If we die before we wake
Who we are is no mistake
This is just the way we're made
You know what I mean, you on the team - Hymn by Kesha

"Welcome to my humble abode." Shota bowed Mara in and she kicked off the sandals she'd taken to wearing around campus. They were bright pink with little strawberry decals, and Shota was sure that Ochaco had given them to her. She was becoming a favorite among the students for her easy smile and how much she loved wearing their clothes. Even the boys had gotten into it apparently, since she'd been wearing Kaminari's jacket when he'd chased her down. He was just glad she'd appreciated his gift, and was wearing that Bleach shirt that was making it hard for him to concentrate.

"You haven't had to take in any boarders?"

"No," Shota admitted. "Though since my friend died, I got a cat. He's not comfortable with me just yet, so I expect he's hiding under the desk in my room."

"I'm sorry about your friend," Mara's eyes trembled in the soft light.

Shota closed his eyes for a second, "Nemuri, Miss Midnight, was the person who got me to work here. She was my upper classmate, and took a special interest in my friends and I. She'll be missed." He smiled at the memory, "It's alright. She died passionately, so she is happy, wherever she is. I just wish that kitty and I could get along more."

"I love cats." Mara sighed wistfully, "We had barn cats back home. They'd come up to you if you had food, but mostly they just hissed." She laughed, "My brothers had a dog when I was growing up. Rascal used to bark at and chase the cats."

"Barn cats?"

Mara nodded, "Can I sit? I promise I'll tell you whatever you want to know."

"Oh!" Shota had exactly one good friend, and no manners. "Of course. I'll make you a drink."

"No alcohol, please." She plopped down on a kitchen chair, close enough to watch him work, and he wondered at why she'd not decided on the couch.

He had a bottle of shochu in his hand, but he put it back and pulled out a can of CC Lemon and two mini Calpico. "Sure, not a problem. I know how much you love trying new things."

Mara made a face, "The eel was not good. Admit it."

"It actually was. LunchRush makes the best food in the world. Hands down. This, on the other hand, is what my mom used to make for me when I was a kid. It's pretty good." He held up a Calpico bottle, "It's like a vanilla yogurt drink for mixing. The soda is lemon. Now, continue: barn cats."

Shota poured the drinks into two highball glasses and added ice while she told him that barn cats were simply feral cats that they tried to catch and neuter every Spring. Even with that, every Spring there was always at least one batch of kittens. Shota chuckled, and handed her a cocktail.

Mara looked at it, "It's yogurt?"

"Yes. Try it," He urged. She took a tentative sniff. "You went out on patrol with a couple of my students?" Shota sipped his drink.

"They had K names, I think." Mara mused softly, "Um… Catsup? No, who would name their kid that? Cat socks!" She laughed, "The other one was…" She giggled again, "You're not going to tell me are you?"

"Are you kidding?" Shota chuckled softly. "The longer you go the more ammunition I get. Half the kids in my class have some sort of K name. I am going to enjoy every last minute of your faulty memory."

She balled a fist and socked him in the bicep, "You're so mean!"

Shota grunted, and rubbed the spot she'd punched with a wry smile. "Why isn't your memory better, if you don't mind me asking?"

"That one is easy," she replied, taking a speculative sip of the milky drink. She took a full drink and tipped the glass in approbation. "This is amazing, by the way." She set it down, "I was really good at remembering things and memory games when I was younger. With my quirk and it's intrinsic abilities, I could recall a lot. Or if I couldn't, I could just dig around for the right answer. I didn't care as a child."

"They say that children are incapable of understanding right and wrong in that way."

"That's true for a young child, say, under five. Older than that it's a decision that a child makes. After eight it's considered criminal when you do things that can be thought of as right or wrong. I was like that." Mara's eyes strayed away from his, "I'm sorry. You don't want to hear about that."

"I don't mind. If you need to talk about it." Shota honestly didn't. Here was a woman, a hero, who struggled with the dark in her life. Who might understand his story, too.

She shook her head, "No, it's alright. That's more second date material! Just forget it." Shota nodded and nursed his drink while she continued. "So, when I got around ten, I learned that what I was doing was bad…" She finished off her drink with a long gulp, then twisted the glass in her hands. "I finally wanted to learn how to build defenses, how to guard myself and others."

"How does that relate to your memory?" Shota leaned back in his kitchen chair, "Learning how to protect yourself wouldn't dull your mind."

"You are right. Building defenses actually makes everything clearer. But, the defense that I use to keep other people's emotions from hurting me - those are more complicated." She swirled the ice in her glass in a milky sweep. "If you imagine a fort: walls, town, marketplace, and a royal residence with the vault."

He nodded at her simple word picture. "So letting down my defenses to mess with other people's emotions is like burning the walls and letting the city smolder. Before I can rebuild the wall, I have to put out the fires. So stuff I don't need to remember generally gets washed away. People's names, directions to the restaurant I don't like… you know, everyday stuff."

"What about the stuff in the marketplace?"

She smiled, seemingly happy with his question, and he felt strangely proud of himself. "Those are the things I need to try to remember, like Kyoka's name. Yours. Things that are regularly used or going to be used in the future. Valuable things." She set the glass down and her eyes stayed on her fingers, "Then in the royal treasury, good things I can't lose. Me. My family. My hopes, dreams, loves." She glanced up, her cheeks rosy, "I hope that makes sense."

"So your training session with Shinso just now?" He felt a stab of remorse.

She nodded, "Yeah, dropped the walls and allowed him in. The boys… Kami-something? See, gone." She shook her head, "It's okay, though, being with Shinso is a joy. What's a little forgetfulness among friends?"

Shota rubbed the stubble on his chin, thinking about what she'd said. It actually made his idea for getting recon on Shigaraki/AFO less of a terrible idea. In fact, had it had a possibility of actually hurting her, he wouldn't make the suggestion.

"That's pretty amazing, actually." He finished off his drink, setting the glass down with a clink. "I am afraid I had another reason for inviting you other than to tease you about your mission."

"Shoot."

Shota stood to gain a moment to figure out how to frame his request. He grabbed her glass, bussing the small table, and dropping them in the sink. He lowered back into the kitchen chair, another question suddenly on his lips. "Why are we in the kitchen?"

Mara laughed, "Back home, the kitchen was where friends sit." Her mouth dropped open, "Oh no. I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you!" Her feet scrabbled, and the chair scooted on the tiles.

"No! It's fine! My friends usually plant themselves on my couch. I like this. Feels… cozy."

"Oh," a pretty blush stained her cheeks. "I like it, too. Thanks for making me feel at home." Her tropical blue eyes sparkled, "Ask your favor."

Shota felt a moment of indecision. She wasn't supposed to be making him feel like this. She was everything Shota didn't want in a woman. She was mercurial with her emotions, her quirk made him uneasy, and she was so American.

He had to stop thinking about her that way. She is a colleague at best. She is not the perfectly curved, laughing partner from his dreams. He simply had to try harder to banish her smile and little quips that made him feel silly and warm, and holy shit. This stopped tonight.

"I got the distinct impression during my fight with Shigaraki, and reading the new reports, that he seems not to be in his right mind. Not only that, but strangely, I am thinking he may be under outside control."

She tapped her lips in thought, "If you're telling me, then you must think I can tell you whether you're right or not." She raised a questioning brow, which Shota responded with a nod. "Every person has a unique take on life. Even an identical shared experience, like kissing, is unique in thought if not in deed."

It had to be kissing, didn't it? Shota nodded and she finished, "Just listening in to his emotional state will be enough. Everyone thinks you can completely take over someone's mind, but from training Shinso's quirk, you know that isn't true. At all."

"I thought that was all…" He fished for the right phrase, "strength of will."

She grinned, "What is that if not the inability to truly," she made air quotes, "take over a mind?" She nodded decisively. "Just get me close enough to see him."

"You don't have to talk to them?" Shota was still tender over his own run-in with her quirk.

She shook her head. "No. As long as I can see which head I'm supposed to poke around in, just finding two of one feeling will be confirmation enough for any sane person."

Shota leaned forward, placing his hands flat on the table to still them. "Shigaraki is truly dangerous. Out of his mind makes me genuinely afraid."

"Even if he sees me, he can't know I am listening in, so to speak." She stood in a fluid movement, "If we're working tomorrow, I need sleep." She smiled, her eyes catching the light, "Pleasant dreams Shota. Thanks for the drink and for listening to me tonight."

He watched her leave, and wondered again at the feelings she stirred in him.

Shota waited for Mara just outside the elevator bank inside the dorm so she wouldn't have to look for him. He had gotten Rush to pack a couple of breakfast bentos, and he figured they'd eat on the way to meet with Endeavor's team.

He was anxious about Midoriya, and offered a silent wish for his safety to whichever kami was listening to him today. But he'd gotten in contact with Jeanist last night after Mara had agreed to his plan. The man had said that he had the devil's luck, that they'd gotten some intel on Shigaraki's possible location. Shota wasn't holding his breath, though, the man was as slippery as an eel, now, and this hadn't been the first tip that wouldn't pan gold.

Mara stepped out of the elevator, ringing him out of his thoughts with a cheery, "Ohayou!"

Shota eyed her, hoping that he wasn't going to pop a blood vessel seeing her in that outfit again. With a soft pang of sadness, he thought of Midnight, and how the curvaceous beauties would have gotten along very well.

"Morning." He gave her a tiny bow, and offered her a bento box, "I got food here, so if you're ready?"

She nodded, "Lead on! What did you get me? It better be good," she grumped good naturedly.

Shota merely shook his head and let his feet carry him off of UA's grounds and into a Hummer waiting just outside the gates. The roads around Mustafu were safe and still passable, but the farther out one got the more rocky things could get. Fortunately the driver was part of the JSDF as was the vehicle. They'd get where they were going without harming a single braid.

After a drive out to a rougher neighborhood, the Hummer slowed near a half-ruined convenience store. Shota followed Mara into the small storefront the heroes were using for today's base camp. Endeavor stood looking out through a gap in the defenses stacked behind one of the big windows facing the front. Jeanist, looking far more put together than anyone else, was standing next to him, gesturing at the nervous military man. Hawks was part of the team, but conspicuous in his absence. Shota just watched Mara's wide-eyed excitement.

"Oh my god," Mara whispered, "It's Endeavor! Endeavor! I've seen him on TV of course, but…" She shook her head and wiped her eyes like the man was a trap set for the unwary. "Do you have a Sharpie?"

"A what? You want his autograph?" Shota shot the other man - still talking to Jeanist like this silly magpie wasn't fawning over him like a teenager - a cold look.

She settled Kaminari's jacket with a sharp tug then stroked her hands over her suit. Shota watched her fingers slide over the outrageous pink camo printed, skin-tight material and the matte black armor plates. Those fingers pulled her braids back, and she gave him pleading eyes.

"Yeah. Have you seen him? He's hot. I mean, I know, fire right? But he's exquisite in person! Yes. I want his autograph."

Shota's mouth formed a tight line, "He's married. He's a colossal shit. And no, I do not have a pen."

"Married? I wasn't gonna ask him for a slap and tickle, just his autograph!" She smiled at Endeavor's back, "Unless you think he would…" she laughed at Shota's narrowed eyes, "I'll get it later."

Shota snorted, and both heroes turned their eyes toward them.

"Ah, welcome, madame." Jeanist stepped forward, the long lines of his body elegant even in the convenience store's unflattering light. "You're the first hero from America!"

"Oh, yes! Hi! I'm Wrest." She stuck her hand out, and Jeanist turned it in his patrician fingers, placing a jean-covered kiss on the back. She giggled.

Endeavor stomped over, but Shota could see that the man had lost a little something. Confidence? Maybe that big chip on his shoulder? He did manage a small smile, "I'm Endeavor. So you're going to go listen to Shigaraki?"

Mara nodded, "Yes. If he's here all I need to do is see him to confirm that your one villain is actually two."

Endeavor crossed his massive arms, "His followers don't care about little things like chivalry. They're a kill first, ask questions never bunch. Don't do anything without clearing it with one of us."

Jeanist flicked his long blond hair out of his eyes, "It is as he says." He looked up, "Ah, our third is here." Hawks, whom Shota still had a knot of distrust for, landed in a flurry of loose papers and dirt as he settled his wings.

"Hawks!" Mara's excitement picked up right where it had left off, "Wow! Your wings are so pretty on television, but in person!" She slapped her hands over her mouth, her ears going distinctly red as Hawks laughed. "Oh! My god. I am SO sorry! How embarrassing! I'm Wrest, I need a rock to hide under, please."

Shota was literally going to stomp on her foot. Hawks grinned showing a shining expanse of perfect teeth. Even his glasses gleamed in the light. Shota really didn't like him; who's pucker did he kiss to become a pro? Besides, he's much too young for her.

Shota's own ears heated in embarrassed flames. What was he thinking? Hawks always looked like he'd stepped off the glossy page of a magazine. There was no cause in this universe to hate him just for being Hawks. As for the age difference, it was less than ten. Still, too young. He tuned back into their conversation.

"I did a fly by, there's definite activity down there." Hawks grimaced, "It was pre-dawn since I didn't fancy being seen. The upshot is that the neighborhood is nearly deserted, so it'll be criminals."

Endeavor snorted, "I saw movement over there. It could have been anything." Electric blue eyes narrowed as he slapped his thigh, "Why does this matter? I don't care that Shigaraki is someone else. I just want to take him down." His eyes slid to Mara, "And we can't even leave this dingy storefront."

"I'll go down there."

Shota turned to Mara in surprise, matched by three indrawn breaths. "No. That is foolish, you can't."

It was the first time he'd seen her look this way as she turned fierce eyes on him, "I'm a hero like you." She announced in a firm, no-nonsense voice, "Like all four of you. Just because I usually work with a partner doesn't mean that I'm at all unable to defend myself. My quirk is impossible to dodge, and I can fight. All I need is a pair of pants and I'll look like just another person to them."

"Pants?" All four of the men exchanged looks as Shota continued, "Your plan is to what? Walk over there and just hang out on the street for a few minutes?"

"Simplicity is the essence of brilliance." Mara shrugged, "I am obviously not a threat. I'm a female, I'm curvy, my hair is outrageous. I use these qualities to my advantage. Believe me, a pair of pants to disguise that I'm wearing a costume will cement the picture of a lone female just taking a break. Harmless. No threat. I'll be done before they even register my presence."

"I'm the closest in size." Hawks surprised us all, "What? She is right. Look at her. She's cute. Her quirk isn't flashy. She'll get the job done. Give me a minute to take 'em off." As if to make sure that we understood that the argument was over he kicked off his shoes while his hands busied themselves at his waistband.

Jeanist appraised Mara, "I can fix them so that they fit you, Wrest. Thank you for this."

Mara glanced at Shota and he couldn't wipe his hostile expression. "Mara, get in and out. Shigaraki has blue-grey hair though it has lately turned white. He usually wears ragged clothing, and his skin is haggard, especially for a young man. Do NOT engage. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mother. I'll be careful." She smiled, "You don't have to worry, Eraser."


AN/ Ahh Jealousy, thy name is Aizawa. I don't blame him at all. LOL Thank you Mosevic for all your help bringing this baby into the world.