There was a whale next to our ship when I woke up.
My first urge was that I should take a picture of it.
But I didn't. I don't even know why I wouldn't want to.
It's not like I had a particular reason to take one.


OPENING


And here's your new business card.

Yayoi Ichinose.
Ministry of Internal Affairs, Statistics Bureau, Research Division, 3rd Assistant Chief Clerk.

Wow, you didn't stutter once.
That's some tongue you've got there.
You're gonna talk your way straight to the top in no time.

Hello. I'm Yoko. It's nice to meet you.

And I'm Genma. I'm sure the two of us will get along great.

I'm Mina. Not that it makes much difference. Names are good for nothing but aliases around here.

These are the other operatives you'll spend most of your time working with.

Nice to meet you.

Look at that disappointment.
You don't care for us much, do you?

I don't see how that matters -- I'm here to do a job.

Would you like me if I gave you this picture?

You might recognize him as BK201.

Li Shengshun.

It's the alias he used to pose as a Chinese exchange student while working for the Syndicate two years ago.
Do I have that right?

Yes.

BK201 has spent the last couple of years working for the CIA.

The Americans? Does that mean he's no longer with the Syndicate?

Evidently, that's all behind him now.
Oddly enough, the CIA is also rather frantically searching for him at the moment.

Okay, but why? BK201's star has disappeared.
How do you know he isn't dead?

Well, for one, dead guys don't move as quickly as the guy we fought.

You actually confronted him?

Well, we...

We know he's alive.
But we're going to have to find him if we want any more info than that.
And that's the main reason we've asked you to join us.
Your first priority will be to capture BK201, as well as Professor Pavlichenko's son, Shion.

Shion?

The cute little kid BK201 has been dragging around with him.


What's going on with you, Chief?
Why didn't you tell me you were resigning?
Or anyone else for that matter?

It's actually been a long time coming.
My heart's just not in it anymore.

Come on, you sounded weird the other day and now this?
Are you wrapped up in something dangerous?
Chief...
Come on, talk to me, Chief!
Hey, Misaki!

Wrong number. No Misaki here.
Here, Yayoi.
Collecting intel from your old cop buddies?
That's a waste of time.
All intelligence gathered by the domestic police, Public Safety Division, and the military is immediately transferred to our database.

Well, thanks for letting me know.
What are you doing?!

You're just as uptight as you look.

What?

You need to loosen up some.
I doubt your pathetic crush wants to touch a frigid block of ice.

My crush?

It's almost cute that you're saving your virginity for BK201.

That's enough!

Aw... rejected again?


It's kind of shocking to see cranes flourish in the aftermath of Heaven's War.

Close the talk -- we're about to enter the city.
What?

Nothing.


How many times you're gonna shit here?!
Your ass is too relaxed, you mongrel!
I'll staple it shut if I see you again!
Damn cats...
Look at that.
Well, hello there!

Hi. How's it going?

Hot damn, aren't you gorgeous!

Is there a sewer leak around here?

No, just reeking cats.
Uh... but don't let the smell frighten you away or anything.
So, what's your name?

Oh, it's Li. Li Hyeonsik.
We just moved in to the neighborhood. It's nice to finally meet a neighbor here.
And these are my siblings.

Oh? You don't say.

We got to get going, but we'll see you around.

It looks like he collects siblings from around the world.

You need to learn to smile.

Uh-huh.

I'm not certain my body knows how.

Why do you care if we smile?

Because our client cares.
They've instructed me to train you to become an agent.

What if I don't want to?

You never talk back to me. That's your first lesson in survival.


Adjust 18 centimeters to the left.
Wind speed three, blowing from the south. Target distance 1200.

Wait for the construction noise before you fire. Try thinking for once.
Look through the scope. We'll change targets.
Shift right.
Adjust downward.
A moving target.

A moving target?
It was in my sights, but I couldn't shoot...

Southeastern winds. Distance 300. Wind speed four. Adjust five millimeters right.

But now...
The coordinates must have been off.

You'd better learn to lie if you're going to be a Contractor.

I won't miss this time.

[Whistles]
Man, talk about a tough little kid.
So what, are you going to kill him?
Just because he's nagging you?

I'm not a murderer.
I knew that much long before I ever met you.
But it's time you listened to me.
I'm going to Tokyo -- that's the only reason I'm still with you.
But if you lay a finger on--

Don't do that again. Just follow my instructions.

Contractor or not, she's just a kid, Hei. They die more easily, you know?

Go get yourself some dinner.

With what money?

And what about your dinner?
He used to eat more than you could imagine, and now he drinks every damn meal out of a bottle.


Come on, Nori, don't you want to dance?

How could I?
That's just what they want us to do...

Huh?

Enough, you zombies! They've got you completely brainwashed!
Snap out of it!

Huh?

The government's got you dancing like puppets on their strings!
We gotta mess some stuff up!
Don't you wanna feel alive?
We gotta find something real to do!

Here we go again. Time for Norio's anti-conformity rant of the day.

This isn't some joke!

Okay, teach us how not to follow.

Exactly! That's what I'm trying to do.

Oh...

Huh?

What? What is it?

It's a girl.

Geez, man, she's just a kid.
You really don't have any boundaries, do you?

I never said I did.

You a lolicon? Gross. That's just sick.

Something real...

Hmm?

I feel it! I feel alive!

Huhhh?

That boy...

What? You don't know him, right?
That would just be too weird of a coincidence.


Can't believe I'm in a love hotel with a couple of kids.
Well I guess that makes it a pretty good hideout.
Are you sure that's going to be enough food for you?

I'm fine, but tell me. Do you know who this "client" is?
Why did they hire us?
It's another Contractor, isn't it?
Why do they want me trained?

You're full of questions.
If you're so worried about it, why don't you run away?
It's not like it's my job to keep an eye on you or anything.

I'm going to, some day. It's just...
I don't have enough money yet.

Now it makes sense.
You're starving yourself so you can feed your piggy bank.
What a truly tragic tale.
Well there you go.
This place went bankrupt a while back, so take whatever you want.
Probably not the healthiest option, but it's better than not eating.

It's past the expiration date.

Eh.


There was a terrorist attack in Vladivostok? Oh right, that.
I heard the whole event was somewhat horrifying.
Dead bodies strewn all over the place, just an enormous mess.
According to rumors it was all the work of Contractors.
They've already covered up the details, of course.
Looks like a handful of groups got duped -- CIA, MI6, and some other Japanese agency.

Which agency was it?

If I knew, I would tell you.

I'm paying you for better information than this.

That's all I've got right now.
But if you still need more than that, I would recommend you talk to Madam Oreille.

I've never heard of her.

The woman's a legendary informant.
The stories say she was born with four sets of ears so she hears it all.

Thanks for not wasting my time.

I joined Section 3 to gain access to the truth.
And now, I feel like the agency I'm working for is doing everything it can to prevent me from doing so.
Why did BK201's star disappear?


Quick and compact.
Always connect to the target's vital points.
Create openings!
Study your surroundings -- anything can be a weapon.
Dodge attacks with just your upper body.
Never lose focus.
And... adapt to the moment.
Five more minutes.

Rather impressive.

Your abs.

Hmm?


Now undulate.
Try to suck in your stomach more. Your concentration is on the abdomen.
Ebb and flow, just like a wave.

Why do I have to do this?

The stomach is the core of your moment.
Your muscles are too weak right now.
Dancing will strengthen them, and loosen you up.
What's wrong?

My stomach...

What about it?

I don't think I should've eaten that ramen yesterday...

Ramen?

Hey, check it out.

Perfect. Field training.
Confront them and then escape.

But what's the point?

Don't question my training.
Escape without using your ability.
And don't kill them.

Hey, here she comes, Norio.

That's not cool, man. Shut up.

'Sup, little girl.
You coming to play with us big kids?
That's nice. You're actually kinda cute up close.

Dude, shut up! Don't talk to her like that!

You ever thought about dating an older man?
He likes you.

Oh, you wanna play tag?

And there's the confrontation.

Whoa, look at this.
This is really badass.
I didn't even know I could bend it this way.
No, wait...
Oh sweet crap! That hurts really freaking bad!

Hey!

No, no, no!
Where the hell do you think you're going?

Hold on! She's only a kid!

So what?!

Uh, Hei?

I told you to cut it out, man!
Violence is only gonna make everything worse!

She's the violent one, you idiot!

That's not good.

Now the cops are involved.
That does make escaping a bit more difficult.

July, guide Suo to an exit.
And how about you distract the police?

Run!

Come on, Norio!

Hey! Wait up!


Over here.
This way.

Oh, no... What's wrong with me?

I found you!
Um, I'm sorry. About my friends.
They're jerks sometimes, but I'm a nice guy!
So do you maybe wanna, like, hang out and talk?
No fighting or anything, just talking.
So, what's your name?

Move.

Oh, right. You probably wanna know my name first, don't you?
I'm Norio. Most of my friends just call me "Nori" for short.

What's wrong with you? Just get out of my way...

I hope this doesn't sound weird, but you make me feel alive!

Move, damn it!

Then she's... uh...

Oh, the siblings are back.

Uh... hello.

You don't... look so hot.
Did you eat rotten food or something?
Yeah! I'm happy to see you too, kid.

I named this place "Noah's Ark," because I wish I could fix history somehow.
They only bothered to save one female and one male of each animal from the flood.
So close-minded.
What about us that aren't men or women?
Are we supposed to drown?
Here.
You're lucky. You were born with a boarding pass to the Ark.

Solid wings in order to protect and prevent any leakage?

You don't want the Ark to sink, and you simply cannot fly without wings.

Hey Dad, I'm hungry.

What's wrong? Do you two know each other?
Poor kid. Puberty's rough, man.

I see. He's acting like Nika.

Nika?
What now?
I pray those cats aren't in heat.

I cannot believe this!
Karma is truly an ironic bitch!
Where the hell are those kids?!

Well that was kind of weird.


He's nothing like him, but he acted just the same.
It was almost identical.
He had the exact same expression as when Nika confessed his love.

So you've got an admirer, huh?

But I don't understand.
I got excited and my heart tightened when I overheard Nika tell Tanya how he felt.
But I didn't feel a single thing when Norio confessed his feelings to me.

Well, you're a Contractor now.
But I'm sure it'll make sense when you become a woman.

Actually, I'm already a woman.

Excuse me?


You used your ability.
There's no hiding it. I can still tell.


There's obviously no point even coming here. Still...

Good evening. I'm glad to see you, Yayoi Ichinose.

Who are you?

I'm sorry.
Would you be more comfortable with me calling you Misaki Kirihara instead?

How do you know my real name?


ENDING


What is it?

You're supposed to lose your emotions when you become a Contractor, right?
And yet, I still hate you.

Is that so?

I'm trapped with the man I hate most, but it's still worth it.
I'll do anything it takes to see Shion.


PREVIEW

Against the ash-colored overcast sky, the child endlessly suffers beneath the stagnant flow of time.
The bitter fruit doesn't seem as though it will ever ripen.
The moment one realizes that they are happy, they've lost everything.
The gunshot continues to echo after the life has been silenced.
And in that quiet, a ghost was called upon, without being told why.