Everyone all over Japan was probably watching it. And it was most likely being streamed in other countries as well. Everyone was waiting to hear the news about who was officially taking lead of the Hero Public Safety Commission after so long. They have been in shambles in a weird state of contentment while also on hiatus.
Every television, phone, tablet and computer was waiting to see who'd walk up to the podium.
Kokyu was on the edge of her couch cushions watching the TV screen. Nervously making mini tornados in her palm. Changing the rotation every now and then.
The commission's conference room was on the screen and there was only media that shared the space. No audience or heroes.
Suddenly the media become quiet as the heavy footsteps walk across the stage to the podium. He wore his usual white suit along with his intent demeanor.
He spoke, "I have high hopes that all media here tonight will share the truth and only the truth. Please refrain from asking questions till the end of the live broadcast."
He turns to the main camera that showed him facing the screens of people everywhere.
"Hello, my name is Kugo Sakamata also known as Killer Whale Hero: Gang Orca. When it comes to protecting people... a hero's job is complex and multifaceted. This is why we have the Hero Public Safety Commission.
Over the past two years the Hero Public Safety Commission has undergone investigation and purging to ensure that it will remain responsible for managing the interactions between heroes and society.
As the new head of the commission I want it to be known that from this day forward the compromise of the HPSC is no more. My colleagues and myself have called this broadcast to share the changes that we have made and the new ones that will be taking place in the months to come."
There was a pause of silence, as if to let his words sink into the minds of the nation before he continued.
"As many of you are aware, we have recently changed that hero licensing protocol. All currently licensed heroes will be required to re-test and re-register their license for hero work. These tests will consist of written, practical, and psychological tests and will differ based on how long you've had your license and have been actively registered."
"Along with hero license protocols the HPSC will be working alongside the Ministry of Japan with their new Public Use of Quirk Licenses that will begin at the end of next year."
It was news for Kokyu that they were going to have licenses for civilians to use their quirks publicly for as long as they took the right tests and exams and understood safety protocols.
"The HPSC understands that with the changes of public quirk usage laws that there is a possibility of increased criminal activity and wants to remind civilians that you still need to obtain your hero license to fight crime. Although admirable, it is for your safety and the safety of those around you to try to refrain from unlicensed hero activities. And on that note."
There was a pause. The type of pause where you knew it was going to be big what he was going to say next.
"Starting today. There will no longer be HPSC affiliated hero rankings."
Just like that the media that was recording the aquatic mammal went wild. Questions and words flew back and forth. Confession and anger and excitement blended together on the screen.
But the Gang Orca knew what he was doing and silenced the room.
"How the media and other outlets want to hold their popularity contests has no place to be part of the HPSC. Our focus is the safety of the public and through our research and investigations the past two years we have found that the public display of the hero rankings has caused more harm than help for the public."
There was another present pause.
"With conjunction with the new child care legislation across Japan, the Hero Public Safety Commission is also starting a new configuration of Adolescent Quirk Counseling and Training to be intertwined in all public child care settings. This is to help create a safe and accepting baseline for the future generations."
"To conclude, with the next changes with the Ministry of Japan and the HPSC we are currently in need of personnel to fill the vacant positions. You can find out more about these positions online or at your nearest city hall. Thank you."
And just like that everything was going to be different.
…
How she had gone from being up early to running late was beyond her. She thought she was a pretty punctual person.
She shouldn't have started the conversation with Yamada in the teachers lounge. It shouldn't have come to a surprise that the man was a talker.
Now she knew and she sipped from the styrofoam coffee cup from the lounge before entering the room.
Kokyu wasn't sure what to expect when entering the meeting. She hadn't expected to recognize everyone in the room. And although the name was dropped she still felt the surprise of seeing Shino.
Her childhood best friend.
They had sleepovers, talked about boys, and were going to be the future in hero work. She had heard about her development of the Wild, Wild, Pussycats and was so happy for her.
But there was always this lingering guilt in the back of Kokyu's mind about how she didn't reach out to her friend all those years ago. And how she just left UA without a word.
Kokyu still remembers the first time she met Shino Sosoki.
Kokyo was drawn into the laughter of a boisterous boy with fluffy blue hair. Based on where he was sitting he had to have been a second year while she sat with all of the new first years.
He wasn't alone. She observed that he sat between an almost equally energy filled blond and a tired boy with black hair.
She was brought to their attention through their loud personalities but her gaze lingered due to the quiet one. He could have been described as intimidating and maybe he was.
Mysterious was more of the word she'd choose. Her mind was conjuring up all sorts of questions and was filled with curiosity.
"Hey, Is this seat taken?"
Just like that she realized she was staring across the room crowd of students.
She turned to see a girl with a short brown bob and a kind smile.
"Uh. Yeah. I mean no. It's not taken." She fumbled over her words and gestured to the empty seat.
Her cheeks flamed due to embarrassment.
Was she caught staring?
How long was she looking?
Kokyu turned to the girl as she sat down and was trying to see if she could tell how much she embarrassed herself.
But there wasn't any indication on the brunette's face that told Kokyu anything. So that sat facing forward and eventually the opening ceremony started.
It was boring and had few moments where the teachers would tell a joke to ease the room. But it didn't help much for the room full of teens
"Who were the guys you were looking at?" The girl's breath whispered into her ear. The mix of hot air and the realization that she DID get caught embarrassed her.
"I- I don't know but based on where they're sitting my guess is that they're second years."
"I wonder if they're in the hero course." The brunette turned to her with her soft smile, "My name's Shino Sosaki. In hero course class 1-A."
Kokyo couldn't help the cheesy grin spread across her cheeks, "My name's Kokyo Thorn. I'm also in the 1-A Hero Course."
"I look forward to being friends."
The memory was imprinted in her brain like it was yesterday. Shortly after Shino had introduced herself the auditorium was interrupted by a blond who had shown up late. He had bowed multiple times as he made his way to an open seat.
The seat next to her.
He introduced himself to Kokyo and Shino. Since that day the girls and Takashita had been the trio of class 1-A and stuck together throughout the year following.
And that's why it hurt to see Shino in the meeting. They had been so close and Kokyu ghosted her.
"Ms. Thorn, we were just getting started. Please take a seat." Principal Nezu waved to the open seat that was beside Rock Lock.
Kokyo sat through the meeting and listened to Nezu explain the different shifts and protocol that would be implemented. She had wondered why Aizawa was at the meeting and hid her surprise to find out that he would be doing night shifts every now and then.
A lot of what was discussed felt no different then what she provided at her own home. Only now it was a much larger building with more people and food provided by Lunch Rush and not out of her own pocket. The biggest difference was that there wouldn't be drop offs on the campus.
Nezu felt that it would be hard to provide proper security and thus, why they had created an UA annex for drop offs. The employees were actually the other half of the Wild Wild Pussycats.
It was a smooth meeting and Kokyu was able to forget about her awkward and anxious feelings that she had toward seeing Shino after so long. When the meeting came to a close she was at a crossroads on if she should interact with her old friend or run back to her apartment.
She didn't get to decide though when Shino took the initiative and came in step next to her out the door. Ignoring the situation now was a low level of rudeness that just wasn't Kokyu. That is, unless the person deserved it.
"Hey." Shino's voice came out soft, bringing ease to Kokyu immediately, "I was really surprised when I found out it was your business concept that we would be modeling after. It's been a long time."
There was an open ended tone to the statement. Asking where she had been.
"Shino. I'm so sorry for just leaving without saying anything back then." There was a blush of embarrassment and shame that heated her cheeks, "And I'm sorry for not reaching out after everything settled with the business and with Jeremy. I felt like a huge failure for dropping out of UA back then."
Her words felt so vulnerable and she knew it was because it was Shino. How easy it was being back in her presence. The aura her old friend had was still there, giving Kokyu the courage to open up. Shino was her best friend when she was a teenager and… it was something she had missed.
The closest she had to it was Majestic and his wife. But again the man was more of the brother she never had then a good girl friend.
"I'm not going to lie Kokyu. It really hurt when I realized that you left without a word. I was worried about you at first. Not hearing anything and your parents' house phone was disconnected. When I went to report you missing to Nezu he was the one that informed me and Keiji that you had dropped out."
Shino drifted into a moment of silence and Kokyu let her have it. Watching as her friend's eyes looked off into a faraway memory. Probably much like what she had been doing since revisiting the UA campus.
"I'm happy to hear about the success you've had with your child care and training business. I was a bit aware of it before the UA proposition. A few weeks Eri's been blabbing away with Koda about it, making him start to ask to attend the same daycare as Eri. Who'd have thought?"
"Yeah. Who'd have thought?"
A breathy laugh escapes both of their mouths.
"Is Kota your son?" Kokyu thought she'd try to lighten the mood.
But a bittersweet smile that reaches Shino's eyes looks back into the depths of Kokyu's, "No. My cousin passed and now I'm all that Kota has left."
She remembers Shino talking about her cousin back in the day. They were close and she can only guess that the death was hard on her.
"The Wild Wild Pussycats and I have been his guardians ever since. We've been able to step up more since stepping back a bit from hero work after the war."
It was still surreal to talk about the befores and afters of the war. Especially since the after was still really fresh.
"I'm sorry to hear that. Now that you mention it, Eri has mentioned a Kota before. He sounds like he definitely has the Sosaki gene in him."
"Oh definitely." Kokyu hears another laugh from Shino. A sign that she was probably in a very comfortable place with the subject, "And you mentioned a Jeremy. Do you also have a little one that will be joining the program?"
It was hard not to laugh at the thought of Jeremy hanging around the toddlers that would try to climb all over him the whole time. It occurred to her that Shino thought that Jeremy was a toddler himself.
"Oh no. Jeremy is actually a first year in the hero program. He did help out a lot when we were running it out of our home. I wasn't easy with his training." Kokyu watched the gears turning in Shino's head at the new knowledge of Jeremy.
She watched as Shino internally did the math and put the pieces together. And she watched as there were no faces of judgment or pity.
"Hmm." Shino's smile stretches across his face, "Well, he has a great mother so it's no wonder he got into the hero program. I can't wait to meet him."
There was a glint in Shino's eyes that met Kokyu's.
"I look forward to you meeting him."