The Originals

Crossroads of the Past

The clatter of dishes and hum of conversations filled the restaurant, a lively backdrop that contrasted with the tension lingering at their table. Hiro, Taka, and Yumida sat in silence, each nursing a drink, eyes cast down. The small, scratched-up table between them held scattered remnants of their meal, but none of them seemed interested in the food.

Yumida attempted to break the silence first, "So, Hirito..." His voice trailed off as Hiro's sharp tone cut through.

"No. Enough evasions. What exactly is Lucius, and what the hell is Fluid?" Hiro's grip on his glass tightened, his knuckles turning white.

Yumida exchanged a quick look with Taka before answering. "Fluid is..." He hesitated, then gave in.

"Our blood," Taka interrupted, voice barely above a whisper, eyes still fixed on his drink.

Hiro's brows knit together, confusion deepening. "What?"

"Fluid is the blood of Originals, mixed with... something else we haven't identified yet," Yumida replied, his usual humor stripped away. His tone carried a weight Hiro hadn't often heard from him.

"Which Originals?" Hiro demanded, his gaze never leaving Yumida's face.

"We believed it was Yeon's. He was... well, he was an Elder on the Citadel's council." Taka's voice shook slightly, as if he could barely say the words.

"He was?" Hiro's stomach tightened as a sinking feeling set in. Even after all these years, it was clear how much he hadn't known about Yeon.

"Yes," Taka and Yumida said together, a hollow confirmation of everything left unsaid.

Taka spoke, his voice a quiet weight. "When Fluid is fused into a gifted person's bloodstream, it enhances their powers—by up to three ranks. A B rank can easily become an S rank."

"That's..." Hiro trailed off, trying to absorb this new reality. "Intense."

Yumida sighed, shoulders slumping. "When given to a non-gifted person, though? It's a drug. A dangerous, addictive one."

Hiro stared into his glass, struggling to absorb it all. "But if Yeon's involved..." He stopped, shaken by a flicker of doubt. After so many years apart, he barely recognized the man Yeon had become. "How do we know this isn't his doing?"

Taka looked up, meeting Hiro's gaze for the first time since they sat down. "Maybe Jayeon is the one supplying it now. But some of the powers the Fluid Experiments possess... they're like his."

A memory rose to the surface, unbidden, as Hiro tried to piece together everything he'd learned.

"If you had to... could you kill me?" Claire's question hung in the air between them as they sat at a bar, sharing a rare, quiet moment.

"What? I—" He paused, feeling the weight of her question settle on him. He remembered The One's power to control minds, remembered seeing his closest friends turned against him. If Claire was ever controlled... "No." He said it with finality, looking straight into her eyes.

"Not even if he took over me?" Her gaze didn't waver, golden eyes unflinching as they searched his.

"No. I couldn't." He felt his heart twist, his mind filling with memories—their shared hopes, his proposal, his promise to build a future together. "I'd see you, and every memory would come crashing over me. I'd rather die."

His voice softened, eyes drifting away. "I don't know if I could ever hurt you, no matter what."

Back in the present, Hiro clenched his fists. He didn't know how much more he could endure, not with the questions that still clawed at him.

He shook himself from the memory. "Where are we going next?" Taka asked, his gaze resolute.

"We're going to the Citadel," Hiro said, and his voice held a new edge. "I want to speak to the Emperor."

Taka's eyes widened in shock. "What? The Emperor? Hirito, it's not Clatius anymore!" His words came out in a rush as Hiro dragged him along to the station. The train that awaited them clung to overhead tracks, suspended in the air.

"I'm aware. Clatius was old forty years ago," Hiro replied coolly. "I knew he wouldn't last long."

"There will be more people like Lucius, Hirito! These people are dangerous." Taka's voice wavered, fear creeping in as Hiro looked at him with an unreadable expression.

"Then let them try." Hiro's eyes met Taka's, their depth simmering with intensity. "And I'm not Hirito anymore. I left that name behind a long time ago. It's just Hiro."

Taka looked down, the pain of Hiro's words sinking in. "I'm sorry," he muttered, barely audible over the quiet rumble of the train.

"Don't be. I'll find Claire and Yeon," Hiro said, determination hardening his voice. But Taka only shook his head, glancing out the window.

"Hiro, Yeon is gone. Claire might be, too," he said, voice breaking slightly. "If you don't let this go, you'll join them. Fluid Experiments can kill us, Hiro. I can't..." He swallowed, emotion clogging his words. "I can't lose you, too."

Hiro forced a tight smile, trying to reassure his friend. "I'm not going anywhere, Taka. Neither of them are dead. I... just know. I'll figure this all out."

Taka managed a quiet laugh, though his eyes were full of worry. "You know, I think that's the first time I've seen you smile in fifty years. It's... almost nice."

They lapsed into silence, the train jostling them with each turn. Hiro, lost in thought, almost didn't notice when Taka cleared his throat, standing up as the train slowed to a stop.

"I'm sorry, Hiro," Taka said, his voice heavy with resignation. "I can't stand by and watch this happen."

Hiro looked at him, realization dawning. But Taka was already stepping toward the open door, his gaze fixed forward, not meeting Hiro's.

"Don't die, Hiro. Please," he whispered, his voice a faint echo as he disappeared down the platform.

Hiro sat alone in the empty carriage, staring at the seat Taka had left. The train doors closed, and as the engine hummed back to life, he leaned back, his own reflection staring back at him in the darkened window. The weight of solitude pressed in, but his resolve held firm. Whatever lay ahead, he would face it alone.