Sitting alone in a dark room was the young Chlorophite, Flora. She was starting to burn incense, a typical part of her morning routine was meditation. She go into a sitting position after she finished lighting the incense.

“Stardust Sage… perfect…” Flora said as she put the match out, sitting alone in the room.

She felt a small rumble, but kept her focus. But the rumble had slowly started to become both bigger and closer. She felt something run into and nearly knock down her door, which she jumped up in response to, holding her staff in a defensive position.

“SHOW YOURSELF!” Flora shouted as the door fell with Ryuu slammed against it.

“I’m okay…” Ryuu got up and coughed.

“Ryuu?” Flora asked. “What the heck are you doing?”

“Well, I was walking here to get ready for my day in the Security Corps and caught these bums snooping around in some wall panels.” Ryuu said.

“Huh…” Flora walked over to the door and saw a couple of knocked out Mutants. “They were looking inside a wall panel?”

“Yeah, they were pulling cords out.” Ryuu said.

“Cords? Dammit, I have to call Grizzle.” Flora started tapping on her communicator, calling the Councilman Grizzle. “Sir…”

“Flora, it’s awfully early to be getting a call from you.” Grizzle said. “Is everything good?”

“Yeah, Ryuu said he found a couple of guys going through a wall panel.” Flora said.

“They were ripping up a bunch of wires and cords.” Ryuu said. “These blokes are knocked out!”

“Damn… fifth time this week…” Grizzle said. “Bring them to the Security Corps as soon as you can.”

“Aye aye, sir!” Flora said as she hung up. “Looks like I’m going into work early. Come on, Ryuu.”

“You said aye aye… like a pirate, why?” Ryuu asked.

“You’ll see… just help me with these guys.” Flora said as she walked over to the Mutants.

Ryuu and Flora were getting ready to enter the Security Sector when Flora ducked down to the ground as she entered the sector. Confused, Ryuu had kept going as normal until he was rather close to the blade of a katana.

“Hey! Who the hell do you think you are!?” Ryuu asked loudly, he turned to the man who had nearly decapitated him, holding a pair of katanas, one on his belt. He had a pink cat on his shoulder, also holding a sword.

“Goro, do you really have to do that everytime someone walks in?” Flora asked.

“You never know when an attack is coming… I also forgot that the door was there.” This was Goro Shimazu, a member of the Security Corps. He was always accompanied by his Comcat, Hanako.

“He… forgot where the door is?” Ryuu asked.

“Don’t ask…” Flora said. “Come on Ryuu, we gotta lock these guys up.”

Looking around the room, one would notice that the Security Corps main room was filled with black jolly roger flags, bounty posters, and nautical equipment. The strangest thing about the whole thing is that since the Exceed is a spacefaring vessel, there was no need for much of the equipment.

“Um… is Grizzle a… fan of pirates?” Ryuu asked.

“Yes… he insists everyone calls him Captain and all sorts of stuff like that. Just do it, it doesn’t waste any energy.” Flora said.

“I don’t see an issue, I kinda like the sound of it!” Ryuu said, enthusiastically. “Sounds like fun!”

“It gets a little old after a while.” Flora said. “Don’t make us do it when we go back to Questing.”

“Fine…” Ryuu said as he tossed a piece of paper away.

“What was that?” Flora asked.

“Not pirate stuff…” Ryuu said.

“You know what, nevermind.” Flora said as she guided Ryuu to the cells, the two putting the pair of Mutants away.

“Is this all that Security does?” Ryuu asks.

“Well, not a lot of crime happens here, but it’s been a bit up lately…” Flora looks inside the cells.

“Say… most of these guys are Mutants, aren’t they?” Ryuu asked.

“AYE! They are Mutants!” Grizzle said as he approached the two. “All caught pulling stuff from the walls.”

“They all did the same thing?” Ryuu asked.

“Yup, we’re trying to figure out why.” Flora said. “Sadly, our investigations haven’t really found anything.”

“It’s just another place to set up patrols.” Grizzle said. “Our Detectives are having a hard time putting anything together.”

“Why not just put swords near the open panels… I’m sure the criminals will get the message and go away.” Goro said with full confidence as Hanako spoke something into his ear. “What do you mean that’s stupid?”

“Goro, nothing would stop them from walking away with the sword.” Flora said.

“Either way, we got work to do today!” Grizzle said. “Go check the board for your assignments!”

“AYE AYE CAPTAIN!” The security crew all shouted as they put on sailor hats and coats.

“Uh, what’s happening now?” Ryuu asked.

“Security Corps uniform.” Flora said as she tossed a set onto Ryuu, who only put on the coat. “Let’s get going, we’re scoping out the commercial sector today!”

“Aye aye!” Ryuu said as the two walked out of the sector.

The two had been patrolling the commercial sector for a few hours, it was pretty calm in the sector that day. Ryuu was getting anxious after hearing about the repeat offenses that day.

“This sucks… I thought working in the Security Corps was gonna have a little more fighting.” Ryuu said.

“Well, it’s not all about fighting.” Flora said. “Fighting isn’t always the right answer anyway.”

“Well there’s gotta be something else we can do.” Ryuu said. “What about the guys ripping out open the walls?”

“No! We have our job for the day, so we’re going to do that, okay?” Flora said.

“Aw, come on Flora!” Ryuu said. “Where’s your sense of adventure?”

“Ryuu, not everything is supposed to be some big adventure.” Flora said. “Work is work.”

“Come on, you’ve been wound up all day.” Ryuu said. “Wouldn’t it be nice to let off some steam?”

“Well… if we did figure out what was happening with the small crime wave, then it would take a lot of stress off of Security.” Flora said. “But, what if we get caught? Grizzle likes the order.”

“Come on, a man who runs his Security team like a pirate crew can’t be that into maintaining order.” Ryuu said. “Besides, I’m sure he’d appreciate if someone figured out this mystery.”

“You know what, why the hell not!” Flora said. “Let’s solve a mystery!”

“HELL YEAH!” Ryuu shouted. “But, where would we even start?”

“Hmm… best place to start is the scene of the crime.” Flora said.

“Good idea! To the wall panel!” Ryuu shouted as the two ran off.

Ryuu and Flora had made their way over to where the two Mutants had been found earlier that morning. Ryuu was looking inside the panel while Flora kept an eye out for for any workers. Ryuu pulled his head out of the panel.

“Shoot, I can’t find anything!” Ryuu said. “There’s gotta be something in here, no way its a coincidence.”

“You sure you haven’t found anything? Maybe you’re not looking hard enough.” Flora said as she kneeled next to Ryuu.

“Unless you count chewed up wires… then there’s nothing.” Ryuu said.

“Did you say chewed?” Flora asked.

“Yeah? Why?” Ryuu asked.

“Let me see…” Flora dug her hand into the wall panel and pulled out a wire, looking at it.

“What? You think you found something?” Ryuu asked.

“These wires looked like they were chewed up… while these ones were clearly just ripped up.” Flora said.

“So… those guys were eating wires?” Ryuu asked.

“No… these are too small to be chewed up by something no bigger than a rat…” Flora said. “Those guys must’ve been letting animals loose into the walls.”

“Who in their right mind would do that?” Ryuu asked.

“They most likely were trying to get deeper into the walls.” Flora said. “Chances are, if anything was let loose, then they’re still in there. They can wreak havoc without actually needing to do anything.”

“That all seems rather daft… but how are we gonna figure out where these rats are coming from? Those things aren’t on the Exceed.” Ryuu said.

“I have an idea… I have a friend on the ship who’s a pretty damn good info broker. If anyone knows what’s going on, it’s them.” Flora said as she stood up. “Come on, Ryuu!”

“We are we going?” Ryuu asked.

“The Exceed’s underbelly.” Flora said as she and Ryuu started to walk.

The duo had made their way to a section of the ship that was somewhat rowdier when compared to other parts of the Exceed. Flora had guided Ryuu to a small storefront made up of a hole in the wall. There was a Vilotan sleeping on the otherside of the wall.

“Oli…” Flora said. “Olive!”

“Huh!” The Vilotan rolled off of the counter and into the pit of the wall. “What!? Oh, Flora! What’s up? Who’s the bloke?”

“This is my friend, Ryuu… Ryuu this is Olive, my informant!” Flora said.

“Nice to meet you, Olive!” Ryuu said.

“Hey, ain’t you the guy who got in huge trouble after sneaking off the Exceed?” Olive said.

“Hey, we’re not here to talk about me! We just need some information.” Ryuu said.

“Fine! But this isn’t a charity, I have a price!” Olive said.

“What do you want?” Ryuu asked.

“Cookies…” Olive said with a straight face.

“Cookies? That’s it?” Ryuu asked.

“You seem surprised.” Olive said.

“No it’s just… yeah…” Ryuu said.

“Coming right up!” Flora said as she reached into Ryuu’s coat, taking out a small bag of red cookies.

“Hey! Those are mine!” Ryuu exclaimed.

“Not anymore!” Olive said as they took the bag and started eating the cookies.

“Ryuu, I’ll buy you more later. This is more important.” Flora said.

“What information do you need?” Olive asked as they devoured the cookies.

“We’re looking into an issue with some folks tearing up wires in the wall panels.” Ryuu said.

“We think that they’re also using some kind of small animal. Do you have an idea of what might be happening?” Flora asked.

“I might not be entirely sure on this… but I heard that some Mutants recently moved onto the ship, led by a kid named Kit Fang.” Olive said. “I think they’re working out of a warehouse somewhere in this sector.”

“Do you know where specifically?” Ryuu asked.

“I don’t know, I only get the important stuff. There can’t be too many warehouses down here.” Olive said. “Now if you excuse me, I have some sweets to eat!”

Ryuu and Flora looked at each other as Olive retreated to their little hole in the wall. Later, they sat on the side of a small food stand in the Commercial Sector, figuring out the next step of their plan while eating.

“We should look on the bright side, that wasn’t a total bust. We at least know what we’re looking for.” Ryuu said. “We just gotta find some a warehouse right?”

“We have to find a specific warehouse… the Underbelly is mostly warehouses.” Flora said. “We could be charging into them all day. Besides, we probably won’t be much of a match against them. I’m not a fighter, you know that.”

“When we find them, just stand behind me and I’ll handle everything.” Ryuu said.

“I don’t want you to do it on your own… it could be dangerous!” Flora said.

“Well… then why don’t we prepare first?” Ryuu asked.

“Like how?” Flora asked.

“I’ll help you defend yourself, you’re pretty damn good with that staff.” Ryuu said. “You should be able to save yourself with that.”

“I… I am… but it’s pretty much a big stick.” Flora said. “What if it breaks?”

“I think I have an idea on how we can fix that!” Ryuu said. “Let’s finish up eating and make our way to a pal of mine!”

“Okay, I trust you!” Flora shouted.