I only own this fan fiction. May contain Out of Character moments.

Minoru was right in carefully observing Shinso during the fourth match.

Despite being from the general department and a bit of a slow start, he had shown that the training he put in with Aizawa was used to full effect. Shinso had overcome the initial hump that came with the inexperience of walking into a battle for the first time, landing his tricks that helped pulled 1A's Team 4 out of several situations. From how it looks, 1B responded to something that was said. But based on how readily they answered, it must've sounded like one of their allies.

But moments later, they froze up from Shinso's Quirk.

"Does his mask allow him to sound like other people?" Minoru wondered as the two teams returned to the viewing area. If that's the case, then how were they supposed to avoid Shinso's Quirk in the heat of combat when communication is a necessity? An idea popped up in his mind almost immediately, causing him to turn to his team and discreetly got their attention.

"Minoru-kun? Did an idea come up?" Izuku asked quietly, being the first to notice.

"We need code names so we don't get caught by Shinso's Quirk. I think that's why 1B struggled so much in the end of that last round, they worried about his brainwash and had a complete communication breakdown."

"Code names… Sounds good, though won't they figure it out eventually?" Uraraka asked as she tilted her head.

"Something tells me you want us to think of multiple, that way it'll take longer for them to figure it out." Tsuyu replied, turning to Minoru as her eyes reflected the gears turning in her head.

"Yeah, you got it. However, even with code names, 1B still might figure things out. That's why we can't talk to each other unless it is absolutely necessary, like calling for help. When that happens, we first say our code name then give out the order." Minoru said. It wasn't ideal… But this is what they've got to work with. Hopefully, it'll be enough for them to get an edge on Shinso and 1B until they can create a more ideal situation than the one they'll have going in.

"That's not exactly and ideal plan… But I suppose we're working against someone who can, and will, make a mess of our ability to communicate, so we can't be too picky." Izuku replied with a hum of dissatisfaction.

"Then how about we take down Shinso-kun first? That way, we'd be free to talk to each other." Uraraka suggested.

"Shinso-chan will probably stay as hidden as possible throughout the fight like he did during the last round. And even if we do find him, 1B won't let us get anywhere close to him without a fight." Tsuyu said, gesturing to the team they'll be fighting very soon.

"… Guys, do you trust me?" Minoru asked, causing the others to give him the most curious look.

"Of course." Izuku answered after a brief moment.

"Did come up with another 'incredible' plan?" Tsuyu asked as her voice emphasized 'incredible'. Minoru shook his head. This was less of a plan and more of a gamble that could potentially cost them the match. And while 1A will win the exercise overall, the four of them should still do their best to win like the others. That meant no floating around out of reach, waiting out the timer.

"I have a pretty good idea how Shinso will fight, so I'm going to lure him into chasing me. You won't have to worry about him messing with you, but you'll have to deal with the other 4 without me. If things go well, I'll be able to beat him. If not… I'll at least deal with his mask." Minoru explained.

Tsuyu, Uraraka, and Izuku just stared at the shorter boy, processing his words, before turning to each other. Then, with a nod, all of them turned back to Minoru and gave him their answer to that, a resounding and unified…

"No."

Well there goes that idea…

"We're not leaving you high and dry Mineta-chan. We'll find another way, one that will hopefully get all of us through the fight." Tsuyu replied, brows furrowed ever so slightly. Izuku and Uraraka were looking at Minoru with similarly peeved off expressions. Minoru, at the sight of such opposition, simply pushed any other plans that involved any self-sacrifice to the back burner.

"Alright… But then what should we do? Because if we aren't careful, we'll eventually get picked off one by one. That's why I think we should deal with Shinso as soon as possible, hence my original plan." Minoru asked.

"Monoma-kun is my choice, since his ability to copy Quirks makes him a serious wildcard. He could even have Shinso-kun's Quirk hidden away, meaning we still have to be careful. Our lack of scouting abilities will also be a problem since, if I remember correctly, Shishida-kun's quirk gives him a sensitive sense of smell." Izuku replied as he began his infamous mumbling.

"Kendo-chan is also a skilled martial artist, but my Quirk and Gunhead Martial Arts could keep her in check. Reiko-chan and her Quirk is a different story though, she'll be throwing things at us from range. That might be enough to give the others an opening to hit us…" Uraraka added, closing her eyes and started meditating on their options.

"We got a fast and powerful attacker, a flexible jack-of-all-trades, a martial artist with a gravity altering touch, and a rat that is just a general nuisance…" Minoru thought, considering the strengths and weaknesses of Izuku, Tsuyu, Uraraka, and himself. But before anything concrete came to mind, Aizawa called for Team 5 to enter the field.

So with a look of uncertainty and determination, the Minoru, Izuku, Tsuyu, and Uraraka nodded to one another and got up.

One way or another, they'll win this and end this exercise on a high note for 1A.

It took a few minutes for the teams to reach their battle zone. But in that time, Minoru, Izuku, Tsuyu, and Uraraka came up with easy-to-remember code names that would differentiate them from any tricksters running about. And as another precaution, Minoru warned them all to not respond to 1B's words either, no matter what infuriating comments they may make.

If Shinso decided to copy his teammate's voices just to throw them off, 1A won't give him the opportunity.

"We'll play by ear for the most part, but we need to have some kind of focus." Minoru commented as he stretched his limbs and shoulders.

"We should start as a united front and break off into pairs once we encounter 1B. Should it be Minoru-kun and me the first pair and you and Tsuyu-chan the second? Or do you think they'll be expecting that?" Izuku asked, turning to Uraraka.

"They'll definitely be counting on you two working together. They'll probably do everything they can to keep you two from working together." She answered, a slight frowning taking over her face. She was no doubt imagining a scenario where the duo would be intercepted and beaten. And while Minoru wanted to tout the impossibility of that occurring… He knew better.

Izuku and Minoru had been beaten before, after all.

"Then I'll work with Mineta-chan and Ochako-chan can be with Midoriya-chan. The two of us will flank the enemy while you two keep them distracted." Tsuyu said as she stood by the shorter boy. Minoru simply nodded to that.

Their amphibious classmate had the camouflage and agility to do that, and the shorter boy was more suited to a predator style of combat anyway. As for Uraraka and Izuku, the former can set up the enemy for the latter to knock out. It was quite workable for the situation they were currently in.

"How about I pretend to be working with Izuku for a bit then tag out with Uraraka after a minute? It'll throw them off for a bit." Minoru suggested with a nod. The other three could only give the shorter boy a confident "yes" before Aizawa announced the start of the match through the intercom. Minoru, Izuku, Tsuyu, and Uraraka gave one last look at each other before 'zipping' their lips shut. From this point on, they cannot communicate freely.

And all Minoru could hope for was that this won't go wrong for them.

The shorter boy hopped onto his partner's back and the four of them took off. Both teams know where the other's "home base" would be, so all of them knew it won't be long before the two teams would encounter each other. And encounter 1B they did as a huge hairy mass came barreling at them at top speed through the mess of piping. It came out so suddenly that Minoru had no time to properly aim a hairball, making it go wide.

With the spark of One for All dancing around him, Izuku, dodging the large hand that came to swat him away, met the enemy at full force. Minoru climbed up a higher on his partner's back and saw that it was Shishida who came at them first. Still, while he was there, the shorter boy drew his baton and aimed for the beast man's face. Specifically, Minoru wanted to break his sunglasses.

But he quickly had to change his plans when he felt a presence from behind them. And it wasn't Tsuyu or Uraraka.

"Green Greens! Dodge right!" Minoru shouted as held on as tight as possible. Izuku didn't hesitate and did so immediately avoiding a swipe from behind. Once the pair re-orientated themselves, they found Kendo and her enlarged hand where they once were. And when the shorter boy took a quick look around, he found Tsuyu and Uraraka engaging a second beast man that was blonde. The two of them were also getting pelted with high-speed objects from a girl that stood high above them.

Shinso was nowhere to be seen, which was worrying.

"We knew you two were going to be a problem. Apocabeast, you know what to do." Kendo said, entering a stance as her hand shrunk back to normal. Izuku readied himself by first grabbing Minoru, the shorter boy already understanding the plan, and the moment both Shishida and Itsuka moved... The green haired boy threw his partner in Tsuyu and Uraraka's direction.

Minoru passed Uraraka, who was flung by Tsuyu, on the way as he orientated himself towards his new target, Monoma. He had raised his large, hairy arms above his head, ready to pummel the amphibious girl with them. Minoru quickly threw a hairball to where he was landing and bounced towards the arrogant blonde, baton's tip at the ready.

In but a moment, the baton's tip stung Monoma in the armpit and the arrogant blonde reacted with a satisfying jolt.

The shorter boy landed and was about to take another swing, this time at Monoma's knees, but felt Tsuyu's tongue pull him away. And just as she did, the spot Minoru was standing in was showered with metal bits and pieces. Minoru looked to his amphibious classmate and nodded before she threw him back at Monoma. The shorter boy took another swing, this time at his head, but missed when the arrogant blonde simply shrunk back to his normal size.

"Sorry! I didn't expect him to do that!"

Minoru immediately pressed his lips together as he threw a hairball and reiorientated himself to bounce off it. That voice sounded like Tsuyu, even her cadence was correct… But the shorter boy knew that wasn't his classmate and that meant Shinso had eyes on him. However, Minoru didn't have time to look as Monoma was being particularly stubborn.

Minoru would be using his hairballs to try and subdue his foe's movement… But the problem was that the opening to stick the arrogant blonde wouldn't last very long. In just a second after the hairball was down, random objects would just cover them up. That must be the work of 1B's Yanagi, who was kept pelting them every chance she got.

"Then I'll have to go for the underhanded play…" Minoru thought, tightening his grip on his baton. There was a pull on it, as if 1B was trying to steal it from him with her Quirk. However, he'd trained far too hard with it just to lose it randomly to someone. The shorter boy then landed before Monoma while he was distracted with Tsuyu, who had briefly stunned him with a tongue lash to the face, and swung…

Striking Monoma directly in the groin.

"AAAGGHH! 1A really has no–!" Monoma began before Tsuyu interrupted him with a kick to the face. Minoru didn't let this chance slip as his teammate's attack sent the arrogant blonde reeling and off balance. So he threw out as many hairballs as he could to where Monoma would stumble into, even using his baton to swat them off his head. Some objects had flown into the some hairballs, grounding them early, but more than enough made it.

Monoma fell onto the hairballs and got stuck.

"Okay, that's one… Wait…" Minoru thought as he something caught his attention and time slowed. The shorter boy's hairballs were making contact with Monoma and the ground. But the way the arrogant blonde was resting on them didn't look like a normal adhesion between person and surface. Did he do something before getting stuck?

Monoma hadn't touched Minoru earlier… Had he?

The shorter boy looked down at Monoma, seeing him revert back to his normal self after a moment. And this was when his paranoia grew too strong to let it slide. He needed to be sure, lest he became prey once again.

"Amphi! Go deal with our friend above!" Minoru shouted, deflecting a pipe that was sent his way. He didn't need to turn to tell that Tsuyu had acknowledged his order and began jumping upwards. Not too long after his teammate left, Minoru could tell that there were less objects coming his way. No doubt that Yanagi began focusing on Tsuyu as she began closing in.

"Better make this quick and go help Tsuyu, Shinso might make his appearance soon." Minoru thought, readying to swing down on the still-down Monoma. But before he could swing, the shorter boy felt an attack coming in from behind and dodged to the left. And looking to what it was he sensed, Minoru saw a familiar length of cloth leading to a figure stepping out of the pipes.

"You've got some seriously sharp senses, senpai. I'm jealous." Shinso commented, a smirk clearly behind his mask.

"If only he wasn't, then we'd be the only ones with his power." Monoma said as he got up from the hairballs, balls similar to Minoru's sprouting from his head. When did he manage to tag the shorter boy? Was it when Monoma dodged his attack earlier? And how come his costume wasn't sticking either? Had Monoma got his costume treated to account for the different Quirks he might possess at any given time?

Still, no point in worrying about that now since Minoru had bigger fish to fry.

Two of them to be exact.

And with the rest of his team away fighting their own battles…

"I'm in danger."

And that has been Chapter 123!

I really don't have anything to add other than usual stuff I say at the end here. Questions, comments, and concerns all go to the usual place and things are progressing at a moderate pace.

So with all that said...

Until Next Time. T1.

*Edit: A comment brought up a good point about Monoma's costume, so I added a sentence that could explain why.