"..Things Will be Different Now"

 1/2 Year Earlier

A woman wearing a brown dress with a train in the back. Her skin was a pretty dark tan color and her hair was dark brown semi curls held in a high ponytail so the ends stopped at her waist. She wasn't facing him so he could not see her face.

"Welcome to our world, we've been waiting for you," a happy voice said from behind him. Vince turned to see the owner but instead Vince blinked awake, his eyelids halfway open before widening as he acknowledged the bland equivalent of autumn morning. His irises are a unique arrangement of the colors green and brown, separated in a diagonal angle, green on bottom and brown on top. After a bit of debate Vince just rolled over.

"Hey Vince, get up, the world isn't going to stop spinning because you want to sleep in," Samantha remarked, hitting him with a pillow. Samantha had dirty blond hair put in a side braid, her turquoise eyes filled with amusement. She was dressed rather nicely instead of her normal sweater and jeans. Today she wore a dress, seeing her in one alone surprised him enough to sit up. 

"wha? but it's my birthday, Caretaker Genevieve said I could sleep in.." Vince yawned. 

"yeah well she has preparations to carry out, so you can't be here," Samantha flipped over her hair with a shrug so it now rested on her back. He could read the shirt more easily though he already recognized it as her favorite one. the letters had long faded but he knew it once said 'hello kitty' in pink letters. Beneath the words a watercolor image of a cartoonish white cat head surrounded by pink flowers. instead of the normal jeans she wore a multi layer pale pink dress, the bodice hidden by her hello kitty shirt. He noted she still wore her grey converse sneakers though.

She cracked her bubble gum, the sweet scent filling his nose as he walked by to get clothes. 

"You don't need those." Samantha handed him a gift bag. 

"..? But Caretaker Genevieve has always said they were good enough." Vince couldn't help but defend, partly worried about the cost of the new things he was expected to wear. 

"yeah and she's saying that you can wear this today," Samantha raised an eyebrow. Her hand still holding the bag out to him.

"well--" Vince thought better of it and decided not to argue. "okay then,"

'maybe today is special since I'm eighteen now' he thought reasoning with himself.

Vince came back from his shower dressed in a crimson red letterman jacket, the original patches on it had no doubt been replaced and exchanged for the decorations on it now; the front right side had his full name in calligraphy, below it in a elaborate bold print font was a large capital 'A' and beneath it 'u g' short for August next to it was the number 23 in the same font. On the left side a hand stitched name of the foster home. His eyes misted over as he gently touched the embroidery. 'Genevieve went through the effort to stitch this personally'

The vest underneath it was a red black and white argyle pattern, coordinating well with the black dress shirt and red bow tie.  

"Aw Vince! You look like you're not an orphan!" Samantha grinned ruffling his semi dry hair. 

Vince couldn't help the blush that crept up his neck. He tried to smooth out his hair when she removed her hand.

"Thanks that means a lot to me," he replied

They headed downstairs first to see Genevieve to get the required amount of money for their trip.

The majority of humanity had been underground for 75 years. 

Vince Crylight was only seventeen but he'd been in four foster homes. The first one had burned down when he was six and he'd had the luck of not being there due to being bullied by other kids whose parents could afford things like school. Naturally they felt privileged because he was an orphan and would not be going to school until he turned eight. They no longer felt too privileged after his virus side triggered and broke one of the boy's arms. He was moved on account of 'being an unstable threat to innocent children'.

The second also ended badly, he'd just started school and of course this made him an immediate target for new bullies. Since, upon introduction he'd been labeled a charity case so students tried to mask the bullying by pretending to be nice and offering to 'help the poor clueless orphan who clearly was stupid'. One too many times of being pushed down the stairs resulted in him spilling all his homework and supplies. In particular one kid named Luke with ginger curly hair and blue eyes stepped on his metal pencil case denting it slightly. It had been a gift from Gothel Swann and while she'd given all the orphans under her care a pencil case since they were fairly cheap being 99 cents each, Vince couldn't quite control his anger that one of the few gifts he got had already been damaged. It did not matter as when he angrily grabbed it he crushed it and the few pencils still inside. The metal case became smaller than a flattened tin can.

 He did not attempt to go to school afterwards. 

Largely due to his punishment of washing the laundry for costing Gothel money when she could have put it to her own needs. Gothel wasn't cruel but disapproved of wasting money since it was so difficult to manage it well even with the support check from the government. After he missed a day of school the government assumed he wasn't serious about going and removed his name from the roster on the basis of not wanting to waste the funding on an ungrateful child who did not value his opportunity. Though several of the students happened to see him leaving the library one day several weeks later and the end result was that they didn't go to school again either. Although Vince himself has no idea what happened and couldn't explain the amount of blood…

The third turned out not to be a foster home at all, but rather a home for children with mental disorders. His ability to stay there was terminated after multiple concerned parents insisted he could not be around children without violence occurring.

The current one was the longest he'd been without any incidents. Perhaps because of Genevieve's kindness. Or maybe because by that point he was presented with the threat of being taken to the aboveground and left there. 

The sunlight of the underground was facsimile, being generated by special light powered by solar panels on the aboveground. On days it rained it was nearly impossible to see in the place even with the street lights and oil lamps. Most buildings were made of bricks and concrete, depending on the area they did not have comfortable insulation which meant blankets and thick quilts had become the highlight purchases of the summer season in any of the marketplaces. 

The marketplaces; twelve in each subdivision of the underground, were the equivalent of malls and shopping during any holidays could quickly become an intriguing auction or a violent bloodbath. Genevieve had given enough money to buy three special items for his birthday and the closest one was where Samantha and Vince headed now. 

****

He returned home to find the place decorated. Well as much as it could be, there were big white banners with green letters reading 'happy birthday' and lots of the ornamental fake flowers that could be ordered to make the indoors look less bland. Most of the flowers were big and Vince recalled seeing them on previous birthdays and on the birthdays for the other kids. To think hanging banners and setting up the table with treats had been done in such a short time.. well it amazed him even when he'd been the one helping out.

The center of the table had a large red velvet cake, other things were chips, popcorn, cookies, and a few cracker sandwiches. All things that had to be special order in advance.

The other Kids had the best clothes they had on, A few simple dresses with flowers on them, brightly colored suits. Though most were ruining them by trying to get more cookies. The crumbs were rather noticeable.

Genevieve was trying to dust off the crumbs into a napkin but every time she cleaned one happy kid off, the next magically had crumbs on them. The six older kids were doing a picture puzzle and Samantha went to join them.

"Oh Vince! you're back!" Genevieve beamed. Her forest green dress was covered by her off white apron and had a few chocolate stains on it. "come along now wish him a happy birthday!"

"HAPPY BIRTHDAY VINCE!" all the voices shouted happily. He was sure they were happy to get sweets until dinner time.

"WE WISH YOU A HAPPY 18th YEAR!!" Everyone cheered.

Genevieve smiled sadly. "I wish I had hired a cameraman."

"We'll get to the plans for this year later, first--" she began.

"We've also got some big news to share," Genevieve smiled. Her red hair seemed to be slipping out of its bun, probably from chasing children who were happy to indulge in the festivities. She untied her apron and sat in a chair.

"I'd like to introduce you to Viktor Doyle of Virus Resistance, I believe he's here to recruit you, you are 18 now after all!" she gestured for Vince to look to her left, his right.

A man stepped forward, he wore a grey coat with a large rectangular pin made of numerous small multicolored squares on the breast pocket. A square likely for every successful mission he'd been on. There were over twenty-five of them. From his straight and alert posture Vince got the vibe of a leader, a commander. The coat covered most of his clothes but allowed a view of the black boots Vince heard clacking against the floor as Mystery official stepped closer to him.

The band on his arm has the Large letters VR and in smaller letters next to it, swordsman. Vince would have been honored if he wasn't so tense. 

"My name is Viktor Doyle, your caretaker has informed me of interesting things about you," Doyle smiled. it seemed forced somehow, like he was trying to indulge in a child he didn't want to be around.

Suddenly Vince didn't feel like eating. 

"What sort of things?" Vince asked, eyeing the red velvet cake. The cake he suspected he'd never get to eat. 

"Things about your unique abilities and your unknown origins," Doyle clarified.

Vince swallowed hard, stealing a glance at Genevieve he frowned. "I haven't had anymore incidents since the last time. I'm doing good." Vince said trying to walk past him.

"I'd like to make an offer, Vince. You have a history painted in 'accidents', put that to good use and Join the Virus Resistance, we can help you. I'm sure you don't want to be a monster for the rest of your life?" Doyle asked.

Vince flinched at the word 'monster'.

"I'm not a monster," he denied firmly.

"Perhaps not but if that state can't be controlled you will never get anywhere. sure it's not causing problems now but what if the situation changes? what if one of those children pushes you to a breaking point? even if unintentionally?" Doyle asked, and he shrugged, nonchalantly weighing lives as if they were talking about playing a game.

"how about this? Vince Crylight, you can send letters telling your friends here how you're doing?"

Vince didn't answer.

"well the choice is yours," Doyle acknowledged. he picked his military cap off a chair and Vince was surprised Genevieve had not commented on it.

Doyle left out the door and Vince watched him get in the car outside.

He stared at his large slice of cake dejectedly. 

He kept sitting there thinking even after Genevieve tried to take away his cake. she took one look at his vacant expression and let him be.

The end result was that he'd been up all night.

But at least he had an answer.

****

"I've decided to become a member of VR." Vince approached the vehicle he'd seen in books. on the aboveground it was called a car. The sleek black color reflected a warped version of Vince and next to him Viktor Doyle himself. He would have dwelled on it and laughed but that was for another time.

"well then step in,"Doyle urged." we have plenty of things to do,"

"I'll do most of the talking, no need to worry" Doyle smiled as if he meant to reassure him that he'd made the right decision but Vince couldn't find it in him to smile back.

The woman at the desk looked bored. As if her job wasn't worth the effort to look interested, Vince's green and brown eyes stared up at hers and wondered how many other people had stood before those same eyes. Absently he noticed her name tag read Berthier. Her hair had been pulled back into a bun. This one sat on top of her head unlike Genevieve who had her bun resting on the back of her head.

"sex?" she said suddenly. Her voice monotone and ringing through the empty lobby.

"male." Doyle answered.

"Age?" she asked as she scribbled on paper he couldn't see. the desk curving at the top so he was preventing from viewing.

"eighteen." Doyle replied.

"birthday?" Berthier asked.

"August 23rd!" Vince jumped in.

"blood type?" she asked now looking at Vince.

"um...type..." Vince blanked. Then he recalled a time where he saw his birth certificate, half the information had been blank, such as the parents names. But on the line listing blood type, the letter that had been there was ...

".... O" he said.

"height?" she asked, writing still.

"6 feet, 1 inch.."

"eye color?"

"green and brown" Vince answered. She glanced up at him her eyes unfazed. After a moment she asked "Recruit name?" 

A glance at Vince. "Adonis Castellan," was Doyle's reply.

"Wait what?!" Vince paused.

"You can't take away my name!" Vince snapped to attention not that he was listened to. 

"As of today your association with Genevieve's foster home for children, the other foster children, and Genevieve herself, has concluded. Forget any naive childlike innocence you had and come to terms with the fact that every time you step on the battlefield that is the Aboveground, it could be your last" Doyle remarked an unfeeling expression crossing his face.

"Though with your ability–" he resumed speaking only to be interrupted by another protest.

"But you– you said I could send letters!" He protested, fighting back tears. 

"..." Berthier expressed a look of sympathy. 

Doyle however, looked indifferent "you have been living a free life, considering you're half spawned from a virus that's more than you deserve," his gaze turned icy and seemed even more unwelcoming.

Vince blinked, "you're saying that this is all my fault?! I didn't ask to be born this way!" 

Doyle looked at him, "sitting idly isn't going to solve the issue either."

"I demand to keep my name" Vince seethed.

"...."

A pause.

"you can keep your name, but it is insisted that you refer to yourself as Adonis Castellan, unless you are given permission to have the other members of your unit refer to you with your true name," Doyle concluded.

Berthier sighed and wrote down something else.

"Here read and sign this," she said and handed him a form made of ten pages. They were all filled with words.