Chapter 13: Say Representative
Mineta leaned back into his chair, the events of the other day playing over and over again in his head. It wasn't bad per say, just unexpected. And who could blame him for thinking that way? Before now, he and Midoriya were at the bottom of the social ladder. Both of them were, whether he liked it or not, doomed to live a life of mediocrity. But just yesterday…
…
"You looked really cool out there!" A pink haired and skinned girl said, squeezing her way through the crowd around Midoriya.
"But I los– OW!" He began before flinching, the pain from his wounds flaring up.
"Everyone, please us some space. I cannot apply any first aid under these conditions." Yaoyorozu said as she continued to bandage Midoriya. Their classmates relent, allowing the girl to continue patching up the boy in green. But despite being given breathing room, Midoriya was still all sorts of nervous.
No doubt because he was unused to the attention.
Mineta looked on as pride filled his chest. His best friend was finally getting the recognition he deserves. And while he lost, no one seemed to care about that. They were more focused on the great struggle that Midoriya put up against Bakugou. He fought his hardest and that's what mattered.
But at the same time… Mineta couldn't help but feel jealous of his friend. Not because he wasn't getting the same amount of recognition, he received some lukewarm comments. He was envious of Midoriya because he was being treated by the sexiest girl in the class. The way Yaoyorozu's delicate, diligent fingers worked across Midoriya's bruised and burnt muscles… It was as though he was watching a masterful pianist playing an entrancing solo.
Oh what Mineta wouldn't give to experience such a touch.
"OW!"
The shorter boy flinched as he turned back to the person before him. Uraraka was rubbing her left palm, giving Mineta a glare that made him shrink. He hastily bowed and quickly went back to his task. He first grabbed one of the balls that clung to Uraraka. He then slowly pulled it away, stretching the girl's bodysuit a little. Finally, he took his bare fingers and began stroking the area between her suit and his balls.
Slowly but surely, Mineta was removing his hairballs. It wasn't particularly fast, but he could at least avoid damaging Uraraka's costume. And avoiding damage means the girl will be able to wear it. And by wearing it, Midoriya will be able to 'study the tailoring' in depth.
"No, he's too good for that… If I'm going to build Midoriya and Uraraka's interest, I can't rely on sex appeal…" Mineta thought as he removed the last sticky ball from his classmate's body.
"Thanks, I thought I would be stuck to those all day." Uraraka said, still rubbing her palm.
"No problem, I couldn't just leave you hanging."
Before Uraraka followed up on that, All Might let out a thunderous clap and drew in Class 1A's attention. And while it was certainly effective, Mineta didn't think that was necessary. Though he supposed that All Might was still getting used to the teaching thing, this being his first day as a teacher.
"Alright young Heroes, let's review our first fight. Now, if our Heroes and Villains of the match step up, we'll begin explaining what you did right and wrong." All Might said. And here it was, the summary of their actions this match. So with that, Mineta, Uraraka, a freshly bandaged Midoriya, and an unusually silent Bakugou step forward.
All Might looked at them and looked at each of them. It was hard to guess what he was thinking about, since his expression never changed from his iconic smile. But Mineta did notice the relief when he got to Midoriya. The shorter boy let out a small smile to that, knowing that All Might was still looking out for his friend.
Though what he said next put aside that favoritism for cold, honest facts.
"Based on performance, the MVP of this battle would have to be young Mineta!" All Might said. Mineta swore his eyebrows shot straight though his mask and hit the moon. How on God's green Earth was he chosen to be the MVP? He didn't really do anything of note, just sneak around and fought like a rat.
And looking to the others, Mineta saw that they weren't surprised in the slightest. Uraraka had this knowing smile on her face. Bakugou glared at him with a mixture of respect and annoyance. And Midoriya, well, his eyes shined with awe.
Was he the only one who didn't get it?
"Now, could anyone explain why young Mineta was chosen?"
Yaoyorozu raised her hand and the Symbol of Peace gestured to her. "Young Yaoyorozu, what are your thoughts?"
"Based on actions and attitudes, the only sensible choice was Mineta-san. Bakugou-san, you fought with a burning hatred for Midoriya-san. Such a grudge caused you to focus solely on him and allowed Uraraka-san to slip through. Not only that, you caused a lot of collateral damage with your wilder attacks, risking the collapse of the building you're meant to defend." She explained. Bakugou said nothing as he casted his gaze aside.
Whether or not he was stewing on those criticisms, Mineta didn't know. Still, he went back to the lady in red for the rest of her explanation.
"Midoriya-san, you suffered from the same faults. You fought as though you had something to prove, refusing to give up until you've done so. This caused you to hold your ground against an opponent more skilled than you are. Had you considered retreating, you might've been able to gain the upper hand again."
The green haired boy nodded, writing down in his notebook everything she was saying. It was certainly an odd sight, to watch someone take careful notes of their failures. But Mineta knew this was Midoriya's way to better himself, studying others and reflecting on his own faults.
"Uraraka-san, you haphazardly went into a trapped area without examining your surroundings for a potential ambush. While I understand that the weapon was in arms reach and it would stop the one sided fight between Midoriya-san and Bakugou-san… You need to remember that overconfidence is a slow and insidious killer." Yaoyorozu explained.
Uraraka was constantly averting her classmate's serious stare. It was much like how a parent was scolding their child for making a serious mistake. As for Mineta, he felt bad for the girl. Had his ambush failed, perhaps she wouldn't feel like she had no impact on this fight. The boy needs to try to make it up to her and Midoriya for this fight.
"When considering all this, it makes Mineta-san's actions directed and focused. He scattered his strange sticky hairballs all over the room, ensuring that walking through would be slow and tedious. And by latching himself to the ceiling, he could literally get the drop on whoever came in. Whether it was Uraraka-san floating over the traps or Midoriya-san carefully stepping through it, he would catch them regardless." Yaoyorozu continued.
Now that she mentioned it… Mineta's ambush would actually be extremely debilitating to anyone that wasn't him. No matter what was done, the boy would be able to catch them. Float straight to the bomb? He would fall on top of you, forcing you onto the balls. Carefully walk around them? Much of the same will happen.
The only person Mineta could see avoiding that would be Bakugou, who could use his explosions to dodge him midair. Or blow a path through them.
"However, what surprised me was that once Mineta-san arrived at Bakugou-san's and Midoriya-san's location, he chose to attack the former over the latter. While it still led to your team's victory, I would like to know what your thought process was." Yaoyorozu continued.
Mineta then felt all eyes focus on him, waiting for an answer to that peculiar action. Despite the amount of pressure around him, he didn't flinch and proudly held his head high. "Isn't it obvious? I did that so Midoriya's injuries doesn't get any worse."
The rest of the class looked at the short boy, most of their faces shining. Even the more stoic couldn't help but nodding in approval. And while it was a shock to Mineta that such an action would be reasonable given that they were all aiming to be Heroes… He kept his mouth shut and basked in the attention. After all, it wasn't every day that he got praised for acting so honestly.
"Well said Young Yaoyorozu. However, I would like to note that Young Mineta acted a bit indecisive between capturing Young Uraraka and Young Midoriya. While it doesn't seem important now, that delay in judgment could cost you vital time. Take care to remember that." All Might said after an awkward cough. He must have felt a little inadequate after Yaoyorozu's detailed explanation.
But he did have a point. Had Uraraka not talked some sense into him, Mineta would've been struggling with his thoughts. And as a result, Midoriya wouldn't be standing here being criticized. So the short boy nodded and took note of the Number One Hero's words.
"Now that's over, let's change venue for our next fight. Follow me Young Heroes!" All Might said as he marched out the door.
From that point on, Mineta witnessed the many powers and abilities each of his classmates have. From simple Quirks like Kirishima's Harden, to complex ones like Yaotorozu's Creation, he got all of their effects. And as certain as the sun rises, Midoriya was furiously noting down each observation he has on his classmate's abilities. At the rate he was going at, Mineta thinks he might have at least had one whole page on each of them.
Not only that, everyone who wasn't Bakugou and Mineta got to experience the infamous Midoriya Mumble. All was right in the world…
…
Mineta couldn't help but smile every time he remembered that moment. For the first time, he and Midoriya were the center of attention. And after class, the others began formally introducing themselves to the duo. It was beyond his expectations, but a welcoming change from their Middle School days.
Now, what comes next?
"Man, what's with all the reporters? I know it's All Might, but it's scary how many of them are out there." Kaminari said with a sigh. Mineta turned his attention to the electric blonde. That's right; UA's front gates were swarming with reporters. As students came in, they would be bombarded with questions about the Symbol of Peace.
It was really overwhelming, having that many people quickly close in around you. But for Mineta, the feeling was more pronounced due to his shorter stature. To him, the crowd felt like waves threatening to swallow him whole. And it would if he didn't have anywhere to go.
It wasn't like he was claustrophobic. But being trapped by a wall of people was certainly not a good experience for Mineta.
"Unless that wall happens to be made of hot girls, I think I'll avoid having too many fans. I'm not like All Might or Midoriya, I'll be instantly pulped by a charging crowd." Mineta thought, folding his arms.
"Sit down, class is in session." Aizawa said as he walked in. Those who were not in their assigned seats quickly made their way to it as their teacher stood at the lectern. And once the various conversations were put to a halt, Aizawa laid down a hefty stack of papers.
"I've taken the liberty and reviewed your training assignment yesterday. While you all more or less performed within expectations… Bakugou, you need to grow up and start using some of that potential of yours."
"Okay…" The explosive boy grunted. Aizawa's tired eyes went to Mineta next, causing him to flinch.
"Mineta, you're too hesitant. Time is one resource Heroes don't have enough of, try not to waste it."
"Yes sir…" Mineta replied, sinking in his seat. How was it that Aizawa, who said the same thing All Might did, have that much more impact on him? Perhaps it was simply residual fear from his training days with the scraggly Hero. Whatever the case, his teacher was moving on to other announcements.
"Now, let's get to Home-room business… Today, you'll be picking a class president."
1A practically exploded into a cacophony of noise, many hands raised to be chosen. Mineta had to hold back the urge to throw himself into the fray. As nice as the position was, there was no way he would be chosen. All he would try to do was change the girls' dress code to have less skirt and more thigh.
However, that did leave the issue on who to choose for the job. None of 1A knew each other that well, so selecting the right person was going to be tricky. Mineta's thoughts stop as one voice broke through the din, his voice full of authority. Looking over, the shorter boy saw the stoic face of Iida Tenya.
"Everyone, being leader is not something for the faint of heart. Through careful consideration and precise judgment, they are the ones who lead others to a better tomorrow. And while we all would like such a position of power, ambition does not equate ability. So, to determine the best possible candidate, I would like to suggest we hold an election!"
While his words had power… Iida's suggestion was slightly undermined by the fact that he was raising his hand the highest, slightly shaking from the effort. But as his words rang through Mineta's head, the shorter boy had a half decent idea. So before anyone could say anything, Mineta stood on his desk and pointed towards Iida with all the flare he could muster.
"That's a fantastic idea Iida! Anyone who manages to get multiple votes can be trusted with the job!"
"But Mineta-chan, we've barely know each other. How do we decide on whom to vote for? Or how do we stop from voting for ourselves?" Tsuyu asked.
"Easy. Think back to our Hero Training class yesterday and remember how everyone performed. Then vote for the person whose actions spoke for them." Mineta replied. A sound of realization went through the room, the short boy's message getting across. Good, now that'll stop most people from voting for themselves. And with luck, they'll vote for someone who demonstrated good qualities of a leader.
Which automatically means no one will be voting for Bakugou other than himself due to his violence and impulsiveness.
"That's excellent reasoning Mineta-kun! Actions do speak louder than words! Aizawa-sensei, may we hold this vote?" Iida asked as he faced their teacher.
"Do whatever you want. Just make it quick." Aizawa answered, body already inside his sleeping sack. The class began preparing their votes, raking through their memories of yesterday. And as Mineta looked around, he could see everyone taking the time to consider the choices. Some were quicker than others, but the boy could tell that they were certain.
Okay, now that the die has been cast, it was time for Mineta to make his choice. And by that, he meant Midoriya. Who else would he vote for? The boy knew his friend was capable; all he needed to do was shed that nervousness of his. Combined with Midoriya's demonstration of his courage and determination yesterday, who wouldn't vote for such an underdog?
Mineta's plan to make Midoriya class president couldn't possibly fail.
…
His plan failed abysmally.
Mineta could only gawk at the board that had everyone's vote on it. While his plan resulted in a few people voting for themselves, from what he could tell at least. He himself ended up with at least a third of the class' votes. And right behind him was Midoriya, with four votes. Two votes went to Yaoyorozu. And rest of the candidates had one.
How on Earth did he end up with that many votes? What did he do yesterday that made him the 'right' choice? As he played back the memories, Mineta's brain stopped on one specific event. And once he processed it, his face slammed into the desk with a loud thud.
"Mineta-kun!?" Midoriya said as he turned around.
"Oh don't mind me Midoriya, I'm just getting acquainted with my desk." Mineta replied, face still flat against the desk. He really couldn't come up with any other response as his thoughts were kicking themselves.
Of course they would vote for Mineta, he was the guy who protected his friend from a ravenous bully of a Hero. But what's done is done; he's the Class President now. Though he supposed the situation could be worse. Midoriya was going to be his partner through this endeavor and there was no better person for the job.
…
"You know, I wonder if I'll do a good job as Vice President…" Midoriya said as he began eating his lunch. Currently, he and Mineta were sitting with Uraraka and Iida in Lunch Rush's Cafeteria. All around them, students of all years were chatting away with friends and classmates. Though for their group, there was a little more thought and reflection in their conversation.
"You'll do just fine dude. If anything, I think you're overqualified. " Mineta replied, changing his grip on the baseball he's holding.
"Yeah! I mean, you have all sorts of neat habits that'll help with your Vice Pres duties. And you were pretty awesome in the fight against Bakugou." Uraraka said, looking up from her bowl of rice.
"But I lost that fight."
"It's not about winning or losing Midoriya-kun. You demonstrated tenacity and quick judgment, something a good leader must have. That's the reason why I voted for you, despite my own desires for the position. If faced with a better representative, I'll humbly stand aside." Iida replied, pointing his spoon at Midoriya. Mineta nodded to those sentiments, having witnessed it before. The short boy then perked up as Iida's words played again in his head.
"Humbly?" Midoriya asked, having picked that up too.
"Say Iida-kun… Are you a rich kid?" Uraraka asked, eyes shining with all sorts of expectations. Mineta found himself joining the pressure game as Iida let out a nervous sigh.
"I don't like to mention it but… I am part of a renowned Hero family, their second son in fact. Have you heard of the Turbo Hero Ingenium?"
From there Midoriya started to blab all sorts of facts about the Hero. He only stopped once Mineta tossed his baseball at him, forcing him to stop and catch it. Using that moment, Iida told the group how the Hero was his brother, sharing a few personal anecdotes with them. And as he talked about his brother, the three noticed how Iida's lips were pulled into a smile.
It was the age old tale of Brotherly bonds; nothing should be special about it… But Mineta couldn't help but let his heart take in these emotions. There was something about listening to someone talk about their Hero that lifts one's spirit. Perhaps it's listening to someone honestly talk about their Heroes, since very few shares the same one.
Midoriya, for example, has a deep admiration for All Might while Mineta has Midoriya on the pedestal.
"Wow, I've never seen a smile that wide on you Iida. You and your Brother must really get along." Uraraka said as she picked up her soup.
"Of course! Our family is as well oiled as the engines in our bodies! And what is that first line supposed to mean!? My smiles could be plenty wide!" Iida replied, his body physically flinching to her words. Before either Midoriya or Mineta could let out a laugh, a loud, piercing shriek of a noise began to shoot through the air.
"The Hell's that!?" Mineta shouted, ears covered by his hands.
"The Alarm!" Midoriya shouted back.
"Security Level 3 has been broken. All students, please evacuate the building in an orderly manner." The intercom said, it's mechanical voice breaking through the unease. But that only served to make the students more uneasy, causing many to start going for the exit. And Iida found out what this all means from an older student nearby.
"It means someone broke into UA! Something that hasn't happened in three years! You all need to get moving!"
Neither of the four said anything else and began follow the crowd. But as they all soon found out, many people going out of a single exit leads to a bad situation. Mineta felt himself slowly losing space as people all around began closing in. He lost sight of Midoriya, Uraraka, and Iida in this sea of bodies. An appropriate metaphor, since he was starting to drown.
"Shit! It's getting hard to breathe! I need to climb–!" Mineta thought before a shove from behind knocked him off his feet. The boy abandoned that thought and immediately grabbed to people's uniforms to stop himself from falling. While that solved one problem, it still didn't help that there was no longer any stable space below for his feet. And as people began to shuffle around in a blind panic, Mineta felt himself being pulled in two directions.
"No, no, no, no!" Mineta thought as his grip began slipping. He tried to grab onto another person's uniform, but he missed as another shove moved the person away. Mineta began to fall through the cracks, his vision slowly being replaced by the green trousers and exposed legs of the surrounding students. Was he really going to be trampled by this panicked horde?
He still hasn't proved himself worthy of being called Midoriya's partner…
"Mineta-san!"
The boy felt his fall stop, his uniform collar caught on something. He turned around to see Yaoyorozu grabbing the back of his uniform, struggling a little due to poor footing and lack of space. But she provided him the recovery he needed. With new found balance, he grabbed a person's uniform and climbed. Before long, he was on their shoulders, his body following the sway of their body to stay standing.
"Sorry, don't mind me." Mineta said to the person he was standing on. The guy just grumbled something then focused back on not getting crushed. Mineta sighed as his harrowing experience was over. But there was still the problem of the crowd. How does he get everyone to calm down?
Something flew by him at incredible speed, nearly knocking him back down. But looking at the spinning blur, Mineta knew who it was and what he was doing. And seeing Uraraka stuck in the crowd behind him only confirmed it. It was a plan that was both effective and bold…
Even if it made Iida look a little silly.
"Everyone! Everything's fine!" Iida roared. The sheer force of his authoritative voice stopped everyone, halting the panicking horde. Mineta almost lost his balance again due to how sudden the calm was. But turning back to the man turned traffic director; Iida began explaining the cause of the commotion. Supplementing his words were sounds of Police sirens. The students began to disperse and Mineta leapt back down when an opening was available.
And oh how good the earth feels when it's his feet and not his face touching it.
…
It was 1A's afternoon home room period and it was a time for a decision. Midoriya and Mineta stood before their classmates, both of them resolved on something. That much was obvious from the luster in both of their eyes. Stepping forward first, the short boy addressed his classmates.
"Midoriya and I had a talk about our positions as 1A's Class representatives following what happened at lunch. And both of us feel like there are others more suitable for the job. So, without regret, I wish to give my position over to Iida, who calmed that crowd quickly and efficiently. Anyone who has any issue with this, say it now."
Not a single person argued, not even Bakugou. Instead they all looked back at the boy in glasses with cheers and compliments. Iida stood up and gave a salute, his body ready for this sacred office.
"I'll do my best!"
Mineta nodded and stepped back, allowing Midoriya to step forward. He was a little more nervous than his friend, but he still spoke with plenty heart.
"And I would like to hand my position to Yaoyorozu-san. In the afternoon, I saw how you prevented Mineta-kun from being trampled. But more than that, I noticed how calm and collected you were. It's a mentality few have and I think it would serve you better if you were a leader instead of a follower."
Everyone looked to the girl at corner desk as she stood up. Yaoyorozu's eyes closed, carefully considering the green haired boy's words. And upon opening them, she gave her answer with a resolute declaration.
"If you believe that Midoriya-san, then I shall do my best as well."
A rowdy cheer rang through the class as Midoriya and Mineta joined in. And although Aizawa put an end to the uproar with his usual lethargy and menace, everyone was in high spirits. But through these good times, Mineta felt like something big was about to happen to them. After all, how did all those reporters get into UA?
Call it a coward's hunch, but they were about to become part of something bigger.
Chapter 14: Blindsided
Mineta was practically bouncing in his seat as the seconds ticked by. He checked the clock again and it was 12:49 PM, just a minute away from Basic Hero Training. And while the chaos of 1A's first training did startle him, it was nothing short of exciting. And why would it? Between all the action, beautiful girls in great costumes, and the chance to team up with his partner…
There was nothing that could convince Mineta to miss a period of Hero Training.
And today would begin their second foray into the world of Heroics. The bell sounded as the Class of 1A sat down and awaited their destiny. Mineta heard Midoriya hold his breath, no doubt waiting to see what kind of entrance All Might's going to make today. The door slid open and–
"Quiet down, class is in session." Aizawa said as he stepped in. While everyone in the class was already quiet, there were curious murmurs floating around. As for Mineta, his joy was deader than his teacher's tone, already dreading whatever this man had planned for them.
"Today's Basic Hero Training will involve me, All Might, and another Hero. As you all know, fighting Villains is but one task a Hero must face. When disaster strikes, a Hero must be able to help those caught in its wake. From fires to floods, we must be able to provide rescue relief. That's right, today we'll be doing some rescue training." Aizawa continued, presenting a card that said 'rescue' on it.
Those words quickly changed Mineta's tune. For one half of his brain, it meant recreating those awfully cliché scenes involving a noble knight and some damsel in distress. The other half generated the image of Midoriya's back the day Mineta met him. Both were profound motivators for the shorter boy to take this task seriously…
Though he doubts this training would end up being this drastic.
Mineta's senses snapped up as he felt Aizawa's glare. He then pulled out a remote, the same one All Might had the other day, and pressed a button. The wall pulled out and there sat the cases that held Class 1A's costumes.
"You may wear your costumes if you want. However, I'll have you know that some costumes are ill suited for this task. The site we'll be training at is a bit far, so we'll be going by bus. If none of you have any questions, then start getting ready. That'll be all." Aizawa said.
As their classmates began getting up to get their costumes, Mineta knocked at the back of Midoriya's chair. The shorter boy was about to ask him if he was ready. But upon making eye contact, he saw the focus in his partner's eyes. So without a word, Mineta gave him a thumbs up and Midoriya responded with a nod.
He was going to do his best.
After a quick trip to the changing rooms, 1A stood outside ready for duty. And as Mineta studied his classmates' costumes, he noted some of them were missing an accessory of some sort. Most notably was Bakugou, who was wearing only one of the grenade shaped bracers.
"I suppose even Bakugou has to admit that those things are cumbersome." Mineta commented.
"Well we are doing rescue work. And Kacchan's smart enough to know that bringing something like that along is only going to hinder him." Midoriya replied as he adjusted his gloves.
"But why's he still wearing one?"
"He doesn't want to be completely unarmed." Midoriya said. The shorter boy conceded on that as Bakugou would never allow himself to be caught with his pants down. It was here that Mineta noticed Uraraka approach, a question dwelling in her eyes. Seeing a chance to build Midoriya's confidence, the shorter boy didn't warn his partner of her presence.
"Deku-kun, why are you wearing your gym clothes?" Uraraka asked.
The green haired boy flinched to her sudden appearance. And like before, Midoriya got a little flustered when he saw Uraraka in her costume. But unlike last time, Mineta didn't need to shake his partner out of his stupor. He himself broke free of his own nervousness and engaged in the conversation. The shorter boy couldn't be any more proud of Midoriya. He was starting to grow out of his shell.
"W-Well it was practically shredded during Battle Training, so I have to wear this while it gets repaired. But it's kind of sad though, I lost a symbol of my Hero identity on day one."
"Aww, don't think like that Deku-kun. A costume's just a costume; it's all about the person that wears it." Uraraka said with a smile.
While Mineta wanted to say that Midoriya's costume meant a little more to him than just that… He couldn't bring himself to say something like that after words like those. Seriously, how was Uraraka able to convert even the slightest bit of negativity into something good?
"Thanks Uraraka-san, I'll keep that in mind." Midoriya replied, returning a softer smile. The piercing noise of a whistle began to ring through the air, interrupting the three as they turned to the source. And to no one's surprise, the noise came from Iida taking his new duties as Class President to new degrees of seriousness.
"Everyone! Please line up according to your ID numbers and fill out the seats in an orderly fashion from back to front!" He shouted before blowing into the whistle again.
"Iida's going all out…" Midoriya commented, sweat rolling down the back of his head.
"I hope he realizes that this bus isn't the kind he has in mind." Mineta replied as he examined the structure of the bus.
"Should we say something?" Uraraka asked.
"Nah. Now come on, the sooner we get on line, the sooner he'll see his mistake." Mineta replied before leading the other two to the rest of their classmates. Once lined up according to their numbers, 1A began to file into the bus one by one. Mineta ended up in the back of the bus and away from Midoriya or any of the other friends he made.
And as the bus began driving their training location, some weird conversations were going on around Midoriya. The shorter boy felt isolated, since his seatmate, the awfully aloof Todoroki, wasn't exactly chatty. However, things were quiet enough for him to catch what was going on.
"Midoriya-chan, I generally speak my mind. So if you don't mind, I'd like to make a comment." Tsuyu began as she looked to Midoriya.
"O-Of course Asui-san, I don't mind." Midoriya replied.
"Call me Tsuyu-chan. And despite seeing it only once, your Quirk reminds me of All Might's." Tsuyu said.
Mineta had to suppress the garbled noise that was coming up his throat. This conversation was going to a dangerous place because it was touching what was obviously a secret. And not helping matters was Midoriya flubbing around as he tried to form a sentence. Mineta needed an intervention; otherwise the worst case scenario he imagined will occur.
"Hold up Tsuyu, All Might doesn't hurt himself every time he uses his Quirk." Their red haired classmate, Kirishima, said. Mineta let out a sigh of relief as someone else pointed out a logical difference. Crisis averted. From there, the conversation went to discussing about everyone's Quirks, mostly on how strong it is and how flashy it looks, and how it could lead to popularity.
Here, the shorter boy picked up everyone's disposition on their abilities. Kirishima's Hardening is practical, but he doesn't feel like it's anything special. Aoyama's Naval Laser is strong and noticeable, but the guy plays up its strength and ignores the weaknesses. But the conversation was eventually led to Bakugou and Todoroki's Quirk. And while everyone agrees that those two have powerful abilities fit for a Hero…
"That maybe… But Bakugou-chan's violent, he'll never become popular." Tsuyu commented.
"The fuck was that Frog Face!?" Bakugou screamed as he stood up from his seat.
"You're not helping your case man." Mineta commented, a grin spreading across his face. It wasn't everyday that someone was brave enough to insult Bakugou while he was present. But here was one girl who did just that. In Mineta's mind, Tsuyu's ranking on his list just went up.
"Fuck you Rat Bitch!"
"Even though we've only started socializing… You've made it abundantly clear that your personality is no different than the contents found in a ruptured septic tank." Kaminari commented. Mineta placed his hands over his mouth in a futile attempt to stop the laughter and hide his smile. It was here he realized that all the prestige Bakugou had from before meant nothing in UA. No one thought he was special, just another student like them.
Oh how the mighty have fallen.
"Settle down, we've arrived." Aizawa announced before the Bakugou slamming could continue. Okay, as fun as that was, it's time to get to work. Mineta began to think about what kind of situations he would be useful in. His small stature means he could slip into collapsed spaces easily. And… That was about everything he could think of.
The boy sunk into his seat with a groan. He needed to figure out how to apply himself to these kinds of situations. Otherwise, he'd be no help to anyone, least of all Midoriya. So with a few deep breaths, Mineta began to open his mind and actually began thinking.
How do I rescue people with what I have?
The shorter boy continued to think until the bus came to a stop. There, 1A exited the bus and followed Aizawa into a rather large, dome shaped building. And upon entering, Mineta and just about everyone else felt the scale of the place. All over there were six mock disaster sites, all connected by a central plaza that looked far too normal in comparison.
"You know… I'm starting to wonder just how much money UA has… Just look at this place." Mineta commented as his eyes scanned the entire facility.
"UA's one of the best schools for Heroics, I imagine they get plenty of sponsors... And government funding. But beyond that, this place gives off the feeling of a passion project." Midoriya replied, his eyes doing the same thing.
"That's because it is, I helped build this facility myself after all." A light hearted voice said. Mineta and Midoriya turned around and saw someone in a space suit like costume standing before the class. From the puffy body to black dome helmet, the shorter boy was able to easily recognize the person. But his partner was able to voice that answer before he could.
"You're the Space Hero Thirteen, one of the best rescue workers in the business!"
"That I am. Welcome youngsters to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint, USJ for short. In this place, you'll be experiencing every known accident and disaster known to man here. Though it may be scary, rescue work is a quite easy so long as you keep a level head." Thirteen said.
"Before you continue, where's All Might? He should be here." Aizawa interrupted.
"Well… You see…" The space Hero murmured as they beckoned to Aizawa. For a moment, the two talked in hushed whispers, creating some concern build in Mineta. He looked towards his partner and saw the frown on his face. The shorter boy nudged him before gesturing to come down to his level.
"You keep up with the news, did something happen with All Might?" Mineta asked as Midoriya leaned down.
"Not really… He just fought off some Villains on his way to UA. All Might's probably just a little tired." Midoriya replied, voice a little shaky. The shorter boy had to prevent his doubt from showing. Once again, his partner was keeping some secret from him. And based on what was said, it definitely revolves around All Might and whatever condition he has. But beyond this, Mineta has no idea what's going on between his friend and the Symbol of Peace.
"Maybe I should stop thinking about it… The truth would probably go over my head anyway…" Mineta thought before he registered a new presence next to them. He and Midoriya looked and found Uraraka and Iida staring at them. It took all the strength they had to not flinch and cause a scene.
"U-Uraraka-san? I-Iida-kun? What're doing down here?" Midoriya asked quietly.
"We could ask you the same thing. You and Mineta-kun look like you're scheming something, and in front of the teachers no less." Iida answered in a hush yet harsh voice.
"And why are we whispering?" Uraraka added. Before Midoriya could flounder out some half baked lie, Mineta decided to use say something of their behalf.
"Seeing Thirteen in person made me wonder… Is it a guy or girl underneath that suit? And I wanted Midoriya's opinion on it." Mineta said quickly. Uraraka and Iida stared at the shorter boy before he saw their eyes go to the Space Hero. And from there, Mineta saw their minds undergoing mental gymnastics over that question. The shorter boy looked to his partner, about to make give him a thumbs up…
Only to see Midoriya deeply processing the question like the other two were.
"Wait… You don't know either!?" Mineta thought. Then again, he shouldn't be talking as he has no clue either.
"Then it can't be helped. Alright students, let's get started." Aizawa announced, catching the attention of his students.
"Ah wait! Allow me to make a point or two… Or three… Or four…" Thirteen said. Mineta felt the increasingly awkward air developing around his classmates as the count went up. Luckily for them, their scraggly teacher wordlessly interrupted his coworker, allowing them to get back to the main idea.
"Now, I'm sure you all know that my Quirk is called Black Hole. And like its namesake, it can pull anything in and tear them apart." The Space Hero said.
"And you've used it to save many people in all sorts of disasters." Midoriya added as Uraraka nodded excitedly. Seems like the girl's a fan of Thirteen… But responding to the green haired boy, the Space Hero took on a darker tone.
"That maybe true… But if I let my concentration slip, I could easily kill those I'm trying to help. And it's not just me, any one of your Quirk has the potential to kill if the right conditions are present. So it's good to keep in mind that, despite our regulations on Quirks, one wrong move could result in a death… Either yours or someone else's…"
The air was frigid and Mineta could hear the unease in his classmates. But the Hero did make good points. No matter how weak a Quirk is, there's still a chance for it to be dangerous. And learning how to prevent those conditions from appearing, or dealing with it when it did, was part of their training.
With that thought, Thirteen's mood changed into something much lighter. "Worry not though. You've all experience Aizawa's Fitness test and All Might's Battle Training, you know the potential you carry and dangers that could follow. Now it's my turn to show you how to channel all that in a way that can help save lives. It is what Heroes do after all."
A few began to cheer at the Space Hero's inspiring words. And with a powerful motivation, Mineta felt that today was going to be a good day. But as Aizawa was about give out instructions… His eyes focused on something down at the plaza. Mineta followed his teacher's gaze and noticed some kind of black smoke gathering.
But in that small instant, he saw it… The face of evil…
From the expanding shadows, a pale man with hands covering his face and body emerged. And following him were people with wide grins, starving eyes, and an aura of bloodlust. Combined with their dark or grotesque appearances, Mineta could only think of one thing to explain this.
"Villains!? Here!?" He blurted out.
"Wait what!?" Kirishima asked, looking at the shorter boy.
"Stay together and don't move! Thirteen, protect them!" Aizawa shouted as he slid his goggles over his eyes. Mineta instinctively backed away and moved closer to his classmates. But despite having a brain addled by fear, he heard his own thoughts berating him.
Why are you like this? Didn't you train to get some backbone? So why are you still afraid?
He shook out those questions off as Mineta began listen to what's happening around him. His classmates were putting together what they knew about the enemy tactics so far. And so to distract himself from his inner demons, he began processing everything to answer the million dollar question… Why?
USJ was far away from the main campus, meaning they were almost isolated from the outside.
The Villains also had greater numbers to combat whoever was here.
And lastly, the security system was disabled by a Quirk, preventing reinforcements from being contacted.
From this, Mineta knew that this was a well planned sneak attack. But that still didn't answer the question of why. What could they accomplish by coming here? The question remained unanswered as he heard Midoriya arguing with Aizawa. Something about being him being unsuited to fight direct battles. But that triggered a memory from inside Mineta's mind…
A memory involving Aizawa charging head first towards him.
Mineta patted his partner's arm, causing Midoriya to look at him. "Dude, I think Aizawa knows what he's doing."
"But…"
"Listen well… A good Hero knows more than one trick." Aizawa said before literarily leaping into the fray. It was here that 1A bore witness to the true strength of their scraggly teacher. Villains were unable to use whatever Quirks they had as they were pulled every which way by his scarf. And in the end, the Villains' faces either met the ground, Aizawa's fists and feet, or each other's faces. It was quite the display of skill and finesse.
"He really is a Kung Fu Master…" Mineta said.
"Did you expect otherwise?" Midoriya replied.
"This is no time for talking you two! We must evacuate!" Iida shouted as he guided his classmates forward. The two quickly turned and nodded to their Class President, quickly began evacuating with the rest of 1A. But the thing with Villains was that they never make things simple.
"I cannot allow you to leave!" A deep but polite voice shouted. A wall of unnaturally black smoke appeared in front of the class and loomed over them all. And once everyone stopped in their tracks, part of the smoke began to form a vague head like shape within a strange collar before two glowing slits appeared. If Mineta had to guess, that was the Villain's head.
"Greetings, Heroes, we are the League of Villains. Forgive our audacity, but today we've come to UA for one thing… To orchestrate the death of All Might." The smoke said calmly. But despite the Villain's etiquette, Mineta, class 1A, and especially Midoriya shuddered to his words.
What?
"We were under the impression that he would be present today… Was there some sort of schedule revision? No matter, my task remains unchanged… I must ask you all to perish."
Mineta would've collapsed onto the ground, flat on his butt, had the prowling form of Bakugou not dashed forward. Despite how the shorter boy felt about him, he was really glad to have Bakugou on their side. The human grenade quickly raised his hand and detonated the air in front of him. And following him up was Kirishima, who clawed at the slashed at the smoke with a hardened arm.
"How's that!? We're not as helpless as you thought huh!?" Kirishima shouted, unease still lacing his throat.
But just as quickly as the two attacked him, the smoke came back and mostly unfazed.
"That was close… And you're absolutely correct. Students you maybe, there was a reason all of you were chosen to be future Heroes…"
"Get back you two!" Thirteen shouted. The smoke exploded towards the class and soon enough, Mineta's vision was swallowed. The shorter boy could neither scream nor move due to sheer terror. He may have trained to become stronger; all of this was too much for his brain to comprehend. Just moments ago they were all chatting like normal kids… Now they're all in a fight for their lives against real Villains!
"Please just let this be a dream! I'm not ready for something like this!" Mineta thought as he squeezed his eyelids shut. No amount of training with Aizawa could've prepared him for this level of madness. And no amount of screaming from the courageous portion of his heart could get him to move. Forget being Midoriya's partner, he couldn't even be a normal Hero under this level of pressure!
And it only got worse when he felt weightless. Curiosity overwhelmed him and he let his eyelids open just a crack. Before him was a span of shimmering deep blue. Mineta didn't even formulate a thought before landed face first into it. This was water.
He flailed around a bit before instinct pulled him to his senses, allowing him to calm down a little. But upon fully opening his eyes, Mineta noticed how a few Villains began to surround him.
"That's it... I'm done for… Sorry for not being a better partner Midoriya…" Mineta thought as he slowly closed his eyes again. He suddenly felt himself get swept up by something fast, but he ignored it, seeing that he was dead anyways. It then began to hold him closer. And whatever this was, it had a soft body. Finding comfort in it, Mineta wrapped his arms around it and nuzzled closer to it.
If this was an angel bringing him to the great beyond, he might as well enjoy the last vestiges of his mortal life.
"Mineta-chan… Stop that, it's embarrassing." A flat voice said. Not the kind of voice he expected from an angel… But it did get him to relax… Reminded him of his old classmate Asui Tsuyu…
"M-Mineta-kun, y-you're safe. So… You should probably let go of Asui-san." Another voice said, this one sounding very flustered.
"Call me Tsuyu-chan."
Mineta opened his eyes while turning to the other voice. As it adjusted to the light, he saw the vibrant green hair, modest freckles, and shining eyes of Midoriya Izuku. The shorter boy took some time to process this, but he still wasn't thinking straight.
"Midoriya? Are we dead?"
"No, we're all very much alive." The first voice answered. Mineta turned to the source, only to himself face first in a pair of breasts. Oh…
The shorter boy immediately released his hold and fell onto his back, banging his head against the floor. But that pain wasn't his immediate concern at the moment. He proceeded to get on his knees and began to prostrate before the person in front of him.
"I'm sorry! I didn't mean to do that! I was in a really dark place! But thank you for rescuing me! My life and body is yours to use!" Mineta screamed.
"Apology accepted, just don't freak out on us again." Tsuyu replied with a slight blush on her face.
"Yes Ma'am!" Mineta screamed as he got up. As good as that was, he hoped this action wouldn't affect his or Midoriya's current reputation in 1A that much.
But now that the panic stage was finished, Mineta turned to his partner with renewed hope. And while Midoriya was still a bit flustered at what just transpired… Upon seeing the fire in Mineta's eyes, he hardened his resolve as well and looked to the water. He was no doubt keeping an eye out on the Villains within it.
"Okay… What do we know so far?" He asked.
"The Villains have executed a well organized attack in hopes of killing All Might somehow. They wouldn't just show up to get beaten if they didn't have the means after all. They've also jammed any means of calling the outside world for help." Tsuyu answered calmly.
"Uhhh… That smoke guy could warp people around. So he could use it to escape, separate us again, or send us to a more dangerous place." Mineta replied after a moment of thought. Because Tsuyu summarized the overall situation, he had to pick at the bones she left out.
"And right now, we're stuck in the Flooded Zone surrounded by Villains. Since we don't know when help will come… We will have to break out of this situation ourselves." Midoriya said as he turned to the two. Normally, Mineta would be panicking one more. But because he had some reliable people with him, the boy was able to hold it together. Besides, fighting was their only option at this point.
On this ship, there was nowhere to run that doesn't involve going into the water. Then there was the possibility that the Villains down there could also have a water Quirk that could sink the ship, forcing a fight. So with that, they might as well come up with some sort of plan while they had the upper hand.
"As scary as that sounds… I'm with you Midoriya. What's the plan?" Mineta said. Midoriya pointed out to the water and Mineta looked overboard, seeing several Villains glaring at them from the water's surface. The shorter boy swallowed the lump that was in his throat, they looked ready to tear them apart.
"The Villains all have Quirks that favor being in the water. The fact that they're not trying to board supports this. They have a great advantage over us, the result of some meticulously formed plan. But here's the funny thing… Why would they send you, Asu– Tsuyu-chan to the Flooded Zone?" Midoriya asked as he turned to his amphibious classmate.
Mineta turned to the girl as well only to find her blankly staring back at Midoriya. The shorter boy looked at his partner, only to find him slowly getting more and more defeated. He quickly nudged him, causing Midoriya to shake out of his stupor and rephrased the question. Because, in all honesty, even he wasn't seeing the point his partner was making.
"If they had known about your Quirk, why didn't they send you somewhere else?"
Now that got Tsuyu to react and Mineta thinking. His partner was absolutely right. If they wanted a complete advantage, they wouldn't want a girl who was amphibious here. But because she was, it meant that the Villains had no idea what their Quirks were beforehand. The element of surprise was now theirs to use.
"I see… With this, we might be able to surprise them. But before we take action, we should probably review what our abilities are first. Makes it easier to plan a strategy." Tsuyu replied.
"Good Idea. My Quirk's Super Strength, but I have some difficulty controlling it. If I attack, I'll just end up with a broken limb. It's a double edged sword…" Midoriya explained.
"My Quirk gives me these weird hair balls. They stick to everything but me; in that case it just bounces off. And depending on how I'm feeling, they could stay stuck all day." Mineta said. He then proceeded to pluck one of his balls off and stuck it to the wall as a demonstration. Tsuyu blankly stared at him and it gave Mineta the impression that she wasn't all that impressed.
"You can laugh now…" Mineta murmured, head hanging low.
"It's not bad, just strange. But I digress. My Quirk gives me all the qualities of a frog. I can jump really high, stick to walls, and stretch my tongue up to 20 meters. I could also spit up my stomach for cleaning and secrete a slightly stinging poison. Those last two abilities aren't particularly useful, so please disregard them" Tsuyu replied.
"S-Stomach?" Midoriya asked, his face becoming a shade closer to his hair.
"S-Secrete?" Mineta replied, his face becoming a tad pinker.
Before the girl could say something in response, the ship beneath them shook violently. While the three managed to stay on their feet, they noticed that the ship was almost cut in half. There also appeared to be several breaches in the hull. They were taking on water and it wouldn't be long before their sanctuary sunk.
"Holy shit! The situation just got worse Midoriya!" Mineta screamed. He was barely able to keep a hold on his morale. But any more and the shorter boy would no doubt break down again. This was their only chance to attack.
"Then it's now or never, here's the plan. I'll jump off and use my Quirk to on the water. The force will punch a hole and displace the water. When that happens, Asui-san, take Mineta-kun, jump towards land, and pick me up along the way with your tongue. Mineta-kun, as soon as you're airborne, you need to throw as many of your hair balls into the water as possible." Midoriya explained.
"And they'll all get swept in your whirlpool yeah? Along with the Villains?" Mineta replied, connecting the dots on Midoriya's daring escape plan.
"Precisely… We have one shot at this, so let's put everything we got into it." Midoriya replied before turning to the Villains in the water. Mineta and Tsuyu looked at each other and gave a nod, getting ready to play their part. The amphibious girl hoisted the shorter boy under one arm, crouching in preparation to jump. And the shorter boy began to carefully stretch his arms.
Normally, Mineta would've used this opportunity to 'closely study' Tsuyu's costume. But because there was a sight he knew he couldn't miss, Mineta gladly ignored his inner deviant and focused on the reliable back of Midoriya Izuku. And just like the day they met, this gave the shorter boy a brilliant courage.
"Take this!" Midoriya then leapt from the ship's railings and aimed his arm towards the water. "Die!"
"DELAWARE! SMASH!" He screamed. A rush of air surged from Midoriya's arm and sent him upwards. But for the Villain's below, they were caught in the initial shock wave of his attack.
Without missing a beat, Tsuyu jumped from the ship and grabbed the green haired boy with her tongue. Mineta looked to his partner and noticed the broken fingers. He couldn't let that sacrifice be in vain, so he reached up to his head… And chucked those hairballs into the water with reckless abandon.
The water that was once separated by Midoriya's shockwave began to flow again. And with the powerful current, both the Villains and the many sticky hairballs were sucked in. The balls stuck themselves to the Villains and then to each other. Before long, all the Villains were just one big tangled mess of limbs and adhesive.
"All washed up. Good work you two, we're over our first hurdle." Tsuyu said calmly.
Mineta and Midoriya looked the girl and gave her a thumbs up. This was truly a job well done.