Disclaimer: I don't own Dragonball Z or My Hero Academia
Review Shoutouts
OmnipotentAbsoluteUIGodzilla - To quote my man King of Lightning, "Ladies and gentleman, boys and girls, children of all ages," we welcome another MVP to the illustrious hall of fame. My man Absolute took the day of his busying day to leave richly detailed reviews on every chapter. He went the extra mile. Appreciate it, my guy. Certified Goat.
Dontus -not Donut- Powerus - The returning champion back at it again with another treat. :D Certified Goat. And yeah, when Goku gets angry, he doesn't screw around.
GJMEGA - Using Quirks to travel isn't illegal. It may be frowned upon a bit, but it's ultimately okay. It's the unauthorized use of Quirks to harm others that is strictly prohibited.
Jeferson Arthur - Facts, man. The annoying part is that people compare him too far more well-rounded perverts like Jiraiya and Roshi as a means to defend him, utterly failing to realize Roshi and Jiraiya aren't just perverts. They can be wise and serious and have genuine badass moments that aren't ruined with them lusting after some girl. The same can't be said for Mineta. Guy is just the definition of a one-dimensional caricature. No one else should be sacrificed for a crossover character other than him.
XD - Woops. I almost forgot. Thank you X. It completely slipped my mind that the school year starts in April, not September. I have appropriately edited chapter 6 to put us in June, not November. However, that won't stop the snowy region from being any less snowy. Here. Maybe a bit actually. Thanks again, man.
Pimes - GJMEGA - Sarah9730 - Dontus -not Donut- Powerus - Now, to tackle your critique of Goku not using Instant Transmission because he admittedly probably should've, I still wanted Aizawa to get destroyed. I just thought it would serve as a lesson to not only him but U.A. as a whole to not baby their students. Plus, I didn't want to take away the other characters' little moment in the sun. Lord knows they won't have a lot. So, yeah, I needed an excuse to get Goku away for a bit. But not to worry. It's not without reason. I've edited the flying back to USJ part to look like this (He rose two fingers to his brow, deep lines of an annoyed scowl entrenching across it. A red-hot smouldering heat clouded his mind and try as he might, he couldn't dispel it to lock onto Mina's Ki/Quirk-signature "No good. Instant Transmission ain't gonna work like this.")
A flaming blue lustre glinted around his body, "But I gotta get back on the double! No telling when that bird guy'll go on the attack! Gotta hurry!" Even if teleportation wasn't an option right now, his immense speed could never be taken off the table. Not taking any time to admire the sights, Goku booked it back to Japan, a long trail of crystalized blue trailing in the wake of his ferocious speed.) As we see in the Buu Saga, Goku is unable to use Instant Transmission when he's flustered or panicked. Granted, the one time he was unable to use it was during an intense life-and-death situation with Kid Buu's death ball flying toward them, but meh.
Now, onto the chapter and why the MHA characters can't obtain Goku's power
The month has been changed from November to June as the school year starts in April, not September.
A pair of ambulances had been requested the moment Goku had dealt with the rapist trying to force himself upon Yaoyorozu and Jiro, and the police to boot. All Might was visibly spooked to hear sirens blaring on his hasty walk across the school grounds to USJ even before he reached the decimated entrance. Racing onto the pathway to see his students huddled around the injured Aizawa and Thirteen sunk his heart and utterly boiled his blood.
Squad cars and ambulances pulled up out front skidding along the concrete, and then pandemics and officers alike swarmed the building. Most of the students were evacuated save the man of the moment and class representative himself, standing down below with All Might off to the side as the officers decked out in midnight blue body armour and long-sleeved blue shirts began to remove the creature Goku had atomized with a single punch.
"I can't believe all this was happening while I was resting," All Might remarked, an uncharacteristic sullen mask completely at odds with his typically warm demeanour decorating his chiselled face, clenching his massive fists tightly at his sides in bitter frustration.
Goku shared his frustration but for a different reason. If he hadn't been so naïve and let his mind cloud with anger he could've prevented Aizawa from being rag-dolled, "They said that guy was as strong as you." He said, drawing a look from All Might, "Those bad guys that got away. Said that Nomu-guy or whatever was the anti-All Might. The hand-guy claimed Nomu had shock absorption and regeneration."
A disquiet swirled like a whirlpool in the pit of All Might's stomach, "And you defeated it with one punch?" A bead of sweat rolled agonizingly across his forehead and down his cheek. He was still in disbelief Goku had wrought so much damage by himself, creating a huge crevice in the ground and busting a massive hole in the wall let alone with a single punch even from the word of his peers. He knew the boy was powerful speed-wise after he disappeared from his sight but to potentially be stronger than him even now before he even reached his prime was outrageous.
'A monkey tail. Super speed. A sensor. The ability to project an energy barrier and super strength.' All Might grit his teeth mentally checking off the list of abilities Goku had demonstrated thus far, 'Just what are you, Young Son? Could he have an ability similar to One for All which has been stockpiling power for generations?" An One for All-esque inheritance Quirk was the only way All Might could make sense out of Goku's vast repertoire of abilities. It didn't make sense otherwise. Unless two people with powerful Quirks conceived a child together, no one should've more than one Quirk and especially one granting them a whole plethora of side abilities like a pinata.
"Oh boy," A light exhale of wry amusement hooked All Might from his own musings. A young-looking man in his mid-thirties sauntered up to the two, distinguishing himself from his peers by sporting a long beige-hued trench coat falling to his ankles, over a collared white dress shirt contrasted by black pants and matching shoes. Completing his early 1930s detective getup was a fedora matching the colour of his jacket. "You really did a number on this guy, Son-kun." He smiled.
Goku did not return it.
"Tsukauchi-kun." All Might said, mostly for Goku's benefit, "Did you find anything out?"
"Not much," Tsukauchi admitted, digging through his pocket. A peculiar little jar with a wriggling venom-like black cell was presented in between his gloved fingers, "Except this." He studied the worm-shaped cell with impressive composure, "Seems our friend had a regeneration Quirk."
The uneasiness in All Might expanded like a black hole, "Young Son was just saying," He said, shifting Tsukauchi's attention over to the unusually brooding boy, "According to his classmates, this exceptional young man defeated this fiend with a single punch." A look of astonishment flooded the detective's face, "He also mentioned the villain had a shock absorption Quirk to go with its regeneration."
Tsukauchi wore an impressed look, tipping his fedora, "My word. You sound like a monster, Son-kun."
"It was pretty weak," Goku said, the stony glare not softening.
"A humble monster at that!" Tsukauchi beamed in good-natured jest, his old friend rewarding the boy's humility with a wide smile and a thumbs-up, "I must say, it fills me with relief to know U.A.'s producing a student of your calibre."
A blank spot in Goku's stony visage was carved out, "Thanks, I guess."
Tsukauchi nodded with insistence, "If you don't mind, we would like you to come down to the station with us to answer some questions," He rushed to assure him seeing the intrigue forming on his face, waving his palms about in a placating gesture. "Don't worry, you're not in trouble. Although you did use your Quirk to harm a villain it can be ruled as self-defence. We just want to get a first-hand point of view so we can better understand the villains' motive for breaching U.A. grounds."
Goku had his arms crossed throughout his explanation. He then shrugged, "Okay, sure."
"Excellent!" The detective said, bestowing him a tender-hearted, closed-eyed smile. He gestured to the long set of stairs with a sweeping motion, "Now, if you would be so kind."
As Goku turned toward the stairway, he was anchored in place by his teacher's muscled palm clapping onto his shoulder, "I know you were probably scared and overwhelmed by today's events, young Son, but let me reassure you to put your mind at ease, Tsukauchi-kun is a benevolent man."
"I wasn't scared, Might-sensei." Goku stated, calmly dislodging Japan's number one hero's palm off his shoulder, "I was angry."
"Oh." All Might stared at the boy, alarmed. He assumed Goku's uncharacteristic surly demeanour might have been because he was bottling up his frustrations. He was still a fifteen-year-old boy regardless of his immense power. He wouldn't have guessed he was just irritated, "Why were you so angry, if you don't mind me asking?"
Goku's scowl darkened, fists clenching audibly at his sides.
"Cause that jerk made Mina cry."
All Might faltered, "Young Ashido?" Goku nodded once and traversed forward to begin ascending the long stretch of stairs. 'Young Son's immense love for young Ashido could be both an asset and a handicap. If villains were to find out about their relationship…" One blue eye glowed in grim realization, "As his teacher, it's my job to nurture him. I do not want his affection for young Ashido to make him do something he regrets." He turned to the severed remains of the bioengineered creature getting wrapped up in a body bag, "Fortunately, his foe didn't seem to be human but if it were I shudder to think of the consequences he would face."
Tokyo's Anti-Hero
xXx
Chapter 7
xXx
Ki and Quirks – How One Became the Other
A ray of golden sunlight hit Goku's face as he rose a hand to shield his eyes, frown deepening.
"Goku-chan?" Mina asked, voice laced with soft curiosity seeing her fiancée escorted to a squad car by a detective and an officer.
"Don't worry about me, Mina. I'm just gonna head down to the station and answer some questions about everything today," The monkey boy answered.
Mina lowered her head, "I see."
Hearing the dejected tone of his wife-to-be made him stop, doing a one-eighty and flashing her a sunny smile even brighter than the ray above them. "Hey, it'll be okay! Just wait for me at school. I'll be back before you know it. Then we can go home together."
Mina smirked, her playful nature temporarily returning like the last sliver of a fading battery, "I'm going to hold you to that."
Goku giggled, throwing his fiancée a salute before stepping into a waiting backdoor an officer opened for him, "Be seeing ya!" He didn't notice the tender-hearted smile the detective guided his way from watching his interaction with his childhood sweetheart.
The door was audibly closed before two more upfront were pulled open. "Come back soon!" Mina energetically waved him off as the exhaust pipes began to billow out smoke.
"I wonder what the police want with Son?" Kirishima wondered, standing next to Bakugo while the squad car pulled away carrying his classmate.
Bakugo scoffed moodily, "You idiot. Monkey-boy's the one who dealt with the boss villains." A feeling of resentment submerged itself in the pit of his gut that he tried to squash, brow furrowing in annoyance and fists clenched, "They obviously want to question him regarding what they were saying to try and gauge their motivations for attacking USJ." He sighed with a calming exhale.
"Oh, that makes sense!" Kirishima beamed, turning another cheerful shark grin his way, "Also, you're being calm and rational again."
"Because I'm always calm and rational, you red-hair loser!"
"Oh, you're back!~"
The drive to Musutafu Police station was one of calm pleasantry, much to Tsukauchi's surprise. He would've assumed a teenager Goku's age would've been more nervous riding in the back of a squad car, but if anything, he quite enjoyed the ride, exhibiting childlike amusement throughout the duration. Tsukauchi and his colleague in the driver's seat had attempted to tease him about his adorable relationship with Mina, but Goku's innocence easily warded off any such remarks like a barrier.
When they reached the station, Tsukauchi set about setting up a one and one discussion with Class A's strongest pupil in a small interrogation-styled room, a brown table wedged between two chairs and a dim light hanging above them. It was exactly the sort of room one would expect to be grilled in but that wasn't what this was about.
Goku was just answering questions of his own accord, relaying everything that transpired earlier in the day, from rendezvousing with Thirteen outside of USJ, to the astronaut's speech regarding the nature of Quirks and using them for good, to the invasion, to wanting to go on the offensive from the off but backing down at Aizawa's plea, pinning the warp gate down but naively letting him go, getting warped across the globe, flying back quickly before finally dispatching of the bioengineered creature while the main two instigators of the whole fiasco used that moment to escape.
There was a lot to dive into.
Goku also took the moment to shower praise onto his classmates, too, most of which didn't even acquire his assistance after being shepherded away to different parts of the training facility by the warp gate. It seemed the villains had severely underestimated their capabilities. His student, on the shipwreck disaster, leapt into the sky with all the adrenaline of Tarzan swinging through the woods, successfully utilizing a small portion of his Quirk without breaking his fingers to harness a ferocious whirlpool to entrap his and Tsu-chan's attackers whilst Tsu-chan carried them away to safety with her impressive jumping ability.
A team of Koda and Tokoyami had used clever bait-and-switch tactics to subdue their assailants in the rainy area while Goku's brother in the arts, Ojiro, easily swatted aside another group with his larger and less furry tail in the fiery streets of the burning simulation. Bakugo and his old middle school acquaintance, Kirishima, formed a surprising bromance, working in perfect tandem to decimate their attackers like Jackie Chan and Chris Tucker in Rush Hour 2.
And Todoroki instantaneously subdued his assassins the very moment he set foot on his cliffside without even breaking a literal sweat.
In fact, other than Yaoyorozu, Jiro and Kaminari who were caught off guard after dealing with the bulk of theirs, none of his classmates needed any such aid.
Tsukauchi seemed genuine in his amazement as he enthusiastically scribbled down each detail of Goku's relay from the proceedings on a slip of paper, only frowning a bit in between Goku mentioning he let the portal up, "Amazing." A long, breathless gasp silently blew from his lips, "All Might really wasn't kidding. You're one extraordinary young man."
Goku wished he shared his enthusiasm, brow furrowing in a scowl of annoyance, "I should've stepped in sooner," He growled, punching a fist into a palm, "I coulda got back sooner than I did if I wasn't angry."
Tsukauchi blinked, plastering a warm smile on his features, "Can I ask you to elaborate?"
Goku nodded, lofting his fingers, "I have a technique called Instant Transmission. It lets me teleport anywhere as long as I lock onto someone's energy," He said, noting the detective's widening look of awe before frowning deeper, "Thing is, I can't use it if my mind's clouded."
Tsukauchi put the pieces together, "Ah, I see. You were angry the villain tricked you into releasing him, huh?" Goku nodded. "Understandable." He was a kind soul, that much was obvious, "Your powers are remarkably versatile." He leaned back, scrubbing the sweat off his brow, "All Might mentioned something about your homeroom teacher telling him your significant other didn't refer to your power as your Quirk." He perched his elbows on the desk, intertwining his palms. Goku's nonchalant expression never changed, "So, if you don't mind me asking, excluding your Quirk mutation, are your abilities related to a Quirk?"
"No, they're not." He said, taking the detective back with his blunt honesty, "I use Ki."
Tsukauchi's eyes widened, "Ki…"
Goku's brow raised, "Have you heard of it?"
"Have I?" He sheepishly wiped his brow, "Many decades ago, before Quirks came into prominence Ki was the dominant power source." He barked out a disarming laugh, "Or so the legend has it."
Goku felt his own eyes dilate, "Really?"
"Really," Tsukauchi nodded, "Although, only a select few extraordinary individuals were able to weaponize their lifeforce." Goku nodded. That sounded about right so far. "Supposedly, it took years of practise and dedication to martial arts for an individual to awaken their Ki."
"That's right," Goku confirmed. He had managed to draw upon his to utilize the Kamehameha only because he had devoted twelve years of his life to martial arts. Unlike Quirks, Ki wasn't just something one was gifted with from birth. It took an earnest commitment most normal folk just didn't possess.
However, "Once Quirks came about Ki became a relic of the past. Even the martial arts masters lost their ability to draw upon their lifeforce when their Quirks manifested. It's almost like…"
The tailed teenager was reading from the same page, "Like Ki became their Quirks," Goku finished. It added up. He had initially attempted to awaken Mina's 'Ki' once upon a time ago, but no matter how many different fighting styles she acquired from Tekken nor how much her speed rapidly improved, her lifeforce never emerged in the way they wanted it to, and all Goku could ever sense from her was her Quirk.
Tsukauchi nodded, "Precisely. It's safe to say when Quirks were established it came at the cost of a person's very lifeforce mutating into a Quirk." He smiled, closing his eyes, "In a sense, you do have a Quirk superpower, just a very niche one." He swept his gaze over to Goku's swishing tail, "With your Quirk mutation you technically have two Quirks," He scratched his scalp with his pen. "I suppose since a mutation isn't a superpower per se, it hasn't been manifested from your lifeforce, still granting you access to your Ki."
"I guess so," Goku blinked blankly.
Tsukauchi stood just then, "That'll be all for today, Son-kun. Thank you for your time and patience. I know there was a lot to discuss. This should help our investigations tenfold." He smiled, extending a hand.
"Anytime, Tsukauchi-san!" Goku replied brightly, rising to his feet and accepting the gesture. "Good luck out there. I hope you catch those bad guys." He frowned, "Sorry about letting them get away."
Tsukauchi waved off his apology, "No, you fought admirably for one so young and were able to protect your classmates. Leave the rest to us now and go finish school." He gently slapped him on the shoulder, "We look forward to working alongside someone potentially stronger than All Might." Not that he didn't believe him, it was that he didn't believe the villain's claim that his creature was as strong as All Might. A thorough autopsy of Nomu's corpse should put things into perspective, though.
Goku grinned, "I'll try."
"That's all I hope for."
Tsukauchi led him through the back door of the station. A sheen of tangerine now gleamed across the dawn-dusk sky, a gentle breeze shimmering past him.
"We contacted your former guardian from the orphanage you grew up in," Tsukauchi told the apparent above All Might-level student, now flanked by an officer with a mutated cat head, "But he said you were fine to make your own back."
Goku nodded, beaming, "Uh-huh! I'm good to go from here."
Tsukauchi smiled gently, "Well, as long as you're sure, we'll let you go from here." He looked him squarely in the eyes, then bowed, "It was a pleasure working with you, Son-kun. Thank you for your cooperation and good luck with the rest of your studies. We eagerly await the day we can work alongside you in actual cases."
"Likewise." Goku grinned before hardening his expression with a look of concentration, propping two fingers on his brow. Feeling calmer, he easily pinpointed Mina's Ki-signature like a video game and dematerialized on the spot in a blur of flickering lines, reassembling in front of the girl in the school's laminated hallway.
"Goku-chan!" She clung onto him instantly, wailing on his chest, "Ah! Today was really scary!"
A warm palm combed through her pink curls, another snaking around her waist, "There, there. It's okay. I beat the bad guys!" He grinned, gazing around the empty hallway. The orange glow reflected by the open windows gave the place a calming atmosphere, "You the last one here?"
"Hm-mmm." She mumbled and nodded in confirmation against his chest.
"Okay! Just gimme a sec to change and we'll head home after."
"Be quick about it."
"Can do!"
…
A few minutes later found the pair exiting the school building. All of Goku's school shirt was left unbuttoned, exposing his toned abs and endowed chest through the sleeveless tank top he wore under his dress shirt.
"What a bad day," Mina pouted, leaning her head despairingly on Goku's shoulder, "And I was really looking forward to doing rescue stuff."
Goku's endless optimism washed over her like a tidal wave, "Look on the bright side! There's always tomorrow."
"Well, that's true," Mina muttered, puckering her lips sulkily before heaving a huge sigh, "I feel so bad for Thirteen-sensei. I was right there with her with Toru-chan and the others and I couldn't do anything!"
"That just means you have to train more, right?" Mina blinked, staring into Goku's silent, resolute gaze. "So that next time you'll be strong enough to act." Although it wasn't so much a lack of strength with Mina as it was with an unwillingness to act. She had always lacked tenacity ever since he could remember, often clinging to his strengthened tail from the frightful animals that could do her harm in their early journey through the woods. Mina's Quirk wasn't just strong, it was lethal. Incredibly lethal and it only contributed to her panicky nature. One wrong move and she could quite easily permanently scar someone or even kill them and that prospect terrified her more than the boogeyman itself. Having to shackle her own Quirk has had the adverse effect of making her doubt herself in life-threatening situations.
She arguably should've been the one to run back to school to alert the teachers given that she recorded the second-fastest time behind Goku, but Thirteen probably sensed she was in no condition to do anything, thus handed the torch to Iida instead.
Mina exhaled, "I guess." She rolled back into his chest and curled her arms around his head, "Let's fly now. I don't feel like walking right now."
"Okay, sure." He scooped her up as though they had gotten married there on the spot and began ascending to the clouds.
"And Goku-chan?"
"Yeah, Mina."
"Can you take it slow this time? I just wanna enjoy the ride with you."
Goku smiled softly.
"Of course."
As they began to float through the air like a drifting cloud, Mina thought back to the day they met.
"…I just wanna be with you."
Eleven years ago
A four-year-old Mina was sat huddled in a ball, wearing a sunflower-coloured dress and sandals with her knees pressed against her chest, arms wrapped around them and head tucked into the barrier she had created. She cried in a park in the heartbeat of Kamurocho, feeling like the world was against her, that she was all alone.
A shadow descended over her, feeling like a cool shade and not like the oppressing evil she had just faced. A voice, gentle and warm and filled with concern reached out to her in the darkness, "Why're you crying?"
She risked a glance, spotting a short boy with stubby legs and arms dressed in a blue sleeveless martial arts top with matching pants and black laceless shoes on his feet. Wild, spiky jet-black hair crowned his head, lending him the look of a hedgehog. A peculiar brown-furred tail swished absentmindedly behind a worried visage, unconsciously submerging her eyes with hope and relief.
She sniffed, "Cuz the other kids are mean!"
A tilt of the head, "Why're they mean?"
"They just are!" She asserted, tucking her head down again.
A silence fell upon them like snowfall but the boy's warm shadow never receded. Maybe he was contemplating? She didn't know. She just hoped he wouldn't be mean to her, too. She didn't think her heart could take anymore mean-spirited insults toward her abnormal looks.
A hand, comforting and tender, caressed her cherry-blossom locks, careful not to touch her horns. She perked up in curiosity, lifting her head again to see his closed eyes like he was concentrating on something, "What're you…?" She breathed, feeling a strange tingly sensation surge through her head, "That tickles."
Those kind eyes then reopened, expression glowing like a comforting summer day, "Wanna be friends?" He said just simple three words, but they had been enough to swell her heart with elation she thought she wouldn't feel again for the longest time.
Mina's black eyes widened, gawking at the boy's impossibly wide, excited grin as though Christmas had come early, "You really mean it?"
"Uh-huh!" The boy nodded peppily with little fists situated on hips, "My name's Son Goku. What's yours?"
She still couldn't believe her eyes, scrambling to accept the gesture like someone on the verge of dehydration getting water at last, "Um, Mina." She said unsurely, "Um, Goku-chan?"
"Yeah, Mina-chan?"
"Do you really wanna be my friend?"
"Uh-huh!"
"Like, really, REALLY?"
"Really, really!"
"Then," Her face steeled in resolve. She lofted her smallest finger, "Prove it! With a pinkie promise! Swear we'll always be together!"
Goku smiled affectionately, curling his pinkie around hers and giving her arm a gentle shake, "I promise."
Mina's eyes pooled, "Yay!" She latched onto him, "You're the best, Goku-chan!" Her pupils followed the rhythmic back and forth movements of his furry appendage in innocent curiosity, "Is that your tail?! That's so cute! I wanna play with it!" She grabbed it, causing a jolt of immense pain to surge through his system like electricity.
"Hey, wait! OW!"
"Hm. Goku-chan?"
End of Flashback
"Hm. You say something, Mina?" Goku inquired, gazing down at the bundle in his arms.
"I said I just wanna be with you," She mumbled louder for his benefit. Nothing else would've made her happier than being by his side, going out to beat crimes as his sidekick and performing silly, overdramatic combination attacks as though they were playing Tekken Tag Force in real life.
Goku's eyes softened, "And we will." He winked, "I ain't going anywhere."
Mina pulled herself tighter against him, "I hope so."
"I know so."
The Next Morning
The childhood sweethearts instantly materialized in a swirl of static lines in front of U.A.'s doorstep, Goku with two fingers plugged on his forehead and Mina with her arms tangled around his bicep.
"Ah!" Mina temporarily retracted her arms to stretch in renewed contentment. "Nothing beats Tekken before school."
"You said it."
They grinned and snickered secretively at each other before joining their gaping friends on the steps of the front entrance.
"Did you guys just…?"
"…Teleport into existence?"
Kaminari started.
Hagakure ended.
Mina stifled a round of snickers behind her hand, "Yup!" The way they had perfectly completed each other sentences in total sync was just so adorable and it gave Mina the idea to try and matchmake them together. She had always been a sucker for romance, both for her own and anyone else's, "Goku-chan's too cool, isn't he?"
"Whoa…" Kaminari intoned, then scrunched up his face contemplatively, "Wait a minute. If you could always teleport like that, then why didn't you just teleport right back after that scary warp-guy warped you outta USJ?"
"I was angry," Goku said, a shameless grin etching across his lips and a hand tucking behind his neck.
"Huh?" Kaminari blinked.
"Yeah! I can't use instant Transmission if my mind's all clouded and stuff."
The thunder clouds of Kaminari's orbs temporarily parted in clarity, "Damn. Guess even the invincible Son Goku has some weaknesses," He needled, falling into step on Goku's other side (Toru flanking Mina's) and playfully elbowing him in the ribs.
"Yeah, I guess," Goku grinned in awkward unease.
"Mainly his stomach, though." Mina clarified, evoking a peal of infectious laughter among their small group.
They began to traverse peacefully through U.A.'s halls.
"So, hey. Who do you guys think is going to be teaching our homeroom class today?" Hagakure proposed.
Kaminari boarded that train of obvious thought, "Oh, yeah. Sensei was all beaten up yesterday. No way is he gonna be present for today's class." He lobbed his head up and stroked his chin pensively, "I don't know. But…" A lewd thought of his favourite teacher posing seductively entered his mind, "Here's hoping it's Midnight-sensei."
Mina glanced over to her beloved, "Is sensei here?" Hagakure and Kaminari peered over to her, a curious expectation glinting in their eyes.
Goku just needed a moment to single out the supposedly incapacitated Erasure hero, dabbing an index finger between his eyes for a second or two, "Yeah, he's here."
"Seriously!" Kaminari gawped with a comical effect.
"Yeah," Goku confirmed with a sheepish laugh. It was strange for Aizawa to be present considering what he had endured only the day prior. Even if Recovery Girl mended him, her power only worked as a quick hotfix at best. He would still need at least a day or week's rest to fully heal, "Guess he just doesn't want us worrying about him."
"I'm afraid to ask, but," Kaminari's expression slowly calmed, "How'd you know sensei was here?" He took a shot in the dark, pointing a finger at him in dry suspicion, "It's another Son-thing, isn't it?"
"Uh-huh." Goku clarified with a simple utterance, a wide smile emerging freely across his face, "I can sense anyone no matter where they are."
Kaminari hung his head, "You're a cheat code, Son."
"Well, look on the bright side!" Mina chimed in with cheerful indifference, "Least you'll be ready to expect anything from Goku-chan."
"Um, like the unexpected?" Hagakure proposed, propping a sleeve in between the space where her head would be visible on her uniform.
"Exactly!" Mina winked, "Because Goku-chan is the unexpected."
"Sheesh. You can say that again!"
They shared another round of laughter and stepped through the massive barrier of their homeroom class, dispersing to their assigned desks. Goku's number 7 desk on the second row was situated by Mina's number 6. Kaminari sat in the third row, a seat conveniently behind Goku in desk 12. Hagakure was in the front row at desk 4.
Mina stretched with a relaxing hum, tilting all the way back on her chair's two legs until she almost crashed into the desk behind hers. Luckily, two slightly larger than normal feminine hands were there to catch her, "Woops!" She looked gratefully into a peaceful raven gaze, "Thanks, Tsu-chan."
"Don't mention it. Ribbit." Asui croaked.
Mina turned in her chair, propping up her pink knees like an excited child conversing with her sister in the front row of a bus, "So, Tsu-chan! Who do you think is going to be teaching us today?" A sneaky grin crept across her face. Hagakure and Kaminari stifled their laughter with a gulping intake.
Asui cutely dabbed a finger on her chin, "I don't know. It's hard to say who'll stand in for Aizawa-sensei."
"That's right. Sensei took one heck of a beating yesterday," Kirishima chimed in behind her in the fourth row, a sympathetic glow partly lighting up his eyes, "He was totally manly, though, for protecting us from that thing Son atomized with testosterone manliness."
"Mountain slayer," Sato mumbled, sitting at desk 17.
The quiet lackadaisical footsteps of their homeroom sensei's signature disinterest appeared with a whoosh of the opening front door, "Morning, class." An all but mummified Aizawa mumbled through his bandages, wrapped up from head to toe.
"Seriously! He actually showed up!" Everyone but Goku's group gawped. Their satisfaction couldn't be contained, laughing and banging their desks wildly, increasing everyone else's gawps, 'And they knew!'
Aizawa took his place behind his larger desk in front of the chalkboard, two tired, bored eyes peeking through the small parts of his bandages at the smiling porcupine-haired boy, "Son."
Goku perked up, "Yeah?"
Aizawa rested his eyes, deciding to let his informal answer to him slide, "Good job defeating that villain yesterday. If I knew you had that kind of power I might have considered letting you spearhead the defence." He reopened his eyes, staring hard with pointed disapproval, "Might."
"Mountain slayer," Sato whispered.
'He said it again!' Uraraka mused with an unsettling smile cutting across her red-cheeks.
Goku wrapped his arms behind his head, smiling cheesily, "Aw, it wasn't nothing, sensei."
"I'm sure," Aizawa mumbled sarcastically, "With that out of the way, we need to discuss something important." He decided, instantly putting everyone on edge again. The hardening of his eyes only thickened the tension in the air.
His lips parted.
"The U.A. Sports Festival is coming up in a week."
And just like that, the hot air was dispelled, tension abating and butt cheeks unclenching. 'Oh, it's actually something fun!'
A chorus of noise erupted through the class, limbs everywhere until Aizawa flared his now even more limited power, eyes beaming red and hair defying gravity like a hurricane. Everyone quietened instantly and sat back down as though the loud, cheerful reaction had never occurred.
Iida rose his hand and brought his concerns to the table when his sensei gave him the green light of approval to do so, "Sensei, is it really wise to hold the Sports Festival so soon after the villains' infiltration of USJ?"
"It's because of the infiltration is why the Sports Festival has to go ahead, to demonstrate U.A.'s power," Aizawa explained, "Security will be much tighter this year around. Police will be flanking the arena and pro heroes from other agencies will be in the stands. It wouldn't be rational to infiltrate a highly fortified event."
"I see. Well, when you put it like that, I suppose there's no reason not to go through with it." Iida conceded reluctantly.
"Well," Kirishima offered in a joking tone, "There won't be any point in any of us other than Son competing. He's totally going to win easily."
Everyone but Mina reeled their heads to Goku who stretched, entirely oblivious to their stares. "Hm?" He perked up in blank curiosity, "You say something?" He asked, eliciting a chorus of dry unease at his carefree reaction.
"You don't need to win," Aizawa explained in an effort to reassure them of the insurmountable challenge they had before them going head to head against Goku, "You just have to do enough to get noticed by an agency. Accomplish that much and there's a very rational chance you'll be enlisted for a week-long internship. That'll be your next step on your paths to becoming a fully-fledged hero. So, Go Beyond. Plus Ultra."
"Tch." Bakugo scoffed, turning a sullen gaze aside with his chin grumpily sat on the palm of his hand.
"Well, that's true," Kirishima sheepishly amended.
"There's team-up battles, too!" Kaminari cheerfully reminded everyone. U.A.'s Sports Festival was typically televised and, mostly live-streamed, given the era they were in now. Most of them had been tuning to the Sports Festival since they could remember. It was, without a doubt, the school's biggest advertisement and probably the main reason that attracted many aspiring students like moths to a flame. "Meaning all I have to do is hop on the Son express and bam! I'm on cruise control to easy-ville!" A sleazy grin stretched unexposed across his face. Ashido couldn't stop him now from riding off Goku's coattails.
Mina frowned, sending him a scathing glare.
"You have a point, but it wouldn't be very manly to ride on someone else's coattails," Kirishima insisted with a hesitated smile. He bared him no mind, laughing evilly to himself.
"I'm off to dinner," Goku said, sliding out of his desk and slinging his bag over his shoulder.
"Kay!~" Mina bubbled, cuddling him tightly and lingering in his warm embrace for a moment.
"Coming, Kaminari-kun!?" Goku asked after separating from Mina.
"You know it!" He swung an arm over his shoulder, stifling a snicker underneath his breath. He shot a look to the floating clothes of Hagakure that his best buddy's girlfriend was cheerfully skipping over to with a twinkle in his eyes before leading him out of the class, where they immediately ran into a group of students led by a head of similar purple hair.
"Oh!" Goku beamed in recognition. "Yo, Shinso-san! What's up?"
Kaminari blinked, "You know this dude, Son?"
Goku pointed toward his friend, "He's one of the guys I helped outta a pickle during the practical exam." He explained, drawing an exhale of realization from Kaminari. He turned back to the unamused boy, "What can I do for ya?"
"Son." He intoned, lazy eyes seemingly trying to bore through his soul, "Nothing. Just came to check out the competition."
"Oh!" Goku's grin widened, "I take it you're competing in the Sports Festival, too."
"Yeah." He sighed, craning a hand behind his neck. The boy's warm-hearted nature made it almost impossible to antagonize him, "If any of us do well in the competition there's a chance we'll move up into the Hero Course at the expense of one of you." Kaminari shivered at his foreboding tone.
"Didn't get in the Hero Course, huh?" Goku inquired rhetorically, a look of sympathy gleaming in his eyes, "Well, do your best and I'm sure you can squeeze into the other class."
A lazy smirk crossed his lips, "Confident in your classmates, huh?"
"Well, yeah. My classmates are the best!" Goku rubbed his nostrils with cheerful humility. Kaminari preened at his side.
"We'll see how much water that confidence holds in the Sports Festival, then."
"Yeah, we will."
They exchanged a look of friendly rivalry before parting ways.
"Well, see ya!" Goku waved over his shoulder as he sauntered off with Kaminari.
The other class 1-C General Course students were left awestruck by the pleasant exchange.
"You know, he was surprisingly nicer than I expected."
"Yeah, I was expecting a Class A student to be up his own ass considering they fought real villains."
Fate seemingly had ideas to prove their expectations partly right.
"Move it, extras!" The famous sludge victim barged past them with a spiky-haired redhead by his side. Well, at least the redhead had the decency to look sheepish at his friend's attitude.
"Well, guess they can't all be gems…"
Cafeteria – A little while later
"Boy, I'm stuffed," Goku exhaled, happily drumming his temporarily inflated belly.
"I'm not gonna get over that…" Kaminari murmured, wide, bulging eyes spookily monitoring the dozen emptied trays stacked up like a mountain in front of them. Goku only giggled in response. "But enough about that!" Kaminari shook off his stupor, saddling up to his closest U.A. associate with an opportunistic smirk streaking across his face like a bolt of lightning, "We've been friends for a while now, right?" He smoothly began, sitting beside Goku and wrapping an arm around his neck.
Goku blinked, "Uh-huh."
"And buds help each other out, am I right?"
"I guess so."
"So, you think you could do your pal Kaminari a solid?"
"What favour?"
"You know," He wiggled his eyebrows, suggestively inching his head to where Goku's fiancée sat with her friends.
"Know what?"
Kaminari's head slumped, "C'mon dude! You're with Ashido! You gotta know what I mean!"
"No."
Kaminari groaned. Hard, "I wanna hook up with Hagakure."
The lightbulbs flickered on inside Goku's head, "Oh! You wanna go out with Hagakure! Why didn't you just say so?" Kaminari just gave Goku's beaming face a deadpanned look, "How come?"
"Because she's cute," Kaminari explained, a lecherous smile crossing his lips. He was quick to clarify his statement upon seeing Goku lift a finger in reasoning, "I mean personality-wise, that is."
Goku dropped his finger, exhaling silently in recognition, "I get ya." He stood just then, "I can't promise she'll say yes, but I'll put in a good word for ya."
"Knew I could count on you!" Kaminari beamed, inwardly praying for his friend's success.
Goku ambled over to where he could see his pink-skinned fiancée conversing with Tsuyu and of course the lady of the moment herself, Hagakure.
Tsuyu was the first to spot him considering Goku's table was in front of theirs and the frog girl was the one that happened to be facing it, "I think I see Son-chan." She alerted the others and Mina perked up, face brightening and beaming a ray of joy like a spotlight at her approaching beloved when she turned in her seat.
"Goku-chan!~" She greeted him with a cuddle, just because she didn't need an invitation. "What're you doing here? Miss me already?"
"Hey, Mina!" The wild-haired jungle boy replied, soaking in the horned girl's fuzzy presence like a sponge, "Just swung by to speak with Hagakure-chan for a moment."
"Oh?" Mina looked at him inquisitively.
"You want to talk with me, Sonny?" Hagakure repeated softly.
"Uh-huh." Goku clarified, absentmindedly resting an arm around Mina's waist while the girl leaned on his side. He then jerked a thumb over his shoulder, "Kaminari-kun said he wanted to hook up with ya." Mina squealed excitedly.
"You did?" She tilted her uniform, peering over to where she could see the blond boy hiking his legs up on the surface of his table, smiling suavely in her direction.
"Uh-huh!" Goku nodded peppily, mirroring Mina's own rapid nods, "What d'ya say?!"
A sleeve moved up between the space of her head would be to suggest she was posturing with a finger on her chin.
"You should totally take him up on the offer!" Mina insisted cheerfully. The invisible girl paused, looking at her friend's exhilarated expression blankly, "You two would look the cutest!" She snickered, "Well, after me and Goku-chan."
"It might be nice to go out with a boy," Hagakure confessed, drawing a nod of insistence from Mina, "Kaminari is pretty cute." She gesticulated a pumped motion, "Don't take this the wrong way, Mina-chan, but he kinda reminds me of Sonny."
"Son-chan and Kaminari-chan are a lot alike," Tsuyu provided.
"Well, yeah. Just that Kaminari's more like a yen store version of Goku-chan," Mina quipped with a snicker.
"I think everyone is," Tsuyu offered for Kaminari's benefit. In comparison to Goku's power, everyone was basically a discount version.
"So," Goku inquired once more, "What d'ya say?"
Hagakure shrugged after a moment's contemplation, "Okay!~ I'm all for it." She bounced, "It could be fun to have a boyfriend."
Goku shook a fist in victory, "Awesome. I'll head back and tell him the good news."
"Thanks, Sonny."
"Anytime, Hagakure-chan!"
Omake - A Month Ago - May 13th 2014, Sunday
A blistering chill swept over the high lands of the Tsukimino mountains, cloud-white frost and ice covering every cornerstone. It was here in this harsh environment that Goku and his pupil had taken up residency for the first of what would soon become many fruitful training sessions, garbed from head to toe in the appropriate clothing. There would be a time and place where Goku would have the freckle-faced boy build up some cold resistance but today wasn't that day.
Today was just light sparring to introduce Midoriya to the fundamentals of martial arts and there was no better place to show his student the ropes than one of his favourite locations.
Why?
One: It reminded him of his original home up in the spring mountains of an unspecified mountainous province.
And two: There was a bountiful abundance of fresh deers, foxes, rabbits, bears and other such animals who could survive in wintry conditions to feast on. Not to mention he could also turn in their remains like their fur and antennas for a decent fee to a local trader in a small village at the foot of the snowy mountain. Not only could he sate his ravenous Saiyan appetite but he could also gain funds to further satisfy his stomach at the local cuisine. It was a win-win situation all around. Between hunting game and demolishing the menus at any restaurant he ambled into, he had gained more than enough nutrition to regrow into the average height of a healthy, young Japanese teenager. He was probably the same size of Monkey D. Luffy, one of his favourite manga characters. (He always felt a strange kinship with the simple-minded manga characters)
A sweat-soaked Midoriya was on his hands and knees like the kind of rodent Goku often captured, panting heavily at Goku's feet with a long, light blue winter coat draped over his developing body.
Goku, on the other hand, barely looked winded, caressing his chin thoughtfully, "Hm." He hummed, a long dark blue winter coat and dark tunic pants and boots wore over his figure, "You telegraph your attacks too much. Makes it easy to predict your next move."
Midoriya's inquisitive orbs swept over Goku's calming gaze, "I do?" He asked, sitting back on his rear after one last great heave. Predictably, his sensei had utterly outclassed him in their light sparring match. Every wild, heavy haymaker he swung was met and brushed aside with a single finger as though Goku was playing with his two-year-old son.
Now he understood what Kacchan felt during their first combat training.
Goku nodded, "Makes ya too easy to read." He lifted a finger, grin brightening, "Fightin' works best when you're not thinkin' too much of your next attack."
Midoriya digested the information like a hungry cram school student, "I see. So you're saying using my instincts will make me less predictable."
Goku winked, pleased the boy could process his teachings at the rate of a super-computer, "Exactly!" He glowed with elated pride. "Something else I noticed, too." Midoriya glanced up at his unjudging gaze exuding curiosity with interest of his own. "Who taught you how to fight?"
A thick lump manifested itself in his throat, "Oh." A whirlpool of trepidation swirled ferociously in his stomach, causing him to hug his arm and turn his eyes away from his coach, "Um, well, y-you see no one taught me. I-I j-just picked it up from All Might!" He felt his face grow hot with embarrassment despite the rigid cold, sputtering out hasty defences like a child caught with his hand in the cookie jar, "It-I's B-B-Because I really admire him, you know?"
Goku's warm gaze relaxed his jittery nerves, "Hey, I hear ya. All Might's pretty awesome, huh?"
Midoriya exhaled with a calming breath, rapidly beating heart lulling, "…He really is. He's the greatest hero to ever live. I've always looked up to him." He stared wistfully into his palm, a small smile crossing his face, "I just think the way he saves everyone is the coolest. I want to be just like him."
Goku smiled affectionately.
He found it interesting just how Midoriya and his childhood friend's admiration of Japan's greatest hero vastly differed. While Bakugo saw All Might as the one-man wrecking crew he was, Midoriya viewed him as the beacon of light that he advertised himself as. It was quite fascinating. He didn't know whether one extreme was inherently better than the other, though he was leaning toward Bakugo's considering his lust for battle, just that the two clearly revered All Might.
And that was just fine in his book.
"I hear ya." Goku assured, "But the thing is, All Might's fighting style doesn't suit you."
Midoriya's gaze switched from his palm to Goku's calm expression again, "Really?"
"Really," He said and crouched in front of him. "You don't have the body type to be a brawler." Being a brawler worked perfectly well for All Might since it encapsulated the indomitable invincibility he was all about and fit his impressive statue. That just wasn't Midoriya, though. He just didn't have the body type to be a hulking mass of testosterone.
"Oh, I see." Midoriya's gaze lowered, crestfallen.
"Besides," Goku gently picked him up by his shoulders, tender-hearted smile stitched onto his face. "You need to find your own way of fightin' anyhow. That's the beauty of martial arts."
Midoriya stared at his cheerful grin, bewildered, "Wait. I'm confused. Didn't you learn martial arts, Son-kun?"
"Nope!" Goku replied cheerfully. A sheepish tint redecorated his grin when he amended, "Well, my grandpa taught me a little and my old teacher showed me all those training regimes you're doing now, but really, those were just the tools needed to craft my own style!" He pumped both of his fists, "That's what martial arts is all about."
"Oh, I see." A look of realization flashed across his freckled face, "That's why you seemed so flexible when you were fighting Kacchan." He counted at least tiger style and capoeira, two styles that really shouldn't go together but Goku somehow made them work.
"Yup." Goku grinned widely, "Oh, yeah. Speaking of that," He pointed down to his legs, "Why don't you use your legs?"
Midoriya flinched, a look of astonishment filling his gaze like he'd just had an epiphany, "My… legs?"
Goku nodded blankly, "Yeah." He tilted his head, "Ain't ya ever thought of it?"
"No," Midoriya admitted with a vacant shake of the head, "I didn't think my Quirk could go through my legs. I've only ever used it in my arms so it never occurred to me to channel it through my legs." To borrow their sensei's favourite word, thinking about it rationally he should be able to flow his gifted power through his body. He had been so caught up trying to do things exactly like his icon that he forgot his inherited power was just another part of him now. Whether passed down or not, it was still just a Quirk and a Quirk was just another muscle in the human body.
"How do you use your Quirk?"
"Well," The green-haired boy held up a finger, "I picture an egg not exploding in the microwave and just kind of let the power flow into one of my arms." He looked down sheepishly, "Sorry if that isn't very helpful."
"Visualization!" Goku beamed, eliciting a flinch from Midoriya, "Nah. This is perfect. Your Quirk is just like my power."
"Really?"
Really," Goku's smile softened, "So instead of a lousy egg how about you try imagining a whole delicious turkey roasting in the oven. Imagine the heat cooking the whole thing without burning it and just let your power flow through your whole body instead of just one part."
Midoriya faltered, "A delicious turkey!" He sighed when Goku chuckled, "Somehow I knew food would be the first thing you would think of," He sharpened his resolve either way, "But I'll do that."
"That's the spirit!" Goku lauded, watching Midoriya set himself into a basic karate-styled stance, fists clenched into his sides and legs spread apart with warm patience.
'Picture the turkey not burning,' He mused, conjuring the image of a bird being roasted to a glistening, tasty golden brown. A dim glow like that of a bedside lamp lit his body, similar ominous pink luminance shaped itself in an X over his countenance, matching similar patterns swirling over his arms and legs and torso, covered by his clothing. Then, the x patterns disappeared, leaving his body glowing an ethereal glimmer. Light green sparks of static electricity began to flicker continuously around his body as though offering him a coat of armour, 'One for All: Full Cowl.'
To Goku, he looked as though he had ascended into the level of what he had come to call "Super Saiyan 2."
"Whoa!" He breathed and applauded, "Now that's awesome!"
The glowing boy looked like he was straining a bit to sustain his new form, "...Yeah, I've never felt power like this before."
Goku began to peel away his winter protection, an avid sparkle twinkling in his eye, "Hey, can you move like that?"
"I don't know."
"Wanna find out?"
Midoriya returned his excited gleam with one of his own, "Yes!"
Class A's seating arrangements
First Row
Desk 5: Todoroki Shoto - Desk 4: Hagakure Toru - Desk 3: Tokoyami Fumikage - Desk 2: Shoji Mezo: - Desk 1: Aoyama Yuga
Second Row
Desk 10: Bakugo Katsuki - Desk 9: Jiro Kyoka - Desk 8: Koda Koji - Desk 7: Son Goku - Desk 6: Ashido Mina
Third Row
Desk 15: Midoriya Izuku - Desk 14: Yaoyorozu Momo - Desk 13: Iida Tenya - Desk 12: Kaminari Denki -Desk 11 - Asui Tsuyu
Fourth Row
Desk 20: Ojiro Masahiro - Desk 19: Sero Hanta - Desk 18: Uraraka Ochaco - Desk 17: Sato Rikido - Desk 16: Kirishima Eijiro
Here's how they line up
5 - 4 - 3 - 2 - 1
10 - 9 - 8 - 7 - 6
15 - 14 - 13 - 12 - 11
20 - 19 - 18 - 17 - 16
Aoyama's desk 1 is the one closest to the door on the students' right and Aizawa's left.
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