Aizawa was able to make the joint training thing happen the last day of the school week, because he managed to convince the Shiketsu staff that they'd all be too busy after the Convention/Party for any extra travel.

The reason seemed air tight enough.

That left a couple of days of waiting, as it was only Tuesday when he made this announcement.

Bakugo was not happy but knew that it was sooner than usual.

Shine decided to hold off on visiting Camie in person, since she'd be there, and they could observe her first, maybe get a clue as to what was going on.

Meanwhile, she and Wally did some extra research on all the top Pros, conferring with Cece, Midnight, and All Might when necessary.

Shine also talked to Miss Joke, who was going to be there too. Miss Joke suggested she come over and they get ready together on Saturday, and then they could plan more.

"While I still don't think we'll likely recruit anyone as Aizawa hopes," Shine said to the students, "it's going to look odd if we're there and don't know any of the Pro Heroes-- though Dabi thought that would be funny, but standing out is just what we don't want."

"I think you will anyway," Kaminari said, "You're both so tall for regular people."

They snorted.

"Not in America," Wally said.

Shine also conferred with Rumi about it when she checked in.

"Figures you'd be there," Rumi said, "Nowhere is safe."

Compress snorted a laugh at that notion.

"Ugh, I can't imagine hanging around so many heroes on purpose." Silk curled her lip.

"Oh, I intend to have fun with it," Shine said, "I'm sure I can manage to piss off a few of them without causing too much of a scene. Miss Joke advised me to stay away from Best Jeanist though. She said he'll latch onto me like a piranha if I mention where I work."

"Oh, I hate that guy." Rumi made a face. "But if you did talk to him, I have to say, the whole evening would be worth it for me... I hope there's actually serious discussion going on around the party. I hate parties."

"Why? Because you can't beat someone up?" Medea said snarkily.

"No, that's just a side annoyance," Rumi said, "I hate everyone pretending like they know and care about you while they're just using you to make themselves look good."

Shine nodded. "Legitimate reason... I won't have to worry about that. Being unimportant is so refreshing."

"All things considered," Shigaraki spoke for the first time, "aren't you more important than the Pros?"

Shine tilted her head. "That's very nice of you to say, but no one is really more or less important than anyone else."

"That's BS, Lisktar." Shigaraki scoffed.

"Okay, okay, so in world affairs, yes, there's a difference," Shine allowed, "but I really do so much less there than you might think."

Rumi scrutinized her oddly. "What's that thing you still haven't told me?"

"Oh...Let them explain." Shine gestured to the League. "They haven't gotten to yet. I'm not sure when Dabi even told you."

"Well, partly he said stuff, and you said stuff," Compress said, "but it's kind of obvious. You have no legal records, your powers aren't a quirk, you're weird and know weird things... It makes sense. And I happen to know a bit about Tesseracts from reading about Sci-fi."

"Just know most is bullcrap or not worth using," Shine said, "and don't try to imitate my powers. It would not end well for you."

"Oh, I wouldn't dream of it, Miss Likstar. I've never been interested in the Metaphysical."

Mirko stared at them strangely.

"If it's true though," Shigaraki said, "I still don't know why you'd want to come to this dump."

"Like where I come from is any better," Shine snorted, "I'm just not the fatalist you are. Well...I should go. See you Saturday, Rumi. If you act all cool and like you don't know me, I'm going to embarrass you on purpose."

Mirko sniffed. "Honestly I'd rather hang around you than any of the other heroes there."

"Ah, how sweet," Shine smiled.

"I just meant I can't stand most of them," Mirko said, "Bunch of posers."

"Perhaps is your charming manners that make them act like that," Silk said.

Mirko glared at her.

"Actually, before you go," Shigaraki stopped Shine, "perhaps you should know what happened last week."

"Something happened?" Shine sat back down.

After they told her about the doctor, she looked very grave.

"I wish you'd called me sooner..."

"What was the point? It was already over," Compress muttered.

Medea shifted. "It was horrible, Likstar... Be glad you missed it."

Shine gazed at Rumi. Shigaraki hadn't really gone into any detail about what happened to her... but her face was telling Shine something was wrong.

"Well...it's not good that he knows...but,if he didn't do anything about it, then let's hope it's all right," she said slowly, "Just tread carefully."

"Why? Don't you trust the Egghead?" Shigaraki asked Shine.

"Do you?" she said, really quiet.

Pause.

"Depends on with what..." Shigaraki finally said.

"I believe that says it all, Tomura. If you don't even have full confidence in him, then I have no reason to have any," Shine said.

Since Shigaraki really could not construe that as an insult to himself, he had nothing to say to it.

"But isn't he, like, your second mentor?" Spinner addressed Shigaraki, "Why don't you trust him?"

"I don't like how he is so grabby about everything," Shigaraki admitted, "A little too obsessed with making new toys."

Mirko gave him a weird look.

"Never thought you'd say that bugged you," Spinner said.

"Come now, Spinner, using the nomu is one thing, but focusing solely on them is another," Shigaraki said.

Shine made a disgusted face. "Using them at all after what happened is pure foolishness."

"Well, I agree with you there," Shigaraki shocked them all by saying.

Even Silk blinked at him oddly.

"Oh, you do?" Shine somehow sounded nonchalant.

"Yes, clearly they cannot be relied on, but there's no stopping the Egghead from making those things." Shigaraki said.

Shine tilted her head. "And you would just let him?"

"What would I do about it?"

"I guess not much," Shine admitted, "but it's good to know what you want...and of course, it was destroying the souls of helpless people...so there's that."

Her tone at the last there implied her opinion of anyone who'd do that pretty strongly.

"Yes, well...I suppose," Shigaraki said.

More shocked looks from the others.

"Sir? Are you all right?" Compress said.

"Why wouldn't I be?" Shigaraki's tone dared him to comment further.

Shine carefully didn't acknowledge it.

"I'll just go now... Actually though, Rumi, can we talk for a second?"

"Sure, I guess..." Mirko surprisingly put up no fight at all.

Shine pulled her aside. "What's up with you? I've never seen you so subdued...and you look upset."

Mirko didn't even deny it. "Yeah, well, the Doctor was... a lot... Still don't even know his name."

"It might be good if you found it out. We could look into him from our end," Shine said.

"Yes, well, we'll see."

"He...didn't do anything to you, did he?" Shine said.

Mirko actually kind of felt like she needed to tell someone... She wasn't the type who could bottle things up without feeling like she'd explode.

So in an angry way, she told Shine the rest of what happened.

But even she couldn't hide her horror at remembering it. 

"I still feel it..." she rubbed her chin, "like Death itself...and he's not an imposing looking guy, so what was it that even was so weird about him?"

"Aura," Shine said soberly, "Appearance isn't important, if you can sense evil... I guess you can. Makes sense... The Originals bother you too... I guess you really hate this kind of thing."

"Yeah, well, who wouldn't?"

"But Shigaraki of all people stepping in..." Shine was impressed. 

"Yeah, it was weird," Mirko agreed, "I guess he really hates that doctor... One thing we can agree on."

"Glad you finally found common ground."

"Oh, stop being smug!" Mirko snapped.

Shine laughed. "I have to find some silver lining in all this, or I'd go mad worrying about it. I'm really sorry you had to endure that, though. I've been in that position a few times myself. If you're not okay, you know that would just be normal after that. Not a sign of weakness."

"I'm fine."

"You look like you haven't been sleeping." Shine tilted her head. "And having nightmares... Believe me, by now I recognize that haunted look. I had some too...even after the city incident, I did... I don't see it as a sign I was whipped by what happened. Just means I took it in like anyone else, and it has to get back out. The dreams are a signal of that. If you deal with them properly, it will get back out and you'll be stronger."

Mirko hesitated. "I've had a few...but it's just like you say, it's just sorting it out."

"If it's bothering you this much, it wouldn't be bad to have a strategy," Shine said, "but also, just telling someone would help."

Like that was going to happen.

"I'll share some music with you on my phone to help," Shine said.

"Actually, there's something I need to do..." Mirko said, "I need to do it with without being traced..."

She told Shine about her family.

"I didn't know they lived in Japan."

"I went to school here. Where did you think they lived?"

"You're Latino, right? I thought they lived somewhere else."

"Chicano. Some of my extended family lives in Brazil and North America, but my parents and siblings are here. Didn't want to move, actually."

She frowned like that was a sore point.

"I wish I could help, but if you don't have pictures of the house, I can't," Shine said, "and even if I found a satellite image, those aren't good. With a place, a photo even is not usually specific enough. People are a different-- I can gauge things about them by looking at them. The feel of somewhere is hard to get just by looking at it."

"The feel? What does that have to do with it?"

"My portals rely on perceptions, Rumi. Sorry, it would be dangerous to try it. I'd be happy to safeguard them if they need a quick escape, but that's all I can do," Shine said.

Mirko finally nodded. "Right...well, I'll keep that in mind... Thanks..."

"Did you just...thank me?" Shine was stunned. "Again? Wow...Rumi, what has gotten into you?"

"Nothing. Shut up!" Rumi shoved her, but this time not that hard.

Shine shoved her back. "Knock it off... Sorry for teasing, I know that was petty. It's hard to resist with your reactions, but still...I don't really mean it's bad. I'm just wondering what brought about the change."

"Nothing is changing," Rumi said, "Why don't you go home? Babysit, like you're supposed to be doing."

"Bold of you to assume this is not also babysitting," Shine said dryly.

She left.

Mirko sighed and went back to the larger part of this lair... This one was just an old apartment building and still had some wiring they could use to get power.

She almost ran right into Shigaraki.

"Hey!" she grumbled.

"Did Likstar leave?" He ignored her.

"Yeah, why?"

"D--- it, I had more things to ask her."

"I could ask her to come back."

"Forget it... She'll be back soon enough." Shigaraki didn't like to sound too eager.

"What were you going to ask?"

"I don't see why I should tell you."

"What else is new?" Mirko muttered, walking away.

Not even a fight? What was wrong with her? Shigaraki wondered. Likstar must have given her a verbal smack-down.

Kind of dull this way, actually... Wait, what was he thinking?

[Methinks somebody is getting bored with all this hiding out, but hey, that's just me.]

* * *

While the DJs were busy actually preparing for things, Shoto was still dealing with his own feelings.

He didn't sleep a wink after his realization, and he couldn't look Momo in the eye the following day at all.

Now that he was thinking of it, his "crush" only seemed to get worse. He was noticing everything...

He kept glancing at Momo whenever he thought she wasn't looking...and missing parts of the class lectures...okay, pretty much all of it...

Tokoyami noticed he was spacing out and tried to help by nudging him, but it didn't do much.

He did the same during lunch.

"What are you looking at, Todoroki-san?" Iida finally asked.

"What?" Shoto startled openly.

"Are you okay?" Midoriya asked.

"Oh, um, I'm fine," Shoto said, turning red.

They were puzzled.

Later, Momo walked up to him. "I was thinking, that even though we're worried about Camie, we still need to be thinking about preparing for Joint Training... Did you have anything in mind?"

Shoto's brain wasn't working... She seemed awfully close right now... She was so pretty...

[Momo in his mind. Wallpaper by Benjamin Daniel.]

He tried to snap out of it. "I haven't really thought about it."

That at least was true.

"Oh?" Momo said, "Well, maybe all of us in the group could train together...try to combine our new gifts, like Mr. West was telling us-- new strength... I don't know if it would work in practice, but we could try."

"Uh...sure." Shoto really wished he could think of something else to say.

"Are you all right, Todoroki-san?" Momo asked.

"Yeah..." he said.

"Okay." Momo still looked concerned...which was cute.... He shook himself. Stop it!

"Well, I guess...I'll ask the others, then..." She walked away.

Shoto felt like a moron.

He saw Bakugo looking at him weirdly too... Why was he always around?

[Why is he always around? Who knows?]

"What the h--- is wrong with you, Half N' Half?" Bakugo came closer. "You're acting like you've see a gosh-danged ghost!"

"It's nothing," Shoto said.

"Don't lie to me!" Bakugo said.

Shoto looked around. "Can we talk about it at the dorms?"

Bakugo seemed to debate whether he really wanted to know that badly...but he thought it might be something dangerous.

"Fine." He stalked away.

* * *

"And I realized I like her..." Shoto said.

Bakugo looked up from the game he was playing so as not to look too interested in anything Shoto was saying.

"What? Are you kidding me? I thought it was something new..."

"What?"

"It's pretty gosh-danged obvious you've liked her for ages!" Bakugo snorted in contempt. "That's really got you this strung out? Stupid idiot!"

"Wait, how did you know?" Shoto said.

Bakugo gave him a get real kind of look. "Are you for freaking real, Pokeball?"

"Why is everyone calling me that...?" Shoto mused, "And aren't I more of a Voltorb?"

"Whatever!"

"I don't know what to do about it," Shoto sighed.

"Do?" Bakugo couldn't believe this was still going on.

"I mean, I can't think at all," Shoto said, "and I feel like if she catches on, she's going to think I'm some kind of creep..."

Bakugo stared at him in disbelief. "Oh, sure," he said, with sarcasm obvious to anyone but Shoto.

"Exactly...I mean, I don't even know what to do about it," Shoto said yet again, "I've never liked anyone. I didn't think I liked her, but it has to be that...all the clues..."

"You are the densest human being on this d--- planet!" Bakugo exploded.

"You know, that's not helping," Shoto said tersely.

"Dumba--. You know, if it's tripping you out so much, why don't you just ask her to date or some crap like that?" Bakugo was disgusted. "Then I wouldn't have to listen to this-- or watch it... If you pull this crap at our meetings, I'll murder you."

"I didn't even think of that..." Shoto said.

Bakugo wanted to puke. "Then just ask her out and you won't have to make all of us watch this freak show anymore."

"That is not a good reason... I don't even know if I want to date!" Shoto said, "I know nothing about it! My parents didn't even date!"

"Did I ask for your life story?"

"You said you knew that part already."

"Well, I don't want to freaking talk about it!" Bakugo shot back angrily.

"I don't know why I told you." Shoto was mad now. "When have you ever been anything but an ass about anything?"

That remark actually shut Bakugo up for a second.

"You don't know the first thing about being a friend to anyone," Shoto went on, taking out his frustration on him, "and I don't really like you either, but if you were in trouble, I'd still help you. And isn't that what we're being taught? You're not really taking it to heart, are you?"

"Are you saying being in this dumb group with you obligates me to be nice?!" Bakugo snapped.

"No, it would just be a pleasant surprise if you actually listened," Shoto said coldly.

Silence.

"Well, even if I wanted to help, I'd not have anything to say," Bakugo spoke more calmly, "If you're not gonna date Ponytail, it'll just make it harder for all of us to stand you. Seems like the chickens--- thing to do, but whatever. I don't care." He picked up his game switch again.

Shoto thought about that. "You think I should at least talk to her about it, then?"

"You want to know what I really think you should do?" Bakugo said flatly.

"I'd be curious even if I don't think I'll do it," Shoto said.

"Oh, come off it!" Bakugo snapped, "It's pretty clear you should just talk to the DJs about it. Duh, they're the only functional couple you know."

"Hmm...that's actually a good point. I'm surprised you made it."

"Get out of my room before I kill you!!!" Bakugo yelled at him.

Shoto left.

He didn't get the chance to talk to them that day though. They were both out most of the time when they were not watching Eri.

Eri was doing so well now, she sometimes just hung around the dorms with the kids, and her quirk hadn't been going off at all. Despite being kidnapped, she had recovered remarkably. She actually seemed a little more sure of herself than before. Facing her fears like that had done something for her.

Shine didn't come in till late, and Wally was out even later-- running around checking on things, no doubt.

Shoto felt like he shouldn't bother them... His problem really didn't matter that much.

* * *

Wednesday passed pretty much the same way. Momo noticed Shoto avoiding her, and she couldn't figure out what she did... Was it what Medea said? Was he worried about people getting the wrong idea about them?

He'd never seemed like the type to be bothered before, but perhaps he was noticing things now...

Well, she should really respect his wishes...

Momo was not nearly as dense as Shoto about her feelings. She knew she admired him a lot...but this kind of avoidance was what finally made her start to think it was just a little more than that. It hurt to think he might care more about what someone like Medea said then about being around her.

But then, she had no right to expect anything of him, did she?

She thought if they could at least talk about it, she'd feel better, but she was the last person who would want to bring that up.

She kind of envied Jiro. Things were going so well with her and Kaminari.

Well, they still fought plenty, but it was clearly not serious, and they seemed so happy. Jiro had never been this happy before. It sure seemed like being with someone was special...

Momo knew feeling envious of her best friend was not a good thing to dwell on.

* * *

On Thursday, Shoto actually dropped a cup of milk when Momo surprised him by coming into the kitchen early.

Momo tried to ask him what was wrong, but he just stammered that it was nothing and cleaned up the mess.

Momo felt like he was just wishing she'd go away, so she did...kind of downcast.

Really, with everything else going on, it was weird that this of all things was making her feel more depressed than any attack had.

"What is eating you?" Jiro finally asked her.

Momo shook her head. "It's silly."

"So? Even if it's silly, tell me. What else are friends for?" Jiro said.

"I think Todoroki is avoiding me," Momo said, "It's bothering me a lot..."

"Because you like him?" Jiro said.

Momo looked shocked. "What?"

"It's kind of obvious... I mean, for crying out loud, you hang out all the time and blush and stuff. And you're always saying he's so good at being a hero." Jiro waved her hand.

"Oh...Jiro!" Momo was upset. "If it's that obvious, does everyone know? Maybe that's why he's avoiding me."

"Oh, no, I'm sure he'd never figure it out," Jiro assured her, "He's as dense as a rock. Does he even know what dating is?"

"I don't think he could not know that..." Momo said.

"Well, anyway," Jiro shrugged, "you should probably just tell him it's bothering you. He wouldn't be hurting your feelings on purpose..."

"That's true. He wouldn't be mean like that," Momo said, "but it could be this is his trying to spare them by not talking to me."

"Momo, seriously...I think he probably likes you back," Jiro said.

"No, Jiro, he wouldn't like me back," Momo said, "He's much too focused on school, and then there's his family situation. He would never have time for that."

"Is that how that kind of thing works? Timing?" Jiro said.

"Isn't it?" Momo said.

"I dunno. I didn't think about that with Kaminari. It just kind of happened. What better time is there? When school's over, we'll just be busier," Jiro said.

"Oh, that is true..." Momo looked crestfallen.

"I can't tell you what to do, Yaomomo," Jiro said, "but if you're thinking about timing, I'm not sure it'll get any better...but if you don't want to date right now, that's totally your call."

"It's not that I wouldn't like to," Momo said, "but I don't know anything about it, and it's such a huge step, and..."

"What if he did like you? Would you say no?"

"If..." Momo pictured it. She turned red. "Of course not. How ungrateful would that be? I mean, just because of a few difficulties."

"Then that's your answer," Jiro said, "If the problems don't matter that much to you, maybe they wouldn't stop him."

"I really don't think that's true. He takes things so seriously, and I can't ask him not to do that, and that would just be if he was even interested," Momo said.

[Pause to bang my head against imaginary wall.]

"I think he is," Jiro said, "at least, for him. Just give it a shot."

"No, I couldn't do that. I can't afford to lose our friendship," Momo said.

Jiro looked at her closely. "I guess you really have come to rely on him a lot."

"Too much...but everything was so chaotic..." Momo said, "Even the class didn't like me for a while there... I...well, Todoroki was always there for me. I couldn't possibly hurt him after that."

Jiro patted her arm. "That was partially my fault...I'm sorry."

"No, it's okay. You did what you thought you should."

"No. I was scared. I cannot believe how I acted now." Jiro shook her head. "And I was awful to you, and you've never been anything but a great friend to me...so I'm sorry. If I get the chance to help you, I will."

"Thanks, Jiro," Momo said, "I appreciate it..."

They hugged.

* * *

Shoto finally couldn't take it anymore, so he asked Shine and Wally if he could talk to them.

He poured out the whole story of the past few days.

Shine and Wally both tried really hard not to laugh.

Shine didn't feel too much like laughing though, as she began to see it was truly getting to him...and she saw a little of herself in his hesitancy.

Wally kind of glanced at her a few times to as if to say, "Are you getting this irony?" [See Worldcrossed story.]

Even the nicest of people can be a little petty.

"So what is it you're wondering about exactly?" Wally finally asked Shoto, "If you should feel...uh, so strongly." 

He was clearly holding back a smile. Shine could tell. Luckily, Shoto couldn't.

"I didn't even know I did, but now I can't get it out of my head... I'm kind of at a loss." Shoto looked like a wounded puppy.

Shine smiled. "All this is so new to you, huh?"

"Yes, exactly."

"And, with your model at home, you don't feel like you know how to deal with this part of life," Shine guessed.

"Yes, how did you know?" Shoto said.

"It's typical, actually," Shine said, "I guess you guys just don't talk about this stuff as much as we do. But a lot of kids don't feel confident about love because of their parents...and in your case, yeah, I see the problem... I'm sure it played into my hesitancy too."

Wally rubbed her back. She smiled at him.

Shoto glanced at them. 

"I mean, I admit...what you two have is nice," he said bluntly, "probably more like what I'd think it should be, but you're such different people, and older, and I just don't know... I don't know if I'd ever be able to treat someone right...even if she liked me back."

"Doesn't she--?" began Wally, but Shine elbowed him.

"Shoto, you're scared of all this, aren't you?" she said.

"I guess," Shoto said, "I guess that is it..."

"I'm pretty sure, if you weren't, you would have realized all this sooner," Shine went on gently, "A part of you must have not wanted to question why you liked her so much even as friends...but I think you really have for a long time...but you thought it's bad to feel that way, and you can't trust yourself, right?"

Shoto nodded like she was blowing his mind.

Wally kind of thought all that was obvious from the get go, if you knew the kid at all, but he didn't say that out loud.

"Shoto, there is nothing we could say to you to change this situation," Shine said.

Shoto looked crestfallen. "Oh...I see..."

Shine reached out and pulled his chin up. "Because it's not that complicated. A lot of kids now are afraid of love, and I was too, I get it. Believe me. But, it's a very sacred part of life. And a beautiful one. Not be be discounted. For crying out loud, Marriage was the first union God instituted between human beings. Most of us are never going to be complete people without it. Some of us are called to live without that, but not most. Jesus even said, if you are capable of attaining to the greatness of marriage, you should."

"He did?" Shoto said.

"Didn't we go over that?" Shine mused.

"Maybe went out of our heads..." Wally said, "but that's a cool verse. I like that... Huh..." He frowned to himself suddenly.

"And the first step to that is allowing for those feelings at all," Shine said, "Not that it necessarily means you should marry the first person you like, but Momo is a good girl, and you'll never find anyone better than her, I guarantee it. And she cares about you. If you're worried about making the same mistake as your parents, I'd say it's impossible. The situation is just too different, and you've never treated her that way. You're afraid of an illusion... I know it's a powerful one-- you don't think I've been through that too?-- but it was just a lie."

"It really was," Wally said, "Shine has never treated me like her Dad treated her."

"No?" Shoto said.

"You don't have to sound so surprised..." Shine muttered.

"I didn't mean it that way. I just meant, it never comes out in you, even be accident?"

"It does, but it doesn't make me abusive," Shine said, "Insecure sure, but Wally is great about handling it."

"I think you're just great at realizing it," Wally said.

She reddened. "Wally...you're making me feel awkward... See, right here? I'm still not perfect."

"What's wrong with that?" Shoto said.

"I would like to be able to accept praise better," Shine shrugged. "I'm better than I was at your age, but still...and maybe I never will find it as natural as other people, but I can get more graceful...and you see you can't expect yourself to do all your growing outside of relationships... You will have to be in them to learn certain things, and if I may, friendship is often too far away to do it for things like this. But that's not the reason you should, it's just a good reason to stick to it."

"So how do I know what I should do?" Shoto said.

"We can't tell you for sure." Wally gestured widely. "That's kind of something we both had to pray about ourselves. But, at least from where I'm standing, I don't see any reason not to pursue it. You're a smart kid, responsible, loyal. I'd think any girl would be lucky to have you."

Shoto was not ready for that.

Shine smiled. "You do well together... I mean, you're young, but that doesn't always matter. You're both so much older in some ways than your age...so our opinion is, we wouldn't stand in your way."

"Wow," Shoto said oddly, "That...actually means a lot..."

"You decide," Shine said, making direct eye contact, "but one word of advice on it: If you have to choose between fear and love, it's always better to choose love."

Shoto nodded slowly. "I'll think about what you said."

He left.

"Nicely done," Wally told Shine.

"I felt like I was talking to myself," Shine said, leaning on his shoulder.

"I think you're easily the most loving person I know," Wally said.

"Then I ought to know," Shine said, "There, I didn't shoot down the compliment."

"Good job, babe."

"Don't be all sassy with me," Shine said.

Wally chuckled.

https://youtu.be/IOatp-OCw3E