Deep Red

63

Getting this guy under control was tougher than expected. I had quickly given up on trying to get through to the rest of the group and settled with helping out Ryukyu and the three girls from U.A. instead. I honestly felt a bit out of the loop with how talented those three were - Asui, Uraraka and Hado really were showing me up, especially since my Quirk wasn't really that battle-oriented.

I had to get creative a few times and was more than glad for the mask this guy was wearing. I could heat it up until he got distracted by the burning sensation in his face. Distracted enough to get captured after an agonizingly long time. It was probably only a few minutes, but that was enough to be exhausting as hell.

When he was finally knocked out, the police officers got him restrained and were moving to get him out of the way and into a detention facility. It took a good few men to actually move him. Shit, I sure hoped he wouldn't wake up anytime soon, because that would get ugly quickly.

"All right! We're getting a late start, but it's time for us to move..." Ryukyu said, while huffing from exhaustion.

"He went down easily, considering his size..." Asui commented. I figured she was probably right. He could have put up much more of a fight, that much was true. Ryukyu just nodded quickly.

"Rikiya Katsukame. He can breathe in the vitality of anyone he touches, and then he gigantifies. It'd be best to get him into isolation while he's still unconscious." she told the police officers.

"Sounds like there's lotsa fighting inside. We'd better hurry." Hado said to us and pointed at the door to the complex. Right. Shouta was inside and I had no idea how he was doing and while I had been distracted during the fight, all the worry came crushing down on me again with full force and I suddenly felt like all my life force was sucked out of me, as I felt drowsy... what the hell?

There was some groaning from the big guy and as I turned around and I saw the officers falling down, weakened. How was he not knocked out yet? Was he sucking our life force out of us at this very moment?

"He should be out cold!" Ryukyu shouted.

"That Quirk booster I got from Irinaka's finally kicking in..." the big guy groaned and I was sure he would have been smiling if his face hadn't been hidden under that atrocious mask right now.

"All I gotta do is breathe to suck in your power..." he muttered and just broke out of his restraints. Holy shit. This wasn't good... This wasn't good at all. He swung his fist at... I had no idea, he just swung his fist at something. I was way too exhausted, it was like all the strength had left my body.

"Now I'm feeling as good as new!" he shouted loudly and laughed maniacally. I sunk to the floor, barely even having the energy to move much. What the hell? How did he have us all down this quickly? What the hell were we even supposed to do against this guy when we weren't able to get up?

Somehow Ryukyu hadn't been affected and was getting up to shield us from the fight, while most of us couldn't do much. I had no idea how much time had passed, but it seemed like Nejire Hado was up there, fighting the big guy. For a long time. How she managed to not get hit completely by his Quirk was beyond me.

All that only changed when we heard someone calling out to us. I glanced over and saw Midoriya. He came running towards us quickly. Hadn't he been with Shouta? Oh God, where was Shouta? Where had he gone? Was everything okay? What had happened? I tried to listen to what he was saying.

"Uraraka!" I heard him shouting. Uraraka turned back towards him and she looked shocked when she recognized him.

"Deku?!"

"We need backup! The target's directly under that crossroads over there! The Pros aren't making any headway in that fight! We need help!" he shouted. And it was then that Ryukyu got up, slamming into the guy we had been fighting all this time. He hadn't been expecting it and was pushed back.

"Everyone! Listen carefully!" she shouted at us. I could feel myself regaining some of my strength slowly.

"Uravity! Make him float!" she yelled and Uraraka just nodded and ran up to them, touching his leg, which caused him to float while Ryukyu was still holding onto his body in her dragon form.

"Froppy! Get us moving!" she shouted next, as Asui wrapped her tongue around his neck, pulling them along towards the crossroads. I quickly got up when I saw what they were planning to do. This was insane... but it might just work. I ran after them, ready to help out if there was any way I could.

"Nejire! Give us everything you've got!"

Nejire was floating over them, trying to catch up with them as quickly as possible. When they were in position, I quickly heated up the asphalt beneath them more, and then quickly cooling it down, making it brittle and easier to break through for them. It was exhausting, but probably the only thing I could manage in my weakened state. The big guy wriggled around in a panic.

"How can you still move?" he shouted back at us. I couldn't really see them well, but... I swear I could see all four of them smiling...

"Like we're always saying..." Nejire started.

"PLUS ULTRA!" all three of them were shouting, as Nejire sent her shock waves towards him, pushing him straight into the ground with full force. I saw Deku passing me in the meantime.

"Ryukyu! And the both of you, too!" he shouted. Hold on... wasn't Deku somewhere else? What was happening here? Were there two Dekus? Fuck, I knew I had to look out for him, after all that was Shouta's problem child...

"Watch out, Deku!" I shouted, but it was too late. Ryukuyu and our villain crashed through the asphalt and into the street, the pressure of the impact throwing both me and Deku off our feet and to the ground.

The fall of them stopped when we heard a loud groan we heard from the big guy, but I honestly couldn't care less. I was scared. I was scared absolutely shitless, because I needed to find Shouta. I just needed to know whether he was okay. This was torture, I couldn't stant not knowing.

"Deku? Wait!" I heard Uraraka shouting, Asui following her quickly, with a puzzled look on her face.

"So who was that other Deku...?" she questioned. There was obviously something odd going on, as some more people showed up at the edge of the crater where Ryukyu had broken through the asphalt.

My senses were still not back to normal from being pushed back so harshly, but I saw Ryukyu looking up at a man in a top hat and with a mask on. Who the hell was this? I quickly scrambled back up to my feet. Shouta. I had to find him. I had to know what had happened to him.

"The League of Villains...?!" I heard Ryukyu gasp.

"What's going on?" Uraraka shouted, looking around in confusion.

"Uravity!" Asui said to her and pointed out another Deku running at her. He seemed completely distressed.

"Get Nighteye to safety!" this Deku shouted and my eyes widened in shock when I saw where he was pointing. Sir Nighteye was half-buried under rubble and was lying there unconsciously.

I wanted to run up to Deku and ask him about Shouta, but... fuck, I needed to go and help Nighteye. And Deku was already on his way somewhere else again. Shit, no wonder Shouta had said he needed to keep an eye out for that kid. But where the hell was he? I needed to know, I just... I ran up to Ryukyu who was still holding down the big guy, as he was struggling against her grip.

"Ryukyu, is Eraserhead down there somewhere?!"