Service Hours

"Inmate 151," the guard says in a greasy voice. "It's time for you to get dressed. We are taking you to your new cell." Rentaro sits up in bed, looking annoyed and frustrated with how he is being treated. "Are you going to keep looking at me while I am changing?" he asks, mocking the guard. After Rentaro finishes dressing up, the guard puts cuffs that glow white on his hands. "Looks like my chains are more like jewelry now," Rentaro says jokingly. "Keep moving, inmate." the guard responds disgustingly. They walk into a room with what looks to be an agent wearing a trench coat and dawning some slicked hair with red dye." Oh, you are finally here?" the man says, standing up from his chair. "I'll take him from here." the man signals to the guards. "So kid, what's your name?" the man asks Rentaro. Rentaro refuses to respond and looks around the room, which seems more like a prison than his old cell. The walls don't have any windows, nor does the door have a handle. It looks like they are locked in. "If you don't tell me your name, I guess I'll tell you mine," he says with a warm smile. "My name is Akira," he says, reaching out as if he wants a handshake.

"My hands are tied at the moment. I don't think I can give you a handshake," Rentaro responds straightly, lifting his hands. "Oh, I forgot about that," Akira says awkwardly, whistling to lighten the mood. "Well, can you at least tell me your name?" Akira asks politely. "Wow, you sure are nice for an officer," Rentaro says nonchalantly. "But if you want to know my name so bad, it's Rentaro. The room goes silent. "Looks like we have someone," Akira says with a big smile. "What do you mean by that?" Rentaro responds with slight confusion, but before he can respond, he feels a slight shift in the room as if it were moved somewhere. "Alright, let's get going, Rentaro," Akira says, walking towards the door. As he opens the door, a strong breeze hits. Walking out of the room, it appears the two have been transported somehow. "How?" Rentaro tries to ask. "General Akira, it's nice to see you; have you found an inmate eligible for rehab?" the soldier says. His clothes look like they dawn the role of a First lieutenant. "Yes, he was more responsive than most. In all actuality, he is the first." Akira responds, walking to the front of the ship. "How did we get here?" Rentaro yells. "That isn't important," Akira responds. "Just be glad you are here; you are the first to participate in this juvenile rehabilitation program. "The what?" Rentaro responds with a disgusted face. "I know it may sound bad, but give it a chance. I think you'll love it." Akira says, gesturing towards what looks like a cabin on the ship. "The rest of the sail will take a while, so you should rest," Akira says while looking back at the ocean. Rentaro heads to the room, where he finds a small bed and lies down. Not tired, he lies there for hours, annoyed, but waiting for night to fall to leave this ship.

As soon as night falls, Rentaro proceeds to sit up in bed and devise a plan to escape without any problems. He proceeds to come up with a plan.' If I get to the boat's helm, I could find out where we are going. Better yet, I could find a map,' he thinks to himself as he sets off to the ship's cockpit to find information about where he is located. After getting to the door, he sneaks in to see the captain still steering and conversing with the general. Rentaro sneaks around to the table in the back of the room to check if there is a map but only finds a document detailing where he is staying; he reads it, stating, 'Rentaro Unsora will reside on Zor Island at the Bloom Shop under Sunny's supervision..' "Who the the hell is Sunny?" Rentaro mouthed. 'Sunny, a.k.a Shizuko Kaijo, is a 39-year-old retired non-variant who owns the flower shop on Zor Island.' "A non-variant?"

Rentaro says that he felt a hand on his shoulder before he could get more information. "You seem to be lost?" Akira asks. A powerful aura resonates behind Rentaro as he shivers in fear, hopping away from Akira. "What is that about? Why are you even here?" Akira asks, yawning. "You aren't trying to break out, are you?" he continues, rubbing his eyes. "Well, no, I just couldn't sleep," Rentaro says, trying to divert attention. "Well, if you can't sleep, would you like me to explain something?" Akira says with a soft look. "Explain what?" Rentaro asks, trying to switch topics. "The world we live in, you know not all people are gifted with abilities?" Akira asks.
"Yes, obviously, they are known as non-variant users," Rentaro replies. "That term isn't really correct; more like they are human beings." Akira retorts. "This world and how it has chosen to bless certain people with abilities is cruel, but that doesn't mean we should underestimate those without abilities, no?" Akira says with a serious face. "I know you were looking for something to tell you where you are going, but do not worry. I promise you where you go will be enjoyable," Akira says, patting Rentaro's head. Rentaro swats the hand away, clearly annoyed.