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Earth, what a strange little world. One that I barely got to experience, but that is not a saddening loss. Most of what I had experienced of it disturbed me deeply. Such disorganization, such chaos, it made my stomach churn to remembering it. Yet I did not regard all my time on that planet as unpleasant. Those cherished moments with him, my enchanting mate, my precious Kenta.
I will never forget each and every one of the beautiful expressions he showed me that night we consummated our bond. Nor will I forget the joy on his features as he told me about his ‘childhood’, or the sadness he expressed about his adulthood troubles. That was one of the observations I’d made about this place that had brought me to my current decision to start an invasion.
My mate’s world did not provide for him in its present state, so it was my responsibility to make sure he was taken care of as he deserved. With all this in mind I carefully cracked the locks on both the inner cage door and the outer containment door before making my way out into the hallway. Before I had a chance to try and pinpoint where my mate was I almost literally bumped into him.
“Vald!” Kenta squeaked jumping in alarm. “You broke out of your cage?!” he went on, his eyeballs looking ready to pop out of their sockets like newly hatched Ksihio larva.
“Please excuse me for that, Kenta. I tried not to cause excessive damage. I needed to speak to you urgently” I said softly reaching out to pat Kenta’s head and sooth his nerves a little.
“Oh. Okay.” Kenta said sounding a bit distressed so I continued patting his head in the hopes it would help calm him. “What is it?” he added after a moment of silence.
“I sensed Raiden in the cell next to mine... I... sensed he was bonding with someone” I said carefully as to not scare Kenta unintentionally. His eyes darted to the side and he almost pulled away from my hand.
“Who was it, Kenta?” I said getting straight to my point. “Was it Devi?” I added, the answer he gave would determine how much time I had to put everything into motion. Kenta’s face tensed up like he was going to lie before relaxing as he let out a sigh.
“No” Kenta answered in a monotone that made my heart sink a little. “It was Saji” he added a second later.
“Ah. I see. And I assume he told you I’m a general who came here to conquer you” I replied, more as a statement then as a question. Kenta’s face fell as he took another step back making my hand fall from atop his head. However he grabbed it before it fell back to my side.
“It’s okay, Vald” Kenta said squeezing my hand as he did so. “We’re going to work everything out” he went on squeezing my hand again.
“Do you think so?” I questioned back, unintentionally raising my eyebrows as I did so. I couldn’t help be just the slightest bit curious about what he meant.
“Of course. I’m here for you” he answered sounding a little less sure now but still gripping my hand.
“Yes, you’re an asset to me, but what of Raiden and Arata?” I replied, noticing a cringe at the word ‘asset’ and gently squeezing Kenta’s hand back in a hopefully reassuring way. “They’re inept morons incapable of overseeing a simple quarantine. Just the fact that I was able to break out of my cafe so easily tells me all I need to know” I continued getting more irritated as I went on and squeezing Kenta’s hand tighter.
“They’re scientists—containment isn’t their speciality” Kenta replied breathily, gritting his teeth as he spoke.
“Nor is the security of your world” I retorted still squeezing tighter on Kenta’s fingers and wrist until he let out a groan of pain. I immediately loosened my grip and brought my mate’s hand up to my mouth so I could kiss the skin that would be purple with bruises from my lapse in judgement. “Regardless of what Saji told him he had to know we could have been dangerous” I added continuing to press kisses to Kenta’s knuckles.
“I agree—I don’t think this place is run properly” Kenta concurred his face a little red and his eyes darting everywhere except towards me.
“I can count on you to be so wise... It’s why we were a good match, I’m certain” I answered smiling, ceasing my kisses to instead press my cheek against his palm before steering back to the topic at hand. “But one being good doesn’t excuse the rest of his race” I added looking at Kenta with a serious expression.
“What are you saying, Vald?” Kenta responded yanking his hand away and backing away once more.
“I can’t abide disorder” I said firmly advancing on my mate. “Your world would be better under our organization” I continued still trying to close the distance even as Kenta kept backing away. “You’d come to thrive from it” I finished stopping when Kenta near the lounge. He was looking away from me with his arms folded and his mouth open as if to scream and then—
“Can we please talk about this?” Kenta said in a quiet voice. That voice made my heart hurt, his fear tangible in the air. I wanted so badly to hold him and make him understand it would be alright. But we didn’t have enough time for that right now, I’d just have to make do.
“I must ask for you to trust me, Kenta. You and I will continue to be bonded in my world” I said reaching out and stroking his cheek affectionately. “I want us to be happy together” I reassured continuing to stroke my mate’s cheek.
“How can I be happy with you if you enslave my planet?!” Kenta spat slapping my hand away from his face and stumbling back a few steps as if to put some distance between the two of us.
“Not enslave. Control. Govern. Improve” I said trying to calm Kenta down from his sudden panic attack as best I could in the moment and taking a couple of steps forward to close the distance between us.
“Saji said your emperor’s a maniac! How would losing our freedom to him possibly be an improvement?” Kenta protested and answering the question on my mind about why he was upset.
“My emperor can’t personally govern every one of his conquests. My viceroy will be installed. His goal would be to ensure order and productiveness” I explained hoping this information would ease my mate’s mind.
“What about Saji and Harsi?! You’d make them go back to the torture they escaped?” Kenta rebutted in that quiet voice that made my heart hurt. He was such a kind soul, caring more about others than he did about himself. Which helped to strengthen my resolve, I would care for him the best I could even if I had to cause a little pain now. The next sound to leave Kenta’s lips was “Glixxch” as I had to pull him under mind-control. I allowed him to keep his hearing so I could continue explaining to him what was going to happen.
“No, Kenta. I feel they would do better as prisoners of our compassionate enemies, the Kinders. Since I must see to sending them to that dimension before we go...” I paused for a moment sighing. “I no longer have time to convince you. Come with me... and trust me. This is really for the best” I finish grabbing Kenta’s hand and guiding him back into his room. I exited the room and locked from the outside before lifting the mind control. He’d have to wait in there until I had finished my other business.
Once I had sent off Harsi & Saji off through the portal to the Kinder dimension, my next objective was to find Devi. Our reunion had to be brief as I needed him to return home and pass on instructions to start the invasion of Earth as quickly as possible. All of this I managed to do without being caught by either the professor nor his assistant.
It was only then that I went to retrieve Kenta so we could be on our way. I unlocked the door cautiously and opened slowly expecting some kind of sneak attack or something. Kenta was sitting on the bed, facing away from the door as I entered.
“Kenta. It’s time to go” I said gently grasping his shoulder and tugging him towards me.
“No. I’m not going with you” Kenta said quietly. “I’ve decided... if my planet’s going to be taken over by hostile aliens... then I’m going to be to...” he trailed off trying to shake my hand off.
“You aren’t going to try to stop me?” I said tilting my head to the side feeling confused.
“I couldn’t if I tried. You’ve got supernatural strength and mind control powers. All I can do is give you a chance” Kenta said still in the quiet voice.
“A chance? A chance to do what?” I questioned feeling even more confused. Kenta shifted about to face me with an expression that made it clear he was trying not to cry.
“A chance to prove to me that you aren’t the cruel general that Saji says you are. The chance to prove to me that you’re the noble man I thought you were when I first saw you” he said forcing himself to hold eye contact with me. “Now... Get. Out. Before I scream and alert Arata and Professor Raiden about what you’re doing” Kenta said shoving at my chest. I let myself be pushed away and nodded once with a frown.
Exiting the room I made a promise to myself. I would be back for him, and I would open his eyes to my point of view so he’d understand why I was doing this all for him. With a heavy heart, I went through the portal and made myself ready for the struggle ahead.