Mystery from Another World

Part 61: Where There's Smoke

[OP: "Survivors"--Jeremy Camp]

Shine, Momo, and Bakugo found themselves standing in some kind of grassy bank from the look of it. The landscape Shine saw looked similar from when she'd been snatched by Hawks... She was sure she saw the same building in the distance. She concluded that this must be an outlet in the middle of the city to the ocean, and that was surrounded by the drain and bridge nearby, but no one was in sight. An abandoned bridge, then? It was partially collapsed. Must be from an attack or earthquake. Perfect place for no one to see them.

Momo was promptly sick as soon as they were free. The last shock of being warped had finally done it for her.

Bakugo seemed okay, but he was glaring.

Toga was gone.

"Likstar, get us out of here! We have to get those other two idiots," Bakugo said.

"I know we need to." Shine looked at her hands. "But...I can't."

"What...?" Bakugo swore. "D--- it! Why not?! Of course you freaking can!"

"No, you see, at first I didn't because I could bring the villains with them," Shine said, "but then I was going to risk it anyway, and now they've portaled us, I can't."

"Why not?" Momo rubbed her mouth.

Shine lowered her voice. "I never told you this because it never came up, but...warping, remember? It's not good because it's less controlled than portals? Well, that black stuff warped us in the worst way I've ever felt personally (save for once). I feel icky all over...and I can't portal now."

"It blocked you?" Momo was terrified. Rightly so.

"Yes...more like, if I tried, I'd probably get very sick," Shine said. "I could do it, but it won't work. I could kill or hurt all of us. It will take some time to recover, and it's best to get away from where you were warped in, because that has the most...negative effects from it, I guess...
I'm so sorry. I never expected to need to explain that. I never was warped by them. The energy from it was so weak before it didn't seem to affect me, but having it touch me was way different."

"Well, great." Bakugo swore a lot more. "Now we can't fricking leave that way! Let's call someone."

"My phone..." Shine felt for it. "It's not here... That little psycho! She took it off me. She must be good at pick-pocketing."

Not really surprising. Momo and Bakugo found they didn't have theirs either.

"Maybe I could make one..." Momo mused.

"The better question is why is no one else here?" Shine looked around. "I was sure Dabi was going to be. Where is Wally?"

Bakugo's eyes narrowed. "And where did they take the other two idiots?"

* * *

Dabi should have been attacking them now, but he was hesitant to come out of hiding from where he was behind some cement blocks...

What was it? Why wasn't he moving? Ah...flashbacks...

"Get up! Why aren't you moving?!" Endeavor's voice boomed in his head. "Get up!"

Dabi put a hand to his head, trying to shake the words from his mind. "Not the time..." he muttered to himself. "Not the time... Not the time..."

His head cleared somewhat. Remembering that now, of all times...

No one was around. He could burn this whole place. The plan had worked even better than they thought. They didn't even need hostages now. Likstar couldn't leave. Who knew the key to immobilizing her had been so close the whole time...? Could have eliminated her weeks ago...