Chapter 37: The Unforeseen Consequences of a Pillow Fight

As we all congratulated Izuku on his unexpected win, the room was filled with laughter and chatter. Mina, still beaming with pride, held up the drawing for everyone to see, and Izuku's face turned an even deeper shade of red. Todoroki and Bakugo began to tease him, playfully calling him the "Pillow Fight King," and Kirishima chuckled, shaking his head. But as the commotion died down, I noticed something strange. The door to the room, which had been open just moments before, was now closed. And not just closed - it was locked. I frowned, feeling a shiver run down my spine. "Hey, did someone lock the door?" I asked, but no one seemed to have noticed. Mina, still grinning, shook her head. "I don't think so. I could have sworn it was open just a minute ago." Izuku, still looking a bit dazed from his unexpected win, stood up, his eyes scanning the room. "I think I saw someone pass by the door just now," he said, his voice low. "But I didn't think much of it at the time." Todoroki, ever the skeptic, snorted. "Don't be paranoid, Midoriya. It's probably just the building's security system or something." But as he spoke, the lights in the room began to flicker, and the air grew thick with an eerie, unsettling energy. Suddenly, the door creaked open by itself, and a figure stood in the doorway. It was a woman with long, curly hair and a kind smile. But there was something off about her, something that made my instincts scream warning. "Hello, students," she said, her voice warm and gentle. "My name is Professor Orihara, and I'm the new head of the Hero Course. I've been watching you all from afar, and I must say, I'm impressed." As she entered the room, her eyes scanned the space, taking in the chaos of the pillow fight. Her gaze lingered on the feathers scattered everywhere, and a hint of a smile played on her lips. "I see you're all getting along famously," she said, her tone light. "But I think it's time we had a little chat about your...abilities." Her eyes locked onto Izuku, and he took a step back, looking uncertain. "You, Izuku Midoriya, seem to have a certain... spark within you," she said, her voice filled with interest. "A spark that I believe can be fanned into a flame with the right guidance." As she spoke, the air in the room seemed to grow even more charged, and I couldn't shake the feeling that something was very wrong. Mina, sensing my unease, took a step closer to me, her eyes fixed on Professor Orihara. "I'm not sure I understand," Izuku said, his voice cautious. Professor Orihara's smile grew wider. "Oh, I think you will, in time," she said, her eyes glinting with a knowing light. "You see, I've been searching for students with unique abilities, students who can help me with my...research." The room fell silent, and I could feel the weight of everyone's gaze on Izuku. It was as if we all knew, deep down, that something was about to change, something that would alter the course of our lives forever. And as Professor Orihara's eyes locked onto Izuku, I couldn't help but wonder what lay ahead.