Unknown lay on a little white bed in a little white room. Near the bed was a little white chair in front of a little white table next to the wall. Just like the walls, the door was white too, and next to it was a little window leading somewhere else, somewhere she couldn't go. In the little white corner of the ceiling, sitting above the little window, was a little black security camera, and a little red light that blinked at her all day and all night.

Unknown sat underneath the peeping camera. She leaned back against the corner, arms folded loosely over her lap, legs stretched out in front of her. Her eyes were glazed over as they followed her bare feet, swaying rhythmically from side to side. She hummed a soft tune, one she had never heard before.

The room was dark. It must have been nighttime, but what did it matter? In here, there was no moon or sky or stars, only dim gray. There was no evening chill, it was always the same temperature in here. There was no breeze, no crickets chirping, no lamplight, nothing at all. So what if it was nighttime? Nighttime meant nothing to her, just as much nothing as daytime.

It didn't matter, not in here.

In here, it was whatever she wanted it to be.

Dreams always came easy to Unknown, especially when she was younger. She liked to imagine herself somewhere far away: an old house in the countryside, a cave in the high mountains, a little apartment inside the city center. Anywhere would have been nice. Sometimes she was alone, sometimes the others were there with her. Amnestica, Traceback, Horus, and the little girl too, they would be together, carefree, living somewhere the bad things couldn't reach. They could eat what they liked, wear nice clothes, and go outside just to feel the breeze. Their home was warm and peaceful, loud with laughter and serene silence, and nothing bad ever happened there.

Sometimes she dreamed she was quirkless. When she tried to activate her quirk, nothing would happen, sometimes she would completely forget how to use it at all. She lived a regular life, went to school, had good friends, returned home to a mother and father, and maybe even cried over a few boys. She would grow up and get an office job, a boring little routine with nothing much to look forward to, then return home to the cheap apartment she had rented, just somewhere to sleep until she up saved enough to buy a house of her own. No one ever looked at her twice, no one thought she was special, just another face in the passing crowd. Maybe she would find someone who thought she was nice enough to marry, and then they would grow old together. Most of the time though, she would live and die alone, a mundane nobody the world would quickly forget.

Oh, how wonderful those dreams were.

Unknown always woke up eventually, and she could never remember her dreams for very long. A few would return to her, playing out the same way every now and again, and she would remember those for a bit, but they soon faded like all the rest. She really wished they would stay, they were quite nice.

"Maybe so, but they don't suit you."

Unknown's glassy eyes trailed slowly upwards.

Across the room, through the darkness, there was a figure sitting in the little white chair, and he was looking right at her.

"... oh, I'm going crazy," she whispered. She tried to blink away the figure, but it didn't work.

"You don't look so well, Unknown. Why are you crying? I haven't seen you cry since you were a baby," the Manager smiled warmly at her. He was perched neatly in the chair, his familiar gaze angled down at her.

"I'm not crying… am I?"

She touched her cheek, puzzled, and found it dry.

"You just look a little sad, that's all."

"Since when did you care about our feelings?'

"Don't say that, you know I've always cared for you, ever since you were small. I raised you myself, didn't I? Though maybe I didn't do such a good job, my little traitor."

Unknown remained silent, turning her gaze to the ceiling.

"I'm disappointed. You always had so much potential, maybe the most out of any of your siblings," he clicked his tongue, "Why would you throw it all away?"

"You hurt people. I don't want to be like you anymore."

"No, no, we hurt people. We hurt them because they're symptoms of a disease, we have to hurt them to help them in the long run. You know that, Unknown, you've always known that."

"... no… no, it's wrong."

"Who decides what's right and what's wrong? The world isn't so simple, there is no clear line between the two, there never has been. They call us villains because they don't understand our purpose, they say we're bad because we take lives, destroy things, fight for what we believe in, but they themselves are no different. Heroes kill like we do, destroy like we do, and just like us, they do it because of what they believe in. Our methods are the same, simply two sides of the same coin, yet they bash and criticize us," the Manager shook his head, drumming his fingers slowly against his knee. "I never thought you of all people would fall for their honeyed words, Unknown. I thought I raised you better than that."

"I wish you had killed me along with everyone else when you attacked my orphanage."

"Oh, but how could I? I was only there for you, after all. How could I let you get hurt?"

"... my life was over... the moment I met you."

"You're not acting like yourself, Unknown. Are you sure you're ok?"

"Please go away…"

"Well, that's up to you, isn't it? I only exist in your imagination, after all."

"Why me? Why couldn't you have taken someone else?! Anyone but me?!"

"Why? Because you were special, of course."

"I should have killed you when I had the chance!"

"Oh, my dear, where would you be without me? Do you really think you can make it out there in the real world? Do you think you'll be able to live a normal life after this? Unknown, you seem to have forgotten everything I've taught you, so listen closely."

He rose to his feet, taking a step towards her.

"You can't do anything without me. You're nothing without me. You owe me so much, it's hard to even express, especially to such a stupid little girl."

Another step, and he grew closer.

"You only survive because I let you, you only exist because I allow it. Never forget that. No one out there would want you, a criminal, a murderer, a villain, but you already knew that, didn't you? I'm the only one who loves you, who really understands you, the only one who would take care of someone like you."

Another step, then another.

"Where will you go after they let you out? If they let you out? Where is there to run? There's no future for you, there's nothing for you anymore, is there? What was the purpose of all this, Unknown? This whole mess, all this trouble, and for what? Is this what you wanted? To be locked inside a little room for the rest of your life with nothing to do, no one to speak to?"

Closer and closer and closer again. He knelt down in front of her, her tired gaze following his until he came to eye level, barely an arm's length away. His voice was low, soft now, only loud enough for her to hear.

"I know you'll come back, dear, I know you will. We'll all be together again, and we can move on like we always have. You'll be happy to listen to me like you used to, we can be a family, always there for each other, protecting each other. You can't run from family, Unknown, even if you're far, far away, we'll always be with you right here," softly, he tapped her forehead. "We're all we have, we stay together no matter what, no matter who tries to tear us apart. You may think you're free, but you're a prisoner now more than you ever were, can't you see? Oh, my precious child, I haven't given up on you yet. After all, children who run away always have people looking for them."

Unknown turned away, squeezing her eyes shut as tears fell, dropping straight down her cheeks and leaving wet trails where they touched.

Eventually, she looked back.

The Manager was gone, and she was alone again.

Unknown sat at the foot of her bed, staring intently at the lines and swirls of her fingerprints. They were clean and graceful, spinning nicely from the center outwards, almost too minuscule to notice.

She shifted, leaning over the side of the bed to peek at the dull gray frame holding up the mattress. She slowly pressed the pad of her pointer finger onto the clean, opaque metal surface, then lifted it back up. She leaned closer, body pressing into the sheets, hands gathered beneath her chin, her nose almost brushing against the frame as she peered intently at the spot she had just touched.

She stared.

After a moment, she leaned just a bit closer, breathing a huff of warm air over the metal.

Then she finally saw it. She smiled as she found the faint, oval imprint of those same swirls pressed onto the bedframe.

Giggling, she fell backwards carelessly, bouncing a few times as she hit the mattress.

The lights were bright today. She wondered if they would explode and shower the room in broken glass. They were a little too bright, in fact, they made her head hurt.

Letting out a soft whine, she flipped onto her stomach, pulling the covers over her head as she curled into a ball underneath.

Unknown tilted her head as she stared at the security camera. She stood next to the little one-way mirror, arms resting at her sides, shoulders relaxed as she stared up at the black camera nestled in the corner of the ceiling.

The room was quiet, save for the faint mechanical humming from somewhere beyond the walls. She remained still, gaze fixated on the round lens.

The red light blinked, and she blinked back.

Unknown sat cross-legged, sitting atop her little white pillow. Her arms were extended loosely in front of her, elbows resting bent. Her plain white t-shirt wrinkled near her stomach as she sat a bit hunched. Her hair fell messily around her shoulders, a few strands sticking out or ruffled into a strange position. She blinked as stared at the little girl sitting at the foot of her bed.

The girl was small, maybe six years old. Her white-green hair was tousled as well, and her clothes were similarly plain and clean.

"What are you doing here?" the girl asked in a whisper, hands cupped around her mouth.

"I don't know," Unknown whispered back, mirroring the motion.

"Where are the others?"

"I don't know, but I think they're safe."

"Are there more people here?"

"Yea, they're outside that door. I can't go there."

"How long have you been here?"

"I can't remember."

"Why am I here?"

"Because I'm crazy."

"Really? I don't think you're crazy."

"Thank you, but some things have changed since you died. I have no idea anymore."

"Mm… the Manager is gone, right?"

"Yes, he's gone."

"I didn't like him."

"Me neither."

The girl blinked thoughtfully a few times before scooting closer Unknown.

"Are you sad? You look sort of sad."

"Oh, do I? Sorry."

"So, are you?"

"I don't remember."

She hummed, putting her little hands over Unknown's. "You're sad because you miss someone."

The older girl blinked questioningly, turning her palms upwards under the girl's. "Who do I miss?"

"Me? Because you're thinking about me right now?"

"Oh, you're right," she thought aloud. She watched as the girl smiled, playfully patting her palms against her own to create a senseless rhythm. "I wish you could have grown up. I could have gotten you out of there."

The girl tilted her head curiously, beginning to hum a faint tune.

"I hope you're happier now, wherever you are. I'm… sorry I couldn't save you back then. If you had grown up, maybe you would have been... a doctor, or maybe a nurse. Yea… I think your quirk would have helped a lot of people. If my quirk was like yours, maybe I could have helped people too, maybe I could have been a hero instead of… this. I think… you would have been a good person… you shouldn't have died so early."

Unknown's gaze remained low, distant. When she looked up again, she found herself alone.

Todoroki stepped past the noisy crowd outside the hospital entrance. There seemed to be two main groups, as usual, and they were facing each other in opposition, chanting loudly.

This had become a common occurrence; supporters and critics of the Sacrosanct controversy had chosen the hospital as their battleground. They had been showing up frequently in the form of these demonstrations for months now, and despite numerous efforts to remove the groups, they never stayed away for long. Fortunately, their numbers had been dropping steadily over time. There were no more than a hundred civilians gathered now, a far cry from the thousands that had rallied during the first few days after the news broke.

Todoroki paid little attention to the shouts coming from either side as he stepped through the hospital doors. His feet automatically started him down the familiar white hallways, all smelling of the usual air freshener and disinfectant. Some patients walked by him, some sat patiently in waiting areas, some spoke quietly with nurses in the hallway, generating an indistinct sound of melding voices.

All too much had happened these past few months: schoolwork was growing heavier, hero work kept them busy around the clock, not to mention the ever more frequent conflicts with the League of Villains among other criminal groups. The hero world was unsteady, seeming to be wobbling more and more noticeably with each passing day. Unrest was widespread, and everything always seemed to be changing. It was a draining, exhausting effort, trying to keep up with everything, yet like clockwork, Todoroki found himself returning to this very hospital once again. It was routine at this point, and for some reason, he found some odd sense of comfort in it.

As he made his way deeper into the hospital, the white noise of the surrounding chatter steadily grew quieter. There weren't many people in this particular wing, it seemed.

A familiar area soon came into view, and he approached the reception counter where an older nurse in a blue uniform sat.

"I'm here to see Unknown," he greeted, his voice ringing out against the almost-silence as he placed his student ID on the counter between them.

"Back again, are we?" the nurse smiled warmly, taking the small card and typing something into her ancient, yellowing computer before sliding it back to him. She picked up a pen and made a note on the clipboard next to her as she flagged down a passing nurse, one he recognized from some of his previous visits. "Isolation A-19."

"Please come with me," the younger nurse motioned, smiling politely.

He followed her out of the public area and into the section of the ward reserved only for patients and their visitors.

It was quiet back here. Completely quiet.

They paused next to a large door as the nurse swiped her keycard. The card reader blinked green and she pushed open the door, continuing down the new, narrower hallway.

There were doors spaced unevenly on both sides, some of them with numbered tags while others were labeled "Observation" or "Holding." It didn't take long for them to reach the one reading A-19. She opened a smaller, unmarked door next to it and retrieved a shallow gray bin from inside, holding it out to him.

"Cell phone, watch, electronic devices, belt, shoelaces, and any sharp objects please."

Having long memorized those particular instructions, Todoroki had begun placing the prohibited items into the bin before she was even finished speaking.

"Thank you. You should be aware that the patient has been acting a bit... unusually these days," the young woman stated hesitantly, her grip on the box tightening almost imperceptibly, "Please be careful not to agitate her."

She shifted the bin in her hands and moved to swipe her card through the scanner, unlocking the room.

A bit slower than usual, she pushed open the door.

"You have a visitor," she announced, her voice carefully soft.

"Hi, Todoroki!" The familiar, if a bit more enthusiastic than usual, greeting rang out, it's owner fully obscured by the door.

The nurse moved to let him in, offering a stiff smile before slowly stepping back.

He heard the door close gently behind him.

"Why are you on the floor?

He was puzzled to find Unknown lying on her stomach just a few feet in front of him, sprawled on the ground at the center of the room. Her feet were up in the air behind her, swinging to an inaudible beat. Her cheek pressed against her arms, her head turned to smile up at him, though it didn't quite reach her eyes.

"Mm… felt like it. Sit down!" she waved him in, motioning towards the little white chair on the other side of her.

Todoroki carefully stepped around her outstretched form and slowly took his usual seat in front of the desk. He peered questioningly at her.

"How have you been?"

"You didn't come last week."

"I meant to, but some unexpected work came up. I'm sorry."

"Mhm… it's hard being a hero, huh? Always fighting off the bad guys, saving the world," she hummed, tilting her head downwards as she stretched her arms. "Is it fun?"

"...I enjoy the work, yes," he answered, a bit off-put. She was speaking strangely, different from her usual wording and cadence, not to mention her rather curious behavior, "...are you alright?"

"Sure."

"That's not exactly a yes."

Unknown hummed wistfully as she rolled onto her back, shifting in the direction of the door. Eyes closed, she drew her legs up, knees bending as one lifted to cross over the other. Her fingers laced behind her head, shoulders relaxed.

"Well, not much to report this time, Todoroki, not too many exciting things happening around here," she shrugged lightheartedly, "But outside is a different story, right? Tell me what it's like, busy bee."

Todoroki hesitated for a moment, a look of concern crossing his face.

"...well, for the most part, I've been focused on classes and hero work. They take up a majority of our time, but I consider it rewarding... Missions have gradually become more serious, we're receiving some larger-scale tasks as well. Outside of that… we're preparing for the usual cycle of exams for our classes. They're also becoming a bit more difficult, but I suppose that's to be expected. Mostly, it's much of the same, I think."

"Ah, 'the same', huh?" she hummed, nodding patronizingly.

As the conversation lapsed, Todoroki took the opportunity to glance around the room. He quickly found a number of concerning changes since he had last been there. There were a few boxes of board games, the same ones he had seen since the beginning, scattered on the far side of the room, seemingly having been thrown against the wall. The books, once neatly stacked on the desk, appeared to have sustained water damage, their pages stuck in bumpy, uneven waves that spread to prop the front cover open at an angle. The bed seemed mostly as he remembered it, save for the fact that the pillow now sat at the foot of the bed, the sheets seeming to indicate she had flipped the direction she slept in for some reason. The door to the bathroom was fully ajar, and he could see a bath had been drawn, though it appeared untouched.

He didn't know why, exactly, but these little details made his stomach churn.

As his mind worked silently, attempting to make sense of the strange conditions, his eyes flicked back to Unknown. He quickly found she was already staring up at him, a slight smile resting on her lips.

"...did something happen?" he asked quietly, brows creasing in growing concern.

"Well, that's the thing, isn't it?" she tilted her head, smile widening. "Nothing's happened."

In one smooth motion, she pushed herself off the ground, quickly rising to her feet before childishly bounding across the room towards where he sat.

He was taken aback as she hopped up onto the desk, bringing her legs up to rest on either side of him, a soft, amused smile on her lips. Suddenly, she leaned forward sharply, causing him to reflexively pull away as his shoulders instantly hit the back of the chair. In a split second, she was mere centimeters in front of him, half-lidded eyes staring directly into wide, startled ones, their noses hardly a moment away from touching.

"I know why you come here so often," she whispered quietly, almost as if she was telling him a secret. Slowly, she lifted a hand, reaching up to brush his hair.

Alarm bells rang wild in his head as he remained completely rigid, watching intently as her gaze slowly trailed up to rest slightly above his own. Her touch was gentle, almost unnoticeable as she played with little sections of his hair, curling them around her finger before letting them fall back into place. An oddly serene expression rested on her features, though it did little to ease the imminent sense of danger blaring in his mind, the kind he wasn't used to feeling outside of battle. Her nails scratched lightly across his scalp, and for a moment, his eyes threatened to slip closed. Her voice remained a whisper as she continued.

"It's like going to a zoo, isn't it? To see an animal locked up in its cage, barely enough room to do anything but lay around and rot… it reminds you of how free you are, right? How you can go anywhere you want, do whatever you like, but the animal never gets to go anywhere or do anything. But you know, you're interesting, because just watching wasn't enough for you, was it? You wanted to see it up close, right? So you asked the nice zookeeper to let you into the cage, and they did, because they had put a muzzle on the poor thing and they knew it couldn't hurt you. It's fun, isn't it? You're not scared. Do you like seeing the big bad predator locked up like this? Is it exciting to get so close? Knowing you get to walk out that door and it doesn't? Hm… that's so mean of you..."

Her fingers trailed down from his hair to his forehead, her other hand rising to join in as she traced a winding path to his cheeks. Her touch was feather-light, drawing formless patterns across his smooth, pale skin. Her gaze followed along, inching downwards as her focus remained on the movement of her fingertips.

"You're so pretty, Shoto, you know that?" she breathed softly, her warm breath ghosting over his lips. "I wish I was as pretty as you. What's it like? Do people notice you? Do they want to be around you? Is it fun? Or does it get boring after a while, just like everything else?"

His eyes were glued to hers, those calm, dark pools slowly dragging here and there. Her fingers traced faintly over the red of his scar.

"But what about the rest of us? What about the people who don't stand out? What are we supposed to do?"

She shifted her palms to lay softly against either side of his jaw, cradling his face as the pads of her thumbs brushed gently over his cheeks.

"Are we cursed to feel alone forever? To be locked up in little rooms away from the rest of the world?"

He was transfixed on the softness in her sad eyes, as if she was revealing some long-held secret to him, so quietly that only he could hear.

"What if we want to be loved too?"

Her thumbs stroked gently across his cheeks, only slowing to a stop as she leaned forward ever so slightly, eyes slipping shut as she pressed her lips softly against his.

For the few seconds it lasted, his mind came to a full stop.

Their lips parted as she pulled back, her face hovering just barely in front of his. Her hands remained against his cheeks, their breaths mingling in what little space there was between them, and the sincere vulnerability in her eyes from a moment ago was completely replaced by a self-amused smile.

"Are you scared yet?" she whispered, a predatory gleam in her half-lidded gaze.

Her demeanor changed in the blink of an eye as she giggled and dropped her hands, pulling back fully as she hopped off the desk. She didn't spare him another glance as she skipped across the room to her bed, dropping gracelessly onto it with a satisfied sigh.

"Get out, Todoroki," she stretched her arms high above her head, eyes closed, grin unwavering, "And don't come back."