Rei opened his eyes.
Above him, the evening sky stretched wide, painted in fading gold and violet. Leaves rustled gently overhead. A tree loomed above him, its branches swaying lazily in the breeze.
Cold grass pressed against his back.
Rei blinked, then slowly sat up.
"...Where am I?"
A voice answered.
"Are you rested, honey?"
His breath caught.
That voice.
He turned.
A woman stood nearby, her long neon green hair glowed faintly under the dying sunlight. Blue eyes, so painfully familiar watching him with gentle concern. A delicate purple dress flowed around her, thin black lines threading through the fabric like constellations.
She smiled, a little worried.
"Playing with Hana really took a lot out of you."
Rei stared.
"...Mom?"
He trembled at the sight of her.
Aiko tilted her head slightly.
"What's wrong honey?"
Before he could think further, Rei stumbled forward and crashed into her. Wrapping his arms around her as tightly.
Tears flowing down his cheeks.
"Mom… how… how are you here?"
Aiko froze for only a second, then gently brushed her fingers through his hair.
"It's okay honey,"
She whispered softly.
"You must've had another nightmare."
Her warmth felt real. Too real.
In the distance, footsteps crunched against the grass.
Rei looked up.
His father stood there, holding a small girl in his arms.
Five year old Hanami giggled, clinging to him as if the world could never hurt her.
Haruto smiled.
"Aiko! It's getting late."
He called out.
"We should head home."
Dark green hair, white grey eyes. And that familiar blue shirt.
Rei swallowed hard.
Aiko smiled back.
"Coming, Haruto!"
She turned to Rei.
"It's time to go home."
As Rei looked up at her, something felt off.
She was taller than him.
He blinked and looked down. Small hands, short arms. A child's body.
"...I'm a kid again."
He murmured.
---
Home felt warm
Safe.
In the bathroom, steam curled lazily into the air. Rei and Hanami sat in the bathtub while Aiko washed them.
Hanami happily splashing water everywhere.
Aiko laughed softly.
"Hana, no splashing. Be a good girl or you won't get dessert tonight."
Hanami froze instantly.
"Okay, Mama."
Rei stared at his tiny hands again, flexing his fingers.
How is this possible?
Suddenly a wet towel smacked his face.
"Stop spacing out."
Hanami giggled.
"...Hey."
---
Later, the dining room glowed under warm light.
Rei sat at the table with his father and sister.
Haruto and Hanami banged on the table in unison.
"We want food! We want food!"
From the kitchen, Aiko shot Haruto a single glance.
He immediately stopped.
Rei let out a quiet laugh.
A moment later, Aiko returned with bowls of rice, fried vegetables, fried fish, and juice. She set them down with a teasing smile.
"You animals should learn to wait like my little Rei."
Hanami folded her hands.
"Grace."
They ate together. The room filled with laughter.
For a moment, Rei almost forgot the pain.
---
After dinner, Hanami drooped from exhaustion.
Haruto scooped her up with a soft chuckle, then looked at Rei.
"Time for bed, you two. Come on, sport."
He tucked them in, pulling the blankets snugly around them.
"Sweet dreams."
Aiko followed, sitting at the edge of the bed.
Her voice softened as she began to sing.
"Close your eyes, my little lights.
The moon will guard you through the night.
Stars will stand where shadows roam.
Guiding all your dreams back home.
If the dark begins to call.
My love will rise and shield you all.
Sleep, my hearts, so safe, so free.
Tomorrow's hope lives in you and me."
She leaned down, kissing their foreheads.
"We'll always love you."
Rei's throat tightened.
He closed his eyes.
For one perfect moment, the world felt whole.
Then it burned away.
Like paper set on fire.
Colors curled. Warmth cracked away. Voices dissolved.
---
Rei's eyes snapped open.
White. Cold.
His limbs were pinned to the wall, arms spread and restrained. A rigid harness pressed against his chest. A muzzle covered his mouth.
His breath hitched.
"Mmph!"
Across the room, behind a dark observation window. Stood a tall woman with long black hair.
Satsuki Kurogane.
Her red eyes rested on him with interest.
"He's awake."
She said calmly.
"Let's see what happens."
Rei stared at the ceiling, chest tightening.
The warmth of his family still lingered.
And it hurt more than the restraints.
Tears streamed down his cheeks.
"No. No. No…"
His voice cracked.
I was home. I was home.
The voices of his parents still echoed in his mind. The laughter. The lullaby.
Gone.
A familiar presence coiled around his thoughts.
A slow, amused smile formed in the back of his mind.
"Face it, Rei."
Vaelion's voice chuckled.
"You're never going to see them again."
Rei's chest tightened violently.
Hot, angry tears spilled over.
"...You."
His voice trembled.
"What do you want from me? Why are you doing this?"
Vaelion chuckled.
"I'm a part of you, Rei. You chose this."
"And because you're becoming something beautiful."
—
Behind the observation glass, holographic screens flickered to life.
Heart rate.
Neural activity.
Output resonance.
Cognitive instability.
A researcher leaned closer to the data.
"Major General, his heart rate is spiking."
Another voice followed quickly.
"Output levels rising, confirmed level 7, ma'am."
Satsuki Kurogane watched silently, red eyes sharp and unreadable.
"...Aoyuki,"
She said calmly.
"Go calm him down."
Aoyuki, leaning against a monitor, straightened instantly.
"Yes, ma'am."
Back in the chamber, Rei's breath turned ragged.
His eyes burned.
Blue flames flickered within his pupils, writhing like living things.
His body jerked violently.
The restraints groaned.
Then.
Snap.
The binding tore free.
Metal scraped the floor as Rei collapsed onto his knees, clutching his head.
"Mmph!"
He ripped the muzzle from his mouth and sucked in air, chest heaving.
Then he looked up and screamed.
"VAELION!"
Laughter echoed in his skull.
"Yes… give in to your anger."
"Let it bloom."
"It's all for a greater purpose."
The air trembled.
Reality around Rei warped, bending like glass under pressure.
Click.
The chamber doors slid open.
Footsteps echoed across the floor.
Aoyuki stepped inside, her long purple hair tied back, her gaze calm but alert.
"Rei,"
She called evenly.
"You better calm down before things escalate."
Her tone softened slightly.
"We don't have to fight, kid."
Rei turned sharply.
For a moment, his eyes flicked to the observation window.
His reflection stared back at him.
A boy with burning blue eyes. A boy twisted by rage and grief.
He looked away, shaking.
His voice collapsed into a whisper.
"...I just want to go home."
Tears fell freely.
"I want things to go back to normal. Is that so hard to ask for?"
Aoyuki's expression shifted.
For the first time, it wasn't tactical.
It was human.
As she looked at him, she didn't see a weapon. She saw a broken child.
She stepped forward and pulled him into a tight hug.
"It's okay, Rei."
She murmured.
"Life has its challenges. Yeah… it's hard."
Her grip tightened slightly.
"But you need to find ways to overcome them."
Slowly, she pulled back, meeting his trembling gaze.
"If you're comfortable enough… we need to take you in for questioning."
Her voice softened again.
"This time, we won't be hard on you."
—
Inside Rei's mind, darkness twisted violently.
"No!"
Vaelion's voice snapped with irritation.
"What are you doing?"
Watching through Rei's eyes, Vaelion exhaled slowly, the tension fading into a controlled calm.
"...Fine, Rei."
His tone softened into a patient murmur.
"It's only a matter of time."
"We don't need to rush things."
The pressure in Rei's chest loosened.
The flames in his eyes dimmed.
The storm receded for now.
—
Back in C-145, the day dragged on.
Students filtered out one by one, the room gradually emptying until only few remained.
Ayame sat at her desk, tapping her finger lightly.
"It's been hours…"
She murmured.
"Where's Rei?"
Behind her, Setsuna leaned back in her chair, a faint smirk tugged at her lips.
"Oh, relax."
She said lazily.
"He's fine."
Tōma glanced toward the doorway.
"Yeah. And if he's not…"
He clicked his tongue.
"Then the leader's gonna have a problem with us."
Ayame let out a small laugh.
"If you two say so."
But as her smile lingered, her eyes drifted back to the empty seat where Rei sat.
And for just a second.
She felt like something was wrong.