Psyren ~Rebirthday Reborn~

Chapter 1

~Silence. Silence is all that is left. The screams of unfortunate souls were shrouded in despair as they were slaughtered, their lives and world taken away from them. It's so unfair. W.I.S.E finished what they started. Only we were prepared. I hate them. But I still don't want to kill them. I don't want them to kill anyone. I don't want bloodshed. Why should humans kill each other? But some would say that they aren't humans. Some would say me or my friends aren't human. Many survivors don't trust us. And I don't blame them. Nothing makes sense. I'm confused. And I'm afraid. Afraid of what is yet to come. Afraid of W.I.S.E. It's like hell, even if we are safe. But I think everyone is frightened. Frightened by how our world can be torn apart, like a lion mauling a carcass. W.I.S.E are a pack of lions. And we are the zebras. Fleeing desperately, hoping that we will survive. But we will. We will make it. We'll win our wold back, no matter the cost. And our survival has already cost plenty~

It was chilly the day it all started. A windy December day. I remember my scarf dancing in the wind as I waited, tapping my foot impatiently, willing my uncle to open his damn door. Despite the isolation of his forest cabin, I found myself repeatedly looking over my shoulder, as well as up at the sky, in which the sun was beginning to set, worried. Worried about lots of things. When you know the very destruction of your very planet, as well as the slaughter of most of its inhabitants, will occur very soon, you tend to get paranoid, believe me. I shivered, shoving my hands in my pockets. After about a minute I could hear the soft steps of movement towards the cabin door, implying that he'd finally got off his ass. The door clicked upon, and a grin formed on my uncle's face as he saw me. "Well well well, what do we have here? Looks like my dearest little nephew has to come to visit! Well, my dearest little nephew who looks like a frostbitten little porcupine.." I grit my teeth.
"Spare me your shitty jokes and let me in, please. It's deadly important."
"You need money again?! Look Kabuto, you're already in a huge amount of debt as it is!I'm not giving you any more damn yen!"
"It's not about money! Money will mean nothing in a few hours anyway!!" I snapped, pushing past him to get in. He shut the door and turned to face me, crossing his arms and raising an eyebrow. "Is this some sort of prank? I thought you finished that phase when you were 15.."
"It's not a fucking joke!!" I yelled in frustration. "I'm trying to stop my only family member from being killed!"
He blinked. "Definitely a joke. What, are hired assassins coming to kill me?" He said in a mocking tone. "NO!! Take me seriously, god damn it!" His smile faded, and be began looking more neutral. "Okay, okay, mister serious, tell me why you need to save my life." I swallowed and looked it him.
"It's a bit of a long story.  But essentially... People with powers, called Psionists, are going to destroy our world. People with no powers who aren't aware of this will either be killed, or kidnapped by these people and turned into monsters. And if-"
"Damn, how long did it take you to make that up? Sounds like the plot of a Sci-Fi Shonen Manga!!" He chuckled. "You've always been good at drawing. Try getting it published."
"Uncle Toji! I'm telling the truth!"
"Oh, really? Then how do you know all this, may I ask?"
"I am a Psionist!"
I noticed a flicker of curiosity in his eye. "Oh, really? Prove it." I sighed.
"Throw a punch at me."
"How would that demonstrate yourw power?"
"Do it. I foresee danger."
He shrugged and threw a noticeably weak punch at my face. A few milliseconds before he began this, I saw his fist as a glowing white ball, and used Enhance to move beside him. My uncle cried out when his fist connected with nothing. "What?! Why did your eyes glow orange?! How did-"
"Now do you believe me?" I asked, crossing my arms.
"Yes, I suppose I do.." He replied, his voice trembling as he turned whiter than a sheet."Pack some clothes, and whatever personal belongings you want. I'll help you, we'll have to be quick. One of my friends, an old woman with Visions of the future, knows that it will happen soon. We have a few hours at least. "But it's still best to be quick. Time is a precious thing right now." I hugged myself, and noticed I was sweating. My uncle nodded, and then ran up his stairs. I followed him. "I'll go pack some clothes. can you go the spare room and get our photo albums and Shonen Jump collection?"
"Will do." I couldn't help but smile as I opened the door. It was a comfort to know that his prized personal possessions consisted of photos of him and I, from when I was a baby to the day I moved out, as well as the Shonen Jump Advanced issues he shared with me when I grew older. Some he read quite some time before I was born. I always loved Jojo's Bizarre Adventure.. I tucked the two fat albums under each arm, and brought it to his room. "Set them in that suitcase." I carefully placed them on top of the small pile of clothes already in the suitcase. "I'll get the Shonen next. You want them all, right?" I asked. He nodded.
"Yep. Every one. I'll come help, there's quite a lot after all." He reached forward and squeezed my upper right arm, causing me to squirm. "Cut it out! What'd you do that for?"
"Damn, you really are skinny, aren't you? Is there even any muscle under that skin? Sure doesn't feel like it." He smirked. I grinned back.
"You're just jealous because you have a pot belly.."
"I do NOT have a pot belly!"
We tossed insults at each other as we moved piles of manga into his suitcase, and it felt as if I lived with him again. They'd been fun times, especially in my teen years. Those were the days when we watched a bunch of horror movies, yelling out advice to the main characters such as,
"No! Why the hell would you investigate the damn footsteps?"
"Oh for fuck's sake, don't have sex THERE!!"
"What good comes out of entering this house with a sign that says 'keep out'? Run the hell away!"
You'd be surprised at how a few jokes can make you overcome your fears. That's how I manage to watch horror movies these days. When he finished packing, we walked around the cabin for a little while. I patted the sofa that we'd always had. "I'll miss this place." I said in a small voice.
"Yeah, I will too. But, it's better to be alive, right?"
"You said it. Pity your shelter isn't strong enough to withstand all the years of destruction that'll come our way."
".. Should we leave?"
"I.. Yes. Let's go."
"Do we need to go to your place to pack your stuff?"
"No. I've got all my stuff already in the main base."
"Main?"
"There's five in total, spread across different parts of the country."
"Damn.. The government must love this friend of yours."
"Apparently so."
We conversed as we reached the door. "I'm keeping the key. Just as a little momento," he smiled, locking the door. I looked sadly at the cabin for what would most likely be the last time. "Is it weird to feel like crying over a cabin?"
".. No. Lots of memories were built here."
I nodded, and we both turned, not once looking back.
"The memories that were made there are still within the pages of the photo albums. And if they are ever lost, we can still remember the important ones." He told me.
"What, like the time you chased me with a toilet plunger when I ate all of the pizza in the oven?" We both laughed and swapped memories. It was weird. How can you feel so happy yet so distressed at the same time? After getting a taxi to the gates of Elmore's mansion, we got out. I pushed the button on the intercom, which rang the house. After a few seconds it picked up, and I knew it was one of the children on the other line.
"Kirisaki. I'm here with my uncle and his stuff."
"Okie-dokie, I'll tell Granny." They hung up, and the gates opened, as if beckoning us to enter. We obeyed and began walking down the path, and I heard the soft hiss and clang of the gates closing. Elmore Tenjuin stood at the bottom of the steps, accompanied by two children, a blonde-haired boy with a bowl cut and blue eyes, and a blonde girl with some sort of animal hat. "You've arrived. Good. Ageha and the others are already inside." Elmore said. She nodded at Toji. "Hello there. You must be Toji Kirisaki." He nodded. "Yes. Thank you for letting me be saved, Mrs. Tenjuin." The woman smiled.
"No problem at all, Mr. Kirisaki. We want as much survivors as possible anyway. Follow me."
Before we entered, I looked at the world as I knew it back then. Peaceful, humble, beautiful in its own little ways. I didn't know it would be the last time I saw it that way.

We all walked through the doors, and into what looked like a dining room. Seated where three other children, the female trainer, Matsuri, and her friend Kagetora, as well as my personal mentor Ian. Ageha, Sakurako, Hiryu, Tatsuo nd Oboro, as well as people who I assumed were related to them. Ageha noticed me first, grinned and stood up. "Seems like the old group's back together again, huh?" I snorted.
"Pft. Yeah. You're all as ugly as ever." Ageha ignored my comment, and seemed to be studying my uncle. "You're Kabuto's.. Uncle?"
Toji smiled and nodded. "Toji Kirisaki, at your service."
"Well, you two, why don't you pull up a chair?"
We sat facing Ageha, Oboro and Sakurako. "So, I believe you raised Kabuto, yes? Got any good stories?"
Toji looked thoughtful, then smiled. "Well, when he was five, he-"
I shot him a warning glance, and he stopped, though he was spluttering slightly. "Oh, come on, can I tell them a less-embarrassing story at least?"
"Such as?"
"... The toilet plunger incident?"
"It's a classic... Fine, go ahead." I replied with a grin. But as he began to feel the story, something felt.. Off. I felt sick and dizzy, and my stomach lurched. I felt as if I'd throw up right there and then, but I forced myself to swallow whatever came up. I gripped the table tightly, a cold sweat beginning to form on my body as chills ran down my spine. "Kabuto?! What the hell is it?! Your eyes-!!" I heard Sakurako cry out. I clasped a hand to my forehead. "So much death... Everywhere..."
And then it clicked with everyone, myself included. My Eye of Menace, a unique, natural Visionary Psi which allows me to see danger before it happens, in the form of a glowing white light, was practically screaming at me. If my power was making me feel ill, and if my eyes were glowing as brightly as Sakurako was implying, it could only mean one thing. Grave danger. And believe me, calling what I saw 'grave danger' is a humongous understatement. I couldn't see. Everything was a blur. But I'll always remember the glimpse of Ageha's frightened eyes I had as he was forced to accept the truth. W.I.S.E had finally made their move, as predicted by Elmore.

"IT'S COMING NOW! W.I.S.E IS ATTACKING! THE DAY OF REBIRTH IS FINALLY HERE!!"