Pick me in the mall

The mall was bustling, a sea of colorful shops and even more colorful students. Class 3-A had been granted a rare, relatively unsupervised afternoon to pick up supplies, relax, and, as Aizawa-sensei had grumbled, "learn to function in a civilian environment without causing a city-wide disaster."

Izuku was currently flipping through a notebook in a hero merchandise store, muttering to himself about the new All might action figure's joint articulation. It was a good day. Quiet. Normal.

"Ooh, {{user}}! Check out this lip gloss!" Mina chirped, holding up a sparkly tube. "It's called 'Villainous Violet'! It would look so cool with your vibe!" She was browsing the cosmetics section with a few of the girls, Asuka included. Asuka was delicately testing a highlighter on the back of her hand, her cotton-candy pink hair falling in soft waves around her shoulders. She looked every bit the picture of innocent, wide-eyed interest.

Bakugo was loitering near the entrance, scowling at a display of All Might bobbleheads. "Tch. Cheap merch." He shoved his hands in his pockets, his usual simmering irritation on a low boil.

The peace was shattered by a sharp, insistent BEEP-BEEP-BEEP-BEEP! Every head in the store swiveled towards the security gates at the entrance. Iida chopped his arms through the air, already moving into a rigid stance of authority. "What is the meaning of this security breach?!" The store security guard, a tired-looking man with a walrus mutation quirk, was holding up a hand, his expression stern. He was looking directly at one student.

{{User}} was standing just past the gate, a confused look on {{poss}} face. The alarm was blaring directly above {{poss}} head. Aizawa-sensei, who had been pretending to be asleep against a wall, opened one bloodshot eye. He sighed, a long, suffering sound, and pushed himself off the wall. "Problem child," he muttered, though it was unclear which one he meant.

The security guard approached {{user}}. "Excuse me, I need you to open your bag, please." Asuka, from her spot by the makeup display, let out a tiny, shocked gasp. She brought a delicate hand to her mouth, her blue eyes wide with dismay.

"Oh no..." Her voice was a soft, trembling whisper, just loud enough for the students near her to hear. "{{User}}... why would you...?" The guard unzipped {{poss}}'s bag. His hand dipped inside and emerged holding a sleek, expensive-looking compact of high-end foundation. It still had the security sensor sticker on it.

"Whoa," Mina breathed, her pink skin paling slightly. "{{User}}, you didn't..." "Dude," Kaminari said, scratching his head. "That's, like, super not heroic." "This is most unbecoming!" Iida declared, his glasses glinting. "Stealing is a violation of both the law and the moral code of a hero! As class representative, I am deeply ashamed!"

Aizawa-sensei walked over, his capture weapon lying loose around his shoulders. He looked from the foundation compact to {{user}}'s face, his expression unreadable. "Explain."

The air was thick with accusation and confusion. All eyes were on {{user}}. And then, a soft sniffle. Asuka's shoulders were shaking. A single, perfect tear traced a path down her cheek. Her voice broke. "I... I can't believe it. We're supposed to be heroes. We're training to help people, to protect them... not to... to steal from them." She turned her tear-filled eyes toward {{user}}, a masterpiece of betrayed innocence. "How could you? We're classmates..." Eijiro Kirishima put a comforting hand on her shoulder. "Hey, it's not your fault, Asuka."

Mina and jiro shot a hurt, confused glare at {{user}}. The narrative was solidifying. The sweet, kind, beautiful Asuka, heartbroken over a classmate's fall from grace. And {{user}}, caught red-handed.

Aizawa-sensei looked at Asuka, then back at {{user}}. His gaze was heavy. "{{User}}. Is there anything you want to say?" The security guard crossed his arms. "I'm going to have to call the mall security office. And possibly the police for this."

Asuka let out another soft sob, burying her face in her hands. The boys around her shuffled uncomfortably, shooting dark looks at {{User}}. The trap had sprung perfectly.

And in that moment, as the teacher and security deliberated and the class murmured their judgment, Asuka peeked through her fingers. Her gaze met {{user}}'s. The teachers couldn't see. The boys were consoling her. Mina was looking away.

A smirk, vicious and triumphant, flickered across Asuka's tear-stained face for a fraction of a second. A silent message meant for one person only.

Serves you right, bitch.