Aizawa told Present Mic what he'd seen. Present Mic was shocked, and he was distraught to hear that Oboro had met his end. Aizawa couldn't explain all of it either, since Mic was not in on the whole alliance.

None of the kids wanted to talk about it with their classmates either.

Monama didn't return till much later and reported Lethe's choice to them. Shoto and Bakugo doubted he was to be trusted, but Momo hoped he would really turn over a new leaf.

Camie went home.

Shine and Wally were kind of clingy with each other, like they were afraid to let the other person out of their sight.

Wally even slept in her room, though on the floor, just because he didn't want to be separated. That Shine let him showed how upset she was.

Aizawa passed a sleepless night and only remembered in the morning that Miss Joke had never gone home. She'd fallen asleep in the common area, after playing games with Eri for a bit, since Eri was worried about Mr. Aizawa, but he was far too tired and emotionally drained to talk to her much.

He felt bad about it, but Eri didn't take it personally. "I knew you were out saving people," she said wisely, "so you were tired."

Emi made a "she's so kuwaii" face behind her back.

"You didn't have to stay..." Aizawa said.

"Ah, it was an accident actually." Miss Joke looked embarrassed. "I was going to to go home, and I fell asleep...but it wasn't any trouble. She's so sweet. Does she ever misbehave?"

"Rarely..." Aizawa said.

Eri was chasing Aizawa's cat around the room.

"I'll walk you out," Aizawa said to Miss Joke.

"Oh...sure," she said.

On the way to the gate, Miss Joke looked nervous. "You had something to say, right? It's not like you to just be polite."

"I wanted to make sure you were okay after straining yourself," Aizawa said.

"I'm okay now," Miss Joke said. "Sometimes I have mood swings for bit afterward if I push myself, but I think it's okay." She smiled. "Gotta look on the bright side."

"Why do you do that?" Aizawa was in a dark mood...or just tired of this game. "You know it's not all sunshine and roses, but you still try to act like it is. Life isn't all laughing."

Miss Joke looked at him seriously. "I know, Eraser. But if you try to laugh as much as you can, it's more laughing than if you just let everything get you down. Letting things make you depressed, if you don't have to be...just seems lazy...and selfish, even..."

"Selfish to face facts?"

"It's selfish to face only dismal facts." Miss Joke had a surprisingly good comeback. "People around you want to be happy, and you remind them only of reasons not to be? That's selfish, I'd say... Not that it's you, but you know, people like to be buzzkills. I prefer to encourage people, and it makes their lives a little brighter too, and I feel better about mine. You know, Shine and I talked about this, and she told me that some people like happiness, and others don't, and those that do will be happy no matter what, even if life gets them down, but those that don't will never let themselves be happy even if things are going great... She also told me that realists are really pessimists. Because ignoring real, good things is just as illogical as ignoring real, bad things, so if you use 'realism' as an excuse to do that, you're not actually a 'realist.' She said she takes the good with the bad...and I felt like I related to that on a spiritual level."

She smiled again, more grounded this time. "All the crap those two go through, but they are still strong. Why do you think that is? They find the good. Even in getting memory wiped. I'm not sure even I could have found that."

"To be honest, Joke, in the past I would have thought you sounded delusional," he said, "but there was something about how you handled Likstar's memory loss that made me think twice... I think she needed your help."

Miss Joke was stunned.

"She needed a little encouragement, is all," she said.

"And no one else would have been able to give that to her. We all were too concerned with her forgetting us, but you weren't. You kept your head... I think I've been a little unfair in my assessment of you in the past. "

"Oh, but you always knew I was serious deep down," Miss Joke dismissed it.

"I wouldn't say it though," Aizawa said. "And I wouldn't have been able to calm her down... I probably wouldn't repeat this, but...I'll admit this one time, I needed your help."

Miss Joke's jaw dropped open.

"Oh, please repeat that 100 times, so I can get it recorded," she said.

"No." Flatly.

"Just kidding," Miss Joke giggled.

"Would you stop making fun of me?" Aizawa sounded a little miffed. "I was trying to be real."

"Sorry." Miss Joke stopped at once. "I don't always know if you want me to take you really seriously or not. You play mind games, Eraser. 'Logical ruse' and all that... While I always thought that made our interactions exciting, they aren't exactly consistent... I'll be serious now if you want."

Aizawa felt guilty now.

"I...didn't know you actually had a reason for making light of it..."

"Just to torment you, you think," Miss Joke said. "Well, that is fun, but also I wouldn't want to embarrass you by being too serious when you want to appear stoic and uncaring so much."

Aizawa had a moment of clarity in remembering their interactions just since last year, where what she said just summed it up entirely.

"I wouldn't mind it if you'd take things seriously," he said. 

"I wouldn't mind it if you'd joke one in a while, but we don't always get what we want," Miss Joke quipped.

Aizawa shot her a death glare.

"You see, why is it so hard to laugh at yourself, Eraser? You should see the face you're making right now," she snickered. "At least I'm not scared of you--You know, that's why you didn't like Miss Likstar or Mr. West at first either. You scare people off with that threatening aura of yours, and the handful of people it does not work on, you call annoying, but you like them deep down, don't you?"

Got him again... Was he really that predictable? Was that the reason?

Aizawa regretted never being that insightful about his own actions.

"Right, right, serious." Miss Joke slapped her own cheeks in the two handed way anime characters do. [😉] "What were we talking about again?"

[Mood]

"I was trying to thank you." Aizawa was salty now.

"Oh...well, I should be thanking you for helping me." Miss Joke was serious about that. "But I appreciate that... Real talk: I know what happened to Oboro was rough for you. It's never easy to lose a friend. I'm sorry."

"His whole life was stolen. It's just wrong," Aizawa said. "I was tempted to blame that Shigaraki guy, but clearly he didn't know about it any more than we did...so I blame AFO... If I can ever help in taking that monster down again, I will. Or his misbegotten doctor friend."

"I'd like a swing at him myself," Miss Joke said, "but the odds of that are slim."

"Who's the pessimist now?"

"About beating people up?" Miss Joke snorted. "You make no sense, Eraser."

"Oboro should be avenged," Aizawa said.

"I think it'd be nice, but what I'm trying to say is, I think living in the past is a bad idea," Miss Joke said. "And I'm sure, if he was as good a guy as you say, he'd want you to move on. Be happy, not carry around this guilt for all the people you think you've failed."

"But I have failed," Aizawa said. "Many times... I've failed my students too...even the ones I like."

"Which weren't many," Miss Joke couldn't help commenting.

Aizawa shrugged.

"All right, but like I said before, you should just try to be better and forgive yourself," Miss Joke said.

They stopped walking now, at the gate.

"Maybe that's good advice." Aizawa sounded very tired of this. "But I don't know if I can do that. Not without help."

Miss Joke patted his arm. "I'm sure we'd all be happy to help you."

"But why do you care?" Aizawa said suddenly.

Miss Joke wasn't ready for that. "What?"

"I mean-- I've been nothing but impolite to you at best since we met. I thought you were just trying to annoy me, but lately you've actually shown that you're a sincere friend...and I don't get it. What did I ever do to earn that?"

Miss Joke almost made a flirty remark--but caught herself.

"Well..." she forced herself not to laugh it off, "I...you know...I can see what kind of man you are, Era--Aizawa, and I guess I just took the rest in stride."

Somehow that might have been the nicest thing anyone had ever said to Aizawa.

"What did you get out of it?"

"Other than entertainment?" Miss Joke said now.

Stone cold glare.

"I mean, in all seriousness...I couldn't have answered that last year," Miss Joke said, "but I've been seeing some deeper sides to you lately, and I think my gut instinct that we'd be great friends was right. If you'd ever give me the chance."

She didn't mean that to be as hurtful as it sounded.

"Some people you just like you even if you annoy them." She shrugged. "People are fun to annoy if there's something behind it, you know."

"But why all the jokes about romance, then?" Aizawa said.

Miss Joke turned red. "Oh...well...um...you know, it's kind of rude to just ask that. Don't you understand nuance?"

"Not really. I've never understood you."

Ouch.

"Did you ever try?" Miss Joke fired back.

She had him on that.

"I don't try to understand most people..." Aizawa admitted.

"That's why you don't succeed, then."  Miss Joke thought she was in the clear. "So there."

"So if I tried to understand you, I would."

Wait, where was he going with that?

"Uh...sure," Miss Joke said.

Aizawa actually smiled wryly. "Sounds like a challenge...but one I maybe should be rising to...or my students are all going to be ahead of me."

Miss Joke would have sworn from anyone else this was a hitting-on-you type of remark...but it was Aizawa...

Still, she was all flustered now. "Well, happy to help," she managed. 

"What about next Friday?" 

"Uh...sure..." Miss Joke didn't remember if she had plans already, but she'd cancel them... What was happening?

"Until then, I guess." Aizawa walked away.

Miss Joke stared after him, then went out, running into the wall in the process.

She rubbed her head. "Wow...oh, I have to call Shine."

* * *

Shine was lounging around the dorms, now remembering pretty much everything about them. The kids weren't bothering her too much, though she wouldn't have minded, but they thought she needed time to recover.

Honestly, while she might not forget Hantai and Kurogiri for the rest of her life, the rest of the experience was fading. The memory loss had been the main horror of it, and while she was still upset that she'd lost it again...she was grateful for everyone's help...so it was a glass half full kind of thing.

She was glad when her phone rang.

"Emi?" she said.

"I think Shota just asked me out!"

"What? No way! Really?" Shine asked like any other woman if her girlfriend calls her.

"I think so. Listen..."

Miss Joke related the conversation.

Shine was stunned. "Wow...I think he's kind of into you, Emi."

"Do you?" Hopefully.

"I mean, I thought he was acting weird yesterday, and now I'm sure of it... Aww, you've won him over finally."

"Well, it only took 18 years," Miss Joke said.

"So you did really like him the whole time?"

"Well, it went up and down, you know? But I did want to stay friends, and lately, I've gotten to see so much about him, I started falling for him for real," Emi confessed. "But what if he's just messing with me?"

"Only one way to find out," Shine said. "But if he hurts you, I know where he lives, and I'm just around the walkway and down a few levels."

"What would you do, lecture him into regret?" Miss Joke said.

"I'll find a more efficient way to make him sorry," Shine said.

Emi laughed. "You're a good friend."

"No, you are... I really can't thank you enough for yesterday..." Shine got serious. "I have to be strong all the time, you know. I forget to lean on others...but you were so natural about it. I need more friends like you, Emi."

"I'm not enough?" Emi joked.

"No, I mean in other worlds... I always have a few good ones, but it's still shocking every time. Is that sad?"

"Maybe, but being pleasantly surprised a lot also means you don't take people for granted, and I do like that about you," Emi said. "You see people more clearly because you don't expect anything of them, you know."

"Wow...that's deep," Shine said.

"I'm just glad I could help you. You'd do the same for me."

"I would."

"It's not even a question, Shine. That's what I'm saying. We all see what you do for total strangers or little brats like Lethe...Maybe people don't get you, but I still think it's amazing," Emi said sincerely. "I would do more to help you, but you never need it. That's what mystifies me about you."

"We can always do more when we rely on God and need less...but we do need others still. Something that a lot of my students don't get. I'm glad you do."

"Sort of like how I cheer myself up a lot, but I still like it if someone else cheers me up too."

"The secret to life with other people is to never need them so much you can't find a way to go on without them, but to need them just as much as they are able to give you from where they are," Shine said. "And not a single one of us follow that rule all the time. I pull at people too, ones I don't have to lead...but I'm working on it."

"You could work at it a little less. The rest of us would like it if you were less perfect," Emi said drolly.

"If you saw inside my head, you wouldn't think I'm perfect," Shine said. "But I could loosen up more. I was plenty scared yesterday though... It was too close..."

"I don't blame you. But you're still in one piece. That's impressive."

"Want to know what happened last night though?"

"You mean with you and Wally?"

"It was sad really... I had a dream about what happen, woke up crying, and Wally was there, and held my hand and stuff... I went back to sleep.... Woke up in the wee hours and he was dreaming too and getting upset...so I held his hand."

"Aww...that's so sweet," Emi said. "You two are #goals."

"Yes, well, bonding over a shared traumatic experience is not exactly what we hoped we'd bond over," Shine said. "Normally he's got a good grip, but losing his power for a while bothers him more than it does me. I'm used to it at home, you see... I thought he did great without it, but he thinks he could have saved so many people if that chip had just been out sooner."

"I guess he really is a hero, then. Eraser is just the same," Emi said. "And I've had some thoughts about it too...but I'll get over it... You know who I think was really upset though?"

"Rumi?" Shine guessed.

"Uh huh," somberly. "I didn't like to say anything, but I'm sure she'd been crying when we ran into her."

"I thought so too, and I remembered later how she was when she first found me... It was harder on her that I forgot her. I'm sure it was horrifying."

"But not your fault, Shine."

"She didn't like that I was calm about it."

"I hope you realize that her making you feel worse about it was selfish." Emi had guessed Mirko would act like this. "Honestly, I thought Shigaraki handled it better, and he's a crazed villain."

"He's really not as crazy as you think," Shine said. "Very traumatized and brainwashed, but in his more lucid moments he's always showed surprisingly good judgement."

"Good for him, I guess. The point is, you shouldn't let her reaction bother you," Emi said. "She's immature. I like her anyway, but she's a 26 year old teenager."

"There's a reason people never leave their teen years, Emi. It's because they can't leave something in them behind," Shine said.

"I know you'll be easy on her, but I think you well within your rights to chew her out for it," Emi said.

"I don't know if I want to. She's more fragile than she lets on." Shine stared at the book she'd been reading earlier. "I sensed that about her early on... The quick temper, the self proclaimed loner attitude, it's always a cover for a vulnerable place somewhere...lovable, really, but they don't think so. She's sealed off almost every passage way to her inner self, but we can never protect ourselves completely unless we just shut down altogether. And that's death. But something hits that fragile core, and we fall apart...because nothing supports it."

"I see," Emi said. "What's yours, then?"

Shine was silent for a second, then she said, "Deep down, I still doubt I'm worth anyone's time. It gets better, but it's not gone away...and I'm not sure it ever will. Sometimes these weaknesses are our link to God, and he lets them stay weak. I may never have the innate sense of worth other people do, but I can walk out a better path."

"I didn't think you'd actually tell me." Emi was surprised. "Sorry, I didn't mean to pry."

"No, I have nothing to hide," Shine said slowly. "I'm embarrassed by it at times, especially since Wally sometimes doesn't like when I can't accept love so well...but he's also come to understand why. Maybe he's even grown a little because of it, so I had to learn to be okay with having a weak spot. He has his too. I find them annoying at times, but overall, I'm glad he's not perfect. I would have nothing to offer him if he was."

"Hmm," Emi said. "I'm stealing that line from you next time someone questions my taste in men."

Shine laughed. "Go right ahead... What's your big weakness?"

"I'm sure you already know, but I'll be woman enough to say it, since you did," Emi said. "I'm a happy person, but I use that to avoid my problems at times. I think, deep down, I'm afraid that I can't handle sadness enough to stay with it. And that if people thought I was serious, they would think they could...hurt me, and it would work. Laughter is a great safe guard."

"You know, my dad used to say that," Shine said. "That if you make people laugh at you they won't bully you too much."

"Your...not so nice dad?"

"Yeah, well, the thing about laughing to avoid getting hurt...eventually you stop being able to take anyone's pain seriously," Shine said a little bitterly. "And it's all a joke to you... You become cruel... I almost followed his footsteps once, but I couldn't take how upset it made people. I'm not saying you're like that--I don't think you are--I've just know cases where your small problem is a huge one."

"Oh, wow...that's dark," Emi said. "I'm sorry that happened to you."

"So am I, but I also know I got special opportunities because of it... You know, all the bad experiences I've been through, they suck, but God's brought me out of them and each one unlocked a new door into a different person's life. The more you're mistreated, the more you can reach out, and people can't say you just don't know what it's like... It's powerful too. We call it a "testimony." The Bible says that we saints overcome things by the blood of the lamb and the word of our testimony. Meaning that our words matter a lot... So, I'm not ignoring that it hurt, I'm just not letting hurt be the only thing I got out of it." 

"You should tell that to Eraser. We were talking about something really similar," Emi said.

Shine laughed. "Go figure."

* * *

The LOV were all pretty somber and didn't sleep much.

Medea was down about Lethe.

The other members actually felt bad for her.

"It's a pity about him," Compress said.

"Sorry about your brother," Spinner said.

Twice was more vocal. "It's too bad that Medea's brother didn't stick around. I'm glad he's gone. Are you okay?" He went on like that for a full 3 minutes.

Medea couldn't take it anymore.

"Okay, I got it, Twice, thanks," she said. "I get it, you're sorry for me."

Twice backed off.

Medea felt bad, but if she had to listen to that another second, she was going to scream.

Even Mirko was nicer to her--it was kind of weird.

But she seemed depressed too.

She didn't fight with anyone, even Silk, who acted like a scared mouse around them all day.

Medea got her to watch a movie with her, but she hardly seemed to be paying attention.

"How's the arm doing?" Medea asked.

"Oh...fine," Mirko said. It hurt quite a bit, but she barely noticed.

Shigaraki had indeed gotten patched up by Ujiko and was gone half the morning because of it. Ujiko had to run tests...and he was mad that it was yet another setback in their plans. He told Shigaraki he ought to stop hanging around the DJs if he was going to get beat up every time and delay their progress.

Shigaraki didn't take much notice of that remark, for once. 

He was in his room now, so the girls were alone.

But then Spinner wandered in, looking nervous.

"I...uh, need a woman's opinion on something," he said.

"Oh?" Medea said. "Well, I hope you're asking me, then."

Mirko shot her a look, but didn't really retaliate.

"I mean, both of you could help, maybe," Spinner said, nervously twisting a piece of paper. "I...uh...well..."

He told them what Kitsune had said.

"I just don't know if she was for real."

"Are you kidding me?" Medea said. "A foxy girl asked to buy you a meal, and you hesitate? Are you stupid or something?"

"She's a sidekick!"

"And you have a top Pro living under the same roof as you! So what?" Medea said.

"Well, Mirko is kind of a special case," Spinner said. "She's practically a Villain, in some ways."

Mirko glared at him, then shrugged. "Any sidekick who'd ask out a LOV member must be a little weird, wouldn't you say? Maybe she likes bad boys...or in you case, half bad boys."

"🎵A half good, half bad, half boy🎶," Medea sang the Bo Burnam song.

Spinner continued. "Silk said I should just go and not risk her finking on us, but...I don't know. I think she might be biased."

"Yeah, well, look at her past actions," Mirko sniffed.

"So I thought maybe an actual Hero, or aspiring Hero would be able to tell me..." Spinner said.

"I mean, I do think she's messing with you," Medea said, "But, like, in a good way, a she's-into-you-and-thinks-you're-hot kind of way."

Spinner turned red. "Don't kid around."

"Well, while you're not my type, I'd say there're some girls out there who go for that." Mirko put her fingers to her chin critically. "I mean, maybe she likes Mutant Ninja Tortoises."

"She did seem to know them--hey!" Spinner got mad a second too late. Both of them laughed.

"But she's right," Medea said. "For a lizard guy, you're not too bad. Maybe she's into geckos, huh?"

"That makes it sound weird."

"Well, animal quirks are weird, no offense," Medea said.

Mirko pinched her. 

"Ow! Geez, you're not even fully an animal. Why are you getting offended?" Medea squealed.

"I don't want to risk it being a ruse," Spinner said.

"Well, if my sisters are any litmus test, most dating is some kind of ruse," Mirko said cynically. "But you could stand to get out of the house once in while. You need a life, Spinner, and she seemed...nice. A little crazy, but that's your type, right? What, do you not like foxes?"

"No, it's not that," Spinner said. "But...I mean, It's not like I could... I mean, she's a hero...and she wants to know more about what happened"

"Well, she seemed open-minded. Maybe you should just tell her," Medea said. "Everyone else and their grandmother already knows. And her quirk is freaking useful if we need to fight more ninja. And if it turns out she is into you, bonus!"

"Just go for it," Mirko agreed. "Don't be a chickens---."

"You two aren't helping at all," Spinner said.

"If it were me, I'd definitely be intrigued and not scamming you," Mirko said, "but...well, she's literally a fox, so--"

"That racist," Spinner said. "That's like saying you're jumpy because you're a bunny."

"Well, then what are you worried about?" Mirko shot back. "Defy societal expectations, Spinner, don't judge someone based on their quirk."

Medea shrugged. "She sounded pretty cool, a regular spitfire."

Spinner was silent.

"He just doesn't think any girl would like him," Medea said to Mirko.

"Well, with that attitude, he'll never find out," Mirko said back.

"True," Medea said. "The men in this League are all dense as rocks. Just go on the date, Spinner. And if she's a b----, we'll just beat her up later."

Spinner looked annoyed. "I wouldn't even know what to say to her."

"Wait, is that her card?" Medea noticed. She passed her hand through his and snatched the card out of his hand. "Oh, wow, this is legit... I don't know this agency."

"Lemme see." Mirko looked. "Hmfp. Small time Hero, probably only has a few sidekicks."

"You have none," Medea said.

"What do you think you are?" Mirko shot back.

"Aww, really?" Medea made a touched face.

"I doubt they'd get much traction if they made random accusations," Mirko said.

"Screw that, I'm calling her right now." Medea dialed.

"Hey, stop!" Spinner said.

"Hello?" Kitsune answered on the second ring.

"Ohh, she's fast. She's totally into you." Medea covered the phone.

"She doesn't even know it's you!" Spinner said.

"Hi," Medea said into the phone. "You may not remember me, I'm Spinner's friend. Sorry, he doesn't have a phone."

"Oh?" Kitsune said. "Well, I'm in the hospital right now, so go ahead."

"She's in the hospital," Medea told Spinner, "so she's free to talk. Here you go, lover boy."

"Don't call me that and don't hand me that phone!"

Medea shoved it at him anyway.

Shigaraki walked in looking like a zombie, just in time to witness this, and his face was priceless.

Mirko was smothering laughter into a pillow.

"I don't want--Uh, hello?" Spinner was freaking out.

"Hi," Kitsune said. "So you finally called me, huh? It's been, like, 24 hours..."

"I...uh..." Spinner looked helpless.

"You thought it over, and you decided to take her up on her offer," Medea said.

"I thought and I decided to take an offer up," Spinner said.

Silence.

"Great." Kitsune just rolled with it. "I'm supposed to be discharged later today. Mostly just superficial damage from those brutes...fractured rib too...but I'll bounce back. Want to do lunch tomorrow?"

"Uh..."

"Yes," Medea said.

"I guess..." Spinner felt like an idiot.

"Cool. Pizza's okay, right? You know, cause of the Mutant Ninja Tortoise thing."

"Are you making fun of me?!" Spinner said.

"I happen to like pizza, actually," Kitsune said. "Do you not?"

"I like it fine but--"

"I know this great place...but can you get to XXXXXX?"

"I mean...I guess..." Spinner said.

"Who's he talking to?" Shigaraki asked.

"The fox," Mirko said. Between spasms. "He's trying to get a date."

"Date for what?" Shigaraki was typically clueless.

"A date like for a couple's date." Medea rolled her eyes. "We talked about this."

"Oh... Wait, what?" Shigaraki's face was even more priceless.

"Perfect," Kitsune said. "And don't feel like you have to spiff up, but if I could suggest not wearing a mask and, like, 50 swords---What?" She seemed to be talking to a nurse. "You never heard of cosplay before? Mind your own business!" Then back to Spinner. "You get the idea."

"I'm not stupid--"

"Cool, later. They're gonna check me now," Kitsune said. She hung up.

Medea and Mirko dissolved into more laughter.

"Pizza?" Medea gasped. "I'm dead... Donnie, do you want to  take some nunchucks with you too?"

"Shut up!" Spinner said. "You pushed me into that!"

"You can thank us later, Don Juan." Mirko smacked the pillow. "Get it, Don like the turtle, and then Juan."

"I don't get it," Medea said.

"Uncultured kids," Mirko sniffed.

"Boss, it's not what it looks like," Spinner said.

Shigaraki walked away. "I don't even want to ask anymore..."

The girls laughed again at that.

Until Mirko remembered she was depressed and stopped.

[Hate it when that happens.]