" NIGHTHAWK " genji shimada.

[03] blackwatch.

Kawaihae, Hawaii
2053

KAILANI SAT AT THE small kitchen table in her home, her chin resting in her palm as she watched a newscaster drone on about current events on the hologram. Her father Hikaru lounged on the couch in front of the hologram, grumbling to himself each time he disagreed with what the newscaster said. Delicious smells came from the small alley kitchen behind Kailani as her mother cooked a meal of ham and potatoes for dinner that evening. Across from her sat her brother Kuo, deeply focused on the homework that he had laid out in front of him.

    Kailani, having just finished her own homework for the day, was interested in what was being broadcasted on the news that day; the man on the hologram was currently discussing a Null Sector invasion on New York City. Although the city was thousands of miles away from the small town in Hawaii, Kailani knew just how important the attack was to her and her family.

    The nine year old knew enough about the omnic crisis and the terrorist group known as Null Sector from the conversations she witnessed amongst many adults in her life. She had oftentimes heard her parents discussing it at the dinner table, as well as many teachers during lunch at her school. She knew well enough that many omnics were fighting for equality among the human race, and while most were peacefully protesting, others had formed extreme terrorist groups that wreaked havoc upon cities with vastly human populations.

    Kailani remembered learning about a similar movement that took place in America over 200 years prior, known as the Civil Rights Movement. Hundreds of people died whilst fighting for their equality, a right that should not have even been an argument in the first place. She wondered why, after 200 years and the pointless fighting and deaths during the Civil Rights Movement, that people still didn't get the concept of equality.

    "Hey, papa?" Kailani spoke up, grabbing her father's attention away from the news (he was currently arguing with the news anchor as if he could hear him through the hologram, using very creative language to express himself.)

    "Yes, little one?" Hikaru Mahi'ai turned and looked at his daughter, his expression softening upon gazing at one of his greatest creations.

    "Why haven't we learned about equality yet?" Kailani questioned, causing her brother to look up from his homework in curiosity. "Doesn't everyone deserve equal treatment?"

    Hikaru stared at his daughter fondly, admiring her knowledge and compassion. He hated to break her good spirit, though his father raised him without any filters towards the real world, and he intended to do the same with his own children.

    "Kailani, dear..." Hikaru sighed, taking off his glasses as his tone grew serious. "Omnics are not people. They have no soul. They are simply machines following the program in which they were designed. That is like saying we should give toasters the same rights as us humans; it just makes no sense. Anything that is part machine should not be trusted. They do not deserve equality."

    His words stuck with Kailani, and she frowned unhappily. She turned her attention away from her father, looking at her brother to see his reaction. Kuo seemed just as unhappy as she did, his lips pursed as he shuffled in his seat uncomfortable. Both children went to school with omnics; they socialized and learned with them every single day. Kailani found it hard to believe what her father said, about these beings not having souls and being unworthy of equality, and she knew that Kuo thought so, too.

At least someone agreed with her.

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