"Omega!" Uyama shouted through the walls of his dark room. Silence returned until Omega's voice rang out. "Yes, Uyama?"

Uyama smiled and lowered his tone, "Go ahead and open the door, I got an errand for you to run if you don't mind." Omega opened the door, letting light into the room, his face scrunched up as he peered inside at Uyama's desk, where his lamp shone a dim light. "Would you mind going to the store and getting me some paper? I'm really running dry, as you can tell." Omega nodded slowly, his face still scrunched up, "Where's your wallet?" Uyama's lit up for a moment as he reached into his wooden cabinet. He pulled out an earthy-colored wallet and threw it to Omega, "Thanks, soldier!" Uyama yelled as Omega shifted away from the door. Darkness returned to the room.

"Weird kid, huh?" A dry voice rang out in the darkness. Uyama put down his pen and stood up from his chair. "How long have you been in my room?" He turned the light on and scanned the room.

"Oh, not long. Why, you scared of me?" He was still unable to be seen anywhere in the room.

"I've been curious ever since JanuEri, so answer this question for me please: Why are you still here?" Uyama sat back down in his chair and picked up his pen again.

"Couldn't you find out yourself, smart guy?" A snake revealed itself wrapped around the knob of his room's door. Uyama stared at him through the corner of his eye, and his eyebrows furrowed, "Hm, I guess not."

Kuro snickered with his scratchy voice, "Looks like the "Man of Truth" really does have his limits. Anyway, I have something to show you." Uyama looked him up and down and chuckled, "Well, it sure doesn't look like you have anything on you. Are you messing with me?"

Kuro slithered down the door without a sound, still eyeing him as he reached the ground. Uyama's nose crumpled up, Man, I'm gonna have to clean that. And come to think of it, this whole damn house!

Kuro morphed back into his human form, his shaggy hair even messier than earlier. He raised his hand and knocked on his own head, "The "something" is in here, obviously. You're getting slow already."

"Alright then, out with it." Uyama muttered, still grimacing at the doorknob.

"Do you want to know why I wouldn't let you go down to the lower levels of the Gila?" Kuro asked. With his new dark tone, an even darker feeling spread throughout Uyama. Well then, he thought as he loosened his shoulders, trying to look unfazed, this'll be more serious than I thought.

"Why?"

Kuro grinned and tapped his temple, "Go ahead and work your magic."

Uyama looked at him from the corner of his eyes, up and down. Man, what is wrong with this guy?

His eyes met Kuro's and he felt himself be sucked into a vision. Uyama saw it all in the matter of seconds, even less, the engine, the pirates, and the moments before. His eyes were unfocused for just a second, then they snapped back to Kuro, who was still standing there. Something's wrong here, something's missing. Its like I was watching edited footage. The pirates in the lower levels were already on the floor, but he wasn't there until after they were beat. But it didn't notify me that something had been blocked.

"You wouldn't..." Uyama grabbed his another sheet of paper and began to write down his findings, "You wouldn't happen to have left some parts of this out, right?"

Kuro looked at the back of his head as he wrote. Intrusive thoughts circled his mind, even with his straight face.

"No, I wouldn't, Truthseeker."

Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author.

That's not a lie either... is my power working right? Uyama rubbed his forehead, drenched with sweat.

"You know, I'm actually surprised you could take this information so easily. Doesn't it feel heavy on your psyche?"

Uyama waved Kuro off and groaned, "How is that important? My brain just works differently than others when I use my power. Now if that's it, then just go."

"Well isn't that vague," Kuro mumbled as he turned to exit the room, "Whatever, do what you want with that info, but there has to be an exchange. I show you the details, you don't share the details to the kid. Should be easy, right?"

"He's not a kid." Uyama glared at him as he walked out the door.

Kuro tilted his head as if to say "Fair point." He turned to face Uyama, doorknob in hand, "But psychologically, he isn't even a month old, is he?" He smirked as the door closed, and Uyama's room returned to silence and darkness. His face illuminated by his desk lamp, he returned to his work.

He felt around in his white shirt pocket, and found nothing. Uyama laughed thinly, "Pretty smart for a couple of weeks old."

———

Enjō's sneakers crunched on the sandy trail in his old neighborhood. He covered his face with his hoodie, hopefully inconspicuously. The worst outcome is someone recognizing him. As much as he didn't want to be here, memories started to flow in his head. He recognized trees he used to climb to get away from other kids, or dogs. A few people he recognized as his former schoolmates, who didn't really seem well off. Then he came to his old street. The air felt still, the only sign of life being in the stench of dog poop in the air. Either nobody wanted to go out today, or there was no one left to go outside. Enjō walked up to his house by the sidewalk when he saw a woman on the front porch. As soon as she turned her face towards Enjō, he hid behind another house's sticky, unkept walls. His lungs already breathing heavy, he perked his eye out to glance at her again. Phew, she didn't see me.

Enjō slid down onto the grass with a splash. His body shook grossly as he jumped up. Ew! What the hell?! Shit, it rained last night! He sighed and wiped his the dirt and mud from his pants. Wait. He glanced around the corner again and analyzed the woman's face. That's my-that's my aunt! Why the hell is she still around?! After waiting a while around the corner, he heard heals clacking against the concrete. They grew louder and louder, and Enjō grimaced as he stretched the fabric of his hood to cover his face and pulled on its strings.

"See, I thought I saw somethin'," His aunt sighed. Enjō tried to play off his shaking fingers tugging at his strings, Just leave already! "Were you lookin' to mug me?" She nearly yelled, but then—effortlessly—changed the atmosphere as she ran her hand through her curly hair, "Or were you lookin' at something else?" She posed with the back of her hands on her cheeks.

Eeeew! What have I gotten myself into, man?! My own auntie?! His left eye, which peaked through the hood nearly squeezed shut from looking at her.

"Well, you are gettin' neither, little man. Plus, I bet you're a bit too young for me anyway." She turned to walk away when she stopped, "Also, not a great block for your heists. I'd go some other place if I were you, man. This block isn't safe."

And with a shake of her head she finally strutted away. Enjō let his hood fall off his head and sighed. "I was getting baked in there, man." He groaned to himself.

But why was she even here though? Does someone still live here? He thought as he stood up, hands in his pockets. Walking up the porch, the creaks even felt oddly familiar. As much as he remembered about the neighborhood, his old, seemingly abandoned home felt only familiar.

The door looked and sounded the same too. He opened it and looked inside. Despite it not being too old, the interior felt grey—dead. The ceiling fan had layers on layers of dust sitting on it. Some bugs conquered the fruit basket, and dirty footprints were still on the kitchen floor. Damn, what was auntie doing here? No way she went into this dump, Enjō thought as he scoured through the trashy house. Eventually, he met the door of his fathers room.

Heh, my crayon drawings are still on the front of his door. He wouldn't let me in, just cuz he wouldn't want me to see what he worked on, Enjō thought as he grabbed the handle of the door, I guess that all changes now.