Protect Them (Part 5)

It was a while before Sano finally decided to pick up the card left by Paylor.

"(Why did that upset me so much?)" he thought.

(Think about his position. He very well couldn't have said "Here's a free ride out to the suburbs and no strings attached!" HQ would be sure to take action.)

"(I already have more than enough. I'm already freer than any inmate should be.)" Sano thought.

(Which is passable. But is it enough?

Look no one's saying it's that simple. Up until now, you've never gotten fresh air, unless someone tells you to go kill something.

You have a say in the matter.)

Sano clutched the card to his palm, scratching against the texture.

"(Do I though?)" Sano thought.

No longer wishing to get lost in his thoughts, the inmate headed for the noodle stand nearby.

"(When's the last time I've even had money?)" Sano thought as he got in line.

(Even 10 years back you were never a big spender. You probably had plenty and didn't even know it. )

While awkwardly waiting in line, the vendor nearly screamed seeing Sanos god-arc and shield.

The poor owner struggled to not spill the bowl as he handed it off to the inmate.

While he made no hostile gestures, it didn't keep the people around the inmate from being wary.

"(I didn't own anything officially until Kanon and Erina got stuff for me.)" Sano said as he sat under an umbrella table. Glimpsing his reflection in the broth, the inmate let himself get lost in the smell.

(Do you mind?)

A tendril extended out of his Buster's core and dipped into the ramen.

"(Thought you didn't care for human food?)" Sano thought as he bundled up the noodles.

(I was merely curious. Paylor damn worships the stuff.)

As he consumed the ramen the inmate thought back on Paylor's words.

See what you're protecting.

Sano had seen plenty of what these Satellite Bases had to offer. Safe Havens, a building community, Independency.

A future.

But what did that have to do with him?

His sentence was anywhere but served, as far as FENRIR cared he was a criminal for life and beyond.

Dr.Sakaki had given him more than he could've hoped for in the last 10 years of his life. The chance to talk with people.

The chance to make friends.

To eat fresh food cooked by those friends.

To protect those friends as he saw fit.

Even now as he wandered the Satellite, the inmates fellow convicts were hauled away into cells and cages somewhere no one in the world would ever come to get them out off. Unless it was to kill aragami...

Some of them deserved to be there. Some didn't. Not forever.

Faulty equipment at best unless you knew what you to sacrifice to keep the god-arc in usable condition.

The inmate had to spend his time here, so there was no way he could inspect their god-arcs himself. Would they hold out?

"(Paylor knows what I went to prison for. So why is he treating me like this?)" The inmate thought.

(Pretty sure he's been testing you since day 1. We killed that Psion and he just couldn't get enough of you. Or me.)

"(Even so.)" Sano thought, as looked up at the sky. The sun would set soon.

(Pretend for a moment he means well. He wants you out here. Protecting these Satellite Bases for the long term. If that's his objective what's today proven?)

"(He's crazy.)" Sano thought.

Paylor let a convicted killer walk around his Branch building like he was just another member. Albeit limited, but still a great deal.

When he set out to face the Ouroboros and took Kanon, Erina, and Emil with him, Sano didn't ask for permission.

Fool even let him bargain for permission to keep his god-arc on his person.

(And considering the results he got, can you blame him?)

As a result, wasn't Erina saved from being eaten whole on his first mission with her?

Wasn't Kanon improving physically and mentally? Much to everyone's relief?

Did the Far East not have another weapon to counter Psions?

Was a giant aragami swiftly dispatched with no risk to the Branch itself?

Most importantly, didn't Mustumi have a friend to help with her extra credit questions?

The inmate laughed thinking of the few months spent in the Far East.

Paylor may have been unorthodox, but his charity benefited many. To the point, it was hard to poke arguments anymore.

"(I still think it's too late to think about having a life. But...maybe it's ok to think about it anyway?)" Sano thought.

(Now that's the spirit.)

As the hours went by, the inmate spent the rest of the time exploring the Satellite Base or scouting the outskirts. With time in-between to purchase a thing or two.

When the sun was down, the inmate moved to the clinic.

Dr. Sakaki was finished with his examinations and looked tattered. Still, his trademark grin was still spread on his face.

As they met, Sano held up a bag. One whiff and the Doctor was enticed by the scent. Sano let him grab the bag and leaned against the jeep as Paylor breathed in deep.

"You're too kind!" he said.

"Whatever, what's our next stop?" Sano asked.

"Oh from here we'll be going our separate ways from here." Paylor said. Taken aback the inmate winded his head towards the doctor.

"What?" Sano said.

"You'll find a map of the other Satellite Bases on your phone. Do you need me to show you?" Paylor asked.

With a hint of irritation, Sano pulled his phone, and awkwardly pressed a few buttons.

"Give it here." Paylor said, making the inmate growl.

Swiftly he produced the map and presented it to Sano.

"As I said, we have 3 finished Satellite Bases, and we need to finish a 4th and secure a site for a 5th. But these are long-term projects. While the sites we pick aren't big in Aragami, one alteration is enough to jeopardize our progress.

When we bring multiple people here, we risk attracting aragami from the numbers alone. Not to mention regular delivery of supplies also catches aragami attention and turns the cold spot into a hot one.

Those factors are why I created the Satellite Defense/Survey Team." Paylor elaborated.

"But then the Psions added more problems." Sano stated. Paylor nodded.

"Especially them, the Defense Team had a handle on things before those Psions showed up. Their skills are up to par, but what good is that if they can't use them. There was only so much they could do. Then I was contacted by FRIAR and BLOOD, a new generation of god-eaters could very well be the key. Not to mention one of them actually has the power to give a 1st or 2nd-generation god-eater the power to repel the Psions. However, you killed a Psion before you even met Reika or even BLOOD." Paylor said.

"About that. Whatever's next I only want to know the truth. Be honest, and don't bother holding back. If I couldn't kill Psions on my own, would you have let me stay here?" Sano asked, staring down Paylor.

Paylor put aside the bag, meeting the inmate eye to eye.

"There's a question. You see I'd love to tell you, but the truth is I never bothered thinking that far ahead. When I knew you could kill Psions I got very impulsive." Paylor said with a smile.

The inmate narrowed his eyes, waiting for further elaboration.

"My only concern has been relieving the Far East of the Black Plague and countering the Psions. Not to mention discovering the mystery of the Red Rain. Those have been the only things I've been thinking about lately. Though I do admit you are pretty special even without Blood Powers. You never even bothered escaping. You even knew where Dr. Ogumura was." Paylor said.

(Did he finally just mention that!?)

Sano nearly flinched.

"So you see flying god-eater, if that question really mattered I'd have an answer for you. But I'm focusing on now and right now Mr.Shimazaki the Far East needs all the help it can get. These Satellite Bases especially." Paylor said, taking a more serious tone.

Sano could understand the reasoning but he couldn't help but feel cheated.

"I"ll let you think on it." Sano said begrudgingly. Paylor smirked.

"The Black Plague and Red Rain couldn't have come at a worse time. These Satellite Bases are the next step for humanity. If you think that's worth protecting, can I ask you, will you protect them?" Paylor asked as he held Sano's phone out to him.

The inmate paused for a moment, as he stared at Paylor's hand.

He took the device and pulled out the card to give to Paylor. But Paylor pushed it back.

"No, no, that's for you to use." Paylor said.

The inmate struggled not to argue. He turned away from Paylor and looked out to the Satellite Base.

"I will protect them." Sano said. Paylor's smile grew twice as large.

"Then from this day forth, you will be assigned long-term to cooperate with the Satellite Defense Team. Overall you'll be helping defend Satellite Bases, but your main focus is holding down the 4th Base Site before the final seal of approval and securing the 5th site for future development. That's where the Defense Team will be operating from. Understand?" Paylor said.

Sano nodded and lifted his blade upon his shoulder.

"Then good luck and farewell. Set a course for home Hosu, I'm exhausted!" Paylor took a big sniff into the bag and proceeded onto the jeep.

Sano glanced over his map, and his god-arc morphed.

These Satellite Bases they're a real chance for people to just have normal lives. They're not even Fenrir's property. They're independent.

Or at least these are.

My home is long gone, but they were just like these.

I gave up on my freedom so long ago.

But now...

As the inmate took to the skies, time was irrelevant to him. As soon as he came overhead to the Satellite Base, it didn't take long for his companions to wave him in.

Seeing Kanon surrounded by their friends, made the inmate fly faster.

It was at this point, that my life would change again. These opportunities were real, the freedom to protect the people close to me was real.

So from this point on, I get a new life, and my happy ending, right?

A nice simple transition.

Not even close...

After I decided to give all of this a real try I knew I had to put everything about me out there. I pulled Kanon close to me and then I had to let her go before I changed my mind.

I told her and Erina, and Emil, and whoever was listening in on me, everything.

Why I went to prison.

What led me to that disaster.

Who I really was...