I don't own Ouran High School Host Club

Chapter One: Introduction

Haruhi couldn't help but be surprised when she was called a he rather than a she. Apparently, there had been a mix up in the Ouran system, and so she had been registered as a boy rather than a girl. She didn't mind, of course, so she didn't say anything about it. She was, however, debating whether or not to ask about the uniform. Haruhi hadn't even been informed that she was required to wear one, and was surprised when she had been handed one as soon as she walked through the door. It was all black, and consisted of a short-sleeved turtleneck, pants and a belt, and leather fingerless gloves. It seemed to match the mood of the building. The walls were painted a dull gray, and the floors seemed to be made of cement.

The whole atmosphere was making Haruhi uneasy. The only good thing that had happened so far was that she was allowed to have her own room. She had been informed that there were only about seventeen other students there, and so there were many rooms to spare. When she opened the door to her bedroom, she found that it matched the rest of the building. A twin sized bed sat in the middle of the room, and one small drawer sat against the wall across from the closet. The door to the bathroom was next to the bed. The room was about the size of her old room back at home, although not as inviting.

She laid down her suitcase next to her bed and quickly changed into her uniform. Haruhi was surprised about how comfortable her uniform actually was. She sat down at the foot of her bed and opened up her schedule. She had something to do that very day, and she didn't want to be late. Only one thing was scheduled that day. Meeting with your team at one o' clock. It made no sense to Haruhi. 'What team?' Haruhi looked up at the clock in her room. It was twelve forty. Haruhi sighed and got up. It looked as if she wouldn't be able to rest just yet.

...

...

It took some time, but Haruhi finally found the place where she was supposed to be. She opened the door to reveal seven young men. They were wearing clothes similar to hers and did not seem to enjoy being there. They looked up when she entered the room. The group consisted of a boy with blonde hair and startling violet eyes, an intelligent looking boy with glasses, a small blonde boy that looked only to be about ten-years-old; although Haruhi had a feeling he was a lot older than he appeared, a tall black-haired boy with a stoic expression on his face, and two ginger-haired twins with yellow eyes and identical bored expressions on their faces.

The intelligent looking one adjusted his glasses and turned to her. "I believe you are the last person on this team? Haruhi Fujioka, is it?"

Haruhi decided not to ask how he knew her name, and just nodded. He gestured for her to sit in one of the chairs.

"Now that everyone is here, let's get started. I am Kyoya Ohtori."

"Tamaki Suoh," the violet eyed boy said with a grin.

"Mitsukuni Haninozuka. But you can call me Honey!" the little one answered. "And this is Takashi Morinozuka. You can call him Mori."

'Mori' grunted in greeting.

The twins glanced at each other.

"I'm Hikaru Hitachiin."

"And I'm Kaoru Hitachiin."

Haruhi looked up at them all. "Haruhi Fujioka," She turned to Kyoya. He seemed to be the most reliable person there. "I'm wondering why there are only seventeen students here. Do you know why?"

"The Ouran Program is for the elite. Only the best students are allowed in," he replied. His eyes seemed to flash behind his glasses as he looked at her. "You don't know what the real purpose of this program is, correct?"

Haruhi frowned. "It's a study program, isn't it?"

"That's what they want you to think," Hikaru interjected.

Haruhi blinked, a confused look on her face. "Then what's the whole point of this?" She was starting to get a bad feeling in her gut.

"There's a reason only the best get into this program every year," Kaoru said.

"Please explain," Haruhi said.

Kyoya took over the explanation. "The government has created the Ouran Program to lure the most brilliant children to try to enroll into its program. It disguises itself as a way to enhance your abilities, or as a study program. But it's much more than that."

"Ever heard of human chess, Haruhi?" Hikaru asked with a glint in his eyes.

"Human chess? Is that what this is?" Haruhi asked.

"It's a different kind of human chess," Kaoru answered. "In this game, people actually die." He said it so casually that Haruhi wasn't sure whether to believe him or not.

"The government believes that a war could be coming up in the future, and they need the best people in their army," Kyoya explained. "That's where the game comes along. It's a lot like the game of Human Chess, although people actually get injured in this one. Two teams are put against each other and taken into a playing field. Whichever team wins is allowed into the army once the war starts."

Kyoya looked so serious and sincere about the whole concept that Haruhi had a hard time trying to believe that he was lying. "You can't be serious," she said. "What war? Why would they send children into battle?"

"None of us have any specific details," Tamaki replied. He looked so serious, and Haruhi had a feeling that he didn't usually look that way. "But we do know that the war is in the future ahead. The government wants to start preparing their soldiers to go to war."

"I...see," Haruhi said softly. She tried to wrap her brain around the big news that she had just heard. "And so we're one of the teams that are competing in this Human Chess game?"

"That is correct," Kyoya replied.

"How do you know all this? Shouldn't this be some huge secret the government wouldn't want to go out to the public?" Haruhi asked.

"Hika-chan and Kao-chan's cousin was in the Human Chess game last year. So he told them." Honey replied in cute voice that didn't match the seriousness in his eyes.

"We had all arrived here some time before you did, Fujioka-san. And they had explained to us about the game before you came." Kyoya said.

Haruhi turned to look at the twins. "Your cousin was in the game?"

"That's right," Kaoru replied.

"He was a total wreck when he got home after the game," Hikaru said. "No one would believe him when he told them about the game. But we did. He wasn't one to lie, and he especially couldn't have thought of something like this."

Everyone looked so calm as they explained this, while Haruhi felt a burst of panic rising within her. "So what happens in this game?"

"Well, like Kyoya-senpai said, there are two teams. Each has eight people. There is a chess master for each team and they control what the team can or cannot do," Hikaru explained. "The chess masters are usually the son and daughter of the person who started this whole program."

"The son, Umehito Nekozawa, is one of the chess masters. Never once has he lost a game. Our cousin was on his team, and that was probably why he got to return home." Kaoru said.

"The other chess master is Reiko. Those two have always been the chess masters, and Reiko has always lost. Her team was pretty close to winning last year, but Nekozawa still won," Hikaru said. "This year, Reiko's sick, so their step-sister is filling in for her."

"Her name is Renge Houshakuji, and it's her first year to ever be in the game," Kyoya said.

Haruhi felt dread rise within her. "Let me guess, she's our chess master?"

Kaoru nodded. "Yeah, so in other words-"

"We're screwed." Hikaru finished.

"But not to worry, Haruhi!" Tamaki cried out, standing up. "I will protect you in any way I can! I shall lead our team to victory!"

Haruhi's eye twitched in annoyance to the blonde's loud outburst. "I don't need your protecting."

As fast as lightning, Tamaki was sitting in the corner, a dark gloom seeming to surround him.

Haruhi sweat-dropped. "Does that always happen?"

Kyoya sighed. "Unfortunately, yes."

Haruhi sighed. "So, explain to me how this Human Chess game works."

Kaoru took over the explanation. "The two teams are taken to the playing field and put far away from each other. The two chess masters watch from one of the buildings in the playing field. The chess masters are the ones who give out orders to the team members. There's the Queen on one team and the King on the other. They're the only ones who are allowed to have contact with their chess master for the whole entire game, and relay the orders of their chess master to the other team members. They're not allowed to participate in any of the trials in the game unless the chess master allows it. No matter what happens, the King or Queen aren't allowed to interfere."

Hikaru continued. "The rest of the team are pawns. They're the ones who participate in the trials of the game."

"What kind of trials?" Haruhi asked.

"The trials vary," Kyoya answered. "Some include fighting and others include certain skills."

"What kind of skills?" Haruhi asked.

Kyoya shrugged. "I have not participated in the game before, so I don't know."

"The game ends when you either defeat all of the people on the other team, defeat the King or Queen, or the chess master surrenders." Tamaki said grimly.

"What happens to the surviving team members?" Haruhi asked.

"They get sent home and are called back when needed," Kyoya said. "And if you were on the losing team..." Kyoya shrugged.

Haruhi shuddered. "That doesn't seem quite... humane."

Hikaru rolled his eyes. "Since when is everything humane?"

"Nekozawa has already decided that his team will have a Queen," Kyoya said. "So our team must have a King."

"So who's going to be the King?" Haruhi asked.

Kyoya smiled coldly. "I believe you are."

Haruhi's eyes widened. "What?"

The same cold smile was still plastered on his face. "There was a mistake in the system, wasn't there? Although you are a girl, you are registered as a boy. Technically, you are allowed to become the King. As long as the other team doesn't realize your true gender, we'll be fine."

Haruhi searched her mind for a way out of the situation. "But I can't become the King. I-"

"If I am truly aware, I believe you hold no fighting skills whatsoever, correct?" Kyoya pushed up his glasses. "The King does not have to fight unless truly necessary. As long as all of us are capable of fighting, you will not have to do anything. The King is usually the smartest person in the group." He gave her a look that made Haruhi think that he was not quite happy with the fact.

"The pawns protect the King, Haru-chan," Honey said quietly.

Kyoya nodded. "This is the best strategy. You become King and we will participate in the trials. You will not get in our way, and things will turn out fine."

Haruhi tried not to take offense to what he said.

"So, I guess it's settled," Haruhi said awkwardly.

Kyoya smiled without warmth. "We are your pawns, my king."

...

...

A/N: I'm sorry if any of them were out of character. But they can't exactly act like their normal selves in a situation like that.

~Magic