Clipped Wings

Chapter 3

"It's nice to meet you, Keigo. I'm Dr. Mays." She spoke; I didn't care. The only reason I was here is because of Mt Lady and Best Jeanist, who thought I needed someone professional to talk to about what happened. They're right, I did need someone to talk to though, it didn't mean I was going to talk to them any time soon. Probably answer basic questios, sure but nothing more. I give Dr. Mays a glance. "It's Hawks, not Keigo," I mutter, correcting her. Dr. Mays just nodded, writing something on her clipboard before looking back to me. I felt weird, I wasn't really sure how to explain it though, I guess I felt like I was a kid again. I don't know.   

"So, Hawks, tell me what brings you in today?" I finally glance at her, hesitant to tell her what was going on I knew she wouldn't tell anyone per say, but I guess from all the interrogation I had it was hard to talk to someone if it wasn't rehearsed, a fan or fighting bad guys. After what felt like hours, I eventually found my voice, finally speaking, "It was my friends' idea for me to come," I answer. I wasn't ready to open up, wasn't ready to tell her about the nightmares of All For One, of Twice. I wasn't ready to open the chest that was under lock and key in my mind, and yet I had to say something.

I shifted in my seat, my hands instinctively going to where my wings would be. I had developed feather picking as a nervous tick, fidgeting, or playing with my wings. I had learned to stop, but now it felt like that urge was front and center. But I didn't have my wings, so not feathers to pick at.

Dr. Mays studies me for a moment, trying to read my emotions. I wasn't going to let my mask slip. She continued to look at me, trying to unlock the box that I kept buried for so long. She soon spoke, "You were the youngest to be a pro, am I correct?" I manage to look at her and nod. "Yea, 18" I nodded. This was public information, so I didn't mind acknowledging it. It was the information that I held in the deepest part of my mind, the only other people that knew was the commission, and they were gone. I guess it was true: two can keep a secret if one of them is dead.

She looked at me with an unreadable look before speaking, "awfully young to be doing all this. First, a pro by 18 with our own agency and in the 10 by 20 and being number 2 by 22. That's a lot for someone so young." She looked at her notes and back at me with genuine sympathy, trying to unearth the past that I tried so hard to keep buried. I quickly put my mask back on. Most information, especially about my past, my TRUE past was an NDA. But I guess with the HPSC gone, it doesn't really matter now.

Dr. Mays was right, I was young. But I had to. I wanted to be a hero like Endeavor. And the day the commission gave me the opportunity to be a hero like him, and I took it. I wanted to save as many people as I could so heroes would have more free time on their hands.

"So, why did you prefer going by that and not Keigo?" I froze at the question, staring blankly at her. I felt something click, as if I was being interrogated by the enemy "My name is Hawks. I work for the Hero Public Safety Commission" I said, not thinking about it. Dr. Maya looked at me before she spoke "I see..." She muttered.

A small clock buzzed to life as I was quickly snapped out of my stupor. Has it already been 1 hours? It felt a lot longer to me. Dr Mays stops the alarm and looked at me, speaking as if she was talking to a child "I know you don't trust me, and you don't have to. But I want to help you." She said, before handing me her own card. I took it and stuffed it into my pocket.

After leaving the building, I looked up at the sky, watching the birds fly. I felt something on my face. It wasn't raining, more were there clouds in the sky to indicate rain. I wiped it, noticing it was from me. I was ..crying? Why is it because of what happened? Or was I more broken than I realized.