"Wake up. Hey sweetheart, it's time to wake up."
A young man rises from his bed. He looks around hazy and sees a middle aged woman with dark black hair standing over him. She backs away and motions to the door.
"Come on we gotta get ready, you are gonna be late for school." She says.
The boy pulls his covers back over and turns away. "Mom, can I call in today?"
"Not again, I know you don't want to go but any more missed work they will start questioning me."
The boy swings out of bed and stands quickly to his feet. "Those boys are going to bully me again. I don't want to go."
The mother walks over and drops to the level of her son. She gently rests on his shoulders and speaks calmly. "I know Joey, but you have to go to school. You can't let them scare you away. I talked to the school. I'm hoping they won't bother you anymore."
"The school doesn't care. They won't do anything. If it happens again I am going to punch that jerk Kira."
"No, you know you can't do that. Sweetheart, if you fight those boys. You could hurt them very badly. If you do, it won't matter who started it. They will come after you."
"It's not fair why I have to be like this. I didn't do anything wrong. Why do they treat me like this?"
"They don't understand you, that's why. They are afraid of something that makes no sense to them. Us being foreigners of course doesn't help. Now come on, get ready I'll drive you.``
"Ok mom, but I'm only doing this for you."
"Thank you, I appreciate it. Only a bit longer then we can finally move and start over. You still want that right?"
The boy nods his head and gets up. After getting ready the two head out to the car. They have casual conversations on the way to school. Upon arrival the boy goes in, to his surprise. No one bothers him. He attends his normal classes and as the final bell rings, he leaves his last class and heads down the hall. He steps quickly down the stairs and leaves the school. After quickly looking at the bus he decides against it.
"Kira rides that bus, and mom can't pick me up. I'll walk then."
The boy walks down the sidewalk to his house. Before he makes it far somebody walks out of the alley in front of him. Following that, two more young kids walk out and stand in front of him. The main boy, a chubby brutish looking boy with medium length black hair, dark framed glasses dawning his face which bears an insidious grin.
"Hey loser, what happened? Miss the bus?" said the main Brute.
"Leave me alone Kira." Says the young man.
"You thought you got off free. We left you alone all day to make you think you were clear. We didn't forget though, you're still due for a beating."
"Why don't you just leave me alone. I didn't even do anything to you."
"Oh yeah? You forget or something? Your dumb ass got me in trouble with my folks. Decided to snitch on Mr. Kawaki."
"You were stealing my books and throwing them in the pond, what was I supposed to do?"
"Too late asshat. Don't try to get out of it now."
The boys run up and hit the young man, sending him to the ground. They rip off his back pack and throw it into the tree line. The main bully pins the small child and begins punching him. After a few seconds the second bully attempts to pull him off but the boy doesn't stop.
"Jesus Kira, that's enough, this isn't even funny anymore." The blonde haired bully says.
Kira continues to punch the boy as his nose bleeds. He attempts to block him but it doesn't do much.
"That's it!" The boy screams. He shrugs the bully's arm off and rears back. He pushes hard on the child's chest and shoves. The bully flies off going into the air. He goes upwards multiple feet and slams down on the concrete.
"Ouch! My ankle! Oh my god you broke my ankle!
The young child grovels to his feet and wipes off his face. He runs leaving his backpack and the bullies behind. He sprints for home faster than ever moving at inhumane speed. He arrives home quickly and runs into the house. After slamming the door he leaps into the couch cushions punching the pillow.
"I hate my life! I hate it! I am tired of being walked over by everyone!" Before he can continue he punches hard and the couch collapses harshly. He doesn't move and begins to cry. He lays there for hours before the door opens and his mother walks in. She drops the bag she is holding and runs over rolling her son to look at him. He is awake but his eyes are glazed, red and puffy. His face was bruised and swollen.
"Oh my god what happened?"
Joey says nothing.
"I can't believe this, it's my fault I sent you to school. I'm sorry it's all on me."
"No." Says Joey.
"It is, I should have listened to you."
"No mom. It's not your fault. It never has been. I'm sorry mom, I used my powers. I shoved the bully and he broke his ankle. I messed up."
She hugs her son. "No, you can't be blamed. You defended yourself. Telling you not to wasn't fair. That's it, I'm done. I've saved enough that we are out of here. We are moving. Just like the pictures Joey we are going to start a new life in a new place where you won't be ostracized for your power. How does that sound?"
"Can't be worse can it?"
"No, it will be better. A new life. A new start. Let's go pack your things."
"Ok, I will. Can I take a nap first? My head hurts."
"Of course, but let's get you off this couch. It's broken and dirty. How about we go to your room?"
"Sounds good mom."
The boy heads to his room and lays down. Within moments he was asleep. Finally at peace.
*****
A man wakes up in his room, he rises and checks his phone. 6:23 AM. He throws on some clothes and walks to the kitchen where a woman is brewing coffee in a pantsuit.
"Here Joey I made you some coffee, you were up late might need a boost right?"
"Thanks mom, I appreciate it." He says taking the cup. He throws a banana in his bag and prepares to leave. "I'm getting paid tomorrow, I'll leave the check on the table."
"Ok thank you, you should keep some this time though. Maybe take your friend from work out for dinner."
"No, Kosei usually pays when we go out, he knows our situation."
"Well it can't hurt to pay him back a bit, I'm serious, take some of your paycheck. You have earned it."
"Ok mom if you insist. I'll take a bit this time. I gotta go through. I have a meeting with management today."
"Good luck, I believe in you. That promotion is yours."
"I sure hope so, if I get this we will get out of this hole I just know it. I'll see you soon. Have a good day."
Joe leaves the house and heads down the street. After a lengthy walk he enters the office waving at the front desk clerk and heading upstairs. He walks past his desk and a man rolls out from the desk next to his.
"Running late or something? Your hair is a mess," The man said.
"Are you serious? Damn it, I have a meeting with the boss." Says Joe as he frantically tries to shape his hair with his hands.
The man leans back and his serious gage turns to a laugh. "No, I'm messing with you, it's fine, don't worry about it."
"Kosei, that's not funny, this is important. I think they have finally decided on that raise I asked for a while back. This could change things for me and my mom."
"Oh yeah about that. How's she doing? Chemo is rough. I hope it's coming along well."
"It's good she's only got a few more treatments left. Just the debt is all. Don't worry about that though. Say, I wanted to take you out tonight. You always pay so let me."
"You don't have to do that."
"No but I want to. That's what friends do."
"Alright I'll let it slide this time. Now go get that raise."
"You got it."
The man rolls back to work as Joe heads into the office. His boss looks up at him and backs down. After an awkward pause and a heavy silence the man looks up again.
"You gonna sit down?"
"Yes sir, sorry." Says Joe sitting.
The man stops typing for a moment and turns to Joe, crossing his hands and laying them on the desk. "Look, I'm going to be real with you."
"I understand if you can't give me the raise sir. I appreciate the consideration and i'll work harder to get one next time. There are no hard feelings."
"Right, this isn't about the raise Joe."
"It's not? Then what is this about."
"You've been late a lot recently Joe."
"I'm sorry sir my mom has had a lot of appointments and she has no car so I gotta help her get around."
"I understand that. However, I am running a business here. You've been late, you've been leaving early, you fell asleep in the break room last week for Christ sake."
"I'm sorry all this has been wearing me down and I'm just tired is all."
"Right, which is why it could be a good idea to take a break."
"What?"
"We are planning on moving on, Joe. Now this doesn't need to be a bad thing. Think about the time you'll get to spend with your mother now."
"Wait, no what. You can't do this to me. Please sir, I need this job. I'm the primary income at home now if I can't pay the bills my mother won't be able to finish treatment."
"I'm sorry but that's not my problem. You and your mother's bad financial habits aren't my concern."
"Excuse me?"
"Look It's not my business but I see you and Kosei out to lunch daily I mean. That can't be cheap."
"Kosei pays for lunch."
"Another bad habit is leeching off of others. Sometimes you gotta make your own way Joe."
"Fuck you."
The room drops to a dead halt.
"What did you just say to me Joe?"
"I said fuck you. I won't sit here and let you speak ill of my mother, or me. You can take this job and shove it up your ass."
The boss stands to his feet and so does Joe.
"You say that again, you are lucky I kept you around this long. I shouldn't have even hired you. You were a problem child in the past and I thought that maybe I could whip you into shape. I was wrong. You're still just a rat from the slums. You aren't even a citizen of this country."
"Stop right there."
"No I won't."
"You prick, I'm warning you. Stop."
The boss grabs Joe's shirt and goes to shove him. Now get out of my office and get back your half dead mother."
Joe catches the man's first and stares at him with a rage. He shoves the man hard as he collides with the wall shattering it into a flurry of dust and rubble. The man lie lifeless, held up by the drywall. The office stood silent staring as if they were unsure of what to say or do. Joe walks out and the silence continues. He walks down the stairs and stands outside looking at the ground. Before long sirens boom in the distance and the cops arrive. Joe puts up no resistance and gets in the cop car.
Later that night Joe is questioned at the police station. He pleads it was self defense and is informed there will be a court case to deem if it was assault. Joe wasn't released due to the nature of the crime. Over the next few days his mother visited him for as long as she could bear as they awaited the case to begin. To Joe's surprise, Kosei was nowhere to be seen. Soon the day arrived and Joe was taken to court to be heard in front of a judge. After the trial has gone on for awhile. Things looked hopeful.
"Up until this point I have maintained the mindset that while the force used was excessive. If the management staff was to put the accused in a situation where he felt threatened, this would fall more under the title of negligence. Is there any more information you'd like presented to the court before we come to a verdict?"
Joe's boss rises and raises his hand. "One more witness, your honor, and a tape."
"A tape?"
"We have recovered a tape from the office the day of the incident."
"Very well." The judge says.
Joe sits in his chair anxious and thinks to himself. "A tape from the day of the incident? This is great. With footage I can explain myself. It will show him grabbing me first."
Joe's thoughts are cut short but the prosecutor booking through the courtroom. "We would like to call Kosei Shinamaru to the stand."
"Even better." Joe thinks to himself. "This fool just screwed his whole case."
Kosei takes the stand and the man lines up ready to question him. "Mr Shinamaru. You won't be here long. I only need you to answer two questions."
"Alright. I am ready."
"At any point of your employment with Mr. Vargas, Did he ever show signs of violence?"
"Yes."
A single word shot a shimmering chill up Joe's spine. His eyes opened wide, face sunk in, and mouth hung in awe. Anger, confusion, pain, betrayal rose over him. His calm attitude switched to pure emotion bubbling from every means of expression.
"He was known around the office to be a nice guy, but that's just not true. I knew him better than anyone. I was his friend because I wanted to fix him and help him. I bought him lunch and attempted to help him with his mental issues."
"Mental issues?"
"Not diagnosed, but I believed he had something wrong. He would say things about killing people and harming himself. One time, I mentioned jokingly he should pay for lunch. I wasn't being serious as I knew his financial situation. However he got violent when I did. He pinned me to the wall and told me that his mom was sick and it wasn't funny to joke about him paying. He was bullied a lot when he was young so I think that's why he's like this."
"That's bullshit!" Joe screams.
"Silence!" Says the judge.
Joe's lawyer pulls him back to his chair and he reluctantly slides back into his seat.
"I don't think he's evil, just sick. He needs help. What he did was wrong but it's not his fault."
"That will be all." The prosecutor says. Kosei gets up and leaves the room quietly. The room was silent across the board.
"Let's see the video." Says the judge.
"Yes your honor, here it is."
He hands the tape over and the young woman near the judge places it into the slot. After a moment the video appears. It shows Joe walking into the room, sitting down. After a short time both men stand up, and not a second sooner Joe shoves the man into the wall."
"That video is fake!" Joe screams
"Silence!"
"Your honor, it's edited."
"Impossible, the police found the video first. Did they not?"
"Yes your honor, they did." said the prosecutor.
"This pushes me to believe beyond a shadow of a doubt that I was misled. Jose Vargas. I find you guilty on all counts. I sentence you to 15 years without chance of parole for the crime of assault by magic with intent to kill your boss."
"I didn't do anything! That video was edited!"
"Silence or I will bring down the curtain on you Mr. Vargas. You're lucky your friend came, or it would be more. I'm only leaning light due to his sympathy for your childhood. Take him away."
The police escort Joe to the vehicle and they drive.
"You know, I think they should have gone harsher on you. All this magic bullshit going around. You people are a part of the problem with today's world."
"Come on, leave him alone. No sense in jeering."
"Just getting my licks in. He won't be getting much social time soon. Let's hope they extend his sentence."
A snap, a flicker of movement stirs from the back seat. Within a moment, the cop went from comfortable sneering to a chilled fear. Vargas snapped the cuffs like a twig, bent the frame around the cage. The thin wall of protection holding the officer between Life, and Vargas.
"You are the same as the rest of them, you enjoy kicking and talking. Only when you think you're safe. Then, when I show you the true difference between us you all do the same thing. Shit your pants and beg for forgiveness. Crawl to legality and order. You poke at me because I am different than you, failing to realize I'm not different. Just better."
The officer comes to a stop and puts his hands up.
"Look, buddy it was a joke."
"I would never hurt an innocent person with my power. I always said that."
"Good, we believe you. Now, just let him go. This doesn't have to go like this."
"I said I never hurt innocent people. You aren't innocent. You unjust cunt."
Joe flies upwards, barreling through the cruiser. He flies into the sky and plants atop a building. The passenger cop leaps out.
"Stop! Let him go!"
"Good idea." Vargas rears and launches the cop like a baseball. Sending him flying towards the ground. Upon impact, the man ruptures. Blowing apart into a mess of what used to be a human being.
"One last thing needs to be taken care of before I skip town." Joe says. leaping away. He travels a few blocks and arrives at a large apartment complex. An upscale building east of Shibuya.
He floats to the 9th floor and punches straight through the wall fighting his way inside. In the kitchen of the room he enters stands Kosei. "Joe, what. What are you doing?"
"Shut up. You're an absolute fraud."
"I'm not a fraud, I promise. I didn't want to sell you out. But, the money."
"Money."
"You know how it is, guys like us can't afford to turn down opportunities."
"Money, you sold me out for money."
"Don't act like you wouldn't do it too."
"Guys like us. You say that as if we are alike. You morally inept half baked stain."
"What are you gonna do?"
"What I should have done from the start. I'm gonna eradicate the breed of human you belong to. You sick hive mind who look for nothing more than Greed on the horizon. Over indulgent manipulative money driven fodder. Goodbye Kosei. Thank you for the countless lunches, and mostly for the knife in the back. It's jolted me awake to the real world." Joe holds his arm up Channeling a small ball of raw energy.
"Joe don't do it!"
"Die." Joe fires the ball. Killing Kosei. He flies away.
He lands close to his home and walks in. His mother is sitting at the table. She looks up to see her son. "Jose. My boy." Joe walks up and drops to his knee.
"Mother. I have to go. I don't have much time. I can't go to jail; I can't conform to this reality. Any reality that would put you in this position is no reality I want to live in. I am going to come back, you will still receive payments from me. If I have to steal money I'll do it. Anything to keep you afloat."
"Jose, I'm sorry."
"It's not your fault. Don't apologize. I have to go. Mom. I love you. Goodbye."
Joe turns and leaves. Flying away, from his childhood, everything. Leaving the old world behind. Flying towards a future brimming with change. A dark path lies ahead, one of loneliness and challenge. He was prepared. He was ready.
***
Six months later Joe walks along a street corner. Hood over his head. He stands outside a large building. Sakara Corporation headquarters. He walks down a back alley. He looks up and prepares to climb the building.
"I wouldn't do that, not If you wanna continue your quest. Jose Vargas."
Joe turns to the man. Lowering his arms. "Who are you?"
"I'll tell you that if you come with me. I have a proposition you may like to hear."
"I don't intend to listen to any propositions. Now leave before I kill you."
"Killing the CEO of Sakara would bode for your cause."
"Ceo of Sakara?" Joe says his voice now trembling with confusion.
"That's right, I am the. "
Before he can finish, Vargas is on him. Joe cranks and prepares to slam his fist into the front of the man. The man holds up a block stopping Vargas dead in his tracks. He swings his leg colliding with Vargas booting him into the wall. The man leaps up and comes down pile driving his elbow into Vargas. He stands over him with one leg. The man dusts off his suit.
"You can't beat me, so hear me out. Unless death is what you desire."
He lends a hand, helping Vargas up. Vargas leans against a wall. "Fine, explain yourself."
"I am Rackazu Sakara. Head of Sakara. I have heard of your quest to flip this country on its head. I will say as the head of a large corporation, I can't exactly let you run around doing whatever you want."
"Then it looks like we won't see eye to eye."
"Now, hold on. We don't have the same goal. But we may be able to run parallel."
"What do you mean?"
"I don't want to see Sakara destroyed, not yet at least. nor do I want to have to watch my back with you running around. So, you work for me. I pay you for jobs. Jobs which you will carry out. You take the money I've given you to further your cause and to pay for your mother's bills. Give her a new life while you're at it. And, I'll let you carry on with your quest, give you information on other large companies you can use to further your goals. I get a prime worker, you have me off your back and information you need."
"Information is of no good when some of these companies are hard to crack. Not to mention, at some point I'll need to worm my way into the Japanese government. Not exactly something money will help with."
"That's just it, I can offer manpower as well. So long as you stay away from Sakara and continue your work. There would be room for helping your cause as well. Get it? Parallel."
"That would be helpful, but your cause. What is it? I can't be on board with something that's just going to continue the immoral cycle."
"I won't pretend my cause is clean. It's not. It's selfish, grimy, and about as illegal as it gets. That said, you aren't in a position to refuse me. Accept, or I'll kill you. Here and now."
"I'll accept but only while it suits me. Don't think this is a permanent ally ship."
"We'll see. Until it isn't, let's further each other. I'll be in touch."
A month more passes. Vargas flies over the skyline. Past buildings he once knew. He lands at his old home. He walks up and grabs the knob, the door opens and he walks inside.
"Unlocked? Weird."
Joe looks around and the house is empty. In the living room, a strange site. Broken glass, the coffee table smashed. Blood stains on the floor. "What happened here." Joe walks up the stairs searching room to room finding nothing. He enters his old bedroom. Nothing out of the ordinary but the bed being shifted and the sheets being undone. "Mom wouldn't have messed this up herself. What is this?" He goes to touch the sheets and moves the bed back to its slot along the wall. As he does he looks down seeing a small box barely jutting out. He bends over and picks it up. Opening the box, inside is a note. Vargas reads it, he drops the paper falling to the ground. "No. You fuckers." He cries, rolling onto his back. "You can't take anymore from me. I'm going to kill you all. Rackazu Sakara, with your power I will change this. I will rewrite history." Joe sinks into the carpet. The note lying on the ground. "If you're reading this Jose, they got me. I wouldn't sell you out. I'm sorry for the life you've been given. I wish I could have protected you. Goodbye."