smirk abruptly left place to a blank expression.
They kept silent for a moment.
"Ren… Ren told you where we were, didn't he?" she repeated, feeling her throat go dry. She could barely speak, but her voice cut through the air like a knife. "He's… he's the traitor, isn't he?"
"… how did you find out?" His voice had become bland.
"I didn't. Or rather… I couldn't believe it," she spat, rising back to her feet. "What did you promise him, uh? My safety? My life? Ren wouldn't have turned traitor unless I was at stake. You just confirmed… what I feared."
He cursed under his breath. "I always knew you were a bright child, sweet cheeks, but this? This is going to put a serious damper in my plans… Damn it, of all times to realize it… Do you have any idea how much of a hassle you've just become!?"
He harshly pulled on the metal band still shackling her ankle. She fell on the ground, and he literally dragged her to him, annoyance clearly written over his face.
Obviously, he no longer was in the mood to play.
"Well, no way to work around it…" He muttered, thinking fast. "I can't let her go and babble to her heart content's yet, though… If I let her go at the end of the attack, she's going to warn the Heroes, and that'll be an issue…"
"Oi!" She sent a few fireballs, but they were easily deflected by his metal-manipulation Quirk. "What- what are you doing!?"
"I-" He stopped abruptly, an hand flying to his ear. Looking closer, Kira realized it was a transmitter. "What is it?" He asked. After a few seconds, he snapped his eyes to the sky. A scowl was now firmly planted upon his lips. "Damn it… Muscular got taken down, uh? And those kids are causing more trouble than expected… Look, the mission's still going, alright? Acquire the target and meet up like planned. I've got a situation myself, so…" He trailed off, glancing to the right. "Nevermind, I'll be done in a sec. I'll come over and give you guys a hand."
He let go of the transmitter, apparently done with the conversation, and sighed heavily, using his free hand to massage his temple.
"What a shit show…" He mumbled. He glanced back to Kira, who was standing once again, and apparently ready to fight again. "I'm afraid our little one-on-one is over, sweetheart. Gotta go help out some friends, you know?"
"Like hell you are! Think I'm going down so easily?" she snapped, her hair turning to flames. "I'm not- what are you doing!?"
Letting go of her metal bind, he slammed his palms against the forest's floor, obviously concentrating. Seeing her opportunity, Kira tried to make a run for it.
Key word: tried.
She suddenly slammed into the wall of metal that had just risen from the ground. A little dizzy, she couldn't react in time as another rose to her right, and then a third one to her left. Understanding dawned on her as a fourth one closed everything behind her. She instantly jumped, hoping she'd be able to get out in time, but collided with a roof of some sort, before harshly landing back on a metallic floor.
No fucking way...
"HAGANE!"
She was literally trapped in a box. It was dark, she couldn't see a thing, saved for a dozen or so of little holes only large enough to fit a hand, placed at the top of the four walls. The ginger started hitting the wall, anger filling her veins.
"Hagane!" she called once again. "You utter bastard, let me out of here! I swear to God, I'm going to- what? What…" She paled, suddenly realizing what was going on exactly, as the pink fog from earlier slowly started slipping inside thanks to the holes. "No… Damn it, let me out of here!"
"As you can see," Hagane mused from the outside. "The fog will slowly fill this box, forcing you to breath it. It won't cause permanent damage, of course, but you'll be out long enough for me to wrap things up with my former plan. You should be proud, you know? You forced me to modify a plan I've been working on for years."
"I'm going to tell everyone as soon as I'm out of here!" she swore, slamming her fist against the wall once again. "I'm going to warn the Heroes about your informants, all of them! I'll tell them about Ren! You won't get to execute that plan of yours!"
"If you want to talk, be my guest," he snorted. "Though by the time you wake up, I'll already be done. We're talking about what, a few days? Enough time to prepare for the fall, trust me."
A few days? Her eyes widened. This weird fog can make me unconscious for that long!?
"Well, I'll be going now. Villains to help out, a kid to kidnap… You know, the usual stuff," Hagane then announced. "'Til next time~"
"I'll stop you, Hagane!" she cursed. "I swear I will!"
Only his taunting laughter answered.
After a few more seconds, she let out a frustrated scream, and hit the wall for the nth time. This time, she felt her skin splitter, and hissed in pain as she felt her knuckles crack, a few drops of blood rolling between her fingers.
"Damn it…" She breathed in and out a few times. "Stay calm, idiot. Panic is the mind killer, remember? Just breath, and find a solution."
Ten seconds later, she was calmer and could think clearer. Her eyes had adjusted to the darkness and, while she couldn't see much more, it was still enough to make out the size of the space she was confined in. The fog wasn't coming in fast, but it stayed inside. A few more minutes, and she'd have no other choice but to inhale it.
Think fast. She checked the wall, the surface smooth under her touch. I'll have to break through, but just firing flames at it will take too long… I need more time. What if I use my flames to get rid of the fog? Maybe the smoke will be able to counter its effects, or rend it ineffective…
She hesitated, before firing a small ball at the pink fog slipping inside. As soon as it came into contact, though, it created a small explosion. She flinched, before sighing.
Okay, no buying time. Guess I'll have to work fast, then.
Not really sure how to go about it, she placed her hands over the wall once again. She knew every composite had a melting point, so if she found this one's, then she'd be able to melt it and break free.
That meant a lot of heat, though, and she didn't know if she could even reach it.
Gotta try, she gritted her teeth. Come on, you don't have the time to hesitate!
And so, without further hesitation, she started building up the heat.
At first, she didn't really notice. After a minute or so, though, the metal under her palms had grown hot. She could already feel that it was growing more… soft. Kind of.
More of all, she felt the heat, though.
"Shit!" She suddenly pulled away, a searing pain spreading over her palms and fingers. She couldn't see the extent of the damage, but she could tell it wouldn't get any prettier if she kept this up. But I have to get out soon… "Damn it!"
She placed her hands over the wall again, and kept on heating it up. She could tell it wasn't very thick, Hagane had made it in a hurry, but it would still take a lot more heat… Her breathing ragged, she started putting even more heat into it. Pain flared once again, burning through her flesh, but she ignored it and focused on her simple goal: getting the hell out of there.
A wave of dizziness washed over her. Be it the fog or the pain, she wouldn't have been able to tell. At some point, the tears started rolling down her cheeks as she let out pained gasps and curses, but she kept at it. Slowly, the melting metal started running down her wrists and forearms, leaving blazing trails in her skin, and she fully started crying.
It had been a long time since she actually cried because of the pain.
"Damn it…" She kept repeating through her sobs. "Damn it, damn it, damn it…"
After what felt like hours, though it really was just a few minutes, she finally managed to push through. It was melting at a fast pace by now and, in one last burst of strength, she encased her whole body in flames and, using her Fire Rocket, she managed to break out.
She harshly landed on the grass, but she couldn't have cared less at the moment. Kira had a hard time breathing, black dots swirling before her eyes as the pain made her head spin. The cool air against the burnt flesh hurt like hell and, unable to stop herself, she looked down at her palms.
They were red. Blistered. There was blood, but also ash-like bits of skin.
"Oh my God…" She retched, before vomiting all the contents of her stomach.
She was overly hot, but shivers were running down her spine. She kept vomiting, even though her stomach was pretty much empty by then. She couldn't think clearly, her mind was hazy because of the pain, and she could no longer unclench her hands that she held against her chest in an feeble attempt to protect them from the cold wind of the night.
Get a grip… She bit her lip so hard it drew blood but, at least, it forced her mind to focus back onto reality. You can't let go now… Gotta warn the others… gotta help…
And so, forcing herself back on her feet, she started advancing. She didn't know where she was going, but she could only hope she'd find someone soon enough.
Preferably not one of the Villains.
.
.
"My, my, we've found an interesting group, haven't we?"
The students stiffened, eyes darting around, wary. Not only had Katsuki and Tokoyami disappeared, but a Villain was obviously the reason behind it.
This voice, though… Izuku gritted his teeth.
"Up there!" suddenly spotted Uraraka.
They snapped their heads up, and found their enemy standing on a tree branch.
"Been a while, U.A. students," greeted Hagane, grinning from ear to ear.
"You…" Shoto trailed off, recognizing him easily.
"Jiro-san said you were fighting with Kira," Izuku paled. If he's here… then where's Kicchan? "What have you done to her? And where are our friends!?"
"I'm the one who took them, boy."
They all tensed at the second voice, this time easily spotting the Villain in a tree just across from Hagane's. It was a masked, cloaked figure, playing with two shining balls.
"I've taken them with my magic," he precised. "You see, they're not resources that belong to the Heroes' side. We're going to put them on a stage where they can really stand."
"Give them back!" practically snarled the green-haired boy.
"Give them back?" parroted Hagane, still smirking. "They're not made to be Heroes, Midoriya Izuku. Everyone knows that! Although, Tokoyami Fumikage wasn't in the plan at first… Well, some ad-lib never really hurt anyone, right?"
"Release them!" protested All Might's apprentice.
"Where's Kira?" Shoto stepped in, wary.
"Farther in the forest," shrugged the purple-eyed man. "She did cause some trouble, so I couldn't let her just do as she pleased, you know? But don't worry! I haven't hurt her… Well, not too much. Kind of hard not to hurt someone too badly when they're literally after your head, ah ah!"
Without hesitation, Shoto threw the unconscious student he was carrying to Uraraka, and instantly sent his ice after the two. However, the supposed magician easily avoided the attack, and Hagane simply jumped to escape.
He suddenly reappeared behind Shoto, and literally kicked him into the nearest tree. The dual-haired boy gasped in pain as he collided, and collapsed into the grass.
"Todoroki-kun!"
"I'm afraid we don't have enough time to chat any longer, kids," Hagane then informed, smirking. He offered a little bow. "Say 'hi' to my little spitfire for me when she wakes up, will you? Thank you~!"
And before any of them could comprehend what had just happened, he took off, along with his partner.
He activated his transmitter. "Vanguard Action Squad! The target has been successfully captured! Our mission is done. As planned, be at the evacuation point within five minutes of this transmission!"
Knowing his comrades had all received his message, he chuckled. Even though it had been short, he still enjoyed the mission. Fighting with Kira had been particularly entertaining, considering she only got stronger each time he saw her, but he was still a little miffed about her finding out about her brother's true motives.
No matter, he shook his head, focusing on running ahead. I'll be done before the week ends. By the time she wakes up, it'll be too late.
.
.
Kira didn't know for how long she wandered through the trees. She could faintly hear explosions, and distant screams, and the air was filled with smoke created by the forest fire. The fog had disappeared a little earlier as she made her way inside the burning half of the woods, and she could only hope it was because some of her fellow students had taken care of the one responsible.
Her feet were hurting. She had kicked off her shoes earlier, and she had cut herself on rocks and twigs more times than she cared to count. Because, frankly, she was more focused on not passing out.
The ginger had somehow managed to push the pain in the back of her mind, like some sort of echo. It still hurt, but she was now plunged in a daze where her sole goal was to find someone.
Need to warn them… help them… gotta warn… about Ren… Hagane… I… I need…
"Ugh…" Her knees buckled under her weight. Loosing her balance, she collapsed, though she protected her hands. The shock sent another wave of pain through her whole body, making her whimper. "Oh… Oh God…"
Move… I need to help… warn them… I need…
"Oh? Looks like we found something interesting."
The ginger's heart missed a beat. Slowly, she lifted her eyes from the ground, to the source of the voice. Barely two meters away was standing a man covered in scars and stitches, along with another one in a full-body suit.
"Hey, I know her! Dabi, who's she?" exclaimed the second guy.
The other one, Dabi, shook his head. "One of the students, I'd guess. Though she seems familiar…"
Gotta warn them… I need… to help… warn…
"Let… let me guess…" she grunted, trying to stand. "You guys are… are the Villains…? Go… go figures…"
Dabi narrowed his eyes at her. "How did you find our evacuation point?"
"… your what?"
I need… to… I need…
"She didn't know about it!" realized the second guy, snapping his fingers. "Of course she knows!"
"Well, one way or another…" Dabi lifted his hand, palm open and directed at her. "We don't need kids hitching a ride. Let's just get rid of her."
I need…
I need help…
From the stitched man's hand suddenly burst blue flames.
The flames instantly engulfed the ginger, who didn't even have the time to scream. She was set ablaze without mercy, Dabi not bothering with subtlety. The less that was left of the girl, the less chances she'd get out of it alive.
Future Heroes were almost as much of a hassle as Pros, seriously.
"Oh, you got her good, Dabi!" laughed his partner. His laughter however died down as quickly as it came. "No, wait, you missed!"
"Uh?"
And suddenly, his flames were no longer his. His eyes narrowed a little more as the fire suddenly dissipated itself, leaving only an heavy smell of burnt wood and sulfur. Through the small smoke screen, though, he could distinctly see the prone figure.
Red, piercing eyes suddenly clashed with his.
"Think… think that's enough to get… get rid of me…?" The ginger let out a sharp laugh, rising to her feet. She stumbled a little, but managed to keep her balance. "Please, I… I barely felt it."
Dabi stared at her for a moment, before sighing. "Should have known… Twice, she's Hagane's little protégé. We're not allowed to harm her."
"What, that girl? No way she's strong enough to fit the bill," scoffed the man in the body-suit. "Though she's way too strong! She survived your attack easy-peasy!"
"Ooh? You guys made a friend~?"
Oh, please, no… Fearing what she'd find, Kira glanced back. There was a girl, not that much older than herself, with tied blond hair and a mildly psychotic gaze. She even had blood on her face! Just fucking great. Another Villain, really? Wait, he said it was their evacuation point… Meaning they're all coming here!? She paled. I need to get away, or Hagane's gonna find me and-
"She's so cute!" exclaimed the girl, suddenly grabbing her shoulders. "She's the girl from Hagane's pictures, uh? Does that mean we're finally taking her with us?"
"Like… like hell you are! Fuck off!" Kira engulfed her body in flames, forcing Twice and the girl to back away while Debi merely deflected it.
They're too strong… I can't fight them… I need help…
"Aw, she's so scared!" laughed the blonde, licking her lips. "Like a little frightened rabbit~ Ne ne, Usagi-chan, we're going to get along great, I can tell!"
"You're in high spirits, Toga!" remarked Twice. "Did something get you down in the dumps?"
"I made a friend… and I met a boy I'm into.. and I made a new friend again…!"
As she ranted, Kira tried to slowly back away. If they forgot about her, she could make a run for it. They wouldn't go after her, they were at their evacuation point for a reason. So, if she was fast enough…
Focus, she swallowed, trying to keep calm. Gather the heat… and release it-
Someone grabbed her head and slammed it into the dirt.
"Ugh!"
"You're not leaving already, are you, Usagi-chan?" mused Toga, easily keeping her on the ground. "We were just getting acquainted!"
The ginger spat out blood and dirt, fighting back the tears that threatened to spill once more. She felt sick again, bands of sweat rolling down her forehead, and fear gripped her heart as she felt something cold slide over the skin of her neck.
A knife. She's got a knife.
Kira could feel panic taking over. She couldn't think clearly, she could see no way out of it. She was alone, injured, unable to focus and use her Quirk properly; they were three, all in excellent shape and more powerful than she was even at full strength. Had it been another one-on-one, maybe she would have believed in her abilities still, but now…
"Argh!" she cried out as some sort of needle suddenly pierced her tight.
"Such cute cries~"
"Calm down, Toga," warned Dabi. "She's Hagane's. Don't kill her just yet."
"Kill her? Why, we're just getting to know each other!" replied the blonde, slurping the red liquid as if it was juice. Kira whimpered pathetically. "And she's making such cute noises! We're having so much fun… Right, Usagi-chan~?"
What do I do? I want to fight, but I can barely stay conscious as it is… They're leaving soon, and I need to be out of here before that happens-
"Oh."
Dabi's simple warning drew their attention. Before either she or one of his two comrades could make sense of it, though, something suddenly crashed into the clearing, just before them. The earth cracked and shook, and Kira gasped in disbelief as before her eyes suddenly appeared her friends.
No… no way…
Izuku, Shoji and Shoto had apparently managed to best another of the Villains while he was on his way there.
"Mister Compress," suddenly called Dabi, extending his hand. "Dodge."
"Roger~" replied the masked figure, vanishing.
Fuck! Kira's eyes widened. "Guys, get out of the way!"
They all startled at her voice, but it was too late. Dabi fired –quite literally- at them, blasting them away. The ginger cursed, her fighting spirit rising up again. If her friends were here, then all would be fine.
She knew they'd get out of this.
"Get… off of me!" She managed to shove Toga aside, and instantly pounced to get away. She lost her balance midway, and made a few barrels before landing at Shoji's feet. "Hey…"
"Kira-san!" He kneeled next to her, checking her for injuries. "Are you-"
"Oh? I suppose there's no better pickpocket than one with six arms," suddenly mused Mister, clapping softly while turning to them.
What is he talking about? She frowned as Shoji helped her up. And where are Katsuki and Tokoyami? Weren't they partnered with Shoto and… oh. They were caught? That's bad, that's so, so bad…
"We're done here!" exclaimed Shoto, running their way and barely escaping one of Twice's attacks. "Come on, come on!"
But as he reached them, another player joined the fray. Landing between the scattered students, Hagane shot an half-amused, half-annoyed look Kira's way.
"Looks like I underestimated you, Kira-chan. Or rather, I underestimated your determination. Frankly, I thought I wouldn't have to worry about you for the rest of the night. You just can't stay still, can you?"
He's going to shut me up. The realization sent a chill down her spine, and she snapped her eyes at Shoji. "It's Ren! He's- gah!"
Her voice died in her throat as he grabbed it, suddenly before her. She couldn't speak as he choked her. "Now, now, don't go spoiling our fun, princess."
"Kira-san!" But Shoji was forced to fall back by Toga.
Hagane lifted the ginger off the ground, and she gasped for air, clawing at his arm but failing to truly hurt him. In fact, she was only hurting herself even more, and it took the Villain only a few seconds more to notice the state of her hands.
"No way…" His disbelieving laugh echoed for a moment, drawing all's attention. "No way! Hey, guys! She melted my Iron Maiden! Look at that!"
Manhandling her as if she was a toy, he grabbed one of her arms and forced her to show in what state her hands were. It really wasn't a pretty sight, what with all the melted and burnt flesh and the blood barely coagulated.
Twice whistled lowly. "That's disgusting alright… It's so cool!"
"Ki-Kicchan…" mumbled Izuku, horrified.
"Man, that must have hurt like hell," laughed Hagane. "Or is it still hurting? Wait, let me check."
He slapped her open palms.
Kira's scream made her friends shiver. Still laughing, the metal-manipulator unceremoniously dropped her. She instantly brought her hands against her chest, but the damage was done; the pain she had been pushing aside since the beginning had come back in full, and with interests.
"Kira!" panicked Izuku.
"As entertaining as this whole situation is… I believe it is time for us to go."
The students froze as a familiar Villain appeared.
"The- the warp guy!" recognized the green-haired teen.
"The five minutes are up," announced Hagane, crouching down next to Kira as the girl let out choked sobs. "Guys, we're going!"
"Wait, the target is-"
"Do not worry, Dabi," Mister Compress cut him off, pulling away his mask. "It's a bad habit of mine, one of the tenets of magic states that flaunting a particular object…" He pulled out his tongue, revealing two shining balls. "Is inevitably part of the trick."
"What?" gasped Shoji.
"That ice attack was the perfect chance to prepare a few decoys," informed casually the magician, replacing his mask. "I put them in my right pocket, for later. Upon noticing the objects-"
"Look, I'm all for the dramatics, I really am, but we really should get going," warned the purple-eyed man, rising back to his feet. Kira was held in his arms, unable to move, in shock. "You know how Shigaraki hates wasting his time."
"Kira!"
Shoto pounced, his fist flaming. At the same time, Izuku and Shoji used Mister's inattention to attack. The green-haired boy managed to land a hit and, startled, the Villain let go of the two balls. Shoji instantly seized one but, suddenly paralyzed by his own injuries, Izuku failed to grab the second one.
The dual-haired boy reached his opponent and brought his fist down without hesitation, but it collided with a shield that had suddenly grown on the man's forearm. Instantly, Shoto switched to his ice, hoping to trap him long enough for him to free Kira. The Villain narrowly avoided the ice, and the angry teen instantly brought his leg up, kicking the man in the ribs. Unfortunately, it didn't do much damage, considering the armor his opponent was wearing. In fact, it was Shoto's foot that cracked. Hissing in pain, he lost his balance, and Hagane pulled something out of his pocket. The little iron bar suddenly elongated into a staff and, before the boy could react, he was hit directly in the head and swatted aside like a fly.
He rolled in the dirt a few times before all movements stop. Ignoring the potential concussion he had just received, he forced himself to move. As he rose to his feet, though, his eyes met Kira's.
"Don't worry, Todoroki Shoto," chuckled Hagane, a warp gate suddenly appearing in his back. "I'll take good care of her. Promise~"
The boy couldn't move, frozen in place by Kira's eyes. They were wide, with tears that kept streaming down her face, and screaming her terror.
But those eyes suddenly closed, and his attention was drawn to the bright smile stretching her lips.
"I'll be fine."
That damned, damned smile of hers.
"Kira-"
And then she was gone. Just like that. All of the Villains present had escaped, taking with them two of their precious friends.
"No…" Horror slowly growing, on the brink of exhaustion, and his head spinning because of the earlier hit, Shoto collapsed to his knees. "Kira… Damn it!"
Izuku's roar of painful loss filled the air, the bitter taste of defeat on all of their tongues.
It was over. And the Villains… had just taken two of their friends.
Whew, that was a rather heavy chapter. Anyway, it is officially confirmed that Ren's working with the Hagane. Kira wasn't actually a target but, due to the circumstances, Hagane was forced to take her with him. And before anyone starts wondering why she didn't tell the others, well... She just melted iron on her hands. I think she's allowed to loose focus.
I know that Aoyama is actually the one who helped them recuperate Tokoyami. However, if you remember correctly, he was only there because he was supposed to bring Hagakure and Jiro back to camp. However, Hagakure's not a part of this story (or she's in Class B, whatever floats your boat) and Jiro was with Kira, hence why Aoyama wasn't around.
Anyway if you guys have questions, don't hesitate to ask! And keep on reviewing, I really love reading your comments!
Plus Ultra!