Power is not kindness...
The moon hung over above the lit city as cars drifted down the busy streets, the streets light casted a golden artificial hue over the side walks, improving the view on the side walks. The hum of engines and the occasional honks echoed in the night.
The engine of the car growled steadily as the von glided passed the roads at a steady pace, Zach sat in the front passenger seat of the four seated car, arms crossed, eyes unfocused as he sighed.
Awkward silence filled the space and only the roaring of the card engine was heard.
The black and red interior of the car darkened the overall inner view on the car.
"This is the third time you've been in jail" Haruki broke the silence, Zach sighed, sinking into his seat.
"But those guys tried to rob me?, I was just defending myself.." Zach muttered.
Haruki sighed.. "At what cost.., you defended yourself, that's great!, now you have a yellow criminal offense card", "You know if you commit any crimes throughout the next six months you're definitely going to find yourself in detention, and even I with my status won't get you out of there" The old man's tone shifted slightly.
"What they were doing was wrong, but you could have easily called the police and everything would have died down easily.. but instead you took them on?, is it because you know you can win?" Haruki brow furrowed as his grip on the car tightened.
"Yes.." Zach answered bluntly, "those guys saw a person like me, weak...frail and in their minds I was the prefect target, smaller... weak... insignificant.. but they couldn't be more wrong", Zach expression shifted as he cold gaze drifted, seemingly deep in thought.
"They thought I was just another guy waiting to get robbed.., and people like that need to be kept in check. There's no telling what they would have done if the victim was just a harmless person walking in the get groceries".
Haruki sighed..
"Strength is not used to oppress, it is used to protect, you didn't do what you did because you were a nice person, it was because you knew you had the power to oppress and defeat them. If you carry this mindset as an awakened, you'd be the first to die when the real monsters show up". Haruki warm eyes glanced at zach.
"You eyes on the rode.. we don't want an accident".., Zach annoyed, spoke, crossing his arms across his chest.
The Car came to a complete stop in front of a huge line of cars.. "Traffic huh?.. that's a bit unusual considering how late it is".. The old man took his attention off of Zach for a second.
Checking the rear view mirror.
"Zach.. see, there are things. Responsibilities that people like us are tasked with, you cannot go on the streets and beat up everyone that tries to rob or insult you."
"Sigh.. give me a valid reason, why I shouldn't beat them up.." Zach shrugged "it was their fault, they were the ones to pick on me frist. And I'd made sure to make them regret it".
Haruki looked at Zach, not with annoyance and this time more with worry,
"Zach....", he paused.
"There is a time someone far stronger will pick on you. What will you do then hmm?" Haruki glanced at Zach, Zach sighed in response as he parted his lips wanting to speak, but then closed them.
"Exactly, let's face it you are no different from the tyrants that you oppose, you rush to showcase your strength at any opposition weaker than you" Haruki shook his head.
"I will have to warn you boy, the world isn't all sunshine and rainbows. One day you will be forced to make a decision, bringing your mindset into the system will definitely get you killed..".
"Then I'd rather die than be trampled upon..." Zach snapped back. "I'd rather perish than bend to the oppression someone imposes on me".
Zach looked away, jaws clenched, Maybe he had gone too far.....but there was no second chances for people like him.
Horns blared..., a guy on a bike cursed some one for cutting him off, kids yelled from the side walks.
Then Silence...
Dammed silence...
The horns that were blaring sudden stopped, the kids didn't seem to move, the old man—Haruki gaze snapped to the front.
Zach found the usual silence strange.
Then-
"What's go-"
Boom.
A deafening roar, metal shrieked under immense pressure. The world seemed to bend sideways in an instant.
The car jolted with a crushing impact as something slammed onto the driver side like a battering ram, Glass shattered, tires lifted off the road and gravity lost all meaning.
It all happened way to fast for Zach's mind to process.
The car twisted off the ground mid air spinning, flipping. Zach's scream was cut short as his head cracked against the roof.
"AArghh", he gritted.
*CRASH*
Zach's ribs cave in, unbelievable pain coursed through his body, The car plowed through the front of a glass shop, the windows exploded inward in a violent symphony of shards and smoke the car skiddled on the show glass, completely shattering them, metal screeching against tiles in a violent cacophony, before finally come to a halt in silence.
Fire crackling echoed as smoke and dust filled the air. Zach dangled upside down, suspended by the seatbelt.
He breath winced, his ears rang as blood trickled up his forehead, He's ears rang, everything was muffled like the world was covered in cotton.
Pain flared as he groaned.., coughed, struggling to make sense of the chaos as his insides' screamed.
"Haruki..?"
No answer.
He twisted his neck with effort, the driver seat was empty, the door wide open like someone—or something had yanked it clean off.
"Old Man Haru?..!", He cried louder now, fighting through the haze as he winced, coughing.
Flames licked at the dashboard. Heat surged, as the smoke thickened.
The interior of the vehicle was becoming a furnace.
He fumbled at the seatbelt, hand trembling.
'Come on... dammit... come on'.
Click.
He dropped with a thud onto the ceiling of the car—now the floor, A sharp pain shot through his ribs, he groaned as he pushed it aside. He crawled through the shattered rear window, cutting his hands in the jagged glass.
Flames roared.. Orange bright and dangerously violent.
And Haruki...
There was still no sign of him.
No blood, no footprints, just gone..
Zach stood there, heart pounding.
"What the hell just happened".