Father's Day sneak preview
Jun. 18th, 2023 12:54 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
akinoameSo in honor of Father's Day, I decided to go ahead and put up a little preview of my Zero fic, "Hard to Love."
Enjoy, and have fun spotting all of the Star Wars references that somehow made their way in to chapter 1.
The Earth concept of a trial was, more or less, a work in progress in the Land of Light. After all, it was extremely rare when crimes were committed there, and in the few cases where it happened, it was extremely obvious how guilty the defendant was.
Case in point: the adolescent Ultra, currently bound by several energy rings around his body, facing down what felt like the entire Inter Galactic Defense Force. He was already a strange sight—two sharp sluggers atop his head, narrow yellow eyes with a tiny emerald beam lamp right between them, and a body that was literally half-blue, half-red. While it wasn’t strange for blue and red Ultras to pair off and have children, usually those kids could fall into one category or the other, the other half of their parentage evident in streaks or other small markings on their body.
In this boy’s case, he was blue from about the waist up, with natural solar panels in silver protecting his chest, back, and shoulders. His legs were almost entirely red, with some blue and silver streaking that ran to about his calves. Once in a while, as he struggled with his restraints, they could catch a glimpse of some red streaks on his arms, but neither color was so dominant that anyone could comfortably categorize him as either blue or red; he was both. Even his color timer was an unusual shape—more of an oval than the usual round shape, with thicker metal plating. Couple his appearance with his attitude, and it was like the universe distilled the very phrase “You can’t tell me what to do!” into one very angry young man.
“Please state your name for the record,” Father of Ultra said, somehow managing to not sigh.
“Zero.” Then, with a glare toward Ultra Seven, he added, “Ultraman Zero.”
“You’ve forfeited your right to use that title,” Seven reminded him, his voice harsh. “You ignored the entire planet’s safety and broke our most sacred law. You’ve dishonored every Ultra warrior.”
“Seven,” Father of Ultra warned, his voice getting closer to that sigh now. Seven read his exhaustion and held his tongue. “Zero. Do you understand the charge against you? Breaking into the Plasma Spark Tower? Trying to take its power?”
Zero couldn’t help but lower his eyes. He understood. Not that he was really trying to hurt anyone—he just…wanted to see what would happen. He’d even made sure he just snuck past the guards—memorized their rotations and routes, then found an opening and slipped in, making sure he never had to fight anyone, never had to risk anyone getting hurt. And then Seven had to ruin everything.
Father of Ultra’s voice was softer now as he said, “The punishment is exile. It’s non-negotiable. What you’ve done endangered our whole planet.”
Now, Zero looked back up, protesting, “But I—”
“You didn’t hurt anybody, and that is a relief, but it’s just as much luck,” Father of Ultra said, his voice sterner now. That was right—he was a father and grandfather. He knew how to be merciful and strict, and most importantly, when each situation called for it. Not that Zero would know what it was like. “Right now, it’s far too dangerous to have you here in the Land of Light. However, you’re still young—not even 5000. The question now is what to do with you.”
A dark look crossed Zero’s face as he looked down again. Yeah, that was always the question when it came to him, wasn’t it?
“Your mother is a scientist, correct?” Father of Ultra asked. “Stationed off-world?”
It would be a convenient out, but Zero knew better, answering, “She’s already en route to the Sagittarius Galaxy. Some kind of project involving plant life.”
“There is a planet where the dominant species of life is a single tree, forming a clonal colony,” Hikari explained. “As you can imagine, the biome is very delicate, so we’re taking every precaution to preserve it. She’s one of the lead researchers on the project. It would be too difficult to ask her to turn around and come get him.”
“No, that won’t work,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Do you have any other family? For instance, on your father’s side?”
Zero shook his head. “My dad and mom split up before I was born. Apparently, he was a cartographer, assigned to map a distant part of the Milky Way. He’s probably dead by now.”
There was a note of surprise in Father of Ultra’s voice as he asked, “What makes you say that?”
Zero laughed bitterly and looked up. “He hasn’t tried to see me, and Mom said that he knew I was born. So either he’s dead or doesn’t care. Either way, as far as I can tell, I don’t have a dad.” He caught a glimpse of Seven flinching—good. Maybe he could think about that the next time he decided he wanted to ruin some kid’s life.
The anger was about all that was keeping him going, from having to face the fear of what might happen. What if there wasn’t a place to send him? Would they just do like they did to Belial, and build a prison around him, with him embedded in the walls?
He clenched his fists as discussion continued around him. Mebius was suggesting bringing him to Earth, locked in human form, and seeing if his friends with GUYS could help teach him; that proposal was thrown out, as Mebius wasn’t much older than Zero, and too young besides to take on the responsibility of a brash student. They would have felt better if Hikari was with him, but for all of his brushes with darkness, Hikari wasn’t an option—he was still recovering from the Armored Darkness incident, so he was under orders to remain in the Land of Light. And even if his orders could be modified, he was conducting sensitive experiments in the lab, creating equipment for the Defense Force. Shuffling Zero off to the Silver Cross on some off-world medical mission didn’t sound appropriate either, since they needed to know they could trust him to handle an emergency. And just sticking him with some Civilization Guardian in any distant corner of the galaxy sounded too much like a reward.
Every last one of them talked about him like he was a dangerous traitor, just another Belial or Tregear, someone they had to fear.
And then, unexpectedly, Seven said, “Father of Ultra, if I may make a suggestion—what about Leo?”
Shocked, Zero looked over, only to see his expression mirrored from the L77 warrior. Apparently, Seven had not run this past him.
“On Earth, Leo had experience mentoring troubled children, while teaching at a local sports club,” Seven continued. “He served under me with MAC and saved the planet when the rest of us fell. I trained him myself. I know he has the skills to both guard and teach the boy.”
Leo seemed hesitant, but Father of Ultra was clearly considering the idea. Zero couldn’t believe it; he couldn’t let Seven have this victory. Desperate, he shouted, “You can’t do that! You arrested me! Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”
All at once, the noise in the room stopped, debates shattered by silence. Zero felt the heavy weight of everyone’s eyes on him again, but why?
At last, Father of Ultra quietly said, “He’s right. It is a conflict.” Seven lowered his head, as if ashamed. “I need time to deliberate this. Seven, Leo, if you would wait for me outside?”
He rose and left the chamber, followed soon by Seven and then Leo. Leo chanced a look back toward the kid, still in restraints, still guarded by Zoffy and Ultraman, and saw an unexpected expression of relief on his face—the thrill that came when you knew you’d gotten a win at a high cost. The boy had to know what he was risking, arguing against a kinder sentence just to call out Seven like that. Just what kind of person was he?
Seven led Leo out into the open air, then placed his hand against one of the crystalline walls that made up the base. His form seemed to shimmer a bit, and the mantle around his shoulders resettled as he took on the form of Moroboshi Dan—or what he would look like some thirty or forty years later. Unsure what brought on this nostalgia, Leo followed suit, and for the first time since the fateful day of Silver Blume’s attack, Ootori Gen and Captain Moroboshi stood side-by-side, looking out over a world they’d sworn to protect.
After a long silence, Dan asked, “What did you think?”
“It was…” Gen started before trailing off. No word really seemed appropriate. “I have to admit, when you called me back, I never expected it to be about taking charge of some kid.”
Dan seemed to understand, nodding. “What about the boy? What did you think of him?”
That was the heart of the original question, wasn’t it? That anger, the determination to win at any cost, even to himself…but even more than that, the bitterness when he talked about his parents, and the way he’d withdrawn into himself and let everyone else decide his fate—like it was something he was used to, and doing something that would inevitably hurt himself was the only way he could have a say. Tooru and Kaoru had been that way too, at first.
The thought of his children from Earth brought a familiar pain to his heart, and he sighed, “He reminds me of them.”
Dan didn’t ask, but he didn’t need to. There were only two children Gen could possibly be talking about—the brother and sister he’d mentored and helped raise, the boy who he taught to stand on his own…and the girl who died before she ever got that chance.
“He’s young,” Gen admitted, trying to separate himself from his past for a moment. “And angry. But there’s more to it than that. It seems more internal, rather than what just happened.” Looking over at Dan, he asked, “He said his father was a cartographer. You used to make maps for the Defense Force. Did you know him?”
Dan smiled softly, as if laughing at some private joke. “Scout No. 340,” he finally said. “Disqualified from the Defense Force after failing his physical, namely due to a compromised healing ability. Had talent for art and a sharp eye for detail, so he was quickly recruited for reconnaissance and exploration. His orders were to strictly observe, not interfere. Get enough information on the planets in his sector in order to accurately depict them on the maps. Reached Earth in 1967, and almost his first day, he found a young mountain climber sacrificing himself to save his friends. He shrank himself down to human size and caught the man before he hit the ground.”
The story sounded familiar, and suspicious, Gen asked, “And he took that man’s form, correct?”
Dan’s smile was a little fonder as he said, “You’ve gotten sharper over the years, haven’t you?”
Ultra Seven. Zero. On the one hand, it seemed obvious, now that Gen put their names against one another. But Zero didn’t have any clue. And then for Dan to have to apprehend his own son…
“What happened?” he asked.
“Before I went to Earth, I was…involved with a researcher in the xenobiology division of the Science Technology Bureau,” Dan explained, somewhat reluctantly.
“Involved?”
“Engaged,” Dan admitted, a bare hint of a cringe coming to his face while Gen stared at him in surprise. “It didn’t last long. As she put it, we were incompatible from the start. Both of us were stubborn, uncompromising, bad at dealing with emotions—whether it was expressing what we really felt or recognizing what the other was trying to say. And neither one of us could apologize. We separated, I took up the assignment, and I never had any reason to think about her again. But then I was called back.”
“Your healing problem?” Gen guessed.
Dan nodded. “Just like what happened when I first met you. Between radiation poisoning, cold exposure, and constant attacks, my injuries weren’t healing correctly. This time, I was dying. Once my friends in the Ultra Guard showed me that they could protect the Earth without me, I knew it was safe to leave. Almost didn’t make it. The Silver Cross intercepted me when I’d lost consciousness and brought me back home. And while I was recovering, that’s when I found out I had a son.”
They both went silent for a moment, adrift in an ocean of unspoken questions. Gen realized horribly that this was the same ocean that Zero kept drowning in every day, but with no idea why the waves kept crashing on him.
“You never said anything when we were with MAC,” he said, realizing belatedly how much of an accusation it sounded like.
“That was intentional,” Dan admitted, shame coming to his voice. “I tried to see him, but his mother wouldn’t allow it. Said that she was perfectly capable of raising a child by herself. And in any case, I was still viewed with disgrace for abandoning my post and disobeying orders. Had it not been for Zoffy and Ultraman, I never would have been able to argue my case, much less join the Defense Force. Keeping his parentage a secret was going to help him, in the long run, in case he decided to enroll in the Academy.”
It was a weak argument and they both knew it. Dan’s reputation had recovered. He was well-respected and highly decorated now. He was an Ultra Brother. Any child would be proud to call him their father. And yet he never gave Zero that chance.
“Does anyone else know?” Gen asked.
“Ultraman,” Dan confirmed. “Father of Ultra, naturally. Before long, damn near everybody in that chamber, except for the boy.”
Gen’s heart went out to the kid, the only one clueless as to his heritage. Just how was he supposed to live like this?
Continuing on, Dan said, “Ultraman suggested I return to Earth, try to connect with my old friends. He thought it would be good for me, to have them around me after learning that. But by the time I got back, years had passed, and the Ultra Guard had dissolved. My friends spoke up for me with MAC, but they’d all been reassigned. And as for Anne…”
That was right, Gen remembered. Dan’s old flame, Anne, had disappeared without a trace—possibly adopted an Alien Uringa and eventually had to leave Earth, or at least that was what Dan believed. It seemed like everyone Dan loved only ever managed to leave him behind, brokenhearted.
Zero wasn’t the only one hurting. It didn’t make anything that was happening to him right, but suddenly Gen couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t much difference between what he’d done and what Dan had done, if both seemed to be coming from the same place.
“You’re sure it was him?” he asked.
“I never saw him before, not even a picture,” Dan confessed. “I didn’t even know his name until today. But he was exactly as his mother described him—blue body, red legs. Two fins on his head that she said were probably going to grow into sluggers. Bright yellow eyes, narrow like mine. Name any other child on this planet who looks like that.”
No, it was definitely that boy. Not a single person in the chamber could help but stare at how strange he looked, how much he didn’t belong. And the way he put up with it—he’d been getting that every day since he was born.
“Why me?” Gen finally asked. “Helping Tooru was one thing, he was younger. Zero’s a teenager or close enough to it, and an Ultra. There are others who are better suited for it—Taro is the head instructor at the Academy and a father himself, 80 actually taught teenagers on Earth, or…”
“I said it back there, didn’t I?” Dan replied. “I trained you. You’re the only one who can make sure that he’s protected, whether from the darkness or himself. If there’s any chance that he can still grow to be a good man, you’re the only one I trust to give it to him.”
It was a lot of responsibility being thrown on him, but Gen was beginning to realize that yes, this really was the only way. But not because Zero needed to be saved, but because he needed a second chance, someone who actually cared about him. Sure, the others would have given Zero a chance because he was Seven’s son. But Gen was ready to give him one just because he saw him for what he truly was—a lonely kid without a family who was trying to replace his sense of emptiness with anything that might look like it gave his existence meaning. Gen kind of specialized in those types.
“If Father of Ultra allows it,” he said, “what should I do? I can’t just keep this from him.”
“Right now, Zero is in no condition to accept the truth,” came Father of Ultra’s voice. Both of them snapped to attention, retaking their Ultra forms. Father of Ultra gestured for them to be at ease, then continued, “Nor is he willing to accept any help from Seven, even indirectly. That’s why I called for help.”
A regal figure landed beside him, and Leo stared in surprise, instinctively straightening his stance. “King?”
His old friend gave him a serene nod, replying, “Father of Ultra has consulted me on the matter, and I believe we’ve reached a compromise.”
“King has offered to oversee Zero’s exile,” Father of Ultra explained. “Leo may still train him, so that he can understand what he must learn physically and mentally in order to become an Ultra warrior, but it will be up to King’s judgment whether or not he is ready to return home. At that point as well, it may be wise to tell him the truth of his origins.”
It wasn’t entirely satisfying, but Leo couldn’t see any alternative. He nodded, as did Seven.
“What exactly will you be looking for?” Seven asked.
“Precisely what you yourself hoped to see,” King answered. “What are his reasons? To fight, to live?”
Leo glanced over at Father of Ultra, knowing he had precognitive abilities. As if reading his intentions, Father of Ultra said, “I have tried to discern the boy’s future, but it is clouded. There are endless possibilities.”
King waved his hand, and a mist of images formed around them, hazy light shining through them. In each image was Zero, but that was the only commonality. In one, he was approaching the Plasma Spark again, but this time acknowledged and granted its power. In another, he was being squeezed to death by a horrifying monster, light evaporating from his body. Yet another showed the legendary Ultraman Noa standing before him, blessing him with silver armor. Here were a group of young warriors fighting by his side. There were two other Ultramen fighting alongside Zero, their hearts beating in unison as they fused to form a silver and red crystalline body. Two Zeros, somehow standing with their backs against one another, one red and the other blue, as if his incongruous halves had formed their own identities. A dark version of Zero, casually flicking his hand and sending a wave of darkness that killed one of his allies. Zero surrounded by darkness and storm, mocked by none other than Belial himself as his color timer went dead. A silver and gold Zero raising his hand to the sky, creating a miniature sun and turning night back to day back to night. Zero sacrificing himself to a laser blast, glancing back at the person he’d saved, telling them they’d been brave. Zero and a human man accepting a new power, taking on a silver and purple form and declaring themselves beyond all limitations. Zero trapped alongside a young Ultrawoman, discreetly transfusing his own light into her to keep up her strength amidst the darkness. Zero leading a team of Ultras from multiple worlds and galaxies to battle an unknown enemy. And Zero, clad in a jeweled blue cape, challenging a starry-eyed young student to show him how strong he’d become.
“Are these…his futures?” Leo asked hesitantly.
“They are,” Father of Ultra confirmed. “These and countless more.”
Seven watched the image of the dark Zero slaughtering his comrades and asked, “And there’s no way to tell which of these will be his path?”
“They all may be true at once,” King said.
“Remember,” Father of Ultra warned. “The future is never set in stone. It wasn’t for Belial, and it wasn’t for Tregear. Their choices determined their paths. But right now, we may be in a position to guide Zero’s.”
Leo watched Seven as he stared at the dark Zero, knowing exactly what he feared—this future, more than all the rest, might be inevitable. This was what Leo had to avert.
Taking a breath, he asked, “How vulnerable is Zero to the darkness right now?”
“There is a chance that he might call minus energy to himself,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Or a greater threat, like how Belial had attracted Reiblood’s spirit.”
Leo nodded. “He’s angry.” He kept repeating it, but it bore repeating for the next point, “And he’s a
child. We can’t treat him like we did Belial, but at the same time, we can’t afford to ignore the red flags and hope for the best. We just have to keep his age in mind, for whatever we do.”
“It is strange how our heroes get younger and younger,” King admitted.
“You’re right,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Mebius was in his 6000s when we sent him to Earth. Zero is even younger.”
“Zero may be the harbinger of a new generation of extremely young, exceptionally talented Ultramen,” King remarked. “If we do not learn from him, we will never be able to handle what is to come.”
They were looking to Leo now, deferring to him as Zero’s teacher. Nodding, he said, “I think that’s the key. Zero doesn’t need to be protected from himself quite as much as he needs to be protected from an outside influence. Something that could take advantage of him and pull him into darkness.”
“Seven, Zero inherited your beam lamp, correct?” King asked. At Seven’s nod, he asked, “So both that and his color timer would need to be shielded.”
“It would need to be durable,” Seven warned. “My Emerium Beam may not be quite as powerful as the Wide Shot, but if he inherited it too, he could do a lot of damage.”
“Of course,” King agreed. “Zero’s power would be held in check, in case the worst should happen. And at the same time, it would assist his training, so that Leo can teach him to rely on something other than his powers.”
A familiar presence decided to assert itself at that point, and both King and Leo stopped. King let out a soft, fond laugh, while Leo glanced over his shoulder and asked, “Astra, how long have you been listening?”
His younger brother stepped out of where he’d been hiding, tilting his head slightly as if to say, “Long enough,” before giving a respectful bow to King and Father of Ultra, and a somewhat more uncomfortable glance toward Seven.
“I take it that you’re asking permission to accompany Leo?” Father of Ultra guessed.
Before Astra could respond, King replied, “I believe it’s less asking and more telling you that he’ll do it with or without your permission.”
Leo gave a sidelong glance toward Astra. The Inter Galactic Defense Force tended to keep the two brothers together on missions, given their unique coordination, communication, and overall history. However, this was a special case, and on top of it, Astra and Seven didn’t particularly like one another. Was it really going to be a good idea to have Astra help take care of Seven’s son for an unknown period of time?
He sensed a sharp emotion from Astra—he was offended, hurt—and he replied with a mental flash of apology. No, that wasn’t like Astra. If there was anyone willing to give an angry child a chance, it was him.
“I think it may be a good idea,” Leo insisted. “I said before that Zero is angry. Astra knows what that kind of anger can do. He watched our parents die, he was captured and tortured—he understands helplessness and loss. He knows the importance of controlling his emotions, and he can help teach Zero how to start moving past his pain.”
“That experience would be helpful,” King conceded. “And given that Astra was closer cognitively to Zero’s age back then than most of the children that Leo mentored, it does help with some of your own misgivings about raising a teenager.”
Leo didn’t miss the very slight glare that Astra gave Seven at those last three words. That was as blunt as it could be, wasn’t it? The three of them would be raising Seven’s teenage son without him doing anything to help—not in the boy’s childhood, and not now.
Leo mentally willed his brother to calm himself. They would treat Zero just like any other child. His parentage was not going to factor into it at all.
Father of Ultra nodded, agreeing. “Astra, you’ve traveled far on your journeys. Do you have any suggestions on planets that may be appropriate?”
Astra glanced at King, an idea coming to mind. King nodded, replying, “K76 may be a good choice, yes. I believe the only inhabitants were Pigmons, correct?”
“They’re small, harmless monsters,” Seven interrupted, suddenly needing to provide input on his son. “Is it really wise to have the boy around them?”
“Seven,” King answered critically. “How is Zero supposed to learn to value innocent lives if he is isolated from them entirely?”
It was a disappointment that Leo had never heard from King, not in all the years he’d known him. Seven lowered his eyes.
There really wasn’t anything more to say to that, so Father of Ultra decided, “Now that we’ve come to a decision, we should head back.”
“Yes,” King agreed. “I am curious to meet the boy myself. There is something I would like to ask him.”
Zero hadn’t moved from where they’d left him in the chamber—not that he really could, but it looked like all he’d done the entire time was stare at the doors and wait. His breath caught when he saw King, and for the first time, he looked afraid.
“Zero,” Father of Ultra said, “Ultraman King will be reporting on you while in exile. Leo and Astra will train you. When King feels that you have learned enough, then you may return home.”
Ultraman and Zoffy stepped aside, allowing King to approach Zero. He wanted to run, but the stupid energy restraints wouldn’t let him. He had no idea what King was going to do and no way to protect himself from whatever it was.
“I have one question,” King said, leaning in to meet him. “I have heard of what you’ve done, but not why. Why did you try to take the Plasma Spark?”
He could lie. He could say it was calling him, that he believed it was his destiny. He could say he was doing this for the Land of Light, for honor or whatever other pretty words great heroes like these men valued. Zero could give a million different answers, each sounding better than the last. But King’s red eyes were probing, searching into his soul, and he found he could only give the truth:
“I don’t know.”
King straightened as Zero looked to the floor in shame. “That’s all I needed to know.”
He raised his hand, and suddenly, Zero felt something closing in all around him, pushing the air out of his lungs as his vision went dark. For a wild moment, he thought maybe they’d all changed their minds and really had imprisoned him like Belial.
He started to breathe again, heavy and labored, and he realized he was on his hands and knees. A dark visor was covering his eyes, part of a helmet that was weighing down his head, locking his sluggers into place. Heavy metal armor plated his chest and arms; and when he tried to move, he could see orange energy flowing through cables on his arms, shoulders, and ribs, restricting his movement further.
“What is this?” he gasped out.
“This techtor gear will be part of your training,” King insisted. “It will teach you discipline and protect you from dark influences.”
“I can’t move,” he complained.
“You will learn to overcome it,” King promised. “Work with it, rather than fighting it.”
“Take this off!”
For a moment, Father of Ultra started, hearing a ghost from the past in Zero’s words. Even King was unusually still, remembering another exile, another criminal who’d tried to claim the Plasma Spark. For a moment, they forgot to listen for the high-pitched tone in his voice that stressed his youth and his fear.
Leo, however, didn’t have that history and could still remember that Zero was just a scared kid.
“Hey,” he said softly, crouching down beside him. “Just breathe slowly. You’re starting to hyperventilate.”
Zero felt like he was about to pass out, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the weight or lack of air. It took him a few tries to start breathing correctly, and eventually his arms stopped shaking.
“There you go,” Leo said, his voice warm. “Let me help you up.”
He reached out, but to his surprise, Zero pushed him away, almost falling over from the force.
“Don’t touch me!” he screamed.
He started pushing himself off the floor, slowly getting to his feet. He could barely stay upright, and he had to keep his legs spaced wide apart to keep his balance, his arms hanging at his sides. In that moment, seeing his stubbornness, Leo fully believed that this was Seven’s son.
“You…you’re just the same,” Zero insisted. “Don’t try to act like my friend when you’re just my jailer. At least he was honest about ruining my life.”
Naturally, he punctuated this with a glare toward Seven—or as much of one as he could manage, since moving his head was throwing off his balance again.
“Leo is giving you a second chance,” Seven argued, his voice hard. “One that you clearly don’t deserve.”
Zero stared at him in disbelief, but soon he glared again, his eyes momentarily flashing underneath his visor.
“I hate you,” he spat.
That too, Leo could believe.
Seven turned away. Leo tried to look over to him, but Zero was slowly making his way over to King and Astra. As far as he was concerned, Seven’s reaction was just the same as when his brothers carried Zero off. But this time, he was going to go on his own power.
Even if it meant he was going nowhere.
Finally, Leo got up and followed behind him, watching him try not to flinch as King held out his hand and created a travel sphere around them. He watched the boy not even try to look back at the Land of Light as they flew away, and he knew that it had never really been home for him at all.
Enjoy, and have fun spotting all of the Star Wars references that somehow made their way in to chapter 1.
The Earth concept of a trial was, more or less, a work in progress in the Land of Light. After all, it was extremely rare when crimes were committed there, and in the few cases where it happened, it was extremely obvious how guilty the defendant was.
Case in point: the adolescent Ultra, currently bound by several energy rings around his body, facing down what felt like the entire Inter Galactic Defense Force. He was already a strange sight—two sharp sluggers atop his head, narrow yellow eyes with a tiny emerald beam lamp right between them, and a body that was literally half-blue, half-red. While it wasn’t strange for blue and red Ultras to pair off and have children, usually those kids could fall into one category or the other, the other half of their parentage evident in streaks or other small markings on their body.
In this boy’s case, he was blue from about the waist up, with natural solar panels in silver protecting his chest, back, and shoulders. His legs were almost entirely red, with some blue and silver streaking that ran to about his calves. Once in a while, as he struggled with his restraints, they could catch a glimpse of some red streaks on his arms, but neither color was so dominant that anyone could comfortably categorize him as either blue or red; he was both. Even his color timer was an unusual shape—more of an oval than the usual round shape, with thicker metal plating. Couple his appearance with his attitude, and it was like the universe distilled the very phrase “You can’t tell me what to do!” into one very angry young man.
“Please state your name for the record,” Father of Ultra said, somehow managing to not sigh.
“Zero.” Then, with a glare toward Ultra Seven, he added, “Ultraman Zero.”
“You’ve forfeited your right to use that title,” Seven reminded him, his voice harsh. “You ignored the entire planet’s safety and broke our most sacred law. You’ve dishonored every Ultra warrior.”
“Seven,” Father of Ultra warned, his voice getting closer to that sigh now. Seven read his exhaustion and held his tongue. “Zero. Do you understand the charge against you? Breaking into the Plasma Spark Tower? Trying to take its power?”
Zero couldn’t help but lower his eyes. He understood. Not that he was really trying to hurt anyone—he just…wanted to see what would happen. He’d even made sure he just snuck past the guards—memorized their rotations and routes, then found an opening and slipped in, making sure he never had to fight anyone, never had to risk anyone getting hurt. And then Seven had to ruin everything.
Father of Ultra’s voice was softer now as he said, “The punishment is exile. It’s non-negotiable. What you’ve done endangered our whole planet.”
Now, Zero looked back up, protesting, “But I—”
“You didn’t hurt anybody, and that is a relief, but it’s just as much luck,” Father of Ultra said, his voice sterner now. That was right—he was a father and grandfather. He knew how to be merciful and strict, and most importantly, when each situation called for it. Not that Zero would know what it was like. “Right now, it’s far too dangerous to have you here in the Land of Light. However, you’re still young—not even 5000. The question now is what to do with you.”
A dark look crossed Zero’s face as he looked down again. Yeah, that was always the question when it came to him, wasn’t it?
“Your mother is a scientist, correct?” Father of Ultra asked. “Stationed off-world?”
It would be a convenient out, but Zero knew better, answering, “She’s already en route to the Sagittarius Galaxy. Some kind of project involving plant life.”
“There is a planet where the dominant species of life is a single tree, forming a clonal colony,” Hikari explained. “As you can imagine, the biome is very delicate, so we’re taking every precaution to preserve it. She’s one of the lead researchers on the project. It would be too difficult to ask her to turn around and come get him.”
“No, that won’t work,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Do you have any other family? For instance, on your father’s side?”
Zero shook his head. “My dad and mom split up before I was born. Apparently, he was a cartographer, assigned to map a distant part of the Milky Way. He’s probably dead by now.”
There was a note of surprise in Father of Ultra’s voice as he asked, “What makes you say that?”
Zero laughed bitterly and looked up. “He hasn’t tried to see me, and Mom said that he knew I was born. So either he’s dead or doesn’t care. Either way, as far as I can tell, I don’t have a dad.” He caught a glimpse of Seven flinching—good. Maybe he could think about that the next time he decided he wanted to ruin some kid’s life.
The anger was about all that was keeping him going, from having to face the fear of what might happen. What if there wasn’t a place to send him? Would they just do like they did to Belial, and build a prison around him, with him embedded in the walls?
He clenched his fists as discussion continued around him. Mebius was suggesting bringing him to Earth, locked in human form, and seeing if his friends with GUYS could help teach him; that proposal was thrown out, as Mebius wasn’t much older than Zero, and too young besides to take on the responsibility of a brash student. They would have felt better if Hikari was with him, but for all of his brushes with darkness, Hikari wasn’t an option—he was still recovering from the Armored Darkness incident, so he was under orders to remain in the Land of Light. And even if his orders could be modified, he was conducting sensitive experiments in the lab, creating equipment for the Defense Force. Shuffling Zero off to the Silver Cross on some off-world medical mission didn’t sound appropriate either, since they needed to know they could trust him to handle an emergency. And just sticking him with some Civilization Guardian in any distant corner of the galaxy sounded too much like a reward.
Every last one of them talked about him like he was a dangerous traitor, just another Belial or Tregear, someone they had to fear.
And then, unexpectedly, Seven said, “Father of Ultra, if I may make a suggestion—what about Leo?”
Shocked, Zero looked over, only to see his expression mirrored from the L77 warrior. Apparently, Seven had not run this past him.
“On Earth, Leo had experience mentoring troubled children, while teaching at a local sports club,” Seven continued. “He served under me with MAC and saved the planet when the rest of us fell. I trained him myself. I know he has the skills to both guard and teach the boy.”
Leo seemed hesitant, but Father of Ultra was clearly considering the idea. Zero couldn’t believe it; he couldn’t let Seven have this victory. Desperate, he shouted, “You can’t do that! You arrested me! Isn’t that a conflict of interest?”
All at once, the noise in the room stopped, debates shattered by silence. Zero felt the heavy weight of everyone’s eyes on him again, but why?
At last, Father of Ultra quietly said, “He’s right. It is a conflict.” Seven lowered his head, as if ashamed. “I need time to deliberate this. Seven, Leo, if you would wait for me outside?”
He rose and left the chamber, followed soon by Seven and then Leo. Leo chanced a look back toward the kid, still in restraints, still guarded by Zoffy and Ultraman, and saw an unexpected expression of relief on his face—the thrill that came when you knew you’d gotten a win at a high cost. The boy had to know what he was risking, arguing against a kinder sentence just to call out Seven like that. Just what kind of person was he?
Seven led Leo out into the open air, then placed his hand against one of the crystalline walls that made up the base. His form seemed to shimmer a bit, and the mantle around his shoulders resettled as he took on the form of Moroboshi Dan—or what he would look like some thirty or forty years later. Unsure what brought on this nostalgia, Leo followed suit, and for the first time since the fateful day of Silver Blume’s attack, Ootori Gen and Captain Moroboshi stood side-by-side, looking out over a world they’d sworn to protect.
After a long silence, Dan asked, “What did you think?”
“It was…” Gen started before trailing off. No word really seemed appropriate. “I have to admit, when you called me back, I never expected it to be about taking charge of some kid.”
Dan seemed to understand, nodding. “What about the boy? What did you think of him?”
That was the heart of the original question, wasn’t it? That anger, the determination to win at any cost, even to himself…but even more than that, the bitterness when he talked about his parents, and the way he’d withdrawn into himself and let everyone else decide his fate—like it was something he was used to, and doing something that would inevitably hurt himself was the only way he could have a say. Tooru and Kaoru had been that way too, at first.
The thought of his children from Earth brought a familiar pain to his heart, and he sighed, “He reminds me of them.”
Dan didn’t ask, but he didn’t need to. There were only two children Gen could possibly be talking about—the brother and sister he’d mentored and helped raise, the boy who he taught to stand on his own…and the girl who died before she ever got that chance.
“He’s young,” Gen admitted, trying to separate himself from his past for a moment. “And angry. But there’s more to it than that. It seems more internal, rather than what just happened.” Looking over at Dan, he asked, “He said his father was a cartographer. You used to make maps for the Defense Force. Did you know him?”
Dan smiled softly, as if laughing at some private joke. “Scout No. 340,” he finally said. “Disqualified from the Defense Force after failing his physical, namely due to a compromised healing ability. Had talent for art and a sharp eye for detail, so he was quickly recruited for reconnaissance and exploration. His orders were to strictly observe, not interfere. Get enough information on the planets in his sector in order to accurately depict them on the maps. Reached Earth in 1967, and almost his first day, he found a young mountain climber sacrificing himself to save his friends. He shrank himself down to human size and caught the man before he hit the ground.”
The story sounded familiar, and suspicious, Gen asked, “And he took that man’s form, correct?”
Dan’s smile was a little fonder as he said, “You’ve gotten sharper over the years, haven’t you?”
Ultra Seven. Zero. On the one hand, it seemed obvious, now that Gen put their names against one another. But Zero didn’t have any clue. And then for Dan to have to apprehend his own son…
“What happened?” he asked.
“Before I went to Earth, I was…involved with a researcher in the xenobiology division of the Science Technology Bureau,” Dan explained, somewhat reluctantly.
“Involved?”
“Engaged,” Dan admitted, a bare hint of a cringe coming to his face while Gen stared at him in surprise. “It didn’t last long. As she put it, we were incompatible from the start. Both of us were stubborn, uncompromising, bad at dealing with emotions—whether it was expressing what we really felt or recognizing what the other was trying to say. And neither one of us could apologize. We separated, I took up the assignment, and I never had any reason to think about her again. But then I was called back.”
“Your healing problem?” Gen guessed.
Dan nodded. “Just like what happened when I first met you. Between radiation poisoning, cold exposure, and constant attacks, my injuries weren’t healing correctly. This time, I was dying. Once my friends in the Ultra Guard showed me that they could protect the Earth without me, I knew it was safe to leave. Almost didn’t make it. The Silver Cross intercepted me when I’d lost consciousness and brought me back home. And while I was recovering, that’s when I found out I had a son.”
They both went silent for a moment, adrift in an ocean of unspoken questions. Gen realized horribly that this was the same ocean that Zero kept drowning in every day, but with no idea why the waves kept crashing on him.
“You never said anything when we were with MAC,” he said, realizing belatedly how much of an accusation it sounded like.
“That was intentional,” Dan admitted, shame coming to his voice. “I tried to see him, but his mother wouldn’t allow it. Said that she was perfectly capable of raising a child by herself. And in any case, I was still viewed with disgrace for abandoning my post and disobeying orders. Had it not been for Zoffy and Ultraman, I never would have been able to argue my case, much less join the Defense Force. Keeping his parentage a secret was going to help him, in the long run, in case he decided to enroll in the Academy.”
It was a weak argument and they both knew it. Dan’s reputation had recovered. He was well-respected and highly decorated now. He was an Ultra Brother. Any child would be proud to call him their father. And yet he never gave Zero that chance.
“Does anyone else know?” Gen asked.
“Ultraman,” Dan confirmed. “Father of Ultra, naturally. Before long, damn near everybody in that chamber, except for the boy.”
Gen’s heart went out to the kid, the only one clueless as to his heritage. Just how was he supposed to live like this?
Continuing on, Dan said, “Ultraman suggested I return to Earth, try to connect with my old friends. He thought it would be good for me, to have them around me after learning that. But by the time I got back, years had passed, and the Ultra Guard had dissolved. My friends spoke up for me with MAC, but they’d all been reassigned. And as for Anne…”
That was right, Gen remembered. Dan’s old flame, Anne, had disappeared without a trace—possibly adopted an Alien Uringa and eventually had to leave Earth, or at least that was what Dan believed. It seemed like everyone Dan loved only ever managed to leave him behind, brokenhearted.
Zero wasn’t the only one hurting. It didn’t make anything that was happening to him right, but suddenly Gen couldn’t help but wonder if there wasn’t much difference between what he’d done and what Dan had done, if both seemed to be coming from the same place.
“You’re sure it was him?” he asked.
“I never saw him before, not even a picture,” Dan confessed. “I didn’t even know his name until today. But he was exactly as his mother described him—blue body, red legs. Two fins on his head that she said were probably going to grow into sluggers. Bright yellow eyes, narrow like mine. Name any other child on this planet who looks like that.”
No, it was definitely that boy. Not a single person in the chamber could help but stare at how strange he looked, how much he didn’t belong. And the way he put up with it—he’d been getting that every day since he was born.
“Why me?” Gen finally asked. “Helping Tooru was one thing, he was younger. Zero’s a teenager or close enough to it, and an Ultra. There are others who are better suited for it—Taro is the head instructor at the Academy and a father himself, 80 actually taught teenagers on Earth, or…”
“I said it back there, didn’t I?” Dan replied. “I trained you. You’re the only one who can make sure that he’s protected, whether from the darkness or himself. If there’s any chance that he can still grow to be a good man, you’re the only one I trust to give it to him.”
It was a lot of responsibility being thrown on him, but Gen was beginning to realize that yes, this really was the only way. But not because Zero needed to be saved, but because he needed a second chance, someone who actually cared about him. Sure, the others would have given Zero a chance because he was Seven’s son. But Gen was ready to give him one just because he saw him for what he truly was—a lonely kid without a family who was trying to replace his sense of emptiness with anything that might look like it gave his existence meaning. Gen kind of specialized in those types.
“If Father of Ultra allows it,” he said, “what should I do? I can’t just keep this from him.”
“Right now, Zero is in no condition to accept the truth,” came Father of Ultra’s voice. Both of them snapped to attention, retaking their Ultra forms. Father of Ultra gestured for them to be at ease, then continued, “Nor is he willing to accept any help from Seven, even indirectly. That’s why I called for help.”
A regal figure landed beside him, and Leo stared in surprise, instinctively straightening his stance. “King?”
His old friend gave him a serene nod, replying, “Father of Ultra has consulted me on the matter, and I believe we’ve reached a compromise.”
“King has offered to oversee Zero’s exile,” Father of Ultra explained. “Leo may still train him, so that he can understand what he must learn physically and mentally in order to become an Ultra warrior, but it will be up to King’s judgment whether or not he is ready to return home. At that point as well, it may be wise to tell him the truth of his origins.”
It wasn’t entirely satisfying, but Leo couldn’t see any alternative. He nodded, as did Seven.
“What exactly will you be looking for?” Seven asked.
“Precisely what you yourself hoped to see,” King answered. “What are his reasons? To fight, to live?”
Leo glanced over at Father of Ultra, knowing he had precognitive abilities. As if reading his intentions, Father of Ultra said, “I have tried to discern the boy’s future, but it is clouded. There are endless possibilities.”
King waved his hand, and a mist of images formed around them, hazy light shining through them. In each image was Zero, but that was the only commonality. In one, he was approaching the Plasma Spark again, but this time acknowledged and granted its power. In another, he was being squeezed to death by a horrifying monster, light evaporating from his body. Yet another showed the legendary Ultraman Noa standing before him, blessing him with silver armor. Here were a group of young warriors fighting by his side. There were two other Ultramen fighting alongside Zero, their hearts beating in unison as they fused to form a silver and red crystalline body. Two Zeros, somehow standing with their backs against one another, one red and the other blue, as if his incongruous halves had formed their own identities. A dark version of Zero, casually flicking his hand and sending a wave of darkness that killed one of his allies. Zero surrounded by darkness and storm, mocked by none other than Belial himself as his color timer went dead. A silver and gold Zero raising his hand to the sky, creating a miniature sun and turning night back to day back to night. Zero sacrificing himself to a laser blast, glancing back at the person he’d saved, telling them they’d been brave. Zero and a human man accepting a new power, taking on a silver and purple form and declaring themselves beyond all limitations. Zero trapped alongside a young Ultrawoman, discreetly transfusing his own light into her to keep up her strength amidst the darkness. Zero leading a team of Ultras from multiple worlds and galaxies to battle an unknown enemy. And Zero, clad in a jeweled blue cape, challenging a starry-eyed young student to show him how strong he’d become.
“Are these…his futures?” Leo asked hesitantly.
“They are,” Father of Ultra confirmed. “These and countless more.”
Seven watched the image of the dark Zero slaughtering his comrades and asked, “And there’s no way to tell which of these will be his path?”
“They all may be true at once,” King said.
“Remember,” Father of Ultra warned. “The future is never set in stone. It wasn’t for Belial, and it wasn’t for Tregear. Their choices determined their paths. But right now, we may be in a position to guide Zero’s.”
Leo watched Seven as he stared at the dark Zero, knowing exactly what he feared—this future, more than all the rest, might be inevitable. This was what Leo had to avert.
Taking a breath, he asked, “How vulnerable is Zero to the darkness right now?”
“There is a chance that he might call minus energy to himself,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Or a greater threat, like how Belial had attracted Reiblood’s spirit.”
Leo nodded. “He’s angry.” He kept repeating it, but it bore repeating for the next point, “And he’s a
child. We can’t treat him like we did Belial, but at the same time, we can’t afford to ignore the red flags and hope for the best. We just have to keep his age in mind, for whatever we do.”
“It is strange how our heroes get younger and younger,” King admitted.
“You’re right,” Father of Ultra agreed. “Mebius was in his 6000s when we sent him to Earth. Zero is even younger.”
“Zero may be the harbinger of a new generation of extremely young, exceptionally talented Ultramen,” King remarked. “If we do not learn from him, we will never be able to handle what is to come.”
They were looking to Leo now, deferring to him as Zero’s teacher. Nodding, he said, “I think that’s the key. Zero doesn’t need to be protected from himself quite as much as he needs to be protected from an outside influence. Something that could take advantage of him and pull him into darkness.”
“Seven, Zero inherited your beam lamp, correct?” King asked. At Seven’s nod, he asked, “So both that and his color timer would need to be shielded.”
“It would need to be durable,” Seven warned. “My Emerium Beam may not be quite as powerful as the Wide Shot, but if he inherited it too, he could do a lot of damage.”
“Of course,” King agreed. “Zero’s power would be held in check, in case the worst should happen. And at the same time, it would assist his training, so that Leo can teach him to rely on something other than his powers.”
A familiar presence decided to assert itself at that point, and both King and Leo stopped. King let out a soft, fond laugh, while Leo glanced over his shoulder and asked, “Astra, how long have you been listening?”
His younger brother stepped out of where he’d been hiding, tilting his head slightly as if to say, “Long enough,” before giving a respectful bow to King and Father of Ultra, and a somewhat more uncomfortable glance toward Seven.
“I take it that you’re asking permission to accompany Leo?” Father of Ultra guessed.
Before Astra could respond, King replied, “I believe it’s less asking and more telling you that he’ll do it with or without your permission.”
Leo gave a sidelong glance toward Astra. The Inter Galactic Defense Force tended to keep the two brothers together on missions, given their unique coordination, communication, and overall history. However, this was a special case, and on top of it, Astra and Seven didn’t particularly like one another. Was it really going to be a good idea to have Astra help take care of Seven’s son for an unknown period of time?
He sensed a sharp emotion from Astra—he was offended, hurt—and he replied with a mental flash of apology. No, that wasn’t like Astra. If there was anyone willing to give an angry child a chance, it was him.
“I think it may be a good idea,” Leo insisted. “I said before that Zero is angry. Astra knows what that kind of anger can do. He watched our parents die, he was captured and tortured—he understands helplessness and loss. He knows the importance of controlling his emotions, and he can help teach Zero how to start moving past his pain.”
“That experience would be helpful,” King conceded. “And given that Astra was closer cognitively to Zero’s age back then than most of the children that Leo mentored, it does help with some of your own misgivings about raising a teenager.”
Leo didn’t miss the very slight glare that Astra gave Seven at those last three words. That was as blunt as it could be, wasn’t it? The three of them would be raising Seven’s teenage son without him doing anything to help—not in the boy’s childhood, and not now.
Leo mentally willed his brother to calm himself. They would treat Zero just like any other child. His parentage was not going to factor into it at all.
Father of Ultra nodded, agreeing. “Astra, you’ve traveled far on your journeys. Do you have any suggestions on planets that may be appropriate?”
Astra glanced at King, an idea coming to mind. King nodded, replying, “K76 may be a good choice, yes. I believe the only inhabitants were Pigmons, correct?”
“They’re small, harmless monsters,” Seven interrupted, suddenly needing to provide input on his son. “Is it really wise to have the boy around them?”
“Seven,” King answered critically. “How is Zero supposed to learn to value innocent lives if he is isolated from them entirely?”
It was a disappointment that Leo had never heard from King, not in all the years he’d known him. Seven lowered his eyes.
There really wasn’t anything more to say to that, so Father of Ultra decided, “Now that we’ve come to a decision, we should head back.”
“Yes,” King agreed. “I am curious to meet the boy myself. There is something I would like to ask him.”
Zero hadn’t moved from where they’d left him in the chamber—not that he really could, but it looked like all he’d done the entire time was stare at the doors and wait. His breath caught when he saw King, and for the first time, he looked afraid.
“Zero,” Father of Ultra said, “Ultraman King will be reporting on you while in exile. Leo and Astra will train you. When King feels that you have learned enough, then you may return home.”
Ultraman and Zoffy stepped aside, allowing King to approach Zero. He wanted to run, but the stupid energy restraints wouldn’t let him. He had no idea what King was going to do and no way to protect himself from whatever it was.
“I have one question,” King said, leaning in to meet him. “I have heard of what you’ve done, but not why. Why did you try to take the Plasma Spark?”
He could lie. He could say it was calling him, that he believed it was his destiny. He could say he was doing this for the Land of Light, for honor or whatever other pretty words great heroes like these men valued. Zero could give a million different answers, each sounding better than the last. But King’s red eyes were probing, searching into his soul, and he found he could only give the truth:
“I don’t know.”
King straightened as Zero looked to the floor in shame. “That’s all I needed to know.”
He raised his hand, and suddenly, Zero felt something closing in all around him, pushing the air out of his lungs as his vision went dark. For a wild moment, he thought maybe they’d all changed their minds and really had imprisoned him like Belial.
He started to breathe again, heavy and labored, and he realized he was on his hands and knees. A dark visor was covering his eyes, part of a helmet that was weighing down his head, locking his sluggers into place. Heavy metal armor plated his chest and arms; and when he tried to move, he could see orange energy flowing through cables on his arms, shoulders, and ribs, restricting his movement further.
“What is this?” he gasped out.
“This techtor gear will be part of your training,” King insisted. “It will teach you discipline and protect you from dark influences.”
“I can’t move,” he complained.
“You will learn to overcome it,” King promised. “Work with it, rather than fighting it.”
“Take this off!”
For a moment, Father of Ultra started, hearing a ghost from the past in Zero’s words. Even King was unusually still, remembering another exile, another criminal who’d tried to claim the Plasma Spark. For a moment, they forgot to listen for the high-pitched tone in his voice that stressed his youth and his fear.
Leo, however, didn’t have that history and could still remember that Zero was just a scared kid.
“Hey,” he said softly, crouching down beside him. “Just breathe slowly. You’re starting to hyperventilate.”
Zero felt like he was about to pass out, but he wasn’t sure if it was from the weight or lack of air. It took him a few tries to start breathing correctly, and eventually his arms stopped shaking.
“There you go,” Leo said, his voice warm. “Let me help you up.”
He reached out, but to his surprise, Zero pushed him away, almost falling over from the force.
“Don’t touch me!” he screamed.
He started pushing himself off the floor, slowly getting to his feet. He could barely stay upright, and he had to keep his legs spaced wide apart to keep his balance, his arms hanging at his sides. In that moment, seeing his stubbornness, Leo fully believed that this was Seven’s son.
“You…you’re just the same,” Zero insisted. “Don’t try to act like my friend when you’re just my jailer. At least he was honest about ruining my life.”
Naturally, he punctuated this with a glare toward Seven—or as much of one as he could manage, since moving his head was throwing off his balance again.
“Leo is giving you a second chance,” Seven argued, his voice hard. “One that you clearly don’t deserve.”
Zero stared at him in disbelief, but soon he glared again, his eyes momentarily flashing underneath his visor.
“I hate you,” he spat.
That too, Leo could believe.
Seven turned away. Leo tried to look over to him, but Zero was slowly making his way over to King and Astra. As far as he was concerned, Seven’s reaction was just the same as when his brothers carried Zero off. But this time, he was going to go on his own power.
Even if it meant he was going nowhere.
Finally, Leo got up and followed behind him, watching him try not to flinch as King held out his hand and created a travel sphere around them. He watched the boy not even try to look back at the Land of Light as they flew away, and he knew that it had never really been home for him at all.