Bakugo took a deep gulp of his water, the cool liquid momentarily soothing his dry throat. As he rubbed his wrist, his fingers tracing the veins beneath his skin, he pointed sharply to the photo displayed on the bulletin board. "That man." His voice was tense, eyes fixed on the image of a younger Tsuki lying on the ground, blood pooling around her limbs, as a man in a dark suit hovered ominously above her. "He's my prime suspect."
He sat up abruptly, the chair creaking under his sudden movement. "I could name every single person on the board and give you great details." His frustration was evident as he paused, fists clenching at his sides. "Except him."
Bakugo's gaze shifted to Tsukauchi, his expression softening slightly despite the intensity in his eyes. "I have no idea who he is or what significance he has to Tsuki's life." He then turned to AllMight, gesturing toward the bloodstained arms in the photo. "Her arms are bleeding in that photo."
He leaned back, crossing his arms defensively as he continued. "When she uses her curse, her nails get longer and she slices open her skin." His voice lowered, filled with a mix of awe and fear. "The amount of blood doesn't affect the nature of blood bending itself; the amount of blood she bleeds affects her strength. She could get a measly paper cut and bend your blood to make you snap your own neck."
Bakugo shut his eyes briefly, taking a shaky breath as he folded his arms tighter. "She's that powerful." He inhaled deeply, glancing once more at the bulletin board. "The fact that there's a chance that someone took her ... against her will ..." His gaze darkened, the room seeming to close in around him. "This is the worst possible scenario."
Tsukauchi scribbled notes rapidly, his pen scratching against the paper with urgency. He swallowed hard, meeting Bakugo's intense stare. "Toshinori," he began, his voice steady despite the gravity of the situation. AllMight looked over at him, standing tall and composed as always. "This information ..." Tsukauchi paused, glancing back at Bakugo. "Is beyond helpful." He looked over at a man typing the conversation into a computer. "Did you get everything?"
The man nodded stiffly. "Yes."
Bakugo's eyes never left the photos, the weight of the situation pressing down on him.
"I'm worried," Bakugo admitted, his hands nervously fiddling with his fists. "She's more than powerful. When she's under her curse, the effects make her act out of character. She loses herself; that's the curse—the curse of the god of the red moon."
"God of the red moon?" Tsukauchi repeated, his curiosity piqued. "The moon?"
Bakugo nodded solemnly. "The quirk was stolen by All for One from a shrine. Because of the nature the curse was taken, it became cursed. All for One wanted to test it out, so he used Tsuki as a trial and error." He continued, his voice tinged with bitterness. "She was so young, and she had just lost her mother, so she was emotionally vulnerable." He sat up straighter, eyes blazing with determination. "He tried to use her." Bakugo glanced at the clock on the wall. "The more she uses her curse, All for One could feel it. He tends to contact her and attempts various manipulation tactics."
"Like the school incident last week," Principal Nezu finished, his tone serious.
Bakugo nodded sharply. "What's the date?" He looked around the room, urgency evident in his voice.
"March 12th," an officer stated firmly.
"Two days until a full moon," Bakugo commented, his mind racing. He placed his hands on his chin, fingers pressing against his cheek thoughtfully. "We have to hurry."
Tsukauchi turned his head from his notepad toward Bakugo, concern etched on his face. "What does a full moon mean?" he asked. "Does it relate to the red moon curse?"
Bakugo nodded gravely. "A full moon means she doesn't have to injure herself to use her curse." His gaze darkened further, the seriousness in his eyes unwavering. "If the wrong person gets a hold of her mind to use her curse, mass genocide could happen." He paused, his voice dropping to a dangerous whisper. "She can hear heartbeats, so I'm guessing she has a radius." He sat back, eyes fixed on the ceiling. "I'd guess it's probably around five miles." He thought aloud, "Maybe larger; she gets regular migraines from that overwhelming noise and crap ..." He shook his head, frustration bubbling over. "Maybe even further—honestly, I've only seen her use her quirk in specific situations. It could have other crap I'm not even aware of." He laughed bitterly, shaking his head in disbelief. "She's practically unstoppable. If she's being used, we're cooked." He rested his face in his hands, exhaustion and worry etched across his features.
A heavy silence filled the room for a long moment, the gravity of Bakugo's revelations hanging in the air.
"We have to save her," AllMight whispered. "The essence of heroism is at full play here ..."
Bakugo sat up slowly, inhaling deeply as he tried to steady his racing heart. "Well, that part's obvious." He stood abruptly, determination hardening his stance. "Finding people who are willing to help is the issue."
"There are plenty of heroes—"
"She's a criminal by law," he interjected, glaring at Tsukauchi. "The news of her fight with those bastards at the school will get out, and everyone will be talking about it. I don't know how urgent heroes will be to help someone without understanding the full scale of her situation." He crossed his arms over his chest, frustration evident in his tone.
"It was confidential," Principal Nezu responded firmly. "Myself, the teachers, the students involved, and eyewitnesses are under a tight NDA." He smiled reassuringly at Bakugo. "That situation is safe with the school."
Bakugo's eyes narrowed as he glanced toward the door. "I'd like to see all the information you've gathered, though." He approached the officer who had initially hauled him into the building. "We need a plan." He stood over Tsukauchi's shoulder, his voice urgent. "We'll have to get it down before sunset on the 14th."
"Two days?" an officer scoffed, skepticism clear in his voice. "This curse-ridden woman sounds like an S-tier villain, anyway. Isn't she working for All for One?" He shook his head, frustration evident. "This doesn't even make—"
"Shut the hell up," Bakugo spat, a vein in his neck bulging. "If you say another word, you'll never be able to use your mouth to eat again."
"This kid is crazy," another officer chimed in, disbelief coloring his tone. "I mean, seriously, we're going to let some high-school delinquent run an operation that could have half of Tokyo wiped out in the span of four hours?"
Tsukauchi groaned, placing his face in his palms in exasperation. "What other choice do we have?"
AllMight shook his head, his expression resolute. "Please refrain from speaking poorly about the student. I vouch for him, with my life." He crossed his arms over his chest, his gaze unwavering. "I have more than trust in Bakugo. If there's anyone who can help us save her, it's going to be him."
...
