Chapter 12 - Strength Training (Part 2)

Rumi and I are facing each other, ready to fight it out to see who is the stronger one.

"Here I go!" Rumi takes a handful of grass and throws it in my direction in which they start forming into tiny rocks.

I won't be able to dodge all of them so I think it would be best to hit them up front on since they're so small.

Placing my body back I start hitting the rocks front on with my fists.

I thought that I'd miss some and that a few rocks would hit me but to my surprise I was able to break each one and not leave any unscathed.

"Woaw. Your strength and speed really is well rounded. Ok then, how about you punch this." Rumi throws something my way and I don't see it until it start to transform into a rock the size of a backpack.

I start to panic and think if I'll be able to hit the boulder of a rock.

SMASH!

Mission completed successfully. I had crumbled the rock to bits under my fist and I was extremely ecstatic.

"Did you see that? I totally just punched the rock down with my fist and I thought I couldn't even do it. Wasn't that cool Rumi?" I say with excitement overflowing out of me.

"Um, are you ok?" Rumi asks, looking a bit worried.

"Huh? Yeah, why?" I ask him.

"Your fist is literally bleeding." He points to my right arm.

I look down at it and see blood gushing out of the wound I hadn't noticed I got from punching the rock.

My adrenaline has weared off and I can now feel the pain in my hand.

I grimace as the pain increases steadily.

"That's why you shouldn't get too worked up." Rumi tells me off.

"You were excited too." I say, trying hard not to tear up.

"I was but at least I know my limits."

"You...don't even have any...limits to limit yourself." The pain is getting a bit unbearable for me to handle.

"Now you're just not making sense. Maybe we should go to Mr. Aizawa and tell him to get you to the infirmary." Rumi suggests.

"No. I'm fine. I can still go on." I breathe and get my breath under check.

Standing up, I brush off the pain which has steadily started to shrink.

"Alright. Let's continue and this time I'll be careful." I say.

"If you say so." Rumi picks a few grass leaves and twirls them in his hand.

"You ready?" He asks.

I nod.

We keep on practicing by me mostly punching and dodging the various sizes of rocks and Rumi having the easy time of just throwing grass that turn into rocks.

15 minutes later and we stop.

I fall to the ground, completely exhausted, barely able to feel my limbs.

"That was a good workout." I say as I try to catch my breath that had temporarily gone away when I tried to use all my strength.

"Eh I guess. It wasn't very interesting or entertaining. Mostly because I won all the challenges we set." Rumi chuckles.

"You didn't win all of them!" I say.

"Alright then. I think Mr. Aizawa wants all of us to go back to that side of the field." Rumi says, pointing over to the others who are starting to walk towards the teacher.

"Ok then." I say as we start to walk as well.

"Have you all learned something valuable about your quirks?" Mr. Aizawa asks us once everyone is rounded up.

"Yes." We all answer.

I mean I haven't learned anything to do with my quirk but I'm guessing that just getting better with physical strength is enough.

"Your next task is to complete a race."

"A race?" Some people mumble.

"Your route is shown in the leaflets." Mr. Aizawa points to the box beside him full of leaflets.

"The directions vary between each leaflet but the destination is the same, The student to get to the Yatsumori lake will get to excuse themselves from cleaning duty for the rest of the week."

Everyone looks excited. 

I don't really mind doing cleaning dut-

"Go!"

Everyone rapidly takes a leaflet and start to head to the destination.

"Wait a minute!" I exclaim, however, everyone has already gone, including Rumi.

Now there's only 1 leaflet left and I'm the only one next to Mr. Aizawa.

"You don't have a quirk, do you?" Mr. Aizawa says as I pick up the leaflet.

"Um, no?" I say, wondering if I should be telling the truth.

"You have a way where you can activate your quirk but you haven't tried to test it."

Is he talking about what I think he is talking about?

"Just remember, the longer you wait the more difficult it will be to train it."

What?

"Anyways, you better get going if you don't want to be the last one to finish!"

"Oh right!" I realize and quickly check the map to see where I need to go.

It's mostly a straight line except for that one curve. I think I can do it.

I get ready to go and look at Mr. Aizawa who looks to be getting ready for a nap since he has his yellow sleeping bag with him.

"Um thank you..." I say, even though I don't know if that is what I am supposed to say it right now.

He nods before closing the zip.

"Alright then. Here I go." I start to run.

Now of course if I was a simple human, I would take a long time to get through to the end, but I'm not...well, I am a human but I'm not a simple one.

Remembering that I can run as fast or maybe faster than Usain Bolt, I think I'll be able to win...even without a quirk.

I run past the trees and jump over benches, bins and pets.

I don't know how any one else is doing and I don't care.

Whilst ducking past some shop signs I spot a boy all on his own. He's crying and mumbling out for someone. He probably got distracted by something whilst walking with his mum. I know how kids can be.

Even though I'm supposed to be finishing the race (I'm over halfway there), I need to help this kid before he gets in any unwanted situations.

"Um, hello? Do you need help?" I ask, tapping the kid's shoulder.

The kid look at me and nods, crying a bit more.

"Okay. Did you get separated from your mommy?" I ask.

He nods again.

"Where did you last see her?"

"Over...there..." He answers in between crying.

I glance to the place he is pointing to.

My stomach does a somersault as I think about what the mother could be doing in a dark alley way along with having a child beside her.

"Ok." I try to reassure myself as my breathing becomes slow and ragged.

"Do you know where your home is?" I ask.

"I don't know which way it is but I know the address." He says.

"Okay. Tell me and I'll take you home."

"But my mommy." He says, crying less and less.

"Don't worry, she's just doing some things and will come home soon to see you." I fib.

I am in no way good with children but I know somewhat what kids want to hear.

"Are you ready to go?"

The kid look at the valley his mum went through and then nods a final time.

"Okay. Take my hand and follow me."

[20 minutes later]

"Here we are..." I say as we arrive at his home which looks pretty awful. It's in an old area where life doesn't seem to grow.

His house is pretty run down, barely any grass on the floor just soil and dirt. The colour on the outer walls is barely visible as if the paint has been scratched over time until there is barely anything left of it. Just moss slowly forming from all corners, crawling up the sides, trying to cover the house in place of the paint.

"This is where you live?"

"Yeah. Me and mommy live here by ourselves." The kid says.

"Oh." I say, feeling the house get darker letting no light hit it.

What do I do now?

My Hero Academia Short: Yaoyarozu's Dilemma.

"Hey guys  have you seen my hero suit?" Yaoyarozu asks everyone whilst walking into the boys sitting room.

"No." The boys say.

"Did you lose it?" Deku asks her.

"I think so. I can't find it in my room. It was there 2 days ago but now it's gone and I haven't moved it recently." She explains.

"Have you tried asking the girls?" Kaminari asks.

"I think she already has. Otherwise she wouldn't be here in the boys side of the dorms." Tenshi says.

"Thank you! At least someone is using their brains around here." Yaoyarozu says.

"Also, where's Bakugo, Kirishima and Mineta?"

"Kirishima and Bakugo went out to the shop and Mineta...who knows?" Rumi answers whilst walking in eating a pack of crips.

"Rumi, did you see my hero suit?"

"Hmm? Oh yeah, it's the red one right? I saw Mineta having it just before I came here."

"What?!" Yaoyarozu shouts.

"He just walked out the gates of the school if you are thinking of catching up to him."

"That Mineta!" Yaoyarozu runs off to Mineta.

Rumi turns around and looks at everyone.

"So, what are you guys up to?"

- End -