Behind the Mask

Its a Man's World

Kenji and his father were very different.

Professor Hayao Sato adjusted the glasses which sat precariously at the bridge of his nose. Then he poured two cups of tea slow. His thick, white mustache twitched slightly as steam danced out of the cups.

He set one cup down in front of me, his dark eyes watching me carefully. I had only ever seen him in pictures but now he was here. He took a sip first. There was a gentle way in which he handled the cup, with steady fingers. He gestured for me to drink as well. I smiled and picked up the cup, sipping slowly. The warmth and aroma of the tea filled my nostrils.

"Thank you," I said, taking another sip. The tea was perfect, just what I needed to calm my nerves.

Professor Sato sighed softly and smiled back at me. Then he placed his cup on the table and asked, "How is Kenji?"

"He's doing well, better than I expected. He should be out soon," I replied, trying to keep my tone optimistic.

He nodded, his eyes reflecting a mix of relief and concern. "I have to admit, I was very surprised when I received Mina's emergency call, when I learned that Tokyo now knows about Ultraman, that my son was in KDF custody. It was a lot to take in. I feel like you are the only person who can explain it, so I want to hear it from you." His voice took on a darker tone as he asked, "What happened to my son?"

"A lot of things have happened, and I know it must be hard to process, but the most important thing is that I have a plan," I said. "It involves you, and-"

You found out Kenji is Ultraman and less than a month later, his identity was exposed. I don't have a lot of faith in you."

His voice wasn't harsh but it still made me flinch. I stared at him, not knowing what to say. There was a moment of tense silence, and then he sighed.

"I can't believe this," he said. "I apologize if I seemed harsh, Miss Wakita, but you must understand that this whole thing is bad for us. When my wife started the KDF, it was for many reasons, none of which are even being addressed today. Things are very different now than they were years ago, but one thing has never changed: Ultraman and the Kaiju. Ultraman has always been a protector that everyone loves but now things are different."

I watched as he turned away, his gaze distant. "The people who took over the KDF after Emiko left are different. I cannot trust that if they get their hands on the type of technology that Ultraman has, they won't use it for ulterior motives."

I felt a pang of guilt. "I understand," I said quietly, staring at my hands as I fiddled with my fingers. "I'm sorry, Professor Sato. In truth, it's all my fault. Right now, all I can hope is that I can fix it."

Professor Sato sighed heavily and turned to face me, his expression softening. "When another Kaiju hits the city, where will Ultraman be?"

I looked up, meeting his gaze. "Here."

He blinked. "What do you mean, Miss Wakita?" he asked.

I took a deep breath. "Kenji once told me that before him, you were Ultraman. That's why I asked Mina to keep your return a secret. No one can know you're currently in Tokyo. When the next Kaiju hits the city, you have to defend everyone while Kenji is still in KDF custody."

He stared at me for a long moment, then shook his head. "While that is a good plan, there's one major difference. My Ultraman form changes as I grow. I look nothing like Kenji."

I nodded. "I know, Mina mentioned that. Please follow me."

We stood. He grabbed his cane and followed me. I led him downstairs to the basement, down the passageway that led to the lair. As we descended, the air grew cooler and the atmosphere heavier. The sound of Professor Sato's cane hitting the stone floor echoed off the walls. We entered the lair and walked past the control panel and the computer screens.