Osaki City, on the outskirts of the country’s second-largest city, is a country hailed worldwide as the United Provinces of the Kyusekai (UPK). The hot summer sun is setting upon a traditional UPK estate – fit with sliding doors and thin papier-mache walls, as the young master of the estate is reciting his code of honour – his Bushido. This code of honour is a pledge that initiates of the Aokanshu Order take upon completing their training at the Aokanshu academy or further beyond. Our young master is reciting his in one of the estate gardens. With his sixteenth birthday now passed, he is now eligible to join the Aokanshu academy this autumn. (A prestigious military academy.) Ready to train and study for four years to become an official member of the Aokanshu order. An order that stands for peace for the entire world of Gaia.
“…The right to fight for all that is good. This is my Bushido!” Standing with hands folded and head bowed, the young master quickly raises his head, turns to himself, and says. “Damn, it didn’t sound right…” Scratching his snow-white, spiky hair, the young master tries to collect his thoughts and piece together a plan to improve his code of honour. Huffing and puffing, a maid finally finds the master after nearly five minutes of searching for him. When the maid opens the door to the garden, the young master’s favourite spot in the entire estate. Gasping for breath, she calls out for the young master. “Master! Master Tosho!?” The young master named Tosho pokes his head out from behind a cherry blossom tree as he notices the maids. “Hey Enius, what’s up?” The maid, Enius, tries to collect her thoughts and catch her breath. Enius gives Tosho a light scolding. “Bloody hell, Tosho, you could’ve told me that you’d be in the garden. I’ve been looking for you for quite a while now.” “You could have dialled me on my Link-Watch.” “Eunis apologies. “Sorry, I forgot.” Tosho says. “Still huffing and puffing, Eunis tells Tosho. “Anyway, Master, I have news. Ms Jacqueline has arrived”. Tosho smiles in excitement. “Hell, she’s early this time.”
Waiting in the foyer of the estate are Jaqueline and the head butler of the estate, Conifer. Jacqueline is still dressed in her Aokanshu uniform, with Conifer dressed in appropriate butler attire, standing upright as he speaks to the lady Jaqueline. “…I still can’t believe it’s over after all these years busting my ass for those guys, I still don’t know if I made the right decision”. Conifer, advising Lady Jacqueline, tells her in his posh accent. “I’m sure your new post will be just as rewarding and fulfilling, Ms Jacqueline…” When Tosho opens the door to the entrance courtyard of the estate, scouting Jacqueline standing next to Conifer, and calls out to her. “Yo, Jacs! Back so soon?. Jacqueline’s face lights up with joy as she hears Tosho’s voice as he walks down the stairs in the courtyard to the two. Then they exchange a hug and a handshake. “Now, how’s my lil bro doing?” says Jacqueline as she breaks the hug. Tosho explains what he’s been doing over the past few weeks since he graduated from high school. “I’ve been good, sis, it’s been months since I’ve seen you, why are you back so early?” Jacqueline explains to her younger brother what her situation has been like. “My higher-ups discharged me early, after I gave in my formal resignation from the unit.” Jacqueline goes on to tell Tosho about her next post. “So, I’ve got a couple of weeks of free time before the academy year begins, and as you should know now, I’ll be taking a post a private squad mentor.” Tosho then responds only showing slight interest in his older sister’s words, unable to wait and tell her about how much progress he has made in his combat skills. “Cool.” However, Jacqueline, noticing her brother’s boredom, changes the subject. “So, what have I missed around here? You still training hard? Got a new girlfriend?” Tosho then clenching his fist replies to Jacqueline’s questions and gives a fiery speech “, No new girlfriend at the moment.” But… I have been training hard. We should spar in the dojo. I’ll show you how far I’ve come.” When Tosho’s stomach begins to rumble, as Jacqueline laughs out loud. “Either you’re hungry or afraid to take on a true Aokanshu legend, such as myself.” When suddenly Jacqueline’s belly rumbles too. Jacqueline lets out an embarrassed laugh, as Tosho laughs too, joking with her sister, “You were saying…” Jacqueline then proposes they both get something to eat. “Let’s get something to eat first.”
Tosho and Jacqueline are having a large dinner in the estate’s dining room. Tosho and Jacqueline are kneeling at the dining room table, which is two feet high. Jacqueline is scoffing down bowl after bowl of ramen. It had been months since she last ate at the estate, as she had been on duty for the Aokanshu. “Ahhm thsish ish shoo gud!” Jacqueline compliments the estate’s food. Tosho, too is eating and agrees with Jacqueline. “For sure! The food here never gets old…” Jacqueline now fully slams down her last bowl of ramen and gets serious with Tosho. “Hey Tosh, do you think you’re really ready to take on the trials of the academy?” Tosho slurps his soup, slams it down on the table with a powerful thud, and replies to his sister with great enthusiasm. “You bet, sis! I’ve been training every single day in preparation for the academy”. Tosho goes on, “My fighting skills are better than ever, and I’ve even been able to project Chi into my katana!” Jacqueline smiles and then chuckles at her brother’s enthusiasm about his abilities. “Okay, calm down, I’m sure you’re ready for the trials ahead.” Tosho smiles to himself in excitement. “You bet!” Jacqueline gives Tosho a friendly wink. “Now we can spar tomorrow. Then you can show me what you’ve learnt over the past few weeks during your summer break. Tosho shouts in joy whilst tightening his fist, still standing, and agrees with his older sister, twenty-nine, as the two make a promise to spar tomorrow. “Deal”, says Tosho with resolve, ready to take on Jacqueline. Jacqueline starts telling Tosho some of her stories from her time in the field. “Now, let me tell you about this insanely strong-willed paladin I met a couple of weeks ago…”
Dead in the middle of a stormy night. A small spy drone enters and cuts through one of the windows of the Hisakawa estate. Using a laser emanating from its robotic eye, it cuts through the glass, leaving a hole in the windowpane. The drone flies through the hole and begins spying on the estate. Tosho is seen sleeping in a room not far from his, and Jacqueline is too. The drone identifies Tosho’s room and flies back the way it came – to its master. “Target identified,” said the drone. The drone flies into the palm of the assassin, dressed in all-black ninja gear, with only his eyes visible. Resting on one of the rooftops with two weapons: a ninjato (a sword fit for a ninja) on his back and a tano (a short and slightly curved dagger) on his left hip. This assassin spoke in a deep voice as he asked the drone to lead the way to his target – Tosho Hisakawa.
The female servants slept in one room, with beds laid out in an organised manner. About eight servants slept in this room. Where one of the maids was missing from her bed. The sound of a toilet being flushed is heard. As the maid yawns after leaving the bathroom, little did she know that an invader had entered the estate. The assassin wandered the halls of the estate, his feet making not a single sound. He wore muffled boots, perfect for silencing his footsteps when on a mission. A sleepy servant in a nightgown begins to walk back to her bed as the assassin still wanders through the estate, hiding behind a wall and waiting for the sleepless maid to advance. Then reading his tano, from his hip. Lightning strikes as the assassin is seen walking down the hallway, as one maid lies dead, covered in a pool of blood. The assassin then shook the blood of his tano and seething it.
A doorknob shakes with little noise as the estate’s young master sleeps soundly. His bed is on the floor, as he snores in deep sleep. The assassin slowly enters the room. Then, looming over Tosho as he draws his tano once more and proceeds to raise his tano to stab a sleeping Tosho. Suddenly, a circular blade (a chakram) comes flying across the room, disarming the assassin and sending his tanoa flying into the air. The chakram returns to its user, Jacqueline, as she catches it with her left hand and says, in a fierce tone. “Not on my watch, buddy!” The assassin, on high alert, turns to see Jacqueline, dressed in her nightgown, holding a chakram. Tosho, then waking up, sensing he is in great danger, shoulder barges the assassin, tackling him to the floor, and then placing him in a chokehold as the assassin struggles to fight back, feeling a rush of adrenaline. “Don’t move!” shouted Tosho as Jacqueline ran over the downed assassin, complimenting Tosho on his quick thinking. “Nice work, Tosho”.
The assassin, now unmasked, is tied to a chair with only Jacqueline within a spare room in the estate. Still in her nightgown, she was now wearing a Link-Watch on her left hand. These watches allowed their users to make phone calls, record videos, take pictures,s and surf the net. Every Aokanshu official had one, and it was a mandatory device for official work. “You know what’s about to happen if you don’t start talking. The assassin, showing no fear, insults Jacqueline: “Piss off!” Then spits on Jacqueline’s cheek. Jacqueline wipes the spit off her face in anger. When her eyes fill with rage, she says. “You pissed off the wrong chick, buddy. Now we’re gonna do this the hard way. A red light emerges from the cracks around the room’s door. Soon, it was followed by screams.
Tosho is looking out of one of the windows to the estate as Aokanshu Enforcers arrive in a rainy courtyard. The enforcer division was a department of the Aokanshu Order. Its job was to oversee high-profile police cases in the Aokanshu’s allied nations, a total of eleven. “Looks like things are going down…” said Tosho as he watched the enforcers getting ready to start their investigation and arrest the assassin. Jacqueline emerges from the room where she integrated the assassin, with a sombre look on her face. “Jaqs, did you find any informa…” “Not now, Tosho. I need to speak to the authorities.” Jacqueline walks off, heading for the courtyard. “Just sit tight. This will all be over soon.”
The Aokanshu enforcers are assembled in the courtyard, with five enforcer cars parked throughout the courtyard. The enforcer’s Chief addresses his subordinates, ready to begin their investigation. “Okay, everyone, let’s go to work.” “Chief Enforcer Halcyon?” The chief enforcer turns to Jacqueline as she approaches the team. “Ah, Operative Suarez,” says the Chief. As his team stares at Jacqueline. “Glad you still remember me. Your reputation succeeds you, Ms Suarez. What’s the situation?” Jacqueline, facing the Chief, quickly gives him a rundown of the tragic events that transpired at the estate. “One count of murder and another count of attempted murder. However, I managed to interrogate the perpetrator alone.” Jacqueline taps away at her Link-Watch as she loads a holographic video of the assassin admitting his crimes. “What?” Tosho walks in. The entire enforcer party and Jacqueline turn to find Tosho standing behind them. Jacqueline then calls out Tosho’s name and asks him what he is doing here, when Chief Halycon gives ~Jacqueline an awkward look before asking a question. “Is this him?” “Yes, this is my younger brother, Tosho. Give me a few minutes with him.” Jacqueline and Tosho walk to a quiet corner in the estate courtyard. “Tosho, listen, I don’t know why these thugs want you pushing daisies. But I promise on my life I will find these cowards and bring them to justice. Tosho, with a serious, determined expression, looks at his sister Jacqueline and says. “If so, I wanna come with you.” Jacqueline protests to Tosho’s offer. “No, no, noooo.” She shook her head and arms to Tosho’s offer. “Why the hell not!?” Jacqueline takes a deep breath and explains why she does not want her brother on the investigation team. “I’m not gonna put you in any more danger. Just sit put with the others and wait. The enforcers will guard the estate, Tosho says, still adamant about helping with Jacqueline’s mission. “But…” As Jacqueline raises her voice, telling her younger brother, “The answer is NO!” The following was her protest to Tosho’s answer, and she told him. “Now I’ve gotta go, but I promise I’ll make it up to you”. “For sure?” as Tosho looks into her eyes, looking for truth in her words. As Jaqueline replies, holding her pinky up as a sign of trust, “For sure, lil bro…” Tosho leaves to go back into the house, as Jacqueline turns back to the Chief Enforcer and apologises for the interruption, saying “Sorry about that, Chief.”
The Chief nods his head at Jacqueline as he replies, “I understand, I grew up with siblings too”. The Chief then says to his subordinates, “Alright, every, it’s showtime. Let’s get to work,” as his team readies itself for the investigation into the events that transpired at the estate not too long ago. When Jacqueline flashes her badge at Chief Haylcon, telling him. “As an Aokanshi Operative, I would like to impose myself on this case.” Halycon, feeling his authority is being questioned, tells Jacqueline “, I’m sorry I can’t allow you to do that. Plus, you’re not even an official Aokanshu Operative anymore. Just leave this case to us enforcers”. Not taking no for an answer, she asks again in a harsher tone. “A woman I know was killed, and my brother was almost next if it wasn’t for my luck and skills. So, I’ll ask you again. Put me on this case.” Chief Halycon sighs, knowing his higher-ups will have this head for this, and calmly tells Jacqueline, “Fine. You can tag along, but I call the shots around here, Ms Saurez.” Jacqueline then gives the Chief her word that we will not get too emotional over the case, knowing she is close to the Chief. This confirms to Chief Halycon. “Great, I won’t overstep my bounds on this investigation.
Meanwhile, the young master of the estate is lying on one of the beds in a spare room on the estate, contemplating the events that transpired just a few minutes ago,o and yells out in anger, “Shit!” In anger and grief, Tosho thinks to himself, “I can’t believe Maggie’s gone.” Tosho turns to his side desk, still in grief over Maggie’s murder, and he picks up his Link-Watch – a holographic communication device that is popular in most countries on Gaia. As he begins to tap away on the internet, searching for the Black-Scaled Dragon. He instantly finds the information he needs. Then, reading the post out loud, “The Black-Scaled Dragon. A mysterious urban myth…” Tosho keeps reading, discovering that this Black-Scaled Dragon is a criminal overlord who runs the underground crime scene in downtown Osaki City, and Tosho’s head lights up with an idea. “Osaki City, huh?” Tosho feels and knows he cannot sit back and do nothing. Tosho feels more upbeat, leaps out of bed, and heads for his parents’ shrine. Light enters the dojo on the estate as a door opens. Tosho walks into the dojo and slowly approaches a small shrine with a family picture of his mother, father, sister Jacqueline, and himself as a baby. Slowly picking up the photo and saying to himself. It was so much simpler when you were here with us…” Readying himself for the adventure ahead, Tosho carefully places down the picture frame and tells himself, “Be with Mom, Mom, Dad. I know that one day I’ll see you again and show you how strong I’ve become.” Under the shrine lies a beautifully crafted katana, as Tosho slowly moves his hand towards it, telling himself, “I hope. No. I know. I am ready to face this world and the challenges ahead of me.” Then, placing the sheathed katana on his back and ready to leave the dojo and follow his heart on another of his reckless plans, professes, “I’m ready.” Giving a determined grin. “Next stop, Downtown Osaki City. Let’s find this punk and bring him to justice.” As Tosho leaves the estate without knowing any of the authorities.