Back at the dimly lit café, the air was heavy with the aroma of coffee and the quiet hum of conversation. Takumi sat across from Nobubaki, sipping his coffee with a calm, almost detached demeanor. His dark eyes held a glint of amusement as he watched the younger boy fidget in his seat.
Nobubaki, still reeling from the events at the museum and the surge of power he had experienced, could barely contain his impatience. "Alright, enough with the coffee," Nobubaki snapped, his voice tinged with irritation. "You need to start explaining. Who are you really, and how are you involved with Atomion? You just show up, fight like you've done this a hundred times, and now you're here acting like none of this matters!"
Takumi grinned, leaning back in his chair. "Relax, kid. What, did you expect me to spill my life story over a cup of coffee?"
Nobubaki's frustration grew. "I just watched people die, and now I'm stuck with these.... I don't understand! This isn't a game! Stop dodging the question!"
Takumi chuckled, clearly enjoying Nobubaki's outburst. "Ah, the classic teenage angst. I remember being your age. Everything feels like the end of the world." He took another slow sip, deliberately dragging the moment out. "Look, you had your big hero moment. Congrats. But you need to learn something—this world isn't as simple as good guys and bad guys."
Nobubaki clenched his fists, his ego bruised by Takumi's casual dismissal. "I didn't ask to be a hero! I'm not some kid playing around. I just want to know why you're involved with Atomion and why people like you and the G-Brothers keep showing up! What's your deal?"
Takumi raised an eyebrow, his grin widening. "Well, look at you, getting all worked up. I like the fire, but you're asking the wrong questions, kid. You think you're ready for the truth? You can barely handle your own power, let alone the bigger picture." His tone was teasing, but there was a hint of something more serious beneath it.
Nobubaki felt his temper flare. "Don't talk to me like I'm a child! I just saved your ass back there!"
Takumi laughed out loud, the sound cutting through the tension in the room. "Saved my ass? That's rich. You've got spirit, I'll give you that. But don't get ahead of yourself. You're still green, and you don't know what you're dealing with."
Nobubaki's eyes narrowed. "Then tell me what I'm dealing with."
Takumi leaned forward, his playful tone dropping slightly. "Alright, I'll give you a little taste, but don't say I didn't warn you." He set down his coffee, his eyes locking with Nobubaki's. "Atomion isn't the end of this story, and neither are you. There are forces at play in Meloria City that make that guy look like a warm-up. The G-Brothers? Me? We're just pawns in a much bigger game."
Nobubaki crossed his arms, his impatience only growing. "That's still not an answer. You're just talking in circles."
Takumi smirked. "Maybe because you're not ready for the straight answer. But alright, since you're so eager…" He leaned back again, a lazy smile on his face. "Let's just say I've been doing this a long time. We've been playing cat and mice for years "
Nobubaki's expression hardened. "I don't care how long you've been at this. I'm not scared of whatever comes next."
Takumi chuckled again, shaking his head. "You should be." He picked up his coffee once more, his eyes twinkling with amusement. "But hey, I admire the confidence. Even if it's a bit misplaced."
Nobubaki felt his pride sting at Takumi's casual dismissal. "You don't know anything about me."
Takumi's grin widened. "Maybe not. But I know this—if you keep rushing into things like you did at the museum, you're going to get yourself killed." He paused, letting the words sink in. "So how about you cool down and stop acting like you've got it all figured out?"
Nobubaki sat in silence for a moment, his frustration mixing with a reluctant realization. He hated to admit it, but Takumi had a point. He didn't know what he was up against, and his newfound powers were more dangerous than he'd anticipated.
Still, he wasn't about to back down. "Fine," Nobubaki muttered. "But I'm not just going to sit on the sidelines. I'm in this now, whether I like it or not."
Takumi smiled, this time with a hint of approval. "That's the spirit."
Takumi took one last sip of his coffee, setting the cup down with a soft clink. His demeanor shifted slightly, becoming a bit more serious. "You've got guts, kid. I'll give you that," he said, leaning forward and narrowing his eyes at Nobubaki. "But before we go any further, I need something from you."
Nobubaki frowned, still on edge from the way Takumi had brushed off his earlier questions. "What is it now? More cryptic warnings? I've had enough of that."
Takumi smirked, holding up his hands in mock surrender. "No more riddles, I promise. I just need something simple. What's your name?"
Nobubaki blinked, thrown off by the sudden change in topic. "My name?"
"Yeah," Takumi said, his tone light but his eyes focused. "You never introduced yourself, and I'm not exactly in the habit of teaming up with random kids. So, what's your name? And do you have a passport?"
Nobubaki tilted his head, suspicious. "A passport? Why the hell do you need that?"
Takumi chuckled, shaking his head. "Relax, it's not what you think. I need to know because I'm trying to get my team back together. Things are getting messy, and I need all the help I can get. But if you don't have a passport, that could complicate things."
Nobubaki's brow furrowed in confusion. "Your team? What are you talking about? Why would you need me? And where are you planning to go?"
Takumi leaned back again, his casual grin returning. "All good questions, and I'll answer them eventually. But right now, I'm asking the questions." He gestured toward Nobubaki. "So? Name? Passport?"
Nobubaki, still unsure, finally relented. "It's Nobubaki. Nobubaki Takahashi. And yeah, I've got a passport, but I don't see what that has to do with anything."
Takumi's eyes glimmered with interest. "Nobubaki Takahashi, huh? Well, that's a start. As for the passport… let's just say we might need to do some traveling soon. My team got scattered all over the place after things went south a while back. Atomion was just one piece of a much bigger puzzle, and if I'm going to put it all back together, I need people who can keep up. You showed potential back there, so I'm extending an invitation."
Nobubaki narrowed his eyes, still wary of Takumi's motives. "You want me to join your team? What makes you think I'll trust you after all this? You barely told me anything."
Takumi shrugged. "You're right. I haven't told you much, and I probably won't for a while. But here's the thing, kid—you don't really have a choice. You've already thrown yourself into this mess, and it's not going to get any easier from here. You can either go at it alone, or you can come with me, learn a few things, and maybe, just maybe, survive a little longer."
Nobubaki crossed his arms, considering Takumi's words. He didn't like the idea of being manipulated or used, but there was truth in what Takumi was saying. He was in over his head, and going alone wasn't going to help him figure things out. Still, something about Takumi's attitude rubbed him the wrong way.
"Alright," Nobubaki said cautiously. "I'll go with you. But I'm not joining any team until I know exactly what I'm getting into. And you better start giving me some straight answers."
Takumi grinned. "Fair enough. I like a guy who knows how to negotiate. Welcome aboard, Nobubaki. Now, let's see if you've got what it takes to handle what's coming." He stood up, tossing some money on the table to cover the bill. "Come on, we've got work to do."
As Nobubaki followed him out of the café, his mind raced with questions. Takumi had opened up a door to something bigger, and whether he liked it or not, he was stepping through.
Takumi wasted no time. As soon as they stepped out of the café, he flagged down a taxi and, without even asking Nobubaki for input, directed the driver to the airport. The sudden shift in pace left Nobubaki scrambling to keep up.
"Wait, we're going to the U.S. right now? Like, just like that?" Nobubaki asked, his voice full of disbelief as he hopped into the cab after Takumi.
"Yep, just like that," Takumi responded casually, scrolling through his phone. He didn't bother to look up. "We don't have time to waste. If we want to get the first member of my team, we need to move fast."
Nobubaki leaned back against the taxi seat, trying to process everything. "You still haven't told me who this team member is or why they're so important."
Takumi grinned, his eyes still focused on his phone. "Details, details. You'll see soon enough. All you need to know right now is that this person's crucial for what's coming. Trust me, they're... a bit of a wildcard."
"A wildcard?" Nobubaki echoed skeptically. "This is starting to sound like a bad idea."
Takumi finally glanced up from his phone, a playful smirk on his lips. "Maybe. But since when have you had any good ideas since this whole thing started? Just roll with it, kid."
The rest of the ride to the airport was mostly quiet, with Nobubaki lost in his thoughts and Takumi glued to his phone, tapping away at messages or bookings, as if this trip was just another routine errand.
Once they arrived at the airport, Takumi moved with the speed and efficiency of someone used to navigating crowded terminals. He breezed through check-in, and before Nobubaki knew it, they were seated on the plane, awaiting takeoff.
As the engines roared to life, Nobubaki turned to Takumi, who was already reclined in his seat, looking more like he was about to nap than embark on some crucial mission. "So, are you ever going to tell me more about this person we're going to meet?"
Takumi cracked one eye open. "All in due time, Nobubaki. For now, just get some rest. You're going to need it."
Nobubaki, frustrated with the constant vague answers, crossed his arms and sighed. "Great."
Takumi closed his eyes fully this time. "Oh, one more thing. The person we're meeting? Let's just say... you'll know them when you see them. They don't exactly blend in."
Nobubaki narrowed his eyes but decided to drop it for now. His mind raced with possibilities, wondering just what kind of person Takumi had recruited and what was awaiting them in the U.S.
After hours of flying and another long drive through a run-down neighborhood in the U.S., they finally arrived at a dark, decrepit apartment building. The place reeked of neglect. Cracked walls, flickering lights, and an unsettling quiet surrounded them as Takumi led the way through the narrow, grimy hallways. Nobubaki wrinkled his nose in disgust.
"This is the place?" Nobubaki asked, his voice thick with skepticism. He couldn't believe anyone lived here, let alone someone important enough to be part of Takumi's mysterious team.
Takumi grinned as he climbed the stairs, seeming completely unfazed by the filth. "Yeah, our first stop. You'll see why soon enough."
As they made their way deeper into the building, Nobubaki couldn't shake a growing sense of unease. Something about this whole situation felt off, like the person they were going to meet would be a perfect reflection of Takumi himself — chaotic, unpredictable, and a little dangerous. He almost expected them to look like Takumi too.
When they reached the door at the end of a dimly lit hallway, Takumi didn't bother knocking. The door was already ajar. He pushed it open and stepped inside confidently, with Nobubaki following closely behind.
The apartment was as decrepit as the building itself — bare walls, sparse furniture, and a lingering musty smell. Nobubaki glanced around, not seeing anyone at first. The room was dead silent, until suddenly, a figure appeared behind them, moving swiftly and silently, a gleam of metal catching Nobubaki's eye. He tensed immediately, instinctively readying himself to react.
A cold female voice broke the tension. "I'd say it's nice to see you, Takumi, but it never is."
Nobubaki turned quickly, heart racing, and saw the source of the voice. Standing behind them, holding a knife with casual ease, was a woman. She was tall and intimidating, with striking red hair that fell messily over her shoulders. Her sharp green eyes gleamed with a mixture of amusement and wariness as she sized up both of them.
She had an air of danger around her, like someone who was always one step away from doing something unpredictable. Her leather jacket was worn and tattered, and her combat boots were covered in grime, like she'd just come from a fight. There was a scar that traced the side of her face, but it only added to her aura of someone who had seen and survived more than most people could imagine.
"Still walking into places like you own them, huh?" she said, eyeing Takumi. She sheathed her knife with a smooth motion, her attention now shifting to Nobubaki, who felt her gaze like a weight.
"Who's the brat?" she asked bluntly, her tone making it clear she wasn't impressed.
Takumi chuckled, seemingly unbothered by the knife or her attitude. "This is Nobubaki. He's with me. You can trust him. Nobu, meet Elara. She's... well, let's just say she's a valuable asset."
Nobubaki, still slightly on edge, gave her a nod. "Elara, huh?"
She gave him a once-over, her expression unreadable. "You better be worth the trouble, kid." Then, she turned back to Takumi. "You dragged me out of my life for this, so I hope you have a damn good reason."
Takumi smiled slyly. "Oh, trust me, I do. Welcome back to the team."