Chapter 1: Useless
A/N: Have you ever just thought, "Hey, why does Nio have a special power, and no one else does?" Yes? Well, this fic is for you, then! I certainly have, that's why this AU exists!
But anyway, that's besides the point. The pairings in this will focus on Haruki/Isuke and Otoya/Shiena~ I've decided to makes the pairings in this more prominent too, so yeah. Yaaaay. :D
Anyway, enjoy the first chapter. :)
Myojo Academy. Everyone in the country knew it's name, and saw it as one of the most prestigious schools one could attend.
With a budget almost as large as it's buildings, and numbers of facilities greater than one could count on two fingers, it was also a place that attracted large amounts of envy. It wasn't surprising, since any student that enrolled at this school would be granted a place in society upon graduating, and given a path straight to success.
However, for the 13 female students of the Black Class inside this academy, not a single person on the planet could feel envious of them.
Each of them had been gathered from different parts of the country, rounded up and placed into one class where they would get an education. However, these people were not randomly chosen. Instead, they all held one trait similar to one another- one trait that each of them shared, along with no other person.
They all were born as deformities, isolated from the rest of society because they held something that no one else did.
Super powers.
Though the rest of the school- or even the rest of the world saw the class as a bunch of irregular monsters, that wasn't the problem that had sparked within them and caused a fuss. Another matter, another rumour had risen that involved them. But this time, it was necessary to get to the bottom of it.
Word had spread that among the 13 students, one of them was actually a normal human being, without any special abilities whatsoever. Of course, since these deformities and humans seemed like two completely different species, having one among the rest was bound to spark fury in their hearts.
That's why they felt that, at all costs, this human needed to be executed.
No matter how far the girls needed to go, the human needed to be killed.
Haruki's POV
I still remember exactly when it all began.
"...I have news to tell everyone today." It started off like another day would. I, along with my 12 female classmates, were scattered about our classroom, waiting for that bell to ring and start class. "Very, very special, interesting news that you might want to hear."
At the front of the room stood Nio Hashiri, another student, just like me. It wasn't unusual for her to be addressing all of us with such a tone, so I raised a curious eyebrow. I would by lying if I said I wasn't interested in anything she said.
"Go ahead then, we don't have all morning." Interrupting the blonde was the voice of my new roommate, Inukai Isuke. Since we'd only been at this school for a week or so, I still considered her 'new'. I didn't even know her power yet- no one knew of anyone else's power really, since we were forbidden from showcasing them, unless necessary. But that was all besides the point. "Take too long, and Mizorogi-sensei will hear it too."
"Right, right!" Nio played off with an innocent smile, and nod of her head. I didn't speak a word as I brushed a strand of red hair out of my face, listening to them.
Listening.
"Really though, this is important. You'd better be listening, guys." she continued. At those words though, her tone seemed to drop, and she wore a dark expression. Her smile still remained on her face, causing quite an unnerving sight. I ignored it. "I was talking to one of the head staff of this school today, and, well... something's been confirmed."
"Yes, what is it...?" The daughter of Hanabusa pushed, from her luxury seat. Like, literally, it was a luxury seat. It looked like a throne; she brought it from her home, apparently.
"...inside this class." Nio whispered, talking in a rather hushed tone as she clasped her hands behind her back. Leaning forward, she sent occasional glances to the corner of her vision, as if cautious someone else would walk into the room. I couldn't help leaning on the edge of my seat too, questions bubbling over in my head, waiting for what was next.
I don't think anyone in the room was prepared for the words that followed.
"...inside this class, there's a human among us."
The room fell silent.
"So in other words, there's a fake among us. A traitor, pretending to be one of us."
I swallowed. No one dared to say a word through the silence, but I couldn't help but feel a sense of disbelief. The news had come too suddenly, after all. What was I supposed to do, just down right accept it, right then and there...? While Nio's source of information was always correct, the doubt in my chest remained.
I sighed, shaking my head with furrowed eyebrows. "Eh...? A traitor? And you're serious about all this?" were the words that slipped from my mouth. It seemed I wasn't the only one doubting it after all, though. What am I on about...? It was more like no one in the room seemed to take the news to heart.
"Huh? Is that seriously the 'important news' you needed to tell us? You're a disappointment, getting up Isuke's hopes like that." I never really questioned why Isuke referred to herself in third person, and I wasn't about to. That was the last thing on my mind.
"A disappointment? How cold...!" The blonde at the front of the room whined, wearing a nonchalant expression. With her hands on her hips, she huffed. "Have I ever let you all down before...?" She left the question hanging in the air. "My sources are reliable, and 100% accurate. You all should know that by now."
Even if she said it in such a whimsical tone, something about Nio's words struck me as dark and cold. They seemed down-right serious. She had no reason to be lying, really, but at the same time, we had no reason to trust her.
"And how can we truly believe that...?" Suzu commented from across the room. Everyone seemed to be in on the conversation by now, looking up from whatever they were doing.
Nio smirked. She seemed awfully confident in her words- almost too confident. "I'm not the only one who knows of this news. Ask around. Ask the teachers, other students, principal... you'll get the same answer." she explained. "It's all true. Why would I put us through additional stress, huh...? We live hard enough lives as it is."
No matter how many times the blonde explained it and told us again, questions from the rest of us kept bouncing back and forth, over and over again. Nobody was convinced, nobody believed it, nobody wanted to even think about the possibility of a human hiding among us.
Minutes passed. The routine continued and continued.
"No one's going to believe you, Nio."
"Stop messing with us, will you...?"
"Show some proof!"
The words never seemed to stop.
The only thing that finally broke the furious atmosphere and the chain of questions and insults was the bell, loud and ringing through the speakers. Only then, did everyone finally silence, and I was finally able to take a breath.
'Soon...' I repeated to myself. 'Soon, Sensei will come into the room. Maybe then we can get another opinion on this matter, and finally come to a decision, or something.' I didn't know if I was being too optimistic, or whether everyone else was taking this too hard, but I seemed to be one of the calmest in the room. While the constant banter had been tiring to listen to, the smile on my face was still prominent.
'Ah, speak of the devil.' Within seconds, the door to our classroom slid open, and a warm voice settled the room down.
"Good morning, ladies! Ah- you all seem lively today. That's good to see." But for some reason, something about Mizorogi's tone didn't seem quite right. Something about him seemed too... grim, for a normal morning. It looked like something was bugging him, was on his mind as he put on a smile, rubbing the back of his neck.
I swallowed, fidgeting in my seat. Remaining silent, I watched everyone return to their seats and desks before slowly coming to raise my hand.
"Sagae-san? You have a question? What is it? Class has barely started and you're already fired up...!" It wasn't the eyes of everyone around me that bugged me. It was the forced tone of the teacher before me that made me feel on-edge.
'Maybe this is all true.' But the thought was dismissed within seconds, and I retreated my hand by my side.
"I just wanted to ask something quick, that's kinda unrelated." I began. He seemed almost shocked, blinking his eyes that stared straight at me.
"Yes...?" he urged, holding a clipboard in his hands. He tapped lightly on it's sides as he waited, and as I collected my thoughts.
"Okay, well... it's about this class." Every part of me itched as I dragged on and on, fumbling for how to word it. Mizorogi was a nice guy who was never down, never too serious, so I didn't want to suddenly change that. But at the same time, he was the only reliable staff member we could ask. He was the only staff member that bothered to take the time to research our abilities, so he knew the most about us.
It would only be natural if he knew about this new matter on our hands, too...
"This class?" he repeated. I merely nodded my head, giving a small frown. I felt my gaze stiffen as I looked up from my desk, hand reaching up for the back of my neck.
"...every single person in this class has an ability, right?"
He paused. The male's expression stayed unreadable, almost as if a thousand thoughts had been triggered in his brain, and he was fighting them off internally. The way I'd describe it, he seemed nothing but spaced out, and yet, his light-hearted laugh was what broke the silence.
"What kind of question is that, Sagae-san?"
"A valid one." My response was quick, and genuine, although I hated to shatter his mood like that. He seemed taken aback once more, leaving his mouth agape, and the silence to return. The only thing I could do was simply wait in anticipation, in curiosity, in fear for what he would do and say next.
"We wouldn't allow anyone else into this class, I don't see why you're asking something like that." That was the nonchalant response I received. And to be blunt, it was kinda disappointing, but at the same time, relieving. 'Nio was talking nonsense after all, huh?' I sighed, leaning back in my seat. A smile happened to return to my face just as I opened my mouth to speak, but no words came out.
That was because I stopped myself.
Someone else had gotten to speaking first, and I was left stunned.
"But that's not what I've heard around the school." The cold voice of Azuma Tokaku filled the room, and our teacher's gaze was soon set on her instead of me. He raised an eyebrow, though with the way he fiddled with his tie as he did so, he seemed more nervous than curious.
"Azuma, what on earth do you mean?" he asked, letting out a nervous laugh which was less than convincing. The other merely continued staring out the window beside her, leaning on her left elbow as she spoke once more.
"If you teachers are able to tell other students of rumours about this class, and talk about it freely amongst yourselves, then we're entitled to know, as well." Just like a dagger, her words sliced through the atmosphere, and seemingly through Mizorogi's defence. Sliding his hand down and off his tie, he looked around the classroom.
It was strange to see him so speechless, but after such a straight-forward accusation and question, he had all rights to be. There he was, the teacher of this inferior class, getting cornered by the students themselves. I had to say, I felt kinda sorry for the guy, but not enough to actually show it.
"Look..." he started, clumsy smile still on his face. "I don't know anything you guys are talking about-"
"We can fix the problem if you tell us what it is, Mizorogi-sensei. Though you should have informed us earlier, I guess it can't be helped." Tokaku interrupted once more. At that, the adult lost all will to fight back.
"Ah... getting pressured by my own students..." he muttered under his breath. It was clear he didn't want anyone else to hear, but of course, I heard it loud and clear. Picking his gaze up from the floor, he continued, though only in a partially louder tone. He rubbed his neck. "You guys know I'm not allowed to tell you everything, right...? I'd be in big trouble if I got caught, so... I'd appreciate it if you could keep talk about this to a minimal."
That was it. He cracked and was leaking information.
That alone was enough to catch the attention and interest of the rest of the class, who were now probably sitting on the edge of their seats, just like I was. There was really more to this class than we thought- why wouldn't we be surprised?
"I'm sure there'll be exceptions and no guarantees, but on behalf of everyone else, I assure you, we'll do our best in protecting this appreciated information." Kouko responded. I had to admit, having someone like her around was helpful, just so it made the rest of us seem as innocent and righteous as her. Of course, her words were far from the truth, but at least the teacher believed in them.
"R-Right." he started again, wearing a nervous smile.
"So, what is this information you haven't told us, huh, Sensei~?" Isuke pushed, showcasing her low amount of patience. It didn't seem to bug Mizorogi in the slightest, as he merely placed his clipboard down onto the desk in front of him. Taking a seat, he intertwined his fingers together and rested his elbows on the desk, looking out towards the rest of us with the most stern expression he's ever given.
"If anyone asks you... please, don't tell them you received all this from me. For both all our sakes, please..." His tone was hushed and serious, although no one could blame him. Nobody interrupted as he continued, and as I listened, I found myself habitually playing with my loose strands of hair.
. . .
Thump. Thump. Thump.
"You're kidding me..."
Thump. Thump.
"This is ridiculous."
Thump.
"So it's all true, huh...?"
I ignored the bell that rang, signalling recess as I glanced down at my hands. Ever since Mizorogi-sensei had explained all of that this morning, I hadn't been able to concentrate on anything. The voices of everyone around me merely stirred in my ears as they twitched. I was able to hear the pounding of my heart clearer than anything else.
Everything we heard from Mizorogi-sensei and Nio was so ridiculous, and yet, I was in too much of a state of shock to truly be able to say I hadn't believed it. As my thoughts and own voice grew louder in my head, I drowned out the voices of those around my completely, staring wide-eyed at my empty desk.
'It's all... it's all true, then?' I began. 'All of what Nio said was true. How can that possibly be real though? There's no way... I mean, this is Myojo Academy. They wouldn't slip up and let a normal person in with the rest of us. I really don't want to believe something like that, but... I guess after hearing all that, and seeing the proof... there really is a human hiding amongst us, huh...? A fake. A traitor. Someone that should be...'
"...they should be killed, right?" The words slipped from my mouth, but that wasn't what caught me off-guard. As I lifted my eyes to the rest of the room, everyone was staring right at me, and the conversation they were all so immersed in had paused. Of course, I hadn't heard a word of it, so I had no idea why I had gained all that attention. "W-What...?"
"Nothing. You just didn't seem like you were paying attention to us, and yet you went ahead and said the same thing Isuke did, and at the same time." Staring at my roommate, I blinked, staring with a blank face.
"Huh...?" I was pretty confused, to say the least. Isuke waved a hand towards me, frowning with closed eyes.
"You should be paying attention too." she demanded, seeming more disappointed in me than anything else. "After all, it could be your life on the line."
Life on the line?
'Then, that means, they're seriously going to...'
"...wait, hold it." Standing from my seat, I placed a hand on my hip, approaching the others that had gathered. "So... you're seriously going to kill this one human amongst us...? You're not going to get them expelled, or anything...?"
"Huh? Why are you asking such questions? You said it yourself, as well." I blinked.
Oh, I did too!
"A-Ah, right. I wasn't really thinking when I said that, you know...! It was just a thought... that happened to slip... I just wanted to know if you were taking it all seriously. No need to get so mad at me." I tried my best to justify myself, but it didn't really seem to be working at all. I could feel everyone's glares my way. 'Great. Just great... I'm accidentally acting suspicious. Perfect!'
"You really weren't listening, huh...?" Isuke responded, sighing deeply. "That's a shame, then. I'm not going to go through all the trouble to explain what we've decided on. Too much effort to waste on someone like you."
"Someone like me...?" I murmured. I didn't really know what she meant, but it was insulting- that's all I needed to understand, I guess.
"You make it seem like we've come up with a lot, Isuke-san..." Shiena spoke up. It was one of the first times I'd heard her speak without being addressed first really, but that was probably only because I didn't pay too much attention to her. "Really, we've only decided on one thing."
"And that one thing is...?" 'I really should have been listening, huh...? Oh well.' I dismissed, as I questioned the group further.
"From now on, it'll be our job to investigate this issue." Sumireko took over, placing her hands firmly in her lap as she spoke. She gazed right at me, with an almost gracefully dark look. I know that didn't make sense, but with her smile and sharp eyes, it was the only way to properly describe it. "Once we find or suspect this human, we must eliminate them. In other words, yes, kill them."
"...isn't that a little extreme to any of you?" I rubbed the back of my neck.
"Why would someone go to the trouble of pretending they had a power and pretend they were a deformity, in the first place? Doesn't that seem a little extreme on it's own? Since they probably took large measures to get into this class and fool us, we'll have to go to large measures to teach them a lesson, don't you think...?" Suzu's line of reasoning was quite sound, though I had a feeling this was what they were discussing the entire time, and she just summed it up for me.
"...right." That was all I could say in response, as my gaze dropped to the floor. Even then, it seemed there was more they needed to tell me, so the girls continued.
"Oh, and one more thing that you might need to know, Haruki-san." Nio joined in, using her unsettling, cheery tone. "We've decided that using our powers while trying to do so is A-Okay!"
"...wait, what?" I paused, furrowing my eyebrows as everything around me stopped. Slowly, my eyes trailed up from the floor to meet the one's of the blonde girl, as the confusion I felt showed all over my face. "Isn't that... forbidden within school grounds though?"
"The rules state that it's forbidden unless it's required, or necessary. If we're using them to our benefit, survival or to kill the traitor... I'd say that's pretty necessary to me, so it should be fine." she continued.
I couldn't help staring in disbelief at the words. It wasn't that I didn't like using my power, since it happened on a daily occurrence anyway, but it was a handful to take in- especially because I had no idea what the others were capable of.
Actually, the more I thought about it, the more terrifying that thought became.
"Alright then." was my quiet response, as a small smile made it's way onto my face. However, I felt nothing like happiness inside of me. "Wait, what's the point in this, anyway?" Suddenly, I felt my mind racing, and questions reaching me, one after another. I wasn't about to sit still after hearing such overwhelming things. "If we all state our powers here, and give a demonstration, shouldn't that single out the human easily enough...?"
"If a small demonstration would rule them out, then how could that person have possibly lasted this long in the class without being caught, let alone pass the entrance examination?" Chitaru's sound words sparked memories of that horrid exam we all had to go through, sending shivers down my spine. I didn't want to remember the scowling faces of those mad scientists, who stared at me like I was some kind of lab rat as I demonstrated my power...
I shook my head, ridding myself of the thoughts. Now wasn't the time for that.
But then again, knowing that one person had lied their way through that exam was quite an infuriating thought.
"I-I guess you've got a point there..." I muttered, cupping my chin with a spare hand.
"Demonstrating one's power during a fight to the death, however..." Sumireko picked up, continuing on like someone's death was no big deal. "That should be able to prove whether someone is a deformity or not."
"That's exactly the plan, right?"
"Yeah, that's why killing them is the only option. I mean, what else is there to do...?"
"We can't just sit around and wait."
As the other girls continued conversing around me, I found myself growing more and more distant from the discussion at hand. I had all the information I needed anyway, so I didn't see the need to really listen any closer. I was practically useless, anyway.
I could still feel the nerves covering my entire body though, reminding me of the reality at hand. Someone was going to die, someone was going to die, someone was going to die. I knew it wasn't going to be me though, so why did I feel so scared...?
It was then, at that moment, when I came to a vital realisation. One that shocked through every limb in my body and caused me to stand motionless and wide-eyed.
'My power.' I repeated. 'It's nothing physical... nothing I can demonstrate in front of people... it's something anyone can easily lie about and get away with...
...so I bet they'll suspect me.'
Instead of all the fuzzy noise that lingered in my ears, or the words of the girls around me, the only thing I heard was my own voice in my head. Besides that, there was nothing but silence.
That was my power, after all. It had been given the title of 'Enhanced Hearing', an ability that allowed me to hear anything within a 30m radius of where I stood. Just like a computer program, it allowed me to choose which layers of noise around me to listen to, and which ones to mute. In a noisy environment, it was quite useful, as I could block out anything but my own voice, and if I ever needed to eavesdrop on someone, I could easily do so without interruption.
But in a fight? A physical fight? It was no use at all.
I was unfortunate enough to have been born with one of the most useless of abilities, and I knew that I could die because of it.
A/N: While I do have abilities for everyone already planned out, (I'll reveal them over time! :D) any feedback or ideas you have are greatly appreciated! ^.^
Hopefully, I'll see you all again in the next chapter~
