"Good morning, Musutafa. If you're just getting up, it is 9:30 A.M. More tragic news following the recent Villain violence after a prison escort carrying the League of Villains member Twice was attacked last night, leaving twelve officers dead, along with Gang Orca, the Killer Whale Hero." The long-haired, blonde news anchor stopped, her voice breaking slightly as she tried to remain composed. "This marks the twelfth Hero dead in the past year after the emergence of a new Villain who has taken management of the League, Wild Dog. Authorities have stated that despite the Hero murder streak, they are no closer to capturing WIld Dog since his emergence following the death of an American UA student. It is in time like these that our hearts and faith rest in our Heroes, now more than ever..."

That night...

Sam stood silently in the shower as hot water soaked him, his long maroon hair over his face. He'd decided to grow it in the past year, leaving it looking like Technoblade's hair in "Hog Hunt." He had the flashbacks again. Of the night his parents died. The night Himiko came right back into his life just as quickly as she had before. Of the last time he'd seen Mina. He couldn't help thinking about it all again: UA, Himiko, the League, Mina, Sensei. Sensei...

Sam still couldn't believe he was gone now. All for One had been like a father to him after what happened. He raised him up when he was so deep he felt like his knees would sink into the ground. He told Sam he was destined for greatness. Sam wanted to prove that every day, to make him proud, and he had since Sensei was gone. He took charge and reforged the League, gave them all a new purpose, new meaning, new members. But it still wasn't done...

Sam heard a knock on the shower's sliding glass door before hearing it slide open next. He laughed quietly. "You don't have to knock, you know", he said softly before feeling Himiko's soft hands on his chest from behind. Sam flipped his hair out of his face and turned around, pressing his lips against Himiko's. They'd grown closer since he'd joined the League, closer than they ever had been. "You know what I hate?", he murmured as they kissed, her arms wrapping around his neck before his snaked around her waist, feeling each other's bare skin. "That everyone thinks you're crazy. That you're insane. You were always right from the beginning, though."

Himiko smiled beneath his lips, feeling the comforting pressure of his strength. His words meant a lot to her. "People say that about you now, too." Her words held more than they seemed. Beneath the casual nature, they held a tinge of shame, even regret possibly, for placing Sam in such a situation. It was at times like this that she questioned if she even wished for the situation to mull on any longer. She pushed away the thoughts, focusing on his lips as her eyes blinked closed.

"It doesn't matter. We won't let them hurt us or lie to us anymore", Sam whispered, his arms tightening around her waist. Their tongues collided, her sweet and intoxicating taste urging him on. Sam reluctantly broke the kiss, looking into her sharp, yellow eyes. They reminded him of a snake or a cat, potent and beautiful. He gently moved a strand of her blonde hair that was caught in her eyelashes. "As much as I want to keep kissing you, we're gonna have to get going. We're meeting some rich newbies at the Diamond, remember?"

Himiko sighed longingly for a moment. "Right", she nodded, pecking his lips before gently removing herself from Sam's warm arms. Reluctantly, she left the room silently, giving Sam a smile as she exited. Sam smiled back and stepped out of the shower once she closed the door, grabbing a towel and drying himself off quickly before he started getting dressed. He slipped on a pair of dark green cargo pants, a pair of black socks and sneakers following for quick maneuvering. He pulled his t-shirt over his head, a cartoon of a chibi samurai on the front, before pulling his jacket on. It was a black material with a bold red oni on the back.

Sam turned towards the sink and grabbed the last piece: a mask resembling the upper part of a wolf or canine skull, pointy and boney ears and blood-like detailing along the fangs and jaw. He placed it over his face after flipping his maroon hair back before stepping out of the bathroom and walking through the hall of the new, spacious compound. Dani happened to also be wandering around at the same moment and met up with Sam. He gave him a smile, a more common occurrence nowadays, as he saw the familiar mask. "Looking nice", he said in his usual low voice, tilting his head in greeting.

"You too, D", Sam said with a nod before gripping each other's hands tightly. "I'm here too, HAHA!", Twice shouted as he dropped down from the ceiling. Sam laughed and punched him lightly on the shoulder. "Do me a favor and get our rides ready, boys. Dabi, I want you on point on this. You keep everyone where we want them and keep an eye on them." "No problem", Dabi answered, flashing his teeth and leaving with Twice to prep for the mission. "Toga should be ready by now too, so don't worry. She's probably already at the car", Dabi called over his shoulder, knowing how Sam could worry about her. Sam nodded and walked down the hallway toward the compound's garage. 'Show time', he thought to himself silently.