Chapter Text
Tofu
"GAHHH! This is a tragedy of epic proportions," Mineta groaned. He pressed his forehead against the cold glass of the chartered bus window. UA Academy was getting further and further away. In an hour, the darkening treeline of the mountain pass blurred by.
"Cheer up, Mineta. It's a field trip!" Kaminari slapped him on the back, though his own smile looked a little strained. "Fresh air. Bonding with guys. Mysterious disappearances… okay, maybe that last part wasn't great, but still! We don't get vacations like this anymore."
"That's exactly it!" Mineta slid down in his vinyl seat and let out a sigh. "On the one time we finally got a break, the girls were having their own field trip thousands of kilometers away from us. We're going to a mountain hot spring without Aizawa-sensei hawking on us, for goodness sake! It was the perfect setup. Let me reiterate. It was the perfect setup, Denki. But no, the universe decided to send only the boys."
From the back, Sero leaned forward, resting his chin on the headrest of Mineta's seat. "What's wrong with hanging out with us?"
"What do you mean what's–!"
"Mineta, please control yourself!" Iida chopped the air from across the aisle. He paced from row to row, his glasses glinting in the dim overhead lights. The bus plunged into a short tunnel, momentarily swallowing them in darkness before emerging to more trees and jagged cliffs. "This is a serious provisional training exercise. Aizawa-sensei entrusted our senior, Togata-senpai, to lead our investigation into the vanished settlement of Toriko Town. This is not a vacation. And besides, the girls are also doing their own investigation exercise. And them going to the beach doesn't mean anything."
Mineta sighed and plopped his ass back on his seat. He opened his eyes to find the anterior half of Mirio's face on the seat in front of him. Mirio blinked twice and smiled. "That's right, Iida!" he cheered. "We're here to do serious hero work. A whole village vanished into thin air just three miles from our destination. The police couldn't find anything, so they left it to us. They hoped we might see something they couldn't. But before we dive into the spooky stuff tomorrow, we have to rest up. I've had a call with the leader of Nezuko Town, and he offered us their previous Ryokan since we're investigating the disappearance of their neighbors."
"So, it's still a vacation?" Denki asked.
"If you call it that way, then yeah!"
Iida sighed as a collective cheer went up from Kirishima, Sero, and Midoriya in the back. Even Bakugo let out a noncommittal "Tch" that lacked his usual heat. Ojiro and Sato joined in the excitement, while Tokoyami, Todoroki, Koda, and Shoji remained preoccupied with their earphones. As for Aoyama… He's doing Aoyama things. Mineta simply thunked his head against the window again. A premium hot spring, wasted on a bunch of sweaty teenage boys. The universe could be so cruel.
The sun had fully set by the time the bus dropped them at Nezuko Town. Mineta rarely left the city, because why would he? It's just trees, nature, old people, and more boring nature. You could see plenty of that on your phone. They walked under the rusted gates, where an old geezer as tall as Mineta welcomed their arrival. Beside him was a teenager hidden within the folds of a dark hoodie. Iida and Mirio shared warm greetings with their host.
"I hope the trip up here didn't bore you out so much," the Town Elder said.
"It wasn't. Not with an entire bus of rowdy school boys to manage," Mirio laughed. His voice cut through the silence and startled a flock of crows.
Mineta zipped up his jacket to his chin as they walked through the main thoroughfare of the town. The place was more sprawling than he imagined. Houses were built in compact rows as they led up the slope. They walked up stony steps and met the trailing gaze of some of the townspeople. One would expect a bunch of welcomes and cheers for the people investigating their neighbors, but no. All they got were suspicious looks before the townspeople closed their doors and windows. And to make matters even stranger, the sun had already set, and none of the windows had the warm glow of electricity or a television. If Mineta noticed it, so did the others. Mirio didn't. He was too busy making jokes only he found funny with the Town Elder.
While the town was enveloped in darkness, the only beacon was the Ryokan. Nezuko Town was mostly known for its lumber and mining industry. There were also no tourist spots nearby or any beaches. So, it was a wonder why they had a massive ryokan. Mineta was still in the middle of making the thought when Midoriya asked it to the Town Elder. Apparently, the town faced multiple worker revolts in the past. Poor wages, harsh living conditions, and mass workplace deaths left the working population in perpetual stress. So, when hot spring water was struck here, all the town's industry leaders pooled their money and built this ryokan for the townspeople. No revolts have happened since then. Even though working conditions have improved with the rise of technology, the Ryokan remained for the people.
Why are they the only ones here then? The guest slippers by the entrance were undisturbed. The long corridors of the Eastern and Western wings were lit up, but there was no chatter to cut through the creaking floorboards under their feet. And when they entered the springs at the end of the ryokan, the pools were desolate. The only people around were the Ryokan owner and his staff. The Town Elder and his son left Class 1-A as soon as they were checked in.
No matter. It only meant the ryokan was exclusively theirs for the night. Within the next hour after settling their things, Class 1-A had stripped down and was sinking into the sulfur-scented waters of the outdoor baths. As usual, Kaminari and Kirishima were comparing sizes while their hands gripped each other's cock. They were still well within their growth spurts, and every millimeter of growth counted. Sato and Ojiro tried to join, but all they got was a shout from the two. Outliers don't count, they said. That didn't stop Mirio from rising under the water and giving everyone a steaming splash on the face. With a proud smile on his face and both hands on his hips, he pointed his throbbing erection between Kaminari and Kirishima's head. And he laughed. And laughed. And laughed… Both Kaminari and Kirishima's cock wilted and retreated under the water.
Mineta didn't bother joining the rowdiness. He stopped waiting for that growth spurt years ago. He doesn't even measure his cock size anymore. Doing so would just leave him disheartened. Instead, he casually floated to the other side of the pool and scanned the wooden partition for any convenient holes. This ryokan can't possibly be that empty. Maybe the people of this town are just shy. That might explain the cold shoulder they got earlier. And maybe there are shy women across this wall. They are quietly scrubbing each other's backs while their massive breasts get in the way.
He found no holes. Damn. That won't stop him. He plucked two sticky orbs from the scalp and scaled the wall before anyone could see. The girls on the other side awaited his presence. Stick, pull himself up, and unstick. The physical training of the past few months paid off well with how much distance he covered. A voice shouted behind him. Midoriya had just alerted everyone to what he was doing. But it was too late. Mineta launched himself across the final distance, and the edge came into view.
Empty baths and silence greeted him from the top. He plopped on the edge and sighed. Man… This vacation is one big bore.
Perched atop the partition, the town and the mountains beyond were shrouded in darkness. This place seemed to have held its breath the moment they arrived. If it weren't for the promise of additional marks, Mineta would have feigned sickness and stayed behind in the dorms. Then of course, Recovery Girl would just kiss him, and Togata-senpai would haul his ass on the bus.
Mineta stirred out of his wallowing when a troupe of masked men poured out of the Ryokan foyer and filed toward the Western Wing. They wore overflowing and pale-yellow garments that almost camouflaged them against the Ryokan's pale floorboards. He would have assumed they were miners, but the masks suggested they were something else. It was made of a single, flat wood. Maybe they're a theater troupe that would entertain them during dinner tonight? The ryokan owner did say something about that, but only Iida and Togata-senpai knew of the whole discussion.
Thinking nothing of it, Mineta stood on the partition with his bits against the wind. The steam below warded off the chill of the night. He closed his eyes and plummeted into the pools below, sending another wave of scalding water on everyone's face (save for Mirio, who used his Quirk). The class howled a resounding cheer before returning to their groups. Mineta drifted by the perimeter, sulking while blowing bubbles into the depths. Nearby, Midoriya was discussing the possible Quirks capable of wiping a village population off the map. Iida and Togata-senpai laid out the information they had so far. One, the police said there was no sign of struggle and footprints suggested they left in the direction of Nezuko Town on their own. Two, no one in Nezuko Town saw anyone come down from the mountains, according to the Town Elder. And three, all of the Toriko residents seem to be quirkless.
Beneath the three boys discussing their thoughts and theories, Todoroki sat with the water up to his nose. His fire-side emitted a soft hiss while the idle chatter relaxed him. On the other end, Bakugo just hammered Denki's noggin after the latter accidentally discharged a shock on his groin.
Mineta floated above the surface of the water and bumped his head toward Sero.
"Man, this is the life," Sero sighed as he leaned back against a smooth stone. "So, what if it is just us guys? This place is still relaxing, and no amount of girls or your sulking will change that."
Mineta opened his eyes to find Sero looking at him. As much as it pained him to admit, this was indeed relaxing. Their class rarely got to experience this anymore. If it wasn't a Nomu trying to eat them alive, it was the endless tests and exercise. Who knows when this would happen again? Mineta let the warm water claim his body and wash all the worries away. This trip could also be a teaching moment. Maybe there's a missing gal in that village that needs rescuing. Maybe she's one hell of a dame, and Mineta was lucky enough to be on the scene. Mineta reached the stony bottom of the pool and bounced back to the surface with a smile.
Mirio met his face. He was so close that their lips met. Or didn't? Mirio used his Quirk and pulled his head back.
"I'm glad you're with us now, Mineta-kun. We need to be relaxed and recharged tonight so we can be at 100% tomorrow. It's an hour-long trek toward Toriko village. Maybe a lot longer since we're not used to the air up there."
"Right!" Kirishima joined in. He punched the air and sprayed hot water over Mineta's face and testicles (Ouch!). "We'll find out what happened to those people."
Mineta wiped the hot water from his eyes and let a defeated sigh escape his lips. He settled beside Sero and sank until the bubbles tickled the top of his lip. His fate was set in stone, so might as well enjoy this while he could.
Class 1-A emerged from the baths an hour later. Their skins had shriveled up like prunes, except Togata-senpai, whose physique remained as defined and toned as ever. The ryokan staff escorted the group to an expansive dining hall in the Eastern Wing. The owner explained that this hall traditionally served as the neutral grounds for negotiations between industrial leaders and local workers, though on this night, it was reserved for the young heroes. Waiting on the tatami mats were yukatas tailored to their specific sizes. Of course, Togata-senpai had the largest one while Mineta picked up the one with an XXS tag. While the accommodations were originally offered for free, Iida and Togata-senpai's collective bargaining compelled the owner to accept payment. This trip was funded by UA High School, and investigating Toriko Town was their official duty. They could not in good conscience exploit the generosity of Nezuko Town. The owner conceded eventually. He promised that dinner would be served shortly.
Mineta waited for any mention of a scheduled performance, but there were none. He kept his ear and eye out for the hallways and courtyard, hoping he'd see at least one of the masked men. A group that large was bound to make their presence known. And yet, no light or moving shadows indicated people in the other rooms. Even the staff had left to fetch their food, leaving them as the only living people around.
Mineta briefly considered sharing his growing unease with Iida and Togata-senpai, even with Midoriya, who was busy writing his thoughts about the investigation. But he remembered what Togata-senpai said earlier. This night was reserved for revelry and relaxation. He already bothered them with his incessant groaning about the lack of girls on this trip. He didn't want to add unneeded thoughts in their head. Maybe he could tomorrow. But for now, he sat beside Midoriya at the end of the dining hall and half-listened to his mumbling.