Camera Flash
Flash! Flash! Flash!
"Excuse me. What's your Name?"
"Um ... Ken. Kenneth Takakura, only thing I can remember."
"Is everything you said earlier True. Are you an Amnesiac?"
"That's about right."
"How do you feel about Taking down the Sludge Villain?"
"Normal I guess. It wasn't that difficult. I only used one move after all."
"Can you tell us the Effects of your Quirk? Is it Immobilization?"
"That will take too much time to answer."
"How do you feel about being bounced around when trying to regain your Identity? Do you feel disappointed by the failure of the Government systems set in place?"
"Well ..."
"HAHA! Please no more questions. I think our young hero over here is exhausted. He needs some rest, and time to sort out his issues."
I could feel all Might place his hand on my shoulder. Or at least attempt to. His arm stopped a few inches away, prompting his surprise.
However, he didn't go on.
It had been a few minutes since I took down the Sludge Villain. The Press clearly wouldn't let me go easily, and so I stood next to All Might and answered their questions as best as I could.
Over on the sidelines,
Deku was being chewed on by the heroes like In Canon. As for Bakugo? Let's just say he wasn't the center of attention like he should have been. His gaze had always been on us, and I could practically imagine him grinding his teeth in fury.
The camera flashes finally died down once the last reporter realized All Might wasn't giving them anything more. The Pro Hero smiled for a final shot, then gently but firmly gestured for space. Security, likely called in by the Hero Commission, began forming a loose barrier.
I had to admit it. That was a pro move. All Might managed to block more questions while still making me look like a dignified victim of the system.
Smart guy.
"Alright young man," he said in a lower tone, stepping closer as the crowd thinned. "Let me escort you to the proper office. The Hero Oversight Bureau and Public Registry should have the equipment we need."
I blinked. "You're coming too?"
"Of course, I promised to get you help and I'm going to make sure of it. I might not stay long though as I have a... time-sensitive matter I must attend to afterward."
Right. He was probably due to go deflate into Skinny Might any minute now.
"Understandable," I said, shrugging. "Lead the way, Symbol of Peace."
Meanwhile, Bakugo Katsuki watched as we departed, eyes blazing with explosions and fist clenched tightly.
---
[Hero Oversight Bureau - Musutafu Logistics Branch]
{And in other news, a mysterious teen hero appeared out of nowhere today to neutralize the villain that had even the pros cornered. Speculations swirl around his identity, especially after he claimed to have 'no memory' and a power that appears entirely undocumented. Sources say he's being taken in for questioning by the Hero Public Safety Commission. More on this after the break…}
Just as I expected, My actions had made prime time evening news. Good news, I was famous. Bad news, I was famous.
It didn't really matter anyway. In a world filled with superheroes and criminals popping up almost every single day, my newfound popularity would fade away after Three to four days of no followup.
Even back on Earth, nothing lasted forever and the Media would always be captured by the next hottest thing.
Truth, Time washed away everything.
I tuned out the news report about my Heroic actions as I focused back on my current location.
The Hero Commission building was exactly what you'd expect from a government facility trying to look important—lots of marble, unnecessarily high ceilings, and the kind of fluorescent lighting that made everyone look like they were dying of some wasting disease.
I sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair outside what I assumed was an interrogation room, though they'd politely called it a "consultation office." My bag was on the floor beside me, and I was doing my best to look like a confused, grateful teenager instead of someone who knew exactly what kind of bureaucratic nightmare he was potentially walking into.
All Might had accompanied me this far, but I could see the strain on his face. His muscled form was already looking less impressive than it had twenty minutes ago, and there was a thin sheen of sweat on his forehead that had nothing to do with the building's climate control.
"You sure you don't need to head out?" I asked quietly. "I mean, you probably have other hero things to do, right?"
He gave me that trademark smile, but I could see the effort it took. "Nonsense! A hero always sees things through to the end. Besides, I promised to make sure you get the help you deserve."
'Right. And you're probably running out of juice fast.' I thought. 'Should be what, another hour before you deflate completely?'
"I appreciate it, but really, I think I can handle things from here. You've already done more than enough."
"Young Kenneth," All Might said, and I had to suppress a wince at the formal use of my name. "I understand you may feel like you need to handle everything alone, but that's not how heroes work. We support each other."
Before I could respond, a door opened and a woman in a business suit stepped out. She was maybe in her forties, with steel-gray hair pulled back in a bun and the kind of tired eyes that said she'd seen too much paperwork and not enough sleep.
"Kenneth Takakura?" she asked, consulting a tablet.
"That's me."
"I'm Agent Yoshida from the Hero Commission's Quirk Registry Division. We've finished running your preliminary scans, and we're ready to proceed with the interview."
I stood up, slinging my bag over my shoulder. "Alright, let's get this over with."
She paused, looking between me and All Might. "I should mention, All Might, that this is typically a private consultation. Unless you're here in an official capacity...?"
"I'm here as young Kenneth's advocate," All Might replied firmly. "Given his unique circumstances, I believe he deserves to have someone in his corner."
Agent Yoshida nodded slowly. "Very well. Please, both of you, come in."
The consultation room was smaller than I'd expected, with a metal table, a few chairs, and what looked like some kind of scanning equipment in the corner. There was also a one-way mirror, because apparently even hero commissions couldn't resist the classics.
"Please, have a seat," Agent Yoshida said, settling into her chair and opening a thick folder. "Now, Kenneth, I want to start by saying that nothing you've done today is illegal. Using your quirk to save lives is exactly what we hope to see from citizens with powerful abilities. However, we do need to understand your situation better."
I nodded, keeping my expression neutral. "I understand."
"Good. Now, you mentioned to the press that you have amnesia and have been living on the streets for approximately three weeks. Is that correct?"
"Yes."
"And you also mentioned that you went to the police station on 3rd and Flores but didn't receive adequate assistance."
Here we go. "That's right. I told them I couldn't remember who I was, but they just... bounced me around between departments. I got the impression they thought I was just another homeless kid making up stories."
Agent Yoshida made a note. "I see. And during that time, did they take any biometric data? Fingerprints, DNA samples, anything like that?"
"No. They took my statement, but that was about it." I said. Honestly, I didn't pursue that issue. I was a stranger in this world, hence it would all turn out blank anyway.
She frowned. "That's... concerning. Standard procedure for unidentified individuals should include at least basic biometric scanning." She made another note, this one more aggressively. "We'll be following up on that."
'Good. Let them think it's just bureaucratic incompetence.' "So what happens now?"
"Well, first we need to get you properly registered in our system. That means a full biometric workup, quirk assessment, and background verification. Then we can discuss your options moving forward."
She gestured to the scanning equipment. "The biometric scan is completely painless. It'll take maybe five minutes, and then we'll know exactly who you are."
I stood up, trying to look more nervous than I felt. "And if you don't find anything?"
"Then we'll figure out next steps from there. But don't worry—one way or another, we'll get you the help you need."
The scanning process was surprisingly quick. A few minutes under some kind of fancy camera, a quick fingerprint scan, and a cheek swab for DNA. Due to the fact I was the one actively doing these things such as the fingerprint scan and cheek swab, My actions weren't blocked by infinity parameters
Then it was back to sitting and waiting while computers somewhere in the building tried to figure out who I was supposed to be.
"The results should be ready in about ten minutes," Agent Yoshida said, closing her tablet. "In the meantime, why don't you tell me about your quirk? I saw the footage from today, but I'd like to hear your perspective."
This was the tricky part. I needed to sound like I was being honest while revealing as little as possible about the true nature of my abilities.
"I'm not entirely sure how it works," I began, which was technically true from Kenneth's perspective. "I know I can create these black rods that seem to stop whatever they hit from moving. And I have some kind of... barrier around me that keeps things from touching me unless I want them to."
"Interesting. Have you tried testing the limits of these abilities?"
"A little. The barrier thing is pretty reliable, but I don't really know the specifics. Sometimes It works, sometimes it's a pain. The rods..." I shrugged. "I haven't really had a chance to experiment much."
"Understandable. And you said you don't remember manifesting these abilities before your memory loss?"
"No. As far as I know, I've had them since I woke up three weeks ago."
All Might leaned forward slightly. "Young Kenneth, you mentioned earlier that you weren't sure about the full extent of your powers. Is there anything else you can do that you haven't mentioned?"
I hesitated, as if trying to remember. "Maybe? Sometimes I feel like there's more there, but I can't quite grasp it. I do know that I'm very strong though. That's how I was able to toss that rod at such speed."
It was a good answer—vague enough to leave room for future power reveals without making me sound like I was hiding something major.
A soft chime from Agent Yoshida's tablet interrupted the conversation. She glanced at it, then frowned.
"Hmm. That's odd."
"What is it?" I asked, putting just the right amount of anxiety in my voice.
"The system is asking for a secondary verification. Sometimes that happens when..." She trailed off, staring at her screen.
"When what?"
She looked up at me, and I could see genuine surprise in her eyes. "Kenneth, I need to ask you something. Are you absolutely certain you have no memory of your life before three weeks ago?"
"I'm certain. Why?"
"Because we found a match in our database. A cold case from Ten years ago." She turned her tablet around so I could see the screen.
I stared at the photo displayed there, and for a moment, I genuinely couldn't speak. It was a school photo of a young boy with my face, wearing a uniform I didn't recognize, smiling at the camera with the kind of genuine happiness I hadn't felt in... well, longer than I cared to admit.
"Takumi Rei," Agent Yoshida read from the file. "Age 7. Reported missing Ten years ago from Musutafu. Quirkless. Last seen walking home from school." She looked up at me. "Kenneth, this boy is you."
The room was silent except for the hum of the air conditioning. All Might was leaning forward, his expression intense, while Agent Yoshida watched me carefully.
"That's..." I stopped, trying to process what I was seeing. "That's impossible."
"The biometric match is 99.7% certain. Height and weight projections match your current measurements. Even accounting for Ten years of growth, the facial recognition software is confident." She paused. "Kenneth, according to this file, your mother is still alive. She's been looking for you all this time."
I felt something cold settle in my stomach. This wasn't part of the plan. I mean, it was exactly what I'd hoped for in terms of solving my identity problems, but seeing that photo, hearing about a mother who'd been searching for a son who'd never really existed...
"I don't understand," I said quietly. "If I was reported missing that long ago, why didn't the police find this when I went to them three weeks ago?"
Agent Yoshida's expression darkened. "Because it looks like they didn't bother to run a proper search. This case was moved to cold storage after two years of no leads. It would only show up in a comprehensive biometric scan, not a basic ID check."
She made another note, this one looking decidedly angry. "This is completely unacceptable. A missing child should never be dismissed like that."
"There's more," she continued, scrolling through the file. "According to the report, you were being bullied at school for being quirkless. The day you disappeared, your mother had received a call from your teacher about an incident with some classmates. She was planning to transfer you to a different school."
I stared at the photo, trying to reconcile the smiling boy with the reality of what I knew about my situation. Ultimately, I decided to play along. "What... what happened to me? Where have I been for Ten years?"
"That's what we need to figure out," Agent Yoshida said gently. "But first, we need to contact your mother. She lives in Musutafu, and according to our records, she never stopped looking for you."
All Might placed a hand on my shoulder—or tried to. His hand stopped a few inches away, meeting the invisible barrier of my Infinity. "Young Kenneth, I know this must be overwhelming. But this is good news. You have a family. You have a home to return to."
I nodded acting numbly, still staring at the photo. "I just... I don't remember any of this. Ten years is a long time to just... disappear."
"Memory loss from trauma isn't uncommon," Agent Yoshida said. "Whatever happened to you, it may have been severe enough to block out your entire past. Maybe it was your quirk awakening late. But now that we know who you are, we can start working on getting you the help you need."
She stood up, closing the file. "I'm going to call your mother now. Is that alright with you?"
I looked up at her, then at All Might, then back at the photo on the tablet. The smiling boy who shared my face but felt like a stranger.
"Yeah," I said finally. "Yeah, that's alright."
As Agent Yoshida left the room to make the call, I slumped back in my chair. How could this happen? It doesn't make any sense. All Might was studying me with that intense gaze of his, and I could practically feel him trying to figure out what to make of this new development.
"Young Kenneth," he said quietly, "I know this changes things. But remember—you're still the same person who saved those boys today. You're still the same person who wants to help people. That doesn't change because of what happened in your past."
I nodded, though I wasn't sure I entirely believed him. How could I be the same person when I was discovering that everything I thought I knew about my situation was built on a lie I didn't even know I was telling?
"All Might," I said suddenly, "what if I'm not who they think I am? What if I just happen to look like this missing kid?"
He was quiet for a long moment. "Do you believe that?"
I thought about it. The honest answer was yes. I was Kenneth Takakura, a transmigrator from another world who'd been given these powers and dropped into the MHA universe. But here, to these people apparently, I was Takumi Rei, a quirkless kid who'd disappeared for years and somehow returned with incredible abilities and no memory of where he'd been.
"I don't know," I said finally. "I don't remember being anyone else, but I don't remember being him either."
"Then perhaps," All Might said, "the question isn't who you were, but who you choose to be moving forward."
Before I could respond, Agent Yoshida returned, her expression a mixture of professional composure and barely contained emotion.
"Kenneth," she said, sitting back down. "I've spoken with your mother. She's... she's going to be here within the hour."
I felt my heart rate spike. "She's coming here?"
"Yes. She dropped everything the moment I told her we found you." Agent Yoshida's voice was soft. "Kenneth, I want you to know that this woman has never given up hope. She's spent Ten years searching for you, following every lead, never missing a single day of looking."
The weight of that statement settled on my shoulders like a physical thing. Somewhere in this city was a woman who'd spent Ten years mourning a son she'd lost, and in an hour, I was going to have to look her in the eye and pretend to be the child she'd been searching for.
"What if she realizes I'm not really her son?" I asked quietly.
"Then we'll deal with that when it happens," Agent Yoshida said. "But Kenneth, the biometric evidence is overwhelming. You are Takumi Rei. Whatever happened to you, wherever you've been, you're still her son."
I wanted to argue, to explain that it was more complicated than that, but how could I? How could I explain that I was a transmigrator, an orphan in his last life who'd somehow been taken across dimensions and mistaken for ... Whoever this missing child was? That every memory she'd want to share, every inside joke or family tradition, would be completely foreign to me?
All Might stood up suddenly, his muscled form wavering slightly. "Young Kenneth, I'm afraid I need to step out. Will you be alright?"
I nodded, understanding. His time limit was probably close to running out, and he needed to transform back before anyone noticed.
"Remember, young man—being a hero isn't about having all the answers. It's about doing your best with what you've got."
After he left, Agent Yoshida and I sat in comfortable silence for a few minutes. I stared at the photo of the seven-year-old boy, trying to come to terms with my current situation.
"Agent Yoshida," I said finally, "what if I never remember? What if I can't be the son she's expecting?"
She looked at me with something that might have been understanding. "Kenneth, ten years is a long time. People change. She's not expecting you to be the same seven-year-old boy who disappeared. She just wants her son back."
"But what if I'm not him? What if I'm someone else entirely?"
"Then you'll figure it out together," she said simply. "Family isn't just about shared memories. It's about choosing to care for each other, even when it's hard."
From her answer, it was very clear that she wasn't taking my statement seriously. She felt I was probably scared, in disbelief maybe and would soon come to accept it eventually.
Lady, listen up.
I am not Him! I need an actual answer based on this fact.
A soft knock on the door interrupted our conversation. Agent Yoshida stood up. "That's probably her."
My heart was pounding so hard I was sure she could hear it. For some reason I couldn't comprehend, this was remarkably worse than the time I first activated Infinity. How the hell did I get into this? "I'm not ready for this."
"You don't have to be ready," she said gently. "You just have to be willing to try."
She opened the door, and I heard a woman's voice in the hallway, shaky with emotion and barely contained hope.
"Is he... is he really...?"
"He's right here," Agent Yoshida said softly. "But please, Mrs. Takumi, remember that he's been through a lot. He doesn't remember anything from before."
"I don't care," the voice said, stronger now. "I don't care about anything except that he's safe."
The door opened wider, and a woman stepped into the room.
She was maybe in her early forties, with dark hair streaked with gray and eyes that were red from crying. She was wearing a simple blue dress and carrying a purse that looked like it had seen better days. Two things were extremely striking. One, she looked like me. Or rather, I looked like her. There was no denying that fact. I could practically see the resemblance from a mile away. But what struck me most was the way she looked at me—like I was a miracle she'd been praying for every day for seven years.
"Rei?" she whispered, and I could hear years of grief and hope and desperate love in that single word.
I stood up slowly, choosing my words very carefully. "I... I'm sorry, but I don't remember you."
Her face crumpled for just a moment, but then she smiled through her tears. "That's okay, baby. That's okay. You're here now. That's all that matters."
And then she was crossing the room, arms outstretched, and I realized that my Infinity was going to stop her from touching me just like it had stopped All Might.
'Shit.'
I quickly adjusted my settings, adding her to my whitelist just as she wrapped her arms around me. She was smaller than I'd expected, and she smelled like laundry detergent and something that might have been vanilla.
"My baby," she whispered against my shoulder. "My baby, you're so tall now. So grown up."
I stood there awkwardly, not sure what to do with my hands. This woman was crying against my shoulder, holding me like I was the most precious thing in the world, and I felt like the worst kind of fraud.
"I'm sorry," I said quietly. "I wish I could remember."
She pulled back to look at me, her hands on my shoulders. "Don't apologize. Never apologize for surviving whatever you survived. You're here now, and that's all that matters."
She studied my face, and I could see her cataloging the changes—the sharper jawline, the broader shoulders, the way time had transformed a child into a teenager.
"You look just like your father did at your age," she said softly. "You have his eyes. He would have been so proud to see you now."
"My father?"
"He died when you were six," she said, her voice gentle. "Cancer. You were... you were having a hard time with it. That's part of why you were being bullied at school. Some kids can sense when someone's vulnerable."
She wiped her eyes and smiled at me. "But we don't have to talk about sad things right now. We have the rest of our lives to catch up."
Agent Yoshida cleared her throat. "Mrs. Takumi, I need to discuss a few things with you both. Rei's... abilities have manifested since his disappearance. We'll need to get him properly registered and assessed."
My mother—and wasn't that a strange thought—nodded. "Of course. Whatever he needs."
"Also," Agent Yoshida continued, "there will likely be an investigation into what happened during the time he was missing. We'll need to be prepared for that."
"I don't remember anything," I said quickly. "I woke up three weeks ago in an alley with no memory of how I got there."
My mother's expression darkened. "Someone took my son for Ten years and then just... threw him away?"
"We don't know what happened yet," Agent Yoshida said diplomatically. "But we'll find out."
"Mrs. Takumi," I said, trying to change the subject, "I don't have anywhere to live. I've been on the streets since I woke up."
"You're coming home with me," she said immediately. "Tonight. Right now, if they'll let you."
Agent Yoshida nodded. "I think that would be best. We'll need to schedule follow-up appointments for quirk assessment and registration, but there's no reason to keep you here."
"Actually," I said, "there is one thing. I want to become a hero."
My mother blinked. "A hero?"
"Today wasn't the first time I've helped people," I lied smoothly. "I may not remember my past, but I know I want to use my abilities to protect others. I want to apply to U.A. High School."
Agent Yoshida raised an eyebrow. "That's... ambitious. The entrance exam is in ten months."
"I know. But I want to try. I mean, I feel I already can get in. Quirk wise of course."
My mother looked between us, clearly trying to process everything. "Rei, honey, you just got back. Maybe we should focus on getting you settled first?"
"I appreciate that," I said, "but this is important to me. I can't explain why, but I feel like this is what I'm supposed to do."
She studied my face for a long moment, then nodded slowly. "If that's what you want, then we'll make it work. But first, you're coming home and getting a proper meal. You're too skinny."
I couldn't help but smile at that. "Yes, ma'am."
As we walked out of the Hero Commission building, my mother's hand on my shoulder, I reflected on how drastically my situation had changed in just a few hours. This morning I'd been a homeless transmigrator with no legal identity. Now I was Takumi Rei, a missing child returned home, with a mother who loved me and a path toward becoming a hero.
It should have felt like a victory.
Instead, I felt like I was walking into a life that belonged to someone else, wearing the face of a boy who'd been lost seven years ago and might never truly be found.
How the hell did my life suddenly become so complicated?
But as my mother chattered excitedly about getting me new clothes and showing me how much the neighborhood had changed, I realized that maybe that was okay. Maybe I didn't need to be the same person I'd been before.
Maybe I could be someone new.
Someone better.
But this ... This was definitely gonna take a while to even begin wrapping my head around.
"Rei," She said as we reached her car, "I know you don't remember, but you used to love katsu curry. Should we stop and get some for dinner?"
I looked at her hopeful expression and made a decision.
"I'd like that," I said. "I'd like that very much."
As we drove through the streets of Musutafu, I watched the city scroll past and began planning my next ten months. I had a home now, an identity, and most importantly, a legitimate path toward the life I wanted to build.
___
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