MUGEN Voltage

Ch. 13: Differing Shades

"What...? It can't... be..." Said Iro. "What does this... mean...?"

While painting a portrait of herself alongside Kouya and his friends, Iro Harada had accidentally drew a small slash of red paint on Kouya's cheek in the painting. Much to her horror, the paint on Kouya's face in the pain ended up reflecting itself in the real world, as Kouya ended up getting a cut in the same cheek that Iro had accidentally slashed in her painting.

"KOU-CHAN!" Said Iro, concerned. "Guys, what happened?"

"Someone slashed Kouya in the face!" Rock replied. "I'm not sure, but whatever it is, it got him real good!"

"What should we do?" Said Iro, worried.

"Might be a stray attack from some Irregular." Said Kouya. "Be careful, guys! He could be anywhere."

As all the commotion was going on, Iro stares at her canvas and palette, which was lying on the grass. Not knowing what to do, she whispers to herself:

"I'm sorry... everyone..." Whispered Iro.

As soon as she stated those words, Iro quickly grabs her canvas and palette and runs off to the distance.

"Wait! Iro-san!" Said Kouya.

Kouya immediately chases after Iro, ignoring the injury he suffered. The others soon follow.

"Ah! Kouya!" Said Risa.

-Alleyway 4:18 PM-

Iro ran and ran, still in shock of what had happened. Eventually she found her way in an alleyway in the middle of the streets of Shin-Majima.

Iro looks around to see if the coast was clear. When she saw no one around, she sits on the ground, leaning her back beside a dumpster, as she proceeds to take a closer look at the canvas she had painted.

Gingerly, she took out her brush and palette, dipped the brush in red paint and  proceeded to slash her self-portrait's hand area with the red paint.

As soon as she slashes the red paint on her self-portrait's, a small cut mysteriously appears on her left palm. Iro cries out in pain as she stares at her self-inflicted wound, the sight of her own blood horrifying her.

"What... is this?!" Said Iro. "Is this... my doing?!"

Iro was still shocked at her sudden, self-inflicted injury, when she heard a familiar voice in the distance.

"Iro-san?" Said Kouya.

Iro heard Kouya's voice coming out from the other side of the alleyway. As soon as she heard Kouya's voice, she leans her back closer to the dumpster, not wanting to hurt Kouya with her mysterious newfound ability.

"S-Stay back!" Said Iro.

"Iro-san, please! Just listen to me!" Kouya replied. "I was worried about you!"

"If you're talking about that mysterious attack from a while ago..." Said Iro. "That... that was my fault."

"I... I don't understand." Kouya replied. "What are you talking about?"

Iro went silent, before showing the canvas containing the picture that she drew, which she had vandalized with slashes of red paint, alongside her wounded left palm.

"Iro-san..." Said Kouya.

"I'm sorry for what happened... Kou-chan..." Iro replied. "I... don't even understand what had just happened... but sti-"

"So that's your PSI... isn't it?" Said Kouya.

"My... PSI?" Iro replied.

Iro had heard of PSI previously, specifically in news reports and other heresay, but never in a million years did she thought of herself having a PSI of her own.