Summary: Kagome, younger twin to Shoto, was regarded as a failure by their father. With her Quirk never showing during her youth, her father regarded her as a blight on his legacy. He gave her away. After sealing the well up, she's accepted into U.A. Her very presence serves to shake things up in the best ways!

Pairing: Kagome/Hawks

Disclaimer: I do not own either series. Each belongs to their rightful owners.

Chapter Twenty-Nine

The silence that filled the room was tense, a meeting engaged with a figure not wanting to be present whatsoever. There was an inherent lack of interest present brimmed in crimson eyes as he kept his gaze aligned on the two at the bar. The dim lighting only added to the unsavory atmosphere of the space.

This place and all those who inhabited were far from pristine, after all.

"So, you two are the ones who leveled that attack against U.A?" He was the first to break the silence, his gravelly voice carrying easily through the space. There was a flicker of disdain reflected in his eyes as he regarded the two. Truly, he had no interest in being there. "Not only that, but you wish to add me to your numbers."

The observation was no sort of question, stated as fact. At face value, that's what it was, after all. He'd pieced it together without even needing any further information. After all, what other reason would there be for them to bring him here?

"Yeah," Shigaraki didn't bother to argue that claim any. In doing so, it only confirmed his suspicions. "Is that really so far-fetched? You've got so much more experience as a villain, Sir."

The fake pleasantries and respect were a swift miss on him as he easily saw through it all. He'd received some sort of an answer, but not a good enough one in his eyes. "What is it that you're after?"

There was a beat of silence as Shigaraki seemed to consider his question. The severed hand that covered his face hid it when his gaze shifted down to the photo beside him on the bar. A second later, he looked away from it. "For now, I just want to kill All Might." It was an answer, but it was far from the whole truth. "I want to break everything I don't like." He set his hand on the bar, careful in the way he picked up the photos there. "Damn kids like this too…- all of it." The first was of that green-haired brat from before. When it fell away, fluttering to the ground, the bright-eyed girl's photo became visible. "And take what I want."

The first photo didn't phase him whatsoever. He didn't so much as bat an eye when it fell to the floor. The second one, however, there was something about the girl in it that caught his attention.

Rain pelting them both, he reached to push the umbrella back so it shielded her and the cat tucked in her raincoat from the rain. Through the darkness, a pair of bright blue eyes gazed up at him, an inherent shimmer of compassion and kindness present, even as she looked at him.

"Tell me, little one," he spoke, his voice quiet and coarse- much like gravel. "Do you wish to be a hero when you grow up?"

There was a shift in her expression, an unbearable note of sadness coming to mix with the warmth in her eyes as she pondered over his abrupt question. She hadn't been expecting it, that much was blatantly obvious. She lowered her gaze, her arm growing more secure about the clasps of her coat to further shield the kitten inside from the icy wind. She didn't seem fazed by the chill.

"A hero?" she whispered softly in response. It sounded as though he'd been the only person to ever provide any sort of serious inquiry into something like that to her. "I…-" she stammered over an answer, grasping at words that seemed to be vying inside her mouth. After a moment, she finally offered clarification to her young mind. "I only want to be kind."

Being a hero wasn't suited for just anyone and everyone. It was a lesson he'd learned, and he would be sure to further pass it on to others before his time was up. As more fake heroes rose up, all they brought with them was their hypocrisy.

"Kind, huh?" he responded, a thoughtful hum laced with those words. After a moment longer, he turned on his heel to depart from the alley. "Do yourself a favor and go home."

Furthermore… That girl was her.

There was a lapse in clarity as to how that child and this girl were one and the same, but there was no denying the connection. The rest of that society revered her for her feats that set her apart from the rest of her spiritual lineage, and for the way she managed to bridge a gap previously assumed all for naught.

She who had birthed a new era founded on her beliefs and ideologies. She who was prepared to die in combat for the life of another. She who was deemed a hero of time, who garnered peace from those who wished to bring her demise with her compassion, and who never once killed without justification. Sacrificial yet steadfast, sturdy like stone and harboring willpower like none before her dared to control.

Those eyes… that face… There was no mistaking it. No matter how fleeting it always was, it was a face that came back to him sporadically throughout these years, and with it came a curious thought of the type of person she would grow to be, even though such a thing bore no weight in his mind.

But now, seeing this photo, he knew what the truth was. There was no flame that burned as bright. No heart more purer.

He carefully considered the answer he'd received from the blue-haired man. As he thought of the last of his words, and of how they accompanied the visage of that girl, his expression darkened as he narrowed his eyes.

And yet, this is how he put two and two together? From another's damned obsession? What justification did he have to seek her when he lacked the basic need of conviction for his goals? It made his blood boil in barely contained rage.

"I see it was foolish of me to ever be interested in what you had to say in the first place," he stated. "You're the type of person I hate the most."

"Huh?"

"You want me to go along with your childish tantrums?" As he posed that question to the pair, he didn't hesitate to reach for the handles of two of his knives. The sound of metal being unsheathed echoed just below his voice. "What meaning is there in killing without conviction?"

"Hero Killer: Stain… the man brought in to spur Shigaraki Tomura's growth, since he only cares about destruction. However, this is…-" Kurogiri mused in a contemplative tone. However, as the threat of the situation became all the more tangible, he swapped his focus to the monitor behind them, where nothing more than a voice could be heard coming through every once in a while. "Master, is it really all right to let this continue?"

"This is fine!" The voice through the monitor responded. "There's no point if we just tell him the answer. He should think about where he still needs to mature. Spur on his growth! That's what it means to educate."

She went to change from her civilian clothes and into her hero costume. After pulling her hair up into a high ponytail, she could spot the white strands sticking out within the predominantly black mass of her hair. She wasn't quite sure, but it looked like there was more than the first time she'd taken any note of them.

She attempted to mask them with the rest of her hair, but either way, they seemed to bleed through. With a sigh, she took the strand of her ribbon and pulled it down to try and conceal it, using a small clip to pin it in place over the odd splotches of white. It worked decently enough.

With a faint sigh falling from her lips, she resigned after messing with it a bit more. She walked out of the bathroom. When she stepped into the hallway, her eyes landed on Sesshoumaru as he leaned against the wall as he waited for her to emerge from the room she'd gone into.

When she came to a halt, she didn't miss the way he looked her over. She noticed the way his eyes narrowed in his examination. He pushed himself away from the wall and approached her. His claws wove through her hair, as if he'd only just then taken note of the shift in her hair color.

"The strands are going white?" he murmured. Kagome was silent as she shrugged, looking up at him. "How long have you been aware of it?"

"Not long," she responded. "It's becoming more obvious, though," she confessed. She still wasn't sure how she felt about it. What could she do? She didn't exactly want to dye it. She knew the chemicals would alter her scent for her demon companions, and she didn't want to mess with Enya and Eira's sense of smell since they spent so much time in her hair on her shoulders. "I wonder if it's all going to turn, or if only part will."

"Interesting." There was no further insight into his thoughts as he took a step back to put space between them once more. At the same time, she could see Shoto approaching her. He, too, had changed clothes. At once, she was struck by the change of his hero costume. A smile rose flashed across her face, and she stepped away from Sesshoumaru.

"It's different," she remarked. She looked up at his face, her smile widening some. "It's nice! I like the changes!" She truly did. It was nice to see him not trying to block out a part of him anymore.

She felt his attention on her, and when his hand moved to reach for her, she already knew what he was reaching for. She acted preemptively, reaching a hand up to press the strand of her hair ribbon a bit more firmly against her hair. The gesture, while seeming inconspicuous enough, served to block him. She looked at him with a faint smile, reaching out swiftly to take his hand with her own.

"You know, I told you why I was choosing Endeavor's agency, but you didn't exactly offer me the same insight," she stated. "I honestly didn't expect it, so you can imagine how surprised I was when you first told me." She met his stare with her own, silently imploring for clarification with the sheen in her eyes.

"It's not that I've forgiven him, and I have no intention of doing so," Shoto stated. "It's just so that I can experience the fact that he is the number two hero with my own eyes and body and accept that."

Kagome glanced behind him, where she could spot the shape of their father coming down the hall towards them. She said nothing in response as she caught his gaze, choosing to look away a moment later.

"No matter how he's a scumbag, I have to appreciate the instincts and judgment of the man called the number two hero."

In a way, she could identify the overlap between their reasons. Sometimes, some things would outweigh the crushing weight of a grudge. It felt strange to know that they were somewhere aligned in such a way. It seemed as though they were more alike than she tended to give thought to.

No one could truly stay stagnant forever. An ever-changing world demanded change in return. One day, today's feelings wouldn't matter anymore. There was no reason to cling to things that would never change, and yet…-

Why did she insist on doing it so often?

Her hand came up to grip the Shikon no Tama hanging around her neck.

She couldn't help but wonder…

Would Shoto look at her differently if he knew the burdens of her past? Or would he find some way to shoulder the weight out of guilt of not being able to be there for her during such a state?

Either option… She didn't think she could bear to have either happen.

Deep inside, she heard as her brain repeated Bakugo's prior words to her, and her smile softened some.

"Ah… I really don't get him." The thought made her shake her head. Another question presented itself in her mind before she could brush the thought of her spiky-haired classmate.

What reason did her heart have to remind her of him right now?

"So, you want to add me to your numbers?" Stain questioned as he glowered down at the man below him. His grip on the knife in his hand tightened, applying more pressure to the puncture through his shoulder. "No matter what you wish to accomplish, it's necessary to have conviction and desire. Those without it and those who are weak will be weeded out." Stain dug the other knife into the wood on the floor, his eyes narrowing in disdain. "It's only natural. That's why it's turned out like this. That's why you're destined to die like this."

Conviction, desire, determination…- In lacking it, there was bound to be no success. Only failure.

"Oww… that hurts, you know." His words seemed to have little impact on Shigaraki, who only seemed to focus on the blade digging harshly into his shoulder. "Kurogiri, I'm done with this. Take this guy back."

"I-I can't move my body." Kurogiri, trying as hard as he might, felt as though he was made of lead. He couldn't move. Crimson stained his shirt, leaking through a cut that'd been made during the initial fight that had broken out. "It must be due to the Hero Killer's Quirk…"

"This society is overgrown with fake heroes. It's overflowing with hypocrisy. The word 'Hero' has lost its true meaning, and the criminals who wave their power around idly should be purged just as the heroes should." Stain moved the knife that'd been pressed to the ground, but just before the blade could dig into the wrist of the severed hand covering Shigaraki's face, the latter abruptly reached up to grip the knife with a tight grasp.

"Hey, wait a sec…." He glared up at him through the gaps in the fingers, his grip on the blade tightening as decay began to set into the metal. "Not this palm… I'll kill you." The metal rusted, cracks forming before it was ultimately reduced to nothing but dust. "You sure talk a lot. Conviction?" he repeated that word. "I don't have anything grand like that. If I had to say…-" He looked up at the poster of All Might on the wall, the material shredded and barely visible on the wall anymore. With the sight, the recollection of how he'd only gotten in the way of his prior attempts of getting that girl. "Yeah… it'd be All Might. I feel like I really want to completely crush this society where trash like that gets worshipped."

Wary of his Quirk, Stain leaped back the moment Shigaraki tried to reach for him as well. He landed with ample space between them. Shigaraki clambered back onto his feet, glancing at the bleeding wound on his shoulder with aggravation.

"My last injury was just about healed, too," he stated. "We don't have a healer in our party yet, you know," he continued to rant on about the injury as the blood dripped down his arm to splatter on the floor. "Not until we get her, that is." His other hand came up as he began to scratch at the scarred skin on his neck in agitation. "Do you plan on taking responsibility for this?"

Stain lowered his knife to his side, but he did not put it away just yet. "So that's who you are…"

"Huh?"

"It would appear that our goals oppose each other," Stain continued, ignoring the initial confusion his prior comment caused Shigaraki. "Yet it seems as though we agree on one thing- the desire to destroy this society that the present has been built upon."

"Stop messing around," Shigaraki scoffed, taking his words in with no real interest. "Go home. Die. I'm the kind of person you hate most, right?"

"I decided to test your true motives," Stain stated. He wiped the remaining blood on his knife on the leg of his pants before returning it to its sheath on his hip. "People often show their true colors when faced with their death." There'd only been a glimpse, but that was enough. "It's different, but there is 'desire'- a warped sprout of conviction to be found within you. How will you bud?" he pondered the question outloud. "Perhaps it's not too late to wait until after I've seen that to dispose of you."

"You're going to dispose of me?" Shigaraki questioned. At the same time, Kurogiri regained his ability to move. "Kurogiri, I don't want someone as crazy as this as a party member."

"Shigaraki Tomura, he will make a great asset for us should he join," Kurogiri stated. He wasn't as ready to throw it away as the other man was. "The negotiations were successful."

"My business is done," Stain stated. "Now, return me to Hosu. There are still things that need to be done there."

Auroua-chan: I've been so excited to do this chapter! It was initially supposed to be the second part of the last one, but I also wanted it to be a more stand-alone one due to some of the things in it.

That flashback from before has been revisited. Stain recalls that moment well- enough to recognize her in a photo after several years. Not only that, but he's also privy to some very particular information on her. He won't have a thing for her, but he does idolize her to some degree. Having Stain be a demon only felt fitting, after all. There will be a few others who are, as well. (Both heroes and villains) Feel free to guess some of the others! Some are probably more obvious than others.

When they cross paths, who knows what might be said or let slip in front of her classmates and brother.

More of Kagome's hair is going white, and Sesshoumaru's taken note. Before long there won't be any point in hiding it. (Additionally, Shoto might've seen it, as well.)

Really, the other pairing option I'm considering for Kagome would be Bakugo (but at the same time, they'd have such a good friendship as well) There's also Sesshoumaru, but I'm biased when it comes to SessKag. I'm also still partial to wanting this story's pairing to be an xover pair. Shigaraki is also a tempting idea. He could benefit so much from Kagome's compassion in particular.
Either way, Hawks is still one of the top guys on my list for her, but due to Dabi/Toya, he could fill the big-brother slot rather well for her as well. Either way, anything he does when it comes to Kagome would surely make Dabi want to turn him into burnt chicken. I mean, just wait until Dabi notices Shiggy's teensy obsession with her.

Anyway, that's it for now! Thank you all for reading and I hope you all enjoyed. Hopefully I caught all the errors before posting, but if not sorry.

Please remember to Review, Favorite, and Follow, thank you!

Bye for now~