[h3]Tokyo, Japan
-- // January 24[/h3]

[i]“Several new cases of missing children have been reported in the last twenty-four hours bringing the toll to nine.”[/i] The news lady made a perturbed expression as she spoke. Five saw in her what he always knew was in him. She had to fein the expression and she couldn’t truly feel the emotion she was trying to convey… she was like him… [i]“I hope, I pray, that these children are found and returned safely to their families and those responsible are brought to justice. Because that’s all we can do as the police investigate the incidents; we can hope.”[/i] The feed cut off as the commercials began. 

Five unfolded his dark legs from seiza and stood. His face was nearly human. He had all of the features one would expect a human would have but they were just wrong. Slightly off and hard to explain why. Five would have to improve his memory if he wanted to exist in society for longer than a few hours at a time. Especially here where it wasn’t easy to hide. If he wanted to change form, it would be in the open and he would have to come up with clever ways to not be seen, else he would start a panic. He hadn’t had any communication with Father for any of his siblings but he knew that no one wanted a panic. 

The cushioned, soundproof, floor had molded around his legs leaving depressions. It slowly began to conform to the rest of the ten by ten space.  Five was nearly completely hidden in the room when he turned the television off and stowed it, depriving the room of the only light source. 

His face changed again as he tried to remember all of the details of the mother’s face. The one he had kidnapped the boy from a few hours ago. The face that formed was a mess - bits and pieces were from different faces. The eyes didn’t match and the mouth drooped to one side as though he were having a stroke. He knew it would take time to master his own memory. 

In the meantime, he was hungry.