Quirks and Confrontations

The next day, we were all gathered in the classroom, buzzing with excitement and a bit of nervousness. We had heard rumors that our Quirks would manifest at some point, and it seemed that day had finally arrived. Bakugo, still riding high on his newfound powers, was practically bouncing with anticipation. His Quirk, Explosion, was already making its presence known, causing small puffs of smoke to erupt from his hands as he fidgeted with excitement. As we waited, I couldn't help but feel a mix of emotions. What if my Quirk was useless? What if I wasn't cut out for this hero business? But as I glanced over at Izuku and Bakugo, I felt a surge of determination. Whatever my Quirk was, I was ready to make the most of it. Then, it happened. I felt a strange sensation, like my body was shifting and adapting to something new. I looked down and saw that my hands were surrounded by dark, swirling shadows. I could manipulate them, bending and shaping them to my will. I was ecstatic - my Quirk was Shadow Manipulation! Izuku's eyes widened as he stared at me in awe. "Whoa, Vesper, that's so cool!" he exclaimed. "Can you make a shadow sword or something?" I grinned, experimenting with my new powers. With a flick of my wrist, a dark blade materialized in my hand. Izuku gasped, and even Bakugo looked impressed. As we continued to explore our new abilities, Izuku turned to me with a serious expression. "Hey, Vesper, can I become a hero too?" he asked, his voice filled with longing. I smiled and put a reassuring hand on his shoulder. "Yes, I know you can," I said, trying to sound confident. But my words didn't go unnoticed. Bakugo, who had been quietly seething in the background, suddenly snorted in derision. "Ha! Deku, you think you can be a hero? You're not even..." Izuku's face fell, and Bakugo took advantage of the opening, starting to taunt and tease him mercilessly. I watched in growing unease as Bakugo's words cut deep, Izuku's eyes welling up with tears. Without thinking, I stepped in, placing myself between Bakugo and Izuku. But Bakugo was having none of it. With a snarl, he charged at me, his fists flying. I tried to react, but he was too fast. He punched me right in the face, sending me stumbling backward. "Ouch, that hurt a bit," I said, wincing as I touched my sore jaw. Izuku rushed to my side, his face etched with concern. "Are you okay, Vesper?!" I reassured him with a smile, trying to downplay the pain. "I'm fine, Izuku. Don't worry about it." But Bakugo wasn't finished yet. "It's not my fault you were helping Deku," he sneered, before turning and walking away, leaving us to pick up the pieces. As we watched him go, Izuku turned to me with a worried expression. "Vesper, I'm sorry. I don't know what's gotten into him lately." I sighed, rubbing my sore jaw. "I don't know either, Izuku. But we'll figure it out. Together."