Soul Drive: Ignition

On the bridge suspended over the tranquil lake, Nori's lips pressed against Hiro's in a sudden act that caught them both off guard. Hiro's eyes widened as he felt both confusion and an unexpected comfort from the intimate contact. As quickly as it happened, Nori pulled away, his dark eyes searching Hiro's face for a moment before disappearing into the bustling crowd without another word. Hiro stood in silence for a moment still trying to process what had just happened.

"Wait!" Hiro called out, as he came back to reality, but Nori was already swallowed by the sea of people. Hiro's Mach, buzzed in his pocket, alerting him that a Mach had been activated nearby. He knew it must be Nori flying away. What had just happened, he thought, why did Nori kiss him and why did he feel like he failed Nori in some way?

"Damn it," Hiro muttered under his breath. As he leaned against the railing of the bridge, Hiro couldn't help but reflect on the night he had just spent with Nori – he finally understood Nori's rage, and yet, he had no idea how Nori was entangled in all of this. A curiosity began to grow within him, why did he kiss me? Hiro thought.

But there was nothing more Hiro could do tonight. With a deep sigh, he activated his own Mach, the familiar sensation of his body being coated in the teal cybernetic armor felt colder than normal. He activated his stealth function, blending seamlessly into the shadows before taking off into the night sky.

"Yutaka will find you, Nori," Hiro thought, his strong conviction fueling his determination. "It's not too late, we can save him."

-----

In future Tokyo, Daiki walked through the crowded streets, a satisfied grin on his face as he was able to break through the final firewall on the Japanese government servers today. With that, he had managed to discover the location of the Japanese Machs, hidden deep in a secure underground base beneath Tokyo Tower. A successful mission would mean stealing these remaining Machs for Canada, tipping the balance in their favor.

As Daiki entered the small apartment he shared with the girl he had rescued, he carried a bag of food, he had started bringing back dinner for her every night, a tradition of sorts. The dim light from the hallway cast long shadows across the room, where Kimiko lay sleeping on the couch, her chest rising and falling gently with each breath.

"Guess I'll let her sleep," he thought, placing the food in the kitchen and glancing back at her peaceful form. "She needs it." She still hadn't told him where she was from or what had happened to her, but he felt like she was getting closer to opening up to him.

With a tender expression, Daiki decided to do something kind for her. He gathered the pile of clothes from the floor, intending to wash them. As he did so, a small Tamagotchi fell from one of the pockets, landing with a quiet thud on the ground. Puzzled, he picked up the device, reading the message scrolling across its tiny screen: "Mach repairing."

Daiki's eyes widened in shock as the realization hit him – this girl was not just any ordinary girl; she was a Mach pilot. He had been tricked in his mind and Japan had a mole in his apartment feeding them information. He felt like a fool for such a rookie mistake and decided he had to figure out what she knew and who she was working for. He walked over to the couch and shook her.

"Who are you working for?" Daiki demanded, his voice cold and accusatory as Kimiko stirred awake, disoriented by the sudden change in atmosphere.

"Wh-what are you talking about?" she stammered, rubbing her eyes groggily.

"Don't play dumb with me," he growled, holding up her Tamagotchi Mach. "How did you know I was looking for the Machs?"

Kimiko's heart raced, panic setting in as she desperately tried to maintain her composure. She knew she was in trouble if this guy knew what a Mach was. "I don't know anything about that," she lied, her voice barely a whisper.

"Wrong answer," Daiki replied, his face inches from hers as he glared at her. "We'll get to the bottom of this at the Embassy."

Before she could protest, he yanked her off the couch and cuffed her wrists together with magnetic cuffs. "They'll interrogate you, and once you break... well, let's just say you won't be our problem anymore."

As Kimiko was dragged away, tears streaming down her face, she couldn't help but feel betrayed by the man who had saved her life only days before. And she knew that if she didn't find a way to escape, things were about to take a turn for the worse.

-----

The moon cast a silvery sheen on the park as Hiro cautiously slipped through the trees. He powered down his Mach, shedding its protective armor like a second skin, and paused to catch his breath. As he stepped onto the path leading to his uncle's house, his phone buzzed with an urgency that seemed to pierce the quiet night.

"Hello?" Hiro whispered, his heart pounding in his chest.

"It's Yutaka," came the reply, the voice on the other end of the line tense and urgent. "The Canadians have made you. They're waiting with an ambush at your home."

Hiro froze, his blood running cold. "What should I do?" His eyes scanned the tree line for any sign he was being watched.

"Go to this address," Yutaka instructed, sending the location of the Kodamoshi apartment in downtown Osaka. "Stay hidden, avoid major streets, and don't activate your Mach for any reason. Understood?"

"Understood," Hiro agreed, his voice barely audible as he hung up and pocketed his phone.

With a newfound sense of fear, Hiro melted into the shadows, hyper-aware of every sound and movement around him. Every passerby had the potential to be a hidden agent, every car a possible tail. As he darted from alleyway to alleyway, he couldn't help but wonder if Osamu had betrayed him to the Canadian government or if they had been followed during their risky public meeting. It gnawed at him, fueling his drive to stay unseen.

After what felt like hours of cautious navigation, Hiro arrived at the luxury apartments, awestruck by the luxuriousness of the building before him. The sleek glass facade reflected the city lights, creating a mesmerizing display. He approached the entrance, his eyes scanning the list of names on the buzzer. Spotting Yutaka's name, he hesitated for a moment, confused about how the man trying to hide from the world was living in such an eye-catching place, but shook the thought away as he pressed the button.

"Come in," Yutaka's voice crackled through the intercom, and Hiro stepped into the lavish lobby, leaving his fears of being hunted on the streets behind him.

The elevator doors slid open, revealing a spacious, dimly lit apartment adorned with tasteful art and minimalist furniture. Hiro hesitated for a moment, then stepped inside. Yutaka appeared from the shadows, his relief evident as he pulled Hiro into a hug.

"Thank God you made it safely," he said, his voice low and sincere. "You don't need to worry about your uncle, Goro. I made sure he wouldn't be home tonight, he was called to the store because someone ordered a massive shipment of squid."

"But he doesn't sell squid," Hiro started.

"Exactly," Yutaka said, "He should be there all night trying to sort that one out."

Hiro nodded but couldn't shake the feeling of unease. He glanced around the luxurious space and finally asked the question that had been gnawing at him since he saw Yutaka's name on the buzzer. "Why are you living here? I thought you were like some kind of hermit dodging the government and hiding in the sewers or something."

Yutaka shrugged nonchalantly. "And the government thinks that too. They would never think I would be so out in the open like this." He waved away Hiro's curiosity, redirecting the conversation. "Now did you find Kimiko tonight?"

"No, but I was able to identify another Mach user," Hiro replied, trying to refocus his thoughts from the disappointment of not knowing where Kimiko was. "Mach 2, Nori, he used to go to my school."

"Excellent work!" Yutaka beamed, clearly impressed with Hiro's detective skills. "I'll do a deep dive into Nori and figure out exactly what we're dealing with."

Hiro felt a swell of pride at having been helpful, but his mind drifted back to the kiss and he felt funny. He shifted his weight, as he turned his attention to the Canadians. "How did the Canadian figure out who I am?"

Yutaka sighed, his expression turning somber. "It could have happened a thousand different ways, we haven't exactly been inconspicuous. Their involvement isn't surprising, but I'd hoped they'd stay out of the conflict. At least it'll be easier to destroy the Machs if they're all gathered in Japan."

Hiro caught the implications of what Yutaka said. "Wait how do you know the Canadians are the only other country with Machs?"

"Mary was Canadian, so I am just assuming that only the countries connected to your parents have Machs," Yutaka said, his determination evident. "Of course, this is all just speculation. We need to learn more about the Canadians' plans before we know what is really going on. Let me look into it while you get some rest, the guest room is down the hall on your left."

With a nod of gratitude, Hiro left Yutaka to his research and made his way to the appointed room. As he closed the door behind him, he couldn't help but feel like a pawn in a much larger game – one he wasn't entirely sure how to play. Kimiko was still missing, Nori wasn't a rage-fuelled robot and Osamu may have just betrayed him. It all felt like too much.

Hiro's body sunk into the plush mattress, the softness enveloping him like a cloud. He could feel the weight of exhaustion pulling at his eyelids, but just as they began to close, the shrill sound of his phone cut through the silence. He hesitated for a moment, then reached over and grabbed it off the nightstand.

"Hello?" Hiro answered, trying to keep the weariness from his voice.

"Hiro?" Osamu's voice crackled through the speaker. Hiro tensed, ready to ask if he had betrayed his trust by telling the Canadian government about him, but Osamu cut him off. "Listen, we don't have time for questions right now. Daiki has Kimiko. He's taking her to the Canadian Embassy in Tokyo for questioning."

Hiro's heart raced, his exhaustion forgotten. "What? But how—"

"I don't know," Osamu interrupted, urgency clear in his voice. "We need to save her before they get what they want and dispose of her. I need your help, Hiro."

Shock coursed through Hiro's veins, replacing the drowsiness from moments ago. He sat up, pushing aside the heavy blankets that suddenly felt suffocating. His mind raced with questions, but he knew there would be time for answers later.

"Alright," Hiro agreed, his voice firm. "I'll do whatever it takes to help her."

"Good," Osamu replied. "Meet me at the address I'm sending you. And come prepared to fight."

"Understood." Hiro hung up, the line going dead. He stared at the phone in his hand for a moment, trying to process the sudden turn of events. Kimiko was in danger, and it was up to him and Osamu to rescue her.

He swung his legs over the side of the bed and stood, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He knew that they couldn't afford to waste any time. Hiro quickly got dressed, his thoughts focused on Kimiko and what could happen if they failed to save her. He tried to shove away the fear gnawing at the back of his mind, forcing himself to concentrate on the task ahead.