Darker than Black:Gemini of the Meteor > 01

Look, a meteor!

Huh? Where?

Hey Papa, is it really true that if you say a wish three times before a meteor disappears, it'll come true?

That's just an old superstition they believe in Japan.
Your mother was the one who first told me about it.
Yeah, they've got a lot of superstitions.
They've even got charms that are supposed to make you grow tall or pretty.

Really?!

Are you going to tell us what you're wishing for?

It's secret!

So then, is it true that the only time meteors fall is when somebody dies?

Maybe. But what I can tell you is back when we could still see the real stars. That was only a fairy tale.

Look, another one.

What? Where?

Papa...

So, it's begun...

Shion!
Shion! Shion!

Where's Suo?


It's been two years since that fateful night -- a night that's gone down in history as the "Tokyo Explosion."
The same night Shion became a Contractor.


Secondhand smoke is significantly more toxic than the fumes you directly inhale, you know.
The smoke you're sucking down has between 5.3 and 43 nanograms of the carcinogen dimethylnitrosamine.
But the stuff you're exposing me to has up to 823.
And secondhand smoke has 11 times the amount of quinoline. That's about 18,000 nanograms.

There are few things more pointless in life than trying to talk a Russian out of smoking.
Sure, if I stop to think about it rationally, it would obviously be better to quit.
But I'm not liable to start being rational unless I become one of those "Contractors" you hear about.

Thank you.
So, you hear this one before?
Any time you see a star fall, it means that a Contractor has just died.

That true?
I don't even know if I believe in them. Contractors, that is.

You want to meet one?

Well, hell no, I don't.
I hear they're all crazy and violent.
I've dealt with enough of that in my life.
Huh? What the...?
What can I get you?

1968 Glen Deveron, straight up.

Wha...?

It's a sherry, probably stored in a 33-year-old cask.
I heard your bar had a fair share of dead stock stored in back.

Oh, did you? And who told you?

Thanks again.

Thank you, miss.

You're April, right?

That's right, and you're August 7, also known as the Magician?

Some intelligence leaked out from the Russians.
The FSB is going to raid the house in two days.

Is that so? I guess I'll just have to turn my back on the mission then.
Where's July?

He's already here.

Well okay.


Gotcha...

I like you!
I don't know if Suo even mentions me at all, but I always ask about you.
'Cause you seem really interesting.

Ooh! He's really telling her.

I know most people probably think that I'm kind of dumb and get in fights all the time...
but I promise I'll treat you right! I'll treat you like a goddess!
So, will you... go out with me?!

Oh no. He's asking her out.
Oh, what'll I do?
They're gonna think I'm spying...

Are you sure?

Tanya...?

I mean... you like me?

Well, yeah!
But could you like me as well?

Mm-hmm.

Yes!
Can I walk you home after school today?

Sure!

I'll see you then!

Suo?!
Are you okay? Should I call the nurse?
Wait, did you see?

I guess you could say that.
But it was a total accident! I really wasn't trying to spy!

Did you take pictures of us?

Hold on, Tanya! Just calm down!
You looked very cute, I promise!
Take a look.

Okay, you're right.
Are you cool with this, Suo?
I know how much you like Nika.

What?! Who taught you that?!
I'm just in the photography club with him!
Who could like that stupid brute?
Uh, that came out wrong!
You're making the right decision.
He does get in fights a lot, and yeah, he was held back here, and he doesn't have the most common sense,
but he's the nicest and most genuine guy I know.
He's a good guy. You can trust me on that.

I trust you. Thanks, Suo.

Look at you. You're completely in love.

Come on, cut it out!

Suo! Tanya!
What are you doing out there? It's your turn for cleanup duty!

Oh, that's right!

We'll be right there!

It's strange how easily your entire life can change in a single night.
I can't say that I understand what love is.
But it's pretty obvious that Tanya understands what it is now.

My generation has never seen the real stars of the night sky.
They vanished 13 years ago when the Gates appeared in Tokyo and Brazil.
The one in Tokyo was called "Hell's Gate," and the one in Brazil was known as "Heaven's Gate."
The Gates cause all sorts of strange, unexplainable phenomena, and it's dangerous for people to even get near them.


You have no shame. We're in public.

Give me a break. It's not like I'm working with a macro lens.

That's not what I meant, Suo.

You're flashing everyone.

I've got tights on, I'm not bothering anyone!

Will you please sit down?


The world is a different place than it used to be.
Part of it had to do with the war.
We didn't feel the effects of the war too badly over here.
But change is just around the corner.


Hey!

Welcome home, Suo. What's wrong?

Hey, Bella. I just chased off a cat that was after Petya.

Really? We better keep the windows closed.
I'm sorry to say, but the professor told me to tell you that he's too busy at the lab to come home tonight.
I hope you're hungry, because I got a feast waiting for you.

Guess what happened today!
Someone at school asked Tanya to go out with him.

Really? Who was it?

It was Nika! I couldn't believe it!

Are you serious? But I thought Nika was your boyfriend.

No! We're just friends!

Hmm... well, that's not how it looked.

He is not!

Well there has to be some boy that you do like. Who is it?

You know I don't like anyone!

I don't really understand it.
But the sky disappeared 13 years ago.
We have an artificial sky now, a replacement sky.
But there's one thing that I do know for certain:
the stars we now see... each one represents the life of a Contractor.

I've brought some dinner for you.

Come in.
Hello, Suo. How was your day?

Hey, Shion. It was good.

Love, huh?
Now that's one emotion I can't logically sort out.
It's just a hormonal reaction to another person's pheromones, yet people hinge the whole lives upon it.

It's more than that! It brings people together.
Uh... what?

Nothing.
I just think it's cute that you're able to believe in such fantasies, that's all.

Hey, stop that. Don't make fun.

You've got to wake up someday, Suo.
Just as Papa and Mama.

Oh! I found Mama's new book.
It looks like she's doing well.
I was thinking... we should go see Mama in Japan.
Don't you think?

Why?

What do you mean, why?

She wouldn't serve any necessary function in my life right now.

Papa?

I've warned you not to spend time in there.

But Papa.
Shion is my twin brother. He never tried to hurt me.

He doesn't care that you're his sister.
He doesn't see things that way anymore.
And you will get hurt if you don't understand that.

I won't! He's my brother.

Her book? Suo, you can't keep buying those.

I just-- She's waiting for us! I know she is.

Suo!
Stop this dreaming and wake up. Time only moves in one direction, and there's no going back.
Suo!


So Contractors are completely heartless...
I just don't know. What do you think, Petya?
Ah! Wait!
Petya!


Without any warning, your entire life can change in a single night.
And there's nothing you can do about it.

Is everything okay? You're normally right on time, Tanya.

Everything is fine.

Tanya!

What's wrong?

There's something weird going on with Tanya.

Tanya...
Tanya!
Wait up!

Let go.

What's going on, Tanay?
You ditched me this morning and now you're acting weird!
Did I do something to upset you?

I don't have any need for you.

You what?

I'm too young to want children, so there's no point in wasting any more time with you.

I didn't ask you out to have my children!

Then why did you?

Come on! Just tell me what's wrong!

I told you to let go.

That's synchrotron radiation...

Tanya!

She's a Contractor...?
Teacher!

Tanya!

There are no signs to warn of the sudden transformation into a Contractor.
The personality is significantly altered after the transformation.
And they become highly unpredictable.
The standard policy for the government is to detain the Contractors, and they erase the memories of anyone who might have witnessed them.
The way they do this is by using the ME that Papa is researching.

Tanya... don't go...


Papa...

Shion! What are you doing in here?

You had excellent foresight when you had this house constructed.
The secret passages and escape tunnels are certainly going to come in handy today.
It's time, Papa.

You can stand...

I'm finally done with my payment.


Suo...

Huh? Shion?

It's okay. Come to my room.


Bella?

Don't move. This laboratory has been officially quarantined by the government.
Keep your hands where we can see them.


You'll blend in more easily dressed in my clothes.
That charm is for you -- always keep it close to you.

Okay.

Keep that in your possession, and we'll be sure to meet again.
Take the tunnel past the lab. Bella knows an escape route.

Bella? Explain this to me, Shion. Tell me what's going on.
Don't tell me to run and leave me in the dark.

There's no time. Goodbye, Suo.


They've raided. I'm escaping.

Roger. We'll rendezvous as planned.
Top priority goes to the recovery of Shion and the professor.

Understood.
Primary target lost. He must have escaped.
July, can you locate him?

I can't find him. There isn't any accessible glass.

Roger. And the professor's room?

Someone's with him.

Is it Shion? Or is it the FSB?

Neither. It's an adult. An Asian man. And he's wearing a mask.

A mask?

They've tapped the line. Initiate radio silence and proceed with the plan.

Who are you?
What do you want?

I'll ask the questions.
Where's the meteor core?
Shion, was it? Tell me where Shion is.

He's not here.
He escaped.

Then I have no further need for you.

Professor!
Damn it, he's dead.
No external wounds, no vomit.
No other signs of murder.
It can't be...
My name is April, I work for MI6. But I'm sure you already knew that.
Shion, tell me what happened here. Do you know how the professor died?

Bella?

Suo?
Where's Shion? You have to tell me.

I don't know.

Come on!

Hold it right there. I need you both to come with me.
Cooperate, and I'll even share some of these with you.
Do you have to fight?
I really don't want to eat this entire bag of hamburgers.
There's no point running.
Come on, I'm already going to be sore tomorrow as it is.

A Contractor. What a nuisance.

I wish I hadn't done that.
It's you...


ENDING


It's B...K...201...


PREVIEW

A star falls from a false sky, and a life burns out with a brilliant flash.
A red flame swallows everything in its path, turning the path into ash.
A cold blade searches for a heart to pierce, while the young girl wanders through the freezing city.
No flame can reignite the fallen star; it can only grow darker.
And then, another star falls.