12 CH.12

FLASHBACK: THREE YEARS AGO

Eight year old Child Emperor was running through a hallway. He was dressed in only a patient's cloth as multiple alarms were simultaneously going off in the area. At the same time, he was confused and in a mild state of panic as he ran aimlessly looking for an exit.

"I have to find an exit quick." Child Emperor said to himself. "This breakout may be dangerous, but it is my only chance to get out of this facility. I just wish I had taken the time to check the main control room to pinpoint an exact…No, that would be risky too. I just have to –"

"Over here! I've found one!"

Child Emperor came to a stop and froze. He didn't want to, but he had to considering he saw a group of men in black uniform standing in front him with their guns pointed at him.

"Kill him! He's the physically weakest of them all!" shouted the commander.

Child Emperor took a step back in fright. At the same time, his superior intellectual mind was trying to figure a way out of his predicament. However, with the looming fear in him, the only thing he could do was cower with shaky eyes at his seemingly impending doom.

'I-Is this it?' Child Emperor thought fearfully. 'Is this how my life would end? In a place like this…?'

Fate seemed to determine the kid's life to end there. However, before the shots could, a strange breeze went through the particular area before a feminine appeared between Child Emperor and the men. The female was a twelve year old Tatsumaki dressed in a patient's cloth similar to Child Emperor. However, unlike her present self, her entire body was covered in a white aura, including her eyes which were white instead of green.

"I-Its her!" shouted one guy in shock.

"Shoot her or we're dead!" shouted another guy.

Hence, immediately the men fired straight at the duo. At this moment, Child Emperor expected some of the shots to hit him, however they never came. As such, it was at that moment he looked up and saw Tatsumaki standing perfectly fine with numerous bullets floating still directly at her in mid-air.

"Incredible." Child Emperor gasped in awe.

However, the feeling Child Emperor had there wasn't the same with the guards. They were already shaky, as each other of them were clearing shocked and afraid just by the looks on their face.

"We-we're goners." One of them said.

In response, Tatsumaki grinned. Her arm which she hadn't raised at all was then used to turn the bullets to the guards. Hence, before Child Emperor knew it, the bullets were sent back at the men, killing all of them instantly.

"She killed them all…" Child Emperor muttered in shock.

For as long as the kid could remember, he had never seen dead bodies before. However, there he was now, looking fearfully at the dead bloody bodies on the ground. But if that wasn't enough, the one who saved him began to walk pass him like nothing happened.

"W-Wait!" Child Emperor called out. He was now staring at the back of Tatsumaki, to which he then continued. "Y-You're Esper X, aren't you? You killed those men, didn't you?"

Tatsumaki said nothing back. She still had her white aura up as she stood there. But then as she turned to him, all she then was just chirpily smile at him before doing the unexpected. By that, she flew with so much speed that she was a blur, with a wind that push Child Emperor back a bit.

'I have to get out of here now.' Child Emperor instantly concluded.

And indeed, he fulfilled his wish. The kid was able to find an exit, but not without going through some running and evading some guards. Sadly, once he actually got to see the sunlight for the first time in a very long time, he found that his location was in a forest, which sadly put him in a big disadvantage.

So after two days of trying, Child Emperor now found himself lying in the forest. He was dehydrated and physically weak to move on, as obvious by his panting body. His situation only seemed to get worse when he saw vultures circling around him in the sky.

'This is it I guess…' Child Emperor said with a regretful tone. 'My training…my vast intellect…has led to this moment…I guess it's fine…I had nothing waiting for me once I escaped…I was a fool…I have nothing to live for.'

And so, it was with those thoughts that Child Emperor accepted his demise. He didn't feel the will to keep on moving nor could he build up such. Thus, as he blinked slowly, the last things he was saw were the vultures circling him when suddenly something else caught his attention. It was a single figure, which then chased the figure upon arriving at the boy's location.

Huh…what's this? A boy?" asked a female voice.

From the viewpoint of Child Emperor, there wasn't much there. His vision was blurry and his throat was seriously dry of water. Hence, even as the figure flew down to him, he could already feel himself slowly blackout. At the same time, the figure softly placed a little girl that had been on her back on the ground before kneeling next to him and raising his upper body up.

'He's seriously dehydrated….He might die soon.' Tatsumaki thought with concern. Then her eyes went over to a tag on his cloth. ''Child Emperor'…He must be like me and Fubuki…an experiment for Oxform labs.'

And so, Tatsumaki did what she could. She moved her hand in a circular motion and gathered some water in the air around her hand. Then, with a quick move, she guided the water into the mouth of Child Emperor, who then unconsciously drank it and slowly began to gain consciousness.

"Huh…? What's…" Child Emperor questioned

"Hey! You're awake!" Tatsumaki yelled. Her face was directly at the view of the kid as she then continued. "The name is Tatsumaki! I just saved you! You're with me from now on, got it?!"

"Uh…yeah…" Child Emperor muttered. His mind was still a bit dizzy, but he understood mildly on his position. "Thank you…Tatsumaki…I have nowhere else to go…" He said exhaustedly.

Tatsumaki smiled a bit. She could see how physically weak Child Emperor was, and thus watched him slowly become unconscious.

"Hmph…I guess we're in the same boat then." She said.

And so, it was with these words, that Dotei heard and fell unconscious with.