I own nothing. Warning, may contain Out of Character moments.
Back to UA and so many things happened already. The first was the crowds that Mineta and Midoriya encountered along the way. They took time to cheer the two on, looking forward to the next great Hero duo. It was so much that Mineta had to consciously remind himself not to get too full of it. He still had so much growing to do before that goal becomes a reality.
Then there was the encounter with Iida. While Mineta hoped that there was nothing serious going on with his family… Those prayers were unanswered as the Class President's brother was seriously injured and crippled by a Villain. And though Iida continued to be friendly and professional with them… Mineta could feel something hanging over him.
Midoriya felt the same. But he also said it's best to give him space.
"I don't know… Trouble tends to get bigger the longer you ignore it." Mineta said, folding his arms. Currently, they were in the 1A classroom. And while everyone else was happily talking about how people commented on their Sports Festival performance, Midoriya and Mineta were having a more somber discussion.
"True, but you can tell Iida-kun doesn't want to talk about it. And forcing a sensitive conversation will do the opposite of help. So we just have to trust him to sort it out for now. However, we'll move in if things start looking bad." Midoriya replied.
"But when would that be? Class Pres maybe our friend, but we don't know all his ticks yet."
"I can recognize your problems just as you recognize mine. We'll manage somehow." Midoriya answered. The shorter boy raised a finger, an argument on his tongue. But as the seconds passed, nothing came out as Mineta thought about his words. There wasn't anything he could argue against in his partner's words. So with a sigh, Mineta looked over to Iida.
"Give me a heads up when you spot something."
"Same to you."
The school bell rang, causing the class of 1A to sit down at their assigned seat. Then when the classroom door slid open, everyone settled down as Aizawa shuffled into the room. And despite having all of his bandages finally removed, he still looked like a zombie. Did the guy still not get enough rest? Even though that's all Aizawa could do when he was mummified?
"It's good to see your bandages off, Aizawa-sensei." Tsuyu commented after the class greeted their teacher.
"You can thank the Old Lady's treatment, as excessive as it was. But never mind that, we have plenty of things to discuss. First of all, Kaminari and Mineta, there are repercussions for your little stunt at the Sports Festival. You will be writing apology letters to your classmates for forcing them into those outfits. You'll also be writing one to me for using my name for something stupid." Aizawa said, glaring at the two in question
Mineta froze as Kaminari sunk in his seat, all eyes were on them.
"Oh yeah, we've still got to talk about what to do with them." Mina commented, looking to her fellow girls.
"Let's just say they owe us a favor and be done with it... I just want to forget that ever happened…" Jirou replied, cheeks bright red.
"Oh don't be like that Kyouka-chan, we had lots of fun. But yeah, a favor and an apology would be nice." Hagakure said, looking to Kaminari and Mineta. The electric blonde nodded, still trying to make his existence as small as possible. And for the shorter boy, last time he'll listen to his pants.
"You got it…" Mineta said meekly. Aizawa ended his pressuring gaze.
"Good. Be sure to get those in by next week. Now, today there'll be a special Hero Informatics class." He continued. 1A began to wait with anticipation. Normally, Hero Informatics involves the legal portion of Heroism. However, their teacher made it sound like 1A was about to jump hoops or something. That conclusion was reached because Aizawa bothered to mention it. Otherwise he'd just stay silent and go to sleep in the corner.
"You'll be coming up with your Hero Aliases." Aizawa said plainly. The tension in the class swung in the opposite direction. Most of the class exploded with excitement, feeling a chance to show off their creative side. As for Mineta, he simply sunk into his seat with a sigh. So it wasn't going to be something ridiculous…
"Settle. Down." Aizawa commanded, intense glare returning. The class stopped and waited for what he has to say. Their teacher cooled down and began applying eye drops, continuing with his announcements like nothing happened.
"Do you remember, before the break, I mentioned the Pro Hero Drafts? Well the results came in. Remember, these are based on who the Pros think is ready to join the workforce after two or three years of experience. You could say that's their level of interest in your future. Be warned though, it could wane before you graduate and the offers will suddenly be revoked."
"It's just like stocks… If we don't show any promise, investors will move on to better prospects." Yaoyorozu commented rather nervously.
"Then it's best for those with offers to work harder. And we without opportunity work to improve ourselves for next time." Shouji replied.
"Exactly, nothing is set in stone. So all of you need to continue to put your best foot forward, I expect nothing less. Now, here are the numbers. Though given our top two performers, the spread is a little bias." Aizawa said, bringing up a chart on the board. A bit of chatter went around as they began counting numbers. And beyond Mineta's expectations, he had several offers to his name. Midoriya as well, he even had nine more than Mineta.
"Dude, not bad huh?" Mineta asked, reaching over to his partner.
"Honestly, I thought no one would be interested…" He replied, letting out a long sigh of relief.
"Midoriya and Mineta, there's a condition with some of your offers." Aizawa said. He then pressed another button from the podium, causing the graph to change. Part of Mineta and Midoriya's bars, at least 90 percent of both, turned to a different color with its own number. The class stared at those and waited for what their teacher had to say.
"The Hero Agencies that sent these want you both together. If only one of you accepts, they'll turn you down. So keep that in mind and talk to each other about your choices."
The class let out a noise of awe as discussions about the two erupted. Mineta basked in the attention while Midoriya was a little overwhelmed by it. But the shorter boy could tell, his partner was feeling the pride in the work they've achieved. And at how far they came since their humble beginnings.
"Even when they were fighting each other, they worked together. Just imagine the things they can do now that they're back on the same side." Kirishima commented with a smile.
"Well we kind of saw it already. Remember what their plan was if they teamed up in the Cavalry Battle?" Sero replied.
"Don't remind me, I still get chills thinking about it." Mina said with a groan.
"But I still think its super cool. They've got something we don't have a lot of yet, camaraderie." Uraraka said with a cheer.
"As if that's anything special. They just suck less shit when together, that's all." Bakugou spat, leaning back into his chair.
"Sounds like someone's jealous." Tsuyu commented as blunt as ever.
"Who the fuck would be jealous!?"
Aizawa knocked on his lectern, causing the class to snap their attention back to him. He wiped the board before scanning his students with tired eyes. But the glint in them was not of exhaustion, but of provocation. He was giving 1A a challenge.
"Whether or not you were picked, you will all have a chance to work with Pro Heroes. While you're more experienced than most from the USJ, you're still young. That is why, when next week rolls around, you'll be shadowing a Pro. Watch them in action and listen to what they teach you. No matter who you follow, you will come back with something to show for it." Aizawa said. The class got excited again, this time being more subdued to not draw their teacher's ire. But it was hard to contain the feeling, especially when this was a chance to delve deep into the Hero lifestyle.
"And that's why you want us to choose our Hero names." Satou said.
"That's correct. Now, while your names aren't fixed, you should still make them fit." Aizawa said began. It was here that the classroom door slammed open. And stand in the doorway was Midnight and all of her sultry beauty. She gave a deviously sly smile as she walked forward, heels hitting the floor with confidence.
"And I'm here to make sure you don't end up regretting your names. People tend to remember their first impressions of you. Your name, appearance, and actions will determine how the world will think of you. So try not to mess this up, you'll be in all sorts of Hell if you do." Midnight said with a wink. Mineta felt a chill run through him. And whether that was from the Heroine's sexiness or the implications of her words, he couldn't say.
But she did have a point. The name is an important part of a Hero's identity, just like their costume. It speaks of their abilities, their aspirations, and, most importantly, their true character. So rather than just being an alias, it becomes a show of their very existence. And as the name becomes recognized, the legend of its owner grows greater.
And once the legend becomes big enough… Just the name alone will be enough to drive fear into Villains and bring hope to the innocent. Kind of like All Might and his ever watchful eyes.
Then a thought just hit Mineta as markers and dry erase boards were passed around. It was a memory from before UA. There the shorter boy sat with Midoriya, talking about Hero names for themselves. Between 'Grape Juice' and 'Grape Shot', Mineta knew what his alias would be. His partner on the other hand didn't, burdened by his Quirklessness and anxiety.
A smile slowly crept onto Mineta's face. He then reached over to Midoriya and tapped his shoulder. The green haired boy looked back, boards and markers in hand.
"What about you dude? You got yourself a 'cool' or 'wacky' Hero name yet?" Mineta asked.
"Well, I've been doing some thinking and…" Midoriya began before stopping. His green eyes widened, no doubt reliving the same memory just as the shorter boy did. Midoriya began to show a small smile, glossy eyes coming back to the present.
"And I still think 'Grape Shot' sounds cooler." He continued, wiping the tears that formed. Midoriya then passed the markers and boards to him, which Mineta gladly accepted. The green haired boy turned back to his seat and began thinking, his usual mumbling sounding more focused than ever before. Mineta nodded happily as he passed the last board and marker to Yaoyorozu behind him.
Now, it was time to consider a Hero name. Though honestly, it was between Grape Juice and Grape Shot. Which would suit him better?
…
"Alright, let's wrap it up. Whoever's ready can show us what you have." Midnight said after 15 minutes have passed. There was now a nervous tension in the air, they had to share their names? But while Mineta had no problem stepping up to the plate, he could understand the feeling. Ridicule was thrown onto him and Midoriya for so long that he got used to it. As sad as that sounds, one could only move on from it.
The shorter boy shook out of his stupor and started to pay attention, his classmates were starting to present. Aoyama was first and it was too long to be practical. But like Midnight said she would, a correction was offered and was accepted. Now, Aoyama will be known as 'Can't Stop Twinkling'. Mina was next and her name was immediately rejected on the basis of sounding too villainous. Tsuyu came up to stage next, her name 'Froppy' turning the atmosphere around.
"Cute, easy to remember, and fits her straightforward personality, that's a name I can get behind." Mineta thought as Kirishima took the stage. His 'Red Riot' moniker raised the bar and the shorter boy sensed his classmates thinking harder about their names. Both Kaminari and Jirou got into some banter before presenting their respective names.
And as it continued, Mineta was able to see more into his classmate's minds. Some were creative; others were pretty bland. Like Sero's and Hagakure's names, Cellophane and Invisible Girl isn't exactly awe inspiring. But as Mineta and Midoriya discussed before UA, weird names have their charm and fans. Who knows, one day their names may be added to the Hall of Heroes. And by then, no one would be laughing at their silly ass names.
"Shouto…" Todoroki presented. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that, was that really it? Then again, the dual colored boy did have trouble expressing himself. And since Todoroki only started to recover from his issues, it might be a while before he becomes part of 1A's chaotic mess.
"King Explodo Murder." Bakugou said, teeth clenched and eyes glaring at everyone.
"How about, try again?" Midnight replied, shaking her head. The explosive blonde stomped off as Uraraka took the stand. She flipped over her board, revealing Uravity written behind it. Mineta nodded to that as the class happily commented on it. It was a pretty good pun and it certainly spoke a lot about her character. It was both soft and strong, like Uraraka, and it was also noticeable yet unassuming, just like her Quirk and the force it bends. Not bad, that will certainly go into the records for 'most appropriate aliases'.
"Things have gone pretty smoothly. We only have Midoriya, Iida, Mineta, and Bakugou's revision to go through." Midnight commented. Mineta snapped out of his thoughts and went up. He talked the talk about great, okay, and bland Hero names. Now it was his turn to show that he can walk amongst them. So while his costume may not exactly inspire confidence, Mineta was sure his name will.
He did, after all, take to heart the wisdom of a good friend.
"What do you guys think of this? Grape Shot." Mineta asked, holding his board up. A wave of interest peaked as he could feel his classmates studying him. Midoriya was especially focused on him, stars dancing in his eyes over the name. Midnight though, simply placed a hand on her chin. The shorter boy felt his heartbeat increase. Was his name no good?
"Grape Shot… I like it! There are so many layers it covers about you. The fruit part is quite obvious, but shot can refer to hunting pellets. Not only that, your whole name brings to mind an antiquated cannon load. In essence, you're making yourself out to be a weapon to be reckoned with." Midnight commented with a smile.
"If he had the height to match, then sure." Bakugou said, eyes still on his board. Mineta's eye twitched as he looked over to the explosive blonde. Okay, that's it; this is the last time he ruins the mood. So before his brain can consider the consequences, words spilled out from Mineta's mouth.
"At least I have a name, unlike your half assed attempt to sound dangerous."
"If you want half assed, look at the two faced bastard back there." Bakugou spat back, jabbing his thumb towards Todoroki.
"Please keep me out of this."
"Again, at least he has a name. At this rate, you might as well be called John Doe." Mineta replied, glaring back at Bakugou. He should really stop before this gets worse. But perhaps because there were two Pros here with subduing abilities, he kept running his mouth. "I mean, without that attitude and Quirk, there's nothing special about you."
"Actually, on second thought, you ARE special." Mineta taunted as he tapped his head.
"You Grape Shit! I hope you're ready to pay that debt you owe!" Bakugou shouted, standing up as his hands sparked.
"THAT'S ENOUGH!" Midnight yelled as Bakugou's hands fizzled out. Mineta froze as he felt his former master's gaze then shifted to him. He could already hear the lecture the man had prepared for him. The R18 Heroine then looked at Mineta, causing him to sweat even more than he already was.
"Mineta Minoru, your name is good. So please sit down before things escalate any further. NOW." Midnight said. Her eyes emitted a dread that would have caused Mineta to empty his bowels. And if he hadn't used the bathroom earlier that morning, the shorter boy just might have.
"I-I'm really sorry…" Mineta said before he quickly went back to his seat. Though he did take the long way around to avoid passing Bakugou.
"How are you not dead yet?" Jirou whispered as Mineta hurried by.
"Luck…"
"Then I guess we should bring you along whenever there's a lottery." Sero joked, doing his best to lighten the mood. Mineta gave the tape slinger a shaky thumb's up before continuing on his path. Tokoyami scooted closer to his desk for Mineta to quickly pass. He then proceeded to climb into his seat and got intimate with his desk, board over his head.
But even in his sheer terror, he felt a comforting hand be placed on his shoulder. Midoriya must have turned around to offer his partner encouragement. Unfortunately, the shorter boy was too afraid to come out and thank him. He even isolated himself from the sounds of his class, ignoring what Iida's name was as well as Midoriya's. Mineta missed this great moment in their friendship, the thing they aimed for since the beginning.
All because he felt the need to challenge the titan known as Bakugou Katsuki.
And that has been Chapter 37.
Here we go, the next step in our journey. We will return to our treasure hunt once this arc is over, so do enjoy what I have in store in the mean time.
"And oh boy, does this man have things in store for you."
Yes, I will tackling some unknown territory for the duration of this arc. Between diverging from canon events and delving into a heavy situation... This will test my abilities. It won't be easy, and I may alienate some of you... But I do hope you'll support me in this endeavor and eagerly await to show you the fruits of my labor.
But I digress...
For now, what do you think of events thus far? As I wrote this chapter, I realize I could set up for future events by utilizing past ones. And, in turn, affect the events of canon even more.
"Big bad Bakugo goes boom boom when bit by a bothersome bug. Or Mineta taunting his nemesis until one of them explodes. It'll make sense later."
Indeed it will. But for now, enjoy what we have in the present.
I have no other news to tell. So I'll leave it here and hope you all stay happy, healthy, and safe in these trying times. Plus Ultra everyone.
Until Next Time. T1.
