Chapter Text
The Land of Light had a very simple system of protection from foreign invaders. One powerful Ultra always goes first and unless they dictate it, that’s it. And that one Ultra for the last thousand and thousand of years was Father of Ultra. Instructor of the dojo of the Intergalactic Defense Force, he also was in charge of some peace keeping missions and help other species with rampaging kaijus and the like. He noticed early on that part of the job was too much for him and after his best friend and partner bailed out of him, he asked his best student, Zoffy, leader of the ultra brothers, for his assistance. But something that he was very stubborn about was leaving the dojo.
Not that he was running everything alone. His old students, specially the 6 Ultra Brothers, usually help at the dojo, running drills and doing demonstrations or on rare occasions doing lectures about kaiju biology or history to their kohais. But, no matter how many times they tried to convince him he was running too many things alone, he never bulged.
But that day, that day was different. It just was a bunch of run of the mill space pirates that appeared and believed that they could handle the protector of the Land of Light. Of course they couldn’t. But after that victory, Father of Ultra landed near his home and collapsed on the floor. Mother of Ultra, the greatest healer in the Land of Light and his beloved wife, immediately started the process of healing him, while ordering for his sons to be called. But she noticed the issue at hand wasn’t something recent.
She was asked by her husband to not reveal it to his sons. She was opposed, but complied.
Just by sheer coincidence, all of them were on the planet. All of them were very worried. Especially his youngest.
-Father! - Taro complained while waiting for the rest to arrive - If you feel under the weather, you need to ask me for help!
-Absolutely not! - Father exclaimed - You are not ready!
Taro kept it quiet, but he wanted to punch the floor. He was supposed to inherit the dojo eventually. Something that he didn’t want but he just accepted. And he has been the main senpai running drills and helping the new cadets start, recommending them to Zoffy for any easy or entry level mission. He didn’t want to take the head instructor role so soon. But this was different. Their father didn’t feel very well, he needed help, but he rejected any help from him any time.
-Father - he tried to explain him for the umpteenth time - This is just while you are getting better at anything you are having right now
-No, Taro - Father said also for the umpteenth time - I will not receive any help from you on this matter until you are doing it seriously. And you still aren’t
-So, are you planning to hurt yourself while waiting for me to take it “seriously”? - Taro replied back
-I can ask for help from others - Father replied
-You are sending almost all of them on a mission tomorrow! - Taro exclaimed, angry again - are you going to ask Zoffy to do something else?!
-I’ll see what I can do - Father answered, crossing his arms.
That was the straw that broke the camels’ back for Taro. He just wanted for his Father to take care of himself, but he was too stubborn for that.
-Fine! - he yelled, before storming off - But you just lost Grandfather privileges for the rest of the year!
Father of Ultra and Mother of Ultra were stunned while hearing the steps their son was doing on his way out. He was starting to use psychological warfare now.
-Dear… - Mother asked him after seeing what just happened
Father of Ultra was speechless. But Mother knew better than to believe that her husband was going to be moved.
-He’s playing dirty now - Father of Ultra muttered, while covering his eons old injury on his side.
Taro just stomped his way out passing thru his brothers, who kinda knew already what was happening. After checking with their father, and obtaining very similar results, they went to check out with him. Taro wasn’t that far away, as he was waiting for them nearby with his young son, Taiga, who was barely 1000 years old. He was more calm, but not less pissed off about this whole situation.
-An apprentice?! - Taro yelled and almost dropped his ice cream, while hearing what Ace was trying to tell him - Like, a living with me apprentice?!
-He has been talking about that a lot the recent years - Man, who was sitting next to them, also eating ice cream, confirmed - He says you cannot be the Head Instructor until you at least have that experience
-This whole situation is not even about that - Taro complained - It’s about him having a weird health issue and not wanting to take care of himself
-Maybe if you get an apprentice, dad will finally relent - Ace commented
-I don’t have time to have an apprentice! - Taro replied - Taiga is old enough to understand the powers he wields and I need to reign on that
-Why are you talking about him like he is a tiny demon - Ace said, amused his little bro would say something like that. But, like, right on cue, Taiga went to talk with his beloved Uncle Zoffy.
-Uncle! Uncle! - he yelled from below, while pointing to his empty ice cream cup, with barely any traces of it.
-No Taiga - Zoffy said, getting to his size - That was enough ice cream for today… - But Taiga immediately looked at him with the most pitiful eyes, shining with innocence and barely any malice. Zoffy knew what this was about. And he fell right into it - Ok, but don’t tell your dad about it
Ace was stunned about what he just saw, especially because he knows he would have fallen right into it. Man meanwhile thought it was hilarious
-I think that was more of an indictment that Taiga needs to talk more with someone which is not his dad - Man said, while trying to scrape a bit of ice cream out of his cup - or his uncles
-Fine! - Taro yelled, half defeated - How do you get an apprentice then?!
-That’s a good question - Ace corroborated. Since both of them entered the picture when the other 4 were already there, they never saw how Father actually got his first apprentices.
-They appear at your door and then they stay there until you say yes - Man explained
-Do not tell me that how you got to be dad’s apprentice - Ace replied, doubtful
-Oh no, that was Jack - Man said, pointing at Jack who was asking Zoffy why he got Taiga more ice cream - *I* had to avoid Zoffy-niisan for like a week until I finally got to talk with Father
-And Seven?
-He came with a letter
-Yeah… - Ace deduced - probably his mom decided he needed to learn to fight if he was going to be going around the universe doing maps…
-So, there’s like, an Apprentice Distribution System?! - Taro exclaimed, even more frustrated
-Like some humans have for cats! - Ace exclaimed, laughing
-It was a different time - Zoffy said, interrupting their conversation, while leaving Taiga with Jack and Seven, who, according to them, will never fall for Taiga’s cuteness - It was just after the war, and most of us were searching for something meaningful to do.
Taro grimaced a little. He never liked to have a conversation about Empera’s war. It was unavoidable, as everything in the Land of Light, for better or for worse, was shaped thanks to that. His life was shaped thanks to that, and he was of the generation that was born after. But it was good for him that things have changed enough that teenagers weren’t appearing from the woodwork to ask if they could be an apprentice anymore.
-Well - he exclaimed while standing up - I’m taking Taiga and I’m going home before you guys buy all the ice cream for him
-I can talk with some of the officers - Zoffy then offered - Some of them have sons that would love to be trained…
-I’m taking Taiga home before he eats all of Mrs. Onion’s ice cream - Taro repeated, while Taiga was trying the trick again with Jack and Seven - Plus, you guys have an important mission tomorrow, I cannot be the most interesting thing to have a conversation about
-We’re going to check if that energy reading was something important - Ace answered - It’s pretty run of the mill
-Father is sending 4 of us - Taro then replied - That’s very suspicious if you ask me
-It’s probably going to be a kaiju, and we know what to do with kaijus - Ace explained, while patting Taro on the arm - What we don’t know what to do is when our little brother has a fight with our dad.
Taro was starting to feel a bit guilty, but at the same time he still believed he did nothing wrong.
-You will have to believe father is going to do the correct thing eventually - Taro answered, a bit flustered. Then he looked around to see Taiga once again with more ice cream - And stop buying him ice cream, this is like the 5th one he had!
Eventually Taro could jank Taiga out of his uncles and finally arrived home. They lived not that far away from the plaza where the ice cream truck was. It was a couple of blocks. But those suddenly became some very weird blocks.
Taro was pretty sure somebody was following them. But he was with Taiga at that moment, he couldn’t really do something about it. What to do??
He didn’t have another option but warn Zoffy telepathically and then just arrive at his house. Yes, he was giving away his address, but he could just move Taiga with Zoffy or his parents if everything got dicey. He asked Taiga to wait for him at home, that he’s coming back in a moment. Taiga was obviously worried, but his dad was serious, so he complied.
Taro came outside and noticed where who was following them was hidden, and not very well hidden. He walked directly to them and jank him from where they were, to reveal an Ultra. He was scared, but no matter his expression, Taro noticed his fine features on his face, and slightly gangly proportions. This is just a teen. Why a teen was…
Oh no…
-My name is Mebius! - the kid yelled after standing up and bowing - And I want to become your apprentice!