Chapter 19

Introductions

Stood by the door of the chief’s office, Felix took a deep breath. He reached his knuckles to knock on the wooden door, but he heard the chief’s voice muffled from the other side. “Dismissed.”

He pulled back his hand as the door opened, and the white-haired girl, Isabelle, stepped out with a nervous expression.

“Oh— hi there.” Felix greeted nervously.

“Hey.” Isabelle replied with a shaken voice. She tried to look up to meet Felix eye to eye, but her gaze was cast down, like it was too heavy to raise her head.

“I’m just… gonna… go.” She laughed nervously.

As she walked through the corridor, Felix swallowed. He pulled out the pendant from under his coat and held it close to his face, before tucking it back in and knocking. “Felix Aster, requesting permission to enter.”

“Enter.” Chief responded from behind the door.

“Why does it seem like they’re always in our headquarters?” He absent-mindedly stated while opening the door, still watching her walking away.

“Because they’re here to start training.” Answered a deep, masculine voice.

“—D-Director Sullivan, sir.” Felix responded, quick to change his casual tone and saluted the man in front of him.

Chief Vivian sat by the desk, while the one he referred to as “Director” stood by her side, with hands placed upon a white cane.

There was thickness to the atmosphere as the Director stared at Felix with one eye. His left eye was closed and had two scars over it, while his right eye kept a steady gaze at the young esper.

His hair had turned gray with age, yet his large size dwarfed both Felix and Chief.

Dressed a white suit that looked like it was reaching its limits underneath his white coat lined with streaks of gold. His general frame could be best described as a polar bear in a suit.

“It has been a while, Felix.” The director greeted as he scratched his bearded chin.

“Yes, it has, sir.”

“Please, sit down.” The large man gestured.

“Yes, sir.”

“I’m glad to see that your hand is back to normal. According to Maria’s report, you lost it during your battle with one of the fangs. May I see it?”

“Yes, sir.” Felix reached out his right hand.

The director opened his scarred eye, revealing an orange glow as he gazed at Felix’s hand.

“No scars nor anything, I see. Truly magnificent work from Professor Tetsuya.” He praised, not towards Felix, but to Professor Tetsuya.

Chief could do nothing nor say anything while she sat at her desk and watched the scene unfold between them.

The Director closed his eye once again and let go of Felix’s hand, “The weapon that you got when you saved Carol Thomas. You said it released a beam of light, correct? We found large traces of nuclear radiation on it. That was likely why Lewis Shaw was exchanging plutonium.”

“Then…they’re making a nuclear cannon?”

“Correct. Felix, I understand the eggheads in the science division not being privy to mission reports, but you should have been able to put two and two together.”

“I— Yes, sir. I apologize, sir. It’s just that I—” He smiled as a sweat dripped down his face.

“That you what? Were there other things occupying your mind during the mission?”

“S-sir, I…”

“You what? That was the same weapon that took your arm away. You realize that you should have died in that battle, don’t you? By no means should you have survived from the blast of that weapon. Now what could have possibly been more important to occupy your thoughts?”

“I— sir— I was just…” Felix began to hyperventilate. He looked at his right hand. The vision of a hand reaching upward invaded his thoughts. Darkening as it grew closer and closer in his mind as blood began to pour.

The Director pulled out a pen from his shirt pocket and placed it in Felix’s hand, “It’s alright. I’m sure you will tell me when you’re ready, won’t you Felix?”

“Y-yes, sir.” Felix immediately started to tinker with the pen, and his breathing slowly steadied.

“We also looked into the person that Asahi fellow was referring to. We believe that it was likely Priscilla Primrose. Otherwise known as the Reaper’s Bride.”

“Priscilla Primrose?”

“That’s right. A highly dangerous criminal. Her file is available, but there’s not a lot we have on her.”

As Felix’s breathing calmed down, he looked up slightly, and their eyes met.

“Are you curious about the training I stated earlier?” Director asked.

“Y-yes, sir.”

“See, after your encounter with the Jackal’s Fang, Moritz Wulfe, you called him? We have decided that your training was still lacking. We did not expect one of them to appear, so that was on me. But you have to be prepared for anything. That’s what makes you an Elite, isn’t it?”

“Wait, but—”

“Your performance thus far was good, but considering the spectacular failure that was your encounter with Moritz, and the recent awakening of your powers, you no longer have any excuses left to avoid your psychic training. We even got you a different trainer, the only other person who can teach you how to use your powers. Are we clear?”

“Crystal, sir.”

“Good.”

“And… what about Beast, sir?”

“Beast?”

Chief Vivian went up to the Director and presented a tablet with the criminal’s face on it, “Bentley Wallace East, he was in the building where Felix found Moritz.”

“Ah, you mean the criminal you apprehended. He provided no useful information. I understand you went to great lengths to try to keep him alive, so we sent him to Cocytus Penitentiary.”

“I—I see.” Felix took a deep inhale while the Director had a steady expression on his face.

“Felix.”

“Uhm, y-yes sir?”

“Do you still remember my old saying?”

“Yes, sir”

“Say it.”

Felix scrambled to remember the words that he had not heard in a long time, “Karma isn’t… reliable, that is why we are here. We are… cogs in the machine known as justice. The hammer of retribution, and we… protect the peace from the shadows, sir.”

“That’s right. Now say it again. With your heart in it this time.” The Director commanded.

“Karma isn’t reliable, that is why we are here. We are cogs in the machine known as justice, the hammer of retribution, and we protect the peace from the shadows, sir!” He repeated more confidently.

“That’s right… and you. You weren’t able to hit the nail on that mission.”

Felix gulped as the Director’s oppressive words struck him.

“That is why you must grow stronger. Do better. Understand?”

“Yes, sir.”

“Good. You are dismissed.”

“Wait… but sir…”

“What is it?” The Director replied with a thick oppressiveness in his tone.

“What about… the Matrix Key…”

“Ah, that.” Chief perked up, “We currently have other agents hunting it down. You don’t need to worry about it for now.”

“I also plan on meeting with the individual who invented it.” The Director added.

“I see…”

“If that is all.”

“Yes, sir…” He nodded.

As soon as he exited the room, Felix released a deep, heavy sigh that he had been holding in since the beginning of the conversation. He watched his right hand with shaking fingers, unable to hold the pen tightly, it dropped.

“Was it really necessary to call him here?” Chief asked the director.

“It was. I wanted to see it with my own eyes.” Director replied as he extended his hand towards her.

“So, what exactly do you have planned?” Chief asked as he gave him one of her cigars.

“Now that Anya is done with her contract, she can return to the Golden Lion. So I was thinking of making a team now that we have five of them.” Director answered as he pulled out a matchbox from his red coat, and tried to light it up.

“Five? Don’t you mean eight, sir?” The chief stood up and brought out her lighter and lit up his cigar.

“Felix, Anya, Nero, Isabelle, and Grant. Who did I miss?”

“Maria, and also David and Jane, sir.”

“Jane is far too valuable to still be out in the field, David can no longer function properly in a team after what happened to Luna. As for Maria, I was told that she was a first-stage. Does she also possess psychic abilities?”

“Not exactly, sir. But you said Maria would be assigned as his partner, didn’t you?”

“Things change. It took seven long years for that boy to finally awaken his powers. Seven years we’ve patiently waited for the biggest gear to finally start turning. Now the machine can finally start working. And now, our greatest weapon is active at long last.”

“Sir, it’s still too soon. Even David took over a year to learn how to use his powers.”

“Vivian. If our enemies are developing new weapons, we don’t have the luxury to wait around, and from the way Felix reported, it appears this Moritz fellow has access to Illusion Tech. And the Jackal’s Fangs aren’t the only threat to our fragile peace. Dahmer, the Shaman’s Cult, Black Moon, and other such threats have yet to exist. We have to be prepared.”

“Yes, sir.” Chief Vivian agreed in a subdued manner as she sat back down.

“Not to mention the greatest danger, is there any leads to the missing esper yet?”

“No sir.”

“Then we have to make sure they’re strong enough to handle it. Felix is the only one who can prevent another Fallen Sun catastrophe from happening again.” Director crossed his arms and looked into the distance of the window.

*

Felix headed to the lobby with his head lowered, where he found Nero sitting down on the couch with a cup of tea at his side and a laptop in front of him.

“Put your legs off the table…” Felix scolded as he walked up to him.

“Can’t. Busy watching.” Nero answered.

Felix lifted up his own leg and slowly pushed off Nero’s legs off the table, yet Nero continued watching as if nothing happened.

“Nero, is that you?” A deep voice called out.

Both Felix and Nero looked behind them as they saw an old, bearded man with finely cut white hair walk up to them. He was taller than the both of them, dressed in a black tracksuit with a body that did not resemble his old age, standing in peak physical condition, and a lightning-shaped scar over his left, deep blue eye.

“Yeah... Hey there, Marshal.”

“How are you doing?” The old man’s voice was deep, but bubbly and full of liveliness.

“I-I’m fine.” Nero answered awkwardly.

“Well, I’m certainly glad you’re doing all right. Had I known you were going to join in the agency, I would’ve—”

“I wanted to do things on my own.”

“I see.” The old man, Marshal, responded as he sat down next to him. “I’m sorry I couldn’t attend your father’s—”

“It’s fine. Don’t worry about those kinds of things.”

“Hehe.” The man softly laughed to himself, “I’m glad you’ve grown up to be a splendid young man.”

“That’s debatable.” Felix muttered in a low voice.

“My, I didn’t notice you. Name’s Marshal Frost, and you are?” Marshal responded.

“Marshal. I see, I’m Felix Aster.”

“Ah, yes, so you’re the Black C— I mean, Blue Phantom. It’s nice to meet you.” The old man quickly corrected himself.

“Likewise. And you must be Agent Paladin?” Felix asked.

“That’s right. You’re almost exactly as Luna described. I was told you only had one blue eye.” He reached out his hand.

“Ah, that changed a little... Though I’m glad to know Luna talked about me.” His tone changed as he shook the old man’s hand.

“On the rare occasion that I got to see her, she would often speak fondly of you.”

“...I see. What was she like?”

“Interested, are we? Well, when I first met her, she was rather clumsy. It looked to me like she didn’t know what she was doing.”

“Clumsy? Luna?”

“Yes. Outside of fighting, I heard that she would sometimes even cause problems, and she often lamented how she had “bad luck.””

“Ah, yeah, she said the luck of the Irish never held true when it came to her.” Felix scratched his cheek.

“Right, right. There was even one time that our missions crossed paths and I had to take a bullet for her.”

“You saved her?”

“Five years ago, I still have the scar to prove it.” The old man revealed his arm, which was riddled with scars.

“I see.”

“It’s no trouble, she grew up to be a fine woman. Strong and noble.”

“She did… Thank you. Because of you, I got to meet her. I can’t thank you enough.”

“Really? Then, if you truly are grateful to me, then perhaps one day, you could show Anya the same consideration, and save her if she were ever in danger.”

“Anya?” Felix repeated.

“His niece, Anastasia Frost.” Nero chimed.

“Oh, I see. Uhm. Yeah, I’m not sure I can protect someone ranked higher than me...”

“Come now, ranks hold no meaning. Surely you realize that by now.”

The memory of his battle against Harbinger resurfaced for a moment before responding, “… right.”

“She may seem cold and reserved when you meet her, but deep down she’s very kind and soft-hearted.”

“... If the time ever comes, I’ll do what I can.”

“If that ever happens, consider your gratitude repaid, young man. I’m counting on you.”

“Right, I understand.”

“Good. A young man like you could use more confidence. I’ll be counting on you. Both of you.” Marshal placed his hand reassuringly on Felix’s shoulder. “Well then, I’m off. But before I go, here. For you, too, Nero.” He said as he left something in their hands.

“Ah, good luck, and leave nothing to chance.” Felix smiled at Marshal.

“Thank you.” He replied as he left the two.

As Felix opened his palm, he found candies on it. “These candies. Luna said she would sometimes get them from a kind old man. I didn’t know she meant that it was from the Paladin.”

“The Paladin. So that’s his codename…” Nero muttered without removing his eyes from the screen.

“And how do you know him?”

“That’s none of your business.”

“And your dad and him were acquainted?”

“That they were.” Nero answered as he sipped his tea.

“Sigh.”

“Felix.”

“Oh, hey Marie, and... Isabelle?”

Maria walked up to them with a cup in her hand, sipping soda through a straw, “She wanted to tag along.”

“I… didn’t want to be alone… ehehe…” Isabelle twirled her hair.

“So, who was that old guy just now?” Maria asked.

“Marshal Frost. The Paladin.”

“Okay. Um… anything else I need to know?”

“Not really. He did give us these candies, though.” Felix handed one of the candies to her.

“Alright.” She popped the candy in her mouth. Her eyes began to tear up and she started panting, “Sssssspicy!”

“Yup. I hate these things.” Felix smirked.

Another figure waved to them, with deep brown hair and crimson eyes, with a wide smile and a peppy exterior. “Hey. There’s a table here we could all sit!”

“That’s nice.” Maria responded with a bright smile before turning her back on him.

His lips flattened, and his eyes furrowed. Awkwardly, his hand lowered.

Felix turned to the two of them and said, “I think he wanted us to go sit with him.”

“And?” Maria responded.

“I’m busy watching.” Nero commented.

“Marie…”, “Nero…” Both Felix and Isabelle grumbled, the frustrations they had in their partners were summarized in the tone they spoke in.

Grant walked up to them and pointed over to the small cafeteria in the next room, “Let’s go over there, there’s a table where we could all eat.”

“Umm.”

“Come on, I wanted us to get to know each other better since we’re working with each other. it’s not like we espers have anyone else to talk to.”

“Ah, sure.” Isabelle answered.

Felix and Isabelle looked at each other and nodded, silently coming to an agreement.

Grant smiled awkwardly as he watched the both of them carry their partners to the table where he had pointed to.

Felix picked up Maria in his arms. “Wh-what are you doing?!” She stammered with a flustered, red expression.

Isabelle picked up Nero, who made no sound other than sipping the tea in her arms as he continued watching on the laptop on his lap.

“So, how was your morning?” Grant asked, his head perched on his hand with a bright smile.

“Terrible.” Both Felix and Isabelle spoke in tandem with a dejected sigh.

“Why, what happened?”

Isabelle muttered, “Meeting the director…”

“…was incredibly stressful.” Felix finished her sentence.

“Sounds tough, but I bet you’ll get through it. Nothing a little bit of coffee can’t fix.” Maria patted him on the back.

“Right…” Felix smiled softly.

“I’m surprised. You’re all surprisingly good-looking. Especially…” Grant looked to Felix. Of which Felix responded with an eyebrow raised.

“Cut the crap, what do you want with us?” Maria asked bluntly with low, uninterested eyes.

“Alright then, I’ll cut to the chase; I want to ask you all what your reason for being here is. It doesn’t have to be specific, just the idea would be fine.”

“What’s yours?” Felix asked.

“A number of reasons. First; I’m after a certain Golden Lioness...” He scratched the back of his head and a flushed red face.

“Do you mean Allison? She doesn’t seem like the romantic type.” Isabelle replied.

“We can’t be sure until I’ve tried.” Grant confidently shrugged.

“And the second?” Nero asked.

“There’s someone else I’m after... I need power, and the agency is gonna help me.”

“But you’re an esper. You already have power.” Isabelle replied.

“I meant something else.”

“What kind of power?” Nero asked as he looked at him with sharp eyes.

“Power to right my wrongs, I think everyone here needed that sort of power.”

“…Everyone, huh?” Maria scoffed.

“What do you mean ‘wrongs?’” Felix asked.

“See, war never really changes, but the men who tread through it do.” Grant explained.

“That doesn’t answer my—”

“What about you guys?”

“Cryptic bastard.” Felix mumbled out.

“Let’s start with Isa.”

“Why me?”

“You’re young and cute, so I want to know why you’re in a place like this.”

“Quit being flirty, it’s creepy.”

Grant sighed slightly and asked her earnestly, “Well?”

“Sigh… I needed the money.” Isabelle answered reluctantly, looking to the side, where she wouldn’t have to look anyone in the eye.

“Alright, I can tell you don’t want to talk about it... but why the Project ASTRAEA?”

“I was told that it would… mhm. I don’t wanna talk about it.”

Grant then turned towards the blond, red-eyed man, “Nero, what about you?”

“Same reason you do. For power.” Nero responded without a hint of hesitation.

“What for?”

“It’s not something as vague or noble as writing my wrongs like you think yours is. I have my own mission.” Nero explained.

“I see… and what about you, Felix?”

“To become number one.” Felix answered.

“No, I meant… why are you here?”

“To… to protect the peace.”

“Isn’t that just the agency’s mantra? I’m asking why you’re here.”

“I-- I don’t...”

“Grant.” Maria’s cup crumpled slightly as she glared at him.

He immediately got the message, “Ah, right... touchy subject. Then what about you, Marie?”

There was a brief pause before Maria responded. She sipped her soda until the cup was empty. “… Money, obviously.”

“Really? Something tells me that’s not the case.”

“What, you want me to talk about some overblown tale, some tragic backstory of love and revenge? Sorry to disappoint. But, no such luck.” Maria shrugged as she stood up and threw away her cup.

Felix turned to her and asked, “M-Marie, where are you—?

“I still have to attend to processing the Matrix Key. Apparently, Carol found another fragments, so I’m gonna take another stab at it.”

“Ah… she escaped.” Grant blurted out.

“If she doesn’t want to talk about it, we have to respect her privacy.” Isabelle chastised him.

“Right. Still, I just wanted to know what you were all like, since we’re all going to be working with each other. Now, let’s get something to eat.”

Nero got up from his chair and cracked his neck.

“And where do you think you’re going?” Isabelle asked.

“Bathroom, be back in a minute.” He answered as he left the table, leaving his stuff behind.

“Oh good, you’re all here. I take it you’re here for lunch?” The chief as she got up to them. Beside her stood a short, red-haired girl with a white eyepatch that barely covered the burn mark on her left eye.

“Chief?”

“Allow me to order us the special.”

“You’re…” Grant mumbled out loud with an eyebrow raised.

“Hello, Grant, right? And you must be Felix Aster?” The red-haired woman asked.

“You’re Anastasia, I take it?” Felix replied as he got up.

Chin in hand, she eyed him down with a penetrating glare, and with cold-hearted indifference she told him, “This is your first test.” Anastasia handed him a clear bottle with blue markings, and an eighty-seven percent labeled on it.

Felix scowled and looked at her with uncertainty, “Vodka?”

“Yes.”

As he opened it, its strong, sharp scent invaded his nostrils.

“I’m supposed to… drink this?”

She did not respond a second time and only stared at him dead in the eye.

“All of it?”

“A-Anya?” Chief asked.

“I don’t think that’s—” Isabelle chimed in.

“Bottom’s up.” He brought the glass bottle to his mouth while pinching his nose, and in one continuous gulp, finished its contents.

He let out a sharp exhale and put down the bottle on the table, “That— was… hic…”

“Felix, are you alright?” Isabelle asked.

“I’m just, hic, I’m… fiiiii….” Before finishing the last word of his sentence, he collapsed to the ground entirely.

“He must be out cold.” Nero commented as he got back up to them.

“Nero…” Anastasia greeted.

“Hey.” Nero replied familiarly.

“Hic.”

All of them looked at Felix, who was on the ground.

“Sorry I’m late. Are you three Nero, Grant, and Isabelle?” A deep voice asked, as a tall, orange-haired man walked up and pointed at them with a mechanical arm.

“Actually, I’m Nero—”

Grant suddenly sprang up, his palms slammed against the table as his chair dragged back with a sharp noise that caught all of their attention. All of them turned to him, his sharp stare was a mix of fear, rage and confusion that locked onto David.

“Hm?” David mumbled.

“You’re… sorry… I just thought that… nothing.” Grant mumbled out as he quietly sat back down, hoping they would not pay attention.

“That doesn’t seem like it was nothing, but I’ll let it slide. For now, what happened to Felix?”

“Heeeehh…” Felix whimpered out as liquids leaked out of his mouth.

“This happened.” Anastasia handed David the bottle.

“This bottle… it’s over eighty percent.”

“And he did it in one sitting. I’m impressed. Even I couldn’t do that.”

David’s eyebrows furrowed, “Why would you make him do this?”

“I didn’t think he would.” She smirked ever so slightly.

“I had an idea, what if we picked him up instead of leaving him on the floor?” Isabelle interjected in a scolding voice.

“Right, right.”

As the table was prepared, Felix sat in between David and Isabelle, still out cold. There was a full course meal prepared for all of them, and a pie next to David.

There was a thick sense of discomfort in the air as they ate. Anastasia was quiet as she faced Nero, and so was Grant as he was catching sharp glances at David.

“So how about introductions, my name is Isabelle Castella, it’s nice to meet you um…” Isabelle attempted to break the silence and faced the large man with the metal arm.

“David Soldier. Feel free to call me Dave if you like.” The large man introduced himself.

“Alright, and um miss…”

“Anastasia Frost.” The short, red-haired woman responded.

“If the glowing orange eyes didn’t give it away already, these are your seniors, and your trainers.” Chief stated.

“Trainers?”

“That’s right. David will train you three, while, as per someone’s request,” Chief glared at Isabelle “Felix will be taught by Anya, and you will be relocating to a training facility. Your training starts today.”