A couple days passed of nothing going on because things were so strained. Momo avoided the issue, and Bakugo wanted more time to think about it. Hopefully, this time his decision wouldn't be to fight someone as his method.

Todoroki couldn't understand why both of them were also avoiding him. He was still upset from the incident.

The only notable change outwardly was how Shine chose to handle things with Aizawa. 

She felt a bit bad for snapping at him but regretted not at all sparing the kids a lecture, and she and Wally both went to Nezu and demanded that he let Todoroki and Momo have some time to recover. 

"This happens too often, and I'm starting to think they just shut down afterward," Shine insisted, "They need a break. Most kids would stay home for a week at least if this even happened to someone they knew."

"I don't think that's accurate here, Miss Likstar. I hear American school are a bit more lax and lowgrade than ours." Nezu barely even tried to hide that that was an insult.

Shine raised an eyebrow. "Do you know the suicide rate in this country for students?"

Silence.

"And the heart failure rate for adults?" Shine added.

"Is that okay for us to say?" Wally said, "I mean... we're not here to judge..."

"It's just a fact," Shine shrugged, "But besides that, even so, it's just kindness to give them a break. We aren't saying to change your whole curriculum. Would it kill them to take a couple days off?"

"Well, Summer is coming," Nezu said. Summer was still months away.

"Oh, sure. Relevant," Shine muttered.

"Nezu, how much will they really miss?" Wally said more congenially, "They always finish their work early anyway. Just give 'em a break. If they have a panic attack in the middle of training, then, you know, it won't look good to their parents."

"The parents don't generally ask about medical records," Nezu said carelessly.

Shine and Wally almost choked.

"I know one who will," Shine said, "FYI, I have Endeavor on speed dial."

Nezu stared at her. "Is that a threat, Miss Likstar?" he said in a warning voice for him.

Wally and Shine exchanged a look, then Shine shrugged and put her hand down on the desk. She towered over Nezu. 

"It's not a threat exactly, but if a parent knowing the truth about what happens to his son at your school is threatening to you, don't we all have a bigger problem at hand?"

It was a brilliant response. Nezu was now backed into a corner.

"I assure you, the health of our students is our top priority," he said smoothly, "and if is customary to allow them a few days to rest... so, I suppose it's all right. You'll make sure they keep up the work?"

"Oh, it'll be our top priority," Wally said with perhaps as much actual sincerity as Nezu probably had underneath his easy going smile.

Hence Momo and Shoto were surprised when it was announced they had the time off... Momo actually wasn't happy to hear it.

"I really don't think it's necessary. I'm fine now, and I'll get behind."

"Momo, you could not study for a month and not get behind anyone, except possibly Bakugo and Todoroki," Shine said, "And you are free to read the workbooks if it worries you, but the in-class training is out."

"But I don't have a problem doing that too, and I might miss something important," Momo argued. She had never argued like this before.

"Momo," Shine said severely, "it is important to respect your well-being enough to take a little time to recover from things like that. The regular training would be fine if so much of it didn't involve simulating dangerous situations, but it does, and if you break down from PTSD in the middle of it, you could get hurt. That's why you need time to let your nerves recover."

"But heroes have to go right back into the fray after something like that," Momo said.

"Not after being hurt," Wally argued, "Sheesh, even I take a day off now and then. That's why you have other heroes to have your back. The only person I know who never take a break is Batman."

"Yes... and he's a mess," Shine said.

"I..." Momo protested again.

"Momo, you're not getting out of it, and this arguing is surprisingly obstinate for you," Shine said, with more authority, "You wouldn't judge someone else if they needed some time, so why are you judging yourself? You should go home, get out of the school environment for a bit... see your parents who you never get to see."

Momo stopped arguing and sighed. Then she walked away.

Todoroki was less against it, but he said he'd be bored, and it was fine if he trained, and he didn't want to go home anyway.

"You don't have to." Wally tapped his shoulder in a  friendly way. "You can chill here. Get it, chill here? It's funny right?"

"I don't get it," Todoroki puzzled, "Anyway, I don't get PTSD."

Shine had been letting Wally do the talking, but now she looked up and snorted a laugh of derision. "Okay."

"What? I don't. I've never had a problem in a fight," Todoroki said.

"But I thought you didn't like using your fire because of PTSD," Wally said.

"That's not PTSD, that's because I don't like my old man," Todoroki said.

"Trust me, that is PTSD," Shine said, "At least it's trauma. Anyway, you're going to rest if I have to monitor it personally... sheesh. You all are like bratty kids who don't want to go down for a nap when they've been rubbing their eyes and acting cranky for an hour."

That analogy meant nothing to Todoroki.

Since he and Momo were going to be at the dorm... alone... though, he wished she'd stop avoiding him, he was bored.

Shine had Eri over there to watch her and play, but Todoroki didn't know the first thing about how to entertain kids, or how to have fun around them, so that didn't help much. Momo appeared to just be studying.

The rest of the class was surprised they were taking time off. But they faithfully brought them updates on training.

Jiro was nicer to Momo because of her having a hard time, and also because Momo finally seemed to be tired of Shine. Though she wouldn't have said that was the reason.

Deku had plenty to think about with his quirk secret getting out, but he gave Todoroki some notes on class.

Shine was right, neither student was going to have any trouble keeping up. It was possible the teachers also made the work load a little lighter on purpose. Though Aizawa might have made it heavier out of spite if it had been their choice to slack off and not a mandate. He couldn't understand why Nezu agreed to it.

Shine herself thought she should take a break and on the second day of the vacation. She went off to visit Miss Joke again, and they went out on the town. Wally really wished he had friends here to hang with... but he also could just make them. He already was acquainted with the owner of every restaurant they'd eaten at so far. 

On the third day, Momo's thoughts finally had settled a little. Oddly without the grind of homework to keep her attention divided, she's spent more time mulling it over uninterrupted, but also, she's been more thorough thinking it out, and she was calmer. Perhaps, she concluded, Bakugo was right. If she asked them about it, she'd have to be prepared for the consequence. Not ready to just turn them in... and if she didn't ask she would never really know... and so she wasn't obligated to turn them in.

She thought at first that might be best. Why make herself choose?

But then she thought that might be the coward's way out.

It didn't help that the rest of the class was nicer to her and treating her like before. They seemed to think things were back to normal.

[What a statement on how things are usually at UA!]

And maybe things just could be back to normal... Momo thought while she was in her room, allegedly studying.

Maybe she didn't need to play this game. She was just a student. It wasn't her place to do so.

"We tend to come to people who are at a turning point in history..." Shine had said.

Well, but that could be anyone in the class.

"I mean, I'm not obligated to help them," she said to herself, "I've tried to be very considerate of them, but, if they're going to do things like fraternize with villains... I don't need to feel any responsibility to help with that."

She had an uneasy feeling she was making an excuse, however.

But Momo was neither superhuman (strictly speaking) nor perfect. Or always sure of her own mind. So she chose to just avoid them and try to hang out with the girls as usual.

How long it might go on, it was hard to say, but things were never able to really remain static at UA.

***

While Momo was deciding to do this, Bakugo came to just the opposite conclusion. He wasn't going to be left out of the loop!

That it was a risk on his part didn't bother him in the least. He was already keeping one dangerous secret for All Might. And he didn't like the teachers enough to worry about them disapproving of him, except maybe Aizawa, but he'd not have admitted that to himself.

So on the third day, he elected to confront Shine. He didn't care about West. He thought he wasn't there to begin with, so why was it important to ask him?

Shine was in her room as usual, enjoying the quiet... as quiet as it was with the kids talking loudly downstairs, as all teens will do sometimes.

[Image design by Onerose, credit for template to original creator]

Bakugo burst into her room.

Shine jumped up. "Oh my gosh! What if I wasn't dressed?!"

"It's not even late!" Bakugo snapped.

"You go right back out there and knock first," Shine said, "Go!"

Bakugo rolled his eyes, took two steps back, and thumped on the door.

"Who is it?" Shine said.

"You know d--- well who it is!" Bakugo yelled.

"Oh, Bakugo, how nice. Come on in," Shine said lightly.

Bakugo stalked in and shut the door.

"All right, Likstar, it's time to stop jackassing around about this. Are you working with the LOV or not?"

Stunned silence.

Shine stared at him.

"You're not denying it," Bakugo said after a moment, "which means it must at least be partially true."

"Why would you make such an accusation?" Shine said.

"That's deflecting!" Bakugo snapped.

Shine sat up straighter.

"I can't just answer a question like that without knowing why you're asking me that."

"I heard about it," Bakugo said, "The other day... You knew that a---h--- Dabi, right? So spill."

Shine blinked at him.

"You gave me no time to prepare for this conversation... I had no idea you even knew what happened... Ah... that is what you meant the other day."

"Yeah, it is," Bakugo said, "and you're an idiot... So it's true, then?"

"It is not true," Shine said, "You asked if I was working with the LOV. I am not doing that." She hugged her knees to her chest, a defensive gesture for her.

"Then how do you know that guy?"

"You know yourself we've had the displeasure of encountering each other a few times," Shine said.

"You know him better than that," Bakugo said.

Shine got up, walked past him and looked out into the hall... then she turned and looked out her window.

"I hope Aoyama doesn't leave another cheese message out here..." she said.

"A what?" Bakugo said.

"Yesterday he left a message that said 'Bon chance' in cheese outside my window. I guess he felt bad about the incident and wanted to cheer me up..." Shine said, "but I don't really eat that kind of cheese... I didn't have the heart to tell him but... anyway..." She sat back down. 

"Is Jiro in her room?"

"Nah, they're all downstairs doing stupid s---," Bakugo said, "So answer."

"I don't really know why I'd want to tell you anything, " Shine said, "You're only being mean to me so far. I don't owe you an explanation for my life, you know."

"Isn't what you're doing illegal?" Bakugo said.

"I'm really not sure it is," Shine said, "but even so, why should I tell you?"

"You mean what's in it for you if you tell?" Bakugo said.

"No... why should I tell you especially?" Shine said, "Why should I feel like I can trust you?"

Silence.

Finally, Bakugo said, "I've known this for days, and I haven't said anything or told anyone else. I was willing to hear you out first. Isn't that a reason?"

He didn't say it very graciously, but Shine nodded.

"Okay... fair enough... but I don't want you kids to have to deal with it.... If you leave now, we can pretend this never happened. I told you nothing, and you learned nothing. Easier for everyone."

"Who wants easy? I want answers!" Bakugo said.

Shine looked up more. "Bakugo, some secrets are potentially fatal... Do you understand that?"

"I already know that. Is that really all you want to tell me, idiot?" Bakugo said.

"I can't tell whether you're being sweet or snippy with me right now," Shine said.

"Frick!" Bakugo almost lost it.

"Fine," Shine sighed, "There's no stopping you if you really want to know. I can't have you following me.... The truth of the matter is..."

She began to explain very briefly what happened. Of course there was a lot to be left out.

"Why would you pick that freak anyway? He's a killer," Bakugo said.

"He's not the first one I've known. I don't see your point," Shine said.

"And what's the point of talking to them about what they believe? It's all a bunch of garbage," Bakugo said, "They just want to stir up trouble."

"That is very true, but the kind of trouble they want to stir up is what is telling," Shine said, "Look, the school has done nothing to aid us in learning the truth about the matter, so we had to go to the source."

"That's insane," Bakugo said.

"It's far less different than what the police and psychologists do than you might think," Shine said, "and they make a bargain with criminals all the time. I suppose they don't teach you that here, since they take a more military approach to heroism... but it's the way. And the best part is, the deal we have ensures the villains will stop attacking you directly. That may be the only reason Momo and Todoroki are alive now."

"So, the reason there's been no villain attacks since you got here, after that one with Ponytail...is because of this deal?" Bakugo was incredulous.

"Yes," Shine said, "In exchange for me not selling them out, which I easily could do. I protect them from the heroes, and they don't threaten my kids. That is the rule. Right now they are not very invested in the class, luckily. But they might still have taken that chance if they got it... That deal was necessary."

"We could handle them," Bakugo said.

"That's a lie and we both know it," Shine said, "No matter how tough you are, you're kids. They can just keep getting more and more numbers, more elaborate traps... more situations. They will not hold back, and you have to hold back. It's never been a fair game. I wanted to even the playing field. They can't do as much to Pros who are not as easy to pinpoint... What's more..." But then she decided not to mention the mole at UA. Bakugo might look for it.

"But it's crazy plan to make a deal like that with the devil," Bakugo said.

"I don't confuse villains with the devil and neither should you," Shine said, "Believe me, I don't make deals with the devil. The LOV are not all bad, believe it or not. Some of the reasons they are doing this are valid, but their methods are reprehensible. It's not so wise to stop people like that. In fact... you can't. Invading from the inside made the most sense."

"Sure, and just what are you going to do? Talk them into submission?" Bakugo said.

Shine looked down. "That is unclear as of now."

"Oh, terrific!" Bakugo snapped, "That's a solid plan, Likstar! What's to stop them from killing you?"

"I'm touched by your concern, and, honestly... I don't know," Shine said, "But they haven't yet. Shigaraki tried... but I am not defenseless, and Wally always has my back. Really, he takes care of most threats. We're not stupid, Bakugo. Just... fed up. Don't you ever think that the ways heroes handle things just don't work? The LOV is threatening them at every turn and getting away with their schemes. As I understand it, there is not a single time they have not had at least moderate success, whether or not they accomplished all their goals. And the heroes are losing to them, hard."

"The heroes will get them. It's just a matter of when," Bakugo said.

"You believe that if you can, but I can't," Shine said, "I don't think it's likely at all. Even if a few more go to jail, it won't stop the LOV as a whole, and the copycat gangs that are sprouting up all over. Do they tell you about those?"

"No..." Bakugo said, "What gangs?"

Shine told him about Miss Joke's student.

Bakugo was shocked. "All this happened and you said nothing to us!?"

"Wasn't my place, and it's still not something you should blab about," Shine said, "But I trust you can keep a secret. Actually,  I believe you could keep one under torture, based on all I know of your behavior. Still, you never know..."

"If that's going on... but the staff knows," Bakugo said.

"If they know, they are doing nothing about it," Shine said, "But how could they not know? And what can they do? Face it, Katsuki, this is where we are. UA can't effectively protect its students, and... this is our job. Our plan was something Wally and I put thought and prayer into. And we are concerned about the villains too. Unlike you, we see them as people. Some of them are very broken people... more so than even they know..." She frowned.

"They aren't lost lambs," Bakugo said.

"Perhaps they are... You don't know anything about them," Shine said, "And you've had an easy time of it, Bakugo, having a quirk that makes you king of the arena, and the talent to match, and the applause. Sure, your life isn't perfect, but from the bottom, it looks pretty high up. What could you understand about villains?"

"They thought I'd join their pathetic league," Bakugo raged.

"I never said they were smart," Shine said, "Just lost... Dabi in particular, there's something about him I can't disclose yet, as I promised not to do so, but, trust me, you'd think of him differently if you knew. It's a real scorcher of a story."

Bakugo had to think for a while about it.

"What you're doing is still illegal," he said, "It doesn't matter if you're helping them commit crime or not. If you don't turn them in, you're helping them."

"By your standards, that is so," Shine fingered her Bible, "but there is something you don't know about World Walkers."

                                                                                                  ***

There a was a pause.

"Well, what is it?" Bakugo demanded.

Shine stared at the book. 

"World Walkers are bound by Ancient Laws... When you share a little of the Divine power, even just a small amount, you borrow some of its rules too. All rules tend to have exceptions, but by and large, these ones don't.

"One of those Laws is that Direct Interference in certain types of events is dangerous and ill advised."

"Why?" Bakugo didn't even growl that, he was so intent.

"Free Will," Shine said, "People disagree on what it means, but at some level, it has to mean letting things play out even if you don't like it. The more power you have, the more limits you have. Didn't I explain this before to Todoroki...? With stopping certain events, we can't do that. We can't put our hands on the wheel and drive for you.

"The same goes for the LOV. I think they should stop, but if I step outside my circle of limitations and stop them by force, I could throw everything off. I remove choice from the equation. There is no real worth in what happens then.

"What's worse, if, as a DJ, I use DJ powers to stop them, that will become widely known, and the trouble that would ensue is far, far more damage than the LOV can do on their own. Worlds that have suffered from it have nearly been extinguished. People do try foolish things with Dimensional ability. The most use humans tend to have for it is to do witchcraft, as it is called, or dangerous scientific experiments. I know a place that ripped a hole in their sky with that. I know another where the ability enabled an overlord to take over multiple worlds. The list goes on.

"As professionals, we are supposed to know better than to let this get around. Wally's world is open and had a crisis every 2 years. I don't think you want that here."

Bakugo had to digest that.

"Isn't there a way around it?" he asked.

"Not that I know of," Shine said, "The only time we can alter things is if it's on behalf of our charges. Individual interference is the only plane we can work on that is not too dangerous. Would you like me to take over the world?" 

"No..." Bakugo said, "That would be weird."

"Then, don't ask me to play God," Shine said, "God can play his own part just fine. I cannot force the LOV to do what I want. I don't have the right to and neither does Wally... but we can protect you. We're allowed to use our powers as much as necessary to do that, but really, Bakugo, have I overpowered Nezu to do what I wanted at this stupid school using my powers?"

"Well... no, but Nezu's not a villain," Bakugo said.

"Just because he's not to you doesn't mean he's not a problem from a DJ's perspective. Our enemies are the enemies of change," Shine shrugged, "I'm not saying Nezu is an enemy, but we can't just overpower him either. You don't want to know what it looks like when a DJ tries..." She got a dark expression on her face.

Bakugo felt a chill even though nothing very dreadful had been said.

"Still, going to the LOV and not being able to stop them because of some Ancient rule seems like playing with fire," he said.

"And...?" Shine said.

Bakugo didn't have an "and".

"What do you think? Are you going to turn me in?" Shine said.

Bakugo scowled. "I probably should... At least... that's what those dips would say."

Shine gave him a strange look. "Okay...?"

"Seems like if you get busted, the LOV will just swoop down on us. But you'll get caught eventually."

"If it helps, I don't think I can keep it up much longer," Shine said, "Either somebody will make a move, or I'll have to conclude it's a lost cause... Wally too... but there might be a window."

"What the heck even gave you this idea?" Bakugo still couldn't get it.

Shine looked up. "My master... You know, I don't exactly enjoy going after bad guys... but then again, who isn't a bad guy?"

"What?" Bakugo said.

"I gave up thinking of villains as any different from other people several years also," Shine shrugged, "The more you talk to them, the less they seem that different. Any of us could have been a villain. The only line is choice."

"That's the most important line!" Bakugo said.

"You're right." Shine looked... proud? Seriously? Of that? "It is... but you can cross it both ways... Literally, Cross it."

Bakugo didn't get it. "Why waste your time on those losers? You could train actual heroes if you wanted to talk about ethics."

"And what are we doing now?" Shine said, "Does it bother you if I don't see villains as below you?"

Bakugo stared at her. "Uh... yeah, that would be kind of idiotic... Not that I care, but makes you sound crazy."

"Well, they called Him crazy too," Shine said, "But this is what my Master said about it: 'I have not come to call the righteous but sinners to repentance' [Luke 5:32]."

"Who the h--- is this master you keep talking about?" Bakugo said. He didn't think it was the term that was odd, just that she never used any specifics.

[For those who don't know, "master" and "teacher" can be the same word in Japanese. They actually used to be in English also, but it's gone out of fashion. So Bakugo and the others wouldn't find her use of it to be odd.]

"Don't you know?" Shine held up her book. "I thought you'd have at least heard of Jesus Christ.... I keep forgetting religion is so small here."

"Well, who cares about it?" Bakugo didn't see anything particularly offensive about that statement, even if he'd cared about offending people.

But Shine apparently did. "That's my whole life you're talking about, Katsuki, so I care. A lot."

Bakugo gave her weird look. "I get that you go for that crap, but what's it got to do with anything we're talking about? You can't actually expect me to believe you're doing insane stuff because some dusty old volume told you to."

Shine blinked at him. "Am I supposed to be ashamed of that? Or do you claim that wisdom that has been around for a few decades of time, untested and unproved, is better than something people have trusted in for 2000+ years and are still not tired of? Let me tell you something, Bakugo Katsuki: Hero society will certainly crumble. Heroes will go out of fashion. It's a matter of when, not if. It always happens with any institution man sets up. But Faith, that is never going to die. Ever. Anyone who claims so is an idiot who hasn't really studied the world and is full of their own opinions more than any actual understanding. So, pardon me if I have a little more confidence in things that stand the test of time."

"Hey, that's not a sound argument. People believe all sorts of crap for years, like the earth is flat. They believed that for millennia, and it's wrong." Bakugo had never had this kind of argument before, but he took to it like it was second nature.

But Shine wasn't backing down. "I'll have you know, this book says the Earth is round." She held it up again. "And you only have recent history to back up that claim. People believed in a round earth ages ago. The flat earth thing is a phenomenon of our time. People still believe it to this day too. So they say... and people also believe in air, and they believe that it's okay to treat others badly to get what you want. Yes, good and bad beliefs are both traditional, you're right. But I certainly have more reasons than that. I only meant to say that your secular culture is rather an odd era in the history of mankind. I could tell you about worlds where I've met gods in in person..." She made a face. "If course they weren't The Real God, but people were still scared of them."

Bakugo got tired of this as fast as most people who are not used to debate do.

"Whatever. I don't really care what you believe in. It's still stupid to do what you're doing."

Shine seemed to actually be angry at that. "You know, out of all the rude, inconsiderate things you've ever said to me, that is the only one I cannot shrug off as just being your personality."

She made that sound cutting.

"I'll tell you what, Katsuki, you can say I'm stupid for what I do, and I'll say you're stupid for wanting to be like All Might. It's a complete waste of your time. And there's nothing in it that's worth basing any major decisions on. Heck, I don't even know why you came to this school. That sounds like such a crazy whim."

Bakugo knew what she was doing, but it was still like a punch to the stomach to hear that out loud.

"Shut up!" he said.

"You shut up." Shine opened her door. "I don't want to hear from you until you apologize to me for this. I can take anything except someone saying that my faith is a waste of time. That saved my life, you prick! And I devoted my life to it, easily as much as you have to being a hero, if not more. I'm here, aren't I? Putting up with your crap, and what do I get out of it? Nothing! I try to have patience, but there are something not to be endured. Get out!"

Bakugo was too scared to stay after she used that tone, and left.

Kicked out yet again.