The entire room, from the two key people of U.A. who were arguing like children, to the Pro Heroes who were trying to stop them or simply watching the drama, everyone who was already speechless, had fallen silent.
It wasn't that they stopped talking to let anyone in here speak, but in fact, the scene of two students, one tied up, kissing each other passionately as if they didn't care about anyone else here was really... awkward and unacceptable...
"ENOUGH!"
Guren's icy voice cut through everything. He didn't shout, but each word carried an overwhelming weight, causing Himiko to reluctantly let me go.
He stepped forward, his cold amber eyes devoid of any warmth, scanning everyone, then suddenly stopping at me.
"So the rabble you were talking about 'cleaning up' were these three people. The two flashy guys and...her." He glanced at Himiko, then continued. "So what's the plan?"
"To beat the shit out of whoever tied me up like this." I replied, then turned my gaze to Ragdoll. "And yeah, the real target isn't Bakugo. It's you."
My words were like a bomb exploding in the silence. Ragdoll froze, reflexively pointing at herself, his face full of confusion.
"Me? Why me?"
"Your Quirk," I said bluntly, without a moment's hesitation. "'Search'. Tomura wants to attack here, besides kidnapping Bakugo, they also came here to steal it. Imagine the situation where our people suddenly lose all advantage of surprise because your Quirk was misused, Shiretoko Tomoko-san."
The atmosphere instantly froze. The phrase 'Ability theft' and the name 'All For One' carried a terrible weight in the room, to the point that even Guren, who was almost fearless of anything, paled slightly. And the fact that I had said Ragdoll's full name - even though she had never revealed it - made everything almost no longer a joke.
Aizawa and Guren, just by exchanging glances, immediately understood the seriousness of the matter. This was no longer a simple kidnapping of students, but a strategic action by the enemy, and this was completely different from what I had said two days ago.
"Why... why didn't you say this from the beginning?" Aizawa was the first to speak, his voice hoarse and strained.
"Because if I did," I replied, looking him straight in the eye, "your first reaction would be to take Ragdoll away from here immediately. The League of Villains would know their plan was exposed and it would be harder to predict next time," I replied. "And your Quirk is extremely important in this, Shiretoko-san."
Guren stared at me, the mirth on his face gone completely, replaced by a cold, analytical look. He didn't say anything, but I knew he was analyzing the insane yet coherent logic of my plan.
"What a scheming bastard," he finally muttered, a cruel smirk appearing on his lips. "And what about these 'motley' people? What role do they play in your play? Don't tell me they're being used as pawns??"
"My people are never pawns or 'motley', Todoroki-senpai." I said, my eyes shifting to the three of them. "They are here for the sole purpose of protecting Ragdoll. They may not be trustworthy in your eyes, but to me, these two are one of the most powerful allies I have."
This seemed to make Gentle and La Brava pause as if they could not believe their eyes.
They originally thought that this was a purely financial relationship, that they were just hired hands and came here on orders from their master - that is, me, reluctantly, but
these words had a completely different meaning. It was a recognition and trust that they could never have dreamed of receiving before.
Gentle froze, for a moment, the shock clearly showing on his dramatic face. La Brava, who was sitting beside him, her hands holding the teacup trembled slightly and her eyes shone with fierce loyalty.
"So what exactly is the plan?" Guren interrupted that moment, pulling everyone back to reality. "How do we protect the target without letting them know that the target is protected?"
"About that..." Gentle, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up. "Our arrival here was kept secret from the students here, and only the people in this room knew of our existence here. Right, Toga-san?"
"Yeah. He's telling the truth." Himiko calmly continued Gentle's words.
And only when the entire "Wild, Wild Pussycat" team confirmed this when they gathered to welcome the enemy, thinking that the enemy had come this morning, and then realized that this was a plan prepared by Ryuga, did Guren and Aizawa breathe a sigh of relief, because if just one student knew, everything would be exposed.
And now for the plan.
"Everyone will continue as usual. Tiger, you will follow Pixie-Bob when she brings the students along ; your job is to make sure she doesn't get ambushed. Guren, stay here in case the person you're looking for shows up, otherwise go support the other groups. Aizawa-sensei, protect the remaining students in the area. Gentle Bad, La Brava, Himiko, all three of you protect Ragdoll. Mandalay, if you're confident in yourself, try to coordinate everything as the brain. As for me, I'll..."
"'I'll' my ass." Guren interrupted. "If something happens to you, we're all screwed. Stay here. Leave your little mistress here too. Combine the Ragdoll group's functions and let Mandalay join in for convenience."
"But..."
"NO ARGUMENTS!!! MY AND AIZAWA-SENSEI'S ORDERS HERE ARE ABSOLUTE!"
...
And yeah, once everything was settled—not that I had any fucking say in it, it was all Aizawa and Guren making the calls—I still couldn't do a damn thing. Still naked and tied up, with only a thin blanket covering me, but at least Himiko was here with me now. That was... a small plus.
At least, until Himiko, who had just calmed down a bit, curiously walked over to the infirmary door. She tried the handle, only to find it locked. She twisted it harder. Still wouldn't budge.
"Hey, Ryuu-kun," she called out, her voice a mix of confusion and irritation. "Why the fuck is this door locked?!"
"Beats me," I replied, my voice tired from the hospital bed. "Try talking to it. Communication is key, you know."
"Not funny, Ryuu-kun," she snapped, but I could hear the real anxiety in her voice.
After a billion attempts - kicking, trying to pick the lock, pushing, pulling... the door stood firm, unmoving. Her helplessness quickly turned to rage, to the point where Himiko backed up to the end of the room, preparing to ram the door with her full body weight.
"Stop it, Himiko," I said, my voice calm. "It's useless. That door is probably reinforced."
"How do you know?" she spun around, her golden eyes narrowing with suspicion.
I sighed, looking up at the plain white ceiling. "Because they didn't just lock us in. They're barricading us from the outside, using something big and heavy as fuck to block the door. With your strength, you'd have kicked down ten normal doors by now."
Himiko froze, turning to look at me, breathing hard, her expression like she was trying to process my words even though she didn't get it.
"Look around. The windows have iron bars, the ventilation grate has bars too. And they look new. They didn't just lock us up. They built a cage, specifically for the two of us."
Himiko didn't say anything else, just quietly walked back and sat on the edge of the bed next to me.
Outside, the distant noise of other students and the sound of wind rustling through leaves only made the silence inside heavier, making the feeling of isolation more intense than ever. Himiko's anger had vanished, replaced by helplessness and a vague, gnawing anxiety.
She slowly raised her hand, her long, slender fingers gently brushing over the red marks the ropes had left on my wrists.
"So..." she whispered, her voice barely audible. "...we're really trapped in here."
"Trapped together. Kinda nice, isn't it? Like... how do I put it... At least we have time alone together. So... how was the internship at U.A.? Was it boring?"
She began to talk, her voice monotone but every word laced with resentment. About the "internship" days at U.A., where she was monitored 24/7 ; about the "therapy sessions" with Nezu, where he tried to "analyze" her like some strange lab animal ; about the fake smiles she had to force when interacting with other teachers, who looked at her with a mix of pity and wariness.
"They want to turn me into a doll," she said, her hands clenching. "A good, obedient doll, a 'success' of their rehabilitation program. They don't want me. They just want a version of me they can brag about. It's just as bad as middle school..."
I tightened my embrace, feeling her quiet sobs shake her chest. The familiar scent of wildflowers, now tinged with the antiseptic smell of the infirmary, filled my senses. The feeling of helplessness from before was suddenly replaced by an intense urge - an urge to protect, to erase the fear that was gripping the girl in my arms.
"I know," I whispered, my voice softer than usual. "But soon... I promise... this will all be over. We'll have a place where no one can judge or cage you anymore. A place just for us..."
Himiko looked up, her red-rimmed, watery golden eyes meeting mine. The fear was still there, but mixed with it was a fragile sliver of hope. "You're all empty promises..."
And then, without hesitation, she gently pushed me away and stood up. The evening light spilling through the window cast a faint halo around her slender figure. Then, to my complete bewilderment, Himiko reached her hand behind her skirt, under her uniform, and slowly slid off a pair of pure white panties. They were still slightly warm, carrying a faint, pleasant scent, and were a little damp. She placed them in my hand, handling them as if giving me something incredibly precious. Her face was bright red with shyness and embarrassment, despite the fact that we'd crossed that line countless times before.
"It's... it's probably just sweat... It's kinda hot in this room..."
I'm just reassuring myself, I thought, though my mind was reeling because I was damn sure it wasn't sweat. And of all the billion things she could have given me, why this?
"I swear, if I get out of these ropes, besides asking you why panties, I'm definitely using this as a tea bag..."
My lewd joke didn't seem to anger her. On the contrary, she snorted, a bright, somewhat relieved laugh that shattered the heavy atmosphere.
"Then you're never getting out of there..."
Welp, fuck. Looks like Himiko's going to wring me dry again... But fine. Right now, no one could interrupt us screwing around in this isolated infirmary as the twilight faded, giving way to the quiet night that was slowly creeping into the room...
Or at least, that's what we thought.
Pixie-Bob, somehow, had opened the door and was standing frozen, staring at us just as we were about to get started. She was still holding a tray of food and two gas masks, her face just as red as ours as the three of us just stared at each other, speechless.
The silence lasted about three seconds - the three longest fucking seconds of the century. The three of us, in three completely different states, formed an incredibly bizarre tableau.
Me, still tied up, holding a pair of white panties. Himiko, in her U.A. uniform but with her shirt almost completely unbuttoned, straddling me and gripping my wrists. And Pixie-Bob, a Pro Hero, frozen at the door, her hands trembling as she held a tray of curry and two gas masks.
Of all the billion things that could happen, why this...
Pixie-Bob was the one who broke the silence. She cleared her throat awkwardly, trying her best not to look directly at us.
"I... uh... brought dinner," she said, her voice an octave higher than usual. "And... these. Have fun..." She held up the two gas masks, as if trying to act as normal as possible, then bolted so fast she forgot to even close the door.
Well, it's understandable that someone so chronically single would blush at a scene like this...
The moment she disappeared, the tension in the room finally broke. Himiko let out a growl and shot upright, her face bright red with anger and embarrassment.
"That old hag! She ruined everything!" she grumbled, hastily buttoning her shirt. "This is all your fault, Ryuu-kun! Why'd you have to tease me!"
I didn't respond to her nagging. My full attention was now fixed on the two objects Pixie-Bob had left on the bedside table. The tray of curry was still steaming, but the thing that sent a chill down my spine was the two gas masks.
It's true I'd mentioned a villain codenamed "Mustard" with a poison gas Quirk. But instead of warning the other students to carry these as part of a 'test of courage' or training drill, why give them to us???
This... This is something to think about. Looks like we're about to be thrown out there soon...