Lobomon shifted in his seat as he watched the scenery go by outside the limo's window.

Beside him, Bugs calmly sipped a carrot juice in a fine wine glass, not even noticing the trees or vast expanses of field that they traveled through.

The rabbit looked over at him, as if sensing something off. "Something up, doc?" he asked.

"Just... just a bit uneasy, that's all," he muttered. "Ever since we got here, I've been getting a bad feeling... And I don't like it." His red eyes hardened as he said this, and Bugs snorted.

"Well, given your enhanced senses, I'm not surprised," he mused. "Especially since you Digimon have the ability to react to danger faster than even we Mobians. So you should at least heed those instincts of yours." Then he narrowed his eyes. "What's got you on edge, anyway?"

"Dunno... But whatever it is, it seems like it's gonna be centered right in this area..." Lobomon remarked.

Bugs rolled his eyes before he looked out the window. "You think so, huh?" he asked.

The Warrior of Light nodded.

"Hm. Well... we'd better be on high alert then," Bugs stated as he picked up his cell phone.

(Shows a pair of eyes opening before the eyes morph into optics)

START Kaitei no Orchestra (Precious Time) (ROMI)

(The optics flash as the camera pans out to show six shadowy mecha before they leap towards the camera, brandishing their weapons)

Hiroi aoi kono basho de tokiga nagarete yuku my precious time (The image fades to show a cat Faunus boy with brown hair and magenta eyes walking down a street close to the ocean, looking down at an image of his mother in his hand. He perks up as he spots a rabbit Faunus girl with light green hair and eyes hugs him, making him yelp. A boy with brown hair and brown eyes joins the girl on the cat Faunus's other side, and gives a thumbs up. A boy with dark purple hair and eyes approaches from the left and smiles a bit before a ninja youth leaps down on the right, his dark grey hair and purple eyes standing out with the purple highlight on the right side of his bangs. The five look up at the sky as a shimmering image of a cheetah Faunus with blue hair and eyes appears behind them. The title appears below them all.)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

Itsu no manika kiete shimatte kakegaeno koega (The image fades to show the cat Faunus standing beside his mother's grave, his eyes fixed on her name)

Tsumaranai hibimo sorega sukide ikitetanda (Memories of her and his family march past as he bows his head)

Higa sashiteru tokomade omoikkiri hashitte (A wind blows past and he perks up as he sees something ahead of him, making him break into a run to try and reach the shadowy, winged humanoid shape as it looks back with yellow optics, holding out a hand)

Shinjirarenai koto bakari menomaeni okiru (The two embrace hands and then a flash of light engulfs the screen, fading to show a large Kaiju-class Grimm being attacked by a blue and white mecha wielding a drill before the two clash)

Taiyou no hou wo miagate tachiagaruno tsurakute (The impact throws off a light that engulfs the screen, dissipating to show the cat Faunus, but battered and wounded, looking at the sky, the sun shining down on him as he reaches up a hand, as if grasping at it)

Susumu koto dake omouto (He tries to stagger to his feet, only to collapse briefly before he lifts his gaze, a yellow optic forming in place of his eye as it glows brightly)

Setsunai tabiwo tsuzukeru kawatta me no okuniwa (The light of the optic fades as the camera moves out to show a green and white mecha armed with a sword and wings on its back attacking a porcupine Kaiju-class Grimm in close combat, only for the Kaiju to fire off a slew of spines from its legs and back, making the mecha block with a shimmering tri-colored Aura)

Natsukashii itoshisa wo motomete (On my way) (Behind the mecha appears an image of a cat Faunus woman, and the mecha lunges forward, its sword glowing as it traps the Grimm in an energy cage before slicing it in half)

Kizutsuke attanowa nikui wake janai nosa (The Grimm explodes before a Faunus Ultra gorilla lunges from behind, making the mecha spin to block with its sword, images of a peaceful world appearing behind it before punching the Faunus Ultra and sending it staggering back)

Sokoni kibouga arunonara my precious time (The images coalesce around the mecha's chest as it fires a blast of green energy from a hidden chest cannon at the screen)

Itsukaraka onaji keshikini kakomarete sugoshite (The screen comes back into view, this time showing the cat Faunus as he stands atop a building in Tokyo, his friends beside him as they eye the distant horizon, a shadowy shape behind Mt. Fuji in the distance)

Akinonai koega sukoshizutsu chiri hajimeta (The boy looks down at an image of his mother in his hands, his friends placing their hands on his shoulders to comfort him as tears streak down his cheeks)

Ameni utareta mamade omoku seouno tsurakute (The camera zooms in on his eyes before panning out to show him looking at the window, the same green and white mecha on the other side, both touching their hands to one another before it shifts to show the cat Faunus's mother as a transparent image behind the mecha)

Ushinau koto dake omouto (The camera zooms in on the mecha's face before panning out to show two Faunus, a fox woman and a bull man, standing atop a hotel in downtown Tokyo)

Togirenai omoino nakade hisshi ni tsukamunosa (The two Faunus lunge for the mecha, only to be blocked by a red and white mecha with two guns and a purple and white mecha wielding two shuriken in its hands Beside them is a white and green mecha armed with a sword and the blue and white mecha with the drill is close by)

Dokomademo dokomademo sagasunda (Find your way) (The five mecha charge towards a large shape as it looms out of the shadows of the two Faunus, and behind them is the shape of a white and blue mecha armed with twin energy blades)

Otagaini motomeatte kakera wo tsunagunosa (Shows the six mecha as they stand in a line, each of them holding their weapons at the ready before they charge forward; the green and white mecha fires off its chest cannon as the blue and white mecha spins its drill up, a blue aura engulfing it, the red and white mecha fires its twin guns in a rifle configuration as the purple and white mecha uses its shuriken as weapons, the white and green mecha swings its sword as heat radiates from the blade and the white and blue mecha swipes with its energy blades, releasing a shockwave)

Sokoni kibouga mierukara wow oh wow (The blasts combine to generate an explosion as it hits something before the smoke parts to reveal a scenic image of the city of Tokyo, the tendrils of Satyra retreating from it)

Kimiga tsukutta monogatari saikou no omoide ni nattanda (The image shifts to show the cat Faunus looking down at a photo album of his mother and his friends and family, tears pricking at his eyes before he sees his friends beside him and they hold out their hands, a smile crossing his face as he takes their hands and they pull him out of the darkness into the light)

Bokurano nakani ikitsuzukete soshite arigatou wow (They all hug before a flash of light envelops them, fading shortly after to reveal the six mecha, this time images of the six kids behind them as they charge at a shadowy shape as it looms over them)

Setsunai tabiwo owarasunda miraiwo kaete tsukuruno sa (The image pans to the right to show them all charging, this time transparent scenes of new enemies marching past them - Dr. Robotnik, Sammael, and Moloch - before fading to show the city of Tokyo at sunset, a light shining in this darkening world)

Istumademo akiramezuni oistuzukete (On my way) (The green and white mecha with the wings thrusts its hand out towards an image of the cat Faunus's mother as she reaches out, and their hands clasp before it shows the green and white mecha firing off its chest cannon, the beam this time a shining gold color)

Tashikani kanjitanda kimiga kureta yuuki wo (The blast strikes the enemy before them - Dr. Robotnik - before it shows the mecha with its companions as they join in on the attack with their own moves)

Bokuno subete wo gisei ni torimodosunda bokurano precious time (The image fades to show the six kids standing in front of Tokyo, the title of the series appearing below them)

GRIMMFALL: SHINKALION RISING

OPENING FILES:

CLASSIFIED

DECRYPTING...

FILES DECRYPTED

OPENING FILES: IWO JIMA BATTLE SITE

The Iwo Jima Battle Site is a massive scar on the island of Iwo Jima that dates back at least five thousand years, maybe even earlier. The site itself is marked by scarred ruins and craters that have long since filled in, but their edges still remain, sticking out of the ground as reminders of a war long passed. Within two of these craters are two entities that have baffled scientists, engineers, and archaeologists ever since their discovery several years ago.

The first of these entities is a massive mechanical being, standing at around nineteen meters in height, with segments of a secondary alternate mode that eerily resemble the E4 series shinkansen of Japan. The life form, dubbed Life Form MX, once had blue, white, and gold on its armor plating, but that has since been weathered away to expose bare metal underneath. Its face is relatively humanoid, and its internals have been exposed due to combat. These internals have since given rise to the proposed SKL combat machines known only as Shinkalions.

The second entity was clearly a Metal Man, but of a type unseen and uncatalogued by archaeologists. This Metal Man stood at the same height as Life Form MX, and possessed an early form of the shinkansen as its secondary form. But it also seemed to be powered by steam, as engineers have found a huge boiler that burned some kind of mineral that is unknown of. Etched onto its frame are many runes that have since been translated into the modern language. These runes told of instructions to make another Metal Man, but they have been disregarded as Project SKL has proven to be far more adequate for the defense of Japan.

The site has been constantly studied by members of both the archaeological community and the engineering community for it holds many secrets to ancient technologies that can either be used for the betterment of mankind, or the destruction of the world as we know it. Such tech could also be used to counter or even defeat the Grimm. Many people have scoured the site for any remnants, leading to the Japanese government to stake a claim on the site, saying that they would allow only a certain number of people from each community into the site to study, not take anything unless it has some historical value.

The Imperial Family and Prime Minister have been working in concert with the United Nations to mark the site as a UNESCO World Heritage site.

CLOSING FILES

TERMINAL ENTERING STANDBY PHASE

"There are a number of great and historical sites across the world, each telling its own history and story to the future generations that seek them out in order to try and understand their past." The figure at the desk leaned back before adjusting their glasses. "And many times these ruins could have secrets that we cannot understand because we lack knowledge about their culture or they had no written symbols. Some sites are just that: sites with nothing to their name. While mentions may be made, sometimes in old texts that have since been translated, other sources may make no mention of the site's original inhabitants at all. That is the thing with history. Sometimes gaps exist where they shouldn't. And new discoveries may fill them in."

A monitor lit up to show a society where children fought one another in an arena while on a second monitor it showed a world where people visited sites of child experimentation. "In these two worlds, one lacks a connection to the past while the other strives to make people understand the brutal actions carried out in a war to prevent such a thing from happening again. But what if they were reversed? That is the thing about alternate realities and histories. One can never tell what each world is like." The figure shut down the monitors and looked directly at the audience (you). "After all, there is an old saying. 'Those who don't learn from history are doomed to repeat it.'"

CHAPTER XIII - SNAKE

A sigh escaped the young man as he sat down on a bench close to the Marunouchi Building.

He ran a hand through his dark blue hair, his cheetah ears twitching as he closed his eyes and looked down at the locket in his hand.

Ryuji Kiyosu was not too thrilled about being out and about ever since Satyra made their move into Tokyo. He bowed his head and gritted his teeth as he clenched his fist around the locket. He knew he was able to defend himself and his skills in karate spoke for themselves, but when it came to Satyra, it seemed like one needed a weapon these days to be able to fight them effectively.

And it didn't help much that his family was still reeling from the attack three years ago. His brother Tatsumi had been injured in the neck with a spinal injury that left him paralyzed from the neck down, a wound that robbed him of his ability to move or even do anything himself. And he couldn't blame Tatsumi for wanting to get back at Satyra. In truth, he did too, mostly because of the fact that his mother was forced to work three jobs just to support the family, pay for Tatsumi's wheelchair, his sister Miyu's physical therapy sessions, and his father's hospital bills.

Ryuji placed his head on his clenched fist, closing his eyes. "Satyra..." he muttered, intense malice filling his voice.

In truth, he considered himself lucky. His grandfather had once been a member of Satyra, but after they started getting more radical, he had left, situating himself in Nagoya with his family, where they became Faunus rights activists, preferring peace to violence in their goals. They became respected over the last fifty years, making strides alongside the Vist Foundation and other organizations calling for Faunus to be treated as living beings. But it only got worse as Satyra soon declared themselves to be for Faunus supremacy and often targeted those who fought for equal rights... no matter if they were human or Faunus.

The cheetah Faunus opened his eyes as he looked up, his face serious.

"How can we beat them...?" he wondered.

Ryuji finally huffed as he stood up and placed the locket in his jacket pocket. "May as well go see what the big deal is with the building's renovation..."

He turned and headed for the door leading inside.

However, he had barely passed through the gate in the surrounding fence when he paused, his senses alerting him to danger. He clenched his fists and adopted a martial arts stance, his blue eyes flicking left and right. The cheetah Faunus bared his teeth as he listened for anything out of the ordinary.

He wasn't sure what it was, but it seemed to him like something was... watching him.

His eyes narrowed as he slowly turned, and a gasp escaped him as a large snake-like Grimm lunged out of the shadows, its teeth bared as it hissed.

Ryuji rolled to the side, his fist lashing out in a punch as he channeled his Aura into the blow. His white, blue, and light blue Aura seethed around his fist as he collided his punch with the Grimm's scaly body, sending it flying back a bit. He held up his left hand in front of his chest, his right hand drawn back for another punch.

The snake Grimm was one he recognized: a King Cobrafang. The Grimm possessed a large scaly body that rippled with pure muscle, its red eyes flashing as it hissed. The large hood on its back snapped open, and the bone plates on its hood flared up and out, giving it a menacing appearance. Ryuji tensed his body as he watched the Cobrafang lunge, its teeth snapping out to bite him and deliver a dose of potent venom into his bloodstream.

The cheetah Faunus narrowed his eyes as he leapt back, his right foot covered in his Aura as he lashed out in a roundhouse. His blow nailed the Cobrafang in the chest and knocked it back before he landed and charged in, his hand thrust forward like a spear, intent on nailing the thing in the eyes.

The Cobrafang hissed before it lashed out with the tail, hitting Ryuji in the chest and knocking him back. If not for his Aura, he'd have suffered a few broken ribs, he mused as he landed on his feet, his tail uncurling behind him. He looked at the snake as it hissed, starting to slither towards him. He got into his fighting stance, his eyes hard like sapphires. He watched as the Cobrafang came in and he leapt as it tried to coil its long body around him. He flipped as he lashed out in a side kick, knocking the snake back.

The snake Grimm shook its head before hissing and diving again, this time using its tail to knock Ryuji's feet out from under him just as he landed on the ground. The move caught him off guard and he yelped, landing on his back, the wind knocked from his lungs. His eyes snapped open as he heard the hissing and he rolled to the side as the Cobrafang drove its fangs into the ground. The cheetah Faunus scrambled to his feet and bolted, looking out of the corner of his left eye as the snake pulled itself free from the dirt and slithered after.

He ran as fast as he could through the construction equipment and piles of stuff needed for the renovation, the Grimm following like a black specter. Ryuji ran inside the Marunouchi Building, leaping over piles of pipes and lighting that lay in his path. He looked back over his shoulder as he ran, hissing through his teeth in frustration. "Shit...!" he muttered.

He turned his gaze back to the front and his eyes roved around for any means to avoid detection. He spotted a nearby nook in the wall and ducked into it as the snake slithered after him. But much to his shock and disbelief, the thing just... slithered past him and towards the open elevator shafts.

That was unusual, he realized.

No snake Grimm would just avoid a Hunter... or one in training, anyway.

Something was wrong. And he was determined to find out what.

GROUNDS OF THE SANBAN ESTATE

"Geez... This place gives me the creeps!" Tsuranuki grumbled as he huddled behind a nearby tree.

"I still don't understand why we had to come here," Miku remarked. "It is not as if someone is here, right?"

"You'd be surprised," Shinobu muttered from up in the tree. Miku squeaked and her rabbit ears went flat against her head.

Tsuranuki looked up at the ninja as he crouched on a branch, holding a pair of binoculars to his eyes. "I've been getting the feeling like someone is here." His eyes narrowed as he looked down at the trio below. "And you know who I mean..."

The brown-haired youth gritted his teeth as he clenched his fists. "Suzaku... right?"

Shinobu was silent as he nodded. "Yes."

Tsuranuki frowned. "Where do you think she is?"

The ninja slowly lifted a finger and pointed. "There."

Beside him Akita peered through the scope of his rifle as he crouched, and his eyes flashed as he adjusted his aim. "I see her."

Tsuranuki looked in the direction Akita was aiming, and his eyes hardened into bronze as he observed the white hair of the Faunus, her tail swishing behind her as she observed the estate beyond the fence guarding it. Tsuranuki turned his gaze back to the estate and looked at the layout of the gates and defenses. He knew from his studying of the terrain that the forest offered an excellent stragetic and tactical advantage with how it was laid out. Trees overlooked the main drive, which wound through them like a snake, ending at the beautiful estate itself. The front gate was heavily guarded and watched by security cameras and a crack security team that was tasked with protecting the Sanban family due to their positions and wealth.

On top of that, the fence had secret gun emplacements along its perimeter, but they rarely activated due to the rumors that a great magic guarded this home, which was said to be at least a thousand years old. Hell, that made the second oldest inhabited structure in the world, with the first being located in Britain or something like that.

He brushed the thought aside as he heard Shinobu climbing down the tree. "What's the plan, Tsuranuki?"

The youth bit his lower lip as he pondered. He knew that with Suzaku around, there was bound to be a chance for a battle, and given her Semblance, they needed to be on high alert. Or in this case, on guard at all times.

His gaze landed on Miku as her rabbit ears twitched. He shifted a bit as he looked to Akita as he lowered his rifle. The boy placed a hand on his chin as he thought, only for an idea to spring to mind. He looked up a few seconds later. "Akita, Miku, I'm gonna need you two to try and keep Suzaku busy if she tries to get inside," he said.

"Huh?!" Both Faunus and human glanced at him in shock.

"Are you out of your friggin' mind?!" Akita hissed. "Last time we got trounced by her!"

Tsuranuki nodded. "I remember that," he said. "But right now, remember where we are! The Sanban estate is supposed to have guns on its perimeter near the fence, and on top of that, the terrain here is perfect for defense. Your sniping will come in handy if she even makes it to the gate."

Akita pursed his lips, but realized that Tsuranuki had a point. The terrain here was favorable for defense.

"And you and Shinobu?" Miku asked. "What will you two be doing?"

"We'll be on standby in case a Grimm or something else shows up," Tsuranuki said. He looked to the ninja. "You good with that, Shinobu?"

The boy nodded. "Hai."

Akita puffed air out his mouth before he looked up. "All right, Tsuranuki. We'll do it."

Tsuranuki grinned. "Thanks, Akita."

The foursome split off into their teams, with Akita taking up a sniping position close to the front gates leading into the grounds. Miku hid within the brush close by, her kendo sword held in her hands as she narrowed her green eyes. She kept her rabbit ears flat against her head as she watched.

For her part, the rabbit Faunus was a bit confused. What was the fox Faunus even doing here? And why had Director Hayasugi sent them here? Was it because of the fact that Bugs Bunny was here?

A jolt suddenly raced down her spine as she gasped in shock, trying to keep it muffled with a hand over her mouth. Was it because he was there?! If so, then...

The brush rustled and the rabbit Faunus ducked down as she watched the brush part, and out stepped...

A rabbit Mobian?

Suzaku smirked as she watched the lighter-furred rabbit Mobian exit her hiding spot. Her memory flashed back briefly to when she had learned of the rabbit Mobian.

Lola Rabbitia was actually a legitimate Huntress, a Class IV Hunter of great respect and renown.

Born into a respectable family of Hunters, she had proven to be quite skilled at it when she started training in high school. Lola actually excelled during her courses, proving to be adept at using agility and her own natural athleticism to stay ahead of her enemies. She was known for using her whip in combat with grace and precision, having killed numerous Grimm and slain a few rogue Hunters as well over her career. Of course, she also had the ears of several organizations that supported Faunus rights, and she supported equal treatment for all, even condemning the actions of Satyra themselves.

She had met Bugs back when he was still learning how to be a Huntsman, and over the years they had become rather close, with her and Bugs starting to date several years ago. She even found Daffy Duck to be a good companion to hang around, and together, the trio had formed Team BLD, or Team Bold. In fact, the trio had even helped bag a notorious Satyra member who was said to have been able to mutate into a crocodile at will, without the use of a Semblance.

But that was all on the surface, just window dressing to hide her true nature.

No one knew the truth, but in reality, Lola was not just a respected Huntress within the community.

She was really a double agent.

And it was due to her connections that she was in such a high position, right below the lieutenants and herself.

A smirk crossed Suzaku's face as she watched Lola walk up to the gate. The rabbit Mobian's connections not only helped keep them informed of groups that threatened to set back their plans, but also to keep ahead of those who were making headway in the fight for equal rights. Such as the Vist Foundation. But lately it had become harder to infiltrate them, making her wonder if they were catching onto Satyra's agents. That did seem to be the case, but until more data was gathered, no one knew for sure.

Regardless, Lola was about to infiltrate the Sanban Estate, and hopefully, Bugs would soon be on their side as well.

She licked her lips at the thought as she flared her Aura briefly.

Yes...

Soon indeed.

Miku's heart was racing double time in her chest as she inched back from the sight of the fox Faunus in the brush further back.

Some small part of her was just glad for the thick foliage as it kept her hidden, but given how her kind had enhanced senses, it wouldn't be too far of a guess to think that Suzaku had sensed or picked up her scent, especially given how she was a fox Faunus.

She gripped her sword as she slowly poked around the other side of the brush, watching as the orange-furred rabbit Mobian walked up to the front gate, looking lost and confused. Her tank top and shorts looked a bit shredded, like she had been lost for a few days, and her long hair was in a ratted ponytail, along with her ears. Her brown eyes were filled with slight terror and she was shaking as she gripped her whip in her hands nervously.

Miku frowned to herself.

The rabbit Mobian clearly looked frightened and terrified, but then again, given how she had come out of the woods after being seen with the fox Faunus...

A jolt of terror flooded her body as she glanced to Suzaku's location. Was it possible... she had been held hostage by the woman?! And given her Semblance... Miku gritted her teeth. She had to know, but there was no way to be sure of who had been affected by it.

"H-Hello?"

The rabbit Mobian's scared voice tore her from her thoughts and the rabbit Faunus peeped out through the brush. "..."

At that moment, the ground shuddered a bit and Miku yelped in surprise as the guns emerged from their hidden emplacements, the barrels gleaming in the light as they rotated to face the main gate and the Mobian in front of it.

"Unidentified individual. State your name and business here," came a sharp male voice. Miku had to clap a hand over her mouth to hide her gasp. She had not expected this!

"M-My name... My name is Lola Rabbitia..." the rabbit Mobian stammered, looking very frightened, and yet relieved as well. "Please... I need help..."

EN ROUTE TO TOKYO

"Hah!?" Bugs Bunny's eyes flew wide open as he heard the news from Genki herself. "Ya mean Lola's there, at your estate and she needs help?!"

"Yes, Bugs," Genki replied over the phone. "It is of the utmost importance you get back here. She seems to be very upset about something."

"All right. I'm on my way." The rabbit closed his phone and tapped the driver. "Hey, we need to get back to the Sanban Estate. Can ya get us there quickly?"

"Of course, Master Bugs," the driver replied as he turned the wheel. The limo swerved and Lobomon had to grip his seat tightly to prevent himself from being thrown out of it by the sudden maneuver. "Geez!" he yelped. "Try not to be so reckless!"

The driver had no words as he straightened out the limo and the vehicle increased its speed. Bugs' eyes were grim, Lobomon noticed, as he gripped his shotgun in his hands. "Uh, Bugs?"

The Duck's Burrow owner looked to the Digimon. "Hm?"

"What's going on?" the Digimon asked.

"Trouble... that's what." Bugs' voice was serious as he grasped a Dust shell and loaded it into his shotgun. "And I am not liking this trouble one bit."

Lobomon had to ask though. "What kind of trouble?"

"I dunno myself," he admitted. "But I do know this: if it involves my girlfriend, and she gets upset, then it has to be something that involves Satyra." He checked over his shotgun and examined the barrel for any damage. "She gets real emotional when they do something or threaten others. She says it's because her family was targeted by them and left for dead, if not for the quick thinking of the Vist Foundation in saving their lives."

For some reason though, Lobomon was not too sure. He bit his lower lip as he pondered this situation.

The trip back to the estate was not very eventful, nor did it take long as the driver knew a shortcut to get onto the grounds. The limo pulled up in front of the house as the two passengers scrambled out the open doors. Bugs was the first one out and he bolted for the house, his gun slung over his shoulder. Lobomon followed after, and he burst in through the door after Bugs.

The two made their way through the mansion until they came to the main office for Genki Sanban. Already the Lady of Sanban Industries was trying to console and soothe the shivering Mobian. Beside her, her two daughters sat, chatting and telling her stories about the recent adventures they had had. In Bugs' opinion, it was rather sweet of them to try and comfort her. But his biggest worry was about her condition as he saw it.

He made his way over and knelt down beside her as she sat curled on the couch in a ball. "Lola?"

The rabbit Mobian looked up, and her eyes widened. "Oh, Bugs!" she cried, throwing her arms around him. "Oh, thank Glob! I was so worried..."

"Hey, there now. It'll be all right," Bugs said soothingly as he returned the hug.

The two sat like that for a few moments before Lola pulled back. "I was so scared... especially since I heard..."

"Heard what?" Bugs asked, looking into her brown eyes worriedly.

"...heard that there could be a possible Kaiju Grimm surfacing here..." Lola whispered.

"Hold on! Don't those things usually surface near the ocean?" Bugs asked in shock. "Why would one be surfacing here on land?"

"I... I don't know..." Lola said softly. "I just know what I heard..."

Bugs pursed his lips as he looked at the group.

This was an unexpected thing... What would a Kaiju Grimm be doing surfacing on land, and so far from the ocean to boot? That was a totally unexpected attack pattern that was a huge shift from what they knew. Was it because the Kaiju Grimm had been deterred and driven back by something? It did seem possible... the only question was, what did it? What drove them back and caused them to try and surface inland?

He had no idea that the answer was soon coming... and in a way he did not expect at all.

SANBAN ESTATE GROUNDS

To Miku and Akita, things were somewhat easier now that they had managed to sneak in.

Akita, relying on his hunter's instincts and upbringing, was able to find a spot in the fence that was partially overgrown with weeds which hid a hole in the barrier. The two managed to slip in through that same hole, although it was a tight fit, and were now making their way towards the house.

The rabbit Faunus was actually a bit unsure about this. She had never even dared to sneak past a security gate before. And it worried her as to what her family - and by extension the SDI - would think of this. Thankfully she was interrupted and brought back to reality when Akita's foot nudged her in the back. Miku squared her shoulders and continued to sneak towards the house. The closest window was just above her, and she used her Faunus reflexes to jump up and grab onto it, pulling herself up so she could peer inside. Akita joined her, using his upper body strength to haul himself up as well.

Both kids peeked into the window, surprised to see that it was the office of Genki Sanban herself.

The duo could see Bugs Bunny and the rabbit Mobian female, whom they guessed to be his girlfriend, huddled on the couch while Genki sat at her desk, the white armored man standing off to the side, leaning against the wall. His red eyes were narrowed as he watched the two Mobians chatting. Miku twitched one of her ears closer to the window and pressed it to the glass pane. Now she could vageuly hear what was going on. Her eyes narrowed as she listened in.

Beside her, Akita hissed into her other ear, "What are they saying?"

Miku glared at him. "Sssh!"

She closed her eyes and listened.

"...sure of that, Lola?" Bugs asked in a horrified tone.

"Yes... at least from what I heard..." the female rabbit, Lola, murmured. "The type is rumored to be a... a tree-like beast..." She visibly shuddered, from the way her breathing came hard.

"That's not good," an unknown voice mused. Miku's eyes shot open as she looked to see the mouth of the white armored man moving; his voice was deep, but at the same time not as deep as some others she had heard, Tsuranuki's Shinkalion voice being one of them. "Actually, this reminds me of some... creatures... back home that resembled trees. To an extent, of course."

Genki pursed her lips before she spoke. "Then it is of the utmost necessity that we prepare then." Her gaze landed on Lola who was now being held by Bugs in a comforting embrace. "Did you happen to hear as to when it will come?"

"No... I didn't..." Her voice faded as Miku pulled her ear back from the window glass and she looked to Akita.

"Well?" he asked.

"There's apparently going to be a Grimm attack here," she relayed. "And it's supposedly going to be a tree-like creature."

Akita pursed his lips as his fingers drummed on the window sill. "Hmm... Think we should inform the others?"

The rabbit Faunus nodded.

A sudden shout caught the two off guard. "HEY!"

The kids jolted in surprise before they let go of the window ledge and landed on the ground, turning and bolting for the safety of the brush. They barely managed to get inside it as the white-armored man peered out, his red eyes scanning for any sign of them.

Miku and Akita huddled together in a ball, trying to avoid being spotted. Akita's teeth were gritted as he peered through the brush, trying to remain hidden. He could see the man's eyes narrow before he stepped back, but not before he looked over his shoulder and frowned. He closed the window sash a minute later.

Akita sighed in relief as Miku let go of him.

"I'll inform the others," he told her. "You keep an eye on the estate."

Miku nodded and grasped the binoculars in his hand, taking them and clambering up a tree. Akita grabbed his phone and pulled it out, bringing up Tsuranuki's, Shinobu's, and Director Hayasugi's numbers.

TOKYO SDI HEADQUARTERS

MAIN OFFICE

Director Hayasugi wasn't too surprised when his phone rang. He pressed the button on his terminal and the message came up.

His eyes narrowed as he read it. "Hmm... So there's going to be a Grimm attack..." he muttered. "But... we have to be careful..."

The cat Faunus closed his eyes as he pondered the next course of action to take. The information Miku had heard seemed to be legit, but there hadn't been any sign of a Grimm surfacing near Tokyo Bay for some time... unless they were changing tactics. And that wasn't unheard of. In the First Wave, the Kaiju Grimm had been known for using different attack patterns, so perhaps that was what was happening this time as well. Maybe they were just adapting to new circumstances. But at the same time, Kaiju Grimm always surfaced from the sea, not from inland. That alone was enough to make him suspicious. Never before had they surfaced inland, away from the sea. At the same time, however, there had to be a presence near the Sanban Estate in case a Kaiju Grimm did strike.

A tap on his keyboard and a map came up, displaying the surrounding area and the estate itself. Already, thanks to the tracers in the kids' phones, he was able to see that two of them - Miku and Akita - were watching the estate. And the other two - Tsuranuki and Shinobu - were making their way back to the city itself. They had managed to flag down a bus and it was taking them back to the city station for possible deployment.

A smirk crossed his face as he observed this. "Looks like Tsuranuki had the right idea," he mused.

The kids were learning fast, but they still had a long way to go. Especially since there was so much to uncover about their frames and their capabilities. And they needed to be at their strongest for when the seal was broken. Not if. When. The only question was when it would happen.

Hokuto turned his gaze from the map to another report as it lay on his desk, detailing the second stage of Project SKL. On one side of the paper lay a small object that looked like a very tiny shinkansen, but was far different. This object was mostly grey, and on its sides were many small wires that lay around it like a silvery-golden halo. He looked at it critically before he picked up the report. A scan of it told him what he needed to know, so he tossed it into his desk and slipped the small metallic object into his pocket for later testing.

Right now he had to check on the next component of the project. Futaba would be in charge of this mission, he decided.

He stood up from his desk and made his way out of his office into a separate computer room. This room, unlike the main office, was going to be a dedicated command center for future combat ops against the Kaiju Grimm or other adversaries. In the middle of the room was a cluster of consoles and computers at which technicians would sit and monitor the conditions of the Shinkalion frames and the Drivers. The middle of the wall in front of the consoles was taken up by a large monitor, on which would be displayed the battle, along with up to three of the Shinkalions when in operation. But there was something else that made this room special.

One of the technicians in charge of programming looked back, his eyes widening in shock. "Oh! Director Hayasugi!" He saluted before trying to straighten out his uniform. The director merely brushed it off.

"Just drop it," he said. "I have no need for real formalities."

The techie blushed as he nodded. "Y-Yes, sir," he stammered.

"I just came to check up on the project," the cat Faunus explained. "How's it looking?"

Here the technician felt a lot more at ease; he was more skilled with programming than with socializing, he felt. "Well, sir, the programming has been worked out. But we still need a few more months to fine tune the personality matrix and install facial and voice recognition for the Drivers as well as their Shinkalion frames. That will be more of an issue, and then we have to select the proper vocal modulations as well as integrate the avatar into the system. All in all, we're looking at about... half a year to a year before it becomes live," he explained.

"Hm. Too long... Any way to move things along?" Hokuto inquired.

"The tech boys who are doing the battle simulation software say that that is almost done, so... hopefully that will shave some time off of this," the techie replied.

"Okay. Just try to shave off as much time as possible without sacrificing anything," the director ordered.

"Hai!"

MARUNOUCHI BUILDING

BASEMENT LEVEL

Tsuranuki and Shinobu arrived at the city station about an hour later, and they ran across the street to the half-finished Marunouchi Building.

It didn't take them long to make their entry into the building's basement and then into the pod room.

However, they had no idea... that they were being watched...

By their silent attacker.

The snake hissed as it began to slither towards the room...

SANBAN ESTATE

Just as a large rumble shook the elegant grounds of the Sanban Estate.

Miku and Akita looked worriedly at one another, fear crossing their faces.

It was just as they had feared...

UNKNOWN LOCATION

And watching it all, a figure smiled.