Ember Sunblaze: Hello! So glad to finally get something posted again! I apologize for the long delay. The summer has been filled with highs and lows, having family visit and traveling to visit family. So the writing has been slow. For those wondering, my cat is still missing and I'm definitely still sad about that. But the shock has worn off and I'm just going to keep hoping she'll return. Good news is that I think I'll be able to be quicker with my updates since my daughter just started a Mother's Day Out program so I get two days during the week of writing time during the daylight hours...WHAT? That hasn't happened to me in like three years ^_^

So because this chapter was getting extremely long, I decided to axe out the section that was supposed to featureKirishima/Ashido. Hopefully they'll make it into the next chapter.

Chapter 31: The Free Day, Part 3

Location: Naminoue Beach

With the departure of Bakugo, a calm ambience had fallen upon the nearly deserted beach. Yaoyorozu and Todoroki sat stiffly next to each other, fishing rods in hand as they waited for their next catch. The morning had been extremely slow, with Yaoyorozu having zero luck on her end. She fought back a sigh, watching as Todoroki reeled in a small tuna fish.

"Todoroki….I wouldn't happen to be doing anything incorrectly?" Yaoyorozu inquired, hoping he would have some flash of wisdom to share.

He briefly glanced at her, tossing the fish back into the ocean. "No, you're doing fine. Why do you ask?"

"BECAUSE I'VE FAILED TO CATCH ANYTHING!" She wanted to wail, but managed to restrain herself. Instead she replied, "Perhaps it's normal for one to not catch many fish on their first try then?"

Todoroki shrugged. "I think everyone has a different experience. No matter the skill level, you can't make the fish bite."

"True." She slumped forward, releasing a sigh. "Though I must admit it is very frustrating."

She was surprised to receive an understanding smile from Todoroki. "I know how you feel." He hooked his line, casting it back out into the waves. "My father used to say fishing was a good technique to improve one's patience." He scowled, disgruntledly adding. "Not that it helped him much."

Yaoyorozu sensed a tension in the air and decided it might be best to change the subject. "The…the beach is pretty bare today. I wonder if the inhabitants are feeling nervous about going near the ocean since the news spoke of yesterday's ordeal?"

"Maybe." Todoroki replied. "Or this beach could just be an unpopular location. Even Bakugo seemed eager to leave." His curious gaze drifted to a Yaoyorozu. "Do you think it was odd, with him leaving so suddenly?"

Yaoyorozu turned crimson, her palms growing slick as she broke out in nervous sweat. "Oh…uh…not at all!" She replied airily, hoping her tone didn't betray suspicion. "We all know how spontaneous Bakugo can be! Perhaps he's just excited about his date with Hagakure later?"

Todoroki tilted his head, silently digesting her answer. "Perhaps. I admit I'm rather lost about the intentions between those two. I was under the impression they didn't care for one another."

Yaoyorozu lifted the rim of her cap with a hint of surprise. "I guess even he gets curious about such topics." She watched the lazy drifting of her bobber on the waves, trying to pick apart her own thoughts on the matter. "I think…that even they are unaware of their own intentions for today."

Her hand left her rod, her slender fingers absently sweeping invisible flecks of sand from her thigh. Todoroki watched the motion, noting her picking her words carefully as she explained. "Before all this began, I'm sure those two had a concrete definition of how they perceived each other. After yesterday's ordeal, considering their violent confrontation. Those perceptions they had, whether good or bad, have probably shifted in a way where they don't quite know what to make of each other now.

Her attention flickered to Todoroki, a note of uncertainty in her voice. "I imagine that their meeting today could just be their way of finding just where they stand with each other." She shrugged, once again watching her unmoving line. "Of course,this is all just speculation on my part. "

"No, I think you might have a point." Yaoyorozu turned, watching a thoughtful Todoroki lean back on his hands, his fishing rod set beside him. "It's a difficult feeling. To have an idea of who a person is. To have them fully embody that image you have. Then slowly seeing that perception break. It can be…confusing." Yaoyorozu was aware of a shadow passing over him, brief, but evident. He leaned up, reaching for his rod again. All traces of the bitterness she sensed, seemingly washed away. "I think you're very good at reading the people around you, Yaoyorozu."

"I'm really not." She insisted, taken aback by the unexpected compliment. She lowered her hat, hoping the shadow it cast would hide her blush. "I've just been making more of an effort to observe the students. Making sure they seem okay." Her voice trailed, and Todoroki noticed a defeated droop to her shoulders.

"Are you okay?" Todoroki asked. He saw her gray eyes hesitate, seeming reluctant to confide. "It's alright if you don't want to explain. That expression. It just reminded me of how you looked during our first term final exams last year."

"You remembered…that?" Yaoyorozu muttered, both surprised and mortified he had brought that moment of weakness up.

"Why wouldn't I? It was the first time we were teamed up together." Todoroki stated. "And it was your tactical planning that helped us beat Aizawa Sensei. If it wasn't for you, we wouldn't have passed together. You were really exceptional that day."

Yaoyorozu glanced down, the grip on her rod tightening at his compliment. "I'm afraid I still have a lot to improve on." She admitted, setting her pole down upon her lap. "Since yesterday's ordeal, I keep going over all the scenarios of how we could have done differently. Ways I could have minimized the damage done to my teammates." A look of regret came upon her, darkening her features. "There was even a point when I was so sure one of them had been lost. All because of MY inadequate planning." She leaned her forehead against her fist, letting her miseries spill out. "Even worse, in my moment of weakness, I lashed out my frustrations towards the boys. When I knew they didn't do anything wrong." She sighed, leaning her head back to stare up at the sky. "My awful words are part of the reason why they all probably felt so guilty afterwards." Her hand came up, shielding the sun. "A real leader would have kept her cool. Reassured everyone that it would all be okay." She grimaced, memories resurfaced her sobbing into Midnight's comforting arms. "But I did none of that…." She grew silent, regret at her inefficiency weighing upon her.

"Yaoyorozu?" She heard Todoroki say.

Redness crept upon Yaoyorozu as she remembered who she had been confiding to. Her neck muscles creaked as she slowly turned towards him, stuttering a nervous, "Y-Y-Yes?"

"I'm tone deaf." Todoroki declared, his blue gaze burning into her earnestly.

Yaoyorozu blinked, corners of her mouth twitching at the unexpected exclamation. "Oh….that's….good to know?"

"I remember reading somewhere that bringing up a personal weakness can make others feel better about themselves." Todoroki explained, eyeing her expectantly. " Did it work?"

"Not…particularly." Yaoyorozu confessed, her bluntedless steamrolling through him like a bullet.

"Hmm… perhaps that trait wasn't quite bad enough." Todoroki murmured, pondering aloud. "I should think of something else. What's worse than being tone deaf?"

"That's really not necessary!" Yaoyorozu fretted, wishing she had just kept silent. "Really Todoroki, there's no need to go through all that trouble. The gesture itself is much appreciated! Besides, I really don't think being tone deaf is THAT bad."

Todoroki shrugged. "It was just the first thing that came to mind. Aizawa Sensei discovered my defectiveness yesterday during our mission debrief." He spoke in a matter-in-fact fashion, seemingly unconcerned. "It's the reason why I wasn't affected by Siren's quirk despite my close proximity to the other victims."

"Extraordinary…." Yaoyorozu set down her rod, leaning closer to him. Her whole aura sparkling with curiosity. " I wouldn't have thought it possible for any boys within the selected age range to be impenetrable to Siren's song. Though if the quirk is enacted through the melody of the incantation, then a rhythmic disruption could be enough to hinder its effectiveness. But still! After seeing the power of her quirk first hand…to think you were able to overcome it so easily…It's just simply amazing!" She gushed, beaming up at him.

"Is it?" Todoroki asked, taken aback by her enthusiasm.

"Of course! Don't you know what this means?"

"My singing can cause internal bleeding?"

"Ummm…nooo." Yaoyorozu answered, wondering if they have two different definitions of being tone deaf. "This means that if you have a defense against Siren's quirk, which requires the hearing of certain pitch patterns, then you may also have an advantage against other rhythmic dependent quirks! This can give you quite the upperhand in many situations. I wonder if we can do a study of some kind once we get back to school?" She turned to him, eyes gleaming with all the possibilities. "Don't you see, being tone deaf isn't a weakness at all!"

The angle of the sun seemed to reflect off her, illuminating Yaoyorozu in a beautiful light as she said these words. Todoroki felt that he should look away, but found it difficult. The smile playing upon her lips felt like rays of warmth soaking into his skin. He frowned, thinking back to when that smile had been absent a few moments prior.

"You know…." Todoroki replied, turning to stare at his line bobbing far out into the waves. "This may not mean much from me since I wasn't there. But to me, a good leader isn't about doing everything perfectly. The way you think positively about your teammates, the way you focus on what they can do with their abilities instead of what they can't is what shows them that you care. They believe in you, just like you believed in them." He shifted positions, trying to come up with the right words. "I guess what I'm trying to say is…you don't need to worry."

Silence followed, with nothing but the sound of breaking waves along the shoreline. Unease settled in Todoroki as he wondered if he had said something insensitive. A small giggle interrupted this chain of thought and he glanced to the side, relieved to find her smile still present as she stared warmly back at him.

"Thank you Todoroki. That does mean a lot." She picked up her rod, settling back against the warm rocks. "It's funny. You compliment me on my ability to read people. When it seems to me you read people just fine."

"No…." Todoroki answered, his voice low and completely sincere. "...only with you."

The rod slipped through Yaoyoroz's shocked fingers, almost falling into the water. She gave a dismal yelp, quickly catching the pole and bringing it against her chest. She clutched it tightly, feeling her heart racing. Todoroki blinked, tilting his head.

"Did I say something weird?"

Yaoyorozu sat up straight, trying to quickly recover from her flushed appearance. "No! No! Of course not! I was just… She hesitated, her blush intensifying. "...am I that easy to read?"

Todoroki paused, thinking about the question. "I wouldn't say that. For most people, I find it can get easy to get lost in the meaning of their words. Difficult to see what their true intentions are. But when I'm with you, it's not like that. Does that make sense?"

"It does." Yaoyorozu replied kindly, his answer feeling her with a deep sense of joy. A sudden tug from her rod sent those feelings flying away, replaced with horrified excitement at the prospect of her first catch. "Todoroki! MY LINE!"

"Start reeling." He calmly instructed, getting to his feet.

Yaoyorozu felt his presence behind her, his intense gaze silently rooting for her. She tugged on the line, reeling as fast as she could. The heat of the sun, along with the intense thrill of reeling in her long awaited prize made her flush with happiness. She felt her heart sink as the pull of the line became harder to bear, no amount of tugging making it give way. "I…can't….reel…it in!" Yaoyorozu grunted, straining as she pulled on her rod.

Todoroki's hands suddenly came over hers, his voice right in her ear as he said. "We'll pull together." Yaoyorozu nodded mutely, her mind a muddle at finding herself lodged between his two muscular arms. "Okay…One…two…THREE!"

One two heroes pulled back, the rod curving at a dangerous angle as the two powers went against each other. The teens' efforts were rewarded when they heard a loud SPLASH escape the water, the two falling backwards as the tension was finally released. Todoroki landed first, giving a startled grunt as Yaoyorozu's bottom fell on his lap. In her hands, she clutched her rod, along with a very old looking flip flop attached to the hook. There was a stunned silence as both heroes gawked at the dangling line.

"My first catch…." Yaoyorozu uttered, humiliation cutting into her like a knife. "...is not a fish….but an old, crusty, flip-flop!"

"Pfft!"

Yaoyorozu whipped around. Todoroki had his head turned away, his hand covering his mouth as his shoulders shook with suppressed mirth.

"Sorry." He apologized, his voice muffled as he continued to fight back laughter. "I just… wasn't expecting that." He paused, noticing her staring with mouth agape. "What?"

"Nothing…I just don't think I've ever heard you laugh before." She admitted, an amused smile gracing her features. "It just took me by surprise how nice it sounded."

For the first time ever, Todoroki felt an embarrassed flush come upon him at Yaoyorozu's sweet words. He turned swiftly away, avoiding her gaze as he murmured. "We should…probably keep fishing."

"Eh?! Oh right! Of course!" Yaoyorozu moved herself aside, grabbing Todoroki's hand as he politely pulled her back to her feet. His hand seemed to linger in hers, before handing her the rod. She frowned, wondering if it was just her imagination playing tricks. They returned to their respective perches, getting lost in their own thoughts.

"You know…." Todoroki ventured. "When my father first took me fishing. I didn't catch anything until the very end of the trip." He turned, his blue gaze drifting to meet hers. "So don't give up on catching anything just yet."

Yaoyorozu nodded, pumping her fist. "Don't worry. As heroes, giving up is simply not in our vocabulary. Besides, it wouldn't look good on me to fret after witnessing you work so hard at serving yesterday."

"I had a good teacher." He reminded her.

She smiled, casting her line out perfectly. "And so do I."

Location: Kerama Islands

"Oi! Don't look now, but we're a spotting land, mateys!"

The class of 1-A scurried up to the topmost floor of the boat, leaning against the rails to get their first glimpse of Okinawa's neighboring Kerama Island. Though still a fair distance away, all of them could just make out the white outlines of sandy beaches ahead. An excited tremor ripple through passengers, all eager to begin the day's activities.

Shoji, who had his extra eyes extended high above the rest to get a better view, called down to Ripper. "I can't make out any ports, or even buildings."

"Ai! That's because that's a bit of a bush island." Ripper explained, yelling to make himself heard to the students above him as he steered at the helm.

"Bush island?" Tokoyami questioned.

"Means uninhabited." Ripper answered. "Sounds wonkers, but Kerama actually isn't one island but twenty. And only four of those beauties have people living on them."

"It's really pretty." Asui said, admiring the untouched landscape. "I wonder if we should go get Iida so he can see, kero! "

"I wouldn't bother." Sirius' voice rang out, as she came up from the cabin of the boat. "He's still pretty woozy down there." Soon after leaving the dock, the class president had been overcome with an unpleasant wave of sea sickness.

"Ya didn't drag the poor bloke up?" Ripper asked, his gaze questioningly. "A whift of salt air will do him some good."

Sirius gave an exasperated shrug. "Tried to tell him that, but he's concerned that him being sick will put a 'damper on the classes' fun'." She answered, using her fingers as quotation marks.

"That…sounds like our president." Jiro remarked, as the class all nodded in amusement.

"So is our destination one of those islands?" Ojiro asked, changing the subject as Sirius moved back down below deck.

"We actually won't be docking at any of them." Ripper answered, his eyes twinkling mischievously. "You'll see soon enough!"

"Those sound like movie lines from a villain." Jiro teasingly commented as Asui giggled next to her. Ripper grinned, showing off his shark-like teeth.

"Hahah! Guess ya never know! Right?!"

"Let's.…hope not." Sero replied, smiling weakly as the rest of the class chuckled nervously at the joke. The students continued to stand on the upper deck, watching the boat's progress as it skirted the island's shore.

Kaminari remained seated, legs dangling as he leaned upon the upper railing. Since leaving the port, he had mostly stayed to himself. Watching the waves roll by and mulling over his earlier row with Jiro at the marketplace. "I really was an idiot back there."

As soon as his snide remarks against Ripper had left his mouth, he knew he had been in the wrong. But why had he even bothered? It's not like he had any real beef against Ripper. "It's just because I heard Jiro talking complimenting him. But to be fair ALL the girls had been fawning over him. Damn, even I think he's good looking and I'm a guy!"

Kaminari set his forehead against the metal rail, the coolness of the metal feeling good against his sun-soaked skin. Deep down, he knew why it bothered him. Jiro being close to another guy. "But what can I do? I don't even know what I am to Jiro. A friend, an annoyance, or…is there more?" He closed his eyes, allowing images of last night to roll through. Of a darkened room and of Jiro's lithe body pinned under his. The thrill of the unknown taking hold, daring him to lean in just a little bit closer.

"Dude, the back of your neck's going to get major sunburn in that position."

Kaminari's eyes flew open, his head jerking back in alarm. Sero laughed, casually sitting down next to him. "Hahaha! You should see your face. It looks like you're converting to Hinduism." He pointed to his friend's forehead, which did indeed, have a red indention from where it had been resting on the rails. "Pretty cool, being out here like this, isn't it?"

Kaminari scowled, using his palm to try and rub it out. "Yeah I guess."

"Just look at his view! No way do we ever get water this blue near the city!"

"Too true!"

Kaminari swiveled around, discovering Ojiro, Tokoyami and Aoyama had sat down on his other side. They were soon joined by Sato, Koda, and Shoji, who sat on the other side of Sero. "Dudes…what is with this timing?!" he thought, flustered as he thought of what he had been imagining just moments prior. He was thankful the sun was out to hide his crimson face.

"Bet the other guys are regretting missing out on this!" Sero continued, the other guys nodding in agreement.

"Do we know what the others are up to?" Koda timidly asked. The others glanced at each other, also growing curious of where the others went for the day.

"Yeeesss, what ARE our little classmates up to, I wonder?" Despite the question, Aoyama's tone suggested he knew more than what he let on.

Sero rubbed his chin, thinking. "Well we all know Kirishima is on his date with Ashido right now."

"Lucky." Sato whispered under his breath. A nod of solidarity followed from the other boys.

"I noticed both Todoroki and Bakugo carrying fishing rods with them during breakfast." Shoji stated. "Perhaps they both decided to go fishing somewhere."

"That makes sense." Sero agreed. "But I haven't heard anything from Midoriya about his plans. What about you guys?" The question hung in the air, silence following. "Really!? Midoriya seriously didn't tell any of you where he was hanging today!?" Sero scratched his head, baffled. "That's weird…" He turned, calling out to Jiro and Asui, who stood on the opposite side of the deck. "Hey! What about the rest of the girls? Didn't they want to come along today?!"

Jiro pushed herself off the railing, the breeze whipping at her short hair as she casually replied. "Oh…they all have dates today."

A dead silence fell upon the deck.

A seagull cried out in the distance.

Ripper looked up, forehead creased at the sudden lack of noise from above. "Oi! Ya'll still kicking up there?" His call remained unanswered, the boys still trying to process this bombshell announcement.

"DUDE, WHAT!?" Kaminari exclaimed, the first to recover as he swiveled to face Jiro. Their gazes met and he felt his heart skip a beat. Then she turned away, clearly still annoyed with him.

"I don't see why you're so surprised. We were all there when Kirishima asked Mina out on a date." Jiro pointed out. Asui nodded.

"Yeah but that was them!" Sero exclaimed, his usual grin faded away in sheer horror of the situation at hand. "What about the others!? WHO EXACTLY ARE THEY ALL ON DATES WITH!?" The other guys nodded furiously, fires of desperation burning within them.

Jiro and Asui shared a glance, frowning.

"Sorry." Asui answered, leaning back against the rail.

"Not telling." Jiro finished, giving a disinterested shrug.

The guys fell back against the deck, completely defeated.

"I don't understand…how could this have happened right under our noses." Sero bemoaned, fists banging weakly against the floor.

"They never even said anything to us at breakfast." Sato moaned.

"The world is a cruel place. Loneliness and darkness will always prevail." Tokoyami murmured, his tone void of emotion.

"What he said." Kaminari agreed, feeling as if he had lost a race that he didn't even know he was running in.

"I bet some of those guys that were rescued yesterday are taking them out!" Ojiro muttered, tail thumping angrily against the deck. The boys stared, finding it unusual for the "nice guy Ojiro" to openly show his anger. "I overheard Midnight Sensei gossiping with Vitamin C on how all those hostages were practically in love with Invisible Girl! And that they wanted to make a fan club for her right here on the islands!" He clutched his head, wailing to the others. "YOU ALL SAW THEIR PROFILES! HOW AM I SUPPOSED COMPETE WITH THOSE LOOKS!"

"Dude…you're a hero. There's no competition!" Kaminari said, definitely feeling for the guy.

"Then why don't girls ask us on dates?" The timid Koda mumbled, his harsh statement feeling like a knife stabbing into their backs. As one their heads whipped around to glare at Jiro and Asui.

"Are you serious, kero ?"

"Figure it out yourselves!" Jiro snapped, her harsh words zapping the life out of them. They hung their heads against the rails, the will to enjoy life drifting away with the sea breeze..

"My! My! You guys are really taking this close to heart….I LOVE it!" Aoyama trilled, a trail of sparkles following as he pulled Asui and Jiro into a shoulder hug. "Aren't class trips so fun!?"

Jiro sighed, wishing she could have bailed out of this excursion along with Hagakure.

"Hey! Everything okay up here?" Sirius asked, climbing up the stairs to their level. "Ripper said he heard…." She froze mid sentence, taking in the dejected group of boys. Furious, she ran to the rails, yelling down at the steerer. "Ripper! What in blue waters did you say to them!?"

"Don't go crook on me!" A flabbergasted Ripper replied. "I swear I didn't say anything!"

"Then what happened to the cheerful, class atmosphere?!"

"It got sucked up by the unfairness of the universe." Kaminari muttered, out of earshot of the girls.

Jiro and Asui joined Sirius at the rails, with the frog girl cheerfully calling down. "It's okay! They're fine, kero !"

"Yeah, they're just feeling mopey because some of the other classmates are on dates today!" Jiro explained. Her insensitive tone further deepened their emotional damage.

A grin split Ripper's features. "Crikey, is that all! Well why didn't ya say so in the first place! Sirius, take the wheel!" Forgetting the stairs, Ripper merely clamored up the railings, ignoring startled grunts and yelps as he squeezed a spot for himself right between Kaminari and Tokoyami. Settling in, he clapped the two boys merrily on the shoulders. "Scoochie over, mates! Old Ripper here is to give some good old Down Under sage advice."

A loud snort came from Sirius down below, where she had taken over the wheel. "This'll be good. Words of wisdom from someone who can't even buy his own beer yet."

Ripper pretended not to hear her. "So I reckon you all are feeling a bit buggered about the date thing, eh? Truthfully, at this age you really can't be stuffed about those sorta things. I tell ya high school is a bit of a floundering bit when it comes to romance. Especially for blokes in our field!"

Several of the guys turned to him skeptically, taking in his rugged, handsome features and chiseled beach bod. Kaminari being the main critic. "No offense, dude. But I highly doubt you had any trouble in the romance department."

Ripper gave a booming laugh, his sharp teeth flashing in the sun. "Believe it or not, most sheilas do tend to think twice before kissing a bloke with two rows of chompers!" Even with his chipper manner, Kaminari was surprised to find a hint of shadow cross over the Aussie sidekick. Despite his earlier misgivings, Kaminari couldn't help but feel a bit empathic.

Below them, the girls glanced up at commotion. With Jiro curiously calling up. "Do you really have two rows of teeth?"

Ripper winked, replying. "Not sure! Want to find out for me?"

That empathy immediately zapped away as angry static electricity seemed to sizzle within Kaminari. "Dude! Do—AHHHH!"

A shout of surprise escaped Kaminari, along with the rest of the class as the boat gave a sharp jerk to the side, buffeting them against each other. Asui and Jiro swayed on their feet, while the boys above knocked into each other. Sirius remained unaffected at the wheel as she casually called up. "Inappropriate, Ripper!"

"Bloody hell…it was a joke! A JOKE!" Ripper complained, smarting a bump from where he and Kaminari had butted heads. The blonde held a hand against his temple, cursing under his breath. Ripper glanced down, concerned. "Ain't too muzzed up are ya mate?"

"Fine." Kaminari muttered, though this temple pounded like crazy. "Just had to be the spot where that rock got me!"

Ripper seemed taken aback at the tone. He cleared his throat, trying to keep upbeat as he continued. "Right! As I was saying, now is a bit rough with hero training, not to mention figuring out the ends and outs of your own quirks. That'll all change once you're out in the field!"

"Here, we go…" Sirius commented, with a knowing drawl.

"Trust me on that. Once you boys start rescuing people, not only will your confidence soar but sheilas will be practically throwing themselves at ya!" He caught the disapproving glares from the females below, and waved a reassuring hand. "Now don't look at me like shark chum! I'm not telling them to take a catch at every single one!"

Sirius turned away, smartly replying. "Don't start giving those boys advice that'll get them in trouble up there! I know plenty of sidekicks who've started their careers on the wrong foot because of stupid decisions. Mostly men." She added as a sidenote to Jiro and Asui.

"Reeeelax! All I'm trying to say is there are better days ahead! Just hang loose and keep swimming and before you know it you'll be catching that big beautiful wave and get the taste of true bliss!" His soulful surfer dude wisdom hit a note for the boys, their hopes for romance lifting.

"Yeah…it's not that simple." Sirius drily pointed out. "Especially if you're a sidekick who's constantly being one-upped by your super awesome,drop-dead gorgeous, and all around more appealing heroine mentor." She noted, shooting Ripper a pointed side glance.

Ripper's grin broadened, eyes flashing determinedly. He raised his voice, airily explaining to the boys. "Mateys, don't listen to her. The attention new heroes get when getting started is definitely a real thing." Half-yelling, he added. "BUT! What people don't know is that it's the complete opposite for the HEROINES!"

Jiro and Asui glanced at Sirius. The older girl yawned, completely unconcerned with his comment.

"Sure they get a whole lot of media attention! But for the romance department, it's like wandering round the Outback. Nothing there! I imagine it's cause most blokes just get pretty intimidated by sheilas who can give him a good wallop. Take Sirius for example." Ripper said, smirking mischievously. "I reckon it's been YEARS since you've been on a date, eh?"

Sirius shot Asui and Jiro a wink, calling back up to Ripper. "And some of us like it that way!" She checked her coordinates. "Better wrap up your talk, think we're here."

"Ya kiddin'!? Let's move ourselves mates!" The shark sidekick jumped to his feet, throwing himself over the railings. "WHOOHOO!" He landed in the water with a thunderous crash. Onboard, Sirius shook her head at his antics.

"Please…come down using the stairs like NORMAL people." She called up the rest of the boys.

The friendly banter between the older sidekicks, along with the excitement of finally arriving had lifted the mood for the boys of Class 1-A. Joking amongst each other at their earlier gloom, they clambered down the stairs. Kaminari sighed, sliding onto his feet. A wave of pain struck him again, like a hammer striking against his temple. "Damn…not again!" He stayed crouched down, taking deep breaths as he waited for it to pass. In the corner of his vision, he saw a familiar set of black flip-flops stopping next to him.

"Kaminari?" His eyes widened as Jiro suddenly crouched down level with him. There was a touch of unease in her expression, her earlier sharpness with him vanishing as she took in his discomfort. "Are you okay? Not seasick, are you?"

"N-no…" Kaminari replied, finding himself fumbling with his words. "It's nothing…just a …headache I guess."

She frowned, reaching over and gently moving his blonde bangs aside. He winced, her fingers softly touching the bandage covering his wound. "Doesn't look like it's bleeding, so that's good."

"I could have told you that." Kaminari mumbled, feeling the heat rise to his face. "No need for that."

"Well excuse me for worrying." She huffed, annoyance returning. "You can never be too careful with head injuries." She made to stand, but froze as Kaminari's hand shot out, grabbing her hand.

"You're right….sorry." He apologized. He hung his head, not wanting Jiro to see his blush. He thought she would pull away. So was surprised when she merely stood there, his fingers wrapped around her tiny wrist.

"Just…take it easy today." She replied, her tone tense. Before Kaminari could say more, she moved swiftly down the stairs to the lower deck, where everyone was gathering. He shifted over, watching from above as Jiro went to Asui's side, her comfort place. The two spoke, with Sirius joining them. They giggled together over something the sidekick said. But to Kaminari, Jiro's laughter seemed forced, her hand self-consciously rubbing the exact spot where he had grabbed her.

Kaminari bit his lip, wanting to kick himself. "Dude! What is wrong with me today?!"

After a few moments, he forced himself down the steps. Quietly joining the class as they stood peering over the side of the boat. Taking a quick look around, he realized the spot of land they had spotted was now barely visible in the distance, with only open waters sitting before them. He frowned, eyes searching for waves.

"Where's Ripper at?" He asked, nudging Sero.

"Not sure." Sero answered, shrugging. "He told us to wait here, and then went under. To be honest, he sounded pretty giddy. Guess he's getting our surprise ready."

It was then Ripper's head broke the surface of the water, grinning broadly. "Everything's all set! Who's ready to go snorkeling!?"

"Do we just hop in here, kero ?" Asui asked, dipping a webbed foot into the water.

Ripper shook his head, using the side ladder to climb back into the boat. "Actually, our site is a little farther off from here."

The class shared dubious glances amongst each other at the response. Sero scratched his head. "Soooo, why are we stopping here then?"

"Good question!" Ripper cheerfully replied, motioning towards the water. "It's because we're going to need the help of some friends to get there!"

"Friends?" Sato repeated.

"Yep! But they're a bit shy, so I'm going to need some volunteers to help me out!" Like an excited dog, he bounded to the edge of the boat, water lapping at his feet as he called out, "Okay, who here has any younger rellies at home?"

A befuddled silence followed his question.

"You know! Younger relatives ! Like reeeeally young?"

Reluctantly Kaminari raised his hand, along with Asui. She turned to him, surprised. "You're a brother, kero ?"

"No….an uncle. My younger niece stays with us almost every weekend."

"Brother and sister for me."

Ripper beamed at the two. "Righto! Then I reckon you two know the Baby Shark tune, eh?"

"Huh?"

" Kero ?"

Both Kaminari and Asui cocked their heads in unison, the question throwing them through a loop. "Ummm yeah I guess." Kaminari muttered, getting a bad feeling in his gut. "Kind of hard not to, when you have to listen to it a million times in a row."

Asui nodded, understanding completely. "Same, kero ."

"Well, turns out our friend is a bit of a fan!" Ripper explained, winking at them both. "Ya mind sparing a tune to help him join us today?"

"You….want us to sing the Baby Shark song?" Kaminari slowly repeated. He felt his ears burning as a few snickers came from the assembled class behind him. "Are you serious?!"

"As serious as they come." Ripper playfully answered.

Kaminari scowled, opening his mouth to refuse but Asui beat him with a casual, "Sure."

"Awesome! What about you mate?"

Kaminari felt himself sinking under their expectant gazes. "Damn it, Asui! Now I definitely can't refuse!"

"Sure…." Kaminari sighed, moving to stand next to Asui near the water's edge.

"Okay you two! Go ahead and give it a burl!"

Kaminari and Asui took deep breaths, singing out the overly familiar tune. "Baby shark! Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo! Baby Shark! Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo-doo! Baby Shark! Doo-doo, doo-doo, doo—AHHHHHHHHHH!"

Their chorus was violently interrupted by the thunderous crash and roar as a gigantic striped, tiger shark burst from the water's surface. The front end of the beast slammed into the boat's deck, barely missing a terrified Kaminari and Asui as it thrashed about with jaws bared open to reveal rows and rows of deadly teeth. The sight sent Kaminari's heart pounding, wanting to get as far away from the creature as possible. Just as the thought went through his head, the shark gave a sharp jerk across the floor, the action making Kaminari lose his footing against the slick deck. A panicked yell escaped him as he slid forward, coming right at the shark as he turned his massive head towards the young hero.

"What are you going off for, you big lug!?" Ripper demanded, playfully jumping upon the thrashing shark. He wrapped the length of his arms around its head, effortlessly lifting him up and dragging him back to the water. "Sorry for the scare, mates! Baby Shark here is a bit of a show off."

Kaminari gawked, his heart still pounding as he remembered just how close he had come to that creature's jaws. "That…THAT THING IS NOT A BABY!" He cried out angrily, pointing a finger at where the shark had briefly disappeared into the ocean.

Ripper chuckled, looking embarrassed as admitted. "Ya, I reckon you're right. But I've known that one since he was a pup so the name just sort of stuck." He blinked in surprise to find the rest of the class standing in a panicked cluster at the far edge of the deck. "Ummm….something wrong? You all look a bit spooked?"

"YOU THINK!?" Kaminari exclaimed, fuming as Asui helped him to his feet. "That…THING…just tried to attack us!"

Ripper chuckled. "Aww, that ankle biter? He was just saying hello!"

"That…was some hello…" Jiro replied, leading the still jittery class to join with Kaminari and Asui. She paused near Kaminari, as if to inquire if he was okay. But, instead, she continued to check on Asui.

Kaminari watched, trying not to feel hurt. After all, Asui HAD been attacked by a shark only yesterday. " Well, close enough to a shark." Kaminari corrected himself, stealing a glance at the culprit. It made sense Jiro would be concerned for her friend. Luckily, Asui seemed quite unaffected by the scary incident.

The class followed Ripper to the side of the boat, where he pointed down at the waves. "Take a gander at this!" The class peered down, gasping at the pack of dorsal fins protruding from the surface, swimming in lazy circles around the boat. "Our little friends here are going to be our guides to our snorkeling location! Pretty gnarly, eh!?"

The class didn't reply, the color draining from their faces as they continued to watch the churning shark filled waters. Koda gave a fearful whimper, while Sero tiredly muttered, "Seriously, does ANYONE here know the definition of a class trip?"

Jiro turned to Ripper, asking. "Ripper, are we REALLY swimming with….them?"

"Of course! Fun, right?" He insisted, as if he was offering them a super special treat.

"More like…terrifying." Aoyama corrected, nervous sweat dampening his usual sparkle. Koda nodded in agreement.

"Dude, why are you scared?" Kaminari asked as Koda quivered behind Shoji. "Can't you talk to them?"

Koda shook his head, trembling. "I'm still working on predators!"

Ripper surveyed the class, for the first time sensing their nervousness. He ruffled his mohawk, keeping his tone upbeat as he tried to ease their fears. " Nah worries mates. I've been working with these beauties for a while now and I can assure you they won't do ya one lick of harm!"

"Working?" Tokoyami repeated.

"Yep!" Ripper answered, puffing up his chest proudly. "Besides teaming with Vitamin C, I also have a side gig of training these pups to become the world's first ever Search and Rescue Shark Squad!"

"A search and rescue team made up of…sharks?" The idea seemed too far-fetched for Kaminari, who could clearly picture any person needing rescuing panicking at the site of a pack of sharks coming to their need. He saw identical expressions of disbelief sketched upon his peers. But Ripper seemed unheeded by this. Kaminari could see an awakened fire shining within the sidekick as animatedly spoke of this passion project of his.

"Just imagine how efficient marine search and rescues could be with the aid of these beauties! Sharks are bloody magnificent creatures! A shark's sense of smell is even greater than a hound, able to detect blood samples from great distances. But what's even better is their hearing! Which can pick up splashes from distressed creatures from MILES AWAY! Imagine a shark being able to come to the aid of a flailing swimmer, before we even know what's going on! It's a right wonder that no one has come up with the notion of a shark search and rescue team before! Though I reckon, there aren't heaps of shark blokes like myself milling about to train them." He added with an amused chuckle. "So! Who wants to go in first?!"

Sero raised his hand. "Ummm…Ripper? No offense because all those things DO sound great and all…but what about the fact that sharks….um….eat people?" The class nodded in agreement.

Ripper crossed his arms. "It's true that sharks and humans don't always play fairly with each other."

"Isn't playing fairly putting it a bit lightly?" Ojiro pointed out.

Ripper shrugged. "It's only fair to put it that way. We're playing in their turf and it's a common fact humans kill and consume more sharks than they do us." There was no malice in his words, just honesty. "But you don't have to worry about that with these sharks."

"But how can you be so sure?" Shoji pressed, casting a cautious gaze over his classmates.

"Great question!" Ripper answered, perking up as he explained. "You see, sharks are naturally curious critters. So will take a nip or two out of something they're unfamiliar with. This includes us! Of course, a little nip to them is a wallop of a bite for us. So to keep these beauties from sinking their teeth into humans, I…" He held up one finger. "...first familiarize them with what a human is. Then…" He held up a second finger. "...second, I teach them that humans taste bloody putrid!"

"How?" Jiro asked curiously.

"Easy!" Ripper replied. "One of nature's natural shark repellents is Pardaxin. A substance produced by the Red Sea Sole fish. Just spread a little of that on my arm and let the sharks take a nib. Reckon they won't be coming back for a second round!" (See author's note)

Kaminari glanced at Ripper's arm, noticing faint hints of scarring. " Damn, how many times has he been bitten?" Judging from the number of sharks swimming about, quite a bit. Especially if he had to let ALL of them get a taste of the stuff.

But despite Ripper's confidence, a ripple of doubt still loomed within the class. That is, until Asui spoke.

"He's right, you know, kero ." She said, giving them her personal input. "During our fight yesterday, Ripper was the only one who took bites out of me. Not once did the other sharks use their teeth, only using their bodies to ram into me. At the time I thought it was kind of strange, but now their behavior is starting to make sense."

Kaminari could sense the classes' mood changing, reassured by Asui's words. But they hesitated, struggling against ages-old embedded fear. Kaminair understood, getting chills just remembering his encounter with that tiger shark just moments ago. "But Ripper…." He remembered the sidekick leading them through the marketplace, bonding with Jiro over music, trying to cheer the guys up when they all felt bummed. ". ..he's a good guy. And he trusts those sharks. Him and Sirius dragged us all the way out here so we could have a good time. Also…" His gaze fell on Jiro, remembering the unnecessary words he had spoken against Ripper and her angry reaction. "I need…to make up for that."

With small sparks flying from his palms, Kaminari slapped his cheeks, the shock giving him the courage he needed. Putting an air of indifference, he loudly commented. "What's the big deal guys? It's just a bunch of large fish swimming around. It's not like we haven't faced off against much scarier villains before."

The class, including Ripper, turned to him in surprise. He felt his face burning at their stares, especially with Jiro watching. But he kept going, moving to stand next to Ripper at the deck's edge. "Personally I'd be more nervous swimming with Aizawa Sensei than those guys."

"That's quite the talk." Aoyama commented, adjusting his hair with a hand held mirror. "Considering you didn't seem so keen earlier to be near that shark."

"Nah, I was just a bit surprised," Kaminari fibbed, "Anyone would be with those monster jaws." He turned his back to them, facing the open water. "But you know…there are a lot of scarier things out there than them. Can't be scared of all of them, can we?" He took a deep breath, his heart racing as he braced himself.

"Besides…" He turned, repeating Ripper's past words as he shot the class a roguish grin. "Anything with a mouth can bite, so why worry?!" With that said, he dove straight into the shark filled waters, shocking everyone present.

Jiro gave a panicked shout, the whole class surging towards the railings to see if he was okay.

They could see the white ring of churned water where he had dived under. After a few moments, bubbles burst forth and the familiar mass of wet blonde hair reappeared. Relief was soon replaced with horror as several curious sharks moved towards him, including the big Baby Shark.

The class experienced a tense moment of anxiety as Baby Shark circled Kaminari, butting the smaller sharks aside. A flash of fear briefly shone on Kaminari, but he held his ground, not fighting back as the striped beast drew up against him. The nose of Baby Shark nudged against Kaminari's chest, much to his discomfort. He made another circle, before again coming at Kaminari, this time passing against his side like a cat rubbing against a leg. The third time the shark did this, Kaminari let out a laugh.

"Dude! Hahaha! Move! That's starting to tickle!" Kaminari exclaimed, attempting to wade away, only for it to follow like a curious puppy.

A relieved sigh escaped the students up on deck, with several of the boys laughing aloud at Kaminari's antics.

"Well guess there's no backing out now." Sero said, already beginning to pull his shirt off. The other boys followed suit, not wanting to be outshone by each other.

"I'm glad to see everyone more willing to give it a go." Asui noted, smiling at the change. "Though I am surprised Kaminari was the one who brought it about. Never took him for a leader type." She paused, noting Jiro's hand still tightly clutching her chest where her heart was. Her expression a mixture of annoyance, relief, and something else she couldn't quite read. "Kyoka, kero ?"

"That idiot." Jiro muttered, lips curving into a small smile as she watched the scene below. Asui giggled, secretly taking a picture with her phone.

"Hagakure would like this, kero ."

"Hey everyone!" Sirius's voice called out, making the students pause from undressing. She appeared on top of the stairs that led below deck with still rather woozy Iida by her side. "Look, who I convinced to come on up!"

Iida fumbled over, wobbling on the deck on unsteady legs as he addressed the class. "I sincerely apologize for my absence. I only hoped that you all continued to consume yourselves with class trip merriment while I was contained. If not I'm sure we could…" It was at this point during his speech that his gaze wandered over the railings, down to the open ocean. He froze, eyes widening with horror as he gazed upon Kaminari, alone and surrounded by a pack of sharks.

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL DOING JUST STANDING THERE!" Iida demanded, tearing his shirt away and tossing his glasses aside. "KAMINARI IS IN DIRE NEED OF ASSISTANCE!"

"Wait Prez!" Sero tried explaining. "Kaminari's not…."

"DON'T WORRY! I'LL SAVE YOU!" Iida called out, leaping over the railings with skill and grace of an Olympian diver.

"Huh?" Kaminari said, glancing up just in time to see a shadow falling over him. "WHA?! PREZ! WHAT ARE YOU…" His words were lost in the loud splash that followed as Iida landed next to him. The next thing he knew, Iida's hulking weight was upon him, his arms crushing his windpipes as he attempted to…. save him.

"Don't worry Kaminari! You're safe now!" Iida assured him, warily surveying the sharks circling him. "I promise you there will be no dismemberment on my watch. If one comes near, I'll just hit his nose. I hear that's their weak spot."

"That's actually not true!" Ripper called down helpfully.

Iida glared. "A little help would be appreciated!"

Sero and Ojiro grinned at each other. "You heard him! Let's go help!" They two high-fived before jumping down into the fray, amid Iida's frantic shouts.

"NOT FROM YOU TWO!"

"Relax Prez! They're friendly!" Sero replied, giving a passing shark a quick pat. "I think Kaminari is actually in more danger with you than the sharks!" He said with a laugh, pointing at his friend struggling to stay afloat in Iida's tight embrace.

They were soon joined by the rest of the class. Ripper and Sirius watched them from the deck all get adjusted to the water. Sirius gave Ripper a friendly nudge. "Guess I was worried for nothing over your little surprise. Seems like the students all took it pretty well."

Ripper was quiet, watching as Kaminari introduced a reluctant Iida to his new tiger shark pal.

"Yeah nah." He answered, grinning to himself. "Reckon, I had a little help." (See author's note)

Deleted Scene:

"You know, I bet you must have been really surprised to find out that you were tone-deaf." Yaoyorozu said, trying to make conversation during the long dry spell of no nibbles on the line. "From my understanding, most people are aware of it by a young age."

Todoroki nodded solemnly. "I was. But the more I think about it, the more some things are starting to make sense."

"Oh, how so?"

Todoroki grew quiet, mulling over a past event:

Flashback:

"Mom!" A much younger Fuyumi called out, standing at the entryway of their home with her younger brother, Natusuo. "We're heading out now to go do karaoke with my friends!"

A smiling Rei Todoroki appeared, clad in a cooking apron, to bid them farewell. "Okay, enjoy yourselves!"

"Are you all going out singing?" a timid voice asked. Rei swiveled around, dropping her mixing spoon. Four-year old Todoroki stood behind, watching her siblings with clear yearning. "Can I come too?"

Expressions of pure horror appeared on his siblings' faces, with Natusuo bursting into tears and clutching his older sister tightly. Fuyumi faced her mother, pleading with her to DO SOMETHING!

A stricken Rei looked from innocent and confused Todoroki, to her desperate stricken other children, caught in an emotional tug-of-war of what to do. "I love my sweet Todoroki! And I want him to spend more time with his siblings! But…but….." She couldn't finish the thought, ambulance and siren noises blaring in her head as she remembered the last time she had heard her youngest son sing a tune.

Clutching her fist and stifling a sob, she quietly spoke to her youngest child. "I'm sorry Shoto….you can't join your siblings today."

Shoto's eyes teared up. "But WHY!?"

"Because…." Rei noticed her husband walking into the kitchen and taking a sandwich rice ball out of the fridge. Panicked, she pointed an incriminatingly finger at Endeavor. "BECAUSE YOUR FATHER DEMANDS IT!"

"Hmm?" Endeavor glanced up, completely lost on what was going on.

Rei went on. "He says you have to train with him today!" She glared at her husband, willing him to catch on. "So you can't do karaoke with your siblings, RIGHT!?"

Endeavor blinked, understanding setting in. "Errr RIGHT! Shoto! Today me and your are going to do some extra training!"

Shoto glared at his father. "You never let me play with my siblings!"

"I'm sorry. You'll understand someday."

"I HATE YOU FATHER!"

Present:

"Todoroki….are you okay?" Yaoyorozu asked, worried as Todoroki grew abnormally quiet.

"Yeah…I'm fine." Todoroki muttered, his feelings over his father more mixed up than ever before.

Ember Sunblaze:Yes, I know it's odd adding in a deleted scene. But I just really loved that flashback idea, but I felt it was just too silly to put into the actual chapter -_-' I hope it brought you all some amusement.

Again, would love to hear your thoughts on the chapter! Hope to get the next one out in the next two weeks or so! (fingers crossed)

Author's Notes:
-Paradaxin is a REAL natural shark repellant, though attempts of commercializing it for actual use has been discontinued due the the substance getting diluted by water too quickly. It can only truely effective if it is sprayed right into the shark's mouth.
-From my own personal research (I am not from Australia, though I have visited once!) Saying "Yeah Nah" is the equivalent of saying no. Also "Nah, yeah" is the same as saying yes. But again, if I'm wrong, please feel free to tell me in a comment ^_^