The Essence of Truth

Orimi slowly woke up in her bed and grunted softly. She sat up and held her head. She looked around with no memory of what just happened. "What..? Why am I so tired..?"

"Orimi!" Rimuri looked at her worried. "Are you alright?"

Orimi looked at Rimuri. "Rimuri..? Yeah...I'm okay..just confused. My body hurts and I don't know why.."

Rimuri looked at Karasu and then noticed Mae enter the room. "Do you know what happened to her?"

"No I don't. I was at home. What happen?" Mae asked. "And where's Yoshida?"

"I don't know...I'm still trying to figure things out." Rimuri said.

.....

I looked at Bachiko as she walked around me. She studied my entire body and placed a hand on her chin. "Why are you scanning me?"

"Are you familiar with the name Apeiron? You know the Monster of Origin, The First Monster, The Primordial Goddess." Bachiko asked.

"I've only heard of her from a museum. I don't know anything about this Apeiron. First Mae and now you. Is there something that I should know about her?" I asked.

"Yeah. Follow me. I know where your father is. He can answer that question for you." She held out her hand then a dark portal opened.

I looked at the portal and followed her inside. The portal closed after we went inside.

Another portal opened and we walked out to only be in a different part of Japan. A rural area of Japan named Honkoshi. I followed Bachiko and looked at her then grabbed her arm. She stopped and looked back at me.

"Is this a trap?" I asked.

"If it was, you would've been dead by now." She turned her body to me and held my cheek. "Besides I'd never think about harming you my darling."

I blushed and let go of her arm. She smiled and continued to walk forward. I followed her without complaint. "So how do you know my father..?"

"I met him before. He's in a bit of a state which is pathetic. I mean...once you see him you'll understand what I mean." Bachiko answered.

"I haven't seen him in over 13 years. If this is where he's been then maybe my biological mother is here too, but why would they be here. This is the side where I was born." I looked around.

Bachiko smirked as she walked ahead.

We made it to a house and I touched the door. The house was still in great condition. "This is my old house. You're saying..he's in here?" I asked.

"He is." Bachiko asked.

I knocked on the door and waited. I stepped back and someone opened the door then I looked at the man who stood in front of me. He had short gray hair, hazel eyes and a full beard. For sure...it was my father. "Dad..?"

"Who...Yoshida? How-" He looked at me then at Bachiko. "I should've known."

"Hello Mr. Asato. We meet again." Bachiko smirked and walked inside the house, pushing him aside. "I just wanted to reunite you with the son you abandon."

He looked at Bachiko and let me inside. "You what..? I didn't abandon him."

"Really? You and mom left me and Orimi alone to ourselves. We had no experience on how to take care of ourselves." I said. "You said were on a trip, but was here the entire time we were being taken care of by Naora. You left us for 13 years to never be seen again. Where's mom?"

He walked me walk around the house then walked towards the stairs. "She's not here. And I didn't want to abandon you."

Bachiko's red eyes shined as she smirked. She laughed and crossed her arms. "You're a terrible liar, Mr. Asato. I mean do you really think he believes you?"

"What are you getting at?" My dad asked and glared at Bachiko. "You know nothing about me so stay out of this, Monster."

"Ooohh! Name calling! Calling me a monster huh? While that may be true, what makes you think you aren't? You do realize, humans who make direct contact with monsters such as kissing and most importantly sex...become monsters right? Your body absorbs their monster energy. You don't become a half breed like my darling here, but a full blown monster. The difference between me and you, however, is I don't betray my own family." Bachiko smirked and held her arms out. "That's because they will always be with me...their time is my time."

"Don't believe a word she says, Yoshida! She's one of the more manipulative monsters! She's just trying to trick you!" My dad said.

"You still wish to lie to him? Must I show him that you did in fact abandon him? You and his mother both pushed him and his sister away. Yoshida, allow me to show you the truth." Bachiko said then summoned a clock and the hands spun counterclockwise. The face of the clock ripped and showed an image. It was a memory...one of my memories that I had forgotten.

...

"Mama? Where are you going?" I looked at my mother and held Orimi. "Take us with you."

My mother looked down at me and Orimi then glared. "Defects. You're nothing of my kind. Hybrids are supposed to be the pinnacle of strength. The zenith of abilities. You two are the first hybrids to touch the surface of this forsaken planet and you can't do as little as call upon your power? Disgusting mortals."

I looked hurt by her words and Orimi began to cry. I looked at my dad.

"D-Don't worry children. Let Mama calm down. We will return. We just have to get some stuff for Christmas! You're gonna get a lot of toys and games." My dad smiled at us.

"Really?" Orimi sniffed.

"Yeah." My dad nodded. "I promise you we will be back from our trip."

He left the house, filling me and Orimi up with hope. Hope that our mom still loved us...hope that they would return.

We sat in front of our Christmas tree a week later and they haven't returned. Orimi leaned on me and rested her head on my shoulder.

"Are they coming back..?" Orimi asked.

"They promised. They will come back.." I said then held Orimi.

.....

I balled my fists and looked at my dad. "You lied. You did abandon us. Who was that woman as well? Was that Apeiron?! You're telling me...that I am half monster, half human? Why did you leave us? That day...you filled us with so much hope that we were still loved." I looked at him with anger and disappointment.

He looked at me and scoffed. "...You don't get it do you? Your mother wanted strong children. Not humans. Hybrids are known as the pinnacle of pure power. You nor Orimi have proven that hence why she left and I followed. Apeiron is still in Japan but she's a statue now."

"Why..? Why did you..." I grunted and held my stomach then gripped my hair. "Did you even love us from the beginning..? Did Mom ever love us?"

"Son." He walked to me and tried to touch my shoulder.

"Don't touch me!" I yelled and slapped his hand away and looked up as my eyes shined. "For 13 years...we have waited even till this day, Orimi still sits at the kitchen table waiting for your phone call to let her know you're still alive! It hurts...seeing her up until 1 AM every morning hearing her cry!"

Bachiko looked at me and crossed her arms. "This is what the truth does to someone with a human heart. Breaks them."

"Shut the fuck up." My dad said as he pointed to Bachiko.

I fell to my knees and my hair covered my eyes. "After all this time...we never got the Christmas we were promised. We never got to see our family. Naora took care of us and treated us like royalty, but the pain of being betrayed by our own parents wasn't enough make us happy. The only thing keeping us from depression was the fact we still had each other."

Bachiko felt the Monster Aura in my heart awaken and her eyes shined.

"You...I'll kill you and Apeiron." I said coldly and reached for the katana that was in my scabbard around my waist.

"You wouldn't kill your own dad would you? The man who works for the MHF as well? If I wanted I could kill you where you stand. You are a Level 4 Threat and a monster." My dad said and smirked.

"I don't care who you are. You're not my father. You're dead to me." I said then withdrew my sword from my scabbard and my battlesuit appeared around me. "I don't want to see Orimi cry anymore...I want to see her smile. By doing that I'll ease her mind...by killing those who made her sad."

"Fire." He said then a laser went through the roof and time stopped.

I stood up and looked at Bachiko.

"I want to see you prosper. Your father is the enemy. I'll help you take him and whoever is outside down." Bachiko smiled.

I nodded then got out the way of the laser then time resumed. I kicked my dad on his stomach and he crashed through the wall. "You want to see power..? I'll show you power! I'll show you a hybrid!" I yelled as I walked to him and powerful winds blew and I began to float in the air.

Bachiko followed outside and sat the tornado carrying me in the air. She smirked and looked at the MHF units. "The Arjé Energy is surely a sight to see."

Yasuo appeared on the scenes and looked at me. "Hmph. Now it's time to take you down once and for all." He flew to me and was sent crashing to the ground. He groaned and looked up to see Bachiko standing in front of him.

"Your opponent is me." Bachiko smirked.

I looked at my father and my eyes shined blue with purple pupils. "Isn't this what you and Apeiron wanted to see? Are you still not pleased?"

My father covered his face from the debris and grunted. "Avian Energy..? He can use Avian Energy huh?"

I pointed my katana at him then the tornado rushed to him. He called his mecha and the mecha blocked the tornado then he got in the mecha. "That piece of scrap metal won't save you.." I said then summoned a void.

"And Abyss Energy?! What is this?" He said then shook his head then aimed his cannons at me. "Doesn't matter, I will strike you down!"

I got in a stance and my katana shined.

.....

"Guys...look at the news." Keishi said and turned on the TV.

"Breaking news! Two Monsters are taking on Commander Seiko and Commander Yasuo in Honkoshi! We advise you all to stay in your homes until further notice!" The new reporter said.

"Wait..two monsters? That guy looks very familiar." Himeko said and squinted at the TV.

"T-That's Yoshida." Naora said then walked off to get her Battlesuit then noticed Ochiyo walk in the room. "Commander Ochiyo."

"I advise you to not interfere. Yoshida's Monster Aura is very unstable especially with the use of Avian and Abyss Energy. After using enough energy his body grows incredibly tired due to his human limitations. After he's calmed down, then we rush in there and save him." Ochiyo said.

.....

I yelled and fired a powerful energy beam from the void and it hit Seiko's Mecha directly. He groaned and coughed blood. I yelled and a powerful tornado surrounded me. I made the tornado expand and the energy from my monster aura enhanced the effects of the tornado. "Die!"

Seiko grunted as he tried to make the mecha retreat. "This Esoteric Wind is beyond anything I've felt before..! I need assistance!"

"Our units can't get in! With winds like that, we would only get dragged into the tornado and die!" Yasuo yelled.

Seiko grunted as he noticed his mech being sucked into the tornado. The houses in the area began to break apart from the wind. "He's gonna destroy everything..! I have to stop him..!"

Energy began to collect inside the void. I bellowed and spread my arms out then the tornado dispersed creating a massive wind explosion. Causing destruction in the area.

'This is just like 20 years ago..' Yasuo thought to himself and noticed Bachiko's sadistic smirk. He noticed the energy entering her body, making her more powerful. 'She planned this...you bastard...I'll kill you...'

"I'll kill you!" Yasuo yelled as he was being blown away.

I panted and slowly landed on the ground then Bachiko appeared behind me and stabbed my side. I grunted and looked at her. "B-Bachiko..?" I began to lose vision.

"My apologies, my darling. I forgot to tell you...I am also known for killing monsters. Your time...is my time." Bachiko smirked and her red eyes shined as she drained my energy. "Thank you for helping me...my plan worked better than expected."

I fell to my knees and passed out on the ground. Bachiko looked at me and laughed. She laughed maniacally then vanished into a portal.