The LOV didn't expect to arrive in a parking lot.

Dabi recognized the spot and looked suspicious.

Everyone else just stared at Hawks like they didn't expect him to be there.

Hawks waved nervously.

"Wow...a lot of you came," Shine said oddly.

"Well, it's not like you specified," Compress pointed out.

"Why's he here?" Spinner asked, nodding at Hawks.

Shine and Wally explained as quickly as possible, and, almost before they really finished, Shigaraki interrupted to say that the League was going to have to do the work, as usual.

"So what do you want us to do?" Compress almost seemed glad to have a task at hand.

Shigaraki had not gotten very far there yet.

"Well...if you could find them again...maybe we could get more info...weaknesses, something."

"But isn't that kind of what got us into this?" Spinner said.

Shigaraki looked at him like he shouldn't be questioning him.

"Uh...but it could work," Spinner amended quickly.

"We could handle that," Lethe spoke up.

"Why are they here?" Shigaraki asked Compress, "I didn't mean to bring the newbs. They aren't ready for this kind of job."

"Well, how was I supposed to know?" Compress said, "They just came. We didn't tell them to."

"We can handle anything," Lethe said.

"I'll be the judge of that," Shigaraki grumbled.

Lethe frowned a little. "Just try us. We've done well so far. Better than the senior members."

"Cheeky little b-----d," Compress muttered to himself, then saw Medea looking his way and clammed up.

Shigaraki was not used to getting lip from teenagers. "Don't act so cocky."

"It's not cocky if it's true," Lethe said.

"We're tough," Medea declared.

"Uh, who are these kids?" Wally asked Shigaraki. "You're using teenagers now? That's kind of irresponsible isn't it?"

He said to the 21 year old.

"What business is of yours?" Shigaraki didn't want to talk about this.

"We're not kids!" Lethe said. "Who are you anyway? I don't recognize you."

"He looks dumb." Medea said.

Wally eyed them. "Yo, you usually try to make such a stellar first impression? How old are you two? 18?"

"16--" began Medea, but a look from her brother and she went silent.

"If the League wants to use us, there's no reason you should care." He finished.

"Wally, we used teenagers," Shine said.

"I know, but not to be villains," Wally said.

"What's the difference?" Spinner said.

"Well, I think you're never too young to do the right thing," Wally said. "But you're definitely too young to be told to do the wrong thing."

"That sounds like what a pro would say," Compress said.

"You all sure do like to shoot everything down by that," Shine said. "You ever consider they might say it for a reason? Kids can be endangered by evil as much as anyone else, they have to be able to fight it in their own way. But to do it? Why should they have to do that. Maybe that's it. But I don't approve of using them to fight our own battles anyway.

"We're not going to discuss this, we have a real problem," Shigaraki told her crossly. "They're here now, so it doesn't matter."

"I don't like your idea either, if we're staying on subject," Shine shrugged. "I think Spinner is correct. It is too much of the same thing."

Spinner was surprised to be backed up by her.

Shigaraki, to their astonishment, didn't threaten Shine in response to her disagreeing.

"Well, it's better than just waiting for them, isn't it?" He grumbled.

"Why not, just, you know, question one of those guys," Hawks suggested.

They all looked at him.

"Oh, so we just casually catch one and ask them politely why they want to kill us," Dabi said sarcastically. "And then we can draw up some kind of contract that says they can't kill us, and we'll go on our merry way. Sounds like a plan."

"Well, it did work for them," Compress pointed at Shine and Wally.

"Not cult members," Shine crossed her arms.

"I dunno, maybe it's not such a bad idea," Mirko said. "I can do interrogation."

"No one doubts you would try, No# 5, but succeeding is another matter," Compress said. "People like this are more likely to take cyanide than to talk."

Shine and Wally looked at each other.

"But they might talk to us," Shine said. "They know we're quirkless...they seem interested in recruiting us. Maybe we should just talk to them."

"And do that annoying thing where you learn their secrets just by standing there?" Shigaraki suggested.

Lethe gave Shine a wary look.

"I can't guarantee it, but perhaps that might happen," Shine said. "At the very least, I want to know more...though I don't think it'll be very pleasant."

"And if they decide to just attack you." Dabi was not making eye contact.

"I think I could handle a few regular humans," Wally flexed his arm. "I mean...how could they be prepared for me?"

"Let's just hope they don't know your power yet," Shine mused. "Not that it would matter..."

Silence.

"It seems like the only plan..." Shigaraki said finally.

"Does he just get to decide?" Hawks asked Mirko.

She shrugged. "Technically it was your idea, so what's there to argue about? Do you not want to do it now?"

"Well, the League agreeing might be a bad sign," Hawks said.

"Do you all just say that whenever anyone has a useful idea?" Shigaraki snapped at him.

Mirko tilted her head. "It's possible we're agreeing just because it's the only idea that makes sense."

Her being the voice of reason? That was new.

"Fine," Hawks shrugged.

"So...we just go capture one," Wally said.

"Not very noble of you," Spinner said nastily. He always did like to taunt heroes.

"It's much more noble of us to do it ourselves than to force you to," Shine said. "And this means, we don't need all of you. But now that you know what's going on, you can prepare for it. Shall I just send them back?"

"Not just yet," Shigaraki wanted a chance to confer with the league away from the Pros...not that he could be sure Mirko wouldn't be able to eavesdrop, but that was just a risk they'd have to take.

The other members seemed to know exactly what he was thinking, without a word they all moved aside in a group.

"Are you sure you can handle this?" Hawks asked Wally and Shine.

"Oh, sure, this'll be nothing," Wally stretched. "But still not sure how it'll help. But maybe something will come to us."

"We'll go back that direction, and just walk around," Shine said. "I doubt they'll do much to us, but if we don't come back...well, I suggest you and the LOV keep cooperating. Only combined forces stand a chance right now. Just keep her from doing anything too crazy."

She nodded toward Mirko. "I'm getting fond of her despite myself."

"Sure..." Hawks said. "Though not sure I'm the best one to ask."

"Only other pro here," Wally was always one to reassure Hawks.

"What is with those kids though," Shine said, eyeing Lethe and Medea. "I got such a cold vibe from the boy...and a dark aura...I didn't like the way he looked at me either. And the girl...she looks like she's not quite all there..."

"Par for the course for the LOV," Wally said. "They're just teenagers, right?"

"And why would they be in the LOV? There's a story there, and I'm sure it's not a nice one," Shine mused.

"One thing at a time, Shine," Wally reminded her.

They rushed away.

It was to be hoped the two pros and the six villains would not tear each other apart while they were gone.

***

It was later in the evening by now, and at the dorms, the students had noticed their supervisors were not around.

Aizawa didn't know where they were. Shine had left him a message saying they had to go help out a friend, but that was it.

He had worried Miss Joke might be in trouble again, and gone so far as to text her.

But she replied with plenty of 😁😄👍👌😍🤡 emojis that she was fine...and was something up?

Aizawa didn't know, and he told her that. But he didn't elaborate.

The students were worried.

Momo was sure Shine would not have left without telling them, unless it was for a good reason.

Shoto didn't want to talk about it when she asked if he knew. But as more time passed and they were not back, even he seemed on edge.

Bakugo acted grumpier than usual.

Jiro and Kaminari wondered aloud where they were.

"You don't know?" Jiro asked Momo.

"No," Momo shook her head. "Not a word from them. I thought I should call maybe...but what if they're in danger and the phone gives away their cover?"

"That seems like jumping to the worst possible conclusion," Jiro said.

"But I can't get it out of my head," Momo said.

In the end they didn't call.

"Well, West can handle anything," Kaminari tried to cheer them up. "And if they're together, they're probably unstoppable."

"You don't think it has to do with the LOV, do you?" Jiro wondered. "I still don't get that...it's like everything we suspected was true."

"I told you though, it wasn't because they were spies," Momo had tried to fill Jiro in part of the way after the rescue.

"It's still weird." Jiro said. "But...also, without those creeps, maybe we wouldn't have got Eri back, so how am I supposed to feel? Does it justify their decision if it worked out? The ends justifies the means?"

"Maybe it does sometimes," Momo said. "But I'm not sure their means were so wrong. They just don't follow the rules that heroes do. We can't fraternize with villains, but maybe DJs can associate with anyone."

"Isn't that a slim argument too?" Jiro said. "Wrong is wrong."

"I dunno, is it?" Kaminari said. "I mean, not that wrong is not wrong, but it's like...it's wrong for a normal person to use their quirk, but it's not wrong for heroes to with a license. Maybe DJs just have a sort of license to work with whoever."

"That would make sense," Momo agreed. "I've read their book most of the way now, and there is a lot in there about being kind to enemies."

"It's just so weird," Jiro said. "Momo, you don't really buy all that stuff do you?"

Silence.

They turned to look at her more closely.

Momo didn't even look ashamed...just serious.

"Whoa...do you?" Kaminari said.

"I...think the evidence has spoken for itself," Momo said slowly. "I can't deny things happen the way they say...I don't know what happened, but after I began studying with them, I started to feel like all I learned about being a hero before was just...hollow...there's so much more to it!"

Her eyes lit up with excitement at the last part. "I think...we could go so much farther, you see...And wouldn't you like to be kinder and better if you could be?"

"I don't know, I think I'm okay," Kaminari said.

"Is okay all you would want to be though?" Momo replied.

Shoto and Bakugo were listening to this from their seats further off, and they looked up.

"It sounds like more pressure," Kaminari said.

Momo shook her head. "No...that's not what I meant...It's not like that...I don't know how to explain it...Perhaps the truth is, I don't know myself quite as well as I thought I did... I've done things I can't believe in the past few months...but I'm not sorry I did them. Does that make sense? I feel like I was asleep until now, and I'm finally waking up to what's really happening around me."

They stared at her.

"Wow..." Kaminari said. "That sounds intense."

"It...was..." Momo couldn't deny it.

"You mean with the villains, or with them?" Jiro asked. 

"Both...but with all of you also..." Momo said. "I think I was oblivious before...I'm sorry, I'm not explaining this well at all."

"No, that makes sense," Kaminari said. "Oblivious, I got that."

"You would," Jiro elbowed him.

"Jiro! Just remember who confessed first huh?" Kaminari said.

"Duh, because you're oblivious," Jiro smiled wryly.

Momo smiled. It was nice to see them so happy.

"You know it sounds great, though," Kaminari told Momo. "You're super nice, so it's great for you. Not sure it'd be for me though...I don't even get it."

"It's not about nice though," Momo said. "More about...what's true...Which isn't always nice, I'm realizing." She thought about all she'd learned about people's suffering because of quirks.

"Of course truth isn't always nice," Jiro said flatly. "That's why people lie so much... but I guess the truth takes guts. I know I lie to cover up a lot...if I admit that, is that more or less honest?"

"I'd say more," Kaminari said. "At least you know you do it. You guys are making me wonder if I'm as honest as I thought..."

"You're kind of bad at lying though," Jiro said.

"Does that mean I'm honest?...Geez, now my brain hurts." Kaminari rubbed his head.

"Well, all that aside, what about the DJs? If they're in trouble, shouldn't we do something?" Jiro asked.

Momo bit her lip. "I want to, but I don't know how to."

"What would they do?" Kaminari said.

"Sing a stupid song and say 'we'll pray about it!'" Jiro did a very bad impression of them.

"Well, works for me," Kaminari said. "Karaoke time?"

"Be serious," Jiro shoved him.

"Maybe that's not such a bad idea," Momo folded her hands under her chin. "That is what they would do...we could try it...I mean, I'm sure they would be very appreciative if we did. They'd want that, wouldn't they?"

"I...guess." Jiro wasn't really used to thinking of what people wanted being what they did yet.

"I'm game to try that," Kaminari said. "Not that I know how. But if it would make everyone feel better...why not? Better than doing nothing."

Bakugo came over and sat down roughly inside their circle.

They all expected him to say it was a useless waste of time to just talk.

But instead he shrugged.

Shoto slowly moved over to join them also.

"I don't know if it's really any use, but if all of you are going to, I'll join you." He said.

Of course no one really knew how to do this...

Momo had heard many times by now that there was no special way.

But she thought she would have lost her nerve if Bakugo had not said "Well get on with it Ponytail!" like he expected her to just know what to do.

And then Kaminari gave her a thumbs up. So she had to screw up her courage and start talking.

But...later, she thought, really that was all you could ever do. Maybe she'd learned that recently.

***

The LOV discussed whether they should make any more moves on the Originals.

The idea that the Metas might know about all this was not a nice one.

"I doubt we can count on them for back up if we're in trouble," Shigaraki said. "And I wouldn't ask them anyway. They'd just have some stupid test for us to do to prove we deserve it."

"I thought you were okay with that," Compress said.

"Not when it's for this kind of thing, we have enough problems." Shigaraki said.

Spinner nodded. "So what do we do? Rely on the Pros?"

"Of course not!" with a wary glance at the two of them, who were just standing there.

Well, actually, it looked like they might be arguing.

"Maybe we could give the Originals something better than us in exchange for leaving us alone," Dabi suggested coolly.

They all looked up. That was an idea.

"What would you give them?" Silk asked.

Her accent seemed to get stronger the longer she hung around them...apparently she put effort into talking without it when she wanted to make a better impression and now she was more lax.

"I dunno, but when those two idiots bring one back, why don't we find out?" Dabi said.

"That's not a bad plan, Dabi," Shigaraki admitted. "And the best part of it is, we won't need the heroes to help us. This nightmare would be over then."

"What if what they want is us to hand over the Pros?" Spinner asked.

Silence.

"Most of you will have to go back," Shigaraki continued like he hadn't heard.

"Nuh uh!" They all began to protest. "We don't like the idea of leaving you with them, what if they just hand you over."

"The league will crumble without you, sir,"

"We can't just let these suckers win."

"What about back up?"

Under this barrage of protest Shigaraki began to get disoriented. How did Kurogiri deal with this 24/7... that just reminded him Kurogiri was still gone...and still helping the same cult who wanted them dead, probably...why would he do that?

Or was he dead?

"All right, shut up!" He yelled at everyone, making them cut off.

"Whatever. You're all idiots." He turned his back on them.

"I guess that's permission to stay," Compress said.

***

Mirko hadn't said anything to Hawks at first once the others had separated off. She was intending to eavesdrop.

But she was still boiling over him being a double agent.

And finally she looked at him and demanded: "Did you set Endeavor up?"

Hawks leaned away from her and hung his head. "Yeah...kind of...not entirely on purpose..."

"How...why would you do that?" Mirko said.

"I didn't have a choice... Rumi, the more you know the worse it is for you."

"I don't give a flip! You've been selling out Pros all this time, haven't you?! It wasn't an accident...the LOV finding them."

"It's not just me..." Hawks said. "I mean...I didn't set it all up."

Mirko eyes narrowed. "What about me? Did you know I was going to be there? Were you going to sell me out too?"

"What? No!" Hawks said.

Mirko glared. "Would you have? If they asked?"

Silence.

Hawks wasn't meeting her eyes.

Mirko stared at him.

Then she socked him in the jaw and stormed away...as far away as she could.

Which put her on the far corner, which was just where Shigaraki was.

"What are you doing?" He said.

"Don't talk to me." Mirko huffed, leaning on the wall. "I'm only over here because believe it or not, I'm actually more pissed off at Hawks right now."

Shigaraki would have found that funny if he had Dabi's sense of humor. As it was, he eyed Hawks. The buffoon really couldn't keep anything quiet, could he? They probably should have just eliminated him.

"What's wrong Bird boy?" Dabi taunted Hawks. "Your girlfriend find out you're a cheap sell out?"

Hawks gave him easily the most murderous look he'd ever seen from him. "I wonder how you sleep at night, Dabi."

"I don't." Dabi shrugged.

Hawks didn't say any more.

***

"You know, I can't trust anyone," Mirko said out loud, after a very long silence.

Shigaraki made no response, he didn't think she was really talking to him.

"This is why it's better to work alone." Mirko muttered to herself.

"Stop talking," Shigaraki said.

"Flip off," she told him. "I'm not talking to you...D--- it..."

"What's going on over here?" Dabi walked up. "Didn't think I'd see you two talking again."

"We're not," Mirko said. "I'm just contemplating why I thought this was a good idea."

"Does the 'hero without regrets' actually regret something?" Dabi was mocking her, obviously.

"I didn't say that." Mirko was as stubborn as ever. "It's good to size yourself up now and then and ask why you did something."

"So why did you do it?" Dabi asked. "Just out of curiosity, you just woke up and thought 'I'll cooperate with the LOV?' You know...like Hawks."

"Get bent!" Mirko snapped at him. "You think that's why I'm mad about it?"

"It kind of seems like it, but what pro isn't a hypocrite?" Dabi said.

"It's not that," Mirko said. She tossed her hair. "I maybe worked with villains...reluctantly...but I didn't sell out anyone else, did I? Hawks helped you attack Endeavor...I know your opinion of me, Fire Hazard, but hear this." She leaned in and was surprisingly threatening for someone who was half a foot shorter than him. "I NEVER betray people on my side? Got it?" She backed up. "But you wouldn't understand that, would you?"

That actually make Dabi mad, which Shigaraki had never seen anyone do before. Fire blazed up in his hands. "B---h, don't act like you know me," he said, eyes burning.

"I know you're the kind of reptile who sacrifices other people to get what he wants," Mirko had finally hit upon something that actually got to him. "So don't come talk to me about principles. I wonder if you'd turn over your own league friends if it served you."

Dabi blazed up from pure rage. "Shut up!" He started to lunge at her.

Mirko realized she was kind of too close to the wall to just jump so she was going to just kick him away, but Shigaraki grabbed Dabi by the jacket and yanked him back.

"Dabi! are you trying to blow our cover?"

Dabi stopped.

"You'll alert everyone within a 10km radius if you set this building on fire right now, you moron!" Shigaraki let go of him. 

Dabi brushed off his jacket. "Fine. Keep her away from me."

He stalked away.

"He started it," Mirko muttered.

"Don't talk to Dabi like that," Shigaraki glared at her.

"I can't talk to him like that?" Mirko shot back. "Control him next time, I don't take orders from you, prick. That guy has a big mouth and a chip on his shoulder. It'll get him killed one of these days. And if you didn't notice, I didn't pick a fight with him, he picked one with me. Stop blaming Pros for everything that goes wrong around here." She jumped up onto the roof of the building. At least there she was not going to be bothered.

Shigaraki hated that she was right that Dabi had started it. How embarrassing to have to correct him in front of the heroes like that...

But what had gotten into him? Sure he was reckless and snarky, but this was just getting to be suicidal. Did he want every bone is his body to get broken?

***

Hawks circled around a bit more, contemplating how much he hated himself and the LOV, and the metas...until he saw something move out of the corner of his eye.

Dashing back down to the ground, he said. "They're here!"

The LOV all reacted the way hunted animals generally do, they got low and dashed for the cover of the building. 

Mirko looked down from where she was now standing on the roof, then she tilted her ears, listening for the Originals.

Black clad, ninja looking figures moved out of the shadows, it was night time by now.

Hawks sent some feathers their way to head them off.

But then his wings seemed to get heavier...the quirk disruptor!

He couldn't tell who had it, maybe that person never actually showed themselves, that would be smart.

"Rumi!" He called, "I can't fight so well right now."

Mirko glared at him. "Typical," she muttered.

Ninja came running toward them over the roof, but she just smiled at them very scarily.

These ones had bow staffs.

Seriously, why did they never have the same weapons? Was it some kind of code?

Not surprisingly, Mirko had no trouble whatsoever kicking butt with that kind of defense, she jumped over them, slammed them into the roof, kicked some of them off of it (it wasn't that far of a drop, a one story parking garage).

The LOV were asking Shigaraki if he could warp.

"No!" he swore. "Why do we always get caught off guard? This is why you were all supposed to leave!"

"Sir, we couldn't have anyway with Miss Likstar gone," Compress said.

"Did I ask for the commentary, Compress?"

"I can still fight," Spinner had his swords out as ninja swarmed them, he started swinging.

"I doubt he can hold them off," Compress said. "They appear to be highly trained."

"But they have staffs, not knives," Dabi said. "So what, they'll beat us to death?"

"Maybe they want to capture us instead?" Silk said. "We should split up and try not to get cornered. They have strength in numbers, besides." She made a screen. "I still have immunity to their blocks. Just like at Camp."

"How?" Dabi demanded.

"I never took it off, just in case this happened," Silk said.

No one knew what she meant by that, but she masked them and they ran different directions while she made illusions of them still being there.

It didn't fool all of the ninjas, some were too fast for it, but it did distract a handful of them.

[Btw, the whole thing with them being ninjas was just for style at first, but then my sister pointed out that Ninja would be Japan's original stealth fighters of regular people against the elites. Meaning that for this group, donning the ninja garb makes perfect sense, like an homage. You're welcome history buffs]

Shigaraki and Dabi both ran one way and tried to avoid the staffs. But neither of them was ready for this.

"Why don't we carry guns?" Shigaraki said.

"Never needed them," Dabi panted. "Guess we shouldn't have sent the two weirdos off, huh? We could escape if they were here. Even the pros are useless.

"One of them is," Shigaraki said.

Hawks was barely staying out of the the ninja's reach and trying to kick them, but he had none of his individual control right now. The ninja were mostly just avoiding him.

"Where's Rodger Rabbit?" Dabi said.

Mirko wasn't on the roof anymore.

"Think they got her?" Dabi said.

Shigaraki didn't know. "Where's Compress?"

"I don't see him," Dabi tripped over something just then.

He was going slower than usual anyway. He started coughing once he went down.

Shigaraki paused. "Get up."

"I'm getting," Dabi said. "Just keep running." He pushed himself up.

That was enough time for the ninja to overtake them.

Shigaraki's automatic response to them shoving a pole at him was to grab it like he was going to turn it into dust...but since that didn't happen, it just knocked him over.

For all the times he'd hated his quirk, he was starting to think it was a 1000 times worse not to have one. Even as villains, he and Dabi both felt a sickening dread at being this powerless. Dabi held up his arms like a shield. 

The ninja smirked and raised their staffs to finish them off.

Mirko slammed into one and then kicked him into the other.

She wiped sweat off her forehead. "D--- how many of these pests are there....Are your legs broken? Start running."

Dabi blinked at her. "When did you even--?"

Mirko turned to kick away another one. "Take a hint!" She said to them. 

These one didn't seem interested in conversation. Maybe they didn't even speak.

Shigaraki got up. "There's nowhere to run to."

"You all are so helpless without powers huh?" Mirko shoved away two more. "Follow me then. Try to keep up. I hope this works." She had her phone out. She bounced away, they had no choice but to follow.

"I hope no one else hears that we got saved by a pro," Dabi said.

"Twice," Shigaraki said.

"Twice?" Dabi said. "Or do you mean Twice knows?"

"Shut up, Dabi, just run" Shigaraki grumbled.