A/N: Thank you to all of you for your reviews. Thank you especially to hinatayvonne and M for your multi-chaptered reviews. I smile at every comment and it makes me feel all warm and glowy inside when I can make you feel something with my words. Anyways, enough of that, this is the beginning of my favorite arc, and considering this story is currently planned to span ten arcs, that's saying something. I hope you enjoy.

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Two days at the Last One are miserable.

Yui-san says nothing about my taking third place. Everyone else though does. Niko, as it turns out, says the most. She has the whole house calling me a nightmare, replaying clips of my snakes, watching me freeze in ice.

"Hero?" she laughs, showing it again. "That's no hero!"

She's right.

My anger, so easily extinguished by Glasses, returns with a vengeance.

"Shut up!"

"No!" She laughs, her trunk trumpeting at the same time. It's loud and abrasive and she leers, hitting repeat.

I have enough and lunge. We get in a fight.

She wins.

Her heavy body slams into mine. Her trunk splits my lip, bruises my cheek, and blackens my eye before someone pulls her off.

We're both grounded for it, but I receive the harsher chores. Yui-san just stares, arms crossed and disappointed.

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Kagura helps me cover the bruises before school.

She stares openly when I show up an hour early on her doorstep, lip quivering under an old umbrella in the pouring rain. She's changed a lot, her pink hair dyed purple, two new earrings, and what looks like a tattoo peeking out from under her shorts. But she lets me in without question. Two men yawning and laid out on her couch. There's another in the kitchen, empty bottles and trash lining every surface.

"I saw you at the festival," she tells me as she leads me to a room. It must be hers. It's full of familiar posters, dirty clothes, and an entire wall of makeup supplies. She clears off a bench and has me sit before pulling up a chair, already collecting brushes and powders. "You were fucking amazing."

I can't help but smile even with the pain. I've missed her.

"Are these from the elephant bitch?"

I nod and Kagura sighs through her nose.

"Yes," I say quickly.

She gives me the side-eye as she grabs some more products. She's always less talkative in the mornings, at least, before her coffee. She rubs circles with the brushes and applies almost four different products. Finally, nodding to herself, she spritzes some clear spray and has me fan my face until it dries.

She rummages while I wait and, from a random drawer, pulls out a container of pills. Ibuprofen.

"You take anything for the pain?"

I go to shake my head but stop a second later. Words.

"No," I tell her quietly. "Yui-san told me I should suffer through it since I started the fight."

Kagura's perfectly manicured eyebrow rises.

"You started a fight?"

I grimace at the awe in her voice.

"She wouldn't stop calling me a villain."

Kagura laughs and I blink up at the satisfied smirk on her face.

"That's not starting a fight, Rin-chan. That's dealing with a bully. Don't let that old bitch get to you. I don't know why you like her so much, she's just a washed-up, old biddy, but you defendin' yourself isn't wrong. Okay?"

"O-Okay."

She rolls her eyes.

"Words, girl. Ugh… Anyways, that should do it. It'll be obvious your wearing makeup, so some people might tease you, but it's waterproof now so you shouldn't sweat it off or get washed away in the rain."

I nod and quickly rise to my feet.

"Thank you Kagura-nee-chan!"

She smiles and puts a hand against my head.

"Whatever, hellspawn. Go be amazing! And come visit me again!"

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Kagura was correct. People do notice makeup.

Red takes one look and starts grinning. Explosive scoffs. Green turn scarlet. Invisible wants to talk products, which I have no idea how to answer, and Bubbly wants to know if I have a crush. I manage to hide behind a book until they all go away. The only one I want to talk to, to thank, is Glasses, but he arrives near the bell and doesn't look over.

I frown, sitting quietly as the others chatter around me about being on tv.

And then Aizawa-sensei arrives.

"Morning," he says to the class.

"Morning," we all chime back.

I lose focus as Frog mentions the lack of bandages, my mind drifting off until I hear everyone scream. I flinch and look around, startled, terrified to see shadowy tentacles swirling through the air. Aizawa-sensei's eyes burn red, his hair floats, but my powers don't diminish, and whatever it is, they settle back down.

What happened?

"This is related to the hero pro drafts I mentioned the other day. The drafts begin in earnest in your second and third years, after students have gained experience and can become immediate assets to pros."

Immediate assets to pros.

A hero.

My stomach drops.

"In other words, for them to extend offers to first years like you shows that they are interested in your future potential. These offers are often canceled if interest dies down by graduation."

In front of me, Mineta hits the desk.

"So we'll have to prove ourselves once we get picked?" Invisible says from the front.

I swallow.

"That's right," Sensei agrees blandly. "And here are the totals for those with offers."

Sensei hits a button and a graph appears on the board.

Todoroki has over 4,000. I blink. That's a lot. Bakugou, underneath it, scores nearly the same with over 3000. I scratch my head and try to remember which one I fought against, the names all running together.

Everyone erupts into chatter at the results and I tune them out.

"Hoki-chan, you wore such pretty makeup and you didn't even get any offers," Mineta says, turning around to stare at me with wide eyes. "It's 'cause you fought too crazy!"

I offer him my best smile. It's painful, pulling at my sore lip, and I rub my head.

"Ah, it's fine…" I mumble.

"I'll comfort you Hoki-chan! Do you want a hug?"

"Eh, Mineta, don't be so forward!" Tape says, glaring at the smaller boy. "Leave her alone!"

In front of him, Green sways in his seat sadly. Mineta turns around to comfort him instead, muttering something I can't hear under his breath. Aizawa-sensei seems to have enough. He leans forward on the podium and starts lecturing again.

"Keeping these results in mind, whether or not anyone asked for you, you will all be participating in internships with pros."

Internships.

My chest constricts at the thought. I clutch my flashlight around my chest and lose track of the conversation. I shrink in my desk. Working with heroes. The idea feels like tentacles around my lungs.

"Hero?" she laughs, showing the video again. "That's no hero!"

The class chatters with sensei, excited about making up codenames until Midnight walks through. I sigh. Sensei dismisses himself and walks towards the door, his strange yellow sleeping bag tucked under one arm. He pauses at the door.

"When you give yourself a name, you get a more concrete image of what you want to be like in the future, and you can get closer to it. This is what it means when they say names and nature do often agree. Like All Might."

Then, he leaves.

Midnight passes out whiteboards and markers.

A name for the future.

I stare at the blank page and consider it. What kind of hero would I be?

The sound of Daddy's jaw breaking. The gray suits pull us away.

"Okay, let's start presenting with those who are ready?"

I shrink in my chair. We're presenting? I hate presenting… He grins and shows the sign.

"Sparkling Hero: I can not stop twinkling!"

I stop paying attention and stare back at my hands, at the board, at the marker. Names and nature do often agree. What is my nature?

Shadows, tentacles, and black fires?

You ought to know, there are two types of people in this world.

I don't know what your shadows are made of… But they smell like death. And today, you smelled like a predator.

In the bag. You have one minute, or she'll kill you.

You're a fucking nightmare. I know what you did to those kids at your old school. Can't wait for the school to see you for what you really are.

W-W-What if I do neither?

I slowly drag the marker against the board.

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"Hoki?" calls Midnight. I redden as all eyes turn to me. I had hoped they'd forget. I stand, knees weak.

With the board pressed against my chest, I stand near the front.

Then, taking a deep breath, I uncover the board.

"Really?" she asks, her voice a tight. She drags a hand across her face. "Nightmare? Why?"

I shrug, she puts a hand on her hip and glares.

"My powers give people nightmares," I tell her bluntly. The class quiets and to the side, Glasses finally looks at me. His arms cross, face set in disapproval.

"What a bunch of bullshit," Explosive says, rolling his eyes.

"She means villains, right Hoki-chan?" Invisible asks.

"People," I repeat, quiet but firm, aggravated she's making me repeat myself. I make nightmares. I clench my jaw and remember the snap of my father's jaw. The screams of my siblings. Kaito holding Ryu and Sora with all his might. Heroes make nightmares.

Why the hell do you get to have powers when you won't even use them!

"Quirks are dangerous," I say looking Midnight in the eye. She frowns, eyebrows drawn together. "My shadows only form nightmares"

"But Hoki-chan, that's not-"

Midnight interrupts, clearing her throat. She scribbles something on a paper and hands it to me.

"Go give this to Eraserhead, he's in the breakroom. We'll see what he has to say about that name."

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Lips pursed; I stalk out of the room. I don't know why I'm so annoyed, but the pain in my face isn't helping. The pain killers shouldn't have worn off yet, but the pressure in my skull aches all the same. I find the break room and knock three times. I wait, hoping nobody will answer, hoping he'll be asleep. He's not. Dark hair bedraggled and eyes half-lidded, Aizawa-sensei answers me, still in that stupid yellow sleeping bag. He slides the door further and I see Stranger-san frowning in the background, a cup of tea in hand.

"Hoki, what are you doing here?"

I hand him the note, jaw clenched, and don't answer.

He reads it and sighs, sounding both exhausted and annoyed.

"Is this a joke?"

I glare at the floor.

"No."

"Come in, Toshinori-"

"No!" I exclaim, it burst from my mouth loudly and I feel my face heat in embarrassment. Sensei glares, but I don't move. "I…I'll just change it."

"Don't interrupt," Aizawa says, holding the door open. "Toshinori, this is Hoki. Hoki, this is Toshinori. Now come in."

"We've met actually," Stranger—Toshinori-san—says, I glance towards him and notice his kind smile. It makes my skin itch. Why is he even smiling? I scowl at the floor. "Young Hoki, why don't you come in and sit down, we can talk about whatever's going on."

I don't want to walk in there.

I definitely don't want to talk.

And getting UA involved? Do you have any idea what they could do? They could take my job and split all of you up? Girl, I know you didn't mean it, but you've gotta be careful what you say.

"Now, Hoki."

Reluctantly I move inside. The room is sparse, a small microwave, a vending machine, a small table, and couch. Toshinori-san pats the thick cushion beside him and Aizawa sensei pulls up a chair. I sit reluctantly, putting myself on the furthest end, and stare at my skirt.

"Young Hoki, is everything alright?"

I glance towards the bright, kind eyes and back down to my skirt.

You've gotta be careful what you say.

"I'm fine."

Aizawa-sensei's abandoned sleeping bag is crumpled near the end of the couch. He sprawls instead on the chair, tilting it dangerously on two legs, the back facing us with his arms folded across the top. He clears his throat.

"The sounds like a lie," he says simply, his voice dry. "Now, explain this note. You want your hero name to be, 'Nightmare'?"

"Yes."

"Why?"

I glare at my skirt.

"Because that's what quirks are." Aizawa-sensei clears his throat, I meet his gaze evenly. Angrily.

"Why?"

"What do you mean why?" I snap, teeth bared. White-hot anger flows in my veins and a black flame simmers beneath the skin. I let it. At least it covers the pain. "They hurt people! They destroy buildings and cities and families-"

"Where is your family?" Aizawa-sensei interrupts.

"I don't know," I scowl and cross my arms. "Jail maybe?"

"When was the last time you talked to them?"

Fuck heroes. Fuck your stupid quirk. Go be one if you want, it's not like you ever did shit for us anyways.

I remember my brother's note. It's too much. Fire explodes from my skin, setting the couch alight. Toshinori squeaks, Sensei scowls. His eyes blaze red, his hair lifts. The anger doesn't leave but the flames do, melting the fibers and disappearing from my skin.

"Control yourself."

"I'm trying!"

"Then answer the question!"

"I don't know."

"That's a lie, Hoki."

"I don't know! A few years ago? When I sent my brother a message. He wrote me back to fuck off."

Toshinori-san makes a noise, but I don't look at him, refusing to back down from Aizawa-sensei. His hair falls back, and he blinks. I stare the dark-haired hero in the eye. His lips curling down.

"What did your family think of your quirk?"

I wrinkle my nose at the strange questions.

"I don't know-"

"Why not?" he asks, his voice more pressing, his eyebrow raises. "Logically they would have talked about it. Especially after the gas stations."

My mouth hangs open. He raises an eyebrow. How did he- Glasses?

"What did they think of it, Hoki?"

"I don't-"

"It was your mother's idea, wasn't it? To rob the attendants. Was she a villain?"

"No!" The outrage slips from my mouth before I can help it. I glare at the man, smothering the fire that wants to jump forward again. "No! She wasn't!"

"Why didn't she rob it then? Why'd she make you? You were only, what, five?"

"I was the only one that could!" I manage, voice strangled at the emotions clawing at my chest. I shake with them, lips curling around my teeth, tears burning at my eyes. "I should have- I should have helped more but I couldn't, and I was weak and-"

"They were quirkless?" Aizawa-sensei asks, interrupting. The chair falls on all four feet. His eyes take on a gleam. It's as if seeing me for the first time, as if he's seeing someone else. I shiver under the scrutiny, eyes finally falling away. "They all were, weren't they? Tell me, Hoki, why did you get taken away?"

I splutter and Toshinori-san openly gapes.

"Knowing that demographic and your set of scars, I'd guess abuse."

Abuse.

My mouth hangs open in dismay.

"No!" I say, rising from my place. Sensei stops me with a gesture, his hand outstretched. I shake, vision blurring, and throat swollen closed. He points to the couch, and I sit again struggling to breathe. "No, I… They never, it wasn't… I'm not abused-"

"Then why were you taken?" Aizawa asks. He sits in the backward chair and stares, head crooked, half-lidded eyes droll.

"I…" My lip quivers at the memory. "I failed. I…"

"Aizawa," hisses Toshinori. It's the first time he's actually spoken. His face, sunken and stretched, forms a scowl. He glares, thin arms circling around my shoulders and he pulls me towards him. I flounder in the hug, too many emotions running through my chest. "That's enough."

"No," Eraserhead says. But he isn't looking at the blonde. He looks at me. "It's not. The forms lied; your quirk isn't shadow manipulation; it never has been. Your quirk is emotional manifestation."

I stare speechless and overwhelmed.

"I… what?"

He sighs and stands.

"I'm going to get Principal Nezu, watch her until I return?"

Toshinori-san chokes and I clamber from the stranger's warm embrace.

"No-"

My anger turns sour, dying in my chest. It turns into something cold and hard. It feels like a rock in my stomach. I feel sick. Did I say too much? What have I done?

You've gotta be careful what you say.

"You're worried," Sensei says, standing at the door. "Why?"

I shake my head. I quickly stop, vomit rising in my throat.

He rubs his chin thoughtfully.

"Someone's threatened you-"

"No!"

"Then why are you so scared?"

"I'm not-"

"Lie."

"They'll take her away!"

He frowns, hand falling as his eyebrows furrow. He lets go of the door and walks back towards me. I sit back at his approach and he kneels in front of me, looking me in the eye. I cringe as his hand falls on my shoulder.

"Who?"

I hesitate again. His eyes narrow.

"Who will be taken, Hoki?"

"Y-Y-Yui san. The school, I don't know. She said if I bothered you, you'd take her job, that you'd send us away." The tears spillover. "I'm sorry! I shouldn't have said anything. I'll go back, I'll change my name, I'll be bubble girl or something, please… Please don't take her too."

"Who told you this?"

"Yui-san, please Sensei, please don't make her leave."

Aizawa-sensei sighs and looks towards the other man. Toshinori, paler than I've ever seen, stares at us both. Then, as if getting some unspoken signal, the thin man pulls me towards him again. His knees press against my own. He rocks me in his arms. I don't know how to feel. I don't know what to do.

I can't stop the tears.

"Shhh, Hoki—Rin-chan. Shhh, it'll be okay."

Aizawa-sensei rises.

"I'll be back."

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Aizawa-sensei doesn't return for nearly twenty minutes, and I feel like a giant ball of nerves in the wait. Toshinori doesn't leave, holding me to his side and rubbing circles in my arm. It doesn't lessen the nausea.

It doesn't stop the tentacles clawing at my chest.

She already hates me.

The door finally slides open, and Aizawa-sensei returns with a notebook in hand and my things. I stare as Principal Nezu walks in behind him, his smile gone and his eyes sad.

She's gonna kill me.

I bury my face in Toshinori-san's armpit and sob. He seems unsettled by the new explosion of tears, but he rubs my back all the same, still whispering nonsense.

"Oh dear," the mouse-dog principal says softly. He reaches forward and pats my leg before taking Sensei's chair and turning it around. "It'll all be okay dear… We'll get this all sorted out. Now, your sensei here tells me some troubling things, can you sit up so we can talk?"

I choke on my cries, but I do as he asks, lips trembling, nose running. I swipe at my face with the back of my hand. Part of me expects to see makeup on my sleeve, but there isn't. Toshinori makes no move to leave and I stare at my wrinkled skirt with blurry eyes, face pounding in pain.

"Thank you, dear," the principal says. He pulls the chair close enough to pat my leg with his paw. "Now, I'd like you to answer me honestly, please, how long have you lived at your current home?"

My shoulders shake.

"S-S-Since I was twelve."

"Your fifteen now, yes? So three years?"

I nod.

"Where did you live before there?"

I shrug, Aizawa-sensei clears his throat. I look up, eyes and face aching, before quickly looking down.

"I don't know," I answer softly. "A lot? I didn't stay longer than a few months."

"When did you enter the system?"

"Nine."

Toshinori-san squeezes my shoulder. I scrub gingerly at my face. The pressure hurts.

"That's quite a bit of moving," Principal Nezu admits. "I imagine its hard to make friends with such continuous changes. It's hard to learn too. You must have put in a lot of time studying to have the grades you do."

I swallow but don't respond.

I don't know how.

"When was the last time you talked to someone about all this?"

I don't know. I shrug. Aizawa-sensei tisks. Principal Nezu sighs. Toshinori's hold tightens.

"As we, unfortunately, suspected," the principal says. "This is quite an issue dear. Due to the nature of your quirk, your powers are directly affected by your emotional regulation. You certainly proved your strength at the Sports Festival, but if your opponents were anyone weaker, they might have been seriously hurt. We cannot, in good conscience, allow this to continue."

I flinch.

"I'm guessing you've hurt people in the past?" the Principal asks gently. I nod, thick emotions building in my throat.

"Very well, I'm going to have your sensei here call up your guardian-"

I freeze, eyes wide.

Yui-san is gonna kill me!

"N-n-n-no!"

"Yes," Sensei says as he crosses his arms. "Your guardian is responsible for your physical and emotional well-being. That means it's her responsibility to ensure you talk about these things. It's only rational."

Principal Nezu pats my knee again, catching my attention.

"If you're afraid your guardian will be upset with you, please don't be. We won't be taking her away or anything of the sort and Eraserhead will be sure to express that. This is to help you and that's what we all want."

I stare wide-eyed.

"Unless there's more you'd like to tell us?" Sensei says, one eyebrow rising.

I think about the bruises hidden under the makeup. The ache behind my face. There isn't.

I sniffle and shake my head.

"Very well. When your feeling better, please be sure to send her to class." The principal hops off the stool and gives my leg one last past. "I hope to see a smile the next time we meet, Rin-chan."

I nod and watch him leave.