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A thump from his roof made Viceroy’s blood freeze. Quickly, he ran to his attic and climbed out the window to take a look. There, he saw a familiar sight.
“Ninja?” he questioned.
The blur of red and black startled, their eyes wide.
“N-no, please,” they begged.
At first, Viceroy was very confused before realisation dawned on him.
“Oh, Ninja, I won’t hurt you,” the older man soothed. “The Sorcerer is gone. Hannibal and I aren’t after you anymore.”
The Ninja fell out of his defensive stance, but the tension did not leave his shoulders. Viceroy took in a breath.
“You know, I’ve been told I’m a good listener. Sometimes, talking it out with someone makes things better.”
“You wouldn’t understand,” the Ninja spoke softly.
“Maybe not, but that doesn’t mean I can’t try to,” Viceroy countered.
“You don’t know me.”
The scientist let out a large sigh.
“You’re right; I don’t. But, I think I would like to; if you’d let me.”
The Ninja didn’t argue.
“Ask away,” the Ninja said.
“How old are you?” Viceroy interviewed. “Be honest with me here; are you really eight hundred and something years old?”
The Ninja released a short huff.
“Nah. There have been generations of Ninjas, each one different from the last. But, to answer your question, I’m fifteen.”
The scientist felt all the air in his lungs vanish.
“You’re just a kid,” Viceroy breathed out. “And I’m assuming you’re in high school?”
“Mmmhmm. I’m starting my junior year next year.”
“So, if you’re a high schooler, what are you doing on my roof at two o’clock in the morning? Shouldn’t you be sleeping or something?”
At the scientist’s words, the Ninja’s breath hitched. Their eyes filled with tears as they looked away.
“I-I can’t tell you,” the Ninja said. “You wouldn’t understand.”
“How about you let me be the judge of that?” Viceroy said.
The Ninja gave a watery sigh.
“Did you ever have moments in your life where you felt like you had no purpose anymore? That, since your duty was over, that you were worthless?”
“I have,” the older man admitted. “There was a time where Hannibal was not happy with my work and hired someone else to design a robot that was meant for you. Even though I still had the job of building the blasted machine, I didn’t feel like I was being appreciated for my work. Even when I was designing and building the robots! I know Hannibal isn’t good with emotions not associated with anger, but every time the machines were done, he would claim the idea and everything. But those are minor compared to how I felt before working at McFist Industries.
“I know that’s not the same as what you’re probably going through, but I want you to know that, even though it seems like your job is done, the work never stops. You were chosen for a reason, and you are worth a lot more than you give yourself credit for. It’s not all about uncovering purpose and self-worth. I believe a part of life is finding ways to make the world better and learning ways to cope with the bad. Life isn’t a parallel line; it ebbs and flows and changes directions at random.”
Viceroy didn’t continue, but he didn’t think he had to. The Ninja had slowly curled up next to the scientist, seeking warmth and comfort. His shoulder was becoming increasingly wet with the Ninja’s tears. Slowly as to not startle the kid, he wrapped an arm around their shoulders and pulled them close.
“It’s alright,” he murmured. “It’ll be okay.”
Their sobs gradually began to slow until they were reduced to hiccups and sniffles, the tears coming down in tiny droplets. The Ninja wiped their eyes. Viceroy could see them try and wipe their nose before realising the mask was in the way.
“‘M sorry,” they muttered.
“What are you apologising for?” Viceroy asked.
“For crying like a little kid.”
“Ninja, you are a kid. You’ve got a lot of responsibility on your shoulders, more than most adults will ever have in their lifetime. You’re allowed to have your walls break, and the tears flow. It’s a normal response.”
The Ninja nodded, but the scientist could tell they didn’t believe his words.
“Look, I don’t know who you are or what you’re going through, but if you ever want to have someone to talk to, you can always come to me.”
At that, the younger nodded their head. The Ninja stood up before turning to the scientist once more.
“Thank you,” they said, “for everything.”
“Of course!” Viceroy smiled. “Like I said before. If you ever want to talk, I’ll be here.”
With one final nod, the Ninja said a soft “smoke bomb!” before vanishing into the night.