"I'm home," I call out as I stand in the doorway looking at a tissue lying on the floor. I walk to the kitchen levitating the Kleenex to the trashcan but it's overflowing so I put the used tissue on the floor again. I stare at the can, that's a lot of tissues, like too many. How has mom gone through so many tissues in the time I've been away? Hasn't it been less than a day at most? I drag my eyes away from the basket and go looking for mom passing through walls. Mom's on her bed with a bunch of photo albums of me but they're still no match for the terrorizing tissues on the bed, floor, mom's lap and side table.

A black mist hovers around her trembling shoulders and swirls around the bed. It comes with a stench of strong whisky, burnt food and blood. I cover my nose. Wait a minute. If I'm a ghost why am I able to smell that stuff. Is it some ghostly thing? It looks super unpleasant. I'm worried about that stuff clinging to her. Why does it look like it originates from her? Should I touch it? Should I snap her out of it? I don't want that stuff trying to hurt her- it doesn't seem healthy at all.

I look at my mom's face with her puffy eyes, her dark eyebags, her tangled hair. I reach for the mist with a quivering hand watching the distance shrink to inches when I hear a sound. I listen, closing my eyes and I place it as a knock on the front door. I frown, we don't get visitors often. I look at the alarm clock displaying 10:47. Phasing through the walls I poke my head through the door and see two police officers.

"Hiraoka, you lead, I did the last super messy suicide."

Hey, you can't tell my mom that. I look back to see the hallway empty. The other officer raises his hand to knock and I slap it. Stupid pass through everything body. Okay think. Think. Think. Could I cover mom's ears, so she doesn't hear the knocking? I can't physically touch her so that won't work. What do I do? I look at their belts and try to pull the taser off, it doesn't even budge. I crouch with my hands touching the cement jumping I drag my hands above my head to get an even bigger pull. The taser wiggles but the black clip doesn't release.

"Try the doorbell. She's not at work her friend Mitsuki called her in."

"She could be at her friend's house."

Yes! Leave, please leave. I watch the two of them start to walk to the staircase and I sigh in relief. I mean I'll have to tell mom but there's no way your going to do it for me. I go back into the house and see mom coming to the door. No, no, no. I go look outside and the cops are still way too close. Mom, please. I run my fingers through my hair as I breath heavily. Don't look that way mom.

I watch mom look around. "Hello? I guess it was the wind?"

"Oh!" Domen points at mom, "Mrs. Midoryia we're Musutafu police off-"

"Do you have news about Izuku's recovery?" Mom leans over the railing to look at the officers.

The two glance at each other then Hiraoka speaks, "I don't think we know more then you do. It's just a few questions about your son."

"Come in," mom says as she swipes at her face with her handkerchief spreading snot like butter instead of wiping it away.

I watch the police officers come through the door and help slam it shut once they're in the house. I see Domen look at the door but then shrug it off. So now you pay attention to what I do and on top of it you move fast to talk to my mom but are slow as hell when you're walking down the stairs; I scream at him, but he can't hear me and walks away. I sit and try to ignore their pleasantries but the two of them are talking so loud that I'd hear them anywhere in the house.

"While it's nice of you to offer us snacks. I believe me and my partner are good and would like to focus on our reason for visiting," Hiraoka says opening his notebook, "What were you or your son doing shortly before the incident, Mrs. Midoryia?"

"I was working to support the two of us and Izuku was going to school, he was getting good grades." Mom looks at my academic award on the wall.

"Can you think of any kind of tragedy happening before the incident, maybe even in the past few months?"

"No, he was happy that he could go to hero school after he was done with junior high."

Moms shoulders shrink making her look smaller on the couch. She's chipping the nail polish off with her fingers.

"Do you know of anyone who would want to hurt your son?"

Mom stops scratching her nails as she stares at the officer her eyes widening and her skin looking like a stained whiteboard.

"Mrs. Midoryia, can you think of anyone what would personally want to hurt your son?"

Mom's head snaps up to glare at Hiraoka. "Why would anyone want to do that?! Izuku has a smile that makes kittens think he's their mother." Mom chews on her lip as the police officer shifts in his seat. "I'll take that as a no."

"Why are you even bringing up something like that?" Mom crosses her arms as she pins Domen down with a glare like how butterflies are pinned in glass cases.

I lean forward in my seat. "Wait, you guys were talking about suicide on the porch and now it's possibly murder? What are you guys thinking happened to me?"

Clearing his throat Domen answers "just routine questioning. One last question and we'll be leaving. Can you tell me if he had any friends that were close to him?"

"There's one, Bakugou Katsuki, they're childhood friends. They go- ah, "mom looks at her hands and pauses to scrape a nail's worth of polish off, "went to the same middle school," she whispers.

The police officers start heading to the door until mom stops them with a question.

"Could you tell me the teachers name that found Izuku?"

"That was Mr. Mataou. Why are you asking?"

"If he hadn't found my boy then he would have died. He could've been off much worse than what he is now. I'd like to thank him."

"We're sorry about your tragedy." The policemen tip their hats and bow on their way out.

Mom goes to the kitchen. "I can't remember what likes for food, it's been so long since parent conferences and I'll have to get pastel wrapping. An apple pie should work, I can do it with the cinnamon and butter pecan crust.

The knife chopping the nuts is too loud and pecans skitter off to the floorboards. The flour drops onto the counter and the apple peels curl on the floor. "Oh dear, I'm making a mess I'll have to clean it up before Izuku comes- -" mom stares at the peel on the ground.

''Home" the two of us say. I hug mom my eyes seeing her forest green hair. I try to remember her orange and camellia shampoo; she's been using it since I was seven but all I smell is alcohol being poured into my nose. I pull my face out of mom's hair and see black mist swirling around us.

I hear mom's voice, "my baby's in the hospital and if someone dared to hurt him. I'd-." I feel my eyes being pulled to the knife like it's a target. My stomach drops as I sweat. I pull myself out of the mist and I can't hear mom's voice. "Are those her… thoughts? She sounds like me when I looked at a box cutter. I feel my head ringing. I grab my forehead crawling away from the mist while trying to blink away the black spots in my vision. I can hear my own voice in my head, leave me alone, please stop.

I breathe, forcing air into my lungs and coughing up the mist. Away from mom I see the true shape of the mist, a black cape flows from my mom's shoulders. I stare and stare but I don't hear. I can't hear mom's or my voice anymore. Is that mist tormenting whoever is trapped inside it? I rack a hand through the mist pulling with my powers and it starts to slide to me but continues to rotate around mom. Get away from her. I'll fight you, whatever you are, you black mist. I've become stronger dealing with the bullying, the eggs in my shoes that I must wear or else the teacher will yell at me for wearing outdoor shoes. The notes that are burnt and harder to study. If I survived that then I'll take you on too. I grapple with my physic powers to move it all away from mom. Move for fuck's sake.

Then it rushes me, my eyes widen as I instinctively throw my hands in front of my face. "I don't want to hurt my mom. My own voice rips through my head and my eyes widen. How dare the police officers suggest I was suicidal? Mom wasn't supposed to know. Mom wasn't supposed to hurt. I'm crying like mom and I can see more black mist surrounding myself, coating me like a piece of chocolate. I really don't feel so good. I clutch my head as I curl up in a ball on the ground. I reach out for mom. "She really shouldn't be feeling this kind of thing." I smile even as I black out because the mist is swirling around me.

The dark is unsettling, so I open my eyes. I feel a lump in my throat tasting burnt food. Coughing I hack the thing out. I squint at it, looks and felt like plastic. I scrape my tongue with my teeth and spit. Squirming I lay on my side seeing a pink slipper with an orange rose embroidered on it. That's moms. Is she alright?! I jolt starting to look for her, but the action rewards me by making me retch. There's nothing in my stomach so I just gag and drool. I see her leaning against the stove. Her eye bags are lighter from when I last saw her. Placing a hand to her skin I feel she's also warmer. It seems like removing the black mist healed her.

''I don't remember ghosts being able to heal in horror movies though revenge was their goal not healing. Isn't there supposed to be a tenkan on my forehead and I have disembodied hands. Is that what I look like to people or is that more of an intentional thing?" I look in the bathroom mirror. " I don't have a tenkan though I look worse than I thought."

I stare at my torn uniform, poking my shoulder through the fabric. So I can touch myself but I can't touch other people or things. I shoo the black mist clinging to me into the toilet and flush. Can I remember any other thing about ghosts? They're supposed to haunt people or things right? I'm probably haunting my body and mom. Also, my school- since that's where the accident took place. I'll try looking at the school's library for information.

I crouch looking at the book spines along the bottom edge in the supernatural section, my knees hurting. Leaning I look at the middle spines. Standing I look at the top spines. "Nothing but the ghost that lived next door, ghost whispering princess, the dog who turned into a ghost. Is writing stories about ghosts that appealing I thought heroes were better material." I bite my nails as I search the library.

Could I leave a note for the librarian to pull a book? I walk to the desk, floating a pen to write. I grimace. Trying again, again, again, again, I conclude my handwriting when I was six is better than what I just did. I throw the paper into the trashcan. Rubbing my temples, I take a deep breath. Let's try a memoir. I take another deep breath rubbing at my sore throat. Possibly someone haunted by a ghost could be useful. I search the library finding one. I set the book on the floor and read the summary on the back. The true events of the haunting at the coal mines began when I was six but the friends, I made lasted me a lifetime. After seven years we decided to discuss what we remembered and the chilling events that occurred that night. Frowning I put the book back seven years later isn't the best memory for factual information. I stride to the hero section.

"I don't recall any heroes bluntly using ghost powers, the closest is permeation or telekinesis, but I'm already here so I'll look." Searching I don't find anything useful either. I walk up and down the shelves but don't find anything else. I have to ask for help but I can't write well. I need to learn about the black mist now or at least some way for me to recover after healing mom. I stare at my hands in the moon light an ache coming to my body. I force it away. Writing well takes too much time I'll try my luck at a library near the hospital.

I phase through walls going straight to the hospital when I go through one but it feels slimy, so I back out and look at it. Poking it I feel the same sensation. "Great another bizarre thing I interact with but don't know anything about." I throw my hands in the air. Examining the brick to see if I can find a way around it. I look at the room's entrance and see a sign with Paranormal research club written on it.

I grin. Did the members put a barrier on the room? Are there weak points, if there weren't, could I still force my way through? Probing all sides, I think the door is the weak spot, but I'll need momentum. Gauging which side of the hallway would give me the biggest runway I get into a sprinter's position.

I bolt, wind blowing my hair off my forehead as I curve at the photography club to dive straight into the door. I feel the slime from my fingers to my chest rolling me around like I'm a piece of clothing in a washing machine until I get projected out with a pop flying through walls until I land in an English classroom.

"Ah, I forgot I can permeate through things." I chuckle then breath as I calculate in my head. The hallway is about 45 meters long and the hallway I ran down gave me 14 meters. That got me about a third through. If I run through the classrooms, I'd get 25 to 35 meters, barely enough to get through if my calculations are correct. Trying to stand but my knees collapse under me. I reach for the desk and my hand falls through. Laying on my back I wiggle my toes they waver just enough that I'm not sure if they did.

"I'll just rest and try again." Wait- if I can recover can the barrier too? The club member will fix it when they come to their meeting. I must finish this tonight if I don't then the members could make the barrier stronger as a precaution to ghosts. Ignoring how my body aches I get up while clenching my fist. I will get through that barrier tonight!

In a sprinter's position I stare at the floor. If I got about 14 meters from the hallway and then I can get 25-35 from running through the hallways, barely enough. Barely. I shake my head. No, I just need to run as fast as I can. I glare in the direction of the door, sprinting off. I leap into the barrier feeling the slime leave my hands, my shoulders, my hips, my thighs then it shudders. My eyes dart scanning for something I could use to pull myself through. I reach for a bookshelf, my fingers tapping the wall, inches away. Pushing against the doorframe with my other hand I lean forward a few inches. I grip the wood with my fingers then have my grip wrenched off the bookshelf as the slime sucks me back to my hips.

"I said I'm getting into this room tonight." I grit my teeth and push against the walls like I'm doing a pull up. My muscles hurt from the work out and try to relax but I force them to work. I take a deep breath and squeeze again. The slime shudders starting to reach for my waist. I wiggle my upper torso side to side to prevent the slime from getting a good grip. I have to pause and take a breath watching the slime re-incircle my hips that I just got out. I kick my legs, " Plus, huff, huff." I get my knee free and jam it against the frame for leverage pushing my back against the other side. I strain, "ah, huff, urgh. Plus Ultra Smash!"

I didn't think I'd be so happy to have my head in a locker. I roll over and stare at the book spines. When Ghosts Speak: Understanding the World of Earthbound Spirits. Mediumship for Beginners. The Differences Between Ghosts and Spirits.

I tug at the first book not being able to control it, it falls to the floor. Chapter 1 Common Ghosts. Chapter 2 Ghost Powers and Chapter 3 Communication with Ghosts. Chapter 4 Repellents of Ghosts. Chapter 6 Ghost Behavior.

I start skimming the words as it's hard to keep the pages open. Interactive personality; deceased family or friend etc., visiting loved ones to comfort or tell them information. Retains personality. Can emit recognizable smell. Ectoplasm or ecto-mist; fog like substance that's white, grey or even black. Can become full body apparition. That's what's clinging to mom?! But it attacked us? How did we make someone so angry at us, that's impossible, we didn't do anything wrong? If that's true then will I have to fight the person to make them leave mom alone? " I frown, my cheeks puffing out as my brow furrows. Regardless, I should learn my powers.

My powers are electromagnetic disruption, thermokinesis, mediumship, all my physical abilities are increased as I'm not limited by a living body. I can attach my presence to objects I was close to in life. Rarer powers can occur because of circumstances at death like if someone drowned, they could manipulate water as a ghost.

A ouija board is preferred for communications but mom doesn't have something like that in her house.

To repel or vanquish a ghost. Salt and burning the bones. Proper rites or taking care of their regrets. I can't do those options for someone who I don't know the identity of. Doing proper rites during the new year and other holidays can keep spirits at bay. A priest can exorcise the spirit or put up a barrier. That reminds me about the barrier. I look around the room to see if I can find what caused the barrier. Noticing two talismans attached to the wall the bookcase between the two. I stand and examine them closer. One says protection from evil in smudged ink with the paper peeling at the top. The one by the door says welcome spirits we have rice for you. I look between the two talismans. What's the point of putting up a barrier if your going to make a hole in it?

I return to reading the book. Two ghosts fighting can destroy one another. So, does that mean I can die again as a ghost? What happens to the ghost who loses the fight? I reread the page and flip it over reading the other side closer. I go back and read the page about barriers closer as well. It doesn't say if a ghost can enter the house with a barrier on it if they're given special permission. I want mom to be safe, since I can't protect her, but I also know she needs me in the house to comfort her. Is there some way for me to get stronger and then I can fight off the ghost, so we don't need the barrier? I chew on my lip flipping through the table of contents again. Sighing I shake my head. I've left mom alone with the mist for too long anyway and this book isn't going to give me more information.

Standing to the side of mom's bed I glare at the mist. "Hey, we need to talk." I watch its form around my mother's head not move. "I'm serious. You have latched on to the wrong person. I know my mom did not hurt you so you need to stop doing- "I wave my hand at my mother's body covered in sweat as she strangles a pillow to her chest. "this. Right now." I pause to strengthen my glare leaning over my mom. "And don't ever start it again.'' The mist still doesn't move. I look at the clock 2:07 and cross my arms. 2:13 still no movement. "Regardless if you accept it or not. I'll be watching you." The clock reads 3:11. "I'll be here for a while so it's better you get this over with then trying to wait me out."

I check up on mom, pulling the covers over her that she kicked off, smoothing them out. I peer at the same quantity of mist around her figure. I pinch and rub a bit between my fingers hearing mom's voice, no, you can't leave me Izuku like Hisashi. I scratch my cheek blushing. Leaning over I brush away mom's bang to plant a kiss at her temple. "Don't worry mom. I'm home."

Thank you to Elpis21 for commenting. Thank you to Fujoshi-yaoiforlife, FireRabbitTavo, Raxcoricofallapatoreous, for adding my story to your favorited stories list. Thank you to ZZaner67, kyronis40, Red-Wing2019 for subscribing to my story for alerts.

A hearty thank you to Null0001 for adding me and my story to your author alert subscription, story alert subscription, favorite authors list and favorite stories list.

A generous thank you to Amadeus Amadeus for adding my story to your favorite story list and story alert list.