Esper Story: Leon

Done and done! Time to get back and have a nice, long rest.

......

Come on, dude. Let's go. What are you waiting for?

Do you feel that the door frame... got taller?

???

Never occurred to me.

Dude. It's a door.

Yeah. Definitely taller than last time we were here.

Maybe you got shorter?

You always focus on the strangest things.

???

Pot calling the kettle names...

The door frame on this side is ever so slightly shorter.

Why do you even care? So? It has nothing to do with us.

Doesn't it bother you that we suddenly have two door frames at slightly different heights?

No. It sure as heck doesn't!

Leon. Come on, man. Can we just go back? I need a bath. It's been a real long day.

......

It's a great door. You know why? You can walk through it.

!!!

Hey. Thanks for reminding me.

I can easily figure out who changed the height.

Great. Just great. His OCD is out of control...

Leon? What brings you here? I don't remember there being training today.

Sorry for the intrusion. But I have to ask you about something.

Go right ahead.

You changed the height of our office door frame, didn't you?

Yes. Why?

Well, I understand why.

But have you considered other solutions?

Such as...?

I'm not taking off my crown, if that's what you mean!

...Alright.

Not like you to care about such trivialities...

It's not a "triviality". To me, I mean.

What's that?

A plan. For tonight.

To rebalance the door frame heights.

Don't worry. You will not be affected.

You're going to... raise them all, I suppose?

Catherine, your crown... it's tilted slightly to one side.

...Bye, Leon.

Concentrate on the flow of the air... the rise and fall of your own breath.

Reach out with your senses. Find where I am. Then shoot with your arrow.

Good. Use your powers well, and you might even be able to hear the enemy's heartbeat.

And what if my enemy doesn't have a heartbeat?

What?

What about... targets that aren't alive?

In that case... I doubt you determine their position in your current state.

......

Have they assigned you such a mission? Against non-living targets?

No.

There's this esports facility... they're sponsoring a large event.

I was thinking of going. I could win quite a substantial prize in the shooting contest. If I win.

What's the prize?

Rare memorabilia. From an action movie.

Official limited edition.

......

Official limited edition.

You said something about that before, didn't you? I take it you're a fan?

......

I see... Well, Hall, that's all the training we had for today.

Looks like we might need a new plan...

A new high score! We have a new high score!

First time I've seen anyone crack a million!

Same here...

And I thought our last high-scorer, that girl, was good, but this is another level...

Game over.

Evening. My prize?

You've earned plenty of prizes from that fantastic high score!

Each from reaching a certain threshold.

Oh dear! We may have a problem.

???

We're out of the limited edition sets!

What do you mean?

The top prize is meant to be limited edition collector's items. But we had a previous high scorer. She's already taken them. I'm so sorry. We're out of stock...

My apologies. We genuinely didn't expect another score like that so soon.

......

Please rest assured we'll send it to you as soon as our next batch of stock comes in.

Alright then. Thanks.

Hall, it's training time.

......

What's wrong? You look... unhappy.

I was at the esports venue I mentioned last night.

I was hoping to negotiate a price with the staff for that memorabilia.

...And?

They had too many winners. Someone started it with a really high top score. Other players kept it going.

They ran out of prizes and had to cancel.

In other words, it's all but impossible to get what I want.

Yeah...

Here. This is for you.

?!

You would have received it earlier if they'd it in stock then.

Ahem. Well. Shooting games are fairly easy for me, of course.

Thank you...

Oh. It's nothing.

Let's start training.

Leon? What a nice surprise.

What's your poison this evening?

A glass of milk, as usual.

I don't mean to pry, but you're not here on a mission, are you?

No. Just finished one, actually.

Good. If your target were here, I'd have to report you to Celine.

......

Tired? You look tired.

Uh-huh.

But coming here relaxes me, actually.

Especially tonight! It's jazz night!

I know...

Your milk.

Thanks.

You like jazz?

...Kind of.

I think you'll find tonight's performance a rare treat.

I'm counting on it.

......

What do you think?

...Not what I'd hoped.

Really? I think they're quite good.

Can't fault them overall, I suppose. But it's patchy here and there.

I really didn't take you for a jazz expert.

Jazz expert?!

???

...?

If you know so much about jazz...

Why don't you play for a change?

Leon, please. Your rifle...?

I'm telling you right now! Anything like that and Celine will never let it go!

???

Oh my. I never thought that rifle could be anything other than an instrument of death.

This is for you, Joseph.

Joseph? Your brother...?

I didn't know you could play the saxophone! I mean, you can really play!

Ya ain't all talk, I'll give you that. Sorry, man.

Thanks.

How'd you learn? On your own?

...My brother taught me.

Leon?

I thought I heard someone playing the saxophone. Never guessed it was you!

...I'm sorry. I have something I need to attend to. Now.