Specimen T-04

Prologue~T-04 and M-25

"Don't you like it?" Hirome held up the dress, trapping her son between her and it. "Isn't it so pretty? It'll go so well with your hair." Hirome chuckled softly to herself, holding the fine blue hairs between her fingers. "You should wear it to your aunts this weekend. Everyone will love it."

Nagisa didn't say anything. His head hung low as his mum continued to rifle through 'his' closet.

"I was talking to the principal about changing your uniform. He'll gladly help us in expressing your feminine side."

Nagisa flinched, staring in shock. "What?"

"I know, it's great, isn't it. Now you'll be able to wear skirts and dresses to school! Won't that be nice?"

"But I don't want to-" Nagisa shut off. Hirome was glaring at him, her fingers tight around the sleeve of another dress.

"What was that, Nagisa?"

"Nothing..." Nagisa hung his head again as Hirome smiled.

"Oh, good. For a second, I thought you were going against me, but I know you wouldn't do that, right Nagisa?" Hirome gripped Nagisa's shoulder, squeezing it a little too hard as he nodded. "I'm going to make dinner. Why don't you change?"

As Hirome left, Nagisa sighed, sliding to the floor as he curled into a ball, hiding his tears.

~~~

"Oh dear, another girl ran away from home. So sad to hear about all that." Hirome watched the screen as she finished cooking. "At least I never have to worry about that. I know you won't leave me. Not after everything I've done for you." Hirome turned the TV off, placing a plate before Nagisa as he slowly turned.

He wouldn't have done it.

If she hadn't given him the idea.

~~~

Throwing the bag over his shoulder, Nagisa glanced back. For a second, he felt the same guilt that had kept him here for the last few years, and then the second passed, and he jumped out the window.

~~~

Nagisa sighed, turning off his phone. Hirome had been calling him again. The constant rings rang in the alleyway. As he threw it down in a pile of poorly cut blue hair, he left the phone behind, missing the call from Karma as he did.

~~~

Huddling in the corner of an alleyway, Nagisa tried to squash the rumble of his stomach. The bitter air bit at his cheeks, freezing over his core as he tried to stay warm. He tried, but it wasn't working.

"Hey, there."

Nagisa flinched away from the voice, blinking weekly at the girl who stood above him, a soft smile on her face.

"It's okay. You look cold. I can take you somewhere warm. You can stay the night and get a warm meal, maybe some better clothes." The girl offered out a hand as Nagisa hesitantly took it. She helped him up, pulling him behind her. "Don't worry. Everything is going to be okay. You won't have to worry about any of this after tonight." She dragged him to the poorly lit building.

Homeless people followed in like moths, the smell of soap attracting them like flies. None remember anything from after they ate the spiked concoction.

"The new batch is in," the girl sang, leading the group to look around the collapsed hall of bodies.

"Good." The leader stepped, glancing at each person, lifting their heads up for examination. "These five are low quality. Send them to Borno."

"Why are we bothering to assess them? We haven't had any high-quality merch in months?" The boy crossed his arm over his chest hotly, a sour look on his face. "And I'm sick of cooking tomato soup! Can I at least cook a different type of soup?!"