I own nothing. May contain Out of Character moments.
"I swear, you could practically hear my heart through the floor right about now…" Kaminari said, placing a hand on his chest.
"Would the Tell-Tale Heart even be an appropriate allusion to this scenario? Because I am certain none of us are murderers or suffering from insanity."
"I don't know Tokoyami, this anxiety's already driving me crazy…" Sero replied with an uneasy smile.
Today was the day. 1A, as ready as they will ever be, were standing before Takoba National Stadium, the site of their Provisional License exam. But even though they were but moments away from taking the test, Mineta and Midoriya weren't all that anxious. And every one of their classmates could tell from the purpose burning within their eyes.
"You guys aren't nervous?" Uraraka asked, appearing by Midoriya's side.
"Not in the slightest. I've got someone reliable looking out for me after all." Midoriya answered, shaking his head. The green haired boy then looked to his friend and Mineta gave him a thumb's up.
"And I've got my partner back. So whatever this test throws at us, we'll just throw it right back in their faces." He added as the shorter boy held his head high.
"That's so manly… Still, I'm happy you guys settled everything. I was worried our Hero duo wouldn't make up because of what happened… But now I can throw myself into this test without anything holding me back!" Kirishima said as he appeared next to Uraraka.
"As you all should. This exam isn't something you can go into half-hearted. I know you're nervous, but I also know you'll get through this just fine. UA wouldn't have given me the green light if they thought otherwise… So make me proud, got it?" Aizawa said, turning around to face his students. Mineta could feel how the air around his friends lightened, their eyes reflecting the same fire that were in his and Midoriya's eyes.
It was always an uncommon event… But when Aizawa shows faith in them, any hesitation 1A has would evaporate. If their overtly critical teacher says they are ready, then they must be ready.
"Alright, then how about we do our cheer! Plus…" Hagakure suggested before starting UA's motto. Though when 1A, sans the anti-social Bakugou and reserved Todoroki, readied to say the rest of the phrase, Mineta sensed an unknown presence amongst them. And a quick look around immediately yielded results as the shorter boy saw a tall stranger with a hat right behind Kirishima.
But before Mineta could warn anyone, or even ready a response, his eardrums were ruptured by a thunderous 'ULTRA!' from the stranger. Class 1A flinched to the sound, with Bakugou ready to fight, as all eyes went to the new voice amidst their party.
Todoroki's eyes, in particular, looked somewhat surprised by this newcomer…
However, before anyone could comment at this strange intruder, a new voice stepped in to rein in the situation. And looking over, Mineta saw that it came from a group of students wearing the same hat as the tall stranger. Specifically, it came from the one with rather narrow, shifty eyes. Though that did leave the shorter boy wondering which school these people belonged to.
"Inasa, don't go interrupting another groups huddle. It's rude…" He said.
"You're right senpai! Please accept…" this Inasa began, pulling his head back. The guy then, without hesitation, slammed it into the concrete as he bowed in the most exaggerated way possible.
"MY APOLOGIES!"
Mineta flinched as the guy stood back up, mostly to the sight of the massive scrape on Inasa's head steadily leaking blood. Though that did give 1A enough time to figure out who the heck they were dealing with. And it was Bakugou who provided the exposition, the cautious intensity in his voice showing just how strong the people they were dealing with are.
"The only bastards out there who could rival UA in terms of strength and insanity would be Shiketsu High. Our rivals from the west…"
Mineta frowned to that as he warily eyed the Shiketsu students before them. A school with the same prestige as UA… That could pose a problem since 1A has to go against them in the exam. Combined with all the other schools present, the shorter boy could tell that things were going to be hectic. And that's not even considering what the exam itself was going to be...
"I always wanted to say that, Plus Ultra! I love UA! So, despite competing with you, I hope we get along!" Inasa shouted as he put his hat back onto his bloody head.
"Let's just go." His narrow eyed senior said as he and his fellow Shiketsu students went off. Inasa gave one last deep bow to 1A before hurrying after his school mates. Mineta looked at Midoriya just as Midoriya looked at Mineta… That was weird. But when the shorter boy turned to his former master, he saw how Aizawa's eyes narrowed. It was a sign that Inasa wasn't just your average strong weirdo.
"Yoarashi Inasa… He had the grades and ability, even a special recommendation, to enter UA like the rest of you… But for one reason or another, he declined. A real enigma, that kid…" Aizawa commented as his tired eyes kept watch of the Shiketsu students.
"Wait… He's a first year!?" Hagakure asked.
"And a recommended student at that… I have no idea what Yoarashi-san is capable of since the exam for the recommendation students were divided by gender… But I'm certain Todoroki-kun…?" Yaoyorozu commented before all eyes locked onto their dual colored classmate.
"… Sorry, but I can't say I remember meeting someone like him." He answered, shaking his head. Mineta raised an eyebrow to that. How does one not notice a boisterous windbag like him? Still, all of this only redoubled Mineta's wariness surrounding Shiketsu. Best not to take ANY chances with them…
"I knew it! It is you Eraser!" A new, cheerful voice shouted. The first thing Mineta noticed was how Aizawa twitched, a sign that his patience was about to be tested. He then turned to the new voice and found a heroine with mint green hair. And her costume was a cross between a jester and a pirate. But the smiley faces decorating her corset immediately brought a name to Mineta's mind.
"Let's get married." She then said suddenly, her wide smile becoming even wider.
"No." Aizawa responded flatly. Any and all thoughts the shorter boy had were interrupted by the laughter that he was forced to suppress. Even if this wasn't a wise crack made by the Smile Hero, Mineta would've still found this funny on Aizawa's reactions alone. The guy was a natural straight man, especially when he surrounds himself with high energy people like Present Mic.
"It's Ms. Joke! Her Outburst Quirk forces people to laugh, slowing their thoughts and movements! You guys should see how she takes down some Villains; I know you'll get a good laugh out of it." Midoriya commented excitedly.
"Still as comically serious as ever… If only you'd join in on my acts, then we'd be busting guts left and right." Ms. Joke commented as she approached.
"No thanks, I do that just fine on my own."
"Hey, that's not a bad quip. Am I rubbing off on you?"
"Absolutely not."
"So you're friends with Aizawa-sensei?" Tsuyu asked, tilting her head.
"We were as close as our agencies back in the day. He saved my life a couple of times… I saved him a couple of times… And viola, we're a couple. A real match made in Heaven." Ms. Joke replied as she swooned against Aizawa.
"Correction, Hell. Is your school here too?" Aizawa asked before Ms. Joke got off him. She then nodded as she waved down a group of students wearing grey polo shirts. And once they rendezvous with her, Ms. Joke began introducing them to Class 1A.
"Meet Class 2-2 of Ketsubutsu Academy. Say hello everyone."
"Nice to meet you! My name's Shindo! Now that I've seen you up close, I now know why UA's still standing despite taking so many hits! Your fortitude is the stuff of legends! I'm so glad we got a chance to meet!" A short, dark haired student greeted as he rapidly began shaking hands with 1A. But when Mineta's hand was throttled by the guy, the shorter boy felt something off about this Shindo. And that was only confirmed when he got to Bakugou…
"Sorry, but your words and your face don't line up. So keep the rotten compliments to yourself." Bakugou said, slapping the Shindo's handshake away. That was Mineta saw the dark intent behind the Ketsubutsu student's smile. They were up to something… Hell, every Hero school was probably up to something. And Class 1A was going to be at the center of it…
"Maybe I'm being paranoid… But this feeling hasn't failed me yet…" Mineta thought as 1A continued mingling with Ketsubutsu. And even when Aizawa called everyone to start hurrying into the stadium, the shorter boy couldn't shake the chill he felt.
…
"So… What you're saying is to keep the other schools at arm's length?" Uraraka asked quietly, to which Mineta solemnly nodded.
Class 1A was packed into a relatively small room with at least a 1000 or so other Heroes-in-Training, all of whom were in costume. The tension couldn't be any higher, especially not when Mineta was giving a run down on his paranoia to his friends.
"I thought you might've picked up on that, points to you Rat Bitch. That Ketsubutsu asshole, his school, and every other school here are our enemies. If you idiots are not careful, they'll blindside you without warning. If you don't believe us and want to go in half assed, that's on you." Bakugou said as he stretched his neck.
"I don't think any of us will be pulling our punches, not after all the training we've been through… Still, how are you both able to sense this kind of nonsense? I mean, that's not a normal skill most people develop unless they have serious trust issues." Kaminari asked, rubbing the back of his head. Mineta and Bakugou didn't even have to say anything for this. They simply and simultaneously pointed to the other, their faces expressing the pain of their long and sordid history.
"… Good point." Satou commented before Bakugou and Mineta dropped their hands.
"Back to the problem at hand, what's the plan? With so many other schools out for our blood, how do we prevent ourselves from being lost in the chaos?" Shouji asked.
"It's not a matter of if but when. With so many Quirks going off, we'll be scattered in no time… So I think it's best if we came up with some system where we scatter on our terms. If I remember correctly, Bakugou-san and Kyouka-san has the perfect move for such an occasion." Yaoyorozu suggested as she looked to the human grenade and punk girl.
"Hey, don't count me in on whatever shit you're planning Ponytail. I'll be too busy raising Hell to babysit any of you." Bakugou replied, folding his arms.
"Oh come on Bakugou, aren't we all thick as thieves? I mean, we've already done so much together. We've dug a hole…" Kirishima asked as he stood before the explosive blonde.
"Why's that the first thing your mind goes to Kirishima-kun?" Midoriya asked nervously; a drop of sweat rolling down the back of his head.
"Well the point is, we were all there to support each other when things needed to be done. So what's one more to the list? Besides, all you've got to do is hang around until the signal's given. Then you can go hog wild like you usually do." Kirishima said as he stared directly into Bakugou's eyes, red meeting red.
The explosive blonde narrowed his eyes as his brows furrowed. The scowl on his face also intensified, conjuring the brewing storm Mineta usually associates Bakugou with. But as Kirishima's stubborn determination continues to weather the withering glare of his volatile friend… Bakugou let out a frustrated sigh as he buried his face into one of his hands.
"You're not going to stop bothering me until I say yes… Aren't you?"
"You know me man."
"Uggghhhh… Fine! But only until the signal's given, then you fucks are on your own." Bakugou answered after a long groan. Mineta smirked. He knew Kirishima grew on the human grenade, but he didn't think it was to this degree. Anymore and they'd give Mineta and Midoriya a run for their money as Class 1A's best duo. Now, they needed a good signal…
"As for our signal… What if we just use one from our baseball game with 1B? Uh… Field out was it?" Kouda suggested, shyly rubbing his hands together.
"That'll work. We all know what it means and its short enough to say quickly." Todoroki commented.
"Wait… You're joining us for this Todoroki-kun? I thought your Quirk works best when allies aren't around?" Iida asked.
"That's why I've been working on my precision lately. It won't be anything like that time we fought Fenghuang." He answered with a nod.
"I was wondering why you going down that route instead of just dumping it all into power…" Sero commented, hand resting on his helmet's chin.
"Still, I'm relieved. With our entire class working together, our chances of passing have gone up a little." Hagakure cheered, pumping her fist.
"So, now the question is WHO should give the signal? Midoriya?" Ojiro as he looked over to Midoriya. Mineta and all other eyes went to the green haired boy, who immediately shook his head. He then gestured to Iida and Yaoyorozu, silently transferring the responsibility to them.
"On the diamond, the catcher adjusts the defense based on the batter. But we're not on a baseball diamond; we're entering a real battle. So we should stick to the chain of command we're all used to. Iida-kun will give the command. And if he can't, for whatever reason, Yaoyorozu-san will do the honors." He explained.
"… Very well, I'll be the one to call it. I'll do my best!" Iida said before bowing to the class.
"And there's our overly formal class president… Now, let's see what this is all about…" Mineta said before turning to the front of the room where an exhausted man in a suit began talking.
As he began explaining the rules, Mineta could feel the tension in the room getting wound up like a clock. First of all, only the first 100 examinees out of 1540 could pass the first phase. Worse still was what the first trial would be, a massive battle royal. And the requirements to pass that are as follows…
Everyone has three targets on them. An examinee could be put it anywhere on their body as long as it's always exposed. Meaning no cheap tactics like putting them on the bottom of one's feet.
Everyone also has six balls. They are used to light up the targets and only the targets. If all three of someone's targets are lit, that person is immediately disqualified.
Lastly… Everyone must disqualify two people to move on to the next stage.
It's a grueling test of skill that will push everyone to their limits to survive. And though Mineta began feeling the pressure of the exam closing in around him… The zeal and fury within him couldn't be contained by such a thing. Because if it's a game of chaotic survival… The shorter boy knew a rat like him could only thrive in it.
Though Mineta had to admit… The room around them opening up was startling… As was the battlefield they were to take the exam in. This stadium could house a sizable population if the Hero Association allowed it…
"I always wondered how much money goes into Hero training… But this is ridiculous…" Mineta commented as he and Class 1A were traveling together. As planned on before, they all agreed to move as a unit. Currently, they were trying to find a terrain that would give them the best advantage. But given how things were going to turn out…
Everyone had plans for when things went south.
"It's THE industry of our era after all." Midoriya said with a nervous chuckle. The final countdown till the start of the exam began and Mineta could feel other eyes on them. 5…
"You feel that partner? That bloodlust…" Mineta asked, drawing his baton. 4…
"Then it's starting… Ready everyone?" Midoriya asked as the glow of One for All illuminated his body. 3…
"No monsieur… But we don't have much of a choice, do we?" Aoyama answered with a half hearted smile. 2…
"Showtime." Bakugou said with a frenzied smile. 1…
ZERO.
Like insects crawling out of the woodworks, at least two dozen of the other Heroes-in-Training began descending upon them, a few of whom were the Tetsubutsu students. And they all began lobbing a ball towards 1A, some of which were enhanced by their Quirks. Mineta pulled out one of his Grape Stems and quickly shot it through his hair before swinging. Around him, his friends were giving everything they had to hold their ground.
Before long, the initial wave was done and none of their targets were claimed.
"Fuck off! AP Machine Gun!" Bakugou shouted as he made a 'barrel' with his hands. A steady stream of explosions then erupted from it, firing out projectiles that burst upon contact. Bakugou then began aiming the spray all over the place, forcing the foes in his line of sight to dive for cover.
"They really are pressing around us…" Yaoyorozu said before firing her small cannon at the enemy.
"We're from UA, so they know not to take us lightly." Todoroki answered as he raised an ice wall, blocking several attacks.
"We're not going to last long if we stay here!" Tsuyu shouted after a stray ball hit her but not her target.
"Then should we go for it?" Satou asked, hurling back a ball he caught.
"We should! At this rate, they'll hit us with something strong and scatter us anyway!" Midoriya answered.
"Bakugou-kun! Jirou-kun!" Iida shouted. Bakugou stopped providing suppression fire and began allowing thick smoke to spill from his hands. Jirou plugged her earphone jacks into her arm mounted speakers and pressed them against the ground. Mineta felt the aura of authority building behind him where Iida stood and readied himself. Things were about to get crazy…
"Field out!"
"Heartbeat Distortion! Max Volume!"
"Smoke Grenade!"
The ground crumbled away just as a massive plume of thick smoke enveloped the immediate area. Mineta darted in one direction, passing by several shapes that were still too stunned to move. Whatever the case, he'll be out of this cloud soon. And whatever happens will be all on him and whoever joins up with him. Of course, there was a chance the shorter boy might end up alone against countless foes…
But he knew that wouldn't be enough stop him…
After all, Mineta had friends to meet on the other side of this exam…
He had Midoriya waiting on the other side…
And that was all the reasons Mineta needed to overcome this trial.
And that has been Chapter 89!
I've got no news or comments.
Next time, we get to see Mineta show off the fruits of his training. You know, the one where he had to fight Aizawa and several clones of Ectoplasm. So with all that said...
Until Next Time. T1.