I own nothing. May contain Out of Character moments.

Gentle and La Brava landed within the wooded area that surrounded UA. They were just at the foot of the hill, so the two would still have quite a ways to go before getting near the school itself. That would give enough time for Mineta and Midoriya to do something about them. And unlike before, the two of them would be ready for whatever tricks the dapper Villain would prepare.

"Go for the first strike, Mineta-kun!" Midoriya said as he readied to throw the shorter boy. Mineta nodded as he tightened the grip on his baton before he felt the air rushing around him. The distance between him and Gentle began shrinking quickly, startling the Villain with their relentlessness. Gentle threw up another barrier in front of him and the shorter boy went straight into it.

However, before it could launch him back, he pressed the baton against the membrane of elasticized air. And in just a second, due to the baton's weakening effect and the pressure against it, the whole thing snapped like a rubber band. And since the barrier has caught Mineta before it snapped, he lost all momentum and allowed him to land safely.

"What!?" Gentle shouted. Mineta rushed forward and swung, carefully watching what the Villain will do next. But luckily for him, Gentle had been thrown into disarray as he stumbled back and hastily put up another barrier. And while Mineta lacked the momentum to break through it near instantly like before, the baton still tore through the barrier.

It just required some more effort on Mineta's end.

Still, all the barriers that Gentle kept throwing up slowed Mineta down just enough for him to gain ground away from the shorter boy.

"I was worried for a moment… But as long as I keep throwing up my gentle walls, you're of no consequence. So here, have an extra thick rebound for your troubles." Gentle commented as he put up a thicker wall. When Mineta had struck it, the wall certainly didn't feel like any of the other barriers as his baton didn't want to spring back.

Mineta wouldn't be able to break through it… Though at this point, the shorter boy had finished his intended role.

Gentle, without warning, was tackled from the side by a bright, green blur. La Brava let out a gasp as Midoriya pinned the dapper Villain to the ground. Though before she could run to him, Mineta darted towards the woman and placed the tip of his baton on her shoulder. The gesture caused her to freeze and the shorter boy feel the La Brava's hesitation and uncertainty through the baton.

"Please put your hands up and don't resist… I don't want to hit someone if I don't have to." Mineta said as he removed one of his hairballs. He didn't want to move in to stick it onto La Brava until she did as he told. But instead of following Mineta's orders, the woman just continued to stare at Gentle. And judging by how she was shaking, Mineta knew she was on the verge of tears.

"We'll be taking you to the police now. Mineta-kun, if you will." Midoriya said as he looked towards the shorter boy. However, before Mineta could make the move to start sticking the pair with hairballs…

"Gentle, I love you..."

For a desperate declaration of love, it wasn't very loud. Though given the situation, Mineta could understand if La Brava went for something more heartfelt than bombastic. Not that he knew anything about love…

However, when he refocused himself on the current moment, a pink aura began glowing around Gentle. And with each passing moment, the aura grew brighter and stronger that allowed the dapper Villain to start overcoming Midoriya's hold on him. A cold sweat washed over Mineta as his mind recalled a lesson he really should be keeping in mind at all times… Prey is at their most vulnerable when they think they're safe. And at this current moment…

Mineta and Midoriya were the prey.

"It is such a shame that I must rely on brute force, I tend to cut these parts out…"

Gentle then disappeared in a surprising burst of speed, causing Midoriya to tumble towards the space the Villain once occupied. Mineta reflexively raised his guard, sensing the danger, and was immediately blown away by an incredible force. Barely landing on his feet, the shorter boy looked up and saw Gentle holding La Brava in one of his arms. With the power that was practically spilling out of the Villain, Mineta knew he couldn't confront him like this.

"But where did this power come from? His Quirk is definitely Elasticity… Unless this power is from that lady. When did she trigger it then?" Mineta thought as he readied his stance. Gentle disappeared again, the sound of his movement rushing all around the shorter boy. He took a swing when he felt something appear to his right, only to find nothing there.

Mineta then felt a pain erupt through the back of his neck, filling his vision with dark, heavy clouds. Luckily, the blow hadn't completely rendered him unconscious and the shorter boy fought to regain control. Mineta caught himself before he fell over. However, the numbness in his arms and legs meant that he couldn't block whatever attack came next.

"Mineta-kun!"

When the shorter boy looked to the voice, Midoriya had blocked a strike from Gentle that had been aimed to fully down Mineta. But the green haired boy soon received a blow of his own when the dapper Villain reappeared from another angle. Gentle then threw a punch straight into Midoriya's face, not giving the green haired boy any chance to recover. The blow was enough to throw Midoriya off his feet and straight into Mineta.

The two boys collided with a thud and caused the heavy clouds filling Mineta's head to thicken again. All Mineta could tell at this point was that he was staring at the sky while Midoriya was behind him, face in the ground.

That and the words Gentle spoke as he appeared over them.

"Though you may have strength and skill, you lack something important that La Brava and I have. Consider that as I leave you a Gentle Sandwich as food for thought."

Gentle then threw something down on them, causing Mineta to crush him against Midoriya and the ground. It was a several layers of elasticized air, all stacked like pancakes to keep the two pinned down. But what got the shorter boy more were the words that came out of his mouth. Time slowed as his mind raced for answers that could help him break through this predicament. But with his thoughts in disarray, nothing came to him.

Just like when trying to find his answer to the scars upon his heart.

"What does he and his partner have that I don't have with mine?" Mineta thought. A single word from that caused the coin to drop within Mineta, something that caused the whole world to completely stop.

Partner…

Midoriya was his partner… Right?

…

But when was the last time either of them called each other partner?

When was the last time either of them fought like they were partners?

Sure they were fighting together at the moment… But they weren't doing it TOGETHER. Even when Midoriya threw Mineta to intercept Gentle and Mineta distracted Gentle for Midoriya, that shouldn't have been all that they were capable of. With their current skills and deep bonds, the two of them could've done so much more and ended the fight the moment it started. Gentle was, by all accounts, the weakest Villain they've fought since USJ.

But here they were, buried and half-dazed whilst their foes were about to escape. That's when his mind revisited the question that got him thinking, what does Gentle and La Brava have that we don't?

That's when he thought back to the words and actions of the Gentle Criminal. Despite getting caught, the dapper Villain continuously put on a show while fighting them with everything he got. Not once did he relent from his goal, regardless of the setbacks Midoriya and Mineta caused. You could say that he was truly passionate about things he was doing. Even La Brava, who was hesitant about continuing, she stuck by his side and continued to film and support Gentle.

And though Mineta does not know what drives them… He can certainly feel the heart they put into their acts of villainy.

They had passion.

Passion… Heart…

Those words brought forth memories where Mineta and Midoriya failed to draw out that heart. It happened throughout their dance practice, where their movements were off because their hearts were imperfect. It happened during their Hero training, where their Quirks malfunctioned because their hearts saw something that wasn't there. It happened when they tried playing catch, where the weight of their hearts stopped them from moving as they should.

And given how Gentle said "Then let's see whose is stronger! Mine or yours!?" earlier in response to Midoriya's words about stopping him with "all our hearts"…

"It makes sense why we're in this situation now… We didn't have our hearts in it… That's why his heart beat ours…" Mineta thought, gritting his teeth in frustration. However…

The shorter boy, senses regaining themselves, repositioned his arm as best he could until his baton touched the stacks of elasticized air pinning them. He could feel it weakening, but he won't break through in time to stop Gentle from escaping. If only he had a little more leverage… Because he isn't giving up just yet, not when he finally found the next step to his answer.

His broken heart still had a little flame left in it.

"Mineta-kun… Let's try again… This time with feeling." Midoriya said, his fingers gripping the grass beneath him.

"Yeah, let's go… Partner!" Mineta said, pushing against the barriers a little harder. Mineta could feel the power of One for All heightening against his back, motivating the shorter boy even more. For once in what seems like a long while, they were in accord.

"I'll be counting on you… Partner!"

Mineta felt the ground give out slightly, allowing him slightly more freedom of movement. The shorter boy gave one last push, finally breaking through the barriers above him. Midoriya then pushed up from the ground, launching Mineta off his back and onto his feet before the green haired boy stood up himself.

And facing Gentle again, the two could see his eyes widen as he met their gaze once more. As the dapper Villain quickly put La Brava aside, Mineta placed scattered many hairballs around before he and Midoriya began bouncing around at high speeds. This feeling of the wind whipping around him, the springiness of the hairballs as he bounced off them, knowing where Midoriya was going to go, and where he needed to be…

Mineta had forgotten about this, this feeling of flying with his best friend, his partner…

Gentle attempted to match the two and began jumping around himself. But despite the power up he has received from his lady friend, Mineta could now feel the flow of Gentle's movements and how best to get to him. Unlike before where it seemed unusually difficult to catch him, the shorter boy was sure their foe can no longer run from them. Once more, they challenge the flames of his passion with their own.

"The looks in your eyes tell me of your story, your tenacity. It seems I cannot treat you as the same opponents you were moments ago. Very well, let's see who's fleeting dream burns brightest, yours or mine!" Gentle shouted as he dodged an attack from Midoriya. Mineta took a swing during that moment, only to meet resistance for half a second and missed. The two boys chased Gentle, slowly but surely catching up to him.

But that line from Gentle bothered Mineta… Fleeting dream?

"What are you talking about, our dream is still alive!" Mineta shouted, scattering more hairballs. And like usual, Gentle managed to avoid hitting them by simply elasticizing the air and springing away. That does, however, make his area of possible movements a bit smaller. It was only just a matter of time. Time that Mineta and Midoriya didn't have as the Culture Festival has definitely started.

"Then why do you share that same look I have? Do you not have a dream that is slipping away? A dream that is barely staying alive by the feelings of another's faith in you? If so, you must understand why I fight!" Gentle answered, blocking a punch from Midoriya. He then redirected the green haired boy and kicked him towards Mineta. But since the two have perfected the art of mid-air maneuvering, Mineta twisted out of the way while Midoriya flipped back around before jumping off another hairball.

"I carry with me the hope that, one day, someone out there will be inspired by my way of living and gain the courage to live their lives. A hope that isn't just mine to carry alone anymore! So even if I'm hated, even if others' hopes are trampled upon, even if I rob you both of your goals… I will achieve it! Could you say the same about your dream!?"

Gentle's emotions were perfectly poured into his words and actions, stinging both Mineta's heart and body with its weighted power. But even if the shorter boy physically recovered and continued to work with Midoriya to close the gap, he thought about what he said. Mineta felt like he understood Gentle since, before UA, he and Midoriya were in that same place.

Full of ideals but without the ability to realize them.

"I'm sorry Gentle! My feelings, my love… They were not enough!" La Brava cried out.

"It's more than enough! I refuse to let your love to be anything less!" Gentle answered as he evaded both the boys, if barely.

Mineta's eyes momentarily went to the lady, noting the tears that ran down her face as she continued to watch the fight. On the outside, La Brava wasn't much except a cheerleader for Gentle. But on the inside, she must've been the one who truly believed in him and his dream. It was just like how Mineta did for Midoriya on that day in the park. And just as the shorter boy was willing to stand by his partner on the long road to be heroes… So too was La Brava willing to stand by Gentle down the thorny path of villainy…

Perhaps that's why Gentle felt so much stronger earlier. Mineta and Midoriya were dealing with a version of themselves that still believed in their dream. That believed in each other.

"If you find such way of living pitiful, then laugh! Laugh at this fool who has nothing but his ideals and the faith of a single woman! I don't care! I know what's important to me!" Gentle shouted, knocking the two of them back with a powerful blow. Midoriya and Mineta tucked their bodies in and rolled along the ground before grinding to a halt on their feet. With such weight and drive behind that attack, Gentle was turning out to be a serious contender. Still…

They must meet that passion with their own.

"Who would laugh at that!?"

Mineta and Midoriya once more began bouncing around, chasing Gentle at every possible path and angle. They got hits in, but also got hit in return. But at this point, it didn't matter. For someone with a heart like their own, they will not stop and reciprocate the raw emotions of Gentle. They jumped and they attacked, without stopping or without hesitation. It was an aerial dance of determination to see their goals through.

"We're the same! Our dream isn't just our own! For the people who believe in us, for the people who are waiting for our return, for the girl who reached out to us… We'll win!" Midoriya shouted, punching Gentle before taking a blow in return. The green haired boy grit his teeth and shook off the attack, getting in another hit before Gentle bounced away.

"We're alike you know! We bring hope to the people who need it most! Even if you're a villain, we could never laugh at someone like you! So take this with full respect!" Mineta added, finally intercepting Gentle with a tackle. The shorter boy quickly clung to the dapper Villain's body using a hairball. And with some quick movement around his torso, Mineta was able to lock one of Gentle's arms with his baton and pulled his guard open.

All for Midoriya to slam his foot into his mustached face.

"Gentle! Please, don't lose!" La Brava shouted, causing the pink aura to intensify around Gentle. Before Mineta could react, he felt a hand grab his face and pull him free. The shorter boy was then hurled at incredible speeds… But not before Midoriya caught him and, using the momentum of Gentle's throw, to hurl Mineta back. This gave the shorter boy enough time to reorientate his senses and strike their foe in the jaw with his baton.

"Ugh…!" Gentle grunted, the light of in his eyes dimming for a moment. And before he could regain his senses, Mineta kicked away from the Villain and landed back onto the ground. Out of the corner of his eye, somewhat hidden in the bushes behind Gentle, he could see the long, pink hair of La Brava. Through the tears, she was working on what looked like a laptop with a portable wireless connecter plugged in.

So that's how they were going to disable UA's security…

"I'm going!" Mineta shouted as he bounced off the nearest hairball towards La Brava.

"Keep my partner out of this!" Gentle shouted back, rushing to intercept Mineta as if he knew what was thinking. But before he could reach him, a bright green blur blocked him and all Mineta saw was the reliable back of Midoriya Izuku.

"I was about to say the same thing!"

Mineta continued on, no need to say thanks, and continued after La Brava. She had been hurrying away from the fight, open laptop in hand. And judging by how she moved, Mineta could tell she wasn't trying to run away and abandon Gentle. She must be trying to access UA's wireless signal, something that wouldn't stretch this far out from the main building. So she ran in hopes of connect, in hopes of fulfilling her partner's dream.

"Please go away! I won't let my Gentle's dream die here!" She shouted as Mineta quickly gained on her. The shorter boy then threw a few hairballs in key points and bounced off of them at speed.

"Then excuse me for doing this." Mineta replied as he landed in front of her. La Brava skidded to a halt in panic, her pink eyes trying to find another path around. But it was too late. Mineta had already swung his baton and shattered the keystone to her and Gentle's plan…

The hope she held in her hands.

And that has been Chapter 116!

Ever since everyone returned to UA after the Hassaikai raid, I've done something between Mineta and Midoriya that you may have not picked up on... Between that chapter and this one, not once have I had the two refer to each others as partners. It's only when they encountered Gentle and La Brava that they remember that Mineta and Midoriya are partners, the next great Hero duo.

In other news, my progress is slowing a bit since I've been infected with another fan fic idea. It's something to commemorate the recent announcement of the Scott Pilgrim anime. I'll do my best to keep up The Saint and The Sinner, so do stay tuned.

With all that said...

Until Next Time. T1.