Chapter 8: The Meeting

CHAPTER 8: THE MEETING

EXT. ALLEYWAY – NIGHT

The alley stinks of oil, metal, and wet concrete. A flickering streetlight above casts uneven shadows, stretching like claws against the brick walls.

SHIN YAGAMI stands at the center, breath visible in the cold night. He turns slowly, every hair on his body standing up.

Surrounding him are three teens, each one radiating unnatural power.

Directly ahead stands RICO STRYKER—the same cocky vessel who tested him a few days ago. His army-colored trench coat flutters in the wind, and his wild white hair spikes outward in every direction like an explosion. Red tactical goggles rest just above his glowing gold eyes. At his sides hang two unmistakable weapons: gold spirit-energy Uzis, humming with power.

To Shin’s right stands a RED-HAIRED BOY. His hair is stylized and combed over, his expression unreadable. Purple eyes catch the dim light, sharp and calm. His long black coat shrouds everything below the neck. He says nothing—but Shin feels the weight of his presence.

To his left, the third teen—the Green-Scarf Girl. Her black hair falls just past her shoulders, and her green scarf hides the bottom half of her face. Only her gray eyes show—quiet and focused like a sniper's.

They’re just standing there. Watching.

SHIN
(slow, tense)
So... this some kind of welcome party?

RICO
(smiling)
Call it... orientation.

Shin's hand hovers near his pendant. It’s pulsing again—anxious. Almost... excited.

BLACK EDGE (V.O.)
They’re like you. All of them.
The red-haired boy is Drex. The girl is Iris.
Together, you make up the four current Vessels.

Shin tenses. Four?

SHIN
Why now? Why all of you—why tonight?

DREX
(low voice)
Because the clock’s ticking.
And you're the last one to show.

Iris steps forward, eyes narrowing.

IRIS
You’ve triggered the seal. You don’t get to hide anymore.

SHIN
Okay, hold up. Nobody told me jack. What seal?
What are you people even planning?

Rico chuckles and tosses something toward Shin. He catches it: a tightly-folded bundle wrapped in black paper. Heavy.

SHIN
What’s this?

RICO
Your mission uniform. Every Vessel gets one.

BLACK EDGE (V.O.)
This isn’t just for show. These clothes are laced with stabilizer threads—
enchanted to balance spirit energy during battle.

Shin unfolds the outfit.

An orange-and-black basketball jersey, with the number 18 in bold on the chest. Along with it, a pair of navy-blue jeans and standard-looking sneakers.

SHIN
...Basketball gear? Seriously?

RICO
Don’t laugh. The number 18’s no coincidence.

DREX
It belonged to a former Vessel.
One who didn’t make it.

IRIS
Now it’s yours.

The air chills. Shin grips the jersey tighter.

SHIN
Wait. What happened to him?

BLACK EDGE (V.O.)
He fell.
Devoured by his own orb.

Shin’s eyes widen. The quiet weight of the uniform in his hands feels heavier now—like it’s soaked in ghost memory.

He glances back at the others. All of them are dead serious now. No jokes. No smirks.

SHIN
You want me to wear this? Knowing someone died in it?

RICO
That’s exactly why you should.
Because if you don’t start taking this seriously,
you’ll be next.

Silence falls.

A cold wind howls through the alley. Trash rustles. A cat darts across the far end and vanishes.

DREX
Our next Wraith-hunt starts tomorrow.
Sunrise. Eastern district.

IRIS
Show up. Or don’t.
But if you stay behind—don’t expect mercy
from what comes crawling through the cracks.

She turns and walks off, scarf blowing behind her.

Drex nods once and follows.

Rico lingers a moment longer.

RICO
I wasn’t sure about you at first, Yagami.
Still not.
But I’ll say this—
if you survive long enough to earn that number?
We’ll have your back.

He tosses a final salute and vanishes down the alley, coat flaring.

Then, a beat later, Rico jogs back, casually.

RICO
(calling)
Oh, I almost forgot!
Meet us here again tomorrow at midday.
You can meet the higher-ups.

SHIN
(sighs)
Great. Can't wait.

Rico walks off.

Shin stands alone now, under that crooked light.

He looks down at the jersey. Then up at the sky.

SHIN (V.O.)
This is bigger than me.
I’m part of something now.
Even if I don’t get it yet.

He slips the jersey over his hoodie.
The number 18 burns against his chest like a brand.

The orb pulses stronger. Almost... proud.

BLACK EDGE (V.O.)
Welcome to the war, Shin Yagami.

SHIN
Yeah...
Feels like I just got drafted.

He turns toward the darkness, his figure silhouetted beneath the streetlight.

FADE TO BLACK.