Prologue:

"We're losing her!"

"No! Even if she survives, she'll have nowhere to go."

"That's not important now! Just try to start her heart again!"

"Huh? A Digi-destined…"

"You're going to pay for that one Rio!"

"But I didn't mean to break it Hiroshi!" Rio exclaimed, trying to pry himself from Hiroshi's grasp.

Hiroshi's little group of 'friends' simply laughed at Rio's statement. They didn't care if it was an accident or not. They wanted to beat on someone. Rio just happened to be the unlucky candidate. Like he was whenever they were bored.

"No! Please! Leave me alone!" Rio shouted, tears of the on-coming pain he would have to endure flowing from his eyes.

I'd had enough of watching and feeling pitiful towards all of the kids that had been made subject to Hiroshi's torture. I'd even heard rumors that he had threatened to kill someone. And had gone through with it.

I sprung from my spot on a high window sill, and sprinted towards them. Hiroshi saw me coming, but made no move himself to get at me. I guess he wasn't sure what I was doing.

I passed Rio, who had been dropped on the ground only a minute before. He watched me with wide, still tear-filled eyes as I approached Hiroshi, still at a dead run.

I was only inches from him when I pulled my arm back, and let it lash out in as hard of a punch I could conjure on such short notice. I obviously had taken him by surprise; his mouth had dropped open when I punched him, leaving a few tooth marks on my knuckles. He fell backwards and onto his back, knocking over a few of his buddies in the process.

I kept my fist clenched, feeling the warm, scarlet blood flow freely from the open wound. I would wrap it up later.

Hiroshi looked up at me, a newly kindled hatred gliding over his face. He stood back up, all the while he was glowering at me, shadows faded and re-appeared over his face.

He slammed his own fist into my face before I got the chance to move, knocking me back a few feet, and most likely giving me a black eye. I hit the ground, and lying on my side I looked back up at Hiroshi with a look of death.

"Kill him. Kill him now while you have the chance! Use your ability! Kill them all!"

My thoughts were so tempting. I didn't know how they got so bad.

Something must've flashed across my face, or must've shone in my eyes, whatever it was clearly unnerving them. They all took a step back, before following Hiroshi in a hasty retreat. They darted through the hallway, and turned a corner. I guessed that they were heading back to their assigned rooms.

I got up from the ground, my hand covering my throbbing eye. I felt a tug on the back of my shirt. I turned to see the teary-eyed Rio standing there behind me. He was clearly happy to see Hiroshi and his group leave, but he seemed puzzled about something. I was certain that he was going to share his reason for puzzlement with me.

He did. "Toshiku, why did you do that? You got hurt; didn't you know you would get hurt?"

I glanced at him with my good eye, considering leaving him without an answer, let him figure it out on his own. But I thought a second time, this time deciding to tell him. Maybe he could use the same reasoning later on in his life.

I sighed, and replied, beginning to walk away, "When you have no one, you protect everyone."