Hello, dear readers! Welcome to the first chapter of The Gundam Meister of UA!
While I have posted three stories prior to this, this is the first time I've actually written one myself! All of my other projects are merely the results of me plotting out a story and finding a writer who's almost as passionate about the idea as I am to execute the idea. That's not to say I couldn't find writers who weren't interested, but they all had other projects that they wanted to focus on.
But being the impatient man that I am, I decided to sit down and actually do it myself. That being the case, this is my first real story so...I'm a bit green here. A novice.
That said, any and all feedback will be appreciated. Positive or negative, I'll take anything. I'm not gonna know what does and doesn't work if I don't have you all give me your real thoughts in the reviews. Be as honest as you can. So please let me know what you think in a review.
Now, I'm sure some of you will have questions when your done reading this, such as why, of all things, I'm putting these two animes together, but I'll explain everything at the end of the chapter. Until then, however, please sit back, relax, and enjoy!
My Hero Academia is owned and written by Kōhei Horikoshi and Shonen Jump. Gundam 00 is owned by Sunrise Studio's and originally written by Yōsuke Kuroda. I own nothing. Please support the official release.
Thanks to Greatkingrat88 for betaing this chapter.
Italics stand for thoughts or phone speak or other eclectic devices such as tv/toys.
BOLD IS FOR DRAMATIC EFFECT OR FOR TIME PASSING! AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!
8 years earlier.
The Wang family was not just one of the richest and most influential dynasties of modern China, but of the entire world. Their influence had grown for centuries, from the peddling of street goods to the ownership of a store, to several, to owning whole chains of stores, until they had become a key player in the stage of global economical politics. Whether working from rags or riches, each head of the clan had been possessed of a ruthless drive to succeed where others could not, constantly adding to the wealth and prestige of their family. With such prestigious influence, it was perhaps not strange that they had become the sponsor of the world's most well-known hero, All Might.
The Wang family was one of the richest and influential dynasties of not just modern day China but of the entire world. They're influence had long since spread from simple business and weapon manufacturing to world's political stage itself. They had even gone so far in recent times to fund the activities of the world's most well known hero, All Might.
To be the head of the family was a great honor, but also a tremendous burden fraught with pressure. The one designated to carry this burden from birth was Wang Liu Mei, eldest daughter of the clan head. From before she could walk, she had been groomed to lead, to take responsibility for an empire that could rival small nations in terms of power and wealth, to ensure the well-being of millions of people under their employ. For the greater good, for the sake of her family, her childhood was shortened to such an extent that it would go by like lightning. It was tradition, after all, and nobody thought to question it. What she wanted was never considered. The family was all. Right now, though, the little girl destined- or doomed- for great purpose was blissfully unaware.
"Look mommy, it's him, it's him, it's him!"
Wang Liu Mei couldn't hold her excitement. She had just turned on the tv, hoping to find something that could entertain her young five-year-old mind, when she came across her favorite hero on the television.
"IT'S ALL MIGHT! GO GET THEM, ALL MIGHT! SHOW THOSE VILLIANS!" she cried excitably, clapping her hands with cheer.
"AH HAH HAHA! FEAR NOT CITIZENS. HOPE HAS ARRIVED, BECAUSE I AM HERE!"
The live feed on the TV was blurred; it was a report from an incident in progress, but she couldn't have cared less.
"He's soo cool!" Liu Mei said to herself out loud as her mother walked into the room. She couldn't believe she managed to find him live on TV!
"Yes, yes, I know. Settle down now, sweetie." Juan said to her. Ever since her daughter found out how to use the TV, little Wang Liu Mei had become obsessed with super heroes. Be it for rockslides, fighting fires in the city, or stopping petty theft, she couldn't get enough of it. However, there was one hero above all that she loved.
"He's the strongest one, isn't he Mom?" Liu Mei asked her mother, a glimmer in her eyes as she spoke with excitement, "The absolute best! No one can beat All Might! He's invincible!"
"He may well be, dear."
Juan couldn't help but find her daughter's childish fixation pleasantly fitting. The Wangs, after all, were the proud sponsors of the world's greatest hope, the ones who booked his events, managed his career, boosted his public image with the best PR that money could buy- and he was the one hero their daughter loved the most, and the one who brought them the most prosperity from the hero business. Both Cheng and Juan had been heroes once, although they were now retired from the profession, focused on running the family business.
Certainly, the Wang clan would have enormous power even without All Might, politically and especially financially, but with All Might at their side, their success was at its very apex, completely and totally unprecedented. One day, Juan thought, she will inherit the wealthiest business empire in their part of the world- in no small part thanks to All Might.
"I see someone's found her favorite hero," A familiar voice said, before a man walked into the room.
"Daddy!" Liu Mei yelled out before running over to him. "You're back!"
"Yes, sorry for keeping you both waiting. The board meeting took far longer than expected," he said, before smiling at her, "I'm ready for that picnic I promised you!"
"Hooray!" Liu Mei cheered, "Let's go now, daddy!"
"In a minute, honey. I need to talk with your mother first. Why don't you go play in your room until we're ready?"
"Ok!" Liu Mei said as she before she quickly ran off to her room, making a 'whoosh' sound, yelling "UP! UP! AND AWAY!"
Her father smiled as she left the room. "What do you say about that?" Her mother said before she walked over to her husband, "That her favorite hero is one of her father's best friends?"
"I wouldn't say its that surprising." Cheng replied. "Toshinori has that kind of an effect on people, especially when he plays the role so well."
Wang Cheng had known All Might- then just Toshinori- since his youth, when he had transferred to Japan to become a student at UA. The two had gotten perfect scores on their entrance exams, and shared a room throughout their time in the academy. They had been great friends ever since, keeping in touch even after Cheng's duties pulled him back to China.
"I'm sure she'll be thrilled when she finds out," Juan replied. "Are you sure he'll be able to make it to her birthday this year?"
"He'll try his damnedest. Let's just hope there isn't some villain to get in the way this time. He almost missed her first birthday because of that villain trying to take over South Korea." He said with a chuckle.
"It's nice to see her so lively, enjoying herself..." Juan paused, "Are you sure you can't just hand over leadership to her bro-"
"Absolutely not!" Cheng snapped, before regaining his composure, "I'm sorry, but...You know how he is. If he got his hands on that kind of power... he doesn't have what it takes."
"I know... I just... I just want what's best for our daughter," Juan said, sighing. "It won't be long now, will it? Before she'll have to start growing up. How long until the private lessons begin?"
"One year," He told her. His daughter would be given a private tutor, one of the best, to teach her as well as he could. A basic education, along with leadership lessons, politics', economics' and more. Everything she needed to prepare her for the long road ahead.
"Maybe I should just tell her now." Her mother asked. "I mean...I don't want her to get some false hope of being a full-time hero when she'll be-"
"Let's tell her after she gets her quirk." Cheng interrupted. "She'll be more willing to listen by then, I'm sure. Now, let's get going, shall we? I don't think she can wait much longer."
Two years later
"I'm sorry, sir... But I'm afraid your daughter is quirkless," said the doctor apologetically, "At this age, this late… there's no other conclusion I can make."
"N... no." Wang Liu Mei was distraught beyond words. For so many years she had planned on becoming a hero. She had been so excited to find out what power she would have. Super strength? Speed? Maybe the ability to turn into some kind of animal? Flying? Or her favorite, laser beams! Any of these choices and more were what she had been looking forward to for the past four years. But now... she was hearing she had none? Nothing at all?
"That... can't be…" he said with disbelief.
"Please, doctor, there has to be some kind of mistake." Her mother asked with some concern. "Maybe she just needs more time for her quirk to show up?"
"I'm afraid there's no mistake, ma'am," The doctor said before he activated a nearby projector and showed the three of them her X rays.
"See this?" The doctor said as he pointed at her left foot, more specifically, her toes, "Normally, when people develop quirks, they only have one joint in their pinky toe. Your daughter has two. I'm sorry, but it's simply not possible."
"I see." Her father said before sighing. This... complicated things. A lot. However... he knew of a way to lessen the blow of this harsh reality. "Mei, Listen...This isn't the end for you."
"Its...It's not?" She asked. Was there still a way for her to be a hero? To get a quirk? Did her father know something she and this doctor didn't?
"Even though you don't have a quirk, you can still help out others," He told her reassuringly, "Once you start leading our clan, you can use our wealth to help so many people. Creating Jobs, funding charities- in fact, you can even help fund other heroes like your broth-"
"NO!" Liu Mei cried, nearly jumping out of her chair, "You just don't get it at all! I don't want to be head of the family! I don't wanna! You always say that I have to, but you don't care about what I want! I have to take lessons all the time, from the morning until I have to sleep. I want to go outside! I want to make friends! Hong Long always got what he wanted, so why can't I? Why do I have to do that when he doesn't?"
"Liu Mei," her father said sharply, "go to your room. What have I told you about talking back?!"
"Fine!" Liu Mei said angrily. With a huff, she quickly walked over to the door and promptly slammed it shut before she headed to her room.
Her father sighed. "Well...I should have seen that coming."
"Did you really have to mention Hong Long?" Her mother asked with irritation. "You know how envious she is that he can still act like a child. We shouldn't have pushed her so hard."
"Our clan demands no less for the heir, and you know it."
"She's seven years old!" Juan shot back, "The past two years of her life she's hardly ever left the estate. We're robbing her of her childhood! How often have we let her actually have fun, Cheng? She studies and studies nonstop with hardly any time to live her life! We need to start thinking less about the clan and more about her future! We need to do what's best for her!"
"I am doing what's best for her!" Her father yelled back before he realized just who he was yelling at. "I... I'm sorry." He said as tears began to fall from his eyes. "I just...I don't know what to do anymore. I don't want her to be like this either...but you know what the doctors told us...We're running out of time."
"Yes...I know."
"We don't have a choice," He told her. "I know that it seems cruel now but one day, I know our daughter will thank us."
"I can only hope you're right."
Cheng knew his wife, and he could tell that though she was trying to be supportive, she doubted him. It was written across her features, plain as day, in the subtlest ways; her hint of a frown, the inflections of her speech, her body language. He wanted to rebuke her, tell her that she should be honored that her daughter would have the privilege to lead the clan, just as he, his father, and his father before him, and every head before them had… but for reasons he had yet to accept, yet to understand, he couldn't bring himself to say it.
Meanwhile, in her room, Wang Liu Mei had buried her head into her pillow and cried. How could this have happened!? What were the odds of her not getting powers?! Everyone else in the clan had them. Both of her parents were former heroes, for goodness sake!
"Why?... why am I... so pathetic?" She cried to herself.
She knew her father meant well, that he was only trying to cheer her up, but there was little anyone could have said to make Liu Mei feel better at this time. She knew she had a responsibility, that things were expected of her, and she knew she wouldn't have been able to be a hero for long, but… she still dreamed, still dreamed of being one, even if it was just for a little while.
She continued to cry for several more minutes before her sobs began to die down, cries turning to sniffles before she finally removed her head from her pillow and looked up at her ceiling.
"It can't... end like this. Not here," She turned to look at her room. It was covered in all sorts of hero merchandise. Action figures, books, video games, posters, she had it all. Reaching her hand forward, she grabbed onto her most prized possession. An All Might Action figure.
Pressing a button on the toy, she heard the words she always listened to whenever she doubted herself come from the action figure.
"Have no fear! For I am here!"
She smiled before she looked up to the ceiling once more as she put the toy down. "No... this isn't the end. I'll simply...Just go beyond."
Her father and Mother had done all that they could to ensure that her quirkless nature hadn't been revealed to the clan. Wang Lui Mei hadn't understood why at first. They were her family, weren't they? Every single member of the clan prior to all of this had been polite and respectful to her, so why would all of that change now?
It only took her one month for to find out.
At the moment, she had been looking for her father. Apparently, he had some exciting news for her; they had planned on taking her to a private boarding school, at least for while. Her father had told her that they still loved her very much, but she had to go out in the real world and meet other people. He'd told her that not everyone was rich like they were, and she'd have to deal with all kinds of people when she grew up. The boarding school was no less restrictive; she hardly had any more freedom than before. But at least it got her out of the mansion. At least she got to meet people outside her clan, for once. She had that much to look forward to, at least.
However, as she walked down the hallway, she heard two voices. One was undoubtedly her father's, but the others was one she hadn't heard as often. Upon getting closer, and seeing the occupants in the room, she recognized it to be her uncle Meng. She hadn't spoken to him all that much, her father always finding one excuse or another to keep her away from him as much as he could. She hadn't understood at first...but she was about to find out soon.
"You're making a huge mistake!" Meng yelled at Cheng. "You can't seriously still think that your daughter possibly has what it takes to lead our clan on our path to prosperity! That child will destroy everything we and our ancestors have built up and achieved for centuries!"
"The only reason you even make these accusations is because she lacks a quirk!" Her father snapped. Liu Mei had seen him angry before, but never like this- he was usually a very restrained man, professional, calm and collected. Now his voice had a slight tremor in it, anger evident in his tone.
"I've groomed her for success since she was born! I gave her the best teachers money can buy, and her grades and intelligence are exceptional for her age. If she were in school, her tutors have informed me, she would have skipped several grades already. But here you are, obsessing about… some superficial thing like power. Would laser eyes help her make better business decisions? Would super strength make her a more capable judge of character? Are you really stupid enough to get something like the absence of a quirk get in the way of all the hard work I've done for our clan?"
"None of that matters if the public will no longer respect us!" Her uncle yelled back. "We run the most well-known and profitable Hero Agency in the world. What do you think would happen if they all found out our heir was some quirkless brat!? We would become a laughing stock!"
"Are you serious?" Her father asked. "As long as we have All Might-"
"ALL MIGHT ISNT GOING TO BE AROUND FOREVER!" Her uncle yelled. "Sooner or later, that man will have to retire. When that happens, then what? Will she just befriend the next up and coming number one hero like you did? There's no way she's ever going to be accepted into the hero course at UA! Even if she could by some miracle, the odds of her doing what you did are ridiculous! Face it, Cheng, you basically caught lighting in a bottle. It's never going to happen again!"
Her uncle then regained his composure, his face calmer than it had been a moment ago. "Listen. Let me take over. Let your daughter finally live the life she's wanted. Let's face facts, Cheng, you're not going to be around for much longer. Many others of our clan agree with my earlier assessment of your daughter. She'll ruin our public image. If you let me take over, I can promise you that not only will our clan continue to prosper... I'll ensure we'll become far more powerful as a result!"
A look of contempt passed her father's face.
"You? Lead our clan? I know your worth well, brother, and I can't imagine giving you power without going mad first."
"Cheng-"
"Don't think I am unaware of your dealings?" spat her father, "Downsizing jobs to trim your profit figures, shady agreements with arms dealers, bribing politicians to avoid inspections… and I know for a fact that you do not want an investigation about your ties to the villains in your region. What's worse," he said, marching over to a window overlooking the ocean, "you're good at it. Competent. Prosperous. Just like I am, only without the slightest semblance of ethics."
Her father turned to look back at her uncle, and a rage unlike she had ever seen from him before had clearly taken over his face. "I would sooner let our clan burn to the ground before I let you use it for such purposes. Now get out!"
For only the briefest of moments did her uncle have a shocked look on his face, before it too was replaced by anger. As he headed for the door, Liu Mei quickly got out of sight, hiding underneath one of the couches. As her uncle walked out of sight, she heard him mutter under his breath. '
"You'll regret this one day, Cheng. You and that worthless brat. I promise you that."
Wang Liu Mei could hardly believe what she had heard. While she hadn't interacted with her uncle much in the past, they had always gotten along swimmingly. He was nothing like the man she had just seen. Furthermore, he had made it clear that he wasn't the only one who had thought this way.
On the one hand, she almost agreed with her uncle. Maybe it would just be better to let him take over things? She really wanted nothing to do with being the future leader of the clan, and the fear of failure had given her many a sleepless night over the years. She would gladly give him this position in a heartbeat.
However, despite all that, something about her uncle's dismissive attitude, about his lack of faith in her… irked her. She had been trained all her life for this. It's what her mother and father wanted for her. Did all her lessons mean nothing? All her work? All of it useless, just because she didn't have a quirk? Her father had been right- what did that have to do with good leadership? Maybe it would change how people looked at the company, but… so what? She could do it if she wanted to. Not that she did, but… she could.
She could. Liu Mei had not wanted any of it, but she had never known of her father's concerns, never known of her uncle's corruption. If she let him have his way… bad things would happen. Bad things beyond what her young mind could understand, she was sure. People would be hurt, and even if it wasn't people she knew, that was still bad. People shouldn't be hurt. And if she could stop that from happening… well, All Might wouldn't. She remembered his words, from one of his innumerable TV appearances:
Remember this! A real hero is someone who is always willing to put his or her life on the line for anyone! Be it for a friend, family, a coworker, total strangers and even someone they don't can't stand, a Hero must always be willing to do what is right!
Even now, even after the disappointment of her quirklessness, Wang Liu Mei still hadn't given up on her dream to become a hero. It didn't matter if she was quirkless or not, she was determined to make a difference in the world.
"I'll do it...," she said quietly to herself, "even if it's hard. Even if I don't want to do it. I'll... I'll accept this responsibility."
That was after all, what a real hero would do.
"Are you sure you won't be able to make it today?" Cheng asked into his cell phone as he walked down the well-furnished hallways of the Wang Mansion. "It would mean a lot to my daughter if you could show up, even if only for a few minutes."
The person on the other end, of course, was Toshinori, better known to the world as All Might. When Cheng had found out his old friend would be coming to China, he had been overjoyed. Liu Mei's birthday was today; she was turning nine, and he could not imagine a better gift than meeting her hero in person. He had tried to arrange a meeting for years, but their schedules had conflicted with each other; always intense studies on Liu Mei's end, always villains to battle on Toshinori's end. Cheng had not spoken to Toshinori face to face for years, not since his daughter had been born. They both had intense, all-important duties that left little time to spare for personal issues. He had dared to hope that this time might be different.
"Im afraid so. I'm sorry, I know your daughter's been looking forward to this, especially after what she went through at that school, but this is far too important. Cheng... I think I've found him."
"You don't mean... All for One, do you?"
"Yes. If I can catch him, if I can just end things right here and now, I-"
"I understand, Toshinori. This take priority... taking him down means more to you than almost anything else. End this. For all of us."
"I will... tell your daughter I'm sorry."
"It wouldn't be the first time... good luck, old friend." He hung up the phone before sighing. He just had to be after him of all people, didn't he? If it had been anyone else, he would have insisted letting someone else try their hand at it, like Endeavour. It was selfish, he knew it, but he wanted, just this once, to see his daughter as happy as she used to be, as she had been when she had been little.
If you wanted to do that, why not just let someone else lead the family?
He shook his head as the thought came to him. They had come too far to go back now as far as he was concerned. Too many years spent in isolation, and if it continued, they would have taken her childhood from her. It would have been too little too late.
Have I really made the right choice? He asked himself. The path of an heir was a burdensome one. You had to give up most of your life working to support your clan. There would be little personal time, from the moment you started working toward it, and it would never end, not until you retired. He had made the choice for her, and sometimes he wondered if that was right. By tradition, that was what parents did, but… sometimes he looked to the west, wondering if there wasn't a better way.
No, things had to be done the way they were. Her brother wasn't fit to rule; they had found that out rather quickly. The boy just didn't have the mentality or intelligence needed to rule. His brother was far too corrupt to even remotely consider, and the rest of the family wasn't much better, willing to do whatever it took to get them ahead. Too much was at stake. Too many livelihoods depended on it. It... had to be her.
"Liu Mei...I'm sorry." He said to himself out loud. He had tried to deny it for years, but it was only now that he really realized this fact.
I'm a terrible father, aren't I? I've told myself it was for the greater good, that it's how it had to be, that it was what was best for her… but in the end, it's all about my legacy. A legacy cut short by my own foolishness.
He suddenly felt a pain in his chest and he coughed into his hand. He soon looked at his right hand, and saw the blood he had just put onto it.
If only I have more time… if only we had been more careful on that mission. If only, if only… then, she wouldn't have to shoulder this burden. Not so fast, at least. If it weren't for that da-
"Father?"
Cheng turned around to see none other than the one he was so focused on. His daughter was well dressed, a fancy dress and everything, as one would expect from a member of their clan on their birthday. Normally she would be happy... but right now, she had a slight frown on her face.
"He's not coming this time either, is he?" she asked, her words less a question than they were a statement. How much of their conversation had she heard? No; odds were she had heard nothing at all, but simply deduced the truth. She had had maturity thrust upon her, and it was sad to see to what extent.
"No... he's not."
He wanted to say something, anything at all to cheer her up. But he knew that no words that would come out of his mouth would comfort her. Besides the holidays, the only day Liu Mei had to relax was her birthday. Each year, however, she had always wanted one thing, one present that her father had always promised, but could never deliver on. Meeting her hero. This had been the fourth time he had to go back on his word. Sure, she had other presents, and while his daughter had always been grateful for them... he knew that none of them could have compared to being with his old friend.
"Liu Mei, I-"
"It's alright, father," said Liu Mei solemnly, and walked past him, looking out the window, drinking in the beautiful view of the ocean, much like her father had once done all those years ago.
"I understand. All Might is the most important hero in the world. He's got so much to deal with as it is. Villains, natural disasters, accidents… all things that need to be taken care of. Lives to save. Order to restore. Compared to that… I'm pretty insignificant, am I not? Why would he waste his time on me, when there are people dying out there? It's obvious what the right choices is. I don't blame him for it."
It ached in Cheng's heart to hear her speak, her voice steady, calm and dispassionate. She had been raised in the spirit of reason, of calm, objective rationality, and he felt as if they might have succeeded all too well.
However, reflected in the window, Cheng could see it... she was crying. Silent tears we're falling from her eyes.
This wasn't lost on Wang Liu Mei. She moved up a hand to her face, and slowly yet surely wiped her tears away.
Why am I crying? I wasn't lying to Dad. I meant every word of what I said. All Might should be helping out as much as he could. I shouldn't be upset over this...and yet...and yet-
Before she could finish the thought, the mansion was suddenly rocked to its fundaments, the shock of it knocking the both of them off their feet. Liu Mei fell over, her head striking the side of her father's wooden desk as she collapsed. The fire alarm rang out, and sprinklers doused them in water, set to put out a fire that wasn't there.
What on earth was that? An earthquake? No- an explosion…
Cheng's train of thought was interrupted as he saw the still form of his daughter on the floor, and despite the severity of the situation, all else was forgotten. His heart thumping, he got to his feet, hurrying over to Liu Mei. She was lying face down, silent.
"Mei, are you alright?" he cried, but there was no answer. Nearly panicking, he placed two fingers on her neck. To his immeasurable relief there was a pulse, and he could tell she was still breathing. There was no blood either. Satisfied that she was alright, for a measure of the word, he hurried toward the door and ran down the hallway, looking to find the source of the incident. An attack on the mansion itself, on their very home, that level of boldness… could it mean that…
Quickly, Cheng raced to his desk, pulling a small object out. It was a personal distress beacon, tuned to the hero association- specifically to All Might himself. Something like this could only mean an attack, and nobody could do better than his old friend Toshinori. He was in China right now, Cheng new- in their territory, even. With any luck, he might reach them in time.
The button pressed and Mei safe, Cheng raced toward the mansion entrance, determined to find out what had happened. Once there, he stopped, taken aback by the chaos. Where the door had been there was a hole, the walls and roof around it blown out, leaving a gaping wound on the mansion's front side. Fire was spreading, and already the expensive furniture was being consumed by hungry flames, devouring the wooden furnishings. But none of it shook Cheng so much as seeing its source, brazenly standing amidst the chaos with a confident look on his face.
"All For One," he said breathlessly.
The man in question smiled as a bunch of other, lesser known villains began to enter the mansion behind the man.
"Ah, if it isn't Wang Ryu Cheng? I wasn't expecting to meet you at the front door. Here I figured I'd be spending a good few minutes trying to chase you throughout this place. But having you show up like this simplifies things."
"What do you want!?" Cheng demanded.
It wouldn't take long for their security forces to arrive. All he had to do was just buy time. However, All For One Alone had made that feat impossible. They were skilled quirk users, but not a single one stood a chance against the most powerful villain in the world. What they could do, however, was buy time. With a bit of luck, Toshinori could stop them all.
I'm counting on you, Toshinori!
"Is it Money? Surely you don't think I've kept a vast fortune here in my mansion, do you? Are you expecting to find a large sum of cash underneath my mattress, or something?"
"What I want? Isn't it obvious?" All For One said as his henchmen began to slowly approach Cheng. "Money is of no concern to me anymore. I have more than enough to accomplish whatever I so please. No... I've come here to make All Might suffer."
A twisted grin appeared on All For One's face. "Killing off not only his sponsors...but also his best friend's entire family? Oh, I doubt even All Might would be able to smile after something so tragic!"
Throwing his hand forward, he pointed at Cheng. "Go throughout the entire estate! Let no man, woman or child escape. The more you kill, the more handsomely you'll be rewarded!"
Knowing a losing battle when he saw it, Cheng turned and ran, back to where his daughter was. Just in the nick of time as well, as the security forces of the mansion had finally arrived throughout the many entrances to the main hall. Behind him he could hear the sound of battle, explosions and screams combined into an orchestra of war. Instantly he felt regret as he left the battlefield.
If only I had more power... if only Juan and I hadn't gone on that mission! If we hadn't done that, we could stand and fight with you all! I'm sorry... but right now, my daughter's safety is my top priority!
He hurried through the mansion, racing through the corridors, grateful that his son was abroad; one less life to worry about saving.
Finally reaching the room he had left, he found Liu Mei along with his wife, who had no doubt been looking for their daughter as chaos ensued across the entire mansion.
"It's All For One." He explained to Juan before she could even ask what the situation was. "He's here... for us."
Juan gasped before holding Liu Mei tightly. "Because of Toshinori? Cheng, we have to-"
"I already took care of it," Cheng reassured her, "he's already in China. In our territory, even, so he'll get here soon. Right now, the local heroes should be gearing up to deal with this… this madness. But until they get here, we have to keep Liu Mei safe. We have to get out of here!"
The family fled the room, Juan carrying Liu Mei in her arms, desperate to escape. As they ran through the halls, the fire that had begun at the entrance had spread itself throughout the mansion. It was getting hotter and hotter, and as they continued to run through the mansion, they heard a loud, thunderous voice of Rage.
"ALL FOR ONE!"
Cheng smiled as he heard that voice. It seemed as if Toshinori had arrived. Immediately, the mansion was again rocked by a powerful force, but while the previous incident had scared the family, this one had brought about a sense of comfort to them all.
I knew I could count on you, Toshinori. I always can... now take him down!
The three of them continued to run, as they heard more and more sounds of what was undoubtedly an awe-inspiring battle. He wished he could help his old friend, truly he did, but he knew in his current condition that he would only get in his way. Right now, what mattered most was getting away. Cheng was no fool, and his time with the hero association had made sure he had options. There were several escape routes, but for now, they were headed toward a safe room in the basement. If they got there, the titanium-reinforced doors should give even top-tier heroes pause.
He could hear his daughter beginning to slowly wake up, groaning in pain from her head injury. They were almost there! Just one more hallway and they would finally be-
It was at that moment, however, that the two of them heard a loud cracking sound. Looking forward, the burning ceiling fell in front of them, cutting off their escape. Damn it!
Wanting to turn back to find another way out, Cheng and Juan were horrified to see that the way they had come in was also cut off from them, the fire from below having caught up to them...They were trapped.
"Mom... dad..." Liu Mei said weakly, "are we going to… to die?"
These were words a parent never would have wanted to hear their daughter speak. Now more than ever, Cheng cursed his weakness and tried to think of a way out, a way to survive.
I could use my quirk to get us out of this mess... but if I do it now, I'll-
"I think they went this way!"
He turned his head in fear, thinking All For One's men had finally found them, but to his relief, it turned out not to be them, but instead three of the local heroes. They were saved now, surely.
Liu Mei felt a sense of relief wash over her. They were heroes she had heard of before: Xùnsù, the man with super speed. Zhènfēng the wind caster, and Shenzhan the rubber man.
"All right, you two help move the flaming debris, I'll go in and save them!" Shenzhan declared with pride. He began to get ready to move when Xùnsù placed a hand on his shoulder, clearly upset.
"What, so you can get all the glory of saving one of the richest family's in the world? Screw that, I'll go in and save them!"
"Oh please, as if you could even handle it." Zhènfēng interrupted. "I'll be the one to go on in and gracefully save them all."
"Grace!? You have as much grace as a tornado, lady! I'll go in and save them all with my speed!"
"With your skills? Neither of you have what it takes." Shenzhan told the two bickering heroes. The two then stopped yelling at each other, only to then redirect their anger at him.
The three continued to bicker on and on, not a one even bothering to move forward to save the three of them until this issue would be resolved. Liu Mei could hardly believe what she was seeing. We're these the heroes she had idolized so much? The ones she aspired to be like? How could they be wasting their time on something so pointless while their lives were still in danger!?
Her mother clearly had seen enough. "If you three could stop bickering and start doing your jobs, we can all get out of here and you can just share the glory!" However, this did little to persuade them. If anything, it made it worse.
"Share the glory? With these two fools? I can do it all myself!"
Wanting to stay silent no longer, Cheng finally spoke up. "Enough! Start doing your jobs or we're all about to-"
However, it was too little, too late. The roof above them began to gave way, first in front of the heroes, cutting them off. Then, an inferno of flaming debris collapsed over Juan. She screamed, the oppressive heat and flame charring her flesh. Her very last act was to throw Liu Mei clear of the collapsing roof. A second later, she was crushed to death, spared the horror of burning alive by the sheer weight of the debris.
"JUAN!" Cheng screamed, holding his daughter. His wife, the light of his life, had been taken from him, and tears flowed down his heat-blistered cheeks. He held Liu Mei tight, averting her eyes from the horror of it all. His knees wobbled, and he felt week.
Juan... I'm so sorry!
There was no time to process it, no time to grieve, though. The roof section was not done collapsing; more of it was creaking dangerously, and within seconds they would face the same fate as his wife. The air was getting thick with smoke, and they might suffocate even if the roof somehow didn't collapse. Time seemed to slow, and Cheng knew what he had to do.
Juan... I'll be with you soon.
Cheng's body began to glow, as he used the last of his strength. His life was forfeit now, but it was a small cost compared to saving his daughter's life. They were both enveloped in light, flickering like the dying flame of a spent candle. The smoke was pushed away and the heat decreased, and Liu Mei suddenly felt lighter, restored.
"I'm sorry, Liu Mei," Cheng exclaimed desperately, "I tried to be a good father, I really did. I thought- I thought all of this was for you. I tried, Mei, I tried!"
Liu Mei, shaken to her core and nearly overcome by shock, struggled to make sense of it all. Despite the horror of the inferno, what seemed strangest of all was his face. Her father had always been composed, content, and while she had seen him angry, she had never seen him break down like this. She had never ever seen him use his quirk. If not for the nauseating shock and trauma, she would have thought it a beautiful thing.
Why hadn't he used it before? Why hadn't he used it to save her mother? Normally, she would have asked herself these questions, but right now, she was not Wang Liu Mei, heir to the great clan. She was a shaken, mortified little girl, crying along with her father, hearing him speak to her for the last time.
"I wanted you to be ready," he whispered, "if we could just live until you were fifteen… if we could give you what you needed until then, we could secure our legacy. Your future. Everything we worked for. I… I'm sorry you had to go through all of this. Please, you must live. For me and for your mother. For the clan. For Hong Long, and most of all, for yourself."
The roof collapsed around them, and a wall section followed suit, allowing the smoke a point of exit, but Cheng and his daughter went unharmed, the barrier diverting all the debris and flames easily. As the barrier began to dissipate as the deadly debris stopped falling, he gave his daughter one last smile.
"I love you."
With those final words spoken, Wang Ryu Cheng fell to the ground, having drawn his last breath.
"Mother... Father..."
Liu Mei was dimly aware of tears streaming down her face, as she stared over at the dead bodies of her parents. This can't be happening, her panicked mind thought, this isn't real. It's a bad dream. I'm going to close my eyes, wake up, and everything is going to be fine.
She closed her eyes, hoping desperately that when she opened it, her wish would come true. It did not.
This shouldn't be! What were they doing, those heroes? They could have saved them! Anything would have been good enough!
More heroes were coming in, but none came in time.
Now Liu Mei was alone, surrounded by the fire. She could vaguely hear the sound of the heroes on the other side, the lot of them seeming unsure of whether or not they could withstand the fire.
Liu Mei fell upon her side, the young girl distraught. These were not the heroes she had come to idealize. They were simply men and women who wished for fame and glory, nothing more. Was All Might no different? Was everything she believed in until now a lie?
Crawling slowly across the floor, Liu Mei inched closer to her parents' bodies. She wanted to be with them, even in death. There was nothing else for her in this twisted world.
"We have to do something," Liu Mei heard one of the heroes in the distance say. "Think of our public image!"
Liu Mei's thoughts grew darker still. So called heroes...
"A true hero has no need for such concerns!" A new but familiar voice said. "Stand back!"
The hero Liu Mei heard earlier finally showed some concern in his voice. "But you're hurt! Can you even-"
"I," the new voice said, "will simply go beyond!"
The flaming rubble before Liu Mei began to shift. The young girl's eyes widened as she took in the sight of the one she had so idealized.
Before her was All Might. However, he looked different. His costume was in tatters, blood covering the left side of his torso. There was steam pouring out from him, leaving Liu Mei to wonder if the heat and flames were getting to even him. However, there was something else she noticed, something that truly caught her attention.
All Might... he looks so frail.
With each step did the hero's body shift and change, muscle giving way until he was a shadow of his former self. Liu Mei could see the uncertainty in All Might's piercing eyes, as if even he was unsure of what precisely was happening to him. However, if it was a concern, it was clearly not one he was allowing to faze him.
All Might looked down at the bodies of the Wang parents, his eyes closing for a moment. Turning back to look at Liu Mei, the weakened hero knelt down before her. He picked her up in his shaking arms and held her close to his chest. Then he began to walk her out of the flames, speaking in a voice that was calm and quiet. It was a far cry from the boisterous one that Liu Mei and the rest of the world had come to know.
However, for the girl that had lost everything, it was no less comforting.
"Do not worry, Wang Liu Mei, for I am here."
Five years later
There was a slight breeze in the air, rustling the trees around her. It would have been a wonderful day to enjoy, warm but not too warm, the hottest part of summer long gone, but the chill of winter still a long ways away. But graveyards were not joyous places, not for most people and certainly not for Mei. She stood quiet, staring down at the headstone, an elaborate piece of marble- only the best for the illustrious, exalted Wang family.
"It's been a while," she said, feeling a lump in her gut, a small sense of guilt for not having come here for so many years, "and I'm terribly sorry about that. But… you know, life... it's complicated. And busy... very busy. I'm sure you know this better than anyone else, seeing how you can the clan for so many years, Dad... but I'm still sorry."
Today was a very important day for her. Quite possibly the most important day of her entire life. To see them once again, on this very day... it felt right. Necessary, even.
"I've finally taken over as head of the family. Just as you always wanted me to. It's been hard, especially for the first couple of years... but I think I've finally got a handle on things."
She knelt down and placed flowers on her mother's grave, giving a smile as she did. "Hong Long and I have finally started to get along... that is to say, I don't blame him for how my life's turned out anymore. I know that's something you've always wanted. For us to be real siblings again. He's been a great help. Despite being so busy at UA, he's taken time out of his busy schedule again and again to help me out. Emotional stuff, you know... he never was good at the economical side of things."
She then looked over to her father's grave as she placed flowers on it as well. "Toshinori's been very helpful as well. He's... a bit different after the incident, but he's still the symbol of hope and justice that I've always admired. Whenever I've doubted myself, whenever I've needed encouragement when Hong Long was too busy... he's always there for me."
It had been a surprise at the time, that her parents had named Toshinori as the legal guardian of her and her brother. He had gladly accepted, but of course, it came with some unavoidable issues. Being the greatest of them all, the symbol of hope, left them with a parent they rarely even met. Sometimes, they'd go days, even weeks without seeing him. Neither of them blamed him for it, especially Mei. He had chosen to prioritize the needs of the many, because nobody else could do that in the way he did. But it had its advantages, too. He always knew what to say when she needed his help. As things were, dead parents aside, they had a great life. They had left the Wang estate after the incident, living comfortably in one of the Wang clan's properties in Japan, a full staff of servants to care for their every need. It was certainly preferable to living with her uncle, who had recently passed on.
"He...Also told me some things... like why you couldn't use your quirk. Why you were rushing my education so much. Why didn't you just tell me?"
She could remember All Might's words to her at her parents' funeral clearly, even now.
"Your parents were great heroes back in the day. I can't even begin to tell you how many times he protected me from a nasty blow with that barrier quirk of his. But one day… one day, your parents had to make a sacrifice. There was a nuclear meltdown at a power plant, and nobody else was there to help them. Your father managed to avert the crisis, protected everyone… except himself. Your mother came to get him, but… well, they both got cancer. Inoperable. It would have killed them in a year, but your father used his quirk to slow it down. Microscopic barriers inside their bodies. But he told me if he ever stopped, they'd both die soon. That's why they needed you, that's why they pushed you. Your brother never had the skills, they were sure of it. They needed you. I never approved of it, but it was a hard situation for them, and I wouldn't have wanted to make that choice myself."
She could feel tears beginning to fall from her eyes as she spoke, her voice shaking as she did. "I would have understood...I wouldn't have yelled at you so many times...I wouldn't have said I hated you, I would have...I would have-"
She lost her words, overwhelmed by grief. She sobbed, sinking to her knees before her parents' graves. She had known it would hurt to see them again, but she had thought she was ready. To come here with her head held high, to let them know that everything was alright… but grief makes for a lingering pain, and confronting the finality of their departure, seeing the cold, white marbled of the headstones, it tore into her heart like a knife in an old wound. After weeping openly for a minute, she slowly stood up, wiping her tears away.
"I would have told you just how much I loved you."
She took a breath of fresh air before she continued. No more sadness. No more crying... from here on out, I have to be strong.
"The family fortune has been put to good use. I'm still funding U.A Academy, as well as all of the charities you were helping out. But... there's more."
She gave a smile, one of the very few real, non-forced ones she had given in years. "I still haven't given up my dream. I still want to be a hero, just like you, and just like All Might. Mother, Father... I've found a way. Not just for me, but for anyone else that's quirkless. I'm going to change this twisted world. No longer will quirkless people like me and Cai have to be looked down on anymore. I'll show the world that anyone can be heroes. Real heroes."
As she spoke, she began to frown, and her eyes began to narrow. "Ever since that day, I've seen so many fake heroes. People in it all for the wrong reasons. Money. Fame. Glory. That's all so many of them care about. They don't understand what it truly means to be a hero. Well, no more. From this day forth, I'll do whatever it takes to ensure that fake heroes will no longer be the norm. That those who risk their lives for others, for those who are willing to sacrifice their own lives and happiness, those who are willing to commit to the responsibility of being a hero, are common place. Then... no one will ever have to go through what I did."
She gave the two of them one last smile. She was almost done here. "I'm going to be taking the entrance exam's today at U.A. Just like you did, Father. I'll do my best and make you proud... I promise."
She turned around and began to walk back to her transport, an airship. She saw her brother, Hong Long, waiting for her there.
"Are you sure you don't want to see them as well?" she asked.
"I've already gone to see them myself a few months back. I figured you would need some time to yourself. Now, we must hurry if we're to make it to the entrance exams on time, mistress."
Liu Mei couldn't help but roll her eyes and sigh at her title. "I've told you time and again, Hong Long- you don't need to keep referring to me like that. I'd much rather you just call me Mei."
"That's not proper etiquette, Mistress. To ensure that your-"
"Never mind, forget I asked," She interrupted. as he opened the door to the little pink air ship. "Lets be off now."
Finally ready for takeoff, the aircraft began to slowly activate its engines and made its way up to the air. Wang Liu Mei looked out of the window to look at her parents graves one last time.
I'll do whatever it takes to change this world. For that is my job, and my responsibility... as a member of Celestial Being.
Well now, where do I begin? I'm sure a lot of you have questions, and I'll be doing my best to answer them all right here in the AN. If you have any questions that weren't answered here, please let me know and I'll answer them as best I can without spoiling anything.
1. Why crossover Gundam 00 and My Hero Academia/Why is Wang Liu Mei the main character?
I decided to put both of these together because it's for the same reason. I've only recently finished Gundam 00 and have recently been catching up to My Hero Academia. (I'm almost caught up with the 3rd season, I've just finished Deku vs Bakugo round 2, (which was amazing btw) I plan on reading the manga after this first chapter.)
Wang Liu Mei, despite her small role in season 1, quickly became a character I came to like. Wise and mature beyond her years, as well as intelligent, she was a woman who desired nothing more than to change the world for the better. I really liked her, and I wanted to see more.
Well I did see more in season 2 and to put it bluntly… I did not care for it.
Gone was the woman who wanted a better world, the intelligence and kindness that I saw in her. No, now she was a woman who built a country destroying death laser satellite that killed millions of people, betrayed her former comrades', all because she hated her life (which she seemed perfectly fine with in season 1) and somehow thought that going with Ribbons was the best way to achieve that, when in reality all she had to do was just tell someone else in her family. "Screw this, you take over."
It just didn't work for me personally.
Sure, she was a bit morally dubious in parts of season 1 but it was still for bettering the world. I wouldn't have minded her perhaps having a darker side, but I didn't care for how it was written in season 2.
That said, I decided to take that motivation and put into proper use here. No longer is this a responsibility that she can't stand and will force her to do anything to be free of it, but rather something that will help her achieve her goals of making a better world and helped develop her into her season 1 personality.
Giving her a story where she can shine and be "rescued from the scrappy heap." as tv tropes would put it was my prime motivation for writing this...but it wasn't the only one.
The My Hero Academia universe is a fascinating one and a world I'd love to live in... but it's hardly perfect. The world is full of hero's that are mostly in the profession for fame and glory, and while we did have Stain calling them out for it...He was a villain. While he certainly wasn't going about the best way to fix things, and absolutely had to be stopped...he did have a point to a degree. It's just something I think needs another, more in-depth look into is all.
Then we have the other subject that, to my knowledge, My Hero Academia has yet to delve into. 80% of the world has super powers and that's great! ...but what about the other 20%? They don't have powers. They're the minority. You know how the X men face prejudice despite being so strong because they're in the minority? Yeah this is the reverse situation of that.
There is no way that life is all that great for the remaining 20%. Deku is a perfect example of that. Having no powers of his own, he was mocked and ridiculed all his life for this one fact. Despite performing an act of bravery (A not so wise one but still.) to save his classmate Bakugo, he was the one getting scolded while the person he tried to rescue got all the praise despite...You know, not doing anything.
However, Deku probably has it better than most. He lives in japan, which is in general a pretty good place to live. Imagine if your quirkless in a 3rd world country, or somewhere run by a horrible government? Their lives are probably horrible and possibly a daily struggle for survival. That's not even going into possibly how hard it may be to get into certain lines of work without it. Those with quirks are probably more likely to get certain jobs than those without, even if there were laws in place to prevent that sort of thing.
While I have no doubt that MHA will eventually tackle this subject, I feel that it's something that could make this story interesting.
2. How did Wang Liu Mei get into Celestial Being? What happened at the School All Might mentioned? Who is Cai? Why didn't All Might just give her One for All?
These are plot points I wanted to bring up here but resolve in later chapters. You'll get your answers soon, but it's always good to leave some mystery.
3. Are their Mobile Suits in this universe? Is this how Wang Liu Mei will become a hero?
Yes and No to Both. Mobile Suits do exist, but not like how they usually do in the Gundam universe. In fact, as far as the world knows right now, Mobile Suits don't exist. Basically, for Wang Liu Mei, think less giant mech, and more...Ironman. You'll see what I mean by the next chapter.
4. Will more 00 characters be showing up? Or characters from other Gundam shows?
They will! ...but not too many of them. Expect 15 or so to show up gradually over time. Wang Liu Mei will be our main focus throughout the story. Setsuna and the like will show up eventually, but it's not gonna be for a while. MHA on the other hand will have plenty of its character's being used. That said it is possible that characters from other gundam shows may show up.
Well, that's about all I have to say for now. I do hope that you all like this story. I've put in a lot of thought and effort into this and I really hope it pays off, so please, let me know what you think in a review. It would mean a lot. I need opinions.
I know I have a long way to go as a writer, but practice makes perfect! I'll just keep doing my best, and GO BEYOND, PLUS ULTRA!
