The train ride was long and arduous. Luckily they had premium seats, though unluckily Pony and Shoda had sat next to Robinn and Tokoyami. At first there was the peaceful silence Robinn had been yearning for, but soon Pony started talking about anything and everything to anyone who would listen. The whole train car kept glancing at her, some amused, most annoyed.

  Robinn tried to sleep, adjusting positions and strategies, but Pony’s relentless voice cut through everything. Finally, she took matters into her own hands... or rather, her ears. She shifted them into air, plunging herself into blessed silence. Closing her eyes, she finally relaxed. They’d shift back once she lost consciousness, but hopefully her classmates knew better than to disturb her.

  By the halfway point, most of the students had dozed off. Three hours in a cushioned seat would do that to anyone. Only Shoda remained awake, staring at his shoes, twiddling his thumbs. His thoughts weighed heavy. He didn’t feel worthy of interning under a respected hero. He hadn’t stood out at the festival, hadn’t shown off what he could do. He wouldn’t take back his choice to withdraw, but he still felt the sting of it.

  A sudden jostle of the train pulled Robinn awake. She was about to silently curse when the view out the window caught her. Kyushu was close now: the high-rises glittered in the distance, the ocean spread wide, and the streets below crawled with tiny dots of people. Her new playing grounds.

  She looked around. Everyone else was still asleep. Pulling out her phone, she saw the group chat full of messages from most students who were already settled into their internships. For a moment, regret pricked at her, maybe she should have chosen someone other than Hawks. But she pushed it aside. This experience would be worth far more than working under anyone not named Endeavor. With a sigh, she turned off her phone and rested her head against the glass.

  The train screeched to a stop, rousing the slumbering students into a mix of excitement and dread. Robinn was the first to her feet, snatching up her suitcase and bag before rushing out. Etiquette could wait.

  Kyushu stretched all around her, vibrant and busy. At the edge of the platform stood a man holding a sign: Robinn Reibach, Fumikage Tokoyami. A grin tugged at her lips. It was nice to be expected somewhere.

  Behind her, the rest of the students trickled out. The Class B kids quickly excused themselves, saying they had to catch a bus. The man with the sign approached, checked his phone, then looked up at them. His hair was spiky white, a strange blue bird mask hid his face, and a crisp Hawks’ Agency pin gleamed on his chest.

  "Nice to meet you two! My hero name is Blue Jay and I’m Hawks’ right hand man... or at least as close I can be to it." He spoke with a sheepish smile, then gestured for them to follow. "Your introductions will have to wait until later, you’re gonna see that waiting around isn’t a very acceptable thing in this agency."

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  They followed quietly, taking in the streets of Kyushu. Compared to Musutafu, the city was denser, louder. Robinn was used to the residential areas and the school campus, now the towers of glass and steel crowded around her, unfamiliar and imposing. Out of the corner of her eye she spotted a group of middle school boys pointing at her. They struck hero poses, then broke into snickers. Mocking her. They probably recognized her from the festival. For a moment, she wanted to march over and put them in their place. But beating up a bunch of middle schoolers wasn’t exactly a good way to introduce yourself to the city. She turned her focus forward instead, studying Blue Jay.

  His costume was practical: pouches strapped along his belt, boots with small spikes at the heel. The design leaned black, blue, and white. It suited him. She wondered what his Quirk was. She’d researched Hawks’ agency, but information beyond the man himself was scarce.

  Just as she was about to ask, Blue Jay stopped. He craned his neck upward, one hand on his hip, the other pointing high.

  "This is the place. Get used to the view out here though, we don’t spend much time inside."

  He led them into the building, into an elevator that shot upward at speed, cheerful music chiming annoyingly as they ascended. By the 29th floor the doors opened, revealing a split space. Half looked like a standard office: desks, computers, bookshelves stacked with reports. The other half was open, scattered with beanbags, pillows, Hawks plushies, and couches.

  "This is the office. We get all the paperwork and reports done here, don’t forget that’s also a very important part of hero work," Blue Jay explained, gesturing at the desks.

  Robinn raised her hand. He gave a nod.

  "What’s up with the lazy corner over there?" she asked, pointing at the beanbags.

  "That’s supposed to be the ‘break room,’ but only Hawks really uses it," he said with a smile.

  She let that answer settle, but another question rose. "Speaking of him, where is Hawks?"

  "He’s out. Since you guys live so far away you won’t be able to join on today's morning patrol. Meanwhile I’ll show you to where you’ll be staying."

  The elevator carried them down to the 25th floor, where the doors opened to a dorm-style hallway lined with doors. Blue Jay led them to the end, unlocked two side-by-side rooms, and handed them keys.

  "It’s a small room with the necessities, nothing really special other than the view to be frank. I’ll let you guys settle in and I’ll come back when the boss man returns." With a casual salute, he left.

  Robinn stepped inside her room. Small, yes, but clean. A bed, a desk, a bathroom. It reminded her of her room back home except now she had a bathroom all to herself. She dropped her bags without care and sat on the bed, letting the mattress sink beneath her. The view through the window was worth it, the city framed by the sparkling ocean.

  Tokoyami cleared his throat in her doorway. "Robinn, you never sent me the workout routine."

  "Shit." She whispered to herself, then raised a hand, rubbing her temple before answering. "I’m sorry dude, I completely forgot after speaking to Midnight. I’ll get on it as soon as I can."

  "I see." His voice was measured, though a part of him wanted to talk beyond training. "So what did Midnight need to tell you?"

  She looked up, still groggy from the long ride. "Just some stuff."

  "Stuff?"

  "Yup, stuff."

  He took the hint, nodding before retreating to his own room.

  Robinn let herself fall back onto the bed. The softness surprised her. She stared at the ceiling, unsettled. Forgetting things wasn’t like her. Breaking promises, even small ones, just because she was distracted? Not cool.

  Author’s Apology Note:

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