"... Well, looks like we missed the fun." A familiar figure stepped out, with a curvaceous figure, sky blue eyes and dark purple hair.
Nemuri Kayama—Midnight—stepped out first, brushing a strand behind one ear as her blue eyes wandered across the battlefield.
Even for someone who had been warned over the radio...
The sight was astonishing. Entire train cars had folded in on themselves. Scorch marks blackened entire sections of the freight yard.
"...Mirko really doesn't know how to hold back."
From the same car, three students quickly climbed out after her.
"O-Oh wow..." Ochaco Uraraka stared wide-eyed at the demolished freight cars, her hand unconsciously rising to cover her mouth.
Scorched craters marked the earth where Dabi's flames had torn through the ground. Entire sections of rusted freight cars had been caved inward or collapsed entirely.
"To think this all happened in one fight."
"Kero." Tsuyu Asui blinked, her large eyes sweeping the rail yard. "Ms. Midnight said it was quick, but there's a lot more destruction than I expected."
"Well, I guess that's to be expected from Mirko. I can't believe we missed her."
"I know right?" Beside them, Nejire Hado had already drifted several feet off the ground, spinning slowly in place as she craned her neck to take in the full scope of the damage. "It really is messed up. Did anyone see her fight? Was it impressive? It looks impressive."
"Now calm down girls." Midnight sighed and turned around. "Stay close. I know this looks finished, but until the police declare the area secure, don't wander around."
"Yes, ma'am."
Nemuri nodded in satisfaction before turning her gaze across the line of stretchers being loaded into transport vehicles.
"X-Less." Being called, The Eye Gun Hero turned from his position near the restraint team.
His expression, difficult to read on the best of days, looked relieved at the appearance of more heroes.
"Midnight."
"My, you looked troubled moments ago? That nervous?"
"It can't be helped. They're the League Of Villains after all. These terrorists have committed the most heinous of crimes. Luckily we've finally caught them."
The man sighed, turning his gaze to the destroyed surroundings. The higher ups had already been informed. The result from the HPSC was tasking more heroes into securing the convoy with extreme care.
After all, All For One's body was proof that the League were capable of attacking the transport. Who knew what these people would pull.
"We're nearly finished with the primary restraints but Shigaraki's transport is going to need a dedicated escort. The restraint team is requesting at least two pro heroes on the vehicle at all times."
"Understood." Midnight's gaze moved briefly to Shigaraki's stretcher. The reinforced gauntlets, the neck brace, the four officers still watching his hands despite him being unconscious ... Such attention could be described as flattering.
Midnight's eyes moved away. "Condition of the others?"
"Stable. The one called Dabi needed emergency wrapping. His body temperature was running high even unconscious, likely a quirk response. The large one .." X-Less gestured toward Rappa's stretcher, which required six officers to lift. "took the most physical damage but his vitals are strong. He'll wake up before anyone else, probably."
He paused. "The girl was the only one who needed to be physically restrained from running. She's been making noise in the transport van."
From somewhere inside the nearest police vehicle, a muffled "THIS IS ILLEGAL AND I WANT A LAWYER" confirmed this.
Midnight nodded.
Just then, a roaring whirlwind swept down from above.
"I'VE COMPLETED MY PERIMETER SWEEP, SIR! THE AREA IS FULLY SECURE WITH NO REMAINING HOSTILE PRESENCE DETECTED!"
The young man landed with enough force to scatter loose gravel across the rail yard, forcing the officers to shield their eyes.
The cape of his hero costume fluttered violently beneath the currents of his own wind. "I AM EXTREMELY SORRY FOR THE DELAY!"
"Keep it down, Yoarashi," Behind him, another figure descended at a far calmer pace. Unlike the boisterous whirlwind beside him, the silver-haired student merely adjusted his immaculate cap.
His narrow eyes swept over the U.A. group, lingering with a slight, inherent friction on Nejire, who was still floating in mid-air. "We are here on an official HPSC reinforcement directive, not a talent show."
"My." Midnight looked between them with the particular amusement of someone cataloguing a situation for later use. "You two are from Shiketsu high, aren't you?"
"Huh?" The girls were stunned. "Shiketsu? Isn't that the hero school just as famous as ours?"
Seiji's eyes narrowed. "You're saying you're ... Ah, I see. You're from U.A high. My apologies. I almost didn't recognise you."
He gave a slight bow. "I'm Seiji Shishikura. Hero Name Shishikross. He's Inasa Yaorashi. Also known as Gale force. It's good to meet the equal of our prestigious hero school."
Inasa had already straightened from his bow and was looking at the U.A. students with an expression of open, blazing enthusiasm that seemed physically incapable of dimming. "U.A. STUDENTS! THIS IS THE FIRST TIME WE HAVE MET IN PERSON! I HAVE HEARD MANY GREAT THINGS ...."
"Inside voice," Midnight said.
"Yes ma'am." He did not meaningfully lower his volume.
Xless sighed. "They're having their work studies under me."
"Oh wow! Look at those hats!" Nejire instantly drifted closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity as she circled the two Shiketsu students. "Are you guys really from the western school? The one with all the strict rules? Why are your hero costumes so thick? Isn't it hot in those?"
"Hado, please,"
Midnight sighed, a smile spread on her face as she looked at the two elite Shiketsu boys. Since the provisional licensing exam hadn't occurred yet, this was the first formal contact between the two rival institutions under an emergency joint task force.
"Well, it seems U.A wasn't the only one having first years go on work studies. It's good to have you boys."
"The honor is ours, Midnight-sensei!" Inasa shouted again, completely ignoring Seiji's exasperated sigh. With the introductions briefly settled, the authority forces moved to the transport route.
The League of Villains was split systematically across the heavily reinforced vehicles.
Three vehicles in total. The lead transport was a reinforced, windowless van carrying Shigaraki, Dabi, and Toga, encased in heavy iron-maiden chassis along the reinforced walls and Midnight on watch.
In the second transport vehicle ahead, X-Less took the passenger seat next to the tactical driver, overseeing the rest of the vanguard, including Rappa and Compress. Inasa, refusing to be confined to a cabin, took a defensive position right on the reinforced roof of X-Less's car, using his wind quirk to stabilize his footing.
"I can monitor aerial approaches from here," he had explained to the confused driver.
The remaining students—Nejire, Uraraka, Seiji, and Asui—were packed into the trailing police escort cruiser, watching the industrial grid blur past through the tinted glass.
"Alright everyone, stay alert." The voice came through the Comms. "All we have to do now is transport them to prison where they'll be for the rest of their lives."
The convoy engines roared, leaving the ruined rail yard behind and climbing the steep concrete ramps onto the elevated coastal highway.
Down in the police cruiser, the tension was palpable. Nejire who had been looking at the window turned her head to see Uraraka with her phone seemingly texting.
"Hey? Who're you talking to?"
"Huh?" Uraraka was startled then quickly put her phone away, face turning red. "Um, no one really."
"Hmm? But that's not what I saw."
"It's really nothing. I was just texting ... Um, my mom."
Seiji's brows furrowed. 'Texting on the job?'
"Oh? This doesn't really seem like the time for it though." Nejire uttered.
"Um, well, I guess you're right. It's just that the League have already been captured, so, I thought I'd let my classmates know."
"Do not grow complacent, U.A. student," Seiji said coldly from across the seat, his arms crossed over his chest. "Just because the league has been captured doesn't mean they can't pull anything else. A cornered animal is at its most lethal. Everyone should be observing the same state of readiness at all times."
"... Um ... I guess you're right." Uraraka scratched her head sheepishly. "Sorry about that."
"I'm not fit to receive your apology. What you should do is perform better to be better deserving of the elite status that comes with being a U.A student."
"..."
'Kero. So intense.'
Inside the lead transport, Toga had apparently decided that being in a containment cell was not sufficient reason to stop talking. "So," she said, from the corner. "Is this your full-time job? Sitting in the back of vans with criminals?"
"Be quiet," Midnight said, not looking at her.
"I'm just curious! I've never been arrested before. Well. Officially. There was one time that was sort of unofficial but I escaped before they finished the paperwork so I'm not counting it." She paused. "You smell really nice by the way. What is that?"
"Last warning."
"Okay okay." She smiled brightly. "Hey, you're a U.A teacher right? Midnight .. I've heard of you".
The R rated hero didn't respond.
"Hey Hey? Don't ignore me. I just wanted to ask ya if you know someone. I heard he goes to your school as well. You might even be his teacher. I wanna know a lot about him."
Midnight frowned.
Up on the roof of the second vehicle, Inasa sat cross-legged with his arms resting on his knees and his eyes surveying the skies. 'There's a bridge up ahead.'
The elevated highway stretched over the bay in a long ribbon of concrete and steel. Far below, sunlight shimmered across the water.
His eyes lit up. "AHEAD LIES A NATURAL CHOKE POINT!"
Without waiting another second ...
WHOOSH!!
He launched himself from the convoy in a spiraling burst of wind.
"I'LL INSPECT IT FIRST!"
"...Yoarashi!"
X-Less sighed into the communicator. "You could've at least waited for permission."
"I APOLOGIZE!" Inasa's voice echoed. "BUT A HERO MUST ACT THE MOMENT HE PERCEIVES A POSSIBLE DANGER!"
"..."
"...He's already gone," the driver muttered.
The students in the escort cruiser watched him streak toward the bridge like a brown and white comet.
Nejire smiled brightly. "He really has a lot of energy."
"Kero..."
"He certainly acts before thinking," Seiji muttered under his breath.
Several hundred meters ahead, Inasa slowed above the bridge.
His wind spread outward in every direction.
Beneath him, the long suspension bridge stretched across the bay.
Concrete.
Steel.
Support cables.
No explosives, suspicious vehicles and no hidden movement.
Even the maintenance walkways beneath the roadway were completely empty.
He zipped beneath the bridge, inspected its underside in seconds before shooting back upward.
Nothing.
His smile returned immediately as he pressed two fingers against his communicator.
"ALL CLEAR!"
"No structural damage or suspicious individuals!"
"The bridge is perfectly safe!"
Behind him, the convoy rolled forward once more.
"Good work," X-Less replied.
"THANK YOU SIR. I'M RETURNING TO MY POST!" The wind gathered beneath his feet as he turned back toward the convoy.
But just as he was about to land back on the reinforced roof of X-Less's car, his eyes caught something.
A tiny black spot against the moonlit clouds.
"...Hm?"
His smile faded.
Whatever that was, it was far away. Nothing more than a tiny black speck. So small it could have been mistaken for a bird.
Inasa narrowed his eyes.
"...A bird?"
No.
It was a bit ... Too fast.
No. Far too fast.
His smile disappeared entirely.
"...That's..." The black speck doubled in size. Then doubled again.
If that was a bird ... Then it was a very big bird.
"UNKNOWN CONTACT! HIGH-SPEED TARGET APPROACHING FROM THE EAST!"
Inside every transport vehicle, heads snapped upward.
"What did you say?" Midnight frowned.
"There's a black object heading in our direction."
"How far out?" X-Less demanded.
"A few hundred meters and closing." Inasa said. "Speed is inconsistent with any aircraft I know. It doesn't look like a bird either."
X less selectively ignored the last part and looked out the window.
Everyone did the same thing as well.
The object in question had outstretched wings and approaching at hyper speed. Within fractions of a second, that tiny spot dilated into a massive kinetic cylinder, violently tearing through the atmosphere. Then it nosedived, shooting right towards them.
"ATTACK!" Inasa shot upward without any orders. "I'm going to intercept." Winds churned around his hand, condensing into a giant ball of wind.
The compressed sphere of wind swelled between Inasa's palms.
"Gale Storm!"
BOOOOOM!!
The condensed vortex erupted forward, tearing through the sky like a miniature hurricane.
The black silhouette didn't dodge. In a second, both collided .. following which, it shot right into the gale storm as if it never existed.
"...?"
Inasa was stunned. 'Is that a—'
It was at that moment that the creature opened its mouth.
SKREEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
A deafening ultrasonic shriek detonated across the sky.
The hurricane he'd created was ripped apart in an instant, scattered into harmless gusts as the invisible shockwave plowed straight through it without losing even a fraction of its momentum.
The sound reached him a heartbeat later.
"...!!"
Pain.
Unimaginable pain. It felt as though someone had driven steel spikes directly through both of his ears.
The wind around him stopped supporting his weight.
The next moment, the Shiketsu student plummeted downward without warning.