A/N: So, with the end of the Combat Trials, we also reach the end of Season One's second act, the UA Beginnings Arc. It's funny, but the UA Beginnings Arc was only supposed to last about eight chapters, but turned into thirteen!
Welcome, everyone, to the third and final act of Season One: The USJ Arc. This arc is going to tie the rest of our first season up and set up Season Two. What can you expect, you might ask? New re-imagined power ups, re-imagined Xover villains (the one I'm most excited for is Nomu, who has been "DBZ'd Up" hehe… you'll seeeee!),brand new showdowns and of course, lots of stunning, new revelations! It's definitely going to be the epic climax of the first season.
As always, with the new arc, there must also come new opening and closing songs!I hope you enjoy them! Thank you sooo so much for making it this far, my friends. Review Responses at the end.
New Opening Song:
"Mukoku" by My First Story
When Gohan opened his eyes, he was laying in one of beds in the Nurse's Office. After he had activated the Kaioken and experienced its titanic power for the first time, it had left him drained of all of his stamina so Recovery Girl couldn't safely heal his injuries. As a result, he had to rest and recover the old fashioned way.
Gohan blinked several times, allowing his eyes to adjust to the light.
How long have I been out?
The clock hanging from the wall in front of him read 1:30 PM. Lunch Time had just ended. As if on cue, he caught a whiff of something that smelled amazing coming from his bedside table. Pushing himself up in bed, Gohan craned his neck to the side.
Ochaco had left him a note and a dish from the cafeteria on the table next to his bed. He clearly just missed her because the food was still piping hot. At the sight of the bowl of steaming ramen and a mini rice cake desert on the side, Gohan's stomach roared, reminding him that he hadn't eaten since the bowl of oatmeal that Ochaco had made for him when he went to pick her up in the morning.
Gohan smiled.
She's always looking out for me.
Come to think of it, Ochaco was slowly becoming more and more thoughtful and affectionate towards him, sometimes even to the point of surprising Gohan. She had started to text him much more regularly, sometimes even calling him a couple of times after school and they would talk for hours. She had started asking his opinion more frequently, had started taking an interest in the things he enjoyed, like reading – even if she did end up nodding off on his shoulder whenever he would read T.S. Eliot Poetry or Quirk History books to her.
And now she had started surprising him with humble, yet well prepared foods for breakfast. I'm so lucky to have such an amazing girl in my life. I really should start doing nice, thoughtful things for her, too.
Gohan allowed himself a smile as he clasped his hands together to give thanks for the food.
"Itadakimasu," he said, then picked up the hot bowl and dug into the noodles. After practically drinking down the entire bowl, along with a bottle of water, he noticed that Ochaco had left him a little note. Gohan put away the bowl and picked up the handwritten note and started reading.
Dear Gohan,
There was no more Takoyaki left in the Cafeteria. I was saving the last of it for you, but I kinda ate it. Sorry! Please accept this bowl of noodles as my apology. In case you were wondering,Takaida Ramen is my favorite dish so this is basically a pot of gold from me, kay? Enjoy!
Mr. All Might asked me to pass you my notes from the Combat Trials since you were asleep during our review, but if I'm being totally honest, I was kinda more worried about you than about taking notes, so here are Midoriya's instead. Anyways, I hope feel better soon. Don't worry, I'll be waiting for you after school so we can walk home together, kay?
Love,
Uraraka.
Love…? Gohan's heart began to pound in his chest and his stomach fluttered as he remembered the kiss she gave him right before the start of his match. There just had to be something there. He could no longer keep denying his attraction to her, nor her glaring attraction towards him. The thought of dating his best friend had at one time embarrassed him. After all, this was Urara-chan, of all people. She was the baby of their little five member squad!
But after everything that they had been through, all the trials that had pushed them closer and closer together had made Gohan realize just how much he really cared about Ochaco, and how much he longed to be in a romantic relationship with her.
Folding Uraraka's note, he tucked it into his wallet, making his mind up to tell Ochaco how he felt once and for all as soon as he got the chance. The second page were Midoriya's notes on the lessons he had picked up from the Combat Trials.
Combat Trial 1 – Izuku & Videl vs. Bakugo & Iida
Just because a fight is personal doesn't mean you have to fight it alone. Never rush into a battle unprepared.
Combat Trial 2 – Melissa & Yaoyorozu vs. Shoji & Todoroki
Everyone has a scar, even villains. If your opponents are making a mistake, don't interrupt them.
Combat Trial 3 – Kaminari & Jiro vs. Sato and Koda
Never give up; Saving the world means saving one person at a time. Hesitation could get you killed.
Combat Trial 4 – Tokoyami & Asui vs. Kirishima & Uraraka
Nothing is impossible if you're inspired to succeed. Never underestimate your opponent, no matter how small or frail they appear to be.
Combat Trial 5 – Gohan & Mina vs. Ojiro & Hagakure
Sometimes, the best way to destroy an enemy is by turning him into a friend. Sometimes, what appears to be a sacrifice will prove to be the greatest investment you've ever made, and losing the battle can sometimes win the war.
Gohan looked up from the page, smiling to himself proudly.
Yes… These were lessons that he would strive to follow as a Hero for the rest of his life. He would never forget these first lessons, nor the memories that came with them. There was a soft rap at the door and Gohan looked up.
"Mister All Might!" Gohan said, surprised that such a huge man could have such a gentle knock. "What are you doing here?"
"What? Can't a Heroics teacher visit one of his star pupils?" All Might asked with feigned disenchantment.
"Oh, no, no, I didn't mean it to sound like that," Gohan corrected himself quickly, waving his hands in the air. "I just figured you'd be wrapping up class right around now."
"AHAHAHA! Don't sweat it, my boy. I know you didn't mean anything by it. Mister Aizawa decided to take over for the rest of the day. So since I found myself with about an extra hour or two of free time, I just wanted to see how you were feeling?"
"Oh, that's nice!" Gohan said, sitting up in his bed, testing his arm with a slow, circular movement. "My muscles are still a bit sore, but besides that, I'm feeling just fine."
"Great to hear! By the way, that was an impressive performance during the Combat Trial. I had no idea you could perform your dad's signature Quirk."
"Whoa! You know about the Kaioken, Mister All Might?" Gohan asked.
"AHAHAHA!" All Might let out another booming laugh, placing his fists on his wide hips. "Sure do! That incredible speed earned your father the nickname "The Blur" after all. But please, you don't have to keep calling me 'Mister All Might' every time, Gohan. Please, call me by name while we're at school. Toshinori Yagi."
"Okay, then. Deal. Mister Yagi… Um… Do you have a few minutes to spare? I have some things that I'd like to talk with you about. I kind of want to clear my head a little, you know?"
All Might gave Gohan a warm smile that redefined the growing creases around his mouth and eyes.
"Sure thing, kiddo." He said, his voice dropping into a warm tone with a laugh. "Tell me, what's on your mind?"
"That new power back then, the one that came out during the Combat Trials… To be completely honest, I had no idea that I had it in me. But during the Combat Trials… I saw him. I saw my Dad as clearly as I'm seeing you now." Gohan closed his eyes, trying his best to remember the vision.
"It was such a strange experience, like waking up in the middle of a feverish dream," Gohan continued. All Might's blue eyes widened. "I found myself in a beautiful open field and my Dad was standing right in front of me, along with several other men he said were my ancestors. He gave me his Quirk. He told me that what I was seeing was the consciousness that resided within his Quirk that I inherited. The entire thing was a manifestation of one of my ancestors' Quirks. He called it… a… Manasa-something… Mister Yagi? You mentioned that my memories had been tampered with when I was really little. Could this vision be a side-effect from that procedure?"
All Might heaved a tired sigh and shook his head.
"No, Gohan. What you experienced was no side effect or anything like that. What you witnessed was something that your father called the 'Kanassan Hallucination.'"
"Oh, so you do know what's going on with me, then," Gohan sighed with relief. "Phew! For a minute there, I thought I was starting to lose it!"
"Well… yes and no. All I know about the Hallucination is what I learned from Goku when he started experiencing it. He was a little younger than you, about twelve years old, when he started getting these nightmarish visions. And every time he ended up snapping out of those visions, he wielded a brand new power. One day, he was turning into a building-sized ape, the next time he was looking into the future, or instantly teleporting across the globe, or transforming into something indescribably powerful."
Gohan listened with wide eyes.
"I couldn't understand how his body was able to contain so many Quirks without bursting into pieces," All Might continued. "But every time he experienced the hallucination, he would gain yet another power. He said that it was like he could talk to his father – his real father, as well as the rest of his ancestors."
Gohan nodded, licking his dry lips.
"That's what he told me, too. He said he wasn't a ghost. Just an idea."
"An idea?" All Might repeated, thoughtfully.
"Yeah," Gohan continued. "He said that each individual Quirk carries the consciousness of its user and through the Hallucination, I'm able to talk to the consciousness within each of the Quirks I inherit. But before the Hallucination ended, there's something that my father said to me that I can't stop thinking about."
"What's that?" All Might looked up at him inquisitively. Gohan sighed, rubbing his chin and furrowing his eyebrows in thought.
"He said that he had a feeling we would meet again someday…"
"That's impossible," All Might said, shaking his head. "Goku died seven years ago. We buried him in Mount Paozu."
"I know, but doesn't it sound a bit… odd that my dead father's consciousness is looking forward to meeting me again?"
"Could he be referring to meeting again in another Hallucination in the future, perhaps?" All Might asked, leaning his head on clasped hands, supporting his elbows on his knees.
"Maybe? I don't know, maybe I'm reading too much into it. It was a pretty bizarre experience, after all."
"Well, Goku was a pretty bizarre character," All Might laughed
"Really?" Gohan laughed, too. "It sounds like you knew my Dad very well… How did you two meet?"
"Ha! Knew him? That's the understatement of the century!" All Might said, pulling up a chair that was comically too small for Toshinori's enormous behind. The chair squealed in protest as the walking mountain plopped down on it and scooted down to be by Gohan's bedside.
"Who do you think changed his diapers when he was a baby? This guy!" All Might jerked his thumb up to point at his face. "You could say I was his unofficial foster brother."
"Whoa," Gohan gasped. "Is that really true, Mister Yagi? So then I guess that makes you my unofficial Uncle, huh?"
"I was…" All Might said, his smile tinting over with sadness. He looked down to the floor, his tone dropping along with his gaze. "At least up until your mother stripped that away from me seven years ago, and rightfully so…"
Gohan stared at All Might as his shoulders sagged tiredly. He had never seen the Pillar of Justice, the World's Symbol of Peace look so broken. He lifted up a bandaged arm and placed his hand on All Might's broad shoulder. All Might looked up at him.
"Please don't do that to yourself, Mister Yagi," Gohan sighed. "You don't have to carry that burden anymore. I've forgiven you for all that happened, okay? The most important thing is that you're here for me now, when I need you the most."
All Might raised his head weakly, his eyes sparkling with hope.
"Come on, Uncle Might," Gohan said with a smile. "Won't you tell me a little about my father for a while? What was he like?"
All Might sniffled and passed a sleeve over his eyes.
"Right," he said. "Well that pudgy little monkey-tailed pipsqueak was one tough cookie, just like you and his parents."
"Oh, you mean my Grandpa Gohan, right?" Gohan asked, supporting his face with his hands, enthralled in the family story he had never known.
"No," All Might shook his head with a proud smile. "Gohan was just the kind, elderly man that sheltered orphans like myself and your parents. Your real grandparents were pure blooded Saiyans who had fallen out of time."
"Out of time?" Gohan's head cocked.
"That's… a story for another time," All Might said. "Anyway, your real grandfather's name was Bardock, the Wolf of Kansai. He was a mighty Hero that helped bring down much of the old Army of Villains. He even saved the world once, believe it or not."
"Wow," Gohan marveled. "He sounds like a great man!"
"He had his moments," All Might nodded. "Sometimes he was intense, like most pure blooded Saiyans are. But Gine brought out the best in him and helped him see the good in people."
"Gine?" Gohan asked. "Was that my grandmother?"
All Might smiled again, looking at something far, far away.
"Yes. Remember when I said before that I was an orphan? When I was seven years old, some gang members picked me up off the street and tried to traffic me out of the country. That's when she showed up. Gine Shimura, my hero and mentor. She rescued me from that horrible place and gave me a home, a direction in life, purpose. She helped shape me into the World's Symbol of Peace. And as the years passed, I came to think of her as my own mother. After Bardock came into the picture, well… you can guess what happened after that. The product of their love was your father, Goku."
"What happened to them?" Gohan asked, against his better judgment, but he had to know. All Might opened his mouth to respond when they heard frantic knocking on their door. All Might rose to his feet and opened the door to find Kaminari huffing and puffing, out of breath.
"Ah, Young Kaminari," All Might said. "What seems to be the problem?"
"It's… ah, Bakugo sir! I think he's… about to get into a fight… with Midoriya!"
"Young Midoriya!" All Might's eyes widened. He turned to apologize to Gohan for having to leave their conversation open, but Gohan was already up, getting dressed into his school uniform.
"Go on ahead, Uncle Might." Gohan yelled, weaving his red necktie on over his neck. "We can catch up later!"
"Right! Let's go, Young Kaminari!"
Suddenly, Gohan remembered the animalistic rage that Bakugo had displayed after he lost the match, as well as the silent hatred in his eyes as he watched how one after another, his classmates proved to be much more formidable in combat than he was.
Izuku beat him, so he must be out for revenge!
Pulling his white boots on, he ran out the door.
CHAPTER TWENTY-TWO – END OF THE BEGINNING, BEGINNING OF THE END
Gohan dashed into the classroom, sliding to a stop. All of his classmates were by the windows watching something happen in the plaza below.
"Gohan!" Ochaco called out to him as he ran by her side in front of the window. "Come over here, quick!"
"What happened?" Gohan asked, concerned.
"Gohan! Thank goodness you're here," Melissa said, making her way across the sea of students towards him. "Deku tried to cheer Bakugo up after Aizawa chewed Bakugo's ear off for his poor performance in the Combat Trials. But when Aizawa went to take his nap, Bakugo said he was going home and stormed off, and Deku followed him and now it looks like Bakugo's about to seriously hurt Deku! You've got to do something!"
Gohan glanced out the window and saw Bakugo leaning in towards Midoriya, shaking with rage and shouting obscenities. It definitely looked like Bakugo was priming up for a pounce. Scanning across the window, Gohan saw a latch and made his way there.
"Whoa, hold on Muscles," Jiro said, grabbing onto his arm as Gohan opened the window and began to climb through. "Don't make the same mistake Bakugo did in the Combat Trial. Don't rush in without a plan!"
"Yeah, what she said!" Mina and Toru cried, trying to pull Gohan back in by his jacket. "Get back in here before you fall and get hurt!"
"Sorry, you guys," Gohan said, turning to the three girls that were trying to stop him from jumping. "That's my friend out there. I'm not gonna let him get hurt – not when I can help him!"
Ochaco observed from a distance as Gohan climbed out onto the ledge and stood to his feet. The wind brushed against his growing black hair, gray school jacket and red tie, making him look incredibly heroic.
"Go get him, Gohan!" Ochaco cheered, raising her fist in the air.
Gohan looked back at her and gave her a confident smile that melted her heart. With a leap, Gohan's body was enveloped in a white aura and he blasted off towards the plaza, leaving his classmates staring at him out the window.
Ochaco was still staring out the window when she noticed Jiro's earphone jacks twitch and point in her direction. Jiro shot her a knowing look.
"I knew it!" Jiro teased, crossing her arms.
Ochaco smiled and returned her gaze to the flying Saiyan boy, no longer feeling embarrassed if people knew she liked him.
"My money's on Ricebowl," Videl commented as she sat on top of Kirishima's desk, trying to stab random things into her boyfriend's hardened hair.
"Yep, Bakugo's in for it now," Eijiro agreed.
(…)
As far as bad ideas went, poking the angry beehive with a stick was definitely one of them. Midoriya nervously backed away as the furious Bakugo advanced towards him, dropping his bag on the ground.
"How dumb do you think I am?" Bakugo spat out venomously, approaching him. "Burrowed Power? Don't talk to me like I'm an idiot!"
"That's enough, Bakugo!" Gohan yelled, floating down to the ground to stand between Bakugo and Izuku. "You want get to Izuku, you're gonna have to go through me, first."
Bakugo took a step back in surprise, but then he slouched forward and his hair fell over his eyes. His shoulders began to quake and his voice wavered, full of emotion.
"You, too, Ricebowl? Deku already made a fool out of me in the damn Combat Trials. So? Did you come here to rub it in? Fine. I lost and to make matters worst it was to you, Deku. You and Pigtails!"
Bakugo's clenched fists were shaking so violently they popped out of his pants' pockets. His voice began to rise.
"I came in first in the damn Entrance Exam from my pool of students. But that wasn't enough! Ricebowl had to go and set a new record and blow my score to hell! Time after time, I keep failing these stupid exams! But that's not all – when I was watching that Ice Guy, or that Monkey Boy, or even you, Ricebowl, I realized that I couldn't beat any of you in a head to head fight!"
"Kacchan…" Izuku stepped forward in concern, but Gohan held him back with an outstretched arm.
"CRAP!" Bakugo yelled, covering his face with his hand as his voice reached a hysterical pitch, tears streaming down his cheeks. "Even Pink Cheeks managed to pull off a win in the exact same setting as mine. My attacks were so stupid! Dammit! DAMMIT! DAMMIT!"
Bakugo finally dropped his hand, revealing a twisted mask of rage and disillusionment.
"Enjoy that win, Deku! You won't get another one. Do you hear me? I'm just getting started! GOT THAT? I'M GONNA END UP THE NUMBER ONE HERO, NO MATTER WHAT!"
Gohan clenched his jaw. In his mind, just like Midoriya, he wanted to respond, to tell Bakugo to stop being so melodramatic, that nobody here was out to get him or to prove they were better than him. But no, he had to let him blow off steam. He had to let the angry boy let it all out uninterrupted, because honestly, this was the first time that Bakugo was revealing what he had been keeping stored up inside all along.
If they knew exactly what was eating at him, it would be much easier for them to help him.
Gohan glanced over at Izuku and shook his head, and Izuku bit back on whatever it was he was going to say to Bakugo.
When he got no response, Bakugo seemed to recompose himself somewhat. Picking up his bag and slinging it over his shoulder roughly, he turned and walked away.
"You'll never beat me again, you bastards," Bakugo yelled back, wiping his tears with his sleeves. "Don't even try."
(…)
For the rest of the day, the entire class seemed shaken up by the sudden burst of emotions from Bakugo. On his way to drop off Ochaco at her apartment, Gohan couldn't stop thinking about the things that he said. It couldn't have been easy for someone as proud as Bakugo to admit that they were constantly under-performing. No matter what Gohan did, he just couldn't shake the sick feeling from his stomach.
"You're awfully quite this afternoon," Ochaco said as they walked up the steps towards her apartment. Her hands were gripping the pink straps of her backpack tightly. "Is everything alright?"
"Hmm?" Gohan glanced at her, distracted. "Yeah… I'm alright. Why?" he lied. She gave him an incredulous side look.
"It's about what Bakugo said to you earlier, isn't it?" Ochaco asked, concerned.
Gohan sighed and nodded. There was nothing he could hide from her anymore. After spending so much time together, she had picked up the ability to read him like a book.
"I don't like this feeling," Gohan confessed. "I'm just not used to being unable to help someone who is hurting."
Ochaco stared at him as she leaned on her door.
"You know, Gohan," she said, looking away with a dreamy smile. "That's one of the main things I find so attractive about you. You have such a huge heart and you want to save everyone, even obnoxious jerks like Bakugo."
Holy crap! Gohan gulped. Did she just say she finds me attractive?!
"Thank you, Urara-chan," he said at last.
Ochaco giggled, unlocking the door and stepping through.
"So… Gohan?"
"Yeah?"
"Do you wanna like… stay for a little while?"
Gohan's smile dropped and his heart immediately started hammering away at his chest.
"S-stay? Like… here?"
Ochaco laughed at his sheepishness.
"Of course, silly!" she said, taking his hand. "Come on in. I'd love to have you over. Maybe we can find a way to get you to stop thinking about Bakugo for a while…"
(…)
Gohan sat barefooted and cross-legged in his white tank top and black shorts that he had packed for gym, fully intending on getting a workout in before night fell and he had to return to patrol Namek. But time had severely gotten away from him and now it was well past midnight on a school night, but honestly, he felt so relaxed, having spent all afternoon with Ochaco.
First they studied for their regular Academic tests on Friday using the grape method, a game that Ochaco came up with where if Gohan got the right answer, he would get to eat a grape, but if he got the wrong answer, Ochaco got to eat one.
After studying, they spent time just hanging out. They watched TV together, she leaned onto his shoulder as he read one of her manga books out loud to her, and they even danced like crazy little kids to Uraraka's favorite tunes on her cassette player until the neighbor downstairs started poking at their floor with a broomstick.
Ochaco yawned, wiping her eyes with the sleeve of your yellow duckling pajamas. Gohan couldn't look away in time and, feeling the weight of the day coming down on his shoulders, yawned loudly as well, which made Ochaco yawn again. Yeah, he decided it was time to go.
"You're leaving, Gohan?" Ochaco asked, sleepily after brushing her teeth.
"Mhm," Gohan nodded. "It's super late, so if I leave now, I can get in a good four hours of sleep before I come pick you back up."
"Oh, okay then. But if you're coming back here in four hours…" Ochaco yawned again. "Why not just stay the night? That way you can get an extra three hours of sleep."
If it had been earlier, and Gohan hadn't been so tired, he probably would've had the good sense to decline the offer. Even though he knew that Ochaco didn't have any ulterior motive for asking him to stay, and he certainly would never take advantage of her, it just wouldn't be a good look if somebody found them spending the night together.
But Gohan was exhausted and his stamina was shot. Even if he used Nimbus, he probably would just end up finding somewhere to sleep in a forest nearby or something.
He couldn't stop himself from yawning again.
"Okay," he agreed. "But where will I sleep?"
"Obviously, in the bed silly!" Ochaco laughed.
"But what about you…?"
"In bed, too. Just make sure to stay on your side."
"We're… seriously sharing a bed?"
"I mean, unless you want me to sleep on the floor…" Ochaco laughed sleepily, her eyes no longer opening. Yawning again, she turned the lights off and jumped into bed which was just a few feet away in the cramped apartment.
Gohan stood there for a moment, knowing that he should just turn around and leave.
Screw it… I'm tired, Gohan thought to himself shaking his head. Stepping around the corner, he saw Ochaco's body outlined under the covers and gulped to himself, sliding into bed with her, careful to stay on his side. As soon as he tucked himself under the covers and his head hit the pillow, he was gone.
A few hours later, Gohan woke to quaking movement coming from Ochaco. He turned around to see her shaking from the cold, even under the covers. Gohan sighed. The cheap, low budget rooms up here didn't have basic things like Air Conditioning or heaters. Even a microwave was rare to see. Slowly, he inched towards her and took the shaking girl in his arms. Ochaco, still asleep, turned to face him and nestled her face against his shoulder, her cold body subconsciously seeking his warmth.
Gohan felt like his heart was going to jump out of his chest. The moonlight glowed off of her angelic sleeping face and Gohan stayed up for a couple more minutes watching her, until he too succumbed to exhaustion and fell asleep with Ochaco wrapped up in his arms.
(…)
At the same time, somewhere in the westernmost mountains that dotted the Namek Prefecture, bordering the Kansai region, was a tiny village that housed Namek's Winged Serpent Clan, a clan made up of winged Namekians. They had once served King Piccolo's Demon Clan as part of the old Army of Villains, but ever since All for One's Army of Villains had been defeated, the Winged Serpents decided to set up their village to the west and follow their own path.
Tonight, though, that village was on fire.
Dozens of black pillars rose into the night sky, blotting out the moonlight. The fires roared, consuming the humbly constructed wooden shacks. The flames were spilling over to consume the bodies of the dead Winged Serpents.
The midnight air was thick with smoke and the acrid, bitter taste of ash and burnt flesh. The Winged Serpents that hadn't perished along with the village had been forced to kneel in front of the three figures that stood before them, taking in the scene.
The first of the figures was the leader of the League of Villains, Tomura Shigeraki. He was a grotesque man with dead white hair and pale, sickly skin. He wore a simple black, long sleeved shirt and pants, and red running shoes. The mummified hands that clung onto Tomura Shigeraki's body shook as he laughed maniacally.
"Oh, Grand Elder, Piano. You were so proud of yourself, prattling on and on about the mighty Path of the Winged Serpent, and look just where that got you. Clearly, you were no match for my Nomu."
The Grand Elder of the Clan laid in front of the kneeling group, dying from a smoldering black hole in his chest. But even in his dying moments, the elderly winged Namekian glared up at Shigeraki in defiance.
"Such monstrous power..."
"And his power is what I've come to offer your Clan – but only if you will serve the League of Villains. You better wise up, Old Man. It isn't too late to save your Clan. Do it for them."
Piano craned his neck to look into the eyes of his people. His clan looked back at him with steeled resolve, shaking their heads. When his eyes met theirs, he gained the determination he needed to see this through to the very end.
"So," Shigeraki asked, his torn and chapped lips only partly visible under the dead hand covering his face. "Will you join us, Winged Serpent Clan, and take your place among our ranks the way you served my father?"
"We will... never be your slaves again!" Piano declared. "The Dragon of Namek… will save us. And even if he doesn't… we'd rather... die on our feet than live on our knees."
"Oh… really?" Shigeraki laughed. "It looks like you'll die on your knees, anyway. Ahhh, somehow I knew this would turn out to be a waste of time. Nomu, exterminate them so we can go home!"
The second figure that stood beside Shigeraki took three steps forward silently, it's black boots stomping over the blue grass underneath. Nomu was a muscular, yet slim humanoid creature, wrapped in a black, six-tailed cloak that resembled the wings of a bat around his ankles. A hood hanged over Nomu's head, casting a shadow that covered nearly all of the white mask it wore on its face. A pair of smoldering red, pupil-less eyes glowed radiantly from within the shadows, giving the creature a nightmarish appearance.
Nomu reached the dying Grand elder and lifted his black-gloved hand, palm facing the winged Namekian. Grand Elder Piano steadied his breath and closed his eyes, searching for peace within to accept his death with serenity.
"Wait!" a voice called out from the kneeling crowd. Piano gasped and opened his eyes, turning back to the crowd to see three of his own Clan rising to their feet.
"We will serve the League of Villains," the first of the Namekians said. "But only if you spare the rest of the Clan."
"Tambourine!" Piano gasped. "Cymbal and Ukulele, you three are joining in this madness?"
"Forgive me, Grand Elder Piano," Tambourine said, bowing respectfully. "You might be willing to sacrifice the entire clan, but we are not. We have children to think about. The Path of the Winged Serpents must survive!"
"You have... betrayed us all," Piano spat out.
"So, you three want to save your skin, huh?" Shigeraki hissed, amused. "Are you three strong enough to take on the Mark?"
"We will do what is necessary, my lord," Tambourine promised.
"So will we," several other Winged Serpents rose, joining the first three. In total, fifteen Serpents joined the League.
"Then let's test that unbending Namekian Spirit, shall we? Yurin?" Shigeraki called, turning to the slender woman to his left. "Your turn."
Yurin was a slim nineteen-year-old that wore a green, one-shoulder gi that revealed the white sarashi straps wrapped around her breasts. A yellow sash tied the green gi against the red mini dress she was wearing. A pair of black over-the-knee socks covered the bare skin that the mini dress didn't, and traveled down to a bright pair of red shoes.
She lifted her hands towards them.
"You're going to feel an incredibly painful sensation as my power kicks in," she warned them. "Don't try to resist it because it will only make it hurt worse. Once you accept the Mark, you will receive unlimited power beyond your wildest dreams. Are you ready?"
"Stop this!" Piano yelled weakly.
Tambourine trembled but stepped forward.
"We are ready."
"Okay, here we go…"
Dozens and dozens of miniature white orbs began to pour out of Yurin's trembling hands. Her eyes widened and a moan snaked out through her gritted teeth. The orbs shot out, converging on the foreheads of the fifteen Namekians.
Yurin's groans became louder and louder until they burst out in a full scream. Her bow-shaped green hair swayed from the violent gust of wind created by her Quirk.
"Through the mighty Majin Quirk bestowed upon me by my Master… I Mark you as soldiers of the League of Villains!" She yelled out. "When our Master calls, you obey. You exist only to kneel before Shigeraki. Do you accept this Mark in his name?"
"We accept!" The Namekians pledged. Immediately, the wind that was swirling around Yurin shot out towards them and the Namekians fell to their knees, screaming in pain, clutching at their heads.
Tambourine squeezed the sides of his head, his wings fluttering with agony as Yurin's Majin Mark, a black stylized M, embedded itself like a tattoo on the Namekians' forehead.
The rest of the clan stared in horror as the wind and the lights violently swirled around them and then, subsided almost as soon as they started. Then they rose – first it was Tambourine, his wings folding themselves behind his back. Then Ukulele and Cymbal and finally the rest of the Majin Namekians rose to their feet beside Tambourine. Their muscles had grown considerably, and large veins were bulging from their necks and face. Black marks underlined their eyes and their faces had twisted into animalistic, bloodthirsty smiles. The wind picked up again as purple auras enveloped the fifteen Namekians.
"Who are you?" Yurin asked with a wicked smile.
"We are the Soldiers of the League of Villains. When our Master calls, we obey. We exist only to kneel before Shigeraki."
Yurin turned to face Tomura with a proud smile.
"They're all yours to command, Tomura."
"Nice work, Yurin!" Shigeraki laughed. "Put them under the command of Pui Pui. With the power of the Namekians added onto our party, the final boss won't see it coming. Tomorrow, we will kill the Symbol of Peace!"
"What about their children and the rest of the clan that refused the Mark?" Yurin asked.
"Nomu will take care of them," Shigeraki hissed, walking away. A purple warpgate opened up and Shigeraki walked into it, followed closely by his new minions.
Nomu once again lifted his outstretched hand, palm out, facing the last survivors of the Winged Serpent Clan. A massive ball of black and gold energy surged in the palm of his hand, swirling and growing ominously.
"Oh, Dragon of Namek! Save us!" Someone from the Clan cried out.
With a growl, Nomu unleashed the massive ki blast and it vaporized the two dozen or so men, along with what remained of the village, instantly. The destructive fires ran like a tidal wave across the village, consuming whatever had been spared by the previous fire, jumping into the nearby forest, where it quickly spread into a colossal forest fire.
The force of the destructive winds blew against Nomu's hood, revealing the white mask that covered the entirety of his face. Two angular slits ran down the mask, crossing into an X pattern through which Nomu's glowing red eyes could see out of.
Five spiky bangs framed Nomu's forehead and reached down over the white mask.
"Tsk. Tsk. Tsk. Poor little green dudes," Yurin said, shaking her head, relishing in the carnage.
"Good job, Nomu! You just keep getting stronger and stronger, don't ya? But I guess killing Namekians should come natural to a Saiyan, huh? Come on, let's go home."
Yurin spun on her heel and happily skipped towards the purple swirling vortex that would send her home, but stopped when she realized that Nomu wasn't following her.
"Hmm? What is it, Nomu? Do you see something?"
The masked Saiyan stood still for a moment, watching the dancing flames. Clearly, something had caught his eye.
A strong gust of wind blew in from the opposite side of the village, and something from within the village flew towards Nomu, landing at his feet. It was a bright red Namekian children's cap with an orange ball on its center, an amber replica of a Four-Star Dragon Ball. Nomu stared down at it as if in a trance.
"G… G… G…" Nomu struggled, his voice distorted by the mask's electrical speakers.
"Huh, that's what got your attention, Nomu?" Yurin asked, annoyed. "A stupid hat?"
"G… G..."
Nomu stared down at it as the cap caught fire at his feet. Nomu moaned, reaching down towards it. His fingers longed to wrap themselves around the hat, but the rest of his body couldn't move. A single tear ran down the side of Nomu's jawline.
"G…G"
For a moment, it was as if Nomu had uncovered a poignant hidden memory, a ghost of the person he had been before he became Nomu…
"...G...h...n…"
"Okay, that's enough, Nomu." Yurin said irritated, activating her Quirk and gesturing at Nomu's face. "It's time for us to go. Now!"
The black mark on Nomu's forehead underneath his mask glowed red, and Nomu's hand balled into a fist. As Yurin marched away, Nomu turned to follow his master and the two disappeared into the warpgate.
The red cap continued to burn until it was completely swallowed up by the raging fire.
New Closing Song:
"Call of Silence," by AmaLee
A/N: Whaaaa? Nomu has a base form? Didn't see that coming, huh? I wanted this Universe's Nomu to be a little more like High End or Kurogiri – ya know, more Humanoid? But at the same time, Nomu's base form is a Saiyan body (hmmm who's body could that be? Wink wink), so if you miss the Bird Brain Nomu, I'll just use the words of Lord Frieza and say: "You fool! This isn't even my final form!" Muahahahaha
As for base Nomu's costume, I drew inspiration from Xeno Bardock, (for the black, white outlined armor,) Masked Goku Black (for the eyes) and Masked King Vegeta (for that awesome hooded cloak, painted black)
And we got to see a little spin on a classic attack – the Majin Mark, as well as the newer "Masked Saiyan" from Dragon Ball Heroes. BUT I MUST STRESS, that this doesn't mean we'll see Majin Buu, nor Mira/Towa in this saga. I need the Majin Mark for… something else. You'll see hehe
Get ready… it's going to be a wild ride!
Review Responses
Guest chapter 21 . Jan 24
Kendo was mentioned in the other chapter so is she going to be Ochaco's love rival
BINGOOO! That is correct, my friend! Gohan actually already met her in an earlier chapter and did something for her that she will never forget and that's where the spark of her interest originates from. I think it's somewhere in the fourth or fifth chapter... brownie points if you can spot her! It's very subtle hehe But we'll dive further into this in the next chapter.
Elchico 64 chapter 21 . Jan 24
That. Was. Awesome! At first I was afraid that Ojiro hate Gohan until the Sports Fest, but it was more like Goku and Tien when they met. They could be rivals and go beyond, and with Gohan learning and suffering the effects of the Kaio-Ken it will be more interesting!
As for the ships, is totally cool, I don't really re call on them too much (well, not now hehe...) It was just curiosity. Maybe Kendo can fell in love with him, but he would still love Ochaco. And I'm glad that you reconsider the change of colours for Todoroki when he goes Super Saiyan, let's be honest seeing him all spiky and gold is kinda... mmm, less prominent, in a way.
Now, I wonder how Gohan and Melissa would work together being part of the Dragon (I imagined something like Felicity and Oliver in Arrow). Oh, and now that Deku understand better One For All, he can be a challenge for Todoroki in the next arc.
That's all for now, I'll be waiting the next chapter! Stay healthy and don't forget the passion of writing this story, it has potential!
Hey Chico! I think the only one that will hate him until then is Shoto, but you know how Gohan is. He is like his father – able to turn enemies into besties hehe
As far as the ships go, yeah, that's the dynamic. I don't intend on turning Kendo into an all out villain, but she will definitely be competing hard with Ochaco, who by now is completely fallen for Gohan. I will say this though, that even though GohanxOchako is the main ship, I'm not completely closed off from the other GohanxKendo. Let's just see what happens. Sometimes, these characters seriously take on a life of their own, as seen when I originally wrote that Gohan will fall for Kendo's fierceness and the way she takes care of everyone, like a green-eyed Chi-Chi… but as I continued writing, the Gohan I wrote seemed to keep going back with the angelic Ochako, who resembles very much Gohan's in-canon wife, Videl (Not the pigtailed version, but the Super version)
Yeah! That's exactly right about the types of Super Saiyan. I want to add a little more variety than just gold spiky hair.
As for the future dynamic between Gohan and Melissa, you gave an excellent example. Melissa will offer support as well as create weapons, armor, vehicles, devices, ect. She's like the Alfred and Fox for Batman if Alfred or Mr Fox were tall blondes with genius level intellect hehehe
Thank you for all your support always, man! Sometimes I feel super inspired to write, and other times, especially when I have to cover 'canon' stuff that is obligatory to include, I lose the passion for it and the writing suffers because of it. I will continue to try to write with the same passion as where I started. Thank you for always being here for the journey!
12450ogmdm chapter 21 . Jan 24
Good chapter, by the way, a question, will you make this story a Harem but that the main girl is Ochako, or simply the only one in love with Gohan will be Ochako?
I also have another question, I was reading the answers you gave, and I wonder if Melissa will move in with Gohan, that is, if they live together, I don't know if it will be a translation error or something like that.
Ooh! Good question. No, I don't intend for this story to be a Harem. There will be times where he will have close moments with other female characters, but those are not intended at all to be romantic, that's just Gohan showing genuine interest and fraternal love for his friends.
And yes, that's correct. She is going to become part of the Dragon Team, so she will need to move to the Lookout. But they won't be living together as in a relationship. Strictly for work, although Ochako may not fully understand why Melissa HAS to live with Gohan.. At least not for now, hehe Thank you so much for the review!
X3runner chapter 21 . Jan 24
I loved the I'm my fathers son it was always one of my favorites also was ojiro implying gohan would get a sweet sweet zenki ? I really liked how team techniques worked like I wish they were more of a commonality in MHA. On the kioken thing how far will gohan be able to take it will he max out at the current the times 20? Hell you could even have people do the TFS Kio -what joke. I'm wondering if Mina is legitimately interested in gohan or what feels more like us happening that Mina is playing matchmaker and is going to have uraraka go in her sted which feels so much like her it hurts.
Yep! Me too! That's the best line in the Bojack movie in my opinion. I agree that team techniques aren't really a thing in MHA. We saw a few, but not so much. So I will try to include more of those here in this universe. Especially in this arc, there is a HILARIOUS team attack involving Melissa, Asui and Midoriya in the shipwreck zone that I think you will enjoy!
Man, the "Kaio-whaBAM!" joke is one of my favorites from TFS! Definitely gotta find a way to include it at least once! Speaking of Kaioken, yep, you're right, as usual. x20 will be the Max for this universe's Kaioken, but only after massive massive training, and that's going to be more towards the middle of the story.
As for Mina,… nahhh, she's just having so much fun playing cupid. She's going to be the little sister of the class, and at least for now, I don't have a ship planned out for her. Sometimes, being single and wild and free is much more fun haha As to what her plans are, well, she has something even juicier planned out. All will culminate in the season finale!
Thanks for your reviews, X3! I always enjoy reading them.
Hmm chapter 21 . Jan 24
Shoto*
Freaking autocorrect
Hmm chapter 21 . Jan 23
Oh and why endeavor would want a marriage to happen? Well for his selfish reasons lol
Hmm chapter 21 . Jan 23
Cool chapter, Liked it a lot(ojiro being like his master, Tien [early DB])
As for the fic I suggested
Worth a shot lol
The general idea for that fic is:
Gohan being a master to both Shinso and Shoot(weird idea I know)[also I might add that Gohan is also a UA teacher]
And in this universe. Gohan surpassed Endeavor in the hero rankings making the great saiyaman the no 2 hero here
And with one thing lead to another, endeavor had some idea to have Gohan and Fuyumi married and since in this universe, Gohan never married anyone
So chichi agrees lol
But I'm pretty excited for that one shot between gohan and fuyumi ngl(if it happens)
You set up a pretty interesting premise there, actually. I'll be honest - I'm intrigued! It makes me think of the possibilities. Gohan and Fuyumi's child would be powerful for sure.. maybe wielding Half Ki/Half Cold? Or something? The look on Endeavor's face when Pan is able to curb-stomp him would be hilarious and the may even pave way for his redemption… Let me think about it for a little bit. If I do end up doing something with this premise, I'll make sure to credit you.
Thank you so much for the reviews and the ideas! I really appreciate it!
Xeno Gohan chapter 21 . Jan 23
The whole chapter was HYPE,
the part where Gohan and Ojiro started fighting was really COOL and I see Ashido is planning something eh?
I really like that what it seemed to be a beam clash between the two martial arts
and Goku?! What a pleasant surprise, so Gohan has like a version of one for all eh? Cool Cool
looking forward for more
Thanks! I'm so glad you enjoyed the match!
Yep, Ashido is having a blast playing cupid, but she has good intentions in the end. Her and Toru's actions will culminate in the season finale.
As for the vision aspect, it's inspired from the curse that Bardock picks up when he and his team wipe out Kanassa. Through it, Bardock is sent to Namek where he has a brief conversation with Goku as an adult. So I took inspiration from that, but made the setting into the Sacred Planet of the Kais.
Get ready! We have some crazy stuff coming right around the corner! Thanks for always being quick to check out and review each new chapter, Xeno! Ohh! I just realized that you were Ryou Kenji Minami! I had been wondering where you went, but when I discovered that you had been here all along under a different pen name, it blew my mind! So thanks so much for supporting this entire time! I sure do appreciate it!
JediGamerX chapter 21 . Jan 23
What a great chapter for all the build-up we've seen so far! I really like how you've made Ojiro a formidable opponent for Gohan here thanks to the skills of the Crane School. I'm really excited about how you'll handle the USJ arc, it's one of my favorite arcs when I was watching MHA for the very first time.
Super sorry for not reviewing the last few chapters. I've been taking too long of a break from writing and now I'm trying to finish my own chapter on the Battle Trial arc at least before midterms. Once again, I really like your own spin on this arc!
JGX! Heyyyy! Thanks for your kind review, my friend. I'm so glad you liked it. And no worries, I totally understand. Hope you've been well! I'll be looking forward excitedly for your update, too. I think I've mentioned it before, but your fic has my favorite iteration of Vegeta to date, so I'm definitely excited about an update.
Thanks again for the review, JGX! Always awesome to get some love from a fellow writer! hehe