Eria

I always loved the gorgeous white view of snow that blanketed the entire world during winter. But I loathed the bitter coldness that came with the snow, which often made me curl in a thick blanket with a cup of hot cocoa in my hands and a trail of mucus dripping down my nose. My mom said before I had my demon quirk, I spent too much time in the snow outside and got serious hypothermia, which probably affected my body's resistance against the cold. This was also probably why Todoroki's ice could hurt me badly.

But fret not. For this coming winter, I would be departing to Nabu Island, the land of sunny days and warm weather. Class 1-A will participate in the U.A High's safety program sponsored by the Public Safety Commission to help with our training after everyone obtained their provisional licenses. We will be performing heroic work at the remote Nabu Island, even though it had a relatively low crime rate.

The program would take up to one month's time and everyone in class was excited to do some hero work for real. I packed my necessities for the journey, kissed my family goodbye and head off to the sunny island. Without our teacher's supervision, we took the ferry to reach the island.

"You seemed very excited," Todoroki commented as he looked at the vast azure sea that stretched out beyond the horizon. He smiled as he enjoyed the strong wind that ruffled his hair.

"I get to spend one month without the cold during winter. That makes me happy," I said, staring down at the sparkling blue sea beneath my feet.

Upon arrival at the island, Iida and Yaomomo established contact with the local village chief, who led us to a rundown inn that will become our headquarters. We hurriedly set up the place: the lobby served as the communications center while accommodations were set on the upper floor. It didn't take long for telephone calls to come in and request for our assistance.

Iida and Yaomomo distributed the jobs to everyone according to their capabilities. We were all thrilled to be receiving job requests from the locals, even if they were minor tasks like searching for lost pets or cleaning the field. Except for Bakugou, who refused to work unless a villain was involved. He laid by a small room, doing particularly nothing while his classmates busied themselves with the jobs that continued to pile up.

I was called to relocate heavy construction materials to a construction site since my quirk had the capability to do so. Even though I decided to stop eating Scarlet's medicine, I wasn't going to let my condition to obstruct me. I moved the heavy beams, bricks and steel frames effortlessly while I timed myself, making sure I wasn't going to exceed my limit.

By the time my task was finished, I was completely exhausted and drenched in sweat, yet great satisfaction washed over me. I still had some time before my limit of two hours so I flew towards the beach and deactivated my quirk. A few of my classmates were over at the beach doing various tasks, including Todoroki, who stood by an ice shop, creating ice whenever the owner received orders for an icy dessert.

Todoroki's face lit with joy when he saw me. "You're done with your task?"

I nodded. "I dropped by here for a while. I'll be heading back to HQ for a rest and let Iida decide my next task. I want to do more work but......"

"Don't overexert yourself," he said, eyes pleading with mine. "Since you're not eating your medicine anymore."

I smiled. Todoroki's concern warmed my heart.

After a short moment of rest, I walked back to HQ, where the remaining classmates were occupied with calls that flooded in. Bakugou was still isolating himself from everyone and preferred to wait for a villain attack, though it seemed impossible on such a small, tranquil island.

"Takasaki, a farmer called and said he needed help plowing the field. Are you up for the task?" Iida asked.

I looked at my watch. I still had about 30 minutes of activity left.

"Sure," I said and stretched my limbs.

"Don't force yourself, kay?" Ochako said with a smile. "Let's go! We'll find that lost child!"

Midoriya and Jirou nodded in agreement and the three of them headed out.

I glanced at Bakugou. "You know, it would be nice if you actually help out and ease our burden," I said, slightly scowling.

"Whatever," he scoffed.

I sighed and left the HQ for my job.

***

In the evening, everyone returned to HQ after a long day of work. As the class tried to figure out what to eat for dinner, several local villagers appeared with various food to thank us for our help during the day. They were very grateful and passionate, bringing us cooked food and vegetables to make sure we were not going to starve. I thanked the farmer who brought a large tray of eggs for me after I plowed his field for him. His humble smile made a warm feeling spread through my body.

"We're all so tired after a long day of work!" Sero said while he stretched his limbs.

"Yeah... we'll be counting on you for the night patrol!" Kaminari said to Bakugou, with a foolish grin on his face.

"HUH?!" Bakugou scoffed angrily.

"Well, since you've done nothing for the whole day, so......" Sero replied with a smirk.

Unable to deny that, Bakugou forcibly swallowed his anger. "......Shit," he muttered under his breath.

I stifled a chuckle watching their antics. Bakugou shot me a piercing glare when he heard me and I quickly scrambled before he decided to murder me.

After a relaxing bath with the girls, there was free time before sleep so I went outside, taking in the beautiful, peaceful night. There were barely lights in the area around the HQ and the entire area was drowned in complete darkness.

I briefly activated my quirk and flew to the roof of the old inn. It was a perfect vantage point to stargaze, especially at a place that was not affected by the dazzling city lights. There were more stars here than what I could see back at Musutafu — the entire dark sky was littered with tiny stars that twinkled constantly. It felt as though I had entered a different world. If the sky was clearer, I could probably see the Milky Way etched across the sky.

"What are you doing up there?" Todoroki called from an open window that was right below my spot.

"Stargazing," I replied.

"Oh. Did you see any stars?"

"If you wanna know, you have to come up here on your own," I replied.

Without any hesitation, Todoroki tried to climb out from the window. His hand reached out for the roof but he didn't have the strength to hoist his body up. I grabbed his arms and pulled him to the roof safely. He was heavy, but thankfully my quirk came in handy.

Todoroki carefully sat on a spot next to me. He looked up at the sky and immediately a small gasp escaped from his lips. "Wow......" The boy's face that was usually devoid of emotion was replaced with awe. His eyes were spanned wide as he took in the breathtaking view that stretched before him. He looked like an excited little kid.

"It's beautiful," Todoroki gasped once more, his eyes glued to the stars.

I looked at him. The moon and the stars shed a gentle light across his face. Todoroki's face, especially his smile, was exceptionally mesmerising under the starlit sky. It made my heart skipped several beats.

"Yes, it is," I murmured, even though I wasn't just referring to the stars. But Todoroki would never know.

***

The next day, the hero work routine resumed. I was assigned to unload heavy cargo from the inbound ships because the forklifts were under maintenance. Most of these cargos were food and necessities from mainland that will be sold at supermarkets. After this job was done, I still had one hour left of my quirk activation, so I went back to HQ for further instructions from Iida.

I used up my remaining hour at plowing the field for another old farmer, who gave me a large sack of potatoes for dinner. I dragged the heavy sack of potatoes with me as I walked back to HQ. A mischievous idea popped up in my mind.

I guess I could activate my quirk just for a little while... then I'll deactivate it when I'm going to reach the inn......no one will know... I think my body cells won't mind to be overworked just for 10 minutes......

I scanned the area around me to make sure no one was watching.

Okay. I'll do it —

"Takasaki."

"AAAH!" I shrieked and jumped at the voice. "T-t-t-t-todoroki!"

Todoroki shot me an inquisitorial gaze. "What are you doing?"

"Err...... I'm trying to get the potatoes back to HQ."

"Oh. I'll help you. Did you use up your time limit?" He asked as he took the other end of the potato sack.

"Yeah! Thanks." I took the other end of the potato sack and we walked side by side back to HQ.

Thank god he doesn't know or he'll get angry. I sighed a little.

We dropped the potatoes sack by the kitchen and we sat by the lobby, waiting for further instructions from Iida. Todoroki handed me a beverage, which he cooled with his quirk. The sweet orange juice was refreshing.

"HAH?! How many times you think you're going to fool me?" Bakugou's angry voice resonated in the air as he shouted into a phone. "You brats —"

But Midoriya quickly intercepted the phone call. "Mahoro? Hello?" A grim look drew upon his face. Without further ado, he sprinted out of the place.

"Is something wrong?" I asked.

Ochako shrugged and fished out her phone from her pocket, trying to contact Midoriya. "No cell signal?" She gasped at her phone.

I peered at my phone. She was right. There was no signal. An ominous feeling loomed in the air.

"Heroes! Help!" A distressed call came from outside. A local resident huffed and puffed as he ran from a faraway place to reach here. "Villains at the shopping district! Please help!"

HOLY FUCKING SHIT?! AGAIN?! CAN'T I JUST HAVE SOME NORMAL SCHOOL LIFE?!

Todoroki and I exchanged tense looks. This was not a good time. I couldn't use my quirk to defeat the villains.

"Report!" Tokoyami landed after flying with Dark Shadow. "Villains at the beach. Ojiro and the others need backup!"

Iida furrowed his brows as his expression turned solemn. Despite the anxiety, he immediately gave crisp clear instructions to the rest of the classmates. We will be separated into two teams: one will head to the beach while the other will go to the shopping district.

"Except you, Takasaki. You......" The words were stuck in Iida's throat as he hesitated. He knew I would be a great help on the field, but he didn't want to risk my health.

Todoroki and Ochako stared at me grimly. "Eria......" Ochako trailed off.

"Stay," Todoroki demanded as he gripped my arm.

"Yes, you should stay — " Iida tried to persuade me in a rather gentler tone.

"No," I sternly rejected their suggestion. "I'm a hero too. I'm not going to stay and watch you fight when I can definitely help. I told you remember? Nothing is standing in my way. I can't let people get hurt."

My three best friends let out a long sigh of defeat. "Fine, provided you don't overexert yourself," Iida said. "If you feel exhausted, stop immediately."

Todoroki remained silent and glared angrily at me. He probably had a few angry remarks but decided it was not the time to say it to me. "Let's go. You'll come with us."

"Thanks. I'll get you guys there," I said and activated my quirk. A fleeting weakness rushed through me but thankfully it wasn't apparent to my classmates. I grabbed Todoroki, Sero and Iida as I flapped my wings.

"Wait a second. What do you mean you'll get us the-EEEERRRREE?!" Sero asked, but his sentence ended up in a shout as I launched into the air and soared across the sky to the beach. Tokoyami flew beside me with Dark Shadow's help.

It didn't take long to reach the beach as my flight speed was considered fast. The trio were still in a daze when we landed on the sandy beach.

"Never... do that again," Todoroki rubbed his temples. His lips looked slightly pale.

"It was the fastest way. Stop complaining," I retorted.

"Let's go!" Iida, who seemed to be unfazed with the flying, charged towards the villain that was engaged in a battle with the beach team.

The villain had a large, bulky inhuman figure. His head was the head of a wolf, and his hands had claws and scales of a lizard. Shouji was desperately trying to escape as the villain strangled him, but Iida intercepted with a harsh blow at the villain's face. Thankfully, Shouji was released and Iida quickly retrieved him to safety.

Ice blanketed the beach and immediately enveloped the villain, while Sero's tape wrapped him like a mummy. But it didn't seem to faze the villain at all. He broke free of his restraints easily, as though they meant nothing. A strong punch was hurled at Satou, and he was thrown towards a rock.

The villain possessed brute strength, which could only be repelled by someone who had equal strength. And that person could only be me.

Todoroki glanced at me, as if he was thinking the same. His brows furrowed as he seemed reluctant to agree with the idea.

I gave him a reassuring smile. I'll be fine.

A fleeting worried look passed his face, and Todoroki returned his focus to the battle.

With a renewed confidence, I lurched at the villain and sent him flying with a powerful punch. The villain staggered, but he was not defeated. Instead, an ominous smug flashed across his wolf-like face.

"Interesting. Finally a brat worth fighting with."

I hurled another strong punch but he caught it in a tight grip. I held my stance, not letting the villain's strength to overwhelm me. I tried to muster more strength to my aid, but it seemed I had reached my limit. Bit by bit, I could feel the villain's strength pushing me back. Fearfully, I realised my energy was waning, yet I didn't want to give up.

Sero's tape was wrapped around my waist and I was pulled back as a large mountain of ice headed straight towards the villain. But he shattered the ice easily. While Iida and Tokoyami continued to draw his attention, I tried to catch my breath as my legs gave away. My quirk was threatening to deactivate and I felt a dizzy spell coming.

"Takasaki, retreat," Todoroki demanded sternly. "You're in no condition."

I didn't have the strength to retort. But I couldn't leave. I was my team's only brute strength, and if I leave, they would be......

Like a tiny flame that was blown out, my energy was sapped and my quirk disappeared.

Shit! Is this my limit?! I tried to force my quirk to activate, but there was no more energy left in me. My body was depleted of energy and if I continued, I could be in danger.

I vaguely felt the bottle of Scarlet's medicine in my pocket. Gritting my teeth, I fished it out and opened the lid.

I have no choice. I'll just control my bloodlust when it comes.

Todoroki released a volley of raging flames at the villain, since his ice made no effect. To everyone's surprise, the villain opened his mouth and released a beam of flames that swallowed up Todoroki's flame like it was nothing.

"Shit!"

Todoroki conjured an ice wall to shield the both of us from the incoming flames, but even his ice was no match for the fire. Incinerating heat enveloped the air, and the people whom had yet to retreat let out distressed cries.

Without my quirk, I was like a chicken waiting to be roasted in an oven. Seeing as the ice wall before me melted away, I grabbed Todoroki and shielded him from the heat, even though I knew my body would be burned in the process. I was hoping for my quirk to be triggered in the dangerous situation, yet the flames seared my skin and I let out a pained gasp. Todoroki held on to me in a tight embrace, his ice quirk immediately trying to repel the heat.

The heat continued to sear. My quirk wouldn't activate. There was nothing I could do.

Are we going to die here?

Miraculously, my prayers seemed to be heard. The searing heat was no longer burning; instead, the heat felt warm, like the solace Todoroki's embrace always brought me. Immediately, a strong surge of renewed energy washed over me. I felt refreshed, as though my energy was never depleted at all. My quirk was reactivated and my wings covered me and Todoroki from the heat. I still couldn't comprehend what had happened but I didn't had time to spare.

When the fire ebbed, I lunged at the villain, who was pushed back from my overwhelming strength and nearly toppled over. With my replenished strength, I launched a barrage of attacks at the villain, who parried with his beefy arms. He counterattacked with a punch, but I caught it in my grip. I flapped my wings and flew into the air, carrying his heavy body with me, and I dropped him down at the ground, letting gravity do its job.

A beam of fire shot into the air from the dust cloud below and I narrowly dodged it. Todoroki's ice tried to freeze and Sero's tape tried to restrain the villain once more, but he seemed to have an endless source of strength as he shook off the restraints easily. He punched the ground, sending a huge shockwave across the beach, which knocked down most of my classmates. I flew down and covered a few civilians nearby, my body seared with pain as I absorbed the full-frontal impact of the shockwave.

I urged the civilians to run for cover, and Ochako hurriedly used her quirk on them to carry them to safety. Iida launched another blow at the villain, and I followed with another punch at his torso. He buckled a little, yet he still could punch me in the gut. I held my stance, resisting the pain. I wasn't sure how long would my quirk last this time, so I had to finish him right away.

The villain coughed a little of blood from my last attack. He smirked.

I noticed something large at the corner of my eye. From within the depths of the island, a large, distorted look of Midoriya's face appeared in the air. It made me lose focus for a while and I received a strong blow in my gut. I was thrown to a rock, shattering it in the process.

"Takasaki!" I heard Todoroki's distressed cry. My mind was a little fuzzy to recognise where he was.

"Ouch... that really hurts..." I rubbed my back and blinked twice as hard, trying to get my vision back. Slowly, it cleared up and I saw Iida and the rest were still fighting the villain, though their attacks barely grazed him.

I double confirmed my quirk was still activated, so I tried to attack the villain again. However, a signal flare was shot into the air and it drew the villain's attention.

"See you next time, brats," the villain scoffed and he ran off in the opposite direction.

Feeling relief washed through me, my legs buckled and I collapsed onto my knees, my breaths heaved from the adrenaline. My quirk deactivated on it own, as if it was resigning from the tedious work.

Todoroki helped me to my feet and let me lean against his body. We limped as we followed behind the rest, who were carrying their battered selves to return to the others as fast as they could. Ochako's team had gone to Midoriya's assistance in the depths of the island and I hoped he was alright.

We met Jirou and Ashido on the way, who told us everyone were evacuated to a sugarcane factory, one of the largest buildings on the island. The faces of scared and panicked civilians greeted us when we reached. They huddled in their tightly-knitted groups, faces turned as we passed by.

Todoroki and I sat by a corner, catching our breath and trying to recollect the horrified events that just happened. I recalled how my quirk reactivated when I thought I had used up all energy in me. I racked my brain, trying to think of a plausible reason for it.

It happened when I was deluged in flames. What does that mean?

Soon after, Ochako's team returned, with Midoriya and Bakugou in tow. I was terrified to see their bodies battered and their breaths weak. Todoroki rose to his feet, his hands clenched into fists by his side. He followed Ochako to bring Midoriya and Bakugou to another room for medical treatment.

Feeling useless, I walked to Kirishima, whom and a few others were planning to gather food around the island to cook for the civilians. There were about 1,000 mouths to feed. We checked our surroundings, making sure no villains were lurking about and hurriedly gathered food from the supermarkets, farms and convenient stores nearby.

The entire island was drowned in complete darkness, since the electricity was outed by the villains. Every creak or whispers in the wind startled us. We feared for the villains who might ambush us, but we couldn't retreat because we had to protect the civilians.

Even with little strength left, we managed to carry boxes of food back to the factory's kitchen, where Satou, Tsuyu, Ashido, Kouda and some residents who volunteered were preparing food. After my task was done, I went to visit the makeshift medical bay. A doctor and his nurses were treating the injured civilians. Shouji and Todoroki were assisting them, but neither of them could help with Midoriya's and Bakugou's condition.

My insides plummeted when I saw them lying unconscious on the beds. Their uniforms were soaked with patches of dried up blood and multiple gashes ran across their bodies. I held in my emotions, but my heart ached painfully to see my friends in such state.

"The doctor managed to plug up the wounds, but the broken bones need to be tended at the mainland hospital," Todoroki muttered to me and Ochako, who also came to visit.

Ochako tightened her grip on my arm, her eyes glimmering with moist as she looked at Midoriya. I squeezed her shoulders, trying to give her comfort, even though anxiety overwhelmed me.

"Takasaki, are you hurt?" Todoroki asked, scanning me for any visible injuries. I shook my head. My body would have been covered in green and purple bruises all over, but now it was not an urgent matter of concern.

Todoroki wasn't pleased at that answer. His brows furrowed. It seemed he was afraid I would end up like Midoriya if I hid my injuries.

"I'm fine, really," I said with a smile.

Todoroki's mouth slightly opened to retort, but the doctor called him. He threw me a concerned look before he left.

I walked to Midoriya and Bakugou. Ochako silently watched Midoriya, unspoken words stuck in her throat. I casted my gaze downwards at Bakugou and sincerely hoped that he would wake up and yell at me angrily with profanities. My heart clenched when he was lying there peacefully, like a dying person waiting for his final moments.

Please be alright, Bakugou.

I gently wrapped my hands around his. His hand was cold and fragile. I jolted when I felt his hand moved, but when I looked at his face, he was still sleeping. It was probably my imagination.

Feeling useless, I decided to leave, but when I opened the door, a little boy rushed in, panic strewn over his face. Following him was a taller little girl. From their light-brown coloured hair, I could tell they were siblings.

"Please let me help!" The boy said to the doctor.

"Katsuma's quirk is Cell Activation. I'm not sure if it could help to heal the wounds but......" the girl added.

"They risked their lives to protect us. I want to help......" Katsuma, the boy replied.

The doctor smiled brightly. "Of course. I'll be counting on you."

Joyous grins spread across the boy's face. His hand started to glow in a warm light and began to heal Midoriya and Bakugou.

***

As the dark night enveloped the whole world, the civilians fell asleep despite the panic and fear that continued to haunt them. Class 1-A gathered in another room and began discussing on the counterplan when dawn breaks in a few hours. All of us were tired and battle-scarred, but we couldn't spare a moment's rest. Our upmost priority was the safety of the residents and we had to hold on until help comes for us from mainland. But with the electricity and communication grid down, there was no chance of reaching U.A High.

As the discussion continued, I knew it was futile to battle the villains head on. The wolf-like villain I fought against had immense strength, and there were at least two other of his companions, one whom had nearly killed Midoriya and Bakugou.

Our hope rested on the Pro Heroes, but only if they knew what was going on right now.

"I could fly to mainland and get help," I raised my voice. "I think I still have some energy left."

Todoroki shot me a sharp look.

"That's a good idea, isn't it?" Sero said.

"But......" Ochako trailed off, while Iida's brows furrowed.

"We should get help from the Pro Heroes asap. Who knows how long we will be stuck here without any communication to the outside world?" Mineta added.

As the rest of the class exploded into a buzz of discussion, Todoroki's objection cut through the room loudly and clearly.

"No. I'm not letting you do such a thing. It's suicide," Todoroki snarled. His face was devoid of any emotion, but I could tell he was fuming.

The discussion died down and all head turned to look at me and Todoroki.

"Trust me. I can," I said cajolingly, but he didn't back up.

"No," he repeated firmly.

I didn't want to argue with him in front of everyone, yet I didn't want to give in. I strongly believed my choice was the best course of action to protect the civilians.

"It's the best way," I repeated determinedly.

"No."

We silently glared at each other. I thought of various rational reasons to retort and defend my stance.

"Why are you so worried of her?" Kaminari asked. "It's not like she's your girlfriend or something."

Todoroki furrowed his brows and snarled. "She's my best friend. I'm always worried of her because she has a suicidal tendency."

I wanted to snap but Iida abruptly agreed with Todoroki's objection.

"Takasaki, I understand how you feel but you shouldn't overestimate your abilities. I don't want anyone to sacrifice themselves. Plus, the icy currents of winter over the sea could freeze you. We'll think of something else," Iida said.

"Fine," I sighed.

I glanced at Todoroki, who refused to look at me. I puffed my cheeks and decided to ignore him for the time being.

"The villain...... I think he wants me," a timid voice spoke up. Katsuma walked into the center of attention, even though he seemed to be trembling. "He wants to take my quirk."

"Take your quirk? Like All For One?" Ashido commented.

"Now that we know the villain's target, we can form a better counterplan —"

"Hand me over to the villain," Katsuma added, his eyes gleaming with determination. "He said he won't kill me. I don't mind losing my quirk as long as everyone else is safe."

This kid......

"No!" Midoriya suddenly burst into the room, looking energised and healthy. It seemed Katsuma's quirk did a wonderful job. He gazed at Katsuma. "I know you're afraid. That's why we're here for you."

"Long short, we'll just beat the crap out of those fucking villains," Bakugou roared, filled with angry energy. I was glad to see his infuriated look instead of the cold, peaceful look when he was unconscious.

Seeing the determined looks on Midoriya and Bakugou's faces riled up everyone's determination. On a consensus, Class 1-A decided to protect the island residents from the villains, no matter what happens. This was what it means to be a true hero.

"Go beyond your limits!"

"PLUS ULTRA!" We pumped our fists excitedly in the air, signaling our resolve.

***

With a few hours left till dawn, Shouji and I volunteered to stay on watch with our quirks. Shouji's additional limbs stretched in various directions across the darkness. Multiple eyes scanned the area and ears listened for any inconspicuous movements in the dark. Occasionally, I activated my quirk, using my Sixth Sense to check the surroundings, but it was still a tiring routine.

"You should just rest. Your quirk would function better if you slept," one of Shouji's limbs spoke.

I shook my head. "Plus Ultra, remember? Go beyond my limit —" I was rudely interrupted by a huge yawn.

Shouji sighed. "Todoroki's right. You should not overexert yourself even though you think you're okay. It will only make your friends worry of you."

"Maybe I was a little rash...." I mumbled. "I should talk to him."

I walked into the factory. The civilians were still sleeping soundly. A few of my classmates were huddled together and sleeping by a corner. I walked deeper into the factory, where my other classmates were checking their hero equipment or discussed on the plan. I found Todoroki at the far end of the factory, talking to Midoriya and Iida while checking his hero gear.

I wanted to talk to him, but then I realised I wasn't sure what I wanted to say. Should I apologise? Should I say risking my life to save people was wrong? But that's what heroes do. And I'm a hero.

Suddenly, I realised Todoroki was staring at me. His gaze carried unspoken words, yet he didn't approach me. I guessed he wasn't sure what he should say too.

Maybe we should just calm down for a while.

I turned around, went to the kitchen to take a big sip of coffee, and returned to my post.

***

After a short while of rest, the plan began in the darkness before dawn broke. Tokoyami and Hagakure led the civilians into a cavern in the ancient ruins. The rest of Class 1-A remained at the top of the ruins that formed a precipice cliff. Midoriya had fixed three routes for attack: the waterfall, the cave and the rocky area.

The first team to intercept the villains would be Yaomomo and Aoyama, who would separate the remaining three villains. The female villain would be lured to the cave, the wolf-like villain to the waterfall and the villain's leader would be isolated at the rocky area. Then, the other teams would strike according to the plan.

Even though I was one of the powerhouses of the class, I was completely depleted of energy to activate my quirk anymore. I still couldn't figure out how my quirk miraculously activated during the fight either. If I discussed my condition with Midoriya, maybe he would have an inkling of what was happening, but I didn't want to bother him with any more problems. When Iida assigned me to guard the civilians in the cave, I accepted it without any complaints, while hoping my energy would return when I was on standby.

Yet, despite the upcoming battle that carried too many uncertainties, Todoroki and I didn't converse about our conflict in the meeting or anything at all. I was still hesitant to take the initiative. It was probably because I didn't know what I could talk to him yet.

"Good luck. Stay safe," I muttered as I passed by Todoroki to join the civilians. It was the only thing I could thought of and I cursed my stupidity.

"Okay," Todoroki briefly replied as his eyes fused with mine. We seemed to have much to say to each other, but nothing else came out from our throats.

I gave Todoroki one last look, and left with Satou, Hagakure and Kouda to the civilians. An aching feeling plagued my heart, telling me ominously that I would definitely regret not speaking to Todoroki.

***

Author's notes: 

1. WOOHOO! 50 CHAPTERS!!! This is the first time I wrote that much! Even my previous story didn't reach this far!!! 

2. The Heroes Rising story arc was too long so I had to split it up into two parts. Get ready for some heartbreaking moments in the next chapter.

3. I suck at drawing, so I couldn't draw my OC and show you how she is like. If you are good at drawing, you can share with me your impressions of Takasaki Eria (if you want). I really like to see how she looks. (So far I could only imagine her using the pinterest pictures i posted earlier as reference).

4. I think I might be taking some time to reedit some chapters in this story. If the chapters are reedited, I'll inform you :)

5. When will this story end? I don't really have the answer. So far, the manga hasn't end yet, and even if this story ends at a certain point in the manga (eg: the end of their first school year), the sequel of this story would probably begin from the second school year (depending on the manga's storyline). We'll see how it goes.

6. Thank you for all the love for this story!!! Stay safe and take care!