Ember Sunblaze: Oh my gosh, I can't believe I've made it this far into the story. It's been almost a year now since I first started this fic and it amazes me that all these scenes and battles I've had envisioned for MONTHS are now taking shape and being typed out for you all to read. Of course, there is still so. much. more. action coming up but the battles in this chapter and the chapters prior to this have been so much fun to write. I just hope you all have been enjoying these scenes as well. Thanks for sticking with me!

Also, please, please leave comment!

Chapter 15: The Battle

As the dust began to settle, an ominous silence fell across the now debris-filled tunnels that only moments ago were filled with the sounds of combat. Dark red smears covered the ground and the smell of smoke lingered in the air. A mound of fallen rocks and bits of stalagmite littered the ground, remnants of the intense explosion that had forsaken the tunnel. For what seemed like an eternity, all remained still.

A rock suddenly tumbled down the mound, along with another. As if something was trying to push its way though. Without warning, a bloodied hand popped out of the debris, along with the half visible parts of what was unmistakably Invisible Girl.

Her body fell over the crumbled mount, body heaving as air returned to her aching lungs. It seemed like every movement caused her body to scream in pain. Her injured leg still bled, with mud and dust now mixing in with the blood. Her burned forearms stung, with cuts from the debris escalating the discomfort. With every breath, she felt a sharp pain in her chest, making her wonder if a rib had been broken during the fight. But the worst pain came from her neck, where Bakugo's hold on her had most definitely left deep bruises. But despite the injuries, Invisible Girl's main concern was only one thing….finding Bakugo.

"Please…please be okay!" She begged, crouching down and frantically pushing rocks aside. As she worked, bits of the battle returned to her. Of Bakugo choking her, of her using one of his grenades in desperation to cause a cave in. As the rocks fell, Bakugo had released her in surprise and had tried to stop the rocks with another blast. But it had been futile, the rocks had covered them before any of them had time to truly react. That's when things had turned dark.

"Just please don't be…." Invisible Girl froze, the rock she shifted revealing the unconscious face of the blonde teen. "BAKUGO!" She flinched, speaking being painful for her. Wordlessly, she used all her strength to heave him out, her small frame struggling under his dead weight. As gently as she could she laid him down, quickly scanning him for injuries.

His beat up body was caked with dirt, with dark bruises covering him. The scratches on his face bled slightly from when she had lashed out at him. Her stomach turned as she instantly spotted a large, jagged piece of rock embedded near his shoulder.

"No…" Invisible Girl whispered, guilt gnawing at her as she gazed down at his injury. "What should I do? If I pull it out, I'll need to put pressure on it to control the bleeding. But I don't have anything to wrap it with. Not even clothes." Her hand shot into the pockets of his swimming trunks, hoping to find something. To her surprise, she felt something soft and somewhat familiar. She pulled out a piece of light blue fabric, immediately recognizing it as part of her jacket she had used to try to subdue Bakugo back when he was attacking Tsuyu.

"He must have just stuffed it into his pocket without thinking." Bracing herself, she took a hold of the rock, quickly tugging it out. She immediately wrapped the blue cloth around his shoulder, covering the wound. During the whole procedure, Bakugo never stirred, worrying her. "What if he had an internal injury that was impossible for her to see? What if he never woke up? What if he…."

Fat tears plopped down on Bakugo's face, with Invisible Girl kneeling next to him miserably. "I'm sorry Bakugo….If I was stronger…it wouldn't have come to this. " She quietly cried, feeling the heavy weight of exhaustion and guilt breaking her down all her defenses. "I know the boy back there wasn't really you, but even so….I was so scared."

"But that's nothing compared to how scared I am right now." She reached out with shaking fingers, touching a strand of his blonde hair lightly. "Just please…." She begged, unable to stop the flow of tears from falling. "WAKE UP!"

Invisible Girl whipped her hand back quickly as the boy next to her stirred slightly. She stiffened, growing apprehensive as his face dipped her way, one eye fluttering open for a second before closing again with a tired moan. A relieved sigh escaped her lips as she slumped to the ground next to him. "You really are a pain in the neck….literally." She complained, quietly watching the rise and fall of his chest. "But I'm glad you're okay."

Reluctantly, Invisible Girl pushed herself up, her injured leg feeling unsteady beneath her. "There's no way I can move him, not in this condition." She realized, glancing in the direction of the cavern that held the prisoners. She hobbled her way towards the entrance, where the sounds of shuffling feet and animated whispers could be heard. She caught a few boys clustered near the opening, peeping anxiously at the dark tunnel. Despite her blood soaked body, none of them noticed her approach until her voice rang out.

"I…need…help." She whispered, unable to speak louder. Daisuke pushed his way to the front of the baffled teens with Yamato trailing behind him. Based on his horrified expression, she could only imagine what she must look like.

"Invisible Girl…what happened?" He asked, hovering between wanting to reach out to help and also being unsure. She wondered if it was because of her bloody appearance or whether he was just concerned about accidentally touching her boob again. "We heard the explosions and then you yelled for us to stay. Then there was that last big blast." He shook his head, clearly still shaken.

Yamato took over. "We were all worried for you. It took three boys to keep Daisuke from running out to help."

"DON'T TELL HER THAT!" Daisuke yelled, blushing furiously.

Yamato ignored him. "We tried to explain to him that we would just be in your way during a fight."

"Thanks…both of you." She replied gratefully, touching a still red Daisuke's shoulder in silent appreciation. "But now I do need your help." He nodded, motioning the other boys to follow as she led the way to the mound of crumbled rocks. "I have an injured friend up there." She explained, still in a strained whisper. "He has a puncture wound on his shoulder. I've wrapped it but someone needs to put pressure on it."

A few boys went up and gently holsted up the unconscious blonde. Invisible Girl watched their careful progress, feeling Daisuke's pointed stare. "Invisible Girl…is he the one you were…."

"When he wakes up, explain to him what's going on," Invisible Girl ordered, intentionally cutting him off. "Specifically about Siren's quirk." She turned away, adding. "He's really smart. I'm sure he might even be able to find a way out of here for you all."

Daisuke bristled. "Wait, what are you saying? Aren't you going to stay too?"

Invisible Girl turned away. "I have to leave."

"But you're injured!"

"Doesn't matter." She replied simply, already starting to limp away down the tunnel. "I have to stop anyone else from getting hurt."

"That's what it means to be a hero." She addedly silently. She looked over her shoulder and saw Daisuke attempt to follow. Yamato placed a hand on his shoulder, quietly shaking his head. Reluctantly both boys retreated back to the cavern to tend to their new addition.

Now that Invisible was alone, the pain felt more real. She looked down, taking in her naked, bleeding body that seemed so foreign to her. Every inch of her screaming at her to stop and rest. But another more stubborn and angry part of her was screaming even louder for her to go and end this. To end HER!

Slowly, she twisted her hand behind her back and felt the hot wetness of blood touching her her hand, she smeared the blood along her face and neck, feeling its warmth seep into her skin, empowering her.

"I'm done with hiding." Invisible Girl declared, feeling the fire of revenge flaring as she continued to cover herself with blood. "I want Siren to know who's coming for her."

Despite the life threatening scenarios that were going on below the sea, on the beach all was fair and calm. The construction of the Phra Thinang Chakri Maha Prasat A.K.A The Grand Palace was going smoothly under Iida's leadership and the class's close camaraderie. Despite not everyone being on board with the project, the sand palace was proving to be a strong team building exercise, just as the A-1's class president had predicted. Aizawa Sensei watched from his beach chair, tapping impatiently at his keyboard.

"Something feels off." He muttered, picking up his binoculars to once again survey the beach. "It's way too quiet out here."

Midnight lifted her sunglasses, looking up from the fashion magazine she had been flipping through. "Hmmm, sounds pretty normal to me. Hard to miss Iida yelling out directions over there." She replied, pointing at the impressive sand structure that was taking shape. "You know, they are really good. Think they could do a sand sculpture of moi?"

Playfully she struck a sexy pose from her beach chair, which Aizawa steadily ignored. Instead he stood up, scanning the water. "Have you been keeping an eye on the trackers?"

"Of course!" Midnight scoffed, holding up her tablet that showed all twenty blinking red lights. "Everyone's still in the proximity." He leaned forward, studying the screen.

"Where are the girls on here?" Aizawa asked, "I haven't heard their shrill voices in a while."

"Let's see…" Midnight tapped the screen, checking the coordinates. She turned and pointed. "According to this, they should be over near that pink floating tube."

"I don't see them."

"Maybe their snorkeling under the water?" Midnight guessed. Both teachers waited expectantly, growing slightly anxious as time ticked by. After ten seconds, Midnight checked the screen again. "Maybe there's a mistake. Let me…" She paused as Aizawa passed her, walking straight towards the water. "Hey! What are you doing?!"

"Investigating." He answered, stepping into the cool waves. "Something doesn't feel right."

"Well duh!" Midnight yelled back sarcastically. "I MEAN…what are you doing going out on the water with those clothes on! Don't you know what saltwater does to regular clothing!"

"You have got to be kidding me." Aizawa grumbled, as Midnight joined him.

She held out her hand, not amused. "Come on Eraserhead, chest hair or not, all of this needs to come off."

Scowling, he reluctantly pulled off his pants and shirt, handing the jumbled garments to Midnight. "Happy?"

She smirked, purring as she savored his battle scarred chest. "Hmmm…Very!"

Rolling his eyes, the two teachers waded towards the lonely pink floating tube. Midnight checked her tablet, all playfulness gone as she scanned the area. "This is where the signal is the strongest." She frowned, adding. "Mineta and Asui's signals are close by as well. I should take a…" Midnight paused, before whispering a very audible, "Oh…my!"

Aizawa turned sharply, all senses alert. "What's wrong? Did you find…" He too paused, staring down at the water where four brightly colored bikini tops were innocently floating together on top of the water.

"Midnight…" The male hero spoke slowly, mind trying to process what he was seeing. "Where are the locations of all the boys right now?"

"Uhh…let's see…" She checked her tablet. "Let's see…Well we have Aoyama, Iida, Ojiro, Koda, Sato, Shoji, and Sero together working on the sandcastle. Todoroki is up in the northern part of the beach. Mineta is in the water around here somewhere. And…" There was a long pause. Aizawa shot a glance her way and saw her lips twitching in slight amusement. "And..umm…Kaminari, Kirishima, Tokoyami, Bakugo and Midoriya are all in the changing rooms….Seems sort of strange to have so many of them in there together…" Her doubtful expression turned fearful as she glanced up from her tablet and saw Aizawa in full Eraserhead attack mode, with eyes glowing red and black hair rising up in rage.

"TOO! MUCH! FUN!" Aizawa growled, grabbing the bikini tops and racing towards the shore.

The shark boy charged, mouth gaping as he prepared to strike once again at Tsuyu. Quickly, the frog-quirked girl flung her tongue out, wrapping it around the nearest patrolling reef shark and flinging the thrashing beast against her attacker. The two smashed against the coral, a jumble of limbs and fins. Almost immediately, the other sharks swarmed towards her.

Kicking her powerful legs, Tsuyu propelled herself upwards. Unable to halt in time, the sharks rammed into each other. Before she could continue upwards to the surface, she made out Shark Boy coming back at her, raking his claws towards her. Nimbly, she flipped backwards, her foot coming up and uppercutting his chin. With his head reeling back from the impact, she swiftly flung her tongue, sticking it to the wall of coral. Using it as an anchor, she propelled herself forward and squeezed her thin frame into a tight crevice.

She flinched as Shark Boy's large bulk slammed against the opening, his sharp claws slashing at the rock in a frenzied attempt to reach her. Luckily for her, his large arm muscles made reaching for her almost impossible for him. "But that doesn't help me from being trapped here, kero." Tsuyu thought solemnly, watching the enraged teen. She could see his red eyes glowering down at her, his rows of pointed teeth set in a vicious snarl.

Tsuyu knew she was on a time limit here. Her injured arm was bleeding heavily, the water surrounding her tinted red. She could feel her movements becoming more sluggish, her energy slowly draining away. If she didn't get out of this mess soon, things weren't going to end well. Not for her…or her friends.

"You won't stop me…" Tsuyu declared boldly, facing the vicious red glare of the Shark Boy from within the crevice. "From abandoning my friends! PLUS ULTRA!" Her tongue shot out, poking him right in the eye. He reared back, claws instinctively covering his eyes. At the same time, Tsuyu shot over him, her back legs kicking down to slam the back of his head. The force pelted him forward, his head getting stuck in the crevice.

Tsuyu glanced back and saw him thrashing about, trying to push his way back out. "Hope that keeps him out of trouble." She thought, focusing all her attention on swimming upwards and dodging the pack of sharks that chased after her. With one arm barely functioning, she was forced to use mostly her back legs to propel herself up. From the corner of her vision, she saw a hammerhead coming at her injured side. Using her tongue, she lassoed him, tossing him against another shark. She flinched, reeling forward as another shark came up from behind to tackle her.

Before she could recover, the tail of another knocked against her face, sending her tumbling downwards several feet. "They're pushing me back down….towards him." Tsuyu weakly realized, making a feeble dodge when another shark attempted to ram her. The worst part was, she could faintly hear the cracking sound of the coral walls beginning to break under the force of the shark boy's struggles.

Tsuyu felt a dizziness in her vision that she was unable to shake, as her limbs grew unbearably heavy. The sharks, sensing their prey was on the verge of collapse, seemed to cease their attacks to watch her sink on her own. The water around her was far too red, blinding her from everything. Only one small ball of light seemed to break through the murky waters. Curious and half delirious, she reached out her hand and was surprised to find she could touch it.

"Is this….a fishing lure?"

With the last bit of strength she could muster, she gave the line a hard tug right as she heard the sounds of shark boy breaking free.

"Seems like you've been busy."

Todoroki looked up, nodding politely at the return of the elderly man. The teen sat comfortably with rod in hand as the stray feline dozed contently next to him, stomach now bulging outward. The man paused next to the overflowing bucket of fish and crustaceans, brows raised impressively.

"You've got quite a talent." He commented, sitting down next to him. "You fish much?"

"I used to…" Todoroki paused for a moment before reluctantly adding. "...with my father."

"Ahhh…seems like that's the beginning for most of us." He replied, scratching the belly of the gray tabby. He took out his thermos, pouring cold barley tea into a cup. "Here," He passed it to Todoroki, "I bought an extra."

"Thanks." Todoroki said, using his free hand to take a small sip. The taste was simple, but refreshing. As the old man took a sip from his own cup, Todoroki asked. "I apologize but I never asked for your name."

"Grandpa Shinkawa is fine." Shinkawa replied. "That's what everyone calls me around these parts." He sat down his cup, squinting up at Todoroki fondly. "I must say, I appreciate you watching my fishing spot for me. Tell me, did you enjoy yourself?"

Todoroki concentrated on his line, considering the question. "I'm…not sure. Fishing mostly just brought up a lot of memories."

"Ya, don't say? Good one's I hope."

"I can't say if they were good or not." Todoroki admitted, "Mostly memories I had thought I had forgotten."

The old man stroked his beard, listening to the young hero. "Well whether they are good or bad memories, keep them tucked in tight. Because someday, when you're my age, they'll be all you have left."

Todoroki fell silent, considering these words of wisdom. He looked towards the ocean, taking in the dazzling light dancing along the surface. The cat beside him gave a peaceful meow, nuzzling her head against his leg. Grandpa Shinkawa took another sip of his tea. Over at the beach, he could see the empty volleyball courts. The place where, for the first time ever, he had practiced playing a team sport with his classmates. He closed his eyes, hoping that this today would be a memory that he would always keep with him.

"Hmm? Looks like ya got a bite?" The elder pointed a wrinkled finger at the line being tugged.

Todoroki broke away from his thoughts, gripping the handle of his rod as it suddenly got pulled forward. Grinding his teeth, he tried reeling it in but found it wasn't budging. He stood, steadying his feet as he began pulling on the struggling line that seemed to be zig zagging under the water in a frenzy.

"Must be a big one." Shinkawa observed, watching Todoroki's struggle with whatever he had hooked. The gray tabby meowed at his feet, also watching curiously. "Just keep those feet planted and shoulders back. Easy now, no jerking."

The elder's advice rang in Todoroki's ears, resurfacing a similar moment in the past when he had been put in a similar scenario…..

Flashback:

"Come, Shoto. It's time to return home." Endeavor announced, shutting the lid to the cooler containing all the catches from the day. He stood, turning around to see a defiant son, clutching his All Might fishing rod to his chest determined, trying to hold in angry tears.

"I don't want to leave!" Four-year-old Shoto yelled, stomping his foot. "I still didn't catch something for the cooler!" Despite sitting as still as possible for a young boy, the only fish he had managed to catch was the small one he had consumed for his breakfast earlier that morning. The boy had become desperate at this point, not wanting to go home to the family empty handed. "I want to bring a fish home back to Mother!"

Endeaver gestured to the full chest. "We have caught a significant amount of fresh protein to feed the family. Catching more just to stroke one's pride is a bad habit to start, not to mention wasteful."

Shoto glared at his feet stubbornly. "You always tell me that a hero never gives up."

Endeavor sighed, stealing a glance at the setting sun. "We have only until the sun goes down. Is that understood?"

Shoto nodded, happily plopping back down on the pier, with his small legs dangling over the side. Grumbling, his father sat next to him, arms angrily crossed over his broad chest. They sat in silence, with the sounds of seagulls filling the void.

Shoto didn't mind. Talking with his father wasn't particularly fun, especially since everything he said tended to be a lecture of some kind. Conversations with his mother were a lot different. It was always her who would ask him what he wanted or how he felt. With her, Shoto felt like she wanted to know more about him.

The young boy cast a sidelong glance at his father's stoic figure, wondering if his father even really cared about him. "He spends the most time with me, but does he really know me?" Shoto pondered sullenly.

"Your line." Endeavor spoke, breaking his son's thoughts. "Something's nibbling on it."

Startled, Shoto quickly glanced down but found the red and white buoy still visible on the water's surface. Confused, he turned to his father, who explained.

"It's difficult in this light but you can see small ripples coming from beneath your buoy. That shows a fish is interested. Give the line a gentle tug." Endeavor gruffly advised.

Following his father's instructions, Shoto tugged ever so slightly with his rod and to his surprise, the buoy seemed to bounce before swiftly disappearing into the water as a fish chomped down. The child gasped as the line went berserk, pulling farther and farther away from the pier. Panicking, Shoto's tiny hands grasped at the line, trying to halt the spinning reel. But whatever was hooked to his line, was far stronger than the young boy.

The creature gave a mighty tug and Shoto, for a frightening moment, felt his small body completely leave the pier. But before he could fall towards the water, he felt a pair of strong hands reach out and pulled him back to safety. He slammed against something hard. Opening his eyes, he found himself sitting in Endeavor's lap, his father's large arms wrapped around him tightly.

"Father?" Shoto uttered, peering up at him.

Endeavor glared down, shouting. "Don't just stare, boy! This is your catch! Reel it in!"

Startled, Shoto again attempted to reel his catch in, thankful that he managed to keep hold of his All Might rod. He could feel the fish tugging, again trying to force his capturer to let go but Shoto felt his father's grip tighten around him, keeping him planted near him. But despite his father's assistance, there was just no matching the strength difference between the four-year-old and the giant fish.

"I can't do it!" Shoto cried, his small arms shaking from the exertion. "It's too strong!"

"There will always be others stronger than you!" His father bellowed back, flames bursting from his face. "None of that matters as long as you have your eyes set on your goal!" He brought one hand to his son's shoulder, yelling out advice. "Shoulders back! Keep a steady hand on the reel! Remember! He's doing all the work, it's up to you to hold out until he tires!" The fish gave a gigantic tug, and Shoto once again felt his body being pulled forwards. Thankfully, his father's grip was far stronger than any creature of the sea. Shoto felt his father holding him tight, his loud voice yelling to the heavens. "Use that steadfast stubbornness of yours to catch your prize! And know this….I may not always be there to help you…But I, ENDEAVOR, WILL ALWAYS HAVE YOUR BACK SON!"

Knowing that his father would not let him fall, Shoto focused all his energy into pulling in the line. With sweat dripping down his face, he felt the sun hitting the horizon. Rays of light reflected across the water's surface, becoming almost blinding to look at. It was at that moment he heard a loud splash as something broke through the waves. Shoto broke into a wide grin, gazing upon his catch as his father proudly patted his shoulder.

"Wow! It's a…"

Present:

"Asui?"

Todoroki's eyes widened in shock, his hands tightening on the rod as he gaped at the green-haired girl, bloody and weak, grasping his lure in one palm. She sailed through the air towards him. Dropping the rod, he flung his arms out, catching the poor girl.

"A friend of yours?" Grandpa Shinkawa inquired, as Todoroki gently lowered her down.

"She's my classmate." He answered grimly, carefully scanning her injuries. His gaze lingered on the bloody mess of torn muscle over her shoulder. The wound was bleeding heavily, already soaking his arms and chest. Her breathing was shallow and her skin abnormally pale. "Who did this to you?"

"This isn't good." The elder remarked, also studying her wound. "This here looks like a shark bite, a big one at that."

Before the teen could reply, Asui's eyes popped open, her hand grasping Todoroki's arm tightly. "Todoroki, please find the teachers, Kero!" He leaned forward, listening intently as she struggled to stay conscious to relay her message. "We know who took the abducted students! Her name is Siren and she has a quirk that can control teenage boys, kero…kero…kero…" She was fading again.

"Asui!" Todoroki yelled, panicking as Shinkawa took off his button up shirt, pressing the fabric against her wound. The pain splurged her back into consciousness, her voice gaining strength as she continued.

"The girls are all trapped down there. They're fighting against our classmates…they need help! Kero!"

Todoroki felt his mind swimming. "A villainess who controls teenage boys? The girls trapped down there? Does she mean the ocean? But how? And what did she mean they were fighting against our classmates?" He whipped his gaze towards the beach, furiously scanning it. "Who was missing?"

Asui gave a weak cough, ocean water spilling from her mouth. The action shook Todoroki, making realize the answers to these questions would have to wait. He propped her head up, gently reassuring her, "Don't worry. We'll save them. Just hold on."

"I've tied this on pretty tight." Shinkawa stated, gesturing to the shirt wrapped around the bloody wound. "It should hold for a bit."

"Thanks. I'll carry her from here." Both men paused as the tabby stray suddenly gave a loud hiss. Todoroki turned, staring as the cat hissed again, fur standing on end as it gazed down at the bubbling water below them.

"What the…?" Todoroki began before something large and ferocious broke through the water's surface and charged right at them.

"Good Midday, Aizawa Sensei!" Iida said, greeting the dripping wet teacher with a cheerful salute. "Care to examine the fruit of all our sweat and ambition as proud students of U.A.?" He asked brightly, gesturing to their grand creation.

"Yeah check this out!" Sero exclaimed, grinning widely as he motioned towards the beautifully shaped towers of the structure. "What do you think of these beauties here? I like to see someone beat those perfect points!"

"And look at the details on these windows and doors!" Sato added, jubilant he was able to make use of his cake decorating skills on such attentive designs.

"Don't forget about Moi! It would be such a shame not to mention my magnifique decor!" Aoyama posed, shooting out sparkles to rain down upon the sand palace. "Nothing says fab more than the natural beauty of sea side jewels!" He waved a hand towards the dazzling collection of shells and sea glass that decorated the outer walls of the palace.

"That's nice and all but none of that would have been possible without our leg work." Ojiro pointed out, nodding towards Koda and Shoji behind him, each carrying buckets of water and sand. "Or in my case, tail work!" He added jokingly, lifting his tail which also had a bucket hanging from it.

"So Teach….WHAT DO YOU THINK?!" They all asked together, clustering around Aizawa.

"Yeah…it's great." Aizawa answered simply, eyes darting over their heads to scan the beach. "When was the last time you've all seen the rest of your classmates?"

"Miss Asui is patrolling the waters." Iida answered instantly. "She's been patrolling for precisely an hour and 30 minutes and 58 seconds."

"Hmmm….I'm pretty sure I saw Bakugo and his crew head to the changing shack." Sero added, scratching his head. "But that feels like ages ago."

"Same with Midoriya." Koda said quietly. "I noticed him and Tokoyami go in there as well."

"And none of you have seen the girls anywhere?" Aizawa asked. They all shook their heads, confused.

Shoji raised one of his arms up. "Aizawa Sensei, may I ask? Why are you holding several bikini tops in your hand?" The rest of the boys instantly focused on the objects being noted, curiosity spiking.

Aizawa turned without answering, hurrying towards the boy's changing shack. The students stole glances at each other, bothered by their teacher's behavior. They were even more baffled when Midnight jogged up, her hair dripping as if she had just taken a dive into the water. She halted next to them, shooting them a bright smile.

"Nice work boys!" She congratulated them, giving them a smile and a thumbs up. "Make sure to take a picture for the trip album!" But the class's attention was focused on a familiar item held in her hand.

"Umm Teach? Why do you have Mineta's cell phone?" Sero asked.

Midnight's smile faltered. "Uhhh….Sorry! Have to catch up to Aizawa Sensei!" She dashed off, leaving the group of boys in the dust. She caught up quickly with her comrade, grabbing his elbow. "Aizawa! You need to see this!" She held up Mineta's cell phone, the tracking device attached to the electronic still blinking red. "I used my tablet to track both Mineta's and Asui's tracking devices. Both of them were near each other, under the water."

Aizawa frowned, hands clenching at his side. That made seven trackers separated from their person. He glared towards the changing shack, where five devices were sending out signals.

"You still don't think something frisky is going on?" Midnight asked, following his gaze. He shook his head.

"The beach group all mentioned seeing the boys make their way here but none of them remembered seeing a girl pass through." He knocked on the wooden door, waiting for an answer. "Let's just see if we see the same pattern here."

With no answer coming, he quietly pushed open the door, peering in. Despite no lights being on, the room was lit brightly by the natural sunlight peeking in from the high windows. The two teachers walked in cautiously, glancing around the deserted room. Midnight held up her tablet, scanning the screen.

"The devices are definitely still in here." She stated, moving to the wall that held cubbies to store each boy's individual changing basket. "Let's check their stuff."

Aizawa picked up Bakugo's basket and looked in. His expression instantly darkened. Slowly he picked up a blinking tracking device that sat on top of the jumble of clothes. When he turned to his partner, he found her with a deep frown, her palm holding a blinking device she had fished out of Midoriya's basket. Their eyes met and he knew there was no point in investigating further.

As they excited the shack, they found themselves met by the rest of Class 1-A, led by a concerned Iida. The aura of the class was the complete opposite of just a few minutes ago, with each of them sensing that something was amiss. The class president faced the two teachers, addressing them in a serious manner. "Aizawa Sensei, Midnight Sensei. I speak for the whole class when I say this but if there is an incident that has occurred with our classmates, we would like to assist in whatever way possible!" The others nodded in unison, backing him up.

The two teachers shared a glance, not quite sure of what to tell them yet. But before they could decide, they all heard a loud explosion from afar. Everyone present turned and gaped at a mass of giant ice spears protruding from the rocks that bordered the north end of the beach.

"Everyone stay here and stick together!" Aizawa instantly ordered. "Iida you're in charge while we're away! Midnight, let's move!" Without further delay the two teachers raced towards the rocks, knowing a battle was taking place.

As the haze from the ice cleared, it revealed Todoroki standing in a battle stance, right arm extended out and ready to unleash another attack if necessary. Grandpa Shinkawa sat crouched down behind him, supporting Asui. The stray had instantly fled the scene, terrified of the creature that had sprouted out from the ocean.

"Did you get him?" The elder asked warily.

"Not sure." Todoroki responded, scanning the ice spears protruding outward towards the sea. He jumped slightly as he felt a small touch on the back of his heel. Glancing down, he saw Asui's hand feebly trying to get his attention. "Asui?"

"Try..not..to….hurt…him…" She winced, trying to speak despite the pain of her wound. "He's…being…controlled…by…her."

"BOY! LOOK OUT!" Shinkawa gasped out, pointing as the shark boy crawled out from under the ice like a lizard, his claws making it easy to cling to even the slick surface. Out in the broad daylight, the shark quirked boy seemed even bigger, the sun highlighting his board muscles and toughened bronze scaled skin. He gave a feral roar, rushing at them.

"Let's move!" Todoroki ordered, shooting out more ice spears to slow him down. However, the shark boy turned out to be just as agile on land as in the water, leaping from boulder to boulder to escape the ice in the uneven terrain. Knowing there wasn't much time, Todoroki quickly cradled Asui and ran with Grandpa Shinkawa hobbling quickly next to him. He paused next a small crevice between two boulders, lowering Asui down. He easily lifted the small elder and set him down next to her. "Sorry…it might get cold." He apologized, freezing a thick ice cover over the crevice to make a quick makeshift barrier. Satisfied they would be kept out of harm's way, he returned his focus on his opponent.

Instantly he fell back as a large set of claws swiped at him, almost hitting his bare chest. "He's fast." Todoroki thought, backing away and swiftly dodging swipes as his much larger opponent continued his frantic attack, claws raking down from different angles. As he tried a lethal uppercut, Todoroki ducked, hand coming down and freezing the ground beneath them. Instantly his opponent lost his footing, falling to the ground and leaving Todoroki with an opening. "It's hard to believe this boy is being controlled by another." In his experience with mind control, the people being controlled seemed a lot more docile and robotic like. "But for Asui to want to protect him despite her injuries, I feel I have no choice but to believe her."

"Let's see if this can keep you still." Todoroki yelled, activating his quirk to allow ice to encase the fallen shark boy's body. He growled, instantly thrashing his head about in an attempt to break free.

"Blood!" He roared, speaking for the first time and causing Todoroki to pause. "Her blood! I smell it! It's here!" He paused his thrashing, red eyes narrowing in on the domed shaped ice cover. "I SMELL IT!" With inhuman strength the ice covering him cracked and then split apart as the shark boy's muscles bulged unnaturally. Todoroki flinched back, making a shield of flames to block the broken ice shards shooting towards him.

"No!" He cursed, spying the shark boy leaping on top of the ice barrier, attacking with a barrage of punches. Under the structure, Grandpa Shinkawa cradled the wounded Asui, worriedly looking up at the cracks beginning to show on the surface. As the shark boy began to lift his hand for another punch, he found it halted by a fishing line that had wrapped around his wrist. Furious, he turned to find Todoroki in the distance, pulling tightly on the fishing rod.

"I'm the one you're fighting!" Todoroki yelled, tone low and dangerous. "NOT THEM!" He reared back on the pole, pulling the shark boy off the dome. He crashed to the ground, swiping and angrily breaking the line. Giving a feral roar, he charged at Todoroki who met him head on, reinforcing the fishing pole with ice and swinging at him. The shark boy caught the rod with both claws, his mouth instinctively coming down to and chopping the rod in two. For a moment he smiled in victory, before he realized his claws were frozen solid against the two pieces of wood.

"Hands are bound, now just for the rest of him." Todoroki quietly strategized, as his opponent attempted to swing at him with his ice covered hands. But the ice was heavy, making his punches sluggish and slow. Even so, his arms were long and powerful and Todoroki found it was still proving difficult to dodge in such a terrain of slippery and uneven boulders. "Time to try something new."

Using ice to form a barrier between him and his opponent, Todoroki used the extra time to form a perfectly shaped ice sphere in his palm. Looking very similar to the size of a volleyball. As the enemy broke through the barrier, Todoroki used his left, fired bringing hand, to smash at the ice sphere from below in a motion almost identical to the under hand serve Yaoyorozu had diligently taught him. The heat from his left palm burst the ice open, allowing steam to burst forth, shocking the shark boy back and covering the surrounding area in mist.

The shark boy's head swiveled around, blinded by the white mist and unable to see anything around him. That's when Todoroki swooped in, touching his opponents back and packing layer upon layer of ice around him, freezing him in place.

"I misinterpreted your strength last time." Todoroki glowered, pulsing as much ice as he could onto the mighty creature. "I won't make that mistake again!"

As the mist cleared, Todoroki backed away, breathing heavily as his right arm shook. The shark boy was still conscious and glaring hatefully at him, but he was completely immobilized by thick sheets of ice. Confident he would be unable to escape, the hot-and-cold quirked teen quickly returned to the protected barrier, using his left palm to melt the ice covering.

Shinkawa's head popped out like a meerkat, turning to stare at the trapped shark boy. "I said it once, and I'll say it again. You have a talent for fishing young lad!"

Todoroki smiled. "Thanks."

"TODOROKI!"

The teen looked up and saw both Aizawa Sensei and Midnight running towards him. They jogged up just after he was lifting the wounded Asui up. Both teachers paled at the sight of her with Midnight instantly moving to retrieve her as Aizawa addressed Todoroki.

"Todoroki, explain what happened. Who did this to…" He froze, head whipping to stare as the shark boy angrily roared out. "What the…"

"He's being mind controlled." Todoroki answered simply, following his teacher's gaze. "At least that's what Asui told me. She said she knows where the abducted teens are and that the villain we're dealing with has the ability to control male teenagers." Todoroki turned away, frowning as he watched Midnight gently holding Asui, as Grandpa Shinkawa spoke about what had occurred. "She also said the other girls are in trouble and we need to hurry." He paused, before adding. "She said they're fighting against some of our own classmates."

"So that's where they are." Aizawa muttered darkly, signaling to Midnight. "Hey, can you shut him up?" He asked, motioning to the still roaring shark boy. Midnight nodded, using her quirk to quickly quell the shark-quirked boy and sending him to a deep sleep. Aizawa turned to Todoroki, "Get him out of that ice before he gets hypothermia. I'll bind him up afterwards."

"Sir…" Todoroki asked, holding up his heated left palm against the ice. "What are we going to do about the rescue?" He turned towards the ocean. "None of us are equipped with aquatic quirks to reach them."

"Don't assume we didn't plan for this." Aizawa replied tersely, bringing his cell phone to his ear. It rang once, then instantly connected. "Hey…we're ready. Also we'll be needing a medic."

A loud siren sounded from the ocean. Todoroki watched, impressed as a large silver ship rounded the cove, and blasted through the waves towards them. At the helm stood Captain Selkie, a tall, muscular man resembling a spotted-seal and his crew of four all in white sailor uniforms. At his right hand side stood his first mate sidekick Sirius, a beautiful young woman with smart blue eyes and shoulder length sky blue hair. Two sets of communication devices covered her ears, disguised as large blue fins. Within seconds the boat had docked next to the rocky output, with the crew rushing to their aid.

"The Oki Mariner Crew led by Captain Selkie reporting for aquatic backup." Captain Selkie announced, saluting to Aizawa Sensei. He nodded to Sirius, who was carrying a large red and white medic bag. "Medical assistance is also here and ready to help."

"Over here, quickly!" Midnight called, waving them over.

"Right!" Sirius called, rushing over. As she saw Asui, she paused, almost dropping her bag. "Froppy? What happened here?"

"We're not sure." Midnight replied, removing the bloodied makeshift bandages as Sirius instantly began working on her friend. "We just arrived here ourselves. But the civilian here explained he thinks she was bit by…him." She nodded towards the slumbering shark boy who was now safely out of the ice and wrapped up in tight white bandages provided by Eraserhead. Sirius took a quick glance and gasped.

"Captain! It's Ripper!"

Captain Selkie turned, along with Aizawa Sensei and Todoroki who had been giving him a debrief together of the events that had occurred. The Captain followed his first mate's finger and he too gasped. "Great Neptune, it is Ripper!"

"Ripper?" Todoroki repeated, puzzled.

Captain Selkie explained. "Ripper is a young sidekick from the Okinawa region who went missing a few weeks back while on a marine patrol. Back when he was in high school, he had briefly done an internship with our crew so we're very familiar with him." His gaze rested affectionately on the shark-quirked boy who seemed a lot less frightening in sleeping form. "Remarkably strong hero, with outstanding crewmanship. We were all very shocked when we got the report that he was missing at sea. It's a relief to know he's safe." He turned to his crew, quickly barking out orders. "Take this young lad to the bunkers and keep him locked up, fully guarded until we can get a full report! Everyone else, get scuba gear on and be ready to move out in five! Go!" He turned to Aizawa Sensei, adding. "We have extra if you wish to tag along. It's your students so I understand you must be worried. Hope you don't mind getting wet!"

"I definitely don't enjoy it." Aizawa replied grimly. "But I'll go." He turned to Todoroki. "Return to the class and explain what's going on. Stay clear of the water for now and…." The rest of his instructions were cut off by a cry of distress.

Everyone turned and saw a newly bandaged Asui, struggling to sit up, one hand reaching out towards Captain Selkie. "Please…Captain Selkie…I need to go…the entrance is hidden in the reefs…" She tried to get up, ignoring Midnight and Sirius attempts to subdue her. "There's no time for a search…I know the way…Take me too…"

"Asui, please!" Midnight protested, placing a gentle hand on her. "You're injured. Right now our top priority should be getting you to a hospital."

"Your Sensei's right." Sirius added worriedly. "Shark bites are serious business. We have to get you stitched up and pump antibiotics in you before an infection sets in. You've already lost too much blood!"

"Please Captain…" Asui pleaded, ignoring them as she faced the superior. "My friends are injured and could be fighting for their lives as we speak." She grinded her teeth, fighting back the pain as she forced herself to stand. "I left promising them I would bring back help." She lifted her head, glaring at the two men in charge. "Until that happens, my mission isn't complete yet!"

Aizawa shook his head, clearly against the idea, while Captain Selkie silently regarded the young heroine. Todoroki and Shinkawa, who were both watching the standoff from the sidelines, glanced from Asui to Captain Selkie and Aizawa Sensei with bated breath. Captain Selkie was the first to speak, addressing Aizawa.

"Sensei, young Froppy may not be under my supervision anymore," The seal-like captain said, stern gaze surveying the teacher. "But from her short stay with my crew, I have to say that she isn't one to back down easily. This is a battle we may not be able to win."

Aizawa gave a frustrated sigh. "Maybe, but that doesn't change the fact that she isn't able to swim with that injury."

"I'll carry her." The Captain suggested. "Just enough for her to point out the entrance. Once we know the way, I'll bring her right back up to the surface for medical treatment."

Aizawa glanced at Asui, who swayed where she stood, refusing to sit until a decision was made. "We don't have time for this." He muttered, waving his hand up in defeat. "Midnight, Asui! Let's move!"

Asui's legs buckled and she almost fell if it wasn't for Midnight and Sirius. The two women supported her as Captain Selkie walked up and gingerly picked her up, cradling her like a baby. "Thank you, Captain." Asui whispered, feeling like a weight had been lifted from her. She had done it. Help was finally on the way.

"No, thank you Froppy." The captain quietly replied. "You've done a great service today. To the families of those who had been missing, to your friends, and to all heroes."

Froppy gave a weak smile, clinging to the captain as they dove into the water. She heard the splashes of the group of crew mates and the teachers close behind. Instantly, she felt the salt of the water stinging her wound. She cringed, but forced herself to focus. She quickly pointed out the landmarks and the Captain zoomed through the water at speeds that even beat Kai. She gave a sigh of relief when the familiar coral reef loomed into view.

"Right there!" Asui yelled, pointing at the disguised entrance. "The entrance is being blocked by a consortium of camouflaged octopuses!"

The captain made clicking noises with his mouth, morse-coding directions to Sirius as he quickly changed course, heading back to the surface as she led the rest of the group to fight through the cephalopods. Asui leaned against his chest, feeling her eyelids already beginning to droop. As she found herself losing consciousness, she faintly heard the deep sound of Captain Selkie's voice speaking to her softly.

"Rest now, young hero. You earned it."

Todoroki picked up the broken pieces of Grandpa Shinkawa's fishing rod, guiltily handing them back to the elder as he gave a deep bow. "I deeply regret breaking your fishing rod. I'll be sure to send money to replace it as soon as possible."

The old man laughed, waving a dismissive hand. "Please no apologies. I've plenty of these back at home." He turned towards the ocean, where the heroes had just shortly departed. "What matters is that you managed to save your friend."

"Yes, but I'm worried about my other comrades." The teen admitted, soberly watching the peaceful waves and wondering just what sort of battles will be taking place beneath its surface. "I just hope they make it in time."