#5, Dreams, Information

Chapter 5

Dreams and Beginnings in Italy

The soft hum of the car's engine drifted through the stillness as the trio finally crossed the border into Italy. Golden hues of sunset reflected on the horizon, casting shadows across the rolling hills. The cobblestone streets of the small Italian town seemed untouched by time, a place where history and dreams collided. But for Nodo Sei, Kishimata Lan, and Meito, this was where their new chapter began—a hunt for the Architect.

They hadn't spoken much during the journey, the weight of their mission hanging in the air like a dark cloud. But now, as they rolled into the outskirts of their destination, Nodo broke the silence.

"Hey, guys, got a question for ya," he said, leaning back with a grin. "What's your dream? Like, your ultimate goal in life?"

Kishimata shot him a sideways glance, eyebrow raised. "We're on a mission to stop the end of the world, and you're asking about dreams?"

Nodo shrugged. "Yeah, man. Just because we're risking our lives doesn't mean we can't have goals. I mean, we've gotta have something to look forward to, right?"

Kishimata chuckled softly. "Alright, I'll bite. What's your dream, Nodo?"

Without missing a beat, Nodo leaned back, grinning wider than ever. "Tall. Big-breasted. Smart enough to keep me on my toes, but fun enough to laugh at my jokes."

Silence.

Kishimata blinked. Meito stared, unsure if he should be laughing or concerned.

"Nodo…" Kishimata sighed, shaking his head. "You're impossible, man."

"Nope," Nodo said with pride, crossing his arms. "Just a simple guy with simple tastes."

Meito couldn't help but snort. "I'm pretty sure the world has bigger things to worry about than whether or not you get to meet your dream girl."

"Hey, everyone's got dreams," Nodo replied, serious for once. "Mine just happen to be... specific."

Kishimata's expression softened as he stared out the window, watching the Italian streets pass by. "Well, if we're sharing," he started slowly, "my dream isn't anything crazy. I just want… friends. Real friends."

Meito looked over, curiosity piqued. "Friends?"

Kishimata nodded. "Yeah. People who stick around. Not just because they need something or because it's convenient, but because they care. I've never had that before."

There was a weight to his words that made the car feel even smaller. The quiet enveloped them, and for the first time, Meito saw past Kishimata's easygoing exterior—the confident, capable leader who always seemed to have it all figured out. Behind all that, there was loneliness.

"Friends, huh…" Meito mused, staring at his own hands. "I guess I get that. I never really had many friends growing up either."

Kishimata glanced at him, intrigued. "What about you, Meito? What's your dream?"

Meito's fingers tightened slightly around the armrest, his voice softening. "I… I want to make my family proud. Or at least, give them a reason to be proud of me."

There was a pause. Meito stared out the window, lost in thought as memories began to flood back.

---

Flashback.

Meito was just a kid when his world flipped upside down. The name 'Kazehara' had once been something of respect—a family of strong moral values and good standing in their community. That was, until his father, Takashi Kazehara, was exposed as a criminal mastermind.

Takashi had run one of the largest underground crime syndicates, and when he was finally caught, it wasn't just him who paid the price. The Kazehara name was tarnished beyond repair. Meito, innocent as he was, became a target of scorn, bullied at school, ostracized by neighbors. They whispered about him in the streets, called him "the son of a criminal," as if he were guilty by association.

For years, he lived in the shadow of his father's sins, desperate to escape the weight of a legacy he didn't choose. But no matter how hard he tried to distance himself, people wouldn't let him forget. And so, in the quiet corners of his mind, he made a promise to himself—he would restore the honor of his family name, no matter what it took.

---

Present.

"I just want to show them that I'm not like my dad," Meito said quietly. "That I can be someone different. Someone better."

Kishimata's gaze softened, and Nodo, for once, didn't say anything ridiculous. The car continued its gentle hum along the roads, but the atmosphere had shifted—heavier, more personal.

"Well," Kishimata said after a long pause, "I think you're already on the right track, kid."

Meito smiled faintly. "Thanks."

Nodo cleared his throat, leaning forward again, this time more serious than before. "Y'know, we all got our reasons for being here, but we're a team now. And whatever happens, we'll make sure we get through this together. Right?"

"Right," Meito agreed, a new determination in his voice.

Kishimata grinned. "We've got each other's backs. No matter what."

---

As they crossed into the heart of Italy, the skyline of their destination began to come into view. The mission was dangerous, and they were going to face things none of them could predict. But at least, for now, they had each other.

Their dreams may have been different—Nodo's wild fantasies, Kishimata's simple wish for companionship, and Meito's burning desire to reclaim his family's honor—but together, they were starting something that could change everything. For better or worse, this was the beginning.

"Dreams aren't just something you chase alone. Sometimes, you find them on the journey you take with others."

As they stepped out of the car and into the unknown streets of Italy, they knew that, no matter how dangerous things got, they were ready to face it—together.

---

And so, with dreams in their hearts and their mission set, the trio began their adventure in Italy. A dangerous road lay ahead, but with each other, maybe—just maybe—they stood a chance.

The Truth and the Banter

The sound of Nodo's laughter echoed through the narrow Italian alleyways as they continued walking, the trio having taken a break to stretch their legs and grab a bite before heading deeper into their mission.

"Hah! So let me get this straight," Nodo said, between bouts of laughter. "Not only was your family name already pretty much ruined… but you were also a full-on otaku back in the day?"

Meito's face turned a deep shade of red, his hands clenched into fists. "Shut up! It wasn't that bad!" he snapped, glaring daggers at Nodo. "And it wasn't like I was some basement-dwelling weirdo. I had… friends!"

"Friends? Yeah, sure," Nodo teased, doubling over as if he was about to collapse from laughter. "Bet they were all 2D, weren't they? Classic otaku move."

Kishimata stood off to the side, smirking but keeping quiet. He was enjoying watching this unfold, but he knew better than to get in between Nodo and Meito when they got like this.

Meito's face scrunched up in frustration. "I swear, Nodo, if you don't shut it—"

"Oh, c'mon, man, I'm just messing with ya!" Nodo said, throwing an arm over Meito's shoulder in a half-hug, half-headlock. "Look, you're part of the team now. Nobody cares if you were a nerd growing up. We've all got our pasts, right, Kishimata?"

Kishimata nodded solemnly. "True. We all have things we'd rather forget. But I have to admit, Meito… being an otaku and having a ruined family name? That's kind of impressive. Like, you were just asking for extra challenges."

Meito buried his face in his hands, groaning. "You guys are the worst."

The banter continued for a few minutes, Meito eventually cracking a smile despite himself. He hated how easily they got under his skin, but he had to admit—there was something comforting about how easily they could joke about it all. Even if it was a little embarrassing, it made him feel like… maybe things weren't so bad.

Just as Nodo was about to make another quip, Meito's phone buzzed. He pulled it out and frowned at the notification on the screen. "Huh? It's from Ryu Dazeshi."

Kishimata's attention snapped back to focus at the mention of the higher-up's name. "What's he saying?"

Meito opened the message, skimming through it before blinking, his expression shifting from confusion to surprise. "Uh… guys?"

"What?" Nodo asked, peeking over his shoulder. "We're not in trouble already, are we?"

"No," Meito replied slowly, "but… you're not going to believe this."

Kishimata raised an eyebrow. "Try us."

Clearing his throat, Meito began to read aloud. "'Meito, it's come to our attention that you may not have been fully briefed on your abilities. While your current known ability is to repair broken objects and make them function again, this is only the surface level of your power. In reality, your true ability is a form of low-level time manipulation.'"

"Wait, wait, hold up," Nodo interrupted, holding out his hands like he was trying to physically stop the words. "Time manipulation? As in, like… bending time itself? You mean this guy has time powers?"

Meito blinked in disbelief. "I guess? But it says it's 'low-level,' whatever that means."

Kishimata, ever the strategist, stepped forward and took the phone, reading the message more carefully. "It looks like the reason your ability manifests as fixing things is because you're essentially rewinding time for the object. You're not just repairing it—you're undoing the damage that was done by sending it back to the point before it broke."

Meito scratched his head, looking both confused and intrigued. "So… I can kind of turn back time? But only for broken stuff?"

"That's what it sounds like," Kishimata said, handing the phone back. "But this is huge, Meito. Even if it's limited, time manipulation is one of the rarest abilities out there. If you learn how to control it, you could end up doing more than just fixing toasters."

Nodo burst out laughing again. "Oh man, I knew there was more to you, Meito! First you're an otaku with a shady family background, and now you've got time powers? Dude, you're like a real-life anime protagonist!"

Meito groaned, feeling the embarrassment wash over him again. "Can we please stop talking about the otaku thing?"

"Nope!" Nodo said, clapping him on the back. "This is just too good. I mean, seriously, time manipulation! Think of the possibilities!"

Kishimata chuckled softly, amused by the situation but more focused on the implications. "You'll need to practice, though. Right now, it sounds like your ability is more subconscious than deliberate. But if you can hone it, who knows what you'll be able to do?"

Meito stared at the ground, processing everything. Time manipulation. It sounded cool, sure, but there was something intimidating about it too. What if he screwed up? What if he accidentally reversed something important?

Still, as ridiculous as it sounded, part of him felt a spark of excitement. Maybe this mission would be more than just about proving himself. Maybe it was the key to unlocking his full potential.

"You know," Meito said after a pause, "I always thought I'd have some kind of superpower. Guess I wasn't too far off, huh?"

Nodo grinned. "Told ya. You're destined for greatness, buddy."

Kishimata crossed his arms, looking thoughtful. "We'll need to make sure Ryu Dazeshi sends over more details about your ability. But for now, let's focus on what's ahead. We're not here to joke around forever."

"Yeah, yeah," Nodo waved his hand dismissively, "but you gotta admit, this is kinda exciting."

The radio in the car crackled back to life, signaling it was time to get back on track. Their mission wasn't going to complete itself, and now, with this new piece of information about Meito's powers, things were about to get a lot more interesting.

But as they climbed back into the car, Nodo couldn't resist one last jab.

"So, Meito… what's next? Are you gonna use your time powers to make yourself less of a nerd?"

Meito shot him a glare, but there was a small smile tugging at the corner of his mouth. "Keep talking, Nodo. We'll see who's laughing when I accidentally rewind your existence."

With that, the car roared back to life, and they drove off into the unknown, the weight of their mission mingling with the lightness of their banter. Time manipulation or not, this was only the beginning.

---

Fun fact: When Meito initially applied for the organization, he completely made up a story about having some sort of superpower. He didn't expect to get accepted—let alone end up on a team with actual abilities. Little did he know that his fabricated power would turn out to be real... sort of.