Chapter 1

Somewhere off the coast of Japan, a school carrier cuts through the waves. Life onboard is the same as usual except for the principle's office. Behind the large wooden desk in the room, the old principle, Mr Kenshin, stroked his mustache in deep thoughts as he leaned back on his chair. Across the desk stood a student at attention awaiting for a reply.

'Are you sure about this?' The principal asked in his croaky voice and received a nod in response. 'You do understand that what you are suggesting is...'

'Much more impossible and unfair than to go through the council, I know. But this would be a more satisfying solution am I right Mr Tsuji, official of the MEXT?' I asked looking at the thin man in glasses sitting on an armchair with a smile on his face. 'Don't need to blow this out of proportion and all that.'

'That's right. This is a much simpler solution.' the official of the The Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, or MEXT for short, replied getting up to sign the thick document on the principal's desk. Leaving the room, he turned around and looked at me. 'Good luck facing down five high school Senshado team.'

'I swear. You cause me more trouble than the other troublemakers in this school put together.' The old man groaned rubbing his forehead once the door to his office closed. 'When you told me you have a proposition I never thought it would be this convoluted.'

'Well...I may be the most troublesome of the lot but I do well in academics and extracurricular activities so you can't really complain now can you?'

'With the things you are asking...I think I am entitled to voice my complaints.'

'Well, you are an educator soooo-'

'Don't you have people to recruit and a proposal to prepare? Frankly I wonder how are you going to convince the other guys to join a lady's sport.'

'I didn't win that national debating competition by luck you know?' I replied heading for the door. 'Thank you for helping me on this, Principal of Sparta Boys High School, Mr Kenshin.'

'Be thankful I have some strings to pull here, second year student Shinamura Keiji.' The old man replied as he picks up the phone.

'Huh...that went easier than expected. But then that's the easy part. What comes next...well let's just say I may end up losing some sleep.'

'So how did the meeting go boss?' Adachi Soujiro asked as he ran to my side as I walked out of the faculty section of the school.

He and three others used to go to the school's survival games club with me. While the girls have their Senshado, boys have the Survival Combat Games, SurCom for short, where groups of thirty or more guys would have a go at each other in simulated infantry combat using simunitions. This sport is supposed to foster teamwork and camaraderie as well as teach us to be a gentleman and so on. Though it used to be a men's thing, it has recently opened up to female members as well.

The five of us joined together as a squad and quickly distinguished ourselves as the best in our school, surpassing some of our seniors and even going on to represent our school and winning in our first year. Being in a school that took pride in its SurCom team, we became celebrities overnight.

It was all rainbow and sunshine until our second year. Me and my friends were forced to leave the club due to my actions just before the semi finals due to some circumstances. In our absence, the SurCom team lost the tournament and we were instantly targets of controversy.

'A walk in the park. The hard part comes now Soujiro.' I answered. 'Sorry for all this.'

'Don't go talking smack boss. We told you that we are with you no matter what.' Soujiro answered with a smile. That is one of his plus side. No matter the circumstances he can always give you his award winning smile. Sometimes I wondered if he can even get angry.

'I don't mean the Sensha-do. I meant me leaving SurCom. If you guys had stayed away from me you guys wouldn't end up as pariahs after the school's SurCom team lost the match. People wouldn't try to pick a fight the all of us. Instead, they would only be trying to pick a fight with me. You guys would still have a good school life and not outcasts.' I said as regret and anger filled me. Though I didn't care about me being an outcast, I hated myself for dragging my friends down with me. Before I knew it, tears begin to fill my eyes. 'I am really sorry for-'

'Hey hey hey. We agreed that you wouldn't do this again. Jeez boss, you already prostrated yourself in front of the four of us after seeing Mr Kenshin about our recent fight and you still can't get over it?' Soujiro reminded me before smacking my head. 'We followed you not because we felt obligated. We followed you because we believe in you and we share the same goal as you. So...For the love of everything holy stop your bitching! What do I look like?! Your gay lover for you to cry on?!'

'Ha ha ha.' I let out a chuckle as I wiped my tears away. 'Thanks for that kick.'

'Yea well you needed it.' Soujiro said nonchalantly as he looked of in a distance. 'So what now boss?'

'Have you and the guys found their usual hangouts?'

'Yeah. That part was straightforward.' Soujiro said, leading the way. 'C'mon the guys are waiting.'

Five minutes later.

'I almost died waiting for the two of you. What? Did you guys stop by to wank or something?'

'Piss off Kyoji.' I replied as the two of us flipped each other the bird.

Fujima Kyoji. Though foul mouthed, he is very honest guy. While we were in SurCom, he was our 'go to' guy for sniper duty and he can even perform several trickshots. He may look like a slacker by the way he dresses but he is a reliable person. Surprisingly, he is also the one with the highest grade amongst the five of us even though none of us has seen him study.

'So, did the meeting go well?' Kitagawa Satoshi asked as he pulled down his headsets. Known as the guy who can talk himself out of anything, Kitagawa Satoshi is a guy that enjoys listening to music and hopes to be a radio host.

'Of course it went well. You're talking about a guy who basically carried the school's debating team to first place. Heck, I bet he can even convince the teachers to give us the answer to all the exams if he wants,' Okita Takashi chimes in. If there was a gift that any student wanted most, that would be a photographic memory. And that is the reason why Takashi would be the envy of all students when it comes to subjects that involves a lot of memorizing because of his photographic memory.

'You're giving me too much credit. But for the record, I totally carry the debating team to victory.' I argued half-heartedly with a smug look on my face. 'So where is the speed head?'

'Looked over the student's records. He and his buddies are still not allowed to leave their rooms as per their punishment over that little stunt they pulled.' Takashi answered not taking his eyes off his portable gaming device.

'And by 'looked over' he means he 'accidently' broke into the school's record room and flipped through thirty student's record while me and Satoshi made a scene outside.' Kyoji groaned exaggeratedly.

'Come now Kyoji. He only took five minutes so there's no need to complain. Besides, I think you enjoyed the little show you put up' Soujiro reminded with a smile.

'In that case we will visit him and his buddies first.' I announced and immediately received the full address of the three persons in question from Takashi. 'If only you put in that much effort in your studies you could've rivalled Kyoji in academics'

'Hey, fuck off man. I have feelings you know?' Kyoji retorted.

'Don't try to divert attention boss. I still remember. You owe us all a meal for the waterworks earlier.' Soujiro said with sadistic smile on his face. 'Remember the agreement? You start whining you buys us a meal.'

'You just had to bring it up.' I replied, rubbing my head as I imagine the hit my wallet would take. The other three cheered as the prospect of having a good meal in my expense.

An hour and a five person meal later

'So this is the place?' Satoshi asked ringing the doorbell again. 'Seems like nobody's home.'

'Then we should try the other two guys' places. I got their addresses.' Takashi suggested. "The next guy is just a level up.

'Didn't think that he was stupid enough to leave his place. Think he has a booty call or something?' Kyoji said adding his thoughts as we walked up a flight of stairs.

Reaching our next destination, it was obvious that there were more than one person inside. From outside we could hear the sound effect of computer games and the loud voices of several people inside. It sounded as if there was a party being held inside. However, after Soujiro knocked on the door the sounds on the other side immediately died off.

"Tetsuo open up! Its me! I know you and Kasuma are here!" I yelled as loud as I can while I banged at the door.

"Will you shut your mouth!?" Tetsuo replied almost as loud as he opened the door. "You damn well know Tamaki and I aren't supposed to be here! Call first when you want to crash here! Sheesh!"

"That's old news." I responded producing a signed piece of paper. "Just signed by the old man himself"

"What!? No freaking way! What the hell did you do!?" Tetsuo yelled snatching the paper from me.

"Tamaki! Kasuma! I have your's too!" I called into the room as I produced two more near identical papers.

"What is it?" Tamaki asked as I handed his paper to him.

"As of now you guys are no longer confined to your rooms. You may go wherever you please as long as you three don't break any rules." I said. "It's your release form and I got the principal himself to sign it."

"Wow...This is…"

"Don't thank me yet." I said. "You and your crew will have to participate in some activities and, for the lack of a better phrase, be a good student again."

"Well don't just leave me hanging here. What's the deal?" Tetsuo asked before some thought. "Not that I am hopeful or anything but I don't supposed you manage to get the old man to agree to let me and the boys to touch a vehicle again did you?

"After what we pulled, I don't think they would even let us touch a remote control car," Tamaki added his thoughts.

"On the contrary my good friends," I said with my lopsided smirk. Seeing the familiar smirk, the three self proclaimed mechanics is now listening with full interest. "You guys are not only going to be playing around with engines, you guys are encouraged to drive them to hell and back."

"Now who will say no to that? Count me and the boys in." Tetsuo said reaching out his hand as his two companions agreed with him. Satisfied with their answer, I reached out and shook his hand to seal our deal.

"I will be getting a few other guys together tomorrow after class at that discussion room in Building Hercules to explain the the whole thing."

"Me and the boys will be there."