Crawling Forward

Night Two Hundred And Four

Age 1991

Gladious City...

The Hotel...

"Well. Ready for round two?"

Vil backed up eyeing the person up as he raised his sword up. "Who the hell are you?"

"EX Fusion?" Daughter asked in shock her eyes wide.

Kitsune was silent for a moment as he stared down at his hands looking his body over for a moment. "This feels strange..." He said slowly. "Something... I did this somehow... What is this."

Vil let out a growl raising his sword at the throat of Daughter. "You called this EX Fusion... What the hell is this!" He growled out glaring down at her.

Daughter shook slightly as she backed up staring at Vil. Her eyes slowly turned to look at the girl. "EX Fusion... That's what the man called it."

"Man?" Vil hissed.

"The one who looks like father."

"Row?" Vil asked staring down at the little girl.

"No... Not Row... The other one." She said. "He came to me in my dreams... Told me where I could find Father... So Daughter hid in Yeshua to find him... The man told Daughter about this... EX Fusion... A form of Mantra. Their souls and bodies are fused. They aren't Irene, and they aren't Kitsune... Though it does seem Kitsune is more in control Daughter thinks at least... This Kitsune is a fused form of them... The power of Mantra has broken them down and rebuilt them together."

"That's right." Kitsune nodded. "Master Storm told me about this... I wanted to do this with Hero since him and I are bonded with the rival bond... When you threw Irene out my desire to keep her safe spilled out. She's a good ally and Hero cares about her. Her desire to help Daughter for Hero spilled out and we fused..."

"You got to be kidding me." Vil hissed.

'He did discover how to do it but he disliked its results... You see he discovered two people who are bonded together either through the friendship bond, the rival bond, or the lovers bond, could merge. Friend ship being the white aura, rival being the green, and Lovers being pink... Those people could merge however it wouldn't last... Only a few minuets at most and would break down. He was looking for a way to merge his body with God's body so they could stay fused. However the only way a combination merge could be done is if both users were bonded, and both users wanted to do it. And even then it lasted for a short amount of time meaning he'd sadly never be able to merge with God... He eventually decided to not mention this information to anyone for fear of it being misused by others... Its one of the reasons they don't tell people about the Bond power either.'

"I guess Kitsune wasn't insane after all." Vil said letting out a sigh as he recalled her words.

"What?" Kitsune asked frowning.

"Not you." Vil shook his head raising his sword up. "What a drag... Guess I have to fight you."

Kitsune entered the same boxer stance Irene always did as the ice flames covered his arms forming ice gloves on them. "I don't know how long this form is going to last." Kitsune said. "I can already feel my body beginning to come undone... Maybe in a few moments we'll unfuse... So until then I'll use Irene and Kitsune's fused powers to beat you into the ground!" He announced firing forward.

***

The Void...

'I see hell.'

"You have to try harder!" Mr. Hyde yelled at the small five year old Row. "You have to use that power! You have to mean it!" He screamed out.

"I... I'm trying..." Row said quietly the green scar over his heart glowing. "But... But it hurts when I use it."

"Then fight through the pain! You need to harness that power." Piero said over in the corner where he rested. "I had to kill my own brother to give you that Crest... Use it."

Mr. Hyde let out a sigh pushing up his glasses. "I guess you're going to need some help Row..." He said clicking open a briefcase. "You have the DNA of several people relating to the Dragon Clan... So I assume it's only fair that I give you a Dragon like motivation..." He pulled out a small tube of glass where a small white like creature could be seen moving around... "This is a piece of the Prince... The strongest Bestia Macht that was sealed away by Master Storm... It's only a small piece..." He said slowly moving towards the young boy. "Still though... I'm betting if this thing is inside of you it'd kick start that Crest. After all you'd need to get it out before it devours your organs. Or maybe... You'll use that Crest to recreate those Organs?"

Row tried to back up but the mans hand came out as he gripped Row's arm. "W... Wait-"

"Either way." He clicked a button on the glass box as it began to open and the bug slithered out stabbing into Row's arm and slowly sinking into his flesh. "I'm sure you won't die from it. If it does we can always fall back on that brother of yours. Vil. So don't go screwing up. Other wise we'll have to put him through this as well. If you really want to be a good brother than bare that pain so he doesn't have to..."

The labs filled with the screams of Row as the long worm like Bestia Macht bore its way into his flesh...

'I see hell.'

A nine year old Row stumbled down the destroyed hallways of the burning lab. He had to keep moving...

No matter what.

Run.

Run.

Run.

He had to crawl forward more and more and more and more.

Just like that bug...

There was a loud crashing sound as the roof above him caved in falling on him.

'I see Hell.'

The rubble slowly moved hours later and Row looked up into the face of Piero Law who stared down at him with wide eyes.

'I see Hell...'

Piero, and a slightly older Row rested on the edge of an old wooden shack looking out at the land below them.

"D... Dad..." The young Row asked scratching at his arm from where that creature entered his flesh. Piero simply let out a groan showing he was listening. His face was still covered by a white glass mask. "Why do the Bestia Macht harm people?" Row asked innocently.

Piero was silent for a moment as he scratched his beard. "Because their is evil in this world."

"What?"

"The Bestia Macht... They themselves are not evil. Rather they fill a goal on the opposite side that is Justice. From their point of view we slaughter millions of them and take over their lands. Should a beast seeking revenge for the death of a loved one be called evil? And what of us? Can humans truly be called good just because they fight the Bestia Macht. Can they be called good because they help someone out an don't expect a reward." Piero slowly raised both his hands out holding them to the boy. "In the left hand you could save one person you love. In the right hand you could save a thousand strangers. Does saving the person you love make you evil? And does allowing that person to die and save a thousand strangers make you evil. What would you chose."

The young Row stared at both hands before he grabbed both. "I'd save one thousand and one people."

"I had a dream once..." Piero laughed. "I wanted to save everyone in this world. To vanquish despair itself and leave only Justice. I wished to one day destroy the concept of evil itself leaving only the good behind. A dream like that... It was impossible though... So I settled... I settled for just saving every person I saw that was in front of me. Every person who suffered from despair... I would reach out and pull them from the abyss... And in the end I failed that to. At the end of my path I managed to only save a single child at the cost of my brother, my love, and my own sanity. And yet..." He reached out placing his hand on Hero's head patting it as he gave a small smile filled with so much pain staring down at the little boy. "I'm not sad I saved you... Row. This just means I'll have to give my dreams to you."

'I see Hell.'

The eleven year old Hero stared down at the corpse of Okami Otoko...

The Bestia Macht that was the Beast of Hunger was a few feet away.

He hadn't been able to stop it when it turned on his father... It tore into the man devouring him...

Hero stared down at the blood on his hands that bug crawling around in his mind. He should have been stronger... He should have done more... He should have crawled forward...

He wasn't a dragon...

He wasn't a hero.

He was...

"Hero?"

Hero slowly turned finding Yoshi was slowly walking up the hill.

The woman stopped when she saw past Hero finding the body of Okami Otoko.

"O... Okami..."

"Yoshi..." Hero said slowly. "I didn't mean to... It was... It..."

"Okami!" She sprinted past him staring down at the body of the man. But it was far to late. He had been ripped limb from limb more of his blood was on the outside and most of his organs had been devoured...

'I see Hell.'

Hero stood in the catacombs once more...

"Throwing yourself at an issue to help them all out!" North laughed forming his sword as he launched at Hero. "That's exactly what I was doing you fool! Even if you do kill me you'll just become another me!"

"You're wrong." Hero's right arm suddenly morphed back into his normal human arm. "I'm going to protect my friends no matter what. But it isn't like you. I don't believe me wanting to help my friends makes me a superhero like you were claiming. Helping your friends out no matter what is just common sense. What makes us different and while I'll never end up like you, is because when I confront the issue of saving the entire world, I won't do it alone. Just trying to give powers to everyone in the world... I'd rather inspire everyone else to save others, than save everyone. That's why I'll only focus on the others that are in front of me!"

North landed next to Hero and slashed out with his blade. Hero's arm was still in his human mode and he ducked under the sword dodging it. The blade went over his head, but North threw out a powerful punch connecting with Hero's face and throwing him back.

Hero crashed across the ground and slowly pushed himself back up. "Goodbye North... While I can still say it."

"Haha... What the hell are you talking about imposter? You can't bring yourself to kill me? It's hard right? It took me forever to work up the nerve the first time I had to do it!"

"I was just saying it before I killed the monster."

"Monster?" Hero slowly brought his right arm up reviling why he had changed it back to normal. Within his hands he held a vial... The same kind North had been injecting himself with. North's eyes went wide when he saw it. "When you ducked under my sword you... You took it?"

Hero ignored the man as he jammed it into his neck and pressed down. He closed his eyes as he felt it take affect. The rush was like nothing he'd experienced. Even more power, than when he was bonded with Kitsune coursed through him. When he opened his eyes he now stood in a large lab... A Bestia Macht made out of ice stood in front of him growling as it charged. Hero raised his right arm up as it morphed into its shield mode the green flames exploded out of the fist as he brought his arm back.

It wasn't even a clash.

As soon as the beast reached him he delivered his strongest punch, putting his all into the attack. All his hate for Row, and hate for God, his hate for himself, and his hate for North. His guilt, his sadness, his happiness, the joy he felt saving Shelly and Ken, as well as the sick joy he was getting from killing this monster even when he knew what it really was. He put everything he had into this single fist.

And in one punch rammed it through the beasts chest, straight through its heart. Hero closed his eyes.

And when he opened them he saw back in the catacombs. Shelly, was looking at him in total shock, while Ken gave him a look of pity. North was in front of him, his head on his shoulder. It almost looked like they were hugging save for the fact that Hero's entire arm was impaled straight through the mans chest.

North spat out a large glob of blood as his eyes went wide. The ice armor around him slowly vanishing. "W... What the... The hell... How did... I don't get it..."

"What's not to get North..." Hero said slowly ripping his arm out of the mans chest. He fell back landing at Hero's feet and looked up into the ruby red eyes, which held an unknown emotion in them. Hero stared down at him with a blank look as he cocked his head to the side. "You said it yourself... The Hero, always wins."

'I am... Hell.'

The Void...

"Is he coming to?"

"I guess."

"I don't get why you care?"

"Bark!"

"Hey. Looks like he's getting up."

Hero's ears slightly rung as he heard several voices. His eyes slowly opened up and he saw them... A small ten year old child that was Hero Law, a second snow haired child that was Row Law, his eyes asleep as he rested in a bed, Yuma next to him, a man in a black suit with snow white hair and ruby red eyes, the Fake Row, a man in a white suit with snow white hair and ruby red eyes, the Real Row, a dog, the Hero Law, a young girl with silver hair, and blood red eyes, Hero Law, the Mother, a man with messy blonde hair and icy blue eyes, North Glacious, a hospital, Ava, a Lab Coat, the mini Labby, a full grown Lab Coat, the real Labby, and lastly a man in a green track suit with messy black hair that had a silver streak in it and silver eyes... Hero Otoko...

All of them stared down at the Hero on the ground.

Hero stared back up at them all.

"What now?" The fake Row asked. "You don't seem to be doing to well."

"That's right." The real Row said turning away. "You're losing and it's my body so I'd rather you give it back."

"I haven't been here long but you seem to have a lot of power you're holding back." Labby said.

"And I don't get why you're holding back so much." North snorted. "After all you stopped holding back before. You killed me. So kill."

"Why are you trying?" The kid Hero asked.

"Bark!" The dog Hero announced.

"Come on... I'm like your mother. You share my DNA so why are you losing. What are you going to do?" The female Hero asked flipping her hair.

"They're right Hero..." Otoko said slowly. "You're about to die... So... What now? 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?"

"So what are you doing..." Row asked. The scene changed and Hero only saw Row. The real Row. The sleeping child who was slowly waking up.

Hero stumbled up to his feet. "I'll do what I've always done... I'll keep crawling forward. Like that worm."

"You're broken aren't you... You're not Hero. Or are you." Row the child said their eyes slowly closed.

"I'm... Hero Law."

"But which one."

"The one you created."

"Again... Which one."

"What?"

"Oh... I guess you don't know do you... Did you really think I only made one Hero? I guess that explains the jumps though. I wonder which one you are though. It's been hard to follow."

"I'm just..." Hero turned and he saw them. For a moment he saw the other Hero's. Himself. All of them. Just how broken did he become.

"It must have been hard right. Carrying the weight of the world. Your friends told you it would shatter. Now look at you. You're becoming like North. You're going mad."

Hero gave a smile for a moment. "That's okay."

"What?" Row frowned as he stared at Hero. "What the hell do you mean that's okay..." The scene changed and Hero stood in a puddle of red liquid the adult Row in the white suit behind him. "No more tricks. I'm here. So tell me... What are you planning."

"If I'm broken then I'll need to be fix. If I go mad I'll need to be pulled back."

"You can't do that."

"You're right. I won't have the power to force myself back. Or fix those broken pieces. So... I'm counting on her to do it."

"Her..."

"That's right. Unlike you, or North, I can be fixed." Hero smiled looking at his hand for a moment. "When I break. I know my friends will be there to piece me back together. That just means I'll need to get stronger. I'll dream better, I'll become better versions, I'll keep crawling forward, I'll keep being Hero. So who cares if I go a little mad?"

"You're... Insane."

"I'm just... Hero Law... A Hero of Justice. A Superhero. Someone who's going to save the world and everyone in front of him. Someone who will keep his friends safe... No matter what."

The scene changed as Hero found himself looking at the bag of clothes.

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."

***

Meanwhile...

Off in the hotel...

Ken's eyes slowly opened as she felt a tug in her mind.

"Hero? You're calling out for my help... You're about to do something dumb aren't you."

She felt it...

All that pent up hate...

It was coming out.

Hero...

Was going Mad.

He was about to do something he only did once before.

He was going to stop holding back.

And last time he did that...

Someone died.