The Symbol of Peace and Justice
Chapter 10 – Not Alone
Gohan groaned groggily as a shrill ringing sound awoke him from his slumber. He tried drowning it out by muffling his ears with his pillow, but the ringing persisted. Trying to ignore the infernal racket a third time also proved a futile endeavour, so he grit his teeth in irritation and slammed a palm on top of his alarm clock in an attempt to shut it up.
Unfortunately, in his dazed, half-asleep state, he failed to properly control his strength and ended up smashing through the brittle plastic and frail glass like a hammer, shattering the alarm clock into hundreds of tiny pieces.
It took a few seconds for him to fully comprehend what he'd done, but when the reality of the situation set in he buried his face in his pillow and sighed. "Goddamn it."
When the shrill ringing sounded once more, alerting him to the fact that it was coming from the doorbell and not his alarm clock, he sat up and hurled his pillow across the hallway, where it rebounded harmlessly off the front door.
Cursing under his breath, he swung his legs off his bed and rose to his feet, letting out a large yawn in the process. Hoping he wasn't about to deal with another Mormon, he tiredly trudged over to the front door and opened it, only to be greeted by an unamused Sato.
The large-lipped boy looked like he had just come back from a casual shopping trip, a backpack slung over his shoulder and a grocery bag in his hand. He eyed Gohan up and down before scrunching his face. "You look like shit."
"I feel like it," Gohan admitted. "Barely got any sleep."
Sato smirked. "What happened? You stay up all night jacking off?"
Gohan rolled his eyes. "Don't be crass. I stayed up all night training."
"Training… your right hand?"
Gohan let out a groan and wearily rubbed his temples. It was too early for this crap. "No, my whole body."
"Ahh. That explains the underwear," Sato observed, his smirk widening.
That gave Gohan pause, so he looked down and saw that he was indeed only wearing a pair of boxers. Apparently, he was so out of it after coming back from Siberia last night that he didn't bother putting on pyjamas after his post-training shower. Ordinarily he would've been embarrassed at being caught in such a state, but right now he was too exhausted to care.
He grabbed Sato by the scruff of the shirt and pulled him into the apartment. "Just get in here, you dumbass. The last thing I need is for one of my neighbours to hear you and file a complaint that I'm 'disturbing the peace'." At that, he stuck his head out the door and shifted his narrowed eyes from side to see, wanting to check if anyone was listening in. When the coast was confirmed clear, he closed the door. "You never know with this lot. Especially my landlord. That weirdo's always saying he has ears like a cat and eyes like a rodent."
Sato chuckled. "What a nutter." He held out the grocery bag he was holding. "Anyway, I brought you two cakes and a loaf of bread I baked this morning. Also brought my SNES and a bunch of games," he added, pointing to his backpack. "Figured you needed a pick-me-up after yesterday."
Despite how awful the past day had been, Gohan couldn't help but give a grateful smile, genuinely touched by his friend's concern. "Thanks, bro. I really appreciate it. You can leave the bread on the counter and put the cakes in the fridge. I'll be in the bathroom."
Sato responded with a thumbs up. "Got it. No go and get changed, you damn exhibitionist."
Ignoring the jibe, Gohan picked some clothes out of his dresser and went to the bathroom. He was in the middle of taking a leak when Sato's voice reached him from the kitchen.
"Dude, what the hell happened to all your food? Your fridge is empty."
Gohan frowned. That wasn't entirely true. "Been too busy to go grocery shopping lately," he called back. "Besides, my fridge is not empty."
"It might as well be given how much you eat. Or are you telling me you can sustain yourself off a few cans of tuna, a bunch of random vegetables and a plate of… wait, what is that exactly?"
"Pronghorn steak," Gohan revealed, mildly amused by his best friend's reaction. "I've been getting by just fine by hunting."
"Pronghorn?" Sato sounded confused. "Aren't they native to North America?"
"Yeah…"
"So you flew to North America, killed a pronghorn, then flew its carcass back to Japan and cooked it?"
Gohan sighed. Sato was making it sound way weirder than it actually was. "No. I skinned it, cooked it and carved it before flying back to Japan," he corrected. "My kitchen isn't big enough to do it here. Anyway, it's not a big deal. I've done this kind of thing loads of times, all over the world. And I don't just eat stuff I've hunted, either. Sometimes I stay and try the local cuisine."
"Uh huh. And here I was thinking the farthest you've gone for food is Okinawa. Well, any foreign delicacies you recommend trying?" Sato inquired, his voice not disbelieving in the slightest.
Gohan paused, cycling through his memories for a few moments until he found an answer. "Burek. It's this round pastry filled with minced meat or cheese you can get in the Balkans. It's really greasy, but really tasty."
"Burek?" Sato repeated slowly. "Isn't that what we had at that Turkish restaurant we went to last year?"
This time, Gohan couldn't help but chuckle. "That was börek. It's similar, but different. The dish as a whole has numerous variations around the world, but they're all good."
"I see. Well, since you're such an expert on the subject, I'll take your word for it."
Taking that to be the end of their conversation, Gohan proceeded to finish getting ready. After brushing his teeth and putting on a pair of blue shorts and an orange t-shirt, he left the bathroom to find Sato hooking up his SNES to the TV. He smiled at his friend. Having never had any video games of his own while growing up in Mount Paozu – not that he'd have time to play any given how chaotic his childhood was – he used to be a complete stranger to them.
It was only after Sato asked him his thoughts on who would win in a fight between Mario and Donkey Kong, only to be met with a blank stare, that the large-lipped boy decided to drag him down to the local arcade after school and introduce him to the wonderful world of video games. The pair then proceeded to spend the rest of the afternoon wasting small change at the myriad of games they could latch their little hands on. Gohan quickly took a liking to Street Fighter, partly because of certain characters' badass theme music.
This happened only three days after he first met Sato.
Still smiling fondly at the memory, Gohan withdrew the plate of pronghorn steak from the fridge, along with four cans of tuna. After slicing the loaf of bread Sato brought in half, he started haphazardly slapping onto it whatever steak was left over, eventually finishing up the sandwich by pouring in the tuna. After all, a little extra protein never hurt anyone.
Grinning greedily to himself, he was just about to dig in to his meal when a startling realisation struck him. In his haste and hunger, he'd forgotten his manners. Scratching the back of his head in embarrassment, Gohan turned towards Sato. "Hey, you want some breakfast? I have some cup noodles in the cupboard."
Sato stopped fiddling around with the TV remote and stared at him oddly. "Breakfast? Dude, it's one in the afternoon."
It took Gohan a second to fully comprehend what he'd heard, but when he did, his eyes bulged in shock. "Seriously? Crap, I had no idea it was that late! Quick, turn on the news! U.A.'s about to brief the press on what happened yesterday!" He'd received a notification about it on his phone the day before.
Sato narrowed his eyes suspiciously, but did as he was told. Gohan took a seat beside his friend on the couch, a plate bearing his giant sandwich on his lap.
On the TV, a female reporter looked to be finishing up a story. "-no traces of who kidnapped the newborn babies last night, but hospital staff are working closely in collaboration with the police to find answers. We'll keep you updated should there be any new developments."
Sato let out a heavy sigh and ran a hand through his hair. "Dude… what the actual fuck? Can you believe this shit?"
Gohan's breath hitched in his throat and he put down his sandwich, his earlier happiness instantly evaporating and leaving him with an aching heart. "I-I don't…" He swallowed thickly, unable to finish his sentence.
Even now, after all the vile acts of villainy he'd witnessed throughout his life, he still couldn't believe there were monsters out there capable of such depravity. Attacking children and teenagers was one thing, but newborn babies? How sick in the head did you have to be to attempt that?!
It was a welcome relief when the program switched from the macabre news story to show a shot of the U.A. campus. However, that feeling was short-lived as Gohan felt a new wave of trepidation wash over him, causing him to start fidgeting uncomfortably on the couch.
Just what would the U.A. staff talk about? Would they mention his name to the press? Would they reveal how he had played a key role in stopping the attack? Would they explain his powers to the rabble of reporters, who would then go on to seek him out?
"Son, chill," Sato said soothingly, looking at the demi-Saiyan in concern. "It'll be okay, bro. Don't worry. Have faith in our teachers."
Gohan took a deep breath and nodded. Sato was right. He was overreacting. All Might and Aizawa wouldn't rat him out to the media. He took a meaty bite out of his sandwich and watched with rapt attention as the scene changed yet again to show the two teachers in question, along with Nezu, sitting behind a large desk with three microphones in front of them.
It was a highly professional setup, with All Might and Aizawa both dressed in suits instead of their usual outfits. The latter had even combed his messy mop of hair and shaved off his goatee, making him look significantly less intimidating, while the former had an uncharacteristically grave expression adorning his face. Despite facing a veritable army of bloodthirsty journalists, the teachers looked like they meant business.
Nezu was the first to speak. "Ladies and gentlemen, I'd like to thank you all for gathering here today. Some of you may already be aware, but yesterday our school was the unwilling recipient of a villain attack." The statement sparked a round of murmuring from the crowd, but the principal raised his hand to quell it. "Please withhold your questions until the very end. I promise you, we will do our very best to answer whatever it is you ask."
Fortunately, that seemed to do the trick. Aizawa was next to give his take. "At one o'clock yesterday afternoon, I took one of our first-year classes to the Unforeseen Simulation Joint for some rescue training under the instruction of myself, All Might and Thirteen. However, before we could begin, a villain with a Warp Quirk managed to transport himself and a large number of other villains into the building, after which they proceeded to attack both us teachers and the students."
"Their cowardly attack was a complete and utter failure!" All Might boomed, his commanding voice instantly silencing the handful of journalists who had started whispering among themselves. "With the help of our students, none of whom sustained a single scratch, we were able to subdue and arrest all but the two ringleaders of the operation."
Nezu cleared his throat, shifting attention back to himself. "That's pretty much the gist of it. Because the police are still investigating this incident, we are currently unable to divulge the identities of the two ringleaders. However, we can freely reveal that that they claimed to be working for a 'League of Villains', and that their goal was to kill All Might." The principal took a deep breath. "Any questions?"
A smattering of eager hands rose into the air, the excitement in the crowd palpable. Nezu, however, remained unperturbed and pointed to a male journalist, who quickly rose from his seat. "All Might, were there any villains strong enough to give you or the other teachers trouble?" he inquired.
All Might grinned confidently. "One villain caught me off guard with a technique I didn't see coming, resulting in some superficial injuries at most, but he was quickly dealt with afterwards. The rest of the villains were no match for us."
Gohan breathed a sigh of relief at the fact that his contribution wasn't mentioned. That was one less problem to deal with.
A female journalist spoke up this time. "Don't you think it was irresponsible on your part to allow your students to take part the fighting?" she questioned in a haughty tone. "They are still first-years after all."
If the teachers were bothered by the accusation, it didn't show on their stony faces. "We didn't make our students do anything," Aizawa answered calmly. "The villain with the Warp Quirk used his power to scatter the students throughout the building, leaving them with no choice but to fend for themselves. However, as is expected of U.A. students, they handled themselves remarkably well and easily defeated their attackers. While we would never, ever make our students – especially those in only their first week of schooling – go up against actual villains, the fact that they adapted so well to such a predicament says a lot, don't you think?"
The journalist who'd posed the question huffed indignantly and sat back down with her arms crossed, clearly displeased with Aizawa's response.
It was a welcome sight for Gohan. "The nerve of some of these people. Don't they have any idea who they're talking to?" he spat in disgust.
Sato snorted. "Even then, the teachers are handling them like pros."
"Yeah… I don't think I'd be anywhere near as composed if I was in their place," Gohan admitted. He legitimately shuddered at the thought.
"Were there any students who stood out? Could you perhaps tell us a little bit about them, like their names or Quirks?" another female journalist asked.
Aizawa actually raised an eyebrow at the question. "Of course some students stood out more than others, but we're not going to tell you their names. We value our students' privacy."
Unlike the previous one, this journalist had the decency to look abashed as she returned to her seat. Most of the raised hands retracted, leaving a stern-sounding elderly male as the next journalist to speak. "Since a group of villains have proved themselves capable of infiltrating U.A., have you taken any measures to shore up the school's defences?" he asked grimly.
"We're working on it," Nezu replied. "It's one of the reasons we've cancelled school for today. In case you're curious, the upgrades are coming along swimmingly."
As soon as the elderly journalist sat down, a bespectacled young man jumped up from his seat. "If the villains' goal was to kill All Might, why did they attack the students too?" he queried in a nasally voice that grated on Gohan's nerves.
The demi-Saiyan scowled at the naivety of the question, but the teachers remained unperturbed. "If you're planning to kill off the world's greatest hero, why stop there?" Aizawa responded nonchalantly, getting a gulp out of the journalist. "After all, what better way to stop the spread of heroism than by killing off the most promising hero students in the country? If you think villains won't sink that low, you're sorely mistaken."
The journalist slumped back to his seat, now red in the face. There was a brief bout of silence as the crowd processed Aizawa's words, but before it became too uncomfortable, a female raised her hand. "All Might, Eraser Head, you said the ringleaders of the attack managed to escape. Do you have any messages for them, or anyone else trying to follow in their footsteps?" she inquired.
All Might chose to field this question. He slowly rose from his seat and leaned towards the camera, digging his fingers into the desk and denting the frail wood. "Stay away from my students," he growled menacingly, exuding an intensity so strong it almost radiated through the TV screen. "Your quarrel is with me. There's no need to get others involved or resort to cowardly tactics… unless you want to be humiliated again. I can handle anything you throw at me, so feel free to give it your best shot. I'll be waiting."
There was another bout of silence after that, only this one wasn't broken, so Nezu decided to wrap up the press conference. "Ladies and gentlemen, that'll be all for today. Thank you for your time. We hope you enjoy the rest of your day."
As the news program went to an ad break, Gohan sunk deeper into the couch, pondering what he'd just heard. The teachers were able to convey so much, yet so little at the same time. They revealed just enough information to sate the bloodthirsty media, while managing to keep the far juicier, far more incriminating details a secret.
"That was intense," Sato remarked in wonderment.
Gohan frowned. "All Might's trying to deflect attention away from us and onto himself. He's purposely taunting the villains who attacked us, hoping they'll target him instead."
"I don't like it, but I can see where he's coming from," Sato said, forming a frown of his own. "He's just trying to protect us. We're not at the level where we can handle that kind of shit yet… well, most of us at least."
He looked over at Gohan. "You can't seriously tell me you want to get involved?" When he received a blank stare in return, Sato groaned and facepalmed. "Of course you do. Why did I even bother asking?"
The demi-Saiyan pursed his lips, unsure of what to say. His mind was spinning, leaving his jumbled thoughts scattered all over the place. He went to take a bite out of his sandwich in the hope of finding some comfort in the food, only to realise that he'd been so transfixed on the press conference, he had completely devoured the whole thing.
Before either boy could say anything else, the ad break ended and the news program returned. This time, the image on screen was a picturesque photo of a fierce snowstorm. Despite the ferocity of the scene, it was morbidly beautiful, with the snow-tipped mountains just barely visible in the background giving it an altogether mystical quality.
Gohan tilted his head. Something about the image looked oddly familiar. His eyes then bulged while his jaw dropped. 'No… it couldn't be!'
A female news anchor stepped into the shot. "Siberia, Russia. One of the coldest, cruellest places on Earth," she began, making Gohan sigh in resignation. "It is a land enshrouded in many myths and urban legends, some dating back hundreds of years. Right now, however, there is only one mystery on locals' minds."
Sato scratched his chin, looking thoroughly intrigued. "Russia, eh? Whatever's going on over there must be pretty big if it they're talking about it here."
The scene on the TV cut to show mobile phone footage of a snowy wasteland in the dead of the night, chilly winds howling ferociously as sporadic yellow lights flashed in the far distance, momentarily illuminating the pitch-black sky. A vicious tremor then shook the earth, making whoever was holding the phone fall over and cry, "Blyat!"
Still, the cameraman – the voice was a gruff male one – persisted with his filming, albeit with shaky hands that made the footage nauseating to look at. Meanwhile, Gohan's face was becoming progressively paler by the second, but for a completely different reason.
Suddenly, the rumbling stopped. The now steady-handed cameraman let out an audible sigh of relief, only to gasp in shock a moment later when a colossal beam of pure blue energy shot directly into the sky, parting the thick storm clouds and rocketing into space.
The video paused there as the news anchor appeared once more, regarding her viewers with a businesslike countenance. "As you can see, the fallout from this alarming event could be felt from hundreds of miles away," she informed sternly. "Most locals are baffled, but there are a few who claim to know the cause."
Gohan's heartbeat quickened and his breathing became laboured. They couldn't know the truth… could they? Whenever he was in Siberia he triple-checked his surroundings to ensure there wasn't anyone in the vicinity who could see him, or risk being harmed by the shockwaves from his training. Had he gotten sloppy?
The TV cut to an elderly woman in a headscarf, who was staring intently at the camera. "That place is the gateway to Hell!" she croaked in Russian as Japanese subtitles appeared at the bottom of the screen. "All those noises, random flashing lights and earthquakes? They've been happening for years, but they've never been as crazy as last night! It's a sign of the apocalypse, I tell you!" She forcibly ripped the camera from the reporter's grasp and brought it right up to her face. "Repent, sinners! Repent before it's too late! Because if you don-"
The old lady never got to finish her warning as the screen cut to black, and Gohan couldn't help but place a hand over his racing heart to try and calm himself down. That was too close for comfort. Even though his secret was still safe, with the people claiming to know what was going on being nothing more than conspiracy theorists, the simple fact that they were aware of his existence was cause for concern.
The TV now cut to two burly, moustached men leaning against a tractor, cigarettes hanging from their mouths. "Everyone around here is overreacting," one of the men claimed, his friend nodding in agreement. "It's just a bunch of idiots getting drunk and messing around with their Quirks. That's all."
The screen then transitioned to an office setting, where a suited man with wild, unkempt hair sat behind a desk. He raised two hands in front of his face, as though holding an invisible ball, and uttered only a single word: "Aliens."
Gohan rose from the couch and carried his plate to the sink, not wanting to watch the rest of the news report. "I need to go to the bathroom. Be out in a minute," he told Sato, not sparing a glance at his friend.
In the bathroom, Gohan turned the sink on full blast and splashed water over his face, washing away the sweat that had started to form. He let out a deep breath and gripped the edges of the basin, his fingers finding the familiar grooves they had made during similar episodes in the past.
He grit his teeth and refused to look at his reflection in the mirror. How could a week that started so well take such a drastic turn for the worse in the space of twenty-four hours?
He had placed himself on the radar of both police and villains, potentially become alienated from a good chunk of his classmates, and gotten careless with his training, possibly compromising the only place on the Earth he could find solitude. As if that wasn't enough, the sickening revelation that a handful of newborn babies had been kidnapped from a hospital only served to further illustrate how incapable he was of making a difference.
A sardonic laugh slipped from his lips. His predicament really was hilarious from a certain point of view. In a single finger he had enough power to wipe out an entire planet; to strike fear in the hearts of degenerates who sought only to cause pain; to be a guardian for all people incapable of defending themselves from the evils of the world – and more.
And yet, he was stuck playing how-to-be-a-hero with children, years away from being able to show how much of a force of good he could be for the Earth. He was hamstrung by a set of archaic laws that – while somewhat reasonable – never took into account the fact that someone like him could exist. He was an anomaly. An abnormality. An aberration.
He didn't belong in this world, yet here he was.
Gohan finally locked eyes with his reflection and stepped back from the mirror, an irritated sigh leaving his lips. He knew that dwelling on his problems wouldn't help in slightest, but sometimes he couldn't help himself. He didn't know what else to do. Perhaps if he was all by himself he could've tried to muster up a solution, but he wasn't.
He cursed under his breath. The longer he stayed in the bathroom, the more suspicious Sato would become, and he wasn't keen on the prospect of having to explain his train wreck of a life to his best friend. Furthermore, he could perfectly picture the look of disappointment on his mother's face if she knew he was being such a bad host.
When Gohan left the bathroom, he saw Sato absorbed in some anime series he was unfamiliar. He took a seat on the couch and stared at the TV, which now depicted a bunch of mechs flying through the air. He wasn't really interested in what was happening on screen, but he knew the polite thing to do in this situation
If Sato registered his presence, he didn't say anything. He didn't even acknowledge him with a slight shift of the eye, and Gohan honestly didn't mind. He welcomed the silence, which ended up lasting for a few minutes before being broken.
"Hey, you want to go for a walk? Sato asked.
Gohan was caught off guard. "A walk? Why?"
Sato shrugged. "Why not? The weather's nice and you look like you need some fresh air. Besides, it's been ages since we've done something chill like that."
Gohan contemplated this for a few seconds. It was true, they hadn't gone for just a casual walk in a long time. Aside from being too busy with school stuff, he also had his vigilantism taking up a good chunk of his free time. Perhaps the fresh air would do him some good. "Sure, why not. I don't have anything else planned."
Sato grinned. "Sweet. Let's get going."
Gohan followed him to the door and slipped on a pair of sneakers. Before he could step outside, though, he found his path blocked by his friend's giant frame, the large-lipped boy staring intently at the coat rack by the entrance.
"You do know we're in the middle of spring, right?" Sato queried.
Gohan was confused. "What?"
Sato turned around and eyed him strangely. "You have a winter coat hanging on your rack."
Gohan's eyes widened imperceptibly. "Oh, that. It's just something I use to help me work up a sweat. Boxers do it all the time when exercising," he stated, trying to keep a straight face.
Sato rolled his eyes. "Right, because you totally need to cut weight for a fight." He looked at the coat once again and squinted at it. "Is that snow?"
"What? Of course not, you're imagining things!" Gohan chuckled nervously as he scratched the back of his head. When he saw Sato reach to pat the coat, he acted fast and gently nudged him out of the door. "Weren't you the one who suggested we go for a walk? What's the hold up, huh? Do you want to get the attention of my neighbours?"
"Alright, alright, I'm going!" Sato snapped back. "You can be a real bully sometimes, you know that?"
"I don't have a clue what you're talking about," Gohan responded calmly as he locked the door and pocketed the key, his lip quirking the faintest amount.
Sato huffed and muttered a curse under his breath, which Gohan promptly ignored. They walked down one set of stairs and into the building's elevator, which was thankfully still on their floor. It was a small, cramped space that couldn't fit more than four people at once, with the interior covered by all manner of crude graffiti.
On the way down, Sato tried to push Gohan into the sides of the elevator, which were downright filthy due to not having been cleaned in ages, but the demi-Saiyan didn't budge. Initially unperturbed, Sato kept trying, but after the fifth failed attempt, he gave up without a word.
When the pair reached the ground floor, they swiftly exited the dirty elevator and left the building, then set off towards the nicer part of the city.
"Your neighbourhood is a big a dump as ever," Sato commented as they walked, surveying their surroundings with disdain.
"It's gotten better," Gohan retorted, rolling his eyes at his friend's complaining. "Remember a few years ago when you couldn't walk down the street without having to take care not to step on a syringe?"
Sato snorted and kicked away a broken beer bottle. "Okay, so maybe the neighbourhood is marginally better than it used to be. Still far from ideal. I don't know how you manage it."
Gohan shrugged. "It's not like I can do anything about it. Besides, I'm used to it. It doesn't bother me anymore."
Sato's frown deepened. A few seconds later though, his eyes bulged and his frown literally turned upside down. "Hey, you know what we should do?"
"No…"
"We should move in together after we graduate!"
Now it was Gohan's turn for his eyes to widen. "You want to rent out an apartment and become roommates?"
"Yeah, it'll be sick!" Sato replied, his grin getting larger. "Just think of all the possibilities! All the epic game nights we could have! All the friends we could invite over whenever we wanted! All the takeout we could order without my mum getting on our case!"
His enthusiasm was infectious, and Gohan couldn't help but smile. "It does sound kind of nice."
"You bet your ass it does!" Sato fired back giddily.
Gohan's smile faded slightly. As awesome as the idea sounded, and as much as he hated being the bearer of bad news, he was a realist. "Renting an apartment isn't going to come cheap, especially for two guys straight out of high school," he voiced.
Sato waved off his concerns. "You worry too much, Son. It'll be fine. As soon as you get out of school and start kicking ass, you're going to shoot up the hero rankings and rake in a shitload of money from sponsorships and endorsements."
Gohan blushed, flattered at how much faith his friend had in him. "So you plan to mooch off my success?" he asked with a light chuckle.
Sato shook his head. "Of course not. Since you're going to be my sidekick, my popularity and rep will skyrocket just by association."
Gohan raised an eyebrow. "In other words, you're going to use me."
"Pretty much," Sato admitted nonchalantly. "Of course, I'll still be a badass hero in my own right, but you, Son, are in a league of your own. The marketing potential is endless and I, being the exceptional friend that I am, will be there to guide you every step of the way."
Gohan laughed. "You'd better start hitting the books then. What you're talking about requires a level of intelligence that I'm not sure you currently possess," he teased.
Sato pouted, but stayed silent. Having finally reached their destination, the two boys came to a stop and looked around. Since it was a working weekday, the streets weren't completely packed, but there was still a sizable number of bystanders going about their business. It was Tokyo after all.
"So, what do you want to do?" Sato asked.
"Why are you asking me?" Gohan responded, giving his friend a blank stare. "You're the one who suggested we go walking."
Sato chuckled, unbothered. "Relax, Son. Take that stick out of your ass. Not everything needs to be planned out in advance, you know. It's good to wing it every now and then."
Gohan furrowed his brow, instantly reminded of his interrogation with Tsukauchi the day before. He couldn't help but shudder at the memory. Sure, the circumstances between now and then were vastly different, but the principle remained the same. Preparation was much more preferable to spontaneity.
Still, if his best friend wanted him to wing it, then why not indulge him? An innocent smile spread across Gohan's lips. "Alright then. Why don't we head to a bookstore?"
Sato's eye twitched, but he quickly regained his composure. "Works for me. Lead the way, Son."
Gohan chuckled to himself. It didn't surprise him that Sato didn't know where the bookstore was. The only thing his friend ever read recreationally was manga he bought at newsstands or ordered online. Perhaps this little trip would convert him into a fan of reading? Gohan highly doubted it, but the possibility was there.
The walk to the bookstore, John Ronald's, was a short one. It was a quaint, cosy little building located in the corner of a relatively secluded street that never got much traffic. The only feature denoting the place's true purpose was the worn wooden signpost above the door, but even then, its name was an obscure reference that slipped most peoples' minds.
Gohan led Sato through the door, a bell chiming above signifying their entrance. There were only three people inside, including the receptionist: a pretty, bespectacled young woman clad in a librarian's outfit, with long brown hair that cascaded down her back. She looked up from the book she was reading and beamed when she recognised him. "Gohan! Welcome back! It's been a while!"
"It's good to see you, Mari," Gohan replied, smiling at the warm reception. He scratched the back of his head. "Sorry I haven't been around lately, I've been super busy with school stuff. Oh, this is my best friend, Sato," he added, pointing a thumb at said boy.
"Yo," Sato greeted, taken aback by their familiarity.
Mari gave a light bow of the head. "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sato. I hope you enjoy your visit. If you need any assistance, please don't hesitate to ask."
"W-will do," Sato stammered.
Gohan raised an eyebrow at his friend's odd reaction. What brought that on? Nevertheless, he waved at Mari and beckoned for Sato to follow him deeper into the bookstore.
He was just about to start explaining the layout of the building, when Sato posed a question. "Who's the babe? She's cute."
"Babe?" Gohan repeated slowly, before his eyes widened on realisation. "You mean Mari? She's a friend. Her dad owns the place."
"Interesting," Sato mused, stroking his chin. "I take it you guys have known each other for a while?"
"A couple of years now," Gohan revealed hesitatingly. "Where are you going with this?"
Sato shrugged, a smirk forming on his face. "Nowhere. Just curious, that's all."
Gohan didn't believe him, but he didn't want to dwell on it either. "Are you done?" When he received a nod in response, he breathed out a sigh of relief. "Good. Now, in that corner over there you have the fict-"
"I think Mari likes you."
Gohan took a step back in shock. "What?!"
"You heard me," Sato pressed.
Gohan fought down the blush that was starting to form and stood firm. "Get your head out of the gutter, you pervert," he shot back. "She's just a friend. Besides, she's nineteen."
Sato's smirk widened. "Even better. She can show you the ropes."
Gohan exhaled deeply to compose himself. He wasn't going to play Sato's game. "You're impossible. Just… go look around yourself and see if you can find something that interests you. You know how to read, right?"
Sato ignored the verbal jab and crossed his arms, the infuriating smirk still on his face. "Ooh, someone's feisty! What's wrong? Don't want me around while you're chatting up Mari?" He punctuated this question by waggling his eyebrows suggestively.
"No, you dumbass," Gohan replied, rubbing his temples in exasperation. "I'm going to find this astronomy book I've been meaning to buy, and I don't want to have to deal with your crap while I'm looking."
Sato gagged. "Fine then. I'll be in the manga section."
Gohan nodded. "Good. The manga section's over there, by the way," he explained, pointing to the opposite end of the bookstore.
Sato departed with a wave, and when his back was turned, Gohan set off to find the book he was after. He walked straight past the Science section and, after double checking that no one was around, stepped into the Reference section.
He quickly spotted the For Dummies series, as there was an entire shelf dedicated to it, and started rifling through the books on offer. After a few seconds of this, he found what he was looking for and pulled it off the shelf.
Understanding Women for Dummies.
After checking yet again that there wasn't anyone in the vicinity, he opened up the book and skimmed through the contents page, hoping it would have the information he sought. 'Talking to women, what women really mean, nothing's wrong, date ideas, tips and tricks… ahh, there we are. How to know if a woman is mad at you.'
He snapped the book shut and smiled wryly. His hunch was right. On top of that, there were a few other… interesting sounding chapters that could be worth perusing later, just in case. A light blush tinted his cheeks at the thought. This wasn't a situation he ever expected to find himself in. Then again, he'd never encountered a girl like Yaoyorozu Momo before and accidentally seen her topless.
Hiding the cover under his arm, he hastily made his way over to Mari at the cash register. She took one look at the book and raised an eyebrow. "Girl problems, Gohan?"
Flushing once more, he sheepishly averted his gaze. "No! Not exactly! At least, I don't think so." He shook his head and sighed, making Mari giggle. "Honestly, I don't know. It's complicated. And weird."
Mari smiled softly. "I understand. Don't worry, I won't pry." She scanned the book. "That'll be two thousand yen. Would you like a bag?"
"Yes please," Gohan said, handing over the required money. When he received the bag, he bowed his head. "Thank you."
"You're welcome," Mari replied kindly. She then leaned forward as her smile vanished, replaced by a concerned frown. "Are you okay, Gohan? I heard what happened on the news."
Gohan ran a hand through his spiky locks and gave her a gentle smile. "I am now, thanks for asking. Yesterday was… tough, but I think I'm over it. For the most part. Being out and about has helped take my mind off things."
Mari drew back, relieved. "That's good. If you ever need a break from the hero business, feel free to swing by for a chat." Her cerulean eyes scanned the room and she let out a wistful sigh. "It gets a bit lonely here sometimes."
Gohan's smile dipped. Mari was Quirkless. While such a trivial thing didn't matter to him, he knew there was a stigma against Quirkless people and that she didn't have many friends as a result. He sympathised with the poor girl, being able to relate to her plight in more ways than one. "I'll come around more often," he reassured. "I promise."
Mari's bright grin returned. "I look forward to it."
After waving farewell to Mari, Gohan found Sato leafing through a shelf full of manga volumes. "You good?" he asked.
"Yep," Sato answered, not even bothering to look at him. "This place has some good shit. You sure you don't want to give some of these manga a shot?"
"Nah, I'm good with my comic books," Gohan replied. "Anyway, unless you need me for something, I'll be waiting outside."
"Cool. I'm nearly done here. See you in a bit."
Satisfied with that news, Gohan turned around and left the bookstore. He leaned against the side of the building and crossed his arms, trying to look inconspicuous. His eyes shifted from side to side, taking note of how few bystanders there were. His lip quirked. That suited him just fine.
His hand slowly reached into the bag he was carrying and pulled out the book he'd just bought. He gulped once, then opened it to a random page and started reading, his curiosity having gotten the better of him.
As he read a few sentences, a frown flitted to his face. If something was wrong, why would a girl say that nothing was wrong? Did she expect him to be a mind reader? How was that fair? Hoping to find an answer, he continued reading, his frown not slipping even slightly.
After he'd read the next two pages, he put the book down and scratched the back of his head, his frown now replaced with a look of puzzlement. All he could garner from that information was that girls were confusing… and could be really intimidating when they wanted to be.
He lifted the book back up and flipped to another random page. Perhaps this one would be more informative?
"What are you reading?" an eerie voice whispered in his ear.
Startled by the sudden intrusion into his personal space and acting on pure instinct, Gohan swivelled around at a frightening speed and lashed out with a lightning-fast punch. In the fraction of a second it took him to recognise his assailant, his eyes widened and he forced his hand to come to a halt, his knuckles stopping a hair away from his target's jaw.
Sato blinked at the sudden gust of wind that rustled his spiky hair. He raised his own hand and placed it against Gohan's fist, then pushed it down to a less threatening position. The demi-Saiyan didn't put up any resistance.
Then, as though nothing out of the ordinary had happened, Sato smirked. "What are you reading?"
Gohan thrust his book into the bag. "None of your business."
Sato's eyes narrowed. "Show me."
"No."
"Why not?"
"Because it's none of your business," Gohan reiterated, an edge to his tone.
Sato met his steely gaze for a few seconds before shrugging in resignation. "Fine, be a little bitch. I don't care about your stupid book." The demi-Saiyan doubted that. "Anyway, guess what I got?"
Gohan remained on his guard, but was partly intrigued. "What?"
"Mari's number!" Sato beamed, thrusting a small slip of paper at his face. "Since you said you weren't interested, I figured I might shoot my shot."
Gohan squinted at the number, then snorted. He didn't have the heart to tell his friend it was fake. Mari was a nice girl, so for her to mislead him like this meant he either came on too strong, or she simply wasn't interested in someone four years younger than her. Whatever the case, he hoped he'd be present when Sato found out the cold, cruel truth. He could do with a laugh at his friend's expense.
"Man, it's been a pretty kickass day so far," Sato boasted, an annoyingly smug smirk plastered all over his face. "I bought the last two volumes of Hokuto no Ken I needed to complete my collection, and I got a cute girl's number. Everything's coming up Sato."
Gohan couldn't help but feel an ounce of sympathy for his friend, but it was drowned out by the multiple memories he had of being trolled by the boy over the years. It may have only been a small measure of payback for all the crap he'd endured, but it was something.
With that though in mind, Gohan grinned. "Good job, I guess. Anyway, it's your turn to decide where to go next."
Sato closed his eyes and put a finger to his chin. He hummed, looking like he was deep in thought, then opened his eyes and pointed to the left. "That way!"
Gohan followed where the finger was pointing and realised he didn't have a clue what lay down there. The only reason he ever came to this part of the city was to go to Mari's bookstore. "Any particular reason?" he inquired.
"Nope. Just feeling lucky," Sato replied.
Gohan chuckled under his breath. "Works for me. Lead the way, Casanova."
And so, the pair were off. As they walked, Sato tried numerous times to subtly slip his hand into the bag Gohan was holding, but the demi-Saiyan wasn't having any of it. If his friend did happen to see what kind of book he'd bought, he'd be subjected to relentless teasing and countless nagging to explain himself. He knew how Sato functioned, and he wasn't in the mood to deal with that.
Before too long, the two friends spotted a small congregation of people in the middle of the sidewalk. Sharing a glance, they wordlessly agreed to investigate.
After gently pushing their way through the crowd, they came across a man clad from head to toe in a spandex bodysuit the colour of solid gold, the only part of the outfit left uncovered being his face. To complete the bizarre picture, a red 'GB' was stamped across his chest in big block letters.
Gohan's brow creased in bewilderment, while Sato couldn't help but snort. Unfortunately, this drew the attention of the strange man, who subsequently grinned in their direction and advanced towards them.
Instantly getting some bad vibes from this guy, Gohan took a step back, but Sato didn't seem to mind as the spandex-clad man literally leapt towards them and thrust out his hands, which held a stack of fliers. "Would you like to hear about our lord and saviour, the Golden Blur?" he chirped.
Gohan's jaw dropped. "What?"
The man chuckled. "Just kidding! We're fanatic, but not like that!" Gohan shut his mouth, but his senses remained on high alert. "I'm actually a recruiter for the official Golden Blur fan club! We're always on the lookout for new members, so how about you come down to one of our meetings? It'll be fun!" His pearly white teeth shined unnaturally. "We have complimentary muffins, and each new member gets a free outfit just like mine!"
Sato took a flier and grinned. "Where do I sign up!"
Gohan batted the flier out of his friend's hand and dragged him away by the arm. "Sorry, we're not interested! G-good luck with your recruitment!" he called back, not missing the look of hurt on the man's face.
Sato tried to wring his arm free of Gohan's grip, but the demi-Saiyan's strength was too great. It was only when they were out of sight of the recruiter that he was finally let go. "Hey, what's the big idea?" he growled, gingerly rubbing his wrist.
Gohan brushed off the question. "Were you seriously considering going to that guy's fan club?"
"Only for a laugh and some free food," Sato snapped, his annoyance evident. "What's it to you?"
Gohan crossed his arms and pursed his lips. "It's just… weird, man."
Why did something like that even exist? As much as he wanted to be recognised for his good deeds and not be viewed as a menace to society, the concept of a Golden Blur fan club full of oddly-dressed weirdos just didn't sit right with him.
Sato scoffed. "Well, maybe you're the one that's weird. Have you ever thought about that?"
Gohan's eyes widened for a split second before narrowing. "Every single day," he muttered under his breath.
Sato's expression softened, his eyes drooping. "Sorry about that, bro. I didn't mean it. It just… slipped out. You know I say stupid shit without thinking sometimes, right?"
"I know," Gohan replied, mustering a smile. "It's cool. Don't worry about it."
Sato breathed a sigh of relief. "Good. Anyway, since my plan is now a bust, you got any ideas about what we should do next?"
"How about we go bowling," Gohan suggested. It was the first thing that came to mind. "We haven't gone in years, not since your twelfth birthday party."
A catlike grin stretched across Sato's face. "You're on!"
Gohan returned the grin. This could be fun.
The rest of the afternoon flew by and before they knew it, the two teenagers found themselves back at Gohan's apartment, their bellies full and their spirits soaring.
After an intense bowling session in which Sato squeaked out a victory by the narrowest of margins, they took a trip to the arcade and ended up staying for hours. Afterwards, they pigged out at a local burrito joint, where Gohan demolished the time trial record for the seventh time and earned his seventh luchador mask as a prize.
Gohan slipped off his shoes and slid onto his couch, basking in the familiar comfort it provided. "That was the most fun I've had in weeks," he admitted. "Thanks for that."
"Don't mention it," Sato exclaimed, taking a seat alongside him. "Shit has been hectic recently. We both needed the break; you especially."
'You have no idea,' Gohan mused. He cleared his throat. "Sato, there's something I have to tell you."
Sato's head swivelled in his direction. "It's not going to be super weird, is it?"
"What? N-no! At least, I don't think so," Gohan stammered, averting his gaze. He exhaled deeply, his heartbeat starting to pick up. "It's something that's a huge deal to me, that I've been keeping secret for years, that I just… can't… any longer." He squeezed his eyes shut and reopened them slowly. "You're my best friend, Sato. You deserve to know the truth. I trust you."
Sato was silent, his face uncharacteristically serious. "Whatever you have to say, I'll listen."
"Thank you," Gohan whispered. He swallowed thickly; it was now or never. "I'm… not from around here."
Sato blanched, a look of surprise etched on his face. "What do you mean?"
Were it any other time, Gohan would've laughed at his friend's expression. "I mean, I'm not from around here. I'm from a place far, far, far away."
Sato gulped. "You mean you're an… alien?" whispering the last word as thought it was taboo.
"Half-alien actually, but that's not what I was getting at," Gohan corrected, feeling a pang of worry when the colour drained from his friend's face. He had to keep going. He'd said too much to back down now. "My mother is human and I was born on Earth, only… not this Earth."
Sato sunk deeper into the couch, looking visibly astonished. "Keep going," he requested.
Gohan did just that. "The Earth I come from is way different to this Earth," he began. "The geography is different, dinosaurs are still alive, technology is far more advanced, and everyone is capable of using ki."
Sato's jaw hung open at that last statement. "So, like, everyone is as strong as you?"
"Not exactly," Gohan said with a shake of the head. "While it is possible for regular humans to become incredibly strong, I have certain genetic advantages that no one else does. You see, my dad comes from a race of space warriors called Saiyans, who are basically bred from birth to be fighters."
Sato rubbed his forehead. "Shit, man. This is heavy."
Gohan smiled apologetically. "I know. My dad was sent to Earth as a baby, but he ended up hitting his head and losing all his memories. He didn't find out the truth about his heritage until I was four years old." He clasped his fingers together and stared at his feet. "To cut a long story short, ever since then I've been training with my dad and his friends to fight one evil villain after another."
"Fucking hell," Sato spat, his tone shifting to one of sorrow. "That's… that's no way for a kid to live."
"I had no choice," Gohan revealed, unable to keep the vitriol out of his voice. "The actual training was enjoyable, but fighting in life or death battles against the sickest sons of bitches you can imagine? I hated every second of it." He clenched and unclenched his fist. "And yet, if I had the chance to go back and do things differently, I wouldn't. I would do anything – anything to protect my family, my friends and the Earth itself."
"How did you end up here?" Sato asked softly after a few uncomfortable seconds of silence.
"I don't have a clue," Gohan answered bitterly. "I was in the middle of finishing off the strongest villain we'd ever fought, when this vortex appeared out of nowhere and sucked me in. Damn thing drained all my power and spat me out in the sky above Tokyo, after which I lost consciousness."
Sato let out a long, deep sigh. "That's insane."
"Yep," Gohan agreed. When his friend said nothing, he nervously scratched the back of his head. "So… umm, yeah. That's my story."
Sato's dark pupils locked on to Gohan's onyx ones. "What made you finally decide to tell me?" he questioned.
"Yesterday was a giant mess that left me feeling worse than I ever have in my five years here," Gohan admitted sombrely. "I-I couldn't take it anymore. It was killing me keeping it a secret. I had to tell someone." His lip quirked into a tiny smile. "I don't know what made me tell you right now, but I guess it just felt… right."
To Gohan's immense relief, a grin broke out on Sato's face. "Good," the he stated emphatically. "I wish you'd told me earlier, but I get why you kept it a secret for so long. That news was… something else. For the record, it doesn't change anything between us. We'll always be bros, bro."
He tried to ruffle Gohan's hair as a show of camaraderie, but the demi-Saiyan was too quick and managed to scoot out of reach. Still, he smiled warmly at his friend. "Damn straight."
Sato stroked his chin. "You know, I'm not really all that surprised. I always got the feeling you were different than the rest of us plebs. I actually thought it was because you might be the Golden Blur."
Gohan let out a nervous chuckle and scratched the back of his head. "Yeah… about that…"
Sato paused, his expression slowly morphing into one of absolute astonishment as the realisation dawned on him. "No. Freakin'. Way."
Instead of saying something, Gohan simply transformed on the spot, sending his friend recoiling in shock, to the point that he nearly fell off the couch.
"Wh-what? How? Why? This is-" Sato's mouth was flopping like a fish's, but no coherent words came out. This went on for a while before he sighed in resignation and stared wearily at his friend. "Is it a Saiyan thing?"
"It's a Saiyan thing."
Sato pouted. "No fair."
Gohan couldn't help it. He burst out laughing. For the longest time he wondered what kind of reaction his best friend would have if he ever found out about the Golden Blur, but this was beyond his expectations. He figured he'd be the recipient of something like prolonged shock, accusations of trickery, anger for his deception… anything other than a simple 'no fair'.
Even as Sato looked at him like he'd grown a second head, Gohan couldn't bring himself to feel self-conscious, and instead erupted into another bout of hysterics. School tomorrow would be another challenge entirely, but for this fleeting moment that he knew wouldn't last, he was content with his lot in life.
AN: A proper cooldown chapter this time. I've been meaning to further explore Gohan and Sato's friendship for a while, but I haven't had the chance to do so up until now. Remember, this is an adventure/friendship fic, not just an adventure fic (if I could add a third category, it'd be humour). As much as I enjoy writing epic action scenes, I also enjoy writing character-driven slice of life scenes, and feel that they're necessary in ensuring the story doesn't become stale or repetitive.
In this chapter particularly, I also wanted to stress the importance of friendship when you're going through a rough patch. If you're suffering from anxiety, one of the worst things you can do is constantly dwell on the negative thoughts that are making you feel like shit. Doing so will just make you feel even shittier. Find a friend you can trust and just spend time with them, doing whatever you guys find to be fun; whether it's playing sport, video games, watching movies, TV shows, gossiping, going shopping… whatever you can do to take your mind off your problems even if only temporary. Just knowing you aren't alone, that you have at least one person at your side, is a massive help. Trust me.
On another note, it's actually tragic how little development Sato gets in the manga. His only real character trait is that he enjoys baking… nothing else. It makes me glad I chose him to be Gohan's best friend instead of someone more popular like Izuku, which has already been done to death in crossovers. The other option I considered was Ojiro, partly because of the monkey tail. I really hope Horikoshi doesn't pull a Kishimoto and only focus on three or so members of the class, while neglecting everyone else. That would be massively disappointing.
That aside, I just want to say how thrilled I am that the feedback for the last chapter has been overwhelmingly positive, and that most people are happy with my depiction of Gohan's struggles. I wanted to take a more realistic approach with this aspect of the story and explore something that was either glossed over or ignored completely in canon DBZ, because I felt it was relevant to this type of story. If you want Gohan to be some stoic, robotlike hardass who's unaffected by his predicament and incapable of feeling anything other than rage, then maybe this fic isn't for you.
Anyway, to wrap this up, I'd like to once again thank everyone who's favourited, followed and reviewed. You all have my utmost gratitude. I've had a pretty rough February due to some health issues that won't go away (might need to have surgery on my arm), and have been fucking with me mentally, but your feedback is one of the things that helps keep me positive. As always, please consider letting me know what you thought of this chapter.
Until next time!
PS: If you want to see what Gohan's apartment looks like, here's a picture I made in Paint: ag1e5xd (just type this at the end of im gur . com; this site has a hate boner for hyperlinks). Please excuse the crudity of the illustration. I didn't have time to draw it to scale.
PPS: The jury's still out on whether I'm going to include the MHA movie in this fic. At the time of writing this chapter I don't really know what I could add to the movie to make it different while still being entertaining.
