After the heartfelt moment with your friends, you all continued your hunt for Bakugo.
Momo was leading the group when you guys reached the hideout. Meanwhile both you and Midoriya trailed at the back, seemingly deep in thought.
"I hope you all know that none of us have top-tier stealth skills. I'll be making sure to stop this mission the moment it gets even slightly dangerous–" Iida declared, sneaking a moment to shoot you a judgemental side glance, all while you turned your head away innocently, "-just to set the record straight... I've been working on my stealth skills with Edgeshot."
Shoto nodded at the back, "She really has."
As if he was trying to redeem his friendship status by sucking up to you, but it seems that one glare from Iida was enough to shut you both up.
"I said no, [Last Name]-kun." You could only pout at that, "Buzzkill." And turned away, making Momo pat your back sympathetically, "There, there... I'm sure you'll get more chances to... I guess, be more nefarious?"
"I'm not nefarious, Momo-chan... Being unlawful isn't just fun and games... It's a lifestyle." She just sweatdropped and nodded along with your dumb ramblings, not having the heart to actually stop you. Besides, your dumb ramblings had a sort of calming effect on her, because let's be real. If you're being this carefree, then surely there's nothing to worry about... right?
At that moment, both Kirishima and Iida walked up to the hideout, while you and Midoriya began to speculate all the possible options you guys had.
You guys weren't going to just up and jump in battle. You specifically promised Iida that you wouldn't do that...
So what was left for you to allow Bakugo to escape?
Well, you had to think while keeping two possibilities in mind. If Bakugo was unconscious, things would be harder.
But if he were conscious, it might be easier. All you guys had to do was signal him about your presence and choose the perfect time to strike.
Not attack, strike.
You know you can use your quirk to either blind the villains, but that wouldn't be enough to stun them enough to allow Bakugo to escape. You guys would need something else... Something like your sedative bullets.
If only you can shoot them and sedate the villains, just to knock them out then maybe there was a slight chance.
But then you were met with a pretty solid idea.
Why not use the villain's strategy on themselves? Just like that middle schooler brat who had use the gas to knock you guys out, you can just have Momo create a sleeping gas bomb. The moment you guys throw it in, you'll signal Bakugo to hold his breath.
If he can hold his breath for even a minute, then it'll be enough to knock out the villains.
Of course, if they have that warp gate–Kurogiri–then it might be a bit of a problem. But it's not like Bakugo hasn't been able to hold down Kurogiri before. If you free Bakugo, he'll obviously help take down that warp gate too.
But you doubt the warp gate would prioritize fighting you guys over saving his comrades.
With that, you all approached the hideout.
You note how it looks more like an abandoned warehouse than a lair, but if thriller movies have taught you anything, it's that villains to an abandoned building are like moths to a flame.
They thrive in there.
Kirishima notes this too, but before you guys even have the time to talk, a pair of drunken dudes approach you guys. Seeing how these guys are kinda shady, Todoroki is quick to chime in, "These people seem dangerous. Let's distance ourselves..." Midoriya also pitches in, "Let's try going around the back of the hideout." Momo nods and you guys find yourselves agreeing with his suggestion.
When you guys do try to make it to the back of the warehouse, you can't help but note that the path you guys are taking is... pretty narrow, "It's so narrow, I can barely walk. I feel like I might get stuck..." Momo states and you agree, "It'd be a pretty shitty situation if anyone of us were claustrophobic..."
"Don't jinx it, [Last Name]-san..." Kirishima sweatdrops while Midoriya turns to you two girls, "The area is basically enemy territory. We can't move unless we know for sure it's safe."
"Yeah, I figured as much..." You mutter, whilst squeezing yourself in to go further ahead, "Still... It seems like a pretty run-down place... I don't know why, but I feel like if Bakugo were being held here there'd be a bit more... noise."
Although no one says anything in response to it, you can tell they all silently agree.
As you guys reach a midpoint of the backside of the building, your greenette friend points to a barred window, "At that height, we might be able to actually take a look inside."
"Will we really be able to see anything in such darkness?" Todoroki questions and you also chime in to add to the set of problems being faced by you all.
"That's not the problem. What is, is that none of us is that tall... Nor can Momo-chan make us something to stand on." You sulk, when Momo starts, "[Name]-chan, you brought your goggles, right? If I remember correctly, you told me they have night vision too." Upon seeing you agree with your nod, your dual haired friend takes this as a chance to chime in too, "As for the problem of height, we can just have you riding on our shoulders."
"I agree. Let's have two people on the watch. Midoriya-kun, Kirishima-kun can carry you, while I carry [Last Name]-san." Everyone was quiet for a moment after Iida's suggestion before nodding, eyes brimming with determination. You were quick to hand your gun to Todoroki, before getting in your position.
As you lift yourself onto Iida's shoulders, you almost slipped if it hadn't been for the navy blue head's grip on your thigh. Although both you and Iida were heavily blushing, neither of you dared say a word.
"I'm sorry if I'm too heavy, Iida-san." You quietly apologized to your class president while he gently shook his head. Although you didn't get to hear it, he softly muttered to himself, "Trust me... you're not."
Now, with you standing on Iida's shoulders, and Midoriya on Kirishima's, you slid your goggles on and activated the night vision.
Using the greenish vision, you looked around the dirty area, "Can you see anything, [Name]-chan?" Momo questioned, and you heaved a sigh, "It's mostly just dirt here, nothing that could lead to Bakugo–"
You stopped mid-sentence when you caught sight of it...
Almost immediately, your eyes widened in horror and a hand flew to your mouth in shock, "What's wrong, [Last Name]-san?!" Kirishima questioned and both Iida and Todoroki backed him up, but all you did was stare at the object with wide, horror-filled eyes.
After a few seconds, you spoke up, "I think I'm gonna be sick..." You muttered and it only made everyone even more worried, "What is it?" This time, it was Momo to ask the question.
Not having the courage to explain just what you had seen, you wordlessly took your goggles off and handed them to Midoriya while shaky hands, "Midoriya-san... Have a look... In the back on the left... Look in the back on the left." You whispered, voice shaky and sweat dripping down your cheek.
Seeing your state, even Midoriya grew anxious as to what you had seen. But when he got to see for himself just what it was, he seemed to share your reaction.
"What... is that? Is it... perhaps–" Midoriya muttered and you nodded with your head hung down, "Yeah... It's a bunch of Nomus... Still in incubation." All your friends shared your horror as you went on to speak, "And based on what the report on the Nomu they got from USJ, said... They're practically humans... dead humans." Looking back up, you turned to Midoriya to give him a horrified look.
"Those are... human corpses."
It was then that the real severity of the situation truly dawned upon you.
These villains were not ones to play around. They were literally experimenting on corpses... Human corpses.
In the midst of you guys still thinking what to do, you all heard a sound. And that sound was followed by...
Holy shit, was that Mt. Lady?!
You watched how she enlarged and slipped her feet into the back of a pickup truck, before using the truck to smash the side of the warehouse completely. Mt. Lady, along with Best Jeanist and Gang Orca stormed the warehouse and quickly subdued all the Nomu.
Watching them all work in real time really gave you a reality check.
There's no way you could compete with that. What were you guys even thinking, pretending like you'd be of any use when you could barely hold your own against the exact same villains at the forest camp? You were all more of a deadweight than an assistance.
Even if there were more Nomus, it wasn't like All Might was the only one who could take them on. They had obviously taken the precautionary measures to ensure the safety of everyone, especially Bakugo.
As Mt. Lady complained to Best Jeanist about how easy of a mission this was, you guys took this as your cue to leave. Clearly the heroes had everything under wraps.
... Nevermind, you spoke too soon.
Because not even minutes later, a shockwave erupted through the area and destroyed most, if not the entire warehouse holding the Nomus. You and your friends were taken by surprise but weren't really given the time to process what had happened when a heavy presence entered the area.
The absolute blood lust and power that the new villain emanated was enough to terrify you to the bones. Stain's blood lust was mere child's play compared to whatever the fuck you were feeling right now.
Because by now, you were so stricken with fear that the heavy presence was starting to suffocate you, making you hallucinate your own death. And while you weren't in the right state of mind to focus on anyone but your own self, the heavy panting of Momo and Todoroki that you felt on either of your sides let you know that their conditions weren't too far off from yours.
As you all stood behind the wall, you guys managed to hear the absolute shit show that was taking place.
But what really caught the attention of your group, was when Bakugo emerged from a black goo-like substance. You all were left shocked upon seeing him, and while he wasn't exactly safe, you did feel a small seed of relief sprout in you when you saw that he was alive and unharmed.
You watched and listened how the scary villain apologized to Bakugo while that hand-fucker, Shigaraki also emerged from the black goo.
Your breathing hitched as your eyes landed on the villains. Almost like a dam breaking, the onslaught of all your memories of the villains started to make you feel like you were going to have a panic attack soon.
Your mind flashed your memories of the encounters you had had with them, and you... froze.
Meanwhile, the creepy villain addressed Shigaraki too, talking to him like a father would to encourage a child.
But whilst he was talking, you turned to look at the side, only to see Midoriya looking at Bakugo with a transfixed look on his face, almost as if... he had a plan.
But he almost seemed conflicted, and seeing his expressions, you grew conflicted too. Now that the time of the night had arrived, you couldn't help but feel terrified.
This villain could very well kill you all. You watched how All Might showed up next but his presence did little to quell the worry bubbling in you.
You all decided to observe the fight for a little longer, and you took notice how the villain hadn't noticed your location.
This meant you can still escape.
This also meant... that you guys have the element of surprise.
If you guys were involved in a fight, this element of surprise would have been a God-sent. But it's not like it's any less valuable right now.
Because you and all your friends watched how All Might was struggling with holding back against the villain, thanks to Bakugo's presence there. If this villain was making freaking All Might struggle, you had a feeling it wouldn't be so well if you guys interfered in the fight.
It also wasn't so good that Bakugo... the main priority of this raid mission, was still in the enemy's grasps and territory.
You needed to get him away.
But how? Can you guys really do it? What if you interrupt the heroes just when they're about to jump in and save Bakugo, and your intervention only causes more problems?! What if you guys end up catching the villains attention and he holds you all hostage to gain leverage over All Might–
"[Last Name]!" Todoroki's voice pulled you back to reality, when you snapped your head in his direction, only to find everyone of your friends looking at you with an unreadable expression, "W-What?" You muttered and Iida cleared his throat, "[Last Name]-kun..."
Seeing just how much he was hesitating, Kirishima cut him off, "Midoriya has a plan! But for it to work, we all need to work together! Are you in?"
You were taken aback when he suddenly bombarded you with the two choices. Seeing how surprised you were, Midoriya jumped in and eased you, "I understand that it's scary but... We need to get Kacchan away. All Might can't fight like this! The plan is fool-proof, for the most part of it. But–" he hesitated, "-it also means that you have a very important role to play. Are you willing to do it?"
Usually, you were the one making the plans. But looks like the fear of Shigaraki and the other villains has made your mind come up completely blank.
Shakily, you gulped the saliva that formed in your mouth, already dreading every decision you had taken and will take from now.
But your eyes slowly filled up with determination as you realized... Even if you regret everything, you don't want to regret not doing anything; like a loser.
And so, you steeled your resolve and looked back up with a determined look.
"What do I need to do?"
————
Taking in a deep breath, you looked over at Momo and Todoroki from your position, high up above everyone. But it wasn't like anyone noticed since you were colorless right now.
Iida, Kirishima, and Midoriya also got in their positions. Readying yourselves, Momo waited a few more seconds before finally... it was time for the mission to commence.
"Now!"
Her voice was like a bucket of cold water that fell on top of you because it managed to pull you back into reality. You may be shaking, but there was no going back now.
It'd do or die, you guess.
You watched how Todoroki created a huge ice ply that reached to as high as it can go, acting like some sort of ramp. Then, the real shit happened.
Using both their quirks, Midoriya and Iida, carrying Kirishima rushed through the wall, breaking through it and catching the eyes of the villains as they used the ice ramp to launch up at great height. With everyone's eyes on them, you slid your goggles on your eyes and activated the magnification along with night vision.
You kept your gaze fixed on your mid-air friends, watching how Kirishima extended a hand out to Bakugo. You were too far away to actually hear what he yelled out, but you could tell from his determined look that it truly reached out to Bakugo.
Because not even seconds later, you saw Bakugo firing up his explosions as he shot up in the sky. Shigaraki tried to reach him, but your local firecracker was faster, immediately flying up and quickly reaching the Mido-Iida-Kiri trio.
Breathing in deep breaths through your pursed lips, you realized... now it was your turn to play your part in the plan.
Almost immediately after Bakugo had successfully been rescued by Kirishima and the others, you turned all of them invisible.
Next, you changed the goggles settings, from magnification and night vision to magnification and thermal vision.
So far so good. You had hidden the rescue team from the villains and could still see them thanks to your thermal vision.
With shaky, yet skilled hands, you readied the gun and kepy watch with your goggles. You kept your eyes trained on the villains as they rushed to secure Bakugo once more, but he was completely gone. Instead, they improvised by rushing in the same direction as your friends were in.
The person with the big lips used their quirk and launched that lizard villain, who readied his sword in his hands, "Not so fast, you little fucker." You muttered to yourself as you took aim.
BANG!
In the blink of an eye, the lizard villain was falling to the ground as your sedative bullet pierced his arm.
Unlike Stain, who was a Giga Chad amongst Giga Chads, this guy couldn't fight the carfentanil present in your bullets, because he fell unconscious in midst of falling to the ground.
Maybe he might die from cracking his skull open, maybe not. Life is full of surprises and you're ready to hand such surprises to these villain motherfuckers who dared ruin your life for months on end by stalking you.
So really, the guilt was quick to die down.
Instead, you watched how Gran Torino, Mt. Lady and all the other heroes started attacking the villains, making you heave a sigh of relief as you turned to see your friends still flying away, just about to land.
You took this time to turn them back visible, but you seemed to have relaxed too soon.
Because now that Bakugo was out of the battlefield, All Might had stopped holding back and threw a strong punch at the villain.
The shockwave from that punch alone was so strong that it crumbled the weak structure that you were currently standing on. Before you even knew it, you found yourself stumbling.
"AHHHH!" You yelled while falling to the ground, that was around two to three stories high. You tried to hold onto something but there was only small cracks in the building, nothing protruding outwards that you could hold on.
Acting without thinking, you slid your goggles off your head and sticked the band of the goggles in the tiny cracks, just barely holding on. While the building had stopped falling, you couldn't say that you were safe.
You were literally dangling off of the side of a 2-3 story building and you were so going to die if you fell down. When you turned your head to look back down, you gulped from how high up you were and you only started worrying even more.
Shit! Where the hell were Todoroki and Momo?!
Having already turned yourself visible from utter reflex alone, you fearfully looked around.
No one was in sight.
Instead, you started to hear the sound of the band slowly ripping under your weight. Fear flooded your body as the thought finalized in your head.
This is such a lame death. Dad's gonna be more embarrassed than he will be sad.
Not even minutes later, the band of your goggles snapped and you were yet again, free falling.
Although you did let a scream rip through your lips, but you knew it was futile.
None of your friends were here.
No one was going to save you.
That was the last thought that ran through your head as you prepared yourself for the absolute pain that would follow this, although just for a few minutes... if you were lucky enough to break your neck first. But you'd prefer getting knocked unconscious before you died..
Instead of being conscious, seeing everything go down, as your lungs would be unable to give you oxygen and you suffer breathlessly.
But compared to all the agonizing scenarios you had imagined, the thing that greeted you as you reached the ground wasn't the cold, hard ground.
No, instead it was the warm, soft but firm body of another human. The person wrapped their arms around you as they slammed into you, and practically cushioned your body with their own. You both rolled away, with their body protecting you from even miniscule cuts and bruises.
And so, you found yourself alive...
Holy shit... You're alive?!
How?!
It was then that your attention extended to your saviour and you realized you were still tucked in their–well, his arms.
When you did look up, you were greeted with the candy-cane colored hair of Todoroki and you shot up in worry, rolling off of your friend, "Todoroki?! Jesus Christ! Are you okay?!" You breathed out, and he groaned, "Ugh..." He muttered before he unwrapped his arms around you.
When he opened his screwed-shut eyes, he took a minute before he adjusted his gaze on you, "[Last Name], are you okay?" Was his first question.
You gaped at him for a moment before you nodded immediately, "Yeah, I'm fine–what about you?!" He nodded and heaved a sigh, "Thank God I reached in time..." He muttered as he got up, but he turned back to you again, "Wait... Your arm! Did you injure it again?" You remembered that he was referring to the arm you got shot in, that the doctors told you to exercise properly because you still had diminished control in it despite the surgery.
"It's fine. I'm okay." Although your reassurance managed to calm him down, but his expressions immediately turned serious as the ground shook again.
"We need to get away–" He was just in the middle of saying that when a ruin of the building came flying down you two and your friend acted quickly. Using his right side, he immediately created an ice pillar that crashed against the huge piece of concrete and saved both of you, "Let's get out of here, All Might and that villain are going batshit crazy and I don't think it's going to get prettier..." You declared and he nodded. As he got up, you crawled over to your gun that had fallen out your hands when you were falling and the goggles that were... not in the best condition.
"My goggles..." You sulked, as you grieved for them, knowing that Aizawa was going to kill you because no way could you cover this... but Todoroki knew that if you guys stayed here any longer, your families would be the ones grieving for you both.
And so, he acted quick, grabbing onto your hand to pull you up before dragging you away. You secured your hold onto his hand and let him lead the way because he was the one who knew where the group was going to regroup.
As you ran with the battlefield just a few meters away from you, you couldn't help but watch with a horror-fillled fascination how All Might and that villain were going to head to head with each other.
That villain may be strong, but All Might was still giving him a run for his money. While watching fight, you couldn't help but think...
There's no way you will ever reach that level.
The moment you ever fight someone as strong as that villain, you know you're going to die. No... Even before that, you're probably going to die from the sheer fear.
You... will never be able to win against such a beast.
Noticing how you're just quiet, your friend couldn't help but call out to you, "[Last Name], are you sure you're okay?" You snapped your head in his direction and nodded in reflex, "I'm fine, just..." As you reverted your gaze back to the battlefield, you saw something that had you choking on your saliva.
"W-Wait a minute... Is that Edgeshot?!" You screeched as you noticed the ninja hero in the distance, making Todoroki huff in agreement, "They got my old man too... Looks like they've got all the top heroes in the country for this mission."
You don't blame them.
Not only was Bakugo's rescue a tricky situation, but the presence of the Nomus and the other villains was also a problem. It was wise of them to recruit such strong heroes for the mission, "Yeah..." You muttered, as you both almost reached where Momo awaits you.
Once you did reach there, you didn't even get the moment to process it when she pulled you into a tight hug, "It was a success.... Thank Goodness... Thank goodness..." She muttered while burying her face in the crook of your neck, making you smile softly, "Yeah... Thank Goodness." You repeated and thankfully, Todoroki gave you two a moment to yourselves.
Once both of you had collected yourselves, you guys finally made the move. Although it felt wrong to be leaving the battlefield when the battle was still going on, but you forced yourself to realize that you will never be able to assist in anything when it came to that beast of a villain.
And so, with the help of Momo still leading the way back, you and Todoroki followed her and made your way back to Kamino.
It wasn't a long way, but with how tired you were and how your shoulder was beginning to ache a bit, you did feel like the path was longer the way back than it was coming here.
But thankfully though, Todoroki wordlessly took the gun from your shoulders and carried it for you, knowing that the additional weight of the gun wasn't helping your already aching shoulder, along with Momo, who was holding your hand tightly as she led you back to the city center.
Once you guys did reach the center, you noticed just how much of a crowd was watching the live transmission of All Might's fight.
Only when you reached the city center, did you see the digital billboard and saw just what the state of the fight is in...
Is that... skeleton-looking dude... All Might?
Where have you seen him before?
"Young–I mean... Midoriya-kun!"
That guy that day... at the police station that greeted Midoriya...
It was All Might.
But... why did he look like that?! You couldn't help but wonder in horror as to what had happened during the fight that led to such a condition. And your friends seemed to share your horror.
However, you weren't given much time to think because Iida's voice dragged you out of your thoughts, "[Last Name]-kun! Over here!"
You turned your head in the direction of the voice to see the rest of the group; Midoriya (who looked like he had just finished crying), Kirishima, Iida and...
"Bakugo." You muttered, all while the said boy was looking at you with wide eyes.
Almost like he had seen a ghost.
Even when Kirishima rushed to thank you and Todoroki for the help and Iida came over to check up on you three, Bakugo's gaze didn't waver.
Instead, when your [Eye Color] eyes met his ruby red ones, your face was set in a serious look. With all the shit that had taken place, you found it hard to smile. But there was just something that seemed to calm you down now that you saw Bakugo: alive, well and secure, with you all.
Without you even knowing, a small, gentle smile broke onto your lips and reached your eyes, warmth shining brightly in them.
"Glad to have you back, firecracker."