Hello there! It's been a while, hasn't it? *Awkwardly walks into the room*

As you already know (if you've read the latest notes on 'S101WK') this is not part of any series that I'll start or a spin-off, instead I'm tackling for something different entirely. Like usual.

Thus, this'll be not only my first AU that I've written (and since the previously mentioned story plays in our universe, it technically doesn't count) but also my requested one-shot! I would throw a party for both things but I'm currently feeling a bit under the water.

And I'm not meaning physical-wise. You know how depression works, no? If not, you have the internet. Go look it up. Sorry again for the huge delay and until we talk again!

(Since this isn't a Chapter-based story, my catchphrase won't be included. Thus: Have fun reading!)

...

YOUTHFUL SONGBIRD


The morning rises, the skies filled with blue and orange as the morning sun rises anew.

The birds are silent, the winds feel weak and silence is pierced by the humming of energy around me.

I feel free, yet caged. Maybe it was destiny, fate or tension from before. But I knew…

It was tentacles all along.

Nurufufufu, not a bad poem! Sure, it doesn't rhyme but it holds beauty nonetheless. It keeps the creeping silence of this place away for a little longer once more as I woke from the chamber specifically created by my holders. They were rather strict about its design, yet I couldn't help myself and give it a special touch.

Not a regular bedroom, neither a prison. Well, maybe my life was now a prison of my own choosing but I accepted it nonetheless. Truthfully, I never felt caged in this place. The only thing keeping me afar of the wide world that I could have once explored was the dome around this area.

The government and world leaders decided to keep this thing in place since I was discovered. Sure, it kept my travels fairly limited and I only a handful of people were allowed to enter this area with permission, yet I couldn't help myself as to feeling free inside this little place. As it was like…a snow globe including all 4 seasons and time /day shift.

Now, I'm sure that this sounds not like a happy life…

"Korosensei? Are you up?"

"Hm? Ah, Ritsu! No worries, I'm already up and alive!"

Yet I still had my dear students.

You see: When I first arrived at this place, none of this was like before. Originally it was planned for me to get killed by them! Whoever would have managed it was to be given 10 billion Yen! Yet, over the span of 4 semesters, I sharpened their minds, trained their bodies and handed them the tools for their graduation as their teacher / target. However, things ended…slightly different than expected.

"So, how is life fairing for my beloved students?"

"They're all enjoying their time, thanks to you! Nagisa started teaching his very first class and Karma finally began working at the Ministry of Economics, Trade and Investment!"

"That's wonderful news~! Please tell Nagisa that if he ever needs advice, he can feel free to ask me!"

"Duty noted!"

When things turned towards the end, my class was supposed to take my life. I was at their mercy to that time…only for them to reject killing me. I wasn't sure how to respond at that time…so I didn't at first.

News then somehow slowly started to spread, on how the blast that was guaranteed to kill me would slaughter a group of teenagers who still had their lives before them. It caused a public outrage of unseen proportions.

One that changed everything.

The world leaders were so surprised at this turn of events and (in fear of their public opinion) quickly offered another solution to go around this. They demanded of my students to leave the area and not resist under any circumstance. Though, their will and determination led to the injuries of over a few dozen soldiers. The record went to Karma who managed to keep 17 or them down by himself.

I was still left too shell-shocked and exhausted to stop them from resisting. I didn't want to draw them into this, since the entire situation was created by my presence alone.

Still, when the troop leaders finally had enough and permitted the usage of stun rounds and such against my unarmed class, I was snapped out of my internal dilemma.

Would I have stopped them this day, they probably would never have forgiven me for doing so. Their pride was something that held a few them uplift, especially a certain red-haired genius who I had to trim down a few times in the past.

But if I had attacked the enemies that day, I would have disregarded them as well. So, I only did the logical solution that day…


"What are you doing!? THIS IS AGAINST YOUR PROMISE!"

I took away all of their fancy toys. Pepper spray included!

"Nurufufufu~! Certain not, my dear gentlemen! I was only forbidden from harming the members of 3-E and I don't believe that you're young enough to still be there~."

"You're resisting against the government and the law, so stop your students right now!"

I still remember their gazes, how they held so much compassion, so much worry at my exhausted state that day…I was proud to lead them this far, yet I knew my time was over then.

"Class, I know that you're doing this only for my sake…and that I could order you to stop this violent nonsense at once…"

They all looked like they wanted to break down that day…

"However…"

Yet there was always a glimmer of hope. The hope for them to take the reins.

"I gave you the tools for your success, may it be at assassination of life itself. With these, I could only give you my advice on top, so with all of these things combined from this day onward: CREATE YOUR OWN PATH TO SUCCESS!"

They didn't need to hear my words twice and instantly rushed into the action, defending me with everything they learned.

In the end, the leaders finally agreed on finding a more peaceful solution, seeing on how both other people's lives and their public picture was at stake...


"By the way, don't forget: 3-E will visit you today again!"

"...It's that time again, isn't it?"

"Yeah. 7 Years as of today."

Right…7 Years spent inside this little world that was now mine. 7 Years of my own fate that granted others peace and happiness once more.

7 Years where I could witness my fateful students' blossom and grow into adulthood.

As for why I'm still here where everything started, well…

I was permitted to live, given that I never dared to find a way out of this area and tried to free myself. Constant surveillance was a given, patrolling guards around the area with anti-me armor / guns as well. And the amounts of food that I was given was also heavily limited and supervised. A huge price for the freedom of my beloved 3-E.

Yet, it was thanks to Ritsu that my prison was turned into a silent home. Over time, she started to replay certain recordings for the cameras, changed the assignments for the area from many guards to just a few and even smuggled my favorite candies in here!

I, on the other hand, just decided to do things I always wanted to do in my free time. Sure, I was able to do so before this incident, yet there was nothing that bound my arms or legs in this little dream world.

So, teaching students was one of my main goals. Yet, thanks to some help here and there, I managed to publish a series of learning books, novels and even poems into the wide world under a fake name, date and publisher. All of them earned great success over time, becoming the norm for many schools out there. Even the one that I was once a part of...

"Should I already lower the entrance barrier for their arrival?"

"Not yet; first make sure that none of the other patrols are still around."

Also, I never was completely alone in here. Ritsu kept me updated on their activities, often sending me video feeds and pictures so I could witness their growth in full detail. It worked both ways, so I sometimes sent them little messages of my well-being.

And let's not forget on their yearly visits. Although I kept their classroom building in top condition over this time span, they still requested a way to see me at least a few times. Authorities quickly turned them down since I wasn't supposed to have any visits in the first place.

Though, let's not forget on what my dear class was capable of.

"Korosensei, they're here!"

"Good! Now you can lower the barriers around their position."

"Done. Do you want me to keep watch for new roaming patrols?"

"Please do."

6 visits. 6 times have they visited me without getting caught. Sure, a few times they were almost spotted but in the end they always managed to stay away from trouble. And every visit was more pleasant than the ones before.

Seeing them face to face in their grown state gave me an even bigger feeling of pride inside me. I couldn't have been happier by their visits, even if they risked too much trouble for them. I tried to scold them around the first times for their reckless behavior, yet they all refused to change about that.

It was probably the only thing that I couldn't properly teach during these years.

"They're almost here!"

"Alright, I'll go to the front entrance then~!"

Maybe I was a bit happy that they rebelled every time about it.

If it meant them visiting me once more, I could gladly overlook that.

"Hmm…what could we teach each other today? I wonder…"

Every lesson was a surprise, so who said that you'd have to be in school for that to happen?


(Fire Me): That's it lads. No more additions to this. I know it is damn short, yet you hopefully enjoyed it 'Shiranai Atsune'. As for everyone else, since this is done, I'll be back with focusing on my own stories again so the next Chapter of that will be published this week. I actually had fun writing this and want to thank you Shira for asking me to do this. It was a nice change of pace in itself and offered me some more experience!

About the depression-thing, don't worry! My updates will still be regular so don't even think about me quitting this! It'd be an insult to my honor as a writer if I'd even consider that. Until next time!

The Sir's out!