Medea and Monama found the prison just a level or so lower... It was quite a feat to pass through the floor. The timing was frightening to think about.

They landed finally on a level that had to be new...at least the rooms looked new. The walls were still stone. This was the deepest part of the fortress, but probably it was not originally a prison, based on the look of it.

Down here, they found a few Metas who were guards. Their phones and other devices were not working. They were already kind of freaked out.

When they saw two flaming people coming towards them, they panicked further and sent all kinds of projectiles toward them.

[Confident--Demi Lovato]

https://youtu.be/f3QbCdZbR1M

Nothing made contact.

That scared the Metas further.

The few who had abilities that didn't involve long range or brute force seemed to lose their courage also. They tried to run... There was nowhere to run... The two teens were blocking the exit.

So, in a last desperate effort, the Metas charged them.

They were frantic. The attack was anything but smooth.

Monama dodged them and managed to touch a few and copy their quirks. He was able to use that to knock them down.

Medea kicked them and picked up one of the things they'd thrown at her and used it to knock them out or aside.

The fight didn't last very long.

Once they were all at their feet, Medea's flame turned off and she began to breathe hard. She went down on her knees...

"I think I'm maxed out..." she said. She looked at her hands. Purplish streaks were appearing on them. "Huh...is that what happens when I overuse?"

The chemicals were not burning up. They were just staining her skin. Odd side effect.

Monama shrugged. "There're doors over there. I bet people are in those cells."

"You sure we should just let them out?" Medea said, "They could have dangerous people in there."

"I'm sure any enemy of theirs would be an ally of ours," Monama said.

He went up to the doors... "You need a key card."

Medea pulled one out of the belt of one of the fallen Metas.

"Here..."

But it didn't work.

"The system is fried..." Monama realized, "Probably these doors work by computer...dang it."

"If that's true, no alarm's going to go off if we just break them," Medea said, "Use one of the quirks you just copied, idiot."

Monama did--bent the door pretty neatly.

The person on the other side yelped then looked out.

It was a woman. She looked like an ordinary citizen.

"We're here to help. I'm a hero." Monama held up his license.

The woman blinked at him then started sobbing. "I've been waiting for days... Finally someone came... I was giving up hope..."

"Well, you're safe now." Monama said the rote things they told the kids to say. "Come on."

The woman hesitantly came out. She looked at Medea.

At least, without fire, Medea didn't look threatening. She looked kind of scared and fragile herself.

"Who are these people?" the woman whimpered, "Are they the Meta army? I just live on the island. I didn't want any trouble. I just like picking flowers and visiting the fortress. How was I supposed to know it was off limits?"

"They didn't tell you?" Medea said.

"I...didn't even know they took over the island," the woman said, "None of us did, or if someone did, they didn't tell us regular citizens. But it was...horrible in here... They..." She stopped.

Monama didn't want to think about it.

"We'll get you to help, just follow us," he said.

They were going to have to walk out...but since Medea's quirk was maxed, that was just as well.

He broke up all the other cells.

It was mostly women. There were a few men--and a kid, who probably had just wandered too close also...but he wouldn't speak. It was kind of concerning.

The men were mad.

"Those fiends..." they said, "Just let us at them..."

Apparently most of them were just people from the island who'd either realized who the Metas were by mistake, or had tried to resist them in their take over of it--or call in heroes. The Metas had intercepted all of them and called off any summons to the mainland as false alarms.

But a couple of them wouldn't say why they were in... They didn't seem too happy to see Monama and Medea anyway.

Even so, the two teens led them all away.

But they had a hard time navigating. Without going through the walls, it was hard...

And based on the explosions they kept hearing, they wouldn't have too much longer.

"Let's just call in one of the portalers," Monama finally said, "Miss Likstar..." He tapped his comlink.

"There you are," Shine said, "Ready?"

"Yes, can you get us out...? There're a lot of people with us."

"Yeah, okay.... Wait, what?"

"Prisoners."

"Oh...okay...listen, once I open it, you have to go through last, or it will leave them there-- something about how it works, matching people. Okay?"

"Okay, no problem," Monama said.

A second later a purple gold doorway opened. The beauty of it really stood out against the dark walls.

The people stared at it.

"It's safe," Monama said, "This is a door to get you outside. You know, teleportation. It won't hurt you, just go through. We have back-up out there."

For a second no one moved, then slowly some of the male prisoners did, and the women followed. One took the kid and led him out.

Monama and Medea waited. It only took about 5 seconds for everyone to go through.

Then, just as they were going to follow, something hit Medea from behind.

Monama looked.

Some of the guards had followed them. One had a kind of gun pointed at them. It was firing darts.

Medea put a hand up to her back shoulder blade and winced. She went down.

The doorway began to flicker.

Monama didn't know what to do. He dropped over Medea as the guy fired again and touched her, then he turned back in purple flame.

The darts went through him now, and he was kind of blocking her from the guard's aim, but the guy was stumbling closer.

Monama slid his arms enough to grab Medea and managed to turn and shove her through the portal, not very gracefully, but it was no time to care about that. He dived through after her.

Half a second later he was tumbling out into grass and the light of the moon and stars... It was dark by now.

The prisoners were staring at the chaos, as the Metas who were escaping the fortress had started to come out and fight the heroes and LOV.

Wally was talking to them. "All of you need to cross that bridge and go back to the island while we handle this," he was saying, "Don't worry, we got this. Heroes will be here soon to back us up."

"Mr. West," Monama demanded, getting to his feet and grabbing Medea by her shoulders, "help!"

Wally hurried over. "What's up? You okay?"

"Medea got shot by some thing..." Monama sounded way more scared than he wanted to, but he really was nearing his limits, not being the most calm person to begin with.

"Oh, crap." Wally held up his phone flashlight. "Aw, I see... Good news, it doesn't look too deep. Is it poisoned? Do you feel any stinging?"

"Just the sting of getting pricked..." Medea managed, "I don't think it's poisoned..."

"Okay, I think you'll be okay," Wally said, "We just need to get it out and sew you up. Momo's probably better at that...or Silk... Yeah, she's not doing anything right now, I think. Just sit tight. I'll grab her." He hurried away, still slower than before. Monama thought he didn't look quite right. "See? You'll be fine..." he said shakily.

Medea looked up. "Who are you trying to convince? You look more scared than I am."

"I'm not scared," Monama lied, "I'm just concerned."

"Why?" Medea said, "I mean, I'm kind of a b---- to you."

"Well," Monama sat down, kind of worn out now, "that is true, but you're also the only one who doesn't act like I'm just a crazy moron..."

"I do act like that..."

"Well, you're just as crazy. It's not the same."

Medea laughed lightly. "Right...well, I'll hang on to that high praise, right there...but, for the record, thanks for helping me in there... I keep losing it while I'm... I'm just saying you were cool about it, not on my case...so that was nice. Are you feeling okay? It's kind of not normal."

"There it is..." Monama sighed.

"Sorry." Medea tugged her bangs. "I did it again."

"Well, I don't mind so much because you own up to it," Monama admitted, "and you're not pretending to be better."

"So...does this mean we're friends?" Medea said.

Monama shrugged. "Yeah, I suppose. You really should just become a hero..."

"Yeah...if I ever get out of this...I think I'd like to use my quirk to save people," Medea said, "It kind of felt good... I mean, if I can't just not use it, then I have to use it to do something better... That's what I'm thinking... Maybe mom and dad would want that... I'm still confused about it all. But I don't want to be an idiot like those other hero kids. If I did become a hero, I'd still want to be a rebel."

"Not really surprising," Monama said dryly.

"Of course if you're telling me it's a good idea, I have to wonder," Medea said, "Maybe it's not really a good idea."

"Well, really," Monama got offended, "I don't see how that was called for--"

Medea pulled him close enough to plant a light kiss on him before he could stop her.

Monama blinked.

"That was just for the saves." Medea let him go. "That's all... Don't make it a whole thing."

"Well," Silk's voice cut in, "do you still need me, or do you want to continue whatever this is?"

Monama almost had a heart attack.

"I mean, I don't want to bleed out..." Medea had the nerve to act causal.

Silk was smirking almost like she was proud. "I thought so. You can go off now, small boy. I have First Aid to perform."

"'Perform,'" Medea said, "Sounds like Compress."

"All life is performance, no?" Silk said, pulling out some supplies, "Might as well do it well."

Monama walked away, still kind of dazed.

[My sister said that Medea reminds her of Jennifer Lawrence's character in Silver Linings Playbook. I kind of see it too. That character is also supposed to have BPD.]

* * *

Shine and Wally still didn't do anything, while the Metas kept breaking out and attacking.

Shigaraki managed to reseal some of the doorways even so.

"What is your plan?" he said.

Shine pointed to the Elders and High Father. They were all just watching them now... They might have been chanting. They seemed to be talking.

"You see them? They're all refraining from attacking. They intend to let the grunts do it for them," she said.

"So?" Shigaraki said, "Draw them out."

"We should not be arrogant," Shine said, "You don't take on Cult leaders blindly, you know. You tried that once before."

"It wasn't a failure."

"Destro was nothing compared to these guys," Shine said, "and even then, you still worked with them."

Mirko was getting bored of the small fry.

"Well. if you don't want to fight them, I will,"  she said.

"Rumi, don't you dare!" Shine was truly alarmed. "Do you know what they can do?"

[Image by onerose, original template by original owner.]

"They seem like cowards," Mirko said.

"Just what do you intend to do?" Shigaraki said.

"I am waiting for the signal," Shine said.

"From...who?" Mirko said.

Shine pointed upward.

"Signal...right..." Mirko said.

"I've been right before, today," Shine said.

Mirko tapped her foot impatiently. "Well, even if you are, they're not just gonna take all this lying down."

"Attacking them blindly is what they expect you to do," Shine said, "They know heroes too well."

The robed Elders looked their way and narrowed their eyes at Shine.

Wally took some deep breaths. "That gravity really messed me up. I still feel so slow."

"You do look a little slow," Shine said, "I mean, speed wise, not...nevermind... It's okay. We don't need to be fast, I think. They know we're waiting. We all know what's going on, and they are watching to see how it will play out. The worst thing to do right now is rush in. Endeavor did that once today...and now we don't know where Ibara is. Mirko, please."

Mirko sighed. "Only because that already happened."

"Thank you," Shine said.

"But why aren't you fighting?" Shigaraki asked her irritably.

"Why aren't you?" she said.

"I already did!"

"So did I."

"But not now."

"I already portaled once," Shine said, "and they are just waiting for me to look away...but that puzzles me... I could see Monama just fine...but this stronghold is surely one of darkness... I know I'm closer, but I...kind of wondered if Ibara is even here... I  was hoping he'd find her, but he didn't. And it just feels off."

"She could just be dead..." Mirko said. Not very upbeat now.

"I don't feel like that's right, but..." Shine bit her lip. "This bugs me... I wonder if they know where she is."

"Well, if they do, you can bet they'll use that to throw you," Shigaraki said offhandedly, "just like Twice."

"True." Shine knew it. "I...feel bad... Maybe asking her to help was a mistake."

"I'm sorry, but don't you start that." Mirko gave her a yank on the arm. "She got in trouble because she left your group, remember? I swear, it's like you look for a way to blame yourself."

"Guess I've been affected by all of you, then," Shine said.

"Not me," Mirko sniffed.

"True..." Shine said, "Maybe I need you to balance out everyone else, then."

"Hey," Wally said.

"Wally, you're more a support pillar than a balancing force," Shine said.

Wally smiled. "Yeah, okay."

"Stop doing that." Mirko made a face.

"Hey, I was interrupted from a very important shopping trip for this," Wally said, "Let us have a few moments."

"What were you shopping for?" Shine said, "Is it my birthday or yours or something? I mean...I lost track of what month it is at home... Here it's not, is it?"

"Let's just say it was gonna be a surprise and leave it at that," Wally said.

"Romantic," Shine said, "Yeah, it really is too bad. But if we win this soon, who knows? I may feel up to a date in...oh, two or three days after I crash."

"I really don't know how you two manage to keep a relationship going," Mirko said, leaning on her hip, "I mean, I'd never attempt it if I was as busy as you...which I am."

"But you wouldn't attempt it anyway," Shine said, "and you see, the difference between you and us is you see relationships as optional, and we see them as part of our lives the same as fighting. I mean, do you just ignore your family because of other commitments? Those are relationships too."

Mirko did ignore her family, so she frowned.

Shine seemed to see her mistake.

"Ah...well, anyway for me, it's very different. I grew up that way. Always at home... I can't say I even like it. I love travel and new experiences. I love this job because of that, partially. But Wally is as much a part of my life as everything else. I mean, we're partners. You don't just forget about that. And sure, it cuts into our dating lives, but there's more to love than dating. It's a part of everything you do, the good, the bad, the ugly...you know."

Shigaraki glanced at her like she was insane. 

Mirko sniffed. "I mean, I guess I can sort of see your point, but it's so much extra work. And for what?"

"You know, it has plenty of benefits, scientifically as well as emotionally," Shine said, "What's your problem anyway? You sound bitter."

"I'm not bitter," Mirko said, "I just...well, most heroes don't really fit that in, and I think there's a reason for that. Too much pressure. I don't see how you think you won't snap."

"I'd say being together is what keeps us from snapping," Wally said, "I mean, I got so lonely as a superhero, even with great friends, life-long friends...but you know, you come home, and your house is empty, and there's no one to really talk to if you just want to be yourself or...you know, just do nothing."

Shine nodded. "Or if you need someone to listen to you and not need you to help them or teach them but...just get it. I suppose no one is like that 100% of the time, but Wally is like that 99% of the time. That's a good percent."

"Ah, thanks," Wally said

"And if he ever is a jerk, I can just tell him that and have it out," Shine said.

"I can't use that word," Wally said, "and Shine's never really mean anyway."

"Well, neither are you, but we both get snippy at times. I mean, you've seen. I do have a temper, Rumi. I have moments, but it's not the point for it to be easier. It's not even the point for it to be fun all the time. Real things are hard but worthwhile. I think you'd apply that to hero work, right? My issue with heroes is they only apply it to work, like work is all that matters. All that is just vanity and grasping at the wind anyway."

"You sure like putting down what heroes do." Mirko eyed the fight idly. The kids were mopping the floor with the metas still.

Even Spinner was doing something useful.

Mirko kicked a rock and knocked one Meta over without even breaking her concentration.

"I guess I just can't feel it matters as much as people," Shine said, "I'd much rather really talk to someone, and know they were really listening, than fight them. I don't mind a good fight too, but that's just to shake things up. What you build the rest of the time, that's the hard part. I'd still argue it's easier to obsess about work. It requires too little personal growth to be good at your job. No offense, it's still good. But that's just it: it's just a job. No matter how good it is, it really doesn't reflect on you as a person. I choose kindness over competence if it comes down to those two things, but I think we should have both."

Mirko shrugged.

"No insult?" Wally said, "Don't tell me you're finally starting to take all this seriously."

"Oh, shut up," Mirko huffed, "I won't change your mind, will I?"

"Do you really want to?" Shine tilted her head. "I mean, you dislike us that much, the way we are?"

Mirko was silent for a second, then she said, "No, I like you just fine. But I think, one day, you're going to get destroyed because of this way of doing things you have. You leave yourself wide open to get hurt by everyone around you. You'll never outwit every single problem."

"Oh...I see," Shine said soberly.

"Wow, that hit different." Wally rubbed his head, but he smiled that easygoing smile that made people like him.

Shine took his hand and squeezed it. "I guess you're right, Rumi. Someday, that would happen."

"Maybe," Wally said, "I don't think anyone can say that for sure."

"No, in our line of work. Only God knows how we'll meet our end," Shine said, "but it's not for us to know. We measure success by how well we love, not how long we live. But if it does end up the way you say, Rumi, so what? Is it worse to be cut down because you cared and it showed than for any other reason? What more honorable way to go is there? I could go out saving my own skin...and for what? Don't heroes believe that?"

"I mean how you do it," Mirko said, "not that it's such a bad way to go out. You don't want to have any regrets, but won't you, if you trusted the wrong person?"

"Ah, I see," Shine said.

"I've been there," Wally said. He frowned. "My best friend--I mean, she's like a sister to me--she stabbed me in the back."

"Oh, ouch." Mirko raised an eyebrow. "How did that happen?"

Shigaraki was listening too. Betrayal stories always interested him.

"Oh...her whole race's army wanted to use my planet to win a war," Wally said, "and she let them. She helped them capture us all."

"Oh...wow..." Mirko said. "That's...a lot."

"Yeah, well, she didn't know they were actually going to kill us all and our planet with the danged thing they were building," Wally said, "And she found out...and she came back to us. Turned her back on her whole people."

"That's..." Mirko blinked. "That sounded wrong."

"I know, loyalty is a huge part of your culture," Shine said, "and I appreciate loyalty as much as the next person. But loyalty to someone who's willing to wipe out an entire planet just to save their own skins? For a war that that planet didn't start and didn't need to be a part of? Is that right? That's an unimaginable atrocity. And just because it was a world of people they didn't know, they thought it's fine...it's not like they're like us." She raised an eyebrow. "Sound familiar?"

Mirko eyed Shigaraki. "Yeah."

Shigaraki said nothing.

"So, Hawk Girl, as they called her, chose to protect Wally's world," Shine went on.

"That took more guts than I've ever seen from anyone," Wally said, "And, hey, I was mad at her at first, but I knew she sacrificed it all. I mean, she didn't even expect us to forgive her. She left our League voluntarily. I didn't see her for years... She finally came back...and people were really harsh on her about that."

"The pricks," Shine said unceremoniously.

Mirko snickered.

"But I think she's amazing," Wally said, "So...it's like, I trusted her once, and she betrayed that trust, but I really had trusted her to do the right thing, and I didn't know if she really was how I thought she was, but then, she was after all. And I trust her even more now, because I know what she gave up to do the right thing. So she has my respect forever."

"You like her a lot," Mirko said, glancing at Shine, "Surprised you're not jealous."

Shine laughed. "There's nothing going on there. Anyone would tell you that."

"Yeah, like I said, she's like a sister," Wally said, "Actually, one of the reasons I fell for Shine was because she stood up for Shayera (that's her name) when anyone said anything bad about her, and she took to her right off. Shine really doesn't care what you did in the past."

Shine smiled. "She has my respect too... Do you see our point, Rumi? If someone is trustworthy, then, whatever they do, they'll come back. They'll realize their mistakes and fix them. Trust is not a simple thing. Even to the point of death, really, people can make mistakes, but we care more if they learn from them. That's what we base trust off of. It's hard to live that way, but the alternative is to never trust. If you only trust people who don't mess up, then, well, you'll never trust anyone."

Mirko cocked her ears. "That's quite a story...I'll admit, pretty bada--... You sure get around."

"If you know someone like that, you've got to believe people are capable of so much more than they think," Wally said.

Shine patted his shoulder. "And that's why Wally is so hopeful...and the heart of his League."

"Shine!"

"What? You literally have another dimension of evidence to prove that, hon, own it," Shine said, "But I have stories like that too... The point is: people are far, far more corrupt than most of us would believe, but people also can rise far, far higher than we'd believe. One extreme is demonic, the other extreme is godlike. Humans have always been able to swing between those two things, and the same person may find themselves on either side; depends on the choices they make. It's demonic to sacrifice a whole world for our own gain, to be sure...but it's godlike to sacrifice everything, even your own life, to save it, even if you know it won't thank you. We know a woman like that...who still has her faults. She's not a saint, but that is not the point. You make what you will of it, Rumi. But while I have no faith at all in humanity as a whole, I do believe people who choose right can become like God. That's in the Bible, after all...and I love it when I get to see that."

She looked over at the elders. "I think, on that note, and speaking of devils...it's about time we finally see what's going on with them."

"Oh, yay." Wally rubbed his hands together. "I'd love to give them a piece of my mind for all the crap they've been pulling."

"Let's all go over there together,"  Shine said suddenly, "I have a feeling they'll want a word with Shigaraki."

"What?" Shigaraki spoke finally.

"You're the head of the LOV. You don't think they'll have something to say to you?" Shine said, "Better to do it while we're standing there than wait for them to try to corner you like they did before. The whole peninsula could go down."

Shigaraki knew she was right about that, though he resented her saying it.

"And I have a feeling Hawks will be a part of this too," Shine said, "Let's tell the kids to all draw back."

She flashed her sword.

Everyone, even the Metas who were remaining, stopped to look at her.

"You," Shine called at the High Father, "I think it's high time we settled this. Are you man enough to come speak to us, you monster? Or shall we come over there and smack all of you around for a while first?"

Mirko grinned.

The High Father shot her a look of pure hatred.

"Everyone else," Shine called, "draw back. Cease fire, if you like. We're going to settle this finally."

She glanced at Metas who were left. "If we win against your Elders there, you will surrender to us, you understand? That will be the nicest we can be to you."

"And if we win?" the High Father called back, over the space.

"Highly unlikely," Shine said, making Bakugo snort, "but if you win, you can lay down your stipulations then. I can't speak for my group. They think for themselves, unlike your pets."

"Ohhh," Wally muttered, "Shots freaking fired."

They were indeed. The Metas were glaring at her.

The High Father glared, but after that challenge, it would have looked bad to refuse.

"All of you can draw back for now," he said.

The Metas stopped fighting and moved to one corner of the peninsula's front steps. The heroes moved to the other, catching their breath and taking the chance to drink water and put on bandages.

"Well, here goes," Shine said rather lightly after that. She waved Hawks over.

He joined them.

"I still want to kill them," Shigaraki said.

"It will be better to win the right way," Shine said, "If you just kill them, it'll be used against you. Think about it. Let's just try talking first. See what we can glean from that. Don't do anything stupid."

"You're way of talking to me it really insulting," Shigaraki said.

"I really don't address you any differently. This is how I talk to everyone. Should I talk down to you?" Shine said.

He frowned.

"Well, I guess we'll just have to have a casual chat about how we're going to fight..." Hawks said nervously, "This outta be good..."

[Hmm....]