Welcome! And welcome back, to my previous readers.

Now, before we begin, I'd like to give one warning: while this is a sequel to my previous two works, it is perfectly readable without them. However, it will eventually bring up those events, and in particular, spoil the fate of any returning characters, of which there will be a small handful. I believe the work stands on its own, however.

Also, to avoid further confusion, as the fic revolves around Japanese characters, I use eastern name order and honorifics, so characters typically refer to each other by surname, EXCEPT in this prologue, which takes place between family members.

Sorry for the notes so early, but please, on with the show!

February 21st, 2011

"Toothbrush and toothpaste, check! Changes of clothes, check! Swimsuit? Maybe...check! DS and games, check! Camera, check! Cellphone, check! Pajamas...huh?"

The contents of the travel case were shuffled about as a pair of hands sifted through, attempting to rediscover what was lost. After nearly all the contents were emptied, the boy stood, scratching at his blue hair, mumbling, "Strange, I know I had them last night..."

Parting his blue hair, most of his bangs going between and around his teal eyes, except one that curved upward, the rest of his hair hanging slovenly to the nape of his neck, he looked around, trying to recall the missing information. He checked under his bed and behind his clothes hamper, but the room had been cleaned pretty thoroughly. His desk was in the usual state: an of organized mess of games, manga, and anime he preferred, but there were no pajamas there. He even checked the window, nearly blinding himself in the morning light. Looking down as he blinked the spots out of his eyes, he finally saw what he was looking for: the white folds dotted with sky blue and gold polka dots, the baggy sleeves loosely hanging, the buttons as white as the rest of the cloth.

Muttering to himself, Katsuragi Yaichi sighed, "Maybe I should get dressed first?"

In the span of a few minutes, Katsuragi resupplied his traveling case, including the formerly missing pajamas, before dressing himself at last, putting on his black sweats and white socks before throwing an indigo hoodie over top a light, long sleeved white shirt. Pulling up his sleeves, he checked the thin, worn, pink watch on his wrist, noting the time: 7:00.

Almost on cue, the alarm clock on his nightstand rang out, and he swiftly silenced it, before heading out and down the hall, slipping into the Kitchen for the last task of his morning. Slipping his watch into his pocket, washing his hands, and throwing on a white apron he began to go to work on breakfast.

It was not long before the sweet smell of pancakes wafted through the house. There were only two to be aroused by the scent though, as the boy's parents were out on business, and the house was going to be quieter than it had been in ages. He looked up as his current caretaker waddled in, an aged man with a bald scalp surrounded by grayed hair, only showing the faintest tints of blue. His beard was thin, framing his lips, and he wore a small pair of spectacles over his eyes, and a labcoat over his own set of plain pajamas.

Adjusting his spectacles, the old man, Katsuragi Seijiro noted, "Yaichi, you shouldn't be making breakfast: it's the weekend, you should be sleeping in!"

Yaichi smiled, laughing, "I always make breakfast grandpa! I have somewhere to be though..."

The man blinked as he sat down at the modest table, mumbling, "Did I sleep through Sunday? Is it Monday already? Where'd my son and daughter in law go!?"

"It's only Saturday, they're still on the business trip!" Yaichi responded in amusement. Seijiro was supposed to be taking care of them while their parents were gone, but it was probably the other way around.

Seijiro nodded, "Is that so? Well then...where are you going?"

"The school trip."

"Ahhh, right right. I had a class trip once," Seijiro noted.

Yaichi nodded, "Yeah, to the same place."

Crossing his hands over his chest, Seijiro mumbled in bewilderment, "Or did I?"

While Yaichi wasn't sure himself, he wouldn't have been surprised. Katsuragi Seijiro had lived a long life, and was an esteemed alumnus of Hope's Peak Academy, having been accepted to the 7th Class as the Super High School Level Neurologist, and was a true pioneer of the field.

Before they could continue their conversation, a third voice chimed in, "Morning." Yaichi looked over with a smile as he spotted his younger sister, the short girl taking a seat, clad in white pajamas with light pink and green polka dots, her head adorned in a matching sleeping cap that covered some of her blue hair, which fell to her shoulders, the bangs partially obscuring her eyes.

At the girl's appearance, Yaichi moved like the wind, grabbing plates before slinging food onto them, passing them out on the table along with the traditional dressings of syrup, butter, and jam. The slightly younger girl seemed to expect the prompt service, and simply took her silverware and began to eat without word.

Removing his apron and sitting himself, Yaichi smiled, noting, "You're up a little later than usual, Yumi-chan; what were you reading last night?"

Katsuragi Yumi answered, "I wasn't, I was watching that anime you wanted me to. It sucks, but give me the rest of the disks before you go. We can talk about it when you get back, I guess."

Smile widening, Yaichi nodded, "Absolutely." As he ate, he couldn't help but feel things couldn't be better in his life. He was a simple, 17 year old boy, school was no longer an obstacle, and he found more enjoyment in caring for his family than anything.

Not to say they were a normal family in the least: despite the normal breakfast, the previous night was no doubt filled with wonders for the two siblings. When they were younger, the two regularly shared their dreams with each other, before they began to master lucid dreaming, becoming the gods of their respective sleeping minds. The grandpa took notice, and they became the subject of willing experimentation, being studied in hopes of discovering more about humans, their sleep, and their dreams.

And Hope's Peak Academy had recognized that Talent: Katsuragi Yaichi had been accepted into Hope's Peak as the Super High School Level Dreamer. He could only hope they would offer that same Title to Yumi in coming years; after all, one whom graduates Hope's Peak is set for life, or so they say.

After the conclusion of the meal and the cleaning of plates, Yaichi gathered the last of his things, dropping of his sister's requested disks, before heading to the front door, slipping on his white and blue sneakers. As he turned to see his grandpa and sister, Yumi mumbled, "Well, later, I guess."

Pouting, Yaichi grumbled, "Don't be like that. Don't I get a hug before I go?"

Frowning, Yumi let out a groan, before muttering, "Fine, just one. A quick one."

The words had barely left her mouth when Yaichi leaned over, wrapping his short sister into a tight hug, arriving at his favorite place in the world, a usual wide smile crossing his face as he took in the softness.

After a moment, Yumi grumbled, "A quick one." Yaichi just laughed, not relinquishing his hold. After a few more moments, she further insisted, "Let go."

"You haven't even hugged me back yet!" Yaichi was usually selfless when dealing with his sister, but hugs were the one exception he gave himself. His grip tightened when his glee reached immeasurable levels when she clasped her arms around him for a full second before letting go: definitely longer than average.

"Now let go," Yumi pouted.

"No," Yaichi responded curtly.

Yumi whined, "But you're hurting me!"

Well aware of his own strength, Yaichi shook his head, "Nuh-uh."

As Yumi's cheeks puffed up, their Grandpa chimed in, "There's a spider in your hair."

Yumi nodded, "There's a spider in your hair."

"Ah! Where!?" Seijiro cried.

Yaichi laughed, "You're fine, grandpa!"

Yumi whined again, the tiny teenager still not free of her indigo prison. Though he wasn't quite done, he understood, and finally let go, Yumi swiftly hopping away, hiding behind their grandpa. Slightly bitter, she bid, "Bye."

Waving fiercely Yaichi replied, "Bye! See you when I get back!" As he moved out the door, he glimpsed his grandpa waving farewell as Yumi went off, Yaichi already counting the days when he would see her again.

One lazy day of napping and gaming later, the vehicle came to a stop with a loud hiss. The movement caused his silver handheld to clatter to the ground, waking the boy from his slumber. Realizing what had happened, he jumped with a start, reaching down frantically to grab his device, letting out a sigh of relief when he discovered that it was unharmed. Sturdy stuff! Looking around, the smell of salt hit his nostrils, he looked outside to see the orange dusklight, well aware that he had reached his destination.

As he gathered his things, he drew out one sturdy piece of paper in particular, giving it another look. Said page had been included with his acceptance letter: it was an invite. While finals and the end of the term in March were a short ways off, along with the graduation of the 76th Class over at Hope's Peak, Katsuragi and the rest of the upcoming 79th Class had been invited to a unique event. Here, in Muroran, they would be taking a cruise to an unknown spot with their Classmates, for an all-expenses-paid vacation just before the end of the school year! There was no doubt going to be some studying with finals coming up, but motivation would probably be at an all time low, given that they'd already been accepted to the best school in the world. Admittedly, Katsuragi hadn't done much research into his classmates, but he was still excited to meet them.

Passing through the bus doors he squinted against the light at the transport: a shiny white cruise ship a bit smaller than he imagined, with two stacks reaching for the sky and billowing smoke, and a number of windows lining the sides. The dock ended in a staircase that led up to the deck, allowing boarding. Where was the boat headed? Given that he didn't know, nor had he even taken one before, he was admittedly a tad anxious. Taking a breath, he began to make his way towards the staircase, ascending it, each step being taken with the clunk of his pack on the previous one.

As he arrived at the top, he took a breath as he made to look over the deck, wondering whom would be there to greet him. Hope's Peak staff? His future classmates?

As he wondered, he heard a voice greet, "Welcome, future Hope's Peak student!" The sudden sound startled him, as the voice was quite...odd, to say the least. It was simultaneously incredibly cutesy and robotic, like something was unreal about it. Briefly worried, he looked down, letting his sweat-jacket sleeve fall as he looked closely at his pink watch, trying to spot the word on the opposite side that would allow him to discern whether or not this was reality or dream fantasy, a unique problem that only he and his sister seemed to share, for the most part.

He couldn't quite make it, however, as the sinking feeling he received as his foot hit the air to the side of the staircase was quite real. His heart seemed to stop as his gaze went from his watch to the ocean below. As the foam came rushing to him, his pack in the air behind him, Katsuragi too mystified to even cry out, he could only wonder how in the world something could go that wrong?

As his senses began to swim, muddle, and bend, he knew only blackness as the cold overtook him.

Dozens of miles away, where the journey had begun, Katsuragi Seijiro stumbled his way through the house as his dear granddaughter had her usual nap a few rooms away. Reaching the front door, he cracked open a small hatch in the wall, revealing a small handful of papers. Flipping through the mail, he was prepared to place it with the rest of the letters to his son and daughter in law, but there was one not addressed to either of them; rather, it was to their oldest child, Yaichi.

The return address was listed as Hope's Peak Academy.

Blinking, Seijiro adjusted his small spectacles as he dared to open the letter, mumbling, "Now, that's strange..." Unfolding the paper within, the words printed nearly identical to the letter the elder received seventy-two years ago, he made his way to his grandson's room, hobbling over to the desk, where a nearly identical letter resided. However, there were two major differences.

The note just received had a return request: a simple postcard the student would send back to acknowledge that they would be enrolling in the next school year. It wasn't very often that anyone turned down an offer to school at Hope's Peak, but it did happen.

The other difference was in something that was missing. This duplicate letter had no advertisement for a certain voyage...