THE AWAKENING: BIO-GENETICS

Mount Sefuri 

Sand silently dragged his necklace off his neck, the result made it to cut off, it was his dog tag with his full name and date of birth.

Sand forced a smile but it didn't reach his heart, Anzai could tell.

"I'm never gonna be able to protect anybody, ya know... I should have known that".

Anzai eyes narrowed, it made him wonder, wonder if Hanka was the only one he blamed his fault, did someone else died on his watch?

Sand stretch his hand forth, allowing the dog tag to slip from his hand.

In slow motion it fell to the ground.

"Thank you sir, for looking out for a failure as me for the past one year" he said shaky.

The wind blew harshly around them.

He then turned slowly walking away, Anzai gaze was to the ground where his dog tag was.

It slowly raised to stare at Sand's back as he watch him leave the arena.

"Engr Kazuya" Anzai said knowing she heard him.

***

Operation Base

"Y-Yes" she said shaky, her eyes sad from watching the scene.

"Everyone else present" he adds.

Their attention was on him through the screen.

"Acker Sand... is no longer a bio-genetics".

Their body stiffen at his words.

"He doesn't get to call the shots on this, the bio-genetics belongs to the government, so without Prime Minister Kiyoshi decree none of that can happen" Kaede hissed pissed, as she slammed her palm against the desk sitting up.

"Kaede-sama, I hope you haven't forgotten General Anzai was tasked in taking care of the bio-genetics by the Prime minister, its inevitable that whatever he says goes" Tori said facing her with an unreadable expression.

She paused at his words but her fist clenched hard.

"Isn't General Anzai's actions too hasty? Why would he let a bio-genetics go, its not right" Kenta said sternly.

"Would you rather send a soldier who is not fit for battle to the battlefield?" Anzai's voice came in.

Their attention drift to the screen, his gaze were at them like he could see them but they knew he was staring at the camera and he had comms fixed enabling him to hear their discussion.

Silence brood the around base.

"I'm curious as to what you all think of that" he adds sternly.

Kashi gulps hard at his words.

"General Anzai is right... we can't exactly send him to his death, he's not willing to fight anymore" Yukio said for certain.

Kaede scoffs.

"So now we lose a bio-genetics and what? Deal with just 25 of them?" 

"There's nothing we can do at this point" Touka snaps gaining their attention.

She turns to Kaede with sad eyes.

"He doesn't wanna fight anymore".

***

Mount Sefuri 

Only Sand's footsteps could be heard, as he walked the lonely forest, his grip against the handle of his bag pack, he halts when he heard the birds chirping.

He looks up to the skies, the wind blowing around him weightlessly, causing the movement of his hair, revealing his brown eyes.

"Big brother, big brother, come on let's play" a tiny voice ranged in his head, a voice he had thought he has forgotten, one of his deepest horrors of life and now he was remembered by it.

*

7 Years Ago 

The Year 2018

The Acker's Residence 

9 years old Sand was busy doing his homework in his room when his little brother rushed in.

"Big brother, I have been calling but you won't answer, let's play!" he pouts, he looked exactly like Sand but the much smaller version and his brother had dark hair but they both have the same eyes.

"I'm doing my homework, Daisuke, maybe some other time" Sand said trying to focus on his homework, back then he didn't have his weird rapping accent non his outgrown hair.

5 years old Daisuke pouts.

"You promised me today Big brother, you promised you would play with me" he pouts loudly.

"I know, I know but I can't right now, I have to finish this" Sand said.

And yet in all this he still had his back turned at his little brother still trying to focus, it only angered Daisuke more, his eyes went all teary.

"I hate you!" He hissed with tears in his eyes.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah you always say that if i don't play, look I will make it up tomorrow just go okay" Sand said putting on his headset to cover his ears from Daisuke tantrum.

Daisuke said something to his brother but it was inaudible as he couldn't hear, he turned dashing out.

'If only I didn't put on that headset... if only I still listened'

Later on Sand kept doing his homework, a few hours later, he stretched, exhausted, relaxing his back on his chair.

'My parents were business dealers, so they were rarely home, and our grandma couldn't make it to stay with us that day... she was awfully late, ya know' 

Sand walked to the home phone ringing, he answered.

"I'm so sorry, I got held in by traffic, but I promise i will there as soon as I can" she said.

Sand looks at the clock, it read 6 already so he knew he was gonna be late, it was no big deal.

"It's okay grandma" Sand said.

"Do watch your brother okay, he has a habit to playing far from home" she said.

"Don't worry grandma, he's probably locked up in his room, he always does that when he's angry" Sand said picking his ear.

He heard grandma sighs.

"I hope you didn't upset him"

"I just told him I'm doing some homework and he was being a meanie about it" he said rolling his eyes.

"Now now, you check on him okay and make sure you two work it out, okay, I will soon be there".

"Sure grandma" Sand said as the call ended.

Sand sighs.

"Idiot Daisuke, always throwing a tantrum" Sand said walking to his room door, he knocked on the door.

"Okay Daisuke, come out, you wanna play right? Well guess what, I'm done with homework" he said but no answer.

Annoyed that he didn't answer.

"Fine then, I'm hungry and I'm fixing something to eat, will make your favourite so stop being a meanie and come out".

"Ugh fine then, I bet you will when you smell toast" he said walking to the kitchen.

'I should have checked the door but i didn't... Daisuke always had an habit of locking his door when he was angry with me, so I cared less'

"No eggs, ugh I forgot to get some" he said turning to the clock, it was still 6 so it wasn't too late, he could just swing by the supermarket close to home.

Making this toast was the way to draw Daisuke out, he wouldn't want his grandma to scold him about not making up.

"I'm going out Daisuke, i won't be long" Sand said grabbing his jacket as he got out.

***

"Thank you for coming".

Sand steps out of the supermarket, sighing out steams, it was already snowing again and it was getting cold.

He headed back home but on his way, he saw a group of people gathered along with some police light and an ambulance.

Whispers going on around.

"An accident?" He said puzzled.

"Poor child it was a hit and run"

"Just how long has he been out here"

"Poor thing, an awful sight"

"Doesn't he have a guardian or something? He shouldn't be playing out here alone"

Sand heart skipped a bit, what was this feeling.

In panic he drops the bag he was holding as he rushed towards there, fighting his way through the small crowd and then he was at the front, the yellow line restricting him from going further.

The police already covered the body doing their rounds.

Sand stood there in shock, his eyes wide with horror, endless blood was around, signifying the accidents took place like hours ago.

Sand could only see the hand, and the hand was wearing a watch he was all too familiar with and a ball beside he recognised all too well.

Sand screamed in horror when he just realized what was before him.

"DAISUKE!!!" he screamed going under the line as he dash after the body but a police man grabbed him from reaching.

"DAISUKE!!!" he shouts as the tears gushed out.

"Kid do you know this boy?" The policeman demands.

"MY BROTHER, HE'S MY BROTHER!!!" he shouts in tears.

The policeman froze at his words, he held him in place grabbing his shoulder kneeling down to his height.

Sand was in shock as the tears gushed out endless.

"Eye witnesses said the hit and run happened like almost two hours ago or more... young man where have you been not seeing your brother for hours, weren't you worried?".

"I..." Sand eyes shock vigorously as his body trembled endlessly.

"I..." the tears fell endlessly, his heart broke in a million pieces, his brother must have said he was going out to play alone, just when he blocked his ears, his mouth quivered.

"I...I" he went on his knees, his eyes circled in tears more as the realization struck him like a thousand ton of bricks.

"I.... I was doing homework".