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.

Somewhere within Ashurum, everyone is getting dressed into uniform for their latest operation.

Shin-Lu: [getting dressed] Ruri-chan, you've already finished your preparations?

Ruri: Uh-huh.

{sound f/x kacha: Ruri grabbing her gun}

Ruri: This operation we have to bring our weapons, don't we. (I'm a little nervous about it.)

Shin-Lu: Hey! Hey! But I completely hate them——

Ruri: (D... don't worry about it, Shin-Lu!)

{sound f/x kyu: Shin-Lu grabbing her hair into a ponytail}

{sound f/x sha: Shin-Lu worrying in waterfalls of tears}

Shin-Lu: [teary eyed] But I've even managed to avoid all of the training...

Girl: It's all right! They're just for self-defense. If you don't use it, it's not the end. Let's go!

The three Ashurum girls leave the dressing room. Down the hall, Kai is walking off in the opposite direction.

Shin-Lu: Ah!

Girl: Kai...huh. [waving Shin-Lu away] It's fine, we'll go on ahead.

Ruri: [giggling] Shin-Lu.

Girl: Just don't be late for the Outlaw's take-off, okay?

Down the hall, Shin-Lu hides around a corner as Kai confronts Eiji.

Kai: Why is it necessary to be carrying weapons?

Shin-Lu: Kai——...?

Eiji: The enemy is armed, and so we are also at risk.

Kai: I... don't need any.

Eiji: Why is that, Kai? For this operation, it is your duty to carry a weapon for self defense. You know that, don't you?

Kai: I'm fine... for defense.

Eiji: ......... I've also noticed that your power has increased, and so I understand that you have confidence in yourself but...

{sound f/x ka: Kai blushing wildly}

Kai: It... it's not that! Some of the people we're fighting have special powers, don't they!? The same as us!! I don't want to kill... or hurt anyone!!

Eiji: Haven't you thought of the possibility that you'll get hurt yourself?

Kai: If... that happens, that... doesn't bother me! That's my responsibility.

Eiji pulls a rolled up file from under his arm.

{sound f/x ton: soft noises of the file}

Kai: Huh!? Uh...

Eiji: I understand. If it's your weapon, than give me your cartridge. I can't change that you have to carry a weapon, but perhaps you "forgot" something.

Kai: Eiji-san... Thank you so much!

Eiji watches as Kai runs off to join the mission.

Shin-Lu: Kai!

Kai: Shin-Lu!? You... heard?

Shin-Lu: [giggling] Let's go! The Outlaw's going take off.

Kai and Shin-Lu go running off to join their team on their high-tech military-esque plane. Elsewhere, Yuuki is again tied up, but at least he's got his vest on now.

Yuuki: This's so run down, smells like sea water... So this's the warehouse district by the south harbor. One person...

Behind his back, Yuuki uses a long file to saw at the ropes holding him.

{sound f/x buchi: snap of rope}

Yuuki: Two......

{sound f/x ka: footstep}

Yuuki: So there's three guards.

{sound f/x muka: Yuuki getting disgusted}

Yuuki: Those guys honestly suspect me, don't they. But still...... (It's not me—)

Yuuki uses a lock pick to take off his handcuffs.

Yuuki: BASTARDS DAMN YOU LET ME OUT~!!

As Yuuki screams this, he leaps upward, barely grabbing a pipe at the top of the room.

{sound f/x da: Yuuki's leap}

{sound f/x mi: creak as Yuuki grabs the small pipe}

Yuuki: (Dangerous...) I don't need to be killed by my customers!!

Yuuki pulls out an electric screwdriver and keeps yelling as he uses it to take out a vent.

{sound f/x kyuru: whirls of the electric screwdriver}

Guard: It's better if we toss you out beforehand.

Yuuki: Can't ya hear!? Someone's comin' for you!!

{sound f/x katan: the vent coming off}

{sound f/x za: Yuuki hitting the ground outside}

{sound f/x koho: Yuuki's small cough}

Yuuki: ...man. For Guerrillas, they don't know a thing. That was barely decent practice!

{sound f/x garan: the clatter of the vent cover as Yuuki tosses it on the ground}

{sound f/x ka: click of a heeled boot}

Yuuki whips around at the footstep. Behind him, a young woman stares him down.

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

Woman: You're troublesome aren't you... If you're going out, I wonder if you could at least excuse yourself properly beforehand.

Yuuki: ......if that's it, sorry...

{sound f/x muka: Yuuki getting annoyed again}

{sound f/x ko: click of a cane against the ground}

Behind the young woman, a little old man with a cane walks into the light. Behind him, his three Guerrilla guards stand their ground. Elsewhere in the Outlaw, Kai ponders out the window in a seat next to Shin-Lu.

Kai: ...Shin-Lu.

Shin-Lu: Whaat, Kai?

Kai: Is it all right if I asked how you lived before coming to "Ashurum"?

Shen-Long glares at Kai.

Shin-Lu: ...———

Kai: Huh?

Shin-Lu: I... don't really want to talk about it.

Kai: !? Ah...! Sorry. ...... Insensitive——... My......mother was on the staff of the Medical Center connected with "Ashurum." Since we were born, my little sister Hikaru and I were brought up under the protection of "Ashurum."

Kai's Mother: Kai, protect Hikaru.

Kai: Hikaru's weak so she was always in the hospital. But after our mother died, "Ashurum" offered to take care of her. Actually... I think that since "Ashurum" has such advanced medical techniques that they can make Hikaru better.

Kai's Mother: You're the only one who can protect Hikaru.

Kai: And so, if I can be helpful to "Ashurum," I'll accept these missions——— But...... But I don't want to hurt anyone with my power. If it can be helped, normal people...

Shen-Long: You make it sound so simple! Idiot!!

Shen-Long leans over the seat, glaring at the two fitfully.

Shen-Long: You! How do you think that other humans look at people outside of "Ashurum" with special powers...~ "How did you live" he said. I don't want to remember!! You're saying naïve things like that because you don't know the truth!! We have to resist them with our powers because this is a world where it isn't unusual to have siblings like you killed by those humans!! That's the outside world!!

Shin-Lu shoves Shen-Long back to his seat.

Shin-Lu: Shen...~Long! That's enough!

Shin-Lu nervously sits back down next to the brooding Kai.

Shin-Lu: ...Shen-Long doesn't have a way with words, but he's right. Before coming to "Ashurum," we didn't have any "fun things" or "happy things"... Just bad things. So when I remember that, I have to help out the people like me.

{sound f/x gyuu: Shin-Lu gripping her hands in a fist}

Kai: .........

Shin-Lu: Kai...... Next time, I want to see your little sister. It was just a little bit, but it made me happy to talk with Kai about his family.

Kai smiles at Shin-Lu before returning to pondering out of the window.

Shin-Lu: We didn't have any "fun things" or "happy things."

Kai: According to Shen-Long... I made it sound so easy...?

Elsewhere, Yuuki sits in a rocking chair across the room from the old man from earlier.

{sound f/x gii: creak of the rocking chair}

Yuuki: ...and. Have I not been cleared of suspicion?

Old Man: What do you think of this city?

{sound f/x gi: sudden creak of the chair coming to a halt}

Yuuki: Huh? (What's that, all of a sudden.)

{sound f/x pita: the chair coming to a stop}

One of the guerrillas holds another back as Yuuki starts to speak.

Yuuki: It... it's a good city, ain't it? It's dirty and smells, but I was brought up here. Guerrillas like you hang about, but if I don't worry about it, I like it.

Old Man: But what do you think about the "Ashurum" people.

Yuuki: [frowning] "Ashurum"... "Ashurum" huh... they're number one on people I don't want to have anything to do with. This's taking a bad turn... They're an almost governmental mega-conglomerate. They do governmental finance, military, science... that sorta stuff.

Old Man: [smiling] That's our... "Jack-of-all-Trades."

{sound f/x niko: the old man's grin}

{sound f/x hiku: Yuuki shaking with anger}

Yuuki: [twitching] Everyone knows that!

Old Man: ...Before long, this city will be burned by the hand of "Ashurum."

Yuuki: Unfortunately, I don't believe in "fortune-telling"...

Old Man: This is not "fortune-telling." This is "foreseeing."

Yuuki stares at the old man in disbelief. Guerrillas and the young woman from earlier also watch the scene unfold.

Yuuki: Heeh... You a mutant? It's the first time I've seen one. I'm surprised.

Old Man: As you're a "Jack-of-all-Trades," there's something we'd like you to get for us.

Yuuki: But can't you just get anything you need for yourselves? With your super powers and all. Like weapons or counterfeit citizenship papers or some friendly old woman or something?

Old Man: .........

Yuuki: Whatever you're doing ya don't need me hanging around so I'll be going home now.

Old Man: "The Sacrament of Carvaria"...  It's "The Sacrament of Carvaria." It is certainly in this town.

Yuuki: Wait! I've never heard of it! Don't just start going off in conversations.

Old Man: That's not extremely important. "Ashurum" is coming to burn this city looking for it. Countless human lives will be lost...

The young members of Ashurum stand on a building top, peering down to the city below.

Boy: This city was built up in the graveyard of buildings from the old times, huh? (He~~~~~~h)

Shen-Long: [hmph] That den of white ants.

Shin-Lu: (Shen-Long's in a bad mood, isn't he.)

Kai stands apart from the group, looking down onto the streets. Back in the town, Yuuki and the old man continue to talk to each other.

Old Man: We'll pay you whatever you want. We must not surrender the Sacrament to them. I beg of you.

Yuuki: "Beg" you say... Don't you guys know anything about this thing? And why me...

Old Man: It is you, so you will discover it. Yuuki.

Above the city, smaller planes whip past.

Eiji: "Kai, Shin-Lu, Ruri. You head for the warehouse town at the south harbor district. If the enemy we're moving for is there, defend or counter attack as you see fit. Shen-Long, Chris, Tsubaki——... Five minutes afterwards the military attack will start. You are to provide support." Everyone, be careful.

Down in the city, Yuuki and the old man are still talking.

Yuuki: So does that mean, I'm the "foreseen" guy?

{sound f/x ni: Yuuki's grin}

The old man grins back at him.

Yuuki: I accept!

Above the city, Kai and the others swoop down on the docks.

Kai: I'm going in.

{sound f/x kii: high pitched squeal}

{sound f/x guo: roar of fire}

The buildings explode in fire. Debris goes flying as people scream in terror and run for their lives.

{sound f/x ta: Yuuki's foot hitting the ground as he runs}

Yuuki: Hey hey that the truth... It's just like that old man said.

{sound f/x goo: menacing atmostphere}

{sound f/x don: explosion}

Yuuki: !?

Yuuki looks up. The corner of a building explodes above of him, sending a large gargoyle of some sort hurling down at him.

Yuuki: GEH~!!

Flying nearby, Kai suddenly focuses on the falling stone.

Kai: LOOK OUT———

The gargoyle suddenly explodes into dust as Yuuki covers his face.

Yuuki: !?

Yuuki looks up to see Kai floating above him. The two stare at each other.

Yuuki & Kai: !!

Part 1 | Part 2 | Part 3

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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