01: A Normal Day In Academy City

There used to be an old saying lifted from the title of an even older book – 'Men are from Mars, Women from Venus.' Basically what the author meant by that was men and women have different ways of communicating, different ways of seeing the world. If I ever get the chance to write a book in the future it will be titled, 'Life on Jupiter Sucks!' and it will be a work of nonfiction. But since, I'm Japanese and live in Tokyo-3 Metropolitan Prefecture, it will probably have to be a light novel, with a ridiculously long title, and it has to appeal to the teen demographic, so it will probably be set in high school and follow a bunch of anti-social teenagers who have trouble fitting in. And the title of my life's work will be, "As Expected, My Academy Life in Jupiter is Wrong."

Thank God, I won't live long to see that happen, because I will probably be dead in a few more minutes. It's kinda funny, these are my last moments in this pathetic plane of existence and I am spending them thinking about a book I will never write. Well, now that I think about it, the book is probably a metaphor. What I am really thinking about is how I am a failure at everything, even the most simplest of things, chiefly communicating my thoughts and feelings to other human beings.

I mean what gives? Even birds and animals know how to communicate, but somehow I can't seem to get the hang of it. Don't get me wrong, I know how to talk. I open my mouth and words come out of it. But I am really bad when it comes to communication. There is a slight difference between the two and if you fail to spot it, well then I'm definitely not wasting my breath explaining it to you guys. I know, I might sound rude, but what can I say, that's on me. I'm way too busy trying not to pass out from the blood loss. And I'm pretty sure my leg is broken. At the moment, staying alive is my full time occupation.

"Hos-" I coughed and tasted blood in my mouth. Definitely not good. I shouldn't try to move. It might aggravate my injuries. Talking is a big no-no too. But I have a problem listening to good advice, especially my own. "Hospital. I need a…" I trail off, unable to complete the sentence, my mind being particularly uncooperative, coming in and out of consciousness. All I feel is pain. Everything hurts. It hurts so much.

"Onii-chan, please don't die!"

There's only one person in the entire solar system who has ever called me that and it made perfect sense, her not wanting me to die. After all, she's the only one who truly cared about me and actually gave more than a passing thought on whether or not I lived or died.

"Komachi?" I cried out.

"No, it's Souta."

I don't think I know anyone by that particular name. It takes me a few minutes to figure out what's going on, where am I, and who is this 'Souta' and that's when it finally hits me. Urgh. Poor choice of words.

I finally start to remember.

I was involved in an accident. A car hit me. Well, it was actually going to hit the kid, but I tried to play superhero and got the kid out of harm's way and threw myself in front of the speeding vehicle and got myself wrecked. I don't care what they show you in the movies, you are not walking yourself off from a head on collision with a speeding four wheeler. It doesn't work like that.

Speaking of things not working, my memories surrounding the accident are kinda foggy. I don't think I have anything to be scared about. It's not like I'm gonna lose my mind or develop amnesia or something, right? Although, I do seem to have a terrible headache, and is that a nasty looking cut on my forehead.

It's probably gonna be fine. I live in Academy City, which is like the most advanced city on Jupiter. I have heard they have made great leaps in technology and research on this side of the planet and that they are twenty to thirty years ahead compared to other countries spread across the solar system. Safe to say I can definitely expect a better healthcare system than what is available on Earth. I have nothing to worry about.

From what I can tell, I'm currently at the backseat of a car, being driven to the nearest hospital. I have no idea why the kid is here with me. Maybe it's out of some misplaced obligation. I saved his life and got hurt in the process, so now he feels guilty and wants to follow me to the hospital to see if the good doctors can fix me or will I end up crippled for life.

No, don't be stupid. Souta's a kid, no more than six or seven years old. He's not a sixteen year old pessimist, who became jaded with the world at large and started to eye everyone and everything with cynicism and distrust, before finally adapting to the ways of the loner to save himself from the trouble of interacting with society and people. He's still just a kid, innocent, uncorrupt. It has to be something else.

"Are you hurt?" I asked.

"What?" Souta sounded confused.

"When I pushed you out of the way…" I really had trouble talking and had to pause and take a deep breath a couple of times and had to hold myself from trying not to gasp out in pain. I didn't want to worry the kid unnecessarily. "…Did I hurt you?"

"I scraped by knee a little." The kid tells me. "But it's nothing my onee-chan can't fix."

He sounds pretty sure. I don't know the feeling. I don't have an older sister. But I am an older brother and I can't help but wonder, does Komachi feel the same way about me, does she have enough faith in me, even after what I did, leaving just like that. Probably not. I don't deserve to be her older brother. I am a horrible human being and I would be better off dead, because I am certain no one will miss me, no one will cry for me, not even my little sister.

"Onii-chan, why are you crying?"

I completely forgot about the kid. "Because, I'm in incredible pain."

Now that I think about it, I should probably hold off on drawing my last breath in the backseat of a car with the six year old watching my every move. I know a lot of crazy stuff happens in Academy City, and he might probably be used to all the strange things which are pretty much common place, so much so that people don't even blink when something mindboggling happens, but call me an old fashioned, country bumpkin from Chiba, but I think a kid shouldn't watch someone die before his own eyes. It would probably mess him up real bad and next thing you know he will become a serial killer or something.

So, from the looks of it, I have to postpone my untimely death for a few more minutes, before I am rushed into an emergency room, where the hospital orderlies will no doubt stop the kid from following me as I am carted inside, while gently explaining to him that he can't come in, because it will interfere with the doctor's job, which is to save me from a rather painful death.

Yes, it's best if the kid and I go our separate ways. I'm not good with children, and from what the kid tells me, I didn't do that great of a job saving him from getting hit by that speeding car. All I did was push him out of the way. It's nothing special. Any idiot could do that. But only the biggest idiot would have hurt the kid in the process of trying to save him. The kid has an older sister and knowing my luck, she will probably be really angry with me and blame me for injuring her little brother, and she will be completely justified. It's what I would do.

Wait a minute – the kid said his sister could fix his injuries. And we are on our way to the hospital. Don't tell me. "Is your sister a nurse?"

"…No." Souta asked. "She's a high school student."

In any other place on the planet what he said wouldn't be a cause of alarm, but we are in Academy City, where those words can mean a whole bunch of different things, and none of them ever turn out to be good. You would think, after million and million years of evolution, the species scientifically known as 'Homo Akira', what in laymen terms is a broad classification used to describe the humans inhabiting Jupiter, would have come to their senses and realized one simple thing – Sixteen year olds are too young to be considered adults.

But no, this is Academy City, and because over eighty percent of the population has some kind of powers, they walk around behaving like they are the main protagonist of some popular shonen manga. Even worse, some of the guys act like they are the male lead of a harem comedy. You sick bastards. I hope they burn in hell for all eternity.

But Souta says he has an older sister, so I don't have to worry about dealing with any wannabe main characters from some trashy power fantasy light novels. But it never hurts to be safe and take some extra precautions. "Look, since we are already going to the hospital, why don't you let a doctor look at your knee." I even manage a small smile. "It will make me feel a lot better knowing you won't get an infection."

And that's when Souta lets the proverbial cat out of the bag. "But onii-chan, we are not going to the hospital."

Hearing those words, my eyes go wide in shock and horror. What does he mean, we are not going to the hospital. I was in an accident. I got hit by a car. I am dying. I need a hospital. It's common sense. But I forgot, I was dealing with a kid. Kids are stupid. But wait a minute, Souta's in the backseat of the car with me. He's not at the front, in the driver's seat, eyes on the road, hands on the wheel, foot on the gas, a destination in mind. Thank God Souta's a kid and can't drive yet. There still some hope left. Hopefully, the driver's an adult and knows what he's doing.

"Driver-san," I croak out. "Please, tell me we are going to the hospital."

"…" Dead silence for a few minutes. I should have known it was too long and suspicious for my taste. "Well, Souta said his sister can fix you up and I kinda borrowed this car from the girls who hit you, and I promised I would return it soon, otherwise they would report it stolen and I will be arrested and kicked out of high school."

And suddenly it all made sense. I wasn't dealing with a level headed adult who followed logic and reason and knew what the normal thing would be to do in this circumstance, i.e. take me to a hospital emergency room. Instead, I was dealing with the absolute worst of humanity, a highschooler from Academy City, who thought he was some kind of hero and believed a kid and his innocent world of make belief, where his older sister was probably some god-like being who could fix everything.

"Driver-san-"

"It's Miyamura." The idiot said. "We are from the same school, I think. I recognized your uniform. Although, I can't really tell since our academy has so many different uniforms to choose from."

Oh god, don't tell me, this guy is an airhead too. I mean get a clue you moron. Read the room. Or the person in the backseat, currently bleeding to death. "Not really interested in discussing fashion with you right now. I just wanted to let you know that, I'm gonna blame you for my death."

And that's when Souta piped up again. "Onii-chan, please don't say that. You're not gonna die!"

I keep forgetting about the kid. I guess this is what happens when you are moments away from death, your brain and all its faculties start to fail you and you end up saying a whole bunch of stupid stuff, not knowing that there are people around who are still listening to your every word. I imagine this is why all the greats from history deserve our respect, because even in their dying moments they kept it together and said some really awesome and quotable lines before they finally kicked the bucket. I'm not great. I'm a nobody. But I think I can do better. "Of course," I lie to Souta. "Your onee-chan is gonna save me."

"You got that right." Souta smiles brightly. "My onee-chan knows magic!"

…I have so many questions.

For my sake, I hope he is right. But there's one thing I know for certain. I still haven't gotten used to life in Academy City.

And you know what the worst part is.

I don't think I ever will.

-x-

Author's Note: Welcome to "As Expected, Our Academy Life In Jupiter Is Wrong."

With this, I decided to return to my roots and went back to writing in first person Hikigaya POV. And I set it in high school. In Academy City. On Jupiter. But it still counts!

Now, what can you expect from this fic – Well, a little bit of everything I guess.

Also, I have made the decision not to do polls for this fic.

But please, don't let that stop you from leaving reviews suggesting what you want from this fic. For example: You can tell me which characters you want to see attend high school with Hikigaya, you can tell me who you want to be Hikigaya's senpai or kouhai, and most importantly you can tell me what kind of powers you want the characters to have, and last but not the least, you can suggest the pairings.

Also, keep in mind that this takes place in Academy City on Jupiter, so yeah, a few things will be different. For example, the class size is gonna be huge, the academy is gonna be huge, the city is gonna be huge, basically everything is gonna be huge.

Hope you enjoyed reading this chapter.

Leave lots and lots of reviews, follow and fave

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