(Dedicated to Akira Toriyama, the man who inspired me to go even further beyond)
July 1st, 1971. Hiro Shinjuku was in the waiting room of Ebara Hospital. Hours earlier, his wife Natsui went into labor and he was nervous. Finally, the doctor came out and said "Congratulations, sir. It's a boy." He rushed in and saw Natsui cradling a beautiful baby boy with most of Hiro's hair color. The only catch is that he had a streak of Natsui's red in his hair. He had big blue eyes and smiled at the sight of his parents. Hiro and Natsui were overjoyed. Natsui spoke. "Hi, gorgeous. It's me, your mom. You gave mommy a bit of a startle. This is your dad." She spoke through tears of happiness as she showed him to his father. The baby made grabby hands at his father. Hiro smiled brightly and held his son. "Welcome to the world....Akira." he said happily, also having tears of joy in his eyes.
The three would live a happy family life until 1974 when Natsui would leave for reasons unknown. Since Akira was 3 when his mom left, he had no memory of her, and would always ask questions about his mom to his dad, who would happily tell him whatever he wanted to know. Since Hiro had an abusive father growing up, he aspired to be an amazing dad to Akira, which he was. Akira looked up to both his parents equally (despite his mother being out of the picture), inheriting both his mom's love for humanity, and his dad's courageous, upbeat macho man, heroic personality. Soon, however, everything would go to shit.
July 1st, 1979. Akira woke up to an explosion going off in his room. He coughed up smoke as his dad burst into his room with a big shit eating grin on his face, just like usual, but even bigger. "Happy Birthday, My Little Dark Age!!" Hiro shouted, using the nickname he gave to Akira. The boy chuckled and said "Thanks dad!" the two shared a big hug. Hiro would make Akira a delicious breakfast, pancakes with maple syrup. Akira munched on the pancakes as Hiro ate with him. The two then discussed plans of going to the arcade. "Hey, Akira. There's something I wanted to give ya." Hiro smiled and handed him a box. Akira's eyes lit up and he politely took the box. he opened it up and inside was a Walkman TPS-L2, an item Hiro got for Akira cause he was friends with some guys at Sony. He even had it engraved; "Happy Birthday, Akira. Always go out in a blaze of glory. Love, Dad." Akira smiled brightly and gave his dad a big hug. Hiro laughed and hugged back. "Now, head to the arcade. I'll meet ya there in an hour." he smiled at his son. "Alright, pops!" Akira said to him as he made off for the arcade after giving his dad one last big hug. Little did he know, that would be the last time Hiro Shinjuku was seen alive by his son.
When Hiro failed to show up to the arcade, Akira wasn't immediately worried. After all, his dad was the strongest guy on the planet, due to him inheriting the family Rock Move, known as Footloose. This gave Hiro the ability to control fire, run faster than sound, and gave him superhuman strength among other things, drawing from the user's imagination. Akira then saw smoke. Smoke coming from his home. And where there's smoke, there's fire. Akira sprung up and began running, very worried despite once again, his dad being the strongest.
Besides Footloose, Hiro was a very skilled martial artist. It's said he knows 20 martial arts, including Krav Maga, Karate, Kung Fu, and Jeet Kune Do. He was also very athletic, despite his bulky figure. He was also a very imaginative fighter, making him a formidable Footloose user. Soon, Akira made it to his home.....only to see it engulfed in flames and Hiro Shinjuku being overpowered by a man in a suit and tie, wearing a dog mascot mask on his head. Hiro turned to see his son, looking horrified. "Akira...." His head then flew off his body, due to being decapitated by his own katana being used by the man in the dog mask. It flew a few feet and landed in front of Akira. He dropped to his knees, holding his father's head in his arms. His murderer walked up to him. He spoke. "Aw, hell....I'm awfully sorry you had to see this, kid. But, if you're anything like your old man, I know you'll be a strong opponent one day.... when you're all grown, come face a God!" He began walking away. Akira spoke, asking "What is your name....?" The murderer turned around. "You can call me Bruno, kid." Akira looked up at Bruno, with a fire in his eyes. "I'm going to feed you your own heart..." He threatens. Bruno looked at him. "I look forward to it.....my nemesis." He spoke as he vanished.
At the police station, Akira was sat on a bench, waiting for his auntie Yuri (Hiro's younger sister) to come pick him up. Instead, a police officer walks up to him, saying "Hey, bud....your mom is here to pick you up." He looked at the officer with an emotionless, yet curious stare. "My.....mom?" Just then, a tall woman with long red hair, and eyes to match, rushed up to him sobbing. She hugged him and spoke, in a Hispanic accent. "I'm so sorry, baby.... I know I can never replace your father, but I will never leave your side again." She cried into his shoulder, picking him up. He hugged onto her softly. "Mom....." He passed out from shock of the day's events. He woke up in an unfamiliar apartment, his eyes darting around to see his mom sat next to him, gently patting his back. "You're ok, baby..... Mommy's here." Natsui would speak as she hugged him. He sighed into her shoulder. "If you want to cry, it's ok." She said to him. Akira looked at her and smiled weakly. "Nah....I don't cry." She looked back at him. "Tough kid, just like your papa....." She sniffled. He hugs her tightly, saying "Dad said I get my love of humanity from you....Guess he was right." He said to her. Natsui whimpers and starts crying into his shoulder.
2 weeks later, they held the funeral for Hiro Shinjuku. Friends, family, and fans of the martial artist all around the world mourned his death. Among the mourners was Hiro's younger sister and Akira's aunt Yuriko, aka Yuri. She was on her knees crying hysterically, mourning the loss of her big brother. "Please don't leave me, Hiro....." She begged in between hysterics. Natsui tried to comfort her, but Yuriko looked at her livid. "This is all YOUR fault! If you had been there, my brother would be alive!!" She shouted. Natsui looked hurt by this statement. Akira saw this and looked pissed. "Look, auntie. We're all mourning him, but it's NOT my mom's fault! You wanna get angry at someone, get mad at his murderer!" He snapped at his aunt. She looked down, saddened. Before she could say anything else, a man in glasses with fangs and a woman with frizzy hair would attempt to walk up to Akira, but Yuriko and Natsui stood in their way. Then, the man turned into fog and appears in front of Akira, with Akira showing no fear.
"Don't worry, ladies. I just wanna talk to him." The man said as he held out his hand for a handshake to Akira. "Adam Victor Helsing. Director of the Bureau of Paranormal Extermination." Akira shook his hand. "Shinjuku. Akira Shinjuku." He replied. Adam grins. "A James Bond fan, eh? Just like your old man...." Akira chuckled and looked down. Adam placed his hands on his shoulders, saying "Look, I lost my dad too. I know what it's like. But your dad was my best friend. And I'll do everything in my power to find the son of a bitch who killed him..." Adam began walking away, but Akira spoke. "I made a promise to my father's killer.....I'm going to feed him his own heart...it will be ME to do him in...." He said, still with that fire in his eyes. Adam grinned, saying "I like ya, kid. Come join the Bureau." Natsui and Yuriko shot up. "Absolutely not!" Natsui shouted, with Yuriko stating "I lost my brother, I'm NOT losing my nephew!" Adam sighed. "I understand your concerns, but I see a fire in his eyes. One that won't go away unless he gets his vengeance....plus, I see potential....I see a boy who will one day surpass the universe."
Akira looked up at him, and then to his mom and auntie: two people who meant the world to him and that he HAD to protect. Then he thought of his family's legacy. The Shinjuku's have been saving the world for hundreds of years, Akira HAD to honor his family legacy. "I see no reason to refuse.....I accept your offer, Mr. Helsing." Adam chuckled. "Please, just Adam-" Akira then said "Your next line is 'Mr. Helsing was my father' ain't that right?" Adam then said "Mr. Helsing was my father- HUH?!" He looked shocked, and then grinned. "This is gonna be great. Welcome aboard, Akira." He shook hands with him again.
A week later, Akira was getting a tour of the Bureau of Paranormal Extermination from the woman who was at the funeral (he would learn her name is Dr. Amelia Van Frankenstein), when he saw a woman walking away. That wasn't odd, but she had a shadowy appearance to her. They then made it to the recruiting center. "Since you're only 8, you'll be interning under a seasoned paranormal investigator until you're experienced enough to be on your own." Amelia spoke. There were a bunch of paranormal investigators in the recruiting center. Amelia then went on the stage with Akira behind her. "Alright everyone! This is Akira Shinjuku, and he's going to become a paranormal investigator like all of you. He's the son of the late, great martial artist and friend of Director Helsing, Hiro Shinjuku, and he needs someone to intern under. Show of hands if you want him as your sidekick." No one raised their hands for the boy.
Akira sighed and began walking off stage, but suddenly, someone shot their hand up. A dark shadowy hand, belonging to the woman Akira saw earlier. She was wearing a suit of armor, had a black cape, and a sword attached to her hip. (For her outfit, she basically wears what Alucard wore when he went Level 0 for the first time in Hellsing Ultimate). And of course, her face was pitch black, with only white orbs for eyes, and sharp white teeth, with long, spiky dark purple hair (like Midnight from My Hero Academia, aka best girl :c). "You want to take the kid on? How out of character for you.....Madame Nightmare." Amelia would state, saying the woman's name.
"What can I say? I've always wanted a disciple of my own." Madame Nightmare replied, to which Adam would walk in, saying, "We both know that's a load of fuckin' crap. You have NEVER shown interest in having a student, and all of a sudden, you want my new recruit?" Madame Nightmare would shrug, walking towards Akira. Without turning to Adam, she would say "In my time as the World's Greatest Paranormal Investigator, I have saved the world from countless threats. However, I think I might've left a power vacuum." She said the last part awkwardly. Adam and Amelia would sigh muttering "You don't say, bitch.", while Akira would look confused. Madame Nightmare cleared her throat. "Nonetheless, I think this kid has what it takes to succeed me, as this world's protector. If he's a Shinjuku, like his old man before him, I know he's going to do great things in this world." She knelt down in front of Akira and proceeded to ask him. "What gives you hope? Why fight for people you don't even know?" Akira took a deep breath, thinking of his mom, and his aunt, and answered.
"My family, the family who has been protecting Japan from the forces of evil, has fought and died through generations for this country." He looked her in the eyes. "We do this thing, for the Land of the Rising Sun, and her people. We don't have to know you all, we do it anyway. And it's not the living that keeps me going, but it's the sound of the dead that gives me hope." He does a dramatic pose, saying "I am Akira Shinjuku, last son of the Shinjuku's, and I'll fight like hell for the dead so the living can fight for tomorrow." Madame Nightmare gave a giant white toothed grin. "THAT ONE, I WANT THAT ONE, GIMME!!!!" She repeatedly pointed at him. Adam and Amelia doubled over in shock. "S-she finally chose a student...." Amelia exclaimed. Adam whispered "Shut it, let's just preserve the moment...." Madame Nightmare held out her fist for Akira to bump. Akira smiles and bumps her fist, saying "I look forward to working under you, Madame Nightmare!"
Soon, they were at a soda shop, drinking root beer floats, Akira and Madame Nightmare both enjoying themselves. "Wow kid, you were right! These floats are...." Akira then spoke. "Groovy?" She raised an eyebrow. "I was gonna say Schway, but sure!" Akira looks to you, yes you, the readers at home (hello there! :D), and says "Terry McGinnis much?" Madame Nightmare looks confused, and looks where he's looking, seeing no one, but a kid picking his nose. "Ew...." She said to herself.
Suddenly, some 'buddies' of the late Hiro Shinjuku walk into the soda shop, and by buddies, I mean gang members he beat up for fun. Don't get it twisted, these guys were the worst of the worst. Hiro beat them up for good reason. They spotted Akira and started walking over to him, snapping their fingers like lousy beatniks. "Friends of yours?" Madame Nightmare asked. "Nope...." Akira said. The leader of the gang, we'll call Two-Tug Tony, and his posse, the One Pump Chumps, circled their table.
"Hey, punk. Couldn't notice that your prick of a dad kicked the bucket. It's a crying shame...." Two-Tug Tony said in a sarcastic tone, as the other members, One Pump Oliver, Premature Peter, and Wanking Willie, started laughing. Akira scowls, as Madame Nightmare clears her throat. "Look, my student here has had a rather emotional 3 weeks, so if you could kindly leave us alone, and let us enjoy our delicious root beer floats, that would be very much appreciated." She spoke to the gang members. Two-Tug Tony scowls at her. "Leave, cunt. I give a shit how many monsters you kill, you're still one of them, so that makes you less than us." Madame Nightmare looks at him, and walks to the front of the soda shop, to the doors. But instead of leaving, Madame Nightmare smirks.
"Manners." She locks the first deadbolt. "Maketh." She locks the second one. "Man." She finally locks the doorknobs, and turns the open sign to closed. The One Pump Chumps turn to her, as she doesn't even look at them. "Have you ever heard that saying....No? Then let me instill it in you....." She pulls a red and black gun out and turns aroud, shooting Wanking Willie in the fucking head. The rest of the Chumps look on in horror as Willie's body falls to the floor. She slowly walks up to them.
"Are we going to stand around all day, or are we going to fight?" She asks, smirking. Two-Tug Tony threw a punch, but Madame Nightmare redirects the punch so that it would hit One Pump Oliver in the throat.
"Alright, fine.... Fists of Madness? A bit of Eltonian Karate?" She assumed different martial arts poses as she spoke. "Keep quipping, skank! You won't be joking when I've left you bleeding in the moonlight!" Premature Peter shouted. She grins, her eyes glowing a brilliant white. "Let's rock and roll then, meat puppet!" She shouts as the two began fighting. Madame Nightmare clearly had the upper hand, as Premature Peter tried futily to land a single hit on her. Madame Nightmare then discombobulated him by clapping her hands against his ears. She then kneed him in the stomach, knocking him out.
She turned to hear a gun clicking, and saw Two-Tug Tony shooting a loaded gun at her.....to absolutely no effect whatsoever and to hear Tony screaming. "YOU FUCKING DIRTY FUCKING MOTHERFUCKING-*click click click*" the gun was empty, he was out of defenses, as Madame Nightmare screamed so loud, he passed out. Wanking Willie then woke up and started getting up, only for her to chuck a random brick at him.
Akira was watching the entire time, dumbstruck at how cool his new mentor was. Madame Nightmare sat down, chugging her root beer float. "You okay?" She asked after she finished her drink. Akira smiles "Okay? That was amazing! But how did Waking Willie survive that bullet?" He asks as Madame Nightmare's face lights up....or, at least I think it did, seeing as any 'skin' she had was pitch black. "Oh! I call that a Phantom Bullet! They work as lethal incendiary rounds against anomalies and as non-lethal rounds against anyone with human DNA!" She answers excitedly. "Sorry, no one's asked me how they work! They only care about what villain of the week I'm fighting." The two laughed softly. "It's fine! Also, nice armor!" He compliments as she smiles brightly. "Thanks! Nightmarian nanotech, my mom made it for me!" She said excitedly again. "Nice! Well, here's to the internship of the century." He raises his glass for a toast, as Madame Nightmare orders another root beer float to toast with him. "Nah, think of me not as your boss, but as your mentor, your partner, or even your friend!" He smiles. "Like I said earlier, I look forward to working with you, Madame Nightmare." The two fist bump once again, beginning the partnership of nightmares.
(Aaaand I'm making this a two parter! Sorry, but there's so much of Akira's origin I wanna talk about! Cya in the next chapter!)