Loyalties (My Hero Academia x Pokémon Go book 2)

7 - The Hideaway

    Todoroki felt the cool breeze blow through his red and white hair. He was in his secret hiding spot, where he had met his shiny Unown months earlier, during Johto Tour. He was sitting on the end of the mossy stone bench, looking at his phone. Beside him, lay a certain pink skinned alien girl he had begun to call his friend.

    Mina was laying out on the bench beside Todoroki, her legs dangling off the other end and her head propped up on her backpack. She was scrolling through Pokégram. She loved this little hideout that they had. They just sat there, in companionable silence. Mina had found out about Todoroki's little spot a couple months ago. He could have told her to leave that fateful day.
    But he let her stay.

    *Flashback*

    Mina Ashido was walking down the street through the city. It was a normal day. The sky was gray, and it was windy in the city streets. The wind blew at her back, whipping her hair into her face. She pulled her sweater tighter around herself and kept walking. Then, she heard a noise. It sounded like... a spinning Pokéstop? That sound meant she had to be close to one, but, when she looked around, she didn't see any too near to her. Then, she noticed something. There was a cosy little gift shop, and next to it, there was a wall of vines. Mina had always assumed that behind the plants was just a solid wall, but peeking through the vines was a small blue glow.
    "Huh?" she breathed.
    Tentatively, she approached the wall of vines. She reached out to touch the plants, her thin fingers grasping loosely at a vine and pulling it back to reveal a little nook she had never noticed before. Then, she realized that the glow was emanating from a Pokéstop screen.
    'There's a Pokéstop here?!' she thought 'How come I never knew?'
    But most shocking of all was the trainer kneeling at the foot of the 'Stop, his hand in the slot.
    "Todoroki!?!" cried Mina.
    He looked up at her, standing in the entrance to the nook gaping at him.
    "Mina?" he asked, shocked, "Get in here!"
    He stood up and grabbed her wrist, pulling her through.
    "This place is a secret, what if someone saw you?" he said.
    They both peeked through the vines. No one seemed to be around to watch them. They stepped back from the vines. Mina stepped further into the nook and looked around in wonder. She took in the sight of the stone bench, the hidden Pokéstop, the vines and bushes and trees. There was an earthy wet smell in the air from the recent rain.
    "Is this your secret hideout?" she asked, "It's amazing. I'm sorry if I'm intruding. You prolly don't want anyone to know about this place huh?"
    Todoroki hesitated. Then he did something surprising.
    "It's ok," he said, "it's nice here. I like to come here to clear my mind. You could come here too sometimes, if you like."
    Mina's eyes widened.
    "Really? You'd really be ok with that?" she asked, "I mean, I would love to come here! I mean, not like, all the time, I wouldn't be constantly bothering you during your you-time or anything."
    Todoroki gave her a small smile.
    "Don't worry about it," he said, "it would be nice to have someone else come here. It's both of our secret place now. But the only condition I have is that you can't tell anyone, or let anyone find out about this place, ok?"
    "It's a deal! I promise!" said Mina, excited.
    She held out her pinky.
    "What are you doing?" asked Todoroki.
    "It's a pinky promise silly! Lock your pinky with mine," she said.
    She took his hand and hooked his pinky around hers. She stared down at it, still confused.
    "There!" she said, "We have a promise."
    Todoroki was still confused, but he smiled.
    "OMG we have a secret hideout!" Mina squealed, "Did you give a name to this place?"
    "A... a name?" asked Todoroki, puzzled.
    "Yea!" said Mina, "All good hideouts deserve a name!"
    "Ok..." said Todoroki.
    Mina thought for a minute. Then she had it. She had the perfect name.
    "Ooo, how about The Hideaway?" asked Mina, "It's simple, but mysterious, and pretty. It makes me think of nature."
    "The Hideaway," Todoroki repeated, the name slipping off his tongue like he'd been saying it his whole life.
    Mina nodded slowly.
    "The Hideaway," he said again, "Yea. I think I like that."

    *End of Flashback*

    "Hey 'Roki!" Mina cried, breaking their comfortable silence, "The next community day is in a couple days! Mudkip!"
    "Oh," said Todoroki, "Mudkip huh?"
    "Yep! We'll have to be ready!" she replied.
    "Mmhmm. Oh and Mina?"
    "Yea?"
    "Never call me 'Roki',"
    "Awww man!" whined Mina.
    Then the comfortable silence returned once again.