Villain to Hero: Naruko Motomiya

Chapter 9: Training with 1-A! Part 3

No evidence for who killed the villain in the store had been found, but one of the three hostages was the murderer.

"Wouldn't it be best to call the police? The investigators can get to the bottom of this case," Asui suggested to the group.

"Perhaps that would be wise, yes," Iida answered.

"This is so frustrating! We know the culprit has to be one of these people!" Uraraka let out.

Motomiya agreed. He looked at Midoriya to see what he thought, but when doing so, he noticed that he was deep in thought and decided it would be best to leave him be.

"Simple," Bakugo interjected, a scowl across his face. "We'll just force them to start talking!"

"Bakugo," Todoroki warned.

"Stop threatening the hostages," Motomiya told him.

"Be a hero," Iida scolded his classmate.

"If you torture them, then the police will arrest you along with the perpetrator," Asui explained.

"I didn't say a damn thing about torture!" Bakugo yelled. He then fixed his posture and glared at Midoriya. "Hey, you damn nerd," He started, his voice almost a growl, "You've got a new idea, haven't you?"

Midoriya's head perked up. "Uh, well. Something's bothering me here."

"What is it?" Todoroki asked.

"Why did the villain barricade himself inside the store, you know?" Midoriya asked. He turned to face the others. "'Cause, if he wanted to, he could have just escaped with the goods earlier. So then," He put a hand to his chin, "Why did he stay?"

"Timing wise," Cementoss started, startling Motomiya, "The authorities arrived just as I was putting the jewelry in the bag for him. He had no opportunity to flee."

"Did you call the police?" Uraraka asked.

"I never had the chance."

"Someone outside the store must have seen what was happening. They're the ones who called the police," Iida concluded.

Midoriya came to a conclusion. "If that's the case, then it has to mean..." He looked at Midnight and nodded confidently. "Midnight, it was you."

Midnight put a hand to her chest in shock. "What? Me?"

"You were the only one who came into the jewelry store after the villain was already here," Midoriya stated.

"Don't be hasty, Midoriya," Motomiya said, "How do you know for certain that it was her?"

"Why would someone who called the police come inside and face the villain and allow themselves to be taken as a hostage?" Bakugo shouted.

"Hear me out," Midoriya responded. "I think she's the reason the villain barricaded himself in here to begin with." He took a step toward Midnight, who had her head hung low. "Midnight, you knew the man on the floor before this incident, didn't you? And not just as an acquaintance-- you knew he committed crimes. You saw him and knew he was going to rob the jewelry store, so you called the police the moment he went inside so they would stop him. And then, before they could arrive, you decided to go in yourself. He must've been shaken to see you, but he also understood your true intentions: why you were there. Even so, the villain continued the robbery and tied you up like the others. While he was doing that, the police arrived, and he was forced to barricade himself in the store."

"No!" Midnight let out. "Why would I willingly put myself in danger like that?"

"Because you wanted him to change his life," Midoriya answered.