The Fight Between Leon and Reborn
Chapter 2
Prologue Ver. Green
The way I plan to do this is to have Leon's chapters in first person and Reborn's in third. That way we can see what each of them thinks better. If after a few chapters you all don't like it, then I can change it, but I'd like to give it a go first.
I hate this place. I really do. Why they had to take me away from my perfect home in the rain forest I don't know. But I'm so scared. I really want my Mummy, but I don't know where she is. Even my Dad would do. Anyone? Is there anyone that can take me away from here and find her for me? Please, that's all I want, to go back home.
I hate this place. I really do. If taking me away from my family wasn't enough they have to poke me with cold sharp pointy things that hurt. It hurts worse than getting bitten by an ant. Damn creatures. But that's not the worst of it. There's something wrong with me. I can feel the change happening. I'm not really sure when the change started, but I know it was after the huge creatures, I think they call themselves scientists, started biting me with those pointy things. I understand what they are saying; slowly but surely after every bite I understand more and more. And I'm scared by it. They keep on using the word intelligence.
Quite a few weeks have passed since then and I finally understand everything that's going on around me. The sharp ant bites are called injections, which is part of an experiment to increase my intelligence to a level on par with their own. These scientists keep on coming by with numbers and words and pictures, expecting me to show off my new found intelligence.
But I'm not the only one.
I've noticed that they are trying these experiments on a few different animals too. It wasn't long into the process that I could understand them and they could understand me. Apparently that's not supposed to happen in the 'natural' world. I've been here so long that I've almost forgotten what the 'natural' world looks like. But in the same Laboratory- the place where they do all of these tests- there is also a squirrel, a falcon, and a crocodile, which I'm slightly scared of. Even though it's small it still looks like it could eat me. There's also an octopus in a water tank, a monkey and a frog. We are the only ones that have survived the experiments so far. All of the other animals died and were removed.
But like I said, quite a few weeks have passed and then something new happened. The last lot of liquid they injected was a pale grey, this one is a vivid and burning yellow, flickering like flames. I've had first-hand experience with flames, when my old home was destroyed and we had to move. I overheard the scientists talking and this new liquid, which looks terrifying, is called Sun Flames. I don't have a clue what they mean but these Sun Flames have the 'Activation factor'. Activate what? I scuttle back into the corner of the cage I'm in, trying to stay away from the scientist's reaching hand. Flames hurt, they destroy, I'm not letting that liquid anywhere near me. But sadly there isn't enough room in the cage for me to escape and eventually a hand forcefully grabs me and pulls me out. Whilst I squirm in the hands of my captor, another scientist comes and injects me. The moment I feel the cold metal I stop. I've lost, moving now only makes it hurt even more.
I shudder. Nothing could be more painful than this. I scream. I can feel the fire all over my body, moving around, following my blood. I want it out! Get it out of me now! I feel funny, everything is tingling and I don't like the feeling. Mummy, Daddy, help me. Save me. Slowly the feeling sinks in as I absorb whatever these Sun Flames are. The tingling lightens up. They put me back in my cage and it's all I can do to curl up before my eyes shut.
Slowly the scientists inject me with more and more of these Sun Flames. The others are all having the same experience, but the Flames have different names. Everyone agrees it's the most painful experience they have ever had. They do nothing to numb the pain, the scientists just get on with it, not caring about our screams. Oh God here they come again. Why can't they just leave us alone? What have I done to deserve this? There has to be some way out of this. If I could just escape his hand I'd be free. As he picks me up I think and think. If only I was as small as one of the berries they feed the monkey.
Huh?
What's this feeling?
My whole body is tingling, but it feels good, it feels warm. There's this glowing light that I can't find the source to. In fact, no it can't be... I'm the source of the light? The whole world around me shifts, everything gets bigger. And suddenly I'm sliding out of the man's hand. A quick look in the metal panelling that is all around the room shows me something I can't believe. But I'm sure that what's reflected must be me. I look just like those berries I was thinking about earlier. Although I'm my usual shade of green and I still have my eyes, my nose and my mouth. I hit the floor with a painful smack. But what do I do now? I can't move like this! I need to be back, back as I usually am.
And just like that I am.
The scientists stare at me in shock before they all collectively leap for me. After a long chase I am once again thrown into the cage and locked inside. There are cries of joy and hi-fives going all around. They seem happy. This is what they were trying to do to me? They want me like this! This is not normal. This is not supposed to happen. But if it can help me to escape then I'll use it. I'll do anything to be free of here.
But sadly the scientists are determined not to lose their success. I'm under constant watch. I tried to escape out of the cage once but they just put me in a different type. This one is all glass, there are no bars to slip through, no lock to be unlocked with a key. I watch the others as the same thing happens to them. One by one, strange occurrences happen to them too. The scientists just get happier and happier.
With all of us as completed experiments, they did their final tests to record the changes. And then they forgot about us. We were fed less often, given water less often. Within a few weeks, we were all ready to die. Physically I mean. We had accepted death mentally a very long time ago. After all if death was the only way to stop the pain then why not embrace it? Heh, how pathetic is that? That's a human's way of thinking. An animal never gives up, they always search for a way to survive. And I will. I'm going to escape and see my Mummy again. I swear it.
Just as we are all giving up hope, our Saviour arrives.
It is the middle of the night and everything is quiet. The scientists had stopped keeping watch on us long ago, positive that they had enough counter measures to our new powers that we couldn't escape. And just like that he arrives. No alarms went off, and I swear that no doors opened. This man is different. He's not wearing the same clothes the Scientists wear, nor what the civilians wear. He has a mask over his eyes, but not like the scientists sometimes wear. This mask only covers his eyes. He has a heavy hat on that I swear is made from Iron. Finishing off his look is a long trench coat, and a pair of gloves, with matching tie, that had a black and white checked pattern on them.
"What the Estraneo did to you was unfair. To give you powers like this and leave you to die, like a toy a child is finished with. Well little ones, I'm going to give your lives meaning again. You're going to be another piece of my games to make it interesting. I've never given the Arcobaleno partners before. No matter what curse I decide to give them, I'm sure that you'll all add to the enjoyment factor."
Do I care about what he's talking about? No. It just sounds like he's going to give us to someone else. And I'm fine with that. Everything and Anything would be better than this Estraneo Laboratory. At first I thought Estraneo meant scientist since it was often used. "Estraneo are the best… Estraneo will rule the Mafia, no the world… Estraneo's experiments will change the world" But one day when some civilians arrived, I found out that Estraneo didn't mean scientist, they were two different words.
Surely wherever this man takes us, it will be better. There is no pain greater than what they inflicted upon us here. No one could do anything worse. And it meant freedom. So when the man placed his arm in my glass prison I run straight up his arm and into the warmth of his coat. It's so warm, something I haven't felt in a long time. The frog soon joins me, leeching heat from the man. The others either follow him or find places to sit, all willing to take this chance at freedom. No one wants to stay here any longer.
Just like he said, he freed us. He took us to a place where we were warm, where we were fed, where we became happy. At one point, he gives me a yellow rock. I'm not a lot bigger than this rock, but it's very warm. I like this rock. I don't know why, but I feel attracted to this rock. It's not for a long time later that I realise it's the same yellow as the Sun Flames. This Masked man tells me to sleep wrapped around the rock. And I do so, since it's the warmest thing I've ever felt. And not just in a heat sense either, it's warm in a happy sense too.
There comes a point when we are all recovered and at the peak of health once again. It's then that he takes us for an outing. We are taken to the top of a mountain and hidden behind some rocks and told to be silent. We all follow his order. We hear some people talking. And suddenly there is a very bright light. We are safe from it, hidden as we are. After the light disappears, the Masked Man appears once more and takes us to where there are 8 people unconscious on the ground. He puts us in the middle of the circle of people… and he leaves.
I look at the people around me and my eyes are drawn to one man in particular. For a start he is holding tightly to My yellow rock. It's changed shape but there is no doubting that that is My yellow rock. It's the same colour and I still feel the same attraction to it. This man looks scary, but he looks softer in his sleep. In his other hand is something called a gun. He's in a black suit with an orange shirt and a hat on.
I look around and realise that everyone has picked a particular human to look at. So I take a closer step to mine. I walk closer and closer until I'm right next to his face. I give him a sniff, taking in his sent and remembering it.
And that's when he wakes up.
So, just to make sure you all get it: Leon was kidnapped from the rain forest and experimented on by the Estraneo Family. The first lot of experiments made him smart in a human sense. This is so he can understand Reborn later on. The second set introduced his body to Sun flames. I think that the Activation factor of the Sun flames causes Leon's unusual transformations. Leon and the rest are saved by Checker Face and brought back to health. They are told to sleep with the 'pacifiers' which are in a different form at the time. It's created a link between him and Reborn, who now holds that 'rock'. This will be explained later on.
The reason I've done it like this is because you never see Adult Reborn with Leon. He always has his two normal guns. Leon only appears with a baby Reborn. So I think it's something he received either during or soon after receiving the curse. In this case, during.
Hope you all enjoyed this introduction to Leon. The 'Fight' shall truly start next chapter.
Phantom Hitman 1412
First Published 27 April 2012
