I swung back and forth on a swing, my legs far too short to reach the ground. I don't want to go home yet. It's lonely there.

Onii-Chan is off in Kyoto for a week of training there. Everyone is gone off for different types of training.

And mama is on bed rest until she gives birth to the baby.

No one will be there for me. "Huh? I don't recognize you." A loud child's voice declared.

I quickly turned, surprised. There, by the entrance of the park, are two little boys.

One stood with confidence, ash blonde hair and slanted red eyes. The other is more timid, with curly green hair and matching color eyes.

I eyed them a bit. "I live by." I lied. In truth, I live a good hour walk away. But I didn't want to be near my home right now.

The blonde looked at me curiously and walked over, the other following close behind. "Did you just move here? I haven't seen you around." The green haired boy said, looking over me with curious eyes.

"Yes." I lied. The boy's green eyes sparkled. "I'm Izuku!" He greeted

The blonde grinned, confidence unwavering, even for a child. "I'm Katsuki!" I looked at the two. I haven't met anyone else my age before. I didn't expect this.

They seem so nice and friendly. "Hey, we told you our names, tell us yours." Katsuki said, frowning slightly.

Ah! That's right. I hopped off the swing and stared at them a bit. "My name is Kiriya." I answered.

The two glanced at each other before looking back at me, grinning. "We're going to go exploring. You should come with." Katsuki said, hand on hip.

Izuku nodded his head rapidly. "I don't know." I rubbed my arm doubtfully.

I've never interacted with anyone outside my family and trainers. "You don't want to?" Izuku's face fell at my hesitation.

"Hm. I guess she doesn't." Katsuki stared at me a bit. "Do you like being alone or something?" He asked.

Eh? Do I like being alone?

I . . . "I don't." Izuku and Katsuki grinned. "Then say so to begin with." Katsuki stated, as if it were so simple. Which it might be.

"Mm! Let's go, Kiri!" Izuku grabbed my arm and pulled as Katsuki led the way.

I stared at their backs as they walked. These two boys just . . . appeared out of nowhere and declared me a friend right off the bat.

Is that normal?

But . . . a small smile made its way onto my face. I don't dislike it.

~

Beep. Beep. Beep. Beep.

What is that beeping? It's so annoying.

My eyes fluttered open and I closed them at the brightness. Preparing myself a little more, I opened them again to see a white ceiling. Huh? Where am I?

"Ah! She's awake. Hey! Kendo!" I glanced to the side to see Tetsutetsu, opening the door to the white room I'm in.

I see, I'm in a hospital. Tetsutetsu stepped back in and jogged over to my bed. He has bandages wrapped around his head and his right arm is in a sling.

"Nozomi? How are you feeling?" He asked, sitting in the seat next to my bed.

"Tetsutetsu?" My voice is rough and my throat burned at the dryness. As if reading my mind, he grabbed a cup of water from the little table by my bed.

I went to sit up and winced as my body screamed at me. I sat up regardless, and Tetsutetsu helped me.

I took the cup from him and let the cool water run down my dry and irritated throat.

Itsuka soon ran into the room, a large bandaid on her temple. "Kiri!" She exclaimed, running over to my bed.

Tetsutetsu took the water and helped me back down. "Itsuka. Tetsutetsu. Are you guys alright?" I asked, my voice almost normal.

"Huh?! You're worried about us?!" Itsuka shouted in disbelief. I nodded, sitting up. "Hey! Lay back down!" Tetsutetsu urged, but I ignored him, sitting up.

"How's everyone? A and B. The League of Villains attacked while most of you were in the forest. Everyone alive?" I asked,

Itsuka didn't look anymore at ease. "Everyone is fine. Most were affected by sleeping gas, and only a couple encountered villains. Midoriya is in the room next to you. He was pretty beat up. I think it's from his Quirk though. Ah. Your class is with him right now. They were here just before, but you were still passed out. And-"

She bit her lip, looking away from me. "What is it?" I asked.

She just bit her lip harder, refusing to meet my gaze. I turned to Tetsutetsu.

He looked down, not wanting to tell me. "What?" I asked louder. He looked back up, eyes intense. "One student was taken. Bakugo."

Kacchan . .  was taken?

I swung my legs over the edge and stood, pushing the feeling of pain back.

I tore the needles from my arms and headed for the door. "Hey! Kiri wait!" Itsuka called as she grabbed my arm. I pulled away, heading out.

But strong arms stopped me. "Calm down! You're in no condition to be moving around!" Tetsutetsu said.

I grit my teeth. "I'm going to see Izu." I told them. They looked at each other worriedly. "I just found out my best friend is missing. At least-at least let me see Izu."

My voice sounded pathetic, even to me. Tetsutetsu's hold on me loosened and he carefully let go.

Kacchan is missing.

He was taken.

He's with the League of Villains.

He's with Kei.

I stared at the tiled ground. A mass of emotions fighting for me to take notice. Despair being the winner.

"Kiri . . . I'm really sorry about Bakugo." Itsuka told me. I clenched my teeth, glaring at the ground. "Yeah. Me too."

The two exchanged looks. "We'll take you to Midoriya's room." Tetsutetsu placed his hand on the small of my back and Itsuka placed hers on my shoulder and we walked next door.

Opening the door, I see Izu and the rest of my class. "Kiri-Nee. You shouldn't be out of bed!" Izu shouted from his place on the bed.

"We gotta go. We'll come visit tomorrow Kiri." Itsuka promised before her and Tetsutetsu left.

I waited until they left to look up at Izu. "When are we going for him?" I asked, no, demanded.

I know that Izu wants to save him as much as I do. And we are going to save him. "Not you too." Asui said.

Kirishima turned to me, a serious look on his face. "Well, on the way to visit you, Todoroki and I saw All Might and a police officer talking to Yaoyorozu. She had placed a tracker on one of the villains. She can make a device to find it." Kirishima explained.

Iida turned to Kirishima and Todoroki. "Does this mean you're going to have Yaoyorozu make you another receiver?" He asked tightly.

Kirishima pursed his lips, but Todoroki looked right at him. "What if it does?" He questioned.

Iida grits his teeth. "It's as All Might said! This is something we should leave this to the pros! This isn't the place for us to act, you idiots!" He screamed at them, us.

"We know that! But I couldn't do anything! After I heard that my friend was being targeted! I couldn't do anything! I didn't do anything! If I don't do anything now, I won't be a Hero or a man anymore!" Kirishima shouted right back.

"Iida is correct." Asui spoke, finger to her cheek. No. He's not. "Iida, all of you, you're all correct. I know that. But!" He turned to Izu.

"Hey, Midoriya, your hand can still reach! We can go save him." He turned to me. "Kiri, you want to save him as much as much! What are you going to do?!"

"I'm going to get him back." I stated cooly, not letting any emotion touch my voice.

I walked over to stand with Kirishima and Todoroki, showing the side I choose.

Most of our class is here with the exception of Jiro, Yaoyorozu, and Toru.

"So in short; you're planning on getting the receiver from Yao-momo, following it, and going to save Bakugo yourselves?" Mina asked us wearily.

Kirishima and I nodded, confirming it. "Even though the Villains said we were targets to be killed, they took Bakugo without killing him. They probably let him live, but that doesn't mean they won't kill him eventually. Kirishima, Nozomi, and I are going." Todoroki told them, accepting my assistance.

Iida shook, upset with us. "Don't go overboard with your messing around!" He screamed.

Shoji stepped up, trying to stop the arguing. "Wait. Calm down. I understand Kirishima's frustration at not being able to do anything, Todoroki's frustration at having him stolen in front of his very eyes, and Nozomi's frustration at not being there to save a friend. I'm frustrated too. But this isn't a situation where we should act on our emotions. Right?"

You don't understand me. If you did you'd never say that.

"L-let's leave this to All Might. Aizawa-Sensei's permission to fight at the training camp has been rescinded too." Aoyama tried to mend the tension in the room.

"Aoyama's right. I can't say much since I was the one who needed saving though." Tokoyami added.

"But-" Kirishima was interrupted.

"Everyone, we're all shocked from Bakugo's kidnapping. But let's think things through calmly. No matter how just your feelings, if you're saying you'll fight again, that you'll break the rules, those acts are the same as those of Villains."

Everyone went quiet at Asui's words.

I looked over her. "I don't care." I said, making her and the others turn to me.

"If that makes me a Villain, fine. I don't care. I am going to find Katsuki. And if I have to attack the underground cities and burn them to the ground to get him back, I will. If saving Katsuki makes me a Villain, then I'd rather be one than a coward."

My words are harsh, making her jump from the anger, venom, and hatred in them.

"Nozomi-!" Iida turned to me and I shot him my murderous glare. "Iida, shut up. I don't care. I am getting Katsuki back. Nothing you or anyone else says is going to change my mind so don't even try."

I am saving Katsuki. And if I have to kill those League Villains to do so, I will.

I am not a Hero.

I have no obligation to wait and obey.

It went quiet again, and I kept my intimidating gaze, warning Iida, Asui, and anyone else.

If they are going to persist, I will break them. I don't care. I've lost so much.

I'm not losing Katsuki too.

A knock sounded, surprising Aoyama greatly. It slid open to reveal a doctor. "Sorry to interrupt. It's time for Midoriya's exam. Ah. You . . . you should be resting in your room." He told me, but I just turned my cold look to him, surprising him.

Everyone began to file out, but I remained by Izu and Kirishima. "We talked to Yaoyorozu yesterday. If we go, we go right away. Tonight." Kirishima told Izu.

Perfect. "Since you were seriously injured, I don't know if you can move, but we still wanted to invite you. And you Kiri. Because you two are probably the most frustrated out of everyone. We'll be waiting in front of the hospital tonight." With that said, he left as well.

Once he did, I turned to Izu. "I'm going. I am going to bring Katsuki back, no matter what. So you don't have to come. I'd rather you not, but I know you."

He stared at me a bit. "Kiri-Nee, you're bandaged head to toe."

I looked down for the first time. My arms are bandaged, my legs are as well. I can tell there's bandages around my abdomen too. And my head as well.

It doesn't matter. "I'm fine." I set my hand on his shoulder. "You're the one who's injured. You can stay here. I'll bring him back."

He stared at me a bit. "Kiri-Nee, they say you were tortured. You are in no condition to do anything."

I tightened my grip slightly. "I'm fine Izu. I promise." He looked like he wanted to protest, but the fact that Kacchan isn't here is taking a toll on him as well.

"I'll see you later." I headed out and back to my room, one thing in mind.

Kei. If you even a touched a single hair on his head, I am going to make it my life's mission to tear you limb from limb.

I will kill you.

~

"Even if she doesn't come, I know a few people in the underground. I could get a location out of them." I said.

Night has fallen and Kirishima, Todoroki, and I waited outside the hospital for Izu and Yaoyorozu. The boys looked over at me. "How do you know them?" Todoroki asked me.

Hm. "My brother runs with a bad crowd." I said, surprising them and myself.

It's not exactly a lie. Kei does. And I know them from growing up.

Kei has been pretty sick and twisted for a long, long, long time.

The door to the hospital opened and out came Yaoyorozu. She's here. It'll make things easier.

She glanced behind her and we all were surprised to see Izu. "Midoriya." Todoroki voiced.

They stopped just in front of us. "Yaoyorozu . . . what's your answer?" Kirishima asked her, nervous, anxious, extremely restless. "I-"

"Wait!" Anger chorused through me as the boys turned around. I glanced over my shoulder, shooting him a glare. "Iida." I glowered.

If I have to, I will fight Iida. I don't care. So don't stand in my way Iida.

Not right now. Not in this situation. Because I will always choose Kacchan over you.

Kirishima and Izu seemed pretty nervous. "Why? Why did it have to be you guys of all people?! The ones who stopped me when I acted recklessly for personal reasons. You three, who received amnesty with me. Why are you trying to make the same mistake I did?! It's too much!"

Kirishima began to move towards him. "What are you talking about-?"

Todoroki stopped him, shaking his head. "We are still minors. U.A. is in a bad enough position as it is. Who will take responsibility for your actions? Do you understand?!"

I don't care. I am not a Hero Iida. These things mean nothing to me. The only thing I care about is protecting Izu, Kacchan, and her.

That is all I care about. That is all I need to do.

It doesn't matter how.

I am not a good person Iida. I told you when we first met, I tell you everyday. I will do selfish things like this. And I won't regret it.

We live in different worlds. You all forget that I am not pure and happy like the rest of you.

My entire existence is that of misery and darkness.

"Iida, it's not like that. We don't think it's okay to break rules either-" Izu walked over to him and iida punched him in the face. "IIDA!"

I ran up and brought my leg up, striking his face and making him stumble.

But Iida kept his anger. He grabbed the collar of my shirt and brought me close to his anger contorted face.

"I'm frustrated too! And I'm worried! It's only natural! I am the class representative! I'm worried about my classmates!"

He let go and shoved me back a bit. "Not just Bakugo! When I saw both of your injuries, I also saw my brother in his sickbed! What if your bodies end up irreparable, like my brothers because of your recklessness?! Are you saying that you don't care about my worries?!" He shouted at us.

He then grabbed Izu and me by our shoulders. "Are you saying that you don't care how I feel . . ?"

I . . . I'm sorry Iida. But I won't stand by.

There are sacrifices that I will make. And some will hurt you. But they are mine to make.

If I had things my way, I'd go alone. But they don't.

I am a bad person Iida. You mustn't forget that.

"Iida." Todoroki's deep voice brought him out of his train of thought. "We don't expect to face them head on and win either. We'll extricate him without fighting."

"In other words, covert action! That's the way we students can fight while towing the line on the rules!" Kirishima added onto his words.

"I trust Todoroki. But so that I can stop them if anything happens, I plan to accompany them as well." Eh?

Yaoyorozu? That was unexpected. Kirishima grinned, relief on his face as Iida looked shocked.

"I don't know myself either. But after hearing that I could still reach, I couldn't just sit still. I can't help thinking that I want to save him." Izu said, facing Iida head on.

There is still a difference between me and them. They just haven't seemed to realize it. No. They refuse to.

They turn a blind eye to it. The fact that I am not one of them.

"We can't come to an agreement, huh? Then take me with you too!" Iida said, eyes holding no room for debate. "I guess we don't have a choice." I stated.

With everything out of the way, we set off. Yaoyorozu walked beside Iida in the back, Izu walked in the middle by Kirishima, and I walked in the front with Todoroki.

"Midoriya. I apologize for getting violent with you. I'm sorry."

Hm? We glanced back to see Iida bowing to Izu. "Seriously Iida. Your reason for joining the group is not very persuasive." Yaoyorozu said, making Iida bow more.

Izu moved his hands frantically. "It's fine! I'm okay!"

I glanced at Todoroki. "I hope he's not expecting an apology from me." Todoroki stared at me, eyes unchanging.

"You probably should." He simply said. I just rolled my eyes. "No way. He's the one who punched the most injured student."

He stared at me a bit more, observing me. "You were the most injured." He corrected me.

"I'm fine. That was nothing." Nothing compared to the others way of torture at least.

"I am accompanying you because I am not convinced you will behave yourselves. If I get even a whiff of combat, then I will make you return immediately. In other words you will be under my surveillance. That's right, I will be a 'watchman'!" Iida exclaimed.

Ugh. He's getting loud. "Watchman Iida." Todoroki muttered. "Pft." I slapped a hand to my mouth.

He glanced over me a bit. "You are pretty funny after all." I told him with a mischievous smirk. He blinked a bit, not sure what to say.

Well he's still that way after all. "The same goes with me. Rescuing Bakugo is a job for the pros. Looking at this objectively, there is no need for you all to do anything."

Yaoyorozu pulled out the receiver from her skirt pocket. "However, it is a compromise plan because I know very well how you feel. Do not forget that." She told us.

Todoroki, Kirishima, and I nodded in understanding and continued on our way.

The coordinates on the receiver indicate Camino Ward, Yokohama City in Kanagawa Prefecture. Since we're leaving from Nagani, it will take about two hours.

We should be arriving at 10 o'clock.

We hopped on a bullet train. I sat at the window next to Todoroki and across from Yaoyorozu, Izu next to her.

Kirishima and Iida are on the seats on the other side, still in earshot. "Um, did you tell everyone that we would leave tonight?" Izu asked Todoroki.

"Yeah. They tried even harder to stop is when we told them though." Todoroki admitted.

Kirishima turned his body in our direction. "After that, Uraraka said something pretty harsh too. 'I think Bakugo will feel humiliated that he had to be saved by everyone' she said."

Hm . . . she's right.

"He will. He'll hate it. He's not going to be happy at all. Kacchan doesn't believe that he needs to be saved. He believes he can save himself and everyone else too. That's just who he is." I told them, looking out the window.

He can scream and hit me all he wants. I am going to save him. He doesn't have a choice in the matter.

Izu glanced down, green eyes holding a mix of emotions, sadness being the most prominent.

"Just to make sure; you know that what we're doing is selfish and that no one wants us to do it, right? You can still turn back if you want." Todoroki spoke, seeing the look on Izu's face.

"If I were hesitating, then I wouldn't've said I'd do it in the first place!" Kirishima told him with a frown. "He's not someone who'd let the Villains do whatever they want with him." He added, looking down in frustration and concern.

"What about you, Midoriya?" Todoroki asked, making us look over at Izu.

Izu looked down, but the look in his eyes tells it all. He looks back up at him, eyes unwavering. "I . . . I cannot turn back."

Izu sure has come a long way. "I see. Alright." Todoroki acknowledged. The rest of the two hours went by relatively quiet.

My mind kept on racing, thinking of how Kacchan is. Kirishima told me that they were after Kacchan and me to begin with.

I'm hoping Shigaraki wanted us, not Kei. If it was Kei, saving him would be difficult. Shigaraki . . . we can manage somehow.

Two hours later and we were at the Camino Ward.

It's a large city, with lots of nightlife. Lots of people are out and about. "So those guys are hiding somewhere in this city? Okay, where are they Yaoyorozu?!" Kirishima began to run off.

"Wait a minute!" She grabbed his shoulder and stopped him. "From here on on, we must be very, very, careful. The Villains know what we look like, remember? We must also consider that we may be attacked at any moment." She warned us.

Izu nodded, crossing his arms over his face like a ninja. "Okay! Gotta be covert!"

I sweat dropped. "Izu . . ." Ay-ya-ya. Izu, Izu. "That's making you stand out even more." Todoroki finished for me.

"But at this rate, we won't be able to scout very easily. Then what do we do?" Iida and Kirishima wondered.

Yaoyorozu blushed a bit and pointed to a shop behind. 'Dirt-Cheap Donki Oote' it read. "I have a suggestion."

When in Rome I guess. We all headed inside and grabbed some clothes to change our look with.

Izu chose dark blue pants, jacket, pale pink shirt, gold chain necklace, a fake goatee, and sunglasses, styling his hair different. He looks like a gangster.

Todoroki wore black pants, a black vest, with a light blue long sleeve shirt, gold chain, and a black wig that hides his left eye. He looks like a host.

Yaoyorozu wore a flashy pinkish red dress, flashy gold necklace, sunglasses, and has her hair poofed a bit in her ponytail. She also kind of looks like a host.

Iida wore black pants, white shirt, red and yellow suspenders, red bowtie, fake mustache, and his hair is slicked back. Kind of like a bartender.

Kirishima wore dark reddish brown pants and jacket, white shirt, a chain hanging on his belt loop along with a silver belt. His hair is down, not spiked up, and he has weird horns on his head. He looks like a delinquent.

Then there's me. I wore skin tight black leather pants, a bright red top that's basically a sports bra, a fitted leather jacket, black spiked choker, and a pinkish purple curled wig. I kind of looked like a mash of a delinquent and a . . . I'm not really sure.

Well, I don't look like me so it's whatever.

We headed out, Yaoyorozu leading us. Kirishima is teaching us our roles.

Right now, he's teaching Izu how to act like a gangster. I cringed at his practice. "I can't watch this." I said, turning my head away from the scene.

Next was Iida, who notices girls racks, Yaoyorozu who is pompous and flirty all at once.

This is just . . . wow.

"Yaoyorozu, wouldn't it have been free if you used Creation to make all this?" Todoroki asked her.

Ah, that's true. "Th-th-that's against the rules! If I make anything with my Quirk, then circulation of money and-that's right! As a citizen of this nation, I must increase the flow of money in the economy!" She explained all flustered.

The innocent rich girl just wanted to go inside Donki.

"Well, doesn't matter. I made Todoroki pay for mine." He looked over at me, frowning. "Yeah, why is that."

I blinked at him. "I just got out of a hospital. I am broke."

Yaoyorozu began to lead us the way. "Whoa! It's U.A.!" Hm? Ah.

The large green up on the building showed a conference with the principle, Aizawa-Sensei, and Class B's teacher, Kan.

Whoa, Aizawa-Sensei cleans up nicely.

We squeezed through the crowd a bit to check it out.

"We deeply apologize for the incident that allowed harm to come to 28 first years of the Hero Course because of our unpreparedness. We apologize for causing unease in society due to our negligence in properly defending ourselves as a place of learning. We are truly sorry." Aizawa-Sensei spoke, and the three bowed in apology.

He has some injuries still. I can see the bandage under his shirt. Kei did that.

"Aizawa-Sensei, who hates being on TV, is . . ." Kirishima trailed off, shocked like the rest of us.

"I'm from Yomiuri TV. Since the beginning of the year, U.A. High School students have had four encounter with Villains. This time, there were even students injured. How did you explain to their families, and what are some specific countermeasures you are taking?" Someone asked.

They sure do a good job making them bad guys. Bastards.

"We will increase policing in the surrounding area and review the security within the school, ensuring the students' safety with a strong position. That is what we told them." Principle Nezu told him.

The people in the streets began muttering, insulting our teachers and the school.

They're in an uproar. They have no faith in U.A.

This is what you wanted, isn't it? Shigaraki?

Results are everything. Media is everything. It pulls the society we live in. And it can crush it in an instance.

That's how easy it is to bring down the world we live in.