Takoba Beach had improved substantially in the past few months, no longer a dumping ground for every reprobate hoping to unload a few crates of medical waste or every arsonist with a garage full of burnt-out cars. Now, the beach was halfway to looking like somewhere humans would hang out. It was nowhere near perfect, and maybe it never would be, but it seemed Mei and Izuku's efforts to clear a full section of the beach before the exams had lit a spark among the people.

Now, on the evening after their first day of internships, things were quiet. Nothing but the sound of the waves and sand between their toes – no longer having to worry about potential syringes half buried in the ground.

Izuku leaned back, already in the middle of his story, "The building was nearly coming down, it turned out the whole thing was built on this enormous compound. Half the area was subsiding." He turned to look at Mei and gave her the type of expression reserved only for her. An expression which read as 'people are incredibly stupid.' "It was like a cavern under there. Apparently, Yakuza aren't great with structural engineering."

"Why would they build on top of an empty cavern?" Mei blinked in confusion, pushing her hair out of her face. "Like what did they expect to happen? 'Oh I don't have to worry about gravity I'm in the Yakuza!'" she added in a stereotypical dummy voice, waggling her head back and forth.

"Right?!" Izuku said, glad he had someone on his wavelength. Also privately glad he'd managed to ace that structural integrity exam at school, otherwise he probably wouldn't have realised it was bad. "I never found out what caused the explosion though, when Nighteye found out they were Yakuza everyone who isn't licensed got sent away."

"Maybe they found drugs." Mei shrugged. "You know, ket. Angel dust. Speed. Blow."

"Any more?"

"Nah I'm done."

Izuku chuckled, "I doubt it was anything dramatic. Probably something like someone lighting a cigar near a gas leak."

"A cigar?! Now who's being dramatic? C'mon, it's way more fun to think they were up to some shady business!" Mei stretched her arms behind her head, letting the cool breeze wash over her. "Buildings don't just explode for no reason, you know." She paused for a moment, then added, "Well, most of them don't."

Izuku turned to face her, wondering what that meant exactly. "Oh, no, there definitely was some reason. Or at least something to make Nighteye concerned. I saw him saying something to one of the paramedics, and they both looked really concerned."

"Why didn't you just use your quirk to make some kind of listening device?" Mei asked, as though it were incredibly obvious. "It would have been really easy, right? The dragon form is definitely capable of it."

"MEI!" Izuku gasped, utterly scandalised by the mere suggestion. "I'm not going to spy on people! That's... That's villainous!" He looked at her, wide-eyed and deadly serious.

"Okay, okay! I didn't know I was hanging out with Wesley Crusher over here, jeez." She leaned back and shrugged. "Just saying, it would've been really easy."

Izuku took a deep breath, calming himself. "If it's really important, I'm sure Nighteye will tell his team... eventually. Probably." He glanced down, looking unsure for a second, then smoothly changed the subject. "Anyway, how was your day at Snipe's agency?"

"Oh, Izuku, you have no idea!" Mei's eyes lit up as she turned to him, sitting cross-legged in the sand, practically bouncing with energy. "His agency is insane!"

"Huh," Izuku said, a bit sassier than usual. "You must have fit right in."

"I did!" Mei beamed, completely missing the jab. "All the pro heroes there follow this strict dress code! The whole lot of them, bandit masks and voice changers! It was so cool! Snipe is all about anonymity. He even asked if we wanted to use pseudonyms! Me, Mei Hatsume, using a pseudonym! Can you imagine?!"

"Uh," Izuku frowned, "Mei, you do use a pseudonym."

Mei waved him off dismissively. "Oh, pfft, Mayhem doesn't count. Besides, I can't exactly blurt out that I'm a part-time vigilante, can I? Especially not with Miki around."

Izuku crossed his arms, raising an eyebrow. "Well, first of all, I'm very glad to hear the vigilantism is just 'part-time' now. And second, how is everything going with Miki?"

Mei's confident energy faltered for a moment, and she bit her lip, shrugging one shoulder. "It's... you know, it's good, I think?"

"You think? What's been up?"

"Well, it's just... I don't really know how 'relationships' are supposed to work, you know?" She made air quotes around the word 'relationships'

"Miki gets me," Mei continued, her expression softening. "She doesn't push me one way or the other, and I think I've been really good at giving her the same space. So, that's gotta be a good sign, right? I just worry sometimes that I'm being too Mei, and that she'll eventually realise I'm kind of... annoying."

"Mei," Izuku said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. "I've known you since we were six, so believe me when I say... you're not kind of annoying." He paused dramatically, trying to keep a straight face. "You're really annoying." His attempt at seriousness crumbled as he burst out laughing.

"Oh shut up," Mei laughed, giving him a playful shove before turning the tables. "But how's it going with Akari, though?"

For a moment Izuku looked out at the horizon of the sea, a contemplative look on his face, then with a smile, answered. "Honestly I have no idea what I'm doing, but I think that's okay. We're just… going with the flow."

"Wait wait wait…" Mei closed her eyes like she was thinking something through, "you're not stressing about something, and I'm the one overthinking things?"

Izuku grinned, "I guess I'm a bad influence, huh? But yeah, we talk, we text, it's been fun. Like I said, I don't really know what I'm 'supposed' to be doing, but for once, I'm just letting things happen."

"Wow, look at you!" Mei punched him on the arm, "Mr cool and collected! Learning how to be spontaneous wasn't just useful for your quirk, clearly!"

Glancing back out over the sea, Izuku's smile faded slightly. "That actually reminds me, there was something I wanted to see if you're okay with," he paused to gather his thoughts before continuing, "I'm thinking of retiring the Dragon Form aspect of Mechanize."

"Really?!" Mei's eyes widened in shock, "But why? Dragon Form is, like, iconic!"

Izuku shrugged. "It's just, my quirk is insanely versatile. There are so many directions I could go with what I'm capable of, but after using it against that villain yesterday it felt like I'd gone directly for a one-size-fits-all solution. I don't want to fall into the trap of always going straight for Dragon Form. Don't get me wrong, it's cool and all, but I feel like it's… I don't know, restricting me."

"Hmm…" Mei tapped a finger on her chin and considered her words, "So you think it's holding you back from seeing what else you can do?"

"Yeah, pretty much." he nodded. "I don't want to keep falling back on it just because it's useful. It's… Boring, I guess."

For a moment, Mei almost looked disappointed, before a smile broke out on her face. "Okay! You have my blessing! But I have one simple request!"

Izuku laughed at the enthusiasm, "Yeah? What's that?"

Mei leaned forward with a glint of excitement in her eye, "You've gotta promise me you'll use it one last time, in the field. For research sake!"

"Huh…" Izuku pursed his lips in thought, "I suppose it would be beneficial just to get a little more information…"

"Yeah, exactly! Think of the data, Izuku!"

Izuku thought about it, then nodded, "Alright, deal. Next time I need to use it, I will. …But that's the last time!"

"Deal!" Mei cheered, giving him a firm handshake. "I promise, after that, we'll really find out what crazy crap you can do!"

Izuku smiled wistfully, once again looking out over the horizon, over the clean beach, which barely 6 months ago was a wasteland, and he sighed. "It's pretty insane, isn't it?"

"What is?" Mei turned to him.

"It wasn't that long ago I was scared to use my quirk at all, and now here I am excited about how much I can do with it…"

"We've come a long way, huh?"

"Sky's the limit."

Over at the Midoriya's apartment, Higari Maijima was dressed to the nines in his finest – a sharp, navy-blue suit which bore no signs of his usual oil-stained life. He tugged at his jacket in an attempt to smooth it out and took a deep breath before ringing the doorbell.

Soon after, the door swung open, revealing Inko Midoriya with her long green hair styled differently than usual. She'd swept it upwards and away from her face, matching it perfectly with the light blue evening gown she'd worn for the occasion.

Higari's breath caught as he took her in. "You look… wonderful," he stammered, voice faltering slightly with a cough to hide his nerves.

"Thank you," Inko's cheeks flushed a soft pink as she smiled warmly, "You look very handsome yourself."

"Well, I tried my best," Higari chuckled, tugging on his shirt collar, clearly not used to dressing so formally. "Ready to go?"

Inko reached over to the entry table, picking up a small clutch before shutting the door behind her with a soft click. She turned to Higari and smiled. "Shall we?"

With a playful bow, Higari extended an arm. "We shall."

With a soft laugh, Inko looped her arm through his, and the two stepped out into the cool evening air. The sky above them was fading to darkness as the streetlights flickered to life, casting a warm orange light upon the pair as they walked down the quiet neighbourhood. They could hear the distant sounds of cars and the hum of city life, but the path they took felt much more intimate and peaceful.

The pavement was lined with small trees, leaves rustling gently as the couple made their way arm-in-arm. Higari occasionally took a glance to his side, smiling to himself. With all the chaos in the past few weeks, it felt like a rare moment of calm.

"It's nice getting to do this," he said quietly, almost as though he were confessing a secret. "Dressing up, going. Especially with some like you."

Inko turned to him curiously, "Someone like me?"

Years as a pro hero hadn't exactly prepared Higari for romance, and his face reddened slightly as he struggled to find the right words. "You know… Someone so warm," he said sincerely.

Inko's face flushed again, and she looked ahead, feeling like a schoolgirl. "You have a certain warmth too, Higari. You know I appreciate how much you've done for my family, and all without expecting anything in return."

As they passed by a small park, Higari's expression grew more serious as they slowed their pace. "With everything you've been dealing with… It's the least I can do. All this business with Yuki– Katia, Tsukauchi, it's a lot. I'm surprised you've kept your cool through it all."

Inko waved her hand dismissively, though her expression turned thoughtful as they continued walking. "I never imagined I'd get caught up in something like this, but at the same time, I feel like it's all happening for a reason. Katia deserves to know where she came from, and if I can help her… well, I want to. Besides," she added, her voice lightening, "with all these heroes around, I think I'm in pretty good hands."

Higari's brow furrowed slightly. "I just don't want you to get hurt, Inko. It's dangerous work."

Inko moved closer, tightening her grip on his arm. "It's sweet that you're concerned, but I promise I'm being careful. We've already talked to Tsukauchi, and he's handling everything from here."

"I just want to make sure you're safe, that's all." Higari studied her face, his fingers brushing hers gently as they walked.

"I know you do, but I'm not alone in all this, remember?" Inko gave his hand a reassuring squeeze, her smile returning. "I've got people like you looking out for me." She leaned in and kissed his cheek lightly, her laughter soft and comforting. "But tonight, let's just enjoy the evening, okay? No more talk about assassins or investigations or any of that."

Higari let out a relieved sigh, his shoulders relaxing. "You've got it. Leave all of that at the door." They continued their stroll, the quiet night enveloping them as they made their way towards a cosy little restaurant, leaving the weight of the world behind, if only for a few hours.

The clock ticked toward 3 a.m. in the dimly lit hallway of the Corus City PD lockup. Rosa Omasuba, once the notorious villain known as Museum, lay back on the unforgiving metal bed. Her arm rested lazily behind her head, while the other was cuffed to the bed frame. Standard procedure for someone like her. At least, that's what the top brass told themselves. In reality, the budget cuts had made 24-hour surveillance an impossible luxury, so they figured chaining her to the bed was just as good.

Sleep had proven to be an elusive luxury, though Rosa wasn't a stranger to rough accommodations; the Market base wasn't exactly the Ritz, after all. But this felt different to a few restless nights, it was like a feeling in her bones. Like a creeping anticipation that something was coming. And, as it turned out, she was right.

A shadow loomed outside the cell, and Rosa's eyes snapped to the figure in black standing beyond the bars. She didn't even bother sitting up. "Didn't expect to see you again so soon," she drawled in a bored tone. "Pretty sure you're not allowed down here."

The figure pulled back her hood, revealing a familiar face. Kiko Omasuba, former detective, disgraced and worn down by life, glared back at her sister. Her fists clenched so tightly that her nails dug into her palms.

"You ruined my life," Kiko said at last, her voice low.

"What, no hello?" Rosa shifted her weight on the bed, her head tilting lazily to meet her sister's steely gaze. There was the faintest hint of a smirk on her lips, a habit honed over years of manipulation.

Kiko stood rigid, the harsh fluorescent light casting deep shadows under her tired eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept in days either. Her breath came in slow, heavy bursts, as if she were barely holding herself together. She wasn't here for small talk.

"Well?" Rosa's voice was mocking. "Are you going to stand there and glare, or are you actually going to say something?"

Kiko's brow moved, but she didn't bite. Instead, she finally spoke, her voice thick with emotion. "You know why I'm here, Rosa."

"Do I really?" Rosa's smirk faltered as she sat up, her cuffs scratching across the bed frame.

For a moment, Kiko didn't respond. Then, slowly, her voice broke through the tension, each word deliberate and sharp. "I want answers, Rosa. Real answers. No more games, no deflections."

Rosa chuckled darkly. "Oh, Kiko... I don't think you're ready for the truth. You never were. You and the truth never got along, as I recall."

Kiko took a step closer, gripping the cold metal bars until her knuckles turned white. "You think I'm afraid of the truth? After everything you've done? After everything I've lost because of you?" Her voice wavered, but she didn't let it crack. "You don't get to make that call."

For a moment, Rosa just watched her, intrigued. Then, slowly, her smirk faded. She sat up, the cuffs clinking softly against the bed frame. "Fine. You want the truth?" she said, her voice cold now. "Nothing about your life—your career, your victories, none of it—was ever yours. Every case you solved, every connection you made, every step of your pathetic little climb up the ladder? That was us. Me, my organisation, the people I work for. Pulling the strings. Every. Step. Of. The. Way."

Kiko's composure wavered, but she stayed rooted in place, refusing to let Rosa see her break. The truth cut deep, but she wasn't about to give her sister the satisfaction of seeing her bleed.

Rosa shifted to the edge of the bed, her cuffs scraping along the metal. She leaned forward, her eyes locking on Kiko. "But I never forced you into anything, Kiko. That's the part you don't want to admit. You walked this path all on your own! I just showed you the way. You wanted to be a detective? Great. My boss made sure you became one. You wanted to take down criminals? Perfect. We made sure they were the right ones. You weren't a pawn, sister." Rosa hissed, her lips curling into a sneer. "You were an asset."

Kiko's fist slammed into the bars, the sound reverberating through the hallway. "You used me! All those years, making me believe I was doing something good! That something mattered!"

"You were." Rosa shrugged dismissively. "For us."

For a moment there was silence once more, Kiko's chest rose and fell in shallow breaths. Every case, every success, now reeked of deception. She wasn't the detective she thought she was. She never had been.

"Face it, Kiko." Rosa looked satisfied as she watched the turmoil play out on her sister's face. "Without me, you were nothing."

Furious, Kiko pointed a finger. "You're wrong!"

"Am I?!" Rosa shot back, her gaze sharp and mocking.

"You might have pushed me, manipulated me, twisted EVERYTHING I thought I knew. But I made my choices. I'm still here, aren't I?! I'm not your puppet anymore." Kiko's voice gradually gained strength as she spoke.

For the first time, Rosa's smug smirk faltered. She raised an eyebrow, her tone icy. "So, what now? You think you'll get some kind of redemption by coming here? That I'll beg for forgiveness?" Her voice dripped with scorn. "You think you'll 'absolve me of my sins'?"

Kiko shook her head, her expression hardening. "I don't care about redemption. It won't change anything. But I can figure out who I am, without you. And that's something you can never take from me."

A flicker of something, doubt, perhaps, crossed Rosa's face. "You're wasting your time, Kiko. All you're going to find out is how small you really are."

"Maybe," Kiko said, stepping back. "But I'd rather waste my time finding myself than live in your shadow for another second."

She turned and walked away, her footsteps echoing down the corridor. Behind her, Rosa's voice, now edged with something desperate, called after her. "You'll always be my sister, Kiko! Blood runs deep! BLOOD RUNS DEEP!"

But Kiko didn't stop. She didn't even look back.

Rosa was left in her cell, more alone than she wanted to admit.

Skullcap glanced around the empty street, cap pulled firmly over his eyes as he tried his best to look inconspicuous, shuffling nervously with his hands deep in his pockets and his shoulders hunched. It was a lucky thing there was nobody around, because his efforts made him look about as conspicuous as a multicoloured dolphin holding a sign reading "look at me" while farting the national anthem through a french horn.

This wasn't Skullcap's scene, man. Sure, he'd pocket a wallet, hustle some knockoff watches in broad daylight, but that crap with High Street? That was a whole other game, and he had no business playing. Which is why he now found himself in the alley behind Present Mic's Put Your Hands Up Radio! recording centre, on the looks for someone to help him. The low hum of the flashing neon sign , switching between two frames to look like Mic shouting the name of the show, was the only sound.

After a quick glance down the street to make sure the coast was clear, Skullcap tossed a few pebbles at the window on the second floor.

Clink. Clink.

"Come on, man…" Skullcap muttered under his breath as he squinted up at the window. For good measure, he lobbed another pebble up there, a little more forcefully this time.

Finally, the window slid open, and a rather tired looking man with long blonde hair loosely draped over his shoulders and a blue striped sleeping cap popped his head out, staring down at the skeleton man in the alleyway.

"Wha?" Present mic put his glasses on and squinted, "Skullcap? You know there's, like, an intercom right next to the door, right?"

"Yeah, yeah, I know," Skullcap snapped, his fraying nerves getting the better of him. "I ain't here for you, bigmouth. Get Eraser out here."

"He doesn't live here!"

Skullcap waved a hand, "Just tell him I wanna talk!"

Present Mic groaned and rolled his eyes, almost dramatically enough to be visible from ground level. "Fine, just give me a second." He ducked back inside, leaving Skullcap to shift awkwardly in the started pacing, tugging his cap down even lower as if it would shield him from whatever doom he feared was creeping closer. He muttered under his breath, spinning on his heel to pace the other direction, when—

"Skullcap."

He spun around, heart leaping into his throat. Standing right behind him was the very man he'd come to see, appearing out of the shadows like a ghost.

"Jesus!" Skullcap yelped, stumbling back. "Don't sneak up on me like that, ya freakin' ninja!"

Aizawa's voice was as flat as ever. "What is it this time? Another counterfeit podcasting ring?"

"Nah, man. That was small-time. I'm swimming with the big fish now, real big. Like, belly-of-the-whale big!" Skullcap waved his arms frantically, pacing back and forth with wide, frantic eyes.

"Uh-huh." Aizawa remained utterly unfazed. "Look, I've got a lasagna in the oven, so if we could speed this up…"

Skullcap scratched at his arm, jittery, shifting from one foot to the other. "Listen, Eraser, man. This new guy I'm working for? He's freakin' nuts! Totally coocoo bananas! You know I ain't no snitch, but this guy… he's crazier than a sack of ham! Sorry for all the food imagery, I ain't eaten in a while… On account of working for a goddamn maniac!"

Aizawa crossed his arms, giving Skullcap the classic 'get to the point' look. "Coocoo bananas, hm?"

Swallowing hard, his voice cracking more than he intended, Skullcap kept going, "I got in too deep…" He leaned in, dropping his voice to a low whisper, eyes darting around like someone might be listening. "This guy, he's killin' people, man. Like right in front of me—big-time movie villain style. I'm talkin' standing in front of a huge window, doin' the whole this is my city speech and everything kinda crap."

Aizawa's eyes narrowed at the mention of murder, finally showing a flicker of interest.

Skullcap got more animated as he continued, pantomiming the actions as he went. "But the killing? That wasn't even the worst part! This dude… he put his hand on the body, and shlurrrp! Sucked the quirk right out of him, like he was drinkin' it through a straw! It was some straight-up Cronenberg nightmare shit, man!"

"He's taking quirks?" Aizawa's voice was low and dangerous as he stepped closer to the man, pointing a finger that promised violence. "If you're lying about this…"

"God's honest! I got proof, man! Or, uh, I can get proof," Skullcap stammered, eyes wide. "Look, I was in a rush, alright? Forgive me for not shovin' my pockets full of clues. But I got dirt on him, I swear! High Street—him and that creepyass doctor! I think they're assassins, man!"

In one swift motion, Aizawa lunged forward, grabbing Skullcap's head and effortlessly plucking it right off his shoulders. The body crumpled, twitching as Aizawa gripped the head tightly, staring into its panicked eyes.

"Tell me everything. Names. Locations. His plans. Every. Single. Thing."

"The…address… it's all… here…" Skullcap's headless body fumbled awkwardly in its pockets, fishing out a crumpled piece of paper. Without a word, Aizawa slammed the head back onto the neck with a click and snatched the paper from the hand.

"Get out of here."

Skullcap straightened up, dusting himself off. "That it? You ain't gonna arrest me or somethin'?"

Aizawa's expression was ice cold as he gave him a final, dismissive look. "Don't push your luck."

"You don't gotta tell me twice! See ya in hell, Eraser!" Skullcap took off, sprinting down the alley like a man who'd just dodged a death sentence.

Aizawa glanced at the address in his hand, pulled out his phone, and dialled Tsukauchi. If this was their chance, there was no way they could let an opportunity like that pass them by.

Notes:

Next time: A lot of fighting.

Also, it might not take me three months to write? Well, no promises.

PS: I've gotta go back and edit some older chapters to move High Street's penthouse hideout from Hosu to Musutafu, because honestly I was a big dumb idiot putting it in Hosu to begin with. It'd make all the moving pieces so much more difficult to manage, so for the time being just pretend it said Musutafu the entire time 3