Energy (D.P./M.H.A.)

. 1 4 .

Midoriya shot Danny one last thumbs up before walking the other way. He gathered small rocks and twigs as he went, stuffing them in his pouches. After a minute or so, he looked around for a sturdy looking tree at the edge of a clearing with lots of branches. With a determined smile, he pulled his hood over his head and started climbing. Once he was halfway up the tree, he made himself comfortable —for as far as that was possible in a tree— and started scanning the area.

'There's a fifty percent chance Kacchan will come this way,' he thought as he looked over the trees. He hoped he wouldn't have to face him, actually. Taking out the others would be both easier and simpler. Fighting Kacchan was just...not in his system.

Yet.

"Nerd!"

Bakugou, Tokoyami and Uraraka stepped into the clearing, and Midoriya internally screamed. The guy that could block the laser, the girl he got embarrassed around, and Kacchan. Midoriya rolled his eyes at his luck, but got ready for the plan anyway.

He watched how Bakugou put one hand up and made an explosion appear, reaching up to above the trees. Midoriya had to lean back to avoid getting scorched by the flames.

"Come out from wherever you're hiding and face me like a man!"

"Us..." Uraraka angrily huffed to Tokoyami, who rolled his eyes. Dark Shadow was curled up around him, blocking the vest from every direction, his head on Tokoyami's shoulder. "Are we...invisible, to you, or something?" she asked Bakugou, who didn't even look at her. She pouted angrily and crossed her arms. "This exercise is about team-effort, remember. You can't just blow up the whole forest!"

"I do whatever the hell I want, Roundface," he said as he started looking around. "I'll shoot that damn nerd myself and then we'll all be on our merry way."

Midoriya barely had time to switch branches to be out of sight before Bakugou's gaze went over his tree. He could nearly feel his eyes burning through the wood, but kept quiet. As he heard Bakugou curse over not finding him, he dared to let out the breath he was holding and switched back. It was time for Phase Two.

He dug deep in his pouches. Danny would be done with the others soon and come as 'back-up', though Midoriya was pretty sure he was the backup. Not that it mattered or he cared or anything. If being an extra would secure their win, he'd gladly stay at the sidelines. If winning required him to be the bait, he'd be the bait. If the plan needed him to take out at least one opponent with the most stupid sounding plan ever...

He'd execute the plan as expected.

So he started throwing small rocks to various edges of the clearing.

He laughed internally as the three started looking around, completely baffled by the strange noises. This was the most stupid idea he'd had and it was actually working out great. Tokoyami had moved to the left edge, while Bakugou had gone to the right. Uraraka was standing in the middle, confused.

So he dropped some rocks.

The rustling of leaves alerted only Uraraka, who shakily pointed her gun at the leaves and started itching closer to the bushes. She had felt out of place between the two boys that had such determined plans and presences. She felt like she needed to prove herself to the others, and would take out whoever it was behind those high bushes. She shakily moved one arm forward towards the greens and pushed them all out of the way.

Nothing.

She frowned as she slightly lowered her gun and took a step forwards. She had been so certain of a sound coming from here! How could anyone have possibl—

"Uraraka!"

She yelped as her left hand was grabbed and pulled forwards, making her have to spin to avoid getting it in an uncomfortable position. She found herself with her back against something, her gun gone from her hand and her arms locked behind her, unable to move. She struggled against the grip, but the hand on her wrists was not letting go.

Uraraka was pushed forward and had to watch her feet to know where she was going. Coming face to face with both Tokoyami and Bakugou as she looked back up when the moving stopped, she realized what exactly had happened. She moved her head to the side as much as she could and saw a hint of a mint green costume with white details. 

Of course.

Midoriya stood behind Uraraka, using her as a shield. The other two had no way of hitting him when she was right in front of him. He pointed his gun —having put Uraraka's in a pouch— at Bakugou over the shoulder of his captive. No use in pointing it at Tokoyami, since Dark Shadow was now completely in front of him instead of curled around him.

Bakugou was the one without a shield.

"So, you finally decided to show up," Bakugou said as he steadied his hand with his other. It felt uncomfortable to be without his gauntlets, but All Might had removed them from the suitcase beforehand, so they were probably stored in some vault until he got them back. "About damn time."

"Move and I'll shoot her," Midoriya threatened with a wobbling voice and shaking knees. Though he seemed to be meaning it, he was honestly doubting if he could take out anyone at the moment. Still, he held on to the tough façade and kept glaring at the two others.

"You're in no place to make demands," Tokoyami said. And there went Midoriya's confidence, straight out of the window. "It's three against one. Judging by the lack sound coming from the others, they've taken care of Fenton. They're probably even on their way here."

Midoriya gulped. Surely, Danny would taken care of the others, right? Yet, he doubted it. Three against one seemed unfair... He blinked and couldn't suppress a little smile. He'd just been given valuable information.

"Wouldn't count on it."

Since three were here, it would be only fair if the other team would be three as well. Maybe four, but he didn't think that was the case. And still, Danny would be able to handle them or lead them here, so it'd be two on however-many-were-left-by-then.

"Counting on someone else now, huh?" Midoriya's head snapped to Bakugou, who was grinning at him. "What, did you learn to control yourself? After all this time?"

Danny internally cursed from in the foliage. This was what he'd been fearing; a confrontation between the two of them where he couldn't do anything about the situation. Sure, he could hit Tokoyami's unprotected back, but Bakugou would simply keep talking if nothing else happened. Maybe if he shot Bakugou...

"Maybe I did."

Bakugou tilted his head, barking out a, "Haah!? What you mean by that, stupid nerd?"

Midoriya glanced at the trees, hoping to catch sight of Danny. The small green glow emitting from behind Tokoyami was enough proof he was there. Watching. Waiting. Listening.

"I was never in control," he snapped back. "You always yelled at me, picked on me, and bossed me around. For all my life, I let it happen." He stared harder, completely forgetting about Uraraka, Tokoyami and Danny as he did. "I've always followed you around, and I'll always keep doing that. And that's on me. But I am not going to stand around anymore while you do all those things to me."

Bakugou was at a loss for words as the kid that had let everything happen to him for over a decade suddenly had the guts to talk back. "What the hell?" he managed to exclaim angrily. The Damn Nerd has grown a spine in these past few days, and he knew exactly what had caused that.

He'd get Fenton later.

"So, Kacchan," Midoriya said, a challenging tone not escaping the others' notice, "are you gonna do something, or what?"