I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.

It took quite a while for Mineta and his partner to get to Uraraka after everyone was giving the girl console. And one by one, 1A began to return to their seats, hearts ready for the next match. Finally, it was just Mineta, Midoriya, and Uraraka in the waiting room.

"He really got me didn't he?" She said with an upbeat chuckle. The shorter boy blinked while his green haired partner stared in surprise. Uraraka was taking this loss surprisingly well… Either everyone else managed to cheer her up, or she was still hiding her frustration. And Mineta was sure which one it was.

"I got really carried away at the end, with all those rocks hanging up there. I honestly thought that would get Bakugou… But guess that goes to show how strong he is. Guess I've got to try harder next time." Uraraka said, making a playful show of frustration. Mineta and Midoriya stared in silence turning to one another as the awkwardness began to simmer. It would be his partner that would break it, turning to Uraraka with a question on his tongue.

"Are you okay?"

"Somehow, I am! Sure I lost, but at least I know what to do next. Things can only go up from here, right?" She said, a soft smile spreading across her lips. Mineta kept his mouth closed, seeing that he didn't want to blurt anything out. How could he ruin the mood she was building? How could he tear down the obvious façade?

Before anyone else could speak, they heard the PA system turn on and Present Mic making an announcement. "Ring's been fixed! Can we have Midoriya Izuku and Mineta Minoru take the field? You got four minutes."

"The fated duel between men… I'm sorry I wasted your prep time guys! I guess I got caught up with everyone coming to visit me and all." Uraraka said with a bow.

"No, no, it's fine. We wanted to be here, right Midoriya?" Mineta replied, looking to his partner.

"Yeah, seeing you was more important than our match." He said with a nod.

"Aw, thanks. You really know how to make a girl feel wanted. Anyway, you don't have to worry about me anymore. Just get out there and duke it out like the brothers you're meant to be." Uraraka said, giving the two a thumb's up. Mineta nodded like an energetic puppy and went to the door. Midoriya gave the girl a gentle smile and a slight bow before following. The green haired boy closed the door and off the two went.

But the walk to the field was eerily quiet and Mineta knew why. Uraraka, she had that look in her eyes. Shinso had it. Sero had it. Yaoyorozu had it. And though she put up such a bright mask, it was hard to hide tears shed from the heart. And looking over to his partner, the shorter boy notes how melancholic Midoriya looked. Despite egging him on, he must have honestly wanted to help Uraraka too. And yet, here they were.

And it hurt all the more when gentle sobs came from down the hall.

"Mineta-kun…"

"I know, we tried our best."

"Yes, we did… But I think we actually have yet to say what we wanted to say. To not just Uraraka-san, but to everyone here." Midoriya replied.

"What do you mean?" Mineta asked, looking to his partner. The two of them stopped at an intersecting corridor. One hall led to one side of the field while the other led to its opposite. This was the final point the two can get their thoughts out to each other.

"I mean, everyone out there looked so serious and heartbroken. I know it's the Sports Festival where only one person can win and everyone else goes home with only bittersweet memories… But doesn't that feel wrong? Even if we lose, we should feel like we've accomplished something great today." Midoriya explained.

"So… What do you suggest? We make a show out of our match? I don't think anyone will approve of that." Mineta replied.

"They won't. But remember my fight with Kirishima-kun? Everyone was getting into it. And they all felt satisfied even when I pulled an unexpected move. That's what I want us to do." Midoriya said.

Mineta thought back to that first match and remembered the tension and exhilaration of it all. Every hit had weight and meaning. Every person was cheering for their favorite contestant. And when the count happened, the whole stadium was clamoring to join in. It was a beautiful battle where everyone went with the flow.

"That doesn't sound too bad. But… How do we recreate that? Because I'm not getting into a fist fight with you, I'd instantly get pulped." Mineta said with a laugh.

"Simple, remember what you said to me at the park?"

Mineta couldn't suppress the smile as their first meeting came back to him. It ignited the zeal and determination tucked away within his heart. He had always said it. And this was the perfect chance to tell all of Japan who they were. They were not just classmates. They were not just friends. They were…

"You got it partner. See you on the field."

"Likewise and good luck."

And so, Midoriya and Mineta went their separate ways. The shorter boy's steps felt heavy, but not in a bad way. It was as though he was moving the Earth beneath him with his tempered will. And looking behind him, Mineta could see his partner's back looking as reliable as ever. He looked forward again and smiled brightly. The dream is now more than alive.

…

"Ladies and Gentlemen! Welcome to the first match of the Quarter Finals. Now, after that last fight, I could use a little breather. But that's not happening anytime soon! So without further ado… Let's meet our contestants!" Present Mic announced, whipping the audience into a wild frenzy.

"In our first corner, we have a little mouse that left some big steps in his wake! He survived being strapped to dynamite! He led his team through with an amazingly backhanded ploy! He escaped a verbal lashing with iron lipped silence! He's the trickster of our tournament! Give it up for Mineta Minoru!"

Mineta breathed out before giving a simple wave to the crowd. There was something different about standing here now that his intentions were different. Before, he felt nervous, thinking he might slip up somehow. Now, the shorter boy stood firmly as he now had purpose.

"In our other corner, we have a timid lion whose heart beats with raw courage! He flew upon wings of steel and smoke! He pulled his team through when all odds are stacked against them! He rose like a phoenix when we all thought he was done for! Introducing Midoriya Izuku!"

Midoriya looked around, smiling that gentle smile of his. But while his face did all the talking, his hands were busy fiddling with the bandages that still wrapped his arms. The damage from his first fight must have not fully recovered yet. Still, Mineta doubts that those would stop his partner for executing their plan.

"It's Saint Vs. Sinner, Sinner Vs. Saint! Midnight, if you would be so kind." Present Mic finished as he eyed his more scandalous colleague. The R18 Heroine nodded and aimed her whip at the two contestants.

"Midoriya Izuku, are you ready?"

"Ready." He answered as his body emitted a soft glow.

"Mineta Minoru, are you ready?"

"Ready." He replied, removing a ball from his head.

"Then let's get STARTED!"

Midnight cracked her whip, cheers echoing all around the stadium. Mineta stared right at Midoriya and vice versa. However, something strange happened in the next few seconds. The green haired boy began to take a big, showy step forward. Going into automatic, Mineta was winding up for a throw but his mind was asking questions.

Why was Midoriya making such a deliberate move? Does he not realize he could get stuck here and now? What happened to making it a fight everyone can enjoy?

But the more Mineta's arm completed the motion, the more he felt like something was off. Midoriya's leg stopped rising and began to fall, foot poised to set down again. The shorter boy's hairball left his fingers and sailed through the air. And in just a single second, the ball landed just as Midoriya's signature red sneaker fell upon it. The crowd was stunned, was this match over already?

"Mineta just trapped his opponent's foot not even five seconds in! That's like… A new record!" Present Mic announced, gripping his head. The crowd began murmuring as Midoriya's foot continued to rest on the hairball. But Mineta couldn't help but feel like something is horribly wrong about all this. His partner looked way too relaxed for a guy who's about to lose. And before Midnight spoke to him, Midoriya gave Mineta an innocent smile.

"I need to go!"

"Midoriya Izuku, can you–?" Midnight began before Midoriya leaned in and sprung away with sparks flying from his body. Mineta rolled away from where he stood as his partner brought his fist down. And while he stopped before it hit the ground, Midoriya's fist still kicked up a plume of dust. Mineta stared, questions bursting from his skull, before the green haired boy corrected his posture and faced him. But judging from the reaction of the crowd, Mineta wasn't the only one confused.

"Wha–!? I don–!? The–!? Midoriya wasn't actually stuck!? What happened!?" Present Mic babbled as Mineta continued to eye his partner carefully. Aizawa leaned into his microphone and gave a hum of interest. He spotted something and the shorter boy opened his ears for their teacher's wisdom.

"So that's what it was… I understand."

"You do? Care to share Eraser?" Present Mic asked.

"First a little context… Midoriya and Mineta here have been friends since before UA. And the two of them have a rather interesting goal, to become the greatest Hero duo of their generation. Both of them then managed to get into the same Hero class and received their Hero costumes." Aizawa began.

"And?"

"Do you remember who determines the costume's functions?" Aizawa asked. A pit slowly began to form in Mineta's stomach, fully aware of where this was going. He, however, couldn't bring himself to believe it. But not because it would make his fight several times more difficult… Rather, it would be because Mineta wouldn't be able to stop his tears from flowing once it started.

The tears of joy and relief that is.

"That would be… Wait… Are telling me, Midoriya Izuku designed his whole costume so that it would work in tandem with his good friend's Quirk?" Present Mic asked, still in disbelief.

"Exactly. And remember how the Hero classes are allowed to wear their costume's footwear?" Aizawa continued.

"Then those red sneakers aren't regular kicks, but super treated Hero shoes!?" Present Mic asked, leaning over his console to get a closer look at Midoriya's feet. Aizawa leaned back, away from his microphone. However, his last word was loud enough for all to hear.

"Yes."

The crowd began talking about this recent discovery. But rather than be off put by it, most of them seemed impressed and in awe. Words began circulating like 'I wish I had a friend like that' or 'Let me spread the word, give your team name'. It all floored Mineta, who normally expected people to be disgusted over this. Even the Pros were watching more intently, interested in what these two friends are fully capable of.

But that was something for later, because right now, Mineta had a whole lot of questions. So with all the courage in his heart, he looked dead at his partner and spread his arms out. A question then escaped the confines of the shorter boy's throat. And it was powered by every last ounce of wonder and bewilderment in his body.

"Why didn't you tell me about this!?"

Midoriya immediately dropped his fighting stance, Full Cowl's glow fading from his body. He began to nervously scratch at his cheek as his eyes danced all over the place. Honestly, if Mineta wasn't so focused on this subject, he'd be exploiting this opening for all it's worth. But given how the shorter boy was also exposed yet Midoriya didn't take advantage of that… It was probably best to talk things out first.

"Well you see… I was planning for it to be a surprise. You know, we team up on an assignment, I'd then do the thing, everyone goes nuts, and it'd be a great story. So… Uh… S-Surprise?" Midoriya explained with a shrug. Mineta stared as the crowd began to chant for them to continue the fight. But through all of this, the shorter boy's lips began to show a smirk and he began pulling balls off his head.

"You really know how to defy expectations partner. But let's see if you can move across them as well as I can." He said, scattering balls around him. And before Midoriya could answer back, the shorter boy scattered even more. The green haired boy reactivated Full Cowl and locked eyes with his partner. A daring smile appeared as he raised his arms, ready to start again.

Mineta threw one more hairball, this time next to Midoriya, before hopping onto a hairball himself. His partner jumped onto it and gave chase to the bouncing form moving away from him. It was a strange sight, to see two people jump after each other. But since it was Mineta's Quirk they were using, if Midoriya's footing gives out even once, he'd get stuck for real. And that added tension.

"Okay… But how do I actually bring Midoriya down? I doubt the Bakugou cling would work since he helped me practice it. I don't have any baseballs to throw, not that any pitches I know would even reach him. And even if Midoriya didn't have Full Cowl, a fist fight was out of the question." Mineta thought as he continued to hop around, placing more balls as he went.

A rather harrowing realization then hit Mineta. None of the tactics that has gotten him this far can actually help him defeat Midoriya. The only option still available was to simply attach balls to him until he could no longer move. And seeing that this was Midoriya, the shorter boy could predict that strategy would have limited effect.

Mineta would still try mind you. He needed to respond to his partner and to the audience after all.

"Mineta-kun! Look out!" Midoriya shouted. Reflexively, before bouncing off the next ball, the shorter boy turned around and immediately paled. He quickly shifted his weight and sprung off to the side as a green blur passed him. The shape quickly righted itself before red shoes skidded across a long gap of exposed concrete. And on that spot, Midoriya stood up, turned towards Mineta, and started mumbling to himself.

"That was a lot more difficult than I imagined… It seems I need to ease up on Full Cowl so I don't go flying off stage. Controlling my direction was simple enough though, it's just shifting my weight before springing off. Not that I can catch Mineta-kun with just that. I need to find the platonic ideal between speed and control."

The shorter boy kept bouncing in place, watching his partner gradually sort his mind out. And as he listened to the crowd around them, he picked up on their curiosities. Namely, why wasn't he attacking when his opponent was distracted? Mineta, to answer that question, plucked a ball off his head and simply tossed it at the green haired boy.

Midoriya, without even stopping his train of thought, simply leaned to the side and let the ball sail right past. And to further reinforce the point, Mineta tossed out two more before his partner dodged it in the same manner. The crowd gasped at the ease of evasion and began to, rather loudly, discuss the disparity in the fighters' abilities.

"Is that what you're getting out of this? Fine, let's kick it up a notch." The shorter boy muttered, arming himself with hair balls. From there, Mineta leaned his body towards to the space on Midoriya's right and sprung towards it.

Midoriya exited out of his thinking state and quickly began removing his jersey. As Mineta closed the distance, he released tossed all the balls in his hand to the left, letting the momentum carry them. His partner then began spinning his article of cloth around, creating a guard against the oncoming swarm. However, despite his best effort, a ball still made it through and stuck itself onto his left forearm.

"Good move, using the jersey like Uraraka. But how long can you keep swinging that?" Mineta thought as he bounced back, rearming himself. The green haired boy, instead of staying where he stood, hopped onto the nearest ball and bounced towards Mineta. His jersey guard was raised as the shorter boy readied to throw out another hairball assault.

It was Joust of Quirks!

Mineta threw out his balls, only for it to meet Midoriya's jersey. And, when the distance closed between them, the green haired boy shot his left fist out. The shorter boy, using his gained flexibility, twisted his body away and passed through with only a graze. The two fighters righted themselves before landing on the next ball and faced each other again. Both ready to charge once more.

Mineta and Midoriya sprung forward again, the audience leaning in as the distance closed. The shorter boy, this time, threw out his payload in steps with first his left then, when he was closer, his right. Midoriya, as expected, wiped away the first wave and pulled a fist back, moving his jersey away. But upon seeing the second wave, he hastily pulled his jersey back up to defend himself. While that action did shield him from the worst of it…

There was now a ball on Midoriya's right forearm and a few on his chest.

The two landed on a ball and faced each other again. The green haired boy, his jersey now covered in hairballs, quickly examined himself and the situation. Noticing how the gears were turning, this was now the time for Mineta to strike. He started to bounce his way towards his partner, who began to retreat towards the clear side of the field. The end was close; the shorter boy could feel it.

"Sorry partner, but you're dancing to my tune." Mineta thought as Midoriya landed onto clear concrete. With one more ball upon the ground, the shorter boy hopped onto it and launched himself directly at his partner. Mineta then angled his feet towards his foe. And just as his partner turned to face him, both feet hit a ball on Midoriya's chest. The shorter boy kicked off and the force sent his partner flat onto his back.

Where his arms feel upon the concrete, causing the hair balls stuck there to adhere to it.

"Midoroya's down! But is he stuck for good!?" Present Mic announced as Mineta crashed onto the concrete. The shorter boy stood, rubbing the shoulder he landed on, as the crowds began to cheer for him. He allowed himself a moment to bask in the attention, not knowing when he could do it next. And the feeling of it all was…

Rather underwhelming. He could barely hear any of the praise coming from the audience. It wasn't like when they commented on his and Midoriya's partnership, where the sounds were more unified. This was just chaos.

"Wonder if that's why Aizawa doesn't like crowds, too much noise." Mineta thought before going back to his opponent. Midoriya was still on the ground, struggling against the adhesive hairballs. But the strange thing was, his partner wasn't desperately throwing his strength around as one would expect. Instead, Midoriya was pushing and pulling his arms in a rather controlled manner.

"He's not trying to escape is he? Midoriya maybe Midoriya, but no one has gotten out before." Mineta said to himself, continuing to observe his partner. With that last thought, his body began to relax. Perhaps he was over thinking things…

"Midoriya Izuku, can you move? Be honest." Midnight asked. The green haired boy didn't say anything. He did, however, give two big tugs to his bindings and managed to position his feet beneath him. The R18 Heroine, taking that action as a yes, began to raise her whip up.

She was going to call it. Or at least, until Midoriya performed another miracle.

The bandages on his arms unraveled themselves as he pulled his body up. And, without even taking two seconds, Midoriya quickly entered a running position, body glowing with energy. Finally, he took off towards Mineta before anyone could utter a single word.

The shorter boy's eyes shrunk as his partner's body appeared before him. A fist then began to go right for him, causing him to dodge it. But when Mineta tried to move away, Midoriya would step in and cut him off. And this would repeat itself a few more times before Mineta realized that he couldn't escape. There was no path out of his friend's area of attack. Nor could he find the timing to use his Quirk.

Mineta was trapped in Midoriya's rhythm.

And Present Mic's commentary was not helping the situation.

"You know, after seeing all this going on, we've got to revise that rule book. I mean, just imagine how Recovery Girl feels about her treatment being messed up."

"Yeah, she would definitely be upset. However, I personally feel that the rules are just fine. It's quite refreshing to see students finally using their heads and not just their bodies." Aizawa said.

"Really? You're into this mess?" Present Mic asked.

"Mess? Well I suppose those two could've done several things more efficiently…"

"I'M DOING MY BEST!" Mineta thought, barely avoiding another punch from Midoriya. The shorter boy's mind began to look again for any angle of opportunity to get out. If not, then he might as well surrender since this was just going to go on until he collapses from exhaustion. And while that might happen to Midoriya first, Mineta had no way of knowing how tired his partner was. Not when his own muscles are starting to scream and give out.

It was here that he finally caught something. Whenever Mineta dodged, Midoriya had to step quite far just to catch up. But while the shorter boy can't knock his friend off balance, since that would mean taking a blow… He could escape through the wide gap between his legs. And once through, he could attempt the Bakugou Cling.

"There's no guarantee, but I've got nothing else!" Mineta thought, gritting his teeth as Midoriya's fist grazed him. The shorter boy began to move away again, his partner following while winding up for another strike. And as expected, the step he took to follow Mineta was wide. So, before the fist flew out, Mineta quickly dived for the space between Midoriya's legs.

The world flipped around for just a moment. And upon righting himself, Mineta arrived at his intended destination no worse for wear. Reflexively , he then quickly turned and jumped at his opponent's back, hairballs in hand. So long as he could get onto Midoriya, then it will all work out.

"All or nothing! All or nothing!" Mineta chanted in his head.

The green haired boy, without missing a beat, turned his upper body around as far as it can go. His shining green eyes locked onto the shorter boy before his arms shot out towards him. Mineta then felt hands grip his jersey in two different locations. It was all a blur after that.

There he was, on the ground with pain running along his back. And there was Midoriya, standing over him fist pulled back. Mineta's mind snapped out of the confusion and tried to get up. But halfway through sitting up, the green haired boy's arm shot forward as green sparks danced all over his body. It took no time for the attack to make it to its intended target.

…

…

…

Mineta blinked several times. He was conscious… Right? As the shock from feeling Midoriya's intent to slug him with everything he's got, the shorter boy's senses finally picked up what's happening. His partner didn't actually hit him; Midoriya stopped just centimeters from his face. And as Mineta looked up to the green hair boy's face, Midoriya changed his posture and stance. He stood with a slight lean, body completely relaxed, with one hand out towards Mineta.

The shorter boy stared at the extended limb before looking up to his partner. And there, he saw the gentle smile of the Hero he admired so much. Mineta let out a chuckle and sat up, taking the hand with confidence. Midoriya then pulled his friend back up onto his feet, the two of them standing proudly before an applauding audience.

"Mineta Minoru has forfeited! Midoriya Izuku is the winner!" Midnight announced.

"And what a conclusion to this incredible fight! It was so good; I don't think we even need to do any post-battle commentary. What do you think Eraser?" Present Mic announced.

"We've already said what we needed to say throughout the fight. Still, it was certainly nostalgic to see friends working together so well. Not many people realize this, but having someone reliable at your back could mean the difference between victory and defeat." Aizawa said as weight laced his words.

"I hear you Shouta… Nothing's better than a true Brother in Arms at your side…"

And that has been Chapter 31. When I was first putting together the tournament brackets, I noticed how Midoriya and Mineta were positioned rather closely. That's when it hit me, I should pit them against each other.

"And it was beautiful. The cheers, the sweat, the bromance, nothing's better."

That's one way to put it. But what do you think my dear audience? Was this worth the last two abysmal chapters? Honestly, being able to write something like this after that was great. It felt liberating.

"That's because you're juiced up on imagination."

Then let's hope I can keep it up for the days to come. We'll be returning to the regular update schedule after this. So I hope you wait with eagerness as we witness one grape deducing the issues behind a aloof classmate.

"That 5 out of 5 intelligence has to do something."

Exactly. So with all that said...

Until Next Time. T1.