I made you die, You make me die by Izumi Akita Suzuki
Disclaimer : as always i only have the storyline, and also thanks for Writing/Drawing Lady who edited this fic.
Hiro walked down the street with a nervous expression. He kept fidgeting every few seconds, wiping his clammy hands onto his crisp suit, but if you asked him, he would never admit to being nervous. He was a genius, one of the few top minds in San Fransokyo! He shouldn't be nervous about starting his new job at San Fransokyo's Journalist... but he was. It took nearly ten minutes to walk from his aunts cafe to his new office.
"Unbelievable." He murmured, looking around.
He could tell it is very new and upper class jugging by the outside. It had frosted windows and a door, you could tell there was a large desk sitting on the inside with a soft looking chair on the inside. There was also someone waiting there as well. He walked in and froze when he saw him, the owner of the media.
"C-Callaghan? R-Robert Callaghan? THE R-Robert Callaghan?" He curses himself for being such a fangirl as the man gives a warm smile and sicks out his hand.
"Ah, you must be Hiro Hamada. Just call me Callaghan."
Hiro shakes his hand, and he realizes that this man has a really firm grip.
"So... Am I allowed to ask what you are doing h-here?" He squeaks and the man lets out an amused laugh.
"Of course, I'm glad you asked. You see, every time someone starts there work here, they need to prove that they are worthy to work here. In order to do that, they are given a difficult task to complete and you have to except it no matter what. In this building we do not mess around, and we do not take short cuts. Do you understand?"
Hiro nodded, his eyes shining in determination to prove himself.
"Good. So you're assignment is to go to Red Death and you must get as much information as you can."
Hiro could almost feel his heart stop. His entire body go rigged, and his brown eyes are comically wide.
"B-B-u-ut! Sir-"
He cuts off when Callaghan's hand comes up to stop him, freezing when he sees the seriousness sketched into the mans face and the gloss of craziness covering his eyes.
"We had an agreement Mr. Hamada, and I know you are very talented." He put his hand down and returned to his powerful stance by placing his hands behind his back and looked else were.
"However, if you think you are not up for the job we can always-"
"Wait!"
Hiro sighed, running his hand through his hair. He couldn't even believe that he was actually considering this. He knew exactly what awaited him there if he did go, he'd spent so many sleepless nights researching and theorizing that he nearly passed out just from trying to stand. He had enough evidence behind him to know that there was some truth behind his theory's but then again, maybe not.
"I just have one question before I actually agree to this." Out of the corner of his eye he could see the man nod.
"Is -from what I've found- about you're daughter being lost on that island true?"
The man's eyes crinkled when they widened in surprise. How much did the boy know? He voiced his thoughts and watched the boy with cold sharp eyes.
"I mean... All I know is that she went on a mission to that island and was never heard from again. That was all I could find."
There was a pause in the air, making everything a little bit more constricting then it needed to be. The boy looked over towards Robert and waited for the answer but was surprised when he saw the expression written on the mans face. It was a clash of emotions, bitterness, sadness, anger, and remorse.
He finally replied. "Yes, its true."
Hiro thought it might somehow improve his reasoning's to go... but it made it ten times worse. He let out a frustrated sigh before slowly nodding.
"Fine... I'll do it." He straightened up his back, the look of determination blooming again. "When do I start?"
"Tomorrow night."
And the determination was crushed again. He was about to protest but when the older man glared at him he quickly shut up.
"You can go get yourself prepared for tomorrow night, we will have some equipment prepared for you before you leave and meet back here at eight am. Take care, Mr. Hamada." The blue eyed man gave a curt nod before leaving the room.
It took a couple of minutes for Hiro to get his thoughts all organised and when he did all he could mummer was, "Unbelievable." and head home.
Aunt Cass who was busy with her cafe was surprised when she saw her nephew coming back so early. Did he do something so over the top that it got him fired on his first day? It wouldn't be the first time he's done something like that but she highly doubts it. This job was to important to him for him just to do something like that.
"Honey, are you alright? Did you get fired?" She asked when he started to walk up the stairs to his bedroom with a downcast look.
"No Aunt Cass, I'm ok and I didn't get fired. I'll have to explain the details after once you close up shop."
She nodded and hours passed before it was closing time. Hiro helped her close up and when they were done they sat down from across each other. He let out a sigh and dug his fingers through his hair before starting.
"Alright. Well starting for my first day, this is not something I was expecting. For every new reporter they have this thing where the employee has to prove that they can work there. So, I have to be gone for a while, I'll be leaving tomorrow night."
"Where are you going? How long will you be gone? What are you reporting on?" The worry in his Aunts voice made him feel really bad for taking the offer in the first place.
His shoulders slumped down and his voice was laced with guilt. "I'm hoping to be gone for at least two days but as for the other two... I'm going to Red Death and I'll be reporting on the things that happen there."
He cringed at the gasp that she made but squeaked when she pulled him into a bone crushing hug. He hugged back gently.
"Be safe ok?" She whispered, kissing the side of his head. He nodded into her shoulder and was quietly sulking to himself for doing this to her.
Hiro arrived at his-soon-to-be office and saw Callaghan already standing there with blond man standing next to him with a goofy smile on his face. Could it be a senior journalist there to help him out? Maybe he was getting too hopeful.
"So are you really agreeing to do this Mr. Hamada?" Callaghan asked, surprised.
"Of course, this is my dream job and I'd like to think that I could take any challenge that involves being a journalist."
The older man laughed at his dry attempt to humor and gave a good pat on his back causing the younger one to stumble forward.
"Good man. This man standing right next to me is Fred. He will accompany you to go to the island."
Confusion and relief broke out onto Hiro's face but he didn't quite understand his bosses motives. To put it, the guy didn't seem like a professional journalist to him.
"Well it's time for me to get back to work, good luck on your journey." Callaghan smiled and left.
Nether one of the two moved, afraid that one move could brake the very ground they stand on. Hiro rubbed his arm and looked at the ground, beginning to feel extremely uncomfortable.
Fred started to speak. "I heard so much about you, that you are some kind of genius and talented! That's way cool man!"
"Yeah... So, can you lead the way for me?" He could tell that the blond was trying to make the air not so awkward and he appreciated the effort.
"Yeah! Of course dude! It'll be great man, crossing the Atlantic sea!"
All the bushy haired boy could do was nod and walk as Fred kept replacing the silence with his enthusiasm. When they started to near the beach Fred started to go off on how he hoped to be a superhero fish so he could cross the sea without a boat and how he would look like. Hiro did admit it was a bit cringe worthy to hear all the parts that Fred would have but it still made him laugh. They reached San Fransokyo's frontier and they stared at each other until realization hit him.
"Wait, you just accompany me until the frontier?" Hiro asked with slight panic.
Fred shrugged with a sad smile. "Bosses orders, he wants the best out of the best and someone who is willing to do anything and everything for this job."
Hiro nods unsure and looks at the boat he's using. It was a paddle boat with a hiking bag on the inside of it. "You know, I'm starting think that Callaghan might be a little on the crazy side."
Fred laughed with that famous goofy smile of his. "Join the club."
They both say there goodbyes with Fred pointing him the direction to go. So began the endless paddling. A lot of people could know where the island if they actually tried but no one dared to after Abigail and a couple of other people went missing on the island. Thousands of theory's drifted around the city for awhile, some more ridiculous or more gruesome then others until everybody just decided it was a bad idea to venture into the sea near the Island. And- Hiro yawned and stretched, taking a brake from paddling and leaned back into a more comfortable position.- one of the theory's is that if you get to close you'll... start to fall... asleep...
Groaning filled his ears as he felt the bed underneath him suddenly jolt. He really didn't feel like getting up but the sun was burning to brightly against his face and his blanket was nowhere to be found.
"Aunt Caaaaasssss!"
He rolled over in a weak attempt to get the annoying sun out of his face and realized that his pillow was a bit harder that usual.
"Auuuunt Caaassss!" He groaned a bit louder. No response.
He grumbled something under his breath and stood up with his eyes still closed and started walking forward. Fine, he'll just close the window agai- He yelped when he tripped over something, snapping his eyes open only to be meet with a face full of sand. He shot up into a sitting position with his eyes watering up in a way to get all the sand out of his eyes.
He felt around with his hands like a blind man until he felt something wet and cold under his fingers. He let out a happy laugh and started to wash his eyes. After a couple of splashes he felt like he could trust to open his eyes without them feeling like they are burning, however he wished he hadn't.
The teenager let out the most high pitched squeal of "WHAT THE FUCK!" he's ever heard from his mouth and started to make a wild dash towards the sea. He had just washed his eyes out with blood, a puddle of blood from a decapitated arm... human arm. He dove like a seagull into the ocean and started to scrub his face and hands raw with his fingernails.
After a couple of minutes of freaking out and having many small panic attacks he started to calm down but the shaking part of his limps couldn't be helped. So was he really was on Red Death? He looked around and saw a lot of forest on the island and a beach around it. He cringed when ever he saw a couple of human body parts laying around and how much blood there was. Yep, he really was.
He walked back to his boat dripping wet and shaking making sure to step far, far away from the limb. His body plopped down onto the boat like a sack of potato's feeling like all of the energy was drained out of him and groaned.
"Why. Just... why did I take this job in the first place." He murmured quietly to himself.
Something caught the corner of his eye that looked like a body shaped and his body went jagged. He could now feel its piercing eyes staring at him from behind a tree trunk. NOO! How did they find him? Why aren't they attacking! Was it because of all the screaming he did earlier? WOW he was such an idiot! How did he not realize before! He's going to die when he's eighteen! HE HASN'T EVEN BEEN IN A RELATIONSHIP!
His mind's rant was soon cut off when the figure moved closer towards him. All he could hear was how hard his heart was pumping blood throughout his body. The figure moved into the light and to say he was surprised was an understatement. Shocked? No, Confused as all hell? Yes.
The man looked to be in his 20's with creamy tanned skin, black hair and brown eyes, modern day clothing that looked a little worn out, broad shoulders, skinny hips, and a really nice face. He didn't present himself as an animal of any kind, he just looked like a disappointed older brother with the way he was holding himself. Hiro would have believed that this man was a normal person if he were not on Red Death.
When they finally meet eyes...
Hiro wondered what on earth this man was doing here in the first place.
They both stared at each other for a bit until the man decided to speak. "What are you doing here?"
Wow, his voice sounded really nice... wait... what? Uhh...
"Uhhh..." Hiro swallowed, his brain helpfully supplying that he was still on RED DEATH and there was CANNIBALS on this Island and that there was one standing right in front of him! The fear came back, but it wasn't as bad as last time.
The man raised his eyebrow and this signaled for something in genius his brain to speak up.
"Please... don't eat me..." His voice was very small and weak but he had no time to worry about that now because he had to negotiate. Negotiate to stay alive! "I uhh... help you out." He tried a grin showing off his gap in his teeth.
The man chuckled, smiling. "Oh don't worry, I'M not going to eat you. But I don't know about everybody else."
Worry lumped up in the lanky boys throat and when he tried to swallow it down, it wouldn't move. He started to sway a little and his vision became a little fogy.
The cannibal, instantly feeling the younger boys distress, tried to put his hands out in a comforting manner. "Whoa! Calm down, relax. I'm their leader, don't worry, I'm not going to let them eat you."
Luckily this seemed to do the trick and snap him out of fainting into a more shocked state. This... guy, was the leader of the entire group of cannibals on this island. He could hardly believe it, this man looked like he could hardly hurt a fly and the worst part of this is that Hiro actually felt himself...
...trusting this man.