An hour had passed since Lanfen had woken up to the announcement of the submarine's imminent docking. As the December snow fell upon Yamaku's crowded ship harbour, Lanfen tightened her black-and-white scarf around her neck, and observed the small waves that were crashing against the inert S.O.N.G. submarine. While she stood in the shadow of the large vessel, the Adaptor waited next to a black escort vehicle with a small bag slung over her shoulder. Godai and Ayano had gone ahead of her to procure clothes for their new teammate, leaving the task of escorting said teammate all to Lanfen. It wasn't a bad idea, Lanfen thought, since she admittedly wasn't much of a fashionista herself.

'Shinonome Aiko'. The name rolled off the tongue with ease. While most people would consider the events of the previous night to be nothing more than a dream, the paranormal aspect of S.O.N.G.'s line of work was beginning to settle itself within Lanfen's mind. The truth was clear as the mid-noon sun which hovered in Yamaku's cloudy skies: Symphogear Team-04 now contained a total of four members, and that fourth member in question was a woman with no memory of her own identity. The files in her pod marked her out as 'discarded equipment'. A mysterious implant lied within her chest. And yet, they had accepted the task of watching over Shinonome without question. It was a rather mundane duty for a Symphogear-Wielder, if anything.

"My apologies for making you wait, Jiang."

Turning her head in the direction of the docked submarine, Lanfen felt her chest slightly tighten at the sight of her new, soft-spoken teammate. While Shinonome was now wearing a proper pair of plain shoes that had been provided to her, the silver-haired woman was still dressed in the same straight-jacket which Lanfen had discovered her in. The beige uniform's loosened restraints were a persistent reminder of Shinonome's circumstances as a passing-by breeze made the woman noticeably shiver in her walk.

"It's fine, Shinonome." Lanfen's hand slowly reached for the scarf around her own neck. "But are you fine with wearing just that?" she added, stepping away from the nearby car to approach the silver-haired woman.

"I will admit, it's rather c-chilly," Shinonome stuttered with a smile which she was clearly forcing herself to maintain. "I should be fine as long as-"

Shinonome's words trailed off when Lanfen stopped in front of her, and pulled off the black-and-white scarf that was shielding the Adaptor from the winter winds. "Use this for now," Lanfen insisted, holding up the thick piece of cloth in both of her hands. "While I'm not exactly a fan of the cold, I'd rather not let you get sick right after you've spent the night in med-bay."

A surprised gaze landed on the scarf that Lanfen was offering before Shinonome gingerly took it off her hands with a small smile. "I suppose you have a point," she softly admitted. "My thanks, Jiang. The gesture is... appreciated." Carefully, Shinonome wrapped the black-and-white cloth around her own neck and curiously felt out the soft wool it was made out of. Lanfen subsequently gestured the silver-haired woman over to the nearby escort vehicle and wordlessly led her towards it.

But right as Shinonome began following Lanfen from behind, the woman had abruptly stopped in her tracks to fixate her attention on the skies above their heads. Lanfen heard the sudden absence of footsteps behind her and turned around to follow Shinonome's gaze. Curious as to what caught her attention, Lanfen could see that Shinonome's unconcealed eye was staring right at a patch of winter clouds where the sun was currently hiding behind. The Adaptor initially guessed that she was concerned about the arrival of a Distortion rift, but the astonished look which Shinonome had on her face told a different story entirely. Lanfen instead wondered if the sight of the sun was a privilege that the silver-haired woman had lacked until now.

"Shinonome," Lanfen said with a hand on her hip. "Are you alright?"

"Huh?" Shinonome swung her attention back to Lanfen. "O-Oh." She brushed off the question with an embarrassed wave of her hands. "My apologies. I just... that bright thing... the 'sun'? It's quite beautiful, isn't it? Even if the weather makes it rather hard to see it at the moment, I can't help but appreciate-" When Shinonome noticed the peculiar look which Lanfen was giving her, the woman promptly coughed into her fist, and hastily caught up to the Adaptor with a hand on her borrowed scarf. "A-Anyway. Let's not keep our escort from waiting too long."

Strange. But Lanfen herself hardly possessed the right to judge. It was almost endearing, if Lanfen was being honest with herself. Holding back whatever comment that was sitting on her tongue, Lanfen headed over to the S.O.N.G. escort vehicle, and opened up one of its doors for Shinonome to climb inside. Once the silver-haired woman had secured her seatbelt, Lanfen inputted a signal into her wrist device before entering the black car as well. The signal which Lanfen had transmitted gave the car's assigned drivers their cue as the vehicle rumbled to life, and drove out of the docked submarine's shadow to slowly exit the snowy ship harbour's premises.

The drive was hardly any different from the one Lanfen had experienced yesterday. Just like the day before, a barrier was placed between the passenger seats and the driver seats, preventing the pair from even seeing their designated drivers. While Lanfen and Shinonome sat next to each other, a large, metal suitcase rested next to the Adaptor's leg. All of the legal documents Shinonome required to pass herself off as a Japanese citizen safely rested inside it alongside a batch of medicines that Professor Elfnein had readied for her. With the morning haze still fogging up Lanfen's mind, the Adaptor reached for the bag which Godai had left with them, and pulled out an ice-cold can of coffee.

Relying on caffeine was going to be a necessary evil for Lanfen's line of work. To think it had been almost ten years since she ingested any sort of coffee into her system.

A light pop pierced the air and Lanfen brought the opened can to her lips. Bitter. Just like she should have expected. Pulling it away from her face with audible disgust, Lanfen glanced over to Shinonome, and watched as the woman quietly peered out of the vehicle's tinted windows. Shinonome's hands were touching the glass while her face hovered close enough for her breath to start fogging up the window. Not that she really noticed it, of course. Shinonome was simply far too preoccupied with the flashing advertisement boards, car-filled roads, and towering skyscrapers of Yamaku city. The arrival of Christmas day was imminent by now, so it was impossible to glance in any direction without spotting some sort of Christmas decor which had been set up practically overnight.

"'Shinonome Aiko'," Lanfen said, causing the person in question to look back at her with a curious smile and small tilt of the head. Placing her canned coffee within the cup-holder of the armrest between them, Lanfen crossed her legs, and casually fiddled with the tips of the black braid which rested on her shoulder. "... Was it a name that the others gave you? I noticed that it didn't take long for them to send out an announcement with it."

Shinonome softly giggled and shuffled in her seat to face the Adaptor. It was a sound that was admittedly pleasing to hear. "Quite the opposite, in fact. Even before the Commander had arrived to tell me about the news, the Professor had already handed me a list of names I could choose to go by." She reached into one of her straight-jacket's few pockets and pulled out a small, pen-shaped device. A quick tap of a built-in button projected a holographic ID card with her new name on it. "I chose it because I think it sounded beautiful. Don't you think the same?"

An array of proverbial sparkles was practically flashing around Shinonome. There was a clear sense of pride with the name she had chosen for herself, and Lanfen couldn't help but be amused by it as the Adaptor replied with the briefest of smiles. "It definitely suits you; I won't deny that." Lanfen picked up her coffee and took another much-needed sip before placing it back down again. "As long as you're happy with your name, that's all that matters. When it comes to who you are, the opinions of others shouldn't really matter, if I'm being honest with you."

"That is true. But I will add that your own name suits you quite well, too." As the right side of Shinonome's face remained concealed beneath her long fringes, the silver-haired woman pocketed her ID card projector to place a hand on her pale cheek. Her left, unconcealed eye fixated itself on Lanfen with a sudden flash of curiosity. "Say, did you choose your own name as well? Because it certainly has a different 'feel' to it compared to all the others."

The longer they focused on this topic, the harder it was for Lanfen to hold back an earnest chuckle. This was probably the first casual interaction in a while now where she didn't have to concern herself with the matters of S.O.N.G., nor her duties as their greenhorn Adaptor for even one bit. And yet, it was with someone as enigmatic as Shinonome. "The surname is something that was given to me. I only chose my first names: 'Cassandra' and 'Lanfen'." One of her hands slowly reached for the smartphone in her pocket to caress the toy which hung from it by a silver chain. "Admittedly, I... needed some help when it came to picking them out."

Evidently amused by their conversation, Shinonome nodded in agreement before suddenly leaning in closer to Lanfen. "It can be quite difficult, isn't it? Even when the Professor gave me that list, I was amazed by all the names that were available to choose from. Thankfully, the Professor was able to help-" An abrupt yawn cut off her words and Shinonome cupped her mouth with her hands to shield it. She let out a small sigh before pulling herself away from Lanfen with an embarrassed smile. "I... suppose what happened last night is still taking its toll on me, isn't it?"

Anyone would say the same after what she's been through, Lanfen thought to herself. Releasing her smartphone's accessory from her grip, Lanfen gestured to the can of coffee which sat in the cup-holder between them. "I can't promise that it'll taste nice, but it should help you stay awake." When her suggestion was answered by a curious nod, Lanfen reached for the bag that Godai had left with her, and unzipped it to find a second can for Shinonome. She had to push aside a few chocolate bars before Lanfen finally pulled out another ice-cold can of caffeine. "I'd recommend tea next time, but-"

Lanfen's gaze returned to her companion and the Adaptor felt her voice suddenly abandon her. As the bag in her hand was slowly placed down on the armrest between them, Lanfen found herself to be incapable of doing anything more than blink at the sight of Shinonome taking a few meager sips from an opened can of coffee. The same can of coffee which Lanfen had been drinking from earlier. They both felt the escort vehicle halt before a red light, and Lanfen wordlessly watched while Shinonome drank up what was left inside the can with a satisfied smile. The silver-haired woman promptly placed the empty tin can aside and glanced back at Lanfen with a curious tilt of her head.

"Is something wrong, Jiang?"

There were only a few things that could surprise Lanfen nowadays. A small thing such as this shouldn't have been one of them. "... It's nothing. Don't worry about it," Lanfen muttered, popping open the second can for herself. It was difficult to ignore the subtle warmth which was growing around her cheeks. With her gaze now fixated on the tinted windows to her right, Lanfen laid back in her seat and distracted herself with her second bitter drink. From just a quick glance at the city streets around them, she could see that the repairs to Yamaku's damaged buildings were already nearing completion. "How's... the taste? It's not something that everyone can really stomach."

"A peculiar flavour, but I can see why some would find themselves relying on such a thing," Shinonome said, peering out of the nearest door window again to gaze at the colourful Christmas lights that adorned the streets. A flash of realization then proceeded to visibly hit the silver-haired woman as she diverted her gaze back to Lanfen, and nervously pressed the tips of her fingers against one another. "Oh, and on the topic of... reliance..." Shinonome whispered, hiding the lower half of her face beneath her borrowed scarf. "I... wanted to thank you for being willing to watch over me. Like I mentioned before, if there's anything I can do to help, I will try my best to... or maybe..."

Just like when Lanfen had rushed out into the snow to save her, the Adaptor felt that there was nothing else she could have chosen to do aside from the path they were now on. If there was something, Lanfen still wouldn't have thought twice about their decision. Putting down her second can in the other armrest's cup-holder, Lanfen grasped her pendant between two fingers and showed the red crystal to Shinonome. "Don't worry too much about it. You have your own issues to deal with, Shinonome," Lanfen assured her with a sharp nod. "My job is to protect people, so you can just focus on your recovery for now while we handle the rest, alright?"

Shinonome's golden eyes flickered in astonishment as she rested her twiddling fingers at her side and slowly nodded in return. "That's certainly... true," she admitted with a soft giggle which was muffled by the black-and-white scarf around Shinonome's neck. "Then, I hope we can get along nicely from here on out, Jiang. I just hope that I won't trouble you all too much." Shinonome's words were assured by a small smile from Lanfen, seemingly allowing her to finally relax as her gaze went back to the flashing city lights outside the tinted windows.

While Shinonome continued to take in the sights of Yamaku City, Lanfen had returned to her second can of coffee. Every now and then, Lanfen would curiously peek at her silver-haired companion, just to make sure that Shinonome wasn't showing any signs of physical illness. Even if her medical reports noted that she was perfectly stable, Lanfen couldn't ignore the fact that Shinonome was going to rely on medicine to keep her as healthy as she looked right now. Her metallic implant wasn't hindering her in any discernible way either, which was a relief. If anything, Lanfen was impressed by how well Shinonome had accepted her situation, in spite of the circumstances which plagued her.

Being able to converse with someone about something as mundane as their own names certainly felt nice as well. After everything that had recently occurred, Lanfen had almost forgotten what it was like to enjoy a moment of normality.


Click

A quick press of a button caused the apartment's elevator doors to close back up. With a suitcase full of documents and medicine capsules in Lanfen's right hand, and a small bag of snacks slung over her shoulder, Lanfen and Shinonome quietly stood at each other's sides while the elevator ascended to the building's eight floor. Ayano and Godai should have returned from their shopping trip by now, so Lanfen steeled herself in preparation for whatever sort of clothes the pair had decided to buy for their new teammate. Ayano was nothing if not ecstatic when the two had driven off ahead of her. Seeing the elevator slowly reach their destination, Lanfen felt a sudden tug on the sleeve of her winter jacket.

The Adaptor glanced aside and noticed the concern that was writ upon Shinonome's face. Lanfen quickly grew worried herself. "What's wrong?"

The silver-haired woman placed a hand on her cheek and slowly looked back at Lanfen with pursed lips. "On the way here, I couldn't help but notice how sad so many of the people in this city looked," Shinonome whispered with a mixture of curiosity and worry. "Did... something happen here recently? It's not often that one feels an atmosphere that is this... uneasy."

Shinonome's words were unsurprising, but it still prompted a small twitch of Lanfen's sword-hand. It had barely been half a week since the Distortions' global attack. With everything that's been happening lately, Lanfen felt as though it had instead been weeks by now since the rifts first tore into existence over Yamaku's skyline. "You can say that," Lanfen carefully whispered back. "A couple days ago, something... terrible happened. Not just here, but in most places around the world. Everyone's understandably a little on edge because of that."

"I see..." Shinonome muttered, sighing into her borrowed scarf while she gripped it with both of her hands. The small comfort the black-and-white provided her seemingly helped put her at ease as Shinonome held back whatever other question she clearly had regarding the recent tragedy. "I just hope that whoever that was affected by it finds peace someday. It's rather unfortunate to see this many people suffering like this."

Lanfen parted her lips to speak, but nothing came out as she simply nodded in agreement, and tightened her grip on the handle of the suitcase in her hand. The elevator subsequently juddered to a halt, and the sliding doors finally opened up before Lanfen stepped out of it to lead Shinonome to her apartment. A quick dive into her pockets brought out Lanfen's keys, but when the pair found themselves standing in front of her apartment entrance, the two quickly noticed a written note which had been taped onto the door. The words 'From Ayano Komichi' were clearly displayed on it. Lanfen had to wonder why her teammate couldn't have just sent a text message through their communicators.

Shinonome, on the other hand, was clearly amused by the old-fashioned gesture. "I'm assuming that this is from the others?" she asked, peeling the note off the door before opening it up for both of them to read. Since Lanfen and Shinonome were of the same height, the former simply needed to lean in closer to check what Ayano had written for them.

"Hello! Hello! This is Ayano Komichi (and Godai Yuki), and while we would loooooooove to talk more with our brand-new teammate today, the two of us were suddenly called in by work to deal with some boring government stuff! Boo! Anyway! We managed to finish our shopping before we needed to head off, so we've left Shinonome's clothes inside your apartment! We'll probably be back by tomorrow, so please do your best in making her feel super at-home! Pow-pow! Swish-swoosh! We picked out the best clothes for her, so there's nothing in those bags that will disappoint you even the slightest! Bye byeeeee!"

"They certainly sound busy, don't they?" Shinonome commented with a giggle, closing up the note in her hands once Lanfen had finished reading it as well.

Lanfen gave a small shrug and a dry scoff before she inserted her keys into the front door. "I can't really do much outside of fighting, so you could say that I'm relying on those two to take care of the more complicated matters. Either way, we should head inside." A couple metallic clicks rang out in succession as Lanfen opened up the door and quickly ushered Shinonome into the warmth of the apartment. When the Adaptor closed up the entrance behind her, Lanfen let out a small sigh of relief while the lights above them slowly switched on. Unfortunately, Lanfen's troubles had yet to truly leave her.

After locking the front door and sliding her keys into her pocket, Lanfen gazed down the brightly-lit hallway entrance of her apartment, and clicked her tongue at the numerous shopping bags which completely blocked their path. When Ayano promised her that she would be buying Shinonome some clothes, Lanfen assumed that she was going to be bringing in enough to last a whole week without washing anything. What Lanfen saw before them instead was a pile of shopping bags that could probably fill out an entire wardrobe in an instant. While the paychecks from their line of work were considerably high, this was simply bordering on ridiculous.

Lanfen glanced over to her right where she could see that Shinonome was just as speechless as she was.

It took the silver-haired woman a moment to even formulate a proper response. "I... don't know how I'll be able to repay them for this."

"Knowing them? This was probably free-of-charge," Lanfen dryly remarked, putting down her suitcase and the bag she was carrying so she could take off her boots, and gesture Shinonome to the shoe closet on their right. Once they had taken off their footwear, Lanfen grabbed the nearest pair of shopping bags, and started squeezing her way through the hallway entrance's literal barricade. "If you still want to 'repay' them, a simple 'thanks' in-person would be enough for those two."

With Shinonome's help, it didn't take long for the pair to bring all of the shopping bags into the apartment's living room. Despite the size of the bags, they were rather light, so there was little issue in gathering all of them underneath the living room's dining table. Lanfen counted between nine-to-eleven bags of clothes, and it was clear from their designs that Ayano had essentially gone to the best brands that one could find around Yamaku's shopping malls. That was probably to be expected of her, Lanfen admitted to herself. When the last of the bags had finally been brought to the living room, Lanfen dusted her hands, and placed them on her hips while Shinonome rested on a dining chair to curiously examine her new surroundings.

Subconsciously, Lanfen's purple eyes shifted over to her silent wrist device. The Adaptor's gaze remained on it for several seconds until Lanfen shook her head and clicked her tongue at her inability to relax. The Distortions had yet to reappear in Japan, so the only thing which mattered right now was making sure that Shinonome was comfortable in her new home. One thing at a time, Lanfen thought to herself.

The Adaptor placed the metal suitcase down on the counter near the dining table before gesturing to her apartment with a hand on her hip. "Well, this is it. The place you'll be staying in until further notice. It's not much, but it has everything you'll need," Lanfen said, trying her best to sound as welcoming as possible. As she started to give a verbal tour of the place, Shinonome listened to her without question. "There's two bathrooms near the front door. Same place where the washing machine is located, too. That room there is the practice room where I tend to train, so you won't find much in it. I have a bedroom, but since you're here, you can take it while I sleep in the living room."

Shinonome buried half of her face into the borrowed scarf around her neck, clearly feeling guilty after hearing that last sentence. "Oh... My apologies if you have to do that. I'm intruding, aren't I?"

"It's fine. I'd rather not have a guest sleep on the floor," Lanfen insisted with a small shrug when her eyes suddenly glanced over to the door that led to Kai's bedroom. The Adaptor dug her fingernails into the palms of her hands as she chose to leave the room in question out of her tour entirely. "You can go and get changed now," Lanfen told her, taking up one of the shopping bags and opening it up so she could hand over a batch of clothes to Shinonome. The straight-jacket was honestly becoming distracting to look at. "Use what you like for now. I'll get the rest of these washed by tomorrow."

Curiously taking her new clothing into her hands, Shinonome gave a polite bow and wordlessly stepped into Lanfen's bedroom. As the door locked itself shut, Lanfen let out a tired sigh before she pulled off her winter jacket. She hung the black attire on a coat rack next to her kotatsu table, all while fighting the urge to even look in the direction of her family shrine. Closing her eyes shut, Lanfen instead glanced over to the living room's shelves to try and distract herself. But while she had been thorough in removing all of Kai's belongings from the living room, it was only then did Lanfen realize that she had actually missed one last item.

It was Kai's electronic tablet.

She did not know how she had managed to miss something like that. Slowly, Lanfen stepped over to the shelves and picked up the device in both of her hands. With a quick click of a button, the tablet lit up to showcase an opened picture gallery which Kai had apparently forgotten to close. Lanfen's narrowed eyes ran their gaze over the numerous photos of Kai's birthday, her fingertips essentially moving on their own while they swiped from one image to the next. By the time Lanfen had snapped out of her entranced state, she had already reached the end of the image gallery. The last photo Kai had taken was just before the day of the global attack.

A simple image of Kai and Lanfen gleefully enjoying themselves in a Valkyranger theme-park.

"I'm sorry." The words felt almost meaningless from her at this point. But it was all Lanfen could say as she took out a thumb-drive from the shelves and inserted it into the tablet. A few taps on the device prompted it to start transferring every bit of data it possessed into the portable memory-drive. While the data transmission went on, Lanfen left the tablet on the dining table as the Adaptor leaned her body against the living room counter with eyes that were struggling to remain open.

Lanfen hoped that - with a cleared tablet - Shinonome would be able to read up on whatever she could find to help recover her memory and navigate this world. There wasn't really anything else which Lanfen knew she could do to ease Shinonome's transition into this new life. As the data transmission reached completion, there was an audible ring that prompted Lanfen to finally detach the thumb-drive from the electronic tablet. The device was now as empty as when Lanfen had first bought it for Kai during last Christmas. Not that it mattered. There was no one else to use it now other than Shinonome, after all. Now that Lanfen was done with the thumb-drive, Lanfen went back to the shelves and stowed it away on the upper segments where it would be the hardest to reach.

She heard the bedroom door open up again and Lanfen quickly wiped away the stray tears which were lingering in the corners of her eyes. When the Adaptor turned around to face the silver-haired woman, Lanfen's purple eyes widened slightly at the sight of a long, flowing skirt and a green turtleneck sweater that fitted Shinonome perfectly. But as the woman stepped out of the bedroom and playfully spun around in astonishment at her new outfit, Shinonome's golden eyes suddenly fixated their gaze on the door which led to Kai's bedroom. Seemingly entranced by its glimmering doorknob the same way Shinonome had been with the lights of Yamaku City, the silver-haired woman curiously reached out a hand towards the door.

"Never go in there." Those words came out of Lanfen's mouth like a verbal thrust. Lanfen only realized their intensity when she noticed the way Shinonome trembled from her firm, sudden warning. As Shinonome immediately retracted her hand from the doorknob, Lanfen tightened her shaking hands into fists and quickly added, "S-Sorry, I..." Lanfen tightened her lips. The way Shinonome was nervously fidgeting before her prompted the Adaptor to avoid her gaze. "No one is allowed in there," she tried to gently explain. "Not even myself. It's... personal."

Several awkward seconds passed by. The silence of the apartment was almost agonizing. By the time Lanfen was even able to look at Shinonome again, the silver-haired woman had clasped her hands together, seemingly calmed down by now. "I'll keep that in mind. Sometimes, my curiosity just gets the better of me," Shinonome politely told her with a hand on her cheek. "My apologies, Jiang." She punctuated her words with a formal bow which Lanfen felt wasn't necessary.

Unable to find the words to even respond with, Lanfen approached Shinonome with the electronic tablet held under one arm and slowly handed it over to her. "You can use this if you want to read up on anything you need. Just... be sure to take care of it. If you need me, I'll be in the practice room. My job requires me to stay in shape, after all." Lanfen received a small, wordless nod as Shinonome gingerly took the device and held it close to her chest. "I... Sorry."

Lanfen had left the living room faster than her senses could even process it. Closing the door to the practice room behind her shut, the Adaptor leaned against the hard wood, and slowly slumped against it with a sigh that was seeping through tightly-clenched teeth. The lights to the practice room had yet to be switched on, so Lanfen quietly sat down in the darkness for an amount of time she did not care to measure. When the Adaptor finally picked herself up from the matted floor, Lanfen positioned herself in front of the picture of her parents which she had taped onto a wall of her room, and knelt down before it with closed eyes.

If either of Lanfen's parents were still here, she knew that they would be admonishing her for losing control of her temper right then and there.


Genjuuro's private quarters in the S.O.N.G. submarine would be considered small by most for a man of his stature. Both physically and metaphorically. His superiors had offered him a larger alternative during the vessel's design stages, but the Commander specifically asked for a room which was no different from the ones his colleagues enjoyed. Even so, Genjuuro sat comfortably at his quarter's desk while a shelf of antique DVDs was placed next to his bed, carrying classics ranging from The Thing (1982), to movies such as Kill Bill and Pacific Rim. Unfortunately, the situation at hand had given the man little time to enjoy the luxury of a good movie.

Sitting on his table were multiple monitor screens, each of them showcasing the current defensive zones that the Symphogears were holding, alongside technological details regarding the SG-r04 Sword of Damocles. Steam billowed from the giant mug of coffee which the Commander held in one hand. After taking a grateful sip of the hot drink, Genjuuro stroked his goatee in thought, and continued gazing at Professor Elfnein's analytical reports of S.O.N.G.'s newest Symphogear. The man's quiet afternoon was then interrupted by an incoming audio transmission that was flashing across every single one of his terminal's monitor screens.

The symbol of the United Nations earned itself a glare from the Commander as he inputted a command into the holographic keyboard of his terminal and connected the line.

The council's spokesperson came through the speakers, speaking as 'politely' as always. "Greetings, Commander Kazanari. I am assuming that you have already sent out your personnel to deal with the matter at hand?"

Genjuuro docked his giant mug on a special, claw-like cup-holder that was attached to his table before resting his elbows on the reinforced armrests of his chair. "Correct, Spokesperson. Two of my agents - Ayano Komichi and Godai Yuki - will soon be meeting with representatives of the Japanese government. There is currently hesitation among their numbers towards the establishment of Task Force Harmony's Japanese branch. But I can assure you that this matter will be smoothened out in less than 24 hours. You may rely on those two to settle the problem without much issue."

"Splendid work. While the council understands the trepidation that the Japanese government may have with increasing their armed forces, the mere existence of the Distortions is a threat which cannot be ignored. On the matter of the Distortions themselves, the council once again extends their gratitude to the diligent efforts of your Adaptor corps, Commander Kazanari. While the damages incurred by their counterattacks are rather unfortunate, they have done an excellent job in maintaining a global defense against the Distortion incursions. I'm sure that recent attacks in the past twelve hours will be taken care of quickly by the efforts of the Kazanari Humanitarian Front."

Polite words and gratitude. Neither of them felt like they were worth a damn when it came from the world council of all places. Holding back a tired grunt, Genjuuro leaned back in his chair and directly asked them, "When can the Adaptors be expected to receive direct assistance from Task Force Harmony, Spokesperson?"

"In no more than a day, I can promise you that. The United Nations is currently sorting out the preparations of announcing their formation to the grieving world, and while the establishment of such a force is no small feat, the growing resentment towards the Distortions has made gathering recruits, funding, and political backing all the more easier. We intend to recruit the best of the best, as S.O.N.G. certainly deserves no less than that in the battles you are often expected to face. Their deployment should considerably lessen the burden which we are currently placing on your Adaptors for the time being."

The Commander tapped a finger on the edge of his armrest, adding, "And who will the Task Force be operating under the orders of?"

"Why, they will be answering to the beck-and-call of the world council directly, Commander Kazanari. While you may seldom expect situations where command of their squadrons will have to fall under the authority of S.O.N.G., Task Force Harmony shall be a separate entity from your organization as far as I'm concerned. The world council wouldn't want so much power to accumulate beneath a single organization, as I'm sure you would understand."

A 'Section Three' in a sense, the Commander thought to himself. "Understood, Spokesperson." Despite this transmission being Genjuuro's only interaction with the Spokesperson in the past 24 hours, he was already growing tired of dealing with the council for the day. "We'll be continuing to maintain our guard against the presence of rifts until further notice. The enemy may be arriving in smaller numbers, but that isn't cause for us to ease up in the face of the enemy. May the formation of Task Force Harmony be a successful one, Spokesperson."

"And may the winds of fate blow in your favour, Commander Kazanari."

The transmission switched off as the symbol of the United Nations vanished from the Commander's monitor screens. With that meeting accomplished, Genjuuro relaxed his aching bones on the backrest of his reinforced chair, and eased his temples with two fingers. The vessel was only an hour away from reaching the shores of Europe, and while combat was often expected when it came to S.O.N.G.'s business, the crew was undeniably growing exhausted from the recent assaults in Sydney, New York, and London. He was going to have to make a mental note to prepare some sort of party for the entire workforce once they've achieved some sort of reprieve from the constant fighting.

Returning his gaze to the monitor screens, the Commander continued reading up on Lanfen's combat reports when another incoming transmission popped up on a single monitor this time. A quick read of the contact ID showed him that it was a video transmission from Maria, prompting Genjuuro to quickly answer the transmission with a single tap on his keyboard. A video screen overtook one of his side monitors, allowing the Commander to see that Maria was calling him from her shared bedroom suite in London.

Despite having fought off a group of Category-1 Casters just an hour ago, Maria was no worse for wear as she sat at an exquisite tea table in a sweater which was decorated with blue bird symbols. "It's not easy settling down for a honeymoon when the Distortions keep on appearing, isn't it?" Maria mused, holding up a hot cup of tea between her fingers with a pinkie stuck out. Behind her, Genjuuro could see the exquisite decor that lined the walls of the Kazanari's suite.

Genjuuro smiled at her little jest. "You can expect S.O.N.G. to grant you the finest of honeymoons once we have the time, Maria." He typed onto his keyboard, bringing up a list of paradise resorts on the monitor screen next to the one he was conversing with. The Commander had been planning to book the married couple a relaxing trip, but the recent global attack had obviously thrown a wrench in that idea. "Is there something you wanted to talk about? I know you're capable, but I'd prefer it if you all rested as much as you can in these exhausting times."

Maria placed her teacup down on an expensive-looking saucer plate and folded her hands on top of her lap. "It's about the S.W.O.R.D., Uncle," she stated, causing the Commander to furrow his brow at the name of the weapon. "While the Spokesperson gave us a clear idea of its purpose, I wanted to ask what it exactly does to Cassandra once it's activated on the battlefield. It doesn't sound too different from, say, the Ignite Module or Amalgam."

S.W.O.R.D. 'Symphogear-Weapon-of-Relentless-Destruction'.

When Genjuuro had signed the order to initiate the project, he wondered if he had instead signed a deal with the devil to ensure S.O.N.G.'s backing of the world council. "If one were to put it bluntly, you could say that it's a weapon which turns its Wielder into nothing more than a walking fighting machine," he slowly explained with a glance at Lanfen's combat reports on his other monitor screens. "While its main ability is to neutralize the phonic gain of an opposing Symphogear, the raw power it infuses into its Wielder alone makes it a frightening opponent. It's a dire weapon. And it's the reason why I almost wished that the Sword of Damocles had been lost during its theft."

The Commander's words made Maria shift uneasily in her seat. "Are you worried that such a weapon will cause conflict within our ranks, Uncle?"

This time, Genjuuro shook his head. As his eyes fell on the images of S.O.N.G.'s newest Adaptor, something about Lanfen conjured up old memories which the Commander had not visited in a while. "The S.W.O.R.D. is a fearsome system. No doubt about that. But what worries me isn't the weapon itself. It's the Wielder." He inputted a command into his terminal, digitizing the profile of Cynthia Jiang Kai-Ming on his central monitor screen. "After what she's recently experienced, I can only hope that our new Adaptor will be able to accustom herself to her new life. While the order to monitor her was placed due to Lanfen's suspected theft of the SG-r04, the order to assign Komichi and Yuki is one that's meant to help her first and foremost."

"To help her process the passing of her sister, you mean?" Maria's careful question was answered by a firm nod from the Commander.

Genjuuro honestly considered himself lucky that a pair of individuals like Komichi and Yuki just so happened to be a part of the organization. Even luckier that they were close with Chris, as it allowed them to be recommended as fast as they were. "The same reasoning can be said of the woman who's recently joined them. I knew full well that Lanfen would have an easier time talking with someone who isn't there to monitor her. In a way, Lanfen reminds me a lot of Kanade, too. So, I intend to do what I can to help her navigate what she's going through. It's a long-shot, but low chances have never stopped me from trying."

The pink-haired woman smiled and returned to her tea to take a gracious sip of her Earl Grey. "If that's the case, I'll be sharing those exact sentiments, Uncle. With how far we're currently stationed from each other, I can only pray that Cassandra will be able to process her circumstances better than I did with Serena." The mention of her own younger sister brought a wistful look to Maria's face. "I just hope that she'll be willing to reach out her hand to the other Wielders and I when the time comes. Especially when one remembers the weight which the council has just placed on her shoulders."

The Sword of Damocles. Shinonome Aiko. Distortions. A woman in an azure suit. S.W.O.R.D.

Once again, Commander Genjuuro quietly feared just who exactly had stolen the SG-r04. The council was perfectly fine with placing the blame on Lanfen as a way of 'encouraging' her recruitment. But not a single member of S.O.N.G. could entertain the idea that Lanfen had somehow stolen the relic shard from the Illuminati hideout. Furthermore, the Commander had to wonder why the SG-r04 was even handed back to them, both completely functional and without any deviation from the intended design. If their resources weren't completely occupied with handling the Distortion threat right now, the Commander wouldn't hesitate to launch a full investigation of the woman in the blue suit who Lanfen had described during her questioning. He could only hope that the presence of Task Force Harmony will genuinely lighten their burden.


Thrusts. Swings. Ripostes. Parries. And so much more. With the Chinese sword replica in her hand, Lanfen rested no more than five seconds between her practiced swings on the matted floor of her apartment's dimly-lit practice room. Her battles against the Distortions - and her desired encounter with her sister's killer - required no less of Lanfen as cold sweat dotted her brown skin over the course of several hours. Eventually, the ray of sunlight that was shining through the room's lone window began to dim. By the time Lanfen chose to even spare it a second's glance, the light which was peeking through the gaps of the window's closed curtains had already transitioned into moonlight.

That was enough for today, she finally thought to herself. Once Lanfen had stowed away her training equipment in the room's old wooden chest, she excused herself from the practice room with a bow in front of her parents' photograph, stepped out into the empty, brightly-lit living room, and headed over to the kitchen to draw a different sort of blade this time.

Kitchen knives. Chicken. Ginger. Papaya. With her father's old recipes basically imprinted in her mind, Lanfen wasted no time taking out her pots, cutting boards, and a ladle so she could prepare some good, old-fashioned tinola soup. It was another personal favourite of Lanfen, but with the presence of her new guest, the Adaptor could only hope that Shinonome would also take a liking to this classic Filipino soup. This was going to be the first meal that Shinonome would be having outside of the S.O.N.G. submarine, no less. After washing her hands and donning an apron on top of her tank top and sports shorts, Lanfen drew out her kitchen knives and started cooking tonight's dinner.

Not too much salt. Not too little either. Wash the rice while the stew boils and then place it in the cooker before going back to the chicken in the soup. Lanfen remembered all the directions her father instructed her years ago as if it was just yesterday that he began teaching Lanfen how to cook. While the Adaptor was certain that she was nearing the same level which her father once stood on, Lanfen still couldn't help but wonder what he would say about her skills these days. This was her first-time cooking for someone other than Kai, now that she thought about it. Lanfen rarely ever found the opportunity to have someone other than her little sister try out her home-cooking.

After spending some time going through all of her memorized steps, Lanfen eventually found herself staring down on a pot of boiling tinola soup with a prepared ladle in her hand. The soup had been boiled to a visual perfection, and although the rice itself had yet to finish cooking, Lanfen didn't mind allowing the soup to simmer for just a while longer. As practiced, she scooped up some of the soup into her ladle and brought it to her lips to check on its taste. The lack of any reaction on her tongue promptly reminded Lanfen of the recent uselessness of her taste buds as she placed down the kitchen item and clicked her tongue at her forgetfulness.

"Dammit."

A faint noise from the living room caught her attention. Lanfen held her breath and listened in closely to realize that it was coming from the living room's television. It had been several hours by now since what had happened this afternoon, but Lanfen still couldn't forget how she suddenly lashed out against Shinonome. It wasn't Shinonome's fault to begin with, considering how Lanfen had told her nothing about Kai's bedroom beforehand. The words simply came out of her faster than Lanfen could even think. With a few swipes of her hands, Lanfen untied her apron, placed it on a rack, and switched off the stove before hesitantly dragging herself out of the apartment's kitchen.

As the Adaptor slowly stepped through the kitchen's open doorway, Lanfen spotted Shinonome making herself comfortable at the living room's kotatsu table while her attention fixated itself on the television. A nature documentary was currently playing on the screen, giving Shinonome a detailed explanation of the lush forests of Borneo alongside the numerous wildlife that peacefully lived among the dense vegetation. Just like Lanfen expected of Shinonome, the silver-haired woman was absolutely fascinated by what she was seeing. Not a single sound escaped her the entire time she sat there. Shinonome's new outfit was certainly easier to look at compared to her straight-jacket.

Lanfen slowly dug her fingernails into the palm of her sword-hand. Placing her other hand on the doorway she was standing under, Lanfen audibly gulped before carefully speaking up, "Shinonome?" Her words caused the silver-haired woman to look back at Lanfen with a small tilt of her head. "Are... you alright?" Those words have never felt any harder to say than it did right there.

Shinonome's unconcealed, golden eye blinked in evident confusion before she brought a hand to her cheek with a small smile. "What is there to worry about, Jiang? Did something occur while I wasn't looking?"

"It's about-" Lanfen noticed the gaze which Shinonome was giving her. She promptly closed her mouth and took in a deep breath to relax herself. From just a single glance at Shinonome's eyes, it was obvious that the silver-haired woman harboured no hard feelings for what Lanfen did. It was all water under the bridge and there was no reason to continue fretting over it. Lanfen felt silly for still worrying too much, and yet it was just something she couldn't help but feel ashamed of. "Could you... come over here for a second?" Lanfen gently asked her. "I'd like your opinion on tonight's dinner."

The mention of a home-cooked meal ignited a flash of curiosity within Shinonome's golden eyes. As the silver-haired woman slid out of the warm kotatsu table, Shinonome fixed her long skirt before following Lanfen through the kitchen doorway. Lanfen made sure to point out any potential hazards inside the kitchen when she brought Shinonome over to the stove, scooped up a bit of the soup into a nearby ladle, and handed it over to her golden-eyed guest. While Shinonome took a sip of the soup, the Adaptor unintentionally held her breath. A second passed by and Shinonome quizzically tilted her head to one side.

"That's amazing." Those two astonished words caused Lanfen to quietly sigh in relief. "While I am by no means a picky eater, your cooking is rather impressive, Jiang," Shinonome said, placing down the ladle on a nearby plate to give the Adaptor an earnest smile. "I can tell that you've put a lot of effort into this."

Lanfen's father probably would have been disappointed in her if her cooking skills ever degenerated. To hear that the tinola had turned out perfectly assured Lanfen that even without her ability to taste anything right now, the Adaptor was by no means a worse cook because of it. This at least meant that Lanfen was still useful for more than just swinging the Sword of Damocles around. "The rice is still cooking, but it should be done in ten more minutes," Lanfen said, absent-mindedly scratching her bandaged cheek with one finger.

There was that flash of curiosity in those golden eyes again. Whenever Shinonome did that, Lanfen couldn't help but be distracted by those shimmering eyes. They contrasted perfectly with Lanfen's own tired, purple eyes. "Could I...?" Shinonome muttered, pressing the tips of her index fingers against one another. "Could I try and cook next time as well? It looks fun, and there's a lot I wish to learn. So..."

It wouldn't hurt to have an extra pair of hands in the kitchen, Lanfen thought, responding with the smallest of smiles. "Sure. Follow me." Taking the lead once again, Lanfen brought Shinonome out into the living room where the shelves were located. The Adaptor's hand ran itself over the spines of multiple books until her fingertips brushed against one large book in particular. Checking to make sure that it was her father's old cookbook, Lanfen brought it out and handed it over to Shinonome. "Even a beginner can use this to make something nice. Just follow the steps and you should do just fine."

The astonishment in those golden eyes was almost overwhelming. As Shinonome gingerly took the cookbook into her hands, the silver-haired woman softly smiled before she started flipping through pages of dishes, stews, and other sorts of cuisines. Lanfen didn't mind being the designated cook of the apartment, but it felt nice seeing Shinonome pick up something that caught her eye. Especially if it made Shinonome somewhat happy. But before Lanfen could mention something about her father's old cookbook, something in the corner of her eye suddenly caught her attention. Lanfen swung her gaze over to the television and noticed a news broadcast which was currently playing on the screen.

A broadcast regarding the new memorial built to honour those who were lost in the global attack days ago.

Lanfen's sword-hand ached at her side, causing her to clench it into a shaking fist while her eyes glued itself to the television's screen. She then felt a gaze fall upon her. Looking back at Shinonome, Lanfen noticed that her companion was now staring at her with obvious concern. Shinonome held the cookbook close to her chest before also setting her sights onto the television, evidently uneased by the news broadcast.

"Is this about the incident you mentioned?" Shinonome carefully asked, clearly walking on proverbial eggshells.

Lanfen returned her gaze to the television and slowly nodded. That was the only answer the Adaptor could give on the spot. In an attempt to try and distract herself, Lanfen tore her eyes away from the screen, only for her sights to unwittingly set themselves upon her family shrine. Lanfen could not know if Shinonome had gone out of her way to examine it in the past few hours, but Lanfen did not wish to ask. Kai's broken smartphone still sat on top of the glass table, clearly untouched while it was placed next to the chessboard which was frozen in an ongoing match that would never end. As the living room's yellow lights shone on the two dusty items, Lanfen wondered if it was time to finally explain just what had happened to the world.

Her voice was barely above a whisper. "A few days ago, the same monsters that attacked you appeared all over the world." Lanfen leaned against the living room's dining table with a hand on the backrest of a chair. The rice cooker which sat on top of the dining table still had yet to ring. "We managed to push them back, but a lot of people still ended up getting hurt." The image of the rifts in Yamaku's skyline flashed before her vision, causing her to softly bite down on her lip. "There were others like me on that day. Fighting to save people. If it weren't for them..."

Shinonome sat down on a dining chair with the book still held close to her chest. Seeing the distant expression that Lanfen had on her face, Shinonome quietly asked, "The others you mentioned. The ones who are like you. Do you know them well?"

Lanfen wished that were the case. The circumstances surrounding her just didn't allow it. "No," Lanfen said, knowing just how useless she probably was compared to the other Adaptors on the night of the attack. "I only took up my powers when it happened. So, I barely know them, if I'm being honest." Straight to the point and matter-of-fact. That was the only way Lanfen could convey it. Pushing herself off the dining table, Lanfen got down on the floor, and slid her legs beneath the kotatsu table to try and relax herself. "They're... nice people, but let's just say that my job makes me think twice about getting to really know them. It's complicated business."

Quietly, Shinonome placed the cookbook in her hands on top of the kotatsu table before settling herself right next to Lanfen. There was understandably nothing else that Shinonome could really say after hearing those words. She had no memory of who she was, and the world around her was obviously a wonder for Shinonome to learn now that she was free of the Bavarian Illuminati. With nothing else said between the two, Lanfen and Shinonome watched while a scrolling list of names were displayed on the screen. The listed casualties were all on Japanese soil, and yet, it went on for a timespan that felt like an eternity. Both of them gazed at the countless names who had lost their lives on that dreadful night, and said nothing to one another out of respect while the list went on.

Lanfen held her breath the entire time. She dreaded the moment when she would finally see Kai's own name appear on the screen as if her little sister was nothing more than a statistic. But as the Adaptor waited for that split second with fingernails which were digging into the skin of her legs, Lanfen's ears picked up a soft pitter-patter noise nearby. She initially assumed that some sort of leak had sprung up somewhere in their ceiling again, so when Lanfen turned her head in the direction of the source, the Adaptor was caught off-guard by the trail of tears that were freely running down Shinonome's cheeks. The silver-haired woman did not even realize she was crying at all.

"Shinonome?" Lanfen's hush voice brought her out of the trance she was in, prompting Shinonome to finally notice her own tears with widened eyes.

"Huh? O-Oh dear." Shinonome brought her hands to her face and slowly wiped her cheeks with the sleeves of her sweater, clearly as confused as Lanfen was herself. "M-My apologies. I'm not even sure why I'm tearing up this badly. I suppose I just..."

Without question, Lanfen got up from the table and went over to the room shelves to fetch an opened box of tissues. She handed it over to Shinonome before grabbing the television remote. After taking one last glance at the scrolling list of names, Lanfen switched off the appliance, and settled the remote back down on the table with a hush sigh. There was no doubt that Shinonome came from a paranormal background. The implant on her heart was proof of that. The same could be said of her medical condition. And how Shinonome had been found within a pod which listed her as 'discarded equipment'. But as Shinonome wiped away her tears with a few tissues, Lanfen could not see her as anything other than a regular, kind-hearted woman.

Lanfen herself wasn't ordinary either. She was a Symphogear-Wielder. A weapon against the Distortions. The sword that hung above the heads of the other Symphogear-Wielders. And yet, as long as they were in each other's presence, neither of them felt any different from everyone else. That was how Lanfen hoped Shinonome felt around her, at least. A warm roof to stay under was the smallest thing which Lanfen could provide for a woman like her, but doing the bare minimum rarely ever satisfied Lanfen.

Hearing a soft ring from the rice-cooker nearby, Lanfen crouched down next to Shinonome before gesturing towards the dining table. "I'll set up dinner now. Father always did say that a nice meal always made one feel better. Just give me a minute." Shinonome responded to her calm words with a soft smile, and Lanfen returned it in kind with a brief one of her own.

Although neither of them were aware of Shinonome's past, the current Shinonome was the one that mattered, and right now, the 'mundane' company which she provided was undoubtedly something Lanfen appreciated.


Ignoring the flashing advertisements that lined Shinjuku's bustling pedestrian walkways was more often than not an impossible feat. With just a glance around the red-light district of Kabukicho, Kagero could see the countless pubs and snack bars which were left unharmed by the Distortions' global attack purely due to good fortune. The freezing winds of December typically caused the average man to tighten his winter coat, but the S.O.N.G. agent could hardly be described as such. Placing one hand in the pocket of his black suit, Kagero stepped out of the crowds, and approached the doorstep of one of the buildings on his right. Hanging next to the door was the sign of a particular host-club.

The Absolute Zero. Kagero wished he could have returned here alongside Souji. Unfortunately, he was not here for any sort of fun.

Tidying his blonde hair with a few brushing motions for good measure, Kagero headed through the door of a small lobby and rode a waiting elevator up to the higher levels of the modest building. Once he had stepped out of the compartment, the agent halted in the middle of a narrow corridor as Kagero was greeted by the familiar sight of the host-club's exquisite double-doors. Placed on the wall next to it were multiple rows of photographs that showcased each of the club's handsome hosts which were available to select from today. There were a few pretty faces whom Kagero had not seen the last time he had come here.

The double-doors swung open and Kagero reflexively stood to attention with his hands at his sides. Stepping out into the corridor was the youngest of the three Ogawa brothers, Ogawa Suteinu. In contrast to Kagero's dark, formal attire, Suteinu wore his personal white suit with a low-cut shirt that granted a small glimpse of his well-shaped chest. The man's earrings softly jingled along with the dog-tags which hung from his neck while Suteinu ran a hand through his fashionable hair, and approached Kagero with a welcoming smile. The cologne that clung to the host's body could practically be smelled from a mile away.

"Well now, look who it is!" Suteinu mused with a voice which had charmed many a customer over the years. Lowering his head to give an exquisite bow, he gestured Kagero over to the open double-doors behind him with an outstretched hand. "Have you come to take some time off from work, or has my eldest brother's 'right-hand man' arrived for something else entirely?"

Kagero ignored the teasing wink Suteinu gave him, and calmly cleared his throat with one hand in front of his face. "While it's certainly good to see you again, Suteinu, I'm unfortunately here on official business." He folded his hands behind his straightened back and took a subtle, curious peek past the host to gaze at the opened doorway. "As always, S.O.N.G. and I would appreciate it if you could grant us whatever information that you currently have available for us. Much of our personnel already have their hands full dealing with the aftermath of the recent global event."

Suteinu let out a playful mixture of a pout and a sigh. "Of course, of course. But let's not stress ourselves too much out here!" In one smooth motion, Suteinu took Kagero by the arm and gestured towards the doors. "I've saved the perfect, non-alcoholic drink for your return, and I'll gladly divulge what I know over a few glasses between you and I." The S.O.N.G. agent could do nothing but hesitantly nod at the charming smile which Suteinu was giving. "Excellent! Oh, I must say, your voice has grown a lot deeper since the last time you came here. I'd ask if you're interested in joining us as a host, but I think my eldest brother would quickly pay me a visit with his fancy sword in hand."

"I certainly won't doubt that," Kagero remarked with a small laugh before the two stepped into the lavish abode of the Absolute Zero. As their clean, leather shoes treaded on the club's carpeted floors, a smooth, jazzy tune flowed through the air, mixing with the voices of the customers who were relaxing on the club's sparkling couches. Kagero glanced around the eccentric lounge to take in the sight of his glamorous surroundings, and it was clear to him that little had changed here despite the recent global tragedy.

Compared to the other host-clubs which Kagero once frequented, the Absolute Zero was a brightly-lit establishment with decor that made it seem as though they had stepped into a royal palace. Many of the club's sharply-dressed hosts could be seen expertly tending to their customers with a combination of bottled drinks, light snacks, and a shower of flowery compliments for their swooning patrons. It seemed that in the aftermath of the recent attack, many of these customers had stepped through the doors of the Absolute Zero to release themselves from the pain which the tragedy placed on them. It was a sentiment that Kagero himself could easily understand.

As the pair walked by the club's countless patrons, the blonde agent's attention was caught by the small stage that was stationed in the middle of the club's massive lounge. Standing on top of it with a microphone in her hand was Morikawa, one of Kagero's old acquaintances from Clan Hida. The last time they had seen each other was during the raid on the Illuminati hideout from over a week ago. While Morikawa was obviously too busy singing her heart on the stage to notice him, it was certainly pleasing to see her enjoy her new life after Clan Hida. The red dress she donned for the occasion suited her more than the Clan's shadowy combat garbs.

The pair approached the club's bar counter and settled themselves on a pair of seats which were stationed far away from the nearest bar patrons. With a snap of his fingers, Suteinu called over the bartender, prompting the handsome man to unveil a large, unfamiliar bottle from the counter's lower cupboards. Kagero watched on with a raised brow as the bartender popped it open with a cheer before pouring out its contents into a pair of tall, readied glasses. Once both glasses had been filled to the brim, the bartender placed them within the reach of the two men, and took his leave with a bow so that he could tend to a couple of handsome men that were calling him over.

Suteinu grabbed the stem of his glass between his fingers and raised it in a modest toast. "To the blooming relationship between you and my dear eldest brother."

Kagero noticed a trio of familiar hosts who were waving at him from the other end of the bar counter, and responded in kind before turning back to Suteinu. "Don't expect me to drink too much on a weekday," he playfully reminded him, picking up his own glass before gently clinking it against Suteinu's. "And while I do appreciate the gesture, Suteinu, I will remind you again that I still have tasks to accomplish by tonight." Bringing the edge of his glass to his lips, Kagero took a small sip of his drink and gulped down the sweet liquid with a subtle smile of approval.

"What would you like to know in particular, Kagero?" Suteinu took a gentle sip of his drink and rested his chin in one hand with a suave smile.

Taking out a small napkin from his suit's inner pockets, Kagero wiped his mouth with the small cloth and quietly replied, "I require information regarding the recent rumours that's been circulating across the world, Suteinu." Kagero emphasized his next few words with a firm voice. "Particularly the ones surrounding the murders of young adult women."

The host's fingers fiddled with the dog-tags which hung around his neck. If Kagero senses weren't as sharp as they were, he wouldn't have noticed the way Suteinu's eyes examined their lively surroundings, subtly ensuring that no unwanted persons were within earshot of their conversation. The joyous singing and catchy music that surrounded them did not cause him to lower his guard down even one bit. "I didn't think S.O.N.G. was looking into that, so you may colour me surprised," Suteinu said, leaning in closer to the blonde agent. "I've been looking into myself. Thus far, I've managed to figure out a few key details that you might want to hear if you're interested."

Kagero took another sip and listened intently with a perfect poker face. "Go on."

Suteinu took out a number of photographs from his pockets and slid them in front of the blonde agent. Each image showcased snapshots of cadavers which had been taken into numerous hospitals all over the world. Judging by their timestamps, the first of these images had been taken as early as the opening hours of the Distortions' global attack. "New York. Kowloon. Melbourne. All of them were carried out by a single gunshot to a chest. My sources have recently received news of a similar murder that's just occurred within Kazamino city, but we've no idea whether this is being carried out by a group or a single person. Still, I'm sure you'll find the evidence to be quite familiar, Kagero."

Another photograph was placed in front of the agent. It was an image of the bullet that had been utilized in each and every one of the murder cases. A bullet that was clearly marked with symbols which pertained to a certain shadow organization. "The Bavarian Illuminati?" Kagero whispered with furrowed brows. The blonde picked up the photograph and held it in front of his face with a small scowl. "Even after everything we've done to wipe them out, they still intend to be a thorn in our side?"

"Tut tut, Kagero," Suteinu whispered, tapping the bar counter with one finger. "While the Illuminati is certainly a persistent cockroach that will not die out so quickly, do remember how easy it can be to undertake operations beneath a false flag." He took the photographs and neatly packed them together before sliding them into the inner pockets of Kagero's suit in one swift motion. "I'm sure Clan Hida is quite familiar with such tactics, after all." Punctuating his words with a sly chuckle, Suteinu returned to his drink and took another sip of it with a satisfied smile.

While Kagero did not appreciate verbal jabs which were aimed at Clan Hida, he could not deny the operations they had carried out for the sake of ensuring Japan's safety. "Fair enough." Kagero reached for the photographs in his suit, and made sure that the hidden kunais next to them were undisturbed by Suteinu's actions. "Is there anything else I should know about, Suteinu?"

Suteinu's smile grew wider, and he signaled the bartender to come over and refill Kagero's half-empty glass. "While this may be completely hear-say, I'm sure that you and your companions will find this next tidbit to be quite interesting." He first waited for the bartender to finish refilling Kagero's drink, and slowly opened his mouth after taking another glance around their lively surroundings. "It's been five years since the Curse of Balal was lifted, hasn't it?"

Kagero went completely-still in his seat and gave a quick, single nod. Even with his precise senses, Kagero suddenly struggled to hear the host's hush words.

"Ever since that day, I've been hearing growing whispers about a possible increase in potential Adaptors all over the world. And while this may explain the recent recruitment of S.O.N.G.'s newest Adaptor..." Suteinu hovered his lips next to Kagero's listening ear, absolutely making sure that no one but them could hear Suteinu's near-silent voice. "... My gut feeling tells me that this subtle change has caught the attention of the mysterious third-party who initially stole the Sword of Damocles."