Chapter Two - An Operation, A Mission and Ambition
~Several Years Later~
A small girl sat on an operation table having just awoken after the operation that had altered her body in ways that she did not fully understand. The girl had not really wanted to have the operation, but as Biokasei had been ordered to perform the operation on her she had no choice in the matter and she now sat there feeling alone and scared.
She looked around the dingy little operating room, trying to find anything to take her mind away from her own fear. She focused on a small ornament on the doctors desk. She felt like she had a great pressure, pressing down on her chest.
"Cough..! Cough....Cough!"
"Hikari? Are you okay?" Asked the doctor who had performed the operation without looking at her.
"It's a little hard to breathe...Doctor...I..."
"As I said we gave you a special operation, and it may take a little while to get used to it...but if it all goes well, Hikari, not only you but a lot of people who live in areas with bad air will be saved. You understand Hikari?"
Hikari remained silent, she didn't really understand, but she was too frightened to speak again.
~*~
"What today? Kaijuu hunting again?" an eighteen year old boy asked his friend as he got dressed for the days work as a ranger of Chikayo.
"Nah, we're on lift guard duty. Guarding the lift...work even a low rank can do. Right, Rasen?" Replied Maikeru Rasen's friend and partner for ranger missions. "Well see you there Partner." He turned and left the room.
Rasen quickly finished getting dressed and went after Maikeru towards Captain Kisekis' Office. As he left the locker rooms he bumped into another ranger.
"Oh, hi Rasen, Kiseki's waiting for you in her office. But with your Power Ranking you'll never make it past Grunt rank so don't push yourself to hard."
"Thanks, I won't" Rasen replied
Everyone was like that to Rasen, this was because his Power Ranking was 0.08 one of the lowest there is which indicates his latent abilities where very low. Maikeru on the other hand had a Power Ranking of 0.89 which was extraordinarily high for his age, this is why he was considered one of the most promising Grunt ranked rangers. Rasen didn't mind being a low rank, he was happy with his work and enjoyed it and that was all that mattered to him. Power Rankings were all between 0 and 1, 0 being lowest and 1 the highest.
Rasen continued towards the ranger lounge through which was Kiseki's office. Outside the rangers lounge he walked into another ranger.
"Hi Rasen, heh I pity and envy you at the same time. It must be tough being partners with the golden boy, but I would kiss up to Maikeru while you can Rasen, because he is going all the way to the top! Maybe even passed the brass!"
Rasen nodded and continued into the lounge and scanned the room, he spotted Maikeru standing by the captains door and strode over to him.
"Hey Rasen, are you ready?" Maikeru asked, Rasen nodded in response. "Then let's go, waiting makes the captain....grumpy" Maikeru said with a smirk.
"Yeah let's go." Rasen replied and the pair entered the captain's office.
Rasen and Maikeru entered the office and stood to attention in front of their sharp eyed captain.
"Maikeru 0.89 and Rasen 0.08." Kiseki said with stern authority.
"Reporting Ma'am" Rasen and Maikeru both replied and they both saluted respectfully.
"At ease, I've called you in to review the details of your mission...Guard duty, Level E...You are to board the freight lift and guard it's contents. An easy task for you two...no? Any Questions?" Kiseki asked, looking at them expectantly.
"None ma'am" came the reply.
"Captain, may I speak with you briefly before the mission?" Maikeru asked. Rasen looked at his friend, uncertain what that was about, Maikeru had never asked to speak with the captain alone before.
"Of course...Rasen...Please wait outside." Said Kiseki, Rasen saluted and left the office.
Maikeru sat on Kiseki's desk as he spoke to the captain. All of a sudden all of Maikeru's respectfulness was gone from his voice and he addressed the captain with an almost arrogant air.
"Captain, as I am sure you know, my Power Ranking is already 0.89..Thats more than high enough to make seargent or lieutenant...even general! All I need is some kind of accomplishment, something to prove that I'm worth high rank. I need something bigger than just guard duty captain!" Maikeru complained.
"This mission is highly classified. Report to me when you've finished." Kiseki said not taking any notice of Maikeru's arrogant air, she knew that he felt superior to others but as he was the son of a general she put up with it.
Maikeru then put his hand on the captain's shoulder, something that a ranger would never do to a superior.
"Fine, As long as you understand my position..." Maikeru said with another smirk (Maikeru knew that because of his father's fame as a general and his own Power Ranking and reputation as an elitist grunt, he could get away with almost anything.) Maikeru then left the room.
"Sorry about that, let's get this over with shall we?" Maikeru asked Rasen as he left the captains office.
"Yeah, let's go"