The team, such as it was, was not thrilled about this new plan.
Shigaraki didn't like it one bit, especially since he'd barely been outside, period, let alone out of the country.
Medea said he didn't need to come babysit her, and she'd be fine with the DJs, and that just made him mad.
Mirko was game for the trip but dubious about relying on Kayla to guide them through it.
"This idea is just insane," she said.
"But it is our only option." Shine was not budging. "None of you have to come. Ibara is our responsibility. We let this happen--or, if we didn't let it, we at least need to fix it."
"Why is this one girl so important?" Shigaraki said.
"Why was Giran so important?" Shine shot back.
He was silent.
"You are not the only one who cares about protecting your own," Shine went on, more firmly, "Ibara may not be our especial student, but she is one of our kids, even so. And while she's a little weird, she's a sweet, good-hearted girl who does not deserve this. Not that it would matter. I'd go even if it were Mineta, because they are kids, and we don't just abandon people based on whether we like them or even know them. Heck, it could be total stranger and I'd go. That said, I don't expect you all to feel the same."
"I'm surprised you still want to help, though," Wally said to Medea.
Medea tugged her hair. "I can't live the rest of my life dodging Lethe at every corner. We can't be sure he'll be there, and they're just as likely to find me here as there, right?"
She did not sound as sure as her words implied.
As for the extended team at UA...well...they all reacted about how you'd expect.
Shoto thought the whole thing was a bad idea but was resolute that they had to try.
But here Shine stopped him.
"I'm very sorry," she said, "but here's the thing--this mission is going to require being able to pass under the radar of the average person. I'm willing to bet not that many people in Canada care about hero students over here, if it's anything like at home with international sports. But, I'm sorry, Shoto, you're too recognizable, and it's hardly practical for you to go around in a disguise the whole time that could be ruined if we get into a skirmish. I've thought about it, and I think you had better sit this one out."
Shoto was crushed. "But...but..."
"I think she's right," Momo said, "But what about the rest of us?"
"I'll leave it up to you," Shine said, "While you're famous, I really doubt you'd stand out enough in crowd for anyone to really recognize you."
"Even Bakugo?" Shoto was sullen.
"While he's famous, he doesn't look as unusual," Shine said.
"How do I look unusual?" Shoto said with a straight face.
Dabi, who was there, just gave him a look. "You have two colored hair and a huge scar over one eye, dumba--."
Shoto blinked. "Oh...right..."
"I'll still help," Momo offered, "as long as it's after school."
"Well, no guarantees," Shine said, "but technically, you'll be with Pro heroes, so count it as more internship time."
Momo sighed.
"Yo, I'm down. I've got, like, another half week of suspension anyway," Camie said.
"I suppose I don't even need to say how dangerous it is at this point," Shine said.
"Well, if we don't get Green Hair back, we're all in danger once they contact us," Bakugo said.
Shine shrugged. "Well, you guys are brave kids.... If you're all set on coming, pack. We have to get there sometime today."
"Wow, talk about a important road trip," Camie said, "I'll totes pack the essentials..."
"Camie, seriously, just one backpack," Shine said.
"Girl, you think I can't pack light?" Camie said.
Shine didn't think she could, but she said nothing. After all, Momo was probably far worse about it.
Of course, Monama wanted to help too. "Ibara is my classmate."
Shine was willing to let him as long as he promised not to fight with Bakugo.
"Oh, we're past that, Miss Likstar," Monama said, "We've all buried the hatchet." He made it sound like it was his superior idea to do this.
Shine snorted a laugh at his tone. "Well, good, you can learn."
Monama frowned at her.
The students sped off to go to their dorms to grab their stuff.
Iida approached Bakugo. "Why are you packing?" he said.
"Going out," Bakugo said, "Buzz off, Four Eyes."
Iida adjusted his glasses. "Bakugo, I know that there was something about the DJs that had to do with Miss Shiogazi's disappearance. I hope you are not planning to go off with them on some reckless mission to retrieve her."
Bakugo snorted, but said nothing to that.
"Bakugo..." Iida said warningly.
"What's it to you?" Bakugo got up. "Even if we were, don't you want her to get rescued?"
Iida looked upset. "Of course I do. I'm sure Class 1-B is in distress...and she's a nice girl. But I blame them for her going missing at all. I knew these illegal acts of heroism would lead to this sooner or later."
Bakugo frowned at him. "Iida," he used his real name, shocking him, "you really need to freaking grow up."
Iida stared at him, dumbfounded.
"We're not kids anymore," Bakugo said, though technically they still were, "We can't sit around waiting for someone else to tell us what to do. Don't you get what's happening? Things are shifting around here, and either you shift with it, or you get knocked flat on your a--. The rules you follow won't be applying anymore, and you can't be the teachers' dang pet if the teachers don't even know what to do anymore. Think for your d--- self."
Iida gaped now.
"If you really wanted to be a leader," Bakugo went on, now on a role, "you'd do whatever it took to protect innocent people. Even if they weren't in your class. I mean, if some villains showed up right now, would you wait for pros to tell you it was okay to do something? Even if you didn't have your d--- license yet? Or would you save them? 'Cause if the answer is you'd wait for someone to tell you to do it, you're no hero. You're just a sheep playing soldier. And you can suck on that."
He brushed past him and stalked on into the hall.
Camie was already waiting downstairs. "Likstar gave me crap, but Momo's the one taking forever," she said, "I think she's packing a whole tent."
"Bakugo, wait!" Iida came after him. "Just what kind of thing are you doing? Are you going to fight the LOV?"
"No," Bakugo said, "hopefully we won't fight anyone unless they attack us first." He grimaced. "Ugh, I can't believe I just said that."
"Look at you being all mature and rational." Camie was surprised. "Dang. We really are fricked if you're being this serious."
"Oh, shut up, it's just logical!" Bakugo said.
"Even weirder, bro," Camie said.
Bakugo looked down.
"If you aren't going to fight villains, I suppose I could overlook it..." Iida said, "but I feel I should join you all...to make sure."
"What?" Bakugo said.
"All right," Momo joined them, "I'm ready.... I feel bad for Todoro--" She paused, seeing Iida.
Iida sighed.
"Mr. Pres here says he want to join our party," Camie said.
"Oh, Iida, I don't know if you understand," Momo said, "This isn't like when we rescued Bakugo."
"When you what?" Camie said.
"They didn't. I just used them as an exit," Bakugo said.
"Oh, that sounds like bulls---," Camie grinned, "This I gotta hear."
"Maybe later," Momo said, "but, Iida, we really shouldn't say more. We have to do this, I'm sorry. I know you care about procedure, but it's just not the time for that."
Iida was somber. "You know, I do understand how you feel. I just think it might be worse to do what you're doing."
"What, than do nothing?" Bakugo snorted.
"You're wound really tight, bro," Camie said to Iida, "Sometimes you just gotta go with your gut."
"We can't expect him to feel the same as us," Momo said.
Shine and Wally joined them.
"Ren says he's ready for us," Shine said, "so... Oh...hi, Iida."
Iida pushed up his glasses. "Just so you know, Miss Likstar, I still blame you and West for this, but maybe it's time I just tried to fix the problem myself. I want to come and make sure you do nothing too reckless."
Wally laughed nervously. "What?"
"Iida, this is not like with Bakugo," Shine said.
"Stop freaking saying that!" Bakugo got mad.
"I don't speak to not offend you, Bakugo," Shine shot back.
"Dang..." Camie said.
"Or you, for that matter." Shine looked back at Iida. "We don't need someone to try to hold us back. We will not have the luxury of hesitation. Also, we'll have some people on our team that you will not care to work with. And it's all top secret. A matter of life or death, really, if it gets out. All that said, Iida, I have never had any reason to trust you. I'm sorry."
"Miss Likstar," Iida changed his tone, "you don't understand. I have been watching thing after thing happen to my classmates, because of or around you, and...sometimes not around you, I'll admit. And I haven't been able to do a thing about it, and this is just...it's like no one is safe anymore."
"No one usually is," Wally said.
"And I'm tired of it," Iida said, "If I don't do something, I'm going to go mad."
He was hardly ever this emotional. It shocked Momo.
Shine and Wally studied him.
Wally kind of nodded at Shine. "He reminds me of GL..."
Shine tilted her head. "All right, Tenya, listen...I get it. But I know you've snapped before. Are you sure you can handle this? It could get ugly."
"I think I could handle that better than nothing," Iida said, "But...what do you mean? How do you know anything about me?"
"Please," Shine waved it off, "I know almost literally all of the people who knew about that, and at least one of them doesn't keep secrets very well."
Iida look chagrined.
"I want to believe you, Iida," Shine said, "but you have gone against us at every turn. Can you actually say you'd submit to our authority if you came and not try to control everything?"
"I don't think I try to control everyth--" began Iida.
"You do," everyone but Momo said.
Iida shuffled. "Well...I'm not happy about it, but if that's the terms, then I accept them."
"This is a surprise," Shine said, rather too frankly, "I never thought this day would come. I really don't know what to say, but, if you're serious, I won't stop you. Welcome aboard, Iida...and this does not get back to Nezu, you understand? You can tell Aizawa, who already knows, no doubt."
"Yeah, I figured." Aizawa suddenly startled them by coming around the corner. "You're going to get her back."
They all stared at him.
"Iida, you're going?" Aizawa said.
Iida was silent, kind of ashamed.
Aizawa sighed. "Well, be careful. I don't even want to ask what hare brained scheme you're going to do this time, or where you're going to go, but I don't want the students gone for longer than a day. Do you know how behind they are?"
"I'm sure field experience is worth it's weight in gold compared to in class," Shine said, not even batting an eyelash at this totally out of character way of handling it, "but we'll do our best."
"I guess you kids are all basically full fledged heroes anyway," Aizawa said dully, "Well...I hope you get the girl back. Vlad is about to burst a blood vessel."
"I'm sure you can relate," Wally said, "you know, since this happens to your students, like, every 2 months..."
Aizawa glared at him. "You think this is funny, West?"
"Oh, no, man," Wally said, "but when you live like me and my friends, you can't take your near death experiences too seriously."
Aizawa shuffled out of the room muttering something about Wally being an idiot.
"Did...did he just let us go?" Momo said.
"Yeah, I think we're in the upside down world..." Shine said.
"Let's go before he changes his mind," Wally said.
* * *
"I've told you, I don't need help," Endeavor said to Hawks crossly.
Hawks had been stopping by every day to ask if Endeavor needed anything--errands or whatever--and every day Endeavor had been just as hostile as the day before.
Hawks really didn't blame him. He'd be mad too...
But Fuyumi seemed to appreciate the offers, anyway.
"Dad," she tried, "you know, I think Hawks just wants to atone for his mistakes."
Endeavor hesitated. "Well, you would know better than me what we need around here. I have paper work to go over."
"But you really should rest--" Fuyumi tried.
"I'm not just going to sit around doing nothing!" Endeavor stalked off, still limping.
"He was just like that the last time he was out of the hospital too," Hawks said.
"Tell me about it," Fuyumi sighed, "I really do appreciate you trying to help, but you really don't have to. I don't think Dad really cares anymore. He just feels awful about that girl going missing. And that he can't do anything to help."
"Well, yeah, I feel awful about it too," Hawks sighed, "One more innocent person getting hurt because of me."
"But I thought, I mean, Shoto said it wasn't the Metas..." Fuyumi said.
"Well, it was still my fault," Hawk said.
Fuyumi looked confused, but she shrugged. "I just wish..." But then she didn't finish her thought.
Suddenly her phone buzzed.
"Shoto?" she answered, "What? Yes... Hawks? He's here right now, actually... Oh, just to help Dad... No, he's not really being receptive at all... Okay." She held out her phone. "He wants to talk to you."
Hawks took it. "Hello, mini Endeavor."
Silence.
"Do not ever call me that again." Shoto's voice was cold.
"Sorry...didn't know it was so offensive," Hawks said.
The look on Fuyumi's face said it was pretty offensive too. Hawks still hadn't quite put together what Endeavor did to piss off his family so much, but it must have been pretty bad... Weird.
"Are you on any mission right now?" Shoto asked.
"Uh, no, they put me out to pasture after the Meta-thing," Hawks said, "I mean, I'm sure I'll be on a mission soon, but I guess they thought I should lie low."
"Good, are you willing to do something...?" Shoto began.
* * *
"Did we have to meet up here?" Shine complained about the roof they were on.
"This city is wrecked still." Mirko gestured to the mostly destroyed skyline. "No one's going to be around here to see us."
"Hello. Am I late?" Hawks suddenly flew in and landed on the roof.
"Why are you here?" Shigaraki said.
"Why are you here is the better question." Hawks was puzzled. "Why would you care about the kid?"
"I don't," Shigaraki said.
"He's here because he doesn't trust me," Medea said flatly, "He thinks I'll do something stupid if I don't have adult supervision."
"Does Shigaraki qualify as an adult?" Hawks said, "Besides, Mirko is here."
"Yeah, like I said, adult supervision," Medea said.
"Oh, shut up, you little brat." Mirko crossed her arms.
"You're all very funny," Ren said, "So we just go through that doorway thing? How does that work anyway? I'd like to know the technical details of your quirk."
Shine laughed. "Not a chance, Ren, and don't even thing about trying to modify it. You can't improve upon perfection."
"Perfection?" Ren said, "You are confident."
"I know better than to mess with the Designer," Shine said.
"Wait...why is he here?" Hawks noticed Iida.
"We've all been asking that," Mirko said.
"And I was asking why villains were here." Iida didn't look happy. "And I was told not to ask questions, because that's the first rule of DJ training..."
"Oh, that was just a joke," Wally said, "but you really don't want to know..."
"That a DBZA reference?" Mirko asked.
"Yeah," Wally said.
"Oh my gosh, yes!" Mirko grinned.
"If you're all ready, we can go now." Shine made a motion and a doorway appeared. "Wally ran over there and found us a good spot."
"When did he do that?" Hawks said.
"Just now," Shine said.
No one else had noticed Wally was not there.
"Wow..." Medea said.
"I must say, your teamwork is impressive," Monama admitted.
"Uh, someone want to jump?" Shine said, "This is not as easy to keep open as it looks."
"Right." Mirko canon-balled through the door.
"So extra..." Ren muttered.
* * *
What hit them all at once was it was at least 30 degrees colder right away. The air was far drier too.
It was early spring, but in Canada that didn't mean it was warm yet. There was even some light snow in sight.
It had been about 7 in the evening when they had finally left, so it had just been dusk.
Here it was around 2 am and dark still. Where they were there was not a lot of lights, and the view of the stars was dazzling.
Though they had a hard time taking it in.
"Ah, heck, you're weren't kidding about dressing warm!" Camie hugged her arms.
"It's...night time?" Monama said.
"Time difference," Shine said, "It's also yesterday, so don't worry--you guys will probably not miss class tomorrow, as long as we do this in two days."
"Oh, time travel," Camie said.
Shigaraki looked weirded out. "There's a time difference?"
"You're really uneducated, huh?" Hawks observed.
"At least we won't get jet lag," Mirko said, "I hate that."
"Yeah, about that," Shine said, "You probably will still feel the lag. I call it dimension lag. Mostly it affects us after we traverse...well, you know, space-time of different dimensions. But with the time jump here, I think it may hit."
"Eh, I never notice it now," Wally said, "Except the first day, usually. This is nothing."
"Is anyone cold?" Momo said, "I can make jackets..."
"I'm good," Hawks said.
"This is so cool..." Medea picked up an handful of snow. "Freezing, too...but wow. We're in a different time zone? That's so surreal."
"I'm tripping," Camie agreed.
"Can we focus, mes amigos?" Ren said, "We have to find somewhere to hide out till our spy friend calls us."
"We have hours," Wally said, "so relax. Canada is more chill. I've been here a bunch of times."
"I bet it's different though," Shine said, "Let's get moving though. I'm cold."
"I could warm you up," Wally offered.
"Wally! Not in front of Iida," Shine said.
Iida gave her a strange look.
They weren't too far out from a town... While Canada was more popular than Shine and Wally remembered from their time, and it looked bigger to them. Compared to the crush of city living the hero students were used to, it looked tiny.
Ren said Tia Dolores' lived in a bigger city in Brazil than this. "I thought Canada was big."
"So is Russia," Shine said, "but they are both cold."
"Only here, you get moose," Wally said.
"And maple syrup," Shine said, "and people are nicer."
"Isn't that just a myth?" Ren shivered.
"I hope not," Wally said.
The town/city was, of course, mostly asleep. Though there were plenty of stores open and people working late nights shifts. It was a lot quieter, though.
"I always wanted to visit Prince Edward Island if I visited Canada," Shine said, as they made their way into a small all-night diner to wait for dawn.
Mirko rubbed her arms. "I don't like the cold. Where's that?"
"It's farther north," Shine said, "way farther."
"And you want to go there for some reason?"
"It's where the Anne of Green Gables books are set," Shine said.
No one knew what she was talking about.
"So...we're just sitting here..?" Iida said.
"It's good we arrived so late," Shine said, "Who would notice?"
The person at the counter, who looked tired, had barely glanced at them. They were all out of costume, except Hawks, but his looked like what any winged person might wear, really, to stay warm.
Hawks was a little surprised not to be recognized, but then again, he'd barely been to this country.
Since they were there anyway, they ordered. Wally wanted pancakes with real Canadian maple syrup.
Shine and Momo passed the time by Moogling things about Canada so as to feel less out of their depth. Shine knew more to begin with, but still.
Everyone else was mostly bored. Medea started playing games on her phone.
Hawks told Mirko about Endeavor, since there was really nothing else to talk about.
"He's so grumpy, which is, you now, normal, but dang... I feel bad for his daughter. And the other kid doesn't help at all."
"He did seem like kind of a dips---." Mirko was unceremonious.
"Yeah, right? I mean, don't know what their family beef is," Hawks said, "but he could at least help her out for her sake, right?"
"Yeah, she seemed okay." Mirko hadn't taken that much note of Fuyumi, except that she hit someone with a chair, which was awesome.
"She's actually really nice," Hawks said, "not at all like the rest of them."
Shine glanced up at him. "I guess you like her a lot, huh?"
"She's cool," Hawks shrugged.
"Cool, huh?" Wally was smirking into his coffee.
"West, don't you start," Hawks said, "but that reminds me, I hear you two finally are gonna tie the knot. Congratulations and all."
Shine held up her left hand. "Yeah, he put a ring on it."
"Oh, that's nice," Hawks said, "Wow, West, good for you."
"I know," Wally said, "I can't wait to tell all my friends at home."
"I already told my siblings," Shine said, "They were ecstatic. I have a feeling the preparations will be well under way by the time we go home..."
"So much to decide..." Wally rubbed his head. "That is the one part that scares me."
"Not the actually getting married part?" Hawks said, "I mean, it's not easy for us heroes to settle down. Most of us never do."
"Which is horrible," Shine said, "and bad for your health. Did you know marriage adds as much as 10 years to your life? More for men than women."
"Women live longer anyway, that's why," Wally said.
"That's weird. I've never heard that," Hawks said.
"I'm not too worried about it..." Wally mused, "I mean, I could mess it up... My first time, you know."
Shine gave him a look. "First time being married," she said, "and mine too...actually my first time dating at all."
"Wait, you're serious?" Mirko had barely been listening up till then.
"Does that surprise you?" Shine said.
"I guess it shouldn't," Hawks said, "You just seem so...I don't know, comfortable with it. A lot of people have had multiple relationships by your age."
"Yeah...well, I had a few," Wally said.
"I don't think it really helps," Shine said, "I'm 23. I'm old enough to know my own mind, wouldn't you say Hawks? Age is just a number anyway. Besides, dating is hard. I don't fancy the idea of going through multiple people, trying to figure it out. I just waited till I was ready."
"Well, I guess that makes sense," Hawks said, "So, you plan on having kids?"
Wally almost choked on his pancakes.
"Hawks, not the time," Shine said.
"Sorry," Hawks said, "Was it a weird question?"
"It was kind of too soon," Shine said.
"What about you, Hawks? Would you ever settle down?" Wally decided to pay him back by asking.
"I doubt it," Hawks said, "I've never really seen that in the cards for myself. Like I said, heroes don't often."
"That's depressing." Medea was listening now. "I don't know if like that--being alone forever just because you're a hero."
"So? You're stronger that way," Mirko said.
"You're lamer that way." Medea made a face.
Monama laughed nervously.
* * *
Finally, after hours of this small talk and wondering about the plan...such as it was...
The sun began to come up.
In that time, Camie had finally gotten it out of Momo that she and Shoto were finally together.
"Dang, girl, it's about time," she said, "I so knew it, too."
"I guess everyone but us had it figured out..." Momo said weakly.
"I'm so jelly right now." Camie made a face. "It's always the nice girls who get the guys after them. Not the ditzy ones."
"I'm sure that's not true," Momo said.
"I'mma be single forever..." Camie sighed, putting her arms on the table.
"Doesn't your school not allow dating?" Momo said.
"Yeah, they're so lame..." Camie whined.
"Well," Ren was saying to the adults, "how do we get closer to that place our friend told us? That flight landed kilometers away from here, I pulled up a map while we were eating. I did some calculations. I'd say if we got on a train, it'd take us a few hours."
"Train?" Shine said.
"Yeah," he said.
"Ren...you're not familiar with how people travel over here, are you?" Shine asked.
Ren looked at her oddly.
"Now that it's morning, the car dealership ought to be open soon," Wally said.
"Wait...you want a car?" Ren said.
"Might need two, actually," Shine said.
"Oh, nice," Mirko said, "That's always fun. Wait, though, what side of the road do they drive on here?"
* * *
The answer was the right.
Mirko cursed when they rented the cars. Both larger ones.
"I, like, never use cars," Camie said, "except Momo's limo."
"I can't drive..." Momo said, "My parents say driving is for the help."
Everyone gave her a look.
"Kaminari can drive," Bakugo said.
"Yeah, still impressed by that," Shine said, "but don't you all worry. Wally and I drive all the time at home. We've got you covered, unless anyone else can drive on the right side."
"Are your licenses legal here?" Iida said.
They gave him a look.
"Is yours?" Shine said.
Iida was silent.
"And you're sure this is faster than the train?" Ren said.
"Ren, my friend, if you even found a train that was remotely like the ones you guys have over there, I'd be shocked," Shine said, "This is a smallish city. Cars are your best option. We can't portal everyone, and I have a feeling Kayla will need us to have our own transportation. So, sorry not sorry, get in the car, everyone. And no whining about who you sit next to."
"But I don't want to sit next to--" began Monama.
"She just said no whining, doofus." Medea grabbed his arm. "Come on, I've never been in a car before. This should be fun... I hope I don't get motion sick."
"Dabi does..." Shigaraki didn't like this.
"At least we're not making you stand on the back of it," Shine said.
"Actually, that's a lot better than standing inside it," Shigaraki said.
"I highly doubt that," Shine said, "Getting in. I'll even let you have shot gun."
"But I wanted shot gun," Mirko said.
"Rumi," Shine said warningly.
"Can I drive, then?" Mirko switched tactics.
"Can you drive on the right side?"
"Right, left, what's the difference?" Mirko said.
"Uh, Rumi," Ren was getting into the middle seat, "I remember how well you drive. How about we let Miss Likstar do it? She seems calm and careful."
"Likstar??" Mirko snorted.
"I'm an excellent driver, actually," Shine said, getting in the driver's seat, "and I don't trust you. You're an adrenaline junkie."
Camie, Bakugo, Monama, and Medea got in Wally's car.
"It's nice to finally be behind the wheel like a civilized person again," Wally sighed, "I do not like the trains. They're too...crowded."
"Shot gun." Bakugo grabbed the front door.
"Either he found one or he wants the front seat," Camie said.
"I feel like I should get shot gun," Hawks said, "because I can barley fit in the car."
"Oh, we can make room on the floor," Wally said, "I'll take the seat out for you."
"Oh...thanks..." Hawks said, "Can't I just fly?"
"You wanted to be discreet, right?" Wally said.
[Poor Hawks...though I would totally love sitting on the floor. My mom used to tell me how she'd do that in the old days. Sounds fun.]
Shine started the engine.
"Perfect, a port." She plugged in her phone. "I can charge it and play my jam." She started scrolling through her playlist.
"Miss Likstar, should you really be doing that while you're driving?" Iida said.
"Iida, I'm not driving yet," Shine said, switching gears, "Now I'm driving."
Iida covered his eyes.