I own nothing. May contain Out of Character moments.

Mineta and Bakugou's test site was letter G, a sprawling park that was half open fields and half moderately dense tree clusters. The foot paths were laid with brick and were decorated with flowers on the side. Other than that, it was furnished with your standard park objects like benches, lamp posts, water fountains, and a nice stone statue of Principal Nezu.

Honestly, between this, the other training grounds, and the main building… Mineta wonders just how many grants the government gives UA to be able to build and maintain their facilities. But that's a story for another time.

Mineta turned back to All Might as he and Bakugou stood before the park entrance. The apprehension was still bubbling within the shorter boy. And how could he not? He was fighting All Might with Bakugou as his partner to pass an exam. That was like trying to carve a granite block using fire crackers to make a beautiful statue. But while such a feat was possible for a master artist…

Mineta knew he wasn't THAT good.

"Alright young men, this is how we'll do this practical. You will have thirty minutes to complete this test. You win by either pinning these handcuffs on me or escaping this park. And even if it's only one loop or one person, both you boys would still win. So do consider both angles when planning your stratagems." All Might explained before taking out some special handcuffs. He handed both Mineta and Bakugou a pair each.

"That's it? Sounds too easy." Bakugou said with a scoff as he tossed the handcuffs away.

"Are kidding me? You know how fast All Might is. He'll catch us before we're even ready." Mineta said, picking up the discarded restraint. Due to its hefty construction, the shorter boy decided to pick it up. What he'll use it for, he cannot say. But it's better to have all their resources available just in case.

"Ah, but don't worry young Mineta. Each of us teachers must wear these ultra compressed weights designed by Hatsumei Mei of the Support Department! It's a handicap to ensure we don't completely overwhelm you. These weigh about half of me, so it'll really do a number to my strength and speed. Wow, that's actually pretty heavy." All Might said as he wore said weights around his arms and ankles. Mineta noticed how his arm swayed, indicating just how burdened the Number One Hero is. Still, that doesn't feel like enough of a handicap…

"Really? A fucking handicap? Just say you're looking down on me." Bakugou growled as his hands sparked. The shorter boy buried his face into his hands. This wasn't happening. The human grenade didn't just take the only thing that could help them pass as a personal insult. Because if he did… Then Mineta might as well forfeit the exam here and now.

"We're doomed…" Mineta grumbled as he peeked up. Only for him to see the ominous smirk of All Might as his signature laugh seemed a little twisted.

"Well I wonder about that… Anyhow, you kids are to head to the center of the area. Once everyone is in place, we'll begin in earnest. And remember to be ready for anything." All Might said. Mineta could only stiffly nod as Bakugou walked off grumbling. The shorter boy chased after his exam partner, quickly trying to come up with some reasonable strategy.

However, no matter what was brought up, it all broke down because of one fact. Bakugou was going to fight to the end. And if Mineta was correct, they would not be able to win except in one specific circumstance. But he couldn't go with that plan since it involves revealing All Might's weakening health in the process. And was this exam worth the cost of his trust?

Hell no. And that's why he and Bakugou will fail this battle.

"We're not failing grape shit. Not if I hit All Might with everything I've got and you run away like a little bitch. That way, we'll win one way or another." Bakugou shouted. Mineta flinched to that before recovering his bearings. They were standing at the center of the park where water was calmly flowing from a large fountain. But as Mineta registered the explosive blonde's words, the serenity of the surroundings were quickly soured.

"Do honestly think you could take on All Might? The Number One Hero and Symbol of Peace!? He's weighed down, but I'm pretty sure he can still trounce you." Mineta replied, practically spitting his words.

"You don't know that. And why do you even care? You get to play it safe while I'm knee deep in shit. So show some appreciation. Damn back humper…" Bakugou said, turning his back on Mineta.

"If you're expecting respect, at least show some yourself… But the point I'm trying to make if we're working alone, he's just going to pick us off one at a time. And you and I know damn well how that's going to end. So either we run together or fight together. Now pick your poison." Mineta said.

"Fuck off. You may not piss me off as much… But you're still eons away from being anything but useless to me. So just stay in your lane and I'll stay in mine. And when we pass either way, you'll see that I'm right." Bakugou replied as he faced Mineta again, threateningly pointing at him.

"Here we go again… It's always about you… Fine, we'll see how long 'your plan' lasts. That way, I can blame you when things go wrong." Mineta groaned, gritting his teeth.

"It won't, you coat-tail riding piece of shit. I'll keep All Might on me at all times and beat him down. You just run off to the goal and whatever. It's a race to see who gets what done first, fight or flight. And I'm just itching to get this started…" Bakugou said with a restless, manic grin. Mineta shook his head, not knowing how to respond to the human grenade anymore. That ego of his was so scrambled one could've mistaken it for breakfast.

Why was he like this? What does he have to prove? He's already the strongest person in their class, so what's the rush? Was happened to make him like this? Does his long history with Midoriya have anything to do with it?

"No wait, that's probably it. And I didn't help by constantly poking him and his biggest fear…" Mineta thought as he rubbed his face. What a terrible time for their past to catch up with them. The shorter boy left his thoughts when he heard Principal Nezu's voice from a hidden speaker.

"Is everyone at their marks? If that's the case, then let us begin Class 1A's end of term practical. Ready… GO!"

And not even two seconds after the announcement ended did something happen. Mineta and Bakugou were hit by a wind storm from the north. It wasn't strong enough to blow Bakugou away, but it did send the shorter boy tumbling a meter back. Their surroundings didn't fare any better. With large bald patches in the grass, up turned trees, and massive cracks in the fountain, it left Mineta wondering…

"This power… Is handicapped?" Mineta said with a quiver as he slowly got up.

"Here he comes…" Bakugou said, readying his hands.

"This a much better look for the park, isn't it Heroes?"

All Might then stepped through a dust cloud; his blue eyes glaring at them with killer intent. Mineta froze as he couldn't fight against the pressure the Symbol of Peace emitted. It was like when he fought Stain except for one key difference. Without something to embolden his spirit, the shorter boy was consumed by an all too familiar feeling.

Terror.

"Also, if you keep thinking of this as a test… You're going to be in a world of hurt." All Might warned as he charged forward. Mineta's mind couldn't process anything as his body didn't even try to move. What's going on? Even when drawing a blank, Mineta's body would usually move out of harm's way instinctually. But this time, it was different, like it knew…

"We can't win…" Mineta said with a broken laugh.

"Run you fuck! I got this!" Bakugou shouted as he raised his hands at All Might. The human grenade then brought his hands close together as sparks jumped between palms. A brilliant flash enveloped Bakugou as All Might shielded his eyes from the light. Mineta was in the explosive blonde's shadow, so the light didn't hit his eyes. But the shorter boy completely stood there before Bakugou leapt forward.

"Quit shitting your diaper and move your dumb ass!" He shouted, ready to swing at a blinded All Might. The Number One Hero, without removing his left arm from his eyes, simply grabbed Bakugou's face with his right. But without flinching or bothering to pull back, Bakugou raised his arms and started blasting All Might's face and body.

"GO!" He shouted through All Might's hand. It was only then that Mineta began running as fast and as far as he could. He quickly heard from behind him the sound of someone being SLAMMED into the dirt. The shorter boy was about to come face to face with All Might real soon. He needed some sort of pla–

"Hold it right there!" All Might shouted as he flew by overhead. The Hero then landed and began turning and crouching to punch the ground. If Mineta kept running this path, he'd be crushed like a can in a hydraulic press. It was here, however, that his body remembered all the training it's been through. His footwork altered itself as he twisted out of the way of the incoming fist. And soon enough, Mineta found himself close to All Might's left flank.

The side where his terrible scar was.

The shorter boy instinctively went for his baton, but his sensibilities prevented him from drawing it. He couldn't just attack the one spot that could worsen All Might's health…

Mineta sensed an attack coming from his left and raised both arms to block it. That guard was soon met with All Might's back hand swing, knocking Mineta away. But due to the awkward crouch All Might was in, the compressed weights, and the metal plates in Mineta's gloves, the attack wasn't so bad. It still hurt like all Hell, but at least his arms weren't broken.

Or Mineta would be in serious trouble.

"Not that I'm even out of it to begin with!" Mineta thought as he finished tumbling. He really was glad they were fighting in a park with soft grass and dirt. If this had been asphalt and concrete, the shorter boy would be having a bad time. But as Mineta stood, he was soon reminded that he was still in terrible danger.

All Might was in front of him, ready to punt him into the stratosphere. And due to how his leg was ready to swing, Mineta couldn't hope to dodge it. At least, that wasn't until an explosion threw All Might off balance. Bakugou came flying in, looking ready to murder someone. He then aimed his other hand and released an even larger explosion. The concussive flash of heat and smoke enveloped All Might, but not before he jumped away and mitigated some damage.

"The Hell you doing? Keep running!" Bakugou shouted to Mineta before charging All Might again. Mineta quickly turned into a sprint. This time he headed towards the direction All Might came from initially. The man must've been guarding the goal before seeking them. So if anything, that's the way to get out of this problem.

But the next step he took, Mineta was hit with something from behind. Its weight dragged him to the ground, making him eat grass and dirt. As he scrambled to get up, he figured what it was that hit him. It was Bakugou. And he wasn't looking very happy.

"God damn it, stop slowing us down you idiot!" Bakugou shouted as he rushed back onto his feet. Mineta's brow twitched before he buried the rising anger, this was not the time. The shorter boy stood up, only to immediately feel an immense pressure behind him. He finally drew his baton and spun around, raising his guard as he did so.

Somehow, by sheer luck, Mineta managed to prevent All Might's foot from caving his ribcage in. Even the baton he wielded held up against the Hero's strength, a testament to its sturdy craftsmanship.

But that strange miracle was ultimately pointless, since he was still launched into a tree. And upon colliding with the sturdy trunk, he felt like his body was going to snap in two. But it was this pain that prevented Mineta from blacking out, so it worked out somewhat.

Mineta slid down and landed at the roots, his back against the tree. He heaved before looking up as a shadow casted over him. All Might was standing there. His foot was raised and ready to kick into him. The shorter boy flinched and raised his baton in front of his torso. The Hero shoved his foot into it, pinning the weapon against Mineta's chest and severely tested the integrity of the boy's ribs.

"That's one good baton you're carrying Young Mineta. If you seriously hit me with that, I'd probably feel it." All Might commented casually, grinding his foot into the boy. Mineta desperately tried to push back with both arms now. But no matter what strength he managed to exert, it was like trying to push against a glacier. He didn't even have any breath to spare for a response.

"Then how about this!?" Bakugou screamed, coming in from All Might's side. The shorter boy and the Symbol of Peace looked over and saw him aiming his right gauntlet not too far away. His left hand was on the pin. Mineta froze as he braced himself. No one knew what those grenade-shaped bracers did, since he never actually used it. But if Mineta had to guess…

It was effectively a big gun.

The pin was pulled. From the hole on top of the gauntlet, a light shined before a massive explosion erupted out. Mineta had to close his eyes to shield himself from the light and smoke. He also prayed that he would survive the blast intact. But when the pressure from his baton disappeared and his back was still against tree bark, he knew Bakugou's aim was true. The human grenade had gone for All Might and All Might alone.

Although, the shorter boy was about to face Bakugou's rage in a different way…

"Fuck, you're even useless at running away. If that's all you got, then you really are a rat bitch. You can't do anything on your own! Why anyone bothered wasting time on you is beyond me. Just don't waste mine!" Bakugou screamed. The fury that was slowly bubbling within Mineta had finally exploded. He had some nerve to blame him when he's trying his damnest to get away. Bakugou didn't even CONSIDER the fact this was All Might they were dealing with.

So with his anger at Bakugou going critical, Mineta was ready to scream back at him. But before a single word was uttered, the explosive blonde picked the shorter boy up by his cape's collar. He stared Mineta dead in the eyes with his sharp red glare and let out a growl.

"If you have time to complain, then go FUCKING DIE!" Bakugou said before going into a shout. He then turned towards the direction of the exit. He pulled the arm holding Mineta back. And with a 'helpful' explosion, the shorter boy sent flying through the air. The disorientation was intense, just like the pain from the blast. But when he spotted the green ground, Mineta quickly threw out hairballs onto his landing point.

And upon colliding with the pile of purple, he dug in his body a certain way to ensure he simply bounced upwards. This bounce continued until he lost all momentum. But as he laid on his hairballs, Mineta could still feel Bakugou's words rattling in his ears. He gritted his teeth to every last, venom filled word that left his nemesis' mouth.

"I was trying you dip shit…" Mineta said, tears welling up in his eyes. He hated it. He hated how things have reverted back to the way they were. He hated how Bakugou put down everything he's learned. He hated how he said Fenghuang, Aizawa, Midoriya, everyone wasted time on him. He hated how he only considered him as waste.

However, as much as Mineta didn't want to admit it, Bakugou was somewhat right. Even if their opponent was the legendary Symbol of Peace, the shorter boy should've been capable of doing something. Anything. He trained with two great heroes, learned several new skills, drove back Stain the Hero Killer, and was finally becoming the partner Midoriya deserved… Yet here he was, lying in a pile of his own hair, while his asshat teammate was fighting for his life. It was pathetic.

He was pathetic.

Mineta gritted his teeth as the sounds of a distant battle filled his ears. Bakugou was keeping All Might's attention on him. And in some weird way, that was not only the right move but a heroic one. To force a Villain to concentrate solely on you will minimize collateral damage and allow other Heroes to focus on other tasks. Being able to perform that is what separated ordinary Heroes from the greats. For Bakugou to be part of that exclusive circle, it was infuriating yet inspiring.

Because through all the obscenities, the shouting, the self-centered attitude, and the violence towards his best friend… Mineta knew Bakugou was trying to be a Hero too. Nothing like the ones their classmates were going to be, but a Hero never-the-less. Although that did leave a worrying question within Mineta, what kind of Hero was he?

If he ran through the goal now, Mineta would be the same useless dead weight he always was. He would confirm everything Bakugou has said about him. That he's nothing without everyone's support. And while that was technically true… Maybe it was time for Mineta to finally say his piece.

To finally say 'I am here'.

"Fortune favors the foolish…" Mineta muttered as he sat up. He looked over to the building cloud of dust and smoke. It gotten so dense that even light could barely get past. Inside, he could hear the explosions and shouts of rage still going on. The shorter boy swallowed the lump in his throat, apprehension tumbling in his stomach. If he wanted to find himself, he needed to leave his comfort, his conformity.

So with his back straightened and his shoulders squared…

He stepped into the fog.

And that has been Chapter 57.

One has to remember that, despite all of their training, Mineta and Bakugou's opponent is All Might. Even if he's physically hindered, that does nothing to slow down his mind and the years of experience he has to draw on. Even in Canon, Midoriya and Bakugou were practically on the ropes until a single decisive blow allowed them to pass the test...

But it isn't over yet, so who knows how this will actually play out. For that, I'll need to discuss with my brother on what he thinks about my current plans. So do stay tuned...

Now onto the meat of today's chapter... Bakugou and Mineta's still turbulent relationship. Was it really any surprise that it broke back down? Despite everything they've learned, their core perception about the other hasn't changed one bit. So naturally, the two of them decided to bicker at the worst possible moment. And once more, did it make Mineta question his abilities while pondering on Bakugou's own qualifications. And while I briefly mentioned Bakugou's surface thoughts here, we'll see more of Bakugou's mind set next chapter. So do look forward to that...

In other news, how are you all holding up to the spiciness that is the recent My Hero Academia chapters? Were you able to keep up with the Todoroki family? I'll save my own perspective the next time Endeavor makes an appearance. But as for you, my dear readers, please keep your mind clear and your heart open. For this a situation that requires tact to navigate and not blind hatred. Just as any topic rich with controversy...

Any how, that's all I have for you this week. Next update, we'll see part two of Mineta and Bakugou's bizarre battle with All Might. So with that said...

Until Next Time. T1.