——~(8)~——

"Always dress like you're going to see your worst enemy."

-Kimora Lee

It was a nice day, all in all. Sunlight dribbled down from the sun down to here on the Earth, the birds were singing in a passable tune for once, there were majestic trees places in optimal locations for the maximum amount of cooling shade, and it was the perfect temperature to take a nap in. Not too hot, not too cold... Something about it just lulled its' receivers to sleep. Or at least, that's what it had been before he stepped inside the USJ building.

He had known that it stood for the Unexpected Simulation Joint, but it didn't quite register as to the degree of horrible weather and natural disasters that actually occurred. He knew that U.A. had a frankly ridiculous budget, but this was... A little voice inside of him was screaming at him to focus, so he mulishly left that spiraling chain of thoughts as he refocused on the situation itself. All of the class 1-A students were here, Bakugo was definitely here... In truth, Deku expected him hurling insults to everybody, just like he expected him to try and pick a fight with one of the villains. Interestingly enough, he was just quietly surveying the situation.

'As interesting as this little character development of his is, I don't see All Might anywhere. This... is a rather large problem.'

Shigaraki sent him a slight eye glare before announcing his displeasure.

"...Deku, where is All Might?"

In the group of the students, Bakugo made a subconscious response of recognition, but for the life of him, he couldn't tell where he had heard that name before. Sure, he used to call him that but... The physique is entirely different. Besides, he... he was missing, or most likely dead. That villain could simply be calling his subordinate useless...

"Our information must have been wrong or changed last minute. Judging from the fact that Eraserhead and Thirteen are surprised, it was most likely a sudden change in plans. Or they might simply be good actors. It doesn't really matter."

Shigaraki silently urged him to continue.

"The fact is that there are only two pros here. The rest are first-year students that have good quirks. If we capture... or kill some of the students, I'm sure All Might will show up eventually."

Shigaraki's parched lips raised themselves into a crescent, silently causing blood to spill out. It looked like he was a crazed demon gorging on the flesh of his enemies. Maybe that was why he never used chapstick.

"Good, you're indeed not stupid. Kurogiri, you know what to do, right?"

"Indeed. It will be done in a moment."

'...Why does this guy have to test me now and expose the plan? The pro heroes are much more alert now... Well, in any case, it's time to do my part. I have a personal appointment to get to.'

He lightly trailed behind Kurogiri as they made their way to the students trying to escape. Some were harder to see, but all of the students had a fine dose of panic running through their systems. Some were shaking, some were blinking erratically, and others had clenched their fists so tightly that they were beginning to turn white.

But then good ol' Bakugo and the other boy who was called Kirishima had a different reaction. Instead of allowing their fear to weigh them down, they charged forward despite it all. Kurogiri suffered an attack from the duo, but Deku didn't even bother to help him. It would only take him a second or two to reform anyway.

Sure enough, he reformed a second later, and all of the students were taken away to different zones that didn't suit their quirks. As much as he wanted to go over to where the blond teen with anger issues was, he knew his first priority was keeping track of Thirteen. The students could be dealt with in sufficient numbers by the grunt villains, but it was beyond their capacity to inflict worthwhile damage on a pro.

And then Thirteen started up her quirk, and almost sucked Kurogiri away. Thanks to Kurogiri's quick thinking, he made the black hole reverse itself by putting up another portal. Wind ravaged the area, tearing apart the land, and half of Thirteen's suit in the process. But despite paying Thirteen a great deal of attention, he was also carefully checking up on the students.

So that's why, when the student started to run, he really didn't stand a chance. He lightly tapped his foot on the ground, as lighting swerved and raged in the spaces in between the soil particles. He couldn't physically keep up with the young man's speed quirk, but lightning would never be described as slow. Usually, after traveling that much distance, his lightning would merely serve as a static shock at most. Well, it would be the case if the student in question didn't have metal in his legs.

Despite the increased effectiveness, it didn't completely immobilize the speedster. One could tell that despite the shock, he was still capable of taking a few steps. However, in that brief moment of shock and pain, he stopped. That instance of time was more than enough for Deku to catch up with him.

With a fluid, water-like motion, Deku completely slipped past the guard his opponent had feebly got into the moment he finally comprehended he couldn't get out of this fight. He then proceeded to elbow his foe hard in the stomach. He was thrown into shock once more, doubly so considering the concentrated lightning of the tip of his elbow. Deku could already make out the angry swell of a third-degree burn from the crack in his armor. Then with a solid hit to the back of the neck, the hero wannabe fell completely unconscious.

He could hear multiple gasps and shouts belonging to the group of misfits at his back, but he didn't bother actually listening.

"Kurogiri, take this kid - I believe his name is Iida - and give him to Shiagraki. You guys can then set-up a signal to All Might and tell him that if he doesn't come alone, we'll kill him. Oh, before you go, please send me over to where you dumped the blond kid at. More specifically, Bakugo Katsuki."

"The one who attacked me at the start of this whole thing?"

His face fell into one of contrived playfulness.

"Yeah, that's the one."