"Sorry my lab is so messy." Melissa said as she took the two boys into her personal laboratory at her school. Hayato looked around and only noticed some books on the table making him chuckle.
"If you think this is messy, you should see our room when we study." Hayato said helping Melissa pick up the books.
"Oh, you two live together?"
"Well, to be specific I live with him and his mom." Hayato explained while Izuku took a look around the room.
"Wow, you're really talented, Melissa." Izuku said looking up to see seven trophies on Melissa's bookcase.
"Actually, I wasn't getting very good grades. That's why I studied really hard, mainly because I wanted to be a hero so badly." Melissa explained as she walked into her closet making Izuku and Hayato jump up slightly.
"A pro hero?"
"No, I gave that up early. I'm Quirkless, after all." Izuku looked at the girl in surprise while Hayato felt as if something was in the back of his throat.
"Quirkless...?"
"I didn't have a Quirk even after I turned five, so I was taken to a doctor. I was told that I was the type that would never get a Quirk." Melissa explained making Hayato sit down on her couch while Izuku remembered when he was told the same thing.
'The same as me...'
'The same as Izuku...'
"Is something wrong?" Melissa asked as she walked out of her closet to see the frustrated expression of Hayato and the saddened expression of Izuku.
"Oh, nothing..." Izuku said looking down at the ground.
"Must've been a real blow to be told you're never going to have what everyone else has normally." Hayato said as he remembered the sadness in Izuku's voice the day he told him he was Quirkless.
"Of course, I was shocked. But I had a goal that was close to me."
"A goal?"
"My papa. He wasn't born with a Quirk that would let him be a hero, but he supports Uncle Might and other heroes with the power of science." Melissa explained as she looked at the photos of her and David on her shelf. "That's the way i want to become a hero: by supporting the other heroes, just like my Papa." She went over to her desk and placed a small black box on it, opening it to reveal a small red bracelet inside. "This is a support item I made while watching Uncle Might a while back."
"Watching All Might?" Izuku asked as Melissa took off his glove and raised his hand. She placed the bracelet across his wrist and pressed the top of it, making it shine blue and then wrap around his forearm and hand, becoming a red gauntlet. "What is this? "
"If I had to give it a name, I'd call it: Full Gauntlet." Melissa said surprising the two of them. "I noticed at the attraction that you were holding back and then immediately turned your Quirk off. So I thought: maybe your Quirk is too strong and your body can't keep it up."
'She's right...Izuku looked like he was in pain after he used One for All at the Villain Attack.' Hayato thought to himself as he remembered seeing Izuku limp for a second after his run at the Villain Attack.
"This Full Gauntlet is strong enough to take the full power of Uncle Might's punches three times. If you wear it, I think you'll be able to use your full power. So please use it."
"Huh? But isn't this something important?"
"That's WHY I want you to use it. Become a wonderful hero who can save people in trouble, okay?"
"Okay!" Izuku looked at his new item happily before hearing his phone begin to ring.
"That's awesome." Hayato said standing up. 'But that's easier said than done, Melissa...'
"Sorry I have nothing to offer you, Hayato. Speedsters are a rare sight here on I-Island." Melissa said placing her hands together making the boy chuckle.
"It's fine with me, I'm good with my normal hero gear for right now." Hayato said smiling at the girl.
"We should...hurry up..." Izuku turned around slowly as if he was in pain and the two of them looked at him confused.
"Why?"
"That was Iida...we're late." Izuku said making Hayato raise his sleeve and look at his watch. He sighed seeing it was 6:45, and he knew Tenya was adamant about their group meeting up at 6:30 for the party that night.
"Sorry we're late!" Izuku yelled as he and Hayato walked through the entrance of the tower where the party was being held, wearing the clothes they had bought at the mall a few days ago.
"I don't think we're the only ones." Hayato said pointing out the fact it was only Denki in his uniform for work, Shoto wearing a white suit with a red tie, and Tenya with his arms crossed wearing a blue suit with a yellow tie.
"What do they think 'attending as a group' means?!" Tenya yelled waving his hand angrily.
"If I say what's on my mind, I would get yelled at by everyone." Hayato said walking over to stand by Shoto. The four looked ahead hearing the door open to see Ochaco wearing a pink dress with black leggings and a white rose in her hair.
"Sorry! We're so late...!" Ochaco said walking in before Momo and Kyoka followed her.
"I apologize, but Jiro..."
"I'm...not used to clothes like this." Kyoka said shyly as the three girls walked up to the group.
"I think you look awesome!" Denki said giving a thumbs up to the girl making her blush and fix her purple dress.
"Th-Thanks."
"It's my first time wearing formal clothes. I had to borrow this from Yaomomo..." Ochaco said as she walked over to Izuku who smiled at her.
"W-Well, I think you look beautiful. Y-Yeah, really beautiful." Izuku said blushing slightly before his girlfriend jumped into his arms.
"Oh, Deku! You don't have to flatter me!"
"Well, don't you look handsome?" Momo said walking up to her boyfriend who smiled at her.
"I...can't find any words to describe how amazing you look." Hayato said blushing as he studied his girlfriend's green dress further before hearing the door open and seeing Mira walk in wearing the dress she had found at the mall. "Mira? You look..."
"Like a real woman?" Mira asked smiling at her brother who shook his head.
"Like mom." Hayato said with a smile making Izuku smile as well.
'That's a good sign.'
"Oh? You're all still here? The party's starting!" Melissa yelled running in wearing a blue and white dress making the two boys who had spent the day with her blush slightly. Then the group looked up to see the windows being covered by shutters.
"This is the I-Island Emergency Alert. According to the Security System, an explosive device has been planted in the Expo area. All residents and tourists are urged to hurry back to their lodgings. Anyone found outside after ten minutes will be arrested without warning. All the main buildings will now be sealed off by the Security System." The group looked in shock as even the door was being sealed shut while Hayato remembered the group of men he had seen earlier that day with the helmet.
'Don't tell me...'
"You think this is the League of Villains?" Denki asked making Hayato and Izuku shake their heads.
"They don't do things in the shadows, they roll out guns blazing and make a show of it." Hayato said before looking at Mira. 'Damn it.'
"Hayato...what's going on...?" Mira asked slightly trembling. They then heard a gunshot making Izuku clench his fists.
"All Might is up at the party...something has to be going on."
"I have no signal...everything must be getting blocked right now." Shoto said taking out his phone.
"Even the elevator isn't working." Kyoka said as she kept pressing the button for the elevator.
"I don't believe the security system would switch to high alert mode just because they found something explosive." Melissa said before Izuku and Hayato stepped forward.
"Iida, let's go to where the party is being held." Izuku said surprising the class rep.
"Why?"
"All Might is at the party, if we can get to him and tell him what's going on: he might be able to do something."
"Melissa, can you help us get up there?" Hayato asked making Melissa think for a moment.
"If we use the emergency stairs, I think we can get close to the party." Melissa said motioning towards a door at the end of the hall.
"Good."
"Alright then, let's go." Mira said as she began to run to the stairs. But then Hayato stopped her and pulled her in front of him.
"No. I need you to stay here and stay hidden." Hayato said pointing down.
"What?! Why?!" Mira yelled pushing her brother slightly.
"Because as your brother, I say what's best for you in a situation like this. And I say: you stay here." Hayato said making Momo take a step forward towards him.
"Do you think I'm useless? Is that it?!"
"You don't have the experience and training while we do."
"You've barely been my brother for a month, and now you suddenly think that you can make a call like this?! News flash, it doesn't work like that!"
"I already lost grandpa, I'm not losing YOU!" Hayato yelled surprising Mira and Momo. "You think this is like a TV show and the bad guys will show mercy or beg for it if you act tough? Real villains won't care how tough you are, if they can try beating you until you can't move: they WILL. And if they pull something like this knowing All Might is here too, then they're really not afraid of anything we can throw at them. In an emergency like this, you have to make sacrifices to do what's right. And right now you not joining us will keep you safe."
"How do you know that?"
"Because I will NOT let anything happen to my baby sister."
"Then she should come with us." Ochaco said speaking up catching the two's attention.
"Hayato, we have no idea what we're dealing with. Mira could be in more danger down here than if she comes with us." Izuku said earning a nod from the others.
"We could use all the help we can get if things get serious." Shoto added putting his hands in his pockets.
"With Bakugo and Kirishima nowhere to be found, Mira could be as important an ally as we can get for now." Tenya said placing a hand on Mira's shoulder.
"It's all of us or none of us." Jiro said with a nod from Denki.
"Couldn't have said it better myself."
"I'll stay close to her. I'm the one who brought her so I should take more responsibility if anything happens." Momo said grabbing Hayato's hand making him sigh.
"Good freaking grief...just stay close to all of us." Hayato said with a defeated smile making Mira smile.
"Thank you, everyone!"
"Come on, we can't waste anymore time!" Melissa yelled opening the door to the stairs making the group nod and run towards it.
"If you stay quiet, you will not be hurt." A red-haired man wearing a metal mask said as he walked through the party with a gun in his hands and all of the heroes tied up with blue restraints. The group of students watched him kick a hero down to his side while Hayato recognized him from the group he had seen earlier.
'Damn it...my hunch was right...' Hayato thought clenching his fists before watching the man order one of his lackeys to grab Sam who was kneeling down in fear and point a gun at him.
"Stop it! He's my assistant. What do you want with him?" David stood up and walked up to the man making Melissa cover her mouth from fear.
"Papa...no..."
"Well well, if it isn't David Shield? You come too." The man said making David grit his teeth.
"And if I refuse?"
"Then somewhere on this island, someone's scream will ring out."
"Fine then...I'll go." David said following the lackey and Sam out of the room. Mira placed a hand on Melissa's back to reassure her while Izuku looked for All Might. His eyes widened as he saw him wrapped by the restraints as well before an idea popped into his head. He took out his phone and began to flash the flashlight on it until the hero looked up to see the group looking down to him.
'Young Midoriya...Young Kiryuu...and the students from 1-A?'
"Jiro, can you listen to him for us?" Izuku asked making the girl nod and stick extend her jack into the ground.
"Go." Kyoka said while Izuku motioned towards his ear.
"Can you hear me?" All Might asked quietly while Kyoka repeated what he said. The group nodded and he moved his head closer to the ground to continue speaking. "The villains have taken over the tower. They took control of the security system, and everyone on this island is a hostage. All the heroes have been taken, as well. It's too dangerous. Get away from here as soon as possible."
"We received his message, now I suggest that we follow his instructions and escape from this place." Tenya said as the group moved to the stairwell to talk.
"I agree with Iida. We are still students. We cannot fight against villains without our hero licenses." Momo added making Hayato punch the wall in frustration.
"Then why don't we just escape and tell a hero that's outside?" Denki asked earning an approving nod from Tenya.
"I think it'll be hard to escape from here. This place is built with the same level of security as Tartarus, where all the worst villains are kept."
"So we're just sitting ducks for now then..." Denki said making Kyoka stand up.
"And you're all okay with that? You don't feel like we should go help?"
"We're still learning to become heroes too..." Shoto said looking down at his left arm.
"But, we're not allowed to do hero work without our licenses-" Momo said before Hayato punched the wall even harder.
"Does that mean it's all right for us to not do anything?" Shoto asked making everyone in the room quiet down.
"I want to save them." Izuku said looking up and taking the turned off Full Gauntlet out of his pocket.
"Deku?" Ochaco asked placing her hand on his shoulder.
"I want to save all of them." Izuku said standing up and balling his hands into fists.
"I don't want to just sit here when I can reach all of those people." Hayato said as he opened his fist, revealing his knuckles started to bleed from punching the wall.
"Hayato?" Momo asked placing a hand on his back.
"I saw them all there, I can reach them and I can save them." Hayato said before turning around to look at Izuku who nodded at him. "It's dangerous out there, and we're not allowed to do anything to the villains since we don't have our licenses..."
"...but with no restrictions on our Quirks here, we can still use them to find a way to save All Might and the other hostages." Izuku said putting on the Full Gauntlet. Seeing the two step forward, Melissa did the same and looked at the group.
"The security system's on the top floor. If the villains have taken control of the system then the authentication locks and passwords should have been disabled. We should be able to restart the system. We just need to get away from the eyes of the villains and get to the top floor. And then we might be able to save everyone." Melissa said lifting the spirits of the others while Izuku and Hayato smiled at her.
"You said we need to get away from the eyes of the villains, how are we going to do that?" Kyoka asked looking at the blond girl.
"Currently, none of us have actually been harmed. I think the villains aren't used to working with the security system."
"Avoid fighting and get the system back to normal, huh?" Shoto asked making everybody else smile and nod.
"We could definitely do that!" Denki yelled standing up.
"But the villains are waiting on the top floor..." Momo noted before Hayato placed a hand on her cheek and smiled at her.
"Don't worry."
"If we can restart the system first, then All Might and the hostages will be freed. The moment it happens, the tables will turn on them immediately!" Izuku yelled before Ochaco stood up with determination now burning in her eyes.
"Let's do it then! I don't want to sit around doing nothing if there's something we can do. I think that's something that's more important than whether we're heroes or not."
"Yeah, let's help the people who need it! Let's do what our natural instincts are telling us to do." Izuku said making Ochaco nod and hug him.
"Midoriya. Kiryuu. I'm in." Shoto said stepping forward followed by Kyoka.
"Me too."
"I'll turn us back if I decide we cannot do anything else." Tenya said stepping forward. "If you're okay with that, then I will go too!"
"Wherever my brother goes, I'm going to follow." Mira said grabbing Hayato's hand.
"I'll go as well!" Momo yelled making Mira happily grab her hand.
"All right, me too!" Denki yelled giving the group a thumbs up. Hayato and Izuku nodded to each other and turned to Melissa.
"You better be coming too. You're as valuable to resetting the system as the rest of us." Hayato said making Melissa smile and nod.
"Yes!"
"Then let's go and save everyone!" Izuku yelled turning on the Full Gauntlet and opened the door.
"Damn it! The rest of the path is shut!" Hayato yelled as he and Tenya led the group up the stairs to the 80th floor only to see the rest of it had been blocked by a shutter.
"Should we break it?" Izuku asked ready to activate One for All.
"Don't! If we do that, then the security system will react, and the villains will notice us." Melissa said breathing heavily frustrating the group further before Hayato got an idea.
"Melissa...how thick do you think this door is?" Hayato asked looking at the entrance to the 80th floor behind him.
"I would say about 12 centimeters thick...why?" Melissa responded before the group watched Hayato activate his Quirk and begin to vibrate.
"I can phase us through it. But I need to be quick about it, phasing drains me beyond belief." Hayato said with his warbled voice as he phased his hand through the door and pulled it back.
"Wait! How do you know it'll work?" Tenya asked making Hayato shake his head.
"I don't...but we need to do something." Hayato said making the rest of the group look at him worriedly. "I can just pull on this lever and have the rest of the villains know we're here! Do you want that?!"
"No but-" Tenya was cut off by Hayato turning to face him.
"Then we have to try something! At least something is better than nothing!"
"I'll go first." Momo said stepping forward. "If it works with me then it should work with the others." Momo said grabbing Hayato's vibrating hand making her begin to vibrate too. "I will always put my faith and trust in you, so go ahead." Hayato pulled her close and ran through the door, passing through with Momo effortlessly shocking the group. Then he ran back through the door and pulled the group past the door one by one until it was only Izuku left.
"Let's go." Izuku said as Hayato ran through the door and pulled him through to see the group on the other side, all of them looking at Hayato in surprise.
"I can't believe that worked." Shoto said noticing how he was perfectly fine.
"If you can't...then imagine me..." Hayato said deactivating his Quirk and falling to one knee exhausted. Momo knelt down and pulled him in for a quick kiss before placing her forehead on his. "So I'm guessing I did good?"
"You did amazing." Momo said before helping Hayato stand up. She created a gummy heart in her hand and handed it to him making him quickly eat it. "Fuel up."
"We can't stop here. Is there any other way to go up?" Tenya asked turning to Melissa.
"There's another emergency staircase on the opposite side." Melissa said as the group began to run through the hallway.
"Then let's hurry!" Izuku yelled before they saw the hallways was blocked off by a shutter.
"Damn it!"
"Where to now?" Denki asked before Mira noticed a door in front of them was open.
"There!" Mira yelled running to it. The group followed her to see themselves in a nursery-like room with trees everywhere.
"What is this place?" Izuku asked looking around.
"A plant factory. They research how Quirks influence plants here." Melissa explained as they ran to the door on the other side.
"Wait! Look!" Kyoka yelled stopping the group and pointing forward to see the number above the elevator door quickly rising. "The elevator's coming up."
"What?! How?! I didn't trip anything!" Hayato yelled frustrated.
"Doesn't matter now. Let's hide and pass them." Izuku said before the group split up and hid behind a pair of bushes.
"I wonder if we can use the elevator to get to the top floor." Denki whispered as the number grew closer to their floor number.
"No, only authorized personnel can operate them. And it's made as sturdy as a bomb shelter, so we can't destroy it." Melissa said before the elevator stopped and the door opened to reveal a tall man with animal-like features and a short man with his hair cut into stripes on the side, both wearing tactical-like gear.
"Why are we stuck doing patrols instead of being down with the boss in the party?" The tall man asked making Ochaco cover her mouth in fear.
"They're coming!"
"Quiet."
"Wait! I found something!" The short man yelled making the group begin to tremble in fear while Hayato got ready to use his Quirk again. "It's some kids!"
'If they followed us here because of me, I should stay behind to deal with them.' Hayato gritted his teeth and got ready to jump out. But then an unexpected voice ran out making him chuckle.
"Huh? What did you say, you bastard?" Izuku and Hayato popped their heads out to see Katsuki glaring at the two men wearing a red dress shirt with a black tie with Eijiro next to him wearing a black suit with a red tie.
'Kacchan? And Kirishima?'
"What are you two doing here?"
"That's what I want to know-" Katsuki said taking a step forward before Eijiro stopped him/
"Leave this to me, okay?!" Eijiro said before walking forward with a sheepish smile. "Um...we got lost. Where should we go for the reception?" Eijiro asked making the men look at them angrily.
"I can see through you! Don't lie to me!" The taller man yelled as his right hand grew in size until it resembled a clawed baseball glove and swung it forward at Eijiro, firing a blast of wind from it.
"His Quirk!"
"Kirishima-" Before Izuku and Hayato could intervene, a glacier formed in front of Eijiro to protect him from the attack.
"This Quirk is..." Katsuki growled as they looked to their left to see Shoto taking a step forward.
"Todoroki?!" Eijiro asked in shock before Shoto turned and placed his hand on the ground, freezing it until it reached the group that now popped out from the bushes.
"We'll stall for time here! Look for a way to get to the top!" Shoto yelled as the ice beneath the group began to rise.
"Todoroki!"
"What about you?!"
"I'm fine, just go! I'll be right behind you after I clean this mess up!" Shoto yelled as the two men noticed the growing ice.
"Boss! There are kids running around on the 80th floor!" The short man yelled pressing a button on his earpiece.
"Todoroki, what's going on? Why are you getting rid of the others?" Eijiro asked turning to his classmate.
"Didn't you hear the broadcast? Villains have taken over this tower."
"Huh?"
"What?!"
"I'll explain it more later."
"What the?!" Izuku punched the door open to see the shutters in the hallway begin to close.
"How do we get past here now?" Denki asked before noticing a hatch on the ceiling. "What's that?"
"That's the maintenance hatch for the sunlight."
"So it should have a ladder inside right?" Ochaco asked earning a nod from Melissa.
"Yes but it's accessible from the inside. You would have to bring it down from the higher floor for it to open here."
"So then how do we do that?" Tenya asked before Momo created a small grenade and through it at a vent in the hallway.
"If someone small enough can climb up, they can reach the floor they need to so they can bring it down." Momo said looking up.
"Ochaco." Ochaco turned to see Hayato nodding at her. "I can phase through that tight space, I just need you to make me light enough to run up the wall."
"What?! Hayato, that's crazy!" Ochaco yelled while Mira took off her heels and looked up.
"Well then what else do we do?!"
"Me." Mira said catching everyone else off guard.
"No. No that is OUT of the question." Hayato said as Mira walked over to Ochaco.
"I'm the smallest one here, I can squeeze through what I need to. Please, I need you to trust me." Mira said making Hayato grit his teeth and clench his fists.
"I agree." Hayato turned to see Izuku nodding at Mira. "We owe it to everyone down there to try."
"Please." Mira pleaded making her brother sigh and nod.
"Ochaco, work your magic." Ochaco nodded and placed her hands on Mira making her begin to float.
"Be safe."
"Here." Mira turned to see Momo handing her a pair of gloves with suction cups on them. "Use these to climb up and through the vent." Mira nodded and began to float up and through the vent until she reached the side of the tower and placed her hands on the wall, the suction cups keeping her from floating any higher. She began to climb as fast as she could until she reached a vent on the 90th floor and went through it, finding herself in a room and immediately finding a lever on the side of the wall and pulled it. Then the hatch beneath her feet opened and a ladder extended down until it reached the group waiting ten floors below. They quickly climbed up to meet the youngest Kiryuu who smiled at all of them, especially Hayato as he was the last one to climb up.
"So? How did I do?"
"You did an amazing job! You really have a future as a hero, Mira!" Melissa yelled making Mira blush while Hayato crossed his arms.
"I don't like what you did..." Hayato started making Mira look down sadly. But she felt something on the top of her head and looked up to her brother proudly smiling at her. "But you really have what it takes to be a hero."