Intentions Revealed?

Licca admired the two plates of metal that were once Sano's shield. While it had no legible face, the horns and eye at the center made her think one thing.

Oni.

This shield was beyond valid repair, but somehow it was still whole. If she could've come across this earlier this aegis would've lasted decades, centuries!

Licca inwardly vowed she would get to the bottom of this injustice.

She placed her palm on the plate and gave it a silent prayer.

"This is heavier than I expected." Sano said.

He stood next to his god-arc, brandishing the new shield in its "splendor". The purple flesh attached under the orange skull did nothing to hint at its true nature.

"That's heavy? Not the block you raised back at the training room?" Licca said sarcastically.

"It's not the weight, it's the adjusting for balance. (This will take a while.)" Sano thought, as he raised the claymore and swung down. Having fresh parts made all the difference. The inmate struggled not to swing his blade too far down,

As he took another practice swing, he had to dig in his feet not to let himself be carried by the momentum.

Feeling that huh? I feel so stiff now.

Sano admired his god-arc with its new guard and presented it to Licca.

"So what's the verdict?" he asked.

Licca looked at the buster-blade in all its splendor. The flat spatula-like blade was a gen-1 design she had seen many times, but the cool black steel did much to leave an impression. Then she looked down at the plates of the old shield.

"I can tell you've been through a lot with him. I think he was your only friend." Licca said with a frown.

Sano nearly flinched at her words but kept his composure.

"I can tell by that shield you had to make tough choices. It's not unlike my friend Shinji's. I've only seen one blade that has the same distinct character as yours." Licca said caressing the metal.

"What you do you mean?" Sano uttered.

"The kind of marking that tells me you've used your god-arc to kill a human being. One of my friends had to kill one of his own due to aragami infection. They couldn't save her. It was Haruomi's fiance." Licca said as the air became cold in the room.

Sano felt his eyes widen in shock.

"You mean he did it!?" he asked.

"No, it was his friend..." Licca said sadly.

The inmate's jaw tightened, unable to comprehend this revelation. It made sense that Haruomi didn't do it, but it made no more sense than if the friend did the mercy killing.

"It's not the same circumstance, but I know by looking at your blade when you killed with it, it wasn't because you wanted to." Licca said. Her expression was so sincere,

This girl's the real deal. I'll be damned...

Sano couldn't help but feel impressed at the constant surprise of the Far East, and a bit irritated.

"Anything else?" Sano asked.

"I don't think I've seen anyone attached to their god-arc like you before. Usually, the ones who get attached are us in the maintenance crew. You held it away from me, like a favorite toy. " Licca said with a snort.

Oh, she's got you pegged doesn't she?

Sano quietly growled in his throat, holding back his urge to welt Licca with his god-arc.

"Um, before you go one last question." Licca said.

"Yeah?" Said replied.

"I'd like to show this control-unit to someone in the R&D department. if you don't mind?I couldn't make heads or tails of this thing so I didn't try to tune it up or anything." Licca said.

She asked for your permission, what do you think?

"Go ahead, as long as I can fight without your screaming." Sano said.

Licca stuck her tongue out, childishly. Sano turned around, keeping her from seeing his smirk.

"You're too good for Fenrir Licca." Sano made for the exit pretending not to hear anything she had to say after.

After heading to the elevator, the inmate headed for the reception area. He was in luck, there weren't many people in the room.

"(Those two should be done about now. I was certainly in there long enough.)" Sano thought as he descended the stairs.

I mean sure this buildings' only what? 700ft wide? 400ft long? Or did I get that backward?

The inmate was answered with the sight of Kanon and Erina slumped on the couch, drenched in sweat. Their only comfort was a small table fan.

"(They don't look like they're passed out.)" Sano thought.

"Thank you for the fan Hibari. It was hard, but we did it! All 3 laps! Ugh!" Kanon said, morbid, but triumphant.

"The whole building!" Erina chimed in, pumping her fist.

"Good jobs you guys! Wait the whole building!?" Hibari said in shock.

"Yes." Sano said, getting their attention.

"Oh hey Sano, we're done, I mean not done-done, wait are we done!?" Kanon asked, desperately, wiping the sweat off her brow.

"Can we rest for a little longer!?" Erina started to whine.

When the inmate went silent, the girls started to go pale. On the surface Sano was stone-faced. Inwardly he was snickering at their demeanors.

"We're done for today, we start again tomorrow." Sano said, keeping his stone face.

Kanon and Erina slumped down on the couch in relief.

"You're gonna tell me what you did to them, is your god-arc ready for the field?" Hibari asked, the irritation plain on her face.

Sano propped up his god-arc brandishing his new shield for the three to see.

"Aaaaggh!" Hibari and Erina screamed.

"Wow...that looks soooooo scary!" Kanon said. Sano couldn't tell if she was excited or frightened.

"Your friend gave her seal of approval, I'm cleared." Sano rescinding the shield.

"That's a real shield right?" Erina asked, clinging to Kanon. Unfortunately for her, Kanon ended up dragging her closer to the god-arc.

"Well...if you're ready let me tell you what Dr.Sakaki has set up for you today." Hibari said, bringing up a holo screen.

"Today you're going on a mission with BLOOD to learn about the Red Rain and the black plague. You'll be getting field experience dealing with different species of Psions. It'll mostly be an informative mission." Hibari stated.

"No mission with us today?" Kanon complained.

"Rest, I want your leg fit for tomorrow's 5 laps." Sano ordered.

"5!?" they all squealed.

"You stressed out your leg today, so I only gave you 3, did you forget?" Sano asked.

Kanon slumped into the couch cushions, ready to scream. Erina could only try to feign some semblance of confidence.

"On that note, Ciel's not too happy, I'd expect her to be hostile." Hibari warned.

"(Little french maid in-training.)" Sano thought.

We're sticking with that name, right?

"They should be here wrapping up morning exercises now. Now about the running?" Hibari asked with a hint of irritation.

"Wait are we allowed to ask questions now?" Kanon asked, as clamored next to Sano.

"Hey, I go first!" Erina argued.

Sano felt himself get tense and irritated. Unfortunately, they have earned their time.

It was best to get this over with.

"Hurry up." Sano said.

"OH! How do you do that thing with your god-arc! You don't have to touch it!" Kanon yammered.

"How'd you go into Burst without holding it! Is it a blood power!?" Erina asked.

"Should I be worried about the Prison yard workout you're giving them?" Hibari started scolding.

Sano somehow found the patience, not to squelch back and deny them altogether. He first turned to Erina.

"I have a control unit, that connects to my emotions. Basically, emotions based." Sano said, making Erina gasp, but he did not let her get another question in before turning to Kanon.

"I have a connection with my god-arc most god-eaters don't. " Sano said, inwardly kicking himself for not lying to her deep down. He could only ignore it and turn to Hibari.

"Mostly her.." Sano said pointing to Kanon. This answer of course didn't satisfy Hibari at all.

"It was my own fault I lost count, but he gives REALLY good massages." Kanon said, raising her leg, much to Sano's chagrin.

"Do you do shoulders?" Erina asked.

Sano lightly pinched her clavicle and scrunched up his hands to the edge of each shoulder.

AaaaAAGH!

Sano turned to see a boy fall on his behind.

"W-What is that!?" the boy screamed, pointing at Sano's shield.

I think I'm gonna like this thing. Even though it makes me top-heavy.

"Romeo what's wrong?" a female called from above.

The familiar french maid dress appeared in Sano's view and his mood dropped instantly. Ciel looked to the side to see the inmate with his god-arc in hand and a trembling Romeo on the floor. Along with that his hands on Erina.

Without so much as blinking, Ciel drew her gun straight on Sano, startling Hibari and the others.

"Hands where I can see them, inmate!" Ciel shouted.

Hibari felt a familiar tightness in her chest like the last time she saw the weapon. Kanon wasn't sure what to do, and Erina was too confused to recognize what was going on.

The inmate knew he was wrong about his early assessment of today.

Things could go MUCH worse.