The Councillor Hero

by A Basic Writer

Fate shifts, as Joker failed to catch Maruki in his fall. Maruki, who perished in his fall, was destined to be a part of the sea of souls. But a being unknown to Maruki saves him and proposes he starts over in another world. Maruki, knowing full well the being has ill intention in this exchange, accepts. Maruki enters a world of heroes, and he will save any soul crying in pain.

3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: What does it mean to be a hero?

To say that this hotel wasn't the creme de la creme would be a massive understatement. I have never witnessed such a luxurious hotel. Videos posted online of those shoddy tours of the best of the best hotels back in my world were immediately snuffed out by the sheer majestic sheen and prestige that came from seemingly everything around the lobby area itself.

'I am not affording this...' The cost to even loiter in the lobby was most likely higher than all the money I ever made. Funding for my research from way back then would quickly get eaten up by this place. That's also not considering the type of people that would come here to stay over. Looking for just a second around the lobby showed either the highest class of people or what I could only imagine are heroes that made ludicrous amounts of wealth in their crime-fighting careers.

Walking up to the receptionist's desk may have been the most stressful moment so far in this new world. All the eyes of the people hanging around the lobby seemed to be glued on me for no other reason than to wonder who I was, what my status was, and how a person dressed like your average guy just walked right in without a care for the world. I didn't even bother to check my checking account to see if the diety blessed me with mass amounts of wealth or check the limit for my credit card. Nothing I had on me would provide any service from this place.

But before I even started thinking of devising a plan to approach this atrocious predicament I find myself in, I was already at the front desk of the lobby.

"Um, hi there. I was wondering what the cost would be to book a room here for the night-"

"Unless you booked with us before, online, or have evidence of being a hero that is in our systems to stay here, then we are not allowed to discuss prices or our services to outsiders. If you are here to visit a guest here, then please call them and have them ring us, then tell us their name, and we will send you to them." The pure monotone and speed the woman dished out what I assume was standard policy information left me in a stupor and my mind in a fritz to load all the information in my head.

The stares in the room only grew stronger as murmuring came and go about my business here. I was too tired to really focus on them, but the more I stood there like an idiot, the more I felt like I would just pass out right here and sleep on the floor.

'No other options here...it's either the streets or lying. But what are the chances I could pass off as a visitor to someone here? The odds that I name a random name that also plans for a visitor would be astronomically high. Improbable as it is, it's either sleeping on a bench outside with regret or shame.' I pushed up my glasses as I readied myself for embarrassment.

"Sorry, I was mistaken. I wasn't here for booking. I was actually here to visit someone in particular." The amount of skepticism on the woman's face pained me dearly as I put up my best smile for her while apologizing mentally for my deceit.

"Name?" As my throat twisted into a knot, she asked as I stood there wholly unprepared to answer the obvious question. I hesitated in thinking of any name in particular, as many names from what was now a previous life of mine swarmed my thoughts as they scattered and overwhelmed me. But, it didn't take long for one name in particular to outweigh the rest.

Nothing but sorrow and aching filled my heart as I stood there repeating her name in my mind. I tried pushing it aside and searched for any replacement for her, yet no others came to mind as I stood in defeat. My legs shook as my heart raced at a rapid pace. I could feel my lips quivering as I struggled to open them once more.

"Rumi..." I barely made audible for the receptionist as I stood there weakly trying to hide my face with my hand, pretending I was fixing my glasses as she then started to type onto her computer. My heart tightened even stronger in anticipation and pain.

I've been avoiding thinking about anyone from the world before, Rumi especially being the last one I would want crossing my mind.

'Could've named anyone...Ren, Akechi, Sumire...but of course, it had to be her.' I grabbed my chest with my other hand as I kept my effort in hiding my face from the receptionist.

Tears started welling up in my eyes; they stung as my vision started distorting around me. The lights around me seemed to shift and brighten as the lens flare of it hitting my glasses blinded me. My heart felt like it exploded as the blinding light flashed in a brilliant white light. Soon my vision returned, and as soon as it did, I went and wiped away the tears that manage to start falling down my cheek. The typing of the receptionist stopped as she then spoke out to me.

"You said Rumi, right?" I adjusted my glasses again as I retook a deep breath to calm myself down.

"Yeah, Rumi was the name." The receptionist held a look of shock for a brief second before shrugging her shoulders and handing me a keycard. I only stared at it in awe at what was it meant for me to actually obtain it, "Are, are you for real?" The receptionist raised an eyebrow before saying, "What do you mean? She's been waiting for you for a while now. Unless you really aren't visiting anyone and pulling fast one on me." I raised my hands in defense as I quickly defended myself, "Nonono! I am here to visit her. I promise!" The receptionist chuckled as she handed me the keycard, "I was yanking your tail, boy. Go on, she'll be on the fifth-floor room...twenty-three, I believe." I gave the woman a quick bow as I expressed my thanks to her.

"Don't sweat it, boy, just get going." I went over to an elevator as I saw a keycard swiper for it. I promptly swiped, and the elevator opens swiftly and cleanly. The ride itself was just as smooth, and the scent of it was hard to describe. It was like it was tailored-made just for me to experience it.

As the doors open, I walked out and searched through all the entries before coming upon room twenty-three.

I then stood there.

Just standing there ever so silently.

Minutes passed.

Then what probably was half-an-hour had passed before I asked myself.

'What now?'

---

I didn't really think this through when I decided to go all-in with this lie. Success was never an option here when I even conceived such a ridiculous plan to get up here. I could've used the time coming here from the lobby to the elevator, to when I was even searching for the damn room to figure out what was next for this insane situation I forced myself into.

But I didn't, and like an idiot, I landed myself in a mess that I don't even know where to start from this point on.

Should I hide out in the public bathrooms and sleep it out through there? Maybe the floor hall would be more sufficient? I'd look like a bum that was lucky to get inside to do those actions, but it all was fitting for a man like me to have done the things I have to get to this point.

'I stole someone's card to go up here. This is meant for someone else...and I stole it,' that thought alone hit me hard as I realized just what it would mean for me to stand here right now. I didn't know who this random person named Rumi was, but right now, they were in their room, expecting a visitor to come to them any second now.

'The least I can do now is knock on their door and make this all look like a misunderstanding. They deserve that much with my deception.' Sadness filled me as reality came crashing down on me once again. I shuffled in place before finally mustering up the courage to knock on the door. A couple of taps on the door, and I started waiting. The luck that was bestowed upon me crossed my mind as I reviewed the recent moments leading up to this point.

'Lucky indeed I am to be standing here, but that feeling before, with the blinding light, it closely resembles the feelings I had when in the palace I would...' I stopped that train of thought quickly as my mind immediately grasped what had just occurred at that moment.

'Could I have actualized...without even noticing.' My heart raced as I started delving deep into this rabbit hole, 'If that feeling from the lobby was to be the same as my power back then, then I must have actualized a person named Rumi to stay here, and for them to be expecting me for a long time... must that mean they know me? Does it mean I actualize the Rumi from the other world into this one!? Do I have that kind of power to do that now?' I couldn't help but have hope swell within me as I heard the unlocking of the door in front of me. Endless amounts of scenarios popped into my head as the thought of bringing Rumi here to this world with me made my heart soar. I looked up in anticipation as I gripped the keycard tight in my hand, mentally preparing myself for the encounter of a lifetime.

It felt like an eternity before the door actually opened in front of me, and what I saw was not what I was expecting. I expected my Rumi. The woman I loved with every fiber of my being. Her short red hair, her delicate and slim figure, her kind and soft smile that I grew to have ingrained into my head. Instead, I got something that I honestly...I couldn't have predicted what I was looking at right now.

In front of me stood a short woman with incredibly toned dark skin that was glistening perfectly to accommodate the refined muscles that she presented. She had luscious flowing white hair that was practically glowing with how much it seemed to shine with what little light came to it. I turned my gaze to the real elephant in the room as two gigantic bunny ears came to my vision. Both of them were swaying side-to-side in unison with a type of bounciness that was incredibly hypnotizing. They had fur that looked softer than anything I ever came to know.

I didn't stare too long as I turned my eyes back down toward the woman as to not seem rude, yet with that came my entire understanding of just how dire this scenario actually was.

I didn't notice the woman's clothing when I briefly glanced at her, but now I could see precisely the kind of trouble I was in. The woman's clothing...or, to be accurate, lack of clothing made me reconsider all the decisions I made up to this point. Her top was a plain white tank-top that accentuated her...well-endowed chest, and what she used to cover her bottom half of her body was a provocative piece of some pan- woman's underwear that covered the absolute bare minimum.

'I'm so sorry, Rumi!' I apologized in my mind, not only to the Rumi of the old world but also to the woman that stood right before me.

I could only stare dumbfounded as a lump in my throat was no lodge there to prevent me from even attempting to try to smooth out this situation.

"Do I know ya?" She spoke in a tone and manner that only reminded me of the usual delinquent talk I had to deal with back in Shujin Academy. I mentally started saying my prayers as I turned my gaze forward as to not have me stare at the woman's figure any longer than I should have. This led to me coming face-to-face again to her ginormous bunny ears that now rapidly swung in a way that only communicated as them being annoyed.

I pushed down the lump in my throat as I weakly let out, "I-I...um...was looking for a person named Rumi..." The bunny girl raised an eyebrow and stared at me with suspicion, "Huuuh?" I adjusted my glasses and kept my hand there to partially cover my eyes. I stood stiff as a brick as I didn't allow any sort of movement whatsoever. I didn't want to risk any offensive actions that might make the woman any more uncomfortable than she probably was.

"I wasn't expecting any visitors..." She whispered to herself. I saw the short window of opportunity to get me out of this mess. With building up as much courage as possible, I gave a weak chuckle and rambled on, "Well, if you aren't expecting anyone, then I suppose I should be on my way. I probably got the wrong room anyway hahaha alright, bye-" Before I could take off, the woman grabbed me by my collar and took a long sniff of my collar. I froze up and didn't move an inch as I got the first taste of the aroma that came from the woman. My heart did a somersault as the all too personal scent from this woman made my mind go blank. She must've finished taking a bath of some sort recently with strong the smell was; it overwhelmed my whole body as I could associate it with one thing and one thing only.

'Rumi...' My body slacked as I closed my eyes embraced the woman without even considering how she felt. I hugged her as if she were some scented pillow as I absorbed the familiar scent. Many memories resurfaced within my mind as I focused on the scent more potent than ever. Many memories trod a thin line of pure happiness and/or complete despair. Every passing memory only proved one truth as I lost myself in its comfort.

'What a cruel joke I played on myself. To give me this is hell in its own' I fell further into this feeling as my grip on the woman grew tighter as to not lose this feeling forever. This was now my ideal, to hell with reality.

I wanted to stay here...

"Well, you're quite calm now, aren't ya?" I lazily open my eyes as her voice reeled me back into reality.

My eyes shot up wide open as I let go of the woman and took a couple of steps back to created distance between us. This led to stumbling like a fool with my feet, clumsily tripping on myself as I started falling backwards. I could barely blink before the woman caught me with her hand on my back. She then pushed me forward to straighten me out, "And now your back to your weirdo look again." She said, launching me a little too hard as I was now stumbling forward and fell face-first into her room.

"Whoops. I thought you were a little heavier, you know? You really need to get your weight up, man." the woman casually said as she stepped over me to get into her room. "Don't apologize; it's my fault." As I picked myself up again. Dusting myself off, and finally came to realize that I was now in this woman's room. I quickly turned to her and stood straight up, "I'm sorry for intruding on your room, ma'am!" I went to bow down, but I altogether avoided acknowledging the chair that was right in front of me. I smacked my forehead right onto the back of the chair as I reeled back in pain. I started rubbing my forehead as I could hear laughter from the woman right in front of me. She was lying on her bed now while holding her stomach. I looked down in embarrassment as she continued laughing.

"Hahahaha! You're such an idiot!" The woman yelled as I half-heartedly chuckled at my complete bumbling self, keeping my gaze to the floor.

The woman eventually calmed down and looked at me with her head tilted, "So, how was your fight?" I looked back up toward her in confusion as I asked, "How did you know I was in a fight?" The woman put a finger to her chin as she overplayed her pondering form.

"I can...feel it from you. You're also a little sweaty and tired, so I assumed you were in a fight. Either that or you just came from a long day of work as a pervert, but I'd like to give you the benefit of the doubt." I nodded at her logic as I kept rubbing my forehead, "Thank you then. I probably did look like a creep back there."

"Yup, big-time boiyo." I cringed at myself as she bluntly agreed with me.

'As to be expected,' I thought while the woman spoke up again, "Now, mind answering my question now? How was the fight?" I didn't delay any longer to respond as I spoke out, "Well, I suppose you could say I won, I guess? It really wasn't a fight, to begin with really. Really I just created distance between us and ran away." The woman's ears twitch a little as she held an unimpressed look on her face, "That's completely lame, man. I was hoping for a juicier story than that for all the trouble you put me through." I took a deep breath as I chastised myself for how disrespectful I was to the woman. I shook my head as I prepared to leave. There was no use staying here and making more awkward small talk.

"Anyway. I'm sorry for intruding. You must want me to get out of your hair with everything that's happened up to this point." The woman then looked at me like I grew an extra head as she tilted her head to the side with one ear folded, "Who said I wanted you gone?" I was caught off guard by her objection as I held a look of disbelief at what she said.

"Uhm? Do you want me to stay? Here?" The woman shrugged a little as she lifted her arms and stretched them out over her head.

"Well, you're not staying here for the night, but I could use some company before hitting the hay. It's been a pretty boring time staying in this town, and you're honestly the only thing that made it somewhat memorable." I held my stare of disbelief as she laid down on her bed while putting her arms behind her head. It seemed that she wasn't going to elaborate further, which I didn't mind at all. If I were honest, I didn't want to leave. The way this woman acted and expressed herself was very comfortable and relieving to me. She probably didn't mind a guy like me with how easily she could most likely overpower me in any way if I did try anything. I could feel a powerful air around her, and I knew her muscles and bunny ears weren't just for show.

I ended up deciding on staying as I pulled up the seat I hit my head with and sat down on it.

"Well then, thank you for having me." The woman chuckled as she waved her hand dismissively, "You don't have to be so damn polite to me, kid. I'm just another girl that's way outta your league." I couldn't tell if she was serious or not with that statement. It was entirely true, yet her body was so lax, and the smile on her face gave very vague meanings to what she could be actually smiling about. Was it a joke? Or is she dead serious? Which one could it be...

I mentally slapped myself as I stopped myself from overthinking the loose remark, 'What am I thinking? I shouldn't be analyzing this deep into it. It was just an off-hand poke at me at best.' To fall back into my habit of overthinking things left me irked as I focused on the main thing in both of our minds. There was no time to delay it. It was inevitable.

"Hey, I'm really sorry. It was completely inappropriate for me to have just..." I couldn't bring myself to state out the obvious. I made sure to avert my eyes to be as far as possible from hers. It was too embarrassing and wrong to have grabbed her like that; there was no consideration for her on my spontaneous grab.

'I'm such a terrible person.' I thought as the woman sat up and drew a quick breath before speaking to me.

"Jeez, you really are something else, man. I didn't think you had the balls to bring that up now. I swore I had to be the one to break the ice." Her chipper tone was a welcome surprise as I looked up to see her smug face teasing me with its mere presence.

"You really went for the hail mary on that one boy scout, but I understand. Not many men can resist my womanly charms." Her confidence was admirable, if not a bit much. I would probably be a bumbling mess if not for the constant questions bombarding my mind. I just needed to know why. Why she was acting so calm and dismissive about it. I don't think any other woman would be this way but her.

I couldn't wait any longer as I blurted out, "Why are you so calm about this? What I did was...deplorable, to say the least! I was completely out of line, yet you're treating it like it's nothing." The woman's perky mood turned to a more focused and serious one. I almost got whiplash with how sudden it changed.

"Of course, it was awful what you did. I'm not going to deny that. But it was what happened during it that made me feel...worried about you?"

"What do you mean?" I pressed on as she shuffled a bit while still sitting up on the bed. Her face scrunched up as she had a troubled look written over her face.

"It's tough to explain, but I could hear your heartbeat when I brought you in close, and what it did was pretty wild." She started as I sat forward attentively to listen more.

"Is that why you pulled me toward you? To hear my heart?" I ask as she shook her head, "Naw, I wasn't looking for that. I just got a weird smell off of you, so I pulled you in to see what was up. The heart thing was just accidental." I nodded my head in understanding as I let her continue talking.

"You see, when I pulled you in, I could feel your heart shoot right up in its bpm. I swear, I thought it was going to explode with how sudden and fast it spiked like that. But when you hugged me, your heart made a complete halt. I'm saying like you just died, kinda silence came from it. Then it started up again, slowly it held a calm and easy rhythm as your body went kinda limp," The woman explained as I could feel the heat in my face as I recalled the moment, "And when you started tightening your hold, I knew something was up for. You were troubled with something, weren't you?" I grimaced at her correct assumption. Never had I felt so vulnerable next to a person than I was now. It was like she could read me like a book.

"You're exactly right, ma'am. I wasn't in the best of shape before I knocked on your door. I'm sorry for troubling you." I bowed my head to the woman, making sure that I got through that I took full responsibility for my actions. I let my head linger as I took a glance upward to see if she accepted my apology. I was filled with joy when I saw a kind and vibrant smile grace me as I calmed down and let myself be free from the guilt I held for so long.

"C'mon now, if it takes you hugging me like some kid needing his blanky to help you get through some shit, then I'm more than happy to lend my services. I am a pro after, and we have certain standards to keep up to." The woman nonchalantly remarked, leaving me with great relief that she managed to forgive me.

"Thank you, ma'am. I truly appreciate it! But...what do you mean about being a pro?" It was the woman's turn to give a questioning look to me as she responded with disbelief on her face, "Uh, a pro hero, of course? I thought you knew who I am?" I shook my head as her eyes shot up in surprise, "You're not serious...are you?"

I assumed there was some vital information I lacked that made her react this way, 'A pro hero? Isn't that just a redundant way of saying she's a registered and recognized hero? She makes it sound like it's completely different than that.'

"Sorry, but I really don't know who you are. And pro heroes? Doesn't that mean you're like a registered hero or something?" The woman stared at me for a couple of seconds before bursting out laughing once again.

"Oh, man! This is rich! You're such a weirdo." I glared at the woman as she kept laughing at me. All the sincerity and kindness she shared with me seemed to have gone up in smokes as she reverted to her more brash and blunt self.

'Just a second ago, she seemed like an angel. But I guess this is just how she acts when she's comfortable. Nice to know she truly has forgiven me.' The woman eventually stopped; tears were being wiped by her hand as she continued, "So then weirdo, do you even know what a quirk is?"

"Of course, I know what a quirk is! Though I did just found out about it recently."

"Recently?" I mentally smacked myself at how reckless I was being with talking to this woman. I didn't t know why, but my guard around her always seems low when I speak with her.

"Well, you see, I only awakened to my quirk today, so before that...I was completely oblivious to it." The woman sat up and didn't look too convinced on my answer, "Bull. How the hell have you not learned what a quirk is? Like eighty percent of the world has a quirk. You're saying you grew up in a completely quirkless town your whole life? And never once were exposed any sort of knowledge about quirks." I adjusted my glasses as I scratched my cheek, "Is that so hard to believe?" She shook her head as she waved her hand dismissively at me once again, "Yeah it is, but whatever, just adds to your whole weirdo status." I couldn't even be mad at her for that one. I looked like a child when it comes to this world's knowledge. Maybe even worse than a child.

"Today, you said," The woman started again, "Today, you awakened to your quirk? Well, aren't you a real late bloomer?" I nodded my head as she gave me a mischievous smirk toward me, "Then show me whatcha got on you kid. Let's see what you're exactly packing on that soft body of yours!" I had half the mind to not show her my quirk, but then I thought of how much knowledge this woman probably had for quirks and the things alike. She could serve as my quick guide to quirks.

Though...now that I think about it, my quirk is very...extreme. I could recall how the woman from earlier today reacted to it, expecting that reaction from any other person.

'If I showed my quirk to anyone else, they probably have the same disgusted reaction as that lady, yet I had a pro hero here. She probably has seen the worst and best a quirk could get. If anyone in this world would give me the most objective and honest opinion on my quirk, then it'd have to be a pro hero.'

"Y-yeah, alright. I'll show you my quirk. Then maybe you can help me identify it." The woman stood up with both hands on her hips, eagerly shouting out to me, "Alrighty then, boy scout, show me whatcha got!" Her enthusiasm was exceptionally infectious as I stood up and concentrated on bringing out my quirk pronto.

I could feel a sensation within my heart as I tried my best to trigger my quirk. It wasn't as easy as summoning my persona, but perhaps the method would be the same...

The pull in my heart then spikes as a tendril swiftly came in front of me and started swaying left and right. I felt an immediate hit to my body, and I concentrated on holding the tentacle up as long as I can.

"So...what do you think?" I asked as I struggled in keeping up my quirk. The woman stared wide-eyed at the writhing tentacle as she coughed into her hand.

"W-well...it's kinda, weird?" She started as she started circling around it, occasionally poking and prodding it. My heart felt slight bits of pressure press on to it as I struggled to keep it up.

"It's definitely a quirk that relies on your physical. But by the looks on your face, it looks taxing on both the mind and body. She continued walking around the tendril as I continued keeping it up.

"It seems to just appear wherever. Doesn't seem like you need a source or anything for it to come out. Maybe it comes from a portal?" She kept examining it as she put both hands behind her back and circled it.

"All things considered. It feels tough, looks tough, and probably hits like a truck if it moves at fast speeds. It'll probably rely a lot upon the user to call it back and summon it again in rapid succession to reposition it constantly. And if it takes a hit on your physical and mental...well, you better toughen up, boy scout, cause you're gonna need to whip that body into shape." She then promptly slapped my back, causing me to flinch at how painful it was.

"Overall...it has potential. It's a really cool quirk. It depends if you want to take the distance with it."

"O...okay!" I wheezed out as I barely kept holding. The woman kept going on to inspect, and I did my best to give her as much time as possible.

"The base, too...is there really a portal that thing comes out of?" The woman questioned as I heard her shuffle a bit to my left.

Curious to what she meant, I decided to look her way to see what she was talking about exactly, "a portal? What do yooooou..." I looked down to see the woman bent over as she started tracing around the base of the tendril. My heart skipped a beat as I felt a profound sensation in the bottom of my heart. I didn't notice until now, but I never saw what she looked like from behind, and I didn't know what to expect.

But a fluffy white ball of fur swaying side to side made me lose total concentration in whatever I was doing.

The tendril quickly retracting as I dropped down to one knee. I was practically choking with how much my body was put through the wringer; my head felt fuzzy and light as my vision blurred. My body felt like a ton of bricks as I tried to get up and sit down on the chair but to no avail.

"Damn..." I had to close my eyes and concentrate on getting my body together. The weight on my legs only grew, while my head felt like it was splitting itself apart. I was sure I was going to pass out with how dark my vision was getting, but the sudden feeling of light and strong arms scooped me up and placed me down on what felt like heaven.

"What?" The woman put a blanket over me as I gazed at her outline, barely seeing any more color with how blurry my vision was getting.

"You need some rest. You strained yourself waaaaay too hard on keeping up your quirk. You should take it easy for now." When I saw her leaving, the guilt I felt left me with unrest as I reached out toward the woman.

"W-wait!" I called as the retreating figure of the woman stopped.

"Why...why are you doing this? We just met and...the idiotic actions I've made toward you, barging into your room, and now taking away your bed for pushing myself for something I shouldn't have forced. I just don't understand how you could be so forgiven for a complete stranger that has done nothing but brings you trouble." The woman chuckled as my vision cleared enough to see her smile once more. A smile that brought so much peace and comfort, one that would make any person feel safe and secure.

"You idiot. Can't you tell by now? You look like a person in need of some serious help, and as a pro hero, I need to help anyone that is crying out for help. Even if that person wants to admit it or not. Because that's what it means to be a hero, you see. Fame and fortune are so damn superficial, but the gratitude people give is what really sticks with you." My eyes grew heavy as my conciseness was slipping away from me. I wanted to keep being around her. To learn from her to be the best hero for the people. I wanted to keep seeing her smile.

But time was not on my side as my body was shutting down to rest for the night. I had one last parting word for the woman before she left, "Thank you...thank you so much." The smell that sent me in a trance from before was now luring into a deep slumber as the woman left the room. The lights turned off as darkness filled my vision. Still, alongside there was warmth, there was security, there was a pure aroma that overwhelmed me with its gentleness.

"Ru...mi..."