[XW1n5t0nX]

“I’ll take care of him.”

That is what the man had said before he confronted whatever creature had been attacking the mall. Todo could still see what happened in his mind. The entire event from when he and his men went into the mall to where this stranger took out the monster. “I’ll take care of him.” The words repeated over and over in Todo’s head. He could not comprehend how this person was able to do what he did. How did he turn into that armored being? How was he so easily able to take down the creature with nothing but simple fighting skills when guns couldn’t seem to hurt it? Nothing made sense right now and it may possibly never make sense again.

“I’ll take care of him.”

Todo made his way to his second in command, he watching as medical personnel bagged up the bodies of those who had fallen, they carrying up one after another. Whatever medical personnel wasn’t bagging a body or carrying one up was tending to those lucky enough to have only come out of the ordeal with their lives and regular wounds. Civilians were slowly being moved out, all of them in shock, some silently dealing with it, some becoming an emotional wreck. The rest of the SAT officers were helping in any way possible or, like the civilians, process what had happened. Todo and his second in command watched all of this, Todo spotting one of the younger members of the squad, he sitting against a wall with his knees pulled against his chest and his head buried into his hands.

“This is a nightmare Todo.” The officer said.

“You don’t have to remind me Hide.” Todo replied, his voice having gained a monotone sound to it.

“All these people came here just to enjoy themselves. Now they’re going to regret that decision.” Hide remarked, his voice as monotone sounding as Todo’s was at the moment.

“Do you think they’ll ever recover?”

“Physically, probably. But emotionally and mentally…no, they never will.” Hide answered bleakly. He then chuckled a little before turning to Todo. “Who wants to tell the boss about what happened?”

Todo returned with a small chuckle as he scratched the side of his head. “Considering I’m in charge here probably me. Anyway I could persuade you to take my place?” Both men laughed, Hide assuring Todo he wouldn’t want the honor even if he was paid. When the laughing stopped Todo looked around the area, Hide figuring out what he was looking for.

“He’s outside. Better get to him before he’s gone.”

Todo nodded in a show of gratefulness, his partner shrugging in acceptance. With that Todo left his friend where he was, he making his way through the mall and up to the surface. Once outside his eyes were assaulted by light, it coming from the sun and multiple cameras throughout the area. Todo sighed as he made his way through the crowd, ignoring all of the reporters and cameras. I hate this. Don’t they have respect for those who suffered?

It wasn’t until Todo made it past the sea of the media that he saw the man who in one day had become a hero and shown that he was better than both Todo and his men combined. With a deep breath the officer made his way over to this mysterious human.

“Sir.” Todo said in an authoritative tone.

The man looked at Todo, he sitting on an aqua Kawasakx KLX125, a backpack sitting against his body, the helmet gripped in his right hand. “Yes officer?” The man asked, Todo taking note of how soft yet affirmative his voice was.

“What you did down there…to that thing…just how exactly did you do it?”

The stranger smiled and produced a small chuckle. “Oh that? It was nothing,” He shrugged his shoulders before raising his helmet, he placing his left hand on it as he lowered it onto his head. “If you can excuse me now I need to be on my way.”

Feeling that he may be about to lose somebody, something important, Todo reached out and placed a hand on the man’s left wrist. Confused by the officer’s action the stranger looked at Todo, he looking right back at him, his face a show of seriousness and wanting nothing but business.

“You see that’s the thing. It was something. Whatever you just did was able to beat…whatever the hell that creature was.” Todo explained.

“It was an Oni.” The man replied quickly.

“Sure, whatever. Look I don’t care if it was an Oni or some swamp thing. We have no idea where it came from. You apparently do and you also seem to be as strong as they are, and as mysterious. You kinda look like it too.”

The man pulled his arm away and removed his helmet to look at Todo clearly. “I don’t want to sound aggravated or suspicious, but are you accusing me of something?”

“I’m just saying everything that went down in that mall is very strange. I’d like you to come by the station, maybe shed some more light on this ‘Oni’ and on yourself.”

“Do I have a choice?” The man asked with a raised eyebrow, he still carrying that soft yet affirmative tone, though Todo was beginning to sense some annoyance from him.

“You don’t have too. But from what I can tell you seem like a very nice and caring person. So I’m sure if you know something about all of this you may want to help others, which starts by telling me.” Todo told him.

The stranger sat there for a moment, he finally sighing and chuckling again. He looked at Todo again and smiled. “You definitely know how to figure a guy out sir. Alright, I’ll meet you there.”

“Thank you” Todo replied, bowing to show his gratefulness.

He then stood back as the man replaced his helmet. The strange and mysterious hero then started up his bike and sped off in the direction of the station. Todo stood there until one of the vehicles he arrived in drove up to his side, the driver honking. He looked over and nodded, he then getting into the vehicle, it driving away back to its home. As it did Todo continued to think about the events, about his sister, about the creature, about the man.

“I’ll take care of him.”

- - - - - - - -

THEME

- - - - - - - -

Legend II: Mythology

Todo walks into the room used for interrogations, he no longer in his combat gear but back in his regular uniform. He walks over to the table and sits down, the stranger sitting across from him, his hands folded atop the table.

“Let’s start out simple. What is your name?” Todo asks in his usual authoritative tone he uses for questioning.

“My name is Hikari.” The man replies, his voice still as soft and gripping as it was at the mall.

Todo smiles some and raises an eyebrow. “Just Hikari?”

“Is my last name needed?”

“It would be nice to know if I ever need to get in contact with you, find you.”

Hikari returned Todo’s smile rather warmly and chuckled some. “You have a point. My full name is Hikari Sukai.”

“Alright then Mister Hikari. And how old are you?”

“I’m 24 years old.” Hikari replied. Todo nodded his head in return.

“And where are you from?”

“I was born in the Ishikawa Prefecture. But for a few years now I’ve just been traveling around Japan.” Again Todo nodded in understanding, he deducing that everything this young man has said to be the truth, the sincerity in his voice unmistakable.

“Why all the traveling?” Todo asked curiously.

“I’ve seen almost the entire world sir. I thought it was time I came back to Japan and familiarized myself with the entirety of the country.”

Todo then leaned back in his chair some before returning to a regular sitting stance, he now placing his hands folded against the table. “The next question you can probably guess. How exactly did you transform into that armored state?”

The man sat in his chair and looked up at the ceiling, his eyes wandering about it. He then looked at the wall on each side of the room. As he did so Todo figured he was trying to put a story together, perhaps even decide if he wanted to tell him how. After minutes of this silence Hikari spoke up.

“It’s hard to explain. The best way I could describe it is I feel this tremendous energy inside of me. I just channel it and, well, then I’m in that armor. I’m sorry if I didn’t explain it well enough.” Hikari explains, his voice becoming less serious and mare carefree. When finished speaking Hikari shrugged and rubbed his head some.

“Don’t worry; you did better than I could explain it to my fellow officers.” Todo chuckled a bit, Hikari joining in. When the chuckling stopped Todo began to speak again. “How long have you been able to do this?”

The man everybody was referring to as a hero scrunched his face some, he scratching at the side of his head. “I would say...forever really.”

“Forever?” Todo asked in shock.

“Ever since I can remember I’ve been able to do it. It was harder to do for a while but eventually I mastered it.”

Todo nodded his head, he showing that he understood it, though internally he was still as confused as when he first saw it. This guy’s been able to do this since he was a kid? Just what exactly is he? “And you said that the creature was an Oni. Oni are simply monsters in stories, their mythological.”

“Well, I am too right? What I can do is the type of stuff you see in television shows, movies, comics, and games. But here I am.” Hikari replied, he staring right into Todo’s eyes, Todo feeling the sincere intensity behind them.

The veteran officer leaned back some in his chair again, he continuing to look at this person who had a point. Many would consider what he can do to be right out of a science fiction story and what happened at the mall to be as well. But yet he himself saw it all with his own eyes. Todo was now sure of two things. That all of this was in fact real and that it would change the world.

He stood up and walked over to the door and opened it. Todo looked back to Hikari and looked him over. With a shake of his head he exited the room, his fellow officers and chief standing in front of the two way mirror, they turning when they heard him coming.

“Quite the fellow this Hikari is.” Jun -a detective- remarked slyly, his comment drawing a small chuckle from a few fellow officers.

“Funanori, what exactly do you make of him?” The police chief -Hayakawa Banba- asked of one of his top men.

Todo shrugged and released a sigh. “He’s obviously telling the truth. It’s hard to believe, but considering what I saw in that mall I believe him.”

“You have a point. Unfortunately what happened today showed us that we aren’t prepared for anything and everything as we thought we are. That Oni ripped right through us and that man sitting in that room is the only one who could beat it.” The chief went on.

“Not to mention that even if we have no choice but to believe his story we know nothing about this mythological supernatural stuff. We’re in a situation where we can’t protect our people and have no clue how to do it. Besides, our friend Hikari didn’t really leave us a body to dissect.” Hide expanded, everybody groaning as they let the reality sink in. They had nothing to apparently defeat these beasts, and the man who admitted to being a traveler could leave at any point in time, meaning that if the Oni returned they had no way of beating them.

“I may know somebody who does.” Todo said after a while, his tone coming off as a bit grim but still hopeful. The other policemen turned to look at him, he returning their gaze.

- - -

Todo walked out of the building, Hikari following right behind him. The pair walked over to a Jeep that belonged to Hide. As Todo unlocked the car he heard a scream off in the distance.

“TODO!”

The voice belonged to Namiko, she running towards them. Todo called her name in relief, the two embracing as she ran up to him, they remaining like this for moment before pulling away from each other.

“I’m so glad you’re safe! Where were you!? I looked all over Sakae for you.” Todo asked, he relieved but angered some.

“We were planning on going there, but we got distracted when Sumiko found a flyer for a sale at another outlet. So we went there instead.” Namiko teared up some as she told her brother. She then buried her face into his chest and sobbed some, looking up after a bit, her face red. “I’m happy you’re still here!”

The two hugged each other some more. While they did so Namiko looked behind Todo and saw Hikari standing there. She then pulled away from her brother. “Who’s this?”

Todo moved out of the way some to allow a better view of Hikari, he stepping up to the girl who he believed to be about his age. “Namiko this is Hikari Sukai. He’s responsible for…helping the people down at Sakae.”

Namiko looked over Hikari some, her skin slowly returning to normal but still red some, her eyes widening and sparkling as she looked at Hikari. Hikari smiled and held out his hand. “It’s nice to meet you Miss Funanori.”

“You can just call me Namiko.” The woman replied as she took the man’s hand in response, the two shaking them. Namiko’s face turned a bit redder as their skin connected, she pulling her hand away rather quickly, embracing it with her other, a smile forming on her lips towards Hikari. Todo stood to the side of them watching, his lips curling down for a brief moment before returning to their normal resting state.

“As you can see Namiko I’m in the middle of taking Hikari somewhere.”

“Where?”

“To Aunt Yuriko. I believe she may have information regarding our friend here.” Todo explained, his voice in its usual authoritative tone, Namiko sensing a hint of coldness.

“Oh. Can I come?” She asked sheepishly.

“I don’t see why not.” Todo replied.

He then walked over to a door and opened it, Namiko sliding into the back seat. Todo then made his way to the driver’s side and got in, Hikari climbing into the passenger seat afterwards. The car groaned before coming to life, the three exiting the parking lot of the station.

- - -

Two hours later the Jeep pulled up to a small house situated up the mountain below a small village, it nearly sunset as they arrived. The three stepped out of vehicle and headed towards the house. Once at the door Todo knocked, it opening a moment later with Todo and Namiko’s Aunt Yuriko standing there, smiling as she took in the sight of her nephew and niece. She was a woman in her 50s, her hair cut short and black, peppering beginning to take place. She was short and a little plump. The woman was wearing clothes one uses for gardening, a handkerchief tied around her neck, her hands and cheeks dirtied.

“Todo! Namiko! Come in, come in!” Yuriko ushered the two in, hugging each of them as they passed by her, she leading them into the living room, Hikari entering after the three moved away from the door. Yuriko continued to smile as she looked at her family, she shocked at her much they’ve grown, how adult they seemed, how decorated Todo seemed.

“So, what brought you two all the way up here?” She asked warmly.

“Aunt Yuriko, I wanted to come up and ask you something.” Todo answered, his voice becoming warm and kind. The woman he looked at was someone he cared very much for, she filling in the mother role for him and Namiko after their mother died when he was 6 and Namiko was 3.

“What is it dear?”

“I don’t know if you’ve heard, but earlier today down in the city there was an incident, an attack on a mall. Something, which we believe to be an Oni went on a rampage. My squad was almost completely wiped out. We and the civilians were only saved by, well, this man, Hikari.” Todo then turned to Hikari, ushering him to come forward. Hikari then walked to where the elder woman could see him fully, he bowing some.

“Good evening Miss Funanori.”

Yuriko’s smiled disappeared, her face becoming painted in one of shock and awe. While her niece and nephew could not feel it, she felt an incredible energy resonating from the young man that stood in front of her. Within this moment, this second of looking at him, Yuriko became sure of what Todo wanted to ask about.

“This man, Hikari somehow transformed into some armored state. He took out the monster with very little problems, he killing it with just a punch while our weapons couldn’t do anything. Aunt Yuriko everything he’s told me and the police is some supernatural stuff that I don’t understand. I know you study this type of thing though an-“

The woman raised her hand a finger to indicate that Todo should stop talking. She took a look at Todo, then Namiko, and then again at Hikari. Yuriko then took a deep breath and exhaled.

“Todo, Namiko, do you have time for a story?”

- - - - - - - -

The four walk into a room in Yuriko’s house that acts as a library, she (Yuriko) taking a seat in a chair in front of a desk, she turning to look at the other three. Namiko finds a small stool and sits on it; Todo and Hikari stand against a wall next to each other. Yuriko removes the handkerchief from her neck and wipes at her brow, she placing it on the desk behind her once done. She releases a small sigh and then begins to talk.

“Todo, Namiko, do you two remember the story passed on by our ancestors?”

“I think I do. The one about the savior right?” Namiko answers and then asks, she tapping a finger to her chin as she tries to think of it.

“Correct. Todo dear, do you remember it?”

“Vaguely. The Earth opened up in a village where our ancestors lived. Some monsters came out of it and attacked everybody and everything and were only stopped when an armored warrior appeared, he driving them down into the Earth. After that, every few years the monsters would come back, the hero returning.”

“You are right. The tale ends that 500 years ago the monsters returned once more, but the hero did not. The monsters were eventually sent back down into the abyss by some mortal warriors.” Yuriko added in.

“Why are you telling us this?” Todo askedd rather strictly.

Yuriko rolled her eyes. “The monsters were believed to be Oni, they coming up from the depths of Hell to bring about the end of the world.”

There was a long pause when she finished, everybody digesting the information. A moment later Namiko spoke up softly, almost childlike.

“And the hero?”

“It is said that he originally appeared from the sky. The story suggests that he mated with one of the villagers, and that whenever the Oni attacked the hero that appeared were products of that mating, they being part of the tribe.”

“So…are you saying that Hikari is the hero returned, and that the incident of the mall is the beginning of the Oni’s return?” Namiko asked, fear taking hold of her voice.

“Precisely.”

Todo then moved away from the wall and towards his aunt. “That doesn’t make sense. The story suggests that the hero from that point on was always a member of the tribe, our ancestors. Wouldn’t that mean somebody from our family is this mystical hero?” He asked, his tone telling that he was aggravated.

“You said it yourself; the story only suggests that the hero from that point on was part of our family. It could have very well been the original, or another one from a different area.” Yuriko takes her eyes away from Todo and looks at Hikari, Namiko following her movement. “Your friend Hikari there holds an incredible amount of energy; I could feel it the minute I looked at him. Todo you said he transformed into an armored state and fought an Oni. He is clearly the hero of the tale. For all we know he is family and we don’t know it. Then again, our family has a history of being a little tanner than most, that and a freckle or two. He’s a bit pale and has no freckles. But that doesn’t matter.”

Silence took over the room again, it growing to the point to where it could be cut with a knife. The sound of silence persisted for minutes on end, though physically they all spoke but Hikari. Todo seeming to be suppressing some anger, Yuriko a little flustered but relatively calm, and Namiko a mixed bag of emotions and thoughts. It was Namiko who would speak once more, she again breaking the silence.

“Does the hero have a name?” She asked, again she coming off as sounding soft and childlike.

“I’ve heard family members who know the tale call him several things. The one that it seems the older generation used the most was creator; Jōtei. After all, he did create a peaceful world for those he protected.”

Namiko turned her body to be facing Hikari, he soon feeling her glance and returning it, their eyes locking. “What should I call you?”

Hikari smiled and closed his eyes, he raising a hand to rub his head some. “Hikari of course.” Namiko smiled in return.

“Hikari, how long have you been able to transform?” Yuriko asks with a tilt of the head.

“He told me forever.” Todo said rather suddenly with authority. The elder woman widened her eyes and shook her head some. Hikari looked at her and shrugged.

It was then when they heard it; a scream that filled all of them with dread. The group bolted from the room, out of the house, and down the hill, following where the sound came from. Halfway down they found the source; a teenage girl, a small boy, they on the ground, an Oni standing above them. This one was different from the first, Todo taking a mental note of it. It was taller, it a dark green and yellow color, it featuring an arm that formed a sharp blade where the hand should be, the other arm sporting a hand with long claws. The Oni drooled as it looked down at its prey, it raising the sword like arm, it ready to strike.

Before it could, Todo quickly unholestered his service piece, he firing off the entire clip into the monster, he gaining its attention. With the monster distracted Yuriko rushed down the hill by the left side, she reaching the children and shooing them off. The Oni saw her though, it turning to her, throwing the clawed hand out. Hikari appeared in a flash in front of Yuriko, he grabbing the Oni’s arm and forcing it away, the beast fighting with all its might to free its arm.

“RUN MISS FUNANORI!” Hikari shouted with a deafening purpose. Yuriko did as she was told, she running back up the hill to Namiko.

Hikari and the Oni continued to wrestle, the young man trying to subdue it with all of his might. The creature then threw the bladed arm out, the arm connecting against the bridge of Hikari’s nose, the force of the impact sending him flying off and down the hill some, he only stopping as he slams against a tree. While this happened Todo quickly replaced the clip in his gun, he walking down the hill as he fired off shots into the Oni’s head, they (like before) having no effect in delivering pain, they only gaining the Oni’s attention.

The Oni then ran up the hill to Todo, it delivering a bone crunching punch to the officer’s gut, he slumping to the ground in agony. With its prey down the monster raised the clawed hand, read to slash away the human’s face. Hikari appeared once more, grabbing hold of the Oni’s waist and wrestling it away backwards. The Oni let out a terrifying roar as it threw its arm back, the elbow slamming into Hikari’s right temple, the pain forcing him down again, he clutching at it as blood began to trickle out.

In its eyes the monster took in the image of Hikari, looking at him, analyzing him. The clawed hand lowered and grabbed Hikari by the throat pulling him and holding him up. It the sneered as it pulled the bladed arm back, it prepared to impale the young man. Namiko then let out a cry and ran down the hill to the Oni. She cocked back her own arm and delivered a punch to the back of its head. The monstrous beast than turned to look at her. It roared into her face and followed it up by dropping Hikari to his feet and swinging its hand back, the knuckles connecting with the left side of Namiko’s face, the force sending her flying off to the side and to the ground.

“NAMIKO!” Todo and Yuriko cried out, Todo’s voice carrying pain with it from the punch he received, Yuriko rushing over to her niece.

Hikari’s eyes then widened as a flash and surge of warmth filled his body. They then narrowed as he stood up, the Oni turning around to face him. The young man then slammed his fist into the monster’s head, the impact forcing it back a couple of feet, it staring at the human in shock, Todo, Yuriko, and Namiko (whose left eyebrow was cut open, blood trickling into her eye and reddening her vision) doing the same. Hikari’s eyes locked on his opponent, he breathing heavily, he soon controlling it and returning to normal. He raised both his arms up into the air, his hands calm and relaxed. He clenched his left hand into a fist and turned it to where his thumb was facing him. He then folded down his right ring and pinky finger, leaving the other two and the thumb out. Hikari then brought his left arm down, the fist resting against his waist. The right arm followed, the hand being held in front of his chest.

“HENSHIN!” He shouted with the burning purpose of a thousand suns.

The jewel around his neck began to shine brighter, the light emanating from it growing in intensity. The light eventually burst and shot out. When it faded the three humans and the Oni took in an amazing sight. For there stood Hikari, he having transformed into the armored state Todo was familiar with. The Oni then screamed as it looked at Hikari, the scream filled with bone chilling terror.

The now armored Hikari then bolted to the Oni. Once there the armored man began unleashing a barrage of punches and knee strikes to the gut. In retaliation the Oni began swinging its blade and fist franticly towards its foe. Hikari dodged the blows with ease, he catching the creature with a roundhouse kick to the side of the head when it went to impale him with the blade again, the Oni staggering off. Hikari perused after it, Todo and the others watching in silent awe.

H h how can he do this? How strong is he? Why can he fight this monster when I can’t!

As the three watched, Hikari continued to unleash his rage upon the Oni, blow after blow sending the Oni farther back until it was pressed against a tree. Hikari landed another punch and then swung his leg up towards the creature’s head again. The monster was smarter now however and saw what was coming. It then threw the blade outwards, piercing through Hikari’s left leg, he crying out in pain, Namiko and Yuriko gasping in shock, Yuriko holding her protectively. The shot was enough to send Hikari back now, the monster taking immediate advantage, it slamming its bladed arm against Hikari’s chest, the blows deflecting off, but the force of impact sending small shockwaves through his body, they slowly beginning to send pain throughout his body as well.

The Oni then releases a roar like laugh, the clawed hand bursting forward and piercing into the abdomen of the armor, Hikari crying out in pain again, the women doing the same. When it removed the claw the Oni laughed once more, Hikari slumping to the ground, he feeling warm liquid pouring out against his skin. Once more the creature raised the bladed arm, looking to decapitate its armored prey. But once more was it halted, Todo firing off one more clip into it, his face a fire of anger.

This distraction was all Hikari needed. He pulled his right arm back and clenched his fist as tightly as he could, he then letting it loose, the fist punching into the monster’s gut, it crying in pain and staggering back. The armored warrior then turned away from the Oni, he trying to stand up. Not having any of it, the creature rushed toward the enemy. Sensing this Hikari flattened out his left hand and threw it up, it slamming in a chop into the Oni’s throat, the blow crushing its vocal chords, black slime rushing up and out of its mouth, it then falling onto its knees.

Hikari summoned all of his strength and stood up through the pain he then running away from the beast to Yuriko and Namiko, Yuriko’s hand now pressed firmly against Namiko’s eyebrow. The warrior then turned to face his opponent and rushed forward in a sprint. Collecting energy and speed as he went Hikari let out a battle cry, he slamming his knee into the Oni’s face. The knee slammed into the monstrous face, crushing it instantly. Hikari then pulled his knee back and stumbled back some. The Oni then fell face first onto the ground and exploded, a shockwave of wind blowing out through the hill, it strong enough to knock down some trees, black ash laying where the Oni once did.

Todo slowly made his way over to where Hikari stood, he returning to his regular state. The two looked at each other, Todo then looking down as Hikari held his gut, he noticing the wound on the leg had already stopped bleeding and was slowly beginning to close, the blood also no longer pouring out of his gut. Hikari then turned around and looked at Namiko, he closing his eyes and giving her a warm smile.

- - -

The four stand outside the front of Yuriko’s house, Namiko’s eyebrow bandaged and her eye blackened by her blow. Hikari stood next to Todo as the two ladies sat, his leg wrapped in a bandage, the hole in his shirt revealing that he featured bandaging around his abdomen.

“Hikari, thank you.” Todo said suddenly, his voice soft and warm, he suppressing the urge to tear up.

Hikari smiled a little. “It was nothing Mister Funanori.”

“Mister Hikari, Todo tells me you don’t live anywhere. Where we you go now?” Yuriko asked him.

“I doubt I’ll leave the city. It seems as if the Oni has picked this area as their territory. I have to stay here and protect everybody, everything.”

“Well then, if you like, you can stay with me. You’ll have a bed, well, a couch. You’ll have some food. Who knows, maybe we can study together and figure out more about all of this.” She said warmly, Hikari then turning and giving her a smiled and a nod of acceptance.

Todo smiled himself then, Namiko catching it and smiling in response. He then motioned for her to stand up. “Come on; let’s go back to the city. Hikari can collect his motorcycle, Hide can have his Jeep back, and we can go home.” Namiko nodded and stood up. The three then made their way over to the Jeep and got int. Soon after they started the vehicle and began to drive away, Yuriko waved farewell from the house.

As they drove back down to the city Todo found himself thinking about the entire day. He started it convinced it would be but an average, normal day. In the end though it was anything but normal. He had stumbled upon a resurgence of demonic beings and a shining hero who could fight them. He hoped eventually he and his men could as well. Todo then looked over at Hikari, his eyes closed as he rested some.

“I’ll take care of him.”

“Yes,” Todo thought to himself “, yes you will.”

...to be continued