The trip from the east to Kyushu was tiring for the kids that boarded the train. Relocating them to a safe place where they could be cared for was a daunting task. However, the Hero Public Safety Commission was willing to scout through these rescued orphans to see who had the most potential.

I get how the public safety commissions works, but these kids have been through so much, Keigo thought to himself as he relaxed in his cart with the top prospects of this endeavor.

The first girl was short, quiet, and had yet to say a word despite being taken from her captors. She had long silver hair that was tied in a neat bun. She looked robotic, with porcelain skin and vibrant Caribbean blue eyes. Her posture was so still and perfect. However, knowing which complex she came from, he could only assume the way she carried herself was due to compliance and experimentation. Trying to find her name in the records that were contained there were hard to find. It was almost as if she had never existed to begin with. The number on her white coat read 51107. When the police officers asked her name, she looked to the numbers embroidered on her coat.

Keigo dubbed her '07 until they could get more information on her. She had a Portal quirk that the complex was trying to extract and apply to technology and sell to the black market. It is unsure what experiments they were conducting due to the research being obliterated. Until they were brought to their new location, getting answers would be hard.

The girl sitting next to her was called Kenji. When the police and heroes attempted to ask the amazon of a girl questions, she was compliant at first. Keigo noticed it was when they would call her name, she would shut down and glare.

Kenji had a unique skin color due to her quirk. Almost as though grey and green were mixed. Or perhaps a grey and brown? Her long, straight hair was a darker shade of red compared to Keigo's Fierce Wings. Her eyes, a darker gold than his. She slept with an aggressive look on her face, bottom tusks making her look as though she were scowling in her sleep. Kenji's quirk was called Orc, and the complex she came from held illegal fighting between foster children and orphans. Children with strong combat quirks were used for betting in this complex. While some were documented to live there, others were found on the streets or taken away from their homes to participate. It was rumored that she was on the top of the charts for 3 years running; her body was covered in scars to prove it.

Keigo turned his head to look at deep brown eyes watching him. If looks could kill, he would be dead. Her name was Nezumi. She had long black hair that was tied in a mess. While he may have been the one that lead the whole operation to save these children, he understood this freckled faced girl did not trust him one bit. Even saying that, she still worked with him to take her captors down. It was all for the sake of the kids that lived in her complex.

Her quirk was called Animorph. She was able to change her body into any animal and insect she had knowledge of. It's theorized that she can even turn into mythical creations if there is enough information on them.

"How do we know we will be safe with these people?" Nezumi asked suddenly, breaking the silence despite having a monotoned voice. Kenji sat up, snapping out of her slumber, alert to the question being asked. She stretched, staring at Keigo as though to emphasized Nezumi's question.

"You don't know." Keigo responded. "But the Hero Safety Commission took me in from a bad situation. And while it will be difficult to trust them, they will not let what happened in those apartment complexes happen again."

'07 gave a side glance at Keigo, but never turned her head away from the window she was staring out of. Nezumi also looked, noticing that they were getting deeper into the city of Kyushu. "This is a big bust." Kenji said bluntly. "Will there cameras? How can ya ensure the safety of our privacy when people see kids walking out a train with all this?"

The thought had already been explored through the Public Safety Commissions head chairs. While the incident was big, footage of the raid wouldn't be released til the following day, making this Pro Hero: Hawks debut at the age of only 18. This was what needed to be done for him to be the knight for the Commissions. Giving a young hero an impressive debut on top of him already having his own agency was an easy feat due to Keigo's investigation.

Helping with the rehabilitation of these girls also meant that the Hero Safety Commissions was trying to rebuild their chess board, looking for their pawns, bishops, and a new ruthless queen. Looking at the top candidates, he had an idea on who would hold which role. However, he wondered if the girls would be willing to comply with the Safety Commission.

With that, the train began to slow down. Kenji stood up to head to the door. Nezumi cut her off, grabbing the handle to slide the door open first. "Where are you guys going? We still have a while til the train stops." Keigo stated.

"I have to go find Kota." Nezumi said as she walked through the door to find her friend, Kenji following behind her.

The two walked in a line down the aisle. Kenji cleared her throat, indicating that she wanted to speak with Nezumi before she reached her friend. Nezumi turned back, looking up at the girl who towered over her, despite being the same age. "I know we don't know each other- "Kenji started, "But I got a feeling we will be close considering everythin'."

Nezumi looked to the ground, contemplating if she should agree with her or not. There was only one person that she trusted, and Kenji wasn't her. "What are you trying to say?" Nezumi responded bluntly. Kenji smiled, making her tusks seem friendly, despite now sharp they looked. "I'm just trying to get to know you and your story."

They both looked into each other's eyes, wondering who would speak first. Kenji broke the silence with a half-hearted laugh. "Well, let's introduce ourselves properly. I'm Topaz." Nezumi tilted her head in response. She knew that wasn't what she was called but didn't ask for a reason behind her introduction. Instead, Topaz volunteered some information.

"The other name is one I do not go by. I feel as though this one fits me better." Some thoughts went through Nezumi's head as she tried to assess the situation. Despite what Topaz said, she didn't want to be friendly with her. As soon as the opportunity arose, Nezumi planned on taking Kota away and starting a new life.

The freckled girl turned away in response, leaving the Topaz behind. There's no way we're going to be working with them. She thought to herself. I need to take Kota away from all these people.

Kota sat with the younger children as they played with one another. This was the happiest they had been in a long time. She smiled warmly, despite them not having any toys or belongings to bring with them, they still giggled and laughed with one another.

So many thoughts ran through her head as Kota waited for information as to what all their futures held. Not all of us will stay together, she worried. Truth is, she wasn't aware how many kids were even on the train. She was responsible for the kids who ranged from ages six to ten. Even though there were others to watch over them, the kids looked to her for guidance.

Kota could feel someone staring at her. Looking back, she noticed that one of the adults guarding them was looking at her. She gave a soft smile of acknowledgement, and he took it as an invitation to walk over. He left the guard that was fixating on a small pocket watch, ensuring that he would be back and to stay on alert. He gently grabbed his shoulder and whispered something before walking away.

The man was average height, soft brown hair with circular glasses. His hair was combed softly and gave an inviting aura that she hadn't felt with other adults. "Hello miss! My name is Akihito. I know this whole situation is very stressful on everyone, but can we talk privately in a box?" Kota hesitated, slowly tracing her fingers over her bracelet. The idea instinctually scared her, but despite that, she didn't feel a malicious aura. She nodded slightly and began to stand up.

Following Akihito, her heart was racing with fear. She knew not all adults were bad, but without Nezumi, she was afraid that she would say more than she should. As he led her to the designated box, Akihito led in a way that made Kota feel like she wasn't being held against her will, keeping enough space between them. He sat down first, waiting for Kota to make herself comfortable without giving direction.

"I'm with the Hero Public Safety Commission." Akihito smiled to Kota, letting her ease into her spot. "Why don't you tell me about yourself?" Kota felt her face turn warm, uncertain of what kind of information the man was looking for.

"My name is Kota." She started, thinking of the introductions she used when her foster mother would video tape her. "I'm twelve years old and I go to—Well, I don't know where I go to school to now." Her eyes started to well up, uncertain if she was happy to no longer be in that hell, or if something worse were to come. "I-I like soft stuffies, dresses, and playing doctor with my friends..."

Akihito gave a small look of concern that, for once, didn't make Kota feel like she was being pitied. "Kota-chan, was it?" He asked, smiling returning. "I understand that you feel uncomfortable, but those people are not here now. I'm trying to get to know the real you so that I can help you build a new version of yourself."

"I don't want you to think that you have to please me in any way. This is a stressful time for everyone, so I do hope that we can work together." Akihito pointed at the recorder Kota failed to notice. "This is for your protection and mine. I want to record this conversation to have on file so that we can speak with a specialist that can help provide the tools we need to help you. Why don't you tell me your account of what happened yesterday and talk about how that makes you feel?"

"I-I don't know if I can." Kota stuttered, rubbing her bracelet.

"Ok, well why don't you tell me how your morning started?" He redirected. "What did you have for breakfast?"

Kota thought to herself. "I usually am the first to wake up. Despite all of us living in different apartments, all the kids on our floor would come over to eat together." She recounted making breakfast alone that morning. Nezumi told her that she was unable to help, but to cover for her by saying that she was going to the store.

"Do you usually do all that cooking on your own?" Akihito asked, grabbing a note pad and a pen. She shook her head. "No, usually Nezumi-chan helps me. But she wasn't feeling that well in the morning, so she slept in."

"I remember ma was also missing that morning, but I'm not sure where she went. Then Ari-chan from the floor above us came to visit. She bought some donuts that she wanted to share with everyone."

Kota was keeping the information as mundane as possible, hoping that it would satisfy the man scribbling away in front of her. "Who is Ari-chan?"

"She's one of the older girls on the upper floor. She and I aren't close like I am with Nezumi-chan" Kota responded. "Even though Nezumi-chan lives on that floor, she always comes down to help me with the younger kids on my floor." Her face grew warm again, realizing she gave more information than she should.

"I noticed that each floor has different kids of different ages. Is there a reason behind that?" She stood quiet, uncertain if she should share more. The information would come out one way or another. Perhaps she can help with what she knew. "The floors are sectioned off by certain ages due to what services can be provided."

Akihito looked up at her, no expression, making Kota feel like she was naked. "The first floor has the younger kids. Ages range from a few months to 5 years of age." She blurted as eyes swelled with hot tears, she continued to speak. "Then there's my floor. Kids ages six to twelve are on my floor, with me being the oldest."

As the man continued to write notes down, Kota could feel her tears streaming and her heart racing. She wasn't sure if the train was beginning to slow or if her mind was making her feel that way. "Then there's the next floor for a mix of kids and teens. All of them can be anywhere from eleven to sixteen. It depends on their ability to comply or how well they can be trained... And then there's the last floor."

Her slender leg began to shake due to her discomfort and vulnerability. Speaking of the walls that kept them caged aloud felt like she was doing something wrong. Almost as if sharing this surface level information was a betrayal to all her friends and people, she considered family. "Th-the last floor is the betting floor."

"If this is too much, we can stop, Miss Kota—"

But she continued, cutting him off before he could offer a way out of this conversation. "No one lives on that floor except a few adults who set up scenes. Depending on how much money the adults spend, they can buy anyone from any floor and do a scene. If they spend a lot, then the video they use to blackmail for their silence can be bought as well, but the prices for that are hard to determine. I- I never asked how much. Just heard them explain to the clients why there were cameras in those rooms. I never went into those rooms. But Ne—"

Just then, the door slid opened abruptly. A girl with long black hair and deep brown eyes presented herself. She scowled at Akihito, making him feel uncomfortable for being alone with a young girl, despite having no ill intentions with her. He felt as though he were caught doing something wrong. Perhaps she looked more threatening than she was due to the bags under her eyes. She wore an oversized, light pink, baggy shirt with black stockings.

"Kota-chan," She spoke, "the train will be stopping soon. Let's get ready." With that, she reached for her wrist, pulling gently. Kota let herself be pulled by her friend, tears staining her cheeks. "Nezumi-chan? Where did you come from?" Kota was surprised because she hadn't seen Nezumi until the day prior. She was relieved to see her friend in front of her. Nezumi guided her in front of her to make sure that she could keep an eye on Kota. Akihito began to follow, but Nezumi blocked him in the doorway of the box, not breaking eye contact with him. "Stay in here or walk in the opposite direction. Those are your only two options."

Akihito stared in confusion but could feel her defenses emanating. "I still have a few—" Akihito was cut off by a sharp point emerging from behind the girl that stood before him. It moved by her command. It looked as though it were a tail of sorts, though not the friendly kind. "Do you know how it feels to be stung by a scorpion?" Nezumi asked, lowering her tail to his neck. "Usually, a scorpion's poison is only deadly to the insects they hunt due to their size.

"However, there are two things about me that make me worse than a regular scorpion. My ability to make a stinger in portion to my body." She stated, not blinking to show that she was the one in control. "And the fact that the tail is that of an Adroctonus Australis." Despite Akihito having a lack of knowledge on scorpions, the name in itself sounded terrifying. She watched him as he stumbled back to his seat, not breaking eye contact until he looked away. Nezumi retracted her stinger just as the train came to a complete stop.

"You don't talk to her." She threatened as she closed the sliding door. Akihito began panting, not realizing that he hadn't been breathing. Despite the information that they had received, this girl was a lot more intimidating than he had imagined.

Topaz hated all the attention that was surrounding her. Everything was chaos as they transported all the kids to different areas. Even though she didn't have anyone that she was close with, she yearned for outlet to her frustration. All the pushing, directing, shoving, and noises reminded her of her fights with others.

Tic tok, tic tok

The guard that was with them held out a pocket watch that was too loud in the moment. She wanted to destroy that thing despite having nothing to do with her. Just its mere existence, ticking away, was enough to make her blood boil. She looked over to Keigo and '07, both unbothered by the situation. Nezumi refused to leave her friend, so she was brought with them as well. She noticed Kota was fidgeting with the bracelet around her wrist. She didn't know why, but that annoyed her for some reason. Any distraction seemed to annoy her.

Tic tok, tic tok

They were promised safety but neglected to provide food that morning for everyone. Although they were supposed to be safe, Topaz was still on edge due to this issue. I doubt that I will go out of control, just, I haven't eaten in days. I need something soon. Her irritation was growing as they began to show everyone out of the vehicles that were transporting them.

Tic tok, tic tok

The man opened his watch again, irritating Topaz even more. They were being directed in an underground garage towards an elevator. The sounds echoed on the walls as they piled through. Every little noise made her head vibrate. "Hey, do any of y'all got something to eat? I'm starving here." Topaz asked, blatantly annoyed with everything going on.

Everyone shook their heads except for '07. As people were shuffling past, '07 gave Topaz a granola bar. Unconventional, however, Topaz was grateful for anything at this point. She gave a toothy grin to the girl she towered over as she began to open the bar. "Thanks."

'07 nodded as a response and followed the others. Still in the parking area, Topaz's mouth began to salivate at the precious food trembling in her hand. Then she heard the ticking again.

Bump

The man from before was following from the rear, only to bump into Topaz. His mind was very much somewhere else, seeming to neglect the job before him. He stepped on the bar as he walked past her, unaware of his mistake.

Topaz could no longer hide her rage. "OI," She yelled, charging the man, picking him up without a warning and suplexing him. The others before them turned, astonished by the sudden outburst. Nezumi pushed Kota behind her as the other two guards rushed Topaz.

Keigo used his phone to call for back up as he expanded his fierce wings to shield the others behind him. "Woah, woah. Easy now, kid." He motioned. "I'm sure that idiot didn't mean to do what he did. How about we go upstairs and grab you something to eat, okay?"

A vein protruded from her forehead, mouth salivating in anger as she roared. "Come get some then!" She yelled as she pounded on her chest. The two guards began slowly approaching her with their tasers. "If you do not step down, we will have to use force, Kenji-kun." One of the guards warned.

The light from her eyes faded as her body erupted towards the guard that spoke to her. She was quick, despite not having nourishment in the last few days. However, unbeknownst to them, she was used to it. She punched the guard, square in his jaw, drawing blood. The guard wiped the blood from his mouth, coating his fists as he tried to keep his composure. He activated his taser, trying to swipe and make contact to stun her.

Topaz's agility was unforeseen by them, dodging every move he made. She knocked the taser out of his hand, only to be stunned by the other guard. The first guard contacted his bloodied fist, hitting her in the mouth. The blood hit her pallet, causing a chain reaction within Topaz's body.

What they didn't know about Topaz, is that the smallest amount of blood can enhance her body mass and strength, making her already strong stature, that of the pros. Her muscles began to bulge, despite lack of nourishment. She knew what would happen after, but in the moment, she didn't care one bit.

With a blind fury, she charged at the other guard. She landed a punch between his ribcage, then back handed his throat to cut off his oxygen. Her mouth foamed as she opened her jaw and screamed. Keigo flew past her, bumping her shoulder hard, and making her lose her balance. Topaz quickly regained herself, laughing at the challenge. He was incredibly fast compared to her, but due to her blind frenzy, she drew her now sharpened nails and tried to claw at him as he backed away from her.

The elevator dinged as Akihito and a few more guards stepped out, these ones holding guns. Nezumi tried to push Kota into the elevator to seize the opportunity, but a card was needed to activate it. Dammit. She thought to herself, missing an almost perfect opportunity.

Topaz was still launching herself at Keigo, this time focusing on his wings instead of his body. She knew that if she could break them, he wouldn't have the agility to take her down. Still, Keigo dodged as he tried to reason with her. "C'mon kid. It's an easy mistake to fix. Why don't we talk it over? I know some good places with steak. I'll treat you."

Still, Topaz was unable to compromise as she kept smashing into walls, trying to get him. Keigo thought that positioning himself in front of the pillars would cause pain and slow her down. If anything, it enraged her even more. She didn't notice the others who had now joined and were trying to surround her. But due to her destruction, they were unable to corner the wild beast.

BAM

A shot rang through, barely grazing her arm, drawing blood. "That was meant to be a warning." The woman next to Akihito said, everyone now having an opportunity to surround her. Topaz changed her attention to the woman and began her stampede. At this point, her stature made her look like a giant, compared to those who were seemingly average height.

The girl shot again, this time missing, and hitting one of the other guards that were behind the charging beast. This wasn't something they were expecting. Topaz knocked the woman upwards, launching her to the ceiling and knocking the air from her lungs. The others tried their best to detain her, only to be thrown and knocked unconscious. Akihito was the only one left at this point, Keigo hiding somewhere in the shadows.

"Hello there," he smiled, trying to reach Topaz and bring her back to her senses. "I understand that something set you off and we would like to help with that." Topaz stood still; body lowered like an animal in waiting. Even though his fellow peers were incapacitated, he didn't draw his weapon at her. He knew that Topaz was waiting for a reason to strike, but he didn't want to provide one for her.

Her mouth was foaming, and her gold eyes were almost black with how dilated her pupils were. Akihito put his hands up in submission, but she took that as a threat and lunged towards him.

Just before she made contact, a neon pink circle enveloped her, launching her through a portal of sorts. The portal opened to a concrete wall, using the momentum that Topaz had to slam her headfirst into the wall, sending a distressing crack.

With that, Topaz was down.

Those who were conscious stared in stunned silence as the portal began to dissipate. '07's hand gently fell back to her side as she turned to the others, trying to help those who were bleeding, producing a first aid kit from who knows where. Nezumi followed, which surprised Akihito greatly to some extent. Although, she didn't go to help the guards, but Topaz.

Keigo emerged from the shadows, stunned that '07 had activated her quirk to aid them. With everything they had witnessed thus far, Keigo was certain that Topaz would be an asset to the Hero Safety Commission. She just needed to be controlled and trained.

Blood leaked from Topaz's forehead as Nezumi tried to check on her pulse. The crack against the concrete was loud, leaving a mark on the wall where she hit. She's still breathing. She sighed, as she leaned in to kiss her forehead. As she did, Akihito approached, trying to help her collect Topaz. The other guards were collecting themselves, unable to understand how one person can cause them all to be useless.

All this training, and yet, just the raw, untrained power was enough to take down my best people. Akihito helped lay Topaz on her back, realizing that they would have to call for a stretcher to come and collect her. They needed to check her vitals and make sure that there was no brain damage due to the impact. Her long red hair caked against her scalp as Akihiko tried to find the wound that caused the bleeding, but it was hard due to the amount of hair and blood that was on her.

Nezumi stood up as he began to call for a medic. She walked back over to Kota who was trembling with fear. He watched as Kota fell into Nezumi's arms, asking her if the girl was okay and if there was anything she could do to help. For the first time, he saw Nezumi smile warmly at Kota, quietly speaking with her so that others could not hear.

Akihito observed how caring the girls were to one another, making him wonder the dynamic between the two. After making the call to the medic, he walked over to Keigo who was checking on the first guard, who was still unconscious. "His wife was supposed to go into labor today. Her body was too small to give a natural birth, so they scheduled a c-section. He was probably hoping for this to end quickly and made a mistake." Keigo said as he laid him properly and attempting to check his vitals. "What a day, and its only eight am." He said, closing the watch that fell out, putting it in his pocket.

"I wonder how they'll feel about talking to us- considering how this is going." Akihito joked. Keigo shot him a look, both knowing that the President of the Safety Commissions was expecting results.

Kota, Nezumi, and '07 all sat together in a living space that was provided for the staff who worked were unable to go home due to their work. It was far from the apartments that kept them trapped. The ceiling was high, making them feel as though they had room to act freely.

Nezumi walked towards the windows, peering outside even though she knew it was an illusion that no one else seemed to notice. After they had gone into the elevator, she noticed that they were going down, despite the floor numbers indicating they were going up. She wondered if they were still captured, despite the promise of freedom.

"You have pretty hair," Kota told '07. Kota gave an uncertain smile as she spoke with her, though the conversation was one sided. "Were you the one that created that portal? A portal quirk is impressive! Can you only open into places you can see, or only places you have been?"

'07 looked at Kota with no expression. Neither girl had heard her voice, making them wonder if she was mute. Just as '07's lips looked as they were about to part; a knock rang loudly from the door.

Kota stood up and began walking, just as they heard a click, indicating that someone was entering. Akihito came in, bringing in a box and paper bag. He was followed by the woman who grazed Topaz that morning, firing the first shot. She seemed to have some magazines with her and a kit. Nezumi appeared beside Kota, ensuring her presence would deter Akihito from asking Kota anything.

"Hello Aki-san!" Kota beamed. Nezumi could feel a tinge jealousy, though she said nothing. "Aki-san?" Akihito questioned.

"Oh, sorry. Is that too informal?" Kota blushed, looking away from his gaze.

"No, if it makes you feel more comfortable around me, then Aki-san is perfect. Or, just Aki, if you prefer." He looked over to the woman who stood beside him and introduced her. "This is Hinamori Harumi. You can call her Haru-chan if you like!"

Haru shot him a look of disapproval but bowed towards Kota as though to accept the informality. She was as tall as Nezumi, her black hair held in a neat bun by a floral clip. Her eyes were black, the shape reminding Nezumi of an anaconda. "We understand that you do not have many belongings due to them being held as evidence. I brought a few magazines to let you look and pick some styles. I will also be recording some measurements. You may do them yourself, or I can assist." Haru stated as she began to lay the items down on the counter in the open kitchen.

"And I brought some cakes and buns!" Akihito said proudly, opening the box that smelled like heaven. The room filled with stomach growls as soon as the scent hit each person's nose. "Looks like we could all use something to eat." Aki laughed.

"If you had fed us sooner, Topaz would be able to enjoy some as well." '07 spoke softly. The room grew quieter than it had before Akihito and Haru walked in.

"Ah- you are correct." He responded with embarrassment. "I take full responsibility for that. She will not be facing any responsibility for that, though I hope she may apologize to the man she knocked out first. He was expecting his wife to deliver their first child. Unfortunately, the President of the Hero Public Safety Commissions put him on this case long before they made the appointment."

Nezumi was aware how long this operation took. Though she didn't accept the amount of time it took for the raid to happen. From the initial point of contact Keigo made with her till the actual raid took months. And even though most of the adults were arrested, not all of them were able to face the consequences of their crimes.

Time went on as everyone ate and drank tea. '07 volunteered herself to take the other girls' measurements as Haru took hers. Each girl made a few selections for the things they wanted to wear, all resulting in deep colors and questionable styles. Though, neither Aki nor Haru questioned their choices.

The visit was short. Haru stood before the door as they were leaving, extending a hand to the girls, holding cards. "There are several rooms in here if you haven't explored yet. These cards will grant you access to some places in the facility outside this door." Nezumi raised an eyebrow, wondering if it was a test. "This includes leaving completely. However, if you do, know that you will not be able to re-enter. While we understand that you want to leave, know that the resources that could be available to you within the walls will no longer be available once you step outside. This includes food, money, a roof over your heads, and yes, the freedom to roam."

"That's what they promised us when the government handed us over to our foster parents. What are you expecting in return, Haru-chan?" Kota asked, voice slightly quivering. She was trying to hold her head high but shrank back within herself. "We expect compliance. We know that there is a lot going through your heads. And we are trying to be reasonable. Though, the choice is yours to trust us."

"By doing so- "Aki interjected, "We are placing trust in you first."

"Then why are we underground looking out a window that shows us the outside?" Nezumi questioned.

"Oh, that isn't for deception." Haru stated. "It would be uncomfortable constantly being aware that you are under ground. While we do have a large building up top, we have a similar building underground for safety measurements. A room with no windows feels like a prison."

The two bowed, signaling a farewell as the girls watched them leave. Kota's eyes lingered on Akihito, feeling warmer than she had prior. "I think we should stay." Kota said, looking to Nezumi. "We don't have a lot of resources, and, well, family."

"We have each other." Nezumi said, not expressing how she really felt. There was an ember of betrayal lingering in her. "We can stay for the night, but—"

"Nezumi-san, I'm scared to leave right now. Let's see what they have to offer before deciding to leave." Kota tried to give a reassuring smile, knowing that Nezumi was incredibly stubborn. Yet, Kota knew that she was the only one Nezumi would take listen to or take consideration from.

Nezumi turned away from Kota, making a point to express disapproval. She chose a random door to explore, leaving Kota in the silence of '07. She wasn't excited to by Kota's eagerness to stay, nor did she like the interest she showed to Akihito. Despite the circumstances, they were only children. Kota was twelve while Nezumi was about to turn fourteen. She was frustrated, not realizing the room she had entered was a restroom. With this, she locked the door and sat on the floor, anger burning her cheeks. I can't leave without her. I can't. This situation is causing a rift between us. I need to find out their true intentions to show her that she can't trust them. Leaning back, she felt her eyes become heavy. I need to close them. Even if it's just a moment. She felt her body relax as she began to drift, mind unable to think of anything anymore.