*Hi, everyone. It's me again. Here's the final part of this short, 3-chapter prologue for The Saiyan of Luna Nova. After this, the canon events of the series will officially begin. However, I won't be following everything that took place in the original show to a T. I will be altering stuff from canon and adding my own events to it. This includes the addition of Dragon Ball villains and increased bits of lore from Norse Mythology, the LWA manga, etc. With that short announcement out of the way, I hope you enjoy this chapter.
Chapter 3: Divergent Futures (Prologue, Part 3)
Thanks to the Shiny Balai's portable Ley Line, Chariot and Goku managed to directly reach Glastonbury Tor within seconds. Located outside of its titular town, Glastonbury, it was a steep hillside that towered over nearby houses and trees. Lined along the hill was a single staircase which led directly to St. Michael's Tower, a national monument associated with England's medieval age. An interesting characteristic of this tower was a massive tree which ingrained itself between the presiding walls and crevices. The tree's branches grew above the roof, causing a multitude of leaves and plant-life to completely conceal its archaic ridges.
For hundreds of years, witches attending Luna Nova Academy used Glastonbury Tor as a Ley Line Terminal which directed their brooms to anywhere, they wished to travel, including their own school. However, travel between Ley Lines could go awry if someone either flew themselves off course or brought salt with them. For some reason, Ley Lines didn't react well to the contents of salt and if present, a witch could possibly land in another, unintended location. This, like in Goku's case, could include separate galaxies, planets, or even dimensions as well.
However, that specific condition was exactly what Goku and Chariot were booking on. After all, this was the only conceivable way to bring Goku home.
Chariot carefully parked the Shiny Balai in place. She turned her head around to check how Goku handled the broom's instantaneous momentum.
"You alright, Goku?" Chariot asked in concern. To her surprise, Goku's hair was completely quaffed backward due to the wind projected from the Shiny Balai's dash. He also looked a bit dizzy, much to her amusement.
"I'm okay. It's just been awhile since I've flown that fast." Goku replied. He then shook his head, bringing himself back to normal.
"Wait, does that mean you can fly?!" Chariot gaped in surprise.
"Nah, I had this cloud called the Flying Nimbus that I rode on. It was given to me by my first master, Roshi." Goku noted before stroking his chin in curiosity. "Then again, Kami did tell me that the projection of ki could make flying possible, so who knows? Maybe I will one day."
Chariot found the mere prospect of that ability greatly intriguing. She assumed some type of elemental magic could result in flight, but with ki, it seemed to have near-limitless capabilities. Plus, the idea of someone as strong as Goku learning to fly was, admittedly, kind of terrifying. He'd be a force to be reckoned with for sure.
"Wow. I'm sure that's exciting!" Chariot commented, figuring that the potential for such progress was highly beneficial.
"You bet! That's why I want to get back to training as soon as possible!" Goku beamed in sheer anticipation. His enthusiasm was quite contagious, but to Chariot, she couldn't help, but feel a bit bummed out. She still wanted to learn more about Goku and his many adventures, yet unfortunately, time just wasn't on their side. Both of them had their own responsibilities to attend to.
"I know I should feel happy to help Goku, but…" Chariot sadly peeked at Goku's excitable demeanor. "…a part of me doesn't want him to leave. He's done so much already, and I want him to be acknowledged for it."
While she was caught up in her thoughts, Goku suddenly remembered a vital piece of information Chariot mentioned back in Blytonbury.
"By the way, Chariot, didn't you mention having to attend another class soon? Something about stopping for supplies before going there?" Goku reminded the redheaded witch. Chariot, still distracted by her own thoughts, suddenly raised her eyebrows in shock.
"Oh shoot! You're right!" Chariot shrieked. "I completely lost track of time!"
Figuring that there was little time left to waste, Chariot quickly moved her Shiny Balai into St. Michael's Tower. Goku continued clinging to the broom's shaft, so he wouldn't fall off-balance.
"Sorry, Goku, but you might have to go with me to Luna Nova! I can't risk being late again!" Chariot apologetically exclaimed. "Plus, I wanted to tell the headmistress, Professor Holbrooke, about what happened in Blytonbury, anyway. You deserve to be rewarded for beating the Titan!"
Goku lightly shrugged his shoulders. "If you say so. But, I don't need some prize for what I did. Meeting strong guys like Thor and the Titan is good enough for me, to be honest. Getting to test out the Super Kamehameha was also an added bonus!"
Chariot already predicted that Goku was going to reply this way. However, that still didn't perturb her from getting the Luna Nova staff to honor his heroic actions.
"B-But, you helped out so many people! Don't you want recognition for that kind of thing?"
"Not really. Right now, the only real recognition I need is from you, Chariot." Goku bluntly shared his feelings. "You're my friend, so being able to help you out had to have counted for something, right?"
Chariot fully swiveled her body around to look at Goku. The fact that Goku casually called her a friend caught Chariot by surprise in the best way possible.
"A medal or whatever is good, sure, but seeing you smile like before meant more to me, I think." Goku said, scrunching his face in an attempt to think over each word he spoke. Thinking this much honestly made his head hurt a little. "And seeing you use that cool Shiny Arc didn't hurt either! It'd be even cooler l if I could see the type of witch you'll become! Hehe."
The warmness of Goku's statement, whether intentional or not, made Chariot's heart flutter from within her chest. Cheek starting to burn red once again, she genuinely beamed at Goku in a mix of gratitude and affection.
Then, no longer having enough words to express her happiness, Chariot came up with a bold idea; one that she'd probably regret in any other situation. But, in this moment, she didn't let that pessimism stop her.
Chariot lightly batted her eyelashes as she leaned closer to Earth's strongest fighter. "Hold still for a second, Goku…"
Goku, raising a single eyebrow in puzzlement, complied with Chariot's request. He then felt the gentle touch of Chariot's lips on his cheek. She lingered there for a few seconds before parting them. At that point, Chariot hadn't felt more embarrassed in her entire life. She quickly covered her face as a feint, red flush overtook both cheeks.
Goku, on the other hand, naively rubbed the spot where Chariot kissed him, failing to understand what she meant by that. Even at sixteen, Goku was just as dense as ever.
"Huh? What did you do that for?" Goku muttered confusedly. Chariot, finding his blank stare a bit adorable, girlishly giggled in response.
"Teehee. Consider it my recognition for everything you did." Chariot happily winked at the clueless boy. She then lightly laid her hand on top of his.
"Just go with me to Luna Nova for a little bit, okay? Please?" asked Chariot in a low, quiet whisper. Spotting a look of desperation in Chariot's large, red eyes, Goku nodded his head. He didn't want to disappoint her, even if it got in the way of his transport home.
"Lead the way then." Goku said.
Fairly pleased with his answer, Chariot directed her broom to the tower's centermost point. She then levitated upward until she was directly in-line with the open ceiling.
"Open! Path to Luna Nova!" With the announcement of this incantation, a gigantic Ley Line leading to the aforementioned destination emerged. Chariot and Goku were sent rocketing forward due to the Shiny Balai's increased speed while flying.
Goku recognized the walls of green energy from the Ley Line he was sucked into beforehand. Similarly, intersecting tree branches were still present around the entire pathway as well.
"Try to hang on, Goku! The Shiny Balai's going to get a tad bit faster!" Chariot cried. Unfortunately, Goku wasn't able to take proper precautions in time. His fingers started slipping as the Ley Line's artificial gravity pushed down on him with utmost force and pressure.
"I'm trying, but…" Goku stuttered as his grip progressively loosened with each passing second. Then, to Chariot's aghast displeasure, Goku was thrown straight off.
"Too fast! Can't…hold…OOOAAGGGHHHH!" Goku screamed as he went straight through the Ley Line's rightmost side. In that moment, Goku was sucked down another, smaller portal, returning to either his home planet or lord knows what else. Nevertheless, Goku was officially gone.
"GOKU! NO!" Chariot shouted regretfully. Although this mishap slightly dampened her good mood, she knew, deep down, that this would have happened to Goku, eventually. She just prayed that he wasn't put into an even worse scenario of some kind.
"I didn't even get to properly say goodbye to him…" Chariot sighed morosely as she kept the Shiny Balai on course. Getting closer to the end of this particular Ley Line, Chariot shut her eyes and smiled in contentment.
"Thank you for today, Goku. I'll always remember it." Chariot mentally expressed her inner feelings to Goku. She then flew her broom into a bright, all-encompassing light, reaching the area where Luna Nova Academy's front entrance was located.
While her flight came to an end, Chariot melancholically wondered if she and Goku would ever meet again. It appeared the outcomes of their respective futures would be the judge of that.
Luna Nova Magical Academy, 2004
Located in the St. Michael Alignment of West England, Luna Nova Magical Academy was a large, white mansion built with three towers above its roof. It was, architecturally speaking, unique in terms of design compared more modern schools and buildings. Of course, it was first constructed back in the 5th century, so these qualities weren't all that surprising, especially by the standards of the world's magical community. Its prestigious history, in fact, was what made Luna Nova popular amongst the most talented witches of each respective generation. However, with the rise of modern technology, girls from all across the globe began to be accepted, regardless of their prior experience with magic. Such exceptions included Chariot, but her connection to the du Nord family of France also helped instigate her enrollment.
Luna Nova was also surrounded by a large forest, which contained a wide assortment of magical creatures and other related facilities. From a distance, two massive towers could be spotted. One was an observatory while its taller, skinnier neighbor was known as New Moon Tower. Piercing up into the sky with a triangular roof, New Moon Tower contained a powerful, green gem called the Sorcerer's Stone. This stone essentially served as a generator for Luna Nova's staff and students, granting them enough energy to cast spells whenever they pleased. If anything happened to it, every witch or wizard to how much magic they could use. When the smaller batteries of their wands ran out, they would become powerless. That outcome was part of the reason why the Sorcerer's Stone was concealed in this very tower. Only the strongest, or most foolish, of interlopers would dare try to steal it.
This stone's magical energy also made it possible to set up Ley Line Terminals like the one Chariot and Goku flew into. That terminal, specifically, could be found outside of Luna Nova's central courtyard, an area where students could talk amongst themselves in between classes. It was held up by a series of coiling branches that formed the likeness of two arms on each side. The Ley Line was contained in a circle propped up by these aforementioned branches, being able to disappear and reappear whenever it needed to be used.
Chariot exited from this portal and floated down to land softly on the grass. She then hopped off the Shiny Balai and had it revert back to its original form. In a flash of sparkly, green energy, she once again had the much smaller Shiny Rod in her hands. Chariot somberly looked down upon the rod with pout on her face.
"I hope Goku made it back home okay…" She whispered hopefully. Even if there was a possibility she'd never see him again, knowing Goku was safe would be enough to keep her heart at bay.
"What's got you so down?" A voice asked from the distance. Chariot tilted her head to see a young girl with long, lilac hair and glasses that covered a pair of green eyes. She wore a similar uniform to Chariot, but sported a dark purple witch's hat in addition to it. This was Croix Meridies, a self-proclaimed magic prodigy and Chariot's best friend.
Chariot tried to hide her sad expression. "O-Oh, hiya, Croix! I didn't know you'd be waiting for me."
"Well, at first I wasn't, but then, you seemed to be gone longer than expected." Croix sighed, crossing her arms in concern. "Did something happen?"
Chariot shyly twiddled her thumbs out of embarrassment. "Guess I can't hide anything from you, huh?"
Croix simply analyzed her friend's mannerisms and facial expressions. To her surprise, Chariot's cheeks were slightly red, which was quite rare for the French girl. Normally, Chariot was too cheerful to even be nervous about anything. Her usage of the Shiny Balai, from what she saw walking over here, was also surprising.
"Considering how long we've known each other, nope, you can't." Croix chuckled matter-of-factly. "Now, tell me the details already."
Chariot still felt a bit uncomfortable divulging this type of information, but given Croix was her best friend, she couldn't turn her down. All she could do was slump her shoulders in defeat.
"Fine…"
Chariot then told Croix all the past events that took place in Blytonbury. From the Titan's awakening to her successful usage of the First and Fifth Words of Arcturus, Croix was greatly intrigued by this story. It appeared that Chariot's progress with the Shiny Rod was going rather well ever since she unlocked the Sixth Word, Lyonne, near the Arcturus Forest's great tree. It seemed that the Fourth and Seventh Words still weren't unlocked, but Chariot, like her, was still growing as a witch. However, in spite of that detail, the most interesting part of the story was Goku himself. The flush on Chariot's cheeks suddenly made a lot more sense with someone like him in mine.
"Ahhh, I see. So, it's about a boy then." Croix mischievously adjusted her glasses. As expected, Chariot's face turned beat red like a freshly grown tomato.
"S-Stop it, Croix! That's not it at all! He's just a nice guy who managed to help me out! That's all there is to it, meanie!" Chariot whined while rapidly flailing her arms around.
"I know, I know. I was only teasing you." Croix giggled, feeling satisfied with Chariot's childish tantrum. "What was his name, by the way?"
Hearing this question, Chariot suddenly calmed down. She really didn't mention Goku by name the entire time.
"Oh, right! It was Son Goku, or Goku for short."
Croix abruptly froze in place. Her eyes widened considerably, almost as if she recalled some horrifying event from the past. Although she never met this Goku before, the very mention of his name filled her mind with bile and rage.
"S-Son…Goku…?!"
"Yep, that's it. Is there something wrong with that, Croix?" Chariot asked curiously. To her, Croix looked as if she saw a ghost of some kind, which was confusing given how kind-hearted Goku was as a person.
Croix, taking note of Chariot's bewildered expression, cleared her throat and awkwardly looked away.
"Erm, no. It just sounded familiar to me for some reason." Croix said in a quiet voice.
"Well, that is the Japanese variant of Sun Wukong's name in the Journey to the West book, so maybe that's where you recognize it from." Chariot surmised based on her knowledge of classic literature. Now that she thought about it, Goku's name was a really strange coincidence more than anything else.
Croix hesitantly nodded as she dug both hands in her uniform's pockets.
"Yeah. Maybe you're right…"
After a few moments of silence, she then turned around to examine Luna Nova. Judging from the sounds of chatter and footsteps that could be heard, classes were about to resume.
"Ahem. Anyway, I think we should start heading to class. Professor Finnelan will have our heads if we're late for the next Magic Linguistics exam." Croix suggested. At the mere mention of Magic Linguistics, Chariot came to a terrifying realization.
"Oh no! I completely forgot about that!" Chariot gasped heavily in dismay. She honestly felt like curling up into a ball and crying for the rest of the day.
"Geez. Some things just never change." Croix sighed while rolling her eyes. She shook her head disappointedly and began walking forward.
"That's not fair, Croix! I had a good excuse this time!" Chariot whined indignantly. As she followed close behind her, Croix's glasses were concealed by a translucent glare of sunlight.
"Goku, hm? It appears Mrs. Gero's description of him was fairly accurate then." Croix mentally noted. Professor Akasha Gero, her mentor, told Croix all about Goku and the crimes he partook in three years ago. Although the brown-haired alchemist had since departed from Luna Nova, she told Croix enough about the Red Ribbon Army to get a basic gist of Goku's character and how he mercilessly slaughtered various soldiers in cold blood. One such soldier was Gebo, Akasha's only son.
While she did not meet Goku in person, of course, the slightest mention of his name caused her blood to boil. She wondered if the magitronic devices she inherited from Akasha could be a match against him, if and when he managed to leave his own version of Earth someday. Regardless, once that day came, Goku and the Grand Triskellion would be hers to do as she pleased. And no one, not even Chariot, would be able to stop her from becoming the most powerful witch alive.
She then glanced back, silently seething at the sight of the Shiny Rod in Chariot's possession. Despite being best friends, it was difficult to hold in the resentment she held for her at times.
"This makes things a lot more interesting…" Croix thought. She lightly smirked before concealing it underneath her usual indifference. Chariot, none the wiser to her friend's disturbed thoughts, looked up at the ceiling with a forlorn grin.
"If we ever see each other again, Goku, I promise to be an even greater witch than I am now; one that you can be proud to call a friend or maybe even…your equal." Chariot blushed, fondly reminiscing about the kiss she gave Goku. It appeared that she wished to go somewhere beyond equals as well.
"And when I make a promise, I intend to keep it! So, I won't let you down!" She promised in a display of fiery determination. After everything she went through, Chariot was no longer messing around when it came to accomplishing her lifelong dreams.
Tightly clenching her fists with rejuvenated confidence, Chariot continued her stride to Professor Finnelan's classroom. She also made a mental note to tell Professor Holbrooke about Goku's fight with the Titan after the exam, whether it ended in a pass or a failure.
Kami's Lookout, Age 754
It had been about an hour since Goku was whisked away by a random Ley Line. While Kami and Mr. Popo did consider panicking at first, they ultimately decided to trust in Goku's abilities and wait for his return. After defeating King Piccolo, there was basically nothing worse that an alternate version of Earth could offer. Now, if Goku were to end up in the Demon Realm or something similarly dangerous, that'd be a different story. Ley Lines typically didn't connect to sinister dimensions like that, however, so it was best not to dwell on that possibility.
To pass the time, Kami stood at the edge of the Lookout while Mr. Popo, in contrast, practiced some gardening to keep himself calm. Earth's current Guardian used his staff to prop himself up as he gradually became lost in thought.
"While I do trust that Goku will inevitably come out of this unscathed, I wonder if I should select an alternate fighter to help prepare for the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament." Kami ascertained based on the current state of the world. "After all, Piccolo's reincarnation won't disappear just like that."
He then conjured up a list of all the current Z-Fighters besides Goku and Master Roshi.
"Let's see…Yamcha? He has the potential, but considering his win-loss ratio, it'd be far too risky. Tien Shinhan? He's talented for sure. However, it seems that he prefers to train with Chiaotzu around. And frankly, Chiaotzu is even farther from Piccolo Jr.'s current level of strength than he is. Then, Yajirobe? …erm…Now, out of everyone, Krillin might actually gain the most progress, but then again, he's never really been able to best Goku at…" Kami's judgements were interrupted by the emergence of another Ley Line. This portal spat out Goku, vanishing into thin air as he fell face first into the Lookout's pavement.
"AHHHHHHHH…Doof!" Goku screamed. His face smacked the floor, causing him to linger there for a little while.
"Ah, speak of the devil." Kami thought ironically. Admittedly, the Guardian felt a sense of relief that he wouldn't have to go through with that backup plan. Mr. Popo, still watering the flowers, was also relieved.
"Owww. That could have gone better…" Goku groaned as he slowly stood back up. Realizing that he was standing atop the Lookout, Goku's grinned and made a "victory" sign with his fingers. "But, the Ley Line Terminal actually worked! Woohoo!"
"Welcome back, Goku. What was it like on another Earth?" Kami asked.
"It was pretty cool. I wasn't used to a lot of things there, but I still got to fight a pretty strong monster guy!" Goku briefly commented on his experiences in the West Galaxy's Earth. "I even used the Super Kamehameha like we practiced."
Kami, impressed by this fact, nodded in approval. "Very good, Goku. It appears your control of ki is getting better by the day."
"Aw, thanks. Though, I did get some extra help from this witch I met. Her name was Chariot du Nord." Goku mentioned with a wider smile on his face.
"Hmm, I see. I'm assuming she was a student at Luna Nova Magical Academy?" Mr. Popo chimed in from the distance. Goku quirked an eyebrow in slight surprise.
"Yep, that's right. How did you know that, Mr. Popo?"
"As an attendant, I've seen many Guardians of the past interact with witches from that world. Ley Lines, like the one you were sucked into, have been used to initiate communication from this Earth to the other for centuries." Mr. Popo explained the Lookout's deep, intricate connection to witches from Luna Nova Academy and other magical communities.
"Wow. I had no idea…" Goku brushed his hair back in amazement.
"It typically doesn't come up in conversation, so it's nothing against you, Goku. Luna Nova has been around for over 1600 years at this point." Kami said based on the information given by his predecessor. "It's far older than I and, surprisingly, even Mr. Popo himself."
"Sheesh. And I thought Mr. Popo was ancient."
"I'll take that as a compliment…" Mr. Popo stated with a blank, neutral expression.
"Of course, that's how it was back in the school's prime. I've rarely ever been contacted by Luna Nova's staff during my tenor as Guardian." Kami elaborated a bit more on Luna Nova's current conditions. "Nowadays, they typically discuss matters with Fortuneteller Baba, a former student and teacher there."
"So, Granny went to Luna Nova too? Guess that makes sense. She had to get her magic stuff from somewhere." Goku shrugged, figuring that a witch like Baba being associated with Luna Nova wasn't too farfetched. It did make the world a little smaller, though.
"That's right. I've heard she either uses her crystal ball or creates Ley Lines of her own for those situations." Kami replied. He stroked his chin in puzzlement. "Admittedly, most of her background is still mysterious to me. That's all I really know."
Goku bobbed his head in understanding. Even he was mature enough to understand that a Guardian like Kami couldn't necessarily know everything. Everyone has their own limits from time to time.
"No matter, though. The important thing is that you managed to make it back safe and sound. Good thing that Chariot girl was there to help you." Kami said gratefully.
"You better believe it! She was pretty nice to be around." Goku fondly recalled his time with Chariot. "She also had this special staff called the Shiny Rod that was really strong! It could transform into different objects and everything!"
"Shiny Rod? Could that be the Claiomh Solais past Guardians have talked about?" Mr. Popo subconsciously assumed based on prior information he heard about the legendary weapon. He wondered why a young girl of all people would have it, though. Did something happen to the previous wielder?
"I'm a bit bummed I didn't get to say goodbye, though. I fell off her broom right after we got into the Ley Line Terminal." Goku said, looking a bit more disappointed than usual. "She also did something weird to my cheek right before we took off."
Mr. Popo and Kami glanced at each other in confusion.
"Something weird? What do you mean?" Kami questioned. Goku tried his best to describe Chariot's weird "action".
"Well, she basically leaned over and then, pressed her mouth on my cheek for a few seconds. I don't know why, though. All he did was say that I liked seeing her smile." Goku described, holding out his hands as if he had no clue what to make of Chariot's behavior.
Fully absorbing the blissful ignorance of Goku's every word, Kami and Mr. Popo both began to chuckle in delight.
Goku tilted his head to the side. "Was there something I said?"
"Goku, my boy, I believe that girl was…erm…giving you, as people of Earth call it, a kiss." Kami explained. He'd personally never experienced "kissing" before, but he could tell what it was, at least.
"A kiss? Like what Bulma and Yamcha do when they're alone sometimes?" Goku inappropriately brought up out of the blue.
"U-Um…that's probably a more adult version, but yes. That's what kissing is." Mr. Popo stammered in embarrassment. In the thousand years he's been alive, he never expected to participate in this kind of training.
"Huh. I had no idea…" Goku scratched the back of his head in sheer perplexment. "But, why would she do that if we're just friends?"
Kami started to pinch the bridge of his nose in annoyance while Mr. Popo gently patted Goku on the back.
"You'll find out in due time, my boy. Just don't let that Chi-Chi friend of yours find out, alright?" Mr. Popo knowingly winked. Unfortunately, the mention of Chi-Chi just made poor Goku even more confused.
"What does Chi-Chi have to do with this? She doesn't even know Chariot." Goku asked in growing frustration.
Not wanting to deal with this unintentional love triangle, Kami progressed his state of irritation to full-on facepalming. "Oh lord. This is not the conversation I want to be having right now."
"Never mind all that!" Kami lightly raised his voice before coughing. "Ahem. Now, with all that settled, would you like to resume your training, Goku? We still have two years left until the tournament begins."
At the sudden mention of training, Goku clenched both of his fists in pure excitement. His prior confusion, as intended by Kami, was now completely stripped away.
"Of course! We have to make up that time I was gone, right?"
"Right." Kami nodded with a proud smirk. He could already tell Goku would be a good contender for Earth's next Guardian someday soon. "We'll holding today's session in the Time Room. Follow me, Goku."
Kami and Mr. Popo then parted towards the Lookout's temple. Goku did the same, but before moving, he stopped to look up at the sun. Its brightness reminded him of Chariot in a way.
"Hope you're doing alright, Chariot. If we meet again in the future, I'll try to become even stronger than I was fighting that Titan in Blytonbury." Goku expressed his sentiments to Chariot from afar. "And that's definitely a promise!"
With a promise that eerily resembled Chariot's, Goku buoyantly ran to catch up with Kami in the Time Room. It was now that both of their respective futures would be shaped by one another's meeting. They would become divergent in terms of experiences, but still be fueled by the same basic motivation to grow stronger. The question was: how far would Goku and Chariot be willing to go to achieve their goals?
2 Years Later at The 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament, Age 756
Finally, after 3 long years of preparation, Goku was officially declared the winner of the 23rd World Martial Arts Tournament. In a brutal fight to the death, he endured blood, sweat, and tears to finally defeat Piccolo Jr. with one last finishing blow. He did so with the newly acquired ability to fly, a ki-enhanced power Goku once described to Chariot more than two years ago. Although it appeared Goku was initially obliterated by Piccolo's signature ki blast, the Masenko, he managed to glide through the air and crash straight into his adversary's stomach headfirst. This sent Piccolo flying outside the ring, officially declaring him the loser according to tournament guidelines. Unfortunately, Papaya Island was rendered a wasteland thanks to Piccolo, but the arena was itself was still left mostly intact.
Goku, at the age of 19, was much taller and muscular than before. His gi, recently restored by Kami after convincing him to spare Piccolo's life, was orange with a black shirt concealed underneath. He also wore a black belt with blue wristbands and boots to match. As always, he displayed the symbol of Master Roshi's Turtle School for Martial Arts, which was a black kanji written within a yellow circle. His hair and face, however, didn't seem to change at all. Regardless of size, he was still the same Goku inside and out.
At the moment, Goku just gave a senzu bean to Piccolo, completely healing the villain of all his injuries. This display of mercy didn't deter Piccolo from his plans for world domination, but Goku wanted him to stay as a worthy rival he could challenge at any time. He let Piccolo fly away into the distance with that very sentiment in mind.
"I hope you take this opportunity to get stronger, Piccolo. Cause if I beat you once, I'll definitely try my best to do it again!" Goku thought with a determined smirk on his face.
Krillin, Tien, Yamcha, Master Roshi, and the others looked upon this moment with mixed emotions. On one hand, the Demon King's son was fully healed and just as evil as ever, but on the other hand, Goku would be there to stop him whenever he does return. This especially made Bulma observe Goku with a nice mix of pride and nostalgia. It was difficult for her to comprehend that this was the same goofy kid she met on Mt. Paozu all those years ago. Time sure did go by fast.
"Well, that was a stupid move…" Yajirobe, a chubby samurai with shaggy, black hair, muttered to himself. Bad Launch, overhearing this, mercilessly smacked him upside the head.
"Ouch! What the hell was that for?!"
"Can it, fatso! Goku just saved the entire friggin' world here!" Launch growled angrily.
"I get that! But, he still shouldn't have used one of my senzu beans on that monster!" Yajirobe grunted while massaging his aching head. "He probably still would have been alive, even without it."
Goku crossed his arms, glancing back at Yajirobe in minor sympathy. The portly swordsman did make a good point, but the thought of maintaining Piccolo's status as his rival was more important to him in a way.
"I get what you're saying, Yajirobe. But, as I said, keeping him in good shape gives me more opportunities to fight him at his best, you know? I wouldn't want him to stay in a coma for weeks or something." Goku justified the logic of his action.
Not wanting to argue further, Yajirobe just shrugged. "Whatever. Just don't ask me to give him any more than that."
Suddenly, Chi-Chi came charging toward Goku with a concerned, lovestruck expression. She had her long, black hair tied down in a ponytail that was held together by a red band. Her outfit was a long, blue dress that covered matching pairs of red pants and shoes. She also had red wristbands that directly contrasted with Goku's own set.
"Goku, you did it! You're so brave!" Chi-Chi swooned as she tightly hugged Goku. "I'm so proud of you!"
She then lovingly nuzzled her face into Goku's chest. Goku was a bit embarrassed by this display of affection, but strangely enough, it reminded him of a similar thing Chariot did two years prior. Chariot's hug had a bit more excessive force put into it, though.
"I wonder what's she up to…" Goku aimlessly muttered to himself. At this point, Chariot was probably graduated from Luna Nova Academy or, at least, close to it.
Overhearing this, Chi-Chi abruptly stopped nuzzling to look at Goku in confusion. The mention of whoever this "she" was immediately set her feminine instincts on edge.
"She? Who's she?" Chi-Chi asked. Realizing that he was unintentionally thinking out loud, Goku shook his head in an attempt to soothe Chi-Chi's worries.
"Uh…no one in particular. I just thought of this friend of mine I haven't seen in two years." Goku replied nervously.
"This better not be that Chariot girl you mentioned when I kissed you at the tournament." Chi-Chi frowned as she wagged her finger disapprovingly. "You don't just say another girl's name right in front of your fiancée! That's rude!"
The Ox-Princess then stepped away from Goku as she crossed her arms in frustration and, arguably, a bit of jealousy. Goku's nonchalant proposal in the arena was so romantic and dreamlike that the very moment he compared her kiss to some clumsy redhead witch's, the magic of that moment was almost completely ruined. She obviously didn't know who this girl was and to what extent her relationship to Goku actually went, but nevertheless, Chi-Chi began to harbor a grudge towards this so-called "Chariot". After all, Goku was hers and she had no intention of sharing him with anyone.
"And to think I remained loyal to you for all these years. How could you be so cruel?!" Chi-Chi sniffled as she exaggeratedly broke down in tears. Startled by this, Goku quickly wrapped his arm around Chi-Chi's shoulder to comfort her.
"Oh, come on, Chi-Chi! She was just a friend. I only really knew her for an hour or so at best." Goku stated truthfully. Of course, the short time he spent with Chariot was beyond his control, but he still learned more than enough about her in a way.
"To be honest, it's not like Goku knew Chi-Chi for much longer…" Yamcha whispered over to Tien, Bulma, and Krillin. In response, Chi-Chi's uncovered her face to glare daggers at Yamcha.
"What was that, Yamcha?" Chi-Chi questioned angrily. Not wanting to poke the bear any further, Yamcha meekly placed his hands up in surrender.
"N-Nothing. Nothing at all. Hehe." Yamcha weakly chuckled. Chi-Chi narrowed her eyes in suspicion before returning Goku's embrace once more.
Krillin, sporting a cocky smirk, lightly nudged Yamcha in the side. "Guess Kami really did do some damage to your balls, after all."
"Oh, laugh it up, Krillin. I'd like to see you stand up to Chi-Chi. That girl will eat anyone who's not Goku for breakfast." Yamcha defended himself with his own smirk. Thinking back to the moment Chi-Chi screeched in anger when Goku didn't recognize her, Krillin gulped down a lump in his own throat, shivering.
"Yeah. P-Point taken." Krillin mumbled quietly. Bulma and Launch, listening in on them, both rolled their eyes in annoyance.
"Besides, she's from a completely different Earth in some other galaxy. I wouldn't really be able to see her again, even if I tried." Goku pointed out the fact that Chariot wasn't from their world. This factor slightly disappointed Goku, but with Ley Lines, a future meeting was possible, he supposed. He just didn't want Chariot or Chi-Chi to meet one another when that time came. For some reason, he felt like that particular encounter wouldn't go very well.
"Y-You mean that?" Chi-Chi sniffled again, albeit a bit less this time around. Her black eyes shone with tears as Goku overlayed his hands with hers.
"Yes, Chi-Chi. You're the one I promised to marry, remember? You have nothing to worry about at all." Goku softly reassured his future wife. Beaming with immense happiness at Goku's loving statement, Chi-Chi attacked Goku with another, even tighter bear hug.
Continuing this hug, Chi-Chi then started showering Goku with multiple kisses on his face. "Oh, Goku!"
"Easy, Chi-Chi! Not in front of everyone like this, please!" Goku said, a slight flush appearing over his cheeks.
Everyone else laughed as Goku tried with all his might to calm Chi-Chi down. Her kisses were nice, but it was just a tad too much affection for him in that moment. Afterwards, once Chiaotzu flew back from the infirmary and happily reunited with Tien, Kami approached Goku with a fairly important proposition.
"Goku, you've proven yourself worthy of being the next Guardian of Earth. I'd like to offer you my job." Kami expressed in slight desperation. To him, Goku was the only person worthy enough to succeed him as Earth's protector.
"Me? Are you serious?" Goku pointed at himself in surprise.
"Yes. I have the utmost confidence in you." Kami nodded without any sort of hesitance. "Think of the good you could do with that kind of power, Goku. You could even interact with the West Galaxy's Earth as Guardians of old did in the past. What do you say?"
Goku paused after hearing that last statement. While it would be cool to learn more about Luna Nova Academy and Chariot's time as a student, standing up on the Lookout all day would get boring really fast. He wanted to fight strong opponents, not watch fights take place from afar like Kami does. It just wasn't the type of mantle he wanted to inherit.
"Look, I really appreciate the offer, Kami, but…" Goku trailed off as he rudely stuck out his tongue at Kami. Not expecting this kind of answer, the old green Guardian's jaw dropped in shock.
Goku turned around and grabbed Chi-Chi by the hand. "Flying Nimbus!"
From the distance, a golden, fluffy cloud flew to Goku's side upon command. He then hopped on board the cloud with Chi-Chi in toe, much to her extreme delight.
"…it just doesn't get any better than this! Sorry!" Goku happily waved farewell to Kami and his friends. With that, Goku and Chi-Chi flew away to make preparations for their eventual wedding. Their next stop would most likely be Fire Mountain to tell Ox-King the good news.
As Chi-Chi amorously wrapped her arms around Goku's waste, the martial arts champion in question thought over the progress of his journey so far. Chariot's own development as a witch also came to mind.
"Well, I managed to become the strongest fighter in the world and get engaged, I guess. What have you been able to achieve in these past two years, Chariot? I'm curious." Goku mentally pondered. He closed his eyes to recall the short meeting with Chariot before continuing to fly the Nimbus towards a yet-to-be-determined future; a future filled with even fiercer battles and, unfortunately, tougher sacrifices.
Chariot's Magic Show, circa 2006
The night sky was cast over a bustling, highly populated city with buildings of various sizes scattered all throughout. Located within the sky were seven stars that glowed brighter and more vibrantly than any other. They seemed to take the form of the Little Dipper constellation before one star shot out a white falcon that shined with golden light. It flew over the entire city and through a crowed audience to reach a single stage, much to everyone's excitement and awe.
"Alright. It's showtime!" The magical falcon thought to itself.
In a burst of green energy, it then metamorphized into an older, more mature Chariot du Nord. Now going by the stage name, Shiny Chariot, she wore a white tailcoat vest that accentuated her chest and other forms. This uniform also contained a blue skirt, a brown belt with the symbol of a golden ring in its center, and blue thigh-high stockings that were partly concealed by white-red boots at the bottom. She also had a red cape that covered both of her shoulders and were held down by small, golden cufflinks To top it all off, Chariot wore a white witch's hat with blue lace wrapped around it and a yellow-red, star-like symbol positioned in the middle. However, in spite of her new outfit, Chariot's face and hair were completely the same, even if she was currently 19-years-old.
"Welcome to the world of magic!" Chariot greeted with a smile on her face. Everyone in the crowd began to cheer at the immergence of Shiny Chariot, especially two little girls. One, a British girl, had platinum blonde hair with green highlights and blue eyes while the other, a Japanese girl, had short, brown hair and red eyes. She also wore a smaller replica of Chariot's hat, showing that the French witch had become popular enough to warrant merchandise. Both girls, in spite of their different appearances, were absolutely starstruck by Shiny Chariot's magical abilities.
"Now, please, extend your hand!" Chariot brought out her hand, making the Shiny Rod instantly appear. "Your story is about to begin!"
She spun the Shiny Rod around, producing green energy with each respective movement. Smashing it against the stage floor, artificial waves formed as Chariot surfed atop them using the newly formed Shiny Balai. These waves consumed the audience and for a second, it felt as if they were actually underwater. Once each wave disappeared, Chariot's viewers noticed that they were placed in an illusionary replica of the night sky. The brown-haired girl was in awe since her feet seemed to float over an empty space, rather than touch grass like before.
Chariot continued flying around the area whilst green plumes of magic shot out from the Shiny Balai's broom head. Once she reunited with her stage, Chariot powerfully rocketed into the sky. She gradually transformed into a comet of magical essence before crashing down into the ground, causing what seemed like splashes of water to fly about in varying directions. To everyone's continued amazement, Chariot transfigured herself into a mermaid, then a harpy with white wings, and finally, an elegant centaur as she passed over the entire crowd.
In response, the brown-haired girl reached out her arms in pure delight. Her black cape, it seemed, was meant to reflect Chariot's own as she fully unveiled it. The little girl's cheer was stopped, however, by the sight of an orange orb glowing from her chest. It took the form of a pixie before flying up into the sky alongside other orange specters of energy. Some appeared to be completely different animals, including dogs, horses, sheep, and many others. Regardless, they could best be described as manifestations of the crowd's positive emotions and enthusiasm, particularly in response to Chariot herself.
Teleporting back to the stage, Chariot happily waved at the entertained masses. She then stopped once she saw something strange and malevolent taking form over the audience. Before her eyes, black and red cubes snaked into the dead center of each spirit she created. They combined together to form a dinosaur-like creature, which proceeded to gobble up multiple personifications of positive energy. After eating multiple spirits, it grew much bigger, becoming even more dinosaurian in both shape and size. Red, negative energy was present within its toothy maw and around its entire body.
"Graagggh!" The strange monster roared ferociously. Whatever it was, the creature did not seem to be part of Chariot's act; a fact that unnerved her in a lot of ways.
"W-What is that?" Chariot asked in confusion. She assumed those cubes were some form of magic, but before now, she had never seen a spell like that, even in alchemy. Its red aura was also eerily similar to a monster from her past.
"It…it has the same negative energy as the Titan I fought with..." Chariot faltered a bit, becoming more downcast just thinking of Goku. Even two years later, she could never quite get him off her mind. She told Professor Holbrooke about him and everything, but all the headmistress could really do was choose to remember his exploits for future matters. Unfortunately, remembering wasn't good enough for Chariot. She wanted to know how he was doing, what adventures he went out since their last meeting, and everything in between! He was part of the reason she was able to get to this point in the first place, after all. But, most importantly of all, Chariot just missed the lovable goofball. She spent many nights at Luna Nova wishing that their time together could have been longer than it was. She wondered if Goku felt the same way
Snapping out of her delirium, Chariot shook her head and determinedly glared at the negative entity floating up above. "No matter. Goku isn't here to help like before, so I need to finish this up myself."
Sighing, Chariot tossed her hat away, allowing it to transform into much a larger, white falcon. She then ran forward, jumped on top of the magical bird, and used it as a form of transportation. Standing up straight while the falcon continued flapping its wings, she positioned herself directly in front of the ferocious beast. It grew significantly more irate in regard to her presence.
"Noctu Orfei Aude Fraetor!" By announcing the First Word of Arcturus, Chariot's Shiny Rod once again transformed into a bow and arrow. She held said arrow in place, aiming it directly at the monster's head.
"GRAAAAAGGHH!" The monster prepared to charge at Chariot with a fully open jaw.
"Shiny Arc!" Chariot yelled, letting the arrow fly in a mass of fiery, green energy. It was shot directly into the creature's mouth, causing fire to erupt from the inside out. The creature was then fully digitized into a circular shape before it exploded in a series of green, sparkly fireworks that, as per usual, enticed the present crowd.
Pleased with her handiwork, Chariot continued to stand in midair. She then fired another arrow into the sky, creating a small, portable Ley Line for her to travel through. With her performance coming to a close, Chariot glanced back at her adoring fans.
"Never forget to believe in yourself!" Chariot advised in an enthusiastic tone. The brown-haired, taking Chariot's words to heart, just gazed at her idol in amazement.
"That is your magic!" Chariot added before instantaneously entering the Ley Line in a final, massive explosion of magic. All that remained was a beam of green light that dispersed from the sky in a series of small, vivid particles. Now, Shiny Chariot was officially gone.
Stunned speechless by this impressive spectacle, one of these particles floated into the brown-haired girl's hands. Smiling, she placed it close to her face and then, her heart.
"Someday, I'll be a witch like you, Chariot." The little girl thought warmly. "And I'll make just as many people smile with my magic!"
She then gazed up at the full moon, hoping to make her dreams become a reality in the future. Similar sentiments were expressed by the blonde girl as well, but to an even more impressive degree.
Flying through the Ley Line she made, Chariot slumped down onto her falcon in exhaustion. Using all that flashy magic all at once could be fairly taxing, even with the Shiny Rod in her possession. The appearance of that weird monster didn't help much either.
"Well, that's one way to end a performance…" Chariot yawned. She then glanced at the Ley Line portal's pathway, recalling the last time she saw Goku all those years ago.
"I did never forget to believe in myself, Goku. I'm taking what you suggested back then to heart and more so." Chariot gratefully thought of the renewed confidence Goku brought to her. She then glanced down at the Shiny Rod with some semblance of nostalgia. Although she still hadn't unlocked the Seventh Word of Arcturus, Chariot still felt she had the experience necessary to do so overtime. However, like Goku, she would try her best to keep improving in terms of skills and abilities.
"I hope when I see you again, you'll be proud of the witch I am now and what I've achieved." Chariot smiled at the thought of their reunion. They, of course, were probably much different people by now, but at the same time, she felt that Goku probably stayed the same, regardless of his age and body. Maybe he was a bit more mature, but who knows?
With one last fond reminiscence of her old friend, Chariot fully exited the Ley Line and headed back to her stage's dressing room. Although she never managed to see Goku again like she wanted, all of that would change approximately 11 years later. At that particular point, their divergent futures would now converge into one at drastically different stages in Goku and Chariot's lives. And the very place that would bring them back together would be Luna Nova Magical Academy itself.
From then on, the legend of the Saiyan of Luna Nova, Son Goku, would officially begin.
*And that's a wrap for Chapter 3. As I mentioned before, it was a lot shorter than Chapter 2, but I think it clears up a lot of details for the prologue. I hope you liked the additional interactions between Goku and Chariot, as well as the first appearance of Croix. She will have a connection to the Red Ribbon Army in this continuity, which is why she mentioned Professor Akasha Gero (who I'm sure some people will know who that's supposed to be, given Croix referred to her as Mrs. Gero). This plot point will come into play once Croix appears, so she'll basically have a grudge against both Chariot and Goku in some way. Again, it will be developed further in later chapters and story arcs. I kept it a bit vague and mysterious for now.
I also included Akko and Diana in this chapter. They didn't really do much, of course, but it still sets up the later chapters that will be written eventually. Akko will have multiple interactions with Goku, so I hope you look forward to those moments when they come.
Anyway, that's all I have to say for now. Leave a favorite, follow, and/or review to tell me about your thoughts on this chapter. Chapter 4 should be coming out soon, but probably not until next week since Sunday is my 22nd birthday (man, I'm getting old lol). See ya later, guys!
