Extraordinary Minds: Road to Hell

Chapter 51: Long Awaited Reunions

"Wait.." Akira spoke. "So you're.."

"He gave us a bit of a rundown on the situation while you were passed out." Riku said. "Goddammit..I still can't believe this shit!"

"None of us can." Mitsuko spoke. "The fact Akira was and wasn't the Mastermind..."

"I think you mean. Wasnt." Zenkichi spoke. "Recall that I mentioned, the copycat was made based around the experiments conducted on Akira when he was a child. Sadly...I was never aware of that until after the murders. Now as for your little Copycat there? He was a decoy for the real Mastermind. Raidon Ishida? Turns out, he wiped his memories to make the game more fun for himself."

"I see." Yumico said, thinking for just a moment. "So, if I have this correctly. Your brother, Kenji...He falsified Police Reports as a means to force Yuna to obtain custody of Akira so he could conduct experiments?"

"Eyup. My brother was a sick man, to put it lightly." Zenkichi sighed.

Yumico contemplated some more, as a means to fully process the situation. "And so, if I have this correct too? Raidon was our Mastermind, but wiped his memories without the main guy behind everything knowing for the sake of fun? And because of that, they sent in that copycat to throw us all off and turn against Akira? ...This is a lot to take in honestly."

"But...But you were a good dad!" Kioka shouted. "B-Because...Because you tried everything to..to..to be there, right?"

Zenkichi could be seen with his lip trembling, as he composed himself. "Goddamn right I did...Anything to see my little guy grow. Even if I had to be in the shadows..If I could give some sign to show him I'd be there."

"So, explain this to me." Kentaro said. "You're saying that...Even when you weren't allowed him, due to what Kenji decided to pull...You still made an effort desperately to be in Akiras life? That's...that's actually kinda heartwarming."

"....Goddammit, why couldn't I get this man as my father?!" Lily shouted.

"To put it lightly." Zenkichi said. "Yes. I tried everything to be a part of his life, but due to the restraining order with falsified claims. You can guess the rest. I had to sneak around just to be in his life in some capacity. After all, a parents promise is a sacred one. I swore when he was born, I'd make things right...and in the end, I failed that. Now however, I can begin fixing it."

"Well, that leaves one thing out in the open. Why were you the inventor of Monodev?" Mitsuko asked. "That's the one thing we still don't get."

"....He was originally a gift for Akira." Zenkichi somberly spoke. "As...a way for me to communicate with him."

"Wait." Akira spoke. "So...That's why he seemed so familiar to me"

"Yes." Zenkichi remarked. "You probably don't remember due to memories taken by those fuckers but..When you were in the Orphanage, Monoboy was one of the presents I sent for you. I communicated through him as a means to be in your life and see how far you've grown, while fulfilling your wishes of finding the one who caused all this."

"So...Does that mean-" Akira asked.

Before Akira could speak more, he saw a top hat appear next to Zenkichi. As something jumped up and revealed itself. "HELLOOOO!"

"AHHHH, KILL IT! KILL IT!" Lily shouted.

"WAIT WAIT WAIT!" The boy squeaked. "I-I know I've still retained that form of...what I was reprogrammed into being, but that's not me anymore! I promise!"

"So...You're NOT Monodev anymore?" Kentaro asked, raising an eyebrow.

"In truth, he's still being uploaded as we speak." Zenkichi said. "Well...A new AI program I created for him to have his own consciousness and feelings."