14,000,606 Outcomes

by GenericUsername3846

A future Doctor Strange didn't foresee. This is yet another story of Peter going to the world of My Hero Academia, with a few twists of my own. Lots of ups and downs, surprises, and changes to the story. Slight OOC for a lot of characters. "Slightly" OP Peter. Rated T for blood and lots of swearing. Sorry, but I like swearing. Early chapters will be rewritten someday.

53. End of the Beginning

Super long Author's Note incoming. There's a TL;DR right before the story starts if you don't want to read all of it.

Okay, uh… you probably want an explanation.

As some of you may have noticed, I have a completely new story that I started recently… right after being gone for a few months, saying I would write if I have time. Look, just let me explain.

Like I say in the first chapter of the new story, that was something I wrote a long time ago. I just happened to find it when I was scrolling through old documents and thought to myself "Oh, I remember this. Maybe I should post it, see how it's received. If people like it, I can always come back and write more later."

Yeah… literally 2 minutes later, I got excited and started writing a second chapter for it. Then I got more excited and wrote another one. It took me two weeks to write 5 chapters, totalling 79,000 words, after completely ignoring this one. Again, just let me explain. You know how we all clowned on Midoriya super hard when he finally realized he had legs?

"You idiot, you just realized you could kick?"

"How was this not obvious before?"

"Our protagonist, everyone."

Well… did you guys know you can write at night? Aside from the USJ chapter where I worked through the night to publish on Christmas morning, I only ever write during the day. The problem was that it didn't leave me much time between college and my job. But, writing this new story made me realize something. I only sleep like, every other night anyway, so why not just write at night instead of scrolling through YouTube or playing video games?

So, that's how I wrote a 79,000 word story in 13 days. I finally got the idea to just write at night. The good news is that, armed with my weaponized, nonexistent sleep schedule, I can definitely drop chapters more often.

But I've also got the new story now. My basic plan at the moment is to go back and forth, drop a chapter for this story, then one for the other, or something similar to that. If there's something major happening in either story, I'll probably give that one a little more focus. Assuming there's no schedule issues, I'll hopefully be able to update one story every week at the very least. Anyway, that's all. I have a new story now, and the time I spend sleeping is about to go way down.

Anyway, after taking some time to really look at my story, I think I've finally realized one of my biggest problems.

I put way too much detail into unimportant things.

Like, for example, I don't think I ever noticed how much things like movement get glossed over in terms of detail. In other books, it's always something like "we walked for thirty minutes until we reached our destination, passing buildings of all shapes and sizes along the way." And then there's me, devoting whole paragraphs to explaining how our heroes climbed a single building

Maybe some of you like it that way, but for me, I've personally realized it's just exhausting to read. A simple scene that should take 5 seconds ends up being dragged out for… absolutely no reason. I'll try to be better with that, putting less detail into irrelevant things and more detail into important scenes.

That being said, this particular chapter is going to be extraordinarily rushed for various reasons. Anyway, I'm excited because this "unexciting" section is a bridge

This is the big jump.

Until now, I've been following MHA's story pretty closely. Even when changes were made, it was still pretty similar. Peter getting kidnapped in the Stain arc was basically a reskin of Bakugo getting kidnapped and being rescued. Now, though, it gets exciting. The story is basically nonexistent at this point. Obviously, I'm not completely throwing out the subsequent villains and plot points, but they likely won't be used in the same manner as the main story.

But yeah, to be honest, this segment is a bit fast, mostly just because I don't want to linger here too long. I really want to finally move the plot forward considering we've spent almost 20 chapters covering two days. Seriously, way back in chapter 35, we started the internship, then went to the bar, kicked out Shiggy, experienced the bar raid, and then this. A third of this story's chapters are devoted to two days worth of events. This is worse than the Thousand Year Blood War arc. My point is, I really want to get past this part, so the pacing of this particular chapter will be super fast so we can finally move on. Well, I say it'll be rushed, but it's still the longest chapter I've ever written for this entire story (64 pages).

TL;DR: I'm writing at night now so I can update more often, I cracked some jokes about myself, I have a new story I'll be writing alongside this one, and the pacing in this chapter will be lightning fast because I have zero desire to linger in this part of the story when there's so much to get to. Also, big changes are coming after this point.

Let's get-

Back to That Story:

"Peter… I don't care if you become the quirkless messiah… I swear I will kill you in the most painful way imaginable. Every history book in the world will tell the tale of your demise. Mothers will tell their children of you as a cautionary tale. The devil himself will feel faint when comes to understand the hell I will put you through. The nightmare I will show this world will frighten Azathoth himself out of his slumber." A grim whisper hissed through the air, the speaker's tone dripping with venom, his voice dark enough to put the most vile of villains into a state of fear.

"Hey, what about this one?"

"Too exposed, keep looking."

"What about that one?"

"There are clearly workers inside. No."

"What about-"

"Shut. Up."

Stain resisted the urge to stab himself in the throat for what felt like the thousandth time in the past hour alone. His job was simple. Find a hideout. That was the absolute most basic task for a criminal of his caliber. Establishing a base of operations was inarguably crucial, and he had developed a masterful sense of what would qualify as acceptable or not.

He knew from experience that the industrial district was the perfect place to go hideout shopping. While it was preferable to remain in Hosu, there wasn't always an obvious choice for a decent hiding place when he underwent his regular base-changing. In scenarios where no good location made itself known, he would slink off to the industrial district just outside Hosu. The massive, smog-filled maze of steel and rust, while busy, was largely unoccupied. Countless warehouses were always vacant, numerous factories had been abandoned, waiting to be bought by the next greedy businessman, and the constant stream of cargo ships and trucks bound for food processing plants made it nearly impossible to go hungry here.

Even without rushing, Stain could say with absolute confidence that he could find a suitable hideout in this place in less than 2 hours on any given day, in any given conditions.

He… should have been able to.

"You think maybe we should try to get a place by the water?"

"How would that possibly benefit us? If the heroes find out where we are, it will be even harder to get away with a body of water cutting off one of our avenues of escape." An icy voice replied in a tone not unlike one used by an annoyed teacher explaining a basic concept to an exceptionally dull student.

"Well, yeah, but we probably can't go to public bathhouses anytime soon, and I don't wanna have to walk too far to get to the river every day. What if somebody sees us along the way?"

For the thousandth and first time, Stain resisted the urge to stab his own throat. Turning his head, he fixed a stone cold glare on the blonde teenager.

"First of all, that river is filthy. Secondly, our priority is a safe place to hide, not comfort. Don't expect a soft bed and a pristine roof when we find somewhere to settle down. Third, boy, you need to understand our situation." Stain's gaze grew even sharper as it swept over every teen present, not just Kaminari. "We are criminals. We will not have the luxuries you've grown accustomed to. Baths? Stop dreaming. The sooner you accept our situation, the easier it will be for all of you."

He hated this. The hero killer could have easily found shelter by now in this sprawling jungle of production. Instead, he was stuck baby-sitting a group of teenagers, like he was some burnt-out single father. He hated it. Everything about it.

Stain didn't even try to hide his deep, full-bodied sigh as he turned away from the boys. They had arrived at the industrial district roughly an hour ago, yet barely any progress was made. The young heroes could not move around as well as he could, and they were unaccustomed to traveling stealthily. Though it wasn't quite noon yet, factory workers and truck drivers had already arrived and were milling about, completing their duties like it was just another day.

Stain had been forced to slow down so as not to leave his charges behind, and had saved a few of them numerous times from walking straight into a passing worker.

"These fools will be the death of me. Peter, I swear I will kill you."

Stain squatted down on the edge of the two-story building they were situated on, taking in the scene before him. An extremely wide river was visible about half a mile to his left, medium-sized cargo ships passing through its murky, gray water. Many of the buildings in this area were simple factories churning out thick, black smoke as workers came and went between them and the nearby warehouses. The entire area was occupied. Looking for shelter here would be pointless. They would have to venture deeper to find suitable accommodation.

If it came down to it, an occupied warehouse could be used. The average worker would never venture into the "attic" of the massive buildings, situated between the roof and the support beams, metal grating creating a delicate "floor" to rest your head on. As long as one remained silent, it was possible to hide there. Still, there was always the danger of a building inspector doing his rounds, or of a worker casually glancing up and noticing movement between the gaps in the steel mesh above him. Occupied buildings were the absolute last resort in any case.

He kept all these thoughts to himself, formulating a plan as he scanned the environment. The boys were all resting a short distance away, crowded together and discussing mundane topics while Stain remained focused on the task at hand. They simply were happy to have a moment of rest and not worry about being caught sneaking around. All, save for one, who had nervously crept over to the group's caretaker.

"Um, Mr. Stain?" A mousy voice squeaked out, reaching the noseless man's ears.

"... What is it?" The response came without turning around.

"W-well, what exactly are we looking for? I understand an abandoned building is the best option, but is there anything else? What kind of location is best, and is it better to be in the center of the district or near the outskirts?"

Stain raised an eyebrow, still not looking at the green-haired kid he knew was staring at him curiously.

"Finally, a question that matters."

"... An old food warehouse would be best, near the center. Most foremen are too lazy to completely clear out when it's announced that they'll be relocating. Oftentimes, a handful of crates get left behind, and if there's canned food inside, it reduces the need to sneak into active transport zones and steal food. Avoiding the outskirts is better to keep from being caught by heroes. The outer facilities are the first to be searched, and being near the center provides more opportunities to prepare to evacuate should they get too close. Look for buildings that are rusting, with stripping paint and yellow signs around the outside. If you see a condemned sign, that's even better. Consider it the holy grail."

Stain ran through the checklist like he was reading off a script. Truth be told, he was almost happy. After an hour of the dumb one asking stupid questions, the gym bro kid going on about manliness, the glasses boy with a stick up his ass ranting about order and manners, and the emo kid's brooding, Stain really would have ended his own existence if the hero fanboy started questioning him about his quirk with stars in his eyes.

"... Boy, what is your name?

"M-Midoriya, sir!" Somehow, the question seemed to put the already nervous boy in a small state of panic.

"Midoriya. I see. You are a curious one."

"I… am?"

Stain observed the young hero carefully. There was a familiar look in his eyes, a look shared in part by Peter and All Might. This boy gave Stain a certain feeling, and yet…

"I don't understand you. From what I've heard, from what I've seen, you are more dedicated than most to becoming a hero, and yet here you are. On the run from the law, working with scum like me, fighting against the very same heroes you worship. To be blunt, you are a living contradiction. I simply can't understand you." It was a simple message. Stain hid nothing. Everything he felt, he made clearly known in his even tone.

"... O-oh. Yeah, I-I guess that makes sense. It doesn't really add up does it?" Midoriya nervously scratched the back of his head and laughed like a child poorly trying to hide their misdeeds. "It's just… I always wanted to be a hero. For as long as I can remember, all I ever thought of was being the kind of person who could save others, who could inspire them and give them hope. I always thought that if I worked hard enough, I could do it. That if I followed the heroes closely enough, I could be exactly like them, and make things better for everybody."

Midoriya dropped his hand, looking away from Stain to observe the smog-filled scenery around them. He had a distant look to him, like he was looking beyond what could be seen.

"But… that's not right, is it? I can't be a hero if I behave like them. All Might… heroes like him aren't as common as I thought they were. Most of them are just like Peter said. They don't care about saving people, they just want the thrill, the benefits. I have a friend like that, but… even she isn't in it just for the money. She wants to take care of the people close to her. Her goal might sound selfish, but she still only wants to help people. That just made it harder. All these heroes who only want the money or the fame, do they really only care about themselves, or do they also have good reasons? It's just... so complicated, trying to look at it from every angle. But, the more I really forced myself to think about it, about them... I started thinking, is being a hero really what I want?"

Stain raised an eyebrow. This boy was grabbing more of his attention with every passing second.

"So, you no longer wish to be a hero?"

"A-ah, no! That isn't what I meant! Of course I still want to be a hero, I just… I don't want to be like these heroes. I want… I want to be a real hero, one who really cares, but that just isn't enough. Even if I become a great hero, I'll just be one person. I can't be there forever, and there will still be so many people who don't care about everyone else. I… felt lost. I felt scared." Midoriya boldly sat down next to Stain and wrapped his arms around his knees. "I was afraid that I wouldn't make any real changes, that I'd be one of the only ones to really care. It hurt. It hurt so much to realize my heroes just… weren't who I thought they were. No… no, I knew that for a while, I just didn't want to admit it. The more time I spent with Peter, the more he talked about what he thought a hero should be, the more I realized how big the difference was in reality, and I… I didn't know what to do. Would it be better to become a hero and be satisfied as one of the few people who really wanted to help, or just give up entirely? What was the answer? What was I supposed to think?!"

The poor kid looked lost. In the short time they had known each other, Stain had already realized he cried very often, but the tears forming in the corner of the freckled boy's eyes felt more real somehow. The hero killer wasn't much for emotional support, so he merely remained silent and continued to observe, waiting for his partner-in-crime to collect his emotions. Based on his hushed tone, he obviously did not want to let his friends see just how distraught he was, and Stain had no desire to draw their attention over here.

"... But then, back at the bar, Peter started explaining things. He told us what he wanted to do, what he thought was right. It just felt… correct. Everything he was saying, I couldn't find anything wrong with it. I felt scared again, but I didn't feel lost like I did before. I was terrified when he talked about becoming vigilantes, about being criminals. Even then, I was excited. He was talking about change. He was talking about being real heroes, about making the world better. I thought, 'this is it, this is the answer'. If a hero is somebody who does everything they can for others, even at the risk of themselves, then how could I say I wanted to be one if I couldn't even do this? Even if they call me a villain, I know I'm doing the right thing. I know… I know I am. This is right… it is…"

It didn't take a genius to realize Midoriya was still trying to convince himself. So many years of being told vigilantes were villains, themselves, would not leave his mind just like that. It was ingrained in him, and he had yet to shake it off, no matter how much he claimed otherwise. Even as he wiped his tears away and desperately tried to keep his voice from cracking, he still gave Stain a crooked smile. "Nothing's wrong, I know what I want," seemed to be the message he wanted to send. Stain pondered for a moment more before speaking up.

"... And all your talk of being like All Might? He, too, was a lone star amid a dead void of false idols, yet he never faltered. He may have changed nothing of how the false heroes felt, but he was still proud to make the impact he did, to save the people he did, to care as he did. You worship him as strongly as I do, yet I see none of that love reflected in your words. This fate you were prepared to resign yourself to, the same fate All Might persisted through, you speak of it as though it is a cursed existence."

Stain was not angry. He was not happy. He was curious. In this brief moment of reprieve, he wanted to learn more, to understand exactly how this unique child felt.

Midoriya paused, hands floating in front of his face, no longer wiping his tears. He thought on the hero killer's words with a grim smile, trying to find an answer more for himself than his conversation partner.

"... I want to be like All Might. Everything he stood for, everything he advocated for, all of it just seems so right me. I always hoped that one day, I would make a name for myself. Not because I wanted to be famous, but because I might be able to grab All Might's attention. If I was really lucky, maybe he'd even take me on as a sidekick." Midoriya dryly chuckled at his own overly-optimistic dreams. "I don't think I ever dreamed of being his equal, or of continuing his legacy. Not until last year. That was when I thought that I could do it, that I had to do it. If I worked hard enough, I could continue his legacy. Even now, I still want that. I know… that people might hate me, that they'll definitely look at me like I'm a villain, but I just have to push through. Even if they hate me, I'll still help everyone in my own way, give them my own light, just like Peter. Somewhere along the line, my goal changed from just supporting All Might to being the next All Might, to continuing his legacy rather than helping to build it. In my own way, with my own strength… I want to be the next All Might."

The bright smile that Stain received could have lit up a billboard. With drying tear trails running down his face and small, slightly discolored bags under his eyes, the stressed out kid looked far from inspiring. That bright smile was the only good thing about him at the moment.

"The next All Might… such a simple dream. Such a pure dream. Such a… beautiful dream."

Stain's expression softened ever so slightly as Midoriya continued to genuinely smile at him, like he had just been told the greatest news of his life. In the face of this blinding smile, Stain had only one thing to say.

"You're an idiot."

The change was instant. Midoriya's smile cracked and fell apart, his bright and hopeful expression replaced by confusion and shock. He looked like his dog had just been run over in front of him and he was still trying in vain to process.

"W-what-!?"

"Nobody can ever be the next All Might, least of all you. All Might is not just a man, he is an ideal, a legend, a symbol, a concept. All Might single-handedly pulled this country out of chaos. All Might single-handedly cut the crime rate by 87%. All Might single-handedly inspired an entire generation to become heroes, to become a part of something bigger than themselves and care more for others than themselves. No matter what you accomplish, no matter who you become, no matter how loved you are, you will never be the next All Might. Not you, not anybody, not even Peter could ever hope to become such a person, not for anybody except yourself."

Stain was harsh, he was direct, and he was honest. Uncaring for the already distraught boy's feelings, he dug the knife deeper and continued even as more tears fell from Midoriya's eyes.

"The mere thought of being the next All Might is so utterly ridiculous, I'm tempted to take you back to the hospital myself and allow the doctors to look you over again. It goes beyond the realm of pipe dreams and can only be considered insanity, the hopeful delusions of a child who thinks too highly of himself. Whatever Peter may tell you, you will never be the next All Might. For even suggesting such a thing, you are nothing but a fool."

Midoriya looked broken. A solid stream of tears flowed down his cheeks and dripped onto the rooftop, slowly forming an ever-growing puddle. He could not even say anything. Every time his mouth opened, a pathetic cracking noise and nothing else came out. He had not even the will to wipe his eyes. After such a fierce barrage of truth, he could do nothing.

"... And so what?" Stain nonchalantly brushed off all of his harsh words like they didn't even matter. The change was so sudden Midoriya feared he may have suffered emotional whiplash from the rapid shift in mood.

"So… what? I-I don't understand?"

"... So what if being the next All Might is impossible. Does a scientist give up on studying the world because he can never accomplish as much as Tesla? Does a playwright cease to display his self-realized dreams upon the world because he will never have as much fame as Shakespeare? A child who dreams of succeeding a legend may be a fool, but a man who refuses to dream because he cannot be the best is nothing but a coward. Furthermore… why would you even want to be the next All Might? The dream aside, the desire is illogical. There is nothing wrong with having an idol, but wanting to be like them is most often madness."

Midoriya felt even more confused than he had before. He thought he understood what Stain was trying to say at first, only for him to throw him for a loop right at the end.

"Don't… don't you love All Might, too? Haven't you ever wanted-"

"To be like him? No, not even once." Stain flat-out rejected the notion with no hesitation. "Listen carefully, boy. I do not doubt your love for All Might, nor do I doubt it surpasses even my own, and that is precisely the problem. You adore him too much and have yet to accept the obvious reality." For the first time, Stain turned his entire body to face Midoriya instead of looking sideways over his shoulder. "Like you, I can never be All Might. I believe in my own cause. I believe in my own methods. I believe that, even if I am hated, what I am doing will forever be correct, something that must happen. Tell me, what do you think of me? What do you think of the Hero Killer, the slayer of the protectors of peace? Do you hate me? Do I disgust you? Tell me. I wish to know."

"... U-um, I… I don't hate you, but I can't agree with you. I understand what you want, but I just can't agree with your methods. Killing people, no matter what your reasons are, is never excusable. I'll do my best to work with you in the future, but… the things you've done in the past… I just can't-"

"Forgive me?" Again, Stain already knew what was coming. "Exactly. I believe All Might is one of the only true heroes left in this world, but I have never once wished to be like him. He gives the world hope, he protects everyone equally, but he has changed nothing. He did not cut down the criminal population, he only forced it into hiding. He has not inspired heroes to be better, he has only created more false idols. We are men of different dreams. All Might protects, but he does not change. I protect nothing, but I have only ever thought of change. I know what I do is something that has to happen, but none will ever call me a hero for my deeds. I have lived as a criminal, and I will die a criminal. For as much as the world cares, I am a villain, and when I die, there will be parties to celebrate the death of the detestable butcher of angels. Not a single person will cry for me, not a single person will pay their respects at my grave, and not a single person will remember me as a hero."

More harsh reality. Stain did not care at all as he laid out the exact details of his bleak fate. He had long accepted that he would live alone, die alone, and be remembered as a monster. He no longer cared or even really thought about it. Midoriya could only listen. These words were so horrible, so sad, but Stain didn't seem to care at all about how desolate his existence was.

"And so, you, Midoriya, are an idiot. Even before, being the next All Might was impossible, and that should have only become more apparent now that you have allied yourself with us. Your goal… should be different now. The next All Might… ridiculous. All Might is a legendary hero who gives hope to the entire world as a symbol of peace and happiness." Stain drew one of his knives and jabbed the tip into the ground between them, not taking his eyes off Midoriya. "I am not the next Symbol of Peace, I am the first Symbol of Change. Like me, you will be the first of your kind. Carve your own piece of the world out. You will not be the next All Might. Instead, you must focus on becoming the first 'Midoriya'. From your own willpower and desire, forge your own Symbol in the crucible of adversity. Will you be a symbol for anarchy, for hope, or perhaps a symbol of heroism itself? You must decide this for yourself, not as a disciple of All Might, but as your own man with his own mark to make."

The first… Midoriya? It was such an obvious, cliched thing to say, it hurt to listen to. But still, there was just something about it that resonated with Midoriya, so much so, his tears momentarily stopped flowing.

Those inspiring words were like something All Might would say. They… they just…

"My... own symbol? ... What the heck? It's so… so nice. It's like I'm talking with him again, like he's right there across from me, scolding me for being too shortsighted. Why… why…!?"

Midoriya simply couldn't understand. As much as he wanted to, he just couldn't. Stain had already sheathed his knife and had gone back to surveying the landscape. He had already moved on from their conversation and was no longer paying Midoriya any mind.

"... But, I don't understand. What exactly is it you want? For more true heroes to emerge? For fewer villains to emerge? I just… I don't know what you want." As hard as he tried to think on the topic, Midoriya just couldn't figure out the hero killer. Nothing about the man made sense, least of all his motivations. Talking to the man in such a personal way, getting to know him, it was sort of easy to comprehend what he was after, but if Midoriya had remained an outside observer, beholding only the occasional headline about the latest of his victims… what else could he think of the man if not as a despicable villain? It just… made no sense to the ever idealistic One-For-All inheritor.

Surprisingly, Stain actually chuckled a bit, as though he found the questions funny. From his crouched stance, he moved to a more relaxed, casual position, his rear resting on the roof while he allowed his legs to dangle over the side of the roof. He looked relaxed, though he still was not smiling.

"This world… I love it." That voice… was not one of a jaded, furious warrior. It was calm, yet tired, exhausted, even. "These people, I love them. I want our society to love them just as much as I do. I want our heroes to truly be heroes, I want to rest easy knowing the people I love so much are cared for by their saviors, not as devotees to add to their fame, but as irreplaceable lives. I want our children to be accepted and loved, no matter how they look, no matter what their quirks are. I want the world I love… to be the place I wish it was. And for that…" Stain reached behind his back and pulled out what remained of his katana. It had been snapped in half in the battle with All Might and what remained was cracked and stained with dried blood. "... I have to become a nightmare for this world. I have to remove its false angels, to remove those who hope for our children to be broken, to lash out only to be beaten down. If I want this world I love so much to change, I cannot follow in All Might's footsteps. There… is only one path forward."

Stain sheathed his half-size katana, once more fixing his gaze on Midoriya.

"You have become part of something much bigger than yourself. I truly hope you understand that there may well be no light at the end of this tunnel. We may fight all our lives and still accomplish no change. We can only hope our fight will inspire those who come after us, that the fight for change will never stop. I do not care if every single person on the planet hates me and calls me a villain… so long as my dream is realized. I firmly believe my methods will work, eventually… but, for now, I'll try things Peter's way."

Midoriya thought. He had nothing he could think to say, so he opted to speak with himself instead.

"... It's so… sad. He doesn't care if nobody remembers him as a hero? If nobody cries for him? I… I said I could handle that, that I was ready to be hated, but it just sounds so depressing, so lonely when he says it like that. But… that doesn't matter."

The hero killer was absolutely right. How you were remembered didn't matter. Neither of them meant much in the grand scheme. Their mission was too important to be concerned with their individual reputations. Midoriya was not ready, not as much as he thought he was. But he would work on it. He would harden his heart, prepare himself for the harsh reality, for the harsh words that would doubtlessly be thrown his way all his life, and for a long time afterwards. It was impossible to do in a day, but he had never been scared of hard work before. Even if it took years, Midoriya would steel his emotions until he could bear the weight of his decisions.

"... How long has he been at this? How hard was it… when he started this life?" The ex-hero side-eyed the self-proclaimed monster, unable to read anything from his expression.

Stain was a simple man. He only wanted his beautiful world to be the best possible place for all of its people. How those people felt about him did not matter. Whether he was seen as a hero and praised by the masses, or remembered as a villain to be hated, he did not care. This fight was worth more than himself, that had always been true. The sooner Midoriya and the others accepted this, the better.

"... Still…"

Stain finally turned his head around, gazing over his shoulder at the assembled heroes-in-training. Save for Midoriya, still beside him, and the mopey kid standing a short distance away from the others with his arms crossed over his chest, all the boys were huddled together. Even now, in this dire situation, they seemed calm. As the group was enjoying their moment of rest, they sat with each other, casually speaking about regular topics. The redhead one was sharing a story about a hero he once met as the others nodded along. Beforehand, the stupid one had been asking if the others had seen the previews for an upcoming movie about aliens. The topics were so ordinary, so plain, it was like they were just regular teenagers getting together after school.

Most would have called them fools. They had not accepted this situation at all. Rather than taking it seriously and legitimately putting some thought into their fate, they continued to foolishly discuss pointless topics, as if it were just another day, no different from any other.

Stain saw it differently.

"... I suppose this is better. They are still young, uncorrupted by the heroes, unaware of the true darkness of the world." Stain begrudgingly admitted this to himself as he watched the junior criminals chatting so casually, enjoying their rest before Stain ordered them to keep moving. Under the veil of casual conversation, their eyes were moving around erratically, their hands were faintly shaking, and small drops of sweat were falling from their faces. The blonde one had been looking over his shoulder constantly, the redhead had yet to stop wringing his hands, and the strict kid was even more tense than usual. Even the mopey kid looked like he was hiding something. The hero killer understood immediately.

These casual conversations, about movies, about homework assignments, about the girls in their class, all of it was just so… so…

"We probably can't go to public bathhouses anytime soon, and I don't wanna have to walk too far to get to the river every day."

"..."

"Even if it's just on the outside, even if they're only pretending, even if they're only desperately trying to cling to some sense of normalcy while they cry and panic on the inside… it's enough. Keep that with you, young ones. This brightness, this… naivety… it's more important than you realize."

Shaking his head, Stain rose to his feet. Midoriya, who had already had his eyes on the man, wiped his eyes one last time and tapped Kirishima's shoulder, cutting his story short as the rest of the group climbed to their feet.

"Break time's over. The more time we spend wandering around, the greater the chance we'll be spotted. Keep up, brats." Stain growled out in his usual jaded tone. He casually hopped the small gap between their building and the next one over, hearing the sounds of heavy impacts as the boys jumped over behind him.

"They need to face the reality of their situation eventually. For now, it's just as important for them to continue shining. If they try to adapt too quickly, they'll only end up damaging themselves. Remain bright, for now, little heroes. There will come a time when you will have to accept some darkness into yourselves. Until then, be untainted. Be blinding. Hold onto this innocence… for as long as you possibly can."

Forcing down his annoyance as the pointless questions picked up again, Stain allowed the corner of his mouth to be tugged a millimeter upwards, only for a second. He had a job to do. Everything else could come later.

… Almost everything.

As Stain was about to hop down to street level to get a closer look at a relatively small factory with a collapsed smokestack, a flash of color caught his eye. Whipping his head to the right, he held up a hand to stop the boys behind him from going any further. He wasn't sure what he had seen, only that it definitely wasn't a worker. He had only seen the glint of color from the corner of his eye, but he was certain it had leaped from the ground to the roof of a three-story building.

Stain watched the building like a hawk for several seconds until he saw the flash again. It was clearly a person, their clothes green and red. They looked like they were running away from something. He was too far to make out his face, but the man was obviously jerking his head around every few seconds to check behind him.

"Another criminal? Strange, I haven't noticed any sirens or alerts aside from our own. What is he running from?"

The distance between them made it impossible to be certain, but Stain was fairly certain he could see a downturned line splitting the man's face. A disappointed frown.

The dirty man's lips split open to allow a sigh to exit his mouth.

"Another problem I have to deal with."

Seeing another criminal in an area you had marked for a hideout was always the worst, especially if they were seemingly on the run. It was impossible to tell if they were murderers or simple thieves, and if they found out you were nearby, there was a risk of them selling you out to the heroes tailing them for a reduced sentence. Granted, this particular man did seem to be leaving the district, but it was still better to be safe. The time for insight and reflection was over, now it was time to be serious.

Grunting in annoyance, Stain unsheathed one of his knives and began walking in the direction the man had run off in.

"Wait here. Stay out of sight and don't make any noise. If you aren't here when I get back, I'll kill you myself."

"What?"

"Is something wrong?"

"Where are you running off to?"

The boys' reactions were expected. Stain didn't take his eyes off the distant criminal as he lifted his knife so the young heroes could see.

"I just need to greet the neighbors."

Done explaining himself, Stain shot forward like a bullet. The other criminal was already far off, and if he was too slow he would lose him. Taking a flying leap, Stain barely grabbed hold of the bottom rung of a ladder hanging down from an unsettlingly rusty fire escape, a dishearteningly loud groan coming from the metal. Throwing himself up and climbing to the roof, Stain began hopping buildings to reach the man, taking care so no workers would see him.

As Stain feared, the man was not leaving the industrial district. He had suddenly veered off and gone deeper inside, crouching low when he was within view of the pedestrians walking the nearby streets just outside the barrier of warehouses and factories.

Stain steadily approached, ducking behind smokestacks and AC units whenever the man glanced behind him. Every time he was about to get a clear look at his face, something separated them. A chimney, a passing truck, an entire building, something always got in the way. Still, after a short chase, they were within 100 feet of each other. Stain elected to jump off to the side rather than pursuing the mystery man directly, scaling a building that was slightly taller than the first before continuing to chase after the criminal from above.

Finally, he was close enough. Clutching his knife tight, the hero killer dove off the roof, angling his body to intercept the green-clad man, who had also jumped, hoping to reach the next building over. But, before he could touch down on the storage shed he had been aiming for, the full weight of Stain crashed into him. Both men slammed down into the pavement hard enough to slightly crack it, with Stain on top. He slammed his left arm horizontally across the man's neck and held his knife above his face with the other.

It was common sense to not immediately kill your competition, especially not in this situation. If word got out that there was a murder in the area, the entire district would be on high alert for days, possibly weeks. The best choice was to either chase the man off, or put the fear of god in him to ensure his lips would stay sealed. There simply wasn't enough room around here for two separate criminal groups.

Ready to commence his friendly chat, Stain opened his mouth only to close it just as fast, surprise flashing in his eyes.

"... You?"

"S-Stain!?"

Now that they were so close, it was impossible to miss. The "green-clad man" wore no green clothes, only red, white, and black. The green came from his skin, no, his scales.

It was Spinner, looking exhausted, relieved, and panicked all at once.

"... What the hell are you doing here!?" Stain's eyes traveled down to the lizard man's chest, noticing a problem immediately.

"And where's the suit!?"

Northern Residential District:

"So, where do we check now?"

The district was about what Peter had been expecting. Like Toga had said, the entire area was in the process of being torn down, so there were potholes everywhere, torn up streets that led nowhere, and most of the buildings were half-broken down. Before the wide-scale renovation began, it must have been fairly standard as far as residential areas went.

The remnants of apartment buildings did not look fancy in the slightest, and there weren't even any shops or parks to break up the endless living spaces. It was the kind of place he would have lived in back home. But they weren't here for apartment shopping, they were here to find their missing friends. If they thought in the same way Toga did, they would be here. Hopefully.

The massive construction site was empty, so it was probably an off day for some reason or another. Maybe the foreman had some trouble with the rights to be here and had to renew some documents. It wasn't really important, and if anything, Peter was just grateful they could walk freely without having to waste time slinking through shadows.

"No clue. We never talked about where we'd go if the hideout got raided. I always just figured we would go our separate ways and maybe meet up if Kurogiri put out a call." Dabi shrugged noncommittally, casually looking all around. "Yoo-hoo? Any washed up magicians around here? Any fine ladies in need of a shave? Somebody lose their pet lizard around here?"

No voices shouted back to respond to the blatant insults. Dabi just shrugged again as the empty streets returned only silence.

"... Let's just walk around. We won't get anywhere standing here, but be careful. The last thing we need is to get found by some patrolling heroes. Although, this place is pretty big. It might be better if we split up." Peter raised a hand to his chin in thought. "Dabi, you go with Twice. Toga, you're with me. We'll meet back here in an hour. If you see any heroes, stay out of sight until they move on. If you find Magne and the others, give me a call with the drive I gave you. Everybody clear? Alright, then let's go."

The small band divided in half and went in opposite directions. Dabi wasted no time grabbing the back of Twice's neck and dragging the insane man behind him as walked. He had no intention of waiting around for the hopeless basket case to follow him of his own accord.

While the two black-clad men slowly made their way through the streets, Peter and Toga had already leapt onto the nearest building and were making their way around at a much more rapid pace. With the spider sense providing them both with a perfect mental image of the environment around them, they were able to move very quickly without doing much searching with their eyes.

"So… how exactly did you get used to this?" As they searched, Toga took the opportunity to ask the expert some questions about her new powers. The best time was now, while she still had some blood fresh in her system, before withdrawals started screwing with her mental capacity again. "My head's all funny. It's all just so much, I don't see how you deal with it."

"I don't really know how to explain it. I guess I just… lived with it?" Peter shrugged unhelpfully. "I wish I could tell you more, but that's about it. It was a lot to deal with for the first few days, but I just needed time to let my body catch up with everything. Once my brain was able to handle all the new data, it stopped being so overwhelming."

The explanation both was and wasn't helpful. It was comforting and all to know that it would eventually get better, but it would have been nice if there was a way to speed everything up rather than just waiting for your brain to play catch-up.

"... They're okay, right? They've been gone for a while, and there's so many heroes everywhere."

"... Yeah. I'm sure they're okay. Soon enough, we'll meet up with all of them, and they'll have a fun story to tell us about what they got up to while we were separated."

Toga took Peter's word for it. He was usually right about this stuff. She wasn't happy about any of this, but she could shove that down for now. At the moment, her attention was needed elsewhere. Thinking of possibilities could wait for later.

Dabi:

"Damn it Peter, why'd you stick me with this dumbass?"

Dabi did not like Twice, he never had. It wasn't that he was a bad person, he was just so annoying. Even now, Dabi paid absolutely no attention to whatever his partner was saying. The insane ramblings were passively blocked out as background noise, like he always did.

As soon as Peter and Toga split away from them, Dabi had turned straight around and left the residential district. He was completely certain that those two would find their missing allies if they really were there. With no need for his presence, he decided it would be better to search elsewhere. Besides, after being slung over Peter's shoulder while the young man had been jumping across buildings for the past hour, he needed some time to just walk around and get his bearings. A jolly stroll through the streets honestly sounded wonderful right about now.

And so, that's exactly what he was doing. With the deconstructed apartments at his back, Dabi found himself back in the main center of activity in the city not even ten minutes later. Cars were once again driving down the streets and pedestrians lined the sidewalks.

"I swear, I'm putting tracking chips in all of them after this. I hate chasing people down like this. My specialty is assassinating, not tracking. So stupid. Shouldn't even be here. Oi, wherever you three are, come out so I can kick your asses." Dabi wasn't even angry, he was just filling the silence with empty complaints to stave off his own boredom, muttering quietly to himself ceaselessly.

To be truthful, he was only half-focusing on the task at hand. A small part of him was still back at the hospital, impatiently grilling Peter for information. His questions would have answers, no matter what. If finding the others sped up the process, then fine. The sooner they all made it to a safe place here he could get some answers from Peter, the better. Walking openly on the sidewalk amid the everyday civilians, Dabi searched with baleful eyes for any sign of his absent companions.

There was no serious danger in walking the streets. His face may have been known, but there were no heroes in sight and surprisingly few civilians paid enough attention to the news to remember a villain's face. Regardless of the news report that showed his face not even three hours ago, he would bet his savings that most people only paid attention to Peter, and those that had paid attention had already stopped thinking about him. Even if somebody did recognize him by his unique appearance, it was easy enough to act before they had the chance to do anything.

Case in point, Dabi noticed a man who had been walking towards him suddenly stop on the sidewalk, a look of realization on his face. Panic flashed in his eyes as he hurriedly pulled out his phone, fear locking his legs in place as the silent pyromaniac continued striding in his direction. When he tried to dial the emergency service number, Dabi calmly reached out, gently took the man's phone from him, and smoothly crushed it in one hand. Still frozen in fear, the man only stood there as Dabi playfully smiled at him and raised a finger to his purple lips in a shushing gesture. Paying the paralyzed man no mind, Dabi walked right past him, still dragging Twice behind him by the back of his neck. The ninja followed up by pointing two fingers at his own eyes and then pointing those same fingers at the man. It may have been threatening if he weren't being pulled around like a baby kitten with his legs dragging along the ground.

"Seriously, these guys are so damn stupid. Do they really think I'm not gonna notice them looking me in the eyes and pulling out a phone? No wonder this country's gone to shit, half the population is brain-dead." The empty complaints continued. Nobody seemed to have noticed his casual threat and the whimpering man wasn't about to move while he could still see the scary villain, so they were safe for now.

To be honest, Dabi was hoping the cops would be called on him. Escaping pursuit was so easy it was a joke, and it would pull the heroes away from the industrial district where Stain was looking for a temporary hideout, so it really would be beneficial to draw a little bit of attention.

The road ahead of him was angled slightly upwards, creating a curve that made it impossible to see too far ahead. They had almost reached the top when Dabi heard shouting over the hill's crest. Curious, he angled his body down to hide behind a large, blue mailbox and peeked around to see what was happening.

There was a police cruiser parked in front of a bodega about thirty feet away. Two cops were yelling at each other as they all but threw themselves inside, immediately flicking on the sirens and speeding down the road in the direction he had just come from. Dabi waited a few seconds before he stood up.

"... Interesting. Anybody else starting problems around here?"

A sudden violent gust of wind blew Dabi's unzipped coat around and whipped his messy hair over his eyes. Releasing a grunt of frustration, Dabi used his free hand to clear his vision and glanced upwards to see a news helicopter flying off in the same direction as the police cruiser. The low-flying aircraft was barely six stories up, low enough for the incredibly loud rotors to hurt his ears.

"Yup. Definitely interesting."

In times like these, the best thing to do was find a big crowd. When there were cops and news crews rushing to the same place, a big crowd meant you had either found the excitement or there was a TV store pedestrians were huddling around to get a look at what was going on from a safe distance. Either one suited Dabi just fine, so he continued leisurely strolling until he found a sizable crowd of about fifteen people huddled in front of an electronics store's front window like children peering into a candy store.

"Bingo. Oi, eyes up, gimp. This could be important."

Releasing Twice, the scarred villain gently pushed his way through the assembled pedestrians until he could see the TVs stacked in the display window.

"...-ning at 11, the three criminals were first discovered."

"...-e the same ones responsible for the USJ incident."

"...-age has been freed and returned to her mother."

Each of the TVs were set to a different news channel, creating a messy jumble of words that all blended together. What was being said wasn't super important. What was important was the image being displayed on every screen. Two familiar people in an area Dabi knew well. And all around them…

"Sometimes, I hate being right. Ah well, guess it's time to go to work."

Dabi stepped out of the crowd, pulling Twice by the hand like he was his mother, still not paying attention to whatever nonsense came out of his mouth. With his free hand, he pulled out the small, circular electronic device Peter had given him and squeezed the buttons on both sides. A yellow light in the center flashed a few times before it turned green and stopped blinking.

"Dabi, did you find them?" Peter's voice came from the communication device, sounding worried.

"Eh, yes and no. Looks like the last member of the Apple Dumpling Gang is missing, but two for three isn't bad. And you're just gonna love where they are. Have Toga show you the way to the old cinema on 43rd and Grove, it's pretty close to where you are now. Be ready for some action, and smile for the cameras."

Ending the call with no further explanation, Dabi suddenly stopped walking. Once again, he had total faith in Peter's abilities, especially with a juiced-up Toga accompanying him. He had no plans to assist with what was about to happen, mostly because he had no way to help without outright killing somebody. Still, he had his own way of providing assistance.

"There's probably more on the way. The fewer idiots they've got to deal with, the better. Those two're about… five minutes away by car. They could get there in… seven minutes on foot. What a pain in the ass… ugh, you owe me for this, Peter."

Turning back around to face the crowd assembled in front of the electronics store, Dabi raised one hand over his mouth and called out in an overly effeminate voice.

"Yoo-hoo! Excuse me?" As one, the gathered pedestrians turned to get a look at whoever called out to them. The hand that was cupped around his mouth was raised to the sky, palm facing straight up. "Would anybody here like to meet a real-life villain?"

A plume of blue inferno raised far above the nearby buildings and could be plainly seen for almost two miles.

43rd and Grove:

"Why did we trust that asshole, Spinner, again?"

"I'm well in favor of a magician keeping his tricks a secret, but I must admit this is a bit much."

Magne and Compress were standing shoulder-to-shoulder, wearing matching looks of annoyance, though Compress' was hidden under his mask. The burly woman kept her steel beam hefted over one shoulder while the magician-themed villain had his hands up in surrender. They were both wearing identical, tattered black cloaks that looked like they were pulled from a dumpster.

Okay, maybe they were pulled from dumpsters, but there really wasn't much choice! It made getting around much easier, not having to confine themselves to alleyways. Even if smelling terrible was an unfortunate side effect. The cloaks were little more than old rags barely held together by poorly done stitching. A few people had even thought they were homeless and tried to offer some money. Not that the fact they were now 1500 yen richer would help them right now.

Their backs were to the abandoned cinema with bricks so old they were turning white. Across the street directly in front of them, no fewer than twelve police cruisers were lined up in a half-circle to keep them trapped and two different news choppers were overhead. The sidewalks were still open, but running probably wasn't a very good option considering the dozens of officers pointing guns at them.

The only saving grace was that no actual heroes had arrived yet. They were probably scattered all over the city after the chaos at the bar. They'd only caught a few details from the limited news coverage that came after the fact, but it was clear to see the bar was gone. Peter and the others had obviously escaped and incapacitated at least forty heroes in the process.

"'I'll distract them', he said. 'Don't worry, they'll all be after me', he said." Magne cursed under her breath, rueing her trust in the lizard man's schemes.

"As a man of the mystic arts, I believe in having faith in the abilities of every man. But, I fear Spinner has no future in show business. A true magician never fails a trick."

Both criminals heaved dramatic, full-bodied sighs, slightly hunching over forward as they did so. They seemed more annoyed than afraid, like they hadn't even noticed the cops pointing weapons at them. Huddled together in front of the cinema with frustrated expressions, it brought to mind a group of friends waiting impatiently for one person to show up.

"Whatever. What's the plan? I can probably pull down the cinema showboard, make a shield in front of us. We can smash through the doors and bust through the back wall, then just run from there."

"While the idea of testing whether or not my reaction time is good enough to compress bullets is tempting, your idea does sound much better. On 3?"

"Sure."

Neither of the groaning criminals were even listening as the assembled officers shouted for them to get on the ground. Magne turned her eyes up to the signboard overhead. It was filled with black tiles in the shape of letters, displaying showtimes for movies that were being played on December 27th, 1972. There were two of them, angled away from the main building and barely hanging onto their rusted supports. Even a gentle breeze was enough to make the old metal groan loudly.

It was unknown how exactly nobody had thought to tear this dangerous old wreck down yet. Probably a bunch of loud idiots whining about how the cinema was important to the local area's history, or something stupid like that. But, in this particular case, Magne could admit that those loud idiots had done her a favor.

Lowering her head, Magne looked straight at the cops and just barely activated her quirk. She didn't want to pull too hard and crush herself under the massive board.

"Alright, alright, shut up ya' damn idiots! Can barely hear myself think over all your yelling!" Raising her steel beam overhead as the signboard's supports groaned loudly, she pretended to set it down, slowly lowering it towards the ground. The assembled officers watched her carefully, not lowering their guns for even a moment.

When the beam was only an inch from the pavement, Magne paused, looking thoughtful, then suddenly stood up, slinging it back over her shoulder.

"Actually, I think I'll keep it. Feels better to have some protection on me. You never know what kind of rough vagrants might want to pick a fight with a pretty little lady like me."

"LOWER THE WEAPON NOW!"

"GET ON THE GROUND!"

"COMPLY OR WE'LL OPEN FIRE!"

These guys really were a mess. They obviously didn't even have a leader established and were all just shouting whatever they wanted, trying to make themselves heard over each other. It was probably just a bunch of beat cops filling in to pick up the slack left by all the injured heroes. Magne stuck a finger in one ear, making a show of twisting it around a few times, all while the groan of metal grew even louder. Some of the officers had finally begun to take notice and were glancing up at the out-of-date signboard.

"Whelp, should be about done by now. Ready?"

"A good magician is always ready to perform."

"Great. Just say 'yes' next time."

Tired of waiting, Magne went all in, pulling the signboard towards her with as much force as her quirk could muster. The pitiful groans of the metal were replaced by screaming as the rusted supports tore in half and the massive signboard fell down to the street. Casually taking a single step back to avoid being crushed, Compress and Magne found their vision blocked by a large, rectangular object that smashed straight through the pavement and remained upright. The panicked shouting of officers could be heard on the other side.

"Most impressive. Now then, shall we make a timely exit?" Compress flamboyantly gestured to the glass rotary door leading into the cinema, criss-crossed with red tape. Magne only grunted as she lifted her steel beam like a baseball bat and swung it into the glass, shattering it effortlessly.

The criminal duo stepped over the broken shards and ran straight to the back of the abandoned reception room and pushed through a random door leading to one of the many theaters. While Magne vaulted over each row of seats, Compress took his time shrinking multiple of the old chairs down into blue marbles and storing them in a small pouch, insisting it was "just in case."

They quickly identified the glowing, green "Exit" sign above a door beside the deactivated movie screen. Shoving through the emergency exit, they found themselves behind the cinema. The only thing of note was a fire escape leading up the building directly in front of them, but there was no point in using that with news choppers in the area.

"HEY! STOP!"

Having emerged from the back corner of the old cinema, they could be plainly seen from the street in their new position at the end of an alley leading behind the building.

Reaching into his pouch, Compress dug around for a few seconds before withdrawing a single marble. Tossing it down the alley and snapping his fingers, the marble broke apart and left a huge dumpster in its place, blocking off the entire path. It was so large, in fact, it slightly burst through the two buildings surrounding it, ensuring it would not be moved anytime soon.

"Great, that's one problem taken care of. What now?" Magne looked all around, trying to think as she went. The only other way out of this little space behind the cinema was through the gap in the buildings in front of them which led to a different street. Assuming there were no cops there, they would still have to book it to cover to avoid being spotted by the choppers in the area.

"Damn it. Compress, you better keep up, because I won't have time to come back if you trip." Magne posted up by the gap between the two buildings, peering both ways down the unfamiliar street. No cops were in sight, not yet anyway, but the sound of the nearby helicopters continued to beat at her ears.

"Don't worry, dear, I'm well aware of the risks." Compress stood beside her, ready to flee when she gave the word. He kept a hand shoved in his pouch, ready to pull out dozens of marbles and shotgun blast any pursuers with old theater seats.

"Screw it, we'd better just go for it. On my mark, we go. Ready… set…"

"There you are!" A relieved shout caught both villains off guard, making them jump slightly. Whipping their heads around, they prepared themselves for a fight, but-

"BIG SIS MAG!" The person who greeted them was none other than Toga. A mere moment after calling out, Compress managed to locate her on top of the grey, slate building beside the theater. After jumping off the three-story structure and landing without even rolling to break her fall, the little vampire charged forward to tackle her "sister" in a hug. Dropping her steel beam, Magne met her with a shocked expression, having not expected to see her anytime soon.

She had thought she was prepared to take an impact comparable to a grade schooler hitting you with a pillow, but, when the tiny girl tackled her with a hug, it felt like being hit by a truck. Magne couldn't stay on her feet and was launched straight out of the alley and landed on her back in the middle of the street with a pained groan. Luckily, there were no cars driving by at the moment.

"Toga?! What're you-!"

"Later. For now, we really need to get moving." From her position on her back, Magne could see Peter, clad in his black and green suit, walking up with Compress thrown over one shoulder, holding her treasured weapon in his free hand. Springing off her sister, Toga shook her head rapidly in agreement so fast she actually blurred.

Rubbing her bruised ribs, Magne had no words for what just happened. Himiko Toga, the tiny little teenager who once lost an arm-wrestling contest to a twelve year-old, had just sent her flying twenty feet with a hug.

"Wha-... what the hell is-?"

"Later." Peter repeated himself, not budging. "We've got officers right behind us, there's choppers in the air, and there're probably heroes on the way. We've got to clear out right now. Toga, grab her."

"Grab me? I can walk by mys- OOF!"

Magne's indignant reply was cut off as she felt herself being lifted effortlessly and slung over somebody's shoulder.

There was no way. Toga… did not… just do that. Magne had about thirty questions she wanted to ask, namely how her solid two-hundred pound form had been lifted so easily, but she had no time to ask any of them. Before she could process what was happening, the ground was two stories below them and wind was whipping her hair.

Toga… just jumped… onto a two-story building… while carrying her. Not one second later, Peter and Compress loudly thudded beside them on the rooftop.

While Magne's brain was frying itself trying to decide exactly what kind of steroids her little sister had taken in the past twelve hours, Compress was focused on Peter, who pressed a button on the side of his mask.

"Dabi, are you and Twice alright? Where are you two right now?"

"We're fine. My little historical reenactment got the attention of every hero in the area. They're all swarming in the commercial district right now, but I'm long gone. We're on 77th boulevard right now." That unmistakable, bored voice filled Compress' ears. He had no problems being carried by Peter after running around for so long and was outright stretching himself horizontally across his shoulders like a lazy cat reclining on its owner's sofa. Peter merely readjusted his one-handed grip to compensate for the odd position.

"I'd rather you didn't make these people any more scared than they already are, but it did help out this time, so thanks for that." Peter tilted his head so he could look across the rooftops, spotting a few tiny, blue embers burning themselves out in the sky a few dozen blocks away. "Just focus on getting out of the area as fast as possible and get to the industrial district. I'll call Stain to let him know we've almost found everybody."

"Right, better you than me." A clicking noise was audible from the black mask. The call had been ended by Dabi.

Shifting his attention from the communication device to Magne, Peter squinted apologetically, his mask lenses narrowing in the same way.

"Guys, where's Spinner? Is he okay? Did you get split up by a group of-"

Peter's voice was drowned out by the painfully loud sound of beating rotors and violent gusts of wind. It seemed the news choppers hovering in front of the decrepit old cinema finally got the bright idea to move around and were now directly above the rooftop they were resting on.

"... Never mind, for now, we've gotta go! Toga, you okay!?" Peter had to yell to make himself heard. His partner in crime adjusted her grip on Magne and nodded.

"Mmmmrrrghh… my ears hurt, but I'm fine. Let's go, follow me!" Knowing this part of the city better than Peter did, it was the blonde girl who led the charge down the vacant street.

With their dramatically increased physical strength, even just jogging put both her and her power benefactor well ahead of the choppers. In just ten seconds, they were already beginning to leave them behind, much to the tremendous shock of Magne. Slung over Toga's left shoulder like a sack of wheat, she stared at the girl's feet, moving so fast they were blurring together, with a blank expression. She couldn't process any of this.

Whatever explanation Peter had for her when they got out of this, it had better be damn good.

With some breathing room between them and the choppers, Peter pressed a finger onto the side of his mask and sent a signal to his only lifeline.

"Come on, come on, pick up." He couldn't help but mutter impatiently as the seconds stretched on forever waiting for a response.

"... Peter? Excellent, I was about to tell the green one to call you." The familiar voice of Stain graced Peter's ears, causing a small smile to grow on his face.

"Stain, it is so good to hear from you. Listen, we found Magne and Compress, but we don't know where Spinner is, and there's a pair of helicopters after us. We're gonna try and put some distance between us, then get back to looking for-"

"Spinner is with us." Before the rambling could continue, the Hero Killer impatiently cut in. "I found him running through the Industrial District without your suit. Seems he has a story to tell us. More importantly, we have located a suitable destination to bunker down."

That… was great news, so great Peter could barely comprehend it. The group was still split up, but everyone was accounted for. All they had to do now was get together.

"Great, perfect, awesome! Tell Midoriya to put out the tracer signal, I'll pick up the others, and we'll be there soon."

"Affirmative." The simple response was followed instantly after by the sound of the call being disconnected.

"I take it everything has been taken care of?" Compress was still lazily reclined across Peter's shoulders, one arm wrapped around his transporter's neck while the other was pressed into his own cheek, elbow resting on Peter's right shoulder. He had absolutely no fear of resting in such a dangerous position while partaking in a high-speed chase.

"Yeah. We'll go somewhere the choppers can't see us, grab Dabi and Twice, then meet up with everybody else." Peter focused on a dot that had appeared on his mask's HUD, alerting him to the exact location of Midoriya's suit. With only one thing left to do, he made one final call to his scarred friend.

The call was picked up after a couple seconds of waiting.

"... What?"

"Tell me where you are right now. Stay there, and we'll come by to get you as soon as we shake off these news guys."

Stain's Group:

Calling it a humble abode was being exceptionally generous.

Kirishima subconsciously activated his hardening as he tentatively stepped into the frighteningly rusty warehouse. Every inch of the metal structure was completely brown and there were bits of glass, broken wood, and old nails everywhere. The roof, roughly fifty feet overhead, had holes everywhere, and there was a water tower perched on top with a hole in the side. Strangely, the metal was pointed outwards, as if the water inside had burst free of its prison somehow.

There were loose shipping crates that had been abandoned dotting the otherwise empty space, only a handful, though. A rusted staircase on the far side led up to a rectangular room built onto the side of the wall, glass windows allowing a glimpse of the lockers inside. Everything was covered in a layer of dust several inches thick, and Iida had already sneezed at least a dozen times.

Filthiness aside, it was perfect, according to Stain. There was a condemned sign outside and a chain link fence surrounded the entire warehouse. After cutting one side and prying the steel mesh aside so they could enter, Stain moved everything back to its proper place and slashed the lock that was just as rusty as the building it kept shut. The massive doors were forced open and closed as soon as everybody was inside, not that it got any darker, courtesy of the holes in the roof. Spinner had remained outside a few minutes more to confirm it was safe before entering as well.

"So… this is home now, huh? It's really… cozy." Kaminari absently rubbed his shoulders, trying to not sound as miserable as he felt.

"No. It is a temporary base. You will need to get used to moving around constantly. Do not get attached, we will be going elsewhere within a week." Stain shut down the jokey question with straight-faced seriousness. Taking a quick look around, the first thing he and Spinner did was slash open every crate that was left behind.

Life jackets, slightly rusted aluminum bottles, kerosene canisters, and a knee-height crate filled with about fifty palm-sized cans of tuna. It was better than what could usually be expected. The kerosene would make it easy to create fire, the aluminum bottles could be used to gather river water and boil it over said fire, the tuna was self explanatory, and the life jackets could be cut apart and used to cover the holes in the roof. There were also two other crates filled with paper and packets of pens respectively, but those were useless.

"You did as I told you?" Finished taking stock, Stain shifted his focus to Midoriya.

"Ah, yes! I put out the signal like you told me to!" Nervous as ever, apparently. Stain scoffed, pretending to be more annoyed than he really was.

The call had been placed only three minutes ago. Peter would not be arriving anytime soon.

"What now? Do we just wait?" Todoroki coldly turned to Stain for instructions, impatiently tapping a foot on the ground.

"Of course not, there is much to be done. Spinner and I will collect water for us to boil. You, red-hair, tear apart those life vests and have him help you cover the roof holes with them." A calloused thumb was jerked at Todoroki. "When that's finished, collect anything that will burn and make a small fire, no more than sixty centimeters in diameter. Douse it in kerosene, and light it with your quirk." It was Kaminari's turn to be pointed at. "I will return soon. Don't you dare even think about eating any of that food until I return. If there are any life vests left when you've finished patching the roof, make bedding."

With every step of the hideout's prep laid out for the inexperienced boys, Stain made to leave, but was stopped by Midoriya.

"W-wait! What should I do?"

"And I as well. You have yet to provide me with a task." Iida, too, spoke up about his lack of responsibility.

Honestly, there wasn't anything Stain could think of. All the important jobs could be handled by the others, so there wasn't much left.

"... Climb those stairs and search the locker room. There might be something useful left behind."

Simple, clear, and precise. No further explanation or clarification was offered. Stain and Spinner secured several of the empty aluminum bottles to their belts, pulled the huge warehouse door open and stepped outside, pulling it shut behind them. The sound of metal colliding with metal sent a small vibration through the air and the sound echoed through the desolate structure.

"..."

"..."

"..."

All five boys remained in the same spot, none of them taking a single step anywhere. They only stared at the door as if they expected something to happen if they waited long enough.

It was Kirishima who moved first, wordlessly grabbing a life vest and tearing it into three pieces, stripping the rubber off and mashing it into long, flat pieces which were unceremoniously dumped on the floor. Todoroki picked them up and numbly heated the edges just enough to melt it ever so slightly, ignoring the putrid scent of burning rubber while he stuck the melting pieces together and cooled them down until they grafted together. It was messy, but it would still work.

While the two boys worked at making a tarp, Midoriya and Iida idly padded over to the staircase that led up to the abandoned locker room, not a word shared between them. With nothing else to do, Kaminari looked around for anything that looked flammable. Small bits of wood that had probably broken off the countless shipping crates that had been stored in the warehouse in times past were scattered everywhere. They were tiny in size, but great in number. It did not take long to form a decent-sized pile of tiny crate fragments and loose sawdust.

"... So, how do you guys think everybody else is doing on their internships?" Tired of the uncomfortable silence, Kaminari nervously tried to strike up a conversation. He succeeded only in making Kirishima and Todoroki pause for a moment.

Internships.

That… was right. Internships.

Not even a full two days ago, they had been so happy, so excited to team up with real heroes and get their first real glimpse of hero work. Fourth Kind had been unnecessarily rough, but Kirishima remembered barely even caring about his mentor's brutish behavior. He was just so happy to be there, to be working alongside one of his country's protectors.

Just… so happy.

"..."

Kirishima paused, still gripping a life vest in his armored hands. He remained motionless for so long, Todoroki took notice of the lack of new material for their makeshift tarp.

"Kirishima?"

"... Uh, I need to make a call. Sorry, I'll be back in a minute." Apologizing profusely in a way that would have made Midoriya proud, the shark-toothed boy needlessly clasped his hands together and bowed for forgiveness as he backed away, abandoning the life vest beside the crate. He wandered over to a far corner of the warehouse, behind the shipping crate filled with paper. Neither Todoroki nor Kaminari stopped him from going off alone.

It was a sudden feeling, a desire, if you will. He just had this strange urge to talk to one person in particular, now of all times, before it became impossible. While he still had the nerve to speak with them.

Now alone, Kirishima pulled out his cellphone, staring nervously at the black screen like he was afraid to touch it. Slowly, nervously, he reached out and tapped the power button with a shaking finger. Punching in his passcode and brushing past a few tabs of pointless apps, he opened up his contacts list and scrolled down to one specific name.

"..."

Again, he paused. He felt weirdly nervous about doing something so simple as pressing one final button. But, this was too important to leave alone, no matter what the reason might have been. Not allowing his nerves to control him, he forced his body to press "call" and stewed in his own sense of panic as the dial tone rang out a few times.

"... Kirishima?" Finally, a bright voice full of energy and pep responded to the call. It was not a visual call, but he still smiled as if the person on the other side could see him.

"H-hey, Mina. I just… wanted to call to check in, see how you're doing with your internship." His voice strained and cracked a bit as the words left his mouth. Thankfully, the cheery alien girl didn't seem to notice.

"Oh, it's been awesome! I got to go on patrol today and we even caught a few villains! There was this one guy with this crazy telekinesis quirk, ooh, and another lady who could control the hydrogen in the air! My mentor even let me help out with getting civilians out of the area!" Mina prattled on and on, excitedly recounting her entire experience thus far for her horn buddy. After so much time spent being afraid of… everything, it was so unbelievably nice to just talk with a friend. Kirishima genuinely smiled listening to the infectiously happy girl go on about her day.

"Oh, but how are you doing? You signed on with a hero near Hosu, right? It's so bad over there, they even called my mentor in to fill in for all the heroes that got taken out of commission. I heard a lot of them got hurt after the big attack?" In a heartbeat, all the happiness was replaced by honest concern and worry. In the same moment, Kirishima's grin melted off his face.

"... Mina, have you watched the news yet?"

"The news? Nah, too boring for me, I just heard from my mentor that a lot of heroes got injured between a big villain attack and raiding some group's hideout. There aren't a lot of heroes up and running in Hosu, so we were gonna head over there tonight to provide support. I think we're going by car, so we should get there tomorrow. Why?"

So, she didn't know yet. About Peter, about the "thus unnamed UA students," or any of it, only that a major incident had occurred.

"..."

Maybe… that was best. For now.

"O-oh, I just wanted to tell you that it's not as bad as it looks. We did lose a lot of heroes, but they're all on their way to recovering right now, and there are still plenty of 'em out there pushing back all the villains. Don't worry, we'll definitely all pull through this." Kirishima did his best to throw on a comforting tone, once again smiling pointlessly at his phone.

"Really? Well, I guess that's good, but… is it bad I was kind of hoping to get overwhelmed? I'd have some kind of crazy battle against a horde of villains, throwing acid everywhere, showing them all what Pinky is made of! Er… eh-he-he, that sounds kind of stupid, doesn't it?" Mina was probably dragging a hand down her flushed face in embarrassment after spouting out such a childish fantasy.

"Nah, it's cool, I get it. Holding your own against a tidal wave of criminals, protecting the people, standing up even while they keep coming, that sounds super manly!"

"You never change, do you?"

"Hey, I could say the same about you!"

Replying indignantly to the laughing girl, Kirishima found himself smiling again. He was calmer now that he'd had the time to talk with somebody on the outside. Calmer…

And guiltier.

"She's gonna know sooner or later. Those pictures might have sucked, but there's no way Mina wouldn't recognize her friends. Not to mention… Peter. She'll definitely find out. There's no reason to drag this out."

Kirishima bit his lip in frustration, hating how much sense he was making.

"... Hey, Mina? Listen, you might not hear from me for a while. I'm… about to be stuck doing a lot of important work. I don't think I'll be able to really talk to anybody for a long time. Sorry, but this might be the last time I'll get to call you."

"Huh? You're not gonna die, are you?! I thought you said it wasn't that bad over there! Why do you sound like you're going to war?!" It was a fair reaction. He hadn't exactly done a wonderful job making it all sound like no big deal.

"I… really want to be a hero, Mina."

"Uh, me too? Isn't that why we applied to UA?" The redhead was almost 100% sure Mina was tilting her head to the side like a confused golden retriever.

"Well, yeah but, I just wanted to tell you. I really want to be a hero. I really want to do the right thing, I want to be as manly as I can be, I want to know I'm doing everything I can for everybody who can't do anything. I just… wanted to tell you. I only do what I think is right. Everything I do… I do it because I believe in it. You know that, right?"

No response came. Whatever Mina had been expecting to hear, it definitely wasn't such a serious declaration from her goofy horn buddy. She was at a loss, staring blankly at her phone, trying to formulate a response.

"... I think you've been spending too much time with Peter. You're starting to sound just like him." She finally settled on a cheeky, half-serious jab, smirking at her old friend's words. She didn't doubt he was serious, but perhaps he was a little too serious. "I'm guessing your mentor's got you doing a lot of overtime for your internship? Well, no worries, I get it. After this big incident, we'll probably all be super busy for a while. It'll be a pain not getting to talk to you, but I guueeeesss I can wait for a little bit longer. Just gotta keep moving, right? Maybe we'll even run into each other in Hosu!"

Even still… she still sounded so happy. Just like always, this girl… she was so happy. Kirishima couldn't help but feel jealous. That cheer of hers, it was so powerful. For the first time since he'd known Mina, her boundless joy failed to rub off on him.

"And, if not, these internships won't last forever! I'll definitely see you next week, horn buddy! We can go back to dodging Mr. Aizawa's homework and playing around in practical training together. It'll be fun, right? It… Oh. Sorry, my mentor's calling me over. I'll talk to you later, alright? I better see you at school!" Mina's cheery was colored slightly by sternness.

Kirishima remained silent, trying his absolute hardest to make sure his tone was perfect.

"Yeah, of course! You better hope All Might doesn't put us against each other next time! I'll definitely beat you!"

"Oho, it is so on! Don't expect me to take it easy on you! You better get plenty of practice against all those villains, or I might leave you in the dust, Kiri!"

The receiver made a clicking sound. The call was over. Kirishima kept the phone beside his ear, not budging.

"... She'll find out eventually. Tomorrow, probably. It won't be long now."

"... I know it'll hurt. I know she'll feel betrayed. I should've just told her, but… I couldn't do it." A rough hand was brought up to forcefully rub the beginnings of tears out of his eyes. "I'm sorry Mina. I couldn't tell you myself."

"Yo, Kirishima!" The familiar voice of Kaminari carried over to the corner of the warehouse, though the boy himself was blocked from sight by the shipping crate Kirishima was leaning against. "You done yet? I don't wanna get yelled at by Stain because we didn't finish patching the roof in time."

"Y-yeah, on my way now!"

He wasted no time thrusting his phone into his pocket. It did not even occur to the shark-toothed boy to call his parents. Mina, he could handle, but the idea of calling his parents and telling them what he had done, even just trying to pretend everything was fine while he talked to them... No way. He definitely couldn't do it. He couldn't even imagine how Midoriya must have felt. He knew his shy friend had an extremely close relationship with his mother. The fact that communication was so difficult, knowing what she would learn soon enough...

Kirishima pushed down his emotions. There would be time to worry about... everything... later. No doubt they would all be getting calls from their parents when they inevitably realized what was going on. When that happened, then they could begin to panic. When that happened, then they could decide whether or not they were ready for... that conversation.

For now, there was work to do.

2 Hours Later:

The sky was beginning to darken. A few stray rain clouds had rolled in to douse the gloomy city with cold water. The rain battered noisily against the tarps that had been crudely "stapled" to the ceiling by piercing them with frozen spikes. To ensure nobody would notice the obvious patches of bright yellow, out of place on the rusted, brown roof, the boys had "treated" them before putting them up.

While the corners were held down by his four companions, Iida kicked his engines into high gear and did his best to slowly backpedal over the DIY rain shield, burning up the special-made rubber until the material darkened. It wasn't exactly the same color as the roof, but burnt orange was closer to rusty metal than bright yellow.

After that was done, Midoriya had jumped through the biggest hole while carrying the tarps and Todoroki with him. After ensuring nobody was nearby, they had pressed the masses of rubber over the holes and pierced them all around with thick spikes of ice like they were sewing them into the roof. When every hole was covered, they climbed off the roof and entered through the front door.

Soon after, Kirishima and Todoroki used the remaining vests to make eight poorly constructed sleeping bags, if they could even be called that. They were little more than open-top cylinders of burnt-together rubber, and even then, there wouldn't be enough for everybody.

Kaminari made the fire alone while Iida and Midoriya continued to search the locker room. Apparently, it was also a sort of office, with a few desks and long disconnected computers inside, probably meant for the foremen to manage shipping orders. Not having any experience with fire-making, he haphazardly threw together random bits of wood and sawdust shavings before dumping half a bottle of kerosene over it and lighting it with a small spark of electricity.

The initial burst of flame and the subsequent fireball had made him jump with fright, though. New knowledge acquired, don't use half a bottle of kerosene to light a fire. Thankfully, it hadn't burned the warehouse down, the plume of fire burning itself out in only a few seconds. However, it was necessary to take a few deep breaths.

Stain and his number one fan returned shortly after, nodding in approval of their work. The two identically dressed professionals brought with him fifteen bottles of filthy river water they'd kept clipped to their belts. Six of them were shoved into the burning wood, boiling quickly in the heart of the fire. Having finished the first batch six minutes ago, the second batch of water was currently in the process of being crudely purified, and Stain had given the okay to open a few cans of tuna. It was the kind that was already cooked, they only needed to be heated, so Kirishima held them in his hands above the fire.

Hellbent on rationing to preserve their primary food source for as long as possible, Stain only allowed one can for every two people. Midoriya shared with Todoroki, Kirishima with Iida, and Kaminari with Stain himself. Spinner, being the odd one out, resigned himself to an extra can that he ate alone, trembling slightly under the withering gaze of Stain. He had never been so careful in all his life to eat only half the food available to him. He almost felt relieved when he had consumed half the precious fish, setting the can down beside him as soon as he was done.

"Any 7's?"

"Go fish."

Sighing, Midoriya drew another card from the deck.

Searching the locker room revealed little of use. There was nothing but stray candy bars and thin, unpadded rain coats in the lockers, and the desks held nothing but office supplies. The shining jewel of the treasure hunt had been the deck of cards in one of the lockers, even if it was missing the king of hearts and ace of spades, along with a handful of number cards.

Peter had yet to return, so the ragtag group passed the time with simple games. Some of them had even draped the painfully thin raincoats around themselves to act as blankets. As rain continued to fall, it was growing colder and colder. While Stain sharpened his one intact knife and broken katana while peering through a peephole-sized hole in the wall, Todoroki laid in his sleeping bag in an attempt to get some much-needed rest, and the other four boys had turned to Go Fish. Spinner had not left his spot beside a dinner plate-sized hole in the wall. Todoroki had "nailed" a raincoat over it with an ice spike, but it was currently being pulled aside ever so slightly so the lizard man could peer outside.

"Do you have… any kings?" Iida looked at Kaminari like he had just predicted the future.

"How do you always know?!" Handing the king of clubs to his blonde classmate, he failed to notice the evil smirk on Kaminari's face. Iida had never played Go Fish before, so, naturally, it didn't occur to him that his cards were reflected in his glasses. Midoriya and Kirishima had their own reasons for not abusing such an advantage, but Kaminari had no such reservations. He robbed his uptight classmate for everything he had with zero shame or remorse.

"Just lucky, I guess." A simple shrug accompanied the carefree words. His green and red-haired classmates both side-eyed him with blank expressions, the disapproval clear in their eyes. With thirteen matched pairs resting beside the electric blonde, it was clear who would be winning this game.

The game continued under the thundering of the rain, Stain's knife sharpening in the corner sending a harsh screeching noise echoing through the enclosed structure every few seconds. A few rounds later and the deck was gone. All that remained were the cards in each player's hand. Two for Kaminari, three for Iida, five for Kirishima, and seven for Midoriya. It would seem the nervous hero wasn't good with games of chance, having only three matched pairs to his name.

It was then, as Kaminari gleefully claimed the six of diamonds from Iida, that Spinner abruptly shot off the ground, looking excited. Stain noticed the abrupt movement and threw his broken katana into its sheath before pulling out his only intact knife. He, too, had heard what caused Spinner's excitement.

"Footsteps. Stand around the fire."

To avoid being smoked out, the tarp directly over the fire had been slightly propped up in one corner by a loose piece of broken, metal pipe. While technically safer, it ran the risk of an observant hero following the smoke to their hideout, and there was nothing to block the obvious light from being spotted through the gaps in the coats covering the holes in the walls if somebody were to walk nearby.

All five boys stood up, forming a meat wall around the incriminating beacon. Stain wasn't sure who was coming, only that they were probably a large person based on their heavy footfalls. He raised his knife higher, taking slow, meaningful steps around the building. He was staying beside the person walking next to the warehouse, matching their pace and following the direction they were going. Spinner did not know either, not able to catch sight of whoever it was from his position. he only knew that somebody was nearby. While Stain walked around the inner wall on one side of the warehouse, Spinner moved in the same direction on the opposite side of the building.

Soon, they had converged at the main entrance.

"Be prepared, we don't know who it is yet." The heroes in training stood at attention, following the lizard man's warning. Kaminari went so far as to point a finger gun at the huge doors, ready to fire if a hero came charging in.

No more footsteps came. Tense seconds passed with nothing but the sound of rain to disturb the silence. Stain waiting patiently, knife gripped tight, for the doors to open. Spinner, missing his weapon, had his fists raised in a combat-ready stance. Then…

"Guys? You in here?"

Just like that, the warehouse's occupants relaxed immediately, letting out the breaths they had been holding. Stain grabbed hold of one of the sliding doors and pulled it aside, opening the way for their greatest ally.

"You've finally arrived, then." Stain sounded disinterested, not openly showing his satisfaction.

"Sorry it took so long, those news guys were really committed. Seriously, if they think I'm a dangerous criminal, why would they follow us so closely? If I can pick up one of UA's robots, they have to know I can pull a chopper down." The half-hearted complaints somehow put the ex-UA students at ease as a smiling and soaking Peter padded inside, his waterlogged shoes slapping loudly on the concrete floor. His costume was rolled up into a ball and tucked under one arm, the green lights deactivated. Spinner reached out and clapped a hand on Peter's shoulder, happy to see his friend safe.

"Oh man, Spinner, I'm so glad you're here. You have no idea how much I was panicking when I couldn't find you at the suit beacon." Peter's breathless greeting was cut short as confusion colored his expression. "But, wait... if you're here, where's the suit?"

It hadn't taken long to notice Spinner's obvious lack of the spider-themed suit, or his incredibly guilty expression.

"U-um, well, you see, I might have-"

"That is a discussion for later." Stain suddenly cut in, hissing like a cat. "Believe me, I am quite happy to tear into him for doing something so incredibly stupid, but that matter can wait for now. And the rest of you, hurry up and get inside so we can shut the door!" Whatever Spinner had told him, he clearly was not happy with his fan's actions.

The conversation forcibly ended by Stain, Peter reluctantly let the topic go for now and stepped aside to leave the entrance open for the others. Right behind him was Toga, growling in frustration as she undid her hair buns and wrung out her soaking hair. It would be a pain having to do them up again. Contrary to popular belief, it took a lot of work to make those buns look like they were perfectly balanced between wild and well-kept.

Compress, minus his mask, came next, also looking unhappy with the dousing of his beautiful outfit, his dripping cane producing a wet thud every time it made contact with the ground. Twice, for whatever reason, was clinging tightly to him like a koala, muttering something about scary lightning.

Dabi didn't care nearly as much as the others, calmly striding inside with little care for how wet he was. His clothes had absorbed so much rain, every new drop bypassed his clothing and chilled his skin. But, now out of the rain, he activated his quirk for only a few seconds, and he was fine, as though he had never been wet in the first place. Well, so long as you ignored the copious amount of steam rising from his body.

The last to enter was Magne. On the outside, she didn't seem to care at all about any of this. Rain might have been annoying, switching hideouts was a pain, but it was all stuff she was used to. Her biggest concern had not changed in the past two hours. All she cared about was learning what the hell was going on with Toga.

"Peter!" Midoriya was the first of the ex-UA students to greet his friend, running up and worriedly looking him over as if checking for injuries. Peter just waved him off good-naturedly, receiving a clap on the back from Kirishima and a wave from Kaminari and Iida. A curt nod was all the acknowledgement Todoroki gave him.

Greetings were exchanged as quickly as possible, none of the new arrivals wanting anything more than to stand by the small fire. Kaminari and the others made way to allow them all a place beside the only source of warmth, taking off their "blankets" and draping them over their dripping wet companions while Stain tossed three cans of tuna over to the group of six. While Toga pulled out a knife to cut one open, Kirishima helpfully used a hardened finger to do the same to the other three.

Magne and Twice shared one, Dabi and Compress took another, and Peter and Toga shared the third. The half-can was split left behind by Spinner was greedily snatched up and consumed by Toga before Stain could stop her. She was not used to having such an incredibly fast metabolism and had jumped at the sight of more food. Not that it was a large amount by any means, but two halves of a can of food were better than one half. She made a point of ignoring the scathing look the Hero Killer was giving her while she licked the inside of the can.

"So, what was it like out there?" Iida posed a question to the group of shivering lawbreakers. "I can't imagine there are many heroes still active, but I assume there was a surplus of police officers still on the move."

"Indeed." Compress confirmed the bespectacled boy's suspicions with a nod. "I daresay I encountered more officers today than in my entire career. There were quite a few news crews as well."

"Oh, yeah, Peter could tell you all about them." Magne shot an annoyed look at Peter, who only ducked his head nervously. Curious looks were sent their way, but nobody questioned the tall woman's strange statement.

"The good news is we've probably got a little bit of time to make a plan of action. With so many heroes out of commission, there isn't as much pressure on us to make a move." Dabi chimed in, speaking around the lukewarm tuna in his mouth. He, along with the others, had been too hungry to heat the cans of food all the way and didn't care about eating them cold.

"Uh, actually, we might not have all that much time." Kirishima nervously raised a hand, drawing the group's attention over to him. "I gave Mina a call a few hours ago. She said the hero she's interning with got called in to provide support and that they'd get here tomorrow. If she got called in, the local authorities probably called in help from all over."

Every criminal present groaned loudly. That was just what they needed, a big influx of heroes rolling into the city. They would most definitely be incredibly overzealous about apprehending them. After the big news of the assault on Hosu, followed by the botched hideout raid and All Might's failed capture of their group, every person coming in to provide support would definitely be eager to be the hero who captured their group.

Peter sat cross-legged, resting an elbow on his knee and raising a hand to support his chin. He silently processed the situation while the discussion continued around him.

"Now that Toga is safe, we have a place to stay, and everybody is accounted for, we need a plan for how to move forward. Do we just avoid capture while acting as vigilantes? Stay underground until the heat dies down? Or… wait a second…"

As an idea began to form in Peter's mind, a wet mass pressed itself against him. Breaking free from his thoughts, he noticed Toga had finished her share of tuna and was pressing her back against him.

"Toga?"

Her response was only one word, forced out through chattering teeth. "Cold." Not elaborating any further, she practically burrowed into his chest, worming her body between his arm and torso like a cat desperate for attention. Raising his arm to let her in, the shivering girl leaned her head back until it rested against his collarbone, hugging his arm to her stomach and clinging to it like it was a blanket. Feeling uncomfortably cold himself, he welcomed the extra heat provided by a warm body.

The others were doing something similar. All of the young boys were shivering, Stain was rubbing his exposed arms, Spinner had wrapped his tail around himself and pulled his knees up to his chest, Compress and Magne were outright hugging each other for warmth, and Dabi, looking exceptionally pissed off, held a ball of flame in his hand as Twice latched onto his arm like a monkey, taking in the combined heat of Dabi's flames and the campfire. Surprisingly, the scarred man had yet to even try to shake him off.

Not minding Toga using him as a heater, Peter cleared his throat to draw everyone's attention.

"I think for now, we're good to stay here. The heroes have no idea where we've gone and there aren't any clues to lead them back here. This whole area looks kind of secluded, so I doubt any dock workers will come this way. But, it's probably not a good idea to go straight to crime fighting with so many heroes converging on the city. Our best move is to lay low for now and work on this place. We can look for more empty warehouses for anything useful, maybe turn this place into something a little less… unwelcoming. I say we give it a week, then get to work for real. What do you guys think?"

Peter was well aware the others were looking to him for leadership. He didn't mind giving them orders, but he wanted them to understand that their input was just as important as his. They were all in this together, and every one of their decisions affected the entire group.

If somebody disagreed, there was no problem with them making it known. He wasn't a dictator.

"I agree it's likely not the best move to jump straight into hero duties." Iida nodded robotically at his de facto leader. "Especially with even more heroes on their way to Hosu as we speak, it would be best to stay low given our close proximity.

The new hideout wasn't technically in Hosu, but it was caught right between the ruined city and its close neighbor, Musutafu. Anything they did here would probably attract the attention of the reinforcements filling in for the dozens of hospitalized heroes, and making a long-distance trip to a farther away city simply wasn't an option.

Several others made their agreement known. Taking some downtime to rest and recover after the incredibly draining events of the past two days would do them all some good. A slower, calmer experience, simply scavenging abandoned shipments and maybe cleaning up the warehouse sounded almost peaceful, if a little boring.

Even Stain signed off on it. Remaining in one place for more than a few days wasn't his style, but this particular hiding spot was incredibly secluded and easy to live in, so he would be willing to stay put for now. It would at least give him an opportunity to map out the area. If there were other condemned buildings in the area, it would be good to take note of them for the next time they needed to go hideout shopping.

It seemed that the entire group was in agreement on what their course of action should be. All except for two individuals.

"That's great and all, but you still owe me an explanation." Magne harshly cut into the conversation, a twitching eyebrow evidence of her quickly draining patience. "I've waited long enough, now what's going on? Why is Toga suddenly strong enough to toss me over her shoulder? Why can she jump to the roof of a two-story building? What in the hell happened while we were gone?"

It was obvious Magne was not going to wait any longer for an explanation. Her precious little sister was very clearly not the same as she was when they parted. The strange powers were only part of it. She was… calmer, more focused, less… Toga. None of it made sense, and she would find out why.

Peter and Toga both opened their mouths to respond, but were silenced by a sudden burst of flame. The campfire at the center of the group had turned blue and abruptly erupted with excess flame, slightly singeing a few of the criminals circled around it. The entire group leaned away, frightened by the out-of-nowhere increase in temperature.

"On the topic of explanations, I do believe I'm owed as well." Dabi lowered an outstretched palm, glaring meaningfully at Peter as he remarked sarcastically. "You haven't forgotten our little talk at the hospital, have you?"

"..."

Of course not. Hell, half of Peter's time since then had been spent formulating his explanation for everything. How to explain, how to make it convincing, how to make sure they didn't think he was crazy.

He hadn't made much progress.

"The hell are you talking about?" Magne gave Dabi a cross look, not happy that her request for information had been overtaken by his.

"Ah, right, silly me!" Dramatically, Dabi tapped his forehead like he'd had a sudden realization. "You see, during our big battle with the king of the boy scouts, I heard something pretty interesting about Peter here. And the more I think about it, the more questions I have, the more I'm curious about… the more unsure I feel about who I'm working with."

Dabi had not taken his eyes off of Peter, every word dripping with meaning. Peter returned his gaze, though his unwillingness to look away was not for courage. Quite the opposite, he was too nervous to look away.

"'Your world…' Sounds pretty interesting. Now that I think about it, I remember seeing on the news that you literally dropped out of the sky. On top of that, you showed up right when we needed help, gave us support right when we needed it, gave us a leader when our last one quit, always the perfect thing at the perfect time. A real savior from the heavens, aren't you? There's just so much that doesn't feel right, and now this. You know, I started thinking to myself, what do I really know about you? Mr. Perfect Hero, I guess even you have secrets. Where exactly did you come from? Why do you care so much about scum like us? Of course, neither of those are the most important questions here, get it?"

Dabi wasn't quite aggressive just yet, but his tone was far from friendly. The same could be said for the glowering look he was giving Peter. The more Magne, Compress, and Spinner heard, the more confused they looked. Toga was glaring venomously at Dabi, though he paid her no attention. Stain remained silent, not offering any input. He kept his arms crossed over his chest, silently watching everything play out.

Kaminari and Midoriya were sweating nervously, looking at everybody in turn to make sure a fight wasn't about to break out. Kirishima was gritting his teeth, not sure what to do. Of all the UA dropouts, only Todoroki and Iida were focused exclusively on Peter. They, too, had caught All Might's strange declaration and had been turning it over in their minds. If now was the time to get some answers, neither of them were opposed to it.

"Need I remind you that you do not belong here!? You came to our world, became a part of our society… why do you have the right to change our world so it suits you!? This isn't your home, this is not your place, and this is not within your rights! If you hate the way things are here, you should just go home!"

Peter, right from the start, was a walking enigma. Everything about him made no sense. He knew heroes Midoriya had never heard of, spoke of a social system that didn't exist, and possessed strength so far beyond his age, even All Might would hesitate to jump straight into battle with him. Absolutely nothing about him made sense, it never had. But, with this, it just might have been possible to push through a little bit of the haze surrounding the mystery that was Peter Parker.

Peter bit his tongue. He knew they had to have this conversation, but he was nowhere near ready for it. He hadn't even begun to work out a plan to explain everything without sounding like a crazy person.

"Peter…" Dabi uttered darkly. He was completely serious and would not accept anything less than a full explanation. "There's only one question that actually matters."

Every head in the room turned in Peter's direction, a fact that did not make him any less nervous.

"Who are you?"

As usual, Peter's life is so much fun.

Very important Author's note, I actually would advise reading this one.

One thing I want to make clear is Toga's personality. No, she is not permanently a serious character, she's still nuts and will spend the majority of the time being the character we all know. But, as I've written her and her quirk, it's her quirk itself that's about 80% responsible for her mental state. Because she drained Peter's arm not even a full day ago, she's still running on a full tank and is as good as she can be in terms of her mental state. In other words, she gets crazier the longer she goes without blood.

So, Toga that just drank blood: Still unstable, but mostly calm and rational.

Toga that hasn't drank blood in like, 3 days: Normal, canon Toga.

Toga that hasn't drank blood for 7+ days: The Joker.

Make sense? Great.

Like I said, this chapter was lightning fast in terms of how much happened. Yes, I probably could have written a mini arc where they're all separated while the heroes and cops scour the city for them and they have to reunite without getting caught, but it just wasn't necessary. It could have been interesting, but even just thinking about writing that made me feel… bored. It wouldn't move the plot forward, it wouldn't solve any problems, it would basically just be filler while we wait for something important to happen. I, truthfully, am just desperate to finally move past this two-day segment and want to get it all over with. It's been dragged out for too long and just needed to end.

So, I skipped that. Instead of devoting several chapters to extending this segment of the story even more, I decided to just get it over with. The group reunited, they've found a place to hide out temporarily, Toga is getting better with her powers, Magne is confused as hell, Midoriya got a very important talk from a very strange teacher, and Kirishima took some time to phone a friend. Everything that could have happened in that pointless mini-arc was just condensed into this one chapter, keeping all the important bits, and now we can move forward. That works, right?

That aside, this is the most important thing: we're getting our first big shift. This next chapter is gonna be my first move to implement some of the stuff I was saving for the "rewrite." I'll explain in more detail in the next chapter, but we're looking at a bit of a tone shift here. It'll still largely be comedic and goofy, but we're looking at a noticeably more serious story from this point forward. I'm not saying they'll all be depressing and angsty like chapter 47, but they won't be quite as goofy and light-hearted as the early chapters.

I'll save the more… controversial details for the next chapter's author note. Point is, these two days are over at last, the story will be getting heavier from now on, and updates should be coming more often. Thank you all so much, and I'm so excited to show you exactly where this story will be going in the near future.

Next chapter, we close this out for good. Poor Peter has so much explaining to do, and so many answers to find. Who is he? Why does Toga have his powers? And where, oh where, is our dear Iron Spider? So many questions, so many necessary explanations. It's safe to say nobody will have much fun in the next chapter.

Have a great day, thank you for reading, and please do leave a review.

Aren signing off.