Chapter 8 - Another shitty day (III)

*Shitsubo

I walked to the train station, but the train wasn't there yet (no surprise there) and the early morning crowd was anything but small.

The rainfall yesterday and its chilling wind chased most of the hobos and beggars, but like cockroaches; they are all back here. One hobo is currently getting his head bashed in by some thug (she probably tried to pickpocket or something).

I took a spot, resting on the dirty wall of the waiting area and looked around as I stood there.

I recognised few people (as usual) waiting to board the train too; some were Mercenary-Guard like me, while I didn't know what the others were and couldn't care less but see them here every morning when I come down here.

Like always, we were all seriously worked up about the usual morning delay, then when the train finally got here, it became a hassle to board the train with everyone attempting to get in first.

I am also part of the frenzy mob, and fought my behind to a seat.

While others were still making heads and tails of where to sit, I waited for the train to start moving, simply looking out the window.

After few seconds, the train finally starts to move.

I just stared out the cracked window as the train exited the underground rails, to the railway bridge; dwarfing lots of small apartment building and giving a clearer view of this side of Osaka.

I sat there, looking at the ghettos overrun with both functioning and abandoned large industrial pipes, wrecked building, blocked drainages, heavily damaged roads, hills of trash here and there, old busted-up billboards signboards redesigned with amateur graffiti and few drones flying high enough to avoid anyone on the ground from knocking them down.

The most intense sight were the people; even from here they all looked pitiful, diseased, hopeless and only worth a dog's skin; going about their day with no prospect of escaping this place.

These parts of Osaka were an extremely pitiful sight, the degree of poverty, misery and lawlessness could be seen on every building, road and the people that were right before my eyes.

The train wasn't all that fast so I could capture a lot of activities.

*

The cities of Japan are divided into three section based status, worth and power, though there is no actual wall as proof of this division, and is not official by the system, but it's there. Everyone see it, smell it and feel it… One has to just look around.

This 'wall of division' is determined primarily by sphere of protection by the Guardian Towers and the Federal government; the farther one is from the centre of these authority in each city, the less you are in society.

Everyone knows the Federal government built Japan, from sticks and straws to what it is now. They are the righteous law of the land but the Guardians Towers came when Guardians appeared.

The Guardian Towers themselves are paramilitary bases that holds and nuture the best Evolve warriors called Guards, moulded in the art of war and conquest to ensure the continuality of the nation.

A single Tower is a sophisticated fortress equipped with mounted arsenals and sophisticated defense unit; all powered by mostly Arcane Energy. Its primary purpose is to withstand or pushback the invading force of an Aggressor army within a certain geographic area.

So it is known as the safest place to be during an outbreak or something for anyone that's not a Guard of the Tower.

Even though civilians can't live in the Tower itself; homes, banks, businesses and other important infrastructure of human society are built around it.

The infrastructures erected at close proximity to the Towers are there to serve the 'rich and privilege', they cling to the Towers' protective range, making access to the lands a distant dream for simpler folks.

This system lead to the unrulying division of cities into 3 districts– The City central district, the Silver and Conquest district, the lands beyond the Conquest district are basically neglected by the government and the Towers.

The bare minimum is given to places like that, making heinous crime activities the precipice of each day; the degree of death, disease and anarchy is like an immortal plague, tactical responds to manifestation of Gates or outbreaks from the Gates isn't reliable (people in the slums are basically made to fend for themselves) and if they do arrive, they aren't there to save lives but to close the Gate.

*

The slum of Osaka is where I was born and where I likely to die (That is if I don't die in a Gate first).

The train made a few stops to drop and pick up passengers and all through the journey I just stared out the window but after several minutes, my attention was caught to the train's TV.

It is usually on, but the early morning programs mostly show old records of the years of The War and other very old documentary.

It's way past 6 am now, so the channel automatically changes to the usual single channel that either talks about news related to recent Battles in Gates, current government actions and policy, political debates, international wars against Aggressors, Arcane-being and their purpose or celebrity talk shows.

Being the official local TV channel of Japan we see what they want us to see; I heard there are TVs which have many channels and one can actually choose which one to see, but not this one.

This is the only TV I and anyone around here have access to, so I don't know much about other magical TV channels and their content, but one thing is clear – The TV channel always highly focus on only informing us in the slums on political, military and Guard- related news.

Don't know why, and don't want to know.

"… At 11:25 pm last night there was an outbreak in Nantan, Kyoto at one of military depot causes not only the confirmed death of more 183 military personnel and Guards, and multiple seriously injured. The mayhem continues with the destruction of a robust amount of a newly developed weapons, equipment and approximately 50,000 tons of Refined Arcane-Container (R.A.C).

That-That attack is reported by experts to have left a significant blow to the primary defense of Kyoto against a large scale attack by the Aggressors and will that months to replenish the amount of resources destroyed" A man who seems to be the current guest of the current show said.

"This just came… we are being informed that the devastating Gate outbreak occurred in Kyoto yesterday night, wasn't the only one.

They also occurred in Yamagata, and Kobe; all almost at the same time, which overwhelmed the Towers.

Eventually leading to the destruction of humungous tanker of R.A.C in Kyoto, an unfortunate collateral damage as the Guards of Thor Tower and the Army tried to contain the situation.

This is very… very sad news indeed, but the question being asked is - What do we think the Black Dragon Tower or the Ministry of Defense will do to mend this sudden figurative hole punctured into our defenses by the latest large scale Aggressors outbreak?" the host asked with a tensed tone.

Apparently, the news caught the attention of some passengers, however many just kept their heads down and disregarded the news.

I am not overly interested on how major cities were fairing but whenever shit like this happen, price of shit sky-rocket in both the Conquest district and the ghettos outside it, especially the ghettos.

"The mayors of each of city and members of the prefectural assembly confirmed that there will be an official announcement soon by Governor Koji Nakamura himself, about the incident and the measures they in cooperation with Thor Towers and Army to - rapidly recuperate the losses and counter a likely large scale Aggressor invasion. Still our sources say, that particular unfortunate calamity is a major setback and will lead Japan likely acquire the same amount (if not more) R.A.C from allied nations overseas, so Japan will be able to proper defend and sustain herself in the ongoing widespread Aggressors' invasion." The guest said, as he tightens the knot of his tie.

"Amen to that, Satoru-san. So let's talk a bit more rational about the particular invasion of Kyoto yesterday, and it's timing to the other cities? Do you think this was a coordinated attack? Because I am told there are R.A.C reserves in those cities too but nowhere as ample as the one in Kyoto." Another anchor of the news asked.

"How do you think Towers - Thor Tower and Dragon Tower will handle the aftermath? because we all can assume the outbreak Gate cannot mend anytime soon and the potential threat that looms over the head of the good people around the area by the ever-spawning Gates is a real debacle." The other anchor poured out those frightening issues and questions surrounding the incident in Kyoto and what it really meant for those that reside there.

The show continued, my mind had already trailed off from the screen to the possible action the government of Japan will take and how bad it might be for me.

The train stopped at another terminal again, letting passengers to exit and enter it, a teenager with earpiece in his ears walked in and sat right beside me. My thoughts were this far, until the kid sat beside me, prompting me turn my head slightly to see his face better.

His face is very familiar, then it dawned on me that we were at Nishinari 3rd Terminal Public train station – a within in the body of the Conquest district, as this is where the kid always jumps aboard and get off, but it also means we will be searched.

We crossed the proverbial boundary between the Conquest district and ghettos few minutes ago and the 'train-search' is mainly for gutter punks like me to know we aren't welcomed here.

Two men could be seen from here the cabin in front - in grey and black armour-plated tactical uniform on a grey helmet with black tilted visor glass, attached to some kind of gas mask that covered their entire lower face – from their nose to their lower jaw.

So you can't see their face and their voice is all muffled up.

It took a minute before they reached this cabin, verbally questioning everyone and inspecting their belongings one at a time, and as they did all that, the train did not move and all the doors were closed; to avoid anyone from fleeing or entering the train without being inspected.

They finally reached my side; first inspecting the kid on my right, they didn't waste time since the kid obviously stays within the Conquest district (even if it is the downtown area) and quickly moved to me.

These guys are known as Enforcers; they are policing-units for Evolves and the main reason they patrol places like this train is to monitor the movement of Evolves from the ghettos of Osaka.

A human train inspector can't handle the punks from the slums, much less Evolves from there. So the government fixed that with a more violent policing force.

*

Humans can't handle Evolves; we are physically stronger, faster, more adaptive, more durable and very much vicious than these humans. Many among us even have superpowers but there is hierarchy for Evolves too.

The level of power of Evolves displace us into different Grades – F, E, D, C, and B.

This difference in power for each Grade is very clear, an Evolved of a lower can never take out another Evolve of a higher Grade, normally.

For the weaker one to win, there must be the higher Grade will be seriously handicapped.

Normal human beings can't be placed in this paradigm of power, making them incapable of handling Evolves naturally, that's where Enforcers come in; they are Evolved law-enforcers put in place to handle issues pertaining Evolves outside the Gates, they don't take the front line when there is an outbreak.

That the job of Guards under Towers; so they are more police than soldiers.

Also, Enforcers are only identified by a series of numbers and alphabet - serial number, on the right-side of their uniform chest plates, they have no name tags, don't give out their department number or supervisor's number, don't normally address humans without clear reasons like questioning witnesses, human accomplices, relatives or acquaintances of interested Evolves or Evolve-rated matters. They are primarily trained for only Evolves and barely know what restrain is when handling them.

*

I handed one of the two Enforcers my bag pack as I stood up for the other to search me before he asks me to.

The Enforcer that took my bag and searched it while making inaudible comments, had the serial number 'JF-3-21-14-20'.

"Why is your bag so soggy? Thankfully I can't smell it" he said with his radio-like muffled voice.

The other one with a serial number – 'CA-4-9-3-11'turned me around and searched me roughly, after finding nothing implicating on my body, he jaggedly turned me to face him again, then pushed me to back to my sit.

Enforcer 'JF-3-21-14-20' tossed my bag hard to my chest after his search.

"Can't trust gutter roaches, especially punks like you from Sumiyoshi… Now, show us your ID!" Enforcer 'CA-4-9-3-11' demanded.

"I have been using this train for months now… I showed it to you three days ago, and you all know me, why…" but before I ask my question, a solid punch landed on my face; making me lose my reasoning for some seconds.

"Show us you ID" Officer 'CA-4-9-3-11' said in a cold tone as he retracted his fist after punching me.

I dived my hand into my bag and pulled out my ID and handed it over to the officer.

"Look at this Officer, this punk is carrying an expired ID" Officer 'CA-4-9-3-11' said tapping Officer JF-3-21-14-20' on his shoulder as if I am trying to be funny to them.

"According to the Black Dragon Tower's License Centre, I have 9 days to renew my ID before you can do anything to me. That's the same thing I told you days ago" I quickly spat out, in order to let them know I am still untouchable for now.

I'm sure they excepted me to be shaking in my boots.

"Look at that, the kid thinks he knows it all…. Well I do remember your ugly mug and it was the exact same thing you said three days ago. Which means you have 5 to 6 days before detained for carrying around an expired ID. Do you understand" Officer 'JF-3-21-14-20' said quite loud to be honest. Almost like he wasn't only talking to me in this cabin.

"I still have 6 days" I said boldly but very softly.

"Yeah, 6 days…" Officer 'JF-3-21-14-20 muttered before smacking my face hard with the back of his hand and whispering "…. that's for being mouthy, wise-ass".

Then he shouted again "Do you understand?"

"Yes" I swiftly replied softly.

Daigo's talk about picking up hidden queues flashed through my head as he yelled for the second time. I don't know why he did that but if I don't respond accordingly, he will use it as an excuse to beat my ass.

Then Officer 'CA-4-9-3-11' put both his index and middle finger at the same time on right side of his head; where his ear seems to be and said "We are good, you can leave in 8".

The two officers walk out of the train from this cabin and few seconds later the train starts moving, I touched my side of face where I was slapped; trying to smooth the numbness and pain I felt, then I looked to right-hand side to see the kid sitting right beside me.

The guy was just focused on the game he was playing on his android phone with earpiece plugged in.

He seemed to be trying to keep his cool with his silly poker face and dead-eye focus on his phone but I could even see his hand slightly shaking.

It's normal to see folks like him in the Conquest district, shit like what just happened isn't every day norms for him, but I do think he has some balls though; this isn't the first-time something similar to this has happened; to me on this same train with him sitting right beside me.

I thought he would have avoided sitting right beside me but he hasn't bulge in months.

In those months we haven't talked and frankly don't want to, even if I think he has little balls.

I'm less interested in him and more in what he held to play his game.

I lean back to see and watch the game he was playing much better.

I've been watching him play this game every time I take the train in the morning and he's in it but I always see him use what I assume to be an army of tiny people or creatures to fight another tiny army.

They all seem to have different powers, the game doesn't seem only action driven based on how I've seen him play, it is deals more on strategy.

I have never asked him anything about the game, even if I was curious of some of the things I seen his little army do.

I continued watching, till I started imagining myself getting a flat phone for myself and siblings, and maybe even trying out the game myself.

… but you don't think of getting cool shit when you have a debt of more than 250,000,000-yen on your neck.

My stomach roared in hunger as I sat there, causing me to switching both my gaze and the attention of my mind from the little guy's phone to the TV while think about my life.

The train stopped at Taisho public station where I got off, then had a long walk to the place where Mercenary-Guards from the ghettos are allowed to hang around when seeking jobs - the abandoned Taisho shopping mall.