The morning sun filtered through the tall windows of Gotham University's Advanced Theoretical Physics lecture hall, casting long rectangles of light across the polished wooden floors.
Professor Martin Stein, a gray-haired man with intelligent eyes behind wire-rimmed glasses, was in the middle of explaining quantum entanglement to a room of seventy students when the door at the back opened quietly.
Goku slipped in, nodding an apology to the professor as he took an empty seat in the back row.
Stein acknowledged him with a slight nod before continuing his lecture, used to the young man's occasional tardiness.
It wasn't disrespect - Stein knew Goku was one of his most promising students - but rather the complex reality of a twenty-year-old trying to balance university studies with raising three teenagers.
"As I was saying," Stein continued, "quantum entanglement suggests that information can be transmitted instantaneously across vast distances, seemingly violating the cosmic speed limit established by relativity.
This apparent contradiction has profound implications for our understanding of spacetime..."
Goku opened his notebook and began taking meticulous notes. The subject fascinated him on multiple levels.
In his past life as Zamasu, he had witnessed the manipulation of space and time firsthand.
As Son Goku, he had experienced instant transmission. And now, as a physics student, he was learning the theoretical underpinnings of phenomena he had once taken for granted.
It was a peculiar experience, studying the scientific principles behind abilities he had once wielded with divine power.
There was a certain humility in it - a recognition that even supernatural abilities followed rules, operated within frameworks that mortal minds could comprehend and document.
Something he needed to remember to not once more gain his superiority complex and think that genociding the multiverse is the way to go.
When the lecture ended two hours later, Goku gathered his materials and was heading for the door when Stein called his name.
"Mr. Son, a moment please."
Goku approached the professor's desk as the other students filed out. "Yes, Professor?"
Stein waited until the room had emptied before speaking. "I noticed you were late again today."
"I apologize for the disruption," Goku said, bowing his head slightly. "One of my siblings had an... incident this morning that required my attention."
The formal cadence that occasionally colored his speech - a remnant of his time as Zamasu - emerged when he was uncomfortable or explaining himself to authority figures.
It was a habit he was trying to break, as it made him stand out more than he wished to.
Stein's expression softened. "No need to apologize. I'm not concerned about the tardiness - your work remains exemplary.
I'm concerned about you. Taking care of three teenagers while pursuing a double major in physics and philosophy is an enormous undertaking."
Goku smiled slightly. "I appreciate your concern, Professor, but we manage well enough."
"I don't doubt your capabilities," Stein said, adjusting his glasses. "But even the strongest bridges need maintenance. The university has resources - family counseling, tutoring for your siblings, financial assistance programs..."
"Thank you, but we're financially secure," Goku assured him.
This was true enough - the trust fund established for the orphans' education and care was substantial, though Goku supplemented it with part-time work at a local coffee shop.
It wasn't about the money (for now at least); it was about maintaining connections to the ordinary world, to the rhythms and experiences of normal human life.
Since he needed this, and they needed it to.
To just be normal for a bit and not be the special ones.
Stein nodded, seemingly satisfied for now. "Very well. But my door is always open if circumstances change.
Oh, and before you go - your paper on quantum field theory and its philosophical implications was quite remarkable.
I've taken the liberty of sharing it with Dr. Palmer over in the Philosophy Department. She's quite impressed and would like to speak with you about it."
"Dr. Palmer?" Goku asked, surprised. "Ray Palmer?"
"No, no," Stein chuckled. "His wife, Jean Loring-Palmer. She's a visiting professor this semester, teaching Philosophy of Science. Brilliant woman. I think you'd find conversation with her illuminating."
Goku nodded, intrigued. He knew of Ray Palmer - The Atom - from his previous life knowledge and research into this world's heroes.
The man was both a superhero and a respected scientist, which made him a potentially valuable contact for Mark's interdimensional travel research - since currently he did not have his time ring.
His potara though, luckily he did have, an apparent heirloom of his family, that he thankfully hadn't sold in his earlier days.
This has him believe that possibly, somewhere out there, his time ring is as well.
If Jean Palmer was his wife, meeting her could eventually lead to meeting him.
"I'd be honored to speak with her," Goku said. "Thank you for the opportunity."
"Excellence deserves recognition," Stein replied simply. "Now, I believe you have another class to attend?"
Goku checked his watch and nodded. "Ethics and Moral Philosophy with Professor Winters in twenty minutes."
"Don't let me keep you then," Stein said, turning to erase the chalkboard. "And Goku? Try to make it on time. Eliza appreciates punctuality."
Goku smiled at the gentle admonishment and headed out, navigating the crowded hallways of the science building with practiced ease.
As he walked, he let his senses expand slightly, feeling the life energies of the hundreds of students and faculty around him.
It was a habit he'd developed since regaining his powers - a constant, low-level awareness of his surroundings that helped him identify potential threats and, more importantly, helped him maintain control over his own energy signature to avoid detection.
He had fifteen minutes before his next class, just enough time to grab coffee at the student center.
The line at Gotham Brews was mercifully short, and he was soon greeted by the familiar smile of Kendra Saunders, a fellow student who worked the morning shift.
"The usual?" she asked, already reaching for a large cup.
"Please," Goku confirmed. "How are your studies going, Kendra?"
The dark-haired woman shrugged as she prepared his black coffee. "Archaeology is kicking my ass this semester. Professor Hall has us cataloging artifacts that feel like they're older than time itself."
Goku suppressed a smile at the irony. Kendra Saunders was Hawkgirl - or would be, if she wasn't already.
In this timeline, she was just a graduate student in archaeology, working under Carter Hall, who may or may not be aware of their shared destiny as eternally reincarnated Egyptian royalty.
The complexities of this world's heroic legacies still - despite having read seen them as fiction in his previous life - fascinated him.
"I'm sure you'll excel," he said, accepting the coffee and paying. "You have a natural affinity for history."
She laughed. "That's one way of putting it. Sometimes I feel like I've lived through half the periods we study." She paused, a strange expression crossing her face. "That sounded less weird in my head."
"Not weird at all," Goku assured her. "Time has sometimes that feeling."
Their conversation was interrupted by the arrival of Victor Stone - a tall, broad-shouldered young man who clapped Goku on the back with enough force to make a normal person stumble.
"G-man! Just the brain I was looking for," Vic said cheerfully. "Got a minute to help me with this quantum mechanics problem? Professor Stein's assignment is kicking my ass."
Victor Stone - Cyborg in other timelines - was currently just a talented engineering student at Gotham University, his body still fully human.
Goku had met him in Advanced Mathematics last semester, and they'd formed an unlikely friendship.
Vic was outgoing and boisterous where Goku was reserved, Victor was more into sports than anything, but wanting to make his father proud, he did share some interest in how the universe worked.
"I have about ten minutes before Professor Winter's class," Goku said, checking his watch.
"Perfect! That's nine more than I need with your help," Vic grinned, pulling out his tablet as they moved to a nearby table. "It's this problem about quantum tunneling probabilities..."
As Goku helped Vic work through the problem, he reflected on the strange balance of his current life.
Here he was, a being who had once sought to eradicate all mortal life, now patiently explaining quantum physics to a young man who,
in another timeline, would become half-machine and one of Earth's greatest heroes when he himself was the one who eradicated the human race.
The irony wasn't lost on him. Neither was the profound sense of peace these ordinary interactions brought him.
After the cosmic drama of his past lives - the power, the universe-spanning conflicts, the grand philosophical debates about mortal worth with his former teacher Gowasu - there was something deeply satisfying about simply helping a friend with homework.
"...and that's why the probability function decreases exponentially with barrier width," Goku concluded, pointing to the equation they'd derived.
"Damn, you make it look easy," Vic said, shaking his head in admiration. "You should be teaching this stuff, not just learning it."
Goku smiled. "I find explaining concepts to others helps solidify my own understanding."
"Well, feel free to solidify your understanding on me anytime," Vic laughed. "Seriously though, thanks. You saved me hours of frustration."
"Happy to help," Goku said, finishing his coffee and standing. "I should get to class."
"Ethics with Winters, right?" Vic asked. "I heard she's tough but fair."
"She is," Goku confirmed. Professor Eliza Winters taught Ethics and Moral Philosophy with passion and intellectual rigor.
Her class had quickly become one of Goku's favorites, not just for the subject matter but for the opportunity to explore philosophical questions that had defined his existence across three lifetimes.
Well, before his memories at least. Since many of them he now has the answer to. Though still, he enjoys her lectures.
"Well, good luck," Vic said. "And hey - a bunch of us are getting together at O'Neil's tonight after the basketball game. You should come. You're always studying or with your siblings. Live a little!"
Goku hesitated. Socializing with peers was something he still found challenging. As Zamasu, he had viewed mortals as beneath him. As Son Goku, he had been friendly but focused primarily on training and fighting.
As Samael he was a loner, focused on taking care of his parents health.
Finding the right balance in this life - being present and engaged without taking away time from what he finds most important was... difficult to say the least.
"I'll try," he said finally. "I need to make sure the kids are settled first."
"Bring them along," Vic suggested. "Sarah and I can babysit while you have a beer."
Goku laughed. "They're teenagers, Vic, not toddlers. And trust me, they'd be mortified at the suggestion of being 'babysat.'"
"Teenagers, huh?" Vic grinned. "Even more reason to get out and have some adult time. Think about it, okay?"
"I will," Goku promised, meaning it. Perhaps a night out would be good for him.
Mark's training was progressing well, Lelouch and Mikasa were stable, and maintaining connections in this world was important - both for his own integration and for the potential resources those connections might provide.
As he walked across the quad toward the humanities building, Goku allowed himself a moment to appreciate the sheer normalcy of his current situation.
Students sprawled on the grass studying, professors hurrying between buildings with coffee and papers, the distant sound of the university band practicing for the weekend game.
It was peaceful. Ordinary. Human.
And yet, beneath this veneer of normalcy, extraordinary things were happening. His adopted son - Mark - was regaining superhuman abilities.
Lelouch was developing perceptive powers beyond normal human or otherwise capacity.
Mikasa was honing combat skills that would make her formidable even against enhanced opponents (to a certain extent. Eventually, he'll need to teach her to access her ki.)
And he himself was balancing the power of a one who could challenge a Destroyer (to a certain extent) with the responsibilities of a guardian and student.
Goku entered the humanities building and made his way to Professor Winters' classroom, arriving with two minutes to spare.
The lecture hall was already nearly full, but he spotted an empty seat next to Naomi Reid, a brilliant computer science major who occasionally crossed over into philosophy courses.
"May I?" he asked, gesturing to the seat.
Naomi looked up from her tablet and smiled. "Of course. Cutting it close today, aren't you?"
"Family matters," Goku explained as he sat down.
"The teenagers giving you trouble?" she asked sympathetically.
Naomi was as well like Vic one of the few students who knew about Goku's unusual family situation, as her mother - Judge Theresa Reid - had been involved in the paperwork when Goku had formally adopted his three siblings two years ago.
"Not trouble, exactly," Goku said carefully. "Just... growing pains."
Naomi nodded knowingly. "Adolescence is basically a series of identity crises strung together. They're lucky to have you."
Before Goku could respond, Professor Winters entered the room, her commanding presence immediately silencing the pre-class chatter.
Tall and elegant, with silver-streaked dark hair pulled back in a professional bun, Eliza Winters carried herself with the quiet confidence of someone who had spent decades examining life's most profound questions.
"Good afternoon," she greeted the class. "Today we continue our exploration of moral responsibility in the face of extraordinary power.
When individuals possess abilities far beyond those of average citizens, does this confer upon them special moral obligations?
Or are they subject to the same ethical frameworks as everyone else?"
As Professor Winters began outlining various philosophical perspectives on power and responsibility,
Goku listened with interest, curious about how ordinary humans in this world conceptualized the moral obligations of those with extraordinary abilities.
Having already resolved his own philosophical stance through the harsh lessons of three lifetimes, he was now more interested in understanding the societal expectations that shaped this world's approach to metahumans.
"Mr. Son," Professor Winters called, breaking into his thoughts. "You've been unusually quiet today. What are your thoughts on Plato's position that those with superior abilities have a duty to serve the common good?"
Goku considered his answer carefully. "I believe Plato's argument has merit," he began, "but perhaps oversimplifies the relationship between power and responsibility.
It's not merely that power creates obligation through some external moral framework.
Rather, the truly powerful understand that they are not separate from the world around them but integral to it.
Their actions shape reality for others, whether they intend this or not.
Responsibility, then, isn't imposed from without but recognized from within - a natural consequence of understanding one's place in the interconnected web of existence."
A thoughtful silence followed his response as Professor Winters regarded him.
"An interesting perspective," she said finally. "One that suggests moral development is as important as power itself. Thank you, Mr. Son."
The discussion continued, with other students offering their views, but Goku noticed Professor Winters glancing his way occasionally with a curious expression.
When class ended ninety minutes later, Goku gathered his materials and was preparing to leave when Professor Winters called his name.
"Mr. Son, could you stay for a moment?"
Naomi gave him a sympathetic look as she left. "Good luck," she whispered. "When she singles people out, it's either really good or really bad."
Goku approached the professor's desk with a calm he didn't entirely feel. Eliza Winters was examining him with the same intensity she brought to examining philosophical arguments - thoroughly and without compromise.
"Your perspective on power and responsibility was quite nuanced," she said when they were alone. "Not what I typically hear from undergraduates."
"Thank you," Goku said simply, unsure where this was leading.
"It made me curious about your background," she continued. "Professor Stein speaks highly of your work in physics, and your writing in my class shows unusual depth. Yet your academic records before Gotham University are... sparse."
Goku maintained a neutral expression. "I was homeschooled for much of my early education. The orphanage where I grew up had limited resources but dedicated teachers."
This was the official story - carefully constructed and technically true, if incomplete. The orphanage had existed, though his time there had been brief before he'd aged out and then adopted his siblings.
"I see," Professor Winters said, though her tone suggested she saw more than she was saying. "Well, whatever your background, your contributions to class discussions are valuable.
I'd like to suggest an additional reading that might interest you - Joseph Campbell's work on the hero's journey and the responsibility of power across cultural mythologies."
"I'd appreciate that recommendation," Goku said sincerely.
She wrote down a few titles on a notepad and handed it to him. "These explore how different cultures have conceptualized the relationship between extraordinary abilities and moral obligations. I think you'll find them relevant to your interests."
"Thank you, Professor."
She nodded, then added almost casually, "You know, Mr. Son, Gotham can be a challenging environment for raising young people.
If you or your siblings ever need additional support or resources, the university has connections with several excellent programs."
The offer was delivered neutrally, but Goku sensed something more behind it - a subtle acknowledgment that she recognized something unusual about him and was offering help in a way that maintained both their privacy.
"I appreciate that," he said carefully. "We're managing well, but it's good to know resources are available if needed."
"My door is always open," she said with a smile that transformed her serious demeanor. "Not just for academic matters."
Goku thanked her again and left, feeling both unsettled and reassured by the interaction. Professor Winters had clearly sensed something different about him, but her response had been to offer support rather than suspicion.
As he crossed the campus toward the library, where he planned to study until it was time to pick up the teenagers from school, his phone buzzed with a text from Mark:
Training tonight? Feeling stronger today. Want to test limits.
Goku smiled slightly. Mark's enthusiasm for developing his abilities was encouraging, though tempered by an understandable impatience to help his mother.
Finding the right balance - pushing Mark to grow while ensuring he developed the control and wisdom to use his powers responsibly - was Goku's primary focus these days.
Yes. After dinner. Remote location. Bring durable clothes. he texted back.
Another text came through immediately after, this one from Vic:
O'Neil's at 9. Be there or be square, physics boy.
Goku considered his schedule.
If he picked up the teenagers at 3:30, supervised homework until 5:00, prepared dinner by 6:00, trained with Mark from 7:00 to 8:30, he could potentially make it to O'Neil's by 9:15.
It would be a tight schedule, but manageable.
Will try, he responded, unwilling to commit fully yet.
His phone buzzed once more, and this time the name on the screen made him pause: Sonia Branch. His ex-girlfriend from his first year at Gotham University.
Their relationship had been brief but intense - a connection that had begun under pressure but evolved into something that surprised him with its complexity.
Hey stranger. Heard you might be at O'Neil's tonight. Would be nice to catch up.
Goku stared at the message, memories flooding back. He had never intended to start dating when he did.
It had been Mark who first brought up the idea, constantly encouraging him to "have a life outside of us kids." Mark had been relentless, insisting that Goku deserved happiness and normalcy beyond his role as their guardian.
Lelouch had joined the campaign, though for different reasons.
Before his memories returned, teenage Lelouch had chafed under adult supervision and saw a girlfriend as a convenient distraction that would give him more independence.
"You're nineteen, not forty," Lelouch had said. "You shouldn't spend every evening helping with homework and making dinner."
Only Mikasa had been cautious, pulling Goku aside one evening with characteristic directness. "Don't date someone just because Mark and Lelouch think you should," she had warned.
"That's not fair to you or to her. Wait until you actually fall for someone naturally."
But he hadn't listened.
Caught between Mark's enthusiasm, Lelouch's encouragement, and his own curiosity about normal human experiences, he had allowed himself to be set up on a date with Sonia Branch, a business administration student he'd met at a university function.
Sonia had been beautiful, sophisticated, and seemingly kind - the daughter of Oswald Chesterfield Cobblepot,
a Gotham multi-millionaire (who now remembering his first life knows to be the Penguin, which makes his later decision all the more wise), though she used her mother's maiden name.
Their relationship had progressed quickly, with Sonia showing interest in his philosophical ideas and seeming to understand his dedication to his siblings.
But as weeks passed, subtle warning signs emerged. Sonia's texts became more frequent, her questions about his whereabouts more pointed.
She began showing up unannounced at the townhouse. What had initially seemed like enthusiasm for his company gradually revealed itself as possessiveness.
The breaking point came when he canceled a dinner at her father's estate to stay home with Mikasa, who had fallen ill with a high fever.
Sonia's reaction - cold anger followed by tearful accusations that he didn't truly care for her - had made it clear that she would never accept coming second to his family responsibilities.
He had ended things before their relationship progressed to physical intimacy, a decision that had clearly surprised and angered her.
"No one breaks up with me," she had said, her voice suddenly harder, revealing a glimpse of something else beneath the seemingly kind exterior.
In the months since, she had made several attempts to reconnect, each approach carefully casual yet somehow intense.
Goku had maintained polite distance, aware that Sonia Branch was not someone who accepted rejection easily.
Sorry, can't make it tonight. Family plans, he texted back after careful consideration, deciding that seeing her again would unnecessarily complicate things.
Her response came quickly: Family first, always. Raincheck then. Miss our talks.
Goku gazed at the phone with a slight frown. Mikasa had been right all along - a lesson in listening to the quiet, observant one in the family.
Since regaining his memories, Lelouch had actually apologized for his earlier encouragement, having recognized the wisdom in Mikasa's caution.
"Why do I get the feeling like I'm somehow a crazy chick magnet?" Goku muttered to himself as he put the phone away - his formality slipping as his annoyance heightened.
And boy, oh boy, does he not know how right he is.
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(Author note: Hello everyone! I hope you all liked the chapter!
Do tell me how you found it.
Also, for those who know my other fics, you should get the reference in Goku's last words (as he is still Samael).
So yeah, I hope to see you all later,
Bye!)