"I assume you have chosen the next location?"

"Yes, sir. The attack will take place... here."

"Ah. Tokyo. The home of Japan's capital... as well as where the seal is located. Or close to it."

"Mount Fuji. Where the Emperor sealed the Grimm."

"And you wish to send one there because...?"

"There have been rumors swirling of a top secret program developed by Sanban Industries, and I wish to see what it is exactly."

"Hmm. Now that you mention, I do recall hearing the rumors myself. Well, then this should be interesting indeed..."

OPENING FILES:

CLASSIFIED

DECRYPTING...

FILES DECRYPTED

OPENING FILES: SUZAKU AKIMI

Out of all the Faunus in Satyra, Suzaku Akimi is by far the most dangerous. As a young girl, she was taught by her family that Faunus were equal to humans, and for a while, it seemed like she was grounded in that belief.

But it was not to be.

When she was in her twenties, she encountered a man who was preaching about the superiority of Faunus over humans. She couldn't help herself. He was charismatic, powerful, and he oozed an aura of wealth. She was drawn to him, and she found herself falling in love with him.

The man, however, didn't reciprocate her feelings. Mostly because he saw her as 'tainted by filthy vermin', in his words. He did acknowledge her, but saw her as nothing but a rat. She became determined to prove him wrong.

Suzaku delved deeper into research of the group he was a part of, and learned of their ideology. She began to wonder if this ideology had some merit. So she explored more of her Faunus heritage and was surprised to learn that she was indeed superior to humans. Suzaku began to elevate herself, and she became a prominent supporter of the group, deciding to work from behind the scenes to back them. She began to build up wealth of her own through a business pertaining to movie distribution, and she became a leading name in Japan's movie industry.

It was during this time that she unlocked her Aura and discovered her Semblance, which caught Satyra's eye. Suzaku was approached by the man she was smitten with, and much to her surprise, he offered her membership, in exchange for helping them to gather recruits using her Semblance. She eagerly accepted.

Theories abound as to how many people Ms. Akimi had brainwashed, but there is also speculation amongst Crystal Cove residents that Fred Jones, Jr. met with her and was brainwashed into being a fanatical member. However, no evidence has come forth to prove or disprove this theory. This lack of evidence has, however, led to some members of that community to believe that she did indeed brainwash him.

CLOSING FILES

TERMINAL ENTERING STANDBY PHASE

"Mind control has long since been a thing of science fiction."

The shadowy shape reached over and flicked a screen, displaying a series of machines in which children were placed, some screaming and some struggling to escape. "In other realities, mind control is real, and through the use of sophisticated technology, sick, sadistic individuals, organizations, or governments can even alter the memories of people, such as in this world, dubbed Dimension O-000."

The figure tapped the image. "Such technology is now considered taboo, unless a lengthy process is completed. This technology could even reprogram a person entirely, giving them fake memories, a different personality, and other traits to suit their agenda. Even emotions could be manipulated, not just through this technology, but also drugs and mental torture. These kids were subjected to such a process, and even now the recovery program is still ongoing."

The monitor switched to show a man strapped down, undergoing maintenance. "To have your very memory and personality overridden, like a program... It is the utmost in identity loss and identity theft. If a parent loses their child and finds them, only for their child to not recognize them... what else can they feel but hurt, betrayal, rage, and fury? Why do you think so many have fought to end this technology?"

The figure tented their fingers as they leaned forward. "But what if it were a power? Now that... that has many unknowns in of itself. At least with technology it can be reversed... to a degree. Not everything is perfect. Even reverse engineering such technology has limits."

A hum came from the figure as they leaned back in their seat. "So, if you encountered someone who was brainwashed, how would you help them? Or would it be too late for them? Well, it's up to you how that story ends."

CHAPTER III - ESCAPE

Hokuto watched in worry as his son ducked down a nearby corridor with Akita and Shinobu following.

From the safety of the observation deck overlooking the main hangar, he watched on the monitors as the woman from Satyra ran after them, stopping only at an intersection to no doubt listen for their footsteps.

He frowned. Faunus, he knew, had enhanced senses and could use them to great effect, but if one trained hard enough, then one could fool a Faunus. But Hayato and friends had not that kind of training, so it was going to be down to their skills, limited as they were, and a lot of luck to escape this woman.

Beside him he heard footsteps and he turned away from the monitors to see Genki Sanban entering the room. Her eyes were hard as she observed the children running from the fox Faunus. "I see you're observing," she noted.

"Yeah. But only because I'm concerned for my son," Hokuto said softly. His hands clenched behind his back as he turned to look at the monitors again. "And of what it could mean if Satyra gets their hands on him."

"I assume you know who she is?" Genki asked as she joined him.

"Yes." Hokuto's eyes narrowed dangerously. "Her name is Suzaku's Akimi. And she's well known in Japan's movie industry. Not for being an actress, but for distributing Japan's films across the world. She's been a supporter of Satyra for years now. Of course there are also the rumors..."

Genki's eyes became shards of jade as she clenched her fists on her folded arms. "Yes. I am well aware of those rumors. That she has a Semblance capable of brainwashing well-meaning, good intentioned Faunus who advocate for equality into supremacist fanatics." She watched as the three remaining children took up hiding in one of the stores lining the station's street. "It can only be broken, according to rumors, by smashing her on the head as she is brainwashing someone, but no one has done so because it is hard to get close to her."

The cat Faunus gritted his teeth. "We need to call in the authorities..." he muttered angrily.

"No. Not yet," Genki advised.

"Why not?!" Hokuto cried, whirling to face her. "They're not skilled enough to hold their own against her for long!"

"Remember... their compatibility ratings," the Lady of Sanban Industries reminded. Hokuto knew what she meant, but it was only a matter of time before they got killed.

"I'm well aware of that! But it's only a matter of time before they get killed!" he cried.

"Yes. But trust me. I have a feeling something good will happen." Genki had a mysterious grin on her face as she said this. Her gaze was on one monitor in particular and she watched the one being observed stir.

Hokuto wasn't too sure on this, but he trusted her. So he sighed. "All right... I'll hold off for now..." Then he snapped his icy blue gaze to her. "But if something doesn't happen to give them a chance at survival, I am calling in the special forces!"

Genki nodded. It was a sound decision. "Very well, Hokuto. I shall let you decide when."

The two turned back to the situation at hand.

"Speaking of which, I have another issue I wish to speak to you about," Genki finally said after a few minutes of silence.

"Does it concern the Project?" Hokuto asked.

"Not as much as you may think," the Demon Blade of the East remarked. "It concerns a potential attack."

"Hm?" Hokuto turned to face her. "An attack? Where?"

"People are concerned it may happen within the downtown section of Tokyo, close to the National Diet," Genki began. "It is close to the two month mark, after all, for when a Grimm will surface. The last six months have seen no Grimm, which is a benefit as it allows us to recuperate, but it also means that the next one could be powerful. Even moreso than Mothra..."

Hokuto gritted his teeth as he remembered the scene of death and destruction. It had been there he had conceived his project, and even now, it was so close to completion. All they needed now was the candidates, of which there were three. But they needed a total of six if it was to even be considered complete. He sighed as he ran a hand through his hair. "Six candidates. That's all we need... That's all we friggin' need, and we only have three! It's not enough!"

"Everything has its time and purpose to shine, Hokuto," Genki gently lectured. "The others will show themselves soon... sooner than you may think."

Her gaze was fixed on the camera displaying the three children. The two boys with weapons were now engaging the fox Faunus as the last boy - Hayato - ran for his life. Or rather his freedom. She could sense his terror and fear, and she couldn't blame him. Satyra was known to have inducted lots of recruits ever since Suzaku made her appearance with them. Her eyes hardened as she watched the boy with the pistols fire a few ice Dust rounds at her, but she blocked with her sword and then ran for the two children. The teens dodged, one of them flipping away and landing on the side of a building before running along it and throwing a kunai her way.

Genki turned back to the man beside her. "Hokuto... which units have been chosen?"

He blinked in surprise at the question. "Why do you want to know?" he asked.

"Because it could mean the difference between lives lost and lives saved," the Lady of Sanban Industries replied.

Hokuto hesitated for a moment before he sighed. "Well, the first unit chosen was the E7 unit. It began reacting as soon as the boy - Tsuranuki Daimonyama is his name - attacked Suzaku with his drill. He was able to hold his own, but..." He gestured to the image displaying the boy in question - Genki noticed he was struggling to get to his feet, despite his injuries. "...as you can see... It didn't work. But he did show that he was highly compatible with the unit in question. It began to activate briefly, but then it stopped. That makes me believe that their Aura frequencies match the units in question."

"And this theory so far has played out?" Genki asked.

"So far. The rabbit Faunus also demonstrated a high compatibility rate. And just as the E7 unit was active briefly, so too was the H5 unit. Again, slight movement, but enough to get me thinking," Hokuto said with a nod. "And the last was the N700A unit. It triggered at the same time with the cheetah Faunus boy. Again, a high compatibility rate was the factor. All three have demonstrated a 90% compatibility rate, which is unheard of."

"Then again, so is this project," she joked.

The cat Faunus nodded. "True. But it still is a shocker for me that three candidates turned out to be my son's friends."

"And perhaps there could be more close to you... and your son," Genki said mysteriously as she glided over to the window. She looked out into the hangar, where the six units were currently undergoing maintenance. Three of them had been set off to the side once the candidates had been found, and the others were being held in storage until their candidates were found.

Akita gritted his teeth as he fired his rounds towards the woman as she blocked them with her katana. "Dammit!" he hissed. "We're running out of options!"

Shinobu hissed as he gripped his kunai in his free hand, a ninja shuriken in the other. "What'll we do?" he asked.

The other boy narrowed his eyes as he looked around for any solution to their situation. They clearly had to buy time for Hayato to escape, and while they were doing much better than Tsuranuki or Miku, they were still losing, if the fact they had some scrapes was anything to go by. But they were not about to let her get Hayato.

The woman sneered as she swung her katana, letting it hang by her side as she flicked her pinkish-red gaze at the ninja on the wall and the gunner in front of her. "I must admit, you two are giving me a real thrill," she mused. "It's been so long I've fought anyone worth calling a challenge."

"Then it pleases us to be the first!" Shinobu spat.

Akita took the chance to fire off a fire Dust round for the fox Faunus, but she hefted her katana and with a swing, unleashed an icy shockwave that caused both rounds to burst into thick steam. Her eyes widened as the area was obscured in smoke.

The boy vanished into an alleyway close by and took up a sniping position as he clasped his pistols together and the barrels extended into a sniper rifle. His eyes narrowed as he waited for Shinobu to make his move.

The young ninja didn't even make a sound, but Akita could sense his presence close by. A whirl of air and then he saw a glinting black shape whiz through the fog, aiming right for where the woman stood. His eyes widened as he saw a glint of steel, and then the shuriken was deflected back towards its thrower. The boy sensed the young ninja vanish as the bladed weapon deflected off the building and he caught it as he landed on the ground, vanishing into the thick mist as it began to fade. Akita took the chance to vanish as well, running after Shinobu.

"We're clearly outmatched," he noted. "She's too good to be a mere recruiter."

"I think she's also a Huntress," Shinobu replied. "That would explain her skills, especially with that blade of hers."

"Do you think we bought Hayato enough time to get to that building?" Akita asked as he looked back in the direction of a nearby building undergoing renovations. "Because if not, then we're all doomed."

"I'm sure we did," Shinobu told his friend, but he was worried as well. "Hayato is far too terrified to even think about heading home at this point."

The two boys retreated, unaware of the fact they had just been observed as well...

"Sir! We got two more!" a technician called up from the observation deck.

Hokuto looked over as he ran to see what the technician had pointed out.

Two more names he knew to be friends with his son popped up. And beside them was the number of their compatibility rating. His eyes widened. "Two more...?" he asked. "It... Why them?"

"I have no clue," the techie replied. "But we do know this: the E6 and E3 units both reacted to their Aura frequencies. So we know that they are the designated candidates for those units."

"And the last one?" Hokuto asked, getting a feeling in his gut that was not good.

"We're not sure, but if the pattern is evident, then... well... we may have our last candidate sooner than we know..." he said softly as he noticed the director's expression.

Hokuto nodded numbly. 'Hayato...'

In all honesty, he did not want his son to be roped into this project. But given the state of things, well...

What choice did they really have? It was all or nothing, at this point. And with the attack that was bound to come, they needed all the help they could get. The only question was what kind of Grimm would it be? Would it be one based on Komozilla, or would it be a smaller, but still powerful Kaiju Grimm? Would it be based on a Boarbatusk, or would it be based on a Geist? Would it be able to control the weather, breathe fire, or what? What other powers would it have, if any?

That was the unknown. And any kind of unknown could be either good or bad. And in the case of the Kaiju-class Grimm, it could mean the difference in the number of lives lost. And on top of that, the capture fields were always at risk, as some Kaiju Grimm had demonstrated the power to sap energy from the field itself to use as a power booster. That kind of ability was dangerous, as it also meant it could sap electricity from the very city around it. Which was why the fields had to be above the city, or well out to sea because of it.

But as of recently, the Grimm had proven that even their capture fields were of limited use.

Some part of Hokuto began to wonder if he was only playing with them, testing the limits of their technology. It did seem possible. After all, Japan was the hub for anti-Grimm warfare and technology, leading the world in Dust technology such as weapons and vehicles. But now, what was his objective? Was he trying to really break the seal beneath Mount Fuji, or was he merely toying with them?

That was the unknown again.

No one could tell what this guy was thinking.

Least of all anticipate his moves, as he had contingencies for almost everything, it seemed.

Which was why the Project was considered top secret, and only a select few knew of its true purpose.

The slightest of rumbles reached his enhanced hearing and Hokuto tensed, a bad feeling filling his gut as he recognized it.

"Oh, Glob... not now...!" he muttered.

The cat Faunus backed up as the alarm began to blare.

"Shit...!" Hokuto ran towards the main desk, taking his seat and calling out to the techs manning the satellite. "What are we looking at?" he demanded.

"We're getting a visual right now," a female technician said as she typed a set of commands on the keyboard. Her eyes flicked across the screen, taking in the data as it came from the satellite's main camera. "The data coming in suggests a larger than normal Kaiju type, but as to what type it is, it's still too early to tell. It seems to be coming from the sea, as with all others, but at the same time, it suggests that it's moving away from Tokyo and heading towards one of the smaller settlements by the sea."

Hokuto narrowed his eyes as he leaned forward, tenting his fingers in front of his mouth. He hummed as he considered the implications. While they did have five candidates, none of them were in the vicinity of the SDI's headquarters. And that meant they had to rely on the capture field, as well as what Hunters remained in Japan. Maybe even Genki Sanban, if she wasn't busy with running the business at this time. "Can you try to see what kind it is?"

"Negative, sir. But based on initial sightings from the satellite, I can guess that it may be a derivative of the Boarbatusks in America and other countries," the techie explained. "We'll keep further tabs on it."

"And any others?" the director asked. He was getting a very bad feeling now, and he didn't like it.

"There have been reports as well of what appears to be a large, bull-like creature running through the streets, rampaging. I can't quite confirm if it is a Grimm or not, but witnesses at the sight have confirmed that it appears to be acting intelligent. This could be a new kind of Grimm, one we haven't documented before..." Her voice trailed off.

"Dammit..." Hokuto narrowed his eyes. "Well, we got no choice. Prepare to fire the capture field."

"Yes, sir!" the techie replied.

Frederick Jones, Sr. sneered as he stood before the terrified cat Faunus. "Face it, kid. You know you can't escape us," he chuckled. "It's inevitable that you join us."

"No! I'd never join you! NEVER!" he screamed, balling his fists. "You just want to use me to disrupt things! I know how you guys work!"

The bull Faunus placed a hand to his chest. "Oh, you wound me so, my son," he mocked. Then he lowered his hand and his Aura flared, a deep red tinged with black. "Look. I don't want to have to resort to force, but I will if I must," he said. "Look around you. Many people claim Faunus are being given equal rights, but if that's the case, then why are some countries not recognizing that fact?"

"Just because some Faunus aren't being treated as people doesn't mean you can force others into your psycho terrorist group!" the boy shouted as he backed up, his hand groping for a nearby weapon. Any weapon, really.

Mr. Jones rolled his eyes and lashed his hand out, a whip uncurling from around his arm and snatching the boy's hand in its grasp. "Nice try, kid. But you are going to be joining us... whether you like it or not!"

The cat Faunus youth squirmed in his grasp as he tugged at his hand in an attempt to get away. But Mr. Jones was far from deterred. Instead he merely sneered at the youth as he pulled him closer. "And you know we are right... the government did order your mother to her death. You just refuse to accept it."

He wished that Suzaku were there to help him, but unfortunately she was too busy being held up by a few brats and their little toys. The kids were far too easy to beat, as his defeat of the cheetah Faunus proved. He pulled the boy closer to his face. "And we can help you become far stronger than you ever believed..." he purred, his eyes flashing as he sneered.

The boy merely growled before he reacted by slamming his forehead into Mr. Jones' face. The bull Faunus roared in pain as he clamped his hands on his broken nose and he staggered back, giving the boy time to run for it.

He looked up, tears running down his face as his nose throbbed in agony. "Little shit! He'll bay for dat!"

He broke into a run, intent on capturing the boy and giving him a piece of his mind before Suzaku did her thing with him.

His enhanced hearing could pick up the kid's frantic breathing and his footsteps. He was not about to fail his mission, and he was not about to let the brat escape. Especially as his knowledge would be useful in the coming years. This was of the utmost importance, and a gaggle of schoolkids was not about to stop him!

His Aura flared as he sprinted across the street towards the boy, following his footsteps with his Faunus hearing. His eyes flashed as he spotted him skidding around a nearby pedestrian and her child. He brushed past them and skidded around the corner, sneering as he saw the boy ahead of him. He increased his running speed, and the boy screamed in fright.

His hand flew out and grabbed a nearby pipe from a pile of them lying near one of the reconstruction sites for the buildings damaged in the attack six months ago, his Aura flaring a bright green, pink and white. He had his eyes closed as he swung it, the tip barely grazing Mr. Jones' suit. He landed and looked at the boy, who pried open his eyes. Despite the terror present in them, he was not about to go without a fight, he noted. Perhaps he was potential material in more ways than one. A smirk crossed his face as he stood up straight and brushed off his suit. "Well, son, it appears you have the guts to face me in combat," he mused with a chuckle. "I'm actually quite amused. No one has had the balls to challenge me directly before."

The boy didn't say anything. His eyes hardened as he hefted his pipe, shaking though he was.

Mr. Jones laughed as he began to step back, his Aura flaring as it began to cover his body entirely. "Well, seeing as you dared to challenge me, I'd say you warranted a chance to face me in my battle form," he remarked as his body began to change. His body began to bulk up, his chest and arms becoming more pronounced. He felt his spine starting to change as his hips suddenly changed position, and he landed on all fours, his hands becoming harder and more like hooves. His suit stretched and tore as he felt hair beginning to cover his new body. His facial features changed from human to more bovine, his bones cracking and shifting as it happened. He felt his horns elongate and his feet also changed into hooves. A pain in his spin raced down to his brain briefly as the tail emerged, swishing as his bones thickened. More muscle piled on, boosting his strength and durability. He felt the raw power of his new body, and he reared back, letting out a bellow as he did so.

This was his Semblance, Rage of the Bull. It allowed him to change his body into that of a bull, becoming more powerful and more deadly, but at a price: the longer he stayed in that body, the more animalistic he became.

Mr. Jones couldn't speak anymore, but the way his eyes glinted indicated he was not about to let the boy escape.

He broke into a run, his horns lowered to gore the kid in the chest.

If he couldn't be turned to Satyra's cause, then he may as well be killed and done with.

The boy was quick to react, leaping to the side and landing on his feet like a cat, holding the pipe out to one side like a sword. He looked up, his eyes flashing as he roared, charging at the bull with the tip of his pipe becoming coated in his Aura. He swung it and the metal pipe glanced off the side of Mr. Jones' bull body, causing blood to come flying from the wound. Mr. Jones bellowed in rage, but he kept his mind focused on his objective, which was to subdue or kill the boy.

The youth let loose with another attack, running and leaping up, this time spinning the pipe as he cried out, jabbing the tip down towards the ground in front of Mr. Jones. He barely had time to stop himself as he skidded to a halt, his horns barely inches from the boy's arms.

He looked up, and both made eye contact.

And it was then that Mr. Jones saw that the boy was not to be swayed. His fear of Satyra was great, but it was his hatred for their ideology that made him refuse to join. Even Suzaku would have had a hard time, he now realized. This boy was far from suitable for Satyra's needs. He was too tainted by humanity to be considered saved.

Mr. Jones bellowed and tried to gore the boy, but the kid pulled his pipe free and swung it, the Aura-coated tip actually creating a gash on one of his horns. The bull roared as he staggered back, shaking his head to try and lessen the pounding caused by the attack.

The bull narrowed his eyes as soon as the pounding faded to a dull throb, and he snorted, pawing at the pavement with one hoof.

The cat Faunus narrowed his magenta eyes and hefted his pipe, unaware of the camera observing both of them.

"Sir! We got it! The last one!" the technician cried.

Hokuto spat out his coffee and looked up. "Who is it?" he asked.

"It's... It's... your son...!" she whispered. "He's got a compatibility rate of 90%, just like the others...!"

The news made Hokuto's heart sink. He hadn't wanted his son to become involved in this project. But his rate was high enough to be considered for it. He gritted his teeth, remembering the words of an old friend of his. 'The road to Hell is paved with good intentions.' And now, here he was, at the crossroads on such a path. His project, considered the best hope Japan had, was also at risk of being considered taboo because of what it entailed, and the fact that the candidates, or rather the majority of them, were underage. Only one was considered an adult, and that was worrisome. Hokuto wasn't sure if he should even go through with this now. His son and his friends, they were all the only ones who could do this, really. While they may have had Auras, they lacked a Semblance because they just didn't have the necessary genes to activate one. It seemed ironic and impossible for all six to have the same genetic mutation, but it happened. The only good news was that their Aura reserves were double those of a normal person, so they could use their Auras much more often and for longer periods than those of a normal person who had a Semblance and Aura.

But to use children in such a project... Was it really worth it?

He gritted his teeth, trying to think.

'What should I do? My son and his friends are the only ones who can drive these things... and yet... they're still children...! I... I can't put them through this! I just can't! Glob, Monty Oum, please... what should I do?!'

"Go with what your heart tells you, Hokuto," a small voice said.

His eyes snapped open as he heard it.

It wasn't his own, or anyone else's he was familiar with. He looked around, trying to find the speaker. But they were gone, as if they had never been there to begin with.

"Go with what my heart tells me..." Hokuto cast his gaze back at the main monitor showing his son engaged with the bull Faunus, Frederick Jones, Sr. He could see Hayato was holding his own, but not for much longer.

He recalled his son's fear and hatred of Satyra, and his resolve hardened. There was no way he was going to allow Satyra to make his son into one of them... not while he lived!

His hands clenched into fists as he looked up. "Fire the capture field!" he cried.

"Yes, sir!" the techie said. Her fingers flew over the keyboard as she typed in the commands.

EARTH ORBIT

High above the Earth, hidden amongst the other satellites of the world's nations, a certain satellite began to move into position. This satellite in particular possessed a unique design, with a component shaped eerily like the front of a shinkansen bullet train. Two solar panel wings extended off from the sides, and beneath it hung a satellite dish that was aimed directly at the coast of Japan.

The satellite's main power supply began to whir as energy was shunted from it directly into the focusers and energy capacitators to form the field in question. The dish below began to glow as an energy ball formed, and then a slim, multicolored beam shot down from the dish, right towards where the Grimm and bull had been sighted.

TOKYO, JAPAN

SANBAN ESTATE

Genki Sanban sat in her study, looking over reports for Sanban Industries' stocks and finances, when she heard the alarm blaring.

Her gaze hardened as she looked up from the reports. She tapped a small button on her desk, and a monitor slid out of the oaken furniture. The black screen flickered on, displaying the sight of the battle raging in the city's downtown sector.

The bull had just finished rampaging down a nearby street and scattering people, and she noticed a boy with cat Faunus features land close by, a pipe stained with blood held in one hand. The boy crouched atop the nearby streetlight, and his eyes flashed as he leapt off, trying to go for a punishing blow intended to disable the bull. But the way it reacted indicated that it was not just a normal bull. It had intelligence, and that meant only one man could be that bull.

"Frederick Jones, Sr..." she muttered. "I know it is you in that body."

But what happened next was a surprise.

Her eyes widened slightly as she saw what appeared to be a flash of light from the sky, and then it slammed into the area, encompassing the whole of the fight, and then the bull was gone, leaving just the boy alone. He was panting, but he was alive, and he was clearly alert, trying to figure out what had happened. Genki, however, know.

"So they fired a capture field. Excellent timing, Hokuto," Genki mused as she tented her fingers. "But how long can you keep this thing contained, I wonder?"

She leaned back in her seat and observed with a calculating gaze.

'Now, Hokuto, is the time to see if your project will pay off... And if it is well worth the risks in the end...," she thought.

She reflected back on the data she had been sent by the Anaheim division of her company, the data on each candidate, including his own son. They all had great promise, she knew, but it all depended on how each reacted to their new frames once they woke up in them. She knew that one of the boys was making his way to the renovated building closest to the station, unaware that it was the headquarters for the SDI. And she hoped he wouldn't react in a negative way.

Especially as he was the closest one to make a difference in this battle.

UNKNOWN LOCATION

Tsuranuki grunted as he staggered along through the corridors of the partially reconstructed building.

His eyes were barely open and his vision was blurry, but he could care less. He had to find help for Hayato.

He scanned all around him, his voice hoarse as he called out. "Hello?!" He suddenly doubled over, coughing from exerting his voice. He looked up, one eye squinted shut as he continued on.

His heart was pounding beneath his ribcage as he staggered down another corridor, and he could hear the blood rushing through his veins. He was pushing his body to its limits, he knew, but he couldn't stop to rest yet. Not when Hayato was in danger.

The boy kept going for a few more feet before he came to a nearby stairway, and he looked down it. His vision swam and he swore he saw that it was deeper than it actually was. He shook his head abruptly and he gripped the railing in a death grip as he made his way down the staircase.

Tsuranuki reached the bottom of the stairs, but his legs were shaking from the effort. He almost collapsed, but drawing on his own inner strength, he kept going. He had no idea as to where he was, but he could see he was in some kind of room with strange pod-shaped objects. Were they beds? His addled mind thought so. They looked strangely comfortable...

He staggered over to one and proceeded to plop inside. His body was aching, as was his brain. Maybe a nap would do him some good...

He closed his eyes, unaware of the helmet that flopped right over his eyes and head. He was out like a light as the pod door closed shut...

And then it happened.

PROJECT: SHINKALION

UNIT: E7 KAGAYAKI

STATUS: ACTIVATED

PHASE I - Stage 1 of 6

COMPLETE

Name: Frederick Jones, Sr.

Species: Faunus

Aura: Red tinged with black

Semblance: Rage of the Bull

Description: Frederick can change his shape into that of a hull. He is much faster, more muscular, and is capable of charging at enemies to gore them with his horns. In this body, he is capable of intelligent thought and can use his Aura, but he cannot speak. And if he stays as a bull for longer than a day, he becomes more animalistic with each day that passes.

Weapon: N/A