Prologue 0-3: Introductions Part Two
Hey there everyone! You probably noticed a change in PoV. When I first started this I wasn't really well-versed in writing 3rd person, but now I greatly prefer it with this type of story. I'll do my best to edit the other chapters ASAP so it isn't as jarring. Also, sorry again for the long wait time. With the new character added I had to completely reconfigure my killing game, but I hope to have more regular updates from now on! I'm gonna start doing a little comment response thing at the end of each chapter, so please let me know if you want me to continue doing this. If you feel it takes away from the overall story I would be happy to stop! Thank you so much for reading, and here we go! Also, Merry Christmas to all of you who celebrate it!
Nothing could have prepared Kazuki for what he had stumbled upon. Priscilla did mention rides, but her description did absolutely nothing to encapsulate the overwhelming amount of stimuli that assaulted the figurehead.
How on Earth did I not hear any of this? He pondered, seriously concerned for his mental health. Could the gate be… soundproofed? What would be the purpose?
Regardless, he had to focus on exploring the new area, and finding more people. Kazuki remembered Priscilla saying something about other people, so at least he had the confidence that it wasn't going to be a fruitless endeavor.
The whole area was nicely paved with a stone path and lined with the occasional bench and street lamp. In front of him in the distance he could see the outline of a Ferris wheel. Huh. I guess that's where we're supposed to meet. Better keep that in mind. To Kazuki's left appeared to be several different roller coasters, as well as a little cart that seemed to sell souvenirs. There were two main buildings to his right; one that read "Kurostore" and the other that read "KK's Krazy Kafe". KK's… wasn't that the name of the amusement park I was invited to? What the fuck is going on?
Absorbed in his observations yet again, Kazuki didn't notice the loose stone on the pathway in front of him.
*Whump*
Holy shit… that hurt. The figurehead thought, holding his head as he laid on the ground, dazed. He had managed to turn at the last second, so only the side of his head and body made contact with the ground. Either way, it still hurt like hell.
"E-excuse me? A-are you a-alright?"
Turning towards the unfamiliar voice, Kazuki was greeted by welcome sight.
"Oh! Um… hey! I-I guess I'm fine. I didn't look where I was going, so that was my bad." He responded, chuckling a bit to hide his embarrassment.
The girl looked relieved. "Well t-thank goodness for that! I'm just g-glad you're okay. It would be b-bad if something were to h-happen to you after all. I m-mean, if we're g-going to get out of here, w-we need all the help we c-can get." Her gaze turned serious then, all traces of humor and compassion gone. "W-we wouldn't want you s-screwing things up for the r-rest of us."
A bit perturbed, he cautiously replied, "I know what you mean. This place looks impenetrable." Getting back to the matter at hand, Kazuki quickly introduced himself. "The name is Kazuki Nobukatsu by the way. I am the SHSL Figurehead."
She looked him over and, after a thoughtful glance, replied, "I-I guess it's n-nice to meet you. I'm N-noriko Tachibana, but y-you can call me Nori i-if you want! I s-strive for truth and j-justice for all every day, as the U-ultimate Prosecutor of the c-courts!"
Noriko Tachibana
SHSL Prosecutor
Even though law never really interested me, I already knew a good deal about this girl. She was different from many other Ultimates, primarily because she had lost cases in the past. Despite this, she still had one of the best records with cases, and worked with the defense attorneys to obtain all of the information on every case. Known for bringing the truth of the case to light, Noriko was the embodiment of the justice system's ideals.
Noriko was only an inch or two shorter than me, but appeared to weigh a bit more. She seemed to be well proportioned, despite her pear-like build giving the impression of more. Her chest-length black hair, pulled into two pigtails with bangs slanted to the right, had a natural curl, and emphasized her oval face. Noriko's pale skin showed off her freckles and almond-shaped, light green eyes. Topping it off with a small, upturned nose and thin lips, she practically radiated an aura of someone who worked in law.
Her clothing choice was rather... unique, you could say. It nearly rivaled Emi's in color, although it was much more professional. Noriko donned a ruffled orange, short-sleeved blouse with a white collar, and a knee-length navy skirt. Over the blouse she wore a long-sleeved crimson blazer, the sleeves secured with a round silver pin, with the insignia of what could only be her previous school on the left pocket. This insignia appeared to be an infinity symbol sewn with silver thread, matching the buttons. The blazer shared the same color of a cravat that rested on her head, settled right between her pigtails. Noriko also wore a pair of orange tights that held a vague diamond pattern, and calf-length, dark grey, heeled boots. Her hair was secured with orange elastics bearing a set of scales, which matched the brooch she placed on her right pocket of her blazer. She also had on a pair of red-framed glasses, silver earrings in the shape of gavels, a brown belt with a buckle shaped like a question mark, and she carried around a small brown satchel.
Noriko's words cut through his internal analysis. "I-is everything alright? D-did I do something wrong?"
Kazuki shook his head quickly, rushing to reassure her. "Not at all! I-I just have a habit of getting lost in thought a bit, so please don't take it personally." Pausing for a moment, he continued. "Y-you were the main prosecutor in Commonwealth vs Nichijuri, right?"
Her eyes lit up, glad to see the figurehead had heard of her. "Y-yeah! Th-that was me! It was w-wonderful to see justice served and to h-help put that murderer behind b-bars!
He couldn't help but smile at that. The shift from her prior behavior gave Kazuki hope that the two could get along better. "That truly was a well fought case. I am sure that all of the victims' families are grateful to you for giving them closure."
Noriko blushed, but she appeared modest in her pride. Glancing away briefly, she looked back to where Kazuki entered from. "Are there other p-people over there? Th-they could potentially be u-useful in getting us o-out of here."
That reminded me... "Y-yeah, there are. Only about three though, so if you've met up with everyone else here then you're almost done. There should be... sixteen in total, judging by the number of cabins."
She nodded slightly, not bothering to ask for an explanation. "I-I'll go meet them then. It h-hope it will wind up being a p-pleasure to have m-met you N-Nobukatsu-san."
At that, Noriko turned tail and purposefully walked over to the gate. With barely a backwards glance, she pushed it open and disappeared into the adjacent sector.
"Well then..." He huffed, slightly miffed at how easily she ditched him. Now to find others...
Kazuki carefully scanned the rest of the area, what he could see of it anyways. Suddenly, an inspiring shape found its way into his sight. Over by the game booths, someone appeared to be throwing something into one of the attractions.
"They look sharp..." Kazuki realized, turning his slight meandering into renewed vigor. "H-HEY! What are you doing?"
The stranger turned abruptly, holding something up threateningly. It looked like a... dart?
"Hey, hey, hey! No need to get violent! I'm trapped here, like you probably are, so can we please not throw things?" The figurehead spat, anxiously trying to get out of the stranger's path.
He seemed to relax a bit, and lowered the dart. "Sorry 'bout that man. You just startled me, is all. Fight or flight and all that."
Now that he wasn't poised to attack, Kazuki noticed that he appeared to be pretty gentle. Looking at the booth he was in front of, the figurehead sheepishly realized that he was in the middle of popping balloons with the darts in his hand.
"No, that was on me. I-I've been pretty on edge lately." He bowed slightly, trying to recover his favor with the stranger. "P-please forgive me for my hasty conclusion."
The student ruffled his hair a bit, appearing a bit uncomfortable. "There's no need to apologize man. It's a weird situation, so you're good. The name is Takehiko Hoshino by the way. Feel free to call me Takei though! I was invited to Hope's Peak as the SHSL Astronomer. Let's be friends!"
Takehiko Hoshino
SHSL Astronomer
Oddly enough, even this name sounded familiar to me. My sorry excuse of a brother used a discovery of Takehiko's to pave the way for a new aspect of the company. His telescope blueprints must have been useful in... whatever my family's company does. After all, not many teenagers get recruited by NASA to develop space tech.
Takehiko seemed to be a couple inches shorter than me, as well as having a touch less weight. His build was very feminine, and he stood with a slight slouch, most likely from spending a good deal of time inside of his lab. The astronomer's hair was messy and jet black, curling slightly around the bottom of his chin. His upturned violet eyes stood out from his deathly pale skin, despite one being covered up by a medical eye-patch. He wore a white button-up shirt overlaid with a NASA sweater. His doodle-covered grey jeans nearly covered his worn out black sneakers.
His pretty average appearance only caught Kazuki's attention for a little bit, so he replied, "A pleasure to finally cross paths. My name is Kazuki Nobukatsu. Perhaps you remember me?"
Slight realization dawned in his eyes then, and he appeared to draw more into himself.
"O-oh. You're the CEO of Hatsubori Inc, right? It's nice to meet you in person. Yanno, put a face to the name."
The initial shock of the meeting had faded, and Takehiko appeared much less on edge. The figurehead looked closer inside of the booth, slightly in awe with how accurate his throws appeared. Kazuki gave a skeptical once-over to the male in front of him, not fully understanding how someone who looked so physically weak could be so precise.
"You have a lot of talent with darts." He started, trying to keep the surprise out of his voice. Don't want to degrade him at all...
He perked up and, as he responded, started to gesture a bit with his hands. "Thanks man! I practice a bunch when I get stuck with stuff, so I guess I'm a pro!" The astronomer chuckled a bit at that, turning back to the booth. "I haven't practiced in a while though, so that's why the grouping is so poor..."
Shock lit up Kazuki's features. This was poor? He grabbed a couple of darts, aimed towards the targets and let it rip.
Takehiko burst into laughter. "Dude. I don't know anyone who could be that bad if they tried!"
Not only had the figurehead done poorly, but every single dart missed the target, lodging themselves somewhere in the booth. Kazuki ducked my head, embarrassed. "H-hey... I'm a bit rusty too..."
The astronomer continued to guffaw, slapping his knee with his hand. "What can you do on a good day? Hit the target?"
Just as he was about to defend himself, Takehiko continued. "Don't worry man. I'm just messing with you. Maybe try throwing just one dart at a time, and angling your body more sideways. That always helps with me!"
Grateful for the feedback, yet still a bit hurt with Takei's attitude, Kazuki smiled half-heartedly. "Y-yeah. I'll have to try that sometime. Let's do this again!"
He paused for a bit, a bit torn about leaving. You do have to find the other students... Katashi remembered, finalizing his resolve. "Now that I think about it, I should get to meeting the other students. I'll see you around Takei-kun."
"No problem man. See you later." He replied, turning his attention back to the darts.
That was easier than I thought. Kazuki breathed, grateful. Since he was heading in the general direction already, he decided to stop by the building labeled "Kurostore". The figurehead wasn't feeling any sort of hunger, so he opted to wait a bit before visiting the cafeteria.
A subtle ring sounded as Kazuki pushed open the door. The store seemed straightforward enough- shelves of relatively common supplies, bags of chips and such, and uncomfortably bright florescent lights. There was one area that was unfamiliar, however. There was a gumball machine filled with tiny capsules standing in the middle of the store, and the shelves seemed to wrap around it in a way.
Curious, Kazuki walked over, despite not having any money on him. As he got closer, he noticed a couple of odd-looking coins on the ground. The figurehead picked them up, noting an unusual bear design imprinted upon them. Pocketing the coins, he continued on his path.
His eyes skimmed over the attached screen, a bit confused at the phrasing. "Insert... kurokoins? Is that a kind of cryptocurrency or something?" That notion was dismissed when Kazuki saw the bear. Struck by a flash of inspiration, he pulled out the abnormal coins he picked up earlier, and inserted one into the slot.
An electronic voice sounded, startling him. "Thank you for using the KK lottery. Please come again."
The voice was accompanied by the subtle rolling of a capsule. Once it reached the opening, Kazuki took it, a bit scared to see what was inside.
Congratulations!
You received a set of markers!
It's a set of twenty-four markers. Only three hundred sets were made, and as such it is considered a large collector's item.
I wonder who would like this.
As Kazuki pondered over the meaning of the gift, as well as how it managed to fit inside such a tiny container, he was interrupted by a soft voice.
"Um... hi?"
Kazuki jumped, nearly dropping the set. "Oh, hello. Y-you scared me. What's up?"
The figurehead had to take a second to find the stranger's face. Finally, his neck strained, the new student came into view.
"I was just... wondering how you got that thing to work..." He replied, a light blush coming over his face. "It didn't work when I tried..."
Understanding flashed across Kazuki's features as he pulled out his remaining kurokoins. "I found these on the ground, and they seem to work. There might be more somewhere, though I'm honestly not sure."
The stranger's face dropped a bit, perking up suddenly. "How rude of me. I didn't introduce myself. My name is Atsuko Komatsu. If you're like everyone else I met, then you're probably an Ultimate, so call me the SHSL Illustrator."
Atsuko Komatsu
SHSL Illustrator
This name was one well-known in the art community. Atsuko had created hundreds of iconic characters, and was one of the highest-selling artists of the era. Known for his quirky yet familiar style, I myself had enjoyed several of his creations.
Atsuko towered over me by nearly a foot, and outweighed me by a hundred pounds. His dark brown hair was messily greased back with a few stray pieces plastered onto his slightly tan forehead. The illustrator's light green, almond-shaped eyes were slightly set into his sharp and chiseled facial features, pairing well with his bodybuilder-esque physique. Atsuko had on a long-sleeved button-up dress shirt overlaid with a light brown and green argyle sweater vest. He paired this with neatly pressed dark brown dress pants, polished black shoes, a black belt, and a black bow tie. Atsuko accessorized this with a brown beaded bracelet on his right wrist, a pair of red glasses hanging from his shirt pocket, and a silver wristwatch on his left wrist.
"Hey! I've heard of you! You're the guy who draws those comics with Shiromaki, right? They're hilarious!"
Atsuko blushed a bit deeper, a small smile gracing his face. "Yeah... that's me. It's nice to see that someone appreciates my stuff..."
Kazuki grinned back, grateful for the opportunity to relax. "My name is Kazuki Nobukatsu by the way. I'm the SHSL Figurehead, which to be honest is pretty useless..."
The illustrator immediately reacted, placing a cautious hand on Kazuki's shoulder. "No way! You have to be amazing at what you do to be considered by Hope's Peak, so don't worry about it." He glanced over to the machine again, then back to the coins in Kazuki's hand.
Taking the hint, Kazuki tossed a coin over to him. "Th-thanks. And here you go. Worst thing that happens is that we use all of the coins, so not much is at stake." Remembering what he received from the machine earlier, Kazuki pulled out the set of markers.
"Take this too. I don't really have a use for it."
Surprise and gratefulness danced across the illustrator's face. "Wow! Thank you so much! I owe you one!"
You gave the set of markers to Atsuko Komatsu.
He seemed to really like them.
Your friendship has improved.
Their moment of bonding was interrupted by a loud growl from Kazuki's stomach. "S-sorry about that..." He muttered sheepishly.
Atsuko waved it off, lightly chuckling. "Don't worry about it. You should probably get something to eat. I'll just be here testing out this machine."
The figurehead's stomach agreed with that statement, growling again. "Y-yeah, that's probably a good idea. It was nice meeting you!"
Not waiting for the illustrator's response, Kazuki exited the store. He walked quickly to the mess hall, barely registering the astronomer's greeting. When the mess hall doors finally appeared in front of him, he threw them open, fully anticipating a hearty meal.
The mess hall resembled a typical high school cafeteria, but with some slight alterations. It was incredibly spacious, filling up room with a dozen circular white tables and padded black chairs. The walls were painted a deep russet, and the floors were faux hardwood. There appeared to be a door leading off to perhaps the kitchen along the right wall, and the lighting stopped just short of florescent.
What really grabbed Kazuki's attention though were the two students sitting at one of the tables along the left wall. The one had a notebook open and was listening with rapt attention to the other, occasionally jotting down notes. Kazuki walked over, a bit curious as to what they were saying.
"There was no particular reason." The one student stated, looking out the window. "Humans fascinate me, in a way. How to better understand the complexity of the human mind than to become someone they confide in?"
Their counterpart jotted a couple lines down and, just before they asked another question, he noticed the figurehead. "Oh, hello. Can I help you with something?"
A bit startled by the change in the environment, Kazuki replied, "Sorry for interrupting. I was just about to get some food when I saw you here. I hope I didn't intrude."
The tense atmosphere melted as the boy broke into a laugh. "No, not at all. In fact, please join us! I was just asking Sorano a bit about herself. I'm Akio Sato, the SHSL Journalist." His eyebrows waggled a bit, jesting. "You best be careful before I find out all of your secrets!"
Akio Sato
SHSL Journalist
Akio's claim to fame was through a highly controversial piece about the president of the United States. Despite receiving tons of backlash, Sato held his position, ultimately having it pay off when the president himself confessed. Since that phenomena, Akio continued to publish articles that reveal the truth about society, endearing himself to his growing fanbase.
The journalist was perhaps an inch or two shorter than me, but still weighed a touch more than me. Giving off a little brother vibe, his narrow green eyes held a hint of humor in their gaze. His shoulder-length red hair had a jagged cut, and was lightly tousled, almost as if he had just woken up. Akio wore a maroon top with the sleeves held back by straps on his shoulders, black slacks, and a pair of black dress shoes. He accessorized this with a stylish black fedora with a piece of paper reading "press" tucked into the band.
Kazuki coughed, a bit uncomfortable. "I-i'd be happy to give you an interview, but I'm afraid that my secrets will have to stay solely my own. It's part of the job."
Akio perked up in interest. "And who might you be?"
How rude... Kazuki thought, chastising himself. "My name is Kazuki Nobukatsu. Hope's Peak gave me the title of the SHSL Figurehead."
Another voice cut in. "Figurehead, you say? That must leave you with a severe inferiority complex, self-doubt, and depression. Why immerse yourself in such a taxing profession?"
The truth of those words cut Kazuki deeply, and a bit of his relaxed nature faded into tension. "Based on your confidence in the topic, I assume that you deal with the mind in some capacity. As much as I respect your dedication to your profession, I must ask that you withhold yourself from prying too deeply into my personal life without my consent." The ice in Kazuki's gaze slightly softened, allowing him to get a better grip on himself. "Regardless, it is nice to see another face here, so I hope we grow to get along."
A smirk played across the girl's face. "My my, so touchy. How... interesting. As Akio here mentioned earlier, my name is Sorano Hotaru, and as you concluded, I am the SHSL Psychologist. I will take great interest in examining your behaviors."
Sorano Hotaru
SHSL Psychologist
Pretty much everyone knew of Sorano, even if they couldn't put a face to the name. She was the host of a Dr. Phil type of show for a couple of years, beginning at the age of eleven. Despite being helpful in many cases, her scrutinizing nature and habit of degrading her patients did cause her to lose a bit of her following.
Sorano's curly black hair fell over her tanned skin to her rib-cage, with the top half of it pulled back and held in place by a pearl clip. Comparing our heights while sitting, she was perhaps a good half foot shorter than me, and also weighed less. The psychologist's piercing blue eyes were accentuated by her tortoiseshell glasses and heart-shaped face. She wore a wisteria colored blouse paired with beige slacks. Sorano also had on a beige blazer and brown pumps. She also sported a silver necklace and a small brown satchel.
"Hm... lack of attention and heightened focus to details... how curious." The disinterested drawl of the psychologist interrupted Kazuki's scrutiny.
Kazuki immediately disliked the girl, but by no means was he going to let her know that. "Th-that's not entirely true. It's a habit that only appeared recently, most likely due to the sudden change of environment. Nothing for you to analyze, I'm afraid."
"Anywaaaays...", cut in the welcome voice of Akio, "Do you want to join us?"
Breathing a sigh of relief, Kazuki nodded. After all, a simple interview couldn't hurt, right?
"Excellent! Alright now, what would you say is the most important aspect of what you do?" Sato had his pen lightly pressed onto the paper, glancing at Kazuki in anticipation.
The first question wasn't entirely a surprise, so Kazuki easily answered. "With what I do, you have to be prepared for anything. A strong spirit and open mind have gotten me this far, and my will to survive has helped the family business thrive."
Unfolding pretty regularly from there, the interview eased some of Kazuki's tension. Who knows? Maybe we'll get out of here soon, and it will be the next article he publishes? Come on Kazuki... stay positive...
His brief moment of introspection suddenly dissolved when Akio asked his next question. The question itself was pretty generic, but for Kazuki it may as well have been a death sentence. "So Nobukatsu-san. Tell me about your family. We all know the public image, but tell me about the real Nobukatsu family."
Kazuki's breath caught in his throat, and he had to make a conscious effort not to choke. Think, Kazuki, THINK! Throughout his panic, he noticed Sorano watching him, her interest in his behavior apparent.
His lips parted to answer, not knowing what he was going to say, when a beautiful and horrifying sound saved him from his fate.
"AAAAAAAAAAAAUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!"
Introduced Players:
Noriko Tachibana: SHSL Prosecutor
Takehiko Hoshino: SHSL Astronomer
Atsuko Komatsu: SHSL Illustrator
Akio Sato: SHSL Journalist
Sorano Hotaru: SHSL Psychologist
So hey guys! That was chapter 3-ish! I really hope you enjoyed!
Comment responses thing:
TheRoseShadow21- Thank you so much! I really love your writing, so it really means a lot!
GunMaker436- I really appreciate the compliments! It's so fulfilling to know that people enjoy my writing!
TheUbermenschWriter- I'm glad you're enjoying the characters so far! I hope these characters lived up to your expectations!
Trust Me I'm Me- You already know, but I'll say it again. Your comments and messages mean SO much to me. In fact, I'm really hoping/looking forward to your comment on this chapter!
Aaaand that's a wrap! A bit rough, but tell me if you want me to keep this! Merry crisis!
