Chapter 18 - The Eleven Squ- Err- Twelve Squads. AKA Welcome to the Enforcers (2/2)

”So far things seem to be going well...” Irene said a bit nervous... ”Who knows for how much longer though...”

”Relax... It'll be fine.” Hero said.

A few more people were called none of which got in. It quickly became apparent that the chances were quite low unless this thing saw something in you.

”North Glacious.”

Irene took a deep breath as she stepped up. Everyone stared down at her for. a few seconds.

'Wait a minute...' The flying lady thought as she stared down at the weird boy beneath her who had stepped up. 'I personally delivered the letter to North... Who the hell is that boy? He's not-” She stopped suddenly when she noticed a gesturing. She turned finding Jackson moving his arms in front of him as if saying 'don't question it.' over and over again. The girl blinked a few times before shrugging. 'Whatever... It's his job if this gets out.'

Irene was nervous as she reached out placing her hand on the monsters hide. Her eyes widened when she began to see various memories from her past life. She gasped out slightly as the creature stared at her with curiosity.

Should I pick him?” Katrina questioned as she placed her hand over a button.

”Yes!” Jackson said nodding. ”Very powerful. Hit the button. Do it. Trust me.”

”Why are you so adamant about this...” Katrina asked suspiciously as she eyed him up.

”No reason...” Jackson announced letting out a nervous laugh. ”Just click the damn button...”

The Captain let out a sigh as she raised her hand. ”Fine...” Katrina let out a sigh as she clicked the button.

Instantly the Raiju's eyes turned green as Irene stepped back. ”Squad six...” The girl still staring at the monster. 'It didn't rat me out? Thank God...'

”Welcome to our squad.” Katrina said letting out a sigh. ”Don't fail us kid...”

”I-I won't disappoint you!” Irene announced giving a quick nod. She turned away quickly leaving.

”Wow. Just us two left...” Hero said shrugging. ”Wonder if we'll all end up on the same squad?”

”I kind of hope we do at this point...” Ken said letting out a sigh. ”Then again... I just want to get into a squad... Or at least in the same squad as you...”

”What?”

”Oh hey look someone else that's interesting!” Ken said quickly as she pointed forward.

”Tsun Mai!”

A young girl walked up as she crossed her arms. The creature stared at her for a moment. Its eyes flashed golden as its tail came out placing it at her neck. The girl simply smiled slightly. She reached out patting it. ”Squad four.” She said.

”There it goes doing that thing...” Ken said frowning.

”Max No last name...”

Hero took a quick intake of breath as he watched what he was now falling his rival walk up to the stand. Just like with Shiki, and that girl the thing almost attacked him. And just like with those two Max simply smirked as he reached out patting it.

”Squad one,” Max said shrugging. ”None of the others matter. They're all weak...”

The second Captain let out an audible growl. ”Watch your tone boy...”

”No,” Max said simply as he turned walking away.

”That arrogance is gonna be his death...” Ken whispered out.

”You got that right... But... Still. I hate just how strong he is...” Hero hissed out.

More names were called and it didn't take long before the room began to get thinner and thinner as people were either accepted or left. Only around 20% of all recruits would even be allowed in after all... Each time a person was accepted Hero, and Ken both got more and more nervous as they realized their chances were becoming smaller, and smaller.

By the very end of it, only 5 recruits were left to be sorted.

”Okay... This is getting really bland now...” Hero sighed out. ”Its been almost an hour now.”

”Ken!”

Ken gulped slightly as she nervously stepped forward. Hero reached out squeezing the girl's hand in an attempt to reassure her. She thanked him as she quietly walked up to the creature. There was a moment of quiet that ticked by. Then another moment. Then another moment.

At least a full ten minutes passed of absolute silence. Then. The monster's eyes flashed green. ”Six...” Ken said smiling slightly.

”Congrats!” Hero announced patting her on the shoulder.

”Hero Otoko!”

”Otoko...” Katrina said quietly as she raised an eyebrow. ”As in Okami Otoko? Guess I know where this kid will end up.”

”You need to hit the button.” Jackson stated.

”What? Why?” Katrina looked at her childhood best friend with surprise. ”I'm sure every Captain will hit their button simply for his name? If that happens Raiju will have to decide himself which squad he goes to. Do you really think he would pick our squad?”

”Just try it.” Jackson stated.

”You should listen to him...” The Captain and Vice-Captain both turned to look at their third member when Dawson began to speak. ”That boy... I'm not sure what but, there is something about him.”

”Hang on a minute...” Katrina said suddenly. She reached into her pocket pulling out a piece of paper. ”This is his test results from the written test. It says here he got a zero on them. He didn't answer any questions. Not even the final question which was worth 100% of the grade.”

”Hero Otoko.” Dawson spoke quietly as he stepped up. ”I can feel that there is more to him. Even if we do not receive him you should still vote to simply show our support...”

Hero walked up as he placed his hand on the creature. ”So what happens now-” Hero froze as his eyes grew wide and he began to flash through several memories.

He saw himself as a baby being held by some weird woman who he thought was maybe his mom?

Next, he was slightly older being held by his grandpa.

Next, he was even older... They just get coming. Then... Right when he reached eight years old something changed. A loud roar seemed to echo out and Hero hissed in pain as his head felt as if it would explode.

Then. In a flash, Hero wasn't in the recruitment hall anymore.

”What the?” The teen muttered out as he looked around. His eyes widened when he saw where he was. Hero stepped back nearly falling to his knees as his eyes darted around the room. The room was like a massive hospital room with surgery beds lines up on the wall. In the bed, he saw his own body laid down as white liquid seemed to coat it. The liquid seeped out falling everywhere.

A low rumbled seemed to echo out as Hero realized he wasn't alone, and whatever was in here wasn't happy to see him. The liquid seemed to bubble out as it began to take shape.

Hero felt his heart begin to beat, faster and faster. The white liquid began to make a clanging noise as the hospital walls seemed to grow out getting wider and wider. The shape began to reform becoming the rough outline of a person as it began to hiss out.

Then in a flash of light, he was gone. In front of him, the Bestia Macht stood once more. They still weren't back at the recruitment hall though. No. Instead, now they stood in an empty black void.

”What the hell was that room? What was that white thing? Why was there a second me?” Hero asked as he stared at the monster? He let out a sigh as he rolled his eyes. ”I don't know why I excepted you to actually talk... I mean you're a monster after-”

'I know not the answer...'

Hero's eyes widened as he jumped back staring at the beast. ”What the hell! You can talk?”

'No. I can think.'

”Oh...” Hero said confused by that answer. ”Okay... Sure... Why not? Where are we?”

'In my mind.'

”What? Why? I thought you were going through my head? Why are we in yours now?”

'Your mind was dangerous. A moment longer and 'it' would have swallowed both of us up...'

”What would have?”

'I do not know.'

”Why is everyone but me useless...”

'I do not know-'

”Stop talking!” Hero shouted. He took a deep breath as he looked around. ”So what now? What squad do I go to? If any at all?”

'I am still deciding.'

”On which squad I should go to?”

'On rather I should kill you.'

”Whoa!” Hero said stepping back. ”Kill me! For what! Besides Jackson seemed to like me. He would have claimed me right?”

'You have indeed been claimed by all twelve squads so far but, you are dangerous. Like the last three, I have sorted... Your mind is not normal. Your soul is not normal. Your Life's Equation has been altered. Should you be left to grow you could gain power. Should you be left to determine your desires you could go bad. Should you go bad you could cause harm... You are in a cycle. A cursed cycle that if left unchecked will do grave harm to yourself and others. As long as you wear that mask you will never be happy...'

In the real world, the body of Hero stood perfectly still. His hand was still on the monsters hide while the monster's eyes were now golden. The monster's tail was placed up against Hero's throat as the two stayed perfectly still.

”You can't just kill me!” Hero said startled as he stared at the monster in the black void.

'Of course, I can. My tail is at your throat now. I simply need to push down.'

”Please don't!”

'I am thinking...'

Hero let out a sigh as he crossed his legs, sitting down. ”So you want to kill me because I am different? My Equation is wrong or something, and that could mean I'm evil?”

'Yes.'

”But I'm not. Didn't you look through my memories.” Hero stated. ”I don't even know what this equation thingy is but if you were in my head you saw my life right?”

'No. The thing stopped me...'

”Well, that's not fair!” Hero said sighing slightly. ”Trust me. I'm not evil. I'm not a Saint but I help out when I can? I ate a ring to keep it away from people...”

'Why did you join the Enforcers.'

”To beat up my grandpa- Okay that might sound a little evil... Basically, I wanted to get stronger so I can prove to my Grandpa that his training sucked... He spent fifteen years training me in a style that I didn't like and thought was boring. He also kept trying to change me. It's because of him I know nothing about the world. Instead of allowing me to live in closed me off...” Hero reached into his pocket pulling out the coin his grandpa had given him...

'I mean why did you really join.'

”Well... I wanted to get stronger... I thought it would be fun... I thought it sounded cool... I wanted to thank that girl who saved me... I wanted to do some good? Look I can go on all day... What do you want me to-”

'The actual reason...'

”What do you mean the actual reason?”

'The thing that pushed you in life. The thing that gave you the strength to get up... The thing you seem to have forgotten?'

Hero went silent for a moment as he brought his knees up to his chest. He placed his chin on his knees as he wrapped his arms around his legs. Then he just sat there thinking.

The two stayed silent as Hero went through his memories thinking.

”It was to help someone...”

'Who?'

”I don't remember her name.” Hero reached up taking his contacts out showing off his silver eyes. ”Her eyes were like mine. That's where I got them from after all...”

'In the memories your eyes were green...' The creature spoke. As if on cue a eight-year-old Hero suddenly appeared. The boy had emerald green eyes and pitch-black hair. 'Your hair is different to... Why do you want to save this... Girl?'

”I don't know...” Hero said letting out another heavy sigh. ”I just remembered she looked so... So sad... She looked like she wanted help... But that man... That scientist locked her away and used her. He used me...”

'But you never helped her?'

”No.” Hero said shaking his head as he stared down at the ground. ”I never did... I don't know where she is...”

'If you did would you try and save her?'

”I wouldn't try. I would save her.”

'What if it wasn't her? What if you saw someone else in danger. Would you save them as well.'

”I would.” Hero said nodding. ”It might seem childish... But if I saw someone in front of who was in danger I would stop at nothing to save them... My name is 'Hero' for a reason... I'll earn my right to go by that name...”

'There is only one place I can think of to put you. A place where you can truly prove that you want to be a 'Hero'...'

Hero stepped back now in the real world once again as the tail pulled back from his neck. He shook his head slightly as the world spun around him.

”Squad... Squad Six?” Hero stated.

”Ha!” Jackson announced pointing at the other eleven squads. ”Suck it!”

”Yes!” Ken announced grabbing onto the boy's arm.

”Ken? You're still here? But you already went?”

”I stopped when I saw that creature point its tail at you. You two were frozen for so long the Captains were beginning to get worried...”

”Well looks like that worked out for you two!” Jackson called out as he waved at the two of them. ”I look forward to training you shorty!”

”I'll kill you!” Ken yelled out grabbing her sword.

Hero let out a laugh but quickly screamed out in pain when Ken smacked him up side the head. ”Oww...” He whined slightly. His looked up as his eyes met the eyes of Bestia Macht. Hero smiled slightly as he was about to say something only for Ken to wrap her arm around his.

”Come on...” Ken sighed out as she reached out grabbing the boy by the arm. She quickly dragged him to the door as the two of them got ready to leave.

Where they would end up they didn't know. What would their future hold? They also didn't know.

The only thing they knew for sure?

This was the start of a new story.