Roaring muscle! Or something..

Midoriya and Mirai walked side by side, the warm summer breeze ruffling their hair. Mirai glanced at her friend, a curious expression on her face.

"Hey, Izuku," she said, "Where are we going? You didn't exactly give out the details."

Midoriya smiled sheepishly, rubbing the back of his neck. "Ah, well, you see… Since we're both training to be heroes, a friend of mine thought of an activity we could do together to strengthen our abilities."

Mirai raised an eyebrow, "Oh? And what activity might that be?"

They turned the corner, and Mirai's eyes widened as she took in the sight before her. Stretching out along the coastline was a beach, but not the kind you'd see on a postcard. The sand was barely visible beneath the mountains of trash and discarded furniture that littered the shore. Rusted appliances, broken bottles, and torn plastic bags mingled together in a depressing tableau of urban decay.

"Dagoba Municipal Beach Park," Midoriya announced, gesturing to the scene before them. "Also known as…"

"The trash beach?" Mirai finished, her voice flat.

Midoriya winced. "Don't call it that," he admonished gently. "It's just… in need of some TLC, that's all."

Suddenly, something caught his eye, and his face lit up, "Ah! Al—Hey!" He waved enthusiastically at a figure in the distance.

Mirai followed his gaze, her eyes landing on a tall, blonde man with sunken eyes and a gaunt face. He looked like he hadn't slept in days, and those clothes didn't do his figure any favor, a shirt too big and jeans too baggy.

Midoriya immediately jogged over to the man, leaving Mirai to follow at a more cautious pace. As they approached, the blonde noticed their presence and offered Midoriya a tired smile.

"Ah, young Midoriya!" he greeted warmly. Then, his eyes fell on Mirai, and he tilted his head in curiosity. "And who might you be?"

Mirai didn't respond right away, instead turning to Midoriya with a skeptical look. "Izuku," she said, her voice low and wary. "Who's this scrawny guy? Didn't I tell you to be careful around strangers?"

"S-scrawny?!" The man wheezed, his eyes bugged out, and he coughed violently, splattering the sand with flecks of blood.

Midoriya's face flushed with embarrassment. "Al—I mean, Mirai! Don't say that!"

But Mirai just shrugged, "My question still stands."

The man straightened up, wiping the blood from his chin with the back of his hand. "I am…" He paused for dramatic effect, then jabbed a thumb at his own chest. "Toshi! At your service."

Mirai squinted at him, not entirely convinced. She grabbed Midoriya by the arm and pulled him aside, lowering her voice to a whisper.

"Are you indebted to this man or something?" she asked, her brow furrowed, "Is he bullying you? Is that why he's making you clean up this trash beach?"

Midoriya's eyes widened, and he shook his head frantically. "What? No, no, it's nothing like that! Toshi-san is a friend, I promise. He's just… trying to help us out, that's all."

Mirai studied Midoriya's face for a long moment, searching for any hint of deception or distress. But all she saw was earnest sincerity, and she felt some of the tension drain from her shoulders.

"Alright," she said at last, turning back to face Toshi. "I'll give you the benefit of the doubt, I really hope your not taking advantage of Izuku's kindness."

Toshi held up his hands in a placating gesture, a nervous smile on his face. "I assure you, my intentions are purely noble."

Mirai nodded, still not entirely convinced but willing to let it go for the moment, "So cleaning up this beach, huh? Gotta say not what I had in mind for an activity.""On the contrary," Midoriya intercept, "In cleaning this beach we would not only be practicing strength and endurance but also doing work for the community, a true sign of a pro hero!""Ah…"

oshinori cleared his throat, gesturing for Midoriya to come closer. "Young Midoriya, may I have a word with you in private?"

"Hm? Sure thing, Toshi-san." Midoriya trotted over to the blonde man, and the two huddled together, speaking in low whispers.

Mirai watched them with growing annoyance, straining to catch snippets of their conversation. But try as she might, she couldn't make out a word.

After a few minutes, Midoriya and Toshinori separated, both wearing identical grins of determination.

"Alright!" Toshi clapped his hands together, his voice booming across the beach. "Let's get cleaning, young heroes!"

"Yeah!" Midoriya pumped his fist in the air.

Mirai could only watch, so enthusiastic…She sighed, resigning herself to a long, sweaty day of manual labor.

As they set to work, Midoriya began tossing pieces of trash towards Mirai, who held a large basket at the ready. With a flash of blue light, she teleported from spot to spot, catching the discarded items before they could hit the ground.

"Nice catch, Mirai!" Midoriya called out, his face flushed with exertion as he heaved a rusted bicycle frame over his head.

They moved on to the larger pieces of furniture, Midoriya and Mirai working together to haul a moldy couch across the sand. Mirai focused her quirk, teleporting the heavy object in short bursts to make the journey easier.

But as the day wore on, the constant use of her powers began to take its toll. Mirai's head spun, and she stumbled, nearly dropping her end of the couch.

Midoriya rushed to her side,"Are you alright, Mirai?"

She waved him off, blinking away the spots dancing in her vision. "Yeah..yeah. I'm fine."

From his perch atop a pile of scrap metal, Toshinori cupped his hands around his mouth and shouted, "Come on, you two! Ten months will fly by before you know it! Put your backs into it!"

Mirai gritted her teeth, glaring up at the blonde man. "Shut up, old man! You're not helping!"

Toshi clutched at his heart, "I'll have you know I'm providing valuable moral support! Motivation is key to any successful training regimen!"

Midoriya nodded eagerly. "Toshi-san is right! I feel so motivated already! Let's keep going Mirai, uh, if you're ready to."

Mirai groaned, burying her face in her hands. "Goddamn it, Izuku. Don't encourage him."

┏━°⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟°━┓

┗━°⌜ 赤い糸 ⌟°━┛

Some time later, Mirai was on the verge of passing out. She had just teleported an entire truck across the beach because Izuku couldn't push it on his own. It had taken a tremendous amount of energy, and the day was only beginning. Damn it all.

As she slumped against the rusted vehicle, trying to catch her breath, Toshi approached her with a cold can of apple juice in hand.

"Here, young Shiromi," he said, offering the drink to her. "You look like you could use a pick-me-up."

Mirai accepted the can, popping the tab and taking a long swig. The sweet, tangy liquid helped to clear her head, and she felt some of her strength returning.

"Thanks, Toshi-san," she said, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand. "I needed that."

Toshinori nodded, his sunken eyes crinkling at the corners. "Young Midoriya told me about your quirk, how you need sugar to use it effectively."

Mirai chuckled, taking another sip of juice. "Yeah, it works out well for me, since I have a major sweet tooth. What else did that guy tell you about me?"

Toshinori hesitated for a moment, as if choosing his words carefully. "He said that you two are childhood friends, and that he remembers all the times you saved him. It seems he feels indebted to you, in a way."

Mirai sighed, shaking her head. "Seriously, that kid is something else. Always putting others before himself, even when he's the one who needs help."

Toshi smiled softly, his gaze distant. "When I first met young Midoriya, I wondered if he had any friends at all. Being quirkless in this society… it can be tough."

Mirai nodded, her expression darkening. "Yeah, you can't blame him for being a bit of a loner. People can be real jerks when it comes to the quirkless, even though Izuku hasn't done anything wrong."

"And yet, despite all that, he still wants to be a hero," Toshi mused, clear admiration in his voice. "I guess that's part of the reason why I want to help him."

Mirai studied Toshinori for a long moment, her eyes searching his face. "Hey, Toshi-san… I'm sorry I doubted you before. You're alright, I guess."

Toshinori's smile widened, and he waved off her apology. "No worries, young Shiromi. I'm just glad we're on the same page now." He paused,"By the way, I've been meaning to ask… why is it that you want to be a hero?"

Mirai blinked, "Why are you asking?" She brought her thighs to her chest.

Toshinori shrugged, leaning back against the truck. "Heroes have all sorts of reasons for doing what they do. Fame, money, the desire to save people… everyone has their own motivation. I'm just curious about yours."

Mirai was silent for a long moment, her gaze drifting out over the ocean. When she finally spoke, her voice was soft, almost haunted.

"To survive," she said simply. "Villains still roam the world, lurking in the shadows, waiting for the right moment to strike. I don't want to be one of their victims again… not like with the sludge monster."

Toshinori's brow furrowed. "But I…All Might saved you then, didn't he?"

Mirai let out a humorless laugh. "And if he hadn't arrived in time? What then?" She shook her head, her eyes hard. "Heroes are only human, too. They can't save everyone, no matter how much they might want to. That's why I'm going to become a hero myself."

She turned back to Toshinori, a wry smile tugging at her lips. "Pretty selfish reason compared to Izuku's, huh?"

Toshinori was quiet for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Then, slowly, he reached out and placed a hand on Mirai's shoulder, his grip firm but gentle.

"There's nothing selfish about wanting to survive, young Shiromi," he said softly. "In fact, I'd say it's one of the most human desires there is. And if that's what drives you to become a hero… then I think you'll make a damn fine one."

Mirai felt her throat tighten, and she blinked rapidly. She hadn't expected such..understanding, from a man she barely knew.

"Thanks, Toshi-san," she managed at last.

Toshinori smiled, giving her shoulder a final squeeze before letting go. "Anytime, kid. Now, what do you say we get back to work? This beach isn't going to clean itself!"

Mirai groaned, the moment of vulnerability passing as quickly as it had come. "Slave driver," she muttered.

And so she pushed herself off the truck, ready to face the rest of the day's challenges.