Mystery from Another World--MHA

Part 123: Lethe's Error

Likstar was sitting on the porch of the dorms reading and taking notes on her Bible when the twins walked up the path.

They didn't run into anyone else on the way. Everyone was at lunch.

Eri was sitting on the porch with Shine, using chalk to make pictures on it. Every now and then she told Shine to look, and Shine would say it was cool.

But when she saw the twins, she said, "Eri, can you go inside and grab us some fruit snacks and give Koda's bunny a treat?"

"Oh, ok." Eri loved feeding the bunny. "You're not coming?"

"Nah, you're old enough to do it alone," Shine said.

Eri happily when inside.

"Sly," Lethe commented.

"She is," Shine shrugged, "And kids like to feel important. Which is, I assume, why you are here. How did you get past the security?"

"A magician never gives away their tricks, Miss Likstar," Lethe said, "What is your code name?"

"Likstar is. My friends call me Shine."

"That sounds like a code name," Medea snarked.

"Whatever," Shine replied in kind, "If it's about Dabi, forget it. I'm not answering you any more than anyone else. Go back to the League before the robots wheel around here and see you."

"They already let us pass." Lethe held up his fake ID.

"You're thorough, I'll give you that," Shine said, "Want a snack? We have tons."

"What?" Medea said.

"You can sit down," Shine said, "Might as well." She gestured toward the chairs. "Eri will be back soon, but we have a few minutes. What can I do for you?"

Lethe approached her cautiously. "Well, we could sit and talk for a minute."

Medea felt weird about this. Sure, they did it all the time, but Likstar had such a weird aura...and she was babysitting a kid. Should they really mess with her right now? It wasn't the kid's fault, right?

But they couldn't come back.

"I'll send you back out, so you don't have to sneak out," Shine was offering, "I got no reason to detain you two here. Are you spying?"

"Not really," Lethe said.

"Good. But the League needs to use kids now? Really."

"We volunteered. So you do know where Dabi is?"

"I'm not going to answer that." Shine fingered her bible.

"Yes." Lethe held up his hand. "You are."

Shine was supposed to glaze over. Everyone always did when he pulled out their memory palace... Red squares started to appear--and then they vanished.

Shine put her hands to her head. "Ow...what was that? What did you just try to do to me?"

Lethe had never once failed to use his quirk since he was little and had gotten over the mistakes period. He'd been a prodigy even then.

Medea was shocked. He was more shocked.

"How did you do that? It was like you locked me out..."

"My mind is not your playground!" Shine's eyes flashed golden, startling them. "How dare you?" She stood up, towering over them, of course.

Lethe backed up, scared now. "I don't understand."

"Higher resistance to mental quirks. I sure do love the perks of my job," Shine said icily, "Means little thieves like you can't just steal my memory. FYI, kid, I've had my memory stolen before. I'm not anxious to repeat that experience. It was horrible. Do you know what it's like to forget who you are? Literally? And to feel your power, your personality, your growth, all draining away from you bit by bit?"