• Shin and Adrian blinked, staring down at the thing in front of them first, then up at each other and exchanging confused looks. Then they looked back down at the sniffling cause of their distraction.

    What was it?

    A little boy sitting on the ground, probably no older than six. He had short blue hair neatly combed and big golden eyes, brimming with unshed tears. His cheeks were a little flushed, the cause of which unknown and making them a little nervous. His figure was overall slim and small, making him look more like a four-year-old than anything, excluding the baby fat. But he wore a cute, simple outfit. A white t-shirt with a pale-blue design on the side and pale-blue shorts. On his head was a little hat with cat ears, and he also had a pale blue poncho over his shoulders, though it almost completely covered his small chest. He did not look happy in the least bit, currently scowling at the ground as if that could make it burn.

    "What. . ."

    ". . .the hell?"

    Adrian and Shin blinked, looking from the little boy up to the other boy behind him, who happened to be about two years older than Adrian. He had black hair and black eyes, pale skin, and a bandage on his left cheek. He also wore a plain white shirt and dark gray jeans, as well as a pair of lack dress shoes and a black vest over the shirt. Who was he? Evan Andrews, childhood friend-slash-caretaker of Alex, aka, the little boy currently sulking on the ground.

    How did this happen?

    Well. . .let's just say that Alex will probably—no, definitely not go within a hundred mile radius of Dr. Anthony Shu. Not unless he was dragged back dead, and by then, it'd be too late.

    "So, it's like that!" Evan said, one hand on his hip and the other rubbing the back of his head. "Anthony decided he wanted to test something, and Alex happened to be in the wrong place at the wrong time. We're working on an antidote right now to this whole mess, but until then. . .you two get to play babysitter! Oh, and be careful; I hear he was pretty unstable when he was a kid. Also has grown-up mind, so watch out for that."

    "Are you kidding!" Shin practically yelled, startling Evan. "Where the heck is Tohru? He should know what to do!"

    "You don't think I looked for him?"

    Silence.

    Evan laughed nervously, feeling the eyes of Shin burn through his soul. Really, he expected the guy to be pissed. After all, he happened to be Alex's best friend, and he probably didn't know a thing about him! The only person who knew everything about Alex was. . .well, Tohru! And where was he?

    . . .Who knows.

    "Sooooo. . .I'm just going to go," Evan started, taking a step back and pointing with his hands in the direction he was going. "Anthony probably needs me and all to. . .you know. . .do stuff. So. . .seeya!"

    And before either Shin or Adrian could even make a coherent word, the black-haired American had vanished in whatever direction Anthony was in.

    "They're totally dead," Shin said, frowning now.

    "Agreed," said Adrian.

    "So. . .what do we do with. . .him?"

    The two teens looked down at Alex, who was no longer scowling, but looking extremely depressed. When the little boy sniffled once or twice, they both panicked inside, freezing up on the outside and trying to think of what to do. They'd never been able to deal with an adult Alex, let alone a child one!

    "I-It's okay, it's okay!" Adrian said quickly once the tears started trailing down the kid's face. "Um. . .d-don't worry! We'll get this whole mess fixed right up, alright?" The older teen dared to step up to Alex, kneeling in front of him and staring at him for a moment. He was. . .really a cute kid. Adrian reached forward, pausing when he felt Alex flinch, wiping the boy's tears away after a couple seconds.

    "Un. . ."

    Adrian smiled, then looked up at Shin, who seemed to be watching in mild awe. "Come on! He doesn't bite."

    "R-Right. . ."

    "ADRIAN MASATO!"

    The blue-haired teen flinched, as did Shin; both knew that voice. Adrian, because he'd lived with hearing it for his entire life. Shin, because it belonged to a certain woman he didn't quite forgive.

    Sure enough, Mai Masato peeked into the room, her wavy blue hair tied up and black sunglasses over her eyes. She looked like she was in disguise or something, a fact made obvious by the hat she also wore. She also had a casual brown, short-sleeved jeans jacket, a white shirt underneath, and black slacks, as well as black high heels. Her blue eyes stared right at Adrian, who jumped and looked somewhat stiff at the moment.

    "K-Konbanwa, okāsan," the Japanese teen said, raising a hand and waving at his mother.

    "Konbanwa." Mai blinked, walking over to the two and squatting down in front of the child Alex, blinking once or twice before her eyes lit up. "Who is this? He's so cute! He almost reminds me of you, Adrian!"

    "It's Alex, okāsan. . ."

    "Masaka!"

    "His doctor did some experiment. Alex happened to be at the wrong place at the wrong time."

    Mai looked from Adrian to Shin to Alex, noticing the boy was on the verge of tears again. She then smiled, taking the boy into her arms protectively. "There there, little one. It's alright," she spoke softly, feeling him stiffen up against her; she'd never had a chance to do this before, when Alex had been a child. It was no wonder it was awkward. For the both of them.

    For Shin and Adrian, it was perhaps the weirdest and sweetest thing they'd ever seen, watching as Alex returned the same affection.

    Maybe being a child for a while was best for him.
    ......................................................................................................................................
    Round Two Winner: Mai Masato