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A tree was standing on top of a hill. Luminescent bugs were swiftly wandering around the sleeping form of Hyori. Sitting on the grass, her back laid on a huge fluffy blob. She was sheltered from the sun's rays under the tree's leaves. The tree had a rose fragrance that floated in the air. A kitten blob was nestled into her open hands, sitting on her thighs. The breeze was running through its soft violet fur. On her left, an ice cream cake plushy was resting. On her right, a pile of books was sitting on the grass. Bushes surrounded the scene, creating half-walls around the teen girl.
The scenery was bathed in the sunlight. The atmosphere was peaceful and birds could be heard singing from afar. Hyori knew that place. To be precise, she knew she had already been in that place. Not physically, though. Yet, the hill was a recurring scene of her dreams. The place looked like a distant memory of a forgotten place. Maybe it was a chimaera of the storybooks and everything she imagined the world to be. She often drifted to that place during her lucid dreams.
Lower on the hill, a beast was wandering in the forest. That beast hadn't always been hovering around. To be honest, nothing had been around from the beginning. Yet, she was sure the beast had emerged from a foreign place. It lurked in the darker parts of the forest. Hyori never attempted to approach it. She was wary of leaving the top of the hill. Everything was soft and sweet up there. It wasn't always the case in the valley.
Following the beast's appearance, troubled waters occasionally flooded the forest. It looked like shadows were consuming the ground, turning the forest into a lake bottom. Those waters came from a pond that appeared months after the beast established itself in the forest. The pond had cursed effluves and its water was a semi-solid bubbling mess. Again, she was sure it came from a foreign place.
The air turned chilly atop the hill, disturbing Hyori's sleep. Gradually, she woke up in her bed. The basement apartment was well-insulated against the chill autumn wind. Nonetheless, the teen girl felt cold to her bones. She clutched a pastel body-sized stuffed kitten. It was one of these nights she felt nostalgic. The phantom touch of her Mother's hands haunted her. The eerie silence of the apartment was loud.
In Hyori's memories, the inner palace was equally quiet, especially at night. The nightingale halls made too much sound for people to venture outside their rooms. She hadn't walked into these halls for two years but she could remember the distinct sound of the swollen wooden tiles shocking the floor's screws into producing a creaky alarm.
Contrary to the inner palace, the apartment was sound-insulated. The floor and walls were solid and one would have to run while wearing heels or metallic shoes to make a ruckus. She wondered if her Mother also experienced sleepless nights. The woman had a precise schedule she stuck to.
The changing season didn't affect her routine of waking up at seven in the morning. She usually went to bed at eight in the night unless she had a visit from the Emperor. Hyori didn't know the time she would sleep, since she was sleeping in the Empress Dowager's nursery during these nights. Has it changed ever since? Did her Mother dream of her?
She also wondered how their relationship would have evolved if she had remained in the inner palace. Would they have grown estranged due to being intimate with the same man? How would the Imperial House have reacted? They didn't have much of a say regarding the Emperor's intimacy. Still, they would have voiced unsavoury opinions about the affair. Would they have accused her of brainwashing the Emperor into pursuing her? Like her former classmates did?
Hyori retrieved her phone from the bedside it was lying on. It was yet again a new one. She unlocked the device and the digital clock read eleven past a quarter in the evening. She opened her social media and was greeted by kitten videos and some dressing challenges. She tapped on the 'Fairy Core' tag. Girls adorned glittery wings and laced corsets on riverside sceneries. She wondered how she would look dressed like that. For all the time she navigated social media, she had never posted content. After a few minutes, her phone was too much and she saved the trend for when she would be in a better disposition.
The clips' decorums reminded her of the place she dreamed of. Most of the girls had butterfly hair clips in their wavy tresses. They had long tresses that reminded Hyori of the times she had long hair. She wondered if reattaching her hair would feel the same as it used to feel. She was attached to these tresses, even if she knew they would have fallen at some point. It was still the hair her Mother occasionally brushed. She put her phone back on the bedside and rolled in her covers. She was even less likely to fall asleep now that she had activated her phone.
Her mind was wide awake but her body craved resting time. She had once asked her roommates how they coped with restlessness. Muse had joked that she used her toys to blow steam off and would easily fall asleep afterwards. Bliss replied that her magic hands worked on herself. At some point, her roommates offered to help her relax but Hyori declined the offer. She was wary of getting hooked on the endeavour and didn't want to enjoy that too much. Somehow, despite over one year in the Red Velvet, she hadn't made amends with that aspect of life. She didn't dissociate anymore but the act in itself was unsettling.
Most nights, her mind would be busy watching over her visitors' sleep. Some nights, she would busy herself on her phone. Her loneliness would be suppressed by the cutesy animated and real cats posted on social media. Doom-scrolling wasn't healthy but she reasoned it was better than spiralling in negativity. She wanted to go out and feel the humid grass between her toes. She wanted to see the hill she had been dreaming of. She would probably arrive exhausted on top and nap under the tree. On that night, her mind was circling on memories of the day she bid her farewells to her Mother.
In the wee hours of the morning, they had held each other close before Hyori took a separate way. Right now, she wanted to hold her Mother again even for one minute. Her Mother's smaller form would probably fit in her arms. She wanted to bring her to the top of the hill of her dreams. To show her the starry bugs that floated underneath the tree. To bathe together under the sunlight that would never harm her or induce headaches. Would her Mother recognise the place? Was it even possible for her to invite someone? She hoped so.
More than anything, she missed her Mother's love. She missed the look in her Mother's eyes when she held her close. Even when she hadn't done anything to be proud of. Even during the days she was ill. Her Mother had always loved her the same. Her Mother's love was simple and beautiful, free of parades or lies.
Of course, she wondered what her Mother would say if she knew about the way she dressed at school or outside of the pension. How would she react if she witnessed the silent pupil she was in the classroom? If she saw the way Hyori sat at the edge of her chair to prevent her thighs from lying flat on the seat. Would she be mad at her posture? Would she understand her reasoning?
Exasperated, she climbed out of her bed and put her slippers on. The teen exited her bedroom and proceeded to enter the bathroom. The shower water felt colder in the middle of the night. It was different from during the day. Everything seemed more intimidating in the middle of the night. Being awake while the rest of the world slept was like entering a secret dimension. It was as if she were spying on the magic that made the sunrise and brought life into the world. During her shower, she wondered if her Mother would be content with the way she looked. She had grown taller and now reached 186 centimetres.
She had been 181 centimetres the last time her Mother saw her. She had also been a chubby young girl who barely turned seventeen. Over time, she had turned into a not-so-slim eighteen-year-old. Cycling had helped her maintain her shape against the drugged milk's effect served in the pension. She would qualify her form as rounded with a heavy chest and legs. The growth's spurt alone hadn't managed to suppress all her baby fat. It still hung on her cheeks despite the sleepless nights. Overall, she felt heavy and disproportionated and was under the impression that parts of her matured beyond what she was ready for.
Outside the pension, she looked like a tall sagging boy under ample and layered clothes. The layering evened the lines of her body but didn't hide the softness of her face. She couldn't hide her cheeks and undefined arms at an age where boys were supposed to be leaner. Girls found it cute, though. Deep down, she had an idea she was perceived as a 'cute boy' due to her calm demeanour and serviceable disposition rather than her face.
During her shower, she was curious to know whether or not she resembled her Mother. In her memory, they had different colours and shapes but similar facial traits, her big head aside. She wanted to know if they were similar under their clothes. What would she look like wearing kimono dresses like her Mother's? What would she look like with the same hairstyles?
Her shower hadn't eased her mind but it made her feel fresh enough. She made her way into the living room to drink from the fountain. She contemplated turning the television on. There might be programs curated for the night owls and the sleepless nights. Hyori walked towards the sofa and retrieved the remote controller before she could talk herself out of her idea.
A few channels later, she landed on a discovery channel. A program expanding on marine life was airing. It was interesting. It was like seeing an encyclopaedia instead of reading one. She probably wouldn't retain as much information as compared to reading. Yet, she wanted a distraction at the moment and she felt saturated from her phone and books. She went back into her bedroom to retrieve her blankets and pillows. Afterwards, she made herself comfortable on the u-shaped sofa and let her mind get enraptured by the wildlife scenes. From the books she read, animals' societies weren't less complex than humans' relationships.
They had power dynamics and extensive codes. Even though their life spans were shorter for the majority, they had their milestones. They also had their communities and way of life. Some individuals even tried the unpaved way and experienced around. It was comforting in some way. The narrative voice was paced. Forest sounds were the only background to the description of the animals' behaviours. There was no music or sound effects. The more she watched the television, the more the display melted into a dream and she gradually fell asleep.
In a dark minimalistic bedroom, a numeric clock on the bedside was reading almost one in the morning. An unconventionally tall man was lying awake in his unconventionally huge bed. Sweat was dampening his short blond hair and making his bangs stick to his skin. Pain could be read in his blue eyes while he was taking deep breaths.
He had just woken up from a nightmare and his pain medication wasn't having effects anymore. The occurrence of him waking up in the middle of the night had grown over the last years. The more time passed, the more he was on edge. He reached for his touchscreen phone on the right bedside and opened his home controller to lower the ambient temperature. As he was having trouble falling back asleep, his thoughts drifted to his last appointment with his regular doctor. The man had brought yet again the idea to resort to a host.
She was supposedly good at handling chronic restlessness and "morale-boosting" with her mental quirk. The whole ordeal felt surreal as he couldn't foresee himself giving into such practices with someone whose quirk was unknown. The doctor didn't have any intel about the host aside from the place she operated.
Fatigue slowly ate his unrest away until his body woke up again at four in the morning, a quarter of an hour before his alarm. He shut off his alarm for the day and remained in bed until he felt hungry. Slowly walking inside his bathroom, he undressed and walked past his bathtub to head into the shower. He hadn't taken a bath in ages as he wanted to avoid slippery situations. The huge tub crafted to fit his huge form was the most poignant daily reminder he wasn't the man he used to be. He now second-guessed things like taking a bath to go easy on his joints and avoid an injury.
His imposing stature of two metres and thirty centimetres had been his best tool in his youth but turned into an inconvenience as the days passed and he needed more assistance. After his shower, he dried himself before putting on a shirt and a pair of jeans. The clothes were sagging around his form in a similar way his skin was sagging around his bones. That's what one would get after losing mass as quickly as he did. He stopped by his kitchen for a glass of water and a breakfast shake. After his meal, he walked out of his apartment complex and walked down the streets of Ebisu.
The sight of lively kids enjoying the summer delighted him on his way to meeting his old sidekick and principal. All at his former school, no less. He was on a forced day off after over-exerting himself during the previous day and would take a train for Hakone, the place he once studied. He arrived at a bus station after a couple of minutes and waited for three more minutes before a bus arrived and he boarded with a group of five youngsters. They idly chatted in the nearly empty bus that drove towards the Tokyo train station.
During the train ride, he looked through the window while the decorum turned from a cityscape to a rural one. He hadn't been to his graduating school for years. From the media coverage and television spots he saw over the years, the college-preparatory school had thrived and even opened a general and a business department. It was a huge leap from three decades ago when the general public wouldn't even think about letting their children among "villain-magnet" people. When the train stopped after an hour, he left the wagon and walked down a path he still remembered. Looking around, not much had changed in the green decorum.
He realised having been too quick to judge when the Ultra Academy's gate came into view and he noticed the bus stop nearby. In his days, the apprentices had to walk for at least a quarter of an hour to reach the train stop. Summoning his memory, he walked past the main gates to enter through a side entrance. Not having a student or staff card to unlock the rotating gate, he typed the single-use code he was given by text a few days ago. The school's grounds had noticeably upgraded from when he had last been there.
A few youngsters were walking out and he asked them the way to the principal's office. The pink-haired girl who indicated the way had flower-shaped irises that made him wonder if her quirk was floral-based. After a while, he arrived in front of a solid wooden door and knocked, only entering after the high-pitched voice of the principal let him in.
"Good morning, Yagi. Nice to see you." Greeted the chimaera. "Would you have a cup of coffee?"
"Good morning, Principal Nezu, and Sasaki. Yes, thank you." Replied the tall blond man.
He then sat before taking the cup the green-haired man had just served and opened the discussion.
"You had some news for me?"
"Yes, we think it's about time for you to pass the relay." Answered the school's principal. "Your alma mater sees quite some talents every year, but a certain pupil has caught our attention. He's a first-year student and quite the impression. Sasaki is currently training him."
That was... Some huge news. The tallest laid back to process what he just heard. His eyes looked at the two in front of him, one at a time. Surprise was painted over his face until he remembered his own plans for the afternoon. He was currently monitoring an apprentice he found a couple of months ago. He understood his old principal and sidekick teamed to find him a suitor in anticipation of his retirement. He also appreciated the gesture but he would have appreciated it more if he had been contacted before they started searching.
"That's some huge news." The blond man started. "When did you...? How long have you been looking?"
His former sidekick was the one who answered this time.
"We haven't been actively looking. This boy is outstanding and we thought it was time. I see he will be a great hero."
Of course, the green-haired man in front of him had some sort of revelation. In hindsight, he must have expected to discuss some sort of vision when he received an invitation to meet his former principal and collaborator. He would have a hard time not giving into the oracle.
"I appreciate the gesture but I already found someone." Confessed the tallest.
There was no point beating around the bush and he wanted the meet up to end as soon as possible. It was his hosts' turn to be surprised and he answered their unarticulated question.
"I met him a few weeks ago, during the sludge incident."
"And you didn't tell anyone!?" Exclaimed Sasaki.
"I didn't think about spreading the word, no."
His former sidekick rolled his eyes to the sky and the chimaera asked.
"Did you already pass it?"
"Not yet. The boy needs training first."
"Are you the one training him? What school is he in?" Asked the green-haired man.
"Yes, I am. He's still in high school."
"Are you telling me he has never had any preparation?!"
"Not until a few weeks ago."
"Gosh! Why are you always this impulsive!?"
The blond man took a breath before replying, mostly towards the principal. Reasoning with Sasaki was an uphill battle and he didn't have the energy for it at the moment.
"I saw his mind was in the right place. He's also clever."
"You saw him in action? I thought he was a high-schooler."
"Let's say he got ahead of himself."
Disapprobation was painted on Saski's face upon hearing the answer. He prevented himself from adding anything but his face spoke volumes.
"I see." A light gleaned in the principal's black beads. "I think you should still meet the apprentice. At least once."
The head of his alma mater wasn't wrong. As much as he was reluctant to let his apprentice down, he couldn't afford to make a selfish choice.
"Okay."
A couple of hours later, the blond man was purchasing a bus ticket for Yugawara where his apprentice lived.
During the commute, he thought about his previous encounter with Toogata. The boy he was suggested with wasn't bad at all. He probably would have picked him since he already had experience and displayed an incredible work ethic. He was also older but that second boy was a star on his own. And he must admit they had some physical similarities that might have influenced his former collaborator and principal.
Still, he didn't quite see in him what he saw in the one he met on his own. He suspected he was biased in favour of the boy he met on his own without expecting anything, as if it was a sign from the universe. His former sidekick hadn't seen things in the same light and insisted that an already prepared heir was a reasonable choice. They often disagreed and this topic wasn't an exception.
Like for all of their arguments, the other man would pester him to make a decision until he finally decided on who he would proceed with. The thought of meeting his protege right after encountering his rival was making him feel uneasy. After the bus arrived at his stop, he distractedly walked towards the beach which had been turned into a dumpster. The curly-haired boy must already be active. His mind occasionally drifted towards his earlier encounter. He wasn't as focused as he should be and counted himself lucky his apprentice didn't need much direction. He treated the boy to an afternoon lunch before going back to Tokyo using the train.
The clock was reading eight in the evening when he laid in bed and turned around for a bit. Contrary to the previous days, he could foresee himself resorting to whatever trick could help him clear his mind and make a decision. The upcoming days were going to be demanding. He retrieved his phone to open the mail sent by his regular doctor to book the host services. He didn't have to touch her, after all. He just needed her quirk to work on him. He didn't receive a lot of mail and easily found the right one.
Tapping on the link inside, his navigator opened on an agenda but no dates were available before the following week. Feeling like waiting any longer would only be detrimental, he selected the following Tuesday and then a page opened to have him register his personal data. He didn't want to give his name and decided to ask the commission's help. Defeated, he discarded his phone and turned some more in his bed.
His sleep ended up being rocky and he called the Hero Commission's President first thing in the morning. The woman might ask questions at his odd request but he was nearing his last straw. The overall stress of his position had been doubled over by the stress of having to leave someone down after everything they went through. He hadn't had the impression that much had been promised to his alma mater student, but he knew hitting the brakes would be too much of a roller coaster for his apprentice.
The president accepted to receive him in the morning and he followed the same routine he did on the previous day before dressing in formal attire and taking a bus towards the Commission's headquarters. There, he took a lift towards the executive floor and passed a salon to knock on a solid mahogany door. A feminine voice invited him inside the cool-toned office with a glassed wall offering a view of the city below. The middle-aged woman's short platinum blond hair was brushed back and her ice-blue eyes were as calm as ever.
"Good morning, Mister Yagi." She greeted him.
"Good morning, Madam President." He sat before expanding on his situation. "I would like your help to book a specific service. I want to do it anonymously."
"What kind of services are you talking about?"
"It's... It was a recommendation from my regular doctor. I'll transfer to you his mail."
The woman's laptop made a notification sound and she opened the mail she just received.
"What is this?"
"It's the... service provider booking link." He sighed. "She's a host working in a hotel. She seems good with handling stress issues and I might need her help."
The woman remained silent for nearly a minute before enquiring.
"It's a quirk-based service."
"Yes, it is."
"I suppose you want the first day available."
"Yes, please."
"We'll have to call them to negotiate a contract and register the company as a supplier. That way, we can pay for the service and re-invoice your agency. That way, there won't be any direct link between you and them. I'll let you contact the vice president for any future booking, though."
"Thank you."
He was about to leave when he remembered.
"Before I forget, I'm working with an apprentice. I thought I should let you in the loop."
"Thank you."
He saluted her and left the office. He still had some days to wait but he was eager to experience the host's quirk, hoping for her abilities to help his nerves. At worst, he would have the best sleep of his life.
Orochimi's phone rang at ten in the morning and she promptly answered. She was elated to hear she had received a call from Mister Mera Yokumiru, the Hero Commission's Vice President, asking for a booking for next Tuesday.
"We will need a business registration certificate delivered in the last six months, copies of the legal representatives' identification documents, with a signature on them, and a letter from your bank branch. We will also need an identification document of the host we are going to deal with." Elaborated the man on the other side.
"Of course, I can send it to you through mail."
"We need paper documents in a courier, to our headquarters."
"Of course. I can send it to you today through express delivery."
Of course, the state-affiliated body would require paper for an old-style procedure. It was obviously worth the trouble and she couldn't afford to wait before sending the courier.
"Who do you want to book? I recommend making a reservation right now. Tuesday might be booked by the time you receive the courier."
She had her idea but still had to be sure.
"It's the one for stress issues. Could we have an anonymous booking?"
"You're talking about Haze, I'll book that day for you without putting a name. Can you give me a mailing address? I'll send you the booking link."
"We already have it."
"I see. It was from a doctor, then."
"Yes."
"Good. You can use it and I'll validate your company account. We are a charity, by the way. I hope you can deal with us?"
"Yes, we can."
"Alright. Have a nice day."
She had just bid her farewell when the call ended. Not musing over the man's eagerness to hang up, she hoped he would be just as eager to proceed when she printed her ID with the girl's birth certificate and legal guardianship. She then retrieved the needed documents before collecting a large carton envelope.
Supposing the bank branch letter needed to be an original, she picked up her phone yet again and called the pension's banker. She left a voice message since the woman didn't pick up before signing her identification card copy. She put the papers inside the envelope that she secured in her folder bag.
The snake lady speed-walked out of her office and locked the door behind her. On her way out of the administrative area, she let Haru know her errand and walked to the underground parking lot. Signing with the Hero Commission would be a strong selling point to contact other state-affiliated organisations along with diplomatic institutions. She was already thinking about getting in touch with embassies and growing her international network.
During the weekend, Hyori received an incoming call from her manager to give her a speech similar to the one for 'Professor'. She had received a notification from the hosting application and read she had been booked by an anonymous visitor with a request for 'morale-boosting'. She hadn't known someone could make an anonymous reservation and had wondered why anyone would do such a thing. The manager didn't answer her question and urged her not to ask any questions to her guest.
On Tuesday evening, a gigantic old man had welcomed her and she reached a little below his shoulders. As she greeted him, her eyes met sunken ones with seemingly hollow sockets. He also looked sick to the bone and his loose skin sagged on his skeleton. She was wondering whether he had any fat tissues at all.
"How old are you?" He asked when she walked to his level.
She had been warned against that question. First to avoid giving intel to some inconsistent but zealous law-abiding citizen, and secondly to prevent her visitors from setting an expiration date on her services. Orochimi advised not to answer, which was easier said than done. No one had ever asked yet and she chose to remain silent.
"How old are you? And please, refrain from lying. You can't be older than twenty." He pressed.
Hyori hesitated.
"I will call the reception to get you out of this room if you don't answer honestly." He added.
She held eight fingers to let him guess, hoping the ordeal wasn't recorded.
"Eighteen years old?!" He exclaimed before being cut by a coughing fit.
He looked in pain while cleaning the blood that ran from his lips. She remained silent but was alerted by his stare. She sensed he was feeling sorry for her and wondered if he would send her away.
"I won't say a word but would be eager to help if needed. you don't look drugged or anything, so I assume there are reasons you are here." He concluded.
Hyori had been standing forbidden until he motioned her to sit on one of the salon's chairs. She did as instructed and the man leaned back with a sigh.
"I booked your services through my employer. I'm not looking for anything active. I've been incapacitated since a car accident fourteen years ago. I'm still experiencing pain, especially at night, and it seems I've grown used to my medication. I've heard the good things your quirk could do to help clear the mind and make lucid choices."
"I can't promise anything but will do my best to appease your mind."
After she spoke, she linked to his mind and worked on muffling his stimuli sensors to anaesthetise him. His body was exhausted and one of his lungs was missing, the remaining one being overworked while the total capacity was below average. He seemed to have adjusted to a certain level of lingering pain, though. She wondered if this level of after-effect was always the case after a life-altering accident. He was in a similar exhaustion state to 'Professor', with the missing lung being the only difference. There were also light disturbances in his mind. The man instantly settled and seemed relieved.
"It's impressive." He commented. "I feel better than when my medication kicks in. How are you doing it?"
"I prevent strong sensitive nerves' signals from travelling to your brain."
He hummed before adding. "How long does it work?"
"As long as I keep it active. And as long as I remain awake."
"Does that mean you won't sleep tonight?"
"I won't. But I'm used to it. I can help you to bed if you want."
"It's fine. I can walk."
She followed and tucked him in bed.
"I can make you fall asleep right away or let you fall asleep on your own." She offered.
"Your quirk makes people sleep?" He inquired.
"Yes, it does." She answered.
"Interesting. I'll ask you to wake me whenever my phone rings. I can't be unavailable." He instructed before lying comfortably.
"As you wish."
Hyori put him under a brainwash and moved back into the salon area where she unpacked her tablet and textbook to study. At some point, she wondered if the man was a public figure or feared leaving evidence of cheating attempts. He didn't wear a ring but that didn't mean he wasn't married. It wouldn't be her first time entertaining married men and it probably wouldn't be the last. Still, she was impressed with the lengths the man had gone to ensure not to be pinned for requesting under-the-counter services. He would be safe until his employer exposed him but she doubted any company would mingle in their employee's private lives.
The violet-haired haired was leaning back on the couch when four in the morning arrived. She gradually let go of the man's mind and looked to see if he would wake up. Noticing he hadn't been jostled awake, she arranged her laced purse before leaving room 208. He should hear his phone ringing and it was time for her early morning nap. Mister Yagi woke up with the sound of a door closing in the distance. Looking at the bedside clock, it was four in the morning. He hadn't slept this soundlessly in ages. The last time must have been in the early days of his hero career.
A couple of days later, Mister Mera hadn't received any feedback on the hosting experience. The President was interested in the host's services and thought it could help other heroes if everything worked as advertised. Looking at the cost, she won't help many heroes. And given her activities, they couldn't just let anyone in the confidence of what they offered to cover
They needed to be sure the heroes wouldn't spread the word. Only the ones in contract with first and second-rank agencies could be contacted, meaning only the commission's own heroes and the top agencies would be offered the host's services. But before they could get ahead of themselves, he unlocked his phone and called the All Might Agency.
"Good morning, Mister Yagi. We haven't heard from you since Tuesday. Did everything go well?"
"Hello, Mr. Vice President. Everything went well, it was better than I anticipated. Nothing weird happened."
"I suppose it wasn't a false advertisement."
"Not at all."
"Thank you for your feedback. I won't hold you any longer. Have a nice day."
He then hung up and wrote an email to let the President know the supplier's delivery could be validated.
More than the hosting service, he had been surprised the number one hero would be the one asking for their help. The blond man had some guts to face the President with such a request. His need for discretion was understandable since the general public would be upset if word spread that the 'Symbol of Peace' enjoyed hookers.
Still, a lot of things were unbecoming, starting with the service being offered by a charity, doctors advertising it to their patients, the commission being a middleman, and a night costing well over the average monthly salary. That being stated, the biggest red flag must have been the girl's quirk.
As if it wasn't already a mess, the host barely turned eighteen and could brainwash people. Her records stated she could command people who answered her questions. At the same time, her service description stated she could use her voice to appease people and put them to sleep. Either one version was exaggerated, or the other was an euphemism. Going for the latter option, they had warned the number one hero not to answer the girl's questions. For good measure, they also called the manager to make sure the host wouldn't ask any questions.
Soon after sending the feedback to his boss, he received an answer from the middle-aged woman. She requested him to book another date for their most recent recruit. He opened the mail transferred by the President and clicked on the agenda to book August's first Wednesday in two weeks. He then sent the confirmation to the President and the invoice to the accountability department. Their latest recruit was a young adult the commission had raised into a hero. Some people would say the kid had been groomed but his current situation was far better than the one he had been born into.
Still, offering him nights with hookers as incentives was a sick move that would give the lad a soiled outlook on relationships. Obviously, his opinions as a Vice President didn't matter regarding the ordeal. The President already decided without consulting him and he supposed she had envisioned that option from the moment All Might exposed the situation to her. She must have anticipated something was up with the host given how booked she was despite the cost. He didn't like what was going on, but that was rather common ever since he started working for the Hero Commission.
The more he climbed the ladder, the more he was involved in affairs he didn't appreciate. He sometimes wondered if the President felt the same way about her position. She had been the Vice President before the former boss's murder at the hand of a former agent. She was not only living with the constant threat of being the commission's face, but might potentially be involved in more distasteful affairs.
Remembering details about the previous President's death, his judgement of how the woman treated their new recruit softened. Her way of catering to the young man was infantilising, but at least prevented their recruit from attempting to do things by himself. Taking care of all the life logistics and red tape for him wasn't a bad idea to keep him willingly subordinated. Controlling his intimate life fell naturally in line with how they controlled the hero. The girl was pretty and if her quirk worked as expected, it would be something their recruit would look forward to.
Hyori was set to host her anonymous visitor for the second time after two weeks. To her surprise, it wasn't the gigantic bony blond man but a young bird-man with curly blond hair who stood from the couch when she entered.
"Hello. I'm a coworker of the tall guy from two weeks ago." He introduced himself.
He looked awfully young to be the old lanky man's coworker. He couldn't be out of university yet and might be an intern. That would be a deranged gift for an intern on the company's part. The young man was a bird mutant, given the red wings on his back. She didn't often have visits from mutants as there seemed to be a glass ceiling on the corporate ladder for them. He had a human face so she thought it gave him an edge over other mutants.
"Good evening, Sir." She answered.
"No need to call me sir. I'm not that old." He countered with a smile.
The young man seemed nervous and Hyori decided to take the lead. She had already been booked by Fathers wanting to 'turn into men' their sons for their twenty-first birthday. She was used to nervous visitors and knew how to gently woo them. Tethered her mind to his, she tricked his system into releasing neurotransmitters such as dopamine and serotonin.
The trick induced a sense of well-being, relaxation, disinhibition, and euphoria. It had been her oldest trick but she only found the appropriate words to describe it after months of reading papers on neurology and slightly experimenting with her visitors during their slumber.
"You are good at your... Job." He commented. "You haven't even touched me yet."
"Thank you." She answered while flashing him her most gracious smile.
Unlike her previous appointment, the guy wanted to get the most out of his visit. They promptly moved onto the bed where he collapsed in less than a minute. The lad was indeed a first-timer and obviously a premature one. He mourned not being able to properly enjoy and perked when she offered to walk him through the process.
She handed him a new protection and used her quirk to hold his urethra-muscular reflexes. The guy in front of her wanted to hold longer. Therefore, she focused on the medulla to help him achieve his goal. When the subject focused on what they wanted, the part of the nervous system she had to target would buzz for her attention.
The trick had its limitations as the pressure could become painful. She had to be careful to interpret his signals. Armed with a new-found vigour, the young man tried again and she held him for two minutes before he ended in a full-body spasm. His mind was properly dazed and his eyes were unfocused.
He was coming down from the height after being propelled higher than he had ever been with more intensity than he could naturally handle. Any longer and he might have fainted from overstimulation. It was a side-effect of the trick and most visitors enjoyed it. Yet, the manoeuvre was still dangerous and she needed to be careful.
She checked his vitals as he fell into a slumber in less than one minute. After cleaning the young man, she left the bed and took a shower before starting her nightly study session. Looking at him on her way to the couch after her shower, he looked so young in his sleep that he might be freshly out of high school. The night was probably his welcoming gift given how his mind wasn't disturbed like her visitors and he seemed to be on board for fun more than anything else.
The following day, the winged hero woke up in an elated mood. His first time had been better than anything he had envisioned and he felt lighter than ever. Looking around, he was alone in the bedroom and second-guessed having experienced the previous night. That was until his eyes landed on the paper trash can by the bedside. There were two used protections inside.
He retrieved the tiny sacks to empty their contents in the toilet before wrapping them in toilet paper and throwing them back in the trash bin. After a morning shower and breakfast, he left the hotel through the air as a morning workout. He felt incredibly light and energetic during his flight and assumed it was the so-called afterglow he read about.
He was flying when his phone rang and had to stop to answer. On the other side, the commission's Vice President greeted him.
"Hello. Did you enjoy the night?"
"I did! Thank you. It was better than anything I dreamt of so far!"
"No problem. You remember that last night had been a gift for your outstanding debut, given how pricey that was. Still, the President is willing to offer you another one if you enter the top ten by the end of the year. She expects a lot from you."
"Really?! Of Course! I'll outdo myself."
"That's good to hear. Another thing before I let you go. Can you pass the word of the service to the top heroes you will encounter? Only the ones with big agencies since they'll have to pay the total fees through their companies."
"I will. See you later."
He hung up and resumed his flight, looking forward to earning another gift from the commission. He was aware that calling someone a gift was wrong but he didn't have another word for the beautiful maiden he met the previous night. Her looks were perfect, her voice so sweet, her perfume was enticing and her skin was smooth. She looked as young as he was and he might have developed a crush over the night.
Late during the summer, Hyori had been booked for the first time in room 301. She had never spent the night in the biggest suite of the hotel, only having been there for shootings. She hoped not to host a party with multiple people like Bliss did. Unless they only wanted a private concert or reading session.
She was never sure of what to expect from the anonymous bookings. One time out of two, the anonymous visitor turned out to be Mister Yagi. Last time, it had been a short man who wanted to maximise all the time spent with her. He lasted longer than anyone she hosted and used his quirk to restrain her. He had been relieved for days after the night he spent under her quirk and enjoyed the after-effect clarity. Unlike during the first time, an easy smile graced his face during their meetings. He gave her his name and a police station where one of his friends could discreetly help her if needed.
This time around, she doubted it was the giant blond. There wouldn't be any point using the biggest suite just for sleeping. Hoping it wasn't a party for multiple people like the ones Bliss animated, she dressed in a cranberry surplice dress and ascended to the third floor.
Inside the suite, a whale killer mutant welcomed her only wearing a bathing robe. His skin was wet and she guessed he had been either showering or swimming. The temperatures were too hot for using the hot tub or the sauna at the moment.
"Good evening, sir." She greeted him.
"Good evening, miss. I would like you to change into a towel, please."
"As you wish."
She walked past him to change in the bathroom and he followed behind her. His brain was massive and highly stimulated compared to a regular person. It also was more sensitive to her quirk given how he settled in her haze. He was staring at her hands while she untied the knot and sensed a rush of dopamine when her dress fell on the ground. His blood rushed to his core and he made a high-pitched laughing sound. His heavy stare was disturbing and she reluctantly removed her underwear before warping herself in a big towel.
"I prefer the short towel."
She followed her guest's wish and put the long towel back to wear a shorter one that barely reached below her cheeks. When she turned around to face him, he was pulsating and already leaking.
"Get in the shower."
She did as instructed and he tailed after her. His massive presence behind was a lot and he enjoyed putting her under pressure. In the shower, he retrieved one protection from one of the bathing robe's pockets. Once dressed, he pushed her against the wall by surprise and parted her open. She was constricted between the wall and his silhouette. Hadn't he held her, her head would have probably hit the wall. Just as suddenly as he pushed her, he moved at a fast pace and she barely registered what was going on.
"Look above." He commanded in a hoarse voice.
When she did, she noticed there was a mirror on the ceiling and saw what was happening. All she could clearly feel was the link tethering their minds. Their eyes met through the glass and his mouth formed a smirk. And then, he pushed her one last time before stilling. They parted and the host deeply inhaled. She felt like she could finally breathe again. Once she was better, he instructed her yet again.
"Get inside the pool, in the centre."
She did as instructed and walked towards the pool on the other end of the bathroom. This time, he remained in place, watching her move uncovered. From the glass-panelled wall, she had a view of the sea. Once she was positioned, he put on a second protection before walking inside the pool. He started splashing water at her and she eventually stepped back as he approached. She felt herself backed against a corner of the pool while he kept splashing her. He stopped at some point and she didn't even have the time to clear her face from the water he held her against the wall to exhaust himself again.
She was a bit disoriented during the first seconds, holding onto the tether. He finished after a few minutes, carried her out of the bathroom and walked inside the parental bedroom to put her on the bed. She caught their reflection in the mirror on the ceiling and her eyes watched him retrieve another protection before he climbed in bed.
"Can you do the mind-blowing trick?" He asked.
She nodded for all response and he brought her knees to her elbows before pushing her down on the mattress. His brain was overstimulated and he was ecstatic. She held him for ten long minutes before letting go of his medulla. He spasmed before falling on her, his eyes heavy and closing on their own after a couple of seconds. She managed to crawl out from underneath him but her legs weren't able to hold her standing. She decided to wait for a dozen minutes before cleaning him and taking a warm bath. She was thinking about asking Orochimi not to allow that one guest to visit her ever again.
Once she felt better, she looked in the mirror for any marks or bruises. Her skin was reddened around her neck and behind her knees. Overall, there wasn't much harm, besides the body aches she felt mostly in her back. She dressed back into her clothes and retrieved her purse before sitting in the sunken living room. Looking around, the suite felt eerily empty for only two people. There were nice ocean paintings on the crisp white walls. She studied for the next day until it was time for her to leave at four in the morning.
The following day at half past noon, Hyori texted her manager to ask for never entertaining the previous night's visitor again. His antics had been a lot and she was still aching. Her phone rang less than a minute later and Orochimi greeted her on the line.
"Are the marks still on?!"
"They have disappeared but I'm still aching a bit."
"I'll call our usual clinic. I'll call you back when the ambulance arrives."
"Thank you. I also wanted to ask if I could never host him again."
"It will depend on the clinic's results. Take pictures of the injuries next time. I need grounds to ban a visitor. Alright?"
"Alright."
The call ended and the violet laid in bed. If a medical team was going to auscultate her, it would mean she didn't have to go back to school for the afternoon. She received another call ten minutes later and was instructed to walk into the underground parking lot where an ambulance was waiting for her. The paramedics auscultated her and gave her an ointment that should help relieve her pain. There wasn't anything broken but she was advised to rest.
Orochimi called the commission's Vice President as soon as she received the medical report. She couldn't afford to have visitors hurting her hosts and wanted to make clear a line had been crossed. She didn't reach Mister Mera and left a voice note. While waiting for him to call her back, she replied to the complementary questions and filled out forms sent by the foreign bodies she had contacted.
A handful of them had been interested in her services and were willing to give her a chance. Once she completed the red tape, she arranged another shooting session to impress her new clientele. The Meiko look was popular among them and she would let the girl dress in her formal attire to give a respectable image.
This time around, she would only upload candid pictures with an emphasis on the tea ceremony. She might also plan language assessments for the violet since she supposed her fluency had plummeted over one year of not speaking with native people. The hotel receptionists could cover that part and she might ask them to help if needed. Her idea was barely formulated when she mailed the Human Resources Department to decide on the assessment dates. A reply came nearly an hour later with three receptionists for the languages the girl had learned and their availability. Seven in the morning was good enough for one-hour sessions.
Once she sent her reply, she texted the violet host to let her know her future hearing sessions along with a shooting in room 301 the next afternoon after her classes. The manager was warping her day at seven in the afternoon when her desk phone rang. The tired voice of the commission's Vice President greeted her and she promptly exposed the situation to him. He didn't disclose the culprit's identity but would pass the message to him and the others. The issue settled, he hung up and she left her office.
The following morning, she rejoiced when a booking had been requested by a consulate. Haze's Arabic fluency had interested an embassy and they wanted to offer one night to a distinguished emissary from their home country. Over the phone, they arranged the date and settled for Sunday, since it was the only available date in the ten future days. An upgrade of the fare was needed if she wanted her new prospects to book. Hopefully, the increase would force one of the girl's regular visitors to free one day.
Her scheme didn't work the way she expected since the two men she had in mind kept their positions. At this point, she guessed it was an ego trip for them and had little hope to make them bulge. Instead, she received a call from the Hero Commission to negotiate a lower booking frequency. They settled for one Tuesday every two weeks and she guessed it was already a step in the right direction to make the host more accessible to her new niche.
On a September afternoon, Professor Araki's car was driving towards Kamakura for his early weekend in Kamakura. He arrived at seven in the afternoon and made his way into room 302 to take a shower and get comfortable in bed. Over six months, repeated use of the girl's quirk had trained the vestiges of stolen quirks into quietness. The uprising in his mind had dwindled to non-existent.
While waiting for his host to arrive, his thoughts drifted to her suave voice and what he felt above her. She was soft and fleshy, the kind of body a scalpel would easily slide through the supple texture. And, of course, the kind that felt good around him. When she arrived, he felt in a generous mood. He let her get comfortable before asking.
"What is the priciest gift you ever received?"
The host thought for a moment.
"It was a golden tea set. Years ago."
The tone of her voice disclosed longing from a distant past.
"You don't have it anymore?"
"I don't."
"I'll give you another one for your services. It's the least I could do after you mentally helped me. My head is much more in order and I've been able to pick up my slack."
"Thank you." She replied, pleasantly surprised and overjoyed.
Since his mind had been relieved from the strain of stolen quirks, he felt anew the strain of his physical needs not having been met in ages. As much as the host was available, he didn't want to have her in a way that wouldn't mark her. An idea had formed in his mind and he waited for her to finish reading before acting on it. He took one of her hands and directed it between his legs. Her surprised reaction let him guess she didn't often caress. He asked for confirmation with a smile on his face.
"Don't you often touch it there?"
"I don't." She confessed with a shake of her head. "Could you put a protection on?"
"It's fine." He replied with a laugh. "I won't touch you. Just massage it for a while."
The girl's plump hand felt good on him, but it didn't feel nearly as good as the thought that he leaked directly on her skin. While massaging him, she was also massaging his fluids in the skin of her palm. Knowing she was marked with him took him close to the edge and he felt much more relief than he often did when his core exploded. His essence running down her hand was the most satisfying part. After she cleaned, he swiftly fell asleep on her while thinking about all he would be able to do once he didn't need breathing support anymore.
The following day after his multiple errands, his driver took him to the Tokyo Zainichi neighbourhood where he had connections with merchants. Miss Han SolJi was a matriarch and the one he trusted the most for personal orders. He trusted her keen eye to bring him something that would appeal to a maiden who had already seen a lot. In the back of her shop, the elderly woman reassured him she knew exactly who could magnify plain home furniture.
"There are Russian goldsmiths renowned among connoisseurs for crafting noble metals. You can expect something out of the ordinary that would woo any maiden."
"Can I order a gold tea set for Christmas?"
"I can order on your behalf, but such little time wouldn't leave much room for drawing the patrons. Unless you want them to work day and night."
"They can do as they please provided I get what I want."
"I'll let them know. Could you tell me more about the girl? What does she like?"
He thought for a moment.
"She likes reading, especially about nature from encyclopaedia books."
The matriarch nodded.
"Is she the dreamer type?"
"She is."
The woman had an idea of what she would order.
"Something colourful and nature-themed would please her. I'll order that for you."
"Thank you, Miss Han."
With that, he left the shop by the back door.