The city of Kaleido dazzled with modernity. The waves of the salty ocean lapping away at the dry beaches. Only far into the deserts could one escape the light pollution. In the shadows of the walls of Kaleido lurked the Outskirts. It was a lawless place locked away with architecture and legislation.

It started out as a refugee camp in the discarded remains of old Kaleido. There were aid organizations who tried to help by providing food, shelter, and protesting against the government. Time marched on. No help arrived. No deals with the city. The people who had been living out there for years had to do something, so they built their own city. Streets carved out in the mud. DIY. Unregulated. Functional.

For many years it was a relatively peaceful place. A community had built itself up from people who had lost it all. Belaphorde and Vigo were part of the first wave of settlers. A first they had been moving from shelter to shelter. Each day they worked hard to get enough food and water until they found stability in the Hunter business. Belaphorde's powers were a goldmine in the Outskirts. But Vigo knew it could spell their doom if they weren't cautious. After years of building themselves up, they had gone from a tent to a proper Guild house. It was a moldy building that used to be a post office. It was part of a discarded old-town district that did not make the cut when Kaleido City developed. It was not much, but it was their corner of the world.

The flames of a paraffin lamp flickered shadows across Vigo’s battle-scarred face. He took a long drag of his cigarette, moonlight filtering through the blinds. Belaphorde stood up straight with his hands clasped behind his back. On the desk between them lay a paper with a list of names crossed with red ink.

"So, this is the conclusive list?"

"I've checked with the others. This is the complete list."

Vigo solemnly shook his head and leaned back in his leather armchair. "I can barely believe it."

"I'll assure you everything I've told you is true."

"I believe you. But it's still an unbelievable story."

A moment of silence passed between them before Belaphorde continued. "What is our situation report?"

"We have the best guide in the game, a medic, about ten e-rank Espers, and a whole lot of cash. We got everything a Guild like us would need- except manpower. And a horror story to haunt us."

Belaphorde looked outside through the blinds. The Espers gathered around a burning barrel, smoking and drinking beer provided from the makeshift medic tent. Someone was plucking gentle tunes on their guitar. It looked almost cozy.

"Uncle, we need to pay out our earnings to everyone. They have earned it for their service. We then start the process of getting as many of you as possible into the city with passports and housing."

Vigo furrowed his brow. "Is this about getting me elderly care? Bella -"

"Please sir, do not use that name." His tone was ice cold.

"Okay. Belaphorde, if I'm going you are coming with me. We get citizenship together, or we manage a guild out here together. I thought I'd make that clear to you by now."

"With all due respect, you deserve retirement."

"-And you a life. What is keeping you here if we got a way in? Was this not always our plan, get enough money to get into the city and start a business away from hunting?"

Belaphorde stood quietly by the window, his head hanging low as he thought. His bangs had gotten a bit too long for his taste. At some point, he had indeed wanted those things, but now there was death, misery, and money on his mind. Or was it something else keeping him from wanting to go through the process? He could not say. The important thing was to get Vigo somewhere safe.

"It's alright. Take some time to think about things while I handle the desk job. We'll continue this conversation later."

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Vigo dismissed Belaphorde with a wave of his hand. The old man had come to see the boy as his own child and wanted only the best for him. Vigo still remembered the kind and studious little child Bel had been. He wanted to see him get a worthy education, a stable job, and a safe home. Belaphorde on the other hand had almost completely forgotten that boy. Life before the Outskirts was like a bad old movie. It was better to leave the past behind. Locking things away was after all the boy's specialty.

With a quick bow, Belaphorde got out into the crisp night air. He was not living in hell. Hell exists in the mind and he had a devil living in there.

He thought about the hunt from the other day. What was that thing? Why did the Espers react like it was a kaiju?

One thing was for certain, they could fight the monster. The manic surfer-dude Esper had proven as much. But there were still too many unanswered questions.

These thoughts occupied his mind as he walked up and down the familiar streets. It would be a restless night for the poor Guide.

"Hey, want a cigg?"

Tobi the medic stretched out a packet towards Bel where he stood in a dark alleyway leaning against the concrete. Tobi still has the face of a coffee-addicted student with a worn trench coat and fanny pack over his chest. It was almost comical how much the Guild nurse looked like a drug dealer.

"Thanks for offering, but it's not my cup of tea. Besides, doctor, smoking kills."

Tobi lit his cigarette and leaned in next to Belaphorde.

"Living is dangerous, some drugs help."

"You are the professional."

Tobi glanced over, their eyes meeting for a fleeting moment before he let out a breathy laugh.

"Well, it's been a tough day. How about I'll give you a look over? My bed's empty."

"I assume you'd like some Guiding with that?"

"If you are offering."

"If our trousers stay on."

"Tsk." Tobi clicked his tongue. "You are no fun."

"You are just unimaginative, doctor."

They bantered non-committedly about this and that. It felt both surreal and grounding, as most things did at the time. Before Tobi could get any more bold by the nicotine Bel took his leave. He returned to the office where he had a mattress, upstairs at the Guild House. A little closet where he could lock the world outside and find some sleep.

***

Inside of the walls, Kaleido was a sprawling architectural marvel. Built along a river leading to the ocean. The walls were constructed around the city in several layers. It created sectors within the city, and were used as a highway for all kinds of infrastructure. Combining beauty with function was a main trait of Kaleido. There was a mix of old cathedrals and skyscrapers. Automated vertical farms growing crops alongside the housing. The windows were see-through solar panels. The water from the desalination plants was curated for the perfect freshwater taste. Nothing was left to chance. If it could be improved with money, it was improved with money.

It was a city with all the protections and convenience one could ask for. That is if you had legal permission to stay and could pay the citizens fee to keep those privileges. Those who did not belong were kept out with militant rigor.

Kaigo did not have to think about these things. He was watching the world from the sky bar of the Guardian Guild HQ while sipping a piña colada. His manager, a short freckled girl in a strawberry-speckled blouse did not seem as amused. She scrolled through the documents filled with color-coded highlights on her laptop.

"I'm telling you there's no one in the database that matches your description. Are you sure this Guide of yours is not just some tequila fever dream?"

"My tequila sunrise is real. Tall, dark, handsome - and with extraordinary abilities. You have seen yourself the results of just a minute of work."

"Yes, but there's no high-level guide that's also out on the field. And what combat Guides there are in the system were definitely not sent out that day."

"Applepie, when I ask for something you say 'yes Kaigo', 'I'll fix it Kaigo'. You are really bringing down my vibe right now."

Jenny took a deep breath through gritted teeth and answered "Yes, Kaigo." and then sipped on her latte and rubbed her temples like she was fighting an oncoming aneurysm.

"This Guide must be underground. I'll do what I can to search for him but it might take a while."

"An underground bad boy? I like him more and more."

"Yes, that's great you have found a Guide that works. Now let's hope he's real."

Kaigo nodded with enthusiasm before resting his head on his hands, the veins on his wrists inky black. A tired yawn escaped as he closed his eyes for a second before the opening of the doors alerted him.

Two ladies in black, giggling and being cute with one another entered the skybar. One looked like a buff black panther with scars across her face. The other girl who hung around her arm had the impeccable complexion of a Korean model with a million-dollar smile.

"Well if it isn't the hardest-working bastard in the company. Didn't think nobody could tire you out!" The burly woman laughed and dunked Kaigo in the back before sliding into the seat next to him with her girl on her thigh.

Kaigo wheezed, tried to breathe out a response, failed, and took a swing at his drink. The girls giggled more and shared a few playful love pecks.

"Good to see you, Agent Valentina, Professor Tina. I thought you were gone on vacation." Jenny greeted them while still writing on her emails.

"You sound like you have been sipping vinegar, Jenny. Is everything alright?" Tina held out a sympathetic hand towards the manager.

"What?” Kaigo interjected. “No. Nothing can bring my Jenny down. We are handling life and living it up!"

"And where did you get air from?" Tina snapped back at Kaigo.

"You girls are out to bully me. Now I need a new drink to repair my fragile masculine ego~" He raised his glass to take a drink and was disappointed to see his glass empty.

"No more drinks. We never know when the Knave will show themselves again. You should go down to your room and get some rest while you can."

"Yes ma'am, as you say ma'am." He said and clicked on a mojito on the table tablet. Jenny muttered something and aggressively chose to ignore Kaigo.

"We just got back. Decided to hit the bar. From what I've heard Kaigo is the only one in the house running on Knave duty. Full offense you look like shit, dude." Valentina said and patted Kaigo a little bit gentler this time.

"I know," Kaigo began dramatically "they are running me dry. But what's a guy to do? The damned Knave will have a Kaiju come down on us if we don't fight back. And I am the only S-rank Esper in the house, and there are no Guides to match my power! Ack, the humanity."

"Yeah, yeah. Blow up your own ego as much as you'd like." Valentina said in a dismissive tone. "What happened to the other S-ranker? Ava was still alive and kicking last I heard."

"There was an accident while you were away. Now Ava is in her mansion trying not to rampage. She's not allowed to do any work unless it's an emergency." Explained Jenny.

"Shit. Looks like we A-rankers gotta step up. And I have the best Guide in the whole world with me!"

"Babe!"

"You make me an S-ranker with those sweet thighs around me."

"Hot. And here Jenny keeps telling me to act professional towards the Guides." Kaigo joked which earned him another hard slap and a coughing fit.