Night One Hundred And Sixty Two
Age 1991
"You can get up Hero..."
Hero's eyes slowly opened as he stared up at the roof of his cell for a moment. "What..." He slowly set up and found Katrina standing in front of his jail cell. "Captain?"
Katrina had the smallest hints of a smile on her face as she stared at him. "It's time to go home. It's been a week Hero."
"Already." Hero stood up running his hand through his snow white hair. "And I can just leave?"
'Don't look a gift horse in the mouth.'
Katrina was silent for a second as she hummed. "Master Storm talked to the Empress of our Nation... After reviewing the facts and looking into it, it was decided that the death of North Glacious will be treated as an accident to the public, and they will not ever be aware of the fact he was a traitor. Officially it was a tragic death, fighting several Bestia Macht... You won't be allowed to mention what really happened to anyone... As far as the public knows he was a fine hero... That being said while you are getting out don't think you're off the hook... While I personally don't care about his death and view it as an act of self defense the Empress is annoyed..."
"I made her mad? How?"
"It's more of the fact that you exist..." Katrina sighed. "See... That lab you were grown in... The one that developed cells and created you... That's a secret Master Storm was keeping away from everyone... Even her... She had no idea the Enforcers had you in our ranks. A weapon like you placed on a side could cause some faults... So Master Storm had to make a deal..."
"And what was that..." Hero frowned not liking where this was going.
"Honestly I'm not to sure..." Katrina sigh shrugging her shoulders. "The announcement will be made at the end of the Games..."
"Games?"
"Did you forget?" Katrina eyed Hero up for a moment. "In less than a week the tournament will begin... The thing that will decide if you guys can level up to the rank of Bronze and receive your badge. Sixty Four people will be competing this year..."
"That's a lot!"
"Indeed." Katrina grabbed the cell doors and pulled them open. She tossed an Enforcer jacket to Hero who caught it and slipped it on. "Until than you're not to leave the Squad Six base at all. And this little guy must be with you at all times as part of the rules..." As she said this Droney flew out of Hero's pocket and landed on his head once more. "You're going to be under watch for a while... Honestly... For all I know the announcements might be that you'll be put to death..." Katrina gulped.
Hero stared down at his right hand for a moment. "If that's what happens then it's what happens."
Katrina gave him a small smile. "Come on... Let's go..."
The two of them walked down the halls. Hero gave one last look to Key who stared at him with a blank expression. He turned and left. Him and his Captain quickly got into an elevator which began to slowly move back up to the main city above.
"So... Anything interesting happen during the week I was gone?"
"A few things..." Katrina said looking away. "For one... Eins Licht has resigned as an Enforcer."
"Eins quit!" Hero said with wide eyes.
"Sadly yes... Him and North were close... It's a shame... Eins was a fine Enforcer but... I guess he gave up... Then there was of course the trial Master Storm went to...Squad Six has been training hard for the Games... We're also getting ready to welcome you and our new member."
"Oh cool a party- Wait... New member?"
The elevator doors slowly pulled open as Katrina gave a tiny smirk. "Why don't you see for yourself-"
"Next time walk faster!" A foot slammed into Hero's gut knocking him down as his eye twitched when he heard the voice. "Oh God damn it..." He looked up his ruby red eyes glaring into the bright pink eyes of Shelly who stared down at him. "Shelly! Seriously! Shelly... Really?"
"Really..." Katrina sighed. "I'm sad about it to."
"Hey!" Shelly said glaring at them both.
"We couldn't get someone cooler! Not Max? Or Shiki? Arthur? Sera... Lucy! We couldn't have gotten Lucy! Come on... Let's trade Shelly in for Lucy! I'm sure no one would have to know!"
"I'm standing right here!" Shelly said.
"We already have a Tsundere! We don't need you! We also have a fire based power! Seriously."
"You don't have a healer..."
"And that's where you're wrong! I can heal!"
"Since when!"
"Since... Actually I'm not sure I just started doing it one day... But I can heal!"
Katrina watched both of them her eye twitching. "So... After the... Let's call it incident. The Squad One Vice Captain wasn't very happy... Not only because Shelly had to be saved by two members of Squad Six, but also because a member of Squad Six managed to slay a traitor in her Squad... So feeling anger... She decided to award us by giving us what she called the weakest link in the squad... So she gave us Shelly... And it was either accept her, or kick her out of the Enforcers."
"Why didn't you kick her out?"
"Hey!"
"I'm joking. Mostly..." Hero shrugged. "So you're in Squad Six now?" Hero asked frowning. "I don't suppose I can double my prison sentence."
Shelly stuck her nose up at him for a moment. "Well... You did sort of save me so I owe you... And also... Mister Eins... He left the Enforcers... He was my whole goal for joining the Enforces in the first place..." She said bowing her head. "But... I have a new goal now... North... I want to follow his dream. I want to find a way to save this world. But I'll do it the right way. I won't turn everyone into Seraphins... Ken told me about it... The Heart. I'm going to find it. An Equation said to be able to wipe out the Bestia Macht themselves. With that kind of power I'll get rid of them all. Besides. Just because you saved me once doesn't mean you've finished off all the debts you owe me! This way I can make sure you can repay me!"
Hero stared at her for a moment before he gave a small smile holding his hand out to her. "Well okay then... Welcome to Squad Six."
***
Rafflesia City...
Squad Six Base...
"Shelly! Our new member is Shelly!" Kitsune asked with wide eyes. "We couldn't have gotten someone cooler like Max?"
"That's what I've been saying!" Hero said with wide eyes grabbing Kitsune. "Think about it! Your fire, my heat, and his lava! Triple team up! Caster, Equip, and Transformation! Three way Mantra Rival Bond!"
"Damn it why did we get Shelly!" Kitsune moaned out as him and Hero cried at the fact they wouldn't get their epic three way team up attack. Shelly just glared at them both folding her arms.
They currently stood inside of the Squad Six base. An amused Dawson, and Jackson stood off to the side as well as their Captain. Hannah could be seen sitting on the railing to the stairs that led up to some of the other floors, and Light was resting on the wall. Ken was over next to Shelly, and Irene couldn't be seen anywhere.
"I'm kind of shocked." Jackson nodded. "Pun because of my power, but also because none of us knew we were even getting a recruit... Plus... I mean a Squad is only suppose to get five recruits... My gramps is breaking the rules letting us have Shelly..."
"Still..." Dawson hummed eying Shelly up. "She would make a really good doll... Or an action figure... We could sell it along with the Ken action figures... The tiny squad six duo-"
"We aren't tiny!" Ken and Shelly both yelled.
"So how was prison Row?" Hannah asked raising an eyebrow.
"Meh..." Hero shrugged. "Besides the part where the soap slipped from my hands it was mostly okay."
"They didn't hurt you did they!" Light asked suddenly at his big brothers side and shaking him. "Quick! Strip down to make sure you aren't hurt! But because I'm blind I'll need to run my hands all along your body!"
"I'm good..." Hero said flatly. "Speaking of shipping tease... Where's Irene?"
The room seemed to suddenly go silent. "She uh..." Ken began slowly.
"She doesn't want to see you." Kitsune said shrugging.
"W... What?"
"You killed her brother..." Kitsune said flatly. "What did you expect?"
"So we've broken up?"
"Hero I don't know how to tell you this but..." Kitsune began but stopped. "Well... You see... While you were gone... I and... Well-"
"Irene and Kitsune went out on a date." Light said.
"What!"
"It wasn't a date!" Kitsune began. He sighed. "I... I went with her to go see her family and inform them of his death... We also took his body back to the village they lived at and held a funereal for him. Irene is still there... She said she'll return before the Games but until than she'd rather stay with her loved ones... She wanted me to tell you she doesn't hate you but... Well..."
"I get it." Hero sighed crossing his arms.
"On the bright side!" Light began with stars in his blind eyes. "Kitsune has Irene, Ken has Shelly, and that means you get me!"
"S##t! Katrina are we getting any new recruits?" Hero asked.
"Nope."
"Damn it!"
"Nice try Big Brother but I'm all you got!"
"Hey what do you mean 'Ken has Shelly' what's that suppose to mean!" Shelly asked glaring at the fire girl. "We're not going out?"
"Yeah!" Ken said.
"Besides if we were it would be Shelly has Ken. Because I'd be the one in charge-"
"Like hell you would!" Ken said now glaring at Shelly.
The two of them quickly broke out into fighting as red beams, and pink flames went flying out. Hannah snickered a bit. "I like the new girl already."
"Yes..." Katrina sighed, side stepping a ball of pink flames. "She'll fit right in... Sadly..." Kitsune and Light were both blasted back by the many attacks as Jackson and Dawson also danced around them.
"Should uh... Should we stop this?" Jackson asked.
"Nah..." Katrina shrugged. "I don't really care."
"Fair point."
During the commotion Hero managed to slip up the stairs finally getting away from everyone. He made his way to a large balcony stepping outside into the cold as he stared down at the city below. He let out a heavy sigh for a moment.
'Why'd you leave?'
"I don't know... I just needed a bit of time to clear my head... I'm not good with women I guess."
'You can say that again... First you have a one night stand with Leena, who begs you to never leave her, and yet you run off to join the Enforcers, than you have a weird moment with Ken, who turns out to not really be into men, than Irene but you killed that relationship when you jammed your hand down her brothers chest.'
"Don't remind me." Hero turned his back on the railing leaning back as he stared up at the black sky.
'You've been looking up a lot.'
"Yeah..." Hero reached up with his right hand pointing towards the sky. "Right there... That's where it would be... The... Moon? I think that's what he called it... The ball of rock... I'm not sure why but I've found myself staring at it constantly... As if someone I know is up there... Someone so close yet out of reach... Hey... Row?"
'Yeah?'
"Do you think I can pass the Games and become a Bronze ranked Enforcer... I mean we're gonna have to fight so many people aren't we..."
'Why do you care?'
"What?"
'Why do you care... I don't get why you wanted to become an Enforcer... I was the one who met Okami Otoko... I was the one who he saved and who got the idea... When I made you... You were like a robot. Built with my Dreamer Crest designed to be the perfect Hero... But even as a kid I knew the Enforcers weren't perfect. I never programed you to want to join them... You were made to combat despair and save everyone in front of you... And yet you didn't save North... It's like... It's like your program is coming undone... Every time you use the Dreamer Crest, I come a little closer to waking up, and you become... A little more human...'
Hero was silent for a moment as he seemed to consider the words. "I am human Row... I'm breaking through because it's something I have to do. You making me, isn't what made me want to become a hero of justice... Like you I was molded by those I knew... Okami didn't die when he saved you... He came back and took care of me once our dad died... Until I was the one who killed him... I tried to bring him back with Mr. Hyde but the Master showed up and saved me... That being said he still affected me... His hopes and his dreams... I made my own memories which fused with the ones you had... I might not have met our dad but all that love and hope you felt to him passed to me to... As did all that you hate. We're not the same Row. And that's okay..."
'...Do... Do you think we'll see Okami Otoko again... After all... That man said he was alive...'
Hero looked up to the black sky once more snow slowly dropping onto his face. "Do you wanna see him again?"
'...I... I do...'
"Than we'll see him again. I promise you Row."
'Why are you doing this for me?'
"Because... I was a fool... I called myself a hero of justice. A superhero... But that title was wrong. I 'want' to be a hero of justice. A superhero. I'll keep my friends safe and save anyone I see that's in front of me even if I have to kill the bad guys to do it. So... How could I ever even think of calling myself a superhero if I don't help out a ten year old child like you..."
'Hero...'
"What's up."
Hero nearly jumped when he heard the voice. He looked up and saw Hannah rising out of the ground and now standing next to him. She rested her arms on the railings staring out towards the snow. On top of her head the dog Hero rested. A squad six symbol on him... Was he in the squad now to?
"Hannah?"
"Hey... Be honest." She turned flashing him a small smile. "You aren't Row Law are you... It's not that you just have memory problems. You're not my brother are you."
Hero was silent for a moment. "No... The others know that I was cloned after a man named Orion... Though none of them really know that Orion is God... They think I was named Row but changed my name to Hero... The truth is Hannah I'm not Row anymore... Row created me and I took over for him. He's still inside of me though."
'Hi big sis.'
"He says hi."
"I thought so..." Hannah said nodding her head. "You didn't act like my little brother at all. I was suspicious ever since I first met you... Why did you let me keep calling you Row though?"
Hero gave a small shrug. "Honestly... Who knows... I still have most of Row's memories and his feelings... I know he cared about you deeply... So I guess... Even in my heart I knew it wasn't true I wanted to really believe you were my older sister... Same with Vil being my younger brother... When I think about the fact that I'm actually alone, it makes my heart hurt so much."
"But you're not alone are you... Kitsune, Ken, Light, and even Irene. As well as that Shelly girl. They all care about you and they're all your friends." Hannah said patting his shoulder. "So you're not alone."
"...You're right." Hero gave a small smile. "They've all helped plug up the despair that clung to my heart... Before them I just had Yoshi... But now I've met so many wonderful people."
Hannah gave him a smile as she held her hand out to him. "Well since we've never actually met. I'm Hannah Law."
Hero slowly took the hand with his right hand. "Hero Law." He smiled.
"Well Hero. I look forward to getting to know you. Tell Row I said hi."
She slowly left as the dog on her head jumped off and landed into Hero's arms who caught it. He ran his hands through its red fur as he stared down at it.
"I'm certain." He nodded. "I'm certain that what I'm feeling right now... It's hope."