Hotaru wasn't really paying attention to the other matches, Midoriya noticed, giving her a glance and almost saying something as he realized she'd instinctively changed into a three-toed sloth and was lazing on the railing while eyeing the screen showing the battles. She hadn't really seemed interested in anything lately and he really wished he could help. He knew it was because of what they spoke about on their first date.

He hastily looked away from her with red cheeks, still not used to thinking about it as a first date. I still haven't told my mom, but Hotaru can be a bit… He looked back as Hotaru sighed again, closing her eyes as her sloth arms hung down lazily. I was going to say "intense" but… I wish I could help her. He wasn't sure what to do though. For now, all he could do was see if any of the others on his team would be willing to let her fight in the next match. If I ask though, she'll be angry. He sighed himself, tapping his pen on his notepad before Bakugou's match started, then all his focus was on him.

He couldn't help but grin as Bakugou took charge and won the match without losing a single teammate. When he came back, even All Might was pleased.

"I was trembling in my seat!"

Bakugou scowled, turning away with a mutter about him having a cold before Midoriya couldn't help it and rushed up to him.

"Kacchan!"

"Get out of my way you piece of crap!" Bakugou raged.

"B-But I'm not even in your way!"

As he passed though, Bakugou huffed. "I'm progressing further than you."

"Yeah, it was awesome!" Midoriya praised, making his scowl deepen.

"I'm moving so fast that you can't even catch up!"

"No, I'll surpass you," Midoriya grinned confidently.

"Shut your damn trap! What the hell did you come here to say? I'm not gonna let some crappy low-life like you ever surpass me!"

"Just watch me!"

Bakugou said nothing more as All Might smiled.

"You have a good childhood friend… if only he wasn't such a potty mouth."

Bakugou had gone over towards Hotaru, fists sparking as he saw her lazing away as a sloth; a sleep bubble lightly inflating and deflating. She hadn't been watching.

"You damn mutt!" Bakugou shouted, startling her enough that she fell off the railing and he grabbed her only for her to have changed into a possum and hang limply by her tail from his hand. "Don't pretend to be dead! You're not fooling me! You weren't even watching, were you!"

Bakugou continued to shout before demanding Aizawa release her from her Quirk so he could yell at her some more. Aizawa just sighed, releasing her from her possum shape as she sheepishly avoided Bakugou's gaze—his hand holding her up by the collar.

"She's fighting next, Bakugou. Let her go."

Bakugou looked about ready to argue but dropped her, jabbing a finger in her face. "If you don't win, I'll murder you."

Hotaru leaned back away from the finger with a sigh. "I don't even know if I'll be fighting. You should be bugging Midoriya about winning, not me."

"You will fight," he said confidently. "So, no half-assing because of some stupid reason. Got it?"

Hotaru was a little surprised that he'd caught onto her depressed mood, but nodded and stepped over to join Midoriya and the others as they started heading for the start point. Midoriya was taking the lead as everyone else walked and thought about our opponents.

"So, Shinso is with them, right?" Mineta hummed. "I'm kind of nervous now. Don't wanna get brainwashed, you know?"

"We just have to try not to get caught in his grasp," Uraraka encouraged. "The opposing team is comprised of members who can attack even if we can't see them with the naked eye. We'll float—"

"—and melt—"

"—and stick!"

They sagged then. "But we're still at a disadvantage."

"I guess this calls for my super sticky grape field battle strategy!"

"No one will get caught in it!" Ashido huffed. "Anyway, we just need to find them and trap them with this!"

"We've got Hotaru too," Uraraka pointed out, drawing attention to said student who wasn't listening until it got quiet.

"Hm? Sorry?" Hotaru questioned, rather lazily.

Uraraka frowned, sensing something off. "Are you okay, Hotaru? You've been kind of out of it lately."

"Oh… Yeah, sorry. Just been… thinking, I guess."

Midoriya landed in front of them then, Quirk sparking around him like lightning. "I've got a plan. I'll be the scapegoat," he declared, Uraraka begrudgingly pushing aside Hotaru's odd mood for now.

"How are you feeling?" Ashido questioned Midoriya, knowing he'd been worried before. "You said you thought your Quirk was acting strangely."

"Yeah. There doesn't seem to be anything different, just the same as usual," he replied, flexing his hand a few times without seeing Hotaru's small frown. "But… after watching the fourth round, I feel like the opposing team is wary of us. We need to be even more vigilant than ever!"

"It'll be alright," Mineta shrugged. "We're counting on you, you know?"

"It'll be fine," Midoriya agreed. "We'll definitely win this."

Hotaru hummed, changing into a Harris hawk and stretching her red and black wings. "Call me if you feel like it."

"Does she seem kind of upset to you?" Ashido asked as they watched her fly up and land on a nearby post.

"Maybe because she didn't get to fight in her first round?" Mineta offered.

Midoriya looked up at her with a frown as well. "I'll talk to her after the match, but for right now, we need to focus."

The others nodded in agreement, giving their friend one more glance before setting off as the round started. The plan was easy. Midoriya would play bait and locate the people on the other team, giving the others a chance to ambush them all at once. He doubted everything would go as planned and with Shinso on the other team, their communication was limited. A barrel flew at Midoriya then, telling him that Yanagi would've been nearby but then he heard a scream and whipped around—barely resisting the urge to call out to Uraraka, who he thought he'd heard. Instead, he met Monoma.

While he was dealing with him, the others heard Shinso as well and Mintea prepared a sort of spider web trap as they prepared for a fight themselves. Multiple items flew at them and they blocked as best they could before the small objects doubled and tripled in size. Uraraka was quick though, making them float and avoid hitting anyone, only for another Quirk to make them snap into motion again. Hotaru hadn't even moved, her eyesight allowing her to see how everyone was doing from her post when suddenly, the atmosphere changed.

Her eyes went wide as long, black tendrils whipped around the field and she took to the air in a panic. I knew it. I knew it! Something's going wrong! What is it? A villain attack? Someone's Quirk? I-I don't know. I don't know what it is! She flew overhead, twisting and dodging the tendrils while trying to see through the smoke and debris. Why aren't the teachers doing anything! D-Do they expect me to do something? But I-I told Aizawa I couldn't. I-I-I can't. Suddenly, she let out a screech as the tendrils lashed out, tearing into her wing and making her grimace as she tucked into a roll and changed again, landing on a building as spotted Genet. She lifted her front paw with a grimace, blood dripping down from her upper arm, but ignored it as her ears flicked back against her head and Midoriya was thrown across the area by the black tendrils.

"W-What do I do?" Hotaru questioned, hesitant to do anything.

This wasn't anything she knew. She didn't know if this was important, if it was meant to happen, if there even was anything she could do. Then, a voice shouted out to her, causing her to turn and see Uraraka nearby.

"Hotaru! Switch with me!"

"W-What?" Hotaru breathed.

"Just do it! He needs you!"

Hotaru shrank back a bit, looking at Midoriya and back to her uneasily. "I-I don't… I don't know what to do!"

"Do what you always do! Help him!" She demanded and Hotaru looked back at Midoriya, seeing his struggle and his pain, before grimacing and rushing forward.

"Midoriya!" I called out, drawing his green eyes towards me.

"N-No! Stay away! I-I can't—"

I wasn't sure what to do, but Uraraka was right. I couldn't just sit back and watch this happen because of my own stupid insecurities. This was Midoriya. He'd gone through so much trouble to deal with me and was willing to stick by my side through everything even now when I felt like I wasn't worth it. So, foreknowledge be damned. I needed to help. I jumped, grabbing hold of Midoriya with my claws digging into his uniform as I cringed against the power of his Quirk exploding outward.

That's got to be it, right? This is Midoriya's Quirk. This is One For All acting up. I might not know why, but there's got to be some trick to it. I cringed as the black tendrils scraped against my body, tearing into my spotted fur. There's no time to think of a trick. He's panicking, so he won't be thinking straight, I noted as Midoriya struggled against his Quirk, desperately begging for it to stop. The only thing I can think of to stop it is… My eyes swept across the damaged field before spotting a head of purple hair.

"Shinso!" I shouted, catching his attention. "Use your Quirk to stop him! He can't control it!"

Shinso reached up and took off his mask before calling out. "Midoriya, let's fight again!"

Midoriya, understanding the plan immediately, responded. "Yeah!"

His Quirk froze before returning to his body, disappearing into his arm as we started falling. I cursed, changing and grabbing onto him as I hit the nearest large pipe with a wince. I growled, threatening Shinso should he try anything and grateful that my large paws had managed to both: grab hold of Midoriya and keep us both up on the pipe. I was probably intimidating as it was even without growling, given I was an Asiatic Black Bear, but I wasn't about to take any chances. We were still in a match, after all.

I glanced down at Midoriya in my paw and huffed before grabbing his hair in my jaws and tugging painfully. He woke up with a startled yelp of pain and I released him with a huff.

"H-Hotaru?"

"Don't 'Hotaru' me," I growled. "I hope you know that you're almost more trouble than you're worth."

"But Hotaru, it's dangerous!"

I dropped him on a set of water tanks below us with a raised brow as he eyed his hands in surprise. "I got Shinso to use his Quirk and stop you. Only thing dangerous now is me."

"B-But, you're hurt. What did I do?"

I went to respond but whipped around just in time for Monoma to come flying forward.

"Oh, but it's not over yet!" He shouted as Midoriya and I dodged, and I swung a large paw at the blonde.

I slashed into metal instead and growled as I slid across the ground and rose back to my feet with a roar. The rest of Monoma's team had shown up and with them came the rest of ours.

"Midoriya! Urara—Hotaru?" Ashido shook off the switch, given that Uraraka had left the field for now after having given up her position for me to help Midoriya. "Everything okay?"

I'll definitely owe Uraraka for this. I mused, glancing at Midoriya with a frown as he hesitated on using his Quirk or jumping into the fray that started up in front of us. Instinct kicked in again and I whipped around and snapped my teeth around a familiar cloth, wrapping my paw in it and yanking it forward. Shinso's eyes widened as he was pulled across the arena and I cracked a dangerous grin.

"Bad move, Shinso," I growled. "I hang around Aizawa too much and know how his scarf works."

Shinso cringed as I jerked it and threw him into Monoma, spitting out the cloth with a huff and turning my serious eyes to Midoriya.

"So? You just going to sit there, Midoriya?"

"I-I might expose everyone to danger again," he breathed. "In my current state, I can't use my Quirk. If we retreat, we'll lose."

"So, don't retreat," I grumbled, getting a serious look from him as I let a sharp breath out my nose. "And it's your Quirk. Don't let it control you."

"Hotaru…"

My eyes softened, growing sad. "I should take my own advice," I muttered. "I almost just stood back while you were in trouble because of some stupid insecurity."

"It's not stupid," Midoriya argued, earning a small, fond quirk of my lip.

"Yeah, well, sure feels stupid now, given I almost let you get hurt because of it." I looked up at the others fighting, keeping an eye on everything. "Speaking of stupid, what's your plan?"

He cracked a smirk himself. "I've got a favor to ask of you."

"Idiot," I huffed, bearing my teeth with a dangerous grin. "You know I'll do anything you want so long as I get something out of it too." I glanced over at him with a smirk. "I get the idiot blonde?"

He chuckled. "Yeah. You can have him."

"Perfect," I growled, just as said idiot came charging back.

I easily knocked away a piece of debris that was flung at me and rushed at Monoma as he shouted—the familiar crackle of energy overtaking his body catching my attention a second too late.

"I've got your power!"

"Wait, Monoma! It's dangerous!" Midoriya shouted in a panic, but I'd fought Midoriya before.

His power was familiar to me. I knew his strength and how to deal with it, and I knew Monoma's aggressive forward movements would only be his downfall. So, despite Midoriya's fears, I rushed forward and changed, easily dodging Monoma's swing and swiping his feet out from under him before pouncing on his back. I gnashed my teeth near his ear, grinning wickedly sharp canines as my claws dug into his back threateningly.

"Thought you were pretty cool, eh, Monoma?" I chuckled, voice taking a sort of cackling edge of laughter to it to match the arched back of my striped hyena body.

"Man, this really sucks," Monoma complained, letting Midoriya tie him up for me before he rushed over to Shinso.

While they went at it, I took my prize and started rushing him back to the cage, unable to help the occasional cackle of a bark I let out in my excitement. Man, it feels good to just… move. Maybe Aizawa was right. Maybe it's about time I stop worrying about everything and just focus on myself for a bit. I flung Monoma into the cell but narrowed my eyes at him. Something was off. He was being awfully quiet.

My gaze fell on the three watches he had on his waist, letting me know he'd made at least three copies of people's Quirks. Doesn't tell me who's. He definitely had the Poltergeist Quirk. He borrowed Midoriya's too. He had oversized items, but it's possible for him to use a Quirk then replace it by copying another, I would think. If so, it's a cheap trick. He could have replaced it with anything. Could have touched me, but that wouldn't help now that he's caught. Could've used Shinso's but again, what use is that now? Maybe his other teammates'?

"Oi," I grumbled, drawing a raised brow from him. "What's your other teammate's name? I forgot."

He obviously hadn't expected that and looked a little angry by it too, which is what I was hoping. "You don't even know who you're up against?" He shouted, twisting in his bonds. "Shoda's Quirk Twin-Impact is definitely going to come back and kick you in the ass! You won't stand a chance."

"Ah, that's right," I mused, head tipped back a bit. "Thanks, Monoma. You really helped."

"Yeah, you better—Hold on, what? Helped?" He questioned, earning another crazed chuckle from me.

"That's right. Your big mouth let me know something important."

"No. No! You're bluffing! I didn't give anything away!" He argued.

"Ah, but you did," I answered, tipping my head devilishly. "I don't think I'll tell you either. Let you stew on it a bit."

"W-What! You can't do that! Just tell me!" He shouted, but I just cackled and took off again, sprinting back through the debris that was the arena. "Hotaru!"

I ducked and dodged through the debris but frowned. He can still use the Twin-IMpact, so he could hit Midoriya or me. I've got maybe one more change left. I need something stealthy but big enough to knock someone out without getting taken out myself if he uses Twin-Impact. Let's hope I've got one more good one in me. I risked changing and was pleasantly relieved as muffled paws hit the ground. As a clouded leopard, I had just enough weight behind me to be able to knock someone out while also remaining stealthy. Sneaking up on the Poltergeist Quirk user was almost child's play like this and when her friend noticed she'd fallen, it was already too late. Mineta had left behind some of his sticky, purple grapes, so I used my speed and weight to trap her to them. WIth them both down, Ashido was easily able to take care of the last one.

It wasn't surprising then, that we were able to bring everyone to the cage and finish up with a score of four to nothing, just like Bakugou's team. This left our class as the winners of the entire matchup, and once we'd returned to the spectator area, it was time for our review.

"Uh, in any case, Midoriya, what the hell was that?" Aizawa questioned, letting me know they had seen his display and may have stepped in if we hadn't stopped him ourselves.

The classes started asking questions and I growled, moving in front of Midorya who'd kind of shrunk in on himself.

"Why don't you all shut up and let him explain instead of making up useless nonsense, huh?" I snapped, fur bristled and tail flicking behind me in annoyance before a hand settled on my back and I turned towards Midoriya who offered a hesitant smile.

"It's okay, Hotaru," he said, getting a bit more confident before facing the others. "I'm actually not too sure myself. My power overflowed and I wasn't able to suppress it. It felt like all that I had believed in up until now was stripped away. I myself was scared but Uraraka gave up her spot and Hotaru and Shinso helped me. I realized that it wasn't that. If Shinso wasn't there to use his brainwashing to stop my thoughts, I'm not sure what would have happened."

I would've knocked him out myself probably, I mused silently, keeping that thought to myself.

"Shinso asked me if it was a bluff but I legitimately don't know what was going on. So thank you! To all of you!" He smiled over at me. "What you said really helped too, Hotaru."

Does he mean that bit about controlling it? I had no idea what was going on and just assumed, but… at least I helped, I mused, purring as he scratched at my head. Then, Midnight got a hold of the mic.

"That's right! The way Shinso took on Midoriya's rampage! And Uraraka's quick reactions! Hotaru was the most amazing! To use one's body in order to calm one's friend down! Yes! That's right! That's what I love to see!"

My eyes narrowed. What is she getting at? There was a dark chuckle beside me and I tipped my head at Ashido as she grinned.

"You reacted pretty fast too, huh, Hotaru? Jumped right on him. Latched onto him pretty hard too, didn't you?"

Understanding dawned on me and I was grateful for the fur on my face hiding my red cheeks. "S-Shut up! I didn't know what else to do, okay!"

"You still did something," Aizawa huffed, though his expression was softer than what it had been earlier. "Keep in mind that you shouldn't always dwell on your problems when you could be doing something about it."

I wrinkled my nose with a grumble of complaint, knowing he was right before Shinso spoke up.

"I didn't actually do it because of you, Midoriya. I was just following Hotaru's instructions. Or rather… I saw that Yanagi and the others were being also attacked by that black thing and knew that our chances of winning would be slim if that thing wasn't stopped. I stopped it because I wanted to fight you and win. It all happened by chance. I was only thinking of myself."

Aizawa went over, grabbing Shinso's scarf and strangling the kid as a few students screamed about the PTA and violence. I just huffed.

"I'm glad you're strangling him, or I would've done it," I complained, getting surprised looks from Midoriya and the others as Aizawa scolded him.

"No one was expecting you to go that far. Everyone here has been training hard every day to be a hero that can save someone. Anyone who can get there instantly would be an All Might-level genius. You won't be able to save anyone if you're only thinking of others. You can't help others if you don't have the power to help yourself."

I yelped as I was stuffed suddenly and held up in front of him. "Hey!"

"This idiot is a prime example of that," Aizawa scolded, making me flinch. "Hesitation before helping a friend proves that something was on her mind that she hadn't dealt with and that almost cost Midoriya."

I sagged in his grip before he set me down, keeping my shoulders hunched.

"She figured it out in time, but Hotaru has a lot to learn even after being in the hero course. Your actions, Shinso, were more than enough to pass."

With that, Shinso was accepted into the hero course and we were free to return to our dorms for the evening, though I knew I had a lot to think over now. More so now that Midoriya has explained a bit about what that Quirk was. To think he had the ability to use a predecessor's Quirk. I couldn't really contribute to what All Might, Midoriya, and Bakugou talked about though, mind elsewhere. On the way back to the dorm though, Midoriya waved Bakugou on—said boy huffing and storming off—before he stopped me.

"You're… You're still worried, aren't you, Hotaru?"

"Mm," I grumbled, the two of us sitting on the steps leading up to the dorm for the moment. "I really am sorry, Midoriya," I apologized, giving him a glance. "I hesitated before because I didn't know what was happening. I shouldn't have even thought before jumping in."

Midoriya waved his hands frantically. "N-No! No, that's okay! I…" He lowered his head, staring at his hands. "I know you're having trouble too. I don't know what I'd do if something like that happened to me. Knowing the future… that's such a heavy burden and to have it taken away like that…"

"Aizawa says it's supposed to be a relief, a good thing," I muttered, "but all I can think about is what if I knew? I could have changed something if only I knew. People expect me to make things better because I used to know how things would go. Already things are happening where if I just knew about them, I could've done something better."

Midoriya was quiet for a moment, wringing his hands together before speaking. "I-I don't know if this will help at all, but… I don't think you need it, Hotaru. I don't think you ever needed a Quirk like that. Even today, you didn't know what was happening but you went in and helped anyway. A-And just knowing about something doesn't mean much of anything if you can't plan for it, right?" He questioned, eyeing me as I watched him in return. "Back when we went to save Eri, you knew some things, but you planned for things you didn't know too. There's no way you know everything but that's okay a-and… and I don't expect you to. I want you to help but I don't want you to blame yourself if something goes wrong."

I let out a soft sigh and tipped to the side, leaning against him and feeling him stiffen but refusing to move back as my head rested on his shoulder and I closed my eyes. "Sorry for being so down," I murmured.

"N-No!" He yelped before forcing himself to calm down. "No, I mean… E-Everyone gets a bit down. I'm just glad y-you're talking about it now."

I cracked a small smile at that. "Yeah, well… Suppose that just shows how much I appreciate you. I don't talk to just anyone, you know." I peeked up at him and resisted the urge to smile as his cheeks flamed bright red in embarrassment. "Say, you want to start training again in the mornings? I need some ideas on how to improve my Quirk if I'm going to keep being helpful to people."

"You're already helpful!" Midoriya blurted, finally knocking my head from his shoulder as I rolled my eyes.

"Yes, yes. So you've said about five different times today. I just feel like I've hit a wall, is all. My only improvement in years has been getting up to five changes and the metal support gear I had made. I've got a lot of work to do if I want to catch up to Bakugou and Mr. Successor with his multiple Quirks."

"I-I can't even use it right, yet!" He squeaked, making me chuckle as I stood and offered him a hand up.

"Yeah, but see? You said, 'yet' and we both know that means you will work on it until you're the best."

He smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck once he was on his feet before I nudged him.

"Come on, before they start wondering what we were doing out here."

"R-Right!"

I breathed a hot breath over my chilled hands, tugging my scarf further up to cover my neck better as I walked towards the school. Something was going on and I'd been summoned to the Principal's office for some reason or another. I was still a little on edge and uneasy despite having talked to Midoriya quite a bit since our battle with the other class. Our training was going well and I'd done some studying up and testing with my Quirk for a few added tricks. Then, the attack on the city of Deika happened and my confidence took another blow.

Midoriya had noticed, of course, and had taken extra care to drag me out of the dorms for sparing or looking through books for animal species, or even his own training with his new Quirk. Even just eating lunch together had become a new normal for me and helped me relax despite my unease. It didn't stop me from thinking about what I could've done had I known about the attack. It doesn't sound right though. Twenty people sending a city that big to ruin and for what? People weren't upset with heroes really, not like before. It doesn't make sense. I'd have to look into the people who lived there but I doubt I could get anything while at school. Not without getting into trouble, anyway.

I sighed, shaking off the chill as I stepped into the heated building and made my way up the stairs. I'm missing class for this too, though I'm not upset at all, given Midnight and Mt. Lady showed up and we're doing pro hero mock interviews. I rubbed the back of my neck. I'd rather take a note out of Aizawa's book and avoid the media if at all possible. My Quirk isn't even that flashy. I wrinkled my nose, pushing the thought aside for now, knowing that thinking about it would only prove to bother me enough for Midoriya to take action again. I stepped up to the door then and rapped my knuckles on it, hearing Nezu chime for me to come in.

Upon stepping in, it was easy to see he wasn't alone and I eyed the older woman who was seated nearby and her two suited bodyguards. Her appearance nagged at some bell in my mind, telling me she was familiar and I should know her, but with my foreknowledge practically gone there wasn't much I could do to recall who she was. She'll be introduced anyway if she's important, I noted, focusing on Nezu instead as he gestured to a seat for me to sit in before he folded his paws in front of his nose.

"Hotaru, there are a few things I wish to say before I explain why I called you here."

I nodded, doing what I could to curb my curiosity about the woman who was sipping at her tea calmly.

"First, everything I'm about to say is not to convince you one way or the other to do what is being asked. It is entirely your decision to accept or decline, and Aizawa has already been informed. He isn't pleased but is willing to stand by your decision as well."

I don't like this. Something's up. They're trying to get me to do something dangerous. Why? Why me? Because of my foreknowledge? It's gone though. Nezu knows this, so do the others who were informed about that ability. It was one of the steps Midoriya suggested to help me deal with it, and thankfully there wasn't anyone who got upset about it… it still bothers me of course, but this is strange. I nodded once, accepting what he said as he went on.

"Second, should you decide to take this role, it will be up to you whether or not you wish to continue here at U.A."

My eyes widened and my heart skipped, stunned by how big this proposition was. It took everything in me to keep my mouth shut and let him finish; my nails digging into my knees and the subtle copper taste in my mouth from biting my tongue.

"Finally, no matter what you decide, U.A. will always support and welcome you," he declared firmly, offering me a small smile before holding out a hand to the woman seated beside me. "This is the president of the Public Safety Commission who has come to offer you a role in helping them discover the truth of the League of Villains."

I turned to the woman, stunned, and finally couldn't help but open my mouth in surprise. "Why me?" I blurted out, hastily trying to explain that question better when her calm gaze settled on mine. "What I mean is, I'm still a student. Wouldn't working with a pro be more productive?"

She set her drink aside and spoke. "I've been well-informed that you are not the most average of students, and the amount of experience your class has had alone could equate to some of the more minor pro heroes. Why you, specifically, is because of the nature of your Quirk."

I bristled immediately, assuming she meant my foreknowledge and silently wondering where she'd heard the information.

"Your ability to become various animals could help us significantly to further our plans to infiltrate and learn more about what the League of Villains is up to."

I wasn't expecting that, but it still bothered me. "So, you're sending a kid in to spy on a highly dangerous group of villains?"

If she was bothered by the accusation, she didn't show it. "We simply feel as though it would be in the best interest of everyone if there was another person in the field who would blend in better undetected."

Something in my mind clicked then. Another person in the field. I remembered that Hawks was meant to be a spy for the heroes but couldn't remember who he worked for. Now, I knew and there was one more thing that made me frown. It was something I knew from the start. Something that had caught the villains' attention from the beginning and had gotten me into more trouble than expected. It was what the villains were fighting to do and one of the reasons why I could honestly say I probably wasn't the best person for this job if it weren't for my friends who kept me grounded in what was right.

The hero world was corrupted. This was proof. They see talent and capture it. Brainwashing young kids with the flashy pro heroes on television and the illusion of right and wrong being nothing more than black and white. They use them for their so-called justice and ultimate good. Hawks was an example of that. Someone powerful and smart enough to know what he was getting into now that he was older but having no chance to understand it until it was already too late. That was why he was a spy. His sense of justice was like mine. He fought so he could live a good life and I did the same. He didn't do it for money or fame. He did it so he could go home and go to work the next day with hopefully nothing to do. Now, they were trying to get me in the same boat.

"I understand," I said simply, eyes cold and undoubtedly catching her slightly off guard. "I'm not an idiot. You picked the one student without a family to go back to, who would go mostly unnoticed if something were to happen. My Quirk is just good enough to be of use before I get caught and you want to capitalize on that. I'm smart enough to keep my mouth shut and lie through my teeth like an expert. What? Is Hawks not giving you enough information? Is he not fast enough for you or are you doubting him?"

I finally got a reaction as her cup slipped from her fingers and clattered to the ground, her rising with wide eyes and stiff posture.

"How do you know about that?"

I looked away from her easily, dismissing her question completely as I glanced at Nezu with a raised brow. He looked almost proud as he sipped his tea, rather unsurprised by what I'd said.

"They're joking, right?" I asked him, making him hum.

"They're very serious, I assure you."

I scoffed, settling back in my seat. "Then, they're dumber than they look."

"Excuse—"

"I'll do it," I cut the woman off, shooting her a glance. "With some conditions, of course."

She hesitated as I sighed.

"They won't be hard or costly or anything like that, and if you don't like them, I'll be back on my way to class without telling anyone because it seems stupid that you'd ask me without threatening me somehow to keep my silence." I paused then, before frowning at them. "Unless you were dumb enough to think I'd just accept easily."

The woman took a steadying breath to probably keep her temper before she sat back down. "What are your conditions?"

"First off, a place to stay, unless Hawks will let me bunk with him. I can't be going back and forth through U.A. or the other students will get suspicious."

She nodded, easily, waving at a bodyguard who pulled out a notepad to write things down.

"Second… I hate to say this, but I want to work with Hawks. I don't want to do solo work unless I'm comfortable."

She didn't look pleased but agreed to that as well before I took a deep breath and stood.

"Last, no secrets. I want complete honesty from you and everyone I work with. If anyone double-crosses me, I expect the full right to determine what happens. And, should anything happen, I want all of Class 1-A to know what I did and what Hawks did."

"That is top secret—"

"I don't care," I said sharply. "It's bad enough you're sending a kid out there to fight your battles. So, sorry if I think the only family I have should know what I went and died for if it came down to that. If you don't like it, then fuck off. The way I see it, you wouldn't ask for me unless you were desperate or I was the only person who could get the information you needed. If you want me to help you so badly, then I expect you to do these small things for me." I perked up then. "Oh, and I expect to be involved in the planning and full access to training areas, resources, and support equipment. I'm not doing this based on someone else's ideas and with nothing to back me up."

The woman stood, facing me with the least approving expression I'd seen in a while, but I slipped my hands into my pockets and faced her down. They need me. It'd be stupid to say no. Then, she held out a hand and I shook it.

"I look forward to doing business with you, Hotaru."

"I don't," I answered bluntly, hoping that by the time I was found out, everything would be over and done with; with no one in Class 1-A any the wiser.