TV: Earlier this evening, the SUKUNAH BUILDING -- headquarters of the famous pharmaceutical corporation -- was ATTACKED by what appears to be a group of TERRORISTS. The evacuation of the AREA was quickly ordered and the POLICE rapidly sent to INVESTIGATE. One of our REPORTERS is at the scene.
TV: According to the employees, a short BLACKOUT was immediately followed by network INTERFERENCE -- which prevented any sort of COMMUNICATION within the facility. Some even stated hearing GUNFIRE -- confirmed by the FALL of a heavily equipped ATTACKER from the sixteenth floor of the building.
TV: Not long ago, we even witnessed the EXPLOSION of the twenty-third floor -- where experimental LABORATORIES are located -- of the massive construction. The police REFUSE to answer our QUESTIONS and are still waiting for the KIDO-TAL unit to REPORT back.
TV: Being highly involved in the POLITICS of his party, the well-being and safety of HIRO TAKAHASHI -- CEO of Sukunah Pharmaceutics -- is a matter of great CONCERN for his fellow members. This is especially true now that the ELECTIONS are only a few months away.
SAKURA: They gave you back the BADGE.
MAEDA: The department had to acknowledge how INDISPENSABLE I was to them.
SAKURA: It won't LAST if you keep acting so CARELESSLY
MAEDA: I prefer the term STUBBORNLY.
MAEDA: You lost WEIGHT.
MAEDA: Fujita-san stopped FEEDING you all at the residence ?
SAKURA: Not EATING fast food every day kinda HELPS.
MAEDA: I CONFESS I am still GUILTY of that crime.
SAKURA: Is this why you BROUGHT us here --
SAKURA: -- so we can engage in small TALK ?
MAEDA: The FALLEN angel at the morgue doesn't EXIST --
MAEDA: -- he doesn't APPEAR anywhere on the DATABASE.
MAEDA: He was EQUIPPED with such hi-tech GEAR it'll put any commando to SHAME.
MAEDA: These guys SLAUGHTERED every SECURITY guard --
MAEDA: -- jammed our COMMUNICATION --
MAEDA: -- BLEW up an entire FLOOR --
MAEDA: -- stole the IDENTITY of the quick-response team to ESCAPE unnoticed.
SAKURA: It's not your typical THUG assault --
SAKURA: -- this is the WORK of highly trained PROFESSIONALS.
SAKURA: They ABDUCTED Takahashi-sama --
SAKURA: -- I have failed in my DUTIES.
CAP [N]: My mother left this world a month ago...
CAP [N]: ... my father may no longer be part of it.
CAP [N]: I can't say it makes me sad...
CAP [N]: ... I can't say I feel nothing either.
CAP [N]: Actually, he abandoned us both before I was even born to make a successful career...
CAP [N]: ... but he still accepted to see me despite all this...
CAP [N]: ... and I will never truly know why.
REIKO: May I ?
CAP [N]: That's the only thing for me to regret.
REIKO: I can't BELIEVE they keep MAKING these.
REIKO: How did you GET some ?
NAOKI: They're my FATHER'S.
REIKO: I used to STEAL those from my GRANDMOTHER when I was younger.
CAP [N]: She smells like lotus.
CAP [N]: She asks so many questions...
CAP [N]: ... the right questions...
CAP [N]: ... I answer them all.
CAP [N]: It's her voice...
CAP [N]: ... her soft and compassionate voice.
REIKO: What brings you HERE ?
NAOKI: FAMILY issues.
REIKO: Wanna TALK about it ?
NAOKI: It's COMPLICATED.
REIKO: I think I KNOW what you MEAN.
NAOKI: TRUST me -- you DON'T.
MECHANIC: The PRISON was built shortly after the FALL of the Tokugawa SHOGUNATE -- for political DISSIDENTS who refused to swear LOYALTY to the GOVERNMENT of Meiji.
MECHANIC: Some respected FIGURES of the han were also INCARCERATED --
MECHANIC: -- NO ONE ever managed to ESCAPE.
MECHANIC: This is where the BANGASHIRA was held captive -- next to a russian SPY --
MECHANIC: -- and THERE was the cell of a YAKUZA who got KILLED as he was trying to RUN away.
MECHANIC: If those WALLS could talk --
MECHANIC: -- a thousand TALES they'd narrate.
MECHANIC: A few INMATES even wrote their STORY while they were here --
MECHANIC: -- FASCINATING stuff.
MECHANIC: Others simply found DISTRACTION in carving nipopo DOLLS --
MECHANIC: -- and peacefully WAITED for their time to come.
MECHANIC: Geesh !
MECHANIC: That's a powerful SMELL.
CAP [D]: You feel it, don't you ?
CAP [D]: How heavy it is inside the jailhouse ?
CAP [D]: It's not the climate --
CAP [D]: -- it's not the humidity in the air.
CAP [D]: It's the weight of the responsibilities you carry on your shoulders.
CAP [D]: The penalty will be fair and the punishment diligently observed.
CAP [D]: Don't you see ?
CAP [D]: Even when everything we loved and cherished is taken away from us...
CAP [D]: ... we can show compassion and mercy towards our defeated enemy.
CAP [D]: No matter what you may think, we value the laws of justice.
CAP [D]: Such anger...
CAP [D]: ... the rage...
CAP [D]: ... that fire in your heart...
CAP [D]: ... you must hold on to it...
CAP [D]: ... if you wish to survive.
SAKURA: I'm SORRY you had to go through THIS.
NAOKI: That's okay.
SAKURA: Welcome to the Takahashi RESIDENCE.
FUJITA: Sakura-san --
FUJITA: -- I tried to REACH you all night --
FUJITA: -- thank heavens, our prayers were ANSWERED.
SAKURA: You may want to keep PRAYING, Fujita-san --
SAKURA: -- one is yet to RETURN.
FUJITA: It's an HONOR to finally MEET you, Naoki-sama.
FUJITA: Your father gave us strict DIRECTIVES to prepare you ARRIVAL.
NAOKI: He did ?
FUJITA: Most CERTAINLY, young master.
FUJITA: You must be TIRED -- and HUNGRY.
NAOKI: I'm FINE -- thank you.
FUJITA: In that case, allow me to SHOW you around.
FUJITA: I ARRANGED you the most spacious ROOM.
FUJITA: You'll find all the NECESSARY there --
FUJITA: -- don't HESITATE to RING if there is more you DESIRE.
NAOKI: I appreciate it.
____________________________________________________________
FOLLOW THE GRAPHIC NOVEL PROGRESS:
https://www.instagram.com/meifumado.official/