A Hero's Quest

Chapter 3

The weekend couldn't come soon enough. Friday finally arrived and Lizzy, Jace, and Yuika set their plan into motion.

Izuku awoke promptly at six o'clock in hopes of getting a jump on his studies. He wriggled on a gray t-shirt and jeans and attempted to comb his mop of unruly, dark hair.

Izuku checked off the previous date on his calendar, sucking in a determined breath at the sight of the entrance exam scratched on Wednesday.

" Izuku, breakfast is ready!" Mrs. Mason called in an unexpectedly cheery voice.

Izuku raced downstairs and plopped onto the first chair. The key to a great day was a healthy meal, and Izuku was starving.

" Uh, you seem happier today. Is something up? Are you secretly ill?" Izuku asked. Ever since Tuesday brunch, he noticed his mom smiling more and parading around the house like a school girl with her head in the clouds.

Mrs. Mason snorted. " Oh, it's nothing. But umm....where are your bags? Haven't you packed yet?" She furrowed her brow at the absence of a suitcase.

Izuku rubbed his neck and began fiddling with his fork. He wasn't sure how to say it nicely, but a vacation this weekend was a real inconvenience with the exam around the corner.

" Ack! Sorry Mom, but I can't go. I work Saturday and I have to study. I'm nowhere near the level I'm suppose to be. And I can't even use my Art properly." Izuku confessed. He felt a lump of guilt materialize in the pit of his stomach. His mom clearly spent a lot of time on the project and it chipped his heart, but passing the exam was dire.

Mrs. Mason sighed, " but Sugarplum, don't you think you own it to yourself? You work so hard every day. Why don't you take some time off and just be a kid again? Please, do it for me." She clasped her hands and fell to her knees.

Izuku was stunned. He saw wetness in the corners of her puffy eyes. Izuku hated seeing his mom cry. Honestly, a vacation sounded amazing and it meant a great deal to his mom. Izuku couldn't refuse.

He knelt in front of his mom and gave her a bearlike hug. " Okay, I'll go." Izuku chortled, then they both burst into tears.

🛍💦🛍💦🛍💦🛍💦🛍💦🛍
Mr. Uzuraka's car screeched to a stop. The docks looked rather welcoming with colorful signs and shacks selling pretty much anything. Boats lined the water and a couple lawn chairs were propped up for fishing.

Olivia was disgusted by the stench of marine life. And she only agreed to the vacation, because her dad obliged to let her pay the bills. However, deep down, Olivia was exultant about taking a boat to a mysterious island. It sounded like the perfect storybook adventure.

She was kinda nervous when it came to using her Art, open water made it difficult to control and very temperamental. Her dad accidentally mentioned the Mason family, so Olivia was curious to see who else was coming. Company would've been greatly appreciated.

" Bye Daddy! See ya Monday morning!" Olivia shouted. She waved enthusiastically as her dad's car disappeared behind the shacks.

Olivia sighed, " hmmm....." and her heart sank. No matter how desperately she wanted to chase after the car, Olivia grabbed her suitcase and shuffled towards the awaiting boats.

The trip was one weekend long and yet, Olivia packed as though she were staying for six weeks. Her suitcase couldn't be rolled, instead it needed to be dragged. And heaving a suitcase along uneven planks was not an easy task. Olivia kept crushing her toes and knocking into people.

" Oops. Sorry about that." " Ouch. That was my fault." " It won't happen again." " Oh, I'm so sorry. " Excuse me!" Olivia apologized, continuing to the fleet of yachts, sailboats, catamarans, and cruise ships.

Sweat dripped from her chin. The sun was almost unbearable against her neck. Olivia approached a group of pricier yachts. " Oomph!" She grunted, ramming into something strong and fleshy.

" Hey, what's your problem? Can't you see I'm standing here, Brown Eyes!" Snarled a hot-tempered young man of average height with a slim, muscular build, and fair skin.

He had short spiky, ash-blond hair with wispy bangs hanging over his eyebrows. And his eyes were a fierce red. The boy sorta loomed over Olivia with ridged posture and a gnarled expression. He appeared Olivia's age and had a suitcase nestled by his feet. A matching duffel bag lay drooped over one shoulder.

" Er....oops. I'm super sorry." Olivia apologized again. She dusted her leggings and tightened her grip on the suitcase.

" Just to clear the air between us—I'm Katsumi Bryant." The young man remarked. He tried to fill the awkward silence. And if Katsumi dreamt of the world knowing his name one day, he'd have to make a habit of announcing it.

Olivia smiled. " Nice to meet you. I'm Olivia Uzuraka." She extended a hand for Katsumi to shake.

Katsumi glared at Olivia, then glared at her outstretched hand. She was an inch or two shorter with a cinnamon brown lob and baby bangs. She had thin eyebrows and rosy cheeks. Olivia's build was defined curves and a light muscle-tone. After grumbling under his breath, Katsumi shook Olivia's hand.

" Hey! Are we all going on the same boat? What a coincidence! Oh, did I interrupt something?" Hollered another young man who was somewhat short for his age.

He had a round face and black hair that shot up at odd angles. His teal eyes were stretched wide and his pale skin was dusted with freckles. The boy wasn't very muscular and quite skinny.

Like Olivia and Katsumi, he too carried a duffel bag packed to the brim for vacation.

Embarrassed, Olivia blushed and Katsumi turned away. He wouldn't be caught dead ogling at some girl. " Nothing happened. And who the heck are you, Toothpick?" Katsumi spat, arching his brow.

The boy stared at Olivia and Katsumi as if they'd hit their heads. " I'm Izuku Mason and my mom said that I'd be meeting two other kids at Hisaki Docks. I'm guessing—you're the two?" Izuku explained, becoming baffled himself.

Olivia's eyes lit up. " Yes! My dad told me the same thing. So, we're really going on a trip together!" She squealed, struggling to contain her excitement, but Katsumi's shocked face made her laugh.

" Yep! I was leery about coming, cause so many things could go wrong. Like drowning. A hole in the boat. We forget our luggage. But our parents went through so much to plan this, so let's enjoy it." Izuku said with a childlike smile.

Katsumi gritted his teeth. He clenched his suitcase and shook his head repeatedly. " Oh no, no, no! I am not—I REFUSE to get on a boat, ESPECIALLY with a bunch of freaks I only just met! Mhm, count me out!" Katsumi's voice dripped with doubt and pique. He elbowed by Izuku and started up the dock.

" Wait!" Izuku called.

" Katsumi, please. Just give it a try." Olivia insisted, running after him.

" If you leave it'll make you look like a coward!" Izuku shouted. He immediately regretted opening his big mouth, but he saw the same desires in Katsumi's eyes. They both wanted to be their own type of hero.

At Izuku's taunt, Katsumi froze. Olivia paused a few paces behind him. She also saw the flame. All three of them were reaching for similar goals.