Editor's comments and actions are denoted by [brackets]. Sound effects are written {like this}. (Parenthesis) indicate side notes in the dialogue bubble or the mangaka's note. And finally, italics are thoughts.

A young teenaged boy stands on the roof of a tall building, overlooking the city. His long coat waves in the wind as he pops a disc in his MD player.

Boy: ———... You can't...... see the stars from here...

The boy holds his hands to his head as the MD player runs. At the entrance to a park, a man runs in the cold.

MD Player: "03 1:22"

Man: [panting] Haa... haa... haa...

MD Player: "03 8:12"

The man spots a water fountain and stops.

MD Player: "04 5:28"

Man: [panting] Haa... haa...

The man looks, but there is no one around. He stops for a drink.

Man: ......... [sigh of relief]

MD Player: "04 8:58"

He turns the fountain's faucet.

{sound f/x kyu: squeak of the handle}

MD Player: "04 9:40"

{sound f/x kii: high pitched squeal}

{sound f/x biku: the man's surprise}

{sound f/x ba: the man jumping back}

Man: Dam~...

The man jumps back as he hears a high pitched noise, but the faucet erupts into a wall of water.

{sound f/x pan: faucet exploding}

{sound f/x do: whoosh of water}

MD Player: "04 9:41"

The man runs away from the approaching water.

MD Player: "04 9:42"

It converges upon him.

MD Player: "04 9:43"

Engulfed in water, the man sails away.

{sound f/x kii: high pitched squeal}

On the rooftop, the boy looks up.

MD Player: "01 0:00"

{sound f/x kachi: taking out his earphones}

Boy: ...the capture was successful, Eiji-san——

On the rooftop, a handsome older man with dark glasses stands across from the boy.

Eiji: Isn't that wonderful, Kai. Is this the result of your training?

Kai: [smiling] If so, I'm delighted.

Eiji: Operation completed. We'll take care of everything else, so please return before us.

Kai: Um... what's going to become of him? In the data there's an account that he used his power to kill a policeman but...

Nearby, the man pounds on his watery cage. Eiji regards the distraught Kai sadly.

Eiji: That's true. There is no escape from punishment for one who is a "murderer." —But for people like us who have special powers, there are times when crimes are caused. There are many cases in which the person claims to have not wanted to become a terrorist... [patting Kai on the shoulder] It's all right. Don't be worried. Our job is to manage the crimes that police or military cannot handle. At the same time, it is our duty to protect those with special powers who are hiding and living in fear from the persecution of the world that calls them "mutants." It is for that reason that we were formed. You can feel at ease.

Kai: [smiling] I'm...... glad. [happy sigh]

Eiji: Well then, I shall take care of the formalities regarding his care, so return home.

Kai: Yes, sir.

{sound f/x shun: Kai's teleporting noise}

With Kai gone, a beep sounds from the pin on Eiji's collar.

{sound f/x pii: high pitched beep}

Eiji: ......ahh, it's me. Come deal with the guerrilla that Kai captured.

{sound f/x zaa: sudden movement}

Heavily armed soldiers with the same emblem as on Eiji's pin run onto the scene. The trapped man regards them with shock.

Man: !!

Eiji: ——all right. Kill him.

Machine guns fire into the night. In a plush building, Kai slips a card through a scanner. Glass doors open for him.

{sound f/x pi: beep}

{sound f/x pushi: whoosh of automatic doors}

Kai: (ah)

Girl: Ah!

Across the room, a young girl flings herself at Kai.

{sound f/x fuwa: the girl floating}

Girl: Welcome ho—me Kai~! Thanks for a job well done—~~!

Kai: [blushing] Uwa~ H...hey, Shin-Lu. You're still up?

Shin-Lu: [giggling] But I was waiting for Kai.

Kai: [blushing harder] Why?

Shin-Lu: [tugging on Kai's arm] I want you to come to my house for a bit.

Kai is blushing wildly and looks back and forth between Shin-Lu and a nearby clock. The time looks about midnight-ish.

Kai: Huh? But it's late and (wait~) tomorrow...

Shin-Lu: But tomorrow won't work. [pressing the elevator up button] It's okay, so come on! Come on! (Ehehe~!)

Kai: [sweatdropping] (?)

{sound f/x chin: chime of the elevator}

Shin-Lu leads Kai into her apartment where a giant spread of food awaits him.

Shin-Lu: TAD——A~!! [shoving Kai into a chair] Sit down! Sit down~!

Kai: Wh what's with all of this?

Shin-Lu: (!)

Shin-Lu suddenly leans towards Kai, teary eyed.

Shin-Lu: Kai... You forgot what day today is......

{sound f/x chiro: Shin-Lu blushing in disappointment}

Kai: HUH!?

{sound f/x giku: Kai's uh-oh noise}

Kai: Huh? Wait... Today!? But Shin-Lu's birthday was...... before, and it's not mine......

Shin-Lu: Tha~~t's fine~! I know Kai doesn't care about this sort of thing, so it's all right~! [hugging herself happily] (Because I don't want to hate you over something like that, right!) Today it's been exactly one year since you came here, so it's your anniversary——~!

Kai looks at Shin-Lu, shocked, before smiling slightly.

Kai: Ah...... I... I see...

Shin-Lu: Right! A year's already passed huh?

{sound f/x kyuu: Shin-Lu popping the cork on some wine}

Shin-Lu: Since Eiji brought you here to "Ashurum." So this is your celebration~! I even baked a cake. Want......

Shin-Lu suddenly has to look up as a piece of cake begins floating in midair.

{sound f/x suu: the piece slowly moving}

Voice: "Celebration"... huh.

A young man with a long braid floats above the two, eating the first piece of cake.

Shin-Lu: SHEN-LONG! (Ahh, mou~!! Don't eat without permission!) I keep telling you there's a door to come in and out, so use it!

Shen-Long: Too much trouble.

{sound f/x pero: Shen-Long licking icing off of one finger}

Shenlen: It's so human.

Kai: [icily] It is human.

Shen-Long and Kai glare at each other.

Shen-Long: [leaning in closely] You went on your mission alone. How'd it go?

Kai: Fine... no problems.

Shin-Lu: [amongst flowers] I'm glad! But it's amazing, isn't it? His first year yet he was given an individual order!

Shen-Long: [amongst thorns] Rank E! He was the lowest level of criminal.

Shin-Lu: What's with you. "Rank E"... [fuming]

Kai: Rank E?

Shin-Lu: AH!! [suddenly exploding] Shen-Long! Were you hacking into Ashurum's computers again!?

{sound f/x gatan: Shin-Lu slamming her hand on the table}

{sound f/x biku: Shen-Long's surprise}

Shen-Long: [sweatdropping heavily] Um~... Well, Kai... was getting conceited. I wanted to see his real power. [sharp look] And the real reason why Eiji favors him.

Kai glares back at Shen-Long.

Shen-Long: I'll tell you, too, Shin-Lu.

Shin-Lu: Huh?

Shen-Long: Kai has a little sister. Her special powers are still being studied. What I'm thinking, at any rate, is that she must have some sort of incredible power. And so Eiji got his hopes up. He said to himself, surely there's also something special about her older brother Kai with the same genes.

Kai: [bracing himself] Hikaru... my little sister's not like that.

{sound f/x gyuu: Kai making fists}

Shen-Long: Well then why does Eiji treat someone like Kai who's got THE WORST POWERS so special? That little sister's——... [gasp]

Kai suddenly flies forward, punching Shen-Long to the ground.

{sound f/x baki: Kai hitting Shen-Long}

Shen-Long: ...WHATCHA DOING~!!

{sound f/x ka: Shen-Long glowing brightly}

Kai flies backwards, hitting a wall of glass windows.

{sound f/x gan: Kai hitting the windowframe}

Kai: ......~ uh...

Shen-Long: ......... [wiping his bleeding cheek] Che~... Wish I had knocked you out of the window.

Shin-Lu: Shen-Long!! You'd better stop because now I'm really mad!!

Shin-Lu's right eye begins glowing as power gathers around her.

{sound f/x zawa: rustling of her power}

Shen-Long: (......)

{sound f/x pasa: slight rustling}

Shen-Long: Heh~... Don't get mad. Sure, sure, I'm taking off.

{sound f/x suu: Shen-Long slowly fading}

Shen-Long: Just too much fun to tease him about his lack of power. Shin-Lu. Next time, make a sweeter cake. Isn't that thing an insult?

{sound f/x fuu: the last of Shen-Long disappearing}

Shin-Lu: [crouching by Kai] I'm sorry, Kai. Shen-Long, he's jealous about Eiji so he's teasing you. He doesn't want to accept that your power's gone up.

Kai: .........

Kai suddenly looks up to where Shin-Lu's cake is half crushed on the ground.

Kai: Ah... more than that the cake... Sorr.........

Shin-Lu: Mm, it's fine. I'll just make another one. And when I do, you can eat that one, okay? (Shen-Long was being unreasonable so don't worry about it.)

Kai: I'll have some now.

{sound f/x tsui: Kai breaking off a piece}

Kai breaks off a corner of cake and pops it into his mouth. Shin-Lu watches him, worried.

{sound f/x jii: Shin-Lu's stare}

Kai: [sweatdropping] ......It's sweet. (So... sorry.)

Shin-Lu: Eehhh~~~~~~~~!? (No way~) It's still sweet~~? Kai doesn't like sweet things, so I really held off on the sugar~~~~~~~ Okay, next time~, I'll challenge myself and make a fruitcake or banana bread with no decoration at all!

Kai: (No... But cakes are...)

In a large, futuristic amphitheater, Eiji stands before other young teens, seated at long desks like students.

Eiji: These are our orders. This time the operation is rounding up a group of criminals. For several months there's been an outbreak of various crimes. There's a guerrilla organization that has been identified to be behind all of them—— Therefore this operation is to successfully eliminate the organization. We want to receive indication that we will prevent their numbers from becoming considerable.

Shen-Long: [looking bored] If it's that kind of important mission, won't someone like Kai be a burden?

Kai glares at Shen-Long.

—Briefing Room—

Shin-Lu: Shen-Long!!

Eiji: Shen-Long...... Since when have you commanded our operations? Or perhaps you just don't want to listen to my orders?

Shen-Long: It... it's nothing... ...like that!

Eiji: Then that's enough. Well then, first off open up the briefing folder you've all been handed.

Shen-Long opens his folder and glares at Kai.

{sound f/x pachi: Shen-Long snapping his folder open}

Eiji: Look over the second sheet.

Former Streets of ——G (Gard) District——

Beneath the wreckage of bombed out skyscrapers, a small, bright town thrives. A young teen sings to himself as he digs through a bag of groceries. In the shadows, a man watches him.

Teen: ("~my precious Co~~lt Python.")

Man: .........

Teen: ("Got it from my daddy, my Co~~lt Python." —but, isn't that a lie?) ?......

The man leaps out from the shadows. The teenaged boy backflips out of the way and lands, gun drawn.

{sound f/x ba: the man's fist hitting the ground}

Teen: Don't you got guts.

{sound f/x ka: the teen's shades cracking on the ground}

{sound f/x kachi: cocking his gun}

Teen: Bastard, did you know you were attacking THE "Jack-of-all-Trades" Yuuki-sama? Huuh?

The man sweatdrops heavily. Yuuki has his gun, a Colt Python 357, in the man's mouth.

Yuuki: ......Huh? You, if I remember, haven't we met somewhere before? [thinking hard] O—...kay, lemme see...

The sweating man notices a trashcan nearby. Slowly, the lids starts to float and flies towards Yuuki's head.

Yuuki: AH——!! (OK, OK!) I REMEMBERED!!

{sound f/x byua: the lid quickly flying}

{sound f/x gan: ringing noise as the lid whacks Yuuki hard}

Yuuki: Yester...... [falling] uh

{sound f/x dosa: Yuuki hitting the ground}

Elsewhere, there's a pile of guns, clips, knives, etc. on the ground.

Voice: What the... how many weapons are you hiding, anyway. Is this it, Yuuki——

Yuuki: [GIANT SNEEZE]

Yuuki is tied on the floor of a dingy room. Various not nice looking men stand before him.

Yuuki: That's it, okay! That-is-it!! You jerks!! Whatcha mean with this? Yesterday we had an arms deals for today!!

Two of the men exchange slightly shocked looks.

Yuuki: Some sort of trouble? They didn't say that. Last night a guy I've dealt with called!! Didn't he tell you he had defective merchandise so we were gonna work together?

One of the men unties Yuuki and hands him his vest.

Man: He disappeared. The weapons, too. (I'll untie the rope.) Right after he dealt with you.

{sound f/x basa: rustle of Yuuki's vest}

Yuuki: ......!? Did he... run with the stuff?

Man: No.

{sound f/x jii: candle burning}

[Just wanted to make sure that you noticed. The butterfly flying too close to the candle starts to catch on fire.]

Man: He was killed.

Back in the briefing room, Kai looks over the papers.

Eiji: "The Gard District Guerrilla Organization Mop-up Operation"——...

{sound f/x un: whirring beneath Eiji's feet}

{sound f/x ka: the floor beneath Eiji's feet lighting up}

Eiji: That's right. It's a rather large Guerrilla operation. Of course, inside of it there are many people who have special powers and abuse them. With your power, please, I want you to save them.

Part 1 | Part 2

Manga belongs to Yuiga Satoru, G Fantasy Comics, and Enix, taken from the E'S, Volume 1 manga, ISBN4-87025-596-0. Not like the story makes sense if you haven't read the manga anyway. Romanized and translated into English very badly by Mina-P, with desperately needed help, as always, by Mako-chan. Any comments or corrections can be mailed to Mina-P at Minako@senshigakuen.com.

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