EmberSunblaze: Hello again! Hope everyone is doing well and had an enjoyable spring break! This chapter is a bit late in coming due to me taking a family trip to Washington D.C. to see the cherry blossom festival. Cherry blossoms are my favorite flowers, so it was a real treat to be able to see some in bloom ^_^ Hope you all enjoy the new chapter.

Chapter 36: The Shock

An eerie silence surrounded Kaminari as he crashed into the sea, his vision obscured by rising bubbles. He shook them away, floundering as he tried to make heads or tails of his surroundings. All the while, desperately searching for a sign of the captured Jiro.

"Okay, maybe this wasn't the best of ideas." Kaminari admitted to himself, fighting down the panic. "Dude, calm down! So what if I'm not the best swimmer ...or that my quirk is totally useless down here." It was then his gaze caught onto a mist of black spreading out below him, darkening the waters. Dread filled the young hero, the menacing display reminding him of a dark hole ready to engulf anything that stood in its way.

At the same time, memories of Jiro filled his thoughts. Of them playing volleyball together, of her teasing, of her trapped within Kai's clutches, and then of a fearful Jiro clinging to Kaminari after getting spooked by an octopus. "She was so scared…" Kaminari remembered, clenching his fists angrily. "And now this is happening!"

With renewed determination, Kaminari propelled himself downward, inwardly cringing as he became surrounded by the disgusting ink. "Damn it! This stuff is majorly disgusting! And I can't see a thing through it! How the hell am I going to find…." He froze, his waving arms coming in contact with something solid and very, very large. He grabbed it, almost letting out all his air as it bucked, completely lifting him out of th mist.

Back in the open ocean, Kaminari could clearly make out the large, red tentacle clutched beneath him. At the end of which was an ensnared Jiro, the tentacle wrapped around the length of her small frame. The appendage had even gone as far as pinning her earjacks roughly against her neck, immobilizing her only defense. "Jiro!" He pushed himself forward, gripping the tentacle stuck to her. He peered at her face, checking to make sure she was still conscious.

Jiro's eyes widened, obviously not expecting him to be here. Kaminari's relief was short-lived as he tried to figure out how to free her. "I have to get her out…but how?! If I use my quirk, Jiro will get shocked as well!"

Kaminari tugged at the tentacle, but felt his strength waning as the need for oxygen took hold. Fear pulsed through him as he saw Jiro struggle to hold her breath, the tentacle's crushing grip hindering her even more. "No! No! Jiro, hold on!" In desperation he bit down into the tentacle, feeling his teeth dig into disgusting flesh, hoping that might do something.

It did. Out of the cloud of dark ink, two other tentacles rose up, shooting towards the hero. One snared around Kaminari's neck, while the other wrapped around his wrist. "NO!" Kaminari protested, clinging to the tentacle wrapped around Jiro. "Let go of me! I'm not leaving Jiro!"

Then to his horror, Jiro's mouth opened, air bubbles rising from her mouth as she went unconscious.

"JIRO NO!" Kaminari silently yelled, his own air about to run out. "Someone! Anyone! HELP!"

The pressure around Kaminari's neck and wrist was suddenly released. He whipped round, shocked to find a familiar figure darting towards him, a red tentacle dangling from his mouth. "Baby Shark?"

The young tiger shark bared his sharp teeth in recognition. He swam past Kaminari, chomping at the tentacle that held Jiro and easily snapping it in two. The unconscious figure began to sink before Kaminari quickly scooped her up, struggling to swim both of them upwards. His alarm grew as he spied two tentacles suddenly appearing out of the darkness, aiming right for him and Jiro.

"Come on! Give me a break!" Kaminari groaned, grimacing in agony as he fought to hold his breath.

But just as the tentacles struck out, Ripper appeared, blocking Kaminari and Jiro from their wrath. As the tentacles wrapped around his forearms, the sidekick glanced over his shoulder at Kaminari and Jiro, his hurried instructions somehow reaching them through the water. "TAKE BABY SHARK! I'LL HOLD HIM OFF!"

The tiger shark rushed over, allowing Kaminari to grab his dorsal fin before pulling them swiftly up towards the surface. Kaminari chanced a glance down, where he spied Ripper's slashing at the tentacles before disappearing into the depths of the ominous cloud of ink, obviously intent on confronting the source of their distress.

Worried, Kaminari clung Jiro's body closer to his, silently wishing for Ripper's success… and praying neither of them were too late.

Ripper was having similar thoughts as he watched Baby Shark swiftly lead them up to the surface. The dire state Jiro was in concerned him more than anything. A heavy sense of guilt also weighed on him for leaving the sole responsibility of getting her to shore safely and responding to her medical needs to the young, still inexperienced Kaminari.

"Sorry…much as I would like to see you both through this hurdle ... .my orders are clear." Ripper murmured, thinking of the message radioed in by Vitamin C through his ear piece. "It's this bloke here…" He came to a stop, glaring at the mass of black ink spreading across the ocean's depths. Its presence, an attempt to obscure its master's location. "...is who I've got to beat some sense into."

Unfazed by the darkness, he swam in, invisible electromagnetic charges in the water making navigating through the inky-substance a simple feat. "I know you're here Kai…" Ripper growled, sensing his target near. "Don't think you can hide from me that easily." As if on cue, two red tentacles shot out from the darkness towards him.

Ripper expertly dodged to the side, his clawed hand swiping and detaching both tentacles in one swift motion. Blue blood spread through the water, the tentacle pieces gently floating down to the ocean floor. More came, with one lashing around his wrist. "Spunky bugger, ain't ya? Too bad I ain't playin' today!" He gave a mighty tug, the whip lash motion sending the ink cloud swirling. Several tentacles were again ripped off, the strength of the shark-quirked sidekick too much for them to handle. Ripper shook them off, glaring around the darkness impatiently.

"Goin' have ta do better than that to get at me, Kai!" Ripper called out, "Stop hiding like croc in the river! I already know ya there! How bout you and me have a bit of a chat, eh?"

At first, no answer came from the cloud of ink. But after a few moments, a deep, sullen voice replied. "I have nothing to say to anyone." A tentacle whipped out, clearing some of the ink away to reveal Kai's pale floating form. Dark blood dripped from stumps that had once been his arms and legs. As a startled Ripper watched, new tentacles grew in their place, the long forms writhing like snakes ready to strike. The villainous teen seemed unaffected by the pain of his wounds or of the miraculous growth that had taken place. His red-bloodshot eyes leered at the Ripper with undisguised hatred. "Not until I get Siren back!"

Ripper shot him a rough grin. "Come on now Kai. We both know that ain't gonna be happening. That sheila's too dangerous. No one in their right mind would allow her to be set free. Not after all she's done."

Kai's scowled darkened, his tentacles curling in disdain. "That may be so….but that fact won't stop me from getting revenge on those who brought her down…who brought us down!" The teen angrily spat, his body quivering with rage. "Those U.A. brats are going to pay for what they did!"

Ripper studied the younger teen, keeping his voice neutral as he attempted to reason with him. "I reckon you're way over your head. It's not like before. You don't have Siren or her prisoners backing you up. You won't be able to win this Kai, not alone."

"And who's fault is that?!" Kai demanded, all eight tentacles whipping in anger. "None of you understand a thing! Siren was my life! She gave me everything! Before I joined her my life was nothing but living hell! I'd rather die than go back to that! Back to those stares! Back to their whispers! Their taunts! Their scrutiny!" He sent the beach-bod sidekick a withering glare. "But I don't expect someone LIKE YOU to understand."

Ripper frowned. "I think we have more in common than you think, mate. I've been judged for my quirk too. I know how it feels. But going this route…you're only biting into what they're expecting of you!" He nodded towards the direction of the shore. "How bout ya call off your pals up on the beach and come along quietly with me. There's no need for us to shed any blood, not with Siren gone. This is your chance for a fresh start."

"Sorry." Kai answered coldly. "But I'm not looking to start over. Only to finish what's been started." He brought his tentacled forward, the tips curling as if wrapping around someone's neck. "Which involves inflicting as much pain as possible on those U.A. students."

A low growl escaped Ripper, who's patience was running thin. "Last warning Kai…give up this damn obsession on Siren and revenge! I can live with ya abducting me, using my body for your damn whims like a bunch of bloody bludgers! But I'll be damned before I let you drag those kids into this…." Flashes of a severely injured Tsuyu laid across a hospital bed filled his mind, fueling his desire to protect not only her, but the rest of students he had grown extremely fond of during their short time together. "...NOT AGAIN!"

The sidekick's bold declaration was met by cold indifference from Kai. "You're a little late for that." The corners of his mouth twisted to a sneer, his tentacles rising into a menacing stance. "Just like you were too late to save that stupid ear-girl back there."

The ominous taunt speared through Ripper like a harpoon. With an enraged snarl, he propelled himself towards Kai. "GO STUFF YOURSELF!" He roared, his voice lowering by several octaves as his body transformed. His muscles bulged to twice their normal size, while blueish-silver scales grew over his skin, becoming an armor that was as protective as it was intimidating.

With a speed that was unexpected for a beast of his size, Ripper charged at Kai, mouth bared open to reveal the deadly artillery held within. But despite the ferociousness of his opponent, Kai was ready for Ripper. He opened his mouth, spewing black ink that once again darkened their surroundings.

As Ripper zoomed past, Kai's tentacles shot out, five of them wrapping around his neck, wrists and legs. "You brawn and no brain types are all the same!" Two tentacles that were twisted together, pummeled against the captured sidekick's face like a sledge hammer made of pure muscle. "Completely predictable. Just like all the rest of the simple-minded horde Siren would recruit."

Ripper snapped his jaws at the tentacles, temporarily keeping it at bay. "Predictable aye?" With a mighty jerk, the sidekick managed to free one arm away. "PREDICT THIS!" Ripper growled, rotating his body like an underwater whirlpool, sweeping Kai and his tentacles in his wake.

Kai scowled, his efforts to pull away from Ripper's attack proving futile. He let out an anguished snarl as all four of the tentacles that had been entangled around Ripper tore away from his body. Bluish-red blood clouded the waters between the two. Ripper paused from his spinning, the detached tentacles hanging down pathetically. Ripper shook them off, spitting a loosened tooth out of his mouth before addressing a still bleeding Kai.

"I told ya, Kai. I'll tear as many of your arms and legs as possible to whack some sense into ya!" Ripper warned, glaring as more tentacles blossomed from Kai's body. "We may share this ocean turf, but there's no question who's the stronger one here!"

Kai didn't answer, panting as he clutched the newly formed tentacle. His dark gray eyes narrowed at Ripper, filled with loathing. "That's…." He replied, unfurling one of his tentacles. "...what you think." Hidden within one of the suckers, sat a small shining red orb-like object

Ripper tensed, a faint scent of blood emitting from the strange orb. "What's….?"

"I'll win this…." Kai murmured darkly, the shining orb illuminating his features in dark red light. "... even if I have to lose myself first."

Then, before Kai could stop him, he popped the small orb into his mouth.

"I demand permission to speak with the convict known as Siren!"

Detective Loid's brash demand was met with furtive glances between the two female officers standing guard. One of them, most likely the senior of the two, stepped forward. Hints of alarm, along with guilt clung to her as answered, "I apologize Detective Fujikawa, but due to the nature of the convict's quirk, we can't…"

"I can assure you I am well past the age where anything she says, does, or sings will be of any effect on me." He took out his gun, dropping it in her palm as he walked past the two. "If it eases your mind, you can hold on to this for me."

"Wait! Detective Fujikawa!" The baffled guard stammered, as her partner stood to the side, not sure of how to proceed. "We have to take precautions! We still don't know everything about this woman's quirk!"

Loid took out a card key, scanning it to enter the locked room. "I wouldn't be concerned. If anything happens, just know now that I have a completely useless quirk." He turned, his blue gaze unflinching as he added. "Just shoot me in the leg. That'll be enough to put me down."

The card key blinked green, allowing him access. Without another word he entered, locking the door behind him.

The white-walled room he entered was completely bare, the walls heavily sound-proofed for interrogations purposes and, for this case, protection. Besides a table and two swivel chairs, the cell was absent of furniture. Siren sat in one of those chairs, absently examining her nails with her back towards him. She wore an expression of bored disinterest, not even bothering to look over at the sound of the cell door opening. Instead she heaved an annoyed sigh, loudly verbalizing. "Argh….I thought I already made it clear. Unless there's a dick growing between those thick thighs of yours, I have absolutely no interest in speaking to you!"

"Then we shouldn't have a problem then." Loid declared, sitting across the table from her.

Siren froze, turning her chair slightly to set her sharp aqua eyes upon the expected visitor. They lit up, a coy smile playing upon her lips. She set her elbows upon the table, leaning in close as she teasingly replied. "No problem indeed. I don't believe we met before."

Loid noticed her casually touch the long strands of pink hair that hung down the side of her face. An attempt to hide a disfiguring burn mark. "It's Fujikawa…Detective Loid Fujikawa." He answered, meeting her curious gaze. "Fortunately, there'll be no need for introductions on your part. I happen to already know quite a bit about you."

"I'm flattered." Siren said with a laugh. "I'm sure there's a number of girls who would love the idea of a dashing man keeping tabs on them." She studied him, her sharp, feline-like nails coming to rest on cheek as she flirtatiously added, "Though if you truly knew me, you would know that a guy like you is a bit above my age range. What a shame." She shot him a wink. "Of course exceptions can always be made…with a few strings attached of course."

"As tempting as that offer sounds…" Loid answered, his tone dry and humorless. "I must decline. My reason for being here has nothing to do with you."

Siren quirked an eyebrow, amused. "Oh, really? Well if it's about all those "under-age men" that happened to fall under my unparalleled feminine charms then I'm afraid you'll just have to wait for my lawyer…"

"It's not." Loid cut her off, his cold gaze boring into her. "It's about Kai."

At the sound of her former sidekick's name, the villainess turned to face the detective. She crossed her arms, leaning back against the chair as if she was back on her cavern throne. When she addressed Loid, her tone lacked any of the playfulness from before, becoming as hard as steel.

"Go on."

"SENSEI!"

"VITAMIN C!"

Aizawa glanced up from where he had been wrestling several octopuses from a shrieking lady's hair. Sirius was quickly leading Koda and Asui through the erupting chaos towards their teacher. The other U.A. students had immediately disbanded once on shore to assist with the rescuing of beachgoers. Vitamin C joined Aizawa just as the small group arrived.

Sirius quickly saluted, giving a brisk report. "Our group is here to help, but I'm afraid we've hit a bit of trouble at sea…"

"Jiro was abducted and pulled into the ocean!" Koda cried out, close to tears.

"Kaminari jumped in after her, kero." Asui gravely added, managing to keep her composure despite the fear she had for her missing friends.

"So that's why Ripper's not here, eh?" Vitamin C questioned, turning to Sirius.

The blue-haired heroine nodded anxiously. "He went after them. But I haven't heard from him. I thought it was possible he made it to shore with the two but…" It took only one look at the two senior heroes' expressions for that hopeful thought to crumble.

"We haven't seen them." Aizawa grimly stated, casting a quick glance down the shoreline. "But we've also had our hands full here." He turned to Koda, asking. "Koda, can you talk to these octopus and make them retreat?"

"I've been trying…" Koda admitted. "But none of them are listening to me. I don't think my aquatic language is persuasive enough to convince them."

Sirius bit her lip, growing concerned. "This is bad. They should have made it by now. I'm calling the Captain!" She reached for her earpiece, ready to call in, when Asui's hand stopped her.

"Sirius, wait! By the time they get here it might be too late." Asui pressed her hand to her chest, determinedly insisting, "Let me go help instead!"

Before any of the adults could protest, a thundering splash sounded in the distance. The heroes looked to the ocean, gaping at the scene before them. Tentacles, as thick as tree trucks, churned the water's surface. In the middle of the humongous mass of tentacles, stood a pale, naked Kai. Tentacles protruded not just from his limbs, but in all the other parts of his body, curving and twisting around like his skinny form like wiggling anacondas. Pulsing blue veins were visible through his stretched and taut skin. Their pathways leading all the way to a face that was twisted with pain and rage.

"Is that…Kai?" Aizawa murmured, taking in the boy's outlandish transformation.

"Whatcha reckon happened to him?!" Vitamin C exclaimed, mouth hanging open at the sight.

A second splash followed the one made by Kai, as Ripper breached the surface, his primal roar loud enough to reach the beach. Despite now being dwarfed by Kai's new mutated form, the sidekick didn't hesitate to slam his body into the mass of tentacles. Knocking both of the titans back into the water to continue their aquatic battle.

A smaller splash followed this as Asui dashed through shoreline and dived into the waves before Sirius or Aizawa could stop her.

"Darn it, Froppy!" Sirius moaned, mentally kicking herself for not being quicker. "You're going to reopen your wounds!"

Silently, Aizawa agreed but knew there was no stopping her at this point. "It's not like these kids make a habit of listening to us adults anyway." Masking his frustration, he turned Sirius, briskly ordering, "Radio the Captain. We need a group to search for Jiro and Kaminari and another to back us up…"

"We're on it!" The two turned, spying a young pair of police officers running towards them. The spiky-hair male paused next to them, catching his breath as his female companion continued forward, happily calling back, "I'll leave the talking to you Hedgie! I'm going to start ZAP ZAPPING over here! Teehee!"

"Sorry…she doesn't get to use her quirk very often." Officer Hedgie explained. "We'rehere to assist you heroes with evacuating the beach—!"

"Ripper! Ripper! Is that you calling in?!" Vitamin C roared into her earpiece, cutting the officer off. "Damn this signal…" She adjusted it on loud speaker, so both Aizawa and Officer Hedgie could hear the message coming through.

"Sorry…turns out trying to talk and dodge ain't very easy, eh?" Ripper's voice carried through, speaking in a rush. "I'm guessing ya got a look at our pal Kai here. The bloke swallowed some red pill and went right berserk. Not sure what it was, but it reeked of blood."

There was a painful grunt and the sound of a tussle being heard. Ripper's voice came back, sounding strained. ""It's not looking good here. Whatever he took has his quirk going out of control. Those tentacles are taking over. He's not going to…"

A roar, filled with pain, exploded through the speaker before it grew eerily silent.

"Ripper! Ripper!" Vitamin C ordered, jamming the button on her earpiece. "Call back in, you little Aussie punk!" But no answer came through. "DAMN IT ALL!"

Aizawa frowned, their predicament looking more grim by the second. "If only I could reach him underwater. But even then, I'm not sure my quirk would have an effect. Not with those tentacles being part of Kai's body." Beside him, the officer known as Hedgie, was taking out his phone. "Calling for backup?"

"Not exactly…" Hedgie answered, bringing the phone to his ear. "Just passing along information. Hopefully to someone who can help!"

"WHY DOES THIS KEEP HAPPENING!?"

A despaired Yaoyorozu fell to her knees, staring numbly at the assortment of odd trinkets she had managed to fish out of the water. This included several pairs of flip-flops, a skateboard, a snorkeling headpiece, a foldable plastic chair, the head of a barbie doll, a rusty cooking pot…and for some bizarre reason…a coffee maker. But absolutely no fish.

"How does one even fish out a coffee maker?!" Yaoyorozu cried, frustrated tears pricking her eyes. "How is that possible?!"

Todoroki poked a stick at the seaweed infested piece of machinery. "It must have toppled off someone's boat." His gaze roamed over the rest of the junk pile, lightly commenting. "You really know how to clean up an ocean."

"But I didn't catch one single fish!" Yaoyorozu cried, hanging her head in disappointment. "I must be doing something wrong. A fishing equation I'm not figuring out."

"To be honest, I think it's more of a littering problem, than a fishing problem." Todoroki pointed out, glancing back at the pile.

Yaoyorozu sighed, still feeling dispirited. "I feel I must apologize to you Todoroki. I imagine this must not be fun for you. Seeing me make no progress at all when you've worked so hard to instruct me."

"Want to take a break?" Todoroki suddenly asked. He nodded towards the cliffside, where a beautiful red and white shrine stood. "We can go up there." Yaoyorozu blinked up at him, surprised by the sudden suggestion.

"Umm, okay. If that's what you wish." Yaoyorozu answered, grabbing his hand as he helped her up. "But we probably should dispose of all this first." She suggested, pointing to the junk pile. "It wouldn't do it for future heroes to be caught littering."

"Agreed." Todoroki said, helping to heave the junk to the nearest trash bins.

Afterward, they exited the beach, taking the nearby walkway that led up the cliff. Both were silent as they trekked upwards, the heat and humidity of the midday sun beating down upon them. Only once they had made it up to the top, they were rewarded by a strong, cooling gust of wind. Feeling more refreshed, they made their way through the sacred shrine, marveling at its intricate design. Stepping through the interior, they paused at the balcony overlooking the cliffside. Both of them leaned against the railings, admiring the oceanview as the breeze swept past.

"This shrine really is quite lovely." Yaoyorozu commented, the beautiful seascape lifting her earlier disappointment. She glanced at Todoroki, her tone questioningly as she asked, "What made you decide to visit here?"

"I thought it would be a place you would like." Todoroki answered, turning to meet her gaze. "It's one of the main reasons why I chose to go to Naminoue beach."

"Oh..I see." Yaoyorozu replied, her cheeks burning.

Luckily Todoroki didn't seem to notice as he further explained. "I don't think everyone takes to fishing. So I figured it would be good to be near an area where there would be other interesting attractions."

"That was quite insightful of you." Yaoyorozu complimented, feeling her cheeks return to normal. "However, your concerns were quite unnecessary. Despite my failures, I've enjoyed my time fishing with you."

"That's good to hear." Todoroki answered, his mind wandering as he recalled her outburst from earlier. "Before we came here you worried whether I was having fun." He paused briefly, mulling his thoughts. "Yesterday, when we first arrived at the beach and were instructed to have fun. I found myself questioning exactly what that meant."

Yaoyorozu listened, observing him as he leaned against the railings with a melancholy expression. "Due to my strict upbringing I never really had spare time to enjoy myself. So I wasn't quite sure how to go about having fun like normal people on a beach outing. Even with my friends' assistance, I still don't think I fully understand the appeal of many beach activities."

He looked up at the horizon, sounding more confident as he continued. "However, during this trip, I do think I've come to some sort of understanding of what makes the beach fun." Memories passed through his vision: Of Midoriya, Iida, and himself being on the beach together, of their volleyball matches between classmates, of him laughing aloud at Yaoyorozu's failed attempt to catch a fish. And in the very back of his mind, he quietly remembered him and his father, peacefully sitting together on the dock as the sun set before them.

"It's not really the activities that you do on the beach that make it enjoyable." Todoroki concluded, turning to Yaoyorozu. "It's doing those things with the people you care about that make it memorable." He smiled, his gaze gently resting on her. "I think spending time with you yesterday and today has helped me figure that out. Thank you, Yaoyorozu."

Yaoyorozu felt her cheeks grow warm at his words. She took a breath, her heart fluttering as she pondered how to respond."Even if I don't believe I'm in the position to receive praise. It fills me with joy to know that my presence has helped Todoroki in some way. I can only hope that our future together as teammates will be filled with more opportunities to grow. To learn from each other. And in the end become stronger heroes." Her fingers squeezed the rails, wanting so much for such a future to exist. "That is my wish."

"It was my pleasure." Yaoyorozu replied aloud, smiling as her raven colored hair swayed gently in the breeze.

The dazzling image it created left Todoroki momentarily speechless. "Do girls usually…sparkle?" Maybe sparkle wasn't the right term. But something about Yaoyorozu's presence was making him feel odd. A little light-headed, with his stomach seeming to flop around. And he could have sworn the air around him had warmed….He blinked, connecting the dots.

"Oh, that's it." Todoroki exclaimed, thumping his fist into his palm.

Yaoyorozu tilted her head, confused at his sudden exclamation. "Pardon? What's….it?"

"I'm having a heatstroke." Todoroki said, answering in a completely calm manner.

"YOU'RE WHAT—?!" Yaoyorozu's yell was drowned out by the vicious whirling of a helicopter as it zoomed past the shrine. Both teens winced, shielding their faces as tailwinds from the aircraft buffeted against them. Yaoyorozu clutched Todoroki's arm, yelling out to be heard. "That's a newschopper!"

"What's it doing flying so low!?'

"There must be an emergency of some kind happening right now!"

"I wonder what it is?" Todoroki asked, voice returning to normal as the chopper sped off. He felt Yaoyorozu release his arm, her lithe body poised and tense as she studied the direction the aircraft had taken. Something in her manner made him feel like she sensed something wrong was afoot.

"There's only one way to find out." Without warning, she hoisted herself onto the railings, gracefully maneuvering her way up to the temple's slanted rooftops.

"Yaoyorozu! Be careful!" Todoroki leaned as far as he dared against the railing, trying to get a glimpse of her as she scurried to the topmost point of the shrine. With the wind whipping against her, she extended her arm, producing a pair of top notch binoculars. With them she followed the helicopter's path, spotting a beach up the coast from them. A mass of people littered the area, with bulbous octopi clinging to many of them.

"No…it can't be…." Her attention was then diverted to the waters near the beach as a massive sprout of water erupted from the sea. Despite the heat, cold sweat clung to her skin. The memory of sticky, blubberous skin crushing against her body, squeezing the life out of it. Those memories resurface, horrid and so fresh as she spied those familiar tentacles rising upon the surface.

"Yaoyorozu!" Using his flame quirk, Todoroki had propelled himself up, landing next to her on the roof. He took in her stricken expression, immediately growing alarmed. "What's happening?"

Wordlessly she handed him the binoculars. He looked, eyes widening at what he saw. "Is that…."

"It's Kai…." Yaoyorozu solemnly answered. "He's back."

"Cute!"

"Ew."

"Wassup!?"

"Pass."

"Sus!"

"That's not even a word you Airhead!" Bakugo snarled, cutting off their word game as he pointed an accusing finger at Hagakure. The teens had decided to play a game of Shiritori while they continued to wait in line to enter one of Okinawa's infamous sweets shops. With neither of them having much in common, they had mutually decided it would be the safest and least argumentative way to pass the time while waiting in line. But it was clear even a simple word game was enough to keep the two biting at each other.

The invisible girl scoffed, crossing her arms indignantly. "Of course it's a word! I use it like almost every day!" For instance…" Hagakure leaned in, pointing her finger at his shoulder bag. "You're looking totally sus right now with that weird backpack you've been carrying around today." She lowered her voice, whispering. "Is it another grenade?"

His hand found her face, pushing her back. "Just because YOU use a word, doesn't make it REAL! If it's not in the dictionary, it's not official! If I'm being forced into playing this stupid game with you, at least follow the damn rules!"

"It's social media official." Hagakure pressed, holding up her phone to show all the different commenters using the word. "And no one's forcing you to play…unless you're scared of losing to me and all my new-gen word knowledge."

Bakugo's brow gave an angry twitch. "Watch me MURDER you and you're stupid made-up slang!"

"Ohhhhh tough talk, but what words will you use to walk the walk?" Hagakure teased, further irritating her classmate.

"Spineless!"

"Sheesh!"

"Honorificabilitudinitatibus!"

Silence came from Hagakure before she angrily cried out, "NO FAIR! NO MADE UP WORDS ALLOWED!"

"THAT'S A REAL WORD YOU FRICKIN' AIRHEAD!" Bakugo snarled, giving Hagakure's cheek a painful pinch.

The two's bickering was cut short as the couple ahead of them in line suddenly gave surprised gasps. Both Bakugo and Hagakure paused, listening as the girl showed her boyfriend the newsclip on her phone. The clip showed a newscaster filming from the air, her blonde hair flapping in the wind as she highlighted a live broadcast of an aerial view of a beach filled with frantic beachgoers.

"We're coming to you live, high above Naha's own local beach, just as chaos is breaking loose! Eight-armed fiends are invading the shores, terrorizing beachgoers!"

"Ew! Look at those things!" The girl holding the phone exclaimed, clinging to her boyfriend's arm. "I can't believe that's happening right here in Naha!"

"Yeah, good thing we skipped the beach today." Her boyfriend replied.

Behind them, both Bakugo and Hagakure had forgotten about their dispute. Without saying anything, Hagakure whipped out her phone, sharing the screen with Bakugo as she pulled up the same live feed. The camera was once again focused on the newscaster as she gave an update.

"We have visuals of our island pro-hero, Vitamin C on the scene now with two more pro-heroes from the mainland. Police forces have also sent in volunteers to help with the beach evacuation process. No word yet on the possible causes for such a strange—"

A thunderous crash was heard off screen, cutting off her report. The camera whipped around, zooming in as monstrous tentacles broke through the ocean's surface. The newscaster's voice was heard in the background, sounding almost gleeful as she yelled out her report.

"ARE YOU SEEING THIS FOLKS?! WE ARE COMING TO YOU LIVE RIGHT AS WE GET OUR FIRST SHOT OF WHAT COULD ONLY BE THE MONSTROSITY CAUSING ALL THIS!"

" Kai!? What's that jerk doing there?!" Hagakure furiously exclaimed. "Isn't he supposed to be locked up?! HEY!?" She yelled as Bakugo rushed out of line. "Where are you goin–"

"JUST WAIT THERE!" Bakugo ordered, his eyes blazing with unquenching fury as he moved away from the crowd of people waiting in line. "I'll be back. After I teach that walking fishbait a lesson he'll never forget!" With an angry snarl, fiery-hot explosions shot out from his palms, propelling him skyward like a rocket.

Hagakure watched him zoom away, muttering in annoyance. "Wait here he says...what am I, his sidekick or something?" She sighed, looking back at her phone where Kai's pale, distorted face was being zoomed in by the camera. She bit her lip, the grip on her phone tightening.

"Just…. be careful." She whispered, glancing skywards as his smoke trail slowly disappeared from sight.

"Your friends need your help! You must go. Now!"

Midoriya flinched, confusion overwhelming him as these words reverberated through his pounding skull. "My friends…in danger? Where?! Please tell me what's going on!"

"Deku! Deku, please can you hear me?!"

Midoriya gasped, heart racing as he snapped out of his daze. "Ur….Uraraka?"

The heroine stood over him, brows furrowed in concern. The water wall she had created with her quirk had fallen back to the ocean, once again opening them up to the outside world. Midoriya tensed, suddenly on high alert as he realized just how vulnerable they were out here, alone in the water. But before he could express his fears, Uraraka's palm cupped against his cheek, forcing his green eyes to meet hers.

"What happened?" She asked.

Her voice, kind but firm, seemed more than anything to bring him back to his senses. He grasped her arm, green eyes flashing urgently. "It's our friends…I think they're in trouble. We need to find out what's happening!"

He knew it didn't make any sense and that he must be sounding crazy right now. But to his immense relief, Uraraka didn't question him. Only giving a tense nod. "Okay, let's go!"

They sprinted through the water, reaching the beach and skidding to a halt next to their bags. Uraraka was first to fish out her phone, anxiety rising as she instantly glimpsed the many text messages left by Tsuyu. "Deku! You were right, something is wrong! Tsuyu messaged me a few minutes ago. Apparently Kyoka was attacked and now both Kaminari and her are missing!"

"That's not all." Midoriya stated, holding up his own phone. Uraraka paled, staring at the live broadcast of the beachgoers being terrorized by octopuses. Their eyes met, both seeming to be thinking the same thing.

"Do you think….?"

"It has to be!" Uraraka answered, jumping up. "We have to hurry! If Kai really has escaped, he's bound to try to get Siren! If that happens…." Her chest tightened, the mere thought sending fear spiking through her. To her surprise, Midoriya grabbed her hand, giving it a reassuring squeeze.

"It won't." He promised. "We'll make sure of it."

Uraraka smiled, his presence soothing her. "He's right. We can do this….we have to."

As she quickly pulled on her shorts and shirt over her swimwear, Midoriya crouched down, his bare back facing her. Looking over his shoulder he said, "I know it may be uncomfortable but would you be okay if I carried you on my back. With my arms free I can use Blackwhip to get us to the beach faster."

"O-Of course!" Uraraka stuttered, her gaze briefly scanning the nicely toned muscles. "How is this even happening right now!" She wrapped her arms around his neck, fighting a blush as she clung on tightly. His scent enveloped her senses, his fluffy hair tickling against her cheek. "I'm…I'm ready!" Uraraka called out, louder than she intended.

Midoriya didn't notice, his own senses buzzing with the unfamiliar sensation of Uraraka's body resting against his skin. "R-r-right!"

"Come on, this isn't the time to lose focus!" Midoriya berated himself, focusing his gaze on the seaside cliffs ahead of them. Energy pulsed through his body, building up as green sparks punctured the air. "Not when there's trouble ahead of us!"

He felt Uraraka's grip tighten, her legs wrapping around him. He pictured her from before, unconscious and wounded. Of the beachgoers being maliciously attacked. Of his friends that are lost in the midst of all this.

"HOLD ON TIGHT! Midoriya roared out, pelting forward at top speed. Greenish-black whips sprouted from his hands, attaching to the cliff's side. He flung himself upwards, using the whips as support as he ran against the cliff's rocky side. From this height they could see along the rest of the coast, spotting the beach where the trouble was brewing. A gasp came from Uraraka and for a moment he feared the ride was too much for her. It wasn't till he felt her lean forward, her voice yelling out against the wind, did he discover the true cause of her distress.

"Look at the water!"

Midoriya stole a glance towards the sea, alarm shooting through him at the sight of a cascade of water blasting from the surface, a familiar set of tentacles emerging from its depths.

"Kai…" Midoriya whispered, both their fears confirmed.

Author's Note:

-Naminoue Shrine is a real shrine on Naminoue beach. It sits atop a high bluff, overlooking Naminoue Beach and the ocean.

- Shiritori is a Japanese word game in which the players are required to say a word which begins with the final kana of the previous word. For the english version, they have to use a word that begins with the last letter of the previous word.