[ＳＴＡＲＴ ＯＦ ＡＲＣ ０－ ＧＥＮＥＳＩＳ]
[3:00 AM, Monday, January the 5th, 2010. Somewhere on The Eastern Continent, In the country of Ryomania, the state of Piasu, the city of Havok]
A newly built hospital had just opened a week before this night.
Rain battered the hospital windows. It was a heavy storm, the perfect atmosphere.
Paramedics rushed a sick, pregnant woman into the new hospital.
The woman coughed violently, each spasm leaving her weak and clammy. A new sickness had been going around, probably just the common cold. It was that time of the year anyway.
Doctors rushed her into the newly opened 'GENESIS WARD'.
She screamed.
Nurse #1: "Heart rate's dropping! Prepare for an emergency C-section—"
The lights flickered out, leaving the room in darkness, broken only by the monitor's fading beep...beep...beeeeeep.
When the lights turned back on, at 3:33 AM... I was born.
Nurse #2: "Oh, he's beautiful! Congratulations, ma'am! His eyes are... Unusual to say the least. But he looks healthy."
My mother, Eleanor, snatched me from the nurse and cooed gently.
Eleanor Karawei: "Oh my dear baby boy... He's so beautiful! Honey, what should we name him? He's... perfect."
My father, Alexander, who quite literally fell from shock, peeked over the edge of the hospital bed at me in my mother's arms.
Alexander Karawei: "J-James... James Karawei!"
The head doctor then entered the room, smiled and took his stethoscope off.
Head Doctor: "Congratulations, Mr. and Mrs. Karawei! A healthy young boy... But his eyes are unusual, almost like two stars. It might be a mutation; we could run tests if you're interested. I see a bright future ahead for him! I'll be back in a second."
The doctor chuckled and stepped outside the room. Almost bumping into someone else.
Head Doctor: "Oh, Excuse me... Boss."
The doctor said to the man, bowing politely and going down the hallway into a utility closet. The man said nothing in response to the doctor. Only he seemed to notice...
That man. That strange man who always wore a crimson business suit, a crimson fedora and a sleek black surgical mask covering his mouth, it probably wouldn't stop an infection. And a strange gold 'S' badge on his suit jacket, just above his heart. The golden 'S' had a red eye at it's center.
I looked out the viewing window and locked eyes with him. It was a one way viewing glass, you could only see inside from the outside... but I saw him.
I'd soon learn they call him The Boss.
The Boss was intensely watching me from outside the operating room. Our eyes locked onto each other.
The Boss: "James... we'll have so much to talk about one day, my dear boy. One day indeed." He said and turned away from the window.
Nobody else saw the man. As a baby, I had no idea what was even happening... He just caught my eye, and I caught his.
The Boss turned to someone next to him. A shorter, chubby man who was leaning against the wall outside of the room, to the left of him, enjoying a sandwich. The man wore a sleek black business suit with a matching black fedora, he too had the golden 'S' badge on his suit.
The Boss: "Come along, Obie, you're about to be a father soon too, don't you have business to attend to?"
'Obie', short for Obadiah, quickly wiped his mouth with the back of his hand as the other man turned to him.
Obadiah: "Eh, sorry, Boss, you're right... We have things to do. But you know what? I've been thinking... Maybe I should start that diet we talked about? I suppose it wouldn't be too difficult, y'know, It's my genetics, Boss! My Uncle Pete was built like a keg, too—"
The Boss sighed and crossed his arms, nodding, a casual yet annoyed gesture.
Obadiah: "Ah, right, the door, sorry, Boss... Y'know how chatty a good sandwich makes me! Haha... Hey, is the kid born by the way?" He replied, feeling the pressure of The Boss' stare and suddenly feeling self-conscious.
The Boss: "Yes. We will proceed with the plan as intended, and you, just like everyone else, will also begin training."
The Boss paused, a hint of a smile could be seen just above his mask, the corner of his mouth crinkling.
The Boss: "I heard some of the Angels call you The Fat Man yesterday, apparently they did not appreciate losing against you."
The Boss started tapping his foot impatiently, arching an eyebrow as he looked upon Obadiah, awaiting his response.
The smile on his face seemed to disappear as Obadiah looked away, He turned to the side to look at two nurses talking next to a water cooler. The Boss followed his gaze.
They couldn't help but overhear their conversation.
Nurse #3: "Hey, so... This new hospital is state-of-the-art, but... I heard Melissa say it's tied to some strange experiments? I don't know though, why here? I think with all the rumors of the Iris attacks, she's just trying to make us paranoid." The nurse on the left said, glancing over her shoulder towards the exit.
Nurse #4: "I don't know Jessie, what if it's real? I also overheard the head doctor mention something about an extraction? Like, from a patient... He didn't feel like himself! He looks different too... I swear his hair wasn't curly yesterday."
Nurse #3: "I know, right?! And remember that case last Tuesday about some men in black suits being rushed in, something about a gunfight? It's terrifying to think about. I think I'll transfer soon, this place isn't right for me."
The Boss turned again to look at Obadiah, while scratching his chin.
The Boss: "It's the newbie, the rose, of course he'd mess up. Five agents down from a simple negotiation, a simple negotiation... Clearly they couldn't find it."
Obadiah put his arms in the pockets of his suit pants and pressed his back harder against it
Obadiah: "Eh, y'know, that's how new hires are... We should cut them some slack."
The Boss cleared his throat and moved closer this time tapping his left hand on the wall.
The Boss: "The door, Obie? We must really go, I still haven't found Reality yet, and I still need more training."
He turned and also put his hands in his pockets, both of them now looking forwards.
The Boss: "Everything has led up to this moment, this is our Genesis. His Genesis, Obie."
Obadiah: "Right, sorry, Boss... Hey, you know, we should get out more often! I really, uh, like our talks. Outside? You know... Watching the people go about their lives..."
The Boss narrowed his eyes, Obadiah got the message.
Obadiah flipped his hand, the sandwich suddenly vanishing into his arm, right under his sleeve. A door on the wall formed right next to them, adjacent to the door into the operating room. It was made of pristine mahogany with golden markings on the edges.
The Boss then stepped back from the wall and turned to face Obadiah and the door
The Boss: "We will get out more, right after you lose that weight. Now come on."
Obadiah also stepped away from the wall to face the door.
Obadiah: "So... other than training, we're just improvising? Just... waiting around?"
The Boss adjusted his tie calmly.
The Boss: "No, we won't just wait. We train, we plan, we take control. This is only the beginning, Obie. Our Genesis. His Genesis... We still have to gather information on Iris and the artifacts."
Obadiah took a deep breath.
Obadiah: "Right as always..."
They then opened the door, revealing an empty and dark concrete hallway on the other side and they both stepped into the door and vanished, so did the door.
I glanced between the faces of my parents as they held me, and something strange bloomed within my chest...
Only then did I cry.