There's a circle of mausoleums.

I didn't notice it earlier, with how shocked and unconscious I was, but there's more than one of these things. Sixteen, by my quick count - including my own and Tomoko's. In the center of the circle are four rows of four graves, with marked headstones. That must be what I hit my head against. And in the exact center, amidst the graves, stands a tall tower.

It's made of grey brick, and towers over everything, the very top obscured entirely by fog. The door is chained and padlocked shut. It towers amidst the gravestones. For whatever reason, just looking at it makes me shiver.

I take a step out into the graveyard, nervously cubing with one hand as I hold my knife in the other. My grip on the small switchblade is painfully tight, but as the thought of dropping it runs through my head I decide that's okay. Better to strain my hand than to get shanked from behind with no way to defend myself.

Then again, considering my situation there's probably nothing I can do to defend myself anyway.

Then I hear it.

The singing.

"When I was a young boy my father took me into the city to join the Black Parade. He said son when you grow up will you be the savior of the broken, the beaten, and the damned-"

I freeze and step in front of Tomoko, holding my knife up in a defensive position. The cube is pocketed - the last thing I need right now is its noisy clattering.

Then again, at this point it probably doesn't really matter. We're fucked anyway, aren't we.

"You don't have to do that, Mal," Tomoko says with no detectable emotion in her voice. "If anything, I should be the one protecting you."

"Haven't you heard the name Hargrave before?" I take a tentative step forward.

Tomoko turns so we're back-to-back. "Can't say I have, no. Should I? Are you secretly an incredibly talented genetically engineered supersoldier working for an oppressive foreign government?"

I shake my head at the ridiculous idea. "...no. Not in the slightest. What gave you that idea?"

"Oh, nothing. But no, I've never heard the name Hargrave before."

I exhale in relief. Finally, someone who doesn't know. "G...good."

"Good?"

"You heard me."

"Why is it-"

She's cut off by a low chuckle. It sounds throughout the cemetery, echoing in the trees.

I raise my knife higher, eye scanning the area around me, but nothing is moving. I can hear my heartbeat. It's so loud I'll be damned if whoever's doing the laughing can't hear it too.

Then a large screech sounds. I duck as a mass of black, white, and red shoots towards me. For a split second I can see it clearly - a gigantic hawk with half black and half white feathers and one glowing red eye, a red aura surrounding it. Then I duck and cover my face with my hand. I swear I can hear myself screaming, but Tomoko stays silent behind me.

Then I feel talons digging into my arm. "Hey, Maladapted. Lower your arm, will 'ya? I'm not planning to kill you."

I slowly lower my arm. The hawk is perched calmly on it, scratching its feathers with one hand. "Wait, you can talk?"

"All of this and that's the first thing you choose to comment on?" Tomoko goes over to gently stroke the hawk's head. It leans into the stroking, appeased. "Besides, it's probably an automaton."

"Not an automaton, a god!" It cackles as Tomoko and I let that set in.

"...I'm an atheist."

Tomoko looks at me. "...of all the responses to give a supposed god right off that bat, that's possibly the worst."

"It's okay! They're not an atheist anymore, are they?" It shrieks triumphantly. "Prepare to convert to the church of Icarus!"

"...Icarus?"

The hawk leaps off of my arm. In midair it glows, shifts, and transforms. The glowing form lands on the ground and adjusts its tie with a smirk.

Tomoko and I are staring at a boy. He looks about my age, with messy white hair and two eyes - one green, one a glowing bloodred. His face is contorted into a malicious smirk. He's dressed in a black three-piece suit. His entire body glows with a faint red light.

"..." I can feel myself becoming dizzy. Please, gods that apparently exist now, don't let me pass out like this again.

"He said will you defeat them, your demons, and all the non-believers, the plans that they have made? Because one day I'll leave you a phantom to lead you in the summer to join the Black Parade!" He finishes with a grin.

"...am I supposed to be intimidated by your emo music?" I stare in disbelief. Does this so-called god really think singing MCR is cool?

"Don't insult My Chemical Romance!" He glares at me.

Tomoko pulls on my sleeve gently. "I don't mean to alarm you, Mal, but insulting a god's taste in music is a great way to get smited."

I sigh. "...yes, you're right. My bad."

The boy - Icarus? - laughs. "Good to see Maladapted's getting the idea. Yeah, protip - if you want to live don't disrespect me. After all, I'm a god, and I hold the key to your exit."

"My exit. You mean-" I can feel my expression brightening. "You mean leaving here? Seeing Edwin again?"

He laughs. "Well, yes, that's all possible if you simply-"

The door of a distant mausoleum shifts and begins to move. Icarus grins. "I'll answer all of that later!"

Before I can object he shifts back into a hawk and flies up, so fast my eye can barely keep track of him, to the tower.

The door twitches again and then opens. Standing there is a girl, looking confused and perhaps a little scared.

Short brown hair frames an oval-shaped face with dark brown eyes. She wears a light black jacket over a black-and-white striped t-shirt, blue jeans, and brown sandals.

Were I not in a committed monogamous relationship I might have thought she was cute.

She sees us, and her face brightens. "Hey! Do you guys know what's going on?"

"Shapeshifting sadistic Greek god," Tomoko answers simply.

She blinks. "Uh, what? Is this some kinda prank or something? Because I'm pretty sure that this is illegal. Are we being filmed? Where are the cameras?" She looks around, searching for the cameras in question. I have to fight back the urge to laugh.

Tomoko actually does laugh. It sounds weirdly inhuman. "No, I'm afraid this is all completely real. Though there's supposedly a way out, but Kami-sama flew off before telling us."

She tilts her head to the side in confusion. "Kami-sama? You're serious about the god thing?"

I sigh. "...yeah, the god is real. I...wouldn't say that if I didn't believe it. Trust me."

She stares at me very closely. "...you look really familiar. Have I met you before?"

I stare back. "Not that I know of, no."

She stares even more. "...yeah, I do. You were on the poster for The Streetlight's Call, weren't you? But that means you're-" she pales. "Oh...oh god…"

I sigh and run a hand through my bangs, hoping to give her a brief glimpse of what she surely already knows is there. An empty eye socket, a long thin slash running through it all the way down from my forehead to my cheek.

She doesn't seem disgusted, to my surprise. "...Piper Hargrave, then? I had no idea you were in Japan! If this even is Japan!"

"Harper. And I'm attending Hope's Peak Academy. That might explain it," I mutter.

"Hope's Peak Academy? Really? I'm the SHSL Cinematographer, Itoh Rika!"

Itoh Rika, SHSL Cinematographer

I'm about to mention that I'm a fan of her work, especially in horror movies, when Tomoko cuts me off. "...The Streetlight's Call? What is that? How do you know Mal?"

Rika looks shocked by the question. "You...seriously haven't seen it? It's a super popular horror movie based off of a real serial killer - David Hargrave, the Streetlight Killer! That's-"

"Their father." Tomoko finishes. "Hmm. So that's why you were surprised that I didn't recognize you."

"Yes…"

I stare at Rika. Please don't be another true crime fangirl. Like the kind that wants to fuck mass-murderers. That's the last thing I need in my life.

She stares at me in confusion instead of admiration. "You said your name was Harper."

"Yes, it's Harper."

"But in the movie they said it was-"

I sigh. "I changed it, okay?"

"But why?"

I look at her for a moment before removing a pad of post-its from my pocket. "Simple. Do you have a pen?"

She provides the requested writing implement. I lean down and scribble.

I am non-binary. My pronouns are they/them/theirs. Thank you for understanding.

That finished, I return the pen to the girl and attach the note to my chest like a nametag.

She nods. "...oh. Okay."

"Yo, can I have one of those?"

I turn around to see a tall figure in a red-and-black jacket, with golden hair obscuring their eyes. Rika sighs and holds out her pen. I provide the post-its. Soon the figure has placed an identical note on their chest and returned the stationary and writing utensil. "Thanks, guys. I owe you."

I look up at them. They're so tall... "And who might you be?"

They grin. "Why, Umbra, the SHSL Copycat, of course!"

Umbra, SHSL Copycat

I raise my eyebrow. "Copycat?"

"You heard me." They don't offer any further elaboration, and I decide not to press it.

"Hey, look! Someone's coming!"

Tomoko, Umbra, and I all turn around when we hear Rika's voice. Someone is indeed coming - a boy in a teal shirt, a bit on the thin side, with a long red scarf looped around his neck. He has the distinct, recognizable look of someone trying to look stoic while actually terrified.

He waves. "Oh, uh…" An awkward pause. He clearly doesn't know how to introduce himself here. "Hello."

I wave back. "Greetings and salutations, fellow citizen. Harper 'Mal' Hargrave, SHSL Speedcuber, newly converted follower of the bird god overlord. And yourself?"

He pauses. "Bird...god...overlord?"

"Yes, bird god overlord," Tomoko states calmly. "Mukai Tomoko. Prosthetist."

Rika smiles. "Itoh Rika, Cinematographer. Nice to meet you!"

Umbra grins widely. "And I'm Umbra. The SHSL Copycat."

The new boy smiles slightly. "Well, I'm...Song Li. SHSL Sniper."

Song Li, SHSL Sniper

Instantly my interest is piqued. A sniper…? Now that's someone that I want on my side.

Rika stares at him. "Whoa. Cool…"

He shrugs. "It's just what I do, really. Though I'm quite good at it."

"You must have good eyesight," Umbra remarks.

"I'd suppose so, yes."

"Ooh!" Rika smiles and bounces slightly. "Then maybe you can spot details we can't, like the little cameras!"

"You still think this is an elaborate prank…?" Tomoko stares at her.

"No risk in checking, I suppose." Song smiles. "I'd be happy to help look around."

"I'll look too!" Umbra says excitedly.

"Alright then!" The three depart, searching the nearby graves. Only Tomoko remains around me.

"...you don't think there are cameras either?" I ask her.

"Of course not." She scoffs. "We've just been kidnapped and that's something we have to accept."

"Yeah, I guess so…" Whatever thought I had is interrupted by the sound of yet another door opening.

Chapter: 0

Survivors: 5/5

Well, I guess I lied about the slow updates thing. Really, I have no idea how I'm managing this pace.

To all those whose OCs have been introduced so far, please tell me how I've been representing them! I'd hate to write a submitted OC badly.

Itoh Rika, SHSL Cinematographer - Shadowclanwarrior

Umbra, SHSL Copycat - Revolution921

Song Li, SHSL Sniper - HeroineOfDarkness

Icarus, SHSL...god? Bird? Mascot? Who knows? - Criminal Limes

So what do you think of the new characters? Who's your favorite so far? Do you like the mascot? Please tell me in the reviews!

-Lime

Daichi Yamazaki: Naw, the talent won't be integrated into the story. In fact, it's pretty much the least remarkable thing about Mal.

VioElcina: The setting is certainly mysterious. As I said. More than meets the eye.

HeroineOfDarkness: You bet. There's a reason there are graves prepared for everyone. They'll be full soon enough.

KomoriRin: Yeah, Mal is one anxious fuck. Given their past, though, it's totally justified.

Shouta Izukai: Naw, Edwin's not trapped, thank god. No chance of him murdering someone and breaking Mal's heart.

Lupus Overkill: Thank you so much! I actually came up with the coffin bit last-second and I'm happy it worked out, haha.