Disclaimer: Kuroko no Basuke is not mine.

Welcome to Pentimento!

Hello there and a big thanks for taking the time to check out this dear fan fiction of mine. I know the summary closed in an ominous style, but it's a mostly light-hearted story, although there will be heavy, serious moments and events that will occur. The full summary can be viewed on my profile, if you're interested. Also a fun fact is that the name of this chapter phase is based off the 1966 movie, The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly.

Please note that all canon characters will be referred to in script by last name, while all original characters will be by first names (there is one exception in this first chapter); in dialogue, both canon and original characters will refer to each other based on personalities and relationship. I will also be using the Japanese suffixes -san, -kun, -chan, -sama, -dono, -senpai, -sensei, -nee, and -nii in spoken dialogue only.

On that final tidbit, please enjoy!

(Edited: 4/29)

This chapter warning (s): foul language galore, crude humor/threats, and a bit of violence

Phase One

The Good, the Bad, and the Superior

Rotund and stark white, the moon hung high in a backdrop of contrasting black, stars, innumerable and remote, strikingly iridescent. The shimmering opaque light from the nocturnal orb spread, cascading onto an enormous, aesthetically designed manor and spilling through the glass of an arched window into a large room where a Bornholm longcase stood tall and magnificent; vainly saturating in the pearl luster of the eventide, rhythmic ticking whispered from its hollow compartment in a languorous routine.

Accompanying the old grandfather clock in this quiet space, settled at an exquisite mahogany desk, was a young man bordered by a veritable library, lofty shelves comprised of various works ranging from Old English romances of the Renaissance Era to ancient, historic Japanese war accounts of feuding lords and belligerent samurai. His latest perusal, To Kill a Mockingbird — a classic masterpiece infamous for its compelling tale on the origins of human nature — occupied his evening. Engrossed with the unusual literary elements the novel presented and weaved throughout its pages, his uncanny heterochromatic eyes never strayed from the black and white script even as the silent chamber was breached by three successive knocks.

"Enter," he instructed, refined voice resonating.

An indistinct click of a rotating doorknob followed upon authorization and the entry to the habitation was opened, revealing a petite woman dressed in servile attire. Her coffee brown eyes secured on the articulate teen with hair the color of freshly spilled blood.

"Akashi-sama," She bowed, deep and courteous, short wisps of dark hair falling about her face. "Forgive me for intruding on your private studies. Your father has returned here from his emergency conference in Nīgata and is requesting your immediate presence."

For the first time in some hours, the marginally worn volume was lowered, his consideration diverting to this unforeseen bid for audience as silence seized the room, in which the sole sound emanating from the ivory timepiece marking each indolent second could be perceived once more. Scarlet and orange-gold eyes tapered indistinctly, a spark of emotion flaring within those unfathomable depths; it was rather atypical for his austere father to call upon him, let alone return to his Kyoto manor without any preceding notification.

Something was surely amiss.

The English novel resting in the sturdy grip of his pale hands was tersely shut and laid flat on the glossy desk surface. With an infallible eloquence that bespoke of his cultured upbringing, he rose, an inaudible breathe escaping past his lips.

"Very well, Kina."

The light chiming of a pendulum resounded as the haughty antique guardian of time faithfully struck upon the ninth hour.

Overcast weather on an early June morning greeted the contemporary steel gray structure of Rakuzan High School. Within its proud, esteemed walls, an assembly of four unique individuals paced together toward their respective classes. Incoming peers made certain to offer them a respectable berth as they entered the extensive main hall on the first level.

"There will be no mandatory practice this Friday."

The statement was unexpected and firm. Casual conversation occurring amongst the three tallest teenagers came to a swift termination, thorough astonishment befalling them.

"…What?" A male with outstandingly long eyelashes that would render any girl envious, stared at their leader, barely concealed disbelief shining in his viridian eyes. "You can't be serious, Sei-chan?"

"I have no need to be deceptive, Reo."

"Seriously awesome!" exclaimed a robust blonde beside Mibuchi, embracing the cancellation without protest. "I'm so hitting the arcade!"

"Heh, well that new steak restaurant nearby looked good, so that's where I'll be."

"Really, dude?" Hayama snorted at the dark-skinned member of their motley group. "Is meat the only thing on your mind?"

"Of course," Nebuya grunted, stretching out his muscular limbs. "Where do you think this herculean strength comes from? An all-natural meat diet!"

"Hmph," Mibuchi primly flipped his hair. "Well I, for one, am going to book an appointment at the hair salon. I've been overdue for a trim to keep the ends from splitting. You should too."

Nebuya and Hayama both rolled their eyes at the black-haired teen's suggestion; as if they'd be caught doing something as frivolous as that.

"So what exactly is happening that day, Sei-chan? It's something significant, I assume?"

"Yes." Akashi glanced at Mibuchi, recalling the terse exchange that had occurred in the previous night. "My father is attending an important event that dictates my presence as well."

Indeed, a long standing affiliate of his father, one Matsuoki Hitomu, had sequestered reservations at a luxury hotel in the evening to host a private celebration for the 25th anniversary of his establishment, the acclaimed Matsuoki Brokerage Firm. As the current CEO of the well renowned Real Estate Company and son of its founder, Hitomu was a prominent figure in not only the corporate industry, but among the wealthy as well. Naturally, the Akashi household and several other affluent lineages were solicited to the exclusive, grandiose gathering.

"Eh? Like a party?" Hayama pondered, his eyes quickly brightening. "How exciting! Imagine all the fancy food that will be served!"

"Yeah."

A carnivorous grin worked its way across Nebuya's lips as he fantasized gorging himself on top tier meats, viscous drool gathering at the corners of his mouth to Mibuchi's revulsion.

"How barbaric! Don't make such an unsavory expression in public!"

"Aah? What the heck is your problem?"

"Your disgusting conduct is my problem, you muscle bound gorilla!"

"I'm going to have to agree with Reo-nee, here," Hayama chortled. "No one wants to see that."

The scarlet-haired prodigy disregarded the continual antics of his eccentric teammates, accustomed to their foolhardy bantering in the weeks he spent associating with them. As peculiar as they were, he retained a high level of respect for the three Uncrowned Kings; they were surprisingly reliable and he'd yet to find any fault with them on the court as they obeyed his instructions without hesitation the instant he assumed the position of head captain.

"Sei-chan agrees as well, right?"

Although, he mused momentarily, looking back at them, he'd rather not be involved in their inane disputes. "Eikichi, control yourself."

The blue-eyed male grunted an affirmative and Mibuchi looked gratified, displaying a fond smile to the younger teen.

"Thanks, Sei-chan, I—"

"Akashi Seijūrō!" interjected a shout opposite to the Rakuzan regulars.

The Uncrowned Kings hesitated in their commute to class at the brazen outcry, the person of interest also coming to a standstill. Mismatched eyes over his shoulder, Akashi leisurely searched for the source and noted a shift in the throng of students flooding the corridor — forcefully barging through the horde was a solitary girl, those in her direct path hastening to evade collision while tossing her apprehensive glances. Catching a glimpse of her impending countenance, the youngest teen immediately sensed an inbound headache.

"…Oh, not her," Mibuchi lamented, a slender hand brushing across his forehead. "It's too early for this."

Akashi would be dishonest if he didn't harbor a similar sentiment as he fully turned to confront the upcoming nuisance termed Matsuoki Rie, the only daughter of Hitomu and his wife, Yurika. He'd had the misfortune of being acquainted with her in his second year at Teikō Junior High at one of his father's annual festivities concluding a fruitful fiscal year. A mutual loathing was proven unsurprising, given her antagonistic and fickle nature clashing with his charismatic and purist character. In spite of their evident differences, she, like all others, held an undeniable respect for the savant basketball captain, albeit begrudgingly in her case.

Academically inclined, ranking in the top twenty in the Kyoto district, and partaking in three diverse extracurricular activities, Matsuoki Rie perpetrated the faultless Rakuzan image of a disciplined, model student. Her temperament, however, left much to be desired and granted immutable credibility of her continued misconduct. In the span of two months, she was a common subject of both educators and students alike, animated dialogues and whispered gossips regaling her countless transgressions during the semester, from her spouting vulgar language to being involved in genuine physical skirmishes in and outside of school territory. How she remained unsuspended and off the expulsion record to this day was still perplexing, though he supposed, like himself, being from a prosperous family foiled the customary processes as those with a prominent background were ordained leniency, circumstantial, of course, but it was a reasonable likelihood.

Idle chatter and gossip fell to a muted buzz, intrusive students with bated breath lingering to observe what would transpire between the emperor and delinquent of Rakuzan High. She stood before them, several inches shorter yet utterly audacious in her stance, black tie indecently loosened, school blazer unbuttoned, inner shirt unsecured.

Flinging absurdly long wine purple locks over her right shoulder, Rie eyed Akashi with a particular reluctance. "You know about the gala, right?" Not waiting for him to respond, she continued, "Aside from appropriate attire, you also have to take a companion."

"I am aware," he assured her with a blasé stare.

"Oh, really?"

"Unquestionably," Akashi countered with a genteel half-smile. "You too, are also obligated."

Irritation flickered across her face.

"I have a boyfriend," she retorted, miffed at his bold jab. "Problem solved. Where does that leave you?"

"Whom will be accompanying me is certainly none of your business, is it, Rie?"

"Ha?! Why you—!" She cut herself off, teeth clenched, expression contorting as startling anger rendered her flabbergasted; it was painfully simple, Akashi had long discovered, to rile the miscreant girl.

As if tending to an unruly child throwing a tantrum, he patiently waited for retaliation, witnessing the ugly way her lips curled, the hostile manner in which eyes of scorching silver sharpened, glittering with an inherent malice. However, in a display entirely out of her character, Rie stalked past Akashi and his teammates without remark, stopping only to rudely shove a boy that bumped into her, and persisted onward even as the well-meaning student fumbled with a sincere apology.

At her brisk departure, the hallway erupted in an enthusiastic babble of conversation rife with whispers centered on the apparent event that the emperor and delinquent girl were allegedly attending.

"…Well," Mibuchi released a breath after a moment. "This time she didn't cause a scene. Honestly I'm surprised."

"She's cool with me." Hayama grinned at the disappearing figure of the long-haired student, lifting his arms and crossing them behind his head. "Sometimes we go skateboarding on weekends at the park."

"Impossible! How can you endure that — that supposed girl who utterly lacks feminine charm?"

"That's what makes her appealing," remarked Nebuya, favoring her dominant disposition.

Mibuchi looked affronted. "Nonsense! Girls are supposed to be delicate, fragile beings."

The burly teen stroked his short beard thoughtfully, mumbling, "Maybe she forgot she was a girl."

"You're an idiot, Nebuya."

Hayama laughed at the bickering duo and then looked to Akashi who had already resumed ahead of them to his destination.

"Oi! Who are you taking anyway?" he called out.

Akashi paused at the doorway to his seminar. "Kotarō, class will begin in less than two minutes and your homeroom is the furthest." And he vanished inside without further comment.

The blonde sulked at the stoic teen's curt dismissal of his inquiry, until he glanced at the round clock hanging adjacent on the wall. Jaw dropping, he scrambled forward.

"Crap, he wasn't joking!"

"When does Sei-chan ever joke?"

As always, the closing lesson had a soporific effect on the negligent teen, the teacher's nondescript tone further augmenting her dullness. Indifferent to the possible consequences, Matsuoki Rie whipped out her cell phone and scrolled through her scarce contacts in the hopes of mitigating her tedium.

'So damn bored right now.' She quickly keyed to her most frequent contact, pale face cradled in the palm of her unoccupied hand. 'I'm skipping this class lesson tomorrow.'

Moments later, her cell vibrated, blue LED light blinking.

'We've talked about you messaging me during instruction hours. And please reconsider that last part.'

An amused smile quirked on Rie's lips, sharp eyes softening; always, whenever she conversed with this precise individual, a spellbinding fondness overcame her, pooling within her chest like melting gold.

'Alright, I got you. Today is Wednesday. Are you up for our usual afterschool?'

'Of course.'

Rie grinned at the conformation on the bright touch screen and happily typed her response.

'See you then.'

Pressing the lock button, the long-haired girl slipped her cell back in the pocket of her blazer, stifling a drowsy yawn while extending stiff limbs. Rie folded her arms on top of the school desk and rested her head, right cheek touching the cool surface of the lacquered wood. Her idle gaze locked on the view outside and she was pleased to have bullied the coveted window seat in the back from one of her more pathetic classmates; the dreary morning weather had cleared and the sky was now dyed a brilliant summer blue, clinquant rays shining through, warming the air conditioned classroom.

Ah, it was there, again.

That peculiar sentiment — a hazy longing to be outdoors instead of this cramped space, slumbering under the comforting shade of a towering tree. Somehow, the rampant storm that constantly raged within her, the untamable tempest that she swore and lived by always seemed to be soothed by the halcyon heavens in the same manner that person continuously assured. Eyes of cold steel relaxed and fluttered shut, lulled by the bright, warm sunlight encompassing her. Her languid awareness wandered, without warning replaying to her past encounter with a certain redhead and straightaway, her serene expression vanished, a malevolent emotion marring her visage in its place.

Akashi Seijūrō.

How she completely loathed him. From his authoritarian disposition to his infuriating cognizance of seemingly any and everything under the broad sky — virtually everything about the impeccably dubbed emperor vexed her to no end. With their divergent natures, cordiality, even in its simplest form, was a definite impossibility; she'd acknowledged the incontestable fact the precise instant of their ill-fated encounter back in junior high, the lone attachment interlinking them being her father's liaison with his.

Someday, someway, though, she'd get even with the autocratic bastard. And when she did, it would be an absolute victory.

'Ha! See what I did there?' Rie thought condescendingly, mouth warped into a foul smirk. 'Take that you pretentious prick, I'll use your favorite word against you!'

A bell-like ringing interrupted her rancorous machinations, the pitch reverberating throughout the walls of Rakuzan, concluding the school day. Grinning manically, Rie was out of her seat in a heartbeat.

"Later, bitches."

Contrary to popular belief, Matsuoki Rie wasn't as scary as students made her out to be...at least that's what second year Kugimiya Ayaka wanted to believe as she neared said girl's class, tense expression and quivering lips betraying any previous indication that she didn't dread confronting the younger girl, if only moderately.

Rakuzan High had been reasonably peaceful until the admission of two new students, the foremost being Akashi Seijūrō. Never had one single student better tailored to their prevailing motto,"Accomplishment in both letters and arms" — he was the epitome of the core foundation the elite institute held firm and unremittingly strived towards with his unchallenged scholarly results (number one in the entire region of Kansai) and incredibly superior aptitude in basketball.

She had not been ready.

It had been a near guarantee for Ayaka to attain one of the most venerated positions in any school: the Student Committee president. She had been under the relentless tutelage of the former, a third year girl who had graduated, as her projected successor. Throughout the course of her first year, Ayaka struggled to overcome her timid nature, resolved to the assignment granted to her; she joined the swimming club and did her best to mingle with students of all years, silently binding her time in her training and studies.

Then, the start of her second year, dynamic rumors circulated, spreading like wild fire across campus of an extraordinary first year with a predisposed virtuosity for academics and basketball; amazingly, he had clear designs on the desirable status she herself had applied for, though fresh from junior high school.

She remained untroubled.

Her pious faith in the school body emboldened the characteristically introverted second year; she was pleasant and relatively well liked among the majority and myriad of them had all but assured the girl that she reserved their pledge in the upcoming election. Uncommonly confident, Ayaka had poised on the podium the day of the committee selections and bequeathed an inspiring speech on her principal motivations, how she intended to fulfill the imperative role, and the fundamental methods she would employ to provide an enhanced school year for all. Upon concluding her speech, the packed room broke out in approving applause and, satisfied, she exited the platform, brushing past her scarlet-haired competition with a civil nod.

She hadn't stood a chance.

Within minutes, he had pulled the proverbial rug underneath her feet and it was wholly undisputed that he would claim the premier position of all the school committees, reinforced by the deafening sanction of the assemblage of students. Crushed and dejected, Ayaka had intended to properly abdicate from the race when he had approached her after the rally. She stood, bewildered, as he clarified his desire for her to assume the vice presidency station. A nasty feeling of animosity mixed with jealousy threatened to surface — but when she met his self-assured gaze, any words of bitterness fled her. She couldn't refute that he truly was the optimal candidate; more captivating, more confident than she could ever feasibly aspire to be.

She settled with the "consolation prize".

Today was the first day Ayaka regretted accepting the spot; a rendezvous was being held after classes ended and the time it was scheduled to ensue had altered to an earlier interval. Being allotted with the second highest position, she was tasked with disclosing this to all members that were apportioned key positions, including Matsuoki Rie, the current treasurer, as the redhead was too preoccupied to do so himself. Although she hadn't interacted too much with the first year girl, the shy vice president was well aware of her troublesome reputation.

Before Ayaka knew it, she had arrived at the door to Rie's classroom. Taking a deep breath to collect her frayed nerves, she stepped in slightly, hovering underneath the door frame.

"Excuse me, but is Matsuoki-san here?"

"Huh? Y'mean the delinquent girl?" A dark-haired male student with ice blue eyes spoke up, glancing at her. "Nah, she left the second the bell rung."

"Ah, is that so?" Ayaka grimaced, unease creeping on her face. If she didn't locate Rie before the meeting initiated, there would be, put simply, hell to pay. "Any indication on where she went?"

"Who knows?" He shrugged. "I can never read that girl."

"R-Right…" Ayaka mumbled with a slight blush; she couldn't very well expect anyone else to fathom the intense, unpredictable first year when she couldn't herself. "Thanks, I appreciate the information."

"No worries."

Ayaka bowed and backed out the class, mentally fretting the whereabouts of the absent treasurer; she did not want to appear remiss in her responsibilities to Akashi…that and she was downright terrified of facing his wrath should she fail in a duty he himself had assigned to her. A fleeting image of his taciturn eyes and disproving expression had her knees quaking, throat constricting as she stuttered out a feeble apology (an inadequate excuse before him no doubt) to the vacant hall.

"Hey, vice-president!" Ayaka jumped, biting back a yelp as the same student popped his head out the door, waving his hand energetically. "The delinquent girl left her notes here."

"O-Oh." Placing a hand over her overexcited heart, she let out a shaky sigh. "I-I see…"

She walked back inside and the boy was near a desk in the back — Rie's seat — retrieving the forgotten item. With a relaxed grin, he headed back to the older girl and handed it to her; it was orange, Ayaka vaguely noticed, and opened, she could see neat, comprehensive hand writing centered on the lesson. It was still shocking to see that the girl deemed a delinquent was actually a diligent student.

"Since I have to find Matsuoki-san, I will return it to her as well."

The remaining cabal of students gaped at the second year girl, overhearing, in their honest judgment, her suicidal intentions.

"Don't do it, Senpai! We like you and you're still young!"

"Yeah, it's a death wish!"

"Poor Kugimiya-senpai! Why would you have her face that horrid Matsuoki, Ogasawa-kun?!"

"Well like she said, she has to find her anyway," he explained with a nonchalant grin. "Plus, Senpai sees her all the time when the student meetings are held."

"Yeah but Akashi-san is there and he's the only student she really respects, grudgingly or not, so she won't try anything funny."

"You're not scared?" one girl interrupted suddenly. "She's so vile."

"W-What?" Although she had a wariness of the fierce girl from the rumor mill, Ayaka didn't particularly dislike Rie. "There's nothing to be scared of. Matsuoki-san is a Rakuzan student like us. She can't be all bad."

"Ehh!?"

Pandemonium ensued, the upsurge of noise rising further as the clamorous students rapidly fired out their opinions mixed with instances of the delinquent's behavior.

"You've got to be joking, Kugimiya-senpai, that Matsuoki is trouble with a capital T!"

"Yeah, what he said! A few days ago, she bummed my favorite chips from me before class as she threatened to literally castrate me!"

"Literally was pointless to add," a blonde student scoffed. "Of course it's literal, it's an action!"

"Shut up, stupid!"

"Yeah, says the actual stupid one."

"You starting—"

"Let's stick to the topic at hand here!"

"Oh right…but yeah that Matsuoki is super vicious!"

"Hey, did anyone see or hear what she did to Motokawa-senpai just yesterday?"

"Oh my God, yes!" a brunette dramatically gasped. "I didn't think the poor girl would ever stop crying!"

"I wouldn't stop if I'd been in her shoes either; getting your skirt flipped up in front of the guy you like is so humiliating, especially in her case."

"I know, right? She totally chose the wrong day to go commando."

"Seriously, who the hell even does that when wearing a skirt?"

"And last week, that Matsuoki kicked me in the face because I accidentally spiked a ball in her face during P.E. free play!" one abject student nasally whined above the uproar.

"You kind of had that coming," Ogasawa remarked with a short laugh.

"…Well she totally broke my nose."

"Everyone, please!" Ayaka intervened before more could speak up, mind reeling from the boisterous prattles of at least seven different students. "A-As I said, Matsuoki-san is a still student like us and…as her upperclassman, I will do what's right."

The first years stared at their senior in hushed surprise and awe until a loud clap shattered the silent atmosphere; Ogasawa was giving her an encouraging nod with a thumbs up.

"You tell'em, Kugimiya-senpai!" he exclaimed, a cheeky grin plastered on his face. "I knew there was a reason I wanted you as president instead of that strange Akashi-san…ah, but don't tell him I said that…I like my place on the basketball team very much."

"Um, t-thank you…and of course…"

Blushing madly at her passionate outburst, she nodded to him and dashed out the classroom before anyone else could object. The student with the broken nose glanced at Ogasawa, a confused look on her face.

"You play basketball?"

The heels of her black loafers clicked against the polished floors as Ayaka searched for the long-haired girl, a focused air surrounding her small frame. Briefly, her thoughts flashed to her sudden defense of Matsuoki Rie, wondering why she even bothered to try and salvage her name; it's not like the first year would care otherwise, quite the contrary actually, given her caustic self-made reputation. It had been a useless effort…and yet—

"Hey there, cutie."

Ayaka wavered as she descended down a short flight of stairs, noticing two upperclassmen loitering at the bottom. Swallowing her distinctive nervousness, she inclined her head in customary politeness and produced a tenuous smile.

"G-Good evening, senpai."

"Where you headed?" the same boy asked, his eyes unabashedly roving her slim, well-endowed figure.

"A-Ah, well," A shudder ran down her spine and she forced herself to pretend she didn't see the lewd action, averting her gaze. "I'm just trying to find someone for our Student Committee meeting."

The taller of the two, the one who had been silent, spoke up, "Oh yeah, aren't you the VP?"

"Y-Yes, I am." She nodded her head, absently twisting the ends of her cream colored side ponytail, a habit born out of jittery nerves.

"Cool. Say, you want to chill with us later?" questioned the more talkative senior.

"N-no thank you," she shyly declined. Her eyes flickered past the two, wondering if perhaps she could squeeze past them and continue onward. "I really s-should be going."

"Aw, come now, cutie," The brown-haired senior advanced towards her, blocking her from going any further down the last five steps. "I'm being real nice here."

"Aragi, knock it off, man," The other teen, a sandy blonde, looked unwilling to pester the timid girl, his expression undeniably awkward. "She's not interested."

"Shut it, Kitsuta," the brunet hissed. "It just takes a bit of convincing with these types."

At those words, a memory from long, long ago, resurfaced, unbidden — a deep-rooted fear, pricked at her skin, threading through her afflicted mind like thin needles, piercing and white hot, rendering her immobile as the irrational sensation was unwittingly sowed like a drab texture. Her breathing grew labored, cold perspire collecting on her brow as pure panic possessed her and clouded her better judgment of the situation.

"Please, s-stop," she appealed, the beginnings of an attack seizing her chest, "I…I c-can't—"

"Look, just come karaoke with us," Aragi interrupted, oblivious of the girl's bleak predicament.

Eyes dilating, the cream-haired girl clutched the front of her shirt with a ragged wheeze as she swayed dizzily, her lungs struggling to intake oxygen. It felt like the walls surrounding her were descending upon her like birds of prey, slowly closing in and crushing her with vice-like strength.

"Wait a sec," Kitsuta paled at her rapidly deteriorating condition. "Something's not right with her!"

"What — oh…shit," Aragi, eyes incredulous and wide, took a cautious step up. "Are you — gah!"

He gave a startled yell as the back of his blazer was fisted and he was bodily thrown backwards without preamble, crashing hard onto the bottom of the stairway. Dumbfounded at the sudden assault, Kitsuta momentarily forgot the hyperventilating vice-president and gaped down at his collapsed friend. Looking back upward, he locked eyes with the perpetrator who had seemingly appeared out of thin air without their awareness.

All color drained from his face.

"M-Matsuoki…"

Standing a single step lower than where Aragi once stood was the sought after delinquent, a downright murderous expression blackening her face.

"You're in my way."

Kitsuta flinched at the sheer anger loaded in her acerbic tone and immediately raised his hands up in clear submission, seeking to placate the incensed girl that looked one violent step away from ripping them to shreds with her bare hands.

"Ch-Chill, Matsuoki, we're—"

"Ow!" Aragi groaned as he propped himself up on his elbows, glowering at the first year. "What the hell, you stupid bitch!"

"The fuck you just call me?!"

And with that Kitsuta knew any chance they'd had to calm the delinquent girl had spiraled down the drain faster than lightening. Outraged, Rie trudged down the remaining steps and glared up at brunet senior who had risen and matched her expression, towering over the delinquent.

"You picking a fight with me, asshole?!"

"With you?" Aragi scoffed, ignorant of the bellicose nature of girl before him. "As if you'd hardly — augh!"

For the second time, he found himself impacting the floor, this time sporting a swelling cheek and badly busted lip from a swift punch. Gingerly, Aragi touched his painfully bruised lip, the pungent taste of iron in his mouth and saw that dark red stained his fingers. Astonished not only at her blatant savagery, but also the staggering strength in which she had slugged him, the senior gawked at the sixteen year old girl, cringing at the ardent leer on her face as she rolled up the sleeves of her blazer.

"Where do you want your balls to go after I rip them off?"*

Both senior's blanched at that portentous proposal and Kitsuta knew that she almost always carried out her aggressive threats (okay, so maybe she wouldn't do exactly as she stated, but they were defiantly susceptible to getting their asses beaten).

"M-Matsuoki, he honestly didn't mean it!" Reliable to a fault, Kitsuta covered for his problematic friend as he aided the now terrified shorter teen back on his feet. "We'll take our leave and I promise we won't say anything about this."

With unabashed haste, the upperclassmen fled the scene, extremely desperate to put great distance between themselves and the first year who endangered their precious manhood. Rie scowled at their retreating figures, a frustrated look appearing on her face.

"That's it?" she groused, pulling down the sleeves of her gray blazer. "Tch, guys these days are so fucking pathetic. Waste of my damn time."

"…P-Please…help…"

Rie blinked at the weak plea and was vaguely surprised to see the vice president supporting herself by the stair rail, looking scarcely able to stand from the way her body vacillated, her skinny legs wobbling in a feeble endeavor to stay upright.

"Damn, how long have you been there?" she asked, unaware of her presence from the very beginning.

"I-I need it," Teetering on the precipice of darkness with her vision swimming with tiny pinpricks of white and black light, Ayaka gestured to her messenger bag that had fallen from her grasp. "A-Albuterol, I n-need, it."

"Albuterol?" Rie definitely knew what that was, remembering her smug cousin having to use one at her birthday party months ago after she'd scared the living daylights out of him with her pet tarantula; dear Sanae had gotten a nice fat rat for supper that day. "Alright, keep your shit together, Senpai."

Stepping forward, Rie bent down and picked up the gray bag, rummaging through its contents until she felt a cylinder object. The first year plucked out the plastic baggie which stored the desired article and held it towards Ayaka only to raise an eyebrow; unable to remain vertical, Ayaka's poor legs had finally buckled and she had crumbled down onto the low steps, nearly unconscious.

"What a pain in the ass," Rie groaned as she set up the breathing device. "But I'd rather not be accused of man slaughter…at least not because of this."

With a grimace, Rie kneeled and lifted Ayaka's head in a remarkably gentle act, situating the albuterol inside the breathless girl's opened mouth in the correct manner before pressing down on the medical canister. She surveyed, entirely detached, as gossamer vapors occupied the tube and gradually vanish as Ayaka inhaled. After a few quiet moments, the older girl's erratic panting calmed and the rise and fall of her chest became consistent as her breathing regulated, returning to homeostasis.

Satisfied with the results, sure that the vice president would live to see yet another day, the treasurer moved her into an upright position on the stairs and impatiently waited for Ayaka to return to complete consciousness.

Long eyelashes fluttered against rosy pink cheeks prior to opening, revealing pretty but dazed blue violet eyes. Through the muddled vertigo of returning sentience, Ayaka caught sight of a pale face leaning staggeringly close to her own, silver eyes, she recognized, zeroed in on her.

"Well, seems I've done something damn near heroic." A smirk, dark and menacing, appeared on the person's lips as they pulled back, observing her as if she were an entertaining spectacle. "How unlikely of me."

Ayaka blinked a few times as she registered who exactly stood before her and frantically hustled to her feet. Jaw unhinged, she stared disbelievingly at the first year she had been searching for, the one who had (unintentionally) landed her into such a precarious mess that her acute asthma had elicited.

"M-Matsuoki-san!?"

Rie's eyes narrowed. "You got something to say to me?"

"…Ah…"

Belatedly realizing how accusing her tone sounded to the younger girl, Ayaka made an attempt to rectify the situation before it became perilous; hurriedly, she picked up her bag and retrieved the bright orange notebook. Hands clammy and shaky, she prostrated forward and held it outward towards Rie as if it were a peace offering to a starved wild animal.

"Um, you f-forgot this in your c-class," she stuttered, eyes trained on the polished floor.

For a few tense moments, Rie eyeballed her in a suspicious manner, in which Ayaka assumed she was royally screwed, before the first year casually accepted the object. The ponytailed girl felt a weight lift from her shoulders; for just one heart stopping instant, she had believed the delinquent would snap, mindful of her capricious temperament — she could turn malicious at the drop of a hat.

"Thanks." Out of the blue, Rie broke out into a lopsided grin, a far cry from her previous expression. "It seems you've already paid your debt to me. But I like you, Senpai. You ever need me to kick anyone's ass, give me a shout out."

The vice president gulped at the treasurer's abnormal way of being…nice, she presumed. Matsuoki Rie was truly, in this very moment, a walking conundrum just as Akashi Seijūrō; try as she might, never could Ayaka fully comprehend the complicated behaviors and intentions of the two first years, yet in terms of personality, they were on opposite ends of the spectrum.

"I-I don't think that will be…necessary — but th-thanks for offering!"

Rie inclined her head and moved past the slightly shorter girl without another word, ascending the steps with her hands stuffed in her blazer pockets. Ayaka watched her leave, a wave of relief washing over her like a shock of cold water when she recalled why exactly she needed to find the younger girl and wound up in nearly passing out on the floor.

"M-Matsuoki-san, please wait!"

"Ah?" Rie craned her head over her right shoulder, annoyance flashing across her face. "What do you want now, Senpai?"

"W-Well…" Her tremulous blue-violet eyes managed to meet intimidating silver ones. "I just wanted to remind you that there is a Student Committee conference today in a different room, class 4-A. It starts in about…" — she took a swift glance at her wristwatch — "…Seven minutes. Akashi-kun requires a-all members to be p-present."

"…Ah, fuck." Rie frowned, scratching a random itch on her forearm. "I forgot about that shit. Alright, I'll be there. Just give me a few minutes."

Ayaka looked alarmed. "U-um, you know Akashi-kun does not tolerate tardiness."

"Yeah, yeah, Senpai," She coolly waved the older girl off and continued climbing up the steps. "Akashi is emperor and absolute and what not. But for fucks sake, I just want to get a snack first."

Minutes later, trailing at a laidback pace on the fourth level of the school, Rie was heading towards the newly set committee room. Candidly munching on melon pan, her phone was clutched in her free hand, texting her favored contact.

'Don't bother coming today. There's a damn committee meeting scheduled.'

Seconds passed before a whistled tune alerted her to a response: 'That's quite alright…then I will see you another time.'

Her eyes lowered, wishing they could have their customary time together afterschool when another message appeared below the previous one.

'If you would like, you can come over tomorrow and have dinner with us.'

An easy smile played on her lips; her closest friend was infinitely sweet and dependable. Whenever the hatred and gloom seemed close to overwhelming her heart, that person was there, a perpetual light, able to purge the desolate darkness.

'Thanks, you're the best–'

The texting screen unexpectedly disappeared as an incoming call interrupted her final message. Viewing the caller I.D, a slight smirk appeared on her face and she slide her thumb upward on the touch screen.

"Yo Robuma."

"M-Matsuoki-chan." Her boyfriend of two months, a third year attending a different high school, sounded pitifully meek as always. "How are you?"

"Fine, you know I hate small talk — hold up —" Rie finished off her sweet bread, unceremoniously shoving the morsel in her mouth and gulping it down. "Ah…damn that hit the spot — so what the hell are you calling me for?"

A shrinking laugh resonated on the other end. "Straight to the point as usual."

"No shit." She pursed her lips, feeling her tolerance thin. "If you got something to say, make it quick, damnit, I got somewhere to be."

"Ah, w-well…you see..." Robuma's voice sounded frazzled, more than usual, she noted. "I don't think we can…see each other, anymore."

The first year came to a jarring halt and stood motionless before the entrance to the Student Committee meeting, dumbfounded shock on her face as the exact meaning of his words progressively leeched like a parasite and took root — fifteen seconds of eerie silence later, a bona fide explosion was let loose.

Classroom 4-A was bustling with an active discussion amongst the regular participants of the Student Committee seated in the horizontally assembled school desks, mostly centered on the new protocols and regulations for the upcoming cultural festival in a few weeks' time; some of the more enthusiastic classes already had proposed motivating concepts and fundraisers. As expected, all vital contributors were in attendance…well, excluding one specific individual.

"Ayaka."

The aforementioned second year student went rigid in her chair, spine instinctively snapping ramrod straight. Like a child who had knowingly done wrong, she timidly locked eyes with the imposing first year president standing, with the refinement and poise of his illustrious namesake, at the head of large oak wood lectern.

"Y-Yes, Akashi-kun?"

"Matsuoki Rie is absent. Did you not do as I asked of you?"

"I…" Her mouth went dry and she struggled not to bolt out the room under his stern stare. "Y-Yes, of course, Akashi-kun. I'm…not sure where she could be."

"I see." A gelid smile graced his striking features. "Then Rie is at fault."

All conversations came to a juddering termination as his icy displeasure permeated the once tranquil atmosphere, palpable to all. The vice president couldn't help the spontaneous feeling of concern that submerged in her chest for the long-haired girl in lieu of her shocking assistance earlier and before she could stop herself, she was already addressing him.

"Akashi-kun, please f-forgive her."

Expression carefully schooled into an indecipherable mask, the erudite president regarded Ayaka, who seemed temporarily stricken at her own daring, mildly intrigued. It was exceptional indeed, for his reticent second in command to directly request something of him, and on the behalf of Matsuoki Rie nonetheless.

"Interesting," he murmured, faint amusement lurking in his mismatched eyes. "Is there a specific reason why?"

"Um, yes…" Biting her lip, she forced herself to withstand his unremitting stare. "P-Perhaps she got lost…we are at a new location. I…I should have—"

"You trifling, self-depreciating pansy ass bitch!"

Like a tidal wave, a scalding tirade of vindictive expletives crashed, aggressive and loud, from the other side of the door and Ayaka's words faltered, a scandalized look freezing her face. A gravid silence, more potent than the former, descended upon the committee as they identified that wrath-laced voice as their disorderly treasurer while several began to uncomfortably squirm in their seats, catching Akashi's sinister countenance.

"—And a final fuck you to you!"

Rie brutally ended the call with her ex-boyfriend, a vehement obscenity flying from her lips. Practically crushing her blameless phone in her taut grip, the pissed delinquent lashed out at the nearby beverage vending machine, a loud bang ricocheting off the school walls.

"That far-reaching asshole!" she snarled, a mutinous emotion obfuscating her visage as she shoved her phone back into her school bag after deleting his number. "And of course it had to be just before father's shitty party too."

Seconds passed and the only sound that was heard in the clear hall were the hard, angry puffs from the riled first year. Absentmindedly recalling the student assembly she was officially tardy to, Rie let out a final hot breath and recomposed herself, smoothing her ruffled dark gray skirt.

"Well shit…"

Her pale face scrunched up as slowly grasped that she stood stationary before the access leading to the congregation and grumpily stepped in — as predicted, the entirety of the room was steeped in muted anticipation and as her silver eyes roamed the varying expressions of her fellow members giving her, looks of unease tinged with concern, it was quite obvious that her "conversation" was overheard. Out of her peripheral, Rie glimpsed Akashi watching her with his punitive eyes, ruby and gold piercing the seething girl and she couldn't stave off the vague chill that it produced within her. Deliberately snubbing that foreign sentiment and the restless eyes fixated on her, Rie sauntered towards her designated seat and plopped down in true blue delinquent fashion.

"Sorry I'm late," she proclaimed flatly.

Akashi was not amused.

"This occasion will be the last," he decreed, tenor inflexible and urbane. "Undertake the secretary's work in addition to your own for the duration of this period and it will be completed before you are dismissed."

Sullen and internally fuming, she yielded, grumbling, "Yes, Akashi."

Afterwards, as per status quo, the council proceeded as if nothing had disturbed its previous palaver upon a single mandate from their authoritative president.

An hour passed without supplementary incident before most of the Student Council members retired from the conference room, heading home for the day, and only three individuals remained: Akashi was arranging the files in the committee ordinance binder as he waited for Rie, for she had yet to finish amassing the financial reserves figures and complete the written statements from today's discourse while Ayaka was straightening the desks back to their previous arrangement.

"Done." Neatly shuffling the finalized paperwork, Rie stood and walked to the scarlet-haired president, holding out the reports. "The secretarial summaries are the first two pages; the rest are the financial statistics for the clubs in the next semester after summer vacation."

Without sparring her a glance, he removed the documents from her grasp and proceeded to categorize it with the other updated documents.

"You may leave."

A disgruntled expression developed on her face at his dismissive tone. "Fine by me." The sixteen year old went back to her seat and gathered her belongings, slinging her black messenger bag over her shoulder, more than ready to be liberated of Akashi's galling presence.

"Rie."

The silver-eyed girl postponed her departure at her name and half-heartedly faced the president, stiff and indignant. Fixing her intense gaze on him, Rie waited, expecting to be further berated on, if not for her unpunctuality, then the ribald profanity that was overheard, as wouldn't be the first time he had done so. But Akashi, evidently deigning her unfit of his immediate consideration, remained attentive on his present task and unhurried in his reaction. Ayaka, innocent bystander that she was, sensed the imminent squall building between the two first years and could only hope to avoid getting caught up in their pending clash.

Just as Rie was about to disregard him and flat out leave, irked at his delayed response, he, at last, stated, "Refrain from abusing school property or you will be indicted with deliberate vandalism."

"Hah?" Quickly, she recovered from the unprecedented attack and shot him a venomous stare. "Is that a fucking threat, Akashi?!"

"It is," he said evenly without missing a beat. "In fact, I will personally ensure you're held accountable."

"You conceited bastard! You've got some nerve—"

"Know your place, Rie," Akashi interrupted, finally tiring of her intolerable behavior. "You will mind your attitude towards me, if no one else."

All over again, like the early morning, Rie found herself muzzled like a disobedient dog at his strident order and uncharacteristically conceded to the adamant glare he pinned on her. Livid at her own bitter compliance, she clenched her left hand tightly, ignoring the stinging pain as her nails cut into calloused palms.

A petrified Ayaka mutely viewed the tense conflict between the president and treasurer, the latter, though outwardly acquiescent, looking liable to strangulate the former if her involuntarily twitching fingers were anything to go by. But rather than commit an attempted murder, the delinquent girl released an unfeminine snort and traipsed out room without a backward glance. Concern coloring her sweet face, the vice president took a tentative step towards the opened door, somehow intent on consoling the furious first year girl.

"Leave her be, Ayaka."

Blue-violet eyes wide, she promptly complied with the unexpected directive. Nervously, she found herself confronting the mystifying enigma that was Akashi Seijūrō, previous glare vanished from his ridiculously attractive, alabaster face and once more construed into that expert aloofness.

"We have something more pertinent to discuss."

A disconcerting sensation roiled within her stomach like a pit of tangled snakes as he beguiled her with a polished smile, searing her in place.

"Damn that Akashi Seijūrō!"

Bristling like a cantankerous honey badger, Rie stomped out the wide school doors, un-styled long hair wildly billowing behind her like Hell flames. Those on the receiving end of her hateful glower scuttled away in fear of further inciting the irate girl. She came to a harsh break at the impressive gates that lead outside of Rakuzan High, baleful stare beset upon at the serene sky as if it had instigated the fury presently boiling inside her.

What an awful day!

Akashi had, yet again, gotten the best of her…and so many times! An intransigent command here and there, and she had submitted like a beta to its alpha. It was farcical, the blighting authority Akashi held not only over herself, but a majority of the populace in Rakuzan, some instructors even. Coercion and control of such caliber that seemed natural to the crimson-haired prodigy was virtually unheard of. Intimidating as she was, Rie knew she could not compare, could not hold a candle to his as he solely relied on his profound intellectual and cold calculations while she resorted to crude verbal threats and physical violence.

Erstwhile, she no longer had a date to a celebration that had a requisite for such — worse still, there was no one who could replace that wretched Robuma on such short notice, unless…

Turbulent thoughts suddenly decelerated as she became conscious of the blazing sunset beautifully dipping in the firmament, distracted by the stunning spectacle. As the glorious orb descended, a gorgeous assortment of vibrant colors was offered, transcending its sequence, smoldering scarlet, deep coral orange, bright yellow, soft pink, and rich purple hues all coalescing to seamlessly fade into a dusky sapphire blue night.

The blazing ire burning in her chest simmered for an instant and a look of clarity swept across her face like a cool breeze.

Of course!

Hastily shrugging off her shoulder bag and unzipping it, the troublemaker retrieved her phone, going to her recently contacted list and pressed the call icon under the person she had been messaging all day, pure anticipation evident by her compressed lips. Two rings and the individual she's known for nearly six years unfailingly answered.

"Good evening, Rie-chan."

Already, she could sense her residual rage cooling from simply hearing the mild, lilting voice on the other line.

"Hey," Rie breathed out, mouth stretching into a mischievous smirk, "I've got an invitation for you."

*This line was borrowed from Attack on Titan Abridged by Abridg'd Comedy; if you like AOT, I highly recommend watching it on YouTube, it's downright hilarious.

~Author Memo~

Phew, that was quite a lengthy introduction, but I felt it was necessary instead of dividing it into two different chapters, which was my initial design. The update schedule can be found on my profile, as well as any additional info, so feel free to check at your leisure. That's concludes my spiel for now! Any favorites, follows, or reviews will be happily received with opened arms. Very widely opened arms, I might add — those reviewers who notice errors, please, if possible, cite them; I will correct them post haste. Thanks so much for reading and till our next encounter!

Soriya

(11.21.15)

Happy Birthday, Takao Kazunari!

"People who enjoy life are winners."