Chapter Text
ACT I
Chapter 1
*other realm- In ancient Greek religion, the majority of human souls went to Hades (the Underworld) after death. The especially bad ones went to Tartarus, and the exceptionally good human souls went to the Elysian Plains.
*coffa-crow’s nest of a ship
*stadia-185 meters=1/10 nautical mile= approx. 1.10 miles
Gon sits on the grass and waits for the sunrise to bathe the island kingdom of Kujira in the warm light of dawn, as he has done for years since his boyhood. A southern breeze runs gentle fingers through his dark, spiky hair. The wind plays with the dark green cloak around his shoulders, a gift from Kite the year he turned twelve. He and Kite had always trekked to the top of this very hill, their favorite spot to watch the sun rise and set on the island. But that was before King Meruem’s soldiers came, before the battle that changed everything, before Kite was struck down. Because I wasn’t strong enough. The scar at his shoulder throbs at the memory, and Gon rubs it as if to quell the pain. Although it has been months since Kite’s death, Gon still feels his absence like a fresh wound.
It had been Mito’s idea to erect Kite’s grave on this hill, as it was one of his favorite places in the kingdom and he and a younger prince Gon had spent so much time there. The gravesite, a rectangular monument made of marble housing a large amphora of his ashes inside, stands not far from where Gon sits now. The last wisps of smoke from the offering Gon brought to the grave altar spiral into the sky, on their way to the gods in Olympus above.
“I swear by the gods,” Gon whispers, “I won’t fail again.”
He hopes Kite’s spirit hears his promise from the other realm*. After a few minutes of listening to the tropical birds welcome the day in with their song, the sun finally peeks over the horizon. Gon watches with a heavy heart as the light paints the sky pink and gold with his kingdom a shining beacon by the sea below. He tries to enjoy the beautiful sight in front of him; it’s the last time he’ll see the sunrise over Kujira until his training is completed and he’s able to come home. He lets the rising sun’s rays warm his tan skin until he can linger on the hill no longer. He has a ship catch, after all.
~~~
It is just past dawn and the small port community is beginning to come to life. Gon rushes down to the harbor with his cloak billowing in the wind and his travel sack over his shoulder, where he knows the ship that will take him to the mainland of Greece is waiting to cast off. The smell of sea salt and fresh fish hits Gon’s nose before the boats even come into view. Merchants are beginning to set up their stalls before the morning rush, carpenters are hauling their building materials to and from warehouses, and ships of various sizes and timber quality are nestled in the harbor awaiting departure. Gon’s looking for the vessel he’s chartered when he hears a familiar voice call his name.
“Gon!”
Gon turns toward the sound of his name and his face lights up in delight at the sight of Mito waving at him. She must have woken up much earlier than usual to beat him here, all so that she could see him off. His father’s younger cousin by blood, Mito had raised Gon when King Ging Freecs abandoned his kingdom. She accepted her new roles with dignity and grace, becoming Kujira’s Queen and the best mother Gon could ask for. With her hard work and dedication, she succeeded in making Kujira a major hub for international trade by the time Gon had taken his first steps. The kingdom soon became prosperous and thriving under her rule, garnering (sometimes unwanted) attention from other kingdoms in the region. Having proved herself to be a compassionate and adept ruler, Queen Mito quickly earned the acceptance and adoration of the people of Kujira. She’s the kind of ruler Gon aspires to be, but first he needs to get stronger; strong enough to be able to defend Kujira from any threat, no matter how powerful. He dashes over to greet his mother.
“Mito, you came! But it’s so early! Shouldn’t you be sleep—”
Mito doesn’t let him finish that sentence. “And let my only son leave without saying goodbye? Nonsense!” she says.
Gon rubs the back of his neck with a laugh. He’d thought it would be easier if he just left without telling anyone, but now that Mito is here in front of him, he’s glad she came. Like the mother she is, she asks if Gon has packed everything he needs for the journey.
“Did you pack food and water for the voyage? Do you have enough money with you? Did you remember to bring clean undergarm—”
“Mitoooo,” Gon groans and covers his face with his hands, mortified. “Yes, I have everything I need.” he assures her. She pulls him into a hug (he’s taller than her now, at eighteen) and he happily wraps his arms around her waist. They stay like that for a few moments before Mito sighs heavily. Her fingers clutch at his pale green tunic, like she doesn’t want to let go. Gon braces himself, already knowing what she’s about to say.
“Gon, you know you don’t have to…”
“Mito,” he pulls back to look at her with determination shining in his eyes, the amber shade that they share, his with a glint of gold. “I have to do this. But, don’t worry about me, alright?” His gaze softens and the darkness shading his expression vanishes as he takes her hands in his. “I’ll finish my training and be back home before you know it! And then, I can wear Ging’s crown with pride and be the king that Kujira deserves.” The sunlight reflects off of Mito’s hair, the auburn strands like licks of flame. She smiles fondly at him and nods, though the creases between her brows betray her concern.
“I’m your mother, Gon. You can’t tell me not to worry because I always will. But, I won’t stop you from pursuing your dreams. May the Gods show you favor on your quest.” Upon hearing those words, Gon gives Mito his brightest grin.
“Thank you, Mom.”
With a final goodbye, he heads towards the awaiting ship, painted in Kujira’s colors of green and orange. He admires the solid oak hull, built to withstand the strongest storms, as he walks up the gangplank. The white sail above his head also looks sturdy, designed to weather harsh trade winds. Soon, the captain, a seasoned old man with skin leathery from the sun and a nose that’s red as a pomegranate, calls for castoff. As the ship heads out to sea, Gon waves to Mito from the deck until she is nothing but a speck in the distance.
~~~
When the lookout calls “Land, ho” from the coffa* at the top of the mast, Gon thinks he’s never heard more beautiful words in his life. He’d been able to keep himself occupied for a while by assisting the crew with their daily tasks and making friendly conversation with the captain. After spending several weeks cooped up on a boat on the open sea, however, his feet are itching to hit the ground running. They’re about to finally make landfall in the large port city of Swardani. So many ships sit in the harbor that the water is barely visible between them. The ship is still several stadia* away from the dock, but Gon can no longer sit still and wait.
“Sorry about this captain,” He sends the captain an apologetic look over his shoulder before running toward the stern.
“Y-your Highness, don’t—” the captain sputters, but it’s too late. Gathering strength in his legs, Gon launches himself from the deck high into the air towards the stone dock. Letting out an exuberant “Yahoo!”, he practically flies over the sea as the stunned crew members watch with expressions ranging from awe to horror. He lands on the dock with a resounding thud that sends tremors through the structure and more than a few cracks in the stone around him. Luckily for Gon and the shocked passerby, the sturdy dock does not collapse into the harbor.
Oops, got a little carried away with my powers.
Gon can hear the captain shouting from the ship, briefly making out the words “…get yourself killed” and “…your mother will have my head” before he starts heading toward the town’s center. His eyes shine with curiosity and his blood hums with the thrill of being off of the island for the first time in his life. He can’t help but wonder if his father felt like this after leaving the island.
The tale of how King Ging Freecs and his progeny were granted supernatural strength is well-known to every citizen of Kujira. It is said that Ging challenged one of the gods to a bet. Many suspect that the god in question was Poseidon, god of the sea and patron deity of Kujira, but no one but Ging knows for sure. Miraculously, Ging won and the god blessed Ging and all his future heirs with his prize: the strength and stamina of fifty men, nearly on par with the gods themselves. It was shortly after Ging gained his powers that he left his kingdom behind; he then returned a year later only to give Gon to Mito and Kite before he vanished again. Apparently, it didn’t take long at all to discover that Gon was…different. Mito would often fondly recall this story for company: While cooing at baby Gon one day, he had grabbed onto her finger, as babies like to do. However, his grasp was so strong that she could not pull it free, so he held it until he fell asleep and his grip loosened. Mito had never believed the stories about Ging until that day. Raising a child who could fell an oak tree with his bare hands couldn’t have been easy, but Mito never gave up on him and raised him as her own with a mother’s love and devotion. Kite, Ging’s top general, took him under his wing and taught him riding and swordsmanship and the secrets of Kujira’s forests.
Gon’s powers had been a mixed blessing for him growing up. He always enjoyed being able to travel swiftly through the island’s forests, and he could easily defend himself against many of the larger animals that lived there. And he was able to keep up with Kite, the best warrior (and father) that Gon has ever known. There were downsides to being absurdly strong, however. The few children on the island were both impressed and intimidated by his powers. It was no fun to play with someone who would always win every game of tag or wrestling, and being of royal blood didn’t exactly make things easier. Therefore, Gon never had any friends his own age he could play with growing up.
Overestimating his own power was Gon’s greatest mistake. The day of the invasion, Gon had been explicitly told by Kite and Mito to stay in the palace, where it was safe. Convinced that he was more than strong enough to fight, that no one could defeat him, he snuck out of the palace and onto the battlefield under the guards’ noses. He wasn’t expecting to be overwhelmed by the king’s head general; his brute strength and lack of combat experience had been no match for their speed and skill with a sword. He will never forget what his hubris cost him that day.
I really hope someone in town knows about a trainer. Maybe I’ll get lucky and there’ll be one right here in town? Gon thinks as he strolls down a crowded street. That’s the whole reason he’s here, after all. He had first learned of the mighty heroes of Greece from Kite. Kite had told Gon that, as a young boy before he met Ging, his dream was to be a professional hero.
I was going to leave the island and find a trainer who would take me in. For all the people out there who had no one else to rely on, I wanted to be the person who was always there for them. I wanted to protect them all. Kite had said.
He had died protecting Gon, and so Gon would not let his death be in vain. He would prove himself worthy of being Kujira’s future king, a king who could protect his people from any threat, be it an invading army or a deadly monster, by utilizing his powers to their full potential. By becoming a hero, he could learn to use his strength effectively and gain battle experience by fighting monsters. Additionally, he might even gain the favor of the gods and earn protection and retain prosperity for his kingdom. There is a lot to be gained from completing his quest, and failure is not an option.
Gon only has one problem: he has no idea where to find a hero trainer. This is, admittedly, the one part of his plan he didn’t really think through. But there are so many people here! Surely someone must have information that can help him, right?
[Meanwhile, on Mount Olympus:
Aphrodite: Ging’s boy sure did grow up handsome~ Woo!
Hermes: Hey Poseidon, what was that bet you made with King Ging all those years ago about anyway?
Poseidon *noticeably stiffens*: I don’t want to talk about it.]
~~~