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Hello everyone! I'm sorry for not updating for a while; school just started, so life is currently like a whirlwind for me right now. But I felt like I really wanted to write this chapter so hear you go. This one us longer than the other two, so I hope you guys like it. It also might be confusing with who I'm referring to, but I hope it still is understandable anyway. Feel free to type a review if you don't understand, and I will try to answer it in the next chapter! Thanks for the reviews guys! I'm glad all of you guys like it!

The Phantom Heir

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Chapter II: The Mask

*~Helicopter Lift, Zetsubo Academy Main Building~*

The sound of the blades of a helicopter powering down could be heard from the headmistress' office just below. Said headmistress got up, walking up the stairs leading to the roof. As she opened the door, she was presented with the image of a thrashing, screaming, and overall panicking 'Mayuzumi Takahiro'. With the helicopter blades now coming to a complete stop, the woman could make out the conversation her employees were currently having.

"Oi! Hurry up! We can't hold him down much longer!" The squadrons captain hollered, before quickly focusing his attention back on the struggling boy who was strapped onto a stretcher. Just when it seemed like the boy would break free from his restraints, another member came assist the two struggling to hold the boy down, and exposed the teenagers right arm, one hand holding the wrist of said arm, while the other held the upper part of his arm. Then, a fourth man came into play, gently holding a glass syringe that contained a strange green liquid inside. The fourth man stuck the needle into the boy's flesh and inserted the liquid, before quickly bandaging the wound. All of a sudden, the struggling stopped, and the new student's eyelids drooped, before closing completely, with the child's breathing steadying into one of slumber.

Throughout this whole ordeal, the Headmistress watched in silence, examining 'Mayuzumi Takahiro' for any possible slip up that might give away that he was acting. In the end, the woman couldn't find any fault in the way the boy was acting. It seemed like he was truly mentally unstable. The woman gritted her teeth before walking back to her office, slamming the door to the roof harshly behind her.

Kuroko POV

I had grouchily awoken to the sound of the helicopter door sliding open, and the feeling of something restraining my movements. I groggily opened my eyes, blinking back at the bright light that temporarily penetrated my eyesight. Observing my surroundings, I determined it was about noon, which would mean, relative to the time I was captured… 'Wow. I managed to sleep for 3 whole hours. I haven't gotten such a luxury since I was four. I really really want to go back to sleep but…I've got a show to put on.' I internally took a deep breath, before I began to struggle against my restraints the second the door to the roof was opened, revealing an old woman, probably somewhere in her late 50s. 'Good, right in time.' I was glad my show didn't start too late. It would be bad if the woman came an closer to examine me. She seemed to observant for her age based on the way her footsteps had sounded on the staircase on her way up earlier. My 'captors' rushed to hold me down, while I continued screaming and thrashing, acting mentally unstable and frightened. During my 'breakdown' I heard one of the men holding me say something. Well, more like scream something, but, same thing right? Next thing I knew, someone was holding down my arm, and then, something sharp pierced my skin. Soon though the sharp thing left my skin, and instead, there was a bandage put in its place. 'Wait. What did they just d-Oh. OH. I'm supposed to fall asleep now. GOT it. Okay then. Better for me. I wanted to sleep anyway.' I began to make my eyelids droop, and then forced my breathing to become even, giving my caretakers the idea that I was asleep. 'Ah, the advantages of having complete control over your bodies' reactions. Oh well. Ah. Seems like that woman is leaving too.' I heard the harsh slam of a metal door and the stomping of feet in high heels before I headed back into the realm of dreams.

*~Cafeteria, Zetsubo Main Academy Building, 12:30 P.M.~*

The Headmistress was furious. Everyone could see it based on the way she ordered them around today over the intercom. Earlier, a Tier 2 student had overheard that there was going to be a new addition today. And apparently, the new kid was going to be on that side of the fence. The rumor had spread like wildfire in a matter of hours, but only among the Tier 2 students that had the same class as the eavesdropping student. Everyone knew that there were only two types of people that ended up on that side of the fence; The unfortunate and crazy ones, and the extremely, extremely crazy ones. Now, it was lunch, the only break that any of the kids got until 3:00 during their time spent being...rehabilitated. Now that the students were free to speak, the rumors reached all Tiers of students even the ones that lived on that side of the fence.

The cafeteria was filled to the brim with bustling students and constant chatter. Everyone trying to see if any new information had been obtained on the new student.

"I heard it's a guy who's murdered enough people to fill up a whole district!" Some whispered.

"Huh? No way! I heard that it's a girl with immensely good looks that charmed people into giving up their money!" Others retorted.

"Nah! That's too small of a crime to get you on that side of the fence." Another student said.

"Oh yeah? What about The Mask?" The boy's friend asked.

"..." The boy fell silent at that comment, as did a few others nearby him.

"What?" The boy who had mentioned the phrase 'The Mask' asked.

"Oi...you." A girl nearby addressed the boy. "You haven't been here long have you?"

"No. Only 2 months." The boy replied.

"That long and you still haven't been taught about the rules around here?" The girl said, her words filled with what seemed to be the tone of a mother scolding her child. "Look." The girl's eyes turned serious. "You don't say their names ever." The boy on the other hand, seemed confused. Everyone knew about the infamous group living on that side of the fence, but no one ever said anything. He was curious. And besides, he had just said a name. What's the big deal? Before anymore thinking could be done by the boy, the door to the cafeteria was slammed open. Then, the eerie 'click clack' of shoes was heard. The place that was previous bursting with energy and boisterous voices was turned into a room heavy with the scent of fear, with the only sound being that of hushed whispers. Everyone had their eyes drawn towards the group walking in.

"It's them…" Some looked at the group in fear.

"What are they doing here…" Others gritted their teeth and slightly hissed, but knew not to go any further, unless they wished to die early.

The group seemed to pay no attention towards these people, instead opting for grabbing their lunches in silence, before leaving as swiftly as they came. At least that's what they were supposed to do, but instead, the blonde of the group veered towards the table of the boy who had uttered an alias of one of the members of their elite group. The blonde stopped in front of the frightened boy.

"Hey~" The blonde smiled a sweet smile. The rest of the students knew what fate lay before the boy that had dared to let the name of one of the legendary Tier 0 members fall from his lips. "Nee~, I'm talking to you. Don't ignore me." The last sentence was laced with an unspoken threat.

"Y-Yes?" The previously curious boy now stuttered.

"Hmm~ Yay~ you're paying attention now~!" The blonde said it in a singsongy tone, which would normally be regarded as something happy, but anyone who was in Tier 0 was not normal in any way shape or form. "Now," The blonde's tone was still as cheery as ever. "Would you mind coming with me?" The blonde was smiling as he said this, gesturing towards the cafeteria door. The addressed boy only gulped, before slowly shaking his head. Then, the atmosphere nearby the trembling boy became even heavier. "...No?" The blonde questioned, still all smiles. The boy still answered with the same gesture. He knew he definitely didn't want to follow a Tier 0 member anywhere, especially alone. "Aww...that's too bad.." The blonde seemed to have given up. His target let out a breath he didn't realize he had been holding, and became less tense, realizing it was over. He was alive. "Akashicchi!" The blonde hollered across the room towards his fellow Tier members, waving madly with one hand, while the other was cupped by his mouth. "I need your help!" The call for help would have seemed casual in another school, as it the blonde were only asking for help on a homework problem. But here, everyone knew what that meant. The poor boy was going to be dead by tomorrow morning. The targeted boy immediately tensed again. No. No No No No NO! There was no way he could survive 'The Emperor'!

"Ryouta. What's the problem? And please stop yelling. Or else I'll triple your training menu." A redhead strutted over, with all the grace and poise that fit his title. Despite being one of the shortest in the whole school, there was a reason that he was feared even by the enforcers here.

"Sorry, Akashicchi!" 'Ryouta' said, while sticking his tongue out playfully. Then a slight smirk appeared on 'Ryouta's' face. "It's just that...this…" Ryouta took a look at the number etched on the upper sleeve of his jacket's right arm. "Tier 2 won't come outside with me. I just want to talk!" Ryouta said the number '2' with a hint of disdain filling his voice, while the latter part of his statement became filled more with the hint of a whine in it. The redhead sighed, seemingly exasperated and tired with dealing with the situation already.

"Ryouta, there is no need to over exaggerate. He just had a slight...slip of words." The redhead looked at the blonde's still tense 'victim', smiling sweetly, but it was anyone's guess as to what the redhead could have been thinking.

"But Akashicchi~" The blonde seemed to be pouting, not liking that he didn't get what he wanted. The blonde's 'victim' then relaxed once again, believing it to finally be over and that he had survived.

"However…" This one word made the Tier 0 member's face light up, as if Christmas had come early, while the Tier 2 boy's stomach dropped to his toes. "I have heard that a new student will be coming to the Tier 0 division. I don't suppose that you would have any extra information on him, would you?" The redhead then leaned closer, putting one hand on the table to support himself while his lips positioned themselves right next to the Tier 2 boy's ears. "After all, you've been walking around these halls quite frequently haven't you, Eaves-drop-per-san~?" This sent a shock of panic through the Tier 2 student. 'How does he know? HOW DOES HE KNOW?!' The Tier 2 student had been sure of his methods. He had covered up everything. There was no evidence that pointed towards him as the man who had been snooping around the place and listening in on conversations between the higher ups, hoping to find a way out. So how did the man before him know?!

As these questions ran through the boy's mind, the redhead removed himself from his position of close proximity with the fretting boy before him, smirking internally and practically bathing in the fear he had evoked from the boy. On the outside however, he was still wearing his picture perfect smile, and asked the dazed boy in front of him the same question the blonde had asked him earlier.

"Now, would you be so kind as to help us out? We would just love to hear some more about our...new addition." The Tier 2 student gave up. He nodded his head in resignation, knowing what would happen if he refused. He was dead either way, so he might as well die by the hand of his fellow student than by that of an enforcer's. The redhead smiled at the response he got, knowing exactly the kind of thoughts that were running through the mind of the boy before him. Then he turned away, the blonde following not too long behind, glee etched on the blonde's face, while the Tier 2 student followed like a servant, no life in his eyes along with his head bowed low, looking like a new-bought slave following his master.

*~Time Skip, Tier 0 Dorm, Basement~*

A body was hanging on the burgundy brick wall. In the middle of the room stood the blonde from earlier, Kise Ryouta, in all of his glory. The blonde was gripping a leather whip, with the wounds on the chest of the body lying limp on the wall matching that of the whip's indents. There was silence in the air before Kise moved forward and poked the injured person's cheek.

"Oi~" Kise continued with his action, waiting for a response. However, none came. Then, the blonde decided to check the person's pulse. He put two fingers on the chained person's wrist, before sighing. "Aww man...you can't be serious right...ugh…." Kise dragged a gloved hand down his face, smearing his face with a red liquid in the process. "Akashicchi is going to kill me…" The blonde groaned once more, before the metal door behind him opened, revealing a green haired male with thin black framed glasses carrying a tray set with food.

"Kise how's the-" The green haired male stopped short in his tracks as he noticed the limp body hanging from the chains. Most would expect him to scream or run away based on his past, but instead, he only sighed, and looked slightly irritated. The blonde, sensing this, took one step away from the bespectacled male.

"Mi-Midorimacchi...I-I can explain…" The blonde stuttered praying that the man wouldn't report this to their leader, who would find out eventually, but the blonde preferred to delay his imminent doom, thank you very much. This only seemed to further spur and rile up the green haired males' ire. One could almost see the tick marks on the boy's head as he placed the tray on the lone table in the room.

"Oh really, Kise? Then, please, by all means, go ahead." The blonde gulped at the boy's tone. For someone who was considered a 'victim' of crazy parents, the boy could be quite terrifying when he wanted to be.

"M-Midorimachi, I di-didn't mean to do it I-I swear! He just...umm...was being...problematic! Yep! Going on and on about how his life was over and all. I just decided to grant him his wish! So...please….don't tell Akashicchi! I will tell him later just not right now, so please Midorimacchi? I'm begging you here!" The blonde used the best puppy eyes that he had learned from his mother, even though he knew that it wouldn't work on the people from his group. It never did. And that's one of the things that he loved about them. But even if his acts didn't work on these people, they still cared about him. Even the usually cold green-head in front of him. That's why Kise knew the man would agree the second he looked into the green-head's eyes. Just as Kise predicted, after a few strained seconds, the green-head let out a sigh.

"Fine. But if he asks, the man was gone after I left alright?" The green-head stated sternly.

"Yay~! Thank you Midorimacchi~!" Kise glomped the poor boy, beaming and practically partying at the fact that he wouldn't have to die too soon.

"Oi, Kise! Get off of me! You're staining my uniform!" The green-head immediately became flustered and tried to pry the blonde off of his back, but only half heartedly as he was actually okay with and sort of grateful for having someone like Kise and his other friends in his life (not like he would ever admit to them being his friends), as he couldn't trust anyone after what his parents had done just for money, landing him and almost his little sister into this hellhole the government calls 'a rehabilitation facility'. But he was also sort of grateful to his parents for allowing him to meet these amazing people. He was drawn out of his thoughts by his friend's teasing.

"But Midorimacchi~, you don't really want me to let go do you? Just admit it; you see me as a friend don't you~" The blonde slyly retorted the bespectacled teen's previous statement, satisfied when the greenhead blushed furiously, before pushing Kise to the ground, which earned a slight groan and 'ow' from the the blonde as the said blonde landed flat on his butt.

"N-No!" The greenhead began pushing his glasses up his nose, and made to leave the room, before quickly turning around, blush still visible, and practically shouting at Kise, "A-And ma-make sure t-to fi-finish all of your meal! Or else Murasakibara w-will be upset!"

"Yes, yes." Kise said, a wide grin present on his face as Midorima stormed back upstairs, most likely trying to get rid of his blush in the process. Kise got up, and made his way to the table, the tray of food to his side as he began writing down all the things that the Tier 2 student had told him about the new student during their 'question and answer' session that had occurred just before the greenhead tsundere had arrived. Once the blonde was finished, he also made a mental note to clean the stone wall later, since their esteemed leader 'didn't want anything mixing with something else on the wall'. In other words, he wanted each person to leave their own 'marks' on the place, without any other 'marks' getting in the way. Couldn't they just wait until a month was over to wash the wall? This was already the third time one of their group had to wash the wall. And it was only the 10th day of the month. Geez. Rich people and their needs.

Thanks for reading! I love all of you guys and am really grateful for all of the support that you guys have given me. I will be putting up a poll for which story you guys would like for me to focus on, either this one or 'The Shadow's Duty' as I can only do so for one of them since school is here. The poll will go on for two weeks, and the story that won will get a chapter posted hopefully a couple days after. Okay, I think that's it. Please review everyone! See you all later!