On that fateful morning, Megumi's eyes snapped open before her alarm even rang. She didn't bother to check her phone for the time. Instead, she just chose to lay in bed, staring up at the ceiling and drowning in her thoughts.

Doing an internship with the Endeavor Hero Agency was an experience. Megumi wasn't quite sure if it was a good one or a bad one yet. Maybe she would change her mind in the end, but things were currently leaning on the bad side of the things. But the experience...the experience would be worth it.

Probably.

The first day of hero patrol had gone by without an incident. Megumi and Todoroki had been watching from the sidelines, just watching as Endeavor worked alongside his sidekicks to catch some small-time villains. She had to grudgingly admit that Endeavor was a pretty powerful hero; in how he worked and in how he fought. No wonder he was the number two hero. 

His relationship with Todoroki was strange though. Megumi had picked up on a strange undercurrent between the pro-hero and his son. Some terms that Endeavor had mentioned around his soon were very weird. Masterpiece. Best creation. Like Todoroki was just a thing. Like there was nothing to him beyond his quirk. (which was not true)

Todoroki probably didn't get along with his father if that's what Endeavor referred to him as. But seeing as he was here for the internship too, they just had to deal with the pro-hero.

Megumi couldn't wait to see what she was going to learn tonight. 

Looking back, Megumi should have manifested having an easy day with no villain attacks, but life never worked like that. The city of Hosu was under attack. And not just by a bunch of random villains, but by the same creatures that had attacked class 1A at USJ. 

Nomu. But instead of just one, there were three of them. They were attacking in the middle of a populated city, with people trying to evacuate from the danger and the chaos at the same time. Which meant the level of danger was greatly elevated. 

"Shoto, there's trouble! Follow me!" Endeavor was yelling, having forgotten once again that it was not just his kid that was with him. "I'll show you what it means to be a hero!"

Megumi wondered how many times it would happen. But at the moment, she couldn't really care. They were here to help the people of Hosu City and protect them. She ran alongside Todoroki, following Endeavor as they ran to the site of danger. It was right then both Todoroki and her phone simultaneously buzzed. 

Megumi immediately took her phone out of her pocket and opened it immediately. It was a text message from Midoriya. There was no text, no image, nothing. Just a location marker. 

"It's just his location," Todoroki mumbled, coming to a stop. Megumi stopped beside him, peering over his shoulder to see the same location marker on his phone. Endeavor was yelling out Todoroki's name, but he ignored his father. 

Todoroki looked at Megumi and with a single shared glance, conveyed everything he wanted to say. She nodded, immediately understanding him. They both turned on their feet and started running the way they had come from. 

"Where are you going, Shoto?!" Endeavor sounded agitated and annoyed.

"An alleyway at 4-2-10 Ekou Street. If you finish what you're doing or find any free pros, send them there," Todoroki said as he continued running. "I am leaving you to take care of the trouble. I'm sure you'll be able to resolve it quickly. My friend might be in trouble..."

The last part was a trailed-off whisper, spoken low enough that only Megumi heard it. 

"Sorry, Endeavor-san, but we really have to go," Megumi turned her slightly, looking back at the pro-hero. He looked strangely shocked, but somehow, he just let them go.

*

Even in the destruction and the chaos that had spread across the city, it wasn't too hard to locate the alleyway. It was all thanks to Midoriya's location marker message. Megumi and Todoroki didn't make any unnecessary conversation, only focusing on getting to their destination. 

The duo made it to the alleyway just in time, releasing powerful attacks with the intention of stopping the Hero Killer. Todoroki shot a blast of his flames and Megumi used her Flame Laser. The alleyway lit up temporarily as Stain dodged their attacks. 

"One after another," The Hero Killer growled. "There are a lot of people getting in my way today."

"Midoriya," Todoroki raised his phone, with the location marker message still blinking. "You need to give more details in times like this. You almost made us late."

"I am so glad we found you in time," Megumi added, her fists surrounded by swirling white flames. She was ready to attack and defend at a moment's notice. 

"Todoroki-kun, Okumura-san, you both-?" Iida looked very shocked like he couldn't believe what was going on. He was injured too, bleeding from his shoulder. He was on the ground, looking like he was unable to move. There was another pro-hero there, who looked as injured as Iida, if not more. Native was his name if Megumi remembered correctly.

"Why?" Midoriya murmured, in shock as well. "And you're using your left side too..."

"Why? That should be my line," Todoroki answered. "It took Okumura and I a few seconds to figure out what you meant since you just sent your location info. You're not really one to send that for no reason."  Ice had started to gather around his feet as he prepared to attack Stain.

"That's how we figured out that something may be wrong and immediately came here," Megumi let her flames spread across both her arms, feeling their power dancing on her fingertips.

Todoroki used an ice attack, freezing the ground all the way till the ice reached Stain. But he jumped out of the way. Megumi shot a blast of flames towards him, melting some of the ice as she did so, and yet the Hero Killer. The flames just brushed past his feet.

"Don't worry. The pros will also get here in a few minutes," Todoroki launched an ice and fire attack simultaneously. In the short time since the Sports Festival, he had already improved so much. With the glacier formed by his attack, he pulled Midoriya and Native to safety.

Using her Flame Wings, Megumi leapt into the air and sent a blast of white flames towards Stain before landing back on her feet, next to Todoroki. "We won't let you hurt our friends, Hero Killer."

"Todoroki-kun, Okumura-san! Don't let this guy get your blood!" Midoriya yelled. "I think he controls his opponents' actions by ingesting their blood orally. That's how he got all of us!"

"He sucks blood to keep people from moving. That's why he uses blades, huh?" Todoroki said, preparing to attack. "I can keep my distance and-"

Every single nerve in Megumi's body suddenly screamed danger. Before she or Todoroki could even react, Stain had thrown a dagger at them. The dagger sliced open Todoroki's cheek and the boy let out a surprised gasp.

"You have good friends, Ingenium!" Stain yelled, getting ready for another attack.

Megumi raised her hands, creating a wall of fire in front of them and making sure to summon all her strength in order to ensure that they were all well-protected against Stain's attack. It was then she realised that strange feeling of danger from earlier hadn't disappeared. She looked up at the sky, only to see a falling sword.

"A katana?!" Todoroki said. "He threw it the same time as the knife-"

"Todoroki, watch out!" Megumi yelled, just as Stain got close to them. She jumped out of the way, blasting him with fire, just as Todoroki did the same.

Todoroki created walls upon walls of ice and Stain cut through them all with freakish speed. Megumi attacked with continuous fiery blasts and the Hero Killer dodged them all. His reaction time was crazy good. 

"God damn it, he's persistent," She cursed, as she dodged a dagger throw.

It was then Iida, injured, hurt, Iida spoke. He carried so much anger and pain in his voice. "Why are you three...why...please stop! I've inherited my brother's name. I have to do it...that guy's mine!"

"You inherited it?" Todoroki stated as he kept on a persistent blast of fire towards Stain, followed by many icy glaciers.  But the Hero Killer was dodging all attacks. He was quick on his feet and that made him all the more deadly. "That's strange. The Ingenium I saw before didn't have that look on his face, though. You've got a lot going on behind the scenes in your family, too, huh?"

'Oh, there's some family drama here, isn't it?' Megumi thought. Given Endeavor's attitude, Todoroki probably had experience with family drama and family-related issues. But those were words that Iida needed to hear. 

Once more, Stain cut through Todoroki's ice like it was nothing. He leapt into the air, blades ready to attack. "Blocking your view against an opponent faster than you? What a foolish plan."

"It's not-" Megumi was barely able to get the words out before Stain threw knives at them. Two of them stabbed Todoroki's left arm, and the other one hit her right arm.

"Shit!" Megumi cursed. The pain was sharp and stung badly, but with the adrenaline running through her veins, she could barely feel a thing. 

"You're both pretty good too," Stain leapt into the air again, sword raised above his head and ready to attack. 

Right then, Midoriya leapt into the air and charged at Stain. He pulled the Hero Killer by his neck, dragging him against the buildings that created the alleyway.

"Midoriya!" Todoroki yelled. 

"I can move normally for some reason now!" Midoriya yelled, continuing to drag the Hero Killer.

"There's a time limit?!" Megumi said, clutching her injured arm. The cut was starting to hurt, but she forced herself to focus on the battle.

The pro-hero Native, still struggling to move, spoke with pain, "No, that kid should have been the last one he got. I can't move yet."

It was right at that point Stain punched Midoriya, sending him crashing to the ground, before landing right behind him. 

"Get back, Midoriya!" Todoroki yelled, before blasting the Hero Killer with another powerful ice attack. Midoriya jumped out of the way, getting back to where Todoroki and Megumi were standing.

T coughed, trying to catch his breath. "He takes in a person's blood to keep them from moving. Since I got free first, I can think of three possible reasons. It could be less effective with more people, the amount ingested could affect how long it works or there could be a difference in effectiveness based on a person's blood type!"

"Blood type..?" Native mumbled. "Mine's B..."

"I'm type A," Iida said with pain filling his voice.

"Blood type?" The smile on the Hero Killer's face was dark and vicious. "That's correct."

"I can't really do anything just by knowing his quirk," Midoriya stated.

"I want to work fast and get them out of here," Todoroki motioned towards the injured Iida and Native. "But he can react so fast, he can avoid ice and fire."

"Even if I use Flame Wings, he's able to dodge my attacks too. He's good at reacting in the air," Megumi added. "I can't risk using my wings because they're draining and I'll be completely useless in this fight."

"We're gonna leave ourselves open if we just rush in," Todoroki continued. "I think our best option is to hold on by avoiding close combat until the pros get here."

"Todoroki-kun, you've already shed too much blood," Midoriya stated, with urgency and worry in his voice. He activated his quirk, looking much different from what it usually was "I'll distract him, so you support me from behind. Okumura-san can protect Iida-kun and Native!"

"The three of us will protect them!" Megumi stated confidently.

They launched their attack, with Midoriya leaping through the air like a green blur, Todoroki using his fire and ice and Megumi standing in front of the two injured heroes. But the Hero Killer was still faster than them. One slash of his sword cut through Midoriya's leg and the green-haired boy fell against the wall, paralysed once again. Todoroki attacked the Hero Killer with his fire and Megumi copied him, using flames of her own.

"Please stop..." Iida had tears in his eyes as he spoke, pleading, begging almost. "I'm...already..."

"If you want us to stop, then stand up!" Todoroki yelled out, with more emotion than Megumi had ever heard out of him. 

Stain's attacks were now focused on Todoroki and Megumi, his movements angrier and faster than before. And as though Megumi hadn't already been surprised by Todoroki, his next sentence surprised her even more.

"Look properly at what you want to be!" He yelled, summoning powerful flames, the heat of which she could feel even though her quirk made her powerful. Those words were a good motivator to keep on fighting and not give up.

They were all heroes after all. And tonight they would be the best and the bravest.

hello hello! like most of my fics, this story has sort of been on the backburner, what with how crazy 2022 has been, but the stain arc is one of my favourites in the anime/manga and i really loved writing these scenes. and also, i have some todoroki and megumi moments planned during this arc which will develop their friendship more hehe

till then, i hope you enjoyed this chapter! let me know your thoughts in the comments!