Chapter Eighteen

•

•

"Kid! Are you okay? Talk to me!"

Kazuya felt her shoulders shake ferociously, though not of her own volition.

"Damn it, wake up! Livewire!"

Slowly, her sleep-crusted eyes cracked open and she came face to face with the worry-filled gaze of her mentor. Mirko had never looked more panicked than she did at that moment. When Kazuya sat up, she noticed the stain that ran down her shirt and the uncomfortable burning of her throat from her stomach acid.

"W - What happened to me?" she huffed, hands still shaking.

"You ran out of the room and then you just started seizing and – and I didn't...You cared the shit out of me," Mirko sighed with relief as her eyes scanned the teen for any signs of harm.

"Flick…" Kazuya mumbled while staring at her shaking hands. When Mirko returned her empty stare with a confused furrow of her brows, she clarified, "You called me Livewire. My hero name is Flick."

The bunny hero dropped her head, resting it on the girl's tingling shoulder, "I'm sorry, Flick, I just – God, seeing you on the floor like that reminded me of — "

"Of Kagami?" Kazuya asked in a quiet tone that said she was still processing what happened.

Mirko nodded, "I'll tell you at the hotel. For now, we should get out of here. You've had enough life-changing discoveries for one day." Kazuya hummed her quiet agreement and allowed the pro hero to lift her onto her back then quickly bound out of the office. During the entire journey back to the train station, the teen was left wondering if the voice she heard was just a hallucination from the overbearing mix of emotions she had felt that also caused her blackout. Mirko didn't mention anyone else who had shown up, so she assumed it was all in her head, despite how real it felt. Maybe by some miracle, her father's experiments would also be just a trick of her mind.

"Woah there," Mirko readjusted her grip on the young girl as they made their way onto the train, this time opting for a seat inside but close to the door. Because it was the middle of the night, there were significantly fewer passengers than when they made the trip to Iwata. As the sound of her father's audio notes filled her brain once more, Kazuya fought the urge to throw up again. The dead tone: The general disregard for the living creatures (which he lied to her and her sister about being deceased before experimentation): The indifference and lack of morality. Her mind replayed his words from the USJ, aimed towards her with the same psychopathic note.

"This is just how things have to be…This would be a lot easier if you'd just sit still."

She held on tighter to her mentor's arm, both of their identities still hidden beneath their civilian clothes. Mirko sighed once again.

"Y'know, I was in a very similar situation when I worked with your sister," she acknowledged in a seemingly unwilling manner. Kazuya, despite herself, could tell that Mirko was forcing herself to tell this story, but she listened anyway.

"During one of my first few missions as an officially licensed pro, I took up an infiltration mission with some chick. I was dead set on wanting to build my image, without anyone's help, so I initially refused," the white-haired woman explained. When Kazuya glanced up at her with a single raised brow, she threw her head back in a loud, obnoxious laugh; "Yeah, I guess it's common knowledge that I'm still not a team player. I wasn't nervous or anything, but I was going in blind. Not to mention, I had to work with some girl I didn't even know…"

•

•

"Both of you are extremely late for your debriefing," the chief of police grumbled, agitatedly staring down both the young women. Mirko shrugged, white hair slipping off her shoulders as she did so.

"If we're both late, then that means we're on time, right?" she interrupted. The officer did not, in fact, find her funny. Her new coworker, however, did. A laugh-like snort pierced the air, making the dog man sigh.

"Mirko, this is Livewire. Livewire, this is Mirko. Get to know each other well. You're expected to be undercover for three months together," Police Chief Tsuragamae explained as he turned to the board behind him. Without hesitation, the girls went quiet.

The Chief outlined the rough plan that the police had managed to come up with to combat a nearby gang that had assassinated many influential political figures. The group had been tracked down to a little bar in Fukuoka, classified as an organised syndicate that worked by having members climb the ranks through services done for the main family. If you couldn't pay them, you worked. This specific branch's leader was one of the most renowned in the town, Obara Ryu. Mirko and Livewire were in charge of leading a coup by becoming close to Obara, waiting for the other agents to infiltrate the additional main sectors, and take any powerful figures into custody so that the main family would lose a large amount of resources. Then, the police would force them out of hiding to shut it all down at once.

"Either one of you can get close to Obara, but the more personal the better to extract information before extermination," Tsuragamae noted and both girls shared a glance, "You have twenty minutes before we send you off. Get well acquainted."

As the police chief left the room, there was a heavy and awkward silence that filled the air. Mirko knew Livewire was just as much of a loner as herself, though she was a promising upstart. Her first dozen missions (all completed fairly quickly from what Kamui could tell her) were successful, although she hoped they didn't get to her head. Despite only being a year older than her new coworker, she heard through the grapevine that she was advancing quickly within the ranks. Hopefully not so quickly that she'd immediately blow their cover. She was the new young prodigy that had become a hero at the shocking age of twenty-three, of course, many were talking about her success, yet no agency could lock her down. For that, Mirko admired her.

"I'm Imai Kagami…or Livewire or just Kagami, whatever works for you," the black-haired girl initiated the interaction with an outstretched hand. Mirko took it reluctantly.

"Usagiyama Rumi. Mirko. I don't work well with others, y'know?" she flashed a smile that held a threat behind its pearly gates. Kagami laughed loudly, squeezing the bunny girl's hand.

"Dido, but let's play nice for a little bit, yeah?" she tilted her head as she spoke in a honeyed voice.

"So, you've become pretty popular as of late. Hero at 23, already in the top 100 and still no agency. How do you do it?" Mirko asked as they released each other's hands. Kagami hummed lightly.

"How do you do it? I'm under the impression we're being compared by being put together in this mission. Both rogue types that those hero-wrangling agencies are having trouble catching. I like your vibe," the blue-haired hero replied as she offered a half-smile. Mirko paused, registering what she had said. She silently turned to glance at Tsugaramae through the window of his office, wondering if they were truly paired just to see how two lone-wolf-style heroes would fare. She frowned before replacing her expression with a challenging smile.

"If we're just being tested, let's give them one hell of a show."

"Glad to see we're agreeing already."

The drive to the house that would act as their rendezvous spot was a safe distance away from the bar that the Aikawa Serpents had been using as a front for their business. Mirko and Kagami were to go by "Mai" and "Airi", who were looking for extra cash in exchange for serving the Aikawa family.

The girls sat in their shared bedroom as officers helped them change their appearances enough to not look like pro heroes. Mirko was still new enough to not be widely known, so her ears were able to remain on display. The two girls' builds and skin tones were similar enough that, with a few changes to hair and clothing, they could pass off as sisters. The officer finished her touch-ups on Kagami's straightened hair and clothing and then left the residence without being seen. Finally, alone, the two girls sighed heavily.

"No one's going to believe we're siblings," Mirko huffed, blinking heavily to hydrate the coloured contacts that turned her scarlet eyes black.

"Do you have any siblings?" Kagami asked in a suddenly inquisitive manner.

"...No, It's just me," the rabbit hero answered, watching Kagami get up and walk around the room from her peripherals. "You?"

"I have a little sister. Tough as she thinks I am, I do most of this for her. I have to give someone to look up to. Someone who won't lie and say everyone can live in peace and harmony if they just talk," she clarified, staring out the window at a nearby All Might poster, promoting some product she didn't care for.

"I'm here because I like to fight. Being a hero keeps me out of legal trouble most of the time and I get to kick a guy's teeth in daily," Mirko explained as she laid back on her twin bed and closed her eyes, hands behind her head. Kagami chuckled at that for a moment, and then her smile faded. Mirko peeked one eye open, "What's she like?"

"Kazuya's got spunk, that's for sure. She tries to be like me, even if that's what'll get her in trouble. She's sheltered. As much as we argue, I love her and I fight because she deserves better. She shouldn't have to live in a world where everyone's against her – where she'll end up like me; fighting a crooked system to stay alive," Kagami's hands clenched into fists as she spoke. Mirko could see the tension in her jaw from across the room and wondered just what kind of trouble this hero had gotten herself into.

"Talk like that and people will think you're a villain," she snickered. Kagami turned her gaze over her shoulder and smiled.

"Is there much of a difference? Becoming a pro, let alone a popular one comes at a cost. You devote your whole life to fighting and what do you get? People who still look down on you because you don't conform. We're here because we don't conform. Powerful women, no agency, no schedule, no way to track us down if we step out of line. They fear us. Doesn't that mean we have more power than any All Might or Endeavour out there?" As she spoke, a small spark of black lightning shot from her twinkling eye, sending chills down Mirko's spine.

"You talk a big game. Now, let's see if you can back it up," she stood, popping her joints and heading for the door.

•

"Wait, so did you or did you not like each other?" Kazuya asked with a confused and scrunched face. Mirko shot her a pointed look.

"You'll figure it out if you just listen," the rabbit hero huffed in slight annoyance. Settling deeper into her seat on the train, Kazuya's ears perked up as she patiently awaited to hear more.

"So, as I was saying…"

•

The women had made it to the bar, dressed in civilian clothes that were a bit more on the party-animal side. The moment they walked in, they were hit with the nose-burning scent of hard liquor and cigars. On a bar stool was their informant, blue eyes brown hair and looking a little beat up. He glanced at them but then turned away. On a blue couch in the corner, a man with blonde hair spiked from an entire tub of gel sat with three women either beside or on him.

"He's got to be Obara," Kagami noted with a serious expression. Mirko's adrenaline kicked in and a smile graced her lips. The man momentarily eyed the newcomers as they approached boldly, Kagami taking Mirko's hand and leading her.

"Obara Ryu?" she narrowed her eyes as she stopped in front of the couch. The girls kissing up and touching the man didn't stop, though they let their eyes linger on the two new women.

"To what do I owe the pleasure, ladies?" he smiled, a golden fang peeking through.

"We heard you take care of your employees. More specifically, we want real jobs. High paying, and nothing involving the use of our bodies," she paused and turned to the girls who had stopped to frown at her, "That's no slight to you, girls. I respect you. You have families to feed and hell knows these douchebags don't pay you enough," she threw her head in the direction of the men lingering about the bar. They all either nodded in agreement or laughed.

"Why should I hire you? You just waltz in here, demanding money, and I don't even know who you are or who sent you?" Obara hissed as he didn't move and let the girls return to their work.

"I'm Mai," Kagami offered the fake name that the yakuza seemed to buy.

"Airi," Mirko spoke with a cheeky grin. Obara raised a brow.

"Last names?"

"Doesn't matter, parents are dead. No use anymore. Now, can we get paid or not? I'm good with electrical work and she's fast, in case you need a runner," Kagami answered. Mirko looked at her, slightly impressed by her performance. She exerted a certain level of power without her quirk that wasn't quite hero yet no quite villainous and it blended her into this scene perfectly.

Obara eyed her up and down, "You sure do talk a lot, gorgeous. What makes you think I won't say yes and then put you to work servicing my boys?"

"Because I'll cut those grubby fingers off and then feed them to your boys," she suggested without losing her composure. A few of the men sitting around now stood, prepared to fight. One large fellow approached Mirko from behind while reaching out to grab her shoulder. She heard his footsteps first and before he could touch her, she whirled around and kicked him in the crotch. The man wailed as he was thrown into the opposing wall.

"I'd sit back down if you'd still like to consider yourself men," Mirko snarled with a wicked grin on her face. There was a long silence that lingered through the bar, except for the man's cries.

Obara roared with laughter, "Get fucked, Kevin!" The other gang members joined in on the hysterics.

It didn't take long for Mirko and Kagami to join in with heavy sighs of relief masked in their chuckles. Impressed by the strength displayed, Obara seemed willing to give the two newcomers a chance to play with the big dogs. Mirko was the new bartender, although she didn't drink, as she was pretty enough to get customers to buy drinks but tough enough to kick them out if they got too rowdy or annoyed Obara. In a way, she was also a bouncer (especially since Kevin took a couple of weeks off to recuperate his groyne and pride). Kagami, on the other hand, was all over the place. She fixed electrical equipment, helped run errands, and became close with a few of Obara's girls. They liked the way she talked back to him and stood up for them, despite their fear of him lashing out. All the while, the girls would return home at night and debrief with the police chief over a video call. They were positive they weren't being recorded or bugged because of Kagami's Electric Detection ability, which allowed her to sense electrical charges in devices and pinpoint where it was coming from.

A month into the operation, Obara informed all of his employees that a special guest would be arriving and that they all should be on their best behaviour. Kagami and Mirko shared a look, prepared for a special client or major yakuza member to enter. Although they expected someone powerful, they were still shocked when Aikawa Kenzo, the firstborn son to the Aikawas and heir to the entire business walked through the front doors with two large bodyguards and a snake coiled around his neck.

Aikawa Kenzo was a tall man with some slight muscle, though not so much that he appeared top-heavy. His build exerted power but also showed he was good at what he did because he relied more on brains than brawn. The two giants behind him were there just in case the latter was the more apparent answer to a problem. His black hair reached his shoulders, slicked back slightly at the top except for a couple of loose bangs that disrupted the perfect symmetry of his dangerously handsome face. His piercing red eyes matched that of the midnight-coloured snake on his shoulders.

"Well, isn't this an interesting surprise!" Obara stood to greet the man who owned his life, "What can I do for you, boss?"

"I'm here to discuss an upcoming project with you," came the deep but silky reply of Aikawa. Mirko, standing at the bar, perked her ears up but kept her head down. She watched Kagami, who sat in front of her, sketching into a notebook while she pretended to not hear the conversation behind her. The bar was only a few feet away from Obara's lounge area.

"Let's step into my office for a one-on-one, yeah?" Obara pushed one of his girls off of him and stood to lead the yakuza boss into the back rooms. Mirko brought a round of drinks to the table for the girls, catching the eye of Aikawa.

"Change of staff?" his narrowed eyes bore holes into the young hero. She passed out the shots to Obara'd women and offered them small smiles.

"Oh, yeah. That's Airi. She's a powder keg. Beat the shit out of Kev on her first day," Obara chuckled, slinking an arm around her neck.

"Touch me and I'll rip your arm off," she snapped before offering a nod to Aikawa Kenzo, "Charmed."

"I'm sure," he didn't return the gesture but offered a certain look that said he was intrigued.

"Her sister, Mai, is over by the bar. Came in here on her hands and knees begging me for a job, poor girls. Orphans too, y'know," Obara waved a hand in Kagami's direction, earning a raised middle finger in response.

"They came to you?" Aikawa frowned. The sound of Kagami's pencil on her paper slowed as his footsteps neared her. She didn't bother turning around and Mirko wondered if this was simply an act of defiance or if she was genuinely afraid. Even she felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up when Aikawa entered the room.

"I don't beg," Kagami clarified, voice unyielding.

"Hm, should I take his word over yours, then?" Aikawa asked as he stopped right beside her. She didn't bother turning around.

"Your lapdog's waiting for you," she scoffed and nodded in Obara's direction. The snake around Aikawa faded, melting into his skin until it coiled around his body in the form of a traditional tattoo. Aikawa glanced over her shoulder and took her drawing. She caught his arm before he could retract it.

"You're sketching floor plans?" he noted more so than asked.

"Electrical grids for the house of a buyer who skiffed Obara. He's planning a raid," she explained as she slowly released his wrist.

"This is the first I've heard of it," Aikawa side-eyed his underling, a bead of sweat falling from Obara's temple. He clarified that he was just moments away from revealing his plans to his boss but the pointed look he received shot him down. "We don't do petty revenge raids. We bring them into the family and they can work off what they owe," Aikawa spoke with a steady tone as he returned his gaze to Kagami, "I am curious how you got this information."

"Her quirk," Mirko butt in, slightly concerned for how close Kagami was getting to the heir of the family. She narrowed her eyes. He's not our target.

Bigger fish, her returned gaze seemed to say.

"I can sense electricity and jump into currents. If they've got wires, I can see the room," Kagami noted as Aikawa stared at her with a look of intrigue. He paused for a long while then nodded towards Obara's office.

"Join us," he extended a hand. Kagami glanced towards Mirko, who simply furrowed her brow.

Don't.

…But I have to.

•

•

"So, she just walked off with the head of the whole operation?" Kazuya's jaw hung open in disbelief at how recklessly stupid her sister sounded in this story.

Mirko nodded, "Waltzed into that office and was in there for almost three hours. I had worried that they figured us out, but I couldn't blow my cover by just barging in. I sat and waited."

"What did she say when she came out?" Kazuya urged, practically on the edge of her seat. The train they rode passed through a tunnel and shielded them from that night's moonlight. The surrounding darkness shadowed Mirko's face as she turned to glance out the window.

"She got a new use in the family. Aikawa thought she'd do good in recon for possible "new inclusions to the clan". It was a risky move going straight to the top, but the chief gave her the go-ahead," Mirko explained with a sigh as her ears drooped a little. The far-away look in her eyes told Kazuya that she wouldn't like the end of this story.

"Well, what then? Did she take Aikawa down?"

Mirko hesitated, "...It was expected to take three months to gain enough trust with Obara's to safely take down the Aikawa Serpents piece by piece. Kagami screwed the entire plan up and insisted she could drag the entire family down all at once."

•

•

"You can't just go behind our backs and change the operation!" Tsuragamae roared, slamming his fists on the table in front of Kagami. She didn't flinch at all but simply sat there and stared at the man she was taking orders from. There was no obvious expression on her face, yet an air of indignation lingered above her.

"I don't understand why you're upset. I'm deeper than any other agent you have undercover. You could topple the whole family with one swipe if I play my cards right," she replied with a sharp tongue.

"It's too dangerous, Wire," Mirko interrupted while she sat impatiently in the corner of the room, "Aikawa could do a lot worse than Obara if you're found out."

Kagami closed her eyes, "If I die, I'm just another hero doing her job. At least we'll get some information in the meantime."

"What about your sister? Kazuya? Do you think she'd let you do something as dumb as this?" Mirko hissed, rethinking her words after she watched the young woman flinch. She didn't usually care this much about the people she worked with. It wasn't a good match for her "lone wolf" style. Yet, in the past few weeks, she had grown close to Kagami. They lived together. She watched her stress, watched her smile, watched her laugh. This girl, despite everything standing between her and a finished mission, was resilient. Beautifully resilient.

And that is something Mirko would not tell Kazuya or any report in the recounting of this story. She wouldn't describe how she would lay awake a few extra minutes after Kagami fell asleep just to hear her breathing, nor describe how she studied the way the corner of her lips curled when she smiled or the cadence of her honeyed voice. There would be no retelling of the way she dreamed of keeping her far away from all the danger that came from associating with Aikawa. No portrayal of how she surrendered her body to her heart in the form of a kiss after everything went wrong.

Her feelings became irrelevant thereafter.

There was no convincing Kagami. She had made up her mind and there was no one around to offer decent persuasion. So, the chief changed the script and revolved the new plan around Kagami's relationship with Aikawa. The goal was to get her as close as possible to the family heir without being found out, corner him, and stop him from bringing more poor folks into a lifetime of debt. The police chief had a suspicion that something had happened to Aikawa's parents since he took over all the business and they hadn't been seen in some time. That was the girls' first trail to follow.

Every time Aikawa came in, Kagami was called to join him and Obara in the office. She would tell Mirko and the police chief that they were planning to have her sneak into a bank through wiring and then allow the rest of them to take out a "loan" that had been denied to Aikawa because of how he does his business (because he's a criminal).

"He says he's fighting injustice in a prejudiced business' or some shit," Kagami waved an uncaring hand as Mirko attempted to pry details out of her. It was less an unwillingness to share and more a boredom that left her spacing out during meetings.

A couple of hours before the heist, Kagami had informed Mirko that she had been strictly prohibited from bringing anyone with her to the rendezvous spot. When Mirko asked if she truly expected her to just sit and let her walk directly into danger with no assistance, she caught sight of the weaker side of

Kagami.

"This job requires sacrifices, but my family means everything to me. Don't let that bastard touch them if I don't come home," she pleaded with a determined scowl. Her hands tightly gripped Mirko's shoulders, trembling slightly. She was scared.

Without missing a beat, Mirko pulled her in for a tight hug. Kagami's breath caught in her throat as the bunny woman buried her face in her shoulder.

"You're gonna be just fine, Kagami."

"...You're a good friend, Mirko."

Without another word, she allowed the raven-haired hero to slip from her grasp and traipse right into the dangerous hands of the Aikawa heir. She ran through every safety protocol and procedure that Tsuragamae had taught them for this situation, yet nothing could calm the swarm of bees writhing in her stomach. She wanted to run. She wanted to save Kagami from any potential danger, although she wasn't certain she was even in danger. Was she crazy? Probably. However, knowing the countless missing persons and unidentified bodies caused by the Aikawa family made her restlessness intensify.

•

•

"I knew Tsuragamae would kill me, but there was nothing I could do — " Mirko paused her story when she finally took notice of the sleeping Kazuya that fell limply on her shoulder. She nudged the girl but she seemed to be out cold. With a tired groan and a squeak, the train rolled to a stop, giving the hero time to recollect herself with a shaky breath. Maybe taking on a pupil (let alone one that's the sister of her old accomplice) was a bad idea. The fear of losing another good soul to someone not worth the skin they inhabited would not leave her mind.

"Let's get you some rest…"

With a quick tug and a huff, Kazuya was pulled onto Mirko's back as the bunny hero leapt across rooftops and sailed through the sky to reach the hotel. Once inside Kazuya's room, she dropped the girl into bed a little less gracefully than she intended and winced. Hopefully, she won't wake up and ask for the rest of the story. I'm beat.

Thankfully, Kazuya did not wake up but simply stirred a little. Instead, when Mirko turned to leave she gave one last glance towards the girl, hoping by some strange miracle she'd see that curly-haired woman with the bright smile and too much confidence. She missed Kagami.