Chapter 1
Goodbye Life, Hello Hope
The date is 04/XX/20XX. My name is Shinji Yamamoto, and I am the Ultimate Reporter. I give you this update from an unspecified location to tell the outside world of what has been happening to the Ultimate students scouted by Japan's Hope's Peak Academy (HPA), a school that seeks the country's finest individuals to raise them to be the absolute best in their given field. Reports have said that for the previous two years, several students that have been considered for attendance at HPA have gone missing under mysterious circumstances. Many of these students, however, came back unexpectedly, though they seemed to experience symptoms of PTSD, depression, and anxiety.
One month ago, in the middle of August, I received two letters. The first one was from the Japanese government, and the second one from Hope's Peak Academy. The one from the government is largely classified, but to sum up what is not, I was asked to investigate this matter disguised as the Ultimate Stockholder, Shinji Nakayama. While it isn't my primary talent, I'm still very well known for my financial prowess via day trading. The second one from HPA, which I received no less than one week later, did in fact call me out as the Ultimate Stockholder (how that occurred is confidential). However, instead of being asked to arrive at HPA, I was asked to arrive at a location I'll have remain confidential on my own accord, to reduce the risk of investigators going to that location and putting themselves in danger.
When I arrived at that location, I met with a man that I recognized right away—decked in a red mask covering the entirety of his face in addition to the leather jacket, pants, shoes, and gloves, he was the former Ultimate Poker Player (having lost his Ultimate title upon graduation from HPA), who only goes by the name of Jack. We talked for a little bit, shooting the shit as it goes, when he tells me why I was called there in particular; he, as a recruiter for HPA, wants to test me as well as several other students before being able to enter the academy. If this was any normal school, the average person would refuse. However, my situation aside, anybody would want to attend HPA if they could. After all, if you graduate from the school, you're set for life. And upon seeing a recognizable man like Jack, anybody would think this is legitimate. Though with that said, even if it didn't appear legitimate, my answer to him would remain the same. I agreed to be tested. Content with my answer, Jack gave me an address to go to only one week later.
Upon arriving at the location, there was a luxury plane and 15 other students, all at the young age of 17 (myself included). As I quickly learned, these were the other students that have been considered for HPA, as well as this same test. Immediately, there were several students I recognized, be it from the news or interviews online. However, there was one student that I recognized not for status, but because he was my co-worker in this instance. Kakusu Mimoto, the Ultimate Confidant, had disguised himself as Yu Mimoto, the Ultimate Ventriloquist, dressed up in a black tank-top and a white bandana covering his mouth. We were both given the same mission of figuring out what was happening with these Ultimate students. We kept ourselves separate for the most part as to keep ourselves inconspicuous. However, there wasn't too much effort put in that part, as shortly after I arrived, the stairs leading up to the deluxe plane opened. Some of us were more anxious to get on the plane, while others were much laxer about getting on.
Once all 16 of us had gotten on the plane and had our seats, the voice of a young woman came through the intercom. "This is your captain speaking," it claimed. "Please remain seated until we have given you all clearance to move. We will have our automated attendants make sure you are all comfortable during the flight. In the event of an emergency…" She continued with the usual statements that you would expect to hear on a flight.
As she was speaking, I reviewed my tools. On my person, hidden under my tee shirt and light jacket, was a microphone that would pick up any noise within a reasonable distance. I also had a camera hidden in my Gatsby hat, as well as an additional mic if something happened to the one in my jacket, or vice versa. The jacket mic was my own touch after careful consideration. I did not have permission for this, but I feel it's for the best regardless. These items had already been turned on, of course, and will be used as my frame of reference for these written reports.
Rather quickly after I reviewed these items and the woman on the speaker finished her speech, I heard a voice coming from my left. "Excuse me?" I turned to face the voice and saw a fellow student. A girl bearing short brown hair (some of which was standing up above, separate from the rest of her hair) and dressed in simple colors; a brown formal top with a red tie, a brown frilled skirt, and long black stockings reaching out from her black dress shoes. "What are you doing all alone over here?"
Upon her saying that, I looked around at the other students. All of them, including Mimoto, have gotten into groups of two-to-four and began talking amongst one another. I turned back to her and said, "I tend to keep to myself." A true enough statement. Never been one for conversation.
"Well that's no fun, is it?" she responded. "Don't you want to get to know your fellow classmates?" As much as I didn't like socializing, I knew how to do it well enough, given what my talent is. I conceded to her that she had a point and introduced myself with my codename and false talent. She smiled and went on to introduce herself. "My name is Okane Sugawara, the Ultimate Accountant. It's very nice to meet you, Shinji!"
I asked her about what she did as the Ultimate Accountant. She told me that she helps with businesses all over the world, both big and small, with their finances. She's helped them develop intuitive systems to keep track of their money and helped with what they should spend their money on. The workers were happy, the bosses were happy, and she was happy. There's a lot to be said about somebody that loves what they do. The same couldn't be said for me, but you do what you must do in this world.
We continued talking, in particular various topics regarding the financial world, as well as what we were looking forward to at HPA. I voiced my concerns for what this test that we're about to undertake could possibly be, but she didn't seem to be concerned.
"If it's just a test for getting into Hope's Peak, then we'll probably be tested on our personal strengths!"
A fair enough statement, to be sure. If we were going to refine our talents at HPA, then the likelihood is that the testing would be related to said talents. Even though I knew the answer had to be something else, I agreed with her. That seemed to make her happy enough. In an impromptu decision, I decided to keep her close. You never know when you may need an unexpected ally in what could be a perilous situation.
All there was left to do was wait for the plane to land, wherever it was taking us. A few hours had passed, and some of us were already sleeping. Some are still talking over drinks, and others were eating the gourmet food that was brought to us by those attendants. A deluxe treatment for future HPA students, to be sure, but doubt still remains in my mind as I type this report. Is this really all a trap? Of course, it must be. But you have to wonder how much of this is truly legitimate.