While the two squads glared at each other intensely,Iris andHibana looked at each other as if to say they had some sort of history together. The5th Brigade retreated as they were able to attain what they hadplanned for. The next day,Shinra,Akitaru andTakehisa are all talking about the conflict with the 5th before that day, and how they were going to keep an extra eye on the 5th even if it means creating open dispute between them, all the while, acting noticeably weird to Shinra. As Shinra looks to his side, he seesArthur spotting a small bird through the window, calling it a gryphon and damning it for approaching his "castle", metaphorically speaking of theSpecial Fire Cathedral 8, in which Shinra also calls him weird. Shinra discovers that everyone within the 8th is weird in their own way, other than Iris. When she picks something out of his hair, Shinra displays a large grin, to which Maki and Arthur jokingly call him the weird one. Takehisa pulls out a gun and reminds them all that they were gathered to have a meeting, and startlingly shoots Shinra in the leg, much to everybody's shock; though they soon realize there was no harm done to his leg. Takehisa goes on to explain his ability as a Second Generation, and how he's able to weaken the explosion caused by the firing in the pistol, and therefore not cause as much harm. He then talks about how they will be encountering lots of unique characters with varyingIgnition Abilities, such as the one Takehisa demonstrated. Some of the members go up to the roof and start training. Shinra asks Takehisa about Hibana, and they talk vaguely about her past and how she became a Battalion Commander. At theSpecial Fire Force Combine 5, Setsuo begs for forgiveness as he's being tortured by Hibana. Back at the church, Iris is in the courtyard performing a purifying ritual in just a wet towel, when Shinra accidentally walked in on her, exciting a giant grin on his face.
