City Series:Volume3a Chapter 6

Status: Incomplete

2/5 parts completed

   

Act 6: Chase the Rhythm (9:56)

Part 1

It was 9:30 AM, a subtle time in which the air transitioned between morning and midday.

People were beginning to work at that time, but the restaurant inside the Yard was still packed full.

It had the dangerous-sounding name of the Human Meat Bar.

The entire place was painted red and it was too small for more than around a dozen people to fit.

However, it was not just the small size that made it feel busy.

The Human Meat Bar’s main selling point was its exclusive focus on Glossolalian clientele.

The individuals in blue uniforms causing all the lively noise at the counter and tables were Hard Wolves, Half Fish, and the like.

They came here to mark the start of the day.

The steam rising from the bowls and pots surrounded the blue of their uniforms and the red of the walls.

Mixed in with it all was a pure white that almost looked gold.

The color took the form of two wings which stood up within the steam.

They were Akira’s wings.

She sat across from Gunmal at a small table in the back of the small restaurant.

She had a bowl of fish porridge, but…

“Gunmal, how can you eat that ramen? It’s meant for Lin Xiao Ren. You know, those forest dwarfs?”

“Hm? Not to worry, not to worry. I trained my stomach to handle just about anything when I was in Japan.”

“Japan? You went there?”

“You know Osaka, right? That city where the kids fight by singing and dancing? One of my brother’s Devices ended up there.”

Her eyebrows lowered at his use of the word “brother”.

She sighed as she spoke.

“I’m not sure what to do about this morning’s meeting. It was so sudden after Rin brought Kouga back.”

He paused before replying.

“It had to have been a surprise. …Do you feel like quitting the Yard?”

…It’s hardly new to get complaints as a Nein Engel.

“…is what I’d like to say.”

“But you aren’t.”

He smiled bitterly, so he had to have read her Live.

Realizing that, she looked up.

She started to say something to him, but said something else instead.

“Both of our brothers are causing us trouble, aren’t they?”

“The trouble with mine is over. Yours sounds like it could last a while longer, though.”

…You make it sound like it isn’t your problem.

She intentionally let him read her Live.

Just as he tilted his head at her sharp words, she swung around her ceramic spoon.

“Honestly, what was all that? A Tune Emblem drawn with Huang Daquan’s blood? And it was probably done by him. That makes him a suspect for murder and desecration of a corpse… That’s two crimes!”

“Yeah, I remember that from the meeting. They don’t know what it was for, but the giant Tune Emblem could control an Octave of 40,960,000. …Did that delinquent guy investigate the site further after resurrecting?”

“I don’t know, but I think the information on the Death Techno Tune Emblem is from what he saw before being killed.”

“I see.” Gunmal nodded. “Come to think of it, what is this Death Techno they mentioned in the meeting?”

“When Hong Kong was burned in the Fifth Divine Punishment War, the imperial documents on Tuning and Busting were burned too. Those had instructions on secret techniques beyond normal Tuning and Busting.”

“Secret techniques? You mean like controlling the Lives of Yin and Yang instead of the standard elements of wood, fire, earth, metal, and water? Or controlling the Space-Time Lives or the Three Laws for summoning dragons?”

Akira was stared blankly as he rattled it off like it was nothing.

“Wow. How do you know all that?”

“I’m from Europe’s head Buster family.”

“Hmm. I only have the General and Rin to hear about this stuff from. But I have heard of the Three Laws.”

“They’re called ‘secret techniques’, but they’re really just two types of Lives and some dragons. …So they call that Death Techno here?”

“What do they call it in Europe?”

“Legends. My family is all about Busting, but no one thinks about secret techniques. They’re too busy fighting wars.”

“I see…”

Gunmal tilted his head.

“If that Tune Emblem was made with Huang What’s-His-Name’s blood, were they trying to draw out the Death Techno power of Yang? …I see. Having a skilled brother sure isn’t easy. For either of us.”

“You know…”

Akira frowned, but he stopped her with a hand.

“He has my brother’s Device, which makes this part of my job. …Did you say his Urban Name was Double Lee?”

“His Wild Name is Lee Leed. Hence, Double Lee.”

…Just to be clear, I’m not telling you my Wild Name.

He blatantly grimaced at her thought and sighed.

“I’m not going to search your Live for your Wild Name or anything.”

“Shut up. That’s just standard etiquette for anyone involved in Tuning or Busting.”

“You’re not very friendly. …Not that I’m much different.”

“Honestly, you sure are carefree. How did your second questioning go?”

“I had to use my brain way too much for so early in the morning.”

“I do get the feeling you don’t like using your brain. …And don’t change the subject.”

“You want to know about my brother’s relationship?”

…You mean the woman named Genius?

He silently nodded and skillfully used his chopsticks to grab a piece of chicken from his ramen.

“Want some?”

“Can you not see my wings?”

“Is that how that works?”

“Of course.”

“So I was right. You do primarily eat caterpillar- ow! Don’t throw your spoon!”

She ignored his protest, lowered her eyes, and thought.

…All of this is centered on Nein Engels. This isn’t good.

“What’s wrong with that? Your brother’s your brother, right?”

“You can only say that because you don’t know how Nein Engels are treated in Hong Kong.”

“Really? I doubt my brother and the girl in that picture yesterday were giving much thought to persecution. At least not between the two of them.”

“How can you say that? You’re being irresponsible.”

“I can tell.”

He sounded strangely decisive for once.

Akira, on the other hand, grew briefly determined.

“But…”

However, she trailed off and never finished.

Her eyebrows meekly lowered and she remained quiet to hide something.

A short silence fell.

Once the silence grew awkward, Gunmal swallowed it up along with his ramen soup.

“According to Rin, she contacted my brother to have him make some Devices, but I personally think the situation changed some after that.”

…Changed? You mean…

“Does that kind of thing interest you?”

“Don’t even think about asking if I want to experience it for myself.”

“Tch.”

Gunmal clicked his tongue, but she still could not see his Live.

…But I’m starting to get the hang of his pattern.

She looked to him and suddenly thought of J-Gun and Genius.

A human and a Nein Engel.

Her parents and Rin and Fei had made the same combination.

…Can it just not work?

As that question filled her heart, he clenched his fist.

“Okay, I get it now. You’re worried about the issue of a human and Nein Engel couple.”

Before she could complain that he had read her Live, he leaned forward.

She tried to resist, but he placed his hands on hers and skillfully held them.

Instead of an attack, she only let out a protest.

“Wait, wait, wait! Who ever said anything about you and me!?”

“Don’t worry. I’m perfectly fine with equalizing our Lives in a Live exchange session.”

“You need to stop doing things so suddenly! And let go of my hands!”

“No thanks. If I let go, you’d definitely hit me.”

He used a jocular tone and leaned further forward, so she counterattacked with a headbutt.

“Gwoh!”

“Go die!”

He leaned back and cried out in pain while she shouted at him, but then she looked around.

“…”

She had thought the surrounding Lives were awfully quiet and that turned out to be accurate.

The customers at the tables and counters and even the cook in the kitchen were looking at her and Gunmal. And they all seemed dumbfounded.

“You got a problem with us?” she asked.

They all quickly turned around, exaggeratedly cleared their throats, and resumed speaking or eating.

“They sure have a lot of free time,” she muttered.

When she faced forward, she saw Gunmal with blood staining his face below the nose. She watched him press a handkerchief against his upper lip.

…Did I overdo that a little?

For once, she actually felt bad for what she had done.

“Should I Tune that for you, Gunmal?”

“No, you don’t have to. It’s not a problem.”

“How can you say that when you’re covered in blood?”

“It’s fine, it’s fine. It’ll stop before long. …And didn’t I say I don’t want anyone to see my Live?”

She tilted her head at that.

…Not even me?

“Do you want to see it that badly?”

There was a bitter smile in his voice and she realized what her thought had meant.

She chose to give an exaggerated shrug.

“Of course not,” she answered.

After that, both of them went quiet.

They could only hear the surrounding noise.

“…”

They matched the surrounding Lives by getting back to their food.

After finishing her meal, Akira got some dessert from the counter.

“Here, this will give you some energy for the morning. This is made for a Mei Yuan, so it should taste a lot like human food.”

“Soup and…what are these?”

“Annin tofu and black sesame red bean soup.”

“What was that second one?”

“You can just call it black-red soup. It’s really dark, but it’s surprisingly sweet and good for your hair.”

“I see. So you are a girl.”

“Why do you sound like you just discovered that?”

“Oh, I already knew that. I saw you naked earlier and you had everything necessary to be a gir-…”

“Don’t say that out loud!”

Her shout gathered the other people’s attention once more.

…Ugh.

She looked around, unsure what to do, and they all resumed eating again.

Their Lives all had a somehow bright Word Color.

It was not a bad color.

“Just calm down and get back to your seat.”

She did as Gunmal suggested.

She dropped her hips down in to the chair and he spoke.

“To get back to our discussion, I know very well that you’re a girl.”

“Liar,” she immediately replied. “You don’t have to humor me. …I’m unsociable, I’m overly proud of my talent at Tuning, and my confidence is more masculine than feminine.”

“…”

“I’m a Nein Engel, I’m selfish, I have thick eyebrows, I like staying up late, and I like sweets.”

“You’re getting a little off topic there.”

“Oh, you’re right.”

She cleared her throat and thought.

…Gunmal, how can you say things like that?

“Like what?”

…Like when you compliment me.

He smiled bitterly.

“It’s really not fair to ask me through your Live.”

“That’s because I don’t know if I can say it out loud. …Will you answer me?”

“These things are best left unsaid.”

“But…”

She trailed off and let him alone read her thoughts.

He simply nodded and smiled.

She did not look him back in the eye and drank the black-red soup in front of her.

It was only a little hot, so it must have cooled some.

Gunmal followed her lead and tilted his own bowl.

“I see… It’s a bit strong, but I can drink this just fine.”

“It was originally a Chinese medicine. Hong Kong’s desserts tend to be either crushed or hardened.”

“You know a lot about this.”

“I’ve learned a lot since I came here. We didn’t have any of this in Hong Kong Cave. Everyone there does things the British way, so there were a lot of heavy sweets.”

“Is that so?”

He nodded just as someone entered the restaurant.

It was Kouga and the General.

When they spotted Akira and Gunmal, they rushed over through the small room.

Akira looked up when she noticed.

“What is it?”

The two had already reached the side of the table by then.

Kouga was the first to speak.

“I know you’re eating, but do you have a moment? Both of you.”

He brushed a hand through his blond pompadour.

“Um, Akira? Rin wants you in the headquarters at 10:30.”

“Eh? I thought I had patrol duty today.”

“That’s right. She’s supposed to show me around the city tod- ow!”

“Oh, sorry. A punch slipped out. And there? That had to have hurt. …So, Kouga, what’s going on?”

“Well… Is that guy all right?” asked the General.

“He’s fine, he’s fine.”

Akira answered in Gunmal’s stead.

Kouga glanced over at Gunmal as he groaned in pain, but he quickly answered Akira.

“I was originally supposed to go, but Rin stopped me.”

“Yeah, you did just grow in your right arm. So that’s what this is. …Well, don’t push yourself. You’ve been working all day, haven’t you? You should get some rest.”

“Sorry about this. Can you ask Rin about the job directly?”

Kouga looked over at Gunmal.

“It’s not something I want to say here.”

“Something you don’t want to say in front of me? Is it something indecent?”

The General smiled bitterly at Gunmal’s comment.

“Don’t be silly. You’re comin’ with me.”

“Geh. I’m stuck doing the indecent things with an old man?”

“Not that. You can visit J-Gun’s workshop now. I’ll show you the way.”

Gunmal and Akira exchanged a glance at that.

They gave each other a look that sarcastically said “have fun”.

Part 2

It was a clear day, so the midday sun looked white as it shined straight down from the heavens.

On this day, areas normally filled in shadow received direct sunlight.

This was true even in Hong Kong Cave.

On the sixth floor down, the sun lit up an old residential area with a good view of the blue sky.

No Nein Engels lived on this floor.

The floors near the surface were abandoned ruins.

Nevertheless, a Nein Engel with six wings stood in front of one house on the edge of the hole.

It was Double Lee.

“…”

Without speaking a word, he viewed the plain embedded house and sighed.

He then slowly pulled a Device from his coat.

It was the Device called ADs that J-Gun had made.

He placed it against the rusted metal door.

“Word Accel. Oh, you Live of 8,000 Octaves.”

He emitted a small Live.

“Ha.”

He produced a low but definite voice.

The Live responded with a slight metallic sound.

The door opened.

He put ADs away and impatiently pulled the door the rest of the way open.

He took a step inside.

There, he saw a small entranceway and a small kitchen.

Dust was piled up on the sunlit floor. The thickness of the dust showed years had passed.

Double Lee remained silent.

He entered without removing his shoes and left footprints in the dust.

He looked down and saw no tracks other than his own.

As soon as he noticed that, his expression distorted a bit.

This distortion was different from anger or a smile.

“…”

He looked back up and to the kitchen sink.

There was a discoloration in the dust where water had dripped from the faucet.

Other than that, the dust was entirely undisturbed.

Sun shining on a sink covered in a thick layer of dust was the perfect imagery to make the place feel truly abandoned.

He looked away from the sink and faced forward.

He walked and his footsteps sounded a bit muffled due to the dust.

He opened the door in the back of the kitchen to reach a fairly large living room.

It had a proper sofa and table. If it was cleaned, it could be used to entertain guests almost immediately.

If not for the dust, the room would have looked like someone had lived there quite recently.

The bright light from the window washed over him as he looked around the entire room.

His gaze suddenly stopped at a certain spot.

“…”

An upright piano was placed in one corner of the room.

It was covered in white dust and a picture frame sat on top of it.

He picked up that small wooden frame and he spoke.

“I’m home, I suppose.”

There was too much dust to see it properly, but the frame contained a photograph of four people.

The two standing on either side were likely the parents.

The quiet-looking mother was smiling and had a few wings, but there was not a wing to be seen on the father whose fearless smile twisted the scar on his cheek.

They were an unbalanced pair.

So were the two children standing between the parents.

One had several white wings that looked too large for him, but the other only had two small wings.

The child with two wings was clinging to her mother. If her expression had been visible, it would likely have shown her fear of the camera.

The rest of the family was probably smiling at that.

But in the present, Double Lee did not smile as he looked at it.

“You were so attached to mother, so why did you flee to the surface?” he asked the photograph. “Even if father’s death was near, you still could have saved mother. With Tuning…or with the secret meaning of the Flight Song.”

He sighed.

“It could have been you instead of me.”

He hung his head and looked at the floor in silence.

That silence was broken by a voice from outside.

“Double Lee! Are you in there!?”

It was Genius’s voice and she sounded somewhat uneasy.

“Double Lee! Fei is calling for you!” He ignored her second call as well.

He gently set down the picture frame and wiped the dust off with his fingers.

With the dust gone, the Nein Engel girl came into view.

His gaze met the frightened gaze of that girl from the past.

He gave a bitter smile that did not reach his eyes.

That must have been enough because he gave a large nod and called outside.

“Genius! What is it?”

In the time it took him to take a breath, his expression reverted to his normal, composed one.

“Double Lee!? Are you there?”

“Yes, I am. You say Fei is calling for me? I’ll be right there.”

He immediately began to walk.

His pace was calm and he quickly walked through the kitchen and out the front entrance.

“Oh.”

As soon as he left the dim room, the bright sunlight reached him. He felt the heat in his wings more than his skin.

It took several seconds for his eyes to adjust.

Once they did, he saw Genius standing in front of him.

She looked relieved to see him and she sighed.

“I’ve been visiting all sorts or ruins these past few days.”

“These are not ruins,” he corrected. “You say Fei is calling for me?”

“Yes, he wants to know the details for the Necromancy. …And he seems to want to put together a plan to bring everyone out of here before the second repatriation ceremony today.”

“I see.”

“We’re counting on you. You’re the only one Master Huang told everything to.”

“Only me, hm? Master Huang seemed very attached to my parents.”

“Your parents? Not to you?” asked Genius.

“I was only talking to myself,” he assured her with a bitter smile.

She frowned and he showed her his usual expression.

“We have to help Fei prepare, don’t we? We should hurry. It seems someone is looking for him.”

“Eh?”

“I would guess it’s only someone from the Yard with odd tastes, so we can probably ignore it.”

“But… How are they searching for him? He’s never revealed his name in his work and he lost his memories in the Customization process, right?”

Double Lee smiled bitterly before answering.

“It may be a connection from before he lost those memories.”

He took a breath.

“Genius, have you ever hated someone? Have you ever used that as your own driving force?”

“Eh?”

“I think that is why Fei altered himself like that and why you are going along with everything without trying to protect J-Gun.”

“…”

She fell silent with a heavy and stiff look on her face.

Double Lee laughed and started walking.

“No need to give me that frightening look. …I think everyone has something like that. I do, you do, Fei does, and even Master Huang did.”

And…

“There is nothing wrong with it.”

He did not hesitate to jump into the giant pit of Hong Kong Cave.

He spread his six wings.

The white wings briefly let the sunlight wash over them, but they soon sank deep into the shadows of Hong Kong Cave.

Almost like a flower sinking into some watery depths.

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