Chapter IV: Love at First Sight
As they returned to Funeral Parlor headquarters, Heath and Akiko were shown around its facility members. Being the most experienced of the three newcomers, Shu introduced Heath and Akiko to the members they haven't met yet and reacquainted with the ones they'd seen. Having gotten to know some of the members, Heath and Akiko were taken to meet with Gai.
"Now that you've become acquainted with our facility and some of our members, let me brief you on what you'll be doing."
Heath raised his hand. "Yeah, so those things that popped out of us are called Voids?"
"Yes, yet your Voids are different from others I've seen. Your energy levels are extraordinarily higher than anyone I've seen. Further proof that your powers are stronger than normal, neither of you have lost consciousness."
Akiko added. "Ok, is that a good thing?"
"It's peculiar because when Shu extracts a Void from an individual, that person loses consciousness. Yet, you two can see your Voids and utilize them during battle."
"Yeah, that drained me some."
Gai nodded. "You're not used to utilizing such powers, but that's fine. You two are here for several reasons. One, to keep you out of GHQ sight. Second, we brought you here so you can train."
"So, who's going to be our instructor?" Heath asked him.
"I will be busy conducting other Funeral Parlor business but I have tasked Ayase and Shu to train you two."
Upon hearing this, Akiko glanced over to Shu standing on the other side of the meeting room. She tilted her head wondering how a meek boy ended up with Funeral Parlor. However, she never would've guessed her and Heath joining the resistance group.
"We've yet to meet this Ayase person," Heath said.
"Oh, don't worry. Despite how she may appear, she's not one to overlook," Gai smirked. "Shu, escort these two to meet with Ayase."
"Right. Where are you going to be, Gai?" Shu directly asked him.
"To meet with other Funeral Parlor members. We have a crucial mission ahead of us. So, I'm leaving you and Ayase to supervise Heath and Akiko's training. I'll give you a week before you and Ayase can test them. Their Voids have opened my eyes to new possibilities with Voids. I want to learn more about the nature and extent of their abilities."
Shu firmly nodded. "No problem. Leave it to us, Gai."
"Listen, Shu," Gai leaned over and whispered. "Outside you, these two have the keys to turning the tide in our conflict with GHQ. We cannot let them slip away."
"I won't let you down, Gai." As Gai walked away, Shu smiled toward Heath and Akiko. "This way you two. You still haven't met Ayase."
Having gotten out of her Steiner Endlave, Ayase was helped out by Tsugumi and propped in her wheelchair. As the girls exchanged a friendly conversation, Shu, Heath, and Akiko had just walked in to see them.
At that moment, Heath saw Ayase being taken out of the Steiner Endlave. Upon seeing the girl behind the voice he described as powerful and alluring, his perception of her met expectations. He saw a beautiful young woman with attractive reddish-brown eyes and a radiant smile adorning her slender face, which captivated him. Based on her commanding voice, he expected a strong, able-bodied individual, but as he saw her in her wheelchair state, Heath felt sympathetic for her condition.
"Oh! Hey, guys! Over here!" Tsugumi beckoned Shu, Heath, and Akiko over to meet them.
"Nice to have you three alive and well. Shu, your survival skills have gotten better," Ayase addressed him first.
"Thanks, Ayase. What can I say? The training helped and I've been able to improvise with Void extractions," Shu modestly replied.
Ayase then turned over to Heath and Akiko. "And you two are in for quite an experience. Let me guess, Gai wants me to train you two?"
"He wants us to train Heath and Akiko."
"You and me, Shu?"
"Yeah."
Ayase let out a sigh and nodded. "If Gai says so, then let's do this. All right you two. Let's get introductions out of the way."
"Akiko Jones, ma'am. It's a pleasure to meet you," Akiko greeted her with a bow.
"Oh, there's no need for formalities. Just call me Ayase. I doubt we're that far apart in age. And what about you, guy?"
Slightly turning his head, Heath tried not to look her in the eyes. "Heath Jones."
"Huh? I can't hear you?" Ayase asked, putting a hand behind her ear.
"I'm Heath Jones!"
"Oh, look he speaks," Akiko teased him. "Don't mind my brother. He's really shy around cute ladies."
"I'm not. I'm quite approachable around women but I'm respectful of their boundaries!" Heath openly smiled as he and Ayase made eye contact. For a moment, they seemed to connect well from a first glance. Heath was drawn to her physical attractiveness and her assertive spirit while Ayase was taken in by Heath's endearing looks.
"Right. So, those Voids you used were very impressive to see. I've never seen Voids manifest in the manner that you two showed. I'd like to see them in action during your final exam," Ayase stated. "Now, first you two will have to endure a week of field training. Shu here passed but the first day or two weren't pretty for him."
Shu coyly laughed. "Oh, c'mon do you need to remind me?"
"But, Shu ultimately passed his final exam with flying colors! If he can do it, I believe you two can!" Tsugumi chimed in, giving Heath and Akiko her vote of confidence.
"Shu will be there to help mentor you through each field test. Listen to everything he has to say and I'll be there to grade you. You'll be trained in the following categories: hand-to-hand, firearms, the obstacle course, stamina, and target practice. You must pass all categories before you face me in your final exam. Any questions?"
Heath raised his hand.
"Yes, Heath?"
"Well, you see. That's good and all, but you're asking us to fight you?"
"Yes? Is there a problem?"
"Well yeah. I mean, I don't think it's right for us to fight someone in a wheelchair. It's not fair."
Hearing Heath's chivalrous remark, and as her cheeks flushed, Ayase replied with an affectionate smile. "Oh, you don't say? Well, yes, you have a fair point. Two people fighting poor me is absolutely unfair."
"Sorry, but it's just how I am. I don't fight the helpless."
"How very sweet. Please, come over here, and let's shake on it," Ayase extended a hand to him.
"Sure, I'm glad you see it my way," Heath smiled as he headed over and held her hand.
Watching the two shake, Shu and Tsugumi chuckled. As she astutely read the room, Akiko turned and watched in shock as Ayase lifted and judo flipped her brother. Shu quickly ran over to catch Heath, who fell right on top of Shu. Having lifted and tossed Heath down while remaining in her wheelchair, Ayase showed off surprising upper body strength. Before Heath could even react to what had happened, Ayase firmly put her right foot over Heath's head.
"Don't you ever perceive me as helpless just because I can't walk, you hear me? I just showed I can take your pretty boy ass down while in my 'sorry' state! Remember, I was the one who piloted the Steiner Endlave!" Ayase fiercely chided Heath, who had just seen a side of Ayase he never expected. However, her powerful tone and assertiveness won his heart over.
"Geez, that was pushing it, Ayase!" Shu cried out.
"Heheh, Ayase doesn't like being called helpless," Tsugumi sneakily grinned.
"Damn, girl! You gotta teach me that!" Akiko was taken aback.
"Ouch, I didn't see that coming from you," Heath chuckled as Shu helped him up. While being helped up, something fell out of Shu's pocket. It was the pen that Segai had given him.
Noticing the pen Shu dropped, Ayase picked it up. As she examined it, Shu just noticed her holding it.
"Hey, my pen," Shu gasped.
"This fell out of your pocket?"
"Well, it did when Heath fell on me. Could I have it back?"
As she fiddled with it, Ayase put it on her lap. "I think I'll hold on to this until after Heath and Akiko finish their test."
Hearing this, Shu suspected Ayase would be onto him and figured she was holding onto it to earn her trust.
"Fine," Shu replied as he turned over to Heath and Akiko. "Ok, you two. Let's review the basics of what you'll have to learn. Follow us."
As Heath and Akiko nodded, they followed Shu and Ayase into a meeting room.
"You ok, bro?" Akiko asked him.
"I'll manage but that Ayase… I think…"
"What?"
Heath whispered. "I think I'm in love."
Akiko rolled her eyes sideways. "Ugh. Really, bro?"
As she listened to their conversation, Ayase scoffed under her breath as her cheeks blushed.
"Stupid jerk," Ayase softly murmured.
Much like Shu before them, Heath and Akiko endured a week of field tests. On the first day and half of the second day, they didn't fare much better than Shu in some of the categories, even Akiko proved to be a better gun marksman and shot more targets than her brother and Shu did. Heath was better in hand-to-hand and engaged Argo with knife combat. Not only were the siblings' physical abilities tested but their mental capabilities were demonstrated. By linking their minds with their Voids, both demonstrated unique psychokinetic abilities. To better control their mental powers, they used the extra time to meditate.
On the third day, an extra field test was added to their prerequisites. They were asked to train with Shu, who administered the Void field test. When asked to summon their Voids willfully, Shu borrowed Inori's Singer Sword.
Just like before, Heath and Akiko summoned their Tamuramaro and Suzuka Gozen Voids. Marveling at their humanoid Voids, Shu stood his ground and asked Heath to attack him. Hesitant to hurt Shu, Ayase, who was grading their field tests, threatened to fail him if he didn't comply. She also ruled that their duel would be contested under kendo rules. Intending to show up Ayase, Heath beckoned Tamuramaro as it swiftly hovered toward Shu.
As the Void swordsman for a side swing with its katana, Shu blocked the attack with his Singer Sword. The two then engaged briefly in swordplay. Each of the Void swordsman's strikes became harder than the last. When Heath went for a straightforward strike, Shu rolled away and cut the Void swordsman's leg with his katana. As Shu scored a point, Ayase kept up with the rest of the duel and marked points for whoever landed a direct blow. As Shu scored a few points higher, Heath dug deep and turned the tide against Shu. Heath's Tamuramaro struck Shu with non-lethal strikes, but enough to stun the experienced Void user. When they became evenly scored, Shu went for a knee strike but Heath blocked and learned from his previous mistake.
"You're not getting my leg this time!" Heath declared as he sent Tamuramaro to strike Shu's chest, bringing the Void user to his knees. "Hell yeah! This match is mine!" He motioned toward Ayase, who scoffed at his direction and marked on her tablet.
"The jerk passes," Ayase sighed.
"Great work, Heath. You're a quick learner," Shu remarked, propping himself off the floor.
"Thanks, Shu. I wasn't going to let you keep attacking my Void's legs like that. Some of your moves can be predictable, dude."
"I guess I was going too easy."
"Too easy," Ayase said while coughing.
"Huh?" Shu and Heath both asked her.
"Nothing. Ok, after a 15-minute recess, it'll be your turn, Akiko."
Springing up from her chair, Akiko gleefully added. "Yes! Hey, Shu, you wanna do me a favor and not go so hard on a lady like me?"
Shu chuckled modestly. "Uh, sure."
Akiko glanced toward her brother and blew her tongue at her. "Watch me score more points than you, bro!"
"Don't choke," Heath remarked as he sat beside Ayase. "Hey, did you know you got the best view?"
"Really? I didn't notice," Ayase said, writing comments while not making eye contact with him.
"So, what are you writing…" Heath asked, leering over what Ayase was scribbling. His mouth dropped over what she had written about him. "What? I'm a 'big fat stupid jerk'?!"
"Hey!" Ayase covered up her clipboard. "Yes, I wrote that because that's what you are."
"You're supposed to be grading me, teach. Not writing disparaging remarks about me," Heath sardonically remarked.
"Whatever, just be glad I gave you a positive grade. You passed the field test. What more do you want?"
"Well, for us to be good friends."
Taking a deep breath, Ayase straightened herself. "Ok, sure. Whatever. Let's be friends."
Heath scoffed. "That was a half-assed attempt."
"Oh shut it," she looked away, watching Shu and Akiko on the mock battlefield. "Ok, get ready you, two!"
As Akiko readied her Suzuka Gozen, she sent her Void to shove its ko-naginata into Shu. Shu swiftly stopped the Void's ko-naginata with her Singer Sword. As Shu wildly swung his Singer Sword, he struck an open spot on the Void's chest. After scoring a point, Shu landed a nonfatal strike toward the Void's back. Growing irritated with Shu's gaining ahead of her, Akiko beckoned Suzuka Gozen to utilize faster strikes.
Akiko quickly turned the tide as her Void landed faster strikes. Unable to deflect Akiko's blows, he found himself struck with multiple non-fatal slashes from her Void. When Shu went for a head strike, Akiko's Void blocked his direct attack and thrust her ko-naginata into Shu's gut. Looking down, Shu saw that the blade, while made translucent harmlessly, went through his torso.
"Does it hurt?" Akiko asked him with a sadistic grin.
"No but it does tickle," Shu replied with a half-hearted laugh as Suzuka Gozen pulled the transparent blade out of him. Shu looked over his torso where the blade made direct and physical contact with him.
"If you were a bad guy, that blade really would've gutted you," Akiko grinned.
"Nicely done, sis!" Heath called out while Akiko took a bow as if she finished a stage performance.
"Very good, Akiko. You and Heath are quick at adapting during heated battles. Though Akiko has shown to be more merciless. Heath, you'll have to work on that."
"Well, it's not like I'm a bonafide sadist like Akiko."
"You're going to have to learn if you want to survive, Heath," Ayase advised him. "Ok, you two. You've shown me that you're getting the hang of using your Voids independently. The final test is in a few days. Get ready because I'm no Shu."
"You two did great work. I just know you'll be ready for Ayase's exam. If I can do it, there's hope for you," Shu complimented the Jones siblings, who both nodded. After the duel, they removed their Voids from the battlefield.
"Hey, nice work, you two! Way to give Shu a hell of a good workout!" Walter called out as he walked in with Tsugumi.
"Walter! Did you see me kick butt out there?!" Akiko gleefully cried as she ran over to meet with him.
"You put up quite a show, Akiko. I'd say your performance was exquisite," he complimented her battle style.
Watching his sister being showered with praise by Walter, Heath snorted. "Hey, shouldn't you be complimenting me like he's doing?"
"No, because Walter's a softie compared to me," Ayase rebuked, not paying Heath any mind while finishing grading him and Akiko.
"Ugh, are you writing more comments about me? Let me see!" Heath stormed over to Ayase. As he put a foot forward, he tripped over a wire and accidentally knocked Ayase out of her wheelchair. They both fell and landed on the floor with Heath laying on top of Ayase.
Everyone then turned and caught them accidentally kissing each other. Shu, Akiko, Walter, and Tsugumi had mixed reactions toward their kiss. Shu and Akiko were taken aback. Walter just rubbed his chin and nodded accordingly. Quickly whipping out her camera, Tsugumi snapped pictures of the two kissing up close and personal.
As they quickly jerked their lips away, Heath almost apologized, but Ayase angrily punched his face.
"Hehehe, you two looked awfully cute kissing!" Tsugumi snickered while making kissing sounds at their expense.
"What the hell?! Tsugumi, you didn't?!" Ayase shouted as her cheeks blushed.
"And I'm going to show it all to our friends!"
"Tsugumi! Get your ass back here!" Ayase screamed as Tsugumi skipped away humming.
"Oh man, this is not what I had in mind when joining a resistance team," Heath muttered as Shu helped him up.
"Well, to be honest, they were hardly like this when I joined them. I'd say you and Akiko joining brought some new life to Funeral Parlor," Shu commented.
Having heard this, Heath observed Akiko casually chatting with Walter and Ayase openly chastising Tsugumi.
Three days later, Heath and Akiko's final exam commenced and was set in the same venue Shu took his. The Jones stood on one side with their humanoid Voids and Ayase was already inside her Steiner Endlave. Joining other Funeral Parlor members in attendance, Shu sat to watch Heath and Akiko.
"Time to see if they're worth their stuff, Shu," Argo remarked as he, Oogumo, and Shibungi sat with him. The Reigizan was also present to watch the mock battle.
"Man, they better knock Ayase off her high horse as Shu did," Masaru scoffed, his tone conveyed irritation over the Steiner's pilot.
"Heh, you're just mad 'cause she kicked your butt in arm wrestling!" Subaru teased him.
"Shut it! My arm was just sore from doing those sets of bicep curls before I challenged her!"
"Sure, Masaru!"
Aneko nodded. "There's high hopes for these two."
Yoshitsugu concurred. "Based on what I heard about their Voids, I agree."
"Yes, after all, Shu did supervise part of their training. Their Voids are truly a rare sight to behold," Shibungi added.
"I'm nervous but I have faith they'll pass this," Shu replied, deeply confident in their recruits. He noticed the lack of Gai but instead, Inori headed over and sat beside him. "Inori, then Gai isn't here after all?"
"Remember he went out on a mission. And as you can see, Kyo isn't here either. Gai's leading a squad on a mission now," Argo reminded.
"Oh, that's right. I heard something from Gai about a mission."
"Shu, just relax and let's watch this exam," Inori said. "Heath and Akiko need your support, don't they?"
"Yeah, they do."
"You can do it, Heath and Akiko!" Walter cheered on his two friends, briefly drawing their attention from the mock battle.
"Watch me pass this test, Walter," Akiko muttered with deep confidence.
"He's got you fired up, huh?" Heath said.
Before readying for their mock battle against Ayase, Heath and Akiko overheard other Funeral Parlor members gossiping and marveling at their humanoid Voids.
Before Heath could say anything, Akiko chuckled. "Ignore them, bro. Let's open their eyes over what our Voids can do."
"Y-Yeah," Heath nodded.
Much like Shu before, Heath felt anxiety overcoming him. However, when he saw how calm and reserved Akiko was, he took a deep breath and focused on the Steiner Endlave. He remembered Shu telling him that he was at a greater disadvantage with no Voids to summon to defend himself with and had to resort to borrowing Argo's Void. Heath and Akiko both were already in possession of Voids they could independently summon into a fight.
"You can do this, Heath and Akiko!" Shu called out to the siblings.
"All right, Aya! You know the drill!" Tsugumi's voice chimed out of the Steiner's communication.
"Let's do this," Ayase replied as the Steiner stood over Heath and Akiko's Voids. "Are you two ready? And Heath, get ready for some pain!"
Heath scoffed. "You're really enjoying this, aren't you, Ayase?"
Fyu-neru rolled into the open battlefield with Tsugumi's voice coming out of it.
"Now, are both sides ready? Ok! Reeeeeady! Go!"
The mock battle was underway as Ayase started by shooting paintballs toward Heath and Akiko. The Jones quickly dodged and sent their Voids to defend them. Tamuramaro swung its katana, cutting up a few paintballs while Suzuka Gozen pierced and stabbed several paintballs. The Steiner Endlave charged forward, clashing head-on with the Voids. As Heath and Akiko made a run toward the train car, Ayase quickly sighted them and fired paintballs at their feet, which cut them off from making it to their finish line.
"Don't think I don't know what you two were planning!" Ayase called out as the siblings ran behind a metal beam.
When the Steiner pivoted around and headed toward them, Heath beckoned Tamuramaro to defend him again. The Void swordsman raised its katana and blocked incoming paintball blasts. As the Steiner beelined for Heath and Akiko, the siblings ducked for cover behind another beam. When the Steiner fired paintball shots, Akiko forged a mental link with Suzuka Gozen and generated a psychokinetic field that stopped the paintballs. Likewise, Heath performed this ability with Tamuramaro, allowing him to generate a psychokinetic wave that pushed back the Steiner Endlave.
"Oh shit, are you guys seeing this? I didn't know they could do that with Voids!" Argo exclaimed.
"Then, you weren't there when I dueled them the second time," Shu reflected on the second day of training against Heath and Akiko's Voids. "They're able to create psychokinetic abilities."
"And I take it they can only do so with their Voids?" Shibungi queried. "Interesting. There's still much for us to learn about these new Voids."
"This is partly why I have high hopes for these two," Shu remarked as he watched Heath and Akiko heading toward the train car.
"I don't think so! Get back here!" Ayase shouted as her Steiner Endlave beelined after the Jones siblings. Every time she tried closing the gap, Tamuramaro and Suzuka Gozen would defend the siblings from the Steiner's advance. "Get out of the way!" Pushing past the humanoid Voids, Ayase targeted the siblings with paintballs.
When Akiko beckoned Heath to go toward the train car, he advised against her rash decision. Instead, he pushed Akiko forward, leaving him to deal with the Steiner. Beckoning Tamuramaro, Heath engaged the Steiner using his Void's katana and created another psychokinetic barrier to push the Endlave back.
As she made a quick beeline for the train car, Akiko was one foot from the finish. However, she opted against it and turned to assist her brother. She recalled Suzuka Gozen and used it to attack the Steiner's side.
"Akiko, I thought I told you to go?!"
"I will never abandon my family! Even you! We're in this thing together!" Akiko yelled, forging another mental link with Suzuka Gozen as the Void gracefully danced around and slashed the Steiner with its ko-naginata. Tamuramaro then clubbed the Steiner's face with its katana, knocking the Endlave back. "Let's finish this, brother!"
Having manifested enough psychokinetic power, the Jones' Voids generated a powerful field that stunned the Steiner as well as Ayase inside of it. Having disoriented the Steiner's field vision, Heath and Akiko raced toward the train car.
"Damn it! How was I supposed to be ready for that?!" Ayase shouted as she regained her bearings. However, as soon as she turned, it was too late. She saw the siblings jumping inside the train car. "Damn, just like that, huh?" Having been defeated, the Steiner dropped its gun and bowed its head.
"Heath and Akiko have cleared the field test! They have won the mock battle!"
"Way to go, you two! I knew you could do it!" Walter cheered as he and the other Funeral Parlor members clapped for the Jones' siblings, who walked out of the train car and basked in the adulation they earned from their peers.
As they took in the cheers for them, Shu watched them with a proud smile. Inori noticed the proud smile on Shu's face and clapped for the Jones. When Shu, Inori, Argo, and Walter went to congratulate Heath and Akiko, Ayase emerged from her Steiner and keenly eyed the siblings.
"Didn't think they had it in them, Ayase?" Tsugumi asked as she helped her friend into a wheelchair.
"Yeah, hold on," Ayase said, wheeling herself toward Heath and Akiko. "Well done, you two. You're now official Funeral Parlor members."
"That was an exciting mock battle! Thanks for the exam, teach!" Akiko replied with enthusiasm.
"Heh, now that makes us equals, Ayase?" Heath asked playfully, which caused Ayase to blush and look away.
"Yeah, whatever," Ayase said as she wheeled herself over to Shu. "Since their final exam is over, I thought I should return this to you." She handed Shu back the pen transmitter. "I don't know what it's for but it seemed important enough for you to have it."
"Uh, thanks," Shu nodded, placing the pen in his pocket.
"Hey, your Voids are incredible. Can you tell us about them?" Walter asked the siblings.
"Sure, well based on their appearances, our Voids do remind us of Japanese folklore figures," Heath explained. "Since my Void resembles a swordsman wielding a katana, I like to compare it to Sakanoue no Tamuramaro."
"I like to compare myself and my Void to a Tennyo's beauty and grace. I'd compare that to the grace my mom usually exhibited," Akiko explained while her tone sounded sardonic while mentioning her mother offhandedly. "Yeah, my mom is like a Tennyo but my dad is an ordinary guy. Mom was known for her awesome Shogi skills back in her day and was once called 'the Tennyo of Shogi'."
"So, which folklore figure did you choose to name your Void, Akiko?" Walter queried.
"I call my Void Suzuka Gozen."
"And my Void's name is Tamuramaro. I didn't put Sakanoue no in its name," Heath revealed.
"I like that we're giving our Voids names. It makes them stand out," Tsugumi added.
"Man, why didn't I end up with a cool ass Void like Heath and Akiko?" Argo sighed.
"Because their energy levels are stronger than the rest of us. That's why we needed to train them. Now, they're fully trained and ready for missions when they're assigned," Ayase announced.
"We won't let you down!" Akiko chimed.
"Yeah, same," Heath nodded.
"Well, I'd say you two still have a lot to prove when the going gets tough," Kenji spoke out as he garnered everyone's attention toward him.
"Kenji, when did you get here?" Tsugumi asked the criminal hacker.
"When you dumbasses started showering these two with adulation," Kenji scoffed as he walked down some steps. "Yeah, their Voids are awesome, but what good are they gonna be when they're faced with a ton of Endlaves?"
"Yeah, well they have special abilities, too," Walter defended his friends.
"So, what? They're still newbies. If they're not careful, they're bound to get killed," Kenji sneered as he glared intently at Heath and Akiko. "You two wouldn't even have these Voids without the Void Genome user here." He said while pivoting toward Shu. "Isn't that right?"
"Uh, well…" Shu muttered.
"Face it. Funeral Parlor is getting soft recruiting a bunch of soft kids like them! Now anybody can just waltz in and ask for training!" Kenji cried out.
"Hey, take that back!" Akiko spoke out.
"And you're especially going soft for letting these kids beat you, Shinomiya," Kenji disparaged Ayase, who quickly retorted furiously.
"Screw you!"
Having been faced with certain opposition, Kenji backed away. During the commotion, Tsugumi received a distress message from her communicator. Her face grew pale once getting this specific message.
"Tsugumi, what's wrong?" Argo asked her.
"Oh god…" Tsugumi cupped her mouth.
"Tsugumi?" Ayase queried.
"Guys, I've got bad news… no, terrible news," Tsugumi announced as everyone faced and waited for her report. "It's Gai's squad… they've… they've been decimated on the mission."
Upon hearing this, everyone was horrified over this latest development. Shu and Inori became visibly shocked over this news.
"Don't tell me something happened to Gai," gasped Shu.
As Funeral Parlor amassed in the meeting area, they received the news that Gai's squad, including Kyo, had been killed by a Leukocyte satellite. The name Leukocyte was referenced as another term for white blood cells that get rid of 'infections', which in this case the satellite was getting rid of the 'infection' that was Gai's squad. Although they mourned the losses, a shred of good news came once Gai was verified as the sole survivor of this failed mission. Gai requested the resistance to meet up at the outskirts of Tsukigase Dam to prepare for their next mission.
Upon arriving outside Tsukigase Dam, Funeral Parlor gathered for their meeting and discussed how they were going to stop another Leukocyte satellite. Gai required Kenji's Void for Shu to disable the satellite's security systems, which GHQ recently installed since Funeral Parlor's previous mission scouting this specific satellite.
When asked to assist with this ordeal, Shu questioned Gai's plans and called him out on more people possibly dying as Gai's squad did. He also mentioned worrying about the safety of Heath and Akiko. Argo quickly grew irritated with Shu's viewpoint, leading to a heated confrontation where Kenji had to tell them to stop fighting.
Afterward, Shu left the meeting and found an isolated spot to cool off. This outburst caused Heath and Akiko to worry for Shu.
"Hey, let's go and check on Shu," Heath suggested as he and Akiko got up to find the Void user.
"No, allow me, you two. He'll listen to me," Inori candidly insisted.
As she located Shu, Inori found him sitting on a rock sulking and cursing under his breath.
"There you are, Shu. Listen, we don't have time for this."
"Did you not hear what he said? Does he not care about letting people die for this mission? If that's the case, I want nothing to do with lives being used as sacrifices." He let out a half-hearted chuckle. "And no matter what I say, no one would choose me over Gai. I'm just his grunt."
"Stop feeling sorry for yourself. I hate that," Inori furrowed her brow. As she grabbed his hand, Inori helped him off the rock and escorted him away. "Gai has his reasons, even if they are reckless. But, I want you to see this."
After talking sense to Shu, Inori showed him a spot where Gai mulled alone. They overheard Gai grieving and expressing regrets for failing to save his comrades. Then, he heard a twig snap behind him. He saw Shu and Inori spying on him.
"So, did you hear all of that?" Gai questioned Shu. Before Shu could answer, he and Gai confronted each other, leading to a brief fistfight.
While trying to take Shu down, Gai was shocked when Shu pushed him to the ground. Gai then flipped Shu on his back and tried punching his face. Withdrawing his fist, Gai extended a hand to Shu. Taken by surprise, Shu cautiously took his hand.
"Not bad, Shu. You managed to take me down. No one's ever done that," Gai smirked.
"Are we done fighting?" Shu asked.
"Yeah, I think we both got the fight out of our systems."
Watching the two resolve their differences, Inori softly sighed with relief.
After their brief scuffle, they decided to resolve their differences and hoped their next mission would succeed.
That evening, the mission began with a bang as Funeral Parlor fought GHQ. Ayase, piloting her Steiner, and Heath, wielding Tamuramaro, fought Daryl and his Endlave. Akiko and Walter assisted Argo and Oogumo's squad.
"Good job, you two! Let's keep it up!" Ayase encouraged Heath and Akiko from her Steiner. "Especially, you Heath!"
Hearing praise from Ayase, Heath gained enough motivation and sent his Tamuramaro to engage against a few enemy Endlaves.
Having summoned Suzuka Gozen, Akiko used her humanoid Void's ko-naginata to dismember an Endlave.
Elsewhere, in a different vicinity, Shu, Gai, Inori, and Kenji infiltrated into the GHQ facility to locate the Leukocyte's control system. The deeper they went, they killed guards along the way. Kenji, having shed blood before, exhibited no qualms mercilessly killing GHQ guards by slitting one guard's throat and shooting another's face. Inori even showed no remorse, gunning down a few guards, and even performing acrobatic moves to avoid her enemies.
Once they entered the security area, Shu was about to use Kenji's Void and receive help from Tsugumi via Fyu-Neru, but Segai appeared and formally greeted them.
"Welcome, I'm intrigued you've made it this far, but I'm afraid your luck ends here," Segai sadistically grinned, and with a loud hand clap, he signaled for something to be summoned.
Then, when two wall panels opened up, deep and gruff beast growls came out of the unsealed doors. Funeral Parlor's face contorted with horror and apprehension when the subjects emerged. Segai called forth two biological, bipedal animal cyborgs. One cyborg has a zorse head and the other has a wildebeest-like head.
"It's unfortunate I've had to wake these two up. You see, Mezuki and Gozuki can be cranky when they're called forth to fight rats such as yourselves," Segai stated.
Mezuki's lower body is centaur-like coupled with robotic wheels on its back legs, which looked like an armored car and a chariot. It has black zebra stripes, which are physical attributes seen on a zorse, and its body is light brown. It is seen carrying a hammer.
Gozuki's lower body has the attributes of a tank. Along with its head, Gozuki has other wildebeest-like traits. Its body is all dark brown. It is seen wielding a battle axe, which with one swing could knock off the heads of all four Funeral Parlor members if desired.
As the two cyborg titans towered over their opposition, they brandished their weapons to fight Funeral Parlor and defend the facility.
"So, I shall let you two eliminate our guests!" Segai declared as he escaped and sealed himself behind a closed steel door.
"Get back here!" Shu called out, attempting to get his hands on Segai, but Gai pushed him away from a swing from Mezuki's hammer.
Using her superhuman reflexes, Inori evaded Gozuki's battle axe. Inori quickly unloaded and blasted Gozuki with a bullet barrage, which halted the beast man's advancement. During this attack, Gai carried Kenji's body to a safe spot and away from the battle.
"Don't get too reckless, Shu! Your life is more crucial than mine now because of your abilities! And don't forget about Inori!" Gai reminded him of this Genome Void skill.
Nodding, Shu shifted his focus to Mezuki and Gozuki as they charged toward him, Gai, and Inori.
Arriving just in time, Heath and Akiko helped Shu and Gai fight Mezuki and Gozuki.
"Need a hand, you two?!" Akiko called out to Shu and Gai.
"Help's here!" Heath announced.
"Great timing, Heath and Akiko!" Shu happily yelled out.
Shu drew out Inori's sword to fight with while Gai, Heath, and Akiko teamed up against Mezuki and Gozuki. Using the Singer Sword, Shu skewered Mezuki, inflicting grievous bodily damage to the zebra-faced monstrosity. Heath and Akiko sent their Tamuramaro and Suzuka Gozen Voids to neutralize Gozuki.
As Heath's Void stopped Gozuki's axe, Akiko's Void forged a psychokinetic wave that repelled the wildebeest-faced monstrosity. After Akiko's Void stabbed Gozuki's head, Mezuki went berserk and frantically damaged the control system before dying. As a result of this, one of the Leukocyte satellites collapsed.
Having witnessed the destruction of the satellite, Segai sighed. "Well, that's not how I hoped it'd go down. Alas."
After slewing the beast men, Gai approached Segai, who emerged from his protective wall.
"Congratulations, Gai. Because of you and your colleagues' actions, now one of the Leukocyte satellites is on a collision course with the city," Segai announced.
"What?!" Shu, Heath, and Akiko exclaimed in unison.
"Of course, that can be stopped with that pen transmitter I gave you, Shu," Segai revealed, prompting Shu to show him the exact pen Segai supplied him with. "You see, that pen is a transmitter and a tracking beacon for the Leukocytes, which would trigger one to fall on top of Funeral Parlor headquarters if you had pressed the pen's button."
"Oh god! I'm so glad you didn't push it, Shu!" Heath exclaimed.
"Hey, that's some underhanded shit! You had every intention of killing us no matter what!" Akiko scornfully chastised Segai.
"Let's cut a deal, Segai. Destroy all records of Shu, Heath, and Akiko's involvement with Funeral Parlor, and stop the crash using Shu's transmitter pen," Gai negotiated with the enemy.
"I can destroy the records, but you'll have to stop the satellite yourself. I can't stop the one heading our way," Segai shrugged as he walked off.
"Wait, then who's going to get rid of the satellite?" Heath wondered as Gai raised his hand.
"I'll do it."
"Wait, Gai," Shu reasoned with him. "You seriously can't be thinking of sacrificing yourself, Gai? There has to be another way."
"Hmm. There might be something," Gai mulled.
At that moment, Inori eyed Kenji's Void and formulated an idea.
"Shu, why not merge my Void with Kenji's?" Inori suggested as she willfully invoked her Void for Shu to use.
Realizing that Gai was sacrificing himself to destroy the collapsing satellite, Shu merged Kenji's and Inori's Voids. Once fusing the Voids, a laser weapon appeared in Shu's hands. After combining the Voids and viewing Inori laying on the sidelines, Shu's mind briefly visualized a mysterious pale rose-haired girl who vaguely looked like the songstress.
He didn't get a chance to question what he saw. Instead, he readied the laser weapon that he conjured from the fused Voids.
Instead, he got caught in the moment and focused intently on the falling satellite, which had already flown past the stratosphere and was coming down in plain sight for everyone to see. Shu waited for Gai to line the transmitter with the two satellites. Once the satellites' paths intersected, Shu made his move.
With the combined Voids, Shu declared for all of his peers to hear. "This is for all of us! All of our power combined!" He not only destroyed the falling satellite but also the one that remained in space.
"Whew, that was a close one!" Akiko let out a loud and unrestrained sigh.
"Ugh, tell me about it, sis, and we didn't even need to use our Voids to destroy those satellites," Heath said.
"Well done, Shu," Inori smiled, watching him and Gai having a conversation.
Following the successful operation, Shu apologized to Gai for doubting him and reassured him with a smile. "You see, now we're in it together." Gai smiled back knowing Shu made the right choice.
Meanwhile, in GHQ headquarters, Keido witnessed the events unfold and interacted with Yuu.
"Do you see it, Yuu?" Keido motioned toward a big screen showing the Leukocyte destruction and the Voids' powers being combined by Shu.
Yuu mentioned in a cryptic speech. "Thank you, Shuichiro. Cocytus trembled with your efforts. It won't be much longer before she awakens. She'll rise from her slumber seeking her beloved king."
Once Shu, Heath, and Akiko returned to school, their classmates immediately asked them questions and among other things, including the obvious rumor of their time in GHQ headquarters. Then, the student body was beckoned off and calmed down by their student president, Arisa.
"Thanks for denying all these allegations we've been dealing with, Arisa," Shu said, expressing gratitude.
"Ugh, yeah, I hate rumors and gossip involving me," Akiko scoffed irritably.
"Yeah, now all those rumors about us possibly being involved with Funeral Parlor have been squashed," Heath said.
"It's my pleasure. If you face any more problems, don't hesitate to talk to me," Arisa genuinely smiled.
In a distant corner of the classroom, the Pack gossiped about Shu, Heath, and Akiko's time away from class. However, there was one student Shu noticed was missing. Yahiro was nowhere to be seen after he pushed Shu, Heath, and Akiko into GHQ's custody.
Shu wondered where Yahiro had gone.
A/N: Now, Heath and Akiko have become official members after they completed their training and the mock exam. Yay!
Oh, Heath, you just like Shu learned the hard way not to underestimate Ayase's condition. She'll take your sorry ass down when you least expect it. Then, Ayase and Heath end up getting close-up with an accidental kiss. Whoops. Even worse, Tsugumi has pictures of their accidental kiss!
This chapter's purpose was to begin establishing Ayase and Heath's relationship and show more of Shu and Inori's bond.
And just as it happened in the anime, Gai's team, including Kyo, get wiped out by the Leukocytes. This leads to the events of episode 6 from the show, which mostly plays out the same, except now Heath & Akiko are involved and two more GHQ beasts, Mezuki and Gozuki, making debuts. I realize Mezuki and Gozuki weren't as prominently featured as the Fafnir rex, but that was a starter boss, the beast men are not as important, and Shu is not only an experienced Void user but he has Heath and Akiko backing him now.
Keido and Yuu make small appearances, but their presence is building up to the showdown with Funeral Parlor.
All There in the Manual - Chapter IV
-Mezuki's hammer is named Mudgara. Gozuki's battle axe is named Parashu.
-Mezuki also has traits of an Equus stenonis while Gozuki also has traits of an Rusingoryx.
-In Chinese mythology, Mezuki and Gozuki are based on the Ox-Head and Horse-Face guardian duo of the Underworld. They are the first beings a dead soul encounters before entering the underworld.
With that, there's nothing else to say. The next chapter (and a few more after it) will start to delve into some character studies, specifically for Ayase, Heath, and Akiko. Those are the three who will get a lot of focus, but Ayase's arc starts first. Don't worry Shu, Inori, Gai, Tsugumi, and others won't be entirely left out, but they won't get as much attention as those three.
If you're only familiar with Ayase based on the anime, you're in for some in-depth backstory - mostly adapted from the GC side manga The Dancing Endlaves and also based on original concepts we came up with. So, Ayase fans, you're in for a treat. I hope you'll enjoy what we've put together!
Until the next chapter, leave a comment and review! Later!