Hiroki

* Hiroki
* Goldfish image
* Child

**Hiroki** (ヒロキ) is one of the main characters in the Pet manga and anime. He possesses memory operation skills having an "image" of a goldfish and often works with Tsukasa.

After wanting to alter someone's memories rather than have them killed, Hiroki becomes adamantly against doing further work for Katsuragi and the Company. Desiring to work honestly and live with Tsukasa, he is allowed to run their fish shop, but becomes dejected as Tsukasa continues the tasks in his stead.

Agreeing to help Tsukasa, after a job with Satoru he comes into contact with Hayashi. Running away after hearing of Tsukasa's plans, he reconciles with him and suggests a way to help is to have himself become Tsukasa's Peak giver.

## Personality

Outwardly expressive, Hiroki can also be emotional. As a child he wanted the whole pan to be yellow with pancake batter, crying when they were not, to be being filled with wonder when it was. Acting on how he feels continued as he grew, whether it is merrily spraying water, to angrily speaking his mind, then exhibiting tearful displays when he feels upset. He states he hates having to visit the Valley areas of people's minds. Hiroki grew despondent having realized his dream of opening a place with Tsukasa but not having him there with him. In such a mindset he will alienate potential customers with no concern for the loss of business.

Contemplative, Hiroki acknowledges that his developing powers leave him more emotionally unstable. In a similar manner, whilst Hiroki was clever enough to check the flow of water using his fingers to locate Tsukasa, he often needs matters explained to him, such as the need to separate fighting fish into different tanks. This extends to being told that what he referred to as "dark honey" was in fact maple syrup, before later wondering aloud what is in the honey that makes it maple syrup. Expectations not grounded in reality include him assuming that he and Tsukasa can leave the company and start a life for themselves.

His curiosity leads him to disregard a job to seek out another image user in hospital. Hiroki's insightfulness leads him to suspect the Company had a hand in someone's hypnotization, and generally he shows himself to be more perceptive than he is at being naive. Hiroki is also a quick thinker, making up on the spot that Nobu had an accident in order to hide himself in a stranger's apartment. There, he was emotionally mature enough to consider that Tsukasa looked trapped and may have acted the way he did since he had no choice. He was not afraid of armed men shooting others, or being kidnapped, but in both states he was debilitated.

## Appearance

    He has medium length downwards spiked, orange-tinged colored hair that is lighter atop his head in comparison to the ends. His caramel-colored eyes can appear yellow depending on the light.

Hiroki is seen wearing a white T-shirt with red sections namely on the sleeves, a nabla (an upside-down triangle) on his left chest area, and also on the left, and two large triangles forming half a square on the left part of the T-shirt. This appears to be worn over a dark-colored undershirt of some type. In addition, Hiroki wears double-layered shorts with the outer fabric being near black in color, and the inner material black in color. If he wears socks they are not visible within his sneakers which are red, laces included, with a blue pattern on either side of each shoe near the heel, the shoes also have white soles. Around his neck, he has a uniquely shaped pendant that rests on his chest.

In his fish state, Hiroki takes on the goldfish appearance his power is based on. He keeps his eyes, yet his flowing hair becomes wavy and fin-like and he gains serrated teeth. This is usually a temporary transition state between one form and the other.

## History

As a child Hiroki was kept in a poorly maintained psychiatric ward, in a room with several beds with medical restraints. He would sit staring at a goldfish in a large bowl of water before being overcome with fear as he was drawn into a black space with a red electrical current resembling that of a plasma globe within. He never had thoughts of his own, until Tsukasa turned up in his water Image.

Swimming up through the water, he emerges in the stream of Tsukasa's Peak, happy, where he wanted to stay in the water forever. Remembering it is why he wanted to become a goldfish, Hiroki also remembers being upset at pancakes not filling the entire pan as Tsukasa was making some for him during the time they grew up together.

    One memory shows him as a small child in Tsukasa's fish tank Locus, where he hears from Tsukasa that they are too sensitive and it is why they cannot make their own memories. When his Peak was formed, Hiroki heard how Valleys were to be collected to hide it.

Another memory shows Hiroki and Tsukasa as children in the same Loci where Hiroki asks why is it bad for people to enter his Peak. He appears confused by Tsukasa's explanation that Valleys are needed to protect his Peak, before he busies himself by riding a large goldfish above.

## Story

Hiroki is working with Tsukasa outside a diving themed cafe and bar, asking him if at some point they should open a bar of their own. He would be the director if Tsukasa is the manager before entertaining himself by spraying the hose upwards. Not scared by Kenji who shouts from the window above, Hiroki is happy enough that he has soaked himself.

He does not appear happy at Kenji's nearer presence and follows Tsukasa up the stairs inside to change. He is grumpy as he watches Tsukasa speak to Kaori on the phone, before acquiring and throwing it against a dartboard. Smirking, Hiroki did not take well to Tsukasa's face when he was speaking to her, more so when she was responsible for them working so late.

Demanding to know who Tsukasa is calling a child, Hiroki crumbles a newspaper on him. On top of him on the floor, he is further incensed when Kenji enters the room and told to save the foreplay for after breakfast. Hiroki clarifies they are having a fight.

    Receiving the offer to manage the bar and after rent take whatever profits they make, Hiroki enthusiastically accepts Kenji's offer. He tells Kenji he went up to the third floor to give him a letter he notices, but he was not in. He offers to check Tsukasa's phone before casually unbuttoning his shirt and then proceeding to lick Tsukasa's chest.

With Kenji shouting what are they are doing, Hiroki states he is repairing Tsukasa's phone with him now sat beside Tsukasa as if nothing had happened. Asking if Kenji is alright, he hears that he has a headache. Hiroki suggests a best cure for that, demonstrated by using a gun to shoot himself in the head. Hiroki is unharmed and joins Tsukasa in tackling Kenji, saying that he is going to hurt someone and that he is losing it when he reacts to the shooting. Hearing Kenji explain Katsuragi and Yokota driving off a cliff, Hiroki assures Kenji they both believe him.

With it time to leave, he tells Kenji to keep the money he offers them before walking out with Tsukasa to meet Satoru waiting for them.

It is remembered that in the apartment Hiroki questioned Kenji on what happened to Yokota. He is unimpressed with Katsuragi for calling them the crushers, and when he arrives informs him that Yokota did not tell Kenji anything. Hiroki raises sending Kenji elsewhere, enthusiastic that he and Tsukasa have a chance to run the bar. He is then told by Katsuragi that he will need to crush Kenji, and Hiroki reacts by confronting him, before being stopped by Tsukasa.

He is pleased when Tsukasa suggests changing Kenji's memories rather than having him killed, more so when Tsukasa voices that he can handle it. Successful in persuading Katsuragi to allow them to alter Kenji's memories, Hiroki wakes Kenji and uses an illusion to have Kenji see himself as Yokota before asking of the best memories they had together. Holding arms with Tsukasa as well, Hiroki transforms into a goldfish as he travels to Kenji's best memory that he had with Yokota.

Hiroki is in Kenji's memories, diving upwards to a boat above them as a giant goldfish that breaches the glowing water with aurora and hibiscus flowers above them. Happy to see the sky, Hiroki transitions back to a giant human and picks Tsukasa up to speak to him. Hearing he has gotten faster, Hiroki then becomes delighted at the flowers and begins gathering them in his shirt.

At Tsukasa's suggestion, Hiroki speaks and the memory of Yokota says his words to ask the Kenji in this moment of his memories if he remembers where they first met. Following that lead, and splashing out of a glass of water as a goldfish, Hiroki then carries Tsukasa as they look around the bar setting they have travelled to where Kenji first met Yokota.

Seeing Kenji start a fight with Yokota over a woman they have both dated, Hiroki feels it is simple to swap the Yokota from this Locus as he and Tsukasa seek to have Kenji remember Yokota in a negative way. Tapping into Yokota from this memory, he asks Kenji when was the first time Katsuragi offered him work. Travelling to a scene where Hiroki views one of them discarding a needle, Hiroki thinks if the work memories begin here they should collapse this bit.

With the Valley being needed in the memory modification process, Hiroki finds that Kenji's is from his childhood. With the confirmation that it does not involve Katsuragi, they can erase those memories without Kenji's Valley being affected. Hiroki is incensed and confronts Satoru when he joins them in the memory with Katsuragi as well. Hearing the latter voice and intent to collapse the Valley, Hiroki transforms into his giant goldfish, swallowing them all to end the scenario and bring them physically back to the apartment.

He is faint and has not the energy to chastise Katsuragi. Collapsing to the floor, he says he will not let Kenji be crushed. With the resolve to continue the memory alteration, he orders Katsuragi out unless he wants to puke again. Attempting to reach Kenji's Peak with Tsukasa, he regains access to his memories and finds himself in a gloomy environment with him mid transformation. Watching Kenji and Yokota emerge from the water, he sees the Locus, the moment of Yokota recommending they open a bar as Kenji's happiest moment which became his Peak. Hiroki says this is bad, since the Peak is built on a conversation he had with Yokota and if they change his impression of him then Kenji's Peak will collapse for sure since the fond memories will not match with the negative impression Kenji will end up having.

Retrieving a small memory of Katsuragi with Tsukasa playing his part, Hiroki will play the part of Yokota in their plan to swap Yokota with Katsuragi as the one who suggests to Kenji that they open a bar. Silently, Hiroki walks off from the memory replacement onto the water. The memory substitute is successful and Kenji's Peak is still formed, although Hiroki sadly contemplates the golden setting sun rather than the aurora and flower visage it was before. Gaining consciousness, Hiroki is sweating as he comments on the change, but Hiroki is reassured that he saved Kenji's life.

Taking his place in the car with Satoru, he states that Katsuragi is starting to push his luck and it is the last time he cleans up his mess. Turning to grasp Tsukasa, Hiroki asks what he says to them opening their own place and living respectable lives.

Hiroki appears exceptionally pleased that he and Tsukasa have in reality opened a store selling pet aquarium fish named "Fish & Fish". He assumes this also means that they do not have to do any more jobs for the Company. Initially happy to greet a customer, Hiroki's tone changes upon seeing that it is Katsuragi, and informs him they are not doing anymore jobs. Hearing from Tsukasa that he alone will do the jobs to pay the Company back for the fish shop, Hiroki is told to take care of their store. Hiroki requests that Tsukasa promise him that he will not go in a memory with Satoru.

    Sweeping the floor, he disheartenedly confirms the ten Yen price for a Guppy fish. He explains to a woman and her friend that they are cheap so people buy them on impulse, essentially cheap bait to get people to buy fish tanks. Pleased that the woman actually wants to buy two, Hiroki asks if she would want the pricey Arowana fish as well.

Gathering the guppies, Hiroki tells Hitomi's boyfriend, Ucchi that he is not selling any fish to him after he stated he would feed them to his turtle, Snappy. Accepting the money, Hiroki asks Hitomi if that guy is her boyfriend, before telling her to take a good look at him, he is one ugly dude. With Hitomi seeing Ucchi as such, Hiroki states for him to leave her alone.

Seeing to the tanks, he thinks of how Tsukasa said they would run the store together, and remembers himself as a child when he met Tsukasa and formed his Peak. Noticing Hitomi at the store again, he hears she broke up with Ucchi, the prospect of which resonates with Hiroki and he simply ushers her out the shop.

By evening, he stands at the counter with his head in his hands, in the dark. Hisroki's face lightens up and he runs to greet Tsukasa who has returned. In the morning, he opens the store and takes notes as Tsukasa shows him the cash register. He is not happy to see Tsukasa drive off once more.

At this point with Tsukasa's absence, Hiroki has not opened the store. Sitting by himself amongst the fish tanks, he asks aloud when he is coming back. Startled to see Satoru join him, Hiroki is not in the mood for being cheered up. Even though nothing has been sold except for two guppies, he is against Satoru's suggestion of using their power on people, equating it with still working for the Company. Cracking a fish tank glass in frustration, Hiroki's explains how opening the place was a means of him and Tsukasa to go legit.

Using a vase to collect the spilling water, he pensively comments that he knows the reason why he wanted to run a store. It is because he stayed at Kenji's where their feelings for a respectable job intertwined due to Hiroki's weak lock. Repeating what Tsukasa told him, Hiroki's ability to sync must be really high but he reasons it might mean it is easy for his emotions to get mixed up. Being able to swim much faster recently, Hiroki reflects that he has also become much more emotionally unstable afterwards.

Tearfully affirming what he sees as the problem, it is that Tsukasa knew Hiroki would end up like this, but still went away on a job. He remembers selecting his Image of a goldfish, choosing that since Tsukasa shared his Peak with him. Remembering the moment where he held an orb of water containing a fish out of Tsukasa's water body, it is because of that why Hiroki is here now and why Tsukasa cannot leave him.

Hearing from Satoru on how Tsukasa himself has not heard from the person who gave him his Peak, and Satoru having not seen Hayashi in two years, Hiroki decides to be patient until Tsukasa returns. Enquiring about the Carrier Pigeons Satoru mentioned at the pizza joint, it is news to Hiroki that the term refers to hypnotized people who do not know they are passing information along. An additional feature is that it can keep information secret from Katsuragi, yet Hiroki wants to know why he would be sniffing around a pizza shop. He is angered to hear a Lookout is there and calls Tsukasa on the phone to ask why they are being monitored.

Finding that Tsukasa is not answering his messages, Hiroki finds a single large black butterfly in the store. Opening the shutters, he lets it out.

As a child hearing about Locks, Hiroki is riding a goldfish as seen by Tsukasa and Hayashi.

    In the fish store at night he is lying on his side covered with a blanket. Staring at his phone, he asks why Tsukasa has not answered his messages and that if he does not come back their fish store is going to go under. Hearing a car pull up outside, Hiroki is delighted assuming that it is Tsukasa. His happiness is replaced with alarmed confusion as he sees Tsukasa's comatose facial expression. Damning Katsuragi, he demands to know what he has done. Hiroki's anger subsides when he is told it is his fault for shirking his responsibilities. He hears the job Tsukasa was on was supposed to involve both of them, but he stayed behind.

    Attempting to assess the situation, he wonders why Tsukasa's last words was to come back here. Rejecting Katsuragi's stated fact that Tsukasa has been crushed and he should just forget about him, Hiroki shouts for him to leave. Holding Tsukasa's face, he asks that he not leave him before noticing water nearby. Naturally speculating for a moment that it is a tank leak, he realizes it is not that. With the water rising, Hiroki asks the unresponsive Tsukasa on whether it is his water. Whatever has happened to his memory Loci, Tsukasa's image is still working and so Hiroki deduces he is still in there somewhere.

    Resolving to find him, Hiroki enters Tsukasa's mind which is a sea of blood and wonders what happened to his Peak. Searching for his body, Hiroki thinks how he is supposed to find him, especially when he himself is sinking. Registering that as blood it is still fundamentally water and must flow from somewhere, Hiroki uses his fingers to ascertain the source of the ocean of blood and swims to where it is flowing from. He finds Tsukasa laying face up on the surface with his torso split open.

Happy to see Tsukasa has opened his eyes, Hiroki tells him he came to save him because he saw his water, then says he has to get up before asking him not to sink. Unable to make sense of what Tsukasa is saying, Hiroki knows if they do not do something Tsukasa will be crushed for real. Transforming back into a giant goldfish, he raises Tsukasa out of the blood and takes him upwards to his own Peak. Delighted that Tsukasa is back with lucidness, Hiroki explains they are in the Peak Tsukasa gave him, specifically the river. Since he was a fish Hiroki figured he only needed that.

Explaining that he brought Tsukasa here since he was about to be crushed, Hiroki tells him his Peak was all messed up. Hiroki thought he would wash the bad stuff away with the water from his own Peak, and has to push the Valleys out of Tsukasa's Peak to restore it. Even with the link here, Hiroki asks whether he is capable of doing it, feeling there is a chance with this Peak coming from Tsukasa in the first place.

Hearing Tsukasa say he can do it, Hiroki resolves to make his river beautiful again. Swallowing Tsukasa he returns to the blood landscape, his goldfish form enveloped in an aura like light where he washes away the Valley. Diving out the water, his tail is tattered but it was successful. Regaining conciseness in the fish store, Hiroki leans against Tsukasa as he welcomes him back.

It is still night as he raises the shutters to ask Katsuragi outside to help lift Tsukasa up the stairs, before seeing and asking who Long is. Hiroki notices Meiling in the back seat of the car with a black butterfly in front of her. As Tsukasa attempts to stand, Hiroki steadies him and states he does not need to try, telling him of the girl he just saw as well. Realizing Tsukasa is clearly not okay, he requests Katsuragi help by lifting his feet.

With Tsukasa waking up screaming from a nightmare, Hiroki settles him as he thrashes about with an IV drip attached to his arm. By morning, Hiroki is scowling as he wonders why the green, purple and red beta fish will not eat what he feeds them. Telling them this is not the time to be fighting, he then notes the alarm to a rice cooker for Tsukasa's dinner as well.

Listening in to Tsukasa on the phone, whilst Hiroki cannot understand the Mandarin language, he is aware it likely concerns as job as he thinks back to Katsuragi stating it was his fault for what happened to Tsukasa for shirking his duty. Noticed, he brings his food and asks who it was on the phone, then why Tsukasa and Katsuragi are always speaking in Chinese. Agreeing that it is hard, Hiroki protests at the feeding, and that the long-tailed fish keep fighting and will not eat their food.

Understanding how the slimy nature of the rice can be off-putting for Tsukasa, he happily states he will get some pancakes on the go, dripping with lots of dark honey. Rejecting the notion of them moving into a hotel if he is overwhelmed, Hiroki questions whether Tsukasa wants to be in the Company's pocket after all they did to him. Announcing he can count him out, Hiroki declares he never wants to see Tsukasa in that state again. Asked to do a job, Hiroki queries whether Tsukasa knew the risk of the previous one but still done it. Crying, he feels Tsukasa does not trust him since he did not reveal job details or even who his own Peak giver is.

Listening to him, Hiroki replies they should not care about the Company and suggests they quit and start a new life for themselves. Asking why that cannot be done, his hand is taken by Tsukasa. He appears partially as a goldfish in Tsukasa's fish tank Locus and asks if he is sure it is okay to sync like this. Hiroki is reminded that the apartment may be bugged, so having to communicate here, Hiroki is told if they ran away the Company would follow them until they were dead.

    Hearing that they have to work for the Company a while longer until they could live life on their terms, Hiroki hears they can avoid the jobs they hate if he and Tsukasa share their Peaks. He then asks when he can see what Tsukasa says will help him understand everything he has been saying. Answering that Tsukasa just said he should not rely on trust, he is certain Tsukasa can rely on him and then why would he betray him. Agreeing to help Tsukasa with the jobs and conscious again, Hiroki asks if he is all right.

Agreeing to keep this plan between them, Hiroki happily heads to make pancakes, assuring Tsukasa that he will make sure they are dripping with dark honey. Messily preparing a pancake, he notices Satoru enter and delightfully informs him that his new dyed hair makes him look like a chimp. His laughter comes to an end when he hears from Katsuragi that he is dyeing his hair next as well. Using the spatula to emphasize his point, Hiroki states he prefers how Tsukasa's whitish hair looks now anyway after Satoru suggested he add some color. With Satoru mentioning the beta fish, Hiroki was supposed to separate the two remaining ones, but one of them now dead.

Dressed as a waiter his his hair dyed dark and slicked back, Hiroki asks Tsukasa if he looks weird as he awaits Katsuragi to pick him up. Mentioning his door Image, Hiroki is advised by Tsukasa to watch out for Satoru, and should not reveal their back door trick.

In an underground carpark, Hiroki notices someone behind Satoru in the other car. Making his way up the stairs, Hiroki considers Satoru's words that he looks different since Tsukasa has not been eating recently so neither has he. Reacting to the news that Satoru has received the offer to become an employee, Hiroki is asked for advice before remembering what Tsukasa told him about trust. Questioning why Satoru is telling him, Hiroki is queried whether Tsukasa has received the same offer of Company employment.

As Hiroki ponders whether he would have told him, he thinks how Tsukasa could have used Chinese to talk about it without him finding out, but remembers how Tsukasa told him information he was reluctant to discuss. Snapping at Satoru to go and be an employee for the Company if he wants, Hiroki reaches the job destination and enters a room of dignitaries.

Pouring some water, Hiroki informs Satoru that the clumsy oaf part is his and points out that Katsuragi who is also present, is giving the signal. With his part, he approaches the ambassador with a hairdryer to take him to one side under the pretext of drying his jacket but then notices that the ambassador has a wife. Joining Satoru in the ambassador's tropical island memory by way of a barrel of water, Hiroki views a towering version of the ambassador with his father ahead. He asks Satoru if he is fine with crushing the ambassador with the ambassador's wife right in front of him.

After listening to Satoru's impassioned views on Hayashi not coming back, and made to do jobs he does not want to do among concerns similar to Hiroki, he elects to carry out the crushing to spare Satoru doing it. Asking what the Chinese is, Hiroki assumes the guise of the ambassador's father to tell the ambassador as a child that he is not his son.

Physically within the room, Hiroki watches as the ambassador's wife panics over her husband's seizure like state after being crushed. Nudged by Katsuragi and told he is in the way to prod him to move, Hiroki is then overcome with dizziness and falls to the ground. Trying to stand, he voices a need to get to the parking lot before falling unconscious and led out to an ambulance on a stretcher.

Taken to Yamako General Hospital, Hiroki is alert and informs Katsuragi that the malnourishment he was suffering probably from came down to him being busy looking after Tsukasa. He proceeds to wash the shoe polish, mixed with soft wax, that he used as dye from his hair. Alone, he notices a breeze, one not coming from the wind but an illusionary one. It is the same sensation as Tsukasa's water and Hiroki realizes it is somebody's Image.

    With Katsuragi bringing the fall guy, Hiroki hypnotizes him, in addition to Katsuragi so that he can locate the Image user. Wondering that they are like, Hiroki makes his way downwards where the source is several floors below. Able to perceive the wind, Hiroki finds it is flowing from the mortuary.

Surprised by a security guard, Hiroki innocently states that he just wants to go into this room. He hypnotizes the man to use his keys by turning the concerns of armed robbers targeting the guard's family to have him open the door. Gaining access to the room, Hiroki wonders if the man within has been crushed before observing the wind Image emitted from his being. Hiroki remembers Tsukasa telling him that their Peaks are not genuine because they were not made from their own memories. Recalling as he watched Tsukasa prepare pancakes, Hiroki learnt that in times of crisis the Images can self activate as they done with Tsukasa and now with the man before him.

Asking the guard if he knows who the man is, Hiroki instructs him to not let anyone else in and he will let the guard know when he is done. Reasoning there should be a Locus he can sync with, Hiroki touches a hand and is drawn a world of blood where his goldfish Image breaches through two surfaces of it. Recognizing the black sky, Hiroki wades through the body parts to try and contact the evanescing man who is seemingly aware of Satoru. Hiroki witnesses a memory of Hayashi reminding Katsuragi of their deal that Tsukasa would not be made to raise a pet. The recollection shows the CEO did not order anything, Tsukasa himself asked to be allowed a pet. Accessing another memory, Hiroki sees a young girl sat near a man and hears him speak Hayashi's name, and picks up on why Tsukasa would be against Satoru.

Within the blood sea memory Hiroki attempts to keep a track of Hayashi whose image fades in and out of existence then questions whether he is Hayashi, Tsukasa's Peak giver. Telling him that Satoru is waiting for him results in Hiroki exiting the Locus. Looking over Hayashi's body with the wind Image no longer active, he wonders what it all means.

Troubled on why they were talking about Tsukasa in the memories, Hiroki thinks to when Tsukasa mentioned Hayashi when he was split open in his Valley. Wondering who they are calling a pet, Hiroki feels he knows Tsukasa better than anyone yet struggles to understand why Tsukasa would crush his own Peak giver in Hayashi.

Remembering back to when he was kept in a psychiatric ward, and first met Tsukasa, Hiroki contemplates that there is no way he would crush his own Peak giver. Considering Hayashi, he wonders why his Peak looked the same as Tsukasa's whilst he remembers Tsukasa and Satoru's thoughts on Hayashi. As Satoru said, Hiroki also did not let himself think about stuff and ignored it when Tsukasa kept things from him.

With Tsukasa finding him slumped down in the fish shop, Hiroki asks him what a pet is since Hayashi referred to him as one. Raising whether Tsukasa crushed him, Hiroki reveals he found Hayashi at hospital and synced with him before the wind and Peak vanished. He will not join Tsukasa in his tank Loci until Tsukasa tells him what a pet is as Hiroki states he is tired of being kept in the dark. Pulled into a memory of Tsukasa explaining to Long how to make babies, Hiroki is hiding behind the manifestation of Katsuragi until Tsukasa finishes explaining why the Company calls them pets.

Told Hayashi is the one they should be worrying about now, Hiroki hears they need to crush Satoru before the Company informs him that Tsukasa crushed Hayashi. What he cannot understand most of all is why Tsukasa crushed his Peak giver. Hearing it is largely because Hayashi ran away from the Company, Hiroki points out he does not want to be told what to do by the Company either. The other real question is why Tsukasa would work for a Company whose rules he cannot stand.

Hearing the suggestion that they go to Hiroki's Peak to erase memories of Satoru to alter him to a random person to be crushed, Hiroki replies he does not want to and brings them out of the memory. Standing over Tsukasa in the fish shop, Hiroki is startled and runs away repeating that he does not want to. Outside the store he looks at Tsukasa within before noticing and sweeping the Pizza Hut Lookout off his feet who approaches him from behind, then escapes through alley ways. Dropping a trash bin lid as a distraction, he induces the taser wielding agent into sleep before wondering about Tsukasa.

Hiroki is hiding behind a woman in her apartment, and moves behind her when her non-hypnotized boyfriend arrives home. Taking ahold of him, Hiroki convinces the man he is a mirror, just a reflection so there is nothing to worry about. Effectively invisible to them, Hiroki wonders what he should do now.

Listening to the couple argue about their relationship at night, Hiroki ponders what the midway point with Tsukasa would be. Feeling that Tsukasa has no interest in finding that point, and under the impression that Tsukasa sees him as someone supposed listen to everything he says, Hiroki is ever concerned that if they stay with the Company then Tsukasa is sure to one day become their prey. Although he wants to help him, even when Tsukasa is right in front of him, Hiroki feels there is nothing he can do. Remembering Tsukasa back at the store, Hiroki thinks he looked completely trapped. Hiroki then contemplates whether he ran off when Tsukasa needed his help most.

Seeing the butterfly from the other day, Hiroki is drawn into Meiling's ruined Peak where he is confronted by Satoru and Tsukasa who are both there. Accused of crushing Hayashi, Hiroki attempts to eject them using his goldfish image, before that is trapped by Satoru's door image expanding and wrapping round his form.

Cursing in panic as Tsukasa and Satoru enter his memories, he recalls running for a place to hide. He rung apartment 102's doorbell and replied to Ami inside that Nobu had an accident to have her open the door. With Satoru and Tsukasa discerning his physical location from this memory, Hiroki denies that he crushed Hayashi but does not reveal to Satoru that Tsukasa standing next to him was the one responsible.

Wondering why Tsukasa is accusing him when he knows he cannot say the truth, Hiroki does not defend himself as Tsukasa's water Image covers him. He does consider that Tsukasa has no choice but to blame him yet Hiroki still considers it cruel. With tears welling in his eyes, he is then comforted by Tsukasa using his image to whisper that this is all part of the plan to crush Satoru. Realizing it is about that again, Hiroki breaks free and this time opts to fracture his own goldfish Image to escape Satoru's door when it comes for him again.

Physically hurt by this ordeal, Hiroki thinks he needs to run away but is drained of energy to do so. Injected by Katsuragi after armed men have murdered the couple in the apartment, he is transferred in a bag. Hiroki is confined to a windowless room before Tsukasa pulls the tape covering his mouth. Asking why Tsukasa does not listen to him, Hiroki wonders how it ended up like this when all they wanted to do was be together. Saying he is sorry after seeing him cry, Hiroki promises he is not going anywhere and will stay by Tsukasa's side forever.

Bound in a straightjacket like garment, Hiroki has the tape removed and asks Tsukasa what he wants him to do after he hears there is nowhere for him to run to. Holding Tsukasa's hands as Satoru enters the room with a gun, Hiroki calmly moves Tsukasa aside.

Within a harbour town, Hiroki arrives with groceries then asks Tsukasa what he is doing as he steps outside. Having told him to take it easy, Hiroki states he has already found their next Carrier Pigeon. Pleased that they went along with Tsukasa's plan, Hiroki remembers he was happy to hear that Tsukasa wanted them to run away together. Asking what happened to his leg, Hiroki helped who he sees as Tsukasa walk then acquire a member of the hotel staff as a Carrier Pigeon to drive them down to Niigata. He then asked Tsukasa what took him so long as they made their way abroad before he fell asleep in a second driver's car.

Camping outside in a tent, Hiroki remembers back in his confinement that Tsukasa just wanted to sleep forever. Calling his name, he finds him outside the camp at night. Noticing that Tsukasa is in fact Satoru after the illusion fades, Hiroki is told he was hypnotized so that his memories would make sense. One of them was hidden and in his Peak he views the memory contained in a fish tank. Back in the room after he asked Tsukasa what he wanted to do, Hiroki heard that it was not enough to remove the memory of crushing Hayashi. Hiroki was aware that if the memory of Hayashi were removed entirely, he as his Peak giver would also erase Tsukasa's being so that was also unable to be considered.

Suggesting that he could replace him, Hiroki questions whether it is okay to change Tsukasa's memory of his Peak giver from Hayashi to himself. Joining Tsukasa in his Peak and then Valley, Hiroki found that altering the memories was not as easy as they hoped. Amongst the decaying Valley and finding the decomposed dog as the keyhole, Hiroki modifies the memory of Tsukasa seeing Xiwang murdered, as being shot and surviving the injury to restore the dog to life in Tsukasa's Valley.

Since Tsukasa's Lock was so strong however, their efforts to open it messed the memories up. Closing his ears to the alarm bells rinding in the forest, Hiroki panics somewhat as Tsukasa sets about erasing Xiwang's presence entirely from every memory. Before a large swollen being, Hiroki views it urinate then is defended by Tsukasa from a green dragonfly like creature with human teeth. Remembering Tsukasa say he was taking care to balance out the different memory Loci when combining them to make his Lock, Hiroki then sees a person on fire.

With Tsukasa protecting him from shattered glass amongst other dangers, he kept destroying elements of his own Valley. Travelling there, Hiroki finds the CEO's "forever" words change to the young version of Tsukasa commenting on the extent of the ocean when he was with Hayashi. Hiroki watches this memory disappear into bubbles, then realizing and especially not wanting, the memory of Tsukasa preparing pancakes vanish. Calling to Tsukasa and crying, Hiroki sees him emerge in his Peak fused to the environment he is in. Only able to watch as all of Tsukasa's memories of his interactions with others materialize and then fade, Hiroki is left facing the final lone one of Hayashi showing Tsukasa that he can be free with an Image.

Recalling that he was supposed to erase Hayashi, Hiroki uses his Image to do so and back on the camp site he remembers that he was not actually able to save Tsukasa who was left behind in the confinement room. On the hillside, he accuses Satoru of tricking him. Listening to his reasons for escaping, Hiroki tells him to look as they see the physical valley from their Peaks before them. Hiroki voices how he needs to bring Tsukasa here.

## Images

Center rightHolding a water orbThe draining effects of syncingInsisting they were fightingThe best cure for a headacheHolding TsukasaAbout to transformFrustrated at having to do Katsuragi's workHappyDiving into a sea of bloodWith TsukasaHelping Tsukasa standDiscussing plans in a LocusDressed in a waiter disguiseHaving a decoy take his placeFeeling the flow of wind that is not thereHypnotizing a security guardComing across the image user, HayashiSeeing a large visage of HayashiHis profile known to Lookouts
## Relationships

Hiroki interacts with various characters throughout the Pet story, for his views on and relationships with other characters: Hiroki/Relationships

## Abilities

### Image

    His Image is an orange goldfish, he was able to choose his own and opted for that since Tsukasa's Image is water. By using his Image, he can travel to different memories with the size of the fish able to adapt to the amount of water he emerges from. The power of his Image allows him to forcibly establish other people's memories as his Peak and Valley. He is capable of allowing it be broken in half to escape capture from other Image users. Although that can occur as well as having the tail being tattered, the Image can be restored.

### Hiroki's Peak

    Hiroki's Peak is the river portion of the Peak he received from Tsukasa; an endless sea in the form of a epipelagic level of an ocean sized body of water with sun beams reaching down and many small bubbles floating gently upwards. Bringing Tsukasa here allowed him to speak clearly again.

## Trivia

* When disguised as a waiter, Hiroki greatly resembles Riley Freeman from **The Boondocks** animated series.

## References

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Episode 10: Broken Fish Tanks
2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 Episode 3: Jobs
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 Episode 5: Locks
4. ↑ Pet Manga, Chapter 2
5. ↑ Pet Anime, Episode 1: The Crushers
6. ↑ Episode 2: Views of the Peak
7. ↑ Episode 4: A Trap for Hayashi
8. ↑ Episode 6: Back Door
9. ↑ Episode 7: Revenge
10. ↑ Episode 8: Intrigue
11. ↑ Episode 9: The Way the Wind Blows
12. ↑ Episode 11: Reunion
13. ↑ Episode 12: Carrier Pigeon
14. ↑ Episode 13: Rainbow