01x03 - Gekai

[bunniefuu]

Rare for you to contact me, Enjin.

What're you up—

Huh?

You found a natural talent?

That's right.

Happened across him in No Man's Land.

Turns out he's got powers.

Never seen anything quite like them, either.

I've recruited him for the Cleaners.

I'll introduce you two once I'm done here.

Later.

Hey, I never said
I was joining your weird g*ng.

You think you're in a position to refuse?

I told you, I've gotta get back up to the—

You got lucky, kiddo!

Wh-Who's this old man?!

It takes a real dummy to go
wandering around in No Man's Land!

If you'd breathed that air
for much longer, you'd be dead!

And you got yourself kidnapped to boot.

Talk about unlucky!

You better thank the nice man over there!

You better thank me, kiddo.

as*h*le.

And I'm an old woman!

Treatment's done!

Pay up and get out!

And don't forget, I'm an old woma—

Thanks for paying.

But seriously, all I want is info.

I don't have time to be joining your Clea—

I'd hoped the whole kidnapping thing

would have shown you how people
down here view Sphereites.

You're free to ask around if you want,

but you're screwed
if they find out who you are.

To put it in plainer terms...

This isn't the kind of place
where info comes free.

Shut up and follow me.

Well, someone's got an appetite.

You barfed up a storm
after that garbage you ate,

so it figures you'd be hungry.

I thought the Pit—the Ground—
would be nothing but trash,

but they've got real cities
and food and everything.

So, what's your name?

Rudo.

Rudo, huh?

Good name.

S-Sure.

All right, here comes your Ground life primer.

Here on the Ground, trash isn't
the only thing that tends to build up.

The same goes for emotions—
what we call "Anima."

Sometimes Anima converts into energy,

which has a variety of consequences.

The birth of a trash beast
is one such consequence.

They'll attack humans on sight.

Generally, they stick
to the dump areas outside,

but they'll come into the cities
from time to time, too.

Why not fortify the whole city, then?

Human nature—we can't
stay cooped up forever.

Makes sense.

Like I said, regular weapons
don't work on trash beasts.

Their cores are made of Anima.

Your gloves can beat them, though.

These...

Like the knife a chef keeps
dutifully sharpened for years;

like the trusty pen kept
at a writer's side...

When a person treats an object
with care for a long time,

Anima inhabits it.

We call objects like that "vital instruments."

The Anima of a trash beast's core can only be
defeated by the Anima of a vital instrument.

But there aren't many people who can
draw out the power of a vital instrument.

And I'm one of the people who can?

That's right.

You and I both have that power.

We're known as Givers.

Regto was right all along.

In other words...

the Cleaners are a g*ng
of trash beast exterminators!

And we need more Givers.

That's why you want to recruit me?

And if I join you, you'll really teach me
how to get back up there?

Well, the thing of it is...

I don't have the slightest idea
how you get up there.

But you totally acted like you did!

Never said I did, though.

You—

Our boss is pretty well-informed, though.

Might know a thing or two.

So I've gotta meet your boss first?!

Who gave you those gloves?

My dad.

These gloves are like...

the only thing I have to remember him by.

Got it.

That explains why you take such
good care of those beat-up old things.

"When something matters to you,
you should take care of it."

It's a simple idea,
but lots of people can't do it.

They're good gloves. They've got soul.

Treat them with care, okay?

Whoops.

Anyway, this ends your Ground life primer.

Just wait here a minute and—

Enjin.

Um...

Sorry I didn't say it earlier, but I owe you.

For everything.

I'm giving you a little money for now.

Don't spend it all in one place.

Money, too?

You sure about this?

Totally sure!

It's what I made from selling your clothes.

It's also how I paid for
your treatment and the food.

So think nothing of it, okay?

For real. I mean it.

I'm gonna kick your a*s!

You couldn't go around in those
Sphereite threads down here anyway.

Besides, took you long enough to notice.

Is this always how you—

Anyway, I'm gonna meet up with your trainer.

You just wait here.

I'm quitting these jerks
the second I find a way up there!

My money!

That's my money!

Get back here, you as*h*le cat!

Get back here!

Wasting my damn time...

Quit struggling—

Hey.

That's mine.

Give it back, you little sh*t.

Episode 3

"The Ground"

The hell are you talking about?

This money's mine.

What kind of stupid—

Not that.

The stick.

This?

It's just a dumb stick.

What's with this guy?

That's the same emblem Enjin wears...

You think you can steal someone's
treasure and get off scot-free?

Is he... a Cleaner?

Looks like I better teach you a lesson.

I'll give you a taste of my Lovely Assistaff.

You steal a person's treasure,

you better be prepared to deal
with the consequences...

Rudo, the new talent.

You know my name?

So you really are with the Cleaners?

Yeah, Enjin filled me in about you.

I'm with the Akuta Cleaners.

The name's Zanka Nijiku.

Enjin's put me in charge of your training.

Never thought I'd have to start
with something as basic

as "don't steal from people
if you value your hide."

I was just using it to get my money
back from the thieving cat!

Go tell your daddy he didn't raise you right.

This as*h*le doesn't know a single thing...

and he's insulting Regto?!

Rudo.

If you want someone to listen to you,

try making the first concession.

I bet Chiwa hates guys
with a hair-trigger temper.

You've got to cool off and think
about how the other person feels.

How the other person feels...

That's right.

He thinks I took something he cares about.

He's mad about that.

If someone took my gloves,
I'd feel the same way.

I didn't mean to take it.

I didn't realize it was your treasure.

I'm sorry.

Oh, 'zat so?

You did give it right back, I guess.

I'm sorry about that, too.

It's my treasure an' all,
so I kinda lost my temper.

Sorry to scare you.

I think that's the first time
I ever defused a situation!

Regto was totally right!

You're joinin' the Cleaners now, right?

Guess we got off on the wrong foot.

Let's work together now!

S-Sure...

So, what's your vital instrument?

What can you do with it?

I think it's the gloves.

I don't really know what I... do with them.

These, huh?

Heck, those gloves rule!

He looks like a different
person all of a sudden.

Where'd you get 'em?

Never seen that mark before...

Is it because he's smiling?

Smiling...

Smiling!

That's right!
Regto told me to fix my sour look...

By the way, my vital instrument's
just a staff, see?

So a smile really makes
that big a difference...

But can I smile?

I mean, the scuzzballs out there
tease me over havin' "just a staff,"

I practiced it so much up there...

but it's still my precious treasure...

I should be able to do it by now!

I'm gonna do it...

I'll do it, you son of a b*tch!

By the way, what made you
wanna join the Cleaners?

I wouldn't say I joined.

I'm just lending a hand
until I get what I'm after!

The hell's that expression?!

You makin' fun of me, you scuzzball?!

I-I don't get it! Why are you mad again?

That was the best smile I've ever managed!

In what world was that a smile?

That was the creepiest damn thing I ever seen!

Damn it. What'd I do wrong now?

Eyes open too wide?
Should I have kept my lips closed?!

In that case...

Are you nuts or somethin'?!

I let you off the hook,
and you're throwin' it in my face?!

Who the hell d'you think you are, scuzzball?!

Oh, shove it! That's my line!

What's wrong with smiling
during a basic conversation?!

You think you're hot stuff
'cause Enjin called you a natural!

We put our asses on the line against
trash beasts and other dangers every damn day!

And you're "just lending a hand
until you get what you're after"?!

If you can't even look serious when you talk
about it, it must be one shitty-a*s end goal!

Change this sh*t heap of a world!

What'd you just say?

"Shitty-a*s end goal"?

I'm serious about this.
I'm giving it all I've got.

So you'd better not talk trash
about it, as*h*le!

Yeah, I figured.

The second I met you,
I knew we wouldn't get along!

Same here.

I thought your vital instrument
was the gloves.

Wait, are you...

Your ability...

You can turn any object you touch
into a vital instrument?!

You can turn any object you touch
into a vital instrument...

Well, that explains it.
No wonder he called you a natural.

But if natural talent's all you got...

You'll never beat a mediocrity like me.

From above? When did it—

Gotta be faster than that, Mr. Natural!

Your vital instrument's
the only thing special about you.

Mine's just a stick, see?

That was a sad excuse for offense.

Looks like power's all you got, scuzzball.

What the heck?

H-Hey, are you...

Usin' a plunger?!

A what?

You know! A plunger!

The thing you use when poo—

I got no idea what you're talking about,

but it's my turn for payback!

Close call!

What's with that guy?
What got him all freaked out?

I dunno what this thing is,
but it's working great!

Wait! Wait! Timeout, okay?!

Stop swinging that thing around!

I said, stay back!

Knock it off already!

Hey, you two buddied up already?

Are you serious?!

You sealed the deal with a poop barrage?!

That's the craziest thing I've ever heard!

I've never been humiliated by poop before.

I was fighting with poop the whole time?

And so confidently...

Zanka's as close as the Ground gets
to a spoiled rich kid.

And you literally flung poop at him!

Please stop.

Please stop laughing.

Hey, maybe it wasn't
the most dignified first meeting,

but this guy's gonna be your trainer.

Zanka's the most skilled Giver we have
at controlling vital instruments.

He'll teach you a ton.

Enjin thinks I'm good?

He does? The Enjin thinks I'm...

So when'd you get here, Riyo?

I just got curious.

You're Rudo, huh?

Y-Yeah.

She's a Cleaner, too?

Your hair's something else.

You dye it?

Nah, feels natural.

A-A woman is... playing with my hair?!

Is this life on the Ground?!

Anyway, better get rolling.

Next stop, home—

Cleaner HQ.