As the cabin disappeared from my view, I found myself in a large, brightly-lit building. I was being pushed along, but still I craned my neck to look around. There were rows of shelving and file cabinets, and a few doors leading to other rooms. It was some kind of warehouse.

I was shoved again, and almost lost my footing. I realized I should probably watch where I was going. I faced front, only to immediately reel back from what I saw. There was a creature covered in many hands, including one where its face should be. Between the fingers I could see a red eye looking at me. "It's nice to finally meet you, Rogue. I am Tomura Shigaraki." It was the voice I'd heard earlier from within the black cloud.

The mixture of borrowed quirks made me feel cocky. "So what's the deal? Why do you need me?"

The creature shook its head. "All in good time." It reached up and removed the hand covering its face, revealing a disturbing smile beneath messy, pale blue hair. "We're all excited to have you here. Your reputation precedes you."

I thought of a dozen sharp responses, but I held my tongue. I wondered how I could use these loaned quirks. If I tried and failed, these villains might go back and hurt the students. Maybe I should aim for the biggest effect. I certainly wouldn't mind a little collateral damage.

Shigaraki stepped closer, peering at me from under his hair. "You're smarter than the type we normally deal with. I guess with your history I shouldn't be surprised. You knew we would capture you either way, so you spared everyone a lot of trouble. Zero casualties on both sides. Hmm."

He was so near. I wanted to hit him with this swirling cocktail of power, but it was risky. It might destroy a whole city block, or it might only buy me a few seconds to run. It was a huge gamble. Someone moved in behind me. I felt cold metal around my neck, and my vision went gray.

"This is a quirk-suppressing collar, in case you were wondering," said the patched guy.

Dizzy, I dropped to my knees. When my vision came back into focus, there was a thin blond girl smiling at me. She was dressed like a typical schoolgirl, and she appeared just as young and innocent as the students I'd just left behind. What was she doing with this bunch?

She jabbed a long needle into the crook of my arm. I watched my blood travel down a tube, and I felt weak. She grinned at me. "I've been looking forward to having another girlfriend. There's way too much testosterone around here."

Shigaraki crouched in front of me. "Get comfortable, Rogue. You're going to be here for a while."

I woke up some time later, my head hanging to the side at a painful angle, my legs splayed out before me on the hard floor. The girl was right up in my face, and I reflexively tried to jerk away.

She grinned. "Good morning, sleepyhead!" She grabbed me by the ropes around my middle and hauled me to my feet. For a minute she tried to untie me, but she soon gave up with a groan. I let her lead me through the building, then into a room with a long table. "Dabi, can you get these ropes?"

The man with the patched skin stood and approached us. I noticed that beneath his black hair, he had piercing blue eyes. He reached a hand towards me, and I saw flames lick across his palm. In an instant, the ropes around me sizzled and fell away. Then he sat back down without a word. The girl joined him and started chattering away.

I looked around the room, confused. There was no one else around, yet they were comfortable turning their backs on me. Then I remembered the collar around my neck; I couldn't use my quirk.

"Rogue." I turned to see the black cloud of smoke hovering behind the table. The cloud was now wearing a dress shirt and necktie. "I have obtained a classic American breakfast for you. Do let me know if it is to your liking." He had a calm, soothing voice, but my brain could not process the rest.

On the table before me was a platter with scrambled eggs, bacon, and triangles of french toast. My stomach growled at the sight. I quickly sat down and popped some bacon into my mouth. I shut my eyes as I chewed; it tasted like home. There was also orange juice and a tiny pitcher of syrup. I grabbed a fork to scoop up a bite of eggs, then poured syrup over the toast.

Dabi cleared his throat. "Did it cross your mind that could be poisoned?"

I took a bite of french toast, talking with my mouth full. "If you went through all the trouble to bring me here, only to poison me, then you're stupider than I thought. Besides, I'm not about to turn down a free meal."

Shaking his head, Dabi turned back to his own plate.

The girl was staring. I gestured to my food. "You want some?"

She picked up a piece of french toast and took a small bite. Her eyebrows shot up in surprise. "Mmm, that's good!" I caught myself smiling.

"Toga," scolded the cloud of smoke. "Manners!"

I turned my attention back to him. "So, are you in charge?"

"I am merely here to serve the cause." His voice reminded me of Optimus Prime.

"What exactly are you?"

He grew a little taller. "I am Warp Gate. I create portals to move myself and others anywhere I choose."

"Is that how you got breakfast?"

"That is correct. Yours was obtained from an American dining establishment known as Denny."

I chuckled. "Good choice." I gestured with a piece of bacon. "So what happens now?"

"For now, I cannot say. You will remain under guard until we feel you can be trusted."

"But you trust me enough to leave me untied."

"Would you like to see what happens if you try to run?"

Dabi could make fire, and I knew next to nothing about Toga. Up against all three of them, my odds were very poor. "Maybe later. Is there coffee, by any chance?"

His form shifted and shook, and after a moment he handed me a mug of steaming coffee.

"Thanks." I wondered if he was human, or used to be. "Do you have a name?"

"You may call me Kurogiri."

I nodded. "Thanks again for breakfast; this bacon is phenomenal."

"You are most welcome." He hesitated for a second. "If I may, Rogue, did you in fact work closely with the hero known as Storm?"

I almost choked on my eggs. "Yes, how do you-"

"As a young boy, I admired her. What was she like?"

I froze. I was not the best person for him to ask. Storm and I had never gotten along well. "Um… she was very passionate." Time to change the subject. I lowered my voice. "You all have a bathroom around here?"

For the most part I was allowed to wander. There were always villains and their underlings milling about. They all seemed to know I wouldn't try anything while stuck in this collar that blocked my power. Sometimes I would watch television on an ancient box set, or play cards with whoever was available. I would almost call it boring, if I wasn't being held prisoner.

Every few days, Toga would draw more blood from me, but the interesting part was, she started bringing me candy or snacks afterwards. We passed some time by introducing each other to new treats, with Kurogiri's help. I enjoyed Takenoko biscuits, and Toga really loved strawberry PopTarts.

I started to get a persistent headache. I suspected it was due to the device around my neck, as I'd had a similar experience once before. I asked Kurogiri about taking it off, even for short periods of time, but he politely declined. Toga offered to injure me elsewhere to take my mind off it. Oddly enough, she meant it in the most sincere way.

One afternoon I was in the bathroom, patting cold water on my face to try and ease the strain behind my eyes, and when I stood up, there was Dabi's reflection behind mine in the mirror. "Don't move," he said, quiet but sinister.

I froze in place as he reached around my neck. There was a click, and he removed the collar. Instantly I was flooded with relief; it made me lightheaded. "Thank you," I said, gripping the sink for balance.

He still was standing extremely close. "Don't mention it." Judging by his expression, he meant that literally. Even so, he was the last one I would have expected to help me. I had been focusing most of my efforts on Toga.

I turned to face him, and realized I'd never got to see him this close up before. It appeared that whole areas of his skin had been removed, and replaced with some kind of graft that didn't heal properly. It left those patches a dark, mottled purple, like dead skin. The grafts were pinned to his healthy skin with bits of metal. It looked painful, but fascinating. Like artwork that made you really feel something.

His mouth curled into a sneer. "You like what you see?"

"Yeah." Obviously I wasn't thinking clearly.

Dabi grabbed me by my shirt and slammed me against the wall.. "I'm not someone you should play games with." His hand was scalding hot, pinning me in place.

"I'm not." I drew in a sharp breath, trying not to focus on the pain. "You're very striking."

He turned up the heat. "Don't lie to me."

I really needed to get my head together. "I don't mean pretty; that's not my type anyway."

"Yeah?" He chuckled darkly. "And what is your type?"

The heat stung, and I couldn't focus. "Bad boys," I admitted. Either his hand went fractionally cooler, or I had nerve damage. "Sullen, moody, dangerous..." The heat eased up a little, but not enough.

His fingers shifted, and wIthout meaning to, I reached up to pry his hand away. I only realized what a careless move it was after my fingers were wrapped around his forearm. If he thought I was trying to attack, he would definitely scorch me. Except… nothing was happening. My bare, un-gloved hand was in full contact with his skin, but it wasn't doing anything. I felt my eyes grow wide.

He seemed to be surprised as well. He narrowed his eyes at me, probably wondering if I was up to something.

I looked again at where our skin was touching. The skin on his arm was another graft, down to his wrist, where it met the lighter, undamaged skin of his hand. A row of staples around his wrist held the pieces together. My quirk must not recognize the grafted skin, and I had no effect on him. This had potential.

He was studying my every move, probably bracing for me to attack.

I cautiously lifted my other hand. "Can I just…" He didn't stop me. Slowly, I reached up and let my fingertips graze over his jaw. Nothing happened; these damaged areas of his skin were immune to me. The top of his shirt hung open, and I traced my hand down his neck, to his chest. My quirk did not respond. Interesting. Perhaps my time here could be a little fun after all. "So, are you like that anywhere else?"

He sneered. "You wanna find out?" he asked coldly.

I allowed myself to look at his mouth. His upper lip was normal, unharmed, but his lower lip was dark and scarred. There were staples along both cheeks and down the center of his chin. I ran my fingertips over his bottom lip. He did not budge. Moving cautiously, I leaned in and kissed his lower lip. My quirk did not activate, but my stomach flipped. I pressed my palm against his chest, feeling it rise and fall as he breathed. Feeling a little bolder, I kissed him again. He responded by running his tongue across my lips. It made my quirk flare up, and I felt a jolt of heat from the connection. I jerked back, startled.

With a wicked grin, he moved towards me, and I shut my eyes. I heard a metallic snap as he closed the collar around my neck. I opened my eyes to find him inches away, looking down his nose at me. "I did warn you not to play with me," he said, then turned and walked away.

I called after him. "For the record, I wasn't playing!"

The longer I wore the quirk-suppressing collar, the worse I felt. Dabi hadn't given me another break, and no one else took pity on me. My head throbbed constantly, and bright lights made me feel nauseated. Shigaraki was never around, and there were long stretches where Toga, Dabi, and Kurogiri were gone on important business. I was left alone with their underlings.

Before one such mission, Toga came to say goodbye, and she found me slumped against an old filing cabinet. "Poor Rogue. I'll try to get back soon, and we can stuff ourselves with junk food!"

At the moment, I felt too sick to think about eating. I pressed my forehead against the cool metal side of the filing cabinet. "Could you ask them again before you go? Please?"

"I already did. Tomura says it's too soon." She patted my cheek. "Just give him time, I'm sure he'll come around."

At some point I must have passed out, because I was being shaken harshly. "Come on lady, please don't die on my shift, they'll kill me!" It was one of the lower-level thugs.

When I opened my eyes, the room spun. It made my stomach turn. "Can you help me to the bathroom?" The guy managed to haul me to my feet, then it all faded to white.

I heard distant voices. There was a sour smell, and every movement was excruciating.

"Rogue, wake up."

I tried to respond, but the effort was too much. Someone was touching my neck, I heard a loud click, and the pressure in my skull finally eased. I whimpered as the blood rushed to my head. Someone tried to move me, and I fought weakly. "Stop," I whispered. "I'm gonna puke."

"Little late for that."

My pulse pounded in my ears. I kept my eyes shut, pressing my cheek to the cold, hard floor.

I heard footsteps. "Toga, get in here."

"No way, I'm not going near that mess. I don't care if the boss himself gives the order. Not happening."

My upper body was hauled up off the floor so I was sitting against the wall. I opened my eyes, and Dabi was crouching in front of me. "You good?"

"No," I said, then threw up on the floor. Then I started to tip over, but he caught me and propped me back up again. I heard running water. A wet rag was pressed against my forehead, and I gasped at the sensation.

He let out a huff. "Your top is ruined, it's gotta go." I felt his hands at my waist, and he pulled my shirt up and over my head, throwing it to the floor. I was left in my bra. I would have been mortified if I wasn't so utterly miserable.

The cool, stone wall felt good against my bare back. I heard more running water, and then a damp cloth swiped across my face. I opened my eyes. Dabi was there, cleaning me off. I watched the concentration on his face as he worked, being careful not to let our skin touch. He mopped up my chin, my neck, and down my chest. Then he met my eyes with a smirk. "Guess this day's not a complete loss."

He threw the cloth on the floor with my shirt, then shot a flame at the pile, burning the fabric to ashes. I watched it smolder as he walked away.

Soon he was back with a small glass, raising it to my mouth. "Here, this will get rid of the taste." I reached for the glass, but I ended up grabbing his wrist. It stung. "Just let me," he said, annoyed. The drink was a strong whiskey, and I forced myself to take a swallow. The bitterness helped clear my head a little.

"Thank you," I said, my voice sounding ragged and weak.

"Do you think you can stand?"

"Not yet." I didn't want to get sick again. "Can I get a shirt?"

He disappeared for a minute, then returned with an oversized tee. I was able to lift my arms enough for him to pull the shirt into place while avoiding any direct contact.

When I was ready, he slid one arm behind me, and helped me to my feet. Keeping one arm around my back, he walked me slowly out of the bathroom.

Shigaraki was waiting for us. "Dabi, where is Rogue's collar?" His tone was light, but hinted at a deeper threat.

Dabi pulled the collar from the pocket of his coat and held it up. He melted it, then tossed the remains at Shigaraki's feet. "There you go."

Shigaraki giggled maniacally. "You didn't wait for permission."

"Well I figured she would be more useful to us if she wasn't dead."

There was a tense silence before Kurogiri piped up. "Gentlemen, please. I have another idea."

I was being carried, then placed on a soft surface. I sank into a troubled sleep.

A while later I opened my eyes, and saw Toga. She held out a glass of water and a cup with some pills. "Here, these should help."

I was able to push up to one elbow. At this point I didn't even care what the pills were; I tossed them back with a mouthful of water. My stomach let out an angry gurgle, but everything stayed down. I glanced around. We were in a small bedroom. It was sparsely decorated, with just a dresser and chair.

Toga was staring at me with a mixture of sadness and anger. "That was Mag's shirt."

I wasn't sure how to reply, so I went with: "sorry."

"If you need to use the toilet, it's down the hall. Just knock when you need to go."

"Okay." That meant they were keeping me locked in here.

Toga stayed close. "I really hope you get better soon."

"That's kind of you," I said.

"Well, I need more of your blood, but it's no good when you're all gross like this."

I let out a wheeze of a laugh. "Of course."

She pouted. "I mean, I don't want you to die, obviously. I'd be so bored!"

"Nice to know you care."