We open on a young boy sitting at a table in a dimly lit room filled with books. On the table , we can see 5 or so stacks of old books , and a few open books filled with worn out diagrams of things such as the human body , planets , measurements for time , instructions for creating potions. The young boy sits with his legs folded , almost as if he is ashamed that his feet cannot touch the ground. In front of him lays a nine perfectly cut apple slices. They sit in the center of an alchemy circle of his own making , on a fresh sheet of paper. The boy stares directly at the slices for a number of moments. He closes his eyes and reaches his arm out towards them. He is now in deep concentration. The boy utters something that we cannot hear , and something happens. Suddenly there is a white light in the room. Something is happening to the apple. As if piece by piece , it is all coming back together. The boy we see here is in possession of time magic. He opens his eyes to see the apple whole again. His dark brown eyes light up in excitement , and he is filled with utter shock and amazement.
" I finally did it !" he says to himself " I can reverse time on my own !" He snatches the apple away from the circle and quickly runs to the door. When he opens it , there is a little girl waiting. Her dark brown hair is ruffled , and her brown eyes light up with a sense of comfort upon seeing the boy. She is holding a doll , once which would be considered new by modern standards. The boy kneels to the height of the young girl , and pats her on her head. He shows her the apple. " I did it. I finally did it." He lets out a smirk , and the girl smiles as well. " Well aren't you just joyful today." She observes the features of the apple with admiration " I'm proud of you. I'll be able to do something like that one day." The young boy laughs and hands her the apple. " Here , you can have it." He gets up and walks up a flight of stairs. He stops and turns around. The girl sitting on the floor is still observing the apple , while having a conversation with the doll - " Big Brother has been practicing a lot lately. I hope he doesn't hurt himself."
The boy on the stairs smiles , along with the appearance of heartfelt eyes " I won't Kaoru" and runs upstairs. He opens the door to a large room. In here , we see a bed , a desk , a few posters , a typewriter , three bookshelves , and about 6 or so pairs of shoes. On the desk there is a number of broken objects. " Now , what are we going to do about these ?" He picks up the pieces of a broken watch , and concentrates really hard on them. One by one , the broken pieces begin levitating in the air. One by one , they begin to move into place , all fitting together. When it is fully rebuild , the boy observes old carvings on the back of the watch. " These designs aren't fitting at all." he says to himself. He lays the watch on the table and closes his eyes. He reaches out to it , and enters a deep state of concentration. After a few moments , he opens his eyes and the watch is free of its former carvings. He puts it on his wrist , proud of his achievement. But when he tries to turn it on , it still doesn't work. " Well , I guess I have to work on that." he says in an almost disappointed tone. Just then , a woman calls his name from downstairs. " MITSUYA !!!" He instantly jumps up from the table. " YEAH MOM ??!!!", he shouts back. He quickly runs out of the room to the kitchen downstairs. " It's time for your martial arts lesson. Your dad is waiting in the car." Mitsuya takes the bag off of the back of the highchair at the table and calls for his sister. " KAORU" is shouted in his biggest voice , prompting her to instantly run down the stairs. In her hand she is holding a book - The Great Gatsby , Mitsuya's favorite book. " Where'd you get that from ?" he asks her.
" Your room. You really need to hide it better if you don't want me to find it." She says with a smirk.
" Whatever , as long as you put it back later." She happily nods her head and takes Mitsuya's hand. " We'll be back in a few hours , Mom."
" All right dear. Tell your father that I'm cooking tonight. No take out."
" Okay , mom. Love you." Mitsuya grabs Kaoru's hand and runs to the car. He is excited for the new adventure of the day. " It'll be fun today. I'll amaze everyone with my new magic."
The car ride there is silent. Kaoru falls asleep with the book in her hand , still on the first page. Mitsuya looks at her as he always does , and smiles a little bit. " Dad , how far are we ?"
" About 15 minutes. If there isn't any traffic." The man who answered is tall with dark eyes and straight brown hair. He is strongly built , with a series expression at all times. He is dressed professionally , almost as if today were a special occasion. Mitsuya , however , knows that this is how we always dresses. He doesn't let anything get in the way of his work. It's almost as if his life depends on it.
" Your sister told me about the apple. I see that your reversal magic is coming along well."
" Yeah , it is. I can show you later if you want." Mitsuya's eyes light up.
" That would be great son. I can't wait." He lets out a small smile. " But , remember what you were taught. If you use that magic in public , you'll be at risk of exposing all of us."
" I know Dad. I've been careful this entire time , nothing is going to change now."
" I'll rest assured in that." Mitsuya's dad mutters to himself, " We can't let that happen again." The rest of the car ride is silent. Mitsuya stares out the window , wondering about the outside world. " Why can't I show my magic to my friends again."
" Well son , that's a simple question with a simple answer. I'll make a reference so you can understand it better. Do you remember learning about the Spanish Inquisition ?"
" Yeah , heretics against Catholicism."
" In the beginning everyone was equal. A long time ago , select humans began to obtain special abilities. They refined this art in the Middle Ages based on their knowledge of the geological patterns of the Earth , and a basic understanding of life energy. After years of effort , these people were able to control their abilities with little difficulty. They called themselves the first mages. Many of them used their powers for good , but some used them for evil. Greed , corruption , power and things of the such all got in the way of a prosperous life. This would come to interrupt the peaceful living that the mages had with the humans. Though there is evidence to support genetic mutations that may be responsible for these abilities , many humans began to believe that our magic was created as a byproduct of Satan's mischievous actions. For hundreds of years we lived in silent conflict with one another. When the first World War broke out , the humans saw it as a chance to finally take down the mages. The creation of biological weapons began to counteract magic. For the next 20 years ,us mages remained in camps around the world , being subjected to harsh treatment. Until the next war , when they saw an opportunity to rebellion. However , after long battles and conflict , they were easily put down. Many mages were imprisoned , while others were publicly executed or used as test subjects. The ones who managed to escape were forced to go into hiding. We formed underground networks to ensure the survival of one another. And for the past 70 or so years , we have lived without magic in the public view. But we try our best to blend in with the regular population , avoiding conflict at all cost."
" So the Inquisition is like the story of the mages ?" Mitsuya asks.
" Well yes son , in a way it is."
" So what would happen if a human and a mage were to understand one another. Why can't that happen ? The world would be a much better place if we all people could live in happiness."
" I don't have an answer to that. Maybe that's just the way of the world , or maybe it was predestined. But there have been many attempts to fix our problems with the humans." He looks back at Mitsuya. " Maybe you will be the first person who actually succeeds. But if you try , you must remember one thing. All people are not created equal. I hope you know that. Who knows ? You've got the spirit to do it too" He smiles at Mitsuya
" That's a promise Dad. I won't go back on it." Mitsuya gives him a determined glare , and they both smile. He now has a mission , and he will not forget it. He'll do whatever it takes to change the way that the world is. And he will not stop until he achieves it. To his dad , it may simply be a child's promise , but Mitsuya is serious about this.
His dad enters an empty parking lot. Mitsuya wakes Kaoru and they walk to the center of the lot. No one is able to see them , because this area is protected by a special concealing boundary. To the public , they are invisible. Mitsuya's dad draws a large circle on the ground with a piece of chalk he had in his pocket and steps back.
" Can I do it , Dad ???" Mitsuya asks in an enthusiastic voice.
" Let your sister do it this time. She hasn't done it in a while. I'll let you do it next time." He smiles and pats Mitsuya on the head. He pouts and steps back. " That's a promise."
Kaoru hands the book to Mitsuya and confidently walks in front of the circle. She reaches out a hand towards the center of the circle and in her most enthusiastic voice yells " UNCOVER". Suddenly a large hole appears in the ground in place of the circle. Kaoru applauds " Ok , you first , Mitsuya." His dad says " Be careful. I don;t want you to sprain your arm again." Mitsuya gives him a deadly stare , but this prepares himself. He counts to 3 and jumps into the hole , all the while hysterically yelling. His dad turns to Kaoru and says " I think there's something wrong with your brother." Kaoru nods her head and they both laugh. Next Kaoru jumps down , followed by her father. The hole closes , blending with the pavement. Mitsuya , unsurprisingly , has almost broken his leg. Kaoru and his dad both hit the ground on their feet , and Kaoru lets out a big laugh at Mitsuya. Suddenly , a small flame is lit. A man appears before them - " Nice to see you Dazai. How're you doing today ?"
Mitsuya's dad walks towards him. He stands in front of him with a cold stare , as if he is about to punch him in the face. The man does the same , and his serious expression alarms Kaoru. Meanwhile Mitsuya sits on the floor shaking his head in disappointment. " They do this every time." he says. Suddenly , Dazai and the man hug each other , as if they were old friends. " It's been a while. You found a wife yet ?"
" No , unfortunately. I have too many women to choose from as of right now." The man laughs.
" Yeah , right Shigeo. You might want to settle down , you're almost 40 years old." Dazai says. They both laugh.
Dazai turns to Mitsuya and Kaoru. " Come say hello to your Uncle Shigeo. You haven't seen him in a few months."
" He's not my uncle though." Mitsuya says with a neutral expression.
" Come on , bro. You're just mad because he beats you in chess every time you see him."
" SHUT UP." Mitsuya yells at Kaoru. He gets up from the floor and walks pass Shigeo with his hand out. Shigeo gives him a high-five then turns to Dazai and says " Good kid. You're doing great.
" After 9 years and two kids , I think I've finally gotten ahold of it." Dazai shouts to Mitsuya and Kaoru , who're almost halfway down the hallway. " Do you kids know where to go ?"
At the same time they both yell. " YEAH , DAD. WE KNOW." and begin running down the hall. Dazai turns back to Shigeo.
" Where are they meeting ?" he says.
" In the library. Right now , they're having serious discussion. They said to come find you."
" We might have trouble. Hopefully I can work this out."
Shigeo touches the wall and reveals a secret door. He opens it to a large library , with several men of all different ages sitting at a table. They both enter , and the door automatically closes.
Meanwhile Kaoru and Mitsuya have entered a large dojo. Mitsuya is consumed by the smell of wood. On the walls are several large swords and knives , and pictures of previous students. " Why does Dad look like that ?" Kaoru says.
" He was probably strange as a kid. That's how you turned out like this." He applauds himself on his cleverness. However , Kaoru kicks him in his …
A young man of about 20 years old with blonde hair calls all of the children to the floor. They are told to sit around the rectangular floor. Mitsuya and Kaoru are now in their white uniforms , each with their arms behind their back. Several children remain standing. These are several of the best martial mages in the Osaka District of the Mage's Society. Mitsuya's name is shouted and he runs to the center of the floor , his hands behind his back. The young man shouts in his clearest voice - " MITSUYA NIETO REMAINS UNDEFEATED FOR THE FIFTH CONSECUTIVE WEEK. DOES HE HAVE ANY CHALLENGERS ?" No one raises their hand to challenge. Mitsuya bows his head with a smirk - " It's been a great day so far." But then one hand raises - Kaoru's. Mitsuya has his " Are you serious ?" face , but quietly accepts it. Kaoru goes to the center of the floor and they both enter their traditional stance. Kaoru laughs at him , and Mitsuya makes the first move.
Later that night , Mitsuya lays in bed unable to rest. He thinks of the promise that he made to his dad. Can he really be the one to unite the Mage World and the Human World ? Can he do it without any conflict ? From this moment on , he would go through tireless planning to achieve this dream. The day when everyone unites without hostility towards one another is the day that he can finally accept his place in the world.
Suddenly Mitsuya hears something downstairs. Almost as if someone is rummaging through the kitchen cabinets. He puts on his house shoes and quietly opens the door to his bedroom , as to not awake Kaoru , who is sleeping across the hall. She sleeps with her door open because she's still afraid of the dark. He tiptoes down the stairs , and hides behind the wall separating the kitchen from the family room. Though he's alert , he's too tired to notice everything that's going on. He peers a few inches passed the wall. If it's a burglar , he can just subdue them with martial arts , is what he's actually thinking. However , it isn't a burglar. It's just his dad.
" What are you doing up this late ?" Mitsuya asks.
His dad looks at him in shock , having not noticed that he was down there. Mitsuya notices that his face is one of sorrow. He's sad about something. Mitsuya notices that he is fully dressed , and a large suitcase sits on the top of the kitchen counter.
" Or rather should I say , where are you going ?" Mitsuya becomes slightly more serious.
" I have work to do. I'll be gone for a while."
" Where are you going ? On a mission ?" Mitsuya asks enthusiastically.
"' I can't tell you that. If I did , then I would be in danger of being compromised. It isn't safe for you to know about it." He looks at Mitsuya , who is on the verge of almost crying. " Look after your mother and sister while I'm gone , okay."
Mitsuya is agitated now. " Dad , tell me. I can probably help you. My magic is getting better , just let me-" He is stopped when his dad suddenly touches his head. He utters something , and Mitsuya loses the ability to move. He can't speak , nor can he hear anything. His dad says something that he cannot hear , and picks him up. He opens the door and walks out of the house. Dazai takes Mitsuya to the middle of the street and casts a concealing spell. No one can see or hear them now. He sits Mitsuya down , and draws an alchemy circle. He places Mitsuya in the center of the circle , and says a chant. Mitsuya can't hear , but he still has the ability to think. A purple light emerges from the circle , and the air is consumed with Mitsuya's scream. He soon falls unconscious.
" He's asleep." Dazai says to himself.
He picks Mitsuya up and erases the concealment. He then takes him back to the house , puts him in bed and leaves. Before he closes the door , he whispers to Mitsuya " Follow that dream," Dazai quietly steps into Kaoru's room and she wakes up. " Go back to sleep , sweetheart. I'll see you in the morning." Kaoru does what he says , not thinking of anything. He kisses the top of her head , then leaves. Outside , he walks down a lonely path , never to be seen again.
The next morning , Mitsuya awakens in a frantic panic. He tries to catch his breath , but is filled with emotions of rage and sorrow. " THAT BASTARD !" he yells.
Mitsuya quickly gets dressed , then runs downstairs after checking on Kaoru , who is still sound asleep. He runs into his mom , and hysterically asks her about his dad.
" He went out for work." She caresses his face. " He'll be back in no time. We can survive on our own until then." Mitsuya rests assured , and remains silent. He believed in his mom. But at the same time he had a deep hatred for his father. Several weeks , then months would go by with no word of his dad. Throughout all of it Mitsuya would grow more anxious. His mother took him and Kaoru to the Organization for his lessons , and his life at school remained normal. But then , the bills came. And there was no one to pay them. His birthday had passed , and he was now 10 years old. Nothing unusual. That is , until that day.
He remembers the day vividly in his mind. It was July 28th , 2015. Mitsuya walked from his school to Kaoru's to pick her up. In these days they had to walk home , since Dazai was nowhere to be found. They went home , and did their homework as usual. They ate dinner , and then went to bed. Mitsuya , in his newfound state of depression , had not practiced magic for about two months. He lay in bed , looking out of the window to the night sky. This boy still held true to his promise of changing the world. He thought about it for a while , and then fell into a deep sleep. Suddenly he is awakened when he hears something coming from downstairs. He thinks that it's his dad. So he puts on his robe and house shoes and tiptoes down the stairs. But he realizes too late that it isn't his dad. The door is open , and the warm air fills the house. A cloaked man stands before him. Suddenly , he attacks Mitsuya. Mitsuya dodges his attack and attempts to fight back. The man overwhelms him , and he just narrowly escapes. Mitsuya runs upstairs and shouts for his mom. She comes running out , and tells him to hide with Kaoru. Without hesitation she runs downstairs. Mitsuya tuns to the closet , where he finds Kaoru. She's crying. He casts a concealment spell on the closet , and they both try their best to not be noticed. They can observe lights through the cracks , as his mom and the man undergo a fierce conflict.
" Mommy." Kaoru cries over and over again. All Mitsuya can do is hold her in his arms. Suddenly he hears the man scream. His mom must have injured him. He sighs in relief , hopeful of the situation. He tries to stay calm for Kaoru , but his heart is racing. He's sweating. Suddenly , he hears his mom scream. " MOM" he yells. But then he realizes no one hear him. There is silence. Mitsuya stands close to the door. He hears footsteps leaving the house. He jumps out of the closet and grabs Kaoru's hand. They run downstairs to the kitchen. Mitsuya drops to his knees. His mom's lifeless body lies before them.