Seiji:
The three of us, minus Isamu, exchanged pleasantries as we made our way towards the Commander's office. It was a nice change of pace in comparison to my previous interaction with my one and only agent. If more of these HARVEST agents were like this, I'd be inclined to hear them out! Moreso, I was fascinated by the environment around me. This underground facility could've been its own subterranean city- It was massive. Giant artificial lights hung above us constantly making the entire place feel alive. There were people everywhere, some in HARVEST uniform and others in more casual wear, either performing a task or everyday conversation. There were even compartments that'd be out of place in a clandestine organization too like party rooms, a gaming station, a saloon, and even a massive pool area. It even had one of those Tiki bars too. I'd love to take Mari here but there must be a reason why they only brought me instead- Besides having the forbidden fruit of course.
The elderly man I met earlier was Commander Yuuki Zakuro, the head honcho of this entire facility and coincidentally the grandfather of Isamu. Although... man, that name sounds really familiar. Yuuki Zakuro. Yuuki...…
"That book you have there, might I take a peek?" I replied back to Yuuki-san with an instinctive 'hmm?' Drawn away from my inquisitive thoughts. Book. Book..... Oh!
"Are you referring to this?" I reached into my Mobaco brand messenger bag, drawing it out in all its glory. Isekai Adventure by SS. First edition. The elderly man's eyes beamed with delight and….. a hint of nostalgia?
"My. That really takes me back." Abruptly, his legs stopped moving forward which caught both Isamu and I off guard.
"Gram- I mean, Comander?" Yuuki-san closed his eyes as a relaxed and serene smile etched across his face. It was as if he was reminiscing about something buried deep in his psyche. As to what, I had no idea. Maybe he knew the author- This elusive 'SS' or something? "Someday. Someday I'll see you all soon." He muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Commander?" Captain Goriki asked, breaking his stone-cold stoic silence. Isamu nodded as well in curiosity. These two didn't pick that up? "Nothing. Just an old man's ramblings about a past and future that's yet to come."
EXCUSE ME, what? "Gee, Commander! As cryptic and secretive as always!" His grandson laughed, patting me on the back. Isamu doesn't seem like a guy who'd get all chummy with a stranger….. I guess I'll just take the hint and keep quiet for now.
"First edition, eh? I only see those in auctions nowadays. Absorbent prices to boot, if I may add." I nodded back in glee. What a man of culture! It takes a true Sigma-Stan to immediately recognize the first edition, no less from a single peek at the spine. Maybe I could run some trivia with him sometime…..
"Ahem!" Isamu coughed, grabbing everyone's attention. "Everyone, this isn't a book club. We still need to brief Seiji privately, remember?" Party pooper. I mean, that's what they brought me here to do but still. Party. Pooper.
He then leaned towards his grandfather, whispering, "Speaking of 'book,' do you really take me for a man who's desperate for a... you know what."
Yuuki-san raised his brow. "A pack of Bud Lite? Isamu, this is hardly the time-"
"No! I can't believe I have to say this in front of you- Female.... Female attention." His grandfather went from generally confused to genuinely concerned. "You're not seeing a prostitute are you?"
"A girlfriend! Did you really think sending me a manga about seducing bespectacled women would convince me to seek out Eri?" How did a conversation about IA derail into this?
"Bespectacled….. women?" Yuuki-san whispered back.
"You weren't the one? I thought you were sending me my birthday present?" It's Isamu's birthday? No wonder he's so grouchy, having to work on a day like this.
"I have." The reply came out hoarse.
"Wait, so if you weren't the one who sent me that package then who the-" There was a brief pause followed by his hands curling into a fist and a forced smile. "That four-eyed bitch...…"
-
We reached a highly decorated wooden door- Plastered with family photos, Bible verses, what appeared to be logos of HARVEST, and the occasional AGHS insignia. Not sure what exactly AGHS meant though... What I do recognize was a small child sitting in the lap of a woman in her thirties along with his father and grandfather. They were smiling, including Isamu who was the brightest of all.... A stark contrast to the man next to me who never so much as grinned. Not even once.
"Commander... Why do you insist on making these confidential family photos.... Not so confidential?" Isamu blushed, opening the door for us.
"Bah! This is MY office, agent. I'll decorate as I please." Isamu lifted a finger, his mouth agape about to make a retort. Instead he sighed and then assumed a militaristic position that I once read up on called..... Pirate Rest? I'm pretty sure that's the term.
"You're excused, Agents. I'd like a word with Seiji here and him alone." Yuuki-san instructed the two in English. The two replied back with a professional affirmative response before heading out the door. One of which ticked off more than the other.
The elderly man then took a seat behind his very nice mahogany desk, folding his hands neatly on the hard surface. Switching back to Japanese, he asked. "Please take a seat. There's a lot to get through."
I did as I was told, landing in the most comfortable armchair I've ever had the pleasure of sitting in. The cushioning used in this velvety furniture was on a whole another level like I was laying down in a field of clouds.
"Don't you go to sleep now." He chuckled. I apologized back, not wanting to overstay my welcome. "Now then, Seiji-kun. Please ask me all your dying questions about this predicament that you've been fairly or unfairly put in before I ask mine."
Finally, some answers. "First of all, HARVEST? What is this place? Why all the secrecy? Is this place supposed to be government sanctioned? I know Isamu mentioned this as clandestine operations but-"
"Woah there, tiger. Slow down." He chuckled again, raising his hands in front of him as a signal to do so. "HARVEST. Human Anomaly Recognition, Verification, and Exanimation Surveillance Taskforce. We are a group that tracks anomalies, otherworldly or otherwise that may or may not compromise the safety of current-day human civilization."
Anomalies? Otherworldly or otherwise? The man read me like a book. "The Rakav for one. Now, we have no idea where they originate from nor their purpose. All we know is... it can't be anything good. However, we do have a grasp on how they might've been 'unsealed' per say, their source of nutrients and their... physical composition.
I nodded back, urging him to continue. "Simply put, they are amalgamations of humankind's negative energy put into solid form. Depression. Grief. Hatred. Wrath. All the above. One could even say, monstrosities created by our own undoing."
"Negative emotions?" I questioned.
"Conjecture, of course. Similarly to how the human body takes in oxygen to release carbon dioxide, the negative emotions brought upon by humans are built up and materialized into what we call 'Minusma' and excreted into the atmosphere." I gave him a funny look, mouthing 'Minusma?'
"A portmanteau of 'minus' and 'miasma.' I came up with the term myself," he laughed. "We've only recently uncovered a method to perceive this metaphysical substance- A cluster of black orbs reminiscent of pollen...."
I slammed my hands on the cold, hard table out of sheer emotion- My heart nearly pounding out of my chest. "I know exactly what you mean! I've seen it with my own eyes!"
His eyes twitched in surprise. "You've….. seen Minusma before?"
I let loose a flurry of explanations, recounting the past few days ever since obtaining the Forbidden Fruit. The on and off perception of Minusma clustered on people like barnacles of a ship. I explained it all truthfully. As I did so, Yuuki-san took out a notepad and pen to jot down everything I've explained thus far. Once I finished up, a pregnant pause followed afterwards. As he tapped the desk in deep thought, I sat there awkwardly, watching the seconds pass by. The audible ticks and ticks from the coconut-shaped clock on the wall made the feeling worse too- Ugh! I need to say something... but what?
"Ahem!" I forced myself to cough. "If I may ask, why do they resemble fruits? The one I saw was an Apple."
Are you kidding me, Seiji? THAT'S what you ask? A monster's motif? Not the fact that there's some black pollen stuff that's forming monsters or the reality that depression itself is threatening humanity??? He, however, found my pointless question worth answering, chuckling in the process. "Why fruits, hmm? Seiji-kun, have you ever heard the saying that every individual has a fruit from within?"
"Can't say I have." I admitted, attempting to follow his odd response. "Old murals. Ancient hieroglyphs. They all documented that each human life is born with a fruit along with a spirit animal living deep inside them. Waiting. Lying in dormancy until one learns to awaken them."
"Are you saying that I have a monster living inside of me???" I snapped as I clutched at the area where the Forbidden Fruit had taken residence in.
"No, no. This isn't a Naruto and Kurama situation." He clarified with an example of pop culture that I'd never have guessed an elderly man like him would make. "As you could see, the majority of the world's population are oblivious to this information. Even still, there have been a select few within that general demographic that have unknowingly unlocked their 'upper genetics' as we'd call it."
"Upper genetics…. I think I've heard that before- Maybe from a forum?" I guessed.
"Yes, upper genetics. I'm sure you've heard rumors- Certain individuals calling themselves psychics, espers, and other superhuman adjacents. While many of these self-proclaimed 'superhumans' are well- Frauds. There are some that have genuine supernatural abilities." He paused, leaving me an opportunity to speak.
"Are you saying that real superhumans exist within society? I always thought there were just…. Scams. I'm not sure if I could fully grasp this, it seems unbelievable."
He gave an understanding grin. "I'm sure it is. Have you heard of Stephen Wiltshire and Wim Hof?"
Wim Hof kinda sounds familiar but this Stephen person? Hmm... To put it simply, I just replied with, "Not really."
"They're known as the Human Camera and the Ice Man respectively." Okay, now they sound familiar.
"Ringing a bell now, it seems." He replied, noticing my change in facial expression. "Mr Wiltshire is a man that possesses the ability to memorize and draw near identical depictions of various locations. He was capable of recreating the architectural layouts of Tokyo, Rome, Hong Kong, Dubai, and New York City from memory alone. Wim Hof, on the other hand, has a supernatural endurance to the cold. Using a particular breathing method, he was able to accomplish feats like climbing Mount Everest in shorts, swimming under ice for 50 meters and running a half marathon in snow while barefoot."
"Climbing Mount Everest in shorts?" My mouth was left agape by the sheer brutality of the idea. "Human beings... we're capable of a lot should we put our mind to it."
"So, these so-called fruits in our bodies. Hypothetically, if someone knows of their existence, are we able to unlock our….. upper genetics by meditating or...." I trailed off, not knowing what else to say.
"My boy! This isn't Nen from Hunter X Hunter!" Wow! What an apt fictional power system to compare this to. "One doesn't simply meditate, it's never as easy as that. Each individual is different. Some unlock their ability via chance, unknowingly checking off each of their personal criteria to do so. A vast majority, however, have to go through near-death experiences- Heart failure, car crashes, supposedly fatal wounds..... All in a one in a million chance to obtain superhuman powers."
I felt around my chest, running a finger across the cold surface of the crystal fruit infused in my flesh. Heightened hearing, improved stamina, seeing things beyond the naked eye, and transforming into….. whatever that was. Did I unlock my own upper genetics? That one way trip to the labyrinth felt near-death for sure. "Does that mean I unlocked my inner potential or does this Forbidden Fruit artifact have something to do with that?"
His eyes lit up at the mention of the purple rock. "Possibly.... How and when did you obtain this sacred item?" The Commander really didn't ask many questions of his own, if any. I'd be remiss if I didn't answer back truthfully.
"It's a long story." Leading him off with that, I explained to him my mentorship under an archeologist and self-proclaimed adventurer by the name of Kazuki Godai. He saw promise in me, helped me separate myself as an individual during my years studying in Harvard. I dropped out, going against the wishes of my father, in chase of experiencing the greater world and uncovering knowledge inaccessible in contemporary schooling.
"Your father..." The man interrupted with intrigue in his voice. "That reminds me. I've never asked for your family name."
Well, there's no point hiding it now. They certainly aren't for sure. "Shotaro IchiJiku, my father."
"I thought as much….." He trailed off in a relaxed cadence, surprising me. Normally someone would go deep into an angry tangent or hit me with a string of sycophantic flattery whenever I mentioned who my father was. "In any case, I'll send some of my men down to Egypt to investigate things further. Agent Seiji. What're your stipulations for becoming a full fledged member of HARVEST?"
"Hold on a minute. I mentioned who my father was and you're completely fine with that? He's sanctioned by the government and practically controls all of Tokyo! Having the son of someone like that would only-"
"Are you, your father?" I stopped mid-sentence. Those were words I wasn't used to hearing, especially from someone I just met. He waited for my answer, raising his brow as if to say, 'Well? Are you?' I shook my head.
"It doesn't matter who or where you came from. You're your own person." Like a verbal arrow to my heart, I recalled all the times whenever I brought up my father or my last name. It was either two reactions: a look full of vitriol or attempts to cozy up to me. It was as if I was an extension of my father rather than an individual to those people. Only a select few like this man and the Momoi's truly saw further than that. It was….. refreshing.
"Thank you, commander." I replied with a smile, relief washing over me cleaning off the filthy grime that was my fear and anxiety over my surname.
He frowned a bit, wagging his finger as if what I said was incorrect. "Thank you….. gramps." Gramps corrected.
"Thank you, gramps."
-
A quick coffee break later by one of the facility maid's insistence, Grandpa Zakuro got to explaining what the Forbidden Fruit actually was. He pressed a button underneath his desk- Something very common in this facility, I noticed. The prolonged press unraveled a projector screen from above the ceiling, whirring and descending slowly to the ground. A flash- The screen lit up revealing a fruit basket shaped logo with the subtext 'A HARVEST Presentation' underneath….. Followed by a disclaimer wall of red text that was too fast for me to read. Something about illegal information that can get me targeted by the governm- "Wait, what?"
"Ah, no need to worry about that boy." Gramps coughed precariously as he clicked forward faster than I could blink. I'm worried.
The projector flashed forth to a photograph- A set of shapes resembling hieroglyphics, alien-esque text underneath, and….. Wait a minute, this is familiar! Checking my photo library, I came across the very same hieroglyphics that I showed Mari two days ago. Not only did they match down to the sandy texture but it seemed as if I found a missing page to a book. Context. "Sir, I think you should take a look at this!"
Gramps gave me a look and then at the camera. When he did so, his eyes beamed and immediately ripped my phone out of my hands! "Well, I'd be!" He exclaimed as he motioned his fingers along the screen to zoom further in. "How many? Just how many of the files did you uncover?"
"Files? Errr- If you're referring to these hieroglyphs then four."
"Yes..." He mouthed, making his way closer to me while laser-focussed on the device. Once Gramps got shoulder to shoulder with me, carefully pointing out a triangle in the corner of the hieroglyph. He then did the same with the other three, uncovering a pentagon, nonagon, and a dodecahedron. "These are how our ancestors numbered these Genesis Files, in order to hide the truth from outsiders. The truth that the world we inhabit now is far larger than we're led to believe."
"The Genesis Files?" I asked.
He nodded. "They're said to contain hidden details that were intentionally excluded from the Bible. A more detailed history of the world prior to the sacrifice of- Urgh!" Out of nowhere, the man trembled in pain, clutching his wrist.
"Sir? Sir, what's wrong?" I grabbed his wrist to check if he smacked it across the table or something. For a split second, it seemed as if his skin was….. Glowing? No. Maybe my eyes weren't adjusting correctly to the dark room combined with the fluorescent bright screen. Gramps, on the other hand, laid his eyes down on his confiscated wrist. Then, out of no-where. Daggers. His menacing eyes- 180 from the hospitality he showed earlier, pierced right into mine.
"It's…. it's nothing." He grumbled, snapping his wrist out of my grasp. It was as if touching that area- Even out of care made him….. Agitated. Still, he's an elderly individual. I took out some Tiger Balm housed deep in my cargo pocket that I carry everywhere I go. I've got to at the very least-
"I told you. I'm fine." My fingers slipped on the balm, landing hard against the wood-brown carpet. He's right. It's most likely nothing, a cramp perhaps. Now that I think about it, my busy-body worrying might've belittled him. He is the commander of HARVEST after all. If I were an official agent in this circumstance, this could be a case of inappropriate behavior between their boss and their low-ranked soldier. I need to know my place.
"Anways," he coughed, his easy-going smile returning to his face. "The Genesis Files is split into two parts from what I'd gathered with the very little that we uncovered so far. The first contains information about humanity's past. A past that very well pertains to this Rakav situation that we're currently in."
Gramps paused to sip another from his cup before continuing on his exposition. "The second half preordains humanity's future- A prophecy of sorts." He pointed at the File currently on the screen. A single octagon was etched in the corner along with a black void which I confused as a black hieroglyph. Underneath, just like the ones I found, were those alien letters.
"Child of man, of ego and folly. Darkness creeps while he weeps. Their actions wrought forth death and destruction. Only then, will we reach true resurrection."
I stared at the man in amazement. Not even I had figured out how to decipher that mysterious language.
The screen flicked once more to a different Genesis File with a decagon and a single vertical line on the right-side. I'm assuming that's…. Page 11? That means the previous one I saw was page 9. In the center was a figure holding and raising up a fruit, glowing ever so brightly. Clumps of shadows lined around the hieroglyph, as if they were trying to consume him- Only to fail. Hiding, cowering away. Yuuki-san continued on.
"The Alpha will be awoken. The fruit beckons the light of heaven. The two become one, the deed never undone. Witness the light to thou escape the blight."
The two become one….. "I'm assuming the fruit and myself? But why me? Why did I get chosen?"
"Now that's the real mystery. It could be that you were the nearest person within the fruit's radius."
"That can't be true. The closest person was Godai-san. He was literally touching it and the next thing I knew, it exploded with this…. Radiant energy! In fact, that's how he lost his....." I trailed off, allowing Yuuki-san to take the hint.
Upon hearing my mentor's demise, his voice waned. "Oh, my dear boy." Yuuki-san tipped his hat in an attempt to hide his solemn face. "It's never easy to lose someone- Anyone that you've known for a while. I had no idea that just reaching the Forbidden Fruit would result in a casualty."
He then stared back up at me, a sharp gaze that could cut Mount Everest if it wanted to. "Assuming it is the Forbidden Fruit of course. I know this is a lot, my dear Seiji but we can't afford to faff about while the Rakav grows in number...."
Yuuki-san reached for my hand. A grip so shaky that I could swear that he contracted hypothermia. Desperation. His body said it all. If only I knew half the burden this old man carried. "Please. Join HARVEST. Or at the very least, let us test if that gem embedded inside you is the real deal.
Take a risk. There's nothing more mundane than living a life void of failure. Those were the words that my late mentor went by.
It's clear that this man needed my help. And it's not like I fully understand the Rakav nor the FF either. Figuring everything out by myself... that's like a lone man attempting to push back a leaking dam- Impossible. "What would this entail?"
"I won't beat around the bush." He replied solemnly. "Experimentation. Lots. From what I read in the Genesis Files, the man who fused with the Forbidden Fruit would become- In layman's terms, superhuman. Whether that means you're able to withstand electricity or high voltage lasers is….. debatable."
I licked my lips. "And? If it turns out that I'm this messianic figure that these old runes claim I am?"
"You'll be formally inducted into HARVEST and immediately trained to become a warrior capable of annihilating these monstrosities. If all goes according to plan, the world will become Rakav-free within this year."
"And….. What about everyone else in HARVEST? Surely I won't be the only warrior?"
He nodded back. "You're correct. We've had numerous brave souls pledge their lives into destroying the Rakav. Forced to keep their life-threatening activities away from loved ones and more importantly, the public, many have engaged with them.... And perished doing so." Yuuki-san pointed at the wall of portraits from outside the room. What I assumed were employee of the week photos or the similar type.
"That's all we have left of them now. Brave souls commemorated with badges of valor but what's the point when you perish and leave everything behind...." He took a deep breath as the memories of past agents were flooding back to him. "We can't afford to lose more but what can we do when the various nations' governments won't intervene nor make anything public! Why aren't they taking action to stop the Rakav and why do they insist on silencing us when we attempt to remedy this worldwide threat for them?"
I stood back in shock. "Worldwide?"
"A good majority have been spotted in Japan and France but there's been sightings of some all the way out in the U.S. and Mexico. One of our elite agents in particular was sent there to investigate in fact. It shouldn't be long before I get a call back from him."
The beast from yesterday flooded back into my mind. The green drool akin to acid, predatory ghoulish eyes, blackened skin that stemmed tougher than diamond, fangs sharp enough to tear through the finest steel... They're everywhere?
If the world is in trouble like Yuuki-san says, then I must be the key to save everyone. There were plenty more questions I had in my head but my feelings led to a conclusion. A strong sense of determination that I've never felt in my life. Not the day I broke away from my father nor my decision to return to the Momoi's and the Kibou-Dan. My chest burned as if the Fruit was urging me to speak. Speak the words, "Sign me up. But first, how's the pay?"
-
Isamu:
I stormed right into the Scions Bay, forcing my way past the cluster of scientists and doctors scurrying around like headless chickens. The clanking of vials and the electronic pressing on touch-screens filled the chrome-colored chamber but I didn't let any of that disorient me like they usually would have. I'm a man on a mission. A mission to recover his pride!
"Alright, Four-Eyes!" Slamming the cold metal gates open, I came face to face with the devil clad in white. Her resting smug prick face said it all. "You've got some nerve sending me a porno mag off Amazon! I'm deliberately keeping myself celibate and you know that!"
For a minute, Hoshino continued to stare at me as her smug smile froze in place. Then bit by bit, her face contorted into one of confusion and, knowing her, morbid curiosity. "What on earth are you on about?"
"Oh don't play dumb! How To Woo Chicks With Glasses?" She blinked.
"Go From Maidenless To Ladykiller Today!"
"... Lay off the DLSite Visual Novels will ya? That's my thing and you know it~"
I firmly planted my hands against the nearby chrome tabletop to show her I wasn't kidding around. "I don't even know what a- DS…. Lite? Whatever obscure Japanese forum you visit on your free time. I know you're the type who'd send risqué shit to coworkers in an attempt to 'fix' them. So admit it, you ass!"
"Don't you dare slander DL Site! It's a place for individuals of culture!" She slammed back.
"That's your retort after all that? Not the sending pornos to- You know what? Fuck, I'll take your damn word." Arguing with her's only gonna give me an aneurysm.
"It's not like you keep tabs on my private life nor any other HARVEST agent for that matter. My address is closely kept like my duty as the KG2 system's first user!" I affirmed in confidence, knowing that only Four-Eyes and a select few knew of my previous stint.
"I mean.... You can believe that if you want-"
"Excuse me????"
Having the gall to ignore me, Four-Eyes held out her hand drenched in machine oil and god knows what else like a spoiled toddler expecting a piece of candy. "So? Gimmie."
"Gimmie wha- Actually. No!" I held my ground, stamping my foot firmly in the ground like an anchor. "You're not getting away with your usual vague bullshit!"
She began flicking her fingers which is her nonverbal way of saying 'Hurry it up, I ain't got all day.' After seeing me cross my arms in defiance, she sighed. Finally, Hoshino's gonna take my inquiries seriously for once. "My babies, MuscleBrain. God, I thought you of all people would know I was referring to."
My jaw fell agape. Is that her interpretation of my body language? Confusion? "My questions, first. Your... 'babies' second."
"Or." She interjected. "Gimmie my babies first and then maybe I'll provide a response to your mundane inquiries. Remember, I'm one of two brains in this stable that's capable of procuring devices that can neutralize the Rakav. If I deduce that you're not fit to maintain my babies, I'll acquire another of higher quality and synergy."
There it is! Treating others like objects that could be replaced if we aren't up to snuff with her dumb weaponry. Or….. no. Despite the weird functions she implements into these devices, they're the only ones that were capable of harming the Rakav. Knives, bullets, or even Molotov cocktails never left so much as a dent. She and that unsettling creep Maki's all we've got....
"Here." I replied begrudgingly, giving in to her demands- Dumping the BanaKnife, PomeGattling Gun, and the broken Apple Phone on the table. She took one look at the broken device and then immediately welled up with tears.
"My babbbbbyyyyyyy!!!! What did that contemptuous barbarian do to you?" Dramatically removing her glasses in anger, she grabbed onto me by the jacket collar like she wanted to manhandle me. She squinted daggers into my socket. "Explain. Now!"
So, I did. The whole encounter. Everything from the mana reading at that abandoned factory to the Apple Rakav that ironically destroyed its metallic brethren. Huh, now that's interesting. Do Rakav's associate themselves as the fruits they're based off of? If not, is it considered a hate crime for them to squish other fruit-based objects?
"You're thinking about meaningless philosophical dribble aren't you!? I'm on to you! It's the same donkey face you make whenever you try to ignore me!"
Who knew racking your head about the moral complexities of animalistic shadow monsters would do wonders at drowning out karen-induced nonsense?
"I should report you for child endangerment!" She wailed, making a pathetic attempt to sock me in the groin. Seeing this before, I weaved side to side while I patiently waited for her to cease her tantrum.
"Now, now. Calm down you two." My body immediately tensed up, going into my usual salute position whenever I'm around Gramps during duty. Soon the whole bay had grown silent and still like time had frozen in a blink of an eye. Marching alongside Gramps was Smiles, wearing a- Oh damn, he's serious about this.
"Commander, those clothes and gear..." He nodded, presenting Smiles to me who was not only donning our complementary inductee uniform but also our training armor. That could only mean one thing.
"You're letting him in on the initiation trial already? Commander, we just met him today! Surely we need to give this a couple days just to make sure his background check is accurate!" Gramps paused, addressing my concerns with a simple click of his tongue. However, with those determined eyes that I've come all so accustomed to all my life, I knew his words were final.
"Agent, I understand your concerns. However-"
"Never mind that Commander! This man murdered my baby boy!" My jaw dropped. You know, for a high-IQ brainiac of a scientist, she sure could be a fucking idiot! Interrupting the Top Commander of HARVEST over something like this- Does she have zero understanding of social cues?
"Wait, he did what????" I turned towards our inductee who was about to be our OUTductee. His face had turned from a golden tan to stark pale in horror. Oh god, he's getting the wrong impression.
"Four- Erm! Doctor Hoshino! Please choose your words wisely! We're in front of the Commander!"
Normally, mentioning the Commander would shut her up but I guess destroying her nick-nacks also destroyed her common sense as she yelled back, "After taking him home, prodding, touching all over him and then calling him useless after not having your way- Don't you dare make light of this!"
Smiles nearly fainted after hearing that, stumbling into one of those electric desks before regaining his footing. The others in the room also began murmuring, breaking the tension that my grandfather had brought.
"Bastard. Creep. Pedophile." Those were some of the words I perceived amongst the myriad of murmurs. I hadn't cried much recently but I could already feel a single tear forming in the corner of my eye.
"Do you understand the words that are coming out of your mouth, woman???" I screamed with a face so red, it could replace the dot in the centerpiece of the Japanese National flag. She glared at me... For all five seconds before her face contorted into a look of abject horror after finally recognizing what she had done. With a face beet red like mine, she frantically spun her head around the audience she had garnered who was just about ready to lynch me over her shitty choice of words.
"Hey! Shut the hell up and calm down! Do you not see the Commander here or are you all fucking blind!?" Goriki's gorilla-like voice boomed over the chaos. Like clockwork, the conversation ceased, though a few choked coughs and gurgles were heard following the initial silence. He then gestured towards Gramps who began to instruct everyone.
"Everyone, get back to your duties. If there's any signs of danger or conflict, I'll be sure to let everyone know. However, I believe all of this was a misunderstanding. A poor choice of words I'd say." Gramps relayed before laying his eyes on Hoshino with a disapproving grandfatherly stare.
She gulped. Well, that'll shut her up about the Apple Phone for a while.
"Now then, Agent Isamu. I have a mission for you."