Boo! A day early as tomorrow is my birthday and I won't be thinking or doing anything but enjoying that haha, so a day early now, but expect the next update at the usual two week mark, so the... 11th of Dec! Eeeenjoy!


SHOUTA POV

Back at the dorms at last, the students filed inside the third year dorms to be safe, heads down. On the way back, Shouta had messaged Hizashi and Nemuri, as well as the rest of the faculty. They would mind their own dorms, avoiding any rampage occurring if, and when, the culprit tried to flee. The Principal had summoned the rest of class 1A to the training arena, concocting some bogus reason for the time being. It would keep them out of the way. And it would keep them safe. Midoryia, Ochako, Asui, and Kirishima were in no state to play pretend and avoid the rest of their class knowing something was wrong, they were barely holding it together when accompanying Mirio and Amajiki inside.

As the taxi pulled up outside the 1A dorms, Shouta waved to Hizashi, Nemuri and Recovery Girl. Other members of the faculty would surround the dorm once they headed inside. The text he had received from 'Alex' was fairly convincing, except she'd have called if scared. Her hands always shook too much to text when rattled. It was so obvious, he tasted bitter shame in the back of his throat. Still, it was time to move past shame, and act.

Hizashi wrung his hands together. "So what's the plan, yo?"

"We get in and subdue the imposter. With any luck we can catch them by surprise."

Nemuri nodded, lips pursed. "I assume we cannot be totally sure that this is an imposter?"

"Precisely. It could be a trick, it could be someone controlling the real Alex. Once we're there, I'll activate my quirk, see what happens. You can knock them out as soon as we're clear, Nem."

"And I'm not just knocking them out right away because…?"

"Because if it's someone controlling her, knocking Alex out doesn't do anything about them. It only lets them know for sure we're aware of the situation. They might make her do anything after that. Even hurt herself. But if I use my quirk and it turns out to be some kind of shapeshifter, then you can knock them out without that worry." He headed inside, the other two falling into step behind. Recovery Girl brought up the rear, clicking with her walking stick.

Everything was so quiet, so still. It hadn't been that eerie in the dorms since before the students arrived, when it still smelled like fresh paint.

Shouta headed for the stairs, not having the stomach for an enclosed space like the elevator. They had to be quick, but they had to be careful. His hands shook. His mind reeled. He didn't know what option to hope for: if an imposter, that meant Alex had been stuck in a lab, being tormented and used. If it wasn't an imposter, it meant the Yakuza were onto them, that they had created that footage to fool them, and that likely meant the Eri girl was already dead. And Alex's mind had been suppressed, whilst being controlled. There was no telling what damage that would do in the long term. Neither option was great.

One more floor to go.

He glanced at Todoroki's door, well aware he owed the boy an apology. The kid had noticed something was wrong, he had brought it to Shouta's attention, even though it risked Alex being upset. He was so worried. He clearly had good instinct–

Shouta stopped.

Red seeped into the carpet under Todoroki's door. Shouta stared, but it was still moving outwards. It had been ten minutes since that text from 'Alex'. What had happened before that?

"We might need you sooner than thought." Shouta muttered to Recovery Girl, her eyes also trained on the door.

"Oh god." Nemuri whispered, hand to her mouth.

Shouta slowly approached the door and knocked lightly. "Todor…?" his soft call faded as something hit the door and slid down. It squeaked. Just like Shouta's balcony dream.

"Shit." He pushed the door open carefully, guessing Todoroki would be beside it.

Todoroki's limp body slumped by the door, having seemingly dragged himself across the room, a long red streak starting by his desk. Bloodied handprints littered the bottom of the door, like he had tried several times to reach for the handle. Shouta knelt by the boy and turned him over carefully; his skin was like ice, pupils dilated, breathing shallow.

"S-Sir…" Todoroki blinked slow. "Alex. Something…"

"Did she do this to you?"

He swallowed hard and nodded.

Shouta shuddered, the boy likely hadn't had a chance to defend himself. And even if he had, the sheer confusion would have made it hard to act. "It's all right, Todoroki, we're going to help her. Just focus on breathing. Recovery Girl will get you stable."

She sighed, going to the other side of the boy. "Goodness me…"

The boy gritted his teeth. "W-Wait." He gasped, knowing full well he would be knocked out the second her quirk took effect. "Sir… Alex… It's not her. T-Talked about herself in third person." He groaned and his eyelids took longer to open. "And… A-And check… Bakugo."

"Bakugo?" A shiver ran down Shouta's spine. All three of them had been close recently. If the imposter wanted to play games, it would make sense to hit Bakugo as well. "I'll go see to him. Rest, Todoroki. Just rest."

The boy didn't look happy about it, but there wasn't much else he could do. He mumbled a few more things, something about an apology, before falling unconscious under Recovery Girl's care. He would make it. Just. Shouta ran downstairs to Bakugo's room. He got the door open and found the boy lying prone, bleeding from a nasty bludgeoned wound on his temple and a deep stab on his back.

"Shit. Bakugo? Bakugo can you hear me?"

"Fckn… Alex… Not… Her." He groaned and tried to move, more blood oozing past what had congealed on his back. It was likely due to lying on his front that had saved Bakugo. "Said… she was… gonna see… T-Todoroki…"

"He's all right, Recovery Girl is seeing to him, she'll be down for you in a moment."

"Kay… go get… imposter... bitch…" Bakugo snarled before falling unconscious again, breathing evenly though.

"I have another student down here in need of your help." Shouta said into the radio, already hearing Recovery Girl on the stairs. With that confirmed, he ran back upstairs and kept going.

Hizashi and Nemuri stood outside his apartment door, trying to listen. As Shouta approached they shrugged and shook their heads. It was hard to tell what was going on inside. It sounded empty. Clearly the imposter wanted to continue playing games. They still had to confirm it was an imposter though, in case it was a ruse to get them to kill the real Alex. No chances could be taken.

Hizashi reached for the handle. "Ready, man?"

"Not at all. You?"

"No chance."

Nemuri took a deep breath. "Let's find out what's been going on, boys."

The door opened.

Shouta stepped inside.

The apartment was quiet. The kind of quiet reserved for his nightmares about Alex's bedroom when she had run away, or the quiet in her hospital room whilst she had yet more surgery.

"Alex? You in here?" He called, his voice filling the space.

"D-Dad?" She gasped, appearing from round the corner, from the corridor that led to his bedroom as if she had sought refuge under his covers. It was a good guess, but she only did that if he was home. If he wasn't, she'd wait, perched on the kitchen counter, eager to run into his arms at the first opportunity. He expected a poor set up. What he hadn't expected was cheap tricks.

The imposter clearly knew their cover was blown. They wanted this to hurt.

Stood, in a shape matching the lab footage, the fake Alex swayed and hugged herself tightly. Small, thin, bruised and broken. Head shaven and eyes sunken.

"Dad... help." She whimpered far too convincingly, dark eyes swimming with tears, thin arms reaching for him.

He gritted his teeth, the image being so overt turning his stomach all over again. "Enough games. We've found the boys downstairs, they're going to be fine."

"Physically maybe." It laughed and tilted it's head, snapping out of the swaying and standing strong. It grinned with Alex's mouth, but turned it cold and cruel. "You seem a bit less bothered. Not affected by seeing your dear little Alex all torn up?"

"Fuck you." Shouta readied his capture weapon. "I know my daughter, I know you're not her. But I wonder who you are."

She laughed harder and shook her head. "You know her? Well enough for a week to go by Mr Hero Daddy." She skipped towards the balcony door, he flung his weapon, activating his quirk to force whoever it was to change back. Nemuri would only use her quirk if he couldn't get hold of them in time, as of course it would also knock out him and Hizashi.

The Imposter's body grew slick, the image melting like some crude wax-work doll, causing his weapon to slip off like oil on water.

"Shit. Nem!"

The pink cloud erupted over his head as he crouched and tried to cover his mouth as his friend ran in, charging at the shapeshifter who continued to shed the visage of Alex. They laughed harder. A mask covered their nose and mouth.

"We do our research, Heroes! I wanted to gut Daddy too, but I guess I'll just leave it at this." A knife skimmed past his shoulder after he dodged. Close. She got to the balcony and perched. "She kept begging for you, for days and days, they said. Pleading for Daddy to come and save her. Some Hero!"

And she was gone.

Alarms were set off, and the ground forces would surely surround her any moment. But between the panic, the image of Alex so abruptly in front of him, and traces of Nemuri's quirk getting into his system, Shouta faltered and braced against the floor.

Imposter confirmed.

Alex was in the lab.

He had to save his daughter.

Hold on Alex… Hold on.


"Shouta?"

A small voice calls from his doorway, barely opening the door, not stepping a foot inside. The fact the kid had come to his room at all was progress. She always looked so unconvinced when he said she could come talk to him if she'd had a nightmare.

He stirs and clears his throat.

She gasps and starts to close the door. She must have taken it as a growl.

He sat up and put his light on. "Kid? Y'okay?"

She pauses, big dark eyes staring through the small gap, unshed tears highlighted in the lamplight. She doesn't know what to do. There's no instinct to ask for help. In all likeliness she's probably confused about why she's even standing there. But he knows why. Because she's afraid, and some part of her feels safe around Shouta. He's so very glad of that.

He pats the space next to him. "Bad dream?"

She nods. He knows she won't tell him what it's about, or what it is she seems to always be running from in her sleep. But at least he can try to show her it's not here in the apartment. It's not under the bed. It's not breaking down the door. Whether real or imagined, it has her shaking like a leaf every time.

She shuffles over, jolting and going back to close the door properly. Then she approaches and scrambles onto the bed, sitting beside him after hauling the covers over her tiny frame. He sips the water he keeps at the side of the bed, stealthily checking the time; 3am.

"Sorry." She mumbles, head down, fingers pulling on the blankets.

"Nothing to apologise for, remember?"

"Yeah but…"

He shuffles down into the blankets and gets comfy. She frowns and thinks about it, before giving in and doing the same. They peer over the covers at each other, and as he raises a brow, he notes how her eyes almost crinkle with a smile.

He reaches out and prods her forehead. "You want me to leave the light on, weirdo?"

"Probably a good idea old man, so you don't break a hip when you go to the loo in a half hour."

"More like so I don't freak out at the goblin in my bed."

"What if I told you this is my bed?"

"I'd say work on the comebacks kid. That was shit."

She rolls her eyes and kicks him under the covers. "Well done you out-sassed an eleven year old."

"I'll take whatever wins I can get." He snorts and then prods again. "All jokes aside, kid, you good to go to sleep? I could put a movie on instead?"

"Nah… I'm good." She smiles and nuzzles into the pillow. "You're good at chasing shadows, old fart."

"Glad to be of service, little freak."

He opened his eyes and felt across the bed, finding nothing but empty sheets.

Just a dream.

A memory.

He sat up, scraped his hair back and wiped the fallen tears. He looped his arms around his knees, took a few deep breaths, but couldn't stop it. It bubbled inside his chest, making him ache all over. He groaned and kept the sobs at bay. Hiding against his knees, he tugged on his hair. That little girl trusted him so deeply. So completely. And what had he done since? The failures kept mounting up. And he hadn't known. For a week, he hadn't realised his brilliant little freak was gone. How? How could that be?

How could he fail that amazing little girl so badly?

"Shouta?"

He jolted back from the hand on his arm; but in place of a confused looking child, freshly woken from a nightmare, he saw Nemuri, freshly concerned over her crumbling friend. He wasn't alone in the apartment, he had forgotten. She insisted on staying after they chased off, and failed to capture the imposter. She knew he'd be a mess, and as usual as she was right.

First instinct demanded he push her back, create walls and roll over to feign sleep. To tell her to get out of his room, go back to bed. But he moved past that. He stared at her concerned gaze, pulled her closer and held tight. She's confused at first of course, but then relaxed and hugged back just as tight.

"Shh… It's okay Shouta. We'll find her."

"I can't keep doing this, Nem. I can't keep failing her."

She stroked his hair. "That's not how she sees it. It's not how any of us see it. This world has latched onto her in the cruellest way since she was a child, and all this… it's part of her escaping that. Maybe even a final part. We can but hope. The League… We will stop them."

He held tighter.

She kissed his head. "Do you want me to use my quirk?"

He sighed. "No… thanks, but no."

"Do you want me to stay in here?"

"Please." He put his head against her shoulder.

"Don't worry, I won't tell, Hiz. He'd only get jealous."


Every day he woke to no messages from Knight Eye, was another day Shouta had to concentrate on simply not losing his nerve. Knight Eye had far more resources, far more ability to search and find the stronghold, and the lab within it. On his own, all Shouta would accomplish would be making the Yakuza suspicious. No. He would wait. Nemuri and Hizashi had both been worried he would react like he had before Kamino, but no, he was learning. He had to be patient, for these things to be done properly. That was the safest way.

They had likely already caused some problem with the imposter getting away, but Knight Eye had said there had never been concrete proof of the League's involvement until they confirmed the imposter had been a member of the League. So the connection wasn't well forged. Likely fresh, and unlikely to be very friendly. Likely only a means to an end. And as the imposter had already made a fair bit of noise with their exit, it was doubtful they were in the Yakuza's favour. Shouta had to hope Knight Eye was right. And he had to trust in the system.

Not that this logic helped him much in the meantime.

Midoryia, Ochako, Kirishima and Asui were handling things admirably. They studied, focused on their training and didn't seem to have said anything to their classmates. The strain would be hard, Shouta knew that, but they had to endure. They all did. Bakugo and Todoroki were recovering in a secure facility, kept there for their own safety in case they were targets due to their connection to Alex, but also to stop them being rash. Shouta had the advantage of hindsight, and age. They did not. They were dedicated, headstrong, and powerful; they wanted to save her. They couldn't stand being idle. But they were recovering from their injuries, and there was no telling if other factors applied to why they had been attacked. From what they said, it seemed to have just been a game for the imposter. She just wanted to see what would happen. It also didn't seem that she wanted Bakugo dead, not considering the difference in his injuries versus Todoroki's. Their absence from class was explained as extra training, but of course the kids who had been at the meeting were fully informed. They knew something was up. Kirishima had gone to visit the boys, mainly to get the kid to calm down and so he could report back firsthand to the others how the two boys were doing.

For now they were healing. Once they got past that part, then Shouta knew he would have some real trouble on his hands.

Stood in gym Gama he monitored the ongoing training, those who had been taking part in Work Studies were showing their classmates how far they had gotten. Some of the kids looked a little disheartened, others, more determined than ever to catch up. His brilliant class, missing too many pieces.

His phone buzzed.

He jolted and grabbed it, hoping for an update from Knight Eye. But no, it was the police. They were helping with the investigation, but they wouldn't be contacting Shouta with updates. It had to be something else. Probably some paperwork gone wrong.

He sighed and stepped out into the courtyard. "Hello? Eraser speaking."

"Sir, this is Detective Sorn, we spoke before about the records concerning your daughter's biological parents and how they died."

"Oh…" Shouta ensured the gym doors had closed. "Right, yes."

It felt so long ago since they had started to look into what had really happened to her parents. A lifetime ago.

The Detective continued. "Well, from what we can gather from autopsy reports and a lucky use of a colleagues quirk, we can deduce that your daughter was indeed involved. It seems she caused their deaths. However, and this is very important, considering her age at the time, it is highly unlikely malicious intent was behind her actions. Either frightened of what was happening, or perhaps even forced to use her quirk by All For One. We have been told he has these capabilities. Can you confirm this from what your daughter has told you?"

"Yes. Her and Katsuki Bakugo both spoke of seeing him forcefully use other's quirks."

"Well it would seem that it is a likely cause of what happened. Either way, she was far too young at the time to be in control or fully understand what she was doing. Between that and the time passed, no charges will be brought against her. Just to be clear."

No charges was a big win. But the confirmation of what she had done would not please Alex. Unfortunately, the truth came with a sting in its tail.

If he even got to tell her.

Shouta shook his head free of such thoughts. "Thank you for being so clear, Detective. Can I bother you with another favour?"

"Of course, sir. Happy to help, if I can."

"Could you look into her parents backgrounds?"

"We can try, yes. Is there anything specific you'd like us to find?"

"Just… Well… Something doesn't sit right with me, with the idea they were willingly giving her over. The idea of two parents going to someone like All For One, it doesn't add up. Fair enough he won't have been playing the Villain at the time, I'm sure, but both Alex and Bakugo said he had this… sense about him. This foreboding essence. I find it odd that anyone, no matter how worried about their kid, would trust that sort of man with their child."

"I see what you mean, sir. We shall look into it right away. I realise this is a tense time for you already, I am sorry if I shouldn't have called, but we all felt you would want to know as soon as possible."

"No, you're right, I needed to know. Thank you Detective, thank you very much."

"No problem, sir. Goodbye."

"Bye."

Shouta stared at his phone as the screen went dark. Another piece of her past fell into place. He hoped it wasn't instead of her future. Future. He swallowed hard and scrolled through his contacts, pressing Knight Eye's name and hoping the hero might be in a giving mood.

It rang two times.

"Eraserhead, I did say I would contact you as soon as I heard anything about your daughter. We have not found an–"

"I know, I apologise for the sudden call, I just… I had a favour to ask."

His list of owing favours was going to get very long. But it didn't matter, not if he got some clues.

"Which is?"

As ever, with Knight Eye, there were no promises given before he knew he could keep them.

Shouta took a long breath. "Can you look into Alex's future? It might show us some clue into the rescue, or if we're not even on the right track. It could–"

"No."

Knight Eye had never been a man of many words, but that seemed especially blunt. Anger bubbled in Shouta's gut and he gritted his teeth against the want to rant down the phone at such a callous refusal. But he knew Knight Eye. He would explain. He just didn't want to leave any grey area, any wiggle room. He had no intention to do it, and now Shouta could find out why. Going in, knowing the outcome helped. Logical.

Even with that logic in mind, it was hard to keep the venom from his voice. "Why?"

Knight Eye sighed wearily, not in impatience. "I will not risk locking her future into an undesirable result. If I see her death, I cannot guarantee that the outcome can be changed. And we are no closer to finding her right now. It… It has too many variables attached."

"Your visions… Lock the future?" Shouta had never heard of that part of Knight Eye's power before.

"I do not know for certain, but it is a theory I have with a fair amount of evidence behind it. I'm sorry. I will not risk it. Goodbye."

Shouta didn't even manage to respond before the line went dead.


SHO POV

She gives a thumbs up and jogs across the street. That was when we last saw her. After that, it was the fake, the facade, the lie. We knew something wasn't right, but never guessed at something so serious. Played for absolute fools. She gives a thumbs up, sun in her hair, smile broad; the day had gone so great, my mother loved her, they got on really well, then our lovely walk into town. She made the leaves dance. Perfect. And then? Gone. Will she ever look like that again? Is it too late? Is she dead already? No one knows. They can't.

I trace the bandaging on my shoulder. I nearly died, or so they tell me. In all honesty I see that as the least I deserve, I was right there when she was taken. So close and yet so oblivious. This facility me and Bakugo are in is so secure, there's no way we could escape it, not without seriously hurting someone or ourselves. It would help no one, but I still hate being unable to do anything.

We have to sit and wait. Do nothing but hope.

Bakugo continues to pace.

He does that a lot, and I can't blame him. At first it annoyed me, but really, it's just a coping mechanism, mine just happens to be a quiet and still one. Recovery Girl will be by later to finish healing us. Or maybe very soon. It's hard to keep track of things.

Unfortunately my Father had to be told what happened, and it's hardly helped him shut up about his objections to Alex.

It: [Shouto, please listen to me.]

It: [Shouto, I know you are recovering right now, but you must seriously consider what this relationship is risking for your future. This is not going to end well.]

I'll admit his tone has gotten less scathing since the last time I hung up on him. I'm not sure what's changed, but his demeanour is slightly more… normal. For other people, not him. For him, it's downright strange. But the one silver lining is, he's not talking about Alex as if she's already… gone. I expected that. I got myself ready to rage out at him for such thoughts. But no. It seems even he isn't that cruel.

"Fuck!" Bakugo yells, kneeling in the middle of the floor, tugging on his hair. He needed less medical attention, but I guess we're both flight risks when it comes to acting irrationally right now. He tugs again. "Fuck, fuck, fuck!"

"You'll tear your stitch–"

"I gotta talk to you about something, Icyhot."

I blink. "All right… Feel free."

He sighs, returning to his own bed, slumping and clasping his hands in his lap. "It's about the attacks. When that imposter fucked us over."

I flinch. It's hard to not recall the image of Alex stabbing me. I can't stand that someone's put that image in my mind. It doesn't change how I feel about her, but it might make my body do something foolish when I see her again. Will I be frightened of her? I've no idea. Then again, there's no telling what she's been put through recently either, we'll both likely have some things to work through. I don't care. As long as we get to do them together.

I clear my throat. "What about it?"

"I dunno if the imposter would ever say anything, but I guess they might. But beyond that… I just feel shitty about it."

Bakugo had something to feel guilty about? Now?

I nod. "I'm listening."

"Good, but keep listening, okay? Don't rage out or something."

I raise a brow. "Not something I'm exactly known for."

"Yeah but this is a weird circumstance." He gets up and paces again, but between the beds. Words churn in his head, mouth opening and closing a few times before he finally puts almost a full sentence together. "When the imposter came into my room, they… they pretended like Alex… Like she…"

"Like she what?"

"Like she… Wanted me."

"Wanted you to what?" I blink as he glares, tilting his head slowly. The penny drops. Both my brows raise. "Oh. Like she… Wanted you."

"Exactly." He rolls his eyes. "She got all up in my face, straddled me in my desk chair and made out with me. Or tried." He adds, raising his hands to me. "I didn't respond man. I mean… Okay, a specific part of my body did, but I can't exactly control that."

I stay very still, the instinct to yell bubbles up my throat. That instinct wants outrage, yelling. It wants me to throw a punch and demand to know how he could betray me like that. Sure we weren't best friends, but we had trust I thought. But that's only what instinct wants, and it's foolish.

I take a deep breath.

Bakugo just said he didn't respond–though the involuntary part I can also understand. Alex sitting on top of you, writhing, kissing, yeah it's going to do things to your body. Blaming him for that would be like blaming him for breathing. There was no betrayal.

Bakugo mis-interprets my silence. "But I didn't respond, okay? I did nothing but tell her to get the fuck off me."

"You were angry?"

"Huh?" He does that curled thing with his lip. "Of course I was fuckin' angry. At first I was pissed because I didn't know it was an imposter, I was pissed that she'd do something like that. But then… yeah then she got weirder and you know the rest." He sighs. "I dunno why I wanted to say it but–"

"You were right to."

Bakugo blinks.

I shrug. "The Villains might consider it an angle to use against us at some point. To brew trouble. You just made it a moot point, took their power away from them."

He raises a brow. "You don't wanna kick my ass?"

"For being violated by a stranger pretending to be Alex? When you claim to have not even responded? No, I'm not going to kick your ass, Bakugo. But I will thank you."

He looks to the side. "What for?"

"Being honest, and… well I guess, and not responding." I find myself snorting, the whole surreal situation messing with my head. I lie back on my bed. "Why did you think she was there? Before she went all… weird."

Bakugo clicks his tongue. "I dunno."

I raise a brow. "Really? Not a study question or training enquiry? You had no idea?"

"Does it matter?"

"I suppose not. You just… Usually don't open the door unless expecting someone." I shrug, recalling the times me and Alex had gone to see if he wanted to join us for a movie and been stone-walled. He slept early and enjoyed his personal time.

His mouth opens and closes. "What is it with you guys and bein' freakish observant." He grumbles. "I figured she'd done her weird 'sensing' thing again."

"Sensing?" I repeat, having no idea what he could be referring to.

He grumbles again, I think it's a tell for when he's explaining something personal. "Like… You ever been thinking some weird shit, maybe dark stuff, and she somehow… Knows? She'll nudge you, tug your hair, even boop your nose and like… She brings you back from it."

I make an 'oh' shape with my mouth and sit up to nod. Yeah. I knew exactly what he meant. It seemed to be some kind of sixth sense of hers, a means of knowing when someone was struggling. Usually with me it was when I got caught up thinking about my parents. About the past that I couldn't do a damn thing about. Or if I started to feel self-conscious about my scar. She'd move closer. Her hands would play with my hair, or she'd lay her head against my shoulder. Something. To bring me back to the present.

"Yeah… I've never known how she does that." I smirk. "Good to know it isn't just me she can read like a book. Is… Is it Kamino stuff she helps you with?" I don't really know why I asked, but it seems to be a time for sharing.

He shrugs. "Yeah. Usually I can just feel that freaky patchwork guy's hand on the back of my neck, dragging me through the portal. Or the black ooze in my mouth." He swallows. "Or… Or I can hear the impact when her back got busted."

"And she helps?" I try to bring it back to the positive, Alex said it was best to find those 'silver linings'. He nods. "She usually nudges me or puts her head on my shoulder. What uh… What's she do to you?"

He pouts. "Huh, you get nice shit, huh? Guess that makes sense."

I snort again. "What? Does she beat you up or something?"

"Nah, but I get shoved, or my hair gets pulled or she does that nose boop thing, it's so annoying! But… But it also helps." He rolls his eyes and laughs. "She's a pain in the ass."

"Yeah… I guess she is." I chuckle and look up at the fluorescent lights. "Mad situation, right?"

"Right." Bakugo flops against his bed. "Thanks for not freaking out on me, I couldn't be bothered sparring right now."

"No need." I shrug, and then the words slip out before I can stop them. "Kind of answers another question I'd had, anyway."

"What question?" He looks up immediately.

"Well…"

I suppose this is a good time for honesty. He's been open about this, I can explain this. He might just laugh it off. He probably will. But I can't help but wonder, he seems so keen to be around her, maybe both of us I guess. He even laughs with her. Looks out for her. Just ask.

"Oi, what question?" He demands.

I sigh. "I admit I'd been wondering if you had feelings for Alex. Hard not to wonder, y'know? You get on so well with her."

He's very quiet.

Very quiet.

Oh.

He didn't respond to the imposter, but maybe that was only out of respect for me and our 'friendship'. Perhaps he did, or does, feel something for Alex? I take a long breath in, considering my past worries. I'd never suspected it went both ways in any fashion, not to any real degree at least, but perhaps I had been in the right area with Bakugo? I look to him and find him gritting his teeth, looking torn. This is all so messed up, a teenage love triangle feels utterly surreal. Well no. Not really a triangle is it? Alex doesn't seem to return the feelings for Bakugo, and he doesn't seem to have any notion of acting on them. That's not a triangle. I don't know what that shape is, but it's not a triangle. After all, there's no issue in him finding her attractive, or caring for her. It's not like we suddenly stop noticing other people's beauty when they're attached to relationships, or you are.

"It's all right, Bakugo."

He winces. "What?"

"You can find her attractive and care for her. It's understandable. But I trust that you would never do anything about it, not when I'm involved. I trust that entirely."

"I… Oh…" He nods. "Right. Good. Fucking should trust it. She's my friend, I just… I dunno… Friends sometimes sounds too weak. Make sense?"

"Makes sense."

"Good. So trust that it ain't anything more than that shit, got it?"

"I do."

"Good."

"Good." I smile softly and let myself sink into a doze.

That wasn't where I thought today would go, but I guess a little normal teenage stuff is welcome. My throat thickens as I consider the fact it might not be a triangle for a whole other reason. A missing part. She might be lost already. Shit. Had my last memory of Alex been her jogging across a street for noodles? Was my last image of her technically her stabbing me? Fuck. I never got to say it. We're too young for that kind of word I guess, but considering she might be gone forever, suddenly our age seems totally irrelevant. I never got to say it.

A tear escapes.

Alex.

Please come back.

"She's gonna be there, and they're gonna get her back." Bakugo says, like he can read my thoughts all the way to a graveyard.

"Right." I swallow. "Of course."

"She can't check out yet, she's gotta kick that imposter girl's ass."

Laughter escapes me, despite my train of thought. We both laugh. It's so easy to imagine Alex's brows shooting up as she listens to the story, then that determined snarl setting onto her lips. She'd get up, fling a jacket on and go on the hunt. No, we wouldn't actually let her go and hunt down the League for this, but damn it if I don't enjoy the idea. Strong. Determined. Beautiful. That's her.

"That imposter girl is doomed."

"Yeah. Totally fucked."


SHOUTA POV.

It's been another two days of waiting, when his phone buzzed with a message.

Time to go and save Alex.

On the way over there, in a car with everyone else, his phone buzzed with a call.

It's Knight Eye.

"We're about ten minutes away, Knight Eye."

"Very good. I just felt I should warn you prior to you being here with everyone else. Within the vision I saw…"

Shouta's teeth clicked together, but he just waited.

Knight Eye cleared his throat. "In the vision, I saw Alex. Shaved head, strange plastic suit, the same as the lab footage, but she was staring ahead blankly. She… In all honesty, Eraser, she could have been dead. I don't wish to cause panic, but I needed you to be prepared for anything."

Having seen her visage represented so clearly thanks to the slippery imposter woman, Shouta found it all too easy to see it for himself as well. No doubt that would recur to him in nightmares, if they successfully rescued her and Eri or not.

He swallowed. "Thank you. Message received."

He hung up and stared at his home screen image. Alex stood in her Hero Costume for the first time, striking a stupid pose. He could easily imagine the grin under her mask, the way her eyes would have been glittering as she laughed and goofed around.

Take the stupid picture already, would ya? This thing's tighter than a duck's arse!

She wasn't dead.

She couldn't be.

Shouta refused to believe that was her future. Not today.


ALEX POV

I rock back and forth, holding Eri close, humming a tune in her ear as she sobs against my chest. Poor kid. I can't see what they did thanks to this damn blindness, which I'm starting to suspect might be permanent, but her bandages are still damp. They hurt Eri again. Bastards. I've held her for nearly an hour if her little dolls house cuckoo clock is anything to go by, but I just keep holding, keep humming. It's all I can do. She seems less upset now, the sobs getting weaker all the time. I hope that means the pain is dimming minute by minute too. Please? Soon she'll be too tired to do anything but sleep. I hope it's a dreamless one. She needs it.

"A-Alex?"

"Yeah, sweetheart?"

"I'm s-sorry you're here, but I'm also g-glad. Is that silly?"

I smile and kiss her hair, the tip of her horn poking me in the cheek. Is it getting bigger? "Not at all, Eri. I'm glad I can be here for you, nothing else matters to me right now."

"Can you… Can you tell me about the Knight with the Black armour again?"

"Of course." I kiss her hair and linger. "Once upon a time, there was a mouse–"

Our door opens and she hides in the crook of my neck, tiny fingers holding onto my plastic clothing so tight her nails pinch my skin. I hold her close and run my fingers through her hair, the other hand going up and down her back. With my quirk, I send out a pulse. It's Overhaul and a woman, she struts in behind him with pointy shoes on.

Who's this? Someone new.

I lean into Eri's ear and whisper. "What colour is her hair, Eri?"

"L-Like snow in the picture books."

"Long?"

"Short, like a boy."

"Thank you, sweetheart." I kiss her head and tuck her back into the crook of my neck. Any details will help. It doesn't matter who this woman is, the fact she's walking so casually with Overhaul makes her a bad omen in my books.

Overhaul stops a few steps away. "Good morning girls."

I raise a brow. "What's it to be today? Finger-painting? Some opera lessons?"

"I told you she remained talkative." He sighs.

The woman stands beside him, fingers drumming against what sounds like a leather skirt. "She's the spitting image…"

"Reunion isn't why we're here. Now then, before we begin, I need to talk to you Alex. You prepared to listen?"

"I don't have a choice, don't pretend that I do." I glare, even though I have to pretend I'm not sure where he is. I can feel every part of his clothing, his tie would strangle him so nicely. Or his damn feather collar could smother him. I could detach his spinal column or rip out his eyes. But then we'd still have this woman to deal with, and there's no way to know what she can do. In the second it takes me to act on Overhaul, this woman could raise an alarm. And then, all I've accomplished is getting myself and Eri killed. No. I've held out too long for that. I can hold on a little longer. I need the right moment.

Overhaul chuckles. "Oddly enough, a choice is what I'm about to offer."

"Get on with it then."

"So impatient." He adjusts his gloves, the fabric making that tell-tale noise against his thin wrists. "We have a bit of a situation brewing outside you see, the Heroes seem to have cottoned on to where we are, and they are making a nuisance of themselves. No doubt they will be moving in on our home very soon."

I do my best to keep my face blank. "If this is meant to be a joke, I don't get it."

"Not a joke, but leading to a promise. They will be destroyed, and your Father will be captured. His quirk is most interesting to me, it would be fruitful to study it alongside Eri's."

I shudder. It was all too easy to imagine Dad strapped down, being torn into like I had been, his own arms and legs soon covered in bandages like Eri's, his voice cracked from so many screams.

I lick my lips, shivering. "And my choice?"

"Originally, I intended to use you as a bargaining chip with that Shigaraki child, and as you can imagine, he has terrible plans for your demise. But.." he pauses as a small whimper escapes me, fear bubbling over inside my head. "But, I would be willing to spare you that, and to spare your Father the trial of being my lab rat, if you agree to taking his quirk into your body instead. Be the lab rat in his place, as it were."

They already think they can control me. A small teenage girl is easier to wrangle than a frown man who is a well trained professional hero. Makes sense.

"And if I don't… My Dad gets the same treatment I did, and I go to Shigaraki as planned?"

"Precisely. So… Do you want to save your Father?"

Bastard. Like that's any kind of choice.

I bare my teeth. "You can remove his quirk without killing him?"

"Indeed... It's a little messy, but as part of the deal I'll throw in a promise for him to be sedated at the time. How does that sound?"

Dad won't be pleased, but at least this way I might still survive. If I am handed to Shigaraki, I'm dead. If I do this, I might get to escape one day. It still has hope.

I look down. "Yes. I'll stay your lab rat."

"Wonderful. But as we have a few variables going on right now… You're up."

The woman sighs. "Oh, remembered I'm here, have you?"

"Just get on with it. I don't want any complications, and your talents might help alleviate them in the future."

"I never wanted to have to see her again, I made that clear. She's meant to be covered up, hidden from my sight."

"We don't always get what we want…" he sounds so bored. "Just get on with it, her time in the lab, that's all. She keeps everything else. I want her to remember Eri if things go badly. She should remember the little girl she failed."

The woman clicks her tongue and approaches me. Eri holds tighter.

Overhaul grumbles. "Move aside, Eri. Alex needs her medicine."

"It's okay, Eri." I try to pry her off, to get her out of harm's way.

Eri cries. "No! No, don't hurt her again! You keep hurting her, you have to stop hurting her!"

Tears brew in my eyes. "It's okay Eri, I'll be okay." I sniff. "Just be brave for a couple minutes okay?"

She stops struggling and sniffs. "O-Okay…"

I clench my fists, nails biting into my palms. "Get on with it, whatever the hell it is."

"Damn mongrel." The woman's voice hisses from nearby, and two cold hands clamp onto the sides of my head, her nails digging into my scalp.

I don't fight it. As long as it stops them focusing on Eri for a little longer, I don't care.

A strange sensation prickles at the top of my head, trickling down like an egg had been cracked and is dribbling over my scalp. Things warp. Memories fade. The cold metal of a table and burning warmth of lamps above become mist, slipping through the cracks. A breathing tube melts, stinking healing solution dries, and an attempted escape ceases to exist.

What happened?

What…

I stare ahead, unable to blink as my mind fizzes. I still can't see anything.

What had she done to me?

"There. It's done." The hands disappear and I hear vigorous wiping.

"So Alex, how have you liked your stay here?" Overhaul purrs and I shrink back from the gloved finger under my chin.

"Shitty little room, not much else to say." I have no idea what the hell he wants from the question, but I can't give him anything but that. Stuck in this tiny room with Eri, trying to keep her and myself calm, unable to see and track the time beyond hour chunks. It's been so maddening. Why am I even here? Other than this damn deal about Dad. But everything else… it seems so pointless.

"Very good." He chuckles and then straightens, seemingly talking to the woman next. "Your services are no longer needed, may want to leave out the back exit."

"Whatever." Heels click out of the room.

A loud bang sounds far off.

Overhaul brushes himself down. "Come on Chronos, we better get moving."

"Yes, sir."

Eri is plucked from her corner by Overhaul, and I'm grabbed by my collar, being dragged out of the room for the first time since arriving, trailing along the ground behind Chronos.

I hold onto his wrist to alleviate the pressure on my neck. "Where the hell are we–"

"Shut it." Chronos strikes me and I hang my head, knees already getting friction burns from the dragging.

Another bang, but further off, like its several floors up.

What is that?

Another bang. Another.

Is… Is someone here? Is… Is someone coming to save us?

Dad?

Overhaul grumbles. "This wasn't meant to happen so soon. We'll have to quicken our plans. How many of the bullets are ready?"

"Six." Chronos mutters. "But they are the full version at least, we can work from there. You think it'll still work?"

"We're pedalling a drug that all Heroes will fear and all Villains will want, we'll easily get investors. You'll see."

What the hell are they talking about? A drug that Heroes will fear and Villains will want? Shit. Wherever they're going, they can't take whatever's in those bullets with them. It could go so far beyond this horrid little place. Then it won't matter if I've saved Dad some grief by offering myself instead of him. The world will be set ablaze anyway. Shit. Think Alex. Think. Both Overhaul and Chronos sound like they're out of time, even if not all that concerned. So I can guess that yes, this is some kind of rescue mission. Not that I'm sure how they found us, but that doesn't matter. It's in reach. Eri could get out.

"Time to get to work you two, make up for the mess you made, hear me?"

"Sure thing Mr Overhaul!" Toga laughs in her horribly shrill way. "See ya later, Alex! I had so much fun with your boyfriends!"

What?

What?!

"What the hell does that mean? What did you do Toga?"

More laughter.

I struggle against Chronos' grip. "Fuck you, Toga! What did you do?"

"Stop it." Chronos pauses to kick me in the stomach, before carrying on. "What does it matter? You're never going to see them again. Idiot."

What had Toga done to Shouto? And she used a plural. Had she hurt Bakugo as well? What about my other classmates? Had she butchered them all? I can't catch a breath, my legs won't work, I can barely hold onto Chronos' wrist to stop the dragging hurting so much. Should I use my power now? Is now the right time?

No. They might catch up.

Then I will have back up. Then someone can get Eri to safety.

Come on… Come on!

We can't let these bastards win!


And there we have it, the rescue is FINALLY happening folks! Will they get there in time? Will Alex get out with Eri? Will she ever see again? Will i finally end this arc I've been having so much fun with?! Lol, anyway, thanks to everyone reading, following, faving and reviewing! Shoutouts below! See you in two weeks!

SHOUTOUTS:

Zikashigaku: Haha sorry for the ongoing cliffhangers! This is a slightly longer chapter tho haha to ensure things got GOING before I stopped. I'm glad you liked the Toga POV, I was unsure on it for a long time. She's not a character that interests me a lot in the show, but she had a purpose here! I'm intrigued by your theory on what the vision meant or not tbh! I shall not confirm or deny anything haha. I guess you'll just have to see. Hah I am soooo looking forward to the Dabi moment with this arc haha, it hasn't had its place yet, but it will. Ooh it will! Not caught up on the manga myself, still waiting to see if I get it for my birthday haha. Thanks again for the ongoing support, it means so so much! Cya in a couple weeks!

SAIKKO-KEIRA: Haha I am so thrilled to hear you're invested, but goodness don't let it get in the way of you creating your own work! Go forth and make the words! Haha, thanks for chiming in, glad you're enjoying it! Cya next time!