43 Chapter 43

"Shino! "

Sora came walking into class with a cheery smile. Shino didn't even look at him. She was staring out the window with a smile on her face. Izuku and Katsuki followed after their excited friend. Each raised an eyebrow at the smiling Shino.

"What's with that smile? "

Shino tends to have smile on her face often. Often a unused one. Maybe a cheerful one. Sadistic even. Teasing could pass as well. But this smile was different. It was really different. It was a happy smile which wasn't odd. It was just different.

"Something's up" Katsuki theorized.

"We missed something? "Izuku questioned.

"We left her alone for one weekend" Sora sighed. He stepped forward and slammed his palm on Shino's desk. This drew the attention of everyone in class. Shino looked away from the window and raised a curious brow.

"Why would you do that?"

"Spill"

"Spill what? "

"Whatever is making you so happy. Spill"

"Am I not allowed to be happy? " Shino questioned.

"Of course you are but this is a different happy" Sora was determined to get Shino to talk. They had five minutes before school started that meant Aizawa would be there in ten.

Shino hummed, that smile remaining on her face.

"I had a very pleasant weekend " is all she said as she rested her chin in her palm.

That wasn't enough for Sora. He wanted details. He was about to ask another question when he noticed the necklace tied around Shino's wrist. He noted the key dangling from it. So did the two other boys. It was Izuku that click. He had seen Momo wearing a bracelet. The heart connecting it had a key hole the size of the very same key Shino adorned. Shino wasn't one for jewelry and yet here she was. And what could such a necklace and bracelet mean?

He widened his eyes in realization. He quickly looked at Momo, who seemed to be in her own world with a pleasant smile on her face.

"You-.. Momo... You two " Izuku was failing to form a proper sentences but the other boys understood what he was trying to say.

Sora blinked and glanced at the happy Momo. He paid close attention to the bracelet around her wrist.

Katsuki had a big smirk on his face when he put two and two together.

"Oh"

Shino only smiled brighter. "Oh yeah"

"Tell me everything "

"No"

"Please"

"No"

"Aren't I your best friend? "

"I'm not giving you that type of info"

Sora was persistent and would not let up. Her annoyed her for info for a whole ten minutes straight. Sadly he had to relent when Aizawa entered the class. Shino took note of the downtrodden Iida. She had caught wind of what happened to his brother. She didn't think he'd be attending school today.

"Hey Iida, how are you holding up? "

He smiled weakly at Shino's concerned. "I'm doing fine. Thank for your concern Kiddo. But it's my brother that.. "

Shino smiled sympathetically. She couldn't imagine what the boy was going through. She didn't have a sibling but if anyone she loved dearly was hurt she would've been in the same state. This only reminded her of what is to come.

"You're visiting him later, right? "

"Yes"

"I hope you don't mind me accompanying you" Shino could help. She had a fresh batch of her blood pills. It would only take one to heal the older Iida's legs successfully. In one day he would be up on his feet again.

"I'm coming too" Izuku pitched in with a kind smile.

"Me too. We're friends after all" Ochako piped in with a determined look on her face.

"You don't have to"

"That may be so, but we want to" Shino reassured him. "Besides. I think I can help him"

Before Iida could question Shino, Aizawa began to talk.

"Today our heroics informatics period is a little special" Aizawa began as he starting to jot something down on the blackboard. Everyone's attention was immediately on him at that. Were they studying law again? It was such a hassle to remember proper procedure.

"It's time to formulate your hero names"

Shino sighed when her class erupted in cheers. Do they never learn to be quiet sometimes.

"Quiet"

One word from Shino shut everything down. She was letting her intimidating aura show again. They knew better than to annoy her.

"This is related to the draft nominations by pros. The nominations will only truly start mattering after you've all gained some experience. And your adaptable fighting ability will be judged during your sophomore and senior years"

"So these nominations are nothing but a show of interest at the moment?"

"That is correct Kotoge"

"Well they sure are toying with our emotions aren't they? "Sora chuckled.

"Just a mere obstical to overcome" Shino shrugged.

"The tally of nominations is as followed"

Shino sniggered when she saw the number of nominations she received. She knew she would get a high number, having won each round. But she was not expecting the amount she received. What brought her amusement was the exact number.

"It's over 9000" she chuckled and couldn't help the laugh she let out.

"What is it with you and that number? "Sora questioned. He himself had received a high number of nominations. Around 7000.

Shoto was almost at 9000 coming in right after Shino. Katsuki and Izuku almost tied. Katsuki had around 6089 while Izuku was at 6080.

"Typically the results are balanced, but this year all attention was on the top five especially on the victor"

"It's so clear it's practically black and white"

"Whether or not you received any nominations matter not because I will be sending you all into the field to gather experience "

"Well in all honesty we have already gotten a taste of the "pro life" with the villain attack and all" Shino stated matter of factly.

"Even so" Akio decided to add his own thoughts. "Being on the front lines will prove to be far better training and will help us gain more experience "

"True"

"Make sure to choose an appropriate name. If you don't it'll be hell from there on out"

"Choose carefully indeed" Midnight decided to make her entrance. She was dressed in her scandalous outfit as usual. "You're chosen name could stick with you for the rest of your career"

"It's Midnight! " Daichi had hearts in his eyes as he practically drooled over her body.

Midnight grew a mischievous smile on her face when her eyes met Shino's.

"Shino dear, I've heard some interesting news from your parents "

Shino sighed and rolled her eyes. "Did you now? "

"Oh yes I did. Apparently you had an interesting weekend with a certain someone"

Momo's face brightened to some degree at the remembrance of the day before and she looked anywhere but at the smirking woman.

"They didn't " Shino said suspiciously.

"They did. They definitely did"

"What exactly did they tell you? "

"Do you really want me to answer that now? "

Shino sighed. She almost forgot she had an entire class listening to their conversation.

"I guess not" Shino relented. "We'll continue this later"

"Hold up! "Daichi abruptly stood up. "What's with this casual conversation!?. Kiddo, do you know Midnight personally? "

"Yes I do. She's a friend of the family " Shino's entire demeanor was casual as if she didn't just admit something big.

"Friend of the family?"

"Yes. That's all I'm telling you" Shino said. "You know you could have waited to bring this up. What ever happened to being discreet? " Shino questioned Midnight.

"I couldn't wait"

"That's a lie if I ever heard one"

Shino proceeded to ignore Midnight as she spent fifteen minutes trying to come up with a good name. She still didn't know what to name herself. She didn't want to choose a spider name. While she could change her name the one she chose now could stick. At some point she was going to reveal her true quirk. She wasn't going to be a hero who didn't give it her all. She sighed and rapidly tapped her marker on her table.

Momo noticed her delima. She was aware of Shino's struggle to come up with a decent name. It's one of the things that have been bothering her.

Shino felt someone tug on her scarf. She turned to face Momo curiously.

"What type of hero do you want to be? "

Shino opened her mouth to answer the question, but nothing left her throat. She knew that she wanted to help those less fortunate than her. The little guys. The ones no one knows need saving. The ones society ignores. It was because of society or perhaps the heroes lack of close attention that Shigaraki turned out the way he was.

"I guess I want to be the hero who saves those most heroes don't realize need saving. I want to protect all. Bring joy to all. I want everyone to feel reassured when they see me or hear my name. I want to be a hero that is always courageous and upholds justice"

Momo nodded with a smile. Shino's reason for being a hero is very admirable.

"You said you were thinking of naming yourself after a deity just like your parents, right? What god or goddess represents that?"

"There are a lot"

"Then narrow it down by looking at your own personality. You're very strategic and sometimes wise. You're very good at inspiring people and very skilled in practically everything "

"That's some pretty high praise" Shino chuckled.

"Did it help? "

"Yeah it did. I think I know what to call myself now" Shino nodded to herself as she wrote down her chosen name. "I would kiss you right now if there so many prying eyes right now. Especially Sora"

Shino took great pride in the blush she arose in Momo.

"I would like to present my name" Akio stood from his seat and approached the front of the class. "The melee hero : Arsenal "

"What a splendid name. It perfectly represents your quirk and skill with melee weapons" Midnight praised the boy.

"Can I go next? "Daichi seemed fairly excited and was allowed to step forward. "I'll be known as the teleporting hero: Pinpoint "

"That's pretty basic"

"I don't care. I like how it sounds" Daichi defended.

Following after him was a tentative Ren. She was very hesitant and embarrassed to present her name. "The creative hero : Artistian"

"My turn" Sora proudly stepped up to the podium. "I've dubbed myself Psion. It sounds totally awesome and represents my psionic abilities"

Here Shino was thinking Sora would name himself Scarlet-Might

Next up was Izuku who presented his name with confidence. "The fire hero: Salamander "

Shino wanted to laugh at the unintended shout out to Natsu Dragneel.

Next up was the ever cocky Katsuki Bakugo.

"Katsuki if you suggest lord explosion murder, I will hang you"

At Shino's threat Katsuki froze. He let out a "tsk" and angrily erased what he originally wrote. He took a second to scrible down a new name and presented it to every one.

"The explosion hero: Ground-Zero"

"I now have a reason for calling you zero"

"I will kill you Shino!"

"You can try" Shino grinned as she stood from her seat to present her name. "The hero suited for any situation. You can call me... "

Shino paused for dramatic effect.

"Athena"