The first day of the new arrangement was one day longer than anyone concerned thought it would last.

Shigaraki actually forgot about the whole thing when he woke up the following morning-- but had a nagging feeling there was something he was supposed to remember.

The new hideout was, in fact, a partially destroyed motel, which had been perfect...though as usual, a mess of pests but not as many as usual. It was only recently destroyed, and the nice thing was, all the members had space.

In the past they would have probably hidden in different places, but no one wanted to be alone after that incident, so they tacitly agreed to stick around each other.

Shigaraki didn't sleep well. He rarely did, but it was worse than usual. He kept dreaming about the nomu...the way they charged at him, their strange voices, the looks on the faces of that family.

Sometimes he was in the position of the family. He didn't get why that was.

He felt like he'd been run over.

It didn't help that Toga went around skipping and singing one of her psychotic songs about killing people early in the morning, till Silk threatened to tie her up and leave her in her room all day.

Silk really was the best thing that happened to the League all month, if you asked most of the members.

The weird, foggy feeling made sense as soon as Shigaraki came to the lobby area of the motel where Silk and Medea were eating breakfast and saw the reason for it.

Mirko was quite casually sitting next to what used to be the counter and sipping coffee, while Silk and Medea were talking.

Shigaraki stopped short... Oh...right... This...

"Not today, Satan," he muttered, turning back around.

"Oh, good morning, boss," Silk ruined his escape by saying. "You want anything to eat? I make oatmeal."

"It's so gross," Medea said, "I can't believe you people eat this stuff."

"Is not gross. You haven't even tried it!" Silk shot back.

"I don't need to. Just look at it. Ugh." Medea made a classic teenaged face of disgust.

"You know, if you said that to my mom, she'd hit you with a shoe," Mirko commented dryly.

Shigaraki just shook his head. This was going to be hell... Well, no doubt it would end soon enough.

"I have to ask you," Silk turned to Mirko, "aren't you going to have a problem with us...you know...doing League stuff while you're here?"

"Are you going to do it while I'm here?" Mirko replied.

Silk shrugged. "Well, we haven't actually talked about--" she saw Shigaraki giving her a murderous look, "--but I know we'll be busy enough soon," she finished, "And as Pro, aren't you kind of...you know...being irresponsible?"

"This was your idea, Spider Girl," Mirko said.

Silk frowned. "What did you just call me?"

"Spider. You know-- your quirk." Mirko sipped her coffee.

A strand of fabric jerked it out of her hand, to her shock.

Silk was glaring at her. "Let's just get one thing straight right away, darling. I don't care if you hero and want to lord that over us or anything. I don't have much of a villain ego. But you do not talk about my quirk. Do you understand me?"

Mirko stared at her.

So did Medea and Shigaraki. What the heck was this? Silk had never lost her temper in front of any of them.

Mirko glanced at the now spilled coffee and seemed to reconsider the wisdom of pushing her luck.

"Got it," she said slowly, "Whatever...it wasn't that big of a deal."

"It won't be if you remember this little conversation." Silk jerked her cup off the floor and tossed it back to her in one fluid motion. "I suggest you clean that up before the bugs come and get it."

She flounced out of the room.

"Dang, that was bada--," Medea said.

She stuck a spoon into the oatmeal. "Well...this isn't so bad, I guess..."

"Sh--," Mirko got up, "Wonder what I said.... Well, who cares? I'm late anyway."

"How can you be late for a patrol? I don't get heroes," Medea said.

"Late is a state of mind," Mirko replied, heading for the door, "You're always late if it's too late to stop someone."

"I've heard of that. It's called White Rabbit syndrome," Medea hurled after her, "Guess it fits, huh?"

"Shut up." Mirko was gone.

"I hate her," Medea said.

"Maybe she'll go away if we're unpleasant enough," Shigaraki said, "Someone should really clean up that coffee." He walked away.

Medea rolled her eyes. She shot fire at the spill and scorched it away.

"There. Clean."

* * *

Actually though, despite what Silk said, the LOV still wasn't planning any moves. The ones they had planned had now been ruined by the Doctor's lab being ravaged. As he'd said, it would take months to recover from this. And it looked like they'd be stuck doing nothing for that long.

Waiting long periods of time between really doing anything big was their usual MO, but really, all of them could have stood for a distraction from this feeling of being hunted.

They had no intention of admitting to the Pro Hero that they were this hard up for a plan. They had their pride, but really, the odds of them doing anything before she was gone were pretty low.

Shigaraki would have loved to just be able to find Kurogiri and tear him apart for all this...or demand an explanation, but that didn't seem possible. How do you track down a smoke man?

And Lethe never reappeared either. After a few days of wondering if he'd come back for his sister, they concluded the Originals either killed him or had further use for him. They got no message from them.

Mirko surprisingly actually asked about it. She was probably worried about him causing more trouble.

Silk told her what they thought.

"Poor kid," Mirko said.

Silk raised an eyebrow. "Really?"

"Oh, sure, if someone kidnapped one of my siblings, I'd kill them," Mirko said, "I feel kind of bad for her."

"Well, she doesn't really want to see him right now," Silk said, "The more days go by, the more she's remembering, but she won't tell me what she's remembered. I can tell though... She's not eating much either."

"Still, messing with family is not cool...but yeah, that little psycho really should be kept in a mental hospital."

"I pity him..." Silk said.

Then,

"Do you do have family? Why I never hear of them?"

"Why would you?" Mirko said, "If the news poked around them, I'd riot... Heroes separate personal and professional lives."

"I thought most heroes were alone in life," Silk said.

"There're thousands of pro heroes. You think that?" Mirko snorted.

"I suppose that is good point. So how big is your family?"

"Counting all of them? I have no idea," Mirko said quite coolly.

"Uh...what about just siblings?"

"Why should I tell you? Planning to use it as leverage?" Mirko shot back.

"You right. Is not my place." Silk was kind of offended, but she supposed it was fair. "I just thought, if you're going to be here...might as well know a little more about you. Make it less awkward."

"Making it less awkward is not my goal," Mirko said, "This is just to avoid a bigger problem. It's not anything I'm enjoying... You all are freaking creepy."

"Look, I tell you, you have to plan around Toga."

"Not just her. All of you."

Mirko imitated someone just skulking around. "What is with Lizard Man? Does he ever show up in person except for a mission?"

"I think he's avoiding you, actually... Plus he's got these new comics he can't seem to tear himself away from. Teenage Mutant Ninja Tortoises, I think," Silk said.

Mirko laughed. "That was a joke, right?"

Silence. "No..." Silk said oddly, "Why?"

"Oh...wow..." Mirko had no words.

She shook it off.

"And then Compress is just always saying weird stuff."

"Is his brand of humor. It lightens the mood. Surely you notice it gets gloomy around here," Silk defended him.

"And Medea is a walking ghost."

"She is in pain!"

"Fair enough... And then Shigaraki, he's just always skulking around, with the hands... I mean what is the deal with that?"

"Eh, no one tell me yet," Silk said, "I think it is...taboo. But that is just his way... Personally, I think he's bored, but that explanation is too dull for us, hmm? Maybe he is plotting death."

Mirko snickered. "I like your sense of humor, Silk. It's really fatalistic."

"Well, I am half Russian," Silk shrugged.

"So that is for real? That's not fake," Mirko said.

"You think I do this on purpose? Is not so easy to talk like this," Silk said.

"You should work on that accent if you want people to trust you." Mirko saw nothing wrong with saying that.

Silk laughed bitterly. "I actually can speak fairly normally," she said in a much lighter accent, "if I want to. But it takes more work, and I was told the League does not care. That is their thing, accepting people the way they are even if they don't fit in with the rest of society. Perhaps my accent and mannerisms are not much compared to a bad quirk, but still, it is a problem."

"Wow." Mirko was impressed. "I would not even recognize that."

"So you are hating it here, huh?" Silk changed the subject, "Honestly, I surprised nothing has burned down yet...but I wonder if you like the moving around. We're switching locations any day now."

"Oh, I know. That's what I'm counting on," Mirko said surprisingly. She smirked. "Anywhere else would be too static. They'd track me down for sure, but you wackos move so much, it won't be as easy to pin down. So far they seem unable to track you without a spy, so it works. Anyway, I move all the time. It's nothing new... The type of dumps you stay at are a new low, but whatever. It's slumming it to avoid being bagged and targeted by these freaks, so I'll live with it."

"You are an odd person, No. 5," Silk said, "You complain about us, but you don't mind the actual hard parts of the situation. You ought to have been a villain. You could have made it as one."

"I don't think I'm going to be flattered by that," Mirko said coolly, "Don't push it."

Also, why did they all keep saying that? She thought to herself. What on earth did she ever do to act like a villain?

Other than get a little rough at times.

[In Episodes 227-229 this is going to be quite ironic, just a tip]

"By the way, I don't know if anyone said this before," Silk said, "but thank you for saving us. It was probably accident, but even so, we were in very bad spot, particularly me. The others won't say it, but I'm sure they will not forget about it either. We don't get too many favors."

"Oh, don't mention it," Mirko shuddered, "Really, don't. I prefer not to think about it."

"But really, most heroes would not bother to stick their necks out for villain," Silk insisted, "I confess, I thought you were a bit of a arrogant, ignorant ass before, but I was surprised."

"Getting a little too honest there." Mirko glared at her, then shrugged. "But whatever."

"I could have sworn a few months ago the Mirko I heard about on news would never have bothered to save villain, though." Silk seemed bent on finishing this conversation. "And I could not help but wonder what changed it. Aren't we all worthless scum?"

"Well, that's a lot of big talk for the Press," Mirko surprisingly admitted, "but most Pros don't even really think about it, I'd say. We have to say things like that. I don't even believe the hype myself anymore. I mean, of course I can take down any villain, but if you need to say it over and over, it sounds like you don't really believe it. I never got that part. But that's media for you. The worthless scum part wouldn't really matter. We'd take you down anyway."

"Yet you sit here, in villain lair, and you do nothing," Silk said.

"You keep saying that, like you want me to do something," Mirko's ears went back. "Is this a ploy to get me to blow up?"

"Very clever, Pro, but for record, if I wanted to really accomplish that, I could have on day one," Silk said, "You are as easy to provoke as a bear in a cage."

Mirko's mouth dropped open and she looked angry.

"See?" Silk said before she could actually strike.

Mirko stopped. She was kind of backed into a corner now.

"I not get here by being stupid, No. 5," Silk shrugged, "but I don't really have any malicious intent behind my curiosity. I just want to know what has brought it about. I can't help it. It's an odd situation, no?"

Mirko relaxed a little. "I think it's just necessity. Nothing more. When you have to do a thing, you do it."

"I see," Silk said.

* * *

About a week into it, nothing really had gone wrong still, and Shine chose to check in on them.

She didn't know about the arrangement, and she came at night, and Mirko was generally around at night. She preferred to patrol in the daytime...though she would be out very late.

The LOV tried to keep track, so they could avoid her when she was around, but Silk never seemed to care. She really could get along with anyone, they were realizing.

But Mirko was there when Shine popped in because she'd finished early and gone to a press conference.

Medea asked her what it was like, heroes just sitting around and talking about how great they were, and Mirko was giving her a very detailed recount of how annoying the news reporters at these things were, to her great amusement, when Shine just appeared.

Everyone jumped.

Shine blinked. "Oh...hi.... Not what I was expecting to see..."

Mirko froze.

"Likstar, couldn't you ever knock?" Shigaraki said, annoyed.

"How could I knock?" Shine replied.

"It's an expression, you dolt! What do you want?"

"I just thought after everything you might have become a bit more lax about me popping in again," Shine said, "and I was checking in, making sure everything is okay. No one's been kidnapped, you know...but...I'm a bit confused.... Rumi, is this why you're not answering my calls?"

"No, it's because you're clingy," Mirko said, recovering.

"Calling you once to ask if you're okay is clingy?" Shine said, "I mean, did you miss the part where there're bloodthirsty killers out here who'd like to end us all?"

"Not at all..." Mirko gestured around.

"We haven't even tried to kill you," Compress said.

"Not what I meant, but that too," Mirko said.

"So you've given up even trying to hide this now?" Shine was amused. "Wow."

"It's a business deal, sort of." Spinner was with them for once. "And none of yours, Likstar."

"Surprised you're okay with that, Spinner," Shine said, "How are you liking those comics?"

Spinner almost squawked, "How did you know?"

"Dabi told me he snuck some into your space, and you actually read them," Shine said, "Sorry, was that a secret?"

"Not to any of us," Compress said.

"Stay out of my s---!" Spinner yelled at him.

"It's not me." He looked offended at the idea.

"So I take it it's all good?" Shine said, "No need to panic?"

"It's fine." Shigaraki didn't sound fine. "You can leave now."

"Well...wow, that's just rude," Shine said.

"Wait, perhaps she had news," Compress said, "The UA staff is always in on everything."

"Well, I can't tell you for sure." Shine sat down casually. "But I know that none of the ninja were ever found...even that one we pinned down. I got a bit more info from Monoma though."

Medea looked up, frowning.

"I don't know if I should say it in front of..." Shine hesitated.

"Say it," Medea said forcefully, almost desperately.

"From what he told me, Lethe was working directly with the ninja," Shine said, "and Kurogiri also...which you all knew by now, I'm sure. But they are using him to target me, and that is all what you warned him about, right?"

Medea nodded.

"Do you know any more about them?" Shine asked, "Anything could be helpful to us? I think we should all keep sharing information as long as we're up against them."

No one had dared to ask Medea about it, since she's been so emotional since the whole thing and bursting into flames if she got too upset. They'd had to put out a fire more than once that week.

Medea snapped a card out of her sleeve and began burning it slowly as she spoke: "I can't trust my memories anymore...and my brother didn't tell me all of what they made him do. They were using me as leverage, but my talents weren't that useful to them, I guess. Too visible. All I know is they wanted to point all that on the LOV, so that people would hate them, I guess. I mean, that's why I would do it. I'm a pretty good liar, so I can kind of spot this stuff. Who knows if I'd even remember a thing about it if I'd stuck around...? They really hate the LOV."

"This may sound like a stupid question, but why?" Mirko spoke up, "Don't they want similar things? Other than the quirk part.... If they're not any better than the LOV, willing to take out whole cities, then why do they care about hero or villain?"

"I don't know." Medea rubbed her temples now. "I think their idea is that if the LOV was exposed, people would see how evil quirks are.... Quirk manipulation.... I know they were going to take evidence of it...but I think it was kind of ruined by me warning you, and you rallying the pros like that, and then...Mirko saving the LOV from those nomu. They were supposed to die or get maimed or captured or something. Not sure anymore. They could have called off the nomu once you were all dead, and they would have looked like the good guys."

"So their original plan, pardon the pun, with a twist." Shine was disgusted. "Wow.... Well, they're consistent, at least. Rumi, why are you here? Did something happen?"

She was sharp.

Rumi sighed. "I got another note, okay?"

"Another one?" Compress said, since no one had told him about the first one.

"See?" Mirko held it up to Shine.

"Even I can read part of this..." Shine squinted, "What's that last part?"

"Rabbits are in season."

"Oh...gross.... Wow, are you okay? This would keep me up at night."

"Oh, I'm fine." Mirko was not fine, but she was covering it. "I'm not scared of them. It's just...I'm not gonna be played like that."

"You ever think you running off might have been their plan?" Shine just went right for the elephant in the room.

Silence.

"I don't know," Medea spoke up, "I don't know how well of a read I got on them, but they have this real contempt for anyone with quirks. They called me a lot of stuff...Devil Child.... I...kind of think they don't think that highly of us, so maybe they'd never suspect a Pro to put aside their pride and do this."

"Rumi is one of a kind," Shine said with absolutely no hesitation, "Well, that may be where they underestimated us.... I like this plan, I admit. Though I would have let you stay at UA...but I see, it would not have worked out as well, too visible...but I wish you'd at least told me they threatened you again. Aren't we supposed to be working on this together?"

"I don't remember agreeing to that," Mirko said stiffly.

Shine frowned. "Really? You call me for help, and I don't even get to be informed? Sheesh, Shigaraki, you're more fair than that."

"Thank you," Shigaraki said smugly, "That's just what I was going to say. Stupid Hero."

Mirko shot him a dirty look. "Whatever. Fine, if you want to be informed, I can't stop you, but you don't need me to tip you off. You can come here whenever you want."

"That is true. For some reason I am never blocked from this group," Shine shrugged, "I've kind of wondered why that is.... I can't usually go to villains, actually. But nevermind.... Just keep me and Wally in the loop, and the kids are worried too. They aren't stupid either. You know, if we're not available, they'd help you. They understand that this is beyond all of us on our own. Just a thought..."

"We'd rather die than ask those brats for help," Shigaraki said.

"Then you will probably die," Shine said candidly, "because I have a strong feeling we're going to need their help a lot more. I like living, thank you very much. One other person you can go to if necessary is Miss Joke. She understands the matter too, and it's good to have someone outside UA. We're watched so closely over there. I mean, it's good to be close to the action, but it has it's draw backs. Wally and I both are making more connections outside the school, but not too many people know what's going on, and I'm not sure it should be our focus, but if the problem keeps coming back, we have to have a strategy. Something you all should have too, if you don't already."

They really didn't have much of one.

"Just...how often have you done this?" Compress asked.

"Run from an evil cult?" Shine thought. "Hmm...if I count...but I don't know if you could call that one.... Well, that probably was.... I'd say twice, probably, at least."

Silence.

"So how did you get away?" Mirko asked.

"It works different every time, but generally finding the person pulling the strings is the only way to really put a stop to it," Shine said, "but I don't know if it'll be an easy task around here.... I'd prefer to stay away from them.... Though if the few who helped us were somehow still alive..." she looked sad for a moment. "I'd give a lot to be able to get to them..."

Then she brightened. "By the way, you're famous on social media.... The real news won't touch this because of the controversy, but people are swearing up and down they saw the LOV helping fight the monster. No one but heroes were around for that final battle, but some one witnessed Medea's little take down-- and the one family too. People are saying they just mistook vigilantes for the LOV, but it's gotten quite a few hits. Camie is capital at learning this stuff."

She held up her phone.

"That's an embarrassment," Spinner shuddered.

"Why, Spinner, the great and mighty Stain got this same kind of feedback," Shine said, smooth as cream, "and I'd have thought you'd be honored to be getting it also. Stain would probably be impressed anyone is taking the LOV seriously over this."

Spinner perked up. "You think this is like that?"

"You are so easily swayed." Compress was disgusted. "They're more likely to think we're soft."

"Hmm, a bunch of highschoolers reported seeing you help them too," Shine said slyly, "Is that true?"

"I wasn't trying to help them. It was an accident," Compress said.

"Well, you have a fan base now." Shine was laughing at him, clearly. "But then, it'll die down in a few months, so chill. It's just part of being in the public eye."

"Aren't you famous yet?" Compress shot back.

Shine shrugged. "A few people mentioned us...but oddly, no footage. It's like...we're shielded...so I doubt many will believe them. People like Wally and I tend to just be the stuff of vague legends.... A few people will believe it, but that's nothing. It's when the whole world does that you get a problem."

"Uh...I think I'm missing something here," Mirko said.

"I keep forgetting you're not fully filled in," Shine said, "Well, another time maybe..unless you all want to tell her. I've got to get going. It was nice visiting though."

"Why do you always feel the need to be so patronizing?" Spinner grumbled.

"I am quite serious. If you feel patronized it must be because you expect people to be unpleasant to you," Shine shot back, "Not my problem, is it? I live to defy expectations. I'll see you all later. Do call me if anything happens... In fact, here." She scribbled something down on a piece of paper. "This is my number. Might as well just let you all have it."

"Cool, if they'd let me have a cell," Medea said.

"We told you those are too traceable!" Compress said.

"Whatever." She rolled her eyes.

"Just memorize it, then," Shine nodded, "Bye. Later." She vanished.

"The lady does know how to make an exit," Compress said, "I wonder if she rehearses that beforehand."

"Seems like she just pops in and out," Spinner said.

"Do you know how hard it is to pull that off naturally? I don't trust it," Compress shot back.

"You make no sense, Compress."

"Fellow members," Silk spoke up, "is possible she have point, though, about resources.... Also, I think we should be looking for Lethe.... If he does not get away from them, we are all in danger, and so is he."

"We should just kill him," Spinner said.

Medea got up and slunk out of the room.

"You cannot say that in front of her!" Silk said, "Have you no heart, Spinner? That is her brother you talk about!"

"He's not a good brother!"

"Not the point. Family is still family." Silk was mad. "I will talk to her. But I think we should be trying to steal him back, not kill him. Think of how useful he would be now."

She left.

"Well, she has a point," Shigaraki said, "but we can't do either if we can't find him."

Mirko made some sound of frustration and left the room also.

"I wonder what that's about," Spinner mused.