Disclaimer: I do not own Assassination Classroom.
XIV.
The possibilities of getting into class E were practically endless.
It was easy to get there. I could just beat up some students of our school and would be transferred there for next year. But it still remained what I would do then.
I didn't know if there it was going to be the assassination class I had read about, but I would go there. After all Karma was there and I heard that Nagisa and Kanzaki would go there as well. That was just...
The drawback of beating up some asses was that I was most likely going to be suspended and I couldn't have that. I needed time. Mostly for preparation, but I didn't want to sit home and do nothing. So I had to find another option.
It wasn't hard to come up with some but I always had to think of the consequences. I didn't want to fail my tests, as petty as it was. So I was going to destroy something. I felt something inside me cackle.
On the Monday morning, two weeks before March, I was planning to damage the school vitrine for prizes and other accomplishments of students. It was enough to let me be transferred to class E in the next year, but they wouldn't suspend me. I had looked it up. The only thing they would suspend me for was overly violent behavior, just like picking fights with other school's students, who reported it, or beating up the students of our own school. Karma's own suspension had been a week ago and he would as well not be in school for three weeks after the beginning of the new school year.
But when I arrived at the school I noticed that always a large group of students would be nearby and I couldn't execute my plans since they would get in my way.
At first I was perplexed by the masses that seemed to follow me, but when I caught the sight of Asano smirking at me, I immediately knew what was going on.
He knew about my almost possessive behavior around Karma, hell almost the whole school knew.
It wasn't hard to deduct, that I would try to follow him into class E. The student council president wanted most likely to stop me from going to class E. Needless to say I was royally pissed off.
Like last year I had been placed first with him. It had been too tempting not engage him into a verbal sparring match and I pretty much embarrassed him the whole time. Of course he had been getting better in discussing with me, but I had 39 years of living experience under my belt.
God forbid, I didn't see him as some kind of rival, but he had annoyed me pretty much the whole year just by wanting me to stop reading and several other, unneeded discussions, that I just wanted to get him back. I was petty after all.
Now it was biting me back.
Just fucking fantastic. I was going to pay him back, at least tenfold. Now when I thought about it, I could just set up some giant prank with some evidence of me being it. Perfect for revenge and a way to class E.
So I set up a paint bomb in the student council room with the trigger being sitting on the president's chair, so that Asano would get the damage head-on. I felt vindictive.
As an evidence I put in a lovely letter for Asano with my name for the whole council to see. In chase the newly painted president wouldn't be able hide it I wrote the message onto the ceiling.
'Dear Asano-san,
since you seemed to like me staying in class A, I decided that I would give you a present. I hope the paint stays stuck in your face.
Love,
Kitani Sayori
P.S.
It's going to stay there a few days; I hope you like the color.'
I made sure to know when the next student council meeting was, so that it would get Asano for sure. I was seriously pissed off at him.
When I was called to the chairman I fully expected to get a tongue lashing and the transfer to class E.
I did not expect Asano standing beside his father, looking smug. Disgruntled, bright orange-colored, but smug.
I just knew, that it didn't provide anything good for me. Especially when the chairman looked into my eyes, intrigued.
''Kitani Sayori are you aware why you are here?'' he began. His brown, hair was gelled back like usual and his purple eyes, much like Asano's, were watching me intently.
I forced myself to look at him. I wouldn't feel like a scolded child, much less for something I didn't feel remotely sorry for.
''Yes, I believe I'm here because of my prank on Asano-san. The color didn't come out quite as planned. The coloration lacks the green stripes, that were in the bomb.'' I was just going to do what I usually did, when Asano was near. Totally annoy him.
I could see the chairman's lips quirking up, though I didn't believe that his self-restraint was so weak. He was letting me see that deliberately, I was certain.
Beside him Asano was having a hard time not to glare at me. I practically felt his anger rolling of from him, but he didn't lose the smugness that graced his features earlier. In fact, he looked even more gleeful.
''Yes, that is the reason.'' He didn't specify his response, which was a little slap for the strawberry blond's pride. ''Since you had such a good time coloring the student council's room, I think you can clean it from your little stunt. I hope you can manage it in two days.'' The threat of or else loomed loosely in the air.
I frowned at the lack of the mentioning me transferring to class E. That explained Asano's smugness. The little shit had persuaded his father not to let me go there.
The chairman started to speak again.
''As a punishment you are forbidden to do any club activities anymore. I hope you will learn from your mistake.''
Clearly taking this as dismissal I turned around and left.
… That was it? Just that little bit? Students of this school had gotten into class E for less, but I was just admonished for my prank? Ridiculous. Absolutely insane.
It seemed, that I had to come up with something better.
In chemistry class I was brooding. Everything I did was just pegged as some petty prank and resulted into me cleaning up the mess I made. For sure, I got good practice in my pranking skill but I simply couldn't get into class E just from coloring the students and teachers or preventing them from getting into class. It seemed that the chairman wouldn't let me. He even had an extra chair for me in his office! I simply knew he was getting a good laugh from my stupid stunts.
I didn't want to get suspended for getting into a fight but seemed like I had to do that in order to get into Karma's class next year.
Between my thoughts our chemistry teacher asked some students of our class if they wanted to conduct some experiments and show the class their results and the uses of the chemical substances for a bit of change for end of the year.
I clearly wondered why he didn't bring that up before the tests, but then again in this school most teachers just taught straight out of the text book. I spaced out during that time. I had better things to do, for one planning what to do next. I had no other choice but well... pick a fight. If I was lucky I would not be suspended and if no... well, I would see what then.
When I focused my mind on the lesson again the bell had already rung, so went to our classroom again. When I arrived someone was standing at my desk.
It was a girl of my class, Tanihara Rika. I had seen her in the midst of Asano's fan club, but all in all she was quiet and seemed to be likeable. I wondered what she wanted.
''Ano... Kitani-san?'' she addressed me. I looked at her. ''I want to ask you t-to help me with the chemistry project that our teacher gave us last lesson. I'm a bit unsure about d-doing it alone. Please, help me.''
''Sure.''
Tanihara blinked.
''Really?'' Her brown eyes widened comically. ''Thank you very much, Kitani-san! Can we meet in two days after school at the chemistry room? I already asked the teacher for permission and he will come later for supervising.''
''Yeah, I got it. I'm going to be there. What's your project?'' To be honest I was being lazy and spoke slower than usual. It all came out in a drawl.
I didn't know why she asked me, but the fact that she had asked made me more willing to help.
''I'm showing the use of potassium permanganate.'' Her eyes darted in a nervous way around me, as if she didn't know where to look. ''It is handed out in survival kits, so the teacher wanted me to give them a life experiment with it.''
''Ah, yes. I know that substance. I can help you with it. So you are going to start a fire with it?'' It wasn't entirely save for someone to do it without supervising, so I guess it was the reason she wanted me to be there, even if there was most likely a teacher going to be there.
She nodded.
''Yes, but I will have to try first. Additionally, I have to explain a few of the medicinal uses and the use of water treatment, but I can do that alone. It's mostly research anyway.'' I noticed that she wasn't looking at me entirely anymore.
''Got it. See you in two days.'' Not including we were in the same class, but I pretty much had reached the point where I didn't want to talk anymore. I liked snarky conversations better, normal ones bored me lately. I missed Karma more than I thought.
''Yes, thank you again, Kitani-san.'' ... Now that I saw her smile like that I didn't want to help anymore, but I pretty much said I would.
I sighed.
Can't help it, I guess.
After school I visited Karma. For one to bring him his homework, that Nagisa had summed up for him and to ensure he wouldn't get into trouble. There was a bit of... tension between us. He knew that I had warned him, but he hadn't listened to me. His trusted homeroom teacher had sent him into class E, when Karma had defended a senpai from 3E and injured some class A students.
''Karma, I'm back!'' my voice hollered into the almost empty house.
''Welcome back,'' greeted me a quieter voice from the kitchen. Karma was clad in an apron and white flour was pasted on his hands. He must have made some food again. The red-head was mostly being at home at this time and making food for me, which I found really nice, but he made the cheeky comment in wanting to get some fat on my thin figure. The rest of the time... I didn't know.
I wasn't too thin! I just did a great amount of physical exercise and may be forgetting a meal or two lately, because of my pranks. I just ate when I was hungry or when someone made food. In this case I was just a bit scatter-brained.
''You have some flour on your cheek, Karma.'' I had to reach up to wipe the smudge away. My childhood friend had clearly gotten into puberty, he shot up from being the same height as me to a freaking giant. ''Here all clean again.''
Karma's lips curled into a wry smile, he was clearly not very clean at all.
''Thanks, I've made some cookies. Do you want some?'' I could hear his voice cracking slightly in mid-sentence.
I tried to hide a smile, while I nodded and we moved into the kitchen. Two batches of newly baked treats were lying on the counter for cooling. It smelled heavenly, even if I didn't like sweets that much. I shoved Karma's homework at him.
We sat down and stayed in a comfortable silence.
''Karma,'' I broke it first. ''I'm planning to get into class E for next year.''
''What...?'' was the weak reply.
''Come on. I hope you're not expecting me to stay on the campus without you.''
''Well... I didn't; even so one can hope. But what about your studies?''
I scoffed.
''I can keep up with them as well as you. I'm just repeating everything anyway; don't you know that?''
He grumbled something under his breath.
''You shouldn't go down there just for me. It's not going to look great if you are getting employed one day,'' Karma tried to persuade me.
''I don't care. I know I'm being selfish, but I don't want to go there, while I know you are put in class E. It's selfish of me but I want to be there with you.''
''You can see me just after school or on the weekends!'' Karma was getting frustrated to the point of almost yelling, and so was I.
''That's not the point! I'm going. That's final!'' I tried to be calm, but failed utterly.
''Why do you even care? You could be in freaking university, because of your memories. I'm just dragging you down, aren't I? It's always just because of me. Why do you even freaking care!?''
That struck me. Rationally, I knew that Karma was just a teenage boy and probably didn't know how much he meant to me, but I felt irrational anger boiling up in myself.
''Because you are my best friend! I just care about you. Can't that be enough? You were helping me to deal with all of this! You still do! I'm not as strong as you think me to be. I can't, don't want and will not stand there and do nothing, while you are going to be sent to that godforsaken class by the chairman, when I could be as well go with you there!'' I was all but shouting now.
I was just so angry that he wouldn't understand. He just wouldn't understand the fact that he was so important to me.
Only silence greeted me.
''Fine,'' I said bitterly. ''I'm going, no matter what you say. See you.''
With these words I stormed out of his house.
The next day I didn't go to his house. I was still angry at him for yesterday. I knew I was being unfair, after all Karma was mentally younger than me and doubting me sometimes would be natural, but it annoyed me to no ends.
I noticed that my behavior was more like my physical age, instead of my mental one. I was seriously despairing over the fact that I was going to live through puberty again. Damn those hormones, I didn't want to break out crying again.
I just ended up with a cup of ice cream in front of my computer and watched some animes. My mother had sensed that something was wrong with me and had brought me my favorite flavor.
She was just awesome that way. She knew when I wanted to talk and when I needed my silence. I really wanted to be a mother like that one day.
The thought of family distracted me. One day I really wanted to have children. I liked children and one of the many regrets I had when I died was exactly that. I was sad to have left my family behind. I regretted not at least being able to say goodbye. I felt remorse of not having any children and showing them to my old family.
I may have accepted my death, but that didn't let any regrets disappear.
With these depressing thoughts I went to sleep.
The next day I was not in a good mood.
My sleep had been restless and the fight with Karma two days ago wouldn't leave me alone. I knew I would calm down after a few days, but I had to find a way to apologize for blowing up on him so much. I just didn't know how to deal with it.
Overall I was cranky and that showed.
During the lessons I read uncaringly my book and even flipped off Asano when he wanted to give the usual lecture. I had a really short fuse today.
I went straight to the chemistry laboratory and waited for Tanihara. I only wanted to get this done and go home. I was still tired.
When I saw the girl in question, she had two white coats over her arm. There was no teacher behind her, but he would probably come later.
''Kitani-san!'', she called me when she caught the sight of me. ''I've brought two lab coats with me. A-all the equipment is in the chemistry room, so we don't have to get anything else. I h-have checked everything.''
''Good, let's get over with it.'' I snatched one coat and marched into the lab.
Together with Tanihara I set up the experiment and wrote a proper protocol. I seriously hated that part. Everything required paperwork, that was such a drag.
Potassium permangate was in form of tiny crystals, which had a dark violet color. I put small amount of it into a bowl.
When everything was done, the teacher still wasn't there and we waited. I was seriously ticked off by this and was tempted to do the experiment without him. What surprised me was, that Tanihara was the one, who suggested it.
''Kitani-san, Sensei doesn't seem to be coming. Do you want to...'' She made a hand gesture at the set up. ''Just go on with this?''
Seeing no harm in it I shrugged.
''Sure, let's do it.''
I grabbed the bottle of glycerin and looked for a beaker. There wasn't one.
''Tanihara-san, have you seen a beaker?'' I looked searchingly at her.
She shook her head in response.
''No, I don't see one. When I was in the preparation room they seemed all to be gone or used for some experiments. Can't you just do it like this?''
''Wonderful.'', I said dryly. ''It's dangerous to do this just like this. I could put too much of this into the bowl and it would explode quite violently, you know? Didn't you say, that you checked? Not to mention that we aren't being supervised.''
''Yeah, I-I know, Kitani-san. I'm really sorry, but I really want to start with this. Could you please...?''
I had to admit, I gave in.
Partly because I wanted to be done with this and partly because she was asking. I wasn't really a sucker for puppy eyes, my sister had been the master of them and the children that I had trained weren't anything to scoff at, so I just gained an immunity, but I wasn't going to say no to Tanihara today.
With a tired sigh I nodded.
''Alright, Tanihara-san. I'm going to put it in. Please stand aside in case something will happen.''
I saw an emotion fleeting over her face, but before I could identify it, it was gone.
''Okay, Kitani-san.''
I waited till my classmate was a good distance away and opened the bottle of glycerin. I had only put a bit of the potassium permangate into the bowl, but it seemed to be more now. I didn't have the patience to check again, so I just got on with it.
The moment I was slowly trickling some of it in, I felt something colliding with my back. Startled by that, I dropped the bottle and its content flowed freely into the bowl.
I just knew this was rigged when I looked again at the amount of crystals in the container.
Shit, just shit. I had a few seconds before anything could start. Hell, I didn't even know if there had been really glycerin in the bottle and honestly, I was afraid.
Quickly distancing myself from the dangerous mix of chemicals, I looked for Tanihara.
... I couldn't see her.
A lot of thoughts ran into my mind. First I hoped she is already outside, then I thought about her behavior from today. If I hadn't been so distracted and tired maybe I would have noticed more. She had been suspicious and a lot of it had led me to my current situation. I just didn't know what it had been, that had caused me to drop the glycerin bottle... if it had been one in first place.
Had she set up this? Or was I simply paranoid?
Not having any time more to think, I moved the hell out of the room. I just hoped that Tanihara wasn't in there anymore. Even if I suspected her, I didn't want her to get hurt.
A sound of hissing, followed by a loud explosion resonated behind me and the shockwave was clearly noticeable.
The fire alarm was already blaring loudly through the building. So I was really set up. No one should have noticed this that fast. There weren't even many students in the building anymore. Not to mention it was the manual set up alarm.
I ran down the hall and looked for any students nearby. Unluckily there weren't any and I couldn't find Tanihara. The sound of sirens could be heard outside, so I quickly ran to the school campus and saw, that every person from the building had already evacuated to there. And to my most fortunate luck the chairman was there too. Well, fuck.
A few students were talking to him and gesturing to me. I could guess what it was about.
Instead of trying to overhear their conversation I turned around and looked at the school building. The part where the chemistry rooms were located were smoking quite strongly. The firefighters were asking around for the cause of the smoke and some students pointed at me.
''Excuse me,'' one asked me from behind. ''Have you been the one, who was experimenting in the school?''
I let out a resigned sigh.
''Yes, I was.''
''Good.'' The firefighter scrutinized me. ''Can you tell me what caused the fire?''
''I was conducting the reaction of potassium permanganate and glycerin. The moment before I put in the glycerin, I noticed the large amount of potassium permanganate in the bowl. About a handful. There weren't any beakers in the chemistry anymore and...'' I thought about telling them about Tanihara. Honestly, I would probably get a lighter punishment if I mentioned her, but I wanted to get into class E and this could be my opportunity. ''… I was too impatient to do this another time, since I had to complete the school project. Anyway I took the bottle of glycerin and wanted to put only a few drops onto the crystals, but them something startled me from behind and I dropped the whole bottle. It could be that it hadn't been glycerin, even if the bottle said so. The reaction was too strong for it to be only that.''
The man looked at me oddly, before informing his colleagues.
I saw the chairman standing nearby and I wouldn't put it past him to have heard my explanation. I sighed again. This was all just so troublesome and tiring.
After the fire being put out, the chairman called me into his office. It was located in a completely different part from where the fire had been and the fire department had already declared the building as save. I waited in front of the office, till the chairman called me in.
The sound of a soft 'come in' reached my ear and I opened the door.
The very much familiar office was lit in a mix between the setting sun and the light of the lamp. The chairman was sitting at the office desk and seemingly looking through me.
''I would say it is nice to see you again, Kitani, but I would be lying.'' We became way too familiar over two and a half weeks. That was weird, normally it would have been my homeroom teacher talking to me about my pranks and so on, but the chairman always took care of that what I did.
''It is as much of a pleasure to meet you again to me, as it is to you,'' I snarked back.
His eyes glinted.
''Let's move on. I shall make this short. Do you admit being the one, who lit the laboratory on fire?'' I thought a moment about making this difficult, but I was too tired for any stupid mind games.
''Yes, I was the one who caused this incident and will bear any punishment that shall follow.'' I really did, but only partly I guess.
''I see. As I see that you have a penchant for trouble and no matter how good your grades are, you will be placed into class E next year.'' I didn't know, who really conceded defeat. Him for finally letting me into 3E or me for being framed, instead of doing something that would get me in there myself. ''I have been informed about your doings from today from a few classmates of yours. You would have been placed there anyway, Kitani, no matter what you would have answered.''
''Is that so?'' I mused. ''May I be informed of what they told you, sir?''
''I shall give you that piece of information.'' His amused voice grated my nerves slightly. ''I was told, that you were helping a classmate for a school project, but when the supervising teacher failed to attend to your experiment, your partner went to fetch him. Since you weren't keen on waiting anymore, you started without them, which got you in the tricky situation of starting a dangerous chemical fire. Is that correct?''
His eyes practically challenged me to tell him the truth, but the story fit nicely and I didn't want him to reconsider not putting me into class E.
''Yes, everything is correct.'' He studied my body language and seemed to accept my answer.
''Very well. Kitani, your parents are going to be informed about your stunt, as well as those that you pulled before and your transfer into class E.''
I let myself cringe slightly at that. That conversation was not going to be pleasant. No matter how much they loved me, I would have to explain myself.
''Yes, I understand. Is there anything else you would like to know?''
''No, you are dismissed.''
Glad to be out of his focus, I didn't waste any time and exited his office. I marched down the hallway, deep in thoughts.
I had been framed. Actually framed for this. Simply unbelievable. I could have just not pulled any of those pranks and still got into class E. This frustrated me immensely. I felt relieved that I could finally be sure that I would be in class E with Karma, but at the same time I was angry.
Angry for not noticing that I was tricked, still angry at Karma for not knowing how important he was to me, and angry at Asano, because I had to put such an effort to get into class E, only to futilely fail and be put there anyway.
I hadn't noticed that I had stopped walking and looked up now.
'He has the worst timing ever.' I thought.
A short distance away from me stood Asano.
His expression wasn't the nicest and probably one of the most genuine ones that I had ever seen from him. He looked at me, his eyes blazing.
''Kitani.'' I wondered absentmindedly why he left out the -san. ''You finally did it.''
I smiled in response. Currently, I couldn't be bothered to do more.
''Why would you go down there, some no name class, when you have so much talent and actually could do more?'' His questions had an edge akin to frustration and maybe... helplessness?
''Well, Asano-san.'' I was just too tired. ''My friend is there and I couldn't be bothered to stay here in the main building, when he is going to be down there. I don't care about anything else. My grades won't suffer and should somebody have the nerve to judge me by my class, I'm going to show them how insignificant they are.''
I didn't even take the effort to adopt a less arrogant tone.
''Just because of Akabane? I don't understand you, Kitani.'' He was really confused.
''It's really easy, Asano-san. He's important to me and as his friend I'm going to be there with him. I'm mostly being selfish, but I don't care.'' That was so cheesy, but at the same time it sounded right. I would be going there, assassination class or not. ''Maybe you will understand one day. I could even help you.''
''I decline,'' was his instantaneous reply.
''A pity,'' I said without any remorse. ''Well, I'm tired, so I will be going now. Good bye, Asano-san.''
I didn't wait for his reply and went home.
At home I was greeted with the face of my furious mother and a tired looking, but stern faced father.
Ah, I just wanted to get over with this.
''I'm home,'' I said unnecessarily. They clearly knew that.
''Young lady, I expect an explanation from you.'', my mother demanded. I cringed at her enraged voice.
''Yes, kaa-san.'' I sighed, what seemed to be the thousandth time, and moved into the living room. My parents followed me.
''I probably have to explain, why I'm in a pranking war with the school.'', I asked dryly.
''Yes, that would be appreciated.'', came the just as dry reply.
So I told them about Karma's transfer, Asano's meddling and my own stubbornness not to give up. I explained to them why I wanted to be in class E and how I actually got in.
Not the version that I told the chairman, but the true one. Needless to be said they were angry, that I was being framed, but I asked them not to do anything against it. They had accepted it.
I let out another frustrated sigh. Even if everything seemed to go my way I still felt so tired and my mother noticed.
''Sayo-chan, how about your favorite dish for dinner and after that we will we watching a nice movie together with some ice cream,'' my mother suggested in a soothing tone.
''Yes... that would be nice.''
That night I slept like a log, but my rest wouldn't be long.
The next school year was approaching fast.
Puh... chapter 14 out...
Seriously, I stuffed in everything that would happen before cannon. All in all about 5000 words! My new record. I feel a bit sheepish for packing everything into two chapters.
Anyway, I'm done with the second year in middle school. I can finally start writing those little snippets of ideas that are floating in my head. I can't wait.
I have to sadly announce that Shiki isn't being able to beta my chapters anymore. RL is keeping her very busy, so that means she doesn't have a lot of time for me. I write more than she has time to check.
As for the story I can't wait to introduce Koro-sensei. Even if he is actually some genius and former assassin, Sayo will do her damned best to embarrasse him and cut of his tentacles. I always wondered why class E requested so little of the government, since the chairman asks for money. Even if it's for keeping him silent and not actually for the class. So Sayo is going to request anti-sensei equipment from them. If they can melt it into knives and BB pellets they can do other things too.
After all class E is trying to rescue the world.
I've been meaning to ask you, what do you think of Sayo? How is her character? Mary Sue?
As always thank you for reading, following, favourising and reviewing to this story.
Wish you a nice day.
-Yuki
