I heard screams and cries for help as I opened my eyes. I don't know how long I been there, but I had fallen asleep. I somehow had already gotten used to the feeling of despair in the atmosphere.

Boss still hadn't been back, and neither had any of his minions.

"Ah. You're awake."

Well, so much for the Boss not coming back. I watched him stand in front of me, studying me.

"You have questions. I can see in your eyes."

"Would I be allowed to ask them?"

He chuckled. "Of course. And I'll answer as truthfully as I can."

"What are you doing with all these people?"

He nodded. "Good question. Yes, alright. I'll tell you." He waited, obviously expecting me to question why he'd tell me.

I stayed silent.

"The authorities are assuming I'm trafficking my guests. This is false. We not conducting trafficking of any kind. This is including the selling of body parts or quirks. I don't sell my guests."

I frowned. "Then what do you do with your 'guests'?"

Boss grinned at me, his sharp teeth showing and his pond-green eyes sparkling. "I help them."

"Help them? How?"

He nodded and gestured. The girl who turned into a boat, stepped into view. "Would you like to explain, River?"

River nodded and turned her clear eyes on me. "When I was a kid, I could bend myself into the shape of a boat. All the kids wanted be friends with me, so I was popular. My parents praised me every-time I practiced, getting better and better. Transforming quicker, easier. You're probably wondering with a childhood like that, how did I end up here? Well, it's simple. I found out later on that they were all using me. My friends were only my friends when it suited them. My parents never believed I could be more than just a tool to use."

River stepped a little closer, tapping her fingers on her arms. "I told my parents I wanted to be a hero. You'd think they'd be supportive, right? Their daughter having a quirk that could easily be used to help people, save people, transport people."

She shook her head. "I knew I could do a lot with my quirk, so I was expecting them to be happy for me and help me. No. Instead they become sullen and angry towards me. Later that night, I overheard them talking about it. 'How dare she think is able?', 'What is she thinking?', 'What ever possessed her to think...'. That kind of thing. I realized then and there why everyone was around me so much. I was just a tool to them. I left that night and ran far away. I spent three years doing whatever I could to survive, no matter my dreams of becoming a hero. That was over the night I told my parents about it. One night, I was hiding from a really bad man when I ran into the Boss here. We talked and he asked about my quirk. I talked to him and eventually I got up the courage to show him. He told me he could help me and while I didn't trust him fully, what choice did I have at that point? He brought me here and he explained what was going to happen. About a month later, I was stronger, faster, more in tune with my quirk. He had enhanced it; made it better. Not only can I shift my body into a better boat, I can now also feel the water. Feel the disturbances and gauge where they're coming from, what they are. I'm a better version of myself for it; and it's amazing!" This woman spoke so intensely, it was hard to look away. "Boss helps people. He's not a bad man. He-"

"Alright, River. That's enough."

River instantly stopped talking and stepped back. What type of hold did Boss have over these people? What did he do to them?

Boss gestured to River, and she bowed and left without saying another word.

"You see, the work we're doing here is not what the authorities think."

"The dead people?"

"Unfortunate accidents."

"The memory-loss victims?"

Boss didn't answer that one. He just smiled and went over to a table and started to fiddle with some tools.

"Is that what you're going to do to me? Erase my memory?"

Boss chuckled and turned around. I tensed as I spotted the scalpel. "Of course not! At least, not right now. I want to know what your quirk is."

I hesitated. If anyone here had seen the sports festival on TV, they'd know what it was. I had no choice but to say. "Reveal."

"Reveal? Hm. Interesting. You can force people to use their quirks?"

I shook my head. "It's not the same thing. It just gets revealed for a few seconds. Long enough to see what it is."

"Hm. I see." He tapped his chin with the scalpel, then shifted his eyes over to me. "I can enhance and strengthen your quirk. Make it stronger, make it easier to use. I can help you."

I narrowed my eyes. "I think I'm good. Thanks."

He smiled. "I like you. You're strong. Smart." He leaned closer to me. "Quick." He poked me in the temple. "You would be a valuable asset to us." He pressed his long finger nail into my temple. I bit the inside of my cheek to keep from crying out as he drew blood. "Extremely valuable. You know, I've been thinking of taking on an apprentice." I screwed my eyes shut as he pressed harder. "Someone who's strong, smart and capable. Someone who is willing to learn and keep going with my work. Oh, heh, that's right. I haven't told you what we're doing here yet." He brought his mouth to my ear. "Enhancements. Treatments. I guess you could say we're experimenting." He shifted his finger out of the wound in my temple and pulled back to look at my face. "Ever since we saw that All For One fight All Might on TV, I wanted to see if that were possible."

I frowned. "If what was possible?"

"Multiple quirks at once, of course. Sure, there's people out there that are hybrids with two quirks these days, but I mean...Ugh, how do I put it?" He pressed the finger he used to dig into my temple, to his lips. He widened his eyes and trained them on me. "Well now. That's interesting."

"What is?"

He lifted an arm and circled it above his head. "Snake-Arms, Dox."

"Yes, Boss?"

"I want her in the cage." He kept his eyes on me as he spoke. "Put her in with Zoom."

I couldn't see Snake-Arms or the person called Dox, but I instantly felt the tension.

"Boss?"

"Are you sure about that? I mean, Zoom...?"

"Do as I say. I want them in there in five minutes." Boss walked away.

Snake-Arms stepped into view, watching Boss leave. A woman, Dox, sighed and put shackles on my ankles before started to untie the binds. "I'm sorry about this, kid. Boss is good to us and all, but he can be..."

"Intense." Snake-Arms finished as he put chains around my wrists.

I didn't struggle. I was curious. "What's the cage?"

Snake-Arms and Dox exchanged a look. "The easiest way to explain it is it's a test. We all had to do it."

"A test?" They helped me step down onto the ground and held an arm each as we walked to a rock corridor.

"A quirk test."

"Like at school?"

Snake-Arms scoffed, but Dox looked sympathetic. "No, love. You have to fight using your quirks."

We got through the corridor and into another cavern that was twice the size of the first one. I widened my eyes as I saw the huge cage, floor to ceiling, in the middle of it, with what looked like stone benches around the perimeter of the cage. It looked similar to how the Coliseum was set-up.

"It's a fight." Snake-Arms said with no emotion.

I watched as dozens of people started to come in from the other side of the cavern, chattering, and seat themselves.

Dox squeezed my arm.

"A fight to the death."

I couldn't help freaking out a little as they escorted me into the cage. As soon as we were in, they took my shackles off.

Snake-Arms took the shackles and went to walk away. I saw him hesitate, but then he kept walking. Dox shook her head and turned to me. "Don't worry about him. He may act all tough, but he's a teddy bear."

I swallowed a lump in my throat. "Who's Zoom?"

She smiled. "Oh, don't worry about him too much. Just focus on trying to avoid him, and-"

"Dox!"

She stopped talking, squeezing my hands. "Just make sure you come out, ok?"

I blinked, then nodded and she left, locking the cage door behind her.

I looked around the cage. It was iron and had mildew from the cave ceiling dripping off the bars. I spotted Boss sitting a throne-like seat made of stone. Did he carve it out or something? Narcissist much?

The small crowd started to go quiet, and I watched as Boss waved his hand.

The cage door opened and a small framed person stepped through. I frowned. Why was he dressed similarly to that guy I met at the hospital in Hosu? Gran Torino I think his name was. This person was dressed in a similar style, except a dark green in colour, instead of yellow. He was also wearing a full metal face mask, so I couldn't tell if he was a kid or an older bloke.

If this guy is dressed like Gran Torino, does that mean his quirk was similar? What did Deku say Gran Torino's quirk was? Something to do with speed. His name implies it as well.

Zoom stared at me for a few minutes, then walked around me, keeping a respectful distance. He looked up at Boss. Boss was leaning sideways, hand on his temple, watching. He nodded.

Zoom turned his attention on me. I stayed still.

Never expect anything, but always expect everything.

I chanted this in my head over and over again. Everything about this guy shouts: SPEED QUIRK!

But what if it's not? What if it's just a play?

Zoom ran towards me. He was fast, but not fast enough I couldn't dodge him. He would have to know that. Right?

He got to me and reached out, assuming I would dodge. I stepped forward, taking his arm and slamming my elbow into his stomach. I pushed him to the side, making sure he tripped over my foot on the way down. As soon as he was down, I leapt backwards out of the way, sliding across the wet, stone floor. It almost made me smile; it reminded me of training with Ectoplasm.

I heard murmurs from the crowd. They sounded surprised.

Zoom was slowly getting up, and seemed wary of me now. I reached up and pulled my goggles over my head, then my hood. Now that he couldn't see my face, I grinned. This was going to be fun.

I reached behind me and pulled out the Wakizashi from the sheath.

Zoom nodded. "You're not underestimating me. Good." His voice was muffled, so I still couldn't be sure of his age. "Your judgement is good."

He jumped up and towards me, aiming a kick at my head. I ducked and dived forward, rolling up and kicking out. His foot landed on mine. I narrowed my eyes. He's playing with me. I twisted my leg and spun around. He dodged backwards before I could kick him.

He nodded again. "Alright. Enough games. Let's see what you can do. I want everything you got. No holding back, hear? Coz I'm not going to."

Jeez, he sounds like Bakugo...I had already made a mental note not to use my other quirks unless I had no choice. Reveal would just have to do for now.

He jumped from the floor to the wall, then to the roof. He linked his legs through the bars, hanging upside down.

What is he doing?

He watched me for a minute, then took one leg out, pushing himself forward, towards me. I didn't move. I held the sword by my side.

He got closer and I readied myself thinking he would try to kick me. He didn't. Instead he landed right in front of me, in a crouching position. He stood up slowly, and looked at me.

"Zoom." He whispered.

I hesitated, not sure what was supposed to happen. I stepped back a few steps and stopped.

If I could see his face, he'd probably be frowning. I put the sword back.

"Zoom." He said again, a little louder this time. Still nothing happened. He looked Boss. Boss was leaning forward, hands on his knees now.

Zoom looked back at me and didn't hesitate. He ran at me and jumped aiming a kick for my head. I spun out of the way and aimed a kick as well. I got him in the back and he got slammed into the cage bars. He got up and kept running at me. I put my arms up as he tried to punch me in the face. He got me in the side of the head, and once in the stomach. I retaliated and kicked his legs and his head. He jumped back to wipe his bleeding lip. His mask had manged to stay on, but it would've hurt. My own lip was bleeding, but I just stared at him, breathing heavily. I don't know what this guys quirk is, but he clearly relies on it too much. He doesn't know how to fight, only brawl. Too bad for him, I've been exposed to both.

The fight continued for a while. I was punched, kicked, elbowed, body-slammed, and thrown around.

Ugh, I'm done with this. I lashed my leg out, catching him in the stomach. He doubled over for a few seconds, then was up again. He ran at me, aiming a punch for my head but then dropped down, tripping me. I fell on my back, groaning.

Zoom jumped on me, pinning my arms and sitting on my legs. He was breathing heavily and rasping. Fighting in that mask probably wasn't good for him.

"What...Are...You?"

I frowned. My goggles had slipped off my face and now hung around my neck. My hood had slid off as I hit the ground. "What do you mean?"

"You. You're different. Boss wouldn't have put you in here unless he thought something of you. You...My quirk doesn't work on you." He leaned closer. "What are you?"

I stared at him for a few seconds, then grinned. "I'm different."

"Hmm..."

I heard a noise, and we both turned to see someone toss a dagger into the cage towards us.

"Finish her, Zoom!"

"Kill her!"

"Don't let her make a fool of you!"

Zoom picked up the knife and looked towards Boss. I looked too, but Boss wasn't there.

"What the-"

We heard shouting and before we could react, the cavern was filled with cops.

Before Zoom could get off me, he was hauled off and thrown across the cage and into the bars.

I sat up quickly, but my head spun since I'd been kicked and punched so many times. I felt hands under my arms and I was pulled up.

"-have a lot of injuries. You need to go to a hospital."

I shook my head slightly, wincing with the pain. "I'm fine." I swayed a bit and fell. I felt someone catch me, but I passed out before I could see who it was.

The last thing I heard was Endeavor telling the Detective he had his own doctor we could use.

I blinked and opened my eyes. My whole body ached, and I could barely feel anything else. I tried to sit up, but I felt like my body was made of lead. I lifted my head and, blurry eyed, saw Endeavor standing with his back to me. It looked like he was buttoning his shirt.

I blinked, my head fell back down and I passed out again.

I opened my eyes as the sun hit my eyes. My phone buzzed and I reached for it.

"What?"

"Why does your voice sound like that?"

"I need a drink. What's wrong?"

I heard excitement in Tomura's voice as he spoke. "Do you want to help in revenge for Big Sis Mag and Compress?"

Tomura had eventually called me to tell what happened to them. I had to act surprised and suitably upset, as well as angry. The acting wasn't hard. Especially the anger part.

I slowly grinned. "I don't even know why you thought you needed to ask, brother."

"Common curtesy, sister. You could have been busy with your work study, after all."

"Not too busy to get back at that asshole. I'm in. Where and when?"

"Ah, eager are we? Good. So am I. He's going to pay."

Tomura told me where to meet him and when. I'd be able to get away from here for a while.

I got out of bed slowly. My body still ached and I was covered in bruises from the fight I had with Zoom. I also smelled bad. How long had I been asleep for? I shook my head. Doesn't matter. Need a shower, then go meet Tomura.

I got back to my room after my shower and started to get dressed. I locked my bedroom door and closed the curtain as I climbed out the window. Endeavor would probably assume I was still asleep. Where was he anyway? Why hadn't he come to check on me?

I shrugged. It didn't matter. The less I saw that man, the better.

I arrived at the place I was to meet Tomura and he handed me just that. A hand.

"I don't want you be recognized after all, sister."

"Of course not. Brother."

I put on the black pants, sneakers and long coat, same as him. I pinned my hair back, and tucked it under the hood. Lastly, I placed the palm over my face, so only my eyes were showing.

I turned to my brother. "What do you think?"

I could picture the grin behind the palm he was wearing. "Perfect."

"Here they come." I nodded towards the approaching police cars. I was crouched next to Tomura on top of the van Spinner was driving. He'd been surprisingly happy to see me when I met up with them. I couldn't say the feeling wasn't mutual.

"In shogi, the point is to get the king, right?"

The doors of the van were open, showing Compress and Dabi.

"It's not that simple."

I nodded, agreeing with Dabi. "There's a lot of steps that need to be taken."

Compress was talking to Toga on the phone. She had given us the information on where they would be. I wondered briefly why her and Twice were still at the scene of that huge fight between the heroes and Shie Hassaikai. It would be dangerous for them there. I climbed down and into the van with them. I wasn't needed for this first part.

"Hey, lizard! Stop weaving! I motion sick!"

"Don't call me lizard! I'm Spinner!"

I shook my head and pat Dabi shoulder. "Relax." I headed to the front of the van.

"What are you getting mad for? Shut up!" I rolled my eyes. Dabi could be such a child sometimes.

"Is attacking the police really following the will of Stain, who wanted a true hero society?"

I poked my head next to Spinner's. "I doubt it, but we're not attacking the police, are we? Just a certain irritating prat."

"I'm not sure about that."

"It's a necessary sacrifice, Spinner. I'm counting on you to drive." Tomura's voice cut in.

I sighed. "Well, we'll just have to talk about this later." I turned around and watched as Dabi used his quirk, Cremation, on the police car behind us.

But. There was a hero in the car that negated his attack.

"A hero!"

I smirked. "Of course there'd be one. At least."

"Ugh. Spinner, slow down!"

He slowed down and Tomura jumped off the roof to the hero. The hero's quirk looked like he could turn parts of himself into sand.

"Perfect!" The hero caught Tomura in his arm, which he turned to sand. "If you touch anything with all five fingers, your quirk will make it decay, but you won't be able to do that with sand!"

"Then we're natural enemies."

"He's famous, huh?"

I smirked. "Yea, and I bet he loves every minute of it."

"Shigaraki is the misdirection. In other words, the decoy. Let's go." Compress produced a small green marble. I shuddered, remembering that time at training camp.

He flicked it and as it rolled under the car, it spat out a boulder, flipping the car over.

"Police car gently levitating! No trickery or devices involved."

Dabi and Compress stepped off the back of the van and I turned to Spinner.

"You can slow down now." I heard a crash and flinched. "Ok. Maybe slowly, slow down. Ok?"

He sighed and nodded. I could tell he wasn't impressed with this whole thing.

"Look, we can't talk now-"

Spinner glanced at me quickly, then back at the road.

"-but I'd like to talk to you later. We are friends, right?"

I could tell he was surprised and suspicious at the same time. "Yea. Sure. I guess."

I nodded and turned around. I jumped off the back of the van and headed over to Tomura. I caught him kicking the mattress thing Overhaul was strapped to.

"Is that really necessary?"

Tomura looked at me. "Of course it is." He looked down at Overhaul. "Who's going to be the next leader again?"

I stepped up next to Tomura, looking at Overhaul too. "Who indeed..."

"Did you come to kill me?" Overhaul wasn't wearing his beak mask, but all I could see was how he killed Big Sis Mag.

I narrowed my eyes. "Unfortunately, no."

"I thought of what you'd hate most."

"We hate you."

"You are too full of yourself." Tomura took his face-palm off.

"Me too." Compress added.

"There are two boxes here. Which is the finished product?"

"Give it back."

"You know what, Overhaul? A person who erases peoples quirks shouldn't depend on their own quirk, right?" Tomura reached down and grabbed Overhaul's arm. It started to peel and break away.

I smirked. "If it doesn't get cut off, your whole body will turn to dust." I pulled out the blade I had hidden in my jacket. I took my own palm off and smiled. "My turn." I lifted the blade and slowly sawed of the decaying parts. Overhaul cried out and I lifted my eyes to him. "Quiet. You wouldn't want me to-" I shifted the blade, causing him to cry out again. "-slip. This is a very delicate operation."

I finished doing that and cleaned the blade.

"Alright, now that you're a powerless, helpless, quirkless man. And the fruits of all your effort you spent are now mine!-"

"Ours." I corrected, placing the blade in my jacket.

"Now you won't even have a finger to put in your mouth as you look enviously at the rest of us."

I stared down at Overhaul as Spinner honked the van horn.

"Pursuers are coming! Hurry up and get in!"

Tomura just walked away; Dabi stretched and started walking; Compress made a bow and turned away. I stayed, staring at Overhaul.

I kneeled down and leaned to his ear. "You are lucky my brother was here. I would have done much, much worse. It wasn't him you should have tried to recruit." I pulled away to look at his eyes. "It was me."

Overhaul's eyes widened.

"Sister! Let's go!"

I lifted a hand, not taking my eyes off Overhaul. "You do well to remember that. One thing you won't remember...My face. I was never here." I placed the palm back over my face. "Goodbye, Kai 'Overhaul' Chisaki. Pray we never meet again."

I turned and walked away, catching up with Tomura.

He put a hand on my shoulder. "Next, it's our turn."

"Yes." I replied as Overhaul started to wail. "It is."

I snuck back into my room and unlocked my door. I got undressed and climbed back into bed. Today had been exhausting, and that's not including for however long I was in that damn cave system.

I closed my eyes and fell asleep rather quickly.

When I woke up again, it was dark. I felt someone in the room with me and turned slightly. I didn't see anyone, so I closed my eyes and went back to sleep.

I woke again, startled, as I felt pressure on my body. It was still dark, so I couldn't see anything. I struggled, but there were hands on my wrists, and I couldn't move anything else.

"You are stubborn and hard-headed. You need to learn manners."

I stiffened at the sound of Endeavor's voice.

"But..." He sighed. "You are strong. Your quirks-"

I gasped.

"Yes. I know about your quirks. Curtesy of your Principal Nezu. Confidential, he called it. The potential would be great. Perhaps, maybe, if possible, could even surpass Shoto..."

He was speaking softly, as thought to himself. I wasn't game enough to move, let alone speak.

"Yes. The potential." I felt his hand cover my mouth.

"You will not make a noise."