The Reasons We Fight

The Imposter

"Niko," Dr. Church began. "I asked for you to be here because I have a proposal for you."

Niko nodded. He knew Dr. Church and Tails had a company together, Parasol Labs, but somehow he sensed it wasn't about Parasol that he was gonna be asked about.

"Tails informed me of your...gifts." He continued. "And he's given me permission to ask you to join my agency, the Insurgents, when you turn 17."

"Wha?" was all Niko could utter before Mina asked Sapphire to help her with something in the backyard. Once the two girls were gone, Niko felt Dr. Church's attitude get more serious.

"You want to know how you were given your powers, Niko?" He asked.

"I thought I was born with them." Niko said, remembering being able to use his abilities since age four. "If you know something, please tell me, Doctor."

"Please call me Leo." Dr. Church said nonchalantly. "You see, you were born with a few of them. The others were given to you by Parasol. We implanted a shard of Allison's memories inside of you. This includes her psychic abilities. I want you to join the Insurgents because your powers are the last pieces needed to make the perfect remake of Allison."

"Allison? Who's that?" Niko asked.

"Allison is my wife, Sapphire's mother." Leo explained. "She was a powerful Psi, but she died of mysterious circumstances. I found shards of her memories and implanted them into different people. You were one of those people. I want you to join the Insurgents so I can finally create the perfect recreation of Allison."

Niko, realizing now what Leo was proposing, balled his fists up in anger.

"So you want me to be a catalyst to bring your wife back?" Niko asked. "You want me to be some sort of guinea pig to bring Allison back to you?"

Leo, noticing that Niko's anger was building, tried to calm him down.

"Niko," Leo said trying to calm his young friend down. "Please understand how much this will mean to Sapphire for you to be with her to see her mother return to us. Your shard of Allison's memory will awaken her."

Niko, however wasn't buying any of the words coming out his friend's father's mouth.

"At the cost of my life!" Niko exclaimed. "If I do have Allison's powers, I'm not going to give them up to satisfy a dream you have. I'm gonna use these gifts in her honor. Be her catalyst to help her help the world."

"Niko!" Leo exclaimed. "You don't know what she was capable of! Powers beyond what you can control! If you even tried to control them, it'll take you your life to master them all."

"YOU DON'T GET IT DO YOU, BAKA?" Niko exclaimed. (Baka is idiot in Japanese, by the way) "Powers aren't just something you can give someone via science and take away by the same principles. You can't have Allison back, Leo! She's gone and you can't get her back in this way. You're doing more harm to her memory than good! On top of that, you're messing with forces you don't understand! If Sapphire knew what you were truly doing, she wouldn't think joining the Insurgents was a good idea..."

Niko suddenly felt something hit his head at a quick rate. He felt his forehead and he saw blood and Leo holding a .45 silenced pistol.

"I'm sorry Niko." Leo replied. "I know you're impervious to gun ammunition, but where I placed that bullet will wipe this talk from your head. Well, just for now, anyway. I can't let you tell my daughter about this. She too has Allison's memories in her. If she knew what I needed her for, she'd never join. If you ever get this memory again, you better not tell her about this, the next shot will be at your heart. Am I clear, boy?"