Time Is Ticking

Estelle stood at the cliffside with Kota and Midoriya. She had immediately forced the injured boy to sit so she could start to heal him. The green glow of the water showed that it was working but not quick enough to ride back into battle.

"My punch was weaker, but thanks to Estelle, we managed to take him down. We need to warn Aizawa and the pussycats. Right now, we have to make sure you are safe. We're going to require some help only you two can give us. Your water quirks can help put out the fire that my friends are trapped in."

Kota gulped.

"We need you both, Kota and Estelle. Now, get on my back."

"Hell no!" Estelle blurted; the two boys looked at her in puzzlement. Estelle and stood up and made a pulling motion to lift a piece of a large flat rock into the air and made it float.

"Step on; I'll heal you on the way."

"Oh."

Estelle treated Midoriya's arm whilst the rock beneath them flew through the air with tremendous speed.

"I forgot you could heal. I didn't even know you could do that before Stain," Midoriya muttered tiredly while Kota worriedly observed, clinging to the rock with his hands.

"There's a lot you don't know about me, Midoriya", Estelle retorted candidly.

"I think we're past last names. Call me Izuku."

"Alright. Izuku."

Estelle spotted Aizawa running towards the trees and immediately directed the makeshift ride to land in front of him.

"You're here. Thank goodness!" Izuku said in reprieve and word vomited everything he could. Estelle listened from the side-line while she tried to heal his arms further. His eye had gotten back to normal, at least. These arms; Estelle was relieved she could save them. She didn't tell Izuku about how bad it was, though. His reaction could have cost them time.

Estelle understood he was still running on adrenaline since he was talking a mile a minute. Aizawa managed to stop him for a moment to take in the message he needed to relay.

"Estelle, you should stay here if they are looking for you too."

"No need. I'm the best these kids have right now. I shouldn't be on the side-line; I'll be fine."

Before Aizawa could argue, Izuku stepped back onto the rock, and Estelle directed it to head straight for the Manadley.

"I would like to," Izuku called. Estelle gazed at him in confusion.

"Huh?"

"I would like to know you more."

"No. You don't."

After warning the remaining pussycats, Estelle and Izuku floated into the air to get a bird's eye view. They had pretty much disregarded the hero's words on staying put. Now was not the time for that; people needed them.

They found Shoji by some trees and dived down to meet him. Estelle noticed that another villain was further up and that there was ice. She realised that was probably where they needed to go next.

Shoto. Which means Bakugo is there as well.

"Shoji, what happened!?"

"We were ambushed, and I covered us. Tokoyami lost himself in his quirk, though. We need to get through to him. Plus, you look like you need to rest. But you want to save your friend, don't you? No matter the cost."

They stayed silent as Tokoyami came into view surrounded by Dark Shadow. The creature roared as Tokoyami tried to warn the trio to stay away.

"Estelle, use your fire to save him!" Izuku yelled out. Estelle just shook her head, causing him to swivel his head to her and say, "What? Why not?!"

"I could set the trees on fire if I'm not careful, and that would make this worse. I'm not close enough. I have an idea anyway - Shoji. Get on the rock and grip tight; make some noise for him to follow."

He agreed and stepped on, allowing Estelle to weave through the trees in quick succession immediately. Tokoyami and his quirk sped through the woods with a boom as he tried to capture the trio.

Estelle travelled to the location she had noted earlier that had a different villain. She could kill two birds with one stone if her classmates didn't deal with them yet.

Reaching the clearing, Estelle commanded Bakugo and Shoto to move out of the way.

"No! Use your fire and explosions to calm him down!" Yelled out Shoji and Izuku.

Bakugo held back Shoto with an understanding glance towards Estelle. She sighed in comfort that he followed the plan. The villain, who seemed to grow metal out of his body, attempted to get up but was promptly held down by Dark Shadow.

Dark Shadow lifted him and threw him into the trees. The villain crashed into the wood, beaten up and passed out in record time. Dark Shadow screeched, and Estelle, Bakugo and Shoto all lunged forward with their quirks on full display. Tokoyami's quirk quickly dimmed and shrunk over their weakness.

"Once again, I'm a bad match for you, Birdboy", Bakugo muttered.

"Thanks. You saved me," Tokoyami reacted in reprieve.

Estelle shifted to Shoji and asked, "Hey, I've healed Izuku as much as I could right now. He's still weak. Can you be a dear and carry him for me?"

Bakugo and Shoto noticed the name change.

Shoji nodded and wrapped two arms around the male, lifting him like a makeshift backpack. Shoji then checked in with Tokoyami "My friend. Are you okay? You did what we needed you to. Estelle was aware of the villain. It's why she didn't stop it and asked you to let Dark Shadow take over for now."

"It's true. I saw the villain on the way over. I wouldn't have let you hurt anyone," Estelle affirmed.

"Shoji, I apologise. You too, Midoriya and Estelle. I'm far too immature. Anger consumes me. I let my quirk take over. The darkness and my fury made me hurt Shoji," Tokoyami said while gripping the ground in mental turmoil.

Estelle stepped forward and kneeled in front of him with her hand on his shoulder.

"I'm sorry. I could have snapped you out of it earlier, but I was too busy thinking about the villain rather than you - mentally. I know what it's like to lose control. Believe me; I've been there. I can help with that. But now isn't the time."

"She's right; we'll deal with that later. That's what you'd say if the roles were reversed" Shoji moved in. Tokoyami lifted his head in revelation whilst Izuku chuckled briefly.

Estelle watched as Izuku informed Tokoyami of the current events and the plan of action. Estelle observed Bakugo make confused expressions as the group talked about the two of them like they weren't there. She let out a laugh from the picture, gaining a perplexed eyebrow lift from Shoto.

"I'll be fine by myself!" Bakugo eventually cried out, only to be ignored.

"We'll surround you two as you walk", Shoto stated.

"I don't need any of your protection, dammit!" Bakugo howled out in frustration.

"Bakugo. You may not need it. But do it anyway. There's a bunch of villains after us. This isn't the time for your ego to get in the way," Estelle scolded.

"Let's go", Shoji announced while beginning to move.

"Don't ignore me!"

"Just make sure to keep up," Shoto commented.

"Don't tell me what to do!" Bakugo roared once again before snarling to himself.

Estelle walked behind Bakugo when she discerned movement from the corner of her eye.

"Sorry boys, I would love to stay and be protected like a damsel in distress, but I think I'm needed elsewhere. I'll locate you later."

Before there could be a response, Estelle flew off into the air like a lightning strike.

"Estelle! The villains! There she goes, that was weird," Tokoyami shouted out after her before giving up.

"I think it's normal at this point. We can't go back for Estelle. We'll just need to trust her judgment," Shoto rebuked.

"Gahh! Why does she get to run off, and I'm forced to be stuck with you guys!"

Estelle examined the forest from the skyline when she noticed action near the area she was previously at. Rushing down to land on the greenery, Estelle was halfway there when she saw a picture formed through the burnt grass. The oh so familiar portrait of an Hourglass. This time, there was only a few grains left at the top.

Time was ticking.

The blast was coming.

Estelle could only hope her classmates were not in the impact.

When she landed on the soil, Estelle looked for anything else of suspicion. The rustling bushes instantly caught her attention. She glared when nothing came into view. She missed the bright grey glowing eyes that shined through the darkness behind her.

"I'm getting sick of this game. Come out," Estelle called out with a growl. She prepared her body to an offensive stance, ready to strike if needed.

"Someone is in a bad mood", A faint voice rang out with a chuckle. Detecting the sound was ringing out to her right, Estelle adapted quickly, only to find

Nothing?

The voice laughed menacingly. "Oh no, pumpkin! Do you not recognise my voice?"

Estelle furrowed her brows in puzzlement. It was silent around her as the voice allowed her the time to think it through. When it finally clicked in her brain, Estelle's breath halted.

"You. How are you here?"

"So you do recognise me! It seemed that sending you here made a crack in both worlds - like a gate! I figured I would check-in and see how you were doing." The voice tinkered around her smoothly. Estelle kept moving in a circle in the hope she would be able to detect the location. It didn't work. It was almost like he was everywhere but nowhere, all at the same time.

"And what have you surmised?" Estelle challenged to keep him talking. She desperately hoped the extra time would allow her to uncover something. Anything.

"That it isn't enough."

"Explain."

"I want to see you in pain, alone and forever forgotten. I want to see you die a slow and painful death. I want to see the fear in your eyes when you realise the inevitable. I want to see you fall. I want to laugh at the misery that I have brought you. I want your suffering,"

"Then come out, give me what you desire", Estelle prodded. She was officially done with the game of cat and mouse. He had been messing with her throughout her time in this world.

The voice laughed maniacally, ringing out through the trees like it would never end. Until it finally did.

"Oh, I will, but not yet. Time is ticking but has not yet run out. You will live to breathe another day. But hear me, when the time had completed. You will find me yourself, and we will finish this. For now, accept this as a token of my contempt for you."

Estelle cursed in her brain. Her strategy of getting him to stick around had failed. She opened her mouth to interrogate him further and prolong their time together, but it seemed that he had caught onto her thoughts.

Before her voice could even start vocalising, a beast ripped through the trees and roared. The newly dead barks crashed around her, and Estelle jumped out of the way to dodge the trees. The loud screech vibrated through the ground and shook everyone within a hundred-mile radius to their core.

A giant, the size of the long trees in the woods, estimated at about fifty feet, stumbled out. The grey and dead skin drooped off its body with wide, unblinking midnight eyes. It was grimy, stinky and lifeless as a doormat. The beast was practically naked with only a piece of cloth covering the top of its legs.

Estelle never thought she would see one of these again.

She hoped she never would.

Estelle roared back in a fury. The hatred for the being in front of her fuelling the very core of her emotions. Everyone looked to the sky at the sound.

They knew it was her.

The guttural sound of her scream wasn't like her.

It put them on edge.

The creature didn't waste any time as it raised both firsts and smashed them into the soil. Letting out another earth-shattering screech, the beast frantically pounded his fists over and over again in hopes of squishing Estelle like an overgrown bug.

Estelle darted upwards and pelted a hundred air bullets towards the troll. It squealed in pain as it fell backwards in slow motion. Estelle didn't give it the time to recover. She rose hundreds of vines to hold the swine down. Her blood boiled at the scene of the creature attempting to pull itself out of her hold.

Setting her arms alight, Estelle let out a stream of flames directly onto the bound beast. She amped up the temperature causing the creature to express the extreme pain as Estelle burned it alive. Creating a sizeable hardened spike with a rock, Estelle swiftly shot it through its heart and instantly killed it.

Just like in her own world, the monster spurted out blood and decayed away. He turned to speckles of dust and drifted away into the atmosphere.

Estelle panted for air; the adrenaline was finally disappearing with her ferocious anger.

She didn't allow herself to take any opportunity to process the events that had just taken place. It wasn't the time, and there were still villains lurking about the area. Raising herself into the sky, Estelle hunted for the group she had left behind. Estelle found them in the opposite direction from where they were supposed to be, crossing the night sky.

'Something must have gone wrong,' she considered while racing towards the direction of the group. When she had a better view, her eyes widened in recognition; they were battling with villains.

Estelle was still at a distance and was flying at high speed. She watched as Aoyama used his laser from the trees, effectively hitting a villain's arm. Shoji and Todoroki rushed towards the criminals disappearing through the warp gate with their arms raised. Estelle pushed herself even harder, the flames amplifying when she saw Bakugo standing at the warp gate. She cursed herself; she should have been there.

"Kaachan! No!" Izuku roared out.

Estelle finally descended where the warp gate was.

They were gone.

Estelle didn't reach them in time.

Izuku screamed.

They lost.