Hi everybody and welcome to the first fanfiction I've put online in over two years. In a way this is almost like putting up my first, as it's been so long it all seems new to me. However just like I can't seem to stop buying Manga, I also can't stop this feeling of wanting to write. CJ
Disclaimer: I do not own, and will never own Battle Royale
"Well there she is!" exclaimed the commentator, "The triumphant winner, having overcome and survived against the rest of her former friends and classmates!"
A small blood-soaked girl stepped into view of the cameras. A man dressed in a lavish suit approached her. He held out a hand which she merely stared at.
"Congratulations on your win! You hadn't been one of the favorites at the beginning, but you showed a great resilience. What do you have to say?"
She muttered something. The man leaned forward. In one swift movement she removed a large shard of glass, slashing through the mans neck. He began to gurgle as he fell backwards. The girl stared directly into the camera and slit her throat. The camera cut away to a man wearing what was an obvious black wig.
"The survivor there. This has been the forty third battle royale this year. Do not forget to keep updated with this channel! The military have given us exclusive rights for the upcoming forty-fifth event. Coming very soon!"
Across the country many people turned off their televisions, shaking slightly, afraid. A select few turned off the televisions, happy at the winnings they had just received.
Battle Royale: Memento Mori
"Death leaves a heartache no one can heal, love leaves a memory no one can steal."
Chapter 1
New Beginnings
It was a relatively dry day when Takamasa Adachi stared out of his window, bored of his incredibly dull homework. He knew he should do it, the punishments could be severe, but he had a fieldtrip tomorrow- he'd have a whole evening to do it tomorrow. His father had yet to return from work. He sighed. The Republic of Greater East Asia was not the place for a teenager to live. One day he'd get some money and leave this place- possibly heading for America or Europe. Anywhere but here.
But for now he was stuck here. However he was better off then many. Though not rich, he lived in relative comfort, safe from the risk of riots or the random intervention of the military. His school was one of the more orderly ones present, the headmaster using fear and extreme punishment to keep students under control. Takamasa had soon realized it was best to behave now and keep his head down, so he could live his life later, when free. He was thankful for Jun, his best friend. The more serious one of the two, he'd always remind Takamasa to keep in control- very useful for when one of the high and mighty teachers went on a rampage.
His dad should have been back by now. Takamasa loved the old man, slightly small and old and balding before his time. It was obvious his height must have come from his mothers side. Not that he'd ever been able to know her. His father had worked hard to raise enough money to allow Takamasa to go to a more respected school.
He pulled the drab curtains shut and curled up in bed. He looked forward to the trip- it would surely be a day to remember. He just hoped the weather didn't turn too bad. He fell asleep, failing to notice his father didn't return that night. The small man had been held captive to prevent him from telling his son the truth and so reducing the number of participants.
-
Jun Ota stood beside Takamasa as they waited for the bus to arrive. The sky had been a dark grey when he had first woken, but now it was beginning to clear up, almost blue. Jun shifted his backpack impatiently. He stood slightly taller then his best friend beside him.
"Think this bus will ever turn up?" he asked.
"It should do. Eventually. Arriving in time to help us show up late at the park, helping us miss the first, and probably best activity."
Jun shrugged. "As long as we get a day off school I don't care how late we are."
"You mean you don't enjoy those wondrous lessons?" asked Takamasa sarcastically.
"Hey they may not be the most interesting classes, but they help give us a better chance for the future, with the possibility of a better life" said Aki, a diminutive girl, who carried the tag of class nerd.
"Whatever. All I know is another year or two and I'm out of here" replied Jun.
"And then out of this country?" asked Takamasa as Aki walked away.
"Oh yeah" said Jun grinning.
"Can't these damn Asians do anything right?" said a person walking by, "Over ten years I've lived here, and these bastards can't do a damn thing."
Yu Ishida, another classmate, watched furiously as the person walked by. His name was Owen Miller, one of only two non-Asian people in the class. He was English, unlike the American Jack Landon. And unlike the bearable Landon, Miller was racist, thinking more then just poorly of all of his Asian classmates. He had also been living here slightly longer, just over fourteen years. Miller, with a few days growth of stubble, chucked his bag to the floor.
Landon meanwhile was busy chatting with Daisuke, a keen sportsman and one of the more handsome students. Rie and Kana, two attractive girls, stood beside the two, laughing and keenly watching Daisuke. Takamasa smiled. He knew Daisuke only had eyes for Mari, a moderately attractive girl who had a reputation (backed up by herself) for being willing to do anything sexual. A yell caught his attention.
He turned, and felt a brief strange feeling as Aya Noguchi walked past. From a young age he had found himself fond of her, but after being friends when younger, they had drifted apart slightly, Takamasa nervous about talking with her after accepting he had romantic feelings for her. Yusuke, her older brother by about eight minutes was busy trying to embarrass her in front of her best friend Kasumi. His hair was at the thickest and longest it had ever been. After ignoring him, he started dancing around his sister, Aya pushing him away and muttering obscenities that did not belong to such an attractive girl.
Dante Yabuki, a boy with startling blue eyes, a rarity, stood chatting with the shifty looking lean Kensuke Iwata. Takamasa didn't trust Kensuke- he always seemed slightly on edge and slightly paranoid. And his lapdog Dante did look like he could handle himself in a fight.
"Well look what finally decided to show up!" yelled Yuichi.
The group watched as a slightly battered looking bus slowly pulled into the cramped parking lot. The door screeched open and a heavyset man stepped out. He looked at the collection of people in front of him.
"Ah I see all forty-two of you were kind enough to turn up. Sorry abut the lateness, but as you can see, this is not a very modern bus, and as such it had a few complications in getting here."
Akiko Saito stepped into the bus first, the man barely moving out of the way in time. She merely brushed past him, the man grunting. Slowly the others climbed onto the bus, Takamasa and Jun, two of the last people on. They walked past Aya who looked up.
"Hi Taka" she said as he walked by.
He smiled and returned a barely audible reply. Jun nudged him in the ribs as they walked along the bus.
"Well Taka looks like someone might still like you."
"I doubt it" he replied, "She wouldn't be interested in someone like me."
"Well, there's always Yohei" whispered Jun as they walked past the lanky boy, the only openly gay member, any possible others keeping their sexuality a secret. He looked up (complete with black hair goatee) and waved at them.
"No, I think he's still waiting for you to ask him out" said Takamasa, slapping Jun across the back of the head, before saying a quick hello to Yohei.
Shoko and Hiromi, two seemingly inseparable girls, sat alongside Takamasa at the back of the bus. Shoko, the smaller of the two leaned across to Jun.
"So, still looking for a girlfriend?" she asked.
"Oh yeah- hey if you want, both of you can be- I'm man enough."
Shoko frowned while Hiromi smiled behind her back. Jun grinned as Shoko turned away in disgust. Dante seemed to shuffle uneasily a few seats down. In front of them Ryo Sato turned around to face them.
"Jun."
"Ryo" replied Jun.
"What the hell happened to your hair?" asked Takamasa.
Ryo rubbed his short hair, now dyed a bright blond. "Got sick of my normal color- so I dyed it. What'd you think?"
"Seems kinda lame" replied Jun.
For the second time is as many minutes Jun received a slap. "You know this fieldtrip?" asked Ryo.
"I'm aware of it."
"Well, do we actually know where we are going? We've all been looking forward to it, but I don't think any of the teachers have actually said where we are going. Isn't that a bit strange?"
Jun was silent. Takamasa thought about it. No one had actually said much about the trip at all. In fact he had no idea where they were going. Jun looked as puzzled as him. They had been so excited about going, they never thought about where they were going. The bus continued creaking its way forward for half an hour, Takamasa listening to inane chatter and watching increasingly isolated countryside pass him by. Suddenly someone yelled.
"What's going on?" asked Ryo.
Jun stood up, leaning on Ryo's chair. He turned around and indicated to Takamasa to take a look. He stood up like Jun and looked at the scene in surprise. The thin driver had slipped on some sort of mask, while the large man put on what was clearly a gas mask.
"What's going on?" asked Jun.
"Oh shit" said Taeung, sitting beside Ryo. "No way…no this can't be happening."
"What?"
"Oh it's just like what happens all the other times" he groaned, "No it can't be happening."
"What!?" yelled Takamasa.
"It's that program- that military thing. Some people call it the battle royale."
Ryo shook his head. "No."
A low hissing caught Takamasa's attention as the bus came to a sudden halt. A grey gas began to fill the vehicle, people at the front slumping. Aya and one of the boys were standing up, but collapsed. Takamasa stood up to go and help her. However he began to feel drowsy. The gas was tasteless and without smell, and slowly he fell to his knees. Jun was hitting the glass, his blows becoming weaker and weaker.
A shadow, one of the students fell in front of him. The heavyset man stood watching with his arms crossed. Takamasa struggled to keep his eyes open. He felt the bus start moving again as his head fell to the floor. In silence he fell into a dreamless sleep.