As the barrier fades, reality will find a way to repair itself. In more ways than one might imagine.
Everything hurt. His muscles, his joints, even his hair seemed to ache, as Goku lay in the small crater that had formed around him.
Straining to sit up, Goku groaned from the pain. After taking a moment to regain his bearings, he reached into his gi, pulling out a tan cloth bag. Goku emptied it's contents into his other hand, two lime green beans tumbling into his palm.
"Only two left, huh? I'm going to need to be careful with them, Vegeta might need one soon," Goku mused aloud, eating one of the beans, before finally looking at his surroundings, realizing he was no longer in the ruins of the future West City.
"Hey, buddy? You alright?" a voice called from behind Goku, startling the saiyan. Turning in the direction of the voice, Goku stared at the young teen standing at the edge of the crater.
The teen was tall with dark blue eyes. He had short, blonde hair, which laid messily on his head, and wore a white, diamond-shaped chestplate, which cut off above his lower abdomen, with white spaulders that had rerebraces set under them. Under the armor, the blonde wore a black, short-sleeved hoodie, with detached, reddish-orange sleeves. He wore blue pants, with a white patch on his left knee, and black sneakers.
On his waist, the teen wore two belts, each one a different shade of brown, with several pouches attached to them. On his hands were wrist-length brown gloves, with holes on each tip, exposing his fingertips. There was a small, metal plate on the back of each glove. On his left hip, attached to one of the belts, was a long, white sheath, a sword holstered inside.
Standing up, Goku just stared at the teen, the blonde looking around awkwardly. "Um…so are you alright?"
"Uh, yeah, sorry! Just was surprised to see you out here, that's all," Goku replied, waving his hand nonchalantly.
"Surprised to see me? You're the one in the crater," the blonde replied.
"Yeah, I guess you're right," Goku replied, chuckling as he scratched the back of his head.
"So what exactly happened to you? How'd you find yourself, uh, lying down in a crater? In the middle of the forest?" the blonde asked, extending his hand out to help Goku.
"Well, I was in the middle of fighting Goku Black and his, uh, I think they were his clones? Yeah! We were fighting, and then they threw me into this weird rift thing, and then everything went black. Then I woke up here!" Goku replied, taking the blonde's hand, almost pulling him into the crater with his strength.
"Hold on, clones? Rift? What are you talking about? W-who are you?" the teen asked, regaining his composure, while Goku surveyed the area around them, seemingly unconcerned.
"Oh, I'm Son Goku!" the saiyan said, turning towards the blonde, holding out his hand.
"Jaune Arc...are you sure you're alright? I don't like to be rude but, what you're telling me sounds kinda...insane," Jaune said, taking Goku's hand and shaking it.
"Yeah, I'm fine. At least, I think so, I don't think I hit my head again," Goku said, now feeling the top of his head. Jaune just stared at him in disbelief.
"Now then, where'd they go?" Goku wondered, looking around for his rival and his dark counterpart. Jaune did the same for a moment, before turning back towards Goku.
"Where'd who go? You're the only one I've seen here," he said, Goku glancing at him and sighing.
"Guess that weird rift sent me further than I thought," the saiyan said, placing two fingers on his forehead, searching for Vegeta, Trunks, or Black's ki. To his surprise and confusion, he couldn't find a trace of them. "That's weird. I can't sense where they are."
"Wait… Sense where they are- what?!" Jaune asked, taking a step back from the saiyan. "Great. The first person I run into for miles, and he ends up being crazy!"
"Usually I can sense where people are but, everyone seems to be giving off a different kind of energy than what I'm used to. You do too, come to think of it," Goku said, glancing over at Jaune.
"You can sense my… Energy? What uh… Kinda energy is it?" the teen asked, Goku shrugging.
"No clue. I've never felt anything like it, that's for sure," the saiyan replied.
"So, hey, I think you should follow me. I'm heading to the kingdom. I'm not sure you're feeling ok, so we need to get to a doctor," Jaune said, Goku jumping back slightly, the word doctor freaking him out.
"No, I'm fine! I promise! I don't need a shot!" the saiyan exclaimed, putting his hands together and begging, Jaune just staring at him with pure confusion.
"I never… What? I didn't say you did," he said, Goku relaxing slightly. "I just meant we have a doctor take a look at your head, make sure you're alright."
"Oh, that's alright, I guess," the saiyan said, before leaning over, getting real close to Jaune's face. "But you better make sure they don't try and give me a shot, alright?"
"Uh... sure, no problem," Jaune replied, watching as Goku began walking along the path. "Er, Vale's that way."
As the two made their way into the large kingdom, Goku looked on in wonder at the tall, strange buildings, their architecture something he had never seen before. The street lights were glowing, blue holograms, and most of the buildings were rectangular in shape, taking up a slot in the square lots created by the roads.
"These buildings sure do look odd," Goku said, Jaune looking up at him with slight surprise.
"You've never been in a kingdom? How come? These cities are the safest places from the Grimm," Jaune replied, Goku pausing suddenly.
"Grimm? What's that? Is it a kind of food?" the saiyan wondered aloud Jaune turning towards him with a confused expression.
"No! The Grimm are vicious monsters! How did you not know that?" the teen exclaimed, Goku placing his hand on his chin.
"Actually, now that you mention it," Goku realized, snapping his fingers, "that sounds like one of those books Chi-Chi has Gohan read. Or do you mean that weird show she always wants to watch with me? The one with all the people yelling."
Jaune just deadpanned, staring at Goku in complete disbelief. "Y-You're kidding, right?"
"Or maybe it's that weird magazine Master Roshi likes rea-" Goku continued, before both his and Jaune's attentions being drawn to a group of people wearing odd masks, shouting as they aimed the various weapons they were wielding at bystanders.
"That's weird, what's going on over there… Hang on a minute," Jaune said, taking a step back, Goku glancing at him. "That's the White Fang! Uh-oh. This is bad, very bad!"
"White Fang? What do you mean, They don't have any fangs," Goku blinked, before spotting one of the members of the group. He was a few inches shorter than Goku, with a long, brown tail coming off of his back.
"All of you, stay back, or else!" one of the Fang members ordered, two of them entering one of several stores down the street.
"Hey, you!" Goku said, everyone suddenly turning towards the saiyan, who himself was staring with a bewildered expression, pointing at the man with the tail. "You're a saiyan, right?"
"A what?"
Goku ignored the question, too caught up in his own thoughts. "Wait, but if you're a saiyan, that means you survived Frieza!" Goku said, before pausing. "Or, no, wait, maybe you're from Universe 6! Oh, no, dang it, they don't have tails."
"What the hell are you rambling on about?" the leader of the group yelled, aiming his large rifle at the saiyan.
"I guess I could be in the past. Would explain all the strange energy, and I was just in the future," Goku said, simply ignoring the man. "Oh, or maybe it's all three! No, wait, can't be. Frieza didn't blow up Universe 6's home planet."
"Alright, what the hell are you talking about?" the tailed faunus growled, pointing a curved red blade at the saiyan's throat.
"Me? I'm just trying to figure out how you're here," Goku replied innocently.
"How I'm here? I suppose you think that's funny!" he yelled, before charging towards Goku, drawing the blade back.
Goku stared at him, confused, as the faunus sliced the blade through the air, aiming to take off Goku's head, when the saiyan caught the blade between his fingers with ease, much to everyone's shock.
"Hey, no need to get all angry. I'm just confused, alright?" Goku said, the man roaring in anger. Pulling his arm back, the faunus stumbled, Goku's grip throwing him off balance.
Two of the other members ran up, aiming their firearms at the saiyan, glaring behind their masks. "Put your hands up, or we'll shoot!"
"Now, that's not very nice!" Goku said as he dropped the crimson sword, now smirking at the two criminals. "But if it's a fight you want," he said with a chuckle.
Goku suddenly vanished, dashing forward faster than the eye could see, grabbing the barrel of one of the guns and forced it upwards, his fist embedding itself into the faunus' stomach. Gasping, the goon stumbled back as Goku pulled the gun from his grip and tossed it aside.
Staring in awe for a moment, the rest of the riot quickly surrounded the saiyan, aiming their weapons, both of the ranged and melee variety, at him.
"Hey, this isn't very fair. I haven't even warmed up yet," Goku complained, the leader growling at him.
"Shut up! We're going to make you pay!" he yelled. Aiming his rifle at the saiyan's head, he began to pull the trigger but the gun was suddenly pulled from his hands, as Goku sent a swift kick to the man's jaw.
The faunus's body gave off a strange glow as he was sent flying into the air, landing on top of the buildings behind him. The four other members looked up at him, noticeably shaken as Goku turned to face them all. "So, who's next?" he gave a small smirk.
The two faunus with guns quickly took aim, firing as many rounds as they could towards the saiyan, who was caught off guard. Smoke quickly covered the saiyan from view, the four staring intently.
"Th-There's no way he survived that!" the first said, lowering his sword.
"He just sent Diger onto a roof with a single kick, what the hell do you mean there's no way he survived?" the second yelled, her shotgun stilled aimed at the rising smoke.
"If you think he's still alive, why did you stop shooting?" the third one asked.
"Because, Giraffery, we're not packing an armoury's worth of ammunition!", the forth shouted back.
Suddenly, a low roar started to come from the smoke, slowly growing in volume, before a powerful shockwave came from the center, Goku reappearing from within, shouting to the heavens, a pure white, flame-like aura forming around him, his hair flowing from the wind.
Jaune stared on in shock. "He… he was just pummeled with dust rounds, and yet… Yet… He's completely fine! He should be mincemeat or something, how is he even alive?!"
"Now then, are you two done shooting me? Cause that stung," Goku said, glaring at the two.
The forth faunus quickly raised his gun, about to fire once again, when Goku dashed forwards, his fist reared behind him.
Slowing himself down as almost as fast as he had sped up, Goku sent his fist into the nose of the forth faunus, sending him flying back, before placing his right leg on the ground, shoving off of it towards the third.
Using his momentum, Goku sent his elbow flying into him, before placing his hand on the ground, spinning around to kick the second faunus in her side.
Landing on his feet, Goku turned towards the last remaining faunus, the man trembling in fear. Quickly dropping his sword, he turned away from the saiyan, racing off.
"That… that was…" Jaune said, staring at the saiyan in disbelief.
"Fun!" The saiyan finished, grinning. "Now what?"
"Now what? Now what?! You just took out, like, six guys without a scratch! They shot at you! They hit you!" Jaune exclaimed, amazed at how relax the saiyan was about this feat.
"Aw, that was nothing. Now if they were using ki, they could have been a problem," Goku replied.
"Ki? What's th-" the teen started to say, before the sound of approaching sirens cut him off.
Turning towards the growing sound, Goku watched as several police cars drove up, the officers pulling their guns out as they exited their cruisers, aiming their pistols at him.
"Hands in the air, both of you!" one of the officers shouted, Jaune's eyes widening in shock.
"Wait, what? Why? He- He just stopped the criminals! I didn't have anyth-"
"Quiet! Put your hands up, and stay silent. You're coming with us!" the officer repeated, Jaune sighing in defeat as he raised his arms, Goku doing the same, a confused look evident on his face.
"So, let me get this straight," a middle aged, blond haired woman said, glaring down at Jaune. "You were on your way to catch the airship to Beacon Academy, when you came across this man in a crater?"
After being arrested, Jaune and Goku had been taken into custody, an officer calling the nearby school's headmaster to come by to pick up his student.
The woman standing over Jaune had bright green eyes, which were staring deep into the student, Jaune shrinking in his seat. She wore a white long-sleeved, pleated top, with gauntlet cuffs, and a black high-waist pencil skirt. Covering her legs were a pair of black-brown stockings, and on her feet were a pair of black boots, with bronze heels. Across her back was a black cape, with a purple interior.
"U-Uh, Yes, Ma'am," Jaune said, the woman's glare growing sharper as he continued to cower in slight fear of her.
"Now then. Mr…?" the woman said, turning towards the orange-clothed warrior.
"I'm Son Goku! Nice to meetcha!" Goku said with a large grin, holding his hand out to the woman. She just stared at him in slight disappointment.
"Mr. Goku. Is it true that Jaune Arc found you lying in a crater, claiming you had been fighting clones of yourself in the future?" she asked.
"Yep!"
His only response came in the form of Glynda raising an eyebrow.
"Now then, Glynda. We have no reason not to trust his word, and I'm certain there's more to this story than we all know." a middle-aged man, with silver hair and thin brown eyes, said as he walked into the room. He wore shaded glass spectacles, and an unzipped black suit, overtop a buttoned vest, and green shirt. Further down, he had black trousers shoes, and long, dark-green pants. In his hand was a black cane, with a silver head, and a mug of cocoa in his other hand.
"I understand that, Ozpin, but-" Glynda began to say, before Ozpin waved his hand to silence her.
"Now then, Mr. Arc, Mr. Goku. Would either of you like to elaborate on this story of yours?" Ozpin wondered, propping his hands on the table.
Jaune shook his head no, the lights and heat getting to him. Was borrowing the interrogation room really necessary? "I've told you all I know, sir. I promise," the teen said, Ozpin merely nodding
"And I assure you that I believe you on that fact. However, this tale...I'm sure even you can tell that it sounds ludicrous without further context." Ozpin says, turning towards Goku.
"'Ludicrous'? How come?" he asked, tilting his head to the side slightly like a confused puppy.
"Well, these sort of events don't simply happen without reason," Ozpin replied, sitting down into the chair across the table from Jaune and Goku.
"So you don't believe me?" Goku asked.
"I believe you think you are telling the truth. I can tell in your eyes that you believe every word you're saying. Throughout my life I've discovered that people have a certain look in their eyes when they feel they've gotten away with a lie. You lack such a factor, which makes me wonder if I missed some unknown factor...or if there's more to this than there would seem. Perhaps I merely need look a little closer, if you'll allow me," Ozpin explained, Goku nodding.
"Oooooooooohhhh!" Goku's eyes lit up in understanding. "I think I get it. So you basically want to watch my eyes while I tell you the story?"
"No, no, not the whole story," Ozpin replied, chuckling. "Just one simple question."
"Oh? What's the question?" the saiyan asked, leaning forward slightly.
"Mr. Goku, are you or are you not telling the entire truth with your story?" Ozpin asked, staring into the Saiyan's eyes.
"I'm telling you the truth, 100%, promise!" Goku said back with a grin and a thumbs up. Ozpin's eyes narrowed for a few seconds before he leaned back, turning towards Glynda.
"Please arrange for the kind officers here to release them both. Mr. Arc and Mr. Goku will be needing to catch their flight to Beacon."
"Oz, you can't be serious. He's clearly delusional," Glynda argued, Ozpin shaking his head.
"Judging by the security camera footage of Mr. Goku, as well as the fact that he completely believes the story he is telling us, I have no doubts when I say what he's telling us is the truth" Ozpin replied, standing up. Leaning closely into Glynda's ear, he whispered, "Which is why it's especially important to keep him close to the relic. One more safeguard that Salem won't know of."
"You are correct in that belief. But can we truly trust him?" Glynda asked back.
"Only time will tell."
"Fine. I'll go let them kn-" Glynda began, before glancing down at the strange data-pad on the table. Picking it up, she sighed. "Excuse me, Oz. Something's come up. Another 'incident' has just occurred."
"Alright. Well, I'll handle the cops. Make sure no one is hurt, Glynda," Ozpin replied, smiling with a sense of confidence.
"Of course," she said with a nod, before walking off.
The Pieces are in place.
