Chapter 32: Glacier in the Distance
"You guys were so awesome out there!" Mina shouted, not even five centimeters in front of them. Mineta picked at his ear as Midoriya let out a low groan from his throat. Not even two seconds back and the others of 1A were on them. And while their match was quite something, they didn't need to be in their faces about it.
"It was nothing really… We just fought to the best of our abilities..." Midoriya said, sweat rolling down the back of his neck.
"Yeah, totally normal for today." Mineta added as he shook his head in agreement.
"That match was far from normal. Between your shoes and your use of bandages, I'm starting to wonder if Mic-sensei mixed up your introductions." Sero replied, gesturing to Midoriya's feet and freshly bandaged arms. Mineta suppressed the urge to laugh upon remembering how his partner got them.
Upon visiting Recovery Girl, the tiny elder began whacking Midoriya's legs. She then scolded him for messing around with her hard work and that if he did it again, Recovery Girl won't treat him. And given how Midoriya had a tendency to injure himself, the green hair boy will now avoid exploiting her treatments.
"Well, they're partners in crime, right? It'd make sense if they have some of the other's ticks and tricks." Uraraka said, gesturing between her two friends.
"I can confirm this. Though it's more apparent in Mineta-chan than Midoriya-chan." Tsuyu replied with a nod.
"Come on guys, you're making it sound like we're joined at the hip. Me and Midoriya don't know each other THAT well." Mineta answered. It wasn't exactly a lie, since the shorter boy was certain he couldn't discern his partner's deepest thoughts… But the two of them were definitely familiar with their overall quirks and personalities. Hell, if both of them were given a relationship survey, Mineta and Midoriya might be incorrectly marked as family.
…
That sounded a little weird, so that probably meant it was time to change subjects.
"Anyway, did anything interesting happened while we were away?" Mineta asked, looking around.
"Like you wouldn't believe, Bakugou was actually cheering for you guys!" Kaminari said, pointing to the human grenade. Mineta then saw him twitch as he quickly turned around, eyes lit with hate and words full of venom.
"I didn't say shit Boltdolt!"
"Really? Because I distinctly remember you yelling out pointers to both of them." Jirou replied as a smirk spread across her face.
"As did I." Shouji said with a nod.
"Fuck off! You didn't hear me like you thought you did!" Bakugou argued back. Mind you, he was going against the two best listeners in 1A and still sounded convincing. That's probably the fear talking for Mineta, since there was still a lot of bad blood between them. However, the daring part of Mineta became emboldened by his classmates' jeering. And so, the shorter boy decided to join in on the fun. For old time's sake.
"I'm touched Bakugou. There really is life and warmth in that shriveled husk you call a heart."
"And there won't be any in yours if you don't shut up." Bakugou spat back, snarling each syllable. Mineta felt a shiver crawl up his spine and cold sweat run down. Yeah, he supposed that's enough taunting for one day. So with that, Midoriya and Mineta made their way back to their seats and began readying for the next battle.
Iida Tenya and Todoroki Shouto stepped out onto the field. Because their family names were know, the audience began expecting a entirely different fight. It was hard to imagine, to carry one's whole lineage with you everywhere you go. And the more Mineta thought about it, the more he felt the phantom pressure press around him. I mean, you're carrying the legacy of your family. One really bad mistake and it would leave a permanent mark for generations to remember.
"Maybe that's why Iida's a stickler for rules and Todoroki's such a stone cold loner… A lot of pressure on them…" Mineta muttered as Present Mic went through his introductions.
"It's more than you think for Todoroki-kun…" Midoriya replied suddenly. The shorter boy snapped to his partner just in time to see him cover his mouth. And when their eyes locked onto one another, silence existed between the two despite the noise of the stadium. He said something he shouldn't have, didn't he?
Mineta tried to formulate something to try and break the awkwardness that stood between them. But nothing came to mind.
"Guys, what are you doing!? Iida-kun needs our support!" Uraraka shouted, grabbing Midoriya's shoulder and shaking him vigorously. That brought the two out of their stupor and immediately went back to watching the fight. Midoriya did mouth one last word to Mineta, 'later'.
"Sure." The shorter boy mouthed back. Whatever it was, this must have something to do with Midoriya's conversation with Todoroki earlier. Hmmm…
As Mineta watched his class president dart around the field, avoiding the chunks of ice that were conjured, his mind kept turning back to Todoroki. What situation was he in that Midoriya needed to be part of it? Based on how his partner responded, it seems there was something going on in his family. And now that he was on the subject, Mineta couldn't stop drawing lines about his dual colored classmate.
"Okay… So what do I know about Todoroki?" Mineta thought. His eyes went to the person in question as he got dragged around by an incredibly fast Iida. And while the shorter boy was impressed by what seems to be the Class President's secret move, Mineta couldn't give it much attention right now. Sorry Iida.
Todoroki Shouto was the son of the Flame Hero Endeavor, the best Hero after All Might. He had an extremely powerful, two in one Quirk dubbed Half Hot-Half Cold. He is also quite aloof, ignoring the rest of 1A no matter how friendly they are to him. And, as Midoriya had recently revealed, he has some kind of issue with his family.
"And that's all I know… Not much to build theories on but you don't need facts to guess." Mineta thought, eyes on the match. He then saw Iida's speed drop before getting turned into an ice cube. Todoroki won this match and will be the one to fight Midoriya in the semi-finals. And as his dual colored classmate began thawing Iida out with his left side, a new thought clicked in Mineta's mind.
Never did he see Todoroki use his 'hot side' in combat. In all of his fights, it's only been ice, ice, and more ice. The only times where he brought on the heat, it was only to melt the frozen landscape he created. Why was that? Why seal half of your own abilities?
It's like purposefully blinding yourself because you hated how the world looked.
Another click echoed through Mineta's mind, another possibility has formed. Turning his eyes to the Pro Heroes in the audience, the shorter boy couldn't spot the regal but imposing Endeavor. Odd considering that it was hard to miss a man who was perpetually on fire. And as Tsuyu and Mina began leaving to prepare for their match, Mineta went along with his stray idea.
"Let's just keep going. I don't want to miss Tsuyu's fight." He thought as he gave a confident wave to his amphibious classmate. And, as though to not disturb him, Tsuyu simply gave a nod and quickly left. While it was concerning that someone else was now able to skim his thoughts… Mineta would let his future self worry about it. Because right now, he was following a lead.
Okay… Does Todoroki not using his fire have something to do with his Dad Endeavor? Was there some event that caused a schism between the two? Hmmm… But as Mineta thought about this angle, the more closed off things were becoming. He did not have enough information to even make a good guess. There was something to this though, just not from this perspective.
"Then how about I flip it around… Why is he dead set on using his ice half? If he inherited his fire from his Dad… Was his ice a mutation? Was it received from his Mom? Or was it from an ancestor?" Mineta thought. While Quirks were weird enough for the first to happen… And it wasn't impossible for the third to happen… That second question is probably the case, as with most people.
Alright, that's a possibility to work with. Todoroki loves his Mom and uses her ice. He hates his Dad and rejects his fire. Something happened between these three that caused this schism to form. That sounds about right given what the shorter boy knows so far. However, Mineta had a feeling that he was missing a piece of the puzzle. Now while he was missing a lot pieces, this one felt obvious enough to be included into his deductions… But wasn't.
What was it again?
Mineta hummed to himself as he heard Present Mic introduce the next pair of fighters. With that, his mind began to fire up some more. He's going to come up with a working theory in time. He wasn't going to miss this match. So with that, the shorter boy began reworking his thought process. Perhaps it was better to go back several steps and think of simple facts about Todoroki. Like his appearance for example.
He had heterochromia, two different colors for both his hair and eyes. What's especially interesting was how the division in his hair matched the nature of his Quirk. It was like his entire being was in conflict with itself, one side threatening to destroy the other. And with the way Todoroki's acting, the fire side is losing. I mean, there's even a physical mark on that half just to drive home that point.
Wait…
"… What is that mark? A scar? Then what made it? WHO made it?" Mineta thought. That question went onto his mental deduction board. And with that, he revisited the other points to see if something could be drawn. But choosing between both the Father and Mother for the scar created several contradictions.
Endeavor wouldn't cripple his own son if he wanted Todoroki to become a great Hero. And while all the other details lined up, Mineta still found no cause for the Flame Hero to severely injure him.
Since Todoroki seems Hell bent on using his ice half, it meant that his Mom couldn't have given him the scar. Because if she did, he wouldn't be so keen on using it so much. In fact, it would be the reverse of reality.
Mineta leaned back into his seat, brows furrowed as he kept drawing lines and possibilities. He couldn't stop now, not after getting this far. But any leads to his original question just kept getting more and more unlikely. And soon enough, he was at one giant dead end of a mental block. Why couldn't this be simple like All Might and Midoriya's secret? That one he cracked without any major issue.
Though to be fair, the shorter boy knew way more about his friend than he did about Todoroki.
"I give up... Whatever it is, Midoriya will fill the gaps… For now, I'll enjoy the rest of Tsuyu and Mina's fight." Mineta thought. He relaxed the tension on his mind and body before finally turning to the match.
"Ashido Mina has been thrown out of the ring! Asui Tsuyu wins!" Midnight announced. The shorter boy stared at the field, eye twitching as he tried to skim what happened. Mina was covered in slime while Tsuyu's tongue wrapped around her. Based on assumption, Tsuyu managed to get her mucus on their pink classmate. Then, the amphibious girl wrapped her tongue around Mina and threw her out.
But how did Tsuyu get her mucus on Mina? What was Mina doing before then? Mineta will never know. At least, not until he sees the recordings. But where's the fun in that? He'll never know the suspense of watching it unfold before him. He'll never feel the joy of watching his favorite win. He'll never share the experience with the others of 1A. And it was all because he got caught up in his theory building.
"… Midoriya, can I talk to you?" The shorter boy asked as he faced his partner. The green haired boy flinched, slowly turning with sweat rolling down his neck. He then stared into Mineta's exhausted eyes and gave a sigh, looks like there was no avoiding the subject. Midoriya got up from his seat and looked around to his classmates.
"Mineta-kun and I are going to get a drink, does anyone want anything while we're there?" He asked. And after a round of 'no thank you' and 'I'm good', Midoriya looked to Mineta and wordlessly gestured to the exit. The shorter boy nodded and left his seat, following his partner for that 'drink'.
…
"Okay Mineta-kun, how much did you work out?" Midoriya asked, popping the tab from his can of green tea. Cutting straight to the point was something he hardly does, favoring dancing around a subject more. However, when pushed enough, his partner would meet the challenge head on. Such was the nature of Midoriya Izuku.
"I only know that Todoroki has a problem with his Dad and that his Mom is somehow involved. It's why he only uses his ice half and does everything he can to avoid using the other. But what that problem is, I don't know. All I can guess is that his scar probably has something to do with it." Mineta answered. He was met with Midoriya's unblinking stare. And not before long, his partner let out a defeated sigh.
"Mineta-kun, that mind of yours scares me sometimes. It's no wonder you figured out 'the egg' from day one." He said, briefly making an All Might impression with his face.
"If it wasn't important, I wouldn't have bothered. But since you're part of the Todoroki conflict, I might as well try and help you by doing some thinking." Mineta replied.
"I appreciate it Mineta-kun… But I've got it under control. I know what I want to do once Todoroki-kun and I hit the field."
The sounds of the crowd outside boomed through the stadium's interior. Midoriya and Mineta both took a deep breath as the tensions mounted once more. The Tokoyami and Bakugou fight has just ended and the destined time was upon the green haired boy. So, upon throwing out his can, Midoriya began to prepare himself for battle. And Mineta could easily tell what his partner was up to.
Those squared shoulders and straightened back said it all.
"Try not to lose before you get that message through Midoriya. It'd lose any meaning if that happened." Mineta said.
"I know. But don't worry, Todoroki-kun will get it. I'll make sure of that."
And with that, he was off. Mineta nodded to his partner's back before hurrying back to his seat. If this conversation indicated anything, he didn't want to miss this fight. It was a clash between two different kinds of titans after all.
The implacable iceberg against the little pebble that could.
Chapter 33: Vibrant Springtime
"Ladies and Gentlemen! Boys and Girls! Here we all are, the semi-finals! Here, we shall witness which of our final four contestants are the best of the first years! So without further delay, let's get to the first match! Todoroki Shouto and Midoriya Izuku, take to the stage!" Present Mic announced.
Mineta watched as his friend walked out onto the field, each of his steps full of purpose. Todoroki as well, there was real weight behind each of his movements. The shorter boy swallowed the lump in his throat as he felt the pressure between the two. There was an immense, menacing energy stirring in the air. It was like two nemeses meeting again after several years of emotional turmoil.
"There's a thought… I wonder if that'll happen with me and Shinso…" Mineta muttered, momentarily distracting himself from the intensity of the current faceoff.
"This is shaping up to be quite the battle… Will Midoriya-kun be alright? He has the speed to avoid Todoroki-kun's attack… But even I got caught eventually." Iida asked.
"He'll be fine… I think…" Uraraka answered as sweat rolled down the sides of her face.
"What do you think Mineta-chan?" Tsuyu asked, turning to the shorter boy. He leaned back as Present Mic got through his usual introductions. Honestly, Mineta didn't care who won the match so long as Midoriya accomplished his current goal. But it would be nice if his partner won and had a chance for the finals. So with that, he turned to his friends and gave them a curious little shrug.
"Anything goes remember? Midoriya might pull it off, he might not. All we can do is cheer like he will and hope for the best. But personally, I think he can make it."
That seemed to have done the trick. There was still this pressure within Iida, Uraraka, and Tsuyu, but they were ready to fight against it. They then turned their eyes back to the field, eyes locked onto Midoriya as he readied a fighting stance. Mineta took a deep breath, a brief prayer passing through his thoughts, before turning to the field himself.
"Todoroki Shouto, are you ready!?"
"Ready." He answered, a cold mist flowing from his right half.
"Midoriya Izuku, are you ready!?"
"Yes!" He replied, body emitting a soft glow.
"Then begin!" The R18 Heroine shouted, whip cracking. Right away, spikes of ice raced out from Todoroki's right foot and crawled across the ground. Despite the speed of the attack, Midoriya simply hopped to the right of it. The dual colored boy shifted towards his opponent and let out another wave of frost. This time, the advancing wall of cold was covering a much wider arc.
Still, to the Full Cowl powered Midoriya, it wasn't enough. He leaped forward and rolled away before the ice reached his location. However, the distance between the green haired boy and the wall of ice was closer as well. Todoroki eyed the empty portions of field before shifting his body towards it. Right foot and hand hit the concrete, causing a wide expanse of frost to spread across the ground.
However, instead of running towards clear ground, the green haired boy hopped onto the ice that was already conjured. And despite the uneven footing, Midoriya was able to dig his heels in. He then snapped a sizeable chunk of ice from around him and hurled it. Mineta, recognizing the motions his partner had went through, began to cheer harder. All the time spent playing catch is really coming to head today.
"Midoriya can pitch!?" Kirishima asked, watching Todoroki put up a wall of ice to intercept the projectile.
"Not pitch, field." Mineta corrected, still focused on his partner. He couldn't turn away even for a minute, especially not when Midoriya began to take aim with his left hand. His pinky glowing brighter than the rest of his body…
A surging gust ripped through the stadium, cold and snowflakes blew all around. On the field, the ground in front of Midoriya was cleared and Todoroki had his back pressed against some ice. Before anyone could think anything, the green haired boy chucked another ice chunk at his opponent. Todoroki, surprised by Midoriya's speed, threw up another wall of ice to intercept.
However, the moment the wall went up, Midoriya ripped another chunk of ice and raced forward. He then leapt over a wave of ice sent from Todoroki's wall and over where he stood. Mineta could see it, the two's eyes had met before his partner hurled the ice in his hand. The dual colored boy quickly touched his wall and formed ice over him. It stopped the projectile. But it also left a serious web in the ice.
Todoroki quickly turned and sent ice towards Midoriya's landing. Only for his opponent to be already there, taking aim with his left hand. This time, his ring finger was glowing brightly. Another cold tempest buffeted the audience and sent the dual colored boy reeling. But because there was already a huge amount of ice behind Todoroki, he really didn't move.
This proved to be more of a problem when Midoriya dashed forward. And in as little as four steps, the green hair boy was in front of his opponent. He pulled his injured left fist back and threw it across Todoroki's face. An audible thud was heard, causing the audience to wince. Midoriya then grabbed Todoroki's jersey and threw him behind.
Not that this ended his offensive. As soon as he could, Midoriya turned and chased the tumbling Todoroki. And before the guy could come to a stop, the green haired boy managed to snag his jersey and slug him again with his right. He then threw Todoroki backwards again before giving chase. Todoroki didn't tumble much this time, so he threw out a wave of ice at the first opportunity.
Only to find his opponent coming from his left flank, earning him another fist.
Mineta stared on, his partner attacking relentlessly from all angles. Watching as Todoroki couldn't even throw up a defense, his right half slowly becoming iced over. It honestly looked like a wasp performing a drive by on some poor passerby. However, this level of offense unsettled 1A. The shorter boy could hear comments on how they never thought his partner could act like this.
And it was understandable.
"Holy shit… He actually has Todoroki on the ropes…" Sero said, his voice shaky.
"Isn't… Isn't this a little much? Midoriya's not giving him a chance to breathe." Jirou asked, sweat rolling down her face.
"Just means Deku's not fucking around anymore. Still, didn't think the nerd had the spine to do that." Bakugou replied. Despite the modicum of respect he gave, his voice still had a harsh edge to it. But that wasn't Mineta's concern right now. He continued to focus on Midoriya's moves, getting the feeling of his actions. And the unspoken words that weighed each fist.
"Midoriya's not being aggressive to win… There's words that he NEEDS Todoroki to hear." Mineta said. He didn't care if that was to himself or out loud, it needed to be said. Naturally, he soon felt his classmates' eyes fall on him. Why would they were more concerned with him than this epic conflict was beyond him.
"What do you mean?" Yaoyorozu asked.
"It's like with Uraraka, Midoriya's showing us the kind of person he wants to be. And he's asking the same for Todoroki."
"When you put it that way, it makes this more like my fight and your fight with him" Kirishima replied with a smile, his eyes going to the field. Mineta could then feel the air cool around him. And that wasn't from Midoriya breaking his left middle finger to clear some ice. Class 1A had the same thought pass through them about the same person.
"Then… What is this saying about Todoroki-kun?" Uraraka asked. All their eyes went back to the field, this time with the focus on their dual colored classmate. And as they watched his body is gradually slow down from both frost and exhaustion, they begin to see something. It was here that Mineta broke away from his partner's fight to look at his classmates.
They were all on Todoroki. And they were all, even Bakugou, looking on with melancholic interest.
Layers of frost continued to creep out from their classmate, but it was slow and shallow. Not only that, his movements slowing as his body's shivering slowly became worse. Todoroki was putting his life on the line… All for a grudge against Endeavor.
"He's looking to prove something like us… But there's so much more spite in his actions… It really puts a new perspective on his prior battles…" Yaoyorozu said, entering a contemplative state.
"Guess that goes to show that even perfect people can still have problems… Wonder how Midoriya caught onto this before any of us did." Kaminari replied, leaning back into his seat.
"By deciding to stick his nose further in than necessary, that's how. Damn nerd doesn't know when to quit." Bakugou answered with a slight growl. There was something strange that Mineta found about that answer, though he doesn't know what that maybe. Still it was time to check back in on Midoriya. And looking upon the field, he delivered particularly devastating blow to Todoroki.
But there was something peculiar about it. That punch had a whole lot more weight to it than all the others, which were still very heavy mind you. And with unflinching glare in Midoriya's eye, Mineta finally understood the words his partner was saying.
"Everyone who stood here, they've been fighting to not only meet others' expectations… But also their own. Win or lose, anyone could see that they gave it their all. Here you are though, thinking your ice would be enough… Don't screw around! If you think half is enough to deny him of everything, then you'll never leave his shadow!"
Todoroki defiantly glared back at Midoriya, mustering up the will to use his Quirk. He couldn't however and was met with another punch. And the words laced in it were loud.
"Kirishima-kun, Uraraka-san, Mineta-kun, everyone… They've told all of Japan who they were. But we haven't learned anything about you yet. So stand up and show us who the real Todoroki Shouto is! What you like to do! Where you come from! Why you want to be a Hero! That's what it means when you say–"
"I AM HERE!" Midoriya screamed at the top of his lungs. It wasn't enough to pierce the roar of the audience, but Mineta heard it. 1A heard it. And, most importantly of all, Todoroki heard it. The hate that dwelled in his heterochromatic eyes had cleared. Now, there was a sad yearning as he gazed upon a ghost of something… Or someone.
It was this longing that sparked a great change. Winter soon became Spring.
A great inferno exploded from Todoroki, expelling all the cold air that plagued the stadium. Now, it was unbearably hot. Mineta squinted his eyes, focusing on the flame that swirled on the field. And there stood his dual colored classmate, the ice thawing from his right as his left burned brightly. But more importantly, Todoroki's face was now just as determined as Midoriya's.
"Todoroki-kun… He's using his fire…" Iida said, completely stunned at the spectacle.
"Damn that's hot!" Kaminari shouted. Before anyone else could get a word in, they heard a scream from the other end of the stadium. Amongst the Pro Heroes, there stood the Flame Hero Endeavor with an ecstatic look on his face.
"SHOUTO! You've finally accepted it! The true power sealed within your blood! Now, with your full strength, you will surpass me! You will fulfill my ambitions!" He shouted, sounding a little more deranged with each word that left his mouth. However, despite this explosive declaration, the target of his words completely ignored him. Instead, Todoroki continued to stare down Midoriya and vice versa.
"… Quite the encouragement, don't you think so Eraser? Endeavor must be quite the doting Father." Present Mic said, his voice sounding a little stiff.
"That's not the voice of a doting parent." Jirou commented, warily eyeing the second best Hero.
"No. No it's not." Hagakure nodded.
Mineta let out an awkward chuckle before finally going back to the battle. Upon the field, the two fighters began preparing for what is clearly the final strike. Todoroki put his best foot forward, ice forming on his right as the flames burned on his left. Midoriya pulled his right foot back, a tempest swirling around him as his body's glow brightened.
The strange thing was, Mineta swore his partner's eyes were briefly emitting green sparks.
Then the next thought hit him, slowing the action before him. Both Todoroki and Midoriya's movement slowed, their eyes showing a 'do or die' kind of resolve. Looking over to Midnight and Cementoss, Mineta saw that they began moving to intervene. And judging from the pressure in this stadium… Things were about to get scary.
"We should–" Mineta began, lowering himself in his seat. Too late, it has begun. In an instant, a massive glacier shot across the field towards Midoriya. However, the green hair boy wasn't caught. Instead, he was flying towards Todoroki like a bullet. The dual colored boy then raised his inferno covered left hand and aimed it at his opponent. Midoriya pulled his fully intact right arm back and stared him down.
A punch was thrown. A jet of flame erupted. Concrete barriers were annihilated just as quickly as they were raised. And then…
Mineta felt himself literally get blown out of his seat. And he would've been carried away by the current had it not been for Shouji grabbing his leg and Tsuyu's tongue around his waist. Still, though in near blind panic, the shorter boy was able to gain some bearing about the stadium. From the general public to the Pro Heroes, everyone was trying to hold on.
Then, it stopped. The air finally settled as steam and dust obscured the field. Who was still standing? Was it Todoroki? Midoriya? Or were the two atomized by their own attacks? Things were beginning to settle, the answers just beyond the cloud.
The first to be seen was Todoroki Shouto. The entire left side of his jersey was burned off, but he was otherwise quite okay. At his back was a chunk of ice, most likely to stop him from going too far out of the ring. However, as more steam cleared, it was clear that it wasn't enough. He was standing a meter and a half out of the ring.
"T-Todoroki Shouto is out of bounds! But what about Midoriya Izuku!?" Present Mic shouted, eyes scanning around for the other fighter. The dust settled more and more but he still wasn't in sight. Mineta swallowed the lump in his throat as murmurs floated around the stadium. Midoriya wasn't… Dead was he?
"God… I don't care if Deku-kun wins or not… I just want him safe…" Uraraka prayed not so quietly.
"Midoriya-kun! Midoriya-kun! Where are you!?" Iida screamed.
And finally, along the wall of the field, a red sneaker was spotted. All eyes immediately locked onto it, the dust finally settling. There was Midoriya Izuku, arm and leg discolored and bloody, using the wall as support. He was barely moving. And was clutching his mangled arm with his relatively uninjured left hand. But he was there. He was still here…
"Midoriya Izuku's also out of bounds! What does this mean!? Who heads to the finals!?" Present Mic asked as the crowd began commenting amongst themselves about the match.
"That's for Recovery Girl to decide. But I feel Midoriya won't be the one moving to the finals. Those injuries are the proof of that." Aizawa said as medical bots began to take Midoriya away.
"Still, that was one Hell of a show. Really whets the palette for the next."
Mineta could care less about the next match. He needed to see his partner. He needed to know if he succeeded. Though based on how Todoroki fought…
It's maybe safe to say that Midoriya broke his curse.
Chapter 34: Shape of Your Heart
It seemed all of 1A went to Midoriya, the same way they did for Uraraka. Of course Bakugou wasn't there, but that's to be expected.
However, before too many words were said, Recovery Girl kicked everyone out. And with that, 1A went back to prepare for the fight between Tsuyu and Bakugou. However, Mineta surreptitiously stayed behind and was able to head back to see his partner. He was definitely going to miss the next battle. But seeing that it involved Bakugou…
"Sorry Tsuyu… You're not going to win…" Mineta apologized sadly, walking back to the temporary nurse's office. That's where he saw the emaciated All Might sneaking to the same door. His dark sunken eyes landed on him, causing the Hero to jump back as sweat soaked his face.
"Young Mineta! You almost gave me a heart attack… I thought you were going to cheering on Young Bakugou and Asui." He said, taking a few deep breaths.
"I know, but this is about Midoriya." Mineta answered.
"Point taken." All Might said as he knocked on the door. After a minute or two, the door opened slightly and Recovery Girl peered through the crack. She then slowly pulled open the door and wordlessly gestured for the two to come in. Mineta raised an eyebrow, why was she being so quiet? The shorter boy looked to the Symbol of Peace for some kind of answer but he just shrugged. So without any other options, the two went in quietly.
All Might and Mineta practically tip toed towards the occupied bed. And upon arriving, they could see why Recovery Girl wanted them to be silent. Midoriya was soundly sleeping.
"He knocked out the moment his classmates left. Honestly, I'm surprised the boy was conscious for that long after all he's done on the field." The elder Heroine commented as she sat down.
"What's the damage like?" Mineta asked, eyeing the casts and bandages that wrapped his partner's arm, leg, and fingers.
"His arm has multiple breaks in it and his leg is fractured. But luckily nothing had fragmented; otherwise I'd have to perform surgery before starting the healing process. Midoriya's muscles, however, were thoroughly torn and tenderized. He'll need three weeks of therapy before the damage is completely reversed. And lastly, the damage to his fingers will only leave minor scarring and nothing else. All in all… The boy should stop emulating you and your recklessness." Recovery Girl replied, pointing her cane to All Might.
The Number One Hero choked up a bit, but didn't argue back. And Mineta could see why. All Might was Midoriya's Hero, so of course he would mimic that courageous rush on towards danger. But since Midoriya was no absolute wall of muscle, he'd get hurt trying to be Heroic. Still…
"He was doing it for someone else. So I'd feel all this was a bargain." Mineta replied. She turned her head and Mineta could feel the glare from behind her visor. Perhaps telling off a Doctor's advice wasn't so smart after all…
"The boy said the same thing. Whatever curse it was that Todoroki Shouto held, Midoriya managed to break it. And if not, loosened it. He also wanted to apologize to you, Toshinori."
"What for?"
"For failing your expectations. If he had kept his mouth shut, he'd move onto the finals." Recovery Girl replied. All Might nodded before wistfully looking to his young successor. He then pulled up a chair and sat down, watching over Midoriya as he rested.
"I'll wait here until he wakes up. Young Mineta, you may go back to the Tournament." He said, turning to the shorter boy. Mineta wanted to stay, in case they need some piece of information about his partner. But seeing that this was a certified healer and his mentor, Midoriya was in good hands. So with a nod, Mineta wordlessly left the room.
"Okay, see you later." Mineta thought as he closed the door behind him. But the moment he walked to the first corner, he bumped into someone who just appeared and fell flat onto his butt. Looking up, Mineta found himself before Todoroki Shouto.
"… Sorry." He said, slowly stretching his hand out to Mineta. The shorter boy raised an eyebrow, Todoroki never did this before. And after studying his face, Mineta found his cold stare to be much warmer. There was still a clouded look in his eyes though…
"No problem, I should've been paying attention." The shorter boy said, finally taking his classmate's hand. Todoroki pulled him up before Mineta patted the dust from his pants. But upon finishing, he found that the guy was still there with him. It was almost as though Todoroki was waiting for him.
"Can I help you?" Mineta asked.
"… You've known Midoriya second longest after Bakugou. So I'd like to ask you something."
The shorter boy raised an eyebrow over the request. Why? For what reason? Did this guy somehow figure out his partner's involvement with All Might? Did he figure out Mineta's involvement with All Might?
"Calm down Mineta… No one knows except for a select few people…" He thought before nodding to Todoroki.
"Sure, what's up?"
"Was he always like that?" Todoroki asked. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that, his mind trying to figure out what he meant. A lot of Midoriya's characteristics, both positive and negative, could be the subjects of many conversations. To talk about one thing, you're going to need to be specific. And luckily, it didn't take long for his dual colored classmate to realize that.
"Did he always go out of his way for others?" Todoroki corrected.
"Oh that. Yeah man, three years and that part of him never changed. Midoriya's always trying to help people and I'm always there to help him. Our successes before now were a bit rare though… But a little dirt to the face never stopped us from still trying." Mineta answered. Those memories popped up into the forefront of his mind. And while those weren't the best times, especially when Mineta and Midoriya spent more time licking their own wounds than helping… It was still their past, their origin point.
A testament to their drive to become Heroes.
But after all that, it was Todoroki's turn to raise an eyebrow. A strange sight, seeing that he was normally stoic and unflappable. "Both of you… Kept failing? But neither of you are weak, how was it that you both lose?"
"We weren't as strong back then. But again, being weak hardly stopped us. Midoriya especially, it just made him try harder to be a Hero." Mineta answered, burying the truth under a layer of vagueness. It was a half truth; he and his partner were terribly weak. But Todoroki didn't need to know the whole, harrowing tale.
"But wouldn't that result in more failure? How can you both move forward knowing you'll stumble again?" Todoroki asked. This guy was surprisingly chatty. Perhaps the fight with Midoriya had left him with many questions on his mind. Still, the answer to this was easy and Mineta let the words simply flow out of his mouth.
"Same reason fish swim and birds fly, it's his nature to help people. Just as mine is to be his partner in crime. You can say it's the shape of our heart."
"The shape of your heart…" Todoroki muttered, his eyes casting themselves downward. His hand then hesitantly went over his chest and he stood in silence. Mineta kept his mouth shut as his eyes slowly looked around him. He took a several moments to study the intricacies of the stadium's interior. But as interesting as studying the paint was, the shorter boy needed to continue this conversation.
"What about you? What's the shape of your heart?"
"… I don't know. After that fight, I'm not sure what I am anymore. Maybe I have nothing to call my own…" Todoroki said quietly, clutching at his jersey. Mineta, for whatever reason, reflexively whacked his classmate's arm. As a result Todoroki jumped back, ready to fight. But whatever look the shorter boy had in his eyes made him reconsider.
"Take that last part back. If you honestly believe you're nothing, then Midoriya went the distance for nothing. He fought his hardest because he knew there was more to you than your grudge. He wanted you to discover yourself." Mineta said.
"But what if I really am a bad person? What if I am nothing?"
"Look… There's an artist saying my Dad brings up whenever one of his assistants has a problem. A marred or blank canvas is not a problem, but an opportunity. It's just up to the painter to determine what that maybe. You talk like things are absolute when they clearly aren't. The world and its people, little by little, change with each day that passes. And those changes can be good or bad depending on what we do." Mineta answered, voice firm with determination. He's going to get this message through Todoroki's skull and into his brain.
If not, there'll be Hell to pay.
"Your past has been set, but you can still shape your future. Make the right choices now and you'll find yourself closer to whatever ideal you have. You'll stumble, fail, and probably slide back to your old self… But as long as you keep standing up, things will change for the better. I mean, just look at where me and Midoriya are."
Mineta proceeded to spread his arms, gesturing to his surroundings. Todoroki's eyes followed and seemed to understand what was being referred too. The dual colored boy then began to think to himself again. And as Mineta waited for a response, he could see a glimmer of light in his classmate's heterochromatic eyes.
"I see... If only I had met you and Midoriya sooner, then maybe I would be…" Todoroki said, looking at his left hand. The roar of the crowd broke the mood and the two flinched. It seems the Bakugou and Tsuyu match was over… And Mineta was certain of who would be moving forward to the finals. Looking to Todoroki, the shorter boy saw him walking off.
"Go beyond Todoroki." Mineta said.
"I'll try."
But then the dual colored boy stopped and turned around. He carefully eyed Mineta and slowly opened his mouth. There was still something on his tongue that needed to be said.
"Last question… Were you ever afraid of Midoriya?"
Mineta reeled back, eyebrows scrunching as his brain tried to process where this came from. But naturally, he had to answer with a resounding but confused, "No?"
"… That's all I needed to know. See you around." Todoroki replied. He then disappeared around the corner, leaving Mineta mystified. Still, whatever's going with him, the shorter boy could tell that he was on the cusp of a metamorphosis. And Mineta could feel that 1A was about to get a little more lively after today.
But that was for the future. Because now, it was time to watch the finale.
Chapter 35: To Young Wings Yet to Fly
"Here we all are… The Finals. We've seen many great battles and fine fighters along the way. But now, we're at the pinnacle of what the First Years have to offer. So let's get right to the action and introduce our last two fighters!" Present Mic announced. The crowd roared as Todoroki and Bakugou took to the field. Mineta sat at the edge of his seat, carefully eyeing his dual colored classmate. What he does now will determine how this Sports Festival will end.
Next to him was Tsuyu, not looking too worse for wear, as she carefully observed Bakugou. Uraraka was doing the same, though she also had this worry surrounding her. What's strange was that Iida wasn't here. According to the others, he had to take a call from family. But judging how he still wasn't back, it meant that something came up. And Mineta could only pray that it wasn't too serious.
But that was something for another time.
"Todoroki Shouto, are you ready?" Midnight asked, whip aimed at the boy.
"I am…"
"Bakugou Ka–"
"I wouldn't be standing here if I wasn't! Just fucking start it already!" Bakugou interrupted with a shout. The R18 Heroine silently glared at him, rolling her eyes before raising her whip over her head.
"Then let the final match begin!" She shouted, bringing down her whip. Mineta, without even blinking, witnessed a glacier near instantaneously swallow half the field. The shorter boy rubbed his eyes before looking at the field again. Yep, that's certainly a glacier. He could then hear Sero groan at the sight, no doubt remembering his battle with Todoroki.
"Is it over already!?" Present Mic asked.
"I think your Quirk has finally given you hearing damage. Listen carefully." Aizawa said, causing the crowd to quiet down quite a bit. And that's when the sound of a loud but dull thumping became apparent. It slowly became louder and louder, the source of it becoming increasingly obvious. Eyes went to the glacier and, not too long after, an explosion burst forth from the ice. And standing in the hole was Bakugou, ready for a brawl.
Todoroki darted forward, right hand outstretched as the ground before him froze over. But his opponent simply blasted himself over the dual colored boy when the frost reached him. And when he was passing him, Bakugou grabbed the left side of his hair and jersey. Finally, as he completed the arc of his leap, the explosive boy hurled Todoroki towards the edge of the field.
"For how powerful his Quirk is, Todoroki doesn't know the basics of CQC." Kaminari commented. The boy in question managed to get a single finger onto the ground. From that, a curved wall of ice caught him and sent him back towards his opponent.
"Would that even help against Bakugou?" Sero asked.
"It's better than flailing around." Shouji replied.
Bakugou evaded the path of the wall and charged Todoroki, who was still sliding along the wall. The human grenade pulled his right arm back, a tell tale sign that he was about to hit really hard. The swing came in fast, but Todoroki deflected it with his left hand. Mineta leaned in a little closer, searching for any sign of heat. However, nothing as Todoroki ineffectively tossed Bakugou to the side.
The human grenade landed on his feet. But it was this lack of damage that heightened Bakugou's aura of rage. The fuse has been lit.
"Ah nuts, this is the worst time for Todoroki to make a change. Here's hoping that Bakugou doesn't undo what Midoriya did." Mineta thought, wiping the sweat rolling down the side of his head. Todoroki continued to dodge and throw out ice, but in an unmotivated way. And with each move, Bakugou's fuse got shorter and shorter. Soon, they all arrived at the point of no return.
"Quit making a fool out of me! Show me your fangs just like you did for weak ass Deku! I'll crush them just like I did everyone else! Lose with fucking integrity you half faced piece of shit!" Bakugou screamed, explosions going off. Honestly, it began to sound like a warzone down there. And the more it went on, the more the audience was beginning to feel unsettled.
Todoroki, though, was still somehow surviving the bombs going off all around him. However, he was starting to slow down. There was frost swallowing more and more of his right half. Mineta gathered every ounce of oxygen in his body and shouted from the depths of his heart.
"Stand up! Find your heart!"
The dual colored boy's eyes twitched before his left hand ignited somewhat. It wasn't much, but the cold on his body began reversing. Bakugou's rage dissipated a little with his lips being pulled into a sharp smirk. Todoroki then raised his lit hand towards his unmoving opponent and took aim. But, in a fraction of a moment, Mineta saw his dual colored classmate's eyes. There was still hesitation. And following that, the flame was put out as a wave of ice surged forward again.
Bakugou was nearly caught in it but his natural reflexes allowed him to avoid it. However, the rage that was held back, came back full force. Detonation was imminent.
"YOU SPINELESS SHIT FUCK! I've seen snails with more conviction than you. Everyone else fought like they meant it. But here you are, the biggest bastard of a wet blanket! Why are you even here if you're not in it to win? If you're going to keep this up, then you can fuck off stage!" Bakugou screamed. He then launched himself back before going straight into the air. He propelled himself towards Todoroki, using his Quirk to impart spin onto himself.
Bakugou was now effectively a human artillery shell.
Mineta gritted his teeth as the uncertainty became deeper on Todoroki's face. He wasn't ready to utilize the very thing that has made his life Hell. It didn't matter how inspiring the words were, he nor Midoriya could break what was a lifelong curse in one day. Still, there must be something that the shorter boy could say.
"Todoroki-kun! Don't lose!"
Like that. Wait… Mineta quickly turned around, just as the others in 1A did. And there he was, standing on weak legs and had eyes clouded with exhaustion. But despite all the ailments that plagued him, the light within him still shined brilliantly. And, with hope, it can lead Todoroki to victory.
"Midoriya!?" Class 1A blurted out, taken aback by his sudden appearance. The green haired boy ignored them as he let out another inspiring roar, this one with even more emotion behind it.
"It's your power! Shout 'I AM HERE' with it!"
Mineta and 1A snapped back to the field and saw a new development. Todoroki's eyes changed as a brilliant blaze enveloped his left side. He then raised it towards the oncoming Bakugou, who seemed to have sped up in excitement. Time slowed as the shorter boy observed the two shapes about to collide. Bakugou was rabid in the way an attack dog gets over a fine cut of meat. While Todoroki remained still with an intense stoicism, much like the icebergs he conjures.
But, in that slight moment before impact, Todoroki's eyes reflected a painful memory… And with that, his flames died out as his light faded.
Contact.
An explosion completely enveloped Todoroki and his bit of the field. The glacier the dual colored boy made had begun to crumble away. Was it over? Present Mic and Aizawa began commentating while the smoke and mist cleared. But the general prediction wasn't in Todoroki's favor. Proof came once the dust settled and the field was clear once more.
Bakugou, laying flat on his stomach, stared blankly ahead of him. The audience was gaping as they looked on as well. Mineta could hear his partner's fist clench, no doubt frustrated at the sight. Todoroki Shouto was lying on a pile of his own ice, completely unconscious.
"Todoroki Shouto is out of bounds and unable to continue the fight! Bakugou Kats–!" Midnight started before a desperate shout interrupted her. And it was such a rare sound that even Mineta couldn't recognize the source.
"No! Not like this! Don't let it end like this!" Bakugou screamed, rushing to his defeated opponent. He then grabbed Todoroki by the collar, other hand ready to blast him to kingdom come.
"Get up! This hasn't proven anything! I haven't pro…" The explosive boy shouted before falling over. There was a glittering mist around him, the source of which went back to Midnight. Her Quirk did the trick it seems. The R18 Heroine looked to the commentator's box, causing Present Mic to launch into the closing statement.
"With that unexpected conclusion, we can bring a close to the UA Sports Festival! The winner of the First Years is Bakugou Katsuki of Hero Class A! We'll be taking a short break as we prepare for the award ceremony! Students, make your way to the field in five!"
"Guess that's that. The fight was pretty awesome, but it felt heavy." Kirishima commented as he stood up.
"It was quite noticeable on Todoroki-san. I wonder what happened between this match and the last one." Yaoyorozu replied, stretching out her body.
"We could always ask Midoriya to illuminate these strange turn of events." Tokoyami suggested.
"Good idea, hey Midoriya?" Mina asked as she turned to him. The green haired boy uneasily got away from the railings and wobbled back towards the exit.
"Sorry guys, maybe later. I've got to check back in with Recovery Girl."
"I'll help you there. You look like you'll collapse at any minute." Uraraka said as she quickly went to him. Midoriya was about to decline. But a particularly bad stumble caused him to reconsider. Especially when it was she who stopped him from falling down. With her Quirk. Again.
"You guys go on ahead. We'll be there shortly." Uraraka said before she dragged the floating Midoriya off. While Mineta internally cheered for his partner at the sight, he kept that thought to a minimum. He knew Midoriya still had his mind on Todoroki's situation. No doubt feeling like he could've done more for him. First chance he gets, Mineta will reaffirm his partner's actions.
But for now, the award ceremony awaited them.
…
Mineta didn't know what to expect. Bakugou took first place like he said he would at the Festival's opening. However, this was the last answer he could concoct. And while it made sense given what happened in the final match… This was a tad excessive and over the top.
"RRRRR!" Bakugou grunted through his muzzle. He, Todoroki, and Tsuyu were upon the podium, first, second, and third place respectively. But while the other two stood there, Bakugou was fully restrained in an attempt to contain his anger. The explosive boy railed against his restraints of steel, the rattling of the chains filling the already noisy air. All to try and get at the second place winner.
Speaking of which, Todoroki was ignoring everything around him. It seemed he wasn't even here in the present, that downcast look said as much. But that was understandable, a lot has happened to him today after all.
Both of them really made Tsuyu stand out despite her restrained demeanor. She looked straight ahead and showed the appropriate amount of joy. Honestly, having such a beacon of calm allowed Mineta to ignore the drama going on the other side of the winner's podium. Although, it was starting to slowly become harder to do so.
"K-Kacchan!?" Midoriya shouted as he and Uraraka arrived on scene. The green haired boy was standing much steadier now. His face also had a little more color to it.
"What did we miss?" Uraraka asked fearfully as she eyed the still thrashing human explosive.
"He, uh, woke up like that." Kirishima said with a chuckle.
"Such blood thirst… And he still aims to be a Hero?" Tokoyami asks. Before any other answer could crop up, Midnight spoke to the whole stadium.
"Normally, we would have a battle between the semi-finalists who lost to determine third place. However, due to his injuries, Midoriya Izuku cannot participate in the match. Therefore, Asui Tsuyu takes third by default. So, without further ado, let me introduce the man presenting the winners their medals! You know him! You love him! It is indeed…"
From the roof of the stadium, a figure shrouded by the afternoon sun leapt off. And with a serious number of somersaults, a juggernaut of a man landed before them all. His signature line tearing through the air with a boisterous boom.
"I AM HERE!" All Might shouted.
"ALL MIGHT!" Midnight announced simultaneously. The two Heroes proceeded to awkwardly stare at the other, the latter place her hands together in apology. But despite that, the Symbol of Peace's presence still riled the crowd up. So upon moving on, All Might bestowed the three with their medals. Not only that, he offered advice based on their performance. But Mineta felt like it could apply to all of the students.
"Young Asui, there is not much I can offer you. Your strengths are well balanced and you had such creative applications for your abilities. If you continue to hone those skills, you'll be quite the Hero upon graduation." All Might said, putting the bronze medal around Tsuyu's neck.
"Thank you, All Might." Tsuyu answered with a bow. The Hero then patted the girl on the shoulder, his pride that obvious to everyone. He then moved onto Todoroki, hanging the silver medal around his neck. The dual colored boy was still lost in thought though. Not even when they started to converse did he snap out of it.
"What's troubling you Young Todoroki. Ever since your match with Young Midoriya, you hesitate whenever your left side is involved." All Might asked.
"… I don't know where I am now. For so long, I thought that the way forward was straight and easy. But Midoriya had since shown me the other paths I've ignored. And though another person encouraged me to explore those new roads… I couldn't bring myself to stray from my mission, no matter how much I wanted to. I… I believe I need to search for myself before I could be a Hero like you." Todoroki answered, still somber as ever. The Symbol of Peace placed a hand onto the boy's shoulder, emotion clearly running through it.
"Worry not, Young Todoroki, you will find your way. Consider your troubles and then solve them to the best of your abilities. If you can't do it right now, then wait until you're a little stronger or wiser."
"Okay, thank you."
Finally, All Might went to the winner of the whole Festival. And despite having the Symbol of Peace before him, Bakugou was still thrashing in Todoroki's direction. Mineta buried his face in his hand. He knew the guy had his pin pulled, but this was getting ridiculous. All Might snapped at the restrained explosive, catching his attention.
Guess that's the Number One Hero for you, he probably seen it all.
"And finally Young Bakugou. While this is quite the scene… I must say, you managed to live up to your promise and claimed first. Now, if you'll excuse me…" All Might said as he removed Bakugou's muzzle. That proved to be the Hero's mistake as the explosive boy became the devil possessed. Which was appropriate seeing that the aura around him could only be described as 'beyond satanic'.
"This win means jack squat. I don't care what anyone else says, I didn't earn this. So keep that medal and wait until things are done right."
"Still, in a world where things are up and down, there aren't many who continuously stay at the top. Keep that drive going and use this medal as your fuel. Remember today young Bakugou, it will help you some time in the future." All Might said, presenting the gold to the restrained explosive.
"I don't want it! It's junk to me!"
The Symbol of Peace proceeded to try and get the band over Bakugou's head. However, the boy was resisting, pressing his hard against the concrete slab behind him. All Might eventually settled on putting the ribbon between his teeth. Bakugou, while still angry, didn't spit it out and stood there, teeth gnawing at the award.
"And there you have it! Our top three fighters! But hang on a minute, there's still so much to say! Everyone standing here had the potential to stand on this podium. And though today was not that day, soon you'll succeed if you continue to work hard. So work with your friends, clash with your rivals, and push each other to new heights. The seeds have been planted, now it's up to you to see it bloom." All Might said, turning to the first years. Mineta could feel it, the enflamed spirit of everyone around him. The Symbol of Peace inspired them all, a wondrous feeling only brought on by a true Hero.
Perhaps Midoriya was closer to All Might than Mineta previously thought.
"Now, in spirit of all that's happened, let's have one last hurrah! Everyone, say it with me! One, Two, and–" All Might said, raising his fist high up.
"PLUS ULTRA!"
And with that, the Festival was over. The audience began to clear out and the students began preparing to return to class for the afternoon announcements. Well, everyone except 1A, who had to wait for Bakugou to be unshackled. Which was going to take a while, seeing that all staff members were afraid of approaching him.
"The Hell you standing around for! Get me out of this fucked up shit!" Bakugou screamed, medal still hanging from his teeth. That, however, only made the staff even more hesitant to release him.
"I know Bakugou's pretty antagonistic, but this is ridiculous." Jirou commented, nervously staring at the standoff going on.
"You know what they say about good and evil." Kaminari said with a shrug.
"About how they are but two sides of the same coin? About how fine the line between Hero and Villain is? About how it only takes one bad day for someone to descend into madness and be lost in the black abyss forever?" Tokoyami ranted, voice growing more guttural by the syllable. 1A stared at the bird boy, taken aback by the intensity of his words.
"Uhhh… What?" Hagakure asked.
"Tokoyami, have you been writing trashy gothic poems again?" Shouji asked. Tokoyami turned away, his feathery cheeks gaining a light pink color. And this was despite how dark his feathers were.
"… You can't prove anything."
"Midoriya, Mineta."
The two boys in question turned to the voice calling for them. And upon laying eyes on the source, they found Todoroki and Tsuyu had joined the group. But while the girls were focused on their amphibious classmate, the dual colored boy unflinchingly walked over to his targets. He stopped before Midoriya and Mineta, his presence still strong despite his weighted shoulders.
"Hey, uh… Congrats on second?" Mineta said, unsure of what to say.
"Todoroki-kun… Are you okay?" Midoriya asked. What happened next surprised the Class of 1A… Todoroki bowed to the two, eyes closed and arms at his side.
"I'm sorry; I've wasted your faith in me."
"Excuse me!? Since when did he became your minion!?" Mina shouted. Mineta felt his eye twitch as he pointed straight at the girl. His voice was soon filled with rolling thunder, startling his classmates. And honestly, if this wasn't for Todoroki, the shorter boy would've been surprised too.
"Mina, I owe you and the girls a lot… But now's not the time." He growled. Mina threw her hands up, slowly backing away as Mineta regained his composure. Midoriya began to gesture for everyone to settle down, going to his dual colored classmate last.
"Todoroki-kun, it's okay, a lot has happened today. And it's as All Might said, you'll find your way."
"And it's as I said, you'll stumble and fall along the way. But as long as you keep getting up, you'll be where you need to be." Mineta added. Todoroki raised his head and nodded to them. And then, he simply walked off, ignoring the disbelief of his surrounding classmates. But Midoriya and Mineta saw it in his stride. There was now a greater purpose in his footsteps. And while he only won silver, it was clear he gained something much more valuable today.
The means to finally move forward.
"Apologize to me first damn it!" Bakugou screamed, rattling his restraints at Todoroki. Midoriya gave a long sigh as Mineta buried his face into his hands.
He just had to ruin it…
Chapter 36: A Secret Message
After the Sports Festival, UA gave the students a two day break to recover. And seeing how Midoriya got pretty banged up, it made sense. It was currently the second day of the break and Mineta was bored. Again, while home was nice, school had so many new possibilities waiting to be seized. And after the things he pulled at the Festival, 1A should have a whole new opinion about him.
"Then again, I did help put the girls into cheerleader outfits…" Mineta said with a nervous chuckle. Okay, let's not think about the consequences of that little escapade. The shorter boy quickly flopped around his bed, purging those thoughts into his Head. But no matter how vigorously he moved, deviant images kept cropping up. And eventually, the haze of lust began to cloud his head.
"You know what? Screw it, time to crank the yank." Mineta thought as he reached beneath his bed. The shorter boy didn't care what he grabbed, so long as he had 'tension relief material'. And upon grabbing something, he quickly reeled it in and opened to the first page. Aw yeah, this is...
Mineta stared at the opening page and squinted, it was plain white with strange symbols on it. He quickly flipped through the rest of the pages, only to find much of the same thing. He then looked at the cover to see what exactly he got. An issue of the world famous, ultra premium, subscription only, gentlemen's magazine Worship. And finally, it hit him.
"Oh right, this thing… Man, it's nice that we weren't ruined by this thing, but what a disappointment. What idiot decided to gut a magazine like this and fill it with nonsense? I mean, what does any of these mean?" Mineta grumbled, going back to the first page. He began to look at one particular symbol, turning it to all sorts of angles. He then began to question his sanity, still flipping the magazine end over end.
"Or maybe, I'm the idiot for expecting something. I mean, it's not like I'll see something if I keep…" Mineta continued, stopping as soon as he could. The shorter boy remained still, keeping the magazine at a certain angle and orientation. The symbol he was staring at changed, showing a logo of sorts. A logo he recognizes from all the times he and Midoriya visited the place it belonged to.
"That's the Fig Grove logo…" Mineta thought. He proceeded to scan the rest of the page. The other scribbling on the page began to make sense, though it was just a large series of numbers and letters. Keeping the angle the same, the shorter boy ran to his desk, flipped open a book, and grabbed a pen. He quickly wrote them down, making sure not to make a single mistake. And after writing the twenty combinations, he stared at them. There had to be a reason it was written specifically in this way.
And it was the fourth combination that held the answer. Mineta got up from his desk and went to his shelf, pulling a figurine of a Heroine dressed in honey colored, insect-like armor. This was Amber Moon, the Heroine with the second best costume in Canada. But instead of studying the appearance of the figurine, he looked at the bottom of the base.
CA0032249. The same combination as the one listed from the book.
"Huh… Let's see if I can pull up the other items on their website." Mineta said, immediately going to his computer. The mouse clicked as the keys clacked. For the five minutes it took for Mineta to find all the serial numbers, he finally had the names of various Heroes. The shorter boy stretched his body as he stared at the list. There had to be some reason why it's in this specific order and with these specific people.
Mineta's eyes began to read the list in every direction. Right to left, up to down, and diagonally, he covered all his angles. And as he searched; he found the only few words hidden within the mess of letters. And from top to bottom, he began to put them together.
"Secret… Treasure… Hidden… Inside… Wait, treasure!?" Mineta mumbled before shouting. He immediately covered his mouth. For one thing, Mineta didn't want to disturb his Dad. Not while the man's so close to a deadline. And two, if this was a treasure map; he'd want to keep it on the down low. Who knows who has a listening Quirk in this apartment block?
"Then again, they'd probably ignore me since I definitely gave them an earful of something gross at some point." Mineta thought, looking back at the magazine. If this really was an encoded directory to buried treasure, then it must be worth quite a bit. It could, of course, be a trick to waste people's time. Or a moral to teach kids the real treasure was the skills and friendship gained along the way.
But Mineta knew this was neither. The first page alone told him that, someone put the time to make a cipher that could only be seen at a specific angle. And it requires knowledge of a specific store to decode. So if anything, this had to be the legitimate article.
Unless it really is a trick by a person with WAY too much time on their hands.
"No way to find out unless I decipher the next page." Mineta mumbled as he turned the page. More scribbles were scattered about, even bleeding over to the third page. Whatever this message was, the shorter boy needed to consider how the double spread is factored into it.
"First things first, let's see if there is anything I recognize…" Mineta thought, studying the scribbles.
…
…
…
After an hour and a half of moving the magazine around, fiddling with the pages, and writing down translated codes, he's got it down. Mineta rolled his neck and stretched everything. Muscles were stiff, bones were clicking, and his eyes were tired. But was all this effort worth it? Mineta leaned in and began reading the message that he managed to dig up.
"Your next step lies in Musutafu Northern Commercial. Seek a new opportunity between the iceberg and garden buds…"
The shorter boy hit his head against the desk, realizing what was to be done next. With a long groan, he threw on some fresh clothes, packed his notes and the magazine into a small backpack, and quietly left home. He then went to the appropriate bus stop and caught a ride to his destination. And at least the trip wasn't boring, several people recognized him from the Sports Festival and gave him some hurrah.
But as much as he wanted to stay for the admiration, Mineta had arrived at his stop.
"Okay… New opportunity between the iceberg and garden buds… Then let's look for a flower shop and a… Hmmm... I'll just start with the flower shop first." He thought as he scratched his head. With a map of the area, Mineta began going in the direction of the closest Flower Shop.
One hour passed, then another. But as he traveled, scribbling notes and other thoughts into his book the same way Midoriya does, Mineta began to feel lost. Five flower shops and nothing next to them involved anything cold. There were fish markets, sushi restaurants, and ice cream stores. But there wasn't anything that would describe as 'garden buds' around them. So in his exhausted frustration, the shorter boy took a break.
"How do treasure hunters do it? How do they keep up this sort of thing for so long?" Mineta thought, back pressed into the bench. He reached over to his bag and pulled out his notes. There, he flipped to the page where a simple map with scribbles drawn onto it. This was the Mineta's drawing of the area, with symbols to denote the key locations.
But again, there was no connection that fits the riddle.
With another groan, Mineta put away the notebook and laid his body on the bench. Perhaps he should just toss it, seeing that if he was stuck now, the other steps would be impossible. But then, what if there really was a grand treasure at the end of it? Decisions, decisions… And not helping him was the fact that he was thirsty and slightly hungry.
"Should've eaten something before leaving… How much money did I bring with me?" Mineta thought as he looked into his wallet. The sound of brass bells stopped him, an odd sound at this time of year. And looking up, he saw a man in a Santa hat pushing a rather long cart around. As he stared, eyebrows scrunched up, he caught the name of the cart, A Wintery Visit. Mineta took his bag and got up; he had to see what this was about.
The man locked the wheels of his cart before opening up a small part of the cart, revealing an assortment of bottles, paper cones, and a control panel. He then opened a shutter on the rest of the cart, revealing a block of ice twice Mineta's height and width wedged in some kind of machine. And it only took a bit more studying to figure out what it did.
"Is this a lathe?" Mineta asked.
"That it is young man, built it and the whole cart myself." The man replied. Mineta stared at him before noting the different mechanisms attached to it. And the more he looked at it, the more unwieldy the thing appeared. Could someone actually use this thing for business without some sort of problem? Because the shorter boy isn't seeing how it wouldn't be. I mean, this is a lot of work for just shaved ice.
"Even with a special cart, lugging around this giant block wastes so much energy. I mean, that thing's practically an icebe–" Mineta began. He then stopped when he heard that keyword. Hang on, if this cart goes around the area with this massive chunk of ice... Is there a point where it would be close to one of the flowers shops? The shorter boy looked to the man, who began operating his stand with deft precision.
"Your next stop wouldn't happen to be around Jade Paradise down that way is it?" Mineta asked, gesturing in the direction of the nearest flower shop. The man simply nodded before handing Mineta a card. Upon looking at it, he could find the business hours and locations of his cart there. And he was in luck, in an hour, A Wintery Visit would come by that store.
With a bow of thanks, Mineta ran on ahead and waited next to the store. He was simply going to sit there and wait for something to appear. It would be boring, waiting for an hour for the cart to roll by. But at least there was no way for the shorter boy to miss the 'new opportunity'. And after occupying his mind with ideas from both halves of his mind, the time of reckoning was upon him.
Mineta focused on his surroundings and who was present. As his eyes swept his surroundings, he found a woman who was handing out fliers. A woman he was certain wasn't there until now. He quickly approached her and she handed him a flier with a smile. Mineta nodded with a bow and walked off, looking at the paper in his hands.
Only to find the whole thing was printed in English. And while the shorter boy had a decent grasp of the language, he couldn't recognize half the words. Especially not when this flier has words crammed into every last centimeter of space the paper could offer. The back was more sensible, having a very trimmed down version of the front. But this design was completely atrocious.
"Is this the 'new opportunity'? How am I supposed to get a new clue from this?" Mineta thought, studying the paper intently.
"What're looking at Mineta?"
The shorter boy jumped as he moved away from the sudden voice next to him. But upon looking at who it was, he immediately relaxed. It was just Kaminari. Still, not cool to sneak up on him.
"Dude, what the Hell?" Mineta asked, glaring at him.
"Sorry, sorry, but it seemed like a good time to scare you. Anyway, what's with the flier? It's a mess of English." Kaminari asked with an apologetic smile.
"It's a long story…"
"I like stories."
Mineta sighed and pointed at a nearby restaurant for the two to discuss it. Kaminari nodded and the two went there without a word. And once being seated, Mineta started from the beginning by first taking out the magazine they've founded. He then explained how he studied it for the Hell of it and found a puzzle inside. And after translating the first message, he began working on the second puzzle. He would show him his book and the several pages of notes he made. And finally, he presented the flier as some kind of clue to the next riddle.
"Dude, that's actually crazy." Kaminari said, hand on his chin.
"I know… But seeing how there was something to this, I'm willing to bet this treasure is real." Mineta replied, eating some French fries he ordered.
"And the only way to get to the next step is to decipher this mess?" Kaminari asked, tapping the flier that was on the table. The shorter boy nodded as he took a sip from his soda. The electric blonde stared at the flier, something dancing within the gold of his eyes. He then looked up and gestured to Mineta's book and pen. Without delay, Mineta pushed the notebook and pen to his friend. Did he have something?
Kaminari flipped to a blank page and began tracing his finger across the words on the flier. He then began writing certain words into the notebook, crossing out the corresponding words from the flier. He kept doing this until he had a rather large collection of words. And rather than keeping them all in the same group, he organized them in their own… Categories? Mineta wasn't sure why Kaminari was separating them the way he was, but it had to be important.
Or was it?
"Hey, uh, what are you doing exactly?" Mineta asked.
"This whole thing is full of words from an old poem, specifically The Waste Land by T.S. Elliot. Whoever planned this must be cultured to all Hell." Kaminari replied, still writing down words. The shorter boy flinched back as he stared at his friend, who continued with his work. Why was it that he knew about an ancient poet?
"I wrote an essay on it in middle school. Could've gotten a perfect grade too if I just used other people's quotes and not my personal opinion." Kaminari answered as though he read Mineta's mind. Though that only caused another question to pop up in the shorter boy's head. Mainly, why did he specifically choose to write about an ancient poet?
"If you read The Waste Land, you'll find that it's a depressing cesspool poem. It talks about how the world sucks and there is nothing you can do to change it. But I feel that's wrong and I cited the world around us as proof. Things went from chaos to order once Heroes started showing their stuff. It's why I wanted to be a Hero, to help make sure things don't become that wasteland." Kaminari explained, eyes still on the flier.
Mineta's expression softened as he watched his friend work. What a strange reason to become a Hero. He, Midoriya, and Iida are following in the footsteps of someone they admire. Uraraka was planning to look after her parents. But there was something about hearing a person work to prevent all those bad scenarios found in fiction. And it honestly made Kaminari seem much more than a bumbling idiot with hidden genius. It was as though he was becoming a protagonist of one of those stories.
And in the age of Quirks, perhaps that's not such a bad thing.
"Alright, I'm done combing. A lot of them belonged to Eliot's Waste Land. The ones that don't are either repeats or were never in it. I even organized them in the order they appear." Kaminari said, pushing the notebook back to Mineta. The shorter boy snapped out of his thoughts and looked at what was marked. While it was still in English, they were short and simple enough for him to read it.
"North and South… Once was one but now away in more than two… And though they oppose, they be bound by forces greater than blood…" He read out loud. Mineta looked up to see Kaminari munching on his pile of fries, face completely blank. And looking back at the riddle, the shorter boy could understand his friend's cluelessness.
"You and me both, this is cryptic. Kind of makes me wonder if this is worth the trouble…" Mineta said, leaning back into his seat.
"It has to be; otherwise they wouldn't go through all this trouble. Come on dude, we're Heroes in Training. We're not going to let someone's riddles get to us just because they're hard. Like, what if we had to deal with a Villain who leaves stuff like this laying around?" Kaminari asked.
"Didn't someone do that a long time ago?" Mineta asked.
"I don't know, but I'm not letting them get away just because they're smart enough to fool everyone. Now let's break this code." Kaminari replied before going back to the riddle. The shorter boy stared at the electric blonde and felt his motivation climbing again. He was right. If Mineta wanted easy, than he wouldn't be on the path he was on now.
So, with his back straightened, Mineta went on with his search for the secret of the magazine.