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Description
TYRFING

MANGA ISSUE 1

characters-
HEIGRIM
- main character
- 6'2", 19 years old
- well-built
- long-ish blonde hair, blue eyes, thick eyebrows
- tends towards serious facial expressions, even when joking (sometimes as part of a joke itself)
- short, stilted way of talking; tries to get to the point as succinctly as possible.
- Seriously protective of everyone, even people he doesn't know; at heart an optimist, but with a tendency to worry and get confused.

SJANA
- multiple point-of-consciousness AI (stolen from another story I was writing, stolen from a concept by a friend)
- 5'3" or 5'4", 3 years old
- Silver spiky hair (think the blue chick from Farscape, the not-bald one)
- green or purple eyes which glow -- SLIGHTLY
- otherwise, very pointed features, very young looking, typical sexy android (see: GitS)
- Really interested in discovery and new things; seeks excitement as a course of nature to learn more, and is by this point very, very smart. Casual mode of talking, mostly to disarm those she talks with. Has stored records of everyone she's ever encountered.

RIKA
- Heigrim's friend and confidante in Japan.
- 5'6", 21 years old
- Black hair with bright red stripe, usually held together with pins, ribbons, clips, and all sorts of stuff
- deep brown/black eyes.
- Always wearing more fashionable clothing with vibrant and sometimes clashing colors.
- Like Sjana, has an obsession with entertainment and avoiding boredom, but her solutions are more typical for a girl her age.
- Really likes technology, but only on a superficial level -- not good at doing things besides using it.

DURIN
- One of the two dwarves who made Tyrfing for Svafrlami.
- 4'8"
- bright red hair with a serious beard
- blue eyes
- noticable scar on face -- it's from (in the legend) when Svafrlami attempted to stab Durin and he melded into the rock; Svafrlami didn't entirely miss. It runs down the right side of his face, from the cheekbone off the right side of his lip to just before his temple.
- Selfish to a fault, craven, but absolutely brilliant metallurgist and smith of all types. As an ancient dwarf, he's skilled at imbuing things with magic.

ANGANTYR
- The brother of Heidrek, who was killed by the cursed Tyrfing. As part of the resmithing, he and the other two who fell to the curse (Arngrim and Svafrlami) were resurrected as the new Three Evils.
- 6'0"
- Very pale -- almost grey -- blonde hair, long, without adornment
- As a magical being, his form can be exaggerated depending on what the panel is trying to evoke, but in general has a wide, almost linebacker-like frame.
- Quick to anger, violent, impatient; a powder keg. The only reason he wants to recover Tyrfing is to obliterate his brother as revenge. Killing Heigrim is just the quickest way to do it.

items-
Tyrfing - an automatic pistol made mostly of gold. Inscribed on one side is the phrase 'Thrice Buried'
HUDs - every modern character(so not Durin or Angantyr) has a HUD of varying style and size; these are regular glasses or sunglasses that project images on them.
locater mesh - everything is wireless.  Everything. Everything also knows its physical position, thanks to the locator mesh.

rough outline
- prologue
-- Heigrim and Rika sit at a table, discussing Tyrfing, which sits in the center of the table.
-- Heigrim mentions that it's all that dwarf's fault, which segues into...
- story
--flashback
--- Heigrim talking with a Sjana at a subway station, and Durin stealing a purse.
--- Heigrim chases with help from Sjana and manages to catch Durin.
--- Durin explains that mythological beings have to eat, too, etc. etc. but stops when he realizes that Heigrim is related to Svafrlami.
--- He drags Heigrim and Sjana to a gun shop, which he says he and his brother were operating, then gives Heigrim the gun.
--- without waiting, Heigrim is told to leave.
-- Rika and Heigrim leave the gun at home (what else are they supposed to do?) and head out to a club.
-- They're attacked by a zombie.
-- after a brief fight, they find that not even stabbing it in the head kills it.
-- during the fight, Sjana starts explaining through Heigrim's HUD the legend of Tyrfing, and how it's not scientifically possible for zombies to exist.
-- Post fight, Heigrim flees back to his home, only to find it ransacked. The gun is missing.
-- Rika sheepishly explains that she took it 'because it looked cool'
-- the zombie followed them; Heigrim panics and shoots the gun, and kills it dead. it disappears into mist.
- epilogue
-- Heigrim and Rika at the table again.  Sjana comments that this needs further study.  Both agree.
-- They decide to find Durin to explain what the zombie actually was.
-- Durin, meanwhile, is accosted by a spooky guy, Angantyr. Durin explains that it was his fault that Angantyr awoke, but that Durin hadn't realized the curses would re-set, so really, it's his brother's fault.
-- Angantyr explains that he will get Tyrfing back.

NOTES
the "Three Evils" are all resurrected in literal form, so:
- Svafrlami (killed by Arngrim; first of three evils)
- Heidrek (killed by the Thralls; last of three evils)
- Angantyr (killed by brother, Heidrek; second of three evils)

NARRATION: narration box.
OFF-PANEL: arrow pointing off panel.
ELECTRONIC: electronic-y type word bubble.
CHARACTER(OP): Character speaking off-panel.
CHARACTER(Out): Character with no pointer off-panel.
CHARACTER(Elec.): Electronic-y bubble.
CHARACTER(Narr.): Character-colored narration.

----

PAGE 1-3 COSTUME DESCRIPTION
HEIGRIM - V-neck tee and jeans. HUD glasses (non-arag) holding back his hair.
RIKA - pseudo goth-lolita. Sleeves not connected to anything, asymmetric skirt, tight shirt/corset/lace/whatever combo.

PAGE 3-6 COSTUME DESCRIPTION
HEIGRIM: Long-sleeve shirt with a short-sleeve over it and the same jeans.
SJANA: Japanese-esque policewoman uniform.
DURIN: Ratty, torn clothing -- plaids and other typical 'hobo'-esque fare. Wearing an ubiquitous leather pouch tied on a string to his waist, and has Tyrfing secreted away.

PAGE 1
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PANEL 1 (a)
The back of Svafrlami, arms crossed.  In the background, sparks fly, and a raised hammer can be seen engulfed in shadow.  Svafrlami is wearing a crown and cloak.
NARRATION: There are many legends about swords. It seems in the olden days, the truest magic was made of steel.

PANEL 2 (b)
At the top half of the panel, Arngrim's face can be seen screaming.  He's slashing violently, cutting across the panel, and blood sprays cover the majority of the panel.
NARRATION: The sword speaks to us. It resonates with the animal inherent in mankind.

PANEL 3 (c)
Andantyr, hand resting on Tyrfing's golden pommel. In the background is an intense blue and purple sunset; he's standing on a corpse.
NARRATION: But as time marched ever onward, better weapons arose. More dangerous weapons.

PANEL 4 (d)
Eagle eye view of a round table; on one end is Heigrim, and facing him is Rika. Heigrim is slumped over, Rika is standing up, hands pressed against the table.  The focus is on the center, where a holstered Tyrfing gun sits. The floor around them is dirty tile; they're in a kitchen.
NARRATION: This is a legend about a gun.
HEIGRIM: This is ridiculous.
RIKA: Are you kidding? This thing's gotta be worth a fortune!

PANEL 5 (e)
Focus on Heigrim, looking up at Rika. His hands are at his temples, giving him an exasparated look (emphasize tired eyes). Several diagrams are illuminated on his HUD, barely visible behind his fingers.
HEIGRIM: Maybe on the black market. You know guns are illegal here, Rika; I could get jailtime just for holding it.

PANEL 6 (f)
Profile of Rika, arms crossed and pouting; she's looking out a window. Heigrim's back can be seen (mimic panel A composition if possible).
RIKA: Like the cops have ever stopped you before.

PAGE 2
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PANEL 1 (a)
angled-down view of Rika, looking out her window apartment. Put this off to the side, or in a corner; the real focus is the city she's in. A maze of apartment buildings with built-in walkways made solely of glass criss-cross over a city street filled to the brim with people; several slim two-seater cars (more elongated covered motorcycles than anything else) can be seen, entrapped in the throng.
RIKA: Idunno. I see something special like that, and I think it's an opportunity.

PANEL 2 (b)
Rika, hands on the counter, half turned to face Heigrim. Heigrim is standing up.
HEIGRIM: I'll give you that. But... maybe we should talk to Sjana.
RIKA: Hah! She's probably already listening in.

PANEL 3 (c)
Close-up on Heigrim's hand gripping the refrigerator door; only the back half of his head can be seen.
ELECTRONIC(Out): Damn! She caught me.
HEIGRIM: Please. I knew you were listening, anyways, otherwise I would've turned off my HUD.
OFF-PANEL, cont: Even you have to admit that something very interesting is going on, Heigrim. Do you realize what an important contribution to the sciences an actual supernatural item would be?

PANEL 4 (d)
Heigrim pulling his chair back out to sit on it, with his free hand holding a carton of orange juice; Rika's already back at the table, hand propping up her chin. She has her HUD down, as does Heigrim.
RIKA: But... we haven't done anything with it yet. And you're a robot! Why would you believe in anything supernatural?
GLASSES(Elec.): Okay, first off? Ouch. I'm an AI -- I control robots. Second, it's the closest word to what I meant. Not yet known, functionally mythological.
HEIGRIM: Are you suggesting we give this to Nagoya Science Museum?

PANEL 5 (e)
Close-up on HUD (either Rika's sunglasses or Heigrim's glasses). A glowing diagram shows a cross-section of the gun, with miniature labels.
SJANA(Out): Well, as you can see, the gun itself is pretty normal. There's virtually nothing to distinguish it from a really expensive custom 9mm.
HEIGRIM(Out): So, why are we even assuming it's... supernatural?
SJANA(Out): Not supernatural, just not yet known.  Look --

PAGE 3
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PANEL 1 (a)
Nothing but another diagram, this one at the molecular level. What look like small metroids are dispersed semi-randomly throughout the picture.
NARRATION: Somehow, the gold plating of the gun has an extraordinary level of electroconductivity and magnetism. There are nanobots of some sort, but they're not any of the current orders. They don't have any engineered parts, either, as far as I could tell.

PANEL 2 (b)
Rika, biting her lower lip thoughtfully, elbows on the table.
RIKA: Really?  Black market nanos... that's gotta be worth a fortune!
ELECTRONIC(Out): Worthless, until someone can figure out what they do.
HEIGRIM(OP): So we keep it.  Illegally.  Great.

PANEL 3 (c)
Focus on Tyrfing in its holster; stitched in the leather is the phrase "Thrice Unsheathed."
ELECTRONIC(Out): I'll keep doing research. Maybe you should just sleep on it.
RIKA(Out): Sleep? No way! The clubs are calling.
HEIGRIM(Out): Sorry, Rika... I need to think about what to do. Maybe tomorrow.

PANEL 4 (d)
A crowded train station(model: Nagoya station). Hidden in the expansive crowd of people wearing suits and more strange attire are several simple robots.  Slight focus on one side, where a wall and door are. Above the door in embossed letters are "Police Box" in Japanese, English, and Swedish. Heigrim is just barely visible in the doorway.
RIKA(Narr.): Don't think too hard, or you'll hurt yourself!
NARRATION: Yesterday.
HEIGRIM: You know, even though you're everywhere nowadays, somehow, I didn't expect to find you in Japan.

PAGE 4
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PANEL 1 (a)
Sjana's hands, gloved, clasped at a desk.  A sign on the table says 'Sjana, N.' in gold-embossed letters.  Sjana's face can't be seen, but it's obvious from the view that the character is female.
SJANA(OP): I'm just trying to build a brand for myself, or something like that.  How can I help, Heigrim?

PANEL 2 (b)
Another angle from inside the police box; we can see Sjana from an angle, and Heigrim standing awkwardly near the entrance. A second cop looks through files in the corner, shoulders hunched conspiratorially.
HEIGRIM: Honestly, uh, I'm just... well, I don't know where the theater is.
SJANA: That's all? You've got a conn for a reason, you know.
HEIGRIM: I just prefer face-to-face.
SJANA: You're not the only one, trust me; otherwise, why even bother with bodies?

PANEL 3 (c)
Another shot of the crowd outside the police box, parted so we can just barely see through the glass windows; color focus on Durin in the midst of the crowd, wrapped tightly in typical hobo clothing.  Also, focus on a trio of girls with silver hair just on the edge of the panel.
SJANA: Anyways, just head out, take a right, and follow it until you pass a Famimart on the left.  Take a right under an overpass, a left, and it's right there.
HEIGRIM: Thanks, Sjana. As always, you're a life-saver.

PANEL 4 (d)
Sjana looking over Heigrim's shoulder into the crowd.  She has a worried look on her face.
SJANA: Shit, the cultists are back.
HEIGRIM: Cultists?

PANEL 5 (e)
The trio of girls, with the crowd around them.  One of the girls, a tall skinny Japanese one with a very old-looking HUD on top of her head, waves to Sjana. They're all wearing Akibahara-style get-ups, with a decided policewoman bent.  Hidden behind them is Durin.
TALL GIRL:
AVERAGE GIRL:
SJANA(Out, smalltext): The Japanese were lied to; they don't know I was made in America, and I can't let them know. Part of my conditions for being here.

PANEL 6 (f)
Close-up on panel 6, focusing on Durin.  This is the first we see of his face; focus on the scar that runs down it, and make him seem particularly menacing and disheveled. He's crouched down, and his eyes glint in a focused manner on the tall girl's purse.
HEIGRIM(Out): Conditions?
SJANA(Out): The government doesn't want its people to know that America out-AIed them. I'm not entirely surprised they pulled it off; most people have no clue who or what I am. It's sad, really.
HEIGRIM(Out): I thought you were Swedish. Why the name 'Sjana,' then?
SJANA(Out): It's a ref--

PAGE 5
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PANEL 1 (a)
Splash image, fish-eye from an upwards angle. Durin in the middle of grabbing the purse of the tall girl, practically bowling her over; his hood has flown off, revealing his beard and scar and hungry eyes. In the background, Heigrim steps aside as Sjana is in mid-leap over the table. The two friends of the tall girl and most of the crowd seem to circle around the event.
SJANA(explosive): STOP, THIEF!

PANEL 2 (b)
Close-up on Durin bolting away, background indeterminate; his flowing clothes reveal a golden gun grip hidden away.

PANEL 3 (c)
Long-angle shot down the street; Sjana is chasing after Durin in the background, and Heigrim's back is close in the foreground. To the side, the tall girl is crying.
HEIGRIM(Thought): What just happened here?

PANEL 4 (d)
Heigrim staring somewhat stupidly at the three girls; they all look moderately angry.
GIRL:
HEIGRIM: I...

PANEL 5 (e)
Close-up on Heigrim's shoe, angled up to show that he's started to run.

Description
TYRFING

MANGA ISSUE 1

characters-
HEIGRIM
- main character
- 6'2", 19 years old
- well-built
- long-ish blonde hair, blue eyes, thick eyebrows
- tends towards serious facial expressions, even when joking (sometimes as part of a joke itself)
- short, stilted way of talking; tries to get to the point as succinctly as possible.
- Seriously protective of everyone, even people he doesn't know; at heart an optimist, but with a tendency to worry and get confused.

SJANA
- multiple point-of-consciousness AI (stolen from another story I was writing, stolen from a concept by a friend)
- 5'3" or 5'4", 3 years old
- Silver spiky hair (think the blue chick from Farscape, the not-bald one)
- green or purple eyes which glow -- SLIGHTLY
- otherwise, very pointed features, very young looking, typical sexy android (see: GitS)
- Really interested in discovery and new things; seeks excitement as a course of nature to learn more, and is by this point very, very smart. Casual mode of talking, mostly to disarm those she talks with. Has stored records of everyone she's ever encountered.

RIKA
- Heigrim's friend and confidante in Japan.
- 5'6", 21 years old
- Black hair with bright red stripe, usually held together with pins, ribbons, clips, and all sorts of stuff
- deep brown/black eyes.
- Always wearing more fashionable clothing with vibrant and sometimes clashing colors.
- Like Sjana, has an obsession with entertainment and avoiding boredom, but her solutions are more typical for a girl her age.
- Really likes technology, but only on a superficial level -- not good at doing things besides using it.

DURIN
- One of the two dwarves who made Tyrfing for Svafrlami.
- 4'8"
- bright red hair with a serious beard
- blue eyes
- noticable scar on face -- it's from (in the legend) when Svafrlami attempted to stab Durin and he melded into the rock; Svafrlami didn't entirely miss. It runs down the right side of his face, from the cheekbone off the right side of his lip to just before his temple.
- Selfish to a fault, craven, but absolutely brilliant metallurgist and smith of all types. As an ancient dwarf, he's skilled at imbuing things with magic.

ANGANTYR
- The brother of Heidrek, who was killed by the cursed Tyrfing. As part of the resmithing, he and the other two who fell to the curse (Arngrim and Svafrlami) were resurrected as the new Three Evils.
- 6'0"
- Very pale -- almost grey -- blonde hair, long, without adornment
- As a magical being, his form can be exaggerated depending on what the panel is trying to evoke, but in general has a wide, almost linebacker-like frame.
- Quick to anger, violent, impatient; a powder keg. The only reason he wants to recover Tyrfing is to obliterate his brother as revenge. Killing Heigrim is just the quickest way to do it.

items-
Tyrfing - an automatic pistol made mostly of gold. Inscribed on one side is the phrase 'Thrice Buried'
HUDs - every modern character(so not Durin or Angantyr) has a HUD of varying style and size; these are regular glasses or sunglasses that project images on them.
locater mesh - everything is wireless.  Everything. Everything also knows its physical position, thanks to the locator mesh.

rough outline
- prologue
-- Heigrim and Rika sit at a table, discussing Tyrfing, which sits in the center of the table.
-- Heigrim mentions that it's all that dwarf's fault, which segues into...
- story
--flashback
--- Heigrim talking with a Sjana at a subway station, and Durin stealing a purse.
--- Heigrim chases with help from Sjana and manages to catch Durin.
--- Durin explains that mythological beings have to eat, too, etc. etc. but stops when he realizes that Heigrim is related to Svafrlami.
--- He drags Heigrim and Sjana to a gun shop, which he says he and his brother were operating, then gives Heigrim the gun.
--- without waiting, Heigrim is told to leave.
-- Rika and Heigrim leave the gun at home (what else are they supposed to do?) and head out to a club.
-- They're attacked by a zombie.
-- after a brief fight, they find that not even stabbing it in the head kills it.
-- during the fight, Sjana starts explaining through Heigrim's HUD the legend of Tyrfing, and how it's not scientifically possible for zombies to exist.
-- Post fight, Heigrim flees back to his home, only to find it ransacked. The gun is missing.
-- Rika sheepishly explains that she took it 'because it looked cool'
-- the zombie followed them; Heigrim panics and shoots the gun, and kills it dead. it disappears into mist.
- epilogue
-- Heigrim and Rika at the table again.  Sjana comments that this needs further study.  Both agree.
-- They decide to find Durin to explain what the zombie actually was.
-- Durin, meanwhile, is accosted by a spooky guy, Angantyr. Durin explains that it was his fault that Angantyr awoke, but that Durin hadn't realized the curses would re-set, so really, it's his brother's fault.
-- Angantyr explains that he will get Tyrfing back.

NOTES
the "Three Evils" are all resurrected in literal form, so:
- Svafrlami (killed by Arngrim; first of three evils)
- Heidrek (killed by the Thralls; last of three evils)
- Angantyr (killed by brother, Heidrek; second of three evils)

NARRATION: narration box.
OFF-PANEL: arrow pointing off panel.
ELECTRONIC: electronic-y type word bubble.
CHARACTER(OP): Character speaking off-panel.
CHARACTER(Out): Character with no pointer off-panel.
CHARACTER(Elec.): Electronic-y bubble.
CHARACTER(Narr.): Character-colored narration.

----

PAGE 1-3 COSTUME DESCRIPTION
HEIGRIM - V-neck tee and jeans. HUD glasses (non-arag) holding back his hair.
RIKA - pseudo goth-lolita. Sleeves not connected to anything, asymmetric skirt, tight shirt/corset/lace/whatever combo.

PAGE 3-6 COSTUME DESCRIPTION
HEIGRIM: Long-sleeve shirt with a short-sleeve over it and the same jeans.
SJANA: Japanese-esque policewoman uniform.
DURIN: Ratty, torn clothing -- plaids and other typical 'hobo'-esque fare. Wearing an ubiquitous leather pouch tied on a string to his waist, and has Tyrfing secreted away.

PAGE 1
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dddfff
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PANEL 1 (a)
The back of Svafrlami, arms crossed.  In the background, sparks fly, and a raised hammer can be seen engulfed in shadow.  Svafrlami is wearing a crown and cloak.
NARRATION: There are many legends about swords. It seems in the olden days, the truest magic was made of steel.

PANEL 2 (b)
At the top half of the panel, Arngrim's face can be seen screaming.  He's slashing violently, cutting across the panel, and blood sprays cover the majority of the panel.
NARRATION: The sword speaks to us. It resonates with the animal inherent in mankind.

PANEL 3 (c)
Andantyr, hand resting on Tyrfing's golden pommel. In the background is an intense blue and purple sunset; he's standing on a corpse.
NARRATION: But as time marched ever onward, better weapons arose. More dangerous weapons.

PANEL 4 (d)
Eagle eye view of a round table; on one end is Heigrim, and facing him is Rika. Heigrim is slumped over, Rika is standing up, hands pressed against the table.  The focus is on the center, where a holstered Tyrfing gun sits. The floor around them is dirty tile; they're in a kitchen.
NARRATION: This is a legend about a gun.
HEIGRIM: This is ridiculous.
RIKA: Are you kidding? This thing's gotta be worth a fortune!

PANEL 5 (e)
Focus on Heigrim, looking up at Rika. His hands are at his temples, giving him an exasparated look (emphasize tired eyes). Several diagrams are illuminated on his HUD, barely visible behind his fingers.
HEIGRIM: Maybe on the black market. You know guns are illegal here, Rika; I could get jailtime just for holding it.

PANEL 6 (f)
Profile of Rika, arms crossed and pouting; she's looking out a window. Heigrim's back can be seen (mimic panel A composition if possible).
RIKA: Like the cops have ever stopped you before.

PAGE 2
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PANEL 1 (a)
angled-down view of Rika, looking out her window apartment. Put this off to the side, or in a corner; the real focus is the city she's in. A maze of apartment buildings with built-in walkways made solely of glass criss-cross over a city street filled to the brim with people; several slim two-seater cars (more elongated covered motorcycles than anything else) can be seen, entrapped in the throng.
RIKA: Idunno. I see something special like that, and I think it's an opportunity.

PANEL 2 (b)
Rika, hands on the counter, half turned to face Heigrim. Heigrim is standing up.
HEIGRIM: I'll give you that. But... maybe we should talk to Sjana.
RIKA: Hah! She's probably already listening in.

PANEL 3 (c)
Close-up on Heigrim's hand gripping the refrigerator door; only the back half of his head can be seen.
ELECTRONIC(Out): Damn! She caught me.
HEIGRIM: Please. I knew you were listening, anyways, otherwise I would've turned off my HUD.
OFF-PANEL, cont: Even you have to admit that something very interesting is going on, Heigrim. Do you realize what an important contribution to the sciences an actual supernatural item would be?

PANEL 4 (d)
Heigrim pulling his chair back out to sit on it, with his free hand holding a carton of orange juice; Rika's already back at the table, hand propping up her chin. She has her HUD down, as does Heigrim.
RIKA: But... we haven't done anything with it yet. And you're a robot! Why would you believe in anything supernatural?
GLASSES(Elec.): Okay, first off? Ouch. I'm an AI -- I control robots. Second, it's the closest word to what I meant. Not yet known, functionally mythological.
HEIGRIM: Are you suggesting we give this to Nagoya Science Museum?

PANEL 5 (e)
Close-up on HUD (either Rika's sunglasses or Heigrim's glasses). A glowing diagram shows a cross-section of the gun, with miniature labels.
SJANA(Out): Well, as you can see, the gun itself is pretty normal. There's virtually nothing to distinguish it from a really expensive custom 9mm.
HEIGRIM(Out): So, why are we even assuming it's... supernatural?
SJANA(Out): Not supernatural, just not yet known.  Look --

PAGE 3
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PANEL 1 (a)
Nothing but another diagram, this one at the molecular level. What look like small metroids are dispersed semi-randomly throughout the picture.
NARRATION: Somehow, the gold plating of the gun has an extraordinary level of electroconductivity and magnetism. There are nanobots of some sort, but they're not any of the current orders. They don't have any engineered parts, either, as far as I could tell.

PANEL 2 (b)
Rika, biting her lower lip thoughtfully, elbows on the table.
RIKA: Really?  Black market nanos... that's gotta be worth a fortune!
ELECTRONIC(Out): Worthless, until someone can figure out what they do.
HEIGRIM(OP): So we keep it.  Illegally.  Great.

PANEL 3 (c)
Focus on Tyrfing in its holster; stitched in the leather is the phrase "Thrice Unsheathed."
ELECTRONIC(Out): I'll keep doing research. Maybe you should just sleep on it.
RIKA(Out): Sleep? No way! The clubs are calling.
HEIGRIM(Out): Sorry, Rika... I need to think about what to do. Maybe tomorrow.

PANEL 4 (d)
A crowded train station(model: Nagoya station). Hidden in the expansive crowd of people wearing suits and more strange attire are several simple robots.  Slight focus on one side, where a wall and door are. Above the door in embossed letters are "Police Box" in Japanese, English, and Swedish. Heigrim is just barely visible in the doorway.
RIKA(Narr.): Don't think too hard, or you'll hurt yourself!
NARRATION: Yesterday.
HEIGRIM: You know, even though you're everywhere nowadays, somehow, I didn't expect to find you in Japan.

PAGE 4
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PANEL 1 (a)
Sjana's hands, gloved, clasped at a desk.  A sign on the table says 'Sjana, N.' in gold-embossed letters.  Sjana's face can't be seen, but it's obvious from the view that the character is female.
SJANA(OP): I'm just trying to build a brand for myself, or something like that.  How can I help, Heigrim?

PANEL 2 (b)
Another angle from inside the police box; we can see Sjana from an angle, and Heigrim standing awkwardly near the entrance. A second cop looks through files in the corner, shoulders hunched conspiratorially.
HEIGRIM: Honestly, uh, I'm just... well, I don't know where the theater is.
SJANA: That's all? You've got a conn for a reason, you know.
HEIGRIM: I just prefer face-to-face.
SJANA: You're not the only one, trust me; otherwise, why even bother with bodies?

PANEL 3 (c)
Another shot of the crowd outside the police box, parted so we can just barely see through the glass windows; color focus on Durin in the midst of the crowd, wrapped tightly in typical hobo clothing.  Also, focus on a trio of girls with silver hair just on the edge of the panel.
SJANA: Anyways, just head out, take a right, and follow it until you pass a Famimart on the left.  Take a right under an overpass, a left, and it's right there.
HEIGRIM: Thanks, Sjana. As always, you're a life-saver.

PANEL 4 (d)
Sjana looking over Heigrim's shoulder into the crowd.  She has a worried look on her face.
SJANA: Shit, the cultists are back.
HEIGRIM: Cultists?

PANEL 5 (e)
The trio of girls, with the crowd around them.  One of the girls, a tall skinny Japanese one with a very old-looking HUD on top of her head, waves to Sjana. They're all wearing Akibahara-style get-ups, with a decided policewoman bent.  Hidden behind them is Durin.
TALL GIRL:
AVERAGE GIRL:
SJANA(Out, smalltext): The Japanese were lied to; they don't know I was made in America, and I can't let them know. Part of my conditions for being here.

PANEL 6 (f)
Close-up on panel 6, focusing on Durin.  This is the first we see of his face; focus on the scar that runs down it, and make him seem particularly menacing and disheveled. He's crouched down, and his eyes glint in a focused manner on the tall girl's purse.
HEIGRIM(Out): Conditions?
SJANA(Out): The government doesn't want its people to know that America out-AIed them. I'm not entirely surprised they pulled it off; most people have no clue who or what I am. It's sad, really.
HEIGRIM(Out): I thought you were Swedish. Why the name 'Sjana,' then?
SJANA(Out): It's a ref--

PAGE 5
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PANEL 1 (a)
Splash image, fish-eye from an upwards angle. Durin in the middle of grabbing the purse of the tall girl, practically bowling her over; his hood has flown off, revealing his beard and scar and hungry eyes. In the background, Heigrim steps aside as Sjana is in mid-leap over the table. The two friends of the tall girl and most of the crowd seem to circle around the event.
SJANA(explosive): STOP, THIEF!

PANEL 2 (b)
Close-up on Durin bolting away, background indeterminate; his flowing clothes reveal a golden gun grip hidden away.

PANEL 3 (c)
Long-angle shot down the street; Sjana is chasing after Durin in the background, and Heigrim's back is close in the foreground. To the side, the tall girl is crying.
HEIGRIM(Thought): What just happened here?

PANEL 4 (d)
Heigrim staring somewhat stupidly at the three girls; they all look moderately angry.
GIRL:
HEIGRIM: I...

PANEL 5 (e)
Close-up on Heigrim's shoe, angled up to show that he's started to run.