Chapter 3
"In training, there is no winning or losing. There is only learning."
- Tucker Max
FROM: CAPTAIN AMERICA
TO: COMMANDER-IN-CHIEF
PROTOCOL: ACTIVITY REPORT
THE FIRST DAY OF TRAINING UNDER JP'S NUMBER ONE RANKED HERO, ALL MIGHT, HAS BEEN COMPLETED. IT WAS NOT WHAT I ORIGINALLY EXPECTED BUT STILL PROVED EFFECTIVE GIVEN HOW SORE I FEEL. I HAVE NOT FELT MUSCLE FATIGUE LIKE THIS SINCE WAKING UP FROM THE ICE.
ALL MIGHT'S TRAINING PLAN IS VERY EXTENSIVE, CONSISTING OF HAULING LARGE AMOUNTS OF TRASH OFF A LOCAL BEACH. HOW THIS CITY ALLOWED ONE OF THEIR PROPERTIES TO GET SO MESSY I'LL NEVER KNOW. HE HAS INFORMED ME THAT THERE WILL BE OTHER EXERCISES THROWN IN WITH THE TRASH HAULING, BUT HAS LEFT ME IN THE DARK ON IT.
THERE IS MUCH TO PREPARE FOR IN THE COMING 10 MONTHS BETWEEN MY PHYSICAL TRAINING AND EXTENSIVE STUDYING; ESPECIALLY WITH JAPANESE. BUT IT IS A CHALLENGE I AM READY TO TAKE ON.
FURTHER UPDATES WILL BE GIVEN IN COMING REPORTS.
(Music: Boku no Hero Academia OST: Hero A Instrumental)
Ever since the day Yagi had assigned Midoriya his mission to clean up Takoba Municipal Beach Park, the super-soldier had been hard at work every morning and evening. He was very methodical and efficient in his cleaning, never wasting a step or motion.
One morning, Midoriya was focusing on removing a pile of old tires. He had both arms extended with 2 large tires, each weighing 23 kilograms (~50 lbs), hanging from them. He rushed down the beach and up the stairway to deposit them in Yagi's truck. He then rushed down to repeat the process until the entire pile was removed.
"Tires are removed, sir!" Midoriya saluted.
Yagi clicked his stopwatch, noting the 10:15 timestamp. He then looked at the large stacks of tires neatly placed in his truck.
He nodded. "Not bad, soldier. Still need to be faster though…"
"Yes, sir!"
Yagi chuckled at the verdette's antics. Even though Yagi had told him he didn't have to refer to him as 'sir', it appeared the US Army's training was drilled deep into his head.
Oh well, All Might didn't mind it. In fact, he felt giddy that the Captain was addressing him in such a manner.
(X)
Midoriya continued pushing and pulling old junky appliances across the beach like sleds while All Might in his muscle form would occasionally ride on them to provide extra resistance. The super-soldier did not once complain and continued his task undeterred.
(X)
One night, Midoriya walked into his apartment and found a small steel box with the SHIELD logo on the side lying on the floor by the door. He picked it up and was initially surprised by its heavy weight. Laying it back down he pulled off the top and found a set of dark green, arm and ankle bands. There was a note lying by them.
Cap,
Here are the training weights you requested. Our R&D were able to design and manufacture these in record time for you. Each one weighs approximately 90 kg (200 lbs). Let me know when the weight gets too easy and they'll send over heavier ones. Good luck!
Coulson
Midoriya nodded in satisfaction. He was taking his cleanup-training mission very seriously and wanted to get the most gain he possibly could. After reaching out to Coulson, a section of SHIELD's R&D manufactured a set of training weights appropriately scaled-up to fit his super-soldier physiology.
Placing the weights on his wrists and ankles, he instantly felt the resistance. 'Yeah… This will do.'
(X)
The next evening, Midoriya was struggling to push an old pickup truck stuck in the sand. Normally, he wouldn't have much issue with a job like this; however, it was his first full-day wearing the new training weights and he felt every kilogram straining his limbs. The fact that the truck's tires were flat and the backend was loaded with junk didn't make things easier either.
Nonetheless, he gritted his teeth and pushed through the pain. 'Surrender isn't an option, soldier! Push through! Go further beyond!' He internally cried.
Digging deep, he exerted even more force against the truck's backend.
Yagi, meanwhile, had been watching as was about to tell Midoriya to stop before noticing the truck started to move. Slowly but surely, Midoriya managed to free the truck from the sand ruts and continued pushing it toward the seawall rampway.
He blinked in mild shock before grinning in satisfaction.
(X)
One night, after returning from the beach, Midoriya sat at his desk, fully engrossed in his studies. He had set times brushing up various subjects that included: Japanese history, World history, Math, Science, and English.
Right now, he was writing Japanese hiragana, katakana, and Kanji in rapid repetition - drilling it into his head. He needed to write and read Japanese like it was second nature. Part of the process also included reading books written in Japanese.
Later, he moved onto his two toughest subjects: Japanese and World history. Even before being iced, Midoriya's knowledge on Japanese history was very limited. Missing the last 150 years certainly didn't help either. There was a lot to catch up on!
(X)
While at Musutafu Community College, he remained steadfast and alert during classes despite his body's soreness.
He received the results for his first hand-written essay from his Japanese professor.
75. Not bad, but there was plenty of room for improvement.
(X)
One evening, Midoriya was watching a series of YouTube channels regarding new fighting styles he could implement; specifically, Ninjitsu and Kung Fu. While YouTube wasn't the ideal way to learn these new fighting styles, it was better than nothing. Midoriya was almost surprised to learn the online video website was still around 150 years later.
Perhaps he should talk to Coulson about having SHIELD aid him improve his hand-to-hand combat abilities during his free time?
(X)
During an evening session at the beach, Midoriya was swimming several hundred meters offshore. He was still wearing his weights which made it exceedingly harder to stay above water, but he managed.
Reaching an offshore red buoy that served as the halfway point, he began swimming back to shore. He used the offshore breakers to help propel him faster to the shore like a surfboard.
Stepping out of the water with only dark green swim trunks, he breathed heavily. "1.5 miles - erm, uh 2.4 kilometers," he corrected himself, "in 3 minutes. Not bad. I can still be faster though, huh?"
Midoriya stopped when he spotted All Might in his buff form surrounded by a group of women fangirling and ogling him. 'Where did they come from? Are those lipstick marks on his face? Dang Toshinori…'
A few of the women saw Midoriya step out of the water and his chiseled muscles, tall stature, and cute handsome face immediately drew them in. Before Midoriya knew it, he was swarmed by several women with hearts in their eyes; much like All Might's predicament off to the side.
"Hey! You're really hot!"
"Are you a friend of All Might's?!"
"Can I have your number?"
"TAKE ME!"
"Uh…" Midoriya blushed profusely and backed away, feeling very uncomfortable; especially with that last exclamation.
He was never good at dealing with women in general; before or even after the procedure; especially when they were this forward. With that, he rushed back into the ocean and swam back out - leaving the women on the beach dumbfounded.
(X)
While in his apartment, Midoriya opened a steel box from SHIELD to reveal another set of training weights, with the exception of them being black. Reading the note, his eyes widened slightly when it stated the new weights were 180 kg (396.8 lbs) a piece.
"Well," he sweat-dropped, "I was getting used to these old ones. Time to start from square one again."
(X)
Midoriya's Japanese professor handed him a recent graded essay. He smiled proudly at the result.
90. Much better! But… he knows he could do even better.
(X)
Late at night, Midoriya sat at his work desk reading through various books. Lying to the side was a mock UA University Entrance Exam from years past. Studying it would help him prepare for the type of questions that would be asked. But he made it a priority to study beyond the written criteria.
Prepare for the unexpected!
(X)
Midoriya was strolling through Ukio Food Store, a local grocery store chain. He was filling his cart with a wide variety of food items. He was able to read Japanese clearly now without having to use his phone to translate.
He held a coupon pamphlet in his free hand, scanning diligently for as many deals as possible. Just because SHIELD was paying for his expenses, didn't mean he would splurge money. Lifetime habits built from living off his mom's paychecks help reinforce Midoriya's value for money.
Many store employees were initially appalled by the amount of food he bought. However, after sheepishly explaining how his body burned through a lot of calories, they understood. After all, there were people with Quirks who had to consume more food than the average person.
From that point, Midoriya became a valued customer for the Ukio Food Store. This didn't prevent the shocked expressions he would normally get from other shoppers. He learned to just ignore it.
What can he say? A super-soldier has to eat!
(X)
Early one Sunday morning, Midoriya dedicated time to training his 'shield skills' as he called it. Technically, he was supposed to be resting on Sundays. But All Might never stated that he couldn't do any work at all on Sundays - only suggesting that he use that day to rest and recover. He didn't want to undermine Yagi's instructions but Midoriya was good at finding loopholes; in addition, he had plenty of energy to spare and was motivated to spend as much time training as possible.
He was alone at the beach throwing his shield at several stacked items he had haphazardly set up. Rebounding off the objects, it ricocheted back to his position and smoothly caught it. Similar to a pinball game.
The iconic red, white, and blue paint job was stripped off the disk revealing its glossy silver surface. He hated to stripe the paint off, but after the incident with the Sludge Villain, he couldn't take any more chances of being recognized by anyone. Besides, it could always be repainted.
He continued his throwing and catching exercises, burning the motions into his head.
Once he was comfortable, Midoriya tried throwing and catching with his eyes closed, training himself to rely not on sight but rather his hearing as well anticipating the shield's return by mentally calculating the time it takes to rebound off objects and come back to him.
He messed up more times than not at first, but he continued training regardless.
At sunrise, Midoriya was jumping, flipping, and twisting acrobatically around the beach, throwing and catching his shield with his eyes closed with pinpoint accuracy!
(X)
Midoriya ran out of Musutafu Community College at breakneck speed, startling nearby students in his path. In his satchel were his recently graded assignments. Every single paper was marked with a perfect score.
He was already wearing his training clothes. He had learned he could save an extra 45-minutes by changing at the college rather than running all the way home.
Every minute counts!
(X)
Midoriya was running along the beach with the sun setting in the distance while All Might in his muscular form was piggybacking on him. Despite the straight from the training weights and the 255 kilos (562 lbs) of All Might on his back, he maintained a decent pace down the beach even after running two miles without stopping.
'Wonder how my younger self would react if I told him he'd one day get a piggyback ride from Captain America?' Yagi mused.
(X)
Yagi watched on with a well-pleased smile as Midoriya continued racing up the stairway hauling or pushing heavy items up the seawall rampway, tossing them into a large metal disposal container sitting on the side of the road . Yagi had rented the disposal container weeks prior when he realized he couldn't haul a load of trash in his truck before Midoriya already had several more loads ready on the street when he returned.
His speed was amazing, and his pure work ethic was kind of scary if Yagi was being honest. Only his old sensei Gran Torino reminded Yagi of this kind of work ethic.
Nevertheless, turning toward the beach, he was amazed by how much smaller the trash heaps were getting. At this rate, Midoriya would finish with plenty of time to spare!
(End Music)
Musutafu, Japan - November 2196
Days had turned to weeks, and weeks had turned to months. Before Midoriya Izuku knew it, 7 months had passed since he started the cleanup project.
It was an early fall morning at 03:30 (3:30 AM), and still dark outside. The only light sources came from the city and the waxing gibbous moon hovering in the sky over the sea. It's light reflecting off the ocean water.
Midoriya was still hard at work though with a LED light shining from a headband on his forehead. He wore a black sweatpants, a sleeveless green camo shirt, and his red boots which were rugged and torn from overuse.
He had woken up early from a stress dream and couldn't return to sleep. With that, he decided to get an early head start on training. His body was aching and sore from overexertion, but he ignored it and persevered. His sheer will and his enhanced endurance were the only things keeping him from collapsing. No normal person could handle this type of nonstop, hardcore training. Heck, even most people with Quirks couldn't handle it!
Most of the trash heaps were gone, leaving smaller debris scattered across the beach. He raced across the sands in a grid pattern gathering items into a black trash bags, filling them, and tossing them into the disposal container on the street. Rinse and repeat.
Nearly an hour later, after finishing collecting all of the smaller scrap, he was now face-to-face with undisputedly the largest and heaviest item left on the beach: an old, broken down bulldozer. He had no idea who left it or why it was here, but that didn't matter. The day had come for this massive rusty hunk of yellow junk to go!
He looked between the bulldozer and the rampway, gauging the distance to cover to be at least 75 meters (246 feet). He knew that pushing this yellow behemoth up the ramp would be even harder than across the sand.
Clenching his fists tightly, he adopted a determined expression. He was not backing down! As Midoriya walked behind the dozer, he cracked his neck and rotated his arms to prepare himself.
"Alright, you're the last one. Time for you to go, big guy…"
Bending his legs forward, he pushed against the dozer. It didn't budge. After a moment of exertion, he stopped and took several deep breaths.
Glancing down at the 200 kg (441 lb) bands on his wrists and legs, he inwardly debated if he should remove the weights.
The verdette then shook his head at that thought. 'No! I made it this far with the weights on. I won't take the easy route here.' He internally declared.
Midoriya pushed even harder against the bulldozer. This time, he felt the large, yellow machine move ever so slightly forward.
'C'mon, soldier! Keep pushing!' He inwardly yelled.
"GRRAGGHH!" He bellowed out, feeling the strain. "Go further… go further… GO FURTHER!"
Repeating his family motto, the super-soldiers dug his boots into the white sand, which shifted around his feet. Midoriya's fingers dug into the dozer's metal plating, causing it to contort like paper. The veins on his arms, legs, and temple throbbed madly from exertion.
Despite the dozer's stubbornness, the green super-soldier was not giving in! 'I have to work so much harder than everyone else! Keep pushing! Go further! PLUS ULTRA!'
The rusty caterpillar tracks gave way and began to slowly turn; the dozer's blade pushing sand out of the way. Loud metallic clicking and clunking sounds emanated from the machine's gears as the dozer moved for the first time in years.
Yagi Toshinori was driving his white truck down a not-so busy street. Glancing at his digital clock, it read 05:30 (5:30 AM).
'Damn! Can't believe I'm going to be late.' He internally lamented. 'Hopefully Cap isn't too disappointed and understands.'
For the first time in months, he was running late to their training sessions. He had made it a point to be at the beach on time whenever he wasn't involved with Pro Hero work or preparing for his faculty job at UA University.
But after many hauls to local scrap yards, one of his tires popped en route to the beach - delaying him half-an-hour. After changing the tire, he was driving on the empty street that led to Takoba Municipal Beach Park.
He knew Midoriya would already be at the beach. He always was. In fact, he suspected the super-soldier was arriving even earlier than the Aim To Pass: American Dream Plan stated he should. Plus, given how much faster the trash piles were disappearing, he suspected he may be working on Sundays too. Days he recommended Cap should take off to recover.
This left Yagi conflicted. On one hand, he was happy that Midoriya was pushing past his limits. On the other hand, he had finely tuned the Aim To Pass plan to ensure his progress was swift yet manageable. But he wasn't sticking to the plan.
He was overworking himself! Captain America or not, as his trainer, he'd need to have a talk with Young Midoriya. He may not know the full limits of Midoriya's super-soldier physiology, but like with any body, it needed rest to recover.
As he pulled up the beach, his eyes widened in shock at the scene in front of him.
"W-whoa, whoa, whoa!" He yelled out.
Was he seeing straight?
Parking the truck, Yagi ran down the sidewalk toward the stairway. Resting on the side of the street in front of the seawall stairs was the old, junky bulldozer. A trail of sand and mud was behind it, stretching down the rampway.
"RRRAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHH!"
Standing atop of the dozer's cab was a shirtless Midoriya, shouting out to the heavens all full volume. As the sun rose over the horizon, its rays glistened off his sweaty, well-defined body.
"RRRAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHH!"
Yagi's eyes widened at the spectacle. "N-No way… y-you pushed that thing up here all by yourself?! That… that thing had to have weighed 4500 kilos at least! In the sand and up the ramp!?"
It was then that he noticed the long disposal container was full of garbage, nearly overflowing. He ran to the rails and he could've sworn he felt his jaw hit the ground. The entire beach and shoreline was clean, with no trash in sight!
"Holy crap, Cap!" Yagi shouted in disbelief. "You even cleaned outside the area I told you to… Seriously there's not one speck of trash left on this beach!"
The crystal blue waves crashed against the clean, white sandy beach - the water sparkling under the morning rays of the sun. No longer a dirty hellscape, Takoba Municipal Beach Park was beautiful once more!
Midoriya ceased his victorious shouting and finally noticed Yagi's arrival. Despite his fatigued state, he carefully climbed down the dozer and stood a few meters behind the haggard blonde.
"3 months to spare… Holy, stinking… SUPER CRAP!" Yagi exclaimed, transforming into this buff form mid sentence.
All Might turned to face Midoriya, who straightened up and gave a salute. "Sir… mission… accomplished?" He panted, sweating heavily.
"Indeed! Well done, soldier!" All Might congratulated. "You pushed yourself further beyond and look at the results?"
All Might pulled out his smartphone, careful not to crush it in his large hands. "See this? This is you 7 months ago!" The image showed Midoriya on the first day of training. Taking a quick picture of Midoriya now, All Might showed him the picture. "Now, look at you! You've come so far!"
Indeed, Midoriya's body had bulked up and was more well-defined and sculpted like a Greek god, yet not too overly muscled. There wasn't an area of his body that had flab or hadn't been worked during his hardcore training sessions. It appeared he had even grown an inch in height, making him 192 cm tall (6'3").
All Might's smile brightened. "I think it's safe to say you're back in fighting shape, Captain!"
Midoriya gave the Number One Pro a tired smile. "Actually… I think I'm stronger than I was. Thank you, All Might. For everything…" He spoke in fluent Japanese. Months of practice, repetition, and listening had finally paid off.
"Ha-ha-ha!" The blonde giant laughed heartily. "It was your hard work, soldier. Not mine!"
Catching his breath, Midoriya couldn't help but ask, "What now, sir? The cleanup mission is accomplished, and we still have 3 months to spare until the exam."
All Might didn't immediately respond. Should he finally tell Captain about the secret of his Quirk? Ask if he would be willing to inherit One For All? After all, with his physique and enhanced physiology, Midoriya would be the perfect vessel for One For All! He daresay Midoriya would be able to use it at full-power right off the bat as he once did.
But…
'No. Now's not the time.' Yagi inwardly decided. 'Besides, he doesn't need my power to get into UA. He'll be just fine for now. Besides, there are other things we can work on till then.'
"Ha-ha-ha!" All Might laughed. "Well, I'll tell you what you're NOT going to be doing. For the next week, you are forbidden from any physical training, Captain."
"S-Sir…?" Midoriya blinked, confused.
"You haven't been sticking to the plan. You overworked yourself, didn't you?" The blonde hero asked, cocking a brow. "I suspect you were working on Sundays too, yes? When you should've been resting. That's partially why you're 3 months ahead of schedule."
Midoriya frowned and nodded in confirmation, not wanting to be dishonest with the Pro who dedicated his time to training him. "Yes. Apologies, All Might, sir. I… wanted to go the extra mile."
All Might shrunk down to his skinny form; his clothing becoming baggy. "I wish you had told me. I could've adjusted your plan. But still, rest and recovery is important."
Yagi laid a hand on the verdette's shoulder. "Please, take a week off from training. Focus on your studies. Enjoy some downtime. Let your body recover. That's an order, by the way."
A small smile graced Midoriya's face as he nodded. "Yes. Understood, sir."
"A week from now, meet me at the front of your college at 17:00 sharp." Yagi instructed with a smirk. "We'll get started on combat training then."
"Combat training, sir?" Midoriya blinked.
Yagi resumed his muscular form and laughed boisterously. "Indeed! You'll have to face faux villains in the entrance exam. What better way to prepare you than sparring with an old Pro? Ha-ha-ha-ha!"
Midoriya could not argue with that logic. It made perfect sense. He'd get more out of fighting an actual opponent than a punching bag or something.
However, images of All Might blowing away the sludge-guy and changing the freaking weather with a single punch played through his mind. He was going to have to spar with this guy?! Granted All Might would likely be holding back a LOT… but still.
'Well… crap.' Midoriya internally cursed.
"Let's see… it should be around this corner," A teenage girl murmured to herself, glancing down at her pink phone for directions to the nearest local library.
She was a short, curvy girl standing 168 cm tall (5'5"), with brown hair that was tied into a short messy ponytail with two long strands framing her face, and short bangs on her forehead. She was fair-skinned and appeared to have a cute perpetual blush on her cheeks. Her eyes were large and round warm brown irises that radiate warmth.
She was currently wearing her new school's uniform that hugged her frame, which was a traditional white sailor fuku. It consisted of white sailor shirt with a navy blue "sailor collar" and red tie, a navy skirt, black leggings, and brown shoes. Strapped to her back was a black bookbag.
Now, Uraraka Ochako would be lying if she said she wasn't feeling a tad nervous. It had only been a week ago she had to say goodbye to her parents after they helped her unpack all of her things into her new apartment. It was such a foreign thought that she was still trying to process.
Her parents' construction company had been contracted to help construct a new apartment complex that just opened up at the start of the year. After construction concluded, tenants were needed and her family had been offered a great deal for an open room. To make it better, the location was close enough for anyone living there to attend UA University with relative ease.
UA University did have some dormitories available on campus, but the cost of tuition to attend UA was already high. Adding dormitory fees was too much for Uraraka's family to pay, even after their last big job. The only reason her parents could afford to send her to UA University in the first place was because they had been putting money back into a savings account since she was a little girl, when she made her desire to become a Hero known.
UA did offer scholarships for those who placed in the top 3 of the regular entrance exam. She knew it was a long shot, but Uraraka was studying and training hard in hopes of potentially securing one of those spots. It would certainly alleviate the financial burden from her parents and herself for living and school supplies.
Uraraka had always planned to be ready to live by herself if she made it to UA, but for it to suddenly happen during her third-year of high school was a lot to take in. There was always the chance she wouldn't pass the entrance exam too. However, if she was going to become a Hero and ensure her parents lived happy financial stable lives, she couldn't let this opportunity slip past her.
After talking it over with her parents, they agreed to jump on an opening at the complex. In a flurry of leases and school transfer paperwork, she now had her own place.
Alone.
Uraraka shook her head, not wanting to dwell on that thought, and refocused on her current task in finding the library. Earlier that afternoon, her new history teacher had assigned the class a project covering famous historical figures, but no one could cover the same person. History wasn't exactly her best subject, but she was elated that no one had picked her favorite old Pro Hero.
After doing some quick research on her phone, she found a book online covering her Hero in good detail, at least what was publicly known about them. However, it appeared her school library didn't have it. This was why she was currently enroute to one of the local libraries near her apartment in hopes it was available.
Turning a corner, she smiled when she spotted the building down the street. After walking to the building and up the stairway through the front doors, she was impressed by how much bigger it looked on the inside. There were three floors with giant bookshelves everywhere! Her hometown library was like a closet compared to this place!
Stepping to the front desk where the librarian sat, Uraraka politely asked, "Excuse me, you wouldn't happen to have the book, uh… what was it… 'Dawn of Quirks in the 21st Century', would you?" She hoped she remembered the name correctly.
"Hmm," the older lady hummed, "it sounds familiar. One moment please…" The librarian searched for the book on her computer and looked back to Uraraka with a smile. "Ah, yes. It's on the second floor in Row I, one of the middle shelves, dear."
"Thank you." With a polite bow, she headed off to the stairway to the side.
After navigating to the correct row, Uraraka was scanning the shelves. 'Okay, it has to be… Here!' Her eyes lit up when she spotted her target.
As she reached for the book, someone else's hand reached for it as well.
"Oh, my apologies! I didn't see you there."
The other hand belonged to a tall teenage girl standing at 173 cm (5'8") with a buxom physique. She had long black hair styled into a spiky ponytail with a large strand hanging on the right side of her face. She had smooth skin with thin, sharp eyes and gray irises paired with short eyebrows.
Aside from the other girl being 15 centimeters taller and her body being more curvaceous (she wasn't jealous), Uraraka noted her fancy white blouse, black shorts, black stockings, and knee-high brown boots that appeared to be from an expensive brand. Slung over her right shoulder was a fancy red bag that also appeared to be expensive.
Uraraka blinked twice and waved her hands apologetically. "N-no! It's okay. I wasn't paying attention either."
Yaoyorozu Momo pulled the book off the shelf, showing it to Uraraka. "You were reaching for this one, yes?"
The book's cover illustrated a man wearing a patriotic-themed uniform with a dark backdrop; the sun was rising over the horizon.
"The Dawn of Quirks in the 21st Century: The Sentinel of Liberty" by Todoroki J.
Uraraka nodded. "Yeah… I need it for a school project." She rubbed her neck sheepishly.
"If that's the case, here," Yaoyorozu kindly handed her the book, "I was only going to use it for reference material in a story, but it can wait. You need it much more than I do."
"T-thank you so much!" Uraraka said gratefully.
"Out of curiosity," the ravenette spoke quietly, trying not to disturb other people, "is the school project about the Dawn of Quirks era?"
"It's about historical figures, actually. Captain America is who I chose." Urakara replied happily.
"I see. From my understanding, this book does have a good amount of information on him; even primary and secondary sources from people who knew him and were affected by him." Yaoyorozu tilted her head in a cute manner. "Did you choose him simply because he's the First Hero by chance?"
She shook her head. "No, not just that. People forget he was also considered the original Rescue Hero by many." Uraraka said cheerfully. "And rescuing is my passion!"
Yaoyorozu smiled softly at the brunette's reply. She then took notice of two little Chibi accessories hanging from her bag; one was of Thirteen and the second was Captain America. 'She must be a real fan…'
"He is certainly a good choice. You can't go wrong with him." the tall beauty acknowledged.
"Thank you for letting me take the book, by the way." Uraraka bowed politely.
"Oh, it's no trouble at all." She waved off kindly. "My family can order a copy for our private library. So please, no need to fret."
'Wait… her own library?! Is her family rich or something?!' Uraraka internally cried.
Getting over her inner shock, the brunette then recalled something the ravenette had said earlier. "You said you were writing a story? Was it about Captain America too?" She asked curiously.
"Oh… y-yes," Yaoyorozu looked away, looking embarrassed. "Well, it's a historical fiction… a bit of romance. Nothing serious though! Just something I do for fun in my downtime."
"Oh?" Uraraka cocked a brow, intrigued. "Like a fanfiction or a serious book?"
'I may be prying now that I think about it. It's none of my business to-'
Uraraka couldn't complete her thought when Yaoyorozu immediately responded, "Oh, it's just a fanfiction online. I wouldn't dream of this actually being published one day."
"Oh, I see." Uraraka responded.
'Wait a minute… historical fiction… romance… fanfiction…?' Her eyes widened slightly when a possible answer occurred to her. 'No… it couldn't be that one, right? But what else could it be? I don't know anything else like it…'
"Well, if that's all you needed, I'll just be going over here to look for some more reference material." Yaoyorozu said, walking past Uraraka. "It was a pleasure talking-"
"Your story wouldn't happen to be Save the Date, would it?" Uraraka asked bluntly.
"EEP!" Yaoyorozu squeaked, freezing in place. 'No way! How'd she figure that out!? I was sure I kept it vague enough…'
"W-well, I…" The ravenette turned back with a cute blush. "M-maybe…"
Yaoyorozu was surprised when the brunette's expression brightened as her eyes sparkled in excitement.
"Eek! You're really The Incredible Yaomomo?" Uraraka whispered excitedly. "Oh my gosh… I'm a big fan of your work!"
"R-Really?" Yaoyorozu stammered lightly, not expecting this reaction at all. "Y-you've read it?"
"Of course!" Uraraka couldn't contain her excitement. "I keep up with every update, and I've read through your story three times now; at least what you have so far. It's really good writing!"
Yaoyorozu blushed at the genuine praise to her story. "Oh? W-Well, thank you."
"Oh!" Reaching into her skirt pocket, Uraraka quickly pulled out her phone. "Here! I've actually made some fanart for your story for a while now."
"Y-You did?" Yaoyorozu blinked in surprise.
For the next few minutes, Uraraka showed an intrigued Yaoyorozu some artwork she had done for her story. Most of it consisted of the main female lead being held, hugged, or kissed by Captain America - bringing a blush to Yaoyorozu's face. There were some pieces of the female lead riding with Captain on his motorcycle.
"This… this is all really good." She complimented. "Y-you're a really good artist."
Uraraka chuckled sheepishly. "I…I'm an amateur at best…"
"No! Really, this is all good." Yaoyorozu insisted. "It really is amazing to see these scenes on paper then just in my imagination."
Uraraka blushed at the praise, and lightly gasped when realizing she had been talking to this girl for a while and had not introduced herself. "I'm Uraraka Ochako," She extended her hand. "A pleasure to meet you."
"Yaoyorozu Momo," the ravenette gently shook her head. "The sentiment is shared."
From there, Uraraka and Yaoyorozu walked around the library quietly conversing with each other, careful to not disturb other people as the latter gathered a few other WW3 and Captain America related books and articles. Uraraka was impressed by how dedicated the ravenette was to ensure she was historically accurate in her story, for the most part. She did take creative liberties with the time-traveling detective and her romance with the Captain, after all.
After checking out her books, the two girls walked out of the library together and down the steps. Their conversation had since shifted to another important topic.
"So, Uraraka-san, do you plan on attending any university after high school?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"Actually, I'm hoping to attend UA Academy next semester. I'll be taking the entrance exam in 3 months, so," She grinned nervously and crossed her fingers, "fingers crossed!"
"I'm sure you'll do fine. I'm planning to attend UA as well." Yaoyorozu then looked away bashfully. "I have received many recommendations, so I'll be taking the Recommendations Entrance Exam a week before the regular exams."
Uraraka almost tripped from this news. "Whoa, really?! That's so cool, Yaoyorozu-san!"
"I-It's really not a big deal," Yaoyorozu tried to play off.
"Are you enrolling in the Hero Course?" Uraraka asked.
Stepping off the concrete stairs, the two girls walked down the relatively quiet sidewalk together.
"I am." the ravenette nodded. "My Quirk is very suitable for Heroics; it just makes sense."
"Oh, what is your Quirk?" Uraraka was intrigued. For Yaoyorozu to be recommended means she must've had an impressive Quirk.
"Creation. I can convert the lipids of my body into any inorganic material as long as I understand its molecular structure." Yaoyorozu explained.
Uraraka's eyes lit up. "That sounds really cool! Does that mean you can make something like, I dunno… a car?"
"Hmm… I've never tried making a car before. But, as long as I have plenty of lipids and know the molecular structure of every component and how they go together, I could do it." Yaoyorozu replied.
"That's awesome. No wonder you got recommended!"
"What about you, Uraraka-san? What's your Quirk?" Yaoyorozu inquired curiously.
"Zero Gravity," She held up her hands to show her calloused fingertips, "if I touch something with all five fingers, I can remove gravity's effect on it - making it weightless."
"That's impressive!" Yaoyorozu complimented. "I can think of so many uses for it! I'm sure you'll make a great Pro Hero with that ability."
"Thanks," She rubbed the back of her head sheepishly. "That's my goal, at least…"
'And to make sure my parents never have to worry about money ever again…' Uraraka mentally noted.
"Let's see," Yaoyorozu stopped to examine her surroundings, "I believe my ride should be picking me up on the opposite end of this block. They should be here soon."
'Her ride? Does she mean her parents?'
"Mind if I walk with you then?" Uraraka offered kindly.
"If you have nowhere to be, then yes, I'd be grateful for your company, Uraraka-san." Yaoyorozu smiled.
Yaoyorozu couldn't remember the last time she had a friendly conversation with another person her age. Though she was thankful for the advanced learning she received at home from the private tutors her parents hired, it made forming friendships a bit challenging. But so far, she seemed to be doing good, right?
"How about we cut through here?" Uraraka pointed to an empty alley to their right. "It looks like it cuts through to the other side."
Yaoyorozu nodded. With that, the two girls walked into the alley continuing their conversation; however, unbeknownst to them, a group of shady individuals had seen the girls walk into the alley alone. With no witnesses, Pro Heroes, and police around, the group promptly pursued after the girls.
Midoriya sighed deeply, feeling exasperated. 'Our history assignment just had to be over World War III. Not anything from the last century that could be interesting, it had to be the war.' He inwardly bemoaned.
He turned a corner and headed in the direction of his local library. Like any assignment regarding historical events, he needed to cite his sources - meaning he needed to check out books covering the Third War. He really didn't need it for obvious reasons, but he was trying to make a new life for himself, so writing a detailed and very accurate report over his past experiences may not be the best idea.
It had been four days since All Might had barred him from any physical training, with the exception of his wrist and ankle weights. However, he'd already gotten accustomed to those by now.
When he wasn't doing college work, he spent time going through his Things to Catch Up On notebook. Even with the extra free time, he only got through two pages from the list. There was that much! Even with the two complete pages, he still felt like he was significantly behind on the times.
The verdette looked ahead and spotted a few guys rushing into an alleyway ahead of him. They looked like they were in high school.
With keen hearing, Midoriya inadvertently overheard the guys conversing.
"You see those babes? They were smoking hot!"
"Hurry up! Don't let 'em get away."
"Relax… it's a dead-end where they're going. Nowhere to hide…"
"At least we'll have some privacy."
Midoriya's eyes widened, feeling a pit form in his stomach. Looking around, he didn't see any Pro Heroes or police in sight but knew he couldn't stand around and wait when a serious crime was about to take place.
Without hesitation, he quickly sprinted into action, but not before pulling out his phone first.
"Aw, crud!" Uraraka complained as she and Yaoyorozu approached a dead-end brick wall. "S-sorry, I thought this would cut through. Heh, my bad…"
Yaoyorozu shook her head and smiled reassuringly. "It's alright. You didn't-"
She paused when four guys running down the alley stopped in front of them.
'Oh no! Where'd they come from?' Uraraka thought worriedly.
Yaoyorozu, though remained calm outwardly, felt a jolt of anxiety as well. 'This… this can't be good.'
The perverse leers the men were directing at them only confirmed their intentions to both young ladies.
"Hey, hey, ladies!" One of the men stepped forward with a smug smirk; the ringleader. "No need for violence."
"Hey, what do you guys want?" Uraraka asked, with an edge in her voice.
"Easy, easy," He held out his hands placately, "we'd just like to talk and get to know each other. You're both fine ladies."
"I'm afraid we're not interested." Yaoyorozu pulled out a can of pepper spray to defend herself and Uraraka-san. "Now please move aside."
Yaoyorozu suddenly felt the can yanked out of her hand from a strange force. The pepper spray flew through the air and into one of the hooligan's hands. "No need for that." He tossed it to the side.
'Was that a telekinetic Quirk? Or perhaps magnetism?' Yaoyorozu immediately pondered.
"Please try not to fight back, girls." The leader sneered. "Just cooperate and we can all walk away from this feeling satisfied."
Knowing what the creep was implying, Yaoyorozu and Uraraka both felt cold shivers race down their spines.
"Should we use our Quirks, Yaoyorozu-san?" Uraraka whispered.
The ravenette shook her head. "No, not yet. We're not licensed. We can only use them in self-defense… remember, UA."
'Oh, that's right.' Uraraka recalled that UA University did extensive background checks on Hero Department applicants. If she and Yaoyorozu used their Quirks first, they'd be breaking the law and then have no chance of getting in.
'This is my fault… I'm the one who led us here without knowing the area better. Stupid, Ochako!' She berated herself.
"Now," the leader sauntered forward, every step oozing with wicked intent, "why don't we start off slow and get to know each other first?"
"Pretty sure you're coming on way too strong, guys." A new voice spoke up.
The group turned to find a tall, green-haired young man wearing a dark-brown leather jacket with black trim over a green-and-white plaid buttoned shirt, dark blue jeans, and a pair of red ankle-high boots with black laces and white heels. A yellow satchel was slung over his right shoulder.
"I'm no expert with women or anything, but I'm pretty sure that's the absolute worst way to make a good impression." He remarked dryly.
"Hey! Beat it!" One exclaimed, annoyed.
"We ain't causing trouble." Another added. "We're just talking."
Midoriya glanced at the two girls, taking note of their apprehensive expressions. The look in their eyes refuting the guy's claim, and practically begging him to help.
"Those two ladies don't seem interested." Midoriya hardened his gaze. "Now, walk away and we can forget this ever happened, guys. No need for trouble."
"Oh? Trying to play a hero, huh?"
The leader turned and walked up to Midoriya. The verdette was around 45 centimeters taller (1.5 feet) than him and his boys and was annoyed he had to strain his neck up to look him in the eyes. But height and physical strength didn't mean much when faced with Quirks, he thought.
He then held out his right hand which had sharp black talons oozing with yellowish liquid. "See this? It's deadly…one little cut is all it takes."
'Some kind of poison ability, huh…' Midoriya immediately presumed.
"This is your last chance to walk away, tough guy." He sneered and flashed his teeth, trying to look intimidating. "Wouldn't want to make a mess, now would we?"
Midoriya, undeterred, flashed a confident smirk. "I was about to say the same thing."
With a growl, the highschooler raised his arm back to slash his poison-dripped claws across Midoriya's face. In swift motion, the verdette grabbed the punk's wrist in a vice-like grip and delivered a quick jab into his left side - causing him to bend over in pain. With a quick, strong chop to the neck, the teenager collapsed to the ground unconscious.
'Better to knock him out right away then risk getting slashed with poison.' Midoriya mentally noted.
The nearest guy gave a surprised yell before rushing at Midoriya, who was already ready. The verdette blocked and parried his wild punches and swings. Jabbing him in the throat and stunning him, Midoriya delivered a swift kick into the attacker's abdomen and careening back into the wall with a loud thud.
"Bastard!" Another pulled out a knife from his pocket and aimed it at Midoriya's throat.
Yaoyorozu and Uraraka both gasped in fear; the former preparing to use her Quirk to make a weapon to stop the attacker but realized she wouldn't be fast enough.
Midoriya, however, grabbed the attacker's wrist and squeezed on a pressure point, causing them to instantly drop the blade. With a punch to the face (he held back considerably), the teen dropped to the ground with a bloody nose and disoriented.
"Big mistake, bro!" The last teen didn't charge Midoriya like his compatriots; instead, he stayed back and directed his hands to the side.
Midoriya was momentarily confused until noticing a nearby trash can start to levitate and then shoot towards him at incredible speed. With quick reflexes, he sidestepped the incoming object and grabbed the lid as the can itself slammed into the wall with crunch.
While twisting his body back around, he swung the metal lid like his shield. The highschooler was too slow to react as the lid hit him in the temple hard. He saw stars in his vision while tumbling backwards to the ground in a pained daze.
In less than 10 seconds, the four teens were either knocked out or disorientated. From Midoriya's perspective, their age showed as they were sloppy and lacked tact. Even with two of them using their Quirks, defeating them wasn't an issue.
Midoriya snapped his head to the two girls, who were looking at him in surprise. "C'mon! While they're down, let's go!"
Snapping out of her stupor, Yaoyorozu grabbed Uraraka's wrist and pulled her forward. Midoriya let the girls run past him before taking one last glance at the highschoolers lying on the ground before following the girls.
They ran out of the alley and back on the sidewalk where there were more people present before coming to a stop.
"You both okay?" Midoriya asked, concerned.
Regaining their bearings, Yaoyorozu and Uraraka both nod in confirmation. "Y-yes… thank you." the former replied with a bow.
"Yeah, I'm okay too. Thank you so much for saving us!" Uraraka gave a grateful bow.
"It was no big deal. I'm just glad I was able to be here before anything bad happened."
"Yes," Yaoyorozu adopted a concerned expression, "though despite your good intentions, it was risky for you to step in like that. You would've broken the law had you thrown the first punch, or worse had used your Quirk first."
Midoriya's smile never wavered as he pulled out his phone from his shirt pocket, turning it around to reveal he had the video record mode activated. "It's okay. I got it covered."
Right on cue, a police car pulled up beside the trio and a couple officers stepped out. They both wore blue button-up shirts with a protective vest over the top. One of the officers was a lean man and had the head of a gingery tabby cat with big yellow eyes. Much to Uraraka's amusement, he even had a golden bell on his neck.
"Are you the one who called in the assault in-progress?" the cat officer, Tamakawa Sansa, asked.
Midoriya nodded. "Yeah. Four guys around highschool age cornered these two in that alley. They can give you their testimonies and I also have this for video evidence." He held up his phone to the policeman, er… police-cat. "They used Quirks against us."
Later, after giving their report and watching the four teens hauled off in the squad car, the trio walked together down the street to Yaoyorozu's pickup point on a street corner. Yaoyorozu and Uraraka were both relieved that neither they nor the guy who helped them would be getting into legal trouble. Speaking of whom…
"Thank you again for your help." Yaoyorozu bowed.
"You're welcome. Really though it was no biggie." Midoriya waved off.
"It is a biggie!" Uraraka sternly interjected. "Not very many people would've stepped in like that."
"And be calm and rational enough to call the police and record the event for evidence." The ravenette beauty added. "That was sound thinking on your part."
"You're a hero!" Uraraka stated proudly.
Midoriya smiled fondly at that as many old memories flooded back to him.
"You were amazing! How you took down those jerks like nothing! It was so cool!" Uraraka started doing a punching motion with her right arm, a habit of hers when she was really excited.
"T-Thank you." He rubbed the nape of his neck sheepishly.
"Oh!" Yaoyorozu's eyes widened in realization. "We didn't get your name."
Midoriya held out his hand. "Midoriya Izuku."
"Yaoyorozu Momo."
"Hi! I'm Uraraka Ochako!"
He shook both of their hands, ignoring how soft they felt. "Pleased to meet you both. By the way, what happened? Why were those guys chasing you?"
Uraraka looked away, feeling slightly embarrassed. "Well… that might've been partially my fault…"
The brunette quickly explained that she had led her and Yaoyorozu down the alleyway to cut across without knowing beforehand if it actually did.
Midoriya nodded in understanding. "I see. Just the wrong place, wrong time. But yeah… maybe don't go down strange alleyways anymore, Uraraka-san?"
"You're telling me…" Uraraka sighed in defeat. "Lesson learned."
Yaoyorozu looked at the taller, green-haired young man intently. "You handled yourself pretty well even though you were outnumbered 4-to-1."
"Well, I have been training to hopefully get into UA's Hero Department this coming semester. So, I would hope I could stand my ground against some back-alley thugs." Midoriya chuckled bashfully.
Both Yaoyorozu and Uraraka's eyes widened slightly at this revelation.
"Oh wow! You're trying out for the UA Hero Course too?" Uraraka leaned closer to Midoriya with excited eyes. "What a coincidence, so are we!"
'She's so close!' The verdette tried to keep his composure as the cute brunette leaned into his personal space. Did she not realize how close she was? How close her chest was to him?
"O-Oh? T-that is pretty cool," he stammered, unable to suppress a small blush. 'Man… I really need to stop clamming up around beautiful women.'
Noticing Midoriya's flustered state, Yaoyorozu gently pulled Uraraka back. "I'm curious, what is your Quirk, Midoriya-san?" She asked politely. "Is it related to how you took down those hoodlums so quickly?"
"It's nothing special. Just an augmentation-type Quirk." The verdette rubbed his neck awkwardly, trying to play it off. "Every aspect of my body is enhanced. That's partially why I was able to beat those guys so fast. Of course, they were also amateurs that didn't have any real fighting skills."
"Don't sell yourself short!" Uraraka argued. "That sounds like a really neat power!"
"I see… you said every aspect of your body is augmented. That would include your reaction time and mental processing too, correct?" Yaoyorozu cupped her chin in a cute thinking pose.
"Y-Yeah, actually." Midoriya nodded, impressed by her on-point deduction.
Before the conversation could continue, a fancy black limousine pulled up next to them.
"Oh! This is my ride."
'Must be from a wealthy family.' Midoriya presumed.
'I knew she had to be rich!' Uraraka inwardly shouted.
An idea then crossed the heiress's smart brain. She realized it may be a long shot, but it didn't hurt to ask, right?
"Before I go, I have an idea," She looked at both Uraraka and Midoriya hopefully, "since all three of us are going to get into UA, perhaps we can get together for a study session sometime?"
She had been expecting the two to give a valid excuse or reason that would prevent them from meeting up again, or flat-out decline. After all, they didn't need any potential distractions from…
"Sure!" Uraraka happily agreed.
Midoriya nodded. "I'd like that too. Can't be too prepared, after all."
"R-Really?" Yaoyorozu was momentarily surprised by their responses, but her face immediately brightened in elation. "O-Okay! Let's exchange contact information and we can plan out a time."
Pulling out their phones, the trio quickly exchanged numbers and waved Yaoyorozu off as she drove away in the limousine.
Midoriya turned to the brunette, smiling. "Do you live close by, Uraraka-san? I could walk you home if you want? Just to be safe."
"Actually," Uraraka lightly blushed, "after what happened, I would feel better walking home with someone." She bowed politely. "Thank you, Midoriya-san!"
"It's okay. I'm happy to do it." He truthfully replied.
"It's not far from here. Follow me, Mr. Hero!" Midoriya chuckled as she led the way.
Midoriya and Uraraka walked down the sidewalk in comfortable silence. A moment passed and the verdette thought he could break the ice with the kind brunette.
"So, Uraraka-san, you're trying out for UA next semester. Does that mean you're going to a local school right now?" Midoriya asked, curious.
Uraraka nodded. "Yeah. I'm attending Crait High School just a few blocks from here. Just transferred there last week actually."
"Oh, where are you originally from?"
"Mie Prefecture. Just outside Yokkaichi."
Remembering Japan's layout, he calculated her home was at least a three-hour bullet train ride away. "Long way from home, huh?"
"Yeah…" She hung her head low and slightly frowned. "... It's different being far from my parents."
Seeing her distress, Midoriya wanted to change topics immediately but wasn't sure how to transition. However, Uraraka surprised him when her demeanor did an immediate 180.
"But it'll be worth it when I get into UA and become a full-fledged Pro Hero one day." Uraraka adopted a determined smile while clenching a fist. "So, I can bear being away from my folks for a while."
"So, you're in a new area on your own, going to a new school, and trying out for UA's entrance exam?" Midoriya summarized. "Looks like you and I are in the same boat."
"Oh?" Uraraka looked at him, curious. "Where are you from, Midoriya-san?"
"I was born here in Musutafu, but my mom and I moved to America when I was 3 for personal reasons." Midoriya answered, keeping his answer vague in that regard. "Just recently moved back at the beginning of the year to prepare for the entrance exam and improve my Japanese too. I didn't learn much of it growing up, so I had plenty of catching up to do."
"You lived in America? That's cool!" Uraraka smiled widely. "Funny that you mention that cause I thought I heard a bit of an accent in your voice. Not that it's bad or anything! I think it's kinda cute - wait! No!" She waved her hands around, becoming more flustered. "You're speaking really well is what I'm trying to say! " She finally settled.
"T-thanks," He smiled awkwardly. "I've been practicing really hard. Glad to know it's working."
'Way to go, Ochako. You totally embarrassed yourself.' She mentally chided.
"W-What local school are you attending, Midoriya-san?" She inquired, desperately wanting to move on from her embarrassing moment.
"Just the Musutafu Community College. Nothing fancy or anything." He shrugged nonchalantly.
'Community college? Guess he must be a little older than me?' Uraraka inwardly mused. "Attending college already? How old are you?"
"I'm 22." He answered. 'Well, biologically speaking, that's true.'
'Okay, he's not too much older. I mean I'll be 18 in December. So…'
Sneaking a glance at her slightly older green-haired companion, she noted how handsome and cute he was. The way his clothes hugged his body subtly showed off his impressive physique beneath. It caused her blush marks to turn redder.
'Stop it!' She mentally scolded herself. 'Remember, you're here for your parents. Not to get distracted by cute, hot guys.'
"You okay, Uraraka-san?" Midoriya inquired, noticing the brunette's reddening face. Was she unwell?
"YEP! Totally fine!" Uraraka frantically responded.
Midoriya blinked twice before nodding, deciding to take her word for it.
As the two continued, Midoriya recognized the path they were walking. It was the same path he often took to his apartment. Did she live in another complex or house close by?
Much to his surprise, she stopped at the entrance to the Endor Apartment Complex.
"Well, this is where I'm staying." Uraraka turned to him. "Thank you for walking me here. I hope to see you soon, Midoriya-san."
"Heh-heh… Uh… I actually live here too." Midoriya chortled lightly.
Uraraka's eyes shot open in shock. "Wait, seriously?! What building and floor?"
"Building A on Floor 3. Room 333 if you can believe it."
Uraraka's shock intensified. "No way! I'm on the same floor! Room 337. That means we're practically neighbors, Midoriya-san!" She smiled brightly.
"Really?" Midoriya blinked in mild surprise. That was a crazy coincidence. 'Interesting…'
"That is pretty cool. Did you just move in recently?" He asked. "I don't remember seeing you around."
"Yeah, I just moved in this past week." Uraraka answered. "My family couldn't ignore the good deals this place had, and it was close enough to Crait High School and UA."
'Good deals, huh? Could SHIELD be responsible for that?' He snapped out of musings before he started mumbling hypotheticals aloud.
Midoriya nodded. "I get that. It's difficult to pass up on a good deal."
He and his mother were never wealthy and had to be responsible with money, so he could understand where Uraraka was coming from.
"I've been here several months now, and I think you'll like it alright here. Good safe area that is patrolled daily by the Pros and you'll find deals at Ukio's close by. Neighbors are respectful too." He assured her.
"That's good to hear." Uraraka sighed, sounding relieved. "Plus, I feel better knowing they'll be someone like you living a few doors away, Midoriya-san."
"T-Thank you," Midoriya lightly stammered.
They walked together up the stairs to the third floor and stopped in the corridor before arriving at their respective rooms.
"Well, I've got to get started on my schoolwork." Uraraka said.
"Yeah, same here." Midoriya nodded.
"Try not to be a stranger, Midoriya-san. Maybe we can both help each other out with our studies?" Her eyes then darted away bashfully. "Or maybe just hang out?"
Midoriya smiled at her bubbly aura and could've sworn he felt his face get a tad warmer. Her perpetual blush spots were just too adorable. The verdette was also happy that he had a potential friend living close by that wasn't just a SHIELD agent assigned to watch over him. Was this another step in making real friends with other people around his age? He hoped so.
"Yeah, I'd like that." An idea then occurred to him. "Hey, if you want, I could show you around the neighborhood sometime?"
Uraraka's expression somehow brightened. "Yeah, that sounds great! Maybe we can go tomorrow if you're not busy?"
"I'm not." He shook his head.
"Sweet! Looking forward to it! Well, I'll see ya then, Midoriya-san!"
"You too, Uraraka-san."
With that, the two parted ways. As Midoriya walked into his room, his eyes then shot open in realization and slapped his forehead in frustration. "I totally forgot to go to the library to get those books, didn't I?"
The next day around mid-afternoon, Midoriya was showing Uraraka around their neighborhood. Two hours had passed, and he had already shown her several cafes, an arcade, and the local Ukio Food Store he frequently visited that had many good deals - which she was grateful for.
Uraraka was wearing a casual outfit that consisted of a zip-up pink hoodie jacket, baggy tan shorts that reached to her mid-thighs, and black tights with pink shoes. Her hair was done up in a side bun to the left with two strands framing her face. Meanwhile, Midoriya was wearing a plain white shirt with the English word for "T-Shirt" printed on the front with his brown leather jacket over it, blue jeans, and his red boots.
Currently, they were both strolling the sidewalk running alongside Takoba Municipal Beach Park. Several people could be seen either jogging or lounging in chairs by the shoreline. Several signs were set up all around, demanding citizens pick up their trash.
"Yah know," Uraraka touched her chin thoughtfully, "After I moved here, I thought I read somewhere online how dirty this beach was, but it was cleaned up recently? Is that right?" She looked to Midoriya for confirmation.
"Yeah, that's right." Midoriya replied.
"Who do you think could have done it?" She asked, tilting her head curiously.
"No one has taken credit for it, so who can say?" he shrugged.
"Ooh, maybe it was a new local Pro Hero or Sidekick? But it's kind of weird that whoever it was hasn't spoken up about it, don't yah think?" Uraraka wondered. "I mean, all that work, and they won't get any credit for it."
"Well, hero agencies are usually too busy with more important stuff to do a big cleanup project." Midoriya pointed out. "It's possible it could have been a resident or a local group who just wanted to see the beach clean again and didn't want any media attention. But that's just my theory."
"That'd be pretty cool!" She commented, grinning. "I mean, whoever did all that cleaning isn't bragging about it or seeking any praise. They just did it because it was the right thing to do. It's kind of inspirational, huh?"
Midoriya nodded in agreement, smiling. "Yeah, I guess it is."