The LOV hadn't had much to do since Medea's visit to UA. Just moving around.

Shigaraki had finally heard from the doctor, though. He had gone to one of his other hidden labs. He wouldn't tell Shigaraki where it was, per their agreement...and that he normally didn't anyway.

"I'll have to redo a lot, but there's a few toys I still have in reserve," the doctor said, "How's the recovery going?"

Shigaraki didn't have much to say about that. The doctor always made him weirdly uncomfortable, though he didn't really understand anyway. Maybe it was the constant pushing his buttons to see what he'd do.

[Yeah...maybe it's that...]

"Hey, genius," Mirko called from outside the phone booth, "hurry up. I just heard a cop car."

"Who is that?" the doctor said, "That sounds kind of like the number 5 hero..."

"I'm sure it wasn't." Shigaraki had absolutely no intention of telling the doctor that Mirko was there.

"Pity. I'd like to pay her back for that little number she did on that other nomu of mine..."

Mirko hadn't even really taken that one down, but Shigaraki also wasn't going to tell him that.

"Just focus on recovery."

"Are you being a little bossy?" The doctor sounded amused. "Well, we'll see... Don't worry. We'll be back to your treatment in no time."

Shigaraki could almost feel the pain now...not that it mattered.

"Hello?" Mirko banged on the phone booth.

"I'm sure that was her," the doctor said.

"It wasn't. Bye." Shigaraki hung up. "Do you mind!?"

"Hey, you're the one who said to keep watch," Mirko said flatly.

"I said to make yourself useful and go away!" Shigaraki snapped, "Not keep watch."

"Yeah, whatever. This was a stupid idea," Mirko said, "Better warp yourself back to the hole you crawled out of."

"Go away." Shigaraki walked away from the booth.

"What did the creepy doctor say?" Mirko followed him. "Anything new?"

"Not really." Shigaraki scowled. "Guess the ninja really aren't going to show themselves for a while."

"Creeps." Distastefully. "So what does this doctor guy do anyway? Compress said he's a real piece of work."

"Compress has a big mouth." Shigaraki was annoyed.

"Is he into that Frankenstein crap? Or is he more the sci-fi kind? Mind control and sh--."

"Is there a reason you're nagging me about this?" Shigaraki said, "What's it to you?"

"I don't know. No one even knew about this guy, and yet he's making all these nomu things," Mirko said, "Kind of important, isn't it? What else does he do? Make those support gadget things?"

"No, we get those off the black market-- Wait, why am I explaining this? I don't need to tell you anything!" Shigaraki said, "You're not part of the League. Why don't you go do you job, freeloader?"

"Oh, I see, I'm the freeloader. At least I actually work!" Mirko shot back, "Whatever."

She hopped away.

What a pest! Shigaraki thought. He regretted ever thinking rabbits were cute in the past. They were just as annoying as rats after all.

Mirko came dashing back the way past him, not even looking, and then something else ran by...a dog?

A greyhound, to be specific, barking madly.

Mirko jumped into a tree. "Go away!" she yelled at the greyhound.

The dog just wagged its tail instead.

"What on earth?" Shigaraki stared at this scene.

The dog tried to claw up the tree.

A lady and kid came running up after it. "Trixie! Get down!"

The dog ignored them.

"I'm so sorry. I don't know what's gotten into her, normally she's so good around people," the lady said to Mirko, "Hey...aren't you the number 5 hero?"

"Why are you up there?" the kid said.

"Uh, well, I didn't want to hurt your dog..." Mirko said.

The dog snapped at her, and her ears went back.

"I'm so sorry. I can't think why she's acting like this," the lady said.

"Could be because greyhounds hunt rabbits," Shigaraki said blandly.

They looked at him oddly, but without his hands, they didn't recognize him.

"Oh...are they hunting dogs?" The lady clearly didn't know anything about dogs.

"Duh." Shigaraki was disgusted.

"Oh, I bet Trixie thinks she's a real rabbit, Mama," the kid said.

Words could not describe the look on Mirko's face right then.

The lady grabbed her dog by the collar and started to haul her away. "So sorry, Number 5..."

"Can I have your autograph?" the kid asked.

Mirko slunk out of the tree. "Sure...why not...?"

The dog barked at her and she flinched.

"I'll just take her across the street..." the lady said, dragging the dog away...

The kid ran after them a second later.

Mirko scowled. "Not one word."

"About what?" Shigiraki said.

"You know what!" Mirko kicked the tree, which had done nothing wrong. "I hate dogs."

"It's not the dog's fault it's bred to kill rabbits. Why are you blaming it?" Shigaraki said, mostly just to annoy her.

"I can hate dogs if I want to!" Mirko said.

"You don't know anything. Dogs are nice," Shigaraki said.

"Why?" Mirko said.

Pause.

Why did he like dogs? An image flickered in front of his mind.

He shook his head. "They aren't people." Then he walked away.

"What kind of logic is that?" Mirko called after him, not getting it, "By that logic any animal is nice..."

No answer.

Mirko rolled her eyes...then she got a text. "Ah, frick..."

She caught up with Shigaraki. "Change of plan. Likstar wants to come visit...says she has something important to tell us."

"Finally," Shigaraki said.

"It better be worth it," Mirko muttered.

"What, you prefer being up a tree?" Shigaraki said snippily.

"Why, you--" Mirko began, then stopped, "That almost worked on me. D---..."

"Hating innocent animals for no reason-- and you call yourself a hero."

"Why are you so hung up on this, villain? You some kind of dog rights activist?" Mirko said.

"I just don't see how it's fair."

"So? Is it hurting them?" Mirko said.

"That's no excuse."

"You're an idiot."

"I'm not the one who ran from a domesticated pet."

"If you'd been bitten by as many dogs as I have, you'd run too, freak," Mirko said, "Stupid animals..."

"Just kick it away, then!"

"That's animal abuse!" Mirko said. Like that was such a big deal to her. She made no sense.

The whole argument was so ridiculous at this point that anyone other than Shigaraki would have laughed at it, but he didn't have a sense of humor... He just kind of felt like it was pointless, so he dropped it.

[The dog thing is a joke my sisters and I came up with that I just had to write in, and while it's probably never going to be canon in the show, it kind of makes sense, huh?

I sort of got this idea from Rise of The Guardians. Mirko is totally like Bunnymund.

But would she also hate foxes like Judy Hopps?

Leave comments if you have any crack theories about this ridiculous question!]

* * *

Finding the lair again, they found the rest of the LOV arguing about stupid things, as usual.

They were glad to hear Shine would have some news for them, though.

Shine arrived promptly, once Mirko let her know they were ready.

She didn't seem liker her usual, peppy self, however.

"What's wrong with you?" Compress was blunt.

"Nothing at all," Shine said, "It's been a morning...but it was good. It's just that I don't really like what I'm here to talk about."

All kinds of scenarios ran through all of their heads when she said that.

Mirko sank into a chair (this lair was at an abandoned furniture warehouse, of all things).

"What is it?" Spinner said nervously.

"It's about Kurogiri," Shine said.

Shigaraki at once was at attention, though it was hard to tell with him. "What?"

"First of all, I can't tell you where I got this information, so don't ask," Shine said, "It's better also if you don't share it with anyone once I tell you."

They blinked at her.

Shine sighed and began to disclose the truth about Kurogiri really being someone named Oboro Shirakumo. She didn't mention Aizawa-- just said he'd been a hero student.

To say this surprised them all would be an understatement, but it horrified Mirko in particular to hear that a hero had been turned into a human nomu.

Shigaraki interrupted Shine part way through this. "What do you mean he's a nomu? He can talk."

"So could the other one," Shine said.

"Yes, but he has a personality," Shigaraki said.

Shine bit her lip. "That is bent only around one purpose...taking care of you."

Shigaraki went silent.

"He...was a nomu?" Spinner didn't like this. "And none of us could tell."

That was truly the unnerving part. They all looked at each other.

"I did always think he was a little one note..." Compress admitted, "but I thought he was just an idol worshiper."

"Well, and so he is...just not by choice," Shine said.

"And how did you feel about this?" Mirko finally asked her,  "After all you said about them."

Shine's face clouded over. "I was horrified... I've been asked to try to help the poor soul... I hope I can, if I find him...and I wasn't sure what to tell all of you...but I guess, given how's he turned, there's something very odd about all of this. He shouldn't have been able to switch objectives like that."

The way she said that made them shudder.

Even Toga looked a little weirded out, and that was bad...and she wasn't even close-- she was sitting in the stair way. Twice was hiding away from them also, but he heard.

"How do you know all this was true?" Shigaraki said.

"I can't really tell you, other than I know the source I have would not have lied to me about this," Shine said, "and...it makes sense...too much sense... They tried to reason with him. It seems a little part of Oboro is still there. His brain shorts out if he's pushed too hard...and then he was broken out. Not sure what they did to him, in that cult, but the whole thing is not making me feel good."

"What should we do with this information?" Compress wondered, "Any one of us might be turned the same way at this rate... Who would have thought? But why kidnap a hero student?"

Shine's eyes got very fierce. "I imagine whoever does this for All For One would only find it amusing to use a hero. Nothing people like that like better than messing with good people for their own purposes. I have never seen anything like the sick satisfaction they get out of it, and I've seen it before. Wally has seen it even more than me. Brainwashing, magic, hypnotism, mind control-- it doesn't matter how they do it, they just love it."

She began to pace, a sure sign she was agitated. "I had to warn you. If Kurogiri attacks you again, reasoning with him is likely to be pointless... Just call me or Wally or one of our trainees, if you can. And run, if possible... You all understand?"

"Of course." Spinner had no intention of fighting Kurogiri, no matter who's side he was on but especially not now.

"And..." Shine looked at Mirko, who looked kind of traumatized, "I don't want to scare you, but...you, don't go near that mad scientist, whoever it is. You understand? Stay away from them."

Mirko bit her lip. "You think I'm scared?"

Shine walked up to her and grabbed her arm with a force not expected of her. "Listen to me. There is nothing someone like that would like better than to mess with your head. Don't engage. Don't go near them. Got it? It's on you if you do."

Mirko swallowed.

"In fact, I'd feel far better if you weren't around here at all, considering this," Shine said.

Medea shivered.

"Well, Likstar, the Egghead is not going to be around us for a while," Shigaraki spoke up, finally, "He's too busy recovering from the damages."

Shine looked at him oddly. "You're calm right now? Huh."

"Is there a reason I wouldn't be?" Shigaraki actually felt kind of nauseous, but he wasn't sure why.

"I don't know. I thought you might not like hearing this." Shine sounded...disappointed?

"It's...unexpected..." Shigaraki allowed.

That he acknowledged that at all made the other LOV members look at him funny.

"Are you actually worried?" Spinner sounded ready to lose his crap if Shigaraki said yes.

"Of course not!" Shigaraki said.

"You sick freak," Mirko said, sounding a little shaky for her, "Imagine not being bothered by this..."

"Rumi," Shine reproved her, "don't assume that. No one around here ever admits what they actually think."

"Don't speak for me, Likstar!" Shigaraki snapped.

"Then speak for yourself, you brat!" Shine shot back at him, "Tell me, you're not really concerned about it?"

Silence.

"I'm sorry," Shine said suddenly, "I shouldn't have said that... I'm upset. That's all."

"Why apologize?" Medea sniffed, "It was true. It's what you really thought."

"It's not all I think." Shine sat down on the floor, not caring about chairs. "I worry about the lot of you not being careful enough. Guess I got attached."

"You're so weird," Spinner said.

"Well, no need to worry, Miss Likstar," Compress said, "We'll get by. I'm sure we've gotten through enough of these situations by now."

"I no like it," Silk said.

Shine sighed. "I should go, I guess."

She seemed pretty sad.

The LOV exchanged uncomfortable glances.

"You should talk to her," Silk hissed at them, as Shine was moving out of the room.

"About what?" Spinner replied.

Silk rolled her eyes and gestured wildly. "She is worried you all do something stupid. Maybe reassure her? Isn't she your friend?"

"Well...not exactly..." Spinner said.

"Woman put her life on line for you all the time," Silk was disgusted, "She is nice to you, she rush over here in middle of night to help total stranger, and she's helping us now. And you not even thank her? This may be League of Villain, but I thought we treat allies better than that."

Even they felt kind of guilty now.

Mirko sniffed. "What do you expect? They never thank anyone."

"Perhaps certain people make it a little harder to be grateful," Silk was cutting, "but I never hear Miss Likstar say much bad about anyone here. She is an angel. Why don't you treat her better?"

"Well, frankly, she's just kind of unnerving," Compress said.

"Aren't you grateful? Your arm is back." Silk gestured at him. "Is no show of strength to ignore help! It's just a show of fear." She huffily stormed out of the room. "Out of my way!" she snapped at Toga, who moved accordingly. 

"Geez, what a meanie."

"Eh...you know, she might have a point," Spinner said, "Even if we're the LOV, we have standards."

"I think none of us could ever repay Miss Likstar." Compress rubbed his chin. "So what is the point of acknowledging it all now? What do we do with that kind of generosity? We in the LOV work by the law of equivalent exchange-- we all give and get something out of it, but she gets nothing out of this, and that is always what has made me suspicious of her... But even if she somehow actually cares, what do we do? What does thank you even mean?"

"You guys are dumb," Medea spoke up, flicking some dust off the chair she was on, "I don't remember too much, but I know one thing-- people who actually love you don't expect you to repay anything..." She frowned. "I wonder if..."

"No one could love us," Spinner said, "That's a sentiment there's no room for in this League."

"Well, Donnie," Medea said saltily, "just because you don't like it doesn't mean it's not true." She got up too. "I've seen plenty of sick, twisted adults around. I think I know it when I see it. We have a lot of enemies... H---, my own brother used his quirk to change my whole reality on me. So what the frick is real anymore? I don't know...but I know one thing. If someone really cares about you, for whatever reason, and they're not lying to you and using you, then you don't just throw that way. I don't have to be old or smart to figure that one out. You don't get too many chances like that in this stupid world." She walked away also.

"Our new members really are a different breed..." Compress admitted.

"I don't like it," Spinner said.

Shigaraki got up and went out of the room.

"Where's he going?" Mirko asked.

"If I had to guess, he's going to act on all that," Compress said, "The boss tends to just walk away when he has an idea...kind of makes it hard to follow him, but we keep up as best as we can."

"Wait, what's he going to do to her?" Mirko got up.

"Maybe nothing," Spinner said.

"Who knows?" Compress said.

Mirko exited in a hurry.

* * *

Shine hadn't just left, partly because she was kind of upset, and partly because she wasn't sure she should. Maybe she ought to try to talk to Mirko about all this more? But then, the pro hadn't seemed really interested in talking.

Before she made up her mind, Shigaraki had followed her into the outer area of the warehouse.

She looked up. "Oh...uh...what's up?"

Silence.

Shine began to wonder if she was in danger. "Uh...did I do something?"

"This is really pissing me off." Shigaraki was one heck of conversation opener. "All of this...it's worse than All Might."

Shine realized he was probably trying to vent. "Uh, look, Tomura, I don't really want to hear it if you're just going to ask me who you should kill."

"So why are you doing this?" Shigaraki said, in kind of a petulant tone, as usual, "Why are you trying to take care of the League? You really annoy me, you know that? What gives you the right to prance around here, acting all high and mighty, like you know best?"

"What gives you the right to do what you do? You want to, that's all," Shine said.

"You can't possibly enjoy this."

"Why not?" Shine said, "If I happen to enjoy this kind of mean spirited reception and people ignoring me, what's it to you?"

"So you're a d--- masochist?"

Shine laughed. "No... I'll tell you the truth." She gestured around. "I've never really done this before. I mean, I invaded an alien planet once, but that was not on purpose. I was kidnapped...and it was horrible... After that, I never wanted to be in that position again. Then I lost someone I was trying to help... I don't like talking about that to this day."

She tugged her hair. "One thing I decided after that was that...no matter how much I want, I cannot control what happens. Who lives, who dies, who changes, who doesn't... Life and times are not in my  hands, they are in God's, and I can only do what He sets me to do. I no longer bother trying to figure out if I'll succeed... So, when I felt the prompting to make the LOV part of our mission here, I didn't ask if it would work. I just did it...and I don't know what you all will do with what we have for you. I know that you've refused to hear me out. One might ask, really, why I bother. All I get to do is protect you all, and for what? Will you listen to my input? Not unless it's life or death. But you see, Tomura Shigaraki, we're not always thrown into situations with people we like or understand, but it could just be what we need... I'm not much older than you, but I'm old enough to know that."

She smiled wryly. "That's why I'm helping. Surely you of all people understand that Master knows best is something we trust. Not that we really understand."

Pause. 

"Fair enough..." Shigaraki allowed, "so what does your master want with the League?"

"I told you ages ago-- for you to come to Him and serve Him instead," Shine said, "We've given you a lot for free, showing our good will. If you still think this is going to hurt you, I don't know how else to convince you. If you'd let me, I'd tell you all about it. But I didn't want to waste my time."

She saw Rumi was listening, watching closely, like she thought Shigaraki might attack.

That woman really just could not admit when she cared, could she?

"We wouldn't serve your master. We clearly want different things," Shigaraki said, "but I can respect your devotion, in a way."

Shine shrugged. "I thought you might."

"But it still makes us enemies."

"Oh, no more than anyone else is," Shine said, "and, you see, we're told to love our enemies. 'Do good to those who hate you. Bless those who curse you. Pray for those who despitefully use you'," she quoted. [Matthew 5:44,and Luke 6: 27-28]

"What a lot of crap," Shigaraki said.

"Just because you can't possibly comprehend doing it, doesn't make it crap," Shine said, "There's a lot you don't know about the world still-- and yourself."

Shigaraki flinched. "What are you implying?"

Shine wasn't sure she should, but she barreled on. "We never have talked about what happened months ago...when I said those two words."

The silence now was heavy.

"There is nothing to talk about," Shigaraki said finally, "They were nothing."

"That was your real name," Shine said in a low voice, "I found out...and that your name you use now means Mourning...so what happened to you?"

Some images flashed across Shigaraki's mind. He put a hand to is face. "I...don't remember."

He had always admitted this pretty openly to AFO or the doctor, so he didn't have much of a problem admitting it to her.

Shine sighed. "You don't, huh...? Well, I've never known you to lie to me, so I guess that's the truth. Why did you react that way, then?"

"I don't know." That was also the truth.

He started scratching.

Shine bit her lip. "Do you want to know the truth?"

Pause.

"What?" Shigaraki said.

"I can tell you," Shine said, "I...don't know all of it, and you might hate me if I do. Then again, you already don't like me. Could I make it worse?"

"The truth about what?"

"Who you were," Shine said.

Silence.

"That no longer matters," Shigaraki said, like a robot almost, "I don't need to know."

"Who told you that?"

"No one...but...it's how it is. I can remember through using my hands..." Shigaraki fidgeted nervously.

Shine suddenly got a sick look. "Oh...don't tell me... That's not...them, is it?"

"So?" Shigaraki said.

Shine covered her mouth. "I don't feel so good now... Who...? Why...why would you do that?"

"Well, it was the doctor's idea." Shigaraki didn't see why she was freaking out. "To motivate me."

"To what!!??" Shine could have been heard from outside.

"Quiet!" Shigaraki snapped.

In a lower voice, but still angry, Shine began to get very close to swearing for her. "Those demented, sick, twisted jackasses!... Just how do they motivate you?"

"Well, when I put them on I feel rage," Shigaraki said. Like it was normal. "And kind of sick..."

"Sick? It makes you feel sick? Why do you do it?"

"I... Because they..." Shigaraki really didn't have an answer. He never questioned it. Why would he?

Shine read all that in his tone, if nothing else. "You know...if something makes you sick, it's not a good idea to use it. That's just common sense. If someone is making you hurt yourself, that's not fair... Doesn't that ever...bother you?"

"No," Shigaraki said.

Shine looked more upset. "I...was not...wanting to hear this."

"What's your problem?" Shigaraki still didn't get why she was acting so weird.

"Your sick mentors are my problem," Shine said.

"Sticks and stones, Likstar. Who are you to know what's best for anyone? Or to care?"

"I do care about you."

"That's bulls---," Shigaraki said.

"It's not, and who are you to tell me what I care about?" Shine shot back, with warmth, "Now, shall I tell you or not? You're making me angry enough to anyway."

"I don't care what you say," Shigaraki said.

That was not the right thing to say to Shine.

"Fine." Her eyes flashed at him. "Your real name is Tenko Shimura. That's because you're descended from All Might's predecessor, Nana Shimura. That was your grandmother. Her son was your father."

Silence.

"You...you're lying!" Shigaraki got mad. "That's a pack of lies."

"I would not lie to you!" Shine said, "You think I care in the least who you're related to? I have no reason to want it to be All Might's mentor, but that's who it was. You draw you own conclusions about that. Nana Shimura was killed by All For One-- that's how he came to fight All Might. Fact check it all if you don't believe me. I doubt that son of a serpent will tell you the truth though. Why should now be any different?"

"Stop it," Shigaraki said, advancing toward her.

She stared him down.

He didn't attack, he just looked kind of livid and kind of dazed.

"I don't know if you remember at all anything in the past," Shine said more calmly, "but what I have told you is true... I wouldn't blame you for blocking it all out. I know you won't want to accept it either... I'm sorry, truly because I wish I could tell you something happier. There's much I don't know. I think only you know that, and you've suppressed it. It happens with trauma. Did they ever tell you about that?"

No, was the clear answer.

"Trauma?" Shigaraki said blankly.

"Yes, trauma," Shine said, "Why do you think you don't remember? It was traumatic. Kids, they can block out memories of painful experiences like that...but the damage remains. I don't know if you have any signs of it. Some people get headaches, like Medea. Others have panic attacks.... I don't know. Perhaps you've had glimmers of memory?"

He didn't say anything. Images were flashing again...but they were cracked.

"I don't know what they told you either," Shine said, "so...it's hard to know what to say. If you would talk to me...but that's a lot to expect. I know that. I could help you, if you wanted it."

"There's nothing you could do to help." Shigaraki sounded kind of far away, almost like he didn't know what he was saying to her. "Nothing can help that...the rage. Why does thinking about it makes me feel so angry? I don't even remember it..."

He had no doubt forgotten who he was talking into. He was probably flashing back.

Shine didn't speak right away, but by and by he seemed to refocus.

"You know...anger can be a sign of fear," she said slowly, "Something scary happens, we get angry to cover our fear of it... It was that way with me... There was darkness in my life too, believe it or not. I wished I could forget it...but maybe it was better I couldn't. I had to face it. All I'm trying to say is, pushing all this aside will not help you in the long run."

"I don't know what you're talking about..." Shigaraki was still kind of dazed.

Shine saw it. "I can't get through to you," she said, "Too much pain." She shook her head. "The only way to deal with it is to hurt other people, isn't it?"

That did get some reaction.

"How did you guess that?" Shigaraki had supposed this tactic to be one the doctor and AFO alone would know.

"It's not hard to read you," Shine said, "but, knowing what I do, I can't really feel any hatred toward you about it. I just pity you."

"I don't need your pity!"

"I know you don't want it, but it would be nice if, for once in your life, Tenko Shimura, someone wanted what was best for you," Shine said.

Somehow, those words hit a nerve.

Shigaraki froze.

"And I mean for you, not for them," Shine went on, seeing she had gotten his attention, "Just for you...and I do. Really...I'm not trying to use you. For the record, if you didn't have the LOV and weren't a villain out to ruin everything, I'd still care."

"No, you wouldn't," Shigaraki spat that at her, "That's a lie... People only start to really think about things when they're in danger! They're just fools the rest of the time!"

Shine smacked him.

As usual, he didn't react except to look stunned. "What...? Why did you do that?!"

"I was trying to snap you out of it," Shine said, "You're being ridiculous. I don't have any reason to use you. I could have crushed your League at any time if that was my job, but it isn't. My job is to care. It's a high calling, trust me, not one that's easy to undertake. Caring is risky. It's far easier to hate, but you know that already."

She backed up. "I'm sorry for pushing you so much. I feel like it's getting so urgent now, I don't know when we'll all be called upon to make our choices here. But you know, all of us are going to have to do it. Better to do it with as much knowledge as possible."

She looked right at Rumi, who was frozen in place still. 

"Well, I think I will go now. I'm...kind of upset... This has been a long day for me. I'll check in soon."

She turned and vanished.

Shigaraki just kind of stood there, not at all able to comprehend what just happened.

Mirko slipped away, so she wouldn't get caught spying. She supposed she could have just left after it was clear Shine had the situation in hand...but passing that up had been impossible.

And what would she do with that information? To think All Might was connected to all this... What did it mean? Why would All For One go after the grandson of...?

Even Mirko could put this together, and she wasn't conniving or crafty.

"Why, that sick SOB..." she said.

[Well...this can only lead to drama...but now that Shigaraki knows part of the truth, what will he do with it?]