After getting back from their "date night", Shine and Wally slept like logs. Wally took the first shift with Eri the next day, and Shine went to Aizawa.

"You know, something weird happened last night," she said, watching him carefully. He gave her an odd look. "Wally and I went exploring around the country a bit, and we ended up somewhere, and I realized, it was that Kamino Ward place from the TV broadcast."

"You went there?!" Aizawa said.

Shine shrugged. "I didn't realize till we got there. You know, it's not like I know my way around Japan... Anyway, we kind of were curious about it, so we lingered around. But then, you know, I thought it's probably not allowed to do that."

"Are you crazy? You could get in huge trouble for that!" Aizawa said.

"Sorry, it won't happen again," Shine said, "I just thought you should be aware of it." She smiled. "What went down there anyway?"

"I wasn't there. There's only so much I know." Aizawa said.

Shine rolled her eyes to herself.

"Okay, fine. I'm going to go."

Later that day, Nezu had a meeting with the main staff, to mention that the two DJs had been visiting a strange area.

 "Are we tracking them?" All Might said. 

"For their own safety," Nezu said. 😐😑🙄🧐🤨🤥👀⚠️

Aizawa straightened and said that Shine had already told him about that. "Apparently it was an accident," he said, "They didn't know it was Kamino Ward."

Shine had actually only said that she didn't know that, but Aizawa had taken it to mean both of them.

Once he'd explained it more, Nezu was satisfied. After all, Shine would never have told Aizawa about it if she was intending to sneak around, and it was plausible it was an accident. Kamino Ward had once been a popular part of the city, and the wreckage around it would attract anyone's curiosity. "You explained their mistake to them?"

"She assured me the will not make that mistake twice," Aizawa nodded.

"They have a penchant for trouble," Snipe said.

"So you told them that?" Wally asked Shine, when they traded shifts.

"Yes, and don't worry, he believed me," Shine said. 

"Shine, isn't that dishonest?" Wally said.

"Wally, I told him the truth. I just left the part about you out of it," Shine said so quietly the security wouldn't pick it up, "I didn't lie to him. We're not going back there--it's a waste of time."

"Ah... crafty," Wally was impressed, "That's pretty impressive actually. I never even thought of doing that."

"We have to stay above reproach," Shine said, "I'll see you later, okay?"

And much, much later that evening, after Aizawa took over with Eri, Shine went back to the or dorms and saw Bakugo waiting for her. She knew he wasn't just going to drop their little exchange of the day before. "Give me a chance to eat and take a breather first," she said walking by him, "Then you can come yell at me in the courtyard." 

Bakugo gave her an annoyed look, then, "Whatever."

Shine took at least 20 minutes, but finally she came out as prepared as possible and sat in one of the patio seats out there.

"So," Bakugo said, stretching out his limbs to steel his nerves. 

"What'd you mean before? About strength being my weakness?" His tone daring her to criticize so he could kick some butt.

Shine was more surprised to be asked at all than she was intimidated. "I said your strength is your weakness. That had two meanings. Firstly, what you think of as strength is actually a weakness. Secondly, what you think of as weakness is actually strength."

"That makes no sense," bluntly.

"Maybe I think of strength differently than you," Shine smiled in that confident way that annoyed the crap out of the surly kid, "You think of it as physical and mental skill. I think of it as a deeper quality not so easily put in a box like combat, talent, or even intelligence."

"You talking philosophy or some crap like that?" in disgust.

"No, this is quantifiable. But only to the open minded," Shine replied cryptically.

But she'd realized one thing about Bakugo that only Aizawa perhaps had ever suspected: He did not like things made easy for him. If she didn't make him work for the explanation, he wouldn't give it any merit. Even if she risked--or really, guaranteed--angering him in the process.

"Big words, sounds like you don't have any real answers," he sneered now.

"If I had a dollar for every time I've heard that from one of you other worlders," Shine retorted, "I'd be rich."

A moment of calculating silence.

"So what is strength to you?" Bakugo growled, making it sound insulting. Shine ignored his tone.

"Not important, is it? I'd rather think about what is strength to God."

"Figured you'd get to that sooner or later," with the sort of grin that implied, "You're so dead now."

"Fact is if you really believe all that crap, then you know God's untouchable. Why even go there?"

"God is not untouchable exactly, but he is All Mighty. No one can stand against him," Shine gestured for emphasis, "So Naturally, all true strength comes from Him. Even evil is taking His good and twisting it--there's no real might in it." 

Bakugo actually agreed with that last bit, though he'd never say so directly. 

"Same idea All Might has. Heroes always win," he said, in a slightly less hostile tone. 

Shine nodded. "But we both know those aren't just words. Heroes don't have to win out of desperation but because Good must win. It must be stronger, or we've lost it's value completely. People who claim they are on the side of good but back off like a whipped cur at the slightest move against it, are delusional."

Bakugo smirked. "So you're not completely stupid, Swipey."

"Nope," dryly, "Heroes are always supposed to win because Good always wins in the end. It is what it means to be a hero. In my opinion, even death isn't a defeat if it ultimately helps to accomplish that."

What does this have to do with her statement? Bakugo thought, Does this freak think I'm too weak to be a hero? I'll blow that notion out of her head! 

"You think I'm not strong enough to be a hero, loser?!" he snapped. 

Shine neither flinched nor back tracked nor agreed sassily. "Maybe at first," she said, very calmly, "but over time, I changed my mind. I think you're strong enough, but you would be stronger if you made it easier for yourself. If I may say so."

"What the he-- did you mean?" he snarled. 

Shine just took a sip of water. "I'll assume you really want to know, despite that delivery. It all goes back to what I said before. You are weakened by your strength."

Bakugo actually waited for her to continue. How surprising. She took another sip and then went on.

"As I understand it, you've mastered your quirk as much as you could for your age and development. Your combat skills are excellent and enough analytical abilities to keep up with it, though it's more instinctual than your classmates. That's all worthless though, without something more. Raw physical and mental abilities don't make anyone heroic."

Pause. No argument.

"Which you know," Shine shrugged, "so your real strength is in your persistence. At least from an emotional standpoint. But it's hampered by pride... I take it you've been told as much." 

Bakugo snorted contemptuously. "Pride's not a bad thing," he said belligerently.

"Depends on the kind," Shine tilted her head, "You've got the good and bad kind, which isn't a shock, everyone has that. The humblest people in the world are often prideful at odd moments. A wise person in my world once said pride is not the opposite of shame but it's source. Humility is Pride's opposite. In fact, our pride is our greatest shame of all, because it holds us back from becoming better and stronger."

Bakugo clenched his fists, all set to go. Shine held up her hand. 

"Hear me out before you decide to attack. I'm not criticizing."

He waited.

"You're an interesting case," Shine mused, "Because despite being full of yourself--at least at first--you still worked hard at your quirk, showing some understanding that being great isn't something we're born as, but rather activating our potential we were born with. In one way, that makes you humble or at least rational. But your disregard for other people's feelings shows pride of a different sort. In place of compassion, you have challenges of strength. I've yet to see you give anyone a break that wasn't very hard earned. Or do something kind for no reason. Those are things heroes have to do."

"Maybe wimps," Bakugo said, not with his usual gusto, "This isn't anything any different then what other idiots have told me before."

"I figured," Shine said, "but here's where it gets interesting. Pride is shame, remember? And you know  you lack these qualities, and you know you can't change that, because you don't really want to or don't know how. And that shames you."

"What?!" he exploded, "I'm not ashamed! You stupid nerd!" He called her some other things, though he stayed off the forbidden insults. Shine just blinked at him the whole time like he was a barking puppy at her feet. When he stopped, she went on as if nothing had happened:

"It's all clear. You act very defensively. No one who felt truly confident would waste the energy you do yelling over slights. Shame is not a stranger to you. And you think that's a weakness. But it isn't, not if you accept it. Humility removes shame because the facade of acting like we are not what we are is no longer there. Shame involves being found out. Humility means you aren't hiding it. 'For if anyone thinks himself to be something, when he is nothing, he deceives himself.' "[Galatians 6:3]

Bakugo was shaking with anger--or was it something else? "You're wrong," he said, "I'm not like that. If I yell, it's because I want to. I do what I want."

"That's also a weakness, Bakugo," Shine said offhandedly, "Heroes rarely get to do what they want. If that's your attitude, you'll trip yourself up."

He made a savage step toward her. Her sword appeared. "I wouldn't," she said firmly. 

"I'll--murder--" he said enraged.

"And what will that change?" she asked blandly, "It won't make you stronger."

"I'm strong enough d--- it!" Bakugo snapped, "I'll kill you!"

"No, you wont," like it was a matter of fact, not even a threat. She balanced the sword on her lap.

"I pushed you a lot, I get that. You listened to me longer than I expected. Of course it's easier to point out problems than it is to solve them, but I could help you with that too."

"I don't need your help!"

"Not mine," Shine agreed, "but till you know better, I'll have to do as a stand in. Sorry I'm so bad at it. It could be worse though."

"Why, you crazy--"

"That's enough," she straightened, a warning in her eye, "I'm not a verbal punching bag. I have no qualms about actually shutting you up if you push me. I'll block your dang quirk. No way am I getting blasted in the face over some simple truth talk, so step off!"

With most people that would have sealed the deal, but Bakugo had enough reservations about Shine's abilities to wonder if attacking her was really a good idea if she were actually angry. What he'd noticed from the very first about her was that she radiated a power, sort of like All Might's, but not in strength. Like instead of a shock wave, it would just level you, like having a ton of concrete dropped on you.

The way she said those things, too, it sounded so certain. He almost bought it.

"You couldn't defeat me anyway," he hedged, by way of saving his dignity.

"I don't have to," Shine replied intently.

That was so true, it wasn't even ironic. She didn't have to. Even if he destroyed her, she wouldn't change. 

 "Well you think that you can take me on
You must be Crazy
There ain't a single thing you've done
That's gonna Phase meOh Though if you wanna have a go
I just wanna let you know...Yeah
Get off of my Back
And into my Game
Get out of my way
And out of my Brain
Get out of my Face
And give it your best Shot
I think it's time you better face the fact
Get off of my Back

You know it's all just a game

That I'm playin'

You think that you can find a way in
It's what I'm sayin'Oh if you wanna have a go
I just wanna let you know...
So know this train is coming of it's track
Get off of my Back"

Classes went on, and nothing happened for about two days.  Bakugo was in an unusually sullen mood even for him, and the others noticed, but he, of course, wouldn't tell them about it. Todoroki had had his family visit, but his sister kept asking him to come again, and he had mixed feelings about it. He didn't really want to be around Endeavor anymore, but Fuyumi was trying so hard...

It didn't help anything that Endeavor kept checking in on him...even to where Shine had to report it.

"Aizawa gave me your class mail," she said, "I don't know who uses mail anymore, but you got something." She handed Todoroki a card.

He stared at it. "It's from my father?"

"I wouldn't know." Shine rifled through some other envelopes. "Highschoolers get ads? Recruitment agencies start early, huh? Oh, Emi sent me something. That's nice. She knows I don't have a phone... Um, can you tell me what this means?" She pointed to a kanji.

"That means 'laughing out loud', I think," Todoroki said in a completely deadpan voice. 

"Oh, okay," Shine nodded, "Thank you...Ugh, I'll need Momo to help me with this.... unless I can use Moogle Translate... Ah, well..." She walked away.

"Miss Likstar," Todoroki said, "why do you get letters from Miss Joke?"

Shine looked back at him strangely. "Because she's my friend... Don't worry, we're not planning to prank you again. That was a one time thing. Why?"

"I guess it's nothing," Todoroki said. After all, they weren't on probation anymore. 

"You guess, huh?" Shine didn't buy it. "You still don't trust me. Well, that's okay."

Todoroki gave her a surprised look. 

"Why would you be okay with that?"

"What can I do about it?" Shine shrugged, "You'll trust me when I earn it, right? How is your father doing, by the way? Did he get hurt real bad?"

"Oh... uh... no, he's all right, just a scar." Todoroki remembered their help that time with embarrassment.

"Where?" Shine asked, rather rudely, "Over his eye?"

"Yes, his left eye," Shoto said.

Shine put a hand to her left eye. "The same one as you, huh?" 

No one else had actually dared to say this to him. He looked up. "So? It's a coincidence."

"Nothing's coincidence," Shine said vaguely, "Something about it is significant... but I can't put my finger on what. Sorry, people will just think it's odd... but you don't need me worrying you about that. Forget I said anything." A little late for that.

"What is your interest in my father anyway?" Todoroki asked.

"I don't care much about your father actually. I was just being polite," Shine said, "Plus, it would suck if he couldn't continue working, being the number 1 hero and all. Twice in one year? That'd be a blow...I should stop talking now. Forgive me, I think out loud."

"I don't care about it," Todoroki said. He scowled. "I just don't want to talk about him... He says he will be a better hero, one that I can look up to, but that is never going to happen."

Shine was as surprised as the average person at his forthrightness (she would later get used to it). "Uh... are you going to elaborate, or was I supposed to just take that and run with it?"

"You don't know the story?" Todoroki said.

"How would I? What story?" Shine said. 

Todoroki frowned. "I don't really care who knows about it... I used to hate my father. I don't really have any feelings about him now. At least, I didn't think I did... I don't want him to die, but I don't want him anywhere around me either. I can never forget what he did to my mother and my siblings..." He ended up telling her an abridged version of the story that surprised her only in that he admitted it so freely.

"Wow," she said finally, "I can't believe... Well, I can believe it, but, with that on your mind, I do understand a lot of your actions better now."

"You thought I was callous towards him before? Unnaturally?" Todoroki said.

It wouldn't have been the first time someone had thought so. More than a few Pros had noticed the tension there at public events Endeavor dragged him to. Endeavor never acknowledged it, and he refused to comment on it himself.

"No, I figured you had a reason, and I saw him at the PTA meeting, remember?" Shine said, "But I didn't know the reason. I'm sorry about your mom. I hope she has more peace now."

"She's doing better," Todoroki said. After a pause he continued, "I won't just forget all that, though. You can't forgive something like that."

Shine looked like she was trying to decide something, then she said quietly, "You can, actually... People have." 

"Then they were fools," Todoroki said, "Pretending it all didn't happen, that's ludicrous."

Shine bit her lip. "That's not what I meant. You don't need to pretend it didn't happen in order to forgive... " 

"I'm sorry, Miss Likstar," Todoroki said, a bit sharply, "but I don't know if you're in a position to tell me that."

Shine blinked. "I see. You're right. That should come from someone you trust... but, you know, not many people are brave enough to say things like that. Especially to someone like you. Think about it, that's all." She turned.

"It's not just that. I don't think you understand it enough," Todoroki honestly thought that was less insulting. "Nothing personal...but I have to work this out on my own." 

Shine looked back again. "I used to think that too....Rather, I thought I had no choice. That almost drove me to the breaking point. I'd never wish that on anyone, and I hope sincerely you change your mind about it and open up to someone close to you. Sorry for butting in...but a pro tip--don't tell people your life story if you don't want them to start to get invested in it. We humans can't help it."

She walked away without seeming to be offended at all.

Todoroki didn't think much more of this conversation until the next day at lunch, when Deku and Iida were talking about Eri.

"Mr. Aizawa said she's doing better," Deku said.

"That's good," Iida said, "Personally, I had my reservation about our supervisor watching her. Her manners don't seem to be very nurturing to me." 

"Oh?" Deku said, "I don't know. She and West seem pretty good with kids. Plus, Miss Likstar could probably understand Eri well."

"I suppose," Iida said, "She is good at reading people."

"Yeah, that too," Deku said.

"Is there another reason?" Todoroki looked up.

Deku looked uncertain. "Just something Miss Likstar said about having a traumatic childhood... I guess, I just thought, she knows how Eri feels, so... she's a good person to take care of her... I mean, I know we all were a little uncertain about her, but they haven't done anything bad, and they are nice. I think we should probably be nicer to them."

"Hmm, I would never have guessed that about Miss Likstar," Iida said, "but it's none of our business... Todoroki, is something wrong?"

Todoroki was staring at his soba in horror. "Uh... no," he lied, "I just remembered something, is all."

Shine took Eri for a walk that day, again, and Eri was much calmer than before. But now, she'd become very natural around them, at least, for what she could be expected to be, but she told Shine that she was afraid of her closet... Opening doors tended to make Eri flinch anyway.

"You didn't want to go to bed last night, Aizawa told me," Shine said, "Are you okay at night, sweetie?"

"I...um..." Eri looked very small and sad, "It's..just... I think about bad stuff at night..."

"You mean, you have bad dreams," Shine said. 

Eri nodded. "There are monsters in my room," she said, "When I'm by myself... I don't mean to... but I get scared..." She shivered.

"That's normal." Shine turned to look at her. "Eri, I used to be afraid of monsters in my closet and under my bed and the dark... It's because we can't see those places, and when we can't see somewhere, we're afraid. We like light naturally... you know. You do too. That just means you're a normal girl."

Eri looked at her timidly. "But it's scary."

"Of course it is, but you know, Mr. Wally and I can help you with that," Shine said, "We'll do that before I leave, okay? and, if you get scared, you can call Mr. Aizawa at anytime and he'll come. Or we can... We'll beat up the monsters for you, okay?"

Eri nodded. "Really?" 

"Of course," Shine said, "We can't have that scaring you...For now, let's think about something else though." They walked towards the dorms; Eri wanted to visit Deku. Todoroki was there also, dong homework, but Deku stopped to say hi to Eri. 

"Has her quirk acted up at all?" Tokoyami asked Shine aside.

"Not once," Shine said, "She's not been scared enough, I take it... I think it activated while Aizawa had her. She has nightmares, so that can be triggering, but those will pass with time, I believe. In the day, she's been all right."

"That's good," Tokoyami said.

Aizawa picked Eri up from the dorm shortly thereafter, and Shine spoke to him about Eri's problem.

"Can Wally and I stop by when she goes to bed? I'm good with nightmares. I've almost stopped having them altogether."

"How would you stop that?" Aizawa said.

"I have some methods that work... They're harmless," Shine said, "Praying and music do wonders."

"Yes... I noticed you've been telling her stuff about that," Aizawa said.

"Eri needs hope, Aizawa," Shine said, "Is she going to get it from heroes? I appreciate all you do for her, but it's not going to be enough without something to help her when you aren't here... If she can seize onto hope, she'll be able to stay calm when she's alone too... It can't hurt her, at this age. Dogmatic stuff only comes later."

"I won't object as long as you keep your criticisms of UA out of it," Aizawa said. 

"Aizawa, I'm not that petty." Shine was insulted. "Please, I am a professional. I'm not going to do that to a kid. It's not her problem anyway. I don't think she should be a hero, though. She'd be too much of a target. I hope UA is not planning on that."

"That's to be determined." Aizawa had the exact same concern, but would not admit it to Shine.

Shine took her free time to make cookies and then watch a movie. Wally had left campus to explore... It got kind of lonely for her. The girls were doing homework. She had no one to talk to. 

She turned on music and danced around the common area, when Todoroki solved her companionship problem by coming in and looking at her somberly.

She stopped the music. "Did you need something?"

"I wanted to clarify something," Todoroki said, "Did... you have a traumatic childhood?"

That was out of left field!

"Uh.... yes..." Shine said, "but where the heck did that question come from?"

"Something Midoriya said," Todoroki said. 

"Oh... I did mention it to him, huh?" Shine reflected.

"Why didn't you tell me that?" Todoroki asked.

"Was there a reason to?" Shine said, "Did you ask?"

"No... but... I said you couldn't understand...You should have corrected me."

"I didn't want to put the attention on me," Shine said, "I hate it when other people do that to me."

"How was it...?" Todoroki didn't seem to see anything wrong with asking these questions. After all, he volunteered such information.

Shine was his equal in frankness though.

"Well, it's a long, ugly story... I had an emotionally and verbally abusive parent and a negligent one on the other hand... I don't know how I can sum it up for you enough to understand. It's sort of a thing I have to unpack it bits and pieces... I mean, Wally has known me for years, and he's still surprised when I bring up something new... You must know how that is..." She tilted her head. "It doesn't matter how, does it? We're all affected pretty much the same way, people from broken homes. Mine was twisted too.... I can't say if it was like yours or not. I believe few people are like my dad, but who knows? Does that answer you?"

"It was your dad?" Todoroki said, "What did he do?"

"Todoroki, have you ever heard of tact?" Shine laughed, "Why do you want to know?"

"You said forgiveness was a good idea," Todoroki said, a bit bitterly, "I want to know how you could think so. It must not have been as bad, I think..."

Shine's eyes changed. She looked angry. "Excuse me?" she said, in a different tone, "Check your trauma privilege there, kid. I may not have seen him hit my mom, but what I did see and hear... I won't say I had it worse, because it's stupid to compare. But don't you dare say it either. That's so disrespectful."

This rebuke startled him. "I... apologize..." Then he realized how it had sounded, and looked pained. "I didn't think before I said all that. Just forget about it." 

"It's natural you would be curious but don't belittle." Shine was still mad. "I'm quite open about it, after all this time, but not if it's going to be a contest..." She sighed. "Forgive me, that's one thing my parents would always do. Discount what I went through because they had it so much worse. Like that made it okay to hurt me... I had to carry the weight of all their problems and my own... I developed severe anxiety as a result and some depression for a few years... It's gone now, but..." she sighed, "I still remember it so clearly, what it was like to live that way. I wouldn't wish it on anyone... not my worst enemy. But you know, Todoroki, I don't wish suffering on them. Or anyone else. I think, if you've suffered a lot yourself, you should know it's not anything to choose for someone else, no more than we must for justice's sake. Don't think I'm blaming you or anything for not understanding where I am... After all, I am much older than you. We're from different cultures, different worlds. I'm going to think different things. I wasn't putting you down."

"I understand that." Todoroki was quite ashamed of himself, though his tone wouldn't have given it away. "You're fine... It just surprised me. You don't act like it."

"What, you mean I don't go around with a chip on my shoulder?" Shine laughed lightly, "Well, it's smaller than it was... I wish I could say I never act out anymore... but you must know all about that. I'm sure you've experienced it too, the change..."

"I have changed," Todoroki said, "but not enough."

"There is no enough," Shine said, "Enough is a fantasy. We change into something else. That is all. Our lives could be described as one string of metamorphoses, if we're healthy. You'll see what I mean in a few years, I predict. Sorry, if that sounds condescending. There's a process to it, that everyone goes through in some way."

Todoroki had not heard of this before. (The idea of mental health was almost nonexistent at UA.) 

"Well...uh... sorry for assuming the way I did..." he said awkwardly.

"Nah, I let you. You don't need to worry about it," Shine waved him off, "Thank you for making amends, though. It takes courage to do that."

Todoroki didn't see what was so courageous about it, but he said nothing. 

"Is that why you take care of Eri?" he asked.

Shine shook her head. "I'd do it anyway. I am just grateful for the extra insight into her life. Things I won't take personally, because it's not my doing... It's best to understand that." She smiled at him. "So much of what we experience from others is them taking out their pain on us. It's not fair, but when you understand that, you learn how to deal with it better. And going through the wringer yourself can be the best teacher. I'd not choose it, but I am glad if I can be a little better for Eri because of it. It doesn't always work that way. Damaged kids don't always make it better for each other, but, if you've healed, I think it does. If you're meant to, anyway." She picked up her music player. "I think it's time I go over there, actually. I'll see you later... Where is that man?" She meant Wally. "I'll have to call him here..." She walked out the door.