A/N: Once again, a belated birthday gift to Itsuka Kendo. Tried to have it done a few days ago, but IRL considerations took priority.

Chapter Twenty-Two: Recognition

Itsuka was shocked to say the least, and it was nearly impossible to hide when her homeroom teacher pulled her aside to give her a rundown of this change.

"Sorry to spring this on you so suddenly, Kendo," said Kan. "We only were able to confirm the paperwork this morning. Short version: Midoriya is still under the Management's course, but is going to be attending Hero Fundamentals with the rest of you."

"Any other surprises, Sensei?" Itsuka asked.

"There are some other prospective transfers, but none of them had a passing score on the entrance exam, so they'll be in remedial until we get a feel."

Itsuka had wondered why it seemed there was so much space in the room and had initially written it off as a consideration for larger students, but it seemed it also helped with letting the class expand. Speaking of the class, much of 1-B was clustered around Midoriya, who now occupied one desk at the rear.

"So your Quirk is powered by how much iron you consume?"

"Yeah! The more I eat in my meals the more staying power I have in a fight!"

"Hm...would consuming more carbon help with flexibility? Oh! Have you tested to see if you can magnetize yourself."

"What?" Tetsutetsu scratched at his head. "…No. Never thought of it."

"It might help you with your maneuvering options, if nothing else."

Monoma found Itsuka on the edge of the crowd and asked in a conspiratorial whisper, "We need to secure this intelligence for 1-B."

"Good luck with that," Itsuka scoffed. "He's already friends with plenty of 1-A, Yaoyorozu and Iida in particular."

"Then we'll have to monopolize him. Is there any way to isolate him?"

"If you want to fight him over it, be my guest."

Seeing that her classmate's irrational ambitions had been checked, Itsuka looked back as Midoriya started working on Setsuna's Quirk.

"What's his Quirk again?" Monoma asked.

"Soul Weave, I think he calls it?" Itsuka replied. "I only skimmed through his transfer papers, but it's a kind of tactile telekinetic Quirk that interfaces with the 'soul' of a target."

"Hm...that doesn't seem quite right."

"Oh, and you're an expert in Quirks now? What else could it be? You got to see it on full display."

"I don't know, but I'm going to find out."

Itsuka reached for Monoma, but the blond was already out of reach. He skirted around the group and wove through the labyrinth of bodies until he was situated near Midoriya's right shoulder, and reached through the gap between Bondo and the wall, only to stop short of the mark, and Midoriya slowly turned his head, and the crowd that was nearly pressing against him took a couple of involuntary steps back as he pinned the copycat with an icy stare.

"Don't touch me," Midoriya said, a bland smile and an edge of teeth.

Eyes wide, Monoma politely stepped away, both hands raised and away from any kind of contact. "Only getting a scope of a new classmate."

"You were trying to figure out my Quirk. Not that I mind, in theory, but I can say it wouldn't be pleasant for you, and I'd rather you not try it in the middle of a populated building." The chill in the air vanished and Midoriya once against looked to the perplexed expressions of 1-B. "So, how about the rest of you? Apart from the ones who made it to the third phase, I don't think I got to see most of you except in passing."

Kendo looked to Kan, and asked, "Sensei, do you mind if we use this period to familiarize Midoriya with the rest of the class?"

"That's fine by me," he replied, "Just make sure you put the room back together properly once you're done." An explosion was heard from the other room. "There's still one bit of business before you're released to look over your offers."

Tables were circled around, everyone facing the middle, Midoriya pulled out a notebook and took a spot next to Itsuka.

And so, around the circle they went, introducing themselves to Midoriya, who would take notes or ask questions about their Quirk before moving onto the next, occasionally punctuated by crackles from the room over, or by a particularly strong groan or round of cheers.

Finally, they had gone full circle, and Midoriya asked, "Any idea of what you're all going to pick for codenames?"

"Oh my, you lot really are chomping at the bit. Your enthusiasm will serve you well."

The room turned to the door where Midnight was standing, almost in synchrony greeting her as she entered the room.

"Midnight-sensei."

"Do we need to rearrange the room," Itsuka asked.

"No, please. Keep this circle. I think it might help with the presentation."

"These names might not be permanent, though that hasn't always been a given. A good deed during this week might seal your fate, so think on them carefully."

Dry-erase boards and accompanying markers were passed around, and Itsuka's mind came to a complete stop before she could uncap the writing implement.

She had gone into the school year with a general idea, and at least a prospective name to work with. Battle Fist. That was when she was still aiming for the martial artist angle for her goals.

But did that still represent the course she had planned to take?

Tetsutetsu went up first, loudly approaching the podium and slamming the slate down.

"The Fullmetal Hero: Real Steel!"

"Excellent choice, Tetsutetsu! I look forward to you proving your metal."

Seeing Midnight's approval for the first name, that spurred others to hurry along with their own. Now having to reevaluate her entire career and image, Itsuka pulled out her phone and began searching.

"The Size-Changing Here: Rule?"

"Mm."

Itsuka tapped her marker against the board in epiphany, nearly cracking it. Motorcycles. The thrill of speeding on the road still appealed to her, even though she could probably outrun one on foot now.

"The Tempest Hero: Gale Force!"

"Strong and direct. I like it!"

Itsuka tabbed through an entire glossary of motorcycle terms, but many of them were either entirely too niche, didn't fit, or were already taken.

"Kendo?" asked Midnight.

"Still searching, Sensei!"

It was a short leap to a preface, but not her actual hero name.

"The Copycat Hero: Phantom Thief!" Monoma proclaimed, loudly.

Midnight gave a hum of consideration. "The 'Phantom', and the combination by why 'Thief'?"

"But I'm not living in a theater, Sensei."

"Go back to the drawing board and give it a little more thought."

Monoma's head hung momentarily before he bounced back and ran back to his chair.

Simple sorting from which ones were still active and recognized brands, or had a copyright or patent that was still active. A few were simply too much of a mouthful, either the company or the model itself. A few more simply lacked actual names.

"Tsuburaba? Are you certain you want to go with that?"

"Not sure what I can come up without sounding embarrassing, Sensei."

"You have a Management student here. Why not consult him for ideas?"

The Merging Hero: Welder came up next, followed by the Spinning Hero: Spiral, and then-

"The Newtonian Hero: Limelight," Midoriya announced.

"Striking, though kind of lacking on the details."

"That's entirely the point, Sensei. I'm better at investigation.

How about defunct companies or models? Simple sorting from which ones were still active and recognized brands, or had a copyright or patent that was still active. A few were simply too much of a mouthful, either the company or the model itself. A few more simply lacked actual names to their model number.

The Bladed Hero: Jack Mantis. The Scheming Hero: Vantablack

Itsuka looked up when Kinoko braved her way to the front of the room, her board reading, "The Fungal Hero: Shemage."

Midnight instantly approved. "Adorable and thematic. Well done!"

"Thank you, Sensei!"

The company had fallen into hard times about fifty years into the Collapse, and there were no lingering. The bikes were still popular, but finding one in repairable condition was difficult at best, and most were kept by collectors or as museum pieces.

More of her peers came and went. The Impact Hero: Mines The Garden Hero: Vine. The Beastman Hero: Gevaudan. While Itsuka had some time to work with, she didn't want to wait until the end.

Point being, there wasn't any indicator that she'd face backlash for the name selection. There was even a Hero by that name, and lucky for Itsuka, he had retired some thirteen years ago, with no one else taking the name. He was also Greek, so there was an additional layer of insulation.

Writing on her slate, she stood up and walked to the podium, her slate in hand for the the moment of truth.

"The Full-Throttle Hero: Ducati."

[IB]

This is going to be exhausting, Izuku reflected as he returned the Management homeroom. He had known that he'd wind up leading a double-life of sorts, but not quite this early, and not with both halves of the equation demanding his daylight hours.

Seated back in his desk, he waited patiently as Miss Obsidian had arranged for the post-Festival analysis for the end to include him and Suzuki after their meetings with the Principal.

"I would like to tell you all straight-up: I'm proud of your performance, regardless of where you decided to apply your energies."

It wasn't exactly a fair metric – it undermined anyone who wasn't looking to shoot for the Number One spot, and naturally went against those best suited to the shadows instead of the spotlight – but as far as gauging public opinion went, it worked as intended. Accordingly, Ochako was at the top, followed by him, Yoarashi, and Kendo, the rest of the rankings largely falling along lines he suspected. The other names lasted for a few seconds before it reduced to the Management department, trimmed down further to only 1-I.

"As many of you have likely gleaned by now, the Sports Festival held a decidedly different meaning for the Management course, with different goals than many of your peers, unless you were seeking an active transfer. An opportunity to gauge and evaluate subjects of study on the fly as developments unfold." Obsidian placed a cardboard box on her desk. "And as certain ones among the Management course can attest, this is also the earliest showcase of your efforts in developing your clients."

Suzume raised a wing. "Sensei, what about those of us who are still working on developing our project plans?"

"An excellent question, Osaki. While the Heroics students are on their week-long excursion, you and the Support students will be working with various agencies and outlets that work with them. They'll be divided by specialties, so you won't be shunted into an experience that won't benefit your long-term plans."

Miss Obsidian walked around the room, passing out forms to the class, only stopping with the cardboard box to hand out recommendation letters.

Suzuki was handed a neat, healthy stack, secured together by a rubber band, and almost seemed impressed until Izuku's pile was passed to him in a mail reception tray. She merely raised an eyebrow and shook her head. Suzume and Haru both got their their own respectable stacks, both looking at each other curiously before looking back to their teacher.

"Your write-up was well received," said Obsidian, already anticipating their questions, "and some of the analyst communities asked after you when they were poking around for two of your work projects. Take a look over the offers, give each of them due consideration. If you have any questions, you can ask me."

Izuku flipped through the nominations he had received. There were some he could throw out entirely, and only trouble through a formal rejection. The Hero Commission for starters.

Best Jeanist was intriguing, but not geared towards what Izuku wanted. An addition to the "no" pile, but one he didn't mind writing a polite rejection for. Gang Orca was much the same.

I-Island was another "maybe", though he might consider it more strongly if Suzume and Haru were selected. A good fallback that was added to the "maybe" pile.

Idaten had extended an offer. Another potential, but one Izuku wasn't keen on pressing just yet. He'd like to make more contacts first, and maybe secure an alibi before he fell back to familiar circles.

The next name he saw, on the other hand…

Nighteye Agency.

That…that could prove useful.

All Might's most recent sidekick, and a fairly obscure figure for the reputation he held even after his split from Mighty Tower. Virtually every hero who worked under him saw marked improvement in performance, and Nighteye was known better for investigation and analysis. He was exclusive as hell. That was enough to for Izuku to automatically put his offer in the "maybe" pile.

Then again, Sir Nighteye could have other reasons for looking into his file. The man had been partnered with All Might during the time the grudge match between the Symbol of Peace and All for One had reached a fury pitch.

Izuku pinched his lip and drummed his pen against the desk. It was a risk he might have to take. Time wasn't on his side, and the sooner he could ease himself into the confidence of Heroes without it possibly backfiring on him the better. But five years and change had to count for something, and despite being away from the spotlight for nearly as long-

Izuku nearly dropped his pen as he ran the numbers in his head.

All Might and Nighteye had split just over five years ago. Around the same time the old man had dropped out of the public eye.

Well. This might be more interesting than hoped for.

Finishing up the initial sorting, he pulled Nighteye's offer out and cracked it open, beginning the process of filling the form out.

[IB]

Ochako was in a state of shock. She had known winning the Sports Festival would mean getting a lot of attention. What she hadn't expected was just how much attention. She had literal thousands of people wanting to have her intern with them during Work Experience Week. She didn't know how many Hero agencies were active in Japan, but that had to be most of them, right?

Momo and Tenya were busy sorting through their own choices. As was the rest of the class. But that could easily be sorted, and some of them only had the forty options available to them because of their less impressive performances. She could swear she could catch some side-eyes, and she hoped they didn't resent her.

That still left her with the conundrum of how to get through a fraction of these before the weekend.

Where's Izuku when you need him?

"I know what you did, Deku," Bakugo growled, and Ochako dropped her papers.

A brief pause passed between whoever he was confronting.

"…You're going to have to a be a little more specific than that," Izuku drawled.

"Don't play dumb, dipshit!"

"Bakugo, Bakugo, Bakugo, you really should be thanking me." And Ochako could hear Bakugo's teeth grind from her desk. "Imagine if you had blown your gasket in front of the masses like you did against your classmates on your first week. A black mark would be the least of your concerns. Your hopes of being Number One would be nigh unreachable."

"Bullshit! Don't act like you're better than me. And don't blow me off!"

"I am not your adversary, nor am I your rival. Our ambitions are simply not compatible. And I won't stand for you treating me or my friends like garbage. You're training to be a Hero, so act like it. Or at least try to be a better person. Now kindly let go of me. Wouldn't want to flush your career down because of the school's zero-tolerance policy for bullying or unsanctioned fights." Izuku leaned into the room, a slight singe on his uniform. "What's happening around here?"

Likely doing a good impression of a landed fish, Ochako shook her head. "Izuku? What are you doing here?"

"Free period. And I already selected my agency." He looked her stack over, then whistled. "Well. I see you have your work cut out for you. Need some help with this?"

"Eh? Yes! I'd like that."

"Not used to being at the forefront, are you?"

Ochako shook her head. "Momo, Tenya, and Todoroki seem like they have it all together."

"That's because they've been getting a slow-drip of this education since they were old enough to walk and talk. Hard to make a comparison on that count."

Ochako didn't really consider herself particularly intelligent. Sure, she made the grade to make into U.A., but when surrounded by people like Momo, Tenya, Izuku, and even Bakugo, it was more than a little daunting just how far the gap was between the top of the pile and those who were merely "good" spanned.

She did not consider herself a fool, though and she was at least smart enough to realize she just might have a crush on Izuki. There was any number of reasons why. He was by measures kind and ruthless, but ultimately leaning towards the former. He was handsome, and under the harsh exterior, she could even admit him as being "cute". He was smart, connected, funny, and yes, even the brutal pragmatism of him being rich may be a factor on why she found him attractive, and also why she didn't want to broach the subject. Not yet.

Ignorant of Ochako's internal struggles, Izuku asked, "What kind of experience are you looking for?"

"Um, rescue. But something that can mix a little bit of combat training wouldn't hurt. I want to make sure I get as much of a rounded out experience as I can."

"Hm…that might help cut things down significantly." And like a machine, Izuku began sorting through the previously insurmountable stack of envelops. While working, he asked, "So what did you pick for your Hero Name?"

"Eh? Um...I went with Uravity."

Izuku nodded, hands still moving. "I think it suits you." Without missing a beat or so much as fumbling an envelop, Izuku continued helping sort through the stack. "Straight forward, and descriptive. Easy to remember, too, which is always handy. Oh, and this stack over here is the one that I think might be of interest. If you have questions, I'll be happy to answer."

That was as succinct and comprehensive an answer to her musings, and she forced those embarrassing thoughts to the back of her mind. He was focusing on his studies and preparing for his eventual career, so she might as well do the same.

[IB]

"Hello, Midoriya."

Izuku looked up as a blond upperclassmen trotted along to catch up with him, falling into step with his pace as he made his way back to 1-I's homeroom.

"Or should I call you 'Limelight'?" he asked.

"We're at school right now, so Midoriya is fine," Izuku answered. The smile the upperclassman made made him wish he had a pair of sunglasses. And burned an impulse to brush his teeth into his mind, for some reason. "Congratulations on your victory in the Sports Festival."

"Same to you, Midoriya. Same to you."

"At least you didn't lose your pants this time."

Togata sheepishly scratched the back of his head. "Yeah…" he replied. "I was a bit of a mess last year, wasn't I?" His chagrin evaporated and he plastered a smile on again. "But it got me recognized by the right people, and I've advanced by leaps and bounds since."

"So what brings our paths to cross today?" asked Izuku.

"Mm? Oh, yes. Sir Nighteye asked me let you know he received your acceptance letter."

Izuku raised an eyebrow. "Is that so? I didn't think I rated that much of an impression with someone of his caliber."

"Don't knock yourself, Midoriya. You performed well on national television. And you were prompt in your response. Sir likes a punctual soul."

"Well, 'birds of a feather flock together'."

"'But only until the cat came comes around'."

Izuku chuckled lightly. "You know that one, too?"

"Sir taught it to me. Although, if we're looking for similarities my birthday is 15 July."

"Get out of town! Really!? My birthday's also 15 July."

"No way! We must be twins!"

"Much as I would have liked a sibling or two, I don't think that's possible." And how All for One treated family could not be understated. "So are you here on behalf of Nighteye Agency?"

"Right you are! I've been interning with him since last year."

"Any tips for facilitating a working relationship? We're only going to have a week to work together, so I'd like to minimize organizational friction, if at all possible."

Togata pressed his hand to his chin, thinking it over for a moment. "Sir has a sense of humor, so jokes might help."

"I see. Any particular genre? Is he a guy that likes props? Or can I make do with puns?"

"I think as long as you avoid anything crude, lewd, or overly dark, he'll appreciate."

"Noted. I guess another question would be if accompanying you to the agency would be a detraction or otherwise work against me?"

"You're really serious about this, aren't you?"

Izuku shrugged, and said, "Plus Ultra."

"That may be the least enthusiastic recitation of the school motto I've ever heard. Sir shouldn't judge you too harshly for showing up with me. In fact, I think he's expecting it."

"I'll be in your care, then." Izuku bowed, and added. "Thank you very much, Togata."

"No need to be quite so formal. Let me know when you're headed over."

Watching the blond upperclassman walk away, Izuku ran the conversation over in his mind again. Whatever game Nighteye was playing, it didn't expressly involve Togata. That, or Togata was such a consummate actor and liar that he could beat All for One in a poker contest, but that didn't seem quite likely.

That didn't change that Nighteye had his eye on Izuku, and would be watching him intently. As for what he did and did not know, that would be something to probe in the next week.

[IB]

Itsuka carried her costume case on her lap, straining not to take a nap. The name change had come in too late to make any sweeping changes to her costume before today. She wasn't even sure what changes she wanted to put in in the first place.

Kan-sensei had escorted them all to the train station, and after a short briefing on what they strictly were and were not allowed to do while away – something they had already drilled ahead of time, alongside how to introduce themselves – he sent them on their way.

Yui was headed to Mt. Lady, of all people. Reiko was off to Gang Orca's agency. Setsuna and Honenuki were going with the people who had recommended them. Everyone seemed to have straight-forward, notable, and visible Hero agencies, while she was going off to an effective non-entity almost in the middle of nowhere.

Once at her stop, Itsuka dutifully followed the hand-written directions to her destination, and felt a sneaking suspicion about where she was heading, something confirmed when she stepped off the train.

It wasn't that the neighborhood was rundown – someone was still maintaining the flowerbeds and trees, and the roads were being kept up with, if only just. No broken, boarded, or barred up windows. Heck, she could even spot a couple of takeout restaurants and a tea/coffee shop that was bustling.

Safe to say, this was not a busy part of the country. It might have had something to do with Gran Torino being an older Hero with a limited footprint on the web. Her dad had explained it as a result of living in the older days of Heroics, before more funding and effort had gone into safeguarding those who protected the public. He still had his license, though, both as a Hero and teacher up to date, despite not having had any notable appearances in the last couple of decades.

The last steps of her directions had her stop in front of a building that her wince and squint.

If the rest of the street was a handful of centimeters north of respectable, this building nearly dropped it into the negatives all on its own. Easily a half-century behind the rest of its neighbors. Never before had a sign the read "Welcome" evoked such dread, dilapidated as it was. Fenced off as it was, it could possibly be condemned.

She checked the address to the one on the building and breathed sharply through her nose.

Yup. This is the place.

[IB]

Togata happily chattered along the way. If there was a nervous energy to him, Izuku didn't bring it up in the course of conversation, which mostly drifted in the safe waters of the trivial and banal, and the rigors of necessary documentation.

"So why 'Limelight' as a Hero name?" Togata asked.

"You've seen some of the effects of my Quirk, right?" Izuku asked right back.

"I suppose that makes sense. And 'Newtonian'?"

Izuku looked over his hands, holding them out. "For every action, there is an equal and opposite reaction. The job of a isn't to escalate, merely meet the challenges ahead with nothing more or less than what is required. I would have called myself 'Entropy', or something like that, but that just winds up sounding sinister." Letting his hands fall, Izuku smirked a little. "Besides. I generally prefer keeping the obvious tells of what I can do as close as I can to the chest until needed. Putting exactly what I can do up front is inviting disaster."

"You're a really strange kid, Midoriya."

"It's not paranoia if everyone really is out to get you, and in this industry, they usually are. But enough about me. You brought up impression before, but I never really got to get to much into yours. I watched the highlight reel from the Sports Festival. You've improved by quite a bit, even from last year."

Togata beamed. "It's all thanks to Sir." The upperclassman flexed his bicep for show. "He has a knack for drawing out hidden potential. Without him, I'd still probably be losing my pants on a regular basis. He can be a harsh taskmaster, but I think it's because he dislikes someone failing to live up to their full potential."

"I see. Does he think I'm slacking off or something?"

"Hm…I wasn't supposed to hear, so you didn't hear this from me." Togata theatrically winked. "But I think he said that you reminded him of someone."

"Is that a fact?" That would make a particular amount of sense, though he couldn't say that right out. "Eh, I'll just chalk it up to my old man being himself and Nighteye being curious why a staunch critic of the Heroics system and Pro-Heroes as a whole has a son attending one of the preeminent Heroics school in the country." Seeing Togata's confusion, Izuku added, "You're familiar with the Mirror? Heroics Insider?"

"Mostly because they're next to the cash registers at the grocery store."

"Yeah, my old man owns those magazines. It's made things more than a little awkward on occasion, especially as I'm close to more than a few people involved various facets of the Heroics industry."

Togata laughed. "Don't get too riled up. Sir is good about evaluating you rather than your background." When the train slowed, he looked up and then stood, balancing well as it came to a complete stop.

Their way through the district was pleasant. Gentle, even. Everyone walked with something like a spring in their step, hurried as it might be. The locals were surprisingly friendly, greeting them in passing. Some people even waved at Togata, specifically, and he waved back with equal enthusiasm.

"This is us."

The stopped in front of a plain, old, office building. There was little in the way of signage to blare out the residency of a Hero agency. Just a respectable commercial face that could house any number of other businesses. Unless one paid close attention to the discrete security layout arranged outside, or how the doors were meant to shield against bullets and other projectiles.

He could be walking through the gates of glory or of Hell, and he was standing at the antechamber of it all. All he needed was to take a step forward.

[IB]

Itsuka took a breath, and released it slowly. "No point putting it off anymore."

And she reached for the door.

[IB]

Sorahiko Torino, Hero Name: Gran Torino; Quirk: Jet (produces air currents through holes in the soles of his feet)

Mirai Sasaki, Hero Name: Sir Nighteye; Quirk: Foresight (sees the future of a subject through a limited third-person perspective. Only remains active for an hour, and a 24-hour cooldown period is required after each use).

A/N: Full Disclosure: I honestly couldn't come up with different names for the magazines than what was coined in Conversations with a Cryptid. Something about them really sets a key perspective deviation of All for One from his canon counterpart.

Original plan was to put the codename workshop at the end of the chapter, but since that was something likely to be done earlier in the day, I figured to move it earlier, and I think ending with their chosen Hero agencies did a better job of setting up the arc properly.

Word to the wise, I am not changing the relationship tags. No Izuku/Ochako beyond a very one-sided crush.

I wasn't really sure if I needed to change Itsuka's Hero name; it seemed like a good fit, all things considered. But then it kind of hit me that her entire outlook and ethos underwent a massive revision by taking on One for All, possibly several, so I went ahead with the idea.

I can't really say I'm any kind of vehicle enthusiast, let alone a motorcycle junkie. While there are plenty of bikes and companies that can boast fast, powerful, nigh-uncontrollable motorcycles, Ducati stuck out a bit in my memories, striking strongly in my mind from Matrix: Reloaded.

It also allowed me to touch on some world-building that, one day, I'd like to properly address, because it only gets a passing mention when All Might give the backstory for One for All, and it leaves so many questions!

But that's something for another time. For now, if you have any questions, comments, speculation or concerns, or just want to regale me with other conceivably more robust motorcycles, let me know in a PM or review. Constructive criticism is always appreciated.

Until next time!

Winterman, out.