Total Control || Todoroki Shoto

fifty-four || it has begun

They were meant to isolate us here in the island and not have any way of seeking help to the main land until they meet their goal. But, what is it? Why exactly were they here?

As the rest of Bria's team split up in different directions of the island, I could only hope and rely on the others to find them first before they get to the citizens. However, it didn't look like their motive was to kill everyone. If it was, then they should have come for the fleeing citizens the moment they landed. Having me here, a single person, wouldn't stop them from doing that.

They must be looking for something important within the island.

Since I'm fighting Bria by the coast, I can also see his companion terrorizing the Shopping Area. He was not helping his comrade, though. That was odd.

"You must have a quirk that can take me down in an instant if he's not helping you." I pointed to the man with red strips as Bria backed away from me. "I should be careful around you, then."

I was about to use my Perception on him to find out what his quirk is, but my attention was suddenly pried away from him when someone called me.

"Hana!"

It was a short second, letting my eyes drift to the corner to see that Mineta and the others have arrived to the shopping area already. I breathed a small sigh of relief and said, "You three be careful! These people are dangerous! They already took down the cell tower to lock us in the island!"

Bria goes straight for me and wasted no time launching a prepared fist. I deflected his attack by side-stepping and using my elbow to hit his back. The force knocked him down the ground, but he immediately swiped at my feet and forced me to dodge away from him. I still don't know what his quirk was, so I need to keep my distance until I find out. "The citizens are the main priority! One of you should--"

"DIE!"

Just when I thought only the four of us were there, Bakugo came flying out of nowhere and landed a hit on the other guy. Kirishima and Kaminari came running after him. "Hana! We're here to help! Creati and the other girls are already evacuating the islanders!" Kirishima yells.

As expected from Iida and Momo, they were able to distribute the number of people in various locations quickly. I won't have to worry about the islanders as I fight this guy, and there won't be anyone getting crushed by the debris that the other villain was creating in the shopping area with all the ruckus he was making.

"Alright, time to crush you! Time's up!"

I turned back to my opponent and held my fists up in front of me in preparation for his attack. Unlike earlier before, he came towards me faster. My eyes almost wasn't able to keep up if it weren't for the hero training that we have been having with Aizawa. I ducked down as his feet tried to kick my side, swiping at his own foot and forcing him down the ground with my foot putting pressure on his chest this time. "Now, what is your qui--"

Perception wasn't working.

My eyebrows began to furrow and reveal my confusion, earning a mocking laugh from Bria under me. His hands grabbed my ankles as he looked up at me and smirked. "Got you."

He tosses me high up in the air. I tried to stop myself from falling by using the air with my quirk, but it wasn't working either. "Bakugo! I can't use my quirk!"

"This dumbass!"

He redirects himself in the air in an instant, initially going for the villain they were facing, and caught me before I fell to my death. I landed on my feet beside him and rolled my shoulders tiredly. "Why the hell does this always happen to you, shitface?"

"Is it my fault that I face people who can erase quirks?!"

"Tsk, fuck off! You better deal with that little shit!"

I grumbled to myself as he flung away from me once again and went to help Kirishima and Kaminari in fighting the other villain. Bria was still standing meters across me, his smirk remaining on his face as he watched me for my next move. He must have already erased my quirk before I was able to scan him through Perception. That means that his quirk is similar to Aizawa's.

If that is the case, then chances of me getting my quirk back is high. I just won't know exactly when I will be able to. Still, the thought that I am not completely quirkless relieved me and gave me a flicker of hope. It only pushed me further to beat this guy up.

"I'm getting really sick of people erasing my quirk and stuff. It's getting a little repetitive and annoying." I said. "But the fact that you're not the first to erase my quirk only means that I'm used to fighting geezers like you."

"Cocky now, are we?" Bria laughed. "My quirk will keep your quirk in check for the next eight hours. You're useless to your team until then. While at it, I might kill you or have you as hostage so that they can't try anything. It will depend on what I decide of at the end of our match."

And there it is. He just revealed an important part of his quirk to me without even knowing it, or maybe he is aware of it and his pride just won't let himself be taunted. Either way, the wind shifted on my favor. If his quirk is to erase another's, then the conditions are most likely the same as Aizawa's.

He is confident with his physical strength because he was forced to learn how to fight given the condition of his quirk-erasure. Bria is confident in an even fight where no quirks will be used. Just his strength and speed being demonstrated earlier was already enough for me to know that he's done this with stronger opponents and came out as the victor. I will need to be careful and strategic facing him.

Surely, there should be a weakness that I can find even without Perception.

Though, I do wonder.

"Hey, how did you even erase my quirk?" I asked. "Is it when you make eye contact with someone? Touch someone? Get near the within a specific distance?"

"Since you're about to die, anyways, then I'll tell you."

It was so hard not to roll my eyes right then and there. This old trick has been very useful and I already used it on many occasions this year. It always somehow works.

"I only need to touch a certain body part that glows within my vision." He points at my foot. "When you stepped on me, it was considered body contact regardless of clothing and shoes."

"Oh, that's it?"

"What do you mean that's it?" Bria chuckled. "I'll crush you to pieces, little girl. These bare hands ripped out hundreds of human hearts already. Yours is no different."

"Bold of you to assume that I'm human." I formed a stance, swiping my feet on the ground to clear up the dust as it was my time to smirk at him. "Let's get serious, then."