Plague Rat (BNHA)

Chapter Eight

Bella's POV

A rolled-up newspaper hit me in the back of the head with enough force I lost my balance and caught myself against the wall as I'd been following Dabi and Toga down the hallway to the bar. Dabi and Toga turned curiously as they heard the newspaper hit me.

I swiveled around with a snarl of rage ready to kill whoever had thrown the paper at me only to cut off with a choked gasp as Shigaraki caught me by the throat and slammed my back against the wall. "What the hell did you do yesterday?!" He was only applying pressure to my throat with his palm and four fingers and for some reason his quirk wasn't activating.

Dabi calmly picked up the newspaper that had fallen at his feet and held out his other hand to keep Toga from attacking Shigaraki. He scanned the front page and a small smile tugged at the corners of his lips. His aqua eyes flicked across the page quickly reading the article before looking to Shigaraki.

"They don't have any leads, the only survivor has no idea what he saw, there aren't any witnesses and The League wasn't mentioned, what's the problem?"

"Those are the kinds of things, you should run by me, first." Shigaraki shook with rage, "You could have compromised this whole operation and how the hell were you not seen?"

"It's my business." I hissed at him, "If you're worried about me being captured and spilling what I know about you and your base of operations, you have nothing to worry about, I don't respond to torture. Now release me before you piss me off."

Shigaraki released me from his grip, "How did no one see you?"

"I'm sure everyone saw me." I shrugged, "However, what they perceived to have seen when they saw me is an entirely different matter as they were all hallucinating." I straightened myself up, "Anything else, boss?"

Shigaraki slammed his hand into the wall next to my face. I didn't even flinch as the wall began to crumble behind me. "Run these things by me first." He hissed before turning and walking away, "Hurry up, you're all going to be late."

"For what?" Toga asked curiously.

"Planning our next move." Shigaraki snapped back before disappearing through the door that led to the bar.

Dabi extended the paper to me, "Nice work." He pat me on the head before stuffing his hands into his pockets and following after Shigaraki.

Toga clung to my side and peered at the paper in my hands. The front page had a picture of the precinct with quarantine barriers, people in hazmat suits and a lot of police tape to keep civilians at bay. I scanned the article and sighed as I realized All Might made it in time to save his detective friend. The only lead the police had was that the voice on the phone sounded feminine but due to the poor connection was hard to make out age or accent.

"Oh no, he survived." Toga frowned.

I smiled, "That's okay, that just means All Might will be focused on him and leave everyone else he cares about completely vulnerable."

Toga giggled as we stepped into the bar where the rest of The League was gathered. "Bella-chan is so beautiful when she's murderous." She wrapped her arms around me and squeezed me tight.

I lightly pat her on the head. "Thanks, Himiko-chan."

Her cheeks flushed scarlet as she beamed at me and squeezed me tighter.

My rust colored eyes flicked around the room, there were some new faces in our midst. Faces I recognized from the news, faces of people who should still be in prison. Unconsciously I disentangled myself from Toga and put myself between her and the newcomers as I recognized one as a serial rapist. Why was he here?

Dabi noticed the tension in my body and my instinctual need to protect Toga. He lightly caught my wrist in his hand and pulled me and Toga toward him. Toga opened her mouth to snap at him but cut off as he draped his arm across my shoulders keeping her behind us and out of view. I looked to him curiously as I felt heat spreading through my cheeks at our closeness. A tell that went unnoticed by no one.

Shigaraki looked thoughtful for a moment as he noticed my girlish reaction to Dabi's closeness. "Patches." He addressed Dabi, "You'll be the leader of the Vanguard Action Squad for our next move."

Dabi smirked at this, "Is that because you think I'm the only one that can keep the Plague Rat from killing you all?"

Shigaraki looked annoyed, Dabi had hit the nail on the head. Shigaraki believed he was the only one I'd listen to. While he wasn't wrong, that didn't mean I'd follow along blindly even if it was Dabi giving the order.

"I'm not sure I like any of you yet." Dabi shrugged, "The only person here I'd actively try to save from the Plague Rat is the little psycho girl."

"I told you not to call her that." I grumbled in annoyance.

"You'd save me?" Toga asked with stars in her eyes.

"Don't get the wrong idea, psycho. Not because I give a damn about you or anything but because this one would be upset if she hurt you." He jerked his thumb in my direction.

"You think you need to save us from her?" The serial rapist smirked. The other recruits who'd been in the battle royal with us to earn a place in the League took shaky steps back to stand behind me and Dabi leaving the newest recruits the escaped convicts alone on the opposite side of the room.

A freaky looking individual in a black straight jacket who I recognized from the news as a death row inmate by the alias of Moonfish took a few steps away from the man who'd provoked me. There were two other escaped convicts behind the serial rapist smirking as well.

Dabi looked to Shigaraki who looked intrigued by what was about to happen. His bright aqua eyes turned to me taking in the slight glow beginning to spread through my irises. He removed his arm from me cautiously before lightly pushing me forward so I wouldn't accidentally infect him or Toga. "Your funeral." He said in a bored tone as he crossed his arms in front of his chest.

Deadly blooms sprouted at the feet of the three escaped convicts as they formulated a plan of action to kill me and do unspeakable things to my body. They were too engrossed in their wicked scheming they didn't realize the peril they were in. The serial rapist opened his mouth as I took a step closer but no words came out just a choked gurgling sound. His eyes bulged as he realized too late, that he was dying as a black toxic mist hung in the air around the trio.

All three of them dropped to the ground face first as a thick black tar like substance spewed from their purple lips. The mist dissipated and I calmed myself down before turning to Shigaraki with a glare, "I won't work with a rapist." I said simply. My gaze drifted back to Dabi, "And I'll say this, I don't blindly follow orders no matter who is giving them though will be more inclined to listen if I respect the person giving me the orders...Also, I think Dabi is your best choice, he's smart, he can strategize quickly and adapt well to change and complications and is probably the most level headed among us." With that said I returned to Dabi's side and felt my cheeks redden as he offered me a small ghost of a smile.

"I knew you liked me, Plague Rat." He said softly so only I could hear.

"You're delusional." I mumbled back as I hid my burning face behind my bright acidic green hair. 

Video- The Reckoning By Within Temptation Ft Jacoby Shaddix (one day this song will not be stuck in my head...maybe)