Katsuki sighted in his seat. It'd been a week or so since he'd started. It had been fairly uneventful for him. Furushima was still hanging around him which was as comforting as it was disturbing for him. He was so far down the leaderboard in that appraisal that he didn't even tell his parents it had happened. He was trying to maintain this balancing act of being a competent and powerful individual whilst also wanting to be just someone who could watch on the sidelines whilst the real heroes took over.
"I'll be the chivalrous hero: Red Riot!"
"Oh? Like Crimson Riot?"
"Yeah!"
Oh and he had to pick a hero name. Perfect. The one he always planned to use 'King Explosion Murder' made him want to hunch over a toilet just thinking about it. God what would the version of himself that came up with that shit think if he knew what would happen?
"Okay, who's next? Remember, your hero name is symbolic of what you want your hero career to be. Something to dazzle or inspire!" instructs Midnight.
"Ooo! I've got mine!" Mina shouts excitedly as she skips past Katsuki's seat whilst he stares down at his empty board. What the hell should he call himself? "Alien Queen!" declares Mina.
"Hmm. I think that's a little scary, remember it's gotta appeal to everybody!"
"Aw... damn it."
Maybe he should just copy what that Todoroki kid did and just use his actual name as his hero name. But then he didn't want his name plastered everywhere, that's be ridiculous given that he just wanted to be fairly unknown.
"I'VE GOT MINE!" shouts Yoarashi.
"Great! Maybe use your indoor voice though Yoarashi. Yeah?" Midnight optimistically responds.
The floor practically shook as he stomps past to the front of the room as he held his board towards the rest of the group.
"The Hurricane Hero: GALE FORCE"
"Very suitable, well done!"
Yoarashi walks back with a smirk on his face. Great so the loud one had a name too, Katsuki thought he was just some loud jumped up dumbass but it turns out he's got a brain in there... somewhere. Oh well, at least the blond girl who was top of the entrance exam seemed to be struggling too. That was comforting at least. Katsuki picks up his pen and starts twirling it in his fingers. He gets a little tap on the shoulder as Furushima walks past him, Katsuki rolled his eyes as he did.
"The Gas Hero: Mustard."
"Ah, very good. Would that not seem a little threatening though?"
"Honestly? No point in trying to water down what my quirk can do, better to be honest right?"
"Very well. I'm glad you're comfortable enough within yourself to admit that Kiyotaka."
"Thanks ma'am."
Mustard walks past Katsuki, offering a small smile which Katsuki's tight lip ever so slightly reciprocates. He was sort of curious as to how someone with such a potentially dangerous quirk was so comfortable within himself to the point where he'd flat out make it his identity. Like he'd never thought about that, he'd always been praised or admired for having such a powerful or incredible quirk; he'd never really been feared before. Well apart from- oh fuck. Oh god, okay breathe. Breathe damn it.
Katsuki holds onto his pen tighter as he takes in deep breaths through his nose and out through his mouth; no one had really noticed that he was going through something like that. Katsuki had gotten good at hiding things the last few months and after a few sharp moments he finally calms down again.
"Froppy. Ribbit."
"Bravo Tsuyu! That'll be iconic!"
Okay that was an easy one... but damn it was a good name. It sucked that all of the names related to explosions were all so violent. 'Ground Zero', no that sounds terrifying. 'Exploder', no he's better than that. 'Shockwave' ... That could be pretty cool. Yeah, maybe that'd be-
"The Music Hero: Soundwave" declared Jirou.
"Good use of synonyms my dear."
Shit! Well so much for that idea. Katsuki taps his pen on the desk and can't help but shoot a glance at Melissa next to him. Who had something written but was then swiftly scribbled out as she sighs.
"I've got it. Perfect!" Monoma exclaims.
"C'mon up then Neito." Midnight says.
Monoma had his usual satisfied smirk on his face as he shows the class his board.
"Mimic-Man! The Everything Hero."
"Should try Thief. Huh?" Yoarashi mutters.
"Bit your tongue Inasa." Midnight objects.
"Actually I'm glad you said that; because I made my ACTUAL hero name with you in mind Yoarashi!" Monoma cockily says as he flips his board around onto the otherside. "The Copy Hero: Phantom Thief." Monoma smirks at Yoarashi who looks away disgruntled. Knowing that he'd been bested.
"Very impressive Monoma! I love it!" Midnight celebrates.
"Thank you, Thank you."
Seriously? Monoma came up with two names? Katsuki couldn't even think of one! This is bad... Well at least he wasn't the only one-
"Uh, Miss Midnight?"
"Yes Melissa? Is everything alright?" asks Midnight.
"I think I've got my name."
"Would you like to share it with us?"
Melissa gently nods as she gets up slowly out of her seat and heads towards the front. Katsuki curses under his breath as Melissa stands at the front of the room, looking down at the board but her presence highlighted by the sunshine illuminating her through the windows.
"Okay. So uhhh. I'm not sure I've addressed this yet, but I'm going to say it now. I'm Quirkless." Melissa starts off as the whole class gasps in shock. Katsuki's gaze shoots up from his own board. She was what? "And... well, everything I do I have to build gadgets or tech for, call it a hobby or a weird obsession or... whatever you want" she continues.
Melissa reminded Katsuki of someone else.
"But I do all of that because I really want to help people. There was a time where I thought I couldn't do any of this, that it was a dream just out of reach; but with all of the things I can build, I can do it, I can fight alongside you all. Because I want to build a better world, even if it only helps one person, then it'd be better." Melissa goes on.
Shit. She was exactly like that someone else. Melissa turns her board around to the rest of them.
"The Hero who wants to build a better world: Architect." she concludes. She gets applause from the whole class (even Yoarashi) as her face forms into a warm smile. She and Kirishima exchange winks, given he was the only one who knew beforehand. Or more accurately, the only one who took an interest in her and asked her.
Katsuki looked down at his desk. This was all wrong. There was one person who could've built a better world and he was dead. He'd killed him; his mom too. How could the future all of these people aimed to create, come into being without someone like him? Katsuki couldn't do that. He wouldn't even know where to start. Because he was worthless, because he was useless. Because he was nothing but a stupid fucking- Oh my god. Katsuki writes it down on his whiteboard. He stares at it; for an eternity he feels like he stares at what he'd written there. It made his insides churn, but also, it felt like it was perfect.
"Hey, uh. I've got my name." Katsuki murmurs with his hand raised.
"Katsuki! Excellent work! Would you like to share it?" asks his teacher enthusiastically.
Katsuki gets up and walks forward, he stands at the front of the room with all of the eyes focused on him. He always felt that they were all focused on him anyway. But he would do this name justice, he'd try his hardest to earn it. He'd try his best to make up for all of the shit he'd done. He turns his board around.
"Pardon me, but Katsuki... uh..?" Iida asks.
They wouldn't get it. None of them would get it. But he would; Katsuki would always get it.
"... I'm not sure I understand it, what does it say my dear?" his teacher inquires.
Because he'd always be in a deficit, trying everyday of his career to make up for an irredeemable wrong. He didn't deserve any of the glory that came from being a hero. But... he did. Izuku, he deserved it all.
"Deku."
Made by truen