Before and after the whole rescue fiasco, Camie had been going back to school, though she was aware of what was going on.

She'd expected Kali Moto to continue terrorizing her, but Moto didn't crank it up at all. The other students acted very awkward of Camie since, the last they'd heard, she'd completely lost it and blown up at Kali, but they treated her gingerly because of that instead of bugging her. They thought she might snap at them.

Only one or two thought they could have perhaps been too harsh on her and pushed her to snap, but they didn't express that to her directly--they were too embarrassed.

Camie felt rather snubbed by everyone, which drove her to stay in touch with her UA friends even more. She was thrilled to hear the deets about Todoroki and Momo from Mina, who was watching it all like a hawk.

Though it made her a little bit jelly...

After the whole Dabi thing hit the news, Camie had to listen to her class talk about it and criticize Dabi pretty strongly.

"If I were that Shoto Todoroki, I'd just die of shame over all this," one girl said.

"I can't imagine how awful it must be for him," a different one agreed.

They didn't know anything, Camie thought to herself.

"So quiet, Utsushimi," Moto surprised her by saying, "I'd expect you of all people to be going beserk over this hot gossip." She leaned on her desk lazily. "It's almost like you're not even stunned."

"Ah, Camie is never stunned by anything," one of the more laid back students (for this school) said.

"Yeah, you know me, nerves of steel," Camie said, but she didn't like the way Moto was looking at her like she knew something.

Moto shrugged. "Must be nice to be so calm about news like this, but I think it's a real tragedy. That kind of scum being related to the number 1 hero? Just think if it was true. I mean, what kind of dark sinister past must Endeavor's family have?"

"I didn't think about that," one of the girls shuddered.

"I don't know," Shishikura said, "Sometimes there are just bad seeds. We should not be so quick to judge the No. 1 hero."

"Perhaps," Moto said, "Something must really be wrong with Dabi, then. Of course, there's something wrong with anyone who kills that many people... I hope he goes to prison for the rest of his life." She glanced at Camie. "After all, people like that, they can never really change."

Camie shrugged nonchalantly, but inwardly she was freaking out.

What the heck was this girl's problem?

She didn't get the answer that day. It wasn't till after Dabi's interviews had begun that Moto mentioned it again.

Camie was just shutting her locker when the other girl came and leaned on the one next to her.

"So I guess that ex-Todoroki probably has been evaluated by now," she said, running her ever present nail file through her hand.

"Like, idk, fahm. I don't think they announce stuff like that," Camie said.

Moto leaned in. "Yeah, but you know, don't you, Utsushimi?"

Camie's hand on her locker slipped a little. "What a crazy thing to say," she laughed, "What are you on right now?"

"Oh, please, Camie." Moto used her first name in a belittling way. "Don't play dumber than you already are. I'm not stupid. You have close contact with UA, don't you? And you're familiar with Shoto Todoroki and his friends, who certainly must be familiar with Dabi. I'm sure you have all the...hot tea, as you call it."

"Like, Todobroki doesn't just spill that to me," Camie said.

"Oh, sure." Moto didn't believe her. "Well, what I'd give to have your connections, Camie. A pity you don't know how to use them the right way."

"Girl, you are seriously creeping me out," Camie said, backing up from her locker, "Can you dial it back a little? You're way extra right now."

"Oh, stop babbling, you imbecile." Moto got a hard look in her eyes. "Don't think I've forgotten out little feud. I'm just way more interested in other things right now. I don't have time for you. But one day, Camie, I'll get back at you."

"Back at me? You started this!" Camie said. "I never did anything to you, and you turned the class against me, you hurt my friends, and you've been a real b---- in general, and for what?"

Boy, did she want to yell all that, but she'd forgotten how Moto took insults---poorly.

She snapped her file in half, making Camie wince.

"I wouldn't throw around names, Utsushimi," she said snidely, "but you're right--I've always been able to get people to do whatever I want." She tilted her head menacingly. "It's kind of funny, really. I pull one tiny thread and everything comes undone."

Camie felt a little sick. "Are you admitting you did that on purpose?"

"I'm sure even a dolt like you figured that out by now." Moto was unconcerned. "I like to show people where their place is, and yours is under me, Utsushimi. You know what I hate about you? It's how you don't ever understand who's better than you. Always so carefree about it. Someone had to put you where you belong...the bottom."

"You...have serious issues." Camie wasn't even speaking cavalierly anymore.

Moto snorted. "Do I? Or do you? You're pretty easy to exploit, you know. But don't worry, Camie." She tossed the file in the trash. "I'm not going to bother you anymore. In fact, I'm going to leave you alone from this moment onward, if you just answer me one question."

What the heck was she on about?

Camie didn't say yes. She just waited. This ought to be good.

But she wasn't ready for what it turned out to be.

"Those supervisor your friends have, they knew about Dabi all along, right?" Moto said.

Camie was speechless.

"Huh?" she said finally.

"I mean, it would have been so simple for them to hide him, right?" Moto said, "Wasn't he there with the Meta fight. I mean, hasn't the LOV been helping them?"

Camie really was speechless now.

"Your silence is interesting, could indicate either shock at the very idea of what I'm saying," Moto said coolly, "or shock at me guessing it right. But given how well I know your idiotic rambling whenever you really are confused, I'm inclined to think it's the second one. Am I correct?"

Camie rubbed her head. "I seriously don't know what you're talking about," she said.

That was only half a lie. She was very lost right now.

"Doesn't matter. I already know I'm right," Moto said.

"If you think that, like, how?" Camie said, "Where would you ever get such a weirda-- idea?"

"Please, Camie, more than one person can play at that observation game," Moto said, "but don't worry. I'm not going to go to the police with what I know. Where's the fun in that?" She smiled very unpleasantly. "I just thought you'd enjoy sharing this little secret with me. Ta ta." She walked away.

Camie was rooted to her spot for a while, before she dashed out of the locker room and home as fast as she could. As soon as she was there, she dialed Bakugo.

"Bro, we need to talk, stat!" she said.

* * *

"How in the h--- did that psycho b---- know all that?" Bakugo raged a short time later, when Camie was at UA and had shakily repeated all she could remember of that conversation to them.

Shine was puzzled too. "I didn't think any shots of Dabi by the rest of us were in the stuff on the news... Shigaraki didn't appear at all. He was farther out of sight of the town, I think...so I'm not sure how she'd ever guess it was more than just Dabi, unless that was all she meant."

"That girl is seriously the scariest person in this world," Wally shivered, "but it's a pretty wild claim to make without evidence. Even if she started a rumor, who would buy it?"

"I'm concerned that someone put it together that Camie might know things just because she knows us," Shoto said.

"But why would she say she'd not tell anyone, if she hates you?" Momo asked, "I mean, I'm only saying because she's been so hostile to you."

"I don't know." Camie hugged her knees and rocked back and forth. "I don't get it. She's just messing with my head again."

Shine hugged her lightly. "Don't worry too much yet. We're all going to work together."

Camie sighed. "Why would she care, though? About you guys? I don't want her to try to hurt you again."

"You think we're scared of her?!" Bakugo scoffed.

"Maybe we should be. We don't know how much she really knows," Shoto said.

Shine thought about it for a minute.

"You know, kids," she said finally, "this is one of those times where you know you can't do anything about it, and you just have to accept that and commit it to the Lord. I know, you heroes aren't going to like that, but we can't attack her, and we can't stop her. We must pray she'll be foiled if she is planning to use this, but she may be the type to just enjoy the thrill of having something on us. She started this. The next move is hers. She'll expect us to do something. Let's not give her the satisfaction of it."

No one, least of all the two boys, liked that idea.

"Maybe that's true," Wally said, finally, "I don't see what we could do. If we tried to talk to her, I bet she'd just say we threatened or harassed her, the little vixen."

"Vixen?" Camie said, "What's that?"

"Girl fox," Shine said.

"I didn't even know that," Wally said.

"Like you didn't know cur meant dog?" Shine must have been referencing something. Wally seemed a little miffed. 

"Hey, it's not like anyone explains this stuff."

"It's why I read," Shine said, "so I can explain it."

"And feel smug," Bakugo said.

"Of course--but would you believe me if I told you I just enjoy making people smarter?" Shine said.

"From you? Yeah, it sounds like one of your weird hobbies," Bakugo said.

"Camie, wouldn't it be best if you don't walk home alone, at least for a while?" Shine said, "She might follow you."

"Yeah, probs..." Camie admitted, "Y'all, I'm just tripping out over this. But you're right, I gotta be more zen--Can I say that now?"

"I don't really object," Shine said, "It's just an analogy, right?"

"I don't know what zen means either," Wally said, "Sounds like something the hippies in the League would be into."

"Ah, well," Camie dismissed it, "So, tell me, how's it going?" She meant Todoroki and Momo. 

They both blushed.

"Uh...well...it's...going fine." Momo looked down.

"Did you hold hands yet?" Camie asked.

"Is that really any of your business?" Shoto didn't like personal questions about this.

"Geez, chilly," Camie said.

"Always better to ask the girl away from the guy," Shine said, "Pro tip."

Bakugo rolled his eyes.

* * *

"Guys, check this." Medea came into the new lair carrying a bunch of shopping bags. "Best bet ever. I got us dinner!"

"What is it?" Spinner asked.

"Fried chicken." Medea plunked down a bucket of it.

"Fried? Do you know how much fat is in that?" Compress said.

"So? I'll burn it all off anyway," Medea said, "I wanted to try it. I don't think I've had it since Christmas...years ago... I don't even remember the taste that well. And it was fast."

Mirko came in after her, sighing. "I can hear that idiot now."

"Ah, Hawks is supposed to like this, right?" Compress said, "Isn't it weird of him to eat birds?"

"You do know he's not literally a bird, right?" Mirko said, "And bird species are way different. A lot of birds eat other birds."

"Would you eat a rabbit?" Compress shot back.

Mirko looked a little green. "Rabbits aren't a bunch of different species. It's not the same thing."

"That's such a gross question." Medea was already munching on one piece. "Oh, this is good. Tastes like Christmas in a box."

"Well, it beats cold food," Spinner said, "Where's Silk, anyway?"

"I don't know. In her room? She's been scarce today," Compress said, "moody, too."

"Why do the girls always get their own room no matter what kind of lair it is?" Spinner whined.

"Because we're special," Medea said, "But I want to show her what I bought. New clothes were so overdue."

She walked off.

"Really? You went shopping for clothes?" Compress said to Mirko.

"I lost a bet." Mirko rolled her eyes and picked up a piece of chicken. "Never doing that again. I hate shopping."

"I'd like to make a bet like that and get more comics," Spinner said.

"Come on." Medea dragged Silk out of her space. "I have goodies for everyone, actually. Even Bossman, if he'd ever show his face at mealtimes."

"Way to spoil our appetite," Compress said, rather meanly.

"I bet you'd do that if you ever took off that mask," Mirko said casually.

He glared at her from under his cowl.

"Here, Magic Man." Medea pulled a brand new deck of cards out of one bag. 

"Oh." Compress eyed them. "Nice, a gold edition. Fancy."

"And Donatello." Medea slid him a new comic. "I think that's for nerds, so, yeah."

"You went into a comic book store?" Spinner said.

"Duh, there's like two of them at one mall," Medea said, "And did you know? People write comics about real heroes? And publish them? It's like fan fiction about real people. Is that not the trippiest thing you ever heard? I looked at one for Mirko here. I don't think they got her personality right at all. She was way too chill."

Mirko hit her with plastic wrap.

"I hate those pretentious manga," she said.

"I'm sure they paint you in a much more positive light than you deserve," Compress said.

She kicked him in the shin. He almost choked on his food.

"But Hawks' was cool," Medea said, "Nice art, you know. I even found some for less popular heroes. I didn't buy though. It felt too weird. Sometimes they ship them with made up people. It's weird."

"You think that's bad? Online you can find shipping with real people," Spinner said, "There's a whole ton of MirkoXHawks out there."

Mirko looked up. "And how do you know that?"

Spinner blinked. "I just happen to stumble across some things while I'm looking for more material. It's pretty gross."

"Oh, I agree. I hate thinking about that," Mirko said.

"Two idiot top pros--I could see it," Compress said.

"You know there's fics shipping the LOV too," Mirko said.

Spinner almost choked. "There is?"

"You've never looked that up?" Mirko said, "I haven't either, but I hear stuff. Some of my siblings are into that kind of crap. There's a bunch with you, Lizard Man. You have a following."

"I...do?" Spinner looked shocked.

"Oh, sure. Compress has more, probably. People love magicians." Mirko chewed like this was nothing.

"Please tell me Shigaraki doesn't," Medea said.

"I never would ask, trust me," Mirko said, "but there are some real freaks out there, so it's better not to think about it."

"Oh, gross," Medea said, "Suddenly glad I'm not famous." She started humming the AJR song. Camie had got her listening to that band.

https://youtu.be/nmvQeC2TMsk

Medea had handed Silk some scented lotion.

Shigaraki finally appeared, mostly because Twice was pestering him, and Toga.

Toga didn't take any goodies. She just grabbed food and walked away, muttering something about stabbing people.

Twice thanked Medea and then cursed her out.

"Don't give him anything sharp or pointy," Compress muttered.

Medea just handed Twice a new mask, though not like his.

"I don't know what s--- everyone likes," she said.

"What brought on this surge of generosity?" Compress asked.

Medea shrugged. "I don't know. I never get to shop for other people...or with anyone else. I guess I just thought it'd be a nice experience for once. Don't get used to it. I'm broke. Here." She tossed Shigaraki chapstick. "Use that, for the love of decency."

Shigaraki eyed it like it was a foreign object to him [probably is].

Mirko stifled a laugh.

"Boy, you all should not be at my house at the holidays. So much junk gets passed around," Mirko said.

"You have so many siblings, I bet it's majorly expensive," Medea said.

"True story: One time one of us got the same exact book because everyone knew she wanted it, and no one told anyone else they were buying it. So she had, like, 9 of them. Donated most of them."

"That's funny," Medea said, "I didn't really celebrate Christmas on the streets, but the lights were always fun. Lethe and I would build snowmen too..." She stopped. Then she leaned on her hand. "Is it weird that I still remember doing normal things with him and it being fun?"

Awkward silence.

"I think is normal," Silk answered first, "You are still family, even if he has done bad things. Is that all a lie? I don't think so." She shrugged. "Try to see good in brother still. Maybe is still there."

"That's not likely." Shigaraki was always the downer.

"You are pessimist," Silk said.

"Considering what he's become, I think you're just naive," Shigaraki said.

"Don't be so heartless." Silk was not usually this sassy to the boss, but she seemed in a mood right then. "Not everyone is a monster like you."

The rest of the members stared at her.

Shigaraki didn't react at all.

Silk bit her lip, then left the room. She'd never even touched the food.

"Wow...that was weird..." Spinner said.

"No, it wasn't," Twice said, "I agree..."

"Don't take her seriously, sir. I'm sure that wasn't real," Compress said, "It's not like her at all to be disrespectful like that."

Shigaraki didn't seem to care. "Whatever..."

Mirko frowned. "Something's up with her." She got up.

"Hey, where do you think you're going?" Compress said.

"Well, if you're too big of a coward to do it, someone has to," Mirko said.

"Seems like a bad idea for you," Medea said.

Mirko left the room anyway.

"I thought she didn't care about people," Spinner said.

"Moron, she cares," Medea said, "She's just...rough...and mean...and overbearing... Come to think of it, she might be able to hear me. I probably should stop talking."

"I think her concern might be more that  Silk will take out her frustration on her herself," Compress said, "They don't exactly get along. I wonder why that is."

"I thinks it's obvious." Medea held up a chicken leg like a pointer. "1: Their personalities are total opposites, and 2: Mirko doesn't like people who aren't straightforward... Kinda sympathize with her there, but I like Silk. She's nice...but maybe she's a bit too bossy for someone like that hero to like."

"Hmm, that's a good thought," Spinner said, "Where do you get this stuff?"

"If you looked up from your comics and shows once in a while and took notes on the people around you, Spinner, you might notice this stuff too," Medea said smugly.

* * *

"What the h--- was that?" Mirko banged on Silk's door, then opened it, since it didn't lock anyway.

Silk was sitting on her floormat bed, rubbing her temples. "Did I say come in?"

"You trying to get yourself killed?" Mirko said.

"What do you care?" Silk looked away. "Leave me alone. Go be a non-team player somewhere else."

"I don't know what your problem is with me," Mirko crossed her arms, "but if you don't stop with this bulls---, someone is going to get hurt, and it won't be me."

Silk smiled wryly. "Don't act so concerned."

"Who's concerned? Don't pick fights if you're not going to win them. That's all I'm saying," Mirko said.

"And you'd know all about that." Silk suddenly looked up angrily. "You Pros are all the same. You know, you don't even belong here with us. Don't act like you're loyal all of the sudden. You think I hide things, but I think you hide the most, because you're not even willing to be honest about why you're here. You're terrified of those Originals, aren't you?"

Mirko didn't like where this was going. "Don't change the subject."

"But am I changing the subject?" Silk stood up. "We're all hiding from something, Mirko. I have decency to be open about how I think of you, so don't do me the dishonor of acting like you know anything about me, now."

"Maybe I would if you didn't keep it to yourself," Mirko said.

"Like you were so eager for us to know about your family? Or was it accident?" Silk shot back.

Mirko paused. "I---"

"Maybe is smart not to fully trust strangers, eh? How well do any of us really know each other?" Silk said, "Now get out of my room."

"You don't just get to end this conversation on a cheap cop out like that." Mirko wasn't budging.

A screen peeled off the wall over her (Silk always covered her rooms with weaving for decor), lashed around her arm before she could move far enough out of the way, and then jerked her off her feet and out of the door. The door slammed after her.

Mirko hit the wall, painfully, considering she was being thrown by literal threads...

"Owie," Toga's creepy voice said, "That looked like it hurt."

Mirko pushed herself up. "Get lost."

"So mean," Toga said, "But, you know, I think that Silky lady is kind of odd. She smells different sometimes."

Toga was so weird...

"I'd like to cut her," Toga said.

Mirko got up and stalked away.

"How did it go?" Medea asked her.

"About as well as expected." Mirko was not in the mood to talk about it.

"Ouch," Medea said.

* * *

Compress tried later.

"Kira, what is the matter?" he asked sincerely.

Silk plucked threads out of her blanket. "Is nothing I want to talk about."

"Are you sure about that?" He took off his mask. "Sometimes it's better to lay your cards out on the table."

"You have to know when to hold and when to fold," Silk said, "and I thinks it's holding time. I play it close to the chest."

"Don't I know it," Compress said, "but I'm a little hurt that you don't even trust me." 

"You never asked me to trust you," Silk said in a low voice, "and I never asked you to trust me. It's not fun without a little mystery, you said. Why complain now?"

"I wasn't complaining. I'm just puzzled. Part of intrigue is revealing a little at a time," Compress said, "just one or two things."

Silk smiled. "One or two, huh?"

[If y'all are thinking this conversation sounds like it has two meanings---it's just how they talk. I don't really have to try... Weird, right?]

"Something simple," Compress suggested.

Silk tapped her forehead. "All right. One thing: I learned how to fight from Chinese Master, not Japanese. Surprising?"

"Not really. I didn't recognize your fighting style," Compress said, "That's interesting. I have a good one though. Why do you dislike being compared to arachnids so much?"

[For anyone who does not know, that is the greek term for spiders.]

Silk frowned. "That is not pleasant subject."

"Too far?"

"Is not big secret, just not pleasant." Silk pulled some threads out of her arm. "At first we thought my quirk might just be spider. I wasn't bothered by it then. But then kids at school made fun of me, said I might drink blood... Let's just say, in my household, that idea was not a joke. My parents took things very seriously. They didn't like it. And I didn't like it either, but the kids didn't stop. I got into a few fights, then I got expelled. Moved to new school. My mother said to just not explain my quirk to anyone. By then, I began to be able to make illusions with it, so I adopted the name Silk Screen for it, and that was that. Everyone thought it was such a pretty, ladylike quirk then. It taught me there's a lot of power in how you present something." She tugged her hair. "And you can tell people how to see you. You're a monster in one place and an angel in another."

"That makes so much sense," Compress said, "Though, for the record, there's nothing wrong with being a spider either. Fascinating creatures."

Silk bit her lip. "Fascinating, sure," she agreed, "but deadly. Not same image as something people use for decoration."

"Why not be both?" Compress said.

"That is sort of idea behind my career as villain," Silk said, "but I guess old habit dies hard. I still hate it when someone compares...eh, I never talk about it though."

"I'm very flattered."

"Shut up," Silk said.

"Shall I tell you one of my secrets now?" Compress said.

"Later maybe," Silk said, "I think that's enough chit chat for now."

"Well, if you insist," Compress said.

[...Not going to comment on this...]

* * *

Camie walked into Shiketsu the day after that incident, intending to act nonchalant around Moto.

When she walked into her classroom though, she found it abuzz. Then everyone looked at her.

"Uh...what's up?" she said.

"You didn't hear yet?" one of the girls who was always into the gossip said, "Did you not check your phone today?"

Camie hadn't, actually. She'd been too busy rushing out the door after oversleeping.

"Nah, I don't even think I took it off silent," she said.

They shook their heads at her.

"Well," Shishikura spoke flatly, "this ought to be a real shock for you, then: Moto has left the school."

Camie stared at him. "She...what?"

"She's dropped out," the first girl said, "No one knows why. She didn't tell anyone. All I heard was she just un-enrolled."

"But get this," said a different boy, "the principle didn't comment on it at all, even though it's weird 'cause it's totally out of nowhere."

"We should ask our teacher," the girl said.

The teacher walked in just then and was plied with questions.

"I'm sorry, students, but I don't know anything," he said, and he seemed nervous, "In fact, I don't know anything about Miss Moto at all. I'm sure whatever reasons she had were valid, and we must move on."

In all honesty, it wouldn't make any difference training. Her quirk wasn't compatible with anyone else's except if they could avoid contact with her.

But it was still weird to have 19 people in the class now.

On break, Shishikura expressed the view that it might be because of Camie. "Perhaps her parents feared for her safety."

"Does anyone even know where she lives?" the girls mused.

"I've never been to her house to study, actually. She never was free. Do you think she worked after school?"

"What hero student has the time to work? Maybe she just didn't need help studying."

"Well, still, she could hang out with us."

"I don't know if she'd leave just 'cause of Camie...would she?"

Camie felt sick.

While the idea that she scared Moto off was Ridiculous with a capital R, she had no doubt that, just the same, it was because of her.

Moto had disappeared to mess with her somehow...but that couldn't be her only reason. Why was she dropping out?

And why was it no one really knew anything about her? It had been nearly three years.

[Did anyone remember that Camie is supposed to be a second year, and Yoarshi was the first year?

But then they're both in the same remedial, funny, right?]

* * *

"Silk...come on, just come out and eat." Medea knocked on her door.

Then she gave up and just opened it. "Silk? Don't be sore at us. We all have temper tantrums."

She looked around. "Silk? Silk! This isn't funny. Stop hiding. I'm trying to help."

No answer.

Medea turned fire on in one hand and ran it over the screens in the room. They frayed and peeled back. No Silk appeared.

Medea put out her flame.

"Hmm, I did have better control that time," she noted, "Also, AHHHHH!" She raced out of the room. "Guys, either she's hiding somewhere around here, or she went out for a walk..."

"And?" Spinner said.

"And I just burnt her stuff," Medea said.

"Temper, temper," Compress said.

But when no Silk appeared even hours later, they went back in her room and now noticed that her clothes were not folded in their usual spot...

"Uh oh..." Spinner said, "What is this ill omen?"

"It's got to be some kind of joke." Compress sounded tense. "She wouldn't actually just leave without saying goodbye."

"Why would she leave, period?" Spinner asked, "Where would she go?"