Kai: “I’ll be back in a jiffy to start your torture - just gotta run a quick errand..

Remember. Breakfast is an important meal of the day.” pinching out one of his marbles from the pouch in his pocket, he flicks his finger against it, getting perfect aim as it smacks the back of Tadashi’s head causing him to shrink back.

“Don’t forget to get that lazy ass up before I shove a dozen of these into it!”

Tadashi: “Ouch… Okay. Fine!” he grumbles, picking up the box of cereal and pulling it towards him across the table, eyes scanning over the map of Liberty as he did.

Tadashi Narration: “I didn’t realise there are more sections to Liberty. We might have more leeway than we thought.” emptying the cereal into the bowl, he poured from the jug of milk that had been left out, filling part of his bowl as he sat close to it and began to dig in. The TV merely a blur in the background until the words upon it caught his ears, causing Tadashi to lift up his head, turquoise eyes locking onto the screen.

Libertarian Reporter: “There’s…. There’s so much blood” the reporter cries, a pan view over the scene. The shaking camera stops over the individual whose glitch is charging up. Their body bulked up as crimson stains every inch of their frame. A bloodbath lay in its wake.

Tadashi’s eyes remained glued, his spoon quivering as it reached his mouth, the milk dribbling down his chin as he felt a charge of excitement shoot through him. Quickly, he scoops another couple of spoonfuls into his mouth before running off to his room. Tadashi can be seen darting back and forth between the tv screen and his room, hopping as he pulls on his socks, a jumper offering him that ‘just out of bed’ hair and finally some sneakers.

Tadashi: “They need me…I can do this… I’ve got this…I need to. Kai’s out. Daisuke - er…won’t be of any help.” whispering lowly to himself.

Stepping back in-front of the screen, he hovered over the table he had his breakfast on - moving the bowl to look over the map to locate the area. Fingertip tapping on the location. Another glance up as he hears the screaming from the reporter, blood stains the camera red.

Footsteps can be heard just as Tadashi makes a break for the door.

Daisuke: “What’s going on? I could hear scream-....

Tadashi?”

The front door is left open as Daisuke sleepily walks over, closing it, thinking nothing of it at first.

The boy runs down the street, visualising the map he had looked over. It wasn’t far from here, but he had to get there.

Tadashi narration: “I’m probably not ready… but I can’t.. I can’t just sit here. I have to do something. I was made for this!” he lept over one of the walls, landing on the other side before heading up an alleyway, his pace quickening with each step as he tapped into his speed.

The closer he was getting to the scene, the more screams could be heard. Panic taking over the crowd that had formed, the Military holding them back as Tadashi enters the scene.

Libertarian Military Police 1: “Stay clear”

Libertarian 1: “There may be people still alive in there”

Libertarian Military Police 2: “Don’t worry, citizens! If anyone in there is still alive, we will get them out safely”

Libertarian Military Police 3: “If anyone’s alive… are you kidding me? They’re all fucking dead, dumbass! Just look at this mess!”

Libertarian Military Police 2: “Shut up, you’ll cause more of an uproar, Kenny!”

In the midst of the crowd's uproar, Tadashi pushes his way through. Squeezing past a few protests on killing the person that’s created such a violent act. ‘KILL THAT SHELL’ is written on the banners. Using the force of his speed, Tadashi jumps into an opening, his feet colliding into the concrete forcing him into the air as he leapt over the makeshift barrier and landing on the other side - wobbling from the force of the impact as he hits the concrete.

Smeared blood laces the rubble, the building that was once there, now in partial ruin and in the midst of collapse with a few walls still standing.

Libertarian 3: “I see someone…”

This story is posted elsewhere by the author. Help them out by reading the authentic version.

Libertarian 2: “It’s a boy…what the fuck is he doing in there! Get the fuck down from there! You stupid bastard!”

Tadashi glances back, offering a smile beneath his hood.

Tadashi: “Leave this to me.” he points his thumb towards his chest before running in the direction of the blood.

Libertarian Military Police 3: “Get back!!! You’ll die!”

Libertarian 1: “It’ll kill him! Don’t follow him, or you’ll be next!”

BADUM, BADUM, BADUM… the loud thuds of his heart began to beat in his ears, his run slowing down as he reached a corner of the wall before peering round.

Tadashi Narration: “Well… Stuck in enemy territory, protecting the very enemies he was here to kill. What a great idea? ... Well that’s what Dasiuke would say…if he wasn’t too weak.”

Glancing around his eyes spot a sharp pipe sticking from the ground next to him, his fingers curling around the blunt end of the pipe as he slowly pulled it, removing it from what it had been embedded in. Breathing in slowly, he uses his senses, nostrils flaring but he isn’t quick enough when the attack happens.

CRACK

The collision of its fist catches into his shoulder just as Tadashi ducks his head to the side. Knocked back against the wall he’s crouching against, he quickly moves again just as the fist comes colliding into the brick, the wall crumbling with each blow, punching holes one after the other as he manages to dodge each attack.

THWACK

THWACK

THWACK

Tadashi: “Shit. You almost got me - almost. Unfortunately for you, you’re too slow!” he sings, giving the man a cheeky wink. Tadashi ducks away quickly from the next blow of his fist as it collides into the ground.

BOOM

Tadashi: “So, why are you doing this?” tilting his head from one side then the other, dodging the attack. Tadashi usually wasn’t one for talking, but for some reason a fight brought it out of him. Maybe he liked to annoy them?

The man didn’t speak at first, instead they stopped attacking - glaring down at the younger boy as blood dripped off his chin.

Shell: “I just know…that I have to. Nothing else…matters.” he launches again, fingers curling around the boy's jumper as Tadashi swipes the sharp end of the pipe, slamming it into the man's collarbone. Crimson splatters out of the wound. The man leans in, a grin widening, as his pupils become more faded with each blowing attack.

Shell: “That’s the best you can do? Ha. Your Trait is weak, boy. Just like all the rest. Pathetic weaklings, all of them!” he forces Tadashi to glance around, bodies are splayed in every direction, some ripped apart, clearly they had been played with by the monster. The Shell jerks him forward, forcing the pipe in further.

“I can’t die yet… but you…you can. And you will. Painfully.”

Tadashi sharply tugs away. Letting go of the pipe as his feet catch the ground, claws extending from his fingers as he raises both his hands against his sides.

Shell: “Tch. something’s different about you after all - got a taste of the ol’ bloodlust, huh? Got a monster in the making here.” he grunts, ripping the pipe from his collarbone as blood bursts from the wound.

Tadashi: “Stop!”

Tadashi growls, lunging forward, swiping his claws at him - his movement becoming evidently faster as he catches the man’s skin. The man darts back, forcing Tadashi to put force into the ground, leaping into the air, he slashes his claws at him as his hair grows in length, his teeth extending, eyes glowing in waves of green.

Tadashi: “I TOLD YOU TO STOP!!!” With each slash, his claws cut into the man's flesh, tearing it into ribbons but the man continued taking each attack, laughter erupting from the man’s lips.

Shell: “You see… I’m a monster too. You may hit hard…but I’ve been hit harder. And just a small tip - adults can hit harder than kids. You cannot stop mine” the man reaches forward, gripping Tadashi by the arm and hurling him over his shoulder causing the boy to collide with the building.

Winded, Tadashi slips down the brick and onto the ground as he grunts softly - coughing up blood. The Shell walks towards him but stops, another memory triggered causing his hand to reach against his forehead, brows furrowing tight.

Shell: “The voices…they just won’t stop…SHUT UP!” he murmurs “No, I have to… do I have to…yes, I have to…” through the cracks of his fingers, his pupils fade, eyes now a red hollow, he focuses on Tadashi as a target. Running forward, his foot forcefully collided with Tadashi’s stomach.. Blood spurted from Tadashi’s mouth as the man repeatedly kicked him, causing Tadashi to coil in.

Tadashi Narration: “I need to get out of this… or else this fucking maniac will kick me to a bloody red pulp!” With each kick a pained cry escapes him, he swings one hand back before swiping forward, claws slice into the man’s calf causing him to yell and back down, giving Tadashi a second to readjust, getting back onto his feet. The moment he’s on his feet, there’s no time to react as the weight of the man’s hand curls around his neck, hoisting his body off the floor and into the air.

With his body dangling and no support, Tadashi struck his claws into the man’s arm, but there’s no movement, his claws now stuck as he kicked his legs to get out of the grip. The grip tightens.

Shell: “End of the line. Time to get off the train.”

The bloodshot in Tadashi’s eyes become more evident, fingers curling, forcing the claws in deeper as he attempts to use his strength, his teeth clench as he squirms from the grip, losing sight and focus the longer his neck is squeezed as the fingers clench around his jugular. Pan view of his eyes, the helpless look on Tadashi’s face as he gasps for air.

Tadashi Narration: “No… this can’t be how it ends… It just.. can’t”

Blackout.