23 December 2001, The first day Toshi sees the world. Only son. Raised with no siblings. His birthplace initially located somewhere in “Nagano”, Japan, but had moved across Saitama to “Tokyo” since he's 2.

His parents were not split, abusive, or anything. In fact, he has a perfect family structure. But what's abnormal is also the family itself.

Japan, the country located on the most left side of the world map is a massive shelter for “Cults”. They are everywhere in the dark corner... Especially, Tokyo.

Toshi's parents is a “Cult” member. Not just ordinary. High ranks. Among hundreds of Cults in Tokyo, he can know by instinct as soon as he stepped into the cult's buildings that this cult is influential, rich, and luxurious, full of connections unlike those lower class on the streets.

“......”

He sees people come in and pray, come in and “donate” money, come in and cry, come in and speaking nonsense spells. His parents are very addicted to the cult leader so much that they donated enough to gain the privilege to have a one-one meeting with the leader himself, outsider will call them the “Gold bag”.

Though he has also been forced to participate, Toshi never took any of that seriously.

If he's the other kid at this age, with this kind of parents, with this kind of surroundings, he would have grown up being a Cult troop... Or even worse.

But Toshi is very lucky... No, even the word “lucky” can not describe it. It's more like a “Miracle” God has designed while creating him.

Toshi borns with talent. Not to play music, not to do the math. But a talent of “Acting”. He sees through people's expressions. His perspective on individuals is different from others.

If having a conversation with someone, what will you focus on? Their words? Their faces? His beard? Her chest? Or not at all because you're picturing their statement in the head, thinking for a supporting reply or a solid disagreement, or just the way to escape this awkward moment? Because Toshi never sees that at the first thing.

He sees their eyes, He sees their level of the shoulder, the gestures. His ears perceive their voices, Questioning, why are they like that? Why they lack confidence? Why they avoided eyes? Why are they trying to hide something from him?

The bizarre way of perceiving people like this leaded Toshi to start to portray them. He memorized the way they acted, He catches the pattern of the way their word's pacing. He can mock his father first. Then it goes to his mom. And people close to them to people inside the television.

His talent grows as the day passing by... Until He figured out the cult his parents so obsessed with, is nothing but total bull shit, he knew they make money out of people by telling them the only side of the truth. And because the cult made a living by that method, it never gets exposed.

But Toshi does not show any sign that he knew because he doesn't want to get into trouble. But unfortunately...

The cult leader, Shoki Asakawa, is a person with the same talent as Toshi.

And he also knew that Toshi already figured out his cult.

This boy's talent is outstanding that the cult leader sees this, and knows Toshi isn't into his kingdom. But the leader saw him since he's a kid. The bond between them is too strong to be cut.

So he instead, had another thought.

“ His talent shows great potential to benefit the cult.”

So...Shoki brought Toshi in as his henchman, use the boy to work for him in exchange for money and wealth. And anything he desired.

“ Mmm...mmm....”

The same aged highschool girl was having a deep kiss with Toshi. Thanks to his look parents gave him, he was told by many of his girls he was born to be the magnet that draws people into him.

Why wouldn't he use his charm and have some fun with it?

Toshi lived a life goalless, just to pass the day and enjoyed the girls.

Shoki also teaches him the techniques of how to persuade people. Shoki planned Toshi to be his assistant. His number two. In case something happened to Shoki.

And most importantly, he thought him the “Fake death” technique. The technique uses as an emergency escape. The technique which creates the dead body of the user that'll fool the one chasing them. The technique that can make him turn invisible in a short amount of time.

The day passed, Toshi was now a grown man, Shoki loved him as his son, his apprentice. Because Toshi listens to every word he spoke, did everything he said.

At least that's what Shoki thought.

But Toshi? No. Not at all.

At first when Shoki approached him, Toshi didn't refuse or anything, on the other hand, he finds it the easiest way of making money. And it's not like he alone can go against this group anyway. In fact, he didn't care. He also sees people who come to join the cult as “Pathetic” that cannot even see through the lies behind those words spoken by someone no more human than them.

It's frustrating to know that words and beliefs are the best tools used to control people's lives. Doesn't matter how academic they'll be, It always made Toshi shook his head... Why are these high-academic people see good as bad, why they're easily convinced? These people... are such a fool...His parents are no exception.

But that's how life is, Toshi thought. Though decorated with lights and entertainment 24/7 for tourists, Tokyo is a wicked place. Desperation leads people to find something for themselves to believe.

And the most important reason which made him thought, “ Shit... I think we're going downhill now...” was the time he saw the change in Shoki Asakawa, the cult leader.

His cult indeed expanded the influence through Tokyo's underground, Shoki is getting famous and even more famous throughout Japan. They even make a meeting tour all over the country too, that's unarguable.

But what changed in Shoki Asakawa is that “He started to believe that he, himself, is the god. He is being convinced by his own lies.”. He changed, he acted differently. The more day passed by, the more relapse and fucked-up his mindset.

Toshi doesn't know what Shoki had encountered when he's a kid to make his behavior turns out to be like this, but Toshi wants to break out from this horrible kingdom so bad. But he couldn't. Because once you're in, there's no way out. Those who tried to escape from the cult's shelter, die.

What Shoki has been doing is getting crazier and crazier. He ordered to kill off public officials who're suspecting in the cult. He even established a political party under the cult's name for political competition. But turns out to be a failure, A complete defeat.

That's when the bomb has been rigged.

One day, The cult has an assemble. Toshi is called too, everyone attains in the main hall, waiting for Shoki Asakawa to speak.

“ We will release a Sarin Gas in the underground station.”

“ ?????!!!!?? ”

Toshi was completely shocked by that but everyone around him seemed to be neutral + tends to agree with what Shoki had said.

(... This is getting out of hand ... You're just mad you lost the vote.)

He knew a bit of chemistry he read from the book, and he can tell.

Sarin gas is no joke.

Since that day. He was anxious as hell because the execution will start in the next week. Not because if the attack succeeds, lots of people would either die or forever spending the rest of their lives on the bed, but because he'd get involved, fully involved, once the attack was done.

No... I cannot end like this... I must do something!!!

Although Toshi had some amount of money he saved from Shoki, it's enough to take him out of Japan, the cult's member is infiltrating everywhere. They would have reported to Shoki about his escape plan for sure. Take it to the police? What if they're cults members?

Toshi has been thinking about all this matter every day but never showed his concern to anyone.

But then, just the day after that. His ability awaken.

It happened on the day he slept with the side chick in his place.

Hours after they finished doing what opposite-sex couples do,

He woke up from the bed,

“.......”

Looking at the clock. It's midnight.

He then put the shirt on because of the cold and went off the bed to the toilet.

But once he turned a light on and walked passing the toilet's mirror. His eyes caught something wrong. So he turned back.

And he found that a person in the mirror wasn't him.

It's a girl he slept with.

“ !!!!??? ”

His eyes widened in shock. But realized it was him as the girl in the mirror did all that he did.

He walked out for the phone, he turned the front camera... And it's the same.

He has turned into the girl he slept with. While the real one was still asleep next to him.

“........”

After discovered that he has turned in to someone, that night Toshi did not sleep. He analyzed himself, his chest was girls... His voice was girls...even the nails are also girls...or even his genital also change into hers.

This is crazy. This is fucking crazy.

Toshi's panting heavily. He's trying his best to recall his cool after that.

He spent the rest of the week took the research his ability, not going out like he used to. And he found that he can shapeshift into any person he wants.

The process of turning into that was pretty disgusting to look. So he used the Cult's mask to cover while he's transforming. However, his ability can be exposed by using water. He discovered this in the next 20 minutes when he washed his face.

And this... This is the solution to his concern. Toshi had found a way to escape from Shoki Asakawa's cult.

He took all the saved money from the bank account, brought it to another one which isn't japan's. He deleted all his contacts even his parents. Because he knew they already sold their souls to Shoki.

Before that, the big problem he worried about was that he DOES NOT have a passport. He can't fly to the other country.

But after his ability had awakened, this problem was a piece of cake.

Toshi began to plan. He was putting himself into it that he even traveled to Japan's national airport to take a survey. Of course, he went there undercovered.

He's walking around the passport checkpoint, observing everything until he found the escape way, the entrances, etc.

In tomorrow, it's the day Shoki will begin his massacre operation. Toshi escaped from that place at 4 A.M. and went straight to his exit by taxi.

At Japan's national airport, Passport checkpoint.

The Japanese lady, working as a passport checker, alongside her peers in each station saw the arrival of a nice looking Japanese business chairman following by his people. He was coming to her station.

It's unnecessary to check on the public-known like him but in japan, the rule is the rule. Everything was flawless and she looked at him walking away before she turned back to check on the next person's passport.

10 minutes later...

The lady saw a man rushing towards the station in a hurry. He's wearing a suit like the previous chairman carrying a business bag and headed to her station.

“ I'm so sorry! Miss...”

He was panting.

“ I've lost my passport. I was looking for it half an hours now! But I really...Really can't find it! Please! I have to follow my boss in there! Or else I don't know what to do to confirm my status! Can you please check on my ID card or the organization ID instead???”

He was begging her.

“.... Sir... The rule said only passport. The ID card can be made up... I'm terribly sorry but I think we can't...”

“ PLEASE! ”

His shouting draws the attention,

“ S-Sir! I really can't! Please, or can I contact your boss for you?”

“ N-NO Please don't he's gonna kill me! Please miss I beg you! My passport is stolen!!! ”

The passport checker lady held his hand.

“ Sir, we really can't.”

“ Hey, Hey! Mizuki, what happened here?”

Her supervisor, the older man walked up between them because they're drawing the attention from the crowd and that's not good.

“ Sir, this man said he's the people from that businessman's group passed our station for like 10 minutes ago. But he said he lost his passport. And he begged for passing.”

The lady reported him.

“ How the hell you lost your passport??? That's the most important stuff you had to protect it with your life.”

Said the supervisor.

“ Sir! I do not have the intention to lose it! I have it. I even checked it twice! It was with me before I stepped into the airport! It's still with me when I split from the group to go to the restroom! But when I'm on the line to the checkpoint, It disappeared! You need to believe me, Sir! ”

“ Still, we couldn't let you pass. It's your fault for not preparing things properly.”

“ HOW I'M SUPPOSE TO KNOW IT'LL DISAPPEAR!!?? ”

The man started whining. And when Japanese people start whining. You know it's a real shit when their voices go louder and louder.

The businessman pushed the passport checker lady, she bounced off. A second after that, the man's being charged by the guards and the chaotic situation begins.

“ Hey. Mizuki, go take a break. We'll handle this. You've already worked passing your schedule for 20 minutes now. I'll take on after this.”

Said her colleagues.

The passport checker lady then nodded and walked to the restroom in the “ Passport-checked” area where it contained people who've passed the passport inspection waiting for their flight.

Not for long after she walked away. While the staff and guards are taking the businessman out of the section, suddenly, The passport checker lady walked to them from the OUTSIDE of the hall.

“ Hey. Hey, what's going on here?”

Asked the passport checker lady, Mizuki.

“.....???????”

Everyone was confused by that question.

“ Mizuki what the hell are you talking?”

“ Me? No. It's you. I'm asking what is going on? Why are there a whining man over my station? I just went out to take a 30 minutes break at the restaurant outside.”

“........”

The colleagues...and even her supervisor were stunned.

“ HUH??????????????? ”

.

.

.

.

Once the passport checker lady walked out of the woman restroom... It is TOSHI ISHII with the luggage. Wearing sunglasses and caps and a face mask.

The fake uniform he made from the internet has been dumped inside the bin. So as the Business man's passport he stole.

Toshi looked left and right after he was certain no one suspicious came after him. Then he's gone... On the ticket he bought... It was Tokyo ... To “Bangkok”… Thailand.

He didn't hear the news about the Cult for days.

The flight arrived in Bangkok in 6 hours. Toshi Ishii stepped down the lobby, chilling.

“ I would stay in Pattaya for a week...”

That's the first thing he planned to do, however...

At the time he thought he's safe, out of nowhere, Someone came up behind his back. They're ordinary men and women, these 2 came to him without making a sound.

“.....?!”

Toshi was shocked.

(... Shit?!... They're here! )

“ Toshi, Ishii. We need you to come with us.”

And most importantly, they spoke Japanese.

“ !? ”

.

.

.

.

Since they came up behind him... These people sure had taken a flight with him too. Or maybe they're already waiting for him somewhere in the checkpoint section. But that doesn't matter anymore. He'd been taken to somewhere isolated in Bangkok.

Somewhere no one would see them.

Toshi was panicked, looking around. They set him up at a table on one side, waiting for someone to enter.

“......”

He felt uncomfortable and pressured as hell...

( What did I do wrong? What did I miss?? How did they find out??!! )

Suddenly, a person arrived at the scene.

It was a middle-aged lady.

She's kinda looking good. And she wears glasses. Toshi could tell she's not Asian. And she carries an iPad in her hand.

“ Hi.”

Said the lady, “ Sorry for acting like threatening you. Don't mind these two. We don't like to waste our time.”

With a comforting voice. And she looked like she didn't come here to threaten him. He quickly knew These aren't people from the Cult.

But then why they knew his name???

“ Uncuffed him, please.”

The lady ordered the two. They released Toshi.

“ What are you people??? What did I do?? Why are you taking me here? Hey! I'm a tourist! ”

“ Yes. A tourist that runs away from the “Cult”… indeed. Toshi Ishii.”

?!?!

She knew about him.

“ Don't test me, boy. Want me to tell you about where you graduated or?”

“.......”

“ No?”

“......”

“ Alright.” The lady took her glasses off.

“ I'm ‘Jade’. And I'm not the Cult's member so as these people.”

“ Hey, Miss. Yo, I don't know...what you want or how you know. But I can give you their inside information though. And, and-”

“ No.No.”

Jade paused him,

“ That's not what we're looking for.”

“ ?! ”

“ Hey. They are planning to kill people with a toxin gas! Tokyo station! Today! ... ”

“...... That was already predetermined.”

“ .....????!!!!!!! ”

How did this outsider know?

“....Then what do you want?!... My money?!... I don't-”

“ ....No. That's not what we're looking for either.”

“ !?...”

“.......”

“ Then what do you want?”

“......”

Jade slowly lifted her hand and pointed the index finger towards him.

“ Why?... I'm no use! I'm just a kid! Taking me as a hostage won't help! They'll do it anyway!”

“ We are not here to take you as a hostage.”

“.... Then why are you here?”

“ To “Recruit” you.”

!??!?!?!

“.......”

WHAT?

WHAT DID SHE JUST SAY???

“... I'm sorry???”

“......”

She didn't repeat. Because she knew he heard it clear.

“ ..... ”

“.... Recruit? Recruit me? Are you guys... Police??? ”

“.... We're far more than that.”

Said Jade,

“ We've been reported for a while about the sarin gas attack. And It is predetermined to happen. The defeat in the election was no accident. That's what I can tell you.”

“....?????? ”

He's heavily confused.

This lady is telling the truth.

“ We are beyond the secret service. We're not something like that. But we see good potential in you. What you've done back to the airport was impressive...But still an amateur.”

“........”

This lady isn't bullshitting around. She and these two agents are the real shit.

*Gulp*

“ We wanna see if you wanna go pro.”

“.........”

“ What are you talking about?”

“.... Still playing not know? Hm. I understand you though. You are the Ability user. Your ability to shapeshift. We need that. We need you.”

“.......”

“ How did you know I can... do...it?”

Jade did not answer. It made Toshi scared of them even more.

Considering that if he still stayed here as a normal person, he'll definitely run out of money someday.

Plus Toshi has nothing bounded up with him. These people literally flexing on him that they can take him out whenever they want. They can access him no matter where he is.

This is...terrifying.

Toshi grins.

“ What kind of organization are you? ”

“....Not the organization. We're Thrak.”

Said Jade.

.

.

.

.

.