The plain, white void.
Although nothing being recognizable, the void itself was starting to be. The void then faded out to simply be the shine of a bright light above Akino. His eyes adjusted, the light growing less blinding until he was able make out a handful of shadows encircling him. The shadows tightened and solidified into identifiable people.
Makina, Hideyo, The Royal Ambassador, Kiku, Asuka, two guards.
Matoi.
Akino groaned quietly as he tried to move his body out of the thin white sheets and wires attached to him.
"Are you sure he's going to wake up," Matoi asked.
Akino turned his head to see the people more clearly. Matoi had her back turned to him, facing the Royal Ambassador.
"His vitals have been improving everyday. Trust me, he should be awake any moment," the Royal Ambassador consoled.
Kiku turned her head to glance at him. Her face lit up with charm as she chanted his name, pointing at him. "Akino, Akino! His eyes are open, he's awake!" She frowned. "That is his name, right?"
Matoi spun her head around, her hair twirling with it. Her cheeks reddened and her eyes sparkled with joy before she collapsed onto him, hugging him tight. "Akino! I'm so glad you're alive, I wouldn't know what I would have had to say to Sakagami if anything happened to you." She lifted herself off of him. "It's all my fault, I wasn't there to protect y-…"
She noticed.
Akino wasn't looking her in the eye. There wasn't even a smile.
Matoi backed away, eyebrows slanted in shame.
"Hey," Makina greeted, "what the hell did you pull back there? You know, whatever the fuck you did three days ago?"
The Royal Ambassador nudged Hideyo, prompting her to smash her heeled boot into Makina's foot, sending her stumbling back a few steps.
"Sh-, fine," Makina said, composing herself.
The Royal Ambassador stepped forward, a remote-looking item in her hand.
"Greetings, Mr. Sakagami. I am Division-A's leader, the Royal Ambassador. You may refer to me now as Hetsu Koboshi, since we are already quite familiar with each other already."
Akino looked up at her, shocked.
"Here I have a recorder." Hetsu lifted and opened her hand, revealing the device. "It directly transmits everything it records to the Grand Hall's Division of Human Knowledge and Preservation Bureau. Whatever you say, I say, or anyone in the room says, it will be exposed to the ears of your leaders."
Akino slouched back in the bed, feeling defeated.
"However, this is only a protocol. Everything you say is confidential and stays between us and the Bureau," Hetsu said, somewhat comforting him. "If you comply, you will be in no immediate danger. If you deny, you will be arrested and tossed into the worst of prisons that Division-A has to offer."
The faces of everyone were riddled with anxiety, not disbelief. Akino took note of this, acknowledging that this wasn't a simple threat, but rather fact. He swallowed his doubts and nodded feebly. "I," he coughed, adjusting his voice, "I comply."
Hetsu pressed the button on the recorder.
"How long do you think you've been asleep?"
"Ah… a few days?"
"How long have you known Makina?"
"A month, maybe?"
"How many times have you meddled in her operations, intentionally or not?"
"…three…?"
"Alright," Hetsu made eye contact with him, "tell me what you know about Omegas and Compactors. Everything."
Akino felt all eyes on him, all except Matoi, who kept her gaze to the floor. He swallowed, sitting up from the bed. "I first found out about them earlier this month. I was out of pills… so I went to Sakagami's part of the house."
"Your mother?"
"…yeah. So, when I was coming back, I heard an explosion. All of a sudden, I started smelling something like flesh, so… I went to check it out. I didn't know what to expect, but it wasn't that. The Compactor attacked me, but the only reason it didn't eat me… was because Makina saved me."
Makina looked away.
"Her eyes, her aroma, everything about her stuck with me and filled me with questions, more so than the Compactor did. I tried asking her questions at school. My friend thinks he knows a lot about them; Omegas and Compactors, and I wanted to confirm my suspicions. So, I followed Makina around, interrogating her. I didn't get many answers though, just more questions."
Hetsu lifted the recorder closer to Akino. "What were some of your questions?"
'Now is my chance, I can ask her about my dreams. Wait, no, what if… no, this isn't a question she could answer. At least not one without me getting in even deeper crap than I already am. I can't… especially not while everyone is here… and when the rest of the government is listening.'
"I wanted to know… if the Omegas were terrorists. I wanted to know if the Compactors were really flattening the East Districts and the North District a few years ago. I wanted to know how all signs of Omega and Compactors existing were hidden so well and so fast. I… also wanted to know if Makina and Matoi knew each other."
The weight of the air seemed heavier than ever.
"Is that all? Have you not once asked yourself if you're human or not?"
…
Akino's stomach dropped. His breathing came to a painful halt as his lungs tightened in terror. Cold droplets of sweat rolled down his forehead as his limbs went numb, all blood rushing to his forehead.
'What? Does she know about the man in my dreams?! How in the hell could she know that?!!'
"You seem confused," Hetsu pointed out. "Three days ago, you ran into the street, fleeing from my men as you searched for Matoi. Do you remember that?"
Akino nodded, suspicious.
"Well, a few moments later, as Makina and Matoi were in pursuit of a wild Compactor, they came across your decapitated head and that very Compactor feasting on your body. Do you remember that?"
Shivers traveled through his body as Akino's memory started losing track of Hetsu's progression, prompting him to shake his head in denial.
"No? Well, an hour or so later, your body started evaporating and instead developed under your head in Matoi's arms. In other words, you regenerated from a fatal attack. Do you remember this, Akino?"
Stunned and in utter shock, he shook his head.
'That… is that what happened… while I was in that void… in that dream with that man? With Sakagami?'
"That power," Hetsu said, "is only in Omegas and Compactors, not humans."
Akino covered his mouth, about to throw up.
"Do you see where I'm going with this, Akino? I have reason to believe that you aren't entirely human. Normally under these circumstances, you'd simply be killed or thrown into isolation," Hetsu confessed, "but you have ties to these girls now."
The blue and purpled haired boy looked up at his surroundings, his formerly bright and energetic yellow eyes now unsaturated and dull. Makina stood off to the side, leaning against a wall, staring him down. Kiku clung to Asuka's arm, both watching him in anticipation. Matoi was in the back, her bangs hiding her obvious shameful expression. Hideyo, with her hands behind her back, stood beside Hetsu, who stood tall in comparison. Beside the door were two identical men with guns and white uniforms.
"So, I'm going to ask you a question I've asked all too many times before, but never to someone like you, Akino," Hetsu said, her tone changing. "Do you wish to join us in our efforts?"
Akino looked down to the tiled floors, his vision blurring again.
"-to join us in fighting Compactors and keeping Division-A safe."
Her voice echoed through Akino's ear drum as if she were talking underwater. Everyone was drowned out.
'…join them… in fighting those monsters…'
"Master," Asuka said, leaning over to make eye contact, "I think we should let him rest, he looks unwell."
"So be it." Hetsu pressed the button on the recorder, shutting off the broadcast. "You are free to go home, return in a few days for an evaluation, we'll work the kinks out with the nurse later. And don't worry about your mother, she believes you're in the hospital after getting harmed going outside. She does not know about the situation you're in. About your question regarding how all traces of Omegas and Compactors disappear; it's my men. They're very good at keeping what we do here a secret, don't you, boys?" She looked towards the men by the doorway. They nodded. "Stay safe on your way home, Akino Sakagami."
Hetsu walked out the door with Hideyo following. Asuka and Kiku walked up to him, who still sat slouched over the edge of the bed in shock.
"I'm Kiku, by the way," the girl introduced.
"I'm Asuka," she replied, "it's nice to meet you. I look forward to seeing you in the future."
The two walked out with Makina, leaving Matoi and Akino alone in the room together.
The two stood facing each other but without eye contact, the vibrations from the ventilators making the only sound in the room. Akino straightened his back, his eyes still locked on the corner of the doorway. With a deep sigh, he closed his eyes and opened them to look at Matoi. She did the same, looking back at him.
Akino shook his head and ruffled his already messy bed hair. "I'm sorry."
"No," Matoi interrupted, "I'm sorry."
"Look…," Akino continued.
"I'm sorry," Matoi repeated. "I'll do anything. I'll do whatever you want if you forgive me."
Akino narrowed his eyes. "Forgive you? For what?"
Matoi deflated like a balloon being popped. Leaning against the wall pathetically, rubbing her hands over her face and through her hair, she answered, "for everything! For going behind your back, for keeping this a secret, for… for not protecting you when I should have."
Akino sighed.
"What do you want from me? Do you want answers?" Matoi paced around the room, bothered. "Do you want to know how the core system works? Do you want to know what training was like? Do you want to know why we where these clothes, I-"
"How did you do it?" Akino asked pragmatically. "How did you become an Omega?"
Matoi slumped her shoulders. "I was Omega before. I was born as one like most others. My first memory was feeling my metallic skin. I didn't like it, so I took the surgery to turn back into a normal person." She noticed his judgmental face. "Look, a lot of girls do it, okay? Not everybody's purpose in life is to serve their government overlords."
"Then why?" Akino shook his head again, trying to understand- but already knowing the answer. "Why would you go back?"
"Ever since you met Makina I've been having regular meetings with Hetsu Koboshi."
"Is that why you started going a different route home?"
She nodded. "It was that morning, the day everything went to hell, that my surgery was completed. As soon as I found out you were in danger, I practically ran off the operation table to save you. I did this, became this thing, to protect you."
"Protect me from what?" He said accusingly. "Makina?"
Matoi blinked, ashamed. "Look…," she mumbled, "you've gotten yourself wrapped up in a situation you can't get out of without help. I can guarantee you that nobody here would have helped you besides me. For god's sake, Makina is the one that dragged you here, to the Grand Hall! I pleaded with her not to. And Hetsu is the one who forced you further into this mess, not me!"
The color in Akino's eyes returned. "It was my decision. I have my own motivations for getting involved with this, alright?!"
"What could possibly be a justifiable motivation for putting your own life at risk?!"
"The dreams!!! Okay?! I have visions of a man telling me to do things, and if I back out now, I might never get the answers I need!" Akino confessed, shouting as loud as he could with a voice gone unused for three days.
There was a long pause. Matoi lowered her head, looking at him sympathetically. "Dreams?"
Akino's head fell in dread. He clenched his sweaty palm, staring at it for a reasonable amount of time, frustrated with his impulsiveness. There was no talking his way out of this one.
"For years now, I've had this dream. It would start and end with the same thing; a purple light." He looked up, seeing Matoi leaned towards him, obviously intrigued. "In it, there would be this voice telling me things. I can't put together exactly what he's saying, but it has something to do with humans and this place."
Akino stood up for the first time in days, shocking Matoi and himself, partially. Balancing himself, he resumed. "That's why I've gotten involved. I feel like Makina, or Hetsu, or somebody has answers for me. As soon as I figure out what exactly I need to ask them, I will."
Matoi took a deep breath, processing his explanation. She shrugged, unable to conjure a direct reply. "Well, have you ever bothered to write that stuff down? I know you like journaling."
"Yeah," Akino answered, leaning on the wall to maintain balance. "I do, but a lot of the time nothing new happens. But last time…" Akino lifted his arm, noticing the polka dot pattern on his sleeve. "What?"
Matoi smiled tenderly. "Your clothes were all bloody so the nurse gave you some new ones and cleaned the others. It should be under the bed with the rest of your things."
Akino bent his knees, looking under the bed to see his uniform, ID card, and shoes neatly stacked on top of each other.
"Oh, before you go," Matoi mentioned, causing Akino to return his gaze back towards her, "you should go to the nurse across the hall and get a quick check-up. I told her you would."
He smiled awkwardly, pulling his clothes out into the open. "I will."
Matoi started out of the room before stopping in the doorway. Glancing back at him, she said, "be careful. I hope to see you again. Also, I'm sorry." Matoi left the room, disappearing from Akino's sight.
Sigh.
An hour or two later, the sun began creeping above the city skyline as morning approached. Chirping birds flew through the soft gradient of red and orange sky framed by streetlights and power lines. The reflective puddles of week old rainwater buried themselves deep in the holes of the empty four lane street Akino walked down. He stopped, absorbing the eerily relaxing atmosphere. A melancholic sense of dread pulled at his gut as he looked around. Not once before has Akino stood outside of his house during curfew without an imminent, deadly threat. That in it of itself had guilt and dread swell inside of him.
A refreshing breeze blew past him, kicking up his hair, revealing the desolation in his eyes. He lifted his hand, pressing the tips of his fingers against his neck, feeling the difference in texture and thickness of skin.
Shortly after, Akino found himself looming over the home toilet, heaving relentlessly. He struggled to catch his breath between hurls of imaginary vomit, body trembling before he eventually forced his churned stomach to spew itself into the toilet bowl. He crossed his arms over the rim of the seat and laid his head on it, breaking down into a quiet, restrained sob as the morning curfew bells of the city echoed through his house. Taking a deep breath, he lifted himself off of the floor and leaned against the tiled bathroom wall, holding his throbbing head.
"Akino?" Sakagami said from somewhere in the house before eventually peeking into the bathroom, the only room in the house with a light turned on. "Akino!"
Sakagami rushed into his arms, burying her face into his shoulder, tears glistening against her rosy cheeks. He smiled hesitantly, patting her back. Suddenly, the blonde lifted her head with a disgruntled expression, taking Akino aback.
"W-what?" Akino asked, furrowing his brows.
"H-have you brushed your teeth recently?" Sakagami mumbled, backing away from him.
Akino covered his mouth instinctively, blushing from embarrassment.
The mother delivered a heartfelt smile before stepping back into the hallway. "I'll give you some time."
As she walked away, Akino looked at himself in the mirror, forcing a smile upon himself as well.
"Oh," Sakagami said, peeking back into the bathroom, "I'm glad that the hospital released you, it's been quite lonely in this house."
After brushing his teeth and cleaning his face, Akino was eager to take a good days rest. He slid open his bedroom door as he removed the jacket of his school uniform from his body. He hung the jacket on a hanger and retreated to his lonesome bed. As he crept closer, he noticed a white cardboard box and a bottle of sleeping pills. He grabbed the pills and quickly set them on the table beside his bed, immediately flipping over the box afterwards. A genuine smile appeared on his face as he put his new phone on the side of the bed.
The student thought to himself as he unboxed the device. 'What have I done? What the hell have I done? If I wouldn't have meddled in other people's business, I wouldn't be in this situation. I wouldn't be working hand to hand with the government, my best friend wouldn't have given up her normal life, and I… I never would have discovered what the hell I really am. God damn it, what even am I?! I can't… I feel betrayed by my own body.' Akino glanced at his journal from across the room. 'But… I still have a destiny I need to fulfill… and I'd be damned if I gave up now.'
Akino powered on the phone. A cartoonish smiley face molded piece by piece into the screen before it faded into a neon blue 'A' symbol until it eventually welcomed Akino to his new device.
He inhaled all hesitance, promptly scrolling through his contacts, pressing Miki's avatar, and calling him. The sounds of chirping birds blended melodically with the ringing of the cell phone as Akino waited for his friend to answer. Much to Akino's disappointment, the call was forwarded to voicemail.
"Oh, uhm," he stammered, unprepared. "Hey, it's Akino. I just wanted to call and say that I'm back from the hospital and that I'm okay. I told Matoi already, but if you could, could you tell Yukino that I'm back too? I don't have her co-"
"Oh, hey Aki," Miki said, picking up the phone mid voicemail. "Sorry I didn't answer you, I don't answer anyone not saved in my contacts."
"Aki?" Akino lifted his feet up off the floor and got situated in his bed. "…and no, it's alright. This is a new phone, anyway."
"Oh, good!" Miki cheered. "So they let you out, huh? Does anything still hurt?"
Akino pushed a pillow under his head. "Uh yeah, I sprained my neck a little but I should be fine. I'm good enough to walk, at least."
Miki chuckled. "Do you have any memory of what happened before you were admitted?"
The sense of dread returned.
"No… No, I don't."
"Ha, what if you were, haha, abducted?" Miki chuckled again, his laugh carrying through his broken sentence. "Pfft, hahaha, like by an Omega?"
The corners of Akino's mouth lifted. "That would probably be way more interesting than what actually happened to me. Hey, look, after I'm healed up, do you want to get together? We could go somewhere with Yukino and… M-Matoi."
"Yeah, heh, that'd be great. That all depends on if you heal up before the lockdown ends, though. We aren't allowed to leave our houses until the government says so. It's kind of stupid, really."
"I'm sure it won't take long," Akino admitted.
"Hopefully not," Miki replied. "With all this free time on my hands, I've really been thinking a lot about things I shouldn't. Like I've been really thinking about the Omega girls, right? It's a crazy idea, but here me out: Yukino told me that Matoi has all those magazines cause she actually admires those things. So my conspiracy is what if Matoi is actually an Omega disguising herself as a student at our high school? Wouldn't that be cool?! It would be a great plot for a comic book or something. Hey, maybe I could make a comic book?"
Akino's smile quickly disappeared, replaced with a long, awkward silence. "Yeah. That… that would be cool. Hey, anyway, it was nice, Uhm, nice taking to you. Be sure to save my contact this time and tell Yukino I'm okay."
"Sure thing, Akino." Miki agreed in a sympathetic tone. "Make sure to rest up so the four of us can hang out later, okay?
"…yeah, okay. See you."
"Bye."