Chapter 37: Names We Bear
Back to UA and so many things happened already. The first was the crowds that Mineta and Midoriya encountered along the way. They took time to cheer the two on, looking forward to the next great Hero duo. It was so much that Mineta had to consciously remind himself not to get too full of it. He still had so much growing to do before that goal becomes a reality.
Then there was the encounter with Iida. While Mineta hoped that there was nothing serious going on with his family… Those prayers were unanswered as the Class President's brother was seriously injured and crippled by a Villain. And though Iida continued to be friendly and professional with them… Mineta could feel something hanging over him.
Midoriya felt the same. But he also said it's best to give him space.
"I don't know… Trouble tends to get bigger the longer you ignore it." Mineta said, folding his arms. Currently, they were in the 1A classroom. And while everyone else was happily talking about how people commented on their Sports Festival performance, Midoriya and Mineta were having a more somber discussion.
"True, but you can tell Iida-kun doesn't want to talk about it. And forcing a sensitive conversation will do the opposite of help. So we just have to trust him to sort it out for now. However, we'll move in if things start looking bad." Midoriya replied.
"But when would that be? Class Pres maybe our friend, but we don't know all his ticks yet."
"I can recognize your problems just as you recognize mine. We'll manage somehow." Midoriya answered. The shorter boy raised a finger, an argument on his tongue. But as the seconds passed, nothing came out as Mineta thought about his words. There wasn't anything he could argue against in his partner's words. So with a sigh, Mineta looked over to Iida.
"Give me a heads up when you spot something."
"Same to you."
The school bell rang, causing the class of 1A to sit down at their assigned seat. Then when the classroom door slid open, everyone settled down as Aizawa shuffled into the room. And despite having all of his bandages finally removed, he still looked like a zombie. Did the guy still not get enough rest? Even though that's all Aizawa could do when he was mummified?
"It's good to see your bandages off, Aizawa-sensei." Tsuyu commented after the class greeted their teacher.
"You can thank the Old Lady's treatment, as excessive as it was. But never mind that, we have plenty of things to discuss. First of all, Kaminari and Mineta, there are repercussions for your little stunt at the Sports Festival. You will be writing apology letters to your classmates for forcing them into those outfits. You'll also be writing one to me for using my name for something stupid." Aizawa said, glaring at the two in question
Mineta froze as Kaminari sunk in his seat, all eyes were on them.
"Oh yeah, we've still got to talk about what to do with them." Mina commented, looking to her fellow girls.
"Let's just say they owe us a favor and be done with it... I just want to forget that ever happened…" Jirou replied, cheeks bright red.
"Oh don't be like that Kyouka-chan, we had lots of fun. But yeah, a favor and an apology would be nice." Hagakure said, looking to Kaminari and Mineta. The electric blonde nodded, still trying to make his existence as small as possible. And for the shorter boy, last time he'll listen to his pants.
"You got it…" Mineta said meekly. Aizawa ended his pressuring gaze.
"Good. Be sure to get those in by next week. Now, today there'll be a special Hero Informatics class." He continued. 1A began to wait with anticipation. Normally, Hero Informatics involves the legal portion of Heroism. However, their teacher made it sound like 1A was about to jump hoops or something. That conclusion was reached because Aizawa bothered to mention it. Otherwise he'd just stay silent and go to sleep in the corner.
"You'll be coming up with your Hero Aliases." Aizawa said plainly. The tension in the class swung in the opposite direction. Most of the class exploded with excitement, feeling a chance to show off their creative side. As for Mineta, he simply sunk into his seat with a sigh. So it wasn't going to be something ridiculous…
"Settle. Down." Aizawa commanded, intense glare returning. The class stopped and waited for what he has to say. Their teacher cooled down and began applying eye drops, continuing with his announcements like nothing happened.
"Do you remember, before the break, I mentioned the Pro Hero Drafts? Well the results came in. Remember, these are based on who the Pros think is ready to join the workforce after two or three years of experience. You could say that's their level of interest in your future. Be warned though, it could wane before you graduate and the offers will suddenly be revoked."
"It's just like stocks… If we don't show any promise, investors will move on to better prospects." Yaoyorozu commented rather nervously.
"Then it's best for those with offers to work harder. And we without opportunity work to improve ourselves for next time." Shouji replied.
"Exactly, nothing is set in stone. So all of you need to continue to put your best foot forward, I expect nothing less. Now, here are the numbers. Though given our top two performers, the spread is a little bias." Aizawa said, bringing up a chart on the board. A bit of chatter went around as they began counting numbers. And beyond Mineta's expectations, he had several offers to his name. Midoriya as well, he even had nine more than Mineta.
"Dude, not bad huh?" Mineta asked, reaching over to his partner.
"Honestly, I thought no one would be interested…" He replied, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Midoriya and Mineta, there's a condition with some of your offers." Aizawa said. He then pressed another button from the podium, causing the graph to change. Part of Mineta and Midoriya's bars, at least 90 percent of both, turned to a different color with its own number. The class stared at those and waited for what their teacher had to say.
"The Hero Agencies that sent these want you both together. If only one of you accepts, they'll turn you down. So keep that in mind and talk to each other about your choices."
The class let out a noise of awe as discussions about the two erupted. Mineta basked in the attention while Midoriya was a little overwhelmed by it. But the shorter boy could tell, his partner was feeling the pride in the work they've achieved. And at how far they came since their humble beginnings.
"Even when they were fighting each other, they worked together. Just imagine the things they can do now that they're back on the same side." Kirishima commented with a smile.
"Well we kind of saw it already. Remember what their plan was if they teamed up in the Cavalry Battle?" Sero replied.
"Don't remind me, I still get chills thinking about it." Mina said with a groan.
"But I still think its super cool. They've got something we don't have a lot of yet, camaraderie." Uraraka said with a cheer.
"As if that's anything special. They just suck less shit when together, that's all." Bakugou spat, leaning back into his chair.
"Sounds like someone's jealous." Tsuyu commented as blunt as ever.
"Who the fuck would be jealous!?"
Aizawa knocked on his lectern, causing the class to snap their attention back to him. He wiped the board before scanning his students with tired eyes. But the glint in them was not of exhaustion, but of provocation. He was giving 1A a challenge.
"Whether or not you were picked, you will all have a chance to work with Pro Heroes. While you're more experienced than most from the USJ, you're still young. That is why, when next week rolls around, you'll be shadowing a Pro. Watch them in action and listen to what they teach you. No matter who you follow, you will come back with something to show for it." Aizawa said. The class got excited again, this time being more subdued to not draw their teacher's ire. But it was hard to contain the feeling, especially when this was a chance to delve deep into the Hero lifestyle.
"And that's why you want us to choose our Hero names." Satou said.
"That's correct. Now, while your names aren't fixed, you should still make them fit." Aizawa said began. It was here that the classroom door slammed open. And stand in the doorway was Midnight and all of her sultry beauty. She gave a deviously sly smile as she walked forward, heels hitting the floor with confidence.
"And I'm here to make sure you don't end up regretting your names. People tend to remember their first impressions of you. Your name, appearance, and actions will determine how the world will think of you. So try not to mess this up, you'll be in all sorts of Hell if you do." Midnight said with a wink. Mineta felt a chill run through him. And whether that was from the Heroine's sexiness or the implications of her words, he couldn't say.
But she did have a point. The name is an important part of a Hero's identity, just like their costume. It speaks of their abilities, their aspirations, and, most importantly, their true character. So rather than just being an alias, it becomes a show of their very existence. And as the name becomes recognized, the legend of its owner grows greater.
And once the legend becomes big enough… Just the name alone will be enough to drive fear into Villains and bring hope to the innocent. Kind of like All Might and his ever watchful eyes.
Then a thought just hit Mineta as markers and dry erase boards were passed around. It was a memory from before UA. There the shorter boy sat with Midoriya, talking about Hero names for themselves. Between 'Grape Juice' and 'Grape Shot', Mineta knew what his alias would be. His partner on the other hand didn't, burdened by his Quirklessness and anxiety.
A smile slowly crept onto Mineta's face. He then reached over to Midoriya and tapped his shoulder. The green haired boy looked back, boards and markers in hand.
"What about you dude? You got yourself a 'cool' or 'wacky' Hero name yet?" Mineta asked.
"Well, I've been doing some thinking and…" Midoriya began before stopping. His green eyes widened, no doubt reliving the same memory just as the shorter boy did. Midoriya began to show a small smile, glossy eyes coming back to the present.
"And I still think 'Grape Shot' sounds cooler." He continued, wiping the tears that formed. Midoriya then passed the markers and boards to him, which Mineta gladly accepted. The green haired boy turned back to his seat and began thinking, his usual mumbling sounding more focused than ever before. Mineta nodded happily as he passed the last board and marker to Yaoyorozu behind him.
Now, it was time to consider a Hero name. Though honestly, it was between Grape Juice and Grape Shot. Which would suit him better?
…
"Alright, let's wrap it up. Whoever's ready can show us what you have." Midnight said after 15 minutes have passed. There was now a nervous tension in the air, they had to share their names? But while Mineta had no problem stepping up to the plate, he could understand the feeling. Ridicule was thrown onto him and Midoriya for so long that he got used to it. As sad as that sounds, one could only move on from it.
The shorter boy shook out of his stupor and started to pay attention, his classmates were starting to present. Aoyama was first and it was too long to be practical. But like Midnight said she would, a correction was offered and was accepted. Now, Aoyama will be known as 'Can't Stop Twinkling'. Mina was next and her name was immediately rejected on the basis of sounding too villainous. Tsuyu came up to stage next, her name 'Froppy' turning the atmosphere around.
"Cute, easy to remember, and fits her straightforward personality, that's a name I can get behind." Mineta thought as Kirishima took the stage. His 'Red Riot' moniker raised the bar and the shorter boy sensed his classmates thinking harder about their names. Both Kaminari and Jirou got into some banter before presenting their respective names.
And as it continued, Mineta was able to see more into his classmate's minds. Some were creative; others were pretty bland. Like Sero's and Hagakure's names, Cellophane and Invisible Girl isn't exactly awe inspiring. But as Mineta and Midoriya discussed before UA, weird names have their charm and fans. Who knows, one day their names may be added to the Hall of Heroes. And by then, no one would be laughing at their silly ass names.
"Shouto…" Todoroki presented. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that, was that really it? Then again, the dual colored boy did have trouble expressing himself. And since Todoroki only started to recover from his issues, it might be a while before he becomes part of 1A's chaotic mess.
"King Explodo Murder." Bakugou said, teeth clenched and eyes glaring at everyone.
"How about, try again?" Midnight replied, shaking her head. The explosive blonde stomped off as Uraraka took the stand. She flipped over her board, revealing Uravity written behind it. Mineta nodded to that as the class happily commented on it. It was a pretty good pun and it certainly spoke a lot about her character. It was both soft and strong, like Uraraka, and it was also noticeable yet unassuming, just like her Quirk and the force it bends. Not bad, that will certainly go into the records for 'most appropriate aliases'.
"Things have gone pretty smoothly. We only have Midoriya, Iida, Mineta, and Bakugou's revision to go through." Midnight commented. Mineta snapped out of his thoughts and went up. He talked the talk about great, okay, and bland Hero names. Now it was his turn to show that he can walk amongst them. So while his costume may not exactly inspire confidence, Mineta was sure his name will.
He did, after all, take to heart the wisdom of a good friend.
"What do you guys think of this? Grape Shot." Mineta asked, holding his board up. A wave of interest peaked as he could feel his classmates studying him. Midoriya was especially focused on him, stars dancing in his eyes over the name. Midnight though, simply placed a hand on her chin. The shorter boy felt his heartbeat increase. Was his name no good?
"Grape Shot… I like it! There are so many layers it covers about you. The fruit part is quite obvious, but shot can refer to hunting pellets. Not only that, your whole name brings to mind an antiquated cannon load. In essence, you're making yourself out to be a weapon to be reckoned with." Midnight commented with a smile.
"If he had the height to match, then sure." Bakugou said, eyes still on his board. Mineta's eye twitched as he looked over to the explosive blonde. Okay, that's it; this is the last time he ruins the mood. So before his brain can consider the consequences, words spilled out from Mineta's mouth.
"At least I have a name, unlike your half assed attempt to sound dangerous."
"If you want half assed, look at the two faced bastard back there." Bakugou spat back, jabbing his thumb towards Todoroki.
"Please keep me out of this."
"Again, at least he has a name. At this rate, you might as well be called John Doe." Mineta replied, glaring back at Bakugou. He should really stop before this gets worse. But perhaps because there were two Pros here with subduing abilities, he kept running his mouth. "I mean, without that attitude and Quirk, there's nothing special about you."
"Actually, on second thought, you ARE special." Mineta taunted as he tapped his head.
"You Grape Shit! I hope you're ready to pay that debt you owe!" Bakugou shouted, standing up as his hands sparked.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Midnight yelled as Bakugou's hands fizzled out. Mineta froze as he felt his former master's gaze then shifted to him. He could already hear the lecture the man had prepared for him. The R18 Heroine then looked at Mineta, causing him to sweat even more than he already was.
"Mineta Minoru, your name is good. So please sit down before things escalate any further. NOW." Midnight said. Her eyes emitted a dread that would have caused Mineta to empty his bowels. And if he hadn't used the bathroom earlier that morning, the shorter boy just might have.
"I-I'm really sorry…" Mineta said before he quickly went back to his seat. Though he did take the long way around to avoid passing Bakugou.
"How are you not dead yet?" Jirou whispered as Mineta hurried by.
"Luck…"
"Then I guess we should bring you along whenever there's a lottery." Sero joked, doing his best to lighten the mood. Mineta gave the tape slinger a shaky thumb's up before continuing on his path. Tokoyami scooted closer to his desk for Mineta to quickly pass. He then proceeded to climb into his seat and got intimate with his desk, board over his head.
But even in his sheer terror, he felt a comforting hand be placed on his shoulder. Midoriya must have turned around to offer his partner encouragement. Unfortunately, the shorter boy was too afraid to come out and thank him. He even isolated himself from the sounds of his class, ignoring what Iida's name was as well as Midoriya's. Mineta missed this great moment in their friendship, the thing they aimed for since the beginning.
All because he felt the need to challenge the titan known as Bakugou Katsuki.
Chapter 38: Upon a Different Road
"Now that we have your names, let's talk about your Internships. For those who have been drafted, you may select any Agency on your personalized list that opened their doors to you. For those who haven't been drafted, I passed out a list that contains forty agencies from all over the country that are willing to accept interns. Carefully decide which one you'll choose, as each have a different specialty and area of focus." Aizawa said, taking the podium once more. Papers shuffled around as 1A each received their own lists.
Mineta, having gotten over the fear from ten minutes ago, looked at his list. And as Aizawa brought to his attention, his was separated into two sections. There were the Agencies who were willing to take him solo and the ones who will take him with Midoriya. The latter outweighs the former, but there were still a few of choices if he wanted to go alone.
Though maybe it's better to hold off for a bit, discuss things with his partner first.
"You have until the weekend to decide." Aizawa said, passing out more papers. The class groaned over the rather short timeframe they've been given. And Mineta was feeling it too, more so because he has letters to write. He also had a feeling that, if he didn't get those in on time, he won't be able to Intern at all. This was going to be a busy week…
…
"Mineta-kun, I know your relationship with Kacchan is rocky at best… But you should really try to ignore his provocations." Midoriya said. The school day has ended and 1A was just hanging around the classroom, discussing their Internship choices. And while Mineta would've listened in on other people's decisions… He was in the middle of writing a letter. Not that this stopped him from holding a conversation.
"Old habits die hard man… I'm just tired of him hitting you and me with his bullshit." Mineta replied, continuing with his words of apology. This one was for Aizawa, seeing that it would no doubt be the longest. He also might have to add in a word about his near fight with the human grenade.
"I've been meaning to ask, but why does he hate you two so much?" Uraraka asked, wandering over to them. A few other people looked over as well, no doubt wanting to know as well. But Mineta and Midoriya shook their heads with a shrug. The answer to that question would take more time than they have. Not only that, it would involve revealing several of Bakugou's insecurities that would no doubt get them all killed. So it was best to keep things vague.
"It's complicated." Both of them said.
"Really? That bad? Guess we shouldn't poke too much then." Uraraka replied. The others who were listening let out a disappointed groan before going back to their own conversations.
"Not unless we want to die in a fiery explosion. But that's enough about him, let's talk about you. Got any idea who you want to intern under?" Mineta asked, moving away from the dangerous topic. Uraraka nodded excitedly before going into a rather loose, basic martial art form.
"Yep, I'm going for one of my drafts. The Battle Hero Gunhead!" She answered, punching forward with a smile. Mineta flinched to that, eyes furrowing at her choice. Gunhead was a burly, rough and tumble kind of Hero who, if Midoriya's research was correct, was a bit of a street fighter in his youth. What an odd choice for someone like Uraraka to go and learn under. Could it be she wants to learn a bit about fighting?
"Really? I thought you would go for Thirteen, your favorite." Midoriya asked.
"Well… After my fight with Bakugou, it got me thinking. If I get stronger, I'm able to do more things right? So why limit myself to what I can do when I can learn about something I can't?" Uraraka asked, throwing another loose punch forward. But despite that improper form of her's, the gravity defying girl had an unshakable resolve burning in her eyes. More proof that this kind girl was indeed a fighter and a proper Hero in Training.
"It's no wonder I'm pairing her and Midoriya. They're both dorks with hearts of gold and fire." Mineta thought with a nod.
"Wow, that's so cool. But I'm glad you've got it down, I haven't got a clue who I should intern under. Mineta-kun, have you decided whether you want to work with me?" Midoriya asked, turning to his partner.
"Of course I want to, who do you take me for? But the question of which Hero still stands." He replied. Uraraka gestured for Midoriya's offer list and he quickly handed it to her. The girl then scanned down the list, name after name. And judging by how Uraraka's eyes danced about, Mineta could tell she was getting overwhelmed.
"There's a lot of big Hero Agencies here. The Seven Swords, Vindicators, Chimera Corp… Hang on, aren't all these guys' team players? Maybe that's why they chose you two." Uraraka said, handing the list back to Midoriya.
"Which is why Mineta-kun and I need to have a long talk as soon as we can. But I also need to decide on a solo choice in case we can't decide something as partners." The green haired boy replied.
"Not likely, but I've already got mine decided." Mineta said, head held high. There was a certain rising heroine that he wanted to mine secrets from. Like how did she become such a big deal? How did she handle rival Heroes on the board? And would it be okay to take photos and videos of her? F-For research of course...
But regardless of his dubious plans, he needed to help Midoriya decide on something. And while not partnering up sounded unlikely, they still had to keep all their bases covered. Perhaps Mineta should ask his partner a few questions. Like what does he want to achieve in this period? And, as though the universe heard him, the answer stormed into the room.
"I am here! With a message, Young Midoriya could I speak with you and Young Mineta for a moment." All Might shouted before returning to a normal volume. The remainder of the class looked over to the duo, eyebrows raised. But while Midoriya quickly began gathering his things to meet up with his mentor, Mineta went stiff. Did word of his incident that morning make it to All Might? Was he about to be reprimanded for acting out? Was his partner also going to be told off for his lack of control over him?
"Mineta-kun! Let's go!" Midoriya called. The shorter boy snapped out of his daze and grabbed his bag. Quickly rushing over, as well as saying his farewells to his classmates, he followed his partner and the Symbol of Peace. The Hero guided the two to a deserted hallway before stopping. Mineta and Midoriya stopped as well, waiting for All Might's message.
"Young Midoriya, you can add one more to your list of drafts. His name is Gran Torino and he used to be an UA instructor for a year. He was also my homeroom teacher." All Might said in an uncharacteristically nervous tone. But that part flew straight over the two boys, who were already talking about this prospect.
"Dude, All Might's old teacher! Imagine the things you can learn from him!" Mineta said, doing his best to keep his volume from going any higher.
"Imagine what WE can learn from him." Midoriya corrected with a smile.
"Ah, it's only for you Young Midoriya. I'm sorry Young Mineta, but he isn't interested in you. This is about… 'The Egg'…" All Might said as he went into a whisper. Midoriya and Mineta immediately shut their mouths and leaned in closer. And while the cheer in their system dropped due to another solo offer, they knew this was too important.
"Gran Torino already knows about One for All, so no worries there. But he contacted me so he can refine your ability to use it, Young Midoriya. And though Torino is from the last generation, his wisdom is valuable. But I must warn you… He isn't exactly soft…" All Might whispered, his nervousness becoming more apparent. And what I mean is that the Number One Hero was literally shaking in his boots.
The two boys slowly looked at each other. Then their eyes went back to the still quaking All Might.
"What do you think?" Mineta asked, breaking the silence.
"Well… Due to your suggestion, Young Midoriya has made much progress in very little time. But there's still quite the ways to go before he becomes my successor. So it is my personally belief that he should learn from an old master. Though I do feel a little discouraged by having him step in… It's almost like he's saying I can't train someone…" All Might answered. He then proceeded to crouch down, back to the boys, and poked at some spot on the ground. The shorter boy could tell he wasn't all that hurt and just did it for the comedy.
Still, turning to Midoriya, Mineta posed the same question.
"… I want to go, learn more about what I have to do with 'The Egg'. But I also want to team up with you, show more of the next dynamic duo. It's hard to decide…" He answered, casting his eyes away as he began thinking. Mineta felt those words. He felt the two sides of his partner pulling him into two different directions. The inheritor told him to go solo. But the friend was saying to team up. And seeing him like that reaffirms their bonds as partners in crime.
However, Mineta knew this could only go one way. So, putting all the weight of his emotions into his hand, the shorter boy laid it on his partner's arm.
"You should learn from Gran Torino."
"Wha– really!? You're okay with that?" Midoriya asked, snapping to Mineta.
"I mean, he's the one of the few people who knows about 'The Egg'. And since he trained All Might, you might be able to figure a few more things out if you go with him. And don't worry about the whole 'team up' thing; we'll get plenty of chances. I mean, we're still pretty early in our first year." Mineta replied, giving his partner a thumb's up.
"But…"
"I know dude, it's what we dreamed of years ago at the park. But the more we grow on our own, the stronger we'll be together. And it's like Uraraka said, why limit yourself to what you can do when you can learn about something you can't? Besides, it'll take more than a week for our bond to weaken. You're my partner, nothing will change that." Mineta said before holding his fist out. Midoriya stared at him before his eyes began shining and a smile formed on his lips. He then returned the gesture, cheerful yet determined words left his throat.
"Then let's hope your pitching won't get too rusty."
"As if, my catcher won't let me."
"What beautiful friendship… It makes me long for the days with my old sidekick… Anyhow, I'll inform Gran Torino of your decision. Good day Young men and don't forget to actually fill out your forms." All Might said, wiping a tear that leaked from his eye. Midoriya and Mineta bowed to the Symbol of Peace as he waved them goodbye. Then, the two began racing home…
Their feet were pushing them towards a new road before them. And though it separated the two… They could still feel the other at their back. So with that said... The curtains open towards a new opportunity.
Chapter 39: The Radiant Wing
A week has passed since 1A received their internship offers. And since then, they have chosen their respective Heroes to follow. Mineta finished his apology letters and spent the remaining time waiting like them. And as the days ticked down, the excitement and anxiety grew. It was so great that the intense coursework of UA could barely distract them.
But alas, the day of reckoning was upon them.
"Alright, does everyone have their costumes? Wearing them in public is prohibited, but don't you dare lose them." Aizawa asked, looking at his students. Mineta nodded as Mina shouted 'yeah' at the top of her lungs. His heart was beating so loud, he swore that anyone was able to hear it. And looking to his partner, Mineta could tell he was feeling the same. But there was one person there that wasn't so cheerful.
That thought grounded the shorter boy as he slowly looked to the Class President. A shadow of stern gloom separated Iida Tenya from 1A. Throughout this whole week, ever since his brother was crippled by rising Villain Stain, the Hero Killer, he was disconnected from them. He did enough to prevent the whole class from worrying. But Midoriya, Uraraka, and Mineta knew better.
He was volatile right now.
"Iida-kun… I know you don't like it being brought up… But if you want to talk about how you feel, we're always here to listen." Midoriya said after Aizawa concluded his statements, turning to Iida.
"Yeah… So please don't carry everything on your own…" Uraraka added, eyes begging like a puppy.
"If you're stressed, just say it. You trust us right?" Mineta asked. Iida, whose eyes was mostly on the ground, looked up. There was some light in his eyes as he gave a calm smile. But there was still darkness shrouding his noble soul.
"I do." Iida said with a nod. He then began walking away, off to his internship. Mineta bit his nail, he wanted to say something. He felt like he should say something. But there was nothing. And looking over to his two friends, they don't have the words either. Midoriya brows were furrowed as Uraraka gripped her costume case tighter.
"… I'll see you guys later." Uraraka said as she broke off. Midoriya and Mineta nodded to her before turning to one another. There was so much that needed to be said. Even then, neither of the two partners could voice it. That was how grave the situation was with Iida. All either of them could do now was pray for Iida's safety.
"Good luck Mineta-kun." Midoriya said, began turning towards his platform.
"You too partner." Mineta replied. And on that heavy note, the two parted ways. The shorter boy wanted leave in higher spirits, for him and his friends. But he supposed it was hard when a good friend was suffering from a tragedy.
"Come on Minoru, stand tall. You can't help anyone with that attitude…" Mineta thought as he took a deep breath. The shorter boy was about to go, his stride a little steadier, until a band of cloth stopped him. Recognizing the article, he turned around to see Aizawa talking on the phone. Oh what now?
"Is there something you need Sensei?" Mineta asked, almost groaning at his teacher.
"Mt. Lady just caught the flu, you can't intern under her." He said, hanging up his call. Mineta dropped his costume case with a thud. His eyes just stared at Aizawa as he reeled in his capture scarf. Then the shorter boy's brain shed a single tear. But then there was the bigger question of where to go now? Mineta never made a second or third choice. And why would he? Mt. Lady was a relentless pursuer of fame and glory. So the shorter boy assumed she would take great care to not miss a day of work.
Then again, his luck was half decent recently. So perhaps it was about time for it to take a nose dive.
"I don't have a second or third choice." Mineta said.
"Which is why I'm disappointed, you should've had the sense to make some contingencies. However, I managed to get someone to take you just now. It's still along the Heikou line, so there's no need for another ticket. You just need to get off at the station in Inuito city." Aizawa explained as he handed Mineta the address. The shorter boy raised an eyebrow upon taking it. Someone was able to take him in at the last minute?
"Heaven and Earth Temple… Are you trying to tell me something?" Mineta read, before looking at his teacher. Just the name alone made him think of monks and abstaining from worldly pleasures. I mean, if that's what it takes for him to become a great Hero and partner then sure. But this still seems like the perfect recipe for disaster.
"Perhaps, but it's still a good learning experience. So whatever happens, make sure you come out knowing where you are as a Hero, physically and mentally." Aizawa answered, crouching down and putting a hand on Mineta's shoulder. The shorter boy felt the encouragement passing through the gesture. And he couldn't help but firmly nod to that. Aizawa may be an emotion eating, cryptic kung fu master… But his honest lessons to his students really said everything about him. Aizawa Shouta wanted them to succeed.
So with a bow, Mineta took off towards his new destination.
…
…
…
After 35 minutes of travel and 15 more spent wandering around Inuito city. Mineta found the place he needed to go. Or at least he thinks he is. Mineta compared the address and name to the building in front of him. It was a match… And yet, something was off. For one thing, the building wasn't a temple at all. It was just your standard concrete office building. But while it was quite large, covering more than half the block, there was nothing indicating that this was indeed a temple.
The shorter boy pulled out his phone and brought up the research he did. From the Hero who owns the building, to the purpose of it, Mineta left no stone unturned. The Heaven and Earth Temple was both a Hero Agency and a school for various martial arts from around the world. There were eight courses one could take ranging from MMA to authentic Viking combat. It was a place that celebrated Humanity's age long endeavors to perfecting the art of battle.
However, there was one thing omitted from all the research… There were no mentions of the building appearance wise. There were photos of the interior, but never the exterior. The master of the temple, the Radiant Wing Fenghuang, made a comment on how 'the building was designed to test one's preconceptions of the world'. And that all who go there, student and Hero alike, says it's a 'secret known to everyone'.
But Mineta couldn't find what this secret was. No one talked about it. Thus, leaving him in the dark about the nature of the Temple.
"I swear to God, if this is more cryptic kung fu wisdom, I'm going to cry." Mineta said as he opened the front door. He looked inside, finding a normal looking reception area. There were two attractive, but normal ladies at the front desk. There were a few Heroes in costume, but they were pretty normal too. And finally, there were some people in workout clothes filling something out. New attendees?
This did nothing for Mineta's confusion. In fact, it only deepened as nothing seemed out of the ordinary. One of the receptionists looked up and their eyes met.
"Are you the student from UA? Mineta Minoru? Come, Shifu is waiting." She said as she stood up. Mineta absent mindedly followed as she guided him through a door. There were too many questions buzzing around in his head for him to be in the present. Was all that research a lie? Was this just a normal building and there was no temple? Then why was it called that in the first place? Was this actually a test? Because right now, Mineta was in no mood for it. Hell, he had his life time fill of cryptic bullshit from just Aizawa alone.
"Welcome to the Heaven and Earth Temple, domain of all martial arts." The receptionist said as she stopped. Mineta's brain finally reconnected with his senses. But where he found himself only caused his sense of reality to crash. He was in a large, wood furnished octagonal room decorated with all sorts of training equipment. But what caught Mineta's eye was at the center of the room. There was an octagonal hole in the ceiling and floor, complete with railings.
What a strange thing to have here.
The shorter boy walked over to it and looked up. From where he stood, he was able to see the seven floors that were above him. The sounds of combat and instruction echoed down towards him. Mineta then looked around the first floor, catching people learning about self defense maneuvers. Finally, he looked down the hole on the floor. Below was a large image of the Yin and Yang surrounded by the eight trigrams. All of it made use of light and dark wood, with the grain somehow blending in with one another.
It was almost supernatural by how good it looked.
And upon this was a short haired older lady, moving about whilst twirling and swinging her staff around. But what was more surprising was the number of petals that danced around her as she did so. None of them touched the ground and they came in eight colors. Certain movements from the lady directed the petals, causing certain colors to move in specific ways. Eventually, each petal settled into one of eight, elevated baskets that surrounded her space.
Looking closer, Mineta could see that they were all sorted by color. Not one was out of place.
"What. On. Earth?" He asked, still entranced by this mystical sight.
"That's Fenghuang Shifu, using her Flowing Taiji style to perform her famous flower dance. Shall we go take a closer look?" The receptionist said as she began walking towards the stairs. Mineta continued to stare before reluctantly breaking away. He had to see this up close. And after a quick trip down some stairs, the shorter boy was standing before the head of the Temple.
The movements of Fenghuang were even more graceful up close. It was like watching a great bird dance amongst the clouds. The precision of her foot work, the snappiness of her hips and shoulders, the fluidity of her hands and fingers, Mineta couldn't look away. Then there was the physical appearance of the Heroine. While she was 48 on record, she doesn't look a day over 30. And despite wearing a loose red and yellow robe, her fit figure still shown through with certain moves.
It was no wonder she was still among Japan's best looking Heroes.
"Shifu, I've brought Mineta Minoru." The receptionist said with a bow. Fenghuang continued to perform until only she had a black and white petal left. She then entered a still, relaxed stance as the petals flowed in a spiral. They then gently settled upon the floor… Black upon Yin and White upon Yang. The Heroine opened her eyes and turned to Mineta and the receptionist.
"Thank you Kanzaki-san, I'll take it from here." She said as she flicked her staff. The two petals on the floor drifted upwards, which she then snatched out of the air. The receptionist bowed slightly before walking away, leaving a stunned Mineta. Fenghuang then returned her staff to one of four weapon racks before returning to the shorter boy.
"Welcome, I'm sure you have many questions. But let's first start with formalities. I am Saisei Chie, Shifu of this temple and the Heroine Fenghuang. It's an honor to meet you." She greeted, bowing with her left hand covering her right.
"Mineta Minoru… And you're right, I do have several questions. First of all, did I step into some dimensional rift? Because I was just in a normal building a few minutes ago." Mineta asked, gesturing to behind him. Fenghuang gave a rather sly smile as she walked past him, towards the doors by the stairs. She then pulled them open and gestured through it. And looking through, the shorter boy could see how the wood of the hallway turned to tile and dry wall at the halfway point.
"Huh!? Then… Who designed it like this?" Mineta asked.
"I did, to test one's preconceptions of the world. You cannot judge someone or something by their outer appearances alone. You must look deeper within to know the truth. Failure to let go of these prejudices will prevent you from properly learning." Fenghuang explained. The shorter boy felt his brow twitch. Dear God, he was about to be smacked upside the head with more cryptic wisdom. It also made every other question on his tongue die.
"Remember, if you have any questions, you are always free to ask. Now, allow me to give you your first task. Leave your belongings here and follow me." She said, going through the doors. Mineta, with a defeated nod, put down his bag and costume case before following. Seeing as how he was already here, he might as well try and learn something.
Fenghuang called the elevator at the interstice between modern and rustic. And as they waited, she began with her first lesson to Mineta.
"As you know, being a Hero is a very public job. Whether it's fighting crime, making statements on TV, or doing commercials for products, you're in the spotlight. However, it's the unseen things that keep a Hero and their Agency functioning at maximum efficiency. Paperwork of activities, keeping accurate logistics, finance management, and maintenance of the facility, all of it is just as important as actual Hero work."
The elevator doors opened and the two stepped in. Fenghuang then pressed the fourth floor button before continuing her lecture.
"While we have a 'backstage crew' for that, we must help if there's a particularly bad problem. Of course, you can always delegate it to someone else… But showing that you're above such menial tasks will do nothing but damage staff morale. Remember, others are your equals. They sweat, bleed, and cry the same as you, so treat them with respect."
Mineta felt his spirits lift, those were some wise words. Perhaps interning under another kung fu master wasn't going to be as bad this time. The elevator stopped and the two stepped out. Fenghuang then walked right before standing by one of two bathrooms. The shorter boy raised an eyebrow, staring at the 'cleaning in progress' sign.
His high spirits from seconds ago? They turned tail as Mineta pieced together what he must do.
"And so, your first task will be cleaning this bathroom. Now, I must warn you, it is not a sight to behold. No matter who cleans it or how hard they do it, the filth seems to come back a few days later. I've cleaned it. My eight masters have cleaned it. All the staff has cleaned it. The senior students have cleaned it. I even contracted professional cleaners; they've given up after the 19th time." She said, opening the door. The light then came on and Mineta bore witness to a new world of horror.
There sat a toilet, coated all over in a thick crust of God knows what. From the base to the tank cover, none of the pearl white could shine through. The only parts that weren't covered were the seat and the flush lever. Though what difference that made when the other 95 percent was filthy is beyond Mineta. At least it was only the toilet and not the entire room that needed cleaning.
Otherwise he would've run for the hills.
"I'll get started right away…" Mineta said, knowing there was no escape for this.
"You'll find everything you need under the sink. If you need anything else, there's a phone in the lunch room to the left of you. Just press the basement level button and I'll answer. So with that, I leave this to you." Fenghuang said before leaving with a bow. There was something about having a Pro Hero lower her head to him. But any pride the shorter boy could take out of that simply evaporated. Toilets don't clean themselves after all…
And so, clad in cleaning smocks and heavy rubber gloves, Mineta prepared to fight the worst this filth ridden porcelain throne had to offer.
…
"One of my friends closed himself off, I couldn't intern under Mt. Lady, and then this damn toilet… It's shit, it's all been shit…" Mineta thought as he scrubbed at the final filthy section. The whole thing then flaked off like it was bark on a tree. He held back the vomit for the umpteenth time before tossing it all into the garbage. The shorter boy then gave a final wipe to everything before tying the garbage up.
It's been done. The toilet, once cursed with filth, was finally restored. The pearl white was so shiny that it could be its own light source. Mineta nodded to himself over a job well done. He washed the gloves he wore first before peeling it off. The cleaning smock came off next, his uniform beneath protected from the waste and cleaning chemicals. Mineta finally washed his hands and emerged from the bathroom.
"I think I'll turn in for the day…" Mineta thought with a yawn. He didn't care what the time was or if he hadn't eaten anything, exhaustion weighed down on him. He shuffled into the elevator once it came and went down to the basement where his stuff was. Mineta slid open the door to the main hall. Inside, Fenghuang was practicing forms with a staff. The baskets were gone, leaving more room around the training floor.
Due to her intense concentration, Mineta knew it was best to not disturb her. So, he took one quiet step into the room. However, that was enough for the Heroine to stop and look his way.
"So you finished, good work. Room 5-2 has been prepared for the duration of your stay here. But before you go settle in, allow me to reward you for your efforts." She said before walking over to one of the weapon racks. Mineta groaned as he stood by his things. Normally, he'd be happy to get any kind of reward. It lets him know that his work was appreciated. But honestly, being able to sleep was its own reward.
Now the shorter boy understands why Aizawa treasured it.
Fenghuang walked over to Mineta, staff still in hand, and passed on… A stubby stick? It couldn't be. The shorter boy cautiously took it and began examining it. The stick was quite weighty and had this dark sheen on it. There was also a button on the side and a thatched pattern all around it. This wasn't a stick, it was a collapsible baton.
Mineta pushed the button. The baton extended, its full length was just a little shorter than his arm. There were also four blocks on the grip just above his hand, serving as a guard of sorts. The shorter boy then gave it a few test swings and felt the quality of each attack. This baton was extremely well made; way better than any commercially sold ones.
But what was he going to do with it… He couldn't say…
"Uhhh, thanks?" Mineta replied as he was about to collapse the baton. Fenghuang simply nodded before jumping back, staff swinging right for his head. The shorter boy, heart seizing, immediately guarded the strike with the still extended baton. He stumbled back from the force of the hit, but he was still fine.
However, before Mineta could shout something, he saw the Heroine coming in for another attack. This time, it was aimed at his body from the other side. The shorter boy moved his guard and intercepted it. However, due to poor footing, he was knocked flat onto his butt. That was when Fenghuang returned to a relaxed state, slowly exhaling her current breath.
"What was that!? You could've claimed my head!" Mineta screamed.
"But you managed to stop me, both times in fact. Not only that, your weapon still remains in your hand." Fenghuang said.
The shorter boy was about to argue, but then those words registered in his brain. He immediately looked to his right hand, the baton was still there. And now that Mineta was on it, he found that both his hand and wrist felt completely fine. Sure he developed them with his pitches. But two heavy blows like those would've still numbed his entire arm. If not, then it would've at least disarmed him.
But neither was the case. It was like his entire hand was strengthened over the last few…
"Oh fuck me. Can you explain to me why you needed me to clean a toilet for this!?" Mineta asked, gesturing to the baton in his hand. The air around Fenghuang grew tense, her eyes hardening with determination. She pointed her staff at him as words, heavy with omen, were thrown upon him. And judging from her tone, it was an inevitable event.
"In three days time, we will be taking part in a dangerous mission. We are to help hunt for the Hero Killer Stain."
Chapter 40: Body and Mind
Mineta blinked as he stared at the ceiling of his loaned room. It was quite nice for something inside a Hero Agency/ Martial Arts Center. The floor was tatami, the futon roll in the room was clean, and there was a small desk with an outlet for his devices. The walls were literally paper thin though. And there were no locks to his or any of the other resident rooms.
And oh how much the shorter boy wanted to 'relieve' himself. After the bombshell of a revelation yesterday, he needed to de-stress. But with one avenue cut off, Mineta tried to settle it with dreams of humiliating Bakugou.
However, since the Stain mission still loomed on the horizon called reality, that tactic failed abysmally. And while he said he'd sleep on any questions he had… Mineta found himself lying awake on an ever growing pile of them.
"6:34…" Mineta muttered as he stared at the digital clock on the desk. Perhaps he should just get up, seeing that it was impossible to get any rest. So with a sigh, the shorter boy got up and stretched his body with a yawn.
The shorter boy rolled up his bed and began doing some stretches. After that, he dragged himself to the shower room with all his bathroom necessities. And while freshening up, Mineta felt the desire to go back to bed growing. But because he had responsibilities, he had to tough it out.
"Oh great… I'm becoming more like him by the second…" Mineta groaned as he wandered back to his room. He threw on his UA jersey, seeing that he was going to do some intense training, and went off to the break room that was on his floor. Inside, there were a few tables and a small kitchen with all the necessary appliances. But taking another step inside, he saw one of the tables had a still hot steamed bun with a mug of warm tea next to it.
Mineta raised an eyebrow and looked out in the hallway. There was no other activity and no one else was moving around. After a few minutes of waiting, he decided to just investigate the thing. He soon found that there was a note on that table.
"Good morning my pupil. I've taken the liberty to prepare you some breakfast to ready you for today. So do enjoy the high nutrition pork bun and fine chrysanthemum tea. Come to the Taiji Hall in the basement once you're finished. Don't forget your baton. From Shifu…" Mineta read. He looked at the breakfast. Then back at the note. Then at the breakfast again. With a shrug, he took the bun and took a bite out of it.
"… This is pretty good."
It didn't take long for Mineta to finish the bun and tea. But despite the small amount of food that was offered, he felt quite full. So with that, Mineta washed his dishes and went back to his room for the baton. And now, it was time to train. He stepped out of the elevator and slid open the door to the basement hall.
Only for him to see Fenghuang fighting a burly man with blonde hair and beard. Mineta froze as the Heroine was deftly defending herself with just a stick. However, due to the man's sword and shield, she couldn't get a good hit in. The man swung his sword, which she blocked with her stick. He then tried to shove her with the shield. But she stopped it before it could even move.
Fenghuang then shoved the shield down, exposing the man's face. She then angled her stick to cause his sword to slide off. And with that freed weapon, the Heroine swung down on his head. The man, however, was fast and got his sword back up to guard himself. Fenghuang then punched up with the hand that held down the shield. It struck him square in the nose.
The man wasn't fazed though. And he proceeded to land a front kick on Fenghuang's gut, pushing her back. Mineta didn't know when he began moving, but he had already plucked a ball from his head. And before the man could put his foot back down, the shorter boy pitched it. The hair ball landed first, then came the foot.
Both Fenghuang and the man froze. They then turned to the other person in the room.
"Oh, good morning my young pupil. I see even mornings have no effects on your abilities." The heroine said as she relaxed her form. It didn't even seem like that kick even affected her.
"Who's this!? And why are you fighting him!?" Mineta asked, pointing at the burly man who was examining the object that stuck him to the floor.
"Meet Soren the North, one of my Eight Masters and head instructor for Authentic Viking Combat. We were just having our morning spar." Fenghuang answered, turning to the man.
"Good morning, you must be the student from UA. It's a pleasure." The man greeted, his Japanese sounding quite natural despite being an obvious foreigner. Mineta had to take a step back, feeling the unnatural air about this whole situation. Then Fenghuang's other words were finally registered in the shorter boy's mind.
"You call that sparring!? You looked like you were trying to kill each other!"
"Among the Eight Masters and Shifu, we always go full contact to ensure our skill never dulls. And if you're worried about your teacher, don't. She can outlast the rest of us. Now, could you please remove this?" Soren explained before raising his foot slightly. Mineta, feeling pressured by the man's stare, quickly went over and began the removal process.
While he was doing so, Fenghuang began flipping through some notes. "Okay… We have a little time before I begin your training in earnest… Do you have any questions?" She asked. Mineta opened his mouth, but nothing came out. Why was he hesitating? After losing sleep over it, he should be spitting them out like a rapper. Something about the subject was holding him back.
"… I'll begin preparing my hall. Work hard young man." Soren said as his foot was freed. He bowed to Fenghuang before quickly leaving the scene. Mineta knew things were becoming awkward, so he reasoned that's why the man left. Though that really didn't help matters, since the air was still tense.
"Are you troubled by what I said yesterday?" The Heroine calmly asked as she turned to Mineta. Something within the shorter boy just snapped. All the stress of yesterday caught up to him. And he did the first thing he always does when he encountered something he didn't like. Complain.
"You think? Here I am, literally after cleaning people's shit, learning how to take on the Hero Killer. Of course I'm troubled! You're throwing me straight into the fire!"
Fenghuang didn't answer back immediately, which reminded Mineta of Aizawa. That thought paralyzed him. This led to his body readying itself for a harsh lesson. Maybe that was a good thing, since he may have become overconfident from his performance at the Sports Festival.
"I'm sorry."
Mineta's eyes snapped to his teacher. He finally saw the downcast eyes on her normally gentle face. A pain went through his heart, regret that he got angry like that. And while some of it was justified… There could've been a greater reason behind it. A reason she was beginning to share, driving the pain deeper into the shorter boy.
"After Eraserhead and I finished talking, I received a call from the Association. Due to my particular skill set, I was chosen to help find and capture the Hero Killer. At first, I wanted to decline. Because you needed to shadow me, I'd be forced to bring you along for this very dangerous mission. Your very life could be on the line, and it would be my fault should the worst come to pass. But after some deep meditation, I had a harsh revelation." Fenghuang began. She regained her resolve, flame in her eye, as she stood unflinching and proud before Mineta.
"You are a Hero. It is a road full of ordeals great, small, and all too often unexpected. To coddle and shelter you from difficulty will only stunt your growth. So I must place you into the fire and forge you into steel…. All to ready you for the battles to come." She finished.
Those words hammered Mineta's heart. The weight of them great and profound. And the next thought that came wasn't what could happen… But the things that already did.
That attack from the League of Villains on the USJ.
The day Midoriya bravely charged that sludge Villain.
Having Bakugou set his sights on him for the very first time…
While all those situations worked out in the end, Mineta was useless throughout most of it. He didn't do anything, even when someone else could. He was weak and pathetic. When everything fell apart, he just went back to being the cowardly rat he's always been. And when the bombs stopped falling, Midoriya would pick him back up only for the cycle to repeat.
That doesn't sound like the partner to the future Number One Hero. That sounded like dead weight that people waited on. Mineta can't keep being that, not to Midoriya or anyone else. Not anymore.
The shorter boy collapsed onto his knees and prostrated himself before Fenghuang. "Please, teach me your ways Sensei!"
"Raise your head my young pupil; I fully intend to do just that. And please call me Shifu." The Heroine replied. Mineta raised his head, tears on the verge of leaking out of his eyes. He nodded and bowed again.
"Thank you, Fenghuang Shifu!"
She returned the bow before gesturing for him to stand on his feet, which Mineta did. Fenghuang picked up the stick she was using and entered a basic stance. There was nothing extreme about it. The stick was held straight up, her open left hand was positioned close to her chest, and her right foot was placed forward. She then performed some semi-restrained strikes on the air in front of her.
Two to the temples, two to the elbows/ribs, a thrust to the gut, two thrusts to each side of the chest, two to the knees, two thrusts to the eyes, and one straight to the head. Through the entirety of those motions, Fenghuang was simply only stepping forward and back with her left foot. But while it was an entirely simple demonstration, there was real force behind each attack.
The Heroine returned to her initial stance before relaxing.
"What you saw was the 12 offensive strikes with control from Balintawak, one of many Eskirma systems from the Philippines. It was developed when some members of another system, Doce Pares, felt like it was losing its combat effectiveness. So, as a result, Balintawak focuses on practical and effective moves." She explained.
"Eskirma? Then shouldn't you be using two sticks?" Mineta asked.
"Balitawak focuses on the single stick, leaving the open hand to freely do anything. Punch, block, redirect, disarm, and even use another weapon. It's this versatility that allows the old masters to compete against Eskrimadors of different systems. Now, let's have you learn the fundamentals. Observe my movements." Fenghuang explained.
The Heroine began to go through the 12 strikes again. And as she went through each blow, Mineta watched how her body moved. But while half of his mind had other ideas, he was able to block them out. Each attack was driven with the turn of the body and footwork, not just the arm. She was also keeping her wrist perpendicular with the stick. Her footing was firm, only moving when she needed to strike.
In all honesty, it was more like watching a boxer than an Eskrima fighter.
"Now you try." Fenghuang said, gesturing to the shorter boy. Mineta extended his baton and gotten into form. He replicated what he saw, feeling the movements for himself. And because he learned pitching; he was able to incorporate the turn of his body into the strikes easily. He finished the twelfth strike and returned to his starting stance.
"Good, you've got the body movement. Again." She instructed. Mineta repeated the movements, this time a little faster. The Heroine nodded as she took the stance once Mineta finished.
"Excellent, one more time." She said. Both Fenghuang and Mineta performed the twelve strikes simultaneously. And though the Heroine movements were snappier and cleaner, Mineta was somewhat close to matching it. It was odd though. Despite how simple these strikes were, there was something entrancing about it.
"You learn fast. Now to perform that with full force, simply allow the attack carry through without stopping. There are also additional movements for strikes five and twelve, but we can learn that later. Right now, I need to show you two simple defensive forms. This is the first, follow me." Fenghuang said, returning to basic form. Mineta watched as she raised her stick up and to the right, angling it slightly to the left.
She then moved the stick, without changing its angle, to her bottom left.
She raised it to the top left, changing the stick's angle to the right.
She then moved the stick to her bottom right, keeping the angle.
She then returned the stick to a perpendicular angle as she moved it to her left side.
And finally, maintaining the angle, she moved the stick to her right side.
Throughout those six motions, Mineta noticed that her left hand was behind the stick. It wasn't touching, but it was hanging around as though waiting for something.
"And that's it, the six point defense." Fenghuang said as she returned to her initial stance. The shorter boy stared at the Heroine. There was no way a defense was that simple.
"Was that really it Shifu?" Mineta asked, scratching at his head.
"If that's your question, then take a swing at me."
Oh no, here comes the physical explanation. Mineta cautiously stepped forward and he swung at her hip, left side. Fenghuang snapped her stick to position two and met the attack. The shorter boy, swung at the opposite side, only to meet his teacher's stick. This went on for a while before she showed why an open left hand was important.
Upon meeting a left side strike, Fenghuang grabbed the far end of Mineta's baton with her left. Then she shifted her stick to be under his. She pushed up and the shorter boy found himself devoid of a weapon. Mineta stared at the stick that was centimeters from his face before she relented. Fenghuang then gestured for him to retrieve his baton.
Mineta bowed before doing just that. And next time he turned back to his Shifu, he found her on her knees but in the stance. Mineta walked over and stared at the Heroine. What was she doing?
"Before we can modify things to suit your height, we must master the basics. So if you will, do the 12 strikes on me as I show you how to defend against it." Fenghuang said. As much as Mineta didn't like having people patronize him for his height… There was nothing he could do about it. This was too important for things like that.
He nodded and performed the first strike. Fenghuang turned her body, meeting his attack with her stick. She also kept her left hand close, but not touching, to the far half of the baton. Before Mineta moved into strike two, her stick hand punched forward with a snap. The shorter boy met it with his left hand and caught it. But with flick of her wrist, the far half of Funghuang's stick swung out and tapped the side of Mineta's neck.
"Remember to cover the weapon with your own. If that was a blade, your artery would've been cut." She explained, entering the stance again.
"Yes, Shifu." Mineta said as he performed the twelve strikes. From there, he experienced how his teacher blocked, moved, and countered each attack. And upon the second try, Mineta was starting to feel the depth of this martial art. Eventually, Fenghuang began attacking. And just as he observed, he began blocking and countering just as his teacher did.
Certain nuances became noticeable as Mineta continued defending. When blocking a strike, he had to turn his body towards the strike. It provided more stability than using just the arm. Next was how his teacher was pulling the stick back the moment it was blocked. It must be to prevent the opponent from controlling or disarming her weapon, like what happened with Mineta earlier.
"Excellent, now we'll begin randomizing it. I'll attack first, are you ready?" Fenghuang asked.
"I was born ready Shifu!"
…
Mineta laid on the ground, muscles screaming in agony. Despite the simplicity of Balintawak Eskirma, performing the movements at speed really tires one out. And it wasn't just the 12 strikes, both with control and with force, and the 6 point defense he finished learning. He also learned the grouping system, which trained his head movement and left hand utility. It was fairly complex compared to the 12, but the shorter boy managed to get it.
"Are you alright?" Fenghuang asked, looking down on him. Despite being on her knees for a few hours on a hardwood floor, she could walk around like nothing happened. The only thing that showed she put in effort was the sweat on her brow. That Soren guy was right; she could outlast them all…
"I… I just… Need a break…" Mineta said between his panting.
"Then I'll call someone to get us lunch. You're doing great; I've never seen someone learn so fast." She said as pulled out a phone.
"Well… I'm going on the Stain hunt… I've got to be ready…"
Fenghuang hummed to that, tapping the side of her chin. The shorter boy raised a brow as he looked over to see his teacher thinking. There were gears turning in her head and Mineta has no idea what prompted it. However, before he could mull on it any further, a wistful smile began to show on Fenghuang's face.
"I think it's more than that. You're afraid of failing the people closest to you." She said.
Mineta sat straight up, eyes snapping to his teacher. How did she figure that out? The Heroine let out a light chuckle as she faced her pupil. In her eyes were many stories that Mineta couldn't imagine. But he could see the emotions lurking behind them. Happiness, sadness, anger, peace, hope, despair… It was all there.
"You experience many things as a Hero and a Teacher. Your eyes will see thousands of scenes just as your ears will hear just as many tales. Your drive reminds me of one person I know. He was pretty unassuming but had a big dream. He wanted to be a writer in spite of his friends' and family's advice. But it was rough, things kept getting in his way and he slowly lost the faith of those around him." She explained in a gentle but hushed tone.
"… What happened to him?"
"He talked to people, got serious about his work, and pushed on through. Now, he's a bestselling author with a worldwide fan base. Once you have the mentality, you'll have the power to reach your horizon. It'll take time, but you will find the place where you belong." She answered with a smile. Those words echoed within the shorter boy, something about it calling to his very being.
Mineta thought about where he belonged. For so long, it had been on the outside with Midoriya. But now, he also had Iida, Uraraka, Tsuyu, Kaminari, and the Class of 1A. Work was hard as Aizawa and All Might push them to their limits… But there was nothing else he wanted to do. Mineta wanted to be there.
And as he said before, he no longer wanted to be dead weight.
The aching around his body disappeared as Mineta found the strength to stand. With his feet firmly on the ground and eyes burning with determination, he entered the stance and began practicing again. Fenghuang nodded, resuming her instruction until lunch came.
One cannot stem the drive to advance forward after all.