Yellow eyes scanned through a packet of papers; each one had a photo of a troubled individual stapled onto it. She took meticulous and detailed notes, writing them down on a brown leather notepad.

Makima leaned back in her chair. She felt the morning breeze outside on the balcony of her apartment. The sight was gorgeous and overlooked a good section of downtown Musutafu. She could pinpoint individual specks of people from afar who went about their day, the occasional traffic of cars stopped at traffic lights, and much more.

A beautiful sight and she wished to enjoy it for a bit longer, but it was almost time. In a few more hours, she would be among a large group of criminals who will attack one of the most heavily secured areas in the city.

The Unforeseen Simulation Joint – a place catered to help students learn how to handle situations in unexpected disasters. It'd serve as the sole place to eliminate All-Might and show that even the mightiest of heroes can fall if given the right precautions.

But those precautions were too low. This plan that Kurogiri and that young teen had was far too fallible. There were too many inconsistencies that could undermine it all.

Makima questioned whether there were contingencies in place if All-Might didn't show up, but the arrogant Shigaraki felt that there was no need and claimed the Symbol of Peace would be there. But what if he wasn't?

She was only met with resistance from the boy, and aside from breaking into the school – the objective of defeating All-Might would be the only priority. That wouldn't do, so Makima took precautions for herself.

This was the only chance at getting inside the school itself with a lot of expendable manpower while she went about her own plans. It would've been a perfect execution had it not been for her lack of information about the young U.A. students in attendance.

U.A. High School's methods of security are top-of-the-line stuff as Giran had told her, and he stated that it'd be a fool's errand to try and squeeze any info out of that literal fortress. And he needlessly informed that the cyber-security U.A. had was explicitly made to keep hackers out. To even try something of that measure would warrant a raid on both him and her in their homes.

She had to scratch out that potential route and go in blind on that crucial info about the U.A. kids. But, if Giran was going to play scaredy-cat on that front, then he could at least provide a unique and spectacular human to help keep her Hayakawa identity safe.

Lifting a polaroid photograph with a yellow file, Makima was greeted with the image of a well-built man with a large scar splitting his forehead. This person was a hidden gem with the most useful quirk she'd encountered so far besides All-Might and Kurogiri's.

Honestly, Makima thought it quite silly that the paranoid info broker thought he could be stingy and keep such useful people like this away from her. She'd have to pay Giran a visit to cordially thank him for such a prize. It'd be the first thing she'd do after this whole thing was said and done. Especially after his sudden outburst from yesterday.

Purple eyes carefully read through a packet of mathematical equations. He brought up a hand to his face and propped an elbow up on a long table.

The Lunch Rush dining hall was as loud as ever too.

The large food court was filled with various venues – every single one bringing a salivating smell to the air. Pizza wafted through when he passed by; juicy hamburgers with fresh and hot fries; curry and rice, and even udon noodles.

Shinso decided that today he'd give the curry a try.

A lot of people here today, Shinso thought as he checked the long tables which had several groups sitting at them. There was a green-haired boy talking animatedly with two others – a boy with glasses and a girl with brown hair. Further up past them was a louder-mouthed blondie who kept yelling at his red-headed buddy.

"Is that him?" A blue-haired girl with a bob cut whispered behind him.

"Yeah… It's probably best if we stay away from that guy." Her pink-haired friend said as they warily left the line.

His day was ruined once again. Shinso really didn't like how this Control Killer situation was giving him a bad reputation. Ever since the traumatic experience witnessed on live television at the Cultural Festival yesterday, a lot of people have been on edge. Students at school, like this dining hall, have actively avoided him and some sat further away at their desks whenever he was in class.

It was only the patronizing attitude of the faculty here that kept him from losing it. They constantly reminded him that those rumors were false and assured Shinso that they didn't harbor any ill feelings about his quirk.

However, the same couldn't be said for his fellow classmates. He got his food and sat down at a long table by himself again for the fifth time this week. He did his best to eat in peace and tried to ignore the constant stares of his peers.

All Shinso could do was bear with it and hope that the Pro Heroes and the Police Force would take care of this situation soon so that his life could get back to a bit of normalcy.

Blood.

He could taste it in his mouth and throat, but he had to keep it hidden. It was obvious that he has exerted himself far too much for today.

Toshinori smiled through the aching pain in his side to the cheering crowd who gave him looks of adoration and awe. He waved back as he had a firm hand on a pair of criminals who thought they could rob a convenience store in broad daylight. He escorted them to a police car and ensured the public that nothing will escape the fists of justice.

"Fear not, citizens! For I am here!" He posed and laughed, allowing a few people to take photos of him before he squatted down and prepped for an enhanced jump into the air.

Toshinori had to leave now so that they wouldn't see the blood slowly seeping from his mouth or the steam rising off of his body. With a single leap, he was up into the air and the soaring, silent sound of rushing air was a much better alternative to adoring fans and camera clicks.

He glided for a while longer and landed on a rooftop to rest for a bit. Shortly upon landing, he experienced another coughing episode. It wracked his lungs and chest again and that searing, dull pain brought itself down upon the mighty hero once more. Toshinori wiped away another mouthful of blood and was greeted by a large billboard pertaining to keeping safe from the Control Killer - a monster that has recently taken residence in Musutafu.

The Number One Hero clenched his spindly fists in anger. The people were wrong to say that he could save everyone. It wasn't feasibly possible to be everywhere all at once, and this new villain was taking advantage of that through cell phones. He still remembered being on the scene when that incident with the reporter happened yesterday. Toshinori couldn't do a damn thing to save the man but offer his sincerest condolences as he was carried away on a stretcher while the crowds of people watched on in horror.

After that gruesome event, most of the Pro Hero agencies were beginning to whip up a plan to catch this killer alongside Tsukauchi's Police Force. This monster of a human being was getting too out of hand with their randomized murders. If left unchecked, he feared that this villain would do something on a much grander scale. It had to be put to an end before that could come to pass.

A faint hiss sizzled out around him as he slowly deflated even more. It didn't help that his time in this form was running out again. He was supposed to be teaching a class today at the USJ, but that probably won't be possible now. He'd have to talk to Nezu about this and hope that Thirteen could continue without him.

Still… Toshinori stared at that billboard, hoping that he or Tsukauchi could catch this killer and ensure that it'll be one less evil that young Midoriya would have to face aside from that man.

Tsukauchi's office was an absolute mess of complaints, reports, and sticky notes regarding the Control Killer. He'd hoped that he and Hayakawa would've gotten a lead on the bastard, but he never expected it to become this bad of a jumbled mess.

There were constant calls from all around the city who claimed or believed that they were contacted by the Control Killer. Of course, he had to put them through a whole roundabout way of securing a line with them through a Pro Hero's quirk in order to not become a victim himself.

The whole procedure was becoming tedious. Most of the calls they received were pranks by idiots who thought it funny, or by paranoid elders and parents.

It was throwing him through a disorganized loophole of what was a potential lead and what wasn't. As a result, progress on the case had been super slow and even Hayakawa appeared stumped with it. Speaking of his partner, he peeked outside his office blinds and watched her expressions once more – catching glimpses of who the real Hayakawa was behind that professional attitude.

What he saw was an irritated woman who was talking to another one of his fellow officers. Another confessor who wanted to ask her out for dinner or to see if she was free to watch the newest movie about Star Stripes.

Tsukauchi laughed when he saw the guy's head droop down in dejection as he was publicly rejected in front of his friends. It was highly unprofessional and should have immediately been talked to by an HR representative. But something kind of felt a little odd with them too; they were enamored with Hayakawa. It was off-putting, but he knew Hayakawa by now. She'd know better than to manipulate her time sheet.

A new email popped up on his computer and it allowed him to refocus his efforts on more important matters than analyzing his partner.

An abandoned blue warehouse came into view as Makima started to approach it. She had no need to check the address to be sure because there was another group of thugs going toward the same destination.

"Who's the pretty lady?" A pig-faced man said with great effort. His labored breaths and sweaty skin oozed off bad hygiene.

"Don't know, don't care." His scythe-armed friend replied.

"No, no. Pugsie's got a point, Uta." A leering man made of paper and eyeballs said, "Gal's looking out of place. Pretty. Gorgeous. Sexy." With each compliment, his eyes examined the red head. "What's this one doing all alone here?"

"I really couldn't give a damn about the bitch, Kendo. We're here for All-Might and there are promises of his head on a pike, so let's get a move on." Uta pushed them both to the entrance of the warehouse and Makima followed them inside.

"Heh, don't be a stranger, Red. We don't bite at all. Maybe I'll show you around—" One of his eyeballs was poked. "Ouch!"

"I said keep it moving, Kendo! We're already late!"

It was loud. Too loud for any chance of hearing any normal semblance of a conversation unless one was smack dab in a person's face to hear it.

The whole interior of the warehouse smelled horrid. A stench of cigarettes, sweaty body odor, and flatulence pervaded the air with a vengeance.

Hanako Utsuhashi could only cover her nose and gag at the smell of peanut butter-smelling armpits. She was tasked with keeping watch and protecting what her boss, Giran, has said as valuable personnel. She groaned at the word. It was too fancy and sophisticated for a girl like her. All he could've said was to guard an important girl. That's all.

She eyed the entrance and saw a group of low-life thugs enter the warehouse and one of them was sticking out like a sore thumb.

Red hair and golden eyes. Those were the identifiers that Giran had given her. She was gorgeous and eerie in the way she walked so silently like a predator.

Her whole appearance was enthralling; young, beautiful, and with red hair with the most tantalizing eyes she'd ever seen. Some of the criminals next to Hanako tapped each other's shoulders and made innuendo jokes.

She remembered instructions that were given to her prior to coming to this place.

"Remember: I want you to watch over Makima as discreetly as you can. I'm paying you extra to do that for me, so here." She glanced at the tiny support-gear camera hidden in the breast pocket of an oversized green parka jacket. "This will be my eyes to the whole thing. Just don't get too snobby with this one. She's more perceptive and fucked-up than the Police Force and the media let on. And don't worry, I'll wire you the payment beforehand. I'd never want one of Akiyama's comin' after me."

It was good that Giran was still kicking it and not in the slammer. He's one of the only brokers who still respected the traditions to her boss. Her faction's a dying breed in this new society with all the heroes and villains taking over the streets. If she does this tiny gig, it'll make her stand out to the Snapping Turtle of Musutafu's underground.

A chance at a newer position and all she had to do was chaperone a mass-murdering psychopath that makes people commit suicide. No one else knew who this lady was, and it appeared like only Giran's new friends – Shigaraki and Kurogiri were the only ones who did.

Whispers came around and remarks were tossed around as Makima – the Control Killer – prowled the warehouse grounds as swiftly as she could towards the staging area where the two League of Villains were at.

"Hanako, you there?" Giran's voice sounded off in her ear, "Don't answer me, just fiddle with your fingers. I can see them. Good." His voice was a little muffled with everyone talking so loudly.

"Listen carefully, there's a few things that I want you to absolutely avoid while you're with Makima."

Again, Hanako crossed her fingers like it was a tiny game of some sort for affirmation.

"First up: Don't ever mention me at all. I know for a damn fact that she'll try and prod you for answers, so just dodge them however you can."

Hanako snapped her fingers.

"Good, glad you understand. Next: Do whatever she asks; if she wants you to help carry dead kids' bodies, then you damn well better do it. She likes to be in charge and the moment you don't bark or woof for the broad, then say sayonara to your free will. So, it's better if you suck up to her smug ass, alright? Good, finally glad to have a competent and reliable person. Then again, you Yakuza are dependable for something like this."

Hanako's pride swelled as she was complimented for her actions. She always aimed to please and she'd probably get some good words in from Giran for the Boss. She brought her eyes up to the center stage where Shigaraki was telling the crowd about something, but she ignored it. Her attention was instead locked onto Giran's final warning.

"Last thing: Makima will not hesitate to leave you behind."

That part didn't bring her a lot of confidence… In fact, it dwindled.

Giran sighed and continued his warning through her earpiece. "I don't know how this thing will go, but when shit hits the fan, you're expected to escape on your own end. Sorry, kid. I wish I had a way to get you outta there, but I don't. I'll be in touch with you later, it looks like they're getting ready."

Sure enough, Makima was up on the stage and Kurogiri was right next to her giving a speech. His loud, refined voice boomed throughout the warehouse as it quieted down.

"We are here to do one thing: To kill All-Might. Young Tomura here," He gestured with his hand, "has gathered you all to help us deal with the Symbol of Peace once and for all."

A bigger and larger portal slowly appeared behind him and Shigaraki. "Do what you will and kill the children, they matter little to us. But remember to not fight amongst yourselves. We need all the help we can get to defeat All-Might."

A wave of agreement and cheers roared within the cramped building. The thugs all hyped themselves up; sharpened their blades; loaded their guns or powered up their quirks in preparation for the invasion. All of them had sly or vicious grins plastered onto their faces.

Few of them, herself included, looked up to the mysterious Control Killer. Everyone was interested in why she was up there alongside Kurogiri and Shigaraki. Many assumed she was some sort of bigshot or friend to them. None of them knew like Hanako did, though.

That pretty smile and gentle figure hid a monster. She was, as Giran put it, highly dangerous, elusive, and at all costs meant to be either buried six feet under or locked in the deepest pits of the Tartarus Prison.

Right now, she looked indifferent to the whole announcement. Makima leaned against a metal shelf with her arms crossed and had her eyes closed. Though, the aspiring Yakuza girl kept noting that the Control Killer kept glancing every now and then at the largest brute she'd ever seen standing next to Shigaraki.

The thing looked like a literal bird demon straight from hell – an exposed brain, beady eyes, and an otherworldly physique. This thing definitely looked like something that could go toe-to-toe with the mighty Symbol of Peace. That alone kept her spirits up. It improved morale all around and made the other thugs go into a frenzy; eager to prove their worth and fight the heroic bastard who'd been a pain in every criminal's ass since the day he debuted in Japan.

Hanako had a lot cut out for her today and she still had to find the other two members who'd be part of her chaperoning team. Though, they weren't Yakuza. Just upper-level thugs who Giran thought would fit Makima's needs nicely.

"Are you ready?" Kurogiri asked. "After this, there will be no turning back." He placed a hand on her shoulder.

Makima leaned off the shelf, "Yes. There's no need to worry about me." She had her hands behind her back, staring directly at his giant portal coming to life in the center of the warehouse. A load of thugs was already circling around it, waiting for Kurogiri's signal.

There it was again – that carefree attitude from yesterday. Kurogiri narrowed his eyes at Makima. Obviously, this woman had her own plans in mind while they were in the USJ. It didn't help that she didn't look like the fighting type. A lot of the thugs here took note of that, and he wouldn't be surprised if she'd get ganged up on as soon as he took his eyes off her.

He saw Makima hop down from the warehouse docking stage and casually walked over to the assembled crowd, waiting for the assigned members that Giran had given her.

Kurogiri could only pity those three unlucky fools who would be paired up with Makima. It went without a doubt in his head that they won't be having a will of their own when accompanying that unnerving woman.

Makima thoroughly analyzed the group of three that Giran had given her as aides. They didn't at all look special in any way that piqued her interest. The three appeared bland and boring; a quality that Makima didn't like in people. She preferred it if they had something unique about them that gave them a reason to be important.

However, all hope wasn't lost. Out of the three, only one of them appeared slightly interesting. It was the first to warily walk up to her – the girl who had an interesting choice of hairstyle. It was shaved except for a black undercut that she'd likened to what some would call a tomboy. Her attire consisted of a green parka jacket and black denim jeans. She had this angry resting face that made her stand out in Makima's eyes.

"I'm Hanako, Ma'am. I'm one of the ones that Giran picked out to assist you."

The way she spoke reminded her a lot of those stoic yet ridiculous Yakuza. This one obviously stunk like them – fresh cologne mixed with sandalwood. A staple scent for most Yakuza grunts and this girl reeked of it.

A lizard man was the next to introduce himself. He looked spindly in his baggy hoodie and khaki shorts. He looked to be suitable for assassinations with the giant curved blade resting on his hip. "I ammmmm Mugestsuuuu, missssss." He said in a slithery voice. "I aimmm to serveeeee."

And the last one was a heteromorphic quirk user – a man with four arms and a stone-like physique with a black mask. He was apparently the muscle of her little group. He'd serve as a nice replacement in place of Gyu. "The name's Ryutaro. Remember it, little lady."

The three henchmen she was assigned to looked a little more than irked when she didn't acknowledge their introductions. There was no need. They were nobodies who only served one purpose.

Dying.

They followed closely behind her as she waited for Kurogiri's signal.

Seven dark portals materialized, and she saw the visage of the USJ's interior – a giant dome structure filled with areas of simulated scenarios, just like the blueprints. She saw a large water fountain in the square middle of the USJ's plaza area. Makima strode into it with confidence.

The feeling of Kurogiri's warping ability felt like stepping through an air-conditioned house that was set all the way to the max. It was nearly instant too with how fast Makima suddenly found herself inside the Unforeseen Simulation Joint.

A giant dome encased the ceiling, blocking any natural sunlight and the crystal blue sky from view. They appeared to have teleported into the main plaza just as planned.

The rest of the villains also slowly emerged from the portals and made their way to the entrance. Up above on a stupendously long staircase was a group of teenage students alongside two adult individuals. Makima walked beside Kurogiri and tried to get a better view of who was in attendance because the large silhouette of All-Might was nowhere to be found.

"Thirteen and Eraser Head, huh?" Shigaraki said in a disappointed voice.

"The schedule that we received the other day said that All-Might was supposed to be here," Kurogiri added.

Shigaraki scanned the surroundings around him, "Where is he? I went through all the trouble of bringing in a couple of friends with me." He spread his arms out and looked up. "All-Might… The Symbol of Peace." He brought his head back down and stared with a murderous glint in his eyes towards the students. "I wonder if he'll come if we kill some kids?"

While the young man stood back and waited for the cannon fodder to do its thing, Makima watched as the scrawny teacher from high above. He pulled at his scarf as it came apart and he daringly jumped all the way down the staircase to face the first wave of thugs.

A trio of villains was the first to approach the oncoming teacher. The man wrapped them in his scarf and fling them at each other, knocking them out effectively.

What truly caught her interest was the fact that they couldn't activate their quirks.

"Idiots! It's Eraser Head! He can erase your quirks by just looking at you!" A spider-legged man yelled out as he and the rest of the villains stopped in their tracks.

Eraser Head? Makima's mind recalled Giran telling her about this man. He was supposedly a bad match if she ever encountered him.

"Erase?!" Ryutaro, one of her assigned minions asked. "Are you gonna erase the quirks of heteromorphic-type villains like us, too?" He rushed forward, leaving his post and ignoring Hanako's yelling as he sallied on to the Pro Hero.

Ryutaro leaped up into the air with a haymaker punch at the ready.

Eraser Head swiftly dodged Ryutaro's punch and backed away before charging up one of his own – landing it squarely into the rocky thug's face. It sent the 'elite' member flying and not even a moment sooner was his foot wrapped up by Eraser's scarf and tossed into a crumbling group of incapacitated villains.

Shigaraki watched with interest alongside Makima. "I see. He's pretty strong in hand-to-hand combat, and since he's hiding his eyes with those goggles, you can't tell whose quirk he's erasing. When he fights against a group like them, that makes it harder for them to work together."

As if to prove his point, Eraser Head deftly switched his targets to another pair of twins whose quirks weren't working, and he dealt with them as swiftly as he did the others.

"I hate Pro Heroes. It really sucks when they live up to all the hype." He continued, scratching his face. "The masses don't stand a chance against them."

Makima agreed, the crowd facing off against Eraser Head was getting wary of facing him head-on. They stood by and waited until he had his guard down, but even then, he quickly recovered and fought with deadly dexterity. They were no match for someone of his caliber.

Her attention slowly drifted over to Kurogiri's narrowed eyes as he watched the students from up above. They were retreating, just as expected and he took the chance to quickly warp over. This left Makima and the two League of Villains alone.

Shigaraki turned to face Makima with the giant behemoth behind him adjusting its eyes on her. "He's going to scatter those kids across the place. This is where you come in." He pointed at the giant swirling dome of Kurogiri's mist and then moved his finger toward the huge, simulated areas behind them. "Choose a spot to gather a hostage or two and bring them back here. It'll help give us some power-ups in case anybody tries something stupid."

Purple portals appeared from the sky, and she saw the students fall from them into different sections of the USJ.

Shigaraki scoffed, noticing that his new colleague was still next to him. "Just go away. Me and Nomu will be right here waiting for All-Might." He turned away from Makima and watched Eraser Head, waiting for the right moment to jump into the fray.

Hanako didn't like Makima's vibe at all. She practically oozed off sketchy shit, and it looked like her other chaperone – Mugestu – knew it too. The young Yakuza girl thought that Ryutaro got off easy by charging in after Eraser Head and getting knocked out.

They followed her to a nearby area called the Squall or Downpour Zone, and sure enough, it was another domed section that had rain pouring down from the inside. The whole thing was a tiny town all on its own with how huge it was. Hanako had to give props to the U.A. staff, this shit was impressive.

"You're Yakuza, aren't you?" Makima suddenly asked to break the quiet silence. They had a bit of time to chat as they walked down a long, cement corridor leading into the Squall zone.

Here it is... The questioning.

"Remember: Don't tell her anything about me or personal about yourself." Giran's voice reminded her through her earpiece.

"Y-yeah. You could say that." She bashfully said, scratching her head and making sure to not make eye contact with the redhead.

"What family are you from?"

"I'm from the Hisanobu family, ma'am."

"Is that so?" She hummed and brought a finger up to her chin, "The head of your family is Lord Akiyama Hisanobu, is he not?"

"Yes…" Hanako didn't like the idea of Makima knowing who her boss was already. His name wasn't a well-known thing to the public or to civilians. It was true… Just as Giran had told her; this woman knows way too much.

They got to the inside of the zone and the pitter-patter of rain could be heard from all around them. Four-story buildings towered sections of this make-believe town. They were right in front of an empty intersection of a road.

A crew of villains was was right behind them, and they had crowbars, guns, or their own monstrous quirks on hand. They all proceeded further down the desolate and pouring streets.

A commotion could be heard by a central plaza and Hanako could make out two of those U.A. kids duking it out against some of the thugs. She let out a little smile, she could perhaps see Makima's quirk in action maybe.

Before they could get closer, a whole group of more villains blocked their path – each of them looking more pleased with what they were seeing – a defenseless woman who only had a control quirk. However, they weren't just any regular villains… Hanako recognized the little pins on the breast pockets of their disguises.

C'mon… Why'd you all have to bump in? Hanako groaned to herself.

"Is that the Chiyo Family?" Giran asked in her earpiece again, "Shit, it is. Looks like our psychopath friend has got a little hit put out on her."

One of them, a pigface man with a wife-beater tank top and Hawaiian shirt laughed heartily. "Finally got you all to ourselves, Control-Bitch."

Hanako's sight turned over to the Control Killer who looked pleased with the situation despite being surrounded. Was she seriously expecting to make it out of this unharmed? It was fourteen to fucking three!

"What would Shigaraki say about you harming one of his companions?" Makima asked. "This isn't part of the plan."

The Pig giggled and so did his group of friends. "Shiggie didn't say anythin' 'bout hurtin' ya a little. Ya sees, ever since you been killin' people, we had to go into hiding a lot more often. The fuzz is fuckin' everywhere thanks to your suicide bullshit." He waddled over to the three a bit closer. "So, the only thing we gon' do is hurt you a little bit. Teach ya a lesson about being a proper criminal." His pink skin expanded, and his arms got huger.

"Boys n' Girls! Let's put some fuckin' manners into this psycho-bitch while we still can. We'll deal with the kids later."

The fourteen thugs began circling around the three, ensuring that there were no gaps for escape. Some of the thugs from behind stood back warily; most of them were probably still wary about the lady's quirk.

"It's just one quirk, ya pussies!" A girl with goggles snarled. "It's all she's got going for her! Let's just rush her!"

"Eh?! I wouldn't dare count myself among you lot! This is the legend herself! I will join you, Lady Control!" A bulky man with square glasses and a pudgy face brought himself into their little group. "It will be four against thirteen!"

"Oi, Natsumi, what the fuck?!" Goggles said with disbelief.

Hanako watched Makima's reaction, and she saw the Control Killer's eyes looking around, possibly counting the number of enemies they'd have to deal with somehow.

The Control Lady had both her hands out, in finger-gun gestures. She simply stared at the offending group of thugs with a smirk on her face.

A quick slice from Mugestu was all Hanako heard and the plop of two hands dropped to the pavement. It was Makima's.

"Shit. Mugestu's compromised too with that family." Giran cursed, "Then again, maybe they could kill her."

"Downnnnn withhhhh monsterssssss." He said with pride, holding up the amputated hands into the sky.

The rest of the disguised Yakuza laughed mockingly at Makima, waiting for her to cry out in pain or pass out from the blood loss.

That didn't happen. She had only a look of calmness and she simply stared at her missing hands which were spurting out blood profusely.

Hanako's eyes widened when something was emerging from Makima's bloody stumps. She had a confident smile on her face too…

Long, black chains fell from the red-haired woman's stumps and clattered to the wet ground with a distinct metallic clang.

"Aww, lookie there, she's got some chains, y'all." A green man said and the crowd around them laughed. "I'm so scared—"

The chains suddenly thrust forward like a spear and forced themselves into the green man's nose and mouth like invasive parasites. With a graceful pirouette and a jerk to the left, the Control Killer pulled off the man's face like it was a sticker on an orange. A plop of flesh and viscera spewed out of the victim's face, and he fell with a meaty thud.

"Is that support—" A blonde thug tried to say, but then the chains moved onto her and wrapped themselves around her face and tightened like a python. The cold iron bindings squished her head like a grape. What was left of her head spilled out onto the road.

Mugestu's fate was horrid too as the hands he was holding as a trophy also dissipated into chains and pierced his face like sewing needles through a thread.

Some of the villains backed away; others hesitated to charge in now; and the majority were thinking of running.

And just as she did before, the Control Killer had an indifferent smile on her face that Hanako thought would suit something like a monster.

"Don't let her do that! Rush her ass!" One of the villains cried out. The surrounding villains roared and prepared to fire at her with their guns and quirks.

Like a bundle of snakes, more chains began forming beneath Makima's waist. What Hanako and Giran saw next was horrifying…

Fumikage Tokoyami had hoped he'd been sent to somewhere other than this windy and pouring area as it made Dark Shadow harder to pull out, though thankfully the added darkness helped strengthen his prowess a little. He also didn't blame his fellow peer who seemed utterly terrified for no apparent reason. He kept holding his head with both hands and went into a fetal position. The boy wanted to stay in an empty convenience store and wait for help to arrive.

It helped Tokoyami a little to rest here for a bit too, though. That recent bout against those thugs took a bit out of him and Dark Shadow. He winced as he tried to massage his shoulder where a villain managed to land a crowbar hit on him. The lights were flickering and the battering noise of water hitting hard against glass windows was a clear sign that the storm was getting a bit worse.

The two heroes-in-training were by the cash registers, resting behind the counters.

"We cannot sit around any longer while the villains have their way with this place, Koda. Come on. We can do this, we just got to get out of this zone."

What Tokoyami didn't know was that the few rats in this simulated area were warning Koda about an impending danger. They kept telling him that something horrible was coming. But what made it more horrifying was the fact that the voices of those tiny little animals soon went blank, like it was cut off by a turn of a button. The animal hero tried calling out to other potential animals that could tell him what was going on, but he was met with nothing.

Just dead silence and the pouring droplets of rain, strong winds, and thunder outside.

Tokoyami's courage astounded the boy as he instead went to check what the noise was outside by looking out of the windows. He crouched down lower to avoid being seen by a group of villains rushing towards another street.

"Where are they going?" He moved over to another window to look at a large congregation of those villains surrounding something in the middle of an intersection. They were obviously attacking something from the sounds of it with all of them screaming.

Wait… screaming?

Tokoyami's curiosity got the better of him, but before he could open the door, the young hero was stopped by Koda. The rock boy was shaking his head with tears and a sheer look of terror was evident on his face.

They both heard screams and cries of pain from outside. The two boys were more than a little surprised when a pig-faced man slammed himself onto the locked door of the convenience store they were in.

"PLEASE! I DIDN'T—" A hoarse voice cried out. What came next was another voice saying something and then a large squelching noise that followed soon after. A splatter of red chunks splashed onto the windows.

Koda held a gasp in, and Tokoyami's mouth was agape at what that red splatter was… Blood. They'd just witnessed a murder.

"A true waste of space on earth! Right, Lady Control?" A young man's muffled voice sounded out. "Ha! Serves these nay-sayers right for doubting you."

"Even though you aren't part of our group, why're you hanging with us?" A tomboyish voice asked.

"Who wouldn't want to be paired up with the legend herself?! I didn't think I'd ever have the chance to meet her in person! I've been praying for the day! Who'd thought she'd grace us with her presence!? I could—" His joyful, fanatic voice was stopped by a wave of the main figure's hand.

Tokoyami couldn't get a good glimpse of whoever the three thugs were because of the rain and blood splatter distorting them all.

"Tokoyami, look out!" Dark Shadow cried as it shielded both its user and Koda from an explosion that blew apart the entire front half of the store.

He flew back and hit the sharp corner of a frozen food shelf. The young man felt his wind get knocked out of him as he fell onto his face.

Tokoyami was dazed and the ringing in his ears wouldn't stop. He quickly shook his head and got his second wind, standing back up with Dark Shadow at the ready. The young teen looked left and right, seeing that Koda was luckily unhurt, but unconscious.

His ears picked up the crunching of glass and rubble, and a lone figure appeared from the smoke with a man's twisted neck in her left hand. She looked displeased. There was the other thug behind her, but she looked a little skittish now.

"I told you that I needed him alive." She shook a dead man's corpse which had tiny chain outlines slithering through the flesh of his cheeks and nose. "Hm. Oh well, at least they're unharmed." She tossed his corpse to the floor, ripping the chains free from the outside of his face, and knelt to Tokoyami.

The smell of blissful flowers replaced everything else.

"Grab the unconscious one for me. We're heading back outside."

"No!" Tokoyami roared as he let out Dark Shadow's fists, punching both the tomboy and the red-headed woman as hard as he could – launching them outside of the ruined store. He fell forward on his hands and knees with heavy breaths.

The only problem was that it didn't blow away the main one who was talking. She was still standing, unfazed by Dark Shadow's power. Her soft fingers were caressing his quirk's body and he felt some sort of numbing coldness enveloping him.

Dark Shadow yelped and a sharp stabbing pain started to set in. He tried to pull away from the woman's grip, but it was so strong. It wasn't like a human's at all. It felt like a gorilla, or a literal machine had him in her grasp.

She looked back to the defeated henchwoman she had, who probably had a caved-in ribcage or worse. Clearly, the woman wasn't at all bothered by it. "That's fine. I think your unconscious friend here will do nicely." She grabbed Koda with one hand, easily lifting him off the ground, and dragged him away.

She placed a hand on his forehead, and she made him say something, a word of some sort. Tokoyami's ears picked up squeaks and the skittering of tiny creatures coming from all around him, and he soon found out that she'd made Koda use his quirk. Realization dawned on him as he got a better look at her – red hair, eerie-looking eyes, and a black denim outfit. She wasn't at all paying attention to him while she had her hand firmly on Koda's head.

He gulped and prepared to be in for a grueling battle. Was this woman the Control Killer? Here of all places? As long as he doesn't respond or say anything to her, he should be safe; that's what the warnings from the police had given to the public.

Tiny rats of all sizes and shapes poured out from the ruins of the store and somehow managed to get inside the USJ as well – no doubt answering the call of Koda's quirk. The swarm of rats wrapped itself around the two and then it quickly tumbled down in a pile, leaving Tokoyami by himself.

Little legs and squeaks surrounded her entire being and she could reminisce about using this ability a while ago to deal with a problematic hybrid. It was nostalgic and it was only amplified by a whole swarm of these rats coming to her call. It wasn't at all comfortable like Kurogiri's though.

The rats found an easier exit and squeezed through the grates and ventilation systems of this elaborate Squall Zone, allowing her and this young kid to escape back out into the open plaza.

A group of villains was waiting outside, meandering about, and watching something going on at the Flood Zone where a deserted, though cut-in-half, yacht sank very slowly.

They turned around and saw the rats piling upon each other and slowly taking the form of two silhouettes. It took only a few seconds for them to dissipate and reveal both her and the hostage to the gaggle of men waiting.

"I thought you said she was going to be ganged up on?!" A man with five eyes asked.

"Don't look at me! I thought Yamato's boys were handling it!"

Makima's eyes focused on the last remaining members of an attempted assassination. It was obvious that someone wanted her dead and gone. She wouldn't fall for it; Makima expected this months ago. Though, the only question was who would put a hit on her.

Was it Giran? No, that was improbable. The fool seems too cowardly to play that card too soon when she's already got her claws so deep into his confidants and contacts. To do so now would only mean certain death for the broker. She'd still have to pay him a visit and perhaps 're-educate' him on some things.

It may as well have been the League of Villains, too. However, it was obvious that their benefactor, whoever that was, had an interest in her doppelganger scheme. So, they'd be crossed out for now… The only other option had to be an outside party. It left a sour taste in her mouth as she'd have to find out who was bold enough to try and deal with her here.

She coined a strange tag that was present on most of the goons that attacked her in that rainy city. A metallic pin with an image of a panther on it; a faint smell of sea salt and amber oak wafted from it like a signature scent. It was present on all the tags. Only one type of organization would like to keep some sort of cohesion in outfits or tags like this.

Yakuza.

"Fuckin get—" He couldn't say anymore before noticing the swarm of rats rush the group of men and climb upon their legs, into their pants, and claw at their faces or eyes. Like a wave of water, it splashed onto them all until the hungry pests swallowed up their bodies.

"HELP!" A man screamed before the rats went for his tongue and chewed at it as they dove into his mouth, eating up whatever flesh they could. More of the thugs tried to do the same but suffered the same fate.

A jogging group of villains ran over to see what was going on, but soon dropped their guards and waved their hands in a flurry. Most of them saw the fates of those who tried to lay a hand on her. The sounds of flesh being chewed and gnawed on could be heard faintly.

"W-we're n-not with them! We just wanted to see what was going on…" A woman with a scythe said, "The boss is currently fighting that Pro Hero right now. We'll let him know that you got a hostage." They ran in a hurry, eager to leave her alone.

She watched them jog away and she shifted her focus back onto her captured target. A really nice coincidence landed itself on her lap. Makima's eyes looked over the unconscious state of this young boy. She remembered his rocky-like face at the police station a couple of times. His scent was largely covered in animal dander and occasionally the smell of fresh bread.

The screams of men and women who tried to get rid of the ravenous rats continued while she dragged the young, rock-like boy to rest up on a wooden bench next to the Flood Zone.

But then, only known to her, an audacious and familiar scent wafted into her nose.

A fruity note of kiwi and a bizarre dash of peppermint. She could never forget it. However, her nose picked up something strange about it. The previous smells were faint, and another odor greatly overshadowed it. A fragrance of citrus-like musk tainted it alongside a gross stench of mucus.

'Don't bottle up your emotions.' The note that man wrote her came into Makima's mind, and the image of a humble-looking skeletal being appeared in her memories. The scent was coming from over the protective orange railing and towards the lake to three distant figures flying up into the air.

Makima dragged the boy with her to where those three were landing. She had to confirm something.

The three students trudged through the shallow parts of the Flood Zone.

"We were lucky that was all of them. I took a huge gamble." He muttered continuously to himself about the possibilities of his plan going horribly wrong. "Normally, they would've kept some people underwater in reserve."

"Midoriya, stop that. It's creeping me out." His frog peer said. "Rather than reflecting on what happened, shouldn't you be thinking about what we should be doing next?"

Midoriya relaxed, "Y-you're right. Sorry." He winced at the pain from his index and middle finger coming back to haunt him. "Right now, we should be finding a way to get help." He pointed with his other hand. "It would be best if we follow the shore and avoid the central plaza as we head toward the exit."

"That's true. Mr. Aizawa has drawn a large number of villains to the plaza." Tsu added.

"H-hey… Guys…" Mineta was tugging at Midoriya's shirt, but his attempts were ignored as both he and Tsu were busy looking at Aizawa. They were lost in their conversation about him overexerting himself for fighting those villains that they weren't paying attention to what Mineta was trying to point out.

"Guys!" He slapped both of their backs and tried to quietly whisper to them; it got their attention, but it was too late. The littlest of them tried to sink under the water to hide his presence from the villain's shadow towering over them.

"What is it, Mineta—" He turned to see what Mineta was pointing to, and he was met with a woman that was drenched in blood from head to toe. She had a disappointed look on her face and the smile she had was slowly turning into a frown.

"You're not him…"

AN: Still getting used to the whole format of FFN. It's been awhile since I've used this, lol.

Makima's face must look utterly disappointed like this when she saw who the scent belonged to: ;/

Love your comments! I enjoy reading them as they make my heart soar at seeing it get some traction on FFN! I'm also glad to see some fellows from AO3 as well! ;D