11 - Mouse And Rabbit

Hiroshi didn’t know about the news yet, all he could see was that the locals guarding his tent were constantly chatting about something. He couldn’t really understand what, he didn’t even want to. Mukawa did request some comic books or toys be delivered to the tent, he didn’t want to straight up torture the child with boredom.

“When is this all gonna end...”

“Ugh...I’m rotting away in here...”

He looked at the tent he had managed to learn the layout of by heart with sadness in his eyes, he remembered when things were still normal. Well, as normal as they could be. His life was never normal, the moment he was chosen to be adopted by Kaito, his life was transformed into the life of someone ‘special’. But it wasn’t what he wanted.

“I wonder how everyone else is doing...they’re probably worried sick that I got kidnapped.”

“Or maybe...they just don’t care.”

“Maybe they just hung around with me because I was pretty much infinitely rich.”

He stared at the pile of old comic books on his mattress.

“Maybe they’d actually like me as a friend if I got the chance to hang out with them more, to maybe get to know them better...instead, I was shuffled from one school to another almost every few months. That’s not enough time to make friends.”

“I just want all of this to end...”

“Dad, can you hurry up and get me already?”

He heard someone approach the tent. His tired gaze shifted to the entrance, but the face that he saw would enchant his eyes with a strangely found sense of hope and even joy.

“Uncle...Zervos?!”

“It is me indeed.” Zervos said, slowly entering. “I’ve told you not to call me that, though. I’m not your uncle.”

“Dunno, that nickname fits you the best.” Hiroshi said. They shared an awkward pause.

“So, how have you been?” Zervos asked. “Must be pretty tough. You must be scared.”

“Kind of...but I know that they won’t harm me.” Hiroshi said.

“You’re holding on pretty strong. I see...you have some stuff to read here too.” Zervos said. “I’m glad you’re doing fine.”

“Uncle Zervos, do you know...where dad is?” Hiroshi asked.

“You see, your father...” Zervos began, already running out of words to say. “He’s a very busy man. He-”

“Everyone keeps telling me that.” Hiroshi said. “I want to know the actual truth. Where is he? Does he even...care about me?”

“You want the truth?” Zervos asked, as if hesitating to ask that question in the first place.

“Yes.”

“Well, you see...” Zervos began. “Your father wants to kill me.”

“W-what?!” Hiroshi exclaimed. The guards outside looked into the tent for a second. “But...why? Weren’t you his...”

“He wants to kill me because he wants to accomplish...uhh...some type of goal that we don’t know about.” Zervos said. “He’s not the person you think he is, Hiroshi.”

“No, he...”

“I know you’re confused right now. Believe me, I was too when I found out.” Zervos said. “But it does make sense. Goals aside, I’m allied with the people kidnapping you. I can’t really complain now, can I?”

“Right...” Hiroshi said. “Does that mean you’re here to...save me?”

“Save...you?”

“Yeah, like a...like an escape...” Hiroshi said, lowering his voice. “Do you want to break me out of here?”

“You see...”

“Come on, you can do it Uncle Zervos!” Hiroshi said. “You’re one of the strongest soulfuls ever, right? You can pull it off!”

“I’m not here to save you, Hiroshi.” Zervos replied, interrupting the boy’s enthusiastic fantasies. “I’m sorry. I just wanted to see if you were doing alright. And to tell you that...”

“Tell me what...?”

“That...” Zervos took a deep breath. “Your father is the reason you’re here right now. And that you being here...is for your own good. You’ll be as far away from him as possible.”

“But that makes no sense...” Hiroshi said. “Can you just...stop hiding things from me?! I’m not some gullible kid, okay? I can handle the truth! If you won’t tell me that, I’ll ask dad myself!”

“I’m sorry, that conversation is for another day.” Zervos said. He slowly left the tent.

“Wait!” Hiroshi yelled. Suddenly, his soul presence flared up. Zervos quickly turned around and almost braced himself. “Stop running away!”

“...”

“Just...” Hiroshi himself was starting to lose his way with words.

“I’m sorry.” Zervos said, turning around and walking away. “You never deserved any of this.”

“You should’ve been adopted into a normal family.”

“You should’ve had a human as your father...”

“And not that devil.”

...

A case of theft: this story is not rightfully on Amazon; if you spot it, report the violation.

As Zervos left the tent, he was a little surprised to find the Heisei, or at least, most of its members, gathered together, discussing something with Mukawa’s allies. Mukawa himself wasn’t there, and the stronghold’s last representative, Junior, was sleeping in his own tent, but it seemed that this meeting in particular was as vital as the official ones.

Zervos slowly and curiously observed them before approaching them. Haruki was the first one to notice him.

“I’m sorry, is there something going on?” Zervos asked.

“Good timing. We were just looking for you.” Haruki said. “PLease join the conversation.”

“What’s this about?” Zervos asked again. Ichigo, Zawadski and Yuuka were there too, and so was Rin, they all looked a little concerned.

“Well, you see...” Ichigo tried to explain.

“Mukawa wants us to attack today.” Haruki said. “We approached the Heisei here to, well...cut a deal of sorts.”

“Cut a deal? What is this about?” Zervos asked.

“There will be a meeting soon regarding the operation.” Kana said. “We can be certain that he will announce the exact time of the attack. So we want to sabotage it.”

“Sabotage...?”

“He’s not an idiot.” Sofia said. “He won’t go there alone. He knows he needs all of us, so...”

“If all of us refuse to follow him into this suicide mission, he’ll back down.” Haruki said.

“T-today? But we haven’t had time to practice our battle plans yet. We...we’re not even at our fullest fighting strength.” Zervos said, still a little dumbfounded by the news. “Those two...”

“That’s why we’re d-doing this...” Asami quietly said.

“He doesn’t care. He thinks that saving a few thousand lives is more important than having a real chance to save billions.” Haruki said. “Even after all this time, he hasn’t learnt to make rational, logical decisions.”

“Sounds to me like the meeting will be pretty damn awkward.” Zawadski yawned.

“And it sounds to me like you think thousands of lives are a disposable resource.” Ichigo said.

“Are they not?” Haruki asked. “I don’t mean to be rude, but, what would you do in his situation?”

“I...” Ichigo struggled to find the right words. “I assume I would at least give ourselves more time for preparations. And assume the possibility that the other side might just be bluffing.”

“I doubt he is the type of bluff, unfortunately. At least in these circumstances.” Zervos sighed. “I do believe the notion that he is purging people as we speak.”

“And what would you have done?” Kana asked.

“I...would’ve taken the safer route.” Zervos said. “As much as it pains me to do so. I would do it solely because we are the only ones right now that have the means to stop him. We must take this chance very seriously.”

“See? This is exactly what I can’t get through Mukawa’s thick fucking skull.” Haruki exclaimed. A moment later, he recollected himself. “Sorry. Anyways, yeah, this was our proposal. We sabotage the meeting and we get Mukawa to get his shit together, even if it means using force. I don’t want him to kill himself in the name of brainless empathy.”

“What about the guy from the strongholds?” Zawadski asked.

“What about him?” Haruki asked back. “It’s two voices against ten. And if our corpses could vote, it would be two against twelve.”

“But still...” Ichigo was lost deep in thought. Everyone paid attention to him, but he, unable to place the right tracks in front of his speeding train of thoughts, was speechless. He just nodded it off as if nothing happened.

“The meeting is in an hour.” Haruki said. “I’ll do the speaking. I’ll just ask everyone else to not make any remarks.”

Everyone nodded.

“Thank you. I understand you might be upset with this, but at this moment, we need radical thinking, not emotions.” Haruki said. “Thank you for cooperating with me.”

The meeting was broken apart.

Everyone went their separate ways, lost in their own minds, overthinking about the uncertain future. Ichigo’s mind was especially heavy, deep down he did care a lot about the helpless victims of Kaito’s wrath, even if he didn’t know them. But he was willing to get himself to comply with the scheme.

Haruki, on the other, felt victorious. He knew what was better, and his plan was by no means unjustifiable. Kana, Sofia and Asami were all worried sick about Mukawa.

And Zervos continued strolling around, eventually stumbling upon Jian. She was alone at the practice range, seemingly gazing upon nothing. She aimed at the sand in the distance and hesitated to shoot at it.

“Jian, I...” Zervos approached her. “Do you know what is going on right now?”

“Yes, I was approached by them first.” Jian coldly replied.

“And what did you say?”

“I said that...” she looked down a little, losing aim. She quickly aimed again and hesitated to shoot once more. “I would prefer to maximize our chances of victory.”

“I see...” Zervos said. “I agree.”

They stood in silence.

“I remember the first day I met you, Jian.” Zervos said. “When you were being questioned by Kaito himself. When he recruited you. I think you remember what it was like.”

“I do remember that day.” Jian said.

“I remember what you were like at that time. And I remember pretty well how you were when everything was the way it was supposed to be. Me, you, just...the Heisei.” Zervos said, sounding a bit nostalgic. “I remember how different you were.”

“...”

“But I can sense that you’ve changed.” Zervos said with a light smile.

“I...changed?” Jian asked with a bit of surprise. This time, she stopped aiming for good.

“You have. Not in a bad way, though.” Zervos said. “I don’t know what it was or whose doing it was, but you’ve changed for the better. You’ve become more like the rest of us.”

“I...apologize if that is...u-unsatisfactory.” Jian said, slowly turning around and facing the ex-captain.

“Jian, you misunderstood.” Zervos said. “It’s the type of change that makes for a good leader.”

“...”

“See, you are no longer just a soldier now. You are a captain.” Zervos said. “You have a burden on your shoulders. You are responsible for the well-being and safety of your comrades, and you’re the one whose orders they will follow.”

“I am aware. I am...trying my best. I believe they are not angry with having me as their leader.” Jian said.

“They’re not. Because they can sense that you’re changing too.” Zervos smiled. “You are no longer as cold as you think you are, Jian. Slowly but surely, you’re warming up to them.”

Jian was silent.

“And that is why I requested that if something would happen to me, you would take my position.” Zervos said. “I’m proud of you, Jian.”

Jian felt a little lost. She blankly stared at the captain. Those last few words pierced her heart. She took a slow step forwards and got closer to him, eventually, awkwardly embracing him.

“Haha, it’s alright. It’s alright.” Zervos said, returning the gesture, embracing her back like a father would embrace his daughter. “Look at you now.”

“Captain...” Jian whispered. “Thank you...”

“You’re the one I have to be grateful to.” Zervos said. “You’re the reason the Heisei didn’t fall apart for so long.”

“I still remember that scary person that entered the GSC headquarters, confessing to a horrendous crime.”

“But that’s not who she was supposed to be.”

“She was supposed to be like this. Like a human being, one that can be warm, that can trust and form bonds with others...”

“I suppose her being around someone as kind-hearted and human as that Ichigo kid was good for her.”

Jian slowly let go. She didn’t apologize or say anything about their exchange, she just nodded at him and walked away. But most importantly, she had a smile on her face. It was subtle, almost invisible, but it was brighter than a thousand suns and more genuine than the most honest confessions.

An hour later, everyone would be gathered at the meeting hall.

The atmosphere was dull and anxious, the silence was overwhelming those present with its intensity, only disrupted by small whispers Yuuka’s cheerful humming. They all awaited for the culprit of the operation, ready to confront him for his irrational decisions.

And finally, Mukawa and Junior entered the room.