Yuto: Everyone, thank you for all your hard work! Thanks to everyone pitching in, we had no further trouble, and we were able to wrap up our cleaning activity!
Kenta: Hah~? Doesn't Ryoga-chan's face look a bit more swollen than it was when we last saw him? And he's got a cut on his lip.
Ryoga: Shut the fuck up! It's fine.
Reo: Oh~? You say that so casually, but you're worried about him, aren't you~?
Kenta: Hah!?
Reo: You have a sweet side after all, don't you, Shibaken~?
Kenta: No way in hell was I worried and stop calling me Shibaken!!
Reo: Aaah, Mameshiba^[1] is barking~!
Kenta: Hah!? Big talk for such a tiny brat!
Reo: Woof, woof, wow, he sure is loud~!
Kenta: It's because you keep starting shit with me!!
Iori: Oh, what's this? Good work, everyone~!
Satsuki: Aniki! Zen-nii!
Zen: We brought some refreshments! Everyone, goo-- [sharp intake of breath]
Iori: ... ah? Zen?
[sfx: foosteps]
Yuto: Oh! It's certainly been a while, Gaho-kun!
Zen: Inu...kai...
Yuto: Isn't this a wacky coincidence? GokuLuck ended up taking part in the same community cleanup project as you guys! Ah, I'm so glad! I missed my chance to say hello during the opening show!
Iori: S'the matter, Zen? You know this guy?
Zen: Uh... y...yeah...
Yuto: Ah! Back when we were both on the police force we used to be colleagues! Gaho-kun and I used to be partners in the same squad.
Iori: 'Zzat so? ... my, you certainly have a different offstage from the one you do on it, don't'cha?
Yuto: Ahaha, I get that a lot... they say I'm like a totally different person.
Iori: Hm.
Yuto: ... um, we're enemies for the next stage battle, but even so, Gaho-kun, it's good to see you here!
Zen: Oh... yeah...
Iori: Ahhh... ... well! We brought bento! I bet everyone's starving, yeah?
Reo: Yay~!
Iori: There's onigiri and tamagoyaki! And fried chicken, too! So, everyone, dig in quickly!
Satsuki, Reo, Hokusai: Roger that!
Iori: Well, then, shall we all get to eating?
Reo: [giggling, in background] Tamagoyaki~
Iori: Ah, yeah, there's enough for you guys as well! No need to be shy~!
Kenta: [in background] Hey, why's there no tuna mayo?
Reo: [in background] You know, Shibaken, you...

[sfx: crickets]
Zen: [grunting and heavy breathing as he hits a punching bag]
Iori: My, my. Working out at this hour of night?
Zen: [grunting and punching continues]
Iori: Zen.
Zen: [heavy breathing]
Iori: Hey, Zen.
Zen: [continues unabated]
Iori: Zen!
Zen: Uh--! ... oh, Waka...
Iori: My bad. I give you a scare?
Zen: Uh... no...
Iori: Havin' trouble sleepin'?
Zen: ...
Iori: ... wanna have a chat about it?
Zen: ... alright.

Iori: 'Bout this afternoon.
Zen: [sigh]
Iori: That was the guy, wasn't it?
Zen: ... yes. You could tell?
Iori: [laughs] Who you think I am? It was clear as day. ... when you clapped eyes on Inukai, for a second, you looked threatened. I've never seen you look like that before, not once.
Zen: Mm...
Iori: When you quit the police force, the guy who practically lynched you and beat you half to death... was that guy, Inukai Yuto, wasn't it?
Zen: [sigh]
Iori: ... you didn't even fight back, you just let him get away with it. And despite us askin' over and over, you've refused to give us the name of the person that did it, brushin' us off by saying you "forgot due to your injuries".
Zen: Uh... hahah... that's probably the only lie I've ever told you, Waka...
Iori: I get you didn't want to say anything about him. But if it was a cop, then the old man and I had a pretty good guess who it was. I figured keeping your mouth shut about it was your way of drawing a line in the sand about it, but...
Zen: ... [sigh] If you had known who to go after, Waka, I know you wouldn't just take it sitting down, and... I didn't want to risk causing any trouble for the Suiseki.
Iori: You sure you're okay with letting it lie? Thought I might pay the cops a little visit.
Zen: Yes, it's fine... but, it's not just about that. I think you might understand it, too, after seeing him today, Waka. Inukai is... the things he does, he...
Iori: He doesn't remember them?
Zen: ... yeah.
Iori: [sigh]
Zen: I first noticed it when we were working as partners. Usually, he's very calm and cheerful, like he was today. But sometimes, out of nowhere, it's like a switch gets flipped and he becomes a totally different person.
Iori: Just like when he's on stage, yeah?
Zen: And... he doesn't remember anything that happens or that he does when he's in that demonic state of mind.
Iori: So like a split personality, then?
Zen: I'm afraid so, yes.
Iori: Kinda surprised they let a guy like that be a cop. Ain't that dangerous?
Zen: It isn't, really... or, when we had just been teamed up as partners, it wasn't quite that bad yet, he never went as berserk as...
Iori: The time he beat you half to death?
Zen: Yeah... that was the first time... I'd ever really seen him like that. It absolutely chilled me to the core.
Iori: So, because he wasn't gonna remember any of it afterwards, you covered for him-- that what you're saying?
Zen: ...!
Iori: ... or maybe you think what Inukai did to you was your own fault.
Zen: ...
Iori: [thwacks Zen] You're overthinkin'!
Zen: Huh?
Iori: Ain't no such thing as a good reason to beat my partner half to death.
Zen: But-- what if what happened in my past causes trouble for you or the boys, Waka!?
Iori: We'll cross that bridge if we get to it!
[sfx: Iori patting Zen]
Zen: ...
Iori: Listen. If anything ever happens to you again, I'll fuck him up for you. I'll make 'em pay what happened before, too. There won't be a next time for them to try layin' a finger on you.
Zen: Waka...
Iori: [laughs] This is gettin' real interesting, ain't it?
Zen: Eh?
Iori: Dumbass. The next battle, I mean. Even if we can't go in swingin' with fists, why don't we beat that dumbass prison guard's ass with music?
Zen: Waka...
Iori: We'll have them choke on our music. One way or another, we'll show them exactly what happens to anyone who tries to lay hand on my precious family. ... [laughs] We'll make sure they understand real fuckin' well before they go. ... alright, that all good, then, Zen? Now, g'on! Train three times as hard as usual! Build those muscles!
Zen: ... yes!

Kenta: Ah, I'm tired... what's even the point of doing community service, anyway? Waste of time.
Shion: You say that, but didn't you have quite the good time?
Kenta: Shove it! Didn't you get all worked up today, too? Did something happen between you and that big hulking guy?
Shion: You really wanna know~?
Kenta: [completely deadpan] Not really~.
Shion: [laughs] I think I just got a bit more excited for our next stage battle.
Kenta: Same.
Shion: Hmm~?
Kenta: Been a while since I felt like going whole-ass on anything. I wanna shut that brat up with my skills!
Shion: Oh? How unusual, for Shibaken to be interested at all in another person.
Kenta: It's not interest, it's rivalry!
Ryoga: [snoring]
Kenta: That dumbass...
Shion: Oh? He's already asleep? ... [laughs] He looks like a little kid, doesn't he? Bet he wore himself out today.
Kenta: Who fucking cares? Goddammit, the thing keeping me up is gonna be coming from inside the room today.

Yuto: Uhh... these walls really are thin, huh... I can hear everything really clearly... [laughs] But even so... Gaho-kun looks just like he used to, just like the good old days... who'd have ever thought I'd have gone up against my ex-partner like this... how exciting! Really... exciting... [laughs, voice dropping] ... can't fuckin' wait. I'll kill that bastard for real this time.

[1] I could try to explain Mameshiba, or I could just leave this image here. [Back]