Night Two Hundred And Two
Age 1991
Gladious City...
The Hotel...
"It's huge!" Ken said with wide eyes.
Her, Hero, Kitsune, Irene, Shelly, Light, and of course Daughter, all stood outside of a massive building that was attached to the arena. It was like a massive hotel. Olf had told everyone earlier during the matches about this. Fighters, and those in the games, would have a 5 star hotel they would be staying out for the night. Enforcers, and those who came to watch, would have to make do. Luckily there were other hotels so it wasn't to bad. But for them, those who were fighting in the games they were treated to this amazing building.
Behind the main group there were several other Enforcer recruits all of which were entering the building. Many, many people.
Though a few like Squad Five, or Squad Seven, weren't hear as they were busy. They all wanted to check up on their hurt teammate after all.
"It's pretty big." Hero noted nodding his head. "It says here... We're assigned rooms 106, 107, and 109." He held a small paper in his hands as he read it.
"We get three rooms?" Kitsune asked raising an eyebrow.
"From what I read." Irene began. "The rooms are set up kind of like a common room. So we have room 106 which is more like a living room, with 107, and 108 being side branches for us. So boys, and girls, all have one room."
"Oh..." Kitsune nodded.
"It's like one big sleep over!" Light announced.
"Sleep over?" Daughter asked.
"Don't worry about Light. He says random things." Hero shrugged. "Still." He let out a sigh as he threw his hands behind his head. "Now that I'm thinking about it I don't have any spare clothes for you... I mean you're in my jacket. Than there's the dress K- Hella gave me." He let out another sigh before giving a small half grin. "Guess I'll go into town and get you some more clothes." He said spinning around as he began to walk off. "Hey you guys keep her safe alright?" He asked pulling Droney off of his head and resting it on the green bear in Daughters arms.
"You're not just doing this to get away from your child right..." Shelly asked shooting Hero a look, but her and Irene, both took Daughter's hand. Hero didn't answer as he kept walking. It made Daughter give a small frown and a sad look.
"Um... Hey let's all go inside and check out the room!" Kitsune announced.
"Good idea." Light nodded.
The group minus Hero, turned and headed in. Irene and Shelly walked ahead of them carrying Daughter between them. Light was right behind them.
But Ken and Kitsune...
They lagged behind a little.
"This is all so weird." Ken sighed.
"Hmm?" Kitsune asked shooting her a look.
Ken's frown grew. "Hero I mean... He just shows up with a child, which apparently is his... It shares some of his DNA... I get that he didn't kiss a girl and mail the stark to deliver the child but still..."
"I refuse to believe that you think babies come from a stark..."
Ken didn't say anything. "I mean... What do we do about... This I mean? On one hand it's a child... On the other we're told they're being stuck with Hero... On yet another hand they don't seem to be evil. And on that fourth hand, Hero doesn't seem to like Daughter..."
"What are you trying to say?" Kitsune asked.
"I mean... What do we do in this situation." Ken sighed. "Do I be the good friend and help Hero... I mean he doesn't seem to like her... Or do I do what's right and step in... It's not physical, but I'd call what he's doing emotional abuse at least a little... It's not heroic of him... And... You guys didn't feel it like me... So much hate... That didn't just go away... I'm worried about Hero."
Kitsune let out a sigh. "I get what you're getting at. But trust me... Or trust Hero... I have hope. He'll do the right thing. And I'll support him. I'm that assholes best friend after all. As for that hate... You're right... It did go somewhere... You saw his arm right... Covered in cracks... It happened a lot... Hero's arms would evolve and gain new forms based on his emotions... These were... Close to him leveling up... I'd say he has about one more growth before he can level up fully... Rage Canon turned all his rage into a gun. Despair Drill turned his never ending Despair into a Drill. Shield of Justice, turned his desire to do good and save others into a shield. And Mourning Star, turned the sorrow he felt after killing North into a weapon that would let him mourn. So... What weapon will he get with all that Hate..."
"Hey what's the hold up you guys!" Shelly called back.
Ken, and Kitsune looked up finding Irene, Shelly, Light, and Daughter were in front of an elevator.
"Come on already." Irene sighed. "Turns out Daughter hasn't seen a movie so I'm gonna show her some."
"Geez... Irene took the role of mother seriously." Kitsune chuckled.
"I mean... Her and Hero were an item..." Ken shrugged.
"Yeah... Were..."
"Oh? Jealousy."
Kitsune turned away. "It's... Complicated."
"Don't tell me you're scared of her turning back to him?" Ken grinned.
"I'm not."
"Oh really?"
"I'm really not. Because I know she will. Irene still... She'll never love me." Kitsune sighed. "She has feelings for Hero. She declared she'd protect him... The mood might have soured after North died but I know Irene still likes him. I'm not scared of that. I'm scared of Hero turning her down... I'm scared of her choosing me because she can't have Hero. That's what I'm scared about. We all aren't as lucky as you Ken. Not all of us found someone who just works as a Soul Mate. I know you don't get it since you found a person who cares about you as much as you care about them, but for the rest of us Love is complicated and hard to follow. Then again I wouldn't expect a beast like you to understand that."
Ken flinched back at that. "I... I'm sorry."
"...No... I'm sorry. That was rude and uncalled for." Kitsune winced. "I'm just jealous of you is all..." He stared down at his hands for a moment. "I'm going to get stronger... Strong enough to reach my brothers level. Strong enough to surpass Hero..."
***
Speaking of Hero...
Hero left the shop stumbling out a bit a small rose color touching his cheeks as he stumbled down the cold street.
It was mostly night by now as the first round came to an end. In his hand he held a small bag filled with some clothes and toys. The snow was coming down hard and it was super chilly out. He regretted leaving Daughter with his nice warm Enforcers Jacket. The streets were empty at this point.
Almost...
He let out a sigh a sigh and rested the bag on the ground next to him. He grabbed the sleeve to his right arm and pulled it up as a black crackling energy came out of his arm and it morphed into his rusted, dented, cracked, faded gray arm, black flames seeping out of it rather than the green... "You know..." Hero said slowly turning his red eyes slowly igniting. "When I was a kid my father Piero took me hunting. Or I guess he took Row hunting. We'd go on lots of hunts. He taught me one important rule. When sneaking up on your prey you should always mask your blood lust lest the target feel it and the predator has the table turns on them becoming the prey..."
A small puff of steam blew out in front of him as a figure walked towards him. The sight of her made Hero's eyes go wide.
"Serenity?"
"Not quite." The girl in the maid outfit said giving a bow. "I'm someone else."
Hero stared at the woman. She looked close to Serenity but... He had seen Serenity die. Plus this woman's hair was styled different as well as her eye colors being different. She had duel colored eyes. This couldn't be Serenity.
Right?
"You can call me-"
She ducked down suddenly as Hero fired at her mid sentence and sliced out his clawed hand slicing over her head and sending out an ark of black flames. Her grin grew as she slid back.
"Feisty? Attacking me mid sentence?"
"I just decided I honestly didn't care who you are." Hero said flatly. "You're obviously here to kill me right?"
"I guess in a way."
"Then let's go right into it."
"My. You're different."
"What?"
"Oh sorry. It's just... You're nothing like my Hero."
"Your... Hero... Don't tell me... You're from the-"
"That's right! I'm from another world." The girl announced. "You can call me... Kitsune Nine."
"...What!?"
"My name is-"
"What!"
"I-"
"No! What!" Hero's eyes were wide as he stared at the girl in front of him. "Gross... I was thinking about... Well it isn't important what was going through my mind at the time when I saw you in that skirt. What is important... You're Kitsune! Gross! Ew, ew, ew, ew, ew, ew!"
"...You done?"
"Almost. Gross. Okay done. Die."
"What-"
"RAGE CANON!!!"
The arm shifted to its gun form in a flash the beam blasting out. A hellish wail could be heard for a moment as the entire pent up rage he had fired out and slammed towards the woman. Kitsune was quick though her flaming fox ears and tails morphing out of her body as she jumped up. She stabbed her arms down a ball of fire blasting out of her hands and flipping her over the beam. As she soared over it she gave a grin and began to fall towards Hero raising her arm up as her blood morphed out and formed a red katana made out of blood thanks to Williams powers.
Hero barley had time to morph his arm into his shield and raise it up as the sword sliced down into his arm pushing him back. Her and Hero glared at one another until she gave a large smirk her other arm stabbing past his shield. Hero's eyes went wide as her arm went around his skin and her blood morphed around the limb. Before he could react her hand stabbed into his gut making him gasp out and blood flowed down his chin. Seconds later her arm glowed a bright orange and she blasted a ball of fire right through his gut which blasted out of his back leaving a large hole in his gut.
Hero collapsed to his knees puking up blood as his arm reverted back to normal and he wrapped his arms around the hole in his gut and his back. His eyes were wide with pain and fear.
"Damn. That's it? Man you really let your emotions get to you didn't you." Kitsune sighed. "I mean... What happened to all that insane power you were showing earlier? You were so much cooler than... What is this weak shit you're pulling on me? Come on man. Don't throw your punches cause I'm a girl. The old Hero was so much stronger. A shame. I was thinking of joining your side. But if this is how weak you are I think I'm better off with joining Hero Otoko. My old friend."
"O... Otoko?" Hero gasped out falling forward and landing flat on his face as he breathed out in a heavy way.
"That's right." Kitsune gave a grin and shrugged her shoulders. "It's funny." She raised her hand up pointing it at him. A ball of fire began to form in it. "My version of Hero also got turned to ash by fire. Guess you two do have something in common... It's a shame though you know. That little girl... All your friends. Looks like you're leaving them behind."
"B... Behind..." Hero felt his eyes grow heavy. 'K... Ken... Kitsune. Light. Shelly. I... Irene. And...' For a moment his mind went to that damn little girl...
"Honestly I'm sad... I mean you showed so much power at the start when I started watching you. When you first joined the Enforcers you were so happy but slowly... Slowly you began to get infected by it. Hate. That hate came into you. Hate for the Bestia Macht. Hate for your failures at saving that doll. Hate for your mother. Hate for the people who made you. Hate for God. Hate for Row. And most of all... All that Hate for yourself. Not your fault though. You were made to hate. You had to right? I guess that's why you never got love. I don't blame you. Your love life is worse than Ken's. It's all over the place. Still... You were so strong... Than you kept changing. Even now... You're claiming you don't want to change because Kitsune fought so hard to bring you back. But you're not that Hero. That Hero died when he failed to save the doll. A new Hero took his place. One that would win. He died when he found out he was a clone. So a new Hero stepped in. And that one died when he killed North. You're the forth. The forth change. They keep throwing their issues onto you. It's rude right. You hate yourself so much you have other versions of yourself take over... Well when is that going to be enough..."
"You're right." Hero gasped spitting up a glob of blood. "No more... I'm... Hero Law... The only one... Even if the other mes gave up I keep pushing forward. I'll keep crawling."
"Oh? You're not going to give up?"
"No... I'll keep crawling."
"So you're going to change?"
"No... I'll keep crawling. Crawling... Crawling forward. That's what Otoko did... I'll crawl forward and save the world. Save my friends. Save myself. Even if I break."
"What?"
"He said he'd do anything to save the world... Even become a Devil... Then... I'll become a Dragon. I'll do what dreams I want... What I think is right. Morals be damned. I don't care what she did... Because she said she loved me. I'm not worthy of that. So I'll crawl forward until I am. Breaking is almost certain so I'll trust that they fix me up."
'How many people died... How many people did she kill... I promised I'd handle it... I promised Yoshi... I broke my promise to Piero, I didn't become a Hero that could save the world, I broke my promise to Okami, I didn't become an Enforcer he'd be proud of, I broke my promise to the Master, I didn't reach strength the way I wanted to, I broke my promise to Leena, I didn't stay pure, I broke my promise to the doll I couldn't keep her safe, I broke my promise to Row, I couldn't save him... But... I can keep this one... I can keep it... I can... Finally keep my word and help... Kitsune showed me I can be myself... And... And Hero Law keeps his word... I want to be that Hero. And this is... What I want... Right?'
"Crawl..."
'Hero... It's hard right... Now that the adrenalin has worn off you're finding it hard to move your arms towards her neck... It's no longer easy. It never is. Killing... Harder when its a child... But then... This isn't a child right? It's a monster... So why view it like that? That's what you're thinking right? It should be easy. You kill Bestia Macht all the time. You've even killed Humans Turned Bestia Macht. So why does this feel so weird... You know... There was a thing once. A weapon. A weapon, built by good guys. The Weapon that brought forth chaos. This weapon was made for one goal. A Noble goal. But this weapon had emotions. This weapon did things. Terrible things. Things that it shouldn't. It hurt so many people. And it left so many behind. Because with emotions something can do bad. But... This weapon was shown love one day. And with that... It slowly changed... But life if never fair... And this weapon gave up... And in its place it created a new weapon... One that still had the form and powers of the old one... One that carried the sins of the old one. Row did a lot of bad things Hero. But you've done so much good. Would it have been right of me to kill Hero Law for the things Row did. Believe it or not when I was Okami those were thoughts that went through my mind. When I learned what Row had done. The thing with the sun. The people he left behind to die. All that power a spoiled brat like him had... I thought maybe... Maybe I should kill this boy going by Hero. Sins of the past. Because Row did so much wrong... And they could turn back to them one day. But I saw that little boys goofy smile. And I couldn't bring myself to do it you know. I just thought... Wow... And at that moment I didn't think about what they did. Or what they could become. I just saw a child.'
"Crawl..."
'I want to save everyone in front of me. Because I'm Hero Law... I have to do this... Kitsune fought so hard to get me to this point. I'm Hero Law. I'm not going to give up. Not ever. Because my friends fought so hard... I have to.' Hero slowly looked up raising his arm up as he brought it towards the girl. 'I have to... I have to...'
"Crawl..."
'No! I want to stay with you! Because your my father... I love you... You're still my father. I love you though. I just want to be with dad.'
"Crawl..."
For a moment Hero stopped seeing the flame that was about to hit him.
For a moment he saw it...
Row Law.
A young boy who ran.
A boy who ran.
Ran.
Ran...
Ran.
He ran because he had to get away from the flames.
Because the lab was burning.
And when he saw someone was in trouble he left them.
He ran.
And yet...
It wasn't enough.
When the time came all his power was useless as God's sword stabbed through him.
That sword...
And he laid there bleeding out.
That sword...
About to die.
That sword...
But...
That sword...
As he looked up...
That sword...
He saw the man that started it all...
Piero Law...
The one who brought God.
Piero...
Saved him...
Piero was...
Father...
But what was that. Hate. Love. How did Row feel to that man, Hero wondered.
Then he saw something else.
In the darkness he saw someone else.
Not Row.
A boy with black messy hair, and a silver stripe in it, and a pair of silver eyes.
"What are you looking at?" Otoko sighed.
"Are... Are you real." Hero asked.
"What do you mean?"
Hero was silent for a moment. "What do I do."
"What?"
"I'll admit it... You're better than me. You're stronger than me. You have more hope than me. You have better powers than me. You have a better plan than me. You have a better team than me. You're better than me! So please... What do I do."
Hero Otoko turned to look at Hero Law for a moment. "If you can't win. Then I guess you better become a version of yourself that can. Become a version of yourself that can follow your dreams. If your current self is flawed. Than adapt past it. Not for your friends. Not for your family. Not for me. But for you. Hero. Law."
"Are you real..." Hero asked again.
"I'll say it again. What do you mean?"
"Is this... All in my head? Are you just something I'm making with the Dream Crest..."
Otoko snorted. "That Crest huh. Yeah. That could work. You're stuck right. You don't want to follow that path of power that North did because Kitsune fought so hard to keep you as yourself. And yet if you do nothing you die. So then do what I said. If the Hero Otoko way doesn't work do the Hero Law way. Dream on."
"Dream... On..."
"Oh and yeah? This is in your head. I wonder... Am I real?"
The scene changed as Hero found himself looking at the bag of clothes.
'Yes... It will go through one more change... Than after that you'll have the true arm. Not the Jester's Equation, but your own... When that happens it'll finally be time for you to Level Up... These next few stages are bad though... Your arm will evolve based around your emotions and that evolution will have the power to level up... One wrong slip up and you might get the wrong Level Up... If I were you I would think carefully on who you are... Who do you want to be... How do you want to be seen... This hate... It could bring power... But is that the path you want to walk.'
All that hate had to go somewhere right...
But...
What if it changed it.
What if it wasn't...
Hate.
Her love was...
He'd likely never understand it.
'I want to be...'
"Who are you..." For a moment he saw it... A little boy with snow white hair, and ruby red eyes. A little boy named Hero Law. "Who are you?" The kid asked once more.
Hero reached up his bloody hands passing through the kids head. "I... Want to be..." He gritted his teeth as he began to push up a light shining above him. He gave a large grin as the blood began to pour out. "I want to be a Cool Hero. I want to be someone who's strong. Someone who kids will look up to. Someone who can save the world and inspire others. I want to be Hero Law, Clone of Orion!"
"Why..." The kid asked cocking his head to the side.
"Why?" Hero stood up reaching towards that light as his arm glowed. "Because. I think it would be fun."
"Is a selfish reason like that really why?" The kid asked.
"Well you know us Heroes... Or should I say Hero's... We're a selfish bunch."
Kitsune let out a sigh as the ball of flames got ready to fire out. "Well... Looks like this is the end. Any last words."
"Yeah."
That caught Kitsune off guard. She looked back down and found the fire was back. Hero's arm began to glow and she saw it... The same look her Hero would give. That spark of power. That desire to keep crawling forward. Not for others but for himself. The selfish nature... She saw Hero.
"I got two words..."
"What the hell-"
"Level..."
"No!" The fire ball launched out as Hero's ruby red eyes ignited.
"Two."