CLICK! CLACK! CLICK! CLACK!

Their footsteps echoed all over the empty hallway as they made their way to the principal's office. Izuku's mind was going a mile a minute as he broke down his new discovery.

The quirks he borrowed were no longer borrowed strength but could be made into his own. How far could he bend a quirk? As much as he wants or is there a limit? Could he create a different power from the original quirk? When his quirk spaces grew, could he fuse two quirks together? How many quirks will he be able to copy and manipulate?

Bakugou scoffed beside Izuku and he turned red in embarrassment as he realised that he had been muttering beneath his breath.

As his mind came back to the land of the living, a jolt of realisation hit him like a lightning bolt This was his first time being called to the principal's office. He had never been but he had overheard the horror stories from the other students. Will he be given detention with Mr. Ishikawa the dungeon master known for his imaginative and excessive cruelty? Or will he be suspended? A black mark on his spotless record? Or will his mother be called to school by the principal to discuss his behaviour?

The more steps he took, the more he felt a sinking weight in his gut. The echoing footsteps began to sound like the gavel of a judge consigning him to a grave punishment.

Finally, they reached the principal's office. The door looked like a normal door and a gateway to hell at the same time. As they stepped inside, the principal's stern gaze bore into them.

"Sit" The principal gestured and took a seat behind his large desk. Bakugou immediately took a seat with the familiarity of an actor who is reprising a role for the seventh season. Taking his seat, he clenched his fist before wiping them on his trousers. Who knew the palm could secrete this much sweat?

"Izuku Midoriya, Katsuki Bakugou," The principal pinned them to their seats with his stare. "I've heard enough about the commotion outside. While your behavior is unacceptable, it seems you both have a lot to learn about control."

"What is the school policy on using quirks on school grounds? Boys will be boys. There will be roughhousing and that can lead to accidents but I will not accept the use of quirks on my school grounds. As this was your first offence Midoriya, I'm willing to be lenient. You both will write lines on the school policy. Twenty pages. Submit them to your homeroom teacher. Understood?"

Izuku nodded in astonishment. The principal's tone was stern, but the punishment was not nearly as severe as he had imagined. He couldn't believe his luck. He had feared the worst, but the actual punishment was manageable. As they left the office, his thoughts were a whirlwind of amazement. It was almost comical how his mind had spiraled into such elaborate fantasies of punishment, only to be met with a slap on the wrist.

"You both can leave." The principal gestured at the door.

Bakugou and Izuku left in silence. Their footsteps echoed the hallway as they were both lost in thought. Izuku couldn't help but chuckle to himself. He had faced off against Bakugou, discovered an incredible new application of his quirk, and now received a light punishment that left him in wonder. Before long, they arrived in class. Izuku opened the door to see a sea of faces staring at him in fascination. He had to clamp down on the urge to hide himself away.

"There you are Bakugou, Midoriya. Take your seats. Homeroom is beginning." Their class teacher smiled at them.

Izuku had always wondered how it felt to be popular. Now, he wishes it wasn't. It was break time and the students were crowding over his desk throwing questions at him.

"Did the experiments hurt?"

"How does it feel to be kidnapped?"

"Shut up Taka, he wasn't even kidnapped!"

"What's your quirk?"

"I think we have the same quirk!"

The chatter of the students filled the class as they asked and gave their unsolicited opinions.

"Hey, Midoriya, show us that quirk of yours!" Taka yelled in excitement. "Is it just a barrier or can you throw it? That'll make a really cool hero power."

"Err…I," Izuku's cheeks turned slightly pink under the barrage of questions. How did he explain that all he did was copy quirks?

"Did you really create that shimmering barrier?"

"How many barriers can you manifest at the same time?"

The questions came at him rapid-fire, each voice clamoring to be heard. Izuku's head swam as the intensity of their attention was overwhelming.

He opened his mouth to respond, but the words caught in his throat. How could he explain the intricacies of his quirk? His mind raced to find the right words, but the more he thought, the more tangled his thoughts became. Will they get it? Will they cheer him on or deride him as a cheap copy of their quirks? Their quirks shine in his radar and were slowly but surely suffocating him.

Then, like a ray of light cutting through the crowd, a voice rose above the others. "Alright, alright, give him some space! Let the poor guy breathe!"

"Oh Come on! We were just asking questions."

"Were you even letting him answer them? Chop! Chop! Off you go. Enjoy your break."

The crowd reluctantly dispersed, revealing his savior - a fellow classmate, a kind-hearted girl named Kaori. She gave the others a stern look before turning her attention to Izuku. "Hey, are you okay?"

Izuku managed a grateful smile. "Yea- ACK!" His brain caught up and he froze as he realised that he was talking to a girl.

"Are you okay?" Kaori looked on in concern. "You're turning red."

He nodded as he tried to remember his breathing exercises. "Th-th-th-th- thank you!" He wheezed.

Kaori shrugged, her smile warm. "No problem. People are just curious, you know? But they should give you some space."

As the last of the students drifted away, Kaori gave him a last smile and took her leave. Izuku finally felt a sense of relief. He leaned against his desk, taking a deep breath. He had changed but he certainly was still the same when speaking with girls. He took a deep sigh and stared out the window.

What kind of hero couldn't speak with girls? He might be more mature now, but he was still himself. And was that perfectly okay or does something need to change?

A/N: Youre still here? Cool!

Things are just starting to heat up. Izuku had a first experience in the principal's office and has a moment of reflection. Does he need to change? Can he become a hero by staying the same? Join us as we explore those questions and more.

Nefarious out!