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The rain falls heavily, endlessly, as it has since the afternoon before. It is almost daybreak - or it would be, if the sun could properly pierce through the heavy shield of clouds. In its absence, the poor light comes from what street lamps remain lit in the dead of the night, and the occasional bright sparkle in the sky when a lightning comes forward, followed by the sudden beat of thunder. The low storm clouds tinge the whole skyline grey, metallic skyscrapers dulled into shadows outlined by the occasional flash, streets underlined in black like dark, sinking rivers. The water flows through them like so, pooling in plazas and running freely towards the docks, to the sea, the very same path nature carved on this land eons before humans had ever built what is now called Castellia City.Yet humans there live, and humans there stay - comfortably tucked into their beds for a night of rest, casually watching the rainfall from the safety of their workplaces, gazing out into the night from their foggy windows. Some are not as lucky - instead, they find unstable cover where it is possible, hidden amongst the shadows of nearby buildings, forgotten by the inhabitants of the world above them. Some still struggle under the raindrops, their steps splashing on the dark pools below as they look for a place to stop for the night.The boy is one of them, his head lowered to prevent water from falling over his eyes, defined, long, wet eyelashes clinging to his skin and dripping over cracked lips. It felt good at first, a quick rain to wash the dirt from his face and hair, make him feel truly clean for the first time in weeks - but it did not end in a quick rain; now he is soaked to the bones, thin arms shaking in an attempt to keep bodily heat. Those cold, rainy nights warn of the upcoming winter, and the thoughts of where to go and how to keep warm plagued the kid’s mind for the entire week. The food supply gets better as the soup shops open, and the Christmas spirit brings uncharacteristic kindness to the adults of the world above; but they both badly need shelter ever since the last one was destroyed in a gang struggle. It is difficult to find shelter for two as his companion keeps growing; even hiding him becomes steadily more difficult for Kai. An eerie glow can be seen beneath the boy’s old, frayed t-shirt, the wet fabric barely able to cover the figure he attempts to protect. Only the shiny eyes of the small Litwick peak once in a while from over the edge of the cloth, to spy on the world around them. The strength of the ghostly flame is enough to warm them for the time being, but they are aware it will not be for long if the rain keeps coming this strong on the following days, and the snow follows suit. Kai is used to this. It feels as if he is guided by the young Mimic’s light for as long as he remembers, threading alone through the city’s busy streets with his Ghostly companion nested on his shoulder. Surely, it could have not been always like this - he had to have a family, though he had no recollection of one. His oldest memory was of his Chandelure, and, so far, that had been more than enough. They have been raised into this, to the comings and goings of a life on the street. Many others are, whether by ill luck, ill choices or ill quirks. Another strike of lightning crosses the sky above, making the boy brace himself for the following thunder - arms pressed tightly around Mimic as the terrible sound cuts the air, eyes closed just a desperately as he waits uncomfortably for it to end. It seems to vibrate through him, make his whole body shake as if an approaching predator is hiding close, looking for an opening. It takes him a while to open those golden eyes again, a precious time to calm his unsteady heart, and it is the time it takes for him to notice the easily forgotten house hidden in between colorful store signs. A paper is glued to the front door, stuck in place by bright yellow tape, but Kai is too young to read it and too desperate to care at this point. The tape closing off the entrance means no one is there, and, to him, that is enough. His hands shake as he tries to pull on the doorknob, to no avail. He tries it again and again, the increased force only making his fingers hurt as the slightly rusty metal bites into them. Setting the doorknob aside, Kai attempts to force the door, first with a kick and then with the edge of his shoulder. The best this achieves him is to slip on the wet sidewalk and fall down, a half-groan of pain and frustration escaping his throat. “I’m fine.” He tells in a muffled voice as the light under his jacket flickers, two big, round eyes looking worriedly up to him, followed by a tiny sound of worry. “I really am...” He pushes back to his feet awkwardly, balance difficult with the rain and the effort to keep his friend shielded from it. It doesn’t matter to him if he gets sick, as water would be much worse on Mimic than it could ever be on Kai.There is only one way in, the young boy knows, and with hesitance he places a hand flat against the wooden door itself, the old surface rough and splintered under his palm. His lips press tightly in a fine line, a visible frown of his forehead as his eyes shut. In one moment he can feel the rough wood on his hand, in the other just cold air and the rainy wind. He opens up his eyes to peek at the door crumbled into splinters, the metal lock falling with a loud clunk. A sigh escapes from him, the held up worry and the following relief that it is only the door destroyed this time. It is with a comforting push from Mimic that he finally swallows down the all-too-familiar fears of his quirk and walks out of the rain, into the abandoned building. Quirks. The word still makes him shudder, as much as he strives to think it is only the cold and the dark environment. The child remembers being told in the past - he doesn’t quite remember who; the face is hazy in his memory - that the world had drastically changed at some point. People were not always born with abilities, and originally there were no Pokémon, only common animals like cows and fish and many others that had been extinct during that time. Something changed through the centuries, with quirks growing more common and powerful, with species changing shape and strength, until it had become the norm for humans and Pokemon to be as diverse amongst themselves as they were from each other. Yet, that history lesson had come with a warning. The growing power passed between generations soon proved to be dangerous; bigger, more dangerous species of pokemon were born and developed in the wild; the endless possibilities for one’s quirk meant that abilities that were a danger to the user or others would bloom in children too young to properly control them. Cursed children that would live in fear of what they could do, and in guilt of what they had done.Children like Kai, who knew his lack of a family and the power flowing from his touch told a single, grim conclusion.The broken door pieces are too small and damp to be used in a fire, and he would rather not leave a clear opening for the rain to enter during the night or for someone to catch him off-guard. After putting it back together, he proceeds to pull at the opening of his jacket, allowing his Litwick friend to slip out and into freedom. Mimic’s ghostly flame partially illuminates the suddenly dark room, at least enough for the child’s eyes to pick on the contours of objects and doorways. The room they find themselves in is a tiny living room, old-fashioned furniture covered by thin blankets and a thicker layer of dust, thrown into the air by his feet as he walks further into the ambient. Kai lets out a high-pitched sneeze at that, pushing his old scarf against his nose to better protect himself from the particles unwanted. Allergies are the least of his concerns when finding a place to spend the rest of the night onThe place may be filthy, but at least it’s dry and not falling apart on his head, unlike the last one. There are no visible holes on the ceiling or tell-tale pools of water on the floor, no large cracks to the walls and floor, no sign of footsteps, be they human or pokemon. He glances briefly into the adjacent rooms, little more than golden eyes peeking through the open doorways, to find a similarly tiny kitchen, a single person’s room and a cubicle that used to be a bathroom. Overall, this place would make a great hiding spot for the rain, or maybe a new permanent one to replace the one he lost. It takes Mimic’s help and a few more sneezes to push away the old carpet and clear out the center of the room, and then to gather enough usable wood for a small fire. The Litwick is especially savy in finding a forgotten, large enough pot to prevent the embers from accidentally spreading. Kai sets up the fuel as best as possible before a ball of ghostly fire ignites it, pale blue turning into a light orange as the wood burns nicely. Despite how small it is, the increasing warmth is a relief. They both settle down next to the improvised campfire, the human boy with his knees to his chin, the candle-like pokemon resting against his shoulder to take reprieve from the cold. His peace is disturbed by a sudden noise, a creak of old wood that startles him immediately. Kai is ready on his feet, one hand on the dusty wooden floor, the other ready to defend himself with a deadly touch. Mimic calls up to him, body turned towards the door to the one-person room, flames brighter in a warning for the person at the doorstep to not come closer.“Don’t move.” Kai hisses at them, knees flexed and eyes wary for sudden movements. From what the firelight reveals, they’re a kid just a little taller than he is, with longer hair in weird pointy ends, wearing an oversized sweatshirt. Their hands are raised above their head, visibly empty, and they seem to be alone.“Are you from a gang?” They sound like a boy, with the light lisp of someone without a front tooth. They make no attempt to move or approach, which Kai deems a safe enough attitude to earn a truthful answer.“I’m not.” He would generally avoid the gangs of villains that roamed the poorer districts of Castellia, beyond the heroes’ patrol areas. The older, less valuable neighborhoods on the outskirt of the metropolis were mostly left alone by either police or heroic agencies, meaning the safety of the streets relied on the rule of gangs and criminal organizations. The most powerful of them kept control of their own territories, occasionally invading those of others in bloody conflicts. Everywhere else was at the mercy of lesser criminals, petty pokemon thieves and smaller villains who would sometimes cross paths with street children like them.Some of those had chased him before, speaking of rumors about his quirk - the one kid that can destroy and fix things with a touch, the one that is worth a lot. Worth what, Kai had no clue, but to overhear so had been enough to prompt him to leave as fast as he could. He had been on the run since them, from hiding spot to hiding spot, trying to stay off the radar. People in other neighborhoods were even less welcome to his presence. “Good! I ain’t either.” The other boy lets out a loud, relieved sigh, his shoulders visibly relaxing. He mentions to lower his hands, stopping halfway as Mimic interjects loudly in distrust. “Hang on, I don’t wanna fight, you know? I just came here to hide from the rain. Can we share the fire? Both me and my friend are cold.”“Friend? Where’s your friend?”An insectoid head manifests from inside the boy's hood, bright yellow with large dot-like eyes - if he were not mistaken, that would be a Sewaddle. The kid pets his companion’s head gently, the larvae-like pokemon buzzing happily in contentment. “His name is Holly! We’ve been travelling together for awhile now.” There is affection in his voice, a gentleness so different from his forward, casual boldness so far. When he looks up to Kai and Mimic again, he sounds almost apologizing. “Look, I can give you food in exchange. I have some extra.” Kai’s anxiety spikes considerably as the other kid’s right hand comes down slowly, into their front pocket. Depending on what the boy’s quirk is or what he has in there, this may be the moment an actual fight starts; part of him is worried for his Litwick friend, who very consciently moved to stand between the two children. After tense seconds, the arrow boy pulls a small chocolate bar from his pocket, the hand who holds it brought forward in a mute offer of peace. The sight makes his belly growl, his mouth full of water as his brain wonders how that would taste like. The only food he currently has on him are some old nutbars he exchanged for fixing another wanderer’s bike, and those are almost done as well. He hoped to get some soup as winter rolled along, but chocolate? It could well have been a year since he had any. “....You sit on the other side.” Kai tells at last, too embarrassed by his own weakness to face his guest openly. He soon learns the other kid is called Hari, as he is quick to introduce himself. There is definitely something weird about his hair, as the little arrows - and they are arrows, Kai is able to ascertain when the kid sits by the campfire - swing along with his mood, rising thoughtfully when he is pensative, waving wildly when he is excited. And excited he is, going easily between surprising self-confidence and childhood curiosity during the first hour they spend chatting and sharing chocolate under the firelight. His little pokemon is just as cheerful, as it buzzes to Mimic in friendly banter, the opposite of the Litwick’s composed, serious replies.“How did you get in here?” It is Kai’s turn to ask, and he has been wondering that ever since Hari magically showed up on that doorway. “The door was stuck.”“Through a hole between the roof tiles.” His new companion smirks cockily; one of his arrows points upwards in helpful explanation, as his hands are currently busy with another chocolate bar. “I’m a great climber. But ceilings don’t offer much protection, so we came down here. It was so cold, I tried to gather dry wood to make a fire, but then I heard steps and got worried it was some gang meeting up or a wild pokemon den. So I hid until I was sure you wouldn’t just pounce on me. It helps that you’re someone about my age, too!” “You shouldn’t be so naive. I could always be planning something.” Kai point out rather grumpily, the sweetness of the chocolate on his tongue far from reflecting in his tone. He isn’t plotting at all, but for the other kid to assume that so openly, it is almost as if Hari is underestimating him. “You’re in an abandoned house with a single pokemon, and you looked ready to fight or run when you saw me. You’re definitely hiding.” That is a point he had not properly considered, and It takes him effort not to pout at that answer. Hari may be emotional and cocky, but he is not silly, if he could be this observant. As little contact Kai had with other street children, he had not met yet one quite like this. “Are you always this grumpy?” “I’m what?”“I told you a bunch of stuff, about me and Holly, and you just nod and make this weird judging face. We’re friends, right? You can talk to me too.”“We’re not friends.” “You helped me and I helped you. Isn’t that what friends do?” Hari is clearly upset, a noticeable pout on his frowning face, a hurting note on his so-far carefree voice. “I know you’re afraid to trust me. I am too. But even if I have Holly with me, I’d like to have someone else to count with once in a while, and you’re the nicest person I met so far. Don’t you feel the same?”Kai honestly wants to say no. It feels safer to say no, to say he doesn’t need someone to hold him back or sell him up, but the truth remains that he isn’t as sure of this choice as he would like to be. He has long grown used to be mostly alone, with only Mimic for company - long enough to think he didn’t need someone else beside him, human or pokemon alike. Despite that, the naive part of him - the part of him that is, after everything, still a child - always wondered how would it be like to have an actual human friend to chat with, to play with, much like it always wondered how it would be like to have human parents to watch over him and protect him.
Would it even be worth it? Could he - no, was he ever willing to trust this kid? Kai had no idea. It felt too hazy, too much of a risk.
It is as the silence settles down between them that he notices the constant sound of rain finally stopped. Light peeks between the boards nailed on the windows, the golden tone of dawn brighter than the last embers of his campfire. He was usually so more aware of when the day turned. “You really do need more friends, if you think I’m actually nice.”
----- CHAPTER BREAK -----
The silence is broken by a light sound, a click brief and soft like a whisper. At first, it is as if nothing changed - the backroom remains dark and peaceful, undisturbed, as most of the shop workers had long gone home, only one remaining to close the shop after the last shift. It is only when another discreet, barely audible noise shifts through the silent environment, a slide of glass bringing forth the lonely light of a low window, that something changes indeed; a group of four shadows, one after the other, cut out against the harsh light of the street lamps.“Mimic.” The whisper of a name comes in a child’s voice, and his lifelong companion acquiesces as a cluster of tiny, purple-blue fire balls further lightens up the shadowy room they stand on. It is not a large space, merely a simple basement repurposed to storeroom; dry concrete walls and floor, lined with rows of metal shelves filled with different-sized cardboard boxes. Aside from the roll of floor-height windows they used to sneak in, the only entrance is a wooden staircase, at least three locks in place in a now useless measure of security. For a small business storeroom, it is kept reasonably clean - no visible cobwebs or mounds of dust, yet Kai has to hold back a sneeze just the same, pressing his nose through the thin fabric of his black mask. He is still not as used to thefts like this, deferring to Hari’s experience during their little heists. His friend didn’t have the advantage of trading on his quirk, and as such had resorted to stealing much earlier; as they both grow older, however, it becomes more difficult to hide appropriately, to gather enough or receive kindness of adults. Younger children are looked upon more sympathetically than two eleven year olds on the brink of their teenage years. At the same time, they need more to survive, as do Holly and Mimic. It had become unsustainable without going illegal. “Let’s get to it.” The arrow-boy motions for them to move, his eyes sharp and step light; their group spreads amongst the rows of shelves in duos, to search for their necessities for the following month.That particular shop is mostly geared towards pokemon and their trainers, though being a small business in such a neighborhood had them resort to selling a little of everything. Hari shifts between the rows with ease, having learned the general disposition by spying on the workers - his arrows wave thoughtfully as he ponders on the options at hand, little eyebrows frowned, the will to hum caught on the back of his throat. There is enough of long-lasting human food on stock that what they can take would be enough for a few weeks as long as they keep discipline. It is considerably harder to cover for the missing amount of rations needed for a growing Sewaddle and a hungry Litwick, but Hari does the best he can to hide it, spreading what remains across the open boxes. What he can get is unceremoniously stuffed into his old, trusty backpack, set into place with the help of his pokemon friend; he winces when the zipper noise echoes on the silent room. Guess they would need something for that, too. Thread and vaseline, maybe. As his best friend bothers with edibles, Kai is immediately drawn towards the toiletry and cleaning supplies boxes, fishing for toothpaste, soap, potions and disinfectant - as much as his quirk certainly helps with injuries, it is a last resort he would rather not count on. His control of it is far from perfect, although wearing gloves daily is helping both to his self-control and to keep feeling clean. He has lately taken them, alongside disposable masks, as they make him feel more at ease. His mind is briefly distracted by an echoing sound, and he licks his suddenly dry lips under the mask - it’s just Hari’s old backpack, nothing to worry about, they should just try to get him a new one - but as he turns his eyes back to the row, a much closer, high-pitched shriek cuts the air around him sharply. The young boy has no time to react before being tackled to the ground by his Litwick companion, the sound of boxes falling all around them as his body hits painfully against one of the metal structures. It is as if the world shifted around him, confusion and pain intermingled with the loud, apprehensive beats of his startled heart. He can see with the corner of his eye as a stream of silk is blasted like a bullet where he had been earlier, splatting on the opposite wall into a web-like shape; his heartbeat stops for a moment, the coldness spreading down his spine and into his limbs as the ear pressed against the floor picks on the sound of something dragging, almost sliding across the room towards them.Instead of freezing, he pulls back to his feet in a jump, breath coming out in short takes as he throws the backpack over his shoulder haphazardly and prepares to run for it. Mimic is looming over him like a lit-up hawk, his ghostly eyes used to the dark, searching for the threat. He immediately makes a signal once he sees it, his candlelight burning brighter and threateningly at the approaching pokemon - at least three larvae-like beings covered in white fur, bright appendages in red and yellow exhulding heat. Larvestas, the name comes to Kai’s mind out of an old pokedex he had found once. Without waiting for more, he runs, just as more silk explodes onto webs on across half of the aisle floor. After two sharp turns, he almost trips onto Hari, who is running just as fast from the opposite side of the narrow hallway. Holly is viciously spitting silk of his own, clinging to his human friend’s hood for balance as it tries to aim on whatever is throwing what may be little fireballs in their direction.“We gotta get out, now!”“They got the window. I saw that… And if there’s anyone here they’re totally coming for us too. We have to leave before they see-” What else Hari as to say is cut by a loud buzzing and flapping of wings. Something shines in the dark air, red and big, perhaps taller than the human kids themselves. Its fire burns in crimson wings, multifaceted eyes somehow all focused on them.It looks like their meddling has awoken not only Lavestas, but a large Volcarona out of their hiding places. They’re six, Kai counts, and it makes clear that this is no opportunistic den. Six would be the maximum number of pokemons a civilian could keep at home or at their workplace; there was a law on that, from the time where humans had began to tame and bond with pokemons, and those with quirks were few and drawn towards underworld dealings. It had remained even as both became more prominent, to protect oneself despite the quirk regulations at hand. Those bugs are clearly raised by the shopkeepers to protect the store against unlucky burglars like them. “To the wall, then. Fast!” Kai pulls Hari along by his sweatshirt’s shoulder, Mimic still clinging to the back of his shirt, the skittering of six angered pokemon behind them. The Volcarona is not as willing to let them leave - as it flaps its mighty wings, smaller fireballs rain on their direction, forcing the two humans to cover their heads and run almost blindly. It’s as if it doesn’t care about destroying the stock as long as it gets us. They reach the back wall of the building, the closest one to the alley the four of them came from. Kai's glove comes out with a dry sound, the slap of latex on his skin forgotten for now. Concrete, brick, wood, steel - it all vanishes out of their way, the dust swirling around the hole he made making cough him out and blink the sudden tears on his eyes. But he doesn't dare to stop running - he just pushes forward and hopes the other three are following behind. It’s only after six blocks that he feels safe enough to stop, and as he does his knees immediately give up under his weight. His legs feel like jelly, lungs burning with effort as he pants desperately, arms shaking slightly with the adrenaline still roaming in his bloodstream. Looking around, he is relieved when Mimic reaches out against his cheek, mumbling worriedly, but it is as his golden eyes focus on Hari’s figure about two steps behind that he feels another sudden spike of anxiety.“He was hit by one of the fireballs….” Holly is bundled in Hari’s arms, just the edges of his heavy, glassy eyes peeking over the cover of his leaves. The other boy shakes lightly, all color drained from his face… Fire attacks were especially harsh on grass-types like his friendly, happy go-lucky Sewaddle. Kai has to drag himself closer to them, as his muscles still can’t support him.“Let me take a look at him, then.”“He was able to Protect a little before it hit, maybe it wasn’t as bad? D-do you think you’ll need to remake him?” Even Kurono’s voice is a good pitch higher than the usual, his eyes pleading as if his best friend had all the answers. “I can only tell once I take a look! Calm down.” Kai gently takes on the pokemon’s small form on his arms, feverish eyes on the lookout for injuries. Luckily, despite being weakened, the Sewaddle remains conscious, making tiny noises to help him locate were the damage is. From what he can see - he was no pokemon vet, quirk or not - he had not actually been hit with the full brink of the fire move, only with the embers after it exploded behind it. “I think just a potion can help. It doesn’t look like a direct hit.” He can feel the relief flowing from Hari, a long, drawn out sigh as the tension dissipates from his friend’s nervous form. There are even tears clinging to his lashes, and he rubs his eyes angrily, muttering lightly. “Damn, who would think they raised a nest of Larvestas in there… Whoever owns that shop is evil.”“At least we got supplies. Not enough for the month, but it will do for now.” “Oh, yeah. It’s best than going hungry, at least.” His free eye focuses on Kai, one last cough to clean up the nervousness of his voice. “Thanks for that.”“For what? Blowing up a wall? Sure.” Mimic helpfully fishes out a potion out of his backpack, watching Kai break the seal on the lid and feed gulps of it to his injured friend in anxious, flying circles around them. The effect sets in quickly - the tired, pained expression of the Sewaddle lightens up vividly, his recovery attested when he attempts to rub against Kai’s cheek, buzzing like a particularly joyful beehive. The human declines, backing away with a grimace while handing Holly back to his main companion. He immediately settles on rubbing against Hari’s cheek instead, and the arrow boy giggles happily, his movements lighter as if a weight has been taken off his shoulders.“I meant helping my friend, but sure, blowing up that wall was pretty cool.” His left eye remains closed as Holly buzzes against his cheek. “I usually like insect types, but now I feel biased against Volcaronas.” “It could have been a lot worse.” Kai admits with relief. Unlike Hari and Holly seemingly limitless energy, he just sulks in exhaustion, sat on the sidewalk of the quiet alley with his knees up to his chin. Mimic lands against his shoulder, inquisitive, worried sounds on his state, and the boy just nods tiredly at him. “There’s something else to worry now. It’s getting harder to find someplace to stay.”This changes the soft giggling into silence, as the next pressing worry immediately breaks the tenuous, comfortable atmosphere.“It is… For a place as big as Castellia, you would think we would find more hide spots.” Hari chooses his words carefully, Holly now safely nested back on his sweatshirt’s hoodie. This subject had come on their discussions again and again, but just as worryingly as their lack of shelter are Kai’s strong opinions on the reasons behind it.“Not with the heroes spreading around.” Chisaki scoffs softly, despite his tone coming out as everything but. His frown looks even deeper than usual against his tired face. “They’re kicking out a lot of us and angering the gangs. That won’t end well. They’ll start a big war all over again.”“Do you think… We may have to join one, Kai?” Kurono is hesitant to bring on this point, but it had been through his mind enough that he found logical it had to go through Kai’s as well.“I’d rather not…. But with the way things are going….”“I don’t think that would end well for us, to be honest.”“Sometimes we don’t really have a choice. There’s only so much we can do on our own.”Neither of them would be happy to give up their freedom, less yet to put themselves in danger for the interests of someone else. The villain organizations and gangs meant protection from other groups, most of the time, but it also meant putting yourself on the front line until you could climb out of the streetwork. Hari had seen it happen time and time again, as he was more used to interacting with other children before meeting the withdrawn, moody Chisaki - the promise of safety and help turning into a curse as the jobs grew more dangerous, as the fights got more common, as people went missing. This was no fate he ever wanted for himself, nor for his best friend.And yet…. Yet Kai was right. Perhaps there were no choice. Or perhaps they just needed to move - sure somewhere else in Unova had to be different? It couldn’t be all so bad?“Hey there, you two.” A voice interrupts his thoughts, authoritative and warm at once, and Hari freezes on the spot. He can see Kai shudder a little ahead, looking forward to the front of the alley, where a tall man in a red mask eyes them on carefully. The heavy steps of boots grow uncomfortably closer when he gets no answer - the man, or rather, the hero, seemingly worried, or at least wondering, of what two young boys were doing in such a place alone. “Are you ok, sitting there? It’s kinda late.”“Oh… W-We were on the way back home…. B-but we bet a race there and got too both tired halfway. Sorry, sir.” It is the first lie that springs to Hari’s mind, and he is glad this one is at least half believable. “Not a good idea when it’s almost midnight, children.” The hero shakes his head lightly, strands of blonde hair floating around his head when it moves. In any other context he would look friendly, eager to help - but to them, there is the implication that he knows very well what he did, and is merely toying around with them, watching them try to hide like a particularly mischievous hunter. This feeling grows worse when the man adds, casually, almost as an afterthought: “Where is your home?” “Just a few blocks from here.” Kai licks his dried lips, head hanging down as Hari once again attempts to dismiss the hero’s concerns, the tell-tale sign of his nervous, pitched laugh a sign to Chisaki of how desperate his friend truly is. His legs had since gone from jelly to lead, even as he forces himself to stand again, Mimic’s protective light over his shoulder as he swallows down the coldness of the sudden dread pooling in his belly.The hero’s smile is anything if not cheerful and helpful. He extends a hand towards them, seemingly to help Hari stand up. “Let me get the two of you there, then.”“T-thanks sir, but really, we can go on our own.” Maybe if he could get closer to him, he could immobilize him with his quirk. Kurono was faster than most adults… But this one was a hero. He had training, didn’t he? And what if he missed? Could this just be what the hero wanted?“What kind of hero would I be if I left two children alone in the middle of the night? No, let me help you.” The man is unfazed by the initial refusal. He pushes closer - he is so much taller than they are, it is as if them both could fit under his shadow, as if there is no escape beyond that. And to twist the knife further, he adds, innocently, almost mockingly: “There has been a burglary just a few blocks away, with two thieves on the run. How could I leave you, with the danger roaming out there?”It’s done. It’s done, he’s unto us now, there’s no way to lie ourselves out of this… Discreetly, Kai’s other glove falls to the ground, stark white. He begins to walk up to the hero, both of his hands naked and on sight, and Hari’s eyes widen as he extends to hold onto the adult’s offered hand, a harsh look on his golden eyes. “Oh, there you are.” Kai stops and winces away at the sound of someone else on scene, that dangerous hand now closed next to his chest. Another man approaches them, a relieved smile on his friendly, open face. His silver hair is brushed back, slicked away from his face, falling over the shoulders of his expensive suit. His hands are safely hidden in his pockets, though his entire posture has the easiness and fluidity of a large predator. “Did you two get what I asked you?” He looks down at the two children expectantly, casually, as if he has known them for ages. The familiarity is confusing enough to catch both of them and the hero off-guard.“Are these kids yours?” The blonde hero doesn’t seem much convinced; the tall man laughs at that idea, a deep, heartily sound strong enough to make his shoulders shake.“Oh, no, of course not. They’re my godchildren, you see. I help them around when I can. I asked them to fetch a package for me tonight, and when they took too long to come back, I came to check out if they were ok. Did they get into trouble?”“Not quite.” The hero’s eyes flash to them inquisitively, lids slightly narrowed in a piercing glare. “Do you two know him?”“Well, yes. He’s our godfather. It would be weird if we didn’t.” Kai is the first to agree this time; his tone dry, his shoulders tense. He turns his back to pick up his glove, the shadow of the Litwick’s light cast over his face. “Sorry for the wait, we kinda got distracted with a race…”The hero’s lips are pressed tight, brows frowned and eyes narrowed at the so-convenient godfather. He spends a brief instant in silence before giving up - he knows who the man is, enough to know it is not worth it to pressure him over two kids. “Very well, then. Since you two are properly delivered, I’ll go... But you should keep an eye on your godchildren better, sir. They could get in trouble the next time.”“Oh, don’t worry. I’ll keep a good eye on these two.” The godfather smiles affably; the hero’s smile is long gone, and soon so is he, as he returns to the patrol route of that night. It is only when the hero’s steps are safely distant that Kai gazes back at that man over his shoulder, with a stare that could be fairly threatening, had it come from someone other than an eleven year-old. “What do you want?”“Shouldn’t you say thank you first?” The man replies, irony dripping from his words like false-affection. He is still smiling, a self-assurance that could rival Hari’s own. “I was merely helping out two promising little villains.”“Surely you didn’t bail us out of kindness of your heart.”“I may have. Sometimes kindness pay much better than commissions, kid. You should learn that.” “What would you wants us to do for your kindness, then?” Kurono is just as wary, arrows sharp and raised like a Gorgon’ snakes, ready to pounce at the first sign of direct danger.“For now? Nothing.” The older criminal smirks, pleased. “Only later, if we need it, the Eight Precepts of Death may require your assistance. I’m sure it won’t be a problem, since we helped you.” There is no amount of affable tone or kind gesture that could lessen the shiver brought by that name, and the actual consequences of what Kai and Hari had just gotten themselves into. More than being on the sight of a small-time gang, or on the pawn list of a rising crime lord, that ill-fated supply heist had resulted in a larger, more worrisome consequences than either of them could have predicted. Because it was one thing to have a run-in with a gang in Castellia’s underworld…. But it was another, far worse problem to be indebted with the main Yakuza family of Unova.