1 Chapter 1

...When I picked you up, you were worthless, even among your own.

Now I've given you, your own fangs , your own claws, however weak...

It's about time to survive on your own. If you live, it will be by your own blood.

If you die... then maybe it was your fate all along. And maybe I shouldn't have intervened in it so long ago..."

...

"Tasha, hello... Mr. Tasha... I hope you're still with us..." A mellow yet smooth voice pulled the boy back out of his memories.

He turned towards its source, a middle aged woman.

While one could not deny that her hardy visage held a certain charm few women would have. On her head, the bun tied from her luscious flowing black hair which had more times distracted men from being able to walk than not.

Her flesh, quite sharp and muscular but not off-puttingly so, instead framing the features all boys and most men would dream to even just catch a glimpse of.

And yet, anyone who saw her now would agree that she was as out of place in the calm and quiet setting of a psychologist's office.

The clean white room instead made her tan-skin all the more eye-catching.

The broken rays of sunlight which flitted in through the small window that was afforded to this office had somehow accentuated her sharp features.

Most Psychologist offices much like this one, were always quite simplistic. Attempting, as much as possible to make sure nothing from some bright wallpapers or the writing on a bottle would distract any of their patients from the problems they themselves bring in for consultation.

Yet for most patients, male or female, her existence alone would make the deliberate unassuming decor of the room moot.

But he was not most patients.

While most patients would be eager to talk to her out of some misguided attraction. He, despite acknowledging that he'd heard her, did nothing beyond it.

Heck, he didn't even breathe louder than a whisper.

Every so often, she would stop clicking her pen with those lithe fingers that stretched out from calloused knuckles, to write something on the ever so slowly contorting notepad.

Other than that, her function was diminished to calling him back to attention every time his mind wandered off, which was not as occasional as she would have preferred.

It wasn't as if he was deliberately trying to be rude to her, she understood that much. It was just... how he was.

Since the day he'd entered here, he hadn't made so much as a peep.

It was a wonder to many, how a 12 year old boy became the way this one did.

The only information she'd gotten of him that was of any worth came from the slight twitch of his eyes.

Those enchantingly green pupils hiding behind that tumble of brown hair told her more in the first 10 minutes of their meeting, than the subsequent four-one hour sessions they had together.

On that first day, she caught those little things dart from point to point. Keeping each gaze for at least 10 seconds, showing that at least, the patient she'd been stuck with wasn't brain dead.

Contrary to that, she felt that he was actually quite intelligent as she almost felt like she was being analyzed while those gem like pupils were being trained on her.

Not the way a male would a female. Not even in the way a person would another person.

The closest she could liken it to, despite her own objections, was the way a forensic pathologist did an autopsy.

At first she'd wanted to disprove herself, almost unable to believe that a child could even give off that kind of vibe.

But by the next session, he'd already lost his interest. Falling into this cycle of silence and daydreaming.

"Tasha..." she called out.

Like before, he simply looked at her to acknowledge that he'd heard her and nothing more.

"... It's the end of our 5th session." She said, a hint of regret laced her voice.

He on the other hand, was content enough as he stood up to face the door and started his walk out.

"We really want to help you..." her voice drifted into his ears as he was two steps away from the door, stopping him in his tracks.

"I understand that maybe it doesn't seem like it to you, we are after all the people who currently hold the man who took care of you in custody..."

"But believe me when I say, he was not taking care of you out of the kindness of his heart..."

"The way you were treated was far from what any human should have to experience, much less a child..."

"And as much as we would like your help in the investigation of his crimes, the main point of this is so that we can get you justice and help you readjust to life here at Atlas properly..."

Tasha remained in the very spot he'd stopped at before, waiting for her to say something.

Seeing this reaction, or lack there of, she could only sigh. Saying those things was already overstepping her bounds, and yet, she'd gained nothing.

"You may leave..." she sighed, holding the notepad up to her face as she leaned into her chair.

Her ears twitching as she heard the door click, followed by the sound of footsteps that faded down the hall.

The silence was short lived, as a set of clicking ones emerged almost as soon as the other faded.

Getting progressively louder before stopping right outside the door.

As it opened, a sweet fragrance wafted into the room. Getting stronger and stronger until the source was right beside her.

The notepad, was lifted off her face as light flooded into her eyes, needing her to readjust to see the blonde lady standing above her.

Unlike her, this lady looked like she fit right in. With her white coat draped over a clean white shirt, her ensemble completed by beige bottoms which puffed up around her legs.

Her voice floated over into her ear, sounding as if it was a whisper in her head, blending in with her own thoughts in an almost hypnotic loop.

"So Mrs. Curtis, how was your session?"

She looked up and stared blankly, non responsive.

"Did you get any proper information out of him?"

Still no answer.

"Y'know, it works for him because no one has even seen him talk. But I've seen you at last year's Christmas party, so as the psychology department head, I can definitely deduce that you're not the type to ever be at a loss for words, even if you have nothing worth while to say."

"Bah! Don't flatter yourself Akagi! Professional psychologist my ass, everyone saw me at the Christmas party, even my dumbest students can say what you just told me without even thinking, an they're as dumb as logs."

"Your students must really look up to you." Akagi said with a sneer.

"They do. Thank you for noticing." Mrs. Curtis replied. "You guys really stuck me with someone troublesome this time..." she complained, but it was cut short when Akagi interrupted.

"We didn't stick you with anything, in fact we would be very happy if you leave him alone and this whole department alone." Akagi explained, but Curtis simply ignored all of it.

"Man where'd you guys be without me..." she continued.

Akagi in turn also ignored her as she continued with her complaints. "Our security budget has been tripled and yet we're still somehow unable to keep you out."

"I better get some show of gratitude once this one's done, I'm pretty tired of cleaning up after you guys with nothing in return." They had somehow started a conversation where neither side acknowledged whatever the other side said. "Don't but Cit-Cats, I know you think getting the holiday versions where they have better packing seems like you're splurging but it's the same thing on the inside, if anything it makes you seem cheaper..."

"Says the one who gave one box of Ferraro-Rochar..." In this war of attrition, Akagi lost.

"What's wrong with Ferraro-Rochar? It's a better brand than Cit-Cat." Curtis retorted.

"For each department! You asked each department to share one 12 piece box." An exasperated Akagi shouted. "Atleast our department only has 7 people, the tech support guys had 23 people. I heard you were there to personally cut each piece into equal pieces."

"I didn't want anyone to feel left out." Curtis explained. "Besides, if you wanted them to get more, why didn't you share the extra pieces from your department."

"You must be tripping, it's 'Ferraro-Rochar'! I wouldn't share my candy if it was a piece of Yapi." Akagi snapped, "And let's see what we need to show gratitude for." She continued, opening the note pad she'd just taken from Mrs. Curtis.

"Oh wow, I'm sure the doodle of a giant fire breathing lizard destroying a cartoon city must have some profound meaning we can use, you are SUCH AN indispensable ASSet..." Akagi said sarcastically, taking a jab at Curtis while she looked through the rest of the note pad, which was similarly filled with incoherent mumbo-jumbo among some admittedly good doodling.

"I like to keep my information in abstract form!" Curtis replied, to which she earned a response in the form of a pitiful stare, "...Yeah, I heard that one, dumb come back, sorry."

"It's fine" Akagi responded while rubbing her temple with her index finger and thumb.

Suddenly they heard a thump from the closet followed by some muffled groans.

"Halloran?" Akagi asked.

Curtis just nodded.

"I thought I already told him to get out of your way so he doesn't get bullied by you anymore." Opening the closet, Akagi pulled out a man who was wrapped up from neck to toe in duck tape.

"Oh he did." Curtis answered.

"Then?" Akagi questioned her. *RIIIIPPP* right before she mercilessly pulled off the duck tape covering his mouth.

"AAAHHH!" The man screamed, he looked at the duck tape in Akagi's hand, it's sticky side made off with some of his beard and then he looked at Akagi accusingly.

"Oops, I thought it was like ripping off a band aid." Akagi shrugged. "Y'know, just pull it straight off."

"Well it's not! And this! This!... Lunatic!" Halloran glared at Curtis. "She said she tied me up simply because it's become a tradition to her!"

"It has! but since you don't understand that, you're going back in there for another 30 minutes!" Curtis said as she stood up and walked towards him.

"No he's not!" Akagi stepped in.

"And why not?" Curtis asked.

"Be.. because..." Akagi hadn't expected a follow up question, or any question at all for that matter, it was one of those things which were just common sense that there was never a need to prepare an answer for it. Like... don't play your music without head phones in public, or don't text and drive.. don't wrap an adult human being in duct tape and throw them in the closet.

Akagi finally resorted to.. "Because... you can't do that to people, that's why."

The man was nearing his fifties but he still sprang up and ran like an 18 year old athlete the moment he was let go.

"So..., it's almost a month now..." Akagi said, watching the door slowly swing shut.

"I need more time." Curtis answered blandly.

"Ask me for something else." A reply immediately came.

"I need more time." She said again, her tone becoming sharper.

"You know I can't hold them off much longer than I already have." Akagi said. "And that was under the condition that he's under our care, it's only a matter of time before they figure out why you've been coming here so frequently and that your visits began as soon as he was in our custody."

"So what's the alternative, give him to Black Gate and just leave him rotting in prison until they figure out what to do with him?" Curtis asked

"They won't treat him like a prisoner, I've talked to them, they'll prepare a proper space for him, give him proper meals, entertainment..." Akagi tried to explain.

"Will he be free to enter and leave as he pleases?" She shot Akagi an accusing look.

Akagi couldn't give an answer to that.

Curtis stood up, her face inches from Akagi's.

"It's a prison." She spoke, her voice soft but firm.

"He would barely be able to survive outside anyway." Akagi reasoned.

"He'll be eaten alive in there!" Curtis's hands were clenched into fists as she screamed, her imposing figure seemingly growing by the second.

Akagi rubbed the bridge between her eyes for a few seconds and sighed "Why?"

"Huh?" Curtis expected an argument, not a question.

"Why're you so adamant on protecting him?"

"We found him in that man's home, who knows what he's been through."

"You know, before all these charges came out, I remember you used to admir.." Her words were cut short by Curtis's glare, in a split second she decided to change her stance. "The hospital gave me his charts, they indicate that he's pretty normal.."

"Does he look normal to you!?" Curtis spat.

"So tell me the truth. Him being in that place is just an excuse." Akagi answered, "If you want me to help, tell me the truth."

"He's like me..." For the first time since the conversation, Curtis looked away, "He's like us..."

"You know the type..." She continued.

"Mmm, the one's who had never gotten a speck of luck in their lives..." Akagi nodded.

"So many didn't make it. 'We'... barely slipped through the cracks, and we're.."

"We're what?" Akagi's eyes were trained on her "Whole?"

"Yeah.. that." Somehow she felt guilty saying it, even though it was what she honestly felt. "With how he is, he's going to need a pretty big crack to be able to slip through."

"And I suppose you plan to hold it open for him?"

"If I have to..." Curtis turned to face her again as soon as those words exited her mouth. "So are you going to help me?"

...

"Ask me for something else."