Heart to Heart

Earth, Tokyo December 24, 2017

Takahashi Reo wearing a traditional blue and black kendo gi, was meditating inside his dojo which was just outside his house. Waiting for his idiot son to come in and practice with him.

"You're late." A deep voice sounded out.

"Sorry tou-san but it was snowing outside." complained the 16 year-old boy with wild black hair and deep black eyes.

"Yuuto the distance from the house to the dojo is only 5 feet. There is no room for complaints about the weather." Reo said with a stoic face.

"There is when I have to wear this dumb get up." Yuuto complained with a scowl hating the fact that his strict father has made him take up kendo. "What use does kendo even have in the real world? You can't fight guns with swords."

Yuuto's comment struck a nerve in Reo's heart. Remembering the night his wife died in an armed robbery and holding her in his arms until her last breath. Reo calmed his heart and explained, "Kendo is to mold the body and mind. To cultivate a vigorous spirit and calm the heart. Now get ready."

Reo hoped to teach his son proper manners and to uphold tradition, coming from a long line of kendo practitioners and champions. His son being a delinquent in school and not focusing on his studies bother him.

Being a single parent Reo has a lot of responsibilities to hold and passing down the art of kendo to the next generation is part of that responsibility.

After "educating" Yuuto's body on the art of kendo, Reo took a much need hot bath and prepared for bed. Sleeping in his empty bed Reo reminisced the days of when his wife was still alive and his son was happy.

Closing his eyes Reo was brought into a dark space with a man claiming to be Santa.

***

Earth, Chicago December 25, 2017

Waking up at 2 a.m. in the morning to the sound of thumps and chains rattling, Angelo walks down to the first floor to see Finn punishing a sandbag.

"Hey kid. What happened? You can't sleep?" Angelo asked.

Finn stopped hammering away and took a breath. Finn turned around and looked at Angelo in the eyes and asked, "If you were given powers what would you want it to be?"

"What?" Angelo was confused at such a weird question, but seeing the look in Finn's eyes he answered his question seriously. "Well, it depends on whats going on in the world right now. But being able to fly would be one of my top choices."

Finn sat down on a bench and looked down on the ground. "Why?" he asked.

"Hmm.. being able to fly means you can be free and go where ever you want. And considering the amount of problems the world has, taking a break would be nice." Angelo took a seat next to Finn and looked up at the ceiling.

"You know, technically, if someone who had no interest in this supernatural stuff suddenly asked a question about it, it means that they are in something supernatural." Angelo mused.

Finn sighed, "Something happened to me. Something gave us powers and told us that the world was gonna change." He confessed.

"Us?"

"There were 24 other creatures, I think some were human and others animals."

"You must think I'm crazy right?" Finn asked.

"Wouldn't be the first time." Angelo said jokingly .

A moment of silence took over the room.

"You still seeing red?" Angelo asked.

"Yeah...but I'm good I got him under control." Finn was reminiscing a time when his alter ego got the best of him and started to beat on Angelo.

"What if the powers you received make you evil and turn you into something you don't want to be." Finn asked.

Angelo looked at the solemn Finn and put a hand on his shoulder, "Listen kid powers or no powers, we are who we are. Getting stronger or smarter all of a sudden only brings out your true nature. And I know for a fact that you are not evil."

"Besides there is no good or bad. Only the truth and pain. The truth can bring some people joy, but most of the time it brings pain. And pain is what makes us alive, pain brings us back into reality and tells us to get our shit together."

"Alright good talk." Angelo got up and went back to his room. "And if you did get powers, remember the powers don't decided what you are. You make your own choices. You control your own fate."

Finn was left alone in the room going over Angelo's words in his head. Finn sighed and opened his hand and whispered, "Mask."

A pale white mask with a smiling face materialized onto his open hand, "Merry Christmas."

***

Earth, Russia December 25, 2017

Adam woke up to the birds chittering and the sunlight hitting his chubby little face. Opening his eyes revealed glowing blue iris' on a clear smooth face. Getting out of his bed Adam was greeted by a little wolf pup.

"Hey little guy how are you doing?" Adam greeted the pup and started to cuddle with it. Adam was feeling pure joy hugging his new friend, but he failed to notice that his new friend was expanding and swelling up until.

Boom!

The wolf pup exploded in front of Adam covering his room, face and body in chunks of red and sticky metallic liquid. Adam was stunned and took a full minute to regain his senses.

"Mama..?"