Chapter 63 - CH 48: PAST (2)

The scene being currently depicted was close to being worthy of a polar. All it lacked was some slow jazz and a white and black scene.

Under the rain, stood a tall white-haired boy. He wore a black coat and a hat on his head. The only hic being that there was a gigantic closed hole in front of him.

Despite the wind, despite the rain, he stood here calmly as he observed nature.

("Are you sure you want to do this?")

A voice sounded in his head. 

"Not really. Frankly, this whole thing is just a whim from me."

("So, why?")

"No reason really. There is nothing back there. I am sure that after all those years everything of worth must have been destroyed or looted. Let's just take this place as my last sightseeing attraction before going back home."

Yep, sightseeing. Kuroha wasn't a dreamer. He didn't think that just because he went to his past, he would find some old hidden secrets by chance. 

He simply decided to let go. No stress, no duty, all alone. 

During this week, he visited different cities as he traveled using the train. All he did was eat and play as he wanted. Each day, he would also give a call to Nighteye in order for him to not worry.

After a while, he finally sighed, before disappearing. It didn't matter if the hole was closed. After all, it was the first place he marked.

---

The sound of steps echoed through the abandoned facility. Even though the light was so faint normal people would be in total darkness, for him, it might as well be daylight.

He couldn't see in total darkness. But as long as there was the tiniest bit of light, he could see.

The more he walked, the more bothered he became. Finally, he stopped before asking.

"Just how far does my memory loss go?"

He couldn't remember. He couldn't remember anything. Walking there should have evocated something in him. Yet, he felt nothing.

("I already told you right. You did it yourself. Your memory from everything until your first meeting with All Might were erased.")

"F.U.C.K!!"

He didn't like to curse, but he couldn't help but do so. He hated this feeling of having no control. Being told one thing and seeing it for yourself was totally different.

Even though he was told that he had no memory, he couldn't really feel it. It was only after coming here that he understood the truth.

There were a few things he hated more than not being in control. The worst was that he had no way to take back said control.

"F.U.C.K!"

He simply began to walk ahead. He would simply walk around for a few minutes and then go back. There was no meaning in staying here.

----

"*Sigh*"

In the throne room, Madness sighed as he watched the reaction of the crybaby. Weirdly, the image on the screen seemed blurrier. What's more, a faint picture of chains began to appear on the different doors.

He turned to face Ruler.

"I told you that he must be given more information. Firstly, it isn't right to keep everything from him. Secondly, his heart is slowly closing to us."

Kuroha thought that he had no control over them, but he was wrong. Kuroha was the main personality. Everything that existed here was a result of his own wish. Even though he couldn't control them directly. He had many ways to shut them out.

The more Kuroha trusted and depended on them, the more freedom of actions they had. Inversely, the more distrust he had, the harder it was for them.

Once this distrust reached a certain point, the chains on the door would really appear and stop them from ever being able to communicate with him again.

Ruler, who stayed strangely silent until finally opened his eyes,

"I know. Let's just hope that those heroes cleaned everything. If he ever saw some of what happened here, it would be trouble."

Madness began to growl

"YOU DIDN'T ANSWER ME!!!"

"*Sigh* So what if we tell him? What do we show?"

"At least a piece from our past from before entering this lab."

"What would be the use? To show him this fake happiness we thought we had? To tell him that we were given up by our own parents even before being kidnapped? That we were sold by them to a group at the age of four? That all our suffering was caused by the very being who should have taken care of us?

"..."

"Then what about our four years of torture? Physical pain is NOTHING! DO YOU WANT HIM TO REMEMBER HOW THOSE SICK BASTARD PLAYED WITH OUR MIND? HOW WE HAD TO WATCH AS OUR FRIENDS BECAME MONSTER BECAUSE OF OUR OWN BLOOD AND HOW WE HAD TO KILL THEM OURSELVES?"

Madness was stunned. It was the first time he saw Ruler so emotional. He always thought that this guy represented their haughty and arrogant and aloof side. The kind who would stay calm even if the sky were to fall on them.

But it seemed like he was wrong. He forgot that this guy had his own feelings and view.

He cast his eyes down. Even though he keeps telling Kuroha that they're one. The truth was that they're also separate entities.

That was how the world worked. One own personality was forged by an acc.u.mulation of our emotions, our experience and our views of the world.

The four of them may have been from the same origin, but as time passed and because of the different reasons for their birth. They had their own goals and values.

It was really hard to understand. But that was how things were.

Still, despite everything, despite how they slowly grew and diverged. Their core was still the same. They're Ruler, Slayer, Madness, and Hope.

At the same time, they're [KUROHA].

[KUROHA] wasn't afraid of being needed. [HE] is afraid of no one needed [HIM]. For [HIM] being doubted by those [HE] care about [HIM] extremely heart wrenching.

As such, for Ruler, being constantly doubted by Madness must have been really painful.

"..."

After his outburst, Ruler fell silent. The only sound in this room was his heaving chest.

Finally, after regained his poise, he sighed before leaning down wearily on his seat.

"Everything I am doing is for our own good. You may not understand this, you may not see it, but sooner or later. You'll see and you'll understand. Still, you're free to do as you wish. If you want to show him everything then do it. But, once we go berserk and lose our mind, don't forget that it was your own choice that caused it."

Madness, hearing this, fell silent before gritting his teeth and made his decision.

---

Kuroha was walking in a very bad mood. Nothing of importance could be found. Finally, he sighed before turning back and deciding to go away. Staying here was only a waste of time. But,

("Wait.")

He paused a little,

"What?"

("Turn at your right and advance for twenty meters. Once there, wound yourself and let your blood flow.)

He frowned a little at those weird instructions.

("Please...Just do it.)

Kuroha was stunned for a short while by the plea. Madness, begged him? He began to take those instructions way more seriously and began to walk toward the direction pointed by Madness.

A few seconds later,

("Stop.")

He stopped before looking around. Nothing seemed eye-catching. Just as dilapidated as the rest.

"Now what? I just wound myself and let out my blood flow out?"

("Yes, just that. You must let out a large quantity of blood. Don't stop until you need to do so.")

"...And how will I know that I gave enough?"

(*chuckle* "Trust me, you will")

Kuroha, hearing the confidence in Madness's voice, shrugged before using his knife and wounding his hand.

Generally, the wound would immediately close, so he had to control the flow of blood in order to let it happen.

One minute later, Kuroha understood what Madness meant when he said that he would understand,

"Holy shit!"