"Talking"
'Thinking'
"'Talking or Thinking emphasised'"
"The thoughts of others as heard by Ishiro"
-JR Tokyo General Hospital, Shinjuku-ku, Tokyo-
The sterile waiting room buzzed silently with the faint beeping of machines and the whispers of soft murmurs, golden rays of the evening sun shining through windows and illuminating the faces of waiting patients seated amongst sleek, minimalist furniture.
"Ahem. Attention, Tachibana Ishiro?" A nurse called out calmly, looking out amongst the patients seated in waiting. "Your doctor will see you now."
Amongst the seated patients, a raven-haired boy rose to his feet, a bandage wrapped around his right hand and palm as he slowly stepped over, the sunlight illuminating the youthful contours of his face whilst a set of heterochromatic pupils barely reflected the rays.
"Right this way," The nurse instructed, leading Ishiro towards a room before rapping her fingers against the door.
Amidst the crowded yet tranquil waiting room, Ishiro drew no attention, the boy no older than twelve drawing no more glances than any other patient would. Taking a final look back, the boy sighed, shaking his head before stepping into the room, the wooden door shutting behind him.
"Ah, Ishiro. Please, have a seat," The doctor assured, straightening his coat as Ishiro seated himself opposite. "Your father?"
"Father is running late, unfortunately," Ishiro stated, his tone hollow and quiet; his accent northern and distinctively more rural, as he looked across with his mismatched gaze. "But no matter, we can begin first. What of my diagnosis, doctor?"
"If you insist. Well, I must say, it is unique," The doctor stated, holding up an X-ray scan of Ishiro's foot before pointing towards the pinky. "As you can see here... You've only got one pinky joint, meaning that no, you're not quirkless. However, by age four, a child would usually manifest some characteristics of a quirk. If I may ask, what of your parents' quirks?"
"My father is quirkless. My mother... Well, I can't remember, it's... Been a while," Ishiro explained, peering at the X-ray scan. "So... If I physically am supposed to have a quirk, but have yet to manifest it up to now... Does that make me some late bloomer?"
"Honestly, I wish I could provide an answer, Ishiro. I truly do," The doctor stated, shaking his head as he set down his notes. "Your situation is a first in this field. As of right now... I can't provide a relevant answer as to whether or not you are quirkless. If I had to make a hypothesis, however... There's a likely chance you have a quirk, you've just yet to figure out what it does."
"I see... Well, I suppose I'll have to go with your interpretation, doctor," Ishiro stated, sighing as he stood up to bow, before turning towards the door.
"... Do understand, Ishiro, that your quirk does not determine your value in this world. From our brief conversations, I have understood that you are a bright individual and a fast learner, and I hope you can understand that as well," The doctor stated as he looked over. "Do send my regards to your father."
"... Tell him that first part, then," Ishiro mumbled, his mismatched gaze turning back towards the door moments before he exited the room.
-Outside-
The automatic doors of the hospital closing behind him, Ishiro slowly stepped out into the dimming evening sun, stretching slightly as the ends of his hoodie billowed in the brisk gusts of autumn wind. Yawning before looking around, the raven-haired boy sighed, stuffing his hands into his pockets before leaning against the hospital entrance wall.
'... This ought to be interesting,' Ishiro thought, eyes narrowing as his vision petered into daydreams, the sight of the families, friends, coworkers and couples blurring slightly as they went about their days around him, only for a sudden voice to snap him out of such a state.
"Ishiro," The voice of an older man stated, prompting Ishiro to turn his head and peer upwards.
"... Father," Ishiro stated, straightening off of the wall and folding his arms as he did so.
"I take it your everything's been concluded?" The older man asked, peering downwards before moving to adjust the raven-haired boy's scarf slightly.
"Yes, Father," Ishiro assured, tilting slightly as he did so, "Everything's settled. The doctor sends his regards."
"Very well," The man stated, pulling away before ushering for Ishiro to follow. "We'll discuss this matter more over dinner... Son."
Ishiro twitched slightly at the uttering of the man's final word, lips pursing slightly as if to offer a retort, only for a sigh to escape a moment after, followed solely by the silent crunching of the boy's shoes against the pavement.
-An Izakaya, Half an Hour Later-
Within the bustling izakaya, father and son sat across from one another, each eating from their respective bowls of food under the soft glow cast by the many paper lanterns hung to the ceiling. The two ate in silence, seated in a strange gap of isolation amidst the laughter bubbling amongst friends, the clinking of glasses mingling with the ambience of sizzling grills, and the overall atmosphere of the building.
"How has everything been?" The older man finally asked, peering across as the silence between them had finally been broken.
"The same," Ishiro stated, continuing to eat even during the conversation.
"Status of your quirk?" The older man asked again.
"As I said, the same," Ishiro asserted as he finished the food from his bowl. "The doctor couldn't confirm if I am quirkless or not."
"I see." The man stated, pausing momentarily before sighing and shaking his head. "What of the rest of your month?"
"... Much of the same in that house up in Nayoro, which I doubt I'll ever enjoy..." Ishiro mumbled absentmindedly, mismatched gaze drifting to his bandaged palm before shifting back up. "Got injured in a kendo tournament... But that's about it."
"That estate has been in our blood for generations. There will come a time when you, too, will be the master of its pillars, irrespective of the condition you may find them in," the older man stated authoritatively. There will come a time when that will come to pass. And when it does, you will be thankful that you were able to..."
"... Whatever you say," Ishiro interjected, drawing another blank stare from the man seated across, eventually garnering another shaking of his head.
"Perhaps I was wrong about you," The older man sighed, standing up and momentarily stepping over to the counter.
"Well, I... I wouldn't be too surprised, nothing I ever do could be enough for you." Ishiro mumbled as he folded his arms, waiting a moment and casting one final look before rising from his seat and stepping out of the Izakaya, not sparing a second glance as he brushed past the cashier and out the swinging door.
The izakaya paid no mind to the interaction between father and son, the same bubbling laughter and audacious energy continuing to surround its occupants, even as the crashing of thunder and falling of rain outside attempted to interject.
"... Just like she was," The man muttered, stepping over to the counter a moment later.
-Elsewhere in Shinjuku-ku-
In the pouring rain, a middle-aged man with wild, unkempt hair whipping about his face stumbled into a dark alleyway, his dripping blood forming a trail from the wound on his shoulder to the puddles on the ground, only for his steps to be halted by a pained yell. The man fell onto his knees, grasping at his chest as the end of a flagpole protruded from his stomach.
"Gah... You... You'll pay for this..." The man grunted, slowly turning around, intense blue eyes narrowing to glare at the newcomer.
"Oh ho? And you assume that will deter me?" The newcomer stated in a cocky tone, lightning illuminating the blue tracksuit and goggles he donned. "I've just made my debut as a hero today, and I'll have you know, you're going down!"
"You? You are going to take me down?" The man laughed, slowly rising to his feet before grabbing the flagpole from behind, and ripping it from his chest immediately after. "Don't make jokes like this, young man. Every attack you've landed so far? All have been lucky."
"Oh yeah? Well... Why don't you try this?!" The hero asked, smirking before grabbing the lid of a nearby garbage can and flinging it at the man.
"Believe me, I hadn't planned for any of this today, but..." The man began to say, lifting his hand before flicking it forward, the garbage can's lid splitting down the middle soon after. "... Now you've changed my mind. THIS CITY SHALL BURN!"
Cyan energy circled the man's hands, the ground shaking as he levitated slightly from the ground, before he flung himself out of the alley, the amateur hero hot on his trail.
"Stop right there!" The hero demanded, dashing after the villain as lamposts shook, and small trees uprooted themselves. "I will stop you!"
"No... NO! NOTHING WILL STOP ME! YOU ARE INSUFFICIENT!" The villain laughed maniacally, windows beginning to shatter as a bolt of thunder flashed behind him, "I WILL VANQUISH YOU WHERE YOU STAND!" The villain screamed before both began to fling projectiles at one another, traversing down the streets and paying no mind to bystanders as they did.
-Outside the Izakaya-
"Ishiro? Ishiro!" The boy's father called out, stepping into the pouring rain and looking over at Ishiro, the latter standing in the shade across the street. "Come, let us return."
"Return? Where to? Nayoro?" Ishiro asked, tilting his head before stepping out into the rain. "You'd like that, wouldn't you? To be rid of me again."
"That's enough of that," the man said, stepping over and placing a hand on the shoulder of the boy with the mismatched gaze. Your attitude today has been appalling. See to it that it does not continue."
"... Didn't answer my question, you never did, to be fair," Ishiro sighed, shaking his shoulder slightly and disentangling his father's hand. "Tell me, Father. Do you seek to be rid of me once more? To exile me once again to a home I see as unwelcoming?"
"As I said, it's for your own good," The man stated, staring down at the boy he knew to be his son. "One day, you'll come to see that everything I've done has-"
"... And everything I've done was for you, Father," Ishiro interjected, shaking his head again before glaring up with his mismatched gaze. "Can you not tell? All those competitions, all those extracurriculars, all those sleepless nights... All..."
The boy paused, shaking slightly as his hands balled into fists, his tears that rolled down his cheek quickly mingling with the rain.
"... And yet it all means nothing to you, it never did," Ishiro stated, doing his best to stem his tears. "Tell me... You... You wish it were me in that car, don't you? Mom... Mom was the best. She loved me, she loved you. But... I was never that important. Surely... Surely, if you could change reality, or the past, or both... You'd have made it so that..."
Father and son stared at one another for a moment, the silence between the two interrupted only by the falling raindrops and crashing of thunder, only for the older man to speak up a moment after.
"Son, I..." The older man began to say, only to be cut off a moment after as he fell to his knees.
"... What the...?" Ishiro mumbled, stepping over in confusion, only for both to be flung back several steps, two figures dashing past across the street before them as it occurred.
"Get back here!" A confident, yet panicked voice called out in the distance.
Ignoring most of the commotion, and ignoring the pain felt from the fall, Ishiro crawled over to his father's side, a large screw sticking out of the man's back as pieces of buildings began to fall apart; as the weather began to worsen; as red began to soak the puddles on the ground.
"... Father." The raven-haired boy whispered, taking hold of the man's hand in his two hands, tears slowly forming in the corners of his eyes as his father gradually glanced back, the skin on his face turning ever more pale. "... I'm sorry..."
"..." The older man coughed as he struggled to speak, the sharp end of the large screw protruding from his chest. "If... If anything, I... Should be sorry, s-son..."
Ishiro paused, tears rolling down his cheek as the older man disentangled his hand from his son's, moving it instead and wiping the tears from his cheek, the raven-haired boy's heterochromatic eyes illuminated by a sudden flash of lightning. The older man looked up, a faint smile grazing his lips as his eyes slowly wound shut, and his hand fell by his side.
"I... I w-was... I was wrong about y-you..."
Slowly but surely, Ishiro pulled his hands from his father's body, tears rolling down his cheeks unperturbed even as dichromatic pupils hid behind heavy eyelids. The twelve-year-old boy placed a hand against his mouth, thunder crashing elsewhere as the screams and chaos of the city faded into a distant blur. By his side, Ishiro's shadows sputtered and lengthened, one falling against his shoulder from the wall, a hand forming a moment later, followed by the protective shape of an umbrella, shielding nothing but a terrified, crying child.
-Hokkaido Prefectural Police Headquarters, Chuo-ku, Sapporo (Two Years Later)-
Amidst the chaotic and fervent discussions of the headquarters' control room, the reinforced doors flew open, a grizzled, older police officer marching in as the others in the room stood to attention, saluting immediately after.
"At ease, everyone," The officer stated, removing his hat before stepping towards the table in the centre. "How bad is the situation?"
"It seems under control for now, sir, but the situation could escalate into a dire one," A younger officer stated, bowing his head slightly as he passed over a set of documents. "Tanaka and his band of goons have overwhelmed the officers at the scene, who knows what chaos they could cause!"
"Tanaka... Should've expected that The Forgotten would be stirring up trouble," The older officer grimaced, placing a hand on his chin before looking over the documents once again. "If that's the case, do as we usually would. Surround the bank, try to force them to surrender, then round them up. No shots are to be fired unless necessary, this will strictly remain a melee if it comes to it."
"... Sir?" The younger officer began to say, following the older man out of the room as he did so.
"Yes?" The older officer questioned, tilting his head as he did so. "Did any part of my orders confuse you? I said to-"
"... I'm afraid it's more complicated this time," The younger man began to say, flipping through the photos he had been sent by other officers on the scene. "Far, far more complicated."
The older man narrowed his eyes, staring intently at the pictures he had been sent before his eyes widened slightly, a look of disbelief overcoming his elderly features as his gaze fell upon the blur of a figure of an unimposing stature, raven-hair tied into a short ponytail with an umbrella by the arm, a porcelain kitsune mask, akin to one seen at a shrine, obscuring any features upon the face.
"There's a kid there, too." The younger officer stated nervously, as both men stood silently in the otherwise chaotic corridor.
-Two Hours Before-
"Well... Hello, Father," Ishiro mumbled, stepping over to a single grave amidst the small cemetery, snow slowly falling upon the grounds as he did so. "How have you been?"
The raven-haired boy, now slightly taller when compared to their last meeting, and sporting slightly longer hair than he had two years prior, stepped closer, kneeling on one knee before brushing some snow from the headstone, the words 'Loving Husband' and 'Father' being revealed.
"I've been doing well myself. Well, I suppose, anyhow..." Ishiro stated, stepping away again before taking a seat in the snow. "Truthfully, you probably won't like what I'm about to do... Scratch that, you definitely won't. I'm sorry. Truly, I am. Though... I suppose nothing changed. Your son fails to live up to your expectations once again."
Ishiro sighed, wiping his heterochromatic eyes gently, fingers brushing over the dark rings under them as a shadow materialised an umbrella over his head, blocking out the falling snow.
"Though... I suppose nothing changed, did it?" Ishiro asked, looking over before taking a condensed breath. "Though... If you can hear me, Father... Please. I need your help, more than ever. If you can hear me,... Please. Any way you can, just... Give me something."
Ishiro sat silently for a moment, looking down at the snow as he did so until drops of water fell upon the ground, prompting him to lift his head and stare forward at the headstone, wiping his eyes a moment after.
"Well, it didn't get much easier, even after so long," Ishiro mumbled, sighing as he wiped his tears before reaching out to the headstone next to his father's.
Gently, Ishiro wiped the snow from the second headstone, revealing the name 'Hoshiyuki Sayori', with the words 'Loving Wife' and 'Beloved Mother' revealed further beyond that point. The raven-haired boy took a step back, sighing before reaching into his pocket and retrieving two Higanbana flowers, placing one at the feet of each headstone.
"And it probably won't ever get easier, but..." Ishiro began to say, rising to his feet as he did so. "But I have to move on, at this point. Thank you both for everything... And I'm sorry. For everything."
Ishiro said, shaking his head and looking away in shame. Red and gold eyes contrasting the hardened shadow umbrella over his head, he turned to leave, slipping a porcelain kitsune mask over his face as he did so.
-One Hour Later-
As layer after layer of snow fell upon the urban streetscape of Sapporo, several shadowy figures stood around in a dark alley within the city, smoke from cigarettes wafting into the air as one tossed the stick onto the ground before stomping it out.
"Where is that runt?" One of the men questioned, huffing in the snow before retrieving another cigarette to light.
"Probably got cold feet last minute," a woman's voice replied, breath condensing before tossing her cigarette to the ground, stomping it out immediately after. "Not that I blame him."
"It serves us right to ask a kid to do something like this," the first man grunted, taking a puff from his cigarette. Why do we need him here anyway? Doesn't he have school or something?"
"The kid's our lookout, he won't be involved directly," The man seated on a garbage bin stated, "The police are less likely to shoot a kid. Speaking of which..."
As snowfall over the city grew heavier, the sound of boots crunching against layer after layer of snow trailed ever closer to the entrance to the alleyway, piquing the interest of the people there. As curious, anxious eyes peaked towards the entrance, a pair of both red and gold stared back, hidden behind a porcelain fox mask and sheltered by a foldable umbrella caked with light layers of snow.
"He's here," The man on a garbage bin stated, stepping off and walking towards Ishiro as the latter folded his umbrella.
"Apologies, the train was delayed," Ishiro explained, brushing off some of the snow from his umbrella a moment later, looking up as he did so. "... Hopefully I wasn't too late?"
"Not quite, but we're shaving it razor-thin here," The man standing in front of Ishiro stated, before walking past him a moment after. "Let's get going."
"Wait wait, Akira, you were... You were being serious?" The first man commented, huffing and walking over to Ishiro, looming over him as he did so. "We're going to bring this pipsqueak with us? He barely looks eight!"
"I'm fourteen," Ishiro stated, looking up a moment later. "You've literally seen me just last week."
"Still a kid," The woman from earlier stated, sighing before shaking her head, and stepping past the two as she did so. "But welcome aboard regardless, kid... I suppose."
Taking one last look at the masked boy before him, peering intently into the boy's heterochromatic eyes that seemed to follow his and glow as they did so, the first man shook his head, muttering something under his breath and stepping past. Snow fell around them as Ishiro's mask became caked in a layer of it.
"Don't take any of what they say to heart, Ishiro," Akira stated, stepping over and going on one knee before adjusting Ishiro's mask gently. "They're a little rough around the edges, but we're all just looking out for you. Don't worry, your task is easy."
"Right, I suppose so," Ishiro shrugged, stepping back and disentangling Akira's hand from his mask. "Speaking of which... What is my role in this?"
"Well, it's simple, really," Akira stated, pulling out his phone and showing an image of a dark alleyway. "We just need you to stand by at the backdoor, and wait for us to be done. Make sure no one interferes through here... If you see anyone, try to keep the mess to a minimum, alright?"
Satisfied by the nod received from the raven-haired teen, Akira nodded, stepping away and out of the alley a moment later. Just as everyone else escaped his line of sight, Ishiro shook his head and reached up before removing his mask, shaking off the white powder before stepping out of the alley.
-Present Time-
'And... This was about as I expected,' Ishiro thought to himself, standing alone at the backdoor of the bank that led into a dark alleyway, itself estranged from the chaotic police barricade at the bank's front entrance. '... I doubt I was needed for this...'
The raven-haired teen sighed, shaking his head and looking up into the sky as snow fell upon his mask.
'Wonder if I'll see any of them today...' He mused, looking up as he continued to daydream. '... Any of them at all...'
Ishiro looked on, before bringing his gaze back down towards the ground, trying to focus again as he did so.
'No... Probably not. It's quite minor, I doubt the police need the help of heroes for this...' The raven-haired teen thought to himself as he waited for something to happen, shifting the umbrella in his hand as a shadow hardened over him in the shape of an open umbrella, shielding him from the snowfall. 'They've probably got villains to battle, this is beneath them... Wonder if I ever would've been able to... I guess that time has passed. It's too late for me now.'
"God, this is nerve-wracking..." A voice suddenly stated, prompting Ishiro to look up. "Who knows how bad things are at the door... Still, gotta check out the backdoor..."
'... Who just said that?' Ishiro thought, looking around confusedly before ducking around the corner and leaning against the wall. '... Where did it come from? Surely, he's close by, the clarity says that much... Am I losing my mind?'
"Wait, what was that? Gotta investigate," The voice continued, like a recording playing in Ishiro's head. "Probably should call for backup first... Eh, probably fine."
'... No, not crazy, what...?' Ishiro thought to himself, his grip over his umbrella tightening before a vision flashed before his eyes. 'What the...'
As if reacting directly to the vision, Ishiro stepped to the right, swinging his umbrella downwards and knocking the flashlight out of the hand of a young police officer. Not giving much time further to react, Ishiro ducked to the left, evading a reactionary punch before swinging his umbrella once more, swatting at the free hand of the police officer as it reached for his holstered pistol before a second swing knocked the young man onto his back.
Breathing silently yet frantically, Ishiro slowly stepped forward, poking the tip of his umbrella against the neck of the police officer, heterochromatic eyes blazing in the darkness as he stared ahead, hearing full well the thoughts of the man whose life he held in the balance.
"God... It's... It's that kid... From the pictures..." The officer's voice rang out in Ishiro's head, fear evident in his eyes as he looked up at the raven-haired teen. "I... Please, God... Not like this... I don't want to die here... Please... Sorry. Sorry for everything. I'm sorry, mom. I'm sorry I failed you, Dad..."
Pausing for a moment, Ishiro took a step back, withdrawing his umbrella as a shadow forced the man to his feet, whilst another materialised into a tendril which passed the fallen flashlight back to him.
"Go," Ishiro whispered.
"W-what...? How did you...?" The policeman trembled, unable to see the shadows which Ishiro's quirks had manipulated into taking physical shape.
"... Just go," Ishiro stated, a shadow nudging the man towards the way he had come from. "I... Don't want to hurt you. Please, just... Leave..." Ishiro whispered, taking a glance more before turning his head. "I said leave!"
The policeman gulped, fear rising in his eyes once again as he quickly dashed out of the alley.
"Why... Why didn't he just...?" The man's voice sounded out in Ishiro's head once again, slowly fading into nothingness as Ishiro turned back to the door. "He's nothing like the rest of them..."
Staring down silently for a moment, Ishiro stumbled back, leaning against a wall and sighing a moment after as he moved to pluck the mask from his face, his breath condensing amidst the falling snow.
"What... What was that...?" Ishiro whispered silently as if hoping in vain that someone may hear him, even if the alley had been devoid of life.
Leaning against the wall, the raven-haired teen sighed silently, slowly slipping his mask back over his face, unaware of the pair of purple eyes that were observing him from afar, neither did he realise the locks of indigo hair that framed them.
-Half an Hour Later-
'Anytime now...' Ishiro thought to himself, taking a breath before holding his umbrella properly once again as police sirens blared out in the background, whilst frantic footsteps rushed towards the door he stood before. 'Hopefully, this doesn't get too much more complicated...'
"Kid better still be there..." The voice of one of the men from earlier rang out in his head as the footsteps grew closer.
'Yep, that'd be them,' Ishiro thought, standing up straight as he reached for the doorknob.
"Good kid, no one interfered, as planned," Akira's voice rang out in his head. "I'll need to give him my thanks personally. He deserves it."
'Well... Didn't expect that one...' Ishiro pondered, pausing temporarily before giving a soft smile under his mask, turning the knob and opening the door a moment after. 'Though... This thing with the voices will need some getting used to...'
"There they are, good. Makes things easier for me." An unfamiliar female voice suddenly stated in his head, prompting a sudden pause as Ishiro looked around. "Kid better get out of the way, though... Wouldn't want his red all over the snow."
'... Whose was that?' Ishiro thought to himself, looking around in confusion as he attempted to find the source of the voice in his head. 'What the...?'
"Ishiro, there you are," Akira stated, breaking Ishiro out of his stupor as he exited the bank, flanked by several others as he did so. "Come, we must be leaving. The others will cause a diversion for the police."
"The kid stuck to it? Hah! He did," One of the other men laughed as he stepped past. "Good on you, but we need to go."
"Not wrong there. Good job, kiddo," the woman from earlier said with a wry smirk. Let's get going. Now."
Ishiro looked around, stunned for a moment as the voices of many rang out in his head before he shook it and straightened slightly, trying his best to recover.
"Kid's moved. Now's the chance." The voice rang out in his head again, stunning him slightly as he looked around frantically.
'Okay, that's... She's not here... Where...?' Ishiro thought, eyes narrowing through his mask.
"Ishiro? What's wrong?" Akira asked, holding a hand out and stepping closer. "You look troubled."
Before any of them were afforded any chance to react, a cracking snap rang out across the air, breaking the fledgling silence that had once encompassed the alleyway. A razor-sharp hiss sliced through the air, before one of the men standing before Ishiro fell onto his back, keeling over as his blood splattered across the white of Ishiro's mask. Eyes widening immediately, Ishiro stumbled backwards, falling onto his back as Akira sprung up, anxiety clear across his face.
"It's... It's her," Akira whispered, ducking to the side as another shot lodged itself into the wall he stood next to, only for the next one to fall upon one of the other men in the alley.
"Two down... Main one yet to go." The female voice in Ishiro's head rang out once again, prompting the raven-haired boy to try and focus as his grip on the umbrella's handle tightened further. "Two others in the vicinity... The kid isn't an acceptable target."
"That hero that the Public Safety Commission sends..." Akira stated, peeking out from behind a corner before ducking back around, another round narrowly missing him as it struck the wall next to him. "The hero who kills... And she's toying with her prey."
In the near distance, a woman with long, indigo hair tied into a ponytail repositioned slightly, snow falling upon her simple dark sleeveless turtleneck tracksuit and the long, lightning bolt-shaped scouter she wore over her right eye. As the smoke slowly trailed out through the rifle that jutted out of her bent right elbow, Lady Nagant reached with her free hand towards her hair, plucking out and moulding several strands into an EBB, before sliding the finished, hardened round into the hole on her right palm.
"Calm down Kaina, you got this," She whispered to herself, narrowing her eyes as she aimed once again. "He's just a kid, don't hit him..."
Taking a breather, Ishiro slowly looked up, heterochromatic eyes blazing through the holes in his now bloodstained mask, as the woman's voice began to speak through his mind once again.
"What were the Commission thinking...? Do they... Are they trying to get me to kill a kid?"