It Can Only Get Worse

Chapter 8

"Kacchan, we're having a meeting in The Development Studio after school," I told my friend as we left to go to bed. "I want you to tell everyone on that list to come."

"Yes, Deku," he whispered with a pause. "I have a question though."

I sighed. Kacchan and his damn questions. "What is it?"

"Why don't you just make a group chat or something?"

"I like to see people in person," I informed. "To make sure they're not lying y'know?"

"Oh. That's very smart."

"Of course, Kacchan," I said and started to walk away. "Only the best."

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"A meeting Deku?" Monoma asked, his voice only raised to be heard over the machinery. "You really are something aren't ya?"

"I have to have some way to keep all you in line." I rolled my eyes and smiled.

"Keep us in line?" Ashido's eyebrows furrowed and her lips sank into a frown. "We're much more responsible than you think Deku."

"Said the compulsive liar," I fired back at her, my smile unfaltering.

She slunk back behind Kaminari and our group fell silent for a moment as I looked around for our pink haired ally.

"Where's Hatsume, Kacchan?"

"Uh," Kacchan paused, his eyes widening. "She wasn't in school today. Power Loader told me she was sick."

"I guess this will have to go on without her." I sighed. It would be best if everyone was here, but of course nothing liked to play in my favor. "First order of business is to get rid of as many pro heros as we can."

"Why don't we rob a bank or something?" Kaminari interrupted, though despite my glare, he continued. "We get a whole bunch of money, pros come in, we deal with it, we get out. Easy."

"No. We have to be inconspicuous," I argued. "If we throw ourselves out in the open as another villain group, everyone will be even more paranoid."

"Or we could stress them to the max," commented Monoma. "They'll start fighting each other in no time."

"The thing is, with more stress on them, the quicker they'll want to get rid of us. We stay off the radar, we stay safe."

"They'll have more time to get better and get more skills to kill us," Kaminari continued, now returning my glare.

"Listen," I sighed as I attempted to calm down. "We'll keep watching them for now. Once we all agree on something, we'll go with it. Got it?"

"Got it."

"I know you do Kacchan."

"Sure. No sense in making you an enemy," Monoma concluded.

Kaminari took a deep sigh. "Fine."

"Good. I'd also like to ask you guys some questions. Why did you guys join The League?"

"Honestly? The League is the main problem for pros right now. I figured I could gather info on them while I was passing through. Then, once I defeated at least one of them, I would be better than 1-A." As Monoma finished that sentence, his form slumped and he frowned. "Then we were moved into the dorms and my plan kinda crashed."

That could be useful. I could trick him into doing something because someone else in the class couldn't do it.

I nodded to Kaminari. "I wanted to stab people. They were okay with me stabbing people. They were my only friends in middle school."

Maybe not as useful.

"Ashido?"

"I just want to be remembered," she said, her usual flamboyant attitude was long gone as she rested her head on Kaminari's shoulder.

"What about you two?" Kaminari asked, his shoulders tensing as he began to glare at me again.

"Eh. I do it for the fun," I said lamely. They didn't have to know about my agenda. They were just pawns anyways.

"Okay, then what about Kacchan?" Kaminari asked teasingly.

"That's none of your business," I told him, tensing as well.

"Oh, did I hit a nerve. You'd best spit it out Kacchan," Kaminari warned. He took a coin from his pocket and rolled it over his knuckles. "Nobody will think you guy's death better than an accident."

"I-" Kacchan began before I cut him off.

"It wouldn't be best to trigger him here. Do it somewhere else but not in public," I growled at him and snatched my bag from the ground. "Come one Kacchan, we're leaving."

"Yes, Deku."

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723 words

This story is gonna be long. We were at about chapter 2-3 in the original with this scene.