"Aw come on. Why won't you let us search for it?" Eddy said with Ed, Double D, Mark, Cheetah, Izuku, Indigo and Miles.
"Because this key stuff is making you guys preoccupied. This festival is important. Besides, we need to gather this stuff before the festival can start." Miles said.
"Well, we can certainly do that." Mark said, taking the list of items. "Let's see…"
"Uh...I think I better take that." Izuku said as they headed into a nearby store. They soon headed out before nearly running into a couple hiding their face and bodies in masks, hats and overcoats.
"Hey there. You need to be more careful. You almost ruined the taste of the Gold Tips Imperial." the man said.
"Oh, apologies, sir, miss." Double D said.
"Gold Tips…" Miles said, looking to an old house. "Oh. I guess it's actually a cafe and not a house."
"Ohahaha! You must be familiar with Gold Tips Imperial if you have such refined taste. Such clever people you all are." the man said. "Always a pleasure to meet a fellow connoisseur."
"Uh...not really. A good friend of ours recently made us a cup of it." Indigo said.
"Oh, you all must run in high circles then. I mean, you must have a wise friend." the man said.
"Yes. We're...very lucky." Mark said.
"Oh well...we really must be going. Come along, honey." the man said.
"Hold it." Double D said. "That tea you mentioned...it was part of your ritual, wasn't it?"
"Huh? What're you-?" Eddy started before something clicked. "...Wait a sec...you mean he's...this guy's from the video!"
"Ritual? Whatever do you mean?" the man said.
"We saw the video. I didn't think this would happen but...guess life is just full of uncertainties." Miles said.
"La Brava, get ready to record." the man said, removing his mask and glasses.
"It is him! The Gentle Criminal!" Ed exclaimed.
"Well aren't you preceptive young men. La Brava, there's a change in plans. Do not stop filming. My dearest viewers, it's time I gave you all a taste of my hijinks." Gentle said as he removed his disguise. "Don't be so dazzled that you avert your eyes as your favorite scoundrel shows off his talents. Gentle Criminal, at your service. My plans have shifted. Due to our current predicament, I'll keep my words brief. For this caper...I will infiltrate UA!"
"So cool!" La Brava said.
"So not cool!" Indigo said. "We won't let you...gah!" Indigo said hitting an invisible barrier that seemed to stretch like rubber.
"I created that as I cast off my overcoat. You likely know by now from my videos. My Quirk is called Elasticity. I can bestow said property onto anything I touch. Even the air itself. Now...Gently...Rebound!" Gentle said as Indigo was sent flying backwards.
"Hey, not cool!" Eddy said as he flash stepped behind the two villains. "I'm betting you didn't make one back here!" he said as he threw a punch towards Gentle.
"So uncivilised." Gentle said dodging Eddy's punch as he tripped over himself. "I appaul using violence to solve problems."
"Yeah but… That last move was intense." La Brava noted, seeing the backlash from Gentle's counter move.
"Well, we're not exactly weak." Mark explained.
"I find myself completely confounded by these people who just showed up." Gentle said before they took off running. "Sorry to cut and run!" he said.
"Don't apologize! Just stay away from my school!" Izuku said, going after him.
"Sorry, but not going to happen boys and girls. Now, Gentle...Trampoline!" he said making the ground elastic and bouncy.
"I'm not letting you get away!" Cheetah said, giving chase.
"Ah, a wild cat, are you? Sorry to disappoint but even your claws can't tear through the air." Gentle said creating an air membrane.
"I wouldn't be too sure about that. You'd be surprised what my claws are capable of cutting nowadays." Cheetah said.
"I understand how you must feel. It seems you all have feelings invested in this festival. I know, I was a lad too and had fun putting them together. But they can't win over the feelings of my mustache and soul. So kindly stay out of my way." Gentle said jumping away with La Brava. "Cheerio! Hope your friends stick the landing."
"Wait, now I recognize them. Gentle, these are those crazy people. The Hero Alliance." La Brava said.
"What? You're kidding!" Gentle said. "In that case, we best get out of here post haste." he said turning to the camera. "Hello again, my friends. Seems the caper I mentioned has now turned into a race against the clock.
"No...we won't let you escape!" Izuku said seeing Cheetah jumping after Gentle. "At that trajectory, she'll miss him. So...I'll make sure she hits." he said. "You're done, Gentle Criminal!" Izuku said as his gauntlets transformed. "Let's try this! Delaware Smash! Air Force!" Izuku shouted hitting Gentle right in the back with an air pressure blast.
"Some kind of air cannon?" Gentle said as Cheetah was able to pounce on him with Izuku and the others behind as they crashed into a nearby construction site.
"Gentle, no!" La Brava said.
"Ugh...well that was something." Eddy groaned. "Wait, where is that guy?"
"Oh haha! Well, seems I'm in a bit of a humorous situation. But one must always keep a sense of humor about these things." Gentle said hanging on a girder with his coat caught on it.
"Cut it out. You're no gentleman. Just another villain. And we don't appreciate what you got going on in that head of yours. We know you have something planned for UA. What do you want?" Miles demanded.
"You wish to know my scheme, eh? I implore you all not to confuse me with those ruffians from the Universal Villains. I have no palette for kidnapping or murder or any such rubbish. I simply wish to sneak into your school festival so everyone will know I am indeed a master criminal. Now kindly let me go." Gentle said.
"I don't think so. It doesn't need someone like you mucking things up." Cheetah said.
"We're already on a high alert. If you sneak in, we'll have to notify the police and they'll shut it all down. And you'll be caught and arrested." Indigo said.
"Ohhoho! I don't fear being detected. My partner can easily disable every security sensor. Nothing will be cancelled and I'll sneak in undetected. It's a win win situation." Gentle said.
"No it isn't. Someone like you getting in, it'll be a blow to the entire school." Miles said.
"Fair enough. However...don't think you've caught me just yet." Gentle said as he started bouncing around the entire structure.
"He's elasticised the beams." Miles said.
"So what? We can easily get…" Indigo started.
"That's not what I'm getting at. Think about the structure of this place. What do you think's going to happen with this structure bouncing so unnaturally?" Miles said.
"Crap… It'll collapse and the beams will fall to the ground." Cheetah said.
"We must stabilize this structure!" Double D said.
"It won't do any good. He might've already removed the bolts as he was bouncing around." Cheetah said.
"Plus I read up on this Quirk. It can't be deactivated. But everything he elasticised does return to normal with time." Miles said. "But it'll take too long to just wait."
"Fine then." Indigo said as she got to work as she got under one beam and started holding it up.
"Indigo!" Miles said.
"I'll be fine. You guys focus on him." Indigo groaned pointing to Gentle and La Brava as they started escaping once more.
"Indigo…" Mark said before Indigo cut him off.
"Mark...I realize you and your group haven't had much time to help us...so this is your time to shine! Take him down...and save the festival!" Indigo said.
"...Alright, you heard her!" Mark said. "Let's go!"
"Right!" The Eds answered as the rest of the group took off after the two villains.
"...We'll stop them. For everyone." Mark said to himself. "Including them."
"Hey Gentle! Hear that? We're not giving up just yet!" Eddy shouted.
"We will defeat you, villain! For everyone who's counting on this festival!" Double D declared.
"U.A. IS NOT YOUR SALAD BAR!" Ed yelled.
"He's not an alien, Lumpy." Eddy deadpanned.
The group made their way to the forest surrounding the school, where they saw Gentle and La Brava as they chased after him still.
69 minutes until performance