[Masked boy Perspective]

"Mr Masked..."

I awoke to the sound of sobbing. With effort, I lifted my head and saw that girl... what was her name again? Oh, right Iris. She was crying over my chest as if I were her father back from war. I gently pushed her head back and said:

"I'm alive."

I wiped her tears away with my coat sleeve. She gasped and said:

"Mr Masked, I... I'm sorry."

I raised a brow.

"Sorry? For what exactly?"

She whispered brokenly: "For the harm I caused you."

"Harm? You're seriously misunderstanding. My condition has nothing to do with you."

"Really?"

"Really."

She sighed while I studied her face. Most of the time, her behavior was like that of an innocent child. Which was strange.

A girl about my age, raised in a lab under the Custodians... there's no way they treated her as a human being. Yet somehow, she still kept her innocence.

Sure, the ghost removed the seal from her, but that didn't explain the lack of trauma.

At first, I thought maybe she didn't remember what she'd lived through. But when she turned into that fiery, raging version of herself, I realized she did remember.

She was carrying deep anger.

Could it be that man (the ghost) actually had the ability to ease trauma? I wouldn't put it past him. He constantly did things that defied explanation, even by Authority standards.

Things that could only be called miracles. And yet it was clear he had restrictions.

What really intrigued me, though, was his suspicious interest in this girl specifically.

Since the first time I saw her in that lab, he insisted I not harm her.

And though I never saw his face, his tone when speaking about her carried a deep sorrow.

Well, that was good news, I supposed.

At least I was sure now he wasn't just some evil spirit haunting me. At least he had feelings.

I shook my head, then stood, brushing dust off my clothes. I reached up to touch my face... where was my mask?

I turned and saw her holding it out to me with an innocent smile.

I took it silently, slipped it back on, and studied her face for a moment before turning and walking toward my apartment.

My body was in shambles.

I needed rest. Thankfully, ever since bonding with that ghost, my healing ability had become unnaturally strong.

It would only take a few hours before I was fully recovered.

...

I shut the door, tossed my coat onto a chair, and collapsed onto the bed.

Rest didn't mean my thoughts stopped, though.

Iris. What was I going to do with her? I thought I could smuggle her with Corven to the middle district.

But now? With her ignorance, the police would catch her in days.

They'd strip her of everything and dump her barefoot back into the lower district.

And if she resisted with fire? The Bureau of Investigation would sniff her out.

If she fought too recklessly? The Imperial forces would come.

Her Authority was unstable. No matter how strong she was, she was still just a child.

For now, staying in the lower district was safer than falling into their hands.

At least here, even if she ended up with a gang, she might survive. But in the hands of the Imperials? That was the end.

So, I would stay with her.

Not because I wanted to but because that strange entity who called himself a ghost asked me to.

In return, he promised me a wish. Really, didn't that sound exactly like an evil spirit's bargain?

If he really was a demon, then wasn't it ironic? A demon showing more mercy than most humans.

...

After my body recovered some strength, I changed clothes and went to my desk.

From the bottom drawer, I pulled out a small leather notebook, its surface coated in a thin layer of dust. I blew it clean, brushed it off, then left my apartment.

In the corridor, Iris sat on the floor, playing with the gray cat. She looked up as soon as she saw me.

"Mr Masked, what's that in your hand?"

"Notebook."

"Why'd you bring that notebook, Mr Masked?"

"It contains information to help you understand your Authority."

She answered flatly: "Oh... really."

"No questions about what 'Authority' or 'understanding' even mean?"

She shook her head. "No, Jevan already explained all that to me."

"Jevan?"

"Yes, Mr Ghost. That's his real name."

Wait. Did he tell her his name was Jevan? That's my name.

I'd heard that some fire Authority assimilator could burn you if they knew your true name.

Was the bastard trying to get her to burn me alive?

I sighed.

"And when exactly did you meet him?"

"He shows up beside me most of the time."

Most of the time? Didn't he say he'd be gone for a while?

"Is he here now?"

"No, he said he needed to rest."

"And what exactly did he teach you?"

She pointed toward a nearby window. At her fingertip, a small fireball appeared.

She launched it instantly, shattering the glass.

Iris and I walked up to the broken window and watched the fireball slam into an abandoned building several meters away blowing it apart completely.

How the hell did he teach her that so fast? Frustrated, I shoved the notebook back into my coat. Useless now.

***

In the months that followed, the three of us Iris, the cat, and I wandered around the Lower Zone.

I took her to the markets, explained how to buy food, the prices of things, and where to find cheap, safe housing.

As she trailed behind me in an alley, she asked:

"Mr Masked, why are you teaching me all this?"

I answered without turning: "Because you need to learn to fend for yourself."

"Why?"

"Do I really need to spell it out? Because I'm about to leave you on your own."

She covered her face with her coat sleeve, speaking in a ridiculously dramatic tone:

"Can't you be less blunt? That hurts my feelings."

"No."

"You're so cruel! Can't you respect the feelings of an innocent girl?"

"No."

People change, huh? I didn't expect her to change so much in a few months.

Where did that shy, innocent girl go? Now she was just annoying. Like my ghostly companion.

I glanced at her. "What are you going to do after I leave?"

"I think I'll stay in the lower district."

"You want to stay in this dump?"

"I need revenge."

"On the Guardians? And you really think you can do that alone?"

"Not now. But one day. Unless you decide to take me with you."

"Good luck with your revenge."

"Hey! Can't you just take me with you?"

"Of course... not."

"Why not?!"

"Simple. Someone like you will only drag me into trouble. My journey isn't a stroll through the market. The people I'm after aren't street thugs."

"You're exaggerating."

"I'm not. By the way, you should probably find a job and shelter soon."

She replied confidently: "Don't worry. I already found a job."

"Oh? Where?"

"I'm now a member of the Bloodfang Gang."

"Bloodfang? Never heard of them."

"Really? They're the gang that specializes in gathering intel. Their leader's name is Garod."

"Intel gathering? The only gang I know of that deals with that is the Blood Dagger Gang."

"There's no such thing. Anyway, that's not important right now. How about we go to a restaurant?"

"I'm nearly broke because of you. I'm not paying a thing."

"Come on, don't be stingy. One day I'll pay you back for everything."

"That's if I ever see you again in the first place."

She didn't answer. Instead, she grabbed my hand and dragged me along.

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