Gantz: The beginning

Gantz.

Jiro smiled. "Fine, thank you, how about you?"

Ryo gave him a thumbs up. "Can't complain too much, and hey, I didn't lose my job."

Jiro's smile brightened. "That's good." Jiro bowed his head. "I'm pleased to hear that, after all, it's my fault you're here."

Ryo huffed and shoved Jiro lightly. "I told you not to worry about that."

Yoko appeared in the room next and waved at them. "Hi, nice to see you both." They smiled in reply. Yoko bent down and slapped her thighs. "Hi puppy!" The dog bounded over to her, she tickled his head, and he licked her face. "I'm happy to see you too."

"That's disgusting," Yoko looked up and saw Nishi stood beside her; she stood up - still stroking the dog. "You know a mutt washes itself, right?"

Yoko huffed, "It's just affection, it doesn't have a disease."

"That you know of."

The group was silent for a moment.

"So," Ryo began, "you think it's going to be just us?"

"I'm not sure," Jiro replied.

Ryo moved over to the ball with a tilt of his head and then leaned against it. "Well, I've been thinking, black ball sounds kinda boring, maybe we should name it."

Yoko looked at him with a raised eyebrow and said, "You want to name the ball?" She couldn't help but grimace. "Why?"

Ryo shrugged. "Why not, it's sort of a big part of our lives at the moment, right?"

Yoko's facial expression didn't change. I bet he has a list of names in his pocket already; it's not a fricking baby!

Nishi placed his hands in his dark-red hoodie, and with a straight face, said, "I agree."

This certainly surprised Ryo, and he turned to the boy with wide eyes. "You do?"

Nishi looked at him with a slight grin. "I know, surprised me too."

Ryo coughed awkwardly and stepped away from the ball. "Okay, so what should we name it then?"

Nishi inclined his head as if the answer was on the ceiling, then he smirked. "There are rumors that government organizations hide advanced technology from their countries, some that are so sophisticated, they might actually be 'alien.'"

Ryo snorted, "Come on! You seriously think the government is behind this?"

Nishi sighed and leaned against the wall. "I didn't say that, but it would explain a lot."

Ryo frantically shook his head. "You're just riling me up; there's no way our government is behind this; it's too....irrational."

"And what makes you think it's our own government behind it?"

Ryo started to pale. "Stop it, it's just not possible, it's too out there; besides, nobody could see us while we were fighting those aliens and more to the point, no one has seen them either."

Jiro walked in between the two before an argument occurred. "There's a chance you're both right, but we should focus on trying to survive, and to do that, we need to work together."

Yoko nodded, "He's right, to be honest, I don't think we'll ever truly know what's going on or how this all happened."

Ryo scowled. "That doesn't bother you?"

"Yes, it bothers me, but staying alive is more important; if I really can get free when I reach a hundred points, why does it matter? The ball said it'll wipe our memory, so when I'm free, I'll be none the wiser again."