Chapter 9: Hot and Cold

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

Third P.O.V:

Heather stared worriedly through the monitor as the stretcher carried Izuku away towards Recovery girl. What on earth is with that boy's quirk? Heather was sure his Quirk could kill him if he wasn't careful.

A hand rested on her shoulder that startled her out of her concerned thoughts. Asui stood behind her pointing to the exit of the monitoring room. "Your teams up next." She said, not unkindly, but bluntly.

Heather blinked at her but nodded. Pushing any worrying thoughts towards the back of her head, she trooped out the door behind her two teammates.

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Scratching obsessively at her arm through the fabric of her costume, Heather tilted her head up at the building where the supposed "villains" were.

They were up against Team I, which consisted of Hagakure Tooru and Ojiro Mashirao.

With Shoji's quirk he'd be able to hear them more efficiently and estimate their location, and depending on how powerful Todoroki's quirk was, he could freeze Ojiro on sight and probably freeze Hagakure's feet to the ground if he knew round about where she was. Or he could use his quirk so that her footsteps would be visible, or lower the room temperature so she was less likely to function properly. This was good. With both of them they should detain the villains in no time at all. This was fine.

But... There wasn't anything Heather could do in this scene. She knew Todoroki and Shoji had suspicions about that as well. Even if they don't know she's quirkless, they had most likely assumed she wouldn't be much help based on what they saw in the Quirk Assessment yesterday. Hell, even with a quirk she wouldn't be much help, the two of them had everything covered.

Heather focused her attention back to her teammates as Shoji spread out 6 arms and sprouted ears on the end, listening out for their opponents like Heather thought he would.

"One is in the hall on the north side of the fourth floor and I think the other's on the same level somewhere. Both are bare foot. I bet the invisible one plans to sneak up and surprise us." Heather was impressed at how precise his hearing was. That was more than just an estimate like she had thought.

She turned to Todoroki. "If they're bare foot, that mean you can ice their feet to the ground, right?" She asked, knowing that if they had shoes on they could simple take them off and escape.

Todoroki dipped his head in a nod and marched toward a side of the wall in the building. "For your own safety, the two of you should go outside."

Heather and Shoji blinked. "Huh?"

Todoroki continued as if he hadn't heard them. "I'm sure our opponent intend to fight a defensive battle-" he placed his hand on the wall and ice proceeded to crawl and spread out from his hand and onto the metal. "-but we've already won."

The ice shot down the corridor freezing everything stiff and cold, distantly Heather could see it expand up the stairs of the structure.

No way. Heather thought with wide eyes. There's just no way.

Is he really freezing the entire building!?

Shoji and her made their way out the door to safety and watched as ice and frost unfurled over the windows, walls and floors at an alarming rate. Anybody inside, other than Todoroki, would be caught. If they tried to escape, their skin would break and split off, having stuck to the ice. It was a sure win.

Not long after Heather and Shoji had left the building, All Might's voice crackled over the speakers. "The hero team WINS!"

Suddenly, the ice started to thaw and evaporate at the same rate the ice had spread. It wasn't hard to guess who had the quirk to do it.

Hot and cold. Heather thought humourlessly. Guess he got in on recommendation for a reason...

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At the review of their team's success, Heather didn't feel any improved then when she had first set foot inside the training ground. There was no Izuku to see her either which just made everything worse.

Yaoyorosu had said she had done good. That it was just as important to know when not to do anything as it is to know when to do something. She said heroes have a tendency to overestimate themselves and end up doing things they shouldn't of, when really they should of left it alone. Heather supposed she was right. But it didn't make her feel any less useless then she had been. The whole point of her coming to U.A was so she could prove she wasn't useless.

Needless to say Heather was feeling quite downcast. Ochaco's occasional glances weren't really helping much, Heather didn't have to be a mind reader to know what she was thinking. (Again, the author does not hate these characters!)

After class was over and All Might had dramatically exited, Heather, still with a rain cloud over her head, and the other girls went back to the changing room to shower the dirt and debris off of them.

Asui was kind enough to walk with her, behind the rest of the girls, and keep her company throughout the rest of class. Heather had suspicions that the girl already knew why Heather hadn't used a quirk yet but Asui seemed to have the sense not to mention it, not now at least.

Right before she could enter the room however, a hand was placed on her shoulder. Heather spun round to see Todoroki shuffling behind her with an unusually nervous expression.

"Todoroki?" Heather asked, slightly bewildered.

The boy glanced at her but quickly darted his eyes away. "I...-" he began, seemingly more unsure of himself as the seconds ticked by. "I wanted to say sorry." He finally managed.

Heather blinked, "sorry? What for?"

Todoroki shuffled again. "During the exercise, I didn't allow you to do anything. I could tell you were... Disheartened by that."

Heather gaped. "No! No! That wasn't your fault! Not really!" She stumbled out. A part of her was touched that he had noticed that and sought to apologise, but she couldn't accept it when he wasn't really at fault.

"You did what any hero would of done in that situation. You had the ability and the chance to stop the villains in one go, so you did. There would no point in you holding back during training."

Todoroki still looked unsure. "Even so, I know it must of been a bit... Embarrassing for you."

Heather tensed slightly at the reminder but otherwise waved it off. "I promise you, it's fine Todoroki. I'll have more chances to prove myself in the future."

The boy nodded, but despite the conversation being over, he did not move from his spot for several seconds. Heather rose an eyebrow at him. "You need something else?"

Todoroki blinked contemplatively before finally answering. "Your quirk-" he started and Heather immediately went rigid, "- you don't have one, do you?"

Heather's jaw slacked for a moment before she soundlessly gave confirmation, to pumped of anxiety to speak. Todoroki didn't seem bothered.

"I had suspicions during the Assessment and again when All Might paired you with us. I suspect he isn't fond of the idea of you being here." Heather nodded again, still tight lipped. "I only really figured it out after our turn was over." He stated, not noticing or not caring about how nervous the girl had gotten.

Heather gulped and avoided his gaze. "What do you think about me being here?" She queried cautiously. (Heather was vaguely reminded of her conversation with Asui.)

Todoroki shrugged. "I think you have a long way to catch up" Heather hummed in agreement, she couldn't really argue with that. "But-" he continued. "-from what I saw in the Assessment, I think you could make it."

Heathers eyes snapped up to meet his in surprise but he quickly turned away. He almost appeared... Shy.

"Of course it really depends on how much you want to become a hero." He started to go back to the boy's changing room but paused midway and swung his head back around. "This little interaction doesn't make us friends." He claimed defensively. "I just wanted to apologise and get it over with." He said. "And don't get to big headed, just because I think you can stay in U.A does not mean I think you can surpass me." He added quickly before marching away, but Heather gave him a soft smile anyway. For a guy with a powerful quirk, he seemed pretty awkward in a dorkish kind of way. It reminded Heather a bit of Izuku, though Todoroki would deny it.

When he disappeared into the changing room, Heather gave a small laugh.

Whatever you say Todoroki. She thought, the soft smile still present.

Heather entered the changing room feeling much lighter than when she had first arrived there.

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