CHAPTER 33 : MEI & KHALID, ORIGIN PART 2

My phone... it fell out of my pocket and into the wet mud."Turn on, turn on... Come on!" Khalid tried repeatedly to turn on his phone, but it still wouldn't power on. He finally gave up and just put the phone aside."Yeah... goodbye, Khalid."Mei...Tears welled up in his eyes as Khalid clenched his fists and softly pounded on the table. Memories from his high school days flashed through his mind, and the image of Mei with her small smile surfaced."Damn it..."Mei, I miss you. There's something I want to say to you...But there are too many obstacles. I can't bring myself to say it. Because I'm afraid of the obstacles I'll face.At the very least, I just want to talk to you.I want to talk to you, Mei.Why didn't I think of memorizing your phone number? I'm such an idiot.Khalid and Mei walked out of the convenience store, having bumped into each other by chance. Mei tucked the comic magazine she bought into a plastic bag."Do you stay at a hostel?" Khalid asked. Mei glanced at him."No, I have a house here," Mei replied."Let me give you a ride home," Khalid offered."Th-There's no need, it's not that far...""It's alright, I'm already heading that way." Khalid showed her his car keys.Khalid drove Mei home while she gazed out the window. They passed several brightly lit shop buildings. Khalid glanced at Mei for a moment."Thanks, Khalid," Mei said as she stood in front of her house."You're welcome. See you tomorrow," Khalid replied with a smile, raising his hand. Mei bowed her head slightly while hugging the comic magazine she had just bought. Khalid watched Mei until she went inside.Mei hasn't changed much...Still the same as before, huh? Somehow, I feel relieved she hasn't changed much.The door to Chyou's room closed slowly as Mei walked away from her brother's room. Her face was blank and sorrowful. She clutched at her chest before collapsing weakly onto the floor."Please tell me... so I can understand..." Mei whispered to herself. Her hands tightened around her clothes, and tears fell as her irises began to shift, her eyes glowing red.My mutant powers activated that night...Without meaning to, I pulled both myself and Chyou into our connected Mind Dimension."Chyou!""Sis!"Mei and Chyou were falling, almost plunging into the darkness, with many hands reaching out, trying to grab Mei, who was closest to the abyss.We were trapped in the Mind Dimension for what felt like months, though it seemed like days.We fought many creatures inside the Mind Dimension. I had to face awful emotions, manifesting as monsters that tormented both me and Chyou.If we didn't fight back, I'm certain we would have turned into Strays. But with our mutations growing stronger and evolving...I gained my second power, Psychic, to fight back against the monsters. Chyou developed his Invincible power because he wanted to hide from the people who made him feel weak...Our sibling bond grew closer. I could see and understand Chyou on a deeper level by living inside his mind, and he could see what was going on in mine.It was all painful, but we eventually escaped the Mind Dimension."Sis!" Chyou cried out in fear. Mei looked incredibly weak, her face flushed, and her body burning with fever.Chyou used his power to find the nearest clinic. We teleported to many places, but most nearby clinics were closed because it was already late at night. I couldn't even move my body... I felt so weak.That very night... we encountered our first Stray in the real world..."Kyaaarrrghhhh!" A Stray that is a mix of a human and a giant crow attacked, swinging its sharp wings toward Chyou and Mei.With the remaining strength, Mei raised her hand toward the Stray.Out of options and understanding, I used my power to kill the Stray by completely destroying its brain.But when I used my power again while my body was weak. My heartbeat weakened, and I struggled to breathe..."Sister...Sister!...Not like this...Sister!" Chyou called out to Mei several times, seeing the Stray that resembled a crow lying motionless on the ground. Mei's vision blurred as she tried to breathe again."It would be a waste if you died here...Mei. Because I'm good, I will help you." Sui'ra appeared from the sky, and Chyou looked at her with a skeptical expression.Sui'ra took me and Chyou to the hospital. There, I was able to stabilize and didn't need to be warded since my body healed overnight. As Chyou and I were about to walk home..."You must have a lot of questions, right? About what happened?" Sui'ra appeared while Mei and Chyou were at the bus station."Wh-Who are you?" Mei asked."My name is Sui'ra," Sui'ra replied with a smile.We chose to follow Sui'ra. He took us to an old building in the middle of the forest, with his spaceship located there. Sui'ra explained everything we asked.I tried to enter his mind, but I couldn't get into his head. Even so, I knew I couldn't trust him..."Your power allows you to turn others into Mutants or Strays; it's an interesting power. Show me something interesting...Mei," Sui'ra said as Chyou and Mei walked out of her building.For some reason, Sui'ra seemed to focus more on me than on Chyou."My brother and I, we have powers," Mei suddenly said while she was with Khalid at a cafeteria. Khalid turned to her."Huh? What?" he asked, confused."You heard me."I showed that I had powers to Khalid. Out there, there are dangerous enemies. I need to gather people I can trust, for the safety of the public. To fight the Strays...To fulfill our long-held dreams."Ziaaaarrrghhhh!" Khalid was facing a Stray that resembled a dragon with large wings. Mei was merely observing from outside Khalid's Mind Dimension."Do it, Khalid... I see what you want..."My life is boring... My dreams are killed because I have no choice but to follow others! Because I need to follow my father's life...Out there, they need a hero? Fine, I'll be a hero! I will be a superhero for them!Look at me!Look at me, Mei!Look at how I'm fulfilling our dreams!"Transform! Wild Card, Beast Tiger! Weapon, Claw Sword!" Khalid, with a confident smile, inserted the Beast Tiger and Claw Sword cards into his Hero Armored belt.The Beast Tiger armor and Claw Sword were created for the first time, and Khalid immediately ran towards the Dragon Stray, raising his weapon. Mei smiled watching Khalid.Can you see it, Mei?I see you... Khalid.Mei lay on her bed, looking sweaty with a cold pack on her forehead. Khalid was sitting beside her bed."Mei... When you looked into my mind, did you see anything... about my feelings?" Khalid awkwardly asked, Mei turned to him with slightly weak eyes."N-No... I'm embarrassed to look." Mei sighed."Oh..." Khalid looked down."Why? Is there someone you like that you don't want me to know?" Mei asked."It's not that I don't want you to know... I just don't feel ready to tell yet," Khalid replied, exhaling deeply. Mei chuckled softly."Alright. I'll wait for you," Mei said.Mei had actually changed. I was the one who hadn't changed.She became someone who still believed in hope, someone I failed to be. Mei, you are my hero... Since forever.Thank you for giving me the chance to be myself again.Mei fell asleep, and Khalid just watched her."Don't even think about doing anything with my sister. Or I will break your neck," Chyou suddenly appeared from behind Khalid."Y-You... There's no way... Do you think I'm an anime protagonist? Touching people while they're sleeping? That's creepy, you know? Creepy... I'm not like that," Khalid replied as Chyou checked Mei's temperature by placing his hand on her neck, still feeling warm."You took too long to get your power..." Chyou sighed, glaring at Khalid."Sorry about that..." Khalid replied with a bitter smile.I will be someone worthy of holding this power. To fulfill your hope, Mei. I promise."Khalid... wake up," Mei said, and Khalid stirred awake. He was on the couch, lying down with somewhat messy hair."I made breakfast, let's eat," Mei said with a faint smile. Khalid chuckled softly, pushing his hair back and then patting his face."Last night was exhausting..." Khalid replied while stretching his body."Go wash your face, then have breakfast," Mei ordered."Okay," Khalid said as he entered the bathroom.Chyou could be seen using his teleportation power to serve breakfast, placing a plate, then pancakes, and finally pouring syrup and butter. Mei and Khalid entered the kitchen together, and Chyou turned to them."Thank you, Chyou," Mei said."You're welcome, sister..." Chyou replied, slightly bowing his head.The three of them had breakfast together."Do you think... Ali will come?" Mei asked."Let's hope he does... At least we can understand better what's happening in Klang," Khalid replied, pointing his fork at Mei."He's a powerful Mutant. His attack yesterday completely destroyed that giant Stray. Plus, with Aisyah, she has useful healing powers. Unfortunately, she doesn't want to join HOPE," Mei explained, recalling when Ali unleashed his Nuclear Punch and when Aisyah used her powers to heal Ali's hand."But they are on our side too. So it's not a total loss," Khalid said, Mei smiled and nodded."That's true," Mei replied.In the yard of Mei's house, Mikael was smoking alone. Suddenly, someone landed in front of him, and Mikael immediately threw his cigarette aside and stood up. His expression was a mix of skepticism and confusion, and Mikael began gathering black liquid, ready to create a weapon."Is this... Mei's house?" Ali asked, dressed in his Masked Man outfit, as Mikael quickly stopped himself from almost attacking Ali."You... Masked Man?" Mikael replied, surprised."Ali, you're in the right place." Khalid and Mei stepped out of the house, a smile spreading across Khalid's face at the sight of Ali."So it's true..." Ali said, removing his mask."Come in," Mei invited, and Ali followed Khalid and Mei inside. Mikael just watched them, letting out a long sigh."Finally found him, huh," Mikael muttered."We're waiting for the other members to arrive... Just sit for now," Mei said, gesturing towards the sofa. Ali sat down and looked around."This... is just a normal house?" Ali questioned."What did you expect? A secret base? We don't have the budget for that yet..." Khalid sighed as he sat across from Ali."How many members are in HOPE?" Ali asked."We have seven members now. I have Armored Hero powers, Mei has Telepathy and Psychic abilities, Chyou has Invisibility and Teleportation, and Mikael, who was just outside, has Shadow Manipulation. Kyoko has Electricity powers, Khairul is a Mantis, and Nasuha has Ms. Star powers," Khalid explained, raising his seven fingers."Are you sure you want me to know all this?" Ali asked, puzzled."You saved us yesterday, and you revealed your identity to us, so it's only fair we tell you about ours, right? I choose to trust you because I know we have the same goals," Khalid replied, and Ali sighed softly."Fine by me," Ali said.After waiting for a while, all the HOPE members arrived and gathered in Mei's house, including Rose, who was in her police uniform."Police?" Ali looked at Rose with a puzzled expression."I'm the one who's been protecting HOPE all this time, hiding their identities from the public and authorities... I'm Inspector Rose," she said firmly."So it's true that the Masked Man is a Mutant," Khairul added, crossing his arms."Today, we need to discuss what happened in Klang yesterday. It's a pretty serious matter. Ali has been investigating, and coincidentally, while Mei and I were patrolling Klang yesterday, we ran into him and fought the Abomination Stray," Khalid explained, standing before them all."The authorities also learned a bit about what happened. But you know more than that, right, Masked Man?" Rose questioned."You... You seem angry with me..." Ali said, his forehead starting to sweat."Ah... Sister Rose is mad because you made her job a bit harder," Nasuha teased with a wry smile, and Rose glared at Ali."Sorry, it wasn't my intention to complicate things for the authorities. But I know the authorities have their hands full right now; no one has a chance to investigate the White Tigers... unless you're a Mutant," Ali stood up again."I realize my actions made the authorities more cautious of those with powers, but I hope you understand from my perspective. My city, my family is in danger because of these gang operations; they want to turn Strays and Mutants into their weapons... You all witnessed their capabilities yesterday," Ali continued, his serious expression making everyone there listen intently."What are they really doing?" Rose asked."Illegal experiments. They use the organs, body parts, and blood of Strays to create Mutants. They even created their own Strays from the Abomination Stray yesterday. There's a mad scientist working with them and the leader of the White Tigers. He and his superiors are probably Mutants too," Ali replied, recalling the battle from yesterday when he saw Eric and fought the Abomination Stray."Mutants and Strays have only existed for just over three months... How did a gang led by Mutants form so quickly?" Rose asked, confused."Two months ago, the White Tigers took over all the gangs and absorbed them into the White Tigers. Now, the underground world in Malaysia is controlled solely by the higher-ups of the White Tigers. It's obvious their Mutant abilities are incredibly powerful; within just a month, the entire underground world is dominated by one group," Ali explained."Have you never met the higher-ups of the White Tigers?" Khalid asked."Unfortunately, no. I got my information from the thugs I beat up; they told me... their leader is a human with powers. There's also evidence from how he took over other groups and what he did with the Strays. It's clear he knows what he's doing. If he's a Mutant, Sui'ra must have given him information. That alien answers any kind of question... The White Tigers' experiments must have been that alien's suggestion." Ali looked increasingly frustrated."I wouldn't be surprised if he did suggest it," Mei agreed."That's what's happening in Klang right now. After what happened yesterday, I realized I can't face this alone, but... if I ask for your help, we'll be playing right into Sui'ra's hands. He wants us, the Mutants, to fight against other Mutants," Ali recalled his conversation with Sui'ra earlier."We can't ignore what's happening..." Khalid said."If we don't do anything, the White Tigers' operations will hurt many more people. It doesn't matter if we do what that alien wants; we need to stop the White Tigers as soon as possible," Mikael added."That's true. The police... won't have the capability to handle a fight like the one in Klang yesterday. Many officers would die for nothing; I don't want to send my people on a suicide mission," Rose declared firmly."I'm in. We need to show that we have humanity on our side; people need heroes and enemies," Kyoko said."Let's beat up some gangsters!" Nasuha clapped her hands, producing a bright light. Khairul just gave a thumbs up. Chyou quietly observed everyone, remaining silent."Alright, it seems clear what our objective is now," Khalid turned to Ali. Ali looked at all the HOPE members and smiled faintly."Thank you, everyone," Ali said softly."Now we'll think of a strategy to find and fight them. Be ready to suggest ideas and use all your brainpower!" Khalid instructed.