Sets of paper fell on the floor.
Lying scattered on the cool grey tiles of the current location, The SKIF.
Hurriedly a young man picked them up with shaky hands.
A young man of average height, not too tall nor short, and his frame is quite skinny. He had short and messy black hair that was a gradient to a brownish-orange, and two orange clips kept his bangs in place on the right. His eyes were a tangerine color and with his inimitable white kite-shaped pupils. His attire was a simple dark blue suit with a four-leaf clover pin attached to the tie. The expression of the youngster was one of anxiety and fear.
This young man's name is Ryū Murakami, one of the many agents of the Special Division, but how could someone as timid as him take a job like this one?
"I am completely sorry, Sakaguchi-san! I..I didn't mean to make this mess! I'm sorry!" Murakami quickly pilled up the scattered papers and clenched them against his chest, bowing deeply with his head down as well.
"It's alright Murakami-kun, no need to apologize," Ango reassured Murakami, his face remained neutral even in the darkness of the meeting room that they were standing in, the only light came from the window behind them.
The meeting room didn't have any furniture of any sort, dark and cold.
Murakami just nodded with a sigh of relief, he used his knee to make the papers even.
"Great job again, Ryū! Why can't you go for one moment without making a fool of yourself every time Sakaguchi-san calls you for important things?! "
"So.. are we waiting for any-"
As Murakami stepped back to regain his composure, his back felt like it touched a brick wall.
That's when he snapped his head to look up at the person's gaze, beads of sweat already started to form as he gulped.
Standing behind Murakami with a scowl on her face is Akitmitsu Takagi, agent and most skilled sniper of the division.
Takagi was a tall woman with a lean build, she had jet-black hair styled in a wolf cut that reached right around her shoulders. Her eyes were a pale green, hazy, and somewhat shrouded by the thoughts that were in her mind. They were often half-opened, giving her a disinterested look.
Her attire, similar to Murakami's is a sleek black suit complemented by a dark jade fedora accompanied with a black bow around the hatband. Noteworthy is her preference for a single black glove adorning her right hand, while sturdy black boots with low heels adorned with belts.
"Watch it," Takagi said, her voice filled with annoyance.
Murakami flinched at her sudden appearance, he stepped away from her as quickly as he could, he covered his mouth and nose with his hand from the common smell of smoke that always lingered on Takagi.
"Takagi..?! I didn't know she was going to be here?! Then again. how could I even know who comes and who doesn't I can't tell the future."
"Oh, Takagi, thank you for coming. There was no hassle on coming here, no?" Ango asked, he turned his head to the taller woman in the room.
She shook her head, yawning shortly after. Takagi covered her mouth with her gloved hand and then placed it into her pocket.
"The reason why I called you both here is well, I have some matters to discuss."
Murakami and Takagi looked at Ango with a confused look.
Ango cleared his throat before continuing "For these past months we have been dealing with the events of the vampire infection along with the usage of the one order. Fortunately, we have gotten news that the one order was commanded to stop its attack. There are some things yet to come before everything can go back to normal."
Then he pushed up his glasses with his index finger, his voice taking on a more serious tone.
"What came to our attention from the Ministry of Home Affairs, is a new source has come onto our monitors and has been requested to figure out what this unknown source is. After through many old documents, this unknown item is called the Man'yō-shū."
Ango pointed at the documents that Murakami had in his hand, gesturing to hand them over. Nodding, Murakami handed them over to him.
"We have gotten so far is the location which is in Kyoto, sealed within Mount Atago. What we haven't gotten of it is how it looks like, but what I managed to dig through was it resembles a poem. All is asked during this mission is to retrieve it." Ango tucked the documents under his arm.
"But sir. If I may ask," Murakami spoke up. "Why are we being sent to retrieve the poem?"
"I have to agree, why are we going all our way to get some old piece of paper?" Takagi furrowed her brows as she placed a hand on her side.
"These.. these were the orders given, I have nothing else but that information I gave to you both." Ango turned his head to the right, where there stood double doors.
"Assigning us on a mission without the reason why, is just dumb. Makes me wonder how the old man managed to do this job."
"Now you can open the doors."
The heavy doors opened to reveal The Special Forces entering the meeting room with someone in the midst of them all.
Murakami's eyes widened and Takagi's eyes narrowed with her lips forming a thin line.
The individual who had entered was tall, slender, and had an androgynous figure. Waist-length hair in a pale blue, tied into a low ponytail and bangs swept to the left side, the ends curl up, and it is secured by a sliver feather-like clip. Her eyes being able to exhibit sectoral heterochromia with light yellow on top of her eye and dark blue at the bottom, hold something so vast and unknown. A small beauty mark underneath the right side of her lip is placed like a dot, while an earring hangs off her right ear.
She adorns a white collared shirt adorned with elegant frilled cuffs, complemented by a stylish grey and blue plaid waistcoat adorned with a silver feather pin adorning its left lapel. Around her neck, she sports a delicate lace jabot. Her hands are adorned with black gloves embellished with rings, while her trousers feature ruffled and flared ends reminiscent of bird plumage. Perched atop her nose are white half-rimmed glasses, completing her ensemble with black oxfords.
The woman who stands in front of them with an enigmatic smile on her face is Shiki Masaoka. Detective and placed on the list of dangerous ability users. The special grade is unknown.
"Shiki here will be joining you both as well," Ango said as he looked over back to Takagi and Murakami.
"I'm not going to spend one hour in a plane with that lunatic." Takagi huffed as she crossed her arms.
"Ooh! We are going to soooo well!" Shiki exclaimed as the moment she took one step, The Special Forces pointed their weapons at Shiki, she was unfazed.
A sigh escaped from her as she raised her hands in mock surrender. "Alright, alright you can put the weapons down. I'm not going to escape." Shiki chuckled after that last sentence.
Ango cleared his throat once more. "Now that is out of the way, while on this mission you two, you must monitor Shiki at all causes. Ango glared at Murakami briefly before adding; "Especially you, Murakami. You are the agent assigned to Shiki after all."
Murakami swallowed the lump in his throat making unsteady eye contact with Ango. "Yes sir, I promise she won't.. she won't mishandle the mission."
He then looked at Takagi. "I am asking the same from you but if Shiki manages to make even the smallest mishap by not following her task. You know what to do and eliminate her by any means necessary."
Takagi stood quiet.
Ango turned his back and walked past Shiki with a pause on his step. "I believe you understood what I said."
Shiki placed a finger at her lips with a smile lingering as she gave Ango a side glance. "I understood it, perfectly."
There was a silence.
"Your plane leaves at exactly six in the morning tomorrow. A car will take you to the airport so I suggest you all get enough sleep tonight."
"And remember, Failure shall not be tolerated."
He left the meeting room with no one around but the three and The Special Forces near Shiki.
━All things for sure, going something that no one has heard about?
It seems three new actors have joined the stage.