Hiroshima Crystal Crier, Page 2

  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 s
aw 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.