Ice, Fire, Love, Explosion: Season 1 | My Hero Academia

Chapter 44: Just a Stranger

3rd Person POV

After a good night's sleep, it was the next day, and back to the rigorous training. The class was doing the same routines as they had done the other day.

"Don't lose focus." Aizawa said sternly, popping out of nowhere from a mountain cliff, "Each of you can move faster. And no matter what you're doing, just remember where you started from. Don't forget who you were before U.A. Always keep in mind why you're sweating. And why your limits keep getting tested. That's what it means to improve."

For a few seconds, Vanessa ceased drawing her robots, looking over at Miku. Their eyes locking, the brunette sternly nodded, and Miku returned the gesture.

"Meow, meow, meow, meow!" squealed Pixie-Bob, pointing her paw horizontally towards all the students, "More importantly! Tonight's gonna be fun! We're pitting classes against each other in a Test of Courage! I know you've been training hard today, and later you'll get to play hard! How's that for a reward!"

Miku groaned loudly, walking over to Vanessa and crashing her face onto the back of the brunette's skull, "This just sounds like more training!" "Just because it might sound like a game doesn't mean it is." Vanessa added with a sigh, fully accepting the weight on the back of her head.

"Don't slack now!" Pixie-Bob exclaimed, "Make sure you keep on pushing yourself as you work!"

"YES, MA'AM!"

~*~*~*~

After another long day of training, it was time for dinner once again.

Vanessa had on a white T-shirt with an outline of a cat drinking a red smoothy on it. Her ripped jeans were a light blue and her sneakers were white with a thick light brown bottom/base and light brown laces. She also styled her hair into two low buns, one on each side of her head with red scrunchies tied around them. Additionally, she wore a small, white purse for her drawing materials.

Meanwhile, Miku wore a Pikachu sweater, black gym shorts that went a quarter-way down her thighs, and black sneakers. Her hair was styled in its usual left side ponytail over her left ear.

Miku sat to Bakugo's right while Ochaco sat to his left. As he swiftly and rather speedily cut the carrots for the stew without any messy errors, Ochaco was in complete and utter awe. "Whoa, Bakugo—! You're really good with that knife! It's weird..."

"What do you mean it's weird?! How can you people be so damn bad at everything!" Bakugo snapped at the bewildered brunette, his eyes turning completely white. Kaminari walked by, holding some wood, "Look at that. He's not blowing stuff up. Miku sighed with a chuckle for her friend, also cutting carrots, "Ochaco knew what was coming..."

Shoto Todoroki's POV

I washed my hands at the sink when I spotted Midoriya fixing some wood at one of the furnaces. I decided that this would be the best chance to ask him about why he wanted All Might to be here.

"Did you need All Might for a particular reason? You asked Mr. Aizawa about him." I walked up to Midoriya and questioned, who looked up from the cooking stations. He stuttered before responding, "Yeah, um, I did. Because of Kota."

Kota? "Kota? Who's that?" I asked, and Midoriya mumbled a, "Huh?" as he now looked fully up to me, then looking to his right. "The boy that's over there." I looked in the direction he pointed, but saw no kid. "He's Mandalay's neph— Hold on... Where did he go...?"

I curiously blinked. My friend paused, as he looked down and continued working, a sad look in his usually bright eyes, "Anyway, Kota doesn't like Heroes. Actually, he hates the whole concept of superhumans. Quirks and everything. I tried to talk to him, but I think I just made things worse. I was just wondering what All Might would've done to help him if he were here." His expression now held more sadness, "I mean, what would you say to him, Todoroki?"

I felt myself pause, thinking of an answer. And only one thing came to mind. "It depends." "Of course, sorry I asked!" My friend panicked, but I only continued, "To have a complete stranger try to change your mindset sounds like a pretty irritating conversation. What matters... are actions. You have to show him what you're trying to prove, right? If you're going to rely on words alone, then they better be incredibly powerful. What you say doesn't matter nearly as much as what you actually do."

I paused for a second when in my peripherals I noticed Vanessa walk towards Kirishima and Kaminari with a massive smile, greeting them with side hugs... and I felt my heart warm up. "That is why I didn't ask Vanessa on a date as soon as I realized what I felt for her. A stranger wanting to go on a date with you can be creepy, and annoying. Taking things too fast." I glanced down at my heart ring that lay on my right index finger, "If you want to talk to him, and if you want him to trust you, then you should get to know him better this next week."

Midoriya looked down with a smile, I think taking in my suggestions, "You're right. I went about this the wrong way. How can I, a stranger, say anything to him?"

"I don't know what your goal is when it comes to this child. But it sounds to me that you shouldn't be sticking your nose in a delicate situation. You tend to cut to the heart of people's feelings." I formed him as I remembered our fight during the Sports Festival, and how he messed with my feelings, "It can be annoying." "Right. Sorry about that." the green haired boy apologized in embarrassment.

"You guys!" Iida loudly shouted, "Your hands aren't moving! We'll never make the best stew if you stop now!" I sighed, walking away from my friend.