Krista struggled to catch her breath, the device clutched tightly in her hand as Liam hurled another knife at her. She twisted out of the way, the blade missing her by inches and embedding itself in the wall behind her.
"Give it back, Elaine!" Liam shouted, his face twisted with fury.
Krista smirked, her voice laced with mockery. "Aw, come on, Liam. We used to work together. Doesn't that mean anything to you?"
"It means nothing," Liam snapped. "I got it fair and square! And it's not even your kind of contraband. It's a quirk deleter."
Krista glanced at the vial inside the odd device she held. The liquid shimmered faintly, almost innocent-looking. "This? Looks like water to me," she said, feigning ignorance.
"Hand it over!" a familiar voice commanded.
Krista froze, turning toward the voice. Her heart skipped a beat as she recognized him. "Deku?" she blurted, her tone a mix of surprise and disbelief.
"Don't get distracted!" Shoto shouted from a distance, fire erupting from his hands. The flames scorched the ground between her and Liam, forcing her to leap out of the way.
Krista stumbled but regained her footing, brushing the ash off her sleeves. Shoto's precision was impressive, but she wasn't about to let them corner her. She'd handled worse.
Bakugo entered the fray next, his palms crackling with explosive energy as he stormed toward her. His trademark scowl deepened as he surveyed the scene.
"It's mine!" Krista yelled, clutching the device tighter. "I found it, and I'm going to figure out what it does!"
She activated her powers, manipulating the molecules around her. The air froze and erupted outward in a powerful blast, sending Deku, Shoto, and Bakugo flying backward. Without wasting another second, she turned and bolted down the alley.
"Come back with my contraband!" Liam yelled after her. He hurled another knife, but Krista froze it mid-air, letting it clatter to the ground.
Krista stopped and turned, a smirk tugging at her lips. "Are you really going to kill me, Liam? Or are you just bluffing?"
Liam hesitated, his stance faltering. "Maybe."
Before either of them could act, Deku was back on his feet, charging toward them with a determined expression. But something about him was off—he wasn't using his quirk.
"Give it back!" Deku demanded, his voice filled with desperation.
Krista spun, sending a burst of frozen molecules toward him. Deku dodged, but the blast veered toward Bakugo, exploding in his face. The explosion left Bakugo coughing and shouting in frustration.
"Finally!" Krista muttered under her breath, though her triumph was short-lived as Shoto slid across the ground on a sheet of ice, reaching Bakugo's side.
"Bakugo! Are you okay?" Shoto asked before turning his icy glare on Krista. "What's your problem?"
Before Krista could respond, Deku was suddenly beside her, his green eyes locking onto hers. "Why are you doing this?" he asked, his voice steady but laced with hurt.
"She's my old partner," Liam sneered, cutting in before Krista could explain.
Before Krista could react, Liam drove his fist into her stomach. Pain radiated through her body as she doubled over, gasping for air. The device slipped from her hands, and Liam snatched it.
"I should've seen that coming," she muttered, struggling to stand.
Liam didn't wait for her recovery. He took off down the alley, disappearing into the shadows.
"Liam! No, don't!" Krista called after him, but it was too late.
Deku knelt beside her, his concern evident. "Where is he going?"
Krista let out a frustrated sigh. "To deliver it to the Chiass gang, probably."
Shoto stepped forward, fire sparking faintly at his fingertips. "Then let's go," he said, his voice firm.
Krista hesitated, conflicted. "I can't just let you go after them," she said, knowing she would regret what came next. "I should report you. You might hurt someone."
Bakugo laughed bitterly, crossing his arms. "Us? Hurt someone? Yeah, right. You're the one running around stealing—"
"—Deku's quirk!" Shoto interrupted, shooting Bakugo a warning glare.
"I wasn't stealing it," Krista snapped, straightening up. "I was keeping it out of Chiass hands. You guys just got in my way."
"What?" Bakugo growled, his voice rising with anger.
"Calm down, Bakugo," Shoto said, his tone measured. He turned back to Krista. "So… you're not our enemy?"
"I guess not," she replied with a shrug.
"Then help us," Deku said, his voice quiet but insistent. "We need to get my quirk back before Chiass uses it for something terrible."
Krista hesitated, glancing at him. His green eyes were filled with determination—and something else. Something raw and vulnerable. She sighed. "Fine. I'll help. Who knows what they'll do with it otherwise?"
"Good," Shoto said simply.
Bakugo muttered something under his breath, but Krista ignored him.
"Do you guys have hero names?" she asked, trying to break the tension.
"It's just Shoto," Shoto said, his tone calm as always.
"Dynamight," Bakugo said proudly.
"And I'm Deku," Deku added, offering her a faint but genuine smile.
Krista returned the smile despite herself. "Well then, let's find your quirk."
As they walked, Deku fell into step beside her. His voice was low when he finally spoke. "Kuri… why were you with the gang again?"
She paused, meeting his gaze. "I wasn't with them," she said firmly. "I've been stopping them every chance I get. Every time something went wrong for them, that was me. Guess now you know why."
Deku's expression softened, but a hint of worry lingered. "You put yourself in danger… for my sake. Why?"
Krista felt her chest tighten. "Don't read into it," she muttered, brushing past him. "Let's just find Liam before it's too late."
Deku didn't respond immediately, but his gaze lingered on her, unspoken words hovering between them. For now, the mission took priority—but neither of them could deny the tension simmering beneath the surface.
This fight was only the beginning.