Ari scrolls through the camera feed inside the convenience store, he's searching for recurring customers.
A woman stands out from the recurring students and civilians.
'This woman always seems to buy a drink around 9pm.' Ari thinks as he inspects the footage.
"Sir, do you know this customer?"
The clerk walks up and squints.
"Her name is Kaia… she lives across the street, doesn't talk much… just comes in here to buy soda."
Ari nods, skeptically.
"How do you know where she lives?" Ari asks simply.
The clerk blinks twice,
"We actually went to the same school… I kind of had a crush on her…" The clerk says awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.
'I'm getting weird vibes from this dude.' Ari thinks.
Ari grabs a piece of paper,
"I see, can you write down her address here?" Ari hands him the pen and paper.
"Sure!"
He quickly writes down Kaia's address and hand Ari the paper.
"And what's your name?" Ari asks, inspecting the address.
"Marty, sir." The clerk replies.
Ari turns the computer off,
"Well, thank you for your time. If anything comes up, I'll come back here."
Ari walks out of the convenience store, it's raining down heavy outside.
On his way toward Kaia's house, he sees multiple students rushing home from school.
He reaches Kaia's house after a short walk, he checks if he's at the right door, then rings the doorbell.
Kaia slightly opens the door,
"Who's this?"
Ari grabs his ID from his back pocket and shows it,
"Ma'am? Sorry to disturb you, I'm with the area's local city guard enforcement, investigating the murders around the area. Do you mind answering some questions?"
Kaia slowly opens the door,
"Okay… sure… come in." She says, hesitantly.
Ari walks inside the comfy home.
"Can I offer you some tea? Coffee?" She asks.
Ari shakes his head politely,
"No, thank you. I'm just gonna stand here, I don't want to get your house messy."
"Oh, okay… sure."
Ari nods slowly,
"Are you ready to start now?" He asks.
"Yeah. We can start." Kaia replies.
"What do you know about the murders around the area?"
…
In Shiawase.
Tanna's fingers mutilate into long claws, he lunges at Beyce, ready to slice him open.
Beyce doesn't move, still shocked from earlier.
Kevo quickly jumps and grabs Beyce by the shirt and pulls him out the way.
They land some distance away.
"Wake up, Beyce!" Kevo yells, still holding Beyce's shirt.
Beyce shakes his head,
"I'm sorry…"
Kevo releases his grip on Beyce and turns his attention back to Tanna.
"The mana ones are the tastiest…" Tanna says.
"Let's go, Beyce."
Kevo and Beyce lunge at Tanna from left and right side each.
Tanna quickly clothesline's Kevo out of the way, sending him flying across the mall.
Beyce closes in from the right, his fist glowing, Tanna spins fast and backhands him across the face.
Beyce crashes into a window.
"Ow, ow, ow, ow." Beyce says, getting up slowly.
Kevo crashes through glass, landing inside a shoe store. He manages to roll and land on his feet.
Beyce rapidly sprints back in, his fists glowing green,
Tanna catches one punch and slams Beyce's head into a marble pillar, then throws him far away.
From behind, Kevo jumps at Tanna, cupping his hands together, reeling back and slamming his fists on Tanna's back.
Tanna quickly turns around after the impact and catches Kevo by the throat, he stabs Kevo's stomach with one of his claws.
Beyce gets up strugglingly, he starts sprinting and leaps over a bench, he uses it as a springboard to launch himself with insane speed at Tanna.
"Enhance Style: Quantum Rail Cannon!!"
Beyce crashes head first into Tanna, sending him flying out of the mall with chaotic speed.
Kevo crouches, clutching his throat.
"Good job…"
Beyce and Kevo step outside, both injured.
Tanna's deformed body stands back up unnaturally.
"This human body really is durable." He says.
"No way…" Beyce says, panting.
"Can you still fight?" Kevo asks, straining himself.
"I only have energy for one engine left…" Beyce replies.
Tanna starts walking toward them slowly.
"Seems like you two finally ran out of steam… 5-star meal coming up for Lord Niššīku."
Kevo tries to step forward but struggles,
"KEVO! BEYCE!"
Suddenly, the rest of Unit Zero appear in front of them.
"The coolest, to your rescue." Plaster says.
"You were scared shitless just a minute ago." Axia says nonchalantly, popping her gum.
Plaster and Axia continue arguing in the background.
"Lay back for a while, we'll finish this." Claire says, helping Beyce and Kevo lay down.
"What's this? How are you here?" Tanna asks, frustrated.
Plaster turns his attention to Tanna.
"Insects don't talk. Insects get squished by us humans, Unit Zero. Don't fuck with us."
…
In a small town by the outskirts of Citrobal, Black Sigil are waiting for their comrade, Tanya. To get back from a mission.
"This is taking a while…" Hazu says, sitting in the bar, bored.
"Maybe we should check in to a motel." Ezren suggests, "She may not be returning for a while."
Hazu shoots up out of his seat.
"That's a good idea, let's go. Now, please."
Tlen and Monita both get up slowly, they all leave the bar shortly after.
Some hours later, Tanya finally returns from her mission, late at night.
"Mrs. Tanya, you have some visitors." An officer says as soon as Tanya steps foot in the town.
"Hm? A visitor? Who?" She asks, exhausted.
"They are probably asleep by now in the motel. Some kids from Sangre De Reyes, they said."
Tanya stops,
"Sangre De Reyes? I see, thank you, John."
Tanya makes her way to her small dorm-house.
'They came back for me? I can't believe this…' She thinks.
As she arrives, she enters her home and immediately takes off her silver armor.
Just then, Ezren steps out of the shadows.
"Tanya." He says, smiling faintly.
Tanya jumps back in fear.
"Ezren? What are you doing here?" She asks, breathing heavy.
"I joined the team, in your place." He explains,
"In my place? Oh… right… congratulations!" She says brightly, pulling Ezren in for a hug.
"I see you've changed… what happened?" He asks.
"Oh this? Those people, they tortured me." Tanya says, showing her now prosthetic arm and legs.
"We thought you were dead."
Tanya sits down by the kitchen table.
"Well, I did too." She sighs,
"They were torturing me, every single day. This man, he was hunched over, wearing a plague mask, did most of the work." She explains.
"But how did you survive? Did you escape?" Ezren asks.
"No… one day, what I assume is their boss, told them to release me. I was completely out of it so I couldn't really hear his reasoning. They then dropped me off nearby, and I made my way here, they were struggling, so in exchange for this piece of dump, I'm protecting them."
Ezren walks over toward Tanya.
"Well, now you don't have to do that anymore. You can come back with us." Ezren says, smiling brightly.
Tanya looks at the floor,
"But what about you? This is a big opportunity for you." She says.
"Oh, don't worry. You were here first, I was only appointed to this mission."
Tanya nods with a warm smile on her face.
"Really? Thank you, Ezren." She says, in relief.
"Yeah, let's go meet the others. They're wide awake, none of us could sleep trying to wait for you." Ezren replies.
Tanya gets up from her seat,
"Sure, can I just take a show-"
Ezren shoves his arm into Tanya's abdomen.
He sits Tanya back onto her seat.
"I was hoping you didn't return… I'm sure you know why I'm doing this." Ezren says with a smile.
Tanya holds Ezren's arm, looking up at him in shock.
"W-what?" She whispers.
Ezren forcefully removes his hand, Tanya's injury worsening.
"Metal Sty-" Tanya gets cut off by Ezren covering her mouth with his hand.
"Before you die, I might as well just say it, I always had a crush on you. Not that it matters much now, I have bigger fish to fry."
Tanya bites Ezren's hand, but Ezren doesn't budge.
"I wonder how they'll remember you."
…