I own nothing. May contain Out of Character moments.

When Dinner was being served, as Iida informed them over their group chat, Mineta went to fetch it for the three of them. This naturally led to the Class President questioning him, wondering if Mineta and Midoriya could fulfill their promise of cleaning up. The response Mineta made took every ounce of persuasive power to completely convince Iida that it was necessary. And considering the type of people they were, Iida gave him the benefit of the doubt.

However, the Class President does expect them to help out more tomorrow to make up for it.

Mineta also went and brought along his E-Tool. It was a strange decision, but being in the wild without a fire was just plain dangerous.

"And it's just not camping if you don't have a 'from scratch' campfire." Midoriya said as he stoked the flames with a long stick. It's been about forty minutes since Mineta came back with 1A's stew. He, Midoriya, and Kouta were just sitting around the fire, simply enjoying the starry night sky. Well, Mineta and Midoriya were, the younger boy was still mostly keeping to himself.

After calming down, Kouta went back to separating himself, even going so far to say that the duo could head back now. But after everything that's happened, Mineta couldn't really see either him or his partner leaving. So they stayed, simply giving Kouta some space to sort out his thoughts. This also gave Mineta and Midoriya time to ponder on a response to Kouta's grief.

An answer they still do not have…

"Setting it alight was a pain in the ass though. Maybe we should invest in some matches or flint." Mineta replied as he sorted out the various sticks and branches he foraged and cut. I mean, his Father's E-Tool already served as both a shovel and a hatchet. So what's another item to the list?

"Actually, I should really think about what to carry. Otherwise, I'll reach my carrying capacity in no time flat." Mineta thought, chopping a larger branch with his E-Tool. Before another thought could cross his head, the shorter boy's phone began to ring. And based on the ominous ring tone, he knew exactly who it was that called him.

"Aizawa?" Mineta asked, answering his phone.

"First of all, where are you and Midoriya? Iida said you two were busy with something but wasn't sure what. I swear if it's something illegal, you'll both know what true suffering is." Aizawa replied, Mineta feeling his glare through the aether. The shorter boy merely pinched the bridge of his nose, letting out a long sigh.

"Really? When have we done anything that makes you think we're up to no good?"

"Hosu and chasing the Hero Killer? Then there's your spat with Bakugou that resulted in your detention." Aizawa answered without a moment of hesitation. Mineta winced at those events, realizing this was going to be much harder than normal. Quickly looking over to Midoriya, Mineta saw him trying to bond with Kouta again. And as much as he wanted to go back to avoid death by teacher…

The shorter boy knew they were right where they need to be.

"I know those times were exceptions, but you know we aren't lawless idiots. And do you honestly see Midoriya doing something behind your back? And on that note, wouldn't he stop me from doing the same?" Mineta replied, courage filling his heart. All he could hear on the other end was silence. And as the seconds passed, a sigh of defeat escaped his former master's lips.

"You're right, it does seem silly to think either of you are up to no good. I won't pry any further, but I still need you to come back. We're starting the remedial classes early because the others were slacking today. And before you say it, neither you nor Bakugou are immune. I've got to treat everyone fairly after all." Aizawa said. Mineta didn't respond to that last part. He instead looked over as Midoriya was barely managing a conversation with Kouta.

And when Mineta and Midoriya's gazes met, the shorter boy saw a plea for support.

"Mineta?"

"Yeah… I'll get back to you on that."

"What do–?" Was all his teacher could say before Mineta hung up and turned off his phone. He nervously slid the device back into his pocket as he motioned for Midoriya to do the same. While he raised an eyebrow in the beginning, the green haired boy obliged and turned off his phone.

"You're going to have at lot of explaining to do when Aizawa-sensei finds us." Midoriya said as a nervous yet amused smile appeared on his face.

"Eh, it'll just be like old times with me and him. Besides, it's not Aizawa I'm worried about… Satou and the Bakusquad will probably skin me alive for playing hooky." Mineta replied, his mind conjuring the spiteful faces of his classmates. He almost wished he didn't, but there was no point in escaping the truth. They were going to deal with him one way or another…

"Some Hero-in-Training you are, rebelling against your teacher." Kouta muttered loudly. Mineta simply blew off the comment with a wave of his hand, tossing another stick into the fire with the other. The kid still didn't understand that people had motives for making the choices they do. If he did, Kouta would understand his parents' actions just a little more.

Speaking of which…

"I have my reasons, just like your Mom and Dad had theirs." Mineta said. Kouta's brows furrowed as he glared at him, his hands balling into fists. Midoriya swallowed hard, the sound audible to all parties. But he didn't step in to diffuse the tension. They needed to continue the earlier discussion after all.

"Are you really still on that? I already told you how I feel about everything."

"Kouta-kun… Before was only just the beginning. You need to continue letting out whatever it is you're feeling. Otherwise it'll just build up again and you'll end up back where you started. So please, let's talk just a little more." Midoriya replied. His eyes glanced over to Mineta, who nodded in return to him. They knew better than anyone how bad it could get.

With Todoroki and Endeavor…

With Iida and Stain…

With their own insecurities…

Kouta turned away with a huff, brooding as the fire crackled to fill the silence. But as the combined worry of Mineta and Midoriya bore down on him, words start to form on the young boy's tongue. And naturally, he expressed it in the most eloquent way possible…

"Fuck… You're more annoying than Auntie about this… Fine, I'll talk. Just stop staring like creepy shits." Kouta said. Midoriya apologized as he turned to the fire, Mineta closing his eyes as he inwardly cheered. They were making progress. Kouta let out a long sigh as he continued to stare out towards the night horizon.

"Where do you want me to start?"

"If you don't mind, could you tell us about what happened after your parents passed away?" Midoriya asked, reestablishing eye contact with the boy.

"Just say died. Prettying up words isn't going to change the fact they're gone." Kouta replied bluntly. The green haired boy flinched, but he kept his attention on Kouta. He then took off his cap and pulled something out of it, a folded bit of newspaper. Kouta proceeded to pass it to Mineta, who opened it between himself and Midoriya, allowing the two to read it together.

"Bittersweet Victory, Water Horse duo saved lives with the cost of their own." Mineta muttered. This was the article that was published the day after their deaths. And while he and his partner would read these sections, they never really went into depth with it. Or at least, Mineta never did. It was a bleak reminder that his past self didn't want muddying the ideal dream he was chasing. Why burden yourself with the fear of death?

But current Mineta knew averting your eyes was a mistake. Heroes, like the Police and Military, always stood with one foot ready for the grave. USJ and Hosu made him realize this grim reality.

The shorter boy took a deep breath before quickly re-reading the article. All things considered, this was a fairly generic piece that covered Water Horse's final deed and reactions to it. Many of their peers said they were exemplary Heroes, dying for the people and the greater good. Some even claim that, because there were no other casualties in the battle, they died without any regrets.

Ah, that's where it all started.

"I think I was supposed to be proud of them… And maybe some part of me is. They did something great, the right thing… But none of it feels great or right. The life as I knew it was ripped away from me. I can't play catch with Dad or have Mom hug me whenever I'm scared… I was lost and the world kept cheering." Kouta said, curling up again. Mineta let out the heavy air that was choking his lungs. He knew this wasn't going to be easy, but damn. It's no wonder he felt so negatively about Heroes.

They just kept poking at his wounds.

"… I can't blame you for feeling the way you do. It's hard for people to realize that, past all the glamour and larger-than-life feats, Heroes are Human too. They have regular lives, friends and family outside of Heroics, wounds that refuse to heal…" Midoriya began before his eyes casted itself to the fire. Mineta looked to his partner, noticing how his left hand twitched and almost went for his side. The shorter boy then looked to Kouta, who had also noticed how his hand moved.

"… Then why still fight? You never answered me before on that. If there's something else you could do, why still be a Hero?" Kouta asked. Midoriya began tapping his chin, a hum escaping his lips as he stoked the fire. And seeing how the light reflected off his eyes, Mineta knew where this would go. So the shorter boy took a deep breath before facing the younger boy with words on his tongue.

"Because we know what despair is. We know what it feels like when the world closes in on you. We know just how dark things seem when life extinguishes your fire. And while the path there is different, we know the horrible place you're in."

Kouta didn't respond, but anyone could tell he was pondering those words. It was as though he needed extra proof before he could give a proper response. Luckily, Midoriya was able to follow up on his friend's words. And within those hopeful eyes, Mineta could tell that his partner was reliving memories of the past.

"I wasn't in the best position before UA. I wasn't like everyone else; my Quirk didn't show up until much later in life. I was shocked. My dreams were dying long before I could have a say in it. But every day, I desperately tried to reject that reality. Every day, I tried to prove I had some power, any power. Every day, I end up getting hurt and left all alone. And every day, I lose a bit more hope than the last…" Midoriya said solemnly, tossing a stick into the fire. Crackles filled the air as Midoriya took a deep breath, no doubt bringing himself back from those dark times.

"But Mineta-kun here was the reason I could keep trying. Despite not being like other aspiring Heroes, he made me believe in myself and helped cling onto my dream. He reminded me what being a Hero really is… Like All Might, a Hero brings hope to the hopeless."

Silence filled the air again as Kouta stared at the starry night sky above them. Mineta also turned to it, remembering the last time he gazed upon it. And like before, the shorter boy spotted nine stars shining brighter than the others. What they represent, he really couldn't say. But Mineta was certain that they served as some sort of encouragement for him and his partner.

"I know it doesn't sound like much… But didn't your parents bring Hope wherever they went? That, because of them, someone's day became just as bright as yours?" Mineta asked, closing his eyes to revisit his own memories. Midoriya, Tsuyu, Aizawa, Shifu… Whenever he was at a loss, the shorter boy was always glad to have their voices to keep him grounded. And he hoped, with their wisdom and experience, Kouta could, at the very least, open up just a little more.

"… Yeah, they did. I remember the way people smiled whenever they were around. I also remembered how much they cried… Where's the hope in that?" Kouta replied, hugging his legs tighter. Mineta's mind grinded to a halt, raking every fold and neuron for an appropriate response. But as nothing returned, the shorter boy fully realized just how difficult this really was.

Unlike with Shinso, Mineta had nothing that could break through to Kouta. While the kid spilled his guts, that grudge he's holding was still lodged deep within him. This made his situation more like Todoroki's, who held onto his hatred until a single action from Midoriya began changing him. So would they need to do the same with Kouta? And if so, what must be done?

Mineta looked over to Midoriya to see if he has any ideas. But his partner too was at an impasse, unsure what to say next.

"Look, you're trying to help, I get it. You've even gotten farther than Auntie did. But even if you get what I'm going through, pretty words aren't going to change how I feel and felt. So until you can tell me what it was my Parents were trying to do… Just leave me alone. Okay?" Kouta replied after a tired sigh.

"Kouta-kun…" Midoriya murmured as the young boy turned away. But that was when Mineta noticed something. In the direction Kouta was facing, plumes of smoke billowed as a small line of blue flame burned away at the forest. Not only that, there was a suspicious pink haze enveloping another patch next to the flames. Both of which were steadily growing larger…

And if his memory was correct, it was close to where the Test of Courage was.

A cold sweat began to seep out of Mineta's skin, a familiar dread slowly tightening around his neck. He looked to Midoriya and found him with the same foreboding expression. But regardless of that, his eyes calmly shined just as his reliable back straightened itself. The green haired boy uttered a single word, the only explanation to this sudden disaster.

"Villains…"

And that has been Chapter 71.

This was a particularly difficult chapter to write... While I understand that Midoriya and Mineta made it further than most, would that be enough for Kouta to change his mind? I understand that starting the recovery process is easy, but maintaining it is difficult. And from what I know about Kouta's personality, he would continue to resist despite everything. Because he has come upon a subject that even adults have difficulty dealing with... Understanding Death and the meaning of one's Life...

And when you've gain an idea, especially at his age, tend to stick with it. Even if he fully doesn't understand what it means...

Or, at least, so I believe. But what do you think, my dear readers. How would you react to someone if they came barging into your personal troubles? Would you let them in or would you keep them out? And how would you feel about the things they say?

Next week, we'll be diving head first into our battle with a meatball. But with his partner there to support him, how would things differ for Midoriya? Stay tuned to find out.

So with all that said...

Until Next Time. T1.