The Thorns of Truth

"Unit Y45U0. It has come to my attention that your actions have become too reckless. Reckless enough to place a civilian in danger and enough to cause the potential destruction of Japan. Not even that, you obviously have some resentment for Yoshida's family. We can not hold our personal issues above the mission! Whatever hatred you have for them ends here." Ochiyo said. "With that said, give me the key to your power suit. I am placing you under a temporary suspension."

The other units began to murmur in shock. It was the first time anyone has been under temporary suspension in 20 years in the MHHQ.

"Hmph.." Yasuo walked to Ochiyo and handed her the key to his power suit then walked away.

After he walked away, everything seemed to die down. Mae walked to Ochiyo and stood beside her.

"Commander. I have a question." Mae said.

"What is it?" Ochiyo asked.

"I've been helping hunt down these monsters, but I know nothing about them. I know nothing about why General Yasuo hates Yoshida's family. I'm confused on how Yoshida has the ability to save these monsters." Mae said as she looked out the window.

Ochiyo closed her eyes and sighed. "20 years ago, the first monster appeared in Japan and caused only minor damage in a rural area. Her damage was caused because of an eruption of her energy. After that she wasn't heard of again until a member of the MHF attacked her. Her rage was so great it leveled that entire land in the rural area. Because of how powerful she was, it was clear to see how dangerous those monsters were. Right after, however, that unit that attacked was put under suspension for 20 days because of her actions. That day 20,000 people were caught in her rage, only 20 died."

"Who was that monster?" Mae asked.

Ochiyo opened her eyes. "If I told you, I'd have to kill you where you stand."

"I'm fine with the conditions." Mae said.

Ochiyo looked at Mae then walked up the stairs to her desk. She pulled out a pistol and closed her eyes. "The first monster...was Yoshida's mother. He is a half-breed although his powers are practically worthless in combat and the fact he holds no noticable abilities other than his unnatural talent of taming other monsters, he has a human heart surrounded with monster energy. Which is why he is able to survive attacks form our Mechs and Power Suits, but not strong enough to take a hit from Anti-Energy rays and other monster attacks. It is safe to note that his mother abandoned him and his sister because of their lack of monster aura and abilities. She calls them defects. Left them when they were kids, the woman who took care of them happened to work with the MHF in the past by the name of Naora Taguchi. She can be found in the Kimotari Lab."

"What..? Yoshida is half breed..?" Mae looked at Ochiyo then noticed her pointing a pistol at her.

"Bang. You would've been dead if I had actually loaded this." Ochiyo said then tossed her the pistol. "Give me your badge, but you can keep your power suit. Do what you will with that information. You're fired."

Mae caught the pistol and looked at it then took her badge from her pocket and walked up the stairs to give it to Ochiyo.

"The only reason I'm letting you keep the power suit is because if there is ever a time you have to defend yourself from another monster...it's right there. Unlike Yasuo who will be at base the whole time...you will be on ground. You deserve protection." Ochiyo smiled.

Mae looked at her then nodded.

....

Mae was dropped off and walked down the sidewalk with her bags in hand. She sighed and thought about her conversation with Ochiyo. "Yoshida...is part monster, but holds little to no monster energy. Is that why Yasuo called Yoshida a Level 3 Threat? Does he actually possess some form of ability? I need to know...I need to know the truth and does he know his mom is a monster..? Does he even remember his substitute mother..?" Mae took out her phone to text me.

...

"Big brother! There's feathers all in my room!" Orimi whined to me and held my sleeves.

"Well I'm sorry I have the need to ruffle my feathers!" Karasu said.

"Yoshida.." Rimuri said and moved her hips from side to side.

"Alright, everyone chill out! Let's do this. There are four rooms and four of us. I am the one responsible for you all so I take the master bedroom, Rimuri you can have my room since you've already marked your territory. Orimi, I'll clean your room and you can stay there. Karasu you can have the entire guest bedroom. Deal?" I looked at the girls.

"Deal!" Orimi smiled.

"I can work with these terms." Rimuri nodded.

"If you say so..~" Karasu smiled.

I felt my phone buzz and took my phone from my pocket then walked off to answer the text from Mae. "Hold on I have to do something important really quickly. I'll be right back." I ran off to get my jacket.

"Is it the MPT?" Rimuri asked.

"Yeah something related to that. I'll tell you the deeds when I get back!" I said then left the house.

"Huh.." Karasu said then looked at the other two.

"So can you like have a human form too?" Rimuri asked.

"Mhm!" She said then shook her body then her feathers fell off revealing human arms and hands then her monster aura spiralled around her legs and turned her harpy legs into human ones.

"I'd almost rather you stay a harpy." Orimi sighed.

....

I met up with Mae at Fujitori and looked at her. She was sitting on a bench and I sat beside her. "You never invite me out, what's the occasion? Or the better question would be what's wrong?"

She looked at her hands then closed her eyes. "First I want to say I was fired from my job."

"Fired from the MHHQ?" I asked.

"So you know huh..?" Mae opened her eyes and smiled.

"I've been known since the day I saved Rimuri. I've also noticed how you've been avoided every target area a monster is in after that." I said.

"It's because I fear the day I would accidentally kill you again.." Mae said then looked at me.

I looked at her then placed a hand on her shoulder. "You don't have to fear it because I know you didn't mean it. I am the one who throws myself in danger trying to save the monsters."

She blushed a bit then looked away. "I have an important question...pertaining to you."

"What is it?" I asked.

"Have you ever wondered about your origins? Like wondered, who you actually are?" She asked.

"I mean...not really if I'm being honest. I know I am a human trying to save monsters because of a fate I'm bound to. I know my mom and dad are on a trip but they never told me when they were coming back and Orimi and I were being taken care of by Naora." I said and shrugged. "I mean what am I missing?"

"Nothing." She said then stood up. "I just wanted to chat with you for a bit. You haven't been at school for 3 weeks. Ms. Chiziwa was beginning to get worried. I'll catch you later."

"Hey wait." I stood up. She looked back at me. "Would you like to...maybe go somewhere with me this weekend?"

She looked at me with her usual emotionless expression.

I sighed and rubbed the back of my head. "Never-"

"I don't mind. I would like to go on a date with you." She said.

"Wha- huh? Really?" I asked.

She nodded. "Meet at the Asamaki Plaza."

I smiled and nodded. "Alright."

She walked off and I went the other way. Mae took out her phone and tracked down the Kimotari Lab.

....

Mae looked at the large building that seemed to be in bad shape as it has boarded up windows and chipped bricks. She walked inside the building and looked around. She searched around for Naora. She turned on the flashlight on her phone then walked around. She walked to a door and opened it, hearing machinery.

"I told you Himeko, stop walking in here without permission." The woman sighed as she stopped working on a power suit and took off her safety goggles. She looked at Mae then rose an eyebrow. "Hm..? Who are you?"

"Are you Naora Taguchi?" Mae asked.

"Yeah I am.." Naora said.

Mae looked at her appearance. She had gray hair styles in a ponytail on the side of her head. Her eyes were green and she had bags under her eyes. She looked like she hadn't slept in years. She wore a white button up shirt and white pants. "You are Yoshida's...substitute mother right?"

"At this point I am his and Orimi's real mother. Adopted them since their failure of parents couldn't care for them and abandoned them. Took care of them since they were kids." Naora said.

"I need to know something...Is Yoshida actually a half-breed?" Mae asked.

Naora sat back in her chair and looked at Mae. "Was it Ochiyo who told you?"

Mae nodded.

Naora sighed and looked at the ceiling. "Both Yoshida and Orimi are half-breeds, but they possess little to no Monster Aura at all. Although they have human hearts the only bit of Monster Aura they possess is the aura around their hearts. No one knows why kind of Monster Aura their mother had but people suspect she has Primordial Energy. I mean...she is the Monster of Origin. She is better known as Apeiron. Funny enough her type of energy had different names but only one stuck...Arjé. The strongest form of Monster Aura. So for Yoshida and Orimi to have little to no Monstet Aura, I can understand why she calls them defects, but she forgets she mated with a human."

"I read about Apeiron...Her aura is unable to be studied so no one knows what she can actually do.." Mae said.

"If you want to know more about Apeiron, I have some books over there you can read. You can also read about how the MHF managed to take her down." Naora said then put her safety goggles back on.

"Okay." Mae nodded then walked over to the books.