Chapter 69: Joint training Part 2.
"By the way, Shield-san, how did you manage to get past me? I had an eye looking just for you." Setsuna asked.
"My suit has… had a camouflage system. It's not as good as invisibility, but can work if people don't expect it."
"Are you sure you can still go without your suit?" Shoto sounded concerned. "I imagine it would be hard to keep up given that you lack…"
"It doesn't matter!" Melissa interrupted him. "I have the drive and the tools to be a hero! Besides, I'm not a one trick pony that falls flat after its trick is played out. I have other gadgets to work with."
Bakugo snickered while looking at Shinsou.
Team A consisted of Hagakure, Tetsutetsu, Kendou, Shield, Todoroki. They started by explaining the quirks from both sides, as well as examining American's remaining gear.
"We have earpieces, so that already a plus." Itsuka spoke up. "I'd say we have to watch out for Mudman the most. His quirk lets him turn large areas into traps where only can move freely. Too bad none of us can fly."
"Yeah, my only two hovering devices got destroyed in the last battle." She made a smile.
"I have an idea how to counter the Brainwashing in case you get caught." She handed over weird looking bracelets. "These tasers are designed to harm others, but if you wear them a certain way, they will hit you instead. I'll adjust the charge to minimum and make it work every minute unless you manually postpone it."
"Wouldn't it be a hindrance if we get into a fight?"
"In that case, press this button to detach the device completely."
"Alright."
"So, what's our plan?" Tooru asked others.
"We march forward and fight like men!" Tetsutetsu activated his quirk.
"No, we don't!" Kendou slapped the back of his head. "We'll split up: Tetsutetsu, Shield and Todoroki will be the main anchor, while Hagakure and I scout the situation and try flank them if possible. No one on the other team can see past invisibility, so we should take advantage of this."
"That's assuming they won't camp in an area surrounded by soft ground."
"Why should we follow you lead, Kendou?" Dual haired boy asked.
"I'm the 1B representative. Give me credit where it's due."
"I suppose that is a valid argument."
"I'll be in charge!" Bakugo yelled at his teammates.
"No way, I should be in charge." Kirishima tried to out yell him.
"I do not trust either of you to be good leaders." Tokoyami claimed.
"We need to stop screaming at each other." Honenuki tried to take charge of the conversation.
"Yeah, I'm like 70% sure the other team has some sort of plan." Shinsou spoke.
"I suggested a democratic approach. Everyone votes for anyone other than themselves."
"Fine/Okay/Fair enough/Do I get two votes?"
"No, Dark Shadow doesn't count as a separate being."
"You hurt my feelings." The sentient quirk emerged and pretended to cry.
"I vote for Tokoyami." Lipless student pointed and bird boy.
"Me too." Gen Ed kid pulled out a kinky looking mask from his pocket.
"I'll do what Juzo did!" Ejirou patted him on the shoulder.
"Fucking assholes!" Blonde boy on the verge of attacking.
"While this is not a position I was craving, I the flow of fate must have decided this outcome for me. I will do my best as the leader of this team. First of all, I'd like to hear about our quirks."
"My quirk lets me mind control people when they verbally respond to my words. I am unable to make people do complex tasks and the effect wears off if their body experiences shock. I can only affect one person at a time, but there is no limit on how many people I can put into trance. Sadly, recordings of my voice do not have the desirable effect."
"How the hell are you going to make use of Brainwash? I'm sure Deku has told the other team about it." Katsuki barked.
"I'm glad you asked." He put on the mask. "This device modifies my voice's properties to make it sound differently." Hitoshi pressed buttons on his wrist gadget.
"The World! Time is only mine!" Izuku's voice came out instead.
"That totally sounds like…" Red riot's eyes became empty.
"Thank you for your cooperation, Kirishima-kun." Purple haired boy cancelled his quirk.
"Why does your mask look like a muzzle?" Dark Shadow wondered. "Were you muzzled as a kid or something?"
"No." He shook his head. "But I am hoping to provoke responses through disgust or curiosity. I also trained with capture scarves that Erashead uses. Don't expect me to do the same tricks as him though."
"Moving on. Let us familiarize ourselves with remaining quirks…"
Dynamight flew forward to scout out the situation. He and Tokoyami would not do well when close to each other. Mudman was preparing a trap for the on a street. The other three were going to act as bait. They tried to move through alleyways to minimize chances of being seen first. Unfortunately, Itsuka and Tooru saw them first. Of all the gadgets Amercian had left, they went with a freezing ray and capture gun with reinforced nets. Ejirou got trapped in place but DS managed to get Fumikage and Hitoshi out of net's way.
"Where are they?"
"The attacks came from that direction!" Red haired boy pointed in a specific direction.
Another frosty beam trapped Tsukuyomi in place.
"Here goes nothing." Mindjack thought as he started to growl like a dog.
"I've been a bad doggy. Punish me!" He suppressed his desire to laugh at his own words.
"What the f…" Kednou fell for it.
"So ho..." Hagakure did it as well.
The girls dropped their cover and gave their weapons. Shinsou took one of the gadgets and decided to take the prisoners back to the camp. Ejirou and Fumikage had to brute force their way out of ice due to lack of heat. Just as they were about to split, female students were hit by electricity seemingly out of nowhere. Before they could act, one was restrained by capture tape and the other got hit in the head by DS.
"We attacked while they were still confused. So not manly, guys." Kirishima complained.
"There's no time to worry about semantics." Hitoshi tried to lift Itsuka. "God damn it, she is heavy!"
"Dude, I think you don't work out enough." Red riot lifted her effortlessly.
"Kirishima, we need you to deliver our prisoners to the base. I suspect Shinsou would take too much time and I am still needed here as the leader."
"You know I'm still con…" Tooru received a bonk on the head from Dark Shadow.
"No, you are not."
"Now I have to miss the fight? Lame."
"You won't have to if you get back fast enough."
"Let me grab their earpieces." Ged Ed kid took the things in question.
The core of team A got assaulted by Bakugo, who stood high ground and spammed explosions downwards. Todoroki was able to counter most of his attacks with ice walls, but occasionally the team got hit. Blond boy flipped his foes and moved backwards.
"Battle Fist, come in, do you copy?" Blonde girl tried to contact her friends.
"Copy. The enemy combo somehow managed to detect us and keep track of us. Request backup on the Nakamichi street." Itsuka's voice responded.
"Hold on. We are on the way."
As the teenagers got to the specified location, their feet began to sink. Tetsutetsu managed to grab Shield by and toss her far away from the affected area. The genius tried to look around and find the opponents. Steel boy and dual haired boy got bombarded by the explosive boy again. Just as heterochromatic teen tried to make a barricade, it started to soften in front of him. The entire street was a trap!
"Todoroki, I've grown a lot since our last encounter. This time I won't be trapped in your ice!" Mudman's voice echoed from below.
"You are not the only one who's grown. Tetsutetsu!" He turned towards his teammate. "I'm going to smoke him out using fire. Can you withstand extreme heat."
"You bet!"
Shoto let out a hell storm that melted all the soft ground. Bakugo was forced to retreat due to sweating even under his hero costume. Juzo received some nasty burns in the process. Still, his effort wasn't in vain, as Todoroki himself got overheated despite his ice side and Tetsutetsu wasn't in top shape either. Dynamight returned and had the easiest time of his life fighting. A couple explosions later Bakugo had to carry three people on his back, one of which still had metal covering his body.
Melissa was forced to run away from the heat, while Fumikage had to run away from the bright light. The girl ran into Mindjack and Tsukuyomi. Just as they pulled out stolen gadgets, Melissa whipped out a pistol and shot their arms. Shinsou dropped his freeze blaster due to the wound but Tokoyami was protected Dark Shadow. Bespectacles girl failed to dodge the net from her own net launcher.
Recovery girl and Cementoss got more work on their hands.
"Team B wins with a sweep." Fatgum announced.
"Todoroki destroyed a whole street." Mineta was grateful he wasn't there.
"I didn't get a chance to fight." Kirishima complained.
"At least you didn't get shot." Shinsou pointed at his bandaged arm.
"That's how you get it done! Two-Face and his extras never stood a chance against me!" Bakugo smiled with pride.
"I believe I did the most…" Honenuki tried to speak up.
"Shut up!" Blond boy shook his fist at 1B student.
"I have a question." Asui raised her hand. "Why did Melissa have a gun? It doesn't seem like an invention."
"I made it myself, which was practically the only requirement." Shield pointed finger guns at the frog girl.
"Thank goodness all the gun fanatics won't be in the next round." Tsuyu deadpanned.
Author's notes: Muzzled Shinsou but with a twist!
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