We Are Similar

Untold Truth

The room was eeriely silent as they watched the blonde. He stood there, a gentle smile still present on his face. He took in all of their confused expressions calmly, as if he expected this. Well, how could he not? Of course announcing your own 'un-death' would be a complete shock to other people.

The only one not surprised was the butler, who pulled the trolley to the side, making way for him to go to the computer. He pressed a few buttons and the glass wall disappeared, causing Hiro to fall over for leaning on it. Aside that, no one moved.

He turned back to them and cleared his throat. "This is getting really uncomfortable and awkward for me, so I'll start. I'm really, really, really sorry!" He said, bowing his head a little.

"N-n-no... Hugo, that's not..." Prof. Oozora was shaken. She didn't know how to react. Just over ten years ago, she had attended to his funeral, and yet, here he is now.

Prof. Yamano was the same. "H-how... Are you... Alive...?"

His smile went to Jin. "You have Kaidou Yoshimitsu to thank for that."

"Grandfather?"

"Yes." He turned to Eva, his face turning rather solemn. "You were his test subject for its prototype, but the first person to have ever used the completed version of the Optima technology, is me." He tapped on his chest and the sound of some kind of metal was heard. "He wanted me to work for him after finding out who I am. In exchange, I asked him to take care of you."

"Ask him...? To...??" Eva was still in shock. Her mind was barely processing anything in the past three minutes.

"I-I-If you were alive all this time," Ami started. "Then... Why did you make Eva and the professors believe that you were...?"

"That was also something I asked from him." He replied. "Well okay, even if I didn't ask, he still wouldn't have let anyone know. If any of you knew back then that I was being used by Kaidou, I know you would try to save me. I coulnd't risk that. And I couldn't risk Eva's future." He turned to the butler. "It was a long wait. I was in a coma for two years before they used the completed Optima on me. Then, for the next seven years, I was kept in this lab made specifically for me. As long as I stay loyal, Eva would be safe. That's what he promised me." He turned back to the others, letting out a thin smile. "You all know what happens then, right?"

Takuya nodded. "Hiyama Ren, Lex, killed Kaidou during the 2050 Artemis Tournament, replaced him with an android and tried to assassinate the world leaders using Saturn."

"Why didn't you try to contact the outside world after the whole Innovator Incident is over?" Yagami asked.

"Kaidou was the only one who knew I was still alive. He alone had the key to the lock at the front door. When he died, I was trapped here with no means of communication." He explained. "A little earlier this year, the 'Mizel Incident', as people call it, began. When Mizel Trouzer destroyed part of Tokio City, part of the impact caused a shockwave that broke the lock. That was when he found me in here." He pointed to the old man.

"I was taking shelter within the fortress at the time." The butler stated. "I may not live here anymore, but I do love to come visit every now and then. Especially while I still have the permission to."

"With his help, I was able to gain access to everything in this building, making all the passages and systems mine to control, which is why I was able to get all of you." The blonde continued. "After that, I spent weeks with Sirius, trying to catch up with everything I missed in the past two years. When I caught up, I continued what I always did. Watch Eva grow. All of her decisions, actions, mistakes and solutions. And I may or may not have butted in every now and then."

A green flash of light shone from Eva's wrist and a certain boy appeared. "So that's how it is."

"Mizel?!" Ban wasn't only one who was shocked. As if they weren't tense before, now, they've all gone into a sense of panic.

Mizel however, ignored him. "While I was rebuilding my body in Omega Dain, a data package was sent to me from an unknown source. It was what gave me the ability to solidify holograms and shapeshift, while also taking away my ability to, as they say, 'ghostjack'."

"You might've tried to take control of the world, but you were there when Eva needed someone. I can't turn my back on that so I repaid my debt in a way that would make both sides happy... Well, somewhat." He shrugged.

"Why do you only reveal yourself now?" Kazuya asked, still at a loss in that part.

"Honestly, I didn't plan to until I've confirmed it, but here we are." He shrugged once again.

"'It'?" Now, even Kousuke was curious.

"I found blueprints, plans and charts relating to what Kaidou, Professor Oozora and Kamiya did to Eva all those years ago. Other than the Optima and AI, there is another foreign matter inside her bod-"

"Wait a second, hang on." Niara cut in.

"He was in the middle of explaning something important to us, Lev, what do you want?" Kirito sighed in irritation. He had questions of his own and she was just going to make his wait even longer.

Strangely, Niara didn't rebut. Instead, her gaze stayed steady on the older blonde. "This is a stupid question, but it's important. What's your name again?"

"Niara, if you're joking, this isn't the time." Olivia reacted the same way Kirito did.

"No, it's okay." The man only smiled kindly at her. "What do you know so far?" Everyone was confused to where this was headed, but decided to listen to Niara.

"Okay well," The half-Russian started. "Your name is Hugo, I have no doubt about that. But I'm pretty sure your last name isn't 'Mech'?"

Eva wanted to ask, but she was too frozen to. Hiro noticed and did it for her. "What are you talking about?"

"Well, if, and it is a very big if..." She trailed to a pause before nodding to herself and continuing on. "If memory serves me right, you're my dad's friend's son? Ave... Avil... Something...? Because I'm pretty sure I've met you once before and your name is, again, not 'Mech'."

Hugo's smile brightened even more. "Well, well... Miss Yana was right. You are a very special snowflake."

Niara's eyes narrowed. "Yana is my mother's name... You really are that person then!"

Everyone's confusion only stacked up even further, especially Eva's. 'Mech' wasn't his real name? Then what about her? Is this why no one ever knew who her parents are? Because someone had her last name changed? If that was he case then... Who is she?

~~~~~~~~~~

The picture is, as you guys can already tell, Hugo :)

And yay!!! An update that no one had to wait long for!! :')