The beginning of it all

It’s really hot today, and I am not a sucker for hot days. 

Way too many birds are chirping and the street is as full as always. 

The cars are making the usual noise that I hated at first, but got used to eventually. 

It’s been 9 years since we moved from a small village in Hokkaido to Akihabara. 

I still recall the mornings back in Shinshinotsu, where almost everyone knew each other and the way to school was lightened by the sound of roosters instead of the furious horns and cars. 

But that was then, this is now. 

I was getting close to school, when a hand suddenly grasped my shoulder causing me to turn. 

The owner of that hand was a man in his forties, wearing a classy suit. 

He was little taller than me with gray hair, green eyes and a stern look. 

“Good morning.” 

“Good morning. Do I know you?” 

“No, but you will soon enough.” 

“What do you mean by that?” 

“I am going to ask you some questions and I want you to be as honest as possible.” 

He replied, ignoring my question. 

“Go ahead.” 

“You are wearing a uniform, so I assume you are on your way to school. Am I right?” 

“Right.” 

“Why are you going to high school? How do you think high school will help you?” 

I don’t even know. 

In my opinion high school is pretty pointless, especially getting so many high grades. 

I wish there was another way, but it isn’t. 

“So I can enter a prestigious college.” 

“Why do you want to go to a prestigious college? How will that help you?” 

At this point I started thinking that I’m talking to a child. 

“A prestigious college will help me get a good job. A good job will help me pay my bills and fund my hobbies. Is this enough for you?” 

“So you are planning to live the boring life of an employee? Educate yourself, work, pay bills, get some rest, work and so on?” 

“That’s right. We who don’t get lucky opportunities in life are doomed to the boring life of a state employee.” 

“But what if I told you that you could do more with your life than you think?” 

“I would assume you are just another corporate underling or salesman, so I would completely ignore you. That being the case, excuse me but I have classes to attend to.” 

I turn around 180 degrees and get ready to move when I hear his voice once again, saying two words I never thought I would ever hear in my life again. 

“Hisashi Kudara” 

My whole body stops working in a split second and I turn my head, looking at him over my shoulder. 

“Where do you know that name from?” 

“Have I caught your attention now?” 

“Answer my question.” 

“I was a friend of your father. We’ve known each other for 3 years before the accident happened.” 

“You are a friend from work then?” 

“Indeed. Do you even know what your father was doing at work?” 

“I only know he was a scientist, mom wouldn’t tell us more.” 

“I would expect no more from your mother. She has always been protective when it came to her children.” 

“Why would she need to protect us from dad’s work?” 

“I remember you talking about an opportunity that most people don’t get. I am here to give you that opportunity.” 

He ignored my question again. 

I hate when he does that. 

“I’m listening.” 

“Your father was working together with me and another 4 great minds on a project called ‘The Dawn of a New Age’. The project consists in altering the genes of certain people chosen beforehand, resulting in them acquiring special powers that the human never possessed before. I could give you the scientific explanation of the project, but I don’t think you would understand too much of it. The goal of the project was to turn the imaginative concept of super-heroes into reality, therefore ridding the humanity of crime, pain and suffering.” 

I couldn’t believe my ears. 

My dad, working on this project? 

That was simply insane. 

My father has always been a rational man, and this whole project, form consistence to goal, is completely crazy. 

“This is insane. Even assuming that you can give a simple human superpowers, how is that supposed to resolve the problems of this world? How can you be sure that they will only use it in good ways? How can you define what is good and what is evil? And overseeing this aspect, no superpower could come without a secondary effect no matter how big is your genius.” 

“You really are Hisashi’s son. You are right. No matter how well we choose the participants of this project there is no assurance that they won’t turn evil at some point, so this is a big gamble. Regarding the secondary effects, it’s disputable. Depending on the power you get there may be or may not be any secondary effects.” 

“What do you mean by ‘the power you get’? Are you implying that you have developed a set of powers, not just one?” 

“More or less. The program is just one. It injects a serum that wakens the power hidden in one’s body. So the power you get depends on your genes and overall body and blood consistence. An interesting fact we discovered is that the sub-consciousness also takes a big part in choosing your power. That and it only works on teenagers as we discovered about 2 months ago, that being the main reason we couldn’t conduct many experiments until now. The reason I specifically proposed you to the project was the strong sense of justice that your father possessed. These being said, if you are interested my car is behind the corner.” 

“Wait a second. You didn’t recommend yourself.” 

“Oh, sorry for that. You can call me Ken. Shall we go?” 

“Alright.” 

I slowly start walking behind this strange man that was going to change my life. 

My mind was empty and my soul was aspiring to greatness.