The LOV were told to be nicer to Mirko-- and were kind of surprised-- but Medea was a little smug.

"I guess I got through," she said.

"I wouldn't get a big head," Spinner said, "Shigaraki will literally take anyone seriously."

"Well, yeah. I mean, you're here," she retorted.

[Medea is a sassy queen.]

Spinner needed ice for that burn.

"I intend to pay you back for what you said about Stain," he sniffed.

"It was the truth," Medea said, "and if you want to take a shot," her hair lit on fire, "you can try."

[Also boss as frick.]

Spinner found her kind of unsettling.

"You see, Lizard Man," Medea saw the look in his eye, "I know I'm a kid and all, but I'm not like those dumb hero students. I'm perfectly okay with using my quirk out of class, and I'm not taking any s--- from you. So unless you have a fireproof sword, buzz the heck off."

Spinner backed up. "You little b----."

"Yeah, you better run." Medea did not know when to quit. "And for the record, what I said about Stain wasn't even an insult. You're way over sensitive."

She walked away.

Mirko kind of thought it was cool that Medea stuck up for her of all things-- but wasn't really bothering to express it, expect by not insulting her.

Medea didn't really expect any kind of acknowledgment. She didn't even know Shigaraki had let that slip.

Mirko gave what Shine told her some thought too. She was supposed to decide for herself. Well, that was what she always did...but what could she decide? Nothing made sense anymore. 

It was just two days after the incident and she was still reeling, and the media would probably be on it for weeks. Unless some other disaster followed it. [Isn't that just the way in the real world too?]

She was sick of people asking her about it while she was on the job too.

Honestly, hanging about the lair was starting to seem like the least stressful thing. No one there was talking about it. They just left her alone.

"For the record," Medea told her that day, when she came in kind of early just to get away from the paparazzi, "I think it's pretty messed up that people talk about this so soon after it happens. I mean, same thing happened to me...I remember now...and it's like, do I need you in my personal business? My parents just flipping died--or, you know, random heroes..."

"Are you trying to be nice or mean?" Mirko said weirdly.

"I can't tell," Medea said honestly, "I'm kind of crazy, if you haven't noticed."

"Crazy or just unstable?"

"That's the fine line, sis," Medea shrugged, "Maybe just unstable...I mean, I guess." She rubbed her head. "Now that I remember, I still have a hard time knowing what order those memories happen in. My brain can't process it all. And I have flashbacks...a lot...but I guess I just stare into space when it happens...just like when... Uh, why am I telling you this? Apparently I also have a problem not oversharing."

"And all this is because of your brother...huh...?" Mirko felt weird asking this, but it was a weird situation.

Medea nodded. "Yeah, what we're figuring out is that basically Lethe's shorted out my sense of actions and consequences by blocking my memory of what happens after I go nuts...if I even went nuts. Seems like I rarely get that far... Then it's all fuzzy till it's over. I don't have any sense of what bad things can happen if I say what I'm thinking or blow up at someone. And you see, it's funny, I can hear that from Cece, and I can kind of agree, but I can't just make myself have that instinct. Like a kid...it's so...sick." She shook her head. "And I know it's sick, up here." She pointed to her temple. "But I don't feel it." She pointed to her chest. "Am I a sociopath? Or is Lethe the sociopath? It's like we're connected even while we're apart, and not like normal twins, but...in a really weird way. And Likstar called it a soul tie. She says I can sever it, but it might take a while...and I'm like, s---, how did I get so messed up and never know it...? Oh, I'm doing it again."

Mirko laughed dryly. "Guess you really can't control it."

"Yeah, maybe don't ask me about it." Medea gestured. "I just start going. I can't help it. At least I know that, I guess...but it's so sucky to not be able to control myself even though I know I do it."

[Been there, Medea. Who hasn't?]

"I don't really think therapy is normally a thing that's worth time," Mirko said, "but in your case, it's kind of not your fault, so I guess it's not wussy. I mean, someone else fricking you up like that, it's not like you just were that way naturally."

"Maybe crazy runs in the family," Medea said, "Lethe's kind of nuts too. My parents were normal though...I think."

"Not normal enough to teach your brother not to steal people's memories..." Mirko said.

"Or they didn't know he had that quirk," Medea countered, "and I'll never know maybe. What if he wiped their memories too? I just wish I knew... Ugh, I'm going to go mad thinking about it if I don't stop..." She rubbed her head.

The fact that Mirko couldn't exactly think that wasn't a possibility either freaked her the flip out. Lethe was one scary SOB.

She hoped they'd seen the last of him.

[Not likely.]

Medea sighed. "Whatever..." She walked away. The girl really never ended conversations normally.

Mirko shrugged and went into the TV room (they always set one up every lair, she noticed. To watch the news. And Shigaraki would play games on it when the others weren't around).

Shigaraki was playing a game now.

Mirko was kind of bored, so she just sat down to watch, not really thinking about it. She wondered if Hawks was going to be eliminated. Now that she knew more about it...it was...still so confusing. The LOV couldn't explain why he'd been pushed into spying on them. But it seemed like it took on a life of its own apart from them. The Metas snapped him up.

Did the government know that would happen? Or did they just not care if it did?

Hawks was a moron-- but also a pawn-- and a tool to be discarded.

She rubbed her head. This was so...frustrating.

And who was next? Who else might be in that position? 

This was all above her. She wasn't the type of hero who was into this conspiracy s---, but here it was. She was caught up in it, and she couldn't figure it out.

"That's the wrong way," she said blandly.

Shigaraki jumped. "Shut up!"

Mirko ignored him. Maybe Shine knew something... She was dropping enough hints...but she wasn't going to make it easy for her. That jerk...

She clearly wanted her to keep working with the LOV. Why? 

It was like some master plan, and only Shine seemed to know what it was for.

Well, come to think of it, the person who could help her figure that out was at the moment, sucking at this game.

"It's the other way," she said.

"Go away!" Shigaraki snapped, "Did I ask you?!"

"No, but that doesn't mean it's not stupid," she said.

"Buzz off."

"Try it, and if it works, I have a real question."

"And I have no wish to answer it."

"You're just afraid I'm right," Mirko said. By now she was starting to get how villains worked. All about that ego.

Actually not that different from plenty of heroes, but she didn't care to think about that.

Shigaraki very sulkily did as she suggested...and ended up finding what he was looking for.

Mirko was pretty smug right then.

"How did you know that?"

"I beat this level ages ago," Mriko said complacently, "Duh... This game isn't even that hard."

[I know nothing about gaming. I just know that in some you retrieve items or whatever, so I'm saying this is that kind of game. I used to play a couple kind of like it, but I won't bother trying to sound like I know what I'm talking about. Y'all have ideas, you comment them though. Maybe I can implement it later.]

Shigaraki looked annoyed. "What did you want?"

"I was talking to Likstar yesterday, and she said something about predicting things," Mirko said, "I've been turning it over... I can't think of anything she's told me would happen that...didn't...and I want to know if there's more to it."

"I have no interest in helping you decipher that woman's vague statements."

"Well, get interested. This affects the League too. There's some big puzzle here, I can tell." Mirko pursed her lips. "And if I don't crack it, I'm going to lose my mind. But she won't make it easy for me because that would be boring, or whatever her reason is. I'll bet she won't make it easy for you either. She's trying to get us to work together, and I'm about ready to let her have it--except that won't change a dang thing."

"Yes, she's very annoying like that," Shigaraki agreed, "but I don't want to humor her."

"Yeah, but how many more times does she have to be right for you to take her seriously?" Mirko countered.

Silence.

"And what did she say?" Shigaraki finally gave up.

"She told me she gets these impressions of what's going to happen sometimes...something about time not flowing the same for her or whatever." Those were not the exact words, but Mirko didn't really remember what she had said. "And I, of course, was like 'well, what's going to happen next?' and she's like, 'I don't know that clearly. It's just a hint.' and I'm like, 'so tell me,' but she wouldn't."

"Sounds like her."

"Yeah, well, it's clearly important, and I think it has to do with one of the groups, but she wouldn't say which one either. So I'm thinking, maybe she predicted something to someone else, and she's trying to get me to figure it out." Mirko really hoped that was the case and not that Shine really just didn't know.

[I wonder which is it?]

"Predicted to me?" Shigaraki was shocked. "Why would she do that?"

"Didn't she ever...I don't know, say something weird and cryptic and it kind of happened?" Mirko said.

She was hoping this was not just a stupid shot in the dark.

Shigaraki thought.

There was that time Compress'es arm grew back. [Part 86]

He hadn't given it a whole lot of consideration, as he normally didn't bother to take what Shine said that seriously. It was always too confusing...or unsettling.

Some of the word matches with Shine ran through his mind like a video reel:

"Above all other things cults do, I find that to be the most disgustingly hypocritical! And Evil! How dare you! That claim that you can just sacrifice other people's lives for your own agenda! Is that righteousness to you?... You claim you want justice, but you discard people when it's convenient for you, just like society discarded you! You're not any better than them if you do that. In fact, you're worse, because the person who knows what that feels like, and still does it, is even more guilty than the one who has never realized it was happening! Most people are simply ignorant of the truth, but you? You are embracing hypocrisy! All of you! That's usually the way with villains..." [From Part 51.]

...

"I may not have your exact philosophy, but, this is the kicker...I actually care about you weirdos...enough not to turn you in...and I thought that maybe that would mean something to you... I guess I just want to know why it doesn't."

"Why should it? No one told you to do that. Are you trying to say us killing you is wrong because of a few gestures? That's pathetic. Nothing you could ever do would make up for anything any of us have against Pros. The fact that you thought otherwise...just makes me hate you more."

"I never was going to claim that, Shigaraki. I just expected you to be smarter than that... Just as much as I protected those kids, I protected you. What do you gain from this? You'll have terrible losses if you do this...losses that didn't have to happen. But you don't care about the LOV, do you? As long as you eliminate pests you don't like."  [From Part 72.]

He blinked to himself. How had he forgotten that? It made him livid at the time. What did she understand?

Of course looking back, all that had been a stupid idea. If they'd succeeded at killing her, the Originals would have killed them later.

Something like actual remorse kind of hit him, though he didn't recognize it as such. Kind of felt like anger...but at himself and the League for being idiots.

Mirko was waiting. "Uh, hello...? Spacing out again?"

Shigaraki jerked back to reality...sort of. "I remember one thing." More like a bunch, but the stupid rabbit didn't need to know that. "One thing she said about losses. I forgot about it till now, which is weird." Normally he remembered threats.

"Losses?" Mirko didn't like the sound of that.

"When we almost killed her, she said--"

"You'll have terrible losses if you do this," Mirko cut him off, snapping her fingers, "I remember now. I thought it was ridiculous how she was trying to stop you with that... You jackass!"

"That was months ago!"

"I can't believe you tried to kill her after she was so nice." Mirko was mad. "What kind of ingratitude is that?"

"'Cause you were so grateful to her too."

Silence.

Mirko really couldn't argue...

"We never asked for her help," Shigaraki said, "and we didn't like it either. Not that eliminating her would have been a good thing, but that was then, and it looked different."

"Yeah, it would seem so. She doesn't get that whole fair treatment thing for helping you out."

"Until she saved Dabi, she hadn't really done much for us except not turn us in. She was a liability if the heroes caught on. After she saved Dabi that changed things, and we stopped attacking her." Shigaraki really didn't know why he was explaining this. It was none of her business.

"I guess that's...sort of...but still." Mirko shook her head. "No one else would stick up for you freaks like that... Technically she saved your life too. That nomu was going crazy."

Shigaraki didn't like to think about that.

"Well, we didn't trust it. And it's none of your business."

"That again." Mirko rolled her eyes. "At least you called it off. I really would have gone crazy if you said it was still being decided or whatever. She's a saint."

"Since when do you like her so much?" Shigaraki shot back. 

"I dunno. She ticks off people I dislike," Mirko said. "It's kind of funny.

"As enjoyable as it is to watch her do that, it's not really anything special."

"But it is to beat them at their own game." Mirko was grinning. "I'm never going to forget the look on Best Jeanist's face... Served him right, the prick. I bet that brat wasn't even that bad. He's just really uptight."

"What brat?" 

"Bakugo," Mirko said.

"That little prick who wouldn't join our League? I'm sure Best Jeanist doesn't like him," Shigaraki said.

He didn't like Best Jeanist since he attacked AFO...though it didn't end well for the denim clad clown.

"Yeah, you kidnapped him, huh?" Mirko recalled, "What a stupid idea. He's probably the least likely to break... What was he like kidnapped? I bet he blew s--- up."

"Actually he didn't get that far." Shigaraki forgot he wasn't supposed to be talking about this. "He just punched-- Anyway, Dabi didn't trust him."

"That sounds like him." Mirko was laughing. "That kid almost makes me wish I did internships... Seems like a brawler. Why did you pick him anyway?"

"He's angry and violent."

"So? That doesn't make someone a villain," Mirko snorted, "Endeavor is angry and violent...or he used to be. Not sure what kick he's on now..."

"Well, he sure seemed villainous on TV."

"You do know those Sports festivals make certain people look bad right?" Mirko said, "I mean, if you muzzle a kid and chain him up, yeah, he's going to look pretty villainous, but it's all just for the hype. UA is kind of sick like that. The really villainous ones they would never display like that. They don't want to ruin their rep."

"You're saying there're villainous students at UA?"

"I think there's some in every hero school." Mirko forgot she probably shouldn't be saying this. "When I was in training, I knew some real d---s. They never get too far as pros, though. Usually they're whiners."

[Monama comes to mind here... Let's hope he grows out of it.]

"And you're not classifying yourself as villainous?"

Mirko glared at him. "Shut up. Liking to beat people up is useful if you're going to spend every day doing it for years, isn't it? I never understood why anyone would become a hero if they didn't like violence. It's a dangerous job. You might as well enjoy it. And who says violence is evil? That's just a narrow minded way to look at it. Like, if I kick someone and it stops them from shooting a kid in the back, is that evil now? Get real."

Shigaraki rolled his eyes. "Typical."

"I don't know why I'm bothering to go over this. It's obvious anyway," Mirko sniffed, "And...what was I asking about before...? Oh, yeah, Likstar... She called it, huh? That's scary."

Shigaraki was hoping she'd forgotten that...d--- it.

It was true though. Shine's words had come true. Kurogiri had gotten arrested, Dabi had left, and they had lost all those nomu and plenty of allies, as well as Lethe. If he really counted as a loss when he was probably more dangerous around them.

It was...unsettling.

Had it happened because she said it? Or had she just known?

"In the end we didn't kill her," he said, "so why did it still come true?"

"Technically, she was talking about you trying to kill her right then," Mirko countered, "She never said you had to succeed. It's like one of those scenarios in those fantasy games. Like, when you piss off a god or a spirit or witch and they curse you. You didn't succeed because it was a super powerful being, but just trying offended them. So you pissed off her guardian spirit, or whatever, and you got punished for it. That's impressive, really."

Impressive? Try terrifying. Shigaraki had never felt so played by his own refusal to listen to someone.

"Boy, it must not end well for people who succeed," Mirko said, "If that's how bad it is for just trying...I wonder... Well, I hope that same thing happens to those freaking ninja, then... I guess it kind of did. They died too..." She frowned at that unpleasant memory. "Nothing good ever happens to people who try to screw with them..."

Including herself. She'd ignored Shine, and now she was literally hiding out to avoid the ninja... Was this a pattern?

"Dabi got off easy," Shigaraki said, like that made it better.

"Dabi switched sides." Mirko was putting it together. "That's the trick to it. If you do that, it's like you get cleared. So he's fine. But people who aren't decided yet aren't in the clear. It's like some big game...only for keeps..."

"If that's freaking true..." Shigaraki was not liking this... "what happens next?"

"And now you're where I am," Mirko said, rubbing her fingers together. "What does happen next? Guess it depends on a lot. You know, if I were you, I'd consider apologizing to her before more s--- happens to you."

Which was silly, because if it were Mirko, she probably wouldn't apologize.

"You seem oddly happy about this," Shigaraki said.

"Happy?" Mirko scoffed, "No. I'm just feeling like I'm on to something finally. It's nice after all this cryptic stuff. But I wouldn't call it happy... Hard to be happy when it's still freaking dangerous to even walk out the door... But that does make me wonder. Is this some kind of punishment for not listening the first time? Does it get harder the more times you retake the level?"

"It's supposed to get easier," Shigaraki said.

"That's true if the challenges stay the same." Mirko was getting a little lost in this metaphor. "But some games change them every time you redo it, and you can't just memorize the route. You have to learn the actual skills required to navigate it...like the license exams tend to be. So you can't cheat. And if that's it, then..."

She trailed off but thought, We're screwed...

* * *

Shine checked in that day to make sure they were okay, and both of them jumped her with questions.

Shigaraki demanded to know if she'd known what would happen.

Mirko wanted to know if her theory about curses was right. (Because she thought it was pretty intimidating if it was but also kind of cool.)

It took a while for Shine to figure out what they were talking about.

But finally she remembered.

"I had forgotten I said that to you," she said, "but no, I didn't know what would happen... I just get feelings, or it's a pattern. Messing with God's people is always a bad idea, but for the record, it all could have happened anyway. Maybe not as soon, or maybe not like that, or maybe it would have happened, but it wouldn't have lasted. Who knows? Things change. Dabi would probably not have ditched, though, at least not to turn good."

Shigaraki was speechless...well...almost. "You b----, you never said--"

But Shine cut him off. "Excuse me, I warned you pretty clearly, as you just said. More than once, moron. So if it happened as I said, you can only blame yourself for not listening sooner. I hope you think twice before attacking innocent people in the future."

Shock.

"You can curse people?" Mirko said, "And you never said this before? Dang it, Likstar. Why not curse the ninjas?"

"For one thing, Rumi, we're not really supposed to curse people," Shine said, "I didn't really think I was... It's true, once you say something, it's more likely to happen, and that's just scientific fact. I think people call it manifesting to the universe now, but that doesn't work nearly as well as if you know who you're talking to. But on the other hand, I prefer to bless. But as for messing with God's kids, it goes back to Abraham, as well as a few others. 'All who bless you, I will bless, and all who curse you, I will curse.' That was the promise. And also whoever receives a prophet has a share in their reward, in another place... Basically, you have to watch who you mess with. It works with kids too. You don't mess with the innocent. God will curse you for that. Overhaul got his, didn't he?"

They blinked at her.

"That's...in your faith?" Shigaraki was shocked.

"Oh, yes," Shine said, "A lot of curses happen because of evil, death itself being one of of them. I do have good news though-- if you're forgiven, it's better. God was always lessening curses because people repented, even really evil people...though it's far better to just be a Christian and get cleared completely from it, 'cause who wants even partial curses?"

"No one," Mirko said, amused, "So, is it over? I mean will more stuff happen?"

"I can't guarantee you any of it happened for that reason," Shine said, "I don't know God's plans... If that was it, though...well, Job comes to mind here... Perhaps if I asked, it would stop. But maybe it has already."

"It doesn't look like it." Mirko crossed her arms. "I don't know if I totally buy this, but on the off chance it's got something to do with it, can you do the whole lifting it thing?"

"Rumi, it's not your problem," Shine said, "so don't worry."

The look on Shigaraki's face was classic.

"Well, I don't want it either," he snapped.

"Oh, well, in that case," Shine said, "just repent and it won't happen anymore."

Might as well tell a fish to fly. Shigaraki had no idea what she meant by that.

"What the h--- do you mean repent?"

"It very simple. It's where you feel sorry for something," Shine explained, "and I mean deeply sorry-- and you resolve never to do it again. And then you try to the best of your ability, and even if you screw up, it starts to change how you think of it. You feel sorry for screwing it up instead of telling yourself it was okay. And you ask someone to forgive you, usually, if it was against them. Or against God-- then you ask him. I've done it a lot of times, and...well, you see, things work out for me." She smiled kind of smugly. "Not perfectly, but somehow I'm doing all right. You see, we don't get out of suffering, but we do get an out just the same. It won't be more than we can stand. That's how it's different for us."

"I told you, apologize." Mirko was so smug.

"Rumi, I wouldn't gloat," Shine said, "I have a few things I could bring up about you too."

Mirko paled. "Oh..." Dang it, that was a thing, then.

"So you want me to say I'm sorry for trying to murder you?" Shigaraki was appalled. "Why would I do that?"

"Well, by all means, keep pushing it." Shine sounded scary because she was so casual about it. "I mean, it's not like it's ever ended badly to ignore me before..."

"Oh, that was just too smug." Shigaraki was mad.

"I don't normally gloat, but you really left it open for me," Shine said, "I mean, what can I say? Knowing my Father backs me up gets me pumped. I needed this today, actually. I'm doing something pretty stressful later this afternoon. So thanks."

She was so incorrigible!

Shigaraki fumed.

Shine softened a little. "I'll tell you what, Tomura. I'm not one to bully people. If you just tell me honestly you know it was a mistake and you're not going to repeat it, at least on purpose, I'll accept that. That's all I really need to hear. Just say yes or no."

"Pathetic," Mirko said, "You don't need to make it easy. You have every right to be pissed off. They stabbed you in the back."

"Yes, but on the other hand, we're told to forgive that," Shine said,  "and I'd say the punishment has been enough, wouldn't you? It's been 3 fold at least."

"You're so weird," Mirko said.

"Seems like it's a good thing for you I am. You seem spooked." Shine was back to being smug.

Shigaraki didn't like to risk the League's safety on technicalities...

"All right, Likstar, if you admit that you were wrong too," he said.

"Hmm?" Shine said.

"I remember you accused me of not caring about the LOV, and that's just not true. We've all agreed to assist each other in our goals."

Shine nodded. "All right, I was mad. Maybe you're right. I'm sorry. I can see you do care about that. In fact, I admire it."

That was going too far. 

"No need to start lying," Shigaraki said.

"I wasn't. You might be, but I'm not," Shine shot back.

"Well, fine, if you'll concede that, I'll concede perhaps we were...too hasty..."

"Wrong. It was wrong."

"Fine, it was wrong, happy?" Shigaraki spat.

Shine nodded. "I am, actually. Someone has to be. All right." She looked up at the ceiling. "Hey, don't hold this against him anymore, okay? Please?"

She tilted her head. "I think you're good."

"What? That?" Shigaraki said. 

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

Shine laughed. "You think it's a ritual or something? Please, that went out in the Old Testament days. So last millennium. Now we just talk directly. I can go into more details if you like. Shall I start listing all the individual reasons I have to be mad at you in order?"

Shigaraki glared at her. "You just like to lord it over us."

"Nah, I'm just enjoying the irony of this situation," Shine said, "And since I'm so nice, how about I ask for a blessing instead? I mean, I appreciate all the saves, whether they were intended or not. So I think we're good. I predict things will go better now...I hope."

"You don't know?" Mirko said.

"Things don't just go wrong because of our mistakes, you know. Other people factor in here," Shine said, "But we'll see. Look, I have had lot to deal with too, so I can't make you promises I can't even see myself getting. But I'm okay. I hope you'll be okay too, eventually."

This was not quite what they wanted to hear, but it was better than nothing.

Shine left.

[Now this may have weirded some people out, but I thought it made sense for two reasons.

1. I didn't actually plan to make bad things happen to the LOV after I wrote part 72 just because of what was said, but when I re-read it, I saw that it had played out that way, and I thought why not use it?

And it does happen in real life in odd ways (and it's my story-- I can use karma if I want).

2. Japanese people are kind of superstitious, if I understand things right. At least some of them are, and I've know plenty of Hispanics who are too. So even if some people would find this hard to believe, I don't think they would.

As Shine said, things don't always go wrong for the same reason, and I'm not claiming that, but I do think karma is a thing, though the Bible doesn't call it that, but it's basically karma. So, yeah.

It looks like we're getting more of Dabi in the next part, so I'm excited for that. Toodles.]