Agito Chapter

Part 2: Deep Breath

I don't know why there's so much playing with time in this arc. It just seems to work.

And now, observe as I realise how large Agito's cast actually is and run around trying to introduce everyone while still making the story eventful enough to be entertaining. Don't worry, though, along with the larger cast this arc won't be as short as Kuuga, so there'll be more time to get to know everyone.

Cautiously, Shouichi poked his head in through the screen door, glancing around the quiet house. Nobody seemed to be around.

He snuck into the living room, a little spooked. "Guys…? Mana? Professor? Taichi?"

"Shouichi!" They'd just been in the kitchen—his middle-aged…landlord? Carer? Whatever, and his son, came scuttling in, grabbing hold of him. "Where have you been?" Professor Misugi asked frantically, shaking him by the shoulders. "What happened?"

"I…don't know," Shouichi said nervously, looking away. "I don't remember. I was just…in this…cold, wet place suddenly…I don't know how I got there."

"Wait…you don't remember…" Misugi took a step back. "Before you left, you said you'd recovered your memories of your life before we took you in. That's gone now, right?"

"I said that?" Shouichi asked, pointing to himself. "Well…uh…I guess it's gone, yeah. Sorry."

"It's been two days, ya jerk!" Taichi grumbled, kicking him in the shins and slumping down on the couch.

"Sorry, sorry!" Shouichi laughed. "Look, I'll make you a cake this evening, okay?"

Taichi leaned forwards, doing his best adult impression, one hand on his chin. "A real cake?"

"Of course!"

"If it has vegetables in, it doesn't count."

"Aw, come on…" Still grinning, Shouichi ambled over to the stairs, calling up, "Mana! Mana? You around?"

"Shouichi…" Misugi pulled him back. "Mana is…gone too."

"…eh?"

"We don't know where she went. Looking for you, maybe."

"Mana is…" Shouichi fell against the wall, shell-shocked. Mana…and Yukina…what is going on?

Two days ago…

Mana crouched behind the big row of bushes that lined the park. What's happening to me?

I've always had…I guess some kind of ESP, but this is…

Over the last week, any time someone had bullied her, spoke angrily or been at all unkind to her, a vicious invisible force had attacked them. I thought my powers were cool, but if they just attack people…and…and…!

Occasionally Detective Hikawa called her in to the police station to use her ESP for some investigation or another. Including the never-closed case of her father's murder. And last time, this other cop—Hojo—had been working the case too.

"Given the circumstances, and matching the cause of death up with recent victims of such incidents, it seems likely your father was killed by someone using psychic powers.

"They may not have even known they were doing it."

Did I…? Please, no…

"Yo, kid."

"I'm seventeen," she mumbled automatically, her eyes flicking up lazily to take in the unkempt man standing before her.

"Whatever, kid. Lemme get to the point. I'm here because you need me."

"Go away."

He snapped his fingers, and the bush next to her uprooted itself, dumping onto the ground. She stared at it, then up at him. "Got your attention?"

Slowly, she stood to look him in the face. "You're like me…"

"Yup. It's hard to control, right? You hurt people by accident…" He extended a hand. "Name's Katsuhiko. I'll take you to a safe place for us. How bout it?"

The 'safe place' was an entire floor of an apartment block Katsuhiko and some friends of his had rented out. It was pretty comfortable, large kitchen, fish-tank, and more couches than she'd seen in her life.

Aside from the two of them, there was currently only one other inhabitant; a baby-faced, energetic young man called Koji. Apparently there were many more in their group, but they tended to come and go, and many of them had finally settled back into their own accommodation after…some incident they kept skirting around describing.

Wait…incident… Mana turned back to Katsuhiko. "What did you call yourselves again?"

He looked up from the coffee he was stirring. "Uh, the Akatsuki members. I guess."

"Akatsuki…that's a boat that had an accident out at sea, not long ago!" she exclaimed, suddenly realising where she'd heard the name. Actually…wasn't Mr. Hikawa the one who saved most of the passengers?

"Well…yeah. A lot of things happened, and, uh. We ended up with these powers."

"I wasn't on the boat, though," she pointed out.

He nodded. "Yeah. It's like…psychics like us are the next evolution, right? Of humanity or whatever. They happen on their own here and there. Just, on the boat we kinda had that evolution sped up, so a bunch of us got powers all at once."

"It's all relative, though," Koji chimed in from across the room, waving the spoon he was eating yoghurt with. "Mine still haven't 'awoken'." He shrugged, taking another spoonful. "Kino says it'll happen soon though."

Mana walked over and sat down opposite him. "Kino?"

"Dr. Kino," Koji said enthusiastically. "He's an awesome guy! Kind of like our leader, I guess. He always knows what to do."

"Except when we're being killed off," came a growl from the doorway as it was flung open. "Then he doesn't do jack shit." A tall woman, scowling behind her glasses and jacket collar, stomped inside and slumped down on the couch.

"Masumi!" Koji practically leapt over to her. "You came back!"

"Not for long," she said, rolling her eyes and turning away from him. "Just to tell you this. The Unknown aren't slowing down. Want to guess how many of us are left?" She held up a finger for each person mentioned. "Us three. Kino. And three more." She flicked a glance over at Mana, and raised one more. The eight extended fingers waved back and forth. "You feeling lucky?"

"Figured," Katsuhiko sighed. "Not a team player? Your powers are pretty developed. You an' me together, might could hold off the Unknown."

She shook her head. "You don't know what you're talking about. You can't stop them. I'm gonna go at least tell the others." And just as soon as she arrived, she was gone.

"What was all that?" Mana asked, suddenly panicking. "You're being killed? By the Unknown?" I can't stay here.

"Calm down," came another voice from the doorway. This time, a square-jawed man in black entered, pocketing his sunglasses and casting a stern look around the room. "You're no less safe here than anywhere else." He bowed slightly to the other two in turn. "Good to see you both well. Masumi's…as blunt as ever, I see. I got here right after her, but didn't want to make things awkward, so I waited until now to come in."

"Kino!" If anything, Koji was even more excited than before. "I'm so glad you're here! She's wrong, isn't she? We can survive, right?"

"It's possible." Kino approached Mana, looking past her out the window as he addressed her. "The Unknown fear humanity's potential, if we continue to evolve. They hunt those with powers like ours. I didn't think it would get this bad…I will have to stay here more, and work less."

It does make sense, Mana thought. Mr. Hikawa's theory was that the Unknown were targeting psychics, and one came straight for me once…if Shouichi hadn't been there…

But if that's true, I definitely can't go home. My powers acting on their own, and the Unknown…I'd be a danger to everybody.

The next morning, she stood outside the apartment building, watching the sun come up, and the occasional car flash by.

If an Unknown does attack me, Shouichi might sense it, too. I hope that doesn't happen. I can't be near him right now.

"Excuse me."

This time, the new arrival was someone familiar to her. He was middle-aged, wearing a rumpled suit, leaning heavily against the fence behind her.

"You're…" Her memory of him was strangely hazy, but he'd appeared before her and said something about 'unlocking her potential'—ever since that day, her ESP had been much more potent. Is that why I developed telekinesis too?

Should I explain the name-change? He wondered. No, no need to complicate things. "Tetsuya," was the only name he gave, shaking her hand. "I'm sorry if I confused you before. I was pressed for time." He looked off towards the horizon. "Mana, the power I awoke in you has now reached its peak. It is needed."

"You need me to do something?"

"It will help Shouichi greatly."

"So you knew him. Before."

"I saw him recently. He's recovered his memory."

"Yeah, I know."

"Well, then he can tell you all about it himself. I am very busy. Please, come with me."

"Okay, but who are you?" she demanded. "And don't 'Tetsuya' me. You know what I mean."

He looked a little sad. "I am your people's…saviour."

He brought her to the nearest hospital, threading his way in towards the back. Everyone simply seemed to wave them through when he mumbled a few placatory words, barely registering their presence; light and sound got a little indistinct as he spoke. Eventually, they stepped into the mortuary. No-one else was around.

Tetsuya approached one of the large drawers set into the wall, beckoning Mana over. "I know you are almost an adult, but I will warn you: As you would expect, there is a dead body in here." He pulled it open, reaching for the sheet.

Mana reached out, stopping him. "What do I have to do?"

He looked her in the eye. "The truest expression of your power is a restorative one. You can bring this person back from the dead."

"I can…?"

"You will only be able to do this once; it will use up this heightened state your powers are in currently. Afterwards, you will return to the low level you were at before."

She took a deep breath, releasing his wrist. "I'm fine with that." If that happens, I might stop accidentally hurting people.

He withdrew the sheet. The corpse beneath was not as grisly-looking as Mana had feared, but the head and neck were still not a pleasant sight. "Who is she?" she asked.

"This is Yukina…Shouichi's sister." Tetsuya backed away, giving her space. "Like Shouichi, her body contains the Seed of Agito. In order for humanity to survive, more people need to become Agito. So, please."

Mana held out her hand over the body. "I'll…try." She closed her eyes, focusing all her mental power on the deceased woman. The overhead lights dimmed, as if their brightness had been drained into the sudden intense brilliance surrounding Yukina. She could feel the power leaving her, filling up and rejuvenating the body before her. That moment seemed to stretch on and on and on—

"She will wake up soon. Thank you.

"What you do now—which home you return to—is up to you."

The three Akatsuki members looked up in surprise as Mana entered, waving an awkward hello.

"Hey!" Koji was happy as ever to see just about anyone.

Katsuhiko grunted. "I figured you'd gone home."

She shook her head, sitting at one of the tables. "There are still things I want to learn. About these powers, and myself. I don't think I'll stay here forever, but…a while longer."

Now…

Detective Hikawa closed the door behind him, taking a seat opposite Ozawa's desk. Omura was already in her office, flipping through today's newspaper. The three of them comprised the G3 unit: Ozawa had designed the G3 system and its upgraded counterpart, the G3-X, and took tactical command of combat operations; Hikawa was the suit's pilot and tasked with directly combatting the Unknown; and Omura…helped. They were humanity's first and last line of defence against the Unknown. Last official line, anyway; attitudes had changed, and the police force was not so accepting of Agito's help as they had been of Unidentified Life-form No.4 in the fight against the Grongi. Operations had even been attempted to capture Agito. Mostly by Hojo, who seemed determined to make himself the archenemy of every decent person he came across.

"So, you called us here for a reason, I guess," Hikawa said, making himself comfortable. "And not an alert, or we wouldn't be sitting around eating biscuits."

"When did I say you could eat my biscuits?" Ozawa snapped, sitting up straight.

"I was just getting your attention. Nobody's—" Hikawa swatted Omura's hand away from the open tin. "Nobody's eating your biscuits. What's up?"

"G3 Unit's getting a fourth member. Just got the transferral paperwork." She waved a folder in the air.

"If Hojo's pulling some stunt again…" Hikawa grumbled.

"Thousand yen says it's him," Omura said.

"Keep your damn money," Ozawa said as she flipped open the folder, spreading the contents across the desk. "I said the same—not as politely—but no. We've got a genuine war hero on our hands. Frontline against the Unidentified Life Forms from start to end and lived."

"Ichijou Kaoru…" Hikawa looked up, tapping the file. "I've heard of him! I mean, how could I not?" The emotion was rising in his voice, his expression becoming one of reverence. "I read the case files…he got one of them himself, right between the eyes. And kept a decent arrest rate with human criminals at the same time. I've looked up to him ever since I first heard about him…"

"Well, that's. Good, I guess." Ozawa sat back, finding her subordinate's overenthusiasm a little creepy. "Anyway, I guess he's going to be our monster expert, or something." She sighed. "Just hope he isn't some egotistical creep…give a guy a medal and he becomes a hell of an annoyance for the ladies."

"Wouldn't worry about that," Hikawa said. "Something else I heard—he came out in front of a room full of crusty old policemen. Just stared them down. Nobody dared to be a jerk about it."

"Badass," Omura agreed, nodding.

"Nobody asked you," Ozawa responded instantly.

"You don't think it's cool?" Hikawa asked, eyebrow raised.

"No, I agree entirely with what he said," she clarified. "I just disagree with Omura on principle."

"Thanks…I…guess…" Omura muttered.

"Erm…excuse me." They all gave a start at the voice, swivelling to face the door. A tall, kind-faced detective, his light civilian jacket a stark contrast to their uniforms, was standing halfway inside. "To tell the truth, I didn't 'stare anyone down'. I delivered my case report, made the announcement and, as my shift was over, went home." He crossed the room, extending his hand to Ozawa. "Sergeant."

She shook it. "Detective Ichijou, I assume? Take a seat."

Ichijou sat next to Hikawa, then paused, looking curiously over at his junior detective, who seemed to be frozen. "Um…" He waved a hand in front of the starstruck man's face, after a moment jolting him back to reality.

"Ah! Sorry! I just never thought I'd get to work with you, sir!"

"Calm down. We're the same rank, right?"

"Right! Right, yes. Sir. Yes. I mean. Not sir? Detective. Ichijou. Yes. Thank you."

"Are you done?"

"…yes."

"In any case, welcome to the team," Ozawa cut in. "I look forward to working with y—" The alarm overhead blared. "And that's our cue. Guess you'll learn how we operate first-hand, Detective. G3 Unit, move out!"

Ten minutes ago…

For the hundredth time, Shouichi trudged up the street Mana had last been seen on. For the hundredth time, he found nothing. It was getting late, so with a weary step, he turned and headed for home. Maybe by tomorrow someone who'd seen her would get in touch thanks to the missing-person posters he'd put up.

He turned the corner into a side-alley—and practically walked into his sister, almost falling in surprise. "Yukina!" He put himself in her way again. "Hey! It's me, y'know? It's me! Your brother! It's hard to remember anything, but I know you!" He was a hundred percent sure even from his vague memory of her, but her usually-animated face was completely blank. She barely looked at him. She was wearing a simple tracksuit and running shoes, which he seemed to recall as unlike her, too.

She just pushed him aside and kept on walking, without a word.

Actually, that expression, and the way she's moving…reminds me of that kind of 'Agito trance' I used to go into, that made me fight at first, before I knew what I was doing. It stopped taking hold of me so much when I started learning and understanding more…these days it's more like I'm working with it.

But she's…completely in its control? Like there's no human mind for it to compete with? How could that happen to someone as strong-willed as her?

Before he could chase after her, both of them were brought to a physical and mental halt, as a familiar feeling resonated in their minds. In unison, their heads spun to look over their shoulders. Unknown! And close!

Very close, in fact. Shouichi could hear its wet, monstrous hiss as it stalked through the shadows towards him, its form still obscured.

I'm the target this time? He squared his stance, preparing to transform—only to freeze up when it stepped out into the dwindling light. It was a towering, dark grey fish-like horror, its face split open across from its mouth, wing-like crests sweeping out across its shoulders. It raised a staff adorned with crazily-sweeping blades in his direction, taking another hideous breath.

He couldn't remember where, but he had seen this one before. And it terrified him. He didn't know why, or what had happened, but just seeing this monster, he was more scared than he'd ever been in his life. Screaming, he fell back, his intent to fight forgotten, scrambling away and falling every couple of seconds, cowering behind the nearest wall he could find.

Still ignoring him, Yukina walked right past him to face off with the Unknown, a smoothly-designed black and gold belt shimmering into existence about her waist. Both hands dropped to her left side at once, crossing over, before she thrust the right into the air and drew it back down to her shoulder. Then, slowly, calmly exhaling, she moved it further and further out until her arm until it was fully extended.

"Transform!"