Soul Drive: Ignition

Hiro sat quietly at the small dining table, his eyes darting around the room as the aroma of fresh tuna filled the air. His uncle's skillful hands moved with practiced precision, slicing and rolling the ingredients with care. Today was his sixteenth birthday, yet the only other guest in attendance was his best friend, Kimiko.

"Go on, Hiro, open it!" Kimiko urged excitedly, her dark eyes sparkling with anticipation as she slid a neatly wrapped gift across the table to him. Her long black hair shimmered under the overhead light.

"Okay, okay," Hiro chuckled softly, carefully peeling back the paper to reveal a box brimming with assorted sweets. He looked up at Kimiko, a genuine smile playing on his lips. "Thank you! You didn't have to."

"Of course I did!" Kimiko exclaimed, grinning proudly. "I picked them all myself, from our trip to Tokyo, it was hard to hide them all." She leaned in slightly, eager to see Hiro's reaction.

As Hiro eyes a dazzling galaxy truffle, he couldn't help but let his mind wander to what this birthday might have been like if his parents were still alive. Would they be sitting here with him, sharing laughter and stories over a hearty meal? What were they really like? he really only had his uncle's stories of them to remember. The pang of their absence made him each sweat taste slightly bitter, but he pushed the thought aside and tried to enjoy it.

"Hey, Hiro?" Kimiko's voice interrupted his thoughts. "Would you walk me home? If I am late for dinner again, dad will kill me,"

"Of course," he replied without hesitation, pushing away the lingering melancholy. They slipped on their jackets and ventured into the crisp evening air, the streets of Osaka bustling with life.

Kimiko went off about how English classes had only gotten harder as they passed a large storefront. Hiro could swear he saw the reflection of a man with burn scars staring at him. Trying not to give himself away he glanced back and sure enough the man trailed them a few feet away. He just happens to be going our way, he thought, trying to calm himself.

Casting another wary glance over his shoulder as they turned a corner, he spotted the man with burn scars on his face, making the same turn. His heart began to race, who was this guy and why did he give Hiro such a bad vibe? Without alerting Kimiko to the potential danger, Hiro guided them through the throngs of people, maneuvering around street vendors and weaving between groups of pedestrians in an attempt to lose their pursuer.

"Hiro, aren't you supposed to go around groups of people, not through them?" Kimiko asked, a hint of suspicion in her voice. " Honestly sometimes I swear you are in your own little world."

"Oh right, you know how it is just daydreaming about what this year will bring," Hiro lied smoothly, hoping she wouldn't pry further.

"Hopefully it brings some excitement." Kimiko lamented, "So far it has been a total borefest."

By the time they reached Kimiko's apartment building, Hiro was fairly certain they had lost the scarred man.

"See you at school tomorrow?" Kimiko said as she stood outside the door.

"Of course, I am sure I will have plenty of leftover sushi to share." Hiro offered.

"And that is why I keep you around," Kimiko teased, she turned on her heels and headed inside. "I hope your birthday was everything you wanted it to be Hiro." she waved as she disappeared.

Hiro cautiously made his way back home, his senses heightened, ever vigilant for the mystery man who had been following them. He knew it must have all been in his head but still, he just wanted to go home as fast as possible.

Hiro's breath puffed out in small clouds as he approached the front door of his home, the chill of the night air seeping through his jacket. He noticed a folded piece of paper wedged between the doorframe and the door itself, held in place by a tiny magnet. Hiro chuckled softly, plucking the note from its perch. His uncle's affection for old-fashioned communication was endearing if not slightly inconvenient.

"Back soon," the hastily scrawled message read, "Store emergency. Save me some sushi." Hiro shook his head, smiling at the thought of his uncle rushing around their family store, trying to put out proverbial fires. He hoped it wasn't anything too serious.

As he moved to open the door, the reflection of the scarred man on the windowpane behind him sent a shiver down his spine. Before he could react, a calloused hand clamped over Hiro's mouth, muffling his startled yelp.

"Quiet, Hiro," the scarred man whispered urgently, his voice hoarse and gravelly. "I don't want to hurt you, but we need to talk."

Hiro's heart hammered in his chest, adrenaline coursing through his veins. He nodded slowly, and the man released his grip, stepping back to give him space.

"Who are you? and how do you know my name?" Hiro demanded, his voice trembling despite his attempt at bravery.

"Yutaka Hayashi," the man answered, adjusting his glasses with one hand while keeping the other visible to show he meant no harm. "I worked at the lab with your parents. I knew them well, and before they died, they made me promise to look out for you."

"How come I have never seen you before in my life?" Hiro questioned, skepticism creeping into his tone.

Yutaka hesitated, his eyes darting away briefly before refocusing on Hiro. "There are people, people who can't know I am alive. but I had to see you, it was your parent's will. They survived the crash, long enough to make it to the hospital. I was there with them as they were fading. They made me swear to protect you, Hiro."

Hiro's mind reeled, grappling with the revelation that his parents had been conscious, even for a short while, after the accident. The thought of their final moments spent in pain and worry for him was almost too much to bear.

"You're lying, Why would you appear now? Why would my parents trust you?" Hiro spat out, anger flaring through his confusion.

"Look, Hiro, I know this is hard to believe," Yutaka said patiently, his eyes filled with sincerity. "But your parents trusted me because they knew I was their lab assistant, I helped them in every aspect of their research. We were close colleagues, and ultimately, friends."

Hiro stared at Yutaka, his eyes searching for any sign of deceit. There was something about the scarred man that resonated with him, an inexplicable connection that Hiro couldn't quite shake. But could he truly trust Yutaka, a virtual stranger linked to his parents' mysterious past?

Hiro's chest tightened, a mixture of doubt and curiosity swirling in his thoughts as he weighed Yutaka's words. "Alright," he said finally, his voice barely audible. "So why now?"

"Your parents were working on something big, Hiro," Yutaka explained earnestly, his eyes locked onto the young man's. "Once they realized the plans the government had for their creations, they knew the world would be in danger. And now... it seems their fears are about to come true. You are the only one who can stop it"

"Me?" Hiro blinked in surprise, skepticism creeping back into his heart. "What can I do?"

Yutaka reached into his pocket and pulled out an object that resembled an old-fashioned cellphone. He handed it to Hiro with a solemn expression. "This is a Mach, created by your parents specifically for you. It was designed based on your genetic code, and they hoped this day would never come. But recent events I discovered online have raised some red flags, and now we need your help."

As Hiro took the Mach, he couldn't help but stare at the seemingly outdated device. "How is this old thing supposed to help? Why not go to the authorities?"

"Trust me, Hiro, this fight is one we must face together: you, Me, and your parents, with this device. The authorities won't be able to help us, they don't have the technology," Yutaka responded firmly. "And remember, don't judge a book by its cover." he motioned the the old cell phone.

"Alright, so what am I supposed to do with this?" Hiro asked, frustration evident in his voice. He had a million questions swirling in his head and every answer he got seemed to add three more.

"Hit the green call button when the time comes, and it'll take it from there" Yutaka instructed, his gaze unwavering.

"Time? How will I know when it's time?" Hiro demanded, anxiety churning within him. Was Yutaka actually his parent's lab assistant or was he just a rambling madman? A part of him hoped it was the latter.

"You'll know," Yutaka replied, "I need to go now, I have been exposed for too long." cryptically before activating a cloaking device and disappearing from sight.

"Wait!" Hiro clenched the Mach tightly in his hand, feeling the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. He stared at the spot where Yutaka had stood only moments before, his mind racing as he tried to process everything that had just happened.

"Why would my parents create this for me, and why would they leave it with a guy like that?" Hiro wondered, doubt gnawing at the edge of his resolve. "How does an ancient cellphone save the world?" He entered his home and found his way to his room.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting shadows across the room, Hiro traced the device with his fingers, and deep down he knew he had been played. And so, with a heavy heart, he placed the old device on the side table and headed to the kitchen to enjoy some of the salmon sushi his uncle had lovingly prepared.

As he ate, he couldn't escape the nagging idea that maybe his parents really did leave the device for him. That they were still looking out for him even now, and this was their last gift to him. He glanced back at the side table. "What harm could there be in at least testing the phone" He thought, finding himself drawn to the table. He scooped up the charcoal-coloured phone and headed to his bedroom.

A single bead of sweat trickled down Hiro's temple as he examined the Mach, its surface worn and scuffed. He traced his fingers over the faded buttons, feeling their slight indentations, and wondered whether this thing would even turn on. His chest tightened with uncertainty, but he couldn't shake off the lingering hope that maybe, just maybe, it was all true.

"Alright," Hiro muttered to himself, determined to figure out how this vintage piece of technology could possibly hold any significance. "Let's see what you can do."

He cautiously pressed a few of the buttons, half-expecting some sort of reaction, but the screen remained dark. The silence in the room grew louder, amplifying his own doubts.

"Is Yutaka really telling the truth?" Hiro questioned, his voice barely above a whisper. "Or am I just holding onto a useless hunk of plastic?"

His eyes fell on a framed photograph of his parents, their smiles frozen in time. False memories flooded Hiro's mind of what could have been - laughter echoing through their home, whispered bedtime stories, warm hugs that felt like safety. A painful lump formed in his throat as he struggled to push back tears.

"Mom, Dad...what should I do?" His voice trembled as he spoke to their distant image, hoping for guidance. Hiro knew deep down that he had always longed for a connection to his parents - a tangible link between their love and his own existence. Was this his chance? Or just an elaborate deception?

Frustration built up inside him, the urge to hurl the device against the wall nearly overwhelming. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath, trying to steady his racing thoughts. When he opened them again, one thought crossed his mind - a charger.

"Alright," Hiro whispered, clutching the Mach tighter in his hand. "I'll keep you for now until I can find a charger and see if there really is anything to you."

He placed the device on his nightstand, unwilling to discard it just yet. As he lay down on his bed, eyes flicking back and forth between the Mach and the photograph of his parents, Hiro felt a spark of determination ignite within him.

"For my parents," he vowed, "I'll find out the truth about this Mach, about Yutaka, and this coming danger."

With that promise lingering in the air, Hiro closed his eyes, allowing sleep to claim him as he prepared to face whatever challenges lay ahead.