Chapter 3: 10 Months of Hell (with friends)

Disclaimer: I do not own My Hero Academia or any pictures/videos posted.

Heather P.O.V:

Ever since I told Nina about my application she's been doubling my training 10 fold. My time in the gym is longer, my combat training is harder, my ballet lessons are tougher. Everything is pushing me over the absolute limit.

But today we were doing something different.

"Come on! Work those leg muscles!!" Nina screamed from where she was on the beach as I painfully ran in the water.

I was supposed to run at least 2 miles while I was thigh deep in the sea. Once that got to "easy", she would amp it up to 3 miles, then 4 miles and so on and so fourth. This was going to replace the ballet lesson I had on Saturday.

Once Nina was satisfied with the work I had done in the sea she would make me do a series of "exercise circuits"; I would do push ups, then sit ups, then a plank, then some star jumps, then repeat.

I thought I was going to die.

Mid way through my third circuit a boy ran past me with a tractor tire over his shoulder, unintentionally spraying sand in my face.

I cough and rub at my eye in pinched up pain, stumbling backwards. My foot twisted in the sand and I fell against the irritating rough surface, my left hand falling on a sharp rock and sending a pang of pain through my hand and a dull ache in my arm.

"Ah!" I hiss, rubbing my eyes with my right hand and wincing at the sight of my blood dripping down the palm of my left hand.

The boy with the tire stopped in horror. "Ah! I'm so sorry!" The boy stammered frantically, dropping the tire and waving his arms in panic from what I could see through squinted eyes.

"I-it's alright!" I ground out through the pain in my hand.

"Heather!" Nina called across the breach from where she was sun bathing. "Everything alright!?"

"Yeah! Everything's fine!" I reply managing to get my eyes open a little more.

"Come on." The plain boy quaked, giving me a hand. "Let me help you." He said cautiously guiding me by my arm to where I assume was his "camp".

"Y-you don't have to-"

"No! I insist! It was my fault this happened! I interrupted your exercise and your hand..." He trailed off looking down at the sand and I caved.

Why does he look like a kicked puppy when he's sad?

We soon reached what I assume was our destination. It wasn't really what I was expecting. We were in the area where garbage and rubbish filled most of the space. It was lucky as me and Nina found a place where the garbage wasn't as frequent, but this boy seemed to want to be near the waste.

"H-hey uh..." He muttered out, suddenly very hesitant, to a skinny guy with ecstatic blonde hair.

A skinny man turned round in shock. "Oh hey! I wasn't expecting you to be back so-" he cut off his sentence when he saw me next to the boy with a bleeding hand. "Geez! What happened!?" He sputtered in shock, his own blood spitting out his mouth. I freeze in shock at the sight but don't say anything while watching their interaction.

"I-um- kicked sand at her-by accident! And she fell over onto a sharp rock..." The boy trailed off again.

The man sighed, wiping blood off his chin. "Geez young Midoriya..." He said exasperatedly. "Alright! Let's fix you up!" He added to me and turned around to get a med kit.

As the skinny blonde man bandaged up my hand, the plain boy shuffled up to me.

"S-sorry about this... Again..."

"No worries..." I say. "Accidents happen I guess..."

"Yeah well, Midoriya's like a magnet for them." The blonde man said dully and the boy looked mildly offended.

I examine the green haired boy. "Names Midoriya huh?" The boy startled but quickly nodded.

I hold out my non injured hand. "Shiori Heather."

The boy smiled and took it. "Midoriya Izuku." He gestured to the blonde man. "And this is-" he froze and so did the man.

"Uh- this is-"

"Y-you can call me  Toshinori Yagi" The man interrupted nervously.

I raised an eye brow at their behaviour but kept my mouth shut. It wasn't my place to push into their business.

"Heather! There you are! What do you think your doing slacking off!?" Nina's voice suddenly rang out startling me and the two males.

I snap my head around to see her racing over to me, dodging every piece of trash she comes across with fluent movements.

"You wanna just let all that training go down the drain!? The hell are you doing here!?" She demanded, coming to a stop in front of me.

"Nina-"

"No! Do you know how worried I was when you said 'everything's fine'" she used quote marks with her hands."-then were suddenly gone!? I thought you had been kidnapped!"

"Nina-"

Mr. Yagi tried to calm down the small women. "Miss-"

"And you!-" she pointed at the poor man."-Who do you think you are!? Taking my student like that!" She glowered at him.

"Nina!" I yell, finally getting her attention.

She snapped her head towards me in an instant, throwing her hands in the air. "What!?"

"It's fine." I said calmly, holding up my bandaged hand. "They were just helping me with a small injury I got."

"Oh." She said suddenly looking sheepish. She rubbed the back of her head. "Really?"

"Yes."

"Ah,-" she turned back to Mr. Yagi with an apologetic look. "Well-uh-sorry... About that..."

"It's quite alright Miss..." He trailed off in a silent question.

"Sparrow. Nina Sparrow." She smiled and held out her hand for Mr. Yagi to shake.

"Toshinori Yagi." He responded, shaking her hand. "So Young Shiori is training here as well?"

"Yeah, but we're further down the beach. I don't want any of the trash getting in the way."

"Well, that hopefully won't be a problem soon, you see Young Midoriya..."

The adults continued to talk as me and Izuku stood next to each other awkwardly.

"So..." I started, picking at my new bandages. "What are you training for?" I asked, trying to make conversation.

"O-oh um..." He stuttered. "I'm trying to build up my muscles for the hero course at U.A." He mumbled shyly looking at the ground.

My eyes go wide. "You're applying for the U.A hero course as well!?"

He gaped. "You are too!?"

"Yeah!" I grinned.

"No way! That's awesome!" He marvelled excitedly. "So, is Nina your instructor?" He asked, to which I nodded.

"Yeah, she's honestly the best! Without her I don't think it would be possible for me to get in."

Izuku nodded with an understanding smile. "Yeah. I know what you mean..."

He suddenly perked up. "Wait so, what's your quirk anyway?" He asked, oblivious to the way the question made me freeze.

"I assume it's something to do with your body considering how you're training. Or is it the opposite and you want to make sure you don't rely solely on your quirk..." He trailed off, muttering under his breath about what possible type of quirk I have, but I was barely listening. I kept wondering if I should tell him the truth or make up a lie to save myself from the embarrassment.

I snuck a glance at Nina who was still animatedly talking to Mr. Yagi. Her words from Monday peaking into my mind.

Don't bow your head in shame.

"Shiori?" I snap out of my thoughts to see Izuku staring at me worriedly.

"Sorry." I muttered. "Just um... Thinking..." I say.

Izuku nodded warily and didn't push on my thoughts. I gave a silent sigh of relief.

"So..." He started. "What is your quirk then?"

I gulp, not really ready to admit this to someone who I just met. But Nina was right, I shouldn't bow my head for something I have no control over. And if someone with a quirk can say what they have easily, I should be able to as well.

"I... Don't have a quirk..." I admitted, shrugging my shoulders. "I'm completely quirkless..."

I waited for him to respond. Expecting the usual awkward response of "are you sure?" Or maybe "have you thought about doing anything else?" The subtle but clear as day hinting towards edging me away from the hero career. But instead I got something very different.

"Oh!" He said surprised. "That's... Um... Wow..." He spoke not even getting sentences out.

I shrug again. "Not really what anyone expects is it? A quirkless girl trying out for the hero course... At U.A of all places... Not exactly the most popular thing to do."

"No!" He suddenly exclaimed, making me jolt in surprise.

"Excuse me?" I asked perplexed.

"I mean- I think it's great!" He said and I blink at him surprised.

"Y-you do?"

"Yeah! I mean it's about time don't you think?"

I nodded. "Y-yeah." I stutter. That was... Nothing like I expected.

"You..." I say. "Really think I can do it?" I asked suspiciously yet with slight hope peaking into my voice.

He nodded enthusiastically. "Yeah! I mean they allowed quirkless children to apply for a reason right?" I gave a small smile in response.

"Yeah, I guess-"

"Alright!" Nina's voice interrupts us.

"It's time to get back to work! Can't stay here all day now can we?"

Mr. Yagi nodded in agreement. "Same with you young man! We can't let this time go to waste."

Me and Izuku both nodded readily. "Right!"

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Next Saturday, me and Nina saw them again.

"Hey Midoriya!" I called out, said boy stumbled in surprise for a response.

I glanced at Nina to see her giving me permission to go over to him and I nod in thanks, jogging over to the boy.

I honestly liked seeing Izuku again. He was one of the few people who treated me like I was a normal person and not a fragile piece of glass. He was a little shy and stuttered on some of his words, but I didn't mind. He supported me and my goal and that is enough to earn my respect and friendship.

"You okay?" I ask while running next to him as he carried, what looked to be a mini vending machine over his shoulder. Poor Izuku looked ready to drop dead from the weight of it, not to mention Mr. Yagi is pestering him to run with it over his shoulder.

"I'm... Fine..." He grunted out, dragging his feet a little further.

Normally, I'd be inclined to help him with the machine, but this was his training. So I couldn't really do that.

"Come on Young Midoriya!" Mr. Yagi yelled from his perch of garbage. "We have a schedule to keep! Don't slack your speed!"

The resemblance between him and Nina was uncanny.

"Yes sir!" Izuku ground out again, painfully picking up his pace. It hurt even to watch to boy.

I waved at Mr. Yagi. "Hello again sir!"

He returned the gesture. "Young Shiori! How have you been?"

"Exhausted mostly. Nina has me working to the bone."

"Glad to hear it. You'll need to work hard if you want into U.A"

I nodded, but before I could say anything else Nina called me back over.

"Heather! Get your ass back here!"

I deadpanned at her but still started making my way over.

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Month 1

"Keep moving you've got one more mile to go!"

"Midoriya!? Are you okay!?"

"I'm... Good..."

"No time to lie down Young man! Keep pushing that fridge!"

Month 2

"Ugh."

"Same."

"Get up you two! You haven't finished!"

"Ughhhhh...."

Month 3

"Go! Go! Go! Go! Come on faster!

"Nina I'm going as fast as I can!"

"Nonsense! The water's not holding you back that much!"

"I'm waist deep!"

"And??"

Month 4

"Hey Midoriya."

"Yeah?"

"Can we swap instructors?"

"I don't think that's a good idea...-"

"Young Midoriya! I have a new plan for today! Here! I'm going to tie these weights into your ankles and wrists."

"You see..."

"Point taken..."

Month 5

"You know that weight thing Mr. Yagi did with you?"

"Yeah?? Why?"

"Well look who caught onto the idea..."

"Heather! Come try these weights on!"

"Oh..."

Month 6

"Not to alarm you, but I'm pretty sure Nina and Mr. Yagi exchanged phone numbers just so they could gossip about us."

"What?"

"I over heard some strange things..."

Month 7

"Are you... Okay...?"

"What? Me? Yeah I'm just fucking fine!"

"Um..."

"Yeah! it's not like my own brother is trying to ruin the training schedule I have going on, but oh well!"

"Why-why would he...?"

"Be causes he's a salty ass bitch apparently!"

"Do you... Need a lie down...?"

"... Yes, yes I do..."

Month 8

"This isn't really how I pictured my day going when I woke up this morning, but who am I to complain?"

"S-Shiori! You're foot is bleeding!"

"That's unfortunate."

Month 9

"Midoriya are you okay? You look a little pale..."

"What? Me? N-no! I'm fine! T-totally fine!"

"You look like your gonna pass out."

"You might wanna catch me..."

Month 10

"Come on! Just 3 more weeks and then it's show time!"

"'Just 3 more weeks' yeah, easy for you to say! Your not the one running chest deep in the sea with weights on!"

"Keep talking like that and I'll make you do another mile."

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For the next 10 months me and Izuku continued to see each other every Saturday during our training schedules and as more time went by, me and Nina were able to move closer to their area because of the amount of trash being removed from the beach. By the time we got to the 9th month me and Izuku were practically training side by side every weekend.

Mr. Yagi and Nina had apparently compared schedules and improved each other's so we used our time as efficiently as we could. Nina apparently got the idea from Mr. Yagi to monitor, not only what I was eating but my sleeping schedule as well and what I was studying.

Life at home didn't change much. My parents still tried to convince me out of the exam and failed. My brother didn't really outright say that I shouldn't do it but his method of trying to convince me was him trying to coax me into ruining my schedule. He would offer me unhealthy foods, try to keep me from sleeping with late night movies, he even tried resetting my alarm so I'd either be to late or to early. It got to the point where as soon as I was home, I would lock myself in my room and only came out to make my own meals. I didn't talk to anyone and I never let anyone into my room either.

Nina suggested I stay with her for a bit so I didn't have any more interruptions but my parents would never give permission for that. They were already on thin ice with Nina because she encouraged me and my "silly fantasy", they'd never approve me living with the women.

School also wasn't much different. Nothing much going on there apart from a few teachers joining in on subtly trying to coax me out of the hero career. It hasn't worked if you couldn't tell.

Finally, after 10 long, exhausting months, the day of the exam was finally here.

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