Spy X Family: Anya's Backstory

Episode Y: To Be Human. To Be A Child.

Torito's cell was large. It allowed her to practice her agility. She had been in the lab all her life. One of the earliest experiments was an attempt to give humans some animal superhuman abilities. Most of Tortio's peers never made it past infancy. Some were mixed with apes, dogs, and whales. She was mixed with a bird. She did not die as the others did. She grew, weakly, and quickly.

She was a failure. Sickly, but she was alive. They kept her alive only to see how long she would last. Then, they discovered her senses had enhanced. Her eyesight in particular was exceptional. As she grew, able to walk and climb, it became clear that her hollow bones gave her a speed advantage. In an open sprint, no human could catch her.

She was trained hard. First for speed. Then for vision. Then for hearing. All improved best under a physical incentive. Torture. Studying.

The head scientist for the lab found her useful. They could use her as a human listening device. She could read lips and even from great distances she could gather intel. She was a great spy, but no great success. Her physically weak nature made her of no real use, and her emaciated look drew attention.

They called her Night Hawk because she was best utilized at night in the shadows. When Torito came back from a mission-gathering intel, she often lied for fun on the reports. She had a mischievous and unserious attitude. Nothing ever mattered to her, just eating and sleeping. A hollow life much like her bones.

Torito was walking back to her cell when she heard a soft whimper.

"I don't wanna," Torito stops in her tracks by a metal door.

"You must study!" study... Torito's focus remains on the sounds. The sniffles. Torito's heart plummeted when she realized another human experiment had been a success.

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The doctors woke Torito early, "Dr. Grenwill wants to see you." Maybe he realized she lied in her previous report. Dr. Grenwill liked to discipline her. As his only real success, he hated her.

The guards escorted her to a square room, inside was a toddler. With piercing light green eyes and light pink hair. Her feet dangle on the seat.

'A baby?' Torito thought looking at the girl.

"I'm not a baby!" Anya asserted. This made Torito smile. She thought nothing of it, just a simple coincidence.

"Night Hawk," Dr. Grenwill entered the room. Anya shook, and Torito just sighed. "I need you to double-check something."

"Unsurprising," Torito sassed. Little Anya giggled at Torito's attitude.

"Enough of your disrespect. Just listen. Tell me if you hear anything."

Torito watched and listened while Anya was forced to study. Torito was quickly amazed, watching Anya, without mistake, go through an entire deck of cards guessing suit and value without fail. There were no hints. It was real. She could read the mind of the man holding the cards. It was the only explanation.

"Did you hear anything? See anything that could alert her to..."

"No." Anya yawned, clearly exhausted by the exercise. "There is no sound." They made a telepath... not just a skinny freak... but an actual superhuman. Torito's horror lifted as she saw Anya lay her head on the desk to snooze. Anya, though powerful, was just a baby.

"Wake up!" the tester banged on the desk, startling young Anya. "There is more to do."

"Torito, you are dismissed." Torito watched Anya's body waver in exhaustion. "Tortio!" She slowly left the room. Torito's way of life ended. Her totalizing apathy was over.