That smell...
What could it be?
That's the Bee-Hive's Corpse Doctor.
They say that inside that leather bag is a mountain of bugs and dead animals to be dissected.
Just be glad that it's not a human in there today, Madam.
Enough already! You're making me ill...
He's coming this way!
Do you have some business with us?
That was under the bench?
A migrating ratbird from northwest Yodoka, umigase family.
No outward signs of infection...
I must check for viruses.
Good morning!
The Corpse Doctor
Good morning!
What's up, Lag?
Niche, Steak, good morning!
Good mornin...
Mood gornin...
Hey, Lag!
Oh, Zazie?
What do you mean, "Oh?"
Connor's here, too...
What's the matter, Lag?
Sorry... I just spaced out there for a bit...
You okay?
You seem pale-
Whoa, Lag, look at the bags under your eyes!
You're exhausted.
Have you been in for a checkup?
Checkup?
If you shoot too many shindans, it can affect your health.
You should let the medical team in the Bee-Hive take a look at you periodically.
Although the head doctor is nothing but a no-good freak.
Steak?
Speak of the devil.
I'm astounded at this creature!
Dr. Thunderland Jr.!
That's the doctor?
He's the Bee-Hive doctor and a professor of biology.
His father's the head doctor of the National Science Team.
The both of 'em are a bunch of freaks!
Freaks?
You there! Under what circumstances did you manage to capture such a creature?
Um, we didn't catch him.
He followed us from a freak show.
A freak show, say you?
"Say you?"
This creature is a Kapellmeister!
A species which had a symbiotic relationship with the spirit insects during ancient times!
They were thought to be extinct...
I never dreamed I could meet one here.
Steak is...?
Exactly!
This specimen may very well be a Kapellmeister Prince, beloved by the Spirits!
S-Steak, a prince?
Sorry about that... I got carried away there.
Anyway, it's definitely a rare creature.
I must investigate how it functions...
Every connection between its different parts...
Now, let's reveal your secrets!
The secrets of your body!
Dissection! Dissection! Dissection!
Dissection!
Wait, Doctor!
What's he mean, dissection?
That's a joke, right?
A doctor wouldn't...
Huh?
The other job of the medical team...
Dr. Thunderland's team is more accurately called the Third Bioscience Advisory Panel of AG division.
It's a division that develops new medical techniques and medicines by studying all kinds of organisms.
In addition to studying gaichuu, they identify the exact cause of each disease,
be it from water or soil, plants or animals...
Sometimes they have to perform autopsies on human corpses.
That's why he's called, "The Corpse Doctor."
Corpse Doctor?
Nasty, huh?
And his laboratory is locked behind two heavy-duty doors.
It's a secret room that nobody but his own staff can enter!
And it is called...
The Corpse Doctor's Hell's Kitchen!
But, Steak's still alive!
Didn't you hear me?
That guy probably loves dissecting things more than anyone else in the world...
Niche, we've got to save Steak!
If we don't hurry, he'll get dissected!
Dis-hectic?
It means that Steak might end up steak for real!
He's trying to steal my food?!!
Niche, wait!
Lag's dingo is quite the handful.
Will Lag be okay?
He doesn't look so well.
All right then! We're going too, Wasiolka!
Wait, Zazie!
Get off me already, Gus!
Who was that clear-voiced boy?
A new recruit?
That hair... He was Albisian.
And quite a resemblance as well.
What the...
Impossible!
The door...
The door to my private laboratory...
It's hardness was 1300 Stella!
Hair of golden swords...
So it really exists?
The legendary creature, Maka!
There's a human with its blood in her veins!
I won't let you eat my food!
I cannot believe this!
The door is made from polycrystalline Diamort Rods as hard as the shell of a gaichuu!
She cut through it like it was cheese!
So the golden swords have a hardness even greater than that?
The records of the Maka from the far northern glacier of Blue Notes Blues
state that the blade of the golden swords can surpass any sword.
Amazing...
I must...
...dissect you!
Are you okay, Doctor?
Oh, no!
Wait, Doctor!
Steak is our precious friend!
Well to me he's a corpse I could only dream about!
He's not dead yet!
Go no further, my boy!
Beyond this door is my personal laboratory.
Entry is strictly forbidden.
Even for a Bee!
You can't!
I won't let you take Steak into Hell's Kitchen!
Hell?
Zazie?
Outta my way, Lag!
He's mine!
Why?
That's...
I was wondering why I hadn't seen that stray cat I've been feeding lately...
Looks like this freaky doctor's gone and dissected it!
Oh, those cats?
Now I can settle the score!
And say it was all because of Lag!
Wait, Zazie! Don't!
If you shoot a person with a shindan, then...
Shoot a person...
If you shoot... Wait? What happens?
When Gauche shot me it was to restore my heart...
I can't shoot that kind.
But just watch!
The bullet I shoot is a fragment of my hatred!
Hatred?
Fall into the pits of despair, Thunderland Jr.!
Blue Thorn!
Bastard, you won't get away!
I can't let you! Shooting-People-Is-Not-Allowed Chop!
Shindan loaded...
Maybe I can just aim for the cage?
His eye is Spirit Amber?
Red Needle!
Niche, Steak! Thank goodness...
So this is... Hell's Kitchen?
He's like some grim reaper...
How disgusting...
They say he used to be one of those Capital elites riding on airships...
What a stench...
The memories of the birdcage?
It's because he lives among corpses.
That's the smell of death.
Doctor?
I've detected a new species of attenuated bacteria in this afrorat corpse.
Put together a team to create an antibiotic as soon as possible.
Right away!
You have a new friend.
I hope you'll all get along.
Gauche Suede...
Wait, the door...
How did you...
It was open, so...
A letter for you, Doctor.
This is a problem...
Access to this room is supposed to be restricted out of quarantine concerns.
Handmade memorials?
Unexpectedly sentimental, aren't you?
That isn't it...
It's funny, you know?
These corpses are more use to the world than any of that bunch running around in their fancy clothes.
Thanks to you, the Corpse Doctor.
Suede, stop it...
I'm not used... to being complimented.
Gauche...
Gau...
Lag!
Hey, Lag, are you okay?
Gauche, where are you?
I did it...
I've wanted to do the same job as you ever since we met.
I wanted to become just like you.
I... became a Letter Bee!
Gauche...
And I'm going to find you someday...
I will...
He's exhausted from shooting too many shindans.
Looks like he used a bit too much heart.
Dr. Thunderland?
I think Suede's gun might be a bit too powerful for this boy.
Until you get used to it, you'd better hold back, or...
Where's Niche and Steak?
Zazie, what's with those cats?
Oh, these?
There was a disease spreading among the strays in his neighborhood.
Until I can isolate the source of the infection, I'm keeping them quarantined.
But today has just been full of surprises.
A Kapellmeister, a girl with the blood of Maka, and you...
The boy with a piece of spirit amber implanted within his body, Lag Seeing!
Your case is a first for me.
I'd love to dissect all three of you!
Sub-Master?
Dr. Thunderland, if you'll pardon me, I have some business with him.
Me?
It's the sub-master's spirit-restoring shindan.
Orchestral Suite No. 3, Air on the G String.
It's so healing...
Yeah...
And that newbie's right next to her!
Get back to work, you guys.
It's a beautiful melody.
I can tell, even as a scientist far removed from the arts.
It's beautiful, and yet...
There's a sadness...
A melody searching through memories of someone out of reach.
As Aria-san's heart reached me, her feelings for Gauche welled up inside of me.
As I thought, Aria-san still feels the same way she once did about Gauche...
Aria-san's heart is so warm...
I'm so jealous, Lag!
It's really rare for someone to get shot with the sub-master's restoration shindan!
I'm so jealous...
Yeah... I feel so healed and refreshed.
My body's light as a feather!
I'm so jealous!
I've never gotten to do it!
There really are a bunch of different ways to use shindans, just like Gauche said.
I'm so jealous!
Shut up already!
Lag Seeing!
Doctor!
One day, I will dissect you.
One day?
I heard about what happened with you and Gauche Suede.
Seeing... It's nothing to brag of, but I have no one I call a friend nor any need of one.
However, five years ago there was a single comrade who I felt understood.
And that was...
Your dear friend, the man named Gauche Suede.
Doctor...
Lag Seeing...
Perhaps I can entrust that someone out of reach... to you.
Next: The Elopement