Archer spent weeks alone, confined to a small room in the unfamiliar building Zero had brought him to. Haunted by the loss of his parents and only friend, he locked himself away, wrestling with a storm of anger and hunger. Zero, Hayate, and the other kid would occasionally leave, setting out food on the table for him. When the coast was clear, Archer would creep out, grab what he could, and retreat to his sanctuary, shutting out the world beyond those four walls.
Weeks passed in this fragile routine before Archer's heart began to soften toward Zero. One day, Zero stepped into the dimly lit room where Archer had barricaded himself, his voice gentle but firm. "Archer, you in here?" he called, his footsteps echoing softly.
"No!" Archer's muffled whisper came from a pile of clothes, betraying his attempt to hide.
"Oh, really? Guess I'll just leave then," Zero teased, faking the sound of retreating steps as he slipped behind the door, a playful glint in his eyes.
Convinced Zero was gone, Archer emerged from the heap, only to freeze as Zero stepped out with a sly smirk. "Nice hiding spot."
"Whaaahaaa!" Archer yelped, panic and surprise flashing across his face. Instinctively, he lunged at Zero, throwing a flurry of tiny punches at his leg. Zero stood unfazed, his expression softening as he watched the boy's fierce but futile efforts.
"When you're tired, I'd like to talk," Zero said, his voice calm, his smirk fading into a warm, patient smile as he looked down at Archer.
"I have… nothing… to say… to you!" Archer panted, his small fists slowing, his voice heavy with exhaustion.
"Already out of breath?" Zero chuckled, settling onto Archer's bed with an inviting pat on the spot beside him.
"You don't have to say anything. Just listen for a sec, and then decide if you want to respond."
Archer hesitated, his defiance flickering. "Fine, but I'm sitting on the floor!" he declared, dropping cross-legged onto the ground with a stubborn huff.
"Whatever suits you," Zero said, his laugh light and genuine, breaking the tension in the room.
His tone grew serious, his eyes locking onto Archer's. "You remember it, don't you? That surge of power at your birth."
Archer's gaze faltered, his voice barely above a whisper. "I… I don't recall how it felt, but I remember my eyes glowed green that day. Like yours were blue in the alley."
Zero nodded, a spark of recognition in his eyes. "So you do remember. Have you spoken to him yet? Your past life?"
"Past life? What's that?" Archer's curiosity sparked, his wide eyes reflecting a mix of confusion and wonder.
Zero rubbed his face, a wry smile tugging at his lips. "I don't want to overwhelm you—you're only five, after all. But you and I, we have something in common. We're reincarnates of Emperors."
"Emperors?" Archer murmured, the word foreign to him.
"I'm still piecing it together myself," Zero admitted, his voice tinged with a quiet awe. "There are four Emperors, each reincarnated with distinct eyes and abilities. You're one of them, Archer, though I can't tell which just by your eyes."
Archer sat cross-legged, hanging on Zero's every word.
"Everyone's a reincarnate of someone," Zero continued, his voice steady but laced with intensity. "What matters is whether they could wield soul energy in their past life. Those men who attacked you—they feared us because we can harness that power."
Archer's eyes widened, a flicker of fear mingling with fascination. "Soul energy?"
"I'm still exploring it myself," Zero said, his tone earnest. "But it's tied to a war before our era. The four Emperors were the mightiest wielders of soul energy. Their power was so vast that fragments of their original souls linger in their reincarnates. You might even speak to yours one day, or feel them guide you."
"Who are you a reincarnate of, Mister?" Archer asked, his voice brimming with innocent curiosity.
"Me? I'm the reincarnate of someone named Zero," he said, a bittersweet smile crossing his face.
Archer blinked, puzzled. "You're a reincarnate of… yourself?"
"Not quite," Zero said, his smile deepening with memories unspoken. "I didn't have a name until I met my past self. He gave me his, and I claimed it as my own."
"What about a surname?" Archer pressed, his small face scrunched in thought.
"Surnames weren't common back then," Zero replied, his voice soft. "Neither I nor my past self ever had one."
"That's no good!" Archer exclaimed, his eyes lighting up with sudden determination. "My name is Archer Saiten—Saiten's from someone I loved. Don't you have anyone who loves you?"
Zero froze, the question striking a chord deep within him. His voice softened, almost vulnerable. "Honestly, I'm usually the one giving love, hoping for it in return… but it doesn't always come."
Archer's face brightened with a joyful laugh, his innocence cutting through Zero's guarded heart. "Then I'll be your first loved one!"
Zero's eyes widened, his breath catching at the boy's words. "Archer…" he whispered, emotion swelling in his chest.
"Since I'm your loved one, I'll give you a surname!" Archer declared, grinning. "What about 'Mister'?"
"Mister?" Zero echoed, a confused but amused smile spreading across his face.
"Too simple? How about 'Number', Number Zero?" Archer teased, his laughter infectious.
"No, no… Mister is perfect," Zero said, his voice thick with warmth. "I'm Mister Zero."
In that moment, a bond was forged—a fragile, beautiful connection, the first Zero had ever truly felt in his long, lonely existence.