PROLOGUE
Warm Welcome, to the Academy of Despair
OST: Nightmare in Locker
I don't take kindly to loud noises, because I'm rarely exposed to them.
CLANG…!
But that in itself is another cause for worry, because it's bound to happen at some point or another.
CLINK… CLANG…!
So when it does, I'll have to handle the repercussions of my body straight on - not like I'd be able to anticipate when the next decibel hitting more than five fours of my usual intake is coming. Just like how the sound of dropping tools has been reverberating in my ears for the past minute.
CLANG…!
I've experienced some strange cases in my line of work, but I reckon it's going to be a tussle to deal with whoever's behind the curtains on this one. Being clumsy is still tethering on the edge of my acceptables, but if said person was trying to hit a world record for that, then I'd have to shift my viewpoint entirely. Actually, it doesn't look like the shadow noticed me yet, as it moved to a crouching position of sorts, presumably to pick up whatever it dropped once again. I maintained my position on the bed, gripping the edges tightly, hoping I wouldn't make any more sounds than the initial stir from my slumber.
"Hmm…?" The shadow suddenly shifts and jumps towards my only line of defense left before pulling it open.
OST: Finding Peace Party
I swear, if I wasn't more prepared I would have fainted right there and then. I didn't have very much else to look at so I couldn't help but find myself focused on her looks. Her brown hair was neatly combed down, with bangs just barely obscuring her eyes - a black clip held her right side neatly in place. Her dress sense seemed professional, consisting of a neatly ironed out cyan uniform and a darker shade of blue for the skirt, which was accompanied by a black belt around her waist. The space on the right of her uniform was occupied by 6 military badges, and on the left was a name tag which read, 'Haruka'. As for her physique though, let's just say I should stop staring at those military badges. At least I don't think she's a threat, but I'd sure like to know what is going on.
"I knew it. You're finally awake." She sighed, and backed away from my personal space. If she stayed there a second longer I would have been hard pressed for breathing. "I'm sure you're confused, but don't worry we all are."
"Yes, very," I said, before quickly spewing my thoughts. "Where am I? And what happened to me?" I stand up, bringing myself to her eye level, noticing that she's about as tall as I am, given that her heels added an inch or two. I wouldn't have assumed someone from the military would be wearing heels. The most probable conclusion I surmised about the situation was that I was being held captive for some reason. They should have cuffed my hands and legs to the bed if that were the case, like in the movies. I'm not going to resist though, since I doubt that'll end well.
Now that I'm able to peer out the curtains I quickly notice that the room was a nurse's office - like the one they have in schools. There's a consultation desk with a few metal tools strewn across the floor not very far from it, and a sink closeby as well. A couple of shelves attached to the walls found themselves lined with glass bottles and jars, and I thank god that none of them fell into her hands just yet. Quickly turning around, I noticed I was laid across a bed which I can say is far comfier than the one I have at home, even having the adjustability of a hospital bed. An oddity that I picked on up though, was that instead of windows they opted for giant metal sheets bolted in place to the walls. If that didn't convince me that this was a concentration camp, nothing would.
"I… actually don't know either," The girl started, pulling me away from attention of the room. "Who're you, and where are we…?" That's a very good question, and the same one that I asked in the first place huh?
Well… let me try to at least recall what happened before I found myself here…
OST: Cool Morning
It wasn't by luck or chance that I received the letter that day. Every year, 16 students are sent letters by Hope's Peak Academy, an institution which seeks out the best of the talented in the country. These students would go on to become influential leaders and successful pioneers in their fields of expertise, shaping the world and progressing mankind towards a greater hope. And this year, I was one of them.
My talent didn't come easily, but at the same time it can be said to be tangible as well. It all started with my sister when she fell into a strange depression a few years back. The medical experts on the field determined nothing wrong with her, and thus couldn't develop a solution for her.
I poured hours of research and even quit school just to immerse myself into the world of psychology, and had medicine work on the side in the hopes of finding a cure. I even delved into multiple layers of depression to experience firsthand what it truly begets. I guessed that messed up my brain a little, since I developed hypersensitivity for loud noises in the process of doing so. The hypersensitivity made me easily irritated and stressed by noises, and when I hit a breaking point, my body starts to spasm of its own will. But it was for a good cause.
She's all well now, and I'm labelled as the Ultimate Psychologist for that reason.
It's a bit far fetched and funny to me, how one's pursuits of their own goals can bring them here. But I'm not going to let it go to waste, as I'm determined to continue working hard to prove a point. I'm going to carry on all my family, friends and teachers hopes on me.
I finally arrived. Before me was a brown building, darkened by shades of black shadows thrown across by a sunny day. The famous emblem confirmed it to be the academy that everyone knows and adores. I'm tense with anticipation, and I couldn't wait to experience my new school life. I heard it'd be hard, but it'll all be worth it in the end. With my 15 other friends, we'd be able to push through this year together as a class, I'm sure of it.
Hope's Peak Academy.
I pushed open the door with slightly sweaty hands, but I couldn't see anything beyond that. It was all black, there was nothing in sight. Is a welcoming party of sorts awaiting us? I'm starting to get tired. Maybe I stayed up too late last night anxious for whatever today might bring. Maybe I ate too much for breakfast. I think I might just…
Pass out.
Music halts
"...!" I jolt back to reality finding the girl still standing before me, with her head tilted to the side as if peering into my eyes for some form of answer. "I-I remember now, I passed out upon entering the school."
"... pass out?" She repeated, and shrugged her shoulders stiffly. "Because that's what happened to everyone too. At least we're not alone. I was put in charge of taking care of you so here I am."
"Wait, did you just say we're not alone?" I raised my hands up, still unable to fully comprehend the situation. "And that you're from Hope's Peak too? And that the rest of the students also passed out upon entering the school?"
"Oh yes." She sighed, and walked to fully open the blue curtains surrounding the bed. "I'm guessing we're in Hope's Peak, and that this is their idea of an entrance ceremony."
"I had the same idea too. But isn't this… wrong?" I continued, as I helped pick up the tools that were on the ground. They were cold to touch, but this reinforced the fact that it was a reality that we were drugged for some reason or another. "Anyway, I'm Kuda Kou, Ultimate Psychologist." I offer my hand and quickly regret my decision as she almost breaks my wrist with an equivalent. I'm still curious about what her talent is so let's see what she has to offer.
"Pleased to meet your acquaintance Kou. I'm Sanai Haruka, Ultimate Stewardess." I hear something beeping in my pocket, so I stuff my hand into it, pulling out a black and white tablet of sorts. I don't remember this being in my possession but I don't think it matters for now. Booting up the screen I quickly notice my own mug staring right back at me, in a regular school uniform, with a black tie and a 2 block cut with my gray hair. My hair was originally gray in colour but I'd like to say it turned grayer with the stress I accumulated over the years.
Not wanting to stare at myself any further, I shifted the screen to another tab, which had Haruka's profile in it this time. The first thing I noticed is how they reveal not only her height and weight but also her likes and dislikes… even her bust size. I'm not going to comment on that, as I confirmed her title to be the "Ultimate Stewardess".
"You're a stewardess?" I blurted out, as she sighed once more and nodded in response. Don't blame me, military badges, firm handshakes, anyone would have thought she would be something like the Ultimate Soldier.
"Yes, I am." She nods, then starts pointing to her badges which I respectfully declined to look at, as she yonders off on her own. Is my face starting to turn red? "These badges are a testament to that, not only were they a gift of recognition, but they serve as a continuous reminder that I must uphold excellence in service to my passengers, and brace for whatever may happen."
"That's…" I struggled to think of a word. "Respectable." I think it sufficed, since her expression loosened up, and she let out a faint smile.
"Have you ever heard of the 11037 plane crash?"
"Well… yeah." How could I not remember? Back in the day, everyone was talking about it: how a mere passenger evacuated and kept the remaining survivors alive for 11 days while awaiting rescue. It reminded me of an Indian boy stranded with a tiger at sea but that's a story for another day.
"Yes. I was that girl in that incident. I still shiver occasionally thinking about the days spent on end without knowing when help would ever come…" Yea, I would too if I were in your shoes. Must have been an experience of a lifetime. "Anyway, we should meet the others. I'm sure they'd be happy to meet another classmate and potential friend." Up till now, she still sounds formal, and I can tell that she's putting up a brave facade, but we'll see how things progress over time.
OST: Sudden Beautiful Lie
"I suppose so. I'd like to find out more about what happened to everyone else if anything…" As I finished my sentence, she opened the door and beckoned to follow her into the hallway, and as I stepped into the open I could almost immediately confirm that this was an academy, if not Hope's Peak. I saw several rooms on the side but those weren't our destination as she continued to trot down the corridor. I must imagine how hard it must be for girls to wear those shoes and honestly wished for her to take them off, because the complimentary clicks and clacks were getting on my side.
"Where are we going?" I asked, as she turned around. I was expecting a death glare of sorts, but instead she just gave me a smile.
"To find the others, in the cafeteria."
I hope we're there soon, because I'm close to my breaking point about now. All of a sudden she stops in her tracks, gesturing for me to enter the room before us. "We're here. You can find some of our classmates inside. I'm sure you'll get along well, since we're all equally weird." I don't want to label myself quite yet, but I'll have to see for myself her definition of 'weird' before I make any decisions. I take some time to collect my thoughts, then turn to the double doors where I'll be meeting some of my potential classmates. Hopefully they'll be able to shed some light on the entire situation...
(AN: This is my first SYOC story ever, and I'm really excited to see what it holds. I've always been solo character and world building, so this is quite the change for me - hopefully a positive one. I will be nitpicking on OC details and such, and sad to say only the best of applications will be chosen.
I'm sticking to Japanese names similar to the game, but I'm also open to at least one with an English name - they had one of those in every version. This is because I'm leaning towards sticking with the game's settings. Below is the format for submission, which I would accept either via PM, or on a review basis. (Preferably PM since you wouldn't want to spoil your own OC)
Form -
NAME:
AGE (16-18):
HEIGHT:
WEIGHT:
LOOKS (Hair colour, clothes, specifics):
GENDER:
ULTIMATE TALENT:
PERSONALITY:
BACKSTORY (Tragic, funny, whatnot):
MOST LIKELY TO BE (Culprit/Victim):
ROLE IN TRIALS (Active, Passive, etc):
LIKES:
DISLIKES:
A few other relevant notes:
+ There are 14 spots. EDIT: Only 3 spots remain, 2 females and 1 male.
+ Your OC will be put under rigorous breakdown, and harsh comments will be given to potential OCs. The comments only serve to better your character, and it also means you have a higher chance of making the cut.
+ If your character is found out to have been one of the OCs in other fics, it will be nulled/voided.
+ The mastermind MIGHT or MIGHT NOT be one of the 16 students, and do not submit an OC for a mastermind. I will reject it. In short, I'll be deciding whether I can plop the mastermind in one of the OCs depending on what I imagine him/her to be, or not at all.
+ You can submit up to 3 characters of your own, but everyone only gets one character chosen, if not at all.
+ Submissions end in 1 week (22/3/2018), by then I'll fill in the rest with my own OCs (if I don't receive very much applications).
Again, this is going to be my first SYOC, and I'm interested to see how things pan out. I already have the general plot in mind so it's up to you to fill in that character spot. And sorry if I'm being too nitpicky, I really believe it's in the story's best interest to do so.
Thanks!)