Chapter Text
"Oh, what horrible suffering! This island of bliss is now nothing less than hell. My God, my God. Why have you forsaken me … Why can’t you simply destroy the two of us..."
-Yumeno Kyūsaku, “Hell in a Bottle”
“Why..”
The child sobbed on the floor, cheek pressed against the cold tile of their cell.
“Why me? I just- I just wanted to play..I just wanted friends.. Why am I the one to have this gift? Why me? Why not someone else? I just want to play. I don't wanna hurt them..”
The child, Yumeno Kyuusaku, was in their cell, sobbing loudly. They just came back from a mission given by the Port Mafia, by Mr. Mori.
They hated this, so, so much. Was this all they were meant for? Killing? They didn't want to be a monster. They clutched their doll tightly. They hated this stupid thing, the root of their ability, but also, they could never bring themself to get rid of it. It was their only friend, in a sick way. They hated this life, hated everyone, hated their ability, hated themself. And they didn't know how else to feel. The only things they could feel was hate, and shame, and sorrow. How they wished they'd never been born with this ‘gift’ or better yet, never born at all. So they cried, and cried, and cried until they ran out of tears. It was only then did they begin to feel exhausted, all their energy spent on sobs that nobody heard, or nobody cared about. They only shut their eyes for a few seconds before they heard something. Small beeping of the keypad.
Someone was unlocking their cell.
Why? They didn't have any new missions, and they already ate, why were they opening the door? Yumeno opened their eyes to see a pair of heels. They looked higher up to see a man, in a mostly white outfit, white and purple, two-toned like Yumeno's. Yumeno never met this man before. Who was he? “Hello..?” The man, hearing Yumeno's voice, crouched down to be at eye level with them. In response, Yumeno sat up, wiping their tear stained face with their sleeve.
“Hi. Yumeno, correct? My name is Sigma.”
The strange man said gently.
“Hi, Sigma. Are you a new member?”
“No.”
“But then, why are you in my cell?”
“Because I came here to get you out of here.”
Yumeno blinked once. Twice.
“What..?”
“I'm getting you out of the Port Mafia.”
“But- why? Why me? What's going on??”
Sigma just sighed.
“You're 14, Yumeno…Chan? Kun? Um.”
“Call me either, it doesn't matter to me.”
“Right. Anyways. You're 14, a child. And yet you were forced to hurt others, to intentionally hurt yourself, for the Port Mafia's benefit. No child should live like that. Being used, as if they're nothing but a tool.”
“You don't understand, I'm a monster. My ability-”
“You never asked for it though, did you?”
Yumeno paused.
“..No.”
“Exactly. You never asked to be this, and you should have a choice as to whether or not you want to use your own ability.”
“But why do you care, anyways?”
“My ability allows me to take information from others just by touching them, and I can forward that same information to others. I was used countless times by countless organizations, just to be thrown out when I wasn't useful anymore. I may not understand what it's like to have to use my ability to kill, but I know what it's like to be used, and I feel the guilt of all the people who's lives were ruined because of my ability. I can only imagine how much worse it is when your ability is what took their lives.”
The man answered honestly.
“What I want is a home. A home where I can never be used again, where it will be my choice if I use my own ability. And…”
He reached out and touched Yumeno's forehead.
“You want the same. You want to live normally, you want friends, you want a life where you don't have to kill again, correct?”
Yumeno looked away. They hated that he was right.
“I found out about you while being forced to collect data from a Port Mafia executive. And when I saw that, I thought, if I'm going to have my dream of being free, maybe, I can try to give it to someone else who deserves it.”
“But I don't deserve it. I've killed so many, I've hurt so many, I killed my own parents with my ability. I'm a monster.”
“You're a child. One who never got a chance to do anything but harm. And I already saw. You want to be free. So, if you'll let me, I want to help free you. You want that, right? To live better? To be someone other than what your ability caused?”
Yumeno reluctantly nodded.
“Then come on.”
Sigma got up, extending his hand. Yumeno hesitated at first, but eventually took it.
“Let's go.”
The escape was complicated to say the least. Sigma had snuck in while nobody was looking, having created a distraction so he could get in, but now everyone was back to their normal areas, so instead, he and Yumeno had to crawl through a ventilation shaft. Easy for Yumeno, as they were tiny, and…Kinda underweight actually. And Sigma could get in just fine, it was being quiet that was an issue for them both. Unfortunately, if they made even the slightest noise, someone could hear them. So they moved slowly, afraid to be detected. Luckily Sigma already had knowledge of the entire vent system, so finding the exit was no issue. It was just after they got out, that it became a little worse. Someone had noticed Yumeno's cell was open and fired an alarm, and Sigma and Yumeno had to RUN. Like their lives depended on it, which, in Sigma's case, it did. He would be shot as soon as he was spotted. Yumeno, not as likely. They were still of use, after all. But despite all odds, the two managed to get out. They were now on the train, a hat over Yumeno's head to hide their face, adrenaline rushing through them. By the time the train arrived, Yumeno looked up. They were in…Fukuouka. Sigma apparently hadn't known what train to get on, he just got onto the first one he saw approach, but oh well. He took Yumeno to a nearby hotel, lying and calling Yumeno his child. It worked, and he let Yumeno sleep while he took off the bag slung over his shoulder, opening it and taking out his phone. He dialed a number. A very annoying voice chimed in through the phone.
“Sigma!! When you left so abruptly I thought I'd never hear from you again~”
“Nikolai.”
“Mm, that's my name! What's up, my favorite assistant?”
“Quit calling me that-! Never mind, I'm getting off topic. Look, I need your help. As much as I hate to admit it.”
“Oh? What's going on?”
“I'm trying to leave the Decay of Angels, which I could handle by myself, just that I'm currently in a city I know nothing about with a child in my care.”
“A child?! Oh, Sigma, you dirty dog~”
Nikolai said playfully through the phone.
“That's not what I-!! No, Nikolai. I did not have a child. I helped a child escape the Port Mafia. That's IT.”
“Oooohhh!! Yeah that makes more sense. I don't think you're the type to go out with anyone, much less end up in bed with a lady.”
“Shut up, Nikolai-! Can you help me or not?!” “Hmm, I don't really want you abandoning the DOA, and in turn me…”
Sigma clenched his fist. Oh no. What if this was a bad idea? Would Nikolai out him? Kill him and Yumeno? Sabotage his plans?
“Buuuut, fortunately for you, dear Sigma, if I go against my wish to keep you here, that proves I'm free of letting my attachments get in the way of my actions!!”
“...What are you on about??”
The clown ignored him.
“So yes, I'll help.”
Sigma sighed in relief, then Nikolai hung up abruptly. Sigma looked to Yumeno, who was wincing in their sleep. He cautiously moved closer, checking to see if it was a nightmare or if they were in pain. It was the latter. Yumeno had somehow fallen asleep on their arm that had countless razor blades embedded in it, digging them deeper into the child's skin. Sigma winced sympathetically, gently turning them over so their weight wouldn't press against the arm. He moved their doll, just to be sure, as he slowly and carefully removed the bloody bandages from Yumeno's wrists, then picked out the blades, one by one, careful not to cause any more harm than necessary to remove them. Yumeno opened their eyes, seeing the white and purple haired man taking out each blade.
“Why..?”
They mumbled sleepily.
“They looked like they hurt.”
He responded. Yumeno just nodded and let him take them out, feeling like a weight had been lifted off their chest as their arm was completely blade free. Sigma took some disinfectant wipes out of his bag, along with a roll of bandages, and cleaned up their bloody arm, then wrapped it up. The bandages weren't too loose that they fell off, but not tight enough to cause discomfort, they were perfect. After that, Yumeno went back to sleep, and Sigma retreated to his own bed. Yumeno smiled to themself in their sleep.
Maybe, just maybe, they had a chance to be better.