Eria

Aizawa-sensei returned as our homeroom teacher even though he was bandaged from head to toe like a mummy. He informed us that U. A. Sports Festival will be held in two weeks The festival was one of Japan's major events that will be broadcasted live to the whole nation. The exposure could help us to get internships from hero agencies if we did well in the festival.

"The events in the festival is completely different every year, right?" I asked Midoriya. He probably watched and videotaped it every year.

"Yeah. It sounds exciting to really participate in one. However..." he replied hesitantly.

"Midoriya-kun, Takasaki-kun! Are you not fired up about the festival? It's a big event, so we must be fired up!" said Iida, who was enthusiastic about almost everything.

"Well..."

"Deku-kun, Iida-kun, Eria-san......"

We turned around to find a very pumped up Uraraka Ochako. An aura of determination enveloped her as her usual bubbliness disappeared. "LET'S DO OUR BEST IN THE SPORTS FESTIVAL!"

Her face...... what happened to your face, Uraraka? "A-are you okay, Uraraka-san?" I asked.

"Everyone! I'll do my best!" she shouted, pumping her fists in the air. Then she told everyone else in class the same thing, spreading her fiery passion all over the place.

***

"Uraraka-san, why did you decide to come to U.A to be a pro hero?" Midoriya asked as we were on the way to the cafeteria.

Uraraka's carefree and bubbly personality returned. "Umm... well... it's kinda embarrassing, you know... I err... wanted to be a hero for money," she replied sheepishly. "My reason sounds kinda like a joke, isn't it? You three have such admirable motivations, it's kind embarrassing..."

Iida spoke. "But why? How is it having a goal to support your livelihood not admirable?"

I agreed with him. "It's not embarrassing. It's more realistic than mine actually. Money may not be everything but it's essential to keep on living in the future. My goal was just to be everyone's shield. However, it sounds too... unrealistic and immature in the current society. Just because you have a great quirk it doesn't make you a great hero." I pondered about the true nature of my quirk. Could I even protect people with this power? "Reality sucks."

They stared at me with widened eyes. "Sorry... I think I got a little carried away," I apologized.

Midoriya gave me a small smile, as if he understood what I meant. "I think no one is born to be a great hero." He looked down at his hand. "My quirk seems very powerful, but will it help me to be a great hero? I still need some time to figure it out too. You may think your dreams are trifling, but I think it's what keeps you going, it's what motivates you to strive harder everyday so that you can become a great hero in the future."

Iida and Uraraka nodded. "Let's do our best to achieve our dreams together, okay?" Uraraka said as she touched my arm.

"Yes! So let's begin by excelling in the sports festival!" Iida said, pumping his fists in the air enthusiastically. I nodded in agreement.

***

For the next two weeks until the Sports Festival, I plan to do research on my quirk. I've asked Midoriya to help me out in the school library since he was knowledgeable about a lot of quirks.

"Takasaki-san, so you're trying to find out if there were any similar quirks in the past like yours?" asked Midoriya as he looked at the book titles on the library shelf.

"Yeah. You know what happened at USJ. I... I wasn't in control of my power back then. I didn't even know I had such power," I replied.

"I understand. I'll do my best to help you."

"Thanks, Midoriya. Don't tell anyone about this, okay?"

He nodded. "No problem."

We had searched in the school library for two days but we didn't find anything fruitful. On the third day, I continued searching on my own even though Midoriya wasn't here yet. I took another mountain pile of books from the shelves.

Let's just hope something good comes out of these.

"Takasaki."

I jolted. The mountain pile of books almost slipped from my fingers but luckily someone supported the books from falling.

"Thanks," I said as I looked over. "Todoroki?"

"I'll help you with these," he said and took all the books. "What are you doing here?"

"I was just err... studying for the Sports Festival. What are you doing here?"

"I passed by."

I looked at my watch. By this hour, he should be on his way home. I raised an eyebrow. "Oh."

He stared at me. I stared back at him incredulously.

It only took him 2 seconds to yield. "...... I asked Midoriya about your whereabouts."

That was easy. "You don't really know how to lie, don't you?"

"Honesty is virtue," he retorted.

I almost choked. What a dork.

"You haven't answer my question. What are you really doing here?" he questioned like an interrogator.

"Didn't you ask Midoriya about that too?"

"He stuttered when I asked him so I didn't really understand what he was talking about."

Poor Midoriya. "What did you do to the poor boy?"

"I just asked politely."

I raised my eyebrow again.

"......I might have used a slightly angry tone when I asked him." He self-corrected.

I snickered. He looked slightly embarrassed. "Since you're being an honest boy, I'll be honest as well. I'm here searching for information on my quirk."

"Ah. The USJ incident. Where you turned into some raging white-haired demon," he said nonchalantly.

"Where I don't remember much of that happening," I added. "I thought I knew everything about my quirk but apparently, I don't."

"And you enlisted Midoriya's help for this. Seems logical."

I nodded. "Midoriya is one of the smartest in class and he seems to know a lo-"

".... Asked.......my help," he muttered incoherently.

"What was that?"

"Nothing."

I shrugged. "Anyway, since you're here, you might as well help me out. You're free, right?" I asked.

"I had nothing else better to do anyway. And besides, I don't feel like going home right now," he replied in a slightly angry tone.

Apparently, he had some family issues. I'll probably ask him that later.

"Time's running late, let's just start, shall we?" I asked.

He nodded.

***

The day ended with another fruitless search. My head ached after looking through so many books and found nothing. As the sky was dyed orange, Todoroki and I had decided to go home.

A question suddenly popped up in my mind. "Why did you look for me anyway?"

He stared at me with his blank emotionless face but I could see he was slightly embarrassed. "I noticed you were not around when I went home so I wondered what you were up to."

"I thought you preferred going home alone," I snickered.

"I've... gotten used to your companionship when we go home together." He avoided looking at me.

"TODOROKI!" I gasped happily.

"Ah the train has come."

"Don't change the subject, Todoroki!"