||Prologue||
What do they call this place? Ah, of course! It's Alice Academy, the school built in Tokyo that acquired large amount of grounds, supposedly a school for geniuses from all over the world. It's a second Harvard University, or Princeton. That's what it looks like from the outside, I suppose. I can't blame those gullible people from believing that this school holds nothing more than just smart students capable of doing more than the things normal students do. Then again, the normal that's being conveyed at the school is that normality is attained if you are a genius. I guess that makes me a genius then. I've been at this school for god-knows how long. It's a different view altogether from inside the school though. We termed ourselves as freaks instead of geniuses. I guess it suits us better. Better than being called something you're not, right? We don't have those kinds of trained brains to whiz our way through a textbook easily. In fact, some of us can't, and that's just the truth. What we do have is talent, supernatural ones called Alices, hence the academy's name. We all have different alices. Mine is… not very great.
I slumped in my humble seat inside the academy. Just thinking about this depresses me. Then why do I think of it? I have o idea. Human minds play tricks sometimes. Or maybe I'm just fooling myself and actually enjoy thinking of this. Then again, I wouldn't know completely. Unless I have the supernatural ability to know the unknown, which is just, impossible. My arms started to cross on its own above the table. Involuntarily, my head starts to slip down and use my folded arms as uncomfortable pillows, and eyelids started to drop.
SMACK!
The dropped eyelids reopened widely. "Sir?" I asked as I looked up at the menacing teacher holding a snapped ruler whilst folding his arms at the same time. "Planning to sleep in detention after getting detention for sleeping in class, are we, Miss Ichinomiya", he said, his voice deep and somewhat scary. "Uh… No. Of course not, sir." I replied with a faked smile displayed. For a split second, I could have sworn I saw his eye twitched, but he quickly turned back to the teacher's desk in front of the white room. I relaxed my tensed shoulder, spinning a pen on one hand as I waited for the time to pass. The clock above the whiteboard in front was really truly teasing me. Each of its ticks just annoys me even more. I looked around. There were only a few juniors in the room with me. At least I wasn't alone, but alone at the same time since I didn't know these juniors.
"I'm feeling quite nice today." The teacher said once more. "Think I'll let you guys out early." I can tell without looking, that the others' faces were pretty delighted by the news. I know I am. But no one dared to make a noise, not even a whisper of a squeal. We all left our seats quietly and left the room, walked through the quiet white halls of the detention building and exited through the single door, out into what seemed like paradise. It was all bright and shining outside. Not that the detention building wasn't bright. In fact, it was all white inside. Maybe the monotone made it seem gloomy. Then again, I reckon it's just the pressure and atmosphere.
"Shun!!" Kei shouted, running towards me. Kei was older than me, but he was shorter, and he has a pair of fox ears and a tail. I never knew why he had them, but I figured it was just part of his alice. Though not very much shorter than I am, either, only about an inch. He greeted me with a hug, and I delightfully hugged him back. "Kurogane can be so mean sometimes." He said. Sometimes... Huh… I wonder if that's true. Kurogane's the teacher who held me inside the detention building. He's the school's dean, so he can do anything and get away with it, which I reckon was kind of unfair. Kei was pretty famous in the school, so was these other tough guys like Hiei, Asakura and Kurosaki. They were the 'protectors', you could say. Though, in my opinion, most of them are pretty cold blooded, thick skinned and stupid. Kei was nice though, the only one I can get along with, at least. All of them had different personalities. Like Kei here, he's more of the outgoing nice guy who's friends with everyone; the typical gentlemen hero. Hiei's a lone wolf. He sticks with no one but his girlfriend Hime. They're always together, like adhesive tapes! Asakura's mad. That's all I could say about him. Kurosaki is just one of a kind. He's an idol amongst all the girls because he's an asshole. I rolled my eyes at the thought. Sure he was good looking—all of them are, but idolizing an ass was way out of the line. Other than Kei, the other guys are usually seen alone, though Kurosaki has a rock band in the school which he and Chris had assembled a few years back. They were quite the hit, an entertainment in the boring school we go in and can never get out from. Kinrui Ai was another boy who was often talked about. He was known for split personality and gentleman actions. Aristocrat, he was. Rich and cocky, need I say more?
The girls weren't considered protectors, but the student board secretary, Rosalynn was quite the idolized female amongst guys. She had long brown wavy hair, smart and pretty. That was enough to get the guys' attention to her. Another would be Roux. She was evil, at least to me. I didn't like her, one bit. Rumours had been going on that she was also dating Hiei, which would mean that Hiei was two timing. The worst thing about it is that it was her idea to be dating both herself and Hime at the same time. But Roux was far more than just pretty. That's what was so good about her. Sara, the rebel, she's all around awesome. She had her own mind, but she idolized Kurosaki. Then again, the only one who acted normal around Kurosaki was Rosalynn. Perhaps she wasn't into checking out guys. Obviously Hime is also well known around the campus. Who wouldn't know Hiei's girlfriend? Maho Sakuishi, another version of Roux. Super pretty, but a bitch. She was able to stay loyal to Kinrui, at least.
Of course, it wasn't only the students causing most or the uproars in school when it comes to rumours. Teachers also had it hard. Iwase Kenzo, he was only eighteen when he first started teaching at the school. And he went out of his way, falling in love with a twenty-three year old, a year later. That twenty-three year old was Hayashi Setsuna. At first, Miss Hayashi showed no interest to Kenzo, and we felt pity for the constantly-depressed Iwase Kenzo. But somehow after time went past, the two were engaged. We also heard that Kurogane had fallen for Miss Hayashi, and Miss Sachiko had fallen for Kurogane. It was twisted and difficult. Kurogane had confessed his feelings for Setsuna in the school's dance. Upon hearing that, Sachiko dropped her plate of food, tears streaming down her cheeks, then confessing to Kurogane. Ken had won Setsuna over though, too bad for the others. One of the most mysterious teachers was Valen Kuusaki. I don't really know, but he was around the same age as Kenzo, though he was much more mature and quiet than the childish, always smiling Iwase Kenzo. The principal, Kino Wataru, was a very gentle guy. Everyone liked him, and everyone could get along with him.
The protectors of the school also have the power to do anything and everything and get away with it. Hiei often gets out of the campus with Hime, so they could meet up with their parents often. Asakura Rage often causes uproar in school, but he doesn't get in trouble for it. Kurosaki and Kei had their own motorbike and car. None of them was assigned to any class, since they're always running around fixing whatever needs to be fixed.
Now that I think of it, even though I was associated to them in a way, I never got any of the good stuff. I was well known because I was outgoing and I have been here since the dawn of time. "Suki~ I'm hungry, let's get something to eat at Central Town" Kei exclaimed. It was rare for him to ever call me by my first name. Usually he uses my nickname, 'Shun'. We were walking peacefully on the road to central town, chattering our heads away about whatever came up to mind. The central town had many wonders. It had lots of shops, cafes, restaurants, hairdressers and much more. We sat down in our favourite little restaurant, in our favourite seat outside the building. It had large colourful umbrellas shading the table and our heads.
A little tune of a trumpet could be heard, and that could be no other than Hihara Kazuki. The boy skipped around, blowing into his trumpet, waving his hand with one hand while playing. He was the hyper one, but not the only one. Another would be Lavi and Sunao. Those three makes the hyper, obnoxious trio. But they were hilarious—the clowns of the academy. I was one of the only people that could get along with them without getting angry every five minutes. They tease and joke a lot, good friends for cheering. I waved back at Kazuki as he continued to play his little tune.
Caught off guard, I was tapped on the shoulder and surprised from behind by a spiky haired boy. Morei Kazeru. He was in the middle of serious and the clown. I don't know what he was, but he could appear so cold from the outside, even though deep down inside, he's just as dorky as the others. There're other students too, all worth mentioning, though there's hundreds. All in all, we're just one heck of a twisted academy. Freaks only.
