A/N: Hey, everyone! I'm sorry this chapter took a lil' longer to get out than usual. This should've been up last week, but all of a sudden, I did not like the direction the second half was going and I kept revising everything. I even had to delete an entire sequence that I originally had planned and start over from scratch due to dissatisfaction. And then, there's the fact that I was preoccupied with a few other projects that I'm working on simultaneously. It was a bit of a hassle.

Now, before we begin with this brand-new chapter, I just wanted to inform you all that I'll be starting my fall semester at college in a couple of weeks, and that means updates for this fic might become slower. I'm not sure exactly how slow the updates will actually be, but since I'll be going to school as a full-time student, that means I will most likely be getting a very big workload within a few weeks. Yeah, that's what we're going to be dealing with the future. We'll see how it goes, but for now, don't expect any miraculous semimonthly updates from me. BUT! Don't be scared by the possibility of long waiting periods between updates, though, for I have no intention of abandoning this story whatsoever!

Oh, and speaking of stories and projects, I'm pleased to announce my next story. It's a big crossover between "My Hero Academia" and the Marvel Cinematic Universe, though other Marvel-related properties are also being thrown in. I'm not going to divulge any further details, but I'm really excited by this project (especially since it's my first crossover fic ever) and I can't wait to post it! It should be out sometime by next month or the month after that, depending on the progress of this fic and my ability to multitask between fanfiction and schoolwork. Get pumped! :D

Alright, I think I've said enough. On with the chapter! ENJOY!

"Is...Is that why you're doing all of this in the first place? 'C-Cause...y-you saw those s-same guys do s-so-something to someone...and you d-didn't do a t-thing about it...?"

Izuku exhaled through his nostrils as he was packing up his school supplies. With every object he stuffed into his bag, he caught a glimpse of the Yamikumo costume inside. In a few minutes, he would be wearing it for the second time today to catch a perverted thief in the school and prove the innocence of another pervert.

It sounded like something out of a manga.

Izuku stuffed the last of his school supplies, a binder, into his bag. Then, he took a sideways glance at the rabbit ear-like protrusions sticking out from the mask of his costume.

"To think it would end up like this..." he thought. "Me, actually living out what I always wanted to do... Be a superhero in real life, like Yamikumo... The old me would've been so happy if he knew this would happen. But now...I feel nothing but emptiness. I'm only committed to this because someone else's life depends on the outcome. I can't let Mineta spend the rest of his life suffering the consequences of something he didn't even do. I'm not gonna leave him like that, even if he is a really disgusting pervert. Heroes don't do that.

"But after this, I'm done. This is it. This will be the end of my foray into heroics. I'll no longer indulge in my old fantasies. After this, I'm gonna go back to being an ordinary person with an ordinary life. Just like Shimura-san would've wanted..."

"Hey, Midoriya!" a voice called. Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw Ochako, Tenya, Momo, Shoto, and Yui all waiting for him at the classroom doorway.

"Are you coming?" asked Ochako.

Izuku smiled back at them. "Sorry, guys. I gotta stay behind for a bit." He put on his backpack. "I, uh...I gotta take care of a few things first."

"O-Oh." Ochako looked a little disappointed. "O-Okay." Then, her cheerful smile returned. "Well, we'll see you tomorrow!"

"And remember," Tenya added, waving his hand, "don't forget to study, Midoriya! We have an important test next week!"

"Don't worry, Iida," Izuku replied, smiling fondly at him. "I will."

Tenya nodded approvingly at Izuku before leaving with Momo, Shoto, and Yui. Ochako briefly remained to give Izuku one last wave, then she followed her friends out of the classroom. Then, once they were all gone, the small smile faded away from Izuku's face, which hardened into a mask of resolve.

"Okay. Let's get this started."

Izuku quickly left the classroom and was about to turn a corner when he was greeted with a startling sight.

"Wh-Whoa!" he exclaimed. "K-Kacchan?"

Katsuki Bakugo scowled nastily at him. "Whaddaya want, otaku?!" he snapped. The ashy-blond limped towards him with his crutches, causing Izuku's heart-rate to quicken. "Oh, lemme guess! You're here to laugh at my misery, aren't ya?!"

"N-N-No! Th-Th-That's not why-"

"Yeah, well, joke's on you, loser! In a few more days, I'm gonna be ditching these sorry fucking things and I'll be back to kicking your ass! In fact, the first beatin' I'll give you will be with one of these!" With gritted teeth, he pointed his chin at his right crutch. "So next time ya decide to try and play your dumb lil' superhero games, don't even think about sticking up for me, huh?!"

All of a sudden, Izuku felt his entire body relax. He watched as Katsuki started hobbling past him, all the while muttering insulting and inflammatory curses. He wanted to let his bully go, but something compelled him to do otherwise.

"Kacchan," he said quietly, prompting the other boy to stop, right after he had just passed him.

"I swear to fucking God," growled Katsuki, "if you use that name one more time, I'm gonna strangle you-"

"There's no one around to hear this, Kacchan. And..." Izuku looked over his shoulder, at Katsuki. "You're my best friend." He smiled fondly. "I...I couldn't just leave you like that. No matter what you've done to me. Even if you'll still demean my passion for manga, and call me an otaku and a loser and a defenseless guy, I would still try to save you without asking. I can't make you leave me alone, but I can still care for you."

Katsuki looked over his shoulder as well, and Izuku was almost terrified to see the blazing look of bestial fury in his hazel eyes. In fact, his eyes were so enraptured in rage that they were almost red.

"Save it, otaku!" he roared. "I can handle myself, ya hear me?! I can beat the asses of a thousand men any day and any time, and I wouldn't even break a goddamn sweat! I never needed your help!"

"But clearly you did, Kacchan," Izuku thought somberly. However, he didn't bother to voice this, and instead, he watched as Katsuki started hobbling away again.

"YA HEAR ME?!" the bully called furiously. "I NEVER NEEDED YOUR HELP, AND I'LL NEVER NEED YOUR HELP!"

Izuku sighed, turned around, and continued walking. As he did, he continued to hear Katsuki's stomps echoing loudly in the halls. Once he turned the corner, he suddenly bumped into someone.

"OOF! Ow!" Izuku rubbed his head and looked down at the floor, only to see a fallen notebook. "I'm-I'm sorry! H-Here, l-lemme get that f-for you-"

"I-It's okay," a familiar voice interrupted, though it was strangely gentle. "I got it..."

Eyes widening, Izuku looked up and finally saw the person he bumped into. "A...Ashido...?"

The ganguro girl smiled sheepishly at him. "H-Hey there, Midoriya..." she greeted.

"Wh-What're you doing here?"

"I, uh..." She faintly swallowed while bending down to pick up the notebook. "I just had to take care of a lil' something, th-that's all..."

"O-Oh." Then, Izuku thought, "Funny. Ashido doesn't seem like the kind of person to stay behind after class is dismissed. What's up with that?"

"Wh-What're you doing here, Midoriya?" Mina asked.

"H-Huh?" Izuku started to sweat a little, and he began scratching the back of his head on instinct. "O-Oh, well, uh, y-you see, I'm-I'm going to a-a club meeting right now!"

Mina blinked slowly. "A club meeting?"

"Y-Yeah, a-a club meeting!"

"...I never knew you were a part of a club, Midoriya..."

"Wh-What makes you think that?"

"Well, I-I've been picking on you ever since the start of the school year, and I've never, ever seen you near the doorstep of any club."

"My God, how pathetic! Are you really gonna wimp out and cry over a silly manga?!"

Upon remembering the harassment he endured just a few weeks ago, Izuku hung his head and sighed. Upon seeing this, Mina gasped and covered her mouth.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Midoriya," she whispered. "I-I probably shouldn't have said that..."

"Yeah, you shouldn't have," Izuku replied coldly. He raised his head and walked past Mina. "I have to be going now."

"Look, Midoriya...I..."

But Izuku did not hear Mina finish her sentence. Instead, he kept walking towards the stairway, and once he reached the base, he looked up at the wooden stairs apprehensively. The second floor was right above him, the very floor that would put an end to this whole debacle with the locker room break-in.

On instinct, Izuku looked across his shoulder to see if Mina was still there, but she wasn't. He was alone in the hall now.

Without the slightest hint of hesitation, Izuku tightly grasped the straps of his bag and went up the stairs.

"Okay, you guys ready?"

"You betcha, Yamikumo!"

"I told you to stop calling me that..."

Izuku peeked his masked head out of the classroom door and looked both ways down the hallway. Once he was sure the hall was clear, he withdrew his head and looked back at the rest of the Hero Club. Mei, Nirengeki, Paula, Manzo, and Toru were wearing their previous costumes again. As for Eijiro, he was wearing one of his own; Izuku immediately recognized it as a cosplay for Crimson Riot, one of the characters from Our Hero Academia.

"When did Mustard say he'd come?" Izuku asked.

"In about-" Eijiro checked his wristwatch. "A couple more minutes. He's waiting till it's just the students on cleaning duty. Now then, how're we gonna go about this?"

"We wait for him to come and drop off what you ordered." Izuku then looked around. "Hatsume, how'd you convince the teacher to borrow this classroom after school hours anyway?"

Mei winked craftily. "I have my ways..."

"...Okay... I'll just ignore how suspicious that sounds..." He looked at Nirengeki. "Shoda-"

"Mines," Nirengeki corrected insistently.

"...Shoda, we're not out in public, you know..."

"I know, I know. I-It's just..." The short boy smiled bashfully. "I like that name, that's all..."

"...Mines, did you set up the camera?"

"Yep! And in a place that Mustard wouldn't even bother to look at, just like you instructed."

"Ooh, this is so exciting!" Mei squealed. "This is gonna be the Hero Club's first catch! This'll make the headlines! And you know what making the headlines means for us?!"

"W-Wh-What, H-Hatsume?" Toru asked.

"Good publicity!" Then, the otaku started counting her fingers frantically. "Ooh, ooh, I gotta think about how we're gonna maintain our public image! A-And the merchandise! And our salaries! And our-"

"Hold on," interrupted Manzo. "Merchandise? Salaries? Are you out of your- Never mind, I know the answer to that."

"For the last time, Hatsume!" Izuku wheezed. "After we catch Mustard and turn him in, we're DONE. No more Hero Club, no more pretending, no more investigating, no more...o-of this!"

"Yadda, yadda, yadda," Mei replied flippantly. "You may want out, Midoriya, but I am all in on this, and I aaaaaiiiiinnnnn't coming out! And I know you wanna embrace your otaku side again, Midoriya! I can feel it! And here's a little advice from the doctor: you just need to learn how to have more fun. Like Kirishima-kun!"

Mei pointed at Eijiro, and Izuku noticed the redhead was admiring himself using his phone camera. With a frown, the boy looked back at the club president.

"That's because you misled him on how dangerous this could be!" he snapped.

"Who said anyone would be hurt here?"

"I did, during lunchtime!"

Mei puffed her cheeks. "You're such a KJ, Midoriya."

"Hell yeah, Midoriya!" Eijiro cried boisterously. He wrapped an arm around Izuku's head and ruffled his green hair, much to his discomfort. "You need to lighten up!"

Before Izuku could protest any further, Paula suddenly put a finger to her lips.

"Shhhhh!" she whispered. "Someone's coming!"

Eijiro broke away from Izuku and peeked through the crack in the ajar door. Then, he grinned with triumph.

"Bingo," he said. "He's here."

"He is?" Izuku asked.

"What'd I just say, man? Look, he's even got one of those gay little shopping bags! I bet my order's in there! Heh. What the hell does he think this is, a shopping mall?"

Meanwhile, Nirengeki looked at Izuku. "The camera should be recording, Midoriya," he said. "Everything's being captured as we speak. Now, whaddaya want us to do once Mustard drops off the order?"

Izuku narrowed his eyes while he adjusted his mask. "We don't let him get away."

"Don't let him get away," Manzo repeated, grinning behind his paper mask. "I like the sound of that."

"Ooh, ooh!" Paula squealed. "Mustard just dropped the bag beside the bathroom door! Let's get him!"

"Alright!" Nirengeki exclaimed. "Ladies first!"

However, Paula and Toru looked at him with unsatisfied faces.

"Ladies first?" Paula repeated. "Why don't you be a gentleman and make the first move?"

Nirengeki started sweating. "B-B-But what if he f-fi-fights back?!"

"Guys, come on!" Toru moaned. "He's walking away!"

"I don't wanna get pummeled if he sees me coming!"

"Me neither!" added Manzo.

"Well, there's no way I'm getting touched by this creep," Paula replied. "He stole girls' underwear!"

"Are we really talking about this right now?!" Izuku exclaimed with disbelief.

"He's gonna turn around the corner, guys!" cried Toru.

"Oh, that's it!" Eijiro roared bestially. "I'll take care of this!"

Before anyone could stop him, the redheaded boy burst out of the classroom and started sprinting down the hallway with a loud yell that sounded like a battle-cry. On instinct, Izuku and the others followed him, just in time to see a bewildered boy with bone-gray hair being tackled to the floor by Eijiro.

"AGH!" the boy cried. "WHAT THE HELL?!"

"You stay right where you are, Mustard!" growled Eijiro. "Stay right there!"

"The fuck, Kirishima?! Why're you and your pals in all that getup?! And what's all this about?!"

"The break-in at the girls' P.E. locker room," Izuku snarled while he caught up to Eijiro and helped him pin Mustard down. "And the theft of several articles of girls' underwear."

A glint of terror passed through Mustard's eye before the boy sneered. "I have no idea what the hell you're talking about, Midoriya."

"You know who he is?!" Eijiro snapped while tightening his grip on Mustard.

"Ow, ow, ow! Everyone knows what kind of costume Midoriya used weeks ago! Even you do, Kirishima! Of course I know who he is underneath that mask! OW, OW, OW! Please, Kirishima! Ease it up, man; you're hurting me!"

"Can't be any worse than all the emotional pain you put those girls through!"

"Again, I have no idea what you're talking a-"

He was interrupted when a bra and pair of panties landed on the floor, just several centimeters away from his face. Izuku looked up and saw Mei standing over them, holding a small shopping bag.

"Does this answer your question, Villain?" she asked triumphantly.

But Mustard sneered as he started to look up. "Perhaps," he replied. "Now I've got another question."

"And what's that?"

"Are those teddy bears on those cute panties of yours?"

Izuku promptly grabbed Mustard's arm and twisted it behind his back, bending it at an unnatural angle.

"AAAGGGHHH! NO, NO, NO! PLEASE, DON'T DO THAT! PLEASE! YOU'LL BREAK IT!"

"Then take those words back, Mustard," snarled Izuku, "and confess to the theft."

"And tell us where the rest of the stolen items are too!" Paula added.

"Okay, okay!" Mustard cried frantically. "I take it back, I take it back!"

Izuku loosened his grip somewhat, but he refused to let the arm leave its current uncomfortable angle.

"Now confess to the thefts," he growled quietly but menacingly.

However, Mustard looked up at him, terrified. "Look, I take those words back, but I swear, I have nothing to do with what happened yesterday!"

"DON'T LIE TO US!"

"I swear! I-I mean, I thought they arrested Mineta for that-"

"Then how'd you get the underwear?" interrupted Nirengeki.

Mustard didn't answer, forcing Izuku to bend his arm even more. "Tell us, Mustard!"

"OW, OW, OW! OKAY, OKAY! I'LL TALK, I'LL TALK! AGH!" Once Izuku relaxed his grip again, Mustard said, "B-But...y-you have to promise you won't tell anyone about this. I don't wanna get suspended-"

"You're in possession of stolen items," Izuku growled. "We can't promise you that."

"And don't forget whose arm is being bent behind their back right now," added Manzo.

Mustard cursed quietly before replying, "M-Mi-Mineta gave 'em to me..."

There was a brief but uncomfortable silence. Then, Eijiro asked, "Mineta?"

"Y...Yeah... L-Look, I-I didn't know those were the things stolen from the girls' locker room-"

"But you didn't bother to ask?!" snapped Izuku.

"M-Mineta knew all about my b-bu-business s-sellin' guys stuff. Y-You know, w-ways to release p-pe-pent-up stress-"

"Yeah, we're aware," Paula replied with disgust.

"H-He was trying to help me out! A-And I wanted to make more quick bucks! S-So I accepted the underwear wi-without question! I-I honestly thought he nicked 'em from a used clothing store or somethin'-"

"Well, he didn't, man," Eijiro interrupted.

"Because we know you did all of it," Izuku snarled. "The break-in, the stealing, the selling, everything."

"I SWEAR!" shrieked Mustard. "I'M SO, SO SORRY I TRIED TO SELL STOLEN STUFF, BUT I PROMISE YOU, I'M INNOCENT IN ALL OF THIS!"

Izuku flipped Mustard over and grabbed him by the collar of his school uniform. He raised a fist and aimed it at the boy's face, staring angrily into his terrified eyes. Mustard's bone-gray hair was now even more unkempt and glimmering beads of sweat were developing on his forehead.

"You're lying!" Izuku shouted. "How'd you know the cup size of one of the bras found in Mineta's locker, then?!"

"C-Cu-Cup size?!" stuttered Mustard. "What the hell are you even talking about?!"

"YOU KNOW WHAT I'M TALKING ABOUT!"

"I swear, I don't! You must've been hearing things, man, 'cause I didn't say shit when the cops came in!"

Izuku gritted his teeth. "I know it was you-"

At that moment, behind the terrified mask, Mustard's lips subtly twitched into a confident, arrogant sneer, one so small that it could never be seen from even a short distance. He leaned his head towards Izuku's by a fraction of a centimeter, and he whispered something under his breath. His lips barely moved and his own teeth were clenched, further restricting movement in his mouth.

"Can you prove it, then?"

Izuku's eyes expanded to the sizes of saucers. "It is him..." he thought. "He committed the thefts... He framed Mineta..."

Suddenly, he felt a hand grip his shoulder, and he looked behind him to see Manzo shaking his head.

"Let him go, man," he said. "It's not worth it."

"No, Fukidashi! He did it, I know it-"

"Dude," Nirengeki interrupted, "he just said Mineta gave the underwear to him. That...honestly makes sense..."

"You can't be serious!"

"Honestly," Paula replied, "I can't believe we didn't think of that before. That alternative makes a lot more sense than the possibility of a frame-up-"

"B-But what about the guy who knew what cup size the bra was?!"

"He says he didn't say those words," responded Nirengeki. "And to be honest, Midoriya, we can't prove he said it."

"But weren't you sitting close to him when you heard those words?!"

"Dude, I don't pay attention to who I sit next to in the gym locker!"

Izuku was in total disbelief. "Why don't you?!"

"I..." Nirengeki started fiddling with his fingers nervously. "I don't want to attract attention to myself..."

"Mi-Mid-Midoriya..." Toru stuttered. "G-Gi-Give it up... I-It's over..."

Izuku's lower jaw hung open, and he started shaking his head slowly. "No..." he moaned. "No, it can't be over..."

"Hey, look on the bright side, Midoriya," Manzo replied. "At least we know where Mineta got rid of the rest of his stash..." He grabbed Mustard by the shoulder and ripped him away from Izuku's grasp. "Speaking of which, show us where you're keeping the rest of the stuff Mineta stole. Then we turn you in to the principal."

"Wh-What?!" Mustard exclaimed. "B-But I thought y-you'd-"

"We didn't promise you anything, creep," Paula said. "Now lead the way."

Mustard cursed under his breath again. Then, he reluctantly walked ahead of the group, with Manzo right behind him, his hand still on the boy's shoulder. Nirengeki, Paula, and Toru followed them, while a dumbfounded Izuku remained behind with Mei and Eijiro. Eijiro promptly placed a hand on Izuku's shoulder.

"It's alright, man," the redhead said. "At least we know the full story."

But Izuku continued to watch Mustard as the rest of the Hero Club escorted him down the hall. He could faintly feel both of his fists shaking.

"I...I really thought Mineta didn't do it..." the green-haired boy whispered, almost to himself.

"Ah don't sweat it, partner!" Mei cried enthusiastically while lightly clapping Izuku on the shoulder. "We got to the bottom of this case, and that's what matters the most! We even got to find the rest of the stuff Mineta stole!" Then, her eyes lit up. "Oh, that reminds me! I gotta get Shoda's camera..."

The female otaku ran off, leaving behind a perplexed Izuku and a sympathetic Eijiro."

"But..." Izuku said, "it...it wasn't supposed to end like this..."

"Oh, come on, Midoriya," Eijiro replied. "I, uh, I don't mean to offend you, but...this isn't like one of the manga you keep reading. This is-"

"Real life," Izuku completed somberly. "Yes, yes, I know..." He continued to watch Mustard as he was still being escorted away by Nirengeki, Paula, Manzo, and Toru. "It's just...I...I really, really thought it was him. It all made so much sense."

"Well, we already got him. He admitted to having the stolen underwear in his possession. He was in the middle of selling some to us, even. And it was all caught on tape." Eijiro patted Izuku's shoulder. "Trust me, Midoriya. When we turn that perv in to the principal, he's gonna be booted out of the school before you even know it. You should be proud of yourself. After all, you did what no cop in this town was able to do: take this whole thing seriously and get to the bottom of it. And that, Midoriya..." He wrapped an arm around Izuku and held him close with a friendly grin. "Is manly."

Izuku took a deep breath and exhaled slowly through his nose. Then as Mustard turned a corner with the rest of the Hero Club, he shook his head with pursed lips.

"I should be proud of myself?" he asked. When Eijiro nodded, he responded, "Then why do I still feel awful? Like I hadn't actually won anything out of this?"

Eijiro glanced sideways at him, his eyes shimmering with pity. Then, he cracked another smile and started to guide Izuku down the hall, with Mei hot on their heels.

"Lighten up a little, man," he said. "Look on the bright side! Mustard's been caught and he'll be getting the punishment he most rightfully deserves tomorrow! There's absolutely nothing to be worried about."

"THEY SUSPENDED MUSTARD FOR THREE DAYS?!"

Eijiro then looked around and realized everyone was looking at him now. His face turned as red as his hair as he sat back down on the cafeteria table. Izuku, Mei, and the rest of the Hero Club stared awkwardly at him; all of them were wearing their school uniforms again.

"Yeah, that's what Fukidashi and I heard," Nirengeki said.

"Darn!" Mei snapped, slamming her fist down on the table and startling Paula in the process. "I thought we had that little creep! Shoda, didn't you show the principal the tape you recorded?!"

Nirengeki pursed his lips. "Yeah, that's the thing... It recorded everything. Including Mustard saying Mineta gave him the underwear and he didn't know where they actually came from."

"So you're saying it helped lighten his punishment?" Paula asked with disbelief.

"P-Pretty much. And...he was also helped by the fact that we strong-armed him into making that confession. It may have led the police to the items they were searching for, but what we did wasn't exactly ethical. I-It's actually a good thing we were wearing those disguises when we jumped Mustard, otherwise we would've been expelled for assaulting a student."

"So all we did was just make Mineta's punishment worse," Izuku remarked. Then, he buried his face in his palms. "That's just great..."

"Hey, look on the bright side, guys," replied Paula. "At least we helped find the rest of the stuff that was stolen."

"Y-Ye-Yeah," Toru said, nodding her unremarkable head meekly. "T-To be honest...th-this is the f-f-first time I d-did s-so-something like th-th-this..."

"Words can't describe how I feel right now," Manzo added. He looked at Izuku and patted his shoulder. "H-Hey, Midoriya, thank you."

"Thank you?" Izuku repeated. He looked at him, glum-faced. "For what? For proving my lil' theory wrong and giving good ole perverted Mineta his comeuppance?"

"N-Nooooo... F-For dragging us along in this lil' operation and making us do something worthwhile in our lives..."

"Worthwhile?" Izuku scoffed. "We didn't do anything worthwhile, Fukidashi."

"What're you talking about, Midoriya?!" exclaimed Paula with disbelief. "You know, I overheard some girls in the hallway. They're sooooo happy the case was closed! They feel safe again! And all of us helped out with that! Us, the last people in this school anyone would expect to help out. Th-The people considered the weirdos and loners of the school!" Then, she quickly, bashfully looked at Eijiro. "P-Pr-Present company excepted."

"Ah, it's cool," Eijiro replied earnestly.

"And so what if Mineta wasn't innocent just like you believed?" Nirengeki asked. "Hey, just because you were the one to turn him in doesn't mean you should feel guilty about it, Midoriya."

Izuku tightened his lips upon hearing those words. Then, he stood up and started walking away from the table.

"Hey, Midoriya!" called Paula. "Where are you going?!"

But the boy didn't respond. Instead, he left the cafeteria with his head hanging low and his hands in his pockets.

"They're right," he thought. "They're right. We cracked the case. We did what the cops couldn't. We got the chance to be Heroes and do what Heroes would do in Our Hero Academia: do the right thing. That should've been enough for me. That should've been. I should just accept this truth and move on with my life. Go back to Uraraka and her group, be a normal kid like Shimura-san wanted. I should."

Then, he started clutching at the inside fabric of his pockets.

"Then...why do I get the feeling that this whole thing isn't finished?"

"Hey, Midoriya!"

Startled, Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw Mei running up to him. She had the same determined, semi-manic look on her face, which made the boy doubt she would have anything useful or productive to say.

"What is it, Hatsume?" he asked glumly while he continued walking.

"I just wanted you to know that I still believe you!" Mei cried as she joined Izuku's side. "I still think Mustard put Mineta through a real big frame-job! And as your faithful Sidekick, I want you to know that if you have anything in mind, then I-"

"Hatsume," Izuku interrupted with a quiet, restrained voice, "you heard them. It's over. All of it. We got Mustard and the rest of the stolen underwear. The school doesn't have to worry about it anymore."

"Well, it's not over till you say it's over!"

"I just said it's over, Hatsume-"

"Heh, yeah, and Ground Zero started being super-nice and generous to Yamikumo." When this caught Izuku's attention, Mei continued, "You're not buying Mustard's story, Midoriya! I can tell from your voice." She gestured to herself proudly. "Remember, you're looking at the girl who set a world record for watching the most anime marathons in a single week!"

"That must've taken a lot of energy out of you afterward," Izuku deadpanned.

"Yeah, well, you know as well as I do that this is NOT over! Not by a long shot! We're gonna get to the bottom of this and we'll get Mustard for the lying, thieving perv he truly is! And then Mineta can get the justice he deserves!"

Izuku stopped abruptly. "You've gotta stop, Hatsume."

"Oh, come on, Midoriya! Where's that Hero fighting spirit?! Where's your inner Yamikumo?! Where's-"

"Okay, you know what, Hatsume?!" the green-haired boy suddenly snapped. "If you're so freaking convinced of Mineta's innocence, then why don't you investigate all by yourself?! You, you've got that Hero fighting spirit! You've got your-your inner Yamikumo! Why don't you do it?!"

"But a Sidekick doesn't go anywhere without their Hero!"

"I thought you promoted yourself to Hero when you started that stupid Hero Club?"

Mei frowned angrily. "Well, Hero or not, I'll always be your Sidekick! And don't call the Hero Club stupid. You didn't have a problem with it yesterday!"

"The Hero Club is stupid."

"...Okay, Midoriya." Mei chuckled nervously. "Y-You're being a lil' immature-"

"Says the girl who set the world record for watching the most anime marathons in a single week."

"Says the guy who dressed up in Hero getup like the rest of us!"

"Because I was actually being smart about it, unlike a certain someone who treated all of it like a game."

Mei blinked thrice in rapid succession. Then, she smirked.

"At least I wasn't being a killjoy about it. At least I was having fun."

"Then go have fun without me," growled Izuku. "I'm done playing your stupid, childish game, Hatsume. I am not a Hero, and you are not my Sidekick. We're supposed to be ordinary people." Then, before he could restrain himself, he smirked back at her. "But I guess you're too crazy to realize that."

Mei stared at him, dumbfounded. "What'd you just say...?" she asked.

Izuku grinned manically at her, his teeth flashing horribly. His mind felt hazy as he relished in his words.

"You heard me, Hatsume! You're crazy! You're a crazy, crazy girl and a defenseless otaku-"

He suddenly felt a ruthless, unstoppable force collide with his left cheek. His head jerked violently to the side, and just a split-second later, his cheek felt like it had been stamped with a white-hot cast iron. Wincing, Izuku rubbed his cheek and looked back at Mei with bewilderment. It was then when he saw something he had never seen before: a teary-eyed Mei, completely devoid of any semblance of mania.

"Well, then," she tried to say calmly, but she was already starting to cry, "you're a big, big bully..."

Before Izuku could say anything, Mei turned around and sprinted away in the opposite direction. One part of him wanted to reach out to her and apologize endlessly, but the other held him back out of a mixture of spite and disbelief.

"Oh, my God... I...I can't believe I just did that... I can't believe I actually broke Hatsume... Jeez, that actually felt pretty horrible, like I broke some law of nature..."

All of a sudden, he felt eyes on him, and he turned around to see...

"U-Uraraka!" he exclaimed. "K-Kodai!"

Ochako stared back with shock. "Wow, Midoriya..." she said with disbelief. "You...You really just snapped at Hatsume just now..."

"Holy crap! Just how much of our conversation did they hear?!"

Then, he asked, "H-How much d-did you hear...?"

"Enough," the chestnut-haired girl replied. Yui nodded with affirmation.

Izuku gulped. "L-Look, i-it's not wh-what you think it is-"

"I think it's exactly what I heard," Ochako interrupted. She was staring at the floor, and her hair was obscuring her eyes. "Out of all the people I've ever known, I imagined you as the last guy who'd call anyone crazy. Or a defenseless otaku."

"W-Wa-Wait a minute, Uraraka, Kodai, y-you guys misunder-"

"Don't make excuses, Midoriya!" Ochako raised her round face, revealing a shocking expression of outrage. "You have to understand that Hatsume loves what she does. Watching anime and reading manga are her hobbies- no, they're a whole lot more than hobbies, they're essential components to her life! Sure, she may get a lil' carried away, but that does NOT give you the right to call her crazy or anything else like that." Ochako narrowed her eyes. "In fact, it makes things even worse in your case, because if anyone knows what it feels to be called those names, it's you, Midoriya."

"I-I can't believe it," Izuku thought. "Those words are actually coming out of Uraraka-san's mouth right now. And what's worse, she's...she's right..."

"Yeah, you tell the otaku, Bakugo!"

"What's the matter, Midoriya? Want your little storybook back?"

"Well of course a douchebag knows a fellow douchebag when they see one!"

"My God, how pathetic! Are you really gonna wimp out and cry over a silly manga?!"

"He's so lame. No wonder everyone can sense him from a mile away. His lameness is a smell of its own! He's not cut out for anything!"

"That's all that you are, Midoriya. A defenseless otaku."

"You're crazy! You're a crazy, crazy girl and a defenseless otaku!"

"Crap..." Izuku promptly buried his face in his palms. "I can't believe I said that to her! I'm so stupid!"

Then, he started slapping and punching himself in anger, all the while shouting, "Stupid, stupid, STUPID!"

"Midoriya, no!"

Ochako rushed forward and grabbed one of his arms, while Yui calmly grabbed the other. The two girls held on tightly to them, stopping Izuku from striking himself. Now that he was restrained, Izuku started crying, prompting other students to give him wary, confused looks as they passed by.

"I'm sorry, Uraraka!" Izuku wailed between sobs. "I'm so, so sorry! I'm sorry..."

"You don't have to apologize to me, Midoriya," Ochako replied, her voice now more soft and comforting. "You tell that to Hatsume yourself."

"But how?! She wants to keep trying to prove Mineta's innocence!"

Ochako blinked rapidly. "Wait, what?"

Izuku continued, "But all the club did was prove Mineta gave the underwear to Mustard and make his punishment worse! We did nothing to prove he was framed! And now the principal thinks Mustard was an innocent bystander and suspended him for only three days and now he'll never buy the club's story that Mustard was the real thief and-"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, slow down, Midoriya, slow down!" When Izuku complied, Ochako asked slowly, and with uncertainty, "Did...Did you just say...that you think...Mineta, the biggest and most horrid pervert of the school...was framed? And by some guy called Mustard?"

Izuku sniffled and wiped his eyes, being able to do so now that Ochako had unknowingly let go of his arm.

"Y-Yeah..." he replied with a shaky voice. "Hatsume w-wa-wants to keep pr-pr-pressing on...but we've g-g-got n-nothing else t-to prove..."

"O-Okay... S-So, um...M-Midoriya, d-did you just say...that you think...Mineta, the biggest and most horrid pervert of the school...was framed? And by some guy called Mustard?"

"Y-Yeah..." This time, Izuku was confused. "Wh-Why d'you have that look on your face?" Then, he looked at Yui, who too had released his arm. "And you too, Kodai...?"

Yui merely blinked back in response. Then, Izuku stared at the trashcan that was sitting on the other side of the hallway. A horrible realization was starting to dawn on him.

"Ummm... E-Exactly how much did you hear of my conversation with Hatsume...?"

"We walked in the moment you started calling Hatsume crazy..." Ochako replied.

"Oh." Then, Izuku started waving his hands frantically, while sweat started pouring down his face. "L-L-Look, U-Uraraka, K-Kodai, th-this isn't what you think!"

"I think it is exactly what I think!" The chestnut-haired girl crossed her arms. "You...You think Minoru Mineta didn't steal all of that underwear in the girls' locker room?! You really think he's innocent?! That he didn't do anything?!"

"L-Look, I will admit, that's what I seriously thought! A-And I know how stupid that sounds!"

"It doesn't sound stupid, Midoriya. It sounds absolutely freaking outlandish! I mean, w-why in the world would you think that?! Have you heard of all the stuff he's done to girls in the past?!"

"Yes, I know how much of a pervert he is. A-And I know how crazy my hypothesis sounds. But it doesn't matter anyway. We were proven wrong-"

"What do you mean 'we'?!" Then, Ochako's eyes widened with realization. "That's why you were with Hatsume in the first place?!"

"She was the first one to believe me-"

"First one?!"

Izuku winced before replying, "Th-The rest of her club tagged along as well...a-and Ki-Kirishima-"

"You and Kirishima?" The girl batted her eyelids. "That's...a really weird combination." Then, her eyes widened. "N-N-Not that I mean you shouldn't be hanging out with Kirishima! I'm-I'm glad you two are somehow getting along-"

"It doesn't matter, Uraraka. We didn't find anything that proved Mineta didn't do what he was accused of doing. I simply accepted the facts and moved on..."

"But Hatsume couldn't," completed Ochako with understanding.

Izuku nodded. "She sorta thinks we're roleplaying as characters from a manga she likes...and she kept urging me not to lose hope... That's why you heard me snapping at her... Calling her crazy..."

"W-Well...believing that Mineta isn't guilty of anything like that is...in-indeed crazy...b-but what you said wasn't that right way to go about it, Midoriya! You need to apologize to her and tell her the truth on what you think."

"Yeah..." Izuku looked down at the floor, crestfallen. "I should do that..."

But before the boy could act, he and the girls heard the bell ringing through the halls. The other students in the hallway with them reacted almost instantly, packing up their lunches and heading for their lockers for their school supplies. Izuku sighed and looked at Ochako and Yui with reluctance.

"Maybe after school is out," he said. "I mean...I don't know what classes Hatsume takes..."

"Okay, Midoriya," the chestnut-haired girl replied, before her lips curved into a frown. "But you know as well as I do that Hatsume's not gonna let that comment go. Now, I don't know the full story between the two of you, but if you care about her and don't want her to keep turning her back on you, then you gotta apologize sometime today, okay?"

"Su-Sure thing..." Then, Izuku blushed intensely with embarrassment. "And th-th-there's nothing going on between t-the two of us, Uraraka!"

Ochako blinked with surprise. "I wasn't implying anything like that, Midoriya..."

"O-Oh. G-Good..." Then, Izuku thought to himself, "I don't want Uraraka to think I'm already taken or anything..."

All of a sudden, Ochako crossed her arms. "Midoriya," she said, "is there something else you wanna tell me?"

"H-Huh?!" Izuku's face turned even redder than ever before. "N-No! I've got nothing else to say, I swear!"

Ochako continued to stare at him suspiciously, which left Izuku highly tense. "Oh, no!" he thought. "Uraraka's not buying it! She thinks I've got something else to say! Probably about how I feel about her! Ohhhhh, why'd I have to say Hatsume and I aren't an item?! Why'd I have to say that of all things?!"

Suddenly, his crush broke the awkward tension by saying, "Okay, Midoriya. If you insist."

"Y-Ye-Yes!" Izuku straightened out his posture and stood at attention. "I do insist!"

"Okaaaaay..." Ochako turned around. "And remember, you need to apologize to Hatsume. There's one thing that's worse than being a bully...and it's becoming one after being a victim for so long."

Izuku watched regretfully as she walked away. Yui remained for a moment, staring at him with her intimidatingly blank, almost robotic expression. Then, she finally turned on her heel and followed after her cousin.

The final ringing of the school bell pulled Izuku out of his brief stupor. In that moment, he realized many of the students in his class were now filing out of the room. Orange sunlight was pouring through the windows. In an instant, the green-haired boy remembered his task, and with that, he began packing up his stuff.

"We'll see you later, Midoriya," a voice said.

Izuku looked up and saw Tenya nodding at him. Momo and Shoto were right behind him; the former was looking at him with an expectant look, while the latter was lost in thought as usual. At first, he was going to ask, but then, he realized.

"Uraraka told you guys what happened between me and Hatsume..." he concluded.

Tenya nodded, allowing Izuku to continue packing. However, he was stopped by Momo's voice.

"Midoriya...was Uraraka telling us the truth? Do you really believe Minoru Mineta didn't commit that break-in at the girls' locker room?"

"To be perfectly honest, Yaoyorozu," he replied, "I'm...I'm not sure anymore..." He resumed packing once again. "But if someone like Mustard-"

"Who?"

"The boy who was just suspended. F-For having the stuff that wasn't found in Mineta's locker."

"Yes, I've heard of that boy..." Tenya replied while shaking his head with disappointment. "It's a shame. Even an indirect affiliation with that deviant Mineta will get one into a great amount of trouble."

Izuku frowned as he finished packing up. "That's the thing, Iida. The fact that we- I mean, the police just discovered his involvement changes what we know about the crime. Why would Mineta give the rest of his stash to someone else? Why would he risk exposing himself by getting another student involved after the crime? It just doesn't make a lot of sense-"

"You know, Midoriya," Tenya interrupted hesitantly, "I hold a certain degree of appreciation for your willingness to see the good side of people. But sometimes, sometimes...there's no good side to people. Some people are just born with twisted minds. And if you trust those kinds of people as much as anyone else, you're only gonna get yourself into trouble."

"I know that, Iida. I really do."

"Then why are you assuming such good faith on a pervert like Mineta? Uraraka told us about how you and Hatsume tried to search for clues that proved Mineta's innocence. She said that you said your search went nowhere."

Izuku sighed softly. "Because...deep down...I know there's a good side to Mineta. A piece of me still does. Now, I know it may be a long shot, proving that he didn't do what he's accused of doing...in spite of his history..." He put on his bag. "I know that. But it's a whole lot better than immediately assuming he has no good side." He secured the straps of his bag. "I'll see you guys tomorrow. I gotta go find Hatsume and apologize."

"W-We'll see you, Midoriya..." Momo said, surprised as Izuku quickly passed by her.

"How could Iida say something like that?" the boy thought as he left the classroom. "I know he means well, but does he expect me to just look the other way? Even when someone is insisting their innocence? I...I can't do that!"

Just then, a passing stripe of red caught his eye, and Izuku looked sideways in time to see a familiar group walking away from him. He felt a growing sense of discomfort bubbling up within his stomach, while horrible memories of manga pages being stained by egg white invaded his mind. However, Izuku ignored that physiological reaction and walked towards the group as quickly as he could.

"I can't believe I'm actually walking up to them instead of running away," he thought bitterly. "Great."

"Hey, Kirishima!" he called.

The redhead stopped and turned around. Once he spotted Izuku, he grinned, flashing his shark-like teeth.

"Yo, Midoriya!" he replied.

"This is sooo weird..." Izuku thought. Then, he asked, "Hey, did you happen to know where Hatsume takes her classes?"

"Well, not-"

"YO!" a voice barked. "SHITTY HAIR!"

Eijiro looked over his shoulder. "Yeah, Bakugo?"

At that moment, Izuku realized Eijiro wasn't the only one in the hall with him. Hobbling up to them was Katsuki; his fiery hazel eyes were bulging with utmost fury, and his grip on the crutches was so tight Izuku almost feared he made break the handles. Right behind Katsuki were Mina, Denki, Hanta, and Yuga, but only Yuga was regarding Izuku with as much hostility as his ashy-blond leader.

"Why the hell are you over there talking to those nerds?!" Katsuki snapped. "Come on! We've got some practicing to do!"

"Uhhhhh..." Eijiro looked at Izuku for a moment, then back at Katsuki. "Sorry, Bakugo! I...I gotta take care of something with him-"

"WHAT THE FUCK IS WRONG WITH YOU?! DID THAT ASS-KICKING MAKE YOU GO FULL RETARD OR WHAT?! DON'T YOU FORGET, HE'S AN OTAKU WHO CAN'T HANDLE REALITY!"

"Indeed!" Yuga added with a pompous smile. "Don't be stupide."

"Aw, come on, Bakugo!" Eijiro said. "He saved our-"

"HE DIDN'T SAVE SHIT!" Katsuki roared, flecks of spit flying through his teeth. "WE WERE HANDLING OURSELVES JUST FINE BACK THEN, AND YOU KNOW IT!"

Izuku's eyes expanded with shock as he watched Eijiro flinch at Katsuki's outburst.

"Holy whoa," he thought. "I've never seen Kirishima get so scared before...much less with Kacchan of all people!"

"NOW YOU COME PRACTICE BASEBALL WITH US OR I'LL BE KICKING YOUR ASS TOMORROW, YA HEAR ME?!"

"Bakugo!" someone barked. Izuku looked over his shoulder and saw Tenya stepping out of the classroom with Momo and Shoto right behind him. "You are in a school, an educational institution! You should be more respectful by-"

Katsuki cut him off by slamming one of his crutches onto the floor. "SHOVE YOUR RESPECT UP YOUR DAMN ASS, FOUR-EYES!" Then, he redirected his rage back to Eijiro. "LET'S GO, SHITTY HAIR! I DON'T HAVE ALL DAY!"

"Bakugo, calm down-" began Denki.

"I AM CALM, YA HEAR ME?! SO SHUT YOUR TRAP, JAMMING-YAY!"

Denki blinked rapidly, affronted. "Wow, that was so uncalled for!"

"Yeah, man!" exclaimed Hanta, beads of sweat breaking out on his forehead. "What the heck's gotten into you?"

"I'll tell you what's gotten into him," a new voice said calmly. "His big ego's taken a big hit."

Izuku's eyes widened with shock and a hint of terror as Ochako and Yui calmly passed the group, disregarding Katsuki's rage. Not unexpectedly, the ashy-blond looked like he was about to explode like a nuclear bomb.

"What..." Katsuki growled before completely exploding. "WHAT THE FUCK DID YOU JUST SAY, ROUND FACE?!"

Ochako shot him a scathing look. "Oh, you heard me, Bakugo," she replied. She stopped walking while Yui joined Tenya, Momo, and Shoto. "Your pride's been wounded. It's so wounded, in fact, that you're now resorting to insulting your own friends to make yourself feel better. And for what? You cannot even bring yourself to admit you needed help back in the alleyway, when even your closest lackey can."

"I'm gonna take that as a compliment..." Eijiro said slowly.

"SHUT UP, SHITTY HAIR!" Katsuki roared before marching over to Ochako. "Listen here, bitch, you think you are all high and mighty, saying all that to my fucking face, but don't forget!" He jabbed a thumb in his chest. "I'm Katsuki Bakugo!"

Ochako merely blinked. "Yeah, I noticed-"

He jabbed his thumb again.

"I'm the star of this godforsaken school!"

He jabbed it yet again.

"I'm GOD under these roofs!"

He slammed one of his crutches beside Ochako's foot, but she didn't flinch.

"NO ONE QUESTIONS ME EXCEPT FOR MYSELF! AND I NEVER QUESTION MYSELF, BECAUSE I'M THE FUCKING BEST!"

As Katsuki ranted and raved, everyone in the hall was flinching and motioning to cover their ears, with the exceptions of Shoto, who remained composed as usual, and Ochako, of all people. The chestnut-haired girl simply absorbed the ashy-blond's explosive outbursts like rubber deflecting something thrown at it. Once Katsuki was done speaking, she blinked.

"You're not the best, Bakugo," she said calmly. "You just keep telling yourself that."

"Oh, my God!" Izuku thought with rising terror. "What're you doing, Uraraka?! You're just gonna get yourself killed!"

Katsuki's face twitched violently, and Izuku was prepared to step in and take a beating for his crush. But right before he could move his foot, another voice spoke up.

"Alright, what's going on here?"

Stepping out into the hallway from another classroom was none other than Aizawa. Though his eyes appeared baggy as usual, his stare was piercing, which was enough to make all of the teenagers tense...except for Katsuki, that is.

"Why am I hearing such an immature, disrespectful racket in the halls?" Aizawa asked, his voice low and cold.

"We apologize, Aizawa-sensei!" Tenya replied while bowing his head. "I promise, I shall see to it that we maintain better conduct in the hallway from now on!"

"I hope so." Aizawa regarded Katsuki, who stared daggers back at him. "Especially for your sake, Bakugo. Your voice was the most distinguishable in that clamor. I suggest you keep your volume to a minimum if you do not wish get detention."

The ashy-blond boy gritted his teeth, but otherwise, he did nothing to resist the teacher's warnings. Aizawa gave the rest of the group a hard glare before turning around and walking away. The teens watched him, and once he turned a corner and went out of sight, Katsuki glared at Ochako.

"I'm gonna make you eat those words tomorrow, bitch," he growled.

"I'm sure you will," Ochako replied flatly.

Katsuki's eyelid twitched, making Izuku fear for the girl's safety again. Then, he took a slow, deep breath...and started to laugh.

"Now Kacchan's laughing?" Izuku thought with bewilderment. "That can't be good..."

"You've got guts, Round Face," he said. "I'll give you that."

"Oh." Ochako's frown deepened. "Now you're complimenting me. I'm sooo flattered."

Katsuki pursed his lips at the girl's sarcasm, but he maintained his newfound cheerful demeanor. He leaned his face close to hers, prompting her to lean backward out of disgust.

"Yes, keep on talking. But I'll have you know that no girl has ever resisted me. Sooner or later, one way or another, they all bend to my will in the end."

Ochako retched a little. "Are you...trying to flirt with me?"

"No." Katsuki then grinned lecherously. "But...it's funny that you would assume that. If you want me to, I will. In fact..." His eyes wandered down to her chest, making Izuku retch. "I can do anything you want, as long as you ask nicely-"

"Alright, that's enough, Bakugo."

It wasn't Tenya that spoke, or even Eijiro. Katsuki grunted as a tanned hand yanked him away from Ochako's proximity, nearly causing him to collapse to the ground. He gritted his teeth with anger as he glared at the person who interrupted his exchange with Ochako.

"Oi!" he snapped. "What the hell do ya think you're doing, Ashido?!"

"Reeling you in," Mina replied. "That's what."

Izuku was surprised to hear the disgust in the ganguro's voice, and he could faintly see her body trembling.

"Ehhhhh?" Yuga uttered. "What's gotten into you, Ashido? You've been acting strangely lately. Très étrange."

"Maybe I had a lil' eye-opener." Mina promptly joined Eijiro's side. "So, if you're gonna continue being a bigger dick than usual, Bakugo, then I suggest hightailing it, 'cause I want no part in it."

"A-Ashido?" Eijiro asked incredulously, while the others stared on with disbelief.

"Yeah, s-same here!" Denki cried. He joined Eijiro and Mina, with Hanta following right behind him. "Being beat up really screwed your mojo, Bakugo! You gotta see that!"

"I ain't seeing shit!" Katsuki growled. "My mojo is fucking fine, you dumbasses! Now get back over here!"

But neither Eijiro, Mina, Denki, or Hanta budged an inch. Izuku, Tenya, and Momo stared at them with shock and a little wonder, while Ochako crossed her arms triumphantly.

"You see, Bakugo?" she asked. "Even your friends agree that you're getting out of hand." Then, she eyed Yuga, who was still beside Katsuki. "Except for him, but he's always been a dummy, so-"

"I believe the correct term is génie, mademoiselle," Yuga boasted in response.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a minute!" Hanta replied. "So you're a genie?"

"What's a genie?" Denki asked.

"Who the fuck gives a shit if Aoyama is a damn genie or not?!" Katsuki snapped. "Get your retarded asses back here or-"

"No, Bakugo," Mina interrupted, her eyes narrowed. "Midoriya saved us. He could've left all of us in the hands of those..." She gulped. "Those thugs...but he didn't. He stopped to help us, and he put in all the effort he could. No matter what we did to him, he still wanted to help us. He wanted to help you, Bakugo, because you were his best friend."

Izuku stared at Mina incredulously. "She...She knows? But...But how...?"

"You're my best friend. I...I couldn't just leave you like that. No matter what you've done to me."

"Did she overhear our conversation yesterday? Is that why she was nearby in the first place?"

"But you cannot appreciate what he did for you," Mina continued, ignoring the shocked look developing on Katsuki's face. "If you can't appreciate a friend's efforts, then...how can I keep being your friend...?"

"Y-Yeah..." Denki added, though he was staring at Mina with confusion. "Wh-What she said..."

Katsuki stared at Hanta, who nodded nervously at him. Then, he looked at Eijiro; the redhead looked extremely reluctant in his actions, but nevertheless, he remained still. Eventually, the ashy-blond growled angrily, turned around, and began limping away.

"FINE, THEN!" he roared, his voice echoing loudly across the hallways. "IF YOU FOUR WANNA BE GODDAMN TRAITORS AND NOT PRACTICE WITH ME, THEN THAT'S FINE BY ME! I'VE GOT MORE FRIENDS WHO WON'T FUCKING BACK-STAB ME LIKE YOU LOSERS! I'VE GOT A WHOLE BUNCH OF DAMN REPLACEMENTS FOR ALL OF YOU! SO GO ON AHEAD! STAY WITH THE NERDS AND THE OTAKUS AND THE LOSERS! LIKE I GIVE A SHIT ABOUT ANY OF YOU!"

"B-Bakugo!" Eijiro called, but his voice didn't reach Katsuki. Instead, he watched regretfully as the baseball player turned a corner and disappeared, followed by Yuga. "Bakugo..."

"Well, that was certainly an unexpected development," Tenya remarked. "But regardless, I appreciate you four seeing the error of your ways-"

"Hey, Four-Eyes," Denki interrupted, "zip it. We're not doing this to suck up to your ass."

"Wh-What?! Don't you dare use that kind of foul language in the halls-"

"K-Kirishima!" Izuku exclaimed, tugging at the redhead's sleeve. "Wh-What were you gonna say about Hatsume?!"

"Huh?" Eijiro averted his gaze from the corner Katsuki rounded. "Wh-Wha...?"

"You were gonna say if you knew what classes Hatsume took."

"O-Oh..." Eijiro took one last look at the hallway before replying, "W-Well, I don't know where Hatsume's classes are, but I heard her saying something about Mustard before lunch ended."

Izuku's eyes widened. "You did?! What?!"

"Well, sh-she was talking a mile a minute, so I couldn't understand, like, ninety-five percent of it... The only thing I could make out was that she was gonna finish what we started. Whatever it takes, or some corny stuff like that." Then, Eijiro's eyes lit up. "Hey, maybe the others know!"

"The others?" Momo asked.

"Yeah, the members of the Hero Club!"

"The...Hero Club...?" Shoto finally asked.

"It's-It's something Midoriya and Hatsume came up with."

"Uh-huh..." Ochako replied with a cautious nod of her head.

"Hatsume came up with it all on her own," Izuku corrected quickly. "Come on, Kirishima, we gotta go find the others."

A/N: Yeah, yeah, I know. I promised this chapter would be the last for this mini-story arc, but alas, I was proven wrong again. I just kept writing and writing until the chapter became too long and I had to split it. But without a doubt, the arc will be concluded in the next chapter. There will be no more dawdling from me! Once we're done with this, the Hero Club can finally be established properly!

On the plus side, we get to see some positive IzuMina and Kacchako interactions in this chapter! FINALLY! We're getting into the true meat of this fic! And it's only gonna get better from here, trust me! :D

Now then, I'd like to thank the following for reviewing:

-Whitetiger789:

1) Well, I made Mustard the thief because he seemed like he was around the same age as the U.A. students. Therefore, it was only appropriate that I made him one of Izuku's schoolmates in addition to one of the "Villains" in this AU fic.

2) It's alright! Feel free to speak your mind and ask any questions you have on the story. I won't mind, and if I have to correct you on something, I will do so with the utmost respect. :)

-MarvelNinja10:

1) Heh heh heh. A Quirkless Toru Hagakure would never work unless I neglected to describe her physical characteristics. It's actually a unique challenge to me because I always tend to describe my characters' physical attributes. Giving Toru a voice and nothing else is quite extraordinary to me.

2) I'm glad you like how I'm shaping Kirishima's story arc in this AU! And get ready, because I have more to explore with his character. ;)

-Raizen1125: I'm glad I'm nailing the pacing! I tend to be instinctive with my writing without any regard to how any of the scenes might affect the pacing, despite all of my attempts to keep the chapter in check. It's good to know the story flows well in spite of that. :D

-ThalioTP: Thank you so much for your review! I'm so glad you love the premise behind this and how I'm presenting all of it so far. And don't worry! I have every intention of writing this till the very end, so keep up the anticipation for all the upcoming chapters! :D

-Tasia'sENDLESSDreams:

1) I'm glad you like Izuku and Mei's relationship in this AU! I imagine Mei being Izuku's go-to inventor when he becomes a Pro Hero in the main canon, so I tried translating that personal fanon into this AU as much as I could. It looks like this idea paid off well!

2) Heh heh, yeah, I guess I'm teasing IzuMei more than just a little. Pink-haired girls definitely seem to be a theme with Izuku in this AU. I was actually neutral about that ship, but now that I think about it, I'm starting to enjoy it even more. :D :D :D

3) And now the OOC Kirishima will start to become a thing of the past. Wave goodbye!

4) Don't worry. Once this mini-arc is resolved, the slow burn will become a quick blaze! ;)

5) You're welcome. I'm happy to help a fellow writer. :)

Well, hope you enjoyed this chapter! TheCartoonFanatic01 is out. PEACE!