A night like any other in Musutafu.
The crime rate here was considerably low, thanks to the presence of none other than All Might.
Japan's number one hero.
"Fear not! I AM HERE!"
An ad played on a screen nearby.
It was 7:00 pm on his first school night in Musutafu.
Tenjo found himself watching ads in a toy store.
Merchandise, plushies, all sorts of hero related things stood on the shelves.
Posters lined the walls.
A screen before the counter, just to advertise more to customers.
The employee behind the counter was on his phone, bored and tapping away.
Unconcerned by the toys around him, Tenjo continued to stare at the all might ad.
It played on a loop over and over, displaying dynamic posing of All Might and his collectible figures.
'This anatomy, it's perfectly symmetrical.'
Tenjo's hands itched to inscribe what he saw.
The swirl of colors in his eyes shifted ravenously.
'Perfect, completely perfect musculature symmetry.'
He was astonished.
"Hey kid, are you gonna buy something? Or is that ancient ad enough for you?"
The employee looked up from his phone for the 5th time in the past 20 minutes. Just about the length of time it's been since Tenjo graced the empty store with his presence. Also speaking for the first time since he greeted Tenjo.
Tenjo shook his head.
"Can I get a recording of this ad?"
The clerk scowled, scratching his deer horns.
"It's free, online. The name of the ad is on the tv."
Tenjo looked back, seeing the tape at the border of the screen.
"Oh, thank you."
The employee's ears, also those of a deer, twitched.
He glanced at one of many dusty boxes behind the counter.
He grumbled under his breath.
"Old man, no one is going to buy this crap, why not just toss it somewhere?"
True to his job description, the clerk picked a box to clean and sell.
"This one is translated Chinese books, in English."
He took a closer look.
"They're all older than the store."
An urge to trash the books crossed his mind but.
"Anything for a paycheck."
Absentmindedly the clerk started maintenance on the books, taking delicate care of the pages.
The shuffling of paper filled the store.
Tenjo, inspecting the symmetrical quality of All Might figures, paid no heed to the sounds.
Tss
The store's door opened, a scent of slightly fresher air entering with it.
"SHI-KA!!"
A very lively woman walked into the store, beelining for the deer mutant.
He let his ears flick in mock annoyance.
"Mori, how do you keep finding out where I work?"
The green haired bubbly woman nearly jumped over the counter, grabbing at Shika's tie.
He stepped back letting her miss.
"How can't I find you? You're the cutie I've been waiting for all my life!"
Shika eyerolled.
"You said that to my sister."
Mori slammed both her hands on the counter playfully.
"But really it's true for you!"
Shika finished cleaning a book and set it aside.
"Did you bring deer crackers to try and convince me?"
Mori dashed back from the counter, twisting her body so Shika couldn't peek into her bag.
"No?"
Another book made its way into Shika's hand.
"Are you asking a question?"
With heavy eye contact Shika expertly dusted the book.
"No?"
Mori shifted side to side.
"That's another question."
Mori scrambled in defense.
"No it isn't!"
She pushed one of the books off the counter.
Tenjo let out a short "ow" when it hit his head.
He rubbed his head, a reminder for the time he spent looking at the screen.
A glance to the wall clock behind the clerk gave him 40 minutes to his self imposed curfew.
Mori startled by the sudden noise, eeped and jumped back.
"Shika you've been cheating on me?! Who did you make a child with!?"
Shika, growing ever more weary, picked the book off Tenjo's head.
"This kid's a customer, and how can I be cheating if we've never been together? You alright kid?"
He helped Tenjo up, his other hand returning the book to the counter.
Tenjo, having seen the title of the book, asked Shika, "Why do you have Chinese webnovels translated to English printed?"
His eyes focused on the covers, old artwork, a generic, dated style. The font being the most eye-catching part.
Shika inspected the books, frowning at their mere presence in a hero toy store.
"The old owners of this store said to sell this. The next owners did the same, so on and so forth until today."
He walked back behind the counter, dodging Mori's second attempt at grabbing his tie.
"Shika~! Don't ignore me! You're a free range deer that means you must live in a forest! That means we're meant to be together!"
Tenjo pulled out his wallet.
"I'd like this series."
'For a webnovel to be translated, printed, and dated to the 21st century. And in such pristine condition.'
He looked at the newly dusted books.
'I might as well.'
Shika's ears flickered.
"Really? You want this stuff?"
Tenjo nodded.
"Your boss did tell you to sell it, didn't he?"
Shika pictured a raise.
"Let me scan these."
He got a nod in return, Mori on the side going through many negotiation strategies for his attention.
Shika wrapped the books, covering their covers.
"That'll be 12,000 yen."
He looked at Tenjo rifling through a wallet.
"Fifteen hundred yen per volume set. I can keep these ones for you, no one's buying them anyways."
Tenjo shook his head.
"No need, I have enough."
Tenjo tried not to think of the money.
'I'm finally getting an allowance, and the first thing I do is spend most of it on books. What else would I spend it on though? My color pencils come from school.'
He began to think of his theft of school stationaries.
Shika bagged the books together.
"Have a good night kid."
Tenjo only nodded when he received the books, scurrying away from the loud green haired lady.
The last words he heard from her was a marriage proposal to Shika.
'Goodbye weird grass lady.'
He could only guess what she'd try to do with the deer crackers.
Their house was situated in a lovely neighborhood of Musutafu.
Etsuko Watanabe absently wiped the floors of her new home.
At first she was angry.
But she didn't want to be known as, "That hero's angry mom."
So she calmed herself down.
She gave herself a moment to think.
Why was he out? Why was he out so far?
Yet she knew, what he did was of no importance to her.
She had a job, and yet she was the one doing all the house work.
Even having Tenjo go through his exercises.
So what did matter to her?
When those men showed up to her door, when her bank account grew.
What was her revelation?
That heroes could fail.
"Mrs Watanabe, we regret to inform you-"
—
"[][][] tragically lost his life trying to save your-"
—
"We're sorry for your loss."
She almost didn't do the paperwork. But for Tenjo's future she did.
She could raise a hero by herself. A number one hero.
Thus was her resolve, at least, when he passed on.
She thought that now was a good time to have her parents take on a more active role in Tenjo's life.
That was her biggest reason for selling the home and buying a new one.
Musutafu housed Tenjo's grandparents along with one of the greatest hero schools in japan. U.A.
It made her joyous when she saw that her dear little hero was excited at the prospect of moving.
The school transfer went along smoothly, her parents responded positively to the move as well.
Then they came knocking at the door again.
She felt lucky that she sent Tenjo out for groceries earlier.
Even luckier that the previous visit happened during one of his schooldays.
"Is this the Watanabe household?"
She knew that posture, that shuffling and those eyes.
"Yes, yes it is."
She didn't even need to hear them to know what they said.
Worse still was the unfinished letter directed to her.
Her childhood dream of being a hero? Her vision for Tenjo's heroic future?
What worth did they have in the face of statistics?
Once, with her husband it may have been pure luck.
Luck being on the negative side.
Twice within a few weeks of each other though.
Etsuko was beginning to see a pattern she didn't want to see.
Perhaps, she wasn't giving her child the best possible future.
Perhaps she already ruined it without even knowing.
It was tough for her, realizing that her years of careful shaping was ultimately harmful.
But now that they were in a new place, with new people, she believed there was a chance to turn things around.
Her eyes filled with consciousness once more as she finished cleaning the floors.
Tenjo had his first day of school here and a good dinner was important for growing kids.
She made sure the rice cooker was filled with rice, as it should always be.
A growing boy should be able to have his midnight snacks. If he so needs.
A healthy assortment of vegetables, a whole baked fish.
Fruits.
She prepared to make a full course meal for when he would come back.
He liked his vegetables cold and light on the stomach.
His rice heated like it finished cooking 10 minutes prior to eating.
His meats with little sauce and equally little seasoning.
Etsuko knew, it was her job to know. She was still his mother.
When he gets home after his martial arts, he'll take a shower first. He'll eat his dinner and draw another three sets of the sunset.
It's what he's done almost every day after all.
She thought more on the arts Tenjo kept hidden from her.
Her initial confusion was replaced with horror when she realized what she was burying.
The horror she felt at the mere thought of continuing on, suffocating the colors in Tenjo's life.
She paled more when she realized that she was responsible for the dull colors in Tenjo's eyes. That it wasn't just her imagination, but a measurable effect on her child.
There was no use dwelling in the past though.
She shook her head and prepared the ingredients, cutting the cabbage, seasoning the fish.
They were set to be heated the moment Tenjo would arrive home. That way he'd have a perfectly timed fresh meal when he finished his shower.
And so she waited.
10 minutes past 6.
20 minutes.
She began to grow anxious at thirty minutes.
Pacing, muttering, nearly ready to burst into tears.
At forty minutes she started searching for accidents in the news.
Nothing, not even a peep.
In her panic she could only keep searching.
Tenjo returned home confused.
'Why are there heroes and police officers outside?'
He approached, still hugging his heavy bundle of books.
"Excuse me Mr. What's going on?"
The officer turned around with a little jump. He looked quickly between Tenjo and a photograph in his hands.
One of his hands went to a radio on his vest.
"Call off the search, he's right here."
"Huh?"
Tenjo picked his ear.
"Search?"
The cop just nodded his head and got to Tenjo's eye level.
"Yeah, you've been gone about an hour and a half over your expected return time."
He pat Tenjo's shoulders.
"You didn't tell your mom that you'd be late getting home so she assumed the worst."
Tenjo was still as confused as ever.
"The worst?"
The heroes and police officers were leaving one by one, only a few officers stayed close by.
The speaking officer, Nishi Haro according to his nametag, nodded again.
"Yeah after what happened to your dad and your grandparents your mom's been worrying so much more. I don't blame her, you should spend more time with her really."
Nishi rose and nodded to his partner, signaling their leaving.
"You're doing the paperwork."
"Are you kidding me?"
As they drove off Tenjo approached the door where his mom was waiting.
He couldn't read her expressions, her whole body was shrouded in the shadow of the door.
"Mom?"
"Come inside. Now."
He obliged, curious as to what the officer mentioned.
His mother led him to the living room, setting his bag on the short table and pushing Tenjo onto the couch.
Still her face was unreadable to him.
Even though he couldn't read his mother's emotions, Tenjo believed that she was more expressive than ever.
He opened his mouth first to speak.
"M-"
Before one syllable left his mouth his mom lunged.
Completely caught off guard he let himself be trapped.
Hugging Tenjo tightly, Etsuko spoke carefully, masking her emotions.
"Don't you ever, ever do something like that again. Tell me if you're running late, tell me. If you're going to a different area, tell me when you leave school."
She tightened her grip.
"You have a phone now, if you don't text me I'm going to install a location tracker on it you got it?"
Tenjo nodded. He opened his mouth to speak but was interrupted again.
Etsuko squeezed tighter.
"I don't care what you do, if you need more allowance I can give more, if you want piano lessons I can get you them. I just need you to be safe."
Crumbling under the pressure, Tenjo finally found a short interval to let his voice out.
"But whyyyy?"
Etsuko slowly released her deathhold on him.
"Because."
She couldn't find any more words to give him. She wasn't ready yet to speak the truth. Nor did she think Tenjo should know the truth at such a young age.
"Just because."
Tenjo decided not to push the issue, he was curious but his mom clearly wasn't going to tell him. He elected to ignore today's special events and move on. Just as life goes.
"Mom, can you let me go now? I need to shower."
His mom shifted a little, though she relaxed her grip she was still holding him in a bear hug.
"No, no, just, just let momma do this for a while yeah?"
Tenjo meanwhile, just thought. He had nothing to do. No homework today on account of all the pop quizzes. He finished sifu's training for today. He could say he was satisfied with his anatomy study of All Might.
Though he was yet to inscribe it.
The books too, were something to look forward to tomorrow.
He pondered over the officer's words from earlier.
"after what happened to your dad and your grandparents."
'Dad disappeared months ago, mom said it was a divorce.'
He glanced at the formal family photos in the living room.
'I've not seen grandma or grandpa since I was in kindergarten either.'
He tilted his head as he shifted in his mother's embrace.
'Not since we moved into that house. So that means when mom moved us to Musutafu, she moved us back, closer to grandma and grandpa.'
Etsuko still hadn't let go. Did she fall asleep?
Tenjo slipped out of her grasp and she fell softly onto the couch. Traces of tears were on her face showing the extent of her worries.
'She was worried that what happened to them would've happened to me, and since I haven't seen dad in a while. Then we moved here to Musutafu. That means whatever happened to dad happened to grandpa and grandma.'
He looked for jackets in the room. It's common sense to find some blanket alternative if someone passes out on the couch.
Maybe an actual blanket would do.
He went to his mother's room and took the blanket, moving it to cover the couch.
'So, let's assume that dad got mugged. No mom didn't make it sound like the divorce was one sided. She made it sound mutual, which wouldn't be surprising but then that would not justify the degree of worry.'
He entered the bathroom with an extra pair of clothes.
'So hospitalized? That kind of event does indeed warrant such worries but mom back then wouldn't have split with dad. She would've had us visit him despite his worsening attitude.'
Tssss-
He turned the water on, waiting for it to get hot.
'Death? If so, what cause? The crime rate is somewhere around six percent and almost 99 percent of crime is nonlethal. It can't be crime, the chances are too low. That means, accidents? There are strangely inflated numbers of truck accidents but, heroes solve those most of the time. It's possible but wouldn't mom make a spectacle of it?'
The shower ended quickly. He wiped himself dry and placed new clothes on before leaving.
'So, it can't be crime, father can't come close to us right now, and grandpa and grandma can't visit right now.'
He smacked his palm.
'They got sick! There's a new disease going about!'
He paused in the hallway.
'But another pandemic is a bit cliche isn't it? The last one was in 2030 or within that half of the century. Current medicine is leagues above viral and bacterial evolution.'
He smacked his palm again.
'Quirk boosted diseases! So I should stay away from crowded areas for a while, that'll make mom feel like I'm safer.'
Tenjo praised his own deductive reasoning, his steps bringing him to the kitchen.
He figured it was right to eat dinner now, for he clearly missed it earlier. Upon his entrance to the kitchen he realized his one fatal mistake.
'Oh, I don't know how to cook.'