Work Text:
Project Name: Operation RE-HEART 001
Project Manager: Minami Oi
Subject: Kazuma Ichinose
Objective:
This report outlines the project plan for reinstating the former Numbers 1 of Shinagawa City, Kazuma Ichinose (herein referred to as Mr. Ichinose) to a fully functional working condition. The goal is to recharge his battery and then delegate a new line of work unrelated to his association with 24 Tribe. This approach is suitable for gathering vital information about Zero and quelling any uprisings that could occur once Mr. Ichinose regains consciousness.
Summary:
Research indicates Zero is responsible for turning Mr. Ichinose from an ordinary human into a robot. The method for how he accomplished this feat is currently unknown, as Zero claims he "assembled him with the parts he had on hand, so the quality wasn't that good." However, Mr. Ichinose's manufacturing follows the basic methods of robotic engineering, not dissimilar from G&O Company's Support Command SO-1.
Using this as a starting point, our in-house robotics specialist developed a charger that aligns with Mr. Ichinose's functions. The process took many months but Mr. Ichinose was soon successfully hooked up to the charging station and received full battery life.
The current challenge this operation faces is Mr. Ichinose's behavioral issues. Since waking up, his attitude remains hostile, stubborn, and uncooperative. He takes no responsibility for his actions and blames others for the smallest of misfortunes against him. Further guidance on how to better communicate with him is requested.
Conclusion:
Mr. Ichinose is currently contained in one of the private test chambers within G&O Company headquarters in the business district of Shinagawa City. Card key access to this floor is limited to employees of the Robotic Engineering department and the President of G&O Company. All other employees and outside sources are unauthorized to interact with Mr. Ichinose unless accompanied by the aforementioned cardholders.
Yutaka Gotanda peruses through the project file in his hands. He had arrived at the lobby of G&O Company to meet two guests, but decided to look over Minami Oi's most recent status report while he waits. Leaning against the front of the reception desk, Gotanda lets the information sink in.
The first battle in Yo Kuronaka's quest to defeat Zero was in Shinagawa City, but that felt like ages ago. Once the governing rules were lifted, the city quickly rebuilt itself to its former glory. Business was booming, customer satisfaction was rising, and many people moved on from the reign of terror courtesy of Kazuma Ichinose. Needless to say, everything is back to what it once was.
Except for Ichinose.
But, if Gotanda is being honest, there doesn't seem to be anywhere for Ichinose to go back to. Zero abandoned him, his former co-workers (the ones lucky enough to keep their lives) avoided him, and any followers that had worshiped him have now moved on from him. Ichinose had no allies left and nowhere to go, but that didn't mean he wasn't valuable. And that's how Oi and her team were put in charge of recharging Ichinose's battery so he can find a new purpose in life, post-Zero.
Recharging Ichinose's battery was expected to be the hard part. But, now that Ichinose is awake, Gotanda and Oi realize the hardest part of their project is just getting started. So, Gotanda called in some reinforcements to brainstorm with.
The doors to the main entrance open and two men step inside.
Gotanda lifts his eyes from the file and grins from ear to ear. He pushes his weight off the reception desk and propels towards the familiar faces. "Ah, Mr. Aoyama and Mr. Q! Thank you for your visit."
"Hehe, it's been a while, Gotanda." The shorter man, Kazuki Aoyama, responds. He gives Gotanda a small wave, his blue eyes crinkling to match his smile. "Thank you for inviting us."
"Of course!" Gotanda places his hand over his heart. "We'd love to hear your thoughts about the progress we've made so far. Oi would've loved to be here in person but, as you can imagine, she's been rather busy."
"That's not a problem. We don't mind taking the scenic route to her department. Right Q?" Kazuki says, turning to the taller man at his side. Q simply nods his head in affirmation.
"Excellent! Well then, I'll lead the way from here."
Gotanda leads Kazuki and Q to the elevator on the far side of the room. One by one, the three of them file into the small clean space. Gotanda scans his keycard to the control panel and presses a button. The elevator lets out a low rumble as they begin their ascent.
There's a comfortable silence in the air before Q speaks up. "How has Shinagawa City fared since the governing rules?"
"Much better, thanks to you, Mr. Kuronaka, and the other members of Trash Tribe." Gotanda responds. He casts an empathetic glance at Q, a smile playing on his lips. "If you plan on staying in the city for a few more hours, I'm sure you'd be happy to see the progress for yourself."
"I see. That's good to hear." Q hums before falling silent once more.
For such an intimidating person, Gotanda admires Q's devotion to helping others. He fully understands the purpose for asking about the state of Shinagawa City and how it relates to Q's past. But, despite this, it pleases him to know that the city has someone like Q looking out for them.
"It's hard to know how long we will be here," Kazuki ponders aloud, "But we should be able to find time afterwards to walk around for a bit. And there will be plenty of opportunities to come back to Shinagawa City in the future."
"I understand." Q replies, the height of his shoulders relaxing ever so slightly.
"Ah, that reminds me! How is Mr. Kuronaka?" Gotanda asks. Kazuki stiffens in response, which is an unusual reaction. Raising an eyebrow, Gotanda continues, "I trust that he is in good hands?"
"He's… doing well in the current city. There's been some interesting behavioral changes in his personality lately, similar to what we experienced in Minato City." Kazuki crosses his arms over his chest, fingers idly tapping his forearm. "But it's understandable. Yo is in a tough position. Having to endure Zero's game like a rat in a maze is exhausting. I'm a little worried about what may happen if he's pushed to his limits."
"Kuronaka is stronger than we give him credit for." Q reminds him thoughtfully. "And he has the support of allies in Trash Tribe to back him up. Whatever challenges lay ahead, we can face it together."
Gotanda watches as the two of them share a look, a silent conversation happening that he is not privy to. He then realizes that this is the first time he has personally seen Kazuki and Q join forces. It's intriguing to see them pair so well together, given the misery they faced to get to this point. No partnership is without its flaws, but it's clear to Gotanda that they match each other's strengths and weaknesses like puzzle pieces.
The elevator dings and the doors slide open. Gotanda takes a few steps forward and then looks back at them. "Come, Oi's department is just around the corner."
"Ah, Mr. Gotanda! And Mr. Aoyama and Mr. Q! Thank you for your visit." Minami Oi whips her head in their general direction upon hearing the approaching footsteps, her dark blue hair cascading around her. "I got so caught up in my work I forgot what time it was. Please, forgive me."
Gotanda leads Kazuki and Q to the observation room of one of the test chambers where Oi is stationed. Oi is typically at her desk working on paperwork at this time of day, but it wasn't unusual for her to be collecting data in other areas of the building.
Oi sat at a computer in front of a long window. Through the window, there is a small soundproofed room with a metal table and chairs at the center. On the far wall is a door with a keycard scanner next to it. That door leads to a narrow hallway connected to Ichinose's room; a place where Ichinose spends his time when he isn't in the test chamber. The empty environment of the test chamber gives off a cold, soulless feeling, but the soft blue walls and floor bring more character to the room than the dark steel of Zero's 24 City. Peering over Oi's shoulder at her blue floating screen, Gotanda presumes she is looking over yesterday's footage.
"Have you made any progress with Mr. Ichinose since your last status report?" Gotanda asks, glancing at the on-screen Ichinose.
The footage shows Ichinose and Oi sitting across from each other. Gotanda can't hear the conversation they are having but, judging from the crossed arms and neutral faces of both members, it doesn't seem very cozy or inviting.
"Unfortunately, no." Oi responds with a frown. "He was very guarded in our conversation this morning. He avoided answering many of the questions and would retaliate with insults. Gathering further information while he is in that state is futile."
"If he wants to be aggressive, maybe we should match his energy." Kazuki says. He opens a separate floating monitor next to Oi's. Maneuvering his hands in the air, he zooms in on a dossier file and scans through the documents. "Of course, I'm not suggesting we act hostile towards him! But, after looking at some of his employee transcripts, he tends to reveal information when he gets riled up. We could use that to our advantage."
"That's… a possibility." Oi hesitantly admits, glancing off to the side in thought. "But I'm worried his battery may run out if we get him too excited. If we do, we have to wait hours before we can speak to him again."
"That's true. He won't be at full battery since you already spoke to him this morning, right?" Gotanda asks Oi, who swivels her chair to face him. "What is his current battery life?"
"72%."
"And, on average, how quickly does it deplete?"
"About 8% every hour." Oi confirms, pushing her glasses up the bridge of her nose. "If we push his heartrate beyond limitations, the rate increases by about 3% or even more than that! But we don't have enough conclusive data to support different types of outbursts and how they vary with his longevity."
"That's something we can investigate another time." Gotanda gives her a reassuring smile and softly pats the back of her chair. "You've done an excellent job with the amount of information you've collected thus far."
"Th-Thank you, Mr. Gotanda." Oi's cheeks glow red and her eyes dart to the floor like it's the most interesting thing in the room.
"Okay, then let's avoid riling him up for now." Kazuki muses aloud. He continues swiping through documents on the floating monitor in front of him. "But, I have a few questions I'd like to ask him directly, if you don't mind?"
"Are you sure?" Q asks Kazuki, all eyes turning to him. Gotanda almost forgot Q was still here. Almost. "According to Zero, Ichinose is the weakest amongst the other Numbers. I doubt he'll reveal something we don't already know."
"Probably not. But it's not just that." Kazuki turns to Oi. "You've been working on trying to find a new purpose for him, right? Something he can do to start over on a clean slate? Everyone deserves to have the chance to begin again, and it seems like the best course of action if he wants to stay alive." He pauses. "And if Oi is the one in charge, I want to assist with that."
"You do?" Oi's eyes widen, clearly caught off-guard. Beside her, Gotanda clears his throat, and Oi gets to her feet and gives Kazuki a quick bow. "Thank you so much!"
"We truly appreciate your support." Gotanda chimes in. He knows Kazuki well enough to understand that this collaboration is beneficial to Trash Tribe's success. But he's glad to hear Kazuki has a personal stake in this as well. "I'll accompany you to Mr. Ichinose's test chamber and we can get started."
A brief conversation is held in the test chambers between Gotanda, Kazuki, and Ichinose. Oi and Q stayed on the other side of the window in the observation room, hidden from view due to the two-way mirror. When Ichinose entered the room, he was initially intrigued by the new face but soon grew bored when he learned Kazuki was the main leader of Trash Tribe. Nonetheless, Kazuki interrogated Ichinose about his connection to Zero as well as his future prospects as a discarded robot.
It goes about as well as you would expect.
Kazuki exits the test chamber first into the hallway. Gotanda follows shortly after, closing the door behind them with a weary expression. He should be used to the constant stream of insults by now, but Ichinose is very colorful with his vocabulary.
"Well," Kazuki leans against the wall and lets out a deep sigh. "I don't think I'm the right person to talk to him."
Gotanda laughs ruefully. "That's one way to put it."
"Hmm, so it seems Ichinose has a problem with authority, huh?" Kazuki has a hand on his chin as he mulls it over. Suddenly, his eyes light up. "Of course!"
Kazuki rushes to the observation room with Gotanda trailing behind him. Inside, Oi and Q look up from the computer they were hovering over, which shows the footage of the most recent interrogation. Kazuki briskly walks to where Q is standing with a quick, "I have a job for you."
Q raises an eyebrow. He obediently leans down when Kazuki whispers in his ear. Then, he lets out a soft, "got it," and makes his way to the door. On his way out, he pulls his phone out of his pocket and types something out on the screen. The door closes behind him before Gotanda can figure out what Q was typing, but he can make a guess.
"By the way," Kazuki spins around to face Gotanda and Oi. "Do you have an earpiece we can borrow?"
"Of course, we can provide that." Gotanda gives Oi a quick nod. She stands up and quickly leaves the observation room. Now that it was just the two of them, Gotanda turns to Kazuki. "So, I assume Q is contacting someone who will speak to Mr. Ichinose. Who do you have in mind?"
"Well, I don't want to ruin the surprise." Kazuki grins. "But, out of all of the members involved with Trash Tribe, I believe she has the best chance of lowering Ichinose's defenses."
As the four of them gather in the observation room, the door to Ichinose's room opens. A young lady with light purple-gray hair that goes down to her thighs enters the room. She wears a beautiful lolita-style maid uniform with black cat ears attached to her headdress. But her most notable feature that Gotanda had a hard time looking away from were the giant iron fists she wore as gloves.
"Ba-bam! The adorable Hinagiku Akiba has arrived from Neo Chiyoda for a special meeting!" The young lady, Hinagiku, creates a heart with her fists as she smiles at Ichinose. "Let me, the cutest being in the entire universe, give you an unforgettable experience today, nya!"
"Wait… what?!" Ichinose's eyes widen and his jaw drops. "What's going on?! What is the meaning of this?"
"This is a rather unorthodox method from you, Mr. Aoyama." Gotanda crosses his arms over his chest. Neither Ichinose nor Hinagiku can hear them behind the window, so he is free to express his thoughts as he chooses. "While I understand the appeal of having him speak with a blue collar worker like Ms. Akiba, do you believe she can get him to cooperate with us?"
"I admit, it's a bit of a longshot." Kazuki scratches the back of his neck with his right hand. "But she is a skilled fighter under the intense training of the royal family and she has a strong experience dealing with difficult personalities. I'm willing to bet that her unfamiliar approach will have a different outcome than what our previous attempts had."
Hinagiku gently closes the door behind her and makes her way to the middle of the room. Humming a cheerful tune to herself, she takes a seat across from Ichinose, whom gives her a suspicious look in return.
"Hmph, I'm not stupid enough to think the Garbage Tribe would send a maid to be my personal assistant." Ichinose crosses his arms over his chest and narrows his eyes. "So, what do you want?"
"I just want to talk and get to know you a little better." Hinagiku responds cheerily. "Master Q told me of your situation, and-"
"Who?"
Hinagiku frowns, brows drawing together. "M-Master Q? He's a tall, silver-haired man with a super kawaii voice?"
"Doesn't ring any bells." Ichinose crinkles his nose behind his glasses.
"But you played XB against him!" Hinagiku cries out, leaning forward. "You must at least remember his powerful swing and incredible speed, nya? He's a flawless being in every way!"
"If he really was 'flawless,' you would think I would remember him." Ichinose responds, tapping the temple of his head like he just made a brilliant counterargument. He then crosses his arms and shrugs. "But whatever. I could care less about who that dingbat is and what his name is. I don't need something like that in my brain."
"Who the NYA do you think you are disrespecting my Master like that?!?" Hinagiku springs from her chair and slams her robotic palms on the table, causing Ichinose to flinch with a flicker of fear. "How dare you say that about Master Q!"
To Gotanda's right, he notices movement in his peripheral vision. Q raises a finger to his earpiece and speaks softly. "Hinagiku, stay focused. Protecting my honor is the least of our concerns right now."
"B-But…" Hinagiku casts a distraught glance to the window, her eyes helplessly searching for the voice in her ear. It is impossible for her to see what lies on the other side of the window, but that doesn't seem to stop Hinagiku from pleading towards that general direction. "There's no way I can forgive-"
"Please." Q quietly begs. It's subtle, but Gotanda notices a tinge of sadness in his tone. "Focus on the main objective."
Hinagiku squeezes her eyes shut and takes a deep breath. And another deep breath. And one more deep breath for good measure.
Slowly, she lowers herself back into the seat and opens her eyes. Her eyes narrow at Ichinose, but her calm expression is neutral. "I… apologize for the sudden outburst. I believe we got off on a rocky start. Let Hina… try this again."
"…Oh? Try what again?"
"The reason Master Q asked me to speak with you today is because…" Hinagiku pauses momentarily, "It sounds like you could use a friend."
"Pfft, a friend?" Ichinose tilts his head back and lets out a bellow of laughter. "Bwahahaha! Are you serious? What makes you think I want to be friends with some outdated wage slave like you?"
"That's… not a very nice thing to say, nya!" Hinagiku growls. It's clear to Gotanda that she is struggling to hold herself back based on the low rumble of anger in her voice. But the rehearsed wording of Hinagiku's response demonstrates her excellent dedication to her role and her customer service skills. "Everyone works hard at low income jobs at some point in their lives. You used to have a job like that too, right?"
"I did, yes…" Ichinose reluctantly admits. "But, that's all in the past. With my talent, there's no reason for me to go back to that humiliating way of life. And the only reason to speak to those tiny cogs in society is to recruit them to do my bidding."
"You mentioned that it was a humiliating experience." Hinagiku states inquisitively, tilting her head to the side. "May I ask what about that job was so humiliating?"
"Well, since you're asking so nicely," Ichinose gives her a wry smile, "Have you ever been blamed for things that weren't your fault? Denied creative input on shitty projects that are assigned to you because your boss needs it executed immediately? Forced to drink and socialize with idiots until the sun comes up with no time to unwind? Imagine having to repeat this cycle all over again! Every day for months! 'Do this' and 'do that' with no reward at the end of the tunnel… How humiliating do you think that is?"
"That sounds horrible." Hinagiku replies solemnly as her shoulders droop. And Gotanda could tell she truly meant it.
Even Gotanda couldn't help but pity Ichinose when he first read the report on Ichinose's backstory. Perhaps the reason Ichinose was able to execute power harassment over Shinagawa City was because of his own experience of power harassment in his previous workplace. If this company was the only work experience he had, maybe Ichinose believed that all companies were like this.
"I know, right?!" Ichinose exclaims. "I always knew I was meant for greatness, but I was never given a chance to shine. It was all about following the rules of incompetent fools! And in the end, no one discovered my talents… until Zero came along!"
"Oh, I get it now!" Hinagiku nods to herself. "Zero was the only person to notice your talents, nya. He chose you to become a Numbers because of how quickly you adapted to the governing rules. And that's why you still think so highly of him! Even when he dismissed you from your role, he made you feel special."
"I am special! No one else was able to understand how great the governing rules were as quickly as I did!" Ichinose boasts. He leans back in his chair with a dreamy expression. "It was as if he could hear my cries to destroy the corrupt society so I could start with a clean slate."
"A clean slate…" Hinagiku echoes, staring off into the distance.
"Hm? What? Why do you have that dull expression?" Ichinose questions her. Gotanda can't tell if it's out of suspicion or insecurity. Maybe both?
Hinagiku doesn't react to the tone of his outburst, but she does take a moment to ponder. Then her expression shifts to something more bewildered. "Well, I… I guess I'm just a bit confused, nya?"
"About what?"
"The lovely ladies and gentlemen at G&O Company are offering you a clean slate, just like Zero did." Hinagiku explains, rubbing her iron fists together anxiously. "Their beliefs are different from Zero, but they seem to recognize your talent and want to help you in any way they can. I think you've unknowingly become special to them, nya!"
Ichinose falls silent. His eyes are as wide as saucers.
In front of Gotanda, Oi enlarges the waveform of Ichinose's heartrate on her floating monitor. "How did he do that?"
"Do what?" Q asks, moving closer to the screen to get a better look.
"His heartrate flatlined after Ms. Akiba stopped talking," Oi's finger traces along a horizontal line that has a steady pattern of rises and falls. There's a moment where the line is straight before it resumes the steady pattern. "But then it continues as if nothing ever happened. How is that possible?"
"Did his heart just… skip a beat?" Kazuki offers, leaning forward. "It would explain the strange timing of the waveform. But…"
"That shouldn't be feasible given his robotic nature!" Oi declares with certainty. Her face was beginning to turn blue as she evaluated the situation. "It's possible for his heartrate to rise from excitement due to the frame of his body overheating. But for his heart to skip a beat like it did a moment ago…"
Gotanda feels a wave of excitement wash over him. Ichinose may have been turned into a robot, but this level of autonomy over his body was very interesting. The reason his heart reacted in such a way is clear. It's not entirely because of Hinagiku herself, but her opinion must have reached Ichinose in a way that gave him hope. A small vulnerable part of him that just wanted to be acknowledged and appreciated for the kind of person that he is.
"Perhaps he is more human than we thought." Gotanda muses aloud, a smile spreading across his face.
Before he can elaborate, Gotanda feels his feet stride to the door of the observation room. Behind him, he hears Oi let out a sharp gasp of "Mr. Gotanda?" But Gotanda ignores it as he swings the door open. He exits the room and turns down the hallway. There is no inkling of hesitation as he arrives at the door of the test chamber and swipes his badge.
The door unlocks and Gotanda flings it open. Two pairs of startled eyes dart to Gotanda in shock.
"Y-You again?!" Ichinose sputters.
"Mr. Gotanda, i-is something wrong?" Hinagiku stammers, eyes shifting nervously.
"Mr. Ichinose," Gotanda pauses to collect his thoughts before he continues. "Would you like to be given another chance at working for a company?"
The silence in the test chamber is deafening. Ichinose's mouth keeps opening and closing as if he's trying to find the words to express himself. In contrast, Hinagiku's eyes light up and the corners of her lips break into a big smile.
"Mr. Gotanda, that's a bit sudden." Oi's voice comes through the speakers, causing Hinagiku to jump from the sudden noise. "Maybe you should explain the context of your proposal?"
"Ah, my apologies. I suppose I did come on a bit strong." Gotanda clears his throat and moves closer to the table. "Mr. Ichinose, I've been watching your development ever since you came to our facility. While there's still plenty of progress to be made, I believe we should do our part to treat you with the respect and care you deserve. You may have your flaws but, emotionally, you're only human. And one of the best parts of being human is to live with a purpose."
"What are you saying?" Ichinose asks, shaking his head. "What does this have to do with working for a company?"
"One of the reasons I find purpose in my life is from working. Even before starting all of this with Oi," Gotanda puts a hand out and gestures to the walls around them. "I found joy in helping those who needed solutions to complicated problems. It made me feel good when a customer or co-worker or boss would give me a smile and thank me for my hard work. In a way, I too was searching for someone to recognize my talents." Gotanda turns towards Ichinose. "I'm truly sorry you never got to experience that."
"I don't need you to feel sorry for me." Ichinose crosses his arms over his chest and tilts his head. "And after everything you and that lady put me through, why do you think I would ever consider joining your company?"
"I never said you should work at my company." Gotanda clarifies, pushing his glasses up the bridge of his nose. "The working environment at G&O Company doesn't align with your values, so it would be a poor choice to have you work here against your beliefs. But, I have many connections in this city. There must be a job out there where you can be appreciated for your talents. And, if you will allow me, I want to help you find it."
Ichinose's red eyes shift from side to side, searching Gotanda's face. "Why?" He eventually asks. "Why help me like this? You're not actually doing this for free, are you? What's in it for you?"
Gotanda shrugs. "Personal gratification. I believe we can help you find a life you can take pride in. There's no need for you to give an answer right away, but I'd love it if you would consider my offer."
"This is like a scene out of one of my favorite manga!" Hinagiku squeals, bouncing in her seat. She leans towards Ichinose. "And you get to be the protagonist of your own story! Can you even imagine the endless possibilities for where your life may be headed if you accept this offer? And while I don't know Mr. Gotanda that well, I'm positive he has the best of intentions for you. You'll be in good hands, nya!"
Ichinose gazes at Gotanda, then back to Hinagiku, and then back to Gotanda again. He crinkles his nose behind his glasses and lets out a long sigh. "You people are really stubborn." He stands up from his seat. "I will accept your offer under one condition."
"Oh?" Gotanda raises an eyebrow. He expected Ichinose to reject him, but he didn't expect him to make a counter offer. "What's the condition?"
"Please don't make me wear a tie."
Gotanda couldn't help but let out a small chuckle. A small condition like that would be easy. "We'd be happy to make that accommodation on your behalf."
He stretches his hand out to Ichinose, who hesitantly accepts the handshake. A new partnership is blooming, and Gotanda is optimistic about the journey ahead.
Project Name: Operation RE-HEART 001
Project Manager: Minami Oi
Subject: Kazuma Ichinose
Addendum:
Following the recent visit of Kazuki Aoyama, Q, and Hinagiku Akiba to G&O Company, Mr. Ichinose's progress has significantly improved. After accepting Mr. Gotanda's proposal, Mr. Ichinose has been more cooperative in our research. He answers questions about his past experiences, reveals what he enjoys and doesn't enjoy, and fills out any documents needing his input. His overall attitude could use some improvement, as he does complain about doing menial tasks quite often, but Mr. Ichinose is becoming more comfortable around others with every day that passes. Recently, Ms. Akiba brought him some homemade doriyaki from Neo Chiyoda as a treat.
The next stage of this project will focus on analyzing which local businesses fit with Mr. Ichinose's needs. In the meantime, the robotic engineering department will continue experiments on finding a stronger battery source to support his future lifestyle. Research on both objectives will begin shortly.