Ember Sunblaze: Happy 4th of July! Glad I was able to post something for the holidays! Hope you all enjoy the new chapter ^_^

Chapter 37: The Kraken

"I see…thanks for the info."

Detective Loid disconnected the call. His cellphone, which had been on speaker, laid quietly on the tabletop between him and Siren. The pink-haired sorceress was frowning, blue-eyes staring coldly down at the device. The detective waited, sensing the brewing unease radiating off of her. "Well?"

"That idiot." Siren murmured, an agitated sigh escaping her lips.

"Care to elaborate?" Loid pressed, feeling her defensive walls crumbling at the plight of her sidekick. A sidekick she seemed to care about more than she let on.

Siren sat back in the chair, twirling a strand of hair around her finger. Obviously debating on how much she was willing to reveal. "As I'm sure you're well aware, there are…limitations to my quirk." Her manicured nails tapped the tabletop, indicating her annoyance. "Despite all my best attempts, my voice is unable to take control of men who pass a certain age. No amplification or modification of my voice is able to change that part of my quirk." The tapping paused, her nails lingering on the wood. "Something my ex-boyfriend just couldn't stand."

"The gang boss I'm assuming?" Loid commented, "The one you have repeatedly refused to give us a name?"

"Sorry, but I have a strict policy of not getting others involved in lovers' feuds." She airily replied, ignoring his irked glare. "That goes double for the police. Nothing personal."

Loid massaged his temple, moving on. "Fine, let's just stick with the parts concerning Kai. Now what does your quirk have to do with that red drug he took?"

Siren crossed her arms. "It's a concoction my Ex had one of his science-type goons develop. A strange cocktail of blood taken from boys under my control, my own blood, and other elements. The point was to find a way for my quirk to control a larger range of clientele. Guards, powerful business men, even pro-heroes." A shadow seemed to pass over Siren, her tone becoming more guarded as she continued. "However, the formula didn't quite work. The concoction succeeded in increasing the power levels of the victim but with a cost. Everything about them becomes unstable. Their minds, their quirks, everything goes berserk. My voice, even if they are in my age range, is unable to stop them."

"So you kept the drug around, despite the hazards that came with it."

"Nations don't throw away nuclear weapons," Siren smoothly countered, "Even when well aware of the destruction caused in their wake. Despite the drug's instability, there's no denying the power it holds. Which is why when I left the gang, I made a point of snatching every ounce of that drug with me." She growled, flipping her hair haughtily back. "No way in hell was I letting my Ex gain any profits from something created from my own blood!"

"And Kai was aware of all this?" Loid inquired, narrowing his eyes at her. "Of the risks?"

"OF COURSE HE WAS!" An enraged Siren snapped, standing from her chair. A wave of anger and guilt flaring towards Loid. The detective flinched, her strong emotions crashing down upon him in waves, making him flinch. "I warned him! Warned him about the danger! Of what would happen to him…." She clutched at her chest, pain and frustration etched into her features. "I warned him that if he ever took it, absolutely nothing would be able to stop him…not even me."

The villainess grew quiet, her thoughts likely on the rampaging drug-induced sidekick.

"Siren." Loid addressed her, keeping his tone firm but gentle. "We also want to save Kai. But we're going to need your assistance. This drug is a by-product of your quirk. Any knowledge you have could be of use to helping us stop Kai."

Siren gave a humorless laugh. "Stop him? I'm afraid there is no stopping him. Once that drug is in his system, his power levels will rise off the charts. His quirk's abilities will be amplified to a degree even he won't be able to control. Those young heroes who took us down. They're useless. Attacks against him are futile because pain is no longer a factor to him." She met the detective's stare, her words diminishing any hope of saving her young sidekick.

"At this point, nothing and no one will be able to stop Kai."

"Uraraka!"

"Got it!"

Midoriya launched himself from the cliff wall, retracting his Blackwhip just as Uraraka's palms glowed pink, pressing against his back. As weightlessness took hold he swiveled in midair, his back facing the open ocean. Holding his hand out, he quickly yelled, "Hold on!" Only once he felt Uraraka's arms tighten around his neck did he position his fingers, building up the energy of One for All.

"LET'S GO!" With a flick of his fingers, a rush of suppressed power escaped, pushing him and Uraraka forward through the air at tremendous speeds. Both of them heading to the sight where they had seen the monstrous new form of Kai, disappear into the waters. As Midoriya pushed them through the air, Uraraka kept her eyes forward, scanning the waves for any sign of their adversary. Instead, she caught another strange sight.

"Deku, look!" Uraraka cried out, pointing below. "It's Momo and Tokoroki!"

"Huh?" Midoriya paused his firing, glancing downwards. He saw Todoroki surfing across the water's surface over white sheets of ice that blasted from his palms. Following in his wake was Yaoyorozu, skillfully gliding over the ice using a pair of ice skates she had created. It seemed like the two were heading in the same direction as they were.

Uraraka waved a hand, yelling loudly to be heard. "MOMO! TODOROKI! LOOK UP HERE!" Todoroki was the first to hear, looking over his shoulder in surprise.

"Is that…Midoriya?" Todoroki murmured to himself, quickly ceasing using his ice powers as Yaoyorozu skidded to a halt beside him.

"Uraraka!?" Yaoyorozu exclaimed, craning her neck upwards. "What are you and Midoriya doing up there!?"

"WE SAW KAI!" Uraraka yelled.

"SO DID WE!" Yaoyorozu answered back. "WE'RE HEADING OVER TO STOP HIM!"

"If that's the case, I wonder if anyone else from the class will be there?" Midoriya wondered aloud.

"OUT OF MY WAY YOU FRICKIN LOVEBIRDS!" A familiar voice demanded from behind. Both Midoriya and Uraraka whipped around just in time to see a speeding Bakugo rocketing his way through the air right towards them.

"Eeeek!" Uraraka yelped, deactivating her quirk in a panic to get them out of the blonde's projected path. Both her and Midoriya cried out as their bodies pummeled downwards as gravity took hold once more. With practiced ease Todoroki shot ice upwards towards them, creating a slick path of ice similar to a slide. The two landed on it with a thud, sliding down and onto the same frozen platform as Todoroki and Yaoyorozu.

"Thanks Todoroki!" Midoriya said, gratefully taking Todoroki's hand as he helped his friend get back on his feet on the slippery surface. "You really saved our butts back there." Yaoyorozu did the same to a shivering Uraraka.

"O-o-our f-f-frozen b-b-utts!" Uraraka managed to say through chattering teeth. Yaoyorozu giggled, creating a light pink jacket for her shivering friend.

"No problem." Todoroki replied, watching as a disgruntled Bakugo also landed on the platform. "Seems we weren't the only ones who noticed Kai."

"Hey, you two!" Bakugo barked, pointing an accusing finger at Midoriya and Uraraka. "If you can't fly, STAY OUT OF MY SKIES!"

"Your skies?" Yoayorozu repeated, bending down to remove the ice skates from her feet. "I'm afraid these skies aren't property to anyone. Especially a bunch of mainlander tourists."

"Can it, Rich Girl!" Bakugo snapped, "I don't have time to be slowed down by a bunch of extras right now! Not when that deranged kraken wannabe is mocking us all on live stream!"

"So you saw Kai too. Just like the rest of us." Midoriya confirmed, eyeing the small group of classmates. "If that's the case, I'm sure we're not the only ones heading this way to face him."

"I wouldn't be so sure." Yaoyorozu said, pointing towards the distant beach. Small black dots showed signs of a large mass of people crowding the shoreline. "I'm afraid most of the authorities are going to have their hands full assisting citizens."

"They'll also mostly be relying on heroes with aquatic based quirks to be averted this way to take on Kai." Todoroki pointed out, scanning the waters warily. "I didn't think too much of it before, but being surrounded by the ocean does mean we have a major disadvantage."

"I really hope someone has managed to help Kyoka and Kaminari!" Uraraka fretted, pulling the jacket in tighter. Yaoyorozu gasped, turning to her Uraraka.

"What are you talking about?" Yaoyorozu demanded, fear for her best friend growing. "What's happened to Kyoka?"

As Uraraka quickly showed her the text she received from Tsuyu, Todoroki turned to Midoriya and Bakugo, his tone low as he remarked dryly. "Is it just me or are we the only ones foolhardy enough to rush into this without a plan?"

"Speak for yourself!" Bakugo snapped. "Unlike you useless landlubbers, I have an aerial advantage! I dare that overgrown load of blubber to dare try and touch me."

"None of that matters if he manages to pull you underwater." Midoriya warned, his mind warping through the possible scenarios. "Since neither of you have fought Kai before you need to know that he shouldn't be underestimated. What he lacks in hand-to-hand combat, he makes up for with surprise attacks."

"His quirk is based on the capabilities of cephalopods, correct?" Todoroki confirmed.

Midoriya nodded. "Yeah, so the major areas we have to avoid are his tentacles, which have regrowth abilities, and his ink blots, which can easily hinder your vision. If we're caught by either of those, we'll be in real trouble."

"He can also speak to other octopuses and use them as weapons." Ururaka added.

"So we'll be playing defensive for the majority of the battle." Todoroki commented, as Bakugo sighed in annoyance.

"Let's just lure the damn squid out so I can blow every last tentacle off of that bastard!" Bakugo snarled, anger reverberating from every syllable. "I don't care how many times! That punk is going to pay with every damn arm, leg or tentacle on him for what he did to us down there! WHAT HE MADE US DO TO THEM!" He roared, pointing at an astonished Uraraka and Yaoyorozu.

Midoriya moved between them, attempting to calm his childhood friend. "I understand your frustration. But this isn't a fight we should rush into."

"Midoriya's right." Yaoyorozu agreed. "Especially since this version of Kai seems a lot more dangerous."

"What do you mean by this version?" Todoroki asked. Unlike the rest of the group, he had never actually met the sidekick.

"The Kai we saw breach out of the water looked a lot different than one we battled down in the caverns." Yaoyorozu explained. "This one is a lot bigger and…..unhinged. Whether it's due to an extension of his quirk or outside factors, it's definitely clear we should exercise extreme caution going forward. " The group nodded in unison.

Uraraka lifted her hand. "Hey guys? Did you all hear something?"

The group froze in place, listening. For a moment, the only sound heard was of the waves crashing against their icy platform. Then it appeared. A faint cracking noise….

"IT'S COMING FROM BELOW!" Todoroki warned aloud, right as the ice below them violently tilted upwards. A spray of salt water and shards of broken ice rained down upon the young heroes as the ice sheet split from the middle. A colossal sized tentacle emerging from the waters underneath them.

"SCATTER!" Midoriya ordered, as their only solid ground broke apart. Bakugo instantly blasted upwards, becoming airborne. Uraraka did the same, activating her quirk on Midoriya and Yaoyorozu as well. Instead of following suit, Todoroki jetted across the water's surface, freezing it as he went.

"There's more coming!" Todoroki yelled out as several tentacles, as long as tree trunks, burst from the water. They extended their full length, reaching out for the floating teens.

"OUT OF MY WAY!" Bakugo snarled, getting in between Midoriya, Uraraka, and Yaoyorozu and the rising tentacles. "AP MACHINE-GUN!" A barrage of explosions were unleashed from his palms, filling the air with dark smoke as they fell upon the tentacles.

"Did he get them?" Uraraka wondered aloud, as they all tried to see through the haze of smoke.

A confident grin split Bakugo's face. "Heh! Small fry!" But his grin soon vanished as five tentacles, their blubber covered in flames, emerged from the haze of smoke and slammed against Bakugo.

"KACCHAN!" Midoriya cried out, as Bakugo's body slammed into the water.

"DEKU!" Uraraka yelled, pushing him away as a stray tentacle shot past, barely missing him. It was swiftly cut in half by a floating Yaoyorozu, who now carried twin katana blades in each hand.

"There's more of them coming!" She warned, forcing their attention on the upcoming attack.

Down below, Todoroki had witnessed Bakugo's failed barrage against the tentacles and was on the move.

"GOT HIM!" Todoroki yelled, submerging his hand into the water. Immediately a trail of ice formed until it reached where Bakugo had landed. A tower of ice shot upwards, lifting a dripping wet Bakugo out of the water. He coughed, saltwater spilling from his mouth. Before Todoroki could make his way towards his teammate, a tentacle shot out from the waters next to him, quickly wrapping itself around the length of his body.

"Get….off…me!" Todoroki growled through gritted teeth, immediately engulfing the left side of his face in fiery hot flames. He expected the tentacle to instantly shrink away from the heat. But to his shock, it did nothing to hinder its progress. Despite the flames that blistered its blubbery skin, it still continued to wrap itself around Todoroki's body, squeezing the strength from him. Todoroki gasped, breathing becoming steadily more difficult. Even more so as the stench of burned flesh filled his nostrils, making him want to gag. "Why….isn't this working?"

"Uraraka!" Yaoyorozu called out, the first to notice the predicament Todoroki was in. Uraraka paused from dodging, her fingers coming together.

Yaoyorozu fell from the sky, thrusting her katanas downwards and impaling the tentacle that had Todoroki in its grasp. It gave a defiant wiggle but still held on, bright blue blood squirting from its wound. Her eyes narrowed, understanding sinking in as another blade emerged from her body. Swinging it forward, she sliced the tentacle in half. Blue blood sprayed from the severed limb, covering her and Todoroki. He fell to his knees, immediately pulling the lifeless tentacle off of him.

"Huff…huff…thanks." Todoroki said, his chest heaving as he took in mouthfuls of air. He glanced up, eyes widened at the stunning sight of Yaoyorozu in battle mode. Both hands carried lethal blades, their edges slick with shiny blue blood. Her buttoned top from before was completely abandoned, leaving only her in shorts and a bikini top for better use of her Create quirk. He found himself staring, mouth slightly agape. "Yaoyorozu…."

"Focus on immobilizing with your ice powers." Yaoyorozu ordered, too preoccupied to notice his stares. "Fire won't do any good. Not when he doesn't feel pain."

"Was he like this before?" Todoroki questioned, rising up next to her. The ice where they stood shifted beneath their feet, rocking with the waves that churned the water's surface. Five tentacles rose from the ocean, writhing and reaching for any targets they could sense nearby.

Yaoyorozu's frown deepened, watching their every move. "No….which makes him even more dangerous now." All further conversation ceased between them as two more tentacles burst from the waters, coming right at them.

They each leapt in opposite directions, with Todoroki sending out a blast of ice for Yaoyorozu to land on. She thrust her blades into it, keeping her from slipping into the sea. "This is bad. I'm at a complete disadvantage in this type of terrain. Even with Todoroki's ice keeping me on the surface, I'm still one slip away from falling into the enemy's trap."

As she spoke, she heard the splash of something emerging from the water. In reflex, she yanked the blades free, swinging them around to attack. But just as quickly she froze, blinking down at a pair of familiar round eyes. "Tsu-Tsuyu?!"

"Kero!" She nodded, crawling onto the ice. Behind her, wrapped tightly in her tongue, was another familiar figure.

Yaoyorozu gave a horrified gasp, immediately bending down to examine a severely injured Ripper. He laid still upon the ice, his huge bulk taking up most of the space. His sides rose up and down, breathing heavily. She checked his pulse, finding it hard to detect under his thick scales. "This…doesn't look good." She quickly turned to her friend, asking, "Do you think you can make it to shore with—"

"Watch out!"

The girls glanced up just in time to see two tentacles coming right at them. Todoroki's ice spears impaled them, their wiggling ends still trying to smash free. He skidded next to the girls, guarding them from the trapped tentacles. "Yaoyorozu. Asui. What's the plan with Ripper?"

"I can try to make it to shore with him, but it won't be easy with Kai." Asui explained. "It's taken all I've got just to keep those tentacles at bay and away from us."

"Do you know the depth Kai's hiding at?" Todoroki asked, shooting another icicle at a tentacle.

Asui nodded. "Yes, kero!"

Todoroki grinned. "That's all I need to know."

Not far off, Bakugo lifted himself from the ice, shaking his head dry like a dog. "You're going to pay double for that cheap shot!" He growled, lifting his hand towards the nearest tentacle. His eyes widened upon realization that an octopus had attached itself to his hand, completely covering it. "What the…?"

He lifted his other hand, finding two more octopus had wrapped themselves around that one as well. "Hey! Get off!" His head swiveled around, discovering the whole iceberg he was standing on was quickly becoming covered with the annoying pest. "OI! GET THE HELL OUT OF HERE YOU DAMN FREE-LOADERS!"

A tug from behind made him glance over his shoulder. Where, to his dismay, he discovered not only had his bag been unhooked, but it was now being dragged across the ice by a curious group of octopus. "THAT'S IT!" Bakugo raged, chomping down on the head of the octopus that clung to his hand and yanking it off with a wild jerk.

With one hand now free, he blasted an explosion mere inches away from the retreating group of octopuses. They froze, their blubbery bodies quivering, as an enraged Bakugo towered over them. Their comrade-in-arms still clutched in his mouth. The seething hero spat it out, terrorized tears streaming from the poor creature as it quickly joined the rest of its species. "I don't need words to tell you filthy fishbait what THAT MEANS!"

The octopus seemed to agree. They left his bag, quickly retreating into the safety of the ocean. "Idiots." Bakugo grumbled, slipping his bag over his shoulder with an annoyed tsk. It was then, he noticed a large shadow falling over him. Not bothering to turn, he set off explosions from both his palms, blasting forward in the nick of time just as a large tentacle came crashing down right where he had been standing a mere moment ago.

"Why can't that damn Kai just show his face!" Bakugo cursed, watching the writhing mass of tentacles with contempt. "Instead of having us waste our time dealing with these nuisances!"

"KACCHAN!"

"DEKU!" Midoriya felt himself get pushed, a tentacle shooting between him and Uraraka. It then fell, severed by Yaoyorozu's blades from where she floated just below them. But just as it splashed into the waters below, did three more tentacles rise out to take its place. Midoriya frowned, trying to think of a plan.

"Bakugo's explosions didn't slow them down at all. Is it resistant to heat? Or something else we're not seeing? Back in the cavern's Kaminari's electricity definitely caused a reaction…so maybe his defenses have been increased due to the transformation." He spied Uraraka releasing Yaoyorozu from zero gravity, her body landing gracefully down to assist Todoroki, who's flames also had no effect. "Cutting them off stops them but only briefly. Kai's regrowth abilities are fast. Even faster than before. Not only that, but the amount of tentacles he's growing have increased in number. But they're only a distraction, stopping us from getting to their host." He narrowed his eyes, attempting to see through the murky waters, clouded with ink. In a strained effort to catch a glimpse of their foe.

"Deku! I think I have an idea." Uraraka said, cutting him off from his racing thoughts. "If I can manage to touch one of those tentacles. I can try to lift Kai from the water." She quickly explained. "He'll have no place to hide and we'll be able to get a clear shot at him."

"You don't think it'll be too much for you?" Midoriya asked, thinking to himself, "After all, she's still recovering from the battle yesterday."

"No worries. I'll be fine." Uraraka replied, shooting him a confident smile. Midoriya nodded, trusting her judgment.

"Okay, stand back!" Midoriya floated downwards, within reach of the tentacles. Sensing an intruder, several tentacles coiled menacingly, getting ready to strike. Midoriya clenched his fists, bracing for them as they quickly shot towards him. He was ready.

"BLACK WHIP! LET'S GO!" Midoriya cried out, hands spread wide as black whips from each finger shot out. The greenish-black tendrils clashed against the red tentacles, wrapping against the writhing appendages. Like a trapped beast, they bucked wildly to escape. Midoriya clenched his jaw, muscles bulging as he fought to keep hold of the whips. "Ur-Ur-Uraraka! Now!"

"On it!" Uraraka pushed off his shoulders, zooming forward and reaching out a hand to touch the tentacles. But just as her fingertips were about to touch the blubbery surface, a surprise tentacle burst from the water, wrapping around her ankle. Before she could react, it gave a violent yank, dragging her down towards the water.

"URARAKA!" Deku screamed in dismay.

"AHHHHHH!" Uraraka screamed, bracing herself to be dragged underwater.

"Not on my watch!" Bakugo yelled, grabbing Uraraka around her middle with one hand. He used his other hand to blast forward, teeth grinding together as he fought to win this tug-of-war for Uraraka.

"Argh!" Uraraka cried out, the pressure on her ankle becoming almost unbearable.

"Stop complaining Round Cheeks!" Bakugo cursed, frustration growing as blast after blast did nothing to deter the unyielding tentacle. "This damn thing is stubborn!"

Midoriya watched from above, desperate to help. "But if I release my black whip, then they'll be in even more trouble!" Just as he was contemplating his next course of action, he heard a strange rumbling sound. "What—"

"-The hell?!" Bakugo finished, gaping as a giant mass of ice emerged from the water.

Planted on top of the iceberg was none other than their tedious foe Kai. At least, a shadow of the former sidekick. The boy had become almost recognizable under the mass of tentacles protruding from his body. One tentacle in particular had wrapped itself around Kai, becoming both a protective shield and prison for the young villain.

Luckily, the sudden breach was enough of a distraction for the tentacle to release its prey. Uraraka gave a sigh of relief, floating next to Bakugo. Her gaze drifted away to see Todoroki not far off, frost escaping from his breath at the exertion of making an iceberg of that magnitude. "Is this really Kai?" She thought, getting a cold chill at the grotesque figure before her. "He doesn't even resemble the person from before."

Nearby, Yaoyorozu glared up warily at the iceberg where Kai was perched upon. Holding her katana's ready, she quietly whispered instructions to Asui, who stood protectively next to the unconscious Ripper. "Tsuyu, now's your chance. While we have Kai distracted, take Ripper to the shore." Asui nodded, her tongue wrapping around the injured sidekick before silently slipping into the water.

"Bakugo! Todoroki!" Midoriya shouted down to them."Now's your chance!"

"DON'T TELL ME WHAT TO DO!" Bakugo snapped, rocketing past the maze of tentacles that Midoriya still struggled to hold in place with black whip. "And as for you!" He growled, getting up close and to fire a close range explosion directly on the thick tentacle covering Kai's body. "It's about time you showed your ugly mug!"

A few stray tentacles whipped out in an attempt to protect their host but were instantly blocked by a wall of ice that rose up from below.

"I don't think so." Todoroki calmly remarked from below.

Before the enemy could react, Bakugo's smirking face appeared over the wall, palms held wide open. "DIE!"

A powerful explosion erupted creating a mushroom of dark smoke that filled the air. Bakugo floated upwards next to Uraraka. Todoroki also retreated back, both of them waiting to see if the attack worked. Unbeknownst to them, someone else was watching them through the haze of smoke.

From beneath the folds of tentacles that shielded him, Kai's eyes blazed red, pupils darting to and fro like a caged animal. They fell on the airborne figures of Bakugo and Uraraka. "These creatures…" Then darted to the heroes standing on the water's surface. Their forms took on shapes of their own, conversing and twisting to grotesque animalistic creatures. "...they took Siren…" They zeroed in on Midoriya, who floated at the highest point, his Blackwhips spread out and resembling the legs of a eerie black spider to the delusional Kai. But it was those eyes, his glowing green eyes that sprung a spark of recognition.

"It's him…." Kai realized, a hazy black and white memory of Midoriya awakening from Siren's spell resurfacing. And how it was the starting steps that led to their downfall. "He's the one…WHO STARTED IT ALL!"

Before the smoke could clear, a multitude of tentacles erupted from the haze, surprising the heroes. All at once they were upon them, one grabbing a hold of Bakugo and whacking him against Uraraka.

At the same time, several tentacles shot towards Yaoyorozu. She did her best to defend against them with her katanas, but the magnitude of the attack was too overwhelming. As she sliced two in half, knocked over off her feet. She slid hard onto the ice, dazing herself. The tentacle came down, ready to crush her skull. Todoroki was there in a flash, sharp icicles impaling the stray tentacles.

The worst of it all was saved for Midoriya. As each of his friends were attacked simultaneously, Midoriya felt an enormous tug from the tentacles he held. He tightened his hold, fighting against the pull. It was during this struggle that Midoriya's gaze fell upon the clearing smoke, where the grotesque mass of tentacles that made up Kai was now becoming visible. There he could just make out Kai's features, hidden beneath his out of control quirk. Behind the cries of anguish and the frothy look of animalistic rage, Midoriya saw something else. Something unmistakable.

"He's….in pain." Midoriya realized, his hold on blackwhip slacking.

It was the moment the foe had been waiting for.

With speeds as fast as lightning, a long, whip-like tentacle shot up, wrapping itself around Midoriya's neck. Before the young hero could do anything, he felt his body being violently pulled downwards, towards the dark abyss of the ocean.

The last thing he remembered was hearing a desperate Uraraka calling out his name before he slammed into the water, the world around him filing with silence and bubbles clouding his vision. Then he felt a sharp pain in the back of his head as his body was forcefully knocked against a coral bed.

"Ur-Ur-Urakaka?" Midoriya mindlessly repeated her name, the sun from above the last image he could see before the world around him went dark.

"Hold still!"

Ashido flinched, Grannie's bony fingers prodding her sides as she helped fasten the obi-like tie around her midsection. A group of Okinawa World female attendants stood to the side, watching attentively at the elder woman's progress. The pink hero shot them an apologetic smile. Originally they were the ones that had attempted to assist in her dressing. But then Granny deemed their slow progress completely inadequate and took over the process.

They smiled back, instead assisting with the other elders in their group who were also getting dressed up in traditional Okinawan garb. After they had unintentionally discovered Ashido and Kirishima's budding romance, the grannies had taken it upon themselves to intervene on the matter. Which, to them, meant ditching Kirishima and taking Ashido to get an Okinawa-style make-over.

But of course, Ashido couldn't be the ONLY one getting a traditional make-over. Ya-Ting had her eyes closed, dozing as the attendants fussed over her. Dressing her in an elegant light green ryusou with leaf and flower patterns adorning the fabric. Suzu-san sat next to her, dressed in a bright pink ryusou, decorated with patterns of swimming fish. She smiled contentedly with herself, as she observed her cousin fussing over Ashido.

"Hold your arms up higher, love." Suzu-san advised. Ashido lifted her arms, allowing Grannie to shuffle under her with fabric.

"She needs more powder. Men hate women with complexions." Ya-Ting remarked in Mandarin, not bothering to open her eyes.

"Agreed," Suzu-san replied, tutting to herself. "That sunburn on your face looks quite concerning…"

"I'M PINK!"

"ARE YOU DAFT! Grannie snapped, popping her shin with a brush. "I SAID HOLD STILL!" Ashido stiffened, letting Grannie and the Okinawa attendants finish their work. After a few more minutes, the attendants moved aside, letting Grannie do a last inspection. She surveyed Ashido through her thick lens, nodding in approval. "Yes, this will do nicely."

Ashido walked to the floor length mirror, beaming at her reflection. They had chosen an elegant teal colored ryusou with patterns of red blossoms decorating the fabric. It was held together by a beautiful red sash that was tied into a bow in the front. Her make-up had been redone in a more simpler form, bringing out her more natural beauty. The pink hero gave an excited squeal, spinning around to admire every angle of the new outfit. "I LOVE IT!"

"The question is if Eiji-kun loves it." Grannie grumbled, patting down her own white colored ryusou dress.

"I'm sure he will." Suzu-san remarked, patting Ashido's cheeks affectionately. "You're as lovely as a kitten."

Ya-Ting gave her a scrutinizing once over, serpent eyes narrowed. "Not enough powder."

"She's not a geisha!" Grannie snapped at her cynical sister-in-law. "Now let's find that no good grandson of mine. Need him to make great-grandbabies before our next trip." She grumbled, leading the group out of the dressing studio.

"Why such a rush?" Suzu-san asked.

"Because it'll give me an excuse NOT to go on another trip with you two!"

Ashido laughed, getting used to the three elder's banter by now. They stepped out of the studio, blinking as the bright Okinawa sun beamed brightly down at them. Almost immediately other guests of the theme park paused to snap pictures of them dressed in traditional Okinawa clothes. It was due to this small crowd of photo snappers that Kirishima was quickly able to locate them.

"There you all are!" A sweaty and out-of-breath Kirishima called out. He pushed through the crowd, crouching to catch his breath in front of them. "Geez…You guys have no idea what I've been though! I ran through this park like three times!"

"Sorry!" Ashido apologized, clapping her hands together apologetically. "The grannies sort of pulled me along with one of their antics. It was kind of a surprise for you."

"Surprise?" Kirishima repeated, blinking confusedly as he lifted his head. "What surprise…?" The question died on his lips as he took a full glimpse of Ashido in her new outfit. His mouth fell open, his mind going completely as he continued to stare.

Ya-Ting rolled her eyes, while Suzu-chan chuckled to herself. Only Grannie seemed annoyed, clucking impatiently at her grandson.

"Don't just sit there!" She barked, popping him on the back of the head with her cane. "Say something!"

Kirishima quickly stood, his whole face burning as crimson as his hair. "R-Right! Sorry! Sorry! I was just…." His hands fidgeted at his side, his palms growing even more sweaty than when he was running circles around the park. "...really surprised…at how pretty you look in…" He took in her outfit, his mind going blank. "...a kimono?"

Ashido giggled, the long-sleeve of her dress covering her lips. "It's called a ryuso." She gave a playful twirl, showing the back. "It's a traditional Okinawa dress. The one I pointed out to you when we first arrived here. Aren't the colors just so bright and vibrant?" She asked, eyes twinkling in delight.

Kirishima rubbed his head, blushing even harder. "I guess. But to me, anything you wear just becomes that way. Cause that's just who you are." He faced her, his words full of conviction as he confessed. "You shine brighter than anyone I know, Mina."

This time it was Ashido's turn to blush brightly. She swerved away, hiding her face behind her long sleeves. "Oh! Uhh! Look! I think I just received a text message from Toru!" She stated loudly, holding up her cell and backing away. "I…I just need to take this…over here…"

Kirishima was left with the three older women, who were all eying him with keen interest. "Umm…did I…do something?"

"Not enough." Ya-Ting muttered, with an annoyed headshake.

"What are we?! Extras here!?" Grannie growled, giving him another whack with her cane. "Where's our compliments?! She ain't the only one who got dolled up!"

"Oh, right! My bad!" Kirishima quickly said, mentally berating himself on his rudeness. "Grannie…um… the white really brings out the pink of your hair! Suzu-chan, the fish on your dress are very cute and make me really want sushi! And Ya-Ting your dress does an awesome job of complimenting your sharp fangs and makes you totally look less short!...Oi!" Kirishima flinched back, barely escaping from an angry bite from the Taiwanese granny.

"Just take our picture!" Grannie snapped, also feeling less than pleased with his feeble excuse of a compliment.

As Kirishima took shots of their various poses, Ashido took a step back to take a breath and to calm her racing heart. "Geez! And here I was trying to make HIS heart race!" She pinched her cheeks, unable to keep herself from smiling at his sincere words. Taking out her phone, she was surprised to find there was both a miss call and text message from Toru that she had missed. "She must have called while I was in the middle of changing outfits."

She first checked the text, seeing both a message along with a link to a video clip. The message read, "Did you see this yet?!"

"See what?" Ashido wondered, her curiosity piqued. She clicked the link, an Okinawa news page immediately pulling up along with footage. The warm happiness that had resonated within her began to dim, replaced with apprehension as she played the video.

"These pictures are terrible!" Grannie loudly complained. She sat on a nearby bench with her two companions, all them scrolling through Kirishima's phone together. "You didn't even get us all in the picture."

"That's because you're zooming in." Kirishima patiently replied, reaching over to correct the screen. "See? All better!"

"Oh, don't we all look nice and colorful?!" Suzu-chan commented. "Reminds me of spring blossoms."

"More like old withered fruits." Ya-Ting added with a sniff.

"Boy! Make yourself useful and grab Miss Tour Guide!" Grannie demanded, giving Kirishima a sharp prod with her cane. "We want a picture with her as well!"

"Eijiro!"

The group turned at the sound of Ashido's frantic call. The pink heroine was rushing towards them, her new outfit making it difficult. Sensing something amiss, Kirishima met her halfway, gently placing his hands on her shoulders to calm her. "Mina…what's wrong?"

"It's Kai!" Ashido exclaimed, fear relevant in her voice. "He's escaped and is already causing trouble!"

"Kai…." Kirishima murmured, "You mean that guy with the tentacles, right?" His eyes widened, growing fearful. "Does that mean Siren's escaped too?!"

"I don't know." Ashido replied, anxiously scanning her phone. "I don't see anything about Siren. But I know one way to find out!" She pushed a button, putting the phone on speaker as she made a call.

It rang only once before Hagakure's voice filled the line. "Sooooo how's the date going?"

"Forget about that!" Ashido replied, as Kirishima turned red in the background. "What's going on with Kai!? Is Siren out too?!"

"Oh, that." Hagakure replied, sounding disappointed. "Haven't heard anything about Siren, so I'm assuming she's still locked up. From the latest live feeds, it seems like most of the class are helping out at the beach right now. I know that's where Bakugo flew off to in a huff."

"Man, even Bakugo's out there. Mina, we gotta help too!" Kirishima declared, banging his fist together determinedly.

"Oooh! I see we're on first name terms now." Hagakure cooed, still on speaker. "How interesting…"

"Yeah…but what about the grannies?" Ashido asked, her tone lowered as she glanced their way.

Kirishima's face fell. "Oh…right…the grannies. I forgot about them."

"The who?" Hagakure asked.

"Nevermind! Toru, what about you?! Are you heading down there too?" Ashido asked, not wanting to waste time explaining about their bizarre predicament.

"Uhhhh, well I much as I would love to help, I'm sorta…." On the other end of the phone, Hagakure stood on her tiptoes, glancing over the shoulders of the people still ahead of her in line for the Specialty Okinawan dessert shop. After all the time waiting in line, her patience was about to be rewarded with only a mere four people ahead of her. "...in the middle of something that's preeetttty important."

"Besides," Hagakure continued, pulling up her phone's map app. "I'm not sure how I would even get there. Traffic's pretty much on a stand still with the police barring the streets connected to the beaches. Not to mention the main highway was being blocked by some weird endangered bird. It's not like I can blast myself through the sky like SOMEONE I know." She added, sounding annoyed.

"If that's true, then it'll be pretty difficult for us to get there as well." Ashido grimly noted, turning to Kirishima. "Neither of our quirks can really help us on that front."

"Uuugh! It's times like this that really make me wish I had a more flashy quirk!" Kirishima moaned to himself.

"Oh, you all need to go somewhere?" Suzu-san's voice cut in. The two heroes turned to find her, along with Grannie and Ya-Ting quietly eavesdropping on their conversation. "If so, my cousin here can help. Isn't that right, Hana?"

"You mean Grannie?" Kirishima asked, turning to the grouchy elder.

"Are you daft! Of course she means me!" Grannie snapped, pointing her cane at Kirishima. "Have you already forgotten about my teleportation quirk!"

"Wait! Wait! Wait! HOLD UP!" Ashido exclaimed, struck dumb by this new revelation. "You mean to tell me you can teleport? Like ANYWHERE?!"

"Don't sound so impressed." Ya-Ting muttered in her native tongue. "With the old hen the way she is, her quirk is pretty much useless."

"Huh?" Kirishima uttered, not able to make out her Mandarin.

"What Ya-Ting means is that for Hana's quirk to work, she has to be looking at the place she wants to teleport to. It could be in a picture or even a movie clip. As long as she can see a clear image of it, she can go there, along with anyone she's touching at the time." Suzu-chan explained. "However…in recent years…Hana's sight has not been quite the same. So her teleportations are sometimes a little off."

"Like fifty-fifty." Ya-Ting estimated.

"I got us here didn't I!?" Grannie huffed, crossing her arms indignantly. "If it wasn't for MY quirk, we would still be stuck in traffic."

"Hooold up!" Ashido held up her hands, stopping them. "Let's back up here. Let me get this straight. You arrived here in Okinawa World by teleporting with your quirk…correct?"

The three elders nodded. "Yes.

Ashido continued, "So then….what were you all doing before you all teleported here?!"

Flashback:

"Can you hurry it up!" Grannie snapped from the back seat of her grandson's car. "At this rate, I'll be dead with my ashes resting in a ceramic jar before I get to see Okinawa World!"

"Now, now Grannie." Her grandson replied, shooting her a smile through the rearview mirror. "Remember what the doc said about your blood pressure!"

"My blood pressure is fine!" She grumbled, crossing her arms in a huff. "It's my hips that are killing me from sitting here for so long!"

"It's the extra fat around your belly that's killing your hips, not the seat." Ya-Ting remarked, sitting beside her in the back.

"When do you think we'll arrive at Universal?" Suzu-san asked from Grannie's other side in the back seat.

"I told you we're going to Okinawa World, you old coot!" Grannie snapped, holding up the Okinawa World pamphlet.

"Now, now! Be nice back there!" The real Eiji-kun chided, glancing at his phone's map. "As for the time, I think it might be a while. Looks like a native Okinawa Rail bird decided to make a nest on the road."

"Oh dear…" Suzu-chan fretted, "I hope the poor thing stays warm."

"We should eat it," Ya-Ting hissed, her stomach giving a loud rumble.

"It's endangered," Eiji-kun, who was familiar with some Taiwanese, corrected her.

"That makes it even more of a delicacy!"

"This is ridiculous!" Grannie complained, prodding the back of Eiji-kun's head with her cane. "You can not expect an old woman like me to wait around in traffic all day. Especially when I can get there in no time at all!"

"Come on Grannie!" Eiji-kun chuckled good-naturedly. "You know you're not supposed to use your quirk. Besides, it's not like I can just abandon my car on the side of the road."

Grannie huffed, tapping her cane in an indignant manner. "FINE! Go ahead and make things more difficult for your poor elders," She grumbled, adjusting her glasses as she peered at the pamphlet. "You stay with your precious car and we'll meet you at the theme park."

"Meet me at the theme park? What are you talking about Gran—" He swiveled around, the coloring draining from his face as he stared at the vacant backseat. "-nie? Eh? Eh? EHHHHHHHHHHHHHH?!"

Present:

Both Kirishima and Ashido stood, clutching the bridge of their noses as they slowly took in the absurd reasoning behind their whole free day being turned upside down on them.

"Why am I not surprised?" Ashido murmured, lips twitching in bemusement.

"Guess it kinda makes sense." Kirishima said with a tired sigh. "If that's the case, then I think you should stay here with them, Mina."

"Wait, what?!" Ashido exclaimed, eyes flashing angrily as she turned to him. "What are you saying?! I want to help our friends just as much as you do!"

"Believe me I know!" Kirishima replied, shooting an apologetic glance at the three older women. "But with all the trouble they've caused, I think at least one of us should stay here with them. It's been several hours, so I'm sure the real Eiji-kun will be here looking for them soon. " Besides…" He added, his hand ever so gently resting on her forearm. "...you're still recovering from your injuries. I don't think it would be right for you to push yourself. Not so soon after what happened yesterday."

Ashido curled her arms into her chest, tears filling her eyes. "I know that…but my friends—"

"I'll protect them!" Kirishima declared, his fist bumping against his chest. "I'll protect everyone! Just please Mina…." He begged, bowing his head to her as his own eyes filled with tears. "Please! Let me try to make things right!" He heard the swish of fabric before he felt Ashido's arms wrap around his neck in a heartfelt embrace.

"You already have." Ashido reassured him, hugging him tightly. Kirishima hesitated, before his own arms returned the embrace. They stood there for several moments, soaking in each other's presence, knowing they would have to part ways soon.

"Umm guys? You know I'm still on the phone, right?" Hagakure's voice spoke up, completely interrupting their tender moment of youth.

"EEP!" Both Ashido and Kirishima jumped back, blushing to themselves.

"So are we." Ya-Ting dryly announced.

"What's going on? Did they kiss yet?" Granny asked, feverishly wiping her spectacles. "This damn humidity keeps fogging up my specs!"

"Ohh, that's an excellent question! Oh, wise elder!" Hagakure called out through the speaker.

"I'll call you later!" A blushing Ashido exclaimed, quickly disconnecting the call. She gave a sad sigh, looking up at Kirishima. "You should probably head out."

"Yeah…you're right." Kirishima answered. Despite his earlier gung-ho about going out to help, it was clear he was feeling disappointed about leaving Ashido behind.

Sensing this, Ashido gave him an encouraging slap on the back. "Go on! Go show that stupid Kai how a real man fights!"

Kirishima shot her toothy grin. "Yeah! You bet I will!"

They both turned to Grannie, with Kirishima crouching down to her level. "Hey, Grannie. I know this may be asking a lot, but would you be able to help me get somewhere?" He asked, reaching out to hold her wrinkled hand in his. "I have some friends that really need my help right now."

Grannie's eyes narrowed suspiciously. "Girlfriends?!"

"Just regular friends!" Ashido said, coming to his rescue. "But they do need his help. Don't worry though! You all will still have me to hang out with you while he's away."

"But once I'm done, I'll totally come back!" Kirishima promised. "So, do you think you can help me out?"

The three elders shared a look, with Grannie mulling over the request. Suzu-chan patted her arm. "Now, now you should help Eiji-kun out. He is your only grandson."

"I wouldn't," Ya-Ting advised, "You'll just send him to some god-forsaken place like the time you send us to Beijing instead of Taipei."

"What do you expect?! One smoggy filthy city looks just like any other smoggy, filthy city!"

"Taipei is NOTHING like Beijing!"

"Show me this place!" A fuming Grannie demanded. As Ashido pulled out her phone to show the video clip of the beach, Kirishima noticed Ya-Ting giving him a secret wink. He smiled, giving her a thankful thumbs up.

"Okay you got a good look at it right?" Ashido double checked, feeling a bit apprehensive. "For all I know, Kirishima could wind up at some random beach in Fuji!"

"I already told you I got it!" Grannie snapped. "Now hold my hand Eiji-kun. I don't have all day here!"

"Okay!" Kirishima turned, waving good-bye to Ashido, Ya-Ting, and Suzu-chan. "I'll see you all in a bit!"

"Remember to teleport right back here when you're done!" Ashido reminded Grannie, not wanting the elder to linger anywhere near where there's danger.

"Don't pester me!" Grannie scolded, adjusting her glasses as she held Kirishima's hand. "I'm concentrating here!" And then, with a blink of an eye, they were gone. Completely teleported away.

Kirishima gasped in shock, blinking several times to make sure he wasn't hallucinating.

Where before he had been in a relatively calm area, with only pleasant sounds of people enjoying themselves was heard. Here it was a completely different story. Screams and frantic shouts filled the air, mixing in the swooshing of the strong sea breeze and crashing waves against the shore. He stood on the sidewalk, right outside the beach, gaping at the octopuses that seemed to crawl over every inch of the area, attaching themselves to beachgoers and the rescuers trying to assist them. Which, he noticed, consisted of many of his classmates.

"Ah man, this is even worse than I thought!" Kirishima muttered, his fist hardening. "I better get to helping…Oh wait! Grannie!?" He swiveled around, panic seizing him at the thought of losing her in the middle of all this chaos. "Grannie, where are—OUCH!"

"Are you blind!? I'm right here!" The short elder snapped, giving him a whack with her cane from behind. "Had to grab a quick souvenir while I was here." She reached into her purse, pulling out a wiggling octopus. "This one will make a good meal for tonight."

"Oi! Don't touch those!" Kirishima exclaimed, grabbing it from her palm and throwing it across the beach. "Jeez, and here I thought Ya-Ting was the only one I had to worry about."

"How rude!" Grannie sniffed, snapping her purse shut. "After I went through all the trouble of bringing you here."

Kirishima knelt down next to her, smiling gratefully at her. "And I really appreciate it. That quirk of yours really kicks butt!"

A rare smile appeared on the elder. "Of course, what else would you expect from your grannie?"

"Nothing less!" Kirishima agreed, bumping her tiny fist against his. "But you really should go back to the others in Okinawa World. It's dangerous here." He pulled out his phone, showing a group shot of Ya-Ting, Suzu-chan, and her posing together in their traditional Okinawan garb. "Make sure you get a good look!"

"Fine, fine! Don't be such a worry-wart!" Grannie grumbled, adjusting her glasses as she peered at the picture. "Oh and one more thing…." She swung her cane hard against the back of Kirishima's legs. He gave a painful yelp of surprise before crumbling to the ground.

"YOU SHOULD HAVE KISSED HER BACK THERE!" Grannie heatedly snapped, pointing the end of her cane at hurting Kirishima. "You'll never make me great-grandbabies with you lollygagging like that!"

"Noted…." Kirishima answered, wincing in pain.

Grannie nodded sternly, before she completely disappeared. Kirishima sighed, quickly getting to his feet and running onto the beach. Almost immediately he noticed both his teachers, Aizawa and Midnight Sensei, working together. Kirishima waved, running over to join them. "Oi! Sensei! I'm here to help!"

Both Aizawa and Midnight glanced up, surprised to see him. "Kirishima? I thought you were all the way in Okinawa World with Ashido?" Midnight asked, confused. "How in the world did you make it here so quickly?!"

"Hehe…it's kind of a long story." Kirishima said, chuckling nervously. "But the better question is what are we going to do about Kai?! Has anyone gone after him yet?!" Kirishima asked, eyes darting around as if the villain was about to pop up on them.

"Right now, he's about a mile off the coast." Aizawa explained, pointing towards the ocean. "He's breached the surface once only to have Ripper drag him back down. For now, we'll leave Kai in Ripper's hands until Captain Silkie's crew arrives. They've already been contacted."

"But what about us?!" Kirishima pressed, "Shouldn't we also—"

"Negative." Aizawa cut him off. "Unless any of you are able to breathe underwater, I'm putting my foot down. Even pro-heroes have to take note of the terrain they'll be battling in. Right now, the ocean is Kai's domain. One where he has the complete upper hand. As your teacher and guardian on this trip, I refuse to intentionally put any of my students in a situation where they are almost guaranteed to lose—

"HEY! ERASERHEAD!" Vitamin C's loud voice yelled across the beach. "AREN'T THOSE A BUNCH OF YOUR STUDENTS OUT THERE?! "

Aizawa, along with Midnight and Kirishima, turned towards the ocean. Across the waters, barely visible from the shore was a group battling against a multitude of tentacles that thrashed above the water's surface.

"Here." Midnight said, handing Aizawa her spying binoculars.

As he zoomed in on the battle, he was able to witness Todoroki's giant iceberg lifting Kai' deformed body out of the depths of the ocean. He took note of the rest of his students that were present. "Of course…. it would be them." Aizawa sighed, lowering the binoculars.

"Some of your favorites?" Vitamin C asked, jogging up to meet them.

"More like the ones who give him the most grief." Midnight teased, also taking a glance through the binoculars.

"Sounds like my type of crowd!" Vitamin C laughed, tossing several octopuses several yards into the water. As she did so, a ripple appeared on the surface, before a familiar head popped up.

"Kero? Kero? Sensei?" Asui called out, blinking up at the group.

"Hey! It's Asui!" Kirishima exclaimed, wading through the water to reach her. He grabbed her hand, helping her up.

"Not just me." Asui said, pointing behind her to where her long tongue was still wrapped around a half submerged Ripper. Kirishima gaped.

"Wow, isn't that…"

"RIPPER!" Vitamin C cried out, rushing over and assisting in pulling her large sidekick to shore. Once there, she gently set him down on the sand to quickly access his wounds. "This Kai bugger really banged you up!" She chuckled, her normally rough hands pressing down gently on a bleeding cut. "Going to have to work you twice as hard after this one, that's for sure!"

Ripper coughed, managing to crack a weak grin. "Ai, ya a real she-devil." His red gaze fell on a worried Asui, who hovered over him. " Going up against a shark, now an octopus, eh? Ya a tough little froggie, Asui…a real…. beauty." He closed his eyes, weariness setting in.

As Vitamin C attended to the unconscious Ripper, Aizawa and Midnight quickly interrogated Asui on the whereabouts of the still missing Kaminari and Jiro. The frog girl sadly shook her head, unable to give out any good news.

"I'm sorry, kero. By the time I got there, all I saw was Ripper and Kai battling. I didn't see those two anywhere."

As Midnight quietly consoled the disheartened Asui, Aizawa gazed towards the battle being fought across the waters. His mind became a whirlwind of thoughts and concerns for the students that were out of his reach. The students he wished he could keep safe.