I snap back to reality as the last class of the day ends and Josh shakes me.

  “Yo, man, you haven't been paying attention all day, what's going on?” He asks, his brows furrowed.

  Anger flares inside because of indignation. Who is this weakling to worry about a god in comparison? I grit my teeth and banish the thoughts of Wrath.

  “A girl.” I respond curtly. I hope it's clear she isn't ordinary, and it makes it across to him.

  “You never talk of girls, what's different? Is she a good fighter?” he wonders

  “Yeah, but maybe not physically. I brought her into my mind-scape on a whim, and after feeling weird, pushed her out. But she forced her way back in.” I grunt as his eyes widen.

  “I don't understand, your mind has never been invaded before. She would need new tech the U.S. is starting to standardize for interrogation. But it's under great restrictions. Either she's like you, or she managed to smuggle some out.” He mumbles.

  “Like me? What is that supposed to mean?” I ask, folding my arms and giving him a look of danger.

  “Sorry man, you need to accept it, it's not DID, it's the seven sins! You have wrath, and unless you accept it, this is a dangerous game!” He grunts with urgency. “You are among the strongest in the world! Ever since they discovered the spirit realm, and finally opened a gate, your power is on par with a nuclear weapon at full rage!” He gestures wildly.

  I close my eyes and breathe deep. I refuse to believe I have so much hatred that my body became a vessel for Wrath, or that other sins exist.

  “You know we exist. Stop running you spineless snake, they are looking for us to rule them.” He hisses in my head.

  Can it, you black genie.

  “You know I can't explode, I just have the potential to destroy that much when berserk.” I reply cooly to Josh.

  He rolls his eyes and gestures for me to get going.

  Standing out of my seat, we walk out of the classroom and then the school. Waving, he heads off to his apartment in the city.

  I throw a small wave his way and head towards the nearest parking lot, where my car sits, waiting for me to drive to my shelter and then to my own home.

  Starting the engine, I throw it in drive and turn out of the lot, and head towards the shelter. The wind whistles in my hair as I drive my 1987 Corvette Stingray with the window down.

  I got it at an auction for twenty five thousand freedom yen, dollars of course.

  It's a great car. In a span of about four years, not once has it given me issues.

  I smile as I slow and pull into a driveway no one expected an ex homeless kid to own.

  Sitting on a hill, lies a massive mansion with about sixteen rooms, eleven bathrooms, a massive dining room and kitchen. It's about four floors.

  Oh yeah I probably didn't mention, I have a shelter/adopt homeless or broken kids. Fractured family, problem with drugs, you name it.

  I get out of the car and head to the door. Fiddling with my keys, I look up when the door opens.

  Kaito stands there with a broom with a straight face along with cleaning gloves.

  “You're five minutes late father. The little ones want to see you.” He says in a monotone, though I can tell he's relieved. He worries greatly when things aren't going according to his daily plan.

  “I'll be out back in a minute. I want to grab some water first.” I reply shortly.

  “Ok.” He responds curtly.

  Walking away, he resumes his cleaning.

  I walk into the kitchen and grab a cup before filling it up with water and taking a sip. Being here always manages to calm me after a rough day.

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  Setting my glass down, I walk out back and cover my eyes from the sunlight.

  I smile as I see three kids playing together.

  Yuta smiles broadly and runs up to me and tugs on my pants.

  “Cmon daddy, come play tag with us!”

  I smile softly and jog over to see the other two.

  Rui gives me a glare, not too out of the usual. Rui has half of her torso composed of scar tissue because of a house fire that her brother set to get rid of their parents, from when she was just an infant.

  Yuta is a big smiler, and even if he isn't, you can see his teeth. He was used as a slave in a child fighting ring, sold off to me when I found him, but the reason they were willing to sell such a good fighter was that he was hideous after a spectator threw a knife in the ring and his opponent pick it up, and began to stab violently into both cheeks, leaving a little muscle and skin around his lips, around a centimeter.

  Talon is a bit more special, because I found her in the talons of an eagle after their small town feared a bird they revered as a god and gave her as a sacrifice. I saved her and struck down the eagle, and left the carcass sitting in their town square. She isn’t disfigured or anything, just no family that wanted her. She’s the closest to normal here.

  I probably should explain Kaito’s story later.

  It’s sorta of more complicated than these little ones…

  I cast my eyes back to where kaito stands on the luxurious deck, watching the horizon with sadness in his eyes.

  Poor guy. He never catches a break, even with my protection. I’m sure he’s glad he has a dad now. I just hope I know how to do this for him. He hasn’t been in our family like everyone else.

  His only real hope for happiness is the only teen girl here that I haven’t adopted.

  Karasu, or Crow, is her name. She is an ex addict all sobered up. She tends to be cynical, and worries about her reputation, hence why she took housing but not adoption. She gets to brag she's rich and dadless. Now that I'm dadless, I wouldn't say it's a flex.

  Their personalities suit each other, and they have been getting closer due to my impeccable matchmaking.

  I just hope to see the day where she isn't fake smiling and the day he laughs without pain in his eyes. And while his past is all because of a girl, or girls, if he never moves on and starts healing, he will never know the wonder of parenting.

  ¤

  I lay on my back, panting heavily as the three continue to play tag. How do kids get so much energy? I take a glance at my watch and decide I need to head home and get ready to go to the bunker.

  Staggering to my feet, I walk to the house to get to my car.

  As I grab my keys and pass Kaito, he speaks up. “I don't know what you're planning, but just don’t die?” He asks me in a serious tone.

  I turn my head to face him.

  “We serious? Ain't nothing killing this guy! I'm unstoppable.” I reply, smiling confidently.

  I head out the door, and start the car. I throw it in reverse and leave the driveway to get to my house.

  As the wind softly brushes my hair, I think about how little you see cars. Public transportation is really preferred I guess.

  I sigh softly and wonder what I'm gonna do after the fight. Maybe I'll rewatch Suzume and be jealous of Souto one more time.

  I mutter to myself as I rub my eyes. I'm sorta like… really tired.

  I ignore my drowsy wave and pull into the driveway. It looks like a dead-end, because there's a cliff right ahead, overlooking the ocean.

  I rev the engine and the driveway starts to descend. Yep. It's an elevator.

  My house is an old bunker, not on any maps.

  When I found it, I had to raise the ceiling, and modernize it, but other than that, no cost. It also means I don't have taxes. They don't know where to bill it.

  The elevator hums to a stop, and I move the car to the garage off to the side, and the elevator ascends again.

  Opening the door, I head inside my house. The floor is dark brown oak, and the walls are all gray, but painted over because concrete is not a vibe.

  The light is white, I have a deep hatred for the yellow lights.

  I walk into the kitchen and poke around my fridge looking for snacks, but finding nothing but an onion. When was the last time I went shopping?

  “Atlas, we need to go shopping for groceries and food storage.” I call the AI I made for my house.

  “Yep.” He replies.

  “You better not be playing solitaire again!” I shout at the clanker.

  “I'm not, you fleshbag!” He shouts back over the speakers.

  “Try me wireback!” I scream, wagging my finger.

  We scream at each other for a minute, before we calm down. I walk to my windows, previewing my little cove. When I want to, I have fake rocks that are able to slide in and cover the windows, it’s probably why Sute didn’t notice my house and only me swimming. I still wonder how she found it, and why she was so far out. This isn’t near any town that I’m aware of.

  I continue wondering as I get ready in fighting clothes and grab my duffel bag. I sit on my couch eating a frozen salad I found in the fridge. I turn the TV on and turn it to the news.

  ‘Another civilian berserk after sin overwhelmed him. Officials say that–’

  I turn off the TV and sit in silence for a few seconds, not moving.

  “There is no way sin is real and possesses people! I’m not falling for this propaganda bullshit!” I scream in irritation.

  “Ikari. I’m real. It’s not propaganda.” Wrath grunts to me.

  “Lies!” I yell, before slinging my bag over my shoulder and storming out of my house to head to the fight.