Chapter 24: Silver Tongue
I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.
The group went off to finally eat something before the break ended. There were two things that happened along the way that Mineta couldn't stop thinking about. The first was how Todoroki pulled Midoriya to the side, wanting to talk about something. And judging how much more intimidating his icy glare was, the shorter boy knew his partner was in for quite the conversation.
The second thing was his current predicament. As he ate lunch, his eyes kept moving towards a peculiar sight. It wasn't actually that interesting, but the more devious half of his brain kept poking him about it. And since laying eyes on that sight, the two voices of Heart and Pants argued away in Mineta's head. This was a debate that would no doubt determine the fate of his reputation.
Whether or not to make the 1A girls wear cheerleading outfits.
"It'll be beautiful. But all the work I put into making myself look like a normal person... That's been falling apart since the start of the Festival. But what about Midoriya? He wouldn't want this. The guy would be too distracted by cheerleader Uraraka to say anything. Do not make him look like a pervert. He hangs out with you, so it's bound to happen at some point. Midoriya's better than me. Yeah, but it won't stop him from falling head over heels for a cute girl in a sexy costume. This is different from Uraraka's Hero costume. It really isn't. Yes it is! No it ain't."
And it would go on like this for ad nauseam with neither side giving an inch. It honestly gave Mineta a migraine. But he couldn't stop thinking about it, especially when his eyes kept wandering to the cheerleaders.
"Can someone end this please?" He muttered, rubbing his temples to try to alleviate some of the pain. Ask and you shall receive. Though given what was said, Mineta wished he was called in sick today or something.
"You thinking what I'm thinking?"
The headache stopped as the shorter boy looked to his right and saw Kaminari. And he too was staring at the cheerleaders with an interested little grin on his lips. The electric blonde looked over to Mineta, eyes meeting as his message wordlessly passed over. Already could Mineta hear his Heart object and his Pants preparing the war drums. If he didn't resist this… All would be lost.
"Yeah." Mineta blurted out as he internally screamed. Don't do this, you're trying to not look like a creep.
"You want to go for it? It'll say a lot about us." Kaminari asked, grin only getting bigger. Stop validating this train of thought. Mineta knew this wasn't the way. He knew everyone would be disgusted by him. He KNEW Midoriya would forever be disappointed in him for tricking friends into this sort of thing. And this was after he made a promise not even an hour ago!
"We might as well go all out." Mineta said, giving him a thumb's up. He then felt his heart and integrity lay down in a coffin.
Kaminari was up at it like a kid in a candy store and a pocket full of money. He looked around him quickly; everyone else was caught up in their own conversations. The electric blonde immediately went into a whisper, eyeing the 1A girls at the same time. Real inconspicuous there buddy.
"So how should we go about this? What can convince them?"
"You wanted to do this, but haven't even thought of a plan yet?" Mineta asked with a hushed voice. Not that he had a plan either, since he was still debating with himself. Kaminari should have no excuse. This was a pretty difficult task though, and the shorter boy knew the guy wasn't exactly a bright bulb. That was unless he talked about American or any sort of Western Literature.
But all the knowledge in the world wouldn't do you any good in this situation. To do 'that', one needs the perfect lie and all the charisma of a PR representative covering up a business screw up. And Mineta knew, for sure, he didn't have the pull with people to succeed. He also, with absolute certainty, cannot come up with the perfect lie.
It's not like they'll fall for something like, I don't know… Aizawa had assigned 'the task' to the 1A girls but the shuffling of paperwork made him forget. So to make sure it was done on time, he asked Mineta and Kaminari to be his last minute messengers.
…
Wait…
Mineta's face dropped as he slapped himself. He just had to jinx it, didn't he? And Kaminari noticed this, to the shorter boy's infinitely screaming remnants of his morals. So with a long sigh, seeing that there was no way out of this now, the two of them got up from their seats and began walking over to the 1A girls. And how joyous they looked, sharing cute smiles and bright laughter as energetic conversation flowed between them.
It's a shame that something's about to happen to it.
"I have no one but myself to blame for this…" Mineta thought, seeing that he agreed to this mess. He looked over to Kaminari and gave the nod to move forward. It was now or never…
"Hey guys, we'd got word from Aizawa that he needs you girls for something." Mineta said. What surprised the shorter boy was how calm he sounded. There wasn't even a hint of hesitation or stuttering in his voice.
"Hmm? He does?" Yaoyorozu asked, causing the other 1A girls to turn to them. This time, it was Kaminari's turn to speak and he too wasn't showing any signs of lying. Whether that meant the electric blonde was also a trickster or just determined, Mineta couldn't say.
"I know this is going to sound crazy, even I couldn't believe until he glared at us from behind those bandages. But Aizawa-sensei wants you girls to be part of the cheer squad like them over there."
He then proceeded to point over to the cheerleaders that were sitting at a nearby table. And observing the six girls, Mineta noted that each of them had different reactions. Uraraka was very reserved about the news. Mina looked skeptical but he could tell she was willing to give it a try. Tooru was just plain excited. Yaoyorozu was straight up confused, not that Mineta blamed her. Tsuyu wasn't giving any sort of indication of how she felt.
And then there was Jirou…
"Wha-!? Hell no! I'm going to be part of that mess!" Jirou yelled, almost catching the entire cafeteria's attention. The group waited a bit for everyone else to resume their own business before continuing the conversation.
"I wouldn't call it a mess, but it is a little fishy." Mina said with a nod.
"It really is. I mean, would Aizawa-sensei really put us in something like that?" Tsuyu asked, finger on chin. It was a good point. And Mineta knew if he and Kaminari were to convince them, they needed to overcome both Tsuyu and Jirou. So, with the pressure mounting, Mineta pressed on to answer the amphibious girl.
"Do any of us know what he's thinking? Like on our first day here, Aizawa shoved a Quirk exam on us and drew out our best using the threat of expulsion. So for all we know, this could be some sort of test for you guys."
"Well did he give a reason this time?" Uraraka asked.
"All we got was dead silence before he sulked off. So your guess is as good as mine." Kaminari replied, shaking his head. The gravity defying girl closed her eyes and began thinking. This was going along pretty well for a lie. But Mineta knew that this was the most dangerous part of the process. If they don't choose carefully from this point on, it might conflict with what they have already said.
"Was Aizawa-sensei that cryptic? I mean, he tells it to us straight if we did something he didn't like. Him hiding stuff doesn't sound right…" Tooru commented. The other girls hummed in agreement before looking back at the two. Their eyes were becoming a degree more skeptical about this whole charade. Mineta hardened his resolve and pressed on, he and Kaminari had crossed the threshold. No turning back now.
"Believe me, if he wanted us to learn something, he'd trick us. Remember what he said during the Calvalry Battle? It felt like he was judging us for not considering all of our options. Like we failed to realize something." Mineta said. And he wasn't lying about that part. He has the entire year prior to UA's entrance exam as proof. If that man wanted them to learn, Aizawa would pull a logical ruse on them.
It was here that Kaminari let out brief scream, immediately catching the attention of the others. "Ah shit! What if Sensei's testing us too!?"
"HUH!?" Mineta asked, genuinely unsure of what the electric blonde was referring to.
"Like if there was a rumor that we have to investigate and we needed to convince pros for help. What if that's what Aizawa wants us to do with them?" Kaminari explained. Mineta was about to argue against it, but the words got trapped in his throat as he thought about it. Truthfully, even though it was a mere lie, the shorter boy fully believed that Aizawa would do that. It was easy enough to organize and observe. With the only two possible outcomes, his former master could administer it at any time.
And for all Mineta knew, he and Kaminari were secretly being tested right now.
"Oh fuck me… Dude, what're we going to do if we don't persuade them?" The shorter boy asked, turning to Kaminari. The guy shook his head, looking equally defeated. Mineta's heart dropped as the shadow of despair begins to hang over his eyes. Or at least, that was until Yaoyorozu spoke up.
"Don't worry you two, we'll do it."
"Wait, what!?" Jirou asked.
"Jirou-san, if we don't do this, all of our records will have a mark of failure on it. And with each one, it'll be harder for us to join the Hero agency of our choosing. I understand you're uncomfortable with doing this, but we shouldn't jeopardize our future because of it." Yaoyorozu explained. Mineta's mind was practically doing summersaults. This was going way too well for a lie. But looking to Jirou again, the shorter boy could see that the girl was in clear conflict. It was a 'choice' between all their grades and her dignity.
"Uugghh… Fine, but we're talking to Aizawa-sensei after all this…" Jirou said as defeat weighed her shoulders down. Mineta had to do everything to resist swallowing the sudden lump that formed in his throat. He knew there was no escaping the wrath of the girls once the jig was up… But having Aizawa in on the matter was a whole new level of terrifying.
Mineta looked over to Kaminari to find him looking back at him. And the uneasy light in his eyes really said it all. We maybe screwed, but at least we die in a blaze of glory.
Looking back to the girls, the shorter boy saw how they began to mentally prepare themselves for this ordeal. And as he watched them stand up, ready to face the music, Mineta wanted to say 'just kidding, it's all a prank'. His heart was screaming. His conscious was pleading. His integrity resurrected itself to end this farce.
But it was too late; the girls of 1A have left the cafeteria.
"Let's hope this was worth it…" Mineta said as he exhaled the pressure in his chest.
"But hey, at least we'll have something to remember when we all grow old." Kaminari replied. A carefree smile was on his face and the shorter boy could only pinch the bridge of his nose. Mineta could still hear the good half of his mind still berating him over this.
"If we even live that long…"
…
The lunch break finished shortly after that encounter. And as the crowds began to pour back into the stadium, Mineta waited with a cold sweat drenching his body. But who could blame him? As what was about to transpire would comprehensively annihilate the carefully constructed image he has established. He was so entranced by his impending doom that he didn't even feel Midoriya's hand on his shoulder. The compassion and concern in the gesture would not be enough to hold back the chill.
"Welcome back everyone! I do hope you had a nice break! Now, before we move onto the final event, we'll be hosting some regular recreational activities for those out of the running. It is still a Sports Festival after all, so do try to enjoy yourselves and make the most of today." Present Mic announced, riling the crowd up once more. Here we go…
"We even brought over some cheerleaders from America to get you psyched up! So get on and make some–! Hmm? What's that?" Present Mic began before noticing something.
"What are they doing?" Aizawa commented as the attention of every last person in the stadium homed in on the anomaly. And there they were, the wonderful girls of Class 1A in cheerleader outfits. And while the sight of thighs and midriffs were alluring, Mineta couldn't really find it in his heart to celebrate. Especially not when they were angrily shouting at him and Kaminari.
"How could you trick us!?" Yaoyorozu shouted, displaying what maybe her first emotional outburst.
"I'm not okay with this…" Mineta grumbled as he casted his eyes to the ground. He also didn't have to look to know that Tsuyu was glaring at him. That was how strong her soul piercing stare was…
"Well I am. They look awesome." Kaminari said, grin wide enough to look like that cat from that one book. The shorter boy went to glare at the electric blonde only to realize something. Wasn't Midoriya standing on that side? If so, where is he now?
Mineta proceeded to look around and soon found his partner talking to a rather reserved Uraraka. Both of them were completely tomato faced as they slowly navigated through their conversation. But as it continued, the energy Midoriya and Uraraka began to improve. The two of them were starting to laugh and smile at whatever the other was saying. And not long after that, the two were chatting like nothing's happened. Though both of them were still looking a little pink.
"I'm suddenly okay with this." Mineta blurted out, startling Kaminari. But before the guy could say anything, the two saw Midoriya take out his phone while Uraraka struck a pose that was distinctly Uraraka. The green haired boy proceeded to then take a picture of the girl. And it was here that Mineta felt something flare up from within. Gentle streams of tears fell from his face as a smile tugged at his lips.
"My boy… He's… He's all grown up…"
"You know, I've always compared Midoriya to a cinnamon roll. Sweet, warm, a great comfort to have around… But I never believed that he could do something like this. Guess you really can't have cinnamon without sin." Kaminari commented. All Mineta could do was nod to that sentiment, even if it was a bit of a stretch.
…
"You made a promise. You said you wouldn't pull cheap tricks on friends. But here we all are, not even two hours later, feeling the effects of your treachery. Does the defense have anything to say?" Tooru asked as the six girls of 1A loomed over a Mineta on his knees. Kaminari was also there, but the shorter boy felt that their ire was more focused at him. And they were right to feel that way, since he did lie and cheat them. So there was only one, possible response for him.
"No…"
"Then the court hereby deems you both stupid and dumb. A proper punishment will be decided once we find more time to talk about it. Dismissed." Tooru said as the girls walked off. Midoriya held his hand out to both Kaminari and Mineta. The two trouble makers took it and he proceeded to hoist them up, though there was a slight frown on his face. A sign of his disapproval.
"Mineta-kun, I know this whole thing was a very tempting… But you didn't have to lie to their faces about it."
"Sorry… I let my lust get the better of me…" Mineta apologized, deeply lowering his head.
"To be fair, he was on the fence. I gave him the nudge to my side." Kaminari said with an awkward chuckle. Midoriya sighed and placed a hand on both of them, allowing the weight of his words to flow through. And despite the feeling of intimacy that laid in the gesture, both Mineta and Kaminari accepted it.
"I understand why you two were excited over this; even I got caught up in it. But we shouldn't put our friends in situations they're not comfortable with it. If there comes another time where you want the girls to wear something, do not pressure them with outside factors. Show that you care about their opinions and accept it for whatever it maybe. And that way, everyone will find their place and enjoy themselves." Midoriya said.
"You got it partner." Mineta replied with a nod, regaining some heart.
"That was damn inspirational. I won't let you down, man." Kaminari said, making a thumb's up gesture. Midoriya gave a small smile to the two troublemakers and removed his hand from their shoulders. He then looked around the stadium as the crowd continued to flow back in. The green haired boy then turned back to Mineta and Kaminari, a resolved light now shining in his eye.
"Now, shall we see what this Festival has waiting for us?"
Chapter 25: Upon the Stage
I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.
"Let's get back on schedule… After the recreational activities, we'll be moving on to our final event! Between the 16 members of the Cavalry Battle's winning teams, they'll be going at it in a one-on-one, formal tournament!" Present Mic announced. The crowd, once more, was riled up as Mineta stared longingly at the tourney brackets that appeared on the main monitor.
If only his plan hadn't worked so well it caused everyone to avoid his team… Then he, Tsuyu, and Shouji would be up there. That they would have the chance to fight it out on the biggest stage Japan has to offer. But alas, none of that is happening. He would be nothing more than an observer.
"At least I get to see how Midoriya'll hold up. That Full Cowl of his needs more field testing before it becomes truly reliable." Mineta thought as he watched Midnight quickly shake a box around.
"The matches will be decided by lots. Once the festivities are over, we'll head straight to the tournament. It's up to the 16 finalists to decide whether to join in on the fun or save your strength for the finale. Now, can the first place team step forward?" Midnight explained. Before anyone could move, Ojiro raised his hand as a frustrated yet resolved voice cut through the air.
"Excuse me… But I'd like to drop out as a finalist…"
Mineta's brows evacuated from his forehead as he turned to his tailed classmate. And as one would expect, so did the rest of 1A. Even Bakugou and Todoroki, as isolated as they maybe, were listening in to this sudden development. Mineta began to rack his brain for a reason to this turn of events, with Midoriya asking the man himself for answers. And upon lowering his arm, seeing that he has everyone's attention, began to answer that curiosity.
"This is an event where we all show our strength and potential to everyone. But here I am, running the last leg, without any memory of how or why I got here. I haven't earned my place in this tournament, not like my fellow participants who gave it their all. I know it's stupid of me to throw away this opportunity… But I refuse to advance knowing I didn't get here with my own two feet."
"Remember? Wasn't he teamed up with that Shinso guy? Could memory loss be an effect of long term exposure to the hypnosis?" Mineta thought, carefully glancing over to the 1C student in question. Still, this whole thing caused the shorter boy to feel two different emotions. The first being sympathy, he understood where Ojiro's feeling of inadequacy comes from. The second was less selfless, as he was excited that a spot has now opened up.
And someone from the fifth placed Team Tsuyu can move forward.
"Though given how I owe Tsuyu for several things, maybe it's best to let her move on…" Mineta thought as he watched Ojiro saying how it's his pride that's preventing him from taking this chance. That was when someone from 1B raised his hand, a slightly round fellow with silver hair.
"I wish to withdraw as well for the same reasons. This Festival is supposed to show our very best, right? Then how can I fight knowing I got in because of someone else's strength? That my path was already made for me?" He said, voice just as frustrated as Ojiro's. What?
"Nirengeki! You can't be serious! If you pull out now, there'll be no representative for 1B!" Another member of 1B, Monoma, shouted.
"But what good is a representative who couldn't even represent himself? Monoma, I understand you want to show up 1A… But there will be other opportunities in the future."
Before Monoma could make another comment, Kendo whacked the obnoxious blonde in the back of the neck. The guy then passed out as she proceeded to hoist him over her shoulders. Talked about pecked, it seems that girl is the 'older sister' of 1B. And judging from the strength of her normal hands, Mineta was glad he didn't get swatted by Kendo's giant ones.
"What a strange turn of events… What will you do Midnight? You're the coordinator." Aizawa asked as the audience waited with unrest.
"So naïve and green… I like it! I accept your withdrawal! Ojiro and Shoda are out!" Midnight shouted with a cheer, cracking her whip in the process. She didn't have to make a show out of it… But with that, there were now two open spots. Three guesses as to who it will go to.
"Replacing them will be Team Tsuyu who took fifth. Now decide which two of your three members will participate in the tournament." Midnight said, looking to Tsuyu, Mineta, and Shouji. Deciding which members was a cinch if one went by the shorter boy's logic. So, with chest held out high, he stepped forward with all the gusto in the world.
"That's easy! It should be Tsuyu and Sho–" Mineta began.
"Tsuyu and Mineta, without a doubt." Shouji interrupted; his voice just loud enough to overpower any other.
"I have no objections to that." Tsuyu replied, nodding her head in agreement.
"Hold up! Hold up! Team meeting! Team meeting!" Mineta shouted, pulling his giant and amphibious classmate into a huddle. He ignored the confused murmurs that went on around him as he tried to figure out why these two would choose him. But looking at them, the shorter boy could see that his teammates were quite set in their decisions.
"Is there a problem, Mineta-chan?" Tsuyu asked. The shorter boy proceeded to wordlessly gesture towards Shouji. And as the two stared more at him, Mineta dropped the silence and went straight for the question.
"Why me? I didn't anything worthwhile this whole Festival. I relied on Bakugou then Midoriya for the Obstacle Race. And you two did most of the work for the Cavalry Battle as I got mauled by several girls. So why should I go on ahead over you?" Mineta asked, pointing to his giant classmate.
To the shorter boy's surprise, Shouji didn't wait to formulate his answer. It was as though he had something prepared for this specific conversation.
"Yes, but it was your own personal ability that allowed you to survive. Against Bakugou and Team Kendo? That was your victory alone. Not only that, it was your strategy that allowed us to make it here in the first place. As for me, I was just the chariot for the more important commander and flag bearer."
"But…"
"Mineta-chan, remember when I told you that there was value in you being here? This is one of those moments where I can say that you have earned it. And I agree with Shouji-chan's statement about your contributions. Without your plan, we wouldn't even be having this discussion." Tsuyu interjected.
Once more did Mineta look into his teammates' eyes and saw the pride they held towards him. It was quite an unusual feeling for the boy, since it was usually only Midoriya who had that look. But as he thought about it, he remembered words he stored away since the UA Entrance Exam. There was no need to be afraid anymore, they were completely different now. He and Midoriya.
So if this was the moment where it all came together, then Mineta could proudly put one foot forward upon the stage. For both himself and the people that helped him get here.
"I'll do it if you're sure you don't want to go." Mineta said, eyes leveling itself with Shouji's.
"I'm sure. Having you two represent the team is more than enough for me." He answered with a firm nod. Alright… With that, the team broke up their huddle and looked to Midnight, who was eagerly awaiting an answer. And with a deep breath, Mineta boldly made their intentions known.
"Mineta Minoru and Asui Tsuyu will be participating in the tournament!"
"Excellent! Now, let's begin deciding the battle order! First place team, come up and draw your lots." Midnight said, eagerly holding out the box towards the student body.
The whole ordeal wasn't that chaotic, since the R18 Heroine would call the teams up by their place. Team Todoroki's names were scattered upon the brackets as they drew their numbers. Team Bakugou, Shinso, and Midoriya were the same, populating the board with their members' names. Only when Mineta and Tsuyu drew the last two numbers was the full pictures realized.
Midoriya Izuku Vs. Kirishima Eijiro
Mineta Minoru Vs. Shinso Hitoshi
Todoroki Shouto Vs. Sero Hanta
Iida Tenya Vs. Hatsumei Mei
Tsuyu Asui Vs. Kaminari Denki
Ashido Mina Vs. Aoyama Yuga
Yaoyorozu Momo Vs. Tokoyami Fumikage
Bakugou Katsuki Vs. Uraraka Ochako
Mineta stared at the name of the person he'll soon clash with. Shinso Hitoshi, the General Studies student who openly declared war on 1A. And thinking about it again, what could his motives be for being so antagonistic towards them? Whatever it was, Mineta doesn't think it was the difference in prestige between departments. That would be too simple.
"What a strange fate we share… Don't you agree, Mineta Minoru?"
Mineta turned around and saw the purple haired hypnotist standing tall over him. His shadow was casted over Mineta, but it didn't stop the shorter boy from noticing Shinso's eyes. And the disdain and contempt that stirred within. But he couldn't back down to this, not after what this guy did to Tsuyu and Shouji.
So with that said… Mineta began opening his mouth to give Shinso what for. Or he would have, if Ojiro's tail didn't gag him first.
"Mineta! Don't answer him…" Ojiro said, his voice full of caution. Shinso sighed, quickly leaving them as he quickly disappeared amidst all the other students. And as the first years began clearing the field, Ojiro removed his tail from Mineta's face.
"What was that about? I had some choice words for him." Mineta said, turning to his tailed classmate.
"Then you're going to lose your fight against him."
"Pardon?" Mineta asked, his entire body suddenly feeling heavy. Ojiro then gestured to follow him as UA staff began getting ready for the recreational events. The shorter boy hastily tailed, no pun intended, his classmate as Ojiro made his way back to the 1A waiting room. Mineta, upon entering with Ojiro, closed the door behind him and the two sat down at the closest table.
If there was a time for question, now would be it.
"Okay, so what's with that Shinso guy?" Mineta asked, breaking the tension that had been mounting.
"It's his Quirk… He can brainwash anyone into doing what he says. And all he needs to do is get you to respond to him." Ojiro said, sweat rolling down the side of his face.
"That's how the hypnosis works? Me, Tsuyu, and Shouji got hit by it, but I could never figure how to trigger it." Mineta asked, folding his arms as he began thinking back. Now that his classmate mentioned it, Mineta and Tsuyu were affected the moment they began talking to him. And given how easily the shorter boy gave in to Shinso's taunts, Mineta's battle against him is going to more difficult than expected.
"So you're familiar with the other parts of his Quirk? What he could make you do and how to get out of it?" Ojiro asked.
"Simple commands and to get out, a real slap to the face would be enough. Not that I can break out on my own once I get caught though…" Mineta answered. This really was shaping up to be a battle of wills. If Mineta cannot control himself, it would be an instant loss. It was funny though. When it comes to All Might and Midoriya's secret, he was lips were tighter than a rusted nut. His perversion? Only some of it managed to slip through. But when it came to anything else, especially insults to any of his friends, Mineta couldn't shut up.
"Yeah… It really comes down to how well you can tune him out. So what are you going to do?" Ojiro asked.
"I… Have no clue. So until my fight with him, I'll mull over it."
"That's a good place to start. And even though it's going to be hard, I know you can pull through. You're a Hero-in-Training like the rest of us." Ojiro said, placing a hand on Mineta's shoulder. Mineta gave a small smile as he gave his tailed classmate a thumb's up.
"I won't let you down."
Chapter 26: Full Cowl's First Battle
I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.
The time between the recreational games and the tournament itself wasn't all that long in Mineta's mind. Ever since Ojiro spoke to him, the shorter boy began to think of ways to keep his mind calm against Shinso. One idea did come to mind but he wasn't sure how long he can keep it up. There were so many taunts his opponent could say to get his tongue flapping. So it was just a matter of time before Mineta gave into the urge to bark back.
But he supposed that is enough thinking for now. Midoriya's match with Kirishima was about to start.
"How are you feeling Young Midoriya?" All Might asked. Currently Mineta was in the corridor to the stadium field with the Number One Hero and Midoriya. And as far as being ready goes, his partner was on the fence.
"It's hard to say… Kirishima-kun's Quirk is quite sturdy; I'll lose in a prolonged battle. I was planning to just use a takedown of sorts to pin him and force a surrender. However, seeing that he is my opponent, I want to take the opportunity to test Full Cowl's combat potential and answer some questions I had. What's my striking strength like? Does it affect my body's durability? How well could I maintain Full Cowl once I get hit? The sooner I get these answers, the sooner I can work out what needs to be improved." Midoriya said. There was more to that, but Mineta lost him the moment he began muttering a mile a minute. Three years… And the shorter boy still cannot process this flood of information that he calls a best friend.
Luckily, All Might proceeded to quickly chop Midoriya's head and neck, putting the brakes on this bad habit.
"You're thinking about it too much! Wondering about your limits is fine and all. But the more time you spend asking, the less time you have to answer and overcome them. The best Heroes are focused in their goals, so go into this battle and aim to answer one or two of those questions." He said.
"Yes sir. Is there anything else I should keep in mind?" Midoriya replied with a nod.
"What's the percentage you can work with no problems? At the end of the obstacle race, you had an onset of cramps after pushing your power." Mineta asked. His partner proceeded to close his eyes as a soft glow enveloped him, the air around him shifting. But just as quickly as it came, the unseen force stopped and Midoriya opened his eyes.
"Five percent. Anymore and One for All will start having negative effects on me. I don't know if it'll be enough to break through Kirishima-kun's defense… But I'll see what I can do."
"That's all I'll ever ask of you, Young Midoriya." All Might said, placing one hand upon his successor's shoulder. Midoriya gave a firm nod before the Hero removed his hand and began walking off. The green haired boy then looked to Mineta for any final thoughts. The shorter boy simply shook his head and just gave a thumb's up. This was all up to him now. So with that, the two went on their separate ways.
One was upon the path of the actor. The other, onto the path of the audience.
Mineta quickly made his way up to the 1A exclusive seating area, not wanting to miss even a second of his partner's battle. And upon finally reaching his destination, he heard Present Mic's booming introductions of the combatants.
"Welcome to the First Match of the Tournament ladies and gentlemen! Our first combatant is the excellent but exceptionally anxious Midoriya Izuku from the Hero Course!"
Mineta wanted to call the Hero out for such an introduction. But the more he thought about it, it made sense, Midoriya did have that sort of duality to him. And taking a closer look, Mineta could see that his partner was both displaying those qualities as he spoke. His back was straight and his shoulders were squared. But there was also a warbled smile upon Midoriya's face.
"Come on man, you've made it this far. There's no need for that look on your face." Mineta thought as he began walking over to where Tsuyu, Iida, and Ochako sat.
"Our second combatant is the sturdy but exceedingly simple Kirishima Eijiro, also from the Hero Course!" Present Mic continued to announce.
"Okay, so he does that for everyone. One positive, one negative." Mineta said out loud to no one in particular. As Present Mic continued to announce the rules of the battle, which were quite simple to understand, Mineta sat down next to Tsuyu and behind Iida. And not even five seconds later, the shorter boy began hearing his fellow classmates of 1A predicting the outcome.
"Kirishima's got this, hands down. That guy's one tough nugget when it comes to head on fights." Kaminari said, leaning back into his seat.
"But Deku-kun has a new skill on his side! As long as his bones don't break, he can keep fighting!" Uraraka argued. Mineta wordlessly nodded to that. And though he didn't speak a word, the others of 1A noticed the gesture. The debate recommenced with both sides giving their own points and counterpoints on the matter. It was an exciting time and Mineta couldn't get enough of it.
I mean, they considered Midoriya as a serious contender in this fight. How could he not be happy?
Though that quickly ended when Bakugou began talking.
"Stop speculating and just fucking watch! If you think Deku or Hair for Brains will win, then just leave it at that! No point in arguing like little shits about something that's up in the air!"
Mineta wanted to bite back against him. Here they all were, having fun talking about the odds of Midoriya and Kirishima's battle. But then the hand grenade had to be the wet blanket. The shorter boy was about to open his mouth, ready to tear into his old nemesis. Then his mind registered the last few words that left Bakugou's tongue.
"Wait… So even you think Midoriya has a chance?" Mineta asked, doing his best not to show a smirk. The silence that followed was quite overwhelming, especially since the noise of the stadium still boomed all around 1A. And it soon began dawning on the others that Bakugou had said something nice about Midoriya. Something that hasn't happened for the entire time they've known him.
However, instead of an explosive reaction, the human grenade simply scoffed. He then proceeded to turn back to the match that was about to start. His sharp eyes were carefully watching both Kirishima and Midoriya.
"If that nerd has made it this far, then you're damn right he has a chance. It's slim, but it's not zero." He said, his voice projecting a tone that was calm yet intense. Mineta's elation dropped as a lump formed in his throat, this look on Bakugou was something he truly dreaded. Because unlike his pride, where Mineta knew which buttons tested and agitated his ego…
Once Bakugou shows the desire to adapt, only the most infuriating of actions could stop him.
"Let's hope you got something in case you fight him Midoriya…" Mineta thought as he too turned to the fight. This was it.
"Kirishima Eijiro, are you ready!?" Midnight asked, pointing her whip to the red haired boy.
"Ready!" He shouted as his skin became jagged and rigid.
"Midoriya Izuku, are you ready!?"
"I am!" He yelled, his body beginning to emit a soft glow. The tensions between the two fighters began to tighten as Midnight flashed an eager smile. She raised her whip high above her head and let it hang, alongside the audience's anticipation. Like Mineta said, she really knew how to command the crowd. Though that all ended the moment the whip was brought down with a crack.
"Begin!"
But with all that build up… Neither Midoriya nor Kirishima charged each other right away. Instead, the two began to side step around the space between them. The excitement of the stadium died down once more as expectations began building again. The crowd was restless and, as far as Mineta could tell, so were Kirishima and Midoriya.
"Honestly, this is the most dangerous part to any fight. Drawing plans, figuring out what your opponent is doing, the tension that could snap at any moment, the possibility of a power difference… It's all these factors that could decide a battle before it even begins." Tsuyu commented. Mineta wasn't sure who she was talking to, but the commentary certainly helped ease his nerves. Especially since the two fighter began moving towards each other.
When Midoriya took one step forward, so did Kirishima and vice versa. And as the distance closed, Mineta felt the entire stadium moving towards the edge of their seats. The two were literally within each other's range and not a single blow was thrown. Silence over took the stadium as all eyes waited for that fateful moment. The first hit.
"What an intense standoff… Who will make the first move? And will it instantly decide the match?" Present Mic commentated in a low whisper, like he was a golf commentator. Mineta would've laughed at that thought if he wasn't too busy controlling his rapidly rising heart rate.
"This is ridiculous. Someone do something before I pass out from the pressure!" He thought as he began nibbling at his fingernails. And not too soon did that thought passed, the catharsis was upon them. Midoriya and Kirishima, both pulled back opposing arms and threw them forward. A cross-counter!? Right from the start!?
And though Mineta was quite far from the ring, he could feel the weight that both of his classmates were putting into their fists. Time slowed as their blows drew closer and closer to their target. Mineta sucked in air as he readied himself for the attack that will surely set the tone for the rest of the fight!
Both Midoriya's and Kirishima's fists collided with one another as dull thud echoed all around.
"AAAHHH!" Both of them screamed as the two clutched at their hands. Mineta swore the entire stadium was feeling the same thing he was, an all encompassing disbelief at this absurdity. However, a secondary thought occurred to Mineta. If Kirishima felt that, then Full Cowl at five percent was indeed enough to get through his defenses.
"Uh... I was not expecting that…" Uraraka commented, eyes glued to the still hurting Midoriya.
"Did… Did they both break something?" Iida asked as he squinted to try and examine their hands.
But the moment that question ended, Midoriya and Kirishima stopped screaming and quickly looked at the other. Then, in an instant, both of them were trading fists and the tension in stadium finally snapped. One side of the crowd roared as Midoriya landed a blow across his opponent's face. Another side cheered as Kirishima lifted Midoriya off his feet with a heavy blow to the body. But the cheers came back as the green haired boy refused to buckle and repaid the attack with a resolute one, two punch.
Mineta could feel the excitement course through him as he watched his partner give and take blow after blow. However, through the adrenaline, his eyes caught a detail that caused him to stand up and ready a shout. This was no boxing match. What Midoriya and Kirishima were engaged in was an old fashioned slugging. And his friend would find no advantage in that kind of battle.
"Move Midoriya! Move! Use your legs!" Mineta screamed.
"Don't block Deku-kun! You got to parry!" Uraraka shouted. Upon hearing that, the shorter boy looked at Midoriya's forearms and noticed the injuries that were building up. It was just small cuts and bruises, but with each new hit from his foe, it became a shade worse. The girl was right; he couldn't keep blocking those hardened strikes.
And by some miracle, the green haired boy began doing just that, weaving around a straight aimed for his face. While Mineta would've liked to think that he somehow heard their advice, it was more likely that Midoriya just figured it out. Still, it brought a great relief to both the shorter boy and Uraraka that he was staying flexible in this heated brawl.
"Don't let him get away Hair for Brains! Step in!" Bakugou shouted, his voice booming over the noise of the stadium.
"Oh so you ARE on Kirishima's side!" Mineta said just loud enough for everyone to hear him.
"Just because I said Deku has a chance doesn't mean I want him to win! Now fuck off and cheer for your side!"
"And how can I do that when you're drowning out everything with your big mouth!" Mineta argued. A part of him was kicking himself for trying to aggravate Bakugou. Doubly so when the shorter boy remembered that the human grenade was still probably sore about the Obstacle Race. But he supposed that going against Bakugou was a reflex at this point. Mineta did, after all, rebelled against him for Midoriya's sake.
"You want to go at it imp shit!? Cause you still got a bill that needs paying!" Bakugou asked, turning to Mineta as his hands began sparking.
"Both of you calm down! This is not the behavior befitting of Heroes in Training!" Iida shouted, standing up and putting himself between the two. Several others like Kaminari and Tsuyu stood at the ready, fully intent on stopping a possible fight from breaking out. However, before anything could escalate any further, a particular announcement drew everyone's attention back to the tournament itself.
"And he's down! Midoriya Izuku is on the ground! What will happen now!?" Present Mic asked, the question piercing the cheers of the crowd. Mineta's eyes widened as he stared at the kneeling form of his partner. Midoriya was still very much conscious but he was on his knees and his left cheek was slowly trickling blood. But what stopped the shorter boy from crying his heart out was Kirishima's inaction.
"Kirishima, what are you doing? Midoriya didn't surrender or hasn't fallen unconscious. The match is still going." Aizawa said. Mineta swallowed the lump, picking up on what his teacher was saying. It wasn't fair of him to pressure the fighters to keep fighting, especially when one was down. But those were the rules, completely fair to everyone who steps onto that ring.
Kirishima shook his head and began saying something that only someone on field could hear. And luckily for the audience, Midnight acted as his mouthpiece and parroted his words into her microphone.
"Our contestant here feels that it's just not manly to kick someone while they're down. Despite everything you said during the Cavalry Battle, he still feels that an honorless victory is meaningless. And with that, I have a proposition for our two fighters."
Mineta could hear the entire stadium raise an eyebrow to that. What could she have in mind that warranted the interruption of this fight? Midoriya, having gotten up from the ground, stared at the heroine as he wiped the blood that dribbled down his face and arms. Kirishima too looked at Midnight, so stunned that his Quirk deactivated and returned him to a softened state.
Well, at the least, both fighters have a moment to rest.
"Let's add a new victory condition, one right out of boxing. If one of you hits the ground, we'll start a countdown. And if you're not standing before the end of it, you lose. What do you both think?" Midnight asked, gesturing to both Midoriya and Kirishima.
"C-Can she change the rules like that?" Present Mic asked as he turned to Aizawa, vocalizing what many were thinking.
"If both parties agree to it, then yes, she can do that. Midnight's the coordinator, remember?" He answered. His voice sounded a little more interested in the match than before, almost as though Aizawa waited for this. Again, this was probably because he wanted his students to learn something no matter the situation.
And what better way to do that than throwing in an additional challenge.
"Sounds good to me!" Kirishima answered, flashing a toothy, but cheerful grin.
"I accept as well." Midoriya replied with a nod.
"Alright! Now remember, this doesn't overwrite any of the other win conditions. So don't forget that ring out, knock out, and yielding are still options in your book. So with all that said… Let's fight!" Midnight explained before cracking her whip. And once more, Kirishima and Midoriya activated their Quirks and charged straight for one another.
But unlike the slug fest that occurred earlier, the two began to use smarter movements. Midoriya ducked, weaved, and parried Kirishima's punches instead of directly blocking them. And those gave the green haired boy openings to deliver blows straight to his opponent's face. It sent him reeling, but Kirishima stayed true to his nature and refused to let his form crumble.
So in retaliation, the red haired boy began to aggressively move into Midoriya's personal space. With every step, Kirishima followed. With every punch deflected or dodged, he threw out ten times more. He was pressing in on Midoriya. And the mounting damage he inflicted was more than enough to show that victory would be his.
That is, unless Midoriya does something.
Mineta bit his nails as he watched, unblinking, as his partner weave through a rush of fists. With each punch that went near Midoriya, the shorter boy could physically feel his body seize up. It was as though every fiber of his being was praying to some higher power. Praying that the next blow wouldn't be the one to put him down for the count. And Mineta wasn't the only one feeling this way.
Every time Kirishima stepped in, the more Tsuyu's normally neutral face became dyed with worry. Every attack that grazed Midoriya's face, Iida sucked in more air to keep himself focused. And with each counter that Midoriya got in, Uraraka's cheers became louder. This maybe a school organized fight, but it sure didn't feel that way. No, it was a battle between full blooded Heroes in Training.
"Midoriya weaves left! He weaves right! A successful defle– How is he getting out of that blender with only a few cuts!? It's incredible!" Present Mic screamed. And it only became more so when, against all common sense, Midoriya moved closer to Kirishima after parrying a straight. His right arm glowed slightly brighter as he swung upwards, it was a One for All fueled uppercut!
And because Midoriya moved towards instead of away from him, Kirishima was caught by surprise. As a result, his chin was inevitably caught by the oncoming fist. With one last push from Midoriya to complete his uppercut, the red haired boy was launched off the ground and thrown a meter away. Kirishima then landed with a thud, still moving but clearly dazed by the attack.
At this point, the crowd was cheering as Midnight began the count. But what surprised Mineta wasn't the knock down, but the punch that did it. The increased glow meant that Midoriya put more of One for All into that arm. Despite that, however, his partner's arm wasn't visibly broken. He was clutching at it sure, but that's probably just the pain of hitting Kirishima so hard.
That and the possibility that cramps were now shooting through his entire arm right now.
"Wonder what percentage that was? Like, do the negative effects of Full Cowl get worse with more power? Would those go away once Midoriya's body fully adjusts to One for All? Guess some testing is in order once this Festival is over…" Mineta thought as Midnight shouted '6'. Before seven could be counted, Kirishima raised himself from the ground and got back onto his feet. And for a person who took a blow straight to the jaw, he was standing rather steady.
"And Kirishima is up, ready to continue the fight! With one knockdown each, the odds between the two have evened out. Don't you think so Eraser?" Present Mic commented, turning to his co-commentator. The bandaged Erasure Hero shook his before leaning towards his Microphone. And going by the tone of his voice, Mineta knew that Aizawa had already picked a side.
"Exciting the crowd aside, your statement couldn't be even further off. Anyone could see the issues here, Midoriya especially. This is a battle of attrition. And the first person to wear out will be the one to lose."
Mineta wiped at the sweat that was forming at his brow. His former master was right; Midoriya was in danger zone right now. His wounds will weaken him while Kirishima is relatively unharmed by comparison. Not only that, the red haired boy's body, and Quirk by extension, should be at peak performance by now.
"Ahh… What's he going to do?" Uraraka groaned, ruffling her hair around.
"Midoriya-kun needs to change his approach if victory were to be his. Is it possible for him to pressure Kirishima-kun to the boundaries?" Iida asked.
"It's as likely as punching a boulder out of a rut. Look." Tsuyu answered with a tone of sadness, before pointing to the field again. Midoriya was on the offensive again. However, the blows he was throwing out weren't doing so much except make Kirishima flinch slightly. And the more he hit, the more the bruises on Midoriya's knuckles began to blacken and bleed.
"Midoriya! You need to–!" Mineta began yelling before a thundering crash was heard. Midoriya was on the ground as Kirishima hung his left fist over the right side of his body. The stadium was in deep silence as Midnight went to check the green haired boy that lay in near stillness. Mineta felt like his heart couldn't beat and, based on what the atmosphere felt like, neither could 1A's.
Even Bakugou stared on, jaw clenched with all his might.
Midnight stood…
She raised one hand up into the air…
"ONE!" She counted, piercing the silence. Some of the immense tension was released, the green haired boy was still conscious enough to fight. But now the question is could he even stand?
"TWO!"
The general audience, antsy from the remaining weight that hung on their shoulders, began to join the count.
"THREE!"
All around Mineta, he could hear the voices of the first years release a triumphant shout.
"FOUR!"
The Pro Heroes in attendance let out their own voices upon accepting the flow of the crowd.
"FIVE!"
Present Mic and Aizawa leaned forward as their microphones picked up the words in their respective tones.
"SIX!"
The UA teachers stood up from their seats, eyes glued to the field but their mouths moving on their own.
"SEVEN!"
1A, fully out of their stupor, began to cry out all sorts of things. From wishes to stand up to recommendations to stay down, their attention was all on Midoriya. All for the boy who fought with everything he had.
"EIGHT!"
But through all this, Mineta remained quiet. He really didn't know what to think. Not that he had a lot of time left for that. There was, however, a heat buried away deep within his little form. A heat that only grew hotter as the count reached the last point before the ultimate end. It couldn't be contained any longer and Mineta knew this. So with a deep breath…
"NINE!"
"GO MIDORIYA!" Mineta screamed with every bit of air in his body. It was enough to break 1A away from their cries. It was enough to catch the attention of the UA teachers. It was enough to have Aizawa and Present Mic say something about him. It was enough that the Pro Heroes to catch wind of his existence. It was enough to silence the other first years. It was enough to get the general audience to quiet down. It was enough for Midnight to look at him as she readied the last number on her tongue.
And…
It was more than enough for Midoriya to push himself back onto his feet.
He was heaving. Drops of his blood dripped down onto the ground. His legs wobbled. His arms could barely keep themselves up. But there were only two things that remained strong… The light in his eyes… And Midoriya's reliable back that still stood straight.
"HE'S UP! I don't believe this! After all that, Midoriya still has fight left in him! And you still think he still has no chance!?" Present Mic asked, turning to Aizawa.
"He has the spirit, I'll give him that. But one look at Midoriya and you can see that he's running on fumes. Though with that said… The most dangerous moment for any Hero or Villain, is right now." He replied, his eyes now focused on the standoff between Kirishima and Midoriya.
It was like the start of the match, both fighters were sizing one another up. But unlike then, the tension here was absolutely strangling. After all, one hit could very well decide the match. And looking to Midoriya and Kirishima, one could see how both were drawing out a plan of attack. Everything needed to be perfect before either of them could move…
Or, at least, that's what Mineta thought until the two of them simply charged one another. Kirishima was understandable; he's still in good fighting shape. But what possessed Midoriya to rush forward!? He's barely standing! A single push can knock him over!
Still, that didn't stop the shorter boy from cheering with all he had. Tsuyu was crying his name; Iida was making a semaphore message with his arms; Uraraka was straight up praying to whatever God she believes in. The noise of the stadium has reached the pinnacle of loudness as Kirishima and Midoriya were but one step from each other.
This was it.
Everything played in slow motion as Mineta stared head long into this final clash. Kirishima left arm pulled back and launched it straight ahead at Midoriya's face. The green haired boy, however, moved himself slightly to the right of the punch. With his left arm, Midoriya wrapped it around Kirishima's still extended fist and gripped his jersey tightly. Both their left legs were crossed with one another.
Midoriya then pulled with all his strength, turning his body and moving his right foot to behind Kirishima. The red haired teen wasn't in a good position of balance, being forced over his classmate's left leg. And as he began his fall, Midoriya turned again and wrapped his right arm around Kirishima's left. This allowed him to relocate his left further up Kirishima's arm. But while this left Midoriya falling with his opponent…
He'd be right on top and in a position to dislocate a shoulder.
Kirishima crashed into the concrete. He tried to get up, but found a weight pressing down on him and a pressure pulling at his shoulder. The red haired boy tried to forcibly stand, pushing against the ground with his free arm. But every movement he made, Midoriya would simply pull the limb he held.
Mineta felt a drop of sweat roll down the side of his face, watching Kirishima attempt to get up a few more times. Naturally, Midoriya responded by pulling the trapped arm a degree further. And before long, the red haired boy's skin softened as his muscles relaxed.
"You got me! I yield!" Kirishima shouted as he lay as still as possible.
Midoriya released his hold over his opponent and then rolled onto the ground next to him. And only now did the crowd explode into cheers and applause. The long brawl has finally crowned a victor.
"What an unexpected, yet satisfying conclusion to this first match. And let me say this, if this battle had left us all at the edge of our seats… It makes me wonder if our next match will be just as exciting. What do you think Eraser?" Present Mic commented as Midoriya and Kirishima began clearing the field. Well, it was more like the former was being carried by the latter due to exhaustion. But whatever works.
"We hardly get what we hope for. And it's not our place to force our students into pointless spectacle. So whatever happens next, it is entirely dependent on Mineta Minoru and Shinso Hitoshi." Aizawa answered.
Mineta took a deep breath as his nerves began to flare up again. Now that one worry was over, it was onto the next. He looked over to Ojiro, who was looking back at him with an uneasy confidence. Still, his tailed classmate nodded to him and that was all he needed. The shorter boy quickly left the 1A seating area and delved back into the stadium's interior.
For the next time that Mineta would come back out… It would be upon the stage as an actor.