Fortune, reversed

The World

Nine of Swords

The tarot cards spread on the table, Baset plush in the center, did nothing to give you any reassurance that maybe, just maybe, this school trip would go smoothly. This was why you didn't turn to the divine for every mystery in life, because sometimes it was easier to move forward without the dread of foresight. You already regretted asking.

What awful luck, considering that you didn't like the beach to begin with. Because the beach meant sunlight, and sunlight meant getting burnt to a crisp and possibly sun poisoning. Again. The last thing you wanted was to pass out foaming at the mouth in front of an audience, or worse, alone, given that aside from classmates this entire chain of islands was deserted.

This wasn't looking too great as it was, but Fortune in reverse? Harsh.

No matter. You'd stay in your cabin the entire time if you had to, and maybe hang out here in the hotel lobby when you felt adventurous. As it was now, the only other people here were… Peko and Chiaki? Those were their names, right? Both of which had left you to your corner here without disturbance.

If they set up base here, too, it'd fine.

Weren't class trips taken at the end of the year, anyway?

Hope's Peak…what a strange school, to scout you out in the first place, and then to pull you onto a deserted island without your consent. Then again, maybe you had given them consent. Wasn't there an entire stack of paperwork that had to be signed? But really, who reads the TOS?

But, still, even if you were stuck in the grueling heat of the tropics, it was better than your prior living arrangement…

A classmate approached you. "Oh, sorry, am I interrupting anything?"

You glanced up from where you were very obviously in the middle of something to see the boy with the ahoge standing by your chair. Oh, right, the guy who was late earlier.

Next to him was Nagito Komaeda, whose unique presence made him easy to recall, smiling broadly as ever. He'd introduced himself to you back in the classroom.

The SHSL Lucky Student…although he didn't think much of himself, luck itself was a fascinating subject—an unseen force of nature that acted on its own, chose favorites, and yet all at the same time it was tied into the grand scheme of fate that couldn't be overcome (at least, you didn't think so).

Was it truly a skill or a talent? Or maybe it was the result of karmatic energies that lingered the deeds of the soul in a past life.

It was impossible to tell, but you were curious about anything Hope's Peak might discover on the subject in the future, since Nagito had mentioned that they wanted to research it.

"Anyway," the boy said. "I'm Hajime Hinata. I wanted to introduce myself since I didn't get to before."

Not wanting to get off to a bad start with him since he was your classmate, and your "homework" here depended on mediation, you quickly gathered the cards from the table and placed them back into your deck, shuffling them. Maybe he didn't see. Even if he did, it's not like he'd know.

"N-Nice to meet you." You gave him your name with a small smile. "Uhm, for future reference, if you see Baset-chan off my belt, please don't interrupt whatever I'm doing. If my energy is disrupted and I'm pulled out of my zone, it could be bad for everyone."

"Baset-chan?" He echoed, glancing at the table and noticing now the stuffed black cat with a golden trinket around its neck. "That toy? It's…kinda creepy."

How rude. You tried to think of how to inform him polite and in a sane manner that no, this wasn't just any toy, but a personal component of your relationship with the supernatural.

Nagito laughed heartily and pat Hajime's shoulder. "Hinata-kun, she's the SHSL Witch, so that 'toy' is important in her rituals, if I recall correctly."

"A witch?! Is that something real?"

"Very. She's famous for her online handle on a few paranormal boards, and during her school trip last year rumors are that she summoned a spirit from a wishing well. Like me, Hope's Peak is wanting to study her talent! Although I'm sure she'll be much more useful for their research…something like magic is actually interesting!"

Hajime frowned, as if doubting Hope's Peak's agenda and the legitimacy of your existence. "Magic, huh? That sounds like a really broad field…"

Nagito said your name, adding an enthusiastic "-chan" to it. "Hinata-kun here doesn't remember his talent and getting thrown into this trip has taken a toll on him. So play nice!"

You gave them a shy smile, feeling skittish suddenly and realizing maybe you'd been a little too harsh. Hajime didn't seem like a bad person, just…a little tactless with his choice of words, and it wasn't anything you weren't used to.

Most people had a negative mindset that activated on its own when they heard the word "witch" or "magic", but…these were your classmates. All of you would be living here, for an undisclosed amount of time, and this was your chance to open a little.

To make friends.

"Sure thing. Hinata-kun, it's nice to make your acquaintance!"

Hajime rubbed his neck awkwardly. "Uh, sure! Let's count on each other!"

[Hope Fragment Obtained: Hajime Hinata]