The halls carried an unusual hum of energy for a Saturday morning. Conversations bounced off the walls in overlapping bursts, footsteps layered in quick, uneven rhythms, and the air itself seemed to hold a restless charge. The upcoming internships with pro heroes were the culprit, and for the first-years, the chance to work alongside professionals was enough to sweep away any lingering weekend lethargy.

  Out on the railing outside the classroom, Uraraka leaned on her elbows, gazing down at Musutafu stretched out in the late-morning light. From here, the streets looked like a slow-moving current, cars threading between high-rise apartments, sunlight flashing off their windshields. In the distance, the faint wail of a siren cut briefly through the steady hum of the city. She stayed there, lost in thought, until her stomach gave a small, sharp twist. She hadn’t eaten breakfast, and the hollowness inside her felt like it might lift her out of herself entirely.

  A light tap on her shoulder pulled her abruptly back. She turned, catching Tsuyu’s steady, unblinking gaze.

  "You look sad Ochaco. Is everything okay?"

  For a moment Uraraka simply studied her friend, the words hanging between them like a held breath. Then she smiled faintly, brushing the question away. “Oh, don’t worry, I’m just hungry.”

  Tsuyu’s expression didn’t quite soften, it just shifted, some quiet skepticism still there, but her eyes flicked past Uraraka before she could press further. Aizawa was heading down the hall, scarf hanging loose but never quite harmless, his pace unhurried and his eyes as unreadable as ever. Tsuyu tugged gently on Uraraka’s sleeve, and they stepped back inside.

  They slid into their seats. Uraraka straightened out of habit, though her foot began tapping under the desk almost instantly. Her attention kept drifting, circling back to the two people around her, Iida in front of her, Robinn to her left. The thought of asking Iida about his brother sat heavy in her chest, but it wasn’t the only weight there.

  Robinn had been different lately. Or maybe Uraraka had only thought she understood her before. During the festival, she’d been caught off guard, not just by Robinn’s calculated edge, but by the way she’d dismissed the idea of friendship between them. Not just dismissed, but with a tone that came close to disgust. Uraraka hadn’t reacted outwardly at the time, but the memory had been replaying ever since, scraping against the version of Robinn she’d kept in her head.

  On the board at the front of the room, a new chart had appeared, scouting offers from pro heroes, names stacked in descending order. Her gaze found her name: twenty offers. More than she expected. Then her eyes drifted upward... Robinn with 5,023, Bakugo with 3,689, Todoroki with 2,046. From there, the numbers dropped sharply. More than half the class hadn’t gotten a single offer. She was grateful she’d gotten any at all.

  You could be reading stolen content. Head to the original site for the genuine story.

  Aizawa’s voice cut through the low murmur. "Keeping these results in mind, whether or not you got scouted, you will all be participating in internships with pros."

  Chairs shifted, voices rose. Midoriya stood quickly, blurting out, "Internships?"

  Aizawa gave a small nod. "Yes. Which is why today you are going to be picking your hero names."

  Half the class perked up; the rest sat still, likely the ones without any ideas.

  "Keep in mind these names are temporary, but if you’re not serious about it..."

  "You will regret it later!" Midnight’s voice carried in from the doorway as she slid it open and stepped inside, finishing his sentence without missing a beat.

  She crossed to the front, heels clicking softly against the floor. "Because a lot of hero names used by students become recognized by society, and they end up becoming official pro hero names."

  She stopped beside Aizawa, visibly pleased to be there.

  "That’s how it is. Miss Midnight will be making sure your names are valid," Aizawa added, already reaching beneath the desk. He pulled out his sleeping bag, zipped himself inside, and leaned against the wall, he was asleep in seconds.

  The class stayed still for a moment until small whiteboards and markers began to circulate.

  When Uraraka got hers, she didn’t hesitate. Her earlier unease had evaporated the second Aizawa mentioned hero names, she’d known hers for a while. She wrote "Uravity" in big, round letters. Still, she couldn’t quite shake the worry that no one else would like it. It tugged at the edge of her focus as other students began presenting.

  Aoyama: Can’t Stop Twinkling.

  Tsuyu: Froppy.

  Kirishima: Red Riot.

  Jirou: Earphone Jack.

  Shoji: Tentacole.

  Sero: Cellophane.

  Ojiro: Tailman.

  Mina: Pinky.

  Kaminari: Chargebolt.

  Hagakure: Invisible Girl.

  Momo: Creati.

  Todoroki: Shoto.

  Tokoyami: Tsukuyomi.

  Mineta: Grape Juice.

  Koda: Anima.

  When her turn came, Uraraka clutched her whiteboard to her chest and made her way to the podium. "This is the name I thought of... Uravity!"

  Her nerves eased as the class broke into applause. Midnight gave her shoulder a small pat as she passed. "Stylish."

  Back in her seat, Uraraka found it easier to watch the others.

  "These presentations are going more smoothly than I expected," Midnight said after a while. "All that’s left is Bakugo, who needs to rethink his... plus Iida, Midoriya, and Robinn. Right?"

  Robinn stood instantly, startling Uraraka. She carried her whiteboard like she’d been waiting for this all day. "Oh, sorry, I didn’t think it was my turn yet. I’ve been ready from the start."

  At the podium, she set her board down with a bright smile. The bold lettering read: The adaptable hero "Robin"

  Midnight squinted at it. "So it’s also your name? Like Shoto?"

  Robinn shook her head. "No, I removed one ‘n’" The confidence in her tone made it hard to argue with her.

  "Right..." Midnight said at last, stepping aside.

  Robinn returned to her seat beaming. Uraraka almost leaned over to ask about the name, but stopped. Robinn probably wouldn’t want to talk to her.

  Iida presented next: "Tenya".

  "You’re using your first name too??" Midnight asked, looking worn down.

  Iida returned to his seat, face tight. Uraraka wanted to ask if he was okay, but Midoriya was already at the front.

  "I didn’t like this name until recently," he began. "But someone changed the meaning of it, and that had a huge impact on me. It made me really happy."

  He lifted his whiteboard. "This is my hero name... Deku."

  Uraraka’s eyes widened, and the corner of her mouth lifted almost before she realized it. Warmth swelled in her chest, chasing out the restlessness she’d been carrying all morning.

  Author’s Note: