Hello! Another two weeks and another update for you folks!

I realised as I edited this chapter that I have been using Knight Eye for the character Nighteye, BUT I am not going to change that now. For one thing, internal consistency smooths a lot of issues I find. And secondly, due to the Chess imagery around him etc. I have NO IDEA why his name would be Nighteye as opposed to Knight Eye so... that's a thing. Sorry not sorry.

As ever, we're heading towards the end of the currently available anime (ish), and so I may be starting to bring in canon content from the manga as I continue to read it sloooowly myself, I dunno when or where, but hey ho you've been warned again folks. ENJOY!

IZUKU POV

Focus. Focus. Focus!

It's no use. No matter what I do, my mind keeps slipping back. Pale hair, shining eyes full of fear, tiny hands gripping hero costume. Over and over. It's been a week since my patrol with Mirio. Since we bumped into that little girl with Chisaki. Her face. It keeps popping up, her voice begging to be safe keeps whispering at me. I can't stop thinking about it. She held so tight. She was so scared. What were the bandages for? How had they been hurting her? Why had they been hurting her? How did Chisaki have so much control over her that she ran back into his control? I know he said 'daughter', but it didn't feel right. It felt like a lie.

Dammit.

Dammit, I can't stop.

Apart from the noise in my head, this mess is also getting in the way of my school work. Nothing's sticking. Nothing's working. I think my classmates and teachers are getting impatient with me, but I can't say anything about what's happened. Maybe I should talk to Alex. She might understand. She can also keep a secret. Or I can be vague. Really vague. Surely she'd understand the need for secrecy. She might empathise with the girl though, maybe she'd end up angry with me over this? Furious that I abandoned someone to that kind of fate. Will she hate me? Will she slap me and demand to know where it was, tearing out of the building to go find the girl herself? Maybe. It's not that much of a stretch, it's Alex after all. She's a real Hero.

I peer across the classroom.

I have to admit though, she has been weird for the past week. Right now, when she'd usually be sat upright, maybe doodling in her workbook or twirling her hair as she studied the courtyard, instead she's lounging, pushing her seat back and blowing bubbles with gum. I didn't know she liked gum. She's been odd this whole week, even beyond her posture. She's hovered near me in the mornings and I'm sure she's been pushing to be on my team for training sessions. She also hasn't been using her quirk, claiming her back as too sore. But she's moving fine. There's no sign of back pain at all. I've wanted to ask why she's acting like this, but the words all always stall. Maybe she's hovering to ask about my Work Study. I know she hates missing out. I say she's been weird, but so have I. Maybe I'm seeing things that aren't even there right now. There's no way I can be certain. But she'd still listen, right? She'd probably tell me off for over-thinking. She'd want me to talk to her, to confide in her, she always seems happy to help. Or is she just being nice? I clench my hands and put my head against the desk.

Stop it.

She's your friend, she'd want to help.

The others are all talking about the fan sites. Seems like Kirishima, Tsu and Ochako are doing well at their Work Studies. They're making names for themselves. It's amazing. I can't say my own efforts have gathered that kind of attention yet, but really that's good. I feel like I'm making so many mistakes. Between failing to help that girl and generally failing to shine, I'm not exactly convincing Sir Knight Eye that I'm worthy of being All Might's successor. That goal… It feels so far away right now. Everything is such a mess.

We have some time before class actually starts, I'll see if I can talk to Alex now.

Just do it. Get up. Go talk to her.

Okay.

I go to her desk and tap her shoulder, she looks back uninterested, but as soon as she sees it's me, her face lights up. In fact, she looks ecstatic.

"Izuku!" She coos, hopping up from her chair and throwing her arms around me. She squeezes so tight I think she's gonna bruise me. I pat her back awkwardly, glancing around in case Todoroki is nearby and finds this questionable. He's at his desk, staring at his workbook. Either he hasn't seen, or is deciding not to. This is so awkward.

I laugh nervously. "Uh hey Alex, I was wondering if I could talk to you about something?"

"Of course, Zuku! Sit down, let's talk!"

She pushes me into a seat not being used and I shuffle closer, as I don't exactly want anyone overhearing. Her eyes study me. She leans forward on her desk, head in her hands, grinning. I have no idea what's gotten into her, but it's very strange. Maybe her pain medication is causing this? I'll ask Todoroki later. He might know more.

"So!" She sighs. "What did you wanna talk about, Sweetie?"

Sweetie?

I clear my throat. "Well, it's about my Work Study."

"Ooh, how's it going? Are you super psyched to be heroing on the streets? I bet you look amazing out there. Wish I could see it myself…"

"Uh… Well it's less that and more that things have happened whilst I'm on patrol and… Well I can't go into specifics, but I'm not sure how to deal with them. I feel like I'm just failing."

"Of course you're not failing! You're far too amazing to do that Zuku!"

"Uh thanks, but–"

"Those villains won't know what hit them!"

She's not really listening, is she? It's not like her to be so vague and… and it's like she'd say the same thing to anyone. She's not asked for further information or even for me to get to the point. Something isn't right with her.

"Are you… Feeling alright, Alex?"

She blinks and sits upright, like a switch just flipped in her brain.

She takes a long breath and rolls her eyes. "I'm acting weird, right?"

"A little…"

"Everyone around here is so interested in my mannerisms. Jeez!" She gets up and walks towards the door. "Back in a bit, need the toilet or whatever."

And then she's gone. Not another glance back, nothing.

This is too weird.

I go to Todoroki's desk. His eyes are fixed on the door, fingers fidgeting with his pen against a blank page of his workbook. Anger? Confusion? Worry? I'm not sure. I clear my throat and his eyes move to me. He's always hard to read, but there's an open concern there that I can't ignore. He knows something's up as well. Or maybe it's something they've had an argument about recently? I shouldn't pry. I feel my face get warm and I start making excuses before he raises a hand and gestures to the vacant seat by him. I perch.

"You've noticed it too, then?" He sighs, looking tired all of a sudden.

I nod. "Uh… Alex is acting a bit odd, yeah."

"Understatement."

"Did you two uhm… I don't wanna pry, it's your business, your relationship, but did you two–"

"I don't think an argument between us has caused this, no. Though it has led to arguments, this behaviour." He notes, frowning slightly. "I try asking her why she's acting so strange and then she walks away. It's very odd. Usually she's keen on communication, due to me being so bad at it." He blinks and then looks to the side. "Sorry, I rambled a bit there."

"N-No, it's fine!" I wave my hands. "I wanna help, she's my friend and so are you! I'm just glad I'm not imagining things."

He sighs again and shakes his head. "You're not. I asked her Father about it but he thinks it's just the back issues and the frustration over work studies. She has a tendency to shut herself away when she's uncertain. It's what he said anyway. He's going to talk to her about it more seriously if she's still acting like this at the end of the week."

I nod and look towards Mr Aizawa's empty desk. Really he'll know Alex better than anyone else, and he'll know when to push or not. She's in such a strange place, I guess. Not only is she powerful and talented, but she's being held back by her own body. I should talk to her more, but maybe once she's more open to actually listening. I hope that's soon–though maybe that's a selfish thought.

"And uh Todoroki… About her hugging me…"

He smirks. "It's fine, Midoryia."

"Yeah but I really don't–"

"I know you would never act on anything. And frankly, if she's still close to someone, I take that as a good sign right now." He then frowns. "Unless it makes you uncomfortable?"

I shake my head. "N-No it's fine, I just didn't want you getting the uh… The wrong idea, you know?"

"It would take a lot to convince me you would ever try to steal my girlfriend. I mean… Not that I own her, but–"

"I know what you mean." I laugh nervously, he's not usually this chatty.

Is that Alex's influence or just how concerned Todoroki is?

This is almost as strange, okay maybe less strange, than when Kacchan apologised. Or rather, kind of shouted the word sorry and garbled and grunted the rest. It was something about that time he suggested I throw myself off a roof. It was so long ago. But still. For Kacchan that's an apology. A big one. I still don't know what brought it on, but I guess it's a good sign. If he's getting less angry, that can only be a good thing, for his Hero intentions and our class as a whole. Maybe it was Alex, again? I know they're close, Bakugo and her.

"I'm glad you noticed Midoryia." Todoroki rubs his eyes. "I never know if I'm imagining things or not right now."

"Huh? What, like you're overreacting?"

He nods and doodles in his workbook.

I fiddle with my tie. "I think you're just… You're just a concerned boyfriend, right? Is that not how it works?"

"It's not something I'm an expert on." He laughs without humour. "I didn't exactly have the best example of relationships growing up."

I nod, not having much reference either. "Well… It's maybe a bad patch now, but she seemed super happy with you most of the time? Ochako is always saying how sweet you look together."

"Yeah?"

"Absolutely." I smile and he almost returns it before seeming to doubt himself.

He clears his throat. "Thanks, Midoryia."

I smile and head back to my desk, a little less worried about Alex, even if only because I know she has everyone looking out for her. Now all I have to do is stop thinking about that girl. Somehow. Dammit. Is Mirio thinking about it this much? Maybe I should talk to him? Maybe I should… Oh… I'm mumbling again. I'll just do some homework while we wait for Mr Aizawa...

SHOUTA POV

The coffee was not sinking in that morning. Between that shithead on patrol the previous night and the dumbass police clerk fussing over paperwork this morning, Shouta was not a fan of that day. He kept thinking about his bed, having to drag himself back to reality for the next step along the corridor. Still, at least he had some good news for Alex. It might even help get her out of the funk she had been in for the past few days. If it had been odd enough for Todoroki to seek his advice again, it had to be pretty bad, considering her reaction to the last time they spoke about her without her being present. But Shouta had seen the signs himself. Aloof behaviour, lax training, not using her quirk supposedly due to back trouble but having no issue running around as well. Something wasn't right. Nemuri had suggested it was potentially rooted in confidence, that she had taken one too many blows to her ability and power recently. It might be that. But it didn't seem like Alex to be so suddenly lazy as a result of a confidence issue. She'd throw herself more into training if it was that, surely?

Then again, Nemuri would understand a teenage girl far more than Shouta.

As he rounded the corner towards the classroom he saw Alex leaving the room, closing the door and storming towards him, scuffing her trainers off the flooring and muttering. Something had happened and the day had barely started.

"Hey Kid, hold up for a second."

She barely took note of him until he was literally blocking her path. Even then she didn't speak. He waited, brow raised and mouth pressed into a thin line. Pain levels or not, he wasn't about to accept her being outright rude. She paused and glared, wrinkling her nose and seemingly preparing for a snarky comeback before realising who was in front of her. Though how she hadn't known looking up from the ground, until seeing his face, made little sense.

Shouta sipped his coffee. "Where you headed? Class is about to start."

"Need the toilet, that a crime?"

"No, but no need to be a shitty brat about it either." He sipped again and nodded to the door. "Something happen in there?"

She rolled her eyes and shoved her hands into her pockets. "Nothing."

"Okay… So why the sulking?"

"I'm not." She gave a forced smile. "You need me for something?"

"Well I have some good news, if you're interested?"

Another extra awful smile pulled at her lips and she tilted her head. "What's that?"

"I spoke to the principal about patrolling."

She blinked blankly.

Shouta narrowed his eyes. "Y'know, once you're well enough, he's signed off on you joining me on patrols? Like we talked about. Your own version of a work study."

He expected her to snap out of the funk, for a genuine smile to appear, maybe even a sparkle in her eyes for the first time this week. But no. She stayed exactly the same except her eyes crinkled at the sides as if that might convince him of the fake smile a little more. It didn't. Instead it sunk a cold fear into his gut. Something was seriously wrong.

She bit her lip and rocked on her heels. "Yeah… Great!"

"Alex, what's going on?" He sighed and leaned against the wall. "You've been wanting me to sort something like this ever since you heard you couldn't do an official Work Study, and now it's like I just said I'm giving you stamps for your Christmas. The hell's going on, kid?"

She went still and the smile disappeared. Her eyes shut and for a second part of him expected her to simply walk away, sheer impatience radiating out of her as she drew a deep breath and huffed it out again. The other part of him hoped something would break free; whatever mask she wore, for whatever reason, might finally slip. He waited, sipping his coffee, trying to retrace the past few days to when she had seemed normal. Had it been the day she went to visit Todoroki's mother? Maybe something had happened there. Maybe Todoroki hadn't noticed something during the visit? Maybe–

"I can't change my mind?" She sighed and tilted her head again, but without the grin, just staring blankly.

Shouta raised a brow. "About what? Patrolling with me?"

"Well… Yeah."

"I suppose. Can I ask why?"

"Maybe I don't wanna skulk around in back alleys." She clicked her tongue. "Seems kinda lame. Not all the Hero-y at all."

"All right…" He could pretend that hadn't hurt like hell. She was allowed to change her mind of course, she didn't owe him anything, she could choose to work with anyone she liked. But he wouldn't have expected her to reveal that so callously. He took a calming breath and sipped his coffee again. "You want to work with someone else, instead?"

"Dunno. Back is way too sore to be thinking about it, honestly." She shrugged, still rocking on her heels, still moving way too much for that line to have any shred of truth. "Can I go pee now? Kinda bursting."

"Right… I guess so, yeah. Hurry it up though, class is–"

"About to start, fuck sake, I get it." She stormed off.

It couldn't be back pain, not with her moving so freely. Unless there had been changes to her medication he didn't know about? That was possible. Sometimes her and Recovery Girl cooked up new approaches and he was only told after the fact.

He took out his phone.

Of course, Recovery Girl picked up immediately. "How can I help you today, Eraserhead?"

"I just wondered if you'd made any changes with Alex's painkillers this week?"

"Hmm? Oh, well I'd actually been meaning to contact you about that actually."

He took a second to relax, a change in medication explained a lot.

She continued. "I was wondering why Alex hadn't picked up her prescription this week."

Shouta stared ahead at the emptying corridor. Why would Alex not take her medicine if her back was bothering her so badly? Was she moving freely because she was ignoring the pain rather than not feeling it? There was no way she could be fully recovered so suddenly. Not without Recovery Girl intervening and she wouldn't do that without consulting Shouta. Was the lack of medication why Alerx had been acting so odd? But why put herself through that kind of pain? It made no sense.

"Eraserhead? Are you still there?"

He blinked. "Y-Yes. I uh, I wasn't aware she hadn't. I assume you havent pushed her healing ahead or anyhting?"

"No, of course not. As if I would do such a thing without speaking to you, as her Father."

"Of course, not. Sorry. I'll come by at lunch and collect them." He tried to ignore how his coffee rippled.

"Very well, no problem. Why were you asking?"

"She's complained about quite a bit of pain this week… So I wondered if she had been put on a lower dose."

A small sigh drifts down the phone. "Oh, I see. Mm. I've seen such things crop up with others dealing with long term pain ailments."

"You have? As in, skipping medication?"

"Yes, precisely. I'd recommend talking to Toshinori about it. He went through such a phase about six months into his own recovery after his big injury. I'd imagine he doesn't like to talk about it, but knowing it's in aid of Alex's condition will cool his head."

"Thanks. I'll do that. Bye." He hung up and selected his conversation with Toshinori, trying to not overthink. It would be all right. There would be an explanation.

He tried not to think of rooftops.

Me: {Bit random, but can I talk to you about something to do with your recovery?}

Toshi: [Sure. Gonna have to specify though. The current one or what?]

Me: {The one from five years ago. Full disclosure, RG let me know about some issues you had with pain medication about six months in? Long story short, some shit's happening with Alex that I'm totally unequipped for.}

It took a little longer for the reply to pop up.

Toshi: [If I can help with Alex, sure thing. Coffee break chat?]

Me: {Sounds good, meet me in my classroom?}

Toshi: [Meet you there.]

No, it didn't seem like Toshinori was keen to talk about it at all. But if Shouta had learned anything from the past year, it was that he couldn't risk letting Alex be stubborn. Or himself. He needed help, in order to help her. So he would ask wherever he could.

ALEX POV

I'm lying on the floor again, aren't I? At least it's not the tube. A blanket's on top of me and Eri's sat nearby, I can hear her breathing as she watches over me. The poor kid has seen too much already. Get it together Alex. Time to make her feel better. I lick my lips and try to speak, but only a croak escapes. Her breathing hitches and she scrambles, grabbing the water and placing it beside me. Such a sweet girl. So quick to help.

"You slept a long time, Alex." She whispers, sniffing and then lying down beside me, her soft breath shifting my remaining small tufts of hair where they roughly shaved my head. It's so strange 'seeing' this situation without my eyes. I don't even know what this beautiful little girl looks like. "Will you be okay?"

"Of course." I cough after taking a sip of water, raising my head only enough for that before laying back down again.

My whole body burns. New cuts along my back and arms, like seams burst along an overstuffed coat. I think the last quirk they tried forcing into my body had something to do with heat.

I shiver and take another sip of water. "Where were we with o-our stories?"

It's the only way I can distract the kid. To stop her worrying herself over me. I'm probably not gonna make it out of her Eri, I've already started to accept that for the sake of my sanity, but you are getting out. I just have to keep you hoping. Keep you looking ahead for a boy with green eyes, freckles and messy green hair. Beside him will be a taller boy, with blonde hair and an even bigger smile. They will come back for you Eri. I would promise it if I didn't fear disappointing you. You've had enough disappointment.

She shuffles closer. "You finished the last one, but said the next one would be about a Knight."

"Ah, right. My favourite." I smile and as she sniffles, I reach and squeeze her hand when she takes mine. I want to wipe her eyes, but I still can't see anything. She sniffs again. "Hey now, you gotta pay attention okay? No tears."

"But you're still bleedin–"

"I'm gonna be fine, Eri."

I take another sip of water, hating lying to her. I need help, I need time to heal beyond Overhaul's shitty healing solution in that tube, I need my Dad, I need a shower, I need Mina to snort, I need Ura to blush, I need Tsu to shake her head at us. I need Sho and Bakugo to talk nonsense and laugh with me. I need sunshine. But I can't get to any of that right now, so instead, I'll focus on a need I can deal with. I need to help this little girl.

I clear my throat. "Now then, once upon a time, there was a little mouse. She lived in a red-brick alley where the bins were all colours of the rainbow. It was still cold though, and it got a bit messy when the autumn leaves fluttered around. But guess what?"

"W-What?"

"She wasn't just a mouse."

Eri gasps. "W-What was she?"

"She was a little girl, trapped in a mouse's body by an evil wizard. Oh how she wished someone might help her, help her get back into the world and find that wizard, and give him a good telling off. Bop his nose. Pull his hair."

Her giggles, though hesitant and muffled, are like music.

I keep going. "She scurried to and fro, kept herself fed and tried her best to stay away from people stepping on her. But even as she managed all that, she was still alone. She wanted a home. Someone to have a home with. People rushed past her alley, and occasionally knights went past too. But they were too busy for her, so small, so easily forgotten. Then one day, everything changed. One day, a knight came into her alley. He wasn't like the others though; they had big shiny smiles and silver armour, their hair was golden and they spoke loudly of justice and hope. This knight was different."

"Was he bald?"

I laugh, despite how my ribs ache. "No, but I like the logic. No, this knight was different because his armour was black and his smile was careful, like it would break if he used it too much. His hair was black too and whilst the others spoke loudly, he would whisper. He was kind though, but many thought him cold because he was quiet. He was caring, but many thought him cruel because he was so careful. He was shiny like any other knight, but in his own way."

"W-What was his name?"

"It's a secret." I chuckle, coughing and sipping water to wash back the iron taste of blood. "The Knight had seen the little mouse, seen how hard she worked to keep herself alive, how much she wanted to tell the wizard off. And so… The Knight helped the mouse."

She shuffles closer. "How?"

"He went into the alley, knelt down by one of the rainbow bins, and offered his hand to the mouse. He could help, but it had to be her choice. She had to choose."

"Choose what?"

"Either, to stay a mouse, or to trust him and break the curse. He would always help. But she had to ch-choose."

"What did the mouse do?"

Steps approach along the corridor, and my eyes grow warm.

Again, so soon?

I sniff. "She clambered into his palm and said thank you. She trusted the Knight completely. He took her away from the alley, into the warm sunshine. And do you know what happened? As soon as she realised she trusted the Knight?"

"What happened?" Eri whispers against my shoulder.

The steps get closer to the door. Please be here to take me.

Leave her alone.

Please.

"What happened to the mouse, Alex?"

"As soon as she learned to trust the Knight, she turned back into a little girl, right there, in the Knight's arms. She held onto him tightly and he held her back, hugging her close and telling her everything was going to be okay. They…"

The door unlocks.

I hold Eri's hand tight. "They could fix anything with enough hard w-work."

SHO POV

I have to talk to her. Properly this time, no brush offs, no dodging. Midoryia noticed it, Bakugo noticed it, even Mr Aizawa said he had seen what I was talking about. And then in class, he looked so confused when he came in, I can only imagine they had some kind of interaction in the corridor after she left. He didn't give me any details, but when he asked me to stay back after class for a moment he told me about her pills. Or rather, her lack of them. She hadn't been taking her medication all week. It's hardly a good sign. But beyond that, he sounded so lost. Like he had no idea how to proceed. If Mr Aizawa can't reach her, I have to try. Not that I think I have any more chance than her father, but at least I can give it a shot. I can't get rooftops out of my head, or 'what if's. They keep running around like Midoryia's mumbling sessions.

I asked for Bakugo's help. I don't like admitting that I need it, for anything, let alone with my own girlfriend, but they have a connection. They have a bond, and if my own attempts fail, maybe he can succeed. Someone needs to get through to her though. If she keeps shoving people away like this, she'll push too far.

I wait for her in the garden, having asked her to meet me so I could get some notes from her workbook. A perfectly normal request. Nothing to read into. It likely means she won't dodge it, though I hate the idea that me simply asking to talk would send her running. Where did this start to go wrong? Did I push too far when I asked her to meet my mother? Did I–

"Hey Sho, was it this book thingy you needed?" She sighs, waltzing out of the glass doors from the kitchen area.

Bakugo steps out and stands in front of them, barring an escape route. There were plenty others obviously, we're in the garden, but maybe it might make her pause and listen. She notes his sudden appearance and looks to me with a raised brow.

I hold up my hands. "I just want to talk, Alex."

"If that's all you want, what's with the bodyguard?" She mutters, angling herself away from me, looking to Bakugo every few moments as if expecting an attack from behind. What is she suspecting us of? She purses her lips. "What's this about boys?"

I press on. "Your behaviour. It's weirding everyone out, and we just want to talk to you, to get to the bottom of it." I step towards her and she flinches. Flinches. Like I would harm her. Why is she so skittish? "Alex, we're not going to hurt you."

She looks between us slowly, seeming to toy with a decision before she finally relaxes a little. "Sorry, you're just acting super suspicious. Gotta wonder, right?"

I can't help the scoff. "Wonder about what? Why would we hurt you, Alex?"

Bakugo folds his arms. "Unless you got something to hide?"

She glares at him and he tilts his head, not taking it back. She's been pushing all the buttons, so he's pushing some back. He's only joking. And normally she would know that, but for some reason, she is seriously spooked. She looks to me, eyes still narrowed. I just stare. Me and Bakugo are on entirely the same page. Something is going on, and the most logical conclusion is some kind of threat from Shigaraki. Some leverage he's using against her, making her act all oddly as she tries to figure things out alone again.

She picks her nails. "What on earth would I have to hide from you two? My precious boys?"

"The fuck?" Bakugo wrinkles his nose. "We're tryin' to help, stop being such a sassy bitch about it."

"Well why the hell do I need to be hiding anything? Can't a girl just have a week where she's not desperate to spend time with you?" She throws her arms up. "Or what're you suggestin'? That I gotta be humping your fucking legs every minute of the day to be myself?"

I grit my teeth. "Of course that's not what we're saying. Don't be childish. This isn't like you."

"Fuck off! This is me!"

"Look, it's not just us. It's your Father and Midoryia, and even–"

She laughs loudly, clutching her stomach. "Oh! I see!"

I close my mouth.

Bakugo raises a brow.

She snorts. "So you're jealous of a couple cuddles? C'mon Sho you can't trust me enough to hug a friend?"

So bitter, sarcastic, cold. She sneers at me, still giggling every so often, eyes glimmering at how oh-so-hilarious it all is.

"This isn't jealousy." I say, taking a long breath, trying to stay calm. If her goal is to push us away, we can't let her. Not so easily. She's gotten better at finding the sore spots to press on, I'll give her that much. "This is concern."

Again she laughs.

Bakugo kicks off the doors and approaches a few steps. "Quit the cacklin' will you? Whatever this shitty act is about, stop it now. We get it, you wanna keep us safe, you wanna keep people at a distance or whatever shit's goin' on in your head this time, but we ain't going down that road again. Got it?"

She blinks. "Huh?"

Genuine confusion is in her eyes. Like she doesn't have the vaguest idea what Bakugo could mean, like she has zero recollection of her previous attempts to do everything in her power to save us all, except herself.

This is madness.

This is… maybe… a quirk?

I look around the garden and then back to her and Bakugo as they glare at each other. When the Vision Villain struck her during the Sports festival, Mr Aizawa said it was clear she was being beaten in the vision. Like she was acting it out for him and Present Mic. What if the Vision Villain has gotten better at his sordid work? What if this is all part of a ploy form the League?

Sure, she's used my name. But the confusion, the lapses in concentration, the forgetfulness. What if she is seeing an entirely different scenario? What if something is being twisted in her reality, turning her cold to us because she believes we have done the same to her? Shit. It could absolutely be the answer. Sure, she's stubborn, but we had made so much progress on her asking for help. Why make such a big back step? It simply doesn't add up.

"You've gone real quiet." She snaps, looking over her shoulder at me. "Nothing else to say?"

I straighten up. "Clearly we're not going to get anywhere, are we?"

"Guess not."

I wave a dismissive hand. Bakugo frowns at me, about to stop her leaving when I shake my head at him. No. Let her go. It seems me and him have formed a bond of our own, because he gets it. He nods slightly and lets her go. She huffs and slams the glass doors, alarming everyone in the kitchen before dashing upstairs.

Bakugo comes over to me. "The fuck you doin' Icyhot?"

"I don't think this is just a bad mood, or even one of her protective ploys. She's being way too stubborn about it, and way too lax if she is actually trying to drive us away. Think about it, if Alex wanted us as far away as this, she wouldn't have messed around. She'd have gone straight to the point."

Bakugo glances back towards the kitchen and then back to me. He takes a long breath and looks down at the patio, scuffing the dirt there before giving a shrug. "I guess so. What's your theory now, then?"

"Vision Villain."

Bakugo blinks and then goes a little pale. No doubt he's easily recalling the torments she was put through under that Villain's talents when they were both taken. The training the sicko did on her in those hours of captivity. I let it simmer in his mind. He'll ask for more if he needs it, but this is Bakugo and he's great at strategy.

The pieces fall into place.

He shudders. "You think she's under his control? This whole time?"

"At this point, I have no idea what else to think. Unless Alex really has forgotten my nickname, how we interact and to take her own medication. Not to mention not using her quirk all week. The Vision Villain might not know how to activate it, or even how to control it if he could."

Bakugo nods, taking out his phone. "You should say this to Mr Aizawa."

"He's going to feel sick." I sigh, hating that I have to bring bad news to him instead of a breakthrough.

Bakugo nods and heads towards the kitchen. "C'mon, I'll go with you."

"How's that going to help?"

"Dunno, but I ain't being out the loop."

SHOUTA POV

Toshinori hadn't been keen to admit his 'failings', but that wasn't how Shouta saw them. It was no wonder Toshinori had fallen prey to frustration, he had been the Number One Hero, of course constant painkillers and medications had started to wear on his patience. Take this pill, and that one, don't forget these before you sleep and those after you shit. Endless prodding. Checking. Studying. Shouta reckoned it had to be the exact same thing that was wearing Alex down. Or he had thought so, before the boys came and blew his theories apart. To hear of her being so cold to them made Shouta pause. Teenage attitude was one thing, but to be pushing her friends away too… Todoroki's theory seemed plausible. Too plausible. But it would be hard to prove. And even harder to stop if true. At the Sports Festival they had simply closed the blinds and Alex had been freed of the Vision Villain's influence. For her recent oddness, she had been indoors, outdoors, all over campus, and no real shift in her attitude beyond the initial switch that day visiting Todoroki's mother. That meant hiding her from view did nothing. So how could they check to see if Todoroki was correct?

To say that Shouta was at a loss, was an understatement.

He suggested the boys keep their distance from Alex for the time being, to not further antagonise whatever vision was holding her. They didn't like it. But they also couldn't argue against it.

With all that swimming around Shouta's mind, the last thing he needed was a random summons from Knight Eye. But that was just his luck. A meeting. The very next morning. But Knight Eye wasn't known for being a social butterfly, so if he needed heroes to gather, it meant bad trouble. The distraction was poorly timed, but at least Shouta could calm himself in the knowledge that Alex was safe in the dorms. Perhaps also being controlled by the Vision Villain, in the midst of some freaky League Plot, but at least under a UA roof with ample protection.

For the time being, he would concentrate on the small victories.

The next morning he headed for the city.

Whatever the meeting was about, Shouta hoped it was worthwhile but also not too time consuming. They were gathered in a large lobby, many pros milled around, most seemingly unaware of what was happening. Mirodyia, Kirishima, Ochaku and Asui also appeared, and Shouta began to wonder how big the issue was. Why were the Work Study students involved? He kept himself calm and checked his phone, but Alex was presumably still studying in her room. Even with their suspicions on her recent behaviour, he hoped he didn't have to return home with more news of the League making a move. She needed a break. They all did.

The gathered heroes were taken into a meeting room and finally told why they were there. Yakuza. It wasn't a word anyone heard very often those days, but even so, it made them all tense. Villains were part of their world, but Yakuza usually came with an extra sting in the tail–be it drugs, prostitution or some other shadowy bullshit. They couldn't cause outright anarchy anymore, so they stuck to the gutter. Shouta hoped it wasn't another case of the past coming back to haunt him and Alex, their own foray with the Yakuza having never been fully resolved.

Knight Eye stood and clicked a button, bringing up a green-ish piece of footage, paused for the time being. It flickered onto screen and every hero peered.

Knight Eye sighed as he explained. "Furthermore, in our research of this group, we came across traces of a Yakuza hub online. And what little information we could gather on their activities, we found some footage from an unknown lab. It's safe to say, it is most disturbing."

The footage was grainy, wobbling every few moments, but the details of a lab were clear enough. The videos had been recovered from the Yakuza servers, the collected recordings starting a few hours after Midoryia and Mirio's patrol involving a young captive girl and Chisaki. As the footage continued, a subject was shown, held in a tall tube, floating. A mask was fixed into place, covering their nose and mouth, presumably allowing them to breathe amongst the greenish fluid. Their head was shaved and their entire body bruised. They hung in the rippling liquid, thin and battered. Encased in a white suit of some kind, as tight as a second skin. It barely looked like a person. Knight Eye's team had surmised that the subject was being used for Quirk experiments, and to keep them docile they had been either starved, or put through some form of a Draining Quirk, depending on how long they had been contained in the lab. But the team could not be sure of that timeframe, due to the patchy amount of footage they had gleaned.

Finally, after much explanation, Knight Eye pressed play.

The liquid began to drain, the subject's weak legs holding them up momentarily until they sank to bruised knees, evidently unable to stand on their own. The tube opened. The mask was removed by an uncaring doctor, and with it came a long breathing tube. Coughing and retching from the subject caused Shouta to look away. He didn't need to see it. He couldn't. It was too easy to imagine the figure as Alex, as someone's child, stolen away.

The footage continued.

Orders were given, many men marched in and the figure feebly begged for them to stop. Shouta closed his eyes, his mind tricking him into hearing Alex's voice. So similar, but wrung through many hours of torment and the previous coughing spell after the tube. Like when she first woke from Kamino. He tried to stop his mind making such connections. She was in the dorms. Despite their suspicions of her current state of mind, he knew he'd have to go and hold her extra tight when returning to the dorms. She wouldn't understand, she might even shove him off, but he'd hold tight. Thankful that she was safe.

Experiments followed.

It seemed that quirks were being manually forced into the body–at least that is what Knight Eye said through the din of agony. Cries of pain turned Shouta's stomach, especially when they diminished from words into confused garbling. Like the subject's mind had begun to simply swim with confused pain, not knowing where they even were. Or maybe even who they are.

He grit his teeth. "Knight Eye, do we have to–"

"I need us all to know what they have been doing, and any detail may help." Knight Eye explains with a sigh, not happy to see the footage either, but unable to avoid it. Logical.

Shouta peeked. The footage flicked to presumably another day. It fizzed and warped still, the file being partially corrupted, but with the figure back in the tube Shouta could stomach looking for another moment. Dark marks ran up and down their arms where large needles had pricked and gouged. Bruising. Cuts. Poor stitching. Less and less like a person, and more like a voodoo doll.

Knight Eye cleared his throat. "And here, on the fourth day, we see them attempt an escape." He pressed his lips into a thin line, already warning the room that the attempt was not successful.

Shouta couldn't look away now, not if he even wanted to. A small part of him hoped the figure escaped, despite the ill-fated tone from Knight Eye. That they might reach freedom. They couldn't be any older than his students.

The tube emptied of fluid as before, and once again the mask was removed. The dance began again. But then it changed. The uncaring, inhuman doctors were thrown back. How, Shouta can't be sure. But they splay all over the place. Some land in heaps, others over tables or into cabinets. The subject stood unevenly, clenching their hands and giving a defiant yell before tumbling forward weakly. Once returned to their knees, they bow forward for a moment, exposing their back to the camera as they nearly fall head over heels. Apart from the awful wounds from the many syringes sustaining them in the tube, glaring out as they bleed, another detail demanded Shouta's attention. Familiar scarring. Too familiar. He slowly stood from his chair.

He blinked, but the marks remained.

Hand prints, branded against a thin pale back, like a map to past misery.

Hand prints.

Hand.

Prints.

Dun dun duuuuun. So many theories and yet... perhaps they're now going to find the truth of what's been going on with Alex? Who knows! Well.. I do, but FIND OUT NEXT TIME, in two weeks! Cya then!

^-^ thanks to everyone reading, faving, following and indeed reviewing. I love hearing from you folks and love getting to chat to you guys! SHOUTOUTS below!

Zikashigaku: Haha yeah, Sho was close, and indeed everyone has their theories until... well yeah haha. I hope you enjoyed how Toga has skirted her way through things and how the characters have noticed but not magically known. I was tempted to have someone guess at it, but frankly, no one has reason to know of a shapeshifter up until this point, so it made no sense to me. Yeah, I've been looking forward to having Alex and Eri together, considering their fairly similar upbringings. Hope you enjoyed the chapter ^-^ thanks again, as ever, for continuing to review, means a lot!