"You're a smart kid, don't you want to go to college? University, even?"

"Well, yes. Of course I do."

"Then why do you continue to grow your criminal record?"

"Uh- I wouldn't call it a criminal record, just a villainous history-"

"It's a criminal record, Mr McCallister. Universities don't dare to look at people with even the slightest legal screwups. Besides, don't you turn eighteen in a year or two? By then, you'll be eligible for jail time. I don't think you want that, do you?"

That was a conversation Theodore McCallister III had with a police officer who took him from Wordgirl one afternoon. It was a conversation that stuck and didn't let go. It never occurred to him that his comically evil plans to get the local superhero's attention could have given him a very real, very valid criminal record. And that fact scared him.

Ever since then, he weaned himself off villainy- or rather, actively committing crimes. He started cutting ties to reduce temptation and brought his attention back to school. Of course, he still had his moments, but everytime he did, that conversation would run back through his head. The urge to hurt those who hurt him started to grow from a constant irresistible to a less frequent tolerance.

The biggest factor in play, however, was the motivation to crush his strong, academic rival under his thumb. Before, when he was distracted by the flow of ideas for bigger and better robots, his grades dropped. Of course, they weren't bad grades, they just weren't to his (or his mother's) high standards and capabilities. But now his focus was back on school- and back on beating Becky Botsford at every twist and turn.

He'd bury his head in books, get extra tutoring and stay back in the library after school. It was a lot of work, but it was always worth it whenever he saw the face of pure outrage when he'd beat her in their English assignments and essays.

He really did enjoy studying, though. It was gratifying. Finally, he had found something constructive to use his energy and talents on. Of course, he'd still tinker with electronics and whatnot, he didn't want to leave his engineering hobbies behind. But it was mostly just fixing people's broken devices, or installing appliances into other people's houses. He'd even managed to get paid for some of the work.

For once in his life, he felt content. Satisfied. All he needed to work on was making a friend. But that was a whole other story. For now, it was goodbye villainy and hello higher education.

…

Until-

"Hello?" He picked up his phone, expecting a telemarketer.

"Kid! I have something you HAVE to see. You'll love it!"

"My apologies," he leant back in his desk chair, breaking the concentration from his math homework, "Who is this?"

"Seriously? Its me!… Dr Two Brains?"

His heart stopped.