Disclaimer: I don't own jack!

Summary: Her existence was something beyond the simplistic labels of hero and villain. She was a being that their society couldn't understand. To them she was dangerous, but to him, she was necessary.

Suggested Listening: Mind Games by Sickick

Pairing: Kai Chisaki/Kagome (Bakugou)

Contradiction

"It's been eighteen years since Shinigami last struck fear in the hearts of citizens." A newscaster droned on from the television. The smartly dressed woman on the screen slid a stack of papers closer to herself as she spoke, "He was one of the most prolific killers in the villain underground. Officially the number of those whom he killed is well above fifty. However it is believed that Shinigami could be connected to over two hundred suspicious deaths during his active years."

Kagome combed her fingers through her hair. She'd heard all of this previously. Before All for One's battle with All Might, Shinigami had held the title of the most dangerous villain. He was feared both by heroes and criminals alike. His very name invoked terror in the masses.

She sat back.

"Last night a man connected to the League of Villains was murdered. He was lured into a back alley where he was poisoned." The face they showed on the screen was not one that she recognized. He was a man of short stature, a balding cap on his head and a stocky build. He looked like the average drug runner in these parts—no distinct facial features, no identifying tattoos and a forgettable appearance overall. That was something she'd learned during her work study the previous semester. Her lips thinned at the reminder.

"Itou Michio was one of the League's suppliers of quirk enhancing drugs that've become more widely available on the black market as of late." The woman's severe expression deepened, "Since his murder last night, police have ascertained that it was very likely the work of Shinigami's quirk."

The young woman paused at that.

"Authorities are on high alert. They've asked that citizens report any suspicious activity immediately. Stay indoors and do not approach Shinigami if you see him." The young woman flinched as an all too familiar face flashed across the screen. It was drawn in charcoal but she could never forget those features.

She saw them every day in the mirror.

The similar slight upward quirk of their brows, identical high cheek bones and the exact same eyes reflected back at each other.

Kagome tuned out the rest. It wasn't necessary for her to hear anyways. She already knew what they were going to say.

Stay on high alert. Don't walk alone. Report anything suspicious.

The only thing she didn't want to hear blared noisily over the silence in her empty home.

"It is believed that Shinigami may have family or close relatives in the area. The police are encouraging anyone with important information to come forward." She felt the reporter's eyes bear down upon her. They were miles apart and separated by a glass screen. Yet she knew that those words were meant for her. No one else.

Kagome allowed her hand to fall to her lap.

Shinigami was back.

This wasn't good.

She paused as her phone began to vibrate. Her gaze scanned the name that flashed across the screen.

Aizawa

Of course it'd be him. He'd warned her that this could happen. Now all that was left was to suffer the fallout.

The teen swallowed thickly.

She hated this.

Kagome slid her index finger across the screen of her phone as she picked up the call, "Higurashi speaking."

"I take it that you've already heard the news." His tone was as direct as it always was.

Kagome sank further into her seat, "I have. He hasn't tried to make contact as of yet." Her stomach coiled nervously at the thought. It'd been well over ten years since the last time she'd seen him. What could they even possibly talk about? The recent events that transpired between her, Bakugou and the League of Villains? She doubted that.

He wasn't the sort of man who'd stick around long enough for that to happen.

She clenched her jaw at that thought.

Her teacher's voice remained stoic as he spoke, "Don't let your guard down. I needn't remind you of the dangers of getting involved with villains like him."

She tugged at the sleeve of her shirt. The slight pink twinge of marred flesh peaked out from beneath the fabric over her wrist.

"I know that," Kagome's throat constricted painfully. "I don't want anything to do with him. I think I know why he's resurfaced but that's not going to change my opinion of him."

That was right.

She couldn't forgive him.

She couldn't be soft. Not on him. Not after everything he'd done.

Kagome was brought out of her reverie by her professor's heavy sigh.

"You worry me, kid." He didn't give her the chance to refute his claim. "Just stay inside for now and take Midoriya or Bakugou with you when you need to run errands. They're close enough that it shouldn't be a problem."

She gave a noise of affirmation from the back of her throat.

That would be the smart thing to do. However no one ever accused her of having intelligence. It was only her stubborn determination that saw to her entrance into U.A. It was also what saved her from being completely dropped like the rest of her class last year.

Aizawa was not a man who messed around.

"The dorms will be ready in a few days. Just keep a low profile until then." With that the line went dead.

Kagome set her phone down.

"Easier said than done."

Her gaze shifted back towards the screen. By now her own image reflected back at her.

"In a stunning display of power, All Might charged into the League of Villain's hideout to rescue two students. Bakugou Katsuki and Higurashi Kagome." The screen panned across the devastation that'd been left behind in his fight. "All Might successfully saved his students but at the cost of his power."

She shut the screen off.

No more.

She couldn't do it anymore!

Shinigami.

Her father.

The murderer.

The man who'd left her.

She didn't need any more reminders about his sins. She saw them everyday in the picture frames, contrasting with the bloodshed on TV.

The young woman took a shuddering breath between her lips. She couldn't stay here. Despite Aizawa's warning, she knew that she couldn't handle the deathly silence that filled the shrine. Every hallway and room was marked with the echoes of the past. Pictures of smiling faces hung on the walls. The happiness that reflected in those images was a false song—commemorating something that should've never existed.

Her fingers flexed.

"I'll just do some training instead." Kagome spoke her thoughts out loud. It was a useless effort though. There was no one to hear her. There was no one else in this hollowed out shell of a home.

She was all that remained.

The young woman took to her feet. She made her way outside. The summer's heat wasn't too horrible today. Just a mild warmth in contrast to the previous weeks they'd had. The soft warbling of songbirds rang out from the emerald boughs of the forest.

Her shrine was surrounded by nature. Her family had owned the lands for many generations and took great care to maintain the wilderness that encompassed their property.

Kagome closed her eyes.

She was grateful.

When the silence became too much, she'd lose herself in the sounds of nature outside. No matter what there was always the sound of life. Songbirds, insects and a small array of wildlife filled the silence with their soft hymns.

Right now, anything was better than solitude.

"-Ah!" A tiny voice cried out.

Kagome snapped to attention. Her eyes scanned the shrine grounds carefully. Had someone decided to visit? Her gaze widened as she spotted the tiny figure of a girl hanging limply onto the trunk of the Goshinboku. She couldn't have been older than six. White hair tumbled around the child's shoulders in a messy heap. Leaves and dirt clung to her—almost as if she'd fought her way up the mountainside.

"Oh goodness, just stay right there sweetheart!" Kagome rushed to her side. The one good thing about being trained individually by Aizawa for a year was that she managed to grasp quite a few useful skills. Of those, aiding injured citizens being one of the most important skills she picked up.

"Are you hurt anywhere?" Kagome carefully scanned her for any visible injuries. There didn't seem to be anything too obvious besides a few minor scrapes and bruises.

The girl froze. Tiny fingers clutched at her sleeve.

Kagome paused.

She was terrified.

The young woman gently wrapped her arms around her; pulling her into a protective embrace.

"It's alright. No one will hurt you here." She had no idea what was going on. All she knew was that this girl desperately needed help. As a hero, it was her job to aid those in need. This child would be no different.

The girl buried her face into the nape of her neck. Hot tears streamed down her cheeks as she wrapped her little arms around her.

Kagome lifted her up.

Something was wrong. Was she lost? Had someone scared her?

"Easy, it's alright." She tried to soothe her. "You're not alone."

The girl gave a heaving sob in response.

"Eri," A masculine voice called out. "That's enough."

The child's trembling grew more severe.

Kagome pressed her palm to the back of her head, "Are you her family?" She felt a little cautious towards this stranger. It was natural for children to cry and hide from their parents when they did something wrong but this seemed far too extreme. The girl was so frozen with terror that she couldn't even speak.

Azure eyes took in the newcomer's appearance.

Frankly speaking, if she had been the child's age then she probably would've been frozen solid by the plague mask he'd donned on himself as well. It contrasted so heavily against his handsome features and smooth tone.

How odd.

"Yeah sorry about this. She's my foster daughter. She's been going through something of a rebellious phase as of late." At that moment she caught sight of the latex gloves that covered his hands.

Was he immune compromised?

Kagome gave a small noise of agreement, "Ah I understand now." She offered the man a placating smile. "She does seem to be a bit overwhelmed so if you like I could set you two up with some tea. It might help calm her nerves a little." She lowered her voice a little, "And I think she might've scraped herself up a bit out in those woods. It'd be easier to heal her inside."

His brow arched upwards at that, "Heal? You have a healing quirk?"

She gave a strained smile, "Well it's a little more complicated than that but healing is one of its properties." Kagome gestured for him to follow. "I'll get you guys patched up so you can be on your way. I'm Higurashi Kagome by the way. It's a pleasure to meet you!"

She couldn't tell if the man was smiling behind his mask, however an odd light glinted in his golden gaze.

"Likewise."

Chisaki observed the small trinkets and photographs that sprawled across every surface of the young woman's home.

Frames were packed with images of her family—people whom were either missing or deceased given the silence of her home.

"Here we go," She set Eri upon a chair within her dinning room. Six chairs were present yet many looked as if they hadn't been used in years. "Now let's take a look at you, sweetheart."

Eri kept her eyes turned down. She avoided his gaze as the woman started to look over the tiny scrapes and cuts that covered her arms. She'd given him quite the chase. The girl had gotten both faster and more cunning in her escapes. It didn't come as a surprise to him. She was bound to start pushing her limits with him eventually.

"Now this next part might feel a little weird. It won't hurt but if you're scared you can close your eyes, okay Eri?" Kagome used a warm tone as she spoke. He had to give her credit too. She was keenly adept at handling the child. She was able to keep Eri calm and knew exactly what to do to prevent her from taking off again. Although he partially suspected that, that was simply because he was within reach now.

Chisaki watched as the young woman gently ran her palms over the girl's arms. A thin sheen of coral-tinted crystals formed over the girl's flesh.

"I know it feels awkward. Just give it a few seconds, okay?" Kagome's reassurance was met with a flinch. Mistaking it as discomfort, she tried to help coax her. "You're very brave, Eri! When I was a kid I fell off that tree you were standing next to earlier. I totally scraped up my arm and I just bawled my eyes out when my mother used her quirk on me." Her feature's softened at the memory. "It didn't even hurt but I was still scared. Mom laughed at me when she finished because I wouldn't stop crying."

Kagome lifted her hands. She flicked all of her fingers outward at once. The crystal-like shards split apart. A thousand fissures appeared upon the glassy surface before they fell away from Eri's arms harmlessly.

"That should just about do it." She grinned at them brightly. "Try not to get too banged up, alright?"

Azure eyes slid towards him. Then they widened to near comical proportions.

"You're bleeding too! I hadn't even noticed! I'm so sorry!"

Chisaki lifted his arm. Unlike with Eri, he'd managed to gouge his arm on a tree's protruding limb. Damn thing was a lot sharper than he'd realized. It'd cut a line down his sleeve right before he'd emerged from the forest.

"Here, I can take care of that for you if you want." She approached him cautiously, as if concerned that he'd be upset with her proximity.

The man thought over the prospect for a moment. It would provide him with an opportunity to see how her quirk worked for himself.

He lifted his arm, "Knock yourself out."

Chisaki waited as her fingers trailed delicately along the torn fabric. She was being extraordinarily cautious about touching him directly.

"Let me know if you need me to stop," Kagome spoke softly. He felt the tips of her fingers push beneath the cloth of his sleeve. The first thing he noticed was how incredibly warm her touch was. Wherever her fingers went, a trail of heat was left in its path. He'd expected the unsightly hives to make their return as well. They always did when someone touched him. Humans were filthy, diseased creatures. They could only be cured after they were broken down and restructured. Yet, his gaze drifted towards the unblemished flesh of his arm, she did not possess that quality.

She was different.

Was this the work of her quirk?

He kept his gaze trained on the crystals forming over his arm. Much like her hands, it was also warm. A small pulse radiated through the shell, mimicking the beating of a heart. The slight twinge of pain faded away. He could sense the skin beginning to close in upon itself—leaving nothing behind; not even a single scratch.

Chisaki continued to observe her.

Higurashi Kagome.

That name sounded vaguely familiar. He scanned her features carefully. Azure eyes remained focused on his injury that was nearly healed. Her face held all the advantages of youth—bearing upon it the indication that she yet to hit her prime. However the most telling was the slight downward turn of her lips.

Ah, that was right.

She was a student from U.A.

In fact she was the only student of Class 2-A. She was also one of the two teens that the League of Villains targeted in their recent assault on the school.

Chisaki kept that particular information to himself.

"I believe that it's healed." He commented smoothly.

Kagome blinked. Her face flushed before she flexed her fingers, shattering the crystal into a thousand, harmless pieces. He grasped one between his fingers.

It was cool to the touch now. There was no pulse beating from it, let alone any source of power. Perhaps this was the reason why the League was so interested in bringing her to their side.

He tucked it into his pocket.

"Sorry about that, I was a bit lost for a moment." The young woman tucked a stray strand of hair behind her ears, flashing him a soft and apologetic smile. "This shrine doesn't get too many visitors so I was a little surprised."

Her shoulders slumped heavily. An air of grief surrounded her tiny frame.

This house was decaying. Even with their presence, it was overwhelmingly silent. The kind of which only death could create.

He threw a quick glance at Eri's downturned expression.

"Normally we wouldn't venture this far however there was a bit of an issue this morning." He kept his tone calm so as to not alert the young woman as to the true meaning of his words.

Eri ducked her head down. She clutched at the fabric of her dress with tight-knuckled fists.

Kagome sank onto her knees in front of the child.

"Eri," She took her hands gently. "I'm going to do something that my mother used to do for me."

Chisaki kept silent. Perhaps allowing someone to offer her a bit of kindness would help ease Eri's despair.

The young woman clasped their hands together.

"Now I want you to close your eyes, okay?" She smiled when Eri cast her a fretful look. "Don't worry. It won't hurt. It'll be just like before."

The girl looked to him—a silent request for permission.

"Go ahead," He rested his cheek upon the back of his hand. This would be interesting to watch.

Eri closed her eyes.

A soft light emanated from the interlaced hands. He couldn't hear anything, but he could sense the small flow of power forming between them.

Kagome stopped. She sat back and flashed the girl a reassuring smile.

"Okay, you can open your eyes now."

Eri glanced at her before opening her palms. Nestled neatly in the center of her hands was a crystal figurine. Its surface was the same soft shade of coral as before. Yet it did not pulse with the same sort of power as it had when she'd healed them. This was something slightly different.

The child looked between her and the figurine; confusion written plainly across her face.

Kagome laughed, "It's a camellia flower. Here, hold it up to the light."

She helped her lift it above their heads. Upon their faces, an array of different colored lights blared down on them. From coral to azure and then emerald. They danced and turned despite the single source it could've originated from. A light refraction?

Eri stared on in awe.

Kagome drew her hands away, "My quirk is called Crystallize. It's something I inherited from my mother." She took her to her feet, "Whenever I was upset my mother used to make these for me all the time. I couldn't stop staring at the light effects that eventually she taught me how to do it."

The young woman helped Eri to her feet as well, "Whenever you get upset or scared, just lift that to the light. It always made me feel better. Maybe it'll help you too."

Chisaki said nothing as the girl returned to his side.

"Sorry to hold you guys up for so long, but feel free to stop by again in the future." Kagome's smile turned wry as she spoke. There was a slight pang of sorrow within her voice. It wasn't hard for him to surmise that being left alone for so long had grated on her psyche.

"We'll be sure to do that." The young woman missed his secondary meaning entirely. Beside him, Eri clung to his coat with one hand as the other held the camellia figurine close to her heart. "Thank you for taking care of us. I'll return soon to offer our gratitude."

He didn't give her the chance to respond to that. He merely picked the child up within his arms and began the slow trek down the shrine steps.

Higurashi Kagome.

He needed to remember that name.

Bakugou threw himself onto his bed.

He hadn't heard a damn thing from anyone. Not Aizawa, All Might or even Kagome. He rolled to his side. A heavy weight pressed upon his chest—squeezing at his heart.

It was his damn fault.

He hadn't been strong enough to protect himself, because of that Kagome had jumped in front of him. She'd been trying to save him from the League of Villain's attack. She'd wanted to throw herself in their way—to stop them from getting him by any means necessary. She'd even willingly sacrificed herself for his sake, but neither of them had the power to hold them off. Even with her crystallization healing everyone, they couldn't do a damn thing to stop it.

He gnashed his teeth together.

He'd screwed up.

Now All Might had lost his power and Kagome's name was beginning to be dragged through the dirt.

He'd heard the damn reporters. They were always talking shit. Saying how she was connected to Shinigami and that her presence at U.A. was posing a risk to the other students.

She's dangerous.

What a load of shit.

It didn't matter who her family was. All that mattered was the fact that she'd tried to throw herself in the way to protect him.

All she ever wanted was to save people.

He wouldn't let that go to waste.

Bakugou sat up. He grasped at his phone before dialing the familiar number.

It rang once, twice then on the third ring she finally answered.

"Higurashi speaking!" Kagome's cheerful tone bled through the other line. He could hear the smile painted over her lips. It sounded so cheery that he knew it to be fake. There was no way she'd be that happy. Not after everything.

"You don't have to pretend to be okay," Bakugou started with a sigh. "I really screwed things up this time."

His friend took a moment to respond. He could almost hear the slight intake of her breath.

He wanted to see her.

He wanted to talk to her.

That was the only way the weight in his chest would disappear.

"Katsuki, you know that's not true. Even the heroes were having trouble with the League." Her voice softened—as if trying to soothe him the way a mother would her child. His jaw clenched.

He hated that.

He didn't want to be treated like some petulant little kid.

"The fact of the matter is that the League thinks we're important." The way she spoke sounded so clinical. It was so far removed from the situation that he had to wonder if she were trying to separate herself from it all. Kagome pushed onwards, "We'll need to be careful in the future. I already talked to Aizawa earlier. For the time being I'll be on house arrest so I won't be heading out anywhere."

He bit into his bottom lip at that.

It wasn't hard to figure out why.

She was a target. More than that, she was a catalyst.

"I don't think you'll be given the same kind of restrictions but you should still be careful." The concern in her voice caused him to clutch at the front of his shirt.

Of course he wouldn't be. The world wasn't looking at him like he was villain. He was just some kid that got his ass kidnapped by the League of Villains. To society, he was just a victim.

Kagome on the other hand…

He cut off the thought before it could trail any further.

"When are you going back to class?" Bakugou sat up on his bed. He braced his forearm over his knee as he leaned forward. They didn't share any classes except for the occasional joint hero training sessions. Kagome was an exceptional case. She was the only student of class 2-A. She'd trained under Aizawa for a year before being shuffled around from teacher to teacher this last semester. She was still technically Aizawa's student but her courses were completely mixed up. He doubted even Kagome knew what her schedule would look like until she got to school each day.

It was a nightmare.

"Aizawa said to keep a low profile until the dorms were complete. So it'll probably be when that's done." Kagome gave a thoughtful hum. "So I'd say in about a week or less. I think they're still trying to figure out if I should just be dropped into Class 2-B or if I should resume my work study program."

His brows furrowed at that.

Her work study, huh?

"Weren't you studying with Endeavor? Probably be smarter to let you go back to his agency after all this crap." It'd be the safest place for her. The number two hero's power was undeniable. Even the League of Villains wouldn't think about a second kidnapping attempt if she was being guarded by him.

There was a short, uncomfortable silence that filled the distance between them.

"That's…" She stopped. Her voice cracked with the amount of strain she felt. "… I don't think I can do that."

Bakugou dropped his head into his palm.

Of course.

He'd forgotten about that.

"You're not a villain." The teen lowered his voice. "Doesn't matter what those other losers say. You tried to save my ass back there. You made sure that I didn't run out of power after we got taken too."

She'd done everything she could to aid him. At no point did she ever spare a single thought about herself.

Her kindness was something he didn't want to see destroyed.

Kagome went silent. Then he heard a faint sniff, as if the tears were starting to fall. His chest gave another tight twist in his chest.

"You say that but the reporters…"

He snapped to attention, "You're not watching that load of shit right now, are you?"

She gave a heaving sob.

Damn it.

"You know what they're saying about my father and me." Kagome tried to take a shuddering breath. "I'll just bring trouble wherever I go. They're already making petitions about having me drop out of U.A."

Her voice wavered as she spoke, "I don't know. Maybe that's all I can do right now. They're just going to keep targeting me and with Shinigami killing again, I don't think I can convince anyone that I'm not involved anymore." He could hear the breaking of her spirit with every word. "I don't think I was ever meant to be a hero."

Bakugou clenched his jaw.

This was his fault too.

If he hadn't been reckless then she wouldn't have thrown herself in the way. If he'd been stronger, then he could've saved them both. Maybe if he'd been the only one the League targeted then she would've been spared the backlash.

"Listen…" He tried to start.

Kagome went silent, "Sorry, I've got a visitor. I'll have to call you later." There was a second before she spoke once more, "And sorry Katsuki. I failed."

The line went dead.

No.

She hadn't failed. He did.

He threw his back upon his mattress. Kagome was going to need a bit of space. She had a lot of pride—she didn't like anyone seeing her cry. She thought of it as some sort of weakness.

"Idiot," He rolled to his side. "It's not your fault."

He glanced at his television.

Maybe he should turn the damn thing on. He wanted to know exactly what others were saying.

Scarlet eyes narrowed into thin slits.

This was going to piss him off, he just knew it.

His hand grasped at the cool plastic of the remote. He flipped on the screen and watched as the headlines played across the translucent glass.

This was getting worse.

Chisaki peered down at the image in front of him.

No wonder he recognized the girl so quickly. There was a lot more to her than her quirk.

"Although the students were rescued, there've been concerns about the connections one of them has to the underground villain world." Her face was blasted across the screen. The female reporter kept up a professional scowl. Her features hardened as she spoke about the young woman, "Higurashi Kagome joined U.A. last year but barely managed to avoid being expelled. Since then she's been training under several pro heroes including Endeavor."

That was news to him. Endeavor had taken her under his wing? That could pose an issue. He continued to listen intently.

"This isn't Higurashi's first run in with villains either. Her father, Higurashi Seiichi, took the name Shinigami and terrorized the streets over eighteen years ago." The reporter's tone sharpened. "It is unclear if Higurashi has had any contact with Shinigami since the attacks. However police have issued a statement declaring her to be a high risk target."

There it was.

The bloodline that bred controversy.

It didn't matter how many wonderful deeds she'd done before this. At the end of the day the media only wanted a story to run with. A girl with a murderous father and a quirk coveted by villains would make their ratings skyrocket. None of them cared about the effects it'd have on her.

He on the other hand was keenly aware of what would happen next.

He'd seen it time and time again.

Chisaki withdrew the glassy shard from his sleeve.

"This is quite interesting." He held it up to the light. The surface had shifted to a flat grey color. No pulse emanated from the object however there was still a faint hum of power rushing through it.

After analyzing the remnants of the power she'd left behind, he'd come to a startling conclusion.

Kagome's quirk didn't just enhance a person's healing ability. It boosted their overall physical and supernatural strength as well.

Her quirk was one that could act as an unlimited power source for others. A single shard was enough to compete against the effects of the quirk boosting drugs they'd concocted. Better yet, there were no lasting side effects as far as he could tell.

She was a natural source of energy that others could draw upon.

It was no wonder the League of Villains were so desperate to take her. She would've made them unstoppable.

His brows furrowed at the thought. He'd never met Shigaraki but it'd seemed as if the man was immature. His plans were flimsy—barely able to hold water against the sheer force of the heroes he'd faced time and time again. The only reason why Shigaraki had escaped capture for so long was because of the strong people he had at his command.

Adding Kagome beneath Shigaraki's thumb would only result in disaster.

From their exchange earlier, he could tell that she was an exceptionally kind person. She'd naively invited him into her home and patched up his wounds. All the while the weight of her father's actions were beginning to bear down on her.

She was lonely, and she was on the verge of breaking apart.

Chisaki sat back. Her personal circumstances were exactly what he needed right now. She was prime for a breakdown. When that happened, he'd be there—offering just the sliver of hope she'd need the most.

He had a plan and not much time to enact it.

"Currently, U.A. is constructing dormitories on site for both students and faculty. No word has been given on when the project will be finished however petitions have already begun circulating; demanding the expulsion of Higurashi Kagome." He shut off the screen.

This was exactly what he needed.

Crystallize was a rare quirk. Its benefits would nest the Shie Hassaikai a great deal of wealth and power. In combination with Eri's Rewind quirk, they'd be able to assert dominance over even the most powerful underground organizations.

Chisaki traded his plague mask for a much simpler black face mask. It'd be less startling.

He'd need Kagome's trust. In order to do that he would first need to lure her in. Latex gloves snapped into place as he pulled them taut over his fingers.

"Time to work."

Kagome sat back in her chair.

It was probably rude of her to hang up on Bakugou like she did, but she hadn't been up for any more conversation. Her heart was still twisting painfully within her chest.

Her expression grew strained.

Why was it always like this?

She couldn't escape the blame. Someone was always there—pointing the finger right back at her.

The young woman took to her feet. She couldn't stay here.

She needed out.

Kagome slipped out of the house unnoticed. No one was there to realize that she'd gone anywhere. For the past five years it'd been barren—devoid of the life and joy her family had filled it with. She tugged at the pleats of her skirt.

People on the street stopped. Their eyes narrowed at her as they began to whisper among themselves. She didn't have to hear them to know what they were saying.

Villain

She was the child who didn't have a hope in the world. She'd been cut from the cloth of a sadistic killer, therefore she too would carry that same bloodlust.

At least that's what they usually said.

Kagome lengthened her steps.

"Not much farther." The words slipped out before she could stop them. The crowd moved away from her slowly. They took a few short steps back as if to give her a wide berth while keeping a cautious eye on her movements.

The park wasn't too far from here. Just a few more blocks and then she'd be in comfortable territory. Musutafu Park was little more than a plot of grass, a few benches and a small dirt path that encircled the outer lining of its property. There were no swings or playgrounds so it was most commonly used by runners to get their daily workouts in. It was always peaceful but never truly quiet. Unlike the Higure Shrine.

Her fingers curled at the thought.

"Hey you!" A feminine voice cut through the crowd sharply.

Kagome paused mid-step. This wasn't unusual either. The vitriol that spewed from the people was always the worst. They never tempered their thoughts—unlike Aizawa who was forced to maintain a professional appearance.

The woman pushed her way forward, "You're that Higurashi kid, aren't you?" It was less of a question and more akin to an accusation.

Kagome kept her back to the stranger. She didn't want to see the hate in their eyes. She didn't want to be despised.

The woman gripped her shoulder with a firm hand, "Just what the hell are you trying to pull? My brother goes to U.A., do you want to put people like him in danger too?"

Kagome fought back against a flinch. Her nails were sharp; digging into her shoulder and tearing at flesh.

"It's because of you that he keeps getting targeted! Why don't you do everyone else the favor and just drop out. At least then you could join your daddy without putting anyone else at risk!" She tried to spin her around.

Kagome held firm.

That's what everyone wanted, wasn't it?

"You expect me to just give up?" Her voice sounded soft even to herself. She was mildly surprised when the stranger responded to her.

"What other choice do you have? You're a curse." The woman snarled through clenched teeth. "You'll never become a hero."

Kagome tried to step forward.

The hand on her shoulder jerked her back sharply. Her body stilled as a painful 'pop' emanated from the woman's grip. She bit down into her bottom lip, smacking her hand away reactively.

"Don't touch me!" The command cane as a desperate scream.

Her shoulder.

It was on fire!

Had the woman dislocated it? Kagome braced her palm over it, wincing as a needle of pain shot through her.

It hurt!

The stranger drew back. For the first time fear reflected in her gaze. Not for what she'd done. It was as abject fear of retribution.

Kagome held her arm close to her body to prevent it from jostling.

"Just leave me alone." She walked forward once more. That time she was not impeded.

Her shoulder alternated between burning and throbbing; each thrill of pain causing her to wince. She couldn't leave it like this.

Kagome dragged herself away from the prying eyes of the crowd. She slipped between two buildings, hiding herself behind a few dumpsters as the people began to talk amongst themselves.

Life resumed around her as if nothing had happened; as if she didn't exist.

Her shoulder gave another painful throb. She slumped against the hard, brick wall behind her.

Cursed.

Maybe there was some truth to that woman's accusation. Death and despair followed her wherever she went.

Kagome gripped her shoulder. She needed to get it back into place. Going to a clinic was out of the question. If she did then Aizawa would know that she left without an escort. Her quirk wouldn't work either.

"Something happen?" A familiar voice intoned behind her.

The young woman jumped. Her shoulder jostled and a trill of pain ran through her. Kagome clutched at it, she hunched down as she tried to fight through the pain.

"You dislocated it?" The man from this morning crouched beside her. He'd dropped the plague mask in favor of a regular one this time. She could see a few more of his features like this. She had to admit that he was quite handsome. At least in the way that stone statues were. Cold, yet beautiful.

"I think," She responded, grimacing as another lance of pain shot through her.

He peeled the latex glove from one of his hands.

"I'm going to use my quirk. It'll fix it. Just keep your eyes closed in the mean time." The way he spoke was very clinical—as if he were merely listing off the daily weather report.

She shot him a cautious look, "Your quirk?"

"It's called Overhaul," The man began. "It allows me to break down matter and reconstruct it. It's not a pleasant experience but it'll take care of that injury."

She'd never heard of such a thing before. She'd seen Shigaraki's decaying quirk but never anything quite like what he was saying.

Kagome gave him a brief smile, "Guess I'll just have to trust you."

There was an odd flicker in his gaze at that. As if he were struggling to comprehend her willingness to place that much faith in him so quickly.

She felt his palm press against her shoulder followed by a deep, encompassing darkness.

Her consciousness began to slip away.

So this was what it was like to be broken.

It was peaceful.

Chisaki waited as her body reconstructed itself.

He'd gotten lucky.

He'd been on his way back to the Higure Shrine when he'd heard the commotion. At first he'd thought it was another run of the mill villain attack, but then he saw her at the center of the crowd.

She was being surrounded, berated and assaulted. It wasn't that much of a surprise to see people turning on her. As far as they were concerned, she was a heralder of unwanted change. The very symbol of something they couldn't quite understand.

Kagome on the other hand didn't come off as the type of person who could handle that sort of vitriol. She had a strangely gentle vibe to her—one that could've only been fostered in her youth with her grandfather.

He spent the last few hours researching her background; so much so that he knew it'd been her grandfather that'd done the heavy lifting in her raising. According to previous interviews with the locals, Higurashi Norio had been an eccentric man who'd instilled a great sense of kindness in both his daughter and granddaughter.

Perhaps that'd been Norio's greatest flaw. He'd been so busy teaching his family about warm and kindness that he never stopped to consider their protection. Now Kagome's naïveté would be the thing he needed most. Taking advantage of good people was easy when they trusted you.

Chisaki had observed her as she'd fled into a back alley. He'd known that this would be his only opportunity to get her alone. So he'd gone after her. If he wanted any of his plans to come to fruition then her quirk would be absolutely necessary, but first he'd need the girl's trust. To do that he would take full advantage of whatever he could.

He had slid into the shadows of the alley. The girl was being ostracized by society. Because of her bloodline the heroes didn't trust her. Because of her quirk villains wanted to use her. Because of those two conflicts, she was now at the center of change for their society as they knew it.

She was a catalyst of new thought amongst the heroes, sparking followers of Stain's ideology to take notice.

Was she doomed to repeat her father's mistakes? Could a person cut from the same cloth as a notorious killer truly become a hero that saves lives instead? Her connections were still an unknown factor in this.

The League of Villains had tried and failed to capture her. Now they were suffering the consequences of Shinigami's fury.

Chisaki scratched his chin at that thought.

Clearly there was a disconnect between what Kagome wanted and her father's actions.

He paused as her eyes slowly opened once more. Her body had been pieced back together flawlessly. It was a bit overkill to use it for such a small injury but he'd take his one chance at earning her trust.

Chisaki watched as she rolled her shoulder experimentally.

"It's healed…" Her tone couldn't hide the shock that she felt.

He slid his gloves back over his hands.

She was a strange person in many ways.

"That's pretty amazing, ah…" Kagome paused as she realized that he'd never given her his name.

"Kai Chisaki, but you can call me Overhaul." He helped her to her feet. As expected the hives still had not made a return. There was something different about her. Something that separated her from the rest of the human filth.

Kagome pursed her lips, "Aw but Chisaki is such a cool name! I mean Overhaul is too, but I like Chisaki better."

She had an odd exuberance to her personality. For someone who'd just had their shoulder dislocated, she was being particularly cheerful.

Chisaki slid his arm around her slender frame, "I believe that we still have a conversation to finish." He didn't miss the bright flush that crossed her features. His action was not one meant to be romantic. Far from it. This would simply make it easier for him to guide her where he wished. Not to mention the fact that his appearance alone would draw attention away from her.

He wanted to get her away from the crowd as quietly as possible.

Kagome shook her head, as if throwing a thought out of her mind.

"Ah, yeah, we could go back to the shrine for that. It's a lot less crowded."

He felt her hand grip at the cloth of his shirt timidly.

Chisaki led her through the back alleys towards a less populated section of the street.

"Then let's go," His grip tightened. "There's a few things I wanted to ask you."

He saw her face pale a little at that.

Now the real task would begin.

Kagome wasn't sure what was worse, bringing a random guy back to her house alone or the fact that he was already draping his arm over her.

She wouldn't deny the fact that she found him attractive. Even with the mask that covered his face, she could tell that Chisaki carried a sensual quality about him. He was calm, took control of situations easily and managed to get her to lower her guard. Granted that last one wasn't too difficult. Bakugou often scolded her for being too friendly with strangers. Even Midoriya had joined him on that at least once previously.

Her face grew warm as the muscles of his arm and bicep tightened around her. She could practically feel his body heat like this. It was both intimate and intimidating.

She really needed to get her head on straight before she did something stupid.

Kagome led them back up the lengthy stairway to the Higure Shrine. Despite its lack of visitors, she'd done her best to keep it well maintained. It often gave her something to distract her mind when the silence became too unbearable.

They crested the top of the stairway, crossed the courtyard before finally returning to her home. His arm dropped to his side the second they'd entered. It was oddly discomforting to have it gone so suddenly. Her face flushed at the thought.

"Ah, I'll go make us some tea. Did you have any preference?" The young woman peered over at him curiously.

Chisaki took up the same spot at her table as before, "Sencha if you wouldn't mind."

She flashed him a bright grin, "Coming right up!"

It'd been a long time since she's had true visitors at the shrine. Usually Bakugou, Kirishima or Midoriya stopped by for some additional training exercises. With the mountainside being so vast and sprawling, they often took weekends camping out in the wilderness as part of their training. It was fun but she'd always known that it wouldn't last forever.

She blinked as the tea pot gave a high pitched squeal.

"Looks like it's done," She poured them each a cup before taking a seat across from the strange male.

"There's a few things I wanted to ask you regarding your quirk," Chisaki led them into a conversation easily. "You mentioned that Crystallize contains healing properties but that's not all, is it?" His golden gaze pierced through her as he spoke.

It was so unusual, she felt as if her very soul were being stripped bare under that penetrative glance.

Her face flushed in spite of herself, "It's got several uses. The most noticeable of which is its density. As a mineral it's too difficult to mine so its financial value is currently at an all time high." She ran her palm down the length of her forearm. "Because it's apart of me, I can manipulate its structure easily. Usually if things get tight financially, I'll just sell one or two figurines to make ends meet."

That was something the school could never help her with. Ever since her grandfather's death five years ago, she'd been left to deal with all the responsibility of owning a home. Including all the financial burdens that came with it.

Her fingers flexed then curled, "In battle, it can create a near impenetrable barrier. It has a high melting point and it's resistant to sudden changes in temperatures." The young woman lifted her head to meet his eyes. "The only problem is that it's so heavy that I can only cover a small portion of myself for a short time. If I push it too far then it'll damage both my joints and ligaments due to the strain."

Chisaki braced his chin on his interlaced fingers, "So you make up for the lack of defense for a strong offensive strategy. Very clever."

Kagome chewed on her bottom lip. Something about the way he was looking at her made her insides feel both chilled and heated. She wasn't sure if she really wanted to continue this train of conversation.

"That's not its only advantage, now is it?" His fingers plucked the straps of his face mask away from his ears. The cloth fell onto the table listlessly—her gaze riveted towards the handsome face that'd been hidden by it previously.

Kagome froze.

The man lifted the cup to his lips. She observed as he drank a little before setting it down and piercing her with that same sharp stare.

Why was it so hard to breathe?

"What exactly do you mean?" Her question was met by the faintest uptick of his lips.

"I mean that I now understand why the League of Villains were so interested in getting you." He was standing next to her before she could blink. Gloveless fingers trailed along the line of her jaw, forcing her to lean back just to meet his eyes. When had he taken them off?

"I noticed it during the broadcast of that fight but I wasn't sure until this morning after I analyzed a shard on my own." His thumb stopped just at the corner of her jaw. "You possess a rare quirk boosting ability."

His eyes thinned as he spoke, "All you have to do is create a single shard and give it to someone else. After that your power will work as an enhancer—boosting the other person's quirk to two or three times as powerful as it was before." His hand remained where it was, keeping her rooted to her seat. "I'm curious as to how you've kept it secret all this time. Surely it would've benefitted you if you'd been able to use it freely."

Her face paled.

He'd figured it out.

"You really have had to work extra hard, haven't you?" His eyes slid towards the photographs that lined the walls of her home. "You've been struggling to separate yourself from your father's legacy of death, but it's a lot more difficult than it should be." He pulled her to her feet, his hand never releasing its grip upon her jaw.

Chisaki trailed one finger over the shoulder he'd healed earlier.

"You already know, don't you?" His voice lowered. "You've been cast into the role of a villain by this society. It wouldn't matter if you became a hero who saved lives. You've already done that much with Bakugou Katsuki."

Kagome stilled at the mention of his name.

"Yet you're taking even more criticism now than you did before. Are the professors even aware that you've been sustaining injuries any time you go out in public?" The sharpness in the man's gaze caused her insides to turn to ice.

"How did…?" Her question died upon the tip of her tongue.

How'd he know?

He pressed the pad of his thumb at the corner of her lips, "Information is available anywhere so long as you offer the right price." He stepped forward, forcing her back against the wall. Like this his body towered over her. His very figure became a chain that held her in place, preventing her from moving. "In your case, you usually go to a small clinic just around the corner. They don't report incidences to the school, so that leaves you able to wander around more freely. This month alone you suffered several dislocated joints and even a laceration here." He rubbed his finger over her shoulder once more.

"Police have given up on you. Society spits on you. The heroes have no idea what to do with you." He angled his head towards hers. "Is this a fight you really want to keep facing? Can you truly strive to save those who would revile your very existence?"

Chisaki was right.

At least to some degree.

No one knew what to do with her. U.A. had merely passed her between courses and professors in the hope of 'rounding out' her education. In reality they simply didn't have room for her. Class 2-B wanted nothing to do with her. Class 3-A was too advanced for her to keep up. Then there was Class 1-A whom she'd spent most of her time with. Everyone there was so talented that she often felt like she was falling behind.

When she'd been shipped to Endeavor for a work study, he'd taken the time to teach her the basics of fighting that she lacked before. He was an intense man but she'd been grateful that he hadn't looked at her as a villain, but a student. It'd be easier to say that he saw potential in her and had wanted to foster that growth in his own way.

Now that the work study had been suspended, she had no idea what would happen. Would she be sent back to 1-A? Would she be reassigned to another professor? She had no clue.

His mouth traced hers in the barest hint of a kiss.

She jumped back, startled by the suddenness of the action.

"What are you doing?" Kagome managed to find her voice. It sounded so weak even to her own ears.

Chisaki dipped his head down once more, "Giving you something this society cannot." Golden eyes narrowed into thin slits.

They both paused at the sound of her phone going off. The man moved back just far enough to grab it from the table, but not far enough to allow her the chance to run.

He passed it into her awaiting hands.

"Answer it." Chisaki's command caused her to flinch.

Kagome glanced at the name that flashed across the screen.

Midoriya

She bit into her bottom lip.

She was scared.

Midoriya furrowed his brows.

It'd been a few days since he'd heard from Kagome. He'd known that she'd been taking the whole kidnapping incident pretty hard. She already took a fair share of blame whenever anything happened at U.A. So he'd gotten concerned.

The news reports he'd seen this morning hadn't helped matters either. It was evident that both the public and authorities were pegging her as a high risk target. For better or worse, she was wanted by all sorts of villains.

By the fifth ring he heard her voice pick up on the other end of the line.

"Higurashi, are you alright?" The teen launched into his line of questioning. "I saw some of the reports this morning so I was a little worried."

He heard ragged breathing—as if she were holding back tears. His heart twisted in his chest. Had she been crying before this? She wasn't the sort of person who liked showing her weakness to others. The only person who'd ever gotten close in that regard was Bakugou.

"Sorry, I'm fine. Just a little overwhelmed." He heard her take a calming breath. "I didn't mean to worry you. I actually got a call from Katsuki this morning too." She gave a tiny laugh at that, "I guess you guys really are on the same wavelength."

There was something odd in the way she was talking. As if there was a faint uptick of nervousness with every word she spoke.

His fingers curled into his palm.

"Higurashi," He lowered his voice just in case. "If you're in trouble then I need you to say the words 'Plus Ultra'." The teen pushed forward, "Your breathing has been really ragged and you've been sounding scared this entire time. I understand if you're not in a position to explain anything but I need to know. Do you need help?"

Something was wrong.

He didn't know what or why, but he could simply feel that something was inherently off about the way she was talking right now. It was as if she were monitoring every single thing she spoke—as if to avoid giving out too much information. Not to mention how quiet it was. Even when she was alone at the shrine he could usually hear the low hum of a television or music on the background. Now there was nothing.

His gaze hardened, "Higurashi, where are you right now?"

Kagome remained silent.

He could hear some shuffling on the other end of the line before she spoke.

"I'm at the Shrine. Don't worry about me, Izuku. Just focus on yourself. You can't go Plus Ultra if you spend too much time looking behind you." The line went dead.

She said it.

His heart stopped in his chest.

Midoriya dialed a second number, that time he only had to wait once before the other person answered.

"What do you want, Deku?" The low growl normally would've made him flinch but not this time.

His voice hardened, "I think there's trouble. Meet me at the Higure Shrine."

Bakugou snapped to attention. He was quiet for only a short second before responding.

"I'll be there."

The line went dead.

Midoriya tucked it back into his pocket. He only hoped that they wouldn't be too late.

Chisaki peered down at the young woman. She was trapped between his body and the wall but he knew well enough that she wouldn't leave without a fight. Knowing her, she'd likely given her friend a code word in that last conversation. Unfortunately for her, he'd already anticipated such a move.

He dipped his mouth towards hers, "This won't hurt, but I'm going to need your cooperation. Don't make a scene and walk quietly." He'd rather she had left with him willingly but he neither had the time nor luxury of working his way beneath her emotional barriers. He'd have to set that as his first priority after he took her back to the compound.

Kagome tucked her hands close to her chest protectively.

"Who are you?" Her question was met with the sharpening of his gaze.

Chisaki braced both palms on either side of her head, "I already gave you my name and my alias, but if you want to know my affiliation then that would be the Shie Hassaikai." He leaned down towards her once more, "You see, as yakuza we don't have much clout anymore. Ever since heroes took to the streets, we've been relegated to a mere shadow of our former glory. I, however, have a plan to change that. A plan that requires you."

His work with Eri's quirk was still a long way from completion. Thus far they could only temporarily erase quirks. It would be a few months yet before they could fully secure the results that they wanted. Results that would require money and power to achieve.

That was where Kagome's quirk would come in handy.

"You said it yourself. You're a walking generator. You can add both financial and offensive support to whatever group you're teamed with. It's impossible to watch as your worth is simply wasted away on a society that would rather spit on you." Just a little more and she would start to crack.

"How'd you figure it out so quickly. We only met this morning." Her voice trembled as she spoke. "I hardly did anything."

Chisaki held firm, "I took one of the shards that you dispersed. After running a few diagnostics, it wasn't hard to figure out." His eyes narrowed at the slight protrusion of marred flesh beneath her sleeve. He lowered his hand and pushed the cloth back. The skin was burned a deep shade of scarlet—as if she'd sustained the injury in her last fight.

"That day when the League took you, you allowed yourself to be burned by that boy's quirk just so you could give him a shard." He rubbed the pad of his thumb over the scar. It'd be easy to fix, yet that wasn't what he was here for. "You risked injury to yourself just to keep him in the battle. You fed him your power, healed his wounds and even used some defensive maneuvers to aid him. Your power isn't one that should be snubbed."

Chisaki bored his gaze into hers, "It's because of you that Bakugou Katsuki is alive and free. It's because of your power that you managed to save him. Yet look where you are now." He pressed just body flush against hers, holding her hostage to the wall behind her. He used his free hand to pin her wrist beside her head.

"How many lives do you have to save before you can erase your father's sins?" He needed to keep needling her. The more he pried, the easier she'd break. When that happened she would willingly choose him over the rest of the human filth. "You don't have to keep doing this to yourself. You could have something more than just scorn."

Kagome still shivered beneath his grip. Her face had gone pale and her lips quivered. She likely didn't fully grasp the severity of her situation. There was the slightest flicker of determination in her eyes; as if she were pinning all of her hope on the boy who'd spoken to her mere moments ago.

He'd have to fix that.

"You're asking me to go with you. To join the yakuza." Her palms pressed at his chest. It was a mild attempt at putting some space between them but he refused to move. His feet were rooted to the spot as his eyes thinned at her dangerously.

"Who's asking?" He dropped his mouth to the shell of her ear. "You have two options. You can either walk out of here with me freely, or I can use force on you. Either way, I'm not leaving without you, Higurashi Kagome."

Another shiver wracked her body. That time he knew he'd pierced her.

"It's your choice but our time is limited. It won't be long before those friends of yours will show up." Chisaki traced the pad of his thumb along the point of her wrist.

"I can't…!"

He silenced her complaint by slanting his mouth over hers roughly. He'd known that this would happen. She'd fight him. She wouldn't willingly abandon her hopes and dreams just yet. No matter, he would have plenty of time to break her of that habit. For now he simply needed to capture her.

The young man pushed his tongue past the seam of her lips. He felt her free hand grip at his shoulder as he forced her head to angle a little further.

Uncoiling his tongue, he slid a capsule into her mouth and forced her to take it.

This was his last resort.

He'd use his own body as a method of induction.

"What was that?" A spark of panic was evident in her tone. She tried to turn her head and cough but it was already too late.

He took both of her wrists within his palms, "A numbing agent. You'll maintain consciousness but moving will be difficult for you. I hadn't wanted to use force so quickly but there wasn't much of a choice. I'll explain more about my plan after we make it back." Chisaki curled his arms around her body as she fell against him limply. "I think you're going to want see what I have to show you. It'll be enlightening."

Chisaki lifted her into his arms.

Kagome was secure. Now all that was left was to get her back to the compound. He slid his mask back over his face before making his way outside.

This was going to be a long night.

Bakugou hadn't run so fast in his entire life. His lungs burned as he created the top of the shrine steps.

He should've known something was up. The shrine never had visitors. So she'd either just wanted to throw him off the phone or someone had shown up on her doorstep.

His heart gave another painful twist.

"Deku!" He called to his childhood friend.

The other teen was already waiting for him. Beside him, All Might scanned the courtyard cautiously.

"Kacchan," Midoriya turned to address him. "When was the last time you talked to Higurashi?"

His brows furrowed at that, "This morning. Now explain what the hell you meant. What happened?"

"I'd like to know that as well," All Might interjected.

Midoriya took a breath through his nose, "I saw all the reports coming out today. So I was worried about her. I called Higurashi about an hour ago but she seemed off." He glanced down at his palm. "It sounded like she was on the verge of crying and she almost seemed scared of something."

Bakugou's insides turned to ice. She hadn't acted like that on their call. She'd still tried to be cheerful at first. Even when she'd gotten upset, she hadn't appeared scared.

"So I told her that if she was in trouble to say the words 'plus ultra'." His hand curled into a tight fist.

All Might narrowed his eyes, "She did, didn't she?"

Midoriya nodded firmly, "She kept it subtle but she said it. I think someone had been there with her. It'd be safe to assume that the League of Villains might be connected to this."

All Might folded his arms over his chest, "Which was why you asked both of us to come along. Kid, I've got to get the police involved in this one. This is out of our jurisdiction even a heroes."

"I know that!" Midoriya's voice carried over more loudly than he intended. "But you've seen what they've been saying. If we reported this without evidence then they'd just label her as a traitor."

"Which is why we're here," Bakugou finished for him. "We find that evidence then submit it to the police." It was a desperate move. Neither of them had their provisional licenses yet. They couldn't officially get caught up in this investigation.

Not that it mattered in the first place.

Bakugou tucked his hands into his pockets, "I'm going to check the house. Midoriya you start searching the forest. All Might you've got the old well house. If we're lucky the bastards would've left something behind."

His fingers flexed at his side.

Kagome was in danger. That was the only thing he cared about. He didn't give a damn about what he had to do.

One way or another he would save her.

He owed her that much.

Her limbs were numb.

Chisaki hadn't lied about keeping her conscious. She could still hear and see, but her body felt so heavy. The man kept one arm around her shoulders as he pulled her flush against his side.

The scenery passed by them in a blur. She couldn't hard read the street signs before they'd disappear behind them.

"You shouldn't strain yourself," His words were low. "We'll be arriving soon."

He'd brought them to a car that'd been waiting at the bottom of the hill. She shouldn't have been so surprised that he'd having something like that planned, but it still stunned her.

Unlike with the League of Villains, she didn't have any support in this fight. Plus with her limbs completely numbed, she couldn't use her quirk effectively either. About the only thing she could do was observe her surroundings carefully. Then when the opportunity presented itself, she'd make a break for it.

That was her only choice.

"You're being awfully impatient." A male voice intoned from the driver's seat. She couldn't see the other person but she felt Chisaki shift, pulling her closer to him—keeping her from getting a good view.

"There wasn't much choice. Once the dorms are finish we would've lost our only chance." Golden eyes slid towards her coolly. "You'll have to forgive the harsh method we had to employ. Your quirk is simply that necessary for our goals."

Kagome could only listen as he spoke.

"The Shie Hassaikai is striving to regain its power. In order to do that we need money and strength." His arm tightened over her. "We've already made some headway but things are progressing slowly."

Which was where her Crystallization quirk would come in. She could feed them a steady source of income and boost the overall strength of its members.

An icy feeling settled in her stomach.

They pulled into a gated courtyard. The car rolled to a stop as she heard the iron gates begin to slam shut behind them. The house looked more like a prison than a home with how tall and imposing the walls were. Although she supposed that there wasn't much difference between the two at this point.

Chisaki exited the vehicle. His shadow walked around to the side where she'd been seated.

She couldn't even move a finger. It was pathetic how vulnerable she actually was right now. Bakugou would never stop yelling at her if he saw this.

Kagome could only watch as Chisaki brought her into his arms. Her cheek rested against his shoulder as he started to carry her inside. Her throat wouldn't work. The words wouldn't come no matter how much she tried to speak.

The man in the driver seat walked behind them. She couldn't see all of his features but she spotted a crown of white hair.

"She's feverish," Chisaki commented as her forehead rolled towards the crook of his neck. "Get some ice ready. It's probably stress related."

Kagome was mildly surprised that he'd managed to pick up on it. Her body was on fire and her thoughts were muddled, but she knew that she couldn't risk passing out just yet. She had to observe. She had to watch which route he took carefully.

The young woman struggled to keep her eyes open. Her vision blurred together as she felt him carry her through an array of twists and turns.

Left. Right. Right. Left. Stairs. Left.

She tried to remember the exact turn he took.

She had to remember.

It was the only way she'd escape.

Her eyes snapped open.

No. She couldn't. There was someone else. Someone that desperately needed her.

"Eri…" Her voice strained against the pressure of the numbing agent.

Chisaki glanced at her, "So you've figured it out. No matter. You'll see Eri in due time. Right now you need to rest."

His bare palm rested over her eyes. She felt her back hit a mattress gently as he stood over her.

"We'll talk once you're temperature goes down." He leaned over, pressing his mouth close to her ear. "Rest."

Kagome's body went limp. Her consciousness faded as the world around her grew warm.

She had to escape with Eri. There was no other option.

Bakugou searched the house carefully. There had to be some kind of clue left behind. People didn't just vanish without a trace.

He fought to keep his hands from trembling.

"Focus!" The young man snapped. He strolled through the lower level of the house carefully.

Kagome always left the television or music on at all times. It was a strange habit she developed to avoid the sound of silence. Being here by himself, he could kind of understand it. There was an eerie quality to the home—as if it were merely a standing reminder of the happy times the Higurashi Family left behind.

His gaze slid towards the kitchen. She mentioned something about a visitor. Knowing her, she'd probably invited some stranger inside and offered them tea. It was a bad habit he hadn't been able to break her of.

It'd terrified him to see her prance off with people she knew next to nothing about. Her grandfather had done her a huge disservice by forcing his outdated ideals of human nature onto her. Kagome had confided to him once that there'd been an incident in her youth where a man had wanted her to follow him. She'd gotten uncomfortable and run back to her grandfather. When she told him about what'd happened, he'd scolded her for not trusting the stranger and ignoring his request.

Bakugou wasn't sure if Higurashi Norio was naïve or simply stupid. However after she told him that, her behavior sudden began to make sense.

He'd spent the last several months trying to reteach her important self-preservation skills. Still, it seemed as if Kagome was entirely too trusting of others. That was both her strength and her greatest weakness.

His eyes dropped to the pair of cups still resting young the dining table.

He'd been right.

A sickening feeling coiled in his stomach.

Someone had taken her.

"Kacchan!" He heard Midoriya's faint cry from outside. "I found something!"

Bakugou's feet carried him out the door faster than he could think. He slid to a stop next to his childhood friend. Scarlet eyes followed line where Midoriya was pointing to.

Scraps of twisted plastic and shattered glass was spread across the ground. He crouched down to get a closer look.

"It looks like her phone just burst apart." He prevented himself from touching any of the pieces. "There's no way she could've done this."

All Might approached them from behind, "There wasn't anything in the well house so I'd say that it's safe to assume that they hadn't gone in there." His eyes narrowed at the debris, "Did someone use their quirk to do this?"

The notion was unsettling.

Shigaraki could use his quirk to make anything he touched turn to ash. There was no way he'd be responsible for this. Plus as forgiving as Kagome was, he doubted that even she'd be willing to invite him in for tea. She had some sense to her.

It has to be someone she trusted. Someone she must've met recently.

Bakugou scratched at his chin thoughtfully.

"Do we know who her visitor was? We find that out and we might be able to figure out what happened." He cocked his head towards the house. "She met with someone she trusted enough to be alone with. That scratched off anyone from the League of Villains. Plus it looks like they used something to keep her from fighting."

All Might's expression darkened, "You think she might've been drugged?"

Bakugou felt his heart twist painfully at the thought, "It's a possibility but she'd be a fairly easy target to isolate. She's trusting of strangers and would walk off with one if they had a convincing enough argument."

Midoriya paled, "She still has that habit? I thought we'd talked to her."

"Habits don't break that easily. Especially not for her." He tucked his hands into his pockets, "You've got to remember that her grandfather was the one who scolded her if she didn't help strangers. So she's emulating him."

Midoriya lowered his head, "She was right there, asking for help. There's gotta be something that we can do."

Bakugou paused.

The League didn't have her so who did that leave? Who would want to take Kagome and for what reason?

Tendrils of ice shot down his spine.

No, that wasn't quite right. Who would have the power to take Kagome? Who would have a quirk capable of shattering a phone and preventing her from fighting back? Who would have the most to gain by keeping her alive?

Did they simply want her or was it some sort of ploy to draw in Shinigami?

All Might clapped a palm on both of their shoulders.

"There isn't much else we can do here. I've called Tsukauchi to drop by and check things out." The man began to urge them towards the stairs. "You both did so well but right now we need to trust the police to handle this. If she's been taken by someone other than the League of Villains then they'll be able to figure out how and why."

His voice lowered, "This is also part of being hero. You have to know when to step down and let the police do their job."

Azure eyes shifted towards the shrine behind them, "She's a tough kid. Knowing her, she'll probably give them a run for their money. We just have to wait until then."

His fists clenched at his sides.

No.

This wasn't right.

He wanted to save her.

A/n: Okay so before the question comes up, Kagome is actually eighteen years old. I'll go into that a bit more in the next chapter and how that happened since it'll be related to her quirk. Now for starters, this story will be tackling some heavy topics. I don't want to spoil it but overall it's going to be a tough ride. Especially since this Overhaul that we're talking about here.

I'd originally wanted to make this a one-shot but a few friends managed to convince me to separate things out into multiple chapters. I know there's probably a lot of questions that'll pop up right now so feel free to drop them in the reviews. I'll try to respond as much as I can and tackle other aspects like Kagome's father, how he became a villain and why he left in the first place. So hopefully I'll be able to do more world building next.

As always, thanks so much guys! You're all so amazing!