Burnt to Ashes - Kenichi Todoroki

Guaranteed Unsafety

Kenichi's POV:

I fired countless attacks at Zay. Shinju, Ryker, and Akihito were alongside me. They're taking Coda. They're taking Kingo.

"You're going to regret this! Whatre you doing this for?" Shinju yelled. But none of the members showed any care.

That's when I started to look around.

Downtown Toronto, Harbourfrone Centre, Nathan Phillip's square.. it was all cleared out. No citizen remained.

"Go Izora." Maxwell told the purple haired girl. She nodded and took Coda right with her, who had been unconscious. I blasted the sleeves off my uniform and charged straight at her with my lava, but to no succession, Izora got away far too quickly.

"No!" I screeched. Coda didn't deserve this; she just happened to come with us, she wasn't even in the gang!

I was supposed to save her. No, she's a strong girl, she saved me too. She'll survive, she would've survived if I hadn't saved her from the Shirokage attack..

Right?

Kingo had fear in his eyes, something I've never seen before, as he was scooped up by Maxwell. All of Kingo's attempts to electrocute the boy didn't work, and I noticed the snake around his neck's eye glow viciously.

And all I could do was watch as we fired countless attacks, all blocked and dodged by the goddamn Golden Vipers.

Who are these kids, really?

In minutes, every last one was gone. I dropped to my knees, tears swelling in my eyes. They just took Kingo and Coda with no hesitation and I couldn't do anything to stop it.

We couldn't do anything to stop it.

I feel like such a terrible leader.

"We'll get them back, Kenichi, don't worry." Shinju comforted me, but I could hear the panic in his voice. The uncertainty.

There's a chance we won't get them back.

Ryker didn't say anything, neither did Akihito, no attempt to comfort or reassure. As if they already knew there wasn't a chance. But there's always a chance.

"I don't even know what to do." I admitted. I looked around again, and the citizens were back, minding their own business like nothing happened. It must have been a quirk one of those vipers had. Masking the world around us.

"We'll figure it out, we always figure it out." Ryker mumbled. "Coda isn't our responsibility, but I think that makes it even worse. Why would they take her of all people? What is their endgame? Why did they pick Coda and Kingo?"

I thought of Aaron immediately, the only tie to those two. Zay had killed Aaron, then took Coda and Kingo. Coda is Aaron's cousin, Kingo was Aaron's bully. More like an abuser, I noted. And I knew Zay and Aaron had gone to the same elementary school. So if I could just figure out what Aaron's connection to Zay was, and how he knew Zay, a former Bloody Mamba, was a traitor...

We could easily get to the bottom of this.

Fox, Milo, Okimi, and Hifumi all stood to the side. Seiryo looked horrified as he stood somewhat in front of the others. I couldn't stand seeing them look like that, like it could've been them.

"Coda and Kingo were specifically abducted for a reason!" I told them. "There was nothing we could do against them, and it is no one's fault! Kingo will return to us, and Coda will be returned to her home safely. As soon as we track them down!"

"Man, and I liked Coda, too." Fox muttered.

"For now, we'll just have to wait." I said, ignoring Fox's comment. "And I think I know just the person to help."