[Sadako Gotoh]

Sadako yawned as she looked through her paperwork. Her next counseling session was just a couple minutes away, but she could probably squeeze in a few more seconds of reading before the student of the hour arrived. Sipping on her energy drink she circled a few words on the paper she was reading before putting it aside and taking out her notebook, a new one which was going to be dedicated entirely to confidential student notes. The types of notes that no one else but her was ever going to see out of the safety of the students.

Her office was located in the administration building and the interior, well, it was rather generic. It looked like the textbook definition of an office space, with a couple of plants dotted throughout, an attempt from Sadako to liven up the place a little bit. However, she was far from an interior designer. ''Today's first student...'' She tapped her index finger against her lips as she tried to recall, while also banishing the urge to go out for a cigarette. ''Shion Utsui, first year student. Department of Heroes...'' She wasn't surprised. A lot of people stopped by her office in their first year and there was nothing wrong with that. Quirks manifested in very personal ways and some students just needed that extra nudge of encouragement or guidance to get started. Especially if they had quirks that were considered unorthodox or strange. Heck, Sadako had a pretty straight forward power herself, and she remembered how she struggled through school. It was part of the reason she had become a counselor after all. Once she heard a knock on the door or a voice on the other side, she would respond with an enthusiastic. ''Come in!''

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー Tap- tap- tap- With a steady rhythm, Shion wandered through the brown halls of the administrative building. It had been only a few days since their proper arrival, and the young man had only been given a temporary room within the dormitory to stay in while the authorities had the proper roommate situation sorted out. It was the biggest campus Shion had ever seen after all, numbers were bound to get messy and complicated somewhere along the way. Speaking of, was there a bigger academy compared to this place in Japan? Even within the entire hemisphere? Mentally, he was okay as he pondered these though. Perhaps rather than a therapy session, he was looking forwards to more of a conversation where he could learn what to expect from this place. What had caused Shion discomfort wasn't any experience in particular, but  rather the sudden change in living conditions and environment. Compared to the relaxed air that surrounded Ms. Li's confectionary, everything was a lot more. . . lively. He was actually around other people that were in his age range now, people that would become a part of his life. It was like suddenly moving from smooth jazz to high-intensity pop on a music playlist. "I think it's here." Shion said to Toto, who had curled up in his arms with their eyes wide open. Staring straight ahead. Before both of them was a door, one that supposedly housed someone capable behind it. Hopefully someone who could make them feel better. Shion knocked, and immediately they were called to enter. He twisted the doorknob, slowly opening the door as it made a creaking sound. It's been 30 years since the age of heroes started, after all. This building could be quite old.  Sadako would be met with the sight of someone who looked exactly like a girl in their pre-20s, dressed in a brown kimono that in turn had an apron tied over it. In their arms was a googly-eyed alien creature that seemed to be staring directly towards her. "You're Ms. Gotoh. . . right?" Shion asked in his androgynous voice, standing still in the doorway. Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

''That's right.'' She smiled, standing up behind her desk with her hands behind her back. ''That must make you Shion Utsui?'' Was Shion a girl? She wasn't about to make any assumptions, but it was the first conclusion she could come to based on how they were dressed. Her eyes also couldn't help but wander to meet... Another set of eyes? It didn't look like any sort of pet that she recognized, but it could be quirk related. ''Please, come in and have a seat.'' She gestured to the chair on the other side of her desk. ''Would you like anything? Tea, coffee, water? An energy drink?'' She turned around to sort through some things while Shion got situated.

''I see you brought a friend along today.'' She turned around to sit down herself, notebook in hand. ''Do they have a name?'' She figured since Shion had taken the trouble to bring them here, the little alien had to hold a lot of value to him. ''Before we begin, I have something for you that I would like you to answer.'' She opened the notebook and put it down on her desk, before sliding it towards Shion with a pen. The page contained a series of questions with a scale for each question. One end of the scale read 'very bad' while the other read 'very good'. ''Just put a cross where you think you fit in on the scale. Take all the time you need, there are no right or wrong answers here.'' She smiled warmly.

The questions, in order, read

''1. How do you feel about school?''

''2. How do you feel about your quirk?''

''3. How do you feel about your social life? (family and friends)''

''4. How do you feel about your overall happiness?''

''Once you are finished just hand the notebook back to me. I want to emphasize that anything we talk about together will be confidential. I'm not going to share it with anyone else.''

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー "Whew. . . " Shion gave a sigh of relief as soon as he was able to confirm that he did not, in fact come in through the wrong door. Closing it behind him, he carried his alien friend in one arm as he approached the chair, as if he knew that he was going to be asked to sit. This was a counseling session, after all.  "Yep, that's me!" He answered as he went ahead and got comfortable, looking about the surprisingly decorated office. The sparse number of house plants really brough character to the dull place, in Shion's mind.  His attention immediately snapped back to Sadako as she asked for what he'd like to have, as well as Shion's favorite topic of conversation: the emotionless alien creature he always carried around. He lifted him up like a cat by the "arms", so that Sadako could get a clear view of the creature. "This is Tobarigami! You can call them Toto! Say hi, Toto!" The alien did absolutely nothing to this proposal. But Shion acted like this wasn't unordinary at all. The eyes sticking out of the multitude of bristles, which upon close inspection turned out to be a multitude of tiny hands, seemed to be staring straight at Sadako- Only for the eyes to move their gaze with Shion's torso as he turned to see what was there on the wall. They were just staring into absolute space. Nothing. "Oh, I almost forgot! Tea, please!" Shion's head was merely full with the thought of a nice cup of black tea, steaming with it's strong goodness with all the boiled leaves at the bottom- until he heard the sound of a paper being pushed towards him across a table. A simple worksheet to evaluate how things were going for him. Scrape, scrape, scrape, scrape- Without even missing a beat, Shion picked up the pencil and completed his selection within 5 seconds. If he managed to complete it so fast, he must have been damn sure about how he felt about everything. "Here you go!" He handed the paper back with a smile, the placements for the respective questions being [3, 4, 4, 4]. All out of 5. The higher the number, the better he was feeling about it. "Well, I don't really see anything bad happening if it gets out! What, you think I have a bomb, Ms. Gotoh?" Shion replied jokingly about the confidentiality, seeming very sure that nothing traumatic or too personal would come into the picture. Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

Shion Utsui indeed. What a colorful and charming student. She had only heard good things up until now, that Shion was a good influence to those around him and a happy student, or so it seemed. Something must have compelled him to come to her session today. When he introduced the lovely little broom... creature? Sadako couldn't help but smile. ''How cute. They're very polite. Hi Toto.'' She turned to get the tea ready, hoping her worksheet might give her a couple of minutes to do so. ''Oh my, those are fast answers.'' She chuckled as she looked over her shoulder. ''Is it right to assume Toto here is part of your quirk?'' She smiled once again as she placed the tea as requested in front of Shion. ''Careful, it's still hot.''

''Thank you.'' She took the sheet and gave it a lookover. Interesting, school seemed to be the biggest issue Shion had according to himself. She looked up and let out a light chuckle at his joke. ''I sure hope not! I mentioned it simply so you wouldn't be scared to share anything with me. I see that you scored school lower than the rest of the questions. How is school for you and Toto?'' There could be many reasons in Sadako's experience. What made Shion an interesting case was that his happiness was scored higher, could it be that he came from a smaller environment and was simply getting used to the school? She had her pen ready to take any relevant notes from what he might say, and depending on how he answered she was going to bring out other tools to help with their conversation.

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー Shion felt indescribable joy at Sadako acknowledging Toto's existence. In a way, it felt like a part of himself instead of another being entirely was being given attention and recognition.  But Toto was a friend, of course. He merely felt happy for them. "Yep! All I need is a broom, and it just changes into Toto!" Shion pulled Toto back, looking down at him fondly while he continued to rest there, motionless. Staring into space. Apparently, their silence was interpreted as politeness. How quaint! The tea being set in front of the two definitely helped create the atmosphere which was favorable for a drawn-out conversation. You couldn't resolve personal issues without a little talking, after all. Black tea, no cream or sugar. It's flavor as-is, something that Shion considered to be more "natural" was his favorite. Kind of like how he tried to experience the world so far: as is. "Right, that's what I wanted to talk about." Shion took a deep breath before leaning back in their chair, taking a more relaxed position and calmer demeanor. One that was probably more appropriate for a session like this. "I'm happy to be here, I really am. But there's so much new things. A new room, new activities, new friends. . . it feels like I'm in a completely different world even though my old home is only about 20 minutes away." His eyes were looking towards the ceiling, not at Sadako. It helped him focus on what exactly his problem was, as well as remembering how things used to be, and what was different from then. Toto was still hugged tightly like something between a stuffed animal and an emotional support animal. "I've also got this weird feeling that's different. I got accepted through a scholarship because I can fly with Toto- I didn't have to take the exam and go through what everyone else did. It just feels. . . unfair, and I feel a little bad because of that." Shion was definitely among the weakest students in the University, but the ability to fly on its own would give anybody a massive edge. Instead of walking, you could cover difficult ground so much faster. He probably received that scholarship because the elite saw merit in him being assigned to a role like reconnaissance.  Inequality. That was the rule of the world that has persisted ever since the first Kalpa. A rule that is especially evident today, in the distribution of quirks. Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

Shion's enthusiasm and optimistic outlook was charming, if not downright infectious as she found herself smiling and engaged in their conversation. Paying respect to Toto seemed to have been the right call to make, she was relieved that Shion had such a seemingly healthy relationship to his quirk. A lot of the counseling sessions she had with other students involved just that, quirk problems, so meeting Shion served as a nice reminder as to the nuance that existed within the student body of the school. ''I see! Any broom?'' She asked inquisitively, glancing down at her clipboard for just a moment to scribble down some notes. Just in case Shion scheduled more meetings, she would make sure to always have a broom present in her office, just in case Shion needed a backup.

She offered a patient smile as he let out a sigh, a silent way to let him know he had all the time in the world, that he only had to say as much as he wanted to. She had her pen ready to take notes, and immediately understood his plight. Switching to a new home environment, even if you still had your old home to return to, was a tumultuous experience. Then his second point hit, something she had also seen other students bring up. A feeling of guilt from not having to take the entrance exam to prove themselves like most of the other students had.

''Shion-san.'' She started with a smile once he was done, putting her clipboard down. ''What you are feeling is valid and absolutely normal for anyone who comes to this school. If you were to ask among your fellow students, you would find a lot of them share similar feelings, particularly in the first year. Moving into, and studying at UAU is a big step in not just your future career, but your life too. You and Toto are not alone in feeling bad about the way you gained entry to the school. There are many ways people end up here, there is no one right way to become a hero, but every path is equally as valid. Some people prove what they can do in the exams, maybe because it isn't immediately apparent what their potential is.'' There were honestly too many reasons for her to list, but that wasn't the point either. ''But you, you have a lot of potential and a special gift. The school saw something in you that they don't see in many people. Is that unfair?'' She gave a casual shrug. ''Some might think so, but everyone has a fair shot at becoming a hero. Powers alone do not make the hero.'' She smiled and stood up to grab a little whiteboard on wheels, rolling it closer to her desk. ''Let's return to it later. If you don't mind,'' She took out a black marker and wrote 'HOME' on one side of the board and then 'SCHOOL' on the other, before drawing a line down the middle between the two. ''Could you tell me a bit more about your home? What makes it different from UAU?'' As Shion would answer, Sadako would write down keywords pertaining to home or school, seeking to highlight the differences between them in a more visual manner. Oftentimes, the brain ran on autopilot and in a state of stress, could make it hard to focus on ideas or the little things. By writing it out as Shion spoke, Sadako hoped he could get a better overview of what he liked at home vs. what he might find challenging at school.

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー Shion simply sat there, listening to Sadako's reasoning combined with data to prove that there really wasn't anything out of the ordinary going on here. Despite feeling alone, Shion really wasn't quite alone in how he felt. He was a "young person" after all, and there were many universal experiences shared among "young people". This was one of them, especially since he was in an environment filled with people who were similar to him. Did a person's quirk even factor into this situation? In a quirkless world from over 50 years ago, people attending college for more "mundane" goals and degrees could feel the same kind of impostor syndrome. Though in this period of time, quirks themselves felt mundane to Shion. Being an impressionable person was a double-edged sword. Others could manipulate you with the right words, but could instantly make you feel better with some other ones. And Sadako sure knew how to do her job- Shion was smiling, reassured. He sat up, stretching a little even though at most he had been lethargic for about two minutes. "You're right- I guess it was nothing to worry about in the end! If everyone's felt like this for a while, that means things like this haven't changed since the past century, hehe!" Later? What would they do now then? Shion would watch with interest as Sadako went to scribble on the nearby whiteboard. Oh no, was it math? Did they hide some kind of competency test in every student's first counseling session? Oh, it was just two words. Yeah, Shion could read. Home? "Uhh. . . " He seemed to struggle a little bit, having trouble deciding on whether Sadako meant Ms. Li's attic room or home home. After a few seconds of thought, the answer became obvious. It was up to Shion to choose where he felt more at home. More comfortable. ". . . there's a pretty much no people besides me and this other person, and their cat. Everything's brown and wood-ish, not like here. This place has a lot more. . . whites. And it's mostly made of rock as well." No better place to start than by describing what he quite literally saw every day there, he thought. "And then there's this weird thing. I heard all these noises outside when I lived there, but I didn't ever feel bothered. But when it gets quiet in a place like this. . . I don't know how to feel." Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

Sadako was observant, attentively listening and above all, patient as Shion spoke. Sometimes it was hard to get students to speak. Some had put up barriers to protect their emotions, either by clamming up or trying to change the subject constantly, but not him. Not Shion. He was surprisingly willing to share, which thankfully made helping him a lot easier. She noted his body language, smiling, had a seemingly healthy relationship with his quirk too. It wasn’t every day she saw someone who could become friends with their quirk like he had.

“Indeed, a lot of people past and present have been in a situation that feels similar to how you might be feeling. That doesn’t mean it isn’t uncomfortable, or a little scary. However, some can find comfort in that fact, that despite how big the world is we are never alone with our problems.” She smiled.

As he continued she wrote ‘quiet’ on the whiteboard to denote the lack of people back home. “Brown and wood-ish, would you say that makes you feel cozy?” She also wrote wood and brown. Then under school she wrote down the opposites, because of the people it’s a louder place, lots of academic, almost clinically white colors and of course much more rock and a lack of wooden structures. “When do you find it gets quiet here?”

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー [Now Playing: L'ange a contre jour] Cozy. A favorite of Shion's that was never said with words but was constantly apparent by how he carried himself at 'home', in the dormitory. Cushions, mats, tablecloths, cheap cookware, fire from the kitchen stove, and bunk beds. A dissection of Shion's gray matter would undoubtedly result in these terms and concepts being found in the chemical strands of information. Even though their time together had just started, Shion did his best to make others feel the same way when it came to coziness. Jack's chaotic and spontaneous nature didn't reveal how he was affected by this effort, but Kupo-kun definitely seemed to appreciate what he did to some level. "Yep! Though, cozy definitely comes from a lot of things! Like for example, Jack and Kupo-kun's room is its own kind comfy!" Shion responded to the query by mentioning his two new roommates' living conditions- though he left out how messy it would get in there sometimes. Perhaps on purpose. His eyes followed Sadako's hand as it wrote down the next word, beginning to think of how to explain his point of view. In hindsight, Shion's explanation of the school becoming "quiet" didn't make much sense. The place was always full of people, so how would it be possible for U.A. to be quiet at the times Shion and everyone else was awake? How would he define how he truly felt, and why that specific word was chosen to describe it? "Uuuun- how can I explain it in a way you understand?" Shion's yellow eyes moved to the window, then the ceiling as he presumably put together a sentence, piece by piece, within his head. ". . ." Almost half a minute of silence would pass. Perhaps awkward to Sadako, but not her "patient" who was in deep thought while air leaked out of his ears. "When I'm in the same room as other people here, it starts feeling quiet even when they're talking. . . Loudly. Do you understand, Ms. Gotoh?" Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

Shion struck her as a kind soul. Someone who had a lot of room for friends in his life and who met people with an open, earnest sort of kindness. She imagined that someone who was more insecure or felt more shame might want to hide Toto away, but Shion wasn't like that at all. Shion treated his quirk much like he might a friend and there was nothing wrong with that. If anything, the young man possessed a somewhat hidden strength. His ability to make friends and allies. It wasn't something the school was going to test him on extensively, but rather it was one of those things Shion might come to appreciate one day when he's out in the field as a pro hero and has to start working together with others.

''Yes! It really can, can't it?'' She smiled, reminiscing about the smells in her childhood home. The Spring flowers and her dad cooking her favorite meal for her. She was relieved to hear he thought cozy came from a lot of places. In the times where he might be struggling, that would make finding that feeling of cozy all the more easy. ''Take your time.'' She smiled patiently, ''or write it down if you need to.''

She took a sip from her cup and looked the white board over once more, giving him space to gather up his thoughts. The time that passed didn't feel awkward to her at all. She was used to those awkward pauses, more so from other students. Shion on the contrary had been very open to share and talk so far, which conversely, made helping him easier. ''That sounds like a very specific type of quiet.'' She hummed softly, pointing the back end of the marker to her chin. ''So what you're saying is, it often gets quiet around here? Do the people themselves matter? Does it ever get quiet around Jack and Kupo?''

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー Shion continued to look at Sadako with that innocent and approachable look of his, like the way the mental image of a baby deer would gaze towards someone daydreaming about hiking. But like when encountering the true visage of a deer, the next words from his mouth seemed to quiet all of the ambience that surrounded them both. "It's their words. They're. . . nothing." Tinged with true concern, his expression gradually betrayed his true feelings of what others said. Disappointment. "It's always words like "I want to be the strongest", "I want to be rich.", "I want to be famous.", and "I want people to love me"." Despite his friendliness, Shion purposefully avoided making friends with many of the people here due to this "silence". He couldn't understand why people in U.A. would think in that way- would a social worker or first responder be allowed in the public eye to chase glory like that? "Of course, Kupo-chan's not like that- He really cares about helping people! But Jack, he's. . . " He looked down to his lap with a look of dejection, seemingly not willing to finish that sentence. Whatever he had in mind to say, he clearly didn't want to say more. It was at this point that Toto, the expressionless alien, simply slid off Shion's lap and began to waddle towards the door behind him, past Sadako. They didn't attempt to open the door however, simply deciding to "sit" lethargically as a blob would. "But. . . it's true. I feel this way. I don't get why you'd fixate on selfish stuff like that when that's not what a hero does- A hero. . . a hero should always have their mind set on helping others and bettering the society they're in, right Sadako-san?" Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

Their words were nothing? As he continued talking she silently listened, starting to form a better picture of just what Shion's silence meant, or rather, the silence he heard in others. ''I see.'' She smiled reassuringly. ''It isn't uncommon to see people chasing glory in our profession. We can try to ignore it as much as we want, but the fact of the matter is it is an aspect of the job. I'd like to think people get into heroism because of wanting to help people out of the good of their heart, but unfortunately that isn't always the case. There are those who choose this career just to chase glory. Some of which end up becoming very successful heroes.'' Her opinion was probably similar to Shion, she didn't like that kind of 'silence' either, empty slogans and endless bragging. Heck, she had endured it back when she was a UA student too. She blinked her eyes and looked at Toto as the little alien broom started waddling towards the door. Was it a subconscious desire to leave? Was the conversation too uncomfortable, was Toto even an extension of Shion's emotions, or were they disconnected emotionally, yet linked in other ways? His quirk was fascinating. If Iphigenia hadn't already tested him, she would probably have a field day helping him analyze his quirk.

''I agree with you.'' She sighed and gave a casual shrug. ''Nothing good comes out of chasing glory and fame. That goes for any profession, but especially not as a hero. The people who do stand to lose their sense of self in their work, or they let the fame go to their head.'' She folded her hands on her desk and smiled at Shion. ''I think the fact that you are noticing these things so soon is a testament to not only your level of awareness, but how much your heart is in heroism.'' Was he really a first year student? She was impressed he was coming to her with these observations at the beginning stages of his hero career. ''You have the makings of a promising hero already, Shion Utsui. I know the fame-seeking types can be grating, but don't let their words get to you. I can't speak for the students you have encountered, like Jack, but oftentimes it is beneficial not to take people's words at face value, but rather to give them the benefit of the doubt. What I mean is, not everyone is as emotionally mature, or brave as you. They can't say they just want to help people, they have to mask their intentions behind some other vague goal, like just being in it for the money. Of course, you will meet heroes who are exactly like that, but there are those who think the same way you do, they are just incapable of speaking from the heart.''

She finally pointed to Toto. ''Is Toto okay? I can't help but notice they moved.''

Shion Utsui

[Shion Utsui]

カウンセラー After looking tense for a few seconds while Sadako answered, Shion collapsed back into his chair with a loud exhale. Their expression betrayed worry that was no longer there, probably caused by anxiety that maybe the school supported such practices. "Fuuuuuh! That's a relief. . . I knew Sadako-san had common sense!" It was good to have someone have your back, much less think in the same way you did. The last thing Shion wanted was an argument with a teacher. . . all that could get'cha in a lot of hot water with the school! A fly buzzed passed Toto as they lay slumped by the door, only to suddenly have their existence destroyed when one of their "legs" snapped upwards like the tongue of a frog. Quashing the bug instantly. "If only more people would listen to heroes like you, Sadako-san. . .  Eh?" He blinked as the councilor began speaking the most important words he would hear that day, beginning with praise- but then leading into caution about assuming how others would think. And it was a fair criticism. This quiet that Shion found unbearable existed purely on the assumption that these students were always speaking from the heart. Humans weren't that way- there were layers to them, truth being such a nebulous concept that one could simultaneously do so and lie unintentionally. "Speak. . . from the heart?" The youth asked slowly, wanting Sadako to confirm what was in his head as he began drawing a conclusion to what was the takeaway here. "Ah, Toto-" Shion stood up from his chair before the councilor could answer, turning his head to look back at his alien companion seeming to express a desire to leave. The youth blinked twice, before turning to Sadako with a smile that showed him to be more at peace. "I think. . . this might be my time to go." He felt like he had learned all he had to in this room today- wisdom from a senior like Sadako was invaluable to a fresh starter such as himself. He didn't know how, but it would help him on his way in the future. Sadako Gotoh

MADE BY NIGHTBLOOM

[Sadako Gotoh]

She couldn't help but let out a little chuckle at his visible relief at her answer. ''I hope you'll come to find most pro heroes you speak to share that sentiment.'' She folded her hands on her desk, glad that both Shion and Toto seemed to be at ease. It was limited what she could do with one session, but hopefully he felt like coming here to speak with her today had been worthwhile. ''Yeah.'' Speaking from the heart could be a somewhat vague statement, but it was how Sadako viewed it after her years in the industry.

''You speak from your heart, Shion-san. You speak honestly about your motivations and why you chose the hero's path. It may not feel like it to you, but speaking so earnestly about your passions requires a lot of courage. Many people, though they may say something else drives them to become heroes only say so because they are scared to speak from the heart like you are. In those cases, don't just listen to their words, even if they shout it out loud. You must also observe their actions.''

''Yeah? Well, we've managed to cover quite a lot today.'' She smiled, glancing at the clock. They had been talking for a while already so she didn't mind. ''I hope you found our talk here worthwhile. You're always welcome back in my office anytime.'' She smiled warmly. ''You and Toto make quite the pair.'' She would give him some parting words before he left. ''Make sure you both look after each other.''

Shion Utsui