We were created.
To be above the limitations of humanity.
To be more.
They called us the Exalted Children.
The project was named Xanadu.

Hiro sighed, his eyes remained locked on the ceiling above him, errant thoughts passed through the young man's mind as he considered everything that had happened in the past twenty four hours. The chief had not been happy with him for disobeying Lloyd, and unfortunately that meant he was being forced to stay out of today's SSS work as punishment. He hadn't meant to rush off like that, it was just how things had been up until now. Omnexis had taught him that relying on your own judgement was paramount. Teamwork, even amongst the Exalted was treated as an 'only if necessary' deal and the moment anyone was labeled a liability, it was your responsibility to eliminate them in service of the mission.

Teamwork wasn't a skill that came to Hiroshi Kazetaro naturally. He pushed himself up out of the bed and walked over to the window of his bedroom that peered out onto the city center. The large bell in the distance caught the young man's eye and a soft sigh escaped his lips.

'Did I do the right thing? Can I really fit in somewhere like this?'

He had made this decision thinking a new career outside the grasp of Omnexis was what he needed in order to thrive, and though he thought it'd be easy to shift to police work, it hadn't been the straight forward endeavor that Hiro had anticipated. Now, here he was, stuck waiting around while his new co-workers were doing the rounds without him. Well, the chief hadn't said he was locked to SSS headquarters, right? Maybe this was a good chance to go and see the city for himself and get a better feel for where he'd be living from now on.

He clipped his twin pistols to the holsters on his belt, then pulled his jacket off the hook on the wall and swung it on, over his shoulders. It was made of a dark green material and had a high collar. The only thing that made it stand out was a gleaming golden 'IX' logo emblazoned in the circular badge on the right shoulder of the jacket. After one last look at the room to make sure he hadn't forgotten anything, Hiro stepped out, closing the door behind him. Feeling it'd be rude to do anything else, he headed downstairs, crossing past the main entrance of the SSS building and over to the door on the far side of the room.

Hiro rapped his knuckles against the surface, and almost immediately a voice called out from inside, "Enter," it said. Hiro pushed the door open, and walked up to the desk at the back of the room.

"What can I do for you?" Sergei asked, "I won't go back on my word about missions, so if you're here to ask, the answer's no."

"I know what the answer is, so I'm not going to bother asking, that would waste our time, both yours and mine. I'm here to ask for permission to leave the building."

"Why?"

"I want to get acquainted with Crossbell. I didn't have much of a chance to take a look around in the past little bit. After I was brought here, things have been moving so quickly."

"Alright, but don't go causing any problems. You're on extremely thin ice with me at the moment, Kazetaro. Don't make the mistake of cracking it."

Hiro wandered the city, his thoughts drifting in and out like the crowds that flowed around him. The streets were busy, but the hustle was quieter than he'd been used to in the past. He'd grown up in the high-tech world of Omnexis, where every corner was meticulously monitored, every move calculated. The relative calm of Crossbell, with its old-fashioned feel, felt... foreign. It wasn't uncomfortable, but it was different.

After a while, Hiro found himself drawn to a small park nestled between a few of the older buildings. The greenery was an oasis in the heart of the city. The trees were lush, and the scent of fresh grass filled the air. People walked by, their faces buried in their own worlds, but the park offered a kind of peace that Hiro hadn't known he needed until now.

He sat on a bench, his jacket draped loosely over his shoulders. He leaned back, gazing up at the evening sky. The sun was just starting to dip behind the horizon, casting a warm golden glow across the city. Everything felt still for a moment. Could this be normal? Could I belong here?

A deep sigh escaped him, the first real release of tension he'd felt all day. No missions. No orders. No constraints. Just... a quiet evening in a city he didn't yet understand. Maybe that was okay.

The sound of footsteps interrupted his thoughts. A small group passed by, laughing and chatting, as if the world around them was normal. Hiro watched them for a moment, a sense of longing crawling over him. He missed that. The simple, natural interactions that didn't come with weighty expectations.

He pulled his jacket tighter, fingers brushing over the twin pistols at his sides. He was a weapon, built for one purpose. Yet here in Crossbell, it felt like none of that mattered. Just another face in the crowd.

But that wasn't quite true, was it? The weight of who he was never really left him. He had to laugh at himself. He'd been so desperate to get out of the SSS building, and all he'd done was trade his bed for a bench.

Hiro didn't know when he'd be next able to go on a mission, but he knew it wasn't going to be in the immediate future. He had been so used to doing things on his own that he had fallen right back into the rhythm, rushing off ahead without thinking about how it could affect the people around him.

It was instinct, drilled into him for years. Mission first. Complete the objective. Handle threats alone. There was no hesitation, no room for discussion, only results. That was what Omnexis had taught him.

But things were different now. The SSS worked as a team. That was something he was still struggling to adjust to.

He let out another breath, leaning back slightly against the bench. Maybe he should be frustrated about it. Maybe he should be restless, itching to get back into the field. Instead, he just felt... still. No directives. No orders waiting to be carried out. Just the quiet hum of a city that didn't care who he used to be.

Maybe this was what normal felt like. Maybe that was fine too.

That was the part he thought he hated the most. As awful as Omnexis had been to him and the other Exalted, there was almost always an element of certainty to the missions they carried out. Yes, there wasn't a lot of room for individuality but in a sense, he almost missed it. Not for the horrible treatment or the way that the organization controlled every little aspect of his existence but the life he'd lived with them was a structured one where he didn't have to worry too much about the big stuff, he just did what he was asked and that had been the end of it.

""Oh, Kazetaro."

Hiroshi looked up from his thoughts, his eyes landing on the last person he'd expected to see right now. He leaned back slightly, already exhausted just looking at him.

"Hullo," Hiro said dully.

"You're not out doing requests with Lloyd and the others?"

"Chief benched me. Didn't do too well on my first mission."

The older man let out a quiet hum, crossing his arms as he studied Hiro. "Figured it was something like that."

Hiro sighed, leaning back against the bench, tilting his head just enough to look up at the sky. The sun hung high, its light cutting through the crisp afternoon air. "Guess you heard about it already."

"Of course I did," the man replied, taking a seat on the opposite end of the bench. "Word travels fast, especially when it's about the new guy."

Hiro scoffed, shaking his head. "Yeah, I bet. It's fine, though. I'll learn. Or I won't, and the chief will throw me out before I can screw anything else up."

There was a beat of silence before the older man spoke again. "You don't actually believe that, do you?"

Hiro hesitated. He wasn't sure. Maybe a part of him did. His entire life had been built around being useful, being efficient. If he wasn't those things, then what was he? He had no answer to that, and that was the real problem.

"Dunno," Hiro shrugged. "If he does, I hear it's not hard for mercs to find work these days."

The older man exhaled sharply, something between amusement and frustration. "That what you want? To be some nameless gun-for-hire?"

Hiro tilted his head, staring out at the streetlights without really looking at them. "Wouldn't be much different from what I was before," he muttered.

The man frowned. "There's a difference between being a soldier and being part of something real, Kazetaro."

Hiro let out a quiet laugh, more out of disbelief than anything. "Yeah? And what am I part of now? You saw how the chief reacted. The SSS is already running fine without me. Doubt it'd make much difference if I stayed or not."

The older man shook his head, but his voice was calm. "You've been here, what, a few days? You really think you've got it all figured out already?"

Hiro didn't answer.

"Look," the man continued, "you're not the first to struggle with this. Not the first to wonder if you belong. But thinking about running before you've even given it a chance? That's not learning, Kazetaro. That's just quitting before you can fail."

Hiro frowned but didn't argue. The words settled in a way he didn't like, pressing against the part of him that wanted to push back. But the truth was, he didn't have it all figured out. He barely even knew what he was doing here in the first place.

Maybe the old man had a point.

"...Guess I'll stick around for a while, then," he said, though it didn't sound entirely like a joke.

The older man gave a small smirk, shaking his head.

Hiro studied him for a moment before asking, "Who are you anyway?"

"Let's just say I keep an eye on things," the older man replied, leaning back slightly. His tone was casual, but there was something underneath it, something measured.

Hiro narrowed his eyes. "That's not an answer."

The man smirked. "No, but it's all you're getting for now."

Hiro clicked his tongue but didn't push further. He wasn't in the mood for games, but something told him he wouldn't get anything more even if he tried.

"Fine," he muttered. "Enjoy your eye on things or whatever."

The older man chuckled, shaking his head. "You'll figure it out soon enough, Kazetaro."

That wasn't exactly reassuring.

Hiro hesitated for a beat before finally asking, "Do you know my siblings?"

The man's expression didn't shift, but there was weight behind his answer. "Of them. We haven't met."

Hiro studied him carefully, searching for something beneath the vague reply. It wasn't a lie, but it wasn't the full truth either.

"You sure about that?"

The man gave a small smirk. "You're sharp, I'll give you that."

Hiro didn't press further, but the unease lingered. Whoever this guy was, he knew more than he was letting on. But whatever secrets the guy was hiding, he wasn't finding them out today.

"Good afternoon, Kazetaro."

The old man raised a hand in farewell, slipping off back into the streets of Crossbell, pausing to look over his shoulder, "Oh before I forget, you should visit the Arc En Ciel Theatre."

"Why?" Hiro called to the man's retreating figure.

But he received no answer. Hiro watched the man disappear into the crowd, his words hanging in the air like a riddle left unsolved. The Arc en Ciel Theatre?

His gaze flicked toward the skyline, where the towering buildings of the Entertainment District loomed in the distance. He wasn't exactly the theater-going type, and he doubted this was just some friendly suggestion.

A test? A warning?

Hiro exhaled through his nose, shaking his head.

"Guess I've got somewhere to be."

With that, he pushed off the bench, hands slipping into his pockets as he started walking. He hoped this wasn't some messed up, hidden request that could get him in trouble. He was already on thin ice with Segei and he didn't want to push his luck unless it was absolutely necessary. Besides, was he really going to take some strange old man's advice? Wasn't this the exact sort of scenario that his training had taught him was all levels of red flag?

Yet, despite all that, his feet didn't stop moving.

Hiro sighed, rolling his shoulders as he followed the familiar path toward the Entertainment District. He knew better than to walk into something blind, especially at the suggestion of a stranger. If this turned into a mess, the chief would definitely make him regret it.

So why was he still going?

He clicked his tongue in frustration but didn't stop, only to find a giant sign slapped dead center in the doorway, 'Closed For Repairs.'

Hiro stared at the sign, expression blank. After everything, after walking all this way, this was what he got?

He exhaled sharply through his nose, hands slipping into his pockets as he rocked back on his heels. "Figures."

For a moment, he considered turning around and heading back. It wasn't like he had to be here. The old man hadn't told him why, hadn't given him any reason beyond a vague suggestion. If this was just a dead end, he wasn't about to waste any more time.

Yet, something about it nagged at him.

The doors were locked, but the building wasn't abandoned. Faint sounds trickled from within—distant voices, the shuffle of movement, the muted hum of activity behind closed doors. They were here. Just… not open to the public.

He frowned, tilting his head slightly.

So then, why had he been told to come here now? Maybe he just had to come back once the repairs were done? He sighed, turning away from the theatre and walked off down the ways, spotting Lloyd, Tio, Randy and Elie exiting the nearby casino. His brow arched, but he didn't stop to talk to them.

Elie reached out instinctively, fingers barely lifting before she stopped herself, letting her hand fall back to her side.

"He didn't even pause..." she murmured, watching Hiro disappear into the city.

"I suspect he's never been benched before," Randy said, crossing his arms. "I felt killing intent the moment Chief said it. Think he stays past Friday?"

Lloyd hesitated. Elie frowned.

"Maybe he'd kill us all first to wipe the slate clean," Randy continued with a smirk.

"Randy!" Elie snapped, glaring at him.

"What? You saw the way he looked at Sergei," Randy said, completely unbothered. "Bet if we weren't there, he might've actually shot the guy."

Lloyd exhaled sharply. "Come on, man. He wouldn't do that."

Tio's voice was as measured as ever. "That doesn't mean the thought didn't cross his mind."

A pause. No one argued.

"...Okay," Lloyd admitted, rubbing his neck. "Maybe he did look like he wanted to. But if he really was that kind of person, he wouldn't have stopped himself."

Elie crossed her arms. "I don't think he even knows what he wants. That's the problem."

Randy smirked. "Maybe the thought of knowing we think he might do it is the real kicker. Bet the kid gets off on it."

Elie shot him a glare. "Randy."

"What? He doesn't even try to clear it up," Randy said. "Maybe it's easier that way. Let people think he might snap, keeps everyone at arm's length without him having to say a damn thing."

Lloyd frowned. "Or maybe he's just not used to people caring enough to question it."

That wiped the smirk off Randy's face.

"Could be," he muttered. "Still, doesn't change the fact that he's not exactly making an effort to fit in."

Tio adjusted her gloves. "Self-isolation as a defense mechanism is common among those raised under strict military conditioning."

Randy snorted. "Yeah? That in your book, or just common sense?"

Tio blinked. "Both."

Elie sighed. "Either way, this isn't going to fix itself. We need to do something before he decides he's done with all this."

Lloyd nodded. "Then we make sure he doesn't have a reason to leave."

"Or that he doesn't shoot the boss, at least," Randy added.

Elie groaned. "Randy!"

Lloyd ignored him, crossing his arms. "We just have to make sure he sees that he belongs here before he convinces himself he doesn't."

Randy smirked. "So, in short—make him like us before he decides we're better off dead?"

Elie pinched the bridge of her nose. "For the love of Aidios—"

Randy's smirk faded slightly. He glanced toward the direction Hiro had gone, something unreadable flickering behind his eyes, "...What you reckon they did to him?"

Elie's arms tightened over her chest. "...I don't know."

Tio's expression didn't change. "Given what we know about the Xanadu Project, the possibilities are vast. Psychological conditioning, biochemical enhancements, combat training from an early age… all designed to create the perfect operative."

Randy exhaled. "Yeah, I figured that much, but I mean—what's the worst of it? What's the thing that makes him act like... that?"

Tio tilted her head. "Most likely? The loss of autonomy."

Lloyd frowned slightly. "What do you mean?"

Tio's voice was level. "For someone raised as a weapon, the greatest cruelty is not merely being forced to act—but never being given the choice not to."

The words settled between them like a weight.

"...Damn," Randy muttered. "That's messed up."

Elie exhaled slowly. "And now we're expecting him to just... fall in line with us? After everything?"

Lloyd shook his head. "Not fall in line. Just... find his own reason to stay."

Silence stretched for a moment.

Randy sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "Well, that sounds easier said than done, but I think he deserves a chance. We're the first people he's really been exposed to outside of the project and that means-"

"We're setting the tone for how he'll likely see other people outside of the project," Lloyd finished what Randy was saying, "And if he can't trust us, then who is he going to feel like he can?"

Elie sighed. "Better that than making him think he doesn't belong."

Randy scoffed. "Think he even wants to?"

Tio's gaze flickered, thoughtful. "Wanting and knowing how are different things. If he's never had a place to belong before, why would he think it's possible now?"

Lloyd folded his arms. "Then we show him. Not by telling him, not by forcing it—just by being here."

Randy smirked. "So, annoy him into liking us?"

Elie groaned. "Please don't phrase it like that."

Randy only shrugged. "Hey, works on most people."

Lloyd exhaled, shaking his head. "We just make sure he knows we're not going anywhere. That's enough."

Hiro clicked his tongue in irritation as he walked, hands buried in his pockets. His steps were quick but aimless, cutting through the flow of afternoon foot traffic like he wasn't really there. He still wasn't sure why he'd gone to the damn theatre in the first place, let alone why he'd expected anything to come of it.

He exhaled sharply, rolling his shoulders as he kept moving. Maybe he'd head back to the SSS building. Maybe he'd find somewhere quiet to sit. Maybe he'd just keep walking until the day ran out of hours.

None of it would change the fact that he was benched.

That thought sat heavy in his chest, dull but persistent. He wasn't used to waiting. He wasn't used to inaction. For so long, everything in his life had been dictated by orders, missions, efficiency. Purpose had been something assigned, not chosen.

And now, left to his own devices, he had no idea what the hell to do with himself.

Hiro slowed as the SSS building came back into view. He hadn't even meant to return, but his feet had carried him there anyway. With a sigh, he climbed the steps and pushed the door open.

The space inside was quiet, only the distant rustling of paperwork and the soft hum of electronics filling the air. A stark contrast to the usual liveliness whenever the others were around. It was fine, though. He preferred the quiet. At least, that's what he told himself.

He made his way to the couch, dropping into it without ceremony. He leaned back, resting his head against the cushions, staring up at the ceiling. Maybe he'd just sit here until something happened.

Or maybe he was still waiting for someone to tell him what to do.

The thought irritated him more than it should have.