Episode 10: "Reward"

Zero
"Huh? Did I... perhaps overdo it?
I didn't expect you all to react this way..."

After seeing everyone's reactions, Zero's expression shifted to something visibly downcase.
It only took a moment, however, for him to recall something to lift his spirits.

Zero
"Ah, right, right! I have something here that should cheer you all right up!
Yep, no doubt about that! I'll tell you right now!"

He clapped his paws together, making a bit of a plopping sound.
With that, the atmosphere in the room began to shift.

Zero
"Listen up, everyone! There's something very exciting that you need to know!
Whenever Yo defeats one of the Numbers at XG, I'll give you a reward! You should make that something to look forward to!"

As his voice grew more lively, Zero's tail began to bounce.
Yo didn't falter, however, his gaze fixed intently on Zero.

Zero
"Huh? What's this?
Yo... Could it be that you're not happy about my rewards system?"

Zero peered at Yo, but received little more than a glare in response.

Yo Kuronaka
"Do you really expect me to be motivated by the idea of my enemy rewarding me?
Is this some kind of joke?"

Zero
"No, not at all! I'm being quite serious, actually!
Look, take Tsuki here, for example."

Tsuki Iroha
"Huh? Me?"

Tsuki flinched in surprise as Zero pointed in her direction.

Zero
"Surely you haven't forgotten how distraught you were when Tsuki was hit by that laser, Yo.
It had me feeling guilty, so I made sure to patch her right up!"

Zero's shocking admission caused everyone in the group to stir.

Yo Kuronaka
"Wait, but that means... Back then, Tsuki really..."

Yo's throat went dry.
He tensed up, tightly gripping the edge of his seat.

Tsuki Iroha
"H-Hold on! Just wait a sec! You mean... What everyone was saying before was actually true?!"

The color quickly drained from Tsuki's face.

Tsuki Iroha
"I... I really died...?"

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"Are you really sayin' that Tsuki died and you just brought her back to life?"

Eiji Todoroki
"Don't be ridiculous! That defies any sort of logic!"

Tsuruko Semba
"It was definitely a fatal wound. But if she didn't die, and then Zero tended to her... I mean, even if that were all true, there's nothing normal about being totally healed up with no scarring."

Zero
"My powers may be abnormal, but they're also incredible! Do you understand now just how amazing my rewards can be?"

As he spoke, Zero puffed out his chest out like a king.

Silence fell over the room as the group tried their best to wrap their minds around what Zero had told them.
Yo and Tsuki exchanged glances as they realized they had a glimmer of hope for something very specific.

Yo Kuronaka
"Sui... What happened to Sui?!
If you were able to heal Tsuki, then..."

Tsuki Iroha
"Right! What about Sui?!
The three of us need to be together! Come on, tell us what happened to him already!"

If Tsuki was alive, then surely Sui must have been, too.
That was the hope they both held onto as they pressed Zero for answers.

Zero
"Hmm. I wonder what happened?
I was totally wiped after our XB games, so I don't really remember too well..."

Tsuki Iroha
"Wh-What?!"

Yo Kuronaka
"Oh, cut the crap already. You were never gonna tell us what happened to him to begin with.
Whatever. If that's how it's gonna be, then we'll just have to take down the Numbers!
Then I'll use one of your rewards to make you tell us where Sui is!"

Zero
"Works for me. If you really want to know so badly, then I'll tell you as one of the Regular Rewards, should you earn any."

Zero jumped up and down in delight at how motivated Yo appeared to be.

Zero
"That said, you can't ask for certain things. Resurrections, changing Neo Tokyo... Things like that.
Those kinds of wishes can only be granted as an Ultra Reward to the person who survives all the XG games."

He added further explanation to clarify the specific way he intended to handle matters.

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"I don't get it. What's the difference between that and a Regular Reward?"

Zero
"Regular Rewards are granted based on how I'm feeling. Ultra Rewards, on the other hand, are very special!
That's when I can use my grand powers to give you whatever your little hearts desire!
So, what do you think? Are you all fired up for you XG matches now?!"

Eiji Todoroki
"Whatever we want, you say? That's a little more exciting..."

Q
"Don't let your desires blind you.
If you do, you'll just fall into the trap of being manipulated by this guy and cause your own undoing."

Zero
"Well, I think I'll be off now! After all, I have to go to another city to explain the XG rules to members of the Numbers.
Make sure to do your best, everyone!"

A moment later, one of the drone's arms grabbed Zero like a prize in a claw machine and began to carry him toward the exit.

Tsuruko Semba
"Um... excuse me! I have a question I'd like to ask first!"

Tsuruko called out to Zero, prompting him to stop before he exited.

Zero
"Oh? What is it, Tsuruko?"

Tsuruko Semba
"So, about the 'layoff' part in the governing rules... Do you mean to say that it's the same as losing your job?
Interpreting it literally, that's what it sounds like. But that sounds a little too lenient for how your punishments are usually carried out..."

Zero
"Ah, you're right! My apologies, it must be difficult to understand without an example.
Just give me a moment and I'll prepare something quickly for you!"

After saying that, Zero was carried off somewhere.

Q
"And there he goes..."

Tsuki Iroha
"Geez... I am SO exhausted..."

Hyakuichitaro Senju
"I was seriously about to wet my pants..."

Tsuki Iroha
"I can't believe that really happened to me. But if that's true, then how am I here..."

Anxiously, Tsuki touched her head. There was nothing resembling a wound there, which only served to make her even more uneasy.

Yo Kuronaka
"Try not to worry about it too much. What's important is that you're alive and well. And I'm sure Sui is too, we just need to confirm it for ourselves."

Yo did his best to try to ease Tsuki of her concerns.

Tsuki Iroha
"Y-Yeah, you're right. Not much point in getting worked up over it now."

Tsuruko Semba
"Well, either way, it seems like Zero will be coming back soon. Why don't we take a little break in the meanwhile?"

Eiji Todoroki
"Agreed. That'll give us a chance to esca—I mean, stretch our legs a bit."

Everyone fell silent as they collected their thoughts and came to terms with the harsh reality they'd been faced with.

The anxiety caused by the Trash Tribe being separated...
The overwhelmingly disadvantageous conditions Zero had set for them...

No matter how many angles they looked at it from, they couldn't come up with a viable way to overthrow him.

And with the sinister, extreme struggle known as XG awaiting them...
They had to prepare to throw down in a true battle royale where their very survival was at stake.