Chapter 9: Skill Check
"I can't believe this is really happening man! Look at you! Look at me! We're really UA students! Heroes in Training!" Mineta shouted as he and Midoriya continued up the path to their new High School. In all honesty, the shorter boy could barely sleep last night due to his excitement. So much so that he had to steal one of his Father's energy drinks to even stay awake that morning. Naturally, that action lead to him becoming one juiced up grape.
Still, Midoriya didn't seem to mind his friend's sudden jump in jumpiness and just smiled. But the sight of it made the green haired boy seemed more afraid than Mineta expected. "It's pretty surreal isn't it? In all honesty, I'm a bit scared that this is all just a dream and my Mom will wake me up soon."
Ah, that's why. And it was a real enough problem to ground Mineta from his energy high. He gave a deep sigh and patted Midoriya in the back, putting the weight of his belief into him. "Don't worry, I can guarantee you that this is not a dream. We're really going to UA, you're going to UA."
Midoriya stopped for a moment and looked up at something. And turning to it, Mineta saw that they were standing before UA's front gate, the main building shining in the morning sun. The shorter boy looked back at his friend and saw that the fear was melting away. So with a slap on the back, he allowed Midoriya to take the first official step towards his dream.
"By the powers bestowed upon me, I hereby pronounce you, Midoriya Izuku, an official student of UA." Mineta said before applauding. His friend recovered from the sudden push and started to bashfully bow in all directions, as though there was an audience. And turning back to Mineta, he made a gesture for them to continue onward. With a nod, the shorter boy followed and the two made their way into the school.
After wandering around for a bit looking for their classroom of 1A, noting how big and shiny the halls were. The finally found it… And the door to the room was four times Midoriya's height, making Mineta feel real small. "That's a big door…" Mineta said.
"Accessibility?" Midoriya replied.
"Makes sense. You ready?"
"Well… I'm still a little nervous. I'm also hoping that we don't have Kacchan as a classmate… Or that one person from the exam who called me out…" Midoriya answered. That uptight person with dark neat hair and glasses came to Mineta's mind and nodded. While that guy could've been a nice person, he really didn't leave a good first impression.
Though Mineta shouldn't be the one talking about that… Given his track record…
But today was going to be different; he'll put his best foot forward and make a real good impression. That way, the girls won't find him too creepy. With a nod towards Midoriya, his friend proceeded to open the door.
"Please remove your foot from the desk! You're insulting our Alumni who sat here as well as the craftsmen who assembled it!" The person from the exam shouted.
"Like I give a shit about people who aren't here anymore. And which middle school did you go to for that stick up your ass, you fucking extra?" Bakugou replied, a cocky but rabid smile spreading on his face.
"S-Stick up my – I came from Somei Private Academy! And it's a fine school where I learned everything I need to further my studies here! And my name is Iida Tenya!"
"Somei!? Looks like we got a real elitist here. I'm going to enjoy turning you into a smear on the wall."
"A smear!? Are you really aiming to become a Hero?"
Mineta and Midoriya stared at the scene with blank faces, though there was some sweat rolling on the back of their heads. And Mineta was sure his friend was thinking the same thing as he was. They're both here…
The uptight person looked up from Bakugou and noticed the two. He then immediately walked over briskly, somehow looking both stiff and natural at the same time, and began introducing himself. "Good morning! I'm from Somei Private Academy–!"
"I-I head you before! Uh, my name is Midoriya Izuku and this is Minoru Mineta. Pleased to meet you Iida-kun…" Midoriya interrupted, no doubt trying to prevent a broken record from playing. Still, when his friend introduced him, Mineta gave a relaxed 'hey' as he gave a simple wave. Iida bowed to the shorter boy before returning to Midoriya, looking a little remorseful and frustrated. What?
"Forgive me Midoriya-kun; I misjudged you during the practical exam. You were able to perceive the true nature of the exam, whilst I could not. I hate to admit it, but you're the superior candidate."
Ah, it was that. Still, that made Mineta's heart swell with pride, his best friend was finally getting recognition. And he wasn't about to let that slip, he wanted to milk this moment some more. "Well that's why you shouldn't judge someone before getting to know them. You even put him on the spot during the exam orientation."
"I apologize for that as well! I'm just too honest for my own good and don't sit well with any disturbances!" Iida said, bowing to Midoriya again.
"I-It's okay! I was the one being disruptive!" He answered. The green haired boy then began to nervously move through some small talk with his classmate. Mineta began nodding to himself as he listened, no doubt satisfied by this result. While he could've laid it on a bit thicker with the guilt trip, that might've turned things awkward. And it will also no doubt make them look like they're looking for people to ego stroke them.
Kind of like Bakugou and Mineta doesn't want that.
"Curly hair… You're that plain looking kid! And his weird friend!"
Both he and Midoriya turned around towards the new voice and immediately saw that brown haired girl from the exam. His friend, naturally, began to get all flustered and began spouting half coherent sentences through his stuttering. The girl didn't seem to mind that the person she was talking to was a mess, no doubt chalking it up to nerves. Mineta again nodded, noting that today was looking really good for Midoriya and himself by extension.
But man, did this girl look really good in that uniform.
"I'm Uraraka Ochako by the way. Sorry for not introducing myself when we met before." The girl greeted.
"N-N-No p-problem! My name is Midoriya Izuku! And thank you for helping me on exam day!" Midoriya blurted out, the heat radiating from the blush on his face. The short boy tapped his friend's arm twice in quick succession, making the boy back up a few steps. That was a signal between them to back up and cool off whenever things got heated. For Midoriya, it was to pull him out of conversations he has no idea how to navigate. And for Mineta… It was to make sure he doesn't go too far with his usual habits.
"Sorry about Midoriya, he's just got the first day jitters. I'm Mineta Minoru, his partner in crime."
"Nice to meet you and I know that feeling. When everything's so new and exciting, I get all sorts of butterflies in my stomach. I just hope our teachers won't be too scary and harsh with us." Ochako said with a heavy exhale. She was still being very cheerful though and that just amped up her appeal.
And with a cursory glance at the other girls in the class, Mineta feels that this was going to be a great first year.
"You're not here to socialize."
The shorter boy froze to that voice… That tired, monotonous, and gruff voice… The very voice that had drilled the skills he learned into his skull… Midoriya seemed to notice too and both of them looked at the floor behind Ochako. The girl turned around as well when she saw them focus on something behind her. And they saw an unkempt man wrapped up in a yellow sleeping sack.
"You're here to be Heroes." The man continued. He said this while pulling out a juice pouch from inside his sack and placing it into his mouth. With a single powerful suck, he drained the pouch of its contents. Ochako began backing away slowly as the man climbed out of his sack, electing to stand next to Midoriya. But he and Mineta were more concerned with the person that just came in.
"Aizawa-san!?"
"Aizawa!?"
"That's Sensei to you. Starting today, I'll be your Home Room Teacher. My name is Aizawa Shouta, Pro Hero, too tired for any of this, questions or concerns?" He replied quickly. But before anyone could ask one of many questions, the man just went on to with his to-do list.
"None? Good. Now get changed into your Gym uniforms and head to the grounds, we're burning daylight." He said, pulling out a uniform from his sack. Mineta flinched at the sight, despite already knowing that his former master kept random stuff in his sleep sack. Just what else is in there? Still, his body already began moving out of habit and the class of 1A followed reluctantly. Midoriya caught up to him and leaned over, voice in a whisper.
"Do you know anything about this?"
"Not one bit… But he's going to go Kung Fu Master on us…"
The class went into their respective locker rooms and began changing out. Mineta would've loved to search the room for any old peepholes left by former students. But all his mind could think about was the trial that Aizawa was no doubt going to put them through. There were also the words 'I'll know' resurfacing from his memories... One day, he'll have the heart to pull through with his desires despite these things.
But today is not that day.
The class all stood outside in the fresh spring air of this sunny morning, staring at their teacher. He slowly scanned each one of them before sighing, a sign that he was finally getting started.
"Right now, I'm going to test you and your Quirks." Aizawa said. There was no flair or nothing to his words, but it did stir even more confusion amidst them. A test? Right now? Mineta knew his former Master was an oddball, but he thought that was just with him.
"B-But what about the Entrance Ceremony? Or the Guidance sessions?" Ochako asked, reasonably concerned about the suddenness of all this.
"None of you can afford meaningless detours like that, so we're immediately getting our feet wet. And before you complain, UA is known for its 'free style' education system, allowing us to get creative with the curriculum." Aizawa replied. The class met their teacher with more confused stares, though Mineta was starting to see where he was going with this. Mostly because he was on the receiving end of that 'free style' education before the school year started.
"Softball throwing, the standing long jump, the 50 meter dash, endurance running, grip strength, side to side stepping, upper body training, seated toe touch… You've done all of these before in Middle School. But because you didn't use your Quirks for the sake of 'recording sensible averages', your true strengths and weaknesses are never clear. This is just the Department of Education procrastinating, keeping around a standardization that just doesn't work anymore. This is why we're all here, to test where our limits are." Aizawa continued. He then pulled something from his pocket and tossed it to Bakugou. Looking over, Mineta saw it was a softball with a black band around the center. The sight immediately made the short boy think of the balls he used during training.
The scraggly teacher then made a gesture towards the throwing circle. Bakugou, without a response, just stepped forward and began stretching. Aizawa said nothing else as he waited for his student to perform the exam. The human grenade pulled back his arm and slung it forward, an explosion erupting from his hand towards the end of the throw. "DIE!" He screamed. Mineta stepped back from the intensity of that throw, most of his classmates also flinching to the sudden blast. The whole scene looked more like an artillery cannon firing than a person pitching.
Is this what happens when Quirks are used for mundane things?
No one could see where the ball landed, a consequence of being shot out like a cannon. But luckily for them, Aizawa already had the results. Turning his phone to the students, Bakugou's distance was displayed. 705.2 meters.
"This is the first step in figuring out what kind of Heroes you'll be." Aizawa said. Mineta heard a whole lot of chattering around him, all excited and hopeful. But based on how his gut was feeling, his experience with Aizawa, and how concerned Midoriya was… This whole test was going to have one Hell of a consequence. And as their homeroom teacher stared at them with dead eyes, an aura of dread surrounded him.
Mineta never witnessed him exert this kind of presence.
"Do you all honestly think the three years you'll spend here will be all fun and games? If so, then you're in for a rude awakening. Should one of you prove to be utterly hopeless and is placed last after all eight events, you will be expelled on the spot."
The shorter boy immediately looked towards his friend and saw the desperation become more apparent. What the Hell was Midoriya going to do about this? According to everything he said, Midoriya's Quirk was a recent development and he has next to no control over it. It was full power or none at all, neither of which would be helpful for this trial. Mineta needed to say something, no matter how futile it would be.
"Sensei! You can't be serious about doing–!"
"And why not? Through all the fame and glamour, being a Hero is a high stakes job that has you carrying the lives of many on your shoulders. Should you buckle to the pressure, chaos will waste no time consuming the peace your forefathers have brought about. So if cannot handle this little test, what makes you think I'll let you handle a real crisis?" Aizawa interrupted, bloodshot eyes glaring at him. The short boy couldn't argue with that and had to bite his tongue. This was a corner he couldn't get Midoriya out of, he had break out under his own power.
As their teacher began walking away, he said one last thing to all of them. "Prove me wrong."
Mineta could feel the determination radiate from everyone. Even his friend mustered up some courage to those words. It's for real now, no turning back. They all lined up for the first event on schedule, the 50 meter dash. With two students at a time, Mineta watched his classmates make their runs with varying results.
Iida just completely demolished this part, the engines in his legs launching him forward. His total time was a brief 3.04 seconds. The girl that ran, more liked frog hopping, with him, Asui Tsuyu, had a time of 5.58 seconds.
Uraraka tapped her clothes and shoes, though the shorter boy had no idea what that actually did for her. But whatever that was, it still only resulted in a fairly average time of 7.15. The guy with the tail, Ojiro Mashirao, was a full second ahead of her.
Midoriya and Bakugou's turn. Both of them started normal enough, until the human grenade used his Quirk in the middle of it. He launched forward like a bullet, resulting in a time of 4.13. The green haired boy however got a time of 7.02, average compared to everyone else. "Don't mind it Midoriya, you'll find your footing." Mineta thought as he got ready to run.
The first thing he did was put balls on the starting block and pressed his feet hard into it. Already, Mineta could feel his body being rejected by the things and had to really to dig in. Once the signal to start sounded, he let go of the ground and sprung forward and covered at least half of the 50 meter track. The rest of the way, he just sprinted as hard as his little legs could. "5.82 sec." He heard the machine said. Five seconds better than his Middle School time, looks like the Quirk does make the difference.
Still, that only proves how big of a hurdle Midoriya was facing.
The next event was the grip test. Mineta first watched his friend do it and again, the results were rather unimpressive. And to think 56 Kg was strong for their age in the past. He was in a similar position, with the strength he mustered only going up to 47 Kg.
"Seriously!? 540 kg!? Are you an octopus or a gorilla?" He heard. Looking over, it was from the tallest member of their class who had at least three hands gripping the device. Although, his immediate thought to that sight had zero pertinence to the task at hand.
"Octopus… That's pretty sexy…"
"M-Mineta-kun!?" Midoriya said, taking a step back from his short friend. Even that spooked him, so much that he forgot about his terrible score.
The next event was the standing long jump. While Mineta was able to clear a large distance using a few of his balls, Midoriya's distance was painfully short. As his friend sat in sand, the anxiety within Mineta began growing. Was this a sign that things were not meant to be?
The fourth event was side to side stepping and the shorter boy demolished it. Stacking balls between the boundaries and throwing himself into one, he was able to bounce between the two stacks at break neck speeds. Although… He really couldn't stop on his own.
"Get me off this crazy ride!" Mineta shouted, resulting in Midoriya pulling him out.
"That was incredible! Really puts my efforts to shame…" He commented, immediately reflecting back on his own performance. Mineta really needed to try and get his spirit up, even if the effectiveness of them were blunted by his own superior scores.
"Don't give up! You can pull through! I know you can!"
Midoriya just gave a half hearted smile, he hasn't given up… But his friend already had one foot in the grave called despair. Damn it, what was there to do? There was no way to cheat or help him. The only real option was if Mineta deliberately got abysmal scores from here on out. But even then, he might have already scored too many points and Midoriya would definitely not accept his sacrifice. The only thing Mineta could hope for was a miracle.
The class went on to the ball throw, some throwing good pitches and some throwing bad pitches. That was until Uraraka stepped up and threw it. The softball slowly kept climbing higher and higher, getting further and further without stopping. And after a full five minutes, Aizawa just turned his phone around to show the infinity symbol on it. Mineta and Midoriya especially paled to that result.
"Midoriya, you're up." Aizawa said. As Midoriya shuffled forward, muttering something to himself, Mineta listened in on the conversations nearby.
"Midoriya-kun isn't doing very well…" Iida said, his tone sounding concerned. At least Mineta could take solace in the fact that he wasn't the only one worried for his friend. Though, Bakugou had to ruin it by spilling the beans over his friend's former 'condition'.
"Of course he isn't, the little shit's Quirkless."
"Surely you're joking. Haven't you heard of his feats during the entrance exam?" Iida replied. Good come back, that'll surely make him confused.
"Huh? Now you're the one fucking with me. Hey imp shit, tell him what's wrong with Deku."
Oh great… Iida looked at Mineta and he had to use all of his power to not show any nervousness. What should he say? Since Bakugou knows, he won't be able to easily escape with a lie… A half-truth maybe? But would it even fool these two smart dudes?
Fortunately or unfortunately, Midoriya's throw result distracted them all with a score of… 58 meters. He can already see Bakugou's smirk on his face, not helping the feeling of sorrow within Mineta. It's over, Midoriya won't be able to catch up…
"Just for the record, I erased your Quirk before your throw." Aizawa said, drawing in the attention again. The man then pulled at his scarf, unfurling as it all floated around his head. More strangely, his hair was standing up as well, slightly swaying in the breeze. Mineta was stunned, he never took this appearance before during his training period. Midoriya on the other hand was half awestruck and half startled, his eyes staring at something the shorter boy couldn't see.
"Erased… Those goggles… Of course, you're Eraserhead, the Erasure Hero!"
Now that sent a chill up Mineta's spine, his memories pulling up facts Midoriya told him before in the past. Eraserhead operates at night, where crime is more likely to happen. Using predator tactics and his ability to negate Quirks, he ambushes Villains and takes them out before they could fight back. But because he shuns the media, Eraserhead is more of a passing shadow few know about.
And this was the person that trained him.
Aizawa approached Midoriya, saying something to him that no one could make out. But based on how Midoriya was apprehensive and how his former master was looming over him, Mineta knew it was nothing good. Their teacher's hair and scarf fell back down and he handed the green haired boy another softball. At least, he was getting a second chance… But that might be the last straw.
Mineta muted out all the other conversations happening around him focused on Midoriya. He was muttering to himself again, his face darkening by the second. Maybe he should say something to raise his spirits, but that might ruin his friend's concentration... What to do…
That's when he saw Midoriya move, taking a throwing form similar to the times he and Mineta practiced fielding. But this time, he was swinging his arm in a wide arc. But what he hadn't expected was the soft glow on one of Midoriya's fingers and the ripping shockwave that soon followed. The shorter boy's eyes widened as the ball flew far from anyone's sight, with Midoriya shouting something towards Aizawa.
"S-Sensei! I can still move…!"
Mineta could see that his friend's finger, the same one that glowed, was horribly bruised and bloodied. But it wasn't broken, Midoriya still stood strong as his eyes shined brightly. The shorter boy couldn't help but break into a smile, Midoriya was just that awesome. And many others thought so too, all of them cheering the green haired boy.
Though…
"You little shit! What the Hell is this!?" Bakugou screamed, his dash forward augmented by explosives. Before the human grenade could even get a swing in, his body was halted by strands of cloth and his Quirk fizzled out. Aizawa, once more showing his abilities, was holding back his student with ease.
"Just so you kids know, this is my personal capture weapon. It's made of carbon fibers and a special alloy wire, practically inescapable once you get tangled in it. Also stop getting violent with your Quirks, I have dry eye."
Mineta's sentiments were the same as everyone else's, what a setback. Still, thanks to their teacher, Midoriya was able to side step his childhood friend and come back.
"Is your finger okay?" Uraraka asked.
"Yeah man, that doesn't look healthy at all." Mineta said. A part of him wants to be in on this conversation, but he senses a budding friendship between the two. Maybe he should let them interact more, see where that development would end. And depending on things went, he could… Push them closer. But that was something for another day.
"It hurts a little… But I'm still fit enough for the rest of the events…" Midoriya replied.
"You were really cool you know, that ball just went flying." Mineta said, his arms replicating Midoriya's throwing form. Uraraka was nodding like crazy to his words, also replicating the form but not nearly as well. It was adorable really.
"That would definitely be one for the record books."
"No… Your score was definitely more impressive…" Midoriya was blushing. The shorter boy could feel his inner mastermind twiddling his fingers at the two. But before any other thought could formulate, he heard his name be called.
"Mineta! Your turn!"
"Yes Sir!"
From that point on, Mineta never bothered to try too hard. His pitch in the ball throw was just his standard fastball. It didn't comparably get a lot of distance but many others applauded him for his perfect pitching form. And during the remaining events, the shorter boy deliberately did worse than Midoriya despite his protests. He didn't like pitying his friend like that, but Mineta didn't have the heart to overshadow him after that amazing throw.
So the events ended with more lack luster results… And so came the dreaded results. The shorter boy patted Midoriya's arm with the full weight of his emotions, doing his best to ready him for the inevitable. Mineta didn't want their dream to become the greatest Hero duo to end, but there was nothing he could do. He looked at Midoriya again and noted the frustration and sadness in his face. Even his eyes were closed so that he could hide his shame.
"No matter what Midoriya… You're still a Hero to me…" Mineta said, using his other hand to wipe at his eyes.
"I know Mineta-kun… I know…"
Aizawa brought up a hologram to show the final scores. And predictably, Midoriya was in last place and is the person who'll be expe–
"I was also lying about the expulsion thing." Aizawa said flatly. Mineta's arms fell to his side as Midoriya's eyes shot open, Uraraka and Iida staring right at their teacher. The scraggly man gave them all a smug grin as more words came out of his mouth.
"It was a logical ruse meant to bring out the best in you."
"WHAT!?" Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida shouted, each of them showing their surprise wildly. As for Mineta… He was on his knees, screaming incoherently at the sky away from the class.
"Of course it was a lie; he wouldn't expel us for something like this…" The girl with the pony tail, Yaoyorozu Momo, replied; sweat rolling down her head at the sight. Mineta, still on his knees, turned around and gestured at her with tired eyes.
"Lady… Just don't. I literally can't even right now."
"Anyway, that's all for today. You can find the printouts about the year's general curriculum, the class schedules, and stuff back at the classroom. Midoriya, take this slip and go to Recovery Girl's office to get that finger fixed. And just so you know, tomorrow won't be any easier. Dismissed." Aizawa said. The man then gave Midoriya a slip and walked off to parts unknown.
Mineta shook his head as he got up, dusting his knees and went to Midoriya. "Let's go man, I need to get away from this crazy…"
"Yeah, let's…"
And as the two followed their classmates back to the main building, Mineta began seeing a smile on his friend's face. That made the shorter boy held his head a little higher than before, seeing that they dodged a bullet. The dream's not dead yet, they still had a chance to make their mark.
Look out UA, the next great Hero duo is here to stay!
Chapter 10: With Friends Like These
Mineta tossed a baseball up into the air as he leaned against one of the statues at the front of UA. The first day just ended and he was waiting for Midoriya to return from the nurse's office. And as he watched other people pass by, he thought about the power his friend demonstrated today.
"So it's a strength enhancing Quirk and a pretty strong one too. Midoriya broke his finger in the process though… I mean, it's practically fresh out of the box, so it's going to be inevitable until he gets some experience with it." Mineta thought. Still, he can't help but smile that Midoriya now has a Quirk as strong as his heart. Once the guy gets used to it, he'll be Number One in no time.
Which means Mineta needs to get stronger himself to keep up.
"Mineta-kun!"
Turning around, the shorter boy saw his friend jogging towards him. Mineta caught the baseball he was throwing around and tossed it to his friend. "How was your check up man? Did Granny give you extra kisses?" Mineta asked, a small smirk appearing on his face.
"No, I didn't get any more kisses..." Midoriya replied, avoiding eye contact. He still caught the baseball that came at him, evidence that he was still mentally sound. Mineta let out a small laugh and patted his friend on the arm.
"I was just teasing you man. Now that we've officially survived day one, you want to head to Mott Teahouse for a drink?"
"Sure, after Recovery Girl's Quirk, my body needs a pick me up." He answered, as the two began walking while tossing the ball between each other. However, before they could even reach halfway to the front gate, a hand stopped Midoriya. It startled the green haired boy, causing both him and Mineta to look behind them. And they came face to face with Iida Tenya again.
"Oh it's you, what's up?" Mineta asked, putting away his baseball. Why did this guy have to startle them like that?
"I just wanted to check up on Midoriya-kun. Did your finger make a full recovery?"
"It will; thank you for asking. But am I tired, from both the treatment and today's sudden test." Midoriya replied.
"Agreed, Aizawa -sensei has put us through the wringer. But I am glad that I got a taste of what it means to attend UA. Having our own instructors use deception as a motivator was mean spirited, but I do see the merits in that tactic. Pressure, after all, does tend to push people to exceed their limits." Iida replied.
Mineta looked to his friend and thought back to whenever they were caught in a pinch. In each of those moments, Midoriya would go beyond his weak self to try and do something incredible. And though it usually ended with them eating dirt, Mineta would never forget the unyielding back his friend showed. It was his undeniable proof that Midoriya was nothing but pure Hero.
So with that, the shorter boy whole heartedly nodded to Iida's statement. "Like you wouldn't believe…"
"Well, let's hope they don't get too crazy with the pressure. We're, after all, still just kids who want to have fun and be with friends... Actually… If you're not busy, do you want to join us for tea Iida-kun? To celebrate our first day?" Midoriya asked after a brief pause. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that, inviting someone they only just met.
Granted, Iida's a pretty good guy who's just too honest for his own good. He only wishes the best for everyone and would never intentionally hurt someone. And having him around didn't feel weird, so that 'third-wheel' problem was nonexistent. Nothing but good can come out of this, so Mineta easily relented to his partner's idea.
"Just saying, if you back out, you'll be missing out on some really good tea." The shorter boy added.
"Then say no more, I'd be honored to join you."
"Do you mind if I come too?" A cheery voice asked. The three looked to the open gap to the left and saw Uraraka Ochako. Mineta saw Midoriya's face beginning to turn red, his mind probably being fried right now. The shorter boy nudged his friend, hoping that would get enough of his thoughts together to answer. And he didn't want to miss the chance to have a cute girl join their trust circle.
"S-S-Sure! Y-You're always welcome t-to join us Uraraka-san!" Midoriya blurted out. Mineta proceed to pat his friend's arm, his chest swelling with pride. He had just invited a girl to hang out with him. And as far as first girl friends go, Uraraka was the perfect candidate. She was kind and happiness seemingly radiates from her, like the sun on a cool Spring day. With her, she'll accept Midoriya for what he is and won't judge him for what he isn't.
Unless it's the mumbling, then she'll need a month or three to adjust.
"Really? Thanks Deku!" Uraraka said with a smile. Both Midoriya and Mineta's giddiness dropped to the floor. The former became a bit more reserved, his arms being tucked in tighter than before. The latter had his brows furrowed, eyes threatening to bore through the girl's skull. This change in demeanor was completely noticed by both Iida and Uraraka.
"Did… Did I say something wrong?"
"You two, what's going on?"
"No! No, nothing's wrong! It's just… Why did you call me Deku, Uraraka-san?" Midoriya replied quickly, trying to diffuse the tension. Mineta took a few deep breaths and cooled his glare. There must be a good explanation for this.
"Well, that Bakugou kid was calling you that… And I thought it was a really cool nickname... So I decided to use the next time I see you... Am I not supposed to do that?" Urarka answered slowly, her fingers nervously touching one another. Mineta really couldn't stay mad at her, she seemed very sincere with her reasoning. So, with a heavy sigh, he decided to fill them in after a nod from Midoriya.
"You see, 'Deku' is less of a nickname and more of an insult. It means weak and useless when Bakugou uses it."
"Really!? I'm sorry, I didn't know." Uraraka apologized.
"So Bakugou-kun was mocking you this whole time? Tomorrow, I'll say some choice words to him!" Iida said, his authoritative tone booming. Mineta's mood lightened even more now that he saw how these two reacted. It was nice to see that other people care about Midoriya's situation for once.
"It's okay guys, I'm not too shaken up about this. I've been called that for so long that it doesn't really bother me anymore. But if I may ask Uraraka-san, why did you think it sounded cool?" Midoriya replied. Uraraka's face softened as a smile formed on her face. The warmth of the sight blew away the downcast that surrounded the air around them.
"Because to me, Deku sounds like 'you can do it'. Your nickname had that vibe to it, like you're ready to achieve the impossible. It's really cool and I knew that's what I wanted to call you from then on."
Mineta was floored by the weight of her words. She just brought new life to that dreaded nickname, flipping everything he felt about it. Where 'Deku' once highlighted Midoriya's weaknesses, it now highlighted his strengths. It was truly a name to be proud of and a perfect reflection of his friend's unyielding spirit.
It was as if the Copernican revolution happened again.
Though at the end of this flood of emotion, Mineta felt a pang of regret in his heart. How did he not think of that himself? Maybe if he came up with Uraraka's version before now, Midoriya would have a little more self-confidence.
"Another tally to the 'worthless partner chart'…" He thought as he watched for his friend's reaction. Midoriya was at first reserved; shoulders slumped with his eyes casted towards the ground. However, a smile began forming on his face. He stepped forward and put a hand on Uraraka's shoulder, green eyes sparkling with joy.
"Uraraka-san, you can call me 'Deku' whenever you want."
The girl's eyes brightened as well, her smile growing with it. She then nodded and held her hand out. "Okay! It's nice to meet you Deku-kun!"
Midoriya took her hand and shook it, returning that energy. "And it's a pleasure to meet you too, Uraraka-san."
They released their hands and turned to the Iida and Mineta. The shorter boy gave a thumbs up, the two and this whole thing had his seal of approval. Iida looked a bit more skeptical, but that expression was soon exchanged for a more lax one.
"At first I wanted to say that you shouldn't be so ready to make an insult a casual nickname amongst friends… However, upon seeing your enthusiasm, I can see that there's no stopping you. And plus, Uraraka's version is such a great interpretation that I can't help but approve. Though that won't stop me from referring to you as Midoriya-kun, etiquette training has made formality a habit."
"Yeah, 'Midoriya' is a habit for me too." Mineta said, nodding to his sentiments.
"That's enough I suppose. But shall we get going? They have a four person special between one and two o'clock." Midoriya replied. Uraraka nodded vigorously to the sound of that and with that the four of them began walking together.
Things might have started out shaky today, what with having Bakugou as a classmate and Aizawa's twisted wisdom… But Mineta feels that the stress was worth it. Because when was the last time he and Midoriya had other friends to hang out with? Never. So while their ultimate goal was to become great Heroes, this was too nice a detour to miss.
And what's a journey without companions to travel with?
Chapter 11: Of Costumes and Combat
Today was the day Mineta, Midoriya, and their classmates start their journey through UA for real. And you all know what that means…
LEARNING. MUNDANE. SUBJECTS.
English…
"Can anyone tell me what's wrong with this sentence?" Present Mic asked, his normally loud and energetic voice sounding unenthusiastic.
"I guess even UA cannot escape the 'National Mandatory Curriculum'…" Mineta thought as he wrote down the sentence on the board. He then proceeded to circle one of the words and made a note near it.
'The relative conjugation doesn't go here'.
Math…
"How's this!?" Kaminari Denki shouted as he put down the piece of chalk. The teacher, the Hero Ectoplasm, looked at the problem that the guy tried to solve and shook his head.
"It's wrong. Could someone tell me what Kaminari missed about this?"
"He missed the exponent, dividing the 7, and subtracting the 58. The actual answer's 17." Asui Tsuyu replied after raising her hand.
"I was so close!" Kaminari screamed dramatically, but anyone could tell he was messing around. But still, that girl bluntly shot him down with the flattest tone Mineta's ever heard.
"You weren't."
That's brutal… Still, that kind of attitude did give a domineering air to her. Asui Tsuyu, Mineta has to be careful on how he approaches her… Otherwise he'd just have another slap added to his face.
Science…
"What did you do!?" Mineta screamed. He stepped away for one moment to ask the teacher a question… Only to come back to a beaker that was vomiting out fire like the Gates of Hell. His lab partner for the class, Aoyama Yuga, just nervously shrugged as Midoriya came to the scene with a fire extinguisher.
Lunch…
"You okay Mineta-kun?" Midoriya asked as he sat down. Mineta raised his body up from the table and looked at his friend. They were in UA's cafeteria, where the food was top class for its price. The shorter boy groaned as he sat up right, but he looked like he was going to collapse again.
"I'm still trying to process how on Earth that guy managed to make such an incredible flame. We weren't even working with any volatile or flammable chemicals…"
"Yeah… That was extraordinary… Ah, Iida-kun! Uraraka-san! Over here!" Midoriya replied before shouting towards two approaching individuals. Their newly made friends quickly made their way to the table and sat down, their meals still piping hot. Mineta tiredly greeted them with a nod before hitting his head against the table, rattling everyone's cutlery and dishes.
"You still wiped out from chemistry?" Ochako asked before munching on some rice. The shorter boy could only groan as he reached for the Hot Dog that was starting to grow cold. Iida swallowed the food he was chewing and cupped his chin with his free hand.
"At least no one was injured in that spectacle. But I am concerned that this level of bad luck might be an omen of things to come…"
"Iida-kun, don't be like that, we just started the semester." Ochako said as she threw salt from a packet over her shoulder.
"Let's not get too tense about something that already happened. Instead, let's use that energy for our next class. "Midoriya said with a chuckle. Now that roused Mineta from his stupor and his lips were slowly being pulled into a smile. That's right, next class was the one they have all been waiting for…
"Hero Fundamentals…"
"I know right!? I can hardly wait to see everyone in action!" Uraraka said as she began bobbing up and down.
"And the costumes…" Mineta mumbled, drool dribbling out the corner of his mouth. Already was he letting his imagination run wild, dressing the girls of 1A in costumes that ranged from sensible to sensual.
But the moment Mineta, in his euphoric state, turned to Uraraka and Iida… He noticed that the two were pressing their backs against their seats, slowly inching away from him.
"Shit! Sorry about that!" Mineta shouted as he began purging the excess drool from his face. Uraraka and Iida looked at each other with a concerned frowned before turning to Midoriya for help.
"Midoriya-kun… Should we be worried? Because that wasn't the face of a Saint." Iida asked.
"Yeah, Mineta was… Uhhh…" Uraraka added, making vague gestures to replace her lack of words. The shorter boy felt a bit of cold sweat roll down his neck, did he just blow the lid on his own perverted nature? He slowly turned to Midoriya and saw him shake his head, face completely relaxed.
"Don't mind that, Mineta-kun's a bit of a 'Hero costume' nut. Whenever the two of us start talking about Heroes, we go into length about several things but he has a tendency to drift towards Costumes. Whether it's breaking down the function or understanding the meaning of the aesthetic, he always has an interesting analysis of it."
Mineta turned back to Uraraka and Iida and let out a long but quiet sigh upon seeing their expressions change. From being suspicious and thoroughly disgusted, the two were now skeptical but intrigued. So, with a huff to muster his courage, he went to face the audience that Midoriya had graciously prepared for him.
"Yeah, I can get pretty carried away with my lust for good costumes. There's a kind of awesome feeling when you see a Hero wear a suit that 'fits' them. Look at All Might for example, his suit symbolizes who he is as a Hero. The suit doesn't have any fancy gadgets or excessive decorations, just eye popping color and sometimes a cape. This simplicity, when compared to other Heroes, tells me that All Might doesn't want to be judged by his appearance alone but by his actions." Mineta explained. Well that first part wasn't a complete lie; he did enjoy studying a good costume...
It's just that he had a preference towards female costumes.
Still, his audience seemed to be listening more closely. For Uraraka, she leaned in so that she can hear him more clearly through the cafeteria noise. As for Iida, he pulled out his notebook and pen and began making notes. Mineta heard his friend let out a nervous chuckle over the sight and he doesn't blame them. But it was quite the treat to have more people listening on what is basically nerd talk.
"But that's not the only thing that his costume has to say, the colors mean something too. Before coming back to Japan, All Might used to do Hero work in the United States of America. When he returned, he brought back some of their best values, which included the colors of the American flag and what each of them means. Red for valor, white for purity, and blue for justice." Mineta continued.
"But what about the yellow in his costume? Doesn't that mean something?" Uraraka asked, raising her hand as though he was a teacher. Midoriya gave a silent chuckle as he leaned forward to explain, giving his friend a moment to rest and eat.
"It does, the yellow represents happiness and hope. But what's more interesting is where that color's placed, his arms and legs. I believe, through that, All Might says 'I'll hold up the things that make you smile'. And though not many people will focus on a detail so small, it certainly does help All Might's image."
"I always wondered why looking at even his costume made me feel happy, but that's deep." Uraraka commented before continuing with her lunch.
"Indeed, this is utterly fascinating. Please tell me more..." Iida said as he leaned in, an ominous glare reflecting off his glasses. Now it was Mineta and Midoriya's turn to inch back slowly, feeling unnerved by Iida's seriousness. But upon looking at each other, they nodded and began to share their collected notes with their new friends. And for the rest of lunch, their table was just filled with conversations about Heroes and their costumes.
Hero Basic Training…
"I...! AM…!"
Mineta couldn't help but feel let the shivers run down his body to that bold voice. He wondered which Hero would be teaching them on how to be a Hero, but it seems the rumors were true. The hype in the room couldn't be any higher as the man of the hour burst through the door in rather peculiar way.
"Coming through the door like a normal person!" All Might shouted as he leaned in, hanging from the frame.
"That's hardly normal…" Mineta thought, sweat rolling down his head. Regardless, the rest of his classmates were whispering to one another in awe. The shorter boy could even hear Midoriya rattling off comments on the Hero's Silver Age costume. It was an exciting moment for all of them… But it was about to get wilder.
"Alright boys and girls, welcome to Hero Basics where you'll learn what it takes to be a Hero. As you know, Hero work isn't for the faint of heart and you'll need to toughen up before you're ready. So with that said, let's dive head first into our opening course… BATTLE TRAINING!" All Might said as he marched towards the lectern. He then presented a card with the word 'Battle' written on it as though he was slamming it into someone's face.
Mineta turned a little pale at the thought of fighting so soon, especially since Bakugou was exerting a surprising amount of bloodlust. But he supposed this was only training and it won't be too bad… Right? All Might then proceeded to pull out a remote and aimed it at the wall to his right.
"Now, in accordance to the Quirk registry and request forms you've submitted… You'll be given these with the hopes that you'll grow into magnificent Heroes. Show them with pride boys and girls! For these are your Hero Costumes!" All Might said. A portion of the wall moved out and sealed within were metal cases, each with a number from 1 to 20. Now the class was getting into an energetic cheer and Mineta followed. After all, who wouldn't want to show off something of their design?
"Once you all get changed, please head for Ground Beta so that we can start in earnest. Do you understand?" All Might asked.
"Yes Sir!"
…
Mineta began stretching in the early afternoon sun, feeling how his costume moved with him. While the thing was mostly how he envisioned it to be, including his special baseball bandolier… There were two changes to the original design. The first was a much shorter cape, which he understood as the original was too long to be practical. The other change was more of a casualty. Instead of white shorts, he got pants that were diaper like in nature, round and a bit wide.
But while he was upset that his costume made him look like a big baby, a detail that wasn't completely wrong… Mineta kind of asked for it when he put in his drawing 'I'll leave the finer details to you guys'. The shorter boy sighed as his head hung low, for all his costume knowledge, he didn't think through his own long enough.
Well, at least there was something to keep his mind occupied. Mineta looked up towards his classmates, their own forms clad in their own costumes. There were all sorts of styles and colors that gave everyone their own identity. All of them were like flags that bore their own heraldry, each with their own stories to tell.
And so, Mineta began staring at the girls to see what their costumes said about them. Though before he could do so 'in depth', someone broke his concentration.
"Careful Mineta-kun, if you ogle at the girls so openly, even I can't help you if you're caught."
The shorter boy turned around and saw Midoriya stop before him. His friend's costume was a rather simple light green jumpsuit, a matching mask with bunny ear like protrusions, his signature red shoes, a utility belt, white gloves, elbow and knee guards, and a mesh mouth guard with an artificial smile. It won't win any contests, but it did have a lot of charm to it.
"That's the jumpsuit your mom got? The thing isn't spectacular, but I like it, it suits you." Mineta said with a smile. His costume was a very humbling sight. Like All Might's, it puts more emphasis on the wearer's actions over their appearances.
"Thanks, I'll let Mom know what you think. But… Do you think this is a little too obvious?" Midoriya asked as he gestured to his mask and weird ear protrusions.
"Little late to ask that now dude." Mineta replied with a snort.
"Oh wow, a jumpsuit! That's really down-to-earth!" When Mineta and Midoriya turned to the next person to approach them, the latter went stiff at what he saw.
Uraraka, her face a little red, wore a black/white bodysuit that tightly hugged her figure. She also wore a pink tinted visor that protected her face, a white pink belt, blub shaped cuffs, and giant puffy boots. The whole thing had a very 'science fiction' feeling to it, like she just came from some futuristic space station.
"I wish I was more specific with my request… It's a lot tighter than I wanted…" She said, scratching at her head a little.
"You and your costume are just fine. Tell her Midoriya." Mineta replied, nudging his slightly catatonic friend. But that soon backfired on him as the guy reacted too quickly for it to have any charm.
"Oh yeah, no, you look stellar! Cause… You know… S-Space…"
The shorter boy stared at Midoriya and he slapped his own face. While Mineta knew the guy didn't have a lot of experience with girls... That was the worst follow up compliment/pun he's heard. But all those thoughts didn't matter as Uraraka was giving a hearty laugh.
"I guess my costume is pretty spacey, thanks! Now come on, let's not keep everyone waiting." She said as she went to rejoin the group.
"Y-Yeah, I guess we should." Midoriya replied, following closely after. Mineta's lips slowly pulled into a smile as he silently pumped his fist. That whole interaction wasn't smooth, but the two were on the intended path. The shorter quickly followed after Uraraka and Midoriya, keeping a close note of their standing with one another.
As they all stopped before All Might, the Symbol of Peace scanned the class and gave a strong nod. "Good, now that you're all looking sharp, we can begin!"
"Sensei! Are we going to perform cityscape maneuvers again? This place looks similar to the location of the entrance exam?" Iida asked. Though his helmet obscured his face, Mineta easily recognized him as their tall, overtly honest friend. And with all that armor, he looked like a knight combined with a mecha. The style was quite striking, especially those boots since Mineta would be instantly pulped by them.
"Good guess Young Iida, but today is for something a little different. While it's true that many crimes occur out here in the wide open streets of our modern world… The most nefarious of Villains prefer to take cover indoors! Between terror plots, black market dealings, and who knows what else, it is up to Heroes like us to storm them and put an end to their machinations! So to learn this, I'm going to divide you all into Heroes and Villains and conduct a 2v2 indoor battle!" All Might answered, his voice booming and echoing around the class.
"So no basic training?" Tsuyu asked.
"I believe practical experience is the best basic training there is! Now, any other questions before we decide on the teams?"
Mineta heard several questions being asked all at once and he had a hard time picking out who said what. But All Might immediately got them all to calm down and he pulled out a tiny piece of paper. The Hero unfolded it and began reading off the thing. The shorter boy had to do everything in his power to not laugh. Just think about it, a burly beast of a man face first in a scrap of paper. It's a hilarious sight to behold.
"Okay, here's the breakdown… Inside the building, the Villains has set up a bomb and the Heroes must conduct a search and secure. For the Villains to win, they need to defend the bomb until time runs out or capture both Heroes. For the Heroes, they need to capture the bomb or both Villains within the time limit."
"Wasn't there a movie with this plot last year?" Mineta thought as All Might put his little paper away. The Hero then pulled a box marked with the word 'Lots' from nowhere and presented it to the class.
"With that out of the way, you'll now be deciding your partners by lots."
While Iida asked why lots before Midoriya began to explain the reasoning, Mineta began thinking. There were 7 out of 19 chances that he'd get a partner he wanted, Midoriya or one of six girls, and those weren't good odds at all. He could get lucky, as he and Midoriya were these past several months… But given all that's happened already, Mineta doesn't expect a miracle.
He went up to All Might after noticing people already lined up. And once he got to the Hero, he drew from the big box of balls… D… Who had that again?
"It seems that your partner for today will be Young Bakugou. Good luck and do your best to bond with your classmate." All Might said with a shaky voice.
But even if Mineta noticed that, he was too busy withering in shock to have a reaction. He slowly turned to the explosive boy and noticed that he wasn't exactly thrilled either. And he was no doubt thinking the same thing Mineta was, this is going to suck. Despite that, there was nothing either of them could do to change this situation.
So with that said, Mineta dragged himself over to Bakugou and stood next to him. And as he watched the others draw their teams, with Midoriya having the luck to have Ochako as a teammate, he decided to distract himself from the frigid tension by studying his classmates' costumes. Well… One of his classmate's costumes…
"What's the story behind Yaoyorozu's? She seems like a proper lady, so why's she wearing something so revealing? Is it because it's practical? Or is it because it's something else?" Mineta muttered as he continued staring. He felt something smack the back of his head, nearly knocking him over. The shorter boy proceeded to rub the back of his head and turned to the culprit.
"What was that for?" He asked, glared at Bakugou. It was hard not to fall back into a cowardly state since the explosive boy's costume upped his intimidation factor. But Mineta had to keep it together, otherwise all that training, all that confidence building, would be for nothing.
"If you're going to be my teammate, you're going to behave. It'll reflect badly on me if I let you act like a horny bitch that's itching to pounce on someone." Bakugou replied, not bothering to make eye contact.
"It's always about you isn't it? Oh no, poor Bakugou, he has to spare a fuck because his teammate is being an imperfect little shit. If you're going to lecture me on behaving, then say that you're doing it for their sake instead of your own. Because all you've done is made me want to continue, except now I'm doing it just to annoy you." Mineta replied, practically spitting each syllable at him. That's it, keep sticking it to the man, don't tolerate his nonsense.
"As if any of your shitty attempts could get a rise out of me. You're an ant, so small and unremarkable that there's nothing that you can do to get my attention." Bakugou said with a smirk.
"I don't know, I remember someone losing their cool when I suggested that Midoriya–"
"Finish that sentence and I'll be sending your ashes to a vineyard." Bakugou snarled as the crease in his brow deepened. Mineta didn't say anything in return, but he did have a smirk on his face. His heart rate might have gone to the triple digits, but he finally got the last laugh on Bakugou. Maybe things won't be so bad after all.
"Now that that's out of the way… Let's begin in earnest! Our first battle is between…" All Might said as he pulled from two different boxes, one labeled Heroes and the other Villains. And when Mineta realized which was who, his smirk dropped and it was replaced with clenched teeth. Bakugou, on the other hand, had a sinister grin spreading across his lips.
"The Heroes are team A! And the Villains are team D!" All Might shouted. In other words…
Midoriya and Ochako Vs. Bakugou and Mineta.
Chapter 12: What I Am
Going into this assignment, Mineta had plotted many plans.
Plan A, if Midoriya was his teammate, he would do his best to highlight his friend's strength and show off their synergy. And with that display of team work, it would cement them as the ultimate duo.
Failing that, there was always Plan B. Should he team up with a girl, he would help them achieve victory whilst making a good impression. He'd look like an alright guy and, boom, one step closer into their hearts.
And if that wasn't the case either, plan C. If he teamed up anyone else, he would at least bring them to victory as quickly and efficiently as possible. It wasn't ideal, but he's not going to laze around and do nothing because of it.
But, under no circumstance, has Mineta ever thought THIS was the road he would be on. He slowly glanced over to his team mate, who was constantly adjusting his grenade shaped bracers. Ever since the two arrived to where the 'bomb' was located, Bakugou hasn't said a word. But even Mineta could tell that his fuse was about to run out. And he has no idea what to do when it does.
"Maybe if I don't say anything, he won't notice me. And then, we tackle this assignment on our own…" Mineta thought as he turned away, sweat soaking his face.
"Imp shit, tell me what the hell's going on with Deku."
Mineta froze as a shadow loomed over him. He turned to his team mate and found him practically in his face. It took all of the shorter boy's will to not flinch. Not that that would matter to Bakugou. Mineta took a step or two back before finally gaining the courage to speak. Though, in all honesty, he had no clue what Bakugou was referring to.
"What do you mean by that?"
"Don't bullshit around the bush, you know what." Bakugou replied, a snarl escaping his throat. Mineta took several more steps back, his face turning pale. But even as fear flowed through his veins, he still had no idea what Bakugou was referring to.
And as a result, this caused Bakugou to let a frustrated groan before finally clarifying the question.
"His fucking Quirk you dumbass! You and I both know he's a Quirkless shit who isn't worth a damn. So what the fuck happened yesterday?"
Oh, that… Well this is a bit of a problem. Because Bakugou knows Midoriya was Quirkless and Mineta had time to witness this, it's going to be harder to convince him. Still, the shorter boy was still going to try and hide the secret of his friend's Quirk. Even if he had no clear idea what that secret may be.
"Look man, I'm just as surprised as you. When Midoriya threw that ball like a monster yesterday, I wanted to know what's up. And he told me he suddenly manifested a Quirk! Like, right before the entrance exam." Mineta said. He had to try his hardest to not show any signs of hesitation since Bakugou can easily pick through that nonsense. Despite that, he could see that his team mate was narrowing his eyes.
"Bull. Shit. We both know that Quirks only manifest by the age of 4, no later." Bakugou replied.
Okay, next excuse. And even Bakugou had to admit that Humanity's current biology was strange. "Quirks are weird. Even after all this time, we still don't know a lot about how they work. I mean, you sweat nitro glycerin from your hands and I have balls for hair. So for all we know, Midoriya has this super rare mutation that made him wait for his Quirk."
"Sure, it's weird… But how does a Quirk that just manifested, have the power… OF A FUCKING TANK! Admit it, Deku hid his Quirk and acted like he's helpless little shit to laugh at us. He wasted my time and your pity just to show us up now." Bakugou replied.
"Oh for the love of…" Mineta groaned, having enough of his team mate's nonsense. "Why does this any of that matter? Quirk or no Quirk, Midoriya will always be the same Midoriya we know. So why don't you shut up, help me help you win this fight, and get this over with!"
Bakugou's face noticeably softened, as though he never expected the shorter boy to be so fierce. But that can't be the case as Mineta showed this courage before. And soon enough, he received an answer when the explosive boy flashed a toothy grin. The image of a demon manifesting around him…
"Yeah… You're right… It doesn't matter if he has a Quirk now; Deku's still the same, useless little shit I know."
Mineta felt his already cold sweat ice over. Whatever he just said, it rekindled that hatred within Bakugou. And as he paced around, grin still present, Mineta could only hope that Midoriya and Uraraka had a good plan. Because he just made things a whole lot worse for them.
"Alright teams, you may start!" All Might shouted through the communicators in their ears. Before Bakugou could rush out of the room, Mineta grabbed his hand to try and change the situation.
"Maybe I should head out, I'm better at scouting–."
In an instant, Bakugou threw Mineta aside as though he was flicking off a mosquito. And looking at him, the shorter boy could see the menace burning in his eyes."Fuck off, imp shit. If anyone's going out there, it's me. Stay here or I'll turn you into wine."
And with that, he left him to his own devices. For a while, Mineta just sat there with only silence to accompany him. He only thought to stand up when he began to hear All Might's voice ringing in his ear. "Young Mineta, are you okay? The match has started."
Mineta snapped back to his senses and found his fett under him again. But he still couldn't shake that ominous feeling that Bakugou left him. He proceeded to touch his communicator and sought some kind of guidance from the Symbol of Peace.
"Sorry All Might, but I'm worried that Bakugou might do something stupid. You… You would stop the fight if things get out of hand, right?"
"Ah, that's the problem. It's quite the concern, but I wouldn't be too worried about it. Everyone here must have put much effort to reach this point. So they should have the strength and resolve to break out of any pinch." All Might explained. But before Mineta could reply back, the Number One Hero began whispering to him.
"And you know just how much effort Young Midoriya has put in."
Memories of those months spent training alongside him resurfaced. Those days where Midoriya collapsed from exhaustion, vomit out his breakfast, and pass out in the middle of class were stressful. But as Mineta witnessed those events slowly become rarer and rarer, he realized just how that hard work was paying off. And because of that effort, he was here attending UA with him.
Yet here Mineta was, doubting all of that.
He slowly clenched his fist before he beat it against his own chest.
"Young Mineta!?" All Might asked, clearly confused over this action.
"I'm fine… But thank you All Might, I almost forgot something important…" Mineta replied as the pain slowly subsided. He needed to keep those memories close to his chest. He needed to remember that they were no longer the weaklings that got pushed around. That they, that Midoriya, earned the right to stand here like their more capable classmates.
"Okay, I'll take your word for it. Good luck." All Might said before the communicator went silent.
So with a deep breath, Mineta began running around to begin his preparations. He began scattering, seemingly at random, his sticky hair balls all over the place, several were even on the ceiling. He did, however, leave one spot completely empty, the area around the door. The short boy stopped as he felt blood bleed from his head. Taking out a handkerchief and wiping away the excess, Mineta examined his handiwork.
Normally, this wouldn't even look like a strategy. But, to a really observant or savvy person, this was a rather dangerous trap. Like cheese puffs to an animated toy, these balls are just far enough apart to walk carefully around. But one careless misstep and you're going to have more than ruined soles.
Mineta took another deep breath before he heard the door open slowly, breaking the silence. On instinct, he quickly leapt onto the nearest set of balls and sprang up towards the ceiling. And as he reached the ceiling, he quickly grabbed onto and dug his feet into the four balls closest to him. His cape then retracted like a curtain, tightly bundling itself so that couldn't sway at all.
He was now one with the ceiling.
"This still hasn't gotten any easier… But at least my cape's anti-dangle bits are working." Mineta mumbled to himself. It was certainly a strain on every muscle in his body. But he at least had the element of surprise.
He looked down from his position and saw Uraraka. And based on how she was looking around the entire room, she was looking for the best path forward. This delay was his chance to strike. Mineta, with whatever strength he could afford, began to slowly crawl towards Uraraka's location. And as he got closer, he heard Uraraka talking to herself.
"I don't have time for this. I'll just…" Uraraka said as began pressing her fingers around her body. Mineta quickly began adjusting his position as the girl began to float. With one last glance, seeing Uraraka kicking herself off the door, he let go of the ceiling and let gravity do its work.
Mineta fell. And as Uraraka floated through the air, the short boy landed right on top of her with a thud. But that was enough to send them both into the ground, where dozens of sticky balls waited for them. Luckily for Mineta, he harmlessly bounced off them. Although he did crash into that one spot that wasn't covered enough.
Unfortunately for Uraraka…
"Gross! What is this stuff? It's so sticky."
Mineta looked up from his half dazed state and saw a struggling Uraraka. He pumped his fist before taking out the capture tape he was given. He actually got someone with his Quirk! So, triumphantly marching, he greeted his captured foe.
"Hey Uraraka, having fun there? Cause I know I am."
Though as that thought ended, he began to kicking himself. Out of all the things he could say, he chose the most dubious option. Perhaps, as the focus that Aizawa's training granted him faded, his more perverse nature began creeping forward. A cute girl was stuck to the ground after all, how could Mineta avert his eyes to such a sight?
Mineta forced himself to look away to purge his thoughts. He had to keep it together or face the dire consequences waiting ahead. We're talking about retaliation from victim and friends, expelled from UA, convicted of sexual assault, and ostracized by all of society. But worst of all…
Facing Midoriya's disappointment.
That concept nearly brought Mineta to his knees. It was enough to shock him back into focusing on the task. He approached Uraraka and tied his capture tape around one of her arms. The girl was giving him a weird look and a part of Mineta began sweating. Was he thinking out loud during all of that?
"Umm… What's up?" He asked, praying that nothing was wrong.
"I could ask you that, you weren't talking back when I answered. What's wrong?"
Before Mineta could even hesitate to answer, a rather loud explosion echoed through the building. All the hairs on the back of Mineta's neck stood up as he began to clench his teeth. Midoriya was still fighting out there and is probably losing with his underdeveloped Quirk. But this is where the problem lies…
If Mineta doesn't help Midoriya, he'll end up all burnt and bloodied.
But if he does, then it'll just show how little faith he has in his partner.
"Go."
Mineta turned to Uraraka and saw the calm stare she was giving him. And despite the position she was in, the girl had a whole lot more dignity and grace than him right now. However, beyond that, Mineta had no idea why she wanted him to go. It's not fair to say this since they only just met yesterday… But does she not understand the kind of dilemma he was in?
"Don't give me that look, I could tell you're worried about Deku-kun too. He's alone down there fighting against someone who I could tell is much stronger. And since I'm stuck like this, you're the only one who can help him."
"But how? I don't think you know this, but I can't exactly help the other team." Mineta replied. Well at least that was enough of an answer since it left his true issue vague. But he's still stuck at square one. Uraraka, on the other hand, gave him a flat stare, as though she was burying her head into her hands.
"Who said anything about helping the team? Do you even remember what you need to do to win?"
For a moment, Mineta's mind blanked. He could feel the blood flowing more in his brain just to find the answer. But the moment the memory reappeared, the boy slapped himself. The solution was stupidly obvious. In a mix of worrying over and preparing for the fight, he forgot how to win it. It was a team fight that ends when one team could no longer fight or the time runs out. And since there's only one person on the other team left…
"Uraraka, where's your–?" Mineta asked as he quickly turned to the girl.
"My belt, left side." Uraraka replied. The boy quickly looked at her belt and noted the closed compartments on the side of it. He crouched down and began fiddling around with it until it opened. Mineta then proceeded to remove the capture tape from within. He quickly closed the compartment and ran to the door, expertly stepping around his sticky balls.
"Hang tight, it'll be over quick." Mineta said, before rushing out. Not that Uraraka could go anywhere before the match could end, but it's nice to say something.
Mineta kept running and running, following the sounds of explosions through the building. When he came across several blast marks and craters, the boy knew where the battle was. But he couldn't just show up right behind them. Mineta needed to intercept them somewhere down the road somehow.
"Come on Shitty Deku! Use that fucking Quirk of yours!"
The shorter boy quickly hid against the nearest wall and peered around it. There they were. Bakugou was laying waste to everything while Midoriya did his best to survive. Mineta felt sick as he noticed how much damage his friend took. Burns covered his arms, blood spilled from his nose, and the jumpsuit Ms. Midoriya got for him was practically shredded.
It was like their first meeting all over again… Only this time, Bakugou's serious about sending Midoriya home in casts.
But unlike then, Mineta had the power to move. And this time, he could finally do something for his savior. He stepped out as Midoriya and Bakugou continued to fight, too focused on each other to notice him. He then removed one of his baseballs from his bandolier. Mineta entered his pitcher's stance and focused his attention on the fight before him.
Bakugou and Midoriya began to slow down. And while it wasn't that much slower, Mineta could start to predict the two's movements. Here, he chose his moment. His leg was raised as every muscle began readying themselves. He stepped forward, his body twisting, and his arm whipped around.
As a result of all that, the great weight that rested upon his fingertips simply vanished.
It sailed straight and true… Right into Bakugou's hand that was about to explode against Midoriya. The force of the pitch caused the rather powerful blast to miss, leaving the two stunned. And taking advantage of this, Mineta threw one of his sticky balls to the ground and jumped on it after a running start. He launched forward and practically tackled Midoriya.
Once the two were on the ground, Mineta scrambled to his friend's arm and tied the capture tape around it. And had it not been for Aizawa's training, and his own skittish nature, he would've been too slow.
"That's the match! Villain team wins! Now return to the command room for a review."
All Might's bombastic voice roared through the building, signaling the end. Mineta let out a long sigh, it was over. Although saying it was over could be stretching it. The short boy felt himself get lifted off the ground as knuckles dug into his chest. Here, he found himself with the avatar of rage and pride himself.
"Oh… Hey Bakugou…" Mineta said, his bladder starting to fail him.
"Don't you give me that bullshit, imp fuck. Why the hell are you here? And why the hell did you end the fight?"
Surprisingly, for someone who's basically a human bomb, Bakugou's voice was calm. But the absolute fury etched onto his face betrayed that serenity. Mineta was terrified, completely so. However, he has to stand by his choices and face the consequences. So with a hard gulp, Mineta mustered his courage and challenged him head on.
"Isn't it obvious? I was just being a smart Villain. Why wouldn't we gang up on ONE person? And besides, I think Midoriya's had enough for one day, he looks like shit."
"I didn't need your help… And Deku isn't that fucked up, he could go another round. He owes me at least that much for fucking pulling his punches." Bakugou replied. He proceeded to toss Mineta aside and walked towards Midoriya, who was now up and about.
"Kacchan, I–" Midoriya began.
"Shut up, piss stain! This fight isn't over! One day, I'm going to make you use that damn Quirk and I'll crush you like always. So don't get full of yourself and think you got one over me. You didn't win, I didn't lose. Got it!?"
With that, Bakugou stormed off without another word. Mineta stared at the explosive boy, one brow raised much higher than the other. So much of what that guy said went right over him. Thus leaving the short boy with only one adequate word to utter. "What!?"
"It's complicated Mineta-kun… But thanks for the save; I actually wasn't sure what to do once Uraraka-san got caught." Midoriya replied as he limped next to his friend.
"I'm surprised you sent Uraraka in without any advice. Like, I thought you would give her all the details on me." Mineta said. Of course, maybe he did. But maybe the girl forgot when Bakugou started attacking them. Or maybe Mineta was just that unpredictable.
"Well, I told her what your Quirk did and how you would use it. But it's not like I can predict what angle you'll be coming from. Up would be a good start, but I know you're smarter than that. You're small and tricky, like a… Rat?" Midoriya replied, clearly confused at his own conclusion.
Mineta opened his mouth to protest. But as he thought about it, it made sense. He was small enough to go beneath notice. He was also crafty in the same way a rat had to sneak around for food. And he supposed that most people find him repulsive like one. So…
"Yeah… I guess that's what I am…"