Hey, guys. GOTA, here, on the third installment of 'The Mighty Firecracker.' I am taking a bit of a turn on this. But, trust me, it will be quite an adventure. Enjoy!

Tenya needed a rest break. Didn't think after nearly a year and dozen of chapters without using his quirk, it would finally take precedence. He had always wanted to carry a damsel in distress. Maybe the silent beauty like Yui Kodai or a pleasant hardworking redhead like Itsuka (even though a certain fiery classmate of 1-B wouldn't ever see that happening in a billion years. Keeping the boy of same names anonymous, Izuku would have to do, unfortunately). The trio was situated at a truck stop at the edge of town. It was a spot where out-of-towners, truck drivers, and bikers who coveted the road would reside. They knew people of their caliber wouldn't be caught dead being at a greasy despot.

Which suited the trio even better.

"My arms are literally tired." Ochako sat on the bench as she rubbing her aching muscles. Tenya was beside her as he was rubbing his legs. For once, the ointment in his back pocket was going to be useful for any aches instead of depravity of a certain muscle.

"Take this!" Tenya tossed the ointment in which Ochako quickly grabbed. She nodded silently in a form of thanks as she opened the cap. She narrowed her eyes. Before she could speak, the genius intervened. "I was sure to use gloves whenever I did the deed."

"Didn't see you with gloves in the restroom?"

"Did you see any ointment, Eyebrows?!"

"Cheeky, aren't you, Minuteman?"

"What can I say? Isn't my battle being chased by a horny, psycho bitch wanting Izuku's goodies." He returned her glare. "Especially if a certain teenager wants his goodies!"

The brunette blushed. "I don't want his goodies!" She lowered her voice. "I am just protecting him is all."

"I don't like him, I don't like him, I don't like him!" Tenya mockingly stated as he felt the ointment hitting his chest like a speeding bullet. Ochako's face puffed like an Octopus.

"Shove it!" She tucked in her lips. "Can I be a friend to protect others." She stuck out her tongue defensively. "Besides, didn't you just say we are helping him from a horny, psycho bitch?"

"True! Besides, hitting low blows ain't helping." He took off his glasses as he was rubbing his eyes. "We are now involved." He blew through his lips. "Even if we throw Izuku to the sharks." He paused when he saw Ochako's raising her eyebrows. He swayed his arms. "If we throw him back to Kaya, we are good as gone anyway. You saw the look in her eyes. The best thing to do now is to protect Izuku." I never thought I would actually have an idea of saving a maiden in a form of Izuku. Oh, well! About prospective! Maybe Yui would….

His thoughts were interrupted when seeing Izuku appearing in their direction. In his hands were bags of goodies from the convenient store. Izuku had the funds and it was the least he could do as a thank you for being rescued.

"This isn't much of a thank you, but it will have to do." Izuku tossed the goodies at the center of the table. He positioned himself to the ground as he rubbed his mantle. "I had it. I was close. I could have put her in her place." Ochako and Tenya watched as the emerald-haired teen was talking. They weren't sure if he was talking to them or to himself.

Ochako took out the bag of chips. She gave one to Tenya before wanting to break the silence. "Izuku?"

The emerald-haired teen turned his head to the teen, which made Ochako blushed. Her thoughts still lingered on the kiss she had given him prior to the incident. She had told herself that the kiss was a celebratory kiss. A friendship kiss. She was excited about the upcoming concert. A concert that she couldn't even careless as she wasn't a fan of the Smashing Pumpkins. Izuku was the sole reason to attend a concert of has-been's and won't-be's.

"Yeah?!"

She dropped her head as she opened the bag of chips. "Never mind."

Tenya looked at the disappointed Ochako before turning his sights on Izuku. His turn to speak up. "If I am thinking correctly, Ochako wanted to apologize for her intervening."

Izuku shook his head in disagreement. "I can't put any of the blame on you all." He rubbed his shoulder tenderly, still feeling the aches from earlier. "It felt good to handle myself and to protect myself for once. It nearly took over sixty chapters to finally find my cajones!" He uncapped the soda to watch his dry throat. "Ochako, don't be upset. I was talking out loud. I just wanted to neutralize the situation quickly before it went out of hand." He began to laugh. "I mean, what was I thinking? This was getting out of hand." He pointed at his friends. "Thanks for saving me anyway. Can you imagine what I would've had to do from a strap-on Mighty Firecracker? She was literally coming after my booty!"

Tenya appeared awestruck. "You're taking this better than I thought?"

"C'mon, man! We have faced many battles. Stain, Sensei, Toga, the tenth grade." He bit his lip as he tried containing his laughter. "But never a dildo-wearing classmate like Kaya!"

"From that perspective, that is a bit humorous," replied Tenya. However, it didn't bring any laughter from the brunette. She held onto her skirt as she slowly chewed her potato chips. "I was worried, Izuku. I was very worried about you."

Izuku didn't respond. Instead, he stood up and walked in her direction. He positioned himself on the table beside her. It was enough distance to have physical contact but enough to provide the warmth of his close proximity.

"Like I said, Ochako," he said to her. "You didn't do anything wrong. You and Tenya were protecting me. Like good friends, you and the Electric Bugalooing Dekusquad came to save the day!" He wrapped his arms around Ochako. His touch sent electric shocks into her brain. Her eyes widened and the hairs from the nape of her neck stood at attention. "No harm done! No harm done at all!"

Ochako nodded, returning his nod by wrapping her arms around his shoulder. She produced a smile. "You're right! You're right, Izuku!" She, then, released her grip. "The matter at hand is Kaya. What are we going to do?"

Izuku looked to the ground. He saw a diesel passing through before returning his sights to Tenya and Ochako. "Kaya is after me for one reason, my virginity. It is obvious as she destroyed my dorm for the sake of having it." He mumbled under his breath. "So much for my damn security deposit." He returned to composure. "So, Ochako, any ideas on what your crew assembled at Momo's place are planning to do?"

Honestly, Ochako didn't really have any idea what they were going to do. The girls assembled at Momo's place as part of a ploy to have him there for protection (sort of) and to just have a cute boy there. At some point, fighting was going to be in the cards as they knew that Izuku wouldn't be there for milk and cookies. The plight of not being honest with her feelings.

Tenya decided to speak. "Just like any battle to defeat our enemies, we need to have a strategy." He returned putting on his thin-frame glasses. "Kaya needs to be neutralized, letting her know that she doesn't run anything in this school. Including you, Izuku!"

Izuku agreed. "One of my ideas is to have a battle." He spat on the ground. "Fighting me! Winner takes all. If I win, she leaves us alone. If she wins, then I must sacrifice."

Ochako interjected. "You wouldn't give up your virginity like that! That's my...I mean your right!"

"Just hear me out," retorted Izuku. "Strategies always have a contingency." He turned to Tenya. "We know that villans never play fair."

"Right," said Tenya.

Izuku turned to Ochako. "If Kaya were to win, we have to use a smoke and mirrors approach!"

"How do you mean," asked Ochako.

Izuku smiled. "I mean, my lovely brunette is that where there is smoke, there is fire. I am the smoke and you guys are the fire. So, be as it may, Kaya is going to have quite a battle before taking my goodies."

Tenya nodded approvingly as he crossed his arms. "These sixty-plus chapters have taught you well."

Izuku cracked his knuckles. "Yeah, about time maturity sets in. I have been…"

There was a sudden drift in the atmosphere. The warm air began to suddenly chill. The wind began picking up, which made the duo hold onto themselves. Flashes of lightning appeared out of nowhere. It was surprising to the others as it was a clear, starry night. A loud roar of thunder triumphantly clapped into the sky. It sounded as if God and the devil were playing bowling. The ground began shaking. Car alarms were going off. The lights at the truck stop were flicking back and forth. Then silence.

Izuku felt Ochako's grip. Izuku consoled her by rubbing her hand. He turned to Tenya. "Everyone okay?"

Tenya nodded, although he was a bit shaken. "Yeah, I am okay. Just felt the oddness…"

My darling Izuku. The two bastards that are with you. You know that you've fucked up, right?

That voice! Immediately, the trio stood guarded. Izuku clenched his fist together, preparing to engage with Kaya. Ochako stood attentively as she didn't mind another battle with this man-stealing bitch. Although exhausted, the genius stood prepared for his pistons to go to war with Kaya.

Oh, my little puss puss and his interlopers. I am nowhere near you guys! HAHAHAHAHA! For the battle isn't within there, it is within.

A mighty gust of wind brushed the trio, pushing them to the ground. Izuku felt the feeling of being off-guarded. He stood up, turning left and right to find Kaya or anything of her presence.

As I said, my darling. The battle is within your mind. You've fucked up, Iida and Uraraka! You should have never interfered with our loving.

"Eat me, bitch!" Ochako stood up. She turned to sense where Kaya could be located. "You have no right to force Izuku to do what he doesn't want to do."

Tenya retorted. "That's right! No right at all! No matter how much you force…"

A loud roar interrupted Tenya.

Silence, Minuteman! You and Pointy Eyebrows are going to pay for destroying my moment with my confused lover. Don't worry, Izuku! There are ways to fix you. I've research plenty of conversion therapy techniques to get you on the straight and narrow.

"Can you hear me, Kaya," shouted Izuku. "There is no way I am going to…"

Izuku felt the ground rumbling. Lightning and thunder accompanied the minor earthquake that put the trio to their knees.

I run this world. You've underestimated me, lover boy! And to your pussy friends, they are going to get it. You wanted problems with the Mighty Firecracker, now you got it! Don't you guys go to sleep!

"Are you threatening us," barked Ochako. "Come out and show yourself, bitch!"

Oh, don't worry, baby, I will show myself! See you in your dreams, you interlopers! Don't you all go to sleep! Especially you, Izuku! You are definitely the number one on my list.

Kaya's laugh turned into a horrid echo before the stillness of the night returned.

Izuku turned frantically. "Where are you!? Where are you?!" He gripped his fist tightly. "Don't talk about it, be about it! If you are threatening, be here!"

Tenya intervened. "Midoriya, relax. She is gone. I can sense that she is no longer here."

Izuku held onto his chest. "She won't! She won't! I won't let her! She won't!"

Ochako took hold of Izuku. "You're right! She won't! But stressing isn't going to get us anywhere." Ochako turned to Tenya. "I think this rest break is over. Shall we commence to Momo's place?" Ochako grabbed hold to Izuku's hips. "I think I can support him. You can handle yourself, Tenya?"

"Certainly," answered Tenya. I didn't have the heart to tell them that I am quite fearful. Her voice was ominous and threatening.

"Let's roll," said Ochako. Whatever ace you have up your sleeve, you bitch, I always keep two.

Izuku was silent. He wanted to reserve his strength. And this time, he was certain when engaging in battle with the Mighty Firecracker, he would not use 1% of his quirk.

Kaya, I don't know why I am that important to you. But, let you know this, that you aren't taking my virginity. My virginity belongs to me and I would be damned if you take it. Mark my words, Nemuri Kayama, you will not take it away. YOU HEAR ME?! You will not take it!

Meanwhile…

"This is the Tokyo Metropolitan phone service. You have a collect call from a Nemuri Kayama. Do you accept the charges?"

"Yeah, I accept!"

"'Sup! Long time no see!"

"Didn't think I've ever will get a phone call back from you, Kaya!"

"You know! Busy, busy girl!"

"Not too busy to accept any of my calls!"

"Easy, easy! Sorry for the sore spot!"

"Yeah, yeah! Knowing for you, this isn't a social call. What is it, Kaya?!"

"Well, I wouldn't mind a spot of tea...and perhaps a bit of assistance."

"Getting here from Vale is quite a distance and you know it requires…."

"Don't worry about it, I have you. Take care of me and you know I got you."

"Got it! What is it?"

"Just smoke and mirrors! Smoke and mirrors!"

To be continued….