"Epic... your family's gone. I can't rule out powers being able to do that, but... holding onto this hope may hurt you even more."

"I'm going to figure it out."

She pauses. And nods. "I hope you do."

Bounce bounce. He hugs himself with his wings, very tightly.

"What do you want to talk about?" she asks after a few seconds.

"I want them to let me put São Paulo back but apparently that'll take a week because grownups - Boots'd let me, Boots'd have a list of hundreds of things for me to do by now and she'd explain why she thought they were good ideas and if I had ideas she would explain what might happen and trust me to think about consequences - Boots trusted me, no one else ever trusted me - and Brazil is a military dictatorship and I don't care about that especially because it might be necessary because there might be more Endbringers but I don't want to help anyone hurt people, I want everyone to be safe, and I don't know how to do that if it happens to be a not-good military dictatorship and I don't know how to tell because I'm seven and I'm not good at this stuff - my dad was really good at this stuff, he'd know what to do -"

"—who told you this? About a dictatorship?"

"Some Americans. Since I was in New York. When I triggered. I said I wanted to go back home and they said maybe I shouldn't and should stay there but I grew up in São Paulo and I wanted to put it back so I left anyway."

"They were wrong," she says. "I'm sorry to be the one to tell you that, but there are lies spread by the media and governments from other countries, especially in the United States, about what it's like to live here."

"Oh, good."

"Now, the problem with just putting São Paulo back is that this wouldn't be—the best possible thing. São Paulo could be bigger and better and house more people in better places than it used to, if it were designed rather than evolving naturally the way it did."

"Yeah, I know, I get it, I just want to be doing stuff because I feel so - alone - when I'm not doing stuff and if it's new it'll be nice for people but it won't be like I remember it. If Brazil's not a military dictatorship what is it?"

"It's a democratic republic. The military and the parahumans protect our citizens from threats like Behemoth, drug cartels, gangs, and other dangers, and they are an arm of the government chosen by the people."

"Okay. As long as people have nice lives and don't have to be scared or small I don't really care."

"We certainly hope we can keep everyone happy and fulfilled."

"I can help a lot with that."

"You can, it's true. You could help a lot of people."

"My parents and Boots'll be so proud of me."

She smiles. "I'm sure they will." She writes a small note on the clipboard. "If you could do anything right now, what would you do? Other than put São Paulo back, I mean."

"...sleep? I haven't. Since I got powers."

"Do you want me to leave you to it? We don't need to talk right now."

"It can wait a bit, if this is important."

"This is just to make sure you're alright, and to understand what you need. If what you need is sleep, you should sleep."

"Then - yeah, probably."

She nods, and stands up. "I'll be back later. Do you think there's anything else I can do for you?"