"It was all in the papers," Shine said, once they were back on the road, and Mirko was, in fact, driving.

She held them up. "They go into a lot of detail: The goal was to make a tesseract-- They're calling it a gateway, but it's basically the same thing. It didn't work. They wanted to bring in people, items, or plants...but instead all that came was shadows... Of course they were really spirits of some sort, like the Tailed Beasts, but these idiots didn't realize that. They assumed it was just some side effect of the gate. It took it's toll on the area, as it always does. And the unnatural thing drove the natural things away."

"Strange," Midnight said. "Animals seem to like you just fine."

"Our powers are aligned with nature," Shine said. "The Lord gave us animals and plants to take care of, so they tend to like us. But this is not the same thing."

"So did they stop?" Mabui asked.

"They ran out of funding," Shine said, "but they kept the device guarded so they could reuse. However, it seems Akume's team, along with others, was called back to Japan. It was secret...and here we have our puzzle piece: They learned to do it themselves." She leaned back. "At least that's my theory. But also it could be they have better equipment. Ujiko somehow has endless supplies. What this doesn't tell us is if the Dark Walker is truly one of us, or if they are a mad scientist who's gotten into the wrong things.... That is normally how it starts."

"But there are exceptions?" Mabui asked.

"I've never heard of one," Shine said, "but theoretically...there is another possibility..."

She was silent.

"What?" Mirko finally said.

"Men are imperfect," Shine said. "DJs, whatever else we are, are mortal...and flawed. It's possible one of us could turn our back on the faith and the position but retain the powers."

"That doesn't seem right," Midnight objected. "Your powers are a gift, you said."

"While God has been known to take power from people, most often, they retain it," Shine said. "God entrusts us with gifts, but gives us the freedom to use them how we will. And DJ-ing is, at bottom, a talent, an ability some are born with the capacity for. That won't change even if they give it up.... Who's to say this is not a way for it to twist...? But I have hoped I would never be faced with that. We're much safer if it's the usual magician or scientist messing with what they do not understand."

"Why is it so much worse if they do know? Seems like some fool could mess everyone up if they aren't careful," Mirko said.

"Because, Rumi, if they do know what they're doing and they're not on God's side," Shine said, "then the only evil thing more powerful than them would be a devil."

Silence while they all stared at her.

"Humans are far stronger than we know we are," Shine went on almost as if to herself. "I know that. We're weak, it's true, so often, but when we are strong, our strength is terrible. We are made in God's image, after all. A fool is easier to deal with than a person who's clever enough to do damage."

"Wow...dark..." Mirko said. She suddenly pulled over, shaking.

"Rumi..." Shine said.

"If this is what it is, then...Shigaraki went to someone like that," Mirko said in a small voice, "and...we let it happen.... Might as well just have shot him..."

"I'm confused," Midnight said. "Why do we care what he does?"

Mabui nudged her. "Dabi told me that they've been working together a lot," she whispered.

"I know, Rumi." Shine tried to put a hand on her shoulder.

"No, I don't think you do know!" Mirko said savagely, jerking away. "Why did you let it happen...? You just shut up.... At least I tried...not that it did any good." She leaned on the wheel. "I.... In the end, I didn't know how to fix this.... I tried to force it with the lab, and that backfired.... I thought I couldn't do that again...but I wish I had just done that...or broken his leg or something."

Shine sighed. "I wonder if that would have been better.... There must be a time to overlook someone's right to choose...if they simply can't..."

"Then why didn't you?"

"Because, Rumi, as much as I'd have tried that over letting him go, AFO, Akume, and the rest can find us.... If he really wanted to go, they'd have gotten him, and then he'd have been angry at us, and that much easier to bend to their will," Shine said.

Her certainty of it scared Midnight.

"Anything we did, they'd twist...so we let him go so that if they try that...maybe he'll question it. I hate it too, Rumi.... I have my own form of this pain." She hugged her sides. "I feel like my students are my children in some ways.... Losing one of them feels like total failure to me. I do feel it.... I know you're mad at me, but...we're the only ones who get it, you know, Rumi...just a few of us. I think it's better not to blame each other."

Mirko sighed.... She seemed to be trying not to cry. 

"Yeah...well...I'm not really mad at you," she said. "I'm just pissed in general. I...know they would do what you say because they did it every time before...but I...it's...we're so...helpless...."

"We are...but God is not," Shine said. "Perhaps He is working in all this. I can't imagine how...but like a song I like says, 'out of the deepest dark there shines the purest light'. Maybe it's not as hopeless as it seems."

https://youtu.be/DY7IhtObgdQ

Mirko shook her head like she doubted it.

"All I know is, the only good we've done so far here was because of Jesus," Shine said. "I believe that...and He is higher than every other name.... Even if the Dark Walker is as bad as that, Jesus is stronger than that. I can get comfort from that."

"You'll have to forgive me if I don't find it that reassuring," Midnight said. "I don't know your God, or if He's super interested in our case. How many Heroes have to die before he interferes?"

"Perhaps he has interfered," Shine said. "It could be you wouldn't even be here if He hadn't. UA was attacked enough times for me to wonder, if we weren't here, would the staff and students all be here? Wally and I are trying to figure out what our mission really was. I know that it is not God who misunderstood, it is we who assume. We assume that because this worked in the last world, or last year, or last decade, they will work again. But God is always changing things. He never does things this same way twice. I know that, so if I forgot it, it's on me. Not Him. All things new. All this might just be the death of an old era so a new one can begin.... I do not know. None of us do. If you give up before we find out, then you miss out what might have been a far greater good than leaving things as they were. That's what I know."

Mirko looked up. "What if...the thing I wanted depends on...well, one thing going the right way?"

Shine sighed. "I.... We don't always get what we want, Rumi. I'll never tell you that.... I know we get what we need.... If you need it, you'll get it. That's all I can promise you. It may seem like cold comfort, but in the end, grasping at things we're not meant to have never ends well. I've tried to let go."

Mirko gripped the wheel. "Yeah, well, I barely had the inclination to hold on at all, and then it's ripped away.... What does that say?"

"That we live in a fallen world and pain is inevitable," Shine said. "I...did warn you, you know."

Mabui shook her head. "This is never the fun part," she muttered.

"Have you heard this speech before?" Midnight asked.

"Miss Likstar once told me something very similar when I was debating joining their team in my world," Mabui said. "But if it was right, that was what mattered. I chose to do it. I've never suffered more in my life than I did following that decision...but I found I was necessary to their success, and I found a new purpose.... Here I am. I wouldn't change it, but I wouldn't go through it again."

"Show me someone who'll go through pain again on purpose, and I'll show you either a mother or an idiot," Shine said, over the seat back. "Wishing pain on ourselves would be crazy. But if it does come, and we accept it and learn from it, that is true character. The worse the pain is...well, the wiser it will make us. It doesn't help while you're feeling it, but it is the truth."

Mirko pursed her lips. "Let's just drive." She started the car again.

A song came on Shine's mix right then that made them all get real quiet.

https://youtu.be/UolKQWoWyQY

Mabui and Midnight had figured out Mirko's feelings from this exchange, and Midnight thought back over how she'd been acting the last week and saw the signs.

Her romantic flair couldn't help but warm to the idea of doomed love, but she was at least nice enough not to say so.

After they stopped for fuel, Mabui stood next to Mirko outside while they were stretching their legs.

"Perhaps it's not my place to say this," she said to Mirko softly, "but I've been in a very similar position to you recently.... I'm sorry."

"I don't want your pity," Mirko said. "I'm sure all of you think I'm an idiot." She kicked at the pavement. "Shine's the only one crazy enough to not think that."

"I think I can say I don't think you're an idiot," Mabui said. "Perhaps it's different where I live, but I didn't get the impression that man was so bad.... I heard he killed, but most people I know have killed.... He seemed decent enough. Dabi says he's sort of kind.... I am sorry he made the choice he did. Truly unfortunate.... It might not be hopeless. I've know some people I never thought would ever be swayed at home, but the right circumstances lined up, and they were."

"Don't try to give me false hope," Mirko leaned on the car and spoke bitterly. "Just makes it worse."

"I apologize.... Perhaps it does," Mabui admitted. "I'm sure I felt that way for a a while.... It's just in my case things turned out better than I thought. I thought maybe they would for you.... I'll pray for it."

"I'm sure that'll help," Mirko said sarcastically. Then she winced. "Erh...that was a little harsh...sorry. I turn into a b---h when I'm upset, apparently...don't take it personal. I'm sure you mean well and all, but I just...don't want to talk about it."

"Okay," Mabui said. "But...if you need to...I mean, I can't really help, but I won't...you know, think less of you.... The standards here are so high, it's stifling at times."

Mirko laughed dryly. "You catch on fast, huh? I think, if I wasn't so depressed, I'd like you.... Call me in 3 months if we survive this and maybe we can talk.... I might like to hear about your world sometime."

"That it'd be nice. I really don't know that many people here outside the group," Mabui said, "and my co-workers are all scared of me since Mr. Endeavor keeps saying I'm actually competent.... I wish he wouldn't say that, but I suppose he means well."

"If Endeavor likes you," Midnight commented, joining them, "then you probably are scary. I must admit, you seem too refined for Miss Likstar. How on earth are you two friends?"

"Miss Likstar is a very kind woman," Mabui said. "She takes in people everyone else writes off as trash.... At first it seemed crazy, but...they turned out well. They're better than they ever were. These people can work miracles, I've seen it. Miss Likstar is what makes it all work though. She never gives up on someone she's set out to help, no matter how ungrateful and hostile they are. And she's not afraid of anyone, even my old boss. All her students become like her. It was awe-inspiring."

"Ugh, you're like her hype-man. So sorry I asked," Midnight said.

"Ignore her," Mirko said to Mabui. "She hates Shine because she's jealous that she's a better teacher and the students actually like her."

"Why, you--!" Midnight began.

"Ladies," Shine came back from buying snacks, "what's going on...? Don't tell me you're really bickering like children at a time like this?"

Mirko and Midnight both looked embarrassed.

"We were just talking," Mabui covered smoothly.

"Right...well, the world might be in danger so...anyone want M&Ms?" Shine asked.

[I would eat M&Ms if the world was in danger, just saying.]

In the car, Midnight embarrassed both of the others by saying,

"Well, Miss Likstar--"

"You know, it's really Mrs. West now," Shine cut in.

"Whatever," Midnight said. "But since you are a missus now, perhaps you could tell us poor single ladies how you get a guy to actually commit to you. What's the big secret?"

Mirko looked at her like she'd kill her.

Mabui carefully looked out the window.

Shine glared at Midnight in the review mirror.

"I don't know, Nemuri. Wally pursued me first," she said.

"But clearly you kept him interested," Midnight said. "Of course...bad boys aren't your type. Perhaps that makes the difference."

Shine glared at her. "Nemuri, this is not helpful."

"You know what? Why don't you just answer?" Mirko said suddenly. "Let's see if you say what she thinks you're going to say."

She wanted Midnight to be embarrassed now.

"Uh, is that really necessary?--" Mabui said.

"Oh, come on, Shine, what do you got?" Mirko said. She glared at Midnight. "What does the World Walker Christian have to say about bad boys, huh, Midnight?"

Midnight made a face at her.

Shine, of course, took the question seriously.

"Well," she said thoughtfully, "I don't claim to know how to get them to...well, commit, as you say. But I do mentor a lot of them. We get along. I don't take any crap and I keep my word. They tend to have trust issues, so it works out.... It depends on the guy, his story. Same as girls, same as anyone you talk to."

"That's not a real answer," Mirko said. "You can be specific."

"You say that, but I have a feeling if I am, you'll kick me out of this car," Shine said.

"Don't be shy," Midnight said. "What would you tell us about Shigaraki and Dabi?"

Mabui shot her a look like, "How did you know that?"

"I can't tell you what they like," Shine said, "but if you want to discuss my observations as a teacher...Dabi is one of my favorite students. So much potential there, too bad he doesn't see it."

"That's true, you know." Mabui was glad to change the subject. "He still thinks of himself as a bad person."

"With Touya, it's more about never measuring up," Shine said. "He couldn't measure up to his family's standards. He put himself into a life where he could never meet society's standards either...and with us, he feels he cannot measure up to our standards--or God's, whichever comes first.... You know, it's not about any of us, really. The higher his opinion of someone, the less he will feel like he can measure up to them."

Mabui bit her lip.

"Men don't like to feel inferior," Midnight said, like she'd known best all along, "but you don't have that problem, Miss Lik--Shine, with all your skills?"

"I didn't see Wally as inferior to me," Shine said. "Admittedly, sometimes he has felt that way, but no one is flawless. I have problems too. I actually feel more like Touya. I could never measure up to standards, ones that I held over myself more than others held me to them, now that I'm an adult, but your past doesn't just leave you. Those of us who seem like we can suprass expectations live in fear of what happens if we do fail them. People are very harsh on us. I sometimes think that's why church people are so famous for being mean. We don't try to be, but we're always holding ourselves up so rigidly...we hold others up too. That's not really what it's about, but anything with God reminds us of how inferior we are, and we turn it into something about rules. It's what we do."

"And this is the pressure that Touya feels he is under," Mabui mused. "I think you're right...but how does one combat that?"

"As hard as it is to hear this, you really can't," Shine said. "Touya must learn to forgive himself and accept God's grace on his own. We can reinforce it, but that's about it. He's always struggled with that since I've known him. But he's had months. A few years will make a huge difference, I think. It took me years and years. So, you know, you grow with it."

"At least he's on the right side..." Mirko muttered.

"Miss Likstar--uh, I mean, Shine-san," Mabui spoke, "I don't think I'm so much better, though. Why is that not...well, a reason to overlook all this?"

"Well...are we being direct now?" Shine asked. "Because, directly, Touya clearly likes you. I've seen it. We all have. But that's why he's afraid.... I don't always think guys like a girl when they act like this, but I know how he is by now, and when he wants something, he self foils. He'll take himself out of the game so that you can't...and he thinks he'd be bad for you."

"I don't think so," Mabui said quietly. "I think that I feel like I have a better view on life when we compare notes. I think I need that."

"And he's a rebel, so that's perfect--but perfect to you. Look, I think you're good for each other," Shine shrugged. "But Touya...he's going to drag his feet as long as he feels inferior. He's a moron, we all have our faults. He just imagine his are worse than other people's. I don't personally see a huge difference between the two of yours moral history."

"Exactly, I'm not exactly a pure, angelic person," Mabui said emphatically. "I mean, Cloud--no one likes us."

"I know, sweetie, but in Touya's world, everyone is better than him," Shine said. "Now we can try to ram it into his thick skull that, in the Church, all of us suck equally, but it's going to take a lot of persistence. It always does. I'm sorry. He's an idiot, but I love him anyway."

"Ew," Mirko said.

"Rumi, this isn't that different from you," Shine said saltily. "A Hero is kind of in the same position."

"Yeah, I can relate to what you're describing, but stop saying all that mushy stuff." Mirko made a face.

"Oh, what are you, 12?" Midnight said.

"I don't know. How old are you, 50?" Mirko shot back.

"Why, you little rodent! I'll--" Midnight started to lean forward.

Shine slammed on the brakes again. "I have a fantastic idea. Let's just go home, right now. And you can all pay for the loss of the rental."

They shut up.

* * *

"Ender Prizrak ConNgissu," Ender reiterated his name, now in full.

"That...is a weird name." Shigaraki didn't like the look of this man.

"Well, it's not my given name," Ender said. His voice was cold like stone.

 [Ender призрак (Prizrak=Ghost, Russian) ConNgissu (Con=With, Spanish) (Ngissu = Shadow, Sumerian) is a name made up of four different languages. The grammar is bad on purpose. It's supposed to sound disjointed.

I used Sumerian because it is the closest to modern day Babylonian I could find, and that's a Biblical reference. Babylon symbolizes corruption, spiritually, in the Bible. But no offense meant to any people who are actually Sumerian. Symbols are not meant to reflect on peoples' individual characters. The other two languages I chose for sound.] 

"We've waited a long time for this introduction," AFO said. "Ender is the one who assisted me in escaping prison. We owe him for all our progress, including splitting those Heroes up."

"It was almost too easy," Ender said coolly. "But don't underestimate them. I didn't get this far by thinking my opponents were weak."

He moved more into view. He wore a mask, not like Compress's. Shadows seemed to shift over his clothes.

"So you returned to your master, Tomura," he said. He seemed to be regarding Shigaraki. It was hard to tell. "Well, good. You saw Overhaul, they tell me.... That is what their power does to people, in the wrong hands."

"But...what are you? What are all of you? Master, what is this?"

"A good question," Ender said. His tone never got any warmer, even when he praised something. "Our time together is short. We will have to walk there."

"We will lose speed," Akume said humbly.

"If we phase now, it will likely kill him," Ender said. 

Shigaraki felt chilled.... He didn't know why, but just being near this man was making his skin crawl with fear.

AFO seemed at ease, and this puzzled him.

"It's just across the grounds," Ender said. "Use one of the cars."

He vanished and so did most of the Commanders.

Itami was left. "This way."

One car ride later they were at a large shed the size of a barn.

The shadowy ones were in there already, as Shigaraki mentally dubbed them.

Ender was mostly silent while Akume was rattling off some kind of checklist.

A well divided part of the shed from the others.

"Only authorized personnel goes beyond this point," Itami warned Shigaraki. "Lord Ender just wants you to see that map."

A large map with pins in it was along one wall.

"Ah, perfect. Come here." Ender gestured.

They came. Shigaraki didn't like doing as he said, but everyone else did, so...

The map's pins were all in black, except for a few yellow and red ones.

"A good deal of effort went into separating those people," Akume explained. "We know where most of them are. It is hard to trace the DJs themselves. The red tacks are our remaining targets. People it would be useful to us to have...I have them listed here."

He held up a folder. "Take a look. You might recognize a few of these."

Shigaraki opened the folder reluctantly.

"Perhaps if you just told me their names," AFO said tightly. "I think I know most of them, however."

"You helped us identify a few," Akume said. "But some we could use on our own."

"Baker is in here," Shigaraki said, finding a picture of Kayla. "But she lost her quirk."

"We'll work on that," Akume said. "AFO still has not been able to use it. But she's not a huge priority to retrieve right now."

"Eraserhead," Shigaraki went on. 

"Someone we wanted for years," Ujiko commented. "But Nezu didn't like to share his own toys."

"Isn't this one of the students from the festival?" Shigaraki said.

"Shinso, yes," Ujiko said. "Such potential there."

Shigaraki didn't think much of that, but he turned another page and stopped. "This is Overhaul's girl."

Eri.

"Kids are tricky," Akume said. "They don't like to cooperate. They don't have their own goals yet. But it's better to retrieve them early than not at all, don't you think? At first we didn't know her quirk was Rewind. But once Overhaul let that little tidbit slip, I knew she would be useful. Those are just ones you know. We have our eyes on quirks of all kinds. There's someone who can literally turn things into gold, calls himself Midas. A person who can control plants..."

"Isn't this a UA student?" Shigaraki had turned the page again.

"Ah, yes, he can control animals and bugs," Akume said. "Of course he's too mild mannered for us, but AFO could trade his quirk to someone else."

Shine had been right. That is what they needed AFO for.

Shigaraki was putting it together...and it was ugly.

He looked at the map. There were a lot of red tacks.

"So why did you want the secretary?" he said.

Ender was, sure enough, the one who chose to answer this. 

"We do our research. Tsukura, as she calls herself here, is from a long line of people with some slight dimensional ability. It was nothing to worry about, but under the tutelage of actual World Walkers, she's grown to be quite powerful. To put it simply, we can use the power."

Shigaraki shut the folder. "You seem to already have dimensional power."

"Right you are," Ender said, still coldly. He opened his hand and shadows seemed to swirl around it like snakes... It looked...wrong.

"But you can always have more," he finished.

Akume and the others laughed. AFO didn't look that amused, but he nodded.

"Besides, we have further use for it," Ender went on. "Akume, show him."

"But...it's...off limits," Akume said.

"We have our barrier in place. He can't possibly get in without us. It's time they saw. Well, AFO will have to just sort of imagine it." 

Itami and Panniku snickered.

AFO bared his teeth but didn't acknowledge them.

Akume unlocked a door at the end of the room. "It's not quite complete yet," he said.

He led them in.

In this room was a machine that was clearly not finished but was huge--and ugly. Made out of what looked like very strong metal and other things.

"It's the newer version," Akume said. "Lord Ender helped us to fix it."

"It was simple lack of understanding of certain elements." Ender didn't sound pleased or displeased, just factual.

There was some kind of aura radiating from this thing that even Shigaraki could sense... It made him feel sick.

"Is that thing alive?" AFO asked. "I feel I can see it."

"It emits some heat, but it's not alive," Ender said. "It's a complex question... Anyway, it's not ready yet. To truly activate it we need...well, we need certain gifts."

"You need them," Ujiko realized. "Like a quirk, but for your powers."

"Sharp, old friend," Akume said. "I knew you would understand it at once. Beautiful, isn't it? To think my research in dreams would lead me to uncover something much more powerful than mere dreams."

"A warp gate that uses warping powers of humans," AFO stated. "Sounds like it would kill someone to use. Unless it amplifies the powers."

"At first we did think to try that," Akume said, "but the experiments didn't end well. The warping quirks are very small versions of the power we need. They can't unlock worlds, only space. And it killed all the subjects after just a few minutes. That specimen you made was more promising, Ujiko. Kurogiri, was it? Hantai failed to deliver him to us safely, as he failed in all other things...but according to my recent calculations, it wouldn't have worked. He was too weak also."

"While it's possible I could have strengthened him enough," Ender said, still in the same tone, "a better solution has presented itself. They've gifted us with someone who can easily power this device for the length of them we need."

"That girl," AFO said.

"Her gift is large enough," Ajume said. "In the end, I suppose it will still kill her, but we need only about an hour or so, time flow being what it is. If she does survive, so much the better."

"Best of all would be to get those two wizards themselves," Ender said, and his tone for the first time changed slightly, like he was excited. "They would provide enough power to do anything we wanted...but they will be hard to catch. We must take it one step at a time. Finally, with all of you, we can accomplish this."

Shigaraki stepped back.

"And what would you want to open dimensions for?" he said. "It leads to disaster, so I hear."

"They tell that to the weak minded to deter them from poking further into it," Ender said, finally looking at him again. "But that's not true. Opening dimensions is how I got here."

Shigaraki drew a deep breath. "It's you..." he said slowly. "You're the Dark Walker."

A slight pause.

"Of course it's him, moron," Panniku said.

"Ah, well, it could have been any of us for all this simpleton knew," Ender said, but he seemed to stiffen like he was, in fact, offended. "We'll overlook it. Yes, well, Dark Walker is an archaic term. I suppose they used it because my powers appear as shadow. But what does that really matter? Your old friend Kurogiri appeared that way too. Did they call him a Dark Walker?"

"No," Shigaraki said warily.

Shine's warning not to tell Ender anything rang in his head.

"They've prepped him," Akume said suddenly.

"At ease, Akume," Ender said. "If they told him the kind of things they no doubt think about us, he would not be here. They are afraid to speak of it. Always their way, afraid of what they don't understand." He gestured around. "But what better way is there to use power than to improve things? AFO, you agree, do you not?"

"Completely," AFO said. 

"They probably told you people like us are evil," Ender spoke to Shigaraki again, "but that is because they think anyone who does not use their gift the exact way they do is evil. They think all of us are evil, no doubt. But you see the truth? We are working towards a goal, that is all. Fate has brought us together."

"And what is this goal you want?" Shigaraki said, moving closer to AFO. "To destroy Heroes?"

"That's more of side effect than a goal," Ender said, unconcerned.

"Heroes do have it coming," Itami said. 

"But we can do more than that," Akume said. "It's the tip of the iceberg, toppling Heroes. Can you imagine the possibilities after that?"

"We always said we'd rebuild society to be better," AFO said, "but we thought we were alone in this goal. Here we have many people who share it, willing to help us. You see why now, Tomura Shigaraki, I have enlisted their help? With this kind of power, no goal is out of reach for us."

Shigaraki saw he was right about that, probably.