(A new BLACK and Shen has showed up to talk with Sora and Makoto! What is his grand plan in alll of this? And why did he choose this exact moment? All these questions and more! Will be answered at this very moment!)

Bold = English Conversations

Bold + Italics =Japanese Conversations

BLACK 50

Sora and Makoto felt the tension linger at the air. Right in front of them right now was Shen Lin Fang, one of the bodyguards of the Boss of the Black Lotus. Oh his right hand, a bouquet of white flowers that they had never seen before. On his left, a simple portable chess board that has seen much use as the chequered marks were worn out. He had even kept Muramasa kept to the side of his waist as he walked up to them to present Makoto the bouquet.

"Here you go Makoto Nanaya... Have some white lilies, a symbol of health from where I come from." Shen said as Makoto reluctantly took the bouquet from her attacker as her eyes remained glued on him. "I know... you're being cautious because I attacked you out of nowhere and injured you to your current state. But I didn't do so, I wouldn't be able to find Sora considering how he buried his tracks well." Shen explained as Sora looked at him with a menacing look at him.

"Look.. before you think about attacking me... I want to play a game of chess with you Sora." Shen said as Sora looked at him, confused but at the same time, couldn't help but oblige what he had just said to him as he grabbed a nearby table and pulled it close to Makoto's bed. "Grab a chair and sit the other side." Sora said as he made sure he was seated right next to Makoto as Shen did what he had just said, placing his chess set as he looked around.

"Say you two... do you two know what time is it right now?" Shen asked as Sora and Makoto looked at each other, wondering why he was asking such a question in the first place. "I just would like to keep a track of time, there's no plan that I am keeping from you guys. I came here on my own accord after all." Shen continued as eventually Makoto decided to look around for something that would give her a good sense of the time, eventually finding the alarm clock beside her as she showed him the date and time.


Date: 3rd December 2196

Time: 01:25 PM


"Are you satisfied with knowing what time it is right now?" Makoto asked as she looked at him in the eyes as he smiled. "Yes... That I am satisfied with... How is your injury healing up?.. the wound not too severe?.." Shen asked as Makoto looked at the scar that he caused as she found it bizarre that he would ask a question like that. "Yeah... it wasn't fatal so the doctors were able to patch me up quick and I didn't lose a lot of blood... you sure practice with your swordsmanship a lot huh..." Makoto said as Shen couldn't help but chuckle.

"I know... But I shouldn't have to repeat what I said to Sora at least two to three years ago now... after all, you did experience it for yourself." As soon as Shen said that, Sora couldn't help but look at Makoto, confused as to the meaning behind Shen's words. "I...I suppose I should just tell you right now and spare the confusion huh..." Makoto said as she took a couple of small deep breaths as she knew this would have to happen eventually, she was going to talk about this to Sora in a private and more appropriate manner but Shen forced her hand at this point.


Makoto: Listen Sora... the truth is... I... I was experimented on to create a brand new soldier for the Black Lotus... a second super soldier if you will

Sora: A second...Super soldier?...

Shen: (Thought) God...they are speaking Japanese... talk about being rude... but then again, I can't really blame her for wanting some sort of privacy so I will just let it slide.

Sora: So...what did they do?.. Gave you drugs? Implanted you with some special type of material into your bones?

Makoto: No none of those... are you getting those ideas because I let you read those comics?.. Well that's besides the point right now!

Sora: Alright...so get to it then. What did they do to you exactly?..

Makoto:...They forced me to live through your life when you first joined the Black Lotus...


Sora couldn't help but blink a few times hearing that as he at first... felt confused like most normal people would. "Ummm...care to elaborate on what you had just said Makoto? After all... you are kinda talking to an idiot over here." Sora explained as Makoto couldn't help but sigh a little with a small smile, something that Shen noticed as she looked at him seriously. "It means... when they captured me that time... they forced me through an experiment that not only gave me all of the expertise and experience you have... but it also made me live through some of the shittiest moments of your life."

The moment that Sora heard that experience, he couldn't help but wonder what kind of method they used to implement such memories into Makoto's head, and he knew that Makoto knew that he wanted to know. "Well... They used some scientific mumbo jumbo... but in general, they tried to... make me you... through my dreams." Makoto explained as Sora couldn't help but look at her like a deer with headlights as he shook his head. "Next you're going to tell me that you experienced what it was like to be a male, went through boot camp and you did go through all of that didn't you."

As soon as Sora realized that Makoto's expressions were telling him the truth, that was the moment he had to process all of what he had just heard at that moment by holding his head and rubbing his forehead slowly. Taking a couple of deep breathes, Sora knew at that moment there was more questions he had in his mind that Makoto almost had no answer for. "And I am guessing you can vouch for what Makoto would have said Shen?" Sora asked as he saw Shen setting up the chess set, closely paying attention to the conversation at hand.

"Ummm...Sorry, wasn't really able to pay attention because you guys were speaking in Japanese... But if you were talking about the experiment the good old Doktor tried to pull on her... then yes, what she was saying is true and I can vouch for it...a little." Shen said as Sora nodded his head in understanding, finally making some sense in what little sense there really was to find in the first place. "Well anyways... Is the chess set ready?.. we should really get started to playing some good old chess at this point."

As soon as Sora asked that question, he saw right in front of him the chess board all set up with the pieces placed right in front of him. "I have decided to let you go first so I gave you the white pieces if you don't mind. Unless you want to go second?" Shen questioned as Sora shook his head. "Of course not, if you go first then you will set the tempo of the match and I would never win that way... I learned that from watching you trash Monika after all." Sora retorted as Shen couldn't help laugh a little bit at how sharp Sora was.

"Hehe... so the planning is already coming out from your head huh... that's good to know." Shen commented as Shen appreciated people who bothered to think a few steps ahead of their opponents. Makoto couldn't help but nod at Sora's thought process. It does make sense that Sora behaved the way that he did. 'Sora... would want to always have the first initiative... just so he can prevent the loss of the people that he truly cares for.' Makoto thought as Sora looked at each of the pieces, familiarizing himself with what each piece did as Shen gave him a quick run through of what each piece can do.

Looking at the way Sora observed each piece and their role, it lines up with the memories that she had experienced. This is who Sora truly was inside, no matter how many times he changes or how drastic he behaves... Sora will never allow himself to expose any sign of weakness... even if it means learning something from his enemy, he doesn't show it not to save face but to not give his opponent any chance of exploiting it.

As soon as he heard everything, before even giving Shen the chance to register what was happening, Sora immediately made his first move by moving the pawn by the most right, which blocked the path for his priest and sent him forward by two spaces. Shen was caught off guard by how fast Sora had moved as before Makoto knew it, the battle of chess had begun at that very moment. "So...We are going to play that way huh... in that case..."

As soon as Shen managed to recover his composure, he immediately grabbed his pawn to meet straight on with Sora's own pawn. "I shall do the same to you!" Shen commented as soon, both Sora and Shen stared at each other straight in the eye, sending chills to Makoto as the amount of concentration present in the air was simply suffocating to feel. Yet at the same time, her nerves began to calm as Sora took a quick look to see how she was doing only to be shocked at the expression she was making.

'This...This is the first time I've ever seen Makoto look this serious before...' Sora thought as he could have never pictured the normally happy and carefree Makoto Nanaya... with a soft look of focus in her eyes as her face was the most stoic it had ever been. 'I've got to carefully observe the sight that is in front of me right now... burn it to my memory and never forget what I see... That's the least I can do for Sora at this point...as his friend...and secretly in love lover... got to work on that naming though.'


As Makoto shook her head from trying to think of a better name, She saw that the chess board had been played a few more times. In the process, she saw the way that Shen was manipulating the chess board. While Sora focused on every move he did, Makoto saw how much Shen was still setting up his board, letting Sora take a couple of his pawns in the process. The thought process that the two men had was vastly different and Makoto couldn't help but just keep watching the match in awe.

'I know that these two... I have seen these two and the way they fight... but... Looking at it from a different perspective, I cannot help but just at how different they think and act.' Makoto noted as Sora began to use his priests to take out some of the pawns while making sure that they wouldn't be eaten by the pawns. Shen countered this strategy by using his castles, trampling on some of his troops and forcing Sora to deal with them, slowing down Sora's own advance to attack.

'Defending himself while taking an offensive step to set up future plans... that's Shen alright. And dealing with what's in front of you while trying to be unpredictable in the process... Sora's playing the way he would fight... that's.. pretty cool.' Makoto continued as both men did not dare to speak a single word, not letting the concentration they had managed to muster up go to waste as Shen decided to break this concentration by doing something completely unexpected.

"Your next move Sora." Shen said as he moved one of his knights to block off his own pawn's advance. Sora had to blink a little as he was trying to register why he would do such an action. 'Shit... he's trying to throw me off right now... I've got to focus on the strategy that I am trying to set up right now and not focus on that.' Sora thought as he moved his castle which made Shen's eye shine at that moment.

"You have fallen for my trap." Shen quietly noted as he used his knight to eat up the castle that Sora had used to ram right into a pawn. "You were too focused in trying to maneuver around the knight and simply focus on your attack. Now I have you under my predicament." Shen said as Sora couldn't help but see the point that she had brought up. The problem that this presented in front of Sora is that if he continued pushing his attack, the knight will wreck havoc behind his forward forces. Try to stop the knight, he exposes his flank to the castle barrage that was on the other side which he was trying to stop in the first place.

"So... what is going to be your next move... Sora..." Shen questioned as Sora's forehead dropped a small sweat, trying to remain composed at the stressful situation that was in front of him at that moment. "What... What should I do indeed..." Sora wondered as while he was thinking, he felt a hand touch his before grabbing a piece and moving it for him. As soon as he noticed that, Sora looked to see Makoto Nanaya's hand.

"Maybe try this?" Makoto suggested as he noticed that she had moved one of his pawns closer to the objective, making Shen laugh a little bit as he realized what she had just done. "So... you are going to force me to deal with this one pawn... who can possibly become anything you want on the board...impressive." Shen noted as Sora couldn't help but simply just stare at what Shen was trying to do. "How...How did you figure to do that Makoto?" Sora asked confused as Makoto couldn't help but chuckle a little bit while scratching her head.

"Well...I just did what I had thought was the best solution in the end. I didn't really try thinking too much about it... I just did it." Makoto explained as Shen couldn't help but clap his hands as he smiled. "I think that's enough chess for now... I have to say, this game... was very fun." Shen said as Sora couldn't help but become confused. "Chess... is fun for you?.. I thought you played this game to focus your attention?" Sora questioned as Shen couldn't help but scratch his head a little bit.

"Well.. of course it does... but at the same time, it's fun to play against a person in a game where it doesn't end with someone dying. It's game where skill is rewarded... but you can fight against the same person multiple times and get different results each and every time, learning from each other in the process." Shen allowed a moment for Sora to process all of the words that he had spoken at that moment, wanting Sora to understand how he felt about the game that he was not only good at...but loved at the same time.

Makoto however was eager to ask some more questions to Shen as he stood up and drew his blade, exposing his blade slightly to Sora. "Now... Shall we have a proper duel? To end all duels?" Shen questioned as Sora couldn't help but sigh and look down, "Are you saying... we are going to have a duel to the death?.. is that what you are trying to suggest to me?" Sora said sadly as Shen made the same grim expression. "If I go back without any results... that just means the Black Lotus's morale would be hurt. If I can at least return with the girl... or you... or even both, morale would be boosted. If I die... many will rise in the ranks to avenge my death, boosting morale."

"So you're doing this in order to make a win-win solution for the Black Lotus huh..." Sora muttered as Makoto couldn't help but no longer stay silent as she had to say something. "But what about Monika?.. Don't you want to stay alive for her sake?" As soon as Makoto said that, Sora couldn't help but look at her confused as Shen scratched his head. "Of course... The woman who lived out one of my former comrade's lives... is the only person who is able to figure out my emotions." Shen said as he took a deep breath.

"She is an important person in my life...that is why I must win in the end... that is my goal in the end." Shen continued as he pulled out a bottle of sake and a couple of sake cups. "But before we do anything else... Sora Minakaze... let's have a final drink shall we?.." Shen requested as he placed the cups in front of Sora and Makoto. "Are you sure about that?.. Drinking before the job is a bad thing after all." Sora said, looking at the sake a bit suspiciously

"A little drink is fine, besides I want to give a toast to you and how much you have changed from two years ago." Shen said as he poured the sake to the cups. "And to the bond that you have formed with someone that truly cares for you." As he said that, he looked at Makoto as she couldn't help but blush just a little bit. Sora on the other hand was a bit too thick to notice his friend blushing in the process. Soon, Shen and Sora picked up their cups as Makoto looked at hers and slowly picked up her first alcoholic drink for the first time.

"A toast...to the future that will come regardless of what happens today." Shen said as he and Sora drank their sake fast while Makoto took a small sip of hers to savour said taste. As soon as she tasted how smooth the drink it was, she drank it all in one shot, placing it right in front of Sora and Shen. "Thank you Shen... my first alcoholic drink tasted really good." Makoto said with a smile on her face as Sora couldn't help but be surprised by her willingness to drink alcohol in the first place.

"Glad to hear you liked it... and I have to thank you for taking care of him and the others this entire time." Shen said, bowing just a little bit before he left the room as Makoto held her chest gently. "That... that sure was nice for him to say huh." Makoto said, looking at Sora as all he could do at that moment was simply stare forward as he did not know what he should say at that moment. "Y-Yeah... I think so too." Sora said a bit distantly as at least he could agree to what he had said about Makoto.

"Are you... are you going to fight against him Sora?" Makoto asked as she held his hand once more. "I... I wonder if I should Makoto... For one thing, this could be a trap that the Black Lotus is setting up to get me... yet at the same time it's Shen and he hates doing traps and backsteps the most out of the Code Zero Squadron. I want to believe him... but he's also still a Black Lotus soldier in the end." As Sora said those words, Makoto couldn't help but wonder what she should say to reassure him about his choice in the end.

"You just have to trust that Shen had come prepared for whatever choice you were going to make in the end Sora... that's all you can really do at this point." Makoto said as Sora remained silent at that moment, not saying a single word as he knew that Makoto was most likely speaking the truth at that very moment as he nodded his head. "I guess you do have a point... but at the same time... There's just so many things going through my mind that I don't really have the time to think of anything else in particular." Sora explained as he soon felt his hand being pulled in for a hug as Makoto rubbed his back.

"Then just do what your heart tells you is the best thing to do." As soon as Makoto said that, Sora looked at her surprised as he couldn't help but feel that this was a reverse of the situation that he and Makoto went through earlier in the year. "Remember the promise that you made to me Sora?.. how you said that you were going to stay alive for my sake?" Makoto asked as Sora slowly nodded his head. How could he ever forget such a promise that he made to such an important person in his life.

"Of course I do...and I plan to keep doing so for the rest of my life... like I had promised you so many years ago." Sora said, gently clutching on his heart remembering the promise he made on that fateful day. "Just like how you made that promise to me... you should just do what your heart tells you is the best thing to do." Makoto said as Sora couldn't help but smile at Makoto's choice of words. "You're right about that...thanks Makoto." Sora said as he stood up, ready to face against Shen as he felt Makoto's hand stop him

"I...I want to see the fight for myself... please let me." Makoto begged as Sora paused for a moment, caught a bit off guard by the choice of words that she had said. "Knowing Shen... he won't have us fighting in such a public area like this hospital... a location where NOL are most likely to appear. But if that's the case, and he wants me too... then the both of us leaving is much safer for everyone." The moment that Makoto said her words of wisdom, Sora couldn't help but be taken aback by not only her choice of words... but also her determination to see things to the very end.

"If you want to go... then who am I to stop you... that's your choice Makoto..." Sora said as he grabbed a couple of crutches and placed them on her bed. "Though I think you may need these just a little bit, not that you're crippled or anything..." Sora continued as Makoto simply smiled and took off the medical supplies and used said crutches to stand. "Geez... now I am starting to believe what you said about inheriting my memories through dreaming... what you are doing right is something I can definitely picture myself doing." Sora said as he loosened the arm sling he had, clenching his fists in and out before undoing the bandages covering his eye

"I know right... but still, I am telling you the truth in the end. No matter how crazy it sounds... Just don't tell anyone else please, I don't want my friends to worry about my mental health and all." Makoto continued as Sora merely nodded before walking outside with Makoto, seeing the NOL guards groaning at the ground as Estella was simply standing there assessing them as she saw the two friends standing up.

"Where are you two planning to go right now? The hospital's under lock down after that Black Lotus soldier came in and talked to you two." Estella said as she looked at the two friends dead in the eyes as Makoto and Sora looked at each other, nodded their heads and looked back at Estella. "We are going after Shen... who is that Black Lotus soldier who walked into our room. And before you try to stop us again... we need to go after him before anything else happens and he comes back with a bigger force than the one man show he put up." Makoto explained as Estella couldn't help but simply remain silent, thinking and in pause.

"Even if you say no... we are going Miss Emma. We can't let a member of the Black Lotus escape without getting any answers for their plans. So please forgive us for being so rash at this moment." Makoto said as she lowered her head respectfully, making Sora do the same as Emma couldn't help but feel the determination that Both Sora and Makoto had to go out and see this Shen character at this very moment. As much as she wanted to stop them from going... she couldn't as she took a deep breath and looked at them in the eyes.

"If you go out... promise me that you will come back here immediately and report to me exactly what happened out there... if you don't come back by the next day... I will have to presume the worst has happened to the both of you and I don't want to tell the others what happened to you two... Especially you Makoto since you just came back to them." The words that Emma had picked to say to them were very important... especially since she wanted Makoto to know that she was important for moral support at this very moment.

"Are we clear about this?.." Emma said with authority as both Sora and Makoto looked at each other before slowly nodding their heads. "Right... go to Doctor Stanwick and let him know about the current situation...and Sora...whatever you do...please don't kill the soldier. He's the only way we will be able to get information about the Black Lotus." Emma pleaded as Sora merely remained silent when she said that. "I can't guarantee that... but I will try alright." Sora said as he and Makoto walked off to see Doctor Stanwick.


"Are you sure about what you said Sora?.. You are promising something that is very difficult to fulfill in the end." Makoto said as soon as they got far enough from Emma as they were taking extra caution to not blurt anything too loudly. "I know...I know that what I am promising is near impossible with the kind of battle me and Shen are going to have... But I have to still promise her something in the end." Sora explained as Makoto couldn't help shrug a little hearing that.

"Well...if you think that's the best possible solution at the moment...I guess I will have to agree as well." Makoto said as Sora soon stopped walking before looking at his fist. "But to be honest... I am not sure what is going to happen next... I have never fought against Shen before directly... not even with a spar. Doesn't matter if I am his teammate, fighting a teammate and fighting against an opponent are two completely different matters." Sora explained as Makoto closed her eyes as she nodded.

"That feeling... I cannot help but agree with that feeling you have right now. I just can't read the guy at all... he's not being secretive or anything like the sorts... he's just so... unreadable." Makoto said as Sora couldn't help but sigh even more as Makoto placed a hand right on his back. "Don't worry Sora... I believe you can win against Shen... I believe." Makoto continued as Sora couldn't help but smile softly at that as he looked up and simply said out the one thing that was on his mind.


"...Believe?.. At this point... believing may be one of the few things I have going against him..."


Last Known Date: 3rd December 2196

Last Known Time: 01:25 PM


GREETINGS LOST SHEEP OF FANFICTION! HOW ARE YOU ALL DOING RIGHT NOW!? I have been doing fine, just been busy working on assignments this entire month but I will not let my assignments bog me down from writing this story for you all to see! In any other case, I hope you all are enjoying the story so far and hope you are going to keep enjoying said story for the chapters to come.

SO!? WHAT IS NEXT FOR SORA AND MAKOTO!? WHAT ARE THE PLANS THAT SHEN HAS AT THIS VERY MOMENT RIGHT NOW!? WHAT WILL MAKOTO WITNESS IN THIS CLASH BETWEEN FORMER COMRADES!? AND IS THIS REALLY THE FINAL BATTLE BETWEEN SORA MINAKAZE AND SHEN LIN FANG!? Well.. Keep on reading if you dare.