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


The group went off to finally eat something before the break ended. There were two things that happened along the way that Mineta couldn't stop thinking about. The first was how Todoroki pulled Midoriya to the side, wanting to talk about something. And judging how much more intimidating his icy glare was, the shorter boy knew his partner was in for quite the conversation.

The second thing was his current predicament. As he ate lunch, his eyes kept moving towards a peculiar sight. It wasn't actually that interesting, but the more devious half of his brain kept poking him about it. And since laying eyes on that sight, the two voices of Heart and Pants argued away in Mineta's head. This was a debate that would no doubt determine the fate of his reputation.

Whether or not to make the 1A girls wear cheerleading outfits.

"It'll be beautiful. But all the work I put into making myself look like a normal person... That's been falling apart since the start of the Festival. But what about Midoriya? He wouldn't want this. The guy would be too distracted by cheerleader Uraraka to say anything. Do not make him look like a pervert. He hangs out with you, so it's bound to happen at some point. Midoriya's better than me. Yeah, but it won't stop him from falling head over heels for a cute girl in a sexy costume. This is different from Uraraka's Hero costume. It really isn't. Yes it is! No it ain't."

And it would go on like this for ad nauseam with neither side giving an inch. It honestly gave Mineta a migraine. But he couldn't stop thinking about it, especially when his eyes kept wandering to the cheerleaders.

"Can someone end this please?" He muttered, rubbing his temples to try to alleviate some of the pain. Ask and you shall receive. Though given what was said, Mineta wished he was called in sick today or something.

"You thinking what I'm thinking?"

The headache stopped as the shorter boy looked to his right and saw Kaminari. And he too was staring at the cheerleaders with an interested little grin on his lips. The electric blonde looked over to Mineta, eyes meeting as his message wordlessly passed over. Already could Mineta hear his Heart object and his Pants preparing the war drums. If he didn't resist this… All would be lost.

"Yeah." Mineta blurted out as he internally screamed. Don't do this, you're trying to not look like a creep.

"You want to go for it? It'll say a lot about us." Kaminari asked, grin only getting bigger. Stop validating this train of thought. Mineta knew this wasn't the way. He knew everyone would be disgusted by him. He KNEW Midoriya would forever be disappointed in him for tricking friends into this sort of thing. And this was after he made a promise not even an hour ago!

"We might as well go all out." Mineta said, giving him a thumb's up. He then felt his heart and integrity lay down in a coffin.

Kaminari was up at it like a kid in a candy store and a pocket full of money. He looked around him quickly; everyone else was caught up in their own conversations. The electric blonde immediately went into a whisper, eyeing the 1A girls at the same time. Real inconspicuous there buddy.

"So how should we go about this? What can convince them?"

"You wanted to do this, but haven't even thought of a plan yet?" Mineta asked with a hushed voice. Not that he had a plan either, since he was still debating with himself. Kaminari should have no excuse. This was a pretty difficult task though, and the shorter boy knew the guy wasn't exactly a bright bulb. That was unless he talked about American or any sort of Western Literature.

But all the knowledge in the world wouldn't do you any good in this situation. To do 'that', one needs the perfect lie and all the charisma of a PR representative covering up a business screw up. And Mineta knew, for sure, he didn't have the pull with people to succeed. He also, with absolute certainty, cannot come up with the perfect lie.

It's not like they'll fall for something like, I don't know… Aizawa had assigned 'the task' to the 1A girls but the shuffling of paperwork made him forget. So to make sure it was done on time, he asked Mineta and Kaminari to be his last minute messengers.

Wait…

Mineta's face dropped as he slapped himself. He just had to jinx it, didn't he? And Kaminari noticed this, to the shorter boy's infinitely screaming remnants of his morals. So with a long sigh, seeing that there was no way out of this now, the two of them got up from their seats and began walking over to the 1A girls. And how joyous they looked, sharing cute smiles and bright laughter as energetic conversation flowed between them.

It's a shame that something's about to happen to it.

"I have no one but myself to blame for this…" Mineta thought, seeing that he agreed to this mess. He looked over to Kaminari and gave the nod to move forward. It was now or never…

"Hey guys, we'd got word from Aizawa that he needs you girls for something." Mineta said. What surprised the shorter boy was how calm he sounded. There wasn't even a hint of hesitation or stuttering in his voice.

"Hmm? He does?" Yaoyorozu asked, causing the other 1A girls to turn to them. This time, it was Kaminari's turn to speak and he too wasn't showing any signs of lying. Whether that meant the electric blonde was also a trickster or just determined, Mineta couldn't say.

"I know this is going to sound crazy, even I couldn't believe until he glared at us from behind those bandages. But Aizawa-sensei wants you girls to be part of the cheer squad like them over there."

He then proceeded to point over to the cheerleaders that were sitting at a nearby table. And observing the six girls, Mineta noted that each of them had different reactions. Uraraka was very reserved about the news. Mina looked skeptical but he could tell she was willing to give it a try. Tooru was just plain excited. Yaoyorozu was straight up confused, not that Mineta blamed her. Tsuyu wasn't giving any sort of indication of how she felt.

And then there was Jirou…

"Wha-!? Hell no! I'm going to be part of that mess!" Jirou yelled, almost catching the entire cafeteria's attention. The group waited a bit for everyone else to resume their own business before continuing the conversation.

"I wouldn't call it a mess, but it is a little fishy." Mina said with a nod.

"It really is. I mean, would Aizawa-sensei really put us in something like that?" Tsuyu asked, finger on chin. It was a good point. And Mineta knew if he and Kaminari were to convince them, they needed to overcome both Tsuyu and Jirou. So, with the pressure mounting, Mineta pressed on to answer the amphibious girl.

"Do any of us know what he's thinking? Like on our first day here, Aizawa shoved a Quirk exam on us and drew out our best using the threat of expulsion. So for all we know, this could be some sort of test for you guys."

"Well did he give a reason this time?" Uraraka asked.

"All we got was dead silence before he sulked off. So your guess is as good as mine." Kaminari replied, shaking his head. The gravity defying girl closed her eyes and began thinking. This was going along pretty well for a lie. But Mineta knew that this was the most dangerous part of the process. If they don't choose carefully from this point on, it might conflict with what they have already said.

"Was Aizawa-sensei that cryptic? I mean, he tells it to us straight if we did something he didn't like. Him hiding stuff doesn't sound right…" Tooru commented. The other girls hummed in agreement before looking back at the two. Their eyes were becoming a degree more skeptical about this whole charade. Mineta hardened his resolve and pressed on, he and Kaminari had crossed the threshold. No turning back now.

"Believe me, if he wanted us to learn something, he'd trick us. Remember what he said during the Calvalry Battle? It felt like he was judging us for not considering all of our options. Like we failed to realize something." Mineta said. And he wasn't lying about that part. He has the entire year prior to UA's entrance exam as proof. If that man wanted them to learn, Aizawa would pull a logical ruse on them.

It was here that Kaminari let out brief scream, immediately catching the attention of the others. "Ah shit! What if Sensei's testing us too!?"

"HUH!?" Mineta asked, genuinely unsure of what the electric blonde was referring to.

"Like if there was a rumor that we have to investigate and we needed to convince pros for help. What if that's what Aizawa wants us to do with them?" Kaminari explained. Mineta was about to argue against it, but the words got trapped in his throat as he thought about it. Truthfully, even though it was a mere lie, the shorter boy fully believed that Aizawa would do that. It was easy enough to organize and observe. With the only two possible outcomes, his former master could administer it at any time.

And for all Mineta knew, he and Kaminari were secretly being tested right now.

"Oh fuck me… Dude, what're we going to do if we don't persuade them?" The shorter boy asked, turning to Kaminari. The guy shook his head, looking equally defeated. Mineta's heart dropped as the shadow of despair begins to hang over his eyes. Or at least, that was until Yaoyorozu spoke up.

"Don't worry you two, we'll do it."

"Wait, what!?" Jirou asked.

"Jirou-san, if we don't do this, all of our records will have a mark of failure on it. And with each one, it'll be harder for us to join the Hero agency of our choosing. I understand you're uncomfortable with doing this, but we shouldn't jeopardize our future because of it." Yaoyorozu explained. Mineta's mind was practically doing summersaults. This was going way too well for a lie. But looking to Jirou again, the shorter boy could see that the girl was in clear conflict. It was a 'choice' between all their grades and her dignity.

"Uugghh… Fine, but we're talking to Aizawa-sensei after all this…" Jirou said as defeat weighed her shoulders down. Mineta had to do everything to resist swallowing the sudden lump that formed in his throat. He knew there was no escaping the wrath of the girls once the jig was up… But having Aizawa in on the matter was a whole new level of terrifying.

Mineta looked over to Kaminari to find him looking back at him. And the uneasy light in his eyes really said it all. We maybe screwed, but at least we die in a blaze of glory.

Looking back to the girls, the shorter boy saw how they began to mentally prepare themselves for this ordeal. And as he watched them stand up, ready to face the music, Mineta wanted to say 'just kidding, it's all a prank'. His heart was screaming. His conscious was pleading. His integrity resurrected itself to end this farce.

But it was too late; the girls of 1A have left the cafeteria.

"Let's hope this was worth it…" Mineta said as he exhaled the pressure in his chest.

"But hey, at least we'll have something to remember when we all grow old." Kaminari replied. A carefree smile was on his face and the shorter boy could only pinch the bridge of his nose. Mineta could still hear the good half of his mind still berating him over this.

"If we even live that long…"

The lunch break finished shortly after that encounter. And as the crowds began to pour back into the stadium, Mineta waited with a cold sweat drenching his body. But who could blame him? As what was about to transpire would comprehensively annihilate the carefully constructed image he has established. He was so entranced by his impending doom that he didn't even feel Midoriya's hand on his shoulder. The compassion and concern in the gesture would not be enough to hold back the chill.

"Welcome back everyone! I do hope you had a nice break! Now, before we move onto the final event, we'll be hosting some regular recreational activities for those out of the running. It is still a Sports Festival after all, so do try to enjoy yourselves and make the most of today." Present Mic announced, riling the crowd up once more. Here we go…

"We even brought over some cheerleaders from America to get you psyched up! So get on and make some–! Hmm? What's that?" Present Mic began before noticing something.

"What are they doing?" Aizawa commented as the attention of every last person in the stadium homed in on the anomaly. And there they were, the wonderful girls of Class 1A in cheerleader outfits. And while the sight of thighs and midriffs were alluring, Mineta couldn't really find it in his heart to celebrate. Especially not when they were angrily shouting at him and Kaminari.

"How could you trick us!?" Yaoyorozu shouted, displaying what maybe her first emotional outburst.

"I'm not okay with this…" Mineta grumbled as he casted his eyes to the ground. He also didn't have to look to know that Tsuyu was glaring at him. That was how strong her soul piercing stare was…

"Well I am. They look awesome." Kaminari said, grin wide enough to look like that cat from that one book. The shorter boy went to glare at the electric blonde only to realize something. Wasn't Midoriya standing on that side? If so, where is he now?

Mineta proceeded to look around and soon found his partner talking to a rather reserved Uraraka. Both of them were completely tomato faced as they slowly navigated through their conversation. But as it continued, the energy Midoriya and Uraraka began to improve. The two of them were starting to laugh and smile at whatever the other was saying. And not long after that, the two were chatting like nothing's happened. Though both of them were still looking a little pink.

"I'm suddenly okay with this." Mineta blurted out, startling Kaminari. But before the guy could say anything, the two saw Midoriya take out his phone while Uraraka struck a pose that was distinctly Uraraka. The green haired boy proceeded to then take a picture of the girl. And it was here that Mineta felt something flare up from within. Gentle streams of tears fell from his face as a smile tugged at his lips.

"My boy… He's… He's all grown up…"

"You know, I've always compared Midoriya to a cinnamon roll. Sweet, warm, a great comfort to have around… But I never believed that he could do something like this. Guess you really can't have cinnamon without sin." Kaminari commented. All Mineta could do was nod to that sentiment, even if it was a bit of a stretch.

"You made a promise. You said you wouldn't pull cheap tricks on friends. But here we all are, not even two hours later, feeling the effects of your treachery. Does the defense have anything to say?" Tooru asked as the six girls of 1A loomed over a Mineta on his knees. Kaminari was also there, but the shorter boy felt that their ire was more focused at him. And they were right to feel that way, since he did lie and cheat them. So there was only one, possible response for him.

"No…"

"Then the court hereby deems you both stupid and dumb. A proper punishment will be decided once we find more time to talk about it. Dismissed." Tooru said as the girls walked off. Midoriya held his hand out to both Kaminari and Mineta. The two trouble makers took it and he proceeded to hoist them up, though there was a slight frown on his face. A sign of his disapproval.

"Mineta-kun, I know this whole thing was a very tempting… But you didn't have to lie to their faces about it."

"Sorry… I let my lust get the better of me…" Mineta apologized, deeply lowering his head.

"To be fair, he was on the fence. I gave him the nudge to my side." Kaminari said with an awkward chuckle. Midoriya sighed and placed a hand on both of them, allowing the weight of his words to flow through. And despite the feeling of intimacy that laid in the gesture, both Mineta and Kaminari accepted it.

"I understand why you two were excited over this; even I got caught up in it. But we shouldn't put our friends in situations they're not comfortable with it. If there comes another time where you want the girls to wear something, do not pressure them with outside factors. Show that you care about their opinions and accept it for whatever it maybe. And that way, everyone will find their place and enjoy themselves." Midoriya said.

"You got it partner." Mineta replied with a nod, regaining some heart.

"That was damn inspirational. I won't let you down, man." Kaminari said, making a thumb's up gesture. Midoriya gave a small smile to the two troublemakers and removed his hand from their shoulders. He then looked around the stadium as the crowd continued to flow back in. The green haired boy then turned back to Mineta and Kaminari, a resolved light now shining in his eye.

"Now, shall we see what this Festival has waiting for us?"


And that has been Chapter 24! And here it is, the shooting of one's foot!

"I mean, it's not that bad. Guy slipped up is all. It could've been worse"

Well yeah. But for some who hold themselves to a high standard, this is a devastating blow. Anyhow, this is a pretty surprising thing to write about. And the reason I did this is because there was a question my brother and I had about this scene. Specifically, how on earth did Mineta and Kaminari manage to convince the girls into those costumes?

Hagakure and Mina would most definitely be into it. Yaoyorozu and Uraraka would because of their trusting nature. But that still leaves Tsuyu and JIROU, the two would most likely not fall for it. Seriously, it's either they were geniuses. Or they had the charisma of a snake oil salesman. Like, if you really think about it, there was no way they could've succeeded even with the 'Aizawa' card they played.

"They obviously got their speech to 100 before this skill check."

Regardless, I felt this was a fun thing to explore. Especially when I will have another conversation battle in the future.

"Yeah boy, do that, whet their appetite."

But how do you, dear audience, feel about this? Did you have fun too? Or was this completely unnecessary?

"Well I enjoyed the chaos."

I know you did. Oh, and before any one asks, I did a second update this month because it's the season of giving. It won't be a regular thing and for that, I deeply apologize.

"Ah life, it always puts speed bumps on the road of passion."

That is all I have for this update. Stay tuned next time for the announcement of the tournament brackets. So with all that said...

Until Next Time. T1.