Mapa Dearest

Chapter 5

TW's: doctor's office, medical discrimination/prejudice, rich brats turned professionals, mention of adoption, "the talk" with kids about discrimination

You woke up in the morning, remembering just as you were more awake than asleep that Tenko is your child and you're his parent. It left you giddy, before remembering that you have to take him to the doctor today.

You got up, got yourself ready– the usual. You made breakfast for the two of you, making sure it's good considering that you had to get blood drawn when you had your quirk checked.

Once it was done, you headed to Tenko's room to wake him up. He woke up quite easily, as if he were excited for everything today.

"Well someone's eager." You joked, and Tenko only nodded happily in response, bouncing his way to the kitchen for breakfast. He quickly shoveled the food into his mouth, making you nervous about him choking.

"You can eat slower, the appointment isn't for another hour." You said, and Tenko slowed down some.

He still finished far before you, and you told him he can shower first. So he headed to the bathroom, grabbing a towel for himself and choosing out an outfit.

While you finished eating and cleaned the dishes, Tenko showered by himself. You also grabbed yourself clothes for the day and a towel, so that once Tenko is showered you can shower.

And that's what happened, Tenko got dressed in his room and you quickly showered. You did your own hair, then did his and put on his lotions for him. You both went to the door, put on your shoes, and headed for the doctor's office.

You took the car, listening to your unnecessarily long playlist and just generally being a happy little family.

Once you got to the office, you turned off the car and let yourself and Tenko out. You walked into the office together, seeing many other families in the office as well.

Some looked worried, and some had kids playing with their quirks in plain sight.

After waiting for a moment or two, a young doctor stood at the door and called for you and Tenko.

Something about her made you uneasy, and it was made more clear when you got into the room with her.

She had on expensive jewelry, and her shoes were also expensive. If she didn't have to wear scrubs and a labcoat for the profession she's in, you figured that she'd be wearing all designer clothing. Definitely spoiled rich brat.

She also looked at Tenko weird. Some people did, when you went out with Tenko with you. He's a little boy that looks nothing like you wearing feminine clothing.

But you didn't like how this woman was looking at your son. Finally, though, she decided to talk.

"This is a quirk registration appointment?" She asked you, checking the papers as if she had to verify that you're his parent.

"Yes, Tenko's quirk activated a week ago, but his adoption has only recently gone through." You said, though you didn't like that you felt the need to explain yourself to this prick.

"Alright, what do you know about his quirk?" She asked, clicking a pen and pulling out her paperwork.

"His quirk is touch-activated. Once five fingertips touch an object, it turns to ash." You explained.

"He can show you, if you'd like?" You offered, trying to stay respectful. The woman nodded, and you grabbed a tissue from the box by the sink. Then, you took the bandaid off Tenko's left finger.

First, you put the tissue in his right hand, and Tenko held it with all five fingers and nothing happened. Then, you put it in his left hand, and he did the same. This time, it turned to ash in a mere moment.

The doctor stiffened for a moment, then wrote something down. She reached over to the different pamphlets they can give, and handed you one.

"How to raise a child with a villainous quirk."

That's what it said. The second you read it, you crumpled it up and threw it in the trash can.

With a plain, unreadable expression, you stood from your spot and looked the woman right in the face.

"I don't know who you think you are, nor where you got your degree from," you started, and you saw the woman's face change from whatever shocked expression she had before to one of pure confusion and a bit of fear.

"But you have no right to look at my son that way, nor do you have any right to refer to anyone's child the way you did to mine." You said, then put a hand on Tenko's back to tell him to stand up.

"I'll be reporting you for this behavior, and I hope you have the day you deserve." You said, leaving the room. Now that Tenko is registered, you can sign him up for school.

You did report her, while you checked out at the front desk. But, now you can sign Tenko up for school. And buy him the quirk-canceling jewelry.

So, you went online, found one of the shops, and ordered a necklace that will deactivate his quirk.

You then looked up the website to the primary school that most kids at the school you teach at went to, and found where to enroll a child. You filled out the paperwork and sent it in, letting yourself ignore it and clear your head.

"Mapa?" Tenko drew you out of your angry thoughts and distractions.

"What's up, kid?" You asked, trying your best to put on a smile as you headed to the car.

"What did the doctor lady do to make you angry?" He asked, and you remembered the cruelty of everyone, and you figured that explaining it to him now would be better than later.

"She called you something that a lot of people will probably call you. It's not a nice thing, but a lot of people aren't nice." You said, and Tenko looked confused.

You gratefully paused, so that the two of you could get into the car. Once you were out of the parking lot and driving home, you continued.

"Your quirk is something that a lot of mean people call a 'villainous quirk,' because a villain or bad person could use it for bad things." You began, and Tenko already appeared to be deflating.

"But, those mean people are wrong. Any quirk can be used to be a villain, and any quirk can be used to be a hero.

"If someone was stuck under big rocks and needed to get out, you could use your quirk to make the big rocks into ashes. But people judge others before they get to know them." You said, and it hurt you inside to know you have to teach your child about the injustices of the world before it happens to him without explanation.

"I have a quirk that people called useless as a kid, because it didn't really do anything. It didn't make anything, didn't change my appearance.

"I technically could've been a hero, but I decided I didn't want to." You explained, and Tenko nodded, seeming to understand.

"If someone is mean to you because of your quirk, tell a teacher. If the teacher doesn't do anything about it, tell me and I will make sure that the teacher is in trouble." You said, looking Tenko in the eyes through your rearview mirror. He nodded, and you smiled at him.

"The people that matter the most are the ones who will be friends with you, and it won't matter what either of your quirks are. Because they like your personality." You said, and you watched what you said resonate with your son before he smiled and nodded at you.

Life will probably be hard for Tenko, but you'll help him through it.