[b][i]“The silence of a coward…a weak, weak coward…”[/i][/b]

As Haruto stared into the television silently, the dark figures that plagued the screen began to twist and transform into more demonic forms – the bodies held no solid form, appearing as dark flames with limbs, and gigantic horns resembling those of a ram’s protruded from the sides of their heads.

[b][i]“They called your old man a fighter for the ages – but he sure was stupid, and was more of a coward then we thought. He wouldn’t even take the extra step he needed to protect his own kid…”[/i][/b]

A loud screech began to play in Haruto’s ears, and he winced, holding his head in pain, as it began to feel like it was splitting open. The demonic figures seemingly left the television screen and began to circle around Haruto, whispering those painful memories straight into his ears.

[b][i]“You don’t even know if your mother loved you – she certainly never looked back when she walked out of the door those many years ago. You thought you could rely on your father, but it was a matter of months before he left you, too.”[/i][/b]

[color=0072bc][b]“Shut up, shut up, [i]shut up[/i]…”[/b][/color]

[b][i]“But don’t worry, kid. It took a blow to the head with what, a hammer? He died painlessly – probably didn’t even think of you as he went. Most people don’t think of others in the moment of instant death. I’m sure he didn’t care much for you either – just that he ended his career a winner.”[/i][/b]

[color=0072bc][b]“You didn’t know who he was…shut…shut up…”[/b][/color]

[b][i]“Aw, but you wouldn’t say that if you didn’t see the truths in our words, right? Yes, that’s right. You’re just a loveless existence. You didn’t know your father, nor did you know your mother! You had to turn to that silly anime because oh, Johnny the Buster was the sort of person you wanted to be! Brave, powerful, strong! Well, I had to hand it to you though – you’re certainly braver than your father, if for all of the wrong reasons.”[/i][/b]

Haruto wanted to punch and kick and beat and tear apart the shadows that surrounded him, but his hands were glued to his head, and his ears were deafened by the screeching sound and the whispers of the darkness. Even then, he knew that his own personal demons were not weak enough to be taken down like that – Haruto could never defeat, let alone touch, these evils that were instilled in his being.

[b][i]“The people in the orphanage were nice enough, and then the Father was also kind, but that didn’t heal you at all, did it? And soon enough, people just had to pick on you – you had to fight and fight like an idiot just to get to where you are right now. Congratulations…not that it means much anyways.”[/i][/b]

Haruto shut his eyes, whispering obscenities under his breath as the words and taunts continued on, the screeching sound growing louder and louder with each passing second. His head felt more in danger of splitting open, and who knows? Perhaps gray matter will split out, or he’ll find out his head really was empty.