"Huh? Watch where you're walking, wimp_"

"Please, save me!"

Mameko clutched the surprised Dabi's shoulders and glanced back at Luca and Shon, who were fast approaching. Terrified, she hid behind Dabi's tall figure and peeped from behind his back at the pursuers. 

"Get off our way, you rotten eyesore!" 

Luca buzzed up with electricity around his body, ready to charge at Dabi. If before the young villain was confused, now he regained his calmness and raised his hand towards the attackers.

"It is you who's in my way."

Blue flames emerged from Dabi's hand and blasted both Luca and Shon. 

"Luca, dodge!"

Shon covered his young friend and wanted to deflect the flame attack with his stone skin when Dabi felt a soft palm touch his burnt hand. The strange pink-haired midget that had been hiding behind his back yelled in a courageous voice:

"Impact: Impulse!"

Dabi felt some great energy surge within his hand, sent by the girl. The power of his blue flames increased ten-fold and burned the stone skin of Shon, also reaching Luca behind him. However, unlike in usual times, it didn't really hurt Dabi - it was as if his very skin too, had grown sturdier due to the girl's touch.

"Ah!"

Luca and Shon, who had been burnt quite a bit, decided it was the appropriate time to retreat. They scampered away as fast as they could, vanishing from view. Once they were gone, Dabi turned to the pink-haired girl:

"Get off me, you pest!"

He shoved her off and dropped her to the ground. Mameko stood with quite some difficulty and rubbed her aching bottom. Then, noticing the young man was walking away, she started and rushed after him:

"Wait up!"

She grabbed his arm. Dabi glared back at her with his blue-fire fist ready:

"I told you to get lost!"

"Ah, wait, wait!" Mameko let him go in an instant, afraid he might strike harder now. "It's just... I'm already lost! My phone battery's dead and I don't know how to get out of here!"

"That's not my problem."

Dabi wanted to walk off again when the soft fingers clutched his coat:

"Please, don't leave me!" Tears gushed from the little maiden's big blue eyes. "I'll surely get killed by some ferocious villains here! I'm from a foreign country. I don't want to die abroad like this! Please... Just take me to the main road and I'll find my way on my own, after that! I beg you!"

Dabi watched her weep for some moments, then rolled his eyes and walked off.

"Come along!"

Mameko brightened up and ran after him. She heaved a sigh of relief:

"Ah, thank you!"

Dabi didn't respond to her gratitude. He walked in silence, with his hands in his pockets. Mameko followed him, with a shy smile on her face.

"Also, thank you for saving me back there."

"Who were those bastards, anyway?"

"Hehe, they're pro-heroes from my country." Momo scratched the back of her head. "Can't believe they've tailed me all the way here... Ugh, that's what you get for being a villain's daughter..."

"A villain's daughter?" 

"Whoops, it came out loud?" Mameko blushed. "Yeah... I'm pro-villain Crimson Bombarder's daughter_"

"Crimson Bombarder?" Dabi halted and looked at her much in stupor and bewilderment, "For real?"

"Huh? You know him?" Mameko grew no less surprised, "I thought he'd been forgotten."

"Nah, such legends don't get forgotten." Dabi resumed his pace. "Crimson Bombarder was one of the best villains out there. I share his viewpoint in many ways. He and Hero-Killer Stain had much in common. Their convictions were nearly the same."

"Yeah, they both have been vigilantes one time, so that's no surprise," Mameko agreed. "So, you say you like my dad's code of conduct?"

"I live by those ideals." A faint smile ran through Dabi's lips. "Meeting Crimson Bombarder's daughter is truly a pleasant occasion." He bowed: "I go by the name Dabi."

"Momo Mameko. It's a pleasure!" Momo bowed back much in joy. "Hehe, I'm glad to meet you too, actually. You're from the League of Villains, right? I've seen you a lot on TV."

"Heh, I'm getting popular?" Dabi chuckled. "Yeah, I am a part of that organization... But why would you want to meet a villain?"

"Well, my dad's a villain, so I've been brought up in villainous society since my eight years." Mameko grinned. "And then, you gave me an inspiration for one of my characters in my new story."

"Oh? You write stories?"

"Yup, I'm a writer. Here's the book I'm talking about." Mameko took a copy of her book out of her school-bag. Dabi's eyes couldn't miss some U.A. manuals lying there inside. "This is the first volume. The character you've inspired appears in the second volume I'm currently writing. I want it to be a trilogy."

"Oh?" Dabi grabbed the book and glanced at its cover. "Bombarder: The Heroic Path of a Villain. Interesting name... You seem to share your father's ideas too, huh?"

"Yeah, I live by them." Mameko blushed. "In that book, I wished to expose the true colours of the corrupted hero society."

"Heh, fascinating..." Dabi unfolded the book and began running through the lines. Then he glanced back at Mameko: "May I read it?"

"Oh, sure! You can have that copy if you want." Mameko brightened once she heard that he wanted to give her book a try. "I've got a lot more at home."

"Oh, thanks... So, may I ask - what have you come to Japan for?"

"For studies. I've participated in an exchange program."

"Studies?" A smile ran through Dabi's lips. "So, truly a U.A. student, eh?"