"Hey, hey, have you really kissed guys to death?"

"Yes."

"What about girls?"

"I-"

"Toga, don't you have something better to do?" Dabi yawned and crossed his legs as he got comfortable on the couch; Toga was bouncing on the arm rest, her eyes glued to Kaho's impassively polite face.

"I'm just being friendly." Toga pouted playfully. "You should try it sometime."

"Pass."

Kaho kept her hands in her lap; she wished she could wear her mask. Everyone was eyeing her like some rare specimen. "I don't see why they're so curious or even why I have to be formally introduced."

"What's with the scales? You get the rest peeled off?" Spinner guffawed as he sharpened his blade diligently.

"No. What's the with the Stain cosplay?"

"This is my costume! I have devoted myself to Stain's ideals, and-"

"Okay, we've heard! I haven't! Yes we have, we already-"

Dabi sighed as Twice went off on a rant of mumbles and exclamations in his own corner; Toga giggled as Kaho blinked and seemed to try to make sense of Twice's ramblings.

"I'm surprised. Shigaraki doesn't seem that partial to Stain, but it looks like a good chunk of the League are fans." Kaho commented. "It makes me wonder if you all have the same goal in mind."

"You could say that." Dabi replied, his sunken in eyes regarding her with apathy and he offered no more explanation.

Kaho looked to Toga. "Are you really in high school? I imagine it would be hard to keep up with school work with your...extracurricular activities."

"Oh you think so? I stopped wasting time there a while ago, but I'm having the time of my life here; maybe I'll even get to see Deku soon..." Toga smiled and batted her eyes. "I want to see him carved up again…"

"Deku? What kind of name is that?"

"It's the codename of one of those U. A. students." Spinner offered. "Shigaraki is keeping an eye on him, among others that seem close to All Might; he was the kid Stain judged to live up to the standards of a real hero, so if possible, I wouldn't mind also leaving him alive."

"These people are actually more warped than me. At least I don't get my kicks from shooting people in the head...usually."

"Dragon Lady, can we know your name now since you're one of us?" Toga asked sweetly.

"I guess at this point it doesn't really matter. It's Kaho Ryu. Feel free to call me whatever you like, as long as we're not in public or in a place likely to be monitored." Kaho told her.

"Kaho-chan! That's cute! Hey, so what's it like kissing to death? Do you pull back as soon as they're on fire, or do you wait until they've melted?"

"Normally I just shoot them. It's cleaner."

Dabi slid his eyes to her. "What are you doing here?"

"Shigaraki hired me to be his bodyguard." Kaho answered simply; she could have sworn they already knew that though.

"So you're just here for money then." Dabi's dull tone reflected a hint of dismissal.

"Yes."

"Well you can't be counted on."

"Why would you say that?"

Dabi scoffed softly. "People like you who only care about money and your own gains...you have no loyalties to anyone but yourselves."

"I have a loyalty to Shigaraki. And you, if he tells me to help you as well." Kaho said. "You can count on me. As long as I get paid. Besides, aren't you all here to get something you want? Well, I want money."

"I want to sleep-no, it's only the middle of the day!" Twice smacked his cheeks. "But I'm tiiiired! We have to stay here for the meeting!"

"...he might want some therapy." Kaho turned back to Toga, seeing as how she seemed to be the easiest to talk to and get answers from. "Where is Shigaraki? He told me one of my duties is to stay by him, but when I arrived Kurogiri told me to go to this room."

"I'm not sure. I think he's getting freshened up." Toga giggled.

Kaho was about to ask what was so funny, but her phone began to ring. "What the…? Oh. Excuse me, is it alright if I go outside the room to take this?"

"Who do you need to talk to in private?" Dabi asked, making it very plain he was suspicious.

"It's one of my clients. Confidentiality is an issue with my work, so forgive me if I don't give their name out; can I take this? I should let my clients know I can't take jobs from them as of now."

"Fine, but don't do a disappearing act on us Dragon Lady, or you'll regret it." Mr. Compress told her. "You have your reasons for being here, but we need to make sure you won't run off and betray us before you even began your duties."

"Yes, I understand. I'll just be outside, please excuse me."

Kaho shut the door behind her and walked a few paces to the side; she had missed the first call from Ryoto, but now he was calling a second time.

"Kaho?"

"Hey, what's up? Did you get the rent-"

"Where are you?"

Kaho paused. "I'm on break. I only have a few minutes-"

"Granny Mei said you moved. Why didn't you tell me?"

"Granny said she would tell you; I only had so much time to relocate."

"How long are you going to be gone?"

Kaho leaned back against the wall and swallowed; Ryoto's voice was hard and quivering.

"I'm living here now. Look Ryoto, I'm sorry this was sudden, but this really isn't a good time, I have to-"

"It's never a good time."

Kaho recoiled and turned the volume down on the phone.

"Are you ever coming back?"

"When I have the time."

"So never."

"That's not fair."

"You're not fair!" As childish as it sounded, Ryoto's reasoning wasn't. "You're never around and now you just leave us? You said you would try to visit soon, you promised, you said you-"

"Ryoto, that's enough. Do you know how the world works? Do you realize everything costs something? Granny can't manage it alone, and last time I checked you're a decade off being able to work a stable job. What do you expect? For me to just drop everything? To let you starve? Do you think I enjoy-?"

Kaho stopped; the other line went dead. She turned off her phone with a resigned sigh and put it in her pocket. Ryoto had never hung up on her before.

She felt angry. It wasn't fair, but what did Ryoto really know about it? Him who always had her looking out for him, who because of her sacrifices was able to live peacefully as he did. He should be grateful for all she did, should be thanking her, not throwing tantrums because she worked so hard and couldn't always visit.

Kaho chuckled humorlessly. "Who am I kidding? I know exactly what I'm doing...but if it keeps him safe…"

She wiped the corners of her eyes swiftly and took a deep breath to gather her nerves.

"…what a poor excuse I am for a sister." Kaho smiled wryly. "Maybe I do belong in a place like this."

Shigaraki had actually wanted to go with her to sell her story about moving in with him, but she decided the best course of action was through a phone call. She suspected his motives were to make certain she would not back out of the deal.

Kaho went back inside the room just in time to see a portal open behind the bar and Shigaraki step out of it; their eyes met and even with the hand plastered to his face, she could see his wide leering grin.

"There you are Miss Dragon. I'm sorry if I kept you waiting, I was taking care of a few things. There's been a recent upset with a-what did you call him Mr. Compress? A relic."

Kaho frowned and looked to Mr. Compress. "A relic?"

"Something like that. You see Dragon Lady, I've sustained some damage from a very dangerous fool." Mr. Compress' tone went considerably dark. "In addition, one of our own has been lost."

Kaho immediately felt the change in the room; Toga's smile dropped and Twice's ramblings ceased as he turned his attention to the group. Even Dabi and Spinner had sour faced expressions at the mention.

"Oh. I'm sorry." Kaho replied. "What do you mean a relic?"

"Have you ever heard of the yakuza Miss Dragon?"

Kaho nodded and Shigaraki's solemn look lightened up a fraction.

"Not bad for someone who never went to school."

"I can read a bit at the very least." Kaho countered with a wry smile. "But yes, I know of them. I was hired once a few years back actually, those types tend to keep their dealings discreet, so they like using people like me who are under the radar."

Kaho felt the mood shift once more; Shigaraki's eyes narrowed and he was looking at her strangely.

"What's wrong?"

"Dragon Lady, you said you got hired by one?" Spinner spoke up before anyone had a chance. "You mean for a hit?"

"Sure. It was a pretty easy job, but the result was messy. My target was resilient if nothing else." Kaho recalled. "He had this Quirk where he used his blood to-well, shoot bullets."

"Blood?! Tell me more!" Toga nearly pushed Kaho off her seat in her haste to sit next to her.

"Um, well he was able to hardened liquids; he would use his own blood as a last resort, but the impact was lethal. And by the end of it, the place I had him cornered was smeared in blood and guts."

"Guts?"

"I burned a hole through his stomach. I kept trying to close the wounds he would make with my fire so he wouldn't get anymore access. Then I decided it'd just be easier to burn him alive." Kaho said. "Apparently he was making some waves for this group, being real disrespectful, but the yakuza didn't want to get his hands dirty. But I was paid a decent sum, so I didn't mind."

"What was his name?"

Kaho shrugged. "I don't know, he wouldn't say."

Shigaraki stared at her.

"Is something the matter?"

"Dragon Lady, what did this yakuza look like?"

"I don't know. He had on a plague doctor mask."

Shigaraki was so fast, Kaho hardly processed it when he showed up in front of her, his profile a looming shadow.

"You took a job from that gangster trash?"

"I'm guessing you're all familiar with him." Kaho stated as she scanned them room; their silence said everything.

"You worked for him."

"So? Shigaraki, I take jobs from anyone who has the money, relics or otherwise." Kaho was beginning to lose her patience. "At any rate, this was years ago, and it was just one contract; you act as if I went to dinner with the guy."

"I couldn't care less." Shigaraki spat. "But make no mistake, you won't be taking jobs from him or anyone else. Your only duty is to me. Got it?"

Kaho averted her eyes. "You need to stop blurting out things when you're angry. You'll give people the wrong idea."

Shigaraki looked down at Toga. "Move. I'm sitting there."

Toga's smile faltered just barely; not that she would refuse, she did jump up and sit near Twice by the bar counter instead, but she was a bit surprised. He never sat next to anyone.

Shigaraki plopped down beside to Kaho as casually as he could; he wondered if she noticed their thighs were touching slightly.

"And don't give me that lazy look. You're supposed to be on alert."

"I am. Shigaraki, could you please scoot over? I don't think this seat isn't even big enough for two people."

"Deal with it. Now tell me, what do you know about that Overhaul bastard?"

"Nothing." Kaho replied. "He wanted me to kill this guy and I did; he sent me the money through one of his subordinates. I only ever met him once for him to pass on the details of the target, and that was in a building marked to get torn down. He was very careful and methodical about the whole deal….and…"

"What?"

Kaho crossed her legs and looked contemplative. "He was odd."

"Odd?" Dabi was the one to speak up.

"Yes...I only ever read about yakuza, but to meet one of them was something else. And...well, he made chills go up my spine honestly. If he wanted to, I have no doubt he would have completed the job himself; suppose it was too insignificant to bother with personally. How he carried himself, how seriously he took the name of his syndicate. It was admirable, for someone who's basically part of a dying breed, how much pride he still had." Kaho frowned. "So what does he want with you guys?"

"He wanted us to be his underlings." Spinner scoffed. "As if I'd ever do anything for that despicable criminal."

"He killed Magne...we have to get him back!" Twice exclaimed and Toga nodded furiously, her eyes shining with a cold glint at the prospect. "Shigaraki came up with a plan for us to infiltrate-"

"Hold on. Is it wise to be talking about this in front of her?"

Kaho turned to Dabi. "You don't have to let me in on the details if you feel uneasy, just as long as it's not on a need to know basis that would affect my work. I'm only here to protect Shigaraki."

Shigaraki was glad his hand was covering his face. "Miss Dragon, I'm happy you understand that. You'll be close by me until things settle down; this yakuza guy is bad news, so we need to stick together, yeah? We'll let Toga and Twice carry out their part of the plan, and once they're successful, we come in. We'll get our revenge."

"Whatever you say." Kaho told him with a half smile. "Hm, I'm surprised. That's awfully considerate to give them a chance to get back at Overhaul for what he did."

"You think so?" Shigaraki rasped, but it was evident he was pleased at her offhand comment.

"Yeah. He's fighting a losing battle if you ask me."

"Exactly."

The tension that had filled the room almost seemed to lift before Shigaraki placed a hand on Kaho's hair for what couldn't have been longer than three seconds.

"I bet you're glad to be with me instead of that nobody, right Miss Dragon?"

Kaho sighed and scratched her scales. "Come on, I thought I was just supposed to be extra muscle, not play twenty questions."

"I would hope you don't prefer to work for his sort. If that was true, I might just call off the plan and go after him myself. But you wouldn't want to indirectly put me in needless danger, would you?"

"I'm working for you now, aren't I?" Kaho wondered if Shigaraki would always be so demanding when he thought her attentions were elsewhere. "I am not getting paid enough for this."

Dabi watched her from the corner of his eyes.