The city lights sparkled red and yellow, neon signs and car horns being the only source of ambience for Hikaru, who maintained a clear focus at his studies.
Hikaru had returned back to his apartment in Minato City. He had spent countless hours, fueled on coffee and ramen noodles to complete his homework, and study ahead in case he has to take off days from school due to his job as a Junior Agent. The apartment was akin to his personality: ordered and clean. Though his food choices said that he was very much a low income person. Even worse, the apartment was a shady building where prostitutes would offer their services, and he could clearly hear their sounds over the walls which infuriated him.
Yoru had not revealed the base of operations for Hikaru yet: as he was yet to be formally innagurated in their ranks within the PPA. The pay was a meagre 25,000 yen. Pathetic. Ugh. And with the childish threats of Yoru cutting his pay for the weirdest reasons kept Hikaru on his toes. But hey, it was better than working in a grocery store.
He sighs as he pulls out a pamphlet Yoru gave him last night. "And remember! If you lose this, I'll be cutting 500 yen for loss of paper and printing costs!", Yoru bubbly states as Hikaru remembers her words, his face contorting with the threat.
"Ugh, whatever!", Hikaru opens the pamphlet and ironically enough it was all cartoony-colorful. The text was popping and there were graphics of characters in chibi form. What was this, some manga poster? Hikaru scoffs smirking as he comments on the pamphlet,
"How ironic... For a company that specializes in eliminating threats, they sure love to make it seem sparkly for Juniors like me...".
The pamphlet was a Junior Agent Introduction Guide. It had two things: Threat Scale and Rank Scale. Hikaru read the threat scale first:
Peoples' Protection Agency (Asia and Pacific Branch) Threat Scale:
Note: Threat Scales do not equate Eclipses themselves. They can be classified on humans who are a threat to society for harmful Senzai use.
D - Threats of this level are weak. They are the bulwark of majority of Eclipse cases. These Eclipses are dealt by Junior Agents.
C - Threats of this level can effect a city block or more worth of area. Handled by Senior Agents.
B - The Eclipses or Senzai Users of this level are dangerous, unpredictable and have abilities that can be considered 'otherworldly'. A danger to a city at most. Agents must keep a keen eye on them. Experienced Senior Agents or Special Agents are tasked with dealing them.
A - The most strongest threats of them all. They can be a danger to Metropolises or a gathering of tens of millions of people. Handled by Executive Agents or multiple Special Agents.
S - Anomalies that defy the laws of physics and the sheer scale of their power can be a threat to a country as we know it. Only the masters of Senzai Arts and Energies, the Executives and Directors can handle these threats
Hikaru finished reading through the Threat Scale. He was surprised a bit by how the threat difference can jump through each scale. So until now, he's only handled D class eclipses? "This pamphlet is mocking me!? I'll show you! I'll get stronger!", Hikaru yells clenching his fists pale white. He then shakes his head breathing in and out and continues reading the next page:
PPA Ranks & Pay:
(Pay is adjusted to Yen due to most Asian Agents being Japanese. Non-Japanese Agents will be paid in USD)
Junior Agent - Fresh rookies (like you). They are mostly inexperienced, lazy, and definitely procrastinating. However, they are the most potential showers. Pay: 25,000 Yen
Senior Agent - Having spent atleast a year or two grinding out slaying Eclipses as a Junior and showing maturity in their field. Most agents are stuck at this rank, but they have years or decades worth of experience on them. 80,000 Yen.
Special Agent - Only a few Senior Agents with multiple years of experience are promoted to this rank. Moreover, Special Agents must have near perfect or less level of Senzai control: Output, Reserves, Efficiency and applications of their Arts through Techniques. Most Special Agents retire at this rank. Pay: 120,000 yen.
Executive Agents - A handful of decades of experience Special Agents are promoted to this level. They have high level of maturity, control and skill. Pay: 250,000 Yen.
Directors - Three Executive Agents promoted to lead groups of other agents around the globe. PPA - Asia & Pacific and PPA - Atlantic are headed by one single Director. Additionally, a formal representative to the United Nations, as the de jure leader of PPA is another Director. Pay: Anything under 1 million yen.
Having processed all this complicated information, Hikaru shuts the pamphlet, closes his eye and sighs before renewed with another fit of jealousy yelling, "So Ms Yoru can get 1 Million Yen and her actions can't be questioned and I get 25,000 and I get my pay deducted!? The audacity-".
Hikaru stops, drinking his anger. It's not his nature to be mad. He then goes focusing back on the physics book infront of him reading the electromagnetic spectrum before a thought runs through his head:
"I wonder who else will I meet at the Agency... Will big sis be there? Last I heard, she said...". Hikaru sips a cup of coffee. Eventually, noises came from nextdoor and he blushed a bit before throwing his pillow on the wall. "QUIET DOWN, FREAKS!", Hikaru yelled, still flustered. The noises slowed down to the point where he could still hear them if he focused, but hey it's better than nothing.
Meanwhile, deep underground at the PPA Headquarters Building in Shinjuku
"What's the fluid temperature of Sora's tank?", a head scientist asks as he barges into the lab room for a routine check up of sorts. One of the female scientists who was at standby stands up in respect and replies professionally, "Sir! It's adjusted to the body temperature at 37°C!". The head scientist nods sternly in approval before letting her work.
Meanwhile, outside the room near the underground circuit breaker. A blue crackle of electricity buzzes around it. It slowly gets more violent, causing cracks on the walls nearby as a buzzing blue face emerges with a bright electric grin. The entity pulls itself out and lands on its feet on the floor. It began to detransform into a more human like appearance - Victor.
Victor had managed to turn himself into an electric pulse from the top radio signal tower on the buildiny as he blitzed down the electrical works of the building leaving behind flashing lights whenever he moved down a flood, his Senzai infused with electricity effecting the voltage supply.
"Well, that was easy hehe...", Victor smirks as he walks down the hall and sees scientists and guards communicating. Victor grins, pointing his fingers towards the group before letting out a small bolt of electricity that overrided their nervous system making them pass out.
He playfully let out his tounge before shrugging and walking down towards the 'Containment Room' with a certain sway in his hips even as a man. Victor grabs the door handle, electricity crackling around his hand as he bursts it open and shocks the two scientists inside.
"Don't worry, I don't bite", Victor announces in a boastful tone before zapping the two as well. He walks towards the incubator where Sora was rested in and he ran his hand over the glass. A mesmerising stare in his yellow eyes. He ran a hand through his hair and praised the sight, "Ah... Sora Makizushi! You'll be our brawns! You'll help us fight Eclipses! Boost our reputation and show how useless the PPA truly is! How magnificent!".
Out of nowhere, the door kicked open and in walked a silhouette - a woman. Short straight black hair in a pixie bob. Dark blue eyes, rolled up white work shirt with an buttoned top. The loose shirt had multiple folds yet gracefully showed her curves, and tight black pants. She wore a silver small earring on both sides of her ears. She had a bored expression, one hand holding out the door and the other holding a staff or pole of sorts.
"I hate working overtime...", she said itching the back of her head before looking back straight at Victor. Victor raised an eyebrow before playfully smirking like some machivillian, "and who might this bitch be?".
"Didn't your mother teach you manners on how to talk to a lady? Oh wait- you must be fatherless oh I'm sorry hehe~", Megumi snarls back with a tired smirk of her own. Her eyebags made her more attractive. She then continued, "I'm Megumi Mizu - Executive Class". She placed her pole through her arms behind her back stretching herself.
Victor's eyes shot up. Nervous? Not really. Fear? Maybe? But excitedness, hell yes. Victor's mid part hair started to rise up, electricity exploding around him before her let's out a tounge. He raised an arm out and with a bright electric flash, a long European Great sword made out of Senzai with a blue hue was created. He held it firmly as he stood his ground against the Executive.
Chapter 7, end