A/N: What many of you have been waiting for as we swing back to our Blood Orphans.

Chapter 3: Mayhem Moments (Pt 2)

Word Count: 13,710


"Come Ikeru, I have a special training assignment just for you," Itami murmured her voice just barely above a whisper as she curled her fingers along his upper arm, her long fingers easily tightening as she tugged him to his feet, his dinner forgotten. Braelyn's (Chiaki's) eyes latched onto his own and he gave a faint shake of his head to his younger sister. She did not need to be involved. She wanted him and him alone and thus they left the large open area that was set up very much like a school cafeteria.

Akashi could feel the way his heart thunder heavily along his ribs as he walked away from the other kids, away from his sister. His footsteps felt heavy, but he didn't falter as he followed her. He was afraid, it was no secret what Itami did to those who found themselves on her radar... it wouldn't be pretty. The ten year old expected what they had grown accustomed to as normal punishments, but instead they had traveled deeper into their Headquarters past the area for the instructors to other parts of their home that were off limits to the kids. No one dared to defy what was in place...no one wanted to die, even in their current predicament, the will to live, to survive defied logic.

They traveled down a narrow stairwell that went deeper into the bowels of structure, no longer were within earshot of anyone who was but a few floors above them, now he walked between a rounded tile passageway, that had lights strung above, but only a few flickered to life, as they went deeper.

He breathed through his mouth, the air in the catacomb-like structure was permeated with a heavy scent of blood, old and new. Urine and defecation...bile. The scents had long since seeped into the walls. He could smell it even as he tried to not use his nose.

What he saw went beyond his ten-year-old scope of thought. Akashi regarded Itami Sensei as she frolicked between the children chained to the walls, all with just enough slack to sit against the wall and reach the floor. He counted three of them. One was an older boy who had been here longer than him. His name was Rio, his tan skin a sickly color and it took a moment as he stared at the boys legs to see what was wrong with them. His insect armored legs were broken, it wasn't a natural break from a fall...no the skin was bruised and rounded, in spots as though it had been hit with a hammer in various spots focusing particular attention to the knee caps. A heavy chain wound around each leg to keep him from even attempting to escape...but he wouldn't be able to, not with those injuries, he'd be lucky to be able to put any weight at all on them. The boy's dark eyes were listless and dull as he stared straight ahead unseeing of the world around him. Akashi assumed he was drugged, it would be the only logical reason he could see to explain why he wasn't screaming in agony.

His blood-red eyes took in the other forms, one a small girl no older than eight, he clenched his hands as he noticed the heavy bruising on her cheek, her arms curled close to her body with her legs drawn up to protect the savagely broken bones. He'd only noticed because of the way they were angled. She was awake, he could tell by her pained breathing, her name was only one he'd heard in passing when she'd first been brought to here, Lilly maybe. She had been here only a month at most. His hands tightened into fists and he hid them behind his back as he rocked back on his heels. His gaze caught the large metal grate in the middle of the floor and the hose in one corner of the room.

'This was the basement...a morgue maybe.'

"My Abominations, my sweet lovelys. Oh how I've missed you."

Her words were filled with a yearning, low and sweet as though she was teetering on the edge of insanity and to many she was. Everyone knew she was dangerous, but very few truly understood to what extent, how far it traveled. What he'd begun to bear witness too was unlike anything he'd ever seen.

He was angry but most of all he was afraid of what he saw. He didn't like this, whatever this was. His gaze tracked every move she made as she skipped away from the children, her fingers brushing over the tops of their heads as she passed. Soon she was lingering by the final body, this time, it was a young boy who looked to be his age. His navy blue hair gave him away. He knew him...knew hi - It was Byakuya. He clenched his jaw as the boy raised his bright blue eyes and this was where red met blue.

Itami had her fingers curled into his hair, jerking his chin up and his eyes toward the ceiling, bound as he was, the boy couldn't fight her. She held a vial in between her fingers, as she let the contents drop into his eyes and across the skin between and along the bridge of his nose till it entered his left eye as well. The skin the liquid touched began to darken and smoke.

Akashi couldn't hold the soft escape of air past his lips, unable to stop the sound that escaped as he watched the boy's blue eyes eaten away, something strange was happening to the pigment in his eyes. He watched as the color was slowly eaten away by streaks of red that flared across as vessels burst and bloody tears streaked across his cheeks. The boy didn't cry out in pain, didn't beg for it to stop, he was quiet, even as he opened his mouth to scream as Itami smashed her fist into his side, along his ribs as she twisted the flesh with her nails. She did all of this as she watched Akashi, not the boy she tortured.

"Your training, Akashi, starts now. Help them if you can." Her grin widened, as she caught his expression and she released the boy, as he fell forward on his shoulder, his hands bound behind his back with quirk suppressant gauntlets. Itami danced back a few steps, closer and closer she came to his frozen form.

As her blood-covered fingers touched his cheek he flinched away, unable to help himself.

"Keep my toys alive. I would hate for anything to happen to your sister, " she murmured her voice close to his ear now as she began to move past him. "This is our little secret, do keep that in mind."

As she moved to the doorway, she turned to glance at him over her shoulder as he stood rooted to the spot a moment longer, trying to process everything he was seeing, everything he'd been told. Itami took great pleasure in watching him crumble just a bit under the unimaginable pressure. "You have an hour starting now." she reminded him as he could hear her footsteps as she walked away.

Pale, slender fingers tightened around his own, the grip tight enough to bruise and it only got worse as they came out of hiding to linger at the edge of their own, but apart. It was their way, keeping the others at a distance. They could only rely on each other, they could only rely on themselves. No one could save them; they had long since past the point of being able to be saved. Why the scene with Kugutsu brought back such an ugly memory that made him want to withdraw his hand from his sister's hold.

He jerked his shaking fingers out his sister's grip, his hands tightening into a fist and he found himself for a moment struggling to breath as he caught sight of a flash of navy blue hair that belonged to l the same boy from his memories. Byakuya cocked his head to the side, listening to all that was happening around him. When he saw him glance in his direction, Akashi averted his gaze. Not that it would matter. He'd already been caught looking at him.

Ashamed.

Not once had he told a soul about what he'd done or what he had witnessed. He was a coward, no he was worse than that. He held his sister's life in higher regard than the other children, it is what pushed him through the sessions Itami Sensei felt he needed to be privy to. The ones where she wanted to ensure her pets, her playthings survived the horrific things she did to them.

He was no better than she was, he was in some cases far worse.

Chiaki watched the interaction between Byakuya and her brother; there was something, some history...but she wasn't aware of it. In some ways she didn't want to know...she had her suspicions, but nothing concrete. Whatever it was had to do with Itami Sensei, she wasn't stupid, it was the easiest connection to make.

The splurching sound was what caused Akashi to nearly forget what it meant to breathe. He wanted to hyperventilate, he could feel the way his chest tightened, his heart rapidly beating behind his chest. He sucked in a breath as he remembered how crass he'd been to Kugutsu earlier, this seemed far too much like a form of karma getting back at him for his earlier comments. He felt his sister purposely forcefully slow his rapidly beating heart and as her glowing red eyes were hidden as she pressed her forehead against the center of his back, slowly everything decelerated and he found himself able to focus, to relax...to breathe again.

"Things are getting bad Cade...Dai's in trouble. We have to be ready. Stay focused...he'll need you, he'll need us both..." Braelyn spoke softly in english, they had to be careful speaking in their native tongue, but sometimes, it helped...it helped to remind them that they came from somewhere else. They didn't ask for this, but still they were together and together they could get through anything, survive anything.

He pressed his fingers along her own as her own clutched along the dark fabric of his black shirt. He closed his eyes and began to compartmentalize everything he needed too, placing everything behind locked doors and vaults...whatever he needed to ensure he could function in whatever capacity he would need too.

The soft sound that escaped his sister's lips told him all that he needed to know as he turned his attention to the screen watching as Daichi's body was pummeled the way his quirk began to break down and then how it fell completely from his body as he took his last breath. It felt like he was watching everything in slow motion. This was what their futures would look like, discarded, destroyed once their usefulness wore off.

Neither spared the boy Kanna, Kazushi put to sleep any mind, everyone stood in silence as Shigaraki spoke to his subordinate, no one made a move to stop the punishment he dealt and it took even a few more seconds for everyone to process what happened as a mini sandstorm was kicked up in the arena. Arms raised out of habit to shield their eyes. The sounds of breaking bones weren't nearly as deafening as the sound of the heavy body hitting the ground.

No one spoke as the dust cleared revealing Galahad Victor Steel, his true name hidden to them, well almost all of them. Kaiya was the only one who knew who he was, who dared to use his true name, but then again she knew nearly everything about each of them, whether they still walked among them or not she carried them with her. To those who stood before them, they had very much seen a ghost come back to life.

He had won.

He had beaten the odds and won his match.

As he fell forward, as their champion had passed out, Chiaki was moving only seconds before Kaiya was calling for them, calling for Kugutsu as well. She was always the first to move, always ready to act and he was always finding that he had to catch up, his body never moving when he wanted it to, a sign of how different he was, how broken he was...that he was afraid to move at all.

Her long white hair was the first thing he noticed as it brushed through the blood that was pooling in the middle of the floor, the stands soaking up the blood turning a dull pink color before eventually a strange vibrant red as she activated her powers, the blood on the arena floor levitated off the ground swirling as she separated the blood in two different categories the blood that belonged to Saisho and that which belonged to their fellow Orphan. She never lost her focus on her task as her eyes slanted over both victims and each hand pressed out toward their respective targets, she simultaneously kept their blood from leaving their bodies, forcing their hearts to keep beating, for their lungs to keep breathing, for the brain to function and slowly clean the blood of any debri as it hung in the air before carefully feeding it back into the body as though it were transferred through an actual IV line but that was not the case.

She never spoke, never deviated from her task as this was her responsibility, her mission was only to keep them alive and that was what she did best.

Akashi

hit the ground hard on his knees as he held his hand out his fingers pressing his bangs up away from his injured eye, his palm hovering over the wound, his palm gave off a eerie red glow and his eyes glowed even as they closed and he allowed his energy to pour into his wounds, carefully he could see the fragmented layers of his eye, what was hurt along his muscles, tendons, bones and everything else in between. It was like tiny angry, glowing sparks of light that he healed with great care and speed. His energy seeped into the areas that were hurt and slowly his energy attached itself to the wound and began to heal all the wounds in his eye. As the eye was healed, he pulled back his hand and moved onto the next injury.

He didn't pause in his task. He would have moved had on to Saisho, if it hadn't been for Kugutsu entering the room, he only knew that because the boy had pressed his fingers only briefly along his shoulder and then skimmed his fingers along Chiaki's shoulder before he moved closer to Saishio, his fingers flexed his wires on his two index fingers and carefully he activated his healing aspect of his quirk, as the wires took on a light purple glow and he stepped closer to the prone body of Saisho, sinking carefully to his knees. The young blond took a breath to steady himself before he began the careful process of threading his wires not only through the skin of the open wound, but he went deeper to the bone as well. His attention never wavered from his task, he didn't have to focus on the blood flow or keeping him alive, all he had to do was heal the wound while Chiaki did the hard part, handling the multiple moving parts that were required to keep someone alive.

It was slow going and between the three of them they were able to heal both the adversaries and once their wounds were healed, it would just be a matter of a body physiology on when they would wake up. As Chiaki let her abilities drop the blood that stained her hair was gone, leaving the strands the same pearly white she was always used to sporting. She took a careful breath and allowed herself the opportunity to catch her breath before she accepted the hand her brother held out for her, pulling her to her feet. As the three healers lingered between their fallen patients, they were debating how to move them.

To their surprise Kurogiri appeared in front of them and inclined his head toward them, his yellow eyes accessing them. "Allow me," he offered as he held out a hand toward each of the prone patients and a portal appeared under each of them and transported Daichi Aka to the side of the room that the Orphans seemed to be occupying and Saisho to the other end in the area where the couch was housed.

Kugutsu was the first to bow to Kurogiri and after a moment Chiaki merely inclined her head with a smile of gratitude and Akashi was the one who spoke their thanks. Nothing more was said as the three of them left the arena floor and headed toward the Orphan's side of the arena.


Shigaraki gripped the arm of Kurogiri as he took a moment to gather his bearings. One moment he'd had his fingers dragging down his impudent minions cheek, decaying the flesh and revealing the bone underneath, watching as the skin he hadn't touched cracked and darkened as though it had been heavily burned. The sound was something he'd heard, but that wasn't anything to fight or flight response that was settling over him, something was about to happen. His eyes had raised, seeing for just a moment something in the sky before it began to drop like a stone toward him. Within a heartbeat he was swept up in a portal that saved him from not only injury but also from looking like a fool to everyone around him. He didn't thank Kurogiri, they had no need for such formalities, after all he knew his place.

His red eyes watched the young girl known as Kaiya Katagiri, but he was sure that hadn't been her real name once upon a time, now she belonged to All for One, and after today she and her companions from the Blood Orphans Project would belong to him. Her gaze had strayed to him for only a moment, assessing his location and any injuries, before she was leaning over the railing calling the names of two he didn't know and one name that he did. It was the boy he'd fought earlier, the one with the puppet quirk as well as the ability to heal with his wires. A very interesting boy, one whom he was sure would be a valuable asset to his team.

Stepping forward he found his fingers brushing over the tops of her knuckles that were gripping the metal railing like a lifeline, as his body settled against her shoulder slightly as his other hand curled around the railing to keep himself on his feet. His body hadn't yet fully oriented itself from his travel, it had been an odd sensation to feel his body fall, but to have never hit the ground because he'd been righted almost immediately after being moved to a different location. He wasn't sure why he bothered to do half of the things that he did at the moment. Was it all just so he could gain the trust of his soldiers? Did he want to have his own personal army, a loyal dog who would protect him if things within his League of Villains went sour, if someone felt they could do a better job at leading rather than him? Such a thing wouldn't happen, it couldn't happen, but he was intrigued by her loyalty, the care she showed those she fought beside. She owed them nothing and yet she felt a deep bond with them. Willing to place herself in a precarious position all to ensure every single one of them had a chance to get out of one hell into another.

The verdict was still out for those who ran the Orphans Project; he refused to limit their freedom if they proved to be valuable. He already had some ideas to further incentivize them to follow him. None of those mattered at the moment as he let his attention drift back to the world below. He watched the way everyone cleared a path as two white haired siblings raced toward the fallen in the middle of the ring.

Kaiya pressed her shoulder against his own when she'd felt his fingers brush along her knuckles and explained what was happening without needing to be asked. "The girl there, that's Chiaki and the boy next to her is her older brother Akashi, they came to us six years ago," she let that hang for a moment as the scene evolved. "They may not seem like much but the two of them have kept many of us alive when we should have died from our injuries. Chiaki keeps us from bleeding out, while her brother Akashi heals our wounds, he's even been able to reattach someone's finger."

The 16 year old could breathe a little easier as the siblings had begun to work on Galahad, they were careful as they touched him, she could see some of the healing beginning already. He's going to be ok. The tightness in her chest loosened, but didn't go away completely...but that was okay. She'd get through the rest of the exams and go from there.

The soft smirk that slid along his lips, probably shouldn't have even happened, but Kaiya gave a small laugh herself. When one dealt with what they did, you had to find the humor in what you could or this life would eat you alive. "How did that happen?" he found himself asking as he assessed everything they were seeing so far. His gaze followed Kugutsu as he used his wires to pierce the bleeding head wound on the back of Saisho's head, but if one looked closer they would see he wasn't just sewing together the flesh wound, but also sewing the bone back together. When one looked at the young blonde's features they would see how pale he looked, but also how detached from the whole procedure that he was. A sign that his abuse, whatever it happened to be, had not and would not be easy to break, which was probably just as well.

"Jirou was screwing around. He lost his focus, and nearly got us caught at the site, but it was mitigated and the mission was a success," Kaiya gave him the short version that didn't give him anything to really go on in terms of just what sort of missions they went on. It left him just a little more curious as to what they had been up to all these years in captivity. He let his gaze drift over those assembled and found Shohei lingering along the outer doorway, well out of the way.

It was certainly something he would be asking him about later once everything was all said and done.

Shigaraki caught her gaze lingering on the winged boy again. "Who is he to you?" The question hung between them for a moment and he truthfully wasn't sure why he'd bothered to ask, but he was curious, he must be important, if he invoked such an emotional response from her. She was always so careful to keep her emotions on lock down, in the short time he'd known her that was the first thing he'd picked up on.

The soft smile that touched her lips as she gazed down at the boy. "He's a pain…" she muttered softly, but there was no heat behind her words, instead something softer, warmer as her fingers tightened on the railing as her eyes traveled over his injured form. "Gal- " she faltered, her lips pressed together in a thin line before she quickly forced herself to alter what she was saying. "Daichi was the second to join our ranks and survive, we've looked out for each other, as he's gotten older the roles have reversed."

He watched as her gaze would track the movements of those she could see. The Leader of the League of Villains didn't respond for a moment as he considered her words. "You look after all of them." It wasn't a question, but rather an observation. Her slim shoulders raised in a shrug. "You may have gathered this by now, but it's my job. To put it simply I just do as I'm told," she said with a sigh as she leaned her arm across the railing and arched up on the balls of her feet.

"I doubt that," He told her seriously, his gaze sharply assessing her. He raised his fingers gripping along her jaw. He enjoyed the fact that she didn't shy away from him or what he could do to her. She had borne witness to his anger not too long ago. "Do you know what I want?" His voice was low. "Obedience?" she guessed, not completely sure where he was going with this. Even as she answered him, her mind had already begun to list other possible answers, but she was also aware she'd probably answered this question incorrectly. It was the look in his eyes that gave him away.

"Your loyalty, above all else- that is what I want."

She resisted rolling her eyes, for a moment she was reminded of a small hand written posted note that Shohei had left her with the word Man Child scribbled in his neat cursive flourish. The note she had gotten rid of after finding it, she would always protect him. To be fair she knew All for One and when you compared Tomura Shigaraki and his predecessor it wasn't a contest as to who people respected more, even now with the mightiest villain lurking in the shadows as he had been for a while now.

"You already have it." Her gaze never left his own as she gave him the answer he was looking for. It wasn't a lie, they had been told from the day of their capture basically just who they were to follow. It just wasn't to the full extent he was looking for. It left her curious to know why he felt that he needed such unwavering loyalty. Did he doubt those in his ranks? It seemed the only logical conclusion in her opinion.

He sighed and released her. No, I don't. He regarded her when she didn't back away from him. As she stared quizly at him, he gave a low growl of annoyance. "Tch," he muttered under his breath. "Nevermind, just go." It was clear he was irritable now.

Kaiya frowned all too aware that she'd done something wrong, but it hadn't been her intention. She shifted on her feet for a moment before she passed him, but paused just behind him. "Remember you asked me to trust you, give me a little credit Tomura. I never said it was out of reach, but this partnership goes both ways. We still have to see if we pass your test."

With those parting words she descended the stairs. The black haired girl wanted a few words with the Ikeru siblings and to see with her own eyes how Galahad was doing. Truth be told this was also a test, a test to see how far her leash went. How much slack was she given before it began to tighten around her throat?

They were nothing more than tethered dogs.

"Remember Dabi and our little Princess are up next!" She called from the bottom of the stairs, as she disappeared into the crowded room.


After a moment Kurogiri raised his eyes to Shigaraki watching as he spiraled into anger, but didn't outwardly react. "Get on with it Kurogiri!" He ordered his irritation dripping from his words as the young man leaned against the railing and waited like so many had already done for the next match to begin.

"Of course Tomura," the Warpgate commented his gaze drifting for a moment as he stood in the center of the ring and began to explain how things would be changing after the last match, their fights would not leave the grounds and it should be pressed that these were sparring matches, the goal was to assess the strength of those interested in joining their ranks, but it was not to a fight to the death. He also pointed out that the matches would be on a ten minute timer.

Miho rocked back on her heels having at some point began to dance and twirl around Eizan in a circle, to many it would seem as though it was just a pointless little game, but it was far more than that, she was getting warmed up ensuring her body was completely ready and limber to start the fight as soon as it was ready. She wasn't wasting her energy, no she was storing it. The pinkette was also convincing the muscles in her body to warm up and be ready. As she poked into the sides of Eizan, her movements only got faster the longer this went on.

She had long since stopped listening to the long winded new rules, she wasn't interested in any changes they may be attempting to bring forth. She had no intention of leaving the ring. So it didn't apply to her. She glanced toward Shigaraki as she moved and she listened to them say the matches weren't ones to fight to death, she frowned at this new set of rules, it really put a damper on her plans. That wasn't to say that she was going to follow the rules per se, after all accidents happen after all, and while she may not kill him, that wasn't to say maining him was of the table after all it wasn't like they lacked healers who could very easily put him back together again. Like Humpty Dumpty in that old children's story. This would be no different and because of that she really couldn't wait to get started.

As Kurogiri began to call the fighters into the ring, she paused as Eizan held onto her wrist stilling her movement for a moment. "Have fun," he reminded her with a wide grin that exposed his teeth as he could feel his own excitement begin to bubble up, they're relationship was rather complex and far from normal, Miho never had anyone on such a level in nearly all ways that she knew of Eizan.

She patted his cheek with her hand and her answering smile was enough for those around them to exchange looks, they knew what was about to happen. Miho gave him a fancy wave with the paracel as she pranced to her side of the ring, skipping with a flourish to the center. She was more than ready to get the show on the road, she already knew who her opponent was after all. Now it was just a matter of calling him up to the ring. For a brief moment she wondered what she would do if Dabi wasn't her opponent in this fight. She had been looking forward to facing him, merely because he seemed like someone who was interesting and a good fighter and Miho was always someone who greatly enjoyed a good fight.

As the Warpgate called his name Dabi raised his blue eyes to regard Shigaraki, who lingered above them as though he were a king presiding over his court. For a moment he smirked to himself it was easy to see how upset he was. One thing he did notice was the simple fact that the young girl with him, who was nearly glued to his side, wasn't there. Indeed it had little to do with his mood, but at the same time, he couldn't help but be a little curious. Not enough to ask of course because he didn't care all that much.

He let his gaze drift to the ring and he frowned. It was the same little girl he'd noticed before. She was clad in bright colors while the rest of them were in black, it was strange and in his opinion a little suspect. It was why he was apprehensive about her. He wasn't about to think this would merely be an easy win. He'd seen the damage that could be done, by these kids.

He'd watched them heal not only their fallen but also Saisho, the man had gotten carried away, but he'd still managed to accomplish more than he'd been expecting. While one had held back, he hadn't and even with that in mind. These kids had saved his life. They could have left him to die. It was strange to see the way they viewed camaraderie. Dabi also couldn't deny that having them around to say the least it left him feeling better.

He knew the risks of this fight, he for a moment wasn't sure he wanted to fight her, but he couldn't back out very well either. He wasn't afraid; she just reminded him of his little sister. Maybe he was feeling a little homesick today. He pushed the feeling aside and stepped forward as Twice told him to "Win" and then a moment later "You're going to fight a little girl, that's cold."

I've stalled long enough. I'm only doing this, because I'm curious, otherwise, I wouldn't be wasting my time.

He couldn't hide the soft scoff of sound that escaped as he merely rolled his eyes and moved to the center of the ring. He couldn't deny that the changes would make the fights faster, less violent and probably lessen the need to use their healers as they had earlier.

"Let's make this quick, " he grumbled.

"Aw, " the little girl pouted as she stuck her lower lip out. "You should enjoy the rush of the fight. It reminds you you're alive."

The grin that she gave him, all sickly sweet, didn't match the look in her eyes.

Another note he made on her as he waited for the fight to begin.

"Begin!"

As those words left Kurogiri's mouth the little girl rushed him, her speed was a shock for how tiny she was. She swung her left fist at his stomach and he was forced to leap back. His eyes working to track her as she merely pushed off without missing a step to follow him with her other foot.

Her footwork. He gave a low growl as he moved side stepped effectively evading her as her fist sailed by where he'd been as he'd parred the blow and pushed himself away again.

"Aw don't keep running Blue!" she called as she straightened from where he'd left her. "You promised to play with me!" Miho exclaimed her grin was bordering on psychotic now.

She hasn't used her quirk yet. How did they train these kids? He scowled as he flashed back to his own training with his old man. Endeavour pressed their quirks and physical capabilities. This was a different level.

Enough screwing around.

"Oh are you finally getting serious?" she wondered sweetly as she clapped her hands together. "Show me your blue flames!" she begged him. The swift change in her thought process almost made him hesitate as his fire gatherer in his right hand.

He threw the swirl of blue fire out toward her, watching as she danced, literally twirled on her feet, and danced out of the way of each blast he shot toward her.

"You still aren't giving me everything," her words came from above him as her hands found purchase on his shoulders and her hair fell down to obscure his peripheral vision, but he was still able to see her eyes clearly, he could see just the shade of blue that they were and the silver flecks that danced in them. Her body was suspended above his own in a handstand, even as he moved on instinct, she was perfectly at home. She smirked down at him but he was sure that look wasn't for him as her lips pressed against his cheek, before she used his body to springboard away from him with a whimsical giggle as she looked toward the boy she'd been all over earlier. She winked at Eizan and moved back over to pick up her parcel from where she had left it, her gate wasn't hurried and it wasn't rushed after all it was clear she held no fear of him, in fact she was toying with him.

What lovers spat am I in the middle of?

Dabi regarded her with narrowed eyes as he clenched his hand at his side. He was done playing around.


"Can you believe she grouped Daichi against that psycho?" Jirou asked with contempt, his silver eyes on his friend's sleeping form. Some would wonder how the two of them were friends given that it was no well kept secret that he was one of the few who believed Kaiya wasn't fit for the position of power she held. It was mostly envy that prevented him from moving past his issues.

"Who else would she have picked?" Ayaka questioned her dark eyes traveling to other orphans she could see assembled in various locations . "Wait!" she exclaimed, her gaze meeting his own. "Oh my God!" she said with a widening grin. "You think it should have been you!"

The young girl hugged her middle as she laughed bent over at the waist. The sound drew a lot of attention. Ayaka was notorious for her puns and sense of humor that got laughs from many of the others. She seamlessly integrated with the others depending on which group she was with. She was not shy and confident in a variety of ways. She always held a positive attitude, quickly finding the humor in most of what they dealt with. Her poor jokes and dark humor were highlights to many who needed a pick-me-up.

"I'm being serious!" he seethed, his teeth bared, his dark skinned hand resting on the hilt of one of his two swords.

"My, is somebody angry today?" she wondered, teasing tone still faintly present but otherwise gone, and she was serious. She'd seen him move even through her mass of dark hair. Ayaka hadn't put it up yet in it's usual high ponytail.

"Of course. Look at him!" he hissed lowly as he jabbed his finger in the direction of Daichi's healed form. "He's only alive because of Akashi and Chiaki."

"Shi's pretty amazing, remember when you sliced off your finger?" she asked him, her eyes wide with mirth. "With your own sword too! Which made it so much better!" she said with a cackle of laughter as though this little tidbit was icing on the cake. "I thought you were going to be known as Stumpy for the rest of your life," she teased.

"I was disappointed he reattached it," Ayaka admitted as her laughter died down once more. She began to finger comb her long black hair as she leaned over to let her hair hang down so she could put it up the old-fashioned way that worked wonders for years.

As she did her hair she found herself remembering one of her first one on one conversations with Kaiya.

She'd only been here for a week so far. Stuck in isolation being fed and then shut in again. It was done to break them. To drive the point home that no one would come to save them.

The next day they were thrown into overload, training they were meant to fail, their bodies cooped up in that small dark room. It was a wonder many of them could function after. But to a small child ripped away from their family, their safety net...it was easy to break them.

The pain makes them submit; no one seeks out pain, and thus, to avoid it, they begin to recognize what keeps them out of the danger of that pain, but it takes a little. The culture shock from being by themselves, to suddenly thrust into an area with kids their own age, it's hard to process for many. Hard to wrap their small minds around what is happening to them as they listen as adults bark orders and give out directions, instructions and some give punishments for delayed responses or reactions.

It was no surprise really that the new kid caught the eye of their warden, most always did, and some stayed on her radar for a long time. Many hoped it would never be them she saw a problem with. They always breathed a silent sound of relief when it wasn't their turn. One got used to reading the energy in the room, emotions carefully hidden still had an energy to them that filled a room and gave people away. She could sense it, but she was still a little too young to understand what she could do.

Itami-sensei had taken far too much pleasure in dragging her by her long hair into the shower stalls. She shoved her hard to the ground, her elbows smacking against the cold title as her body reacted on instinct to keep her head from hitting the ground.

'I want my mommy!' she thought her mind briefly flashing in that moment back to before her capture, her mom would always do her hair up in a ponytail, so it was out of her face. She was too little to know how to do it like her, so she didn't do it at all.

"You have such pretty hair Aya," Their Warden told her as her fingers treaded almost gently through her hair now that she was so easily overpowered, it really wasn't a contest though...not when an adult abused a child. As the light blue haired woman reached above her to twist the nosal to turn on the water from above.

The sound was almost as terrifying as being in the dark room in the silence as Ayaka hadn't been expecting it. The cold water drenched her clothes and clung to her skin as she twisted her face to try and avoid the cold needles of water.

"Having long hair is such a hindrance, isn't it?" The blue-haired woman cooed over the spray of the water as her fingers curled along her slim cheeks and forced water into her nose and mouth as she squirmed and panicked at what was happening. Nothing violent yet, but it was more than she was used to in her eight years of life.

The young woman pressed her knee along her chest and over her stomach, even as the water cascaded down over her own form drenching the off the shoulder t-shirt she wore and made her long light blue locks wet and fall to hang around her, the strands long enough even in their pigtails to curl along her back. Her other knee pressed along the girl's ribs to steady herself.

"Let me help you with that."

Those words followed by the knife held in her hand caused her to open her mouth to give a soft cry. Her dark eyes remained wide open as her abuser's hand came down in a flash of silver, slicing haphazardly along the strands cutting others and chopping at such an angle she'd nick her ears and, at one vicious point, her cheek, electing a cry of pain every time it wasn't just her hair that was cut. She winced as the hand twisted her hair and scalp, forcing her to turn around. Then she saw it.

She saw the wild, dancing lights in the Warden's eyes, and could feel her body reacting to Ayaka's predicament. She would later learn that it was sadistic joy. But for now, she watched the eyes of her abuser and felt the powerful pulses of...something...running through the other woman's body.

The young woman grinned down at her, not noticing that the little girl was holding her gaze, one hand holding the knife above her face as she leaned back on her heels and her free hand turned off the water. Slowly she stood not all bothered by her wet clothes or the coldness that seemed to permeate every inch of this place.

"You should get some rest Aya, tomorrow's going to be a big day." We're her parting words as she left.

She wasn't sure how long she laid there shivering in the darkness of the shower stall, in a puddle that hadn't drained but the sound of soft footsteps had her tensing up as someone came to stop beside her.

"You need to get up and change. Hurry before your body succumbs to a cold or something worse."

Her dark eyes darted to look into the vivid purple eyes of a young girl her age. She stared at the hand outstretched toward her.

She closed her eyes and rolled back over in the puddle. She wanted to wallow in her memories a little longer. At least they were safe, warm even if she let her mind wander back far enough.

"I said get up!"

When she still didn't move, it was the feeling of small fingers threading gently through her ruined hair that caused her tear filled eyes to come back to reality.

"I want to go home," Ayaka whispered brokenly. Somewhere, deep in her mind, a part of her stayed almost cool throughout the ordeal. The pain was real, the torment was real, her heart was trying to leap out of her chest and the burning pain in her scalp and ears, but it almost felt unreal. Even as the rest of her was busy screaming and hurting, there was a smaller her, watching it all unfold as if it were a train entering a station, a train that she didn't get on.

"I know," the young girl whispered softly, but it was clear such a thing would never happen. She didn't tell her though, but it was implied even in the heavy silence.

"Your Ayaka Kazama, eight years old, birthday September 25th...you have a twin sister and your father is the 48th hero Myo-ou, he lost a lot of standing in the last few years. Your mom takes care of you both the most right?"

"She does...she a-always loved my long hair, a-she would put it up for me."

Kaiya gently held a towel to her bleeding cheek. Her features an unreadable mask. "I can fix it a little and help you put it up tomorrow before breakfast."

At the girls nod, Kaiya gave a small smile, this one was softer. "Now let's get you out of these clothes." The next twenty minutes were spent getting Ayaka into the standard black uniform they all wore and fixing her hair to the best of her eight year old ability with a pair of scissors.

"We have to help them for a while then we can go home." Kaiya didn't falter over the lie, nothing gave her away, no longer did her heart rate increase.

Anyone can be taught to lie, effortlessly, so effectively. It wasn't something Shohei taught everyone, after all one had to be able to control those he put in charge.

"Do you really mean it?" The hesitation was there, but there was no denying the lingering tone of hope.

"No. All that matters is if you believe it. Hold on to whatever is going to help you survive however long we're here."

With those words lingering between them Kaiya stood and made her retreat, her wet clothes from her past tucked under her arm. "Go back to your room. It's the third opening on the right with Daichi and Jirou. I'll help you with your hair in the morning."

The memory no longer caused her to weep for what she lost, it didn't invoke the same fear as some of her other memories of Itami still did. Instead, there was a warmth when she thought of it. It explained what some refused to see about Kaiya as aloof and apart from them as she was, she still did little things to help them survive their hellish conditions. She pushed the boundaries in ways others couldn't get away with.

"That bitch's incompetence is why we're in this mess. Mr. Cross should have never let her pick these matches. I don't understand what he sees in her."

"What did you say?" The words were low and menacing each word punctuated by a growl that only deepened.

Ayaka tensed and let her gaze darted toward Daichi who was already rising to his feet. He was a little unsteady but he held his footing. "Glad to see you're not dead Dai, how's your eye?" She couldn't help but wonder as she took a step back well out of the way as he made his way over to Jirou, his strength seeming to return with every step he took as his clawed fingers of his right hand curled along the boy's shirt beginning to lift him off the ground. She could tell he was restraining himself, as the two were nose to nose, vivid green staring into light grey.

She was very glad she wasn't in his shoes right about now.

"Don't make a scene Aka! Put him down now before people take notice." Kaiya instructed sternly, but her voice was low so that it wouldn't carry outside their circle. She pressed her fingers against his upper arm in a way to make sure she had his attention.

Jirou's frown only deepened as he was well aware that she'd not been there earlier, but clearly she'd heard whatever he had to say, but was once again proving she was better than him by not rising to the bait he laid out for her. In fact the way she didn't even acknowledge him really burned him.

Ayaka gave Kaiya a wave and grin, but didn't say much as she too waited to see if Daichi would listen to his little master or not. It took a few moments, and a deep breath before he set the other male on his feet, he shoved him back a step friend or not, it was clear he wasn't pleased, but when was he ever when someone insulted Kaiya.

Kaiya stepped back and began to walk away from them, having only given Ayaka a brief tilt of her head in acknowledgement before she left. "Walk with me, we need to talk."

There was no question as to who she was referring to, and it was like clockwork that Daichi moved to follow after her as she slipped out of the room, it wasn't a contest to see how the fight between Miho and Dabi would go. Neither would go down without a fight so that she could spare a few minutes.

"She just saved your life," Ayaka couldn't help but point out.

"Shut it!" Jirou snarled as he punched her in the arm, but neither moved away from each other, this was just how their friendship worked, all harsh words and punches thrown, but somehow they got along. Many wondered how they were as close as they were given they fought like a violent old couple.


After they were in the room they had originally come into after passing through a short hallway. Kaiya stared for a moment at the entrance door. For a brief moment she almost allowed herself to entertain the idea of running, of what freedom might look like. She would never, in actuality do anything. Her life was here; her duty was here. If she wasn't here, who would protect the others? Some would try, but no one could do what she was able too; no one was as persuasive.

Shohei trusted her, and that allowed her to protect them as much as she could. Her failures haunted her in ways very few would understand. She never told a soul, it was best to keep anyone unintentionally or deliberately spill her secrets. She had own share of enemies despite what she did for them. Envy, Greed...Ambition, all of it festered in the hearts of many. She stood in their way; she was the hurdle they had to get past in order to run wild; only a few were aware of all that she did to keep everything from collapsing.

"Where did you go for those 85 seconds?" Her voice was low, but her hands were clenched tightly. It was only because it had been a mostly short time frame and that Emiko had stalled in her portals, allowing the small orbs to go inside the building before branching upward again and focusing on Saisho that none or the other had realized he'd been gone. When she'd been checking on the others she'd caught Emiko's distress and the sign language they had developed, one special word for everyone on the team.

Kaiya turned to face him, taking in his slow movements and the weariness on his features. As angry as he'd been moments ago, there was no denying how tired he was as that anger had faded.

Galahad frowned at her question, his shoulders slumping in such a way that even his wings touched the ground a bit. He didn't immediately answer her. Instead he ran his palm down his face and huffed out of a breath. He muttered something under his breath, a combination of an 'Of course you would notice' and a curse, but it was clear it was more directed at him.

He cocked his head to the side, straining to hear anything that would say they were anything more than alone. He watched her clenched hands, the subtle tremor that happened, before they tightened as though she were locking down all lingering emotion.

"The elevator car was going to crush a mom and her little boy...I couldn't let that happen. I had to do something and I reacted. I did it as quickly as I could, but I hurt the muscles and tendons in my arms. It was part of the reason the fight didn't go very well. I didn't mean to worry you,"

He kept his words low, but he could see the way her lips pressed further and her right hand tightened as her nails bit into her palm. Small details, that not even she could hide from him. He knew her so well. Knew nearly everything about her, he guarded her when she was sick from exhaustion or any other illness. He sighed softly to himself as he ran his fingers through his hair, aware he'd worried her, but he couldn't say he'd take back what he did. He would do it again, the memory of his mother still fresh in his mind even now.

"You almost died!" Her words were low and controlled in their tone, but her eyes flashed with barely restrained emotion. "The others need you, you can't be so reckless," she told him as she ran her fingers back through her hair, dragging the strands away from her face and down in an agitated manner. I need you too. She didn't dare voice what she thought aloud. What she wanted was never something that she thought about. It was always what the others needed, what she could do to help them even just a little.

He moved toward her, he couldn't help himself. He was always aware of her, they had been friends for a long time. Their bond was unshakable, at least unless he almost died. He raised his fingers to touch her shoulder, a slow movement, a cautious movement, it was no secret that Galahad disliked touch of any kind given his history with Itami Sensei, when someone was touched only in ways of pain, people reacted to that in different ways. She stiffened but didn't pull away as he curled his arm along her shoulder and down her back awkwardly drawing her against his chest. For a single moment her fingers curled into a fist across his chest. "You could have died," she whispered her voice so low that he only heard her and the emotion behind it because of his superior hearing.

"You'd miss me?" he teased gently, as he chuckled lightly, but he didn't mean anything by it. She knew though that as much as he joked about this, it was clear he needed confirmation. Something to prove he would be missed. A form of reassurance he wouldn't be forgotten. "Of course!" came her indigenous response as anger made her voice harder, anger she let him see. "We've been friends for a long time now...I can rely on you." Her words once again softer as he felt her take a breath to steady herself, but he could still feel the way her hand trembled against his chest above his heart, that was still beating strong...but only because of his quick thinking. He didn't want to admit to her how close things had been. "I don't know what I would do without you," Her words were even softer, barely a whisper of air past her lips, this was the girl he protected, that he would always protect, the one no one else saw.

"I'm sorry," The redhead said softly as gently patted her back for a moment before she pushed away from him and he withdrew his arm. "It's fine," she said, her tone controlled now, more even to who she showed everyone else. He watched as she retreated to the box of crates that were stacked in a haphazard corner before she hopped up on to one and let her legs dangle toward the ground. "You can't make those decisions once we figure out where things stand with The League. We have to be ready for whatever may come for now, try to get some rest, but don't do it alone. I don't trust Saisho to merely let sleeping dogs lie." Kaiya shouldn't have mentioned how she felt, but it was true; there was only so much they needed to be prepared for and many others still they needed to watch.

Galahad came closer and leaned to her right against the crates as she swung her legs back and forth for a moment, her expression pensive. He crossed his arms over his chest.

"Who are you worried about?" he asked, his eyes closed and his ears perked listening for the sounds of anyone coming who might interrupt them.

At her flat look, he could feel her heated look even with his eyes closed. If any of them. She thought with a frown as she kept her voice low, "A few stand out aside from Koibito. For now, consider everyone until we know for sure who we can trust." He could tell she didn't drop any names for a variety of reasons, but the most obvious was to protect him. No one could find out who gave her a red flag unless it came from her.

He curled his lips over his teeth as his green eyes opened to stare at her profile. He watched the way she drew her leg against her chest and curled her right around and; a soft breath was let out, and for a moment, he felt like he was watching her relax for the first time since they had started their day.

I wish you'd trust me to keep you safe. He ran his hand over the top of his hair messing up the strands and after a moment he pulled the strands over his shoulder and began to work his fingers through the matted mess that was his hair. He really needed a shower to get all the debris and whatever else was tangled up in there. "You've gotten cozy with the big cheese," he said after a moment as the silence stretched around them, it was comfortable, and he didn't need to break it, but he couldn't stop the question now that it was out in the open like it was.

"I wouldn't look too much into it. I'm just running the exercise today," Kaiya's words were edged with a weight to them as she tried to brush off what he was saying, that she was important in all of this. There was no way that standing beside Shigaraki could mean more than that, but it did. He was using her to showcase that she was the leader of the Orphans and if she obeyed his order, it would work to keep the others in line as well, both his own members and the Blood Orphans. She always downplayed the role she played, but everyone was aware of where things stood if only she would realize it, accept it - embrace it.

"Isn't this cozy?" sneered a voice from the doorway, as a young man came into the room. His wavy black hair and dark eyes casting them critical looks, his lips pulled back over his teeth. One of the things Galahad noticed was how Kaiya had gone very still at seeing this man, something about him made her nervous, it wasn't a tension any would pick up, but he knew, he noticed. He caught the dark wings decorating his back, the feathers a glossy, inky black and he seemed to have a black energy that hovered over his head, casting a darker presence to him.

Carefully Galahad shifted his weight and stood straighter, attempting to be the threatening one here as he watched Kaiya slide to her feet from the corner of his eye. The boy with the massive mane of red hair watched the way her gaze never strayed from this man. He knew at that moment this was one of the people she wasn't sure about who were on the roster of the League and he couldn't say he felt any differently.

Kaiya regarded Keisuke Dakamoro, her eyes traveling the length of the scar that traveled along the right side of his face. It was more of a wound, one that never seemed to heal. She wasn't sure what it came from, but it had happened in the span of the last six years. She'd seen his UA school photo, the smirking young boy with wavy light brown hair and golden eyes, the golden halo atop his head and white wings on his back that wouldn't hold his weight. Something had very clearly changed. His aura changed, his powers changed...he changed.

When neither immediately spoke, his grin widened as he approached them. He gave the demon boy a wider birth and came over to Kaiya. Regarding her with an eerie gaze. The subtle shift of her hand as she flicked her fingers into what many might consider a random movement was anything but. As the man reached out to brush his fingers across her cheek. "You have the same look in your eye she does," he muttered his thumb close to her left eye as he pressed against the indention.

"So righteous as though the world needs to bow for you, as though I do," he gave a low growl as he pressed a little harder along her face. Kaiya wisely didn't move, she was aware of his mental instability in his file. "I've always hated her. Hated them all," Keisuke said with a flourish as he twisted away from her, his hand flying away from her in his chaotic movement.

"What are you doing Kei?" Another voice called from the doorway, drawing everyone's attention to another man, someone more muscular, where Keisuke was tall and lanky. This newcomer was a little taller than Keisuke, but not by much. His hair was the same raven haired color as the man who had come in earlier, but Masaru Amano's hair was in a messy unkempt style with golden eyes, he was sterner in appearance and it was clear by his town he wasn't thrilled to see the other man around them.

Was it just her or did he sound accusing in his tone? When he let one arm drop to his side, the subtle movement of his hand drew her gaze south as she spotted the small metal marble he fingered between his index and his thumb.

"Shigaraki wants you," he inclined his head toward her. It was no mistake who he was referring to.

Kaiya straightened as she ran her fingers through her black hair. "I'll be right there, " she assured him, her gaze meeting the boy next to her as she moved away from him. She didn't say anything, but her message was clear. She wanted him to leave too.

"Galahad that reminds me Kazushi put Kanna out, during the last match, check on him and report back to me,"

Galahad frowned as he watched the wordplay falling all over, the conversions that seemed to be happening with everyone's body language. At Kaiya's request, he jerked his gaze toward her as she left the room. "I'll check on him, " he offered as he fell into step at her side.

"I didn't think of this earlier, but let me grab Hayai and take her with me, " she frowned as she looked around the room. "Be careful, " she told him in a low tone, one only he would catch as they began to make their way back into the open arena to the sounds of curses and other screams.

The world suddenly slowed to a stop as Kaiya turned to look at the raging streak of blue fire that had many moving out of the way. Those still moving were frozen in place in the middle of their jumps, side steps or those who had tripped over their own two feet. Frowning Kaiya moved away from Galahad's frozen form and shoved anyone in the way of the blast out of the way. Her gaze traveled to Miho who was in the middle of maniacal laughter her head thrown back, her eyes wild as she had redirected his fire back at Dabi which had forced him to move out of the way, causing the blast to move past him and head in her direction, in the direction of many of the others.

Kaiya knew her time was running short as she forced her eyes to study the scene in front of her as the seconds ticked by as her eyes grew heavy with its natural reaction to needing to blink, everyone was out of the way and thus she stepped back her fingers curling along Galahad's wrist as she let the scene resume, the fire blazing past them to strike the back wall harmlessly. "Change of plans," she muttered as she rubbed her eyes, aware of Galahad's steadying hand on her shoulder for a moment before he let go, watching as she stalked toward the center of the ring.

"Time out!" she suddenly called as she stepped forward into the bounds of the ring.

Galahad watched Kaiya take center stage as all eyes moved to her before disappearing in another direction seeking out Kazushi and Kanna. He was well aware she could handle herself.

"Move girl!Only Shigaraki has the authority to pause the match," Kurogiri called with his golden eyes narrowed. His little speech did little to keep the match going, as Miho closed her fist and paused only because they were trained to avoid friendly fire if at all possible. Dabi merely regained his former position on his feet and was quiet on how the match was going so far. None would notice that he wasn't pleased with how it was currently going.

"If you would do your job of warping these attacks off the sidelines I wouldn't need to offer a solution to what is likely to be an ongoing problem as these matches go forward," she called to him.

Kaiya leveled the warpgate with a flat look and then raised her eyes to Shigaraki, who was lingering where she'd left him at the walkway above them. She was silent waiting for him to speak on the matter.

"You have my attention, how do you propose to keep this in the ring?" he wondered, his grin sliding along his lips that were covered as his red eyes widened behind the hand covering his face.

He's upset… That thought lingered for Kaiya longer than she thought it would, he hadn't covered himself with those hands until sometime after she left.

"With a barrier and we have someone who can help," she explained as she kept her eyes on him, but she could hear the rustle of pounding feet as a young girl with light orange hair and bright blue eyes bolted from the sidelines to stand to her left, she was a small girl around Miho's height but with a quieter demeanor. She bowed to Shigaraki before her gaze hit the floor, the way her hands trembled in front of her was a sign that she found him to be intimidating. She was like that with nearly everyone, everyone was a threat...even those who promised to protect them. The younger girl only relaxed slightly as Kaiya stepped fully in front of her, something he'd seen her do before. .

He gestured to the girl and inclined his head. "And she can do as you suggest?" he asked as he leaned his elbows on the railing. He watched Kaiya's lips twist into a frown and her hands twitch to be drawn tight, but she resisted. "Of course," she said with the utmost confidence as she placed her hand over the top of the girl's shaking, clasped hands. "Show him Hayai," she requested as she stepped out of bounds of the ring and the other girl was right on her tail, nearly tripping over her own feet to keep pace with her.

The girl pressed her hands along the edge of the ring, her hands flat as she closed her eyes and her hands started to glow as she activated her ability erecting an orange energy barrier that stretched the full length of the ring and went to the ceiling but cut just before it and the broken skylight. After a few more moments she stood back and kept her attention on the floor refusing to make direct eye contact with anyone.

"Good job Hayai-chan," Kaiya said softly as her hand pressed against her shoulder. "Why don't you go find Haru-chan and sit with her for a while. Just keep the barrier up for us," she advised watching as the girl was all too quick to leave.

Shigaraki watched the exchange with something akin to fascination and a mild level of irritation. "It'll encase the fights without breaking?" he asked, his tone edged with doubt, it looked impressive, but he couldn't help but wonder if it was little more than something just for looks.

Kaiya merely gave him a smirk and gestured toward those inside the bright orange dome. "See for yourself."

He made a humming noise but made a motion for the fight to continue.

Dabi was the first to launch an attack his arms wide and engulf the ground in front of him with blue blasts of fire as they went toward Miho, who merely used her paracel as a springboard as she dug the tip into the ground and vaulted high into the air over the flames as she twisted in the air and raised her fist to at him from a close range attack. His eyes widened and he threw up a wall of fire as he pushed off with his feet to give himself more distance.

The girl's manic laughter echoed around the dome, but she raised her left hand and sucked up the fire that he'd attempted to burn her with. "You won't get away that easily," she called to him as she twisted in the middle of the ring to watch him, as she opened her right hand of the snake's mouth and fired his attack back at him. Watching as he released another blast of fire at her incoming attack that canceled out the one she shot back at him.

The fire he'd used earlier slammed into the other side of the barrier at the end of the ring, the impact made the dome glow as it absorbed the fire and as the smoke cleared inside the barrier was still standing without any fissures in its walls. It was certainly an impressive ability that would take a lot more than what was currently going on in the ring to weaken or break.

Kaiya tried not to be too hopeful about the way the match was currently going, it was clear that Dabi was at a disadvantage, his quirk was a terrible match up against Miho. It was why she'd paired her up with him. It wouldn't be an easy fight per se, but it was stacked in their favor that she'd not have any real issues.

For a moment longer she watched the fight from behind the safety of the dome, pleased to be so close to the action, but after a moment she turned on her heel and made her way back toward the stairs, it was no secret her leash was tightening and it was time she returned to her master.


"The new girl's got you curious?" Masaru asked, watching as Keisuke looked far more irritated as the two left. His golden eyes tracking his every move. The way his hands clenched and unclenched as the other paced back and forth seeming to mutter almost incoherently to himself.

"Not curious, " he told him, his voice high with an edge as he rounded on him moving toward him now as the other curled his fingers into the fabric of his shirt, only to draw back as Masaru extended a small metal spike from the marble he'd been holding in his hand to pierce Keisuke's palm. "Don't touch me!" he warned him as he stepped back, granting them some more distance between them, not much but enough to get his point across. "I've told you before," he reminded him as his eyes narrowed.

"You see the resemblance don't you? She thinks she's better than us, " he told him as he clenched his bleeding palm as he put some more distance between them. A flare of recognition entered his eyes, no longer seeming as wild as they had before dancing on the hinges of insanity. Pain brought back his sense of clarity in most cases, it was something he was having to use more and more...ever since the USJ attack and his unexpected run in with his good old Sensei and his replacements for what he'd lost before, like none of them mattered.

"You're looking too much into it. It's just a kid, that little group of ragtag wannabes will be joining us, so I suggest you flip that switch in your head and get on board with the change." he advised as he stepped away from him and left the room. Masaru wasn't about to entertain the guy's obsession with anything and everything pertaining to Alexis Knight and UA in general, to him it was the catalyst that destroyed everything in his life and turned him into who he was today. He didn't believe that, he felt it was just an excuse, one built out of fear and the refusal to acknowledge the fact that life happened and people died. Not to Keisuke Dakamoro, there was no way any of this could be his fault, it couldn't be his weakness that his best friend Kano died. With a frown Masaru pinched the bridge of his nose as he walked back into the area with the others, he definitely did his best to avoid him, just because they'd been classmates before, didn't mean he wanted a headache, they hadn't gotten along then and he was forced to tolerate, if not sort of pity the guy.


She can redirect my attacks, this complicates things. He thought bitterly as he ran around the edge of the barrier. He was already aware of the fight's timer ticking down by his own mental calculations.

He had already used his fire a good amount so far, and he'd been forced to dodge or counter every attack she sent back at him. What irritated him the most was how nonchalant she was about what she could do. This match placement had put him at a disadvantage and that was exactly what they wanted. He let his gaze drift for a single moment to the girl who stood once more at the side of their fearless leader. It left him curious to know if it had been her who had picked these matches, if it was, she was far smarter than he'd originally given her credit for. "Tch" he muttered as he leapt into the air and used the barrier with his left foot to push himself further up into the air and away from the swing of the parcel that had been swung at his head.

"Oh poo you're more perceptive than I gave you credit for!" Miho taunted her sky blue eyes regarding him once more. "I almost had you there though, are you getting tired? Is your body wearing out, does it burn?" she wondered her grin widened, but it was clear by the glint in her eyes that she had noticed something during their match.

"Has anyone told you, you talk too much?" he wondered as he gathered his fire in his fist reading an attack that he intended to use more as a decoy rather than going for her outright. He liked to keep his opponents on the ropes with his fire, he didn't like to get in close with them, but that wasn't to say that he couldn't fight in hand to hand combat he just liked to play things cautiously. This couldn't continue and he was realizing that this match could go one of two ways, either he would outright lose or the timer would run out marking him the loser in this fight. There was truly no way he could effectively come back from this.

This was not a fight to the death so attempting to overload her redirecting capabilities was something he'd considered, he also had to remember that this wasn't that sort of fight, so he'd been holding back. It didn't change the outcome though, not really. He had very much lost this fight.

Dabi reabsorbed his fire that had been gathering into his palm and instead made it disappear. There was a third option, one that would still leave him with at least a little dignity intact. "I think we've seen enough," he called out as he stuffed his hands in his pockets, hiding the fact that there were a few more burns along the edges of his fingers, he had overused his abilities, but he knew he could have kept going, but he knew a pointless fight when he saw one.

He gave an incline of his head to Shigaraki and the girl next to him, he was curious about her more so than the others. He'd seen how she commanded the room, the authority she held among the orphans. He'd also remembered how she'd told Kurogiri that he hadn't been doing his job, that she'd had to step in. It left him curious to know what she really meant and how she'd stepped in earlier. As far as he was concerned none of them could be trusted, they were unknown variables and potential problems, but so long as none of them got in his way of his own goals, he could tolerate a few more bodies running around their compound.

"What?!" Miho suddenly shouted as she stomped her foot in the middle of the ring. "We aren't done!" She demanded her hands clenched at her sides as she was forced into a stalemate, the match ending before she was ready for it to do so. "The match hasn't even finished yet, we still have three minutes left!" she was angry and there was no way to hide it, she had been having fun and now it was going to be taken away just like that? She pressed her lips together and blew out a harsh breath.

Dabi ignored her tantrum and moved toward the other end of the ring and as he approached a portion of the barrier retracted allowing him to exit without issue. He moved to his original place against the wall and leaned against it, his position quite clear, he was done for the day.

"Miho!" her name caused her to turn her gaze clashing with violet. "The match is over, I suggest you reign in your temper," Kaiya advised from her position next to Shigaraki. She already made the appropriate arrangements if she didn't come to heel. Kazushi was keeping a close eye on what was happening.

The young girl clenched her fingers along the parcel she still held in her hand as she turned away from the rest of them and made her way out of the ring as it parted for her too. She stalked past Eizan who was quick to go after her as she beelined it out of the room.

With a sigh Kaiya ran her hand down her face. "Let her go. She needs to cool off," she called as Kazushi inclined his head and returned to mingling with a few of the other League members.

"You can start the next match if you want," the raven haired girl told him as she leaned her cheek against her arms that were on the railing. Hopefully the next contestants wouldn't be such a handful.


A/N: Sorry about the wait on this one guys! I hope you have enjoyed what you have seen so far! I always love to see what you thought about this chapter! Feel free to drop a review!

Thanks for reading!

~AJ Aviary

~Hallows_Eve (A03)