Author's Note: Wow, apologies everyone but I completely forgot to publish Chapter 10 of this story. I mainly post on Archive of Our Own (AO3), if you would like to read it there, you'll have to search it up since FFN doesn't like link embeds. The chapter was originally published September 17th, and a lot of things happened in my personal life that required my immediate attention. Thank you all for being patient. If you'd like to talk on Discord, you can contact me on the Warehouse server. A link to the server is in the Notes of the AO3 page of this story. Thank you

Life continued, and so did the training. Hours became days, days became weeks, and weeks became months. The tree leaves have turned red, orange, and yellow and fell onto the ground. For the first time of the year, snow had stuck to the ground only to melt just a few short hours later. It is late November, and winter is coming.

And to think this young 15 year old Izuku Midoriya would be blessed with such knowledge, one filled with something so unknown. Tenjin knew this, the kami humming peacefully outside a shrine in the Human World. Here he was in Fukuoka, fanning himself as hundreds, no, thousands of middle school, high school, and college students graced his shrine grounds, all of them coming to pray.

As he walked around his own shrine, all the others less the wiser, he peered over people's shoulders, ever studying those around him. A young girl, no older than 15, was gazing at a wall of Ema offerings. Her hair as black as the night sky, her height being taller than most her age, and zeal for academia was something unexpected. She suddenly took a blank piece of wood, one adorned by a beautiful river, and she started painting her wish with a paint brush.

Tenjin let out a melancholy sigh as she finished, and then she hanged the Ema outside the Honden, the shrine's main sanctuary. Tenjin watched as the girl left the shrine, and without hesitation he grabbed the Ema. His eyes scanned every line of the wish, his smile growing wider, and then he placed his hand over the wood.

"You still have much to learn, but your continued perseverance and intuition will lead you far."

Tenjin then closed his hand, his fingers caressing the black cherry wood. And as he lifted his hand… the black kanji that was written on the surface suddenly floated into the air, hovering over Tenjin's palm.

"You are naturally studious, you never waver from the path before you, best of all you wish to use these skills for the betterment of your peers, much like the Heroes roaming the world now." He said with a smile. "I bless you on your next trial, Momo Yaoyorozu."

The kanji glowed a soft blue, and it swiftly returned to the Ema offering. The elder kami returned the offering to the wall of Honden, and clasped his arms together connecting the sleeves of his sokutai. Tenjin then left the area, continuing to observe all the humans entering his shrine. He watched as a boy, perhaps 11 years old, clapped his hands twice signaling Tenjin he was there. The kami watched as the boy prayed with his mother, both of them placing coins in the offering box, and then, they bowed, and left the shrine.

"Hm…." Tenjin groaned. "You poor thing, I understand you are a child but you mustn't spend so much time on those 'video games'. You will never grow if you refuse to learn the proper lessons…"

Tenjin grunted with dismay, and he crossed his fingers in front of his eyes.

"You will not be blessed this day, perhaps failing this class project will serve as a lesson to you, young man." He said in a stern voice. "You're a kind soul, but you're simply… misguided."

A red energy flew into the air, then pierced the back of the boy's head. The boy, none the wiser, simply walked on as if nothing happened at all, and Tenjin shook his head.

Suddenly, he heard something. A whistle, and he looked upward, he heard it once more as he turned his head towards the Torii gate, its vermillion hue glowing in the sun.

"Heeelllooooo! Suguwara!" The young voice cried.

As he saw the person who stood underneath, Tenjin smiled. He started to laugh, and raised his hand.

"Ah! Yes, welcome!"

"Youkoso!" He cried. Suddenly particles of white light appeared at the Torii.

ようこそ

And the figure entered the shrine. Tenjin rushed to his new visitor with open arms, and the young man looked up with a warm smirk.

"Inari! Welcome to my shrine!" Tenjin cried joyfully. He suddenly hugged the young teen, the latter simply standing there. "First off, why do you insist on calling me by my human name? You know I abandoned it long ago."

"Well since you still respond to it I thought it'd be a fun little nickname!" Inari spoke, he then hugged Tenjin back, and the two bowed.

"You-" the kami groaned. He gave Inari a stern look, his left eyebrow twitching while the young man looked up with an innocent stare. And yet, Tenjin relented and let out a deep sigh.

"Of all the things I have learned and studied, I will never understand you." Tenjin said warmly. "Regardless, what brings you to the Human World? I thought you were tending to your cubs back on Mount Sakura."

"Oh don't mind me, I just had a lot of backed up prayers I never answered, so I just came down to visit a few of my shrines." Inari spoke, his smile remaining intact.

"Ah yes, a few of them," Tenjin retorted. "How many this time?"

"Oh you know, a few…" the young god replied.

Tenjin raised an eyebrow, and Inari giggled.

"One thousand four hundred and thirty-nine." He said. Tenjin felt a boulder crash onto his shoulders, and he let out a scoff.

"How in Kagutsuchi's name do you handle so many of them at once?! There must be a secret! You're using your kitsune aren't you… or maybe…?"

Tenjin stroked his beard as Inari simply tilted his head.

"A-HA! You must have Mayu running around carrying your magic right?"

"Oops, you got me." Inari said as he stepped forward, together he and Tenjin started walking towards the inner shrine. They walked past several visitors, and at one point, Inari walked through a human girl.

"Yes, I definitely use Mayu for my errands," Inari said with a blank face.

"I knew it! She uses her magic in conjunction with your own yes? She must be using your teleportation while tricking humans en masse! That is of course what kitsune are known for!" Tenjin cried.

Inari then stopped, and turned around.

"You do realize who you're talking to, right?"

"Of course, consider this my revenge!" Tenjin replied.

"Okay…" Inari muttered. "But yes, you figured it out, now you know my secret."

As they approached the inner shrine, there were less and less humans, only maidens and priests of the shrines remained, until Tenjin opened a hidden door. He bowed and allowed Inari to enter first, and as the boy god entered the door, he found himself in a hidden room. The room was filled with young women, all of them wearing white kimono tops and bright red hakama pants. They were organizing the many scrolls and books Tenjin had collected, some were serving traditional tea to several spirits, while others were simply watching the room.

"I always knew Mayu would offer assistance in such circumstances. She always was quite selfless. And who could blame her, she's so affectionate… and her hair evokes emotions buried deep within… and her stature… she's so…"

"Mhm, pretty sure everyone can see what you're really talking about."

Tenjin stopped for a moment, and shortly after, he blushed.

"What? How dare you I-I would never!"

Suddenly, one of the maidens approached the two gods, and her eyes glowed in awe.

"Lord Inari!" The woman said, she quickly bowed, and Inari returned the favor. "It's an honor to meet you sir! What brings you to our home?"

"Oh nothing, just wanted to talk to Tenjin that's all. Though he's a little too busy thinking about one of my kitsune."

The maiden then flicked her glasses and leaned over to Inari's ear.

"He's at it again right?" She whispered.

"Oh yeah, definitely." Inari whispered back, Tenjin perked and eyebrow and grunted with irritation. "He's really going head over heels for Mayu, I can't blame him too much, she's beautiful, but uh… I think you can get the picture."

The servant's face went red with anger as let out an irritated scream.

"MASTER! COME ON YOU'RE REALLY ON ABOUT HER AGAIN?! THAT'S THE SEVEN HUNDRETH AND SEVENTY-SEVENTH TIME NOW!"

"WAIT YOU WERE COUNTING SUZUME?!" Tenjin cried in terror.

"EVERY SINGLE TIME! WILL YOU PLEASE STOP WITH THAT?!"

As Tenjin and Suzume continued to argue, Inari chuckled, yet the other maidens continued their work uninterrupted. Inari then maneuvered towards another door in the back, and with a soft sigh, he closed his eyes.

"Alright alright enough!" Tenjin cried as he raised his hands defending himself. "Suzume I'll stop! I have better things to do, such as answering these prayers from all the humans!"

"And you better get on that!" Suzume retorted. "Do you have any idea how much Sayaka and I have to put up with your weird fantasies? By Amaterasu's light you're a teacher!"

"Haha!"

Tenjin and Suzume snapped their heads as Inari burst out in laughter, he laughed so hard that he held his stomach and his kimono's fabric and cloth shook with him.

"Hahahaha! Ha… man. Suzume you would make an excellent advisor! Someone's gotta tell Suguwara to keep it in his pants every now and then."

Suzume blushed, and then lowered her head. Her body shaking immensely as she turned around.

"Lord Inari! How dare you use such a tongue in my shrine!" Tenjin cried angrily.

"You're the one foaming at the mouth for my advisor, but now that this is out of the way…"

Tenjin noticed the shift in the room. Inari appeared to feign his smile, and the god of knowledge snapped his fingers summoning his pipe. He took a puff of tobacco and blew the smoke out of his nose.

"Knowing you, this isn't a social call." Tenjin spoke, his voice becoming noticeably deep. "You never come to the Human World unless it's necessary."

Inari's stare turned cold, his golden eyes speaking a sense of dread. The maidens in this room went quiet, and Tenjin grunted.

"Suzume, we need some privacy. Forgive me for the comments earlier, but this is urgent." Tenjin said.

"Uh- I understand Lord Tenjin." Suzume replied, she bowed, and disappeared into another room.

The other maidens swiftly cleaned the area of open scrolls and books, and shortly after, Suzume opened the shoji door to another room with a lone table, and she bowed once more. As for Tenjin, he simply look at Inari, and tightened his face.

"So, what's going on Inari?"

Tenjin and Inari sat quietly at a chabudai table, the two of them sitting on soft pads and crossing their legs underneath. They both took a drink of tea from their cups, both deities sighing in relief.

"Your tea always puts a smile on my face young man," Tenjin said quietly. "It's truly magnificent."

"Thanks," Inari said as he sipped his tea. "It's pretty weird hearing you call me 'young man' though. Yeah I get that I'm technically 15, but you know as well as everyone else that I'm well over a thousand years old."

"Well you're the one gifted with reincarnation, not me!" Tenjin cried.

"Hehe, yeah…" Inari replied.

Tenjin stopped for a moment and took note of Inari's tone. Something seemed sad, lost.

"Speak your mind, Inari," Tenjin said in a serious voice. "What's wrong? Have I offended you with that last remark?"

"Oh not at all! Even I'm still getting used to the whole reincarnation thing, but that's not why I'm here."

Inari sipped once more, and Tenjin offered him a small bowl of rice. The young god bowed his head, and grabbed his chopsticks. After taking a small mouthful of rice, he swallowed, and looked Tenjin in the eye.

"The Council has made their decision. It's been months since Susanoo attacked Tsukuyomi's shrine and we still haven't found him. They've declared him a fugitive, and they're ordering me to send my kitsune to gather any clues or leads on his whereabouts."

"I see." Tenjin said punctually. "And you're worried that we won't be able to find him?"

Inari responded with silence.

"Susanoo has always been a crafty fellow. I'm sure he has his own safehouses even we aren't aware of."

"I know, and having to send my family out there… you know I don't like sending them to the Human World, Suguwara."

"You needn't remind me," Tenjin said as he drank. "You care for them and I can't blame you. And Susanoo is… well… I'm sure he needs no introduction."

"Which is why I don't like the Council telling me to send them out to find that man." Inari said sternly. The gods drank more tea quietly.

"What else has the Council announced?" Tenjin asked, Inari shuffled his kimono.

"What I'm about to say stays between us, alright? This is top secret, and the only other people who know about this are Tsukuyomi, Izuku Midoriya, and the AEU."

Inari cleared his throat.

"Bishamon is missing, she has been for months and we have no idea where she is or why she vanished."

Tenjin spit his tea on the table, and he looked up in shock.

"Lady Bisha is missing?!" He cried.

"Shhh!" Inari shushed. "This is extremely confidential! No one can know about this!"

Tenjin wiped the tea he spat up with a napkin, and quickly swept away the stain. He took a deep breath and bowed to Inari.

"This is… unprecedented." He said. "Forgive me I just-"

"Take all the time you need Suguwara." Inari spoke.

Together, they sat in silence for mere moments, and Tenjin smoked his pipe.

"So we have a god, one of the Three Precious Children mind you, who is now a fugitive of our sacred laws, and one who is missing…" Tenjin groaned. "That cannot be a coincidence, there must be something at play here."

"We don't have any evidence to support that just yet, but I can't help but agree," Inari replied. "Though, there is something that's bothering me."

Inari then opened his kimono and removed something from inside.

"One of my kitsune, Mitsuki, found this while she was at one of Miyazaki's performances. It's a letter addressed Benzaiten."

"Oh? Why would Bishamon write something to her sister?"

"I don't know, but the letter said she was going on a 'vacation' and needed time away from Shinkyo and the Council." Inari said. "This was found after Susanoo attacked us and while Izuku was unconscious."

Tenjin looked up at Inari, whose eyes spoke an angered but worried tone.

"The timing is unfathomably suspicious." Inari said grimly. "I'm praying that the two of them aren't conspiring to do anything… drastic."

"You and I know Bisha better than that Inari, she would never become a criminal." Tenjin replied.

"She's a god of war Suguwara, you never know with them. If she's really out there planning with Susanoo against the Council then we need to find her!"

There was a slight tension rising in the room as Inari's breathing increased, however, Tenjin sat still, and drank the tea once more.

"That is a serious accusation Inari, but as you said we won't know anything unless we find evidence. We cannot change our views on her based on pure conjecture."

"I know it's just-"

"Young man." Tenjin spoke. Inari gasped, and the old man looked at him with soul piercing eyes.

"Do not let your bias cloud your judgement. I'm well aware of your pacifist outlook on the world, but you cannot judge others simply based on their appearance or name. Do not stoop so low as petty discrimination, do not become the other spirits who blindly harass the Dragons."

Inari lowered his head, his white hair falling into his face. Tenjin watched, and he noticed that poor thing. Inari was shaking, and the boy god grabbed his cup of tea, and downed the beverage in one gulp.

"Look at me."

Inari slowly lift his head as Tenjin stood up. He walked around the table and approached Inari from the side. Inari stood up as well, and looked at Tenjin, still shaking in his sandals. Suddenly, Tenjin grabbed the back of Inari's head, his hair caressing his fingers, and brought Inari into a hug.

"You're a kind boy, you always have been, which is why I pray you won't become like the others. Learn from the past and improve, do not repeat the mistakes of those before."

Inari shook even more, and then, Tenjin felt Inari's hands hug him. They hugged each other silently as the sun moved, and after that period, they let go and Inari bowed.

"Sorry, really I'm sorry, that was unbecoming."

"Nonsense, we all have our times of need." Tenjin spoke, his voice filled with wisdom. "I guess this is where our roles have reversed, yes?"

Inari nodded swiftly, and soon after he wiped his eyes. He tried to smile, and even laughed.

"Yeah I guess so," he whimpered. "How… how's Izuku doing? His training is well underway by now, how's he been handling your classes?"

Tenjin let out a sigh, and then, he smiled.

"The boy exceeds all of my expectations; I never expected him to adapt to the Spirit World so quickly given how he's only discovered our world recently."

Inari sat down again, pouring tea for the two of them. Tenjin gladly took his seat, and together, they drank once more.

"He has spent most of his life studying, dare I say obsessing over Heroes and Villains in Japan, but in doing so he has become so observant, so studious, I must say he astounds me."

"That's great to hear, he's one step closer to completing his training then."

"Oh indeed, but remember, it's still my class, we will see if he becomes a Kaiho-sya, he must pass first." Tenjin replied. "Though one complaint I have is that he has become… increasingly late."

"What do you mean?" Inari asked. "Do I need to talk to him?"

"Not at all, I understand completely that his training with Young Shimura is both physically and mentally exhausting. Should he need a day of rest, I will grant it, but that doesn't mean I have to enjoy the fact that he is late."

"He may be your Acolyte, but is still my student. I cannot teach effectively if he continually arrives late and in some cases even falls asleep in the middle of a lecture!"

Tenjin went red in the face, and drank his tea.

"I'll talk to him Suguwara, don't worry. If I have to I'll really hit it home." Inari reassured.

"You really don't have to, but I appreciate the thought." Tenjin explained. "Right now we're on Yurei, Midoriya seems to be getting used to my teachings, I'll file my findings to the Council by the new year."

"Excellent, and if he does well then he can move on to Niwa." Inari said.

"Ah yes, that, I've been meaning to ask," Tenjin said.

"When Susanoo attacked, you said that he attacked Midoriya as well, he didn't use Rend, did he?"

Inari gulped in fear, but complied.

"Yes, when I purified Izuku in our bath, he kept seeing images of a man burning to death, and he blamed Izuku for not saving him…"

"By Amaterasu's light, that's… oh dear." Tenjin said.

"Yeah, it was bad. The fact that Susanoo went as far to use that vile technique is disgusting. We need to find him."

"And we will, but for now, let us focus on Midoriya's training. Who'll be teaching him about Niwa?"

"Shimura and I have someone in mind. This person is perfect for it, but that's what I needed to discuss."

"Very well, thank you for the information." Tenjin said, he bowed to Inari, and the young man did the same to Tenjin.

Inari grabbed his tea kettle and made for the door.

"I will search for Susanoo when I have the time, you and I both know the danger of a rogue Kami."

"Armageddon…" Inari said, he clenched a fist. "Thank you, this helps us immensely."

"Of course, you're my friend after all, I will do anything to help."

Inari smiled and bowed once more, and as he left the room, he waved to all the maidens.

"Thank you for having me everyone but it's time for me to leave."

"Aw but you've only been here an hour! There must be something you want to read!" One of the maidens cried.

"Aw thanks! I appreciate it!" Inari replied.

"He's so handsome…" One of the maidens muttered.

Inari walked towards the door, but just then.

"Inari!"

The boy turned around as Tenjin approached him with Suzume at his side.

"Remember, do not judge a book by its cover, and do not judge others based on their appearance or background." He said. "I understand the implications of our discussion, but be open minded."

Inari smiled.

"I will, thank you for the lesson, Sensei."

"Oh my! I haven't heard you say that in years!" Tenjin cried, much to everyone's shock, he started blushing.

"Lord Tenjin not in front of our guest!" Suzume cried.

"I know, I know." Tenjin said. "Goodbye young man, take care."

"Take care Suguwara." Inari said.

The young man opened the door back to the shrine, but he turned his head.

"And stop calling me 'young man'!"

"Only when you stop calling me Suguwara!" Tenjin cried.

Inari giggled under his breath, and left the room. As he walked out towards the grand body of people, a sudden whisk of wind blew in. A small swarm of kitsune cubs spiraled around Inari, and shortly after, the young god vanished.

And yet, one person looked behind themselves. A tall man with a Hero's costume on, one black with blue accents. He stared behind him feeling the wind, and suddenly, he smiled.

"Hey, hey man! Come on we're here to pray to Tenjin remember?" This person's friend cried.

As the person looked back at his friend, he watched as his friend's crimson and angelic wings opened wide in excitement.

"Don't you remember the process Keigo? Purify at the temizuya first, then we pray. Jeez you're so stupid sometimes."

"Heyyyy if the president believed that then I wouldn't be the Number Three Hero would I?"

The two then headed to the temizuya and purified themselves. They grabbed the ladle and washed their hands, starting with the left hand, then right, then left again. Then they rinsed their mouths, and spit the water on the ground. Finally, they poured the remaining water down the handle, and made their way towards the Honden.

"Hey, after we're done with our patrol can we grab some food? I'm starving."

Keigo looked at his friend, his snow white hair accented by several red lines running down the scalp. This friend of Keigo's someone so youthful, so energetic, something seemed so… refreshing. Keigo rubbed his hand in it like a pillow, and the young man shriveled in panic.

"What the hell are you doing?"

"What's it look like?" Keigo asked.

"Are you seriously doing it here though?! Can't you do this back at the office?"

"Whaat of course I can! But I feel like doing it right now!"

"God… damnit."

Keigo laughed and together they entered the shrine, and before they prayed, Keigo pat his friend on the back.

"But to answer your question, yeah we can get some food. I know a great sushi place not far from here."

"Really? Thanks Keigo."

And together, they clapped their hands and prayed. Tenjin watched as he leaned on the shrine in front of them, and he caressed his beard with intrigue.

"Ah yes, how could I forget about you…?" He said to himself.

"Toya Todoroki?"