Noise.
The cacophony swallowed him whole.
What is all that noise?
I can't even dream in peace.
Tears welled up and slid down his cheeks, hot and unrelenting.
Every day. Every damn day—it's the same.
Is it too much to ask for a moment of silence? Just once... just once to feel normal?
All I want is a goodlife. Anormallife.
But even that—he couldn't have, could he?
He opened his eyes, only to be met with the weight of his own thoughts. He almost wished he hadn't.
That'senoughouttayou, he scolded himself.
The Kaiju wiped the tears from his eyes with the back of his hand. No more lies.
Once, he wouldn't have dared deceive himself. It would've been beneath him. Now? He clung to comforting falsehoods like a drowning man to driftwood.
I'mpathetic. Iknowthat. MaybeIshouldjustendithere. Lifenevergavemeachance.
He shook his head slowly.
Iwasdoomedfromthestart. AllI'mdoingispostponingtheinevitable.
He tried to summon rage to fight the despair but found only loathing. Resignation. The longer he sat in these thoughts, the heavier they became. Still... at least for now, he was safe.
The sun beat down overhead—late afternoon. He stirred, rising like a ghost from the ashes of some ancient tomb.
His surroundings swam before his eyes—unfamiliar, blurred. Then, in a flash of clarity, it hit him.
He was free.
The thought gripped him like lightning. His breath caught. For the first time in what felt like eternity—he was free.
Yet the first flutter of worry crept into his gut. It gurgled and twisted with the hunger gnawing at him. He glanced into the small pouch at his side: no food, no money, no water.
Freedom, it turned out, was terrifying.
Even the Foundation's reach couldn't find him here—not easily. But with nothing to his name, he was a step away from collapse.
Fragments of memory clawed their way to the surface—fractured, jagged. A creeping unease threaded through him like rot beneath the skin.
Man... Ifeelsleepy, he thought, blinking against the sun. He leaned on the staircase railing, body trembling from exhaustion.
The world shifted—slowed. His vision blurred, sounds twisted. Phantom shapes danced at the edges of his sight. He couldn't even recall his assignment anymore, just that it had once mattered.
Anxiety surged, swelling to the brink of panic.
Mybody'sglitchy, he muttered internally, a hand pressed to his temple. ButIcan'tstopnow. Somethingimportant...somethingurgent.
Passersby gave him odd looks—some lingered. They saw something uncanny, something that didn't belong. But with a blink, their eyes moved on, unsure of what they'd seen.
He ignored them. His thoughts spun like a storm. Then, his eyes locked onto a glass panel—
And there he was.
His own reflection.
A flicker of violence tickled the edges of his mind. A dark voice whispered: Endit. Allofthem.Quietthenoise.Silencethechaos.
A feral grin curled his lips. His eyes flashed red. He could do it. Just a snap of the fingers—snapoftheneck.
But I'm better than that, he countered quickly, the madness slipping back into shadow. He tore his gaze away. There was no hunger for blood in him, not really. He had no enemies.
Then—movement. Laughter.
Teenagers zipped by on skates and incline boards, their joy bright as wildfire. Reckless and wild, they moved like streaks of color across the dull canvas of the city.
The Kaiju stared, transfixed. No helmets—just hats and sunglasses, doing tricks that defied logic and gravity. The crowd watched in awe.
Primitivetechnology, he thought.
But still... it looked fun.
His eyes followed one skater in particular—a tall, broad-shouldered blonde boy with a cocky smile and natural flair. He oozed arrogance. But the Kaiju's gaze drifted past him—
To her.
She moved like a ripple in still water. Orange hair spilled like liquid fire down her back. She held a book, a football helmet, and rollerblades, radiating calm confidence.
The Kaiju watched as she sat, tied her skates, and tucked her hair into the helmet—strands of copper catching the sun like flares of light.
He swallowed hard, heart skipping. Something about her tugged at him.
His attention snapped back to the skate track. More teens played a fast-paced game—darting, leaping, launching a glowing ball into high-mounted hoops.
He gasped in awe. Howdotheymovelikethat?
He hadn't fled the Foundation for nothing. This... this was exhilarating.
Suddenly, a red rubber ball bounced off the court, stopping at his feet. He bent down, examining it curiously.
"Hey! Hey, you—!"
He looked up. A teen on skates waved his arms frantically. Shaved head, lean build, brown eyes full of urgency.
Orenji.
The Kaiju looked around, then made quick hand signs. You mean me?
"Yes, you! Toss the ball! That round thing! Toss it!"
The Kaiju tilted his head, tucked the ball under his arm, and signed again.
Orenji's face twisted in disbelief. "Are you serious right now?! I can't read that! JUST THROW IT!"
With a huff, the Kaiju rolled his eyes and threw the ball—too hard. It slammed into Orenji's gut and knocked him flat.
He winced. Thatmight'vebeentoomuch.
He rushed over as Orenji groaned, "No. I'm alive. Barely. You definitely broke something. Probably my ribs."
The Kaiju extended a hand, his expression apologetic. Orenji hesitated—then grinned and took it. With a firm pull, he was on his feet.
"Aaagh! My hand!" he cried. "What are you made of, concrete? You don't talk much, do you?"
The Kaiju gave a reluctant nod. His eyes dropped. He signed again: Sorry. Here. The ball. Then pointed at the track. What game is that? Looks fun.
"Oh, that? That's Rollerball. Only the most popular sport ever."
Orenji paused. The Kaiju's blank stare said it all.
"Wait. How do you not know Rollerball?"
The Kaiju smiled—awkward, forced. Inside, he was spiraling. He had to hide what he was. Stay unpredictable.
Orenji studied him. That smile was a lie, and he knew it. But something told him not to press.
"Okay. Sure. Why not?" he said.
The Kaiju exhaled in relief. But his thoughts drifted—past Orenji, beyond the sport, to the city itself. The buzzing roads. The money. The guards. The order.
Then—he saw them.
Police officers. And worse—
A Centurion.
Nine feet tall. Metallic. Three-legged. Spider-like. Designed to hunt. To scan. To kill.
And they were here.
Hunting him.
His heart plummeted.