Something Like a Star (B. Katsuki)

Twenty: Will She be the Reason We Fall Apart?

"Teeth attacks? Seriously?" Bakugou didn't seem phased by the way Moonfish's teeth stabbed into yet another of Todoroki's ice walls, his arms held out to his sides with fingers curled as sparks popped from them, "It's time to blast this freak with everything I've got!"

"You can't!"

"If the trees burn, just cover them with ice, stupid!" Bakugou snarled, sick of that stupid icyhot bastard trying to tell him what he could and couldn't do.

"A big explosion will impair my vision, though," Todoroki reasoned, annoyance in his tone, "I may not be able to see the fire. And how are you gonna get close to him anyway?"

Bakugou gritted his teeth nearly hard enough to crack them, growling angrily as he looked back up at Moonfish and asked himself, Yeah. How do you plan to get to him?

Suddenly, a monstrous crash boomed through the woods, and Todoroki and Bakugou both swung bewildered gazes upon a massive cloud of dirt and uprooted trees that thundered its way toward them, leaving a trail of destruction as it came. Somewhere in the trees, Bakugou recognized the distinctively irritating voice of shitty Deku as he called, "There! I see ice! They're fighting!"

Moonfish, alerted by the noises, turned his gaze toward the oncoming intruders. Bakugou and Todoroki's eyes widened and Bakugou thought his heart may stop in his chest as Shoji burst from the treeline with Midoriya cradled on his back. A massive, completely enraged beast that they recognized as Dark Shadow chased after him, shaking the very ground beneath their feet as he roared and screeched. Shoji called out to them, using his duplicate arms as distractions to keep Dark Shadow from swinging at his body.

But what caught Bakugou's most directly was the image of Nadoka, perched precariously on top of Dark Shadow as he thundered his way forward, her braid flying as she drew up crystal walls on either side of Dark Shadow continuously to herd him along in the right direction.

"Katsuki!" She screamed upon noticing the blond, "Shouto! One of you, give us some light, now!"

Moonfish launched his teeth toward Dark Shadow, moaning about having more flesh, but with another roar Dark Shadow sliced easily through the blades, and Bakugou and Todoroki watched as Nadoka launched into the air with a yell, soaring across the clearing. Her booted foot met Moonfish's face and knocked most of his teeth out as he gave a cry of pain. He was sent flying through the air and crashed unforgivingly into a tree, slumping limply to the floor.

Nadoka plummeted toward the ground and barely broke her fall with a few crystals, grunting as she bounced and skidded unceremoniously across the ground only to instantly hop to her feet, eyes blown wide. Bakugou and Todoroki wasted no time as Dark Shadow aimed his attacks toward them, leaping forward with one hand engulfed in sparks and the other in flame.

Dark Shadow let out a pained shriek as Bakugou and Todoroki slammed into his body, the light they emitted instantly drawing him down in size until he shrunk away back into Tokoyami's crumpled form, out of sight and back to normal.

"And once again, I'm a terrible matchup for you, birdboy." Bakugou said, only for his eyes to widen as his name echoed from somewhere behind him. He spun around to find Nadoka rushing toward him, and upon seeing no trace of outward injury save for a few scrapes and bruises on her person he felt relief rush through him hard enough to make his knees buckle, "Doka!"

She ran forward and practically slammed into his chest, hugging him so tightly it nearly stole his breath away only to let him go just as fast, gripping his arms and giving him a once over. "Are you okay? You're not hurt are you? Jesus, I'm so glad you're safe."