Makoto was shivering from the bitter winter cold. 'Damn that Hazama, sending me here on a wild goose chase.' Makoto frowned at the memory of Hazama sending her to this place investigating a series of magical pulses happening on and off for the past few months. 'Why do I NEVER think to put on proper winter clothes?!' Indeed, Makoto's current outfit was unfit for the cold weather, exposing a lot of skin. 'No matter what, I ALWAYS go out like this!' She uses her tail to wrap itself around herself to stave off the cold somewhat, she reaches into her cloak and pulls out a small device that Professor Kokonoe gave her to detect the anomaly. She blinked in surprise when she realized her tail was actually an extremely effective way of keeping the cold off of her bare skin. Makoto mentally cheered 'Cute fluffy tails for the win!' as she activated the device.
'Let's see here...What's going on in this...incredibly boring neighbourhood?' Makoto looks to see that not only was the neighborhood incredibly dull but it was the same type of house, lawn and fencing. For a moment Makoto had a flashback to a horror movie she watched with Noel and Tsubaki during a girls night out back in the academy. "Oh no, now I'm nervous...Damn you girls forcing me into watching that movie..."
All of a sudden she heard something crash, curious she heads to the source. The sound came from a house labelled "Number 4. She followed the sound to hear that it came from the kitchen, she jumped when the sound of the back door was slammed open and there was yelling. She let out a soft squeak of surprise. "What the heck's going on in there...?"
Using her superior acrobatic skills she easily climbs to the roof of the home to get a better view. And what she sees almost makes her throw up.
Inside the building was a little boy, shirtless, exposing all sorts of cuts, bruises, scrapes, wounds, missing skin, and burns. Towering over the little boy was a huge man, a heated metal bar in his hands, the metal glowing red. The man was bringing the metal down onto the little boy, clearly aiming for the injured spots to inflict more pain.
Before the man could bring the heated metal onto the child he was sent flying into the backyard where a tree snapped from the impact of his body hitting it hard.
The little boy had been cowering as he took his daily beating, but when he no longer felt the scalding metal connecting with his back, he looked up to see a pretty woman with squirrel-like features panting heavily, an enraged expression on her face.
Makoto was looking at the man in absolute rage, the fur on her tail was standing on end and she was standing over the child in a protective manner. Vernon shakily rose to his feet, nursing a broken arm, then limped back over to his house. "Hold it right there you overgrown walrus! I am Lieutenant Makoto Nanaya of the NOL, I am placing you under arrest for child endangerment, child abuse and anything else we can stick on your fat ass." Makoto said with an air of authority about her.
Vernon's eyes widened. "WHAT?! WHAT THE BLOODY HELL IS THE NOL?! WHY WOULD ANYONE GIVE A POSITION OF POWER TO A SQUIRRELY FREAK LIKE YOU?!"
Makoto notices that the boy flinches at the word 'freak' she frowns but decided to try at least to end this in an somewhat diplomatic manner "Sir, the NOL is short for the Novus Orbis Librarium and I am asking you to turn yourself in. Otherwise I WILL be forced to get physical with you." she responds in a strained calm voice.
"I WILL NEVER TURN MYSELF IN! I'VE NEVER HEARD OF THIS NOVUS ORBIS WHATEVER, AND I HAVE NO REASON TO BELIEVE IT EXISTS! THAT FREAK IS MY PROPERTY, AND I WILL DO WITH IT AS I SEE FIT! NOW STEP AWAY FROM IT AND GET OUT OF MY HOUSE RIGHT NOW, YOU FREAK!"
She twitched at being called a 'freak' for a second time 'I swear if he says it one more time he'll be on the receiving end of a Big Bang Smash.' Makoto thought as she charges up her attack.
"WELL?! DIDN'T YOU HEAR ME?! THIS IS MY HOME, AND I DON'T NEED A SECOND FREAK POLLUTING IT!"
"THAT'S IT! BIG BANG SMASH!" Makoto cocked her fist back and threw a punch at Vernon, he smirked thinking that she was brain damaged, the last thing Vernon had saw right before falling unconscious was a giant blue fist hurtling towards him at an incredible speed and the impact felt like being slammed by a train and an excruciating amount of pain.
Makoto was breathing hard, her anger spent she looks at the injured child and saw that at some point he too fell unconscious. She gently picked him up and noticed how light he was for his age, she pulled out her communication device and called Professor Kokonoe.
"Professor...There's big trouble here, I may be a little late. I'll...uh...I'll be waiting with someone for an ambulance..."
"Makoto? Speak up, there's a high amount of interference coming from your location, repeat that again." Kokonoe said.
"I said I'm taking someone to the hospital and I'm gonna be late!" Makoto shouted into her earpiece to ensure he would hear.
"I'm sending Tager, report to him when he arrives." Kokonoe ordered.
"Got it." Makoto replied with a nod. Makoto decided to wait until the ambulance arrives, in the meantime she carries the child inside a different room, as cold air from the window she broke was drafting inside, making both herself and the child shiver. She took a deep breath, then looked down at the little boy. It was now that she noticed she was tearing up. She gently wiped the tears away, and decided to search the house for any personal affects that could possibly belong to the child.
She saw two rooms filled with toys, but she highly doubted that they belonged to the child after what she had seen. Then, she noticed the open cupboard. With a tilted head, she stepped towards it and peeked inside.
She saw three items. One was a beautiful blue blanket, somehow still in pristine condition. One was a small squirrel plush toy. But the last item was absolutely heartbreaking.
It was a picture, drawn by a child, out of what appeared to be blood on a small piece of paper. On that picture was a small stick figure being held by another bigger stick figure, wearing a dress. Next to each figure was an arrow, pointing from words. The one pointing to the smaller figure said "Me". The larger one was labelled "The mommy I want". Looking closer, the beastkin could see what appeared to be tear stains on the paper, a clear sign the child had been crying while he drew it.
Makoto stared at that hand drawn picture and she could safely say that her heart was shattered at the desperation that this child was needed. She then looked at the child and then back at the picture in the bottom corner she could barely make out a name 'Harry: Age 3.'
Three years old. A three year old boy had expressed his desire for a mother's love by drawing it in his own blood...Makoto felt fresh tears welling up in her eyes.
This time she let the tears flow freely, she grabs Harry and gives him a gentle hug making him stir a bit. She looked at the boy, and felt her heart stop at the pain and fear on his unconscious face. As if on instinct Makoto gently sang a lullaby her mother taught her when she was younger. The little boy subconsciously picked up the soothing melody and let out a soft coo-like sound as he snuggled in closer. Makoto smiled as Harry's embrace was comforting.
The front door to the house suddenly opens to reveal a horse-like woman. For a moment Makoto thought she was another beastkin, and next to her was a boy around the child's age but was heavily obese. Makoto stiffened when she saw the two newcomers enter and tightened her hold on Harry.
The horse-like woman spots Makoto going through the cupboard "WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?" she yells out causing Harry to wake up. Harry let out a yelp of fear at the familiar sound of his aunt's voice, then noticed the unfamiliar pair of arms holding him. Harry struggled to get out of her arms but Makoto gently held on until he calmed down. As she did this, she focused a warning gaze on the other woman and child. The woman ignores the glare "WHO DO YOU THINK YOU ARE BREAKING INTO OUR HOME?!" she screeched making Harry flinch at the sheer volume.
Makoto's ears flattened against her head and her tail stood on end as her glare intensified. "Who do YOU think YOU are abusing this kid?!" She shot back.
The woman spots Harry in Makoto's arms "Why should I care what happens to that monstrosity?" she said in an arrogant voice raising Makoto's hackles up.
"Why you..." She said through gritted teeth.
"And what's with that scandalous outfit? You look like a scarlet woman!" the woman was now ranting.
"Shut up..." Makoto growled. Before the woman could say anything else the sounds of ambulance sirens and police sirens sound in the distance. Makoto smirked. "Yeah, that's right. I called the police. What are you gonna do about it?"
The woman reached into her purse and pulls out a gun much to Makoto's surprise "I'll just say I shot an intruder and in my panicked state accidentally hit my nephew." she smirked.
Petunia's eyes widened when she quite suddenly felt an iron grip on her hands. The woman's eyes widened and she looked to see a giant metal fist wrapped around the gun and her hands, her eyes trailed up and up and up to see a giant of a man that was heavily muscled with a dark red hued skin, his yellow shaded glasses added to his already demonic appearance.
Petunia's response was only natural. She went pale and let out a soft, terrified squeak.
The giant spoke in a deep cultured voice "Now, now none of that. I'm sure the police and the NOL would be interested as to why you would wish to intentionally kill your own nephew." he said.
Makoto grinned devilishly at Petunia. "You're gonna go to jail.~" She sang.
The giant turned to Makoto "Report Makoto." he ordered.
"Oh...Right! I uh...didn't find anything too out of the ordinary...except...y'know...this..." She gestured to Harry, who was still shaking uncontrollably, expecting to be hit at any moment.
The giant looked at the injured child and turned his attention to the frightened woman "I want you to tell me everything you know NOW!" he growled and sparks of electricity were coming from his free hand. Petunia screeched and began to thrash in the giant's grip as Dudley tried to pull her away.
"Let go of my mommy you freaks!" the tiny walrus said.
Makoto gritted her teeth and let out a growl. "YOUR MOMMY IS GOING TO PRISON ALONG WITH YOUR PET WALRUS!" She shouted.
Just then a NOL officer entered "Um excuse me Lieutenant Nanaya?" he stuttered slightly.
"Yes?" Makoto replied with a tilted head. The officer was surprised by how quickly she calmed down.
"We, conducted an atmospheric scan of the area and there isn't a trace of Seither." he said shocking Makoto and the giant.
"None at all? But that's impossible! The Black Beast's death resulted in the entire planet being covered in Seither." the giant stated.
"What gets me Tager is the fact that this neighborhood suddenly appeared out of nowhere. Hazama sent me here to investigate a series of magical pulses emanating from this area, and early reports stated nothing of any houses or people. In fact this place never existed." Makoto said to the now identified giant.
"If that's true then how in the world did this place appear out of nowhere? It would take an incredible amount of power to pull something like this off." Tager asks.
Makoto shrugged. "I dunno! It's strange..." Harry's eyes widened. Strange things? Had he done the freaky stuff again?
The woman decided to speak up pointing to Harry "IT WAS YOU! YOU DID THIS WITH YOUR FREAKISH WAYS! WE SHOULD'VE KILLED YOU WHEN THAT BASTARD LEFT YOU ON OUR DOORSTEP!" she screamed making Harry flinch and start to cry. The little boy broke down and began to struggle in Makoto's grasp. He just wanted to run away and hide where nobody would ever find him.
Makoto's face morphed into rage, she gently placed Harry down "Don't worry sweetie, I promise I'll be back. I just need to 'educate' someone on how to treat their relatives." she replied turning her attention towards the struggling woman and with a loud slap she brings the palm of her hand across the woman's face. Harry ceased crying, shocked at what had just happened as his aunt fell to the floor with a palm-shaped bruise on her cheek. "Tager, pick her up please." Makoto said in a calm tone that said 'Engaging bitch mode.' Tager quickly complies having been on the receiving end of Kokonoe's mood swings, Makoto grabs the collar of the woman's ugly plum blouse and cocked a fist back "Now you are going to tell me d by that I mean who placed Harry here, why you hate him, and most of all,Why should I give a damn about your insignificant life?" Makoto growled maliciously "Oh, and if I dislike the answers you give me." Makoto added slamming her fist into a nearby wall making a fist sized hole "That will be your head." she finished making the woman pale and she felt something run down her leg. Makoto smelled something and looked down to see that the woman lost control of her bladder making a large puddle beneath her. She laughed, then reared back her fist with a nasty grin. "Start talking, horse girl!" She commanded.
"The fre..."Makoto growled indicating that she was getting close to having her head caved in "HARRY was left on our doorstep when he was a year old, his mother my sister Lilly and his father were killed by a madman and my sister apparently died protecting him." she started.
"So you show just what you thought about your sister by abusing her son when he was put under your care?!" Makoto snapped before pulling out the drawing. "Look what he drew when he was only three years old! Three years old, and he was so deprived of love, he drew a picture of himself being loved! Don't you feel the least bit guilty?!" Petunia opened her mouth. "And don't you DARE lie to me! Say yes, say no, but I'll be able to tell if you're lying!" Petunia steeled her nerves. She was going to get beaten anyway...Might as well make the most of it. She scowled at Makoto defiantly.
"I don't." She said curtly. "That picture is hilarious. He deserved it. We never wanted him, we all hate him, and if he died without evern experiencing love, we would know our duty had been fulfilled. Freaks don't deserve love. They need to be locked up, never to mingle with us normal people. Now then...Go ahead. Beat me. It was going to happen no matter what I said, so I felt I might as well get it off my chest." Petunia Dursley was about to learn just how much of an idiot she was...
"You know, originally I was going to kill you. But now I realize that death is too good for a bitch like you." she said coldly "Tager it looks like Professor Kokonoe has a couple of volunteers for some of her more dangerous experiments." she grinned she pointed her thumb out back "Her fat tub of lard of a husband is in the backyard on the receiving end of a Big Bang Smash." she finished punching the woman in the face rendering her unconscious.
After that, she rounded on Dudley, an unnervingly sweet smile on her face. "Hello, SWEETIE." She said dangerously as she knelt down. Dudley whimpered. "How about you tell me EVERY SINGLE SOLITARY THING your mommy and daddy have done to the poor little thing over there?" Makoto wanted to know the extent of the damages, so she would know how badly the child must have been scarred mentally.
"I...I dunno..."
"Now, now..." Makoto wagged a finger. "Don't lie to me." Dudley began to sweat.
"Th-They hit him with things, like...pipes, sticks, cricket bats and stuff...Th-They punched and kicked him...Um...Threw him down the stairs a lot... Tried to drown him in the bathtub a few times...He didn't wake up for a week once when they did that... They burned him on the stove, almost started a housefire... They made him drink that stuff under the sink that mommy and daddy told me not to touch...Um...It looked painful... He had more stuffed toys than that squirrel, but I didn't want them, so they burned them in the fireplace...Not sure how the squirrel stayed in... My aunt let her dog attack him... Sometimes they stabbed his hands and feet with knives...And...Um...I think they carved words onto his back... ...I don't see what the problem is though...He's a freak, right? Freaks deserve it..." The child looked genuinely confused.
Makoto sighs making a mental note to send the kid to an orphanage where he can get psychological help "Can you tell me your name please?" Makoto asks so she would have a name to give the orphanage.
"Um...Dudley..." Dudley replied, scratching his head. This was an incredibly confusing series of events...
"Okay, Dudley. Why don't you go and talk to Mr. Tager over there? I'm...going to take a look at the...words that man carved into the...child's back..." Makoto walked over to Harry "Hey sweetie, are you feeling alright?" she asks gently. Harry looked up at her with tear-stained eyes, then looked back down with a soft whimper. "Harry, I need to take a look at your injuries okay?" she tells him. Harry nodded, not about to argue with the woman who had just knocked his aunt unconscious.
Makoto gently lifted his shirt off...and was greeted with a sight that made her sick to her stomach. Permanently etched into the boy's back were such hateful, bitter words...
Stupid...
Ugly...
Should have died...
No one will ever love me...
I don't deserve life...
I'm a freak...
It takes everything for Makoto not to throw up at the scarring and the words that were on his back. "Oh God..." She breathed as she traced the injuries with her fingers. "Oh my God...Why...?" The sight of the atrocity was enough to make Makoto cry, Harry hearing Makoto's sobs turned around to see her on her knees crying.
Harry looked at her sadly. "Wh-Why are...Y-You c-crying...?" He asked, about to break down crying again.
Makoto looked up to see Harry concerned for her "You didn't deserve what those monsters did to you." she managed to get out.
"Y-Yes...I did..." He whimpered. "I...I'm a freak...Freaks get beaten...That's just the way the world works...It's...the way things are...I don't get to be loved...All I deserve is hatred..."
"Stop it!" Makoto said. "No more!" She pulled out the picture he drew when he was three, tears still in her eyes. "What about this?! Don't tell me you've given up all hope of finding someone who cares for you!" Harry's eyes widened when he looked at the picture. He stared longingly at the taller stick figure as the tears welled up. Then, he broke down once more, collapsing to the floor, curling up in a ball and sobbing his little heart out.
Makoto reached down and enveloped Harry in a hug much to his surprise. He looked into her eyes, which were still tear-stained themselves. After a moment of silence, he buried his face into her chest and resumed his crying. Now he was bawling, his pent-up sorrow coming out full force.
Soon Makoto pulled away with tears staining her face "Harry, I promise you that no one will harm you ever again." she vowed as she picks up Harry and his possessions intending on taking him out of that home and never returning.
Unbeknownst to them there in the kitchen was a calendar and on it was the month of July, the dates for the month were marked out save for the 21st and the following days and on the 30th it was circled with the words "Freak's Birthday."