2208 07 09 Tokyo, Honzodie Empire
Chihaya had been seeing more soldiers since the Siege of Tokyo. And while she did see her fair share of P.C.R troops it was mostly Imperial soldiers coming in for aid. "Mom I need some help over here." She was having to break up fights between the injured enemies every so often though less broke out since her morphine scare, but that didn't mean it was still common. "Hey you two calm down and I'll give you each a little more food for your recovery." She ended her sentence with a wink and the two men stopped there argument though Chihaya was 43 most of the soldiers had commented on how young she looks for her age and with her glasses it drove men crazy "Ah this is getting out of hand I'm going to head out front." As she headed for the door it swung open and what stood there was soldier in a P.C.R uniform. He carried a strange rifle that was covering his arm. His face was pale and his uniform was stained with blood. He collapsed to the floor as Chihaya ran to him. "Ryuji someone just came in critically injured I need your help!" As he ran out he saw what she was talking about the soldier regained consciousness and removed his rifle to grab at his side arm. He pointed it at Ryuji as Chihaya got in front of him the soldier shook and then went under "Come on we have to act fast get him to table I want a full scan." "Yes mom." They start to scan the soldier and to their shock they discovered something. "My god he's modified!" What she saw was that both of his legs from the knees down had been replaced. His right arm had been completely replaced, even his right eye was modified as well and his brain had some mechanical components attached to it. She couldn't believe how many modifications this guy had. No wait he looked to be barely out of his teens. She had been given a scanner by an injured P.C.R soldier as payment once so she scanned his bar code. The information came up fast "It says here he's Colonel Iwatani Ichigo and he's only 18 years old and has been serving since what only since 2205! That would mean he was 15 when he started his killing that's sickening." She continued to read "It also says here he's a named ace The..." she stopped as the name came up "The Ghost of Okinowa?" She didn't know how to respond to that name. "Wait are you serious?" She turned to see a Imperial soldier standing in the doorway with Ryuji getting in his way, but he pushed past him then Chihaya stepped in "You do anything to that patient I will make sure that when I pull out that last bullet it will be without morphine!" "I don't care what you do as I'm going to kill that monster. He killed my friends during the the evacuation of Okinowa after everyone he's killed he doesn't deserve to live!" He then pushed past Chihaya and started to grab at Iwatani "Wake up you fucking bastard I want you to see who's killing you!" He started to move and faster then she could see Iwatani had gotten the better of the Imperial soldier and broke his neck before falling back on the bed Chihaya and Ryuji got to either side of him "Quickly we need to operate." She then heard Iwatani speak "Why did he do it? Why did he force me to kill him?" She looked at him and what she saw shook her he was crying "I just want to end it. All I want to do is stop killing, but I can't seem to do that. Why do I have to keep killing?" And before he went under she could here him repeat one set of words "I'm sorry." Over and over in perfect Japanese that intrigued her more about just who this boy was.
2215 03 22 Uptown Tokyo Ground Level
"How are you feeling after yesterday's battle do your limbs feel fine." "Ya they feel fine." Ever since that day Chihaya has always felt concerned for the boy, as during his operation were she didn't give him morphine he didn't even flinch it was if is body didn't register pain anymore. So she felt it necessary to check his modification do to that fact "So I guess your out of retirement then?" He just looked at the ground "Look I know you have this thing about killing, but remember they choose that not you so do your best ok?" "Ok." She smiled "Now I'm going to go see May you stay here and get some more rest you over exerted yourself yesterday." He nodded and laid back down.
2215 03 22 P.C.R Military Headquarters Beijing.
Col. Zhou sat outside the Major Generals office nerves about bringing in the report. It had been a couple of years since he last spoke with Major General Lingxin and he was not happy about how their first meeting in 5 years was to bring bad news. He sat there for a while until the secretary spoke "Col. Zhou you can head on inside Gen. Lingxin will be in shortly." He got up and headed in. As he entered in he spotted someone else standing in the room it was a young woman in here late twenties she had black hair that only went a couple of inches below her ears and her hair color complimented her uniform which was dark grey an indication that she was part of the anti-grav division. She turned to look at him and with a smile she greeted him "Good afternoon Col. Zhou are you feeling well?" His heart sank though not from how beautiful she was, but of how terrified he was of her. He cleared his throat "I'm doing well Gen. Tae I trust everything has been well for you to?" Gen. Tae isn't that opposing of a name, but it was her second name her ace designation that sparked fear in him The Bloody Empress. She stood there smiling and it creeped him, her hazel eyes would have been attractive, but looking at them for to long was a freighting thought as he thought he could see the devil behind them if it wasn't for that most of the men would have been clamoring for her as her figure wasn't half bad hell they were using her as a recruitment motivator on holo boards. He noticed her uniform top was unbuttoned revealing the black shirt she was wearing underneath "Um forgive me for asking, but why are you not in uniform mama?" "Oh why is my shirt unbuttoned funny story you see they got my size wrong and I won't get a replacement until tomorrow." "I see what did they get wrong? If you don't mind me asking?" He was afraid of asking, but he need to keep a conversation going. "Oh they got the bust wrong they gave me a 82 when I need a 90." "I see that seems odd for them to get that wrong." "It was but I straightened things out though." The Col. gulped after hearing that, but just when he was going to ask the out come Major General Lingxin walked in "Ah Col. Zhou now what do I the pleasure?" The Col. saluted and responded "Sir it has to do with the incident above the Tokyo yesterday we have found out who's responsible." "Oh and couldn't you have just called me instead of coming all the way here?" "I wanted to show you in person." Zhou placed the 3D image on the table. Gen. Lingxin looked at it "Is it him?" "This image of him was taken at 250 meters, but it was also reported that he reached 800 meters." "Then he is alive!" Zhou turned to see Gen. Tae looking at the image with a twinkle in her eyes it gave him shivers. "Col. Zhou." "Yes sir?" "You will take General Tae with you back to Tokyo she will take over the hunt for him." "Sir if I may?" "Yes Gen." "May I bring him back in alive?" Lingxin looked at her "if possible yes he would be valuable to the war effort speaking of which can we spare anyone from that to help you?" "Maybe we can spare 3 battalions from the Indian front. Since Pakistan's defeat it has put more pressure on our frontline so we can't spare anyone else." "Then perhaps we should release Sgt Kurusu?" Zhou become unable to hold back his fear "Sir with all due respect sending in the Bloody Empress is one thing, but now releasing the Devil Fox is something we can't do." Tae respond "I have to agree with the Col. sir releasing Kurusu isn't a good idea." "Well Gen. he's the only ace besides you that can reach past 100 meters." She sighed and shrugged "I guess we don't have a choice then fine send word that we're coming to pick him up and have them prepare his gear." Zhou gulped "Well this is better then no help."
That evening Uptown Tokyo Ground Level
May had fallen asleep she didn't know when or how but she slept for awhile when she awoke Chihaya was making dinner. She noticed her and called to her "Ah your up come on over." May got up and knee at the table. What greeted her was beef vegetables and rice "Wow." "I know it's not as much as your use to, but it's what we have." "Are you kidding it looks delicious." Chihaya laughed "Well help yourself there's plenty." She started to eat the beef melted in her mouth as she smiled a few minutes later Ichigo enter the room "Oh Ichigo would you like some?" He just looked at May then asked Chihaya a question "Were are your ration packs?" "Second cabinet from the left." He nodded and headed right over May looked on puzzled "Hey Chihaya why isn't Ichigo eating with us?" "I'm not sure, but I have two possible answers 1. He's eaten those rations for so long he doesn't mind the taste, or 2. One of his modifications is making all other foods besides the ration packs inedible to him." May questions about him grew she wasn't getting answered just questions stacked on top of others. For starters why would a high ranking officer that was guaranteed wealth and privilege after the war would desert to live as a salary man? Or why he despised killing if that was the job he volunteered for? She honestly couldn't figure him out. As she continued to eat a message started to come through, a man in a military uniform Ichigo stared at the 3D image "Hello Zhou." May recognized the name it was Col. Zhou the head of the M.P's in Tokyo. Zhou smiled and saluted "Greetings sir how are you feeling?" Ichigo crossed his arms and respond "You don't need to do that." "With all do respect Gen. I do as the higher ups still recognize you as a Brigadier General." "How are you calling me." Zhou grinned "I've know of miss Chihaya's practice since the war." "So are you going to rat us out then." Zhou shook his head "No mainly due to the fact that if it wasn't for Miss Chihaya my brother would be dead so I owe her that much." "Then why are you calling?" "To inform you that miss Xing Wu is no longer our target." As soon as she heard it her head flooded with relief, but it soon disappeared once she saw Ichigo faces. "And what's the catch?" Zhou grin grew larger "Why they found a larger fish sir." She watched as Ichigo ran out of the building, she followed and what greeted them was a small squadron of ships flying over the city. All of a sudden the holo boards image changed and someone in weird gear appeared. "Citizen of Tokyo my name is Brigadier General Kurusu Shido and I bring you news on yesterday lovely incident!" May had chills as the Kurusu spoke he talked about the incident as if it was funny that so many people died. "They didn't." Ichigo got worried upon seeing the man "You know him?" He nodded "Ya unfortunately he's my cousin." Kurusu continued "We have discovered a deserter amongst you fine citizens and it was he who was the cause of the incident a member of the P.C.R anti-grav division. The deserter is non other then the Ghost of Okinowa himself Brigadier General Iwatani Ichigo!" Image changed to show a picture of Ichigo but he looked younger his hair was shorter and he wasn't wearing an eye patch Kurusu continued "Please ensure that if you find him the military wants him brought in alive and in one piece. Thank you for your cooperation." Ichigo stared up at the ships above and sighed "I guess there's no turning back now." He then turned to May "Come on May were leaving." "Really?" "Yes if we stay here any longer will just put Chihaya and Ryuji in far more danger." "How?" "If the Devil Fox is involved things will get messy." May looked at him confused "They said I wasn't their target anymore why not leave me here?" He shook his "Kurusu would just use you for target practice it's his favorite way of executing someone." "So there's no choice." Ichigo nodded "Then let's go." They said their goodbyes and ran what ever happened next she didn't know, but for them things were just getting started.