"We need to talk."

I pause, food halfway to my mouth and look oddly at Sensei. He doesn't look happy, arms crossed against his chest and lips downturned. Did he not like the fish?

"Uh… Okay?"

"I'm meeting with a group of heroes tomorrow morning at 0530. Several of your classmates will be in attendance. Normally I would continue without you, but the case is discussing the quirk-removing drug developed by the luck doctor. Considering you were the only one to interact with him before he disappeared from our radar, it would be illogical not to involve you in some capacity. However, the meeting is for Pros. To attend you will need to file temporary work study papers."

I…

I blink.

Huh?

"Oh," I manage idiotically.

Guess it wasn't the fish.

I shake away the thought and try to get my thinking in order.

Pros? Luck doctor? The drug?

Sensei waits, patient.

"Uh, I… What do I sign?"

That is clearly the wrong answer.

"Rin," he chides, looking utterly put upon. "You have no idea what you're agreeing to. You don't know who I'm asking you to work under, what any of this entails, or even how long it lasts. You need to ask. Don't just blindly agree to things you don't understand."

I pink.

Then, flustered, scowl.

"Well- Well- Fine! Who would I be working under?"

"Me."

I gawk.

Him? Eraserhead?

Seriously?

"B-But you're my guardian!"

"Obviously," he huffs, reaching out and taking a bite from the fish. He chews and swallows, eye twitching when I just stare. He arches a brow. "Is that a problem?"

"I- Maybe! I thought that was illegal!?" I admit, eyes wide as I try to remember reading about it.

Nepotism or something?

He snorts.

"I'm not going to do something illegal Rin. It's just not generally suggested. Heroes should be capable of working with individuals outside of their family and comfort zone. I suppose this means you've been oblivious whenever Todoroki spoke about working with his father?"

I scowl.

Rude!

"How was I supposed to know that?" I grumble. I didn't even know his dad was a hero. "Fine, whatever, I could do that what would we be doing?"

"Nothing. You'll attend this meeting and afterwards I'll dissolve the contract."

I pout.

"Really?" I huff, crossing my arms. "That's unnecessary! I'd be a great work-study underling person!"

"Intern?" he supplies amusedly.

"Yes! Intern, underling, it's all the same. I'd be great at it!"

He snorts and takes another bite.

I glow, unable to help it, and finish off my dinner.

Then, gathering up the plates, suddenly pause at a thought.

"Sensei?" I ask, squinting at him strangely. "You said the meeting is in the morning. Does that mean we're missing class? Who's teaching homeroom?"

He shuffles into the living room, stretching across the floor with a smirk.

"Hn. Present Mic has… volunteered."

I don't know what that means, but I kinda want to…

Boring Sensei just laughs.

.

.

.

I don't know whose idea it was to call a meeting about drugs at dawn of all times, but whoever they are, they suck. It's cold. The streets are still empty, and even the sun is struggling to climb.

I bundle in a thick jacket and trudge tiredly behind Sensei.

He doesn't look much better.

Hands in his pocket and face hidden behind his capture weapon, he looks about ready to fall asleep as well.

"Remember it's Eraserhead here," he reminds me for what feels like the twentieth time.

I glower.

"Uh huh."

He gives me a look.

Like pull it together or I'm dragging you home.

Actually, that's probably not right. Truthfully, it was really more like pull it together or I'll call Aunt Nemuri. He'd already warned me twice.

That and his rules.

Sit there quietly. Don't interrupt. Don't make comments. No smart remarks. If someone asks you to speak, you do so respectfully.

Ridiculous.

He acts like I'm a baby.

I shove my fingers in my armpit for warmth and follow him to a door. He opens it and gestures inside.

I've never been in a hero base. Yamada-sensei didn't have one and if my guardian did, I certainly didn't know about it. But this place just looks like a hotel, if a little nicer. Shiny white floors and simple gray walls. There's a picture of All Might on the wall, which looking at is kind of nauseating, but then there are a couple others off to the side—one of a bug man that Yamada-sensei would hate and another of a really tall green-haired man is interesting.

Sensei snags me by the arm and drags me back.

"Don't wander."

I pout.

"Yes sir."

Even though we're here early, it doesn't take long for others to show. Someone shoos us into a room, weirdly tan tiles and gray, cement walls. Whoever decorated has Sensei's taste. None. I wonder if all hero bases look like this…

Sensei drags me over to a man then, some short old guy in a yellow cape.

He's even shorter than me!

"Oi! Eraserhead, who's the kid?"

I squint.

He… He reminds me of Yui-san. Gruff, old… I wonder if he smokes?

"Hoki, Rin. Gran Torino."

"Huh… Heard the rumor you got one of your own. Honestly, didn't actually believe it though. Doesn't look like much, does she?"

I twitch.

Says the man, maybe 120 inches.

Even hidden behind the capture weapon, I can feel Sensei's smile. I glower at him as well. Really? Isn't he supposed to be taking my side?

"She's enough," he shrugs, amused. "What can you tell me about Midoriya's progress-"

I don't listening.

Instead, my mind catches and flails.

She's enough…

It wasn't even meant for me. Flippant and meaningless and little more than idle talk.

Did he really mean that?

"Eh? You still there girlie?"

I nearly screech when the old man is in front of me staring. One hand outstretched, pinching towards my nose.

I promise, the kick is complete instinct, sharp and fast.

He dodges right, grinning.

"Heh! I like the instincts on this one! Needs some more situational awareness though."

I nearly set him alight, clouds of smoke and darkness churning beneath my skin.

"Rin," Sensei warns lowly.

It takes effort to reign it in.

I glower instead. Mind swirling.

I'll show him instincts.

A blue woman giggles and skips over.

"Hi! Eraserhead! Gran Torino, so glad you could come! Hi there! You must be Hoki-chan!"

As thankful as I am for her interruption, I can't help but stare.

She isn't wearing a bra.

I look worriedly at Sensei.

Is that okay?

"Is that legal?" I whisper, tugging on his sleeve. Not only that, but here pants are barely on. Her shorts unzipped, breast hanging halfway out. "I thought you said there were rules about skin!"

As the door opens for more people, I shrug out my jacket hurriedly.

"Here!"

Sensei pinches his nose.

"Oh it's okay! I'm Bubble Girl, a pro! Welcome to Nighteye Agency!"

I really don't know how this is okay. I lower the jacket anyways.

"I… Are you sure?"

"Oh absolutely! You go to school with Deku-kun, right?"

I have no idea-

"She means Midoriya," Sensei sighs.

I make a small 'oh.'

Well why didn't she say so?

"Oh, uh… yeah," I manage, feeling ridiculous. "We're classmates."

"He's a sweet kid," the hero-lady says with a smile, shifting closer with a giggle. It makes her chest bounce. There's no way this is actually okay… "Between you and me, you should have seen him applying! He was so nervous I thought he would faint!"

I relax a little.

"He… He works here?"

"Oh yeah! Him and LeMillion—ah, you might not know that name—Mirio Togata invited him!"

Mirio!

My eyes widen at the name of the blue-eyed boy. Mirio worked here? The last time I'd seen him he'd decimated my classmates! Was he here too? Wait, was this a thing? She doesn't wear middle clothes, Mirio's clothes fall off-

I glance, horrified at Sensei.

"Is Midoriya-kun going to lose his clothes?"

The old man guffaws, nearly spitting as he bends. Blue girl chokes.

Sensei looks like he's regrets everything.

"Rin," he sighs, dragging a hand through his hair. "Later."

I pout.

"Eraserhead! Rin-chan!"

I blink up and nearly scram.

Fat gum lumbers over, ridiculously big as always, and grins. Still dressed in that weird yellow jacket and mask, he thankfully stops half a meter or so short, his too big hands waving.

"I didn't know you were bringing the kid! Hey Rin-chan! Want some candy?"

Shinsou's voice comes immediately to mind.

And you just did it? Didn't anyone teach you not to talk to strangers? Or follow them to their creepy homes? Especially not weird ones that offer you candy or tell you not to tell your—to tell adults? That's creep rule number one!"

I shake my head violently.

"N-No thank you!"

He laughs, the sound just as big as he is.

"Ah, it is early! Bubble girl? Eraser?"

"Oh, yes please!"

I watch the blue girl grab the candy and frown.

Sensei wasn't fussing at her.

Before I can consider it further, someone wanders over.

"Aizawa-sensei? Rin-chan? What are you guys doing here?"

I turn. Ochako and Tsuyu smile back.

"Information-" I manage, before Sensei's hand presses back against me to quiet. I frown, scowling up, but stop at his seriousness.

"We'll discuss it more once this begins, but I've heard roughly what's going on."

"Girls, I told you before, didn't I?" asks a woman with dull yellow hair. I jump, not having heard her approach, and frown at her get up. Weird bat wings poke from her head, thick white claws covering the side of her face.

Who is that?

"Even if you're still students, now that you're here for a work study, you're a legitimate part of our forces! You two seem like you'll be able to play an active role in that matter…"

That matter?

Ochako and Tsuyu trade looks.

I wrinkle my nose. That was dramatic.

Was she talking about the drugs?

The blonde turns, cutting through the crowd. People move for her and I slide closer to Tsuyu.

"Who's that?"

Ochako, pink-faced, stares. Hands fisting each other, she jerks forward animatedly.

"Rin-chan! Seriously? That's the Dragoon hero, Ryukyu! She's like number thirteen in the hero ranks! She's amazing!"

"Ribbit! She let us intern with her thanks to Hado-senpai."

I make a small o.

Hado? Who the hell was that?

"Dude, look! It's Sensei and Rin-chan!"

I look past the girls at Kirishima's familiar voice, and nearly flush pink to find Mirio—THE destroy-our-class Mirio—smiling back. I duck behind Sensei immediately, skin heating up.

Blue eyes, the shout of enthusiasm…

"POWER!"

"Enough playing around," Sensei scowls, quickly shaking me off. "It's about to start."

Thankfully he waits for them to leave.

He's so cool.

I scrub at my face and nod.

"Y-Yes sir!"

.

.

.

Apparently secret hero meetings at dawn have assigned seats.

Sensei steers me bodily towards the back, probably not trusting me to make it there alone. He all but shoves me in my seat before slumping tiredly in his own. He crosses his arms, blocking out most everyone on my left. Only one three people sit further back then us, and they don't even sit on our row. Instead they line the end cap made by the weirdly rectangular shape. Old man sits on Sensei's other side, his short gray head barely making it over the table.

I want to ask if he needs a booster.

I don't.

Instead I wordlessly look around and count. I lose count after about twelve, unable to anyone past Sensei except Fat Gum.

What a weird name.

And that tall, green-haired man sits at the front, a thick screen behind him. He's flanked by blue girl and-

"Is that a roach?"

Yamada-sensei would hate him.

"Centipede," Sensei hisses sharply, scowling. "Is this going to be a problem?"

Oh right… rules.

Sit there quietly. Don't interrupt. No comments. No smart remarks. If someone asks you to speak, you do so respectfully.

"Sorry," I mumble, sitting straighter. I ignore the tall man in a red jacket beside me smirking.

Thankfully the Bubble girl immediately starts talking.

"Well then, let us begin! Those of us from Nighteye Agency have been conducting an independent investigation into the designated villain group known as the Shie Hassaikai for about two weeks. What prompted this? An accident involving a gang of thieves called the Reservoir Dogs. The police wrote it off as an accident, but there were a number of points that didn't make sense so we began tailing them."

"I, Centipeder, conducted a follow-up investigation."

I blink at the bug-man's voice.

Why is it so high pitched?

Is he talking out his mouth?

Why does he curl his neck around his shoulders?

Honestly, I have no idea what they're talking about. I don't know what a Shie Hassaikai is, I certainly don't know anything about dogs…

"…increased contact with those outside of their organization and other groups involved with shady businesses…"

I stare at the pinchers, amused as they move.

That's so cool!

"…was in contact with a member of the League of Villains, Jin Bubaigawara, villain name: Twice."

I jerk to attention.

Buba-what?

League of Villains? The group that belonged to Hands?

…Kaito?

"They were wary of being tailed, and I was unable to follow them-"

Wait… The Bug guy was following them?

I frown, pinching my brows.

How was that not noticeable? No wonder they were wary!

"-but with the help of the police, I was able to confirm that an altercation had occurred between the two organizations."

Altercations…

Did he mean fight? The… Was this group fighting against Hands group? What?

This was so convoluted.

The old man beside Sensei leans forward.

"Since the League was involved, they also reached out to Tsukauchi and me."

"Where is Tsukauchi?" asks someone I can't see.

"There were other eyewitness reports to look into. He went to check them out. Kid, I didn't think it would end up like this…"

I frown, watching as Midoriya, across the table and on the complete other side, blinks. Mirio, beside him, looks confused as well. I try not to stare.

"I'm afraid I've pulled you into something troublesome."

The meeting devolves into conversation. I lean a little closer to Sensei.

His eye twitches as he looks over.

"What?"

"Who is that?"

The old man beside him glowers.

"Seriously kid? I told you-"

"One of All Might's teachers," Sensei interrupts shortly.

"Please continue," the green-haired guy says from the front. He doesn't look happy. I lean back, thankful for Sensei's presence. The old dude quiets down as well, Blue girl stepping forward to speak.

"So after all this happened, we put out a request for help on the HN-"

"You can skip that part," interrupts the bug.

"Right!"

"Hero Network," the big red-coat guy beside me supplies.

I glance at him warily.

"Ah… thanks."

"Even if they're from UA, why are there kids here?" scowls some man to Midoriya's left.

I tilt my head.

That was kinda a good point.

Why were the others here? I mean, I was supposed to provide information, but nobody else—except the nervous, quiet one had been attacked by the drug. Had the others had incidents too?

"We're never going to get anywhere with them all here. The sun'll set before we get to the actual plan."

Well. That was rude.

"DON'T SAY THAT!"

I nearly fall out my chair, eyes wide as the Fat Gum jumps up with a shout.

"These two have super important information!"

"Us?" Kirishima's voice carries.

I sweat drop.

Sensei, beside me, pinches his nose.

"Anyway, I think I'm meetin' a lot of you for the first time, so I'm Fat Gum! Nice to meet you! Oh, and here's some candy!"

He throws a handful to Ochako and Tsuyu.

I wait, certain Sensei is going to say something now.

He doesn't.

"They're accepting candy from a stranger!" I hiss to Sensei.

The Red-Jacket man beside us chuckles.

Sensei's eye twitches as he stares down at me. Then, leaning over so his mouth is near my ear.

"Rin," he warns. "Do we need to leave?"

I scowl, crossing my arms petulantly.

"No, sir."

He sits up deftly. The green haired man is already talking, his voice cold and stern.

"… income is unauthorized drugs. So I requested help from heroes who are well-versed in those matters."

…

Was Sensei 'well-versed' in drug cases?

I glance at his profile. He'd acted like it at the hospital, back at the beach.

"You were beyond lucky today. You could have been killed, you could have been kidnapped, you could have been trafficked! Do you know what happens to teenage girls that get sold on the black market? They get drugged, they get raped, they get killed! They get turned into sex slaves or lost in labor trafficking rings. They get used in underground experiments, locked in cages, and treated like vermin."

I slump in my seat uncomfortably.

"…A type I'd never seen before was shot into Tamaki. A drug that destroys quirks."

The room swims into panic.

Mirio standing, Midoriya's eyes widening.

Midoriya glances our way, eyes straying to me.

Sensei stands.

"This isn't the first time we've seen this drug," he says, expression dark and voice low. "Hoki Kaito, villain name: Asp, has successfully used it twice."

He looks at me, and I realize suddenly and uncomfortably he wants me to stand.

I pale.

Wait… Did he… Was I supposed to…

Shaking, I lift myself to join him.

"I… My name is Hoki Rin," I manage, the silence ringing in my ears. Sensei doesn't sit, his dark eyes glittering and hard as he stares. The others in the room shift, narrowed expression catching onto our shared last names. Heroes, I realize far too late. I feel nine again, staring up at the tall, muscled man. Bright blue hair and a silver suit. I step automatically closer, leaning needily into Sensei and his warmth. "I… My brother… He injected me the first time in May."

Both Tsuyu and Ochako gasp, the blonde woman beside them lifting her hand to her lips.

Kirishima's gawks. The shy boy beside him jerks.

Midoriya mumbles.

I look up. Focusing on the empty space above them, my stomach twists.

"It…"

"It was calculated that the drug lasted for twenty minutes."

I nod, thankful for Sensei's interruption, arms folding across my chest. Sensei's hand presses against my shoulder a moment later, a silent request to go on.

I lick my lips.

"The… The second time was at the beach," I manage. This… this feels strangely harder. "I… I had helped a man. He- He had a quirk he called luck. When I… He said when I touched him, I'd gotten—I'd given myself bad luck. He… He offered to take it off, through… the only way was an injection—the same one."

"The second drug was timed to have lasted for upward to an hour."

The rude man beside Midoriya scowls.

"So the time limits increasing?"

Sensei nods, expression grim.

"The one that effected Tamaki was clocked at almost six hours. The doctor reported after Rin's second encounter was found with her after being attacked by several previously identified Yakuza members."

I swallow, remembering the encounter.

All Might had appeared. Something hollow in my chest tightens.

Toshinori-san saved me.

I look down.

"He said it was an antidote," I admit quietly. He also said it'd only last twenty minutes. He lied. "He… He said that it was for his quirk. It… when it manifested, he was five. His- His parents hugged him and because of the bad luck they died."

He'd gotten passed all over too.

It always finds the pathetic ones…

"Regardless," Sensei cuts in. He squeezes my arm, head nodding to sit back. I do so thankfully, uncomfortable at the heavy looks from the table. "While my quirk and it are similar, the drug isn't the same. My quirk only temporarily cuts off the cluster of genes identified as quirk genes before eventually allowing cells back control. The drug damages those genes, each dose requiring longer to repair."

"And the analysis on what was shot?" the tall man asks.

"The gun's in pieces, and the only bullet we had was the one that'd been shot. But thanks to Kirishima's brave actions that led to one bouncin' off his body we were able to get one still filled with drug! Rin-chan there came in and was able to identify it from a set," Fat Gum says rising. He tosses a smile I think is supposed to be reassuring. It's really not. "Got it in seconds without hesitation!"

"Good job Kirishima-kun! Rin-chan!" Ochako and Tsuyu offer.

Midoriya and Mirio both nod.

I shrink.

They shot Kirishima?

It bounced off?

"And after analyzin' the contents, we discovered something that made me sick. Human blood and cells were inside!"

"So in other words, a person with a quirk that destroys other quirks," the blond says. She looks green.

The red coat man beside me grimaces.

"They're clearly connected," he admits, leaning forward. "But how?"

"While we don't currently have indiscriminate proof, we do believe the Yakuza is distributing the drug," the tall man at the end says. "Ryukyu, the fight you and your interns broke up last week was drug-related, was it not?"

The blonde woman nods.

"Yes, someone gave the giant man inferior trigger," she says darkly. "We've had a large increase in them lately, especially gang-related crimes."

"Yes, and most of it could be connect to the Hassaikai if you try hard enough," the tall man says, expression sour. Behind him, the screen changes. A man with dark, clearly shorn hair stares off, a bird mask strapped to his face. "This is Kai Chisaki. As the young head, Chisaki's quirk is Overhaul, a quirk that allows him to disassemble and restore things. He's designed a bullet that can break down quirks."

"Chisaki has a daughter named Eri. There are no records or details about her birth, but when Mirio and Midoriya encountered her, she had a large number of bandages wrapped around her arms and legs."

The hairs on the back of my neck stand.

The room shifts, expressions turning bleak.

"Don't tell me something so horrific," the blonde woman says.

I… I don't understand.

"It's a society of superhumans," the old man beside Sensei scowls. "If you can dream it, you can do it."

"What… What is everyone talking about?" Kirishima's voice comes from the end.

I ignore it.

Staring instead at Sensei.

He doesn't meet my eye.

Gaze narrowed and forward and pained.

"Are you sure we need the kids?" asks the grumpy one. "I'll only say this once. We're wondering if this Chisaki bastard is turning his daughter's body into bullets and selling them."

The bile rises in my throat.

"Oh it's blood alright," says the female doctor from before. "There's human DNA in that bullet. And it matches the organic material we found traces of before. Without a doubt, this is someone's quirk."

.

"You gave it to villains!" I growl, finding my voice.

"I had no choice!" the doctor snaps back. "Where do you think I get the compound? It's a trade, you idiot girl. I got lucky to find the only known compound in the world that can erase quirks. And then I got lucky again, to figure out the formula so fast! You're a moron if you think it's free. Nothing in life is free! So what do I do, hero? Do I live like this? Accidentally killing people, teenagers, children, and adults caught up in my quirk's field? Or are you going to agree with the law, and say I need to kill myself? Don't forget, your only hope for surviving the next two days is on my desk, girl. You want to argue semantics with the dead?"

.

I try to scream, but a hand clamps over my mouth, something sharp and painful pressing in my neck. A needle. Cold, liquid drips beneath my skin, running through my veins.

.

I don't wait for Sensei's excusal.

I stand abruptly, chair clattering behind me.

With stiff legs I turn and leave. Nobody speaks. I can't even hear them breathe.

I pass through the door—through the lobby and barely find the sink.

I vomit till my stomach heaves.

A little girl.

He injected me with a little girl.