Anime Avenue
Episode 7: Castle Infiltration
Enju: Anyway, be sure to review and preview! Don't think I'm gonna teach you again next time, alright?
Kazuki: You could tell me that without screaming, you know?
Akari: This is just how Enju hides her embarrassment!
Kazuki: Yeah, she's quite the embarrassment right now.
Enju: What...?! No it isn't! This is my job as class representative!
Kazuki: Your job is to scream at students for no reason?
John: Oh! A real-life tsundere! It was worth my while coming to this country, after all!
Yamabuki: Yeah...She's a real classic!
Enju: I'm not a tsundere! You say something, too!
Kazuki: I agree. You are a tsundere.
Akari: Yup...Enju sure is a tsundere!
Enju: N-No! I'm not, I keep telling you! And stop giving me that "yeah right face!"
Kazuki: You brought that on yourself, y'know?
Enju: *Sigh*...Ugh...I'm too worn out to be mad anymore.
John: Oh! I just remembered...!
Kazuki: Remembered what?
John: Kazuki, don't you have family that goes to a school called Shujin?
Akari: Kazuki has siblings?
Kazuki: How do you even know about that?
John: I heard one of the other students mentioning it.
Kazuki: I see. Yeah, it's true. I have an older brother.
Akari: Really?! I never knew that.
Kazuki: Probably because I never mentioned him. Or I just didn't want to. WHich reminds me...
Kazuki grabbed his bag and left the classroom.
Akari: Kazuki?
Enju: Kazuki, wait! The next class is going to begin!
John: I wonder what that was all about?
Yuri: Is he always like this?
Enju: Oh, we actually just met him, yesterday.
Akari: He's a transfer student, like you guys.
Without another word, Kazuki grabbed his things and started leaving the school. Meanwhile, at Shujin Academy...
Ryuji: Yo.
Ren: What's up?
Ryuji: I wanna talk about that castle from yesterday. I tried tellin' myself it was all just a dream...but I couldn't do it. I can't act like nothing happened. It's all connected to that bastard Kamoshida, after all. I wanna find out what's up with that place, no matter what. And y'know, you're the only person I can rely on for this stuff. So, you in?
Ren: Sure. What's next?
Ryuji: Ooh...Looks like I managed to talk some sense into you. I think we should just try and retrace our steps from yesterday. In the meantime, you're walkin' to the station, right? Let's go together. Lemme know if you notice any other weird buildings on the way.
Although Ren only knew Ryuji for a short time...he didn't seem like a bad guy. Plus, he had a point. With the powers that he gained and the things he's seen, there was no way that the other world was just a dream. This could've been their chance to get some answers about that place. Ren decided he should probably just go along with it. Together, they walked towards the location of the station.
Ryuji: If a huge castle like that really exists, I'm sure we'll find it in no time. When'd they build something like that though? We walked that way from here, right?
Ren: Maybe.
Ryuji: When you put it that way, I'm not so sure anymore...Alright, this way.
Ryuji led the way, going through the alley they went through, in order to get to the school. But when doing so, they saw no castle, just Shujin.
Ryuji: ...Huh? We're at school...There wasn't anything out of place along the way, right? I didn't see no castle either...We must've made a wrong turn somewhere. Let's try again.
Ren: Again...?
Ryuji: C'mon, you gotta stick with me to the end.
Ren and Ryuji walked back again, from the alleyway but they still had no luck. WHen they came back, they returned to Shujin.
Ryuji: For real...? Is it smaller than we think it is? What do you think?
Brother!
Ren turned around and saw Kazuki rushing towards him.
Ryuji: Huh...?
Kazuki: Hey, are you out of school? I came by to come and talk with you. It's about what the whole record thing and assault.
Before Kazuki could warn Ren, he noticed someone behind his brother.
Kazuki: Who's this?
Ryuji: I'm Ryuji. Ryuji Sakamoto.
Kazuki: I see. He a friend of yours?
Ren: Yeah.
Kazuki: Oh, so there's some good people here, after all. So what's going on? Why are you guys outside of the school gates?
Ren and Ryuji explained to Kazuki that they wanted to try and return to the castle from yesterday.
Kazuki: Hm...I see. You guys want answers, right? In that case, let me tag along.
Ryuji: For real? You wanna go with us?
Kazuki: I already know about that place and the danger that's there. And don't think because I'm young that I can't handly myself.
Ryuji: You okay with this?
Ren nodded, indicating "yes."
Kazuki: Then it's settled. I'll come back here, when my school gets out and we'll head in together.
Kazuki, Ren and Ryuji nodded, in agreement. However, as Kazuki was heading back to the school, Kazuki felt a feeling of unease. He hadn't noticed the unknown "something" approaching him...
Kazuki: That's weird...
He couldn't sense anyone nearby. The unease feeling grew and his pace quickens. Something was coming. The boy was certain of it. Most likely...
Kazuki: This is...
As a chill ran down the boys spine, he immediately ducked down. Something grazes past his hair. Kazuki heard the sound of the wind whipping by, and a weapon being drawn. Then, the sound of a dull blade sticks into the wall. It...was a chakram!
Kazuki: Who's there?!
Kazuki called out to whoever it was...but no one made a sound. The streets were empty. Suddenly...
You who carry the Kamuy, your life is mine.
Kazuki heard a voice cut through the darkness. But there was still no sign of who or where the voice was located at. Luckily, he was able to make it back to the school grounds of Misaki High. When he got to the next class, he sat within his seat, next to Akari.
Akari: Hey, where'd you go?
Kazuki: Had to see my brother.
Akari: Are you alright? You look kind of tense.
Kazuki: It's nothing. Focus on the lesson.
Kazuki looked around but he couldn't see the other transfer students.
Kazuki: Wait, where'd those four girls go?
Akari: They took off. With some boy wearing headphones.
Kazuki: Is that right?
That felt familiar to Kazuki but he wasn't sure why. But that didn't matter to him, as he allowed the rest of the school day to continue on. Finally, school had ended and all students were heading home. Kazuki wasted no time and grabbed his bag, taking off and heading back to Shujin. When he got there, he met up with Ren and Ryuji.
Kazuki: Alright, I'm here. Let's get going.
Ryuji: Well, it ain't exactly that easy.
Kazuki: What do you mean?
Ren: Are you sure it's around here? Check your phone...
Ryuji: I already did that. I didn't see anything like it around here...
Then, something came back Ryuji, as if he just remembered something important.
Ryuji: Huh? Phone...Hey, that reminds me-didn't you have a navigation app thingy on, back then?
Kazuki: Navigation app?
Ryuji: I don't know if it was or not, but I heard stuff that sounded like one comin' from his phone. Y'know, didn't it say stuff like "returned to the real world" or something like that? Lemme see your phone for a bit.
Ren pulled out his phone and handed it over to Ryuji. He scrolled through, trying to look for it...and noticed something else.
Ryuji: What's this eyeball-lookin' thing?
Ren: I can't delete it...
Kazuki: You can't delete the app? But...you installed it yourself, didn't you? Wait a minute...could it be that one app you told me about, last night?
Ren nodded at his little brother.
Ryuji: Huh, weird app...Oh wait, this is it! I knew it-it IS a navigation app! There's even your search history! Oh man, I'm such a genius! Let's try usin' it.
Kazuki: Is that really a good idea?
Ren: I dunno about this.
Ryuji: Why? All we're doing is startin' an app.
Kazuki: We should at least be careful though.
Ryuji just went on and touched the app, as a voice began to be heard from Ren's phone.
Kamoshida... Shujin Academy... Pervert... Castle... Beginning navigation.
Ryuji: There we go! ...Then, we went in a certain direction, and-
Suddenly, the air around them began to feel strange...almost like they were walking on air
Ryuji: Huh? What the hell!?
The app began to change the entire scenery around them, as the entire building of Shujin Academy transformed into a giant castle.
Kazuki: Holy...
Ryuji: Look! It's the castle from yesterday!
The three boys walked towards the castle, examining it, with surprise.
Ryuji: We made it back...That means what happened yesterday was for real too...
To their shock, Ryuji and Kazuki noticed that Ren's clothes had changed.
Ryuji: ...Yeargh! Those clothes...!
Ren: ...!
Ryuji: That happened last time too, huh!?
Kazuki: So this is what you were telling me...What's with that outfit though?
Ren: I don't know.
Kazuki: Unreal...
Stop making a commotion!
The three boys turned to their left and noticed something. It was that creature from yesterday; Morgana.
Ryuji: You!?
Morgana: The shadows started acting up, so I came here wondering what it could be...To think you guys would come back to the entrance when you barely managed to escape.
That's when Morgana noticed someone standing next to Ren.
Morgana: And you brought someone else here too!? Seriously, what's wrong with you guys?
Kazuki: What is this place? Is it the school?
Morgana: That's right.
Ryuji: But it's a castle!
Morgana: This castle IS the school. But only to this castle's ruler.
Ryuji: The castle's ruler...?
Morgana: I think you called him Kamoshida? It's how his distorted heart views the school.
Ryuji: Kamoshida...Distorted...?
Ren and Ryuji looked at each other, wondering what Morgana was talking about.
Ryuji: Explain it in a way that makes sense!
Morgana: I shouldn't have expected a moron to get it...
Ryuji: What'd you say!?
Out of nowhere, the group heard screaming, coming from the inside.
Ryuji: What was that!?
Morgana: It must be the slaves captive here.
Kazuki: Slaves?
Once again, the screams cried out...
Ryuji: Oh, shit...It's for real! We saw other guys held captive here yesterday...I'm pretty sure they're from our school.
Morgana: Most likely on Kamoshida's orders. It's nothing out of the ordinary; it's like that every day here.
Kazuki: Seriously? This goes on ALL the time?
Morgana: What's more, these two escaped yesterday. He must have lost his temper quite a bit.
Ryuji: That son of a bitch...!
Morgana: Ryuji...?
Ryuji: ...This is bullshit!
He ran to the door and kicked at it, in anger.
Ryuji: You hear me, Kamoshida!?
Morgana: Doing that isn't going to open it, you know...Still it seems you have your reasons.
Kazuki: Excuse me, I never did get your name.
Morgana: It's Morgana.
Kazuki: And I'm Kazuki Amamiya. I'm his little brother.
Morgana: Oh, so that means you're special too?
Kazuki: Huh? Special...?
Ryuji: Hey, Mona-Mona!
Morgana & Kazuki: It's Morgana!
Ryuji: Do you know where those voices are comin' from...?
Morgana: You want me to take you to them?
Kazuki: That's not a bad idea. If you lead us through the castle, I could get a better understanding of this place. Along with this "Kamoshida".
Morgana: ...Well, I guess I could guide you there. But only if he comes with us.
Ren: Let's go.
Morgana: It's settled then.
Ryuji: For real...!? Thanks, man.
Morgana: All right, let's do this. Follow me!
Kazuki: Come on!
TO BE CONTINUED...