Mystery from Another World--MHA

Part 83: Disaster!

Todoroki and Momo were still wandering around enjoying the festival when the fireworks finally began. They found a good spot to watch.

Shoto was thinking that he liked doing this with Momo. It just sort of felt like their thing. Would she be okay with doing this every festival...? But that was a lot of times to agree to.... He frowned to himself, thinking it over.

"Is something wrong?" Momo asked, "Are you thinking of your family again...?"

"What? Oh...no," Shoto said, "I was just thinking about the next festival."

"Let me think-- which one is after this...?" Momo tapped her chin.

"I was just thinking about going to it, is all," Shoto said, "Uh...Yaoyurozu..."

"What?" Momo said gently. Expecting a problem.

"I know it sounds like a lot...but, I don't know, do you think you'd want to keep going to these together...? I don't have anyone else to go with, and I think I like going."

"Oh..." Momo flushed red, but the orange glow of the fireworks hid it. "Well...uh...I mean, are you sure you want to go with me, specifically?"

"Why not?" Shoto didn't see a problem here.

"Oh...well...okay, sure." Momo looked down. "That would be nice..." And it would stop the others from teasing her about her mom.
she thought to herself. But it sure sounded like a date when he put it like that...

[Internal facepalm and screaming.]

For some reason, Shoto felt kind of good when she agreed. Like more than he would have thought. Well, it had kind of been going out on a limb-- he never asked anyone for anything. But of course Momo would say yes. She never said no to helping anyone out... Maybe he was taking advantage of that...but before he could really overthink it to that extent, something distracted him.

It was a commotion farther down the street from them.

Momo looked too. "Todoroki, isn't that Mr. Aizawa?"

"Yes, it looks like it. And that's Shine...and Miss Joke?" Shoto blinked. "Why's she here?"

"Patrol maybe, but it looks like there's trouble. We should go help," Momo said, picking up her Yukata so she could make a break for it. Shoto followed her.

* * *

Aizawa was looking for West, who had still not appeared, and asking people near the food stand if they'd seen a red headed man and a little, sliver haired girl with a small horn on her forehead.

Miss Joke asked people on the other street. Shine was still trying to call Wally, and she was holding her sword up like a beacon. Some people thought she was a performer and cleared the way like they expected a play to begin. Some even thought the search was a play. Only they didn't see what it had to do with the theme of the festival.

"Shine? What's going on?" Shoto appeared out of the crowd.

Shine looked over. "Have you seen Wally or Eri? He's not picking up, and he's not around here, and I feel like he wouldn't have gone farther than this, but with him you never know, but he'd answer his phone, normally."

She sounded more nervous than they'd ever heard her.

"Oh, dear. Do you think they got lost?" Momo said.

"Wally doesn't get lost," Shine said.

"He could find us easily," Shoto reminded Momo, "It's more likely he got held up by something."