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It was certainly never meant to happen like this, Jin knew that for a fact. He was so sure he was not meant to meet the Neighbor first, but instead the guy with the glasses he'd seen and rescued a couple months ago, he stopped in his tracks on his way to HQ. He knew he'd be late to the meeting, but for this to be the reason why… This also explained everything he could see going down.
—Are you with Border? —the boy asked him as he still looking at the different futures before them. Right, he'd have to answer.
—Yes, are we that famous in the other side?
The white haired boy shook his head, his hair so condensed it barely moved from where it sat.
—No, not at all —he added, feeling the need to clarify—. But I recognized the emblem on your arm.
Jin followed the boy's pointing finger all the way to his arm on instinct, checking the Tamakoma logo. If he thought that was Border's over all logo, then he must have been in contact with an allied Nation, or last time he heard of them it was before they went public. However, if that was the case, he was sure he'd recognize this kid, so why wasn't that the case? He couldn't have known Border from before he himself joined!
—Oh? You recognized it? How so? —he decided to ask directly, he really couldn't get a read on this guy just by peeking into his future, so he'd gather intel the traditional way.
—My father had a friend in Border back when he lived in Japan. The emblem is the same our triggers' uniforms had. Same placement, too. He'd tell me that if he died, I was to find this friend of his, that Border would help me as they were a bridge between Meeden, his world, and the Neighborhood.
A friend in Old Border, and a man who moved and formed a family in the Neighborhood. If this wasn't one of the oldest, deepest secrets of Old Border he'd ever had a chance to peek into, he wasn't sure what he was to make of it.
—Well, I was currently heading to a meeting in Border HQ, but…
—But?
—You see, that's Border HQ —as he spoke, he pointed to the massive block that formed Mikado's defence organization, right behind the alien boy—. Do you know how it's gotten so big? Why it's emblem is different than mine?
—No, not really.
—There was a large scale invasion years ago, and so Border became public to protect the citizens. In order to continue with this mission going forward, they stated the Neighbors were «The Enemy», and are now focused in our protection from Neighborhood Nations attacking.
—«The… Enemy»?
—Yes.
—They are aware that there are many Nations, right…?
—Most people do not, so they generalize. It gets the point across faster.
—Oh. Then maybe my father's friend is not who I thought he was —was the final response, accompanied by a pensive expression.
This boy had come all the way here from who knew were, searching for someone after his father's death who could help him out and was instead being met with unbased generalized hatred. Maybe he didn't look like it, but it was hard to imagine a lack of disappointment at the very least, and a great wave of sadness and desperation at worse, which made Yuuichi slightly heartbroken.
—But! We at Tamakoma Branch keep Old Border's motivations at heart, and the meeting I am attending has some of Border's oldest members, along with Tamakoma's Director. Maybe we will stumble upon this friend of yours in this meeting, if you'd come with me.
Of course, he could see the doubt in the kid's eyes, but he also saw only one future in which he didn't come to the meeting. He was quite trusted, though Jin couldn't figure out the reason why this was the case.
Not an hour later, he was unsure if he'd taken the right path, and not quite space-wise as more so time-wise. Or maybe both?
Jin shook his head, it was not the time to have this sort of questions. Nor the place. Certainly not, not at all. He and Yuuma, as he'd found out the boy was called, were currently in an elevator going all the way up to the top floor with all the meeting rooms. He had managed to take the boy all the way in here without any questions asked or anyone joining them in the elevator, and now he was taking him directly to the dragon's lair, looking like anything but a dragon. A quick glance to his side made him notice more and more details. Clothes that didn't quite look local, that didn't match a boy his size —which was to be differentiated from his age, apparently, as they were mismatched—. Combat boots. A sort of travel bag. He was only missing a massive sign in all capitalized letters reading «I AM NOT FROM HERE».
The elevator doors opened as they reached their destination floor, and he stepped outside first, checking the hallway before nodding.
—Come, it's over here. I think we're last.
—Oh, did I make you be late? Apologies.
Yuuichi checked the time on his phone. He was slightly late, definitely, but he didn't mind. He could allow himself to be late sometimes, he was a talented elite agent, after all!
The reassurances weren't working as intended, but muscle memory sure was. He strolled calmly towards the door and opened it widely, waving as he stepped in.
—Hello, hello, apologies for the delay, but I brought over a topic of conversation other than the routinary information!
Before he could be asked what it was, though, all eyes fell on Yuuma. As expected.
Karasawa looked curious, tilting his head as he examined his looks. Netsuki was completely confused, similarly to how baffled Kinuta felt. Kido's eyes seemed lit up with a certain recognition, eyebrows furrowed. Shinoda was a bit surprised, and equally curious. Sawamura didn't show much of an expression from where she sat. Rindou just smiled.
Alright, he had their whole attention.
»All good's for now on the information side. Nothing worth noting in the immediate future.
—But? —Kido asked.
—There are not «buts». It's all good.
—Then why is he here?
Yuuichi looked over at Yuuma, stepping to the side to let him approach the table.
—I was told by my father to come to Japan, Border, and find his friend, were he to die. I am unsure if he would remain friends with whoever that was, seeing how this Border is unlike that which he described to me, but I was told to give it a try anyway.
—But you are a Neighbor, are you not? —Kinuta asked, not very mindful of how'd that would affect the outcome.
—Yes, but my father was Japanese.
Just as expected, glances were exchanged between the trio who'd seen Border at its start, with Kido speaking up for the three of them.
—And what was the name of your father?
Jin looked to his side, feeling his eyebrows twitch. He couldn't keep this from happening. It was a route he disliked, but it was meant to happen.
—How much does this change things? —Yuuma interrupted the previous conversation with a new question.
—What? What are you going on about, kid? —Netsuki asked back, confused by this turn of events.
—How much does my father being Japanese, me being mixed, matter? The moment you saw me enter, half of you were looking at me with mistrust, annoyed by my presence, but that all almost dissipated when I mentioned my father being from here. So, what's the difference? When did Neighbor become Border's… No, your Enemy?
—Kid, we're a defense organization, we protect the world on this side from the people from your side whenever they attack, which is quite often, by the way! You must have seen the destruction all around the base as you came here. Your people hurt us, we've no reason to treat you as a friend, rather than a foe!
—But it's not everyone on the other side who've done you wrong. It's not every Nation on the other side that has invaded you and caused all that much damage. It's not kids who've hurt you.
»Border, the one I knew, the one I was told about, was a bridge between both sides, an alliance for peace. Now all I see is hatred.
»The moment a Neighbor steps on your land, you already mark it as a foe, not giving it a chance. Had I not ran away fast, your soldiers would've tried at the very least to harm me, at most to kill me. The moment a Neighbor stops to rest, seeks refuge or food and water, what do you do? Do you attack them? Do you blame them for consuming your resources?
»Why is there so much hatred in what originated as a place for peace and friendship? Allyship?
—What are you-!? —Netsuki tried asking again, but was silenced by a gesture from Kido.
—Neighbors in general attack us, and the only way to keep them and their weapons at bay is by using their own technology against them. The Border you describe, that your father told you about, that Yuugo told you about, consists only of Tamakoma Branch nowadays. Who you're looking for is likely dead. And, if we found Neighbor just existing, we'd still have to be wary of them. You should know better than anyone how deceiving the people on your side are.
»Also, I doubt you are in a position to speak about friendship and allyship. I sincerely doubt a kid raised surrounded by peace and love would look, act, be in the situation you find yourself in.
»I hope that answers everything. If you still want our help, you are free to go to Tamakoma. Here, however, you're not welcome, Kuga. Until proven otherwise, you will be seen as the Enemy, as you've put it.
—… Hah. You are even worse than what Dad told me. Alright, I will leave. This was a mistake.
Yuuichi sighed from where he stood, turning to follow Yuuma, though not without adding:
—I'll go with him, take him to Tamakoma. Bye.
Yuuichi and Yuuma sat both in the back of Reiji's car, waiting as the older man picked up some groceries while on their way to Tamakoma. There were things he wanted to address as soon as possible, privately, so he took the first chance he could.
—You don't have to leave.
—I don't have anywhere to go to. They said he's likely dead, and I certainly didn't see him there.
—You know how he looked like?
Yuuma nodded, he'd been given a full description of his characteristics for the sake of easy recognition.
—Slicked back light-coloured hair, possibly graying at this point. Perfectly shaved. Relaxed, peaceful. Always had sunglasses on him.
Jin wasn't sure if he regretted asking, leaning on both his knees as he took a deep breath.
—Mogami Soichi. He was my mentor, but died at war while creating a Black Trigger.
—Everyone knows everyone I talk about, huh?
—Well, you were looking in the right place, and you're heading to an even better place now.
—Is it?
—It is.
Jin looked up and towards his companion. Shorter, much more than he should be. Hurt, maybe just as much as Jin himself was. Unmotivated.
—Border HQ dislikes me because I am a Neighbor, and Neighbor like me a bit too much because I am half Meedenite, and because I've a Black Trigger. Like me too much for comfort, for safety. Feels threatening.
—At Tamakoma no one judges anyone. You can just be you and be there. We can help you fit in in here, and you can help us build a stronger Tamakoma which will accomplish the mission of Old Border.
Yuuma's eyes looked away, not really all that hopeful.
»I know Kido said you were just as the other Neighbors, that not even you were really used to what Old Border, Tamakoma, mean. But I know you yearn for it. Someone who only knows the battlefield yearns for peace, specially at your age, specially after whatever hell you must've been through.
—You… You promise. You promise?
—I promise?
—That I'll be safe, that I can help, that you'll help me.
—I promise.