Chapter Text
Holy shit……my head hurts so bad….
Wait, why does my head hurt?
Those were the first thoughts in Aster’s head. When he opened his eyes, he saw he was on a chair at a table. Why was he in a dining room?
He also noticed the several other people in chairs next to him, either just waking up or trying to wake others up.
Aster nudged the person next to them, and they startled awake. They looked around, confused. “The hell….?”
“That’s what I'm saying. Who are all of you?” Aster asked.
“Who are YOU? I was supposed to be going to orientation for my Ultimate class.” The person across from Aster said.
“What? Me too!” A girl nearby shouted out, with others making similar exclamations.
“Okay, okay, can we all introduce ourselves? Because, I’m sensing a theme here.” Someone chimed in over the confused shouting. “Like, I’m Pintora, and I’m the Ultimate Meteorologist.”
“M’kay. I’m Aster, the Ultimate Fanfic Writer. Are we all Ultimates?” Aster didn’t notice somebody else giving them a glare after they said their talent.
The girl from before spoke next. “I think so. I’m En, the Ultimate Fashion Illustrator.”
Somebody nearby En gasped. “A fashion designer? I’m a dressmaker!” They offered a hand, which En shook. “I’m Raymond.”
“Nice to meet you.” En held back on correcting him. “I’m going back to sleep.” En put her head back down on the table.
“Wha-..okay then. I’m Marsh, Ultimate Cake Baker.” Another girl said.
“Cake Baker? Why not just baker?” Aster asked.
“Because cakes are the only thing I’m good at.”
“Aw, don’t be so hard on yourself!” Someone else decided to join the conversation. “I’m sure you’re great at a lot of things!”
“.....it wasn’t meant to be self-deprecating.”
“Oh……” The person coughed into their hand. “Well, it’s nice to meet you, I’m Cloudy, the Ultimate Digital Artist.”
“So you’re the reason I got accepted as a fashion illustrator instead of a digital artist?” En exclaimed, sitting up. Cloudy looked confused, so En continued. “I tried applying as a digital artist, but they denied me because someone else already got it! So I had to apply as a fashion illustrator instead.”
“Oh, I’m…sorry?” Cloudy apologized, a little unsure.
“Oh, I got over it, it’s fine.” En’s attitude changed from upset back to cheerful in seconds. She put her head back down.
The next person introduced themselves. “So, my name is Jay, but if you want to call me by my stage name, Sky, you can! I’m the Ultimate Singer.”
“Ooh, a singer? What kind of music?” Marsh asked.
“Many kinds, if we can find karaoke equipment here, I can show you!”
“Don’t know why we would find that here…” Someone else said.
“You never know. What’s your name?” Jay asked.
The person was quiet for a moment, before saying. “Diana. Ultimate Rockstar.”
Jay’s eyes lit up at hearing another music related talent, but Diana put his head back down, and Jay figured they wouldn’t get any more from him for a bit.
“I love all the music talents we have here.” The person across from Jay said.
“Oh, do you have a music talent too?” Jay’s eyes lit up again.
“...Yeah. Ultimate Idol, and my name is Ren. Okay, how about you?” Ren asked the person next to them before Jay could start talking.
“Seafoam.” Seafoam didn’t bother to stand up. “I’m the Ultimate Witch.”
“A witch??? How does that work???” Somebody yet to introduce themselves asked.
“Do I have to talk about it?” Seafoam asked.
“Yes!” The person said at the same time as Jay saying “No.”
“Cool, then I’m not going to.”
The mystery person pouted. “Well, I guess it’s my turn. I’m Owol, the Ultimate Sadist.”
“You’re going to question someone else’s talent when you have a talent like that?” Diana said.
“How do you even become an Ultimate Sadist?” Marsh asked.
“Do you want to know? Really, really want to know?”
“........No, I’m good.” Marsh backed away a little from Owol.
“Well, I haven’t gone yet, and I want to change topics. I’m SkidSkids. I’m the Ultimate Journalist.”
“I haven’t gone either, I’m the Ultimate Actress, Snowy.”
“Thank god, the rest of you have normal talents.” Aster said after the two people spoke. He turned to the person who was next to them. “I think you’re the last one to go.”
The person cleared their throat and stood up. “Greetings my precious and ephemeral counterparts, how is your bodacious day going? I, Web, am the Ultimate Violinist.”
“The hell?” Aster stared at them.
“What?” Web looked back, confused, as if they didn’t just say a wildly random sentence out of nowhere.
Wow, so everyone here was either weird or normal, there is no inbetween.
“Well, since we introduced ourselves, should we try to find out where we are?” Jay suggested.
“I think that’s a good idea.” Marsh said. The people who were still sitting stood up from the table. Raymond nudged En awake.
As they were about to exit the dining hall, they noticed a sticky note on the door. Web took it off. “What is this doctor-ass handwriting?”
“Let me see.” Ren took the note from Web. “It says, ‘To all students in the dining hall, please report to the auditorium for orientation. Turn left from this door, and right at the end of the hall, then keep walking until you see the large double doors. I look forward to meeting you all’. It’s signed with the initials W.A.”
“That's strange. Why is orientation starting with us knocked out in the dining hall?” Cloudy thought out loud.
“I’m not sure, but we should go.” SkidSkids said, pushing open the dining hall doors.
The group followed the note’s directions towards the auditorium. “I’ve got a bad feeling about this.” Snowy said.
“I’d say don’t worry, but I do too.” Marsh agreed.
The group eventually reached the double doors, and pushed them open.
“Hm, it looks like a normal auditorium.” Jay said.
“Wait, hold up, there’s a guy up there.” Owol pointed to the stage.
Sure enough, there was a man in a business suit on the stage. He tapped the microphone. “Wonderful, you all have arrived together! I’m glad you didn’t take too long.”
“Are you the..principal?” En asked.
“If that’s what you wish to call me, then by all means go ahead. However, I believe a more fitting role would be to call me the host.” The man said.
“Host? Of what?” Marsh asked.
“A proper introduction will be needed to explain that.” The lights of the auditorium dimmed. The students looked around in confusion before looking towards the stage, where a spotlight shined on the man.
“My name is Wolfgang Akire. I am the host of the Ultimate Orientation Program. The most effective test of what truly makes an Ultimate. In this year’s program, you fourteen..” Lights shone on each of the students. “Will partake in the program to prove your worth as Ultimates.”
The lights turned back on. The students looked more confused than before
“Prove our worth…?” Pintora asked what everyone was thinking.
“Yes. Later today, after you’ve become familiar with this building, I will announce the tests that will be your orientation.” Wolfgang said.
“So, we have to pass your tests to be accepted?” Aster asked. Wolfgang nodded.
“What? First day of school and there’s already a test?” Seafoam exclaimed.
“Don’t worry, Seafoam.”
“How do you already know my-”
“If you are worthy of being an Ultimate, the test will be no problem.”
“Well that doesn’t put any more pressure on us than before.” Diana said.
“I’d love for you all to explore the building. You may come to me to get a layout of the campus if needed.” Wolfgang gestured to the papers next to him.
The students went up to collect their maps. Seeing Wolfgang up close, however, gave them an odd feeling. They felt uncomfortable and untrusting. Something was off about this man.
“Hey, the dorms are really close to here. I wanna see my room!” Raymond said.
“It looks like there’s a garden here. Interesting, since none of us have gardening talents.” Ren pointed out.
“They got a big kitchen, though!” Marsh exclaimed.
“Of course baking was your first thought.” En said.
“Wh-no it wasn’t!”
“I see you are all excited. How about you take an hour to learn your way around the Ultimate Academy? I’ll make an announcement over the loudspeaker about the test, so there’s no need to come back here.” Wolfgang suggested.
The students nodded. Though they were still confused about their situation, it would be good to learn their way around the school.
“Let’s split up and go where we want to go.” Jay said.
“That’s fine with me. See you guys later!” Aster said. One by one, each student exited the auditorium.
Behind them, where nobody could see, Wolfgang smiled.
____________________
An hour passed in a flash. The students managed to find a garden, kitchen, library, and gym.
Plus, of course, the hallway of dorms.
“What? Roommates?” Owol exclaimed when they saw their nameplate on a dorm room, though it also had Ren’s name on it.
“Well, this is convenient.” Marsh said to Seafoam. The three were exploring the dorms, and one of them had both Marsh and Seafoam’s name on them. Seafoam opened the door, and the two gawked at the inside.
The room was split in half. The two sides literally had different wallpapers that were in each of the two’s favorite colors.
“I have an oven? In my room?!” Marsh shouted happily. She looked through the cupboards next to the oven. “Cake mix, bowls, icing, oh my gosh all of this is in my room. And my bed has a cake print on it?? This is amazing!”
Marsh then looked at Seafoam’s half. Her bed had a forest themed print, there were shelves with ingredients, and a cauldron in the corner.
“Woah! You weren’t joking with the Ultimate Witch thing! What kind of daily brews will you cook up?” Marsh asked Seafoam.
“What?”
“Nevermind….”
“Anyway….you think the other dorms are like this?” Seafoam asked.
“Probably. Ooh, I wanna see what Aster’s looks like…or maybe En’s…they’ve got such interesting talents-” Marsh’s blabbering was cut off by the chime of the loudspeaker.
“This must be the announcement about the test.” Seafoam said, and Marsh hushed down.
“Attention all Ultimates. Pause what you are doing and listen to me.” Wolfgang’s voice came out of the speaker. “It is time to announce your orientation test.”
“Don’t keep us waiting, spit it out!” Marsh and Seafoam heard Owol shout from his dorm. Marsh held in the urge to laugh.
“Alright, Owol, If you’re that excited, I’ll speed up.”
“Wait, how did he hear….?” Seafoam trailed off, not wanting to speak over the announcement, but still confused.
“Listen carefully to the rules of the Ultimate Academy Orientation Test, or to give it a more directly definitional name……the Ultimate Academy Killing Game.”
Marsh and Seafoam looked at each other. The what?