The walk from the train station was accompanied only by the sounds of their steps. The silence between the two women, the younger one's feet scuffed along the clean path, the other a rapid clicking of heels staring ahead only on the path in front of her, had stretched three stations and five minutes of walking.
The younger woman, Sumie, didn't mind the silence, her eyes drifted, wandering over the trees and parks, little bakeries and cafes, bookstores and tiny marketplaces. People wandering between them or rushing down the path towards the train station - a mixture of quiet relaxation and busy people.
This part of Musutafu was quiet, the road beside them had only a few cars puttering by, most likely due to the fact it was in the middle of a school day. The traffic moved steadily and the trains were spaced apart a lot more than during peak hour traffic. So they had decided it was best to catch an earlier train and wait for the time when the interview would begin.
"Do you know who's going to be in the interview, Ms Kobayashi?" Sumie asked. Sumie Rei was accompanied by Aoi Kobayashi, a young woman, probably late twenties. Her face looked like a friendly one, but her eyes were cold and serious. She worked for the Hero Public Safety Commission on the law side. If Sumie remembered correctly.
"The principal and two of the home room teachers. Apparently, the students are away on work experience internships this week." The Safety Commission had assigned Ms Kobayashi to Sumie's case as soon as they cleared her for attending school again.
This wasn't standard practice and Sumie knew that. But she also thought to use every opportunity and resource that she has available to get what she wanted.
"That's cool, I guess they'll be seeing cool hero stuff then, live and in action. Sweet!" Sumie said, trying to keep her enthusiasm to a minimum, the two before when she didn't hold back, Ms Kobayahi had snapped at her. She probably didn't have any siblings, or children.
Ms Kobayashi hummed, disinterested. She's nice enough, but she never seemed to know how to enjoy the little things. Sumie wondered what made her like this? Or if this is just a personality thing.
"It's almost time. Let's go to the office." Ms Kobayashi said, as she led the way towards the school.
The gate was open, but apparently, it's heavily guarded and if anyone tries to enter the school grounds without permission they blow up! Or the gate closes on them, either or.
Wow! Sumie looked up at the huge glass building, soaring into the sky. What an incredible sight of UA High School, the greatest hero school in Japan! Normally she would feel like an insect looking up at great big buildings like this, but not UA. Sumie felt like a giant, looking at the castle through the clouds.
She'll soar to greater heights.
Sumie Rei will be a hero!
They were taken in and seated within the principal's large office. His big desk almost comically to his tiny size. Sumie heard that Principal Nezu of UA is actually a really smart animal with a quirk, not a heteromorph, which is crazy! But, weirder things.
"Please, sit," Principal Nezu motioned to the office chair, a few metres away from the front of his desk. The two people, who Sumie assumed are the home room teachers, were already standing against the wall on either side of the desk.
Ms Kobayashi stood behind Sumie's chair, close enough for Sumie to feel her presence.
Sumie didn't know what quirks any of the three had, but she didn't want to risk a peak. Looking at and knowing peoples quirks usually helped her feel safer around new people.
Ms Kobayashi's quirk is Print, but Sumie doesn't know the limit or constraints that her quirk entails. And she hadn't been curious enough to ask.
But Sumie thought that maybe she could take a peak at the principal's quirk, since she's looking at him, anyway.
High Specs. Sumie wondered if it's an intelligence based quirk? She wondered how it worked. But she couldn't ask, not then, anyway.
Focus, Sumie.
Sumie needed to focus, because this was it. The big moment. Sumie was to find out if she could enter UA during the mid-year.
"Thank you for coming, Miss Rei." Principal Nezu's cheerful voice and smile welcomed her.
"Thank you for having me!" She responded, trying not to fidget with the hem of her long shirt in her lap. It feels weird, Sumie thought, Sumie wasn't normally nervous. She tried to shake the feeling off.
Sumie had been taking a heap of tests over the last three months, trying to get into UA. All because she missed the entrance exam, not that it was her fault, but excuses are still excuses. And she will not make any of those.
Ms Kobayashi spoke up from behind Sumie. "Thank you, Principal Nezu. Have you come to a decision about Miss Rei's admission?"
Principal Nezu interlocked his paws on the desk. "We have a few questions and concerns that we would like to discuss with you both before coming to a final decision."
Sumie nodded, almost expecting it.
"You've done well, Miss Rei, you've passed all of the entrance exams and testing, both academic and physical tests put to you, with flying colours! We would love for you to attend UA. However, we currently have two full classes in the heroics department, and we cannot see an opening for Miss Rei to join either class at the time being. And secondly, Miss Rei will need to pass a test with her classmates."
"Another test?" Ms Kobayashi asked, a delicately hidden tone of annoyance slipped through. Sumie didn't mind. She would do as many tests as it took. She would take every test they threw at her, and succeed.
"I know it can't be easy," Principal Nezu replied, "but we must ensure that both Miss Rei and her prospective classmates are able to handle her transition into the heroics department. Normally I would not consider such a request and I am finding the balance difficult. The need for heroes is on the rise, but taking on more students into one class is not the answer. Nor do I want to turn Miss Rei away, I have seen how capable she is and how much potential she has."
One of the teachers asked to contribute. Which Principal Nezu allowed.
"The potential for being a hero aside, it is important that every student in the heroics department has the opportunity to learn and their teachers have the ability to cater to each individual. 20 students in a class is already a challenge for teachers. Adding in another student is problematic."
He looked tired and disheveled, clad in black with a long scarf around his neck, too long for it just to be an accessory, but there's a look in his eye that Sumie knows. It's the look of someone paying attention, defined focus, despite the rest of his appearance. Definitely a pro.
Sumie snuck a look at his quirk. Erasure.
Interesting, Sumie thought. She wondered what it exactly erases. Had to be something specific, and something a pro-hero could use. So she doubted he had a quirk that could rub out pencil markings.
"Of course," Ms Kobayashi agreed. "We do understand what a predicament it is for you."
"And it is only by the government's and the commission's request that we consider this at all," Principal Nezu finished.
Erasure said, "Frankly, I'm against it."
The other teacher had yet to speak up, but his appearance screamed pro-hero in complete contrast to the other teacher. Sumie glimpsed at his quirk. Blood Manipulation.
Ohhhh, so cool! Sumie mentally jumped up and down. She couldn't wait to see it in action. Is it his own blood or other people's blood? Or both?
"What about you, Miss Rei? What do you think?" Principal Nezu asked.
Sumie took a breath.
Focus. It all comes down to this. The government was willing to help, but at the end of the day. This was all on her. The nerves started bubbling up again. No.
"I understand your concerns and I appreciate them, it means the world to me. Because there is no other place I want to be. I don't know how much of my story you know, but I am determined to become a pro-hero. And if I can't get into UA, it'll suck, but maybe I can try to transfer in the new year or something. Or I can enter into the general studies and move up into the heroics department. I understand your hesitation to allow me to join with already full classes and I accept that. But don't think I won't stop trying."
The other teacher, Blood Manipulation, spoke up, his voice rough, and louder than everyone else. "I don't know why you were not able to partake in the entrance exam like everyone else?"
Principal Nezu answered for her. "Miss Rei was not cleared for entry at the time when the entrance exam took place in February."
"Cleared for entry?" Erasure asked, a hitch in his voice.
"Yes," Principal Nezu hesitated, "Miss Rei has been recovering from her time spent captured by villains. Her psychologist cleared her for entry into the hero studies in March."
"Hero studies in general though? So why UA?"
"This is the best school." Sumie answered, happy to move on from a discussion on her past. She got enough of that at therapy. "And I know that the teachers here will help me to become the best hero I can be. I know I have a lot to learn, not just with combat and my quirk, but within my mentality as well. I will continue going through my therapy and all that, but I know there's a difference between talking about it and living it out."
"Well," Principal Nezu abruptly stood and disappeared behind his desk before walking around in front. "I say that we allow Miss Rei to take the test with her prospective classmates to decide whether they would be happy to have her. As well as the term final exams, both academic and a physical test, alongside the other test that we will be conducting next term for our general education student that wishes to move up into the heroic department as well. I suggest that Miss Rei also attends the summer training camp to get a good sense of where she is at with her quirk. If her classmates accept her and she passes the remaining exams, then I think we can find room for her in the general studies for now. Is this acceptable?"
Sumie smiled despite knowing there was still a long road to becoming a hero yet. "Yes, sir! Thank you so much, Principal Nezu!"
Ms Kobayashi responded in like as well. Sumie got up from the chair and the teachers were watching. The disheveled teacher, Erasure, had a weird look that Sumie wasn't really sure what it was. Caution, maybe? But the Blood Manipulation teacher looked like he didn't really mind either way. And Principal Nezu hadn't lost his smile the whole while. They were all a difficult read for Sumie in just what this meant for her and her future.
But she's in. Three more tests, a training camp, and she's in. Nine months in general education before two years in hero studies. What's a few more tests in the face of her future?
Sumie and Ms Kobayashi walked out of UA's main building together and headed back towards the train station. Sumie was happy to stay in her thoughts, bouncing up and down, and letting Ms Kobayashi walk in silence next to her.
Ms Kobayashi spoke up, initiated the conversation. "Excellent, you answered the questions well. My bosses will be glad to hear that you've gotten through the door. I still don't understand why you're insisting on going to a real school though. The Hero Public Safety Commission—"
"Please, Ms Kobayashi, I want to go to school. I know the Safety Commission could train me just as well, if not better than UA could, but I need to go to school. I need that social interaction and learning experience." Sumie pleaded, knowing that Ms Kobayashi was one of the people that voted against her going to school.
But despite her feelings, Ms Kobayashi had worked hard to get Sumie to this point.
"Thank you, Ms Kobayashi, you've done so much to help me and it means the world to me."
Ms Kobayashi blushed a little, she stumbled a step but righted herself and looked away. "Well, I was just doing my job."
"Still, thank you."
Ms Kobayashi dropped Sumie off at her house. The single car in the carport told her that her parents were home. It must've been later than she thought.
She checked her phone and found a missed call.
Sumie sighed and steeled herself. Before opening the door.
"I'm home," Sumie called.
Arana Rei, Sumie's mother, jumped into the hallway.
"There you are! I thought Ms Kobayashi said you'd be home by 3."
Sumie looked at the clock in the kitchen after swapping her shoes for her slippers.
3:17pm.
Sumie sighed. "Sorry, mother, the walk from the train station took a little longer, I guess."
Sumie had been struggling with this insistent worrying ever since she expressed her desire to go to school. And has been leaving the house for places other than designated safe areas by her mother, even though one of those places was UA.
Sumie brushed past her worried mother and closed herself in her room.
It hadn't been easy on any of them since Sumie came back into their household three years ago.
Sumie has now officially been living here with these parents as long as she did with her other parents.
Not that her parents like her calling them that.
In fact, no one liked Sumie calling her 'other parents' her parents.
Probably because they're in prison for kidnapping her.
Even though technically, someone else kidnapped her. They just bought her from the kidnappers. Not that she grew up knowing that. To her they were just Mum and Dad.
She got to visit her dad in prison once, before he was transferred. But ever since then, all of her requests to visit him have been declined. They also put her psychologist onto her, about changing how she referred to them. Every time she put a request in, she noticed that her psychologist went back over how her dad wasn't her dad and he was a bad guy and all that. But honestly, Sumie only remembers how he loved her and how she loved him.
He might have done bad stuff, but he wasn't a bad Dad.
Even still, Sumie learnt not to say it out loud anymore. Instead, she just avoids mentioning them to her parents, and when her psychologist brings them up, she just refers to them by name instead. It got everyone off her back about it, at least.
It's been about two years since she last put in a request and no one has brought it up since.
Sumie sends her small bag flying across her room, landing with a thud onto her bed. She ripped her overshirt off and threw it into her laundry pile. Rough hands tore through her hair.
Why was this so frustrating?
Why were her parents so suffocating? Just because she was kidnapped for a few years? Because she didn't remember them?
Sumie stepped to jump on her bed before stopping and laying down normally. Her frown didn't ease.
She had too much energy stored up and nowhere to put it. She gazed longingly at her window. But it's too early to sneak out, the neighbours are nosy. And they would tell on her, they've done it before.
There was a knock on her door.
Her father came in. Just a step, his hand still on the doorknob.
"Hey, Sumie. How did your interview go?"
Daisuke Rei, a consultant for the police force and pro-heroes in villain quirk identification and strategy teams. Sumie's quirk is a lot like his, they both can see the name of quirks above people's heads and see basic weaknesses, that their quirk is able to extrapolate from visible features and seeing quirks in action. It doesn't really work if you haven't seen them use it. Some quirks are pretty obvious, though, and quirks all follow certain rules. But that's where the similarities of their quirks end.
Sumie sat up, and tried to keep the annoyed frown off her face for their conversations. There's too much tension already without adding in more attitude problems.
"Yeah, good. It sounds like I should be able to join the general education class for the rest of the year, and apply for the heroic department next year. Which is probably one of the best outcomes I could have hoped for," Sumie nodded and smiled where appropriate. She was excited for it, but it felt like her parents didn't care, they didn't share her enthusiasm. As long as she was safe, wrapped up in cotton and exactly where she's supposed to be, they didn't seem to care about her dreams.
"That's good," her father said, without any real enthusiasm behind it, but it did sound like he was trying.
Sumie could appreciate the effort, at least.
"Yeah," Sumie drew out. Unsure of what to say from there.
They both stood still.
Awkwardly, her father tapped the door. "Right. Well, good. Glad to hear it. Um, dinner will be ready around 6, so, yeah." Her father looked around, and nodded again, stepping out of her room and closing the door behind him.
Sumie collapsed back onto her bed with a sigh.
The tension had been there since she got here. And it hadn't let up, even with all the family therapy and bonding activities and whatever they tried.
There was just this distance between them they didn't know how to close.
She was just four when she was kidnapped, and they had a memory manipulation quirk, so no one really knew what they did to her memories, but when she returned, she couldn't remember her birth parents. But they were just so relieved to have her home again.
Sumie still appreciated her father, he seemed like he was trying, but didn't know what to do. None of them knew. But still, it relaxed her a little, knowing that he was still trying.
She reached for her phone and checked the time. It was almost four. She figured she could sneak away for a little while, come back in time for a shower for dinner. It'll be good to go for a run.
Her mother might have let her out for a run, but it was a chance she wasn't willing to risk. So she grabbed her running shoes from her cupboard and went to the window, looking out at the neighbour's house.
There wasn't anyone in sight, through the flapping curtain in the window, the chair out on their patio, or looking out their screen door.
Sumie turned on Super Sight, and looked through the walls of their home, and saw a heat signature in the back room.
Climbing to the ledge, she dropped a few metres to the ground, and checked her surroundings again, before taking off towards her worn running path, and lost herself in the sounds of her footfalls and even breathing.