Chapter 59: Eye to Eye
"Ugh…?" Mineta groaned as he slowly sat up. Everything he felt was either numbed, throbbing, in pain, or a combination of all three. He couldn't move his left arm, see out his right eye, or even breathe very well. As his senses finally steadied themselves, he realized he wasn't on testing grounds G. Instead, Mineta was sitting on one of the beds inside of Nurse's Office.
He quickly looked, as fast as his sore neck would allow, to the bed next to him and found Bakugou laying there. He was also heavily bandaged, with both wrists and one leg having casts around them. His face was also wrapped up, only leaving his mouth and intense red eyes free. And they were open.
Mineta could tell Bakugou was waiting for him to wake up. So knowing it was impossible to delay a conversation, he faced the inevitable.
"We lost, didn't we?"
"Damn right we did. Why else are we here?" Bakugou, rather calmly, answered. Mineta began mulling over the human grenade's mild reaction. Why was he so tranquil? Shouldn't he be blowing up in Mineta's face? After all, if the shorter boy had just done his part and ran for the goal, they wouldn't be here. Well…
Bakugou would, but at least with a passing grade.
However, before Mineta could apologize for getting them in this mess, the door to the room opened. Mineta looked over and saw Recovery Girl sorting through a folder. The elderly Heroine looked up before walking over to her desk. And wordlessly, she picked up a clipboard that no doubt had their recorded injuries.
"Good eve–" Mineta began, trying to be polite.
"It's already the next day. But good morning to you too." Recovery Girl interrupted as she walked over to Mineta and Bakugou. The shorter boy felt like his eyes fell out of their sockets, including the one that was covered. They were knocked out for an entire day? Mineta quickly began to jog his memory, trying to find some clue as to what happened. But he could only remember his and Bakugou's daring charge and everything before it.
Anything past that was a blank.
"I wouldn't put too much thought into it. Both of you received so much head trauma that I'm surprised it was still attached to your shoulders. I've already scolded All Might for not holding back enough, you boys had some pretty close calls with your injuries. But..." Recovery Girl began. The elder then began poking the two in the, still sore, ribs with her syringe shaped walking stick. Of course, since Mineta knew he was being chastised, he silently took the prodding.
Bakugou, however, was a little more rebellious to the action.
"We fucking know you hag; we're dumbasses for fighting All Might. You don't have to rub it in." Bakugou said, squirming away from the implement. Recovery Girl just stared at the human grenade. It was as if she was asking him if he had learned his lesson. But when he wasn't giving in, she turned to Mineta, who had begun meditating on yesterday's events.
"What were you both thinking? Taking on someone well above your weight class? If that test had been an actual Villain attack, neither of you boys would even be here." Recovery girl asked.
"… I just wanted to prove something to that idiot over there. But I guess there could've been a better time…" Mineta said, still thinking over his actions. Bakugou simply grunted in agreement to that. Recovery Girl momentarily looked to the human grenade before letting out an exasperated sigh.
"I've treated more than my fair share of bullheaded students over the years… But you two are by far the most chaotic pair I've encountered, and that's saying a lot given my age. It's like there isn't a shred of normalcy in your body!"
"That's because I have no business being normal. I'm aiming for the top, so I can't let mediocrity slow me down." Bakugou replied, trying to wave an arm at Mineta. The shorter boy felt his eyelid twitch. After all the nonsense they went through with All Might, the bastard's still calling him mediocre? Well Bakugou's about to be reminded that two people could play this game.
"Says the guy who needed help from mediocrity…" Mineta muttered loudly. The shorter boy wasn't looking at Bakugou, but he could tell he was glaring at him. He had to suppress a smirk when the human grenade's voice was audibly angrier.
"Care to say that to my fucking face?"
And since Mineta now knows he prefers it if people were direct with him… The shorter boy turned to Bakugou, looked at him dead in the eye, and said this in a way he understood.
"I, mediocrity, helped. So what does that say about you?"
Before the explosive blonde could shout something back, Recovery Girl poked them both. The two of them immediately quieted down as she placed their school uniforms down on their beds. Mineta, at first, stared at the articles of clothing before him. Then the realization dawned on him that, because it was the next day, class was going to start soon.
Although…
"What about our injuries?" Mineta asked, gesturing to the cast on his left arm.
"Oh no, those have already healed, I was about to remove them. However, you'll be putting up with your other injuries for the rest of today. Think of them as a reminder of what happened yesterday. Are there any other questions?" Recover Girl answered as she pulled out a cast saw. Mineta and Bakugou only shook their heads before the elderly Heroine began to cut open their casts. The two soon began to change out of their costumes and into their uniforms in silence.
And as this occurred, Mineta began thinking about what to say to the rest of 1A. Assuming they weren't the only ones who failed, the shorter boy wanted to have some encouraging words ready. But no matter what he thought of, nothing sounded natural. A failure was a failure; nothing was going to change that. Not for him and Bakugou or for anyone else. So with a deep sigh, Mineta decided it was better to just take it as it came.
"Also, could you both to come by during lunch with Midoriya? I need to perform another examination before finalizing the healing process." Recovery Girl said as Mineta and Bakugou limped to the door.
"… The nerd fucked up his hand, didn't he?" Bakugou asked, already annoyed at the need return.
"That sounds like something Midoriya would do… But yeah, I'll bring him around." Mineta answered, nodding to the elderly Heroine. She gave a satisfactory hum to that before starting to sort through UA's medical records. This was the cue that allowed both Mineta and Bakugou to leave. And already did they see proof of how long they've been out. Outside, it was cloudy and drizzling.
The complete opposite of the fair weather they've had the other day.
"Today's going to be awful…" Mineta groaned as he put one hand on his face.
"Whose fault you think that is?" Bakugou asked as he limped off. The shorter boy let those words rattle around in his head. And as it continued to echo, he began to accept the situation more than he already did. It was then that he realized that he still didn't apologize. But while apologizing to his nemesis was something he wanted to avoid at all costs…
Mineta couldn't in this case.
"Bakugou, I'm sorry for getting us into this mess. If I just went for the goal like you said–"
"An apology changes nothing, what's done is done… But even if we bit it hard, you still showed me spine. And that's worth more to me than a passing grade. So, good work rat bitch, you've earned some respect." Bakugou interrupted, turning to face Mineta. The shorter boy proceeded to just stare in abstract confusion at the human grenade. Did that just happen? And as his mind continued to process this strange turn of events, Mineta pointed to the nurse's office.
"Are you still concussed? Should I get Recovery Girl?" Mineta asked, question marks still flooding his brain.
"Oh fuck off. I'm finally acknowledging you and this is the thanks I get?"
"But you realize this isn't normal for us, right? Before we had detention with the Principal, we were at each other's throats. Both of us wanted to destroy the other in the most painful and/or humiliating way possible. And now, we're acting all buddy-buddy." Mineta said, making all sorts of gestures to paint their tumultuous relationship. It honestly made him look like Iida, but the message was clear.
"Oh don't get me wrong, I still want you to perish like the pest you are. But you stood and fought instead of running and hiding. That proves to me that you're not just a sniveling shit wit that needs Deku for everything, that you're a real Hero-in-Training. You're going to need a lot more work before I can call you a Hero though." Bakugou answered. His normally intense red eyes were strangely composed, level. It gave a weight to his words that was different than usual.
Instead of kicking you after knocking you down, he was helping him up.
"… When my internship Hero came around, she asked me why I hated you so much. I told her that, for all your power, you only use it for yourself. I couldn't stand that selfish way of thinking; it wasn't Hero like at all. But after yesterday, when we charged All Might, I understood why Midoriya and Kirishima still follow you. Despite how you treat people, your strength was something admirable. Hell, even I was jealous of you for having so many things I don't have." Mineta said after a moment of thought.
"Okay, maybe you're the one that's concussed. No way would the imp shit I know admit that." Bakugou said as he pointed to the Nurse's Office. Mineta practically hissed at the human grenade, which caused him to fold his arms. His calm red eyes then turned to a scrutinizing glare. It was almost as if he was saying, taunting, 'prove me wrong'.
"With Fenghuang Shifu, I learned more than just fighting. I learned about finding my true feelings and being honest with myself. Without those two things, I wouldn't be able to grow as a person. So if bettering myself meant admitting secrets… Then I wouldn't mind spilling my guts." Mineta answered as he placed a hand over his heart. Granted, secrets involving All Might and Midoriya's One for All Relationship were completely off limits.
So Mineta had to silently settle on the irony of his dramatic answer.
Bakugou began muttering something about 'self-reflection', causing Mineta to raise an eyebrow to that. But seeing the shorter boy react, the human grenade's brows furrowed deeply and harshly glared at him.
"So, uhh… Are we cool?" Mineta asked, trying to dodge the subject.
"Not really, but close enough." Bakugou said before starting to limp off again. So with a sigh of relief, Mineta began limping after him. No other conversation occurred for a little while as they traversed UA's halls. But a thought occurred to Mineta that he needed to try and ask. He just hoped this line won't raise the lax tension between them again.
"Are you going to apologize to Midoriya any time soon?"
"… Nerd's not ready yet. So don't push me." Bakugou replied after a brief pause. As Mineta's brain registered those words, he found something off about that response. He wasn't sure why, but the actual words and what Bakugou meant didn't line up. And though Mineta began mediating on that thought…
It was soon overtaken by a more nonsensical one.
Mineta's mind focused on the second half of Bakugou's response, allowing a 'brilliant' idea to form. It's been a while since he's done this… But doing that would no doubt sour their somewhat mended relationship. He looked over to the human grenade and found him looking back with a confident smirk. Almost saying 'go ahead, I dare you'…
So with that… Mineta shoved Bakugou and began power limping away. It didn't topple him, but it did make him lose balance for a moment.
"Fucking rat bitch, you're dead! And walk behind me you little shit!"
Chapter 60: Present Imperfect
At some point during their chase, it became a race to 1A's classroom. And due to his longer legs, the human grenade was able to get ahead very easily. This advantage, however, was negated by Mineta's raw determination. He was keeping up despite all the pain returning to his body. Thus, the two remained neck and neck as they entered the final stretch of hallway.
"God damn, would you just quit it? It's still too early for you to beat me!" Bakugou shouted through clenched teeth. Mineta had suspected his nemesis was also in immense pain... Though what this knowledge did for the shorter boy, he couldn't say. But at the very least, they were being tortured together by their own stupidity.
"Well too bad, this is what happens when I've got a spine now." Mineta said, doing his best not to scream in agony.
"Well I'm going to fucking rip it out of you if I don't win. Sub-Zero style."
"Please, as if you're cool enough to do that."
They gritted their teeth as their classroom door opened, causing them both to speed up. The two then saw Midoriya peer out, no doubt wondering what the ruckus was. And upon seeing the two charging towards him, the green haired boy immediately cleared the way. Mineta and Bakugou turned into the classroom simultaneously before hitting the brakes.
"Deku… Who made it first?" Bakugou asked, gasping for breath.
"I don't–" Midoriya began.
"Humor him Midoriya… It's for an experiment…" Mineta interrupted as he rubbed his screaming legs. His partner raised a bandaged finger to protest before stopping to think. And as the gears turned behind his emerald eyes, Midoriya proceeded to point to Bakugou. The shorter boy groaned as the human explosive let out an arrogant laugh. However, before that could go too far, Bakugou began to clutch at his sides.
"… Are you two okay?" Midoriya finally asked.
"I'm just peachy… Can't you fucking tell?" Bakugou grunted as he stumbled to his seat.
"What were you even doing out there? All of us heard stomping and yelling." Uraraka asked.
"Something silly I imagine." Tsuyu replied, watching Mineta slowly walk over to his desk.
"We were doing this hot new sport called Power Limping. It's fun, honestly." Mineta answered with sarcasm as intense as his pain. He didn't know why he was being like this with Tsuyu. But he supposed that was just him coming off the emotional high that came with handling Bakugou. So after sitting down, he put his hands together and looked at the amphibious girl.
"Sorry… A lot has happened since yesterday."
"It's okay Mineta-chan, I understand. Though I am surprised neither of you look like them over there." Tsuyu replied with a hum. She then pointed to Kirishima, Kaminari, Mina, and Satou all grouped up and looking crestfallen. Mineta winced at the sight. All that negative energy radiating off of them was making him forget about his own bodily pain. It was as though their souls had left their bodies, leaving behind a husk to suffer for all eternity.
"They failed too didn't they?" Mineta asked, turning to Midoriya to save his emotions.
"I've been trying to get them to stay optimistic about the exam. Since we don't know how the practical is actually graded, there might be some kind of unexpected twist." He explained. It was here that Kaminari began let out a frustrated scream. This drew everyone's attention before the electric blonde dramatically pointed at Midoriya.
"Don't you get it you walking shrub! We couldn't clear the practical! That's half our grade right down the drain! So we're completely doomed to be stuck in remedial Hell while the rest of you goof off! If you still don't get that, then your brain is sub-monkey!" Kaminari ranted, before returning to his despairing silence. Mineta didn't even know how to respond to that. He wasn't sure if there was anything he could say.
Words, after all, can't change the past.
It was here that the classroom door slid open. Aizawa stepped in as all those who were still standing went to their seats. Their scraggly teacher then wordlessly went to the lectern before finally greeting his class. And from the sound of it, he was ready to rip into every one of them.
"I would say good morning, but I'm sure it's anything but good for some of you. Now, us teachers had to collectively review your performances during the test and graded you accordingly. The good news is that most of you passed, even if it was just barely. The bad news is that the rest failed, even those on a winning pair. For instance… Sero, you failed because Midnight put you to sleep fairly early in the exam." Aizawa said before looking over to the tape shooter.
"I knew it…" He groaned, burying his face into his hands. Aizawa then proceeded to aim his tired gaze at Mineta and Bakugou. The shorter boy skin bristled to those dead eyes but opened his ears. He needed to hear how his test went after they charged All Might.
"Both of you had the most contentious review by far. Our debate for your grades lasted a while before we finally reached a verdict. And despite everything, you both still failed. Your opponent might've been All Might, but neither of you were being smart about him." Aizawa said. Despite knowing his inevitable fate, the truth still hit Mineta pretty hard. He was going to miss out on the forest lodge with Midoriya and their classmates.
"Yes sir…" Mineta said as he sank into the back of his chair. He wasn't going to argue or complain. This was the consequence of his need to prove himself to Bakugou. It balanced out the growth he underwent and respect he earned.
"It's just remedial lessons, we'll live." Bakugou replied, his tone saying 'do your worst'. Aizawa simply narrowed his eyes on the Human explosive before turning back to the class. Kaminari, Kirishima, Mina, Satou, and Sero waited with downcast eyes for Aizawa to consign them to their academic doom. But, for just a moment, Mineta saw a sneaky glint in his former master's eye.
Wait…
"Now, since a third of the class failed, I have no choice but to… Bring everyone to the forest lodge!" Aizawa said before going into a sudden shout. 1A stared in sheer surprise as Kaminari, Mina, Kirishima, Satou, and Sero began to rejoice. Bakugou, on the other hand, was indifferent to the news, possibly knowing that nothing about the situation had changed. And then there was Mineta, who was just allowing the gears in his head to turn.
Then he remembered what Principal Nezu said before the practical began.
"This was just to force us out of our comfort zones, wasn't it?" Mineta asked, pinching the bridge of his nose.
"Then when you said you'd crush us…" Ojiro began, recognizing where the shorter boy was going.
"It was to gauge how well you do under intense pressure. During those times, the true extent of your abilities and personalities come to light. And seeing how you rise above or fall victim to the chaos will determine how we'll train you at the forest lodge. That place, after all, is nothing more than a boot camp for Heroes-in-Training. So it's the students who failed who need it most." Aizawa explained before he flashed his shit-eating grin.
"Consider it a logical ruse!"
Mineta let out a groan, ignoring the positive feelings going around. He was getting real sick and tired of all this cryptic nonsense. It also made him wonder about why Aizawa's trickery is more annoying than Fenghuang's. Both of them give lessons that have some hidden meaning behind them… And yet Mineta was more accepting of Fenghuang's wisdom.
Maybe it's because Aizawa reveals the ruse with a mischievous attitude. Almost like he's a cat playing a prank on its owner.
But before Mineta could go further down the rabbit hole of cryptic mentors, he felt a hand place itself on his shoulder. Snapping out of his thoughts, he finally noticed that Midoriya had turned to face him. And on his face was this gentle smile of relief.
"Isn't this great? I honestly wouldn't have enjoyed the trip without everyone there. So I'm glad things worked out somehow." He said. Mineta thought about that. And as his mind processed his partner's words, he never thought about the other side. How would their classmates feel about going on a trip without everyone there? It would be no doubt sad since 1A was becoming such a tightly knitted group. In fact, Mineta was certain things would go awry the moment one of them went missing.
That's how much they've grown on each other.
"You and me both partner… Aizawa's methods still drive me up the wall though. I don't know if it's his attitude or something. But I prefer Shifu over him…" Mineta replied with a grumble.
"However, know that I wasn't completely lying. Those who failed are still doing remedial lessons. Worse still is the fact that they'll be harder than the ones you would've gotten here. So prepare yourselves. If that's everything, I'll be handing out the lodge guides. From there, we'll be holding class like normal. Understood?" Aizawa said, draining the pep of those who failed but still celebrated.
"Yes Sir!" 1A answered before receiving their lodge guides.
From there, nothing else of note occurred. Their general classes resumed with an introduction to next term's topics. During lunch, Mineta and Bakugou went back to Recovery Girl with Midoriya in tow. And in the afternoon, they held a more relaxed session of PE and Hero Fundementals. Even the weather cleared up a bit, reflecting the brighter attitude of 1A compared to this morning.
It really was just your typical, regular, ordinary, UA day.
But all of that stopped, however, the moment it was time to go home.
"Man, I'm glad I'm going… But there's a whole lot of stuff I've got to get." Kaminari said as he flipped through the lodge guide. Mineta nodded to that. If they were heading deep into the woods, then they needed some serious essentials. Like bug repellent, good footwear, maybe a basic survival kit, night vision goggles, a hand drill set, lock pi–
"Wait, scratch those last three things. Those are for more… Dubious activities…" Mineta thought, shaking his head. He's going to have to mediate; otherwise Pants will start taking over. He looked to his classmates as they all discussed the things they needed. Then there was Midoriya, who was ominously muttering into his notebook like he was casting a hex. The shorter boy took a peek and saw the massive list his partner had composed.
And seeing how no one else was even attempting to approach him, Mineta took up the case.
"Hey, uh, Midoriya? You're not planning to bring all of that, are you?" Mineta asked, doing his best to read the list. But as he jumped between lines, he was starting to find stranger and strange things on it. From a pint of honey to some mixture of grounded eggshells, orange rinds, and dehydrated moss, Midoriya had it all.
"… Before our fight with Ectoplasm-sensei yesterday… Tokoyami-kun shared ghost stories about forests with me… I forgot all about it until lunch rolled around, where he reminded me… And now I'm worried we might get haunted or something…" Midoriya said tiredly. Mineta reflected on that and did remember seeing his harrowing expression. He thought his partner was just tired from Recovery Girl's Quirk. But nope, it was just their gothic bird boy instilling fear into others.
"Midoriya, stop worrying about this and just focus on something reasonable." Mineta said, snatching the notebook from beneath Midoriya's pencil. The green haired boy panicked a little, no doubt fretting over whatever stray mark the action made. But now that his mind was off the macabre topic, Midoriya's mind opened back up.
"… We could use some new gloves and baseballs. The ones we have are getting pretty worn out." He finally said, pointing at Mineta.
"Now that's something I can get behind." The shorter boy said, tossing the notebook back to his partner. It was here that Hagakure began to flag everyone in 1A. And again, for someone who was invisible, she was very effective at getting attention.
"If everyone needs something, then why don't we all go shopping together? Since we're free tomorrow and all our exams are over, we could head over to the Kiyashi-Ward mall!" She said as she excitedly bounced around.
"Oh, that's a great idea! It'll be the first time we've done something fun as a class." Uraraka said with a cheer.
"I'll pass. Like I could stand going shopping…" Bakugou commented as he walked out of the classroom. Kirishima could only sigh before noticing Todoroki was about to leave as well.
"Oh Todoroki, will we see you tomorrow?" He asked.
"Sorry, but I'll be busy. I visit the hospital on my free days." Todoroki answered bluntly. The word 'hospital' hung in the air, draining some of the positivity from the room. Class 1A never really dug too deep into Todoroki's family situation. All they knew was that something serious broke out between the father, mother, and son…
So for Todoroki to reveal a detail like that... It was surprising to say the least. However, some managed to bounce back rather quickly from that.
"Oh don't worry about it dude. There's always next time." Kirishima said with a toothy grin. Todoroki simply nodded to his red haired classmate before leaving the classroom. Everyone soon went back to their cheery conversations. But it was still a little unnerving how abrupt it all was.
"We've got to find a way for us to talk about this. It's just weird how things stop whenever his family drama comes up." Mineta commented, throwing on his backpack.
"I know, but it's not that simple. Todoroki-kun still keeps the worst of the details close to his chest and we just have to trust him to eventually open up. Though given his progress with us, I'd say he's recovering nicely." Midoriya replied as he put his notebook away. Midoriya soon put on his backpack and the two boys were about to leave with Iida and Uraraka…
That was until All Might stepped through the door with gusto.
"I AM HERE! With a message… Young Midoriya, Young Mineta, I need to speak with you two for a bit. Is that okay?" He shouted before returning to a normal volume. All eyes went to the two as Mineta and Midoriya looked at one another. This was a familiar scene. However, that still didn't eliminate the tension that rose in both of them. If the Symbol of Peace came to them directly, it meant only one thing…
It was time for the egg.
Chapter 61: Dark Legacy
Midoriya, Mineta, and All Might sat in the break room. And just like back then, the atmosphere was heavy as the shorter boy fidgeted around on his stool. The Symbol of Peace's sunken eyes went between the two boys, clearly thinking about how to approach the topic. Mineta swallowed the lump in his throat… What was it about One for All that made things so intense?
The silence was starting to strangle him, so he decided to say something. And what better way to open things up than to apologize for poking things that shouldn't be poked.
"Hey, uh, All Might? I never got a chance to say sorry for attacking your scar during the exam. I didn't worsen your health or anything did I?" Mineta said stiffly. Oh yeah, that was real smooth Minoru… Especially when Midoriya's brows tore themselves from his face as he snapped to his partner. Mineta flinched to that stunned gaze as he began shrinking his presence. His partner was not going to like this story…
"You attacked his scar? The one that's weakening him!?" Midoriya asked, doing his best to keep his voice down. The green haired boy was honestly not trying to be antagonistic or anything. But it was hard for Mineta to think that Midoriya was anything but upset right now. I mean, the look of heartbreak on his partner's face was almost too much to bear.
"It was a spur of the moment thing… Please don't be mad…" Mineta answered as he sat on the verge of crying.
"No, no! I'm not mad! I'm just… Uh… Confused…? Startled…?" Midoriya said frantically, putting his hands in front of him. All Might gave a wet cough, causing the two boys to face him again. He then began patting his scar as a reassuring smile spread across his thin lips.
"Don't worry Young Mineta, I'm doing just fine. It gets sore, but that's nothing I haven't experienced before. And besides, taking those hits were my fault to begin with, I should've been more careful. But let's not worry about the past and let's talk the present… Even though we're going to be talking about One for All's history." He said before returning to his heavy expression.
"One for All's history? Why now?" Midoriya asked, leaning forward towards his mentor.
"Well, I've decided you've grown enough for me to share it. Think of it like a game where you unlock more of the story as you play. And of course, I want you, Young Mineta, to listen so you'll be able to aid your partner in his trials. So, are you boys ready for this great responsibility?" All Might replied, waiting for their response. Mineta and Midoriya looked to each other first, sweat on their brow. Their eyes locked and the two could see the other's steady resolve burning in their eyes.
With a nod, the two faced the Symbol of Peace again.
"We're ready."
"Okay… As you both know, One for All is a special Quirk. With its power to collect strength and pass it down from person to person, it's a unique Quirk. But what if I told you its creation came from another Quirk? A Quirk that's been around since the beginning of our superhuman era? Its name is 'All for One' and it can rob and grant Quirks to the whims of its user." All Might began solemnly. Midoriya gripped his pants as he quietly repeated the name All for One.
With the way it sounded, All for One and One for All must be connected by more than just one conceiving the other. Just from their names alone, Mineta knew they were each other's antithesis. They were nemeses with a rich but dark history. He wanted to take a guess at the supposed origins, break some of the tension. But the shorter boy doesn't think he could.
"All for One… A fitting name for a greedy power…" Midoriya said carefully. All Might simply nodded before casting his eyes downward, shadows swallowing his brilliant blue eyes. Mineta swallowed as the Number One Hero continued.
"When Quirks first manifested, society wasn't ready to adapt at all. Suddenly, 'Humanity' lost all meaning as fear and chaos took over. Laws crumbled, all scientific and cultural progress came to a grinding halt, and conflict became the norm. It was another Dark Age in our brief history as a species…"
Mineta swallowed as he imagined that anarchy. There were people with Quirk who hurt people without them. Conversely, there were Quirkless mobs lynching those with Quirks. The loss of life, the death of reason, and the decline of good will… It was nothing short of a dystopia.
One could only imagine the kind of lives they would be living had Quirks not been a thing. And sometimes, when Midoriya and Mineta talk about that… They wondered, in that alternate universe, would they still be partners?
"… Did this All for One take advantage of this crisis?" Mineta asked, distracting himself from such dark imaginings.
"Oh yes. By taking and giving Quirks to people who want or don't want them, he built his influence. And like a dark cloud, his control grew so much that it casted a shadow over Japan. He moved his pawns, caused more havoc, and became our country's, maybe even the world's, first Super Villain. His reign of terror was so horrific; we had to hide all information of it from public eyes." All Might continued.
Midoriya swallowed a lump as he took the stand next. And judging from the look on his face, Mineta could tell his partner wanted to get to the meat of it all.
"Then was One for All a pawn for All for One?"
"It's a little more complicated than that. Are you both familiar with the Polar War Twins Gauss and Revulsion?" All Might said, shaking his head. It was a strange thing to hear. To think the names from that strange magazine could help them here. Two brothers, once bound by blood, are now torn by clashing ideals. Mineta and Midoriya silently nodded as the Symbol of Peace readjusted himself in his seat.
"It's a similar situation in this case. All for One had a younger brother who hated his misdeeds and defied him. However, because he was both Quirkless and had a weak body, he couldn't do much. But one day, All for One decided to give him a Quirk that stockpiles power. No one knows whether it was out of sympathy for the younger brother's helplessness… Or to keep him under All for One's heel. However, regardless of the motive, something incredible occurred." All Might continued.
The Hero raised both of his hands and laced the fingers together tightly. The gesture wasn't lost on the boys and they immediately began to fill in the blanks themselves.
"If someone with a Quirk was given a Quirk… They have a chance to blend together… Is that what you're saying All Might?" Midoriya asked. The Number One Hero simply nodded before looking to Mineta. The shorter boy took a deep breath and continued, his sweat rolling down his temples.
"The younger brother had an unnoticeable Quirk and it mutated with the stockpile one."
"Exactly. He had the power to pass his Quirk onto others. Useless on its own, but with the stockpile Quirk…" All Might said before resting his hands on his lap.
"One for All." Midoriya and Mineta said together.
"Yes… Quite ironic, isn't it? But justice is always born from the depths of evil. Was there any other questions you boys have?" All Might asked, sinking into the back of his sofa. The man must've been exhausted going through such a harrowing tale. But there were still so many blanks the Symbol of Peace left. Like…
"Were those Nomus made by All for One? They had more than one Quirk too…" Mineta asked. His nerves felt like they already knew the answer. But he needed to be sure; otherwise it'd bother him for the rest of forever. All Might sighed as he stared at the ceiling.
"Yes. If someone received more Quirks and their body failed to adapt… They become speechless puppets. The Nomus from the USJ attack and the Hosu attack mean he's still making them." He said grimly.
"But how could All for One still be around? He'd have to be a few hundred years old." Midoriya asked.
"He could steal Quirks remember? If there's a power to stop his aging or increase his life expectancy, then there's a good chance he possesses it. He's an undying icon of evil with great strength, influence, and resources. But the younger brother didn't give up. Despite being thoroughly defeated, he entrusted One for All to another like him. He hoped that, one day, someone would become strong enough to stop him once and for all. I was the successor to do that. But…" All Might answered before continuing with the story.
"He survived and built a new nest, the League of Villains. And one day… Midoriya will have to stop them like you did." Mineta said, sweat running cold. He then slowly looked at his partner, noticing the cold sweat on him too. Midoriya looked very uneasy and his hands were trembling. But his vibrant green eyes were still shining bright.
"It's a lot to ask of–" All Might began before Midoriya stood up, stool clattering on the floor.
"I'll fight! It's scary… But as long as I have you, Mineta-kun, and everyone by my side, I'll rise to the occasion! We'll overcome this nightmare together!" He interrupted, his courage flowing through every word. Combined with his ever reliable back, one could feel the radiance of his resolve. And it was this sight that banished the strangling tension within Mineta. How could he cower when his partner was answering the call?
So, the shorter boy stood up as well, brandishing his baton in a show of bravado.
"With the next best duo on the case, you don't have to worry All Might. We'll be ready for them."
All Might opened his mouth, an unknown phrase at the tip of his tongue. He began flashing through a few emotions as the seconds passed. One emotion that Mineta happened to notice was regret, a rather painful variant of it. And that brought back a degree of anxiety to the shorter boy. What was All Might not telling them?
"… Thank you. I'll be looking forward to your progress." All Might said after a sigh. His gratitude was genuine, Mineta could feel that. But there was still something weighing him down. Should he bring this up? Or simply let it go?
"Then Mineta-kun and I will get going if that's all; we've got a lot to prepare for after all." Midoriya said as he picked up his backpack. The shorter boy stiffly nodded to that and picked up his bag as well, putting away his baton. The two then bowed to the Symbol of Peace before leaving the room. And as they walked, Mineta's mind hung on that last moment with All Might. He couldn't shake that regret filled expression and its implications from his thoughts.
He needed to say something about this. And while it didn't feel right, revealing the Number One Hero's dishonesty… Midoriya needed to know about it. Mineta wanted to ready him for whatever grim secret All Might was hiding. Whether it was a cruel truth or an uncertain future, neither of them would be blindsided by it.
"Hey Midoriya… Did you–?"
"I did, All Might couldn't say something important. It's worrying… But I trust that he had a really good reason for that. So for now, let's focus on becoming strong enough to handle the problems ahead. I'm in your care Mineta-kun." Midoriya said as he looked towards the shorter boy. As Mineta stared back, he could tell All Might was still on his mind. However, he was also focused on the main mission and ready to accomplish just that.
And who was Mineta to argue against that determination? So with a smile, Mineta held out his fist and Midoriya bumped it with his own.
"And I'm in yours, partner."
Chapter 62: Wingman
Tomorrow came quickly and Mineta left home just after eating lunch. He first met with Midoriya at the park before taking a train to the Kiyashi-ward. Along the way, the two began to rendezvous with their 1A classmates. And, as it was to be expected, they began to grow a little rowdier with each extra person. So by the time they arrived at the shopping mall, 1A became a particularly chatty storm.
Though now that they're here, their noise became par for the course.
"I kind of wish we came here earlier and got lunch together." Hagakure said, skipping down the path. While people were avoiding her path, the invisible girl was doing well to weave past unaware individuals. But not wanting to chance an incident, Ojiro moved forward to contain her pep.
"Would anywhere have enough seats for 18 people at once? I mean, just look at how busy it is." Mineta said as he stood on Shouji's shoulder. He had climbed up onto his multi-armed classmate earlier on the train when it was getting particularly crowded. But even with the amount of walking room now available, Mineta continued to perch on his shoulder.
It was mostly so that the shorter boy could see further. And while most people didn't like having a meter tall pest cling to them… Shouji seemed perfectly fine with this arrangement.
"We could've made it work. Although I don't think I have the budget to help contribute…" Uraraka said as she nervously peaked into her wallet.
"If that was the case, then I would've gladly covered your part Uraraka-san." Midoriya replied with a smile. Mineta internally cheered for his partner. It was hard to think that Midoriya used to be so nervous around the fairer sex. But now it was only a matter of time before someone fell for his dorky and chivalrous charms.
And Mineta was keeping his fingers crossed it would be Uraraka. That girl was nothing but a great match for Midoriya.
"Aww, thanks Dek–!" Uraraka began before stopping abruptly. The shorter boy mind paused as well, wondering what cat got her tongue. Mineta then noticed the gravity defying girl's round eyes weren't looking at Midoriya. Instead, she was looking at Aoyama and Mina, who were looking back at her. The former had this strange glint in his eyes while the latter was wriggling her eyebrows.
Oh… Them too?
"A-A-A-Anyway! Where to!?" Uraraka blurted out, turning away from Midoriya. It was hard to see, but the girl's normally pink cheeks turned cherry red. This was an unexpected yet favorable development, though it was best to ease up for now. Mineta doesn't want to make one of them so nervous they can't talk to the other. And as if to divert attention off of Uraraka, external forces drew 1A's attention.
"Young man sitting on your six-armed friend! We've got items you might like! And you too, with the giant calves!" A storeowner began shouting. Mineta looked over and saw the person flagging them. And soon enough, other nearby stores began to flag them as well. Some people in the crowd even recognized 1A from the Sports Festival way back when.
"Ah geez, we've got so much attention on us. But I suppose that could only benefit us since the storeowners may be able to recommend us something based on our abilities. I'm really impressed by how flexible their stock is. Being able to cover everyone's unique Quirk related needs, provide for all demographics, as well as keeping up with trends… How do they do it? Even with sheer inventory size–" Midoriya muttered as he took notes of his surroundings.
"Midoriya, stop, you'll frighten the children." Tokoyami interrupted as he noticed kids staring at the green haired boy.
"Well, for the time being, I'm going to need a bigger travel bag. Anybody with me?" Jirou said, loading up a map on her phone. Yaoyorozu and Tsuyu took up the girl's offer as everyone began grouping up based on their purchasing needs.
"Since everyone needs something different, why don't we split up and meet up later? It's a bit after 1 right now… So how about 3 o'clock?" Kirishima suggested.
"Sounds good, we'll get our things and come back. Maybe we could do something fun before heading back." Kaminari said with a nod. So with that settled, Class 1A split up to gather their respective needs. Mineta hopped off Shouji and stuck with Midoriya, seeing that they needed some sporting goods. Uraraka was also with them for some reason. Not that Mineta was complaining, his secret agenda was coming to fruition.
"Everyone's so fast... What about you Uraraka-san? Was there something you need?" Midoriya asked, turning to the only other classmate with them.
"Oh, I need to find some Bu–" Uraraka began before she froze, repeating that last syllable. Midoriya looked curiously at her, not knowing what got her tongue. But for Mineta, he could see the girl's cheeks turning color once more. Oh yeah, that confirms the reaction from earlier. She got hit and the shorter boy knew who the culprit was.
"BUG SPRAY!" The gravity defying girl screamed, sprinting away from Midoriya and Mineta. The green haired boy watched as Uraraka blended into the crowd. Soon enough, his lips were pulled into a frown as his eyes cast themselves downward. He slowly turned to Mineta and began to voice his concerns.
"Did… Did I do something wrong? Because Uraraka-san seemed keen on blasting me with insecticides…"
"Oh don't worry, I know what happened. And it's not what you think it is." Mineta replied, patting Midoriya's arm. The green haired boy seemed to have recovered some heart. But it looked like he was still confused. The shorter boy let out a low hum as he began thinking how to go about this.
He could just say it outright… But where's the fun in that?
"… Humor me for a bit. What do you think about Uraraka?" Mineta asked. Midoriya raised an eyebrow to that, his head filled with an assortment of questions. But the boy put those aside and began to comb his brain for a good answer. As he did so, Mineta looked around to make sure they weren't blocking anyone. Even if they were mostly out of the way, he can't guess where people would go or how they wanted to get there.
Suddenly, the shorter boy felt a chill crawl up his back. He could feel someone's cold contempt aimed in their direction. Mineta quickly looked around again, trying to locate the source of this hatred. But despite how unnaturally strong it was, Mineta couldn't find whoever it was that wanted to kill them. And soon enough, the feeling passed and the atmosphere returned to a calm normal.
"… What was that?" Midoriya asked as sweat rolled down his neck. The shorter boy turned to him and shrugged with a great deal of unease. Whatever it was, it's gone now. Both the boys, however, silently agreed to look around one last time. They couldn't afford to be caught off guard like that again. But the more they checked around, the more everything was in place.
In fact, with how strange Mineta and Midoriya were acting, they were the ones looking off.
"… I don't see anything wrong." Midoriya commented as he wiped the cold sweat from his brow.
"And I'm hoping it stays that way… Let's go, we're starting to look like weirdoes." Mineta replied, subtly gesturing to the people staring at them. Midoriya let out a quick apology before he and Mineta vacated the scene. The two didn't speak as they walked, being more concerned with that strange feeling. They continued to examine their surroundings until they've reached the sporting goods store.
"Nothing out of the ordinary so far… I think we're in the clear." Mineta said.
"Yeah, but I don't like it. Let's be careful from now on." Midoriya said as the two entered the store. They've went to right for baseball equipment, taking note of the different brands. But because the ominous presence was still on their minds, the boys were still too tense to talk. It was only when an employee tried to speak to them that their tongues finally loosened.
"Oh no no, w-we're fine thank you." Midoriya said nervously before continuing to look through the rack of baseball gloves. He randomly picked a glove and began examining it, Mineta doing the same before the employee left. The two looked at each other before letting out the longest sigh. This was getting ridiculous.
"We've got to calm down… How about some catch?" Mineta asked, putting the glove on his left hand. Midoriya raised an eyebrow before looking around. The store wasn't terribly crowded as people came and went at a steady pace. But there still wasn't a lot of room for what the shorter boy wanted to accomplish.
"… I don't think we should, not here anyway." Midoriya replied, turning to Mineta. The shorter boy let out a hum as he began looking around. He really wanted them to blow some stress. Between the exams, One for All's colorful past, and that strange feeling from earlier, they needed to relax. That's when his eyes found a sign hanging on one of the walls.
"Take a look at that sign." Mineta said, pointing to the wall.
"Let's see… Feel free to try the equipment… You will, however, be held responsible for any and all damages made to property or person… I still don't know if we should." Midoriya read before turning back to his partner.
"Not confident in our skills?"
Midoriya opened his mouth before stopping himself. He then faced an employee who was staring at them, pointing to the sign on the wall. The employee made a 'go ahead' gesture before the green haired boy faced Mineta again. Midoriya then put on the glove he was holding and stepped back. Mineta did the same and took out the baseball he carried. It was pretty worn, so there was no confusing it with any other in the store.
"Your ball." Midoriya said as he hit the palm of his glove. The shorter boy first made sure no one was heading towards them. He then turned back to his partner before tossing the ball to him to warm up. Midoriya easily caught the throw, though his face scrunched a bit as he flexed his glove. He quickly took off the glove and exchanged it for another. Only then did the green haired boy throw the ball back to Mineta.
This went on for several throws, both of them changing gloves to find one that best fitted them. So by their 16th throw, they've found their new gloves. And as a bonus, the tension that gripped them earlier had finally loosened. Granted, the pair did knock over quite a few things in their escalating game of catch. At least nothing got damaged…
"Alright, what's next?" Mineta asked as he and Midoriya left the store, having cleaned up their mess. With only one item on their checklist down, they needed to hurry before it was time to meet up with the others.
"Well, we should get some repellents. I wonder if Uraraka-san found some place that sells them…" Midoriya replied as the two began walking. That name reminded Mineta of the conversation they were having earlier. And, while suppressing a sly smile, he steered things back to that topic.
"I wonder if she calmed down by now."
"Oh right, she was pretty flustered last we saw her… I still haven't figured out what's wrong though. Are you sure it isn't me?" Midoriya asked as his face became gloomier. Mineta quickly nudged his partner before shaking his head. How on Earth does he keep arriving at the worst possible conclusion? The shorter boy shouldn't be talking though, he really wasn't any better in the self-confidence department… But that wasn't the point right now.
"It's not you dude. Well, not the part of you that you're thinking of. Okay, let's get back to my old question before that weird feeling caught us… What do you think about Uraraka?"
"Well… Even though we've only met a few months ago, I feel really comfortable around her. And who wouldn't feel that way? Uraraka-san's nothing but helpful and nice to the people around her. I mean she saved me, a complete stranger, from face planting when we first met. She even did it again at the Sports Festival! No one but you did that before." Midoriya replied confidently. Mineta was about to say something but was cut off by more of his partner's answer.
"Oh and that's not even going into Uraraka-san's drive and motivation. Despite her social status and perception of her own Quirk, she chose to fight against that for the people she cares about. It's inspirational! And it makes me want to work harder as well, since I'm kind of in a similar position. That's the reason why I… I…" Midoriya continued before slowing down. The shorter boy had to hold back the smirk as a blush painted his partner's face. Honestly, it was super adorable how quickly he switched gears. And as Midoriya uttered the next few words…
Mineta's was about to spring his greatest scheme.
"I like Uraraka-san… Don't tell anyone…"
Midoriya's voice was almost drowned out by the surrounding crowd as the two stopped. But because Mineta was solely focusing on his partner, he heard it loud and clear. And this wasn't even going into the many hints his strawberry looking face was leaving. So with a deep breath, Mineta was about to give Midoriya a heart attack of sheer joy.
"I won't… But have you ever considered that the opposite is true?" Mineta asked with a smirk. The shorter boy could see the gears in Midoriya's head turn. And with each completed cycle, his already red face began to become a degree hotter. The green haired boy stiffly opened his mouth, his jaw flapping to get some kind of response out. But to no avail.
Mineta began to look around to stop putting pressure on Midoriya. And while he was at it, making sure nothing sneaks up on them again. His eyes then happened on a girl with a familiar bob of brown hair walking up on the second level of the shopping mall. The shorter boy almost laughed at how the universe both loved and hated him. He quickly filled his lungs before overcoming the noise of the crowd surrounding him.
"HEY URARAKA! FIND THAT BUG SPRAY YET!?"
Mineta could feel several eyes staring at him, but that was of little consequence. What's more important was the fact that he got Uraraka's attention as well as Midoriya's. He could tell the two were looking at him before feeling their gaze move towards the other. He subtly glanced to Uraraka above; her cheeks were turning cherry red again. Mineta then looked to his partner, who started to look like a steamed tomato.
The two were stuck like that for what seemed like the longest time. That was until both of them ran in opposite directions, doing their best to not screech their lungs out. Mineta finally let out a laugh before chasing after Midoriya's back. This was a first, Midoriya being in a mutual crush instead of a one-sided one.
But that's what makes things exciting.
He and his partner were in uncharted waters full of opportunity and danger. Whether it was in Heroics, School work, or new relationships, Mineta and Midoriya needed to face them all. And in order to do so, they both needed to become stronger in mind, body, and spirit. But while the upcoming summer lodge will help…
Having a wingman will only make sailing that much smoother.
Chapter 63: Collected Knowledge
1A had finished their little outing without any further incident. And with that, they all went back home to continue preparing for their trip to the forest lodge. Well, most of them did that. Mineta, Kaminari, and Iida were still out and about on Musutafu's streets however.
"It's a shame Midoriya couldn't join us, really could've used the extra brain power." Kaminari said as he fished out a can of soda from a vending machine. They have been wandering around the edge of one commercial district, looking for any signs to their treasure hunt. And according to one clue, something around here would help them narrow their scope. But just as the sun was close to setting, the trio decided to take a break.
"Midoriya-kun looked like he was about to have a heat stroke, so it's better to let him rest. Still, what could've caused such a sudden onset of symptoms? The temperature today is rather mild for Summer and Midoriya-kun's a rather sturdy individual… Does he have any health complications I'm not aware of Mineta-kun?" Iida replied before turning to the shorter boy.
"What? No. He just had a sudden idea that just fried his brain. But otherwise, he's doing fine. Now hold on, I think I found something." Mineta replied before turning back to his notebook. He had sketched something from one page in the magazine. It was another symbol of unknown design, meaning he wasn't going to find it online. But now that he was here, he found something to help them along.
There was a flier was on the side of a barber shop, advertising good prices for various styles and cuts. And tucked away in a corner was the symbol. This caused Mineta to quickly write down what the flier says. Then, on the backside of his current page, he began making a rough but relatively accurate sketch of the thing.
It was hard, but after many weeks of practice, Mineta was starting to get used to using his left hand. Now he could write and draw things without it looking like a garbled mess. And while it wasn't even close to being as neat as his right, Mineta could at least stop pestering Midoriya for notes. But as the thoughts of his injury waned, he soon found the Hero Killer on mind.
The shorter boy frowned as he stopped drawing the flier. Since their encounter a month and a half back, Mineta has not heard any word of Stain. There were no new victims, sightings, or breakthroughs in the Police investigation. He just simply vanished since that night. And though that meant an end to his violent string of crimes… It did leave Stain's victims and their heart broken families without justice.
"I've got to stop thinking about that monster… There's not much I can do about it now…" Mineta muttered as he shook his head. He took a deep breath and began to store away his thoughts for later meditation. Right now, he needed his all his brain power for this treasure hunt. The shorter boy quickly finished his sketch and got back to Kaminari and Iida.
"I've got the next clue. Kaminari, could you and Iida look for anything familiar? I'm going to double check our current riddle to make sure this is it." Mineta asked before passing his notebook to the electric blonde. He happily nodded before studying it with their Class President. So with that, the shorter boy removed his backpack and began scrounging inside for the magazine.
What should've been a few seconds had became a few minutes. And with each extra minute, Mineta began to sweat more and more. The magazine wasn't where it was supposed to be. In fact, it wasn't ANYWHERE in his bag. The shorter boy paled as he looked up, Kaminari and Iida already having noticed his franticness.
"You alright dude?" Kaminari asked; sweat starting to appear on his face too.
"I… I lost the magazine…"
"I'm sorry, but did you just say you lost the Magazine?" Iida asked as he adjusted his glasses. Mineta nodded slowly as a sense of defeat loomed over them. But before they could trudge back home in despair, a sudden cough caught their attention. Looking to the source, the three met the gaze of a suspicious Jirou. And standing behind her was Tsuyu, Mina, Hagakure, and Yaoyorozu.
What were they doing here?
"Looking for this?" She asked, doing her best not to look absolutely revolted. The girl then showed them an issue of the world famous, ultra premium, subscription only, gentlemen's magazine Worship. But it wasn't just any issue, it was the one Mineta and Kaminari found.
"H-H-H-How?" Mineta asked with a stutter. His skin also became bleached from the implications this thing could cause. Not only would this make look him and Kaminari look like actual perverts, if the Sports Festival hadn't done that already… But they would also be dragging poor Iida down with them.
"Since we'll be stuck with you guys for a whole week, we decided to have a girls' night out. We were just finishing up when we saw you drop this thing. And seeing how it practically costs an arm and a leg, we wanted to know what you were doing with it. So we tailed you." Mina explained with a sly smile. Too many thoughts were going through Mineta's mind for him to even formulate an answer.
First off, how did he drop the magazine? Second, why did it have to be the girls who find it? And most importantly, what possessed them to follow them instead of throwing out the magazine and continue on with their own business?
"Well, that's certainly a surprise I wasn't expecting today. However, before we have any more misunderstandings concerning the contents of that particular magazine… Mineta-kun, please explain the matter to our classmates in the same way you did for Midoriya-kun and I." Iida said calmly and collectedly. The shorter boy snapped to their Class President. He wanted him to explain all this!?
"Please do, I'm just dying to learn why you think carrying this around is okay." Jirou replied before folding her arms and tapping her foot.
"Okay… Alright… First of all, it's not what you think this is…" Mineta began after a defeated sigh. And so he told the story of how the magazine came into his possession. How he discovered its true content. And finally, Mineta vaguely explained how Iida and Midoriya got on board.
However, despite his complete sincerity, Jirou still had this hard skepticism on her face.
"Do you honestly expect me to buy that?" She asked; glare growing more intense by the second. Mineta was out of options and simply hung his head in defeat. After the whole cheerleading trick at the Sports Festival, it was reasonable to think that Jirou would doubt him. So it was either going to take Iida or Midoriya to convince her.
And even then, would they even be enough?
"Kyouka-chan, Mineta-chan's telling the truth." Tsuyu said. Her face was still neutral but her tone was very gentle and supportive. Somehow, the girl was on Mineta's side despite how everything looks. It honestly made Mineta count the number of times Tsuyu helped him so he could properly thank her sometime later.
"Tsuyu, you do realize how ridiculous his story sounds, right?" Jirou asked, turning to her amphibious classmate.
"I know. But Tooru-chan and Mina-chan are looking through the magazine and it is as he says." Tsuyu replied as she pointed to said girls flipping through the cryptic pages. Jirou's eyes widened as she checked her hands, finding the magazine no longer in them. She then quickly walked over and looked at the garbled mess that Hagakure and Mina were staring at.
"What the Hell?"
"I know! This isn't something I'd buy, but I still feel my wallet dying with each messed up page. I can only imagine how Ochako-chan would feel if she saw this." Hagakure said, turning to the next page.
"Hang on, where she? If you're having a girls' night, then shouldn't Uraraka be with you guys?" Kaminari asked, finally noticing that the girls were down by one.
"She said she wasn't feeling well, so we let her go home and rest. But please, tell us more of this 'treasure map'. How are you certain that this isn't some sort of trick?" Yaoyorozu replied before gesturing to the magazine again.
"I've asked the same thing. But based on the specific nature of each cipher, we've been lead to the conclusion that this is no trick. Nor does this involve any criminal elements, since the puzzles can be figured out by anyone with the knowledge." Iida explained. He then briefly went into the puzzles that they have solved thus far. And with each detail, the girls progressively got more and more bewildered. Mina especially, since all this no doubt brought back painful memories of the end of term exam.
"Oh please God no more… My brain can't handle this level of nonsense…" Mina said as she rubbed her temples.
"Come on, don't say that. I mean just look at Kaminari, he managed to solve something all by himself." Jirou replied with a wry glace at the electric blonde.
"Hey! What's that supposed to mean?"
"Still… It does seem like whoever planned this wanted the 'treasure' to be found. Do you mind if we join you in this hunt? All of these riddles have made me curious as to how this story will end." Yaoyorozu asked. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that, they wanted to in on this? Granted, seeing how someone joins him every time he decided to tackle the magazine mystery, the shorter boy should've expected this.
"Oh don't give us that look. You can't expect us to sit out now. You're up to something fun, how could we ignore that?" Hagakure said before handing the magazine back to Mineta.
"Personally, I just want to make sure none of this ends with trouble. We're still Heroes in Training after all." Tsuyu added before nodding to Iida. Their class president returned the gesture as he clapped his hands together, drawing the group's attention.
"Since it is better for all of us to stick together for this little venture… We'll gladly accept your aid and company. Now, let us proceed with the code breaking. Currently, our clues have led us to that flier on the wall." Iida said, pointing towards the nearby flier. He then held up Mineta's notebook, showing the girls both the transcription and rough sketch of the flier. Jirou gestured to the notebook and the flier repeatedly, silently asking 'why bother?'.
"Sometimes it helps me see things. And it's good practice for my left hand." Mineta replied.
"… But I can't see anything though. Is there some sort of hint or something to help?" Mina asked, squinting at the flier.
"The last riddle gives you a clue for the next one. And it said 'Find the mark around the Seventh Scissor. And trust not your bias, for the next step is found when twilight's equal meets the page'." Kaminari answered tiredly. Their pink classmate flinched to that, her brain visibly smoldering from that clue. Hagakure, Jirou, and Tsuyu were mentally trying to break down the riddle for its meaning.
Yaoyorozu, however, was looking at the flyer on the wall itself.
"Yayorozu-kun, do you have something in mind?" Iida asked.
"No, simply thinking how interesting this riddle is. What does it mean by twilight's equal?"
"No idea. It's one of the worst stumbling blocks we've met so far. We were hoping that finding this flier first would help. But after looking at it, at this time of day… I've got nothing." Mineta replied, scratching at his head. The past riddles were just a matter of time and expertise to breakdown. But this riddle were neither of these and required problem solving to deal with.
And the only problem present was as cryptic as one of Aizawa or Fenghuang's lessons.
"So then let's break things down one step at a time. Now is this puzzle figurative or literal?" Yaoyorozu replied, turning to her classmates.
"Well, considering how all the riddles we solved up to this point has been tangible… I'd say this is very much literal. However, that still doesn't explain how we approach the issue. At least our End of Term exams had end goals we could aim for." Iida replied.
"Then Kaminari and I won't be any help, we failed the practical. Like, how does a time of day, where it's not bright or dark, have an equal? That doesn't make any sense." Mina said as she let out a frustrated groan. Kaminari gave a serious nod to that, smoke practically coming out of his ears.
"I'm sure it makes sense in some way, kind of like riddles that force you to change perspective. Maybe we can roll with that definition you gave us." Jirou replied as she placed a hand on the pink girl's shoulder.
"I don't see how that helps…"
"Hang on… Wasn't there a word that puts opposite things together? Writers like to use them to create interesting pairs of things." Kaminari asked.
"You mean Oxymoron? What about it?" Yaoyorozu asked as she placed a finger on her chin.
"Since twilight is something that's not bright or dark… Our answer could be another oxymoron like twilight. And therefore, it would fit as 'twilight's equal'…"
A completive silence went around as they mulled over the electric blonde's words. Because they had ruled out the 'time of day' definition, this was their only lead. Mineta's mind was filled with several phrases that are composed of opposing words. But the more he sifted through them, the more he found himself back at the corner called bewilderment. And looking to his classmates, they were starting to feel the same.
"Hmmm… I feel like we're overlooking an obvious answer. Though I suppose it's only fair since complex problems tend to overshadow simple solutions. It honestly makes me feel this whole thing is just a lesson in keeping your mind flexible." Tsuyu commented.
"Oh please don't say that… I've already had more than my fair share of cryptic nonsense… And I actually want to pay you guys for all the help. So I do hope there is something at the end of the rainbow." Mineta said while rubbing his temples. Even if it was a small chance that this treasure was real, he had to tightly grasp it. Otherwise, he wasted not only his time, but the time of his friends and classmates.
And that sort of debt was far harder to settle than mere cheerleader shenanigans.
"We haven't really done much, but it's nice to know that you're still putting us on the payro– Wait. Oh no… You've turned us into minions like Todoroki." Mina said cheerfully before her head hung in sad realization.
"He's not my minion and neither are you! So stop thinking that right now!" Mineta replied.
"Yes boss…" Mina muttered, her voice somewhere between beleaguered employee and smug joker. Mineta narrowed his eyes at the pink girl as a wide grin slowly appeared on her face. The shorter boy then began pinching the bridge of his nose. Somehow, this was worse than dealing with Bakugou. At least with him, Mineta knew how most conversations would end up.
But this… This was going to take another month to adjust to.
It was here that Hagakure snapped her fingers. All eyes went to her as she moved towards Yaoyorozu with a clear spring in her step. Hagakure whispered something into her ear, causing the regal girl to immediately create a small flashlight. Yaoyorozu then shined its blue light on the flier, causing certain characters to glow a florescent red.
"A Blacklight! So that's what we were missing." Iida said as he adjusted his glasses. Mineta quickly took back his notebook from Iida and began writing down the characters. But as he did so, his mind began to wonder about the answer. In hindsight, a blacklight being the answer seemed really obvious. It matched all the details they've gotten out of twilight. It had also fit the 'hidden in sight' pattern established by previous riddles.
But what was it about this riddle that confused him? It could've been the obscure wording or something…
"Still, now we have our next step… Let's see… You've traveled far and stretched your wits, but it is time for the end of your journey. What you seek is beneath the earth of eight million. And be sure to translate the last few pages, for it shall aid you in this final trial." Mineta said before reading what he wrote down.
"… Just when I thought things weren't going to get more obscure, it does." Kaminari said with a sigh.
"This suddenly stopped being fun…" Hagakure said quietly, shoulders drooping down.
"Come on guys, at least it's the last step. I had to be part of everything since the beginning, including solving the first two and a half riddles by myself." Mineta replied, eyes still studying the new problem. Since beginning this treasure hunt, he had narrowed down the location to three places in Musutafu. By solving this riddle, they could finally dig it up and put this part of their lives behind them.
But this puzzle wasn't even a puzzle. Eight million what? He knew for certain that there wasn't anything in the city that came close to that number, let alone in a single space. There has to be something else to this problem. And he had a sneaking suspicion that the answer was also another 'hidden in sight' sort of thing.
" Eight million…? Hey Yaomomo, doesn't your family name mean that?" Jirou asked, turning to the regal girl. Mineta snapped up to the girl and quickly circled the characters for eight million. He then quickly handed his notebook off to Yaoyorozu, who took a look at the riddle. She carefully studied it in silence, everyone around her waiting with baited breath.
…
…
…
"This is indeed another way to write my family name. How peculiar. So this treasure is hidden on one of my family's properties? But that still covers a few dozen locations in this city alone." She finally answered.
"Not necessarily. Before this evening, Mineta-kun, Midoriya-kun, Kaminari-kun, and I have managed to narrow the possible locations down to three. But seeing how late it's getting, I'll send them to you by text and we'll all continue another day." Iida replied as he looked at the darkened sky. The shorter boy nodded to that. As much as he wanted to continue, trouble tends to come out at this time. And with that murderous intent from earlier still fresh in his memory…
It was best he didn't push his luck.
"Awww, just when we were getting to the good part… But I am pretty tired. So… See you guys in class." Mina said with a yawn. She and Hagakure waved goodbye before the two walked off on their own. Iida and Kaminari were off next, who went off with Yaoyorozu and Jirou as they were heading in the same direction. Thus leaving…
"Was there something you wanted to talk about Tsuyu?" Mineta asked, looking to his amphibious classmate.
"No, I just wanted to hang around you for a little while longer. It's not every day I get to observe such a strange person so closely." Tsuyu answered her face as neutral as always. Mineta initially raised an eyebrow before the rest of her words hit him.
"I'm not that strange…" He said with a grumble. Okay, that was a complete lie. But the shorter boy had to say something. Tsuyu gave a light chuckle before she began walking, gesturing for Mineta to follow. This caused the boy to tilt his head and hesitate. But seeing there was nothing else for him here, he decided to go with Tsuyu.
Granted… This didn't stop him from questioning these strange turn of events.
What started as a lone hunt for treasure now became a team effort. What started as a simple curiosity had now became a dedicated search. And now, he was taking a walk with a girl.
"… How'd I get here?"