Author's Note: Wow! Thank you so much for all the support flooding in for this story! I'm so happy so many of y'all enjoy it and I will gladly continue! Just a note before we start: no harem. One of the reviews suggested a harem, but for this story, it's not something I want to do. We'll be sticking to one girl per Danny. Also, this story will have some angst (it will have to, given Danny's scenario), but it won't be anything overly depressing or anything that'll bring down the tone of the MHA story. In other words, this story won't be a very dark Danny cussing the very world. It'll keep the MHA tone and also have deviations and whatnot. So, with that, LET US CONTINUE.

Chapter One: Restless Awakening

Danny had awakened in many different ways since he had acquired his abilities. In various degrees of sore and bruised. But this…. This was different. In more ways than one.

The first thing he was fully aware of was the burning sensation lining every inch of his back, alongside the pulse of bruises across his arms and legs.

He had been hurt before, yeah. But this fresh scratching pain was almost a paring to the pulse of heaviness that suddenly and violently jolted at his chest.

He felt himself groan in pain as his eyes slowly opened. Then Danny felt himself immediately squinting in response to the shining lights that blazed down on him from above. As he slowly sat up, he became aware of the click and beeps of machinery around him and the fact that he no longer wore his casual clothes. He instead felt his body encapsulated in a soft lining that fit well with the bed he was lying in.

Danny already had a fair idea where he was, though with really no idea exactly how he got there yet. And that didn't improve his mood, given his last encounter in a hospital.

"What happened?" He asked aloud to hopefully anyone near. "And how did I get here?"

it was a fairly nice hospital, all things considered. Amity Park was Danny's home and he had little against it. But compared to the cramped shared hospital bedrooms with other people going in and out, this single bed with a fully outfitted room with a small flat screen tv and thick blankets that wrapped themselves comfortably around his body was like a dream. Which gave him the immediate sense he wasn't home anymore.

Then how did he get…

All at once, it came rushing back to him like a tidal wave of guilt, pain and sadness. And it was quickly followed with anger equal to none.

"Clockwork."

Danny quickly jumped out of his bed, feeling his bare feet slap hard against the cold floor as he yanked away the heart monitor connectors. He felt another unimaginable pulse of pain from his back, but he ignored it for now. More than anything, he wanted to get to the bottom of this.

The machine went from a steady beep to immediate flatline, filling the room with a droning sound as Danny quickly moved to the closed and dark window.

"He must have thrown me somewhere into the Ghost Zone." He muttered angrily. "That must be what that portal was for. Anything with that many shadow tentacles is not giving me a friendly ride home." He flipped the last lock on the window. "Well, one things for sure. I'm definitely not sticking around to brainstorm. I have to get back to Amity Park and back to my…"

To Danny's surprise, when he flipped open the window, he didn't find any trace of the floating doors or the glowing green hue of the Ghost Zone. Instead, he was greeted with the rush of air and bustle of cars and work below as he looked out into the stretching city, the Sun shining brightly and illuminating the in's and outs of the rivers of roads that stretched on for miles.

Danny Fenton was shocked to say the least. So shocked, he actually partially stumbled. This wasn't what he was expecting.

He wasn't in Amity Park anymore. Unless his town had gotten an OCEAN of money to make skyscrapers within a week, he knew he was somewhere entirely different. And one thought above all else now filled his mind.

If the portal didn't take me to the Ghost Zone, where exactly did it take me?

His thought was either quickly answered or interrupted by the sound of the door quickly opening behind him.

Danny whirled out, instincts gearing him for another fight. Instead, he found himself staring into the eyes of a young dark haired doctor, who looked just as shocked as he felt. Behind the doctor were two nurses in blue scrubs, both with medical bags and equipment at the ready.

The halfa realized quickly that they were responding to the flatlining heart monitor. And given their shocked and relieved reactions, seeing Danny upright and moving was not the situation they expected to come to.

As quickly as they had rushed, the doctor quickly stopped his two nurses and let out an exclamation in a language that Danny couldn't recognize. He pointed to the female nurse, who nodded and ran out of the room as fast as she could. The doctor and the remaining nurse turned back to Danny and showed their hands, almost as if they were telling him they were unarmed.

Danny raised his own hands, showing he was unarmed. "Hey, I don't know if you can understand me. I'm not a threat." He promised. "But can you please tell me where I am?"

Both the doctor and the nurse looked puzzled at this and quickly turned to each other. After a quick exchange, the nurse stepped forward, hands raised slightly to show that he didn't have anything in hand as he entered the room.

Danny really didn't know why they were so cautious towards him. Most hospitals he knew were quick to start rushing him back into bed and begin taking his vitals and all. But these doctors seemed more wary to enter. Almost as if they've been through this before.

Danny wondered for a brief moment if they found out he had ghost abilities while he was unconscious. Could that be possible? Regardless, the Fenton knew that his place wasn't here asking questions. If this wasn't the Ghost Zone, it was all the more reason he had to quickly make his way home.

"Like I said, I really don't know if you can understand me," The Ghost boy said as he backed up to the window. "But I need to leave and….." He hesitated, the pain in his heart almost engrossing him again. "... take care of things. I'm not staying here."

The doctor, looking confused, turned to the nurse, who raised his hands again and quickly spoke another sentence that Danny couldn't understand.

Whatever they were or weren't agreeing on didn't matter to Danny in the moment. All he knew was that, regardless of back or emotional pain, he still had his loved ones to look after. And he couldn't do that while here.

Danny turned away from them and flexed his arms out, taking a deep breath before gritting his teeth. "I'm going Ghost!"

He felt a pulse of energy build up inside of him and begin to expand out towards his exterior and interior…. before coming to a grinding stop.

Danny instantly felt himself waver and stumble once more, only this had nothing to do with shock. It was more absolute anger and frustration. Flashbacks to what got him here in the first place.

"No…." Danny flexed again. And again, nothing. "No no no… NO!" He tried again. Nothing. "What happened to me? Why can't I…." Another failure. Another one to chock up to his record. He would always fail. Just like he failed to save his family in the first place.

He was cursed. Hexed. Worse than anything. He wasn't a hero. He wasn't even close. He didn't even know where he was. He didn't know how he was even going to get home to put his family to rest.

He was a FAILURE.

As he began to feel the doubts and guilt linger upon him, a voice snapped him out of his trance.

"Please…. wait."

Danny turned to see the nurse, his hand outstretched in a stop motion and his eyes pleading. And, for the first time, the Ghost boy really got a look at the man's eyes. They weren't pleading for him to leave already. It wasn't laced with fear for a ghost as Danny had seen many times before. The man's expression portrayed one of determination. An absolute one that was focused on Danny. A comforting one. One that proudly displayed that he wanted, more than anything, to help the boy.

"We...help." The nurse said through some thought and confusion as he tried to find the correct words. He motioned outside the hall. "Help… coming. Please…. stay."

"I can't stay here!" Danny exclaimed angrily as his fists clenched in absolute frustration. "I need to get back to them! I… I need to make sure they… they get a proper burial." Every word leaving his mouth was another punch in the gut for him.

"We…. can…. help…get home." The nurse said with a string of struggle. "Let…us….. help."

Danny looked on in a bit of shock for a moment, before he actually felt a shift of relief in his chest. He didn't know how best to explain but… it felt good just to have someone reaching their hand out in an honest attempt to help him.

This man's expression never faltered. And, seeing as Danny had really no idea where he was or how to get back home without his powers, wasn't it easier to accept the help of someone so willing to give it?

Seeing that he had no other alternative, Danny lowered his arms and slowly nodded, taking deep breaths as he did so. That brief moment of relief was enough for him to regain his bearings and sense slightly. He knew freaking out wouldn't do anything to help the situation. And trying to run would only make things worse. For now, he just had to follow through with the option in front of him.

Danny made his way back to his hospital bed and sat, burying his face in his hands as he did so. He really didn't want to talk any further to them. For now, he just…. really needed a moment to process what had happened to him. Everything that had happened to him.

Thankfully, the nurse and the doctor seemed to understand, as they kept their distance and talked to each other.

It was only a few minutes of silence, but it still gave the Ghost boy the moment he so desperately needed. He really had no time to breathe, since Clockwork decided to attack him not even a full minute after everything happened. Now, with no other choice but to wait, Danny felt the tears begin to well in his eyes and his body shake, trying its best to come to terms with everything he had lost.

His Mom, Dad, sister, friends. Danny still found himself hoping this was all some kind of horrible nightmare. But he wasn't waking up. There was never going to be a way to wake up from this.

It was about that time that the halfa heard the door to his room open a second time. And he turned to find what was possibly the oddest thing he had ever seen.

A woman and man had entered the room.

The woman had long back hair and a long coat with a simple blue t-shirt and jeans. She had green eyes and an uncertain look about her, but that wasn't the oddity Danny was focused on.

She was completely purple, her hands and face a dark violet color to accent the stretching lines that seemed etched into her very fingers.

Beside her, the man seemed to be made entirely of wood. His arms were a solid oak, ending in these molded hands that moved with relative ease and a bit of a nervous energy as he entered the room. His head was entirely encased in a wooden helmet of sorts, leaving the only visible thing his examining eyes. He wore a blue and red suit that seemed to shine all the more brightly as he advanced towards Danny's bed.

The doctors and nurses around her seemed unphased at their appearance. That couldn't be said for Danny.

"Whoa!" He jumped up in shock, startling those around him. "Who are you guys?!"

He was in absolute shock. They weren't ghosts. That much he knew, as his ghost sense hadn't kicked in at all. But that left him with far more questions than answers. If they weren't ghosts, what were they? And why were they here?

Where in the world was he?

The nurse who had been talking before, recovering from his shock, moved forward to talk to him again, but stopped when the woman held a hand out.

She looked at Danny rather quizzically, almost as if she couldn't believe his reaction.

The man seemed equally as confused. "You… haven't heard of us before?"

Danny, after a spark of joy that this man spoke English, went back to confusion. "No? I feel like I would have heard something by now about a talking tree and a purple woman."

The man and the woman still looked mystified, but the tree man stepped forward, a comforting expression settling across his wooden features. "May I ask your name?"

"Danny," The Ghost boy replied, seeing no sense in hiding his identity at the moment. "Danny Fenton."

"It's good to see you're recovering so well, Fenton." The man said genuinely. "I am the Pro Hero Kamui Woods, one of the main pros charged with safeguarding the city." He pointed at the woman beside him. "This is Bypass. She's a pro hero that specializes in hospital work and the overall medical field."

"Pro Hero?" Danny asked in even more astonishment, feeling his skin almost go entirely cold at the mention of the word "hero". You're not a hero. The doubt in his mind rippled again. What kind of hero can't save his family? He put that feeling aside for now and continued. "What do you mean 'pro'?"

Kamui looked even more startled at that revelation. "You don't know what a pro hero is?"

Danny shook his head. "First I'm hearing of it."

"Even the United States has pros of their own." Kamui replied in more confusion. "Where exactly are you from, Fenton?"

"Amity Park." Danny replied in confusion of his own. "Like I said, I've never heard of a pro hero. Or of any heroes in general. What exactly do they do?"

Kamui still looked partially confused (Danny couldn't blame him. He was confused as well.), but he still straightened at Danny's question. "Pro Heroes are the pinnacle of our society here in Japan. We lead the front lines in the fight against any villains that hope to usurp the long standing peace that we have established or any innocent person that may be in their way. We're the protectors of everything this world holds dear."

Danny almost completely reeled back. "Wait… actual superheroes? When did…..Japan?" He repeated quietly. "... Japan?"

"Mustafu, Japan, to be exact." Kamui Woods added. "And I take it from your expression that's it not somewhere you planned to be."

Danny was too lost in thought to reply immediately. What was he doing in Japan? More importantly, why Japan? What possible reason could Clockwork have for sending him here? And since when were there other heroes on the scene?

He could have thrown me in the Ghost Zone if he really wanted to get rid of me, Danny thought, wincing as his back twitched in pain with every shocked flare of movement on his part. So why send me somewhere I can take a plane back?

"Why Japan?" Danny muttered out loud in thought, prompting a response from Kamui Woods.

"That's what we were hoping you could tell us. We don't often have Americans just pop up in our streets unannounced." Kamui pointed to the woman beside. "You're better off talking to the doctors about this. They can help you far more than I can." He nodded to her. "Setsuzoko, you're up."

"Um… up with what?" Danny wondered before seeing the woman step towards him, palm open. The Ghost boy instinctively drew back, but Kamui held up his hand.

"It's okay, Fenton. Really. She's here to help."

The woman nodded earnestly and spoke a few more words of Japanese before reaching her hand out once again.

Danny still didn't know if he could fully trust, but Kamui seemed to be nothing but friendly so far. And Danny was never one to not give the benefit of the doubt. So, with a suspicious glance, he allowed her to take his arm.

Almost instantly, there was an inhuman flare of energy that shot up his arm and towards his head in the time it took him to blink, seemingly settling and molding into his brain in no time at all.

He instantly surged and he moved to tear her hand away before, all at once, he calmed. Danny felt a sense of euphoria wash over him and he slumped back into his bed, looking on in a bit of shock as blue lines of light travelled up his arm and up his neck.

"What are you doing?" He asked in a daze. "Why are you…?"

"彼はまだ鎮痛剤の影響下にあるかもしれません... His hometown he keeps referencing to doesen't seem to exist."

"効果 not last this long. In all regards, his mind should be totally fine. He has to be telling the truth."

Danny felt his eyes widen as he realized it was both the doctor and the nurse talking. In clear English.

That should have been impossible… but then again, Danny has seen the impossible before. But something like this….

"How did she do that?" He asked Kamui in amazement.

"Quite simply, actually." The clear and pristine voice of Setsuzoko said, startling Danny. "My Quirk can access the nodes of the brain that control the understanding of language. I can shift it at my will and change things around so that certain people can speak certain languages and understand them as well. To put it simply," She smiled. "You can speak and understand Japanese now."

"You can just… change my mind like that?" Danny asked, feeling his head, then his own lips. He heard himself speaking English, but his mouth was making different shapes and sounds. Exactly as Setsuzoku had said, it seemed like he was speaking a completely different language. A rush unlike anything that Danny had ever felt pulsed within him. He…. wasn't the only superpowered person. "How the heck did you do that? Where did you get your powers from? How is it you two aren't across every news outlet in the world yet?"

Now, it was Setsuzoko's turn to be confused. "I got it from my Mother and Father. She can put thoughts into people's heads while my Father could form physical words around himself. Their Quirks combined to make mine. It's just a generational thing. Normal for everybody. We're pros, but for Japan. We don't have worldwide renown."

"Generational?" Those words made Danny's hair stand on edge. With a bit of nervousness to his tone, he turned to Kamui. "How long was I out for?"

"Only a couple of days." Kamui answered, which lessened Danny's breathing more.

"And how long have things been like this? People with superpowers like this?"

Kamui and Setsuzuko looked at one another before looking back at Danny. "Are you well, Fenton-San? You still have your memories, yes?"

"Yeah! I'm fine." Danny said, trying to hide the fear creeping into his voice. It couldn't be. It can't be. "Please…. how long?"

"All the world's societies have been Quirk based for probably about two-hundred years now." Kamui answered.

Danny placed his hand on his heavily beating heart. "Have either of you ever heard of a Ghost Boy in the US? Or of a town that just vanishes into thin air sometimes?"

"No, I have not." Kamui Woods replied, his tone sure.

"Should I have?" Setsuzuko asked. "Because nothing like that is sparking in my memory."

And all at once, Danny's guilt was slammed and sandwiched into the sheer horror of the revelation that had just rammed into him. He felt his weight shift back like a dead weight as he fell back and slammed back into his pillow, worrying both heroes around him. They quickly surged forward and began calling for the doctor, but Danny held up his hand.

"I-I'm fine, Kamui, Setsuzoko. Really." He said in between very deep and labored breaths."I… I just need some water."

Bypass quickly nodded and went to retrieve him a glass.

"Are you sure you're okay?" Kamui asked.

"Yeah, I am. I just…" Danny looked to the heroes for a moment before he found himself looking back out the blackened window… and towards the new reality that presented itself. "...I think I'm a lot farther from home than I ever imagined I would be…."

"What do you mean?" Kamui asked.

Danny took a deep breath. "I… really don't think this is my world anymore."

"What's your verdict, Woods?" Police Officer Tsukauchi asked as he looked on at the resting boy from the small window looking into the room.

"My verdict?" The hero asked, looking back at the officer. "... I really don't think he's lying to us."

"Woods, you can't believe that." Doctor Burokku, one of the main medical heads for the hospital and Seicho's superior, said incredulously. "Granted, we have seen a lot of special cases before, but I seriously doubt that you can believe he comes from a 'Quirkless World' with a 'ghost dimension' as he said."

"Well, what reason would he have to lie?" Seicho heard himself ask, garnering the attention of both Officer Tsukauchi, Doctor Borokku and the Pro Hero. He wasn't prepared to be a center of attention, but he stood tall. "Fenton-san has literally just woken up. He's scared, confused and in shock. Believe me, he has really no intention of lying."

"Even the most shocked people have been known to lie, Seicho," Borokku replied with a frown. "What makes you so sure he wouldn't? For all we know, he's just making this all up to cover what he's done."

"You didn't see his eyes, doctor," Seicho replied confidently, remembering back to the fearful and wild look Fenton had held in his eyes when he first woke up. "That is a person who's coming off of something incredibly horrible. Something that, in all likelihood, could have broken him if it wasn't for his own mental resilience. He's not looking to lie to any of us. He's just trying to process all of this."

Seicho has seen his fair share of shell shocked people, especially when he first became a nurse that handled hero and villain based injuries. There was no shortage of mental scarring that could occur from being involved with those kinds of fights. And Seicho knew firsthand what it felt like to be in one of those fights. So, on some level, he related to Fenton-san.

"You believe this alternate world theory, Nurse Seicho?" Tsukauchi asked.

"Not exactly." The nurse replied in pure honesty. "No. We would need a lot more evidence before I'm convinced of that. But…" He looked back beyond the glass and towards Fenton, who laid on the hospital bed back first, his expression a mutation of confusion, sadness and anger. "I do know that he's been through some serious circumstances. And that if he was in league with the villains, he would have lashed out at Woods by now. Heck, at everyone. Nothing would spike more controversy then an attack on a hospital while heroes were on guard. Plus…" He looked back at Fenton. "He really doesn't look like the type to do something like that."

"I agree," Kamui Woods piped in, shocking Seicho. It was not often a pro hero agreed with him. "If Fenton was indeed a villain, he wouldn't have missed an opportunity to strike at me, much less the civilians packing the hospital. He just seems more lost than anything."

"About as lost as we are," Tsukauchi said, looking down at the papers in front of him. "All bloodwork analysis came back unknown for his identity or his family. In both Japan and the United States." He looked back to Doctor Borruko. "Is there anyone who matches with his Quirk?"

"Well, the Quirk he claims to have, 'ghost powers', didn't come up as a match with anyone in Japan or the US." Borruko replied. "But we haven't seen him use it at all yet, so it's unconfirmed that those are even the powers he really has."

"He could have been taken off the grid by someone." Woods said, a hand pressed against his wooden chin. "We've had certain villains and vigilantes do that before to keep us off their trail."

"A possibility," Tsukauchi agreed. "But why would he only remember a fictional city he lived in instead of a real one? And why does he speak exclusively English? If he was raised here in Japan, you'd think he'd at least know some Japanese." He sighed. "I had hoped we would get some answers when he woke up. Instead, I have even more questions."

Seicho evaluated the situation at hand. Fenton was clearly in a lot of emotional pain and suffering even more given the apparent circumstances he was in. The nurse in training was confident that Danny had told them what he knew. He couldn't be one-hundred percent sure, but he just felt the boy wasn't holding anything back. Not in his state. He just wanted to get things off his chest.

He seemed so unfamiliar with the current society and the way of things, especially Quirks. The boy seemed utterly confused and fascinated with the idea that everyone had one, which, if he WAS from a parallel world where nobody had Quirks, Seicho couldn't blame him.

In the nurse's opinion, the best thing they could do for Fenton was release him and let him decompress for the moment. Pushing him anymore wouldn't wield anything better. Maybe just letting him live for a while will open up his mind more.

And, lucky enough for Seicho, Tsukauchi seemed to come to the same verdict.

"Are there any other tests you need from him, doctor?" The officer asked.

"Nothing at the moment, no." Borruku answered confidently.

"Then there's nothing else we can really get from him at the moment," Tsukauchi said. "Let's give him some release forms and get him relocated."

"To where, may I ask?" Kamui Woods asked as Borruko nodded and moved to retrieve the sheets.

"Well, since he has no close family in Japan, I'd say it would be prudent to put him into one of the foster care systems." Tsukauchi said. "From there, we can see what becomes of him and if he can recall or reveal anymore about himself."

"Foster care?" Sechio asked, almost incredulously. He approached the policeman. "With all due respect, Officer Tsukauchi, I really don't think Fenton will do well with the foster care system."

"They've dealt with a number of young people in Fenton's situation: lost and without a family to return to." Tsukauchi replied, his tone betraying the sadness he felt with the number of kids there were in that situation. "They know how to handle the situation better than the hospital staff."

"But this is an irregular situation," Seicho argued, looking back at the boy. "Whatever Fenton has seen, it's SEVERELY scarred him mentally. And I really don't think being in a place where he could end up with anyone or just being in a place with a lot of kids missing their families would do anything to help him out."

"What's the alternative?" Kamui asked. "He is not old enough to live on his own and he has no prior references to take up parental housing as a sidekick."

At that, Seicho felt his lips tighten. He knew none of the options currently available to Fenton wouldn't help him in the slightest. It never helped him, so he doubted it would for the kid.

And every other option required years of study or connections in order to be established there. The only option was guardianship. And, with no relatives to Fenton's name, Seicho could only see one option.

"I'll take him in." Seicho said with a determined nod, prompting both Tsukauchi and Woods to turn to him in a bit of shock. "I'll be his guardian for the time being."

"Seicho," Tsukauchi said with a worried look. "You don't have to do this. Don't feel responsibility because of something that's happened in the past. If you're not prepared to house-"

"That was years ago, Tsukauchi," Seicho said with a determined look of his own. "We all have to move on someday. Right now, that kid needs help. He probably had a hell of a lot going through his head. And I can understand what he's going through. I can do this."

Tsukauchi was silent for a moment before a small smile appeared on his expression and he nodded. "Okay," He agreed. "I trust you on this, Seicho. I can appoint you as Fenton's guardian if you're sure."

Seicho smiled back and gave a small bow of thanks. "I will not let you down, Tsukauchi." He didn't think it appropriate to mention the large amount of nerves that pulsed down his spine, but it was far outweighed by the drive he had to help Fenton.

He had failed to help himself at many points in his life. But since he was a child, he had always wanted to be a hero. And he hoped he could be a hero in part to Fenton. He really hoped he could.

It had been about four or five hours since he had awoken. And Danny was no longer shocked, to say the very least. Instead, he was feeling a very odd combination of mocked, yet chaotically curious, alongside the throb in his heart. But even the throb was lessened to an extent. When compared to what he was feeling when he looked at what was displayed on his mounted room TV, the guilt was a pretty far distance when coming to terms exactly where he was.

In front of him laid a small tray, once complimented and filled with three dishes in total: roast pork in onion sauce, mixed salad with shirasu on the side, a bowl of white rice and vegetable miso. At least, that's what the nurse had told him when he initially dropped it off for lunch.

Danny did admit it was pretty good. Better than anything he had been served in a hospital before (heck, even some things he had been served at home), but still unusual to his taste. He was more of a burger and fries guy. But hey. When he was as hungry as he was just about an hour ago, you're more than willing to try new things. And that was no exception to Danny.

On the TV was a red and blue adorned tower of a man, with a large ever-present smile and blond hair that twisted back in almost the way of two horns. His massive biceps and muscles bulged from underneath his costume and he stood proudly and guffawing in front of a burning building, keeping both of his hands on the gaggle of small kids he had just saved from the disaster.

Across the screen, Japanese letters and symbols blared proudly in the lower bar, alongside side text that scrolled very quickly by. Not that it mattered to Danny.

Bypass's superp-... Quirk allowed Danny to hear Japanese as English, but he definitely couldn't read it. At the moment, the language still looked so foreign to the young American student, who knew that this would mean he would have to learn it one way or another if he was stuck here for the time being.

"Great," Danny muttered as he turned up the volume on his TV. "I can barely pass my English class back in my own world with a language I actually know. I don't think my luck is going to improve when it comes to learning Japanese."

Although he did quip to himself about it, his attention wasn't focused on that fact at the moment. Rather it was focused on the now audible uproarious laughter from the large man, alongside the cheers of the crowd.

"All Might's done it again!" The reporter yelled just as loud to be heard over the crowd. "The Number One Hero arrived mere moments after a large apartment fire sparked to life in downtown Mustafu! With the speed to make Ingenium jealous, he saved every occupant in the building in the space of a minute! Including these seven children!"

The kids in question, sooty and blackened but beaming completely, all let out cheers alongside the crowd, letting out an assortment of colored beams and sprouting plants, wings and webbed feet.

It still came as such a blow to the mind to the young Fenton that this world had SO MANY people with various powers and abilities. He had to admit, he thought many times how cool it would be to be part of a super powered team of sorts. He had discussed it many times with Tucker in the past. Now to see so many people at once with all these out of these world abilities to choose from…. It was insanity.

And the brief thought of his old friend was enough to send another crashing guilt down. He felt another tear leak down his cheek once again before he straightened and sighed.

Trying to break his thoughts away from his home, he focused back on the man, All Might, as he patted the children on their heads with his massive hand.

"I was simply doing what every hero would strive to do in a similar situation!" All Might said with a smile. "Regardless of your Quirk, always remember you can make a difference! No matter the circumstances, you can always decide to become a hero when no one else will step up! That's what being a hero is all about! Taking the risks and protecting someone who needs your help!" He laughed again and gave a wave. "Now! I will let the fire department do their job! Keep your distance, kids! AS THE NUMBER ONE HERO MAKES A DRAMATIC EXIT!"

He flexed out his arms as if in preparation for a run, then all but vanished in front of the entire crowd, kicking up smoke and wind around the crowd alongside a boom of power that was like a jet fighter reaching maximum speed.

The crowd was astounded for a moment, then let loose another large cheer, siding up alongside the all person chant that echoed through the TV speakers. "ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT! ALL MIGHT!"

Danny was a mind of two feelings at the moment, looking on as the news reporter switched to the next segment on her list. On the one hand, he was happy to see there was a world where heroes were appreciated so much. In his own world, his deeds were seen by a LOT of people as bad just because he was a ghost. Here, it didn't matter who you were or what powerset you had. If you were a hero who helped the innocent, you were celebrated. Through and through. And it was great to see that, in a world full of powers, there were so many that wanted to help other people. Danny knew that feeling all too well.

On the other hand, Danny felt like a butt end of a joke at his expense. Here he was, someone who couldn't even save his own family when it mattered, surrounded by heroes who continually saved and continually succeeded. Where everything was successful around everything hero.

He had been a hero in his own world, he thought. But looking at all of this, how could he even call himself that when he failed to protect what mattered most in the moment. How can he ever be called that again.

Failure. Reject. Useless.

"Ah, a fan of All Might, I see?"

Danny jumped, startled at the sudden entrance of Officer Tsukauchi and the nurse who had tried to talk to him when he first woke up.

"Oh! Officer Tsukauchi! What's up?" Danny asked, trying to hide his startled nature as he turned down the volume on the TV.

He was still trying to learn a lot of people's names, but Tsukauchi he had come to know very well over the past couple of hours. He was the one who had been conducting the interviews that revolved around if Danny was involved with any villain groups or cartels or questionable people in general. And, while Danny was well aware that when everyone had powers, not all of them would turn to good, he was surprised just how many criminal organizations had been created in the wake of the Quirks appearing. Some people just wanted to watch the world burn apparently.

To the officer's credit, he didn't show if he had noticed Danny's jump or not. He just kept his gaze on the TV and smiled. "It still just baffles me how powerful he is at times. You have to wonder how he manages to do it all."

"Yeah," Danny agreed, looking back to the newscast as it proudly displayed numerous photos of All Might saving every resident in the building, ignoring the secondary pulse of guilt. "What exactly is his Quirk anyway?"

"That's the question, isn't it?" Tsukauchi said with a small chuckle. "Most of Japan is wondering the same question. He keeps it pretty private, apparently."

Danny raised an eyebrow as he looked back to the TV. "The most powerful and popular hero in the world and nobody knows his power?" The Ghost boy asked aloud. "Wow. I figured anyone who was a top hero like that would want everyone to know how he does it."

"Some heroes prefer their privacy." Officer Tsukauchi replied. "If you tell them your Quirk, they can track you through your family and never leave them alone. And they'll constantly harass you while off duty. Some heroes just want to do their work and keep away from the talk shows."

Danny could understand that. Ever since he had first gotten his powers, he hadn't wanted anyone to bother his family or friends for the actions he took. Plus, him being a ghost with a ghost hunter family probably wouldn't have worked out well if he went public.

"Anyway, I just wanted to see how you were doing, check on your back and deliver some news."

News? Danny's curiosity peaked as he twisted himself in his bed to face the officer. "I'm doing… okay." Danny admitted. "My back is doing a lot better though. I can twist around at least without the excruciating pain that came as an appetizer."

"That's great to hear, Fenton-san." Tsukauchi said as the nurse beside him scribbled on a notepad before stepping fully forward. "I'm sure you recognize Nurse Seicho, the one who initially calmed you down and actually the one who first picked you up and brought you here."

"Yeah, of course," Danny replied with only a slight smile. He had nothing against Seicho. Heck, he actually really liked him. It was just harder to put on a full smile these days. Nevertheless, he extended his hand in greeting towards the young black-haired nurse. "Good to see you again."

"Likewise," Seicho said with a smile.

"Seicho is here to offer his support in a certain matter." Tsukauchi said with a confident smile.

Danny sighed. "Look, Tsukauchi, we've been through this so many times. I really don't know any of these villains you're referencing. I really don't think having Seicho with me is going to change the fact that I don't know anyone."

"It's not related to that. We're aware now that you're clean from any sinister ties." The officer pointed to the nurse. "Seicho has volunteered to be your Guardian while you're here in Japan. And has accepted your accommodations into his home."

Danny blinked. "Wait, what?"

"He will allow you to live with him for the time being," Tsukauchi clarified. "Since the hospital expects to release you soon and we can't very well have a fourteen year old boy wandering on his own across Mustafu."

"I'm just… surprised it's happening so fast." Danny said in shock. "Usually, it takes a while to become a guardian to anyone." He remembered back to what Vlad had said about how long it would take to legally look after him if that would ever become necessary.

"We've had to speed the process since Quirks became widespread." Tsukauchi said, with some grim nature across his tone. "Most kids need supervision quite fast in regards to what their Quirks entail and they cannot be left to stew for long. So we found ways to quicken the guardianship process so those with powerful Quirks can be properly looked after. And not fall into any kind of villain nature."

Danny took a moment to process all of that. It made sense, especially given that anyone could have any given power at any time. But it also spoke volumes to the Fenton about how dangerous the world could be. Even in one that wasn't his own.

Bad guys will still be bad guys, Danny thought as he turned to face the two men. No matter what world. "And you're okay with this?" Danny asked the nurse. "You really don't even know what kind of roommate I'm going to turn out to be."

"As long as you're not tearing down my house, I'm fine with anything you can throw at me." Seicho replied with a genuine smile. "Trust me, I've had my own experiences with a messy roommate. You can't be worse than what I've already seen." He motioned to Danny. "Plus, it's obvious that your situation is not a standard one, so who better to take you in then a person who can medically help you if things happen."

"Well, when you put it that way, it makes it sound like I might explode at any minute," Danny said in slight humor, then held up his hand as Seicho quickly backpedaled to try and apologize. "It's okay, Seicho. Really."

Danny considered. He REALLY just wanted to return to his own world and his own home, but he knew that wasn't exactly an option at the moment. Even though the police didn't believe it, he knew that his home was not anywhere to be seen on this planet. And, unless there were any Quirks that could warp time and space, he didn't think anyone here could help him return. Danny seriously doubted that he had the skill set or the knowledge to return home on his own either. Which meant, for all intensive purposes, he was stuck.

And, since he was stuck, he knew that staying here in the hospital without leaving would probably not be a good use of his time. Besides just some INTENSE curiosity, Danny thought back to his dives into the Ghost Zone. Tucker and Sam's strategy in those situations (besides avoiding getting caught by some crazy strong ghosts that made a habit of taking strolls where he was exploring) was often to take in his surroundings and try to work based on what he had in front of him.

He may not have been in the Ghost Zone, but he knew that was probably the smart thing to do here. Plus, in that moment, he really just wanted to be around people that had some kind of happiness to them. And Seicho really did seem like one of those people.

"Hey, I'm not going to argue with a change of view." Danny said with a smile. It was good to have a slight bit of humor, even in light of everything. His Dad had taught him that more than anyone else. The two men both smiled at that, which gave Danny a little bit of a boost. "When do we leave?"

"Tonight, preferably. If that's okay." Seicho said, crossing his arms. "Mostly because I work the day shift and it would be easier to do the house tour when I'm actually there." He chuckled at that.

Danny nodded. "That sounds good."

Tsukauchi smiled as well. "I'm glad to see that you're on board with all of this, Fenton-san." The officer said. "I am sorry that we haven't found a way back home for you yet. I know you're anxious to go back."

"It's alright," Danny said genuinely. "Thanks for trying." The boy had expected the officers to come up short, as he had doubted that they would be able to find their way back to his reality. But it was still a little disheartening to hear. There was no easy way back. Danny was on his own in that department. And he'd have to make do. "But thank you both for doing this. Really. I don't think I would have been able to find my way around Japan on my own. It's nice to know that you'll have my back on this, Seicho."

"I'm happy to help any way I can." Seicho said with a nod as Tsukauchi spoke again beside him.

"Well, if everyone's okay with this arrangement, I'll go finish up the details on it." Tsukauchi turned back to the entrance/exit and turned the handle before looking back to the boy. "Before I go, have you made any progress with your Quirk?"

Danny shook his head no. "My powers haven't surfaced at all yet since I got here. I'll keep trying though."

Tsukauchi nodded at that. "If you need any help or make a breakthrough, feel free to contact me if you need anything." With that, the officer fully opened the door and exited the room.

Seicho looked at Danny in worried surprise. "You still haven't been able to access your Quirk?"

"Not at the moment, no." Danny replied sheepishly. "I KNOW it's there. It's just… I can't get it to appear anymore. Last time was my fifth try and still nothing."

Seicho looked as if he had a thought on the matter, but seemingly kept it to himself as he pursed his lips. "I'm sure there's a way to access it. From what you told us, you've accessed it many times before. What's different now?"

"That's the problem. I don't know." Danny looked to his hands in frustration. "Nothing feels weird. I feel the same as I did before getting here. I should be able to access my powers like I always do. But they're just not showing up."

Seicho stayed quiet for a moment before speaking. "Maybe there's a new tick to it. A new way of accessing it. If you can still feel it, maybe it's not being repressed. Maybe it's just waiting for the right call."

Danny arched an eyebrow. "You think?" He looked back at his hands. He had always been able to access his powers pretty easily before. It usually only took a thought and a flex. If his powers had a new way of being called out…. Danny would have to start from scratch, which scared and enthused the boy at the same time.

Already this world was changing him. Weather for better or worse, Danny couldn't tell yet.

"It's just my theory at the moment," Seicho said with a tone of uncertainty. "Mostly because it sometimes happens to some of the people I care for. That doesn't necessarily mean it's the same for you, but there are similarities." The man regarded Danny curiously. "Speaking of which, what exactly is your Quirk?"

Danny pursed his lips. "You probably wouldn't believe me if I told you. Tsukauchi didn't even seem to fully believe it."

"Believe me," Seicho said reassuringly. "I've seen quite a few weird and odd Quirks in my time that I worked here. Nothing really surprises me anymore."

The Ghost boy regarded him for a moment before sighing. "Well, lets just say my Quirk…" He hesitated. "It… gives me all the powers of a Ghost."

Seicho turned his head. "A… ghost? Like of the haunted house kind?"

Danny nodded. It felt really weird to be describing his powers once again, especially to what was essentially a stranger. "Possession, flying, intangibility, invisibility. Everything from a ghost movie and more. It was a lot to control in the beginning, but I was getting the hang of it. You know, until now."

Seicho eyes widened. "Wow. That's a pretty large skill set for one person to have." The nurse whistled in more astonishment. "If you get control of your Quirk and you have all of these abilities to your name, you could be a heck of a force to be reckoned with. Pro hero material even."

At that, Danny felt another pulse of outright pain in his chest. He looked down, trying his best to hide the sudden clench of his fists. "Yeah." He said simply, his tone straight.

Failure.

Seicho's inquisitive look turned into one of concern at Danny's turn away. "Oh! I didn't mean to offend you in any way! I apologize!"

"No." Danny said, trying to regain the average tone in his voice. "You really didn't know. You have nothing to apologize for."

Seicho still looked concerned and looked to say something more. "Fenton-san, I-" That's when his watch went off. With a quick check, he sighed. "Unfortunately, I have to return to my shift." He looked back to Danny with worry. "I really didn't mean to make you uncomfortable or anything."

"I know you didn't," Danny said with a small smile. "You don't have to worry about me right now, Seicho. More importantly, shouldn't you be worried about work?"

"That I should be!" Seicho quickly agreed as he turned back to the door and opened it. As he stepped out, he looked back towards the Ghost boy. "We'll talk more tonight on the way to my home. I'm sure you have a LOT of questions." With one last smile, Seicho closed the door and vanished.

"More than you can imagine." Danny said quietly, slowly laying back down on his hospital bed, his thoughts going a thousand miles an hour. It was a hundred pounds of pressure on his chest, all of this information regarding this new world as well as everything that has happened. Danny felt like screaming at the top of his lungs, but he found his energy more going towards remembering what Clockwork had told him before he was thrown into this world.

"There is nothing left for you here, boy. Only pain and fury."

"Go forth, Danny Fenton. Rise above. And become the hero you were made to be."

He really didn't like Clockwork, especially for sending him here in the first place. But, thinking back on it, he really didn't seem like the type to send him here out of hate. It seemed like he was genuinely trying to help him…. In his own screwed up way.

He could have sent Danny anywhere. Yet he chose here. Did he really want to help Danny become a better hero?

"Only one way to find out for sure," Fenton said as he looked back out the window at the cityscape. "And it's not going to happen if I keep laying here."

Another four hours of work. But to Seicho, it felt like eight lifetimes.

Which his mind had convinced him was both good and bad. Bad because he really just wanted to talk to the boy and help him out. He knew the kind of situation he faced. And, if he could just talk to him on some matters, he could save Fenton-san a lot of heartache down the road. He couldn't do that when working.

But good, because after VISIBLY making Fenton-san upset at the mention of becoming a pro, Seicho really needed time to kind of regroup what he was going to say.

It had been a LONG while since he was fourteen (ten years now) and, while he had his own way of dealing with things when he was that age, Fenton-san would have his own as well. He had to kind of change things around about the way he approached and talked to the boy. He didn't want to upset him any further. He really just wanted to help him.

Finally, after helping two more kids dealing with Quirk management and one injured man that was thrown from a roof by a villain, 8:00 rolled around and Seicho was allowed to leave.

Nervous anticipation began to build once more as he approached the room that Fenton was held in. He was caught by surprise when he found a handwritten letter taped to the glass pane of the door window, addressed to him. He quickly opened it.

Seicho,

Fenton-san's release papers were approved early and, as a result, he found the opportunity to explore the exterior of the hospital too tempting to resist. He should be outside waiting for you.

Officer Tsukauchi

Okay, Seicho said with a sort of mental laugh. Perhaps he felt a bit more pent up then I had imagined.

It was good for Fenton to jump at an opportunity to leave his hospital room. That meant he still had a drive to explore and more of a will to get out of bed then young Seicho did.

All that being said, the didn't stop the young nurse from feeling a beat of panic upon exiting the Mustafu Hospital only to find the courtyard outside completely empty.

He REALLY hoped he hadn't just placed trust in a kid who bolted the first chance he got. Understandable if he was really curious and paranoid after whatever happened to him, but still nothing that Seicho would have chosen to deal with at this particular time.

"Fenton-san!" Seicho called out as he descended the steps and into the courtyard itself. The area was only moderately lit by the various lights of the buildings and the lights of the hospital behind them. Not nearly enough to get a full scope of the large area that made up the courtyard. The majority of it was laced in darkness, giving Seicho not enough seeing distance and even more worry to boot.

"Fenton-san!" Seicho called out again, this time with a little more stress in his voice. He was about to pull out his phone (an old hospital issued flip phone after his previous was smashed) and call Tsukauchi to either yell at him or assure him that Fenton's ditching was not any fault of his when a familiar voice called back to him.

"I'm here, Seicho." Danny Fenton said from the side of the courtyard stooped in darkness, but leading a view into the heart of the city itself, a parade of lights and scaling structures that put many other cities to shame.

As Seicho approached, the boy smiled apologetically. "I was just checking out the scale of things. Where I'm from is not exactly a huge place like this. I'm sorry. Didn't mean to make you worry. Or have you lose your mind over there." Fenton was decked out in a pure white shirt with black jeans to compliment.

Seeing as how his previous clothes were peppered and torn by the onslaught of impact he faced in the alley, it was only right to assist him by buying him new clothes. Seicho was just glad they fit.

There were still visible scars on his arms, but they were pretty much faded thanks to the two days of healing by Recovery Girl. His blue eyes had now lost their feral glaze and were now prominently advised to Seicho in humor and kick, though it didn't do much to hide the sadness that the boy was carrying.

Seicho shot him a mock glare. "I didn't 'lose my mind'. It's just a worry when you place a little faith into a kid you helped out only to see he's disappeared from the place he was supposed to be like a truant."

"That's not fair," Fenton replied. "I was pretty dang attendant during high school. Even with the whole superpowers manifesting and dealing with evil ghosts day in and day out."

"I'll believe it when I see it." Seicho joked before remembering an all important rule. "Oh, right. Before we move on, there is probably something you should know, Fenton-san. In case you manage to activate your Quirk again." His eyes stuck to the city view that Fenton was encompassed in as well. "Without a license to do so, children of high school age can't outright use their powers to fight criminals or do hero activity. It's illegal and a person could find themselves in a whole lot of trouble if they're caught doing something like that."

THAT caught Fenton's attention. He turned to Seicho, surprise riddled across his expression. "What? You mean I can't fight or stop criminals at all?"

"Not without going to school first and acquiring a license to do so." Seicho replied grimly.

There was a beat of silence. "That…. REALLY doesn't sound right," Fenton said, the surprise never leaving his eyes. "So you're saying if someone had the superpower someone needed to save their lives, but they were fourteen, they would get arrested for doing it? For doing the right thing?"

"Doing the right thing in this day and age can be dangerous," Seicho said quietly. "There's a lot of messed up people in the world, Fenton-san. Many who would have no problem killing or scarring a young kid for interfering with them in any way. It was decided a long time ago that anyone who wanted to use their Quirk to help people would need proper training first, to keep any tragedies from occurring. There's a lot of people who want to do good in this world. But not many who are trained to do so without hurting themselves or others."

Fenton was silent for a moment after that, looking back at the buildings housed in Mustafu, deep in thought. Seicho wished he could know exactly what the kid was thinking at the moment. If everything he had been saying about parallel worlds was true, crazy as it may sound, Seicho couldn't even fathom what turmoil and confusion must have been playing in his mind.

"Yeah," Fenton said finally. "I guess I kind of agree. Some people have the right idea in mind. But without training, they'll only mess things up."

The nurse pursed his lips. He got the sense he had entered a touchy territory. Even so, he folded his arms and sighed. "I don't know about messing things up." Seicho replied. "Even if they do, it's admirable enough that they worked up the will to move forward and attempt to help. Of course, you still need a license. It's amazingly dangerous out there. But it does at least show you're not afraid and you're willing to rush out to save someone, regardless of what that could do to you. You still really shouldn't do it. But it's admirable, at the very least."

Fenton didn't really say anything after that.

Seicho, not wanting to sadden the boy even more, cleared his throat and opted to change the subject. "Hey, why don't we head to the house? I bet you're dying to get the tour of your new humble abode for the proceeding time.

"Humble abode?" Fenton asked with a small hint of a smirk. "I really don't think any building, room or house is going to be humble. Especially in a big city like this."

"You'd be surprised," Seicho said with a grin of humor before motioning the boy to follow. "Come on. I'll show you the way."

It wasn't hard to find a conversation piece after that. Seeing as how Fenton had seemingly never been to Japan till now, he had quite a bit of interest in how things worked and where the sights were. Seicho was more than happy to indulge him, telling him of all the landmarks that could be found in the country, how he could take him to see them on days off, a little on how he joined the nurse career, certain heroes in the area and, most importantly, Quirks and what varieties there were.

"And what kind of Quirk do you have, Seicho?" Fenton asked at one point as they made their way down the dimly lit sidewalk, passing by various people engaged in their own conversations.

"Me?" Seicho replied. "Nothing special. Certainly not pro hero material."

"I still wouldn't mind seeing it!" Fenton replied almost incredulously. "Just the fact that so many people have powers in this world is impressive enough!"

Seicho regarded him for a moment before chuckling at his words. "Well, if you're so insistent." It was the first time in a long time that anyone really wondered about his Quirk. "Just don't freak out, okay?"

"I've seen plenty of stuff in my life that freaked me out." Fenton assured. "I honestly don't think I can be freaked out any more than I already have been."

"Hold that thought, why don't you?" Seicho said as he pulled a matchbox out of his pocket. He pulled out one of the sticks and quickly lit it, holding the steady flame up and out in his left hand and holding it up to his free right hand.

Fenton kind of held up his hands. "Whoa, Seicho. I didn't mean for you to-"

"Just hold on." Seicho said as he slowly held the flame to the skin of his finger. The instant the heat licked against his fingertip, his skin calloused into what looked to be a solid armor. The armor wasted no time coating the entirety of his hand, swallowing every visage of skin in a complete skin coating that the flame could not penetrate.

The nurse smiled at Fenton's shocked expression. "I told you. It's an odd one. And that's not the only thing I can do." He pointed to his neck, where his three scars stood prominently against the left side of his neck. "These are left over from gills that sprouted after diving into the water to grab someone. And this…" He lifted his pants leg slightly around his ankle, showing off visible scars that riddled the foot itself. "From when my foot grew extra bone and cartilage in order to catch up on a marathon run at school. THAT was not fun."

Fenton looked at him. "Then… your power is…"

"My Quirk is Adaption." Seicho confirmed. "After experiencing something for a certain amount of time, my body adapts and creates what is necessary to survive the situation at hand. It's a pretty powerful force." He sighed. "But, at the same time, it's hard to control. I've never been able to get my body to INSTANTLY adapt. It has to be after a little exposure, like I said. And if a villain is quick enough, he could easily deal with me before I could Adapt to his attack. And it can sometimes pop and activate even in situations where I don't want it to. Sometimes it's harmless. Sometimes it's…." He motioned to his scarred foot. "That. You can see why I've stuck to hospital work as opposed to hero work."

"Don't be so down on yourself! That's still a really cool Quirk." Fenton said reassuringly as they resumed their walk. "Much cooler than some of the ghosts I've seen with powers before!"

Seicho kind of laughed at that, while also feeling a certain amount of curiosity towards the fact that Fenton had fought Ghosts before. Was that even possible? "If you think my Quirk is incredible, you've obviously never seen any of the pro heroes in action. Their Quirks are incredible. Really puts mine to all kinds of shame. All Might, Endeavor, Fat Gum, Nighteye, Mt Lady, Kamui Woods…"

"Kamui Woods?" Fenton asked in wonder as they turned the last corner towards Seicho's house. "He's a good fighter?"

"Oh, yeah!" Seicho said in enthusiasm. "You just haven't seen him go all out yet. I've seen him take down an entire group of thugs with just a flick of his finger. A wave of tree trunks will do that pretty quickly."

"I bet it does." Fenton replied before he briefly took a wondering look before looking forward and away from Seicho, his expression stooped in thought.

It seemed like Fenton had a sad revelation of sorts, as his gaze became distant and he became deathly quiet.

Seicho looked on at the boy, but didn't immediately snap him out of it. He had been in this situation before. And sometimes, it was best to just let the thoughts run in your head for a moment. Given the PTSD that Fenton was displaying, the nurse wanted to ensure the boy had all the time he needed to process everything that was happening around him. It was what worked best for his patients, as well as his younger self.

"Why are hero society?"

"What?"

Fenton looked to Seicho, his expression now a sad curiosity. "When so many people get powers like this at once, you'd think they would just keep it for themselves and become greedy and transparent. A lot of people would think the world would just end once everyone got power like that all at once." He pursed his lips. "What gave everyone the idea that heroes were the way to go?"

Seicho needed a moment to think about that as they neared his street. "Well, it didn't really happen overnight. The way I remember my grandfather telling it, Japan was locked in a feudal state the first few years Quirks were around. A lot of people just went crazy with that power and even more crime syndicates wanted to use that time as an advantage. There were a lot of top criminals who took the spotlight during that time. Apocalypse, Free Fire. There was a rumor of a guy who could steal Quirks and give them to someone else."

"It sounds like chaos." Fenton said.

"It was. In fact, it was almost the end of society as a whole." He smiled. "That's when we needed heroes the most. And people rose to the occasion. Everyone imagined what it would be like to have superpowers. To do the right thing when they had those powers. They had read it in comics and all that. Most of the time, people said they probably wouldn't do something like that when push came to shove." Seicho laughed. "But then, when the world was in peril, people did what they said was impossible and stepped up to the plate. They fought. They battled. And they became heroes. And the idea that you could use your powers to just help people in need really just… expanded and become such a noble idea. Nobody said it HAD to be that way. It happened and all of humanity embraced it."

The nurse sighed, memories of his grandfather now prominent as he stopped in front of a large apartment complex. "You asked why we went with a hero society. I think the better question, kid, is why not? We were all given a choice when we got our Quirks on how to use them. And I think, naturally, we all wanted to use our powers for good and to save people, like the heroes from comics. I know I can't speak for everyone, because there ARE bad people out there…" He hoped Fenton didn't notice the drop of tone in his voice at that. "But when you have the power to help someone in peril, doesn't it feel natural to just use your power to protect that person? To help them when they need it most?"

Fenton pursed his lips for a moment and nodded. "Yeah, I get that feeling. More than you can imagine." He looked down and Seicho saw a flash of sadness in his eyes. "But I also get the consequences that come with thinking like that."

Seicho frowned at the sudden swap of sadness that Fenton had displayed. Not out of frustration, but more out of worried curiosity. He had seen enough patients to know when someone was holding something back. But before he could ask Fenton exactly what was bothering him, the boy quickly lost the mournful look and instead gave a small smile as he motioned to the apartment.

"So, your 'humble abode' is here then?"

Seicho, seeing that Fenton wanted to move forward as opposed to linger, smiled and exaggeratedly motioned to the complex. "Yes! Humble to a peak! Though in this case, humble is more referring to the fact that I don't have one of the nicer rooms, but a room that has worked for me! And will probably, hopefully work for you!" He walked forward. "Come on! I'll give you the tour, Ghost Boy!"

When Seicho had said 'humble', Danny had thought he would be walking into a small apartment complex with barely enough room to accommodate him or his new guardian. For whatever reason, he had this image of sleeping on a raggedy sleeping back next to the couch with the kitchen and the bathroom about equal distance from him and Seicho's actual room only a few feet further. Not the nicest place, but still nice and commendable for the nurses salary Seicho was on. And he was fine with that. He had slept in far worse places before.

A full sized apartment with two bedrooms, a large bathroom with a bath/shower and liolion kitchen with a double-doored fridge only about twenty feet away from the living room with a sizable flat screen and three couches placed in a U formation was not what Danny was expecting.

The night lights of the city peppered in from a large window aside the TV that gave a pretty good medium line of sight into the city itself. Being on the third floor of a ten story building didn't give a WHOLE lot of view to the overarching city itself, but it still gave enough for the fourteen year old boy to be genuinely impressed by the sight.

The apartment was also pretty clean, which was another shock onto itself. Maybe it was from living with a family that had no problem with leaving ectoplasm splattered everywhere across the room at home, but Danny felt like he was stepping onto one of those displays that showed what your house COULD look like after a quick fixer upper.

The carpet had been freshly vacuumed, alongside the wooden polished hardwood floor that seemed to gleam under the glare of the lights that lined the ceiling in an almost perfect line.

The two bedrooms each held a queen sized bed that lay to the side of moderately sized rooms, one of which was occupied by an assortment of books, papers and what looked to be a laptop in the middle of a Super Mario emulator.

Seicho's room, Danny thought as he turned his gaze at the free, unoccupied room that was most likely to be his. It was still a bit odd, the thought of sleeping in a room that was not his own in a country he wasn't from in a world he wasn't native to. But the room on it's own looked very comfortable. And Danny couldn't have been more thankful to be staying in these accommodations as opposed to another day in the hospital bed.

"Not exactly the fanciest place you could imagine," Seicho said, a bit of worry laced in his tone. "But it works very well for me! I hope it works well for you! I don't know how things were before for you, but I just-"

"Are you kidding?" Danny exclaimed as he moved forward into the living room. "It's great! It's better than I expected! I could definitely get used to this!"

A beaming smile spread across Seicho's expression. "I'm so glad you like it!" He said as he walked fully into the room. He glowed with humor. "I had already cleared the second bedroom for you during my first work break this afternoon. And I would have really hated it if my break time had gone to waste."

Danny was already making his way inside said bedroom and taking in the full space. "It was not a waste. Trust me." He sat himself on the bed and just relished in the comfort of the mattress. It felt like forever since he had been laying in anything other than the hospital spring beds.

"Well, I'm glad you can appreciate the effort I put into it all." Seicho said with another laugh. He suddenly stiffened as a vibrating sound filled the air. The nurse quickly reached into his back pocket, pulled out his phone and nodded. "Listen, I have some work to take care of real fast on my laptop, but when I'm done, I can help you get settled in and all that. I have the day off tomorrow, so we should be able to tour the Mustafu Shopping Center and grab you all the clothes and stuff you need. And we could probably swing by some landmarks if you want."

"That sounds like a plan." Danny replied, anticipation and eagerness building for tomorrow. He really did want to explore the city more. And it sounded like he would get quite the chance the following day.

"Great!" Seicho replied as he typed out what looked to be a reply on his phone before pocketing it. "Help yourself to anything in the fridge! And don't wreck the room!" With that, Seicho made his way down the hall and closed the door to his room.

A calm quiet settled across Danny's room, allowing the smallest pangs of regret to begin to pepper his mind. Not in any regard to Seicho or choosing to go with him. Danny was more than thankful for everything the nurse was doing.

No. The regret was for returning to sleep.

…

The last nap Danny had taken in the hospital, he had been plagued by a hyper-realistic nightmare that had left him in a cold sweat.

Tonight, it was no different.

He had been back in front of The Nasty Burger, the ruins still flaming and smoking in front of him as he desperately dug to reach his friends and family. He knew they had to be alive somewhere. He just had to dig harder. Dig faster. He wasn't doing enough. If only he could do more.

All at once, the ground in front of him cracked open. And the ruins of the burger joint had slinked forward, falling into the freshly opened glowing green crevices. Danny had tried to race to stop the fall. To Go Ghost. To do anything. But all he could do was watch as he was restrained by an unknown force, unable to move as the ruins vanished in a cloud of noxious green gas.

He tried to yell, cry out, do anything. But no sound came out as the green gas moved forward, whispering to Danny and asking 'Why weren't you fast enough?', 'If only you were stronger', 'You let them die'.

The gas had begun to solidify against his mouth and throat, stopping his breathing altogether and giving him a fresh wave of suffocating panic before he finally sprung awake, sopped in sweat and heart beating so fast, it felt like it was about to tear from his chest.

For the briefest of moments, he thought he was back in his own room, at his house, with his family. Then, reality set back in and Danny realized exactly where he was and how far away he was from everything he knew.

He swung his legs out from under his blankets and found himself sitting on the edge of the mattress, head resting in the palms of his hands. Danny really wasn't sure if he was crying or sweating anymore, but either way, his whole body felt so numb and frail. He was both hot and cold. And he felt so powerless.

He needed air. And a lot of it. Without missing a beat, Danny quickly jumped from his bed and made his way out of the room and towards the main living room, where he opened the window and just took in the cool air and distant honk of car horns.

Emotionally, he was a mess. And he knew as much. But, at the same time, he knew that he could only do so much about it on his own. Danny could try to forget about it and move on, sure. But that was so much easier said than done.

He wasn't the best when it came to psychology. In fact, Danny remembered pretty much bombing that course right out of the gate at Amity High. But even he knew that this would take a lot more time to even begin to get over. And it wasn't helping that he was stuck here.

His thoughts then briefly went back to the discussion he had had with Seicho in regards to Quirks and what kind people had and how effectively they could use it.

He didn't feel proud of it, but he was originally asking all those questions so he could get to one very important one: If Seicho knew anyone that could remove the emotions from him.
It was a large leap. And probably something very wrong to ask in front of certain people. And Danny could clearly see their side of things. But, at the same time, he just wanted these feelings of sadness and depression GONE. And that was really the only way he could see it happening now that he was trapped in this world.

But, after everything Seicho had said about the thrill he got from seeing Kamui Woods in action, the way they pushed forward through it all… it gave Danny the sense that taking the route he had planned just wouldn't be right. It just felt so wrong to give in to trying to get rid of his emotions when so many others around him apparently controlled and bettered their emotions through battle after battle.

And Danny felt like a coward for thinking getting rid of his emotions was the key.

He wanted to find a different way through this. He wanted to control his emotions. Mentally secure himself so he could take full advantage of his senses and maybe find a way back home or, at the very least, try to make full sense of Clockwork's intentions and explore this world for more information gathering.

If he wanted to do any of this, Danny knew he needed his powers, first and foremost.

With another breath to steady himself from his shaking and a flex of his arms, he tapped into his energy and prepared to unleash it. He KNEW his power was still there. Danny could still feel it at the bottom of his chest, waiting to be activated again. His Ghost Energy. It just needed the right way to be tapped into.

Fifth time was the charm.

"I'M GOING GHOST." Danny said through gritted teeth as, all at once, he tried to pull his ghost energy forward. He felt it encompass his body like it had before, permeating in a brief circle of white energy around his torso… before it vanished like it had four times before.

All at once, Danny felt exhaustion slam into him like a truck. And he stumbled, breathing hard. "What am I doing wrong?" He wondered aloud. "What haven't I tried yet?" The ghost boy fell silent for a brief moment as he caught his breath before he stood and sighed. "There's a way to this. There has to be. I haven't found it yet, but I will. I just… have to keep trying."

With that, the Fenton boy made his way down the hall and back towards his room to rest.

As he laid back down, his thoughts drifted once more. The world around him was still foreign and uncharted territory for him, but Danny didn't let that bother him. He knew Clockwork had sent him here to become "better" in his mind. And there had to be something to that.

Maybe there was something in this world that could change him for the better. Maybe it could help him improve. Or maybe Clockwork had been lying. Danny wasn't sure about anything. But there was one thing he knew: this world was beyond anything he could ever imagine. And his curiosity had only been building throughout the day as he talked to Seicho.

For better or worse, he knew he had to keep exploring this world. And he certainly couldn't say he didn't have any excitement at that idea.

A world of heroes…. Danny liked the sound of that.