Assassin's Quarter 4 MxM (Staten Krown)

9

"The story of Ichiro Yamamoto, aka Pride, was a sad one. He was left with a fortune after his father could not forgive his mother's infidelitity and took both of their lives. Many say that his desire to understand forgiveness is what caused him to create the philosophy of Shitsu suru, which literally means forgetting in Japanese. Yamamoto believed that the human intellect was limited and only by forgetting can someone clear their mind and really reach their potential. The clearing of the mind can then lead to a recreation with more valuable skills. He made millions off of helping people forget their sadness and find satisfaction in their lives again.

It was during the climax of his career that he was sought after by a man who only referred to himself as Tom. Tom studied Yamamoto's philosophy of Shitsu suru. Yamamoto never met someone who was so interested in his work as Tom was. After years, the two became best of friends. That was when Tom shared with Yamamoto a real-world implication for Shitsu Suru. The ability to make the ultimate human weapons by clearing the mind and resetting them. Curious, Yamamoto was quickly corrupted by the idea of being provided with live test subjects. And the Assembly was formed. Together Tom and Yamamoto cranked out the world's top assassins and contracted these human weapons to people all over the world.

It was in the assembly Yamamoto found the love of his life in his young protege, Ego. The two quickly fell in love. However, Tom realized that Yamamoto's love for Ego was having an effect on his work. For once in his life, Yamamoto was making memories that he didn't want to forget or replace. Tom gave Yamamoto an ultimatum. Either he forgets Ego and sends him away or Tom would kill Ego. He wanted Yamamoto to make the choice. He wanted to test Yamamoto's loyalty. Yamamoto chose Tom. Yamamoto chose the Assembly."

As Vanity tells the story of Pride we are all quiet. You can almost hear a needle drop in the loft. Even from Wrath. There is a sadness to the story. This person Tom had to be a monster.

"Ego never saw Yamamoto again?" Quix asks.

Vanity shakes her head, "Two days after Yamamoto sent him away, Tom was killed."

I shake my head. That had to suck.

"He sacrificed love for nothing."

The story was a bit heartbreaking. I didn't know who to feel bad for. Pride or Ego. I look over at Quix. I don't know why this story is hitting home for me. Not too long ago I had found out Quix was a serial killer in his past life. Honestly, I don't know why it makes me look at him differently. At the same time, I wondered if it mattered. We all had a past. My mother ate people for god sakes. How could I judge?

I didn't want to be like Yamamoto. I didn't want to give up something good for no reason.

Maybe it wasn't too late for me and Quix though.

Maybe it also wasn't too late for Pride and Ego.

"Is Ego alive?" I ask.

"Last that I heard...he was being detained by our government agency SOS," Vanity explains.

"You mean the office that we attacked?" Wrath asks.

"Those were the high wigs at SOS. There is an office in a place called Pleasantville. I have little birdies that tell me he's been locked up. Guess he hasn't been behaving himself. Sucks, he probably went on a tangent of destruction after his breakup with Pride. Always hoped him and Pride would work out their differences. "

"Little did he know you switched sides," Mal adds in.

"Not by choice," Vanity responds.

It was hard to believe anything out of Vanity's mouth in regards to why she switched sides. A part of me thinks she was just trying to get on our good side. I had a feeling she wasn't lying about Pride though. The story was way too detailed to be made up. If we could bring Ego, Pride would come. And we could convince Pride to let us go. Everyone has hope in their eyes and I see everyone in their phones on the internet, planning and trying to get to this Pleasantville place, but the one thing they aren't saying is the one thing that is floating in the back of everyone's minds. It's far. Too far to go unnoticed.