The whistling of the wind through a forgotten village blows by as a young Hiro stares at a woman with a young girl in tow. Kyoko and her mother like they were so long ago stare back at him. One with love and the other with hate. Kyoko’s mother stares back at him with a seething hate. Hiro never knew if that hate was for him or the woman standing by his side. Why would anyone hate his mother. Why would anyone hate him.

The only thing a young Hiro knew was that when Kyoko was around those seething eyes her light shun a little dimmer.

The muffled sound of music surrounds Hiro and Kyoko’s mother as they stare at one another in disbelief. The destruction and horrors he faced that day ring in his ears as he glares at the familiar face. A similar look of shock stares back at him.

“You’re not really…” She can’t even get her words out as she runs out of the booth.

Hiro sits alone as his breathing grows louder. A sea of voices and screams flow through his head as he begins to wince in pain. Through the cacophony of tortured cries, a soft voice calls to him.

“Hiro…”

“Hiro…”

“Hiro!” He jolts out of his trance as he stares straight into a familiar set of sparkling blue eyes.

The face of Kyoko shines down at him smiling.

“Wake up dummy”

The fresh breeze blows past Hiro as the grass taps against his skin. The sounds of a distant home chime from afar as Hiro remains still on the ground. The shaking breath soothes as Kyoko places her hands on either side of his face. She begins to lean down towards him until her face sits just above his.

She lightly kisses him on the forehead before softly whispering in his ear

“Wake up…”

Hiro lies unmoving as she places her forehead on his, “Find me please…”

Hiro smiles as he looks upwards to her. A tear rolls down his cheek as the face he so desperately wants to see again slowly fades.

“Are you ok?” An unfamiliar voice replaces Kyoko’s as he looks upwards at an older woman.

“You passed out in one of our booths… she wasn’t THAT good, was she?”

Hiro springs upwards as he looks around at a long room with rows of mirrors lining the walls. A group of women surround him with worried expressions written on their faces.

“Where is she?” Hiro looks around not seeing Kyoko’s mother in the wall of women surrounding him.

“You mean Makoto? She left just after you passed out… she told us to go and help you”

“Makoto?” It wasn’t a name he had ever heard before but before he had any time to even dwell on it he realised that she might know where Kyoko is.

He jumps up to the shock of the woman and sprints towards the door. He runs out into the streets in search of Kyoko’s mother and for any information on her. The crowded streets of the entertainment district stare him in the eyes as he worries about losing this one lead towards finding her.

Zero rushes through the crowds calling for Hiro. Her voice carries less and less hope with every shout. Asahi darts through the waves of people and tries to avoid the bars as he searches. The beer calls to him, but his desire is overpowered by his genuine guilt and worry for Hiro.

As time passes and the moon begins to once again hide behind the large overhanging stone and the dancing and singing in the streets finally calm Zero looks upwards in desperation. Asahi drops to his knees beside her as he can’t even apologise through his deep breaths of exhaustion.

Zero drops her head into her hands as the two sit hopelessly on the steps of a closing building as the sunrise begins to peer into the entertainment district. Empty bottles, trash, half eaten food and pieces of clothing paint the streets as the once bouncing surroundings calm to a silence. The two hear a shout in the distance and pounce up.

Distant chatter slowly quiets as the tapping of heels meets the silence of the streets. Kyoko’s mother makes her way home glancing around nervously. Just as she sighs thinking she’s in the clear a familiar boy sits on the stairs into her building.

Before she can leave Hiro looks over at her with sorrowful eyes. She’s taken aback slightly by the sadness his face exudes.

“Where is she?” His voice is soft as the sun beams off of his face. His hair hangs over his face and almost looks as rough as his clothes do from all the running around.

Kyoko sighs with frustration as she turns back towards him, “I hate your family you know that…”

Hiro looks at her with a smile as the orange glow of the sun beckons her towards him. She cautiously sits beside him.

“I don’t know where she is” She refuses to look Hiro’s way again as the words leave her mouth.

“You haven’t tried to find her?” Hiro looks up at the back of her head with disappointment

“No…”

“Why?”

Silence follows his question as they both sit. Hiro grows slightly angered by the long pause as she refuses to look his way. “Why haven’t you looked for her?”

She stands quickly trying to avoid the question before Hiro grabs hold of her arm.

“Let me go…”

“Why didn’t you look for Kyoko” Hiro stands pulling at her trying to get her to turn towards him.

“Leave me alone Hiro” Her voice cracks as she tries pulling away from him.

Stolen from its rightful place, this narrative is not meant to be on Amazon; report any sightings.

“WHY?!?”

She whips back around towards him. Tears stream down her face making Hiro step back in shock. She almost tries to hold the words back before holding her chest tightly.

“Because I chose to give her away…”

Hiro reels back in confusion and anger as he takes a few more steps away from her. More tears begin to flow as she stands in the doorway. Hiro can’t even begin to understand what she meant as he glares at her.

“And… I’m happier without her”

Those words pierce through Hiro’s soul like a dagger. While it crushes Hiro it lifts a weight from her mother’s chest as she begins to wipe the tears from her face and she looks back at Hiro.

“You what?” He stands in the empty street staring up at her trying to figure out what she could’ve meant.

The teary guilt-ridden face gives way to one of anger as she points towards a broken Hiro. “You truly are your mother’s son… You can’t keep your nose out of other people ‘s business”

The mention of his mother annoys Hiro. He clenches his fist as he looks up at the woman with fury swirling in his eyes. She reaches into her dress as she pulls out a strange looking cross and aims it towards Hiro.

“Now stay away from me… Don’t make me use this” She looks serious as she points it towards him.

Hiro looks confused until he hears a familiar clinking of armour coming towards him. Asahi grabs him in for a hug and swings him around. “Oh, Hiro thank the gods you’re ok”

Zero grabs him by the shirt and shakes him back in forth shouting at him before noticing the despair in his face. Asahi and Zero look at him as he stands looking towards the floor.

“Who the hell are you two!”

Asahi looks towards the woman as she points the cross at them. He tilts his head to the side confused however Zero doesn’t look. She remains holding onto Hiro.

Asahi looks at the cross and then back at the woman before him. “Brown hair… she’s around the right height… she’s got the slight scar on her arm” His face lights up “We found her already! Well done Hiro!”

Asahi looks confused as instead of the happy cheers he was expecting both Hiro and Zero look the picture of despair. “Guys?”

“W-W-Who are you?!?” Kyoko’s mother is panicked as she takes small steps backwards away from Asahi.

“R-Right I’m Asahi and your being taken in by the Yoshida’s” The mere mention of the Yoshida name sends Kyoko’s mother into a spiral. Asahi watches as her heavy breathing only grows louder. “C-Calm down I’m su-“

She swings the cross towards them as out of nothing a large group of cloaked figures form Infront of them. Asahi raises an eyebrow as the figures walk towards them. Just as he goes to laugh his eyes shine bright and he just gets out of the way of a swift kick.

Kyoko’s mother begins sprinting away from them as Asahi curses in frustration, “Damn I thought she wasn’t supposed to be a child of the gods?” His brief time to think is cut short with a barrage of strikes from the figures with speed. His power allows him to barely dodge them.

He swings his head backwards towards the other two as he realises Zero running after Kyoko’s mother. He sighs At least she is still with the mission

Hiro on the other hand can only watch as she run away as he stands with despair washing over him. Before he can grow any sadder however a figure forms behind him and slams its fist into his face from behind.

Asahi grabs him as he falls to the ground and whips him onto his shoulders “Hiro? You still with me?”

“Uh… yeah my face hurts though”

“Whatever it is that’s hurting you we can deal with it later together”

Hiro smiles as he rubs his cheek against Asahi's to his displeasure. "Aww ok..." Through his joking nature sizzles his genuine relief to see Asahi and to hear his words.

Asahi blushes as he grows embarrassed. “What are you? like twelve?” Hiro laughs through his pain as Asahi gets into a fighting stance. The figures all surround them in a circle as he sighs.

They all charge at him at once as Asahi’s eyes dart to every single movement each of them makes. A barrage of attacks fly towards Asahi as he swerves and dodges every single one like a leaf through wind. He dances around every potentially dangerous attack towards him and Hiro.

Visions of future attacks paint Asahi’s sight. This was his gift from his god. Hiro swings around on Asahi’s shoulders in awe of his every movement barely keeping up with the pace of the fight.

As Asahi takes his first real swing at the figures his fist crashes against a familiar feeling. As his fist connects with one of the figures faces, chunks of wood fly off and tap against the ground before disappearing into a red mist.

They’re not real people then huh?

As the thought leaves Asahi’s mind and his concentration wavers a wooden fist slams into his jaw knocking him off balance.

He wipes the spit from his mouth as he laughs. He stands confidently as he faces the group of wooden soldiers.

Hiro is completely taken aback by the increase in speed with every step. Asahi’s punches are harder, his feet are moving quicker, and his eyes are darting side to side at an unbelievable pace. As every attack flies, they’re way Asahi darts out the way and lands a punch of his own.

Even as his hands bleed from the wood stabbing into him he doesn’t even feel it as he chips away at each of the wooden figures’ bodies.

Zero dashes after Kyoko’s mother through the streets. More figures form before her but she swipes them down as fast as they arrive. Her eyes pierce through even her armour as she stares down her target.

Kyoko’s mother can only helplessly scream at the monster slowly gaining on her. The countless wooden defenders aren’t working, and she screams downwards at the cross.

“Work you piece of shit!” Her scream rings through the empty streets as Zero’s hunger for her target grows.

The cobblestone of the underground gives way to an angelic green carpet above the stone. The crashing of Zero’s armour against the solid ground becomes soft. It becomes slower as her target falls to the ground in front of her.

She scrapes at the soft grass to get away from the armoured demon standing over her. Her breathing shakes almost as much as her body as black tears stroll down her face.

The fiery red of Zero’s eyes give way to a stinging blue as the rising sun beams off the white and gold armour. Kyoko’s mother can only raise her hands and plead for her to stop.

“Please! Don’t let me be taken by the Yoshida!” Her pathetic cries for mercy are unheard by an unwavering Zero as she stands above the woman oozing with anger.

Asahi and Hiro arrive above the rock as they see Zero standing over Kyoko’s mother. A large group of those wooden soldiers are slowly converging on Zero. Asahi balls his fist and springs into another fight despite his exhaustion. The ensuing fighting goes ignored by Zero as she stares down their target.

“You…”

Zero’s voice is cold and stern as her glistening blue eye peers through the golden slit of her helmet.

“You’re her mother…”

Kyoko’s mother’s eyes widen and shake as the sun rises behind her.

“You’re Kyoko’s mother...”

Hearing her daughters name from a cold and unfamiliar voice only scares Kyoko’s mother more.

“H-How do you know my daughter?” Her voice cracks under the presence and pressure of Zero standing above her.

Just behind them Asahi struggles against the growing numbers of the wooden soldiers. Hiro holds on for dear life unable to even open his eyes just is the pace of the fight.

“Zero!”

The shout from Asahi knocks Zero out of her trance as she looks back at the two of them in trouble. She grabs Kyoko’s mother by the arm and yanks her upwards. She points towards the soldiers and forms a blade towards her neck.

“L-Leave me alone!”

As Asahi and Hiro fall deeper into danger Zero forces the blade closer to her neck only causing her to panic more creating more soldiers who begin to beat Asahi around as he protects Hiro.

Hiro and Asahi fall to the ground as the large group of wooden soldiers begin to surround them. Asahi bleeds from his mouth as Hiro tries his best to be of some help. He throws himself in the way of Asahi trying to protect him. Just as he winces and prepares to be hurt the wooden soldiers dissipate into a red mist.

Hiro’s face goes blank in confusion as he looks around to see the danger is gone. Asahi looks just as lost as the two look at one another.

Their eyes are then forced towards Zero and Kyoko’s mother as they hear a gut-wrenching laugh. A laugh that makes their blood curl. Kyoko’s mother cries as she laughs. She drops to her knees as Zero’s feet as she slams the wooden cross into the ground. Those hateful eyes return and pierce into Hiro’s soul as she glares his way.

The hateful swirling in her eyes is accompanied by a laugh of pure horror. Hiro steps back before Zero places her hand on his shoulder.

Her voice is soft and inviting, “Let’s go…”

She holds the cross in her grasp as she walks away. Asahi and Hiro look at one another not knowing what just happened. They look back at the mess that is Kyoko’s mother lying on the edge of the rock as the sun rises over her.

As silence falls and the wind blows by, Hiro and Asahi follow the glowing armour as their job seems finished.