Gene's been walking along with Akito in companionable kinda-silence for a while, on the alert for Malicant's influence both outside and in his own head. But even he hadn't expected this.

His stomach churns at Kaito's treatment of Akito. It's familiar. It's way too familiar. Only there'd never even been a mockery of affection in Zhang's tone - maybe only mockery, if it was a good day. Being beaten. Being berated. Being caged. All these things are familiar to him in an utterly surreal way - he'd never had a cage but he'd had a dungeon, he'd never been whipped because the armor had been effective enough - and he feels intense anger surging in his gut. He could never stop it happening to himself. But he's older now, and stronger, and maybe since this isn't his own situation he can finally be brave.

Snarling, he interposes himself between Akito and the shade of Kaito. He's bigger than the boy he's protecting, and older, too, nine rings gleaming on his fingers, though he stops himself from activating them. "Leave him alone," he snarls. "He's not your pet, he's my friend, and you can't do this to him anymore."