Summer camp.
It was supposed to be a time of growth — of training hard, refining quirks, and bonding with classmates in a safe but challenging environment. Heroes in training had been itching for this moment, eager to push past their limits. The first few days had been everything they hoped for — Class 1-A trained side by side, with the Wild Wild Pussycats guiding them through intense exercises and one-on-one sessions tailored to individual strengths and weaknesses. The air was filled with the smells of outdoor cooking, laughter from shared stories around the fire, and the easy rhythm of camaraderie.

But something was wrong. Something lingered. A presence just beyond the tree line, hidden in the dense shadows of the forest. Watching. Waiting.

You were talking with Katsuki, arms crossed as you watched Mr. Aizawa quietly pull aside a few of your classmates — giggling at the sight. The mood lightened as Pixie-Bob and Ragdoll began enthusiastically explaining the night’s event: the Test of Courage.

The rules were simple enough. The forest would be the setting — dark, eerie, and alive with the chirping of nocturnal insects. Class 1-B would play the role of the “scarers,” hiding throughout the forest to frighten members of Class 1-A, who were to make their way through the woods and find cards with their names on them to prove they completed the trial. The class that scared the most students would be declared the winner.

Katsuki, with his usual scowl, was paired with Fumikage. You were matched with Ochako, whose nervous smile mirrored your own unease. The two of you clung to each other as you ventured deeper into the trees, flashlights flickering, adrenaline rising. The deeper you went, the thicker the darkness felt — not just around you, but within you. The fear of being scared was worse than the scares themselves. You scanned the underbrush for the name cards, whispering reassurances to each other, unaware that Katsuki and Fumikage had wandered too far and were now completely separated from the path…

Everything had been going well. Until it wasn’t.

It started with a crash — loud, jarring, and echoing from the direction of the hill where Izuku had gone. The sky lit up in hues of unnatural blue as flames tore through the forest canopy, embers raining down like falling stars. Panic erupted.

Before you could process it, you and Ochako were ambushed by Himiko Toga — her twisted smile flashing in the darkness, blade glinting with malicious intent. Your training kicked in, barely managing to fight her off long enough to escape. Heart racing, hands shaking, you found Katsuki again. Relief flooded you… until it turned to horror.

You watched — paralyzed — as a figure stepped through the flames. Tall. Calm. Smiling.
Dabi.

He grabbed Katsuki by the throat, lifting him effortlessly. You screamed his name, bolting toward them, hand outstretched, your heart shattering with every step. But you were too late. The villains vanished into the smoke and ash, and Katsuki was gone. Kidnapped.

The space was dim and stifling. A rundown bar — walls of crumbling brick, the ceiling low and cracked, everything coated in a layer of dust and decay. The smell of stale alcohol and smoke filled the air. Scattered around the room were villains of all shapes and sizes, each more unsettling than the last. They said nothing, only watched.

Katsuki sat bound to a chair, shoulders tense, blood crusting over a cut above his eyebrow. His wrists were secured behind his back with quirk-resistant cuffs, rendering his explosions useless. Every breath he took was through clenched teeth, every glance calculated. His mind raced. How long had he been here? How long would it take for someone to find him? 
He knew his classmates — you — wouldn’t rest until he was brought back. But until then, he was alone. Trapped. And the villains? They were just getting started.