In the few days after the Class 78 survivors had been moved to the Future Foundation's 4th Division, they had first been welcomed to that Division by Officer Ichiko Enatsu. Enatsu was there to welcome the survivors to the 4th Division as a favor to the Division Leader, Seiko Kimura, who was busy with another important project. They had also been settling into a similar routine in a different location as well as having regular sessions with the 4th Division's head therapist, Tadako Haruta, that started on their second day there. At first, Haruta seemed like a shy, bookish type of woman but as Yasuhiro Hagakure found out during their first session, she had a steel resolve and was not the type to be pushed around by a former Ultimate who thought that therapy was akin to brainwashing and subversive mind control.
Haruta had also met with the other five survivors privately, more to get to know them a little better and to build a level of comfort with the memory restoration that would eventually take place. In some of these sessions, they had also met the 4th Division's head hypnotist, Kenji Miura. Miura didn't sit in with Haruta in all of her sessions, but during the sessions that he attended he wished to establish a positive rapport with the six so that they would feel as comfortable as possible with the restoration process and with Miura himself as well. Miura intended to only use hypnotism, but Head Nurse Shiho Nakagawa would be there with Miura to monitor their vitals and ensure that nothing would go wrong medically speaking.
Once as much of a comfort level was established with the six remaining members of Hope's Peak Academy Class 78 that was going to be established, Haruta and Miura held a joint session with the six in order to fully explain the process that Miura would use, in addition to announcing extra sessions afterwards with Haruta to ensure that the potential restored memories didn't cause any lingering psychological issues. Miura led the meeting, with Haruta nodding while she was taking notes.
"Thank you all for being willing to meet with us on such short notice," Miura had started. "Now, with the research that I've been able to piece together and with the information that all of you have provided, a fairly clear picture has been developed regarding how two years' worth of your memories were stolen in the first place."
At this point, Kyoko Kirigiri had crossed her arms but remained silent. In the research that she had independently done after the escape from the Academy, one name kept popping up –- Yasuke Matsuda, the former and now deceased Ultimate Neurologist from Hope's Peak Class 77-A. Matsuda had come up with a way to remove memories as "treatments" given to Junko Enoshima in an attempt to cause her to forget that she was one of the key members of Ultimate Despair and to make her believe that she was actually Ryoko Otonashi, the Ultimate Analyst. Where Matsuda's treatments had eventually failed to suppress Junko's real self, Junko's manipulation of Matsuda's data had been the catalyst for the beginnings of the first Killing Game. Kyoko seethed at the mere thought of Matsuda, but she held her tongue since the other five might not have found this information out for themselves. As it was, it was time consuming for her to find and eventually piece most of it together on her own.
Miura continued, "It is our belief that it was Enoshima herself who perfected Yasuke Matsuda's techniques to steal two years' worth of your school memories, and to cause Miss Kirigiri to not remember what her Ultimate talent really was, and also to not remember why she had gone to the Academy."
Byakuya Togami tersely interrupted with, "We've all figured this out in differing methods on our own, seeing how we were all sequestered in the Academy when this happened. So what does this all have to do with what we all agreed to?"
Looking over to Miura for approval, and with him giving her a slight nod to proceed, Haruta answered, "We haven't been able to develop any medical treatments could assist with your memory restoration, which takes time, a lot of effort and even more testing. We also came to the conclusion that that sort of tampering could actually cause more harm than helping you."
Kyoko chimed in, "So, in other words, our treatment as it were will not be a full medical procedure?"
Miura nodded and answered, "Yes, Miss Kirigiri, that is correct. What Miss Haruta and I have decided, since Enoshima did what is in essence a wipe of the memory centers of your brains, we.. or, I, actually.. will attempt hypnotherapy on all of you."
Yasuhiro Hagakure, standing up in protest, firmly stated, "I'm not subjecting my mind to any more of this occult nonsense!"
Toko Fukawa groaned, as did Togami, and Haruta stared Hiro down while Makoto Naegi gently pointed out, "Hiro? The reason that we're all here is that we all decided as a group to try this."
Aoi Asahina added, "And it's a little bit late to back out now." That statement earned Hina a knowing smile from Haruta, which she still had on her face as she looked over to Hiro.
Hiro then relented, finally. "Okay, okay. But I'm holding all of you responsible if the aliens appear again and want more from me than just the beef from my hamburger."
The other five Class 78 members all groaned in unison, remembering the preposterous story Hiro had told them about his hamburger not being one-hundred percent beef during the Killing Game.
Miura then cleared his throat to get the meeting back on track. "All right, settle down.. all of you. If any memories that do get brought back to you are in any way deeply disturbing, we do have a full medical staff on hand. Also, Head Nurse Nakagawa has volunteered to be my personal assistant for this entire project. We all want to make sure that each of you will not be taken past your comfort level throughout this whole thing."
No one really had anything to say after that, which allowed Miura to elaborate on the hypnotherapy process and how it would work.
After some explaining and further convincing of Hiro that harmful alien death rays wouldn't kill him straight off, Miura finished with, "Well, if there are no other questions or concerns, then we could most likely get started tomorrow if everyone agrees."
Byakuya nodded, slightly impatiently. 'Since the decision has already been made, the process should have gotten started already,' he thought to himself. He didn't voice his inner thought; he merely crossed his arms as if to say, "Well? What are we waiting for?"
Hina nodded, her excitement almost getting the best of her. 'I think the one thing I want to know is if Sakura and I were as close friends as we became during the trials and stuff,' she thought. Her blue eyes shining brightly, she exclaimed, "If everyone else has no objections, I'm ready!"
Haruta couldn't help but smile at the younger girl's enthusiasm. 'I think she'll be the least of Kenji-san's worries,' she thought as she scribbled more notes on her legal pad.
Kyoko was a little tense, but with the practiced detachment she was known for, it didn't show at all. "Hina and I are in agreement," she stated. 'Will I.. what will I find out? I can't help but wonder about that,' she thought to herself as she absently grasped the braid she always wore on the left side of her head.
Haruta was very interested that Kyoko would let people see her fidgeting, albeit very subtly. Kirigiri's reactions to the memory restoration may bear some scrutiny, either by us or by one of her trusted classmates, Haruta scribbled as she noticed the lavender-haired girl fidgeting.
Toko was silent, but watchful of everyone in the room. "I-I'm ready to get this s-started," she announced plainly. 'I r-really hope she doesn't cause any more issues than she already has,' the bookish introvert thought. At this point, Haruta had stopped writing and started to observe Toko's demeanor. Haruta then dipped her head back to her legal pad as she wrote, Fukawa may try to suppress her other self. Keep a close eye on her at all times throughout the process.
Makoto mirrored Hina's enthusiasm, just not as obviously as she did. "I also agree with Hina. The sooner we start, the sooner we may get our missing pieces back," he proclaimed. As he spoke, Haruta wrote, Naegi is the key to the entire group. She curled her mouth slightly after writing that down. 'How on earth would I know that? I've only just met Naegi recently,' she thought.
Hiro, for a change, remained silent. Since he'd been dressed down verbally and visually by the group, he kept his reservations to himself. 'I don't know why, but this doesn't feel quite right. If I say anything else, Toko may slice me to pieces with Syo's scissors!' he thought, an alarmed look passing quickly over his face. Haruta noticed right away and shook her head, wondering how the rest of his surviving classmates put up with his nonsense.
Miura looked to everyone in the group and smiled. "Good, then it seems that all of you are ready to get the process started. As I've previously stated, none of you will have any sessions together unless you request for another to either sit with you, or to go into the hypnotic state with you. Only I can grant such a request."
Everyone nodded in agreement, Hiro included.
Miura then proclaimed, "All right, then this informal meeting is adjourned, and I'll let each of you know when your first hypno session will be before your upcoming rest period. As always, if you have any concerns, please feel free to speak with me or with Haruta-san."
With that, Miura and Haruta stood up and then left the small conference room that they had all come to for the meeting. Since it was almost dinner and rest time, the group quickly decided to go to the small cafeteria to eat and chat before their nightly rest period.
While this was taking place, Miura had gone to his office and was chatting via text with the 4th Division Leader Seiko Kimura.
Miura: I think the only one that we may have problems with is Yasuhiro Hagakure.
Kimura: In your opinion, will it be enough of an issue that he may require sedation?
Miura: No, not at this time I don't think. The rest of his classmates reminded him that their decision to go through with this in the first place was something that he had agreed to as well.
Kimura: Keep me in the loop regardless, Miura-kun. I trust your judgment with them.
Miura: You know that I will, Kimura-san. I know that you're busy, so thank you for the vote of confidence.
Kimura: I am busy, but not busy enough to not give praise where it's due. Get some rest, sounds like you're about to have your hands full.
Miura: I will, Kimura-san.
Before the nightly rest period, everyone had their session assignments. Apparently, Hiro was going to be first, then Hina, then Byakuya, then Toko, then Kyoko, and lastly, Makoto.
The next morning, Hiro met Miura and Nurse Nakagawa where he was told to meet them. Hiro was a little late, but only because he got lost. Miura clucked his tongue as he finished getting the hypnotherapy room ready. The lighting in the room was dim, but not too dark. There was also calm orchestral music piped through the room's speakers, and a small water fountain making quiet, soothing noises.
"All right, Hagakure. If you're ready, please take a seat in the larger leather chair and we can get started," Miura softly stated, so as not to break the calm atmosphere. Hiro nodded and took a seat in the chair, making himself comfortable, then relaxing in spite of himself once he got settled into the chair.
"Okay, Miura-san, I'm ready," Hiro stated.
Miura merely nodded as he sat in a smaller chair beside Hiro, Nurse Nakagawa almost inconspicuous in the room to Hiro's reckoning. Miura softly, but clearly stated, "Close your eyes and begin to relax. Take a deep breath, and let it out slowly. Concentrate on your breathing. With each breath, you become more relaxed."
Hiro felt his eyes closing, sinking a little deeper into the comfort of the chair.
Miura continued, "Imagine a brilliant white light above you and focus on this light as it flows through your body. Allow yourself to drift off as you fall deeper and deeper into a more relaxed state of mind. Now, as I count backwards from ten to one, you will feel more peaceful and calm."
Hiro nodded softly, his body feeling lighter as Miura's words flowed through his brain. "Ten. Nine. Eight. Seven. Six. You will enter a safe place where nothing can harm you. Five. Four. Three. Two. If at any time you need to come back, all you must do is open your eyes."
Unconsciously, Hiro nodded once more before he heard Miura say...
"... One."
A/N: The words Kenji Miura uses to place Hiro in the hypnotic state were lifted almost exactly word for word from "Regression", lyrics written by John Petrucci. My apologies for the delay on this update. Life kind of happened, and it affected my thought process to conclude this first part. I started to write this before Good Friday but had to take a break from it since I was in a car wreck ON Good Friday. I'm fine, no injuries.. still processing the emotional fall out though.
Also, sorry for the cliff-hanger. My plan for Part Two is to tell the story from all of the survivors' POVs. I've got my writing mojo back a little more, so getting started on the memories will likely be easier now that things are settling some. Thank you for your patience, and for the looks/reads and follows!