 
### Hiroshima Book Four

E. Mendell

Published By E. Mendell at Smashwords

Copyright 2014 E. Mendell

### Table Of Contents

The Beginning - 1

Chapter One

The Beginning - 2

Chapter Two

The Beginning - 3

Chapter Three

Chapter Four

The Beginning - 4

Chapter Five

Chapter Six

The Beginning - 5

Chapter Seven

The Beginning - 6

Chapter Eight

Chapter Nine

The Beginning - 7

Chapter Ten

The Beginning - 8

Chapter Eleven

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Thirteen

Chapter Fourteen

About the Author

Connect with E. Mendell

\- Crystal Crier -

The Beginning - 1

I once thought I was empty. In my world there was no understanding of speech, writing, or general knowledge. I was a useless existence in a dark village. Even now I can remember the brick houses scattered across the grassy hills and the weaving paths where such cheerful people would walk. All of them smiled, each one had some reason to. I stood alone all my life, watching from a distance. I could only perceive a few words. Those words were "water," "food," and "help." That was all I knew. Those three words got me through life for twenty years. I had a learning disability. Nothing anyone tried to teach me ever stuck. I myself knew my life was nothing more than a waste. After I failed school no one would take me in or teach me. They allowed my life to dissipate. I was sent away and shut out from the village. I still remember the days when I had no food and I would stand outside houses waiting for them to throw out their garbage. What a pitiful existence...

However I never thought of killing myself. That's what I look back on and still find confusing. Not once did the thought of suicide cross my mind. I didn't even hurt myself. I was already in enough pain. I was a scrawny man with dark hair and pale gold eyes. I lived off trash and had no friends. Why did I never think of dying? I suspect it's because I felt like I was meant for something. I wasn't just deadweight upon my village. So I strove to survive.

Then one day the helicopter landed in the village. I sat far on the distant hills and watched as people in fancy clothes left the helicopter and began speaking to the villagers. It was suspicious and I wondered who they were. My curiosity was quenched when they came directly to me and told me they were Scientists. Obviously I had no clue what that was, but they brought clean water and food so I was willing to go with them. They took me away on a helicopter and brought me to a giant white building. It was the size of my village and I was in raptures over how beautiful it was. The top floor was made of windows and it was divided into many different sections. I had never seen anything so wonderful in all my life.

I still think back on the moment they led me through those sliding steel doors. Had I know what would happen and why I was there, would I have gone? Were I to be granted the chance to go back in time and stop myself from entering the lab, could I do it? Well, that no longer matters. I went inside. There I was brought to my habitat. It was a scale model of my village, but with no people. The difference was that I had my own house. The scientists showed me to my own brick home where there was a table, bed, supplies, clothing, a fridge, and many other pleasures I had never known. It was thrilling, but I was granted one night in my hut before the experiments started.

All night I slept deep and dreamed of a wonderful life awaiting me. That was the first and last good dream I ever had.

In the morning my nightmare began. I was taken from my house and brought into a white room filled with weird objects. There were written words on the walls and notes all around, but to me it was just scribbled nonsense. I also didn't understand what the scientists were saying to me as they helped me onto a strange metal bed and placed a mask over my mouth and nose. It had a weird smell and as I breathed everything started getting hazy. I saw the scientist's strapping down my arms and ankles. After that everything went black.

In my subconscious I heard noises and felt prickling pains through my body. My mind was a shallow blank. Somewhere I heard a voice and I began to awake. My body felt heavy and my head was spinning. I opened my eyes and found I was still in the white room. The scientists had left. I rolled my wrist. I gave a start when I heard a winding sound come from me. I turned my head to look, and the same sound came from my neck.

"What's happening?" I shouted, then froze. I had spoken words I never knew. I felt fear where I should have felt joy. I could speak. And read. I understood everything written around me, but that added to my fear. The words were notes about an experiment and I was the test subject. I tried to get up, but the straps held me down. I heard the door slide open and I lifted my head to see the scientists returning.

"How are you feeling?" One asked. He was a tall man with dark tan skin and black hair. He wore small glasses and had a kind smile on his wrinkled face. He, like the others, wore a white lab coat.

"I feel heavy," I told the scientist. "What did you do to me? Why can I understand you?"

"You have been remade," replied the scientist. I'm sure he knew how confusing his answer was. I judged that the man must have enjoyed suspense.

"Remade," I repeated. "Remade into what?"

"You shouldn't be so curious," said the scientist. He looked over his shoulder at the three men that had followed him. "Take note," he muttered. I found this weird. The men were murmuring to each other while writing and the first scientist turned back to me. "Can you understand everything written on the walls?" He asked, motioning around the room.

"Yes, in a sense," I replied emotionlessly. "Why are you disturbed that I'm curious about what has happened to me? Are your plans messing up?"

The scientist cleared his throat and turned away. "Return the subject to his home," he said to the three men. He then left the room. I watched him go, feeling the gnawing apprehension in my chest. The other scientists loosened the straps holding me down and helped me to my feet. I was unbalanced and my whole body clicked and whined like a machine. I looked down at myself, seeing my torso was from below my ribs down covered in bloody bandages. I set my hand over it and felt no skin. It was solid like metal and I began to tremble. What had they done?
Chapter One

"I don't get it, Hiro," said Soul tiredly, sitting back on the bench. Her arms were wrapped around the black duffle bag Hiro had given to her to watch.

"Don't get what?" Hiro asked as he paced. He was wearing his jean jacket, unzipped, and his black hair was messy. He had a bruise in front of his ear and bandages wrapped around his abdomen. Around it were pale scars from the machinery beneath the bandages.

"Why do they all want to kill you, but don't kill you?" Soul asked this while brushing her blond hair away from her face. It was early in the morning and they were waiting for a train. Recently Hiro had fought off two enemies within twenty-four hours and was a little worse for wear. He had twice revealed his second side, the Crystal Crier, to save and defend Soul from his enemies. Geicko and Enimito were both after Hiro. Soul wasn't sure why, but she knew a little. Geicko, A.K.A. Red Assassin, claimed Hiro had ruined his life and destroyed everything he had known. Enimito, Shadow Eater, was simply out for blood. They hated Hiro, and Soul was trying to piece together why.

"I rub them the wrong way," said Hiro. "But they have enough sense to know when they've lost." His hollow tone told Soul he didn't want to discuss it.

She hung her head, allowing her other questions to die in her throat. With no use for words, Soul looked down at herself. She had been able to change into clean jeans and a short-sleeved shirt that was white with red flowers along the bottom. Soul traced a flower, chewing her lip in a nervous way. "Where are we going to go?" She asked.

Hiro didn't answer at once. He was still pacing, watching the faces of everyone that walked by and of those who were standing by the edge of the boardwalk waiting for the train.

"Since we need to know what you are," said Hiro finally, stopping by the bench and looking down at Soul. His golden eyes were emotionless. "I'm taking you to my village."

Soul stared in shock. "What?" She whispered. "You said it was destroyed!"

"It is, and I'm the one who destroyed it," explained Hiro. "But I want to go there and find out if they tried to rebuild the village or the lab."

"Are you sure we'll find answers there?" Soul asked nervously.

"No," replied Hiro. He continued to pace and the conversation ended.

Soul gazed down the walkway of the station, watching all the different people come and go. She knew the train would be there soon, but she was still on edge. The train would only get them so far, right? Hiro said his home was far away. He had come over the ocean to get to where he was now. Soul was scared they would have to pass over the ocean to get to Hiro's village. That was frightening.

The train finally pulled into the station. The loud rumble of it rolling on the tracks made the ground shake and Soul jumped up, grabbing Hiro's arm. Hiro cringed, but said nothing.

The train came to a stop and the doors slid open. The passengers disembarked as Hiro moved forward. Soul followed him onto the train past the other passengers, keeping close behind Hiro as if scared she would lose him in the crowd and clutching the duffle bag to her chest. The conductor at the door punched a hole in their tickets and tipped his hat to them before handing the tickets back.

Soul and Hiro ascended the steps into the train car. There were long, narrow hallways with doors on all sides. Hiro looked in the windows until they came to an empty cab. He slid open the door and let Soul in. She went to the window straight away, hugging Hiro's duffle bag. Hiro entered and shut the door, locking it and closing the blinds over the window. He then collapsed into the soft bench. When he rolled his shoulder he heard it clicking and it became sore. He stretched his arms over his head, feeling the gears clunking and spinning to allow the motion. When things were quiet around him, Hiro could hear every article of his mechanical body. He leaned back in the seat, folding his arms and lowering his head. He was thankful that trains were loud.

"Wow, there's a lot of people getting on," said Soul in wonder.

Hiro glanced at her. She was gawking out the window at the crowds outside. He had forgotten the last two times she had gotten on a train weren't normal. The first time she had been unconscious, and the second time he had thrown her onto a speeding cargo train. Hiro shook his head. "The world is filled with people going where they need to go," he told Soul, bowing his head again. "And today we're just the same."

Soul looked at Hiro, frowned, and glanced back outside.

"Give me the bag," said Hiro, making Soul jump. She spun around and hurried to him, handing him the bag. Before she could go back to the window Hiro grabbed her wrist and looked at her. She gave him a surprised look.

"Please, act your age while we're on the train," he said gently. "We're going to be on here for a few days so I would prefer you not be too childish if you can help it."

Soul nodded and slid her wrist free. She then went back to the window, leaning against the wall and watching the crowds. Her silver eyes were a narrow and behind her Hiro sighed, shutting his eyes.

It was a half hour before the train sounded its departure whistle and began to move. It started slow and a little jerky. Soul dropped into a bench so not to fall over. She stared at the window as clouds of smoke rolled by and the station began to move. "It's like the station is leaving us," she said, pointing at the window. She looked at Hiro who nodded, his eyes still shut. Soul stared out the window.

The train began to pick up speed and Soul watched as houses and trees sped by. She looked at Hiro when he slid sideways and dropped onto the soft bench. His black hair slid over his face as he breathed slow and deep. His eyes were shut and one arm hung over the side of the bench. He was fast asleep.

The train rattled and Soul sat watching him. She tilted her head, her eyes narrowed sadly. He hadn't gotten much time to sleep the past few days. That and he had said once long ago that no one knew how hard it was to sleep with a body made of metal. Soul pouted at that. She got up and walked over to him, examining his face. His body must not have been able to age because he still looked twenty. She gazed at him then reached above the bench to the luggage rack above where there were pillows and folded blankets. Soul took down a blanket and unraveled it, draping it over Hiro. He didn't move so Soul went to the door and unlocked it. She was hungry and wanted to find the dinning car.

She looked once more at Hiro before sliding open the door and stepping out into the hallway. A married couple walked past her, chatting happily to one another with their arms linked. Soul watched them go as she slid the door shut. She looked in the direction they had come and went that way instead of following them. They looked nice, but Soul didn't dare bother them.

Soul walked down the hallway, touching the wall to catch her balance when the train turned or rattled more than normal. She pushed open one door, looking around the strange walls that connected one train car to the next with a floor for them to walk on. She crossed into the other train car and found it was a lower class area. There were lines of benches facing each other all the way down the back of the car and many of them were taken. Some people looked at Soul who awkwardly made her way down the car to the next door. She had a feeling she was going the wrong way, but she kept going just in case and entered the next car.

Two more cars and she still hadn't found the dining car. Her stomach growled as she walked through a luggage carrier. The last door she had to shove to open. At the back was a railing and deck with an overhang. Soul stood in the doorway, watching the world roll past her and listening to the clacking of the tracks. She sighed sadly, moving forward and placing her hands on the railing. Now she had to go all the way back to find the dining car. Soul shook her head and turned around.

The door slammed shut and Soul stood frozen.

Geicko stood by the door with his hand on it. He looked at her, his brown hair rippling in the wind and his expression casual. The burn on his face looked no better than it had when last they met and his neck and forehead had bruises.

"I would tell you I mean you no harm," he said. "But you wouldn't believe me."

Soul was motionless. She could have screamed for help, but they were so far away that Hiro wouldn't have heard her. That and if she wasn't in danger she didn't want to wake him.

"What are you doing here?" Soul asked, leaning back against the railing.

Geicko shrugged lightly. "I told Hiroshima a while ago that if you and he ever went separate ways I would follow you instead of him," he explained without regret. "You're a beautiful young woman, did you know that?"

Soul shook her head. "I haven't looked in a mirror for nearly five years," she replied. "Last time I saw myself I was getting my hair cut."

"And it looks great," said Geicko, folding his arms and leaning back against the door. "Hiro picked it for you, right?"

Soul nodded once.

"He has good taste for a man with no good emotions," said Geicko, looking away from Soul. "Sad that he'll never know how much you care about him."

Soul gave a start. "What are you talking about?" she asked hastily.

Geicko chuckled. "I've been watching you two since you met," he said with a smirk. "You can't keep your eyes off Hiro. Were he human I'm sure by now he would have noticed."

Soul felt her cheeks blush. "I can too keep my eyes off him," she said in defense.

"Liar." Geicko smirked cleverly. "You know he'll never be able to return your feelings. If he does it means his system is crashing and he'll soon expire."

Soul felt a chill of fear sink through her. "What?" She whispered.

"I looked it up after I was kicked off the train," explained Geicko, examining his fingernails as he spoke. "The way Hiroshima was made is complex. When his system begins to crash it won't do anything to his abilities or weaponry. He was made to keep going and to destroy everything. So, the way to tell if he's on the brink of expiration is when he starts to gain emotions." Geicko looked at Soul who was staring at him with a pale face. "You and I are both aware that Hiro has been gaining emotions," he said. "He's not long for the scrap yard, if you know what I mean."

Soul shook her head. "You're lying," she said. "You've got to be lying!"

"I'm not lying," said Geicko. "And if you ask him about it he'll know I was here. That will cause a fight none of us want. Keep this a secret or I'll make this trip end real fast."

Soul was panicking. "I have to tell him!" She said desperately. "He doesn't know!"

"Maybe he does know," said Geicko.

"No, he can't possibly," Soul said with her fists clenched.

"He's going back to his old village," said Geicko thoughtfully, pointing ahead of the train. "Odd that he would do that out of the blue. I wonder what excuse he gave you for this new idea of his."

"He wants to find out why I don't have a pulse," said Soul angrily. "That's why we're going!"

Geicko smirked at Soul. "He could use his laptop to figure that out," he told her cleverly. "Really, Soul. He knows. He's returning to his old home to find a way to save himself."

"That can't be true," whispered Soul, shaking her head. "He wouldn't keep something like that a secret from me."

"And he has no reason to tell you," added Geicko.

"He said he was going to help me find out what I am," said Soul, staring at Geicko. "He told me that after he fought off Shadow Eater to save me!"

"Don't get upset," said Geicko, waving his hand to shush Soul. "Hiro is like Enimito and I. We don't care about anyone but ourselves."

Soul was shaking her head. "He wouldn't put his life in danger for me if he didn't care," she said. She wasn't sure if she was trying to convince Geicko or herself.

"Hiroshima knows Enimito and I can't kill him without a hunk of luck," said Geicko bitterly. "He's in no danger unless Enimito and I teamed up against him."

Soul gripped the rim of her shirt, shaking her head. Tears were threatening to fall. "You're lying," she whispered. "You've got to be lying!"

"Think that all you want," said Geicko with a smirk. "And tell Hiro if you can. Just remember it'll put an end to your trip one way or another." Geicko opened the door and motioned for Soul to go through it.

Soul gazed through the doorway, then swallowed hard and looked at Geicko. "Why are you here?" She asked.

"I felt I should warn you about Hiroshima," replied Geicko simply. "If he dies I'm hoping I might be your new guardian. I'd love to spend time with you." He smiled, but Soul gave him an annoyed glare.

"I'm going to die too you know," she said. She then walked past him and into the luggage car.

Geicko shut the door behind her and sighed. "Okay, it's safe," he said emotionlessly, looking to the left of the train.

"Good," came Enimito's voice. He stepped onto the railing and dropped onto the deck, fixing the hood of his black jacket. His steel jaw glinted in the sunlight. It was scuffed a little on one side, but he didn't care. "Good job."

Geicko shrugged. "I'm doing this for myself," he said darkly, looking at the door. "The girl is all I've wanted in a long time."

"Holding a Massacre Title isn't what you thought it would be, is it, Light Ninja?" Enimito spoke mockingly as he grinned maliciously at Geicko. "We aren't allowed desires or more emotions than necessary. You seem to be struggling with that."

Geicko shook his head. "Whatever act it takes to get what I want," he explained. "Anything goes. And don't call me that." He cast Enimito a hollow glare. "I'm no more a Light Ninja than you're a loaf of bread."

Enimito chuckled. "Keep watch on the inside," he said, nodding to the door. "I'll continue to keep an eye out here."

Geicko nodded. "Do you have those dancing shadows under control?" He asked.

"Yes, Hiroshima won't know we're anywhere near him," he replied. "Will the girl keep her mouth shut?"

"Of course," said Geicko with a grin. "She doesn't want Hiro to blow up another train."

"Good," said Enimito with a grin. "I'll contact the scientists and tell them we're on our way."

"Fine." Geicko opened the door and entered the train.

Enimito in turn climbed onto the roof to wait for phase two.
The Beginning - 2

It was hard getting used to my new abilities. I sat and wrote all day, wondering at my skill. My penmanship was beautiful and consistent. I would also talk to myself, starting with 'A' and trying to say every word I could think of up to 'Z'. It felt like there was nothing I couldn't do. I would also get to walk around the empty village. Those days I would run as fast and jump as high as possible, testing my agility and showing myself how fast I was. The scientists in their white coats would watch me and I often saw them taking notes in their books.

Nothing surprised me. I had no emotions. I didn't feel joy when I ran, or lightness when I jumped and momentarily soared through the air. I didn't feel anything, and that in turn made me feel lonely. As the days went on I would lay in bed, watching the ceiling and feeling the lonesomeness creeping in over my mind. Some nights it became unbearable and I would toss and turn, feeling as if I were in actual physical pain from it. I wouldn't get any sleep those nights.

Then came the day I was taken back to the lab and put to sleep again. This time my dream was not only dark, but also eerie. I heard noises in my head, and clicking. Somewhere before my eyes was a blue glow swallowed by a white light. When I awoke my sight was weird. I could see through walls and every human body in the room was an assortment of different heat signals - yellow, orange, red and purple. I had sat up at once, trying to make it stop, but when I sat up I felt my whole body was even heavier. I tried to grab my head, but I saw my hand in the strange blue and white vision and I was scared. My hand had metal all over it. It was some kind of spiked armor. I touched my face and found I had a mask over my mouth and nose, and a steel visor over my eyes. I wasn't seeing the visor though, I was seeing through it like everything else. I felt awkward and unbalanced. The scientists held my arms, trying to steady me.

"This is your second form," they told me as I struggled to comprehend what was happening to me. "Can you see anything?"

"I see everything," I said, my voice cracking in fear. "What have you done to me?"

"You are our weapon," said the voice of an older scientist. "Once you learn to change from one form to the other, you will be put through tests to see how good your control is."

"Tests?" I was frightened. I had never passed a test in my life.

"We need you to try changing back into your human form," said a female voice beside me. She sounded over forty like the rest of the people in the room. "Focus and shift back into your human form."

"I don't get it," I said coldly. I could hear the clicking of the armor, but I couldn't focus on it. Was there some connection to all of it inside my head? I shut my eyes, trying to find the part of my mind that controlled the different parts of me. In my mind I discovered I was the armor. It was inside me. I was part of it. That made everything click into sense and I slid open the visor and looked around. My vision was still seeing through everything. I changed that by shutting my eyes for a moment and then reopening them. I looked each of the scientists in the face. They were smiling as if I were a child taking my fist steps. I decided that wasn't a bad idea so I turned and dropped my feet over the table, seeing that the armor made my feet look like clawed paws. I dropped to the ground and stood up. The scientists moved to help me, but with one wave of my arm they all jerked back. I was surprised to see a knife had slid from my armor in the movement. I looked at it, but then pushed it back inside. It didn't feel like anything. I looked down at myself, seeing that the armor had come from my skin, which was black now. I touched the mask on my face, but then I willed it to vanish. It slid back as my visor had.

I looked around and caught my reflection in the mirror. My golden eyes were hollow of emotion, my face a little gray. There were two red lines from the corners of my mouth down to my chin. The same lines crossed from the corners of my eyes to the top of my ears, and from the center of my eyes up to my eyebrows and then to my forehead. My black hair was a mess and I slid my spiked hand through it.

"What am I?" I asked, looking around at the scientists. I knew I was no longer anywhere near human. I had been turned into something greater than a human. I was a weapon with a mind.

"We haven't yet given you a Massacre Title," said the older scientist. "You will gain that after your tests are complete and you go on your first mission."

I nodded, finding the answer satisfactory. I no longer felt alone, or afraid. I felt nothing. I willed the suit to vanish and I stood dressed in my plain clothing once again.

"You have amazing control," one scientist said. "Our other subject took two days to change back to normal, and he wasn't able change completely."

"You're not supposed to mention him around this one!" Snapped the female scientist.

"They'll meet eventually," replied the other.

I looked around at them and they both shut up at once. "Who is the other experiment?" I asked. "Might I meet him?"

The scientists exchanged glances, but then the oldest man nodded and smiled. "If you want to," he replied. "We'll allow him to accompany you on your first mission."

I nodded with an empty smile. "Good," I told them. "It will be nice to meet my own kind."

"He is far below you," said the older man. "So he might hate you."

I didn't heed the warning. In that moment I was invincible and I knew nothing could stand in my way.
Chapter Two

Soul sat in the dining car with a small glass of tea. She had gotten it for free. Tea, water, and coffee were free, but everything else had to be purchased. It sounded fair. Soul just wondered if Hiro had any money for her to get food. Unlike him she still had a digestive system and needed food. She sat by a window, watching the blue sky and the clouds that would gradually change from one shape to another. Soul heaved a sigh and lifted her head when someone entered the dining car. She smiled when she saw it was Hiro.

He had changed into dark blue jeans and wore his black jacket, which he had finally decided to zip up, even though it was only half way.

"Why didn't you tell me you were leaving the room?" Hiro asked tiredly, dropping into the seat across from Soul and rubbing his head. "I about died of fear when I saw you were gone."

"I didn't want to wake you," said Soul, frowning at Hiro who leaned his elbows on the table and held his head.

"This train may not be safe," muttered Hiro to the table. "You can't go running off without telling me."

Soul smiled sadly. "Are you still tired?" She asked. "You've only been asleep for three hours."

Hiro shook his head. "I'm fine," he muttered.

"You're falling asleep," said Soul.

Hiro shook his head without a word.

Soul sighed and finished her tea. She then stood up and tapped Hiro on the shoulder. He looked up at her, blinking in confusion. "Come on," said Soul, taking his arm. "We're going back to the room. I won't leave this time so you can get sleep."

Hiro rolled his eyes tiredly. "I'm not sleepy," he said.

"I just woke you up," said Soul with a laugh. "If you fell asleep at the table then I'm pretty sure you're tired."

Hiro didn't argue. They went back to the room and Soul opened the door. Hiro waved her away and went to the duffle bag. He pulled out his laptop and sat down. "Sit by me for a moment, Soul," he said as he opened the laptop. "I need to show you something."

Soul was confused as she sat beside him and looked at the computer screen. "What is it?" She asked as Hiro brought up two windows and began typing.

"A file I think you should read," replied Hiro as one screen blinked and then a wave of words spilled through it. Soul got dizzy just looking at it.

"What's the file about?" She asked, realizing the whole thing was code.

"Hang on a moment," said Hiro. He was typing away like it was second nature to type seven hundred words a minute. "I'm breaking into the file. It's confidential data that was collected before I destroyed the lab."

"Oh." Soul now watched with interest as the words came together and suddenly a third screen appeared with the words "Access Granted" crossing the screen in bright green letters. It then showed multiple files against a black and green background. Most of what she read were a complicated series of numbers and Soul felt her head spin as she tried to understand what they were.

Hiro picked one and it popped open. "Here are the notes on a subject I thought you would find interesting," said Hiro, showing Soul the window. He pointed at the top name and Soul looked at it.

"Deceased Symphony," she read quietly. The name made a shiver go up her spine. "Wait... what is this?" She looked up at Hiro who shook his head. He looked very tired and Soul was half tempted to make him shut the laptop so he could sleep.

"It's a report on a side experiment," said Hiro. "An experiment that was done around the same time Enimito and I were made. I thought about it before I fell asleep and wanted to show you it." He motioned to the text beneath. "If you can understand this scientific gabber then you'll see they're talking about a little girl who was dying. The parents wanted her to live so they gave her away to see if the scientists could revive her. They don't mention the girl's name or the parents and there's nothing that says if the experiment worked or not, but I have a feeling it did and that it was you." Hiro looked at Soul who met his gaze.

"So I was an experiment?" She asked.

"I'm thinking you must have been," replied Hiro. "You have no pulse, but you say you can feel your heart beating inside you. That's similar to me. I have a pulse, but there is no beat in my chest. Also, when my machinery is injured I'm the only one that can hear what's wrong."

"Why is that?" Soul asked.

"It's because I am the machine," explained Hiro, looking at the laptop. "I could almost call this laptop my brother more than I can call my parents Mom and Dad, if I had any." Hiro read the report, trying to ignore Soul who was still watching him.

"You're still human to me," said Soul.

Hiro lifted his gaze to the wall before looking at Soul. "I told you to act your age," he said. "Not start talking like you've actually grown up."

Soul gave him a bewildered look, but Hiro simply snapped the laptop shut. "I'm going to rest," he said as he slid the laptop back into the bag. "Don't go anywhere until you've told me first, understand?" He gave Soul a hard stare.

"I understand," said Soul as she got to her feet. "Do you want a pillow?" She reached up to the rack to get one, but the pillow was a little beyond her reach.

"I can get my own pillow," said Hiro as he got up. He stood behind Soul and reached past her. In that moment he didn't see Soul's face blush. He took the pillow and placed it in Soul's hands. She took it, pulling it down and looking up at Hiro who held onto the luggage rack while looking down at her.

"It might be my imagination," he said slowly, his expression becoming distant. "But I think you've grown up since I first met you."

Soul wasn't sure how to reply. She hunched her shoulders and put the pillow on the bench, hurrying away and sitting on the other bench by the window. She stared hard out the window, ignoring Hiro who watched her a moment longer before lying on the bench and kicking off his boots. He pulled on the blanket and placed the pillow under his head. In a few seconds he was asleep.

Tightly shutting her eyes, Soul bowed her head and placed her hand over her face. She didn't want Hiro to die. If he was gaining emotions then his system was crashing and she didn't want that. She had to find a way to save him.

Soul looked towards him, narrowing her eyes sadly. She had to save him.

From the speakers on the train came a chime like a bell. Soul lifted her head and listened as a mechanical voice sounded through the speakers.

"We will be arriving at our first destination, Ristinwall, in fifteen minutes," said the female voice.

"That's not our stop," said Soul to herself, but her words died in her mouth and she gasped. "We have other stops on the way to the ocean." Soul stood up, but quickly looked at Hiro. He was still asleep and Soul bit her lip, looking towards the door. She didn't want to worry Hiro, but she had an idea and hopefully Hiro wouldn't intervene.

She went to the door and slid it open, peeking her head out. After looking up and down the hall she stepped out and slid the door shut behind her.

"Sorry, Hiro," she whispered over her shoulder, setting her hand on the door. "I can't stand by and do nothing when your enemy is on this train." She turned and walked away down the narrow hall. She was heading to the dining car with her plan swirling in her mind. There were fifteen minutes until they approached the station. The passengers would be allowed a break, and in that time Soul knew she had only one chance to get Geicko off the train.

Soul went to the dining car and took a seat, looking out the window and waiting. Her heart was racing, even though as she checked her wrist she felt no pulse. Sadness filled her, but she pushed it away. Time passed and the train squealed as it slowed and pulled into the station. Soul got up at once and hurried to the doors that slid open. Steam from the engine spilled in and Soul waved it away. She saw other people getting off the train so she hurried to them and joined the group. As soon as she was inside she laughed out loud over the murmuring of conversation and stood near an unfamiliar man who had black hair. She knew from a distance it would look like she were with Hiro, and that's all she needed. The man gave her a weird look and she smiled at him before walking off in the other direction and passing into the station.

The long hallway was filled with people getting ready for their train ride, or finding their luggage so they could leave. Soul passed through the crowd and glanced over her shoulder. From the corner of her eye she spotted the familiar brunette following. Soul smirked and turned away, hurrying aside to a separate doorway where there were lockers for storage. She moved into the room that had white walls and gray lockers. She stood by the lockers, looking them up and down with a confused look. There was a chair at the back and Soul saw an old bike chain hung off it. She wondered who had lost it, but then her thoughts went to the footsteps that stopped behind her.

She spun on the spot, gasping in surprise when she found Geicko standing behind her with her arms crossed.

"Why did Hiro let you wander off?" He asked, his copper eyes holding suspicion.

Soul pretended to look caught. "I told him I was going to the bathroom," she said hastily.

"And he believed you?" Geicko asked, arching an eyebrow. "If that's not why you left him then why did you?"

"That's none of your business," said Soul bluntly.

Geicko laughed, stepping towards Soul who moved back. "You're such a bad liar," he said, grinning down at her. "You act like a child, but I can see you're more than that. I pity Hiro. He doesn't know what he's missing."

"And you do?" Soul questioned, moving back cautiously. She hit the chair and glanced back at it quickly before looking back at Geicko who stood before her.

"Of course I do," he said, holding her gaze. "I'm fully human, unlike Enimito and Hiroshima. If you want anyone in your life, Soul, you should pick someone who is just like you." He reached out towards Soul to take her arm, but before he knew it Soul had his arm and slammed his head into the lockers. He jerked back in shock and pain, but then Soul hit him over the head with the chair and Geicko collapsed. Soul grabbed the bike chain in his dazed moment and wrapped it tightly around his arm, then slid it through a lock on the lockers, and clicked it shut. She spun the numbers on the lock and then stepped back.

"I know what's best for me," said Soul as Geicko tugged on his arm. It didn't budge no matter how hard he pulled and Geicko scowled. He looked sharply at Soul who grinned at him cleverly.

"And, by the way," she said going to the doorway and glancing back at him. "Hiro is like me." She flipped her blond hair off her shoulder and then hurried away, leaving Geicko chained to the wall with a dark scowl on his face.
The Beginning - 3

My first mission... I was fully prepared for what lay ahead. At least that's what I thought. As soon as the scientists came to get me I was ready to fight and discover what I could do. My tests up to that point had been simple. Mostly changing from one form to the other. Once they told me to destroy a building. I managed with nothing more than the flick of my hand. My powers seemed to keep growing and as I was escorted down the white corridor I knew my mission would be nothing more than a cakewalk... Whatever that was.

I was brought down long white hallways to the room where I had first been made. I was pricked with a needle then I blacked out. When I awoke I could hear the rattle of gunfire and the screams of normal humans. I sat up at once and looked around frantically. I was in some kind of tent and there were wires and large electric boxes around me. As I looked to the entrance I saw three people entering. One was a man in a hooded jacket with jeans and black gloves. I sensed an ominous presence coming from him that made my throat dry. At his feet the shadows shifted like dancing flames and I inched back, watching him suspiciously. With him were two scientists wearing bulletproof jackets and helmets that covered their faces.

"Here is where your first mission begins," said one. Since I couldn't see their faces I tried to recognize their voices. The one who had spoken was the older man. I looked at the other who stepped back and motioned to the hooded man.

"This is Enimito," the scientist said. It was the female scientist speaking. "As we promised, he will escort you on your first mission."

I looked at the man before me. He was watching me. I knew that even though I could only see below his nose because of the hood. His jaw was made of metal and was plated up to his ear. I could see now how it was that he couldn't change back as easily as I could. Clearly the metal jaw was part of that problem.

"Hiroshima, is it?" Enimito said in a deep voice, moving past the scientists and looking down at me. He held out a gloved hand. "I look forward to seeing what you can do, little brother."

I had never been called such a thing. I stared at Enimito in surprise before reaching out and accepting his hand. At once a knife shot out of his other hand and he sliced the wires off me, wrenching me to my feet. I staggered, but then spun to look at him. He kicked over the electric boxes, ignoring both scientists who shouted at him.

"What are you doing?" The older man demanded.

Enimito turned and looked at them. "He doesn't need help from useless chargers," he said in an icy voice. Then he turned to me. "Let's see your other form."

I figured I had nothing to lose. I shifted forms, the bright white light filling the tent and making the scientists cover their eyes so not to go blind. When it vanished I stood facing Enimito in my black and silver armor. I saw Enimito smirk, but it was clearly hard to made expressions with a metal jaw.

"You hear that war?" Enimito said, nodding his head to the tent entrance.

"Yes," I replied, shivering for some reason when a cry of agony rose over the gunfire and tore at the other shouts in the distance.

"End it." Enimito's words dropped like a stone.

"What?" I gave Enimito a confused look. "How am I supposed to end a battle?"

"Kill them all," replied Enimito.

I felt a gnawing pain of sorrow and fear. "I can't kill innocent people," I said. I was terrified. I didn't want to kill anyone.

"This is what you were made for," said Enimito icily, his voice turning to a deep growl. "Not one human out there is innocent. Finish them off and end the war or you'll be dismantled and thrown away!"

Even that frightened me. I stood a moment in consideration then looked at myself. I was powerful. Strong. Immortal. With gritted teeth, I shook my head. "I can't," I whispered.

"DO IT!" Enimito roared, making me flinch back. "It is why you're alive! Why you were made! You will do as you're told, Hiroshima!"

I gritted my teeth then turned and left the tent. This mission was my obligation... but I hated it. I entered the war ground, letting my gaze wander over the dead bodies that separated me from the living humans in the distance. I could see hundreds of men at war with one another. I ran forward like a streak of lightning, shooting into the center of the war. People jerked away in alarm and watched as I leapt straight into the air and threw my arms out to either side.

The force of power from within me erupted like an explosion. It shot into the air and the ground. From the sky came fire raining down upon the battlefield. The ground broke open like a shattered plate and flames swept over the earth. I can still feel the chill of every life lost. They screamed as the flames consumed them in seconds and took their lives. No, not the explosion... I had taken their lives. I felt it in my soul. Their lives were now mine, and it made me sick.

As the falling sky fire died down I sank through the air, landing on the broken ground. Flames crackled around me, snapping and stinking of burning flesh and scorched dirt. By my foot lay a rifle and I looked down to see the charred bones that had once been a hand holding it. I shut my eyes, feeling the tears racing down my face. I couldn't stop them, and I didn't bother trying. They had begun to fall as soon as I left the tent, which is why I had run away. I was in pain and sorrow consumed me, but the mission was complete.

I knew then that whatever hope I had had of becoming human again was lost in the fiery massacre I had created. I was an eraser now. A weapon used to end battles in the worst way possible.
Chapter Three

Soul got back on the train and hurried to the compartment where she had left Hiro. She peeked inside, looking at Hiro. He was lying with one arm over his eyes and his teeth gritted. Soul hurried inside, shutting the door quietly behind her and going to Hiro's side. "Hiro?" She whispered, stepping forward and touching his shoulder.

In a flash he seized her and Soul found a knife pointed to her throat. She stared at it in terror, but then looked at Hiro who gazed at her in a puzzled way.

He dropped the knife and sat up quickly. "Soul," he gasped, looking positively terrified. "Are you okay?" He took her by her shoulder and examined her neck, making sure he hadn't harmed her.

"I - I'm okay," Soul stammered in bewilderment. "What was that?"

"I was having a dream," said Hiro, looking up at her. In his eyes Soul saw his deep apology that made her pity him. "I haven't had a dream in a long time and it was a nightmare. I guess when you tried to wake me it transferred into my dream and I thought you were an enemy." Hiro fell back into the seat and massaged his face tiredly.

Soul watched him, but then cleared her throat. "Did you want to walk around a little before the train departs again?" She asked, though she hoped Hiro would say no. The last thing she wanted was for Geicko to get free and go after them. The train couldn't leave soon enough and Soul's hopes skyrocketed when she heard the train whistle its five minute warning.

Hiro lifted his head and looked towards the window grimly. "No, I'm fine," he told her quietly.

"You don't look very fine," said Soul. She wasn't just fishing for a conversation. It was a true accusation. Hiro looked awful with bags under his eyes and the bruise before his ear deep green and purple.

Hiro shook his head and placed his face in his hands. "I was dreaming," he murmured slowly. "That means..."

Soul waited, but Hiro never finished speaking. She frowned sadly. The sound of the last minute warning whistle filled the air and outside Soul heard the conductor calling for everyone to get aboard. Soul frowned and listened to people walking down the hallway. Some were talking brightly and others were silent. Soul crossed her arms and looked down at Hiro.

"Are you sure you can't eat or drink?" Soul asked.

Hiro glanced up at Soul, arching an eyebrow. "Yes, why?" He asked.

Soul looked down at him with a small smile. "Let us get tea together," she said.

Hiro grinned at her and stood up. "I can't drink tea," he told her.

"Well, have you ever tried to?" Soul asked. As she spoke the train gave one last sound and began to move. Soul and Hiro both caught their balance and Soul went to look out the window. The steam rolled over the station and cloaked those who waved the train on. Soul caught sight of one familiar face grinning at her and holding a bike chain in his hand. He waved to her and appeared to be laughing, his bronze eyes glinting in a way that told Soul she hadn't bought them any time at all.

"What is it?" Hiro came up beside Soul and moved the curtain, looking out at the station.

"Nothing," said Soul, still watching Geicko as he turned and walked away. She glanced up at Hiro who was looking for what it was she had seen. "Are we going to get tea?"

Hiro gazed out at the station. "For you," he said, looking down at Soul. "I may as well try it."

Soul smiled happily and hurried to the door. Hiro followed, but not before taking one last look out the window. He thought he had seen Geicko, but he hoped his eyes had been deceiving him.

Hiro followed Soul out of the room and down the hall to the dining car. As he went he cast suspicious looks back and forth to every window of every door. There were a lot more people on the train. To Hiro that meant there were more lives at risk because of his presence.

The dining car was well lit and warm. Hiro stepped inside with Soul who instantly went to a window seat at the far corner. It was a round table for two and Hiro sat across from her. The man at the counter came and asked for their orders. Soul told him they both wanted a glass of tea with a little cream and sugar. As soon as he was gone Soul looked at Hiro brightly.

"So what was it that you were saying?" She asked.

Hiro glanced at her then looked back outside. "Nothing of great importance," he replied.

Soul shook her head. "It's the second time you've mentioned something serious and then bailed," she said, crossing her arms on the table and watching Hiro. "What are you not telling me?"

Hiro shut his eyes. The dining car was packed full of people getting dinner. It was a pretty safe time to discuss it, but still Hiro hesitated. "I don't want to talk about the occurrences of my past and things said against me," he muttered, resting his forehead on his hand. "Once, long ago, someone predicted my future. Many people did. They enjoy scaring me I suppose."

"Predictions are useless," said Soul, moving back when the waiter returned with their drinks. He placed them on the table in front of her and Hiro with a small glass of cream and a bowl of sugar cubes. "Thank you," Soul said, giving the man a smile. He nodded once in reply and left. Soul looked back at Hiro who was watching the waiter.

"You haven't stopped looking wary of everyone since I woke you up," Soul told Hiro, making him glance at her. She gave him a concerned look. "Have I caused you to not trust anyone since you think you can't trust me?"

Hiro looked Soul in the eye. "I can't trust anyone and I never could," he told her, lowering his voice. "You least of all, granted, but you're not the cause."

"I can't pretend I'm not upset that you don't trust me," she whispered, sitting back and dropping two sugar cubes in her tea.

Hiro shrugged and looked down at his own glass of tea. The small teaspoon lay beside it and Hiro picked it up. "There's a lot you never told me," he said quietly. "Of course I won't trust you."

"You've told me even less and I trust you," Soul said, looking at Hiro.

"You're too trusting, that's why," said Hiro under his breath. He took the cream bowl and poured a little into the tea glass. He then dropped in one cube and looked at Soul. She was looking at him bitterly.

"Hiro, you are the first person I've trusted besides my parents," she told him. "And I might not know how long it's been, but I know I didn't trust anyone in that neighborhood we lived in, even though they cared for me when I needed it. You're the only one-" she cut off, swiftly lowering her voice and placing her hand to her mouth. Hiro raised an eyebrow and Soul looked up at him.

"Sorry," she said with a weak smile. She looked down at her tea and stirred in some cream. "I almost said something different than I planned."

"And what was that?" Hiro asked. He lifted the tea to his mouth and first sniffed it. It had a refreshing scent, but he lowered the glass. Soul now looked sad with her head down and one hand resting on the teacup as she stirred it. "Soul?"

"Nothing," said Soul without looking up. "You're the only one I've trusted. That's what I wanted to say."

Hiro sighed. "I'll try this tea if you tell me," he said, tapping the table with the teaspoon to make Soul look at him.

"I'll only tell you if you say what you won't," Soul said.

Hiro smirked. "Bargaining is supposed to end in an equal turn out," he said. "You aren't good at it, are you?"

Soul pouted. "Just tell me what's going on," she said, sitting back with the tea in her hands. "You said there was a message given you long ago, and today you said your dreaming meant something. You said it in a grim way." Soul watched Hiro who had his eyes once again on the window.

"The ability to dream was lost to me," he said slowly. "Same with the ability to feel emotions and eat."

Soul nodded once. "You told me that," she said. "But what does it mean?"

Hiro rubbed his forehead. "Soul, we're friends, are we not?"

"I'd say we are," replied Soul. "Why?"

Hiro lifted the tea to his lips. "The end is drawing near," he muttered. He sipped the tea, his face twisting as he tasted flavor for the first time in centuries. With a shiver he placed it on the table and looked at Soul. "I fear for you now," he said, his golden eyes narrowed. "Soul, in my whole life I never had a friend. You are the first I've ever had and I don't want anything to happen to you."

"Is that why you're allowing me to stay with you?" Soul asked.

"It's why I worry when I wake up and find you gone," replied Hiro with gravity. "Soul, if we're separated then death will come upon us both. I don't know how to save you, but I am determined to keep you with me until I do."

"But I don't understand," said Soul, leaning forward and lowering her voice. "Who predicted this?"

"The scientists," replied Hiro quietly. He fell silent when someone rose from a chair nearby and left the dinning car. Hiro watched them go before looking back at Soul. "They told me that the day I got a friend I would only live as long as we stayed together. As soon as my friend and I went separate ways we would both die the deaths of my curse. A painful, merciless death." Hiro passed his hand through his hair and took another sip of tea. "I avoid friendship for that reason," he muttered. "I thought Anna would become my friend, but she died after I learned her name."

"That also confuses me," said Soul.

"Hm?" Hiro glanced at her as she drank her tea. "What does?"

Soul set aside her teacup. "You know both Geicko and Enimito's names," she said. "But they aren't dying."

Hiro smirked. "I learned their names before I rebelled against the scientists," he explained. "They're safe as long as they don't face me in a real fight."

"Will they eventually?" Soul asked.

"It's possible," replied Hiro, shrugging. "I just have to hope they don't come against me at the same time. If they ganged up on me I would have no chance. Either I'd lose or I'd destroy them and everything else within fifteen miles of myself."

Soul gawked at Hiro. "You can do that?" She asked.

Hiro nodded. "I've done it many times before," he replied.

Soul finished her tea. "Well," she said with a sigh. "I'll stay with you, Hiro."

Hiro glanced at her with a grin. "Well, that's good to know," he told her. "I've grown used to not feeling lonely."

Soul smiled at him and bowed her head. Hiro looked out the window swallowing hard. "There's two more stops before we reach ours," he said. "After that we'll take a ship to my home island." He looked at Soul. She seemed tired. Hiro stood up and moved to stand beside her. Soul looked up at him and he placed his hand on the back of her chair.

"Your turn to sleep," he said gently, pulling back her chair. "You look like you're about to pass out."

Soul stared at him, but then looked away. "Okay," she said, standing up. She felt Hiro place his hand around her shoulders. She glanced up at him in confusion and saw him cast a wary glance at the window before leading her out of the dining car.

"What's wrong?" Soul whispered as Hiro led her to their room.

"I'm not sure," replied Hiro quietly. "Don't worry about it. I'm protecting you."

Soul wasn't sure what she felt at his words, but the feeling in her chest made her feel lighter than usual.
Chapter Four

Night fell. The train rattled and clicked as if traveled across the countryside. The moonlight shown on the ground, reflecting on grass, leaves, tree bark, and a lake that came near the tracks. Hiro stood by the window, gazing out at the scenery. He looked down at Soul who was fast asleep. There was an ominous presence in the air and Hiro watched for moving shadows, but there were none. He kept thinking back on their last stop. He could have sworn he had seen Geicko at the station, and Soul had been watching him. Somehow it made him feel ill. Why would Soul be watching Geicko and not tell him? Was she hiding something?

Hiro shook his head, but then caught his breath as the train passed an open field. The moonlight was behind them and the shadow of the train was cast over the ground. Hiro knew his eyes were not deceiving him.

There was someone sitting on top of the train.

Hiro moved back and slid the curtain shut. He glanced down at Soul. The last thing he wanted to do was leave her alone, but he needed to find out who was on the roof, just to make sure they weren't in danger. The shadows weren't dancing, so Hiro knew he had to be safe, but something prickled at the back of his mind like a warning against what he couldn't see.

Quietly, Hiro moved towards Soul and knelt beside the bench where she slept. He gazed at her face with a gentle expression. "I'll be back," he whispered to her. "Sleep tight and don't follow me." He got up and left the room, shutting the door before hurrying to the back of the train.

The caboose opened up to a deck with an overhang. Hiro looked around for a way up and saw on the side of the train there was a metal ladder. He went to it and climbed to the top, peeking over the roof cautiously. Smoke and wind blew in his face, but the smoke was thin enough for Hiro to see the person who sat on the center of the caboose. His arms were crossed and the hood of his jacket hid his head. Hiro held his breath and sank down, hiding below the roof with wide eyes. It was Enimito! How could he have been on the train for so long without the shadows giving him away?

Hiro glanced over the roof again. It was definitely Enimito. Hiro wasn't sure what to do. If they fought now then he would never made it to his homeland. He was already running out of time.

Gritting his teeth, Hiro climbed onto the roof and stood facing Enimito. "Don't you dare blow anything up," said Hiro, moving forward.

Enimito glanced back at him. "I won't," he replied, standing and sticking his hands in his pockets. "Your little girlfriend tricked Geicko off the train so I'm alone presently. But don't worry, he'll catch up."

Hiro caught his breath. "You two are actually working together?" He asked.

Enimito grinned. "Bad news for paradise," he said mockingly.

Hiro's expression sank to annoyance. "Paradise," he repeated coolly. "You're one to talk of that, brother."

Enimito snarled. "When Geicko catches up you'll be out of luck," he said. An evil smile crossed his face. "Because you can't beat us and you won't dare risk using your power. There's no way of knowing if your little friend will be caught in the explosion."

Hiro felt his annoyance crash into pain. "If you promise not to hurt her," he said carefully. "I won't put up a fight when Geicko gets here."

"You won't fight either way," said Enimito. "She's already in danger."

Hiro didn't speak. The cold night wind tore at them and for a while they were silent. "Will we be able to return to my homeland safely?" He asked finally.

Enimito nodded once. "The scientists will make sure you arrive there in one piece," he said. "And they will deal with your little friend however they see fit."

Hiro didn't reply. He looked at the sky, heaving a sigh. "How did Soul trick Geicko off the train?" He asked.

"She led him into thinking you had both gotten off," replied Enimito. "The idiot. He followed her and she knocked him into a locker and chained him to the wall with a bike chain." Enimito scoffed. "There were too many people watching for him to get on the train without a ticket so he has to chase us down to get on."

Hiro grinned. He had had no idea that Soul was capable of such a clever scheme. She had taken a huge risk though and Hiro hoped it wouldn't cause them more trouble.

"You've met Soul before, haven't you," said Hiro, looking at Enimito. "When you were in the form of Shadow Eater. Why is that?"

Enimito looked away. "Soul is what you call the blond girl, is it?" He asked slowly.

Hiro nodded. "So she won't die a gruesome death like the others," he replied. "I gave her a nickname."

"Her death will be worse than all others, Hiro," said Enimito, casting him a cool glare. "She's become your friend, and more. Because of that her punishment for getting close to a weapon will be great."

Hiro shook his head. "That's nonsense," he said, trying to convince himself more than Enimito. "As long as she and I stay together she'll be fine."

"And here you are," said Enimito, motioning to him. "On the roof while she's asleep in her room."

"If something goes wrong I'll save her," said Hiro in defense.

"Since when have you been able to save any of the people whose names you learned?" Enimito inquired with spite. "You know her name, Hiro. You know who she is. What she is. Why are you fooling yourself?"

Hiro clenched his fists. "She isn't a monster like me," he said sharply. "And I can call her Soul, because that's who she is to me."

Enimito approached Hiro who stood still, not daring to move. "You could call her Heart or Dove for all I care," he hissed. "Because of you she's doomed and I'll never forgive you."

Hiro gave a start. "What is she to you?" He demanded darkly. "You were going to kill her."

"For me to shoot her in the head or break her neck would be a more merciful way for her to die," shot Enimito. "You're a weapon, a cataclysmic disaster waiting to happen. You should have continued to live an isolated life instead of taking her in and handing her the life that would lead to the worse death possible!"

Hiro breathed hard. "She's safe with me," he said, not knowing what the emotion running through him was. "I won't let her die!"

"You pathetic robot," snarled Enimito angrily. "You don't understand that her death was sealed as soon as you let her into your crystal heart!"

Hiro recoiled, placing his hand over his chest. "I have no heart," he snapped. "You said so yourself, remember? The crystal holds nothing but energy that keeps me alive."

Enimito scowled. "You're an idiot," he said, stepping back. "You're a complex machine, but you'll never understand how complex until it's too late. And now you've doomed Soul, as you call her." Enimito shook his head. "Have you no shame?" He turned and walked away, leaving Hiro standing in stunned silence. His mind spun, but he had no clue what Enimito was telling him.

"Why does she matter to you?" He called.

Enimito paused, but then glanced back. "Whatever causes you pain," he said, his voice carrying on the wind to Hiro. "I leave you with your aching thoughts." He then disappeared into a shadow and Hiro was left alone.

He stood motionless, but then gave a start and hurried off the roof and back into the train. He ran down the hallways and though the doors to his room. He threw open the door, but froze when he found Soul was still asleep.

Hiro stood in the doorway, his eyes filing with tears. He stepped into the room and shut the door, then sat on the bench opposite where Soul was sleeping. He watched her in quiet confusion, a single tear falling to his lap.

"What am I missing?" He whispered in a hoarse voice.
The Beginning - 4

I stood in my room, my arms wrapped around my body and my head down. My black hair hung in jagged strands over my face. I listened to the machinery clicking and wining when I moved or breathed. It was never silent. The longer I sat there the deeper the feeling of loneliness sank in. It consumed my body and my mind. Every few days I was taken to another mission. Once the war was nothing more than a feud between two cities. I was forced to wipe them out. Though I enjoyed feeling the energy release that came from causing the explosion I was sad for those whose lives I took. The mixture of emotions did bodily harm to me. I was taken to the scientists after every mission to get my body fixed. It would seize up or refuse to work. After the seventh time this happened I came to one simple conclusion for the cause.

I was rebelling. Somewhere inside of me I knew I was doing wrong by being a weapon. I needed to stop it, but the scientists knew I was thinking this. They began taking me out of my room and putting me to sleep. When I awoke my body would function differently. It was small differences, but I was frightened. They were trying to get rid of my emotions. I was a weapon to them, and no weapon should feel remorse for the lives it takes. It was the final straw. After that I hid my emotions, acting as if they had succeeded in changing me. It was weeks before they sent me on another mission, but this one was different.

"Light Ninjas," said Enimito. He had begun frequenting my missions. I knew it was because the scientists needed him there in case I tried to escape. I wasn't going to. Not yet. My escape plan wasn't fully formed. At that time I was just plotting and scheming the best way to escape.

"What is that?" I asked, standing in the tent with the electric boxes around me. I had only one wire in my side, and below it was a blinking red light.

"A Light Ninja is someone who fights for what it thinks is right," explained Enimito. He stood with his arms crossed, hooded and dressed in black. "I've faced them and took out quite a few, but there is one more left who has become a major problem." As soon as his words left his mouth I swallowed hard, but remained emotionless. My mission was obvious to me now.

Take out the Light Ninja.

"It should be easy to beat him," I told Enimito, glancing at him.

"The scientists want the village unharmed," said Enimito, straightening up and looking outside the tent.

I frowned sourly. "I'm a weapon, not a miracle," I said coolly. "If I have to blow up the village I will."

"If you blow up the village and miss the ninja then the mission will fail," explained Enimito. He cast me a dark look. "And many explosions have missed the ninja."

I had a feeling Enimito was just trying to scare me. How could an explosion like what I created miss any human? Mine reached fifteen miles at least and tore through both ground and sky. I was unbeatable.

"He's coming," said Enimito, shutting the tent flap.

I nodded once. In a burst of white light I changed forms and then pushed past Enimito, stepping out into the cool air of dusk. The sun was setting and the fields appeared dark yellow and orange. There was a village in the distance and behind me were tanks and trucks of supplies. I was here to make sure the war they had prepared for wouldn't happen.

While I walked away the vehicles and Enimito withdrew from the area. I knew they were getting as far as they could to the bomb shelter they had built. I cared not for any of their lives. If I killed them too it wouldn't make a difference. I would be one step closer to freedom.

A ripple of a white cloak caught me off guard and I stopped in my tracks. I could see the Light Ninja approaching. He walked with confidence in every step, his head held high and his cloak snapping in the cool breeze between us. I saw his copper eyes and brown hair, noting that there was little emotion on his young face. He was a normal human, but something about him made me fearful. The white of his cloak glowed like a beacon and I took a step back. Compared to this human I looked like a real monster. Dark and lethal with no reason for what I did.

"Hiroshima," called the ninja as he stopped ahead of me. He was grinning, which set my temper off a little. "I'm glad to finally meet you."

I hadn't expected him to speak to me. I thought the fight would be quick and painless. "You've heard of me?" I asked, walking forward. The ninja didn't move.

"All on this earth know of you," replied the ninja. "I am Geicko, of the Light Ninjas. I'm the last of my kind. Your brother, Shadow Eater, killed off my clan and now I alone protect my village." He motioned behind him, the grin never leaving his face. "I hope you do not mind that I will kill you without mercy."

"Mercy is not in my nature," I told him, coming to a stop several paces away. "And so I expect none from you." The visor over my eyes slid open and I looked the man up and down with my real eyes. He was young. Very young...

"Shall we?" said Geicko, flipping his hood over his head. Without warning three knives flew at me. I lifted my hand and caught them, then spun on the spot and hurtled them back. Geicko leaped into the air and I gasped. I had never seen a human jump so high. My moment of shock was my undoing. The ninja slammed down on top of me, his feet crushing into my chest. I hit the ground, my system screaming as if struggled to make me react faster.

I seized the ninja's leg and threw him off me, then jumped to my feet. He came at me again, but I was ready.
Chapter Five

"Hiro!" Soul cried in alarm.

Hiro jerked awake, feeling Soul shaking him hastily. Hiro sensed her fear and looked up at her. "What is it?" He asked, sitting up at once. The room was dark and so was the world outside.

"The train is stopping but there's no station ahead!" Soul replied frantically. "What's happening?"

Hiro jumped to his feet and ran to the window. He looked ahead and saw the train was indeed coming to a stop, but it was on a bridge over top of a large lake. Hiro stepped back. "That can't be good," he said. "Soul, grab the bag and follow me." He went to the door while Soul seized the duffle bag, threw it over her shoulder, and hurried after him. She knew if he wanted her to carry it then that meant he needed his hands free in case of danger. They left the room and walked briskly down the hallway. To the left and right people stuck their heads out, asking each other what was going on. None stopped Hiro or Soul as they went towards the back of the train.

Soul didn't ask questions, which relieved Hiro. He didn't feel like explaining to her that they were in danger again.

They came to the caboose and Hiro forced open the door. Before he had time to think he was seized and shoved to the ground with a gun pointed at his head. Soul screamed as she was pulled forward and thrown down beside him. She held tight to the bag and Hiro looked at her. He lifted his hands over his head, showing he would not attack. As he looked around he found several men standing around him with masks made of metal and bullet proof outfits.

"I take it this is a train robbery?" Hiro asked, listening to the train squealing to a stop.

One of the men struck Hiro over the head with the butt of their rifle. Soul shouted in terror, but Hiro simply looked up with a scowl. "Fine," he hissed. "I'll come quietly."

"Good to hear," said a female voice.

Hiro and Soul both looked up with shock in their eyes. A woman stepped forward, removing her helmet and letting her blond hair uncoil over her shoulders. She grinned down at Hiro, wearing bright red lipstick, deep blue eye shadow, and an evil glimmer in her dark eyes.

"Anna?" Hiro whispered, fear filling his body to the point of numbness.

"Mom?" Soul squeaked.

The woman laughed. "Oh my," she said, pushing her fingers though her hair and laughing. "Like two lost children."

Hiro whipped around to stare at Soul who was watching Anna with tears flooding her eyes. "Anna is your mother?" He demanded in alarm.

"My mother is the Anna you told me about?" Soul looked traumatized as her silver eyes gawked at Hiro. They both looked up at Anna who lifted a pistol from a holster at her hip and aimed it at Soul.

"Both of you behave," she said with a crooked smirk. "Or I'll kill my daughter."

Hiro had no choice but to obey. He allowed the masked men to chain his arms and wrists, lifting him to his feet and forcing him into the caboose. Soul was bound as well and dragged after him. Hiro's mind was spinning in angry circles. What was happening? How was Anna alive? He knew he had seen her die. The memory was still as scaring as the moment he had witnessed it. Now, without warning, he was facing her again. This time she was nowhere near the kindhearted woman she had been. Something about her was evil and Hiro couldn't help realizing he had no idea what was happening.

"Close the door and tell the conductor that we can continue," said Anna, following Soul inside.

"Yes ma'am," came three voices from the masked men. They then hurried off, leaving two guarding Hiro and Soul, and two guarding the door.

Anna smiled from one to the other. "I'm happy to see you're both doing well," she said. "In a sense."

Soul flinched. "Mother," she said in a small voice. "I thought you were dead."

Anna burst out laughing and Soul sank back a step. Hiro felt an overwhelming pain of pity for Soul. She looked lost and scared and he wished he could comfort her. "What's going on, Anna?" Hiro demanded, looking at the woman sharply.

"Nothing that you haven't been programmed for," replied Anna, sliding her hand lovingly over the top of her pistol. "I really am surprised at you two. I didn't think you'd ever cross paths. Thankfully that made my job easier."

"How did you even know we were here?" Hiro asked. He wanted to get as much information from her as he could.

"Geicko was left at a train station not too far away," said Anna, examining her pistol. She spoke as if she were speaking to herself. "He called me and told me about the woman who had chained him to a locker." Anna looked at Soul who blushed in embarrassment. Anna smiled. "I'm glad my daughter has proven to be gifted in a crafty way," she said.

"Why didn't you tell me that yourself?" Hiro whispered, glancing at Soul who hunched her shoulders and looked away.

"He was on the train," she muttered. "I didn't want you two to fight so I got him off the train while you were sleeping and tricked him long enough to use a bike chain I had found."

Hiro said nothing in reply.

"Well, this is all very heart warming," said Anna, sticking the pistol in her left hand and snapping her fingers. "But we have work to do." She looked back as a man hurried to her side.

"Yes, ma'am?" He asked hastily.

"Why aren't we moving?" Anna demanded darkly. "I told you to inform the conductor that we're ready."

"It takes a while for the train to start up again, ma'am," said the man. On his face shown signs of terror.

Anna looked him up and down. "So, we have to wait?" She asked slowly.

The man nodded.

Bang! Anna shot him in the leg and he fell to the ground screaming in agony. Soul's bound hands flew to her mouth and her eyes were wide with terror. Hiro had eyes only for the man rolling on the floor in pain. He glared and then looked at Anna who pointed her pistol at Soul again.

"I'm sure you two will behave now," she said with an attempt at a sweet smile, but it failed from the weight of anger Soul and Hiro now held for her. "Some would kill as punishment, but I find leaving them in anguish much sweeter." She paid the man no mind as she continued to fawn over her pistol as if it were the only thing she held dear.

"You shot him," said Soul, her eyes misting with tears of alarm. "You shot him!"

"Yes," said Anna. She lifted her head when the train began to rumble and jerk. "Finally," she grumbled.

Hiro watched Anna as she turned towards the man on the ground and shoved him with her foot. She smirked at him and didn't bother to help him. Hiro had never seen cruelty at such a level before, especially not from Anna. Was she even called Anna? Or was even that a lie? Hiro narrowed his eyes and tried to plan a way to escape. There were many, but then again he was doomed to die either way, and Anna had the answers Soul wanted. There wasn't reason to escape. Not yet.

"Soul," said Hiro.

Soul looked at him, finding him watching the man on the ground. "What?" She whispered.

"Anna knows you." Hiro glanced at Soul. "You've found what you were waiting for."

Soul blinked, but then looked at Anna who arched an eyebrow at them.

"You've become awfully dramatic, Hiroshima," she said.

"I've been on my own for years," replied Hiro coldly. "So I'm bound to be more than I used to be."

Anna snorted and walked past them. "Stay put," she said over her shoulder. "I'm going to get myself something to eat. You two don't need to eat, right?" Anna smirked and then left.

Soul stared after her. "I still need food," she said in a small voice.

Hiro gritted his teeth. "It will be okay, Soul," he said, looking at her sadly. "Please, don't get upset."

Soul tightly shut her eyes before looking at Hiro. "She's going to take you apart, isn't she," she whispered with tears spilling down her face. "I don't want her to take you apart, Hiro."

"It's my fate," replied Hiro calmly, gazing at the floor. "It was bound do happen sooner or later."

Soul shook her head, but neither could think of anything more to say. They both had a feeling that Anna would not be returning until they reached the ocean. Anna knew the worse torture for them would be if they were forced to sit in the caboose the whole time without food or water and nothing but their thoughts to haunt them.
Chapter Six

Rain was pouring from the dark sky when the train clattered into the station. It hadn't stopped for anything and a lot of gunfire had been heard when other passengers on the train complained. Hiro and Soul missed all of this, but they knew what was happening because a messenger was sent each time someone was killed. This made sitting in the freezing caboose even worse. Hiro was seated cross-legged, a gag in his mouth and his golden eyes locked on the ground. Soul was also gagged, but she was lying down. It was clear she was hungry. Her stomach made noises and she cringed from time to time. Hiro wanted to help her, but along with being gagged, he had been chained to the wall and couldn't reach Soul. When the soldiers came to get them Soul was so weak she had to be carried. Hiro was not allowed near her while they walked through the train with the guards around them.

As Hiro looked around he found there were numerous burn marks and scratches all over the walls. The whole train had been trashed and in some spots Hiro spotted blood on the floor. He glowered and lifted his eyes to look ahead. Anna would be in big trouble when she was no longer needed.

They were brought to the dining car that had also been ruined. The tables were lying in a pile with the chairs and the counter had been busted to pieces. Anna sat in the middle of the room with her head tilted and a grin on her face. Her eyes were empty of kindness and looked instead to be hollow. She held Hiro's gaze unwavering until he stood before her. Soul was laid on the ground and she shifted, but didn't wake up. Their gags were removed and Hiro spat on the floor before Anna as soon as it was gone. Anna merely grinned at him as if his action was amusing.

"I see you really are less human than the rest of us," said Anna. "Even Enimito would have needed food by now."

"My stomach was removed, heartless wench," said Hiro through gritted teeth. "Now take care of Soul before she dies!"

Anna slid her gun from her holster and fired it at Hiro. The bullet cut through his shoulder and he shouted in pain. Since he was bound he could do nothing more than cringe and glare at Anna who chuckled. The pain seared through Hiro's whole body and he nearly fell to his knees. The sound of the gunfire stirred Soul who opened her eyes and gazed at Anna in a sleepy daze.

"What's going on?" She muttered, turning her head and looking up at Hiro. He glanced down at her, hoping she wouldn't see that he had been shot, but it was hopeless. His face was pale, his lips trembled, and through the opening in his jacket Soul saw the blood rushing down his body. She stared at him, but couldn't speak in her horror.

"Now that we're all awake," said Anna. "We've arrived at the ocean. Here we will be boarding a ship to sail to Onsolaises."

"You mean the ruins of Onsolaises," hissed Hiro venomously. "I destroyed it, remember?"

"I'm sure it was a wonderful light show for your precious villagers," replied Anna, picking at her hair that lay over her shoulder. "Everything burned up and destroyed. I would have loved to see them all burning."

Hiro scowled without a reply.

"I'm sure your laptop will tell us everything else we need to know about you," said Anna, as she got to her feet. "My men are breaking all your passwords as we speak. So we will have the information to fill in the blanks and get to the heart of your creation. We might even find the secret of how to remove your heart safely."

"The information in my laptop won't tell you anything more than you already know," Hiro said angrily. "It would only help someone like Enimito, Geicko, or Soul. The ones who don't know anything about how I was made."

"Now," said Anna, ignoring Hiro's rant. "I don't feel like wasting more bullets, but if we don't get to Onsolaises soon I'm going to start killing."

Hiro gritted his teeth. Anna wasn't listening to him. He cursed in his mind.

Soul sat shivering on the floor near him. Everything felt like it was happening too fast to her. The talk with Anna was over before it really begun. Anna led the way off the train; Hiro and Soul were dragged along. Soul was so hungry she could hardly walk, but she managed to maintain strength each time she looked at Hiro. He was pushing himself even though the blood rushing from his shoulder was dripping out of his sleeve and staining the top of his jeans. No one bothered to stop the flow and Soul wished she at least could do that for him. He felt pain and she saw on his face that he was in agony. Yet Soul didn't dare speak, not with Anna and her pistol at the ready. There was no telling what the woman would do if either Soul or Hiro made a sound, so they were silent.

Anna brought them and her guards to a large barge that was loaded with crates and smelled strongly of fish and salt. Soul wrinkled her nose, but didn't complain as she was forced aboard. The boat ride was the least miserable part of the journey to Soul because she was shown to a cabin in the hull of the barge and was untied there. The guards also left food and water before leaving.

As soon as the door shut, Soul hurried to the food, which was dry bread with salty butter. She ate it all and downed the glass of water. She let out a hard breath of relief before standing up and throwing her blond hair back from her shoulders. She looked around the cabin. There was a window with bars over it, and the door was locked. In the corner was a cot with a thin blanket and no pillow, and a chest. Soul looked inside and found it was empty. She frowned to herself and shut it before looking around. What was she going to do? Hiro was probably in danger and she could do nothing but sit in the dreary room with the floor swaying beneath her and wait.

She was unaware that in that moment Hiro was on the deck with Anna and several guards.

"We're on our way," said Anna to Hiro. He was gazing ahead of them to the horizon where the sky seemed to meet the ocean. The blue water caught the sunlight between the clouds and glittered, but the beauty was wasted by the moment.

"There's nothing on Onsolaises to find," said Hiro bluntly.

Anna pointed her gun at Hiro and shot him in the side. The bullet ricocheted off Hiro's metal sides with a loud Clack! Anna glared bluntly and reloaded, tossing the empty cartridge into the ocean.

"We will find what I'm searching for," she said, slamming the ammo cartage into the handle of the gun. "The safe way to remove your crystal heart. When we do find the answer you will be dismantled and rebuilt as an actual weapon. Not a failed act of mercy."

Hiro gave Anna a cold look. "Making me into this was no act of mercy," he hissed. "Don't bother feeding me lies. I was bred to destroy and end wars. It had nothing to do with mercy."

Anna smirked at Hiro. "So you do believe that," she said, looking him up and down carefully. "You think you're only a weapon like they wanted."

Hiro kept an expressionless face, but deep inside he was frightened. What was Anna talking about? "I'm a weapon," he told her angrily, the ropes around his wrists tightening when he clenched his fists. "The scientists that made me had no mercy in their plans. I read them myself!"

"You read the chalk plan on the wall," replied Anna cleverly. "Those were incomplete and not fully real. Do you think the scientists would really leave the real plan out in plain sight for all to see?" She laughed.

Hiro scowled. He was scared. Anna's words brought doubt, another new emotion. He doubted all he thought was truth. "Why do you say this curse is mercy?" He asked.

"Because it is," replied Anna, turning her back to Hiro. "You were the village idiot in Onsolaises. The scientists found you and pitied you, so that's why they chose you to become their weapon. They advanced your mind and potential so that it was greater than all those in your village." She looked back at Hiro with a curled grin. "The village of Onsolaises that you so recklessly destroyed in your moment of escape."

Hiro grimaced. His mind flashed with memories of screams, fire, and people crying out in terror.

"You do remember then," said Anna quietly, watching Hiro as he hung his head with gritted teeth and a pained expression. "You remember how you went there for help. How they turned you away-"

"SHUT UP!" Hiro roared. A force of energy came from him, making everyone slide away from him as if they stood on ice. The force was so great it made the water around the barge shoot out in all directions and also blasted the barge from the surface. It dropped back into the water and everyone wavered on their feet to regain balance. When the energy died down Hiro sank to his knees, gasping and shivering as if he had been submerged under water.

Anna burst into laughter.

"Don't go exploding now, Hiroshima," she cackled in amusement. "You're precious Soul will be lost to you forever if you do that."

Hiro said nothing. His black hair hid his face in shadows as he caught his breath. He had nearly blown them up...

"We have a few days before we reach Onsolaises," said Anna to the guards. "We may as well leave him in the cabin with his woman."

Hiro glared at Anna through his black hair. His golden eyes were cold with loathing. "She's not my woman," he growled. "And you're not her mother."

"Of course I'm not her mother," said Anna. "Do I look like I've had children?" She snorted and looked at her pistol. "Take him away," she said, sliding her thumb lovingly over the barrel.

Hiro was grabbed up and dragged into the barge. They took him down a flight of dark stairs and to a small hallway that was metal and smelled like garbage. He was then thrown into a cabin. The door shut and locked behind him and he let out a hard breath. When he lifted his head he found Soul standing across the room from him.

She looked caught and Hiro stared blankly at her. In her hand was a knife of jagged metal. The bars on the window were gone and laying on the floor at Soul's feet.

"Hiro," said Soul, dropping the knife quickly.

"Soul?" Hiro gawked at her. "You're breaking out?"

Soul nodded and hurried to him. "I thought they would be keeping you somewhere else," she said as she knelt in front of him and moved his jacket to looked at the bullet wound in his shoulder. "I was planning on finding you and getting us out of here, but that doesn't matter now."

"Doesn't matter now?" Hiro asked, watching as she wiped some blood away from the wound. She then got up and went to the cot.

"No, not since you're here," replied Soul, taking the blanket and then retrieving from the floor the knife she had used earlier. She sliced the blanket up and then returned to Hiro, kneeling and pulling back his jacket to free his shoulder.

"How does my presence change the fact that we should escape?" Hiro asked. He studied Soul's delicate care of his shoulder. She dabbed the fresh blood away and then did the same to the back of his shoulder, since the bullet had gone straight through. After that she folded two pieces of cloth and placed one over both openings. She held them there with one hand, then took a long strip of cloth and wound it around.

"It just does," answered Soul as she began wrapping more cloth strips around his shoulder. When it was bandaged she tied it off and then sat back, looking up at Hiro who held her gaze.

Hiro blinked and tilted his head. "No," he told her, examining her eyes with an unreadable gaze. "Why does my presence change your desire to escape, Soul?"

Soul shrugged and stood up. She went to the window and looked out at the salt water. "How long until we reach Onsolaises?" She asked.

Hiro narrowed his eyes. Soul looked oddly alone, standing by the window with her long hair tangled at the base and her fragile body leaning on the wall. She was trying to act strong so not to worry him and Hiro shut his eyes. He stood up and walked up behind her. She froze and Hiro saw noticed.

"If we don't escape then this time is all we have left," he said quietly, leaning against the wall beside her. He looked out the window over Soul's head as she glanced up at him.

"Do you want to escape?" She asked. She felt her heart racing from him standing so close to her.

Hiro shook his head. "I'd rather not face the ocean," he muttered. "Also... that would put you in danger." His eyes fell to Soul who clenched her jaw.

"You're acting odd," she said.

"Sorry." Hiro shut his eyes. "I have no excuse."

Soul stared at him sadly. "Why not?" She asked.

Hiro shook his head. "I don't want to talk about it," he said, placing a hand to his eyes. "I feel different. Kind of trapped inside myself. I haven't ever felt like this and I'm scared my system might be screwing up."

"You're fine," said Soul. "Don't make yourself worry."

"Worry." Hiro repeated the word and bowed his head. "Yes, that's the emotion. I'm worried about you, Soul." Soul gave Hiro a bewildered look. His golden eyes were on the window again, but his gaze was far from the ocean. "I don't want Anna to harm you as she has harmed me," he continued gently. "I am going to keep you safe, even if I have to endure the tortures of hell itself to do it."

"Don't go through torment alone to help me," said Soul grimly. She took Hiro's hand and smiled up at him. "Let's go through it together."

Hiro looked at her. Instantly he felt the blood rush to his face and his stomach twisted into a knot. He took his hand away from Soul and stepped back hastily. She stared at him and Hiro held her gaze with wide eyes. He looked at his hand, then back at Soul. She was puzzled but didn't dare move closer to Hiro.

She had no idea that Hiro was panicking.

Too many unknown emotions had flown through him when Soul touched his hand. He wasn't sure what they were and he didn't want to know. They made him feel too happy, too scared, and too alone. He turned away from Soul and sank to the ground. His shoulders shook and he clenched his hands together, trying to calm himself down. It felt impossible.

"I'm sorry," whispered Soul's soft voice, making Hiro flinch.

"Don't apologize," he said over his shoulder. "I'm new to these feelings that you and other people have known all your life. I'll get used to them." He turned away, tightly shutting his eyes. "If I have time," he whispered, bowing his head.
The Beginning - 5

The Light Ninja slammed into me. We tumbled across the ground and I threw him off, flinging myself around as he went flying. He wasn't dazed. As if there was a wall, he spun in mid air and shot back at me like a rocket. I turned, throwing a kick right into the air where I knew he would be. The blade of my foot collided with his head and he was sent head first to the ground. He tumbled head over heels, but then turned it to his will as he sprung hand over hand to his feet. He whipped around, cloak whirling, and several knives flew at me. I reacted at once, hit the dirt, and as the knives flew over my head I rolled forward, jumped to my feet, and whipped my hands out to my sides.

Two black bladed daggers came out of my wrists and I threw them at the Light Ninja as it approached me. He whirled his cloak like a banister and the knives were caught in it and thrown to the ground.

"You're slow for a weapon!" Light Ninja called. He ran at me and I knew weapons were out this time.

Light Ninja threw punches, hooks, and upper cuts one after the other without pattern. I blocked them all. Then he spun and his back fist hit me across my face. I was dazed and stumbled, but I got up and hammered my shoulder into his stomach.

His elbow crashed into my back, but I felt nothing as he screamed in pain and staggered away from me. I lifted my head and looked at him as his hood fell away and he held his arm, staring at it. The elbow was broken and the white-sleeved shirt he wore beneath was drenched in blood. He stared at me as I straightened up, my visor sliding back from my golden eyes.

"I'm not human," I said darkly. "I thought you knew that."

Geicko glowered. "I broke my elbow on you!" He roared.

I looked at the blood leaking from his busted elbow and the crooked angle it hung. His hand was limp and I found I felt sad for him, but I had a mission I had to complete. It was why I was alive. "I have to kill you," I whispered, my visor snapping shut. "Hold still and I'll ease your pain." I approached him, but the Light Ninja turned and ran. I stopped at first, having not expected that, but then I gave chase.

He was fast, which was to be expected. Someone who fought as he did could never be as slow as a normal human. I was unable to catch up to him and we were swiftly approaching the village. Trees rushed past us and I ran on emotionlessly. If he wanted me to lay waste to his village to kill him then I would.

As soon as we reached the village I heard the clicking, but I didn't access what it was. Before I knew it the drumming of bullets filled the air and I stopped. The bullets hit me, recoiling off my armor. I shook my head, watching as Light Ninja ducked behind the line of sand bags where the shooters were concealed. They would reload and then pop back up, firing at me. I knew there was no hope for it. My target was hiding with the men.

What happened next I would always blame on the Light Ninja.

I spread my hands, the heated white glow filling my body and the air around me. The gunfire slowly stopped as my feet lifted off the ground. I shut my eyes, my visor allowing me to see either way.

As I brought my hands together I heard the men shouting to get away and run for their lives, but they knew as well as I did that it was much too late for that.

The explosion went off. The fiery energy burst forth from my whole body and I screamed, but it went unheard from the thundering of the ground and sky erupting at my bidding. I was in pain and tears flowed down my face. As the village and people were shredded I sank back to the ground, my armored feet touching the ground and my visor sliding back. I opened my eyes. In a golden white glow my armor vanished and I stood facing the burning rubble that was once the village.

The sky was black with smoke and the houses were nothing but black sticks jotting out of the ground. I could see the burned bodies of humans, but before me there was a ripple of white and I swallowed hard.

Geicko stood facing me. His hood was down and his bronze eyes glared at me. His broken arm hung uselessly at his side. The white cloak he wore had bloodstains on it, but he was perfectly unharmed.

"You had to test the rumor, didn't you?" He growled, his eyes filling with tears. "The rumor about me avoiding explosions."

"I was on a mission to kill you," I told him emotionlessly. "You ran to your village and hid. My only option was to destroy everything."

Geicko shook his head, his face a mixture of anger and grief. "I'll never forgive you," he hissed.

"I don't expect you to," I said. In that moment I could have finished him off, but the scientists suddenly showed up behind me. Before I knew it I was being taken away and Geicko was captured. I wasn't sure what was happening, but I was too blind to realize I had been used. The scientists that day had had no intention of killing the Light Ninja. They planned on me destroying everything. They had wanted Geicko because he was able to stand against me. I wouldn't know that until years later, and by that time it was too late...
Chapter Seven

The day dragged on. Soul sat on one side of the room and Hiro sat in the other. Soul leaned against the wall, watching Hiro's back sadly. She often tried to start a conversation, asking about his old home or commenting on the sky she saw out the window. Hiro never responded. Soul eventually gave up and contented herself with dwelling on her own hopeless thoughts. She would watch Hiro, then look out the window, and then her gaze would wander back to Hiro. She was concerned. He had acted terrified when she took his hand. How strong were the emotions he had felt? Was it possible his system was crashing already and he couldn't control his reaction to small things?

Soul wondered if that was it. She reached into her pocket to find something to throw at Hiro. If her theory was right he would over react to it hitting him and possibly do something stupid. But at least she would know their time together was at an end.

A metal object stabbed Soul's finger and she hastily took out her hand. The puncture wound began to bleed and Soul stuck it in her mouth. She found the pointy object in her pocket and pulled it out.

It was the jagged key she had found on the train Hiro had thrown her onto. Soul had completely forgotten about it.

There suddenly came a knock on the door and Soul pocketed the key. Hiro didn't respond, not even when the door opened and Geicko stepped inside.

"Hiro," he said, making the man in the corner twitch.

Hiro turned his head, looking Geicko up and down through empty eyes. "We aren't there yet," he said coolly.

Geicko shut the door and stepped forward. "No one is listening right now and the cloak is off," he said, holding his hands out to his sides to show he meant no harm. "Hiro, do you know what they're planning to do to you?"

Hiro slowly rose to his feet. "Why are you here, Geicko." He didn't even pose it as a question as he turned to face his enemy. "You never call me Hiro."

"And you never call me Geicko," replied Geicko. He stood as if he were facing a fire-breathing dragon and didn't want to anger it. "Our leader, Anna. She's changed the plans, Hiro. We were just going to capture you and dismantle you, but now she wants to reprogram you completely and get rid of the last bit of human in you. In short she's going to kill you and put your power in an actual machine."

Soul started in alarm, but Hiro was still. "I was supposed to be a machine from the start," he said, turning his head away. "She's merely doing what the scientists should have done decades ago."

"Hiro, you never learned the truth, did you?" Geicko demanded, approaching Hiro who shifted threateningly into a defensive pose. Geicko stopped, but was shaking his head. "Don't fight me," he said sternly. "You have to listen."

"You are Red Assassin!" Hiro snapped with a scowl. "I don't listen to the killers I was set against from the beginning!"

"What about Enimito?" Geicko asked, stepping back just in case he made Hiro too angry. "You and he were supposed to be friends."

"He was the one who made me kill," Hiro said, glaring daggers at Geicko. "Why are you here, Geicko!" He roared. Soul and Geicko both grimaced when he shouted.

"Don't tell the whole world, idiot!" Geicko hissed. "They don't even know I came to see you."

"Lies," spat Hiro with disgust.

"You're full of new emotions aren't you?" Geicko said sourly. "You're time is running out, Hiro. You need to find a way to stop your system from crashing or you'll lose everything you've gained."

"I haven't gained anything," said Hiro. "Emotions are useless."

"Even if they help you grow closer to Soul?" Geicko's question caught both Soul and Hiro off guard. They looked at him, then at each other.

Soul hunched her shoulders and Hiro looked away with an actual blush on his face.

"I need to be gone for her to live a good life," he muttered.

"You made that up," said Geicko bluntly, crossing his arms. "I came here to talk to you, Hiro, because I respect you as my enemy and I want you to know that right now I'm talking to you as a friend."

Hiro cast him a suspicious glance. "Are you even capable of that?" He asked.

"I had friends," said Geicko darkly. "Before you killed them all."

Hiro didn't say a word. He looked away with a cold expression.

"Geicko," said Soul, stepping forward for the first time. "If Hiro is experiencing new emotions I think it would be best not to make him angry."

Geicko glanced at Soul. "You're lucky you're cute," he said. "Otherwise I wouldn't listen to you."

Soul flushed in embarrassment and Hiro rounded on Geicko with a sharp look.

"Don't talk to her like that," he snapped. "Now enough about my emotions. What is this truth that you claim I don't know?"

"It's simply that," replied Geicko, giving Hiro a pitying look. "You were never told. I don't know how that's possible. I thought that was why you went crazy and blew up your home."

"Don't talk about that," said Hiro bitterly.

"You need to know one thing, Hiro," said Geicko as if pleading for Hiro to listen. "You were never meant to be a weapon. The scientists took you in to help you, but someone in their group changed the plans and so you were turned into a weapon like Enimito."

"Lies," muttered Hiro darkly. "I was made as a weapon and that's all they intended."

"If that was the intention then why are you so human?" Geicko asked.

"They wanted to torment me, that's all," Hiro responded coolly. "Leave me lost between human and machine where there is no comfort."

Geicko threw his hands in the air hopelessly. "I can't get anywhere with you!" He said in annoyance.

"You're here to lower my guard," said Hiro hostilely. "It won't work."

"Stubborn idiot!" Geicko shouted. He cut off, looking over his shoulder at the door in alarm. Hiro and Soul heard it too.

Fast approaching footsteps.

"You two have to get off this barge," said Geicko swiftly, looking around at Hiro and Soul. "I'm sorry I was against you, but now I'm begging you to get out of here and save yourselves!"

Someone banged on the door and Geicko whipped around, locking it. He looked back at Soul and Hiro, desperation in his bronze eyes. "I was supposed to be a secret weapon against you, Hiro," he said hastily, holding onto the doorknob as it rattled and more banging could be heard. "I thought I was doing what was right, but now I see how wrong I was. Get away from here and save yourselves-!" He cut off when a long blade slammed through the door and into his body.

Soul screamed. The blade stuck out Geicko's back and his eyes were wide. He looked at Hiro, staring at him with blood racing from his mouth. Hiro stared back in horror.

"I'm sorry," whispered Geicko, his voice cracking as he choked.

"Geicko," said Hiro. He wasn't sure what he felt, but he didn't like it.

The blood stained sword slid out of Geicko and the door. Geicko wavered, leaning hard against the door as it continued to rattle.

"They're... just playing with me now," he hissed, his eyes shut as the color drained from his face.

"Come with us!" Soul suddenly said, hurrying to join Geicko at the door. Hiro seized her arm and pulled her away. She stared at him in confusion, but Hiro's gaze was on Geicko.

"Geicko," he said calmly. "Thank you."

Geicko laughed, coughing more blood, and opened one faded eye to look at Hiro and Soul. "Have a better ending... than mine," he whispered.

"No!" Soul cried as Geicko fell to the ground, a puddle of blood forming beneath him. His eyes were glazed over and an empty smile was at the corner of his mouth.

The door burst open and Shadow Eater stood facing them. The hood over his head wrapped around his neck and hung down his back like a scarf. His shaded goggles were menacing and added to the depth of his steel jaw. His black armor was like spikes at the back of his legs and arms. He looked lizard-like, but ominous and scary. In his hand was the blood stained sword that had killed Geicko and behind him were several men with masks and guns pointing into the room.

"Pathetic," said Shadow Eater, smirking evilly at Hiro and Soul. "He wasted his life."

Hiro laughed once and everyone looked at him. His golden eyes were filled with anger and pain as he glared at Shadow Eater. "Wasted life is a matter of personal opinion," he said. He pulled Soul close to his side and all of a sudden there was a huge burst of energy that filled the room.

Soul clung to Hiro so not to be blown away. A loud crash and tearing sound filled her ears and she gave a start when Hiro suddenly turned and ran. She lifted her head, seeing that Hiro had blown a hole in the wall. He jumped through it and Soul had a split second to remember she couldn't swim before they hit the water and went under.

The water gurgled in Soul's ears and she felt Hiro's grip slip off her. Soul kicked and splashed, trying to get her head above the water. She couldn't breathe. Her heart was racing and it hurt. She couldn't feel Hiro near her and she began to panic. Was he drowning too? He was made of metal so there was no way he would float. The barge had passed over them and Soul could still hear the propeller as it faded into the distance. They weren't stopping. Why was that?

The surface appeared and Soul burst out of the water, coughing and gasping for air. A wave washed over her, sending her back beneath the water. She flung her arms and legs, trying to get back to the top, but she wasn't even sure which direction she had to go.

Something grabbed her and she struggled to get free, but when she broke through the surface for the second time she found it wasn't just some thing that had her. It was a hand.

"Hiro?" Soul gasped, water rushing from her mouth making her cough. She stared at Hiro who nodded once and looked past her to the barge.

"They're slowing down," he said.

Soul looked around, but the motion made her fall back under the waves. Hiro brought her back up, keeping one arm around her waist.

"We're far from land," said Hiro, looking around himself. "Soul, I know you're scared of my other form, but you have to let Crystal Crier save you."

"Why?" Soul asked, trying to tread water. "Can't you save me as you are?"

"No," said Hiro. He was watching the barge and looked frightened. "Shadow Eater is coming."

Soul looked around, able to see Shadow Eater standing on the edge of the barge as it slowly turned and came towards them. "He can't touch water so we're safe as long as we put distance between us. Soul, I have to save you." Hiro looked Soul in the eye. He saw she was scared, but he was too. "Hold on to my hand." He gave her his hand and she snatched it, knowing there was no time for hesitance.

A burst of white light that nearly blinded Soul erupted around Hiro. This time Soul heard something like grinding metal and she felt the armor come over Hiro's hand from inside his skin. She nearly let go in alarm, but before she could Crystal Crier grabbed her hand and pulled her up out of the water.

At first Soul had no idea what was happening, but then she realized that Crystal Crier was standing on top of the water.

"How-?" Soul began to demand, but she never got to ask before Crystal Crier swept her into his arms and ran from the barge.

"Don't think you've escaped us!" Shadow Eater shouted after them. He was enraged and Soul looked back over Crystal Criers armored shoulder. It was by no means comfortable to be carried by the man in armor, but it was better than being left with the cloaked monster on the barge behind them. He looked ominous with the shadows dancing around him eerily. Soul lowered her head and looked away. She placed her face against Crystal Criers neck, the only spot that wasn't covered in the spiky black and silver armor.

"Why did Geicko die for us?" She asked quietly. "I thought he was your enemy."

Crystal Crier didn't reply.

"You're going to have to explain it to me you know," said Soul, glancing at his face. The red lines from the corners of his mouth led down to his chin and for a moment Soul wanted to touch them. She didn't though. Crystal Crier may have been Hiro, but up close there was no real similarities and that frightened Soul. She didn't even want to be in his arms, which was strange since lately all she wanted was to be close to Hiro.

But she would never admit that out loud. Not yet.
The Beginning - 6

Things began to come into perspective after that mission. I didn't see what happened to the Light Ninja, nor the remains of the village. I was simply taken back to the lab and returned to my room. I spent that night standing in silence and watching the door. Not once did I move. I kept my eyes on the wood, waiting for the scientists to come and see me. What I got instead was Enimito.

He opened the door, his hood covering his head and a hard expression on his face. "You're name," he said, shutting the door.

"Hiroshima," I replied. "Isn't it?"

"I'm here to tell you that you've earned your Massacre Title, Hiroshima," said Enimito. "You're called Crystal Crier now."

I'll admit for a moment I didn't know how to respond. Crystal? Crier? No part of the name made sense to me. "Why?" I asked.

"Your current heart is a crystal," replied Enimito. "Did you know that?"

I shook my head. "A crystal?" I asked. "How can that keep me alive?" I knew crystals were just chunks of perfectly arranged molecules that were often glassy in appearance, but still just a stone. They weren't special.

"It's a rare crystal," replied Enimito. "Powerful. There are only a handful of them known to mankind. It secretes energy that your body is constantly feeding off of. The scientists aren't sure how long it can maintain your life. The last experiments weren't very successful, but you seem to be doing well."

"What happens when it starts to lose power?" I asked. The knowledge of a crystal keeping me alive was not comforting. I had thought I was running on plain machinery and I found peace in that. But no, I was running on an unpredictable battery.

"When the crystal begins to die the scientists predict you'll start acting different," Enimito explained, moving inside and taking a seat at the empty table. "Their hypothesis is that the crystal tied itself directly to your emotions. That is why you're not completely emotionless. When it starts to die it will release your emotions and you'll start gaining them back."

"Sounds impossible," I said, even thought I was one to talk. I was a living, breathing weapon. Who was I to doubt what some strange crystal could do?

"It should be impossible," Enimito agreed with a nod. "When I heard they had found one of the ancient crystals I was in shock. The crystals in question had once been crushed into dust and used as healing powder. That's why they're scarce. A sprinkle of that dust could cure almost anything, but once used it became nothing more than clear sand."

"It lost its power that fast?" I was concerned and placed my hand over my chest. Beneath the flesh were hollow electronics... and a slowly dying crystal.

"As small fractals the energy left it swiftly," explained Enimito. "The crystal in your chest is the size of your heart, give or take a little bigger. It isn't round."

I looked at Enimito. "You've seen my crystal heart?" I asked. Somehow that made me uneasy.

"You've been pulled open quite a few times when I was around," replied Enimito with a shrug. "Want to know what you look like on the inside?"

I shook my head, but Enimito didn't seem to think I had a choice.

"When they pull you open it's like the center of your abdomen is a drawer filled with lights and wires. Then beneath your ribs there's a metal case covered in thin metal threads and crossing rings. Behind your left breast is an opening and your crystal heart seems to float eerily in the center of two lights. It glows white."

"I didn't need to know," I told Enimito hollowly.

Enimito smirked, his metal jaw clicking. It didn't enjoy him turning the corners of his mouth up. In fact it hurt Enimito to smile. He could only hold a grin for a few seconds before it became unbearable. "You need to know that when the crystal dies you'll be a pile of machinery that everyone on the planet will want to capture," he said coolly. "You have the fire power of a nuclear bomb, Hiroshima. If you didn't cry every time you killed someone you may have been called Crystal Chaos."

"Who named me Crystal Crier?" I looked at Enimito who shook his head.

"I don't know," he replied. "I was told that your title is Crystal Crier and that I had to let you know. That's all I can tell you on that subject."

I turned away. "Will they ever have you fight me, Enimito?" I asked this in a toneless voice.

Enimito shrugged. "We're similar, but not true brothers," he said. "I wouldn't be able to disobey orders if we were to become enemies for any reason." He paused and looked at me suspiciously. "Why?"

I hunched my shoulders. "Anything is possible with a crystal controlling me," I said. "They may have you fight me to test my powers some day."

"I doubt that," replied Enimito.

I shut my eyes. Deep inside I knew Enimito was on to me. I was already planning on running away. I couldn't stay in a place where my powers were being used to destroy. I knew then that I was not helping anyone. I was causing destruction for no good reason and that filled me with a mixture of agony and sorrow that was so strong I couldn't ignore it. I didn't want to bring ruin upon the earth. I had to stop it.

Escape was my only option...
Chapter Eight

Crystal Crier carried Soul across the water to the land. It was dark and the water was crashing around them when the wind picked up. Crystal Crier approached the wall of stone and stood looking up at it. There were ominous trees looming over the tall cliff before him in both directions. Crystal Crier didn't want to climb it, but he knew if he didn't get off the water soon he would start to sink. He rose and fell with the waves beneath him and looked over his shoulder.

"We won't be safe for too long," he said, his voice smooth and calm like a gentle breeze. Soul shivered in his arms. The one thing she liked about Crystal Crier was his voice, and she wasn't ashamed to admit it. "Shadow Eater might not be impervious to water, but he can track me while I'm Crystal Crier. He'll already know where we are."

"How are we going to get away?" Soul asked. Her blond hair was sticky from the salty air. She was shivering.

"We don't stop moving," replied Crystal Crier, looking back at the cliff. "Put your arms around my neck and hold on tight. Whatever you do, don't let go, even if I have to let go of you."

Soul stared up the cliff in horror. It was a long way to the top, but it was the lowest spot there was. She nodded and brought her arms around him, careful of the jagged armor on his shoulders. Around his neck it was safe and Soul held on, tightly shutting her eyes when she felt Crystal Crier brace himself to jump. He leapt straight into the air and Soul felt his arm slide out from beneath her legs to grab the wall. They slammed into the wall, but Crystal Crier kept Soul close so she wouldn't be harmed. She was holding onto him so tight she feared his armor would cut her.

"Are you okay?" Crystal Crier whispered, looking down at her.

Soul lifted her head and his steel visor slid back, showing his golden eyes and the deep concern within. "Yes," said Soul, even though she was panicking and her heart was racing. She could feel an attack coming on, but she fought it off and buried her face in Crystal Crier's neck. "Please, just hurry," she whispered.

"Hold on tight," said Crystal Crier, looking up the cliff. "I have to release you to climb."

Soul nodded and felt the arm around her back move. She cringed and hung on him as he began to climb. Soul's arms were fine at first, but then the armor started to dig into her skin and her shoulders felt stretched. She could confess that Crystal Crier climbed smoothly and there were no jerking or sudden movements, but it was slow. He couldn't reach the top fast enough! Soul felt like she was going to pass out as she hung on for dear life. She peeked over Hiro's shoulder, looking down at the raging waves. In that same moment the wind blew hard and Soul screamed.

The attack happened so sudden Soul had thought she died. Her heart started skipping beats and she broke into a cold swear. Her grip was slipping and she felt Crystal Crier stop moving. All Soul could hear was a throbbing in her head. She slipped and then fell from Crystal Crier with a shout of alarm.

Soul hit the grassy ground and her eyes flew open.

She looked around in confusion. They were on top of the cliff. She had dazed out and missed the rest of the climb.

"It's impossible to carry you if you sleep, Soul," said Hiro, kneeling beside her.

Soul stared up at him, finding he was no longer Crystal Crier. The wind slid through his soft black hair and his open jacket caught the wind and rippled. He set his hand on Soul's cheek, gazing at her with worry. "Soul?" He asked, looking back and forth between her eyes. "Are you okay?"

Soul blinked, realizing she was staring at him with a mixture of confusion and exhaustion. "Fine," she said, tearing her eyes off his and turning her head away from his hand. She looked out over the cliff and saw the ocean. "We're safe?"

"I don't think we'll ever be safe," replied Hiro, following her gaze. "Shadow Eater and the others won't delay in chasing us down. As soon as they hit dry land Shadow Eater will catch us in a matter of days."

"What are we going to do?" Soul asked. The hopelessness crashed over her, making her lower her head.

"We're going to keep walking," said Hiro. He took Soul's arm and stood, bringing her up with him.

Soul had no reason to argue. She walked a step behind Hiro as he led the way under the cover of the leaning trees. They looked creepy in the dark, and the wind would whistle between their branches. Soul kept walking closer to Hiro, knowing he wouldn't get tired or scared of something like mere wind and rustling leaves. She felt safe with him. She had always felt safe with him.

"Hiro," she said quietly.

"Hm?"

"Why do you refuse to tell me everything that's going on?"

Hiro sighed. "Soul, I'm going to tell you something important," he said, looking back at her. "I don't know how you feel in your position or why you think you need more information, but I won't tell you what you don't need to hear. There's handling what you don't know, and knowing what you can't handle. Remember that." Hiro looked ahead again, pushing a low branch aside. "Deal with your own problems before taking on too many of mine. You already know too much."

Soul hunched her shoulders. "I want to know why Geicko died," she whispered.

Hiro sighed. "Geicko was once a noble warrior," he explained reluctantly. "A Light Ninja is a rare person. It takes years to become one officially. Geicko was one of the last when I was set against him. I had never fought anyone like him before, and I still haven't. Enimito may be powerful, but Geicko used to fight in a way that broke the laws of physics."

Soul looked at Hiro, hearing the envious tone in his voice.

"I blew up his whole village and killed his people, but somehow Geicko could avoid the explosion." This brought a troubled look to Hiro's face. "All other Light Ninjas were dead. Geicko was special. He is the only human being to ever survive my power. The scientists took him and he turned himself into a Killer because of what I had done. I'm guessing the reason why he gave his life for us is because he knew felt like it was his duty as a Light Ninja to protect you."

Soul shook her head. "He was worried about you, Hiro," she said. "Why was he acting like you and he were friends?"

Hiro didn't respond. Soul waited, but Hiro stayed silent. She eventually looked away and gave up hoping he'd answer. After that they walked in silence, but only for a while.

"Ach!" Hiro fell to his knee. His face was pale and small glints of electricity shot from his mouth when he lurched forward and screamed. The scream was robotic and made a shiver race up Soul's spine.

"Hiro?" She said in alarm. Hiro was trying to get up, but his body jerked and shuddered like it was rebelling against him. Soul grabbed his arm to help him, but suddenly the black armor shot out of his arm where she touched him. It sliced her palms and she staggered back, wincing with tears of pain springing to her eyes. She looked at Hiro whose arm was still out. The armor was climbing his arm to his shoulder and encased his hand. Hiro was staring at the ground with wide eyes. The jolts of electricity shot behind his golden eyes.

The Crystal Crier was taking over him.

"Hiro!" Soul cried, trying to snap him out of it.

Hiro cringed and lurched forward with a loud buzzing sound emitting from his throat. He was trying to scream, but Crystal Crier wouldn't allow it. Blood and oil slid out his mouth and he suddenly shot to his feet, but at the same time collapsed. Soul stepped away, holding her hands to her mouth in terror. Hiro was convulsing on the ground as if having a seizure. He pulled his legs in, gripping the ground above his head with one hand and his fingers sinking into the earth.

All of a sudden Soul heard fast feet. She whipped around just in time to see someone in a black suit run forward and dropped down beside Hiro. The stranger grabbed Hiro's arm.

A knife shot out of Hiro's opposite hand and he slammed it into the stranger's side. Soul was so alarmed that everything around her went black. The last thing she saw was the stranger laughing and setting his hand over Hiro's wide-open eyes as if trying to calm him down.
Chapter Nine

Soul awoke with a start, sitting straight up and looking around frantically. She remembered what had happened and was scared that Hiro would be gone and a dead man lying where he had been. That wasn't what she found.

She was sitting in a round bedroom with a glass ceiling and glass walls. Sunlight filled the room and outside was a wonderful garden filled with hundreds of colors and different flowers. Soul saw a brick path and then noticed that it led to a glass door that opened into her room.

Shaking her head, Soul looked around again, seeing the bedroom was elegant and that there was a fine wood door that led into the house. Soul got out of the bed and went to the window, trying to look at the house. She saw tall brick walls and windows, but that was all. The house looked like a mansion and Soul wondered if she was a prisoner or a guest. How had she even gotten there?

A knock on the door made Soul jump and spin around.

"Are you awake, young lady?" Called a mannerly voice.

"Yes," said Soul, nervously moving towards the glass door. She wanted to make sure she had an escape in case things went wrong.

The door opened and a man entered. He stood by the open door, smiling at Soul with a depth of understanding that alarmed her. "Soul, right?" He said, leaving the door open as he moved forward and looked Soul up and down. "My, you're a beautiful young lady."

Soul blushed. "Who are you?" She asked. The man looked old, but he had a youthful smile and lively gray eyes. His short hair was white and thinning and he wore black clothing.

"I'm called Syph," replied the old man kindly. "Hiroshima is okay. I thought you would want to know."

"He's okay?" Soul demanded swiftly. "How? What was happening to him?"

"Crystal Crier was taking over his body," replied Syph, moving around to sit on the bed. He picked up the pillow Soul had slept on and fluffed it then returned it to the head of the bed. "I'm assuming you know everything about who Crystal Crier is?"

Soul shook her head. "I thought he and Hiro were one and the same," she said.

Syph look at her, his gray eyes flashing as if he had realized something interesting. "Crystal Crier is no more Hiro than you are me, young lady," he said with a hint of gravity. "Hiro is a human, Crystal Crier is a force of nature that was implanted into Hiroshima's body."

"What?" Soul whispered.

"I'm going to assume Hiro never told you about the voices in his head, right?" Syph asked, folding his arms and leaning forward. "Or you've never seen how some times he acts unlike a human and will, say, leave you behind without knowing it?"

Soul recalled a moment when Hiro had kept walking while she was having an attack, but he had claimed he hadn't known. "What are you telling me?" Soul asked, looking at Syph with fear. "What is happening to Hiro?"

"It's a little confusing," explained Syph with a sigh. "The crystal implanted in Hiroshima's chest is dying. At first it was powerful enough to keep Hiro and Crystal Crier alive and separate. Hiroshima was in complete control over them both, and the crystal kept his emotions locked away. The scientists wanted it that way. The crystal was actually supposed to kill every one of Hiroshima's emotions and also make him immune to physical pain."

"But he feels pain," said Soul quietly.

Syph bowed his head. "Yes, he does," he said quietly. "For years, those who remade him wondered why that was. No one figured out that it was the crystal itself, the heart they had given him, that was causing Hiroshima's downfall itself."

When Soul looked puzzled, Syph explained.

"The crystal is alive," he said. "It's not just an energy source. It wanted to take over Hiroshima, but the human will was stronger. The crystal was never able to completely take over Hiroshima for that one reason. It was bent to the will of its mortal puppet and the crystal hated that. It was trying to take over his body, but it couldn't. I'm guessing Hiroshima hadn't been sleeping well?"

Soul nodded.

"I figured," Syph sighed. "His mortal body is growing weak and he has become Crystal Crier to save you numerous times recently. Hiroshima is weak and so the crystal is taking him over."

"Can't we stop it?" Soul asked desperately.

"Hiroshima was mindless and weak when the scientists took him and turned him into a killer," said Syph gravely. "Were he able to, he should have stopped it then and there, but he had not the mind nor the ability to. The deed was done. The crystal connected to him. So no, we can't stop it. Not even he can stop it."

Soul hung her head sadly. "But..." she whispered in a shaky voice. "I wanted to save him."

"His system has begun to crash," said Syph as he stood up. "The crystal has waited for this. Its power is low, it's releasing the grip on Hiroshima's emotions to gain back energy, and then, when Hiro is at his weakest, it will kill him and take over his body. No, Soul. You cannot save him."

"I have to," said Soul, looking up at Syph. She had tears in her eyes. "I have to save him!"

Syph blinked and stared at her. "Symphony," he said with a blank expression.

Soul's face grew pale. "What?"

Syph shook his head. "Nothing," he said politely, clearing his throat. "I've made lunch if you want some. The garden is also open to you if you'd like a walk."

Soul looked back at the garden. "No," she said, turning back to Syph. "I want to see Hiro."

"He's recovering right now," Syph said with a frown.

"I don't care," said Soul, rounding on Syph, but then she froze. Her mind shifted back to when Hiro had acted odd and a shout of alarm erupted from her before she could stop it. "You were stabbed!" She cried, pointing at Syph. "How are you alive? And how were you able to help Hiro?" Soul felt a chill of dread wash over her as she stared at Syph. "And how do you know so much about the crystal and the scientists?"

Syph smiled in an embarrassed way. "I think we should go see Hiro now," he said with a weak laugh. "I'd rather answer those questions in his presence. He needs to know the answers as well."

Soul followed Syph through the beautiful mansion. The halls were long and bright; the rooms were furnished and decorated with a chandelier in the larger rooms. It made Soul's head spin because of how majestic it was. They came to a close door and Syph knocked before opening it slowly. He and Soul peeked inside. The light at the back of the bedroom was dim. It was set beside a bed where the shadowy figure sat, cross-legged with his head down and his black hair over his face. His jacket was on the floor and the bandages that had been around his torso lay with it.

Soul covered her mouth with her hand. Hiro's body, from beneath his left arm, down and around his ribs and abdomen was made of titanium plates, bolts, wires, gears and shifting panels to allow a full range of movement. It looked eerie in the low light and Soul slid back a step with a pit in her stomach.

"Hiroshima," said Syph, stepping into the room. "Soul is here."

Hiro's head shot up at once. He stared at Soul, ignoring Syph, and then stood up. "Soul," he said in relief. "Thank goodness. When I heard you had passed out I was scared I had hurt you."

"You did hurt her," said Syph, moving forward. He took Soul gently by the wrist and led her into the room with him, but he suddenly turned her hand over and showed the bandages Soul had failed to notice. "Crystal Crier cut her palm. I didn't see what happened, but her blood was on his armor when I found you."

Hiro stared at Soul's hand in shock. He crossed the room in two steps and took her hand in his. Hiro didn't see Soul blush as he unwrapped the bandages and looked at the deep cuts on her palm. They were smeared in ointment so they would heal quickly with little pain. Hiro gritted his teeth before looking at Soul.

"I'm sorry," he whispered. "I was so tired. I don't even remember what happened."

"Its okay," said Soul awkwardly, taking her hand back. She began wrapping her palm again, feeling the cuts stinging a little from being unwrapped.

"Soul asked some questions I feel you need to hear the answers too, Hiroshima," said Syph. "May you both take a seat on the bed?"

Hiro looked at Syph, but then shrugged and returned to where he had been seated. Soul followed, sitting beside him with an uneasy look. Hiro reached over and helped her finish wrapping her hand. Soul couldn't even thank him because her throat was dry.

"The first question," said Syph, pulling over a chair and turning it as he sat down. "Soul asked how I was alive after you had stabbed me." He looked at Hiro who nodded as if he had wondered that as well. "She also asked how I was able to help you, Hiroshima, and then she inquired as to how I knew so much about the scientists and the crystal inside of you."

"I can't say I haven't been wanting to ask about that stuff as well," replied Hiro grimly. "Are you going to answer?"

"Of course," replied Syph kindly. "But first, Hiroshima, I want to tell you I'm shocked you don't recognize me."

"Should I?" Hiro asked.

"Yes," replied Syph. "I was there when you were made and I accompanied the scientists at many of your missions. Of course my hair was darker way back then."

Hiro and Soul were both silent. "Who are you exactly?" Hiro asked, his expression sinking to suspicion.

Syph smiled sadly. "I am someone who turned against the scientists long ago," he explained calmly. "I used to be one of them. But one day they brought in a poor young man who had lost his whole village to an explosion and the other scientists used stories of you, Hiroshima, to turn the young man into a merciless killer."

Hiro became rigid. "Geicko," he breathed in horror.

Syph nodded. "I was the one who placed your crystal heart inside of you," he said quietly. "I thought you would bring peace to the world, but the others had plans of their own. Sadly, they had more of the company on their side. I soon became aware that I was there under false pretenses that I had control over the projects. At first I stood back and let things go on as they were. You were sent on missions and I watched as your destroyed innocent lives. You had no idea how much evil was done by your hand, Hiroshima."

Soul looked up at Hiro. His expression was stony.

"I was reaching the end of my tolerance when they brought Geicko to me," said Syph. "When they began tearing him down and making him feel hopeless is when I snapped. I told them I refused to help them any longer. The looks I got told me I was in danger of losing my life so I ran. I ran away when you escaped, Hiroshima. I came to this island and here I have dwelt for many years." Syph looked at the dark ceiling distantly. "I'm over two hundred years old," he murmured. "All scientists are ageless. Anna included."

"Ageless?" Soul whispered.

"We scientists are given the same treatment as our succeeded experiments," said Syph. "We're granted immortality in the worst way."

Hiro and Soul were both struck speechless. They gawked at Syph who was smiling in a pained way.

"You're a robot like Hiro?" Soul cried.

Syph smirked. "And like you," he said.

Hiro cringed and Soul looked confused. "I'm not a robot," she said, pointing at herself.

"You are," replied Syph. "You're real name is Symphony, right?"

Hiro buried his face in his hands and Soul nodded. "We gave me the name Soul so Hiro's curse wouldn't kill me," she said, glancing at Hiro who was shaking his head.

"The curse of killing those whose name he learned," said Syph in agreement. "The crystal is what caused that curse. It has odd powers, but that one I doubt will fade easily." Syph looked at Hiro who gazed over his fingers at him.

"Why did you remind me?" He hissed, his golden eyes misting over through his glare. "I had forgotten her real name. She was safe."

"She won't be safe," said Syph in a solid voice. "Not with Anna chasing you."

"Anna won't catch us," said Hiro, slamming his fists to his knees. "I'll protect Soul with everything inside of me, even if I have to let Crystal Crier kill me to do it!"

"Symphony was dying," said Syph, maintaining peace through Hiro's glare. "Anna and I are the ones who saved her. We removed her broken heart, giving her a mechanical one that would act as a real heart. Her blood wouldn't flow though." He pointed at her hand. "It stained your armor, but it didn't leak from her hand. Her blood is dormant within her. She's not human. None of us are."

Soul looked at her hand. "That's why you survived Hiro stabbing you," she muttered.

"I'm sorry, Soul," said Hiro, turning to look at her. "I'll forget your name again. I'll keep you safe-"

"Hiro." Soul covered his mouth with her hand. She gazed at the tears in his eyes. "We're both going to expire," she told him quietly. "My name is the least of your worries."

Hiro shut his eyes and then turned his head away. "I don't want..." He cut off and ran his hands through his hair.

"You two have little time," said Syph as he got up. "I have even less."

"What do you mean?" Soul looked up at him.

"You two can run," replied Syph simply. "But you led Anna right to me. Hiro's curse will ensure that I die a painful, merciless death and I know it will be at Anna's hand."

Hiro's attention locked on him. "Your real name," he whispered.

"Is Syph, yes," he replied. "And since you now know that I will finally be allowed to die." Syph grinned. "I've lived too long," he said. "Anna has lived even longer. Hiro, Soul, she is the one who began this whole thing."

"What?" Hiro and Soul demanded in shock.

"Anna started creating killers that are more robot than human. Granting immortal life to those she can use." Syph examined his hands. "She is the one you should fear, and it's a good thing that you both do. If you didn't then I'd call you idiots." He looked at them both intently. "I'll tell you honestly, I don't see a happy ending in any of our futures. But if you can stop Anna before you expire then my life will not have been in vain."

Hiro looked away. "I'm not going to stop her for you," he said, getting to his feet. "I'm going to stop her because she's ruined Soul's life."

"No," said Syph, shaking his head. "Hiroshima, you ruined Soul's life on your own."

Hiro cringed.

"He didn't!" Soul said hastily. "I would have never met him if Enimito hadn't kidnapped me!"

"Enimito?" Syph asked, looking at them blankly. "Oh!" His eyes lit up. "You mean Oratorio."

"Who?" Hiro gasped. A brick fell heavy on his chest. "Is that... is that Enimito's real name?"

"He was given a fake name when he was made," explained Syph. "It was suspected it would come in handy after making you. Seems it kept him safe. I'm actually shocked that Geicko lasted so long with you knowing his name. He was impervious to the crystal's power. He didn't know it, but he was rare, a human who was unaffected by the crystal. That is why he was kept and not killed. Your explosions didn't touch him. The energy emitting from you did little more than tickle him. People like that are just as rare as the crystal. There has only been two more who were unaffected by the crystal and they were both turned into robotic immortals, thus losing their immunity to the crystal." At this, Syph looked at Soul.

"Me?" Soul asked blankly.

"Had Anna not gotten to you then you and Hiro would be fine," he told her. "You and your brother are both in danger because Anna decided to fix your heart problems and use you to reach her own goals."

"Brother?" Soul asked blankly. "I don't have a brother."

"Believe me, you do," said Syph. "And Hiro knows it too, but he won't admit it because he calls the man brother also." Syph looked at Hiro who was breathing hard and looking pale.

"Before we were made into weapons we weren't," said Hiro in an unsteady voice. "Enimito and I aren't related by human blood. I don't see him as my brother any longer."

"Well, that's good," said Syph with a smirk. "Now there's nothing to stop you two."

Soul blushed and Hiro looked away, his eyes hidden by his hair.

"You two should rest," said Syph, going to the door. "I'll be around if you need me." At that he left, shutting the door behind him.

Silence filled the room. Soul looked at Hiro who gazed at the door. He suddenly shut his eyes and took a deep breath.

"Now Enimito will die too," he whispered. He dropped his head into his hands. "You and he are both doomed. I'm so sorry, Soul. This is my fault."

"Anna made it your fault," said Soul, placing her hand on Hiro's shoulder. "You didn't volunteer to kill everyone."

Hiro was shaking his head. "I can't let this go on," he said quietly. "I don't want you to die, Soul." He reached up and set his hand over hers. "It looks like nothing will change that now."

Soul frowned and him and took his hand. "I'll be okay," she told him quietly. "As long as I'm with you."

Hiro didn't answer. He simply held her hand with his head down and tears running down his face.
The Beginning - 7

My escape was going to be tricky. The scientists kept the lab well protected and there were many people who could get killed. I didn't want to risk killing even more people than I already had. Since I knew where the exit was, having gone there many times blindfolded to missions, I had an idea of where I was going. All I needed was to act at the right moment. That was going to be tricky. There were cameras on me at all times. I stood outside my habitat's house and looked around, using my advanced sight to pinpoint each of the cameras. Once they were mapped out in my head I made my plan. There was a way I wouldn't be noticed. I would have to move fast and get away before they could bring out the heavy artillery. Not that an attack would faze me, I simply didn't want to kill more than necessary.

It was the night after Enimito gave me my Massacre Title that I escaped. I left my home when the lights dimmed and cast my habitat into darkness. I crept out of my house, already aware that the cameras were on me. It was then I made my move, because delay would end my mission.

I took off, running to the large metal door. It wouldn't open for me, so I gathered up some energy and used it to blow the door open. As soon as the door exploded a siren went off and red lights blazed around every corner. I ran full speed, zipping past doors that opened and people that shouted in alarm at the sight of me. I kept running, but it was then I heard the voice in my head.

"Little risky, don't you think?" It said in a voice clear as ice. I almost stopped from surprise, but the alarm and blaring red lights kept me running.

"Who are you?" I demanded, skidding as I turned a corner and ran down the next hallway.

"Crystal Crier, of course," the voice told me with a chuckle. "Listen, why don't you let me help us escape? I could do it in no time at all. In fact I've been waiting for you to do this."

"No," I snarled. Ahead of me a door flew open and armed men poured into the room. I jumped, spiraling through the air over their heads and then landed on my feet. I shot off again, the gunfire rattling through the hallway behind me. "I can handle this myself," I told Crystal Crier.

"Suit yourself," replied Crystal Crier contently. "Look out, though. They're sending in the cavalry."

I didn't know what Crystal Crier meant. I had to blow open one more door and then the exit lay ahead. I had known no humans would be able to stop me. I was a weapon after all. As I ran to the door I saw shadows dancing beneath my feet and then a chill covered my heart.

Out of nowhere, Shadow Eater slammed into my back and we tumbled across the floor. I threw him off me and got up, two black knifes shooting out of my wrists into my hands.

Shadow Eater stood up, drawing a sword from his leg and pointing it at me. "Why don't you change into Crystal Crier?" He asked mockingly, his dark goggles hiding his eyes. "It's the only way you'll escape here alive."

"I told him that," sighed Crystal Crier in my head.

"I don't need to be Crystal Crier to get past you," I said, trying to ignore the mockery of them both. I threw the knives at Shadow Eater who deflected them. When he was occupied I rammed into him and sent him head over heels. I ran for the door when he hit the ground on his back, but he turned in time and seized my ankle. I hit the floor, rolled over, and kicked Shadow Eater off me, but then there was a second pair of hands. They seized me from behind and drew me to my feet. I grabbed their arms, dropped my weight, and threw the person over my head, but instead of going flying, the person reversed the momentum and rocketed back at me.

I struck the ground, looking up in shock at the person before me.

Geicko. His cloak had red stains on it and his eyes were hollow. He slid the hood farther over his face so I couldn't see his eyes and behind him Shadow Eater stood up.

"I'm sure you haven't met Red Assassin yet, have you?" said Shadow Eater, looking down at me. "He's new to our little trio of weapons."

His words made me glare. "I'm not a part of this," I hissed. "I don't want to be a part of this!" I got up and felt the energy burst from my chest. The white light blurred my sight and I heard Crystal Crier laughing at me.

I shot out of the light as Crystal Crier, my black and silver armor gleaming in the florescent lights. My fist hammered into Red Assassin's stomach and them I turned on the spot, kicking Shadow Eater in the head. I held onto Red Assassin's cloak as I spun in the air, throwing him with me. We both struck the ground, but I landed on my feet. I turned, blocking Shadow Eater's sword with my arm and then grabbing it. A knife shot from my hand and I stabbed it into Shadow Eater's stomach.

The sirens kept blaring as I held Shadow Eater's gaze. The visor slid back and my golden eyes narrowed.

"I am no longer one of you," I said quietly.

Shadow Eater grabbed my wrist, trapping the knife in his stomach. "You cannot stop being what you are," he hissed, oil and blood drizzling from his mouth. "Believe me, Crystal Crier. We will never stop hunting you."

"Not after all you've done," said Red Assassin, standing up and glaring at me.

I glanced back at Red Assassin coolly. "You led me to your village," I said hotly. "It's not my fault I killed everyone."

Shadow Eater released me and I in turn released the knife, leaving it in his stomach.

"Get out of here before they come," said Shadow Eater quietly. "This is the last time I help you."

"Good," I said, moving and walking away. However something inside me jerked to a stop. I tried to move, but my body rebelled.

"My turn for fun," said Crystal Crier, laughing in my head.

"NO!" I shouted. I could feel the energy building up inside me and the light filled the air. My feet lifted off the ground and I heard myself screaming for Enimito and Geicko to run. The explosion went off; shaking the lab and tearing it up as fire fell from the sky and burst out of the ground. Everything shook and my sight went black. All I knew was Crystal Crier was laughing and the lab would be nothing more than a crater when I woke up...
Chapter Ten

"Are we going to run forever?" Soul asked, watching as Hiro packed a bag with some clothes Syph had provided.

Hiro shook his head. "We can't run forever," he said, zipping up the bag and standing. "We don't have enough time." He looked at Soul who was sitting on his bed with her ankles crossed. She was hugging his pillow and frowning in concern. Her blond hair fell over her shoulders and her silver eyes held hidden sorrow. Hiro gazed at her grimly. "Don't look so sad, Soul," he said, placing the bag by the bed and taking Soul's hands. She looked startled, but didn't pull her hands away when Hiro knelt in front of her.

"We may be running, but it's only until I can find a better way to solve this problem," explained Hiro gently, holding Soul's gaze. "I want you safe. I will only make the choices that will keep you that way."

Soul hunched her shoulders shyly and looked away. Just then Syph entered the room. Hiro released Soul's hands and stood up, grabbing the bag as he looked back at Syph.

"What's wrong?" He asked, noting the anxious expression on Syph's old face.

"They're coming," Syph replied, looking from Hiro to Soul and back again. "I can feel them. Anna has always given off an ominous presence. They'll be here any minute."

"What?" Hiro was startled. He hadn't thought they would catch up so fast.

"We have to get out of here," said Soul jumping off the bed.

"I'll hold them off," said Syph, leading the way out of the room. "Go out the back door and take the garden path." He pointed down the hallway that led to the room Soul had woken up in. "From there, if you can get to the forest in time, avoid the path and run south. You'll have to let your instincts take over after that, Hiro. I'm sorry."

"You've helped plenty," said Hiro. "Thank you." He took Soul's arm and hastily brought her down the hallway. Syph watched them go, a sad grin tugging at his face.

"I shouldn't have been so anxious to die," he said, turning in the opposite direction Hiro and Soul had gone. "This is much more sudden than I thought it would be." With that, he made his way slowly towards the front of the house. Any minute now the doorbell would ring, and when he answered it his past would be there waiting for him.

Hiro and Soul made it out the glass door and into the garden before they heard the doorbell. Soul looked back with a pale face, but Hiro tugged gently on her arm to remind her of the escape plan. He knew she was worried about Syph, it was obvious on her face when she turned away and followed him swiftly across the garden path. She wished she could run as fast as she knew Hiro could. They would be miles away in only a few minutes, but with how fast Anna and the rest caught up Soul knew it would be pointless. She wasn't even sure why they were running when Syph would only slow them down for a few minutes.

They reached the edge of the woods and as they passed into the trees a scream of agony cut through the air. Soul stopped dead in her tracks, spinning around and staring at the house. The air seemed to chill when they both heard a loud crunch that sounded oddly human. Soul stepped back into Hiro who took her shoulders, keeping her close.

"What... did they do to him?" Soul whispered in terror.

Hiro moved her behind him, watching the house suspiciously. "Soul," he whispered. "Enimito is here."

Soul looked at him in alarm, but right before she could sleep the branches above their head snapped. They both looked up and Hiro shoved Soul away before Shadow Eater dropped on top of him.

"Hiro!" Soul shouted when Hiro slammed into the ground with Shadow Eater standing on his chest.

"We're done playing games with you, Crystal Crier," hissed Shadow Eater darkly.

It happened too fast. Shadow Eater whipped a dagger from his arm and threw it at Hiro whose eyes widened a second before the knife struck.

Soul screamed at the top of her lungs.

The knife gouged through Hiro's throat to the hilt, stabbing the ground beneath him. Hiro's golden eyes misted over and blood spilled from his mouth when he opened it. He tried to speak, but a gargle and squeak of pain was all that came out.

"NO!" Soul cried. She ran forward and shoved Shadow Eater off Hiro, falling to her knees beside him. Her hands were trembling as she stared at the knife and Hiro's pale face. He looked at her, tears sliding down his expressionless face. He blinked slowly, holding her gaze a moment longer, but then his eyes shut and he went limp.

Soul burst into tears, breathing hard in shaky breathes as she cautiously reached out to him, but Shadow Eater seized her and pulled her away from Hiro. Soul struggled against him, kicking and shouting. She stared at Hiro's body as she fought Shadow Eater who was bringing her to the house. It was like a nightmare. Hiro was lying there, bleeding and dead and she was being taken away from him. She sobbed out loud, cursing Shadow Eater and trying to wriggle free.

She was brought into the house and thrown to the ground of the glass room. Soul lay on the ground where she fell, crying into her arms as if she were the one dying.

"Get the weapon too, Shadow Eater," said Anna as she entered the room with her two bodyguards. "We're not done with him."

Shadow Eater nodded and left.

Anna approached Soul, standing over her with her arms crossed. She tilted her head, strands of her blond hair sliding past her scowling face. "Stop wetting the floor with your fake tears," she snarled. "You are a heartless devise like Hiroshima was. Your feelings are fake."

Soul lifted her head, glaring at Anna through puffy red eyes. She slowly stood up, her fists clenched. "I have learned to love without a heart," she hissed. "I don't know why you assume everything is how you say it is, but it's not!"

Anna whipped out her gun and fired, but the bullet struck the ground where Soul had been a moment before. She stood nearer Anna, her hand to Anna's stomach where a stain of blood began to spread. Anna smirked and looked down at Soul who was glaring straight ahead. She wrenched her hand back and Anna's lip twitched. In Soul's hand was the twisted key she had found on the train. She took it back, moving past Anna and dropping to her knees again. She hung her head, tightly shutting her eyes and holding the key.

"Where did you get that?" Anna asked, looking down at Soul. Her stomach was bleeding, but she didn't attend to it.

"I found it," answered Soul quietly. "On a train."

Anna's expression darkened. "A train," she whispered. "The one we found you on?"

"No, a different one," replied Soul, shaking her head.

Anna looked to her bodyguards, pointing at Soul and the key. They moved in on her and Soul looked up in alarm when they seized her and one tried to take the key from her hand.

"Don't take it!" Soul shouted, kicking the man's hand.

The wall of glass was shattered suddenly and everyone looked up to see Shadow Eater tumbling across the ground. He jumped up, sliding a sword from his leg and bracing himself in front of Anna.

"Crystal Crier," Shadow Eater whispered to Anna over his shoulder. "He's alive."

"He is, yes," replied Anna, peering past Shadow Eater jadedly. "Now that Hiroshima is dead the crystal has free range of the body."

Soul was forgotten by the bodyguards who quickly took up post on either side of Anna. Outside the sky was growing dark, but there was a red glow and a heavy wind began to blow. The trees bent and every peddle on the flowers were torn and sent spiraling into the air. It would have been beautiful had the sky not looked like fire and smoke.

The darkness was cast over the garden and Soul saw Crystal Crier.

He left the forest and walked forward with his head down. His metal armor glinted in the red glow and his metal visor hid his golden eyes. Soul got up, wondering if it really was Crystal Crier, or if Hiro had survived. As he approached Soul began to feel an overwhelming trepidation that made her step back until she was against the wall.

The Crystal Crier came forward, stopping a few yards away. The wind cut off at once and dead silence fell.

Everyone was still, watching Crystal Crier who didn't move. He was close enough now that they could all see the blood and oil rushing from his throat and the knife he held. It was dripping. He suddenly hunched his shoulders and the ground around him erupted.

Anna threw her arms up and her bodyguards dove in front of her to save her, but Shadow Eater vanished from in front of her. He leaped to the back of the room, slamming his hands onto the wall on either side of Soul who gasped in alarm. Shadow Eater wrapped his arms around her, shielding her from the chunks of flaming earth that flew at them. They crashed into Shadow Eater's back, but he stood sturdy like a brick wall, unmoved by the impact. Soul cringed, shutting her eyes as burning dirt and grass tumbled past her feet and fell from Shadow Eater's back. She had no idea why he was shielding her instead of Anna.

The explosion died down and Shadow Eater stepped back, looking to Crystal Crier who was motionless again.

"The key," whispered Shadow Eater quickly, looking down at Soul.

"What?" Soul looked at him, the key still tight in her fist.

"There's a missing piece in Hiroshima's system that Anna's been hunting," explained Shadow Eater quickly, pushing back his goggles to his forehead. His gentle blue eyes were filled with what looked like worry. "There's a five percent chance you can save him with the key."

Soul opened her mouth speechlessly, but suddenly the ground rumbled again. Shadow Eater looked back swiftly to see Anna and her bodyguards were gone, but the room was nowhere near empty.

Crystal Crier was crouched in the broken window, his steal visor reflecting the light of the fire that had caught on the walls. The flames were spreading up the woodwork and melting the glass. Smoke rose into the air in dark clouds.

"Shadow Eater," said the silky voice from the mouth with the red lines reaching down to his chin. "Want to play, brother?"

Shadow Eater turned his back to Soul protectively. "You stopped calling me brother years ago," he said darkly. "Are you no longer in there, Hiroshima?"

Crystal Crier shook his head. "You killed him," he said, lifting his head and pointing at the puncture wound in his throat that oozed blood and black oil. "I thank you. I've been trying to get out for centuries."

Shadow Eater scowled, his metal jaw clicking. "Anna was a fool to think freeing you from Hiro would be a good thing," he said darkly.

Crystal Crier straightened up. "You and Geicko were both too slow," he said coolly. "A moron could see that idiot woman was going to free me and destroy the world."

"You can't-" Soul said, cutting off and covering her mouth when Crystal Crier vanished from where he was and appeared right beside her.

"Symphony," he said emotionlessly, looking down at her. Soul saw herself reflected in his silver visor and her own wide eyes stared back at her as Crystal Crier spun the knife that had killed Hiro. "Where is your hero now?" He asked.

Soul gasped and Crystal Crier lifted the knife. Shadow Eater whirled around, knocking the knife out of Crystal Crier's hand and grabbing him by the hole in his throat. Soul had to look away when Shadow Eater stabbed a knife into Crystal Crier's side. There was suddenly a loud crackling sound and Soul looked up to see bolts of electricity shooting from Shadow Eater's hand into Crystal Crier's side.

Crystal Crier jerked and tried to pull away, but Shadow Eater held him fast and didn't let go until Crystal Crier's knees hit the ground.

Shadow Eater released him and he fell to the ground.

Soul stared as the armor on Crystal Crier slowly faded and she held her breath when she found Hiro lying on the ground. His eyes shut and his face pale.

"What did you do?" Soul asked, looking at Shadow Eater who knelt by Hiro and set a hand over the hole in his throat.

"I restarted his system," replied Shadow Eater. A strange red glow surrounded him and his metal armor vanished. He pushed back the hood of his cloak and his short blond hair caught the light of the fire climbing the walls of the house. "We need to get out of here."

Soul had questions, but she knew it was a bad time to ask them.

Enimito picked up Hiro and nodded Soul towards the gapping hole in the side of the house. "To the woods," he said. "Anna won't be far behind us when she realized Crystal Crier is subdued."

Soul nodded and they hurried out of the burning house. She didn't look back. All she did was cast Hiro terrified glances. He was limp as if dead, but Shadow Eater said he had restated his system. What did that mean?
The Beginning - 8

I opened my eyes to find myself lying sprawled on the ground. Smoke rose from the ashes and off the chunks of rubble that remained. I sat up, placing my hand to my head. Never had Crystal Crier taken over me like that. I was determined that it would never happen again. I gazed over the crater and smelled the scent of burned electronics, metal, and wood. It made me shudder. I stood up dusting off my arms. The cloud of ash fell from me and I checked my surroundings again. Any human would have been incinerated in the explosion. I wondered briefly if Enimito and Geicko had escaped, but there was no way of knowing.

With the lab gone I was free, but I hadn't realized that I had no idea what to do with the freedom. I stood still, mulling over what I should do. I decided to go home. Well, back to my village. I was curious to know if they would accept me now that I was intelligent enough to care for myself. With my mind made up I set off.

It didn't take me long. The lab had been built on an island not far from my homeland. I changed into Crystal Crier so I could cross the ocean and reached my village in less than a day. It was late in the evening when I arrived. The familiar houses were like a memory that had escaped me. I walked the empty roads, gazing at the structure and recalling how I had begged outside many of the houses. Now I walked by them, no longer needing what they could offer. It was strange, and I'm not sure what I felt, but there was something there that troubled me. I didn't like feeling that way.

"Hey, you," said a voice suddenly. "What are you doing out here?"

I turned and looked over my shoulder, finding an old man in an overcoat looking at me. He had wispy gray hair and weary eyes. I didn't recognize him, but I knew he was some kind of watchman.

"Hiroshima," I said to the old man, turning to look at him. "Scientists took me from here, but I've returned."

The old man stared in alarm. "Hiroshima?" His old eyes examined me with disbelief. He moved closer, shaking his head. "It can't be you," he said. "We were told you died."

I shook my head, not understanding. "I'm not dead," I said.

"We were told by the scientists that you were," replied the old man. "After the mayor sold you to them."

"Sold me?" I asked.

"Oh, how sad," crooned a voice in my head. Crystal Crier was back.

"Not you again," I snapped, looking away from the old man. "I told you to go away."

"Me?" Asked the old man blankly.

"There's a voice in my head," I told the old man, glancing back at him.

"Tell him my name," urged Crystal Crier with jest.

"No," I shot with a glare.

The old man took a step back. "Something is wrong with you," he said nervously.

"Don't be scared," I said, turning to face him. "Please. I just need a place to stay now that I've escaped the scientists."

"Escaped them?" The old man asked. His face grew pale. "But our safety from their weapon was in the deal. If you ran away then we aren't safe anymore."

If I had emotions I would have reacted differently. I would have considered their safety. "The lab was blown up," I told the old man. "And I am the weapon, so there's no way they can harm anyone if I'm here."

"You're the weapon?" The man demanded in horror.

"Oh boy," said Crystal Crier teasingly. "You just blew it. Like you always do."

I wasn't sure what Crystal Crier meant until the man started shouting.

"The weapon!" He yelled at the top of his lungs as he ran away from me and down the street. "The weapon is here! The treaty was broken! It's going to destroy us!" As he shouted the village began to wake up. I stared after him as doors opened to houses and people looked around. The moment they laid eyes on me they broke into a panic and I watched as the whole place erupted. They ran around me as I stood and wondered what was going on.

"Hey, Hiroshima," said Crystal Crier thoughtfully. "Are you also aware of that tingling in our hand?"

I blinked, becoming aware of what Crystal Crier was talking about. I looked at my hand as if dazed.

My armor was forcing its way out.

"Are you doing this?" I asked, watching as it gradually slid out. I tried to make it go back in, but it wasn't stopping.

"No," said Crystal Crier. "Maybe that treaty was something you should have looked into before killing the scientists?" Crystal Crier mused at the back of my mind. "It is odd that we're both being forced to blow this village up though. Interesting."

"How is this happening?" I demanded, watching as the armor shot out of my shoulders, arms, and legs. I couldn't stop it. The sky filled with black clouds and I tried to reverse the energy flowing from me, but it was futile.

"You can't do this!" Cried the voice of the old man. "Leave! Go away! Why are you doing this?"

"I can't stop it!" I shouted. The ground began to shake and the sound roared like thunder. I watched as the earth broke open and inside the red glow of fire rose. I was frightened and wanted to stop it. The smell of smoke made me cough and then the light burst from me. Purple instead of white. I screamed and heard the man's voice in the distance.

"No! Stop! Leave us alone!" He yelled at me.

I wished I could have stopped. If I had a heart it would have torn. The sky was filled with fire and I knew what was coming.

"Don't do that!" The man shouted as if hoping he would stop me. "No! DON'T!"

The screams of the villagers still haunt me. The people that had sold me for their safety, burned up in the fiery explosion. When it was over I stood in the remains. My golden eyes hidden behind the visor while I cried.

"Never again," I whispered hoarsely, the pain tearing me up on the inside. "I'll never do this again."

"I doubt that," Crystal Crier whispered in my mind.
Chapter Eleven

Hiro opened his eyes, blinking at the sunlight shining down on him. He slowly opened his mouth. He could taste the residue of oil on his tongue. There was also blood on his teeth. He turned his head, feeling dizzy and heavy. There was an empty fire pit near him. From the embers trailed thin lines of smoke and the rocks around it were blackened. Above him waved tree branches and a leaf broke free, tumbling through the air to land on his shoulder. Hiro tried to life his hand to brush it away, but his body didn't move. His eyelids drooped tiredly and he closed his mouth, frowning.

"Hiro?" Inquired a low voice.

Hiro glanced to his left, finding Enimito coming out of the woods with a pile of chopped branches and wood in his arms. Soul was behind him with a small stack of sticks. Her silver eyes lit up with joy when she saw him and a smile found its way to Hiro's face.

"You probably can't move much," said Enimito as he dropped the wood by the fire pit and knelt beside Hiro. "How much motion can you manage?"

Hiro turned his head to look at Enimito. His hood was pulled back and his blond hair shown in the sunlight. His blue eyes were narrowed in fain concern.

"That's it?" he asked when the rest of Hiro's body remained motionless.

Hiro nodded and shut his eyes tiredly. He could feel a stinging chill from the wound in his throat.

"It's worse than I expected," said Enimito, looking up at Soul who dropped her sticks and sat down beside Hiro. "Hiro was made so that if he received a fatal blow that killed him there was a way to revive you. Sending a high amount of electrical currents through his body would reboot him, basically." Enimito turned his gaze to Hiro. "I restarted his system, but Crystal Crier must have paralyzed his body from the inside. His movement shouldn't be this limited."

"Can we fix it?" Soul asked, gently passing her hand over Hiro's forehead and through his hair. Hiro grinned slightly at her touch.

"There isn't a safe way to fix it," replied Enimito grimly, sitting back on his heels. "We had better hope Anna and her goons don't catch up to us any time soon. It's hard to escape her, let alone doing it while carrying a half-human machine and leading a young lady who has a weak system."

"Sorry," muttered Soul.

"It's okay," replied Enimito. "Without Geicko or me she won't be able to track Hiro easily, but she's still out there somewhere. We need to fix Hiro if we're to get you two away safely."

"And what about you?" Hiro asked, looking up at Enimito

"At least you can speak," said Enimito to Hiro. "I'm already dead. I protected Soul instead of Anna from Crystal Crier's attack. That's the equivalent of committing suicide while working for Anna."

Hiro sighed inwardly. "I learned your real name," he muttered. "You are going to die... I hope Anna kills you before my curse can take you."

"I don't care how I die," said Enimito, standing up. "For now I need to get you back on your feet so you can stop Anna's plans." He went to the fire pit and began placing the wood carefully to build a new fire.

Hiro looked up at Soul who was frowning sadly. "You're a feisty girl, Soul," he said gently. "Through Crystal Crier's eyes I saw you stab Anna."

"I don't know what that was," said Soul as if caught. She blushed in embarrassment and looked away. "It was like when I was breaking out of the ship we had been imprisoned on."

"You were oddly focused that day," said Hiro teasingly.

Soul laughed, but then burst into tears.

Hiro gave a start. "Don't cry!" He said in alarm.

Enimito looked back at them. "You have almost all your emotions back, Hiro," he said. "That and she thought you were dead. Let her cry."

Hiro cast Enimito a puzzled look, but Enimito returned to the fire pit. Hiro looked back at Soul who wiped her eyes, trying to steady her breathing. After a while she sat still, her blond hair hiding her face and her head down. Her hands were clenched on her lap and she shook a little. Hiro watched her, waiting to see if she was going to say or do anything. She looked frozen though.

"Soul," he said softly. "Are you better?"

Enimito slapped a hand over his face.

Soul grabbed her hair, shaking her head angrily and sobbed out loud. "No, you idiot!" She cried. She threw her arms around his neck and buried her face in his chest. "You're going to be gone soon, Hiro! You're going to be gone..." Her shoulders shook as she cried into his chest, but Hiro was unable to lift his arm to comfort her.

"Sorry," he said quietly, looking at her blond head sadly. It hurt him to see her this way. He wanted nothing more than to put his arms around her, but there was no way he could.

"Soul," said Enimito. "Do you have the key?"

Soul nodded, sniffing and turned her head to look at Enimito over her arm. "Yes," she said. "Do we have to risk doing this now?"

"No time like the present," replied Enimito, flicking his thumb. A flame appeared at the tip and he placed it under the fire. He waited until the fire caught and then stood up and returned to them. Soul reluctantly sat up, wiping her tears off Hiro's chest. She didn't see how Hiro blushed awkwardly.

Soul took the key from her pocket and placed it in Enimito's hand. Hiro looked at the key and saw how it was dark metal with thin parts wrapped around it. The key looked awful, especially with dry blood on the tip.

"We'll need something to place into the crystal," said Enimito, kneeling beside Hiro and turning the key. "Excuse me, Hiro. I need to get to your system."

Hiro looked to the sky and sighed in reply. If he could shrug he would have.

Enimito removed the jacket Hiro had been wearing and then unwrapped the bandaged around Hiro's body. The metal plates were light silver and shimmered in the sunlight. Soul and Enimito saw many puncture wounds in his body, but they had been welded together or sanded down. Enimito shook his head. "Nice display," he said, examining a small selection of buttons and levers all the way down Hiro's side. They were small and sunk unto the system so they wouldn't be his by accident. They also went around the joints that were built into Hiro's abdomen.

"What are you doing exactly?" Hiro asked, looking at Enimito who took out a pen from his pocked and leaned over the button.

"Crystal Crier is the heart inside you," explained Enimito as he stuck the pen into the small slots to hit the buttons. Hiro felt nothing until he heard clicking. Suddenly a metal door over his left breast lifted open.

"Ah," said Enimito, passing the back of his hand over his nose. "Lovely."

Soul leaned in too, making a twisted expression. "The crystal is purple," she said, giving Enimito a scared look.

"It's supposed to be white," muttered Enimito grimly.

Soul looked back at the crystal. Someone had clumsily carved it into the shape of a heart, but there were jagged parts that stuck out of it. No wires were directly attached to it. It floated between two hollow openings that glowed white. The crystal appeared to be empty on the inside and simply filled with a purple light. The sight made Soul shiver.

"What are we supposed to do?" She asked, watching as Enimito turned and leaned over Hiro, examining the crystal closer.

"Just watch," replied Enimito gently. "We have to rotate the heart and place something into the opening."

"What?" Hiro asked blankly. He couldn't see what was going on. All he could do was stare at the sky and wait. All the while his chest felt light, but frozen.

"This key must have been hidden on that train for centuries," said Enimito. "It's literally the key to your heart, Hiro. Ironic that Soul found it when Anna and others have been searching for years."

Hiro frowned sourly. "Okay, duly noted," he said. "Now what was that about inserting something into the crystal?"

"Crystal Crier has been taking in your head a lot, right?" Enimito inquired. "Well, that's because he himself has no center. He's trying to take over you, to make himself the dominant being, and so fill himself. But he can't. If he is to take control over you all that will happen is he will destroy the planet, unless he destroys you first."

"So what are you putting into the crystal?" Soul asked nervously.

Enimito straightened up and looked around. "It has to be about the side of the heart," he muttered. "But if we put a rock in there it will only make Hiro heavy and burdened all the time."

"So what's placed inside should have some kind of significance to it?" Soul asked, looking up with sudden interest.

"Yes, but if we put something like a chunk of coal inside then it then there's a chance Hiro will feel dark and burned on the inside." Enimito looked at Soul. "So we need to be careful with what is put into his heart. We have to think of all the good and bad of what it could cause."

Soul nodded and stood up. "I know what he needs!" She declared.

"What's that?" Enimito asked, arching an eyebrow.

"I left it in Hiro's bag," said Soul, pointing in the direction they had come. "If I can go back and get it-"

"NO!" Hiro and Enimito both roared, making Soul jump in alarm and stare at them.

"You're not going back," said Hiro angrily.

"And I have the only item in that bag that hasn't been burned," said Enimito, reaching inside his cloak.

"Burned?" Hiro asked in shock.

"Even your laptop," muttered Enimito gravely. "They couldn't hack the system or break your passwords so they tossed everything into a pile and set it on fire when we got to land. I managed to save this though." Enimito held out a small, round golden kitty with a smile and one paw in the air as if waving.

"That's it," said Soul, sinking to the ground and pointing at it. "Our little golden messenger."

"I wondered why this would be in the bag," explained Enimito, turning the kitty in his hands and gazing at it. "It looked like something you would treasure, Soul." He smiled at her, handing her the kitty, which she took and gazed at happily. "Your real mother gave it to you before you and I were left in Anna's care," he told her. "That's why I saved it."

"Really?" Soul asked in surprise. She smiled down at the kitty. "Thank you, brother."

Enimito shrugged bashfully. "Okay," he said, looking down at Hiro. "We should get this taken care of."

Soul nodded briskly. "Will the kitty work?" She asked.

"I can't see much downside," replied Enimito. "Hang on to it. I'm going to rotate the crystal."

Soul nodded and clutched the kitty to her chest.

Enimito took the key and slid it into the center of the heart. Hiro gave a jerk, his teeth clenched. The crystal inside him turned red like blood and Enimito slid out the key. "There," he said. He reached inside and turned the heart. On the back was a hole, not too big, but big enough for something round to fit inside snuggly.

"Why don't you take the crystal out?" Soul asked.

Enimito gave her a blunt look. "Take the batteries out of a flashlight while it's on," he said in reply. "That's why."

Soul looked confused, but Enimito didn't explain further. He motioned for the kitty, which Soul handed over eagerly. "Pray this works," he told Soul and Hiro.

"I am," said Hiro, watching the sky with a hard expression. Soul and Enimito didn't know that he felt red-hot pain shooting through his body from the heart. Had his body not been paralyzed he would have been writhing on the ground. He saw Enimito reach down into his chest, and suddenly an icy chill killed the pain. Hiro let out a breath, mist actually emitting from his mouth.

Soul and Enimito watched as the red crystal wrapped around the kitty like ice. It closed up. "Okay," said Enimito. He turned the heart back around and slid the key into it. When he slid the key out the heart was no longer purple, but gold.

"I think that does it," said Enimito, removing the key and passing it back to Soul who took it gingerly. "Keep this safe," said Enimito, holding Soul's gaze. "Someone could destroy the earth if they got to the crystal."

Soul nodded and pocketed the key.

Enimito looked down at Hiro. His eyes were shut and his body was limp. Enimito placed his hand on Hiro's forehead, frowning. "He's cold," he muttered, taking his hand away.

Soul touched Hiro's cheek with concern. "Is that supposed to happen?" She whispered.

"I don't know," replied Enimito carefully. "We have to wait and see if he's going to wake up."

"And if he doesn't?" Soul asked.

"Then we would have to take the crystal out of him and leave his body," replied Enimito gravely. "Then find a way to destroy the crystal since it was turned evil."

"How was it even turned evil?" Soul asked.

"It's because of how Hiro was treated," replied Enimito, sitting back and looking over his shoulder at the small fire crackling behind him. "Geicko, Anna, me and the other scientists treated him badly and he couldn't react. The hatred was stored inside the crystal and I suppose when it reached its limit was when Crystal Crier began to speak."

"So Crystal Crier is Hiro's anger?" Soul looked bewildered.

"Not really," said Enimito, grinning at Soul sadly. "More like Hiro's anger gave Crystal Crier a life of its own. Placing something good into the crystal is supposed to calm them both down and hopefully return Hiro to a normal state where he can feel all emotions and act as a normal human. The scientists could have done this, but they wanted Hiro to be and emotionless weapon. Obviously their plan failed when the crystal started taking over Hiro from the inside."

Soul and Enimito both looked down at Hiro. He still hadn't moved.

"Hopefully it will work," said Enimito, rubbing the back of his neck. "Maybe the wound in his throat will keep him dead. I don't know. I'm not a scientists."

Soul bit her lip fearfully. If Hiro was dead she wasn't sure what she would do. She scooted closer to him and shook him gently. "Hiro?" She asked quietly, shaking him a little harder. "Hiro? Are you alive?"

He didn't move.

"This isn't looking too good," said Enimito grimly.

Soul sat back, but then something in the woods snapped and they both looked up.

The rattle of bullets ricocheting off the trees filled the air and Soul screamed. She threw her hands over her head, but someone suddenly shoved her to the ground and shielded her. Soul opened her eyes in time to see men in masks coming out of the woods, firing at them. There was suddenly a streak of golden light and Soul shut her eyes when it nearly blinded her. She heard trees being torn up at the roots. An overpowering burst of energy shot out from somewhere and the attack fell silent. Soul blinked, but then the person who had protected her lifted his head and looked behind him.

It was Enimito who had thrown himself between her and the bullets. His eyes were narrowed in confusion and Soul looked past him to see why.

Hiro was no longer lying on the ground. He stood with his back to them, his arms at his sides, and his black hair windswept from the energy he had used. Before him were several trees laying in a heap and Soul saw a person's boot sticking out beneath the pile. She shivered and looked at Hiro's bear back. He didn't look any different. The mechanical part of his body had some grass stains, but when he turned his head Soul caught her breath.

His golden eyes were glowing. He examined her and Enimito, looking as if he were illuminated on the inside. He shook his head sharply and passed the back of his hand over his eyes.

"Sorry I didn't wake up sooner," he said, turning to face them. "I think I was dead for a while." He lifted his head with a weak smile. His eyes no longer glowed.

"You're okay!" Soul cried, jumping to her feet and running past Enimito.

Hiro gave a start and threw open his arms just in time to catch Soul who jumped at him. She hugged him tight, laughing. "I'm so happy you're safe," she said.

"Me too," replied Hiro. He looked past Soul to Enimito "Enimito!" He shouted in alarm. He placed Soul down and ran to Enimito, falling to his knees beside him just as he toppled to his side with blood drizzling from his mouth.

"You were shot!" Hiro exclaimed. He opened Enimito's jacket and threw it aside, looking at the pool of blood that grew rapidly beneath him.

"To save Symphony," whispered Enimito, coughing with a crooked smile. "Yes."

Hiro gritted his teeth, checking Enimito's back where he found multiple bullet holes the size of nickels. "Idiot," he growled under his breath. "We needed you to help us fight Anna."

Enimito coughed, shaking his head. "You're all that's needed," he whispered, looking up at Hiro with pain in his eyes. "It's why you were... made." He grimaced, placing a hand to his chest as if it were hurting.

"Enimito," said Soul, standing behind Hiro and staring down at her brother. Tears came to her eye. "No, you can't go already!"

Enimito looked at her with a crooked smile. "I'm glad I could... redeem myself, Symphony," he said, his voice growing fainter. "You've got more in you... than I expected." He coughed harder, blood spraying on the ground and Hiro's knees. Enimito grasped Hiro's wrist in one shaky hand, peering up at him through his tangled blond hair. "We can't... save ourselves," he whispered. "I won't... ask you to keep her... safe." He was breathing harder, trying to hold onto his life. "I know... you can't."

Hiro gritted his teeth and nodded once. "I know I can't as well," he said. "But I'm still going to try."

Enimito laughed, coughing hard and then rolled back, looking up at Hiro. "Good luck," he whispered. His grip loosened on Hiro's wrist and his eyes glazed over to see no more.

Soul placed her hands over her mouth, tears streaming silently down her face. "Enimito," she whispered shakily. She moved forward, sitting beside him and placed her hand over his eyes. "I wish we had had more time together so I could get to know you better, brother."

Hiro lowered his head and together they sat in silence to grieve the loss of the one who had saved them both.

It was a while before Hiro stood up. "We can't stay here," he said, looking over his shoulder at the pile of trees. "If Anna's goons managed to get this close then she can't be far behind. I'm surprised Enimito didn't sense them before they got here."

"He was focused on saving you," muttered Soul, still kneeling beside her brother. She stroked his blond hair, a tear rolling down her face. "I'm sorry," she whispered to him. "If only we had been given more time." She bowed her head and Hiro frowned sadly.

"Enimito was a noble person," he told her. "Even if he was a weapon like me."

Soul shook her head and stood up. "If only they hadn't shown up," she said, turning to look back at Hiro. Her silver eyes were filled with tears. "If only I didn't keep losing the people that try to protect me."

Hiro looked away sharply. "It was for a good cause," he told her. "Geicko, Enimito, and myself. You are worth saving, Soul."

Soul looked down at Enimito. "If I have to die," she said quietly. "I want to die defending someone like they did."

Hiro gave her a pained look and Soul returned it.

"Hopefully not soon though," she said with a trembling smile on her lips.

Hiro nodded and moved towards her. "We have to go," he said gently. "Remember, we're on the run now."

Soul sighed. "Okay," she muttered. She gazed at Enimito, but then knelt and shut his eyes. "Good bye, brother," she whispered. She bit her lip and got up, taking Hiro's hand. He glanced down at their fingers before holding hers in return and leading her away from the body.
Chapter Twelve

Hiro brought them over tree roots, past boulders, down trenches and over tiny trickling streams. The woods seemed to stretch on forever. Hiro followed the invisible path Soul couldn't see, walking in determination and often setting his hand over his heart. Soul had noticed Hiro doing this. He would lift his hand to his heart, touching the metal door that hid his crystal heart. After the seventh time Soul looked at him.

"Is your heart okay?" She asked.

Hiro nodded. "I don't hear Crystal Crier anymore," he muttered. "I feel lighter than usual. It's strange."

"Your powers seem to be normal," said Soul, looking away. "You tore up those trees and dropped them on the pursuers like it was nothing."

"Did you actually see me do that?" Hiro asked, giving Soul a concerned look. "If I can't hear Crystal Crier anymore I want to know if I still take on the same massacre form as I used to. That was Crystal Crier, so now that he's silent I may not look the same."

"I didn't see anything," said Soul, hunching her shoulders. "Enimito was protecting me so I could only hear what happened."

Hiro was silent for a moment, but then he lowered his head. "Didn't you see anything?" He asked quietly.

Soul shook her head. "I saw a streak of golden light," she told him. "Right before the trees were torn up."

Hiro made no response. His mind was spinning as he fought to remember what he had done when he heard the gunfire. He recalled seeing Enimito shove Soul out of the way and protect her, but even that was a blur. Hiro recalled getting up at blinding speed and doing something that tore up the trees. The energy had felt more focused and controlled than it used to. The golden light he knew had been him, because he had seen it too, but in the chaos of the moment he wasn't sure why.

"The light must have been you," muttered Soul suddenly. "Because when you look back at me your eyes were glowing, but it wasn't like a normal glow. It was like how fire fills the inside of a lantern and makes it shine. The light was from deep inside of you. I'm guessing it was your heart somehow."

"Hmm." Hiro wasn't sure what to say to that. It was possible. The golden cat was the only difference inside him. "Did Enimito say the cat had worked?" He asked.

"He said it should have," replied Soul. "But you didn't wake up so he was starting to doubt." Soul glanced at Hiro, looking him up and down and then smiled. "I think it must have worked," she told him.

Hiro nodded slowly. "Must have worked," he repeated to himself.

They walked in silence for a long time. Neither admired the woods around them, they were both deep in thought.

"Hiro," said Soul suddenly, breaking the silence like a glass plate. "What if we struck Anna first?"

Hiro actually stopped and stared at Soul. "Are you kidding?" He demanded. "She'll see us coming and kill us before we can even knock on the door!"

"But what if she doesn't?" Soul asked, looking up at Hiro desperately. "It might be the only way! We don't want to be on the run forever. I don't, and I know you don't either!"

Hiro looked away, but then sighed and shook his head. "No, I don't want to be on the run," he said quietly. "Not anymore at least."

"We have to do something this time," Soul told him, her voice soft. "If she catches us then we'll be back to the circle of escape and run for the rest of our lives."

"Okay," said Hiro, accepting the reasoning in Soul's idea. "I'll go and face her while you stay somewhere safe-"

"No! I'm going to stick with you!" Soul argued, wrenching her hand out of Hiro's with a glare. "If you leave me behind I could be hunted down and killed much easier!" She moved back and crossed her arms, holding Hiro's gaze angrily. "She can easily find me when I'm on my own," Soul said bitterly. "Idiot."

Hiro looked away. "I want you to be safe," he said grimly.

"I'm safest with you," Soul replied. "You know that."

Hiro looked at Soul sadly. "You'll be in danger the whole time," he told her quietly. "I'm sorry, Soul."

"This is my choice," Soul said, looking at the ground. She shrugged. "You're the only home I have anymore, Hiro."

Hiro gazed at her for a moment before turning and approaching her. Soul looked up when he placed his hands on either side of her face.

"Somehow," he told her, holding her gaze with warmth in his golden eyes. "Everything will be okay." He leaned forward, placing a kiss on Soul's forehead. "Watch your back," he whispered in her hair as he pulled her into his arms and held her close. "I don't want to lose you."

Soul sniffed, not knowing why she felt tears coming to her eyes. She wrapped her arms around him. "You too," she breathed through her tears as they began to fall. "Please..."

Hiro shut his eyes. "We have to get to Onsolaises," he told her quietly. "That's where we will find the central lab."

"I thought that was your home," said Soul, shutting her eyes tiredly. The hug was warm and somewhere inside Hiro she could hear his heart. It was similar to the drumming of a human heart, but it had a depth and echo that was strange.

"It was," replied Hiro, setting his chin on top of Soul's head and gazing at the trees behind her. "The village is ruins, but the central lab is located under the ground."

"How do you know?" Soul asked.

"I study," replied Hiro. He heaved a sigh and moved back, looking down at Soul who held his gaze. "The scientists have always been around Onsolaises, the reports about them taking people from my village range back for centuries. It is only logical that their head quarters would be near there. After looking up stories about Onsolaises I discovered there were reports of strange sounds coming beneath the ground, so there's no doubt that they're there. Anna mentioned it once too." Hiro shrugged. "If I'm wrong then Anna will catch up to us there. We have to be on our toes."

Soul nodded. She frowned sadly, gazing into Hiro's eyes. "I love you, Hiro," she told him quietly, her voice wavering a little. "I mean, I've always admired you, but now I really love you."

Hiro lowered his head, grinning at his feet. "I know, Soul," he said, lifting his eyes and smiling at her warmly. "I love you too. And I'm relieved I can feel the emotion. It makes everything up to this point worth it."

"Even Geicko and Enimito's lives?" Soul asked, her smile faltering at her words.

Hiro's shoulder's slumped. "Why would you do that?" He demanded with a laugh. He cut off abruptly and slapped a hand over his mouth in shock. "Did I just laughed?" he asked blankly.

"You did," said Soul, also looking surprised. "Why did you laugh at that? It wasn't even funny."

"Well, it's because you ruined the mood," replied Hiro, laughing again at his words then stopping hastily with a blank stare. To Soul it looked like he had the hic-ups.

"It's not that funny," said Soul, pouting.

"You think its funny too," Hiro accused, pointing at her face.

"No, I don't!" Soul argued, knocking his hand away with a grin.

"Do to!" Hiro shot back, smiling. He sharply shook his head, placing his hand over his eyes as he laughed. "I have never laughed like this before," he said to the sky.

"You must be broken," teased Soul, unable to ignore how glad she felt to see Hiro happy finally. She narrowed her eyes, gazing at him gently. "I'm so relieved," she told him.

"Hm?" Hiro looked down at her curiously. "What for?"

"I got to be here to see you experience happiness," explained Soul. "Ever since I met you I've wanted to be here when you finally laugh for joy."

Hiro heaved a deep breath, nodding his head. He looked around their surroundings, the grin fading from his face. "We've stood still for too long," he muttered. "It's lucky that Anna hasn't caught up to us."

"We need to find a way to Onsolaises," said Soul, looking behind them. "Do you know which way to go?"

"Yeah," replied Hiro with a nod. "Its location is in my tracking memory. I can get us there easily." He hesitated after speaking and looked down at himself. "At least as Crystal Crier I could," he muttered. "Now, without him, I don't know if I can."

Soul passed a hand through her hair, looking at the ground in concentration. "Maybe," she said cautiously. "Maybe Syph had a way off the island?"

Hiro blinked. "Say what?" He said, giving her a blank look.

"Well, he got here somehow," said Soul, shrugging. "Maybe he has a way off as well; a boat hidden somewhere or something. He's like Anna and even she needs a way to cross the water."

"So there should be something here!" Hiro declared.

"There has to be," Soul agreed, nodding. "But how would we even find it?"

Hiro crossed his arms and looked towards the sky. It was growing near evening and the sky was turning purple and pink. "We'll have to return to his house," he said slowly. "Anna is probably scouring the woods looking for us so if we can get there safely we'll have time to search its remains."

"I hope you didn't burn the whole thing down," said Soul with concern.

Hiro flinched at her words. "That was Crystal Crier, not me," he said, looking away grudgingly. "Please, Soul. Don't make Crystal Crier and I into the same person. It may be one body, but we're completely different in every way."

"I'm sorry," said Soul hastily, placing her hand on Hiro's arm. "I just meant-"

"I know, don't worry about it," Hiro interrupted, patting Soul's hand before taking it. "We have to move fast and silent if we're to pass Anna undetected. Are you ready?" His golden eyes held Soul's gaze calmly and Soul swallowed hard before nodding.

"Good," said Hiro. He glanced around before leading them back in the direction of the house, but avoiding the way they had taken. They moved slower and stepped with more care. Hiro moved as silent as a mouse and Soul was impressed. She had never seen him sneaking through the woods before. He moved almost naturally but his feet left no sound and neither did his body. Soul herself felt foolish for every time she heard her footfall on the soft ground or when she passed some weeds and made them rustle. Hiro never responded to the noise she made, but Soul tried her best to be as quiet as him.

Unexpectedly Hiro sank to the ground, bringing Soul down with him. He placed his finger to his lips, glancing at Soul before pointing past the tree and brush they hid behind.

Soul turned her head, craning her neck to see past the bushes without much movement.

Passing through the woods was one of Anna's guards. His mask looked eerie in the gathering darkness and he held his gun at the ready. Soul sank down, but then remembered any movement could give away their position. She breathed slowly, mimicking the steady breaths Hiro took. The guard passed out of their sight, but Hiro and Soul sat for a painfully long time in the gathering darkness. Soul's feet and ankles began to hurt in the uncomfortable crouched position. She wanted badly to shift or wriggle her feet, but seeing how perfectly still Hiro was she was determined to be like him.

"Okay," Hiro breathed, rising to his feet. He continued forward, looking back and forth more often and sinking low to pass beneath brush or low branches. Soul kept close, holding his hand when he offered it or letting go when his grip released. When this happened was normally when they both needed their hands to keep themselves balanced while low to the ground. It seemed like forever before they passed near any familiar area. Soul came to a halt at once, taking Hiro's arm and stopping him.

He looked around at her in alarm, but Soul placed a finger to her mouth, her eyes wide with fear as she pointed to their right into a clearing.

Hiro turned his head, following her gaze. He held his breath when he saw the pool of blood and empty jacket, but Enimito's body was the real sight. It had already decayed. The clothes were stained from the blood and flesh that appeared to have melted off and lay in a pool around him. Enimito's skeleton was metal and bone, stained with blood and still dripping off the ribs. The grass was dead around it and a strong metallic smell filled the air.

The sight was dreadful and Hiro took Soul's hand, squeezing it gently and leading her away. He knew the image would not leave their minds any tie soon.

When they reached the mansion it was pitch black out. Clouds covered the sky and Hiro glanced at them warily before scanning the area. The damage from Crystal Crier's attack was still fresh and smoldering. Half of the house had burned down and the remains looked insecure. Hiro didn't want Soul going inside of them, but he knew she'd follow either way, so he passed through the ruined garden and approached the house. He looked back numerous times, not liking that they were out in the open.

They came to the house and Hiro released Soul's hands, moving forward and stepping through the broken window. The glass was melted around the edges and he glanced down at it with loathing. Crystal Crier had caused such unnecessary damage. Hiro wished it had never happened, but as he placed his hand to his throat and felt the hole from Shadow Eater's blade he knew it couldn't have been avoided.

"It smells awful in here," whispered Soul as she stepped into the house behind Hiro. She placed her hand over her mouth and looked around. Her silvery eyes began to water and she coughed.

"It does," said Hiro tonelessly. He stepped over the glass that crunched beneath his boots. The walls were seared and crumbled at the touch. Farther back the roof had collapsed and Hiro ducked under it, moving deeper into the house. He blinked, trying to bring up his night vision, but it didn't come. This made him uneasy as he fought to see in the dark. He didn't bother to tell Soul his discovery. Ever since they fixed his heart he had full emotions and no connection to Crystal Crier. It frightened Hiro to realize that he was just like a normal human now.

Soul stumbled after Hiro, reaching through the darkness to take Hiro's hand. "How does it look?" She breathed, coughing when ashes rose from the ground. She placed her hand to her heart and winced, but Hiro didn't see.

"Dark," answered Hiro grimly. He straightened up, placing a hand on the fallen roof to brace it just in case. "Soul, I can't see anything."

"Are your powers gone?" Soul gasped, clenching his hand tighter.

"I'm pretty sure I'm more human than ever," replied Hiro grimly. "And that makes me useless."

Soul frowned, but then wrapped her arms around his waist. "What can one as intelligent as yourself fear that for?" She asked gently. "If you can't fight you can still lead. You're more than any normal human ever could be, Hiro. But you have a heart of gold now, so that makes you better than Anna too."

Hiro shut his eyes. He wasn't sure how Soul had known that was something he had been thinking about. Anna was a machine like him. He had begun to compare himself to her, powerless, but intelligent. He didn't want to become a monster as she had.

"Sorry," said Hiro, stroking Soul's hair. "I guess I'm just having trouble accepting these changes."

"It's fine," said Soul, she moved back, grasping her chest and wincing. "I can't..." She cut off, grimacing and stepping back.

"Soul?" Hiro stared in alarm at her silhouette as she fell to her knees.

"I... can't breath," Soul gasped, her arms tightly wrapped around herself as she began to pant and shiver. "Hiro... H-Hiro-" She cut off, a sudden scream of pain erupting from her that made Hiro jump. He swiftly scooped her into his arms, leading the house as fast and carefully as he could. Soul was twitching and a clicking sound was coming from her when she tried to speak. When they were outside Hiro laid her in the grass and brushed her hair from her face, touching her shoulder and watching as she opened one eye to look at him.

"I'm cold," she told him, beginning to shiver as a smile twitched onto her pale lips. "Hiro... I'm out of time."

"No, don't be silly," said Hiro, trying to laugh to cheer her up, but it failed. His own heart was hurting and he felt panic overcome him. "You'll be okay, Soul. Just hang on."

Soul shook her head, shivering even harder with dry sobs coming from her throat. "I'm sorry," she said in a squeaky voice. "Stupid... I'm stupid to have thought-thought I could be with you forever-ever." Her voice began to glitch and Hiro saw a bolt of electricity in her mouth when she opened it to speak.

"You'll be okay," Hiro said, stroking her hair and trying to think of how he had saved her. It had all been a matter of time though and getting her to a level place to rest. He had done all that, but she wasn't getting better like she used to. The attack was different than the last ones.

A twig snapped and Hiro looked up. Several guns clicked as they aimed at him. Hiro froze, holding his breath. He watched as Anna moved out of the darkness and approached him and Soul carelessly.

"Well," she said, standing before them and looking down at Soul whose eyes were shut tight. "Right on time." She nudged Soul's head with her foot. Hiro smacked her foot away, bringing Soul closer to him while glaring up at Anna.

"You're supposed to be short-circuiting by now too," said Anna, her emotionless eyes on Hiro. "Don't tell me Enimito bothered to save the crystal inside of you before he died."

"He did," said Hiro darkly. "As useless of a choice as it was."

Soul shifted, placing her fingers over Hiro's lips. Hiro looked down at her and found her sad smile looking up at him.

"You're not useless," she told him gently. She opened her eyes, gazing at him with tears in her eyes. "My brother-er saved you for-for a reason, Hiro. Your new life is a gift." She lowered her fingers from his lips and touched his cheek. "Live it," she told him, holding his gaze. "Live to protect." She grinned through her tears, stroking Hiro's cheek. "My Golden Protector," she said. "Hiroshima."

"Soul," said Hiro, his heart clenched in agony.

Anna made a gagging noise and drew her gun, aiming at Hiro. "A crystal might be strong," she said coldly. "But not your body." She shot Hiro, the bullet cutting through the flesh of his chest. Hiro cringed, a silent scream of pain in his mouth.

All of a sudden Soul moved.

Hiro looked up, startled to see Soul getting to her feet. She held out her arms, holding Anna's gaze with deep hatred.

"Wow," said Anna, popping out the empty cartridge in her pistol and tossing it aside. She retrieved a new one from her pocket and slammed it in place. "I'm impressed." She shot Soul whose body jerked, but other than that Soul didn't react.

"You're doomed, Anna," said Soul in a cool voice. She lowered her arms and stepped forward.

"Shut up," said Anna darkly, firing again. The bullet cut through Soul's stomach, but again, Soul didn't react. Anna looked furious. "How are you moving?" She demanded angrily. She fired twice more, but Soul just stepped forward and grabbed the gun, pointing the barrel to her chest. Her silver eyes glittered with pain and anger.

"You're doomed," she whispered. "All your plans are for naught." She held out her hand and a knife appeared. She held it between her and Anna, turning it so the silver knife glinted. "Self-destruct," she whispered, looking Anna in the eye. "You will not get my heart back."

Anna looked horrified and began to pull away, but Soul's grip was too tight. "You weren't supposed to know how to do that!" Anna shouted as she tried to get away. Soul just smiled.

"I studied," she whispered. With that she took the knife in her hand and slammed it into her own chest. The bolts of blue electricity illuminated the night.

"Soul!" Hiro cried in a strained voice. "Don't!"

Soul glanced back at Hiro, a smile on her face and tears spilling down her face. "I love you, Hiroshima," she whispered, her voice holding an electronic echo that slowly rose to a higher pitch as if it were a countdown.

"NO!" Hiro screamed, jumping to his feet and running forward, but it was too late. Soul exploded and Hiro shot backwards, tumbling head over heels and slamming into the house. He crashed through the burned walls and shook himself before getting up and running back to the garden. He froze outside the house, catching his breath.

Anna stood where she had been, the ground torn up and flaming around her. A corpse that was both bone and metal lay at her feet, the flesh melted and gone and the empty eyes staring. Hiro's stomach turned over and he lurched forward as if he would puke, but only air came out. He stared at Soul's remains, his eyes welling up with burning tears. How could she do it? Why would she do it? Hiro's poisonous glare snapped to Anna who lowered her hand. Only the handle of her pistol remained. Her eyes narrowed in annoyance.

Her skin was torn and burned, peeling off her metal skull and arms. She tossed the useless handle of her gun aside and looked at her hands. They were metal also. Hiro stared at her. He had known she was a machine, but he hadn't stopped to realize that no part of her was even human.

"Men!" Anna shouted, looking around. Her men had been blown away in the explosion and were lying in crumpled forms all around. Anna pouted with what was left of her lips and then glared at Hiro.

With the light of the crackling fire on her she looked absolutely horrifying and even Hiro felt fear grip his heart.

"Well," said Anna, stepping through the flames casually. She knelt beside Soul's body and retrieved the key that had been in Soul's pocket. She held it up, examining it as she approached Hiro. "What do you say, Hiroshima?"

Hiro took an uneasy step backwards. "To what?" He asked, his voice rough from screaming.

Anna stood before him, her eyes illuminated evilly by the firelight. A little over half her face was missing so one eye was a full eyeball in a steel socket. Hiro shivered involuntarily.

"You're coming with me back to my lab in Onsolaises," said Anna with a sneer. "If your heart was repaired then you should be human enough to know you can't refuse without ending up like that." She pointed to Soul's corpse and Hiro sharply looked away, his stomach tightening.

"Fine," he whispered hoarsely. He lowered his head, tightly shutting his eyes. It wasn't like anything mattered anymore. With Soul gone there was no reason left to fight...
Chapter Thirteen

Hiro felt hollow. His head hung to his chest and his arms were bound. He had no reason to move. No reason to care where he was. Sitting on the barge, listening to the motor running and the water sloshing against the sides. He was tied to the rails on deck by his throat and wrists. Above him the sky was black and the air cool with moisture. It was going to rain, and Hiro felt it before the clouds broke. The drops began slow, but then began to fall harder until they pounded the deck like hail. Hiro tilted back his head, letting the rain hit his skin and sear on the burns. The explosion had not damaged him. Somehow Soul had managed to save him from looking as terrible as Anna. Only a few burns touched his face and arms, but he wished he had received worse. The image of Soul's corpse burned in his mind.

Hiro let out a cry of agony, dropped his head back to his chest with his fists clenched and chest heaving. He tightly shut his eyes, gritting his teeth as tears rolled down his face, mingling with the raindrops that dripped from his hair. His heart throbbed in a way he had never imagined possible. Human emotions... why had he wanted them? Apathy had been a blessing and Hiro let out a sob of grief. Had he never felt love for Soul the pain would not be so great.

The ocean tossed the ship and Hiro jerked sideways, hitting his head on the railing. He flinched and opened his eyes. For a split second he thought he had seen a pale white image of Soul sitting in front of him, but it vanished as soon as he laid eyes on it. Hiro gawked speechlessly, but then looked up when the door to the cabin opened and Anna stepped out. She had wrapped some white bandages around her torn face, but the machinery of her arms and neck were clear. She had changed into new clothes to hide the rest of the damage.

"We're here," she said, approaching Hiro and looking past him. Hiro turned his head, looking over his shoulder at the approaching horizon. The black clouds cut off to show a red glow on the horizon that reflected on the water. The island was an ominous black silhouette in the midst of scarlet water. Hiro swallowed hard. He finally returned home after countless years and the island was unwilling to welcome him. He couldn't have expected less...

"And what are you planning to do to me?" Hiro asked, looking up at Anna.

"Kill you." Anna's reply was saturated with loathing. "Dismantle your body while your awake with all pain receptors fully active so you can feel every joint peeling off and every wire that's cut." She turned her scowling face to Hiro. "And then," she said, lowering her voice to a hiss. "I'll remove your crystal heart while you're still screaming, and smash whatever precious object Symphony and Oratorio put into it. With the key Symphony thoughtlessly left behind I'm sure it will be easy."

Hiro watched Anna emotionlessly then turned his gaze back to the island. "Sounds good," he said.

Anna kicked him sharply in the side and Hiro lurched towards the impact. He kept his head down as Anna went back to the cabin and disappeared inside. When she was gone, Hiro lifted his eyes, glaring darkly at the cabin. If he were still able to become Crystal Crier then Anna would be lying on the deck in pieces.

"But I can't," whispered Hiro, turning his head away and looking sadly towards the approaching island. He narrowed his eyes. "I'm normal now." He let his head hang, releasing a breath of defeat. Whatever came next he would take. For every pain he felt he would remember all he had done. Every life he had destroyed as Crystal Crier for the crazy woman who now held him captive. Everything around him was his own fault. If he hadn't been weak and wanting to run away all the time he could have stopped Anna.

Hiro clenched his fists. If only he hadn't let Enimito and Soul fix his heart. Crystal Crier would have killed Anna eventually. She was no match for him, but now he was gone.

"I never thought I would miss my worst enemy," Hiro muttered under his breath. He shook his head and gazed at the sky as the rain died away. The clouds were thinning and the sun was setting to his right. The light was deep red and purple and Hiro felt the rays on his skin. He looked towards it.

"Well, Soul," he whispered in a hoarse voice. "How would you encourage me in this position?" He laughed sadly, shaking his head.

He had never felt such hopelessness before.

The barge pulled into the harbor and instead of dropping a lifeboat to row to shore, Anna made Hiro swim while following close behind him. They stepped onto the sandy beach and Hiro pushed his soaked black hair out of his face. His gaze wandered over the wasteland that had once been a fertile paradise with lushes gardens and beautiful forests. He had destroyed it all by accident. His programming set to lay waste to the village if he ever returned. The memory of the destruction stung.

Hiro reluctantly moved forward when Anna kicked him in the back.

"No time for reminiscing," she said as they walked. "The entrance to my lab isn't too far so don't bother asking for a rest."

Hiro didn't trouble himself with pointing out that he wouldn't need rest any more than she would, but he thought better of it.

The ground on which they walked was musty with ancient ashes and charred tree remains lying everywhere. When Hiro looked deeper into the island he could see a collection of black sticks standing straight up from the ground. It was the remains of the village. Seeing it cut to Hiro's heart and he looked away. A sharp prod in his back from Anna made him cringe and look ahead. He wondered where the entrance to the lab was. Anna wasn't heading towards the village, but around towards the hills. The same hills Hiro remembered sitting on when he had finished begging for the day. Was it possible he had sat near the entrance all his life without even knowing it?

They reached the hills and Anna moved past Hiro, running to a pile of trees that were crossed on the hill. She began throwing them aside with inhuman strength and then uncovered a circle of perfectly green grass.

"It was better hidden before you blew up the island," said Anna casting Hiro a jesting sneer before turning back to the patch of grass. She reached down and brushed her hand through it. Something under the ground clicked and rumbled. Hiro watched as a jagged line cut through the glass with a deep orange and red glow come from within. It was like the doorway to hell was opening. It creaked as the hidden door slid wide and then stopped. The glow filled the opening and surroundings in the ominous light. Anna looked at Hiro and nodded towards the pit.

Hiro approached, looking inside and finding a long steel tunnel with orange and red lights lining the ceiling and a staircase that led down into it. Hiro obediently entered the lab, walking down the stairs to the floor. He looked down the tunnel, finding many round doors lined it and at the far end there was a large glass window that looked into some kind of huge dome.

"Why wasn't all this uncovered when I blew up the island?" Hiro wondered aloud as Anna made her way down the stairs. Behind her the door slid shut, squealing as if it hadn't been oiled in decades.

"I plan ahead," said Anna, passing Hiro and motioning for him to follow her. "I knew the power of the crystal so I could create my hidden lab appropriately before you were even born."

Hiro frowned. "Why did you use me?" He asked. "I was the vegetable of Onsolaises."

"It wasn't my choice," said Anna over her shoulder as they approached the window at the end of the long corridor. "At first I hid behind the scientists for years, making them believe our mission was for the good of the world. Syph actually thought you were being made to save the earth. Everyone believed that." Anna cast Hiro an evil smirk. "The fools fell for it from the beginning and didn't get wise until it was much too late."

"So you're main mission was... what?" Hiro asked this cautiously, not knowing what too many questions may bring.

"My mission," said Anna as they came to the huge window and looked down into the gigantic dome beyond. "Was to reconstruct the world."

Hiro caught his breath. Down inside the dome was a recreation of his village, complete with people. They went about their lives, the children chasing each other and parents sitting outside on their porches chatting. It was a village of higher technology than the old Onsolaises. There were streetlights instead of night torches and porch lights too. Hiro stared, recognizing some of the faces. He knew they weren't real, but there they were. The villagers he had slaughtered.

"Oh look," said Anna, taping the glass towards the grassy hills. "There you are."

Hiro whipped around to stare in shock at the scraggly young man in rags. The old Hiro sat gazing aimlessly ahead, his black hair a shaggy mess around his shoulders and his expression hollow.

"This isn't right," said Hiro, stepping away from the glass.

"I have another one of these under the city you lived in too," said Anna as she gazed at the village with pride. "Actually, there are several of these fake villages going on beneath lands that you destroyed."

"How did you get the scientists to go along with this?" Hiro whispered, feeling a little sick.

"I told you, they thought it was for the well-being of all mankind," said Anna, looking back at Hiro. She appeared to be pleased with his reaction to the village. "They never knew about this place. Here was made for me and my own creations." She motioned towards the dome. This is where I remade Soul and gave her memories that I hoped would make her hate you." Anna looked down at the village with a scowl. "The girl somehow fought off her hatred for you. I don't know how that happened."

Hiro was alarmed. "You gave her fake memories?" He demanded.

"Yes, so she would think you had killed her parents," replied Anna, casting Hiro a cold look. "She was supposed to loath you and stick with you until she had a chance to give you to me, but she fought with her programming and instead helped you." Anna glared at her mechanical hands then clenched her fists. "I didn't know she was capable of doing that, but then Oratorio did the same thing. Which was a shame. Shadow Eater was useful and entertaining."

Hiro scowled, but then Anna turned to a door by the wall. She pushed her hand against and empty white panel. When she removed her hand a blue glow held its shape. It blinked once and a door slid open. Inside was another hallway that led around the dome, following the glass wall.

"Get going," said Anna, nodding Hiro to the door. "Your final resting place is on the other side."

Hiro swallowed hard and passed through the doorway. As he walked he watched his lonely mechanical self, sitting on the familiar hill. Hiro couldn't help noticing how pathetic he looked compared to the man he had become. Why had he been chosen? Had he only been left on that hill someone else would have become Crystal Crier and he would be dead and gone from the explosion. Why did everything have to end now?

The walk was long and silent. The only sound Hiro heard were their footsteps. As they came to the other side Anna stopped them and placed her hand to the wall. Another door opened up to a long hallway of doors. She forced Hiro inside, making him walk to the end of the hall. There were no lights except small red blinking lights along the floor. Anna brought them to the very back of the room and set her hand to the wall. The large door opened and Hiro looked into the room. It was round and white with florescent lights lining the ceiling. There were shelves all along the wall, filled with odd tools and metal parts and in the center was a large chair with many straps.

"Is that my finally sitting place?" Hiro inquired bluntly.

Anna hit him over the head. "Sit down," she told him sharply.

Hiro complied, rubbing his head with a glare. He sat in the uncomfortable chair and Anna strapped his ankles, legs, wrists, arms, torso and neck to the chair. Hiro was completely immobile and only able to gaze at the ceiling.

"Now sit here," said Anna, going to the door. "I have some business to attend to." The door slid shut behind her and the lights went out.

Hiro sat in the darkness, his expression hollow. He rolled his wrists, testing the straps, but the chair held him fast. There was no hope of escape.

"Guess this is it," said Hiro, shutting his eyes. "End of the line..."

Someone sighed and Hiro's eyes flew open. He looked to his right as far as he could. A white mist was near him, but it had a face; a familiar face with sad eyes.

"Soul!?" Hiro exclaimed in shock.

"Giving up wasn't supposed to become your new thing, Hiro," said Soul. Her voice sounded as if it were miles away and her mouth moved slowly as if the misty form couldn't keep up with her.

"I can't do anything to stop her," said Hiro, staring at Soul as she became a little more solid, but still white and transparent. Her hair flowed as if she stood in the wind and she wore a beautiful dress. "I'm normal now."

"Normal?" Soul shook his head, her empty white eyes narrowing sadly. "Your crystal heart is merely under your complete control now. You have to learn how to use it. It won't work as it once has."

"But I don't have time to learn," whispered Hiro in a strained voice. "I've accepted my end."

"After I gave up my life so you would get this chance to take on Anna alone?" Soul retorted.

Hiro opened his mouth wordlessly and stared at Soul. Her hollow eyes met his. "Anna and her schemes can't be stopped by just anyone, Hiro," she told him gently. "You're the last chance humanity has."

Hiro swallowed hard. "How are you here?" He asked hoarsely.

Soul giggled and faded away. "I'm not," she said, her voice shrinking as she vanished. "I'm a figment of your imagination."

"Soul," Hiro whispered when she was gone. He hadn't noticed the string in his eyes and he blinked back the tears. He sharply shut his eyes, breathing hard and trying to focus. Up to that point he had been an idiot. Giving up the life Soul had wanted to protect. Sacrificing her life so he would face Anna in person. Yes, he had no reason to run, but he hadn't bothered to remember Soul wanted him to protect the earth, to stop Anna and save the world from annihilation.

Hiro locked his gaze on the ceiling, his body tense. He heard the winding of gears inside his arms when he rolled his wrists and the clicking of his body when he breathed. Farther inside he heard his stable heartbeat. The heart Soul and Enimito had filled to stop him from expiring. Their sacrifice wouldn't be in vain.

In a burst of golden light the straps tore off the chair and the door blew open. The golden light overpowered the darkness, filling the hallway and blowing out all the small red lights along the floor. It reached into the dome, causing the mechanical people to look up at their sky and wonder at the golden like painted across the sky. It was the last thing they wondered before each one fell to the ground, their system crashing because of the overwhelming power inside the light. The ground began to rumble as the light grew.
Chapter Fourteen

Anna felt a shiver pass through her body, which was unusual. Her system only allowed such feelings when danger approached. She hadn't felt such a thing since before she remade herself into a more powerful being. Her metal hands were holding a screwdriver to her abdominal. Oil dripped from her stomach. The puncture wound from Soul stabbing her. Anna had left her tools on the barge and decided to repair herself there before going to dismantle Hiro. The shiver up her spine warned her and she knew what was going on.

"Crystal Crier," said Anna, wiping the oil and blood off her hands onto her pants. She left the cabin, hurrying on deck and looking towards the village. Against her will she caught her breath at the sight before her.

Through the darkness a beam of light shot out of the center of the island like a beacon. Anna held up a hand to shield her eyes as she watched the ground cracking open and the large chunks of earth rising slowly into the air. She stared as the fake village she had created rose into the air, higher and higher. She saw the steel doorways and halls of her lab rising with the dome. It went higher and higher until it looked no bigger than her fist.

The whole thing exploded in a massive eruption. The chunks flew in all directions, crashing into the ocean and causing huge waves that rapped against the barge and shook it. Anna lost her balance and grabbed hold of the railing. She glared angrily at the sky when she saw the light was still in the sky. Shining against the black clouds like a rebellious star. It began to sink towards the ground and Anna saw in the center of the light there was a figure. He was coming towards the beach and Anna knew it was Hiroshima coming to get her. She ran into the cabin, grabbing her replacement pistol and two rifles which she strapped to her back. She then ran back to the barge. With a running start she leap from the barge, across the water, and landed on the beach.

"Nice light show," said Anna loudly as Hiro stepped down onto the ground yards away. The light was so bright Anna couldn't see clearly what he looked like. The armor was shaped different than it had been before, and it was clearly no longer black. "Hiding in your glow, huh?" Anna scoffed, snapping a bullet cartridge into the pistol and aiming. "How nice." She fired.

The bullet ricocheted off the armor and fell to the ground uselessly. Anna didn't fret. She instead watched as the light died away and Hiro looked at her with hostility in his eyes. His armor was pure gold with silver on the sharp edges and black deep inside. A helmet came down over his forehead to a point over his face and shot out at the back like spikes. On the top were two cat ears that added to the golden armor in an odd way. A black mask with gold spikes attached to his face covered his mouth and nose. Hiro's golden eyes glowed from deep within and he held out his hands that were black gloves with golden armor coming down the back of his hands. His feet were armored and still looked like clawed paws.

"Lower the gun," said Hiro, his voice echoing between them musically.

Anna snorted. "New armor and you think you'll beat me," she said with a laugh. She fired at the weak spots on the armor, but the bullets hit nothing when Hiro vanished and appeared next to himself.

"For all you've done to me," said Hiro, slowly approaching Anna who hastily reloaded her gun while moving back. She fired again, but Hiro vanished and appeared closer, still walking slowly. His steps left no mark on the sandy beach.

"For all that you've taken from me." Hiro reached out to Anna, but she whipped her hand back, a knife shooting into her palm. She sliced at him and Hiro withdrew his hand sharply. Blood dripped from his fingers. It shimmered as if small specks of gold were inside it. Anna retreated as Hiro looked at his hand. His eyes narrowed and his gaze snapped to Anna who drew a rifle, tossing aside her useless pistol. She fired at him again and again, but the bullets left no dent. Hiro vanished and appeared in front of Anna who gasped in alarm.

Hiro seized her by the throat and lifted her into the air, then slammed her to the ground so hard the earth cracked at impact. Anna's rifles broke in half and she cringed, blood filling her mouth from biting her tongue. She took her knife and slammed it into Hiro's stomach. He jerked back and Anna kicked him off of her. She staggered back, getting up and holding out her hands. Two long knives slid out her palms and she grabbed the handles. Armor tore through her skin, shredding it as it covered her whole body. The armor was stained with her very own blood and she gritted her teeth.

"Be lucky I had mercy on you when I created you!" She screamed, blood spewing from her mouth. "You could have been like I am!" She ran at Hiro with the two knifes. She slashed at him back and forth. Hiro brought up his arms, deflecting the attacks emotionlessly. His eyes held no pity for the monster before him. He spun on the spot, kicking Anna in the head. She shot to the side, crumpling to the ground and lying still. As she pushed herself onto her elbows she shook her head. She picked up her knives and moved to get up, but suddenly Hiro slammed his foot down on her back, making her collapse again.

"For all the damage you've brought to the earth." He said, reaching down and grabbing the back of Anna's armored neck. She was fully metal now. Her hair was gone from the jagged steel skull and the bandages had fallen away from the steel visor that covered her eyes. When Hiro grabbed her she began to struggle and kick, but Hiro held her at bay. Her attacks couldn't reach him.

"For everything you've made me do." Hiro held his hand over his knee. A gold and silver knife shot up into the air and he caught it. He wrenched it back to strike, but Anna suddenly screamed.

"I was doing as I was told!" She cried kicking and struggling while grabbing Hiro's hand and trying to make him let her go. "The scientists made me this way! They created me to destroy! Yes, I killed them, but it isn't my fault I want to destroy everything!"

Hiro looked on at her coolly. He slammed the knife into her back and she shrieked in pain. Oil spat at Hiro whose eyes were narrowed.

"For Soul," he whispered. He wrenched out the knife and tossed it aside, dropping Anna who twitched and spasm on the ground. Hiro rolled her onto her back with his foot then slammed his knee onto her chest. He seized her throat and tore the visor from her eyes, forcing her to look at him. She stared, but there was still no fear. Her words and actions were a fake.

"You're not human," Hiro told Anna darkly. "Begging for mercy is part of your programming. You chose to do everything you ever did and if you were set free you would never stop. You're a disaster waiting to happen. You've been at this for hundreds of years, Anna. But it ends now."

"Crystal Crier," said Anna, grabbing his arm and trying to pull him off, but his grip was like iron. "I'm sorry. I'm sorry! Don't kill me, Crystal Crier!"

Hiro's masked slid open so Anna could see the grin on his face. "Crystal Crier is gone," he told her. "I'm no longer a monster like you. I am the Golden Protector. And I will protect the earth from you." Hiro took her head and snapped her neck in half before she could say anymore.

Anna's body went limp and her eyes rolled back. Hiro let go of her, but then moved his knee from her chest. He had left a deep dent that had cracked open her armor. It opened up to the heart that had a throbbing purple light. Hiro looked in at it, then slid his fingers into the crack and peeled the steel open. He peered inside at the heart, but as he watched it cracked and then shattered into dust.

Anna was gone for good.

Hiro stood up, stepping away from her corpse and looked around the island. It was still dark out. The air smelled of smoke, and the ocean was unsettled from the rubble of the laboratory crashing into it. The waves slapped against the beach, leaving chunks of metal and wood behind. Hiro looked at his hands, but then shut his eyes. With a gentle breath the armor faded back inside him and he stood dressed in jeans and boots with his black hair wind swept and a smile on his face. His metal torso was unharmed and had a golden tint as if his new heart had repaired every injury he had obtained.

His eyes scanned the beach until he spotted a small object lying in the sand. He had seen it go flying when Anna changed into her second form and Hiro went to it, picking it up and dusting sand off it.

It was the key to his heart.

"Okay, Soul," Hiro said, looking towards the sky. "I'll protect this world for you." Somewhere in the back of his mind he thought he heard Soul's laugh and he lowered his head, placing his hand over his heart. Soul would always be a part of him. He understood that now. Every time he transformed into the Golden Protector it would be him and Soul fighting together. Though she was gone, she would forever be with him.

Hiro looked back at his island and let out a gentle sigh. He had a lot of cleaning up to do. All the messes he had caused, all the labs with fake cities and villages that Anna had made. Hundreds of years of work for him to hunt down and destroy. Who knew what else he would run into?

"This will be fun," said Hiro, smiling gently. "Right, Soul?" He looked up, knowing Soul would have agreed with him. She would have been proud that he had found a new purpose for his life, a new name for his existence. Hiro was leaving the past behind and creating a new future.

The world would someday tell wonderful stories about the Golden Protector and all he had done for them.

### ~ The End ~

Thank you for completing the Hiroshima Collection. I hope you enjoyed it. If you did and you want other's to read it as well I hope you will write a review at your favorite retailer and tell your reading friends about it. This series will remain a free download, so please enjoy it and share it with others.

Thanks again! Happy reading!

~E. L. Mendell
About The Author

E. Mendell was raised in a large family of nine. Being one of seven siblings she found inspiration all around. As soon as she could put words together she began writing stories. Starting with tales of her imaginary adventures, Mendell's future was beginning to unfold. She started writing more and more. At the age of fourteen she was given an old computer on which she began over thirty stories, and completed more than fifteen. She also took an interest in art, using her gifts to create her own cover art and designs in her stories. However, writing remains her first love.

"I write to escape reality," says E. Mendell, "and I hope everyone who reads my stories will see them as an escape as well."

E. Mendell published her first book in 2012, at the age of 21, through Fifth Estate in Alabama. The Eysheus Saga, Book One, Blood River. Mendell reports that most of the series is complete and she is anxious to publish the next book before 2014.
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