Prologue: What considered as normal
Hello everybody, potterharry desu. I know this account name may sound funny to most people but as it's also my first favorite English novel I have ever read I want to keep it at least when writing stories. I still hate the movies series from the 3rd movie and onward though. Anyhow, this is my first time ever writing a story, every feedback is appreciated. As English is only my secondary language, I would be glad to be corrected whether on styles or grammar. Last but not least, I don't own any MuvLuv-related characters or articles. Please, help yourself with this prologue.
Some Japanese term used:
Sensei = teacher/professor/doctor
Kaa-san = mom
Otou-san = father
Onii-chan = older brother
October 23, 2001
Shishido Residence
As I opened my eyes, tiny little amount of light escaping from the shut windows reflected the desk I often use to study and do all the tedious homework. That means it's already morning and signifies the start of a new day. If nothing unexpected happen to my normally perfect biological o'clock, it should be around 6 AM by now. With one of the hands both of which are still in the warm and comfy blanket, I found my cheap smart phone to check the time.
"It's 06:10, still early guess I can stay in bed for another 20 minutes.."
As the monologue of mine finished, I quickly resumed my ritual of napping some more time until getting dressed up for classes.
Sorry for the late introduction as you can see, well, you know, I'm not much of a morning person so some delay is expected I guess? Anyway, the name's Shishido Shinobu, a healthy and normal Japanese male student you can find anywhere in this country of the Rising Sun called Japan.
I've been wondering this for a while now, why is this country synonym with the Rising Sun anyway? I mean, a Rising Sun exists anywhere in the world right? Shouldn't it be more specific like the Rising Red Sun since only my country has a Red sun rise? But one of my American friends says he hates an organization called RRS that obviously involves something about his tax refunds so I guess that name is out of the windows…
Once again, hi there! Sorry for the long sidetrack but let's move back to the topic: Shishido Shinobu desu! The characters are written as 宍戸 忍, my family name in hiragana can be written as ししどand the first name is the kanji for stealth or endurance.
Bluntly speaking, Shinobu is just the dictionary form of Shinobi which is known as Ninja to the rest of the world. I wonder what happened during my birth that I got this hilariously rhythm name…
However, thanks to that I somehow get more foreign friends than I could remember at the same time got teased by some nicknames that only stopped recently after attending high school. One of the honorably mentioned names are "SS Shinobu", "SSS human/ningen", "SS class Shinobi", and so on.
Now that I think about it, my presence is pretty thin so maybe those nicknames are somewhat accurate
While I'm having a pleasant conversation about my name with no one in particular, my eyes opened again and see the phone having number 06: 24 on its interface.
"Guess it's time to dress up!"
In the Hakuryou high school I'm going to, uniform for male is pretty simple: just a trousers and shirt both in white color. The female counterpart is kind of similar if not for the skirt and the weird armguard thingy on the shirt's shoulder.
Really, are we going use those armguard to defend the girls from possible attacks or something because those things are freaking huge.
Some more inner-conversations are finished at the same time with my preparation. I grab the bag already on my desk and head out for the main gate.
"I'm off…"
The sentence was directed to no one in particular, just to serve as a sign that I left the house.
—
Usually my scooter will accompany me to the school on top of a hill but I want to exercise my legs once in a while. The unchanging appearance of the school I'm about to leave when this term is over finally graces me after climbing its almost 30 degree angel street.
More and more familiar faces emerge as my legs bring me to my classroom - class 3-B. I laid the bag on the lovely table in the left corner of the front row seats. As for the reason I have this front seat experience, not voluntarily of course, is because our beloved homeroom teacher - often called by one classmate as Marimo-chan – once said to me:
"Shishido-kun, you have a habit of sleeping and neglecting in class right?"
"Shishido-kun, that's no good you know. But don't worry; your sensei will do all in her power to insure you focus in class!"
… And back to the present with my place assignment, I wonder why only I got the short end of the stick? The aforementioned classmate also sleeps in class a few times, not as much as me though, but he gets away scot-free.
"Well, not that it bothers me that much anyway"
Since today is not my class duty, I idly rest my face on the cool desk surface and enjoy the last few minutes of freedom until the restriction called homeroom started.
Seems like today's duty falls on the class representative Sakaki Chizuru and airhead Kagami Sumika. The pair can be called total opposite of each other: serious and carefree. Well, in case of Kagami I don't know whether if it approaches the point of too carefree or just brain-dead. As if to disapprove of all my belief, they are chatting joyfully in harmony while cleaning the black board.
"That's how humans are huh …"
Humans are strange creatures that get along well with fellow beings with the opposite personalities. If you put a genius and an idiot living together in one room, chances are that they will become BFF before you know it. On the other hands, two geniuses will get in a quarrel as soon as they look at each other no matter what fields they specialize in.
The examples may be a little extreme but true nonetheless. Although the information is from Wkipedia and various random researches I read in my free time, my life experience tells me those findings are credible.
If you find someone you hate base on your instinct, 80% chances are that you and the hated have some part of personalities in common. One possible suggested reason is that humans hate seeing their ugly selves on display so when you see someone with your exact ugly part of self, your instincts tell you to despise the other party.
Some more time passed with my self-explained philosophy, Jinguuji-sensei started homeroom by greeting the class then proceeding to roll-call each student. It caught my attention when our teacher just skipped over her favorite student aka the one always called her Marimo-chan
Must have a reason for absence
Seeing the uncaring expression of his childhood friend, I concluded he must have notified his absence beforehand. The guy just went to class normally yesterday after all.
—
Classes went on as normal and my eyes lids are starting to give in if not for the bell noticing me lunch time is ready. I lazily open the sandwich made with function prioritized over appearance: white loaf with ham, thin slice of bacon, cucumber and tomatoes. Three slices are all I need for lunch since I have no club activities after school nor do I exercise much except during PE or athletic events.
"Aye yai yai yai yai..."
Finishing lunch with a thirsty mouth, I reluctantly move my body to the cafeteria to get something drinkable.
On the way, I spot Mitsurugi Meiya along with Yoroi Mikoto among the lineup for the special meal set. Both are also my fellow classmates but they are all special cases to say the least.
Must be here to experience commoner's cafeteria
Mitsurugi is the heir of the world famous Mitsurugi Mega Corporation and a Mega celebrity currently in school or may be even in the world. Reason she transferred to this nameless school is unknown to everyone asides from my class. It's obvious that she has the hots for the missing student in my class today so that explains itself.
Still if my observation is not wrong, she should have already finished high school level academic
Yeah, I did notice this just by coincidence that she answered all questions thrown from teachers flawlessly despite not having textbooks or any class materials. Must've meant she values the male in question quite highly to come back to attend classes not necessary for her.
None of my business though
Thinking about gossips and stuffs like this is normal for any students but for me to show interest in matters involving girls is indeed surprising. After making a mental note not to mess with anything involving women, I once again move myself to get some throat-relief liquid.
As I started moving again, however, someone slightly bum against my chest area.
"Sorry, I need to go get something!"
Speaking of the devil, Yoroi just ran off after offering some passing remark to me. I wordlessly sigh watching the flat-chested girl go to do whatever she needs. Yoroi may just be, how should I say it nicely, the weirdest weirdo I will ever meet in my life. The way she behaves and talks is just a "in my pace" and "talk to the hand" declaration to her listeners. She's not a bad person by heart though, even I with my grumpy attitude can still sympathize her.
Must be tough having an adventurous dad
After successfully getting my favorite orange juice, I stroll back and hope to have some spare time to nap on the tiny table.
—
Just in time for the infamous Ayamine Kei to appear before me and try to go back from her rooftop lunch. Remember about the human nature of hate and like I said earlier? This is a prime example of my experience. There has been no exchange of any kinds between us of course. But my guts tell me I can't stand her at all.
She is always calm and composed, some might say too composed to even be called as a perpetual poker face state. She hardly expresses her opinions or feelings except for matters concerning our class representative. I know I am slightly tardy and somewhat am like her but I at least state my opinions if the matters concern me.
Now that sounds like some excuses and I bet 95% of people listening to this will say I'm just like her. Well, as my policy to always keep calm and not being disturbed by the opposite sex, I will keep my distance from her unless in absolute necessity.
—
Waiting for all the classes to pass away, I try my best to deliver the minimum attention to the teachers saying whatever the lectures were. I can just pick them all up when coming home and right now I need some serious sleeps.
One of the few hobbies I pick up during high school is manga and anime; lately I have developed an interest in Visual Novel even. That also explains my lack of sleeps since I just finish my very first VN "Face/Stay Night". I must say the writer did an excellent job of making me stay up all night.
"Shishido-kun, it appears you are staring at an empty blackboard. Would you mind telling me the contents of my lecture which I explain through oral means just now?"
The voice of my physics teacher, Kouzuki Yuuko, snapped me out of my day-dreaming at the same time moved my focus back to the present.
"I'm sorry sensei, can you say it again? I was thinking about something"
Resistance is futile, may as well just say half the truth
Now that was a blunder in my part, usually it's not me but another unfortunate soul that gets all her attention. However with him gone and my slacking face, this is an unavoidable outcome.
"Hoho, very amusing indeed. Let us have a chat after class is over then"
Hah, well, I guess a private chat with Yuuko-sensei is normal to me
—
After class ended, I head to the physics labs where I can see Yuuko-sensei in her natural habitat. The room is as shady as ever: strange tubes, suspicious liquid, unknown substance, and so on fill the room. To the untrained eyes, this is what normal people called a "Mad Scientist Room".
Guess the scientist part is correct at least.
"Ah, you're here"
"Of course I'm here sensei. So what is the topic for today?"
I deliver my question directly to the heart of matter. Yuuko-sensei has a habit of beating around the bush and manipulates people after all. Getting to the point is the only way I can think of to have an effective conversation with her.
"Che, you're no fun as usual…"
"I am funny enough by myself sensei. Still, thanks for the compliment"
"Right, right… Are you feeling alright? I know you're tardy and fall asleep during class but this is the first I see you sleep with your eyes open"
"Was I really?"
"Really"
"Ah, then so be it. There's no problem sensei. Just some stuff keeps me up last night that's all"
Can't tell her I stay up to finish a VN after all
"Is that so… Got the feeling your reason is a silly one but whatever. Let's move on to the real topic"
Foreshadowing as usual huh
"As you know, your third year in junior high is almost over. Got any plans after that?
"I remember putting down the Going to a public university in my future plan sheet you gave out though?"
"Yeah, I remember that. But don't you think it's kind of a waste?"
I tilt my head as her out of nowhere question puzzles me.
"Don't play dumb, you know what I'm talking about. As a genius I can detect my own kind, you know"
"Hah? You overestimate me too much sensei"
"So you say but don't you do well in every class despite putting hardly any efforts? You can deceive other teachers but not me, hehe. I don't know what you do at home but judging by your slacking attitudes and the contrary tests results I can say you're holding yourself back on purpose, right?"
"…"
"Jackpot! Those previous chats I had with you are just to figure out your character you know? Well, don't worry I won't dissect your brain, not yet anyway kukuku"
"Aye yai yai yai yai. You got me sensei. I admit I never become serious in school matters but I assure you this: all my abilities are average at best. I'm just too lazy to make any real effort, that's all"
"Hmm…"
Judging by her mood and body language, she must be observing to see if I'm lying or not. Of course I'm telling the truth, not the whole truth anyway
"That's weird, I can't detect any lies in your statement. Either you're a world-class liar or I could be wrong this time…"
"Because I'm speaking the truth sensei. Assuming you're correct though, what plan do you have for me?"
"Glad you're interested"
Of course I have to pretend to be or this conversation will go nowhere
Abandoning the hard-thinking posture, Yuuko-sensei said with a big grin on her face.
"How about becoming my internship assistant while you're attending college?"
Once again she caught me off-guard and no words escape my mouth
"You know that I'm in need of an assistant right? I would rather have one that I already know and understand me. Besides, when you're in college, internship is a must for student to have a real job after finishing their study up there too. What better internship than one with a beautiful and glorious genius like your sensei?"
Her offer is indeed very beneficial. Working with a world-renown genius in physics like sensei will certainly boost my resume like no other. If everything goes well, even that Mitsurugi Corporation will offer me a job with unimaginable salary.
As I calmly think about her tempting offer, another candidate comes to mind. He knows about Yuuko-sensei even more than me despite his average intellect. Not like a symbol of "average" like me could say anything though.
"What about your favorite student in my class? He must've been a better candidate if you're looking for one you're comfortable with"
"Huh? Who're you talking about? I find you the most interesting in class 3-B"
Hm? Does this mean her interest shift again? Well, as if I can begin to understand a genius
"Don't try to run away from the topic okay? Despite your thin presence and unnoticeable characteristic, I know you suppress your inner-self for some reason. Of course I know nothing beyond your school profile but that is no excuse for doing things in a half-assed way"
"Half-assed is a little too much though…"
"Sorry I may step out of line. It's just that I find it quite irritating just looking at you. So I get carried away a little. Maybe seeing a fellow genius being humble and staying low makes me lose my cool"
"Don't worry about it sensei. Despite not being a genius, I will consider your offer since it's a good one after all"
"Good, that's all for today. You're free to go now, no need to thank me"
As I rise from the sloppy chair in the physics labs, a voice called out as a final reminder
"Shishido, we humans can do nothing to change the past. All we can do is to live the fullest in the present hoping for a brighter future"
"…Thank you, sensei. See you later"
As I exit the room, her mumbling caught my keen ears: "And I tell you no need to thank, haiz…"
—
"Hmm? Shishido-san?"
The archery club is just on my way to the front gate so I by chance met the mascot of class 3-B, Tamase Miki.
"Hi there, Tamase-san. Going back from club activities?"
"Ah, yes. We just finished the practice so I'm about to go back. What are you doing so late Shishido-san?"
Her questions are reasonable since I'm in no club hence no need to stay behind after class.
By the way, it may be late to introduce her but here is my other classmate Tamase Miki. She is famous for being a cat girl in our school thanks to a certain mad scientist I just had conversation with and her fellow collaborator. Asides from her catchy appearance, she is the most sociable person in my class. I have never seen quarrel with anyone at all. She is friendly to everyone even to the easily forgettable me. She is clearly different from the girls being friendly for the sake of keeping face or looking down on other people. I can feel a certain charm like that of an innocent kid from her.
If I ever have a child, I sure as hell wish that kid has the same innocence as Tamase. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a lolicon or whatever people call it. I just like pure and innocent things. Being exposed to this harsh reality, I adore the cuteness and adorableness of things that still know no terror of the adult world. Yes, in other world, I just love small and tiny innocence little things or beings! Yup, yup, I'm totally not a lolicon!
"Shishido-san?"
"Oops, sorry Tamase-san. Just lost in thought about something. I just had a chat with Yuuko-sensei and about to head home now"
"Ah, so that's what it was. Something about the matter in her class right? Are you alright Shishido-san"
Such a nice girl, even when I know she probably does not care that much about me. She still asks anyway
"Yeah, nothing serious. She just wants to give me some advices and suggestions, that's all" – I add some shoulder shrugs to express the point.
"That's good to hear! Don't push yourself too much Shishido-san. Ah, I have to go back to my locker to change or the manager will scold me for being late again. See you tomorrow, Shishido-san!"
"Okay see ya"
I wave my hands to match the same actions as the cat girl before she hurriedly went to her locker room. Her figure retreated just as fast as her morning run for the homeroom deadline.
—
The lines Yuuko-sensei told me vibrates again and again in my mind as the road keeps expanding the further I walk down the hill I'm so familiar with.
A half-assed way, huh…
Sensei is totally correct about that one point. I have never been serious in anything since… I don't know, for so long now. Be it academic or athletic matters, I just do the minimum to get by. My only noticeable strong point is my English language skill. I must say it's just because Japanese are bad at English and my friends on forum are mostly English speakers so I appear to be more fluent than the standard students.
The past cannot be changed…
She is also correct about this part. No matter what humans want, time will not stop for them. There was an estimate of how big a time machine will be if it is ever possible to build one: around the size of the solar system. That's how ridiculous the idea of changing time is; to the point it is more likely to find another habitable Earth-like planet and settle there in the next 10 years.
…But there's no excuse.
But not this one, this is where she is wrong. As far as common sense goes, the past may serve little to no excuses for the actions one take at the present. In my case, however, as long as I cannot change the past my present has a perfect excuse. She must have looked over my school profile and know a little about my family circumstance.
Unfortunately, that is not my reason for slacking off. My reason dates back even further than the events on those papers. Although the events did help me in some ways, they are by no means related to my attitudes in everything. In order to maintain a normal life I will have to hold back, both my abilities and my emotions.
Sorry Sensei. I still want to live for someone else after all. After I finish my own business, I might be able to go all out with you to hell
Despite little care I have for my well-being, I still have at least one thing worth protecting. To that end, I will continue my normal daily life until "he" is old enough to walk his own path in life. To keep watching over him until he's strong enough by himself, I can't do otherwise before that. To tell the truth, if not for that reason I don't care if I die tomorrow. I have too much life and death experience after all…
"Onii-chan, welcome home!"
As if to interrupt my train of thoughts, a clear and familiar voice came from below me.
Time sure flies when you don't care about it
The statement threw at not only the rate at which I arrived home, but also at how fast the little man before me grows. Seven years ago he could not even turn around on the bed by his own.
"Oh, I'm back. You went home on your own again?"
"Yuppu, since didn't see you at all for so long… onii-chan finally got a girlfriend and forget about me. Hik hik (teary eyes effect)…"
"Now even you sound like Kaa-san…
Aye yai yai yai yai.
Whatever, let's go inside. I'm gonna fetch us dinner"
"Yayyy !"
I still don't get why he is always so excited about my meal. Everything I do just screams "practical" and food is no exception.
—
After dinner and some downtime in the living room, my daily routine of immersing in the bathtub is the next in line. On the way out, my face reflects on the mirror I forgot to look at this morning.
My hair is always in the 7-3 style, with the 7 portion leans to the left.
My face is, well, typical of a Japanese I can say that. Kaa-san always talks about how handsome Otou-san looks and claims I look like him the most.
Actually I can see the resemblance but he does not have dead-fish eyes or 30% of his hair turning gray like an old man at a teenage age at least. This is actually one of my biggest lament on the physically traits. I got my first gray hair in the 3rd grade. On a nice and beautiful day, Kaa-san just up and dropped me the bomb shell:
"Ara ara~~ Shinobu-chan has a gray hair. How rare ~~"
Kaa-san~~ You just crush an 8-year-old's innocence right there you know~~
Hahhhh… Okay! Depressing time's over! Let's see what new series just air on TV today!
And off to me escaping reality
—
21:23 - Same day
Usually this is far from bedtime for a young body like mine. But thanks to the all-nighter I pulled off yesterday, finishing homework and locking up the house are the last tasks I can muster with the fading consciousness.
The phone with its 24h time display was tossed near my bed to serve the convenience of being grabbed again tomorrow. There's never been an alarm o'clock of any kind in my room since 5th grade. My biological clock just kicks in whatever time I set my mind for a new morning. My family might call it abnormal but it really is just a normal mental condition of humans before all the any waking devices were invented.
After setting a time for tomorrow in my mind, I clear my head and go to sleep.
As the last fun fact, do you know that humans dream when they are in deep sleep? In other words, if you can avoid deep sleep you can escape dream! But really, I think humans dream all the time, it's just whether we remember the dream or not.
Of course I have reason for this out-of-nowhere information: I don't remember any dreams since 5th grade by just emptying my thoughts before sleeps.
—
? time - ? place
The next moment my consciousness wakes me up; I am in a place with nothing whatsoever. What I mean by nothing is that everything was covered with a black color with no horizon in sight.
With the logical brain's deducing this as a mere dream, I spotted a figure showing its back to me. Its position is slightly to the left to where I stood
It was not hard to see the figure, more like it was hard to describe and even harder to accept the nature of this emerging silhouette:
Judging by the crouching posture and the body distribution, it should be a male... a young male at that. But… why a tight body suit? There're at least two things wrong with this scenario: no fetishes of mine involve spy suit and, most importantly, I don't swing that way. Hey me, do a better job won't you. At least make it a girl!
The man in question remained unmoved oblivious to all my self-criticism and remarks. On closer inspection, thanks to the suit his body displays its fit proving the male have some kind of training either at athletic areas or even military. Although not as gross as those macho fighting game characters, he has muscle equal to one going to the gym often possesses.
"…Sumika…Sumika…"
I was almost startled by the sudden sound the man produced.
Speaker?
As I closed the distance to listen more carefully to what he said, something else entered my field of vision.
A… girl? I meant it as a joke but a girl really just pop out of nowhere! Well, actually she's currently in the male's arms but… Wait a minute!?
Setting aside the curious pink body suit the girl's wearing, there's no way I can misidentify that happy slash stupid face. Actually she's looking quite normal and peaceful now, may be because she's in some kind of sleep.
Oi oi, this is not even a normal dream anymore
After deducing who the other party is based on how he called her and finally almost matching physical traits of the possible answer with this suspicious-looking man, I called out in a voice loud enough for him to hear:
"Shirogane?... You're Shirogane Takeru… right?" – The name of the missing student in class today is what started our conversation
Author's Note:
How's everyone's first impression of my original character? Please let me know what you think by reviewing. I tried to make a chain reaction in the way my story and conversations progress at the same time as introducing the main casts. Doing so while also introducing a bit of the OC's personality and circumstances really took a toll on my brain.
IMO, the problems with having OCs is that they will somehow overshadow the main casts if not handled carefully. That's why this will be the only chapter seen from this Shishido Shinobu's POV for a long time. After this prologue, POV will shift back to main characters; but ready to be surprised at what an OC can do even off-screen. Hey, that means anyone out there not interested in reading a non-canon character will rejoice, right?
To all readers patiently finish all my ramblings, I will tell you a secret: an ending has been envisioned for this FF as in how the "Cherry Blossom" ends like how I want it. Whether I can finish writing up to that point depends on my work schedule and your support. However, I will try to write one chapter/week if possible.
So long fellow fans!