The evening of that day was spent in heavy pondering. After dinner Danny decided to 'go for a walk' as he chose to word it in front of the detective. He was truthful, Tsukauchi was simply unaware that it also involved taking off into the skies, oblivious to the boy even possessing such ability. The teen needed a place where he could be alone with his thoughts, as the previous 24 hours had deprived him of that. For granting him such opportunity on more than one occasion, Danny favoured the power of levitation more than any other. That's where the teen decided to spend some time, in the skies, away from the prying eyes of the people below, the gaze of his own focused on the serene pitch black dome above, where the moon had already taken over. No other place could give him such liberating feeling, even the place he longed to visit years ago. Space was quiet, unforgiving, wishing to push him away. Each time he tried Danny felt uncomfortable drifting there on his own. So small, so insignificant in the consuming emptiness of the cold vacuum. It was different from the optimistic, explorative sentiment he used to hold.

The sky, on the other hand, was something much more. Down below he could see the nightly city, trimmed with a myriad of lights like a Christmas Tree. He could see the cars, the people, the distant sounds of commuting reached his sensitive ears. And yet, with clouds below and the moon and stars above, it was oddly peaceful. The half ghost could ponder on what was happening with his afterlife. It was only one day, so the teen couldn't make many assumptions yet, certainly. Wonder about his future perspectives, however, that he could allow. Danny had it until the deliveryman arrived with their dinner, so plenty of time. And if he wanted, as long as he came back by 10 pm, the half ghost could wander about even after they had food. Tsukauchi had made it abundantly clear that nightly escapades — often a lead-in for an act of crime called vigilantism — were not going to be permitted. Danny wanted to complain, but he had only recently rediscovered the treasure that is a good night's rest. It was probably better that way, but the detective acted as if the teen sought out criminals on purpose. Contrary to what Tsukauchi believed and knew about, the teen was reluctant to give up on something else.

Danny could not just come and say that he was going to take part in an illegal fighting match, for instance. Since he wasn't going to kill anyone, Danny didn't consider such form of income an atrocity against the world's values. He was merely knocking the wind out of the guys who probably deserved it. His freedom to act however he saw fit was tough to surrender, even for the benefit of having a relatively normal life. Back home the balance was not perfect, but Phantom could do what he wanted wherever and whenever, as long as Fenton was where he was supposed to be. Here the situation was flipped, for the hero could not go out and fight, while the human teenager was shown some leniency in terms of discipline. The added benefit was that Danny didn't need to hide much from Tsukauchi. Only the nature of his powers and his true place of origin were going to be concealed. And doing that was relatively simple.

Living with the detective was also a good launching point. The guardianship opened many doors before the half-ghost, for he no longer was akin to an illegal migrant with absolutely zero documents. He had an official place of residence, and a perspective to attain citizenship. The employers would at least take their time to look at his resume now. Or he would just start working full time in the shop. Financial independence, he called it. Danny remained optimistic about his future perspectives. He was far from dumb and he probably was one of the strongest people around and growing. He would find a way to make it work. Until then, he had to play by Tsukauchi's rules, at least near the man, despite his clear distaste for those. He certainly wasn't going to make it easy for the detective, though. Probably that's what Tsukauchi meant by regretting the decision in the future, Danny wondered with an amused smirk. The man was really good at his job, the guess was on spot. After no short amount of Danny concocting his plans for the next few days, his phone began to ring. Taking the old and modified shell phone that was the courtesy of Fenton Works, he saw an alarm. They had promised that the delivery would take half an hour, so the teen had set an alarm clock not to be late for some sushi. Grinning, the teen looked far below, where their apartment building was. Danny opened his arms wide, before the power of levitation let go of his body.

Like a child fooling around underwater in a public pool, the half ghost made twists, spins and turns on his way down, laughing wholeheartedly as the wind blew past his ears and made a mess out of his stark-white hair. Nobody noticed the plummeting figure, invisible to a naked eye. Picking up the speed during his free fall, Danny prepared himself for landing. The roof of the apartment block was meters away and quickly approaching, and when there remained a single inch, the half ghost stopped the fall in its tracks. The speed he had picked up translated into a powerful gust of air that blew away the stale dust. With a smirk Danny flipped in the air and finally landed with a soft thud. He still got it right. Deciding to use doors for once, the teen entered the building. A couple of stair flights later, and Danny was near the front door of the apartment.

As he waited for Tsukauchi to open it, Phantom took a look around the corridor once more. It was tidy, bright due to the blaring white lightbulbs and also extremely narrow. The locals really valued what little space was given to them. Danny's clumsy nature didn't help, and he accidentally tripped a parked bicycle. Cursing, the teen picked it up and put against the wall, just as the detective opened the door.

"You sure are quick."

"Walking is good, eating is better. Is it here yet?" Asked the teen, not really hiding his enthusiasm.

"Yeah, the deliveryman just left. Come in."

As Danny entered the apartment proper, he went along with Tsukauchi's request and left his white boots near the entrance. The man didn't want the teen to bring in any extra dirt from the street, because the detective didn't have time to clean it all up. As they went towards the kitchen, Tsukauchi's look suddenly turned reprimanding as he took another look at the boy.

"Danny. I asked you to change into normal clothes before you went off. Don't you realise how much you stick out?"

"I do, but I have my ways. Invisibility, you know?"

Tsukauchi didn't think that it would be healthy for the boy to remain out of sight when in public. The detective wished that the boy would socialise, and that was exactly the opposite. Furthermore, Danny was already ignoring what the man told him. Despite everything, they had known each other for a relatively short while, so why would a rowdy teenager listen to his every whim. That's what the detective thought initially, but then he saw the boy becoming awfully reserved, as if retreating into his mind again. You would think he had had enough time to put his immediate concerns to rest, but some doubts must have been plaguing the boy's mind even still. His assumptions would prove to be more correct than he had expected.

Truth be told, the teen was slowly bringing himself to make an important decision. So far he and Tsukauchi hadn't had a chance to properly discuss one major problem the teen had chosen to omit. After they had returned to the home that was going to be Danny's, too, Tsukauchi was eager to finally take a nap. The man was confident enough that the teen could be trusted around the house in his absence, and he wasn't wrong. Phantom hadn't tried to steal something and then run away. He had mostly spent the time in the guest room that was named his and started finding place for his belongings: clothes in the wardrobe, his own little TV on a desk alongside with the electrician's nightmare that was his temporary generator. That's what the teen had dedicated the remainder of his time towards — to salvaging the butchered equipment and repairing the Fenton thermos now that there was no need for an energy reserve. The teen had found some instruments in a lower kitchen drawer, for some things appeared to be common around the globe. Simplistic the tools may have been, Fenton tech itself was easy to make due to being created in a basement. After waking up Tsukauchi had had to visit his working place for a couple of bureaucratic matters. The man had left some money to order a takeout, before leaving in a hurry.

The teen wanted to get one matter out of the way. It was one of his most cherished secrets, but since Tsukauchi already knew his real name, what he was capable of, the teen didn't want to maintain an incessant façade. His ghost and human halves both demanded his attention. A human needed to sleep, eat and fulfil the bodily needs that fuelled his other half. A ghost needed to expunge the pent up energies, lest he combusted in a gruesome manner. Danny couldn't get proper rest or nourishment while being in his spectral form. This couldn't go like this for years to come. So, the teen decided to shed some light on his condition. As he clumsily used the chopsticks to eat the first piece of sushi, much to the Japanese man's amusement, Danny finally decided that that was it.

"Hey, old man," Danny started slowly. "Since you are letting me stay over, there is something I have to tell you. Nobody around knows about this yet, but I understand that hiding it from you now is pointless."

Tsukauchi silently nodded, his attention fully focused on the boy's story.

"Okay, don't freak out."

Before Tsukauchi could ask what was happening, a bright ring of pearly-white light surrounded the half ghost. And before he knew it, in front of him sat a perfectly normal teenager: raven hair, blue eyes and also clothes that weren't an improvised hero costume. The detective only stared, putting the chopsticks away.

"Are you a shapeshifter, too?"

"No," Danny shook his head. "I only have two. That's my casual one."

Tsukauchi hummed in thought, before speaking again. "So you use another one to maintain a secret identity, I presume?"

"Pretty much. Phantom always saved the day while little useless Fenton was busy sitting in a locker," Danny spoke dramatically. "Fun thing is, my bully really seemed to be a fan of my hero slash vigilante part. Poor Dash, if only he knew."

"One of these days I really would need you to write every power of yours down."

"The list would be incomplete," Danny smirked and sipped from a can of cola.

"Why?" Tsukauchi asked, suddenly growing worried.

"Let's just say, I know where my power ceiling is, and I am still far away from it."

From the man's look Danny could see that Tsukauchi wanted him to elaborate.

"Well, I really want to learn teleportation. Or how to make portals. This will probably take a while, though."

"How even... I should probably stop being surprised," Tsukauchi shook his head.

Was it really that simple for him? Danny so casually spoke of learning a new power that it made the detective uncomfortable. What would the boy be like when that power ceiling was actually reached? Could he learn abilities at a whim or was there some predisposition? The world really dodged a bullet when the teen decided to pursue a more righteous path rather than trying to carve himself a criminal empire like certain other did. Tsukauchi shook his head and pushed away the pessimistic thoughts. He couldn't let his speculations ruin what little of bond he had managed to establish.

"On another matter, we probably need to help you get a better accommodation. The room you took is pretty much empty, and I've taken a look at your clothes. What's with so many white and red shirts?"

"Those are my favourites," Danny crossed his hands. "So are we going shopping tomorrow?"

"Yes, luckily I have a day off tomorrow. And I tried to put some matters out of the way so that we won't get interrupted much."

The man could see a tiny smile forming on the boy's face. Perhaps his diligence left a good impression on him.

"You don't have to, really. I got all I need."

"I tend to disagree. It's no sweat off my back, Danny, really. I live alone now that my sister is currently abroad, so..."

"You never mentioned it before."

"This topic never came up. It's a story for another day, though," Tsukauchi scratched his temple. "When Makoto learns about you, she will really keep rubbing it into my face," he said in a tired tone.

"Why would she do that?"

"We disagreed a lot about vigilantes. And now I have taken in one such person."

Danny cackled. "Glad I am not the only one who disagrees with ya, old man."

Tsukauchi narrowed his black eyes, but let the comment slide. "Don't you have siblings?"

"I too have a sister," Responded Danny, albeit with much less enthusiasm this time. He sighed and crossed his hands. "Wonder how she is doing."

The detective understood how sensitive the topic was, so it was probably better to not push a painful button yet.

"Well," Tsukauchi rose from his seat. "I will be in the living room if you need me. And Danny..."

"No sneaking out, I get it. Wasn't going to. I like my sleep as much as the next guy."

Danny returned to his room and for the lack of anything better to do, continued the process of repairing the thermos. The half-ghost didn't know why he was doing it, but this was more of an innate desire of every Fenton to delve into endless tinkering. There wasn't really any need to create an anti-ghost weapon in a world where there were none, other than him. But it was strangely relaxing to fully invest himself in the process. Before he knew it, the clocks on the wall struck eleven pm, with the thermos being half-heartedly put back together. The teen wasn't going to test it just then, but at least the lights around the metal surface were back on. Worst comes to worst, he would have a neat night lamp and a soup container. Sighing and putting the thermos back on the table, Danny decided to call it a night. After undressing, the boy dropped on a soft bed and thus ascended to the legendary Nirvana. It had been weeks since he slept on a proper bed. The locals may have seen futons as something ordinary, but the teen was still not used to that. At that moment, the teen felt that his decision to stay was correct. Perhaps he did so prematurely, but Danny was too tired to reconsider.

Next morning the teen woke up early enough to come across Tsukauchi having breakfast. When Danny soundlessly entered the living room, he saw the man jump for a second. Tsukauchi then chuckled and put a coffee cup on the glass table, by a sofa he was sitting on.

"Jeez, you can be really quiet, Danny. Good morning."

"Morning," Danny yawned. "So, when are we going?"

"After we eat, I think. No reason to postpone it. Want some biscuits? I have some left over."

Why not, Danny thought, before one of the sweet treats quickly flew into his hand. As he chewed on it, a question arose in the teen's mind.

"Why do you even have those?"

"What, can't a man enjoy treats like these? You probably shouldn't just eat them straight away. I have some tea, too."

"Nah, I'm good," Danny said and picked another one, landing on a sofa near the officer. "Jeez, these are tasty."

"I can relate. I'll show you the place making them one of these days," Tsukauchi smiled.

After the improvised breakfast, the two of them set off to a place Danny hadn't heard of before. After that the situation grew a bit less pleasant. The commuting process greatly vexed the teen, because Tsukauchi was adamant about one thing — no, he could not fly there. Because that was using the Quirk out in the open. So that was it, instead of a straight flight that would have taken a few moments they had to drive there for about half an hour. Tsukauchi was not blind, he could see the teen's huge displeasure, but there was little he could say at the time that would make Danny see things his way. Danny already proved to be as stubborn as a mule, refusing to see how the abuse of his powers could lead to troubles down the line. That was often the case for people with strong Quirks. They itched to use them a lot. And the boy's enthusiasm was proportional to his potential.

Kiyashi Ward Shopping Mall they called it, and that was certainly a mouthful to pronounce. After leaving the car at the parking lot, the two ventured out towards a gargantuan, long structure that was basically one corridor, with many floors and multiple bridges connecting the opposite sides. The place also had no roof, but the day was warm and bright, so there were no complaints yet. Danny was, admittedly, already lost in a myriad of shops of any kind. The assortment of goods of any kind was phenomenal, and the teen didn't know what he was to do. Thankfully, his stickler guardian came to the rescue, opening a notepad.

"Alright, let's see. First we would need to buy you some clothes. I haven't seen you wear any other shoes, by the way."

"Yeah," Danny lightly lifted one of his legs, staring at a sneaker. "I never had that many. Only these and the boots of my other form."

"I see. We'd need at least another pair or you are going to wear them out too soon..."

Tsukauchi seemed to be thinking about something.

"What is it, old man?"

"It just dawned on me. What's the deal with your clothes when you take another form? I understand the bodily changes to an extent, but this I don't quite get."

As Danny went ahead, he started his explanation. "Those clothes are not some fabric I'm wearing," he said and put hands in the pockets of his jeans, "They are extensions. I wore them when my power awakened, and it sorta... remained. Like an image on a film tape. Whenever I transform, those clothes are with me. When I go back, wherever those clothes are, they just vanish."

"So does that mean you can change them?"

"Never tried to, actually. There was just no need, if I need my casuals, I try to look more human."

Tsukauchi thought that it made sense. But something still felt amiss, and as they passed another isle, it dawned on him what exactly.

"Why were you wearing something like that when your Quirk activated?"

Danny sighed and turned around, his expression neutral. "I helped my parents around the lab a lot. Still works for a half-assed hero suit. It also used to have a sticker of my Dad's face. Thank God I ripped that one off beforehand or I would be stuck with his grinning mug on my chest."

Tsukauchi could not resist a chuckle. The man inquired some more, and came to learn that the boy's parents were researchers, albeit the teen refused to share what exactly they were studying. Danny was not only reluctant to tell more, but it also visibly pained him to reminisce about those people. Once more the detective wondered how the boy was doing so well mentally with a family environment such as that. Usually it was a recipe for disaster waiting to happen. Tsukauchi had to ask Danny if abuse ever took place, and he feared a very adamant reaction. Luckily, the boy merely noted that the man had picked the worst time to ask that. Fenton assured that "negligence was more of a running theme", and it explained a lot to the detective. Tsukauchi now viewed the boy's rowdy nature in a new light. Danny was not used to an adult paying so much attention to what he did, and thus took a lot of what the man was saying as means to shackle him down. Thankful on the inside for such a useful bit of information, the detective decided not to press on it more. They weren't here for that.

The two of them went into the nearest shop, as neither was picky about what to buy, as long as it was nothing too pricey. Tsukauchi also insisted that they bought proper patent leather shoes. The confused teen was told that there would be occasions when he simply wasn't allowed wear what he desired. There were places far too respectable, the places with dress-codes. Societal norms were like this, and the boy had to wear something proper for once. The tedium of the man's lecture was enough to make Danny go quiet. He didn't even want to retort in his usual sarcastic manner. Logically, after they were done with the issue of shoes, the detective and the half ghost continued their journey. Despite Danny stating that he was still stronger than average and could carry his stuff on his own, Tsukauchi still was carrying half of the bags as he went ahead.

"Alright, next we will buy you some shirts," Tsukauchi said, looking at his notepad again. "Any objections?"

The man received no response and upon turning around, he noticed the teen's absence. His bewilderment, however, didn't last long.

"Sup."

Tsukauchi jumped and glanced around his shoulder, noticing the guffawing Danny with an ice-cream in his free hand.

"Oh, brother. Never gonna get tired from this," he said. "You were saying?"

"When did you even get the ice-cream?"

"My Quirk lets me make the delicious chocolate goodness," Danny said with all seriousness and took a lick of his treat.

"Very funny, kid," Tsukauchi rolled his eyes. "Don't disappear on me just like that. I was saying that we should go buy clothes now."

"Fine, fine. But can we check something unrelated afterwards? There is a lot of amazing stuff around here."

Tsukauchi knew that something would catch the boy's eye eventually, so he wasn't all that surprised by the request.

"Sure."

The metaphorical inventory was slowly being filled more and more, as Tsukauchi's credit card balance was steadily going down. Danny in the meantime was growing extremely tired of having to put on so many shirts, pants, trousers and more. At least he got to pick his favourite types of T-shirts — the totally bland ones. However, detective's insistence on renewing the teen's wardrobe in spite of everything, was making the teen uncomfortable on the inside. Danny really didn't mean to be much of a burden expense-wise, but that appeared inevitable with the man's dedication. An admirable trait, if only it always bore fruits. Tsukauchi pretended not to hear the teen's remarks and the purchases were made. There were also some other small things that needed to be bought and were unrelated to Danny. After the rush, the two finally sat in one of the cafes at the food court and were having lunch, having decided on some burgers. The topic of food seemed to kickstart their conversation, after all, Tsukauchi needed to know what meals the teen preferred for future reference.

"Anything, really," Danny shrugged. "As long as it is not alive and is not trying to eat me."

"That's...an odd request to make."

"You haven't seen what I've seen, old man. Those sausages emptied our fridge and ate our thanksgiving turkey. Who was also alive at the time. Imagine the screams," Danny's face became haunted as a part of a joke. But then he returned to eating. "Meh, you people haven't reached the level of Nasty Burger."

"A what?"

"We used to have a joint back home under that name. Until recently. Turns out that making a sauce that can, you know, blow up, is illegal. They shut the thing down, and honestly, good riddance. Nearly killed several people close to me, because someone left an oven on. The burgers were still delicious, though, and it's not like I won't regenerate my dissolved stomach."

"You are just a treasure cove of crazy stories, aren't you, kid?"

"Hey, I was a vigilante," Danny lowered his voice. "A lot of weird stuff happened. For real, though. I just heated a small packet of sauce and it blew off a part of a metal combat suit. That Nasty Sauce could be used by terrorists."

"It does sound like a problem. And how often did you even eat there?"

"Since it was the only big chain fast-food around, and food back home wanted to eat me, pretty often."

"Hm... you don't look like you ate much. Or did it change because of your lifestyle?"

"No, I'm pretty much the same. For one, there are muscles under this shirt. Two, most of what I eat gets turned into pure energy, so my human body doesn't get enough nutrients to bulk up too much. It's fine by me, never planned on becoming a giant like All Might, or anything."

Tsukauchi chuckled. "Well, girls might still fall for a pretty face, so not all is lost."

"Great, he hasn't been my guardian for two days and he is already making Dad jokes. Lame!" Danny moaned.

After a while Tsukauchi let the teen go around the shops on his own while he himself waited at the same place with a cup of coffee. Danny was honestly eager to simply browse the place, but several thousand yen were now in his pocket, alongside his last savings. He was free to buy some stuff for his room, and it was sweet of the detective to consider it. Phantom had several stops to make, so he went straight to it. For one, he actually bought himself a small rocket model that he had seen. Cold vacuum or not, space rockets were cool. He was told by the seller that few were actually interested in such goods. Danny was indeed surprised to learn that he was holding the model one and only manned rocket launched into space. For all the apparent technological prowess this world had, the space exploration was severely lagging behind. The seller blamed it on Quirks, but Danny didn't know enough to make his own assumptions. But when some Quirks could make resources out of thin air, it was logical that the want to explore was eradicated. Phantom didn't blame them. Perhaps they visited space and arrived to the same conclusion Danny had reached. He was more interested in exploring other worlds. Or the world, to be exact.

Next the boy wanted to learn about was what music the locals listened to. He most certainly wasn't going to find any of his favourite bands around there, but that was the beauty of it. This was an unmarked territory for the boy's melomaniac side, which he didn't have the time nor resources to explore. That's what made him walk around several CD shops. Some would call them obsolete, but Danny's phone was an ancient relic. He couldn't exactly use music services. The teen considered himself a rock music connoisseur, but nobody around would believe him. All his knowledge was useless in a world where the familiar celebrities did not exist. So, as the teen stared at the shelves with colourful CD covers, he was oddly perplexed. The shop specifically sold the American stuff, as was evident from the names of the singers and the language used. Danny simply didn't know what he should buy. Eventually the teen stopped overthinking it and just picked a couple of random disks that were more modern. Smiling, the teen went on to buy those.

In the meantime, Tsukauchi was waiting for someone. Them coming to the mall served two purposes at once. Yes, Danny was getting the stuff he needed most, but there was also something else. That's why the detective sent the kid off, because for a while the man didn't want the teen to hear it. Fenton was surely going to put a couple of unnecessary comments. The discussion was important. Soon enough, the person Tsukauchi was waiting for appeared in the crowd, wearing loose pants and a long-sleeve. The gaunt, thin man with disproportionately large limbs eventually noticed the detective, and with a smile emerging on his angular face he approached the table.

"Tsukauchi-san, it is good to see you!"

"Toshinori-san," Tsukauchi nodded and smiled. "Thank you for choosing to come. It's really important."

"I've watched the news, Tsukauchi-san," Toshinori butted in, sounding worried. "There was an attack on a jewellery store, are you doing alright?"

"Yes, I'm fine," Tsukauchi rubbed the wounded spots. "However, we wouldn't be talking if it wasn't for someone."

"I'd like to thank them, then," the blonde chuckled.

"It's better that we wait. I specifically sent the boy off so that we could talk in private."

Toshinori blinked. "You didn't say he is a boy."

"Fifteen years of age, actually. He is also the reason I called you, and I probably would need an advice."

Toshinori gave him a smile. "You consoled me on more than one occasion. It's only fair I return the favour."

"Eraserhead made an arrest two days ago. Young Daniel was caught at the scene of crime while we were trying to bust an illegal workshop. We first suspected his involvement, but he surrendered without putting up a fight. The interrogation showed that although he did make a purchase, he only bought nuts and bolts for an illegal upgrade, figuratively speaking. Yet, the boy is not a criminal. During that ambush in a jewellery store Danny came to rescue me, knowing I could arrest him right there. He didn't even try to run afterwards."

"The boy sounds like a very upstanding person. But what is concerning you, Tsukauchi-san?"

The detective made a sigh. "Perhaps upstanding by his own standards, which do not always coincide with our laws. Danny used to be a vigilante in America and sees nothing illegal in such actions. Still, I made a decision to be the boy's legal guardian. Gods know he needs it."

"Why would he need a guardian?"

"Because the boy was ousted from his home. I suspect his parents hated him for having a Quirk," Tsukauchi said grimly, noticing the sympathetic expression on his friend's face. "The boy has been fending on his own for some time. Living in an abandoned shack with no electricity or running water, earning the living in a small-time shop... even if his Quirk mitigated some woes, this is no way for a child to live."

"I fully agree. Is this guardianship a way to repay him for saving your life?"

"Yes, this is a major factor. But there is also something else, and it might interest you as well. At this point," Tsukauchi dug in his coat. "This is nothing but pure speculation, a series of coincidences that for a second appeared in my head."

He took out a photo and put it on the table. It was a picture of Danny in his ghost form taken in custody. Toshinori stared at the image, and at that oddly familiar smirk that mocked him.

"The physical resemblance is on point," Tsukauchi continued.

"You are correct. It is a very wild speculation," the hero in disguise responded firmly.

"I would have dismissed it, too. After all, this isn't even the boy's true appearance. Most of the time he has raven hair and blue eyes. This," Tsukauchi tapped on the photo. "Is him using the power at his disposal. And this potential... It greatly concerns me. I have observed only a handful of what he is capable of. Invisibility, intangibility, enormous physical strength, laser beams and ice. He also healed the wounds inflicted upon him in a blink. And he spoke so casually about learning new powers of teleportation like it was a beach walk for him."

Toshinori's eyes went wide as saucers, "That's an astonishing power."

"Enough to make us both worried about parallels, isn't it?"

"Indeed. But you still took him in."

"The boy has a good heart, Toshinori. But I called you specifically to give me some advice. What do you think? Am I making the right choice?"

The detective's friend rubbed his chin in thought. "I don't know the boy enough to make proper conclusions. But if you are convinced that the boy has good in him, then it is only proper that he receives guidance from someone as upstanding as you."

"Thank you," Tsukauchi smiled. "But it won't be easy. The kid is as stubborn as it gets. That's why I thought about something. You told me you will be teaching at the U.A..."

Toshinori stared. "That's your solution, huh?"

"Danny is itching to use his powers. This will give him the chance he seeks. And he will also get a proper education which I, as his guardian, must provide. This seems like a good option. I'm sure that the teachers of your school can help him not to stray from the path of good."

"That's a very good idea," Toshinori nodded. "If he gets in, we will certainly do the best on our part."

"I'm glad to have your support. Now we have to convince Danny himself."

"Wait, you didn't talk to him about this, yet?"

"Not really, but he is a smart kid, probably thought about it at some point."

"Education is important, no matter what kind. You want him to take a hero course, don't you?"

"That would be most preferable. His Quirk is incredibly versatile, but being a hero will help him utilise the full power. He still has to pass your famed tests, however."

"That he has. What say you about his academic prowess?"

"I didn't have many chances to observe it. But since he was making an illegal upgrade on his own, he at least has an understanding of certain fields. Yesterday evening I've noticed him welding an old thermos. I'm not sure what he intends to do with it."

"Thermos?" Toshinori scratched his temple in thought. "What even is there to tinker with?"

"I'd wager it is not a simple thermos. Doesn't look like an upgrade, either. Too... outlandish. Point is, the boy is technically gifted, even if he refuses to take the credit for it. The boy does have certain self-esteem issues. I suspect it stems from the neglectful parenting. Danny must be able to score enough during the written test, and I am certain he will be one of the best performers during the practical exam. After all, he has the power and the experience. I saw him in action — three criminals dispatched in a minute, the captives unharmed, the damage to the shop is minimal. I may disagree with what he was doing, but it was a professional and clean job."

"You are basking him in praises, as I see."

"Don't let him hear that," Tsukauchi chuckled. "He may be overly critical of his intellect, but his abilities are something he brags about non-stop. There is always a room for growth."

"True. I can't wait to see him in action. You really should get his answer soon, because we will stop accepting papers in a week. And the exam is only one month away from now."

"I know we should hurry. I just hope there won't be any last minute issues. It was good meeting you, Toshinori-san. I'll call you later, is that alright?"

"Of course! I'll be waiting. Tell me about the final decision and I will help you as much as I can. I think it is my cue to leave."

"Alright, don't want to interrupt you from your job."

Toshinori smiled and nodded, before leaving. Tsukauchi watched the man leave, glad that the conversation went so well. He returned to his coffee, finding that it had cooled down significantly. He didn't have to wait for long, Danny returned very soon after that, carrying only a couple of small bags.

"Hey, old man!" The boy greeted and sat nearby. "I'm done. Here is the money that remained," he said and returned the yen bills. A single look at them was enough for Tsukauchi to understand something.

"But you haven't spent anything."

Danny rubbed the back of his neck. "I still had the earnings from my job. And it's not like I bought much," the teen raised his bag.

Upon hearing this, Tsukauchi could not resist a chuckle as he moved the bills back to Danny.

"Keep them as an allowance, then," he smiled. "I'm sure you'll find something eventually."

"Fine," Danny sighed and still took them. He didn't want to argue in public over something so trivial. "Do we have something else to buy?"

"No, I think we are free to go home. But there is something important we have to talk about."

"What is it?"

"I'd really like to hear your opinion on that," Tsukauchi smiled, "But first tell me what you bought."

The detective couldn't help his curiosity. He asked the teen about what he had purchased, and was somewhat reassured. Danny was the most bizarre kid he had ever met, but it was also a good call that the teen's interests were not different from other kids his age. Danny was interested in music, in spaceships and games. Tsukauchi was reminded that he was facing a normal child first and foremost. His power was only secondary. Phantom also was eager to talk about his interests, and his guardian complied with a duty to listen, not that he minded much. They didn't notice how they got inside the car, and after a while the teen remembered that there was something important that Tsukauchi wanted to talk about.

"Danny, what do you think about going to school?"

The question caught the teen off-guard.

"Well, I did think about this a lot, I admit. I won't get anywhere in life without finishing a high school. Are you telling me you got it covered?"

"The document part, yes. Have you heard about the U.A.?"

"U.A., huh?" Danny asked with slightly less enthusiasm. "You mean that famous and elite hero school?"

"You sound apprehensive. I thought that that's what you would want, Danny. What's with your vigilantism and our arguments."

The teen sighed, straightening in his seat. "Then your deduction skills wronged you. Tsukauchi-san, hasn't it crossed your mind that I didn't do vigilantism here for a reason? I needed a break from that shit."

"I remember. I understand that it might have been too much pressure, but I assure you, Danny. A licensed hero doesn't have to deal with the same things you went through. It is orderly, the burden is shared between all heroes."

"This isn't very convincing, old man," Danny grumbled. "Why are you so adamant that I go there? Lemme guess, 'Daniel, you will squander your potential'," he mocked.

"I admit, this is something I'd like to point out."

"Of course you would. It's the most sound argument."

"Let's do it like this, Danny. Tell me, what image do you have of your future then?"

"I...I am not sure. Isn't this what you decide when going to college?"

"Sometimes it is necessary to make a decision beforehand. Some choices affect our lives a lot down the line, Danny. You chose to come to Japan and thus we happened to meet. You really have an enormous potential, Danny. You can become an excellent hero, someone who can save countless lives. That's what you were doing back at home. Don't let a series of misfortunes bury your talents."

Danny smiled, although the smile held little positivity. "This argument could have worked on me. But with all due respect, Tsukauchi-san, you've known me for only two days. You still don't know a lot about me."

"Then tell me. Danny, I respect your reluctance to share, but don't make it my fault. We have plenty of time. I've looked at you enough to know such key things. Are you telling me that you are a criminal? A self-serving egoist? Or maybe someone capable of murder? Danny, I know you are none of these things, but quite the contrary. You can't even spend others' money without extra urging."

"I did leave my town. I gave up because I was tired," Danny responded. "Do you really have a need for a hero that just... goes away?"

"Because you knew someone can take over, didn't you? I remember what you told me."

"That was mostly just an excuse," the boy argued. "I told myself and everyone that this is my responsibility and then I just abandoned it all."

Tsukauchi was unprepared for the sudden resistance Danny was showing. It didn't end there, however.

"It's not like I became a hero because I wanted. I had no chance to argue... I either got stronger or they killed me. There was no middle ground. Before I knew it, I was too deep in this to change anything. The people I defended against took exception to that and eventually all of it formed a vicious circle."

"Yet you beat yourself up because you chose to break this circle. And you are worried about what can happen to the people of your town, too. I say that it is not just a battle for survival. I've met a lot of different people, Danny. I've seen the 'victim' type. You don't strike me as one, is all. In order to become a detective you have to know how to read people. My Quirk is handy, but it won't make everything clear on its own."

"And what exactly is this 'type'?"

"Are you perhaps having thoughts that you deserved being neglected or that you deserved the constant fight for your life?"

"I...no. I didn't do anything to get a-holes for parents."

"See? Next question then: are you feeling that I am taking advantage of you?"

"That certainly doesn't sound dubious," responded Danny sarcastically. "No. I don't think so. At least yet."

"Once again, you answered wrong. A positive answer would have hinted at a self-defeating behaviour — a clear sign of victimhood mindset. If you ever hit such lows, I don't see any traits of anything but the next, positive phase. Even your sarcasm is a testament to that."

"Is there a reason you are giving me a psychology lecture? I don't get it."

"Just what I said before. You are not concerned as much about the pain it caused you, but about others, still. I say that this level of responsibility is what a hero really needs. Tell me, if a fireman, or me, a policeman, decides to quit the job for the same reason as you, does it make them any worse?"

"Well... it is different."

"Really? Is a fireman jumping into a burning house any less of a hero than you are?"

"Th-that's not what I meant!" Danny said with a flustered expression.

"I know. My point still remains. People get tired, it is inevitable, and it doesn't make them worthy of scorn. Well, as long as you don't decide to quit in the middle of a rescue operation."

"That would be running away."

"Exactly. That is something you didn't do. No, you went through a lot, and from what I see, you received no gratitude and your own parents disowned you. I think that's enough of a reason to quit for a child like you. Don't beat yourself up about this, Danny. Just come at it from a proper direction and I guarantee that it will work out for you this time. The world needs good heroes, and after everything you experienced, both good and bad, you will make an excellent one."

Danny didn't look Tsukauchi in the eyes. The man got him thinking, and the teen wasn't really sure what to do. The detective must have studied well, and he and Jazz would have got along — both loved to pry into the teen's skull. Tsukauchi made a good point, and his cheesy encouragement worked wonders.

But this was a difficult path to take. To become a hero once more, full time, dedicate his life to the job of crime-fighting. Danny felt... surprisingly at ease with the idea. The plan Tsukauchi provided was perhaps the clearest, the best laid-out, certainly more than what the teen had managed to come up with. A hero school was certainly better than none at all. And if the teen was brutally honest with himself, fighting was one of the few things he was good at. Unbeknownst to him, Tsukauchi was unwittingly using the teen's self-esteem to tilt the opinion in a proper direction.

"I still can work elsewhere if it doesn't work out for me, right?"

Tsukauchi nodded. "This is not something I'd like, but yes, U.A. still provides top-notch education in all subjects. I'm certain many people would like to hire you afterwards."

Danny finally smiled again. "Then I guess I have no choice," he said dramatically, stood up, and put one of his legs on a chair. "On to rescue the damsels and save the kingdom! And if I don't like it, to conquer the world!"

Upon seeing the unamused expression Tsukauchi held, the boy smirked. "Oh, don't be like that, old man. I'm still gonna get you a castle for your kind service."

If there was one thing the detective marvelled at, it was how quickly the teen bounced back. The quality that would certainly find a good use.