PUPPET // KATSUKI BAKUGO [1]

Chapter 63 // Devising

Bakugo stepped into an unfamiliar building. It was so unfamiliar that he had to check his phone to make sure he was at the right location. However, when a familiar figure turned the corner, he knew he was where he was supposed to be.
 
"You keepin' secrets now?" Bakugo asked as Aizawa approached him.

"Only some," Aizawa said, managing a small side smile. "Come on. They're waiting."

"Who?" the boy questioned, but Aizawa didn't answer. He simply guided his student as they walked.

The eventually arrived at a closed door, and Aizawa pushed it open, allowing Bakugo to step inside first. When the boy did, he was shocked at who he saw, but he didn't let the emotion show.

Multiple pro heroes surrounded the rectangular shaped table in the middle of the room, the infamous Sit Nighteye sitting at the end of it. However, what struck Bakugo's curiosity was the fact that some of his classmates, including Deku, were there.

"This was your damn meeting?" Bakugo questioned gruffly while tilting his head at Deku, who shrunk back, shy.

"We couldn't tell anyone," Deku replied. "It's an exclusive thing."

"And it still is," Aizawa budded in. "Just because Bakugo is in now doesn't mean any one of you can go around telling people what's going on here."

"What is going on here?" Locklock asked. "Because, so far, the only thing we're sure of is that Overhaul exists and is in contact with the League. We barely know what he's planning, and we don't know where he is."

"That's true," Aizawa agreed, "but we now know [L/N], who was assumed to be taken by Overhaul, is alive, and she was in the same vicinity where Midoriya and Mirio ran into Eri a few days ago. This confirms Overhaul is somewhere around there. Now that we have evidence [L/N] is out there, and we have a general location, we have reason to send out another search team."

"Can we see this evidence before we going making more decisions?" Ryuku asked politely from her seat.

Aizawa turned to Bakugo and held out his hand. The blond wordlessly handed the CD he held, which was protected by a clear case, over to his teacher, who rounded the table and slipped it into the CD player embedded in the giant screen hanging on the wall.

Bakugou pulled over an empty seat and sat in it backwards, resting his arms on the back of the chair and staring at the screen as the security footage began to play.

It wasn't anything new to him. The situation played out exactly like it had before, but Bakugo couldn't help but still be shocked at seeing the love of his life or rather what remained of the girl. Aizawa paused the footage after seeing Bakugo hit the floor.

"What did she do?" he asked, noticing the video didn't have any audio. "What was this other ability you mentioned?"

"She said something, and it happened," Bakugo answered as he ran a hand through his hair. He released a frustrated sigh. "She said "faint," and the cashier hit the floor. When I tried to stop her, she said "agony," and it felt like my whole body was being stabbed with a million knives or somethin'. It stopped when she broke eye contact."

"That's definitely another quirk," Mirio stated, "but how did she get it. If Overhaul is so hellbent on destroying quirks, why would he give one to someone."

"He took [L/N] for a reason," Aizawa said. "We just don't know exactly what it is. Clearly, she's been brainwashed or else she'd be running for help and not running errands for...someone. She didn't recognize Bakugo at all."

"We'll sort out search and rescue teams," Nighteye began. "Some will be to search for Overhaul or any clues as to where he may be or what his further plans are, and some will be to find and rescue [L/N] despite her mental state. There's a possibility we could save her before she gets too deep. This meeting is dismissed."

Everyone stood, chatting quietly about the situation as they dispersed. Bakugo rested his chin on his arms and looked at the floor, conflicted.

"Kacchan?" Bakugo heard from beside him. He didn't need to look to know it was Deku. "What're you gonna do?" It was as if the greenette could sense the blond was silently planning something.

Bakugo sighed as he stood and kicked the chair he once sat in back to where it previously leaned against the wall.

"I'm gonna go talk to Shinso."

[EDITED]