Interlude 2 - The cursed child

Maki Zenin

There are points in life where you wonder, 'Why the fuck did I do that?' and honestly Maki wasn't particularly acquainted with the question. What she wanted to do she would do it, there was no filter nor any social walls that she wouldn't break for the simple act of doing what she saw fit.

The last time she asked this stupid question to herself, was after an incident with her family way back when she was still a fucking squirt. Weakness was a staple at that point in life, and the consequences had been damning, leading to her trigger event.

Fuck, she hated thinking about that time.

But it was the last time she asked herself this idiotic question, the last time she truly doubted her own choices. Until now apparently.

Stopping at a red light, Maki took the opportunity to take a peek at her passenger.

The kid was still looking out of the car window, with no changes on his face since the end of the interview yet she could still tell that he was trying to take it all in.

Watching as multitudes of people walked on the streets, a wave of masses threatening to engulf you, hundreds of cars on the roads, and just as many shiny shops with flashing lights.

Hasifa tried to hide it, if it had been anyone else then he would have concealed it completely. Fortunately, she wasn't just a Brute 7, Changer 1, there was a small part of her power that allowed Maki to catch glimpses of his true feelings.

A small thing, that was absently documented in her files right next to her changer ability while power testing. A small Combat Precognition that many researchers of the PRT believed was acquired to complement her major Brute power earning a Thinker 3 rating, and thank goodness they stopped at that mark, she really didn't want them to try and dig deeper than that.

It was simply stated as precognition, but Maki knew that it wasn't anything like that. There were no glimpses of what the opponent was going to do, there was no intuition or instinct on what action to take to win the fight. People had 'tells' on every action they took, be it a sign of wanting to talk, increasing their speed, and even when they had something in mind. Her power made it so in her eyes, those 'tells' became so prominent it's virtually impossible to ignore it.

A slight flex of a hand told her they were readying for a right hook, a crease of the brow showing her exactly how worried someone was. As such she could catch some peeks of the emotions hidden beneath a mask of stoicism Hasifa seemed to wear without tiring, his frown when he became angry, the flexing of his cheek in what could generously be called a smile, and now his shock at witnessing New York's nightlife.

Sometimes Maki wondered if the precognition was manifested like that because of her old home. Where the slightest disrespect could earn you punishment, an annoyed huff meant going days without food. It was a shitty life, and if you weren't able to recognize the signs of abuse before they reached you meant misery.

Fuck, again with the dark thoughts. She hadn't given a shit about home for so long, the hell changed?

The answer of course, chose exactly that second to speak "Not moving?" he looked away from the sidewalk filled to the brim with New Yorkers, his beautiful clear blue eyes meeting hers in obvious curiosity.

Shit, this kid also had the face of a lady killer. With beautiful silky silver hair that Maki severely doubted was natural, a nice soft face that makes one want to squish it for all it was worth, and of course those fucking eyes.

The blank face that would normally not go well with most men, somehow Hasifa managed to rock it even with his faint visage.

"Light's red, mean we can't go until it turns green." And yet it was these innocent questions that made Maki grip the steering wheel harder, trying to calm herself from the bubble of anger that formed.

Satisfied, which she only noticed thanks to her power, he turned back to watch people streaming by. The light turned green and she drove forward.

A child soldier.

Hasifa was a fucking child soldier.

Maki was familiar with the term, hell she was friends with Hannah who told her in confidence about her shitty childhood. Maki had been abused, tormented physically and mentally, yet even she had been horrified by Miss Militia's retelling of her time in the Middle East.

The problem of course, was the fact that he was nothing like Hannah, in fact Hasifa seemed to have the comparatively worse experience between the two of them.

The way he talked, how he held himself and the complete denial of giving away his weapons. It screamed of past trauma in such an obvious way that Maki couldn't understand how the PRT thought it prudent to hold him in a fucking viewing cell alone for two hours.

'Mission accomplished', phrases like these that he seemed to spout so confidently and disinterested, showed that he had been fighting for years at least and unlike Hannah who was rescued, Hasifa adapted to his new surroundings and did everything he could to survive.

Hell, those guns still strapped in his person were apparently taken from dead bodies!

The question then remained, how did he get here? And it was answered "Satan, sent me", of course, it wasn't actually Satan, most probably a cape who took advantage of a kid who didn't look a day over fourteen. Why they did such a thing was still a mystery, something Watchdog was gonna be busy with, on top of calculating the ramifications of the Nine being dismantled.

Four people, this brat who didn't look a day over fourteen had killed four of the most dangerous capes in the entire country in a single afternoon.

It was another reason for doubting his explanation of not being a Parahuman, coupled with his inability to speak proficient English and his clear lack of educational background it seemed more likely that Hasifa simply didn't know that he was a cape.

She wasn't particularly scared of him and felt pretty confident about her chances of subduing him before things got out of hand, not that it would be needed, Hasifa has been obediently following her words since both of them left the PRT.

He killed people, so what? Back in Tokyo, without a proper organization like the Protectorate for Capes, vigilantes were commonplace. She killed her fair share of people as Noro, and finally, after moving to the US where promises of things getting better were whispered in her ear, she was immediately placed in the Critical Roster.

Fucking assholes.

Ah shit, since he's staying at her place she's gonna have to teach him everything he needs to know, right?

Dammit, and she had been saving up her free days for the Holidays, what a drag.

As they passed through the streets, Maki noticed how Hasifa's eyes appeared to gain a small sparkle at seeing people dance together in public to loud pop music.

Yeah, he might be the new hotshot at the moment, a dangerous variable, or whatever that has upset the current status quo. But right here, as he marveled upon seeing multiple large digital TVs replaying an old cartoon, Maki couldn't see the Storm that had trampled the Slaughterhouse Nine.

She withheld a chuckle as they drove past the TV and Hasifa pressed his face against the glass window to try and keep watching.

Maybe this wouldn't be so bad.

It didn't take too long to reach her apartment, a little thing in the suburbs that was about a ten-minute drive from her workplace.

While her salary as a Procetorate cape, emergency rooster, and the few in-between promotional ads that she did gave in quite a lot of cash, Maki wasn't particularly picky about her place.

It had a few bedrooms, a bathroom, a kitchen, and a living room. That was all she needed, never really giving any thought to getting a bigger house, it honestly just sounded more exhausting to keep the place tidy.

Though maybe with the new addition to her place, she would need to look for a bigger place to stay, teenage boys needed their privacy and shit.

Fuck, once again Maki grimaced, she acted impulsively allowing her emotions to make decisions instead of thinking things through. The second some higher up told her that the interview was up and Hasifa would be taken into custody until they knew what to do with him she acted without thinking.

Children with no strings attached were often the targets of very unsolicited attention, even more so when they were capes. Hasifa might think he is not one, but even if he wasn't, his skill alone would make it so that the PRT would do anything to keep a leash on his ass.

At least by taking him in and acting as a surrogate guardian, Maki could give him a bit of breathing room to not be overwhelmed, and act as a buffer to actually give him a place to stay.

Once again, Maki dreaded having to spend her earned free days to have enough time to teach this kid, but goddammit she fucking chose and now she will live with the consequences!

There was a lull of silence, one Hasifa didn't seem to mind, and honestly neither did she. They reached her apartment after getting out of the car and were simply waiting for the elevator.

Hasifa was subtle, yet she caught him glancing at corners, the way his body tensed when people walked past them.

He was ready to spring into action at any moment, everyone and everything here was a threat in his eyes, only with various priorities.

She took a step forward into the elevator, before noticing that the kid seemed to stare at it in wonder. Taking a cautionary step forward and finally entering after looking at her.

Holy shit, when will this pity end? Every time she thinks it's enough, he goes and does something that even her cold heart can't help but pity.

Finally, she fished out her keys from her coat, also connected with three more and a small plastic cat face figurine.

One she quickly hid when the brat looked at it curiously.

Fuuuck, that's embarrassing.

Flushing slightly in shame from her teenage years, Maki unlocked the door and walked in, what greeted her was a dark hallway, two doors to the left and two doors on the right, at the end of the hallway there was a living room connected to the kitchen.

Home sweet home.

"Take your shoes off at the entrance, don't want anything dirty." Absently she walked to the kitchen, opened the fridge, and finally with a relieved sigh popped out a cold beer.

Day was fucked, time to enjoy herself at last.

Hasifa came soon after, eying the place down with enough analysis circling behind his eyes she was pretty sure he could give a thinker a run for their money.

Anyways, other matters "Go take a shower kid, I'll leave some clothes outside when you're finished. It's the first door to the left."

Not even a slight fluster, Hasifa simply locked eyes with her and nodded, finally putting down, his two small guns strapped on his lower back on the kitchen table, and setting the large duffel bag he was carrying around - which she was pretty sure had another gun - below it.

He noticeably kept the pistol, and she didn't do anything to take it away from him. As far as she was concerned if he felt better having a gun at all times then he could keep it.

Without much fanfare he turned around and disappeared into the hallway, Maki couldn't really see it since she decided to lie down on the sofa.

Damn, the kid just doesn't relax, maybe she'll show him a few TV runs, that ought to grab his attention right?

While relaxing on the sofa, Maki almost had a heart attack when a loud shriek burst out through her apartment.

"Who the fuck are you?!"

Oh shit, her sister.