Chapter 3 : One week of illusion
"A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself." -Pod 042 (NieR Automata)
(Everything belongs to their awesome owner, I don't own anything~)
Re-upload and very few added stuff. I found some missing part after a minute of rereading. Sorry for that, and few few word to make it to 10k word ^^
It was early morning, away from the old Seraph and onto the expanding land of Extella. Inside the library of the Holy City. Archimedes is reading the files he collected during his times on 'That time line'.
"I can't believe he already make this much progress. Not even 'that' king can do this much. But if he can make Nero occupied, then I have more time to plan. On that note. I've never knew what happened on the holy grail after it merges into 'his' body." Archimedes said to no one as he pick up a tablet on the table.
"But regardless. It turned him into something else. An alternation as that files said."
"Oh so this is the last memory of 'My Master' huh?" His lips formed a smirk as he read through all of it.
"Even from the beginning. You should be thanking me for making you into something else."
"But regardless. I don't need you anymore."
"Oh that's remind me. 'His' about to announce something. Tsk, this be troublesome. That fallen saint, *sigh* what to do with that girl. Hmm."
As Archimedes throw the tablet on the table. The file about a boy soon played out. File named Nevrospaston
It's a bright, sunny morning. The air is filled with the joyful laughter of students. There's more activity than normal in front of the school gate. A crowd is forming as students are being called over.
"I wonder what's going on." The boy told to himself. When he peer into the center of the hubbub, he saw his friend and the school student council president.
"Good morning! Lovely weather we're having, don't you think?" As Issei Ryuudou greeted the boy. He sent him a skeptical look as he notice the surprise look coming from the boy. "Hmm? Why do you look so surprised?"
"We announced at last week's assembly that this month the student council would strictly enforce school rules."
"I have been tasked with performing inspections to ensure students are in compliance with school rules. Now, it goes without saying that EVERYONE is subject to inspections, even old friends." Issei the student council president, after carefully reminding his friend about last week assembly. He walk closer to the boy and begun the inspection.
"Now then, uniform inspection time. Collar, check! Pant hems, check! And your socks… Check!" He then took the boy's bag and inspect it next. "Next is the contents of your bag… Notebooks, textbooks, pencil box! Not even a whiff of contraband."
"Your nails are evenly cut, and your haircut is sensible." Issei then smiled, looking satisfied about the inspection. "Indeed, quite remarkable. You're a model Tsukimihara Academy student" As he return the bag on its owner. Issei continued praising the boy. "Someone like you ought to consider a future in student government. You'd be perfect for it."
"Oh, but I'd never try to coerce you into joining the student council. We aren't like that."
"Now then, off to your classroom! Enjoy your day."
Before the boy can reply. The diligent student council president is on to the next student's inspection. Hungry for gossip on their way to their classrooms, the students jabber about the inspections.
"Things are always so gently bustling in the morning." The boy told to himself. He could not help but to think of an another peaceful beginning to another peaceful day.
As the boy entered his class. He saw one of his friend. Matou surrounded with girls. His popularity is a mystery for the boy.
"Hey, when did you show up? You're so quiet and dull that I didn't even notice you. Even though, huh?" Shinji Matou make a pause as he think of something. "We've been friends since our freshman year, right?"
But before the boy can reply. Shinji cut him off, not letting him to answer his question. "Anyway, don't sweat the fact that you're as boring as dirt. It's not like you can help it."
"I mean, anyone would seem boring and stupid compared to me!"
It's a little early for the boy to get this much abuse on Shinji Matou. But it seem the boy didn't mind as he used to it, somehow.
Shinji's arrogance is almost palatable. The boy didn't know what he's saying, but it make all the girls squeal with joy. It make the boy to change his opinion on his friend popularity to mysterious to unnatural.
"What's up?" The boy asked
"I was just doing a little math tutoring. This stuff is beyond easy… For me, anyway."
"Wait a sec. Hey Senpai, isn't the answer to this question is totally wrong in every way?" One of the girl his tutoring asked.
"What in the!? I'm the one who solved that! There's no way it could be wrong!"
"B-but… Look at this. Since when did two plus two equal to five?"
"I'd never make such stupid mistake! It's all our fault! You're the idiots here, note me!"
As Shinji raise his voice, the girls all begun to panic and run back to their desks.
"*sigh* I hate dealing with the proletariat. Especially when they think they're my equal. It's really pathetic that these worms don't know their place. That's why I like you so much."
"Eh?"
"Even though you're boring, you know not to steal my thunder. You're the ultimate sidekick." Shinji flashes him a smile. It's make the boy feel weird as he never take any offense at the way Shinji talk to him.
By some strange twist of fate, Shinji Matou and the boy are friends. How they become friends is beyond the memory of the boy, even Shinji could not recall how they become friend. They both believe that they met in spring sometime.
The bell for the class rings as he tried to recollect.
And who should fly through the door but their homeroom teacher, Ms. Fujimura.
"*phew* I made it! Good morning, every-" Before she could greet the class. A sound of thud came from the Ms. Fujimura as she trips and falling painfully onto the floor. As she lands, her head strikes the corner of the platform at the front of the classroom.
The classroom goes dead silent. Every student's attention is focused on the same thing.
"Again… How does she mange to trip in the same place every time…?" One of the male student ask.
"Listen, you! This isn't the time to making stupid jokes." The female student beside him answered.
"You're right. She isn't moving. Did she get knocked out or something?"
A few brave student get out of their seats and crowd around the still comatose Fujimura.
"Hey, Ms. Fujimura!"
"Ms. Fujimura…? um… are you okay?"
"Ugh… Wha-?"
"Huh? What's wrong, everyone? Hey, class is about to start, so get back to your seats, pronto!" Ms. Fujimura jumps to her feet as if nothing had happened. It's almost as if the memory of her sudden and violent trip to the floor was totally erased.
As this happens all the time, no one seems to notice or care enough to say anything. No one gives a though to how odd it is for this to happen every single day.
The scene playing out before the unnamed boy seems to never change from day to day.
The same exact lessons.
The exact same subject.
The exact same content.
"Um, today we're going to study the biography of Dr. Pieceman, a talented physician."
Ms. Fujimura is conducting her class today the same way she does everyday.
"You may not know, but when I was young, an unknown pathogen was the cause of serious epidemic. In fact, outbreaks were common. But now, most illnesses are cured using nanothingmajigs!"
"And FYI, I'm still young. This will be on the test so be sure you don't forget it. I MEAN IT!"
Ms. Fujimura ensuing laughter stops short at her eyes, which seem deadly serious. Just as everyone is about to call their teacher out. The bell signaling the end of class rings.
"All right, that's all for today. Be sure to study hard tonight, and don't forget those important points I told you about."
=break=
While today's class wasn't all that boring, it still make the boy to feel relief when the bell rings. As the bell signaling the end of the day sounds, students begin to break off into small groups.
"Thank god that's over. I was getting sick of all the busywork." Shinji told him his complains. "Being a student sucks. The worst part of the whole deal is having to attend these stupid classes."
"You're still here?… That's unusual, you don't have any plans, like a date or something?"
"Ha ha, I'm just messing with you! I know you're too big of a nerd to ever get a date! I mean, you're just going to your dork club. The journalism club right?"
"Well, seeing as you're as boring as stale white bread, your life is exactly as it should be. You know exactly what your role in life is, and you stay there. Well, catch you later! See you in class tomorrow!"
The boy let Shinji leave without saying anything back. Without anything to do, he remembered that he need to attend his club activities. He leaves his room and begun his search on their club editor in chief.
He found her near the bulletin board with the other members. When he approaches her, she greeted him without any sign of tiredness.
"Look who's here! It's the newspaper club's ace! Gotten any leads?" Seeing the boy confuse look. She reminded him about his task. "Don't tell me you forget to write an article about the "Unsolved Mysteries of Tsukumihara."."
"C'mon, I told you yesterday. There isn't very much time left before the deadline."
"Well, whatever. Your work's always good, so I'll leave this in your capable hands!"
With that the editor told him about where to investigate. She told him that the mystery linger at the archery club and its his task to investigate what this mystery is all about. Following her direction, the boy is about to leave the school, but something stop him at the first floor.
Out of the blue, a feeling that something was moving behind the door overcame him. No students are allowed inside the supply room. But for some unknown reason, the boy find his eyes drawn to the door of the supply room.
The door suddenly and violently thrown open.
"Oh, Who might you be?" Without warning, a man appears from out of the shadows. Dressed in weird clothing. The person in question doesn't feel like what a human would be, he felt power and intelligent coming from the unknown man.
It feel incredible, but it making him scared.
Because of that. The boy felt intimidated from the man on front of him. It immediately replaced with extreme discomfort and unease.
He sense an overwhelming sense of danger, it give the boy a goose bumps all over his body. His stare sends chill down on his spine. For some reason, it feel like his deciding whether or not to leave him alone or not.
"Odd. Your name doesn't appear to be on the list of participant. Strange, very strange." The unknown man begin to mutter under his breath while at the same time he reaches out with his right hand. The chills running down on the terrified boy spine. He gain intensity as wave of nausea and vertigo wash over him.
He feel like a rabbit watching the wold draw near.
'This cant be real. Maybe this isn't just raw terror. I think he's holding something that's making me feel his way?' The boy thought nervously.
"You're not even trying to run. Perfect, very perfect. You could be a useful tool for me." The note of satisfaction in his voice is obvious as he slowly lowers his hand. The paralysis that seemed to take hold of him suddenly fades away.
"Your a student right? Then you should know that your not allowed on entering the supply room. You'd do well to remember that."
"The campus is about to close. If you have nothing else to do, I advise you to go home now."
The man didn't introduces himself. He turns and head back into the supply room. With that, the final bell begins to chime, signaling the end of the school day. Everything begins to progress as normal, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
But the boy is still sore and slicked with sweat. An all to real reminder of what happened.
The boy ended his day after investigating the archery club. What appears in the archery range isn't an entrance to the spirit world. But is Ms. Fujimura. The boy decide to report tomorrow and return to his home.
Early morning. As the boy walk into class, the girls that normally flock around Shinji Matou aren't there. Shinji seems to be in a bad mood today. His usual posse of girls is keeping their distance. Strengthening himself, he ask him if something happened.
"What? Like I'd tell you if anything happened to me! Which, it didn't. Nothing happened at all."
"Hey, you know that ice queen Rin Tousaka? She thinks she's so much better than everyone else." Hearing the irony, they boy keep his laughter inside him. "At first, I though that she would be the only one who understood how lonely it is at the top. I tried talking to her yesterday, but I got nowhere. Maybe I just intimidate her or something."
"I might've lost a few points for getting violent, but girls who talk back to me get slapped! I'd never hook up with such violent, stuck up bitch like that, no matter how hot she is!"
"What a waste. She'd be perfect if she just keep her mouth shut. You agree with me, right? RIGHT?" After Shinji's rant. It looks like there's some tension between Shinji and Rin Tousaka.
Knowing Shinji. 'He'd probably hit on her and got shot down.'
"And why'd she take a shot at me? I thought she was going to spinning-star kick me next." Shinji continues to whine under his breath. The boy can only imagine how sleazy Shinji was being with her. Normally, Shinji's super-aggressive approach works, but obviously it didn't with Rin Tousaka.
'Life's more interesting when it's got little shake-ups like this.' The boy happily thought
As if right on cue, Ms. Fujimura barges into the classroom as the bell sounds.
"*phew* I made It! Good morning, everyone!"
"All right, no one's absent and since there are no announcements, let's just start homeroom." As soon as she turns to reach for the chalk, she trips and falls as she always does. As she falls, her fingernails drag across the blackboard with a horrifying sound.
And thus, another typically mundane day begins anew.
"And though the great war had finally come to an end, regional conflicts still persist. Despite the suffering of the previous generation, battles are still waged thirty years on." Standing behind the lectern today is the school's newest teacher Mr. Kuzuki.
Although he's supposed to be teaching math, his lesson seems have gone off on a tangent.
"Now, instead of armies, attacks in ever greater numbers are being carried out by terrorist. And in an attempt of suppress these terrorists groups."
With that, that bell signaling the end of classes sounds. And with the end of the day here, the tension in the classroom drops immediately.
"All right, let us end here today."
"Oh yes, before I forget. There is an announcement from the student counselor. Recently, a rise in the number of slashing incidents has made the surrounding area dangerous. With that in mind, keep any detours to a minimum and head home as quickly as possible."
'Get home quickly?' It was a good advice, but the boy still have to finish a few assignment for the journalism club. The reason why is he so gung-ho about investigating the school is a mystery even for him. Regardless he need to turn in yesterday report, he decided to straight head to the editor in chief this evening.
As the boy is about to find the chief. He heard some girls, gossiping about someone.
"Hey, guess what? I just passed this gorgeous girl on the stairs. Could she be a new student?" One of the girls asked.
"What? I'm sure you're just talking about Rin Tousaka from class B."
"Rin Tousaka? Never heard of her."
"You've really never head of her? Pretty, athletic, smart, classy…"
"Or a stuck-up Ms. Perfect who all the guys adore and all the girls despise"
"It wouldn't be unrealistic to call Rin Tousaka the most popular girl in the whole school"
"Are you pulling my legs?"
After that, the three girls leave the second floor whole way. Leaving the boy curious about the girl their talking about. Remembering his teacher advice, he quickly set himself back to his task. He found the editor on the same place as yesterday.
"Oh! Our club's ace. Did you find out anything yesterday?" The boy told her everything he known about the mystery. "Interesting. So It was Tiger! Of course there's no entrance to the spirit world!"
"Thanks to you, the article will be great! Are you ready for the next article assignment?"
"The next unsolved mystery is… Yesterday, there was a girl dressed in red on the rooftop. Rumors about "Little Red Rooftop" are spreading. Go find out what this is all about."
The boy wanted to go home early as possible. But there's a new task that been handed to him. With only a little complain he decided to suck it up and proceed toward the school rooftop. He turn the doorknob and the metal door opens silently on its hinges.
As a rule, no one is allowed up on the roof, but he can see someone's elongated shadow. The vibrant colors set off by the setting of the sun is enough to take one's breath away. Under the now blood red sky, a single girl looks out onto the town that spreads out below. Like a figure out of a painting, the girl seems to shine with the same red glow as the setting sun.
"What a beautiful sunset. I can only imagine how captivating this sight must be for the people who live here. It is indeed a very beautiful scene. A shame that it doesn't really exist."
"On the surface it seems like such a benign, peaceful world. A pity that it'll soon come to an end. This place is merely an idealized imitation of the real world. And one done in poor taste. I wonder if there's any value to a memory that can only be observed and then left behind." The girl in red said with a mix of disgust and disappointment on her voice. As she finishes speaking, a faint smile forms on the girl's lips as she slowly turns at the boy direction.
The girl unwavering gaze makes it seem like she can see things hidden to others. Her eyes seem to shine with an intensity that rivals that of the fiery red of the evening sky.
"What's this, a notice from the system? Thanks for bringing it to me."
"Wait what?" The boy all manage to left out.
"Huh, that's not it? That means you must be one of the generic N-. I mean, students… If one of the irrelevant NPCs can get up here, I guess I'll have to find another place to hang out." The girl continued to mumble quietly to herself. She then quickly walk to the boy's way.
"Oh well, at least this is a good opportunity for me to look one of you over. Stand still, you." The boy didn't expect the girl's finger that reaches out his cheek.
"Wait, what's this!? Is this a warning from the system? Direct interference does break the rules, after all." Surprise by what happened. The girl mumbling to herself and soon disappears without any trace. It's like no one was ever there at all.
"She vanished?" There or not, her form has been indelibly burned into the boy's mind.
"Oh, you're still here. It's almost time to leave school, so you should prepare to go home." The sound of the student council president pulls the boy back to reality.
"Yeah I think I better be." With that the boy decide to go home and report later to the editor in chief.
After yesterday event. Early morning as the boy entered his classroom. He saw Shinji Matou in the seat next to him, surrounded with girls.
" I'm telling you, you don't have any talent. Give up before you look like a retard. So you know what he said to that?" Shinji asked the girls around him.
"What? What? What did he say?!"
"We're dying to know! Tell us!"
"This wuss gets all boo-hoo, and he says. "I'll keep practicing until I get better. I can at least get better than you, who skips practice"." Shinji laugh after he said that. "Sorry, I have to laugh! Anybody knows that you can't practice your way into being a genius! If he wants to practice something, he should practice not sounding like a tool!"
"The guy's not a total maggot, but he's still trash that needs to find a garbage can. Ha ha ha, that moron. People aren't created equal. Even people who are born have average can never reach the same heights as the naturally gifted!"
The girls around Shinji's squeal with joy after that.
"Trash can't help being trash. It should learn to stop dreaming about being something better."
The bell rings. In response, the gaggle of girls shuffle off to their own seats. The boy soon follow afterwards, while they wait for the teacher to arrive, the boy get caught up on what Shinji said for some reason.
Whether or not Shinji has innate talent, he thinks it's pretty clear that his a nobody. A nobody, with no goals.
'I mean, when I try to even think about the future, I get overwhelmed. As long as I keep plodding along, some day I'll reach my totally average future. Yay.'
"Good morning, everyone!" When the teacher came in. The boy heart accelerates, each beat painfully strong. It's as if his body's on high alert. Don't get him wrong, he knows that it not a reaction to Ms. Fujimura.
"Well, kids. This is a little out of the blue, but today I want to introduce you to a new friend." Beside Ms. Fujimura is a boy wearing an orange uniform, the boy's blond hair look carefully take care of. The moment that both of their eyes met. It cause his body to fight or flight instincts to prickle.
"Go on, Leo. Introduce yourself."
"For what purpose." The boy named Leo asked.
"Huh? Well Leo… You'll be attending school with these people, so I'm sure they'd like to know who you are."
"Ah, I see. These good people do not know my name yet." Leo steps forward, and then in a louder voice he says. "Everyone, my name is Leonardo Bistario Harway. In time, it will be a name known to all the world, but for now it is the name of your classmate. I'm pleased to meet you all. I hope we enjoy our time together."
The classroom become quiet. There aren't even any jabs at his eccentric manner of speaking, or any coos over how pretty he is. Instead, the entire classroom is enthralled by his regal bearing. Entranced even.
Because of that. The boy remembered what his friend Shinji said. 'This is what it means to be on a different level.'
None of them could ever reach the level that Leo lives on. It's not overextending to call Leo very existence is transfixing.
Like a deer in headlights, they are sill immobilized by a presence far brighter than their own. Leo natural place is above us, looking down as out king.
'How did someone like him end up here…? It must be a mistake' The boy told himself.
"Ah…um…Anyway, everyone please make Leo feel welcome. Then, Leo if you would please take a seat…It looks like the third seat in the second row from the right is open. Will that be okay?"
"Leo? Ah, you're addressing me. I see no reason to not allow you to call me Leo, as it didn't feel awkward to hear it from you. If you have the chance, I'd very much like for a delightful woman like you to visit my country."
Ms. Fujimura blushed madly after hearing Leo compliments.
"What! J-J-Jezz, don't joke with your teacher! To your seat, Leo! I won't smack you since, well, it was kind of flattering of you to say that."
"Of course. I appreciate your diplomacy, Ms. Fujimura." Then the boy gave the kind of easy smile that only kids can. That simple smile washed away the tension in the room, and people even begin to smile themselves.
The boy then think that Leo is not much of a king but a prince instead. Leo may be above them, but he also has natural charisma that draws them up to his level. However, it seems that there is at least one person in class whose mileage varies.
"I don't like him. Flirting with a teacher already? That arrogant little twerp." Shinji's clearly not happy about Leo presence.
"If you have any questions, ask anyone in the class or myself. Er, I mean, come to me first." Ms. Fujimura said.
"Yes, I understand. I'm pleased that I will be attending such a good school." Leo turned around and walk toward his assigned seat.
'Am I imagining things? Just for a second, I though he shifted his attention toward Me. Not toward anyone else, not even Shinji, who's still bad-mouthing Leo, but to me alone.'
'Yeah right. There's no way a practically otherworldly person like him would notice bland me.'
The school day ended with nothing else of interest occurring. But the appearance of Leo. It still can't shake the uneasiness the boy awoke in his heart. It feel like cogs somewhere have become misaligned.
'No, I'm just excited because for once, something happened. Well, besides what happened yesterday. I should report yesterday's finding to the editor in chief.' Going back to where he last found the editor yesterday. He report what he finds on the rooftop, he even said that the little red in the rooftop just disappeared.
"I see, well there's nothing we can do." The editor said.
"Nothing we can do?" He repeated what the editor said. He felt that something wrong with the editor in chief's reaction. He expected her to say something like "Hey, don't scare me like that!". But hearing how nonchalant she is that a person just disappeared.
"Your next story will be… "Mystery of the courtyard chapel"! "The girl keep talking like nothing happened. She's already on the next thing. It make the boy think to whether or not he should say something.
"Hey, did you know there's a chapel on campus, even though this isn't a mission school? It seems the chapel has been here longer than the school. This is just a rumor, but they say that it's haunted and magic rites are performed there. So I'm sending you to investigate."
The boy wanted to argue about what the chief said earlier. But he gives up when the chief shoo him away. Without much thing to do, he followed the chief direction and investigate the chapel.
From there he saw a man stands like a black stain, tainting the joyfully multicolored flowerbeds around him. He notice that it's the new teacher, Mr. Kuzuki. But the man standing in front of him isn't acting like a teacher by any stretch of the imagination. The sick malignancy of overbearing aggression fills the air. And then scattered around Kuzuki are.
Dead bodies of students.
"Why did you come in here? I'm certain I locked that door." Kuzuki notice his presence. His cold stare send a chill run of the boy's spine. "I suppose I'll test you out." Kuzuki thin lips hardly moved. But in the next instant.
The boy bowled over, as if stuck by a invisible force. Chaotic thoughts buried on the boy's brain like endless grains of sand.
'What happened? I can't move my limbs. Seriously, what was that? Kuzuki hasn't move and no one is nearby'
'Who?'
'Why?'
'How?' The boy's thoughts begun to whirl and his heart races.
"I see what you are now. It isn't you, I suppose." Kuzuki's voice is quiet hiss, but he could hear everything that Kuzuki said. This man with cold, inscrutable eyes raises his palm toward him.
And then-
When the boy wake up, he still at the garden. The garden is quiet, and there's not even a trace of Kuzuki or of the corpses that had been there. The boy notice that his uninjured, though his body aches from laying on the hard ground. The cold sweat that had covered him is gone too. Only piercing pain in his head remains.
'Maybe it was just a bad dream.' He gulp air and attempt to stand. The ground seems to move under his feet. But his not in a state of any delusion, the ground are not moving.
"I'll give my reports to the chief tomorrow and just go home for today."
When he entered the classroom. This time, things are a bit different.
"Wooowww! Okay, then how do you solve this problem, Leo?"
"In this case, you substitute this for this, and divide everything by x. It's the same simple equation that you used earlier."
"Whoa, you're right! Thank you, Leo!"
Unlike someone else, Leo helps out his classmate without displaying an ounce of condescension. And that someone is directing a nasty scowl toward the new kid.
"That bunch of brown-nosing idiots will suck up anyone who's got bigger pea-brains than theirs. Hmph, Whatever. It's no skin off my back. People who are ugly inside are ugly outside too." It seems that Shinji's gaggle of female admirers has migrated to Leo's desk.
For once, Shinji's irritation is kind of understandable.
"I'll give him this-the brat is a real charity worker, laying on the charm for those sows. He's desperate to appear smarter than me, but I'm the real smart one here. I see what he's doing. That dumb little kid doesn't know that I'm onto him."
".…" Reacting to Shinji's voice, Leo glances in their way. Leo's expression is inscrutable, but not hostile.
"Ah, er…What do you want? You wanna go?" After a few false starts, Shinji finally manage to squeeze that out in a low voice. No one know if Leo heard it, but Leo get out of his seat. The recoil turns into a noticeable flinch, which Leo smiles kindly at in response.
Unlike Shinji's, Leo's gestures are filled with dignity.
"If I have unknowingly given you cause to be malicious, I would like to deeply apologize. Shinji Matou, was it? I'll be careful not to upset you in the future." Leo message firmly delivered, Leo then return to his seat. His soft voice bore no note of hostility or resentment, not even a sign of upset.
"H-hmph. He knows when to bow down to true authority, it seems. I'm such a nice guy, I'll just accept his apology. Y-yeah, it's not like he ever pissed me off." After visually confirming that Leo is otherwise occupied, Shinji feigns calmness and leans back.
"*phew* I made it! Good morning, every-"
And thud. That sound make the boy to cringe, no matter how many times he hear it. Everyone is desensitized to it for the most part. Even knowing that she'll jump to her feet in a few seconds, but regardless they should probably worry more.
Class started. But Shinji still seems t be in a bad mood. It's obvious that he doesn't like Leo all that much. But with him it's impossible to tell if he's really mad or just being cynical. Either way, it's just more of the same.
Just like their homeroom teacher's daily dramatic entrance. And once again, the day begin.
"All righty, then…Let's pick up where we left off. According to Dr. Pieceman's biography-"
During class, the boy thought he saw Leo smirk a little, but other than that nothing exciting occurred. Today is just another boring day in a long string of boring days.
"Who here knows what amnesia is? No? Well it's a terrifying condition where an individual lose all of their memories! It caused by brain damage, severe trauma, or even infections of one's mucus membranes. The section of the doctor's biography we just covered touches on this conditions. The cure for such scary condition was discovered by Dr. Pieceman. With that said, using amnesia as an excuse for forgetting your homework isn't going to fly!"
And as per norm, Ms. Fujimura's lectures starts to peter out. Just as a collective "This again?" starts to rise from the students.
"Ms. Fujimura." Without being acknowledge by the teacher, Leo suddenly rises to his feet. The tension in the classroom ratchets up immediately as all eyes focus on Leo. The young boy surveys the room with a mysterious smile, taking in everyone's startled glances.
"Oh, and of course, my fellow classmates. It is time for me to leave. We will probably never meet again, so I wish you all well."
'What the? My head…The pain'
"Ah, and before I forget. Ms. Fujimura, I think you are still young, even now. Just your presence is enough to remind me of the beauty of youth. You're a remarkable person." After what seemed to be a very slight bow, he immediately seems to disappear from the room.
"U-uuhhhmmm…All right, then…Let's continue. Please turn to page 86." And accompanied by the sound of flipping pages, the lesson goes on as if nothing had happened.
"*sigh* showing off like that in the middle of the class… What a jackass. If you have to use the john, be a little more discreet. And that "I have to leave" crap! Seriously, isn't he supposed to be some kind of aristocrat or princeling or something?" Both him and Shinji knows that what just happened is impossible.
A high suspicious disappearance in the middle of class and the teacher doesn't seem to care. No one in class says anything and the class continues as if nothing strange has happened. It was the same dull, dreary scene as yesterday, and the day before.
'This can't be natural'
After Leo's exit from class, the lesson continues unabated, as if following a set script.
'Strange, this is definitely strange.' It's as if the world tilted slightly and everything within it is losing its sense or presence. The boy's head, starting to feel like it's going to explode. The pain is making it hard to remember who he is.
'Wait. Come to think of it. I mean really. Who.'
'Am I?'
'What is my name? How old am I? where do I live? How many people are in my family? What was my life like before I started attending this school?'
The boy can't remember anything. His memories has been completely erased somehow.
'How, and why did this happen?!'
'That's right. The editor In chief of journalism club. As the president of the club, she should at least know my name. I know I had to have filled out something when I first joined the club. I'll ask her.'
Without any second to waste he quickly search the club president near at the bulletin board.
"Oh! Our club's ace. Did you find anything yesterday?" The chief is still her usual cheery self. But all the boy could think of is the pile of dead bodies he witnessed. But instead of telling her that he said something else.
"What's my name chief?"
"Huh? Your name?" The boy nod. "Just look it up in the registry in the library."
'Yeah, the school registry. It has everyone's names. If I look at the school registry it might jog my memories.'
Soon afterwards the boy found the library and the sounds of pages turning can be the only thing that making noise.
The boy tried to read through all of it. Hoping that there is something that will help him to remember. But until he realize that something is terribly wrong.
The pages are blank
Blank. Blank. Blank. Every single page was blank.
He reach for the last year's school registry, and when he start flipping through the pages
Blank
Blank. Blank. Blank
'What is happening here? Who am I? And just what…is this place?'
Due to panic the boy ran to the first floor. He knows that something wrong in this place. But more worrying that he cant remember the fact on who he is. As he wonder the campus, he saw Leo waling down a hallway on the first floor.
As a transfer student, he can't see why Leo would want to visit any freshmen. Also, there's nothing but a dead-end up ahead. He begun to wonder what Leo's is really up to.
He suddenly have this weird feeling that someone or somethin is up ahead in the hallway.
Leo for some reason, is examining the wall at the end of the hallway with almost excessive interest.
"The attention to detail Is quite impressive. Even the surrounding air is surprisingly substantial. If that is the case, this world is in some ways more real than the real world it represents. But that's just my opinion…How about you guys? What are your thoughts on this?"
In that moment. The boy felt his heart skips a beat. Almost immediately, his blood pressure skyrockets along with his body temperature.
*Ba-dump* *Ba-dump* *Ba-dump*
His pulse is like an explosion in his ear as his blood races through his veins, and the reason is clear.
Leo turned to face him.
The boy know for sure his talking to him as there is nobody else present besides the two of them.
"Greetings. I believe this is the first time we've had an actual conversation" The boy didn't felt any sense of hostility from Leo. In fact, Leo smile seems genuinely friendly. His smile has the same effect on him as the rising of the morning sun, warm and comforting. In addition to Leo smile, his presence is inviting and inclusive and he find to himself drawn to him.
Oddly. The boy who doesn't have memory worries have vanished. All he could think of is doing as Leo says, as that's the only way to. His mind feel like it's in a haze. It's like Leo is controlling his thoughts in some way.
"Attending school wasn't half-bad. I've never had the opportunity to go to one before now. In that respect, this has been quite an interesting experience. However, the time for fun has come to an end. I did not come here to play being a student. No matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path. And for me, the time to do so has arrived." With those final words, Leo turns his back to him.
"Farewell…No that's not quite right. I don't think farewell would be accurate in this situation. For reasons I cannot explain, I have the distinct feeling that we will see each other again. So I guess I should use the more congenial, "See you later" Well, it's time for me to move on. I wish you the best of luck." With those final words Leo disappears.
It's like he ceases to exist. One moment, his hand is on the wall, the next he is gone. The young man in front of him seems to disappear before his very eyes.
Because of this. He wanted to say reality rejected his existence in it, but it feel like it was the opposite, that he refused to be constrained by it. It wasn't any special ability that allowed him to do so, just his strength of will alone.
With Leo departure, the boy feel as if a great weight is lifted from his very being. And rather than be a cause of concern, it brings a fundamental question in mind.
'Who am I?'
As the question pop into his head, it begins to take on a life of its own, searing on his brain.
He investigate the wall that Leo disappeared through. It just a concrete wall at the end of the hallway. About the only thing on the floor is dust. But he is positive there must be something here, because Leo walked through the wall.
It would be so easy to turn around, go back down hallway and pretend nothing happened. But there are still things he needed to know. He don't have any memories, that means he never had anywhere else to go but here. No place to return to.
'What was it that Leo said?'
'No Matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path.'
'That's what he said, didn't he? Then beyond this wall lies the "appointed path," and the truth.'
'If I follow him, I'll learn the answers to my questions, even if those answers are painful. But ignorance is bliss. Do I have the fortitude to face to truth and accept it?'
But something is different. Down to the floors and the walls the school has changed the very substance of its being. For some reason, reality cracking this way is intensely disturbing. This world around him is more real than a painting, but not even as real as a sand castle.
He feel like it's so brittle he could tap it and the echo would shake this whole world. Where the boring concrete wall once stood, now there's a doorway that he can freely walk through. An entrance. No an emergency exit, like stairs to the outside. He know for sure that it's not something of this world.
He have no doubt that the world the door leads to is utterly alien
Whatever awaits inside, whatever shape it takes, there's a certain sort of finality to seeing it. Ultimately, he already committed to this path. The boy bid farewell to the false world and take his first step along the appointed path.
Beyond the door. There's a man waiting. Its not Leo or someone he knows. But he remembered the weird dress his wearing. He met this man before, he remembered the not humanly aura he wear. When the man notice him, he smiled lightly.
"Your a minute late. But regardless my prediction are correct."
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Archimedes. But that doesn't matter, we better hurry."
"Wait, where are we going?"
"You don't need to worry. I will guide you to the place you wanted to go, but I advice to you that just let things happens." The man who's name is Archimedes turn his back to him and continued to the door.
"Huh?" Knowing that standing here wont do nothing. The boy decide to follow Archimedes and hoped that nothing bad will happen.
They finally made it. Within the deepest depths of the world beyond the door. This place must be the goal his supposed to reach. At least, that's what he thought. Also Archimedes guide him here without any trouble or whatsoever.
It's stifling, the aura of purity that seems to acts as a ward against corrupted souls who's try to enter. The feeling is familiar. It has the feeling of a chapel where the spirits of deceased still linger.
At first he didn't notice, being overwhelmed by the grandeur of the room. But to one side is a young man in a familiar uniform, lying still on the ground. The boy call out to him, but there is no reply. When he shake him in an attempt to wake him up. He notice that. He is stone cold.
He go as pale as the corpse before him, and he can no longer think coherently. All he can do is stare in bewilderment.
It is at this moment.
The fallen effigy lying next to the male student come to its feet with a clatter. But be can get a chance to make sense of what's going on, it suddenly twists around and comes right at him.
"Relax young one. Remember what I said? Just let things happened, but that I mean let it kill you" He heard what Archimedes said.
"Are you out of your MIND!?" He scream in panic as the effigy started to come closer.
"Be logical alright. What can a student like you can do against it? Nothing right?"
"But you can do something about this thing. Help me out please!" The boy started to take a step back as he plea for help.
"Actually you're right." The boy smiled when he heard Archimedes.
Archimedes snap his finger and soon chains begun to find itself onto the boy' body. With his hand and feet pinned to the ground. He started to hear the crackling sound of footsteps of the effigy.
"What are you doing!? This isn't funny let me out!"
"I don't do jokes young one. I'll be back to collect your lifeless body later on." Archimedes walked out to where they are. Leaving the boy alone and the effigy who wanted to kill the boy.
"This can't be happening!. Somebody help me! Please I don't want to die!" He tried to shout for help but then he stop when he saw the feet of the effigy on front of him.
"Please don't. Please don't. Don't kill me please.."
Before he could say another word. He felt something heavy that force onto his chest. It was quick, and the last thing he know is that, there's a hole in his chest. He didn't feel pain, but inside, his mind is screaming on what he seeing right now.
Soon his vision started to become dark. His losing his senses, his mind is tired cause of the horror that happened to him. He felt betrayed, and he also feel regret. That even at the very end. He still unable to remember anything about himself.
"Someone….Anyone…If you make it beyond here, please don't forget…my name…"
Archimedes is feeling great that everything is going according to plan. He manage to find a time line that the mooncell doesn't want to exist. A time line that if get touch by someone evil, will lead the world to its end. Not only that but also the branches that consist different time.
Now he only need is to make sure that "He" become different from what he is. Who would know that someone like "Him" could ever do such thing if swing to the wrong direction. He also need to win this Holy Grail to connect this time line to theirs.
If that ever happened. If that ever HAPPENED! He will enjoy every last moment of despair coming from that Foolish emperor and also that pet fox they keeping in leash. Lastly a sweet sweet revenge against Altera.
Just they wait. This is his last chance, the one he serve didn't make it. But for his dream of Seraph destruction. He will sacrifice everything.
Fortunately he found a suitable master he can use. That boy he met earlier. The boy have everything he needed. But if he let the boy keep living, it may hold him off. He needed a master that even if their brain got fried in the real world they can still function inside Seraph.
That's why he come up with this plan. That boy will be the body of everyone who died inside this world. Their reincarnation, someone who will easily controlled by him. He might not need to fight due to the nature of Dead Faces.
"Now then. I only need to pursue that Servant and its master." He said to himself. "But I need to collect that body later on. Nevrospaston, that would be fitting name for him."
Somewhere on the other side of Seraph. Where a new part of Extella has been born, still haven't discovered but already under control by a foreign ruler. Inside the castle of the fallen holy city.
"Jeanne do you remember what you said to me before? That if there's a God you would definitely get punish for it." A man with wavy white hair asked the woman beside him.
"Yes my lord." The woman named Jeanne answered.
"Then if I were him, I would forgive you for everything you have done."
"Pardon my lord?"
"Let me rephrase it. After I become a God, I will forgive you for all you've done Jeanne"
Jeanne eyes become widely open after hearing her lord declaration.
"But my lord. Someone like me doesn't deserve such kindness."
"You always been on my side Jeanne. You deserve rewards. You even deserve a land to ruled over.
If you wish I would do a little effort to do both."
"My lord. The only place I wanted to be is here. Without you, a land will be nothing." Jeanne said. Thankfully she have a long white hair to hide her blushing face. She definitely will die if he saw her face right now.
"You deserve more. Before I became a God. Say your wish so I would prioritize them first."
"Then…Is it possible for me to call my lord by his name?" Jeanne tried to look onto her lord eyes. But break it quickly when she saw his soft smile due to her wish.
"You're such a simple girl. But regardless you're free to call me by my name Jeanne."
"Thank you. Lord Ren."
"Are you alright Jeanne? You're body is trembling, is there something wrong?"
"N-no! Ren!"
"Ren? Hmm I do feel like it better without the lord horrific."
The door then swung wide open, revealing a group or not ordinary human.
"My my, Did you miss me my lord?" A woman that is covering her face with cloth ask the man seating on the throne.
"To answer that Morgan. I did, how's the new Camelot doing?"
"It's doing fine my lord thank you" Just hearing that her lord misses her make Morgan satisfied.
"Good evening my lord. Do we have new task in hand you want us to do?" Asked by a half naked man with a long black hair that almost reach the floor.
"No there isn't. Just some announcement Yan Qing."
"You look like excited about this announcement, is it another grand plan like how you conquered my land?" A large man in blue loudly asked. If compared between him and the lord in terms of excitement. This man will come up top.
"Its much greater than that Ivan the terrible."
"Are you gonna announce who your queen gonna be!? Oh no my lord I'm not ready for that." A girl appears to be wearing a Shirabyōshi attire from the Heian period, she has a black tate-eboshi hat, Red hakama and a red suikan.
"You sure are amusing Suzuka Gozen."
"Mou I though I'm gonna win the Lord heart."
"Don't be stupid Suzuka. Someone like you won't become the lord beloved." A female voice heard behind the girl name Suzuka Gozen.
"And he won't fall for someone like you either Ereshkigal." Suzuka Gozen stick out her tongue like a kid toward the blond haird girl name Ereshkigal.
"I think it's time for us to listen to what our lord has to say. Or else I Sigurd might not able to stop our friend over there." The man named Sigurd pointed at another large man wielding what look like an giant sword. The said large is breathing madly like its about to kill anyone who annoyed him.
"I'll make it brief so that Heracles and everyone can leave." Ren stand up on the throne his seating, with such a simple gesture, everyone eyes are on him. Waiting for what he about to say. "The time has come. Before our battle against the other half of Seraph."
"I will descend as a God of this world so that no one would ever, not even a chance to take what's ours. But before that. I will cleanse this body, so that when I woke up. I'll be pure God, a perfect God for Seraph."
"Glorious my Lord! Glorious!" Ivan the terrible could not contain himself as he begun to clap from his Lord declaration. "Not even MoonCell can stop us now."
"Ohh~ A God Boyfriend! Yes I like that idea my lord." Suzuka Gozen almost squeal in excitement from imagining the future between her and her lord. But get smack by Ereshkigal who seemed annoyed from what the girl had said.
On the other hand. Morgan and Jeanne would like to do the same to the girl but worse.
"While the ritual is still going. I would like for all of you to get ready for our fight against the regalia wielder. That foolish king of the floating castle will lose against them."
"My respect toward that man has gone after he reject our lord kindness." Ya Qing voices his thought toward the foolish king.
"It already a shame to lose to your fantasy self." Sigurd muttered to himself.
"What would you like us to do my lord?"
"Make sure that where ready to attack after i become a God."
"YES MY LORD!" Everyone said in unison.
"Then I will begin the ritual now. Also Jeanne I trust you to keep everyone under control."
"Yes my lord."
After saying his last words. Ren started to get surrounded by lights. The room soon followed afterwards. Everyone inside the room soon covered their eyes from the light, seven lights formed behind Ren and soon traveled in different directions. The air become strange as if something separating them from themselves. The feeling lasted for a while, after the light soon begun to lift. And the seven lights leave the room. The throne of their lord has been replace of a cocoon made of light.
Its floating, and beating every second. There are light that orbiting around it, and printed word such as Lust, Greed, Pride and the rest of the deadly sins are seen on its summoning circle on the ground.
It was beautiful. Not even the design of the Holy Grail could compare to it.
"Marvelous." Jeanne doesn't know who said that, but she agree that it is indeed Marvelous. It made by Ren after all.
"Everyone. The Lord is still in process of becoming a god, we will proceed to what he want us to do." Jeanne said not wasting any more second after their lord become a cocoon.
"Understood." They soon leave Jeanne alone on the throne room with her Lord.
"It finally begin huh?" A silhouettes figure said.
"Yes, and I advice you to leave Archimedes. Before I burned you alive." The warning on her voice are sharp. She really mean it, she really going to kill this man before her and her lord.
"What after all I've done? He won't be here without me remember?"
"That is true. But that won't save you from your hidden agenda. I watch over you even though I'm not what I am today. When I'm still living inside the sea of soul. When were still on that time lock. I known from the start that you will betray us sooner or later."
"Hmph, as long as that Nero Claudius and her Master are dead. I might stay goody good shoes."
"Leave." Jeanne said as she pick her sword from her waist.
"Tsk. Fine! I'm about to go over there anyway. 'She' about to wake up from what I heard."
Taking Jeanne warning. Archimedes leave without saying a word.
"I hope you don't mind me staying her Ren." Jeanne softly said as she reach out her hand on the cocoon of light. It blink twice at it felt Jeanne's hand.
"Thank you." She said to the cocoon.
Authors Note
Well this is actually not the original chapter 3. It should be the first week elimination round between Hakuno and Shinji. But I ended up replacing it with this. For what reason you ask!? I don't know really. I thought it was a good thing to add to the plot. It also for the fact that I assumed everyone know what happen on the first part of fate/extra. So yeah I write this and that.
As we all know this story will cover the extra, extella link, and maybe ccc in the future. But I want to say that the fate/extra plot will pretty much a flashback. Like Persona 5 when we on a story of catching up at what really happened. That setting is really good! so I want to create something similar, or maybe it will just make everyone confuse. Regardless I can just edit things out if it become questionable!
Also if your asking why this update is late. Well... Nero Fest my dear reader, Nero Fest. I cant let that event go without me farming it.
There's also the fact that I brought 3 ps4 games. Last of us I, fallout 4, and GTA 5. I finished gta 5 though but I don't think I can platinum it. And now I'm playing Fallout 4 but for some reason it making me dizzy I don't know why lol!
Chapter 1 : One week of illusion
"A future is not given to you. It is something you must take for yourself." -Pod 042 (NieR Automata)
=break=
It was early morning, away from the old Seraph and onto the expanding land of Extella. Inside the library of the Holy City. Archimedes is reading the files he collected during his times on 'That time line'.
"I can't believe he already make this much progress. Not even 'that' king can do this much. But if he can make Nero occupied, then I have more time to plan." Archimedes said to no one as he pick up a tablet on the table.
"Oh so this is the last memory of 'My Master' huh?" His lips formed a smirk as he read through all of it.
"Even from the beginning. You should be thanking me for making you into something else."
"But regardless. I don't need you anymore."
"Oh that's remind me. 'His' about to announce something. Tsk, this be troublesome. That fallen saint, *sigh* what to do with that girl. Hmm."
As Archimedes throw the tablet on the table. The file about a boy soon played out. File named Nevrospaston
=break=
It's a bright, sunny morning. The air is filled with the joyful laughter of students. There's more activity than normal in front of the school gate. A crowd is forming as students are being called over.
"I wonder what's going on." The boy told to himself. When he peer into the center of the hubbub, he saw his friend and the school student council president.
"Good morning! Lovely weather we're having, don't you think?" As Issei Ryuudou greeted the boy. He sent him a skeptical look as he notice the surprise look coming from the boy. "Hmm? Why do you look so surprised?"
"We announced at last week's assembly that this month the student council would strictly enforce school rules."
"I have been tasked with performing inspections to ensure students are in compliance with school rules. Now, it goes without saying that EVERYONE is subject to inspections, even old friends." Issei the student council president, after carefully reminding his friend about last week assembly. He walk closer to the boy and begun the inspection.
"Now then, uniform inspection time. Collar, check! Pant hems, check! And your socks… Check!" He then took the boy's bag and inspect it next. "Next is the contents of your bag… Notebooks, textbooks, pencil box! Not even a whiff of contraband."
"Your nails are evenly cut, and your haircut is sensible." Issei then smiled, looking satisfied about the inspection. "Indeed, quite remarkable. You're a model Tsukimihara Academy student" As he return the bag on its owner. Issei continued praising the boy. "Someone like you ought to consider a future in student government. You'd be perfect for it."
"Oh, but I'd never try to coerce you into joining the student council. We aren't like that."
"Now then, off to your classroom! Enjoy your day."
Before the boy can reply. The diligent student council president is on to the next student's inspection. Hungry for gossip on their way to their classrooms, the students jabber about the inspections.
"Things are always so gently bustling in the morning." The boy told to himself. He could not help but to think of an another peaceful beginning to another peaceful day.
=break=
As the boy entered his class. He saw one of his friend. Matou surrounded with girls. His popularity is a mystery for the boy.
"Hey, when did you show up? You're so quiet and dull that I didn't even notice you. Even though, huh?" Shinji Matou make a pause as he think of something. "We've been friends since our freshman year, right?"
But before the boy can reply. Shinji cut him off, not letting him to answer his question. "Anyway, don't sweat the fact that you're as boring as dirt. It's not like you can help it."
"I mean, anyone would seem boring and stupid compared to me!"
It's a little early for the boy to get this much abuse on Shinji Matou. But it seem the boy didn't mind as he used to it, somehow.
Shinji's arrogance is almost palatable. The boy didn't know what he's saying, but it make all the girls squeal with joy. It make the boy to change his opinion on his friend popularity to mysterious to unnatural.
"What's up?" The boy asked
"I was just doing a little math tutoring. This stuff is beyond easy… For me, anyway."
"Wait a sec. Hey Senpai, isn't the answer to this question is totally wrong in every way?" One of the girl his tutoring asked.
"What in the!? I'm the one who solved that! There's no way it could be wrong!"
"B-but… Look at this. Since when did two plus two equal to five?"
"I'd never make such stupid mistake! It's all our fault! You're the idiots here, note me!"
As Shinji raise his voice, the girls all begun to panic and run back to their desks.
"*sigh* I hate dealing with the proletariat. Especially when they think they're my equal. It's really pathetic that these worms don't know their place. That's why I like you so much."
"Eh?"
"Even though you're boring, you know not to steal my thunder. You're the ultimate sidekick." Shinji flashes him a smile. It's make the boy feel weird as he never take any offense at the way Shinji talk to him.
By some strange twist of fate, Shinji Matou and the boy are friends. How they become friends is beyond the memory of the boy, even Shinji could not recall how they become friend. They both believe that they met in spring sometime.
The bell for the class rings as he tried to recollect.
And who should fly through the door but their homeroom teacher, Ms. Fujimura.
"*phew* I made it! Good morning, every-" Before she could greet the class. A sound of thud came from the Ms. Fujimura as she trips and falling painfully onto the floor. As she lands, her head strikes the corner of the platform at the front of the classroom.
The classroom goes dead silent. Every student's attention is focused on the same thing.
"Again… How does she mange to trip in the same place every time…?" One of the male student ask.
"Listen, you! This isn't the time to making stupid jokes." The female student beside him answered.
"You're right. She isn't moving. Did she get knocked out or something?"
A few brave student get out of their seats and crowd around the still comatose Fujimura.
"Hey, Ms. Fujimura!"
"Ms. Fujimura…? um… are you okay?"
"Ugh… Wha-?"
"Huh? What's wrong, everyone? Hey, class is about to start, so get back to your seats, pronto!" Ms. Fujimura jumps to her feet as if nothing had happened. It's almost as if the memory of her sudden and violent trip to the floor was totally erased.
As this happens all the time, no one seems to notice or care enough to say anything. No one gives a though to how odd it is for this to happen every single day.
=break=
The scene playing out before the unnamed boy seems to never change from day to day.
The same exact lessons.
The exact same subject.
The exact same content.
"Um, today we're going to study the biography of Dr. Pieceman, a talented physician."
Ms. Fujimura is conducting her class today the same way she does everyday.
"You may not know, but when I was young, an unknown pathogen was the cause of serious epidemic. In fact, outbreaks were common. But now, most illnesses are cured using nanothingmajigs!"
"And FYI, I'm still young. This will be on the test so be sure you don't forget it. I MEAN IT!"
Ms. Fujimura ensuing laughter stops short at her eyes, which seem deadly serious. Just as everyone is about to call their teacher out. The bell signaling the end of class rings.
"All right, that's all for today. Be sure to study hard tonight, and don't forget those important points I told you about."
=break=
While today's class wasn't all that boring, it still make the boy to feel relief when the bell rings. As the bell signaling the end of the day sounds, students begin to break off into small groups.
"Thank god that's over. I was getting sick of all the busywork." Shinji told him his complains. "Being a student sucks. The worst part of the whole deal is having to attend these stupid classes."
"You're still here?… That's unusual, you don't have any plans, like a date or something?"
"Ha ha, I'm just messing with you! I know you're too big of a nerd to ever get a date! I mean, you're just going to your dork club. The journalism club right?"
"Well, seeing as you're as boring as stale white bread, your life is exactly as it should be. You know exactly what your role in life is, and you stay there. Well, catch you later! See you in class tomorrow!"
The boy let Shinji leave without saying anything back. Without anything to do, he remembered that he need to attend his club activities. He leaves his room and begun his search on their club editor in chief.
He found her near the bulletin board with the other members. When he approaches her, she greeted him without any sign of tiredness.
"Look who's here! It's the newspaper club's ace! Gotten any leads?" Seeing the boy confuse look. She reminded him about his task. "Don't tell me you forget to write an article about the "Unsolved Mysteries of Tsukumihara."."
"C'mon, I told you yesterday. There isn't very much time left before the deadline."
"Well, whatever. Your work's always good, so I'll leave this in your capable hands!"
With that the editor told him about where to investigate. She told him that the mystery linger at the archery club and its his task to investigate what this mystery is all about. Following her direction, the boy is about to leave the school, but something stop him at the first floor.
Out of the blue, a feeling that something was moving behind the door overcame him. No students are allowed inside the supply room. But for some unknown reason, the boy find his eyes drawn to the door of the supply room.
The door suddenly and violently thrown open.
"Oh, Who might you be?" Without warning, a man appears from out of the shadows. Dressed in weird clothing. The person in question doesn't feel like what a human would be, he felt power and intelligent coming from the unknown man.
It feel incredible, but it making him scared.
Because of that. The boy felt intimidated from the man on front of him. It immediately replaced with extreme discomfort and unease.
He sense an overwhelming sense of danger, it give the boy a goose bumps all over his body. His stare sends chill down on his spine. For some reason, it feel like his deciding whether or not to leave him alone or not.
"Odd. Your name doesn't appear to be on the list of participant. Strange, very strange." The unknown man begin to mutter under his breath while at the same time he reaches out with his right hand. The chills running down on the terrified boy spine. He gain intensity as wave of nausea and vertigo wash over him.
He feel like a rabbit watching the wold draw near.
'This cant be real. Maybe this isn't just raw terror. I think he's holding something that's making me feel his way?' The boy thought nervously.
"You're not even trying to run. Perfect, very perfect. You could be a useful tool for me." The note of satisfaction in his voice is obvious as he slowly lowers his hand. The paralysis that seemed to take hold of him suddenly fades away.
"Your a student right? Then you should know that your not allowed on entering the supply room. You'd do well to remember that."
"The campus is about to close. If you have nothing else to do, I advise you to go home now."
The man didn't introduces himself. He turns and head back into the supply room. With that, the final bell begins to chime, signaling the end of the school day. Everything begins to progress as normal, as if nothing out of the ordinary had happened.
But the boy is still sore and slicked with sweat. An all to real reminder of what happened.
The boy ended his day after investigating the archery club. What appears in the archery range isn't an entrance to the spirit world. But is Ms. Fujimura. The boy decide to report tomorrow and return to his home.
=break=
Early morning. As the boy walk into class, the girls that normally flock around Shinji Matou aren't there. Shinji seems to be in a bad mood today. His usual posse of girls is keeping their distance. Strengthening himself, he ask him if something happened.
"What? Like I'd tell you if anything happened to me! Which, it didn't. Nothing happened at all."
"Hey, you know that ice queen Rin Tousaka? She thinks she's so much better than everyone else." Hearing the irony, they boy keep his laughter inside him. "At first, I though that she would be the only one who understood how lonely it is at the top. I tried talking to her yesterday, but I got nowhere. Maybe I just intimidate her or something."
"I might've lost a few points for getting violent, but girls who talk back to me get slapped! I'd never hook up with such violent, stuck up bitch like that, no matter how hot she is!"
"What a waste. She'd be perfect if she just keep her mouth shut. You agree with me, right? RIGHT?" After Shinji's rant. It looks like there's some tension between Shinji and Rin Tousaka.
Knowing Shinji. 'He'd probably hit on her and got shot down.'
"And why'd she take a shot at me? I thought she was going to spinning-star kick me next." Shinji continues to whine under his breath. The boy can only imagine how sleazy Shinji was being with her. Normally, Shinji's super-aggressive approach works, but obviously it didn't with Rin Tousaka.
'Life's more interesting when it's got little shake-ups like this.' The boy happily thought
As if right on cue, Ms. Fujimura barges into the classroom as the bell sounds.
"*phew* I made It! Good morning, everyone!"
"All right, no one's absent and since there are no announcements, let's just start homeroom." As soon as she turns to reach for the chalk, she trips and falls as she always does. As she falls, her fingernails drag across the blackboard with a horrifying sound.
And thus, another typically mundane day begins anew.
=break=
"And though the great war had finally come to an end, regional conflicts still persist. Despite the suffering of the previous generation, battles are still waged thirty years on." Standing behind the lectern today is the school's newest teacher Mr. Kuzuki.
Although he's supposed to be teaching math, his lesson seems have gone off on a tangent.
"Now, instead of armies, attacks in ever greater numbers are being carried out by terrorist. And in an attempt of suppress these terrorists groups."
With that, that bell signaling the end of classes sounds. And with the end of the day here, the tension in the classroom drops immediately.
"All right, let us end here today."
"Oh yes, before I forget. There is an announcement from the student counselor. Recently, a rise in the number of slashing incidents has made the surrounding area dangerous. With that in mind, keep any detours to a minimum and head home as quickly as possible."
'Get home quickly?' It was a good advice, but the boy still have to finish a few assignment for the journalism club. The reason why is he so gung-ho about investigating the school is a mystery even for him. Regardless he need to turn in yesterday report, he decided to straight head to the editor in chief this evening.
=break=
As the boy is about to find the chief. He heard some girls, gossiping about someone.
"Hey, guess what? I just passed this gorgeous girl on the stairs. Could she be a new student?" One of the girls asked.
"What? I'm sure you're just talking about Rin Tousaka from class B."
"Rin Tousaka? Never heard of her."
"You've really never head of her? Pretty, athletic, smart, classy…"
"Or a stuck-up Ms. Perfect who all the guys adore and all the girls despise"
"It wouldn't be unrealistic to call Rin Tousaka the most popular girl in the whole school"
"Are you pulling my legs?"
After that, the three girls leave the second floor whole way. Leaving the boy curious about the girl their talking about. Remembering his teacher advice, he quickly set himself back to his task. He found the editor on the same place as yesterday.
"Oh! Our club's ace. Did you find out anything yesterday?" The boy told her everything he known about the mystery. "Interesting. So It was Tiger! Of course there's no entrance to the spirit world!"
"Thanks to you, the article will be great! Are you ready for the next article assignment?"
"The next unsolved mystery is… Yesterday, there was a girl dressed in red on the rooftop. Rumors about "Little Red Rooftop" are spreading. Go find out what this is all about."
The boy wanted to go home early as possible. But there's a new task that been handed to him. With only a little complain he decided to suck it up and proceed toward the school rooftop. He turn the doorknob and the metal door opens silently on its hinges.
As a rule, no one is allowed up on the roof, but he can see someone's elongated shadow. The vibrant colors set off by the setting of the sun is enough to take one's breath away. Under the now blood red sky, a single girl looks out onto the town that spreads out below. Like a figure out of a painting, the girl seems to shine with the same red glow as the setting sun.
"What a beautiful sunset. I can only imagine how captivating this sight must be for the people who live here. It is indeed a very beautiful scene. A shame that it doesn't really exist."
"On the surface it seems like such a benign, peaceful world. A pity that it'll soon come to an end. This place is merely an idealized imitation of the real world. And one done in poor taste. I wonder if there's any value to a memory that can only be observed and then left behind." The girl in red said with a mix of disgust and disappointment on her voice. As she finishes speaking, a faint smile forms on the girl's lips as she slowly turns at the boy direction.
The girl unwavering gaze makes it seem like she can see things hidden to others. Her eyes seem to shine with an intensity that rivals that of the fiery red of the evening sky.
"What's this, a notice from the system? Thanks for bringing it to me."
"Wait what?" The boy all manage to left out.
"Huh, that's not it? That means you must be one of the generic N-. I mean, students… If one of the irrelevant NPCs can get up here, I guess I'll have to find another place to hang out." The girl continued to mumble quietly to herself. She then quickly walk to the boy's way.
"Oh well, at least this is a good opportunity for me to look one of you over. Stand still, you." The boy didn't expect the girl's finger that reaches out his cheek.
"Wait, what's this!? Is this a warning from the system? Direct interference does break the rules, after all." Surprise by what happened. The girl mumbling to herself and soon disappears without any trace. It's like no one was ever there at all.
"She vanished?" There or not, her form has been indelibly burned into the boy's mind.
"Oh, you're still here. It's almost time to leave school, so you should prepare to go home." The sound of the student council president pulls the boy back to reality.
"Yeah I think I better be." With that the boy decide to go home and report later to the editor in chief.
=break=
After yesterday event. Early morning as the boy entered his classroom. He saw Shinji Matou in the seat next to him, surrounded with girls.
" I'm telling you, you don't have any talent. Give up before you look like a retard. So you know what he said to that?" Shinji asked the girls around him.
"What? What? What did he say?!"
"We're dying to know! Tell us!"
"This wuss gets all boo-hoo, and he says. "I'll keep practicing until I get better. I can at least get better than you, who skips practice"." Shinji laugh after he said that. "Sorry, I have to laugh! Anybody knows that you can't practice your way into being a genius! If he wants to practice something, he should practice not sounding like a tool!"
"The guy's not a total maggot, but he's still trash that needs to find a garbage can. Ha ha ha, that moron. People aren't created equal. Even people who are born have average can never reach the same heights as the naturally gifted!"
The girls around Shinji's squeal with joy after that.
"Trash can't help being trash. It should learn to stop dreaming about being something better."
The bell rings. In response, the gaggle of girls shuffle off to their own seats. The boy soon follow afterwards, while they wait for the teacher to arrive, the boy get caught up on what Shinji said for some reason.
Whether or not Shinji has innate talent, he thinks it's pretty clear that his a nobody. A nobody, with no goals.
'I mean, when I try to even think about the future, I get overwhelmed. As long as I keep plodding along, some day I'll reach my totally average future. Yay.'
"Good morning, everyone!" When the teacher came in. The boy heart accelerates, each beat painfully strong. It's as if his body's on high alert. Don't get him wrong, he knows that it not a reaction to Ms. Fujimura.
"Well, kids. This is a little out of the blue, but today I want to introduce you to a new friend." Beside Ms. Fujimura is a boy wearing an orange uniform, the boy's blond hair look carefully take care of. The moment that both of their eyes met. It cause his body to fight or flight instincts to prickle.
"Go on, Leo. Introduce yourself."
"For what purpose." The boy named Leo asked.
"Huh? Well Leo… You'll be attending school with these people, so I'm sure they'd like to know who you are."
"Ah, I see. These good people do not know my name yet." Leo steps forward, and then in a louder voice he says. "Everyone, my name is Leonardo Bistario Harway. In time, it will be a name known to all the world, but for now it is the name of your classmate. I'm pleased to meet you all. I hope we enjoy our time together."
The classroom become quiet. There aren't even any jabs at his eccentric manner of speaking, or any coos over how pretty he is. Instead, the entire classroom is enthralled by his regal bearing. Entranced even.
Because of that. The boy remembered what his friend Shinji said. 'This is what it means to be on a different level.'
None of them could ever reach the level that Leo lives on. It's not overextending to call Leo very existence is transfixing.
Like a deer in headlights, they are sill immobilized by a presence far brighter than their own. Leo natural place is above us, looking down as out king.
'How did someone like him end up here…? It must be a mistake' The boy told himself.
"Ah…um…Anyway, everyone please make Leo feel welcome. Then, Leo if you would please take a seat…It looks like the third seat in the second row from the right is open. Will that be okay?"
"Leo? Ah, you're addressing me. I see no reason to not allow you to call me Leo, as it didn't feel awkward to hear it from you. If you have the chance, I'd very much like for a delightful woman like you to visit my country."
Ms. Fujimura blushed madly after hearing Leo compliments.
"What! J-J-Jezz, don't joke with your teacher! To your seat, Leo! I won't smack you since, well, it was kind of flattering of you to say that."
"Of course. I appreciate your diplomacy, Ms. Fujimura." Then the boy gave the kind of easy smile that only kids can. That simple smile washed away the tension in the room, and people even begin to smile themselves.
The boy then think that Leo is not much of a king but a prince instead. Leo may be above them, but he also has natural charisma that draws them up to his level. However, it seems that there is at least one person in class whose mileage varies.
"I don't like him. Flirting with a teacher already? That arrogant little twerp." Shinji's clearly not happy about Leo presence.
"If you have any questions, ask anyone in the class or myself. Er, I mean, come to me first." Ms. Fujimura said.
"Yes, I understand. I'm pleased that I will be attending such a good school." Leo turned around and walk toward his assigned seat.
'Am I imagining things? Just for a second, I though he shifted his attention toward Me. Not toward anyone else, not even Shinji, who's still bad-mouthing Leo, but to me alone.'
'Yeah right. There's no way a practically otherworldly person like him would notice bland me.'
=break=
The school day ended with nothing else of interest occurring. But the appearance of Leo. It still can't shake the uneasiness the boy awoke in his heart. It feel like cogs somewhere have become misaligned.
'No, I'm just excited because for once, something happened. Well, besides what happened yesterday. I should report yesterday's finding to the editor in chief.' Going back to where he last found the editor yesterday. He report what he finds on the rooftop, he even said that the little red in the rooftop just disappeared.
"I see, well there's nothing we can do." The editor said.
"Nothing we can do?" He repeated what the editor said. He felt that something wrong with the editor in chief's reaction. He expected her to say something like "Hey, don't scare me like that!". But hearing how nonchalant she is that a person just disappeared.
"Your next story will be… "Mystery of the courtyard chapel"! "The girl keep talking like nothing happened. She's already on the next thing. It make the boy think to whether or not he should say something.
"Hey, did you know there's a chapel on campus, even though this isn't a mission school? It seems the chapel has been here longer than the school. This is just a rumor, but they say that it's haunted and magic rites are performed there. So I'm sending you to investigate."
The boy wanted to argue about what the chief said earlier. But he gives up when the chief shoo him away. Without much thing to do, he followed the chief direction and investigate the chapel.
From there he saw a man stands like a black stain, tainting the joyfully multicolored flowerbeds around him. He notice that it's the new teacher, Mr. Kuzuki. But the man standing in front of him isn't acting like a teacher by any stretch of the imagination. The sick malignancy of overbearing aggression fills the air. And then scattered around Kuzuki are.
Dead bodies of students.
"Why did you come in here? I'm certain I locked that door." Kuzuki notice his presence. His cold stare send a chill run of the boy's spine. "I suppose I'll test you out." Kuzuki think lips hardly moved. But in the next instant.
The boy bowled over, as if stuck by a invisible force. Chaotic thoughts buried on the boy's brain like endless grains of sand.
'What happened? I can't move my limbs. Seriously, what was that? Kuzuki hasn't move and no one is nearby'
'Who?'
'Why?'
'How?' The boy's thoughts begun to whirl and his heart races.
"I see what you are now. It isn't you, I suppose." Kuzuki's voice is quiet hiss, but he could hear everything that Kuzuki said. This man with cold, inscrutable eyes raises his palm toward him.
And then-
=break=
When the boy wake up, he still at the garden. The garden is quiet, and there's not even a trace of Kuzuki or of the corpses that had been there. The boy notice that his uninjured, though his body aches from laying on the hard ground. The cold sweat that had covered him is gone too. Only piercing pain in his head remains.
'Maybe it was just a bad dream.' He gulp air and attempt to stand. The ground seems to move under his feet. But his not in a state of any delusion, the ground are not moving.
"I'll give my reports to the chief tomorrow and just go home for today."
=break=
When he entered the classroom. This time, things are a bit different.
"Wooowww! Okay, then how do you solve this problem, Leo?"
"In this case, you substitute this for this, and divide everything by x. It's the same simple equation that you used earlier."
"Whoa, you're right! Thank you, Leo!"
Unlike someone else, Leo helps out his classmate without displaying an ounce of condescension. And that someone is directing a nasty scowl toward the new kid.
"That bunch of brown-nosing idiots will suck up anyone who's got bigger pea-brains than theirs. Hmph, Whatever. It's no skin off my back. People who are ugly inside are ugly outside too." It seems that Shinji's gaggle of female admirers has migrated to Leo's desk.
For once, Shinji's irritation is kind of understandable.
"I'll give him this-the brat is a real charity worker, laying on the charm for those sows. He's desperate to appear smarter than me, but I'm the real smart one here. I see what he's doing. That dumb little kid doesn't know that I'm onto him."
".…" Reacting to Shinji's voice, Leo glances in their way. Leo's expression is inscrutable, but not hostile.
"Ah, er…What do you want? You wanna go?" After a few false starts, Shinji finally manage to squeeze that out in a low voice. No one know if Leo heard it, but Leo get out of his seat. The recoil turns into a noticeable flinch, which Leo smiles kindly at in response.
Unlike Shinji's, Leo's gestures are filled with dignity.
"If I have unknowingly given you cause to be malicious, I would like to deeply apologize. Shinji Matou, was it? I'll be careful not to upset you in the future." Leo message firmly delivered, Leo then return to his seat. His soft voice bore no note of hostility or resentment, not even a sign of upset.
"H-hmph. He knows when to bow down to true authority, it seems. I'm such a nice guy, I'll just accept his apology. Y-yeah, it's not like he ever pissed me off." After visually confirming that Leo is otherwise occupied, Shinji feigns calmness and leans back.
"*phew* I made it! Good morning, every-"
And thud. That sound make the boy to cringe, no matter how many times he hear it. Everyone is desensitized to it for the most part. Even knowing that she'll jump to her feet in a few seconds, but regardless they should probably worry more.
=break=
Class started. But Shinji still seems t be in a bad mood. It's obvious that he doesn't like Leo all that much. But with him it's impossible to tell if he's really mad or just being cynical. Either way, it's just more of the same.
Just like their homeroom teacher's daily dramatic entrance. And once again, the day begin.
"All righty, then…Let's pick up where we left off. According to Dr. Pieceman's biography-"
During class, the boy thought he saw Leo smirk a little, but other than that nothing exciting occurred. Today is just another boring day in a long string of boring days.
"Who here knows what amnesia is? No? Well it's a terrifying condition where an individual lose all of their memories! It caused by brain damage, severe trauma, or even infections of one's mucus membranes. The section of the doctor's biography we just covered touches on this conditions. The cure for such scary condition was discovered by Dr. Pieceman. With that said, using amnesia as an excuse for forgetting your homework isn't going to fly!"
And as per norm, Ms. Fujimura's lectures starts to peter out. Just as a collective "This again?" starts to rise from the students.
"Ms. Fujimura." Without being acknowledge by the teacher, Leo suddenly rises to his feet. The tension in the classroom ratchets up immediately as all eyes focus on Leo. The young boy surveys the room with a mysterious smile, taking in everyone's startled glances.
"Oh, and of course, my fellow classmates. It is time for me to leave. We will probably never meet again, so I wish you all well."
'What the? My head…The pain'
"Ah, and before I forget. Ms. Fujimura, I think you are still young, even now. Just your presence is enough to remind me of the beauty of youth. You're a remarkable person." After what seemed to be a very slight bow, he immediately seems to disappear from the room.
"U-uuhhhmmm…All right, then…Let's continue. Please turn to page 86." And accompanied by the sound of flipping pages, the lesson goes on as if nothing had happened.
"*sigh* showing off like that in the middle of the class… What a jackass. If you have to use the john, be a little more discreet. And that "I have to leave" crap! Seriously, isn't he supposed to be some kind of aristocrat or princeling or something?" Both him and Shinji knows that what just happened is impossible.
A high suspicious disappearance in the middle of class and the teacher doesn't seem to care. No one in class says anything and the class continues as if nothing strange has happened. It was the same dull, dreary scene as yesterday, and the day before.
'This can't be natural'
=break=
After Leo's exit from class, the lesson continues unabated, as if following a set script.
'Strange, this is definitely strange.' It's as if the world tilted slightly and everything within it is losing its sense or presence. The boy's head, starting to feel like it's going to explode. The pain is making it hard to remember who he is.
'Wait. Come to think of it. I mean really. Who.'
'Am I?'
'What is my name? How old am I? where do I live? How many people are in my family? What was my life like before I started attending this school?'
The boy can't remember anything. His memories has been completely erased somehow.
'How, and why did this happen?!'
'That's right. The editor In chief of journalism club. As the president of the club, she should at least know my name. I know I had to have filled out something when I first joined the club. I'll ask her.'
Without any second to waste he quickly search the club president near at the bulletin board.
"Oh! Our club's ace. Did you find anything yesterday?" The chief is still her usual cheery self. But all the boy could think of is the pile of dead bodies he witnessed. But instead of telling her that he said something else.
"What's my name chief?"
"Huh? Your name?" The boy nod. "Just look it up in the registry in the library."
'Yeah, the school registry. It has everyone's names. If I look at the school registry it might jog my memories.'
Soon afterwards the boy found the library and the sounds of pages turning can be the only thing that making noise.
The boy tried to read through all of it. Hoping that there is something that will help him to remember. But until he realize that something is terribly wrong.
The pages are blank
Blank. Blank. Blank. Every single page was blank.
He reach for the last year's school registry, and when he start flipping through the pages
Blank
Blank. Blank. Blank
'What is happening here? Who am I? And just what…is this place?'
Due to panic the boy ran to the first floor. He knows that something wrong in this place. But more worrying that he cant remember the fact on who he is. As he wonder the campus, he saw Leo waling down a hallway on the first floor.
As a transfer student, he can't see why Leo would want to visit any freshmen. Also, there's nothing but a dead-end up ahead. He begun to wonder what Leo's is really up to.
He suddenly have this weird feeling that someone or somethin is up ahead in the hallway.
Leo for some reason, is examining the wall at the end of the hallway with almost excessive interest.
"The attention to detail Is quite impressive. Even the surrounding air is surprisingly substantial. If that is the case, this world is in some ways more real than the real world it represents. But that's just my opinion…How about you guys? What are your thoughts on this?"
In that moment. The boy felt his heart skips a beat. Almost immediately, his blood pressure skyrockets along with his body temperature.
*Ba-dump* *Ba-dump* *Ba-dump*
His pulse is like an explosion in his ear as his blood races through his veins, and the reason is clear.
Leo turned to face him.
The boy know for sure his talking to him as there is nobody else present besides the two of them.
"Greetings. I believe this is the first time we've had an actual conversation" The boy didn't felt any sense of hostility from Leo. In fact, Leo smile seems genuinely friendly. His smile has the same effect on him as the rising of the morning sun, warm and comforting. In addition to Leo smile, his presence is inviting and inclusive and he find to himself drawn to him.
Oddly. The boy who doesn't have memory worries have vanished. All he could think of is doing as Leo says, as that's the only way to. His mind feel like it's in a haze. It's like Leo is controlling his thoughts in some way.
"Attending school wasn't half-bad. I've never had the opportunity to go to one before now. In that respect, this has been quite an interesting experience. However, the time for fun has come to an end. I did not come here to play being a student. No matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path. And for me, the time to do so has arrived." With those final words, Leo turns his back to him.
"Farewell…No that's not quite right. I don't think farewell would be accurate in this situation. For reasons I cannot explain, I have the distinct feeling that we will see each other again. So I guess I should use the more congenial, "See you later" Well, it's time for me to move on. I wish you the best of luck." With those final words Leo disappears.
It's like he ceases to exist. One moment, his hand is on the wall, the next he is gone. The young man in front of him seems to disappear before his very eyes.
Because of this. He wanted to say reality rejected his existence in it, but it feel like it was the opposite, that he refused to be constrained by it. It wasn't any special ability that allowed him to do so, just his strength of will alone.
With Leo departure, the boy feel as if a great weight is lifted from his very being. And rather than be a cause of concern, it brings a fundamental question in mind.
'Who am I?'
As the question pop into his head, it begins to take on a life of its own, searing on his brain.
He investigate the wall that Leo disappeared through. It just a concrete wall at the end of the hallway. About the only thing on the floor is dust. But he is positive there must be something here, because Leo walked through the wall.
It would be so easy to turn around, go back down hallway and pretend nothing happened. But there are still things he needed to know. He don't have any memories, that means he never had anywhere else to go but here. No place to return to.
'What was it that Leo said?'
'No Matter how enjoyable the detour, eventually one must return to their appointed path.'
'That's what he said, didn't he? Then beyond this wall lies the "appointed path," and the truth.'
'If I follow him, I'll learn the answers to my questions, even if those answers are painful. But ignorance is bliss. Do I have the fortitude to face to truth and accept it?'
But something is different. Down to the floors and the walls the school has changed the very substance of its being. For some reason, reality cracking this way is intensely disturbing. This world around him is more real than a painting, but not even as real as a sand castle.
He feel like it's so brittle he could tap it and the echo would shake this whole world. Where the boring concrete wall once stood, now there's a doorway that he can freely walk through. An entrance. No an emergency exit, like stairs to the outside. He know for sure that it's not something of this world.
He have no doubt that the world the door leads to is utterly alien
Whatever awaits inside, whatever shape it takes, there's a certain sort of finality to seeing it. Ultimately, he already committed to this path. The boy bid farewell to the false world and take his first step along the appointed path.
=break=
Beyond the door. There's a man waiting. Its not Leo or someone he knows. But he remembered the weird dress his wearing. He met this man before, he remembered the not humanly aura he wear. When the man notice him, he smiled lightly.
"Your a minute late. But regardless my prediction are correct."
"Who are you?" He asked.
"Archimedes. But that doesn't matter, we better hurry."
"Wait, where are we going?"
"You don't need to worry. I will guide you to the place you wanted to go, but I advice to you that just let things happens." The man who's name is Archimedes turn his back to him and continued to the door.
"Huh?" Knowing that standing here wont do nothing. The boy decide to follow Archimedes and hoped that nothing bad will happen.
=break=
They finally made it. Within the deepest depths of the world beyond the door. This place must be the goal his supposed to reach. At least, that's what he thought. Also Archimedes guide him here without any trouble or whatsoever.
It's stifling, the aura of purity that seems to acts as a ward against corrupted souls who's try to enter. The feeling is familiar. It has the feeling of a chapel where the spirits of deceased still linger.
At first he didn't notice, being overwhelmed by the grandeur of the room. But to one side is a young man in a familiar uniform, lying still on the ground. The boy call out to him, but there is no reply. When he shake him in an attempt to wake him up. He notice that. He is stone cold.
He go as pale as the corpse before him, and he can no longer think coherently. All he can do is stare in bewilderment.
It is at this moment.
The fallen effigy lying next to the male student come to its feet with a clatter. But be can get a chance to make sense of what's going on, it suddenly twists around and comes right at him.
"Relax young one. Remember what I said? Just let things happened, but that I mean let it kill you" He heard what Archimedes said.
"Are you out of your MIND!?" He scream in panic as the effigy started to come closer.
"Be logical alright. What can a student like you can do against it? Nothing right?"
"But you can do something about this thing. Help me out please!" The boy started to take a step back as he plea for help.
"Actually you're right." The boy smiled when he heard Archimedes.
Archimedes snap his finger and soon chains begun to find itself onto the boy' body. With his hand and feet pinned to the ground. He started to hear the crackling sound of footsteps of the effigy.
"What are you doing!? This isn't funny let me out!"
"I don't do jokes young one. I'll be back to collect your lifeless body later on." Archimedes walked out to where they are. Leaving the boy alone and the effigy who wanted to kill the boy.
"This can't be happening!. Somebody help me! Please I don't want to die!" He tried to shout for help but then he stop when he saw the feet of the effigy on front of him.
"Please don't. Please don't. Don't kill me please.."
Before he could say another word. He felt something heavy that force onto his chest. It was quick, and the last thing he know is that, there's a hole in his chest. He didn't feel pain, but inside, his mind is screaming on what he seeing right now.
Soon his vision started to become dark. His losing his senses, his mind is tired cause of the horror that happened to him. He felt betrayed, and he also feel regret. That even at the very end. He still unable to remember anything about himself.
"Someone….Anyone…If you make it beyond here, please don't forget…my name…"
=break=
Archimedes is feeling great that everything is going according to plan. He manage to find a time line that the mooncell doesn't want to exist. A time line that if get touch by someone evil, will lead the world to its end. Not only that but also the branches that consist different time.
Now he only need is to make sure that "He" become different from what he is. Who would know that someone like "Him" could ever do such thing if swing to the wrong direction. He also need to win this Holy Grail to connect this time line to theirs.
If that ever happened. If that ever HAPPENED! He will enjoy every last moment of despair coming from that Foolish emperor and also that pet fox they keeping in leash. Lastly a sweet sweet revenge against Altera.
Just they wait. This is his last chance, the one he serve didn't make it. But for his dream of Seraph destruction. He will sacrifice everything.
Fortunately he found a suitable master he can use. That boy he met earlier. The boy have everything he needed. But if he let the boy keep living, it may hold him off. He needed a master that even if their brain got fried in the real world they can still function inside Seraph.
That's why he come up with this plan. That boy will be the body of everyone who died inside this world. Their reincarnation, someone who will easily controlled by him. He might not need to fight due to the nature of Dead Faces.
"Now then. I only need to pursue that Servant and its master." He said to himself. "But I need to collect that body later on. Nevrospaston, that would be fitting name for him."
=break=
"Jeanne do you remember what you said to me before? That if there's a God you would definitely get punish for it." A man with wavy white hair asked the woman beside him.
"Yes my lord." The woman named Jeanne answered.
"Then if I were him, I would forgive you for everything you have done."
"Pardon my lord?"
"Let me rephrase it. After I become a God, I will forgive you for all you've done Jeanne"
Jeanne eyes become widely open after hearing her lord declaration.
"But my lord. Someone like me doesn't deserve such kindness."
"You always been on my side Jeanne. You deserve rewards. You even deserve a land to ruled over.
If you wish I would do a little effort to do both."
"My lord. The only place I wanted to be is here. Without you, a land will be nothing." Jeanne said. Thankfully she have a long white hair to hide her blushing face. She definitely will die if he saw her face right now.
"You deserve more. Before I became a God. Say your wish so I would prioritize them first."
"Then…Is it possible for me to call my lord by his name?" Jeanne tried to look onto her lord eyes. But break it quickly when she saw his soft smile due to her wish.
"You're such a simple girl. But regardless you're free to call me by my name Jeanne."
"Thank you. Lord Ren."
"Are you alright Jeanne? You're body is trembling, is there something wrong?"
"N-no! Ren!"
"Ren? Hmm I do feel like it better without the lord horrific."
The door then swung wide open, revealing a group or not ordinary human.
"My my, Did you miss me my lord?" A woman that is covering her face with cloth ask the man seating on the throne.
"To answer that Morgan. I did, how's the new Camelot doing?"
"It's doing fine my lord thank you" Just hearing that her lord misses her make Morgan satisfied.
"Good evening my lord. Do we have new task in hand you want us to do?" Asked by a half naked man with a long black hair that almost reach the floor.
"No there isn't. Just some announcement Yan Qing."
"You look like excited about this announcement, is it another grand plan like how you conquered my land?" A large man in blue loudly asked. If compared between him and the lord in terms of excitement. This man will come up top.
"Its much greater than that Ivan the terrible."
"Are you gonna announce who your queen gonna be!? Oh no my lord I'm not ready for that." A girl appears to be wearing a Shirabyōshi attire from the Heian period, she has a black tate-eboshi hat, Red hakama and a red suikan.
"You sure are amusing Suzuka Gozen."
"Mou I though I'm gonna win the Lord heart."
"Don't be stupid Suzuka. Someone like you won't become the lord beloved." A female voice heard behind the girl name Suzuka Gozen.
"And he won't fall for someone like you either Ereshkigal." Suzuka Gozen stick out her tongue like a kid toward the blond haird girl name Ereshkigal.
"I think it's time for us to listen to what our lord has to say. Or else I Sigurd might not able to stop our friend over there." The man named Sigurd pointed at another large man wielding what look like an giant sword. The said large is breathing madly like its about to kill anyone who annoyed him.
"I'll make it brief so that Heracles and everyone can leave." Ren stand up on the throne his seating, with such a simple gesture, everyone eyes are on him. Waiting for what he about to say. "The time has come. Before our battle against the other half of Seraph."
"I will descend as a God of this world so that no one would ever, not even a chance to take what's ours. But before that. I will cleanse this body, so that when I woke up. I'll be pure God, a perfect God for Seraph."
"Glorious my Lord! Glorious!" Ivan the terrible could not contain himself as he begun to clap from his Lord declaration. "Not even MoonCell can stop us now."
"Ohh~ A God Boyfriend! Yes I like that idea my lord." Suzuka Gozen almost squeal in excitement from imagining the future between her and her lord. But get smack by Ereshkigal who seemed annoyed from what the girl had said.
On the other hand. Morgan and Jeanne would like to do the same to the girl but worse.
"While the ritual is still going. I would like for all of you to get ready for our fight against the regalia wielder. That foolish king of the floating castle will lose against them."
"My respect toward that man has gone after he reject our lord kindness." Ya Qing voices his thought toward the foolish king.
"It already a shame to lose to your fantasy self." Sigurd muttered to himself.
"What would you like us to do my lord?"
"Make sure that where ready to attack after i become a God."
"YES MY LORD!" Everyone said in unison.
"Then I will begin the ritual now. Also Jeanne I trust you to keep everyone under control."
"Yes my lord."
After saying his last words. Ren started to get surrounded by lights. The room soon followed afterwards. Everyone inside the room soon covered their eyes from the light, seven lights formed behind Ren and soon traveled in different directions. The air become strange as if something separating them from themselves. The feeling lasted for a while, after the light soon begun to lift. And the seven lights leave the room. The throne of their lord has been replace of a cocoon made of light.
Its floating, and beating every second. There are light that orbiting around it, and printed word such as Lust, Greed, Pride and the rest of the deadly sins are seen on its summoning circle on the ground.
It was beautiful. Not even the design of the Holy Grail could compare to it.
"Marvelous." Jeanne doesn't know who said that, but she agree that it is indeed Marvelous. It made by Ren after all.
"Everyone. The Lord is still in process of becoming a god, we will proceed to what he want us to do." Jeanne said not wasting any more second after their lord become a cocoon.
"Understood." They soon leave Jeanne alone on the throne room with her Lord.
"It finally begin huh?" A silhouettes figure said.
"Yes, and I advice you to leave Archimedes. Before I burned you alive." The warning on her voice are sharp. She really mean it, she really going to kill this man before her and her lord.
"What after all I've done? He won't be here without me remember?"
"That is true. But that won't save you from your hidden agenda. I watch over you even though I'm not what I am today. When I'm still leaving inside the sea of soul. When were still on that time lock. I known from the start that you will betray us sooner or later."
"Hmph, as long as that Nero Claudius and her Master are dead. I might stay goody good shoes."
"Leave." Jeanne said as she pick her sword from her waist.
"Tsk. Fine! I'm about to go over there anyway. 'She' about to wake up from what I heard."
Taking Jeanne warning. Archimedes leave without saying a word.
"I hope you don't mind be staying her Ren." Jeanne softly said as she reach out her hand on the cocoon of light. It blink twice at it felt Jeanne's hand.
"Thank you." She said to the cocoon.
=break=
Answer corner.
Let's get going!
1. What is chapter 3 about?
Well... To be honest, I wasn't thinking much about it. I just wanted to post new chapter. But! I wanted everyone to know that Archimedes have a plan and his successful doing it. But 'how' did he did it. Lies in his master. A dead face. The kid on the prologue of fate/extra have the answer.
2. Is this Ren? Then why he wanted to become a God?
This Ren in chapter 3 is very different from the Ren/Akira we love and know. He doesn't do any flashy move instead he will go for the kill. That's how different he is in this chapter. This Ren is an Alter. Ren Amamiya (Alter)
Imagine Ren accepted the offer of the Holy Grail. But he get tired of fame and recognition, and also changing heart. He decided to become much more than that. If human doesn't know what is right or wrong.
Then he will give humanity a great service of becoming its ruler. An ultimate ruler, a God that no one can deny.
Ren Amamiya Ruler (alter) into Ren Amamiya Grand Ruler (Alter) imagine how powerful he is.
But before that he needs to cleanse his body. Releasing the seven deadly sin and waiting for someone to destroy it for him.
3. Where's Hakuno?
Well she somewhere away from Ren. In this chapter she with her original servant (Yuri harem perhaps?) In a coma. She dreaming about an Hakuno in a different time line, but somehow manage to send what happened to her on the Hakuno who rule the moon.
4. Who gonna stop Ren (Alter)?
Maybe its going to be a mirror match.
5. Harem?
Harem, reverse harem, Yuri Harem. I don't know but I try to do it or maybe not at all.
6. What is Archimedes plan?
Well to connect this hidden time line to Hakuno (The one who won the holy grail and become moon regalia wielder) and make it destroy the moon cell.
But the one he thought going to do it, have another plan for the moon cell.
7. How does the sea of soul work here.
Still the same thought but the sea of souls will react on how the owner would. I mean, if the owner is evil, then most of the evil servant will get influence by it and become much more powerful when got summoned. Those who are pure and saint will get influence by it as well. They will become altered in some way. Hopefully it kinda make sense.
Also the mooncell have a record of one persona of ren that able to destroy a holy grail and even a god. They take it literary, so when ren get summoned, everything that the mooncell know about his power are just become literal. Armor, divine armor, unbreakable armor it is no match against Ren ultimate persona because of what it did become literal for the moon cell.
Let's not forget how ren getting his persona on palaces. Yes he just talk with it. Is that to overpowered? let say his just charismatic and good with words. He didn't lose his confidant ability during his Ruler state and Altered state.
Demons, kings, saints, heroes, angels, dragons, etc are under his control. Because they take it literal. Plus the world arcana make the moon cell more confuse. I mean this guy have the power to take whatever the world can throw at him. How can the moon cell deal with that?