I would like to thank several commentors/reviewers for giving comments that helped me come up with the idea for this alternate approach to the story from my original chapter 31. For those of you reading the reviews and seeing comments for chapter 31 that don't make sense with the story, the ones that had been made on the original chapter are still there, which may be what they are referencing.

Several parts of this chapter are unchanged. Comparing this to the original chapter 31 is a good way to gauge just how much your comments can impact my story. As simple as these changes might seem, I don't think I would have thought of them on my own. Thank you so much for your patience and help.

The original chapter is also available on Shattered Centers: Scenes off the Cutting Room Floor.

On an unrelated note: I would like to thank gothelixar, who recommended this story in a Tok-Tok video. I made an account so I could leave a comment but I just couldn't get it to work. So, since I couldn't do it there, I am saying it here. Thank you for recommending Shattered Centers to your viewers and to everyone who checked it out in response. If anyone else has recommended me, thank you, too. I'm glad that you enjoyed my story so much! It really means a lot to me.


Punishment and Considerations

Shota stared at the boy who was once again crying. This time, in obvious self-hatred and disgust.

Considering his tale, Shota wouldn't say that it was completely unjustified. He wasn't about to comfort Bakugou with false platitudes and tell the boy that he hadn't done anything wrong.

Besides, if Shota was honest, he didn't much feel like comforting Bakugou at the moment. As a result of the nature of his quirk he had hardly had an easy childhood, either. There were few things considered creepier than a quirk that could interact with other quirks and the kids around him had made sure he knew that. Still, it was nothing in comparison to what Midoriya had apparently gone through.

So, on an emotional level, he had no tolerance for the type of behavior Bakugou had admitted to.

But he had admitted to it and acknowledged that he knew it was messed up. Furthermore, he had also revealed that he had been encouraged by the people who should have been stopping him. For now, Shota would keep reins on his emotions. There would definitely be targets to release the full brunt of his fury on later.

In Shota's opinion, one of the best parts about being able to hold back his feelings when acting was the results of plans that he actually took an emotional interest in. Sure, he had to restrain himself and it took longer for a result than if he had just charged in but the ultimate payoff was often far greater than anything that could have been achieved if he had rushed forth in fury.

Hearing about the school these boys hailed from, the promise that this could be one of those times was one he could easily make to himself. It was the only comfort he could take from this.

The promise would make that particular waiting game easier.

With that in mind, Shota pointed out, "Don't think that you were the only guilty party. You played a major role, but group think and failure of your role models played a part, too. So, don't take the full credit all for yourself."

"You can't be saying you don't blame me."

"Oh, make no mistake, I am holding you responsible. You admitted to harming not only Midoriya, but several other children."

"...So, what now?"

"For now, I have a few punishments in mind and will be considering more in the future. Punishments that will apply even if you do something that will force me to move you into General Education in the future."

"So, you're still keeping me in your class after what I said."

"I told you that I would."

Bakugou drew himself tall, his face emotionless, except for his eyes which glowed with a determination that was reminiscent of Midoriya himself. "So, what are they?"

Bakugou had clearly already accepted that he was going to face consequences for his action. He expected them. And despite Shota's anger, there was a touch of pride at how the boy was willing to take whatever punishment he was given.

"The school has technology capable of disabling chemical-based Quirks. Once the requested equipment is set up, you'll be wearing it until I say otherwise. I plan to allow you conditional use of your quirk during training. Other than that, when you're outside of your room, you should be wearing them." The only reason Shota allowed for this condition was constantly keeping his hands in the devices would be detrimental to Bakugou's health. "I'll be checking to make sure you are keeping them in working order and should you have a physical reaction to them, you're to inform me immediately. Are we clear?"

"Yes. And what about the other one?"

"I have a couple research assignments, for you.

Bakugou looked annoyed.

"Firstly, I expect a paper on various types of bullying and the short and long term effects that it has on its victims with those that you participated in being the main focus. It should be at least ten pages and I expect to see it within two weeks at the latest."

Bakugou nodded, face unreadable before asking, "And the other one?"

"What you've just told me about Midoriya, while holding the capacity to be the origin story for a great, compassionate hero, was also essentially one for a terrifying villain from the perspective of one of the people who gave them the biggest push toward it."

"Deku would never turn to villainy!"

"No. He'd never stop trying to rescue people who need help." Shota smiled grimly as he added, "The two aren't necessarily mutually exclusive in our society. Just like a hero doesn't necessarily need to focus on protecting civilians, a person doesn't need to hurt them to be legally considered a villain." He glared at Bakugou and said, "Midoriya has the potential to become one of the greatest heroes of our time. Maybe of all time. But, because of how Japan operates and the way he grew up, there will always be potential for him to turn into a villain by choosing to help people that the rest of our society has chosen to ignore. He's seen the darker side of it; you, his childhood friend turned bully, played a major role in showing it to him when you turned your back on him for being 'weak.' You, your old classmates, your old teachers; they all helped him see that. Are you telling me he wouldn't ever rush to help people who have been cast aside like he was?"

Bakugou looked down at the ground. "Well, yeah, he would but... Fuck!" That was all the answer needed to prove Deku could easily get the 'villain' label slapped on him. If he reached out to save the wrong people, his reputation as a hero would be ruined.

Knowing that wouldn't stop Midoriya, either. It wouldn't even slow him down. "He's already gone vigilante multiple times and danced the line to help save you in Kamino. The law is no issue for him."

"So, what does the possibility of Deku turning villain have to do with my punishment?" Bakugou asked bitterly.

"The other part of your research will focus on people who have been called villains for acting on ideals that go against the system, including vigilantes, revolutionaries or heroes whose drive to save people indiscriminately led them to getting caught saving or collaborating with villains. You will look up what you can of their background and their treatment by the community. When I email written directions to your student account, I'll send you some names and links to help get you started but I want you to find a few more on your own, as well." The links were to make sure Bakugou was able to find more than the popular story on these people, which often painted them in the ugliest light possible, so that civilians would be more cooperative with heroes trying to corner them. He wanted the boy to get the full picture. "That being said, don't count on being able to find all the answers to those questions. When you can't, I want you to write out what the main barriers to finding the answers are for you." Nothing like familiarizing Bakugou to the concept that, while the internet is a useful tool, it wouldn't always hold the answers he was looking for.

"How long should it be?" Bakugou asked.

"However long you feel it needs to be to have all the information you need." The boy wasn't one to neglect his work. Shota could trust him to do the necessary research for this without assigning a page number. It was also more reminiscent to the real world, where he would have to figure out the extent to which he would have to perform his own investigations.

Bakugou fell silent, looking thoughtful. "Fine. Anything else?"

"Not for now but I'll probably have more for you in the future. I'll send the email to you in day or so and expect to see your findings no later than the end of the month, although if you feel you're done before then, you may approach me earlier."

Honestly, the man needed time to think about it. Plus, the results of the boy's research and the following conversation would have the boy rethinking the harshness of the second assignment.

Bakugou frowned thoughtfully before saying, "Alright then." He seemed a more than a little dissatisfied with Aizawa's response. Like he wanted deeper consequences.

Shota was sure that Bakugou would find it more fitting once he finally started investigating the topics he'd been assigned.

Shota dismissed Bakugou, who walked back down the path toward the dorms.

After the boy departed, Aizawa took a fork in the trail that would come out closer to the main entrance of the school. He thought about what he had learned about both Bakugou's and Midoriya's pasts and reconsidered their actions with the new context.

They'd been raised in an environment that messed both of them up, with their school being a major source of the aggressor and victim dynamic they now had.

They'd been taught that a person was only as important as they were useful. In Bakugou's case, Bakugou had been encouraged to flaunt his abilities and trample anyone who stood in the way of his 'superiority.' That meant Bakugou had been hailed as a perfect child because of his amazing quirk. It also stressed that he had to show his power was the best if he wanted to maintain that position. Shota could see how that could lead to most of his problems, including his pride and his need to challenge anyone in his way.

Midoriya had witnessed his best friend become his bully, had to watch his back not only against classmates but his teachers and had been considered worthless by all of them. Yet, he'd still been determined to help people whenever he could, despite the often-painful consequences.

This was probably the source of many of Midoriya's self-confidence issues which he was constantly fighting.

It was also the source of his determination to keep going, no matter the cost. What had started out as an admirable trait to work through all the abuse to reach his goal had been twisted into an all-consuming monstrous thing that pushed him beyond logic, safety and health.

Shota remembered Bakugou's description of how even his self-injurious behavior was one born not only directly of his suffering but also as a way for him to take back that self-control. An approach that Shota himself had indirectly encouraged.

He felt his stomach sink further as he again recalled the way Midoriya had smiled after tossing that ball with yet another layer of context. It was well and truly a challenge to call him hopeless again, to Shota and to everyone else who had done so before. And as horrible as the self-harm was, it wasn't just that which caused the new level of fear to spike through Shota.

He also found himself thinking of all the times Midoriya had disobeyed orders and charged into fights he should have taken no part in.

Now that Shota knew about the teachers at his previous school, his refusal to pay heed to authority of any kind made a disturbing level of sense. After all, neither rules nor law had ever protected him from the bashing that he'd received most of his life.

Midoriya had been taught that trusting authority figures would get him hurt. Looking back now, Shota realized that the only reason Midoriya followed directions is that he could see the logic in their orders. Not because he felt any great urgency to do as he was told. He had, in fact, been taught that it was in his best interest to question any command he received. Directions, rules, or laws: Midoriya only followed any of them at his discretion, after holding them under heavy scrutiny.

Put simply, Midoriya wasn't 'obeying' anyone. He didn't trust anyone enough to. Except possibly All Might, who wouldn't know enough to recognize he even had that power, let alone know how to apply it.

It hit Shota as hard as the USJ Nomu's fist. Midoriya had long learned to prioritize what he thought was best over all other commands. He was a loose cannon that just happened to usually be pointed in the right direction to fool everyone into thinking otherwise.

And trust was one of the biggest anchors that had been cut to make him that way.

Shota also recalled how Midoriya reacted to his words of not having to pretend to be okay—those words being what had finally caused the boy to break down the night before. How many people had told him something like that? How many people did he actually trust enough that he was willing to break down like that for them, even if they did encourage him?

Sure, he'd seen the boy cry before. But that was mostly him getting emotional because of some gesture his classmates had made or when he was shedding tears for them.

He would never forget the echoing, agonized wails he'd followed to the forest clearing where his students had made their last attempt to rescue Bakugou from the League of Villains during their attack on the training camp.

Shota also thought about his actions both as a teacher and as a hero in Midoriya's presence and realized that, despite all the logical ruses he threw at his class and the combination scolding and threats he'd thrown Midoriya's way, he was probably one of the people Midoriya trusted most.

The knowledge didn't bring Shota any comfort. He wasn't exactly the best person for anyone to put their faith in. He had in fact spent years cultivating distrust in his kids, keeping them on their toes because they never knew what was coming.

He wanted to see Midoriya succeed. Not just that but to still live safe and happy, too. In heroics, that was a hard thing to balance. Maybe even impossible.

It was something he'd always known. And maybe another one of the reasons he never wanted to get attached enough to his students to be invested in their future.

But he wanted it all for these kids. He also knew that Bakugou and Midoriya were probably among those that would face the greatest challenge in reaching such a balance.

He also intended to make sure that the people who played such a big hand in the warping of both of them were stopped before they could mess up more children.

All great things to bring up with Nezu.


Although in my experience, student emails are more a thing colleges (from my understanding, Universities if outside the US) have, I could see UA doing it.

Next chapter, the focus is back to Izuku at the school.

Over the next few months, I don't know how often I will be updating but things will probably be extremely slow. I've got a lot of stuff placed on my plate, much of which involves hours of mentally draining work while at the computer screen. I will be doing some work on my fan fiction but will probably not have many chapters updated in this time. Considering that this slowdown is happening after having to change chapter 31, I don't want anyone to think that was the reason this is happening.

That being said, I should have the next chapter up in the next week or two and sometimes breakthroughs happen in the middle of times like this, so there's also the possibility that I will have epiphanies that will allow me to complete chapters (this has actually already happened for material that is still a few chapters away).