Must reads for this Part: Debater, Superhero, Environmentalist, Contractor, Future
Producer
July 20th, 2009
"Ah! I'm going to be late!"
Turning her gaze from the pink alarm clock on her night stand, a young, silver haired girl, her locks reaching to her shoulders, hopped out of bed, scrambling out of her pajamas and into her school uniform: a white sailor-style uniform with a plaid blue skirt and a large pink bow. Bounding downstairs, she slipped into her kitchen, popping some bread into the toaster, waiting anxiously as it cooked.
At her rambunctiousness, a woman, also possessing light colored hair, peeked in, muttering, "Saaaaki, stop making so much noise. I thought you would sleep in..." Looking her daughter up and down, spotting the school uniform, the woman, pointed out, "It's summer vacation, you know."
As the transformed bread was released from its toasty confines, Kisaragi Saki exclaimed, "I know! I just don't have anything better to wear..." Kisaragi pouted: she wore her normal clothes to school once. Once. She wasn't that absent minded.
"Where are you going again?" Saki's mother asked. The girl felt a vein in her forehead throb: the woman was just as bad as her daughter was...
"The thing!" Saki said as she grabbed her toast, feeling its heat on her hands, toughing it out, she made towards the door.
With a shrug, her mother turned away, stating, "Take care then..."
Slipping her shoes on at the door, Kisaragi hopped out into the warm, morning summer air, replying back, "See you later!" Taking a bite of her toast, which had cooled slightly, she made her way down the city streets, eating most of her meal as she ran, finally arriving at a bus stop a few streets away. There were a few other school girls hanging around, but Saki naturally gravitated towards the two she knew. Reaching them, she popped the last bite of toast in her mouth as she let out a sigh of relief, glad she wasn't late.
One of the girls, wearing some casual shorts and a tank top, her long brown poytail bound by a large bow, giggled, "Really? Running with toast in your mouth? That's so cliché it's funny."
Glancing at her school friend, Kuroi Kaori, Kisaragi pouted, "Sh-shut up..." Turning to her other good friend, she said, "Good morning, Sayaka-chan."
Kuroi frowned, moaning sarcastically, "Where's my morning greeting?"
Ignoring her, the dark blue haired girl replied, "Good morning, Saki-chan." The girl also wore her school uniform, matching Saki, but looking so good in it that the clothes may as well have been made for her. That was just the kind of girl Maizono Sayaka was. It was hard to find someone at their current school who didn't like her, and even more difficult to find anyone who actively disliked her, usually an admirer who became bitter after being turned down.
After a few more minutes of waiting, a bus finally rolled around, creaking to a stop at the curb. It was sleek and silver, the words '113 Pro' being emblazoned on the side in hot pink. As the doors hissed open, the trio of girls headed inside, along with the two others who were waiting. Entering, the inside was just as clean and sleek as the outside, and though it was warm, the small windows offering little in the way of circulation, there were still more than a dozen other girls, a few keeping to themselves, while the rest split into groups, chatting happily with each other.
And yet, as Kisaragi, Kuroi, and Maizono sat, they began to feel a certain intensity edging the conversation: one of competition.
The reason so many cute high school girls had gathered was quite simple: 113 Productions was having a tryout, of sorts, only available to local newbies as a means of promoting the community. While 113 Pro had well known idols from all over the country, this was a rare chance. There was an initial screening process, of course, but of their friends, Kisaragi, Kuroi and to no one's surprise, Maizono, had passed that, and found themselves past that stage, and were now going to the building themselves. However, tryouts weren't done yet: only seven were being accepted, and this bus hadn't made its full round yet.
As the day went on, the temperature rose and the bus got more and more packed, which certainly didn't make things any more comfortable. The conversation dwindled as the girls got more and more exhausted from the heat. Kisaragi began to feel as though summer vacation was not the best time for this event.
However, the seemingly endless trip finally came to an end a little before noon, the bus creaking to a stop. Its doors hissed open, and the girls began to filter out, glad to get into the breezier outside, groaning or complaining about the sweat. Luckily, a pair of women were outside to greet them. One was a little taller than the other, her hair short and light, and the other had her brown locks wrapped into a number of tails. As they were quickly surrounded by some of the fawning girls, Kisaragi remembered who they were: Mai and Shiho, two of 113 Pro's most well-known idols, particularly famous or infamous for their rivalry, and that of their respective fanbases. Supposedly, the two had mostly gone on to other things, and yet, here they were. As the pairs of girls who had split to get closer to their respective favorites began shooting daggers at each other, the taller one, Mai, quickly began, "Now now, we have to get started! You don't want to keep the boss lady waiting now, do you?"
As if frightened, Shiho began to shake her head quickly, replying, "Nuh-uh, bad idea." Some of the younger girls giggled, but Mai and Shiho traded glances with each other. Kisaragi could have sworn she saw a knowing glint in her eyes.
Kisaragi heard Maizono wonder aloud, "Boss lady?"
Kuroi shrugged, "Eh, how bad could she be?"
Unaware of what awaited them, the girls were led into the air conditioned building, their fears distilled by the two relaxed women, who passed out some refreshing water, before taking group of girls to a wide room, one of its long walls dedicated to a large mirror, polished to perfection. After the two women left, Kisaragi couldn't help but smile at her own face as she waited, curious as to how things were going to proceed.
A few minutes later, the door opened once again, a woman stomping in. She wore a pink tank top and black spats, a long white rag tied around her waist. Her hair was pink, reaching for her shoulders, except for a lock which was tied into a side-ponytail, and she had a clipboard in her hand. However, despite the potential cuteness of her hairstyle, the woman's face was intense, a hard look passing through her thin glasses and over the potential idols, her red eyes setting anyone who met them on edge.
The atmosphere in the room seemed to freeze, until the woman held up a remote control, clicking it. Kisaragi could hear the sound of the air conditioner coming to a stop, and the room began to feel hotter already. However, no one had the courage to argue. The woman looked over the girls again, before grumbling, "What the hell are you doing? Line up." In shock, the young girls could only stare, which seemed to set the woman off even more, prompting her to shout, "Huh!? Did I grow a beard or something! Move it!" Like a conductor, she began to order the girls around, making them line up into two rows, facing the mirror. Once they were all situated, the woman introduced herself, "My name is Ganaha Eriko. I'm both producer and head manager here at 113 Pro. Some of you may have heard of me from that TV documentary, or my time in the 63rd Class at Hope's Peak Academy, but none of that is relevant. All you need to remember is that it's 'Ganaha-san'. Not Ganaha-sempai or sensei or chan: none of that." With a sigh she held up her clip board, muttering, "Alright, let's get started..."
Beginning her work, Ganaha began to go to each of the girls, briefing them in a short interview. As Kisaragi stood, nervously awaiting her turn, she couldn't help but sense that the friendly yet competitive mood had been shut down, eradicated completely and replaced with one of anxiety. Wasn't this supposed to be idol recruitment? It felt more like military base camp. Saki's image of flashy, beautiful girls on a bright, colorful stage was being assassinated by her current environment, this reflection of the drab room and its shocked middle and high school girls.
Being close to the front, Kisaragi couldn't help but flinch as Ganaha Eriko stopped in front of her, clipboard in hand. The woman wasn't much taller than her at all, but she somehow felt imposing all the same. "Name?" Ganaha asked.
"K-Kisaragi Saki."
Ganaha flipped a few pages over, settling on one and reading it for a moment. She began, "Okay...well, background checks out. You have a boyfriend?" Saki blinked, shaking her head, to which Ganaha replied, "Good. Well, moving on to the rest of your application...you want to become an idol because 'your friends are doing it'?"
Saki swallowed, feeling embarrassed. There was more to it than that, but she had forgotten that the deadline for applications had gotten so close, and rushed it. And worse yet, Ganaha's tone made her feel conscious about it. Would that be grounds for being eliminated from the running? How many openings were there anyway? She swore she was just thinking about it earlier, but her brain was something of a mess at the moment.
"Well?" Ganaha asked forcefully. Kisaragi hadn't even realized she'd spaced out.
"Er, well, mostly, I guess," she finally answered.
Ganaha let out a low growl, before looking back at the clipboard, commenting, "Speaking of half-assing it, did you record your audio sample on a phone? And please tell me you didn't get bored halfway through the song, because it sure sounded like it."
Nervously, Kisaragi mumbled, "W-well, I didn't really get a lot of practice in..." Narrowing her eyes behind her glasses, Ganaha clicked her tongue before jotting a couple things down. As she turned to move to the next in line, she said, "Don't think you'll make it if you put in no effort."
Feeling like garbage, Kisaragi could only keep her head down, trying not to look at her disappointed expression in the mirror ahead. She wasn't the only one who had been destroyed either: there were some whines, even a bit of crying here and there. Kuroi Kaori was on the other side of the row, so Kisaragi couldn't hear how her interview went, but from what she could she, Kuroi didn't seem so downcast as Ganaha walked away, which gave Kisaragi some hope. If even one of them could become an idol after this, representing their school...
Of course, the most likely one to make it through was a little behind Kisaragi, in the second row. Saki waited as Ganaha's voice became louder, the woman steadily approaching with each conversation. Finally, Ganaha stepped in front of Maizono Sayaka. Kisaragi couldn't see Ganaha's face from the mirror, but she could see her friend's, tensing a bit, relieved at her confident expression.
"Name?" Ganaha demanded.
"Maizono Sayaka."
There was the typical sound of flipping paper as Ganaha muttered casually, "You have a boyfriend?"
Maizono shook her head, but Ganaha quickly replied, "You better not be lying. Someone like you probably has loads of admirers. You know, everyone's special friend..."
"E-eh?" Maizono gasped, eye's widening at the implication. Kisaragi felt her jaw drop at the accusatory comment. This woman was actually insinuating she was lying, despite not knowing her at all. Spite began to fill her being as she hoped Maizono would find success here.
As if she had said nothing, Ganaha moved along, looking over the clipboard, before snorting, "Pff, what's this? You want to be an idol so 'your smile can give strength to your fans'? Where'd you crib that crap from?" Kisaragi could only imagine Ganaha's smug face through Maizono's reaction, a displeased glare. The girl got angry so infrequently, Kisaragi felt intimidated for a moment.
However, Ganaha seemed unperturbed, snorting, "What's with that look? Smile, smile, that's what your 'fans' want, right?" Readjusting her clipboard, Ganaha cackled as she moved on to the next person, leaving Maizono standing there, the younger girl's arms trembling slightly, her fists clenched. If she of all people was having trouble in this stage, what hope did Kisaragi have? Was it even really worth it?
After the round of interviews, Ganaha had the two rows face each other. Ganaha began to speak to them as she paced one the floor in between the girls. "Alright, now that we're though all that...I can't help but see that some of you actually have some potential. Some. And for those of you that don't, I might still be able to whip you into shape. But that's only half the equation, the rest is going to be a lot of hard work and luck. At this stage…" Suddenly jabbing her finger at two nearby girls, who recoiled, Ganaha threatened, "I could easily replace you." Continuing her walk, she resumed her speech, saying, "Hope doesn't get you on stage, hard work does. Long hours of sessions and lots of gross sweat. That's the foundation! Music is usually handled by contracted writers, singing can be autotuned or lip-synced, being cute is why you're here in the first place. But the moves? The hard work here is gonna get you your dream position."
"Don't take that lightly though. Even if the stars friggin' align and you do make it, you'll be in the world's eye, where anyone can and will judge you. One bad rumor? You'll see it exploded onto tabloids. One flubbed line? You're the joke of imageboards. And with all the competition, here and outside, you can be sure someone's going to capitalize on it." As she moved by Kisaragi and Maizono, she suddenly turned on the blue haired girl, who winced as Ganaha stated, "If you falter even a little, you'll be left behind."
Waving her fingers like a conductor, she moved in front of the mirror, beckoning for the girls to turn to her. She finished, "So, with that in mind, we're going to work on that foundation. I'm going to teach you one of our more well-known choreographies: it hasn't been seen on stage in years, but it's not too hard to learn." Sticking two fingers into the edges of her mouth, Ganaha let out a shrill whistle. At the clear signal, the door opened, the air gusting for a second before the door was closed once more, Mai and Shiho stepping into the room.
Fanning herself, Shiho whined, "It's hooooot, Ganaha-ch-"
"Apapap! Shoosh!" Ganaha snapped. "You're here to teach, remember?" Ganaha said, clapping her hands. Mai and Shiho assembled next to the woman in front of the mirror as Ganaha continued, "So, here's how it's gonna work. You're all going to get split into groups of three. There are 27 of you, so that's nine groups. Each group will be preforming the three person routine for 'Go! Go! Fight-o!' The three of us are going to preform it once, then we'll be going around to help you groups along. Then, after three hours, you'll have to preform it yourselves." There were a few moans at the thought of being in this sweltering room for so long, Ganaha quickly quieted them, holding up her clipboard and taking all of the papers off, shuffling them before saying, "These are your groups!"
Taking the applications in groups of three, she began to sort the girls. The fates were not so fond of Kisaragi Saki: while Kuroi and Maizono were in the same group alongside a girl with mid length, purple hair, Kisaragi found herself with two of the other girls. Haneyama Ayaka had long black hair and a...unique face, but seemed energetic enough, while Takarada Tamaki's short brown hair hung to the bottom of her face, pushed away by a pink headband. The brief introduction was tinged with worry, Haneyama clearly being nervous while Takarada's open determination to succeed was only seemingly genuine.
After everyone was sorted, Ganaha, Mai, and Shiho made their way to the mirror, standing in front while the groups looked on, ready to observe. From the center, Ganaha, expression focused held up another remote, pointing it at the ceiling. After a second or two, a few beats of music played, to which Ganaha and the other two began to bounce to, finding a rhythm. When the music began to pick up, so did they.
Kisaragi was amazed: Mai and Shiho's competence didn't surprise her, but Ganaha preformed perfectly as well. They were so in sync one might have thought they were less a group and more a single being: the fact that they had no doubt known each other for years truly shined in their practice performance. The grace and accuracy of her moves made it unquestionable that she was indeed a Hope's Peak Student. The only flaw Kisaragi could find was her face: Mai and Shiho had relaxed and bright smiles, while Ganaha's at best was serene as she was lost in focus, but oftentimes she displayed a focused, intense look, which gave an impression that she didn't enjoy this in the least, yet given the lack of hesitance, Kisaragi couldn't help but feel that deep down, she really did enjoy it.
Upon the completion of the song, the three women stopped, relaxing their postures or wiping at their sweat. Kisaragi wasn't the only one impressed either: a couple girls broke into applause. Mai and Shiho smiled, but Ganaha put her foot down, exclaiming, "Oi, it's your turn you know." Clapping her hands, she said, "Quit gawking and get started! Like I said, we're going to go around and help, and don't worry, if I see any of you standing around and waiting for help, I'll be sure to help!" At her words, some of the girls looked between the three, their choice as to whom they wanted guiding them being quite clear.
Not feeling confident, Kisaragi and her group tried to practice what bits they could remember from the performance. True to her word, Ganaha began to go around to the lollygagging groups and get the whipped into action. However, despite their efforts, the three lagged behind enough that Ganaha came around anyway. While Kisaragi had to admit she was able to learn quicker than she might have otherwise, she wasn't sure if the brutal comments were worth it.
As the hours went by, the idols to be began to get more tired from both exerting themselves and lack of water, Kisaragi included. After enough begging, Ganaha whined, "Fine! I'll get some, jeez." When the woman was gone, the atmosphere seemed to relax a bit for a few minutes until she returned with three bottles of water, handing them out to those who requested them. This was swiftly followed by the vocal complaints from some of the girls, including Takarada, who asked, "Where's ours?"
Ganaha scowled, "You didn't ask! And what do I look like, the water girl? Besides, you don't see me complaining." That silenced a few voices, but a few still had their desires, and Mai ended up going to get a few more bottles. Kisaragi didn't hesitate to ask, insisting the others get some too, to go at their full strength.
But some girls took Ganaha's lack of complaining as a sign that they didn't need water, and suffered for it. Less than an hour later, one of the girl's collapsed. Without even blinking, Ganaha waved for her group mates to pick her up, leading them out of the room. Ganaha returned a few minutes later without them, and Kisaragi did not see them again. Though she, and no doubt some of the others, were curious as to what had happened, no one dared ask.
After a short while more of practice, Ganaha clapped her hands, ordering, "All right, all right. It's come to my attention that...you guys are hinging on hopeless." There were numerous grumblings, so Ganaha began to caress her forehead, muttering, "The only way I can see this working is if we have you stay overnight.
Kuroi stammered, "Wh-what? Why not just have us take the bus again tomorrow?"
Ganaha snorted, "That wouldn't be worth the cost of the driver. Why not? This place is going to be your second home anyway: we've got food and stuff. If you don't like it, you can take your group and go!"
Just as she began to finish, one girl shouted, "Fine then! I don't one be in this room with you for one more second!" She began to make her way for the door, stomping out, hesitantly followed by her group, who seemed more uneasy, but they did not stop. With a few more displeased grumbles, the room continued to empty itself. Kisaragi felt like joining them, not sure how much more she could take, but looking over at a defiant Maizono Sayaka, she decided to stay. Even as girls were walking away from her to leave, she was still making motions with her arms, practicing, even without instruction. Kuroi and the third girl in their group weren't making moves for the door either.
Resolve strengthened, Kisaragi insisted, "I'm not giving up that easily."
Looking between Haneyama and Takarada, the shorter haired girl smiled and nodded, while Hanayama said, "Well, I wouldn't want to force you two to leave too."
Takarada smiled, "Why would you want to leave? You've been doing great!"
"R-really?" Hanayama asked. Kisaragi nodded, reaffirming the suggestion, making the girl blush a little.
"So, two groups, huh?" Ganaha sighed, interrupting. Kisaragi looked around to see that she was right: only Maizono, Kuroi, and their third group mate with medium length purple hair remained with Kisaragi's group, the Producer, and the former idols. Ganaha clicked her tongue, muttering, "Guess you guys are in, regardless of actual skill. This was a waste of time."
Mai jumped in, cheerily suggesting, "Now, now, maybe we should get something to eat and figure out what to do after a quick break?" Kisaragi's heart jumped at the thought of food, and most of the others expressed satisfaction at the idea.
Shiho added, "A shower or bath might be good too, for later."
"One second!" A voice came from the mouth of Maizono Sayaka. As the eyes of the three woman turned to her, she began, "So...if we're in, that's great and all, but we still get a chance to show off the results of our practice, right?"
Waving her hand dismissively, Ganaha sighed, "I guess, not like we have much better to do..." Uncertain of how she'd preform Kisaragi hoped that their performance would change anything for the worst...
An hour or so later, after a meal ruined only by the smell of sweat, the group returned to the practice room, the air conditioning restored once again. Then, after a brief rehearsal, each of the two remaining groups preformed. Maizono's was first, and Kisaragi was glad to see that her insistence to preform was not for no reason: she nailed it, Kuroi and the other girl (whom Kisaragi had learned was called Shijou Tsukasa) were definitely above average as well. Mai and Shiho clapped as they finished, but Ganaha didn't even blink, simply jotting a few things down before waving, "Next..."
Swallowing, Kisaragi made her way to the front with Haneyama and Takarada. With the click of a button, the music began to start up again, and Kisaragi found herself in motion. Ignoring her fatigue, she put everything she had into preforming. After seeing both the group of seniors and her two classmates at it, she couldn't help but feel inadequate. While Haneyama and Takarada seemed to have less trouble, Kisaragi knew her expression was probably strained. Upon finishing the song with the strike of a pose, the music stopped, and Kisaragi felt herself loosen, slouching a bit as she tried to catch her breath. Ganaha wordlessly going at her clipboard with a pen, before sighing unenthusiastically, "Well, that's it I guess."
Mai smiled, nodding, "Let's hit those showers!" Pointing her finger, she began to lead the way outside, the others following after.
Takarada asked inquisitively, "Er, are we still staying overnight?"
Ganaha mumbled, "I guess..."
Shiho sighed, "Ganahaaaaaa-saaaaaaan..." Turning to the juniors, she giggled, "Don't mind her, this was all planned!"
"Eh?" Came the gasps from some of the others. Ganaha shot a look at Shiho, before Mai moved in, grabbing Ganaha by the shoulders, leaning in a whispering something in her ear.
Shiho insisted ominously, "All will be obvious soon!"
After a short bit of walking, the girls found themselves at a nearby public bathhouse. The clerk manning the counter seemed to know Ganaha, waving them forwards immediately. The girls took some time to get changed, before entering the bath proper after rinsing themselves off. They were alone at the moment this evening, which gave them a chance to relax. Kisaragi was feeling relieved the moment she entered the large bath, knowing she was going to feel sore tomorrow.
As everyone assembled, Kisaragi saw that Ganaha had loosened considerably, a relieved smile creeping onto her face. For a moment, it looked as odd as a pig with wings. Paddling over, Shiho giggled, "There it is, the rare and elusive Super High School Level Producer smile drop! It has a 0.00001% to drop after Intense Level encounters!"
Mai snorted, "You and your nerdy references..."
Ganaha grumbled, "I smile more often than that! Jeez..." Beckoning the juniors over, she began, "Well, I guess I should explain myself...being an idol sucks!" Not blinking at the incredulous stares, she began, "Really! Sure, you'll have a few good fans, but most of them are gonna be creeps. Then you're gonna have rivals: let's face it, girls are mean. They're gonna take every opportunity to belittle you. I'm not gonna pretend I know everything that goes on at 113 Pro when I'm not looking, but you'll be meeting other idol groups from other companies too. And let's face it, if you can handle me at my almost-worst, you can handle anyone else."
'A-almost worst'? Kisaragi was getting worried for a brief moment.
Ganaha continued, "Oh yeah, and cooperation is a must. That's why I put the whole 'one person leaves than everyone goes' thing. I do feel a little bad about some of the ones who left because one of the others in their group did, but not one of them begged for me to let them stay anyway, so screw them. Oh, and when you think one of your partners needs a drink of water, give her some goddamn water! I mean, that one girl was stubborn, but it didn't even cross the minds of her group."
Rubbing her temple, Ganaha let out another sigh, before finishing, "Anyway, last thing I wanna say is unexpected shit is gonna happen. We might be stuck in traffic on our way to a concert, injured in rehearsal gone wrong, jumped by a mob of ugly fans. That stuff's the hardest: you can't know how someone is going to act in an unexpected situation, but you guys, no matter the reason, are the only ones who could agree that sleeping on a stranger's mat was worth it if it meant being an idol, and if the others were too petty to stay with a choice like that, then they'll never be on stage." At her explanation, Kisaragi couldn't help but agree. Maybe Kisaragi was just too absentminded to really care, but...she was here, wasn't she?
Maybe this would work after all.
The next day, the six new idols met their peers, trained idols their age from around the country. Their training began in full, though it slowed when school began again. Ganaha had big visions for the group: it was like a test for the Producer, the nobodies worked into a star team in just months. But the girls underestimated the Producer, and she was found wanting, adding an edge to the idea to get them motivated: one of the six would be cut, and she swore it was no bluff. Kisaragi found herself fearful, putting in more effort, but she was not the one most fearful about the axe...
October 25th, 2009
"I'm not going!"
"Yes you are!"
"What's the point!? She's just going to crush my dreams! That's all she's been doing since we started this!"
Kisaragi Saki frowned as she saw the despair tainted face of Maizono Sayaka, her eyes wide with fear overtop of ugly bags, hands scratching at her head roughly as she sat on the edge of her bed. How much sleep did she find last night? Little to none, no doubt. She hadn't answered her phone since yesterday after practice, when Ganaha Eriko promised she was announcing the cut on Sunday: today. Kisaragi herself hadn't gotten much sleep for the exact same reasons, but even she hadn't been this distraught, despite having all the more reason to.
But perhaps the reasons to lose composure weren't the problem here, those of being ejected from the best chance of being an idol they'd get. It was what Kisaragi and Maizono had to lose from Ganaha's choice. Kisaragi would be disappointed, but in the end, she only got into this because of the others, though she had some talent for singing, while to Maizono it seemed like everything.
Kisaragi shook her head, finally replying, "It's not you who's going to get cut! It's me! Definitely me! Sure, I can sing better than the others except you and Shijou, but I suck at learning choreography, and I'm not cute at all!"
Maizono froze, before shakily replying, "Th-that's not true! If you keep going, I know you'll do well, and I'm sure Ganaha-san thinks the same way."
Kisaragi crossed her arms over her chest, grumbling, "Oh, now you're interested in what she wants to say."
Maizono flinched, before replying, "That's...not fair."
Kisaragi insisted, "I think it's perfectly fair! It's not like Ganaha has known either of us longer than the other. And she has no reason to choose because of personal feelings, she'd be shooting herself in the foot!" Grabbing Maizono by the wrist, she said, "Now come on, let's go!"
This time, Maizono did not deny, though she didn't exactly consent either, simply being dragged along. Even when they returned to 113 Pro, entering the common room to find the other four and Ganaha waiting for them, she did not resist or try to flee. She simply awaited judgment.
Scanning the room, Ganaha Eriko in her usual suit, skirt, and heels looked over each of the six, before beginning, "Well, now that we're all here..." Standing, she spoke, "So, It's felt like a long three months trying to whip you into shape, but you know what? You've been doing pretty all right so far! Sure, you haven't had any time to shine in front of fans yet, but it's coming, and soon. I almost don't want to cut any of you, but choreographing with a center and an even number makes me want to die, and it did a good job at getting you motivated, so I think it'd be cheap to back out of it now." There was no response, the girls tense as they waited for the verdict. Ganaha took a breath, before saying, "Well, sorry Kisaragi: you probably won't be dancing with the others on stage."
As the girl next to her took in a breath, Kisaragi felt a tinge of disappoint, smiling, "Well, it was fun, I guess. I'll see you later, guys." As she looked around at the frowns from the others, she didn't really feel as bad as she expected she would: she had their numbers, so they still might be able to hang out, but when they got famous...oh, there it was, now it started to hurt.
"Huh? Where do you think you're going?" Ganaha frowned.
Kisaragi blinked, "Huh?"
Ganaha's look hardened, "What, did you decide to leave since you're not my front runner?"
Kisaragi stammered, "Eh? You mean I'm still..."
"An idol?" Ganaha finished. "Doy, I never said I was kicking you out goofball." The room's mood seemed to darken as Ganaha became a conduit for the negative energy. Ganaha rubbed her temple, insisting, "Look, I said its fine to pretend to be dumb for cuteness points, but that's for the fans! You shouldn't do it normally!" As the energy seemed to intensify. Ganaha stamped her feet, grumbling, "Don't you get mad at me cause you didn't understand what I said!" Turning on her heel, she made her way out giving a halfhearted wave.
With the Producer gone, Maizono turned to Kisaragi, bowing lightly, before saying, "Th-thank you for bringing me here. I'm sorry I overreacted, I didn't know...if I had gotten cut though, I think I'd be fine. Big stage in an auditorium or a little one in a café, it doesn't really matter to me."
Kisaragi returned the smile, insisting, "It's fine, and since I get to be an idol anyway, it's perfect! I'll be cheering you guys on."
Kuroi added, "You better, cause we'll be doing the same for you whenever you catch your break."
Takarada smiled, "It might be sooner than we think!"
Haneyama returned to the original point, saying, "Er, congratulations to everyone else though: we made it!"
Kisaragi nodded, "Of course."
Before the conversation could finish though, Maizono tensed, before mumbling, "But…there's something I need to make absolutely clear though..." Before Kisaragi could even think, Maizono made her way out of the common room, slipping through the door.
Curiosity unrelenting, Kisaragi made to follow, and heard the others skulking behind her. They walked until they reached Ganaha's office, Maizono knocking on the door, answered by Ganaha's lazy beckoning of, "Come in..."
Maizono entered without hesitation, closing the door behind her. Kisaragi snuck over, putting her ear on the door, followed by Kuroi, who was stooped lower, the others standing by idly.
Though they could not see, Kisaragi and Kuroi could hear the conversation within, holding their breath.
Maizono began, "Th-thank you for the opportunity but...why?"
Ganaha replied, "Well, Kisaragi has her good points, but overall I think I made the right choice. Plus, her white hair kinda clashes with the outfits I've got planned." Kisaragi felt her eye twitch at the thought.
"Not that," Maizono muttered. Raising her voice, she explained, "I thought for sure I was going to get cut. I mean, I know you don't like me: you never help me or give me advice except to tell me how I've messed up. You're always laughing at my dream or bring up the guys in my class even if you don't know them. It's...it's...awful! What's wrong with having dreams!? Or guys you like! You...you have no right to say those things! I've never ever fallen out of step like that, not even once!"
Ganaha clicked her tongue, insisting, "Not once yet."
"Ever," Maizono said forcefully.
Ganaha groaned, before going on, "You're so...ugh, come on. You think I don't like you!? There's a damn good reason I act like I do to you. How do you do in school? You're super popular right? Bet your grades are 'consistently above average' and your sportiness is 'clumsy but cute, and passable to boot'."
"E-eh?" Maizono gasped. Kisaragi was worried for a second, it was so scarily accurate. Kuroi and Kisaragi traded glances, confirming that neither of them had said anything...so how did Ganaha know?
Ganaha continued, "I've seen this before once. I was younger, just started going to Hope's Peak when a girl dropped in my lap, a lot like you. Pretty, cute, popular, not too dumb, and desperate to be an idol. So I did everything I could, and to no one's surprise, she got pretty big for a short while, before suddenly dropping from the scene altogether and fading into obscurity."
"She was a success, but that wasn't enough for her. She wanted everything! Idol popularity, boys, freedom to do everything she wanted. And me being younger and stupider, figured 'hey, if she's successful, she can do what she wants'. But then she got lazy, skipping practice, spending long nights with rich suitors... She was becoming such a pain in the ass that I started losing hair I was so stressed. Then, one of my classmates noticed, got the brief version, and gave me an option I didn't want to consider. Next day I terminated her."
Even through the door, Kisaragi could tell that Maizono was clearly flabbergasted, "I...I wouldn't."
"Oh, you think so huh!?" Ganaha suddenly spouted. "Neither did she, until she got everything she ever wanted to her served on a platter. It's human nature to want, and when you get what you want, you just want more. No one's ever really content with that. But if you earn it? That's different. That boy you like? How would you feel if he just came up and confessed to you out of the blue? Isn't part of what makes him interesting to you the fact you don't know what he feels about you?"
"Uhmm," Maizono mumbled.
Ganaha blurted, "Eh, I don't really if there's anyone you like, but that's not the point." Changing her tone to one more sincere, Ganaha finished, "The point is, if I make you feel like you've earned the spot on that stage, you're more likely to stay there. I'm not losing another golden idol..."
There was a moment of silence, which ended with Maizono's understanding, "Ganaha-san..."
"Huh? What are you still doing here? Leave," Ganaha said swiftly. Kisaragi gagged on her spit. Guess some things were never going to truly change.
Backing away from the door, Kisaragi and Kuroi moved a little further down the hall, the door opening, Maizono stepping out, her face bowed slightly. The girl quickly shook her head before slapping her cheeks lightly, looking up at the others with one of her perfect smiles, before offering, "Er, let's get some practice done!" Bounding over to Kisaragi, Maizono took the girl's hand, adding, "And don't think you can weasel out just because you're not going to be on stage as quickly!"
Returning the smile, Kisaragi nodded, grateful to have such a friend.
Within a few short months, Maizono Sayaka, Kuroi Kaori, Haneyama Ayaka, Shijou Tsukasa, and Takarada Tamaki had their stage debut. In no time at all, their popularity skyrocketed, smashing records under Ganaha's guidance, Kisaragi cheering them on from the sidelines. Maizono was unquestionably a major factor as well, to the point where she received a letter from Hope's Peak Academy in spring, accepting her as the Super High School Level Idol. In the next year, she would continue to grow, while Kisaragi found a small level of success elsewhere in the unit, never regretting becoming an idol for a second.
Then, all of the days of practice and light filled stages were gone in an instant. Hope's Peak became a shelter surrounded by deepening pools of blood and mounting piles of bodies. Maizono survived within its confines, but in a bizarre stroke of luck, Kisaragi kept her freedom due to Ganaha's choice: the rest of her friends in 113 Pro, Maizono's fellows in the band, we abducted for nothing more than a Despair inducing photo op in the next year. Ganaha was able to keep some of 113 Pro alive with help from her friends in the 63rd Class, later joining Future Foundation. Kisaragi and the rest of the lucky former idols would work in keeping morale up, their smiles somehow helping no matter how forced they were.
When the Killing Game began and the first Trial came and went, Ganaha briefly risked falling to Despair, too distraught over Maizono's death, largely figuring herself as a major cause. But she lived, as did Kisaragi, who shared the story with those curious about Maizono, particularly with Naegi Makoto, whom had no objections to learning more about the Idol whom he had grown close to in such a short time.
Debater
February 17th, 2010
"It was a good race, no need to be frustrated."
"Oh? Do I look upset to you?"
"Well, at least you're a shoe-in for Minister of Justice. That leaves Hatoyama with Defense and-"
"I'm telling you, there's no need to comfort me..."
Getting displeased with the old politicians speaking down to him, the man in his black suit, dark blue bangs covering his gray left eye, brushed the graying hair over his ears, before turning away, taking a few steps on the pristine red carpet. Readjusting his suit coat, Sanada Shinji looked up at one of the windows, awaiting the arrival of the victor.
The competition, of course, was the election for Prime Minister: the ballots of the House of Representatives and the House of Councilors had been counted a handful of hours ago. Sanada Shinji had garnered 38% of the Councilor's ballot and a similarly impressive 42% from the Representatives. With the vote split between more than a dozen candidates, the size of those numbers was almost unheard of.
But him?
That aberration.
'It was a good race', one of the candidates, with less than 5% of the vote combined, Abe Daisuke said. That was ridiculous.
Sanada Shinzo made off with 45% of the Representative vote and 52% with the Councilors. Never before had so few candidates dominated with such high numbers. Everyone in the country knew their names: almost 32 years ago they were both accepted into Hope's Peak Academy as twin Super High School Level Debaters of the 45th Class, but this year, the two had reached celebrity levels of fame, their world class debates practically redefined the subjects they discussed, and yet the common man could still tune in at any second and be on the same page as the orators in moments. That was the level they'd reached, a staggering peak.
But only one could win, that was just how it worked. And Shinji had lost to his brother before, so there was no reason to be frustrated.
But for some reason, every time that face came into his head, he couldn't help but feel fury.
As the room began to bustle, he calmed himself, preparing to flash a photogenic smile. He could hear the bustling from outside as the new Prime Minister arrived from outside, swarmed by a number of journalists and photographers. Reaching the group of politicians Shinzo went to each of them with a hand to shake, offering them a few words. Even through the bustle, Shinji could hear his words as he got closer.
"Mori-san, you went down with grace, you might find yourself a place in my Cabinet."
"Ah, Abe-san! With one obvious exception, you were the only one to trip me up even once in debate: you deserved more votes."
After running the gamut, Shinzo finally came face to face with Shinji, raising his hand. The two leading politicians grasped hands, each facing their mirror image, illuminated by countless flashing lights of those wanting to capture the finale of this chapter in perhaps one of the greatest rivalries in politics. With a smile, Shinzo chortled, "Well, better luck next time, I suppose."
As his twin let go of his hand, Shinji couldn't help but to stand in his spot, unmoving, every ounce of his being focused on keeping his feelings in check. That smug smile...
Shinji desired nothing more but to have that look on his own face one day.
Hours later, the curtain of night had fallen over Tokyo. Sanada Shinji once again found himself at home on his bed, leaning against the backboard. His tie and suit coat were hanging up, but he himself remained in his suit, his hands idle. At his side was none other than his wife, Sanada Misato, her hair long and black, her figure still somewhat shapely, the only signs of age being a few wrinkles her and there. Of course, few but Sanada Shinji knew, but she hid her gray hairs with whatever dye she needed. While she read her book in silence, Shinji only stared, his dead gray eyes locked on the wall. In his mind, every step leading to the day was replayed in his mind as he tried to find his misstep.
Shinji jerked when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking over to Misato, her face plain with concern, he began, "I'm just a little tired, is all. It's been a long day."
Inching a bit closer Misato's hand went for the top button of his shirt, and she began, "It's only nine..." as she began to slowly undo his shirt, she let out a warm breath, suggesting, "Maybe you could stay up a little longer~"
At her suggestion, Shinji briefly considered it, but raised his hand, grabbing her by the wrist and pushing her hands away, spitting, "I don't need your pity, I'm getting a drink." Turning his torso, he threw his legs over the side of the bed before standing, not wanting to look at his wife as he left.
He was being unreasonable and he knew it. He couldn't bear to look at her hurt expression. She was more than he'd ever asked for, or even deserved. Heading through the hall and down the stairs of their lavish home, he reached the cabinet in their well-stocked kitchen, nabbing a half-empty bottle of pricey whiskey from one enjoyable night and moving to the table after snagging a clear, stout glass, filling the base before draining it in one gulp, letting out a raspy gasp as he drank the liquid.
Slamming the cup down Shinji began to refill it as he tried to discern what made this time so different. A whole life had been spent in contest with Sanada Shinzo: 49 years! What was one more loss?
Taking his next shot, he sipped about half of it, before letting out a snort and slamming the cup down, the scant contents sloshing about. This display...embarrassing! He was more dignified than that! He did not lose! He had no reason to act like this! Leaving his glass, he stood forcefully, fully intending to enjoy some company with his wife after a quick cleanup.
Rubbing his face, he stomped to the lower bathroom, flipping on the lights ad closing the door. Turning the knob, he wet his hands before wiping his face. Shaking his head, he felt his bangs wave about as he looked up at the mirror.
Shinzo stared back.
Not even in the privacy of his home could he escape that face.
His anger flared as flashes of that handshake burned in his mind. He sneered at his brother's image, but the sight that stared back calmed him. His brother had never showed such rage at him, because Shinji had never so thoroughly trounced him. At the idea of that changing, Shinji calmed, smugly smiling back.
But the face did as well, becoming much more familiar to him.
Shinji's hand shot towards a stone soap basin, lifting it. The scented red bar slipped out as he pulled his hand back, shooting the piece of stone into the mirror, a crash echoing throughout the room. The stone bounced around in the sink, being followed by a few pieces of glass. Putting his back to the wall opposite the sink, sliding down to a sitting position.
Running his hands through his hair it truly began to sink in. Not once. Not in 49 years had Shinji ever once had the edge of her brother in their supposed Talent. And since going to Hope's Peak Academy, that was all he was ever worth: his skill as a Debater.
But why? Why was he considered so Talented when in truth, he was so weak? He'd considered that answer long ago.
Two children train to become swordsman far out in the country. They duel often: one hundred thousand fights and one hundred thousand victories for one party, a talented genius, and one hundred thousand losses for his friend, going with nothing but hard work and determination. Upon going their separate ways, they each find themselves winning against other opponents. The talented one wins regardless, but the untalented one had no small amount of skill, slowly but surely accumulated against a powerful opponent.
In a cheap children's manga, the untalented one would win out in the end when the talented one first taste defeat and shattered, or being bested in a contest of character.
But this was reality. Shinzo would continue to succeed as he always had, while Shinji would have to settle for runner up.
Darkness tinged his thoughts: how many times had he fantasized his brother's death? Since they broke into politics? College? High School? Middle School? This morning?
After a short while of his moping, there was a knock on the door, Misato's worried voice asking, "Dear, are you hurt?"
"I'm alright, thank you..." Shinji replied.
There was a moment, and Misato replied, "Do you need anything?"
Feeling his mouth twitch with amusement, Shinji could only answer, "A haircut."
Fate would continue to twist Shinji's life around. While he did receive the desired haircut and even the position of Minister of Justice, the world as he knew it came to a rushed close around a year after the frenzied election. By some goodly graces, he and his wife survived to see the birth of Future Foundation, partially headed by Sanada Shinzo. As his brother found himself demonized for his position during the Worst Incident, Shinji couldn't help but to offer the smug smile he had always wanted to.
Astronaut Candidate
June 20th, 2010
"Today we're coming to you live from Houston, Texas on a historic day. Behind us is the launch site, but joining us today is one of its passengers, Ryunosuke Tamura. He's only a junior next to the men and women who will be joining him on his trip to the International Space Station, but at age 23 going on 24, it's no surprise when he's set to secure a new record as the youngest astronaut in space. But as a former student of Japan's Hope's Peak Academy, it was less of a question as to 'if' but rather 'when'."
Turning to the man next to her, the reported asked, "Would you like to say a few things, Mr. Tamura? Tells us about what brings you here."
The man smiled, scratching his clean shaven chin and closing one of his orange eyes as he said, "A good question. Well, to stay simple, I happened to study some biology in school, and I'm also familiar with a space tourist coming along, also from Hope's Peak Academy's 72nd Class. Given that I am fluent in both Japanese and English, I'll be there as both an assistant and interpreter for her stay. Her trip has been sponsored by Hope's Peak Academy, so the pressure is on, one might say."
"And Miss Yoshikawa just so happens to be the youngest space tourist in history, breaking yet another record today," the reporter chimed in. She wondered aloud, "What's your relation to the genius Biologist?"
Tamura pondered for a moment, before saying, "Well, she doesn't speak a word of English...but even so, my crewmates do, so let's just hold that thought until our return, shall we?"
"A mysterious answer, but now I want to see you on your return trip if I don't cover it myself!" the reporter replied.
After a short laugh, Tamura began, "Thank you for the support, but I did want to say something about that question, what brings me here. I have a friend studying very hard back in Japan, who's no doubt watching right now. I've fulfilled my end of our promise, but he still has some way to go. I just want to show my support." Switching to his native language, Tamura stated, "Oi, don't get relaxed because it's early in the school year, you're closer to graduating than you think, don't let it sneak up on you!"
Blinking at the foreign tongue, the reporter could only say, "Well, that sounded...inspiring! That was Ryunosuke Tamura, next, we're going to get a word from the senior astronaut on deck, followed by..."
Several hours later, Tamura was fully situated in the cockpit of the rocket, dozens of feet above the ground below, his back horizontal as he performed some of the last checks. Looking over at the only pair of idle hands of the five people in the seats, he smiled at the nervous face within, the medium length brown hair and the purple eyes. Seeing Tamura, Yoshikawa Kanade smiled, admitting, "My heart's beating so fast, but I'm not sure I'm excited or afraid..."
Tamura laughed, "That's usual, don't worry. Just wait a little longer. I feel the same way." Tamura wasn't being entirely truthful of course, it was little different than the simulations to him. Still hoping to reassure Yoshikawa, he switched to English, asking his fellow astronauts, "Isn't that right guys?"
His senior laughed, "Nope, still don't understand a word of Japanese."
"Baka."
"Oh shush."
Tamura went back to his earlier point, asking, "Just say something reassuring to her, like you mean it."
His peers complied, "No need to be afraid!"
"I've done this before, it's no different than riding a car back and forth from work."
"We probably won't die in a horrible explosion."
"Dammit Juan."
The four English speakers let out some laughter, quieting down as Tamura turned back to a confused, but slightly more relieved Yoshikawa, the two smiling at each other. Yoshikawa seemed to blush a little as she wondered aloud, "Why is my heart beating now?"
Tamura said confidently, "Well, whatever the reason, I'm sure it'll settle when we see the view." With one more nod from her, Tamura diverted his attention back to his tasks, doing his best not to be distracted by his anticipation for the return, when he would finally confess his love after 6 years of dear friendship.
After a number of successful experiments on the ISS and a safe return, Tamura was able to confess, Yoshikawa accepting after the initial surprise with no hesitation. Finally able to start the family he longed for, he continued to strengthen their relationship. However, it was too good to last. In less than a year, the Worst Incident began. Tamura's only solace in the horror was that through some miracle, he was able to protect Yoshikawa, keeping her alive until the present day.
Tamura Ryunosuke married her in an unofficial ceremony half a year after the death of Enoshima Junko. He is currently survived by Tamura Kanade and their several month old daughter, Tamura Yuki.
Superhero
May 24th, 2011
In leaps and bounds, a gold streak flashed over the city of Yokohama. The port town had seen better says: The Worst Incident had caused mass rioting, and it was beginning to fall. The icon Marine Tower was leaning, daring to crumble into the sea, fires burned uncontrolled, screams of anguish, desperation, and anger echoed throughout.
It was a war, and Ishihara Jouji felt like he was the only soldier on his side.
Donning his cape for the first time in years, the hero could not sit idly by and pray things would just get better. His muscles and joints seemed to desire respite, starting to become sore from his movement, but he overrode that through adrenaline and spirit. He'd heard whispers of Hope's Peak Students trying to organize, but almost as quickly as they did, they were killed or otherwise silenced, through sheer unfortunate chance or a targeted assault by Super High School Level Despair.
But Ishihara Jouji wasn't one to shy from danger: no, in fact, he preferred it. And this was his opportunity: the world needed a symbol they could look up too in these dark times. Ishihara had regretted his decision to reveal his identity. A simple public statement would had sufficed to keep the reckless from getting hurt, but he'd convinced himself it wasn't enough in his foolish youth. And after three and a half decades, the middle aged man only prayed his edge had not dulled too much. He already had enough trouble fitting into his old costume...
Hearing one nearby, helpless scream for aid, Gold Dragon, changed course, spotting a few men surrounding what appeared to be a couple, on brown haired man standing between a prone woman and the assailants. Gold Dragon glided in, his booted foot planting itself into the face of one man, who dropped like a stone from the blow, his knife clattering on the pavement. Gold Dragon stood proudly, his voice cracking as he deepened it from lack of practice as he shouted, "Begone! This is your only warning."
One of the men in the back fired a pistol, the bullet grazing Gold Dragon, causing a burn. It flew passed him, the man he was defending falling to his rear in surprise, the woman cowering. Buckling his feet, Gold Dragon sprung into a charge, painfully blocking a pipe from one of the attackers as the gun wielding man lowered his weapon. Unable to split his focus too much, Ishihara ducked as one person swung a chain his way, which smacked the pipe wielder in his face. Shifting his footwork, Ishihara shuffled back, elbowing the chain wielder in the nose, bloodying it and knocking him to the ground. As the pipe wielding recovered, Ishihara hopped up, slamming both of his feet into the man, dropping him as well.
Landing, he climbed to his feet, taking deep breaths as he looked over his shoulder at the gunner, who had sunk to his knees. Turning, he took a few strong steps over, demanding: "Yield."
In awe, the pistol wielder muttered, "It's you! It's really you..." As Gold Dragon nodded, his eyes widened behind his mask as the other man raised his pistol, aiming directly at his own head, his sleeve falling, revealing a gold colored watch, one of the many pieces of memorabilia capitalizing on the hero's fame some time ago. Tears welled up in the attackers eyes as he sobbed, "I'm sorry, I made a mistake."
Gold Dragon was speechless, only raising his arm to try and stop the man as the thug pulled the trigger. His arm slumping back, Gold Dragon swallowed his revulsion as the body slumped to the ground, blood beginning to pool. His mind couldn't help but imagine the possibilities as he stared at the body, no doubt a former fan, having been crushed into Despair, only to realize his fault as he saw the hero in person for likely the first time.
Why couldn't it just be simple?
Despite his age, Ishihara Jouji would continue to fight for justice, saving as many lives as he could, eventually joining Future Foundation. He rescued a number of men and woman who would become Future Foundation recruits, such as Asumi Haruka, Uzatei Kotetsu, and Furugori Yasuo. His common goodbye, 'Stay well' was adopted by some members of the organization whom admired him, young and old alike.
Environmentalist
October 1st, 2011
Far underneath black skies and a cloud of wretched smelling rain, a small group waked their path through a dead forest, many of the trees charred black, while others simply cracked and dried. Flashlights illuminated the area around them, the beams glinting in the filthy rain. The air itself was hazy from pollution, partially obscuring the men and women, who were cloaked in thick black raincoats, their faces hidden in bulky gas masks. As their feet squashed about in the mud, their arms bounced from the straps on their shoulders: rifles, heavy weaponry, but standard in the current times.
After stepping a bit too deeply in the mud, one of the men removed the foot with a squelch, before moaning, "Are we getting close? This place is depressing."
From the head of the group, one calm voice said, "Not yet, we're still a few hours off."
From behind him, another man, flashlight in one hand and a hook taking place of the other, added, "The place we're looking for is far greener, have some hope."
"Yes sir..."
After the brief conversation, the group continued to walk, but there was little change in their environment until a few hours later, when the haze began to thin. The group failed to notice it, however, until they found the miraculous: trees in a state of recovery.
Confident, the leader of the group stated, "Now we must be getting close..."
The younger one towards the back said excitedly, "Oh man, fresh air! I can't friggin wait!"
Shaking his head, the man with the hook for a hand warned, "Don't take off that mask quite yet..."
"I know, I know..."
With a bit more walking, the group began to get a bit deeper into the forest, but among the healing trees were bodies of the dead, half rotted, worn firearms at their side and arrows in their gut. Some were quite fresh.
The leader of the group couldn't help but to move to one of the bodies, beginning, "It seems mutilated, but the death was quick. If these are people who've fallen to despair, I don't think we have much to worry about."
Before he could continue, a voice echoed throughout the area, demanding, "You have no business in these parts. Leave, or join them as fertilizer."
Flashlights waving around the group tried to find the source of the voice, but there was nothing to be seen. The leader called from above the corpse, "I would disagree. I desire to speak with you or your leader."
"Those guns and masks say otherwise," the voice replied.
"Point taken," the man with the hook noted. Turning to the others, he pointed out, "The air should be a bit breathable here..."
Taking the lead, the man nearest to the corpse complied, removing his mask and hook, revealing a head of black hair framing his stern face and a pair of glasses. Oonishi Mahiro nodded to the others, who began to comply.
The last to remove his mask was the man with the hook for a hand, revealing a slicked back head of gold hair, an eyepatch over his right eye, partially covering a scar underneath. Kirifuji Yuuji said, "Very well, we have complied."
After a moment, the voice replied, "So, you are not who I believe, therefore, you can go with your lives."
Oonishi stated firmly, "I will not: I feel that our discussion is of great importance."
"I disagree: leave, before I change my mind." Getting antsy, some of the others reached for their weapons.
Kirifuji snapped at them, "Don't you dare!"
Oonishi stated at the voice, "Your choice here can make the difference to hundreds of lives, a dwindling resource."
There was a moment of silence, before the voice responded, "Lives are no resource, and someone who thinks that way doesn't deserve to talk." There was the tightening of a bowstring, and the group tensed. The voice threatened, "The next one to talk will not leave unharmed."
"Be reasonable!" Oonishi requested, raising his voice.
His words were punctuated by the whistling of an arrow, cutting through the haze and nailing itself in Oonishi's side. The former Hope's Peak Student crumpled, grunting as he collapsed to the ground. As some of the others went for their weapons, Kirifuji snarled, "What did I say!?" The glare from the intimidating man froze them, and he went to Oonishi's side, grimacing as he looked at the wound, unable to do much with only one hand.
"You've received my warning in full: leave," the voice demanded.
Kirifuji snorted, "I refuse. Finish the job if you want us to be out of your hair. I will not be leaving without my friend, but now he is far too injured to move very far. He won't make it back to Base." The voice was silent, so Kirifuji continued, "We're upperclassmen of yours, working to rebuild the world so that its young may have a Future. You can help us, Andou."
There was a sharp intake of breath, then nothing for a few moments, until a figure dropped from one of the trees. A handmade bow in her hands, and arrow already knocked, a quiver at her hip, the short girl stepped forwards. Her teal hair was staggeringly long, wild, and ratty. Her dark green eyes held an intense look, and she wore a ragged light cloak, which ended jaggedly at her knees, the rest of her legs and feet being bare, stained with dirt and mud. The 75th Class Super High School Level Environmentalist, Andou Moriko, asked, "How did you know it was me?"
Kirifuji answered quickly, "An underling wouldn't have the authority to turn away others after demanding to speak with a leader, and the rumors of your presence are one of the reasons we're here. We should talk, but not before my friend is taken care of."
Looking over at the fallen man, now passed out, Andou nodded, sticking two fingers into her mouth and letting out a shrill whistle. In moments, the forest seemed to move as a small number of people came into view, keeping back. Andou ordered, "Akuba, Sakurano, get a stretcher. Uma-chan, you're better a first aid..." Complying, a boy with tanned skin, bushy eyebrows, and curly black hair came forth, going to work without question.
The situation resolved, the members of Future Foundation were taken deeper into the forest. As they walked, the foliage became progressively greener. Despite the incurred injury, the moods of Oonishi's troupe were improved upon the view. How long had it been since the saw such greenery, Kirifuji wondered.
Finally, they arrived at an encampment. It was dotted with overhangs made from leaves or taken from what was once a tarp or tent. Fire pits, beds, it was a fully-fledged community: small, but thriving. Kirifuji felt his heart warmed to see the occasional smile from one of the people here, even though they tended to fade into looks of worried inquisitiveness at the sight of him. His good eye was almost moved to tears when he believed her heard the crying of a baby: as dingy as the place was, it was far more beautiful than much of the rest of the country, Kirifuji having seen enough of death and ruin.
While Oonishi was taken aside, the others left under one vacant overhang, Kirifuji was led deeper, into a small cave under a massive tree. It wasn't that deep, but he froze upon coming within sight of the other being to share Andou's personal quarters. Lying among the books, photos, and low burning lamps was an imposing black bear, lying on its side, its head craned up, sniffing the air as it looked towards Kirifuji. Andou stroked its head, and the bear calmed, lying back down. Sitting next to it, Andou began, "It's been harder and harder to find food for him."
"We have food," Kirifuji began as he dared to take a seat, sitting cross-legged on the dirt across from Andou and her pet. Kirifuji explained, "We've secured a number of warehouses containing a plethora of canned goods, and we have a former Super High School Level Farmer in our midst."
Andou studied him a moment, before noting, "We have food, some grown ourselves, just no meat. I don't like it myself, but I understand the needs of animals" Sitting down herself, leaning on her animal companion, asking, "What are you proposing?"
Kirifuji continued, "'The enemy of my enemy is my friend'. Members of Super High School Level Despair have attempted to destroy what you have worked to have, as they have us."
Andou asked, "And you are? Former Hope's Peak Students?"
Kirifuji nodded, "I myself was in the 59th Class, my Talent being in the domain of Economical knowledge. Though the subtleties created by government are no longer, bartering is as old as humanity itself. We have much to offer each other. With Mahiro out of commission, I speak for Future Foundation."
Andou thought for a moment, before replying, "I've heard of them."
Noting she didn't seem so enthusiastic, Kirifuji began, "I know you've lost much these past months. With a passion for Environmentalism, seeing so much you've worked for gone in an instant must be horrible. But that's why we would like your help: your expertise and passion mean you would be an excellent ally. Preserving what may be lost is second on our list after preserving life."
Andou thought for a moment, before nodding, "I suppose I can hear you out, at least. Then I shall discuss what you've said with my people. If we decide not to accept your help, then you promise to leave and never return?"
Kirifuji stated, "Our goal is to see you thrive: we both work towards the Future, we are no enemies of yours."
Taking a deep breath, Andou said, "Very well, I'm probably going to have more than a few questions: purifying the air and water is perhaps my largest concern. Breeding animals to regulate the food chain will come later, but some data collection on animal populations would be nice. Reforestation would come alongside air purification..."
The girl continued on her tangent, but as she continued to talk, Kirifuji couldn't help but notice as the potential came clearer to her with each suggestion he made and each question she answered. The Worst Incident had not been kind to her, but now her Hopes were slowly being revitalized...
Andou Moriko would come to accept Future Foundation's offer, turning the camp in Misty Green Forest into yet another of Future Foundation's Bases, dubbed Ashima Base. Manpower was added, the defenses strengthened, and plans for some underground bunkers to be built. Plans did not go well at first: increased traffic to the area meant more attention, and so many wanted to snuff out all remaining light, and couldn't bear to see such a forest still standing. There was much battle, but the broadcast of the Game of Mutual Killing finally turned things around.
However, it would not last. Several months later, the Misty Green Forest and Ashima Base were suddenly attacked and destroyed utterly. Though it pained her, Andou Moriko could only flee with her life intact. But for all she lost, she did not Despair.
Computer Engineer
June 11th, 2012
In a dim, humid room, the walls lined with square, gray, whirring machines, only one was silent, the object being propped up by a jack, a pair of legs sticking out from under it. After a few more moments, the machine the person was under began to whir again. "Aha!" Came the man's voice from below. Scrambling out, he grumbled, "Those cheap connectors again..."
Standing up, the pudgy man, wearing a pair of jeans and a white tank top wiped at his forehead, shouting towards the door, "Island Four should be back up! Also we need some better circulation back here or we might be seeing some light corrosion, this humidity is insane. Seriously, whose idea was to do this on an island..." Stooping down, the black haired man, his sideburns gray, his eyes behind large, brown framed glasses grabbed a panel, sticking it under the machine, before lowering the jack, kicking the tool aside before heading out.
The next room was dominated by one large tower in the center with a good sized screen, fifteen pipes filled with wire running away from it, ending in uniform locations: they were almost done here, but one set of key pieces was missing. From the screen smiled a familiar green eyed face, the AI saying, "Island Four is back up and running better than ever, Furugori-san!"
Furugori Yasuo nodded, "Great. Well, I'm gonna take a break, then do a check on the other ones, work on figuring out those extra fans... Anyway, once that gets taken care of, we just need to wait for the pods, do the beta testing...I feel like we've barely even started."
Stepping outside of Future Foundation's administrative building, he shielded his eyes from the morning light, the sound of ocean filling his ears. Looking around, he could see the iconic Jabberwock Statue, depicting man and beast alike. Taking a deep breath, relaxing a bit in the breeze, he tried to think about his options. Muttering to himself, he began, "Oh, duh, I bet Island Three has a bunch of fans, but if I wanna move them, I'll need stuff from Island Five...this is gonna take all day."
Despite his grumblings, Furugori hadn't been happier in more than a year. He'd spent his life keeping up with the rapid advances of computer technology: to think that modern phones had surpassed the supercomputer that had earned him a tuition at Hope's Peak... He'd have scoffed at the very thought!
But now, after so long of just managing to survive, he was back at the forefront of technological advancement! Glancing back at the building, he wondered how important the Psychotherapeutic Communication Simulator was. The current build was rather small, but when finished, the plan was for it to be able to create a virtual reality where one could immerse themselves fully, and recieve the proper treatment they needed. Cutting edge...something like this wouldn't have been possible in the old world without a lot of luck: only the collaboration of Hope's Peak Alumni could manage this. Katsuragi Seijiro had been able to find and decipher Yasuke Matsuda's notes, many of which had been used for Enoshima's schemes, but some of which were more than applicable for the current project, while another surviving Alumna, a former Super High School Level Therapist, was also weighing in heavily, bringing up concerns like an absolute success.
Furugori had to admit he feared it a little as well. If they created a world so ideal that no one would want to leave, let alone return to the ruined world of today. Even if they were forced out, their desire to return might be strong...
Brushing such thoughts from his mind, he made his way towards the docks, where one of the ships of Samidare Konami's fleet awaited, the ring of ferries providing a much needed service on Jabberwock. Yet another Super High School Level student contributing in his own way. Furugori would likely have not met these brilliant folk had things not gone wrong.
As he boarded his boat, he knew began to think to why he was doing this in the first place. His schooling alongside others of the opposite gender had helped to remove his awkwardness around women, and he'd managed to start a family, but nowadays it was much smaller. Perhaps the New World Program would help his broken wife forget their losses...
In the next weeks, the New World Program was nearly completed, but before testing could begin, urgent buisness called Future Foundation away from Jabberwock. The result was unwanted: with Future Foundation gone, Naegi Makoto, Kirigiri Kyouko, and Togami Byakuya brought the first group of patients to the island to have their Hopes restored. Said patients adapted the Program to their own needs, eventually resulting in the deletion of much of the data. Only Super High School Level Despair would do something like that. Naegi was reprimanded lightly, however, as the worst was averted, but Furugori was rather interested in readapting the technology for other uses, and the New Development Program would begin.
Contractor
March 25th, 2013
A light wind blew through one of Japan's green forests as the sun shined brightly above. It was a perfect day outside, but it was starkly contrasting the horrors that had taken place. That was what the former 58th Class Super High School Level Contractor, Minami Fuyuko felt as she stood in front of a large metal door. Looking up, she could see the three story Exam Building, praying they were in time.
Readjusting the heavy rifle on her back and the light green coat she wore, she turned to the others, a small group of Future Foundation members loitering about, keeping an eye on the area. One of the shorter ones worked at a laptop hooked up to the door, wearing a black suit, sunglasses over his eyes, below a pair of bushy eyebrows and short hair. Looking up, Shiata Gotou order, "Stop dawdling and scan the area! We can't rely on Toyoguchi for everything!" A bit sheepishly, most of the others began to sidle off and give the area a look.
Minami didn't move though, keeping watch on the door as the Sniper Shiata and Alter Ego kept going at getting down that door. They'd been alerted to the results of the horrid Game that had just concluded inside: Tachibana Chiyoko had escaped, but the other four had survived, though not without injury. But if they had been a day sooner...
Shaking her head, her auburn hair staying firm in its bun, Minami tried to focus on the task at hand. It became simple when the metal door began to grind open loudly. Minami raised her head in anticipation, but it inexplicably stopped. Frustrated, she grunted, "Ha? It failed to open all the way?"
Shiata replied concisely, "A security issue. A bypass code is needed, but manual entry through the keyboard is required. She's still searching, give her a moment."
Shaking her head at the pronoun choice, Minami grumble, "Do you mean 'it'? Oh, never mind." Turning back to the door, she shouted through the crack, "Is anyone in there!?"
The familiar voice of Tsujimoto's daughter, Miyuki, responded, "We're here! Four of us! But Tachibana escaped somehow!"
Well aware, Minami replied, "Don't you worry about such things, we've got someone on it. Now stand clear so we can get you out!"
Stepping over to a panel that had flipped open, Minami typed out the code as Shiata read it out, "Captial B, capital B, six, six, one, five, lowercase f, lowercase w." Minami was displeased with having to manipulate the shift key, but when the door began to slide open once again, she couldn't help but feel relieved.
Taiyoshi Nijiko was the first to exit, blinking against the brighter light of the outside, the busty girl being followed by Tsujimoto, who quickly stated, "We've got one wounded."
With a nod, Minami moved past her as another one exited, a black haired boy with black framed glasses. Minami clapped Oonishi Eiji on the back as he blinked against the light, nodding "I'm sure you did well: get some rest, we'll get you to your families in a short while."
His eyes finally adjusting, Oonishi nodded, "Th-thank you."
Minami simply nodded, entering the building. Sitting near the door, the last of them, his shoulder bandaged up, Saitou Shiro, craned his head to see the outdoors, a faint smile on his face. Crouching down near him, Minami said, "We'll get that taken care of, so take it easy."
Saitou shrugged, "Eh, Tsujimoto did a fine job, I'll bet. I'm just gonna-"
"Careful," Minami said harshly, making Saitou rethink his motion to get up. From outside, Minami could hear Tsujimoto cry out, "H-hey! Taiyoshi!? Where are you going!?"
"I'm running what do you think!?" The girl shouted back.
Shiata called, "Don't go far!" Without paying her any more mind, Shiata left the laptop before taking a pistol and heading after Minami. The pair were not done with their job: having rescued the Applicants, they had also been tasked with giving the Exam Building a look in hopes of finding any salvage to retrieve later such as food, supplies or arms. Another point of interest was the wood work: Super High School Level Despair would have anything they'd used here hidden beyond the walls. Of particular interest were the memory restoring pills or anything else left to them by their predecessors.
Entering the Entrance Hall, the two split up, Minami heading down while Shiata went up. The woman first checked the Kitchen, taking note of the food, before giving the area a close look, in hopes of finding a secret passage they might have used to restock. Not having any luck, she moved on, keeping tabs on the Storage Room, where a host of supplies were. Speaking of supplies, wasn't one of these Dorms supposed to hold a small armory of dangerous items?
Putting that aside for now, Minami continued downwards, ignoring the Pool and heading to one area that had bothered her, one that didn't really exist in the genuine Future Foundation Bases: the Generator Room. Stepping into the noisy chamber, she looked at the two pieces of machinery, but something was obviously off: one was supposed to be an air purifier of little use in this nice forest, the other was supposed to be a generator. Having an expertise with major appliances, Minami could identify them without much trouble. The upper one was a generator without doubt, as Monokuma had said some weeks ago on the broadcast, but the one lower down...
Getting a closer look at the signs and warnings, Minami tried to find out if anything was out of place. Sure enough, something was out of place: a hand sized divot, marked, 'Do not insert hand, electrified'. The whole setup was made to look like it was official, but without the actual organizations, all SHSL Despair could do was create facsimiles.
Quickly retrieving a pair of insulated rubber gloves, Minami returned, donning them and sticking her hand in the gap. Manipulating it a bit, she found a handle, and pulled. With a hearty tug, she was able to pull the panel aside, revealing a large black hole, more than large enough. In fact, she could even widen it farther if need be: the machine was just making noise for the sake of making noise.
Entering the darkness, Minami fumbled around until she found a light switch, revealing the interior: a massive warehouse, filled with crates, shelves, boxes, and forklifts: the remains of this places construction, no doubt. There was more too: as Minami searched, she found what could only be the remaining Executions. One that tipped her off was a treadmill loaded with traps, quite fitting for a Running Culprit.
There were a few doors as well, one leading to a dingy, empty room, but one was a cooler. Her heart sank as she realized the nature of the room, and what the plastic tarps covered. Giving it a look, there was something off.
She figured it out after a quick count: five bodies had escaped, three were in the other rooms above, still fresh. That left eight, but Minami only counted five here. Doing a quick check, she quickly realized the patterns with the missing bodies.
They had been the Culprits. Tomoe Kazuko's dismembered corpse, Mizunoe Higaide's crushed cadaver, and Kinashi Ririka's stabbed body were all missing. It couldn't be...had all the Culprit's been spared?
Hopeful, Minami pulled out her communication device, stating, "Shiata-san! Get down here, there may be more survivors than we expected."
After a few moments, he replied, "You don't say..." As she headed out of the cooler, Minami guides him to her location, and the smaller man came to the warehouse in little time. After swiftly explaining her reasoning, Minami and Shiata split up to search the warehouse.
They were at work for ten minutes when Minami saw a cloud of smoke, rushing over to Shiata, who had opened a door she hadn't checked, the portal spewing black smoke. Once it began to clear, Minami covered her mouth, stepping in.
She began to cough as she accidentally breathed in a little smoke, but the brief look was all she needed. It was yet another nearly empty room, but this one was occupied by three bodies, the stench of gasoline in the air as they burned black. One body was thin, clearly wearing bulky clothes, another hacked into pieces, and the last one was huge, roughly Minami's size, despite being mangled.
Coughing, Minami head back out, looking at Shiata as she began. "There were...their bodies. They've been destroyed..."
Shiata nodded, "Our missing corpses have been found then... I'll close the door, hopefully the fire will put itself out." Minami didn't move as he did so, simply standing where she had stopped.
Having returned, Shiata looked over to Minami, but before he could say anything, she muttered, "I know...I shouldn't have had Hope. I was prepared for this: I might have done the same thing in his shoes so that I might live..." Looking back at the door, she couldn't help but take a deep, shaky breath and mutter, "But why does it hurt so much?"
With the 80th Class Applicants free from the Exam Building, it's useful goods were collected and taken to other facilities over the course of a few weeks, and plans to rebuild the base to their needs were put on a backburner, and the place was abandoned. The corpses were disposed of with dignity, and the survivors were inducted into Future Foundation, and granted Honorary titles based on their Talents.
As for Minami, the Contractor continued to live her life, giving her efforts to Future Foundation and the next generation. In particular, she came to Furugori Yasuo with an idea in mind for the software used in the New World Program: a way to use it for other benefits...
Future
August 20th, 2013
Knowledge and facts had filled Kirigiri's brain over the course of the past few days. All of these accomplished people had done numerous things in their lives, but…
One of them stood out as obvious to Kirigiri. So obvious that the butler might as well have done it, but there was no guarantee that killing him, the person in the best position to mess with things, would solve everything, as much as Kirigiri wished otherwise. And if it weren't instant, their brain might continue to live in the Project for a time until it finally gave out.
And while a number of bombs had been discovered and disabled, the threat of more remained.
While an important package had been picked up and was on the return trip, they had already lost another: Ishihara Jouji was dead, most likely killed by that traitor.
However, partway through the investigation, there was a breakthrough: Alter Ego discovered Kinashi's location, and a strike team was on its way.
Good news aside, the members of Future Foundation couldn't get comfortable, they were running out of time.
Kirigiri felt her heart began to pound when Alter Ego finally called out, "Er, Oonishi Mahiro-san, Oonishi Eiji-kun, Urushibara Itaru-san, Asumi Haruka-san, and Katsuragi Seijiro-san, please come to the Meeting Room…"
This was it, Kirigiri was alone, and two bombs they had discovered still remained unarmed, her desire for safety and her desire to watch the Trial clashing horribly as Alter Ego continued to walk her through.
Those five members of Future Foundation assembled in front of the monitor, the red haired Queen smiling softly.
Dozens of kilometers away, Taiyoshi Nijiko ran back to Kālá Base across hilly green landscapes at a speed a normal person might consider sprinting, a vital parcel in her possession.
To the north, a helicopter sped over charred and healthy forests alike to an old set piece, Tsujimoto Miyuki inside, readying herself for a less than pleasant reunion with an old acquaintance.
Standing in the Experiment Room, surrounded by six bodies on six tables, Kirigiri couldn't help but watch the screen, displaying a certain descent, before quickly leving to get on with her tasks.
And displayed on that screen, in a world that did not truly exist, six Students, one of them a dastardly killer, descended into a Trial of Truth and Lies, a Trial of Anima and Body, a Trial of Guises and Faces.
A Trial of Hope and Despair.
And the last bit of trivia: pastebin(.com)/TPjd5JBh
Tomorrow the fic comes to its conclusion after two months, so don't miss it! Thanks for reading!
