This is a story that takes place during the break up of the Shining Hope Squad that occurred after the Time Crisis. It follows two unexpected protagonists as they receive a gift that will affect them for the rest of eternity. Yes, this is the story of how Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu and Peko Pekoyama...became immortal.
New York City, New York
1930
We see both Fuyuhiko and Peko walking the streets of New York.
"So, young master, why did you choose New York?" Peko asked.
"You see, a few years back, my old man once met a world traveler named Maiza Avaro. He said if there was ever any sort of situation that might mean me becoming stronger." Fuyuhiko said.
"Which is why you decided not to follow Hope." Peko said.
"Jexi was right. There are some things Hope needs to do alone. If he relies too much on a single person...it could be trouble." Fuyuhiko said.
They walked the streets, accidently bumping into someone. "Excuse us." they both said as they passed each other by. Unaware to each other, the person Fuyuhiko and Peko bumped into was Ty.
"Was that...nah. I gotta keep going and stay in hiding." Ty said as he ducked down an alley. As he hid there, he heard noises coming from below as he opened a door quietly and peeked inside. Inside he saw an elderly man with several bottles and beakers. "Is this some kind of chemistry lab?"
He then took notice of a rat tied to a plank of wood. The man raised a hammer and smashed it down on the rat, killing it. "Dear lord." Ty said in shock before he saw the innards and blood of the rat reconjoin together to make the rat come alive once again.
'Hahaha! Yes! I've done it! I've perfected the formula! The formula for everlasting life!" the man said.
"Everlasting life? Like...immortality?!" Ty said surprised. "I would find that hard to believe but...I see the proof lying on the table there. Wait, if I could get one sip of that stuff...I might be able to overpower Cindry all on my own." he said before smelling something. "Smoke?" he wondered before he saw the building was on fire. "Crap!"
"No! Not now!" the man said as he grabbed a box and packed away two bottles of the elixir before running off with them. Ty on the other hand was more daring.
"I don't have enough time to take all of them. I'll just take as many as I can carry." Ty said rushing into the lab as he ran to the stockpile. He grabbed up to three bottles and the rat before he ran out the door and down a different alley.
"Phew, I think this should be far enough." Ty said releasing the rat. "Be free, little guy." he said before looking at the bottles. "Now...let's see about immortality." Ty said opening the bottle and taking a drink from the bottle. "Hmm. Kinda tastes like champagne. But...how will I know if I'm immortal like that rat?" he wondered. He then pulled out a gun from his bag. "One bullet left." he said sticking the gun to his head. "Well, if I die, then I guess I lose." he said pulling the trigger as he blew his head open and fell to the ground. After that, his brain matter began joining in his head and his head repaired itself. He blinked before looking around.
"It worked. It worked!" Ty cheered as he looked at the bottle. "This really is an elixir for everlasting life! And the only people who know this secret are me, that old man and that rat!"
He then looked at the two remaining bottles. "Oh, but what to do with all of this? Maybe make an army of immortals and take down the Ginovas? Okay. I need to cool off. I gotta hide these bottles somewhere so I can retrieve them later." Ty said hiding the bottles inside a nearby crate.
Meanwhile with Fuyuhiko and Peko, the two soon walked into a hat shop.
"So, what does this Maiza man look like?" Peko asked.
"He's suppose to be a tall man. Red hair and glasses." Fuyuhiko said.
"I see him." Peko said pointing to a tall man helping a younger man try on hats.
"There. It looks good on ya." he said.
"Ya think? I dunno, Maiza. Seems kinda fancy if ya ask me." the boy said.
"Don't be so modest, Firo. After all, after tonight, you'll be one of the executives of the family. You'll be calling the shots." Maiza said before he looked over to see Fuyuhiko and Peko. "Excuse me a second." he said walking over to them. "From the way you look, you guys are Japanese right?"
"Yeah. My name is Fuyuhiko Kuzuryu." Fuyuhiko said.
"Ah. I see. You're Kuzuryu's kid. I have to admit. It's been awhile since I saw him." Maiza said. "Maiza Avaro. I used to do book work for your old man a few years back."
"Look. I wanna come work under you guys." Fuyuhiko said.
"Is that so? You know...saying stuff like that in public will get you killed." Maiza said seriously as Peko tried to hit him with her bamboo sword before it was blocked by a hidden knife. "Whoa! Easy there. I was just joking with him."
"Fine." Peko said.
"So, who's that kid?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"Who? Firo? For the past couple of years, he's been serving the Martillo Family. But after so long, he's gettin promoted to an executive." Maiza said. "You came on a good day."
"I see." Fuyuhiko said as they headed out before bumping into a man in a black suit and a girl in a dress.
"Oh, excuse us." Maiza said.
"For carelessness, there is no excuse." the man said heading in.
"No excuse for carelessness." the woman said following him.
"What a strange couple. I doubt we'll be seeing them again." Fuyuhiko said walking away as he saw the fire nearby. "Huh. Guess some people have all the bad luck."
It was later in the night that Fuyuhiko and Peko witnessed alongside the dons and executives a knife fight between Maiza and Firo.
"What is this?" Peko asked.
"Its a tradition in the italian mafia. You gotta prove your worth in a knife fight and if you land a hit on the opponent, you are worthy. However, you aren't allowed to kill your opponent." Fuyuhiko said.
Eventually, Firo landed a cut on Maiza's wrist. Both soon stopped as Maiza held up Firo's hand. "We have a winner!" he said.
Not many of the people noticed, but Peko and Fuyuhiko saw Maiza's wound heal quickly. "Master…" Peko said.
"I know. I saw it too." Fuyuhiko said.
"Now...in celebration of your promotion. I will now fire the ceremonial pistol." the don said firing a bullet into the ceiling.
The people applauded before they heard a scream.
"No! Isaac's been killed." a woman's voice said in the ceiling above.
"Uh sir...we have a situation upstairs." a waitress said.
They quickly ran up the stairs and saw it was the same couple from the hat shop.
"No! Please don't die. You can't die." she said.
"Well, we all gotta die someday." he said showing no signs of a bullet going through him at all.
"No no no!" she said.
"Hey...its you two guys." Firo said before they noticed.
"Its you guys." the man said.
"The ones who were rude to us earlier today." the girl said.
"So no one is hurt?" Peko asked.
"Incredible. A girl carrying a sword. You know that this means, Miria." the man said.
"No. What, Isaac?" she asked.
"This noble schoolgirl...is a samurai!" Isaac said.
"Yep! Definitely a samurai!" Miria said.
"Huh?" Peko said confused.
The two of them were soon at a reception for Firo as the two known as Isaac and Miria were pouring drinks from two bottles they had found with some guys. They soon poured the last of it into Peko and Fuyuhiko's glasses.
"Much appreciated." Fuyuhiko said.
"Master...are you sure we should be drinking alcohol?" Peko asked.
"I'm sure its fine." Fuyuhiko said as he drank it. Peko sighed as she drank of it as well.
From a window outside, Ty was looking in to see the mafia.
"The Martillo Family and the Gandor Family. Perfect." Ty said. "I get them to back me and share in immortality." he said running down the alley past a couple of men before he showed up at place he left the bottles earlier today. He then saw the crate was gone. "What?"
He then saw a Delibird flying down and picking up some boxes.
"Hey! There was a crate here earlier. Where did it go?" Ty asked.
"Oh. Did you leave something in there? I'm sorry but I already mailed it out." Delibird said.
"What? Where was it mailed?" Ty asked.
"I think it was sent to Central City in the 1st Universe." Delibird said.
"Great…" Ty said collapsing. "Its gone."
"Don't sweat it, kid. What were you trying to do?" Delibird asked.
"I was trying to get a group together to take the Ginovas down. Figured those bottles might sweeten the deal." Ty said.
"Okay….assuming you haven't gone off your nut...have you ever considered making the thugs in Central City follow you like a private army?" Delibird asked.
"Not a bad idea…I'll see what I can find there. You never know." Ty said walking off.
"Heh, imagine that. I was gonna offer to mail him there via express but...guess he wants the hard way." Delibird said flying off.
Meanwhile in the dining hall of the Martillo Family, Fuyuhiko was groaning and opening his eyes before seeing Peko crying over his body. "Peko?"
"Master?" Peko said in shock. "But...how?"
"Whaddya mean?" Fuyuhiko asked.
"I...saw that old man. He shot you repeatedly when you stood between him in Maiza." Peko said.
"Huh?" Fuyuhiko asked before noticing the bullet holes in his suit. "What in the hell?!"
He pulled his suit back and saw there were no wounds.
"But...how…" Fuyuhiko said. "I need to understand this. Peko! I order you to cut open my chest!" Fuyuhiko said.
"Um… I only have my wooden kendo sword." Peko said.
"Fine. Than I'll do it myself!" Fuyuhiko said taking out a knife and stabbing himself in the heart.
"Master!" Peko shouted.
Fuyuhiko removed it as he saw the wound heal itself.
"Just like Maiza...Peko…" Fuyuhiko said as he stabbed into her.
"Ahhh!" she screamed as Fuyuhiko pulled it out of her and saw her wound close.
"Its happening with you too." Fuyuhiko said.
"Whatever it is." Peko said.
"I can explain it to you." a voice said as Maiza came in. "Though...it might be hard to explain."
So, Maiza explained to the two what had happened to them. He told them that 200 years ago, aboard a ship called the Avenna Avis, he was an Alchemist who sought to great the Grand Panacea, an elixir for immortality. About the man named Szilard who wanted to recreate it so he could have more people to kill. And about the fact the two bottles that was brought into the dining hall was in fact the immortality formula.
"So...there ya go. Now ya know everything. With that, I hope you can forgive me for this curse that's been put upon the two of you." Maiza said.
"Curse?" Fuyuhiko asked, and then smiled. "It's a gift, is what this is."
"What? But...your friends...you'll outlive them." Maiza said.
"We know that. Which means it will be up to the two of us to tell their stories even after they are long dead." Peko said.
"I see." Maiza said.
"This is an amazing gift. So even like this, we would still like to work under you lot." Fuyuhiko said.
"Okay...be prepared to be worked to death though." Maiza said.
"Like we can die." Fuyuhiko smirked.
And so, that is the tale of how two ordinary people became immortal and how immortals came to be. But it makes you wonder….will the line of immortals stop with just these people?