This was one of my favorite chapters when writing this, and more or less got me to really speed up writing (so I could show it to a friend).

You'll see why.

Beros sat down, her eyes closed, her legs crossed with her hands resting against her knees. She took a deep breath in.

"Read me another story Mama! Another story!"

"Which one darling?"

"Robin Hood!"

Beros let a deep breath out. Deep in.

"Mama! Help!"

"What is it Beros?! Are you hurt!"

"Worse, I'm…I'm cursed! Look at my arm!"

"Oh my…"

"I can hide it some more! Maybe we could cut it off? Or maybe if I pretend-"

"NO! You can't pretend to be quirkless Beros! Under any circumstance!"

"(sniffle) Y-yes Mama."

Out…In…

"You're a devoted soul Young Beros. Most don't bother speaking to me outside of classes."

"But you're so wise! I want to know everything I can, to properly serve the true way!"

"Well…in that case, shall we play chess?"

Out…In…

"They've given me a mission. For the salvation of humanity."

"Really? That must be a reward after you exposed that filthy thief and false teacher!"

"Perhaps. I hope to see you when it's over."

"I will be eagerly waiting!"

Beros' fingers curled inward. Out. In.

"Beros?"

"Yes my lord."

"You have a mission. Your first."

"Like my teacher."

"Yes. Exactly like that. Do your duty, and take care not to run away."

"I won't. I will accomplish my mission or die trying."

"Excellent. That's exactly what we were hoping for."

Beros opened her eyes. It was time.

She put on her red robes, marching down the hall to where the Messiah would be. He'd asked to see her before her mission. Her! She wondered who else he'd be speaking to. Surely this was not an honor reserved only for her?

She entered. "Hello Messiah," she said with a respectful bow.

"Hi Beros," he said, dipping his head slightly from his straightjacket. If Beros didn't know any better she'd almost think he was trying to bow back. But that was absurd. He wouldn't do that. He was above her.

"How has your morning been?" she said.

"Oh you know, the usual. In this straightjacket. Hugged by Flect Turn…"

"You are most fortunate to have his personal attention," Beros said.

"That's one way to put it."

Beros blinked. "How else would I put it?"

"…You know what, never mind. How is your mission? Are you ready?"

"Not to worry, I am sure I will serve the cause well. I will do my best to please you by killing our enemies."

The Messiah hesitated. "Could you try and…not kill anyone you don't have to? I'd prefer that."

"Of course you would," Beros said looking down, "You are a kind soul."

"When you get back, can you do me a favor and make sure nobody messes with Rody Soul?" The Messiah said. "Nobody has so far, but I still don't trust the rest of Humarise with him." He quickly added. "Not most of them anyway. Can you make sure he's ok when you come back? If anyone asks, say I requested it."

Beros puffed up her chest. An assignment from the Messiah? How incredible! "I will!" she said. She then ventured. "I have a few more minutes. Can I spend them here?"

"Of course!"

She liked spending time with the Messiah. He was one of the few truly willing to talk with her. They spent a few more minutes talking about her favorite films, most from when she was young. He even expressed curiosity regarding Batman, a prequirked hero. He was seen as problematic in Humarise today due to his similarities with pro-Heroes, but still allowed since he technically had no powers of his own.

Afterwards, Beros left, casting off her red robes in favor of her green cloak and hood. She traced her hand along the arrow feathers on top. It was time to rescue her mother.

"Wait! Kaina!" Botan hurried out, holding a sandwich. "For you. You might get hungry!"

"…Thanks," Kaina said, accepting it. She actually never got hungry on duty. Sure, she forced herself to eat at the appropriate times, but that was because food was a necessity. Still, Kaina appreciated the gift. She turned to the other two. "You ready?"

All Might and Eraserhead nodded.

All Might said, "With any luck, soon we'll have rescued all of our children." There was something off in his tone. Like he was holding something back.

Nevertheless, Kaina nodded. "Good."

All Might added, "Helping a child is a noble endeavor. I'm glad you would do that."

Kaina looked away, feeling embarrassed at being praised by a man like him. "I'm just trying to find a kid someone paid me to find. That's all."

"I see…" he said. He sounded disappointed. "Well, rescuing a child is a much more noble endeavor than trying to kidnap one, right?"

"I guess so?" Kaina said. That was random.

"You really have dirt on the HPSC?" Eraserhead said.

"Oh yes," Kaina said. "You two are gonna be just fine after I give it to you."

"Good. Stopping the HPSC from controlling us is a logical move."

"Would watching and laughing as they flail around afterwards count as rational? If only to signal that we approve succeeding against them of course," Kaina asked with a smirk.

"Naturally," said Eraserhead.

Kaina walked back into the room to grab her grenades but was distracted by a sound at the window. She saw a small cat mewling. Kaina opened the window and pet the cat, letting its soft fluffiness calm her.

She heard Eraserhead walk in, but paid him no mind. Until the cat abandoned her that is, running over to Eraserhead and while mewling loudly. Eraserhead opened a can of cat food and gave it to the cat, along with several treats. He glanced up and met Kaina's eyes, looking absolutely shameless.

"So, a cat guy huh?" she said.

"I don't know what you're talking about. I'm simply performing the rational move of preventing this cat from whining by giving it food."

"How often do you give it food?" Kaina said.

"As often as you pet it. Like you're doing with your foot right now."

Kaina withdrew her foot. "I don't know what you're talking about."

"Eraserhead, can I speak with you?" All Might said.

Eraserhead walked away leaving Kaina in the room with Botan. Botan wringed her arms like she wanted to ask something. "…You're leaving," she said.

"Yeah. With any luck, we'll be able to find their hideout and go straight there." Which they both knew would mean a fight with Beros was inevitable.

"I see. In that case…" Botan looked down. When she looked up, tears started to fall. "Please take me with you!"

"What?!" Kaina said.

"I need to see this happen, please. I need to see her when it happens."

"Beros."

"She's my daughter. Maybe I can talk her down, maybe…I just need to see her."

Botan was crying. Kaina desperately wanted to do something. Give comfort, help. But she was an assassin first and foremost. Any comforting action would be insincere, a rehearsed movement to bring about a desired result. Botan deserved better than that. Finally, Kaina settled for placing a hand on Botan's shoulder.

Botan responded by slamming into Kaina's chest, wrapping her in a tight hug. The short woman's tears soaked into Kaina's tank top. Kaina awkwardly put her arms around the sobbing Botan.

"Promise me," she said.

"Promise you what?" Kaina said.

"Promise me you'll both come back alive."

"Both?"

"Promise me you'll bring Beros in alive, and that you'll come back alive too. Please."

Kaina faltered. "You know…You know I can't promise that."

"Please!" Botan said, her voice wavering. "I know she's done horrible things, but she was raised by the cult! Brought up in their horrible ideology. It's not her fault she became what she is."

Kaina thought back to a bright, hopeful, fourteen-year-old girl with no family being approached by the government who told her that her dreams would now come true. Then of that girl, now a woman, being approached by some kids, who only wanted to shake the hand of their favorite Pro Hero. When the woman looked at her hand, all she could see was the blood that stained it.

She wasn't much different than Beros.

But.

"I'm sorry. During a battle, I can't guarantee any enemy's survival. If I have to, I will kill her."

"Botan's voice began to crack. "But aren't you a Hero? Please Kaina. Save my daughter."

Kaina couldn't look her in the eye.

"You don't want to kill her, can't you-"

"I can't…guarantee an enemy's safety," Kaina choked out. "Battles are chaotic and dangerous. I'm not All Might, I don't have the power to win any fight easily. I'll do my best to avoid killing Beros. But that's all I can promise. Because if I have to…"

"You'll kill her," Botan said, looking away.

Kaina nodded. "I'm sorry. I hope it doesn't come to that."

"I…I understand," Botan said.

Kaina reached out, but Botan flinched away. "I…I'm going to lie down for a while. Don't take it personal. I just...I need rest."

"I understand." Kaina said. "I've been tired too."

She turned away. Botan then said, "What did you do, when you felt tired?"

Kaina paused. "I shot my boss and went to prison. So I'm afraid I can't advise you on the best course of action."

"At least you tried doing something to them," Botan said bitterly.

"You're a civilian. You can't be expected to bring down a cult yourself," Kaina said. "For what it's worth, you seem like a good mother."

"A good mother would do better at protecting her children."

"It's not your fault what happened."

Botan let out a little gasp.

"You had no idea that Humarise was just a cult. What happened to Beros was not because of you. You did the best you can."

"What happened to Beros…" she whispered. Then, "I suppose so," Botan said. "But my best wasn't enough."

Kaina said. "Plenty don't even give that."

After all, Kaina was trying to save the kid of a deranged monster who thought being the worst crime lord in Japan was more important than visiting his own family. In all honesty, she hoped her own mother had been someone like Botan. Someone with no good choices but tried her best.

Sadly, she didn't know, and despite taking this job, was somewhat afraid to find out.

"Take care of yourself Botan."

"You too Kaina. Whatever happens…I want to see you after this is over."

Kaina considered the implication of those words. "Thank you. I'll try and do that."

As insufferable as she was, Kaina didn't want to kill Beros. Based on what Botan said, Kaina wasn't sure if she was an evil person, or just a person caught up in an evil cause. She wasn't even entirely sure there was a difference.

Either way, she had to see this through until the end.

Botan watched Kaina leave the room. She hoped, prayed, that she and Beros would both survive. But she also knew that that was not guaranteed. As horrible as it was to say, Kaina wasn't wrong. There was no way of controlling it.

And yet, as a mother, Botan couldn't accept that. She needed to go out there and see what happened, whichever way it went. But how? As Kaina said, she was only a civilian.

Despite knowing that it was a terrible idea, Botan went out and snuck down an alternate set of stairs. The three had gathered around the car All Might and Aizawa had both rented. She waited for her opportunity. When they all stepped away from the car to plan, Botan snuck around, hoping against all hopes they didn't notice her.

Fortunately, they were too caught up in their own conversation. Botan looked through the window for a proper hiding place. There were some bags in the backseat with Botan and Kaina's suitcases, enough for someone small like her to hide behind. But there was no way she could sneak inside without the Heroes noticing.

And yet, just then there was a loud crash across the road. A Villain blasting the front of a nearby store wide open. Botan pulled the door open a rack and slipped inside.. All Might foiled the villain, while Botan covered herself in the bags. She sat there, waiting for one of them to shove the bags aside and pull her out.

Instead, they climbed in and turned on the engine. The car pulled out and onto the open road. Botan wondered if this was the hand of fate. Whatever the case, she knew that there was no turning back now.

Kaina watched the terrain pass her by, trying to focus. However, when she closed her eyes she saw Botan's crying face. She forced them closed anyway, spending most of the car ride letting the thoughts wash over. Over and out. Like every qualm she'd had with the HPSC's orders, every personal worry or thought faded before the task in front of her.

Finally, Kaina sucked in a deep breath and Lady Nagant let it out.

They finally arrived near the place the buyers would be. Nagant took a look at the place. They'd have to be careful, there was a non-zero chance this could be an ambush.

"Lady Nagant," All Might said. "Keep watch from afar. Me and Eraserhead will move in closer."

"Sure," Nagant said. She opened her scope and, "Are you serious?"

"What?"

Beros waited in her helicopter, which she'd ordered behind a hill, away from the meeting. Between the waterfall tumbling down the cliff, the long plain in front of it, and the trees a little further back, this area would be a beautiful place to visit. Sadly, they had more important things to do than appreciate beauty. Beros glanced at Shield Maiden, the other fighter in the copter with her. She stared straight down, readying her curse to protect the two. Beros looked back out toward the hill.

The Supreme Leader himself would be going to supposedly pick up the Float Tanks. Meanwhile, Humarise agents lined the cliffs while others waited in the trees. It was the perfect ambush.

The only part Beros questioned was Supreme Leader Turn himself going out himself as bait. He said it made for a more enticing target, but Beros wasn't sure. What if they saw that and realized it was a trap? On that note, why was she in a helicopter? Sure, it gave her a great vantage point, but it was rather conspicuous. Plus there was a chance that Lady Nagant could shoot it down.

Beros forced such thoughts from her head. Flect Turn and his lieutenants knew best. They understood how the Abomination and his thralls and allies acted. They even assured her there was no possible way for Lady Nagant to shoot this copter down due to its armor. If he thought they would be fooled, then that was that. There was no way they'd figure out it was a trap.

"Yeah that's totally a trap," Lady Nagant said.

"You're sure it's Flect Turn himself?" said All Might.

"You know anyone else with lavish red robes, glowing blue skin and a truly awful goatee?"

All Might paused. "Yeah that's him."

"So, what do we do?" Nagant said. "Just have Eraserhead erase his quirk and take him down?"

"They probably prepared for that," said All Might. "There'll be enemies in various hidden areas-"

"Are you kidding?" said Nagant. "Some of those assholes in the trees aren't even trying to hide!" Seriously, did they think a giant monster with fangs was just going to be minding its own business? How stupid were these people?!

If Beros was this inept, Nagant was going to kick her in the face.

"Can you take them down while I carry Eraserhead closer?"

"Sure," Nagant said. She smirked and pulled up her scope. She paused. "Do you want them disabled or disarmed?"

All Might looked back. "The difference?"

"Disarmed is literal."

All Might looked queasy. "Disabled is good enough. And please try not to kill them."

"Noted."

"Aren't you worried about working with someone with such excessive?" said Eraserhead.

"Even if he was, he doesn't have much room to talk, given that he turned my client's entire upper head into a giant potato."

Eraserhead stared at her, while All Might made a sound. Nagant then realized it was a cut off laugh.

"Seriously?"

"What? All for One being insulted brings me joy. Is that wrong?"

Nagant said. "Fair."

She took aim at the nearest cultists and opened fire. One by one they fell. They were lucky. If anyone else, sans maybe Beros, was firing, they definitely be dead.. All Might slammed into the Humarise fighters, throwing cultist after cultist, while Eraserhead attacked from the back.

The cult was being overwhelmed. Flect Turn stood in the middle, but All Might didn't engage him. Instead he plowed through the cultists around him, thinning them out with Eraserhead's help.

Three cultists attacked Eraserhead. He grabbed one and kneed his face, then wrapped the other with his capture weapon and pulled him to the ground, and then kicked the third in the face. He canceled two others' quirks before slamming their heads together. One tried to leap on Eraser, but a concussive shot from Nagant (dull bullet fired with just enough velocity that to really hurt) knocked him out.

Then All Might went after Flect Turn.

All Might punched Flect Turn with all his might. A tornado like formation erupted from Turn's back, then went back into him. All Might was blasted back with the force of his own attack. A reflection quirk. Interesting. Flect Turn's lips were moving, but Nagant didn't bother reading them. Instead she picked off the other cultists. Then she saw a green streak nearly take Eraserhead's head off. Looking up, she saw the helicopter with a familiar green bob.

Beros had arrived.

"My own mother never held me as a child-"

"So you decided to commit genocide?!" Toshinori said, almost as impatient with his monologues as All for One's. At least All for One was intentionally provocative!

"No," Flect Turn said, firing another barrage of lasers from the turrets at his side. Toshinori leaped around and destroyed several of them before swinging his fist at Flect. It was reflected.

"I decided to join a movement that would fix my problems by removing all of the quirked, and prevent the Quirk Doomsday Theory," Flect Turn said, spreading out his hands.

"But Doctor Murata's theory was never proven!"

"Doctor who?"

Toshinori paused. "Doctor Daisuke Murata, the man who developed the Quirk Singularity Theory, which you're calling the Quirk Doomsday Theory?"

"Was that his name?"

This man didn't even know the name of the scientist on whose theories his entire cult was founded. That would be like if the Pope didn't know the name Saint Paul of Tarsus! "You kidnap quirkless children, forcing them to live a lonely isolated existence, deprived of the sun and stars! You mistreat the quirked, teaching them that they are nothing! All while you squash any resistance to yourself! Despite that, I'll show you mercy."

"Oh?" Flect Turn said. The dust swirled around him without touching him. Held off by his quirk.

Toshinori's smile widened. "I'm going to free you from your curse."

And like that, Aizawa activated his quirk.

The blue in Flect Turn's skin vanished, while the dust finally settled on him. He was helpless. Toshinori ran forward. A green light appeared in his peripheral vision. Toshinori ducked the arrow before it could hit his chest.

Botan's daughter was perched in a helicopter overhead, before firing several more. Toshinori punched them away while Flect Turn said, "Duststorm."

A whirlwind of dust slammed into Aizawa, forcing him to blink. The blue returned to Flect Turn, while the dust stayed between Flect Turn and Aizawa like a smokescreen.

"While I thank you for making me briefly pure, I'm afraid I cannot afford to be that way right now," Flect Turn said. "Did you really think I wouldn't have a counter for Eraserhead? How dumb do you think I am?"

"Admittedly," Toshinori said, "you are slightly smarter than I gave you credit for. But that isn't much."

The earth moved around them, forming walls to trap them together. Flect Turn's turrets took aim again. "How will you beat me Hero?" Flect Turn said. "By punching me a bunch of times?"

"Actually," Toshinori said. "THAT'S EXACTLY WHAT I'LL DO!" He charged at Flect Turn and punched him at an angle. The force of the reflection took out one of Turn's turrets. Toshinori whirled around and took out another, and another. One by one the turrets vanished. Toshinori then faced Flect Turn.

"Now, I have to wonder," Toshinori said. "Is that power of yours unlimited, or do even you have an upper roof!"

"There is none!" Flect Turn said, his expression unworried.

"LET'S TEST THAT!" Toshinori charged.

The Abomination had blasted away Beros's arrows. She now aimed at Eraserhead, forcing him back. He canceled her quirk, but she simply took cover and waited. When her power returned, she fired another arrow at him. He dodged and ran for cover. She fired several more, always keeping herself out of his field of-

Beros heard something impact the shield next to her. She ducked down just as the bullet went through, hitting where her arm had been. Beros growled, loosing an arrow in the direction it had come from.

Lady Nagant.

Shield Maiden's quirk created a field where any object passing through would slow to a crawl until it was through, at which point it'd move at its original velocity. Not great for stopping objects, great for dodging them.

The insufferable one was moving to get an angle on Beros. Several more bullets hit the shield, slowing while passing through, then shooting out the other side.

Beros fired another barrage. Lady Nagant moved through the trees, sending multiple bullets at Beros. Beros shot several down, and avoided the rest thanks to the shield. Her opponent would need another-

Beros heard a bullet strike the engine above her. The copter began to wobble.

"They said she couldn't do that!" Beros growled. She grabbed Shield Maiden and leaped out, landing on the cliff face while the pilot bailed. His curse, Parachute, allowed him to deploy a parachute for any fall. The empty helicopter crashed in a fiery explosion.

Beros took her perch and searched for her fellow sniper. She looked all around but couldn't find her. A bullet hit the shield. Beros leaned away then looked for the source. Another came. And another. They were coming from different directions. Lady Nagant was curving her bullets!

Beros avoided the shots, her eyes canning the foliage until-

There.

Beros pulled back her bow string and sent two glowing arrows at Lady Nagant. Lady Nagant jumped over one, kicked the other away, then shot again at Beros. Beros ducked aside, but noted the sound of another shot. Another bullet hit the shield, but it didn't seem to be aimed at Beros at all. Instead-

Beros' eyes widened. She lunged for her ally. "Shiel-"

The bullet went through Shield-Maiden's arm, followed by another hitting her leg. Shield Maiden howled while the shield went down. Beros dragged her ally from the cliff face before running to the edge. She dove down the moment she was visible. Sure enough, several bullets flew at her. Beros sent a glowing arrow at Lady Nagant's head. Lady Nagant leaned sideways and smirked.

Beros returned the look as she let loose the five more she'd taken that moment to load. Lady Nagant's eyes widened as she ducked and weaved Beros's shots, allowing Beros to shoot yet more.

An arrow cut her leg. Then her shoulder, then her cheek. Yet she finally beat one aside with her arm, she popped out her gun and fired a wide shot. Beros stepped back just as the curving bullet passed in front of her.

Beros mock brushed dust from her shoulder. The look on Lady Nagant's face was absolutely worth it. Beros fired two arrows at Lady Nagant, which weaved in and out toward each other. She did this to make their paths harder to predict, and definitely not because it looked impressive.

Lady Nagant somersaulted back, using her gun barrel to vault over one then kicking off a tree and soaring over the other. She smiled at Beros and yawned.

Beros growled at her sheer impudence. She reached for her quiver and sent more and more arrows at her. Lady Nagant fired back, using her levitating quirk in tandem with her gun to propel herself like a rocket, deactivating it only to shoot Beros' shots out of the air before activating it once again.

Lady Nagant took shelter on the cliff, out of Beros's field of view. Beros aimed her bow straight up and fired. The arrows arced up before falling straight down over the cliff. Multiple gunshots rang out, blowing the bullets out of the air.

Wait. Those sounded-

Lady Nagant swung over the lip of the cliff, gun drawn. Beros leaned all the way back as a bullet went right past her cheek. Her skin split open, cut by the air slicing past her. Before Lady Nagant could reload, Beros slammed into her midsection.

They grappled, punched, and kicked as they rolled toward the cliff's edge. Lady Nagant's hand pushed against Bero's face. Beros never regretted her mask until now, when it kept her from biting this cur!

Lady Nagant had no mask, so when Beros' arm moved too close, she sank her teeth into it. Beros yelled in pain, swinging her head back. She swung it forward, slamming her mask into Lady Nagant's forehead.

"Ow! What is it with you and headbutting me!"

"If you don't like it, don't leave it as my best optio-"

Lady Nagant headbutted Beros.

"Hypocrite!" Beros said.

"Like you said, it was my best-"

Beros punched her in the face. She grabbed an arrow and stabbed at Lady Nagant's eye. Nagant moved her head sideways to avoid being run through. She kneed Beros in the side, but Beros kept shoving the arrow toward her foul heart. Lady Nagant finally wrenched the arrow from Beros' hand.

"Cotton-candy haired cretin!"

"Minty b-"

Beros wrapped her fingers around Nagant's throat, but Nagant pushed her off. Beros rolled on the ground, then reached for her quiver. She pulled out an arrow and fired. Nagant barely moved to the side, then rolled some hair into a bullet that she loaded into her palm. "Dodge this."

Beros did exactly that. Leaping sideways she reached back with both hands, letting her bow-hand form her bow, nock, draw, and fire without even moving her arrow hand. Nagant barely dodged, firing a shot that went right through Beros' hood, rolling it back. Before she could rload, Beros closed the distance and kicked her in the chin.

There would be no winning at medium distance. Nagant kept reloading and bullets crossed that distance faster than arrows. Therefore, Beros would win up close. She punched Nagant in the face, then kicked her knee, then grabbed her arm. Nagant twisted, moving behind Beros and wrapping her shoulder.

Beros leaned forward, pulled Nagant onto her back, then threw her over. As she did, she felt a pulling on her back. Beros kicked Nagant again. Then she saw what Nagant had grabbed.

Beros's quiver dangled from Nagant's grasp. She'd torn it free. Lady Nagant threw it over the cliff. Beros had no more arrows.

"I won't fail!" Beros ran forward, pulled out her bow and swung it at Nagant like a club. Nagant put up her hands just in time to avoid her head being cracked open. Nagant grabbed the bow, but Beros retracted it. They struggled for several seconds. Then Beros then saw it. Her last arrow, the one Nagant had wrestled away from her. Beros reached.

Nagant grabbed Beros' arm and pulled it back. Beros sank her elbow into Nagant's gut, and got up. Nagant grabbed Beros' leg, tripping her. She threw herself onto Beros' back. Beros kicked her several times in the gut, but that only loosened her. Using her arms, she pushed her upper body up, with Nagant still on it, then rolled over. Nagant grunted as Beros landed square on top of her.

Beros rolled off and grabbed her arrow, and nocked it. At the last moment, Nagant grabbed the bow and pushed it aside as Beros let loose. The arrow flew over the gulch and embedded itself into the trees.

Nagant threw Beros to the ground at the edge of the cliff. Beros heard her load her rifle. Beros looked back at the arrow, despair filling her. Now they'd capture her, try to get everything they could from her.

She'd never rescue her mother.

I failed.

Beros looked down the cliff, at the long fall below.

Unless…

Botan crept through the forest, toward the sounds of fighting. She heard grunts and curses ahead. Peeking out from behind a tree, Botan saw Eraserhead fighting several opponents, his hair standing from his quirk. Someone tried throwing dust at him. Eraserhead's hair fell back down, but he still beat up the cultists before they could recover.

Botan moved further to the woods, passing one of Beros' arrows embedded into a tree. She crawled along the forest floor, stopping in some brush at the edge of the trees. She looked up to the top of the cliff and saw them both.

Flect Turn took another punch from All Might. And another. And another. Each one reflected off of him. Such foolishness, to think that he, the Abomination, would defeat the mighty Flect Turn?

Flect had long been isolated from humanity, burdened with a curse that kept him from even touching them. The Messiah couldn't understand. He said Flect could try and be counseled on it, to control it. What foolishness. This was a curse that could not possibly be-

One of All Might's punches forced Flect back. The blue skin briefly dimmed. Flect stared in awe. He'd…his quirk had…

"Maybe if you learned to control that quirk, you'd have figured out a way to deactivate it," the Abomination said, marching through the dust like the demon he was. "Since you never bothered, allow me to show you…by powering through it!"

He threw another punch, throwing Flect back.

Flect let out a feral roar, blocking the next punch and throwing one of his own. The Abomination was knocked back, but quickly recovered. Flect activated his mirrors, allowing them to gather up residual force from his quirk and propel him toward his enemy. Flect slammed his fist into his opponent's face.

The Abomination rolled with the punch, swinging around to hit Flect with a backhand. Flect flew back. He brought himself to a stop with his mirrors, only for the Abomination to hit him with several more punches.

Flect growled and countered with a right hook. The Abomination deflected it and hit him with an uppercut, then a left hook. Flect burrowed into the cliff. The Abomination slammed him deeper into it. Flect punched the Abomination hard enough to create an opening, then propelled himself past him.

As he stared at the Aomination, Flect wondered how. How had he overpowered Flect's curse…could he…he must have used his dark powers! "ABOMINATION!" He threw a fist at All Might, who caught it and began pummeling Flect with a precision Flect couldn't have even imagined.

For the first time in years, Flect felt fear.

"It's over," Lady Nagant said. She aimed to wound Beros, but not kill. Not yet. "You're beaten Beros. Come quietly and you'll be unharmed."

Beros finally looked up at her, her eyes nervous but thoughtful.

"You'll finally get to see your mother again. She wants to see you."

Something flashed across Beros's face. But like that, it was gone. Beros slowly got to her feet and stood tall in front of Nagant, her expression guarded, her eyes almost blank. Something was wrong. This wasn't despair, it was something more…calculated. Nagant's expression hardened. She'd beaten Beros, but…

She was planning something.

Beros flashed back to her mother, to the look on her face the last time Beros had seen her. It was the last time Beros would ever see her. Beros supposed she should count herself lucky she was able to see her mother one last time at all before the end. As she stood facing her opponent's gun, several emotions flashed. Her wish to see her mother again, a twinge of cowardly fear, but most of all her duty.

She could not allow herself to be captured. At least not alive.

Slowly, she placed her hand on her breast. "For the salvation of humanity." She closed her eyes and pictured her mother's face one last time. Then Beros did as she was obligated and leaped backwards.

Nagant realized just too late what Beros was planning. Her eyes widened as Beros sprang backward, leaping off the cliff to certain death.

She ran toward the edge, her arm outstretched.

Kaina dove down and grabbed Beros' arm, grunting as she bore Beros' full weight against Air Walk. She grit her teeth and adjusted her grip, refusing to let Beros fall. Beros looked up at Kaina, utterly stunned. "W-what are you doing?!" she said.

Kaina smiled. "What can I say? I promised your mother."

At this point, if this were an anime aimed at twelve-year-old boys, Beros would accept, grateful for Kaina's help. She would then gently land and apologize, an utterly transformed woman. Instead she grabbed Kaina's hair and pulled.

"Ahh! What are you doing?!" Kaina said as they slammed into cliffside. "I'm trying to save your life you ungrateful bitch!" They brushed against the waterfall as they struggled, water soaking the two before they slammed into the cliff again.

"I will not be taken alive you foul mouthed cur!" Beros said. "And if I die, I hope to have the satisfaction of taking you with me!"

Kaina had had it up to here with Beros' bullshit. Here Kaina was saving her life, and she just kept trying to die?! Kaina felt immense satisfaction with every punch she landed. "Can't you let anyone do something nice for you?!"

"Shut up!"

"You shut up!"

They rolled downward, half the time falling, the other half being halted by Kaina's Air Walk. They kicked, scratched, bit, and punched each other. Finally, they threw themselves the waterfall. The weight of the water collided into them, sending both plunging into the water below. Kaina struggled to regain her bearings as she tumbled out of control under the water.

Finally, she regained control, looking around for the surface. Finally, she saw the light. Kaina was about to swim up when she saw Beros swimming down to her, reaching out to Kaina.

Then she wrapped her hands around Kaina's throat and began to squeeze.

Kaina hated her right now. So much.

Kaina struggled against Beros' grip, trying to simultaneously kick Beros off and swim to the surface. Her lungs screamed, and her blood raced in her ears. Kaina's back hit against a rock. Kaina swung Beros around, knocking her into the rock, then kicked off. Kaina surfaced, letting out a massive breath before taking another in.

For a moment, she hovered there, panting like a dog. Then she remembered Beros. She was about to dive down when she saw Beros surfacing on the other side. Beros crawled onto the shoreline, weak but clearly alive. Kaina swam the other way, crawling onto other side.

She saw some asshole throwing dust storms at Eraserhead, who kept trying to take that guy out but was continually stopped by the other cultists. Meanwhile, All Might was fighting Flect Turn, and winning. Kaina shot the guy throwing the dust storms then aimed for the others attacking Eraserhead, momentarily forgetting Beros.

Beros watched as Lady Nagant picked off her comrades, all while Beros was helpless to stop her. Her arms and legs felt like they'd had iron weights upon them, as the exhaustion of her fight with Nagant truly set in. It couldn't end this way. Beros looked around for something, anything, to turn the tide.

Then she saw it.

Her own arrow sticking out of a tree. Beros sprinted for it, her exhaustion giving way to new vigor. She reached the tree, almost crashing into it in her rush. Beros plucked the arrow out and activated her quirk. She now just had to choose her target. The Abomination? No, he'd stop it. Eraserhead? He was moving in and out among her comrades, a difficult shot even if she wasn't tired and hurt.

Her eyes fell on Lady Nagant. She still hadn't even noticed Beros. With any luck, she never would again.

Beros nocked her bow, drew, and took aim.

Botan watched as Beros readied her bow. She considered calling out a warning to Aizawa about the present-

Botan then realized where Beros' bow was aimed. Fear saturated her body. No, no, no, no! She couldn't let this happen! Not like this! Not to her!

Botan moved.

Beros steadied her aim. Then, she released. Lady Nagant noticed Beros just as the arrow left her bow, her eyes suddenly widening.

Too late!

The arrow embedded itself into flesh. Beros stood frozen, her hands quivering in horror. N-no…

The arrow hadn't hit Lady Nagant. Instead, Beros' mother stood between them, Beros's arrow protruding from her torso. She looked down at the shaft, then up at Beros. "Oh…"

Beros screamed.

"MOOOOMMM!"

Ouch, right? Poor Botan. Poor Beros. You'll see how this goes next week!

In the meantime feel free to scream at me in the reviews!