Unlike Partners

The Hideout

After their little outburst outside UA, neither Kacchan nor Midoriya was keen on starting a conversation. Not that Midoriya particularly minded, it was easier to deal with Mr.Explosive Personality when he was keeping his mouth shut. He had more space to think things through that way.

It would be a waste of time if they casually started searching the outskirts of the northern part of the city with no idea what they were looking for. It would be like searching for a pin in a stable, and they would get impatient soon (especially Kachaan). The wisest approach, as they had both, miraculously, decided was to take the subway to the northern part and find more clues.

The north end of the city was not nearly as busy as the city centre. On the road that spread before them, only a couple of cars leisurely drove by. The people on the pavements were mostly in their late years. This part of town was well far off the beach, so it wouldn't attract many tourists either. It was quite a boring place to be a villain at. The only places you cold rob were ramen shops and small time stores. How very strange.

"This place is bloody dead" Kacchan complained, his red eyes carpingly scrutinizing his surroundings. "The villains we are after must be touched on the head to act in a place like this. I can't believe they are underestimating me. How dare they have me capture the stupid ones?"

"Well..." Midoriya thoughtfully started, walking forward. "...This is an area well far off a police station and well out of heroes' range, since most of them gather on the city centre where all calamities happen. So they can pretty much do what they want in peace. No one will arrive in time to stop them" he noted. "Have you read the records?"

"Of course, I have" Kacchan replied, offended. "Do you think I am stupid, or something? Tsk...but it's not like they were of much help. None of them have revealed their quirks."

"It's strange, isn't it?"

"Well, if you don't know one's quirk, you don't know how to attack them, right? I say it's the cleverest thing they've done"

Midoriya eyed him in surprise. He was right; the anonymity of their quirks was an advantage on the villains' part. It was good to see Kacchan thinking this through.

"Oi, don't you look at me like that, Deku" Kacchan clenched his fists; he looked at Midoriya as if he knew exactly what he was thinking. "I told you...I am not stupid."

"I never said you were, Kacchan" Midoriya mumbled.

"Don't trick me; it's what you were going to say!"

"Oh? Are you psychic, too?"

Steam started to vaporise from Kacchan's clenched fists "Yes, and I predict that if you continue being a smartass I'll blow you up into tiny little pieces"

Midoriya couldn't help but smile at that. Kacchan never changed. He still had a mouth as foul as old smelly socks. They carried on walking when a poster plastered on a utility pole in the centre of the sidewalk caught his eyes. Midoriya stopped before it and his green eyes landed on the big, fat red letters written across the sheet 'MISSING'. Below that was a picture of a little girl who couldn't be more than six years old. A telephone number and date of disappearance were also written on the paper. Midoriya frowned; it was weird for children to disappear in this part of town, especially since not many young families lived here.

"Deku" Midoriya felt Kacchan's firm hand on his shoulder; the boy turned him around so he was facing a small store opposite the street. A woman dressed in black jumped out of the shop, carrying two overloaded shopping bags. A mask was covering her face. Midoriya couldn't make out anything else because the woman started sprinting away. On her wake, the shop owner run out of the shop, waving his fists on the air.

"COME BACK, YOU THIEF!" He yelled.

Instincts took over and Midoriya attempted to lunge into a sprint and catch the thief. But, Kacchan's hand was clung to him live vice, preventing him from moving.

"Oi, what's this Kacchan?" Midoriya asked in irritation.

Kacchan glared. "Just shut up and follow me. I recognize her from the records. She is one of the villains we are after, if we follow her, she'll lead us straight to their hideout" he had a wicked smirk on his face as he grabbed Midoriya's arm and started dragging him along.

They diligently followed after the woman, hiding behind poles and walls to make sure they were not seen. They were led out of the city, like the records had predicted. The woman walked up to the hem of the woods where the trees were still young and small. The boys sneaked behind a bush, their eyes never leaving her. She stopped in front of the leaf-covered forest floor, and crouched down.

Midoriya narrowed his eyes; she seemed to be pressing down something with her fingers. Suddenly, the leaves were blown away by an invisible breeze and a round hole opened on the ground. They watched in shock as the woman took hold of her bags and leaped right through the hole.

This was it, their perfect chance, she didn't know she was being followed and they could sneak right into the hideout without making a single sound. On a surge of adrenaline, Midoriya snatched Kacchan's wrist and started running towards the hole. He jumped in, dragging the other boy along just when the hole begun to close.

It was dark, and they were sliding down what seemed to be an abnormally long slide. Finally, they were plunged out of the darkness and Midoriya felt himself falling face first on hard floor. Before he could even managed to move, Kacchan landed straight on top of him, crushing him down once again on the floor.

"Ow" he groaned, Kacchan muttered a curse before pulling himself off of the green-haired boy.

"So, this is it, then?" Kacchan victoriously mouthed.

"Seems, like it". Midoriya struggled up on his feet, his eyes scanning his surroundings. The room was dimly lit, and there was nothing but the hard floor and walls.

"This is almost too easy" Kacchan snapped.

"Is that so?" a female voice coming from somewhere before them, mocked. The boys' head snapped towards the direction of the voice. Kacchan, without hesitation send a burst of explosion, but the woman seemed to have dodged it, responding with a grin.

Midoriya pursed his lips, it would be hard to use One for all, underground, even though he had more control of his ability than in his younger years, but still, it was too risky. Using such a force underground could cause everything to collapse over their heads.

"I wouldn't do that if I were you" Out of the darkness, stepped the same woman who had robbed the store. She no longer wore the mask and even though the poor lighting, she was quite beautiful with her long, curly black hair and eerily bright blue eyes. An arrogant smile was plastered on her red painted lips as she regarded the boys.

"Well, aren't you two quite handsome?" she turned to Kacchan. "Please, lower that weapon on your arm dear and sit down"

In Midoriya's horror, Kacchan did as he was told.

"Oi, what...Kacchan, what is this?" he turned and glared at the woman. Was this some sort of hypnosis? He was ready to lunge at her when he felt a needle piercing his nape from behind. His eyes widened. His legs stated to dangerously wobble like jelly. The whole room started to spin as he fell down. His eyelids were getting heavier and heavier. The last thing he saw before passing out was the woman, beaming at him and the figure of a tall man with a large needle on his hand moving to stand next to her.