"How disappointing." Puzzle leaned forward, her voice carrying a mocking tone. "I did all this-" she gestured expansively to the assembled villains before her, "-for you, and all I get in return from you heroes is you folding like a bunch of cheap suits. I mean, I could have done half the effort and gotten the same result. Do you see how frustrating that is?"
"You're trespassing here." Aizawa called out sternly.
"Clearly." Puzzle rolled her eyes dismissively. "Don't you think we're a little past that?"
"What do you want?" Ectoplasm spoke up, his gaze unwavering.
"I want what's mine."
"You have nothing here of yours; now take your leave." Midnight retorted firmly.
"Mm." Puzzle clicked her tongue, a smirk playing on her lips. "See, that's where you're wrong." Rising from her seated position, she continued, "I don't feel like wasting my time on you heroes any longer. Where is my little sister?"
"She isn't here?" Midnight glanced at Aizawa, a hint of confusion in her expression.
"It's cute how you're doing the whole protection thing, but if you don't bring her out here, I'll simply find her by tearing your precious school apart, brick by brick." Puzzle threatened with a sinister grin.
"Is she joking?" Midoriya muttered under his breath.
"I don't think she knows (y.n) was arrested." Midnight whispered.
"How is that possible?" Ectoplasm frowned. "It's been all over the news."
"Maybe they don't have a TV?"
"But they can do all this and yet can't get their hands on a simple TV?" Aizawa remarked dryly, his gaze unwavering and focused solely on Puzzle.
"This is your last warning, heroes." Puzzle called out, her voice carrying a chilling edge. "Bring me my sister, or your school will fall!"
Aizawa glanced over his shoulder at his students, gauging their readiness, before turning back around. Time seemed to slow as the heroes and villains locked eyes, a charged silence settling over the scene. After a tense moment, Puzzle sighed, her patience waning.
"Have it your way." She declared. Turning to the villains standing below her on the ground, she commanded, "Tear this school apart and bring me Five!" The atmosphere crackled with impending conflict as the villains below prepared to carry out her ominous order.
The villains sneered, their laughter echoing through the air as they eagerly leapt forward with malicious excitement. On the other side, the heroes braced themselves for the impending clash, determination etched across their faces.
Suddenly, the temperatures dropped dramatically. Katsuki could see his breath form frosty clouds in the frigid air. A wave of ice surged across the field, weaving around heroes and skillfully avoiding Class A and U.A. It seemed to have a life of its own, a frosty entity with a single-minded focus – the villains were its sole targets. The atmosphere crackled with tension as the heroes and villains found themselves at the mercy of this icy force.
"Man, you must be pissed!" A jovial voice rang out, capturing everyone's attention as they turned their heads toward the mound of snow where two figures stood. "Don't worry-" Shiro smirked, his confidence evident. "-I read somewhere that egg on your face is pretty good for the skin!"
"Shiro!?" Mina jumped, forcefully shoving her way through the crowd to reach Katsuki.
"Gray?" Midoriya blinked, his confusion evident as he stared at the two members of the Seven Bullets. "What-?"
"I thought you knew everything, Puzzle?" Gray cocked his head to the side.
"What are you talking about, mutt?" Puzzle snarled; her frustration apparent.
"If you did your homework, or maybe just turned on a TV-" Shiro smirked, "-you'd know we have been in time-out."
"Does he ever do anything serious?" Midnight sighed, shaking her head in exasperation.
"Have you met my brother?" Your voice echoed through the crowd, sending chills down their spines as they turned to spot you making your way through the gathering.
"(y.n)!?" Mina gasped, her mouth agape. "You-You're okay!"
"Yeah?" You turned to her, a confident smirk playing on your lips. "Why wouldn't I be?"
"You-You were in—"
"You thought prison would break me?" You scoffed, the smirk deepening. "Please, not the first time I've been locked up, and it won't be the last."
"How are you out of...?" Aizawa stared, dumbfounded, down at you. His voice trailed off as his eyes slid over the sleek metal collar around your neck. A hint of sadness crept into his gaze as it met yours. "...(y.n)..."
Ignoring his pained expression, you turned to face Puzzle. "You've got balls to show up here." You called out to her.
"Oh?" Puzzle blinked, feigning innocence. "And how is that?"
"Do you remember the last thing I said to you?" You asked, a confident edge to your tone.
"Mm..." Puzzle cocked her head, playing coy. "Why don't you refresh my memory?"
"Gladly." You nodded, a flicker of determination in your eyes. With seamless precision, you pulled your gun from its holster, aimed, and pulled the trigger. The crisp sound echoed through the air; Puzzle easily deflected the strike.
"Oh yes!" Puzzle clapped her hands mockingly. "Wasn't it something along the lines of the next time you see me, you'd put me six feet down?"
"Oh, you're not that lucky." You sneered, a cold determination in your tone. "You ain't going six feet deep."
Shiro and Gray flanked your sides, adding an air of ominous anticipation. "You wanna know a little secret?" Shiro called over, slipping his hands into his jacket pockets.
"Oh, what's that?" Puzzle questioned, reveling in the attention.
"You want to attack?" Gray grinned, a sinister glint in his eye. "Don't do it using our greatest hits." Your eyes began to glow a foreboding green. Within a moment, the nets surrounding the fallen heroes dissipated.
"That's it!" Midoriya perked up, realization dawning. "That's how I know where these devices come from! The Seven Bullets used them to subdue villains!"
"More or less." Shiro shrugged, maintaining an air of nonchalance.
"How are you deactivating them?" Midnight wondered; her curiosity piqued.
As Shiro purposely ignored Puzzle's demand for attention and elaborated on how your group's devices were powered through your lightning quirk, Aizawa swiftly moved to your side.
"(y.n)-" Aizawa stated in a low voice, his expression guarded. "-did you escape to come help us?"
You chuckled, earning a tight glare from Aizawa.
"We didn't escape just to come save your asses."
"Language." Aizawa frowned, maintaining his stern demeanor. "What did you do to get out?"
You lazily looked over at Aizawa, meeting his gaze directly. "We made a deal." The weight of unspoken details hung in the air, leaving Aizawa and the others curious about the terms of the mysterious agreement that had secured your freedom.
----
A frigid chill seeped into your being, entwining around your weary soul and threatening to yank you from the shallow pool of sleep that offered little respite. Despite your efforts to linger in this hazy state, the unmistakable sensation of prying eyes settling over you forced your eyes to snap open, and your body jerked with a sudden urgency.
A silent silhouette lingered outside your cell, and as you sat up, the figure turned away, resuming a leisurely stroll down the dimly lit corridor. You released a tight breath, and at that moment, two guards emerged into view, their footsteps echoing through the sterile environment. Swiftly, they approached, unlocking the door to your cell with a mechanical click.
"Food, let's go." They ordered, extending the cold, silver chains towards you.
The collection of mush on your tray seemed devoid of any flavor, and you absentmindedly picked around the unappetizing, mashed substance. Just as you focused on the lackluster meal, a looming figure silently positioned themselves behind you.
"Give me your food." The figure behind you ordered in a gruff voice. Casually, you turned to glance over your shoulder, and there stood an imposing figure—an exceptionally buff woman with distinctly masculine features. Her hair was slicked back into a low ponytail, and the sleeves of her inmate uniform had been ripped off, revealing her well-defined, toned biceps.
"You sure you need the extra calories?" You retorted, a hint of sass in your tone, earning a scowl from the imposing figure.
"I said give me your food!" The inmate slammed her hand against the cold metal table, attempting to intimidate you. However, you remained unaffected by the intimidating act.
"And I politely said, fuck off." You replied with a cool demeanor, refusing to yield to the aggressive demand.
"Seems I've been solitary to long-" The inmate leaned closer; "-do you know who I am!?"
"If you've been in solitary, how would I know who you are?" You questioned, causing her to slam her fist on the table again.
"I'm Hime, I run this place—"
"I'm Five-!" You snapped, your patience wearing thin. "-F to the mother fucking E! I don't care if your name was big Sal or Yosemite Sam. Take your overgrown ass over there to that table, before I walk you there myself."
"What nasty words coming from such a pretty mouth." Hime flashed a crooked sneer.
"I won't tell you again-" You warned, your tone firm. "-go on now, shoo." With a dismissive wave, you indicated the direction to the inmate.
"I'm gonna enjoy breaking you in." Hime smiled, her threat hanging in the air.
You stood up. "Do you need a time out?"
"Are you gonna be the one to put me in it?"
"Enough, you two!" A guard smacked the table, three guards quickly gathered around you.
"Hime, go eat your food before you end back up in solitary confinement."
You and Hime stared each other down, the tension in the air palpable.
"Hime!"
Hime shot a venomous glare at the guard but begrudgingly turned on her heel. She blew you a mocking kiss before settling into her seat at the nearest table, forcefully displacing a timid inmate to secure her vantage point on you.
"Five, let's go."
"Where?"
"Just move." The guard's stern voice left no room for argument.
"I'm not going anywhere with—"
Ami stepped around her coworker, her face a mix of reassurance and a forced smile. "Five, it's okay." She breathed, her words carrying a subtle plea. "Please, come with us."
Reluctantly, you cast a wary glance around the mess hall but ultimately followed the guards, trailing them through the labyrinthine corridors of Tartarus prison. The air hung heavy around you, the tension filling your chest was almost suffocating as you walked into the uncertainty
You were led to the end of a dimly lit hall. Ami, with a subtle gesture, opened the door and stepped aside, allowing you to enter first. Your muscles tensed with anticipation as you eyed Ami, cautiously sliding past her and crossing the threshold into the room. As you stepped inside, a quick glance around made your heart skip a beat when you saw a familiar figure with his back to you.
"Shiro?" You breathed, your voice barely above a whisper. Your brother turned around, and a bright smile filled his face as he eagerly held his arms out.
"(y.n)-!" He called, closing the distance in an instant and engulfing you in an airtight hug. "-it's so good to see you!" He muffled into your hair. The reunion brought a mix of relief and warmth, dispelling the tension that had gripped you.
An agitated voice sliced through the warm reunion, prompting Shiro and you to pull apart and direct your attention towards the open door.
"Push me one more time—!" Gray threatened, striding in with a glare fixed on the guard trailing behind him. He turned around, taking in your appearance before casting another pointed look at the guard. "You could have just said we were going to see my siblings. I would happily come along-!" Gray ranted, storming over to pull both you and Shiro into a tight hug. "-cryptic assholes!" he exclaimed; his frustration causing you to chuckle.
"I'm so proud of you-!" Shiro lightly punched Gray's arm. "-I heard you were giving this place hell!"
"Me-?" Gray howled. "-I heard about both of you causing trouble!"
"Yeah-!" Shiro laughed. "-this place will totally be our bitch in no time!"
"Yes-" The warden stepped into sight. "-ever since you Bullets got here; you have been a thorn in my side."
"I wonder why that might be-!" Shiro sneered in his direction, "-considering you threw us to the wolves!"
"I am aware of how you Bullets have been treated." You heard a voice behind you say.
"Chief Tsuragmae?" You frowned as the chief of police walked into the room, the door closing behind him.
"You knew what this twat was doing-?" Shiro thumbed over to the warden, "-and you're just now stepping in!?"
"Dick." Gray agreed, crossing his arms.
"Why are you here?" You wondered.
"Your sister is terrorizing blocks of the city right now."
"So?" Shiro shrugged, "Don't you have heroes that can deal with her?"
"Yes." Chief Tsuragmae nodded. "However, your sister enjoys these twisted games—"
"Nope." Shiro shook his head, pointing to you. "Her sister. I'm not a part of that gene pool, no offense, (y.n)."
"Half-sister." You corrected, "I only have half the crazy."
"Anyway..." Chief Tsuragmae his throat. "I expect you three are the only ones who have the knowledge to bring her down once and for all."
"So..." Shiro crossed his arms, "Translation: she is kicking your heroes' asses right now, making you look bad, and you want us to come in and make you look good?"
"Pretty much." Chief nodded.
"What's the catch?" You questioned, "There's always a catch to these things."
"Yeah." Gray nodded, "What's the stipulation here?"
The chief turned to his assistant, who stepped forward, opening the briefcase he had been holding—inside rested three sleek silver collars.
"Hell no!" Shiro stepped back.
"You're out of your fucking mind!" Gray snarled.
"You three are already in one." The chief reminded, pointing out the collars around your neck. "I cannot get you out of them. You can either continue to wear those ones in here, or place these on and wear them outside."
"What's the difference?" You breathed.
"These will monitor your vitals, making them impossible to remove." Chief Tsuragmae explained. "This is the stipulation you must agree to."
Your eyes shifted back and forth between Shiro and Gray.
"Why?" You wondered, turning to the Chief. "Why are you here doing this, your heroes can take Puzzle down, you don't need us."
"I am using this opportunity-" Chief warmly smiled, "-to right a wrong."
"Why—?"
"I know the kind of people you three Bullets are, you've done...questionable things while under Shooter's thumb, but in the end, I understand why you three broke your probation." Chief explains. "You did the wrong thing for the right reasons, which is why I am here today."
You exhaled glances with Shiro and Gray.
"There are a lot of accusations going on about you Bullets-" Chief grinned, "-view this as your last hail Mary, and prove them all wrong.
"On one condition." You stated, causing the chief to blink.
"Wh-What?" Chief Tsuragmae was taken back.
"You've got to be kidding—!" The warden cursed; Chief shot him a stern glare.
"What might that be, Five?"
You licked your lips, glancing at Shiro before turning to the chief.
"We know where Shooter will be, very soon." You stated, shocking Shiro and Gray, who weren't expecting you to expose this information.
"Oh, that's wonderful—!" Chief Tsuragmae exclaimed.
"You didn't let me finish." You cut him off.
"Oh?"
"I'll give you a time and date, and when that time comes, you turn those collars off for just a couple of hours."
"Five—"
"This isn't negotiable." You declared.
"But you can't bring Shooter in on your own—" Chief expressed confusion.
"We aren't bringing Shooter in at all." You asserted, sternly gazing into his eyes.
The Chief's eyes dropped to the floor as he pondered the request. "Ok—" He nodded, his voice shocking the room. "—I accept these terms."
"What!?" The warden blurted out, his protests falling on deaf ears.
"But-" Chief Tsuragmae stepped closer to you, his voice carrying a tone of solemnity. "-I hope that when you do come across Shooter, you three are strong enough to bring him in alive and make him pay for the crimes he has committed. Shooter has soiled your hands enough; his blood isn't worthy enough to stain."