Wings of Awakening

Part 36

After winning the Sports Festival, Izuku's popularity soared. Every time he got on the train, people recognized him, congratulated him, and even some kids shyly came up, asking for autographs, which he gave with a small, bashful smile. Back in class, the students were abuzz with chatter, sharing their excitement about the festival and eagerly waiting for their homeroom teacher.

Mr. Aizawa eventually entered, carrying a stack of papers, and placed them on his desk. "Good job at the festival," he started, his expression characteristically deadpan. "With your display of skills, the internship offers have arrived." Aizawa then handed out the papers. "Choose carefully the heroes you'll intern with. Some of you have received offers, but for those who didn't, don't worry. You can still choose from the forty heroes U.A. will provide."

Kirishima, glancing at Izuku's stack of offers, whistled. "Whoa, Midobro! That's a crazy amount of offers!"

Izuku chuckled, scratching his head. "It'll definitely take some time to go through them all. But... I already know who I'll pick."

Uraraka raised an eyebrow. "Wait, how can you know if you haven't even looked at the stack yet?"

Izuku smiled slightly, a hint of excitement in his voice. "I'm going to intern with my mentor. I know he sent an offer."

"Secret mentor?!" Kaminari exclaimed. "You've been trained by a pro hero?!"

Izuku shrugged, chuckling. "Guess it won't be much of a secret after this."

Aizawa resumed, halting the students' chatter. "You all have until Wednesday to bring in your choice. But before that..." He gestured to the door just as it burst open dramatically, and Midnight strode in with a flourish.

"I'll be helping you choose your hero names!" she announced, her voice enthusiastic. "Pick wisely, because this name will stick with you for your entire career!" She cast a playful look at Aizawa, who was already rolling up in his yellow sleeping bag beneath his desk. "Or you might end up with something like 'Eraser Head' here."

Aizawa muttered, already settling in for a nap, "Wake me up when you're done."

Each student was given five minutes to come up with a name, which they would then present to the class. Aoyama, always eager to go first, strutted confidently to the front with his board.

"I am the Shining Hero: I Cannot Stop Twinkling!" he declared with a dramatic pose.

Midnight blinked, then giggled, crossing out part of his name with a marker. "Let's simplify that to just 'Can't Stop Twinkling.'"

Izuku smiled, thinking it wasn't much of a change.

Next up, Mina proudly held up her board, "Alien Queen!"

"Copyrighted," Midnight replied, giving her an apologetic smile. Mina groaned, grumbling as she went back to adjust it.

Then it was Tsuyu's turn. "The Rainy Season Hero: Froppy," she said calmly, and Midnight nodded approvingly.

The name presentations continued, with everyone sharing unique ideas:

Uraraka came up with "Uravity." 

Kaminari picked "Chargebolt." 

Jiro went with "Earphone Jack." 

Kirishima chose "Red Riot."

The class cracked up when Bakugo went up with a scowl, presenting "King Explosion Murder."

Midnight looked him over. "Maybe... tone it down a little?"

Bakugo huffed and wrote "Lord Explosion Murder."

Midnight sighed, laughing. "Still a bit much. Why not keep it simple? How about 'Dynamight'?"

Bakugo, grumbling under his breath, reluctantly agreed.

Finally, Izuku stepped up with his own board, holding it out with a proud but slightly nervous smile.

As Izuku presented his hero name, "The night and Sky Hero: Aether," the class looked on with curiosity. Midnight's eyes sparkled with recognition. "Aether? As in the god of the upper sky and light from Greek mythology?"

Izuku nodded, his cheeks turning slightly pink. "Yes. Aether was the personification of the pure, upper air that the gods breathed, untouched by the darkness below. I want to be a hero who brings light to those in dark places, watching over them from the sky."

The class murmured with admiration, and Midnight beamed. "That's quite poetic, Midoriya! A hero name with purpose and meaning. I think 'Aether' suits you very well."

Kaminari grinned and leaned toward Kirishima. "Man, he even sounds like a hero already. I feel like he's straight out of an old legend or something!"

Izuku laughed nervously, scratching the back of his neck. "Well, I hope I can live up to it!"

With the names settled, the students were left to go over their internship choices.The students broke off to discuss internship choices. Izuku joined Uraraka, Iida, and Todoroki, who had recently started spending more time with the group. They each shared their internship plans.

"I'm going with Gunhead," Uraraka said confidently. "I want to learn new ways to apply my quirk outside of rescue work, maybe even some new combat moves."

Izuku nodded. "That's awesome, Uraraka. It'll be great for you to get that kind of experience."

Turning to Todoroki, he asked, "What about you, Todoroki?"

Todoroki gave a small nod. "I'll be interning with my father."

Izuku's eyes widened, his expression a mix of surprise and concern. "Are you... sure?"

Todoroki sighed, meeting Izuku's gaze evenly. "He's the best choice for helping me control my fire better. This isn't about him—it's about me getting stronger."

"Alright, just remember," Izuku said with a reassuring smile, "if you ever need anything, you can always call."

Izuku then turned to Iida, who had been noticeably quiet. "Iida, have you decided who to intern with?"

"Manual," Iida replied softly, avoiding eye contact.

Izuku, ever the hero enthusiast, recognized Manual as the pro hero based in Hosu—the same city where Stain, the Hero Killer, had recently been active. He knew about Iida's brother, Ingenium, who had been critically injured by Stain, and it didn't take long for Izuku to understand that Iida might be thinking of more than just training. But instead of confronting him directly, Izuku chose his words carefully. "Remember, Iida, even if we're apart for the week, don't hesitate to text me. I'm just one call away, okay? You too, Uraraka."

"Thanks, Midoriya," Iida replied, offering a small nod of gratitude.

Uraraka looked at Izuku with a curious smile. "So, who's this secret mentor of yours that you've already chosen, Midoriya?"

Izuku leaned in, whispering, "Hawks."

"Ah, not surprising," Todoroki commented. "You both have wings. Makes sense."

Izuku chuckled, explaining, "Yeah, I got lucky. He happened to be around when my quirk first emerged. He saw me take off for the first time and offered to train me for the U.A. entrance exam."

The group continued chatting, sharing their excitement and concerns about the upcoming week. When the day finally ended, they parted ways, each student heading home with a mixture of anticipation and nervousness for what awaited them during their internships.