Nightfall came quicker than Minoru had realized. His talk with Denki went decently, it was a little rocky due to Minoru's mood but the two friends managed to have an okay time talking with each other one on one after all this. However, when Denki left Minoru's room, Momo came soon after wishing to speak with Minoru.

Minoru really didn't want to talk to her but he didn't want to out right say it, so he simply lied and told her he wasn't feeling well. Luckily she bought it but she was reluctant to leave. Minoru had no idea what was up with her but he really didn't know how to react to it at the moment.

Sure normally he'd jump at a chance to be alone with Momo or any of the girls really but given the emotional toll of all this...the loss of his arm. A literal part of him he'd never get back gone forever, the phantom pains keeping him up at night, the annoying pity from his classmates, and now some asshole he didn't even know is trying to frame him and get him expelled.

Needless to say, simply TOO MUCH was happening to Minoru for him to even think about girls. How he would maintain his sanity throughout this was the major concern he had on his mind. Girls and hormones can wait dammit.

Aside from that, Bakuguo kinda changed his tude toward Minoru. In fact...Bakuguo actually seemed to respect him now. He still wasn't very friendly but his look to him now wasn't one of just "Get bent". I guess he proved he belonged here to him. Of course this wouldn't make them friends or anything but...at least give them some mutual ground to stand on. To be honest Minoru wasn't really the one doing the fighting in their battle. Smoker was controlling himself, Minoru just supported from afar. However...Bakuguo didn't need to know that. Let's just preserve the mutual respect he thought.

Minoru's thoughts buzzed around like angry hornets inside his mind. He really needed to relax and take his mind off all of this shit. Even if it is only temporary.

He was hoping this chat with Ace would help him do so. The boy really didn't know how or why but...Ace just had this air to her. An air that just said "Hey, it's okay. Cause I'm here."

Ace really seemed like a dependable person through and through. Honestly made him wonder what her story was. Maybe he could figure it out tonight. He thought this to himself as he made it outside his dorm building and surprise, surprise. Ace was there just leaning against one of the support beams.

"Tsk, tsk, tsk. I could have grown a beard, shaved it and grown another in the time it took you to get her." Ace rolled her eyes.

"I'm only 5 minutes late…" Minoru rubbed the back of his neck.

"In my years that's 5 hours." Ace over exaggerated.

"Huh? Oh dude! Is that the new quirk?" She pointed to his smoke arm.

"Yeah it is. I actually managed to convince it to work with me. Now I don't need a stupid prosthetic." Minoru said in a relieved tone.

"Hehehe, that's good bro. Good on ya." Ace smiled sitting on the stairs.

"Also, I learned something else about my quirk." He sat next to her.

"What's that?" Ace raised an eyebrow.

"It isn't just smoke. It's also Gunpowder." Minoru told her.

"Wow! For realz?! That's fuckin fire right there!" She praised him.

"Yeah I know, it can be ignited and explode!" Minoru smiled.

"Bruuuh, you'z a bomb shell.~" Ace winked.

"Oh that was so corny…but funny still." He laughed to himself.

"Hehehe.~ Hey um...you'z okay? Ya look pretty down dude…" Ace took off her 3D shades.

Minoru's smile dropped and a sad frown creeped on his face.

"It's just...this person whoever they are trying to get me expelled…" Minoru clenched his hand.

"Duuuude don't worry. We're gonna beat em. Ya ain't goin nowhere'z." Ace patted his back to reassure him.

"I know, I know...I trust you. It's not that. It's just…" He hung his head.

"...It's just...amazing to me...amazing how someone can hate someone else so much that they would go out their way to hurt them." Minoru spoke in a low voice.

"I mean...yeah. I can really understand if people don't like me but damn man...ease up will you? I'm not even bothering anyone anymore…" Minoru hugged his legs with his flesh arm.

"Even when I leave people alone, they still have a reason to dislike me more? How is that fair…?" Minoru said, holding back a small sob.

He didn't want Ace to see his face right now. He was very close to losing it.

"Hey…" Ace put an arm around his shoulders scooting closer to him.

"It's okay dude. I get it. It hurts and stuff man. I get ya. I've been there a lot. But ya gotta roll with the punches. Always play the cards you're dealt." Ace spoke to him.

"You know...you say you've been there...but how so? You've told me you know where I'm coming from so….can I know how? Tell me...please. I need to know how you got through it all…" Minoru didn't raise his head but his voice was cracking a bit.

"Well bud...much like you. My bad habits costed me a lot. Ya see, I got a quirk that makes me extremely lucky, see." Ace hen summoned a gold glowing coin in her hand.

Minoru slowly looked up with his tearful eyes at the coin that shimmered in her hand.

"And well. I let it go to my head. Ya see I was so lucky I was almost able to get away with just about ANYTHING. Mistakes almost ever existed for me. Cause even if I did make a mistake my quirk would pretty much make up for it or bail me out." Ace said with her trademark smirk shrinking.

"I thought I was above any kinda consequence, cause I thought I was lucky enough to get around em. But boy was I wrong. My pals...and my family paid for my dumb thrill chasing…"

"Before I knew it...due to my arrogance and self-destructive habits, I lost pretty much all my best friends. The ones who were always there for me as a kid...all slowly vanished from my side. One by one. They all left me. None of them liked who I was becoming...and my ma...she just couldn't take it anymore." Ace's voice turned very sharp at the end.

Minoru stayed silent but felt her pain.

"I won't go into much detail on that but...let's just say it was me and my dad after that. They weren't the only ones who hated the road I was going down. The townspeople hated me too. They called me a thief, a bum and a cheat…they'd scowl at me everytime I'd walk down the streets.

"There was hardly a person back in my hometown that I hadn't stolen from, cheated or worse. All for a stupid thrill….a high that only lasted for so long. It was like a drug...and I was addicted to it." Ace dawned a really nasty frown on her face.

"I was really screwing things up for myself big time but...due to my pride. I didn't see it until I had REALLY fucked up. Despite me seeing the backlash my thrill chasing was getting me, I still managed to dodge and weave the major consequences and that was enough for me to keep going. I took all the negativity as jealousy. They were just jealous that they didn't have the skill or luck to do what I did. So I said fuck em. I'm still a big shot baby." Ace said in an almost mocking tone.

"But then...one day. My luck finally ran out." Her voice dropped.

Minoru shivered a bit at her grim tone but listened.

"One day. I took things WAY too far...and my best friend...the only friend I had left…" She looked away.

"They saved me….they SAVED ME….at the cost of their own life." Ace hung her head in shame.

Minoru's eyes widened. "No way…" He croaked.

"Even though I had acted like such a cunt...they saved me...and with their last breaths...they told me to turn my life around." Ace croaked out.

Ace went silent for a few seconds. Minoru slowly placed his flesh hand on hers.

"I never forgave myself. My friends' parents didn't either...can't say I blame them. After that day...I caved in and gave up my thrill chasing days. But...me and my dad couldn't stay in our hometown anymore. All of it...the people...the memories...it was too much. So Not soon after, we moved here to Japan to start over." Ace wiped her eyes.

"I see….I'm so sorry. Sorry if I made you relive bad memories." Minoru looked up to her.

"It's okay. I may not have forgiven myself, but I'm owning up to it. I came here to UA to make up for my immature actions and for...my pal Ellen. You see, I haven't completely given up my thrill seeking ways. I've just learned to better manage them better and know when's the right time, when to stop and so so." Ace's smile returned.

"Minoru. Ya don't gotta give up being a pervert. Just learn to better control it. That's all and if the others can't accept that….then fuck em. If someone can't accept you for who you are then trust me. Ya don't want em as friends." Ace patted his back.

Minoru couldn't hold it in anymore and buried his face into Ace's chest and sobbed deeply holding her tightly.

"Ah boy...I got ya dude." Ace closed her eyes and hugged back, embracing the smaller boy.

This wasn't like the first time they hugged. Minoru was simply screaming out his frustration. This time...Minoru was lettin out all the pain and hurt deep in his heart. He was hurting so bad...and in this moment he was just letting all that sadness he's buried deep down. With Ace here...she was the staple that held him together as he fell apart.

This went on for a while before Minoru finally gathered himself again.

"Sniff….ah...thank you...really. You're so kind…" Minoru sniffled as he wiped his eyes.

"It's okay. Really. I'm happy to help someone in need." Ace smiled.

"I just...this all is just too much for me to handle alone…" Minoru looked away.

"You shouldn't have to do it alone." Ace added.

"I'm going to help you get back on track. Like say...a personal trainer." Ace said.

"R-Really? You'd do that for me?" Minoru asked.

"Yeah man. I've been where you have so...I should be able to help you!" Ace chuckled.

"Well then...thanks. I look forward to it." Minoru smiled.

"Alriiiiiiiiiight.~" Ace poked his chest a few times. "We gon get guuud boi.~"

Minoru laughed softly.

Ace checked her phone. "I should go dude, but I'll see ya tomorrow for sure." Ace smiled

"Ah okay...see ya Ace…" Minoru smiled weakly.

Ace boops his nose. "Cheer up. Good things come to those who wait. Trust." Ace stood up and walked off to her dorm building.

Minoru sighed and hung his head. He felt a bit better but the depression was really starting to melt over him. To be perfectly honest he didn't even want to head back into the dorms.

"You know what? Screw it." Minoru then got up and walked off as well.

He didn't head back to the dorm area but instead snuck off campus. With his new smoke abilities he was able to do so without being detected. Also no one knew he left the dorm so he should be fine.

So just like that, Minoru was walking the streets of the city at night. He watched as people walked by him, the neon signs flashing on and off and cars going by as he walked the streets. No one really paid him any mind. Not even the patrolling heroes, which he was okay with. He really didn't want any of them stopping and bugging him.

After walking around for a bit he decided to go into an alleyway and leaned against a wall. He sat down and started to play his harmonica. However this gained the attention of a figure lurking in the alley…

"Hey, that's pretty good kid." A voice spoke out to him.

Minoru stopped and looked over to where the voice's direction. There he saw an adult man with short blonde hair and grey-blue eyes. He also had a large scar that split down his forehead. He was wearing a blue collared shirt, jeans and boots.

"Ah, thanks sir." Minoru spoke out to him.

"No problem kid...I was actually kinda liking the music." The man smiled faintly.

"Really?" Minoru asked.

"Yeah, I wouldn't mind if you played more." The man said.

"Maybe I will. If you give me a name." Minoru said in a low tone.

"Jin. Just call me Jin." The man said.

"Okay Jin." Minoru then played more.

Jin smiled and leaned up against the wall in front of Minoru and listened. This music oddly kept the voice in his head quiet. That was new. Jin stood there with his eyes close listening to Minoru play, the melody just easing his always tormented mind.

Minoru finished and bowed his head a little.

"Damn kid. That's some good music." Jin praised the boy.

"Thanks Jin-san." Minoru said with a rather glum face.

"Say, what's a little kid like you doin out here at night alone?" Jin asked.

"Sigh, I'm not a little kid. I'm 16." Minoru said.

"Ah shit really? My bad. You're so short. Sorry." He scratched the back of his own head.

"I know, I know. I just...there' so much shit going on in my life right now…I needed to get away from it…" Minoru gripped his harmonica tightly.

"Tch, know how that feels kid. Really, I do. Life really can be a bitch." Jin spoke grimly.

"Yeah…" His smoke arm dispeled to reveal his missing limb.

Jin's eyes widened. "Holy shit...rough break kid…"

"I lost it saving someone who didn't even consider me a friend…" Minoru hung his head.

"But...she was my teammate so...I just...did it." Minoru said.

"That's real mature of you kid. Really. Not a lot of people would do that for a person that doesn't respect em." Jin spoke.

"You're a real team player. I respect that." Jin said reaching into his jacket and pulling out a box of cigarettes.

"Thanks…" Minoru looked off with his smoke arm returning.

Jin placed a cig in his mouth then...he did something unexpected. He pulled out another cig and offered it to Minoru. The boy was perplexed.

"Seriously?" Minoru asked.

"Friendly gesture. Don't gotta. You said you weren't a kid so...here." Jin smiled.

Minoru smiled faintly and actually took the cigarette. He's actually smoked cigarettes before in middle school. He did so with some students to try and be cool. He didn't dislike it, but after getting busted by the teachers he decided not to try it again.

Jin pulled out a lighter and lit his and then Minoru's. Minoru took a puff of his cigarette and blew out some smoke. Then the smoke was drawn in by his smoke arm. Jin raised an eyebrow.

"Okay that's kinda cool. I won't lie." Jin smiled a bit, blowing out some smoke himself and the smoke was drawn in by Minoru's arm.

"Thanks Jin...Minoru. My name." Minoru looked at the older man.

"Nice name. You go to school, kid?" Jin asked.

"UA academy." Minoru answered.

"Seriously? Training to be a hero?" Jin gave an odd look.

"Yeah...trying to be. Lost my arm to a villain." Minoru spoke.

"Damn. But Minoru, ya really shouldn't share stuff like that so nonchalantly. For all you know, I could be a villain." He said to the boy.

"Yeah maybe. But...all I see before me now is a nice man." He gave Jin a small smile.

Now it was Jin's turn to be surprised. He wasn't expecting that.

"Really? And what if I told you, I was a villain? Would ya try and fight me? Run away? Call for help." Jin asked with a sharp look.

"What are you doing right now?" Minoru answered his question with another question.

"What?" Jin tilted his head.

"What are you doing right now? In this very moment as we speak. What are you doing?" Minoru asked again.

"Nothing…" Jin answered.

"Then I'll do nothing." Minoru said.

Jin went silent.

"You're not trying to hurt me right now or anyone else. So there's no reason for me to try and hurt you. You've been nothing but nice to me thus far. If you were a villain...you're pretty humane." Minoru said.

Jin was dumbfounded. He had no idea what to say.

"Right now...we're just two people talking. Not a hero...and not a villain. Just two people talking." Minoru said with a stoic face.

"...Thanks kid. That means a lot to me." Jin smiled and then his face then turned into a frown.

He gripped his face like he was in pain.

Minoru looked concerned. "Are you okay?"

"Aghh….Dumb kid...what the hell makes you trust me huh?! What do you know about me?!" Jin's face became hostile...but...also hurt too.

"Simple. If you wanted to hurt me...you would have done it by now. Also...I can tell we're a lot alike. Just by looking at your eyes. You have the same eyes as me." Minoru stood up and walked to the man who was glaring at him like a wild animal.

"The eyes of a lonely and broken soul." Minoru said to him.

Jin went silent….then erupted. "You think we're the same? Ha! Don't make me laugh! No...no. I don't mean that…" Jin struggled against the other voice in his mind.

"We're not as different as you think. Others may call us losers or freaks...but. We're still human." Minoru said softly.

Jin's eyes went wider at that statement. His voice went silent as well. "W-What did you say?"

"We're human. It doesn't matter what we are...a hero, a villain, a pervert or some crazy dude...we're still people. Us being different or going down bad paths doesn't take that away from us." Minoru clenches his fist.

Jin's face turned into a smile...a sad smile and tears poked at his eyes. "Sniff...hehehe..thanks Minoru. I just...I really wanted to hear someone say that to me. It helps me remember that not everyone is so bad…that there are people in this society that don't just abandon the outcast."

"You're welcome...everyone needs a good friend." Minoru smiles.

"Amen to that kid...hey you should go. It's not safe around here at night. I just don't want ya to catch the wrong person's attention. Lots of sicko's out here." Jin said, wiping his eyes.

"Yeah, I should go too. Before someone realsies I'm missing…" Minoru dropped his cigarette and stomped it out.

"Thanks for the talk Minoru. Really cheered me up." Jin smiled.

"Don't mention it...I needed the company…" Minoru said to Jin.

"Maybe...our paths will cross again." Minoru smiled.

"I wouldn't mind it. For a teenager...you're pretty cool." Jin chuckled.

Minoru looked at him for a few moments then looked away chuckling.

"Hehehe...you are too. See ya." Minoru waved walking off.

Jin waved too and watched the boy leave. His head began to hurt. "Aghhh…" He swiftly placed on his Twice mask. "Stupid boy! Thinks he knows us! We should use him! Shigaraki would be happy to hear this!" His other persona said.

"No...No. He's a good kid. He treated me with respect. So I'll do the same. So keep your mouth shut." Jin argued with his alter ego.

"What?! What the hell is wrong with you?! This is a war and-" Jin took control again and said "NO...and that's final...this is my body...my life...my rules. Got That?!" Jin was able to deny his split personality.

The voice went silent...but complied. "Whatever." Jin smiled. "Thanks…"

To Be Continued.