Sector 27- MRPA [6 Sept 00:01] SAT
Keiko came out of the cell repair and looked around confused.
“013...” the head nurse's voice was somber. She averted her eyes from Keiko, “It hasn’t been announced yet...I thought you might do the honors,” she held out 010’s omni-book to her.
Keiko bit back the tears welling in her eyes Ojii’s…. Without a word she took the omni-book and left the infirmary.
Her steps felt heavy. The world around her didn’t seem to exist as she made her way down the hall. Her thoughts were filled with Ojii. How she used to stare into his training rooms as a small child. She would practice his stances on her own outside. Then she started training with him. He was strict with her. He made her strong without the use of her abilities. As she grew he started teaching her how to control her elements. She went on her first mission with him. She would never forget the scene. The blood. The pieces. The baby. After the mission, Ojii comforted her. She cried for days. After some years Ojii became old. He moved from active missions to retrieval duties. He worked with the mazoku community. He was a face that everyone knew, but he still made time to train with Keiko. He always remembered her birthday. He always scolded her for coming back with injuries.
Keiko looked up at the large black doors before her. The Hall of Agents. She pushed open the door and made her way through the hall. Every agent that has ever worked for MRPA had a stone pillar in this room. Some pillars were lit up with small displays. Some pillars were bare.
She walked to the back of the hall to Agent 010’s pillar. Her hands were shaking as she placed the omni-book atop the pillar. After a few moments the pillar lit up a display with Ojii’s face and displayed his achievements as an agent. At his face Keiko fell to her knees. The tears finally spilling from her eyes. She slammed a frustrated fist on the ground as the tears pooled beneath her.
“Sensei?”
She lifted her head up and turned to see a young boy with spiked hair, “Oh, Than-” she tried to wipe the tears from her eyes, “Shouldn’t you be in a training class?” she turned to stand but upon seeing Ojii’s face in the hologram a wave of emotion took her and she covered her eyes.
“Is that Ojii-sensei?” his voice was soft as he walked closer to her. Than was still in his early training to be accepted into MRPA as an agent. Keiko had been the one to bring him into MRPA, and she continued to mentor and train him to prepare him for being an agent. While Than was still a child and yet, he already carried a wound from humans. His arm had been severed a few years ago and now he had a mechanical replacement. Than had not trained with Ojii, but his face was well known throughout MRPA and the mazoku world.
All she could manage was a nod.
“He was your sensei right?”
She nodded again.
Than sat down beside Keiko and looked up at the display, “What was he like?”
Keiko sniffed and wiped her eyes again, “He was very wise…” she paused to think about the time they had shared and a smile pulled across her face, “He was really caring to me and 00 when we were your age,”
Than’s face lit up, “You learned from him for that long?”
Keiko wrapped an arm around him and smiled, “Mhm and you know what else?”
“What?”
“He used to find me skipping out on training classes and give me extra training as punishment.” She tickled him playful and his laughter filled the somber halls.
“Sensei stop!” he laughed and squirmed.
Keiko’s chest filled with a warmth that spread throughout, Ojii is gone now. It’s up to me to protect these people. It’s up to me to pass on his teachings now.
Sector 1- STAM [00:05]
Kyou and Kenji walked in silence to their rooms; their doors closed only moments apart. Kyou emerged from his a minute later with a tablet in his hands. He made his way down the gray hall and slowly Kenji’s door opened.
Kyou stepped into the elevator and when it closed Kenji ran for it- the top floor blinked, “Lanse’s office?” Kenji felt himself say out loud in disbelief. He ripped open the stairwell door and flew up the flights of stairs oh dear leader what could you be doing at Lanse’s office? No one is allowed to meet with Lanse…
He cracked open the door slightly and saw Kyou walking down the empty floor to the only door on the level. Kyou ran his hand through his hair and sighed before waving his hand in front of the door lock and typing in the code. 210373…? Kenji strained to see how Kyou’s hand moved through the lock. There was a faint beep and the door opened. Kyou entered the dark room and the door locked behind him.
From his vantage point Kenji looked around and saw a camera. He closed the door to the hall and made his way down the stairs, ….. Now why would an agent know the passcode to Lanse’s office?
Sector 1: The Girls’ Apartment [00:20]
It took 3 washes for Arisa to finally feel clean enough to stop heaving like she would throw up. She was in a pretty good mood considering she had just been thrown up on. She had saved Masahiko. She smiled at her reflection as she dried her hair. If it weren’t for me Masahiko would be dead. She bounced happily from the bathroom into her room and changed into her pajamas. Laying on her bed was Kyoushirou’s jacket. She picked it up happily and slowly a blush grew on her face.
“Arisa! Please take my jacket-” she wrapped the jacket around her shoulders, “But Kyoushriou- I couldn’t possibly-” “Arisa, I insist. My jacket looks best draped around your shoulders.” She squealed happily and fell on her bed. A shapeshifter Her smile slipped off her face as she remembered the poison in his voice when he spoke to the mazoku 00. Her hands felt cold as she thought about the look in his eyes as he looked at her. What would he do if he knew? Her hands started shaking. What if he already knows? Kyoushirou….what would you do to a mazoku like me?
“Arisa!!!” Aku shouted from the living room, “I have news, bad news…”
Arisa threw Kyou’s jacket on her bed, “Coming!!” she hesitated with her hand over the door knob, turning back to see his jacket crinkled on the bed. She quickly grabbed it and hung it up on a hanger running her hands over the sleeves tenderly.
“Arisa!!” Aku called.
“I’m coming!!”
Sector 1: STAM HQ [00:21]
Hiro was sitting at his desk finishing the reports of his and Ryu’s mazoku captures from that night. He stretched his hands above his head; there was a small, stinging headache forming in the back of his head. He had seen something today that brought back painful memories: Kyou and Arisa. He had been walking back from the library when he saw it: Kyou wrapped a jacket around Arisa- his own jacket. She blushed; he blushed. Hiro gripped down on his book. She was mine. He pushed the thought from his head trying desperately not to remember that story. In their first year she was his seat partner. She was perfect.
Unauthorized tale usage: if you spot this story on Amazon, report the violation.
But she had fallen for Kyou- it was obvious and he didn’t even try to fight against it. For the most part he managed to ignore it, but today it hit him. He shut off the display and sat in the pitch black of the room. He took a deep breath and released it.
Why Kyoushirou?
-----
Kyou closed the door to Lanse’s office behind him and leaned against the door with a sigh. The hallway around his was bland and too brightly lit. His mind was heavy and the aching in his head only weighed him further down. He knew the truth now. Arisa was a mazoku. He couldn’t deny that anymore. As much as he wanted to, he had to face it. I have to report this. I have to tell STAM about her… but then he imagined arresting her. He felt a deep pang in his chest. That pang in his chest was what stopped him from already making the report. How long could he avoid it?
Kyou shook his head of the images, “Don’t think about it...don’t think about it...”
He walked into the elevator and rode it back to his floor, where Kenji had been waiting for him.
“Heeeey partner!” he grinned and wrapped his arm around Kyou’s shoulders, “Where've you been? I’ve been lookin everywhere!”
Kyou slid out from Kenji’s grasp and gave him a hard gaze, “What do you want?”
Kenji flared his nostrils and put on a bright smile, “I brought you some pudding,” he held up the small white bag, “you like green pudding right?”
Kyou turned to his room, “I’m good,” and closed the door behind him.
Kenji let his arm drop and the smile fell from his face, “Sooo it’s a secret that you meet with Lanse huh? Interesting….”
Sector 27- MRPA HQ [5:00]
Keiko had thrown herself into training. With her breath held she threw blow after blow at the punching bag. All her blows were reinforced with gusts of air. She felt her lungs spasm, begging for air. But she was reminded of Ojii and continued on.
Her hits were weakening. Her vision was becoming blurred.
“013!!!!”
She sucked in a lungful of air and fell to the ground at the surprise intercom system. Hong had screamed at her.
“Come to the office this instant!!!”
Keiko breathed heavily on the ground. She blinked to open the MRPA interface, yet nothing popped up in her eyes. Confused, she raised her wrist only to see that her nerve connection was still disconnected from her battle before. She had missed 17 summons from Hong.
“Fuck-” she clicked the buttons to reestablish the nerve connection and jumped to her feet. She still felt slightly dizzy from the oxygen deprivation.
She walked through the hall, into the elevator, and knocked on the door to Hong’s office before entering. She was greeted immediately with his booming voice, “What were you thinking?!?!?”
Keiko stood rigid and at attention, “I was trying to save O- Agent 010-”
“You were completely out of control!!!” Hong spoke over her, “You blatantly disregarded protocol!! The omni-book could have fallen into STAM’s hands because you got hot headed!!!”
Keiko’s throat swelled closed. She had no response.
“014 had to retrieve you!! She said you nearly killed the agents!!”
“I wouldn’t have-”
“WE DON’T KILL HUMANS!!!” he screamed at her.
Keiko’s brow furrowed. She knew the rule well, but having Hong shout at her prickled her nerve, “But we allow our own agents to die-”
“NOT-” his booming voice silenced her, “- another word 013!” he sighed, the silhouette of him rubbed his face, “Losing Agent 010 is punishment enough for you. Don’t let it happen again-” he suddenly started coughing. Painful, dry coughs erupted from his throat.
“Hong?” she moved forward, concerned.
“Leave!” he managed to get out between violent coughs. The screen went black and so too did his coughs.
Keiko stood in the empty, dark room and glared at the floor. Her fists slowly curled.
[6:20]
Arisa hadn’t taken the news about Ojii from Aku very well. After crying, she wanted to run straight to Keiko, but hesitated when she saw 013’s summons to Hong. Aku had told her all about the mission report and Arisa knew Kei would need space before she was ready. Instead, Arisa decided to distract herself from it and check on Masahiko instead. The doctor had told her he was fine, just sleeping and that he should wake up soon. As the minutes passed, soon Arisa too had fallen asleep at the foot of his bed.
It wasn’t long after that Masahiko awoke. I’m alive?...How am I alive? His gaze found the sleeping agent at the foot of his bed, the agent? He thought back to the interrogation room, she saved me? He looked at her sleeping face for a minute, why did she save me? I’m sure it’s for the information she needs...nothing more.
“Kyoushirou!” Arisa sat up straight, suddenly awake. Masahiko jumped with her. She took a moment to figure out where she was before turning to Masahiko, surprised to see him awake, “Masahiko!”
“Kyou-?” He started but then decided not to even ask, “Why did you save me?”
Her eyes were suddenly filled with tears, “What were you thinking!?” she shouted at him. Masahiko sat there, totally shocked and unable to speak. She continued, tears now sliding down her face, “I don’t care how many bad things you’ve done!” she sniffled, trying not to give into the fit of tears, “Every mazoku’s life is precious!” she wiped her eyes to no avail, “How could you be so stupid?? There’s a whole life ahead of you!!” she smacked his leg in frustration, “If you hate where you are you should change it! But don’t just give up!” her voice disappeared into the fit of tears.
Masahiko couldn’t believe it. This mazoku...she’s crying over me? I don’t even know her and yet...she’s seriously crying like this right here….he started chuckling.
Arisa looked up trying to get rid of her tears.
Masahiko’s laughter grew larger and larger until he too was wiping tears from the corners of his eyes, “Alright agent….you win...”
Hong’s Office [7:00]
“00 called this meeting didn’t she?” Keiko was leaning back in her chair, her hands resting behind her head, “Where is she?”
Aku shrugged, “I’m sure she’ll be here soon.”
“Sorry!” Arisa pushed open the door to the office room, her eyes still puffy from the tears she had shed earlier, “I have lots of information!”
“Well let’s hear it then 00,” Hong’ silhouette seemed to spin around in his chair. He seemed to be in better health than last time Keiko was here.
“Masahiko told me everything he knew,” she grinned at the open-mouth shock on Keiko’s face, “Unfortunately he doesn’t know much about supply chain...but the man he was in contact with was named Teddy. According to Masahiko, he’s the one in charge of the supply-”
“There’s no one named Teddy in MRPA...where would he get such a supply if not from us?” Keiko interrupted.
Hong added, “He could have a contact in MRPA...go ahead 00.”
“What he did know, is the person with the biggest corner on the market. A mazoku named Mei Lin. Apparently the original operation was just Teddy and then Masahiko. But once word got out of a new drug on the market for humans, Teddy was approached by Mei Lin demanding to be involved. This led to an explosion of the drug and subsequently, after the crack down on MS it only boosted its popularity...” she looked down at her notes, “He hasn’t had contact with Teddy for over a week now, but he said Mei Lin’s hideout is a bath house called Chaoshi Luu in Sector 8.”
“So we just go there and take out Mei Lin’s supply, piece of cake,” Keiko grinned and gave Arisa a thumbs up.
Hong sighed, “That won’t be so easy. Mei Lin is a rogue mazoku. She’s avoided MRPA her entire life and worked outside the law for years. I’m afraid she is quite the opponent as we know little about her. That bath house is no doubt crawling with security and all kinds of defenses...”
“Well we can’t not go,” Keiko shrugged.
Hong hummed for a moment, “013 and 014 will go together...” the three of them discussed, but Arisa had stopped listening. This was her mission. She had been the one to find and bring in Masahiko. She was the one who saved Masahiko’s life. The information that Keiko and Aku couldn’t get out of Masahiko, she had gotten. Who cares if it’s a dangerous mission?? Didn’t she deserve to be on a mission that she spearheaded?? If you’re unhappy about where you are you should change it. Her own words of encouragement to Masahiko seemed so hard for her to follow.
“00 should come.” Aku interrupted Arisa’s thoughts.
“Are you crazy?!” Keiko interjected, “Didn’t you hear Hong say it was going to be super dangerous??”
Arisa furrowed her face, “If it weren’t for me you wouldn’t have known any of this!!” she glared at Keiko with what she hoped was strength, “What you and Aku couldn’t do I did it! I’m the one who found, saved, and interrogated Masahiko!” she bit back the tears she felt trying to well, “I’m not asking to take the mission by myself, I know I’m not ready for that. But at least let me join in! With both Kei and Aku there I couldn’t possibly get hurt!”
Keiko opened her mouth to fight but Hong cut her off, “Very well Arisa,” his voice was soft as he said her name, “You’re right. You will accompany 013 and 014 on this mission...”
Keiko bit down on her lip, clearly unhappy with the decision.
Arisa beamed, she looked at Aku to thank her but Aku was giving her a small thumbs up. I got this. I’ll change things.