So. Mina's last plan was a devastating failure.
Alright, she's maybe being dramatic there, but it certainly wasn't a success! Not a full one, anyway.
Naturally, bringing Dazai and Chuuya along on the shopping trip wasn't just so they could get stuff for the camp. No, Mina had planned to take them to a few romantic shops; the type of places where you get matching necklaces with each other's faces on, and really put her matchmaking skills to work.
But no!
Sure, Aizawa-sensei did make a good point about people recognising class 1A, and yeah, if Dazai and Chuuya had been there, things could have got dangerous, had Shigaraki set his sights on them, but still!
Dressing the two of them up was fun, and Mina made sure to thank Kaminari and Jirou for their work, but that hardly makes up for the rest of her plan being tossed out.
Mina could only console herself with the knowledge that Dazai thought Chuuya looked good dressed up like that and, hopefully, Chuuya thought the same about him.
Fortunately, Hagakure is a genius who didn't let the failure of the last plan hold her down. While Mina was upset about it, her partner was working out a new plan that would surely yield some results!
When Hagakure had revealed this plan in hushed whispers, Mina had cursed herself for not thinking of it sooner!
After all, as Mina's trusty second in command had put it, what's better than seeing the person you're crushing on in a swimsuit?
-
"Alright, you guys! Let's have some fun!" Mina holds up an inflatable ball as she smiles, unable to deny the part of herself that is excited to just play around.
Of course, she won't neglect her duties as the matchmaker supreme, but having a little fun while she works won't kill anyone! Especially with how hot it is outside; if she doesn't get in the water soon, Mina might just melt!
Midoriya smiles at her, an unknowing accomplice to her schemes. See, had Mina asked Aizawa-sensei about the pool by herself, he might have gotten suspicious and rejected her request. Having Midoriya there—who, while a little troublesome in battle, is the perfect student—helped her case big time.
Part of Mina does feel bad about it, especially considering what he went through the other day with Shigaraki, but it's not like she was entirely lying to him! Everyone from class 1A was invited, and they will be doing some endurance training after messing around for a bit.
It's just that Mina will also be doing her best to get Dazai and Chuuya to acknowledge their feelings and kiss!
However, as Mina jumps into the pool, she notices she hasn't actually seen either of them yet.
They both came to the pool with the class, Mina had verified that herself, but so far neither of them has left the changing rooms.
Which is fine! A few other people haven't come out yet either, so it's really just a matter of time.
Still, it does make Mina a little nervous. She really wants this plan to work, or at the very least to strike something in Dazai and Chuuya.
Very soon, they'll be leaving for the training camp, which might end up keeping Mina too busy to make any real matchmaking attempts. If that does happen, this could be her last real attempt for a little while. With that in mind, Mina absolutely has to make the most of it!
And in the interest of doing just that, Mina had already asked someone from her trusty team to help out.
Ideally, Mina would be able to get Dazai and Chuuya together with no other help. After all, the more people, the more room for mistakes—which is something Mina can't afford! The absolute last thing Mina wants is for someone to get hurt by her plans, which is why she'd done her best to keep things between her and Hagakure in the past.
But now, Mina knows she must properly make use of her loyal team.
Across the pool, Mina watches as Dazai and Chuuya finally leave the changing rooms. To her disappointment, Dazai is still dressed in his uniform, and Chuuya is wearing a shirt over his swimming costume. Chuuya still looks good, of course, but it's not quite what Mina had imagined for her plan.
"Both of them are covered up," Hagakure whispers from behind Mina, which absolutely does not make her jump.
Mina holds up the inflatable ball, partially to stop anyone from reading her lips and partially to hide her face. She'd been really looking forward to Dazai and Chuuya walking out in swimming costumes…
Not because she wanted to check them out or anything! But because the tension between the two of them could have been perfect for her plan. Surrounded by people, neither would be able to properly check the other out, and yet they would keep glancing over regardless.
The tension would build, and then, when Mina enacted the second part of her plan, things would come to a head. Dazai would surely stop caring about the other people around them, instead deciding to make a stand!
"Um, Mina? What should we do now?" Hagakure asks, and Mina is beyond glad that not many people are able to notice when she blushes.
Clearing her throat, Mina makes sure to speak in low tones, "We can still carry out the second part of the plan."
It might not be as impactful anymore, which is a real shame, but Mina is sure things will turn out just fine! After all, getting them to check each other out was just part one of the plan today, just the starter in the menu of love she's prepared.
The main course—the star of the show—won't be so easy to avoid!
It's with that mindset that Mina shoos Hagakure away, throws the ball to an eager Kaminari, and sets off to put the pieces in motion for her plan.
When all of this started, Mina had made a list of people she wouldn't allow to be on her team, no matter what. Todoroki, despite his excellent skills at most everything else, did not make the list. It really wasn't anything personal, but Todoroki just didn't seem the type to go along with this sort of thing and be good at it.
Kirishima, on the other hand, was perfect.
Not only is he sociable, but convincing him to join had been all too easy! All Mina had to do was explain the truth: that she had noticed there was definitely something between those two, and she just wants them to be happy—that's it.
And yeah, maybe she did slip in a few things about how being in the Port Mafia meant they couldn't be together, and even now they were probably too scared to admit their feelings, but that's probably all true anyway!
Regardless of what Mina did or didn't say, Kirishima was eager to help, just as she thought he would be.
Today's plan actually hinges on Kirishima working his magic, which Mina had told him last night, and he had promptly promised not to screw things up with that big grin of his. Mina had, in return, reassured him that just doing his best is enough and that things just go wrong sometimes without warning.
Internally, she was begging for things to go perfectly.
Mina, doing her best to act casual about it, slides up to the side of the pool.
Kirishima, resting by the edge of the pool, his legs being the only things in the water, leans down slightly when Mina gets close, "Is it time?"
Mina discreetly looks around before nodding, "You've totally got this."
The first step of the plan—the one Kirishima will soon be carrying out—is by far the hardest part.
Kirishima, and she'll thank him endlessly if he's successful, has to convince Todoroki to flirt with Chuuya.
Not real flirting, obviously, but just enough that Dazai gets jealous, maybe so he comes over and puts an arm around Chuuya, and with a glare—
Mina shoves that to the back of her head, not the time!
Kirishima pulls his legs out of the water, sending Mina a comforting smile before standing. In a matter of seconds he's arrived by Todoroki's side, his posture so relaxed that even Mina would have trouble noticing that he's up to something.
Now, even with Kirishima's apparent acting skills, there are a few points where this could go wrong if they're not careful.
One, Todoroki might realise what Kirishima is suggesting and shut it down. Admittedly, it's unlikely: Mina once saw him watch a romance film and call the lovers 'really good friends' at the end. Two, he might say the wrong thing, which could have a whole range of ripple effects. Best-case scenario: he goes in even harder with the flirting; worst-case, he says something that comes off as an insult, and Chuuya decides he hates Todoroki.
Which is something Mina would genuinely feel bad about; Todoroki really is trying to befriend those two, and all of that would be ruined by her plan.
If the worst really does come to pass, then Mina will make sure to own up to it, but she really hopes it doesn't come to that. Admitting that she put Todoroki up to flirting with Chuuya would raise a whole host of questions, all of which would give away her true intentions and probably land her in trouble with Aizawa-sensei.
Still, there was just no one else who could take his place!
Not only is Todoroki a man, but he's also somewhat close to Chuuya, which would make him register as a romantic threat to Dazai. Had someone like, say, Sero done it, then Dazai could have easily brushed it off and gone about his day.
It also helps that Mina could see Chuuya and Todoroki working well as an actual couple. While the relationship would definitely be lacking the back-and-forth banter Chuuya has with Dazai, Todoroki's sincere way of speaking would probably make a great impression on Chuuya.
Having spent time with just Chuuya—no Dazai around, for once—Mina can confirm he's not even half as pissed off when Dazai isn't involved.
For someone as smart as Dazai, he'd definitely be able to see how well those two would work together, thus making Todoroki even more of a romantic rival.
In contrast, if Mina had somehow gotten Bakugou to go flirt with Dazai, she severely doubts Chuuya would have cared.
Mina can't see Bakugou getting along well with Dazai for prolonged periods of time. Or any periods of time, actually. Not even when they're both asleep, what with how Dazai would absolutely be able to pull some insane trick off while completely passed out.
Not that Mina would ever let Bakugou in on this plan anyway.
But yeah! While there is room for error, and Mina worries about that greatly, Todoroki is the best choice for this. He's earnest enough to follow through on the plan even without knowing all the details, responsible enough to (hopefully) not make any major mistakes, and romantically disinclined enough not to realise what he's doing.
Likewise, Kirishima is also the best choice to set things up. While Mina could do it—and maybe, in another world, her anxieties took over and she did—using her team just makes the most sense. Dazai and Chuuya are smart guys; there's no way they won't pick up on her matchmaking eventually.
Kirishima wasn't involved in the last plan at all, so neither of them should be expecting him.
Focusing back in, Mina just about manages to catch Todoroki nodding before walking off in Chuuya's direction. His face gives nothing away, but that's nothing new.
Still, Mina can't help the excitement that builds. Here it goes!
Todoroki walks past Dazai, only slowing down enough to give him a brief nod before continuing. Dazai, who had slipped a few inflatable rings onto his ankles, paused, his single eye watching as Todoroki got closer and closer to Chuuya.
Yes, be jealous already! Todoroki is going over there to talk with your man! Flirt with him, even!
When Todoroki stops in front of Chuuya, unintentionally interrupting his conversation with Yaoyorozu, Mina feels a little lightheaded from excitement. She's not close enough to hear what he's actually saying, but that hardly matters! After all, she was the one who scripted the pick-up line to begin with!
'Are you my appendix? I don't know what you do or how you work, but I feel like I should take you out.'
Now, Mina isn't quite sure how Chuuya will react to all this. He might just be confused, maybe asking Todoroki what the hell he's on about, or he might get annoyed. There's also the chance he'll play along, although the chances are a lot slimmer there. She could see it happening, though, especially if Chuuya noticed Dazai getting annoyed and wanted to get his own back a little.
Point is, while Mina might be interested to see how Chuuya will react, the more important reaction belongs to Dazai.
So, despite part of her wanting to see where this goes with Chuuya, Mina switches her attention to see…
Huh.
Maybe Mina is too far away to properly see? That must be it, right? Because there is no way, absolutely no way, that Dazai is just unaffected by this!
Sure, he gave Chuuya a teasing look, but almost immediately, he turned away and started dipping his feet into the pool!
Which makes no sense at all!
Dazai is supposed to get jealous that Todoroki is flirting with Chuuya, and maybe even more so if Chuuya played along, and come intervene! He's supposed to like, place a hand on Chuuya's waist as a subtle 'He's mine'!
But no! He's just acting like nothing has happened!
Mina, so caught up in her despair, doesn't notice the inflatable ball heading her direction until it hits her head and, much to her upset, pops on one of her horns.
Ugh, this day just keeps getting worse and worse!!!
-
Thirty minutes and one new inflatable balloon courtesy of Yaoyorozu later, and Mina is feeling better.
Really, Mina had been so sure Dazai would get jealous of Chuuya being flirted with, but she was wrong, and that's alright. Everyone makes mistakes, everyone has those days, right?
Honestly, the only thing keeping Mina going right now, other than the amusing sight of everyone looking concerned every time Kaminari gets in the water, is that she has a backup plan.
And oh, this backup plan will work!
She was wrong the last time, but the core on which this backup is built is something she is certain of!
Dazai and Chuuya care about each other a lot. Mina has seen them in fights before, has seen how they work so perfectly together, how they keep an eye on each other while pretending they couldn't care less.
If one of them was in danger, then the other would surely jump in to help, right?
And maybe, when filled with adrenaline, their real feelings would come bubbling up to the top.
At that point, Mina will be watching carefully for when it happens; all it will take is a small nudge to get them to acknowledge how they feel and confess!
Of course, this plan is trickier to pull off—which is why it was the backup—but Mina has faith in her team!
Especially when she has someone like Hagakure to help out!
Without Mina even needing to send a signal or anything, Hagakure had already slipped back into the changing rooms upon seeing the failure of the first plan.
There is part of Mina that feels restless just hanging around, waiting for everyone else to further the plan along, but she knows this is for the best. Different people have different specialities, and this area is definitely Hagakure's.
And so Mina waits.
She smiles at other people, makes sure to hit the ball as far away from her as possible, and waits.
Admittedly, she also inches closer and closer to Dazai as the seconds tick by, trying her best to act casual about it. With the last plan, she hadn't needed to be close enough to listen in on the conversation, and technically, she doesn't for this plan either, but it's just…
Well, she really wants to!
Who knows what Dazai might say in the heat of the moment! Maybe he'll call out for Chuuya, or scold him for being reckless, which would naturally lead to him slipping up about why he cares so much.
Settling up against the wall of the pool, Mina does her best to eavesdrop without making it too obvious.
"So, Midori-kun," Dazai starts, "I heard what happened yesterday."
Midoriya does his signature awkward laugh, and Mina can perfectly picture him rubbing the back of his head, "Ah, yeah… Actually, I did want to talk to you about that."
Dazai hums, "Well, I have been taken hostage a few times. What advice do you need?"
For a second, Mina is genuinely alarmed, then she remembers that this really shouldn't be new knowledge. Dazai was part of the Port Mafia: getting taken hostage a few times seems kinda par for the course.
Especially in the romance dramas she's seen, if there is some sort of shady organisation, then someone is absolutely getting kidnapped, which then leads to the love interest storming in to save them… Wait, does that mean Chuuya has had to run in and save Dazai before?!
This whole time, Mina has just a tiny bit been imagining Chuuya as the main character and Dazai as the love interest, but now she's thinking about it—wouldn't it make sense to be the other way around?
Wait... If that's the case, then the plan—
Mina whips her head around, only partially taking in Midoriya and Dazai's conversation as she desperately tries to look for Hagakure.
"—about you guys, but he said he didn't care—"
"My heart—"
A shock to no one, finding an invisible girl is really damn hard.
Alright, Mina will have to change her plan of action here. Hagakure should be finished changing by now, so it's only a matter of minutes until she enacts the plan, which Mina absolutely needs to stop! Watching for her is a lost cause, so Mina will just have to go over and guard Chuuya herself.
Faster than she ever has before, Mina pulls herself out of the pool, eyes locked on Chuuya.
It's too late, though.
Despite her best efforts to speed walk (had she run, Iida would have intercepted her with a five-minute lecture) over there, Mina is still too far away when her eyes catch on watery footprints nearing Chuuya.
Before she can even open her mouth, Chuuya jerks and splashes into the pool.
A second later, Chuuya surfaces from the water, annoyance and anger mixed into a deadly glare on his face. After a quick glance at Dazai, who wasn't close enough to push him, the anger washes away, the annoyance soon turning into confusion when he finds no one new standing at the pool edge.
Mina feels herself flush, how could she be so stupid!!
She got too caught up in the mafia romance dramas, leading her to incorrectly assume Dazai is the overprotective one! Of course it's Chuuya!!
Ugh, thinking about it now, it makes way too much sense! Dazai isn't going to help Chuuya get out of the pool, but Chuuya would absolutely help Dazai! Not only would his bandages get all wet, but Dazai would probably pretend he didn't know how to swim or something.
Stupid! A great plan has now gone to waste!!
-
It's hard to stay motivated when two plans fall to ruin within a few miserable hours of each other, even more so when Mina's entire world has been rocked.
That's what it feels like anyway. Yeah, she hasn't done anything crazy with her plans yet, but she still put so much work into them! She has so many ideas written down, some even being developed by Hagakure, and now it's all for nothing!
Kirishima keeps sending her worried looks, and Mina imagines Hagakure is too, but she's too depressed to care.
By now, the rest of the class has moved on to seeing who can race across the pool quickest, which Mina would so take part in if her heart wasn't so heavy. What's the point in anything anymore?
The first few races go by quickly enough, especially when most of the class decides they'll just use their Quirks to circumvent the water entirely. It kinda defeats the purpose of a swimming contest, but everyone agreed they could use their Quirks, so whatever.
Neither Dazai nor Chuuya participates, although Bakugou did his best to goad Chuuya into it. Chuuya can't use his Ability, though, and no matter how good a swimmer he is, there's no way he's going to beat someone flying across the pool with explosions.
The final race arrives and, to absolutely no one's shock, it's down to Bakugou, Midoriya, and Todoroki.
They take position at the end of the pool, and everyone else crowds around the edge to cheer them on.
With everyone else so focused, Mina is one of the few to notice Aizawa-sensei appearing, his eyes already red with his Quirk.
Dazai shoots him a grin as the second after the whistle for the final race blows, Aizawa-sensei uses his Quirk on the three competitors. Admittedly, it does raise Mina's spirits a little to see the three of them crash into the water, utterly confused as to why their Quirks didn't work.
Still, after realising how badly she messed up, Mina can't escape how depressed she feels about it all.
-
Later that evening, when everyone is busy packing for the training camp, Mina makes the journey down to Dazai and Chuuya's rooms.
Yesterday, at the shopping centre, she had picked up a few things for Dazai and Chuuya, like she promised. Some of it wasn't related to her plans—just some delicious snacks she doubted they have back in Yokohama—but there were a few things picked out with matchmaking in mind.
And sure, there wasn't anything too specific, so she can easily swap around who gets what, but Mina still can't help but feel bummed out when she looks at it all. She had picked some of these books out with intent for who would read them, and now that's all for nothing!
Still, Mina will pass everything along, if not to uphold her promise, then to make sure nothing goes to waste. She had spent good money on getting everything, so leaving it all on her desk for eternity would just make her feel worse!
So, after hyping herself up, Mina went down and knocked on Chuuya's door. Out of the two of them, Chuuya is way more earnest, if she asks him to share the snacks with Dazai then he probably will. So long as Dazai doesn't annoy him too much.
For a few seconds, Mina can't hear anything coming from the other side of the door. There's no muffled call to wait a minute, no shuffle of bedsheets or sleepy groans.
Then, just as Mina assumes she'll need to knock on Dazai's door instead, the door opens.
Behind it isn't Chuuya, as Mina had logically assumed, but rather Dazai.
"Is Chuuya there?" Mina asks, a little lost on how to proceed. She had knocked on the right door… Oh god, what if she got it wrong?
Dazai shrugs, "He's here, but not the best conversational partner at the moment." Shifting to the side a little, Dazai gestures to Chuuya, who is passed out in bed.
That, frankly, only raises more questions.
"Chibi is such a little dog," Dazai sighs, "He can't even sleep without his master right next to him."
Huh?
…
Huh.
Wait a second, does that mean—
"You guys sleep together?" Mina's voice comes out as a horrid mix between rushed excitement and a careful whisper. She doesn't want to wake Chuuya up, but like! This is insane!
This… This opens up a whole new world for her plans! Oh god, if they sleep with each other like this, then they must have some acknowledgement of their feelings, right?! Or are they pretending they're still just friends, that the other is only doing this to be nice?!
Mina shoves the books and snacks into Dazai's hands, her mind racing with all the new possibilities.
She needs to speak with Hagakure now!
-
Dazai had, admittedly, been expecting Mina to have some dramatic reaction upon hearing about his sleeping arrangements, but running away wasn't quite what he was imagining.
Which is a great shame, there's only so long he can entertain himself by making fun of Chuuya while he sleeps.
Oh well, he'll just find something else to do while Chuuya snores on him.
Mina had shoved a few books in his hands, actually, so maybe he could give them a read? They probably won't be to his tastes, not unless Mina found another part to his darling suicide book, but he'll make do.
Setting the various snacks down on Chuuya's desk, Dazai begins flipping through the books, intent on—
Dazai laughs, unable to keep the sound from bubbling up. Oh, yes, these books will be just perfect.
After all, Dazai should be able to learn so much from such thrilling titles as 'Our Forbidden Romance', 'Darkness, Mafia, and Love', and 'My Heart Rebels.'
-
Aizawa is not a man who likes to wake up early.
He is even less of a man who likes to wake up early, only to deal with twenty-odd teenagers first thing. It's one thing to show up and teach them each morning, but having to control the chaos and make sure everyone is packed and ready for training camp is a new sort of hell.
It's only by the grace of god that Aizawa manages to get his class out to the coaches on time, something that he had lost hope in when Midoriya, of all people, realised he had misplaced his packed suitcase.
But, regardless, Aizawa had found the suitcase and personally made sure it was tucked away on the coach. In fact, just to be sure, he had made a mental list to keep track of who had put their suitcases on and who hadn't. It would be an absolute nightmare to arrive at the training camp only to hear 'Sensei, I forgot my suitcase…'
Fortunately, aside from the problem with Midoriya, no one else had any issues getting their suitcases on the coach. Now all Aizawa has to do is actually get them on the coach, which admittedly might take a few pointed uses of his Quirk.
"Alright, listen up," Aizawa starts, pleased to find his students actually stop talking, "This training camp isn't going to be fun and games, we'll be pushing you hard. I expect that everyone will pay attention and focus, understand?"
His class all call out their agreements, although a large part of him doubts they're being honest. Maybe a few of them will really focus and give it their all—Yaoyorozu and Todoroki being prime examples—but it's far too easy for Aizawa to imagine his class complaining about the workload and slacking off.
It's not that he has no confidence in his class; if that were the case, he'd have expelled the lot ages ago, but, at the end of the day, they are still teenagers. Even if they're training to become Heroes, training to achieve the dream they've been chasing for years, it's impractical to expect them all to be as self-disciplined as adults are.
Well, not yet anyway. With any luck, they'll pick up a thing or two from this camp.
Dazai and Nakahara, at the very least, should have taken Aizawa's warning more seriously if nothing else. Neither of them has been told about the plans for the training camp, but it wouldn't surprise Aizawa if they figured it out.
That, or they're just treating it with the same level of caution that they do everything.
Which is to say, Dazai is biting Nakahara's arm and pretending it wasn't him, all while Nakahara gets increasingly more pissed off.
Really, looking at the two of them now makes it hard to remember how competent they really are.
"Alright Dazai," Aizawa sighs, "Stop biting him."
Dazai, thankfully, listens before Nakahara gets violent.
Unfortunately, though, it seems Dazai won't entertain the idea of just patiently waiting until it's time to leave. With Aizawa now in his sights, he shuffles closer before leaning towards Aizawa's ear, his voice far too exaggerated to be a proper whisper.
"Say, Sensei, know that you can trust me with secrets~" Dazai gives him an expectant look, eye quickly flicking over to his fellow classmates, none the wiser of what Dazai's hinting at.
Well, that proves Aizawa's theory then.
It's alright though, Aizawa still has a few tricks up his sleeve that he's certain Dazai won't be able to predict. He hopes so, anyway.
"I'll keep that in mind," Aizawa responds drily. He's most sure Dazai can keep a secret well, probably better than some Pro Heroes. Either through sheer stupidity, or the need to be the centre of attention, information is always leaking through to the press due to Pro Heroes.
Well, even if Dazai does tell the class, it hardly matters. At the end of the day Aizawa is the one in charge, unless they want to be shipped back to UA, then 1A will do ask they're told on this trip.
"I heard that seven whole 1A students failed the practical exam!"
Ah, looks like class 1B have arrived.
Monoma, whom Aizawa knows for a fact also failed the practical exam, loudly laughs, grinning wider than a kid meeting All Might for the first time, "How embarrassing!! Aren't you supposed to be even better than 1B? And yet here you are—"
For a split second, Aizawa considers stepping in himself to get Monoma to quiet down. While a little taunting between classes isn't against the rules, it does cause problems when people like Bakugou take the insults personally. Maybe, once they've all arrived at camp, then Aizawa will let is slide so his class can be a bit more motivated, but for now he'd rather his class be as calm as possible on the coach.
Thankfully, not a moment later Kendo, 1B's class representative, lands a perfect hit on Monoma's neck to knock him out. In just mere seconds, Monoma went from arrogantly insulting class 1A to being slumped on the floor.
Really, encouraging Kendo to hit her classmates, especially somewhere sensitive like the neck, isn't the best idea. She's not Aizawa's student, though, so it's not his problem.
"Sorry about him," Kendo sends a smile towards the students of class 1A.
While a few of his members of class 1A look a little annoyed, or a lot in Bakugou's case, thankfully none of them decide to kick up a fuss about it.
Dazai then decides to remind Aizawa of his presence by stepping into his line of sight with a hum, "Sensei, about these extra classes…"
"You're not getting out of them," Aizawa responds, satisfied to see Dazai dramatically pout in return.
"But Sensei," Dazai starts, "It's not like I'm a real student anyway, and we both know that I could have won that match."
Which is true. While Aizawa does try his best to treat Dazai and Nakahara like regular students, there is no denying that things are different for them. For one, no matter how badly they do on exams, they'll never have to worry about expulsion.
Really, anything short of malicious intent to harm another student wouldn't have an effect on their positions at UA. On top of that, there's no real expectation for Dazai and Nakahara to become Heroes by the end of all this.
While, yes, it would be good, there's no way anyone can force them into the job. The main goal of having them at UA is to just improve their morals as much as possible. Make them less likely to slip back into a life of crime.
On the topic of Dazai winning that match… Well, Aizawa agrees with that too. As he recalls, Dazai was quite literally minutes away from passing through the exit gate, thus winning him the match.
He hadn't made it through the gate though, and neither had he put the handcuffs on Nakahara.
"And yet you lost the match, so look forward to extra classes," Aizawa then, uncaring towards Dazai's reaction, calls for the rest of his students to get on the coaches.
Predictably, it only takes a second for Iida to rush over to the coach and start attempting to get his classmates on. While some listen, a large number drag their feet a little, which only causes Iida to shout louder.
In contrast, Kendo waves goodbye to class 1A before throwing Monoma over her shoulder, class 1B following behind her without any complaint.
Sometimes, Aizawa wonders how different his life would have been if he had been assigned class 1B instead.
-
Midoriya is quite excited for the training camp, for more reasons than most.
Obviously, he's excited to work on his Quirk—he always is—but that's not entirely it. Hanging out with the rest of his class, and seeing them develop their Quirks, is also a bonus, but still not the main reason why he's been looking forward to it.
Well, two days ago it was, but now his feelings have changed.
Running into Shigaraki had left him feeling on edge, even long after he left the shopping centre. The feeling of having a hand around his neck refused to leave him, and the fear of knowing anyone could die in just a matter of seconds left him struggling to sleep that night.
The police and a few Pros had been quick to arrive once Uraraka reported the incident, but still slow enough that Midoriya can only imagine how many people could have died in that time.
Shigaraki wasn't caught, but the detective handling the case had been quick to reassure Midoriya that he had done the right thing. That, because of his ability to stay level-headed, no one had died.
Typically, Midoriya always felt proud when he was praised for things like that, for things that would make him a good Pro Hero one day. When the detective had said that, though, and even when All Might had found him after and said almost the same thing, Midoriya had still felt too high-strung to really appreciate it.
Seeing his mother waiting outside the police station was nice, although getting scolded by her hadn't helped his mood. Midoriya understands why, though, and can't quite find it in himself to blame her.
Sure, there's some expectation of injury and Villain run-ins as a Pro in training, but not at this level as a first year. Of course, his mother would be worried and upset about it, and Midoriya would do anything to keep her from feeling like that.
Unfortunately, that's something outside of his control.
Shigaraki will attack again, and Midoriya wouldn't be able to forgive himself if he just sat it out. As All Might's successor, it's his responsibility to take down All for One and anyone associated with him, no matter how intimidating that thought is.
The pool day yesterday had been fun, had helped keep Midoriya's mind away from such dark topics, but it had only lasted so long. Once Midoriya was back in his dorm, his thoughts and worries all came rushing back in.
But, so he hopes, that shouldn't be a problem at the training camp.
Training his Quirk will keep him preoccupied during the day, and he'll most probably end up sharing a room with a good few classmates, so he won't even be able to stew alone in his thoughts at night either.
The coach ride there was enough to prove that, given that the chaotic chatter of his classmates had kept Midoriya thoroughly entertained.
Now, pulled over on a high mountain road, Midoriya actually feels pretty happy. Even if bad things are sure to happen, Midoriya can just enjoy the time he has before that. Besides, Aizawa-sensei and the other Heroes at UA will also be expecting another attack from the League, which will hopefully negate the dire situation that happened at the USJ.
Midoriya, despite mulling this all over, still notices as a sleek black car pulls up next to the coach. A few of his classmates seem to notice as well, sending confused and slightly worried looks over to Aizawa-sensei, who doesn't acknowledge them.
Then, without warning, one of the car doors swings open, giving way for two brightly dressed women to spring out.
"Your feline fantasies are here, say meow!" The first one, with a brown bob and dressed in red, announces. Her arms swing around, coming to rest near her head as she lunges.
The long-haired blonde woman is next, popping one arm up above her head while the other rests right by her chin, "Purrrfectly cute and cat-like girls!"
They share a grin before continuing, perfectly in sync, "You can call us… The Wild, Wild Pussycats!"
Despite their energetic display, absolutely no one speaks.
Of course, that's excluding Midoriya.
Being so into Pro Heroes, he naturally recognised the pair before they even had a chance to introduce themselves. The bright coloured outfits, the puffy skirts, the huge cat paws, tails, and even ears—
"It's the Wild, Wild Pussycats!" Midoriya gasps, slightly in disbelief that he actually got to see their chant in person, "One of the best search and rescue teams in Japan! They were founded twelve years ago, which is crazy since most Pro Hero groups don't last even half as long! Given that it was like, forever ago—"
Midoriya, too consumed in his rambles, doesn't notice as both Heroes flinch when he mentions how long ago they debuted. When he dares to say 'forever ago', however, their displeasure is quickly brought to his attention.
Without him even realising, Pixie Bob, the one dressed in blue, is prodding him on the cheeks with her claws, "Don't you know it's rude to comment on a lady's age?"
Midoriya flushes. He really hadn't meant it like that!
Pro Heroes just don't tend to stay around for so long, let alone groups! There are only a handful of groups that make it past the first five years without one, or more, members leaving to go solo.
All four Wild, Wild Pussycats still working together is an insane achievement after so many years!
Midoriya, try as he might to explain himself, is forced to stay quiet and allow Pixie Bob to continue poking his cheeks when Mandalay starts speaking.
After sending an amused look in Midoriya's direction, she turns to face the rest of the class, gesturing to the expansive forest behind them, "This forest is owned by the Wild, Wild Pussycats. A lot of people tend to get lost in this area, so it's great practise for us when there aren't any Villain attacks. On top of that, since it's private land, everyone is free to use their Quirks as they please."
Which… Feels like a weird thing to say.
Unless—
Aizawa-sensei had said this was just a rest stop, but meeting two other Pro Heroes is hardly a coincidence! Ah, if Midoriya hadn't been so swept up in the excitement, he might have figured it out sooner! Then, before he caught the ire of Pixie Bob, he could have properly warned his classmates!
Alas, as Pixie Bob is still standing right in front of him, claws lingering near his face, Midoriya is helpless to warn his classmates. He really doesn't want to find out what she might do if he started yelling at his classmates to be on guard.
Fortunately, a few members of class 1A seem to have caught on, their faces twitching as they begin to nervously shuffle backwards.
Mandalay, uncaring, grins, "The current time is 9:30 am, if you're fast, you might make it by noon…"
That seems to be enough for everyone to pick up on what's going on, horror dawning on their faces as they jerk and attempt to rush back to the coach. For a second, Midoriya contemplates warning them that it's pointless, even if they manage to get past Aizawa-sensei (very unlikely), there's still the problem of Pixie Bob.
Pixie Bob, who had run over to the coach the second Mandalay said the time.
Now, standing between the entire class and the coach, Pixie Bob grins before slamming her hands on the ground below them, the dirt splintering and shifting with ease, "Kitties that don't make it by 12:30 pm don't get any lunch!"
The ground shakes, and Midoriya finds himself in free fall.
Panic threatens to overcome him, but he knows better than to just cry and flail around. He mustn't hesitate, mustn't allow his own panic to get in the way and cause someone to get hurt.
Activating One for All, Midoriya does his best to launch off the larger chunks of mud, aiming a few punches at stray chunks that would have, without intervention, hit one of his classmates.
Well, that's what it had looked like, despite Midoriya knowing the risk was rather minimal.
Pixie Bob's Quirk, Earth Flow, gives her full control of any dirt within her range. This avalanche, while appearing chaotic, is the work of her fine control, that much, Midoriya is sure of.
Negating the risk while also pushing Midoriya and his classmates into a situation where they think the danger is real, thus forcing them to take it seriously and work hard.
Yeah, it's obvious Aizawa-sensei was behind this one.
In the chaos, he catches sight of Chuuya, surrounded in red light, plummeting to the ground. A few chunks of dirt catch him, turning red with his Ability before following him straight to the ground.
Moments later, Dazai goes flying by, cheekily shooting Midoriya a grin as he falls.
By pure reflex, Midoriya smiles back.
Then he thinks for a second, mind turning over the fact that Pixie Bob's Quirk shouldn't have even worked with Dazai touching the same ground as everyone else, then the fact that Pixie Bob's Quirk won't be able to cushion Dazai's fall, like with everyone else.
If no one intervenes, Dazai will just hit the ground.
Abandoning his own path to the ground, Midoriya shoots over, anxiously watching as Dazai gets closer and closer to the ground.
Plans fly together in his mind, his eyes taking note of every tree and rock he might he able to jump off once he had hold of Dazai. His Quirk will disappear, but if he times it just right, Midoriya might be able to use a tree to absorb some of his momentum before reaching the ground.
He loses sight of Dazai for a second, which doesn't help his anxiety, only to then spot him safely in Chuuya's arms, the two of them perfectly unharmed, as if there was no danger in the first place.
While his mind flies through the logic behind the situation, the fact that Chuuya fell quicker gives him more time to catch Dazai, and Midoriya adjusts his path to land nearby. Part of him feels a little stupid, of course Dazai and Chuuya had a plan for situations like these! They probably have a million workarounds for Dazai's Ability, little tricks to keep each other safe with minimal risk.
Ugh, now Midoriya is burning with the need to ask questions!
… Like that's anything new, but still!
Doing his best to push aside his thoughts, Midoriya focuses on taking note of his classmates and making sure everyone is alright. Getting distracted by his own thoughts would earn him the scolding of his life if Aizawa-sensei ever found out.
As if on cue, the familiar voice of Aizawa-sensei calls out from the ledge above, "In case you haven't guessed, the training camp has officially started."
Mandalay speaks next, her voice significantly more energetic compared to Aizawa-sensei's, "As I said, you're free to use your Quirks! You'll need them if you want to make it through The Beast's Forest in time for lunch!"
The voices from above promptly go silent, leaving the class to get itself together.
Midoriya sighs, doing his best to wipe away the dirt that had collected on his shirt. Well, he had been excited for the training camp, so can he really complain about it starting sooner than expected?
Then again, Midoriya would have appreciated time to change out of his uniform first. Getting the dirt out of his white shirt is going to be a pain…
"We fell for Aizawa-sensei's tricks yet again!" Iida shakes his head, looking more ashamed than anything.
Midoriya understands the feeling. Really, by now, they should know well to be on guard whenever Aizawa-sensei is in charge of something. After the Quirk apprehension test, final exams, and various other little tricks, still being so easy to fool is a little embarrassing.
And now, because of that, they're stuck in some forest.
Well, not some forest. Mandalay had called it The Beast's Forest, and had empathised that they were allowed to use their Quirks…
Midoriya's head snaps over to the forest, dread filling him as he watches as Mineta rushes further in by himself.
"Wait—" Midoriya calls out, only to be cut off when the ground begins to shake once more.
Nestled between the trees, two large creatures appear, roaring out as they smash into trees and kick up dust.
Mineta, standing right in front of the thing, goes stone still.
The creatures, uncaring, push forward closer and closer, and Midoriya just knows Mineta isn't going to move out of the way.
Activating One for All, Midoriya jumps forward, grabbing Mineta before dodging one of the creature's clunky hands. The second he's able to, Midoriya jumps out of the creature's range, sparing Mineta a quick glance to make sure he's uninjured.
What he finds, however, is Mineta's oddly relaxed expression. …Hadn't Mineta just been desperate to pee?
Setting Mineta down—and man, is he relieved he had grabbed Mineta under the shoulders—Midoriya once again turns his sights on the beasts. He can cringe about what just happened later, but now he has to focus!
His classmates are immediately on guard, feet slipping into fighting stances as the beasts get closer and closer.
Koda, seeing this, rushes forward. "Calm yourself, my giant friends!"
The beasts, in contrast, lurch forward and very nearly land a hit on Koda. For a second, Midoriya finds himself at a loss. Koda's Quirk works on all animals and insects, so why isn't it working now?
What's different between these animals, and the ones Koda's Quirk can affect?
A moment later, the dots connect in Midoriya's mind. "Guys! This is Pixie Bob's Quirk! They aren't real animals!"
Of course, they aren't real! Using real animals would open the risk of members of class 1A getting seriously hurt, while also endangering whatever animal that was attacking. Full control over the situation while making it real and dangerous, just like the avalanche!
Midoriya mentally curses himself for just sitting around and being embarrassed about falling for Aizawa-sensei's tricks, only for it to happen again seconds later.
Unsurprisingly, the confirmation that these creatures aren't real is all Bakugou needs to launch forward, the dirt creature taking the brunt of his explosions, "Die!!"
Close behind him, almost hiding in his shadow, is Chuuya. Unlike Bakugou's loud rage, Chuuya swiftly and quietly gets close to the beast, dodging an attack before laying a hand down on it's leg.
Thankfully, a few well-placed explosions are all it takes to keep the first beast down, the dirt shifting and falling apart as Pixie Bob's Quirk moves on. The second beast glows red before being crushed down to the ground, Chuuya's Ability only vanishing once the dirt stopped moving.
"Hah, these fuckers are weaker than I thought!" Bakugou yells, already whipping his head around to hunt for the next one.
Chuuya nods, wiping his hand free of dirt, "So long as you pay attention, it'll be easy to get through the forest."
Determination spreads amongst his classmates, grins being traded while plans form. Midoriya can't help but smile too, the excitement from before coming back. This sort of thing is exactly what he was looking forward to, only made better by the knowledge he gets to work with his classmates.
"Wait a sec!" Kaminari calls out, his eyes bright, "Let's just get Dazai to nullify them!"
Ah, right! While Bakugou might find it easy to take down the beasts, his Quirk does have a chance of hitting a classmate or starting a knock-on effect, same with most of the Quirks in class 1A. Dazai and Chuuya's Abilities are by far the safest when you think of it like that!
Only…
Where exactly is Dazai?
"Forget it," Chuuya huffs, turning to make his way further into the forest, "That bastard is probably halfway to the camp by now."
"Wait," Mina asks, a frown on her face, "You think he left us?"
When Midoriya thinks about it for a second… Yeah, that makes sense.
-
Dazai hums, slapping a dirt monster as he walks by. The second No Longer Human takes effect, the thing falls apart as if a tower made of cards.
Really, Dazai has to give his respect to Aizawa for that little setup. While class 1A hadn't seemed all that concerned by Aizawa's little warnings, and thus hadn't thought any further on the topic, Dazai knew better.
Aizawa doesn't do things by halves. If he's telling the class the training camp will be tough, then it will be a nightmare.
And what better way to start that nightmare than a little unexpected fight?
Still, Dazai has to admit he hadn't expected to be sent tumbling down a cliff. He hadn't thought Aizawa had the guts to arrange for something like that, but you learn something new every day.
Like, for example, the fact that Aizawa is adapting to Dazai's Ability.
When that blonde cat woman activated her Quirk, the ground should have stayed perfectly still due to No Longer Human.
Instead, Aizawa had swiped Dazai's feet, giving the cat woman just a split second to activate her Quirk before Dazai was touching the ground again.
And again, when Dazai was falling, he was in constant touch with the dirt, and yet it still remained affected by the cat woman's Quirk. Why?
Well, Dazai's leading theory is that the cat woman intentionally deactivated her Quirk on any dirt near him. Then, using her Quirk, she kept a very precise gap between the dirt around Dazai and the dirt affected by her Quirk. By creating a nice little buffer area, she was still able to use her Quirk without fear on the rest of the class.
Aizawa was absolutely behind that; some random Hero Dazai doesn't even know the name of, wouldn't be able to figure out the specifics of No Longer Human like that otherwise.
Which… isn't the best news, if Dazai is being honest. The longer they stay here, the more at risk they are; each day gives the Pros more time to figure out ways to take them down in real fights.
Sure, right now it's just perfectly timed tricks, but soon Aizawa might stumble across ways to deal with Upon the Tainted Sorrow. Hell, he's seen Corruption, hasn't he?
But that's fine, Dazai doubts they'll be at UA for much longer at this rate.
After all, the League of Villains made their intentions clear when Shigaraki spoke with Midoriya, and what better chance to attack than when the class is secluded in a forest?
Even better, it seems they already have an interest in getting to know Dazai and his little dog.
According to Midoriya, Shigaraki had been throwing a tantrum about Stain, but couldn't care less about Dazai.
Midoriya had taken that as a good sign, and Dazai hadn't wanted to show his hand by saying otherwise.
In truth, Dazai is rather certain Shigaraki has a plan to recruit him and Chuuya. He was upset that Stain, who apparently wasn't truly part of the League, took the spotlight away from the League. The only reason why he wouldn't feel the same about the incident with Mt. Lady is if he had already decided Dazai and Chuuya would be part of the League, too.
That won't happen, but Dazai will certainly enjoy pretending like it's a possibility.
A large wooden building soon comes into sight, Aizawa and the cat women standing around in front of it. By Dazai's calculations, the rest of the class won't make it for a good few hours yet, but that doesn't mean Dazai can't enjoy himself.
Ah, maybe he can finally bring up that little idea of his to Aizawa?
Right, that's what he'll do! Scout out the camp a little, speak to Aizawa, and think up a few plans for when the League inevitably attacks.
Notes:And we're officially starting the training camp arc!! I'm very excited to get into this arc, it's gonna be so fun!
It's funny, when I think about the future of wwt it feels like there isn't much left, even though I know that's not true haha. But I'm like, 'Ok, so there's the training camp, provisional license, and Overhaul... That's only three arcs!' Which is true.... But each arc is probably gonna be like ten chapters or so, and a chapter a month...
I really pity my future self haha. It already feels hard to keep track of everything, and I'm sure there's things I set up and then forget about, but once wwt is even longer... Good luck future me, you'll need it🙏
And now, time to force anyone who reads these to listen to my thoughts about crossovers. If the 240K crossover fic didn't tip you off, I really love crossovers. Sometimes I think I like them more than single fandom fics. There's just... So much potential. Especially with bnha! I'm not even much of a fan of the show anymore, but anytime I get into a new fandom I check to see what bnha crossovers there are.
This week alone I think I've had like, three different ideas for a bnha crossover. Once I finish my other wip (lovingly called ramen au ((Naruto fic)) I'm absolutely going to write another crossover... Hypothetically something short, but ramen au was also supposed to be short, and I'm at about 26k with the end still far off. This always happens...
Sometimes I think you guys are lucky I love crossovers so much, since it means I think about the lore and (hopefully) make things interesting on that front. I also tend to think you're very unlucky as I genuinely forget about the romantic aspect in favour of said lore and character interactions.
Which reminds me. Aizawa's tricks might not have actually worked, but let me have this 🙏 I had to come up with them last minute as I was writing haha. They should work fine, but NLH is a little tricky...
Also, ao3 keeps cutting my author's notes short! I noticed it last chapter a little after I posted, but I didn't really care that much to go back and try to rewrite the bit that got cut off but!! I just finished writing this and went to preview the chapter and it happened again!! You're on thin ice ao3....
Thank you all for reading!! I hope you enjoyed <3