Assassins Can Be Heroes Too || Todoroki Shoto

|55| Out of His Grasp

"Aww, darn it..." the blonde whined, "there's too many now, I don't feel like dying..." she straightened up, "bye-bye-" her eyes widened, shimmering as the teenager made eye contact with Midoriya. She sighed, a heavy blush prominent on her cheeks as she dashed off, Uraraka yelling after her as Asui paused the chocolate-haired girl.

"Who... was that?" Midoriya wondered aloud.

"A Villain, she was nuts," was all the girl stated.

"Oh, you're hurt!"

"Oh, this?" she motioned to the graze that had been given to her, "I can walk, I'm fine... but you're one to talk, Deku!"

"This is no time to stand around, let's keep moving," Todoroki cut through their short reunion.

"I'm just glad you two are alright..." Midoriya breathed a sigh of relief, "oh, I know! Come with us, we're guarding Kacchan and Riri and heading for camp!"

The girls blinked owlishly.

"Guarding... Bakugo and Riri?" echoed Uraraka, the pair peering around the males.

"Then... where are they?"

It was the boys' turn to blink in perplexment, Midoriya turning and stating that he was right behind them, only to be met with the seemingly endless - and empty - path behind them, lined with trees.

"Looking for somebody?" an unfamiliar voice called down, "I've taken them with my magic."

He was a tall, slim man with a dark orange shirt, his collar unturned and a green striped necktie with an oval-shaped azure brooch hanging around his neck. He wore knee-high white boots and a tall brown top hat with a red ribbon and a pale feather. He wore a black and white mask and red gloves, a silver walking stick with a gold handle in his left hand. In his right, he bounced three small, blue marbles in his hands.

"Bakugo is not a resource that belongs on the Heroes' side," he hummed, taking in the sight of their mortified expressions, "and Rie has not shone enough with her abilities... therefore, we're going to put them on a stage where the both of them can use their abilities to the fullest and be in the spotlight."

The students didn't understand a word that he said, but one thing was clear:

They needed to get Rie and Bakugo back - fast.

"Give them back!"

He masked a shocked expression - at least, that's what the students thought, they couldn't see his face.

"'Give them back', you say?" he echoed slowly, mockery lacing his tone, "what an odd thing to say... Rie and Bakugo don't belong to anyone."

"Move, you two!" yelled Todoroki, the pair jumping out of the way as he created an ice wall.

"We're just a tad bit fanatical when it comes to our values, you see," he began, "all we wish is to show him that there are other ways and that Rie chose the wrong path. Because you kids today have your values chosen for you."

"What do you mean, 'Rie chose the wrong path'?!" snarled Todoroki.

"H-hey, Tokoyami's gone too!" noted Shoji, whirling around as the boys stared at the now-empty space.

"There was no need to even confront us..." murmured Todoroki, staring at the male with a scowl visible on his face, "he's mocking us." The three in the rear... he took them away without a sound? What the hell is his Quirk?! Damnit! If only-

"Ah, sorry, bad habit of mine," he brushed off, though an apologetic tone was nowhere to be heard, "I'm an entertainer at heart, taking Tokoyami was just a bit of..." he paused to think of the right word, "ad-libbing, shall we say? Moonfish and old Bladetooth. Even a natural-born homicidal maniac like him, whose death row appeal was shot down, was handily trampled by your rampaging friend, so I decided to take him too!"