A/N: Siiigh I really didn't want to do this again, but I'm going to have to split this chapter up again because of how long it is. Sorry about that! And so sorry for the three week hiatus. My bad, y'all. My bad. Was going through a heartbreak, but we good now! Back on track!
Anyways, welcome to the start of the second saga of Season One, the "UA Beginnings Saga", which will cover Day One of UA High up until the USJ Incident. The saga should last about 8 to 10 chapters. With the start of the new saga comes new opening and ending songs.
Though the story will still be centered around Gohan, I do want to sort of emulate how the anime shows other characters, too. Enjoy!
Opening Song
"The Beginning" by One Ok Rock
Gohan kept his eyes glued onto the clumps of long hair that had fallen to the floor. Miss Piiza gently moved his head to a different angle, humming a sweet little tune under her breath, as she cut his hair with the clippers. More clumps of long black hair fell off Gohan's shoulders. He allowed himself an amused grin. Man, it feels so weird to not feel the weight of my hair on my shoulders anymore.
That hair had been a product of ten long months of training in the wilderness with Piccolo and Nail. In a way, it was a sign of how far he'd come since he first took up his training again.
"There we go," Miss Piiza said, shutting off the clippers and dusting Gohan off before removing the barber cape. "A fresh new haircut, for a fresh new beginning," she said.
A fresh new beginning, Gohan thought with a determined smile. He turned to the others in the room.
"Well, what do you think?" he asked, passing a hand through his freshly cut hair. "To be honest, I was starting to like the old hairstyle."
"Well, too bad," Piccolo scoffed. "I'm not letting you go into one of the country's most prestigious schools looking like one of the bums that comes in-"
He stopped, catching sight of Dende's warning glare.
"I mean, one of the fine citizens of New Namek," he corrected himself.
Gohan smirked and looked at his reflection in the mirror. His shoulder-length hair that he would tie up with a white Hachimaki was now gone, shortened into waves that flowed like flames towards the back of his head. A thick clump of hair fell in between his eyes in a rebellious bang.
"I think you look great, Gohan," Dende said, supportively.
"I agree," Miss Piiza nodded. "It really suits a handsome young face like yours."
"Well it's not meant to be a fashion statement," Piccolo grunted. "It's meant to be functional in battle. You'll want to have every advantage possible. Oh, and speaking of advantages, Mr Popo mentioned he had something for you; a gift to give you even more of an edge in school. He's working on the tree farm upstairs with Grand Elder Moori and a few other Namekians. Why don't you freshen up and go see him, and then we can get back to training?"
"Alright, sounds good," Gohan said, walking towards his room for a warm shower. "I'll be back."
Gohan was still drying off his wet hair with the small towel rolled around his neck when he stepped out onto the rooftop of the Lookout. He scanned the spacious flat surface until he caught sight of Grand Elder Moori, the kind elderly patriarch of the Dragon Clan.
Gohan had not had much chance to talk to the old man, but he had heard stories from Nail and Dende about how Moori had dedicated his life serving the Dragon Clan as its patriarch after Nail and Piccolo's father died. It was Moori who had helped reform the old Demon Clan into the Dragon Clan of today, one focused on generosity and community service rather than organized crime. The old man's wrinkled, tough skin glistened in the afternoon sun as he and about a dozen other Namekians were kneeling down over the rooftop tree farm, caring for the knee-high saplings.
"Well, well," Moori said when he saw the teen walking up to him. "If it isn't the Dragon of Namek. How are you this evening, son?"
"Good evening, Grand Elder Moori. Hi, everyone," Gohan waved. "Wow, the tree farm's really grown in just a few short weeks. What kind of saplings are those?"
"They are called Ajisa Trees," the elderly patriarch straightened up and smiled proudly at the rows of sapphire-colored saplings. "They are the native Namekian variant of the Japanese Hydrangea tree – very special to Namekians."
"Oh, really?" Gohan said, admiring the beautiful trees. "Why is that?"
"Well, centuries ago, when Namek had first been settled by the Ancient Namekians, these trees stood tall all across the land, providing shelter, building material and food for the Namekian pioneers."
"Food, huh?" Gohan said, crouching down to examine the saplings closely. As he got closer, he breathed in the soothing citrus aroma from the teal flowers blooming in the tiny trees. Mmm, such a relaxing aroma.
"Yes, they produce the Ajisa Orange. Right now, though, these saplings are still too small to produce any fruit yet. But what it can produce right now is actually its greatest asset – its tea leaves. The tea itself is said to help boost strength and power, and its taste is unparalleled. Legend has it that the first Namekian Martial Artists could survive without eating for the rest of their lives simply by drinking this tea. Would you like to try some?"
"Sure," Gohan said, getting back up to his feet. "I'd love some tea."
"Very well, then. Come with me," Moori said, picking some leaves from one of the tiny trees and leading Gohan towards a refreshment bar. There, he set water to boil and added it, along with the Ajisa tea leaves into a small kyusu teapot, waiting for just the right moment for the tea leaves to dissolve. Then, taking a tea cup, he gently poured the tea and handed it to Gohan.
Gohan sipped the tea, and a burst of lightly citrus flavor exploded in his tongue. As he drank the tea, he felt his ki reserves steadily rising. A tingling sensation coursed lightly down to his fingertips and he tightened his hand into a fist.
"Wow," he said. "You weren't kidding; this is probably the best tea I've ever had! I can already feel its effects."
"Yes, the taste and its effects are divine," Moori said. "And to think that over the centuries, as Namek City grew into a bustling metropolis, deforestation drove these magnificent trees to near extinction. But thanks to the efforts of conservationists and good-hearted entrepreneurs, like the New Namek Housing Project, many Ajisa forests have been planted throughout the city. In many ways, the Ajisa Trees are like the Legend of the Dragon Balls; they are the personification of the indomitable Namekian spirit; crushed and bent and sometimes divided, but always growing forward."
The Indomitable Namekian Spirit, Gohan pondered as he sipped the last drop of his tea and paused for a second, enjoying the serene sounds of the gentle breeze, the way the tiny branches brushed gently against the wind, and the sounds of the birds and insects that had found refuge within the small rooftop garden. It all reminded him that life is precious and fragile, and like the Ajisas, it must be protected.
"Even the tallest Ajisa began as a tiny sapling," Moori said. "With the proper care and direction, it can grow to be a mighty tree, capable of sheltering from the harsh weather. You are like that sapling right now, Gohan. You've begun to take shape, but you still have a long way to go. With dedication and endurance and the right direction, you will grow to be a hero that shelters others from fear and darkness."
"Thank you, Mr. Moo- I mean, Grand Elder Moori," Gohan said, gratefully. "I'm definitely going to need direction to face what's coming."
For a brief moment, Gohan's thoughts shifted to the conversation he had had with All Might and Piccolo a few days ago. The League of Villains, once considered to be a ragtag gang of psychopaths that were walking in the footsteps of the old Army of Villains, was said to be growing in numbers. The intel that Piccolo had gathered had come from different connections he had within the Namekian criminal underground. Some said that the organization was led by one of All for One's disciples. Others claimed that All for One himself had somehow returned from the grave to lead the organization.
Whatever the case was, one thing was sure; the League of Villains had begun to gain influence over Japan with their radical idealism of toppling down hero society as they knew it. Already, many criminal organizations had pledged their support to the League's leader. Soon enough, they would have an army of villains large enough to make their move. But where would they strike, and when?
Gohan needed to be ready to face them head on. Just like the Ajisa Trees, humanity, too, would need a champion to defend them.
"Gohan, you're here," Mr. Popo said, pulling Gohan from his thoughts. He was returning to the roof with a bag of soil for the trees.
"Hey, Mr. Popo," Gohan called back. "Yeah, Piccolo said you wanted to see me."
"That's correct," Mr Popo said, reaching Gohan and Moori at the bar and setting the bag down.
"I made something for you. It's not much, but once you find your direction, it will certainly help you get there."
"Oh?" Gohan said. "What is it?"
Mr Popo stepped back, cupping his large hands over his mouth.
"HEY! FLYING NIMBUS!" He called at the top of his lungs.
For a moment nothing happened. Gohan scratched his head, turning towards the sky, in the direction in which Mr. Popo was looking at, but there was nothing there. All he saw when he looked up were the evening clouds. Suddenly, he saw movement from within the clouds… no, it was the cloud itself!
"Grand Elder Moori…? What, uh… what on earth did you put in my tea?" Gohan blinked as the golden cloud detached itself from the other clouds and dove straight for them, parking itself directly in front of Gohan. "Please tell me you're seeing what I'm seeing."
Mr Popo and Moori laughed together, amused.
"This is my gift for you. I call it, the Flying Nimbus. It's the ultimate manifestation of my Quirk. It's a vehicle that's meant to help you conserve your energy. That way, you can go anywhere without spending your ki flying. It is speedy, dependable, virtually indestructible and will follow you wherever you go. All you have to do is call upon it. Here, try climbing aboard."
"Okay."
Gohan placed his teacup on the bar and approached the cloud and awkwardly climbed aboard, expecting to fall straight through. Sure enough, though, the cloud held up against his weight. He crawled on his hands and knees to sit cross-legged on it. Once the cloud sensed his weight, it floated up from the ground, levitating about four feet off the ground.
"Thanks, Mr. Popo! This is great. But how exactly do I drive this thing?"
"I have to create a mental link between you and Nimbus so that you can control it. Once the link is established, no matter how fast you fly, Nimbus will make sure you don't fall off. It also has room for one extra passenger, though only you will be able to control it. Give me a moment so that I can set up the link."
Popo placed one hand on Gohan's forehead and the other on Nimbus. He closed his eyes and activated his Quirk, his hands glowing with a soft hum.
Gohan waited until Popo finished establishing the link. Slowly, the glowing light vanished from Mr. Popo's hands.
"There. All finished," he said. "Why don't you give it a try?"
"Alright," Gohan said, standing on the cloud. "Okay, Nimbus. Show me what you've g-AAAAH!"
The Nimbus suddenly lurched forward at such an incredible speed that almost sent Gohan flying back, but the mass of the cloud shifted around his feet, keeping him firmly at the center as they headed straight towards a building.
"Left! Left! Left!" Gohan yelled frantically, pointing with his left hand. "Dodge it, Nimbus!"
The cloud sent Gohan into a crazy spin, narrowly dodging the side of the building and continuing its course forward, barreling towards another building. "Stop, Nimbus! Stop! Go down!"
"Whoa!" Nimbus dove away from the buildings and flew towards the highway below, straight into the path of oncoming traffic. "Crap! Crap! Crap! Crap! CRAAAAP!"
There was no time to think. Gohan stood up and rode Nimbus like a surfboard, weaving in and out of the path of the rushing traffic. There's gotta be a way to get this thing under control! He thought, frantically.Wait, Mr Popo said it was a telepathic link, right? That means…
Gohan closed his eyes and no longer tried to bark commands at the cloud. Instead, he focused on the direction in which he wanted to go. Up… Up and away from the buildings and traffic!
With another stomach-turning spin, Nimbus flew back up into the skies following the trajectory that Gohan had set in his mind.
"That's it," he smiled widely down at Nimbus. "Okay… let's try this again."
Gohan placed his left foot at the nose of Nimbus, leaning forward on it and balancing himself with his arms. Once again, he visualized where he wanted to go. Nimbus responded and smoothly rose up in the air, taking him higher into the skies, until the buildings looked like ant hills. There, Gohan thought, looking around for any flying traffic. The late afternoon sky was clear. It should be safe to unleash its full speed.
Leaning forward, Nimbus shot off across the evening sky.
The wind was like a tidal wave, washing over Gohan. For the first time, Gohan was able to experience the thrill of flight without having to concentrate on using his Quirk. With arms stretched behind him, Gohan soared around Namek City at tremendous speeds, spinning around, diving and rising back up several times, enjoying the sensation and taking in the beautiful sights as evening sky veiled the sun, tinging the world with soft shades of blue and purple.
He stayed out, flying around for hours, well into the night.
For the first time in his life, Gohan felt completely free.
"WOOOOO-HOOOOOO!" He cried as he flew back towards the Lookout.
I can't wait to fly this baby to school! He thought with absolute bliss.
(…)
Hundreds of kilometers away, in the mobile city of I – Island, which had docked in the western Sea of Japan, a proud father raised his glass in front of the thousands of guests that were attending the party.
"To my daughter, Melissa Shield," the scientist and innovative inventor David Shield announced. "The first American and the first Quirkless applicant ever to be admitted into UA High."
The crowd of thousands gathered in the middle of the floating island's square raised their glasses and cheered.
Melissa herself twirled a lock of her blonde hair on a finger sheepishly.
"Come on, Daddy," she said. "It's not really that big of a deal that I'm Quirkless."
David shook his head, finishing his glass and handing it to one of the waitresses.
"It is to me, Mel," he kissed his daughter's forehead. "With all the odds stacked against you, you somehow managed to pull it off. Seeing my dream accomplished through you… Ah, I'm just so proud of you, baby."
"Thank you, Daddy," she hugged her father. "I'll miss you."
"I'll miss you, too. And hey, promise me one thing – nothing but books, okay? No boys."
Melissa giggled.
"Oh, you don't have to worry about that, Dad. I'm sure Uncle Might won't let any boy near me."
"That's my girl. Okay, we've got one more weekend together before you head on off inland. Let's party like it's 1999. May I have this dance?"
"Argh! You are such a dinosaur, Dad," Melissa laughed, "But yes, yes you may."
Taking her father's hand, Melissa joined him and their peers on the dance floor.
(…)
Back in Musutafu, Izuku Midoriya was running alongside the Dagoba Sea, remembering the long, grueling training that had prepared him for this moment.
This is it, he thought in between huffs of air. My high school career starts here. I'm not going to let All Might or my momdown.
He paused for a few moments, bringing the water bottle to his lips and drinking the last of his water down. He doubled over for a few seconds, stretched, and then got back up. With a fresh breath and, eyebrows newly furrowed at something in the distance that wasn't there, he started jogging another lap.
At the same time, in her apartment a few miles away, Ochaco laughed at the top of her lungs, watching the late night comedy show. With all the lights off, she sat in the middle of her messy apartment, with a thick blanket wrapped around her. As far as preparations went, a little R & R went a long way. When the commercial break came on, she threw another piece of Mochi in her mouth and went through her phone.
She was still out of minutes, so she hadn't been able to talk to Gohan all this time, but her cell phone plan offered free Facebook, at least. Ochaco smiled sadly as she passed over her search history.
Gohan.
Go Han.
Gohon.
Gohun.
Gohan.
Just Gohan.
Gohan Namek City.
Gohan Book Club.
Gohan Mount Paozu
Gohan Kamehameha.
Nothing. She even tried looking him up through his number, but it wasn't associated with any account.
Oh well, she sighed. She shook her head and closed her phone.
Ochaco what are you doing? Quit being such a stalker; it's pathetic. She told herself, sternly.
Her show returned from the commercial break, and for a moment, Ochaco picked up the remote to shut the TV off.
"Pffffft ahahahaha!" she laughed along with the audience in the sitcom as the character in the show comically fell, spilling cake all over his mother-in-law's fat face. Okay, maybe one more episode, she told herself, putting down the remote.
(…)
At the edge of Musutafu, was the Iida Family Hero Agency.
"Mister Aizawa can be a little intimidating at first, but give him a chance. He'll grow on ya," Tensei Iida, the Pro Hero known as Ingenium was saying as he polished his stark white armor. Beside him, sitting cross-legged on the floor was Tenya Iida, the youngest of the Iida family. Tenya finished polishing his big brother's helmet and handed it to him.
"Tensei," he said, arm slicing through the air once. "I can't wait to get my Hero License. We'll make the best brother Hero duo in Japan!"
"I can see it now," Tensei smiled. "Ingenium and Injunior."
"Hey!" Tenya playfully punched his brother's arm. They both shared a warm laugh.
"But seriously, though," Tensei said, putting away the helmet. "I'm really proud of you, little bro. You better not slack off. Get good grades and really dedicate yourself to your studies, and then yeah, we'll be the best Hero team in Japan. And by the way, tell Aizawa his former star pupil says 'Hi', will ya?"
(…)
"Graaaaaaah!" Katsuki Bakugo cried in frustration. "Screw it, I'm not wearing that damn thing."
His mother looked up from her vanity table to the large mirror where her son was trying on his school uniform. She saw the five shredded and burnt red pieces of fabric on the floor.
"Dammit, Katsuki!" She growled, eyes growing large. "You ruined all of your neckties!"
"Who gives a crap, ya old hag?" Bakugo yelled back. "I'm not wearing them and that's that!"
"Fine, but if they send you back from school for ruining your uniform, it's your skinny ass, ya hear?!"
"Ahhh, shaddup!"
Downstairs, Mr. Bakugo sighed, sinking into his easy chair. He pinched the bridge of his nose.
"One more weekend," he told himself with a heavy sigh. "One… more… weekend..."
(…)
The phone buzzed and because his hands were still busy, Eijiro Kirishima answered it on speaker phone.
"Hey, Pinky," he said, toweling his freshly conditioned hair. "Shouldn't you be in bed already?"
"Yeah, yeah, yeah, this will be quick," Mina Ashido said dismissively. "So listen, I'm supposed to be meeting Toru and Ojiro on the way to class-"
"Toru and Ojiro?" Kirishima said, raising an eyebrow. He sat down on his bed and continued to towel off his hair. "Who are they… and what's that dripping sound in the background?"
"Oh, just ignore it. Anyway, they're our classmates. They're also going to be studying in class 1A with us. I just met them at McDonald's."
"You're eating that junk at this hour?"
"Hey! The heart wants what it wants, okay? So anyway, like I was saying, we're meeting up at the train station on the first day of class and I was wondering if you wanna tag along?"
"Ehh, I dunno, Pink," Eijiro said. "Don't you think it'll be kinda awkward, meeting up with people you literally just met?"
"Nah, they're super cool, and plus it'll be good for you to make some friends; kinda come out of your shell a little, right?" Mina said. "So how 'bout it, E? You in or what, dude?"
Kirishima sighed. He thought about just hanging up, but when he looked up at his reflection in the mirror, the towel fell off his head and the light reflected off of his newly dyed vibrant crimson hair. He gulped down his social anxiety and his eyes narrowed. Screw it.
"Y'know what?" he said. "Yeah, count me in."
"Woo-hoo!" Mina quipped. "Okay, that's all I wanted to tell you. See you in a few days! Good-night!" Kirishima heard a toilet flush just before Mina ended the call. He slowly put the phone down beside him. That girl… has no shame, he thought to himself.
(…)
In the opposite side of the country to the east, in Orange Star City, dozens of reporters crowded the dojo of the Martial Arts champion Hercule for the huge announcement. Hercule stepped out, enjoying the cheers of adulation from his fans. His white cape parted as he raised his firsts in the air.
"AAAAHAHAAAA! YEAHHHH!" Hercule riled the hundreds of fans that surrounded his dojo with his trademark cry. "That's right! You heard it here first, folks! My little girl's going to be the Number One student in UA High! Isn't that right, Videl?"
Videl, clothed in an all white gi bearing the symbol of her father's dojo, delivered quick, ferocious kicks at the sandbag she was training on. The crowd cheered her on.
"Videl! Videl! Videl!"
"Videl, you're so cool!"
"Such pretty eyes!"
"Marry me, Videl!"
Using her Quirk, Videl's fist glowed slightly and she slammed it against the sandbag, hard. It burst, spilling sand everywhere and riling up the crowds even more. She raised her fist in the air, adding to the crowds excitement.
"That's my baby girl! YEAHHHHHHH!" Hercule joined his daughter, raising massive V for Victory signs on each of his meaty hands.
I can't believe I actually made it into UA High, Videl thought breathlessly, soaking up the adoration from the crowds with her Quirk.. Well, this should be interesting.
Chapter Nine – Day One! The Quirk Assessment Tests
The first week of April.
The day has come. It finally begins.
The first day of school.
Gohan shot across the sky atop the Flying Nimbus at an enormous velocity and before long, he was arriving at the gates of UA High. His schoolbag, a simple yet sturdy leather messenger bag, clung tightly around his torso. His thumb continually tapped against the strap of his bag as he approached UA High.
Just past the lush green woods that surrounded UA High, were the concrete walls of the school. Beyond that, the iconic H-shaped buildings stood tall, reflecting the morning sunlight off its blue polarized windows, the promise of a new school year.
This is it! Let's make this happen! Gohan thought excitedly. Gripping the strap of his messenger bag tightly, he stood up and leaped off Nimbus, floating gently down to the ground.
"Thanks for the ride, Nimbus!" he called out. "We'll do it again this afternoon, yeah?"
The cloud turned and flew back up towards the heavens, disappearing among the morning clouds.
Man, that is such an awesome ride, he thought to himself as he joined the sea of students that were flooding through the entrance doors and glanced down at his wristwatch. Forty-five minutes before class starts, good.
He used the extra time to go to the bathroom and change into his school uniform. Well… I guess I better just find my classroom, he decided. He glanced down at his ID badge. Son Gohan – First Year, Hero Class 1A.
Class 1A… Class 1A… Class 1A…
Gohan walked down the hall, passing the general studies wing, the support classes and the business tracks. Finally, he found it. Hero Course Class 1A. Look at the size of that door!
Taking a deep breath, he opened the door and let himself in. A little more than half the class was already there, talking to each other and getting ready for their first day of class.
Mina gasped and pointed at Gohan.
"Hey, look E, it's Muscles! Ahhh, look at his beautiful face! It's so vibrant and free now!"
The others in her little circle were Kirishima, who was now sporting spiky red hair and Jiro, an invisible girl and a tailed boy and a boy with electric yellow hair. They all turned in Gohan's direction.
"Hey, man!" Kirishima shouted excitedly. "Nice haircut!"
"Hey, everyone," Gohan said, waving sheepishly. "You too, E! The color really suits you."
"Thanks man! I was hoping we would get the same homeroom! It's so good to see you again! Put your stuff down and come on over here!"
Gohan nodded and started looking for his seat when, out of the corner of his eye, a tall student came stomping towards him.
"Good morning!" Iida greeted with a loud voice, his hands slicing through the air. Gohan had to take a step back to avoid running into him.
"Iida," Gohan said. "So you made it in after all, huh? N-not that I had any doubt you would."
Iida straightened his glasses.
"Hm? I'm sorry, have we met before? I don't seem to recognize you."
"Oh, right. It's probably the haircut," Gohan brushed his short hair with his hand.
"We actually met during the Entrance Exams."
Iida cupped his chin thoughtfully. He gasped.
"Oh, it's you! The one that obliterated the Zero Pointer!"
Gohan stepped back as all eyes fell on him.
"Whoa, seriously? You mean to tell me that Muscles actually brought that huge ass robot down?" Mina shouted, amazed.
"W-well, yes, with the help of Kirishima, Jiro and some other students, yeah."
He turned back to Iida.
"My name is Son Gohan."
"Well, it's a pleasure to meet you again, Gohan," Iida said. "I'm looking forward to learning much alongside you." Although Iida was trying his best to be friendly, his demeanor was still a bit intimidating.
The door opened again and two more students entered, catching Iida's attention.
"Please excuse me," Iida said. "I'd like to greet our new classmates. You can find your seat by the name on the desk."
"Put your stuff down and get over here, hun!" Mina called.
"Come on, Pinky," Eijiro said. "Let the man relax for a minute. We'll get a chance to catch up after orientation."
Each desk had been numbered from 1 to 20, with the name of the student assigned to the seat. Gohan found his seat towards the back of the class. Finally able to take off his bag, he put his things down on the desk. sitting directly to his left was the heavyset boy that he and the others rescued from fallen beams during the practical exam.
"Hey!" Gohan said, excitedly. "Glad to see you made it into the course, too."
The boy gave him a wiry smile and simply waved, beads of sweat forming on his forehead.
"So, what's your name?"
Again, the boy simply waved.
Gohan raised an eyebrow before realizing that the boy was starting to sweat profusely.
Hey, I get it, Gohan said to him using his thoughts. First days of school can be really intimidating, am I right?
The boy's eyes lit up.
Woah, you really can hear my Anivoice! he said in his thoughts. The voice Gohan heard in his head sounded very young.
Anivoice, what's that? Gohan asked.
It's my Quirk. I can communicate telepathically with animals. It really comes in handy.
Wow! That's so cool! But how come I can hear it, too?
I'm not sure, but if I had to guess, I'd say you're probably closer in tune to your evolutionary ancestors than most people are because… well… don't take this the wrong way, but your Anivoice kind of sounds like that of an ape.
An ape, huh? Gohan giggled.Well, that'scool. So what's your name?
Oh, sorry. My name is Koji Koda. I really meant to thank you for saving me back during the Practical Exams. All of us actually tried to see you after the test, but Recovery Girl wouldn't let any of us into her office to see you. So now that you're here, I want to say thank you very much for helping me out back there.
"No sweat. Always happy to help," Gohan said aloud. He realized that two other students were staring at their silent interaction from their seats.
"Oh! S-sorry for snoopin' around," the bulky guy with brown hair and thick lips apologized. "Rikido Sato, here! It's so cool to have telepaths in the class."
"Yes," the student with the bird face crossed his arms. "There is a deafening beauty in the void of silence."
"You're always so dramatic, Tokoyami," Sato laughed.
"Good morning! I'm Tenya Iida from the Somei Academy," Iida loudly announced from across the room, marching up to the two students that entered.
"You're in my way," the guy with dark, reddish brown and white hair said, icily. "Move."
Iida was at a loss for words but stepped aside. As the shorter student passed by him, Gohan caught his gaze. His eyes were black and blue. The boy immediately looked away, annoyed. He took his seat at the very end of the classroom, two rows away.
"Please don't take it personally," the tall girl with black hair bowed in apology. "Shoto's not trying to be impudent. He's simply a man of few words, that's all."
"Hi," Gohan tried anyway. "I'm Gohan, it's so nice to-"
"What's nice is not being bothered in the morning," Shoto cut him off, coldly. "I'm not here to make friends."
Gohan bit back on his tongue.
"Uh… right. Sorry."
The girl in front brightened.
"I'm Momo Yaoyorozu, from the Minato Private Academy."
"Whoa, Minato, huh?" Jiro said. "You must be one of the five students that got in through recommendation, right?"
"That's right," Momo said, sheepishly. "We both did. Me and Shoto, I mean."
"It makes sense," Jiro said. "All Private Academy students worth their salt get in through recommendation."
Iida tensed visibly.
"Dang… it..." he said through his teeth.
Just then, a short, fierce looking girl walked into the classroom, her jet black pig tails bounced off of her uniform.
"Morning, everyone, sorry I'm almost late," Videl said, making her way across the classroom.
"Whoa look at those big beautiful eyes!" The boy with electric golden hair swooned.
"There was a mob in the front that wouldn't let me-" Videl stopped short when she saw the blonde sitting in the desk directly to her left.
"Oh, of course," She threw her hands in the air. "It's not enough that I get put in the same practical test, and then in the same class as you, but now I'm stuck sitting next to you?"
"Hah?" Katsuki looked up, his eyebrows narrowing. "Oh great, I've got to share air with this loser?"
"I'm not a loser!" Videl slammed her books on her desk and placed her hands on her hips defiantly. "For your information, I placed second in the Exam right behind you."
"That's right, behind me," Bakugo taunted, leaning back on his seat and crossing his shoes over his desk. "Get used to the view, 'cause I'm leavin' all of you damn extras in the dust!"
"Ooooh, you're such an asshole, Barf-kugo!" Videl growled. "I'm gonna have fun putting you in your place."
"You wanna go, Pigtails? Bring it on, I'll tear you a new one!"
"Enough!" Tenya Iida shouted over them, walking authoritatively to Bakugo's seat. "You," he pointed at Videl. "Cut the foul language and you," he pointed at Bakugo. "Take your feet off of that desk now!"
"Hah?" Bakugo turned his attention to Iida.
"It's the first day and you're already disrespecting this Academy by scuffing school property, you cretin!"
"You're kidding me, right?" Bakugo laughed in Iida's face. "Your old school put a stick up your ass, or were you born with it?"
"Uh..." Iida cleared his throat and breathed in deeply, lowering his voice. "Let's start over, I'm Tenya Iida from the Somei Private Academy-"
"Somei, huh?" Bakugo leaned up in his chair with a devilish grin. "So you must think your better than me! I'm gonna have fun tearing you a new one, too!"
Iida gasped and took a step back.
"You would threaten me, your own classmate?! Are you sure you're in the right place?"
"Ha!" Bakugo eased back against his chair. "Yeah, that's what I thought. All bark and no bite."
Oh boy, Gohan sighed. It's too early for all that yelling.
The two boys stopped arguing abruptly as the door opened. Gohan looked up.
I wonder what got their attention, he thought.
I dunno, maybe the homeroom teacher finally arrived? Koda responded.
Maybe.
Gohan looked around. There were still three vacant seats left, one directly in front of him and two behind Bakugo. Gohan leaned forward to see the name on the desk in front of him and his heart skipped.
Awesome! It's Urara-chan! He thought excitedly.
Urara-chan? Who's that? Koda asked, innocently.
She's a good friend, Gohan responded, realizing that Koda was still listening to his thoughts. She was the girl that helped me rescue you, remember? The girl with the brown hair and the pink cheeks?
From the front of the class, Jiro's earphone jack twitched and she turned to give him an inquisitive side look. Gohan made eye contact with her and she immediately turned away with a smirk.
I wonder what that was all about… Gohan thought.
"It's him," Iida said. The entire class turned to look at the newcomer. Gohan immediately recognized the messy green hair and the freckles. Falling boy! He actually passed the test!
"H-Hi, everyone," Midoriya gulped with a shy wave. "I'm Izuku Midoriya. It's super nice to meet you all…"
"Good morning, Midoriya! I'm Tenya Iida!" Iida walked over to Midoriya, who was clearly intimidated by him.
"Y-yeah, I know," Midoriya held his hands up nervously. "I overheard. It's so nice to see you again."
"Midoriya," Iida said, turning his gaze away, submissively. "You figured out that there was something more to the practical exam, didn't you? You must be very perceptive and I completely misjudged you. I admit, as a student, you're far superior to me."
Midoriya blinked, confused.
"Huh? Um, I find that hard to believe," he said.
The school bell chimed, making the students stop in their tracks.
Class should be starting right now, Gohan thought, glancing at his wristwatch. But where is the teacher? And where is…
"Gohan?" a cheerful voice that he recognized immediately, chirped. Gohan looked up to see Ochaco putting her pink backpack down in the seat in front of him.
"No way!" she said, happily. "What are the chances? We're seat buddies!"
"Ochaco, hi!" Gohan said. He didn't notice his hands clenching, subconsciously. "When… uh… did you get here?"
Ochaco giggled.
"Just now, silly. How've you been? New haircut, I see. You look great!"
"Thanks. You, look great, too," Gohan said, "Actually I tried calling you a few times because I was hoping to meet up with you for the first day of class, but I couldn't get in touch with you."
"Yeah, my phone's out of minutes. I'm going to reload it later," Ochaco said, wiggling her pink phone in the air with her quirk before catching it and placing it in her pocket. "But I'd love to hang out after school. I mean, if that's cool. My parents just sent me a pretty huge allowance since it's the first day of school and all, and I'd like to treat you. Takoyaki back at Mrs. Yakimono's later?"
"Yeah," Gohan nodded, quickly. "I'd love that!"
"Me too. And I'm sure Mrs. Yakimono would, too," Ochaco laughed.
In the front row, Jiro cocked her head to the side and Gohan saw one of her earphone jacks pointing casually in their direction. She looked up and their eyes met again. Quickly, she turned away again.
Hmm, Gohan thought. I really need to find out what that's all about.
He noticed the pig-tailed girl staring at them as well with a wiry smile.
Gohan waved timidly at her. She shook her head and turned around as their teacher arrived. His appearance visibly disturbed the class. The man had long, unkempt hair, deep bags under his eyes, and a scruffy thin beard. His clothes were no better. He wore simple, black clothes that hugged his body, heavy black boots and a gray scarf. His uninterested gaze betrayed the iciness in his voice.
"Ugh," he rubbed his eyes. "Welcome to the UA Hero Course," he said, dryly.
"It took eight seconds for you all to finally shut up. That's not going to work. Time is precious. Rational students would understand that."
The class became so quiet, you could hear a pin drop.
"Hello, I'm Shota Aizawa," he said in the same indifferent tone. "Your teacher-"
"I'm here!" a worried voice announced. Gohan recognized the blonde girl with glasses as she ran through the door, breathlessly.
"I'm so sorry I'm late," Melissa said, bowing apologetically. "I'm still learning to read Japanese and apparently I was sitting in Class 1B this whole time-"
"Don't worry about it," Aizawa shook his hand, annoyed. "I'll excuse you this time. Just get to your seat."
"Yes, sir," Melissa bowed again and rushed to the last open seat behind Midoriya and Bakugo.
"Hi," she whispered to Bakugo with a smile.
"Die," he whispered back, but Melissa didn't hear him. She hurried past him and Midoriya, setting her things down.
"Hi, remember me? I'm Melissa. It's so good to see you again," she whispered to Midoriya. Her whispering voice sent chills down Midoriya's spine and he tensed up dramatically in his seat.
"Enough chit chat," Aizawa said, forcefully. "Below your seats, you'll find gym clothes. Put them on and head outside."
(…)
In the teacher's lounge, Toshinori flipped through the confidential Teacher Directory looking for his three kids.
UA doensn't follow the normal academic path, he sighed. Get the wrong homeroom teacher and your life is hell.
Izuku Midoriya, Son Gohan, Melissa Shield…
Crap! They all got Aizawa!
Young Midoriya and Shield are going to be singled out from the start!
Well, at least the silver lining is that if Gohan taps too much into his rage and starts to lose control, Aizawa can cancel out his Quirk… I've got to hurry up and get down there before Aizawa does anything crazy!
(…)
The sun shined brightly, adding a little warmth to the crisp, frigid April morning.
"A Quirk Assesment Test?" The class asked in unison.
Beside Gohan, Ochaco shivered and held her arms close to her body for warmth.
"But… orientation!" she cried. "We're gonna miss it!"
"If you want to make it to the big leagues, you can't waste your time on pointless ceremony," Aizawa said, back turned to her.
"Here at UA, we're not tethered to traditions," he turned to face the class. He lifted a cellphone, indicating a series of tests. "That means I get to run my class the way I see fit. You've been taking standardized tests most of your lives, but you never got to use your Quirks in physical exams before. The country's still trying to pretend that all men are created equal by not letting those with most power to excel. It's not rational. One day, the ministry of education will learn."
Aizawa turned his head towards Gohan.
"Gohan," he said. "You managed to get the most points in the entrance exam."
Gohan felt all eyes fall on him. Ochaco, Mina, Koda and Kirishima smiled proudly at him, but Gohan couldn't shake the feeling of Bakugo's burning gaze at his back. He sighed and did his best to ignore it.
"What was your fastest time in the 50 Meter Dash when you were in Junior High?"
"Junior High?" Gohan looked up with a finger on his chin. "Man, it feels like that was ages ago. I think my highest score was about 16.8 seconds. But-"
"Right," Aizawa interrupted him. "Try doing it with your Quirk."
Aizawa positioned him within a chalk rectangle in the middle of the field. A camera bot stood at the end, waiting to record his speed.
"Anything goes, just stay in the rectangle."
"Yes, but-"
"Go on, you're wasting everyone's time."
Gohan sighed. Even though the rest of the class gave me space to run, they're still too close for me to use my full power. The energy released by my aura might be enough to hurt someone. I'll have to wait until I'm ten meters away before I activate my Quirk. That way, nobody is in the way of the blast...
"Runners, on your mark!" The bot chirped.
This is it, no more time to strategize.
"Ready?"
A synthetic gunshot rang and Gohan pushed off from his starting position, running as fast as he could, leaving a trail of dust below.
"Wow, look at him go!" Ochaco marveled.
"Oh… whoa…" Midoriya said, unblinkingly.
Iida smiled nervously at his tremendous speed.
Last ten meters… now!
A blast of energy from within Gohan exploded and he flew through the last ten meters almost immediately.
"4.40 seconds!" The bot chirped happily. The entire class cheered, and Iida let out a relieved breath. Even Bakugo smiled a crazed, hungry smile.
"There's no way I'm letting that bastard beat me," he growled.
Gohan stood up and wiped the sweat off his brow, returning to Aizawa.
"How'd I do?" he said. Aizawa's eyes narrowed disapprovingly, arms crossed.
"Gohan," he said, his voice all ice. "What part of 'Quirk Assessment Test' do you not understand?"
"What?"
"If you're not going to take this test seriously, then I suggest you find yourself a new study course."
Gohan shook his head.
"But Mr. Aizawa, I broke past my limits. I went beyond. Plus Ultra, right? I went from almost 17 seconds to 4 and a half-"
"And do you think that's good enough? Idiot."
He turned to the rest of the class.
"Today you were supposed to compete in eight physical tests to gauge your potential. Whoever came in last had none and would be expelled immediately. But since Gohan here decided it's not important to give this test his all, he is the one going home today."
The class gasped.
Aizawa turned his dead stare at Gohan and lifted his hair with a hand.
"Like I said, I run my class as I see fit. Gohan, you've failed. Gather your things and go home."
I… failed? Gohan stared at Aizawa. How fast everything had happened.
His hand clenched into a fist.
(…)
Five Months Ago…
Gohan shivered, digging his bleeding, blistered hands against the icy face of the perilous mountain. The snow storm was merciless, yet Piccolo stood at the top of the mountain, a silhouette in the moonlight, looking down at him. For the past five months, he had been trying to pass Piccolo's first true test, to reach the very top of Mount Poazu. Every time he tried, he failed.
"Hurry up," he grunted. "You're wasting my time."
"I… can't… Mr. Piccolo," Gohan cried. Tears flowed down the side of his face, burning the cuts he had suffered along the climb. "I'm… too tired… to go on!"
"Tell it to someone who gives a damn!" Piccolo growled. "If you want my training, you have to reach the top of Mount Paozu. Give it your all, Gohan. One hundred percent!"
"There's nothing left..."
"What, do you want to just give up? Is that the kind of man you are Gohan? A quitter and a coward?"
"Ahhhh," Gohan growled, pulling himself another inch forward, digging his hands into the rocky face. The rock gave out and Gohan slid down several feet, scraping his face and body against the rock before regaining his hold. "I… can't…"
Piccolo landed gracefully on the ledge above him.
"Only a child closes his eyes when he's scared. Only a child runs away when he's cornered."
Gohan cried, forcing his arms to move forward, but there was no energy left in him.
"I can't…"
"Then you will die as you lived, a complete and utter failure!"
Piccolo stomped on his hand and Gohan fell all the way down to the trees below. As he fell, Gohan closed his eyes, feeling the rushing winds as he plummeted to a sure death. Was this really it? Piccolo was Quirkless; there was no way he could save him from the fall, and Nail had been working back at the camp. Nobody was going to save him.
Stupid. Gohan's tears flowed out. But these were different tears.
All this time, I've been letting people down. Mom, Goten, Dad and now, Piccolo and Nail. They had so much faith in me and I failed… I've failed because I've always been weak.
His hands clenched into fists.
And the truth is that when I felt weak, I always gave up...
A white aura burst from within Gohan. His teeth gritted and he let out an animalistic growl. Air rushed around him as a new power gathered within. His descent began to slow.
I've always been weak and I've watched the people I love the most suffer because of it.
"AND I WON'T WATCH IT ANYMOOOOOOOORE!"
Gohan screamed in anger as the ground rushed towards him and suddenly, with a powerful explosion of power, it all stopped. Gravity, the trees, the rushing wind… it all stopped.
When Gohan opened his eyes, he was floating in mid-air, the white aura flowing around him.
"That's it! You're doing it, Kid!" Piccolo yelled out proudly. "Unleash it, Gohan. Unleash your power and give me your all!"
The teen was engulfed in a blinding white light and he slowly rose to where Piccolo was standing.
"Mister Piccolo," he growled, hands clenched. "I refuse to fail."
(…)
Present Time...
"You can't send Gohan home, he just got here!" Ochaco stepped between Gohan and Aizawa, protectively. "I mean, even if it wasn't the first day, that isn't fair!"
Aizawa turned his attention to her.
"Oh, and you think natural disasters are? Or power hungry villains, hmm?"
He turned back to eye Gohan, who was still staring down at his fists.
"Or catastrophic accidents that wipe out entire cities? No, the world is full of unfairness. It's a hero's job to try to combat that unfairness. If you want to become a Pro, you'll need to push yourself beyond the brink. For the next three years, UA will throw one horrible hardship after another at you. So go beyond – Plus Ultra style."
Gohan looked up with a new determination.
"Show me it's no mistake you're here, Gohan," he said. "Reset."
Gohan returned to the starting position without a word.
"Runner's, on your mark," the bot chirped.
I will not fail.
Gohan placed his fist against the ground in his starting position. His power gathered around him in a crescendo of wind and vibration.
"Ready?"
I will push myself beyond the brink.
The ground began to tremble.
"Whoa, what is that?!" Ashido yelled. "Is it an earthquake?"
"No," Ochaco said in awe, holding onto Iida. "That's his power."
Midoriya stared wide-eyed at the sheer power.
Gohan visualized his full power, allowing his fear and anger at his past failures to fuel his flight.
I will not bow. I will succeed. I will. I will go beyond – Plus Ultra!
.
The instant the false gunshot rang, Gohan shot forward like a white missile. The force of his flight cratered the ground, blasting wind and debris in all directions. The massive wave of energy released knocked the entire class off their feet.
The camera bot was blown away and landed several feet away.
"0.042 seconds!" It responded, faithfully.
The class, including Bakugo, stared wide-mouthed at Gohan as he stood up from the position he had landed on.
"Mister Aizawa," Gohan said, standing to his feet. "I refuse to fail."
Aizawa smiled proudly.
"This kid!"
Ending Song
"1,000,000 Times," by My First Story
Izuku:
"Uh… H-hi, um, guys. It's super nice to meet you all. Here's the Preview!
Mister Aizawa's Quirk Assessment Tests consist of eight tests and he's still threatening to send last place home. But I only have one shot to use my Quirk before it breaks my body completely. How am I going to pass this huge test on the first day of school?
But… wait! I just realized that there's one of us who doesn't have a Quirk, right?
How will Melissa pass any of the tests without a Quirk?
Oh crap! Kacchan and that scary pig-tailed girl are about to throw down!
Next time: Chapter Ten – The Night of Day! Don't miss it!
Go Beyond – Plus Ultra!
Review Responses
Guest – Thank you, yes about time. I'm so sorry, I wish I could update more frequently, but I have so many ideas that my chapters end up suuuper long due to all the writing, editing and planning etc. I'll try to at least update every two weeks, though my goal will be to update every week, or even twice a week, eventually. Thank you for being here!
Xeno Gohan – Epic name, first of all. Thank you for your support. Yes, we shall see what the future has in store for Gohan and this premonition of an apocalypse. I can't wait to get there, which will be around Season Three.
N1ck – Thank you for always being observational and finding places I can work on. Your feedback is so valuable to me. Thank you!
X3runner – Great idea! I have something planned for our three amigos later on down around Season 4. Stay tuned!
Elchico64 – Thank you for your support. You helped me make the chapter better so thank you thank you thank you! I look forward to your next chapter as well!
JustinCase – Hey! Yeah, imagine how scary that fight would be! Well, you won't have to wonder for long. Season Three… wink wink wink
Guests – Thank you for encouraging this update! This chapter is for you all!