Chapter 01: Beginning Time
What is it that drives the world forward?
Is it greed? Faith? Power? Ambition?
All of these are—in some manner—correct, of course.
To classify the reason behind progression as a singular motivation is the peak example of naivety, for a lone mind cannot discern the multitudes of intricate forces working in tandem to advance the future.
Certainly, there is no concrete method that can be applied to realize the convoluted movement of progress. Perhaps an universal truth can be visualized in distant dreams not yet had, but as of the present; it'll remain nothing more than a jumble of philosophical thought.
But that's getting off-topic.
Nevertheless, while the response to the question may never be uniform, there is one factor that it all can trace back to. A constant within the equation of progression, the common undeniable denominator.
It's the greatest desire held by all, the key to becoming an elite amongst the sea of seven billion bodies; truthfully there is only one answer.
Talent.
One's natural ability; the inherent aptitude to become something great. As the condition to which a person can naturally shape and influence the very world around them; it's not far-fetched to think of talents as nothing short of fantastic.
World-changing developments, ground-shaking discoveries, miracles bordering impossibility. Of the people behind each and every event, talent is the complex web that ties it all together.
One man would come to realize this.
He would come to see the terrific threads that moved the world. He would come to discover the great impacts left by those who bore the miraculous power. And he would come to understand the greatest legacy left by such a wonderful influence.
Hope.
Such sights inspired the hopeful man, and so he dedicated his life and entire being to cultivating such wonders, determined to foster the phenomenon; to see it grow into something beyond the realm of thought.
It's for this reason that Izuru Kamukura established a school—a system—to develop such skills. The education course for the greatest of greats, the prestigious learning environment for the pinnacle of prodigies.
Hope's Peak Academy.
Those who have been observed, judged, and scouted to be the best in their field would be invited to the school. They would be given the highest of treatment and the greatest of opportunities to advance their talents. As such, each and every attendee was given a name specific to themselves; a reminder of how they stood head and shoulders above everyone else.
They were given the title of an Ultimate.
==l;;;;;;;
The main campus of Hope's Peak is separated into three different sections.
To the south side of the gigantic campus, one would find the dormitories of the main students, alongside a series of convenience stores and markets that would make up to what appeared to be a mini-city.
It is there that those who possessed talents on the level of Ultimates would reside, each provided with a personal room in which they may live in like a second home, all the while having access to any living necessities or comforts needed.
To the north sector—standing in the corner of the campus—towers a humongous building of stone, steel, and glass. At the very peak of the structure, a black and white emblem hung; the proud symbol that exhibits the illustrious nature of the building.
Hope's Peak High School.
The place where it all began, where those with talent can go to become the next wonders of humanity, the birthplace of hope and progress.
As the prestigious learning facilities of the acclaimed school, the building is outfitted with countless rooms all meant to aid in the development of one's skill. Having stood for generations and against the test of time, the school itself became the ultimate learning environment, having enough resources and facilities to house dozens for an extended period of time.
To don the uniform and walk through the halls of the renowned school has become the fervorous dream of countless many.
If only…
To Hajime Hinata, the sight of the main school was nothing more than a speck in the distance, something that could be barely seen if you were to squint hard enough.
Hidden away at the western edges of the campus— almost as if ashamed to be seen—there lies a second school, one that imitates the original, but on a smaller scale.
Two thousand students walk in attendance, swiftly making their way to their first class in a hurried panic. For those still within the halls, this was a bad start for what's to come.
They can't afford to lag behind on the very first day.
Unlike those of the main course, these students don't have the luxury of setting their own class times nor the benefit of a natural academic ability.
No, they have to follow the strict mandatory schedule that was assigned to each of them upon enrollment, or accept the penalty of a missed attendance.
The latter was unacceptable.
To these students, grades meant everything. It had to be, for the consequences were dire. Every credit earned and point lost could make the difference between success and failure.
Stay in the good graces of academic grades or suffer expulsion, those were the only options.
Well, that's not entirely true…there does exist a third condition.
Become an Ultimate.
These students are of the Reserve Course, a separate department built for those lacking in talents, offering them a regular education on the campus of Hope's Peak.
For many who attend the course, they do so because of the fame and reputation that came with being associated with the esteemed school. Being acknowledged for having ties to the school became a boon in the political and social world, where the name of Hope's Peak turned into a key capable of opening many doors.
But for many of the others, the Reserve Course was an opportunity—a chance at joining the main course, to become more than nobody, to become a paragon of worth.
Or so goes the rumor.
In the case of Hajime Hinata, such is his dream and desire.
His childhood fantasy was not that of becoming a famous celebrity, turning into an all-powerful superhero, or living the life of a shiny knight.
No, as a child Hajime admired Hope's Peak Academy, and he dreamt of attending it; to become like those amazing people that graduate from the wondrous school.
The great desire to do so within him only grew with his age. He wanted to become more than average, he wished to be special, to become someone of actual worth.
However, how could he do so when he had nothing noteworthy to show? How can he join the ranks of the gifted when he himself was born with none? What can a talentless loser offer to prove that he is more than nothing?
An Ultimate has talent.
A person with talent is somebody.
A somebody is someone with worth.
…Hajime has no talent.
…Hajime is a nobody.
…Hajime has no worth.
Such were the crushing realizations that broke his hopes. It was then for the first time that Hajime came to understand his own incapabilities, of how he is nothing when compared to greatness of those who truly deserve the title of Ultimate.
Despair had consumed him.
He was lost; the one guiding light in life had been taken away, and he was told that he was never meant to bask in that light in the first place. During that delicate period of his life, Hajime had no idea of what to do with himself. Everything he sought and dedicated himself to had been but a pointless lie that he clung to. For him, there was no future, no talent, and no hope.
Then the light returned.
Albeit smaller and weaker, hope shone once more when the Headmaster of Hope's Peak announced the grand new opening of the Reserve Course. A chance, for a nobody like him, to apply and tread upon the honored grounds of the campus, to work his way back into the distant dream that had been carefully rebuilt.
Hajime seized the opportunity and immediately registered for the course, dedicating all his time into studying for the entrance exam; passing with respectable grades.
Even with the ludicrous tuition fee required to attend, his family gave him their full support in the endeavor and his life was once again back on track.
For now.
From his seat by the window, Hajime stared through the glass and towards the main building that sat outside of his reach. It's by gazing at the imposing structure far off into the distance that he realizes: the distance between fantasy and reality has never been farther apart.
The chiming of the school bell signaled the beginning of the homeroom, but Hajime paid no heed to the noise, continuing to focus on the main school on the other side of the campus. Their teacher was not in yet, and the rest of the class was still chatting away with each other or just idly sitting in their seats.
R—E is the name of the designated class he's been placed in. He's one student among thousands of others, all competing for a position far above their ranks. A surplus of average idiots, trying to achieve
In the dark recesses of his mind, he wondered if the teacher had come to realize their useless natures and simply quit the job.
He would immediately be proven wrong as the door to the classroom slid open and someone strolled in, catching the attention of those in the classroom. The previous chatter tapered off into a hushed silence as everyone regarded the new figure before them.
Turning his gaze to the new arrival, Hajime instantly took note of the man's short stature—so much so that if it weren't for the lack of uniform, he would've just assumed him to be another average student.
A black notebook in hand, the short man calmly walks over to the desk in front of the room and sets the book down. Azure eyes sweep over class, committing every face to memory, down to the very last details.
A cheerful smile blossoms across the man's face.
"Good morning class! I shall be your teacher from now on!"
A navy blue waist was worn on top of white button down shirt with a tie. The colors complemented the short light blue hair and sky blue eyes that happily gazed at the class of reserve students.
"My name is Nagisa Shiota. I hope we can get along well!"
He had a youthful voice, matching with his petite and scrawny body. His demeanor was that of upbeat joy, as if he was genuinely happy to be there and interacting with his students.
'Must be a new teacher.' The thought immediately manifested itself within Hajime's mind. That naive and innocent expression is exactly the attitude a fresh teacher carried on their first year.
'So they hired new teachers for the Reserve Course?' It made sense, since the school wouldn't waste their actual good teachers on something as pointless as them, he supposed. He wondered how long it would take before the new teacher would become sick of them.
"Alright! Let's—"
A loud bang echoing through the room would cut off whatever Nagisa was about to say next. All eyes are drawn to the source of the sound; a single student sitting at the back of the class.
"Oi, who the fuck are you trying to fool teach?"
A clenched fist strikes the surface of the desk once more and a pair of eyes glare at the offending teacher, anger and disdain made obvious by the nasty gaze.
The perpetrator wore his uniform unbuttoned with the sleeves rolled up, emulating the look of the stereotypical delinquent.
"What's with that happy go lucky bullcrap? Don't ya know where you are? This is the Reserve Course, you fucking idiot."
An ugly sneer made its way onto the student's tough face, suiting the large and muscular frame that he possessed. His short gray hair was combed back and slicked with gel, adding to the delinquent aura that he gave off.
"We're not some frou-frou Ultimates that'll shit out talent, you understand? We're the rejects. The losers. The wannabes, that couldn't make it big."
Various reactions occurred through the class as they took in his words, ranging from furious shouting to quiet acceptance. Having no care for the curses and disagreements directed at him, the delinquent continued his speech unfazed, standing up and shouting over the roar of his classmates.
"I don't know what fucking paycheck they're promising you! But, we're not some super skilled kids that you can get all chummy and friendly with! We're the bottom of the endless barrel, understand?! Welcome to class R—E, dumbass!"
Concluding his rant, the large student aggressively sat back down, ignoring the heated glares and venomous insults hurled at him. He smirked at the unreadable expression on the teacher's face, certain that he's struck the nail on the head.
Hajime stayed silent throughout the entire ordeal, though he knew that the delinquent only spoke of the truth. A deep scowl crosses his face, all the speech did was serve as reminder of how truly average he is.
"…I see…so that's how you feel, huh?"
All shouting ceased as Nagisa's words cut through the storm of noise like a hot knife through butter. Turning to face the teacher, Hajime could see the narrowed eye that hid behind blue bangs and the sharpened gaze they possessed.
An ominous pressure floods the room, and Hajime flinches as goosebumps break across his skin. His heartbeat quickens as he feels the teacher's eyes flick to him for the briefest of seconds.
To every student, they felt as if their entire being was being scrutinized and broken down to the tiniest details. The gaze of a predator was upon them, a deep searching hunger within those eyes, relentless until sated.
Cold sweat ran down the delinquent's face and a shiver crawled down his spine as he took the brunt of Nagisa's dissecting gaze. His breaths came in unsteady gasps as the unnerving pressure froze him in place, leaving him unable to speak nor move.
"The title of Ultimate…a reliable and easy way into a successful life."
For as abrupt as the pressure had come, it disappeared just as quickly. The intense weight evaporated into thin air, leaving behind no trace of it having ever occurred in the first place.
"Such a goal is fine, and I shall help you attain it with the best of my abilities. But such a thing might never work out…and then what? What's your next step?"
Develop the second plan.
"A title does not dictate everything, there is more to life than a single talent. To believe that you're worthless by being in the Reserve Course, it means that you have already set yourself up for failure."
Prepare the second strike.
"I will teach you all to be better than Ultimates."
Wield the second blade.
The cheerful smile returns to Nagisa's face, but this time it's different. It's sharper, more mysterious, and holds a competitive edge to it. There was determination in his gaze and confidence in his posture. Lifting the item he set down earlier in one hand, he showed the notebook for all of the class to see.
The label on the black book read: [Roll Book].
"Let's begin."
Author's Note
The idea just kinda got stuck in my mind one day and gave me the irresistible itch to write it.
The story will primarily focus on Nagisa as a teacher and his Reserve Course students, which means aside from Natsumi, Sato, and Hajime; I have made and written thirteen other students to fill in those empty slots as classmates. From backstories to characterizations, I'd like to believe that I did a pretty bang up job on it, but I'll leave that for you to decide.
Now, let's get this out of the way. Some characters may act a bit OOC-ish because of how the story will progress and the changing plot. The plot itself will take some turns and twists, so canon will be followed loosely. And finally, I do plan to incorporate the V3 characters into the story and world, but not in the way in which its all fictional, meta, and yada yada. So look forward to seeing them one day.
See you in the next chapter ~ Datoxi