Night One Hundred And Seventy Four
Age 1991
Hero stared up at the black sky for a moment blinking a few times. All around him was snow for miles, and miles.
"...Row..." He asked slowly.
He didn't hear anything.
He knew he wouldn't hear anything.
Row was...
Not dead.
But not alive.
Hero slowly set up. His body felt bruised and battered and he was exhausted. He doubted he'd ever be able to preform a stunt like that again. Not anytime soon. Pure luck had been how he did it. If Otoko hadn't been so close... It helped they looked so alike.
Hero looked down at his hands. The crest was back in his right arm. But it wasn't the same Crest. Identical sure. But not the same. The arm though looked the same as his left. In fact his body mostly seemed the same. He still didn't know the side effects of replacing his body with Seraphin DNA. For a moment he tried to create something. Anything. He got nothing though. He couldn't create anything else. Normally he could only heal others with his power. He didn't understand how he had made new parts. Perhaps it had been because Row, the real Row was so close. Or maybe it was due to Otoko?
"I wonder..." Hero hummed. "Can I heal?" He grabbed his middle finger on his left arm and snapped it to the side. "Ow! Son of a bit-" He hissed and rubbed his hand as he stared at it. Nothing happened. "God damn it... Maybe I can heal with my right hand?" He grabbed a pinkie this time. Somehow the pain was worse. It also did not heal... "God damn it... What's the point of throwing on Seraphin body parts if I don't get any of the powers!"
"Who knows. Maybe you do have powers." Hero jumped when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw Master Storm. The old man gave him a kind smile. "You gave me quite the fright when I heard you vanish... I was planning on attack God myself but he quickly snatched you away. I'm glad your back... Though... You've changed haven't you."
"Y... Yeah."
"You've replaced your parts with that Seraphin from the other world..."
"Y... Yeah... Am I trouble?"
Master Storm hummed for a moment as he took a seat next to the boy. "He placed a hand on Hero's head and sent a small spark of lightning through his body. Hero shivered when he felt it run through him. "For the most part nothing has really changed... I'd hardly say you even got that stronger... Maybe like... 5, or 6% tops... Your healing is slightly more, but that's it. You won't be regrowing limbs or healing wounds like Ken. Though a broken bone can heal in a few days now... You've managed to recreate the Equation almost perfectly. Almost being the key word... Some things might be off. Hmm. You called the last one Arm of Miracles... I'll dub this new one Arm Of Dreams."
Hero hummed for a moment and stared down at his right arm. "You can tell all that?"
"I've been alive for a while." Master Storm chuckled. "Oh and you'll need to walk back to the arena. It's about ten miles North of here... Can you create things with you Crest? Or was this a one time thing?"
"I created this arm so..."
"I see." Master Storm nodded his head. "One more time."
"What?" Hero asked.
"You can use that Crest One more time. A single time left. You see each time is waking Row up. One more time. Either you can heal one more person, create something. Or summon an absorbed soul. However if you do it anymore after that... You'll fully wake Row up. And if that happens."
"You'll kill me right..." Hero asked.
Master Storm didn't say anything for a moment. "Be careful Hero. I still have need of Row... But as he is now... He's no weapon I can use. You'll need to regain some energy and you'll be able to use that Crest again. So use it on something good."
"Yeah! I don't want to put you down yet!" A voice asked as an arm was thrown over Hero's shoulder. He looked up his eyes wide when he saw a young blonde haired girl, with bright yellow eyes, and a mouth filled with razor sharp teeth stood grinning. "Oh sweet Hero..." She said planting a kiss on his cheek and making his face blush red.
"W... Who the hell are you?"
"What? You don't remember me?" She frowned. "I'm with you all the time? You even gave me that dumbass nick name."
"W... Wait... Droney?"
"The one and only." She winked.
"Hope." Master Storm hummed. "It's not like you to show yourself."
Hopes grin grew showing her razor sharp teeth as she threw her arm over Hero's shoulder. "Just wanted to let the boy know what he's getting into. It's pretty dope that he recreated parts of his body like that."
"Wait? Since when is Droney a girl!" Hero yelled.
Master Storm ran his hands through his grey beard. "Hero Law... Meet Hope Dawn. The current First Captain."
"What the hell!" Hero asked with wide eyes. "Wait? What? No like... What? You mean I've been showering with the First Captain for months!"
"Hell yeah you've been!" Hope announced slapping him on his butt.
"It's complicated." Master Storm hummed.
"Speaking of complicated." Hope grinned. "This new look permeant or what?"
"New look?" Hero asked frowning.
Hope hummed and reached into her bag pulling out a spare bra making Hero's face light up once more. It glowed and changed into a mirror. She handed it to Hero and he took it letting out a loud gasp as his eyes went wide.
His right eye had changed. It had become an emerald green. And his hair had also changed. It was a weird mix of black, and white now. His snow white hair, now having flakes of black in it. That wasn't all though. His body was noticeable different to now. He hadn't even noticed but all the scars on him were gone. No lines, no marks, no nothing. Besides the single 'D' shaped Scar. His muscles were a little bit more honed, and he might be an inch taller. Some of her teeth were sharper than they had been. Like fangs and razors. He still looked like Hero Law. But anyone who knew him would be able to tell he had been changed for sure...
Hero gulped slightly as he reached up and poked at his weird colored hair. "Are you freaking kidding me?"
***
The Arena...
"That was rude." Ken frowned folding her arms up as she placed her foot on the woman's back. "I was in the middle of talking. I didn't blast you randomly when you were giving your monologue." Versa let out a scream of pain as Ken pressed down with her foot making the woman's back pop.
Down in the Squad Six Box Irene had a smug look on her face. "See. I told you. Ken is strong. You shouldn't have underestimated her."
Shelly frowned looking away. "Yeah but..." For a moment her thought went back to that fight with North when Ken entered 'that' form. "I don't know how I feel about her acting this way."
"She is acting a little more... sado-masochist then usual..." Kitsune hummed. "But Ken's always been the type to do things like this... She's kind of cruel when she fights. Letting herself get hit, and drawing out the battles. She's always done this. I guess you'll have to get used to it if you really care about her-"
"W... Who said I care about her idiot!" Shelly said hitting the fox teen over the head.
Light let out a hum and folded his arms. "Is it really this easy though... I would hardly say this was even a match... Ken dominated that woman."
"Phasing!"
"W... Wait." Versa spat out turning around just in time for Ken to stomp down on her stomach making her cry out.
"What?" Ken asked frowning.
Versa let out several gasps. "I... I still have more I can do!"
"Not interested." Ken said raising her foot up.
'Whoa wait! One second! Just a few moments! That's all I need and I can transform!"
"You can transform?" Ken asked raising an eyebrow. "That's cool and all but I'm still not interested in-"
"I'd be able to beat you down in seconds with that power. You wouldn't even stand a chance. I'd over power you in moments. I doubt you could even land a single punch on me!"
Up in the stands Katrina shot a smug look at Athena. "Well it looks like we've won this one." She announced. "There's no way your recruit will have a chance to transform-"
"Okay." Ken said a smile crossing onto her face. She jumped away from Versa and folded her arms. "Go ahead. Transform."
"Oh God damn it Ken!" Everyone in Squad Six yelled.
"Huh." Jackson hummed. "I would have expected this from Kitsune..."
"Not Hero?" Dawson asked.
"Nah... Hero's an asshole. He'd just attack the person while they're transforming for an easy win, than complain when someone does the same to him." Jackson nodded. "Still... Versa knew just what to say. I mean Ken's a Seraphin... They're weapons made for combat so a better fight... That'd do something to her..."
Versa stumbled back to her feet and grabbed her right arm her grin growing. "You're dead." She announced. "Now watch. As I transform!"
"You too huh." Kitsune, Irene, Shelly, Light, and even Ken, who was up in the arena all jumped when they heard the voice. They looked down finding Hero? entering the Squad Six box.
"Uh..." Kitsune stopped staring at Hero for a moment. "What is..."
"Don't ask."
"Why is your hair..."
"Don't ask."
"Are you taller..."
"Don't ask."
"You wearing contacts-"
"Dude what the hell do you think Don't ask means?"
Kitsune frowned and scratched his chin. "Why is-"
Shelly shoved Kitsune out of the way. She eyed him up looking him up and down for a moment. "Explain." She didn't ask. It was a command.
"I uh... Yeah I don't know a good lie to say right now." Hero shrugged. He ran his hand through his black, and white hair, his fingers brushing up against Droney which made his eye twitch. "So Shelly... You ever meet the first Squad Captain-"
Droney let out several cries and began to peck Hero's head for a moment.
"No why?" Shelly asked.
"Are you okay Hero?" Irene asked slowly.
Hero was silent for a moment as he stared at her. Flashes of everything that had happened. Finally though he gave a smile of relief as he nodded his head. He threw his arms behind his head and looked up for a moment. "Yeah... I'm doing fine." He smiled. "I'm back to my old self." He grinned. "No more voices in my head either..." That part was a little sad. Row and him had bonded. He had grown to get to know his other side. They had done a lot. God wanted to erase this time. Something he couldn't have. But also couldn't just kill the man... And then there was the Row... The real Row.
Irene gave him a small smile as she nodded her head. "I'm glad. I was getting worried."
Hero turned away. "Hey guys... When we get the chance. I have something to tell you all..."
"What is it Big Brother?" Light asked frowning.
Hero looked away and stared at the Squad Three Box. His eyes meeting the gray eyes of Hella. "Not right now... I have to talk to someone else right now... I have some questions I'd like to ask her... Something that-"
"No one cares!" Ken yelled a black spike hitting Hero over the head and knocking him over. Ken turned back to her enemy as she pointed forward. "You! Transform so Hero can watch me kick your ass!"
Versa let out a small hiss cracking her neck. "Very well... As you wish..."
Meanwhile within the crowd a man in a large trench coat could be seen slowly getting up. He moved away from everyone as he reached into his cloak and pulled out a small phone. He flipped it up and placed it up to his ears.
"Hey... It's me Jester... Some things are happening here." He nodded. He reached up slowly moving his cloak down showing a grey chest. And a small 'M' shaped scar... A Crest. "I'll begin the test shortly though... For now I want to see just what his body can do..."