And So It Begins! The Task
A Scientific Treatment on Structure and Workings of Athena's Saints
And So It Begins! The Task
(c) 1999/2000 by Shavana and Stayka
Doctor Shizukawa Himiko sighed. It seemed she always got the worst jobs at the Research Labs of the Graude Foundation. Okay, she was new in the department, but couldn't they find someone else for this task?
Professor Asamori Hakase - the guy who had constructed the mechanical Cloths of the three Steel Saints - had decided it might be a nice thing to start a thorough examination of the real Saint Cloths, and of course it was an ultra secret assignment (What else?). She had the suspicion that it was a pet project of her boss, and it wasn't fully sanctioned by the big heads of the Graude Foundation to boot.
But then, as long as she got paid for it properly, she would go along with it. Unfortunately, the information she had gotten in advance was pretty scarce.
"Be creative!" were the Professor's encouraging words, when he introduced her to her two colleagues Terada Makoto, a red-haired, tall young medical doctor and psychologist who had just left the university, and Honda Akira, a big game hunter who gave up Saint training in Greece after some defeats too many (although he managed to come back alive which was a wonder in itself).
"I hate him for giving me such stupid jobs," Himiko grumbled and tugged at her blonde ponytail.
"I agree," Makoto nodded.
"Ah well, with my anaesthetic rifle they're prey like any other," Akira said.
"I wouldn't be that sure," Himiko said darkly. "But unfortunately it's our job and we have to do it. Where do we start?" She distributed the photographs of their targets on the table and looked at them properly for the first time. Some of the prints were of pretty bad quality, but they would have to do until they got better pics to add to the files.
Makoto frowned and ordered the armoured persons in her mind according to their probable danger level.
"I must admit I'd like to examine this guy! Even on this bad pic he looks absolutely cute!" Himiko pointed at a grainy, heavily magnified photo of a man with long, dark blue hair in golden armour.
"Cute isn't the issue," Makoto chided. "We're doing scientific research, if you have forgotten already." Discreetly, she let the photos of the ugly looking guys disappear nonetheless.
"Cute or uncute don't matter to me," Akira shrugged. "I'll shoot everything."
"Oh no! I don't want him to be shot! - Hm... On the other hand, if he can't move he won't be able to resist," Himiko said thoughtfully.
"I prefer they don't have any chance to put up resistance, then it's less dangerous for us to examine them." Makoto tugged a handkerchief from her labcoat and began to clean her thick glasses. Now one could see that she had green eyes, albeit very near-sighted ones.
"Probably." Himiko sighed and adored another example of cuteness, this time in blond. "Okay, you say where we begin."
"With someone who isn't so dangerous..."
"Why don't we start with one of the chicks?" Akira pointed at a blonde girl with spiky shoulder pieces.
"Naa, she looks dangerous, too. Look at the nasty whip!"
"Exactly. Let's take something smaller." Makoto rummaged through the photos.
"Let's get this cute green-haired chick first", Akira said and picked up the photo of a petite Saint in pink armour.
"Okay," Makoto nodded.
"If you insist - But I want this guy next!" Himiko pointed at a blond guy with a rubberduck on the headpiece of his armour.
"Yes, yes..." Makoto pinned the remaining photos to the wall of their headquarters at the Graude Foundation Research Lab.
