Insomnia was something Gundam was quite familiar with. After years of running around as Junko's informant, he had come accustomed to exhaustion. It had been a lonely job, one that claimed the lives of many of his familiars. In order to gain the means and location for his revenge, Junko had sworn him to a vow of silence, claiming even his manner of speaking was cursed. He was indebted to her, as she alone held the key to where the traitors of his regime hid. After her public execution, he had nothing left. Whether through possession or imitation; the revival of her image should have restored his purpose, not caused him to hide in his own bathroom.
For not a few feet away the Crimson Empress of Novoselic lay resting in his temporary chambers, or at least, who she had been in the past was. During the day, he had seen the shadows of her tyrannical years threaten to seep through. Rumors of a calculating, devastation-hungry monarch that conquered whole nations in Junko's name had spread rather quickly after she'd been adopted by the Ultimate Despair. Though it was under the pretenses she was too heartless to share any of her resources with anyone, let alone Junko's other followers.
Rain pelted down against the tin roof as deafening thunder crashed through the sky. Chimera lay nestled in Sonia's discarded day clothes, undisturbed by the coming storm. The creature sought her scent in a way no feral animal would. It took months of rearing to gain such a bond with one of his descendants, which meant only on thing, she had been the one who brought it here. It was difficult to believe such a fat and happy familiar would seek out a soulless master. Rather, he was more inclined to believe her nation's spread of false information was part of what drove the princess into despair.
She had taken his suggestion to seek protection at face value and was surprisingly determined to intrude into his domain. A spark of light returned to her eyes as she gushed about the fauna she had seen in the surrounding forest, suggesting the dilapidated ranch could be transformed into a sanctuary for displaced or endangered animals. Headless of his warnings, she nestled among his blankets talking with him long into the night.
He had fought off sleep, waiting for her to drift off before stealing away into the bathroom to discard his armaments. Without the makeup and the jewelry, his reflection held the ghost of a war torn man. She trusted him, even though he had been abandoned by the people he entrusted his kingdom to. Yet she still clung to the idea of staying on the island together, permanently. It would be no better than being locked in a cage. If 'Junko' had a better plan for getting back to the modern world, he was still willing to take that chance.
With a sigh he returned to the main room of the cottage, piling an assortment of pillows and sheets onto the floor. The princess lifted her head, half asleep, with a puzzled expression on her face.
"You're not coming to bed?" She asked, rubbing her eye.
"The dark energies from my meditation could corrupt your aura." He faltered, staring at his makeshift futon in shame. "The floor is fine."
"This again." She mumbled, throwing tact out the window as she pushed her bedding onto the ground. Sliding off the mattress, she burrowed back into the warm comforter on the floor, much to Gundam's horror.
"Mi'lady, this isn't-" She waved her hand.
"If the floor is good enough for you, it's good enough for me." She muttered into her pillow. He looked from the sleeping princess on the floor to his bare mattress and back again. Slowly he sunk to his knees, taking the space that was the furthest away from her.
That morning, Hiyoko joined the group for their usual breakfast, her strange sense of humor breaking the silence anytime there was an uncomfortable lull at the table. Though she did make sure to sit as far away from Teruteru and Akane as possible, acting as though they weren't there at all. For the first time, they had chosen to meet in the hotel's dining room instead of the Future Foundation's headquarters. It was painfully nostalgic, but at the same time, sharing a meal brought life back into the familiar restaurant.
Thought the clatter of plates, the group renegotiated daily chores and what projects were left to improving the island. With the main hotel site back in peak condition, Kazuichi had requested a break from renovations and a chance to enjoy that everyone had a place to stay.
"I'm more of a morning person, so if any of you lightweights try and put me on night-shift, I will spend it sleeping in the privacy of my own cottage." She nodded with a great deal of pride.
"Ah, yes, because you are so well known for your aptitude in areas other than dance." 'Togami' added with a minute amount of sarcasm.
"I am not helpless!" She slammed her cup against the table. "Just because you're too lazy to get your shit together cum-breath, doesn't mean I don't have anything to offer these idiots. I just don't want to work at night. It's a fair compromise! I don't lie to people about my capabilities unlike some people."
"Now, now, no one's doubting anybody's ability to help out." Hinata interjected, fatigue evident in his voice. "I know we've asked a lot of all of you, just please, treat each other with respect. If you have any issues with your assignments you may take them up with Sonia or myself. Leave each other out of it." He collected his plates and left.
"Byakuya," Sonia said with a hum, "mayhaps you should consider taking on more responsibilities around the island. Until then, might I suggest not commenting on how others contribute to our lives here." The group collected their things in awkward silence, with Hiyoko remaining seated. As Fuyuhiko passed behind her, she gave his sleeve a gentle tug, trying to avoid 'Byakuya's' pointed stare. He lingered, nodding to Peko to stay behind as well. As the dining hall emptied, Hiyoko released a tense sigh.
"Your sword wench can stay, though I doubt any of this would be of use to her." She started. "As long as if follows parlay or whatever code of honor you thugs follow." She released his sleeve and waited patiently. Her deeply disturbed stare drawing shivers down his spine.
"What do you want." He asked as he circled around the table to sit across from her.
"It's always business with you people, no sense of decorum." The dancer across from him rolled her eyes. "I heard you tried asking me about the past before and it didn't go so well. Well, now I'll actually know what you're talking about." Fuyuhiko could feel Peko stiffen behind him. Of all the nightmares he'd had of the past, never once had he seen his sister's face. It had been especially disheartening that Peko had never brought up the incident herself.
"Why?" Was all he could put into words as a flood of questions came to mind.
"I need protection for Mahiru, from you, and whatever little minions you've gathered while I wasn't looking. If you really need to fact check anything I say, you can bug Ibuki or Mikan about it later. Just leave Mahiru out of it. The last thing we need is another incident. In exchange, I will answer all your redundant questions to the best of my abilities. Sound fair?"
"Yeah." He rubbed his temples. "Just, where to start? I remember Natsumi was always going toe to toe with some girl in her photography club back in middle school; she bitched about it constantly. That I get. How the hell did, what's her name, Sato get involved without the school intervening?"
"Well," Hiyoko began, "your Reserve Course sister rubbed quite a few Ultimates the wrong way."
-Four Years Ago-
It was no secret that Natsumi's 'love' of photography was meant to be a stepping stone into getting into Hope's Peak. She had spent years honing her craft so she could network with other Ultimates and become the most influential member of the Kuzuryuu family without the help of the clan. An idea, she admittedly stole from her brother. However, a letter from the recruitment team for the Talent Course never came. T he minute she found Mahiru had earned her title, she had stormed into the principal's office and demanded a rematch over the loud speaker.
"Mahiru Koizumi, you've rode on my coattails for the last time! You know just as well as I do that scout from Hope's Peak didn't come to our school because of you and your over-priced Spray and Pray shots. You and all the other Ultimates at this school are extorting money from the people you used to get where you are; you earned nothing. Think I'm wrong? I bet by the end of the school festival, none of you would be able to raise half the money the Reserve Course does. Anyone that can't, should just hand over their title to someone who deserves it." There was a clamor over the speaker, as Natsumi was escorted out of the office, but the damage had been done.
The student councils of both departments came to an official agreement; whichever department came out on top would keep all of the money earned from the festival. The competition was framed as a 'healthy' competition to inspire the students to do their best at the festival. People would joke in the halls about defending their titles and school pride. Unfortunately, the rumors of Mahiru's involvement were not as lighthearted, as she had to explain her past to their peers over and over again.
"I don't see what's got you so shaken." Hiyoko told her as they prepared for the festival. "This is the same girl that claimed last week she could beat Sato in a mounted archery tournament with flaming arrows. She's deluded, there's no way we're going loose to a bunch of future dropouts."
"You don't understand," Mahiru sighed, "she does this all the time. She'll run around getting everyone riled up over something and points them at whatever she's angry about. It's like, her specialty. She's not going to just let this go."
Her tactics were merciless and the Reserve Course outnumbered them five to one. It wasn't hard for her army of ordinary students to fill up every street leading up to the school with booths and attractions. Their guerilla marketing techniques preyed on the fact that the average person couldn't tell the department uniforms apart, leading people to believe any booth belonged to an Ultimate. It didn't help that quite a number of Reserve Course students were siblings or runner-ups to students that dominated the Talent Course. The day before the festival, Mahiru and her friends passed Natsumi in the halls.
"What do you think you're doing here?" Sato had accused. "You don't belong here!"
"Actually," Natsumi twirled around in her brown uniform, "I do. Now you don't have to worry about me stealing your second-rate talents anymore. The school's come to realize that I am and always will be, the Ultimate Influencer. Thanks to me, the festival has 100% student participation for the first time in decades. You're welcome."
"You don't mean-" Mikan looked back and forth between Mahiru and Natsumi. "Y-you're transferring to our class!?"
"If you so much as come near Mahiru again," Hiyoko glowered, "I swear you'll next 'selfie' will be over you gargling hot lead." Natsumi just laughed at them as she rolled her eyes.
"Uh, no, there's no way in hell I'm going into class with a bunch doomed to peak in highschool. I'm taking my scholarship and my Ultimate talent back to the Reserve Course." She clicked a picture of them with her camera phone with a smirk. "Oh, and Ruru, you simply must come by my booth later. You could get your picture taken with cute little animals." Mahiru visibly paled. "I bet you'd look adorable covered in rats." She waved goodbye half paying attention as she called someone on her phone.
"WITCHCRAFT!" Ibuki shrieked. "How'd she know your booth idea!?"
"She's going to tell everyone I copied her again." Mahiru shivered. "Her booth is at the main entrance to the festival. No one's going to come to mine."
"It- It's going to be fine." Mikan bit her lip. "We'll think of something. Everyone her can help and-"
"I don't have time to change it." Mahiru said, on the verge of tears. "You don't know how hard it was to get that creep to let me get a camera near those hamsters. He's going to kill me if no one shows up!"
"I'll go talk to her." Sato looked over her shoulder where the blonde had once stood. "I'm not sure how, but I'll find a way to get her to change her booth, I promise." The archer dashed down the hall after the girl as the others helped Mahiru prepare for the day ahead.
It was the last time they'd seen Natsumi alive.
-Present Day-
"After that," Hiyoko sighed, "it played out just like in that dumb little game. Except for one thing, we didn't make a pact with each other to cover up the murder, the school made us sign a gag order. They didn't want a murder investigation interfering with the festival, so they covered it up. Told everyone she ran away from home, even her friends and family. If we said anything about it, the school threatened to revoke our scholarship and we'd owe them the money for our 'elite' education. So, we kept quiet. Until you came along and interrogated Mahiru in front of half the school, and got her expelled. They framed her for Sato and Natsumi's deaths, which you could stopped, but I guess watching her rot in jail was cathartic for you." She slowly dropped her malicious glare and smiled at him pleasantly. "So I guess the point I'm trying to make is you already got your revenge. That should cover anything, unless you think I forgot something." Hiyoko's gaze bore into Peko, her nails drumming on the table. "After all, you were the one she was on the phone with asking for a ride, wasn't it?"
"The young lady was adored by many." Peko fought back the familiar guilt that pooled in her stomach. "It could have been anyone." Natsumi had tried to call both of them that night, but neither had answered. It was something she tried not to dwell on, as the events that followed had lead her to Junko.
"All I know is we were the ones that found her first." Hiyoko shook her head. "I have no clue what you were doing that whole time."
"That's enough." Peko snapped. "You have no business speculating about other's lives. None of that changes you found the young mistress and did nothing about it."
"How was I supposed to." Hiyoko glared. "Even if I was suicidal enough to say something, she was using a fake name at school. She had a stupid reason too, something about not wanting to rely on her family's power like her big-bro. We didn't realize who she really was until after you lot got involved."
"If she didn't come home that night..." He held his head in his hand. "I went looking for her, didn't I?" Hiyoko merely shrugged as Peko wordlessly avoided his pleading looks. Hard as he tried, he couldn't picture the night she'd gone missing. As much as he wanted to believe he went after her, something felt... wrong.
"Look, I'm not trying to Mind-Break you or whatever, I get it's a lot to take in." Hiyoko sighed. "But I'm also not keen on spending my entire time on this island digging up old skeletons and shit. Did you have any other questions."
"I just- Did anyone try and look for her?" Fuyuhiko asked quietly.
"At the time most of the Reserve Course was busy trying to win the festival wager." Hiyoko stood from the table, not wanting to make the gangster cry. "Don't look so down. She was part of the reason they all killed themselves on school property. You should be proud so many people wanted to see her again." She dismissed herself, leaving the two alone in the dining hall. Peko placed the plates on the table and knelt to his level.
"Master, please, you know she wouldn't want you to fixate on such things." She gave his hand a squeeze. "You did everything you could to bring her justice. I'm sure she'd be proud of how much we've accomplished; good and bad." He nodded and tried to collect himself.
The security office was plunged in darkness, save for one computer screen that Hinata sat in front of like a life line. His call had yet to go through, hoping is was due to a connection error and not because the Remanents of Despair had been left on Jabberwok to be forgotten. There was a burst of static, and the screen adjusted to show an unfamiliar woman in a Future Foundation uniform.
"Hello? Can you hear me?" She asked with a salute.
"Umm... yeah. Yeah I can hear you loud and clear." He cleared his throat. His heart hammered in his chest at the thought that maybe the project had been put on the back burner. "Is Naegi there?"
"Not exactly." The woman offered a sad smile as consolation. "He's got hundreds of appointments backed up thanks to the Towa City incident. But, I've been instructed to help you guys out as best I can. The name's Aoi. How can I help you?"
"I- I'm not sure." Hinata couldn't hide his disappointment, he'd really hoped to get some advice on how to mediate between so many different parties from Naegi directly. Still, he had the month's progress report to deliver and he wasn't sure where to start. "What all have you been briefed on I guess." Aoi thought long and hard, slowly summarizing the island simulation and their plan to wake everyone up. He noticed, though, that she couldn't seem to remember anyone's names. "Hinata, call me Hinata, 'the leader' is a little... We're all working together to get things back on track."
"Hinata..." She wrote the name down on her palm three times, then nodded. "Now that I got a voice and a face, I won't forget it! So, what have you been up to?" She nestled into her chair, as if watching a movie.
"Five people are awake now, with a sixth on the way." Hinata replied. "The hotel's been renovated and we're starting to work on the surrounding village. I think things have been moving slower than we had hoped, but obviously personalities are going to clash. Outside of the goal to get off the island, there's not much everyone has in common. I just assumed we all knew each other before, but it seems a lot of us were pretty much on our own."
"Well, that's to be expected. I mean, if you all had each other before everything went down, you probably wouldn't have been wrapped up in all this." She shook her head. "As long as everyone's working toward the same goal, things will pull together. I mean, I don't exactly like everyone I work with, but we've come to respect each other. It's just going to take some more time." Her optimism was appreciated, but Hinata couldn't help but feel a little patronized too. It also didn't guarantee they'd be able to get off the island. "But seriously, what have you been up to Hinata? Anything fun to do on the island? I probably would have lapped the place a million times by now if they stationed me there."
"I've walked the island a few times," Hinata mused, "but it gets kinda boring after you've seen it so many times." He seemed to be the only one of his surviving friends who adjusted to the changes to the island surprisingly enough. Everyone else marveled at their surroundings and with each new person the cycle would repeat. Aoi seemed upset by his response, but he was at a loss. What else was he supposed to say? Staying on the island wasn't a vacation, it was a necessity. Once everyone woke up, they'd leave, and then...
and then?
andthenandthenandthenandthenandthenandthen-
"Hinata!" Aoi exclaimed, she frantically looked over her shoulder shooing someone away from the monitor.
"I'm sorry." Hinata sighed. "Working night-shift has been... odd."
"Do you need me to send someone over?" She asked.
"No. No, I've got things handled." Hinata hurried to explain. "We've got a plan, it just changes a little every time someone wakes up. It's always something new. Nothing, we can't handle on our own."
"Okay..." Aoi frowned. "You sure there isn't anything I can do to help?"
"I don't think so. This, this is fine. Talking to someone who isn't on the island, it helps remind me we're not alone in this." He ran a hand through his hair with a slight frown. It was growing out again. "We got a few supply requests, necessities and other ordinary stuff, if you'd be able to get in touch with a distributor. Other than that, we're fine."
"I'll, uh, see what I can do." Aoi nodded. "You're sure there isn't something else?"
"No." He stated firmly.
With the night-shifters asleep, Hiyoko was able to walk around the island as she pleased. It hadn't taken long to take stock of who had awoken from the island and her disappointment was monumental. Without even factoring the killing game, Hinata had managed to select some of the most sickly and unpredictable candidates from Junko's entourage to revive first. This left some of the more cunning individuals in slumber, but only for a short amount of time longer.
With little time to prepare, she had studied the cases backwards and forwards, trying to gleam as much as she could about her new 'schoolmates'. She had done her best to quash any immediate threats out the gate, but at this point she was running out of options. Of course, figuring out one of her former friends had murdered her in cold blood after regaining her memories didn't help ease her anxiety in the slightest. So, as the sunlight fought against the overcast sky, she tracked down the two people she thought would help her the most. They were lounging on the hotel's patio when she walked up, blocking their sunlight.
"One of you bone-heads needs to take charge, or this place is going to be a smoldering pile of ash by next week." Hiyoko tugged a book out of 'Byakuya's' hands, internalizing her glee as she shook it at him and Kazuichi. "I don't care if it's one or both of you, but something has to change and soon."
"What are you talking about?" Kazuichi sputtered. "Hinata's doing a great job, we got most of the things up and running-"
"No, you got most of the things up and running." Hiyoko held the book aloft, forcing her prey to stand to grab it. "Hinata's busy trying to make everyone happy. Do you know what happens to leaders that try to make everyone happy!? They burn out. He's not going to stop until one of you nimrods takes the responsibility off his shoulders, by force."
"I-" Kazuichi looked at 'Togami', "I can't. Machine's sure, but all the Future Foundation's stuff is completely out of control. They want to kill us! Hinata's the only reason any of them bothered to change their mind."
"So you do know." 'Togami' snatched back his prize and looked down his nose at Kazuichi. "No wonder you lot are so excited about cottages and imports. You don't think we'll be able to leave, do you?"
"The world isn't going to care whether we've changed." Kazuichi admitted. "Obviously we can't force anyone to stay after they've completed rehabilitation, but not all of us can just blend into the crowd. If we go back too soon, it'll be a death sentence. At least here, the rest of the world can pretend we're dead long enough to move on."
"You really think Hinata can keep it together that long?" Hiyoko eyed the two carefully. "We're going to need someone who survived the killing game to help with the transition of power, or Hinata won't budge."
"Why are you asking us?" 'Togami' wasn't ignorant to the disdain the dancer held for everyone on the island. "Wouldn't Kuzuryuu be a more obvious candidate?"
"Absolutely not," Hiyoko fumed, "the motherfucker spends half his time thinking with his dick. I'll take shark week over that, at least his simping is predictable." She folded her hands into her kimono. "You may be a garbage fire of a human being Togami, but you have more experience with finances and espionage than anyone else on the island. Sue me for suggesting you actually do something with it. I'm all behind the princess's plan of staying here, but she clearly has her hands full with other matters." Kazuichi felt a pang in his chest as Hiyoko twisted her metaphorical knife. "You're the only one with half a brain and nothing better to do. Whether you help people leave or stay doesn't matter to me, as long as things transition peacefully."
'He' knew well if Hiyoko wouldn't be have come to them for help if she thought her old friends would come to her aid. As long as they remained asleep, Hiyoko could run around pretending to be a 'good' girl, but all of that would come crashing down the minute Mikan woke up. It was almost like watching a chicken running around with it's head cut-off. A pathetic vie for control after the damage had already been done, with a terribly predictable ending.
"Then you admit that you are unsuited for the job." 'Byakuya' considered forcing her to bow before accepting her offer, but the position of power was too enticing. Especially if it put him in contact with the other Remanents after they've awoken.
"Yes," Hiyoko said quietly, "I can handle Mahiru for you, but Ibuki and the others, they won't listen to me no matter what I say. We need someone everyone will listen to. That leaves you, and the one genius that tried to arrest someone for attempted murder." Kazuichi watched the exchange with muted apprehension. He wasn't as good at reading people as Akane or Hinata, but it seemed like Hiyoko was being sincere. "If we don't take over, Hinata's just going to keep running around, putting out fires until he can't stand up anymore. He's too nice for his own good. I'd like him to stay that way, don't you?"
"I can't even get one day off, can I?" Kazuichi sighed with a laugh. "Yeah, yeah; I'm in, okay? Tomorrow we can start by giving him an actual break and we'll see how that goes."
AN: Okay, so I may or may not keep delving into Hinata and Natsumi's school days in this fic, but I might just save it for a short one-off instead. It really depends on where Fuyuhiko's arch goes; especially with Mikan on the horizon. OxO