"So now you understand?" Zazm spoke in a low voice as he glanced at his side towards Kiyo, who stood there frozen in place still trying to comprehend what he had just heard.
Zazm didn't speak anything for a while and the silence continued to linger between them. He looked up at the night sky, "I didn't realize the sky was this clean and beautiful here."
A smile appeared on Zazm's face as he closed his eyes enjoying the breeze hitting his hair, he let out a relieved sigh.
"I understand everything and I promise, I won't tell anyone anything." Kiyomasa spoke with a determined voice, his eyes filled with a sense of duty.
"Kiyo, what is it that you understand?" Zazm didn't looked back nor opened his eyes, he simply stood there enjoying the wind.
"I understand that we don't know why we have these powers but what we do know is that the world's in danger and we have to save it."
A small chuckle escaped Zazm's lips, 'As I expected he is too narrow minded.'
Zazm turned around and looked Kiyomasa straight into the eyes, "You're half correct."
Kiyomasa tilted his head in confusion, he asked him in a confused voice, "Half?"
Zazm nodded and lifted a finger, "I'm no hypocrite Kiyo, nor am I a liar. I would be honest with you, my goal is not to save mankind or whatever, I'm simply to satisfy my own curiosities and the reason I want to save it is because if the multiverse gets destroyed I also won't have a place to live."
The words hung in the air like a heavy weight, Zazm didn't fliched nor did he moved his eyes from Kiyo, Kiyo looked back at Zazm who was simply smiling but his eyes contained something else-something deep, perhaps....
"Yes you are right you are selfish but for your own selfishness you are still doing something good. So, I would help you as best as I can."
Zazm's smile disappeared, he spoke in an harsh tone, "The world isn't some children's playground where we can just use these powers to fix everything, it'll require alot of thing and possibly everything, do you understand the weight of your words?"
Kiyomasa nodded, his eyes filled with determination and understanding he was about to say something when Zazm continued.
"Why are you so hell bent on saving others?" Kiyomasa looked down as if hiding from Zazm's gaze.
He clenched his fists, "Why shouldn't I? I know it's pretty naive of me to think I can save others and I always gets in trouble for this. I know if I didn't get involved with anyone I would be much happy but..." His voice started breaking.
A soft smile appeared on Zazm's face, he walked towards Kiyo and spoke in a light voice, "You're wrong, Kiyo. You aren't not naive, instead you're a great person."
Kiyomasa looked at Zazm, his eyes filled with something sad and nostalgic, his words weren't hollow they held meaning and understanding.
"Helping others, standing up for them is a virtue not everyone has. The world is full of cowards like me, cowards who think that ignoring others would solve their problems or others don't matter to them."
Zazm put a hand Kiyomasa's shoulder, he stood beside him, Kiyomasa glanced at Zazm who stood next to him.
"The reflection of our truest selves is found in the eyes of those we aid. To turn away from this mirror is to lose the very essence of our existence, and thus, all that is."
"So what you mean is that by helping others I'm also helping myself?" Kiyomasa questioned Zazm with a genuinely curious expression.
Zazm nodded and continued, "Helping others help us understand ourselves and mistakes. It makes us a better person."
A smile appeared on Kiyomasa's face, he had spent his life hearing people calling his childish or Naive but it was the first time someone genuinely said something good to him.
"I'll follow you." Zazm put his hands in his pockets and a small chuckle escaped his lips, "Are you sure you won't regret it?"
"No I won't. Oh and..." Zazm turned around to listen to Kiyomasa's question.
"As you said besides us only this Jahanox guy has powers, but you knew about his and your powers because of the mark. What if there are more like me with powers but no marks?" He tilted his head in confusion.
Zazm's smirk widened as he spoke in an excited tone, "You're right, Kiyo, you're smart but.... I'm smarter."
"Hey, What does that mean?" He asked him in a curious tone.
"I have already set my threads to move in an order instead of just flowing, they would go to different parts of the world getting in contact with several other threads and if they came across some special threads I would know."
Zazm finished his smirk still playing on his lips, Kiyo's eyes widened in disbelief, "Wow, you're amazing!"
"Told ya, now let's go home it's late." Zazm started walking his steps slow when a sudden question made him stop.
"Aren't you forgetting something? Like my powers?" Zazm looked around as a sweat tickled down his spine, 'Crap, I forgot.'
"Ah sorry, I forgot. Your power is...." Zazm spoke and Kiyomasa's eyes started glowing with excitement.
"Your power...." Kiyomasa nodded as he became more excited and his heart jumped up and down.
A mischievous grin appeared on Zazm's face, 'It won't be right to leave this opportunity', he was going to have some fun.
"Your power is to blow up." Zazm spoke with the same mischievous grin but poor Kiyo oblivious to Zazm's traps.
"To blow up.... Like to create explosions?" He quickly lifted both of his hands in excitement his happiness could be seen in his eyes and gesture.
Zazm raised his hand signalling him to calm down, "Not to blow up things but to blow up yourself and it only works once."
Kiyomasa felt something inside of him die, his face turned pale and he lost all hope, "So like I can self destruct?"
Zazm nodded with a serious attitude and Kiyomasa felt even more hollow, he spoke in an empty and sad voice, "So, I'm like a creeper?"
Zazm nodded again with the same serious attitude and he spoke in a determined voice, "Don't worry, you're quite useful, imagine the reason the error in multiverse occured is because of a strong person, then we'll blow you up saving the world s."
Kiyomasa let out a dry laugh, "Yes, that's a good idea." But inside he felt hollow, he felt like his entire world crumbled before it even begun, he lost something he didn't even had.
Kiyomasa turned around and started walking dully and slowly when Zazm spoke in the same voice, "Oh did I tell you, that if you bleed you'll blow up?"
"WHATTT?" Kiyomasa who was just sad up until this moment was now extremely worried, "SO, IF THAT HAPPENED EVERYONE AROUND ME WILL DIE TOO?"
Zazm shook his head, "No!"
A pang of relief washed over Kiyomasa, he was about to say something but Zazm once again interrupted, "Not just the people around you but the entire earth will go Ka-Boom."
Kiyomasa fell to his knees, scared and terrified, "wh-what type of fate is this?"
'He won't start crying, WOULD HE?' Zazm let out a dry laugh as he decided to act on those thoughts.
"Hey, now don't start crying." Zazm spoke in a carefree tone a smile etched on his face.
"Don't start crying?" Zazm glanced at Kiyomasa who looked like an anime protagonist before the rage scene.
"DONT START CRYING WHEN I CAN KILL THE WHOLE WORLD??" A tear fell down Kiyomasa's eye and his voice started breaking.
'Oh God, I took it too far.' Zazm quickly rushed towards Kiyomasa signaling him to calm down.
"Hey, Kiyo calm down man, I was joking." Kiyomasa glanced at Zazm who stood there with a smile. He asked him in a low voice, "So I won't explode?"
Zazm shook his head.
"Nor would I blow up the world?" His eyes still filled with tears and his voice low and concerning.
Zazm shook his head again, "Nah man, your power is elemental manipulation."
The words hung in the silence, the declaration of Zazm's words caused Kiyomasa to momentarily froze, "Elemental manipulation? Like controlling fire, water?"
Zazm nodded, "Well it's not exactly manipulation, since your powers allows you to also create-I mean throw like fire from your hands and stuff, so it's more like elemental creation or smth."
Kiyomasa got up his earlier sadness replaced by excitement he quickly got up and wiped his tears.
Zazm looked at the now happy Kiyomasa and a smile also appeared on his lips, he turned around to walk back.
Kiyomasa tightly grabbed him from behind, "THANKKK YOUU" He started hugging Zazm and spoke in an excited tone.
"Oi, GET AWAY FROM ME." Zazm started pushing Kiyomasa away and finally managed to get away and fixed his clothes.
"So how do I use my powers?" The Kiyomasa with now glowing eyes asked Zazm in an excited tone, the excitement was way too much for someone like Zazm.
"Well think of creating an arrow from wind or something."
Kiyomasa tilted his head and raised his hand, he closed his eyes and started visualizing an arrow.
'An arrow, An arrow,' he thought to himself.
The wind started to whirl around his hand and started creating a lot of gusts, A thrilling smirk appeared on Zazm's face as he saw this happened.
Kiyomasa opened his eyes and saw the wind gathering in his hand but before he could shape it into an arrow it dispersed back in the atmosphere.
"Well I thought it won't be that easy." Kiyomasa turned around to Zazm with a smile.
"But I don't understand why did you asked me to use wind?"
"You can't create elements right now, you can manipulate them only. So for manipulation the element should be present around you and I don't see any fire or water here."
Kiyomasa nodded his head in understanding, "Don't worry I'll practice and I promise I'll help you with all my powers."
Zazm's smirk widened, "Well, that's that let's go home."
Kiyomasa nodded as he started jumping towards the exit.
"Wait, that'll take a lot of time and....I suppose you haven't noticed but it's 1am." Zazm rubbed his neck acknowledging his mistake.
Kiyomasa quickly ran towards Zazm, "wh-what that late? We have to hurry up."
Zazm put his hands in his pockets, "Well I can take us there and don't worry, I'll explain something to your parents."
A soft smile appeared on Kiyomasa's lips, along with a hint of sadness, "That's nice of you but don't worry about it."
He turned around and started walking when Zazm slapped him on the back, Kiyomasa tried and nearly fell down, "What's with the attitude huh? We're friends now and you do what I say."
Zazm spoke in a mocking and authorive voice, Kiyomasa also smiled and spoke in a low tone, his voice barely above a whisper, "Friend, huh..."
"What did ya say?" Zazm asked but Kiyomasa simply shook his head as if he was just imagining things.
"Fine Fine now, tell me where your house is?"
Zazm asked him
"Oh it's close to the place we met." Zazm looked around before he lift his hand and closed his eyes.
Kiyomasa looked at him in confusion but just as Zazm opened his eyes, he felt a sudden instinctive fear. Zazm's eyes were now completely black with a beautiful white design In place of his pupils.
"Wow!" He exclaimed in awe and surprise, Zazm looked scary but he also looked hella cool to Kiyo.
Kiyo looked in surprise and awe as he didn't know what to say, the portal once again opened informt of his eyes and he was once again frozen in place from it's beauty and surprise.
"Don't admire it, just jump inside." After saying that Zazm walked into the portal.
"Hey, wait for me." Kiyomasa also ran towards the portal and just as he crossed the portal, he found himself standing in the same place.
"We're in luck that the streets are empty and no one saw us." Zazm spoke with a smirk as he looked at Kiyomasa.
"Let's go which way is your house?" Zazm asked Kiyomasa and he started walking in a direction.
"Just follow me," They both started walking as the night wind created a silence between them, the newly found friendship was a surprise for both of them.
None of them expected something like this to happen today. "So you live with your parents? Any sibling?"
Kiyomasa shook his head as a soft smile appeared on his lips, "Nope, I live with my grandmother. My parents died when I was a kid."
"I-I see..."the sudden confrontation caught Zazm off guard and he found himself not knowing what to say.
"You don't have to go quiet like that." Kiyomasa looked at Zazm who walked speechlessly.
"Well, I just didn't know what to say." Zazm's voice contained a hint of sadness.
"Don't worry, I'm used to it." Before the could speak anything else, Kiyomasa turned to a corner, "Oh look, we're here."
The porch light flickers on as Kiyomasa presses the doorbell. A moment later, the door opens, revealing Kiyomasa's grandmother, her face etched with worry.
"Kiyomasa! Where have you been? It's after one in the morning!" Her voice, though stern, trembled slightly. She then noticed Zazm, her eyes widening slightly. "And who is this?"
Kiyomasa, his voice soft, replied, "Grandma, this is Zazm. We... we lost track of time."
Zazm stepped forward, offering a gentle smile.
"Good evening, ma'am. I'm Zazm. I'm very sorry for keeping Kiyomasa out so late. It was my fault, really. We were talking, and before we knew it, the hours had flown by. I'll make sure it doesn't happen again."
Grandma's gaze softened, but a hint of concern lingered. "Talking? At this hour? You had me worried sick."
Kiyomasa's eyes were filled with remorse. "I'm so sorry, Grandma. I know I should have called."
Zazm added, "He tried to tell me it was getting late, but I insisted we keep going. I take full responsibility."
Grandma looks at Zazm, then back to Kiyomasa. "Well, you're both safe, and that's what matters. But you need to be more careful. It's not safe to be out so late." She paused, then, with a softer tone, "Come in, both of you. It's too late to be standing out here."
As they stepped inside, Zazm turned to Kiyomasa, a small, reassuring smile on his face. "See? It's alright. Just a little worried, as expected."
Kiyomasa nodded, a slight sigh of relief escaping him. "Thank you, Zazm. I'm glad you explained."
Grandma, leading them into the living room, added, "I'm surprised, it's the first time, Kiyo had bringed a friend over."
Zazm softly laughed, "Haha, well there is a frost for everything."
The tension in the mood had finally lightened, Zazm looked around the house and the glint in his eyes flickered, 'It must be hard for her to raise a kid alone.'
He looked at the grandma with admiration. The grandma quickly pointed them to sit down and Zazm followed Kiyomasa from behind they both got seated and Kiyomasa's grandmother served them some food.
"Thank you very much." Zazm said as he started eating the food, he looked back at grandma with surprised eyes, "This is great."
A smile appeared on Kiyomasa's lips, "I know, right?"
Grandma also smiled, "Well, I've been cooking since I was a kid."
They all laughed the atmosphere was nice and filled with a soft peaceful sensation. "Hey, Zazm, I got a question to ask."
Zazm signaled him with his head while still enjoying the food, "You said you travel around the world often, so can you tell me a bit about it? I'm planning to go study foreign."
"Ye-h sure I kan," Zazm spoke with food filled in his mouth. Zazm spoke in the same chill voice after chewing the food, "Well you should definitely start practicing your English, since it's important."
Hearing their conversation grandma laughed, "He's been learning English since he was a kid, I assure you he's better than you."
Zazm looked at Kiyomasa in surprise who now looked embarrassed, "Well that's so cool Kiyo."
Zazm started quickly eating more and just for that one brief moment he looked at the grandma and his eyes widened in surprise.
He momentarily froze at what he saw, his hand trembled a little. "Everything ok, Zazm?" Zazm looked at Kiyomasa who was looking at him with worried eyes.
Zazm realized what he had done and his smile returned though this time it was hard to smile, "Ye-yes I'm fine, I just got lost in taste of the delicious food."
"Well that's just how great my grandma is," they both continued eating but grandma noticed the shift in Zazm's attitude, she quickly caught it and also somewhat understood it.
They finally finished the dinner and Zazm was just about bid them farewell before going back.
"Kiyomasa was the dishes," the grandma spoke in a low tone. Kiyomasa tilted his head and nodded, "Wait, grandma let me just say bye to Zazm then I'll."
"Go do when I told you to, kid." Kiyomasa quickly said bye to Zazm and rushed to the kitchen with dishes.
"Then I'll take my leave, Thank yo-" Zazm was bidding farewell with a soft smile on his face when grandma interrupted him.
"You can see something, don't you?" Her voice was soft yet it carried a weight.
Zazm was momentarily caught off guard by the question but he didn't lose his calm, he spoke in the same voice, "see what?"
"If you don't wanna tell me then don't buy I believe there are special people in the world that can see stuff."
Zazm quickly thought to himself for a while, 'for her I'm some type of person who can see stuff, huh?' he softly smiled at her naiveness.
'I guess now we know where Kiyo got it,' He was just lost in his thought when grandma continued.
"Kiyo's parents died when he was 3, I raised him ever since then but it wasn't easy raising a kid at my age. I know everything about him, he never made a single friend and was always alone yet he never complained. He's just that nice of a kid, you're the first friend he has ever made."
Zazm's smile faltered for a a minute before he replied to grandma with a soft smirk, "Don't worry, once someone becomes my friend I take upmost care of them and they aren't free from me as long as they are alive."
The grandma softly laughed before Zazm got up, "Ok, it's late I'm going home, thank you for the food."
He got out of the house and started walking on the empty streets at night, he turned around once again and stood there glancing at the house, his eyes filled with something that was hard to grasp.
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