The glowing screen of the computer read: ONE NEW MESSAGE

"Hello, hello, hello! I see you've finally made it! Welcome to my wonderful side of the internet! Recently, I found something that may intrest you: it sure made me a bit curious. Now tell me, do you like games? I have a new game for you! Seeing as how you and the rest of Echo City loved my last game so much, this one is sure to be a hit! Ahhhhh I'm so excited to start! You must have thought I was gone, with fourteen years of nothing but silence from me, but I'm bored again, so I made another game for everyone this time, not just Achon! Wasn't that nice? Hey, you seem intresting enough. You gonna play? Huh? You should. You will. Whether you want to or not. This game, for some of you will show you who you could have been and, for the rest of you, force you to make up for your past sins. I'm gonna show you the real world you live in now and what it should have been. Whether or not you live in the world you were entitled to. So... will you play my game?"

□ Yes

□ No

"Ha. I know what you're gonna pick. I already see your finger hovering over the box. You don't want to, but you feel obligated to, right? I told you you would. I've been watching you: you're quite easy to read. You never do seem to make decisions you are happy with in the long run. You know, you're gonna be a main character in my game some day. I hope you have a taste for blood, if you don't now, you certianly will aquire one. I see you've finally checked the yes box. That's my cue to leave. I'll talk to you soon again.

Oh, I'm sorry, geez, where are my manners! Welcome to Project Genesis! When my game is ready for you, you'll wish you made a different decision today."

- ARES

********* The Students ************

The young man stared blankly at the computer's screen, unable to process what just happened to him. He had only moved into the city a few days ago. Now, he had managed to get himself into something that he would soon regret.

"All I wanted to do was order a pizza..."

But moments later he thought little of it.

"It probably was nothing anyways..." he murmured to himself, shutting the device down. He had too much to do today and couldn't spare the time to worry about some trivial message.

"Besides, I don't want to worry-"

"Ed! Come on, help me, will ya?!"

He sighed, "-Lilly."

Soon enough, the short blonde came into view, lugging up two large boxes stacked on top of eachother. Her large glasses were now knocked off to the side and her mid length hair was tied back in a loose pony. She showed her annoyance with him by glaring at him until he finally came over to help.

"You know," he began, taking the boxes from her, "That would have been so much easier if you had waited for me."

"Meh, it's the last of our stuff so I figured I might as well. Oh and bring those upstaird, m'kay?"

"Sure.."

These two are Edward White and Lillien Crosley. The two recently moved to the city to begin their studies at Echo University. Their drastic jump from an unchanging countryside to the restless city was something they each had dreamed if but never imagined doing. But little did they know how much their lives would change; and how much they'd change the lives of others.

***** The Mayor & Her Guard*****

"Mayor Hanae, here are the papers you asked for. I also came to inform you that you have two appointments left for today."

The dark haired woman, Tsukimi Hanae, nodded in acknowledgement.

"Cancel them, they can wait. This is far too important to put off."

The secretary nodded and left the room just as one of her guards entered and sat across from her. He sighed, examining the woman as she sped through the document in her hands.

"You just canceled that appointment again didn't you?"

He waited for a reply but there was nothing from her. The only sound in the room was papers being shuffled around. Why does she always do this?

"Tsukimi," he said, demanding the woman's attention, "you know I care about you, and I'm going to say this as your friend, not your guard. This, whatever this is, isn't healthy. Not your cause for doing it, but you putting off your job, even your own physical and mental health. I hate seeing you like this."

Her gentle green eyes finally broke from the document. She gave him a reassuring smile and straightened herself back up.

"I know you care, Ichiro. But I need to do this. Hiroshi deserves it."

"Hiro told me to protect you at all costs if he couldn't be there for you. It's a little hard to do that when you are constantly snooping around-"

"I just want to know. I need to know who these people where. Why they needed to murder my husband and what they did to my children. I want to know why they needed to take everything from me!" Her tone became much harsher.

"Listen, I know. He was my friend too. But Tsukimi, he may still be alive, and we shouldn't-"

"Oh come on Ichiro. It's been fourteen years! Let's face it," she argued, her voice beginning to shake, "he's gotta be...dead."

The two stayed silent. Tsukimi fought back the tears she felt coming on and brought her attention back to the document. It was a delicate topic for both of them that wasn't brought up much. Tsukimi hated crying in front of people too so she'd avoid the topic of Hiroshi Sugita as much as possible. But being with Ichiro was different for her. He was like a brother to her, the person she needed.

"Everyday I still hope," she broke the silence, "that one day I'll wake up, and he'll be there again. I hope I'll here him say 'I hope I didn't worry you' or something stupid that he'd say...just...just to hear his voice again...to see him. Everything would be different if he were still here."

"Tsuki I...I'm sorry. But you and I did try. If the kids bring kidnapped is anyone's fault-"

"No, no. Nothing could have stopped them. We weren't prepared, Ichiro. You've done everything you could. I wouldn't be alive without you."

Both Tsukimi Hanae and Ichiro Takagaki had managed to pull through lots of losses and grief together. Both lost their partners at some point. But three years after Tsukimi lost hers, she was forced to do the same for her two children. Throughout it all, the two stayed together, just trying to get through it all.

He sighed again "I know this isn't gonna stop you from doing what you're doing though."

"Unfortunately you are right, sir."

He smirked, exiting the room until she called him back, sounding quite perplexed.

"'Do you wanna play a game?' What the hell is this?!"

*******The Beast of Echo City*******

"They said this is where I'd find you."

"What? Oh, kid, did you waste your time trying to find someone who doesn't exist?"

"But you're...right here..."

"Who said I was what you were looking for?"

Cool air swept through the city as the sun began to finally lower. The streets began to empty as the night approached. The young girl hated being out so late, away from the protection of her home. She shuffled nervously before continuing.

"I have a request-"

"I'm not Sasori," The man laughed

"...who?"

"Sasori Himada. The person I take it you're looking for."

The brunette smirked, "So he does exist. Good. Thank you for that info. Now, if you will, tell me where I can find him. As I said, I have a request."

The man froze, now realizing what had just happened. Did this little girl just...I'm gonna fucking die! He's gonna kill me!

"Excuse me," she said, inturepting his thoughts, "but I cannot leave until I get this information. Where is he?"

The natural light had now almost completely disappeared for the day. The streets had been emptied giving the city an eerie vibe.

"Listen, kid. I don't know. The last time I saw the guy was a month ago. I was following him around the city, just trying to figure him out, I don't work with him. I can't help you."

She stayed quiet for a while a feeling of regret coming over her.

"Oh...I see..."

"What could you possibly want from him anyways? I've followed him around long enough to know he's not someone safe to be around. I'm not even sure he is human..."

"My request," she began grimly, "is for him to do something that someone who is human could never do."

*********The Isilo's Creed*********

She was alone. All alone with nothing but the frigid waters surrounding her and the stars dotting the dark sky. The last thing the girl remembered was sirens blaring, the sound of many gunshots, and the feeling of falling. Nothing but falling

and falling

and falling

and falling.

She remembered the sight of blood- not just her blood. She could feel the pain still in her right arm and her chest, where she must have been shot by someone. But she didn't think much of it. She was finally free. She looked back up, lazily at the stars. She was only six years old the last time she saw the sky. Now, eleven years later, it may be the last thing she got to look at.

"I...I...I guess I'm actually still a-alive..."

Her white hair was now, along the water around her, a deep red from her own blood. Weakly, she smiled as she looked up at the twinkling lights of the city and its calm outskirts. Attempting to move closer, she climbed the rocks that kept the water from meeting the city.

"I made it....I..."

The alluring lights began to dim as she fell slave to the oncoming pain, and began to black out from it. The girl stretched out her fingers, unable to grasp the beautiful world just in front of her.

"I just wasn't...,"

She lay, eyes finally closed, helpless in a pool of her own blood. Her outstretched arm fell lifeless over the rocks.

"...Wasn't strong enough."

___________________________________