Chapter 16: Slow but sure
Ground Beta
Abandoned building #0145
"So, what's the plan?" Kyoka Jirou asked as she helped her partner set up another metallic barrier, sealing off another room.
"We limit the area they can operate in, delay, and capture them when there's a chance," Momo replied coolly as she stacked the last metallic plate and moved to another. "So long we know where they are and keep the initiative, we'll certainly win."
"So I'm counting on you to provide information." She smiled back to her, putting Jiro in a weird spot with how earnest it was.
"Yeah, sure. Count on me." Jiro nonplussed looked away from Momo's gaze, a little heat rising to her cheeks. She admitted that her initial pre-conceptions were off with Momo, expecting a totally different personality based on her look and background.
Turning her thoughts towards the upcoming fight, she addressed Momo. "I'll also keep them at a distance with these."
Patting and shaking her legs to indicate the in-built sound boosters at the sides. "It should slow them down at least."
"Very well." Momo nodded with a smile and moved to set a small device to a hidden corner, then set a thin string at ankles length. A quick check to her standards, nodded at the quality before she stood back up. "This level is done. Let's move to reinforce the entrance."
"Gotcha." Jiro nodded as she memorized that trap location, alongside the plentiful other traps hidden in the building. Looking at the other perspective, going through all this would be a nightmare, and that's just the passive traps alone.
Yet she also can't discount the fact that their opponents could easily get through it. After all, Jiro had personally seen some of the powers at hand.
Tokoyami was one she can't account for due to its nature, she wasn't even sure if her noise can affect something like a tangible shadow.
It'll allow him to slip past, disarm, and scout ahead, rendering a lot of their setup to be a mere obstacle at best and obsolete at worst.
Then there was Tatewaki Kurono.
"-So if Kurono comes barreling through or straight for us. Do you think we can stop him?"
"Not directly," Momo replied as they quickly descended the stairs, reaching the ground floor and entrance. The large empty building that served as their training ground proved to be exceptionally equipped, having functional water, electricity, and furniture lying about messily.
She then moved her hand to her chest, light blinking outwards from her skin before a batch of new metallic planks came out, plonking down neatly as more followed.
"But I have a plan to deal with him if he does." Momo confidently smiled at Jiro.
Underneath the building, was a specially-built control center and monitor room. Multiple cameras and angles have been set up to have little blind spots.
Currently, it housed all of the students who are currently congregated together. Eyes focused on the screen excitedly with the air thick with tension and anticipation.
Midoriya Izuku glanced at the screen showing Momo and Jiro hard at work. The pair reinforced the building, filled it with traps, and blocked areas that funnel them into open areas with no cover.
Idly, he thought about how he will go about the scenario, certainly tackling it head-on will be disastrous but doing it slowly risks burning time. As expected of a recommended student since she took -
"You mumble a lot."
That broke him out of his reverie and noticed a couple of eyes drawn to him. Lamely, he apologized with a lowered head. "Sorry."
"Nah, it is fine. "It's cool man." Kaminari, the electric user, waved his hand before smirking. "But between the two teams, I'm kind of rooting for the hot girl's team."
"Totally," Mineta replied with a thumbs up and grin.
"Haha." Izuku laughed pensively as he rubbed the back of his head, catching Ochako and Tsuyu turned towards the two with a slight glare or disapproving look at the corner of his eyes.
"Focus, we aren't supposed to cheer for the villains!" Lida interrupted them, much to their annoyance.
"Chill out, it is not like they are actual villains. They are our classmates."
"Urgh, this, such a thing." He awkwardly realized and quickly corrected himself before he puffed his chest out. "I was wrong then, I wholeheartedly support both teams if that is the case."
"That is the way!" Kaminari jested with a smile. "But really, one team has a recommended student. Feels a bit lop-sided."
"If he loses, I'll kill him myself," Bakugo said past gritted teeth.
That drew a few curious gazes, one of them being Ojiro.
"Are you two friends?" Tsuyu asked but Bakugou dissuaded that notion with a death-glare at her but she remained impassive at that.
"Like hell I am with that stick man. Him losing just makes me look bad!"
"Ah, rivals. Gotcha." Kaminari replied but that reply didn't cool Bakugou down at all. The latter steamed from how furious he was at that.
"What do you think, Mashirao? Think Tatewaki and Tokoyami can win this?" Hagakure said as her gloves pointed to the screen. No doubt that even while invisible, she had her head turned towards him.
The former's eyes moved to the screen once as he cupped his chin in thought at Hagakure's question.
"I have no idea on Tokoyami," Ojiro shrugged before pausing for a moment and continued assuredly. "But Kurono? He won't make it easy, at the very least."
Izuku was inclined to agree on that front, even Bakugou didn't contest that claim. Only clicking his tongue in annoyance.
"10 minutes are up! Hero team, mission start!" All Might's sudden announcement cut through the atmosphere, everyone's turning to the screen once again with rapt attention.
Ground Beta
Outside of abandoned building #0145
Opposite the building, two students made themselves scarce by hiding in an alleyway. The shadows covered them and hid them from any direct sight from the villain's hideout. One of whom was pacing back and forth slowly.
"I don't think I can handle this." Crona glanced from their shuffling feet and to the quiet bird-headed boy, the latter back leaned against the wall and eyes closed in contemplation.
You can, just treat him like how you do with Ojiro and Toga. Kurono nudged Crona back gently, prompting them to stand much straighter before he directed them back to the map given to them again. Alright, let's run this plan again.
"We split up, you soar to the skies while I the ground. An amusing irony." Tokoyami broke their thoughts, shocking them as they turned to him
A shadowy form extended from Tokoyami's abdomen, congealing itself into a mirror image of him, albeit smaller. "But wouldn't that weaken us if we split up?"
"W-Well," Crona's head lowered itself before Kurono looked towards Tokoyami, hands on the hips instead of holding their right arm. "Jiro knows where we'll be the whole time, best to narrow the location of the bomb down quickly."
"So we shall strike them fast like lightning." Tokoyami followed up the extrapolation and turned his head to the building. "There are only so many places that they can hide it in the darkness."
"Four places, ground floor, 1st floor, 2nd-floor, or rooftop." Crona took over a moment, reciting the information monotonously, having seen the floor plans and noted the possible areas. Earning an approving nod from Tokoyami.
"We'll still need to do a clean sweep, they might lay it flat or transport it by busting the walls down to hide it in the room." Kurono cautioned them, fingers raised before opening his hands to lay it flat. "Once we do, we'll cut a straight path."
"Hmph, guess that is the plan." Dark Shadow nodded, beak following the motion rapidly.
Just as they finished ironing the plan out, horns blared out, filling their ears as it signaled the start of the exercises. Both of them had their earpiece turned on, and burst into action.
"Here we go," Kurono said as he crouched down, feeling the piercing pain of blood erupting from their calf and back. This was followed by more blood coming from their back before it quickly solidified, forming coils around their legs alongside large wings akin to a dragon at their back.
Muscles tensed, wings rose and slammed downwards while coils simultaneously shot upwards. Propelling Kurono into the air like a bullet, allowing them to reach the top of the abandoned building in less than five seconds.
Not even stopping, Kurono used their momentum to dive downwards onto the rooftop door access. Their body hardened and teeth clenched, approaching it rapidly before they struck out their legs.
With a crash, they shattered the door like paper. Giving them a shot of adrenaline as Kurono relished the sense of excitement and thrill.
That died down when they realized that their momentum hadn't stopped at all. Their legs buried themselves up to the knees and serve as a rude wake-up call when they're inches away from face-planting themselves into the wall.
…Right, too much power in that. Kurono took a stuttered breath.
"Y-Yea," Crona mumbled awkwardly, grateful no one was able to see them right now as they pulled their legs from the wall awkwardly by summoning their third limb. Popping out a leg before the other followed, dust and smaller concrete crumbled like cookies as they dusted themselves.
Looking at the stairs leading down, Kurono directed their head to the sides, cracking a muscle of their neck.
Let's win this.
"Ok."
Jiro winced when she heard the loud crashing sound echoing through the building, more so with her ear jacks plugged into the wall and ground. It was like someone ringing a gong meters away from her.
"Tatewaki on top," Jiro listened carefully, picking out the distinctive weighty footfalls and Kurono's voice making their way from the top.
Then her left ear caught another pair of footsteps coming from the ground floor. This one was lighter and softer but it was enough for her to guess even without knowing the identity. "Tokoyami is downstairs."
A split attack, it went unsaid between the two as Momo pondered over the situation for their next move. Jiro continued to listen to the two and noted that while Tokoyami approached slower, Kurono by contrast was half-jogging.
Blam!
Squinting her eyes and feeling the shock being received, it felt like he just kicked a door open. The footsteps stopped for a while before it continued, another reverberation echoing, stop and repeat.
"Tatewaki is clearing room by room, same with Tokoyami but he's doing it slowly." She listed out this new information rapidly to her partner.
"Are they approaching the stairs?"
"Not yet."
"Inform me when he does," Momo replied before she gestured to Jiro with a wave of her hand. Heading for the stairs and descended from the second floor to the first. Jiro quickly detached her ear jack and followed Momo's heels. Occasionally sticking her ear jack to check on the two designated heroes.
The moment she reached the first floor, Jiro took a moment to regain her breath, feeling the sweat build upon her forehead. Momo's chest also started to glow, creating multiple plastic round balls alongside a sling combined with a crossbow frame.
By the time Jiro steadied herself, there was a large pile stacked at the sides. Momo already pulled the sling and loaded it. She then aimed the stairs leading to the first floor down past the long hallway.
"Is Tokoyami coming close?" Momo asked as she calculated the angle and made minor adjustments.
Jiro sent out another of her ear jack to the ground, listening to the footsteps quicken.
"Not yet." Jiro curtly said, eyes being drawn to the sides as she checked all the doors they barred, the hidden traps, and then back to the stairs. Hoping that it was enough to slow them down.
Then it came, the moment they waited for.
"Tatewaki has approached the stairs!" She shouted and turned to her partner.
Momo reached for her belt and pulled out a remote detonator, pressing it swiftly.
Click.
A loud pop echoed across the empty building, one that they can be heard from the first floor despite the origin coming from the fifth.
Which means he should be able to hear it too-
Jiro immediately picked up a rush of footsteps, echoing loudly to her ears. Just as they had predicted.
"Incoming, ground floor!"
The moment those words left her mouth, both of them saw it, a dark shadowy figure that was unmistaken even from afar. Gesturing and turning back down the stairs before extending outwards. Sticking to the shadows cast by the open windows and rapidly approaching them.
Momo didn't hesitate and took out another detonator.
Click!
"What happened?!" Kaminari exclaimed when he saw the camera focusing on Kurono just before smoke obscured the area completely.
"Was it those traps that she set up?"
All Might quickly flick through the perspective of the cameras, allowing them to see past the smoke and saw a black circle outline even as he checked their status. He relaxed as he saw what was strewn across the floor, capture tapes that they handed out earlier.
It seems young Yaoyorozu replicated it and then used it as the trap's payload when it went off. All Might mused before catching sight of a thick yellow liquid on the ground, covering the floor and Kurono's wings.
"Momo pressed a detonator before it happened so I wager it's correct."
"What is that liquid anyway?" Ojiro asked.
From the screen, Kurono stood up and flicked the wings to the side, sending gobbets of liquid aside but it clung persistently to him with the consistency of syrup.
"Are you able to proceed?" All Might check-in through the mic, already having an idea of what it was.
"Yea, it's just elephant glue and tape," Kurono answered back as the latter turned their head to the glue-covered stairs and sniffed. "Lots of elephant glue."
"Alright, if you cannot move or are tagged with the tape, then you shall be considered defeated." He reminded Kurono which the latter nodded once, shed off the wings, and grow new ones before continuing forward by using the black blood to form solid footholds.
All Might continued his strict observation over the practice, noting that two minutes had passed. It looked like Young Momo's efforts are working out so far.
"Look, Tokoyami is about to fight Momo and Jiro!"
That grabbed back all their attention to the screen. Seeing the shadow user sending out Dark Shadow to attack.
Then just like what happened to Kurono, right above the stairs, hidden behind an alcove was a soccer-sized ball that ripped itself apart and splashed the entire staircase with elephant glue and capture tape.
"She got him!" Ochaco leaned forward in excitement.
No. All Might focus the camera onto Tokoyami, just like Kurono, his quirk had wrapped around him like a snake and taken the brunt of it.
Shaking the glue off like a dog, Tokoyami's shadow continued unimpeded. Boring down on the two like a freight train.
Momo continued her assault, launching ball after ball of sticky glue. Each one batted aside until Dark Shadow was halfway across them.
That is when Jiro went to work as she positioned herself in front of Momo.
Ear jacks plugged into her boots, and with a whir, exploded into a shockwave of sound.
Dark Shadow particularly was rocked back and looked to dissolve for a moment as window panes shattered and dislodged themselves from the wall. Allowing more light to flood in.
Tokoyami wasn't exempt from this as the latter's hands covered his ears, eyes closed from the sharp sounds, and forced to duck away. Dark Shadow followed soon down the staircase, retreating from Momo and Jiro as they triumphantly won.
"Hell yeah! I knew they could kick ass!" Kaminari cheered at that, particularly at Jiro.
"So Tokoyami quirk is weak to sound? No, perhaps the vibration? Then again, it could be due to Tokoyami himself since the latter looked to be sensitive to the noise, and his mental state affected the shadow. The narrow hallways also no doubt amplified it further, so that makes it impossible to dodge. Momo and Jiro really are a terrifying combo since one can create traps while Jiro handles the intel gathering, added to that are both range attack-oriented. In comparison, Tokoyami and Tatewaki team is much more generalized and close-quarter oriented. Both strengths being heavily negated by Kyoka and Yaoyorozu."
Izuku's fast mumbling slowly dominated the room, some attempted to pay attention, others were taken aback by how fast he was talking, a few weirded out but only one could parse out what he said.
"True," Ojiro replied with a shrug and wave of his hand. "But it could also be due to the light entering when Kyoka shattered the windows. It's a shadow after all."
"You caught what he said?" Mina exclaimed in surprise at that, much to his confusion.
"Yes?" Ojiro briefly wondered and raised a brow. Did they not catch any of that?
"Ahem." An exaggerated cough and throat clearing from All Might brought their attention back to the cameras.
Most of it was focused on Kurono, the latter sweeping each room on the fifth and fourth floor.
"He is still checking, I thought he would rush straight down," Mina said and planted her hand against her hips.
"Not a very manly display." Kirishima echoed since he would have gone straight to aid his partner.
"While it is true young Tatewaki should aid his partner. Rushing ahead in a building filled with traps isn't the wisest of decisions." All Might shared with his class and made Kirishima sheepishly tilt his head at that mild admonishment.
"So why take the time to search so carefully? Surely apprehending the two is more important?" Mina questioned back.
"Er-well," All Might stumbled as he scrambled to find the right words for the proper explanation.
"He is estimating which level has the objective." The stoic and ever quiet Todoroki, whose half of his face was covered in ice, spoke out for once. "Once they do, they'll go in for the attack. In a way, they are also boxing in the villain team by identifying the areas that don't have the bomb."
"And if they go up?"
"They bloody win!" Bakugou pointed out the obvious rudely, drawing annoyed looks but Todoroki only nodded at his assessment.
"They won't be able to carry the bomb with them. And if they do, they'll only limit themselves by going upwards."
"Y-yes, an astute response, young Todoroki! Look, young Tatewaki has just finished clearing the fourth floor!" All Might stuttered briefly before whipping a thumbs up, having his thunder stolen.
Raising and teaching a student was hard, now that he had a whole class, it felt like the burden had magnified by a hundred times!
Such was the way of being a teacher, he supposed. Giving him a new appreciation for his mentors.
Well, not all of them. He shuddered in fear from remembering the times he had with Gran Torino. Hopefully, he would never need to resort to such drastic lengths.
Back to young Tatewaki, the former eyes widened on the screen though none of the class was surprised since they already saw what awaited him during the preparation phase. Some even felt sympathetic.
The fifth and fourth floor, while having stray booby traps, wasn't as hard as the third as each room now had a metal barricade in place.
But that's not even the end of it.
In the small space of time that Kurono stopped in their tracks to study the area, another trap went off right next to them.
Ojiro's heart beat faster and found himself breathing deeply. Hoping and praying that the strongest person of his age that he knew was taken out just like that.
Luckily, Kurono yet again managed to shield himself in time. Though the cuffs of his wrist caught the tape, making All Might lean forward before shaking his head and letting it pass. It was simply hanging due to the glue. One that Kurono irritably ripped off and threw it to the side.
The latter had a contemplating look momentarily, relaxed, and then a narrowed gaze. From that rapid change of expression, was the equally befuddling move as he threw the sword forward.
Ojiro's newly released breath caught itself in his lungs yet again, wondering just what on earth did his friend planned as it triggered every trap in its way.
Scores of explosives went off, coating every inch of the hallway with glue and capture tape.
"What the-?"
Before confusion set in, Kurono knelt and gushes of blood spurted out forcefully from the palm of their hands like a hose. Going straight down the hallway until the very end. Creating a straight path for him to walk on as it solidified itself.
Ojiro raised his eyebrow and shook his head at that. Looks like Kurono's way of thinking hasn't changed that much at all.
Still, taking a look at the timer. It's still possible for them to run out of time since the bomb placement was no easy task to find.
Come on, don't you dare lose this early. Ojiro's tail swished to the sides and arms crossed.
Smash, look, move.
A long line of metal planks was sliced effortlessly like it was made of cabbages. It clattered to the ground, revealing a door hidden behind.
Before the last of the sliced planks fell, a slender foot kicked the door dead center and ripped it clean from its hinges.
Two pupils darted across the room, scanned it, and ran off to the next barred room.
Smash, look, move.
And so the motion repeats itself as a pink and black figure blurred down the hallway. Going through its long hallway in record speed before reaching the last room.
"Ungh." Their communication device crackled and flickered to life as Tokoyami's voice echoed through it in pain.
"How're your ears?" Kurono asked louder than necessary.
"Fine, just…an unexpected trial from the abyss," Tokoyami replied between sharp hitches of groans and heavy breathing. "Apologies, this one proved useless in the face of our opposition. Once I am done wallowing in the darkness, I shall strike them down-"
"Wallow as long as you need," Kurono ordered as he brought his foot down onto the door. "We're nearly done with the third floor anyway."
Crona swept the area, spotted no trace of the large bomb, and moved on to the stairs.
"Dark Shadow, any movements from the villain team?" Kurono continued as the operator and sitrep.
"Nope, they didn't come down."
"Good." Leaping upwards and clearing multiple steps of the stairs, Crona then lashed their sword upwards at the apex of their jump. Spearing a ball and its electrical device right behind them without even turning back, cleverly hidden a few inches away from where the previous one was.
"Second floor," Crona muttered through gritted teeth as they landed, leaving a small crack behind and tearing a small chunk of tile upward in their ceaseless charge. Another mighty leap forward and they cleared themselves into a direct arc for the exit door.
Swords raised, they swung it downwards and sliced the door in half. In tandem, Kurono used the landing motion to shove the door with the shoulder, sending it sliding noisily across the floor.
Eyes locked down at the end of the hallway, seeing Momo and Jiro ready to face him.
There they are, let's get them! Kurono eagerly said.
"N-No," Crona whispered as they noticed something of far more interest. Specifically, the large twin doors behind the pair.
An unbarred large twin door.
Jiro ear jacks, already elongated and attached to their modified boots. Fired a cone of sound towards them without any hesitation From the corner, Momo had light flashed at the elbow of her skin even as she trained her modified crossbow and fired a large ball towards him.
Crona whipped to the sides, spotting the uniformly laid rooms that were predictably blocked. Body bent and turned unnaturally fast as two minds worked together as one. Their black sword, Ragnarok, shredded the barrier and door easily in a single stroke.
With the momentum, they dived into the room. Escaping from an infrasound attack wave alongside a net that would have hit their previous position if they had been a few seconds slower.
Their hearts pounded as they got to their feet, ignoring the rapidly building mass of glue that blocked their escape path.
Right now, only one thing was on their mind.
"Tokoyami, are you able to move?" Kurono pressed their earpiece with their left.
"Yes," Tokoyami stoically replied and the sound of feet shuffling followed.
"They're on me, check the first floor." He ordered as Crona took full control of their body, their attention squared at the rapidly approaching wall. "Then converge on second."
"Very well. Let us bring this festival of light and dark to its climax." Tokoyami readily said before the earpiece clicked into silence.
Feet spun on their heels as Crona leaned to the sides, so much so that they stood with only a leg and head close to hitting the floor. Kurono synced their movement as their third hand morphed themselves into a thin blade, catching it with the left.
"Right." Crona grimaced their lips out of habit.
Left. Kurono said.
In one swift move, they landed two large cuts onto the wall. Twisting their hips forcefully, muscles propelled the body forward like a spring as Kurono finished the last cut, creating a triangular shape.
Crona stabbed it at the center and pushed.
The center of the slab of brick moved forward like butter and allowed them to pass into the next room.
I knew it. Kurono grew emboldened as nothing was stopping them. A sentiment mirrored by Crona as they flicked the portion of the wall stuck to their sword off with a twist of their wrist.
The hallways were fully booby-trapped, and nearly every corner had some sort of hidden surprise waiting.
But the inside of the rooms was the total opposite.
Another triple cut to the wall, kick and they're through another room. Two more rooms and they'll reach their objective.
Think they'll make it?
"They'll…make it," Crona stated as they cut their third wall apart. The final one between their goal.
This time, favoring brute strength than finesse, they brought both swords down into a cross pattern. Slicing and shearing the walls deeply before they struck it with their leg, blurring and slamming into it brutally.
Speed and force combined with extreme weight met the damaged wall. Cement, bricks, metal poles, and chunks of concrete exploded from the direct impact of his foot into a cloud of debris.
They charged in and scanned for any large objects in the room and past the settled dust.
Barricades, wires, and a large cannon? Shaking at that and put it aside since it was pointed at the door instead of him. They had planned for his eventual arrival thoroughly.
There! Right in the middle of the large hall and its multiple pillars, was their objective, the faux nuclear bomb.
Go!
Exploding into action as their legs burned and thrummed with power. They crossed the distance by half before the door swung open.
"Not so fast!" Jiro quickly activated her stereo boots and fired at full volume as her rapid heart-thumping turned her usual blast into a near-solid wall of sound. Reverberating and quaking the floor to the point that the ones closest to her outright shatter.
A heavy foot stomped the ground, halting Kurono's momentum completely and cracking the floor tiles in the process as they jumped backward. Letting the sound attack missed him inches if he had continued forward.
With a click of their tongue, Kurono and Crona came to a similar conclusion and moved rapidly to the closest pillar. They can't afford to be exposed and neither wanted to experience a blown-out eardrum.
Moments later, multiple orbs slammed and broke open close to him. Letting loose a large number of clear fluids. It continued until the puddle surrounded him and pooled around his feet.
"We got you now, Tate-i mean, Hero! You're too late to stop the bomb!" Momo's voice came and rang loudly as shuffling footsteps came from their position. With a creak and slam, the doors closed and then locked with a heavy thud.
They're really playing the villain part huh? Kurono muttered as they idly knelt and used their finger to scoop some of the curious liquid, noting that it was clear oil instead of glue as they flicked it off.
"But won't you be caught in the oncoming blast?" Crona questioned that line of logic innocently after a moment of thought as they stood up with backs against the pillar.
"Uh, a small price to pay," Momo stumbled before regaining her bravado. "for the glory of our cause!"
"And what cause would that be? Blowing a city full of babies, kids, innocents, and old people that probably can't walk on their own? Is that your cause?" Kurono took over and continued the conversation and quickly snuck a peak, catching sight of a large metallic plank that blocked the door from being opened.
Hmm. He directed their head and eyes upward. Noting the high ceilings and the multitude of small cervices.
Open communications withTokoyami and let me buy some time, I got a plan.
"That-er," Momo couldn't find a proper retort to that but Jiro backed her up and nudged her to the sides.
"Ah!? Don't change the topic!"Putting on her best impression of a yakuza or a delinquent gang member, including the accent.
Frankly getting into the whole villain theme as Momo insisted since it is part of the exercise, felt...embarrassing but now that they committed to it, might as well go all in.
Besides, they're almost done with their preparation anyway.
"Tell you what, you turn yourselves in and I can plead with the judges to reduce your sentences." Kurono continued speaking from his hiding spot. "Attempted manslaughter and terrorism is better than the actual thing."
"It's ready," Momo whispered as she loaded a new ball onto her crossbow. This one had multi-color instead of a mono color.
Jiro nodded before she continued distracting. "Oh, and what's next? You'll prepare hot coffee for us?"
"Yes, actually."
Her partner continued to aim it at Kurono, taking a moment and waiting for her signal.
"How kind, and a plate of sliced puffer fish?" Jiro carefully stabbed her ear jacks into the grounds, a momentary pulse spreading out. Giving her an accurate layout and confirming that Kurono was very much still there.
"Oof, that is a bit out of my budget. How about a bowl of eel rice instead?"
"Eel rice? Well, that is a good alternative." Jiro replied mockingly as her heart thumped faster, hoping that Kurono stayed put.
"So you'll surrender?"
Lucky. Jiro raised her hand with a half-smile and was about to bring it down, one that had Momo tensed in anticipation.
Though that is when it hit Jiro as another softer set of footfalls came rapidly to her attention and was already at the second level but most of all, right outside of the door.
Tokoyami.
She signaled rapidly and gestured with her hands, pointing to the sides and behind. It took a moment but Momo quickly understood as she turned around to scramble for her detonator.
"Metal planks barring the door, enemies are five feet away." Barely, she caught the tail end of Kurono's conversation at the corner of her ears.
"Understood, Dark Shadow." An electronic reply came.
"You got it!"
The sealed door proved useless as Dark Shadow crept underneath it. Immediately batting the heavy plank barring its way and letting the door swing wide open.
Momo's eyes widened as she realized it was far too late for her detonator. Instead, the sensation of her quirk came to life and she created a small grenade with a yellow label from the palm of her hands.
Jiro's eyes widened before quickly covering her ears and eyes shut.
Before it fully formed, a swift swing of her arm was enough that it flew a good meter before landing right at dark shadow feet.
Dark Shadow attempted to swat it aside but that was exactly what Momo wanted.
"Sorry." She muttered out and turned away from the impending fallout.
The grenade warped outwards in the blink of an eye before a blast of light filled the room, Dark Shadow screamed outright and looked to disintegrate into a much smaller size before retreating from the room hastily.
And for the other! She aimed her crossbow and pulled the trigger.
The shot quickly went towards the pillar before splitting in half, leaving a long cable connecting the two ends.
The impromptu bolas swung around towards the pillar, aiming to trap Kurono but the latter had already slid away from his hiding position. He then stabbed the ground and used the sword to kick himself off towards them while neatly avoiding the projectile above him.
Already, another sword burst forth and formed itself in his hand. Then he arced backward for a swing with such an exaggeration that she thought he'll fall, noting his left hand gripping their upper right arm.
"Kyoka!" Momo slapped Jiro's shoulders, the latter opening her eyes and aimed her stereos even as Momo readied to fling a net towards Kurono.
Simultaneously, Kurono leaped upwards several feet in the air, high enough that the two of them had to crane their necks upwards as he bore down onto them like a meteor. Jiro clicked her tongue before widening in horror and realization.
My boots, if I don't brace them- Jiro wracked her brains furiously before coming into a reckless, and later on, embarrassing decision.
Slipping down right on her rear on purpose, her back meeting the floor painfully and a slight ring to her ears but that's fine.
Because the stereos in her boots were now pointed directly towards Kurono. Momo, who briefly panicked when Jiro fell, quickly switched her attention back and flung her hand outwards, creating a much larger net to ensnare him.
If they can deal with Kurono, it's their victory!
Then the sharp sound of an air horn blast interrupted them, seizing all of their movements.
"Heroes win!" All Might voices announced loudly throughout the entire building.
What? Jiro perplexedly thought. That can't be. They nearly caught him! Why did they lose?
"Finally," Kurono said before noticing the net, still in motion and ready to snagged him mid-air. "Oh."
That was all he could say before he fell like a piece of rock. Nearly landing on Jiro as she felt the heavy impact close up. Eyes wincing in sympathy as she got up to her feet.
"Are you alright? You took quite the fall." Tokoyami appeared from behind the entrance and stepped into the room. Dark Shadow hid underneath his cloak in fear, cowed by Momo, and receded further when they made eye contact.
"I-I'm fine, just-" Kurono stuttered in his reply before going to a more monotonous voice, left arm waving and pushed the net away futilely as it stretched like a rubber band before coming back together forcefully "The heck, it is not string"
"A specially reinforced rubber material net made for capturing wild animals, to be precise," Momo explained as Tokoyami bent down and assisted Kurono in untangling themselves. "Sorry, I didn't want the chance that you managed to cut the net, so I used this type instead."
"I don't get it, how?" Jiro on the other hand was more focused on their loss and quickly checked herself before glancing at Momo, seeing no hidden capture tapes wrapped around them.
"I know why," Momo for her part did the same until her eyes looked forwards, let out a sigh, and gestured to Jiro to do the same. "Look."
A floating severed hand that was completely pitch black rested on top of their faux bomb. Then jumping to life, it then turned towards them before giving a thumbs-up sign.
Curiously, Jiro turned back and saw that Kurono's left hand had the exact same motion before giving a peace sign.
"Fooled ya all."
"...Huh." She wearily sighed in resignation and slapped her hands against her forehead.
AN: As usual, leave a comment or drop by spacebattles/questionable questing in the story thread.