Medea followed Stain successfully for a bit, but he was good at running way and losing people. She trusted the others would be there shortly, if she could just tail him long enough for them to catch up.

She'd called in some more backup before coming over here though. 

She paused, trying to figure out which street he turned down.

Her phone buzzed. She answered it.

"Kitsune?" she asked.

"It's Aesop on the job, kiddo," Kitsune said. "I'm right where you said, but I don't see anything suspicious."

"Wait, right where?" Medea asked.

"Off Chewbaca and Solo street," Kitsune said.[😂🙃😜😏]

Medea looked up. "One of my crossroads is Solo. You must just be a block or so away. Look, be careful. You're a Hero, so if he is around and you get in his way, you're dead."

"I'm aware, but I think I can convince him not to kill me. I don't need to move to activate my quirk, so it's no big if he freezes me," Kitsune said. "But please tell me Spinner is not with you. His whole fan crush on Stain would probably make him do something dumb."

"I think he was following me, but he's probably not that close." Medea looked back. She didn't see Spinner.

That was, in fact, because he was climbing a wall around a corner from her view. He was getting a higher vantage point. 

He spotted Stain ducking between some shops not that far away and chased after him.

Medea turned the wrong way, not realizing Stain had changed directions, and began running the other way.

Spinner didn't bother to correct her.

He caught up to Stain, who was slowing down now that he'd put some distance between himself and them.

Spinner was pretty nervous and excited at the same time, but also it wasn't quite how he thought it would be. While he wanted to meet Stain...he also had other commitments now, and he wasn't sure Stain was going to approve of them.

Stain suddenly noticed him and looked up at the wall.

Now, a lizard man climbing a wall toward you can either look cool, creepy, or ridiculous, depending on the person you are. Spinner felt ridiculous.

Stain was the type to be on guard.

"Who are you?" he said, eyeing Spinner's ensemble. "A villain?"

Now that it came to the point, Spinner wasn't sure what to say.

"I...well...I am one of your followers," he stuttered. "I pledge to carry on your cause."

Stain looked...bored?

"I heard of this, but I don't have time to play nursemaid to any new initiates. Perhaps at another time, I would have been prudent to have followers, but now there is too much else to do."

Spinner was a bit crushed.

But before he could do or say anything, the last person he expected called, "Hey!"

It was Kitsune.

She was in costume this time, which was mostly composed of red. 

She had a staff, probably to buy her time because of her height.

[Not wholly accurate but Onerose tells me that pit crew is limited. Still cool design.]

"Hero Killer," she said.

Stain narrowed his eyes at her. "Another Hero, I take it. Or are you a fan also?"

"Hardly," Kitsune said. "I'm just going to ask you if you wouldn't mind showing me your license to carry all those weapons?"

Stain stared at her.

"None?" Kitsune pulled out a pad of paper. "That's strike one. And are you licensed to use you quirk in public?"

Stain still stared at her.

"No?" Kitsune said. "Right, well, I'll just need your name, so I can make this ticket out to the right person." 

"Chizome Akaguro," Stain said slowly, like he wasn't sure why he was saying it.

"Right, and if you'd just come over here and sign this," Kitsune said.

Stain came over.

Spinner was amazed this was working, even with her quirk.

But wait, was she going to arrest him? 

"Hey! Stop!" he said without thinking.

Kitsune looked up at him in surprise.

Either that broke her concentration, or startling Stain made him resist her quirk more, because almost faster than either of them could blink, he suddenly shoved Kitsune into the corner of the shop she was standing by.

She was so small, that much had just about broke her ribs again.

She was still recovering, too. She winced, "Bloody B-----d!" before sinking to the ground.

"Your quirk makes your words sound more convincing, is that it?" Stain guessed. "A cheap trick, fitting for a false hero. Your death is long overdue."

Spinner realized too late he might have just made a terrible mistake.

"Wait!" he sputtered, real convincingly.

Stain looked up. "What? Do you wish to protest this? You are not my follower at all, then."

"Uh...um...it's just that in my humble opinion, Lord Stain, this Hero is not the kind of Hero you would target," Spinner tried, stumbling over it. "She's the real thing."

"Even if that were true, and I doubt it is, she's seen too much, so she must be eliminated," Stain said, "or at least crippled."

Kitsune bared her teeth at him. "Crazy man!" She kicked him hard and rolled out of the way before he could bring his sword down on her. She grabbed her staff back up and held it out.

"I appreciate the help, Spinny," she said, "but if you can't pick a side, maybe you should stay out of it."

"What am I supposed to do?" Spinner said. "It's Stain!"

"Good point, asking you to fight your idol is a lot to ask of any man," Kitsune said, backing up a bit, as Stain brandished his sword again. "It's no big. I've got this. I'm not even going to arrest him."

Spinner began to feel reassured. She would probably do what she said... Wait...was this her quirk's effect?

"Are you using that on me?" he said, outraged.

Kitsune shot him a look that translated to, "Are you freaking kidding me?"

Stain again snapped out of it and attacked her. She kind of blocked his sword, but the impact sent her flying off her feet and into a different wall. She gasped in pain.

"You know..." she shook, "sometimes it just works on whoever's close... Couldn't let that one slide, could you, Donnie?"

"If you're on my side, you'd better just run for it," Stain warned Spinner. "I do not have time to drag this out. There are other Heroes looking for me. And this delay was not part of the plan."

He raised his sword over Kitsune, who snarled but couldn't move in time.

Suddenly a different sword blocked him.

Spinner had moved and held out his, while still sticking to the wall.

Stain looked up at him in shock.

Spinner realized what he'd done. Had he lost his mind?

"Look, uh, I would support you at any other time, but I really think this one is better than that, reasonable," he stammered. "Not in it for the money."

"Boys like you should not be trusted to make judgment calls." Stain was rather crushing, though that was probably actually a forgiving statement from him. "Normally I wouldn't bother if you weren't a Hero, but it looks as though you're in the way."

He knocked Spinner aside.

Spinner was too rattled to really put up a fight. He wasn't even sure he was doing the right thing, but just letting someone die like that after they helped him out seemed wrong...

Or was it necessary?

Stain didn't really take pleasure in killing, he knew that, but that meant he wouldn't hesitate out of enjoyment or gloating--he would just do it.

"Hey!" Shine's voice interrupted.

Stain looked up.

Shine and Wally were standing only about 10 feet away.

"Leave Spinner alone," Shine warned.

Wally snatched Spinner out of the way and Kitsune too. He could easily carry them both.

"Get her out of here, man," he said, handing Kitsune to Spinner before going back towards Shine.

"Talk about a power couple," Kitsune said.

Spinner shuddered. "I...betrayed Stain."

"Is having an opinion betraying him?" Kitsune said.

Spinner shook his head.

"Well, for the record, I'm very thankful," Kitsune said, then winced. "Ah, s---. I think he re-fractured my ribs..."

"Wait, why were you out here at all?" Spinner demanded.

"Your purple friend tipped me off. She thought I could talk Stain off the ledge, so to speak," Kitsune said, "but he's a bit resistant to my quirk... I think it's his fanatical bent. It's hard to trick someone who has a totally one track mind."

"Wouldn't that be easier?" Spinner said.

"Oh, no, trickery relies on distracting your target with something else they think they want," Kitsune said. "Otherwise it's just lying, straight up, and hoping it'll work. I mean, I tried that cop sketch you saw--works on people who have a fear of getting caught...but it's weak." She shook her head. "I'd need a while to study him to really know how to trick him, a while I don't have... Would you mind taking me to the nearest bus stop? I gotta call my supervisor."

"But what about Stain?" Spinner said.

"What about him? He won't listen to you after that," Kitsune said.

"I'm afraid Shigaraki will kill him," Spinner said.

"Well, who are you more loyal to?" Kitsune said oddly, twitching her fox ears. "The guy you've never actually met except just now, and he tried to kill you--or the guy who's actually taken care of you for months? Albeit by making you a villain, but still... You know why the Bat flies at night?"

"What?" Spinner said.

"The Bat couldn't pick between the two sides of a war. First he picked one side that was winning," Kitsune said, "but when they began to lose, he switched to the other side. And when the war was won, the Bat was not sure which side to sit with, so he flies only at night." [Real Aesop's fable.]

Spinner didn't understand. "So?"

"So maybe Stain had more hype and you followed him, and then he gets arrested, and you stick with the LOV because they had the attention and let you in, but in the end you're not gonna belong anywhere," Kitsune said. "You're a weather vane, Spinner. No mind of your own, just blown about by every wind of controversy."

Spinner was aghast that she'd say such a thing about him...yet he had no retort.

"Personally, I'd pick the people who at least have a little relationship with you." Kitsune shrugged. "But that's just me. If you think Stain is the person you should be following, then you'd better go back and apologize or whatever. Maybe it'll work. Maybe."

Spinner stopped walking. 

He thought about it.

"I spent so much time thinking I'd serve Stain with all my might," he said, "but when it came down to it, I barely even hesitated to stop him, because I don't even know him, but I did know you and the LOV... If I'd do that, how loyal can I really be?"

"Well, I think that lots of fans don't really think about what meeting their idol would be like in real life," Kitsune observed.

"It's not how I thought," Spinner admitted. "He just seemed as confused and scared as anyone else."

"Well, you're not a complete blockhead, then. At least you can see that," Kitsune sniffed. "I thought so too."

"Maybe it's not that important to me anymore," Spinner finally admitted what he'd suspected for some time, since the Meta war had started.

Kitsune didn't reply.

"You're a clever person, Kitsune," Spinner observed. "You see what's what."

"Oh, wow, stop." Kitsune feigned being embarrassed. "Actually, that's quite complimentary. Most people just say I'm sly, you know, like a fox. Like, why is it always bad to be clever or cunning? Sometimes you gotta be smarter than other people, or we'd all just stand around butting heads and never getting anything settled. Like the Sun and Wind. You just have to nudge people the right way sometimes."

"I don't know the stuff you're referencing, but I get the feeling it's all fables," Spinner said.

"I memorize that s---!" Kitsune said. "I have to make it work... Anyway, it's good practice... Can we find that bus stop now?"

"Actually I think we should meet up with the rest of the LOV," Spinner said. "They'll be looking for the DJs."

"Sure, sure, just be gentle, okay? This hurts a lot," Kitsune said. "I keep ending up in this position around you, huh? Maybe you have a propensity to get people beat up."

"It wasn't my fault!" Spinner said. "You were the one who got involved."

"It was a joke, Don."

* * *

"Why are you chasing me?" Stain demanded of Shine and Wally. "I have nothing more to say to you until a more opportune time."

"Are you tasked to kill us?" Shine asked.

Stain hesitated. "Directly? No. I got the hint it wasn't really a priority, but if I should happen to find you, I should take care of a few of your friends. But there were too many of them. Another day."

"And what makes you think we'll just let you get away?" Wally was mad now.

"More serious Heroes than you have tried to stop me." Stain brandished his sword.

"Not Heroes," Shine reminded him. "I know you were testing us back there, but what was that about? What did you want to prove? And why do you care? We're nobodies to you."

Stain didn't want to answer, but Wally looked ready to block his escape, so he had little choice.

"I take an interest in other people with conviction," he said. "I heard rumors that you were people of conviction."

"From who, the ninja?" Wally said.

"The girl wouldn't tell me much about you," Stain said, with a distant look, "so I did my own research. A most unexpected source has been keeping files on you. I just had to threaten the right person."

Shine and Wally exchanged looks.

"How long have you been out of prison?" Shine said.

"Nearly 2 weeks," Stain said.

"And you got the dirt on us in that time?" Wally said.

"I am nothing if not efficient," Stain said. "According to my sources, there's more to you than was implied by my new benefactors. A mere obstacle to their plan is what they consider your work with the LOV and Heroes, but I thought I saw a strain of conviction running through it, that you criticize society, as I do. And you defend reckless, some would say heroic, actions."

"Nezu," Shine mouthed at Wally.

This sounded like something he'd file on them...but how would Stain have found anyone with access to that?

"You know, our policy of forgiving people who fink on us is starting ot look a little too lenient," Wally remarked.

"What would we do to them? It's both merciful and the only thing we really can do to let it go," Shine said. "Our safety is not dependent on human intervention...but I admit, I still wish it looked less bad for us..."

"Your lack of conviction, even now, is repulsive," Stain said.

"Fun game, take a shot every time he says 'conviction'," Wally suggested.

"To the guy who can't get drunk, that sounds boring," Shine said wryly, "and I'm sure I'm a lightweight... Well, Stain, I am sorry you find our lack of faith disturbing." She winked at Wally. "I had forgotten that we lived to please you, a person we've never met, and that your judgement was our highest priority."

Her sarcasm was cutting.

Stain almost snarled. "If you truly saw how this society is corrupt, you would respect my efforts to purge it."

"Man, The Purge is such a bad movie, though," Wally said.

"You shouldn't have watched it," Shine said.

"It's not like I knew at the time that stuff like that fricks with you," hands up, "Cut me some slack."

"I will," Shine said. "But what of his accusation? Are we taking him too lightly?"

"Uh...nah, I'd say I'm being about as serious as I can be," Wally said.

Stain scowled. "You're a buffoon."

"Mr. Stain," Shine leaned on her sword like it was a cane, "let me run through this for you: We've heard all about you from multiple sources--the great Hero Killer, you know? But we're not really into that whole death scene. And then we arrive, and you're trying to kill my personal best friends and an innocent Hero you happened to catch, just because. Not fact checking to be sure they didn't meet you criteria, which if you knew at least two of them at all, you'd know they did. You do this because some puppet master busted you out of Tartaros, where you landed because 3 teenagers were able to beat you because of your own self important, arrogant method of trying to 'purge' people, as you say. You're dressed in a ridiculous looking costume and wear a mask that does nothing to disguise your identity from literally anyone who watches the news. On top of that, your name is Stain, which sounds like something I'd want to get off my clothes or my hands. Then you start going on about conviction? You look like a discount cosplayer at a comic con."

Stain's eyes widened in fury...and then he looked down at himself in a very real gesture of embarrassment.

Wally laughed.

"Not to mention you have way too many swords," he added.

"Yeah, all that, and you expected us to take you seriously?" Shine said. "You haven't taken this matter seriously at all. If you wanted to find out about our conviction, you could have asked, made an appointment, invited us to lunch. Instead you threaten my friends, so I'm not inclined to like you right now. And you have the gall to ask why we're mocking you?" Suddenly her tone got serious. "You should be thankful we haven't beat you soundly. You know Wally has the speed to do it."

Wally gave him a knowing look.

"But because he's so nice, he isn't." Shine now crossed her arms. "So, you want to run that by us again? Or shall I go into all the stupid things you did before we met you? Or that girl you just tried to kill who you also don't know. And that poor boy who's been your fan who you wanted to fight too. Treat people who admire you with no mercy or compassion, Stain, and you will get no respect from us. To me that says all I need to know about your conviction. You have none, just another self serving lunatic, like every other jackass we've met here."

That did it. Stain was now furious to the point of probably seeing red.

No one had ever dared to mock him since he became the Hero Killer, and Shine was taking him back to his old high-school days of getting pushed around for not liking the Hero course.

"How dare you belittle my conviction in this way!" he yelled.

"I don't know whether it's sad or funny that conviction is so rare in this world that he's started worshiping it like a god," Wally commented. He was watching Stain closely to see if he tried to attack again.

Shine wasn't letting her guard down either.

Stain was going to attack, but then he noticed their wary glances and ready posture... He understood then.

"You're provoking me," he said.

"You don't scare us," Shine said coolly. "Now, if you'd calm the heck down, we could have a nice little talk. You wanted to know about our conviction? I'll answer any questions you have, but you have to put that stupid sword down, same as me, and talk to us as an equal."

Stain looked from one of them to the other.

"You are resolved," he said.

They were silent.

"Perhaps there is a germ of conviction in people who are not afraid to stare down one such as I," Stain admitted. "A small germ... Very well, I will hear you out."

He put his sword away. 

"But not here."

Shine and Wally exchanged a look.

"Likstar," Shigaraki said, as they all caught up.

"Ah, dang it," Medea said. "I was so far off..."

"You caught him." Mirko scowled at Stain.

"You're still alive." Stain cut his eyes at her.

"Listen, you b-----" began Shigaraki angrily.

"Tomura," Shine interrupted, "it's all right. He stood down, see?"

Shigaraki gave her a look of pure disbelief and scorn.

"Stood down?"

Stain was ready to redraw his weapon.

"He agreed to just talk with us," Shine said. "He's investigating for himself, instead of just buying what whoever broke him out told him. I must commend that, if nothing else. I hate yes men. And since he's agreed to that, you're going to back off until we're done."

"And why would I do that?" Shigaraki said.

"Because we did the same for you, man," Wally said.

"Ah, s---," Mirko said, because she knew they had them on that.

"But it's Stain!" Miss Joke cried. "He's literally killed dozens of Heroes, more than the LOV has, and he's a fanatic."

"And what are we, Emi, but Radicals?" Shine said.

"But you're nice Radicals," Emi said.

Wally laughed. "That's so cute... I mean, who ever says that?"

"They used to call it Zealots. I like that term," Shine said. "But this way, we can say we're rad, bro."

Spinner cringed. "But you aren't going to arrest him?"

"I think we can all call a truce," Wally said. "Stain, you can agree not to kill any of them till we've gotten to chat and see if we're even on different sides?"

Stain was always a bit odd about things like this--open-minded enough to listen, but not enough to change his tune.

So he nodded. "I can wait."

"Oh, that's just rich--" Mirko began.

"Rumi!" Shine warned. "Trying to save your life here. Do you mind?"

Mirko stopped.

"I'm not promising not to kill her later," Stain said.

"I'd like to see you try!" Shigaraki was mad now. "The whole League is here."

"And why should that matter? She's a Hero." Stain might well look stunned.

"But she's our Hero!" Twice said. "We hate her!"

Stain gave him an odd look... Again, he really might.

"Wally, take him somewhere we can talk," Shine said. "I trust he won't try anything, on his honor. I just need a moment with the League."

Wally winked at her and grabbed Stain and dashed away.

"Look, this is the best chance to find out who let him out," Shine said. "I don't trust him, and I seriously doubt a talk will change that, but it is our duty as World Walkers to give everyone a chance to seek help and the light, and Stain is no exception. If he refuses, as I think likely, at least we may soften the blow. None of you can do that."

"So what do we do, sit around and wait?" Shigaraki said.

"Well, you are good at it," Shine said.

Kitsune laughed.

"Take her to a doctor or something," Shine said. "Just keep your phones on. I'm sure this won't take too long."

"You did this last time. It took two days," Mirko said.

"Stain is no Hantai, Rumi," Shine said. "But someone may have followed him here. You all should look around for that too. We'll be on our guard. Luckily, I doubt they could guess where we took him, and I saw no tracking chip, but it doesn't mean it wasn't there. He wanted to meet us. We have the best shot of stalling him."

She sighed and rubbed her forehead. "Personally, I'm sick of this merry go round. I've never been so annoyed by repeated attacks, but that means there is something we are getting too close to, and whoever it is wants to stop us at all costs. So that's nice to know... On your end, it's a lot of hassle."

"We'll just scout around," Miss Joke saluted. "Go do your thing. And if he joins our side...I will try to avoid him."

"I wouldn't be that forgiving," Mirko said. "If you come up with a reason for me not to kick his teeth in after this, I'd be shocked."

"I think this is what you need to work on," Shine said. "Open-mindedness."

To the others that sounded like her usual quips, but Mirko knew she was referring to their conversation earlier. 

She reddened.

Shine portalled away.

Miss Joke looked at Twice. "Your hero?" she said, amused. "I don't think you realize how funny that sounded."

"No, it didn't," Twice said. "It was hysterical."

"Hello? Aren't we gonna go look around?" Medea was already impatient. "Come on."

* * *

Stain wanted to know who they were first off.

Shine and Wally both thought that, since he was such an open Radical, like them, it might be best not to hold back. While most people couldn't take their full pitch all at once, Stain was not going to be the type to be bothered by it.

So they told him their story.

Shine emphasized the part about Jesus and what he taught.

Stain had never met Christians before, and he had questions about it.

He respected that the faith had produced many radical reformers over time, but was disgusted by the modern state of it.

"Religious people are just pretending to care about purifying society. In reality, they live in it just as much as anyone else. It's just lip service," he sniffed.

"That's what our God said," Shine said. "'These people worship me with their mouths, but their hearts are far from me.'"

"Bet you can relate," Wally said, munching on some more snacks.

"It seems like we have much in common after all." Stain was oddly calm now.

Shine began to see why people might think they were alike. It was the mark of a radical--very calm about many things, because their attention is not on them, but ready to fly into a fury or a passion at the mere mention of others.

"Everyone who really, truly believes in something will have things in common," she said. "I admire the faith of Muslims, personally, even if I don't share it. They take it seriously. It's their whole life. I think I need more of that. I agree with you, Chisome, that society is complacent. We're easily distracted. It's as true at home as it is anywhere else. Once our God purged the whole world save for 8 people. Your approach is very Old Testament."

"Then you have no reason to oppose me," Stain said, "and I have no reason to kill you."

Wally shot Shine a look like "is this guy for real?"

Shine folded her hands. "Here's the thing, Chisome--that was back before Christ. We Christians believe that Jesus changed everything. That He, in Himself, took on the sins, the evil, the pride and greed and selfishness, as you call it, and paid for it all by dying. He purged the sin and darkness of the world by becoming one with it and then shed his blood--blood worth more than the stuff you shed. And you have part of the right idea: the Words says, without the shedding of blood there is no forgiveness of sin. But Jesus' is enough. No more needs to be shed now. It's done, finished, as He said. Now we live in the new world, simply telling others that the work is done, and it's time to embrace it."

Stain looked at her strangely. "And who would believe that? There is plenty of corruption left in this world."

"Oh, this old world is gonna burn anyway." Wally gestured around nonchalantly. "That's fine. It was screwed up. We all know that. But the people in it, we don't want them to have to burn with it. So we try to save them."

"Along with that, we try to help them make their world better," Shine said. "To guide people more to the light, away from the dark. To heal the broken and release prisoners. This is our high and holy calling, and yet it's no more than many humble, decent men and women all over do, without even knowing it's High or Holy. The truly great acts of goodness are ones we hardly even hear about, I daresay."

Stain still looked confused. "This is your mission?" He sounded disappointed.

Wally sighed. "Dude, why you gotta look like that? It's a cool mission."

"All he knows is violence," Shine said.

"I feel sorry for you, Chisome. You must have been frustrated by the lack of purity in the world, and you're right, it's not there. But we draw our purity from God, the only True Good. And without it we'd never be satisfied, and you never will be either. You will never see your goals realized, and you know that. You thought you'd die eventually a martyr to your own cause. A sad life. And All Might would be the one. What is it with you people and that dying in honor thing? It's better not to die, unless you're going to Heaven."

Stain shook his head. "What is more noble than dying for you convictions?"

"Living them out?" Wally said.

"'But for me to live is Christ and to die is gain'," Shine quoted. "Paul wished to die and be with Christ, but for the sake of his students, said he should stick around. It's better to live, for the sake of other people."

"Well, then I hope I live to carry on my mission," Stain said.

This didn't seem to be getting them anywhere.

[Do you think this will work?]