Shion was still, nowhere to be seen.

However, Jun didn't have the leisure to worry about that. Within seconds of her "acceptance" to "play" being interpreted as a positive over negative, Toto lifted themselves off the ground vertically until they reached eye-level to Jun. 

It then lunged at her without warning, or more accurately launched itself like a dart would towards a wooden surface. Air would glide off their organic surface like wind would off the wing of a Boeing 999Z, the always-open eyes now no longer pointing at Jun.

Toto's speed was fast, but not to the point that it was blinding. Between a bullet and an unwilling Sunday morning at church, the speed at which they approached Jun's gut was comparable to that of a thrown javelin. Amateur level, not Olympian.

But was Jun prepared enough to avoid this?

Wherever the Jun had been in the P.E. grounds, she obviously wasn't alone. There were countless students in the biggest pro-hero college of Tokyo with her after all.

However, the person, or rather creature who had been observing Jun from several yards away behind her wasn't exactly the average student she would expect. Resembling a broom, Tobarigami, or "Toto" for short possessed a long, stalk-like body with a tuft of organic looking bristles at the lower half of their body. This tuft also contained a series of eyes-

All of which were fixed upon Jun. They must have snuck up on her to reach their current spot when she wasn't looking.

Now, there was nothing odd about the alien being in of itself- as Jun had probably met them already in the aforementioned disaster of a yacht party. 

What made things strange, was that Toto appeared to be completely on their own. Shion, their "bearer" or "handler" was nowhere to be in sight.

Where was he? Why was Toto alone? And what did they want with Jun?

junsuina

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

The red sun rose in the eastern horizon as thin clouds flanked it, completely beholden to the everlasting symbol of this country.

Showa Day, or specifically the birthday of Emperor Hirohito. Of course, this man had passed more than a century ago, but the myriad of events during his rule had left such a profound impact on the land that it was still celebrated to this day. The Showa era, lasting from the Interwar Period to 1989, had left such a profound impact on modern Japan's identity. The effects which could still be seen in the current year. One of the places important to this period was exactly the shrine Callisto was visiting.

Cold air whistling through his ears, Shion freely rode the wind of Tokyo to get a good look at the sunrise on his day off. Having purposefully gotten up early, he had left on his own (together with Toto) to visit some key locations with what time he had. Yasukuni Shrine wasn't specifically on that list, but a random drop-off point for him to take a break at.

Or, he would have sat down to keep on planning with a touristy leaflet of Chiyoda district. The ward Shion happened to be in was the same as that of the Emperor's residence- though it was unknown to him if they still lived there.

Shion lowered altitude; a slight distortion similar to what you'd see behind a jet turbine before it takes off appearing underneath them before a pair of shoes lightly touched down onto the stone floor.

Now to find a bench- ooh, there's a line of people waiting to give their respects- and there's someone off to the side?

Whether he knew it or not, Callisto stuck out like a sore thumb. Especially considering his unique appearance, he was the only person standing at the side which Shion was on, seemingly deep in thought as he didn't move an inch while staring at the Haiden before him.

Change of plans, Shion's curiosity demanded answers. 

Toto, the alien creature he was riding on twisted itself into a comfortable knot to be carried around in human arms. Shion approached the older man few feet away from his landing point with a light step, calling out to him. But not really "calling", moreso a normal volume of voice.

"Hey! All alone at 6:30 on Showa Day?"

If he turned around, the man with hair-buns would have seen a. . . person around 4 inches shorter than him holding some kind of creature in their arms, smiling innocently in their combo of a Japanese garb and an apron. Making direct eye contact.

Of course, he didn't know anything. Not of Callisto's profession, nor why Yasukuni Shrine was all that important.
Callisto Tengoku

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

"Yup! Toto's my friend! All I need is a broomstick and I can call him out to help me!" Shion replied to both Freja and Jun's mix of curiosity and apprehension at his friend's appearance, just letting Sumi check him through and through before she went her own way. Said friend's blank stare through their eyes which peeked out through the side of the "brush" continued, with Toto staying completely motionless in Shion's arms. Slumped, like a bag full of wet rags. Their absolute lack of expression was a stark contrast to Shion's bright demeanor.

"Creep you out? It's fine~ you'll get used to-"

And then along comes Sebastian with the "tea" in hand. At least it was supposed to be tea, it seemed. Who serves tea in a tumbler? 

"W h o a. . . "

For a few seconds, Shion was completely enamored with the man's appearance. Those blue eyes, that white hair, that fair skin that was just like his own- he wasn't even that tall, but the pretty face seemed to make up for it. Hell, Shion wasn't even able to hear Jun's retort as he subconsciously squeezed the alien in his arms, as if it were an oversized stress ball.

But then he opened his mouth.

Her number? Married? Icky friendship? Any amount of attraction Shion felt for a whole two seconds immediately disappeared as his face comically scrunched up as if he had smelled something stinky. How could someone so physically blessed be acting like such a sarcastic lech with zero regard for other people? The girl he was trying to rizz up didn't even look half interested from what he could see!

"G-geh."

Shion reflexively let out a noise in disgust.

Jun was annoyed. Sumi was visibly testing Sebastian's worth as a man. The giant dude was being loud. The smaller girl next to him was apparently a robot. Freja and another girl were off doing their own thing. Shion was already well within danger of being subject to sensory overload, and to add on top of that four more people suddenly appeared at once. 

He immediately noticed the stare that Thea was giving to the person next to her. Shion felt slightly offput by it, making him wonder if there was something between them. Why wasn't she saying anything? Were they in some kind of complicated relationship?

But just like that, the stare ended as quickly as it came. Not to mention the visibly inebriated girl, Emi, suddenly running over to give Jun a hug. This made Shion immediately forget about Thea's staring as he chuckled at the humorous scene in front of him. Seeing someone so serious from a first impression being piled onto by someone who was the complete opposite was a perfect rhyme that had no words.

"Wow, everyone's so energetic! Are they all your friends, Jun? Is that your name?"

Having heard Sebastian say her name a few times already, Shion thought it would be simply repetitive to ask her again.

But something out of the ordinary was also happening, Toto was stretching out their body and gently nudging at Emilia's side like a cat would for the duration of the hug. Whether the alien creature doing this would be considered sweet or absolutely terrifying, would be up to the nerve endings of the beholder feeling the nudge.

junsuina

For a solid 5 seconds, Shion was out cold from the impact of the crash. It may not have looked like a big deal in movies, but in reality the shockwave that travels through the entire body can really affect your footing.

The alien creature he had come flying on simply lay there like a beached starfish, staring up at Freja and Sumi with its multiple large eyes.

After a while of questioning by the two girls that loomed over him, Shion suddenly sat up, rubbing their head as if doing so would make the dizziness go away. It didn't but the passage of time helped him get his bearings.

["Mm- this doesn't look like Yomi or the Pure Land, guess I'm still alive."] He thought, feeling oddly calm about the prospect of having died already.

And suddenly, without any help whatsoever, Shion stood up with no assistance whatsoever. Toto also slowly un-stuck themselves off the wooden floor, kind of like a snail or slug when they detached a part of their body off the ground to climb a garden plant. The creature then stood on its multitude of "legs" that resembled the lower brush of a broomstick. Large eyes still wide open.

Toto was carried up back into Shion's arms as he tried to laugh off the accident, hoping that any lasting damage wouldn't have to be payed for by him. The guy was just some poor dude from the country! There's no way he could pay for the repairs of some luxury-

Oh God, there was slave labor. Would they be forced to work under the oppressive heel of some rich girl until the end of their days?

Enough about that, they had a party to get to!

"Haha, I'm fine! Sorry about the trouble! But if you excuse me, I have a yacht. . . party. . . to. . . wait a minute."

He had crashed into a yacht.

Shion surveyed his surroundings. Beyond the two women who were right next to him, concerned for his health and safety, there was another girl who was obviously using some kind of quirk for self-defense against. . . something. Definitely not against Shion, though. That's for sure. There was a giant of a man who seemed to be busy speaking with a different, much shorter girl whose aura seemed to be off slightly.

And on top of all this, they all seemed to be around the same age as him.

". . ."

The gears were turning in Shion's head, but he wasn't quite at the point where everything clicked.

Something was definitely wrong. And it showed in his expression of confusion.