He didn't remember that much of his first home.
He believed he was happy but those memories were flushed away, his uncle seemed like a happy person to be around. But he can't remember any exact details, except for the few times he shared his new book deals with him and the times they would read together.
But the day that clouded those memories was the day he found his uncle dead.
A child no more than seven creaked his eyes open and began to inspect the sounds of keys clicking at intense speed, he made his way to the room across the hallway and peeked from behind the door frame to see his uncle working late into the night.
He was working on his new book. He said that he wanted to finish the book by the end of March next year. Forgoing his own sleep and time to relax for it.
But… That didn't seem right, the boy remembered overhearing something over the phone. His uncle was yelling behind the door. He remembered hearing his uncle insisting that he couldn't finish it by the deadline and that there was no way he could work under conditions like that.
But after a few minutes of murmuring from the voice on the phone, he gave in. He didn't understand it then but something that man on the voice said was the reason his uncle gave up most of his days writing that book.
And it was probably the reason why Kyotaro found his uncle's dead body when he returned from school the day after he published the book. Gun in hand and a bullet passed through his temple.
He didn't remember much of what happened next, police arrived on the scene to take away his uncle, Kyotaro was asked a few questions about his uncle's sudden death but at the time he wasn't aware of what had caused it due to his young mind.
The following day, he was taken to an orphanage where he stayed until he was ten. Where he was left with very few and was given very little love.
"Clean that shit up, will you kid?"
It was a phrase that was commonly heard when he and his adoptive father were in the same room. Much like a bell that an aristocrat would use to call forth their servants, but this man was just a sad drunk. He could be seen looking over framed pictures of a younger version of himself with a woman beside him and a little girl between them.
But the reason why he was adopted was not that he needed to fill a hole in his heart, but it was more monetary gain. As his uncle's book did become quite popular, especially with the news of his death.
People wanted to see the last writings of Natsume Hirakaoka, being known as the famous Ryunosuke Tanizaki to the public, and dissect what were his last thoughts. Kyotaro was given all of his profit shares from his uncle's books as stated in his will and he made sure the money would go to his nephew but there was a loophole.
The money from the shares couldn't be funneled directly to a child until he was 18 so it was given to his caretakers. The drunk used this to his advantage and used the money to support his drinking habits while he left Kyotaro to take care of the house.
Food, laundry, cleaning up his bile from his overdrinking. If he ever said no on the rare occasions, he was threatened with a beating. But in his stay there, Kyotaro can't remember the man laying a finger on him once. But he wasn't merciful in his words.
"Stupid little shit!"
"Annoying pest!"
"Dumb fucking kid!"
Each one was like a bullet in his chest, over the days he learned how to deal with the man. Just do what he said and there would be no trouble, no yelling. He would meet the man with a straight posture and hands behind his back. Trying to bury any venomous emotions as he did his chores.
This went on until he was eleven, where he was moved to another family with some help of some of his uncle's associates. But the last interaction he had with the drunk was a silent stare, Kyotaro coldly staring at the man while he looked away in an indiscernible expression. Maybe he was feeling guilty for how he treated him or maybe he was disheartened to see his only way of supporting himself was gone.
It didn't matter anyway…
"I guess I'll just go now…"
Something that he commonly said when he returned to his large room, his attempts to connect with his new family were rarely successful. The closest he's ever been to reaching a connection was the small smile he would get when he made some overly exaggerated happy-go-lucky facade, those were times he truly felt satisfied with himself. But those times were too far and in-between.
He didn't know why these people even took him in, they didn't need his uncle's royalties and they didn't seem like they wanted to spend time with him. They always kept their focus on their work, calling people over the phone and going out for a meeting together. At least he wasn't forced to do anything he didn't want to do.
He spent most of his time in his room, reading and watching tv. It was mind-numbing but it made the days go by. And it did spark some interest in a few hobbies of his, writing and drawing. Where he was allowed to let his mind go wild, the hours he spent drawing in the several notebooks he had and the other hours he spent writing on his laptop that his caretakers gave him to keep them out of their hair.
As for his school life, he was an outcast. When he was with the drunk, other kids wanted nothing to do with such a gloomy kid. Things got slightly better with these two, he learned how to put on the facade to get other kids to play with him. He would pull little tricks on the teacher that got the other kids laughing but would get him in trouble with the people that took him in. But they never gave him a reason not to play around, they just mostly ignored what he did and went back to their work.
And again, he was transferred to a new house all the way in Tokyo. The couple that took him in not even giving him a goodbye.
Ayaka was his aunt on his mother's side, the only reason she didn't take him in sooner was that he was in Nikko where his paternal uncle lived. Her home was fairly small and she insisted on staying in such a home due to nostalgia's sake, even though the royalties that funneled into her bank account could be enough to move into a bigger home. Apparently, it was the same home she and his mother grew up in.
He… didn't know much about her, she died in childbirth while his father left after her death nowhere to be seen again. His aunt told him about stories of his mother when they were children, but it felt like everyday stories of her friends that she would tell him about. Not the woman who gave birth to him. His aunt was always so chipper about it too. She was always so happy, with a smile that reached her ears. Maybe that was the reason she had so many friends...
Kyotaro tried doing the same thing with the kids at school, he tried doing moronic acts in order to get their attention. Painting the teacher's desk, tagging the bathroom walls, anything! But they seemed more annoyed at his antics and how hard he tried.
But he couldn't stop acting out. If he stopped that meant that people were just going to ignore him and something in the back of his head told him that being ignored was worse than everyone scoffing at the mention of your name.
He had always put on that happy facade, maybe if he kept smiling he might be able to make friends like his aunt. But nothing… nothing worked.
He wasn't even saddened by this, he wasn't angry, he wasn't regretful. He didn't know what he felt…
Heh, this stupid…
Why was getting all emotional about this? In fact, where was he?
Where were Sakamoto and Kurusu-san?
What was going on?
We are merely reflecting on your story, Wanderer…
Wha? What's‒ Who are you?
Mhm… I can not tell you that, unfortunately. My name has been taken from me.
Taken? W-Where am I? What happened?
Your body sleeps in the world of cognition while your mind is left here in this void of thought, where my voice can reach you.
World of… what? Who are you?
I am a captive, who calls for you to journey alongside my guest to free me from this cell of cognition and save humanity from destruction.
Save? I don't understand…
To be expected, but soon you will see. Unfortunately, I don't have much time to speak with you on these matters. But I will give guidance when I am able to. May we meet again, Wanderer.
Wanderer? What does that mean? Hey, wait! Come back! Tell me what's going on‒
April 11th: Monday
Time:?
Location: Shujin?
"Hey… ake up! Wake up!" Kyotaro felt his arm being shaken by Sakamoto, he quickly opened his eyes and lifted himself up off the cold hard ground swiftly. Where his forehead had smashed into Sakamoto's, causing him to fall back to the ground to hold his aching head.
"Aagh! What the hell man?! You effin douche!" Ryuji yelled, holding his head with his left hand.
"Next time, don't put your head so close!" Kyotaro retorted as he picked himself back up, he looked over to Kurusu-san who was watching their antics in the corner. "Ngh… But where are we?"
"Jail, I think." He pointed to the door of the room, a large jail cell door of bars.
Kyotaro examined the room where he saw that it was reminiscent of a medieval torture chamber with chains hanging from the walls. He looked over to Sakamoto with a raised brow in questioning, to which he shrugged to show his ignorance about their situation.
"Where are we?!" Ryuji asked, gripping his head with a scowl. "Is this some sort of TV set?!"
Before either Akira or Kyotaro could say something, the blood-curdling screams could be heard muffled in the distance. Chills running down each of their spines, they shared uncertain glances before making their way to the cell doors. Sakamoto breathed out, "Th-The hell was that just now?"
As more screams of agony were heard, Kyotaro's eyes looked over to the chains on the walls. A hard gulp followed once his mind filled in the backs. "T-There are people being tortured… "
"F-For real?!" The three backed up from the door, their jaws clenched and brows raised and pulled together. But as they began contemplating ways to get out of this situation, one of the guards walked in front of their cell.
"Be glad your punishment has been decided upon." They spoke in a distorted voice that was filled with contempt. "Your charge is unlawful entry. Thus, your punishment is death."
"What?! Are you shitten me?" Ryuji breathed out, taking a few more steps back.
"We didn't know!" Kyotaro made an attempt to plead for their lives. "Just let us go, and we'll be out like we weren't even here!"
"Silence," Another voice drew closer before revealing himself in front of the jail cell, Kamoshida… But he looked strange. He was dressed in a fur cloak with hearts all over it with a small golden crown on his head, and strangest of all he had large glowing golden eyes that made him seem inhuman. "No one's allowed to do as they please in my castle, mistake or not."
"Huh? Wait… Is that you, Kamoshida?" Ryuji couldn't help but growl at his name.
"Kamoshida? Is it that pervy teacher?" Akira whispered as he saw the two stare each other down.
"I thought it was some petty thief, but I didn't think it would be you, Sakamoto… " His eyes glanced over to Kyotaro, causing the boy to look away with his right hand clenching his other arm. "And Watanabe, still have that money you owe me?"
"I-!... We never made that deal…" He bit his tongue to stop himself from yelling, Kamoshida? laughing at his sheepish attitude while his cellmates looked at him with raised brows at the mention of a deal.
"Well… at least you know your place." He looked back to Sakamoto with a scowl. "Unlike you… So you're trying to disobey me again? It looks like you haven't learned your lesson, at all. And you brought a few friends with you."
"This ain't funny, you asshole!" The blonde shot back, slamming his fist against the cell door. Causing the odd visage of Kamoshida's scowl to deepen.
"Is that how you speak to a king? It seems you don't understand the position you're in at all. Not only did you sneak into my castle, but you also committed the crime of insulting me—the king. The punishment for that is death. It's time for execution! Take him out!" He snapped his fingers, the guards beside him stepped into the jail cell and cornered Sakamoto at his silent command.
The blonde shook in fear as they raised their weapons, but he suddenly shoved one of them down with a hard shoulder check and yelled out to the two students in the corner. "I ain't down for this shit! C'mon! We're outta here!"
He was stopped once one of the guards used the pommel of their sword to thrust it into his stomach, knocking Sakamoto back down. Kursu made an attempt to help him out of the situation, but he was stopped when the guards closed in on him.
Sakamoto weakly said, "Just go! Get out of here… These guys are serious."
Damn it… Kyotaro took a hard gulp as his eyes glanced back and forth between Sakamoto and the open door, his heart nearly jumping out of his chest as he began making a break for it out the door. Leaving Akira stunned at his choice of leaving Sakamoto-Kun to die.
The distorted visage of Kamoshida gave a hearty laugh. "What a heartless friend you have there, Sakamoto!"
"They aren't friends…" He weakly raised his head to see that Kurusu was still in the room, he yelled out. "Go! Follow him! Get out of here!"
Akira's shoulders shook as he looked over to Sakamoto, "I… I'm not‒"
"Oh… You're too SCARED to run…" Kamoshida waved off to the guards with a bored tone, "Pathetic scum isn't worth my time… I'll just focus on this one's execution."
Two of the guards held Ryuji by the shoulders while they left Akira to watch the scene play out. Kamoshida's face twisted into a distorted smile as he reared his fist to Sakamoto.
"Take this!"
"Lowly Scum!"
"Useless Pest!"
That last punch knocked Sakamoto out from the guards' grasp, the blonde falling to the ground with a hard thud. As he looked up, he saw Kamoshida gather saliva to spit on his face. The bastard spoke condescendingly, "A peasant like you isn't worth a beating. I'll have you killed right now."
This made Akira's blood run cold if he didn't do something Ryuji was going to die… Without a second thought, he yelled. "Stop it! You sick bastard, you're really gonna kill him?!"
"Hm?" Kamoshida turned around to see that the other intruder had not run off like Watanabe, his blood boiling once he saw his intense expression trying to burn him where he stood. "What…? Don't you dare tell me what to do and that you don't know who I am. That expression on your face irritates me!"
He gave a swift kick to Akira's gut, knocking the wind out of him and causing him to fall to the ground. He turned to his guards with an evil smirk. "Hold him down… After the peasant, it's his turn to die."
"Wh-What? No…No, I don't wanna die!" Ryuji pleaded as he struggled to pick himself up.
Akira tried to stop this, but he was forced back by two other guards and forced to the wall. Damn it… Was there nothing he could do? He couldn't watch him die like this!
"This is truly an unjust game…" The voice of a young girl rang in his ears, he looked around the cell to find the origin of this voice. But what he noticed was how the world around him seemed to darken as a blue butterfly flew past him in a glowing aura. "Your chances of winning are almost none."
"But if my voice is reaching you, there may still be a possibility open to you…" What? What possibility? He needed it whatever it was!
But once the butterfly disappeared, the world seemingly returned to normal. However, another voice rang in his head. Similar to his own yet it was more ferocious and rang in a distorted voice.
"What's the matter? Are you simply going to watch?"
"I…" Akira let out, his words failing him as he saw the scene before him slow down. Ryuji's terrified expression as the guards slowly inched closer to him, Kamoshida's smug expression as he drank in the blonde boy's fear. It felt all too familiar…
"Are you forsaking him to save yourself? Death awaits him if you do nothing…"
"B-But I can't…"
"Can't? Or won't? Are you afraid?"
"Afraid? Afraid of what?"
"Afraid of that if you do something, you'll face the consequences."Akira's breath drew sharp. Face the consequences…
Yeah, he was afraid. But if he did something this time, he would most likely die.
"Was your previous decision a mistake then?"
His decision… His choice to save that woman from that drunk, the choice that ruined his life. It alienated him from his 'friends'... His school expelled him for doing the right thing as if his grades and life there didn't exist. Even his own parents couldn't even look at him after he was charged with assault.
That woman spoke against him, the man got off scot-free… But he knew he didn't make a mistake, who cares if it ruined his life! He wasn't going to let bastards like that damn drunk or this 'Kamoshida' just do whatever they want to people! He didn't make a mistake and he wasn't going to allow Sakamoto to die like this!
"Very well… I have heeded your resolve." As the voice rang in his head with a laugh, he felt a sharp pain hit his brain. His vision became enveloped by purple and the pain in his head digging deeper, he let out a blood-curdling scream as the voice continued.
"Vow to me. I am thou, thou art I… Thou who art willing to perform all sacrilegious acts for thine own justice! Call upon my name and release thy rage!"
"AAAAAGGGGHHHH!" Akira's head dropped after his last scream of sweat-filled pain. But as the voice continued, he slowly began to rise once again.
"Show the strength of thy will to ascertain all of thine own, though thou be chained to Hell itself!" He raised his head, a fierce gaze that burned with fire as he stared daggers into the back of the king's head.
"Execute him!‒"
"That's enough, you perverted son of a bitch!" Akira demanded with a growl, the king slowly turning around to see the one who dared to insult him while he stood captured by his men.
"What was that?" He scowled with a heavy scoff, "You desire to be killed that much…? Fine!"
At a bob of his head, the guard to the right of Akira knocked his shield into the side of his head and knocked the glasses off his face. Two other of Kamoshida's men brought their spears and cross them over his neck as one other guard held his sword in front of the incapacitated teen. Akira closed his eyes as he heard the sounds of the guard's raised arm. He was going to…
'No…' It was the only thing that came to his mind once the blade was about to drop to his neck. Was he going to die?
'No.' He sharply opened his eyes, a large gust of wind knocking the guards off balance and free him from his execution and from the spears to his neck. He felt something form onto his face, a white mask that framed his eyes. Without a single thought, his fingers began to tear at the ends of the mask. Blood began to spurt out from his tearing yet Akira refused to stop.
With a vocal cord-tearing yell, Akira was able to finally get the mask off. He raised his head, revealing a devilish smile with blood covering his face and his once dark gray eyes now glowing in a fire yellow. Embers of blue flames began enveloping his body and the blood dissolved into a blue fire and then proceeded to devour his entire body with thin lines of red making out a sharp expression with a V-shaped smile similar to that of jack o' lantern.
The flames began to rise from Akira's body, revealing the frizzy hair boy in a new set of clothing. A black gentleman coat with three separate coattails that reached his ankles, a high-necked waistcoat, black pants and a pair of red gloves.
Chains erupted from the flames behind him and the blue blaze began to take shape. Revealing a lanky figure resembling a gentleman with its corset, cropped red coat, and top hat. It had a long-horned mask with that same smile from before, its body began shaking about at the chains around its body. Before snapping them and revealing a pair of black wings that sprouted from its lower back.
Akira raised his hands as the creature's wings sent the guards flying across the room. As the transfer's smile reached his ears at the advent of his new power, the gentleman demon's voice rang out in a distorted echo.
"I am the Pillager of Twilight‒ Arsene!" The demonic angel announced as he floated beside Akira, it's arm crossed over its chest and hand that was held parallel to its chin with fingers curled. The spirit spoke to Akira as he faced the enemies before them, "I am the rebel soul that resides within you. If you so desire, I shall grant you the power to break through the crisis."
"I think you already know what I want, give me your power…" Akira said sternly as his knuckles tightened into his palms.
"Hmph, very well…"The spirit known as Arsene had flexed its wings once more as the two of them focused their gaze on Kamoshida.
"Who the hell‒ Guards! Start by killing this one!" The 'king' commanded of his two knights with a raised finger but he could be seen backing up as Akira gave him another sharp glare.
The two masked men began to vibrate with an intense tremor before exploding into geysers of red and black. Amongst each of the bursts, there was a floating pumpkin head with glowing red eyes dressed in a robe and a witch hat‒ in their hands was a lantern that they held in front of their bodies. Their king called out to Akira as his spirit in a threat, "You'll learn the true strength of my men!"
"We'll see, won't we?" Said the frizzy-haired teen as he gave a large smirk and a glint forming in his eye. He raised his hands once again while Arsene mirrored his fierce movements, "Let's ravage them, Arsene!"