03

To save his wife. His love. Orpheus went down. Down. Down. Down.

He played his lyre, and the music opened everything.

But one fatal mistake.

He

TURNED

It was cold. The brilliant white snow laid out upon the ground, expanding forever, a barren wasteland of sleet. Except for, that is, the large tree sprawled out in front of him, rooted to the ground. Its white oak beckoned Hiro forwards, its colorless leaves blowing in the wintry atmosphere. He let the soft white particles part in his hands as he touched it, and the realism in its touch was frightening given that it was a dream. He grasped forwards, his hands reaching for the tree in front of him, wondering how it felt.

But Hiro was stuck in the snow, unable to move forwards. The snow tightly latched onto his legs, leaving him waist-high in the ground. No matter the struggle, no progress was made. Thus, there was no point in even trying.

It really was chilly, and Hiro shivered as he brought his hands closer to himself to conserve the warmth. Instead, it offered nothing, and his warmth only seemed to be sapped away. He scowled uncomfortably, furiously shaking as the cold continued its brutal attack. Wait…

He gave another glance at his hands, to see that they were much smaller than usual, chubbier in a childlike way. Was he… a kid again? He quickly patted his entire body to confirm. Ears? Check. Arms? Check. Body? Check. Everything was most definitely smaller than he was used to. Now the question was, why was Hiro a kid again?

He looked back to the tree, which gave him no answer. However, such was the norm in this place apparently, as he was unable to find an answer to any question about this place. Why was it always this tree? For the past week, it's always been this tree haunting his dreams, and even before that, he would have periods of time where this was the only thing he could dream of. Ever since he was… Eight? Maybe nine even. But the point was that this tree seemed to be a staple of his life now, and its sudden reappearance was not gladly accepted.

Perhaps he could get answers if he tried to explore. If only he could just move, maybe he could get closer to touch the tantalizing bark that stared back at him. He struggled against the snow, but it seemed to only latch on tighter the more he moved, like a Chinese finger trap. So he relaxed, giving up, and once again just looked at the tree with its long extending branches seeming to go on forever.

It was becoming annoying, really. To just sit here before this tree. Every night, he found himself here. Nothing to do, nothing to watch. Just this god damned tree. Then he would wake up, way earlier than usual, try to go back to sleep, but fail. Then he would go to school, sleep during Maths, get chastised by the teacher, and be tired the whole day. It was a brutal cycle that left him no opportunity to find himself in the peace of the night.

So to say he was annoyed was really just the least of it. This single dream had become the very end of him, forcing him to the end of his own wits as he was left deprived of any rest he could get. Perhaps it was finally time to get an appointment, maybe a therapist even.

However, a sudden discrepancy caught his eye. Out in the horizon, was that… What was that? A large black fog-like void seemed to be growing, and Hiro looked around. It was coming from all directions! It slowly ate up all that was, coming closer and closer to Hiro. It was like a smog, and he could feel the bad intentions radiating off it.

Suddenly, a blaring static exploded throughout, and Hiro clutched his ears in pain as his eyes closed shut, unable to withstand such a torrent of agony. It even began to invade his head, locking him out of his thoughts as Hiro could feel his strength withered away.

He struggled against the snow again, but like before, it stubbornly locked him to the ground, preventing his escape. He wildly turned, and the black void seemed to be growing at a faster rate. It began latching onto the tree, eating it up, and Hiro felt his panic rising. He had to escape, or face death. But in such a state, escape was impossible. He could only let out a wild cry for help as it began to close in onto him, its expansion a wildly sporadic movement.

It latched onto his arms, and he could see them disappearing into the dark expanse. He fought, but the void quickened, viciously hungering for more. The static only grew in magnitude as he was sucked further in. It ate at him, and he could feel his very life being seeped away. Soon, he couldn't even scream as it stole his mouth away, and soon, his eyes were taken in a similar fashion.

…

It was black. Though, Hiro was certain it wasn't from the blindness brought upon him from the void. No, he was in the void, floating in its nothingness. It was… strange, just floating. Endlessly. He couldn't feel any of his limbs, it was as if his body just didn't exist.

Suddenly, a voice rang out across the space. Hiro perked up, alert as he waited for it again. There! A feminine one, a very familiar one… Ichigo? She was saying something, but he couldn't hear her. Her voice sounded like it was underwater, and Hiro strained to listen. He began to make out her words, eventually realizing what she was saying.

"Hiro? You told me to remember this… -"

Ringing. That's all he could hear. A briiiing noise that constantly repeated over and over. It was immensely irritating, especially given his circumstances. Hiro tried to shut it out, trying to listen to Ichigo's voice. What had he told her to remember? But her voice was gone now, leaving him to reality, and Hiro could feel the cold bed beneath him, causing him to groan as he rolled out of bed. Despite the dream, he definitely didn't feel as tired as he had been these past nights. Perhaps it was the strange event that had occurred, taking him away from the tree for the first time.

Why was his alarm ringing? He wasn't used to that sound, given that he had been waking up so early lately. He clumsily grabbed for his phone, a new one that he had bought over the weekend. A slim black design, an exact copy of his previous one. 9:30? Hiro collapsed back into bed, searching for the warmth of his blankets. He snuggled easily into them, giving a content sigh as he shivered, remembering the cold that he had been in previously. Thinking about it, 9:30 was actually pretty good, given his usual routine. It was the weekend, after all.

…

Except it wasn't the weekend. It was Wednesday. Hiro exploded upwards, grabbing his phone as he nearly tripped running out of his room. Fuck, it was Wednesday! He was late to school!

His feet cringed against the numbing wood floor, but such reaction was largely ignored as Hiro dashed into the restroom, quickly applying the toothpaste to his toothbrush. Fuck, he was late. He was really really late.

He rigorously brushed his teeth as his mind rang out with beratement. "How could you sleep in late! On a Wednesday too! You have school!" His mind seemed to scream as he reached into his closet, toothbrush still in mouth as he quickly grabbed clothes. His normal school uniform, along with black socks and some shoes. He quickly tugged his pants on, hopping one legged around as he tried to organize his things.

Back in the restroom, he hastily spat out the remaining residue in his mouth, gargling and then running downstairs, putting his jacket on at the same time. He found his backpack on the kitchen table, grabbing it and taking a cold poptart as well, his keys jangling as he locked the door behind him and quickly ran. He nearly doubled back for his bike but decided against it.

The autumn morning was gentle, with a mild city life busying itself around while Hiro ran through the streets, sporadically chewing his poptart. The nimble winds seemed to lift Hiro, pushing him faster as he raced his way to Mistilteinn.

Now that he was out of the house, he had time to think again. His mind wandered back to the dream he had, the reason he was late. Why had Ichigo spoken in his dream? Supposedly, he had asked her something, to remember something. But what?

She sounded young in his dream too. Her voice had been higher pitch, more childlike. Which meant that if such an event had happened, it must have been way back in the past. He stressed his mind to remember, thinking of his childhood. But it remained blank, unable to give an answer. There must be a million things he had asked her to remember for him throughout childhood, but for him to remember it, it must have been important.

Unable to find an answer, he finally settled on the likelihood that it was nothing. The tree was most likely some nonsensical fantasy that he had been dreaming about for no other reason than his mind was strange. Which meant that the part where Ichigo had spoken was fake as well, right?

But still… it had been the first time something else had happened. Each other time, Hiro had been just standing before the tree, endlessly watching. But this time, that void had come, taking it all away. The irate static that had exploded throughout his being as the void expanded. And then there was Ichigo's voice, telling him something. If only he could remember, but he had nothing.

Hiro groaned internally, unable to make sense in it. He decided to reserve that discussion for later as he turned the corner to Mistilteinn High, where the pristine steps welcomed him. He climbed up them, finally being able to slow his run, however quickly paused.

At the top of the steps was a woman, tall, with long red-brown hair. She wore a uniform, the standard for the staff at the school. It was Nana.

At Mistilteinn, students were assigned to one of many counselors, who would manage their school schedule among various other things. Nana was his counselor, and coincidentally the counselor to most of his friends too. She was a nice lady, incredibly caring as she handled her students. It was clear why she was so highly commended amongst the students, and nearly everyone seemed to love her.

"Hiro? What are you doing out here? Are you late?" She asked out loud as Hiro made his way up slowly, depositing his hands into his pockets. Well, to make matters worse, his hasty return to school had been caught. Rather than give an excuse, Hiro decided to just be honest, as the counselor that stood before him was deserving of such.

"Yeah, I guess I slept in a bit," Hiro offered her a sheepish smile, one that Nana returned with a sigh. She shook her head with disappointment, but she didn't berate him or anything.

"It's fine. Just come with me to the office so we can sign you in, then you'll be good to go," Nana said, beckoning him to follow. She opened the door, and Hiro followed behind, walking into the grandeur that was the interior of Mistilteinn. It held him in awe every time he came, always managing to be in perfect condition. The spectacular white seemed to glisten in the sun, and the rays of sunlight shone down upon them, offering a beautiful image.

Nana walked over to the left, where the office was mostly empty, exempt Dr Frank, who stood nonchalantly, leaning onto his black cane. It was the first time Hiro had seen the doctor since the first day of school, and an irate aura seemed to radiate off the doctor. Hiro averted his eyes as he walked in, keeping respectful distance as Nana excused herself to get the attendance officer.

"Late to school, son?" Dr Frank rumbled, his voice deep and gravelly as Hiro nearly jumped out of his skin. Hiro had never heard the old man speak, and to hear his hard voice was a surprise to him.

"Yessir, I'm late," Hiro awkwardly stated, unsure of how to address him. Dr Frank was magnitudes above him in status, so Hiro attempted to be as respectful as possible. Of course, in doing such he offered himself as a dumb fool incapable of talking, but perhaps such was required when being around people of such importance.

"Hmph. No good," Dr Frank simply stated, tapping his cane against the floor as if to express his disappointment. Hiro gulped, continuing to stare at the floor. Well, that wasn't good. Surely nothing bad could come of it, right? After all, it was just a late tardy. What's the worst that could happen?

However, Hiro couldn't help but picture the doctor quaking with evil laughs as he raised a bone saw in hand, Hiro latched to a lab table as he screamed endlessly. Scary.

"Name?" Dr Frank finally said after the silence nearly consumed the two of them, and Hiro eagerly answered, an attempt to shake off the awkward appearance that Hiro had placed onto himself.

"Hiro." A slight pause overtook his words, and Hiro realized perhaps that the doctor hadn't actually cared or anything, it was just a means to break the silence.

"Hiro Strell?" Dr Frank turned to look at him, and Hiro slightly yelped at the sudden attention.

"Yes sir. Hiro Strell," Hiro repeated. How did the doctor know his last name? Did Dr Frank know his parents or something? Another pause held the two of them in place, interrupted by the entrance of Nana and the attendance officer.

"Nana!" Dr Frank sharply said, and Nana immediately straightened, turning to the doctor.

"Yes, Dr Frank?" She queried, her face still.

"Get me this boy's medical history," The doctor demanded, pointing his cane towards one of the computers. Nana respectfully nodded, walking over to the computer and quickly typing. The old man seemed to think as he stood there, waiting impatiently for the counselor to return.

Hiro curiously glanced over at Dr Frank, who was tapping his cane against the floor. Why did Dr Frank want his medical history? What was with the sudden interest? Hiro discerned it must be something about his parents. Had Dr Frank known them? Even if he did, why did he want his medical records? This was certainly getting strange, but his interest was certainly piqued.

"Here you go, doctor," Nana said as she returned, handing him a stack of papers, which Dr Frank wildly flew through. Nana coughed uncomfortably, before turning to Hiro.

"Hiro? The attendance officer has you logged in, so you can get to class now," She told him, but Dr Frank abruptly stuck his hand out, silencing her.

"He stays. I want to ask him something," Dr Frank said, his eyes still glued to the papers. Hiro shot a questioning glance towards Nana, but the counselor just shrugged in response, clearly as clueless as Hiro. They both turned to the doctor, who was clearly deciding to leave them in the dark.

An uncomfortable silence held the two bystanders, and Nana coughed again, clearing her throat.

"Doctor, is this about your experiment?" Nana asked cautiously, her posture seeming wary as she spoke.

"And so what if it is?" Dr Frank dropped the papers as he looked up at the counselor, who flinched from his gaze. "Hiro, come."

He walked away to one of the many office rooms, his cane clacking against the ground loudly. Hiro stared after him uncertainly, looking questioningly at Nana. She simply nodded back to him, gesturing for him to follow.

So he did, following the estranged doctor to another room, a bit of excitement rising within him. It was clear that this was indeed for his experiment, but why he was chosen was still under question. Then came the fact that Dr Frank seemed familiar with his parents' last name. What exactly was transpiring here?

In the room, Dr Frank sat on a grand chair, grabbing papers from his desk. Hiro took a seat on the other end, unsure of his purpose in the room. He placed his hands calmly against his legs, and he waited for the doctor to speak.

"Sign all these," Dr Frank handed him a stack of papers along with an uncapped pen. Hiro hesitantly took it.

"Uhm, sir, is this about the experiment? What are these papers?" Hiro asked out loud as his eyes scanned the first paper, confusion eminent throughout him. Perhaps in the legal terms were an agreement of eternal slavery, leaving Hiro as a lab rat for the doctor till his imminent death.

"Don't worry about it. It's just agreements to follow along and health agreements and a bunch of mumble jumble. Just sign it so we can move on," The doctor sighed, his cane once again tapping against the ground.

Hiro decided to trust him, after all, he was a world-renowned doctor. If he wasn't able to trust him, who could he trust? Hiro signed them all, quickly returning them to Dr Frank, who placed them back into his desk.

Another pause overtook them, and Hiro found himself looking around the room. It was messy, with papers sprawled around in the strangest locations, a wide shelf placed at the back with copious amounts of books and other things.

"Okay, Hiro. Tell me, do you remember anything from your past at the age of 7?" Dr Frank asked, his eyes lazily finding their way to Hiro's. However, they were filled with a dangerous curiosity.

"What do you mean?" Hiro finally asked out loud, greatly confused from his question. Of course he remembered things from when he was 7, there's a whole year of memories there, right? And what was with the age requirement? And the question itself was strangely exact.

"Specifically, in the months of June and July," Dr Frank sighed, his voice emitting an irritated tone at Hiro's lack of answer. However, an inquisitive gleam was clear in his eyes, something that would be found on one much younger than the doctor was.

Hiro thought back, his mind racing as he attempted to remember. June and July? When he was seven? Why was Dr Frank even asking about that? But, strangely, Hiro could only draw a blank while thinking that far back. He could easily visualize his life before. He could visualize it after. But, June and July? His mind was just as confused as him, leaving him with no answer.

"Uhm, no, I can't. That's strange," Hiro commented, his hand moving through his black messy hair as he bit his lip uneasily. "Maybe my life was just really boring at the time."

"Hmm," Was all the doctor could say as he seemed to be thinking, before getting up. "Alright, that's good then. Let's move onto the next step."

Hiro simply nodded, feeling unable to deny his request. If the doctor thought he was special enough for his experiment, it must be under his civil duty to accept, right? He got up in tandem with the doctor, following his speed walk as they made their way to another room, this time with a much larger medical setup. With trays and tools everywhere, a large tilted bed made up the center, resembling that of a dental chair.

Dr Frank gestured for him to lay down atop it and Hiro obliged, laying down upon the cold leather. He laid uncomfortably while Dr Frank meandered around, gathering multitudes of different objects. Why did Dr Frank want him? It was for the selective experiment clearly, but he had only seemed interested in Hiro once he had learned his last name. It clearly had something to do with his parents, and Hiro felt an unbound energy begin to run through his veins. If it was about his parents, perhaps the doctor had information. Perhaps Dr Frank had the answers Hiro was looking for.

However, there was clearly something else going on as well. The abnormality of his inability to remember those two months when he was seven was clearly one. It was strange. Whenever he tried to think about it, his mind just returned blank, equally confused as him. It was like that period of his life just never existed. Of course, such was impossible. Hiro was still alive and well, meaning he must have been alive and well back then too.

So, the conclusion had to be that it was just way too long back. How could Hiro even remember that? He wanted to ask the doctor about these things but didn't want to interrupt his process. Hiro decided that he would ask afterwards, and hopefully Dr Frank had what he was looking for.

"I shall be administering a shot into your body, Hiro," The doctor began, and Hiro immediately wanted to get up in protest. A shot? "Don't worry, it's harmless. It's purely psychological, with no other side effects other than perhaps awakening those lost memories of yours."

"That's fine, I guess," Hiro finally answered uncertainly, conflicted. He wanted to believe the doctor's statements about the safety. However, Hiro couldn't shake the feeling that there was something more to this, and Dr Frank wasn't being entirely truthful when he spoke.

But he figured if he wanted his answers, he would have to loyally follow the doctor's orders. Plus, he doubted that Dr Frank would be able to freely run his experiments if it led to horrifying effects on his test subjects.

Dr Frank hummed while he wiped Hiro's forearm, wiping it with a gauze. Hiro looked at the doctor curiously, wondering what his experiment was really about. He had his doubts that the shot was only to track the progress of his medicine. And if it was, what was the medicine's purpose? And no side effects? What medicine had no side effects? He claimed it was to awaken his memories, but Hiro was still hesitant on the idea. Why would he have lost memories in the first place?

He suddenly winced as Dr Frank slapped his arm repeatedly, before quietly murmuring a "there it is" as he located the vein. Syringe in hand, Dr Frank placed the needle gently against Hiro's vein, and the slight pressure caused Hiro to tense nervously.

"Don't worry, son. It won't hurt a bit," Dr Frank gave him a reassuring grunt, and Hiro gave a nod, allowing the doctor to slide the needle in, Hiro watching cautiously.

…

Nothing. Dr Frank slid the needle out, wiping the tip as he looked at Hiro, curiosity clear within his eyes. Hiro felt around at his arm, but he felt entirely normal. Perhaps it would take a while for it to begin to work?

"You were right, sir, it didn't hurt at all," Hiro offered a smile, one that was largely ignored as Dr Frank continued to stand, as if waiting for something. An awkward minute passed as Hiro patiently sat, wondering what was to come next. Should he just get up and leave? Or was he to be excused? Was the doctor waiting for something to happen?

Silence held the two, and Hiro decided now was time to speak up. If he waited, he might lose his chance. He needed information, and he was certain that the doctor had exactly what he had been searching for.

"Doct-"

FUCK! Static was all Hiro could suddenly hear as his mind exploded, and he could feel every cell that made up his brain dissipate as pain surged through his body, sending Hiro collapsed to the dental chair. It was the same static that erupted throughout his body in the dream, except it seemed to have only grown in strength as it rippled away in him.

The pain alone was startling. He could barely think as the static began to fill his every thought, and he wasn't sure if that was the doctor who was repeatedly calling his name. It was only the damn static, and he tossed around, his feet curling. It was unbearable, and the tortuous stabs of pain only forced Hiro further towards the path of unconsciousness.

His back arched against it as he clutched his head, and Hiro found himself quickly losing conscious, the last thought in his brain being "that son of a bitch lied".

"What are you even talking about, Ichigo?" A young voice asked, raising an eyebrow as he spoke, comfortably lying against a medical bed as the tv played noiselessly in the background. It was a show that Hiro had often watched as a child.

The voice had come from a boy, who currently laid in a hospital bed. The boy… it was Hiro. Except it wasn't him. It was a different Hiro, a younger one. Hiro paused as he took in the surroundings. It was… a hospital. A young version of himself laid in a bed, and Ichigo sat next to him, a book in her lap. They were both children, and Hiro looked around as he attempted to figure out exactly when this was.

"I… Never mind, Hiro. I'm just glad you're finally awake," The young Ichigo shot the young Hiro a happy smile, one that the childlike version of him reciprocated quickly. The real Hiro looked around again, uncertain of what exactly was going on. Why was he in his memories? What exactly was going on? Hadn't he just been with the doctor?

"Don't get all sappy, Ichigo! I was only out for… what? An hour?" The child had a happy-going smile stretched across his face, a black bruise clear against the side of his face. Bruise? Why was there a bruise?

"A month, Hiro. You were out for a month," Ichigo drily said, to young Hiro's mock astonishment. The boy raised a hand to his mouth, and Hiro would have done the same if he were able to. A month? Since when had Hiro been out for an entire month?

"A whole month! Wow, I'm surprised you didn't forget about me, honestly," The young jet-black haired boy teased, to Ichigo's sigh. "I wonder if Goro still remembers me, or Mitsuru! I bet he got in trouble again."

"Shut it! I was worried, you know. We all were," Ichigo murmured the last part, crossing her arms as she looked away with a "hmph".

"Yeah, I know, but I'm awake now. I don't even remember why I was out," The young boy said quite honestly, and his voice seemed to urge Ichigo to tell him. The real Hiro was curious too, and he awaited Ichigo's answer.

Ichigo just shrugged, looking away. She clearly knew why he was out, given her averted eyes, but didn't want to tell. Perhaps she just wasn't allowed to, but the lack of response seemed to annoy both Hiros.

Hiro would have furrowed his eyebrows in confusion had it not been that he just didn't exist, rather he was just a spectator. Invisible. This didn't ring a bell at all. When was he at a hospital? For a whole month too? Things just weren't adding up, and Hiro decided that perhaps this wasn't a memory, but just a strange fever dream from the shot that he had been given.

"Hiro? How are you holding up?" A voice called out, and Hiro felt his blood freeze. It was instant recognition. That voice… That warm, sweet, loving voice. Hiro wanted to burst out, cry, and hide all at the same time. A woman entered the room, clad in a simple black jacket and jeans. Her eyes had clear bags under them, and worry was what mostly held her blue orbs.

She was just as he remembered her. The way she talked, that loving tone always there as she spoke to Hiro. That spark in her eye, and the worry that he had gotten used to, always being quite the troublemaker despite his perfect record. The way she held herself, confident but quaint. Her black hair fell past her shoulders, always straightened despite its natural curliness.

There was no mistaking it. She was his mom.

He wanted to scream for her, to hug her, to just talk to her one last time. But he couldn't. He was stuck, unable to do anything. He could only watch.

"Yeah, I'm fine mom," The child answered, giving her a big proud grin. "I'm all better now, so no more worrying!"

His mom gave a happy chuckle at her child's enthusiasm, rubbing her eyes. "I'll try my best," She stroked her child's hand as she walked over to his bedside, and relief was obvious throughout her form. There was no mistaking it. Such vivid detail like this meant this must be a memory. He suddenly noticed another figure that made up the scene.

A man stood at the doorway, leaning against it. He was tall, black hair cut clean, with generic slacks and black tee on. Similar to his mother, he had obvious lines beneath his eyes, the green in them eminent with relief.

His dad looked the exact same as Hiro had last saw him. Still that stern figure, but behind that front was a loving father. One that Hiro excruciatingly missed. If Hiro could cry right now, he was certain he would be able to fuel an entire hydro plant for a decade. It had been so long since he had seen them, since he had heard them. Their voices, their everything. He missed them so God damn much, and to be unable to even touch them was agonizing.

The scene stopped suddenly, and Hiro watched uncertainly as everything froze. It was as if someone had hit the pause button, and Hiro wanted desperately to find that remote and resume it, in hopes of hearing his parents speak one more time.

Static. The static returned, bringing Hiro's mind back to disarray. Pain burned through him as he watched the scene before him begin to crack. The entire thing began to shake, and Hiro stepped forwards to save the image, to keep it with him forever. Wait. Step forward? Hiro looked down to see his body, his regular, own body. He had form again?

Immediately, he ran over to his mother, holding her cheek gently. It was soft, just like he had always remembered. Weeping, he grabbed her hand, his thumb rubbing gently against the top. This was real. It had to be. Each detail was so painstakingly exact, and Hiro's mind jumped to the assumption that maybe he had just died and this was heaven.

"M-mom? Are you there?" Hiro's voice cracked as he asked, his voice desperate for an answer. For a response. Instead, static. Her body split into disproportions before going back to normal, and Hiro could only watch as everything around him began to disappear. The black void, eating everything, just like the dream he had in the morning. It was devouring everything, its hunger insatiable as it continued forwards, and Hiro closed his eyes, bracing for impact.

Only this time, it spared him. Him, and his mother. He opened his eyes, finding them alone in a dimly lit area. Everywhere else was the black void, which was strangely calm, as if giving them the mercy of exchanging final words. She slowly turned to him, each movement a painstaking lurch for Hiro as he waited, when finally, she faced him, her body still misaligned.

"H…Hiro?" Her voice rang out perfectly, unlike what was currently happening to her form. Hiro grabbed her, holding her against him, his sobs wracking against his body.

"It's me mom. It's me," Hiro cried into her shoulder, and she slowly comforted him, her hand reaching to his shoulder.

"You've grown so much," His mom stroked his hair as they embraced, the loving act that she had always loved doing to him. They would sit before their fireplace, his eyes threatening to close as she ran her hands through his hair warmly.

"Hiro… Listen to me, love," She said, bringing him to face her, a stern look in her eyes. "I've taught you so much, haven't I? Your father and I have always loved you, and we still do."

Hiro could only nod fervently, his voice currently obstructed by the block in his throat. Of course he knew they loved him, he loved them too. Now and forever.

"We've tried protecting you for so long, but it's nearly time. You must be brave. Trust yourself. You'll learn things, and you'll question everything. But remember, your father and I did this for your good, okay? Please, remember that when it all happens," She spoke in a quick fashion, as if aware that they were on limited time, but to Hiro, her words were mostly nonsensical. Time for what? He couldn't process these things; he could only focus on her. He had to savor this, to be able to keep it with him forever.

"This last thing is the most important. You have to remember this, okay Hiro?" His mother grabbed him even harder, her eyes shining with urgency. Hiro finally nodded, ready. Instead, static exploded even harder than before, and Hiro flinched backwards, his hands reaching for his head in a desperate attempt to stop it from spreading, to shield himself from the ferocity of its attack.

…

White. Everything was white. Snow surrounded him, a blank wasteland. Hiro hesitantly got up, his heart dropping as he realized where he was. The static had left, and in its place was the large white oak.

Hiro blinked. Why was he back here? Why?

"Take me back! TAKE ME BACK!" Hiro screamed into the winter winds, which never responded. He had to listen to his mother, that one last thing. She had something important to tell him. She told him to listen, but then it all left. He was back to this God forsaken barren place, the very place that had been haunting his dreams for so long. It was as if it was making fun of him now, taking him from the one thing he had to listen to, the one thing he wanted back so badly. His mother.

He moved forwards, and this time the snow actually obliged, letting him pass. It all seemed to melt away in his fiery anger. He weaved through the snow, until he was at the base of the tree, able to touch it. His fingers stretched out, and his tips aggressively touched against the bark, tensing as he waited for something to happen.

It was strangely warm, given that they were in the cold. He could feel a pulse, a regular thumping that sounded out throughout. Almost like… a heartbeat. Thump. Thump. Thump.

But it didn't do anything else. This forbidden action, being able to move, to finally touch the tree, had brought about nothing. He wanted to scream in frustration, and he grabbed his hair as he realized this was ultimately useless. It was teasing him, pulling him along for nothing. Absolutely. Fucking. Nothing.

Just when he was on the verge of something, answers, this place ripped him away from it again. So close, but still so far. He grit his teeth as he wished he could go back, back to his mother. Under her warm, loving embrace. Instead, he was left alone. All alone in the cold, with no parents. All alone.

Alone.

It was a large understatement to say Nana was panicked. In fact, to Dr Frank, it was more of a nuisance as she paced around, worry emitting off of her.

"I promise you, the child will be fine," Dr Frank grumbled for what seemed like the thousandth time. However, to say that he himself wasn't panicked was a lie. Hiro had been under for far too long. In fact, it had been five hours. But the feeling was suppressed by the interest in the situation. This had never happened before. Such a reaction was unheard of to him, and he could feel the scientific discovery unfolding itself bare in front of him.

Had it not been for the certainty that the teenager was still alive, Dr Frank might have been mauled alive by the counselor. But Hiro was alive, ascertained by his clearly beating heart and pulse. However, those seemed to be the only signs of life as the boy had been motionless for this time, just lying there.

"This isn't right, doctor. I'm sorry, but this isn't right. Why isn't he awake? I need to call an ambulance or something," Nana was rapidly firing out words at this point, and her voice was evidently anxious. Dr Frank raised his hand, stopping her. He needed to stall her, to keep authorities away from this incident. He had to maintain these conditions, to perfectly track the progress he was making.

"He will be fine. I will admit, this process seems to be taking much longer than usual, but you need not worry. The child will live," Dr Frank once again repeated, but even his belief was waning. Perhaps he had administered too large of a dose. Perhaps it was time for the hospital to get involved. But to do such was a great dishonor to his name, and his pride would never allow such a thing. No, Dr Frank was certain that Hiro would be dead before he called in others for help.

As if to lighten his worries, a sudden gasp got the attention of both Nana and Dr Frank, who immediately looked towards the dental bed. Hiro was up, sweat pouring off his forehead as he gasped, latching onto the nearest object for support as tears began to well up in his eyes, threatening release.

"Hiro? Hiro!" Nana ran over to her student, latching onto his arm. "Are you okay? What happened?"

Dr Frank had to grab the counselor to get her to move, and even then, she stuck in far too close vicinity for his liking as he began to examine the teenager, who's eyes bounced wildly from place to place. He was panicked. The boy's eyes were wildly glowing blue, as if taken hostage by a demon.

"Give me another one," Hiro's voice was rasp as he spoke, a dry cough coming out soon after. "Doctor, give me another shot."

Interest piqued, he jotted something down on his clipboard before deciding to answer the boy. Although it would certainly be fun to test another shot, he was certain the boy would find himself dead from it.

"No. That's enough for one day," Dr Frank placed a hand on Hiro's knee, looking directly into the eyes of the dismayed teenager. Now, it was time to track his progress. "What happened?"

The boy took a while to answer, first receiving a cup of water from Nana, and his hand wrung nervously around his wrist while he began to speak.

"I don't know. Everything suddenly hurt, and all I could hear was static. Then, I must have seen some memory of some sort. I was in a hospital bed, and one of my best friends was sitting with me, and we were talking. Apparently, I had been out for one month. But I don't even remember that. Then…" Hiro stopped, beginning to shake as his eyes began to nervously bounce around the room again. Dr Frank grabbed his hand, urging him to continue. So the shot had awoken memories. This was the first time it had done such a thing, having a prior 0% success rate.

"I saw my parents. I saw my parents, doctor. It's been so long, and I saw them. They spoke, and I could see them so well," Hiro was tearing up again, and his voice was trembling as his body began to quake. His voice quivered in desperation when he spoke again. "That's why I need another one. Give me another one, please."

"I can't, son," Dr Frank gently said this one, a tone he not often gave. Dr Frank was a scientist to the heart, and in such he found himself uncaring for his patients. But, this particular one, he felt his small heart open one channel to express even the smallest bit of pity. "Your parents… what did they say?"

"They were just talking to my young form. I could only watch; it was just a memory. Then the static came again, and everything turned black, except me and my mom. She spoke to me and said that she loved me and that she trained me well. Something is happening apparently, and I'll learn everything soon," Hiro was rambling now, his voice quickening as he continued to speak, and Nana grabbed his hand to slow him, to no avail. "Then she said she had one last thing to tell me, something really important. But then she disappeared, and I was back at that damned tree. That damned tree that's been in my thoughts for this past fucking week, haunting me. It took me away from my mom, just so I could just sit there and watch it again."

Hiro was breathing heavily, selfishly reaching for air as Nana and Dr Frank stood by, unable to respond. So much was said, so much that Dr Frank even found himself unable to process it all. A tree? What was all this? Perhaps there was much more to Hiro than even Dr Frank had previously thought.

"It'll be okay, Hiro," Nana finally said, an effort to comfort him as she warmly rubbed his knee with her hand. "It's over now."

"Indeed, it is," Dr Frank rumbled in reply, his hand finding itself scratching his chin as he thought. He gestured to the counselor, waving his hand at her. "Leave."

Nana opened her mouth to protest, but Dr Frank glared at her, and the young counselor swallowed before finally walking away, leaving only Hiro and the doctor in the room. It was quiet as the doctor's mind raced, wondering of the implications. Perhaps Hiro had been a special subject, and that's why he had taken such a wild reaction.

"Doctor, what did you do to me?" Hiro croaked, his sullen body slouched down, devoid of energy. It was a depressing sight, but Dr Frank had no time for those kinds of observations.

"I can't tell you the details right now," The doctor began, walking over to a nearby desk with his cane clacking against the floor. "What I can tell you is that your reaction is the first of its kind. All the other shots administered had largely no effect. However, for you, this is completely new."

Hiro didn't seem to respond, only just sit there as Dr Frank approached him with a clipboard in hand.

"Hiro, the reason I chose you is that in your medical history, it states you were in a coma for one month. July, when you were approximately seven," The doctor stated. "The reason is classified, even to your medical records. It must have been eventful, given that you seem to have no recollection of the time before or after it."

"A coma?" Hiro repeated, giving Dr Frank a blank stare. The doctor just nodded simply in return, affirming it.

"Yes, a coma. You may leave now, Hiro. I'm sorry it was such a stressful test for you, I didn't intend for it to be that way," The doctor softly spoke as he placed his hand neatly onto the teen's shoulder. "And I'm sorry. The world experienced a great loss with the death of your parents."

"You knew them?" Hiro perked up a bit as he turned to the doctor, his eyes clearly indicative of hope. The doctor paused, unsure of how to answer.

"Yes. I did know them," Dr Frank finally answered, his voice a definitive as he raised his hand. "Now, you may leave, Hiro."

"Wait, not yet," Hiro's voice was nearly begging as he spoke, bringing about another pause to the doctor, who turned to the teenager. "Please, I need help."

"I'm sorry son, but I can't help you as of right now," Dr Frank sighed impatiently. The boy had certainly brought about an interest in him due to his desperation, but it wasn't deemed important by the doctor. Thus, he would just dismiss it.

"It's about their deaths."

His ears perked, and the doctor couldn't control himself as he turned to the boy, alert. His parents' deaths, he says?

"What about it?" The doctor feigned disinterest, but Hiro's statement had certainly brought his notice.

"It doesn't make sense. Any of it. How they died, anything. Is there anything you know about it, anything at all. Please."

Of course the boy was questioning it. He was risen under Arya Strell, after all. He knew if the woman had been placed under the same situation as Hiro, the same reaction would have transpired. However, his fondness for the woman was not replicated for the boy, and he knew some things must be kept hidden. At least, for now.

"No, I don't know what you're intending at," Dr Frank responded flatly, before waving a hand off towards the teenager that stood before him, hope dwindling. "You have been dismissed."

The doctor could feel the conflict rise within the boy, but he eventually left with reluctant steps, leaving the doctor to himself. Once again, he felt pity rise within him as he considered the boy's situation. After all, he was on the right track. But perhaps for this time, it would be better to keep him in the dark. The boy was headed down a dangerous path and finding the truth would mean certain death. Papa would make sure of it.

The Prince's Dream

Author's Note: Once again, please inform me of any grammatical error in the writing. I try my best to proof read, but even then I can't catch every mistake. If you enjoyed, feel free to tell me! If there's something that's really bugging you about my writing, feel free to tell me!