My Enigmatic Life

(Naoya’s POV)

     It’s another anti-theft mission for us. Why can’t we get a mission that’s a little cooler? Well, whatever, let’s just get it done.

“Did you get a better staff this time, Naoya?”

Akai asks me this while we’re heading to the location of our mission.

“Yeah, I think so. Even if I didn’t, I actually know how to use Reinforcement now.”

That’s right! I finally learned how to use it to the point where it’s second nature to me! I’m making progress, damn it!

“We’re here.”

Govvy stops in front of an old building. Despite this place being way far out from West Hill, it only took about ten minutes to get here. We must be super fast now! Heh, I bet that I could easily steal a hundred bases if I was still playing baseball.

Before we attempt to enter we talk to the officers on the scene to get a few details.

“A few of us have already been hospitalised by the perpetrators. The only route of entry is via a ladder, which puts us at a major disadvantage.”

“I-I see…”

Govvy’s visage clouds at the mention of the word ‘ladder’. Of course my sister and Arianne notice the change in his disposition just like I did.

“If that’s the case, you ought to stay down here, Govvy.”, I say firmly. “Akai, since you’re the co-Leader, we’ll be in your care.”

“What? Why isn’t Daisuke coming along?”

“Just do it, alright?”, Yoko says impatiently.

“R-right.”

We make our way to the entrance where the ladder is. It’s a bloody tall ladder to boot.

I shoot a glance in Govvy’s direction, he’s staring up at the ladder with an odd faraway expression. He tries to make a step forward, but he can’t bring himself to move forward.

“Daisuke.”, I call out. “Don’t push yourself, alright?”

“That’s right, Aniki. We’ll take care of it, okay?”

“Let us handle what you can’t.”

Yoko and Sunni add on to my reassurance, but Govvy still looks a little shaken.

“S-sure. Akane-I mean-Red, you stay down here with me. Sunni, Yokie, Naoya and Akai, you lot go up together, it’ll be the weakest members going along with the strongest, so you two blokes should be safe.”

“Right.”

With those orders from our Squadron Leader, we make our way up the ladder with great haste.

   For some reason, we didn’t get attacked whilst climbing up here. I thought that they must have already retreated, but when I put all of my focus into it, I could still sense some unfamiliar mana.

I’m still bad at Detection, eh? Man, this sucks…

“Oi, you guys.”

Gege’s voice comes from my earpiece, which interrupts my thoughts.

“Why couldn’t Daisuke climb the ladder?”

I knew that it was going to come up soon. What a pain.

“I was wondering the same thing.”, Akai nods. “He looked so…afraid. I’ve never seen that look on his face for the seven years I’ve known him.”

It gets deafeningly quiet. At first, Arianne, my sister and I stealthily move through the building, not answering their question. Now isn't the time to talk about it, but for some reason, I choose to stop and talk. Maybe I  just want to get it off of my mind...

“It’s still hard to talk about it, even after all this time.”, I sigh.

Akai says nothing, he’s all ears. Great, now I have to keep going.

“It happened eleven years ago, Govvy, Arianne and I were eight, Aoi-nee was eleven, Yoko and Delilah were seven and Danny was five. We were supposed to go fishing with grandad that day, but it never happened. Our grandad died that very day.”

Just saying it makes my heart ache… There’s not a day that goes by where I don’t think about him. Grandad was, and still is, the kindest person I’ve ever met…If it’s this bad for me, then-

“I’m sorry, but I’m still in the dark.”, Akai says.

“Same here.”, Gege agrees.

Thankfully, Yoko takes over for me. Despite her donning a plain face, I can see the hurt in her eyes.

“That day, Aniki saw grandad die firsthand. Aniki went up a ladder to get something for grandad, but it was old and rickety. It gave way under his meagre weight, causing the whole shelf to collapse. Grandad pushed him out of the way, but-”

“...He couldn’t get himself out of the way in time, and thus he was crushed…”, Arianne continues. “His body was so badly disfigured that his casket had to be closed..”

“..I’m such a fool. I shouldn’t have pried into such personal matters. I’m sorry..”, Akai apologises.

“I apologise as well. I had no idea that it would be something so scarring for all of you.”, Gege says somberly. “Especially for Daisuke..”

Before I could say anything, someone grabs me by the collar?!

“Oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi, oi! How come you guys are keeping me waiting, huh?!”

It’s some black-haired prick with sunglasses! He must be one of the crims! With surprising strength, he throws me through the wall!

“GYAAHH!”

Shit! That hurt! We let our guards down, and he got the jump on us! Are there more of them?! Gege was too busy listening to our traumatic story to give us any details!

“Naoya!”

“Naoya-nii!”

Akai jumps after me, and the bastard who flung me follows suit, laughing boisterously.

“Two-on-one, eh?! Now you’re talking!”

He whips out a metal pipe and cracks Akai in the ribs with it, but Akai shakes it off and throws a punch that just whiffs.

“Ahahaha! You’re pretty sturdy, big boy!”

The three of us land on the ground, and immediately get into battle stances.

“I was so bored with those cops, I tell ya! I’m sure you two will be fun to play with, though.”

The plonker smiles at us greedily. Is he one of those damn sadists or something? Give me a bloody break.

“Are you ready, Naoya?”

“As I’ll ever be!”

With that, Akai and I begin our first real fight against someone like ourselves.